BAMPTON LECTURER REPROVED; BEING A REPLY TO THE CALUMNIOUS CHARGES OF THE REV. C. A. MOYSEY, D.D. ETC. In his late Bampton Lectures against the Unitarians, and especially IN LETTERS TO A FRIEND. TO WHICH IS ANNEXED A LETTER, IN REPLY TO THE CHARGES OF THE VERY REVEREND DEAN MAGEE, In Volume II. Part II. of his Dissertations on BY THOMAS BELSHAM, MINISTER OF ESSEX STREET CHAPEL. "The writers and wranglers in religion fill it with niceties, and dress it up London: PRINTED FOR THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE SOLD BY ROWLAND HUNTER, ST, PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, As it has now become so much the fashion with a certain description of the Clergy, upon all public occasions, to make an attack upon the Unitarians on the one hand, and the Evangelical party on the other, I had long ceased to give myself any concern upon the subject, especially since the Letters which I had the honour to address to the Bishop of London; in which I have advanced what many have thought sufficient for the satisfaction of "men of sound understandings " and honest hearts," in defence of the Unitarians and their cause. But my attention having been excited to Dr. Moysey's late Bampton Lectures, as concentrating in one focus all the abuse which has lately been, and indeed all that ever can be, vomited forth against the Unitarians, and particularly against the Editors of the Improved Version; and having been informed CONTENTS. Occasion which gave rise to the present animadversions, p. 1. -Ungenerous but unsuccessful mode of attacking the Unita- rians, p. 2.-The Bampton Lecturer's extravagant application of an inadvertent expression of the Bishop of London, p. 3.- Hard duties imposed upon the clergy by Mr. W. Smith's Tri- nity Doctrine Bill, p. 5.-Unitarians neither more secure, nor The Bampton Lecturer's arts of controversy, p. 10.-I. He misrepresents the principles of the Unitarians, ibid.-II. He gives them a bad name, p. 12.-which it would be easy to re- taliate if necessary, p. 14.-III. He assumes the point in dis- cussion, p. 16.—The Bampton Lecturer describes the faith which is necessary to constitute a man a christian, ibid.―This proved to be inconsistent with the assertion of the evangelist John, p. 18.-with the confession of the Ethiopian Eunuch, p. 19.-with the declaration of the apostle Paul, ibid.—and likewise with the judgment of Locke, of Jortin, and of Bishop Watson, p. 20. note.-The Lecturer warns his readers not to reject and his correspondent warns them not to add to the scripture doctrine, p. 21.-Discussions ought to be pursued without illiberality, p. 24.-Ridiculous situation of a writer who in the present enlightened and inquisitive age expects to The author declines entering at large into the argument con- |