Farther It ought to be confidered, that in worshipping the Son of God, we worship him not on account of that wherein he differs from the Father; but on account of thofe perfections which we believe him to poffefs in common with him. This, with the confideration that we worthip him not to the exclufion of the Father, any more than the Father to the exclufion of him, but as one with him, removes all apprehenfions from our minds, that in afcribing glory to the one, we detract from that of the other. Nor can we think, but that thefe ideas are confirmed, and the weight of the objection removed, by thofe declarations. of fcripture where the Father and the Son are reprefented as being in fuch union, that he who hath feen the one, hath feen the other; and he who honoureth the one, honoureth the other; yea, that he who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who fent him.*

It might fairly be argued in favour of the tendency of calviniftic doctrines to promote the love of God, that upon thofe principles we have

* John xiv. 7-9. v. 23. The reader may see this subject ably urged by Mr. Scott, in his Essays on the most important Subjects of Religion, First Edition, No. vii. p. 96, 97. These Essays are of a piece with the other productions of that judicious writer; and, though small, and for the convenience of the poor, sold for one penny each, contain a fund of solid, rational, and scriptural divinity.

more to love him for, than upon the other. On this fyftem we have much to be forgiven, and therefore love much. The expenfe at which our falvation has been obtained, as we believe, furnishes us with a motive of love to which nothing can be compared. But this I fhall refer to another place; and conclude with reminding you, that notwithstanding Dr. Prieftley loads calviniftic principles with fuch heavy charges as thofe mentioned at the beginning of this Letter, yet he elsewhere acknowledges them to be " generally favourable to that leading virtue, devotion;" which in effect is acknowledging them to be favourable to the love of God.

I am, &c.

LETTER VIII.

ON CANDOUR AND BENEVOLENCE TO MEN.

Christian Brethren,

YOU recollect that the calviniftic fyf

tem ftands charged by Dr. Priestley, not only with being inconfiftent with a perfect veneration of the divine character, but with "perfect candour and benevolence to man."

This, it must be owned, has often been objected to the calvinifts. Their views of things

* Letter xiv.

have been fuppofed to render them four and ill-natured towards thofe who differ from them. Charity, candour, benevolence, liberality, and the like, are virtues to which focinians, on the other hand, lay almoft an exclufive claim. And fuch a weight do they give thefe virtues in the fcale of morality, that they conceive themselves," upon the whole, even allowing "that they have more of an apparent con

formity to the world than the trinitarians, "to approach nearer to the proper temper of "chriftianity than they.'

I fhall not go about to vindicate calvinifts any farther than I conceive their fpirit and conduct to admit of a fair vindication; but I am fatisfied that if things be clofely examined, it will be found that a great deal of what our opponents attribute to themselves is not benevolence, or candour; and that a great deal of what they attribute to us, is not owing to the want of either.

Refpecting benevolence or good-will to men, in order to be genuine, they muft confift with love to God. There is fuch a thing as partiality to men, with refpect to the points in which they and their Maker are at variance; but this is not benevolence.

criminal at the bar might

Partiality to a induce us to

* Dr. Priestley's Discourses on Various Subjects, p. 100.

pity him fo far as to plead in extenuation of his guilt, and to endeavour to bring him off from the juft punishment of the laws; but this would not be benevolence. There must be a rectitude in our actions and affections to render them truly virtuous. Regard to the public good muft keep pace with compaffion to the miferable; elfe the latter will degenerate into vice, and lead us to be partakers of other men's fins. Whatever pretence be made to devotion, or love to God, we never admit them to be real, unless accompanied with love to men; neither ought any pretence of love to men to be admitted as genuine, unless it be accompanied with love to God. Each of these virtues is confidered in the fcriptures as an evidence of the other. If a man fay, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar-By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.*

There is fuch a thing as partiality to men, as obferved before, with refpect to the points in which they and their Maker are at variance; leaning to thofe notions that reprefent their fin as comparatively little, and their repentance and obedience as a balance against it; fpeaking fmooth things, and affording flattering intimations that without an atonement,

nay, even without repentance in this life, all will be well at last. But if it should prove, that God is wholly in the right, and man wholly in the wrong; that fin is exceeding finful; that we all deferve to be punished with everlasting deftruction from the prefence of the Lord; and that, if we be not interested in the atonement of Chrift, this punishment muft actually take place;-if these things, I fay, fhould at laft prove true, then all fuch notions as have flattered the pride of men, and cherished their prefumption, inficad of being honoured with the epithets of liberal and benevolent, will be called by very different names. princes and people of Judah would doubtlefs. be apt to think the fentiments taught by Iananiah, who prophefied fimooth things concerning them, much more benevolent and liberal than thofe of Jeremiah, who generally came with heavy tidings; yet true benevolence exified only in the latter. Whether the complexion of the whole fyftem of our opponents do not refemble that of the falfe prophets, who prophefied finooth things, and healed the hurt of the daughter of Ifrael flightly, crying peace, peace, when there was no peace; and whether their objections to our views of things be not the fame for fubftance as might have been

*

* Jer. xxviii.

The