useful and beneficial to man,—an art, which exalts him from a mere fugitive and shadowy thing, a phantom of an hour, into a dweller amidst the occurrences of former days, and makes him conversant with the thoughts and actions of the illustrious, who now are mouldering in the dust,—an art, which, "falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think,"—an art, which, as one of the priests, wise in the wisdom of this world, declared, on its production, must be destroyed, or it would ultimately destroy them!-the invention of Printing, was a mighty engine in favour of the Reformation. By its means, the new opinions were rapidly spread; that increased knowledge, and knowledge again operated in favour of all that was good, and just, and right.

Other circumstances also aided the goodly work of the Reformation. The minds of men were beginning to expand, their eyes were opening. "The impolitic violence of some Popes the scandalous lives of others—the shameless licentiousness of their court and their capital-the corrupt manners of the clergy-the ignorance and effrontery of several orders of mendicants, the faithful satellites of the Holy See the seventy years' captivity at Avignon-the schism of forty other years which followed it, in which two and sometimes three Popes appeared, each having a party, abusing and excommunicating each other, loading each other with the most revolting insults, and reproaching each other with the lowest vices-unexpected disclosures, which covered both rivals with ignominy at the same time-the exactions of every description, but particularly the indulgences, a monstrous abuse of the most monstrous of powers-the intolerance and cruelties of the Inquisition" were deeply sowing the seeds of discontent and rebellion in the minds of the free spirits of the age. When the opportunity presented itself for unfurling the banners of intellectual freedom, they were prepared for action. The power which ruled with despotic sway over the heritage of God, had its foundations in human opinion, and these had been cemented by force and intrigue. As long as it could be shrouded in mystery, 'twas well. "Still your fingers on your lips, I pray!" But when once its former votaries, and sometime bond-slaves, began to think, then the veil was rent. “To doubt its rights, was to take them away; to probe its foundations, was to sap them; to examine, was to destroy."

The phrase, "the doctrines of the Reformation," is one of high sounding import. It is one in very current use by some religious denominations, who seem fond of confining Christianity within their own pale. It is one which carries with it a great degree of influence. The human mind is so much swayed by the authority of names, and the principal leaders in the work of the Reformation, were in general so well deserving of the homage and admiration of their fellow-creatures, that, if it can be shown they were banded together for the support of the peculiar opinions of any one religious party, such a circumstance would, in the judgment of numbers, give a stamp of authority to the principles professed. "Once connect the admiring ideas and grateful feelings excited by the mention of the Reformation, with a particular system of doctrines, and you cast a glory around the system, which conciliates those who would otherwise be shocked by its intrinsic repulsiveness." Trinitarians and Calvinists, aware of this advantage, have assumed the exclusive use of the phrase, "the doctrines of the Reformation," as alone applicable to their peculiar views.

The great leaders and promoters of the Reformation, at different periods, were, John Wickliffe in England, John Huss in Bohemia, Jerome of Prague, Luther in Saxony, Zwinglius in Switzerland, Savanarola in Italy, Servetus and Calvin in Geneva, Socinus in Poland, and John Knox in Scotland. Were these men united in one common belief on Christian doctrine and practice? Were they all advocates for the peculiar doctrines and discipline which now distinguish the Church of England? Did they universally insist on the five points of Calvinism? Did Arminianism number all of them amongst its adherents? Was Socinianism the prevailing sentiment? Did they all implicitly give in to the peculiar opinions and forms of church government, which were adopted by Luther? Or did they range themselves under the pure and sacred standard of Christian Unitarianism? Not one of these suppositions is agreeable to the real facts of the case. There were very great differences in religious sentiment and in church discipline, among these illustrious spirits; but, with a single exception, they all acted together in the arduous effort of overturning a despotism which laid the minds and bodies of mankind alike prostrate at its feet. It seems probable, there was a tacit compact among the

earliest of them, to leave for discussion, many of the comparatively less momentous points of doctrine, till some future period, when the destiny of the world, either for liberty or slavery, should have been determined. And there was wisdom in the resolution. So gross was the ignorance that prevailed-so abject the bondage in which the mind was enchained-so deep-rooted were the prejudices of the great mass of Christendom, that it would have been impossible to have roused men all at once from the deepness of their lethargy. And the attempt, had any one been disposed to make it, would very probably have retarded, instead of accelerated, the accomplishment of their most ardent wishes; and would have excited against them, the indignation and all the power of the Pontifical Tyrant, as well as the enmity of their coadjutors in the emancipation of mankind. This was evidenced in the conduct of Calvin towards Servetus. 'Twas enough for half a dozen individuals, armed with no other force than truth, wielding no other weapons but argument and persuasion, to induce many millions of people to reject the doctrine of transubstantiation—the belief that the great and Eternal God, he who filleth immensity with his presence, can be compressed into a wafer, and be mouthed and swallowed by the creatures of his own formation! 'Twas enough, that half a dozen men induced as many millions to spurn the spiritual bondage, which had so long enthralled them; and to exercise their rational powers on every subject, and search and judge of the Scriptures for themselves. 'Twas enough, that they had influence sufficient to cause them to protest against the abomination of indulgences, to scout the sale and traffic of the means of man's salvation, after these dogmas had been rooted in the world's mind for centuries. These glorious deeds they did accomplish; and for these, their memories shall be held in everlasting remembrance. Though Balak may curse, we will rise up, and call them blessed; yea, and they shall be blessed.

These, then, and these only, are the doctrines worthy to be denominated, "the doctrines of the Reformation," the great doctrines, in maintaining which, all the Reformers were agreed:—the denial of the doctrine of transubstantiation; the rejection of the impious and profligate sale of indulgences; the free circulation of the Scriptures to the people; the sufficiency of those Scriptures, with the indi

vidual right of the people to exercise their own judgment on the contents. It was the bold, and fervent, and persevering assertion of these cardinal points, that excited almost a volcanic eruption of mind throughout Christendom; and gave such a blow to priestly usurpation, as it has never since, and, we trust, never will recover.

This view of the genuine doctrines of the Reformation, is not peculiar to ourselves. It was asserted, long since, by the celebrated Chillingworth:-"By the Religion of Protestants," he observes, "I do not understand the doctrine of Luther, or Calvin, or Melancthon-nor the Confession of Augusta or Geneva-nor the Catechism of Heidelberg-nor the Articles of the Church of Englandno, nor the harmony of Protestant Confessions;-but that wherein they all agree with a greater harmony as a rule of their faith and actions, that is, the Bible. The Bible, say, the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants."

I

(To be Continued.)

ADDRESS, delivered at the laying of the Corner Stone of the Second Congregational Unitarian Church, NewYork, November 24, 1825.-BY WILLIAM WARE, Minister of the First Congregational Church.

Ir is a good custom, that when about to lay the first stone of a building to be dedicated to God and his worship, we assemble together and ask his blessing on the work; and that, to those who are standing around, we declare the motives by which we are actuated, and explain the principles of that Christian faith in which we commence so interesting a labour.

We begin, then, the building of this house of prayer, that the increasing numbers of those who are believers in the strict unity of God, and lovers of real Christian liberty, may have a convenient place where they may gather themselves together, and unite in the solemnities of social worship-where they may pray to the only God, through the only Mediator-where they may hear the doctrine of Christ preached, as they think, in its first simplicity, and where they may be built up together in the knowledge and obedience of the truth as it is in Jesus. With the greater attention that is daily given by Christians of every name, to the discovery of truth and the detection of error,

and with the increase of our city, it has necessarily happened, that the number of Unitarian believers has greatly multiplied, and that more ample accommodations for religious worship are needed. It is to meet this want, that we have begun to lay the foundation of this house of prayer. When, five years ago, the building of the First Congregational Church was commenced in this place, it was little thought, that in so short a time the erection of a second would become necessary. But through the blessing of God on the cause of pure Christianity, the most ardent anticipations of those who first entered into this field of honourable labour, have been more than answered; and we hope and pray, that before an equal period shall have elapsed, through the continued blessing of heaven, another will have been begun and completed.

To those who stand here, and some of whom may be ignorant of the principles of that Christian faith which we profess, and in behalf of which we begin this church, to them and to all who are here present, I would say, that we lay this stone-this corner-stone of a Christian temple, in the firm and happy belief of one God, the Father, almighty, wise, just, good, and merciful—the God of our lives, and the God of our salvation. Rejecting, as the inventions of a benighted age of the church, all distinction of person in the Deity, and all ideas of his character that do not comport with the parental relation which he sustains to his creatures, we here begin a house, where God may be worshipped as the only God, the Father, without equal, without partner, through faith in Jesus Christ, his well-beloved Son our Saviour and Redeemer. Believing thus, as we think, on most certain warrant of Holy Scripture, we look up with humble confidence for the blessing of Almighty God on our undertaking.

We lay this stone- -as joyful believers in Jesus Christ; as believers in the divinity of his mission-in the supreme authority of his doctrine-in the miracles which he wrought by the power of God, in confirmation of the truths he uttered as believers in his prophetical and mediatorial character that he is the only true prophet of God, that his religion is the only one that has God for its author, and the true happiness of man for its end-that all the commands, precepts, and institutions of Jesus, have the force and obligation of divine commands, precepts, and institutionsthat he is the only appointed medium of approach to God