PREFACE. THE present work contains a series of Letters originally published in the Unitarian Miscellany. They are here brought together with many important additions and alterations. The circumstances under which they first appeared may be briefly stated as follows. In a Sermon, preached by the Rev. Dr. Miller at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Nevins in Baltimore, were introduced remarks on Unitarians, which were thought to be unreasonably severe and unjust. Strictures were made on these remarks, and published in the form of a letter to Dr. Miller. To these he replied with a view to explain and vindicate the objectionable parts of his Sermon. The third letter in the following Inquiry, entitled "Charges against the Character of Unitarians," is the one first addressed to him. All those of the remainder, which were originally inserted in the Miscellany, relate more particularly to his Reply, and the topics which it embraces. In preparing these letters for separate publication, the author deemed it advisable to omit some parts, to write others anew, to interweave occasional additions, and, by removing as far as possible local and personal allusions, to clothe them with a general interest, and cause them to harmonize in illustrating the point which he aims to discuss. The first and second letters, and some of the others, are wholly added. The primary purpose of the author's undertaking has been, to trace out the influence of certain religious opinions on the character of the persons adopting them; and his ultimate object, to show that the sentiments usually denominated Unitarian have a decided preference in this respect to the high dogmas of orthodoxy. The discussion, in some of its parts, has taken a wide range, and been conducted, perhaps, in a somewhat desultory manner. This was in a measure ne cessary from the causes in which it originated. It is believed, however, that little will be found, which has not a general bearing on the subject. The letters on Charity, and the Christian Name, may at first be thought an exception; but when it is reflected how strong an influence the various sentiments indicated in these letters have on the temper and feelings of christians, it is presumed they will be allowed to hold an important place in connexion with other parts of the work. The inquiry concerning the opinions of Newton, Locke, and Watts, might possibly have been spared, and yet it has a natural alliance with the succeeding letter on the morals of celebrated English Unitarians. On the whole, it is hoped, that most readers will find it no difficult task to discover sufficient harmony and directness in all the essential particulars brought under examination. It has been no part of the author's plan to investigate the truth of opinions, nor has he approached this branch of inquiry any farther, than was requisite for defining articles of faith explicitly and fairly. To accomplish this, it was sometimes necessary, as in the case of the Trinity and Atonement, to compare different views, and bring forward some of the reasons by which they are severally supported. But the chain of argument is never meant to be directed to this end; its ultimate bearing is exclusively on the tendency of existing opinions, as they affect piety and morals. |