will not scruple, henceforth, boldly to assert, on such unquestionable authority, that "there are distinctions and gradations of rank," and that "we know the influence which they carry even in the common concerns of life;" that "the learning of the scholar and the theologian has thrown a light upon many passages, from which much knowledge and improvement have been derived; that the wild enthusiast and bold declaimer are generally ignorant," or, at least, deficient in judgment to direct the application of their knowledge; that no one can hope for improvement from the silly rhapsodies of a self-created minister," or from any other retailer of "silly rhapsodies;" and that it is infinitely better in the propagation of important truth, to appeal rather to the reason than the passions."

J. T. RUTT.

P.S. When I observed the Correspondence on the cover of your Number for July last, I expected that my friend Mr. B. Flower was about to avail himself of your established impartiality, to complain of an impeachment of his veracity, such as I little expected from your learned correspondent, especially while consulting "the interests of truth and the credit of the Monthly Repository." The calumny which that P. S. (279) too clearly appears to contain, and which could only by accident have found a place among your pages, is, in my judgment, and, I trust, in that of most of your readers, poorly compensated by any display of learned research, or superiority in argument. It can, however, mislead only those who are strangers to the life and character of the gentleman who is the subject of it.

I was glad to observe (p. 415) the notice of a republication of Wakefield's "Directions for Students in Theology," which I have long desired to reprint. That "little tract" was not "inserted in the Appendix to his Memoirs."

P. 456, Note. If Aretius, who, in 1554, deserved the praise of Castalio for having "embraced liberal opinions," should be found to be Benedictus Aretius, a divine of Bern, who, in 1567, dedicated to the magistrates of that city, his book entitled Gentilis Valentini Historia, containing insults

on the memory of Gentilis, and an unqualified approbation of his cruel punishment, from which history Bayle took his article Gentilis, such a circumstance would afford a striking instance of lamentable degeneracy.

Castalio, as mentioned in one of your early volumes, appeared to great advantage in 1551, when dedicating his Biblia Sacra to Edward VI. Calvin, already possessed by the spirit which too soon projected the murder of Servetus, barbarous Calvin," as Robert Robinson styled the Geneva Reformer, while himself a Calvinist, had, in 1548, recommended persecution in a letter to the Protector. I cannot recollect his words, but he intreats Somerset to cut off heretics by the sword entrusted to him. Castalio, on the contrary, thus counsels the prince, "Obediamus justo judici, et zizania atque ad messem sinamus;" happily adding, "Neque enim adhuc ultimus mundi finis est: neque nos angeli sumus, quibus hæc sit mandata provincia."

I wish "The Nonconformist" may prevail upon his learned associate to give us a complete history of Religious Liberty," as I see, with great satisfaction, that such a history would comprehend the liberty, as it respects civil controul, of being irreligious; a liberty essential to Christianity as an unimposing system, but which the professed followers of Jesus are still grossly violating; spoiling unbelievers of their property, and thrusting them into prisons, there to learn how Christians love their enemies.

Page 495, col. 2. The late justly lamented and revered biographer of Mr. Cappe, who so well sustained the honour of his name, mentions, in her Memoirs, (1802, xxxv.,) that a passage from one of his fast sermons was quoted by Mr. Erskine on the famous trial of Paine." It was introduced by the learned advocate, who afterwards named Mr. Cappe, as I well remember to have heard in the crowded court assembled on that occasion, as part of a sermon written by a person of great eloquence and piety," who "looks forward to an exemption from the intolerable grievances of our old legal system in the infant establishment of the new world." As the circumstance of this quotation does not appear to be mentioned in the

Memoirs, 1820; as Paine's Trial, nearly thirty years old, has now given place to the learned labours of later Attorneys-General; and especially as the passage, so creditable to the discernment and independent spirit of the author, when compared with the common stuff uttered on the wisdom of our ancestors, will be read with an interest increasing with every year's growth of " the infant establishment," I here copy it verbatim from Gurney's edition of the Trial (1793, 176):

"It may be in the purposes of Providence, on yon western shores, to raise the bulwark of a purer reformation than ever Britain patronized; to found a less burthensome, more auspicious, stable and incorruptible government than ever Britain has enjoyed; and to establish there a system of law more just and simple in its principles, less intricate, dubious and dilatory in its proceedings, more mild and equitable in its sanctions, more easy and more certain in its execution; wherein no man can err through ignorance of what concerns him, or want justice through poverty or weakness, or escape it by legal artifice, or civil privileges, or interposing power; wherein the rule of conduct shall not be hidden or disguised in the language of principles and customs that died with the barbarism which gave them birth; wherein hasty formulas shall not dissipate the reverence that is due to the tribunals and transactions of justice; wherein obsolete prescripts shall not pervert, nor entangle, nor impede the administration of it, nor in any instance expose it to derision or to disregard; wherein misrepresentation shall have no share in deciding upon right and truth; and under which no man shall grow great by the wages of chicanery, or thrive by the quarrels that are ruinous to his employers."

very last with unabated enjoyment, and scarcely abated activity, in employments which afforded her supreme delight,-she may seem almost to have been translated rather than to have died. Yet when I consider how much good she might have effected even during the very few years that could have remained to her, that her charac ter seemed to be ascending to nobler degrees of disinterestedness and pious zeal, and that the extent of her experience, the weight of her counsels, the love and respect of her acquaintance, and the lustre she reflected on our cause, were increasing with every advancing year, I cannot help feeling and deploring the loss we have sustained.

However, those who have known her may now console themselves with retracing the many good qualities by which she was distinguished.

Of her devotion it may scarcely become us to speak. (But who ean doubt the unsullied nature of the spring whose waters were so pure and refreshing?) I speak of her as she developed her own character, with all the simplicity of truth, in her conversation and her letters and in her deeds, which speak for themselves. Few persons at her advanced age felt so universal a concern for the welfare of the human race. Earnestly as she was devoted to the particular objects which she had successively in view, within the immediate sphere of her exertions, she appeared to feel an almost equal interest in every method by which the progress of knowledge, liberty and virtue, were advanced in every part of the globe. Her heart embraced the whole habitable world; and did we know more of the dwellers in distant spheres, it was wide enough to embrace them with all their interests also.

The divinity students at the college have particular reason to remember the delight and improvement with which they listened to her conversation, and the unbounded generosity and kindness with which she followed them to the field of their several labours in after life. It was highly gratifying, too, to observe that those to whom she extended so large a portion of her intimacy and kindness, were not the only persons who formed an equally high estimate of her moral qualities. Religious Bigotry seemed to be be

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guiled of her unfriendliness, and to lay aside her anathemas; though she often breathed a prayer for the conversion of one whose final security rested on no better foundation than a long life of obedience to the commands of her heavenly Father! Oh, Madam, if you were not a Unitarian!" pathetically exclaimed a benevolent clergyman, after conversing with her long and with deep interest on subjects of common interest. Mistaken man, though amiable in his errors! I trust that he will hereafter be convinced that the "pure in heart," whatever be their religious persuasion, SHALL see God" that the mansions of his heavenly Father's house are of far wider dimensions than he had laid them down; that the impassable gulph separates not the believers from the unbelievers in the Creed of St. Athanasius and how will he start back with surprise (if aught of prejudice and infirmity remain) at discovering in the foremost rank of the countless multitude, clad in robes of white, and bearing palm branches in their hands, one who he had, perhaps, once trembled to think must be banished for her opinions to the regions of outer darkness and unceasing woe; at beholding the Son of Man himself conversing with "publicans and sinners"!

But " you Unitarians live well," said a zealous Methodist to a friend, whose error he lamented, "but you do not die well." Look at Dr Priestley employing the last glimmering light of the lamp of life in defending the truth of the Christian revelation. Look at Mr. Lindsey, steadying the trembling hand of 82, to prove by his writings "that all is of God and for good to all." Look at Dr. Cogan calmly conversing at his brother's fire-side, a few days before his expected decease, on the advantages of death under the system of Divine Providence. Look at Mrs. Cappe, who, to the last throb of life, continually wished the happiness of the whole family of man, redoubling her diligence with the lengthening shadows of her setting sun, foregoing the rest which is the appropriate enjoyment of age, and overtaken at last in the very midst of the protracted labours of the pen and tongue, to promote the highest interests of her fellow-beings!

But I forbear, Sir; a lengthened

panegyric would be an offence against the gentle spirit of its subject. Long, long will those who enjoyed the benefit of her society, remember that benevolence which was spread over her whole social intercourse, and wrought into the lines of her countenance.

May her intelligent female acquaintance in particular, be stimulated to supply the vacant place in the pages of your valuable work, and in the circle in which she moved!

I

SIR,

GEORGE KENRICK.

August 12, 1821. LATELY met with a tract entitled, "The Scripture Account of Prayer, in an Address to the Dissenters of Lancashire," by the learned and pious Dr. John Taylor, which has tended, in no small degree, to confirm me in my opinions as to the impropriety of cramping the spirit of piety, by subjecting it to the controul of a previously composed form of words in public prayer. In the hope that a little more attention may be drawn to this important subject, I will proceed to quote some passages from the learned author, whose observations may not be less worthy of the serious consideration of our young ministers in particular, from their having been the last production of his pen.

"Prayer doth not properly consist in language, how curious and elegant soever, but in the real sense, and sincere desires of the mind. It is the heart, not the tongue, that prays. It is the true and sincere devotion of the heart only, that can make our prayers acceptable to God. Those expressions, therefore, are the most proper in prayer, not that are adorned and polished by the rules of human eloquence, but that are adapted to convey the sense and affections of pious, praying souls; and every wise man will prefer that language, how plain and simple soever, which penetrates and excites his heart, before all the elegance of smooth, flowing and harmonious periods, which please the false taste of curious, delicate ears, and are apt to lead the thoughts to attend more to the diction than to the duty, to the words than to the sense. For which reason, the language and style of prayer is the more improper, the more it appears to have been laboured. Some in St. Augustin's days ridiculed the

coarse and uncouth language which some of the bishops and ministers then used in prayer. But,' saith he, let them know there is no voice besides the affection of the soul that reaches the ear of God; and they will not jeer, if perchance they observe that some of the bishops and ministers of the church do call upon God with barbarisms.' And,' according to Chrysostom, 'God seeketh not the eloquence of the tongue, nor the elegant composition of words, but the flower and vigour of the soul.' He that only reads his prayers, may never be able to do any thing more than read; may never be able to use his own thoughts in conceiving a regular address to God, his maker, father and ruler. In the use of free prayer, the careful performer can take in and expatiate upon what ever relates to particular cases and occurrences, so as to engage, affect and piously dispose the minds of those that join with him. On these accounts, I reckon that the spirit and gift of prayer are infinitely preferable to the finest compositions in the world; and surely every one must be convinced in his conscience, that they are a most excellent qualification in a minister of the gospel. Happy, beyond expression, is the man who is thus qualified for communion with God. He wor ships him in spirit and in truth, in the pure, spiritual, lively devotion of the soul, and stands in no need of other assistance. His heart is his Prayerbook, vastly preferable to the most curious compositions. Reading of prayers cannot give a minister any character of esteem in a Dissenting congregation, where it is considered as a very low manner of performing this office. If a minister prays by heart or memory, which is the least that is done ainong Dissenters, he must, at the same time, shew some previous care and application to qualify himself for the duty, and some present thought and attention in the discharge of it, and so may appear to be deserving of some respect; which must arise to a high degree of esteem when the propriety of expression and sentiment, together with the life and fervour of utterance, plainly indicate that the address proceeds from the immediate conceptions and sense of a well-prepared and truly pious and devout mind."

From the foregoing extracts from this excellent little tract, it would appear, that the learned author had a decided objection, not only to a Liturgy, but also to precomposed prayer, in any way. The only instances when he would allow a minister to use his own precomposed prayer, are "on some extraordinary occasions, or under a disconcerted state of mind. On these occasions," he adds, "I think they may be allowed to read such written precomposed prayer." The growing custom, among our Unitarian ministers, sanctioned and encouraged as it is at our colleges, of reading their prayers, is certainly matter for deep consideration. I own I am not without my fears, that it is not only injurious to the interests of piety, but to those of Dissent. I am at least confident in the assertion, that it is by no means approved by the great majority of our congregations, and this alone ought to make us hesitate at introducing generally a custom, which was certainly regarded by our ancestors as an unscriptural innovation.

SIR,

A DISSENTER.

Lewes,

June 21, 1821. NOW resume my pen, to lay be

fore your readers (according to an intimation given in a former letter, pp. 402---407,) some queries which have arisen in my mind concerning Dr. Priestley's attempt to prove that the Gentile Christians were originally simple Unitarians. I feel extremely doubtful whether his attempt has perfectly succeeded.

He appears to me only to have proved, that very early there existed among the Gentile Christians two principal opinions respecting the divinity of Christ; some believing that the Divine Logos, (or Word,) which constituted his divinity, was a person distinct from God the Father; others, that it was an extension from the Father of his divinity, by which he himself was incarnate, in the man Jesus: both parties thus agreeing, that the Messiah was God and man in one person, by "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily dwelling" literally in the man.

I cannot perceive that Dr. P., in quoting ancient writers, has been able to produce any-one expression or inti