Rev. Richard Maunsell say, in his motto selected for his answer to this sermon of Mr. Smith's, "In perils among false brethren." Mr. Smith should know, that this is a most ignoble assertion, from one who professes himself to be an expounder of God's Holy Word, because it is most palpably anti-Christian: and that, in this one sentence, he has attained the very acmé of heterodoxy; and the sooner he vacates his stall and gown, the better for Christianity, his character, and conscience. And in order that my countrymen generally may know that I am not singular in my opinion concerning him, and the heterodox matter conveyed in his sermon, I do not think that I can do better than quote the twentieth page of Mr. Maunsell's letter: and I am very sure that all Christians have occasion to thank this reverend gentleman, for his very ready, able, and scriptural refutation of Mr. Smith's various astounding heterodoxies; and his letter is sincerely recommended to that large class of individuals, whether churchmen or dissenters, who wish to be thought, what, in the present acceptation of the term, are called

"liberal Christians." Mr. Maunsell says (page 20): "I cannot avoid making a few remarks upon those unscriptural expressions, which occur in the thirteenth and twenty-first pages

of

your sermon. Our holy religion consists of some doctrines which influence practice, and of others which are purely speculative. And again, many religious opinions, which are purely speculative, are without the limits of human interference. In the numerous sects of Christianity, interpreting our religion in very opposite manners, all cannot be right. Imitate the forbearance and long-suffering of GOD, who throws the mantle of his mercy over all; and who will probably save on the last day, the piously right and the piouly wrong, seeking Jesus in humbleness of mind.' (!!!) (So Christianity is but a name!! Ed.) Oh! blind leader of the blind. Matt. ix. 14.

"Sir, I do not remember that in any Socinian author, I have met with a more awful declaration than this; and I think, that if, after duly considering the VIII. and XVIII. Articles of the church of England, you still adhere to the statement above made, you ought surely to show, that you are at least

honest to your principles, by leaving a church which maintains sentiments so contrary to your opinions."

All that can be said, Mr. Smith, if you hold on after this, is, that in your own person you finish the prophet Isaiah's description already quoted, lvi., 10, 11, 12, that you are "one of those greedy dogs, which can never have enough; one of those shepherds that cannot understand; looking your own way, for your own gain."

Sir, the fundamental principle of Christianity is TRUTH, the fundamental principle of your profession avowedly is DOUBT. The two principles cannot co-exist, for they are as different from each other, as light from darkness-as heaven from hell!! They cannot both be Christianity. One of them must be infidelity; and, Sir, without any HESITATION, or fear of your anger, I boldly assert that "INFIDELITY" stalks forth openly in the sentence selected from page 19 of your sermon. Yea! even infidelity!!

According to this new-avowed principle of

*This Mr. Smith published three editions of his Sermon after this!!!

faith we must paraphrase and improve Scripture*, and not say with the anxious hoping father, "LORD, I believe! help thou my unbelief;" but rather, LORD, I believe too much, help thou to make me unbelieve.

if

No, Mr. Smith! take you to your doubting

you will, and leave me and all the other "speculative Christians" to indulge in our visionary reveries of the value and virtue of FAITH. And whilst you and the wretched Unitarians think together, that you may have too much faith, let us, poor infants of the church of GOD, sustain ourselves with heavenly milk from His words, praying with the apostles (Luke, xvii. 5), "LORD! INCREAse thou our FAITH," well knowing (Heb. xi. 6.) that "without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please GOD;" that this faith "IS ABLE to make us WISE UNTO SALVATION," (2 Tim. iii. 15), and that "by GRACE

are we SAVED, THROUGH THIS SAME FAITH

(Eph. ii. 8), for we have received GRACE for OBEDIENCE TO FAITH (Rom i. 5). But, Mr. Smith, thanks be to God, the time is coming

* Take a leaf out of the books of Romish priests and Unitarians.

that no "VILE PERSON SHALL ANY MORE BE CALLED 'LIBERAL,' NOR THE CHURL BE SAID TO BE BOUNTIFUL. FOR THE VILE PERSON WILL SPEAK VILLANY, and HIS HEART WILL WORK INIQUITY TO PRACTISE HYPOCRISY, and TO UTTER ERROR AGAINST THE LORD; to MAKE EMPTY THE SOUL OF THE HUNGRY, and HE WILL CAUSE THE DRINK OF THE THIRSTY TO FAIL. (Isa. xxxii. 5, 6, 7.) Whoso readeth, let him understand!" And we have all great reason for thankfulness to our blessed LORD and Saviour, for giving us his reiterated commands, that we should search and judge the Scriptures for ourselves, that we may discern these spirits which "devise wicked devices to destroy the poor with LYING WORDS." (Isa. xxxii. 7); otherwise many in real humility would innocently have pinned their faith to the sleeve of some "heterodox divine" (if I may be al lowed to use such an expression). But our responsibility is all our own whilst we have such commands as the following given by our blessed LORD himself (John, v. 39), "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have