just performed, and the requests and complaints, stated above, were again urged upon my attention, with great emphasis and apparent sincerity; and here ended my labours for this day. The scene was novel and tumultuous; yet I could not help thinking that it portended well. Out of so many who thought I might reasonably hope to find a few sincere; but I was disappointed. For even those who laid claim to the Christian name were afterwards found to be persons totally void of religious feelings, and absolutely given up to the practice of the grossest vices. Discoveries of this sort were inexpressibly painful; yet they could only be regarded as so many reasons for persevering in our experiment. As to the unbaptized, they turned out, as your readers will see hereafter, to be equally depraved, and, to a slave, wholly destitute of what might be termed a steady desire to attend to things of a spiritual nature. They were all perfectly aware that I held myself in readiness to serve them at all times, and that nothing was expected, or would be received of them, but their attendance; their master having undertaken to bear all the expenses of the mission: yet they never came to me in their own time, for many months together, with that degree of regularity which was absolutely requisite to ensure their permanent improvement. At one period a few of them did, indeed, appear to take real pleasure in hearing me read and illustrate, in a familiar manner, some of the most striking parts of the historical Scriptures. But what took their attention above all things, was the sight of some of those large plates which are bound up in Goadby's Bible. Upon these I have seen them gaze with delight and astonishment, and I doubt not that in some instances they afforded them a degree of information. By these methods alone we endeavoured to turn their thoughts to subjects of a spiritual kind for the first six or seven months we were in Jamaica, when it was resolved to allow them half a day in a fortnight, out of Crop, for the purpose of attending on me. The manner in which this time was employed, together with the relation of some other particulars, will I am very sensible that an address of tion, ought to be attended with some this kind to one in your Lordship's situareasonable apology; especially as it comes bly not thought of for many years past, from a person of low rank in life, probaand perhaps not suspected to be in the land of the living. All I can say for this liberty with your Lordship is, that I believe the same goodness and generosity which I knew to have guided your thoughts and actions eighteen or twenty years ago, do still prevail; and that I cannot think your Lordship will be offended with me, who had once the honour to be called your friend, for doing that now, which I had the pleasure of doing then very often. Providence hath continued me in the same solitude and obscurity in which I was when your Lordship left England: suffer me to assure you, my Lord, and in the sincerity of my heart I say it, that the different dispositions of it in your favour hath given me unspeakable satisfaction. The same sentiments of friendship which you have often kindled in me are alive and warm; and I rejoice to see mankind called forth to a station in which once in my life a lover of virtue and of he can so well promote the interests of both. I have long intended to indulge myself in making your Lordship some humble but sincere congratulations of this sort; but the belief that your Lordship's time and thoughts being employed in things of consequence hath made me afraid of being troublesome. I hope, my Lord, you will accept this as it is meant, and not impute it to the low vanity of making mycan be remembered of me) you never self known; with which (if any thing knew me tainted. I heartily wish your Lordship a long and happy continuance in your station; and beg leave, with all becoming deference Leicester, SIR, In the other passage he keenly rebukes Mr. Clayton for having intimated to his congregation that the Birmingham Riots were a judgment, and advises him not to suffer this itch for interpreting the counsels of Heaven to grow upon him, and concludes thus: "The best use he could make of his mantle would be to bequeath it to the use of posterity, as for the want of it I am afraid they will be in danger of falling into some very unhappy mistakes. To their unenlightened eyes it will appear eighteenth Trespondent Homo has manifested a "The religious tenets of Dr. Priestley appear to me erroneous in the extreme, but I should be sorry to suffer any difference of sentiment to diminish my sensibility to virtue, or my admiration of genius. From him the poisoned arrow will fall pointless. His enlightened and active mind, his unwearied assiduity, the extent of his researches, the light he has poured into almost every department of science, will be the admiration of that period when the greater part of those who have favoured, or those who have opposed him, will be alike forgotten. Distinguished merit will ever rise superior to oppression, and will draw lustre from reproach. The vapours which gather round the rising sun, and follow it in its course, seldom fail at the close of it to form a magnificent theatre for its reception, and to invest with variegated tints and with a softened effulgence the luminary which they cannot hide." For which see Vol. XVI. p. 634. ED. We should be still further obliged to our correspondent could he procure for us a sight of these Memoirs, with the liberty of using any part of them which may suit our purpose. ED. On occasion of a Sermon published by the Rev. John Clayton, 1791. ED. reproach, that in the eigh science and improvement, the first philosopher in Europe, of a character unblemished, and of manners the most mild and gentle, should be torn from his family, and obliged to flee, an outcast and a fugitive, from the murderous hands of a frantic rabble; but when they learn that there were not wanting teachers of religion who secretly triumphed in these barbarities, they will pause for a moment, and imagine they are reading the history of Goths or of Vandals. Erroneous as such a judgment must appear in the eyes of Mr. Clayton, nothing but a ray of his supernatural light could enable us to form a juster decision. Dr. Priestley and his friends are not the first that have suffered in a public cause; and when we recollect, that no those who have sustained similar disasters have been generally conspicuous for a superior sanctity of character, what but an acquaintance with the counsels of Heaven can enable us to distinguish between these two classes of sufferers, and whilst one are the favourites of God, to discern in the other the objects of his vengeance. When we contemplate this extraordinary endowment, we are longer surprised at the superiority he assumes through the whole of his discourse, nor at that air of confusion and disorder which appears in it, both of which we impute to his dwelling so much in the insufferable light, and amidst the corruscations and flashes of the divine glory; a sublime but perilous situation, described with great force and beauty by Mr. Gray: "He pass'd the flaming bounds of place The living throne, the sapphire blaze, Closed his eyes in endless night."" To these glowing eulogies on the illustrious Priestley, may be added those contained in the " Apology" and in the passage from the "Reply" quoted in your last Number, (p. 183,) and I should be glad to learn, Sir, what stronger evidence can be given of reverence for living or departed genius and moral excellence? I yield not to Homo, or to any man, in ́admiration or affectionate remembrance of the splendid character and exalted virtues of Dr. Priestley, and no difference in our religious creeds can lessen my reverence for the transcendant abilities, fervent piety and exemplary and useful life of Mr. Hall. SIR, FROM T. M. March 21, 1822. ROM the very liberal, candid and explicit letter of Dr. J. P. Smith, lately inserted in your Repository, [p. 37,] we may draw this important conclusion, viz., That the modern reason ing orthodox are to be considered as utterly renouncing and disclaiming that strange and unintelligible phraseology adopted by some pious writers and divines in their representations of the Athanasian doctrine, in terms, according to the worthy Doctor, "of deliberate and studied confusion; laboured antithesis and extravagant hyperbole:" that is, in plainer terins, in language both absurd and mischievous: for every thing that is extravagant in religion, and urged with a grave face, must be of mischievous tendency. It is in this view, as I conceive, that Mr. Belsham has considered the subject; and, indeed, it is only on the supposition, that these writers thought no reader of common sense would take them literally, that we can possibly vindicate their integrity. But, without entering into the main question, which is continually before you, my chief design at present is to request your insertion of a few passages from some eminent orthodox divines, respecting the human nature of our Lord, which, in addition to the quotation by Dr. Smith, will serve to shew, that, in their serious moments and when not disposed to play the orator, they could speak very rationally upon this important subject. "Nothing is absolutely perfect but God; in comparison of whom, the highest and most exalted of all creatures is and will be eternally imperfect and de fective. The heavens are not clean in cannot comprehend God; for Christ's "Even the human nature of Christ human nature, being but a creature, therefore his human understanding, though enlarged beyond that of any mere creature, yet, absolutely considered, is but of a finite capacity, and so bears no proportion to the infinite majesty of God. Though his human nature, being straitly united to the Divine Nature in his person, doth behold the essence of God, yet it cannot comprehend it: Vidit Deum, λov aλλ ou óλwe? Christ, as man, sees whole God, but he doth not see him wholly and fully."—Wisheart's Theologia, 1716. "Some have fancied that Christ was pleased to take something from every sin, from Adam's state of innocence; condition of man; taking immunity from punishment and misery from the state of Adam fallen; the fulness of grace from the state of renovation; and perfect contemplation of the Divinity and beatific joys, from the state of comprehension and the blessedness of heaven; meaning that the humanity of our Lord did, in the sharpest extremities of his passion, behold the face of God, and communicate in glory. But I consider, that, although the mysterious union into one person; yet, two natures of Christ were knit by a the natures still retain their incommunica ble properties. And, therefore, though the human nature was united to the Divine, it does not infer, that it must in all instances partake of the Divine felicities, which in God are essential; to man communicated without necessity, and by an arbitrary dispensation. Add to this, that many excellencies and virtues were in the soul of Christ, which could not consist with the state of glorified and beatified persons: such as poverty of spirit, hope, &c., which suppose a state of pilgrimage; that is, a condition imperfect, and in order to something better, Thus, his present life was a state of me rit and work, and, as a reward of it, he was crowned with glory and immortality; he was made Lord of all creatures, the first-fruits of the resurrection, and the prince and head of the universal church; and because this was his recompence, and the fruits of his humility and obedience, it is certain it was not a necessary consequence, and a natural efflux of the personal union. This, I have said, that we 222 may not in our esteem lessen the suffering of our Lord, by thinking he had the supports of actual glory in the midst of his sufferings. For there is no one minute or ray of this, but its fruition must outweigh the greatest calamities and the spirit of pain from all the infelicities in the world and it was not possible that the soul of Jesus should at once be ravished with glory, and abated with pains grievous and afflictive. the other. re On the other hand, some say that the soul of Jesus on the cross suffered the pains of hell, and all the torments of the damned; and that without such sufferings he could not pay the price which God's wrath should demand of us. But the same argument which proves the one, doth also reprehend For the hope that was the support of Jesus, as it confesses an imperfection not consistent with the state of glory, so it excludes the despair of torment proper to accursed souls. Our Lord suffered the whole condition of humanity, sin only excepted, and freed us from hell, with suffering those sad pains: and merited heaven for his own humanity as the head, and all faithful people as the members of his mystical body; and, therefore, his life here was only a state of pilgrim age, not at all trimmed with beatific glories. Much less was he ever in the state of hell, or upon the cross felt the torment and formal misery of damned spirits; because it is impossible that Christ should despair, and without despair it is impossible there should be a hell."-Bishop Taylor's Life of Christ. From these and similar passages which might be produced, it should seem that "The Man Christ Jesus" of these writers, is the same individual being that is received and acknowledged by their opponents; even "a prophet, mighty in word and deed before God and all the people ;" and they are well calculated to bring serious persons of different sentiments nearer together; and, perhaps, to in and decisive terms in the room of those The Trinity of Dr. Clarke, Which- SIR, J. L. Chichester, quire, what they are disputing about. UNITARIANS, as a body, do not, By the way, would it not tend much to the promotion of amicable controversy, if we were to substitute plain think, patronize Bible Societies; and it may be presumed, from the extract from the Report of the Parent Institution, given in your last Repository, [pp. 30, 31,] that it is at length determined that their co-operation in circulating the Scriptures is not agreeable to their orthodox brethren: if not, it was surely ill-judged to introduce into that report a tenet which really, it might be imagined, every reasonable man would scout, as being a foul libel on the benevolent . I think no book can be more fit for circulation than the Scriptures; and, at a meeting of an auxiliary Bible Society, not long since held in Sussex, on hearing one of the orthodox orators expatiate on the necessity of all men having the words of eternal life in their hands, that they may not be seduced by false commentaries, but may be ever able to see the innate depravity of our nature, in the language of the prophet himself, that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked," I was almost going to enrol my name among the other members, for I felt anxious to have some hand in circulating the antidote to this tenet, in the words of him who was greater than previous prophets, who regarded with kindness little children, because of such (notwithstanding, of course, their wicked hearts) was the kingdom of heaven. Unfortunately for my incipient resolution, the next orator largely expatiated on the excellence of the institution, in uniting in its support all parties, by circulating the Scriptures without note or comment. I instantly felt paralized, as to any exertion in behalf of the Society, from what appeared to me to be duplicity in the reverend pleader, and I believe my nerves or senses have not recovered from the shock they then received, for I still feel a sort of horror at the ignorance or want of principle of the man who would send our received version of the Scriptures among the Kamschateaus, as the genuine, revealed word of God, without note or comment. To send, under such a title, Scriptures containing, as does the commonly received version, the famous text of the Heavenly Witnesses, appears to me to be unpardonable; for, notwithstand ing Bishop Burgess has volunteered his services in defence of an old friend, there is little reason to believe that he will be able to tear from the front of that friend the word "impostor," which Porson and his learned associates have indelibly affixed there. If this text be not genuine, it is in effect a note and comment to all intents and purposes; nay, it is infinitely worse, because it does not appear with the modesty of a note or comment, but as a legitimate member of the sacred volume. But, surely, not to insist on doubtful passages, the "heads of chapters" act in some cases as notes and comments: they do not belong to the revealed word of God: where can be the honesty of circulating them as such? We are decidedly led by the summary prefixed to the first chapter of the Gospel by John, to consider Jesus as a Divine Being, but whether the chapter teaches this doctrine or not, remains as yet quite undecided among the learned. I cannot say I have seen any observations leading me to think that by the term logos or word, the personal nature of our Lord was intended. It probably does refer to that growing revelation, or gospel, of which he was the conveyer from the bosom of his Father to mankind. When the apostle talks of the word or logos of God, not being bound; when he commends the converts to the word or logos of his grace, he can hardly be considered as in the least having in his mind the personal nature of Jesus; nor do I perceive that there is any solid ground for imagining it as being referred to in the first chapter of the Gospel. Be this as it may, the summary of contents takes upon itself to solve this difficulty, and to dispel this doubt. Hence it has all the tendency of a note and comment, the professed object of which is to render more intelligible, than it otherwise is, the text; though it sometimes happens, as may, perhaps, be the case with the summary above referred to, that it darkens counsel with words without knowledge. If, Sir, any of your intelligent correspondents can convince me that my feelings as above stated are erroneous, I shall be very thankful; and as I see this week, by the Hampshire Telegraph, a Ladies' Bible Society has been established lately at Newport in the Isle of Wight, which some Unitarians, if I mistake not, patronize, and where their ears heard from a Mr. Dudley, from the Parent Society, the |