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gical opinions which they severally maintain . We are not reconciled to such encounters , even though they may be sometimes made the occasion of raising money for charitable institutions ; just as there are Portuguese bullfights for the benefit of a shrine , or in honour of a saint . In countries and a ^ es far less civilized than our own age and country profess to be , oral debates , like those on which we animadvert , were not quite so exceptionable . If , for example , we look at the state and manners of our ancestors , in the
seventeenth century , we shall find that writers were not then so numerous , nor books so accessible , as at present . Our forefathers , partaking of the spirit of the civil dudgeon , " the ecclesiastical and political broils , in which they were either still involved , or from which they were but recently delivered , had much of rudeness and impetuosity in their habits . At that time , such gladiatorial exhibitions of theologists harmonized well enough with familiar scenes and customs derived from those of many a preceding year . It was almost a matter of course for Richard Baxter to give Tombes the meeting at Bewdley , < c and , from nine of the clock in the morning till five at nig : ht , in a crowded congregation , " to dispute on Paedo and Antipaedo baptism . * As naturally did the excellent Philip Henry attend Bishop Llovd
at Oswestry , where , in the presence of " many of the clergy and gentry of the country , with the magistrates of the town , and a great multitude of people , " the Prelate and the Nonconformist minister discoursed " about the identity of Bishops and Presbyters , the validity of Presbyterian ordination , " &c . f We are far from saying that the points of difference between Catholics and Protestants should never find their way into the pulpit : they have
frequently been treated of there with considerable learning , talent , and success ; although discourses on these subjects have been most extensively and permanently beneficial , when afterwards printed , and so published to the world . X This case , however , is perfectly distinct from such oral disputations as passed , in the years 1651 , 1681 , at Oswestry and Bewdley ; from such as we should grieve to see generally revived .
Even while we differ from the Rev . " John William Whittaker , " § and some of his neighbours , in respect of the propriety of verbal and public discussions in the Protestant controversy , we give these gentleman full credit for " the sincerity of their desire to investigate and promote religious truth , in the spirit of Christian charity and personal good-will . "|| We arraign not their feelings and motives : we only consider the measure which they would employ , as being ill adapted to the object which they have in view . As " members of the British Society for the promotion of the Religious Principles of the Reformation , " they invite some of the clergy , &c , of the Catholic Church " to an open and public" theological 6 i discussion . "
The Life of Richard Baxter , by himself , Part I . pp . 88 , 96 : and Calamy ' s Abridgment of it , Vol . I . pp . 91 , 105 , 106 [ ed . 2 J . This was by no means the only public disputation in which Baxter tool * a leading part . Wood [ Athenae Oxoniensis , 11 . 410 ] speaking of him and Tombes , observes that " their followers , " on the occasion which I have mentioned , ' * were like two armies . " -f Nonconformists' Memorial , ed . 2 , Vol . III . pp . 487 , 488 , and Life of P . Henry , ed- 4 , pp . 176 , &c . "X Among such publications not a few of Tillotson ' s sermons , together with the Salters * Hall Discourses , 1735 , hold a distinguished rank .
§ This name and family are honourably known . We may refer , in particular , to Fuller ' s c < Abel Redivivus , " [ art . William Whitaker , ] and to Granger ' s Biog . Hist ., &c , Vol . I . [ 3 ded . ] p . 213 . li [ No . 1 ]
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364 The Protestant Controversy .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1830, page 364, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2585/page/4/
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