DEAR SIR,

My first letter would not, I presume, weary you by its length, nor shall I at present trespass much upon your patience; considering the extreme narrowness of the question I have to discuss; since I purpose confining myself to the first of those "reasons for dissenting," which are stated by your friend, but which appears to me to be so entirely undeserving of the name, as to be, in plain English, no reason at all.

It is thus expressed: "I dissent from your church, because I know of no law, of either God or man, which makes it my duty to be a Churchman."

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We have here two propositions, neither of which amounts to a reaIt is first asserted, that there no law of God which makes it your duty to be a Churchman.' Now this is exactly what logicians call a mere begging of the question, an assumption of the whole matter in dispute before any single argument has been adduced in support of it. You are Separatists. You have left us, not we you. It therefore rests with you to show sufficient cause. Causeless separation you allow to be schism, and schism you acknowledge to be sinful. It is to clear yourselves of this sin that you bring forward "Reasons for Dissent." The one great point which these reasons are to establish, is, that your separation is not causeless, and therefore is not against the law of God. And here, at starting, we have that very point which is to be proved, itself brought forward as a proof!

Protestants are accustomed to accuse Papists of arguing in a circle. As for instance; "The Church, speaking by Popes and

Councils, is infallible. This is proved by such and such passages of Scripture; and if it be questioned whether those passages do fully bear that meaning, the church, being infailible, decides that they do." Absurd as this kind of reasoning may appear, it is very similar to that of your friend, which runs in this form:

"We say, that adherence to the church is no where enjoined in the law of God. If it be objected, that causeless separation is schism, and that schism is sinful; we reply, that this separation is not causeless, and therefore is not sinful; because there is no law of God which enjoins our adherence to the church. We have a right to dis-. sent, because we have a right to dissent."

The error, both of the Papists' and the Dissenters' argument, lies here-that the disputed position,, the matter which is to be proved, is made part of the argument by which itself is to be established. If the same kind of argument is applied to an arithmetical question, its absurdity strikes us instantly.. If I, for instance, undertake to prove that two and two are equal to five, and begin thus-two being subtracted from five, there remain two only, therefore"Stop," you would say, "and do not as-, sume, at starting, the very point. in dispute. So, when the Dissenter opens his argument by averring, that "there is no law of God. which makes it his duty to be a Churchman," I beg leave also to cry, Stop, and let us have this proved before you build an argument upon it."

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So much for the first proposition of the "first reason," which

must be acknowledged to advance the argument very little, since it leaves off just where it began.

The other proposition contained in this "reason," is, that "there is no law of man which makes it a duty to be a Churchman."

Supposing that the truth of this is fully admitted, we may yet be at a loss to imagine, how this circumstance can possibly form a reason, or any part of a reason, for dissent from the church. The law of the land, for aught I know, may permit your friend to turn Turk, or to worship Jupiter. But what then? There is no law of man, it is true, to compel him to wear an European habit, or to sustain life by the use of bread and meat; but did it ever occur to him that this could be a reason, or any part of a reason, for embracing Mohammedism or Paganism? Did this ever prompt him to dissent from the ordinary use of food and clothing? Certainly not. By what process in reasoning, then, does he transmute the toleration with which the laws of this country regard the religious vagaries of weak minds and unsound judgments," or the conscientious scruples and prejudices, if you please, of some pious and worthy individual, into a positive argument for rejecting the accumulated wisdom, and deserting the admirable institutions, with which the labours of some of the wisest and the holiest of men have blessed this happy country?

If, then, the first step in the Dissenter's argument amounts to nothing more than a mere assumption, in the first place, that it is right to dissent; and a resolution, in the second place, to dissent because the law allows it; you will not expect me either to

be converted by such reasoning, or to be drawn over by such inducements. Allow me, however, to express a fear, that this opening passage of a work, which is evidently written with more candour and judgment, and with less of a vindictive spirit, than most others of a similar kind, presents too true a picture of the real motives which are mainly instrumental in making many a Dissenter. I really apprehend, that the true ground of much of the secession of these days lies deeper than its advocates are willing to own. They talk much of "conscience," much of spiritual worship," much of the " right of private judgment;" while the foundation of their discontent is really to be found in the arrogance, or restlessness, or self-conceit of their own dispositions. Accordingly, we sometimes elicit from the lips of even the best of them, such singular pleas as these of your author: "We are right, because we are right; or, we have a right to dissent if we please, and that is reason enough for dissenting."

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And while such dispositions and tendencies as these exist, as they unquestionably do, in the minds of a large proportion of mankind, it is useless and absurd to expect, or seek for, the speedy decay of dissent. Only from the diffusion of that kind of education which annihilates self-conceit, and of that Christian knowledge which produces humility, can we expect the eradication of that spirit of schism which has its rise and its dominion amongst the most deeply-seated principles of the human mind in its present fallen and corrupted state. I remain, dear Sir, Yours sincerely,

A CHURCHMAN.

Letters and Papers of the late Rev. Thomas Scott; never before published. With occasional Observations, by John Scott, M. A.Pp. xx. and 516. Seeley. 1824. THE publication of successive volumes, extracted from the letters and of eminent persons papers after their decease, is usually regarded with a degree of jealousy and apprehension which experience proves to be not altogether unfounded. In too many instances, the confidence of the public, especially of the religious public, has been abused through partiality or covetousness; through the want of judgment or the absence of principle. But such apprehensions derive no support from the work before us. Its intrinsic merits fully justify the anticipations of the Editor, that the contents of the volume will be found both interesting and useful, and in many parts highly valuable.

It consists of a series of Letters to different Relations and Correspondents-Observations on questions proposed to Clerical Meetings, &c. and, Extracts from an unpublished Work, entitled, "Evangelical Faithfulness; being an attempt to describe the true nature of Christianity; in two parts; the one doctrinal, the other practical." A work on which the Author appears to have bestowed considerable attention; but which, from some unknown cause, lay unheeded by for near forty years.

The following remarks of the Editor on the letters to Mrs. Scott's brother-in-law, may, with little alteration, be applied to the whole volume:

The reader cannot possibly, I think, rise from the perusal of this series of letters without being struck with the piety, zeal, faithfulness, wisdom, and affection, which so eminently distinguish them. One is struck also with the freshness of impression with which they exhibit fundamental doctrines, and with the vividness of their de

scription of the earlier stages of Christian experience. In short, they strikingly illustrate the character of the writer's religion. They are remote, indeed, from "that wretched quality, by which the sacred name of charity is now so generally and so falsely usurped, and which is no other than indifference; which against the plainest evidence, or at least when there is strong ground of apprehension, is easily contented to believe that all goes on well, because it has no anxieties to allay, no fears to repress:" but they abound with that "true charity" which is wakeful, fervent, full of solicitude, full of good offices, not so easily satisfied, not so ready to be lieve that every thing is going on well as a matter of course; but jealous of mischief, apt to suspect danger, and prompt to extend relief." They are equally remote also from that indiscriminate religion, whose first object seems to be, to inspire consolation rather than to produce safety; and which, unscripturally confounding faith with personal assurance of salvation, seems, at least, to press upon every one a confidence of his own good state, and acts as if no evil were so prevalent, or so much to be deprecated, as doubting of our own present acceptance with God. The writer of these

letters hesitates not to address our fears, as well as our hopes, and brings every scriptural principle and consideration, and not one only, to bear upon us, each in its proper place and direction. We may apply

in this connexion his own observation made many years after, in speaking of Mr. Hart's Hymns: "To doubt the truth of God's word, or the power and willingness of Christ to save all that truly come to him, is direct unbelief: but to doubt whether I come aright, and am a true believer, when many things in my experience and conduct seen inconsistent with the life of faith and

grace, is the grand preservative against delusion, and incitement to watchfulness, self-examination, and circumspection. And the same is the case with respect to feart." -Pp. 52, 53.

Of the justice of this character, the following extract is a proof.

And now for the most agreeable and suitable subject of your letters. I rejoice exceedingly at what you tell me concerning yourself. I would not say too much in the way of encouragement. I will not venture to say that you are in a state of grace; that you are converted: I have seen hopeful awakenings wear off; therefore be jealous

*Wilberforce's Pract. View, c. vii. § 1. + See Letter in Life, p. 339.

of yourself: Be not high-minded, but fear; press forward, forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth to the things that are before: but I will venture to say, that your last letter has made my heart leap for joy, and led me confidently to hope for a happy issue, an effectual answer to the many prayers I have, and your sister has offered for you. I hope in time all will be answered. In a former letter you mention the world being too much for you, and you hint at the same again. I hope God will give you that faith which overcometh the world, which cannot otherwise be overcome: but the following considerations may be in God's hand a means of good. Man is a creature capable of eternal happiness or eternal misery: the few years of his life here bear no more, nor so much, proportion to his whole duration, as one moment doth to a million of ages: consequently all the interests and pleasures of a man's life in this world bear not so much proportion to his eternal interests, as the value of a grain of wheat does to the empire of the universe. How infatuated, therefore, must we be, to give that the preference in our choice, which in our judgment we perceive to be infinitely contemptible and worthless in the comparison. In temporal concerns we are more wise, and know how to proportion our estimation of things to the time we are to enjoy them; and are not willing to give so much for a dinner at a nobleman's table, or a walk in his park, as we I would for the inheritance of his estate. How blind, and perverse, and depraved therefore must man by nature be, who universally, in things spiritual and eternal, acts contrary to this plain dictate of comsense!-Besides, godliness has the promise of this life, as well as of that which is to come: and we are likely to have as much comfort in the world, when the only wise God manages and chooses for us, as when we poor short-sighted worms undertake to choose and manage for ourselves, and take not only the doing of our business into our own hands, but anxiously perplex ourselves about the event. Seek first the kingdom of God, &c.

mon

Again, you speak of the reproach of the world. Rejoice in it. What, are you unwilling to be put upon a footing with apostles and prophets, yea with your Master himself? Can you be more highly honoured than by such reproach? The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. If you are reviled for Christ in this world, you shall be acknowledged by Christ in another, with every circumstance of honour, before the assembled world, amidst applauding angels; while the wicked despisers shall wonder and perish, and gnash their teeth in envy, rage, and despair, curse

their folly, and despise themselves to eternity, infinitely more than they now pretend to despise you. Pretend, I say; for, if you are consistent, and live like a Christian, they will reverence you in their hearts, and show it by being under visible restraint in your company, while they pretend to laugh at you. Further, as a man of business and a moral man, you have learned to despise the jeers of drunkards, and those unhappy wretches who, for a momentary gratification, entail temporal disease and poverty on themselves. You see that their conduct is madness and folly, and that your sobriety and industry are comparative wisdom. Now in the eye of God, and of the truly godly, the most worldly-wise man on earth is no less a fool and a madman, if not rich towards God. Learn to consider as such those who, for the unsatisfactory enjoyment and interest of time (a very moment,) forfeit the pure pleasures and enjoyments of eternity; and the laughter of fools and madmen will excite your pity,. and incline you to pray for them, rather than give you much uneasiness. I will in this respect assure you, that this trial, though sharp at first, and a great snare to you, will, if you are enabled steadily to withstand it, soon be over. The world will be weary of despising you and if not, you will grow totally indifferent about it; yea you will rejoice that you are accounted worthy to suffer shame for Him, who endured the cross for you,-Pp. 39-41.

So again, to another correspondent:

We

No

"2. Again you say, you 66 hope it is possible for a person, engaged in the concerns of the world, so to spend his time in his business, as to be doing his duty both to God and man.' Assuredly it is. are each of us to serve God in that station his providence has assigned us; except as we may from good grounds conclude, that he would have us change our station. doubt there are some businesses sinful in themselves; and in most businesses there are many things which an awakened conscience and an enlightened understanding cannot away with: but far be it from me to wish any person to neglect or be slothful in his business; for, if we do our worldly, business as we ought, we are therein serving our generation, and glorifying our God. Whether we eat, or whether we drink, or whatsoever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God. However by the way observe, that very few thus manage their worldly business. Of this you may judge. He who thus does his worldly business has it sanctified by the word of God and prayer. He goes about it because it is