out the use of analogies, and the power we acquire, when we argue from them? They are so universal in the Scripture, that a man may as well read English without the alphabet, as read the Bible without understanding its analogies. They are, therefore, never to be given up, but to be insisted upon, and recommended to others, as the very life and soul of Christian wisdom t. I would willingly have avoided a party name, being conscious that I am not a party man; but disposed to exercise an independent judgment, and take what is good and useful from every quarter where I can find it ; either for my own benefit, or that of the public. If I can do good, I am willing to do it under any character which an honest man may wear. But my adversaries (who are not a few) have found such an advantage, for many years past, in giving me the name of an Hutchinsonian, that they will never part with it. So, as I am stamped with that name, I may speak freely, without losing any ground. Too many of the learned have shewn an unusual propensity, for many years, to censure and reject every principle reported to be Hutchinsonian, without first knowing what it is, and what is to be said for it. The Biographer, against whom I have + For the Bishop's sentiments on this subject, see the Life, near the conclusion. have defended Bishop Horne, attacks him as an Hutchinsonian, without knowing, that he was making his attack on that quarter where the Hutchinsonians are strongest and this, not with weak arguments, but with no arguments at all; unless we can find one in the words-it will surely be thought--which is not an argument, but an appeal to the judgment of others, who are under the same prejudice with himself. To prevent which for the time to come, and to satisfy those, who, having heard some things to perplex them, would be glad of better information; I shall tell them, as well as I can, what the principles really are, by which an Hutchinsonian is distinguished from other men. But when I consider, that this inquiry will lead us into some great, deep and difficult subjects -of which no man can speak worthily--and of which so many have spoken rashly-I tremble at my undertaking; and intreat every wise and good man to make allowances for me, at a stage of life, when forces fail, and memory is weak; and to give me a fair and chari, table hearing. 1. In the first place, the followers of Mr. Hutchinson give to God the pre-eminence in every thing. His authority with them is above all authority: His wis dom dom above all wisdom: His truth above all truth. They judge every thing to be good or bad, wise or foolish, as it promotes or hinders the belief of Christianity. On which account, their first enemies are to be found among sceptics, infidels and atheists. Their next enemies are those who are afraid of believing too much: such as our Socinians and their confederates, who admit Christianity as a fact, but deny it as a doctrine. 2. They hold, that only one way of salvation has been revealed to man from the beginning of the world; viz. the way of faith in God, redemption by Jesus Christ, and a detachment from the world: and that this way is revealed in both Testaments. 3. That in both Testaments divine things are explained and confirmed to the understandings of men, by allusions to the natural creation. I say confirmed; because the Scripture is so constant and uniform in the use it makes of natural objects, that such an analogy appears between the sensible and spiritual world, as carries with it sensible evidence to the truth of revelation; and they think, that, where this evidence is once apprehended by the mind, no other will be wanted. They are therefore persuaded, it may have great great effect towards making men Christians, in this last age of the world; now the original evidence of miracles is remote, and almost forgotten. 4. They are confirmed Trinitarians. They became such at their baptism in common with other Christians: and they are kept such, by their principles; especially by what is called the Hutchinsonian philosophy of fire, light, and air. Nature shews us these three agents in the world, on which all natural life and motion depend: and these three are used in the Scripture to signify to us the three supreme powers of the Godhead, in the administration of the spiritual world; notwithstanding the judgment which our new biographer hath passed against them. Let any philosopher shew us one single effect, of which it may be proved, that neither fire, light nor air contribute to it in any of their various forms*. 5. On To shew how differently the same things will appear to different men, and how men of learning, through habits of thinking, may be unprepared to judge of common things, I will mention the example of my own Tutor of University College in Oxford; who, having been persuaded to read a little piece of Duncan Forbes on the system of Hutchinson, (which by the way I would recommend to the reader) was heard to say "there were some good things and some curi. " ous things in it; but the man raves when he talks of his 5. On the authority of the Scriptures, they entertain so low an opinion of human nature, under the consequences of the fall, that they derive every thing in "fire, light and spirit." Now herein is to me a marvellous thing; that Learning, seated in the chair of Alfred, should take this doctrine of fire, light and air to be raving; when Ignorance, with a tallow candle in its hand, need only light it, to see them all at work together. Air enters at the bottom, where the flame looks blue: fire and smoke from the snuff are at the top, and the brightest light is about the middle. No man can draw a line between them, or say where one ends and another begins. But here they are certainly; for, without air, the candle goes out: without fire, it will not burn us and, without light, we shall not see by it. And all this is no theory, but a plain, undeniable matter of fact. How wonderful, that a philosopher cannot see this; when a child or a ploughman may be made to understand it! Two strange events of the same kind are more credible than one. The people among the Jews, who knew most, were those who could see least. When the good Lord President Forbes wrote his letter from Scotland, there were rocks and mountains in his way; and he had the mortification to see that he prevailed but little. These are now not nearly so formidable as they were then: great and unexpected events have intervened. Infidelity, the grand adversary, hath now overshot its mark; and is found to have in it so much more of the felon, than the philosopher, that gentlemen begin to be ashamed of its company. Its opponents are inspired with new zeal, and act with new vigour; as may be secen in two periodical publications |