This mode of defence seems to ous advocates" of Sir Samuel's concede to the Sussex member cause". that there is something disreputable in a connexion with the Dissenters. Accordingly, Mr. William Smith is reported to have been aroused to declare that he frequented none but Dissenting worship.

The more consistent and generous answer to the member from Sussex, would surely have been, that his charge was unworthy of a representative of the People, so many of whom are Dissenters; that if the Dissenters were less numerous, virtuous, intelligent and important than they really are, it would become a member of the Commons' House to take up their cause, as far as it was the cause of justice and liberty; that for himself, instead of feeling it to be

I know the imperfectness and frequent inaccuracy of the reports of Parliamentary debates, and therefore indulge the hope that Sir Samuel Romilly has been misrepresented. To an enemy I would not repeat the misrepresentation, for I admire his character, and am devoted to the cause which he sustains: but I have thought it might be of service, by this statement in your liberal work, to give his friends an opportunity of explaining the only part of his conduct as a senator, that has given uneasiness to one brought up in the school of nonconformity and of liberty,

BRISTOLIENSIS.

a reproach, he should ever esteem Dr. Aikin's General Biographical

Dictionary. Hampton, Sept. 1, 1812. SIR,

I perceive by your pages (493, 494) that a new General Biographical Dictionary is publishing. Al low me to ask, whether Dr. Aikin's be abandoned? This is, without exception, the best written and most liberal General Biography which I ever consulted; and your correspondent's account of the new work satisfies me that it is likely to continue the best in these respects. It will be mortifying to me and, I know, to many others, should it be left in its present imperfect state.

it an honour, to have the good opinion of a body of men, who have been, in all periods, the warmest friends of the priciples of freedom and of the House of Brunswick; and that the respect of the Dissenters, if indeed he had been so happy as to gain it, was the more flattering to him, as it was entirely disinterested on their part, and grounded wholly on his Parliamentary conduct, he not being of their religious profession. Of this cast, though put in a better form, I should have expect. ed Sir Samuel Romilly's vindica. tion of himself to have been; especially as it appears from the speeches of the Rev. Dr. Estlin, Indeed, I must protest against the Rev. Mr. Rowe and the Rev. the unfairness of prevailing on one T. S. Brittan, Dissenting clergy- to subscribe to the first volumes of men at Bristol, on the occasion

before referred to, that the Dis * See the pamphlet before quoted, senters in that city are 66 strenu- pp. 25-27.

an expensive work, which is then gine what reply could be given dropped. It may not answer, it is true, but the publishers and editor should satisfy themselves as to that matter before they begin the undertaking. In the present instance, the truly respectable name of the Editor was both an inducement with me to become a subscriber, and a pledge that I should not be decoyed into the middle of the work, and there be left with it, on my hands, as waste paper.

but in investigations of this nature, the idea of a victory has never en. tered into my mind; both of us, I trust have one sole object in view, the discovery of truth; and if either should perceive it in the arguments of the other, I hope he will not submit unwillingly to receive it as from a conqueror, but joyfully hail it as the most precious gift of a friend and benefactor.

I do hope that the General Biography will be resumed, not only from regard to those that have staked their money on the credit of the Editor, but also from respect to the interests of literature: for these literary bankruptcies shake men's faith in writers and publishers, and may hereafter hinder the appearance of all important, which are commonly very expensive, works.

ROBERT BROOKE.

Deity of the Holy Spirit.

August 20th, 1812.

The ground which H. M. takes in the first instance, is indeed such as I could by no means anticipate; he denies the universal appropriateness of the Lord's prayer, and asserts that it was exclusively intended for the use of Christians, during the few months that would intervene, between the time when it was given, and the complete illumination of the apostles, by the descent of the Holy Spirit: going the full length of condemning its present use, as ill suited to, and im proper for the disciples of Christ!

I will confess, Mr. Editor, that I felt as much hurt as astonished, by this strange assertion! If there are, as I think every one must feel, some passages in the Holy volume SIR, more sacred to his imagination, Your correspondent from Liver more dear and precious to his feelpool, [p. 435.] in answering my ing than the rest, this incomparaquery, [p. 149.] respecting the ble prayer must surely stand total absence of any petition to the among the foremost of them! How Holy Spirit, amongst the numerous often has it called forth our affecprayers which were devoutly offer- tionate adoration of the Supreme ed by the holy Jesus, during his Being! taught us to revere his ministry on earth, doubts whether name! to long ardently for the I was "really ignorant what reply approach and extension of his Trinitarians would make;" or blessed kingdom! to bow with abwhether, supposing no one should solute submission to his will! and think it worth while to return an an- from our hearts to forgive our of swer, I"expected to claim a victo- fending fellow-creatures! To seek ry, as though it was unanswerable." his powerful help in all tempta. These doubts I will satisfy, by tions! to look to him alone as our ●wning that I was at a loss to ima rock of defence! and humbly ac.

knowledging that all which we till they had received a portion of that illumination, which had been given without measure to their master, after his baptism by John. But after the resurrection of Christ, when the apostles had been fully informed of all things by him, and on the day of Pentecost had received the promised. gifts of the spirit, which were to comfort them for this loss, and enable them to carry on the great work to which they were appointed; when thus completely quali

now possess, and all that we still hope for, are his; to ascribe all power, all glory, to the One God, and Father of all! who is above all! and through all! and in us all! Venerated as this most perfect form of words has been in every age of the Christian church, and endeared as it ought to be to every heart, by its association with early devotional feelings, I cannot believe that any sincere Christian could without deep regret and indignation, fied, what were the doctrines. see it excluded from the worship which they taught? Did they tell of his church. Why it is not to the Jews, that instead of "the be found in the gospels of Mark Lord their God" being "One or John I do not pretend to say, Lord," there were three persons any more than to account for va- to be worshipped! one of whom rious other most important and was he whom they had so lately instructive passages, which are put to death upon the cross! and inserted by some of the evange- the other that heavenly inspiration lists and omitted by others: on which God had poured out upon these matters we are left to mere the prophets who had from time conjecture; but to me no part of to time been sent to instruct their our Saviour's teaching more fully nation, and who, so inspired, had proves that he was divinely gifted with one voice declared, that the than this prayer. Lord was One, and “his name 1 am not less shocked with your One!" If this most astonishing correspondent's next position, doctrine had been communicated that our Lord. "acted as a Jew," to them, would not their minds and that he is not "in every thing" have been full of it; and would a model for his followers! To as- they not plainly and explicitly sert this, seems to me to strike have declared it, in all their disat the root of Christianity itself; courses? While the fact is, that for it denies that he has set us a the whole of their preaching, as perfect example, without which, recorded in the book of Acts, is his blessed work upon earth, strictly Unitarian!! would have been left incomplete. It would be intruding too far But I would ask H. M. in what upon your valuable pages to insert word or action of his life did Jesus here a short review, which with act as a Jew? What word or deed regard to this question I have just is recorded of him that is not wor. taken, of that invaluable book: thy of all imitation? His preach- but on a future occasion I may ing too, and his instructions, were perhaps request its insertion; a perfect, though the ignorance and passage however which is cited by Jewish prejudices, even of his H. M. must not be silently pass apostles, prevented them in some ed over. "Of Ananias and Sapinstances from understanding them, phira it is said, they lied to the

Holy Ghost, and that they had indiscriminate use of the word not lied to men, but to God:" Elohim, judges, magistrates, and which expressions appear to me to prophets are called Gods." Our mean, that they had attempted to Lord too says to the Jews, "If deceive those who they knew were they are called Gods to whom the in possession of such miraculous word of the Lord came, and the gifts by the immediate favour of scripture cannot be broken;" maGod, as rendered it impossible in nifestly alluding to those who had any thing that concerned their received divine communications; ministry, for them to be deceived: and in this limited sense the term therefore the attempt was as fu- was peculiarly applicable to Jesus, tile and absurd, as it was daringly who by this expression seems to wicked. I will notice also an ex- sanction its being so applied, pression of Paul in his beautiful though with the humility so conoration on taking leave of the el. spicuous in his perfect character, ders of Ephesus, which as it stands he declined assuming so high a in our received translation, may title to himself. With these corbe supposed to favour the doctrine responds the expression of Paul, of Christ's divinity. "Feed the "For though there be that are call. church of God, which he hath ed Gods whether in heaven or on purchased with his own blood :" earth;" evidently meaning the but the word God rests upon deified men of the heathens, and the authority of no manuscript of the inspired prophets of the Jews, note or value, nor of any version, but the modern copies of the vul. gate; while Lord is supported by all the most ancient and valuable manuscripts, whether of the Alexandrine or the Western edition; by the Coptic, Syriac, and other ancient versions, and by citations from the early ecclesiastical wri- With respect to the form of ters." But had it been other. baptism mentioned in Mark's goswise, it could have had little pel, and by some supposed to faweight; "For though by the vour the doctrine of the Trinity, word God we uniformly mean it is remarkable that it is not once either the Supreme Being, or one recorded to have been used by the who really possessed, or was sup. apostles, or any person mention. posed to possess, the peculiar at- ed in holy writ; therefore cannot tributes of his divinity, the Jews be a necessary form; though no employed their word Elohim much Christian can scruple to profess more loosely; as in Exodus, his belief in the Father as his God, "Behold I have appointed thee a in Jesus as the Christ, and in the God to Pharoah!" In the same miraculous powers conveyed by book, xxii. 28, gods and rulers are the gift of the Holy Spirit; and I used synonimously. In Psalm can perceive nothing farther re82, the Gods" is synonymous quired or implied by the text in with "the mighty," and by the question.

Improved Version.

as there be Gods many and Lords many!" But with true Unitarian zeal he adds, "But to us there is but One God, the Father; of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."

+ Dr. Carpenter.

H. M. is an advocate for the ment;" my reason tells me that literal interpretation of the scrip- he speaks figuratively; though tures; and so must every lover such plain expressions, recorded of them be, when they are not by three evangelists in exactly made by it to contradict them. the same terms, appear to me to selves, or common sense. When give more colour to the strange our great teacher says, "Of mine doctrine of transubstantiation,

"My than any thing that can be pro"All duced in favour of the Trinity, "As and the former only requires a continued miracle, while the lat ter includes an impossibility.

One text more out of very inany that I could mention; "I and my Father are one." This would certainly have been the strong hold of Trinitarians, as proving the mystical union for which they

own self I can do nothing," Father is greater that I," power is given unto me," the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself," "I have not spoken of myself, but the Father who sent me; he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak:" contend, if our Lord had not in When we read these plain and a following discourse, used the strong declarations, and many same mode of speaking with remore equally so may be cited, spect to himself and his disciples; how can we do otherwise than li. At that day ye shall know that terally believe them, and acknow I am in the Father, and you in ledge that the power of Christ was me and I in you;" after this it a derived power; that he came was necessary to concede that into the world to do the will of oneness of mind, and not of esHim that sent him :" and when sence, was intended.

in a solemn prayer to his heavenly There appears to be little reaFather; he says, "This is life son for inquiring why the term eternal, to know Thee the only Father should be applied to the true God, and Jesus Christ whom infinitely benevolent Author of all thou hast sent," upon what ground things! We might indeed have can we refuse our assent? What feared to address the Omnipotent part of the sacred book tells us, under so endearing an appellation, that though he was the Infinite but that we have been not only Jehovah, he could with truth de- permitted, but directed so to do. scribe himself as a man gifted and God the Father is a scriptural exdirected by him? And if this pression, and one that must be strange doctrine cannot be clear- precious to every heart; but for ly pointed out, how are we au- God the Son, and God the Holy thorized to impute such jesuitical Ghost, however familiar they may language to him who was simpli- be to the eyes and ears of churchcity itself, and "came into the men, they are not to be found "world to bear witness to the in the sacred writings; which they must allow gives us strong But when Jesus says, "Take grounds for asserting, that they eat, this is my body," and "this were invented together the word is my blood of the New Testa Trinity, in the ages of ignorance

truth!"

VOL. VII.

4 D