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NEW EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE,

AND

Theological Review.

MAY, 1817.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. DAN TAYLOR.
[Concluded from page 37.]

Several of his productions are
nevertheless considerably elabo-
rated, and ought not to be over.
looked in a Memoir of their author.

We formerly remarked (p. 33.) that there have been few controversies in our days, among the dissenters, in which we cannot trace the pen of Mr. Dan Taylor, and it may be worth while, before we pro

HAVING already furnished our readers with some account of Mr. Taylor's personal history to the period of his removal to the metropolis, and of the steps which led to that event, we now resume the narrative, which must, however, in a great measure, be restricted to a review of his writings and of these, our limits will permit us to notice only a few of the more im-ceed further, to particularise some portant productions of his pen. of these. Thus for instance, beWe have before us, a list of his fore he removed from Yorkshire, publications, extending to thirty he published a Shilling pamphlet, seven distinct articles, several of entitled "The Scriptural account which have been reprinted, and of the way of Salvation,”-in reone in particular, viz. “A Cate-futation of a Sermon, by the Rev. chism, or Instructions for Chil- W. Graham, M. A. entitled "Redren and Youth, in the funda-pentance the only condition of mental doctrines of Christianity," final acceptance." Not long after has gone through nine editions. his settlement in London, he pubHis "Compendious View of the lished "An Essay on Christian nature and importance of Christian Baptism, in which the meaning of Baptism," has also gone through the original word, the customs of seven editions. In our opinion, the Jews, and the sentiments of they are both of them very useful the ancient Fathers respecting that tracts and well merit the extensive ordinance are impartially considercirculation which they have met ed-with two Letters to Dr. with. It can scarcely be necessary, Addington on the subject and however, for us to remark, that a mode of Baptism." This pamlarge proportion of our author's phlet was evidently occasioned by pieces are small tracts, such as, one then recently published by Dr. Single Sermons occasioned by the Addington under the title of "The death of a friend, or some signal Christian Minister's reasons for event in Providence of which it baptizing infants"-a piece which was thought expedient to attempt was also ably answered by the an improvement; and fugitive late Dr. Samuel Stennett of Little pieces excited by local controversy. Wild Street. In the controversy

VOL. III,

S

revised and enlarged them, and published them under the title of

The Reality and Efficacy of Divine Grace, with the certain success of Christ's sufferings, on behalf of all who are finally saved: Considered in a Series of Letters to the Rev. Andrew Fuller, con

on Free Communion, Mr. Taylor took up his pen in opposition to that practice and laid his thoughts before the public in a small piece, entitled "Candidus examined with candour, on Free Communion.”The writer on whom, in this in- | stance, he animadverted, was probably Mr. D. Turner, of Abing-taining Remarks upon the Obserdon, near Oxford. We next trace vations of the Rev. Dan Taylor, on him, defending the practice of Mr. Fuller's Reply to Philan"Singing in the public worship of thropos." BY AGNOSTOS. Our God," in opposition to the Rev. author terminated this protracted Gilbert Boyce, who had issued controversy by a small piece under from the press a tract of impugning the title of "The Friendly Conthat delightful exercise. Mr. Tay- clusion occasioned by the Letters lor's defence was entitled, 66 "A of Agnostos to the Rev. Andrew Dissertation on Singing in the Fuller, respecting the extent of our worship of God, &c," which was Saviour's Death, and other subfollowed by "A Second Disserta- jects connected with that doctrine, tion, &c. in defence of the for- In four Letters to a friend." mer." But waving any further account of these slighter skirmishes in his polemical warfare, we are now brought to notice his controversy with the late Mr. Fuller, respecting the extent of the death of Christ, on which he published three separate pamphlets-the first was entitled "Observations on Mr. Fuller's-Gospel worthy of all acceptation; in nine Letters to a Friend." By Philanthropos. This was very ably answered by the late Secretary to the Baptist Mission, in "A Defence of a Treatise entitled, The Gospel of Christ worthy of all acceptation: containing a Reply to Mr. Button's Remarks and the OBSERVATIONS of PHILANTHROPOS." In answer to this, Mr. Taylor published "Observations on the Rev. Andrew Fuller's Reply to Philanthropos, &c. in thirteen Letters to a friend." This second pamphlet gave rise to another on the part of Mr. Fuller, though he thought it expedient in this instance not to appear in propria persona! We learn from Dr. Ryland's Life of Fuller, lately published, that the latter drew up a series of Remarks on Mr. Taylor's second pamphlet and transmitted them to the Doctor, who probably

This controversy led the dispu tants to discuss the chief points which are at issue between the General and the Particular Baptists; and though to enter upon a Review of it in this place would oblige us to extend the article to an inconvenient length, yet, considering it was the most important controversy in which Mr. Taylor was ever engaged, we cannot in justice to his memory dismiss it without subjoining a few remarks upon it which we remember to have met with from the pen of a cotemporary writer.

"It must be acknowledged, says the writer referred to, that, contrary to the spirit of most controversialists, who seek to widen the breach rather than to heal it, there was a disposition on both sides to approximate, and to sink the minor differences between them. · Mr. Taylor had no wish to controvert the doctrine of election, of divine decrees, or of final perseverance, nor even to deny the speciality of design in the death of Christ, with respect to those who are finally saved; provided his opponent would admit that provision was made for all, and that no insuperable impediment arising from moral

tained on these subjects, which ought to obstruct the most cordial affection and harmony among real Christians."*

impotence should be placed in the way of man's salvation. Mr. Fuller on his part was also willing to concede the universality of the death of Christ, the general indi- Besides the controversies to rect influences of the Holy Spirit, which we have already adverted, and regeneration by the word; there were others in which the provided his opponent would ad- subject of this Memoir took a mit of divine agency, and that the part. At the time when the Unidifference made in the state of a versal restoration scheme was the sinner by his conversion is to be object of general discussion, he ascribed to free and effectual grace. preached and published a Sermon This reciprocal disposition is highly on the Eternity of future punishamiable; and discovers, not an ment, which drew forth a Reply undervaluation, but a just discri- from Mr. Winchester; but Mr. mination of the comparative im- Taylor defended his former pamportance of Christian principles. phlet in "Six Letters to the Rev. Among the temperate and well in. G. B." by whom he appears to formed, who are fully aware of the have been stimulated to the underdifficulties attending each hypo- taking. "You have thought it thesis, there can scarcely be a proper" says Mr. T. to his friend, moment's hesitation in admitting, in his first letter, "strongly to ex-. that the points in which these two press your wishes, that I would good men were agreed are of infi- write a reply to Mr. Winchester, nitely higher moment than those and to ask Why won't you? On in which they differ, whatever be this occasion I am not unwilling to their supposed magnitude; and open my mind, and to speak freely. that upon either system, the foun-I have not much leisure, and my dation of human hope remains disinclination to controversy is unshaken. Nor is there any thing very great. My heart is too ready in the contrariety of views enter- to grow barren without the dry

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* Morris's Memoirs of Mr. Andrew Fuller, p. 239. On this quotation, though agreeing in much that it contains, we are tempted to offer a remark or two. We willingly admit that there is a difficulty in reconciling the doctrine of particular redemption with the universal calls and invitations of the Gospel--the speciality of design in the death of Christ with the duty of every sinner who hears the gospel to believe it. But the difficulty is not greater than to comprehend how Three distinct personal substances can be one God. The truth is, that though both these things are undeniably taught in scripture, the Spirit of inspiration has not condescended to solve the difficulty in either instance; and to reject the doctrines on that account, is highly presumptuous and criminal. To us it has always appeared that there are two, and only two, points respecting this controversy which are worth contending for. The first regards the character of God-" Is He sovereign in dispensing the blessings of his grace to the fallen race of Adam ?"-for, a Deity divested of sovereignty, is the greatest absurdity conceivable by the human mind! The other point is," Do those who are saved, owe their salvation solely to the death of Christ, as its meritorious and procuring cause?" Let these two points be unequivocally admitted in the affirmative and the rest appears to us to be a strife of words. If Christ died alike for all the human race, as many in our days contend, it must then unavoidably follow, either that all mankind will be saved, or that those who inherit eternal life must owe their salvation to something else than Christ's death. Yet the scriptures deny both these positions; for while, on the one hand, they affirm that the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment," Matt. xxv. 46, they assert with equal confidence that "Christ gives to his sheep, for whom he died, eternal life, and that they shall never perish," John x. 15, 28. See also Rom, viii, 32-34. We remember that the founder of Methodism in this country, at one period of his life, appeared to hate the doctrine of divine Sovereignty most cordially. "He could sooner be a Turk or an Infidel, than he could believe God was capable of giving grace to one and not to another ! !' We hope the Arminians of the present day, and especially the General Baptists, have very different views of the subject. EDITOR.

wards of eighty pages, every one of which is replete with the most important admonitions, and persuasive exhortations to the proper dis-. charge of the high office with which the young minister had been invested. If this Memoir should fall under the inspection of any ministers of the word, by whom that admirable Charge has not yet been perused, we beg leave, with all becoming deference, most ear

attention; for if they have taken up the sacred vocation on scriptural grounds, and are animated by the laudable wish of discharging the various duties of the office with credit to themselves, the edification of others, and the glory of their great master in heaven, we venture to affirm, that 'tis impossible they can read it without profit.

Towards the close of the same year (1786) in which the preceding Charge was delivered, Mr. Taylor was again called upon to assist at the ordination of the Rev. George Birley, at St. Ives. On this occa

work of disputation, even when employed on the most important subjects in the most practical manner. Besides, Mr. W.'s Remarks on my Discourse concerning the Eternity of future Punishment, to speak in the softest language, appeared to me of such a cast, as not to require a reply. On these accounts, when I had read his remarks, I laid them aside, not designing ever to give them a second perusal." Having, how-nestly to recommend it to their ever, yielded "to the judgment of others, whom he considered much wiser than himself," he commences the task with the following very just observation, which we quote with pleasure from the beginning of the second Letter. "It is certainly very proper to consider the importance of any subject on which our thoughts are employed. That all subjects are not of equal importance will, I think, on all hands be allowed. It is the part of a wise man to consider this; and to proportion his attention, as nearly as may be, to the weight of the subject to which he attends; he will otherwise be in danger of collecting mere pebbles, and neglecting pearls; or in the language of inspiration, he may be unhappy enough to sow the wind and reap the whirlwind." p. 9. The whole of these Letters are written with urbanity and candour, nor can the praise of perspicuity and cogent reasoning be denied them. We had occasion, in a preced ing page, (See p. 17.) to mention an Ordination Charge delivered by Mr. Taylor to one of his brethren in the ministry, (Mr. John Deacon of Leicester) and spoke of it, as we still think it only deserved, as being one of the very best we had ever read. This Charge was considerably amplified after it was delivered from the pulpit; and in its published state may be regarded rather as a Dissertation on the duties of the Christian ministry than a Sermon. It extends to up

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66

sion also he was appointed to deliver the Pastoral Charge, which he did from Rom. i. 9. "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers." This Charge was also printed, together with a Sermon delivered to the people by Mr. Robinson, of Cambridge, and though not so elaborate a production as the one we have above mentioned, it nevertheless clearly indicates the same masterly hand in the composition. We venture to lay before our readers au extract from near the close of it, as a specimen of the ability and stirling good sense which pervade the whole. Having remarked that if the Christian minister would serve God as the great apostle did, he must have his spirit continually engaged in the work, Mr. Taylor thus proceeds

"It is true respecting the minis

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