of heart and affection may be found to exist in a high state of perfection. Mr. Scott, speaking of the mutual intercourse, which subsists between the Moderate Calvinists and the Evangelical Arminian Clergy of the Church of England, gives the following pleasing account. "It would really surprise those, who imagine that our chief earnestness is about the high points of Calvinism, to be present incog. in the company of a select number of the evangelical clergy; who are aware, that on this doctrine of personal election and final perseverance, they differ from each other; to observe, that in a conversation, wholly on some select religious subject, intimately connected as they suppose, with their ministerial usefulness, and continued during two or three hours; these subjects are never once mentioned, and often not hinted at. Nay, I verily believe, that in the earnestness of the inquiry how they may best make progress in personal religion, and in doing good to their congregations, they scarcely occur to the thought of any present. If, however, any thing he brought forward respecting them, it generally passes off by some one saying We know each others' sentiments on that point; and we agree to differ amicably dismiss the subject.' Thus we often meet and converse, and pray together; and part, more cordially united than before; even though we must think each other mistaken on this point. But we are agreed in so many other matters of prime and essential importance; that unless we are called on to deliver our sentiments on these doctrines, we seldom mention them."*

In the year 1618, was held the famous synod of Dort. Of this synod three divines of the Church of England

• Remarks, Vol. 1, p. p. 464, 465.

were members, of whom the celebrated Hall, afterwards Bishop of Norwich, was one. By this synod the opinions of the Arminians were condemned, and themselves excommunicated. Two political factions at that time existing in Holland, the Arminians united themselves and the Calvinists to the other.

to the one, Religious zeal gave an edge to political animosity. The intrigues of Barnevelt, Grotius, and the Arminian party, being defeated by the superior address of Maurice, to whom the Calvinists had joined themselves, the latter exercised a severe and unrelenting tyranny over the former. Barnevelt lost his head, and Grotius was condemned to perpetual imprisonment. He escaped from his prison and took refuge in France. When opposite sentiments in religion are blended with political feuds, animosities the most inveterate and fierce may be expected to tear society in pieces. The same union of religion with politics, in the time of Charles the First, produced in this country the persecution of the country and puritan party; and when that party had become triumphant, they adopted the same measures of rigour and injustice towards the monarchical and church party, which they had suffered from them. The Arminians are called the Remonstrants, from a Remonstrance they presented to the States General, in which they stated their grievances, and petitioned for redress.

Among the most eminent divines of the Arminian system in this country, may be ranked Latimer, Tillotson, Burnet, Secker, Sherlock, Wilson, Lowth, Horsley, Porteus, &c. &c. &c. Many of this school have been distinguished equally by their piety and their learning; by the cultivation of every Divine and of every human virtue. The Methodists, lately in connexion with Mr.

Wesley are, almost universally Arminians, and their Arminianism is generally more pure than that of many others who take the name. Many writers who are commonly called Arminians, possess very inadequate opinions of original sin, or at least express themselves in a very inaccurate manner on this subject; and with respect to Evangelical religion, fall far short of Arminius himself.

Arminians should be carefully distinguished from Pelagians, and Semi-Pelagians, with whom Calvinists have often very unjustly classed them. Pelagius was a native of Britain, who began to propagate his principles at Rome, in the beginning of the fifth century. He taught that all men come into the world as pure as Adam; that our original sin is nothing but our imitation of Adam's transgression; that man stands in no need of Divine influences; but has in himself sufficient powers for his sanctification; that infants need no remission of sins: and that our good works merit eternal happiness. These doctrines are evidently subversive of the Gospel. His system was a little modified by Cassian, a monk who taught that the first conversion of the soul to God was merely the effect of its own free choice, and who consequently denied preventing grace. Those who adopted his opinion were called Semi-Pelagians. They admitted indeed the necessity of supernatural aids, after men had turned to God, to carry them on to perfection.

"Nothing but mere prejudice," says a respectable writer," or the grossest ignorance, can lead any to confound it," (the Arminian doctrine) " with that of Socinus, or even with that of Pelagius; and of course to associate its professors with Pelagians and Socinians, as is not unfrequently done by many Calvinists and others, from whom better things might be expected. For this sys

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tem, which maintains the doctrine of human depravitysalvation by Christ-justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Spirit, stands on very different grounds from that of either the Pelagians or Semi-Pelagians. It may, notwithstanding, be admitted that there have not been wanting some who have sheltered their Pelagian, nor others perhaps even their Socinian, errors, under the name of Arminianism."*

Both Calvinists and Arminians stand exposed to dangers peculiar to themselves. The Minister of Christianity who adopts, what is called the Calvinistic system, will do well to take care that while he preaches the doctrines of grace, he do not throw into the shade the practical duties of the Christian life, and that he guard his hearers against every approach to Antinomianism. Antinomianism is the dead sea of religion, where every thing is either indurated or putrified. In these waters the celebrated Prynne must have been dipped, before he could declare in his Perpetuity "Let any true saint of God be taken away in the very act of any known sin, before it is possible for him to repent, I make no doubt or scruple of it, but he shall as surely be saved, as if he had lived to have repented of it." This sentiment, which Archbishop Laud so justly reprobated, and which Dr. Marsh, in his Strictures so justly censures, is utterly inconsistent with the sound doctrine that cannot be reproved.-The Arminian Preacher has need to take care, that he not only believe the doctrines of grace, but that he also in the public instruction he communicates, give them that prominence which is necessary to the faithful discharge of his duty.

Mr. Adams's Religious World Displayed, Vol. 1, p. p. 254, 255.

as a good steward of the mysteries of the Gospel, as well as of its pure morality: that the morality which he inculcates, rise infinitely above that which any system of heathen philosophy knew; not the cold and calculating morality of general expediency, but that which flows from vital religion, the love of God shed abroad in the heart, by the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Dr.

It is strange that Mr. Evans should have represented Episcopius and Grotius as Arminian writers. The latter certainly was so in the first part of his life, and in his early productions; but his writings before his death, were of a very different kind. Both these writers were of the political party to which this name was affixed, but both of them were Pelagians, if not Unitarians. They agreed indeed with Arminius in some points, as they did with Calvin in others; but with respect to original sin, justification by grace, and the necessity of Divine influence they differed from Arminius completely. Taylor's Key to the Epistle to the Romans, Mr. Evans says, has been much admired on the subject of Arminianism. We wish he had informed us by whom it has been admired. Mr. Belsham and other Unitarian writers have certainly approved and admired it, as its tendency is to set aside the most important doctrines of the Gospel. But every follower of Arminius, though he may meet with some things that accord with his own sentiments, will think of it in general, just as every Calvinist thinks, that it is subversive of the peculiar truths of Christianity, and utterly irreconcilable to common honesty, because its design is not avowed, but covered by the pretence of explaining, what it means to destroy. Mr. Fellows too, is made by Mr. Evans to take his place among the Arminians, and by the side of Mr. Wesley. Had the pious father of the