to magnify the talents, or the virtues, of Calvinists, beyond their due proportion, he hopes that they will forgive him this wrong. He can assure them, that it was not his intention to assert that Calvinists, as such, were wiser or better than others, whose theory of religion approached nearer to truth. Much less did he mean to represent the excellence of their character as owing to the peculiarities of the calvinistic system. If Calvinists are (as, no doubt, many of them are) pious towards God, and benevolent to men, it must be owing to some powerful countervailing influences which happily check the baneful tendency of their principles; and particularly to those obvious appearances of nature, and those plain declarations of the divine benevolence in the scriptures, which excite a hope, even in spite of themselves, that God is not altogether so cruel, nor their fellow-creatures quite so detestable, as their gloomy system would make them believe.

:

Another reason, why the author felt himself disposed to give these Letters a more extensive circulation was, that it not only afforded him an opportunity of vindicating the insulted character of Dr. Priestley, but, which

he

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he apprehends of still more importance to the public, of illustrating distinctly the nature of his new and unanswerable argument, in favour of the simple humanity of Christ, from the testimony of primitive ecclesiastical writers, as stated in his History of Early Opinions, an argument which is, generally, either misunderstood, or misrepresented.

The author of the Letters to which these are intended as a reply, has mixed up his severe charges of ignorance, of misrepresenta. tion, of gross error, of perfect inadvertence, and of asserting things precisely the reverse of acknowledged facts, or in other words, of palpable falsehood, with much of the forms of personal civility and respect, almost even to nausea. In this particular, the author of these Letters, indignant as he could not but occasionally feel at the groundless charges which were alledged, and at the lofty and triumphant tone in which they were often pressed, did not think it necessary to imitate his correspondent. But while he considered himself as justified in stating plainly, strongly, and pointedly, the futility of the writer's arguments, he shall regret, if he has in any instance been betrayed into expres

ADVERTISEMENT.

vii

He feels no

sions which may be thought inconsistent
with civility and good manners.
ill-will against his opponent, for whose cha-
racter he entertains a sincere respect, and who
must be allowed, in his animadversions, to
have discovered no small portion of ability, and
controversial dexterity. Nevertheless, I do not
hesitate to avow, that the design of these Let-
ters is to shew, that this gentleman has under-
taken to write upon a subject which he has not
sufficiently studied; that he has accumulated
charges which he has not been able to substan-
tiate; and that he has, without sufficient ground,
attacked, I might say defamed, the characters
of the illustrious and venerable dead. How far
this design has been accomplished, the judi
cious and attentive reader must decide.

What impression these animadversions may make upon the mind of the gentleman who gave occasion to them, it is not for the author to judge. But if that gentleman should, upon mature consideration, be convinced, that his strictures are erroneous, and his charges unfounded, he will, no doubt, feel himself bound in honour and duty to retract, and modify his publication accordingly. At any rate, the least that can be expected from him is, that

1

that he will not, if convinced of his mistake, persist in bearing false witness against his neighbour. As a young writer, and a young man, it will be no disparagement to him to acknowledge an error, and to add to his other good qualities a proper degree of self-diffidence. This will induce him for the future to pause a little, and attentively to survey his ground, before he alledges unqualified charges of ignorance, and palpable misrepresentations of plain facts, against persons whose means of information, and whose character for diligence, perseverance, impartiality, and accuracy of research, are, at least, equal to his own, and who have, perhaps, devoted as great a number of years to the patient investigation of truth, as he has lived in the world.

Vindication of the Author's statement of the Calvinistic system

4

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LETTER II.

Abhorrence of Calvinism, consistent with a favourable opinion of many who hold that unscriptural system.-Unjust insinuations repelled.-Concerning the personal presence of Christ with his Apostles after his ascension

LETTER III.

Origen's character defended.-Review of the controversy between Dr. Priestley and Dr. Horsley. -Tertullian's unequivocal testimony to the Unitarianism of the great body of unlearned Christians 32

LETTER IV.

Charge of inadvertency and gross misrepresentation repelled.-Progress of error concerning the person of Christ stated. - Misrepresentation of Dr. Priestley's sentiments corrected