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favourite occupation of a Christian minister . His merit in this respect will , indeed , be understood very imperfectly by those who consider only the present excellent methods of early instruction Which his example has so generally encouraged . They must rather recollect how little pro *
vision had been made , before his time , for the Christian improvement of the young * , except by the general instructions of the pulpit , which , because they are general , however seriously and ably conducted , must be admitted to be , o ( themselves , insufficient . Even the instruction of
children by catechisms , had been gradually disused among those public teachers , who wanted either courage or opportunity to follow the dictates of their better judgment , when they had been led by the study of the Scriptures to reject the dogmas of The Assembly of Divines . " II . Pref . vi . vii .
The Third Volume comprises The Remarks on Dr . Reid ' s Inquiry , Dr . Seattle ' s Essay , and Dr . Oswald ' s Appeal - the Introductory Essays to Hartley ' s Theory ; the Disquisitions relating to Matter and Spirit ; and
the Illustrations of Philosophical Necessity . In his Preface , the Editor laments the uncharitable expressions too frequently contained in the Examination of the Scotch Metaphysicians , and which the Author , with
his usual openuess arid humility , subsequently regretted . On the opinions defended in the works collected in this volume we do not desire now to enter . From the Preface and Notes of Mr . Rutt , we collect that he is
disposed , for the most part , to coincide with Dr . Priestley in his views respecting the necessity of human actions , and the homogeneity of man . The progress of the Author ' s convictions on these subjects is interestingly traced in the Preface , and his arguments are well illustrated and enforced
by the Notes scattered through the volume . The Fourth Volume embraces the Discussion between Dr . Price and Dr . Priestley ; the Letters to Rev . J .
Berriugton , Dr . Ken rick , Mr . J . Whitehead , Dr , Horsley , Rev . J . Palmer and Mr . Bryant ; Collins ' s Inquiry , with Dr . Priestley ' s Preface ; and the Letters to a Philosophical Unbeliever , Parts I . and II . The Editor ' s Preface
contains explanations of the occasions aud circumstances of each of these pieces , which will both add to the reader ' s interest in the works them-
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selves , and enable him the better to appreciate and understand them . The following observations are well worthy the attention of those who desire to attain a consistency of religious and philosophical belief on the great questions which are connected with the
love and omniscience of God , and the moral agency of man . " Dr . Priestley has shewn ^ ( p . 7 , ) how fully Dr . Price and he agreed in the great objects of religion , which are essential to * the general interests of virtue . * Nor ,
I confess , am I able to discover any important , if indeed any difference , between the result of the Doctrine of Necessity , as held by a Christian , and those views of divine determination which I have quoted from the Dissertations , at p . 121 . What could a Necessarian say more , than what Dr .
Price there says , and every serious Christian , upon reflection , must admit , that God ' is present in all minds , ' and that the ' whole concatenation of events and causes , in consequence of which any agent Onds himself , at any time , in any circumstances , should be considered as derived from him .
and as having" been in every part , the object of his superintending * care' ? I have sometimes thought that if , instead of early receiving , and approving through life the view of the Divine dispensations ably maintained in Butler ' s Analogy , though substituting for the endless
torments of a great part of mankind the comparatively merciful belief of their final destruction , Dr . Price had entertained tbe doctrine of Universal Restoration , that only Judge which ends the strife ^ he would easily have admitted the Doctrine of Necessity . But let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind . * " IV . Pref iii .
IV . We have been agreeably surprised by the number of the Notes interspersed through all the volumes , yet published , of this edition . They arise
naturally from the subject , which they either illustrate or strengthen . Many of them communicate very curious historical facts , and apposite extracts from works which are not
within the reach of the great mass of readers . Nunierous as they are , we think so much information has rarely been comprised in the space which they occupy . But their extent and
value are by no means adequate measures of the Editor ' s labour . The great haste in wjhich Dr . Priestley necessarily composed his works occasioned a number of errors in all of . them , e&pecialiy . in dates * references and
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322 Review . —Dr . Priestley ' s Tiieologieal and Miscellaneous Works , Src .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1819, page 322, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1772/page/42/
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