sideration of his own moral conNo.I.

duct he ought to feel himself deTheir scheme commences by serving of eternal damnation for teaching, that the whole human the first sin of Adam. I besirace are guilty of the sin of tate not to say, that no scheme Adam, independently of their of religion ever propagated own conduct, and for that sin

amongst men, contains a more are truly deserving of eternal monstrous, a more horrible tepet. punishment.

The atrocity of this doctrine is The doctrine of original sin, beyond comparison. The vias just stated, is thus received sions of the Koran, the fictions of by its advocates. It has de- the Sadder, the fables of the scended from the lumber and Zenda vesta, all give place to trash of the dark times of igno- this:-Rabinical legends, Brahrance and superstition, mysti- minical vagaries, all vanish becism and bigotry. The great re

fore it. formers did nobly, but they did The idea that all the numenot do every thing. They merit rous millions of Adam's posterity the approbation of men, and met deserve the ineffable and endwith divine acceptance for what less torments of hell, for a single they did ; and are certainly to act of his, before any of them be excused for what they omit- existed, is repugnant to that reated, in their great work. I speak son which God has given us, is as though the reformers held the subversive of all possible condoctrine of original sin according ceptions of justice. No such to the tenor of the preceding doctrine is taught in the scripstatement. Some of them did, tures, or can impose itself on others did not; and the truth is, any rational mind, which is not that a candid examination of the tramelled by education, dazzled sentiments of the fathersof by interest, warped by prejudice, the most learned and judicious and bewildered by theory. divines in Europe before the re- This is one corner of the formation, and since, will show, Triangle above mentioned. beyond all dispute, that the above statement of the doctrine

No. II. of original sin has never been the general or prevailing opinion They teach, and strenuously of the Christian Church. Yet insist, that all men labour under you shall hear it inculcated from a true and physical incapacity to Sabbath to Sabbath in many of do any thing which God requires. our Churches, and swallowed To this total and universal inadown as a sweet morsel by many bility, they deny all figurative a gaping mouth, that a man or metaphysical import, and conought to feel himself actually tend that men are as truly, and guilty of a sin committed six in the same sense, unable to thousand years before he was obey the law of God, as they are bora ; nay, that prior to all con- to overturn the Andes, or drain

a

the ocean. What do we hear are in their assemblies, they next? They turn immediately should preach the gospel only to round, and exhort their hearers them; they should tell them that with great pathos, to do every Christ died only for them: but thing which God requires, and as for the rest, they should denounce their disobedience as preach nothing but the certainty meriting eternal damnation. of eternal damnation.

Had I not already said, that This is what I call strong their notion of original sin con- meat, and the stomach which tained the most monstrous errour can digest such food, can, I ever advanced in any scheme of should think, digest iron and religion, I should be tempted to adamant. These teachers have say the same of this. But, says turned their faces towards the the advocate for these truly tre- ages of darkness, and are travelmendous and detestable tenets, ling back with rapid strides to " This is Calvinism; and dare the jargon of schoolmen, and the you dispute Calvin ?" To which reveries and superstitions of I reply, If Calvin believed in Monks. these doctrines, which we deny, he must have derived his light

No. IV. therein, for aught I know, from the flames of SERVETUS; indeed, I will not undertake to say, they more resemble the light of that all the vices of the city are infernal than celestial fire. chargeable to the account of

their errours; far from it; but I No. III.

will undertake to say, that their

doctrines are calculated, and tend We come to the third and last to drive men to skepticism, degreat point of their system of ism, atheism, libertinism; nay, to theology, which makes out the madness. The rash and unwary triangle, from which they do not man, that enters their assemdepart. They tell you there is bly, is amazed to hear his assent a remedy for a part of mankiod; challenged to propositions, from Christ has died for an elect num- which bis understanding revolts ber. They, and they only, enjoy with horrour; assertions are arroan offer of salvation; and for 'gantly, as it were, crammed down them alone is provision made his throat, which insult his reaOn the contrary they plumply son. He is told he can do nodeny that Christ has tasted death thing, yet threatened with endfor every man; they will by no less perdition for his neglect. means allow, that He is the pro- He is condemned for a sin he pitiation for the sins of the whole never committed ; commanded world ; they abhor the idea of go- to do what he is told he cannot ing into all the world and preach- do; and exhorted to believe in a ing the gospel to every creature. Saviour who never died for him. They would tell you, that if they -But these teachers will tell could distinguish who the elect him, for his consolation, “ No

66

tors 6

wonder you don't understand expositions." Henee have origithese truths, for they are evan. nated creeds, formularies, liturgelical truths, and you are a gies, confessions of faith, standnatural man; therefore, you can- ards, bulls. But this is not their pot understand them.” Wretch- end. These creeds and standed subterfuge! As wise and pro- ards are but ink

and paper. found as if a man should say to They must have an expositor. me, that “two and two are fif- One is at band. These expositeen, and it is only because you are the men, and wisdom want mathematical skill, that shall die with them." you can't perceive it.” Alas! what huge masses of flummery,

No. VI. falsehood, false doctrine ; what immense cargoes of wood, bay When you rouse a nest of preand stubble, the lumber of specu- judices, especially those which lation and fanaticism, are vended are fortified by interest and poas evangelical truth, which the pularity, you may be assured natural man cannot understand! they will sting like wasps and

horpets; nay, they would often No. V.

sting their victim dead,” bad

they power. This has been the But the most terrible argu- true source of religious persecument, and which they keep tion. Love of truth never raised always at hand, ready to dis- a persecution : that frightful depense to weak and credulous mon“ is made of sterner stuff.” people, is worthy of particular It springs from ambition-a deattention. When any one at- sire to goveru the opinions of tacks their scheme, they immedi- others : and a religious ambition ately exclaim, “That man is not is by far the worst, tre most rana Calvinist.” As though Calvin corous, the most hateful and unand Christ stood on equal footing. reasonable specimen of its kind, This argument is intended to that ever infested the world : it strike their adversaries dumb, is a direct invasion of the rights and carry the world before it. of conscience--an atrocious and

Could the decline of the Chris- infamous invasion of the rights tian church be traced to its real of God and man. causes; could the seeds of those fa

For example, I have my own tal errours, the germ of those deep opinions concerning original sin, apostacies be discovered, which depravily, and atonement. Why have spread ruin and darkness should a man be angry with me, through Christendom, they would because I think for myself on appear to lie in this, viz. a sub- these subjects? The love of stitution of the autbority of men truth renders men meek, amiafor the word of God. Their lan- ble and candid; generous, affecguage is, “ That, indeed, is the tionate, and condescending. Be word of God; but I am its expo- sides, who is to be the judge of sitor, apd you must follow my truth? I have the same right to Vol. IV. No. 12.

45

а

judge for myself that he has. How happy it is for the present We are both equally accountable clergy of New-England, that orunto God for our opinions. thodoxy is not the same thing

now that it was in the days of We have now given a speci- their fathers ! But the fact, that men of the nature of the New- several doctrines which were forYork controversy; and of the merly heresy are now orthodoxy, manner in which Investigator bas should excite in ministers both treated the three doctrines, wbich candour and circumspection. compose the Triangle. Some For, to say the least, it is very things have been suppressed in possible, that some articles wbich copying these paragraphs; but are now deemed orthodox, will nothing because it was of a milder be treated by their children with 'cast than what we have quoted. as little reverence and compla

It should be distinctly under- cency, as Investigator has shown stood, that these doctrines which for the doctrines of " The Trithe author has treated with so angle.” much severity, were once a part It is, however, devoutly to be of the system of orthodoxy in hoped, that as the system of orNew-England. Had Investiga- thodoxy shall be improved by 'tor been a clergyman in Massa- the adoption of more benevolent chusetts but fifty years ago, and opinions, a correspondent change bad he then published such will be seen in the temper of thea views of these doctrines; the logical writers. For, after all that probability is, that he would can be said of the importance have been stigmatized as a genu- of correct opinions, ine son of Arminius, and driven THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW: from the pulpit, with as little and those opinions which have ceremony, as Mr. Dewy was ex. the greatest tendency to promote * pelled from a Theological Semi- christian love, are unquestiona· nary.

bly the most important.

LOVE 18

a

PLYMOUTH FOREFATHERS.

THERE is hardly in , history violated on the other, by those an object more worthy of con- who made a noise in the world, templation, than the characters, were those of conscience. Our circumstances, and principles forefathers would have been conof the first settlers of New-En- sidered able, as well as indepengland.

dent men in any age or country; The pilgrims of Leyden lived but from the age in which they in an age when the principal lived, they were clothed with · topicks of discussion were theo- the respect and influence which logical; and the principal rights, sanctity gives to experience and vindicated on the one hand and ability. The leaders in the Church then were qualified to be church, and in receiving her leaders in the State also; for the members to communion. Nopolicy of the times was ecclesi- thing spreads such a lustre round astical, and the ministry of the the latter years of this great preachers political.

man's life, as the mildness which It has often been cast as a re- mingled its genial rays with the proach upon our forefathers, that glory of his independence and they trace their origin to the the ardour of his zeal. He far BROWNISTS,--a sect whose prin- outstripped bis age in his notions. ciples were generally regarded of toleration, and many of his as anarchical and turbulent, and brethren in his love of peace. whose separation from the Our forefathers did not emiChurch of England has been grate to this country in search of regarded as little else than petu- religious freedom alone; for that, lance and faction. It is true, they had obtained and might that some of the members of the have continued to enjoy in HolChurch, a part of which after- land. They were actuated by wards emigrated to New-Eu- views and principles still more. gland, were originally denomina- pure than those which some ted Brownists; but it ought not would petulantly term impato be forgotten, that that most tience of restraint and of uniforvenerable and excellent man, mity. They did not, by living John Robinson, who, if any one, among the Dutch, lose their nadeserves to be called the father tional attachments. They were of the New-England separation, still Englishmen, and they wish-, as he advanced in life relinquish- ed to live as such. They did ed many of those rigid points for not like the loose and careless which he had once contended; manner in which the Sabbath and not only disavowed, but most was regarded in Holland; and anxiously strove to exonerate they were concerned for the himself and his followers from morals of their youth, whom they this name of opprobrium. saw exposed to ill examples and

Though the reasons for which in danger of contracting dissoour forefathers left England, were lute habits. When to all this is such as would entail no disho- added, the effect of the climate

any people or on any on their health, and the many leaders, yet it must be mentioned instances of manners and cusas no less to their credit, that toms to which they could not instead of retaining in Holland, assimilate, nor oppose with effect, any antipathy to the country nor expect to reform,-I know which they had abandoned, or not how it is possible to combine even to the church which had a number of more powerful and cast them out, they every year honourable motives, than those grew less and less severe in their which compelled them to eminotions of separation; and Ro- grate. It seems also, that even BINSON was the first and foremost in that early period, they had a in acknowledging her as a true glimpse of the mighty conse.