66 say not less, so neither do they say more, than our "Lord himself pronounced of every one, that believ-> "eth not.' The only question which can be raised is "about the truth of the doctrine; for they who admit "it to be true, must see that it is fundamental; and if "fundamental, that the denial of it must come within "that denunciation, which He, who is emphatically styled Love,' forbore not to make. Do we think 66 "that the expression of our Lord, general and unlimit"ed as it is, does yet admit of all merciful allowance "for non-belief arising from invincible or excusable ig"norance, and for misbelief arising from mere error, "from prejudice, from education, from unhappy cir"cumstances of any kind? So also we understand the "Creed. It applies the same solemn sanction of our "Lord to the truths which he commissioned his Apostles to teach; and leaves it Unlimited as He "left it." P. 51. of "A Letter to the Right Honour"able Earl Grey," in 1819. Ibid. "That Eternity from which Each has exist"ed."] "In all effects that are voluntary, the Cause "must be prior to the effect, as the Father is to the "Son in human generation. But, in all that are ne66 cessary, the effect must be co-eval with the cause; "as the stream is with the fountain, and light with "the sun. Had the sun been eternal in its duration, light would have been co-eternal with it. Was the "fountain from everlasting, the stream would be equally "from everlasting too. And the Son of God, in the "faith and confession of the Jews, was the Second 60 Jehovah, or the mediate God of the Universe; an "Eternal De-rivation from the Eternal Fountain of Deity; an Everlasting De-radiation from the Everlasting Sun of Divinity, in God the Father." Whitaker's "Origin of Arianism Disclosed," p. 175. 66 "Ibid. "Uno ore docuerunt."] Defens. Fidei Nicænæ. Thesis 1. p. 222, 228. "Fatemur, fatemur ultrò, Patrem solum esse aliquo "respectu summum Deum; nempe quia, ut loquitur “Athanasius, ŋyn Oεotytos fons Deitatis ipse sit; "hoc est, Solus a Seipso Deus, a quo Divinitatem suam "accipiant Filius et Spiritus Sanctus. Interim con "stanter asserimus, Filium esse Lumen ex Lumine, "Deum ex Deo, adeòque Deum Verum ex Deo Vero, "cum Patribus Nicænis." Ibid. p. 52. Ibid. "must be the origin."] Correct therefore is Dodwell, when he asserts, "The Father alone is unoriginate." P. 35. of a Work entitled "The Atha"nasian Creed Vindicated," by W. Dodwell, D. D. 1802. “Ibid. “Inability."] See p. 299, &c. of Gisborne's "Familiar Survey of the Christian Religion." Ed. 1799. Ibid. "Conversion."] So truly did St. Paul say, "God was manifest in the flesh; justified in the Spirit; "seen of Angels; preached unto the Gentiles; BE“LIEVED ON IN THE WORLD; received up into glory." 1 Tim. iii. 16. Ibid. "They both mean to inculcate one and the same "doctrine."] A comparative view of the Three Creeds, exhibiting the harmony which subsists between them, is given in p. 180. of a Work entitled "The Scripture "Doctrine of the Trinity." The Author is the Rev. Mr. Hartwell Horne; from whose erudition and labour came Volumes replete with information, particularly useful to the younger Clergy. Their title is, Their title is, "An Intro"duction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures." Assent, however, cannot be given to all his commendations of Griesbach, who as a Biblical Critic was prejudiced, as a Collator partial, and thence as an Editor sometimes unfair. Two of Griesbach's Canons are these; "Lectio, præ aliis sen"sum pietati (præsertim Monastica) alendæ aptum "fundens, suspecta est.”—“Inter plures unius loci "lectiones ea pro suspectâ meritò habetur, quæ Ortho"doxorum dogmatibus manifestò præ cæteris favet." (Nov. Test. Vol. I. Prolegomena, p. lxii.) He admits, "there exist more than Three Principal Texts, perhaps Five or Six; but Three only are brought under "consideration." (Remarks upon the Systematic Classification, &c." by Dr. R. Laurence.) Although most MSS. are decidedly for Osos in 1 Tim. iii. 16. yet he gives 'Os. Chargeable as Griesbach is with these faults, he by no means deserves unqualified praise; nor should his Edition be recommended to Young Students of Divinity. 66 66 Ibid. "we may obviously recognise."] See p. 130. of Bishop Cleaver's Seven Sermons. No. LXXXVI. "commend."] See pp. 8. 12. 25. in the First Sermon preached at the Bampton Lecture, by Mr. Kett. Ibid. See also Sermons First and Eighth; p. 25. 245. preached at the same Lecture, by Mr. Collinson. No. LXXXVII. 66 Jortin."] Charge II. p. 397. Vol. VII. Ed. 1772. No. LXXXVIII. "Thirlby."] p. 26. "Dedicatio" to his Edition of Justin Martyr's "Two Apologies," Dialogue with Trypho." See Jortin's "Remarks "on Ecclesiastical History," Vol. II. p. 155. Ibid. "We adore."] Justin Martyr, Apol. II. pp. 56. 98. Ed. Paris, 1636. Athenagoras."] Jortin's "Remarks," Vol. Paris Edition. Ibid. "fanciful."] Theophilus "Ad Autolycum," L. II. p. 94. Added to Justin Martyr's Works in the Paris Edition. No. XCII. "proximity of the times."] This was judiciously considered and duly appreciated by the learned and wise Editor of the "Reliquiæ Sacræ," who says, "Illorum solùm commodis profiteor consulere, qui hoc plurimum interesse fidei Christianæ existi"ment, ut sententiæ resque gestæ hominum, qui ab ejus initiis ætate propiùs abfuissent, accuratissimè ac "diligentissimè exquirantur; hoc enim ad illustra❝tionem et confirmationem veritatis in Ecclesiâ servatæ "maximè valere summi viri judicârunt." Vol. I. p. 13. 66 Supposing the primitive Fathers to have been men "of only common discernment and integrity, their tes"timony respecting the doctrines then actually received by the Church, and maintained against the heresies "then prevailing, must have peculiar weight. Those "among them, who had been personally conversant "with the Apostles, and who derived their knowledge "of the Christian Faith from what they continually "heard of their preaching and discourse, as well as from "their writings, seem to have claim to a regard only "short of that, which was due to their inspired Pre66 ceptors. To place such men as Clement, Ignatius, "and Polycarp, no higher in the scale of authority, "with respect to the value of their testimony on these 66 points, than Bishops and Pastors in later times, "betrays an error of judgment, which on any other "subject of investigation analogous to this, would be "deemed preposterous." P. 114. Serm. IV. of the "Bampton Lecture," preached by a man of much erudition, strong sense, and sound judgment, Dr. VanMildert, now Bishop of Landaff. No. XCIII." Ridley."] Eight Sermons, p. 56. No. CII. "that he denied."] See p. 377. "Thesis,' annexed to "Illustrations of the Truth of the Chris"tian Religion;" by Edward Maltby, B.D. Ed. 1802. Ibid."carries with it wherever it goes."] Among the many instances, which might be adduced to confirm the truth of this remark, there is one particularly striking. It is that of a people originally descended from Syrians of Antioch. They inhabit Mountains in the Hindostan Province of Travancore. They are surrounded by Heathens. Still, however, they retain the religious Principles of their Forefathers, and are Trinitarians. This fact we learn from the accounts following. "The doctrines of the Syrian Christians are few in "number, but pure; and agree in Essential Points, "with those of the Church of England." Christian "Researches in Asia;" by Dr. Buchanan, p. 216. "It has long been believed that these Christians held "the tenets of the Nestorian heresy; and that they "were obliged to leave their own Country in conse quence of persecution. However, it appears that the "Creed they now hold denies that heresy, and seems "to coincide in several points with the Creed of Atha"nasius; but without its damnatory clauses." Official Report made by the Rev. Dr. Kerr, Senior Chaplain to the Presidency of Madras, in 1805. "In a written communication to the Resident of "Travancore, the Metropolitan states their Creed (i. e. "that of the Syrian Church of Malayla) to be as "follows:- We believe in the Father, Son, and 66 Holy Ghost, Three Persons, in one God, neither "confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Sub"stance.' "Christian Observer" for 1807, p. 65. The Resident, to whom allusion is made, was Colonel |