The New Divinity Tried [pp. 278-304]

The New Divinity Tried.
ment that the principle was to be so restricted. "Hoc enir,"
says Augustine, "recte dicitutr propter proprium cvjttsque
peccatutm, non propter primi peccati originate contagium." "This is properly said in reference to the proper
(or actual) sin of each one, but not of the original contagion of
the first sin." With this declaration before his eyes, how
could the reviewer make such a representation?
It is this reference to such men as Edwards, Bellamy, and
Dwight, besides older writers, as holding opinions which
they not only did not hold, but which, in every form, expressly and by implication, they rejected and condemn, that
we consider unfair and uncandid. We are painfully anxious
to have this course on the part of the reviewer and others
explained. We wish to know on what principle such statemnents can be reconciled with honesty. We take it for granted, they must have some esoteric sense, some private meaning, some arrierepenste, by which to clear their consciences
in this matter; but what it is, we cannot divine. This has
become so common and so serious an evil, that we are not
surprised to find some of the leading theologians of Connecticut saying, "It is surely time that the enemies of truth were
relieved of the burden of making doctrines for us, or of informing' us what we ourselves believe."* It is just as easy
to make Mr. Rand agree with Mr. Finney, as it is President
Edwards or Dr. Dwight. All that is necessary is, to take
some declaration which is intended to appiy to one subject,
and. apply it to another; and adopt the principle, that language is to be interpreted, not according to the writer's views
of the nature of the subject, but according to those of the reviewer. If he say with Dr. Griffin,'men are voluntaryand
free in all their wickedness;" or, ask with Dr. Witherspoon,
"Does any man commit sin but from his own choice? or is
he hindered from any duty to which he is sincerely and
heartily inclined?" Then he holds, "that a moral character is
to be ascribed to voluntary exercises alone." These identical
passages, referring, as the very language implies, to actual
sins, are quoted by the reviewer in his defence of that position, and as implying that a moral character can be ascribed
to nothing anterior to such voluntary exercises. It matters
* See the Prospectus of a new monthly Religious Periodical, to be entitled
the Evangelical Magazine, and to be conducted by the Executive Committee
of the Connecticut Doctrinal Tract Society.
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