"fented to take upon him our degraded nature;" language most unscriptural and untrue, and what Jefus never affirmed of himself, nor his apostles, concerning him.

Mr. W. p. 334, reprefents "looking to Jefus as "the best means of growing in love to God." I think fo too, but not in his fenfe of the phrase. The gofpel is God's best gift to man. It brings life and immortality to light. But that God, having first placed his creatures in a ftate of helpless mifery, should send an innocent perfon to redeem a few by fuffering in their ftead, whatever joy it may excite in those who are, or who fancy themselves to be, the fortunate objects of this choice, can never generate a rational and cordial love to a Being fo capricious and cruel. Happily for us, the character of the true God is the reverfe of this; all amiable, juft, wife, and good.

Much is advanced, p. 337, to fhew the tendency of "looking to Jefus to promote humility." But to be "impreffed with a sense of our natural darkness, "and helplessness, and mifery, from which it was requifite to ransom us at such a price," is not chriftian humility, but injuftice to our wife and good Creator, and an unwarrantable depreciation of his works.

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I agree, however, with Mr. W. p. 339, that from the fufferings of Chrift we may justly learn not to estimate earthly profperity too highly; and to be willing,

4

willing, like our honoured mafter, to make great facrifices in the cause of truth, and for the good of others.

We are told, p. 346, "that the main diftinction, "between real christianity and the system of the "bulk of nominal chriftians, chiefly confifts in the "different place which is affigned in the two "fchemes to the peculiar doctrines of the gospel. "Thefe, in the fcheme of nominal chriftians, if "admitted at all, appear but like the stars in the "firmament to the ordinary eye; but to the real chriflian, on the contrary, these peculiar doctrines "conftitute the centre to which he gravitates, the "very fun of his fyftem, the foul of the world, the 66 origin of all that is excellent and lovely the "fource of light, and life, and motion, and genial "warmth and plastic energy."

In terms like thefe would an eloquent catholic express himself concerning the doctrine of tranfubftantiation, the worship of the virgin, and the facrifice of the mafs, which are to him effential doctrines of the gospel received by "all real chriftians.” Thus does zeal often increase in proportion as the doctrines defended recede from the fimplicity of truth, and the purity of the gospel. But notwithftanding these confident affertions, we, who admit the fcriptures only as our rule, have no hesitation in denouncing what are here called "the peculiar « doctrines of christianity," as grofs corruptions of

the

the true religion of Jefus. And though we do not, after the example of Mr. W. confine the honourable diftinction of "real chriftians" to thofe only who think with us upon thefe fubjects, we regard it as an indifpenfable duty, upon every proper occafion, to avow our determined rejection of them, and to enter our public, folemn protest against them.

Mr. W. concludes his fection with a quotation containing the following addrefs to Chrift, here called, but no where in the fcriptures, "the eternal Word."

From Thee is all that foothes the life of man,
His high endeavour and his glad fuccefs,
His strength to fuffer, and his will to ferve.
But, O thou bounteous Giver of all good,
Thou art, of all thy gifts, thyfelf the crown.

Language equally unfcriptural and unbecoming occurs p. 341, where Jefus is addreffed as "calling.

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upon us to fuffer; as ordaining difappointment, "poverty, fickness, and fhame; and as compen"fating temporal fufferings by the confolations of "his grace."

This may justly be called fupplanting the true God in the throne of the univerfe, by the introduction of an imaginary fubftitute. If Chrift is the "centre of all minds," the "giver of all good," and the "difpofer of all events," that great Being, whom the pious and humble Jesus calls "his Father

"and

"and our Father, his God and our God," iş a mere cypher in the creation. Surely, this is palpable idolatry. And that any persons profeffing the chriftian religion, with the fcriptures in their hands, fhould receive a doctrine, and exemplify a practice, fo directly repugnant to the first principles of the chriftian religion, and to its moft explicit precepts, is a fact which could hardly be credited, if not verified by daily experience; and is a memorable and much to be lamented inftance of the fafcinating power of religious prejudice.

I am, Madam, &c,

LETTER XVI.

Excellences of chriftianity. Internal evidence.

MADAM,

IN the fhort chapter, c. v. which succeeds that in which Mr. Wilberforce treats fo much in detail upon what he regards as "the prevailing inadequate

conceptions of practical christianity," he infifts upon "the excellence of chriftianity in certain im

"refults thence in proof of its divine origin." And he here notices the confiftency between the lead"ing doctrines and practical precepts of chriftianity, "p. 350, amongft each other." Having purfued this fubject a little in detail, he mentions it as a "further excellence of the chriftian religion, that it "sets a higher value upon moral than upon intel"lectual attainment;" p. 356. and he concludes the chapter with noticing "the ftrong prefumption "in favour of the divine authority of the christian religion, arifing from the different species of proofs "which concur in establishing it."

In the general fentiments advanced in this chapter, I am happy to agree with the very refpectable author; and the concluding obfervations in favour of the divine original of the chriftian religion, though not new, are just, and placed in a strong and ftriking light. But, fo far as the obfervations concerning the mutual harmony and beneficial influence of christian doctrines and moral precepts are well founded, they are by no means peculiar to those opinions which are dignified with the title of "the "leading doctrines of chriftianity;" but, on the contrary, the beauty and harmony of the chriftian fcheme, of doctrine and morals, is much more clearly apparent, when it is exhibited in its original fimple form, purified from the dregs of human in

ventions.

In reference to "the perfect harmony of the

"leading