Whoever has read Mr. Towgood's various writings with common attention will perceive that he uniformly opposed the socinian system: their author, it is evident, remained a firm friend to the scripture doctrine of the atonement to the latest period of his life.

Can it be now supposed that Mr. Biddulph, a clergyman, brought up at the university of Oxford, and who appears to have made the doc trinal articles of his church his peculiar study, should be ignorant of the tenets of socinianism? The reason however of his palpable misrepre sentation is obvious:-The followers in general of the clergy who style themselves evangelical, attach such importance to the peculiar sentiments, and place such implicit eredit in the assertions of their pastors, that they at once embrace their opinions without examination. Instead of " seizing on truth wheree'r 'tis found," they will not even dare to look into a book, the doctrinal sentiments of which, do not entirely harmonize with their own pre-conceived opinions. Mr. Biddulph, conscious he could not answer Mr. Towgood's arguments, and apprehensive lest his followers should examine and judge for themselves, pronounced, in the genuine spirit of priesteraft, his anathema on the book, thus hoping his flock might be prevented from straying out of their established fold!

Another misrepresentation, equally gross, and equally the effect of ignorance or evil intention, with that already exposed, may be found in the following paragraph,contained in asmall pamphlet which has been circulated with considerably industry.

Churchmen and Dissenters are taught to "regard each other with suspicion if not with "aversion. A TowGOOD FINDS NO SALVATION · “ IN THE CHURCH, a DAUBENNY doubts whe¬

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<ther there can be any out of it. Thus under "the auspices of SUCH WRITERS, and their se"veral partizans, followers of the same Jesus "are instructed to call each other bigots and "schismatics; each forgetting, in turn, that all

party spirit is bigotry, and that every breach "of charity is schism.-Such sentiments are, "God be thanked, not universal. Men of in<dependent minds rise above these littlenesses, "and venture to appreciate each others excellencies, without taking their measures from "high priests in the church, or demagogues out " of it."*

On this extraordinary paragraph I beg leave generally to remark, that it is with a very ill grace Mr. Owen thus takes upon himself to reprove a brother priest,whose only offence is, his being a more consistent churchman than his reprover. Mr. Daubeny contends that the church of England is a pure, and truly apostolic church; and if this position, which every clergyman professes to believe,be granted,it necessarily follows, that to setup a protest against, or to dissent from such a church and form a separate communion, must be schismatical. The church of England, by her constitution pronounces all who dissent from episcopacy,schismatics: to the members of the church of Rome indeed,she opens her arms; Popish priests are welcome to her pulpits without re-ordination, whilst the ministers of all reformed churches in this or any other country, who have not had episcopal ordination, (which is the case with almost all of them) she shuts out from her communion. Mr. Owen as well as Mr. Daubeny has declared himself, bona fide, a

*The State of things for 1803. By the Rev. John Owen, M. A.late Fellow of Corpus Chrifti college, Cambridge, and Lecturer, and Curate of Fulham, Middlesex.

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member of this church, and has given a full and unequivocal assent (in words at least) to every part of her constitution. If, as Mr. Owen observes, and I am not inclined to dispute the justice of the observation, ---" every breach of "charity is schism," the church of England must be, next to the church of Rome, the most schismatical church in Christendom, and her mimisters are schismatics in a very high degree.

Let us in order to examine Mr. Owen's consistency as a preacher of christian charity, advert to one article of his church; the eighth. "The creed of Athanasius ought thoroughly to "be received and believed, for it may be proved

by most certain warrants of holy scripture.' The belief of the whole of this creed is declaredin the plainest language to be necessary to salvation. To this creed Mr. Owen has, before that God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins," declared, ex animo, his " unfeigned assent and "consent:" this creed he is in the habit of reading; the first part of it declares that "except every one keep this faith whole and undefiled he

shall,without doubt,perish everlastingly. The "catholic faith is this:" then follows the explanation (if confusion worse confounded," can be called explanation) of Athanasius: after which the creed is thus closed:---" THIS is the "Catholic faith; which except a man believe

faithfully, he cannot be saved." What then is the necessary inference? Many of the greatest and best men of the established church, such as Archbishop Tilloston, Bishops Burnet, Hoadly, Drs. Whitby, Clarke, '&c. many of the greatest and best men amongst the Dissenters, Drs. Watts, Doddridge, Lardner,Gale, Forster,&c. ---all these illustrious departed are,without doubt, in a state of never ending torment! Mr. Owen has declared in the most solemn manner his be

Bief of this shocking, yea, reason and scripture warrant me in calling it, this BLASPHEMOUS absurdity! And yet he pretends wonderful zeal as a preacher of christian charity!

But it will probably be suspected that the Rev. gentleman does not, in reality, give credit to what he has so solemnly assented, and so frequently in the solemn offices of worship repeated; and that his mind revolts at these damnatory sentences: this is not improbable: another inference is then unavoidable: in pronouncing the most awful sentence, which can be pronounced on his fellow creatures, he is not sincere ; whatever charity he therefore exercises, must be at the expence of his integrity: surely if he reflects on this subject, he will never again presume to reprove a brother priest, or indeed any one else for bigotry. That Mr. Daubeny is a bigotted" high priest," as Mr. Owen affirms, is a fact; but he is, in this respect the consistent minister of the church of England, and shews that he well understands her constitution, and thoroughly imbibes her spirit.

If however, there existed a man in any age of the world, whose life displayed the reverse of a bigotted spirit, it was the man who has been slandered by Mr. Owen: so far from Mr. Towgood" finding no salvation in the church of "England," this very book affords demonstrative evidence to the contrary. It is Mr. Owen's

*See An Apology for Brotherly Love, &c. P. 200, 201. By Sir Richard Hill. The language of the Hon. Baronet, after quoting Mr. Daubeny's anathema against ALL. Diffenters from the National establishment, may be well adapted in the pre fent inftance. "To fee this, and then hear our author talk of brotherly love, charity, meeknefs, forbearance, &c. almost ex"cites an inclination to fickness,efpecially when he is cenfuring, very juftly I admit, the uncharitable fpirit of one of his own paruh," &c.

duty to give it a fair perusal. Let him also turn to the life of this "demagogue," and just glance at the "littlenesses" which filled his mind; he may then be prepared to enjoy the triumph suggested by his own" independent mind, soaring "above" such a character!

Mr. Towgood in his Letter to his people on resigning the pastoral office, (already quoted thus addresses them :---" You lay your com"munion open to every sincere christian to "whatever denomination or party he belongs. "Whatever his peculiar notions or speculations "may be as to doubtful and disputed matters, "if you have reason to believe him an honest, "and sincere, however mistaken man, you re"ceive him as you are commanded, but not to " doubtful disputation,and give him this pledge "of your affection and esteem, that you con"sider and behave towards him, as a fellow "servant, and a christian brother."

Mr. Towgood's biographer speaking of his controversial writings, remarks as follows:

"If it be suspected, by some who knew him not, that, as most of his publications were of a controversial kind,they would naturally embitter his mind, and give asperity to his temper, the thorough knowledge I had of this truly christian divine, enables me to say that in him they produced neither of these effects. He engaged in controversy not from inclination, but because he was persuaded some positions and sentiments. advanced by his opponents, had an unfavourable aspect towards the glorious cause of religious liberty, a cause nearly connected with, and of great importance to the interests of truth, and the present and future happiness of mankind. When he appeared in the character of a polemical writer, he maintained his opinions with that vivacity and spirit, which are neces