L duals whom he selects and holds up to view as models of christian excellence, were certainly men, whose examples it would be distraction to follow. We can only mention one, but one, however, who seems to have been decidedly the favourite of our author; we mean Augustine, to whose character and writings, he has appropriated nearly one third of his second volume, and more than he has given to any other person. Now let any one consider the vagabond and profligate life which this man led previous to his conversion; his open and shameless debaucheries, his remorseless violation of all the laws of decency and honour, of man and God; let him consider the silly story of the miracle in his garden, too much even for Milner to believe; his suddenly assuming an ascetic character, that he might the better accomplish his selfish and ambitious ends; his arts to gain preferment in the church, and his tyrannical and overbearing conduct, after he had gained it; and above all his bloody and merciless persecution of the Donatists, first driving them to desperation, and then making the excesses they committed in that desperation, the occasion of still further and more cruel persecutions; and can he help wondering that such a man is adduced as an example of a real christian, and that his character is appealed to as an illus trious instance of the blessed influences of orthodox principles ? In the controversies that are, and probably always will be in the church, we regret that the attention of the contending parties should ever be turned aside from a comparison of principles to a comparison of characters. It is not that we fear such a comparison; for let it first be understood what christian virtue is, and we firmly believe that such a comparison would redound greatly to the honour and advantage of the unitarian cause. But we would refrain from it, because it would inevitably lead to much injustice and misrepresentation on both sides, and after all it could prove nothing, and would convince nobody. One thing more we would suggest to our orthodox friends. According to this book they possess all the humility in the world. Would it not be well for them to give some better evidence and proof of their humility, than is to be found in their arrogating to themselves all the piety and all the virtue ? Here we might close our review, which was undertaken merely to expose the spirit and leading object of this work. Some, however, who condemn its object and spirit, may yet look to it as a work of talents-as an entertaining work, or as a work of much general information. But in truth there is nothing in the literary execution of this book to recommend it. It was written doubtless by a serious and sincere christian, though a singularly misguided one, whose views of men and things, and whose moral judgments, were sadly affected by his theological prejudices; and who wrote for the express purpose, as he is honest enough. to tell us, of promoting the interests of his party. But he is not, and he does not pretend to be, a man of much learning or research. The history is brought down no further than through the opening scenes of the Reformation, and relates therefore for the most part to times and persons with whom we can be supposed to feel but little sympathy. There is not in the whole book a single page of fine writing, or eloquent declamation, or pathetic description, none of the profound remarks of Gibbon, none of the various erudition of Mosheim, none of the amusing anecdotes of Jortin, none of the graphic sketching and grouping of Robertson; in fine, so unfortunate has been our author in the disposition and arrangement of his materials, that he fails to excite in us the interest which we feel in a sustained narrative, and his incidents and characters make but little impression on us while reading, and are soon forgotten. There may be persons who will praise this book and recommend it, for they may think they have an interest in so doing; but there cannot be many who will read it. The philosopher will throw it aside as superficial; the scholar as common-place; the general reader as dull and heavy; the devout man as cold and constrained, and the liberal christian as exclusive and disingenuous; and every one, who reads it through, and speaks his mind, will pronounce it to be a dry, barren, and unsatisfactory performance. INTELLIGENCE. Theological School at Cambridge.-The annual examination of the Theological School at Cambridge was held at the University Chapel on Tuesday the 13th August. The exercises commenced at nine o'clock, and were attended by a large number of the clergy of this vicinity, as well as a number of laymen. The following are the subjects of the Dissertations read by the members of the several classes, on this occasion: SENIOR CLASS. 1. An account of the formation of the received text of the New Testament, with an estimate of its authority. J. D. Green. 2. The character of the early Fathers as interpreters of the Scriptures. Samuel Barrel. 8. On the gift of tongues. G. R. Noyes. Charles Robinson. 4. On the state of the soul immediately after death. John Porter. 5. On the Mosaic account of Creation. N. B. Mr. John Prentiss excused on account of ill health. MIDDLE CLASS. 6. On the advantages and disadvantages of a Liturgy. 7. On the design of St. John's Gospel. Wm. Farmer. E. S. Gannett. 10. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil the law; or the connexion of the Jewish and christian covenants. Benj. Kent. N. B. Mr. Calvin Lincoln excused on account of ill health. JUNIOR CLASS. 11. Mahometanism and Christianity contrasted as they are calculated to effect the intellectual and moral character. E. P. Crafts. 12. On the state of the Jews at the time of our Saviour's ministry. E. B. Hall. 13. On the different opinions and sentiments entertained by the Apostles respecting our Saviour at different times. A. Young. N. B. Mr. E. W. Upham excused on account of ill health. Several articles of Intelligence are necessarily deferred. NEW PUBLICATIONS. A New Translation and Exposition of the pistles of St. Paul. By Thomas Belsham 4 vols. 8vo. London. Miscellanies selected from the Public Journals. 12mo. Boston Published by Joseph T Buckingham Lectures delivered at Rowdoin College, and occasional Sermons. By Jesse Appleton, D D. President of Bowdoin ollege, Brunswick. 1822 Answer to Dr. Wood's Reply to Dr. Ware's Letters in a second series of Letters to Trintarians and Calvinists By Hen y Ware, D.D Letters on the Eternal generation of the Son of God; addressed to the Rev. Samuel Miller, D D. of Princeton. By Moses Stuart, Prof. Theological Sem Andover Discourses delivered in the College of New Jersey; with notes and illustrations; including a historical sketch of the College from its origin, to the accession of President Witherspoon. By Ashbel Green, D.D. LL.D. A New England Tale Second edition New York. A Discourse before the African Society in Boston 15th of July, 1822; on the anniversary celebration of the abolition of the Slave Trade. By Thaddeus V Harris, D.D. Boston Inquiry into the relation of Cause and Effect. By Thomas Brown, M.D. F.R S. Edin &c. Andover Belshazzar, a dramatic Poem. By the Rev. H. H. Milman. Boston, THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE. NEW SERIES-No. 23. September and October, 1822. ON THE ATTEMPT TO DEPRIVE UNITARIANS OF THE NAME OF CHRISTIANS. FROM THE UNITARIAN DEFENDANT. AMONG the variety of injuries which have been heaped upon those, the basis of whose religious creed is the One True God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent, not the least in magnitude or importance consists in the attempt to rob them of the name of Christians. We feel, however, very sure, that the number of such as have resorted to this ultimate and puerile measure of controversy, is as yet comparatively few. It was at first, we believe, set on foot by writers who had lost their temper in debate, and is now principally confined to those exclusive and intolerant religionists, who, being willing to go all lengths in their creeds, are equally ready to go all lengths in their denunciations. But, unless we are very greatly deceived, a vast majority of those who are allowed to be orthodox Christians, have not as yet given into the cruel and preposterous injustice which it is our present object to expose. Next to refusing us the name of Christians, the most severe term applied to us, with the exception of infidel, which is the same as denying us to be Christians, is that of heretics. But even the common signification of this term does not necessarily exclude the title of Christian. Johnson defines a heretic to be one, who propagates his private opinions in opposition to the catholic (or universal) church." Neither the Romish nor the English church has gone so far as to confound heretics in all cases with infidels. No ecclesiastical historian that we know of has intimated the identity of heretics with infidels, or insinuated that he was not giving an account of Christians, when treating of beretics. We just mention these facts in passing, to show the New Series-vol. IV. 66 40 extremely loose and inconsistent practice of some violent partizans, who, thinking their cause is the best served by the greatest number of opprobrious names thrown out on their opponents, make no scruple to deny us to be Christians and to call us Heretics in one and the same breath! Happily, these two contradictory charges annihilate each other. If we are really heretics, in the modern sense of the word, we are only mistaken and obstinate Christians; if we are no Christians at all, then we certainly are set free from the burden of being heretics. In this dilemma, our revilers may take their choice. But enough of this. We were going to remark, that the title of heretics, though a good deal softer than the absolute denial of any right to the Christian name, is still by no means universally applied to Unitarians. Many, many, orthodox, pious, moderate, sensible, yet firm and zealous Christians, conscious that neither Johnson's definition, nor the usual ecclesiastical acceptation of the word heretic is the truly scriptural one, think no more of giving that title to Unitarians, than they do that of murderers and assassins. Very poorly is he versed in the criticism of the New Testament, who does not know that neither the word heretic nor heresy is ever used in that sacred book with the least reference to true or false doctrines, or to the honest and peaceable opinions entertained by any individuals, but that those words solely and entirely refer to factious and quarrelsome practices, which began to spring up in the very earliest periods of Christianity. Whoever has read Part 4, Dissertation 9, of the Preliminary Dissertations to the New Testament, written by the very pious, learned and orthodox Dr. Campbell, never can give to modern Unitarians the name of heretics, unless he intends to abandon the meaning of scriptural phraseology, and to take up with the language of exasperated popes and councils, who in the pride of fancied infallibility, regard a mere difference of opinion, however conscientious, in as black a light as they do a spirit of faction and division. Indeed, when it is recollected, that the followers of papacy consider us all, to a man, and without any exception, as heretics, one would suppose that the absurdity of this modern and unscriptural use of the word must often come home to those Protestants who are so liberal in applying it to their brethren. It is for the foregoing reasons, that the most moderate and rational among the believers in the Trinity, as was above observed, have not only refused to deny us the name of Christians, but will not go even so far as to fix upon us the miserable and childish mckname of heretics. We have the best reasons for stating that a very large majority of Protestant believers regard Unitarians in |