^^^^TfiTpf^ 
 
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 PES  8  i9G3 
 
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 fiX-9«4e—rfr5^-i^^8^ 
 
 Lindsey,  Theophilus,  1723 
 
 1808, 
 An  historical  view  of  the 
 
 .c;t;^tp  nf  1-hp  Tin i±J3jr i  ;=i n 
 
A  N 
 
 HISTORICAL  VIE 
 
 O  F     T  H  E 
 
 S        T        A        T        E 
 
 O  F    T  H  E 
 UNITARIAN  DOCTRINE  and  WORSHIP, 
 
 FROM      THE 
 
 REFORMATION 
 
 TO      OUR 
 
 OWN        T    I    M    E    S. 
 
 With  some  account  of  the  obstruc- 
 tions WHICH  IT  HAS  lA  E  T  VV^ T  H  AT 
 DIFFERENT     PERIODS. 
 
 By  THEOPHILUS    LINDSEY,   A.M. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED  FOR   J.   JOHNSON,  n"^  72,   ST,  PAUL's 
 CHURCH  YARD. 
 
 MECCLXXXIU. 
 
/^   r-<  "T* 
 
 THE 
 
 P     R     E     F    A    'C     E 
 
 T>efign   of  the  wo?^k.      Hi /lories  of  virtuous 
 
 fiifferers  in  the  caufe  of  the  Divine  Unity; 
 
 ifefuL    Archdeacon  Philpot  and  Socinus  ; 
 
 alike  deferving  of  ce?2fure,    The  term,  Soci-^ 
 
 nian,  improperly  applied,    A  bla?neable  inf^ 
 
 nuation  i?i  the  author  of  the  *'  Effay  on  the 
 
 Genius  and  Writings  of  Pope;"   rectified, 
 
 'The  lateBiJljop  of  ^i'i&.oVs  cvnfure  -,  not  to  be 
 
 pajjed  over  unnoticed,   The  author  of  ''  The 
 
 Light  of  Nature  purfued  -f  why  fo  largely 
 
 quoted,      Liji  of  confeffors  to  the  fole  wor-^ 
 
 fiip  of  the  Father,  the  one  only  true  God; 
 
 in  the  efablified  church, 
 
 IN  a  fmall  tract   (a),  not  lono;  aeo  pub- 
 liflied,  in  the  v/ay  of  dialogue,   it  was 
 endeavoured  to  fliev/,  from  the  holy  Scrip- 
 tures, 
 
 [a]  "  The  Catechiil :  or  an  Inquiry  into  the  do(3:rIne 
 of  the  Scriptures,  concerning  the  only  true  God  and  ob- 
 ject of  religious  vvorfliip."  N.  B.  The  title,  Cate- 
 CHiST,  prefixed  to  the  work,  and  which  occurred  to  the 
 
 A  2  writer. 
 
[     iv     ] 
 
 tures,  that  the  One  Almighty  Father  of  the 
 univerfe  is  the  only  God  of  chriftians.  And 
 a  fecond  part  is  intended  to  follow,  ia 
 which,  in  the  fame  familiar  manner,  all  the 
 pallages  of  Scripture,  fuppofed  to  favour  the 
 worfhip  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  will  be  confidered.  And  the  writer 
 has  a  good  hope,  that  it  will  there  eaiily  be 
 made  to  appear,  that  although  Three  Su- 
 preme equal  Divine  Perfons,  and  a  m.ulti- 
 tude  of  inferior  demons  or  deities,  have  been 
 for  ages  adopted  into  their  rituals,  and  ftill 
 continue  to  be  worshiped  by  the  greater  part 
 of  chriftians  :  yet,  the  worfliip  of  One  Per- 
 fon,  of  One  fmgle  Firjl  Caufe,  and  Author 
 of  ail  things,  is  not  in  itfelf  an  intricate 
 problem,  difficult  to  be  made  out  and  folv- 
 cd,  in  the  Old  Teftament,   or  in  the  New  : 
 
 and 
 
 v/ritcr,  from  the  idea  of  the  famous  Orhen  belna:  Catechifl 
 of  the  church  of  Alexandria,  lias,  it  feems,  mifled  and 
 difappointed  feme  perfons ;  as  if  it  were  a  compofition 
 fitted  only  for  very  young  perfons  ;  whereas  it  was  intend- 
 ed, whether  it  will  anfwer  the  purpofe  others  mufl  judge, 
 for  thofe  of  mature  age,  who  have  not  had  fufiicient  lei- 
 fure  to  attend  to  the  fubjefi ;   not  v/ithout  ftriving  at  the 
 
 fame  time,  to  make  the  whole  "plain  to  ordinary  capaci-. 
 ties. 
 
[     V     ] 
 
 and  the  deviations  from  it  are  eafy  to  be  ac- 
 counted for  [b)  and  explained. 
 
 In  the  prefent  work,  which  was  under- 
 taken with  a  view  to  ferve  the  fame  defign, 
 continual  opportunities  have  offered  them- 
 fejves  of  iiluftrating  different  portions  of  the 
 facred  writings,  which  relate  to  this  Great 
 Subject.  And  perhaps  the  kiftcrical  fadls 
 intermixed,  many  of  them  little  known,  m.ay 
 attracft  a  greater  attention  to  it. 
 
 Thofe  fadts,  it  is  apprehended,  will  be 
 reckoned  curious   by  fuch  as  wifh  to  know 
 
 A  3  what 
 
 {h)  See  the  '^  Hiftory  of  opinions  concerning  Chrifl," 
 in  the  firft  volume  of  Dr.  PrieJlUy^  "  Hiftory  of  the  cor- 
 ruptions of  Chriftianity."  Of  this  admirable  Work,  wor- 
 thy of  the  great  name  of  its  author,  the  writer  would  have 
 fpoken  more  at  length,  had  lefs  been  faid  of  himfe'f  in  the 
 dedicatory  part  of  it.  To  be  beloved  and  efleemed  bv  the 
 wife  and  good,  is  a  fpur  and  incitement  truly  to  deferve 
 it ;  and  fuch  he  earnellly  wifhes  may  be  the  eftecf^  of  his 
 friend's  over- partial  regards. 
 
 One  thing  however  he  will  venture  to  prognofticate, 
 from  Dr.  Prieflley's  labours  and  thofe  of  others,  to  re- 
 eftabliih  the  true  Scripture-idea  of  the  perfon  and  charac- 
 ter of  Chrift  J  that  pofterity,  and  he  trufts  not  a  late  pofte- 
 rity,  will  look  back  upon  the  belief  of  his  being  the  fu- 
 preme  God,  or  any  thing  but  the  moji  excellent^  ^erfect^  hu- 
 m:nz  bei?7g,  with  divine  extraordinary  powers,  jufc  in  the 
 fame  light  as  Proteflants  nov.'  viev/  the  Pcpiili  doclrine  q: 
 Tranfubfiantiatk'ii, 
 
[     vl     ] 
 
 what  palles,  and  has  .paffed  upon  the  ftage  of 
 this  world  of  ours,  concerning  a  point  of  fo 
 fiiblime  a  nature  •  t!ie  diverfity  of  opinions 
 that  have  been  entert.uned  upon  it,  the  warm 
 paffions  it  has  excited,  and  the  lingular  events 
 to  which  it  has  fometimes  given  occaiion  : 
 in  whatever  light  they  look  upon  the  reli- 
 gion of  Chrift. 
 
 But  to  thofe  who  believe  tBaf  relig-ion  to 
 come  from  God,  it  is  prefumed,  they  will 
 appear  both  important  and  curious. 
 
 The  Play-book,  and  the  Novel,  (would 
 that  all  of  them  were  drawn  by  the  chafte 
 hand  of  Addifons,  'Tho?nfons  or  Cecilids> 
 mufe  !)  are,  in  proper  place  and  time,  need- 
 ful to  refrefh  and  relieve  the  mind,  fatigued 
 and  overplied  with  feverer  ftudies,  or  appli- 
 cation to  the  Vv^orld's  neceffary  bulinefs  -,  and 
 may  alfo  well  read  many  an  ufeful  moral 
 ledrure  for  the  condud;  of  human  life.  But 
 the  hiftory  of  virtuous,  upright  m.inds,  and 
 inquirers  after  truth,  emerging  out  of  the 
 long  night  of  antichriftian  darknefs,  feeking 
 the  great  fourcc  of  being  and  benevolent  Fa- 
 ther of  all;  and  having  found  him,  yield- 
 ing thcmfelves  to  tortures  and  death,  rather 
 J  than 
 
[     vli     ] 
 
 than  difown  him  {c),  rather  than  not  con- 
 fefs,  and  maintain,  and  declare  to  others,  his 
 tranfcendent  majefty  and  excellency,  and  fu- 
 
 periority  to  the  things  he  has  made; 
 
 prefents  the  moft  inftruftive,  awful,  and  ani- 
 mating fpedtacle  and  leffon,  of  all  others ; 
 tending  to  infpire  the  reader  with  the  like  un- 
 fliaken  courage,  and  love  of  truth,  and  loyalty 
 to  the  righteous  and  moral  Governor  of  the 
 world. 
 
 It  would  be  great  fatisfadiion,  to  be  made 
 an  inftrument,  in  any  the  leaft  degree,  to 
 lead  others  out  of  the  mazes  of  impenetrable 
 myftery,  and  polytheifm,  to  this  Parent 
 Mind, 
 
 "  To  the  Firfi:  good,  Firft  perfe£l5  and  Firft  fair," 
 
 alone  w^orthy  of  the  highefl  love,  adoration, 
 and  gratitude. 
 
 Connedied  with,  and  by  the  means  of  this 
 light,  and  juft  reprefentation  of  the  One  Su- 
 preme Being,  it  would  be  a  no  lefs  defireable 
 fervice,  to  fhorten,  and  if  poffible,  to  abolifli 
 the  gloomy  reign  of  fuperflition  over  frail 
 ignorant  mortals  ;  which,  in  particular,  has 
 
 A  4  induced 
 
 [c)  Pag.  7c.  87.  Ch.  iv.  Se61:,  i,  2,  p.  270. 
 
[     viii     ] 
 
 induced  too  many  of  the  mircaken  followers 
 of  Chrift,  in  all  ages,  to  imagine  they  did 
 Gcd  fervice,  (Joh.  xvi.  2.)  by  hating  and  de- 
 ftroying  their  fellow-creatures,  who  did  not 
 think  of  his  incomprchenfible  deity,  or  of 
 the  nature  and  attributes  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
 exaftly  in  conformity  with  themfelves. 
 
 MUCH  therefore  as  Archdeacon  Philpoth 
 to  be  honoured,  for  nobly  dying  in  defence 
 of  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth  of  the 
 gofpel,  under  Queen  Mary^  it  ought  not, 
 for  the  fake  of  others,  to  exempt  him  from 
 the  cenfure  paffed  upon  him,  in  the  follow- 
 ing pages  [d),  for  his  very  unw^orthy  beha- 
 haviour  towTa'ds  fome  Unitarians  of  thofe 
 days.  It  will  alfo  be  feen,  that  no  endea- 
 vours are  ufed  to  conceal  or  palliate  a  limilar 
 [e)  blameable  conduct  of  Socimis,  in  his  treat- 
 ment of  many  perfons,  w^ho  agreed  with  him 
 in  believing  Chrift  to  be  only  a  human  be- 
 ini^,  fivoured  with  divine  extraordinary 
 powers  ',  but  could  not  come  up  to  his  no- 
 tion of  worlhiping  and  praying  to  him. 
 
 THE 
 
 (//)    P.   5^0,    CIQ. 
 
 ('.}  Ch.  iii.   Sccl'.  2.  p.  194. 
 
[     ix     1 
 
 THE  fample  which  is  given  of  the  difpu- 
 tation  (/ )  upon  this  fubjedt,  which  Socinus 
 held  with  Francis  Davides,  will  probably  be 
 acceptable  to  fome  perfons,  as  it  is  not  com- 
 monly known.  There,  and  in  other  places, 
 where  it  was  judged  proper  to  produce  the 
 words  of  the  authors  themfelves,  care  has 
 been  taken  to  give  an  exacl  tranflation  of 
 them.  Davides,  w^ho  had  been  at  firft  of  a 
 contrary  fcntiment,  was  imprifoned  in  con- 
 fequence  of  his  maintaining  in  public;  '^  that 
 prayer  v^-as  not  to  be  offered  to  Jefus 
 Chrift,  but  to  God  only/'  His  part  in  the 
 controverfy  ihews,  that  he  had  not  receded 
 from  his  former  opinion,  but  on  good  grounds, 
 and  after  well  weighing  the  matter. 
 
 Mr.  Toulmin's  plan,  in  his  ufeful  life  of 
 Socinus,  would  not  allow  him  to  defcend 
 into  fo  minute  and  particular  a  detail  on  this 
 point.  What  js  here  offered,  may  be  con- 
 fidered  as  fupplemental  to  his  faithful  repre- 
 fentation  of  the  opinions,  and  characler  of 
 this  eminent  man  ;  in  piety  and  other  vir- 
 tues, not  inferior  to  any  of  the  Reformers ; 
 in  fagacity  and  infight  into  the  true  meaninp- 
 
 of 
 
 (/}   Ch,  ill.   Seft,  I.   p.  154. 
 
I  ^  ] 
 
 of  the  Scriptures,  in  many  things  oftentimes 
 much  beyond  them;  but  who,  alas,  like  all 
 [g)  of  them,  was  tainted  with  a  fpirit  of  bi- 
 gotry, and  intolerance  towards  thofe  who 
 prefumed  to  differ  from  him,  on  fome  fa^ 
 vourite  topics. 
 
 It  will  be  very  apparent,  that  thofe  per- 
 fons,  in  our  own  country,  who  are  called 
 Socmians,  are  far  from  being  efpoufers  of  all 
 Socmiis's  opinions.  Or  rather,  as  I  can  fpeak 
 of  myfelf,  and  as  far  as  I  know  of  others  fo 
 called,  they  never  borrowed  their  fentiments 
 from  him,  but  had  embraced  them  before 
 they  had  read  a  page  in  his  works. 
 
 But  if  the  name,  Socmian,  be  given  by  way 
 of  reproach,  fingly  for  believing  that  Jefus 
 Chrift  had  no  exiilence  before  he  was  born 
 in  the  reign  of  Herod,  king  of  Judea;  then, 
 although  they  would  not  willingly  be  called 
 followers  of  Socinus,  or  of  any  one,  but  of 
 Chrift  himfelf ;  yet  they  refufe  not  the  ap- 
 ncilation,  but  think  it  honourable  :  under  a 
 full  perfuaiion,  that  Jefus  Chrift  never  pro- 
 feiTed  himfelf  to  be  a  being  of  any  other  na- 
 ture 
 
 * :;}  Sec  "  Memoirs  of  the  life,  charafter,  fentiments, 
 iind  writings  of  Faiiftus  Socinus,  by  Jofhua  Toulmin, 
 A.  M."  p.  112,  ^-c. 
 
[  xi  ] 
 
 ture  than  the  human,  and  that  his  apoftles 
 never  believed,  or  declared  him  to  be  any 
 ■other. 
 
 It  is  high  time  to  abftain  from  names  of 
 ill  found,  when  fpeaking  of  chriftians  of  dif- 
 ferent fentiments  from  ourfelves;  or  elfe,  to 
 be  extremely  careful  in  cautioning  others, 
 not  to  aiTociate  any  thing  blameable  or  hate- 
 ful with  the  name.  For  otherwife  the  evil 
 done  thereby,  particularly,  for  inftance,  in 
 the  ufe  of  the  terms,  Aj^ian^  Socijiian,  will 
 not  foon  or  eafily  be  repaired.  For  the  or- 
 thodox, who  have  hitherto  been  the  mofl: 
 numerous,  Divines,  Poets,  Hiilorians,  being 
 accuilom.ed  in  all  their  writings,  to  charac- 
 terize fuch  perfons,  as  enemies  to  Chrijl, 
 pervert ers  and  oppofers  of  the  gofpel,  &c.  the 
 generality  of  chrifLians  hence  fix  thefe  ideas 
 to  their  charaders,  and  feldom  thir.k  or  fpeak 
 of  them  but  v/ith  horror  and  deteflation. 
 
 Whereas,  all  ihculd  be  taught^  that  there 
 is  nothing  in  any  opinion  concerning  Chrifi, 
 v/hich  men  are  led  into  fi'om  the  lludy  of 
 the  holy  Scriptures,  that  will  leffen  the  di- 
 vine favour  towards  them,  but  will  on  the 
 contrarv  recommend  them  to  it ;  and  that  at 
 
 the 
 
[     xi!     ] 
 
 the  laft  day,  fuppofing  they  have  thus  fallen 
 into  any  opinions  that  fl^iould  be  found  to  lef- 
 fen  the  original  dignity  of  Chrifl,  they  will 
 not  be  on  that  account  the  lefs  kindly  receiv- 
 ed by  him,  their  great  appointed  judge.  For 
 he  will  pafs  fentence  upon  them,  not  accord- 
 in  p-  to  the  opinions  they  have  entertained  of 
 himfelf  (which  are  matters  of  little  account, 
 fo  long  as  they  have  been  honefl  and  fmcere 
 in  them)  but  acco-rdlng  to  their  (Rev.  xx.  13.) 
 ivorksy  whether  they  have  done  ^^^^(Joh.v.  . 
 29.)  or  whether  they  have  done  evil  in  this 
 their  firft  probationary  ftate. 
 
 I  may  here  obferve,for  the  honour  of  truth, 
 and  in  vindication  of  a  moft  worthy  perfon, 
 though  it  may  net  be  perhaps  quite  fo  fuit- 
 able  in  a  preface,  that  a  learned,  ingenious 
 writer,  fc  lately  as  in  1782,  fliculd  not  have 
 fallen  in  with  the  fl:ream  of  popular  prejudice 
 in  this  refpeci',  by  affording  any  place  in  his 
 amuhng  work,  to  an  idleftory  of  Dr.  Clarke's 
 repentance  on  his  death-bed^  for  having  pub- 
 li filed  his  v/ork  upon  the  Triinty. 
 
 In  the  laft  edition  of  the  ^'  EiTav  en  the 
 *'  Genius  ai]d  Writings  of  Pope,"  Vol.  ii. 
 p.  121 .  the  aut:]or,  having  fpoken,  in  a  note,, 
 of  a  ccrrcfpondcnce    bctVv'ccn   Mr.    Ramjay 
 
 and 
 
[   xiii   ] 
 
 •and  Racine  the  younger,  on  the  fubje6l  of 
 the  EJ/ay  on  Man ;  adds  as  follows  : 
 
 ''  There  is  a  circumftance  in  the  letter  of 
 Ramfey  above  mentioned,  too  remarkable  to 
 be  omitted ;  and  which,   fome  perhaps  may 
 be  almoft  tempted  to  doubt  the  truth  of. 
 In  a  cafe  of  fo  delicate  a  nature,   I  chufe  to 
 quote  the    original.        '*    M.    le    Chevalier 
 **  Newton,  grand  Geometre,   et  nullement 
 **  Metaphyficien,  etoit  perfuade  de  la  verite 
 ^*  de  la  Religion  :   mais  il  voulut  rafiner  fur 
 *'  Tanciennes  erreurs  Orientales,  et  renou- 
 vella  I'Arianifme  par  TOrgane  de  fon  fa- 
 m.eux  difciple  et  interprete  M.  Clarke; 
 qui  m'avoua  quelque   terns  avant  que  de 
 mourir   apres    plufieurs    conferences    que 
 *'  j'avois    cues    avec   lui,  combicn  ii  fe   re- 
 *^  pentoit  d'avoir  fait  imprimer  fon  cuvrage: 
 ^'  je  fus  temoin,  il  y  adouzeans,  aLondres, 
 "  des  derniers  fentimens   de  ce  modefle  et 
 "  vertueux  Dod:eur." 
 
 Dr.  Wart  on  raifes  the  curiofity  of  his  read- 
 ers much,  to  exped;  fome  charge  that  bore 
 very  hard  againfl  Dr.  Clarke,  by  not  taking 
 upon  him  to  hazard  a  tranilation  of  it.  I 
 fball  here  give  it  in  Engli(h,  having  no  doubt 
 
 of 
 
t      XIV      ] 
 
 of  being  able  to  prove,  that  there  is  no  truth 
 in  it. 
 
 *'  Sir  Ifaac  Nevv'ton,  (fays  this  Mr.  Ram- 
 fay)  a  profound  mathematician,  but  no 
 metaphylician  at  all,  was  a  fmcere  be- 
 liever in  chriftianity ;  but  being  carried 
 away  with  a  fondnefs  to  refine  upon  the 
 ancient  herefies  of  the  Eaft,  he  revived 
 Arianifm  by  the  pen  of  his  famous  difci- 
 pie  and  interpreter  Dr.  Clarke ;  who 
 owned  to  me,  fome  little  time  before  his 
 ■  death,  after  feveral  conferences  that  I  had 
 with  him,  that  he  greatly  repented  that 
 he  ever  publiihed  his  work  (on  the  T^ri- 
 nity),  I  was  witnefs  twelve  years  ago, 
 that  thefe  were  the  laft  fentiments  of  this 
 modefl:  and  virtuous  Divine  !" 
 It  is  upon  the  flice  of  the  thing  very  in- 
 jurious to  the  m.emory  of  Dr.  Clarke,  with 
 no  other  proof  than  mere  affertion,  to  make 
 him  nothing  better  than  Sir  Ifaac  Newton's 
 Secretary,  in  what  he  publifhed  upon  the 
 Trinity  ^  as  if  he  was  not  an  original  in  the 
 opinions  which  he  profeffed  to  deliver  as  his 
 own.  It  might  however  probably  te  an 
 hearfay  ftory  of  the  day,  and  take  its  rife 
 from    the    intimacy   that   fubfifted  between 
 
 thofe 
 
[       XV       ] 
 
 thofe  two  great  men.  Mr.  Whiilon  (/)  has 
 mentioned  it,  but  does  not  appear  to  think 
 there  was  any  thing  in  it;  and  he  muft  be 
 allowed  to  be  a  more  competent  judge  than 
 Mr.  Ramfay. 
 
 That  however  this  gentleman's  pretended 
 interview  and  converfations  with  Dr.  Clarke, 
 and  being  the  confident  and  depofitary  of 
 his  dying  fentiments,  is  wholly  without 
 foundation,  will  be  evident  from  the  follow- 
 ing fa6ls. 
 
 I.  Mr.  'Emlyjiy  than  whom  hardly  any 
 one  had  more  of  Dr.  Clarke's  confidence  on 
 jthefe  points,  furnifhes  a  proof  within  a  very 
 fhort  time  of  the  Dodtor's  death^  of  his  not 
 having  changed  his   fentiments  concerning 
 
 the 
 
 (z)  "  A.  D.  1705.  About  this  time,  or  not  much 
 ^^  later,  it  was,  that  I  difcovered  my  friend  Mr.  C7<?r/^^  had 
 "  been  looking  into  the  primitive  writers,  and  began  to 
 *'  fufpe^:,  that  the  Athanafian  do6lrine  of  the  Trinity  was 
 
 *'  not  the  doctrine  of  thofe  early  ages. Whether  Mr. 
 
 "  Newton  had  given  Mr.  Clarke  yet  any  intimations  of 
 "  that  nature;  for  he  knew  it  long  before  this  time  5  or, 
 *'  whether  it  arofe  from  fome  inquiries  of  his  own,  I  do 
 "  not  dire^lly  know,  though  /  mcline  to  the  latter. 
 
 «  Hiftorical  Memoirs  of  the  Life  of  D-r,  S=  Clarke^ 
 p.  7,  8.     By  Mr.  Whiflon.^' 
 
[     xvl     ] 
 
 the   Trinity,    which   he   had   before   pub- 
 
 lifhed. 
 
 **  He  once  fhewed  me,  fays  Mr.  Emlyn, 
 (i)  that  he  had  been  making  fome  emen- 
 dations in  his  Common-prayer  book;  and 
 the  very  laft  time,  I  think,  I  ever  faw 
 him,  (the  March  before  he  died)  and  in 
 fome  of  our  laft  difcourfe  at  parting,  he 
 
 *'  afked  me,  if  he  had  Ihewn  me  what  he 
 had  been  doing  in  his  Common  Prayer.     I 
 faid  I   had  juft  k^rv  it  once;  he  added, 
 that  it  Jhould  not  be  loji.     With  what  de- 
 '  fign  or  view  he  had  done  it,  he  never  faid 
 
 to  me. But  I  hardly  fuppofe  he  ever 
 
 finiflied  the  work,  being  fo  foon  after 
 taken  away  from  us.     A  few  days    before 
 
 '^  his  ficknefs   in  May   1729,   I  received  a 
 
 *'  letter  from  him  about  a  private  affair,  but 
 
 **  before  I  could  anAver  it,  I  heard  firft  that 
 
 *'  he  was  fick,  and  quickly  after  that  he 
 was  dead ;  and  thus  to  my  great  grief  a 
 fudden  end  was  put  to  our  friendly  con- 
 
 **  verfe,  and  all  his  intercourfe  with  this 
 
 *^  earth  cut  off." 
 
 Now  it  is  well  known,  that  Dr.  Clarke's 
 
 Amendments  of  the  Common  Prayer  Book, 
 
 at 
 
 [k)  Eml^-n's  Works.     Vol.  XL  p,  494. 
 
 <c 
 
 (CC 
 
 cc 
 
[     xvii     ] 
 
 at  prefent  lodged  in  the  Britifli  Mufeum,  and 
 frequently  mentioned  in  the  following  work > 
 contain  nothing  lefs  than  a  retractation  of 
 his  former  opinions  about  the  Trinityi 
 
 2.  Bp.  HoaJfy,  Dr.  Clarke's  very  intimate 
 friend,  in  his  ^*  Preface  to  his  works,  giv- 
 **  ing  fome  account  of  the  life,  writings^ 
 **  and  charafter  of  the  Author"  (p.  xxxiv.) 
 fo  defcribes  the  Doctor's  laft  illnefs,  as  leaves 
 no  room  for  Mr.  Ramfay  being  admitted  to 
 his  bedfide  to  have  any  converfation  with 
 him. 
 
 **  On  Sunday,  May  ii,  17.29,  he  went 
 '*  out  in  the  morning  to  preach  before  the 
 **  Judges  in  Serjeant's  Inn :  and  there  was 
 feized  with  a  pain  in  his  fide,  which  made 
 it  impoffible  for  him  to  perform  the  office 
 **  he  was  called  to,  and  quickly  became  fo 
 **  violent  that  he  was  obliged  to  be  carried 
 *'  home.  He  went  to  bed,  and  thought 
 **  himfelf  fo  much  better  in  the  afternoon, 
 '*  that  he  would  not  fuffer  himfelf  to  be 
 **  blooded  :  againft  wdiich  remedy  he  had 
 indeed  entertained  ftrong  prejudices.  But 
 the  pain  returning  very  violently  about 
 **  two  the  next  morning,  made  the  advice 
 *^  and   affiftance  of  a  very  able   phyfician 
 
 a  **  abfolutely 
 
[     xviii     i 
 
 abfolutely  neceffary :  who,  after  twice 
 bleeding  him,  and  other  applications, 
 thought  him,  as  he  alfo  thought  himfelf, 
 quite  out  of  all  danger;  and  fo  continued 
 to  think,  till  the  Saturday  morning  fol- 
 lowing :  when,  to  the  inexprelTible  fur- 
 prize  of  all  about  him,  the  pain  removed 
 from  his  fide  to  his  head;  and,  after  a 
 very  fhort  complaint,  took  away  his  fenfes, 
 fo  that  they  never  returned  any  more. 
 He  continued  breathing  till  between  fe- 
 ven  and  eight  of  the  evening  of  that  day. 
 May  ij^  1729?  and  then  died:  and  by 
 his  death  (let  me  be  permitted  to  fay  it) 
 left  the  world  deflitute  of  as  bright  a 
 light y  and  as  mafterly  a  teacher  of  trutb 
 and  virtue^  as  ever  yet  appeared  amongft 
 us." 
 
 3.  It  happens  luckily  that  we  have  fome- 
 thing  ftill  more  pofitive  and  decided,  to  op- 
 pofe  to  this  idle  ftory  of  Dr.  Clarke,  a  little 
 before  his  death,  finding  all  he  had  written 
 upon  the  Trinity  to  have  been  wrong,  and 
 condemning  himfelf  for  it.  For,  a  little 
 before,  in  the  above  cited  Preface,  p.  xxvi. 
 Bifhop  Hoadly  makes  this  remark  : 
 
 **  One 
 
*^  One   matter  of  fad   I   will  add,  that 
 **  from  the  time  of  Dr.  Clarke  s  publifhing 
 this  book,   (his  Scripture  doctrine  of  the 
 "Trinity)  to  the  day  of  his  death,  he  found 
 no  reafon,  as  far  as  he  was  able  to  judge, 
 *^  to  alter  the  notions  which  he  had  there 
 **  profeffed,  concerning    the   Father,    Son, 
 *«  and  Holy  Ghoft,  towards   any  of  thofe 
 *'  fchemes  v/hich  feemed  to  him  to  dero- 
 "  gate  from  the  honour  of  the  Father y  ca 
 **  one  fide;  or  from  that  of  the  So?iy  and 
 *'  Spirit y   on  the  other.     This   I   thought 
 **  proper  jufl  to  mention,  as  what  all  his 
 ♦*  friends  know  to  be  the  truth.     And  indeed, 
 nothing  to  the  contrary  can  be  alleged, 
 without  contradifting  many  exprefs  itri-- 
 tences,  fcattered   through  all  his  works 
 ^'  which  have  followed,  or  will  follow,  the 
 "  forementioned  treatife -,  evidently  fetting 
 ^'  forth,  or  implying,  the  fame  dodlrine.'* 
 
 We  have  nothing  therefore  to   conclude, 
 but  that  this  tale   (/)   of  Dr.   Clarke's  re- 
 
 a  2  converfion 
 
 (/)  It  is  the  evidence  which  men  bring  from  the  Scrip- 
 tures, for  their  particular  opinions ;  and  not  their  name 
 or  authority,  that  is  of  any  weight :  and  lead  of  all  the 
 judgment  which  they  form  at  going  out  of  the  world, 
 
 whea 
 
t      XX       ] 
 
 converfion  to  the  orthodox  opinion  con- 
 cerning the  Trinity,  too  haftily  admitted 
 into  his  Book  by  Dr.  Warton,  and  which 
 is  infinuated  by  the  author  of  it  as  having 
 been  brought  about  in  a  good  meafure 
 by  his  conferences  with  the  Dod:or,  and 
 the  fecret  of  which  he  intrufted  to  him 
 alone  when  near  his  end,  is  nothing  but 
 an  anecdote  of  Mr.  Ramfay's  own  inven- 
 tion, contrived  to  ingratiate  and  make  him- 
 felf  of  confequence  with  his  new  popifh 
 friends  on  the  other  lide  of  the  water,  to 
 whofe  reh'gion  he  had  become  a  convert. 
 And  it  is  one  humiliating  inftance,  among 
 others,  that  high  myftic  Pietifts  are  wont 
 to  be  above  paying  a  flrid:  regard  to  truth, 
 when  fome  good  end,  as  they  imagine,  may 
 be  ferved  by  their  deviating  from  it. 
 
 WHAT 
 
 when  their  reafoning  powers  in  general  are  the  weakeft. 
 It  was  well  however,  that  Dr.  Clarke's  fon  was  living,  a 
 few  years  ago,  to  contradict  a  like  fabulous  report  of  his 
 father  having  died  under  great  anxiety  of  mind,  for  hav- 
 ing written  his  book  upon  the  Trinity ;  which  was  pro- 
 pagated in  the  public  prints,  and   much  cherifhed  ^nd 
 
 Credited  by  fome  perfons. See  Mr.  Clarke's  letter  in 
 
 *'  An  Apology  on  refigning  the  Vicarage  of  Catterick/* 
 p,  86,  the  lajl  edition. 
 
 3 
 
[     xxi     ] 
 
 WHAT  juft  occafion  there  was  for  the 
 writer  to  take  notice  of  the  (^)  cenfures  of 
 Dr.  Newton,  the  late  Bifhop  of  Briftol ;  and 
 of  the  folidity  and  truth  of  what  he  has  ad- 
 vanced, others  will  judge.  But  I  fhall  here 
 take  the  liberty  to  corredl  a  former  inadver- 
 tence of  my  own,  as  I  know  not  how  to 
 iind  a   better  place  for  it. 
 
 The  Bifliop,  in  his  edition  of  Milton, 
 had  made  this  remark  on  a  beautiful  paffage 
 {m)  of  the  Paradife  regained  -,  '^  How  finely 
 ^^  and  confidently  does  Milton  here  imagine 
 *'  x}i\^  youthful  meditations  of  our  Saviour  !'* 
 Upon  this  it  was  [n)  obferved  y  that  it  was 
 much  to  be  wondered,  that  the  expreffion, 
 youthful  mxeditations  did  not  ftrike  the  wor- 
 thy Com.mentator's  own  mind,  and  lead  him 
 to  refleft,  that  our  Saviour  could  not  be  the 
 fiipreme   God,  as  he  maintained;  for   that 
 
 3  3  in 
 
 (^)  Ch.  ill,  Se(St.  3.  p.  211. 
 [m)  "  When  I  was  yet  a  child,  no  childifli  play 
 To  me  was  pleafing,  all  my  mind  was  fet 
 Serious  to  learn  and  know,  and  thence  to  do 
 What  might  be  public  good;  myfelf  I  thought 
 Born  to  that  end,  &c." 
 
 Paradife  regained.     Book  I. 
 («)  "  Sequel  to  the  Apology  on  refigning  Catterick.'* 
 p.  406.    note* 
 
f     xxil     ] 
 
 in  any  union  or  connexion  whatfoever.  It 
 could  never  be  faid  that  the  fupreme  eternal 
 Being  was  {o)  a  child,  or  y  out  Jo,  This  paffage 
 however  too  eafily  perfuaded  me,  that  Milton 
 was  at  that  time  come  off  his  former  orthodox 
 fentiments,  and  was  become  a  believer  of 
 the  proper  humanity  of  Chrift  ^  and  I  fup- 
 pofed  this  to  be  corroborated  by  a  paffage  in 
 his  profe  writings :  but  in  which  I  was 
 certainly  mi  (taken. 
 
 I  HAVE  but  ill  reprefented  my  own  feel- 
 ings, if  it  does  not  appear  from  what  I  have 
 faid  of  the  author  (r)  of  ''  The  light  of 
 f  *  nature  purfued,"  how  greatly  I  efteem  his 
 charafter,  and  value  his  writings.  If  I  have 
 blamed  him,  whom  I  think  I  have  fuffici- 
 ently  proved  to  have  been  an  enlightened 
 unitarian  chriflian,    for  being  a  voluntary 
 
 advocate 
 
 (o)  "  Neftorlus,  Patriarch  of  Conflantinople,  except- 
 f'  ed  againfl  Mary  being  called  ©eoIoko?,  i.  e.  the  mother  of 
 f  God:  becaufe,  as  he  argued,  Mary  was  a  woman,  and 
 *'  that  therefore  God  could  not  be  born  of  her  ;  adding, 
 *'  /  cannot  call  hhn  God^  who  once  was  not  above  two  or 
 *'  three  months  old.''  Evagr.  E.  H.  1.  i.  c.  2.  Socr. 
 I.  vii.  c.  32,  34. 
 
 See  "  67ytfA2^/^r'sHiflory  of  Perfecution."  Such  juft 
 remarks  muft  in  time  fhakc  the  ftrongefl:  prejudices;  and 
 jiwaken  chriftians  to  learn  to  diftingiiifh  between  GcD  and 
 ^he  creature, 
 
 (r)  Ch.  vi.  Se£l,  6.  p.  404, 
 
[     xxiii     ] 
 
 advocate  for  the  continuance  of  trinitarian 
 forms  of  worfliip,  and  for  a  regular  attend- 
 ance upon  them,  I  have  at  the  fame  time 
 made  his  apology  as  far  as  I  could,  and  fo  as 
 to  juflify  the  purity  of  his  intention,  though 
 his  j  udgment  therein  is  not  to  be  approved.  It 
 was  to  make  his  work  more  read,  and  at  the 
 fame  time  to  prevent  the  harm,  on  his  part 
 wholly  undefigned,  that  might  enfue  from  fuch 
 a  principle  and  pradlice  grounded  upon  it,  be- 
 coming univerfal;  that  induced  me  to  produce 
 fuch  large  extradls  from  him.  There  is  fo 
 much  uncommon  ufeful  fenfe,  true  philofo- 
 phy,  and  genuine  piety  and  benevolence, 
 fcattered  throughout  his  voluminous  work, 
 but  not  always  under  the  beft  arrangement, 
 that  a  judicious  feledlion  and  abridgment  of 
 it,  by  an  able  hand,  would  be  a  ferviceable 
 prefent  to  the  Public. 
 
 I  SHOULD  have  been  happy  to  have  been 
 able  to  have  added  the  names  only,  of  all  the 
 worthy  perfons,  under  fimilar  circumftances 
 with  thofe  mentioned  in  fome  of  the  laft 
 Seftions  %  of  this  book,  believing  it  will  be 
 an  acceptable  part  of  the  work  to  many. 
 
 One 
 
 X  Ch,  vii*  Sc£l.  3,  p.  473? 
 
t       XXIV       ] 
 
 One  name,  in  theUniverfity  of  Cambridge^ 
 of  a  gentleman  well  known,  had  1  thought 
 myfelf  at  liberty  to  mention  it,  would  have 
 much  adorned  the  lift.  Some  fmall  part  of 
 his  cafe  and  merits,  is  intimated  at  the  clofe 
 of  the  note^  p.  393  ;  but  nothing  is  faid  of 
 the  great  things  that  he  has  foregone,  out  of 
 a  principle  of  confcience,  and  preference  of 
 the  word  of  God  to  the  doctrines  and  com-' 
 mandments  (Matth.  xv,  9.)  of  men. 
 
 What  a  lofs  to  human  fociety,  when  fuch 
 perfons  are  excluded  from  being  teachers  of 
 true  religion  and  virtue  in  thofe  famous  fe- 
 minaries ;  inftruders,  not  of  one  or  two  in- 
 dividuals only,  but  of  llicceffive  numbers, 
 in  a  long  feries,  of  ingenuous  youth;  whofe 
 wide  difperfion,  and  various  future  deftina- 
 tions  might  effedually  contribute  to  fpread 
 light  and  truth  through  the  world  ! 
 
 Whilft  I  am  finifliing  this  fheet,  I  have  an 
 account fent  me  fromWolverhampton,  of  the 
 deceafe  of  m^y  ingenious,  amiable  friend.  Dr. 
 Robertfon,  mentioned  near  the  clofe  of  the 
 following  work.  He  was  born  in  Dublin, 
 Odcber  16,    1705,  and  died  May  2c,  1783. 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 p  RE  FACE,  .. ill— xxiv. 
 
 Chapter  I.  Of  the  State  of  the  Unitarian 
 dodbrine  at  the  beginning  of  the  Refor- 
 mation, with  fome  of  the  comparative 
 advantages  then  enjoyed,  for  the  under- 
 ftanding  of  the  Scriptures  In  this  refpedt, 
 greater  than  at  prefent,         —         I — 64. 
 
 Chapter  II.  Of  the  promifing  State  of  the 
 Unitarian  dodtrine  in  England,  at  the 
 time  of  the  Reformation,  vv^ith  the  vio- 
 lent means  ufedto  fupprefs  It,     65 — 151. 
 
 Chapter  III.  Of  the  worfhip  of  Jesus 
 Christ  by  Socinus,  and  his  follov^ers, 
 
 152 — 269. 
 
 Seft.  I.  Of  the  controverfy  betwixt 
 Francis  Davides  and  Faustus 
 SociNUS,  concerning  the  worfhip  of 
 Jefus  Chrift,  —  154 — 193. 
 
 Sed.  II.  Of  SociNUs's  behaviour  to- 
 wards other  Unitarians,  who  re- 
 fufed,  and  oppofed  the  worfhip  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  194 — 2ii» 
 
 Sea. 
 
[     xxvi     ] 
 
 Seft.  III.  Of  the  late  Bifliop  of  Br  is- 
 tol's  method  of  arguing  agalnft  So- 
 ciNiANs,  or  Unitarians,    211 — • 
 
 "  ^37- 
 Sedl'.  IV.  Of  SociNus's  method  of  pro-* 
 
 moting  the  worfhip  of  Christ, 
 237—251. 
 
 Scd:.  V.  Of  the  confequences  which 
 enfued  from  Socinus's  worfhip  of 
 Christ,  —  251 — 264. 
 
 Seft.  VI.  Of  SociNus*s  fevere  opinion 
 relating  to  the  falvation  of  the  Pa- 
 pists, —  264 — 269. 
 Chapter  IV.  Of  the  State  of  Unitarian  doc- 
 trine in  the  Reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth, 
 and  of  the  Stuarts,                270 — 292, 
 
 Seft.  I.  Of  the  caufe  of  the  great  fi- 
 lence  concerning  the  Divine  Unity, 
 during  this  period,  —  270, 
 
 Sedl.  II.  OfMr.JoHNEiDDLE,  M.  A. 
 of  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford,     292. 
 
 Chapter  V.   Of  the  State  of  the  Unitarian 
 
 J. 
 
 dodirine  and  worfliip,  from  the  Reftora- 
 tion  to  the  clofe  of  the  laft  century,  293 
 —324. 
 
 Of  Mr.  Thomas  Firmin,    293 — 324. 
 
 Chapter 
 
[     xxvli     ] 
 
 Chapter  VI.  Of  the  State  of  the  Unitarian 
 dodlrine  and  worfhip,  in  the  prefent  cen- 
 tury, —  —     •        325-441. 
 Sed.  I.  OfMr.  Emiyn,  325 — 332, 
 Sedt.  11.    Of  Mr.   William  ^Whifton, 
 
 332—334- 
 Sedt.  III.  Of  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke,    334 
 
 ~395- 
 Sea.   IV.    Of  BiHiop  Hoadly,  395-^ 
 
 401. 
 Seft,  V.  Of  Sir  Ifaac  Newton,  401— 
 
 404. 
 Sea.  VI.  Of  the  Author  of  ''  Tie  Light 
 
 of  Nature  purfuedy  &c.      404 — 43  c. 
 gea.  VII.  Of  an  Anonymous  Traa, 
 
 intitled,    *^   Queries  relating  to  the 
 
 ^^  Book  of   Common  Prayer,'*  &c. 
 
 435— 441-^ 
 Chapter  VII.    Of  fome  circumftances  fa- 
 vourable of  late  years  to  the  progrefs  of 
 the  doarine  of  the  Divine  Unity,    442. 
 Sea.  I.  Of  the  benefit  accruing  to  the 
 caufe  of  Truth,  from  an  open  defence 
 and  maintainance  of  it,      442 — 466« 
 Sea.  II.   Of  fome  recent  public  decla- 
 rations in  favour  of  the  Unitariajst 
 doarine  and  Vv^orfhip,    by   an  open 
 and  avowed  feparation  from  the  wor- 
 
 fl-iip 
 
[     xxviii     ] 
 fhip  of  the  church  of  England,    466 
 
 —473- 
 Seft.  III.   Of  the  firft  rife  of  the  church 
 
 of  Unitarian  chriftians  affembling  at 
 
 the  chapel  in  Effex-flreet,  473 — 476. 
 Sed;.  IV.  Of  Dr.  Robertfon,  477,  478. 
 Seft.  V.  Of  Dr.  John  Jebb,  478—486. 
 Sedl.  VI.  Of  Dr.  Chambers,  486 — 492. 
 Sea.  VII.  Of  Mr.  Tyrrwhit  of  Jefus 
 
 college,    Cambridge,  492—498. 
 
 Sedt.  VIII.  Of  Mr.  Evanfon,  498—515. 
 Sect.  IX.  Of  Mr.  Maty,  515—525. 
 Sedl.  X.  Of  Mr.  Harries,  525 — 542. 
 Sedt.  XI.  Of  Dr.  Difney,  542 — 551. 
 Sedt.  XII,   Of  an  Unitarian  Society  of 
 
 phriflians,  at   Montrofe,    in   Scot- 
 
 TEXTS 
 
Texts  of  Scripture  explained. 
 
 Chaf. 
 
 Verfe^                    J'age. 
 
 EXOD.  II. 
 
 II,     12.                 148. 
 
 III. 
 
 6.           353. 
 
 note  q.;' 
 
 Ifalah 
 
 LIII. 
 
 8.           121. 
 
 Malact 
 
 li    III. 
 
 I-        ^5^• 
 
 note  (J. 
 
 Matt. 
 
 X. 
 
 34                "2. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 15, 17. 113— 115. 
 
 ' 
 
 XX. 
 
 23.    46  49. 
 
 . 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 36-     35—37- 
 
 Mark 
 
 xin. 
 
 32-    35—37- 
 
 Luke 
 
 II. 
 
 52.    58,  59. 
 
 John 
 
 I. 
 
 I.  &c.  338-353. 
 
 II. 
 
 15-   122,    123. 
 
 4 
 
 in. 
 
 13.    59—62. 
 
 227,  228. 
 
 349»  350- 
 
 note. 
 
 V. 
 
 23.  228,  229. 
 381,  382. 
 
 VI. 
 
 7-    5Z>     54- 
 
 ■   38-           2,S°' 
 
 note. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 .  58.223    225. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 28.    37  —  39- 
 
 XVI. 
 
 28.356,  357- 
 
 XVII. 
 
 5.  225—227. 
 
 Adtj 
 
Chap. 
 
 Ads       VII. 
 
 IX. 
 
 XX. 
 Rom.     IX. 
 
 I.  Corin.  I. 
 
 II. 
 Philip.    II. 
 
 Titus     III. 
 Hebrews  I. 
 II. 
 
 II.  John 
 Revelat.  I. 
 
 II. 
 
 \_      XXX       ] 
 
 Fer/e.         Pagi- 
 
 59-   49  —  53 
 14—21.  254 
 
 28.  39—46 
 
 5-  27 
 
 2.  254 
 
 8.  62 — 64 
 
 6.  221 — 223 
 
 350 
 10,  II. 130 — 133 
 
 6.  384-386 
 
 H-  35° 
 
 10,  II.  115 — 119 
 
 '      \    229,  230 
 23-  J 
 
 note  p« 
 
 note  o. 
 
 ERRATA, 
 
E    R    RATA. 
 
 Page  53,  line  3,  after  John  vi.  add  ver.  7. 
 
 57,  line  3  from  the  bottom,  read  unlearned. 
 
 217,  line  8  from  the  bottom,  for  F,  read  Thomas  Randolph, 
 
 293,  dele  <«  SeS.  /." 
 
 401,  for  Sea.  IV.  read  Sea.  V. 
 
 404.,  for  Sea.  V.  read  Sea.  VI. 
 
 435,  for  Sea.  V.  read  Sea.  VII. 
 
 442,  for  Chap.  VI.  read  Chap.  VII. 
 
 462,  line  9,  for  might,  read  would. 
 N.  B.  Sheet  T.  being  mifpaged,  and  the  Impreflion  printed  off 
 before  the  miftake  was  difcovered,  the  Reader  will  be  pleafed  to 
 cblerve,  that  the  matters  referred  to  therein,  are  in  the  Index  dif- 
 tinguifhed  by  the  Sheet  Mark  being  affixed  to  the  number  of  the 
 page. 
 
CHAPTER    I. 
 
 Of  the  State  of  the  Unitarian  DoEirine  at 
 
 the  beginning  of   the   Reformationy    with 
 
 fome  of  the  comparative  advantages  then 
 
 enjoyed,  for  the  underjlanding  of  the  Scrip -^ 
 
 tures  in  this  refpeB,  greater  than  at  prefent^ 
 
 'AVING  been  long  perfuaded,  from 
 the  moft  ferious  and  diligent  in- 
 quiry, of  the  fupreme  unrivalled  majffty 
 of  the  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who 
 is  above  alh  (Eph.  iv.  6.)  and  of  the 
 worfhip  due  to  Him  alone  {a)  and  to  na 
 
 other  I 
 
 {a)  In  a  valuable  Work  lately  publilned,  the  title  of 
 the  firft  Se6lion  is ;  "  What  oui*  Lord  teaches  of  God  the 
 
 **  Father:''^  and  it  concludes*- •  "  Such  is //;^  G^4 
 
 *«  ,1 who  is  the  fole  objeft  (Matth.  iv.  lo* 
 
 *'  John  iv.  23.)  of  our  worfhip,  fervdce  and  prayer,  and 
 *'  the   higheft   and   beft    objeft    of   our  imitation   and 
 «  love.'* 
 Obfervations   on  our  Lord's  condu£l:  as  a  Divine  In-* 
 
 ilru<5tor,&c,  by  William  Newcome,  'D.Y).  Bifhopof 
 
 Waterford.     1782. 
 
 B 
 
[  2  ] 
 
 other;  and  at  the  fame  time  convinced  of 
 the  true  character  of  the  bleffed  Jefus,  that 
 which  he  continually  and  invariably  gave 
 and  exhibifed  of  himfelf,  that  he  was  the 
 fon,  the  meifenger;  the  fervant,  the  pro- 
 phet, the  humble  and  devout  worfhiper  of 
 the  Father,  the  moft  high  God,  and  not  the 
 moft  high  God  himfelf  who  was  to  be  wor- 
 fhiped;  I  efteem  myfelf  happy  in  bearing 
 teftimony  to  thefe  important  truths,  and 
 in  being  engaged  with  other  fellow-labourers 
 in  effedting  among  chriftians  the  recovery  of 
 the  long  loft  truth  of  the  Divine  Unity :  not 
 doubting,  but  if  undertaken  with  humble 
 and  upright  views  to  God  alone,  it  will  be 
 an  acceptable  labour  and  duty  in  the  light  of 
 HIM,  who  has  declared,  [Ifaiah  xlii.  8.] 
 that  H  E  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another  -, 
 and  who  has  feverely  forbidden  [xlvi.  5.] 
 the  comparing  or  equalling  of  any  other  Being 
 or  Perfon  to  Himfelf,  who  is  God  alone y 
 [xlv.  5.]  and  none  elfe  befides  him.  I  am 
 alfo  well  affured,  that  it  will  tend  to  pro- 
 mote the  virtue  and  happinefs  of  man- 
 kind, by  removing  fome  otherwife  unfur- 
 mountable  obftacles  to  the  propagation  of  the 
 divine  truth  of  the  gofpel.    For  while  the 
 
 unbeliever 
 
[    3     3 
 
 unbeliever  is  confirmed  In  his  rejeftloh. 
 of  it,  by  the  weak  fuperftition  and  ido-^ 
 latry  of  chriftians,  in  worfhiping  one  of 
 the  human  race,  who  fuffered  death  under 
 the  Roman  power,  as  the  fupreme  God; 
 as    if    God  could    die:    the    {6)  Jew  and 
 
 the 
 
 (h)  Says  Orohio,  in  his  amicable  difpute  with  Ltmborch  oil 
 the fubjed of Chriftianity,  J?nica CoUatio^ &c.  p.  i o8.  "  Who- 
 *'  foeverihall  teach  that  he  hi mfelf  is  to  be  worfhiped;  or 
 *'  that  fhali  take  upon  him  to  deliver  any  command  as  from 
 *'  himfelf  and  not  from  God  ;  or  fhall  afiert  that  God  and 
 *'  himfelf  were  one  and  the  fame  being  :  fuch  a  one  is  not 
 *'  a  prophet,  nor  to  be  credited,  or  in  any  degree  to  be 
 *'  received  as  fuch."  In  another  place,  p.  no.  "  Ifrael 
 *'  alone  of  all  the  nations,  has  been  taught  of  God  himfelf, 
 *'  to  know  and  acknowlege  him,  as  an  eternal,  infinite^ 
 *'  pure  fpirit,  omniprefent,  vi^ithout  body  or  figure,  hav- 
 "  ing  none  like  to  him,  independent,  incapable  oF  death, 
 *'  fufFering  or  change,  and  in  all  fuch  things    infinitely 
 
 *'  removed  from  all  creatures. But  by  the  chriflian 
 
 *'  do6lrine,  God  is  held  forth  to  be  worfhiped  under  the 
 *'  idea  of  a  man :  for  it  commands  to  worfhip  an  incarnate 
 ''  Gody  a  Man-Gody  (for  the  Word  was  made  Jiejh)  and 
 *'  fo  makes  him  a  vifible  being,  of  a  limited  figure,  con- 
 *'  fined  to  one  place.  Quod  vero  fub  idea  hominis  Deus 
 *'  adorandus  proponatur,  eft  chriftiana  dodl-rina :  quippe 
 *'  adorare  praecipit  Deum  incarnatum^  hominem  Deum^ 
 *'  (fiquidem  Verhum  caro  fa^iim  eji)  eumque  facit  vifibi- 
 *'  lem,  menfurabilem,  loco  conclufum." 
 
 Thefe  and  moft  of  the  other  objections  of  this  learned 
 Jew  to  the  gofpel,  are   not  to   be  confuted  upon  the 
 
 B  2  commoii 
 
[     4     ] 
 
 the  {c)  Mahometan  will  ever  be  averfc 
 to  the  dod;rine  of  t/jree  perfons  being  each 
 of  them  gody  which  diredtly  contradidts 
 the    divine   revelation    given    to  the  ancef- 
 
 tors 
 
 common  Athannfian  fyftem,  that  Chrift  is  the  moft  high 
 God,  and  to  be  worfhiped.  Limborch  therefore  gives 
 up  thefe  points  in  his  reply,  as  being  no  part  of  Chrift's 
 doclrine,  nor  contained  in  the  holy  Scriptures  :  from 
 which  fource  alone,  he  tells  Orobio  (p.  296.)  he  ought  to 
 draw  his  arguments,  and  not  from  do6lrines  about  which 
 chriftians  themfelves  are  not  agreed,  and  which  the  Scrip- 
 ture does  not  lay  dov/n  as  necefTary  to  falvation. 
 
 [c)  The  following  cenfure  is  pafTed  upon  the  chriflians 
 of  thofe  times,  in  the  Koran  of  Mahomet,  for  their  v/or- 
 fhip  of  Chrift,  and  of  his  mother  Mary.  The  pafTage  is 
 exceeding  curious,  and  fhews  that  this  pretended  prophet 
 had  ftudicd  the  chriftian  fcriptures  more  attentively  than 
 many  who  call  themfelves  the  difciples  of  Chrlfl:. 
 
 "  And  when  God  fball  fay  unto  Jefus  at  the  laft  day  ; 
 "  O  Jesus,  fon  of  Mary,  haft  thou  faid  unto  men, 
 *^  take  me  and  my  mother,  for  tivo  gods^  befide  God? 
 "  He  fliall  anfwer  ;  Praife  be  unto  Thee  !  it  is  not  for  me 
 "  to  fay  that  which  I  ought  not.  If  I  had  faid  fo.  Thou 
 **■  wouldeft  furely  have  known  it :  Thou  knoweft  what  is 
 *'  in  me,  but  I  know  not  what  is  in  Thee  ;  for  Thou  art 
 *''the  knower  of  fecrets.  I  have  not  fpoken  unto  them 
 "  any  other  than  that  Thou  didft  command  me ;  namely^ 
 "  worjhip  God  ;  my  Lord,  and  your  Lord  :  and  I  was 
 *'  a  v/itnefs  of  their  actions  while  I  ftaid  among  them  ; 
 •'  but  fmce  Thou  haft  taken  me  to  Thyfelf,  Thou  haft 
 •*  been  the  watcher  over  thcm^  for  Thou  art  witnefs  of 
 ''<  all  things." 
 
 Sale's  Koran,  p.  98*  410  Ed.  Ch,  V.  near  the  cikJ. 
 
f     5     ] 
 
 tor-s    of   the    former,    held    by    them  both 
 
 in  the  higheft  veneration ;  wherein  it  is 
 mofl   exprefsly  taught  that   God   is   one; 
 
 one  fingle  perfon  ;  T^hou  jhalt  have  no  other 
 gods  before  me,  Exod.  xx.  3.  ^he  Lord 
 our  God  is  one  Lord,  or  Jehovah  our  Gody 
 Jehovah  is  one,  Deut.  vi.  4.  Nor  may  it  be 
 pafled  by,  for  it  has  often  been  made  an  ob- 
 jection to  the  gofpel,  that  the  worihip  of 
 three  different  perfons,  of  fuch  different  eha- 
 raclers  as  they  are  commonly  coniidered  and 
 reprefented  whom  miftaken  chriitians  have 
 for  ages  worfhiped,  has  a  tendency  to  pro- 
 duce [d)  unfavourable  effedls  on  the  morals 
 and  difpofitions  of  their  worfhipers. 
 
 I  am  fenfible  that  the  plain  religion  of 
 Jefus,  flript  of  thefe  myfterious  inexplicable 
 doftrines,  to  w^hich  mankind  have  been  fo 
 long  wedded,  is  not  likely  to  gain  profelytes 
 immediately.  Too  many  are  the  more  attach- 
 ed to  them  on  account  of  their  being  hidden 
 and  obfcure;  imagining  their  faith  to  be 
 thereby  rendered  more  augufl  and  venerable ; 
 although  it  be  a  falfe  grandeur  which  they 
 admire.  Chriftians  mufl  be  better  taught  and 
 
 informed, 
 
 {d)  Apology  on  refigning  the  Vicarage  of  Catterick, 
 p.  82,  83.  and  p.  963  97.  laft  Ed. 
 
 B3 
 
[    6     ] 
 
 informed,  freer  from  violent,  narrow,  early 
 prejudices  againft  others  of  differing  fenti-^ 
 ments,  and  more  Amplified  in  their  ideas, 
 before  the  true  Unitarian    dodlrine  of  the 
 Scriptures  can  be  generally  received.  Among 
 thofe  alfo  who  have  more  light  and  know- 
 lege,  many  are  found  cautious  and  fhy  of 
 producing  it,  and  afraid,  from  different  mo- 
 tives, good  or  otherwife,  of  diflurbing  other 
 people's  minds,  and  putting  them  upon  in- 
 quiry, and  judging  for  themfelves.     And  it 
 is  far  more  eafy  and  pleafant  for  the  multi- 
 tude to  think  themfelves  already  good  chrif- 
 tians,  by  believing  or  fancying  they  believe 
 what  is  above  their  cpmprehenfion,  than  to 
 become  eltablifhed  in  the  truth  by  a  painful 
 examination  of  fadts  for  themfelves,  whether 
 ihefe  things  ar^  fo,  [Afts  xvii.  ii.];  but  of 
 which  even  the  unlearned  are  now  at  leafl 
 capable  in  a  fufficient  degree,  if  they  will 
 •apply  themfelves  to  it.    It  mufl  moreover  fix 
 :a  wrong  bias  on  the  minds  of  numbers,  fo 
 long  as  the  belief  of  thefe  myfleries  is  not 
 only  the  road  to  honour  an^  preferment  in 
 this  world,  in  all  cjiriflian  countries,  but  is 
 tejd  neceffary  to  men's  final  falyation  in  ano- 
 ther, and  fo  meritorious  in  the  fight  of  Godj, 
 as  of  itfelf;,  to  entitle  them  to  his  favour,, 
 
[    7     ] 
 
 and  atone  for  the  want  of  piety,  and  a  good 
 life. 
 
 And  yet  notwithftanding  {hefe  obftacles, 
 there  is  abundant  reafon  to  rejoice,  that  the 
 light  of  the  knowlege  of  the  glorious  God, 
 the  great  original,  the  fole  creator,  and 
 benevolent  author  of  all  things,  is  breaking 
 forth  through  the  dark  clouds  that  have 
 hitherto  fo  long  intercepted  it,  and  hindered 
 HIM  from  being  feen  by  the  followers  of 
 Chrift  as  he  really  is  3  and  that,  within  a 
 century  paft,  this  great  truth  of  revelation 
 confirmed  by  nature's  ftill  and  fecret  voice, 
 that  God  is  One,  one  Jingle  %  Perfony 
 and  not  (diftradting  thought!)  compounded 
 of  two  or  three  Ferfonsy  has  been  imper- 
 ceptibly making  progrefs  in  the  breafts  of 
 many  among  us;  and,  in  the  prefent  day, 
 to  their  honour,  fome  are  not  afraid  or 
 afhamed  to  come  forth  and  openly  confefs  it. 
 
 IN 
 
 J  "  In  a  word,  all  other  notions  of  the  word  Perforin 
 *'  befides  the  plain  and  obvious  one,  fignifying  a  real  and 
 "  intelligent  Jgent^  have  been  already  fo  excellently  baffled 
 "  and  learnedly  confuted,  that  I  am  not  able  to  refift  the 
 "  {hining  evidence  of  truth  :  Nor  am  I  afhamed  to  confefs 
 «  my  former  mijiakes  and  errors  in  thefe  matters  after 
 «*  fuch  ftrong  irrefiftible  convidion,  feeing,  humanum  eji 
 ^'  errarcy  all  men  are  liable  to  error." 
 
 Whitby's  Laft  Thoughts,  Preface. 
 B  4 
 
[    8    ] 
 
 IN    the  beginning  of  the  xvlth  century, 
 there  was  a  noble  ftand  made  by  many 
 excellent   perfons,  at  the   hazard   of   their 
 lives,  and  to  their  great  worldly  lofs,  againft 
 the  tyranny  and  impolitions  of  the  Bifhop 
 of  Rome  and  his   pretended  authority  over 
 the  chriftian  world ;  when  they  made  a  par- 
 tial reformation  as  far  as  they  durft,  or  their 
 lights  went;,  and   fhook  off  and  abandoned 
 the  idolatrous  worihip  of  their  wafer-cake  or 
 god  of    bread,  and  of   faints,  and  images, 
 with  fome  other  fuperftitious  dottrines  and 
 practices.     But   the   learned  leaders  among 
 thefe  reformers  never  properly  confulted  the 
 Scriptures  themfelves   to   know   the  Being 
 they  were  to  worihip,  but  fat  down  fatisfied 
 in  this  refpecft,  in  a  bjind  reverence  of  what 
 had  been  handed  down   to  them  in   creeds 
 ^nd  other  writings  of  chriflians  of  former 
 ages,  vv^ho  had  faihioned  the  gofpel  on  this 
 point  in   accommodation  to   their  heathen 
 
 pre-? 
 
[    9     ] 
 
 prejudices  and  philofophy,  ov  fcience  faljly  fo 
 called,  as  the  apoftle  (i  Tim.  vi.  20.)  ftiles 
 it.  They  alfo  took  up  an  unhappy  pre-, 
 ference  for  the  creed,  which  they  erro- 
 neoufly  afcribed  to  Athanafius,  an  ambiti- 
 ous turbulent  prelate  of  the  ivth  century, 
 though  indeed  it  correfponded  well  with  his 
 dodlrine  and  charader ;  and  all  their  learn- 
 ing was  bent,  as  it  has  been  too  much  the 
 turn  of  divines  ever  fmce,  to  the  prefent 
 •day,  to  torture  and  twill  the  Scriptures  tQ 
 the  fupport  of  this  doctrine. 
 
 In  this  creed,  which  was  held  facred  as 
 the  Scriptures  themfelves,  or  rather  placed 
 above  them  as  containing  a  more  full  and 
 exaft  account  of  the  Deity  than  was  to  be 
 found  there;  we  have  the  following  de- 
 fcription  given  of  God  and  his  woriliip,  by 
 the  writer,  whoever  he  was,  with  the  doom 
 to  eternal  perdition  denounced  by  him  againft 
 all  whofe  belief  did  not  come  up  to  his 
 flandard  :  The  catholic  faith  is  this,  that  w^ 
 worfiip  One  God  in  Trinity,  and  Trinity  in 
 Unity. ^ — .^nj  this  faith,  except  every  one 
 do  keep  whole  and  undefiled^  without  doubt  he 
 jhall  perijf:  everlajiingly^ 
 
 The 
 
[     lo     ] 
 
 The  compofer  of  this  creed  was  at  full 
 liberty  to  define  and  defcribe  the  obje6l  of 
 his  worfhip  in  what  terms  feemed  fitteil 
 and  beft  to  himfelf.  And  thofe  who  adopt 
 his  fentiments  cannot  be  blamed  for  ex- 
 preffing  them  in  the  fame  form  of  words. 
 But  neither  he,  nor  any  other  perfon  fmce 
 the  Apoftles  time,  can  have  any  right  to 
 draw  up  a  form  of  belief  for  any  but  him- 
 felf, and  ftill  lefs  to  annex  the  divine  favour 
 to  thofe  who  embrace  his  particular  opi- 
 nions, and  denounce  damnation  on  thofe 
 who  diffent  from  them. 
 
 It  was  in  a  milder  way,  without  fuch 
 enigmatical  language  and  menaces,  that  the 
 holyjefus,  that  heavenly  teacher  of  men,  point- 
 ed out  the  true  objed:  of  worfhip,  as  well  as  the 
 ^oft  acceptable  manner  of  performing  it,  to 
 the  woman  of  Samaria y  who  had  put  fome 
 queftions  tohimabout  it.  Joh.  iv.  22.  &c.  Te 
 (Samaritans)  worjlnp  what  ye  do  not  know* 
 We  (Jews,  making  himfelf,  as  he  really  was, 
 one  of  them)  worjhip  what  we  do  know  : 
 for  falvation  is  of  the  fews.  But  the  hour 
 comet hy  and  now  isy  when  the  true  worfhip ers 
 Jh all  worjhip  the  Father  in  fpirit  and  in 
 truth:  for   the    Father  feeketh  fuch   to 
 
 3  worjhip. 
 
[  "  ] 
 
 worjhip  HIM.  We  may  fay,  without  juft 
 caufe  of  offence,  that  no  unprejudiced  chrif- 
 tian  will  hefitate  a  moment,  whether  with 
 the  fuppofed  Athanafius,  he  {hall  worfhip 
 his  new  invented  god  or  gods  in  'Trinity  and 
 Trinity  in  unity y  or  the  fingle  gracious  Pa- 
 rent of  the  univerfe,  in  the  number  of  whofe 
 worlhipers  Jefus  here  profeffes  himfelf. 
 
 The  dreadful  anathema  however  thrown 
 out  in  this  creed,  that  all  who  did  not  be- 
 Jieve  fuch  a  Trinity  in  Unity y  were  without 
 doubt  to  perifli  everlaftingly,  being  received 
 and  approved  in  all  the  chriftian  churches, 
 proteflant  as  well  as  popijfh,  and  adopted  and 
 confirmed  by  the  fecular  powers  every  where, 
 became  the  fource  of  furious  refentments 
 againft  thofe  who  would  not  fubfcribe  to  it, 
 and  of  the  unrelenting  perfecution  of  them. . 
 For  fuch  a  falfe  principle,  and  unworthy 
 fentiment  of  the  Great  God  and  moral  Go- 
 yernor  of  the  world,  being  once  imbibed, 
 that  the  bare  holding  of  this  doftrine  was  of 
 fuch  vaft  confequence  that  all  who  refufed 
 it  were  to  be  for  ever  excluded  from  his 
 mercy ;  thofe  who  controverted  and  oppofed 
 it  would  be  looked  upon  as  the  moft  wicked 
 gf  all  beings,  as  fetting  themfelves  againft, 
 
 and 
 
[      12      ] 
 
 snd  aiming  to  deftroy  that  on  which  their 
 own  and  the  future  falvation  of  all  men  de- 
 pended, and  nothing  would  be  thought  too 
 fevere  or  cruel  that  could  be  inflifted  on  them. 
 
 BUT  although  the  generality  of  Divines  at 
 the  Reformation,  under  all  the  civil  efta- 
 blifhments  of  religion,  took  this  unfortu- 
 nate Athanalian  bias,  if  we  may  fo  call  it, 
 which  has  hung  about  them  more  or  lefs 
 ever  fince ;  there  was  no  fmall  number  of 
 learned  men  at  the  time,  and  alfo  among 
 thofe  who  were  not  bred  to  learned  pro- 
 feffions,  who  embraced  and  openly  profeffed 
 the  Unitarian  dodtrine,  and  on  that  account 
 became  the  victims  of  the  religious  rage  of 
 popifli  or  protefcant  perfecutors,  as  they 
 happened  to  come  under  their  power. 
 
 We  find  in  different  parts  of  Brandt's 
 Hiflory  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Low 
 Countries,  that  many  of  this  liberal  and  in- 
 quifitive  call  among  the  lower  clafles  con- 
 demned alfo  the  ufe  of  Infant-baptifm,  being 
 thence  denominated  Baptifts,  or  (£)  Ana- 
 bap  tifts, 
 
 (E)  '«  Upon  Luther's  firft  preaching   In   Germany, 
 
 ^  there  arofe  many,  who  building  upon  ibme  uf  his  prin- 
 
 I  *'  cipiess 
 
[     13     ] 
 
 baptlils,  and  were  the  principal  fufFerers  for 
 religion  among  the  proteftants  in  the  Low 
 Countries,  under  Charles  V.  and  under  hi^ 
 fon  Philip,  that  haughty,  cruel  monfter, 
 never  to  be  named  without  horror  and  de- 
 teftation. 
 
 Moiheim  (e)  alfo  bears  teftimony  to  the 
 very  early  rife  of  men,  under  this  denomi- 
 nation, who  were  Unitarians,  and  makes 
 mention  of  one  in  particular,  who  openly 
 denied  the  Divinity  of  Chrift,  foon  after 
 Luther  made  his  appearance. 
 
 Of  thefe  Anabaptifts,  part  were  properly 
 Arians,  i.   e.  who  believed  Chrift  to  be  a 
 
 creature; 
 
 "  ciples,  carried  things  much  farther  than  he  did.  The 
 "  chief  foundation  that  he  laid  down,  was,  that  the 
 "  Scripture  was  to  be  the  onlyruleof  Chriflians.  Upon 
 *'  this  many  argued,  that  the  myfleries  of  the  Trinity, 
 "  and  Chrift's  Incarnation  and  fufFerins-s,  Sec.  were  in- 
 ''  deed  philofophical  fubtilties,  and  only  pretended  to  be 
 "  deduced  from  Scripture,  as  almoft  all  opinions  of  re- 
 *^  ligion  were;  and  therefore  they  rejected  them.  Among 
 *'  thefe,  the  baptifm  of  Infants  was  one.  They  held  that 
 *'  to  be  no  baptifm ;  and  fo  were  rebaptifed :  But  froni 
 *'  this,  which  was  moft  taken  notice  of,  being  a  vlfible 
 ^'  thing,  they  carried  all  the  general  name  of  Anabap- 
 <«  tifts." 
 
 Burnet's  Hift,  of  Reform.  Vol.  I.  p.  105. 
 
 0)  Ecclefialllcal  Hiftory,  Vol.  IV.  p.  169. 
 
[     H    ] 
 
 creature  ;  but  created  before  the  formation 
 of  the  world.  Others  among  th'em  adopted 
 the  opinion  of  the  proper  humanity  of  Chrift, 
 which  was  afterwards  embraced  by  Socinus, 
 
 We  are  much  obliged  to  this  laft  hiftorian, 
 for  furnifhing  us  with  authentic  memorials 
 of  the  fentiments  of  the  latter  fort  of  Ana- 
 baptifts,  taken  from  one  of  their  Catechifms, 
 or  Confeffions  of  Faith,  printed  in  (F)  Po- 
 land in  1574;  that  is,  four  years  before 
 Fauflus  Socinus  came  into  that  country. 
 
 The 
 
 (F)  Mofhelm  gives  the  following  account  of  the  great 
 number  of  Unitarians  that  were  found  m  Poland  at  this 
 time ;  which  does  not  reflect  much  credit  on  their  fellow- 
 chriftians  of  all  denominations,  whofe  cruel  perfecuting 
 fpirit  forced  them  to  take  refuge  in  that  country.  "  There 
 *'  were  certain  fe6ls  and  do6lors,  againft  whom  the  zeal, 
 *'  vigilance  and  feverlty  of  Catholics,  Lutherans,  and 
 ^^  Calvinifts,  were  united,  and  in  oppofmg  whofe  fettle- 
 *'  ment  and  progrefs,  thefe  three  communions,  forgetting 
 *'  their  diflentions,  joined  their  moft  vigorous  counfels  and 
 *'  endeavours.  The  obje6ls  of  their  common  averfion, 
 *'  were  the  Anahapujlsy  and  thofe  who  denied  the  Divinity 
 *'  of  Chrift,  and  a  Trinity  of  Perfons  in  the  Godhead.  To 
 *'  avoid  the  unhappy  confequences  of  fuch  a  formidable 
 "  oppofition,  great  numbers  of  both  claffes  retired  into 
 "  Poland^  from  this  perfuafion,  that  in  a  country  v/hoftf 
 «'  Inhabitants  were  paflionately  fond  of  freedom,  religious 
 "  liberty  could  not  fail  to  find  a  refuge." 
 
 Vol.  IV.  p.  178. 
 
[     15     ] 
 
 The  iplrit  of  piety  which  it  breathes, 
 its  fimplicity  and  agreeablenefs  to  the  Scrip- 
 tures, cannot  fail  to  recommend  it  to  every 
 unprejudiced  mind,  efpecially  when  con- 
 trafted  with  that  moft  unedifying  form  and 
 confeffion,  which  our  firft  Reformers  idolized 
 fo  much,  the  ill  eifedls  of  which  we  have  been 
 difcuffing. 
 
 (/)  *^  The  Preface y  which  is  compofed 
 **  in  the  name  of  the  whole  congregation, 
 **  begins  with  the  following  falutation  : 
 
 *'  T'o  all  thofe  who  thirji  after  eternal fal^ 
 *'  vatioriy  the  little  and  afflicted 
 **  flock  in  Poland,  which  is  baptized  in 
 *'  the  name  of  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  fendeth 
 **  greeting;  praying  moft  earneftly  that  grace 
 ^'  and  peace  may  be  flied  upon  them,  by  the 
 **  O'i^'Eftipreme  God  ^W  Father,  through 
 **  his  only  begotten  Son,  our  Lord  Jefus 
 **  Chrijiy  who  was  crucified.'* 
 
 "  After  this  general  falutation,  the  Pre-- 
 **  facers  give  an  account  of  the  reafons  that 
 '^  engaged  them  to  compofe  and  publifti  this" 
 *'  Confeffion.     The  principal  of  thefe  rea- 
 '^  fons  was,  the  reproaches   and  afperfions 
 
 ''  that 
 
 {/)  Mofiieim,  Ecclefiaflical  Hiftory,  Vol.  IV.  p.  i8j. 
 
€€ 
 €i 
 €€ 
 
 [     i6    ] 
 
 *'  that  were  cart  upon  the  Anabaptljls  In  fe« 
 '*  veral  places ;  from  Vv^hich  we  learn,  that 
 *'  at  this  time,  the  denomination  of  Ana-- 
 ^*  baptijls  was  given  to  thofe,  who  in  after 
 
 *'  times  were  called  %ociniansJ' **  lu 
 
 *'  their  definition  of  the  Nature  of  God, 
 with  which  this  Catechifm  begins,  the 
 authors  difcover  immediately  their  fenti- 
 ments  concerning  Jesus  Christ  ;  by 
 declaring  that  **  he^  together  with  all 
 other  thingSy  is  fiibje5i  to  the  fuprerne 
 **  Creator  of  the  univerfej" 
 
 **  Their  {g)  fentiment  concerning  Jesus 
 *'  Christ  is  expreffed  in  the  following 
 **  terms  :  Our  mediator  before  the  throne  of 
 **  God  is  a  mariy  who  was  formerly  pro^nifed 
 to  our  fathers  by  the  prophets^  and  in  thefe 
 latter  days  was  born  of  the  feed  of  David^ 
 *^  and  whom  God,  theFather^  has  made  Lord 
 and  Chrijly  that  isy  the  moji  perfeB  pro-- 
 phety  the  moJi  hcly  prieji,  and  the  mojl 
 triumphant  king  \  by  whom  he  created  the 
 NEW  world y  by  whom  be  has  fent  peace 
 upon  earthy  refiored  all  things^  and  recon- 
 
 **  died 
 
 (^)  Mofheim  calls  it,  their  erroneous  notion,  which  X 
 have  taken  the  liberty  to  alter,  but  not  without  reminding 
 the  reader  of  it. 
 
•     t     17    1 
 
 ciled  them  to  himfelj\  mid  by  whom  aljo  he 
 has  bejlowed  eter?ial  life  upon  his  eleSf :  to 
 the  end  that y  after  the  fupr erne  God,  tve 
 Jhould  belienje  in  him,  adore  and  invoke  {h) 
 him,  hear  his  voice,  imitate  his  example^ 
 andffid  in  him  reft  to  our  fouls.'' 
 **  With  refpefl:  to  the  Holy  Ghoft,  they 
 plainly  deny  his  being  a  divine  Perfon, 
 and  reprefent  him  as  nothing  more  than  a 
 divine  quality  or  virtue^  as  appears  front 
 the  following  paffage  :  The  Holy  Ghoft  is 
 the  energy  or  perfeBion  of  God,  whofefuU 
 nefs,  God,  the  Father,  beftowed  upon  his 
 only  begotten  Son,  our  Lord-,  that  we, 
 becoming  his  adopted  children,  might  receive 
 of  his  fulnefs!' 
 
 THESE  Anabaptifts  were  a  very  different 
 fort  of  men  (/)   from  thofe  wild  fanatics  of 
 
 the 
 
 (/;)  N.  B.  It  was  an  opinion,  taken  up  without  Cuf- 
 ficient  grounds  by  thefe  early  Unitarians,  that  Chiift,  al- 
 though held  by  them  to  be  only  a  human  creature,  was 
 tQ  be  worfhiped  and  invoked  in  prayer. 
 
 (/)  Brandt  (Vol  I.  p.  58.)  gives  us  Erafmus's  tef- 
 timony  to  the  harmlefs  commendable  chara6ler  of  thefe 
 firft  Anabaptifts.    «  He  (Erafmus)  was  particularly  fcan- 
 
 Q  « dalized 
 
f     .8     ] 
 
 the  fame  name,  though  fome  few  were  at 
 firil  connedled  with  them,  y/ho,  in  the  year 
 1533,  in  Germany,  and  afterwards  in  Hol- 
 land, brought  difcredit  on  the  doftrine  of 
 the  Divine  Unity,  and  calamity  on  its  pro- 
 fefibrs,  as  well  as  hurt  the  whole  caufe  of 
 the  Reformation,  by  their  horrid  opinions 
 and  pradices  ;  maintaining  that  the  elcB 
 (i.  e.  themfeives)  o?ily  had  a  right  to  goi:ern 
 the  world 'y  (in  the  phrafe  of  the  fchools, 
 that  dominion  was  founded  in  grace)  that  rnar- 
 riage  was  not  to  be  contracted  but  %mth  the 
 faints 'y  that  polygamy  was  lawful y  &cc,  &cc. 
 
 The 
 
 *'  dalized  at  the  perfecutlons  which  the  Zuingllans  raifed 
 "  againft  the  Anabaptlfts  :  for  It  was  about  the  fame  time 
 *'  that  thofe  of  Zurich  had  ordained  by  a  fecond  decree, 
 *'  that  the  Anabaptifts  ftiould  no  where  be  tolerated  within 
 *'  their  Canton,  but  taken  up,  in  order  to  be  brought  to 
 "  capital  punifhment.  They  infift  and  argue,  fays  he, 
 *'  that  heretics  ought  not  to  be  punifhed  with  deathjwhereas 
 *^  they  themfeives  infli6l  the  fame  upon  the  Anabaptlfts, 
 "  a  people  againft  whom  there  is  very  little  to  be  faid, 
 '"^  and  concerning  whom  we  are  aftlired,  that  there  are 
 ''  many  who  have  been  reclaimed  from  the  moft  vicious 
 "  prafticcs  and  reformed ;  and  though  perhaps  they  may 
 *'  foolifhly  err  in  certain  opinions,  yet  have  they  nevef 
 *'  ftormed  towns  or  churches ;  nor  entered  into  any  com-^ 
 "  bi nations  againft  the  authority  of  the  magiftrate,  nor 
 *'  driven  any  one  from  his  government  or  eftatc." 
 
t     i9    ] 
 
 The  fpreading  of  the  true  dodrine  of  the 
 divine  Unity  at  this  time,  among  many  who 
 had  not  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  a  learned  edu- 
 cation, was  mightily  promoted  by  the  Scrip- 
 tures, in  the  feveral  countries  of  Europe, 
 being  put  into  the  mother-tongue  and 
 printed,  when,  being  intirely  new  to 
 them,  they  were  read  with  the  greateft  avi- 
 dity and  attention.  And  although  they  were 
 handed  to  them  fomewhat  tindlured  with 
 the  prejudices  of  the  learned  Athanafian 
 Divines  who  tranflated  them,  and  a  proper 
 fearch  into  the  original  manufcripts  of  the 
 New  Teftament  had  not  led  them  to  fee 
 fome  miftakes  that  had  crept  into  the  facred 
 volumes,  by  the  ignorance  or  careleflhefs  of 
 the  tranfcribers ;  in  thofe  pafiages,  for  in- 
 ftance,  of  Adls  xx.  28.  and  i  John  iii.  16. 
 which  fpeak  of  tht  blood  of  God,  and  oi  God 
 laying  down  his  life^  and  fome  others  of 
 the  like  kind  :  yet  the  more  faithful  and 
 exadl  publications  and  latin  paraphrafe  and 
 *  tranflation  of  the  New  Teftament  by  Eraf- 
 mus,  that  great  light  and  ornament  of  the 
 chriftian  world,  who  was  of  a  more  candid 
 and  liberal  fpirit  in  this  refpe6l  than  Luther, 
 Melanfthon,   Calvin,    and   the    other   Re- 
 
 e  a  formers. 
 
C       20       ] 
 
 formers^  had  opened  fomewhat  of  a  freer 
 vein  of  inquiry  into  thefe  points  y  v/hicb, 
 on  his  works  being  tranflated  and  more  ge- 
 nerally known,  diitufed  itfelf  among  the  com- 
 mon people,  who  gladly  purfued  the  track  of 
 light  which  he  had  pointed  out,  while  the 
 learned  were  overav/ed,  and  kept  back  in 
 their  ancient  darknefs  and  errors  by  their 
 prejudices  or  worldly  fears.  This  was  ex- 
 emplified particularly  among  the  Dutch,  his 
 countrymen,  many  of  whom,  of  all  ranks 
 were  led  to  fee  from  the  Bible,  that  there 
 was  but  One  God,  the  Father  of  mankind, 
 and  of  all  beings ;  and  that  Jefus  was  his 
 highly  favoured  and  beloved  fon  :  and  fome 
 of  them  fuffered  the  mofl  cruel  deaths,  in 
 our  own  and  other  countries,  with  great 
 conftancy,  rather  than  acknowlege  Chrill,  or 
 any  other  perfon,  to  be  God,  but  the  Father 
 only. 
 
 There  is  a  curious  dialogue  preferved  by 
 Brandt,  betwixt  an  Anabaptift,  and  a  Fran- 
 cifan  Friery  of  Dort,  which  fhews  of  what 
 vaft^  fervice  the  writings  of  Erafmus  had 
 been  in  opening  the  eyes  of  the  laity,  and 
 the  reafon  his  memory  was  fo  much  exe- 
 crated by  the  monks  and  priefts,  who  wanted 
 to  keep  all  in  darknefs*     I  fliall  tranfcribe 
 
 a  part 
 
[       21       ] 
 
 a  part  of  it,  as  it  will  by  no  means  break 
 the  thread  of  our  argument,  but  rather 
 iirengthen  and  confirm  it,  though  the  date 
 of  the  tranfaftion  in  1569  be  fomewhat 
 poflerior  to  the  times  we  are  treating  of^ 
 
 (k)  ^^  A  CQjjference  between  Herman  van 
 Flekwisk,  aj2  Ancibapiijl^  and  Corne- 
 X-ius  Adrians,  a  Francifcan  Frier. 
 
 *'  Cornelius,  But  do  you  not  then  believe 
 that  Chrift  is  the  fecond  P  erf  on  of  the  holy 
 Trinity  ? 
 
 Flekwifk.  We  know  not  how  to  call 
 things  otherwife  than  they  are  named  in  the 
 holy  Scriptures. 
 
 Cornel,  Is  there  not  mention  made  in  the 
 holy  Scriptures  of  God  the  Father^  of  God 
 the  Son,  and  of  God  the  Holy  Ghoji  ? 
 
 Flekw.  The  Scriptures  fpeak  only  of 
 One  God,  and  of  the  Son  of  the  living 
 God,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
 
 Cornel,  If  you  had  but  read  the  creed  of 
 St.  Athanafius,  there  you  would  have  met 
 yv^ith  God  the  Fat  her  y  God  the  Son,  and  God 
 
 the 
 
 {k)  Hiftory  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Low  Countries, 
 Vol,  I.  b.  10.  p.  2825  &c. 
 
 C3 
 
[      22      ] 
 
 the  Holy  Ghoji :  which  three  Perfons  are  by 
 him  ftiled  the  one  true  God, 
 
 Flekw,  I  am  not  verfed  in  the  Athanafiaii 
 creed  :  it  is  enough  for  me,  to  believe  in  the 
 living  God,  and  that  Chrijl  is  the  Son  of  the 
 living  God,  as  Peter  (Matth.  xvi.  16.)  be- 
 lieved; and  to  believe  in  the  holy  GhoJi, 
 which  the  Father  fied  on  us  abundajitly , 
 through  Jefus  Chriji  our  Saviour ^  as  Paul 
 (Titus  iii.   5,  6.)  teilifies. 
 
 Cornel,  You  are  a  pretty  fellow  truly, 
 to  imagine  that  God  fhould  fhed  his  holy 
 Spirit  on  you,  that  do  not  believe  that  the 
 holy  Ghoft  himfelf  is  God.  But  you  bor- 
 row thefe  heretical  opinions  from  the  devilijh 
 books  of  that  ^^;;m^^Erafmus  of  Rotterdam : 
 who,  in  his  preface  to  the  works  of  St.  Hi- 
 lary, pretends  that  the  holy  man,  in  the  end 
 of  his  twelfth  book,  faid,  that  the  holy 
 Ghoji  is  no  where  in  the  Scripture  Jiiled 
 God:  but  we  are  fo  bold  as  to  call  him  God^ 
 whereas  the  (iirft)  fathers  of  the  church 
 fcrupled  to  do  it.  Will  you  be  a  follower 
 of  that  Trinitarian?'*  meaning  Antitrini- 
 tartan. 
 
 Flekw. 
 
[     23     ] 
 
 Flek-w)  ^We  neither  follow  Erafmus,  nof 
 Hilary,  but  the  holy  Scriptures ;  as  they 
 like  wife  do. 
 
 Cornel,  But  though  the  holy  Ghoft  be 
 not  called  God  in  any  part  of  the  Scriptures, 
 what  matters  that  ?  The  holy  Ghoft  has 
 inftrudled  our  mother,  the  Church,  to  call 
 him    God,    as   appears    by   the    Athanojian 
 
 creed. You  muft  not  pretend  to  teach 
 
 me.  For  I  fay  again,  the  fecond  Per  Jon  in 
 the  godhead^  or  holy  Trinity y  was  made  man, 
 whom  you  refufe  to  call  God. 
 
 Flekw,  I  call  him  the  Son  of  the  living 
 God,  as  did  alfo  Peter ;  and,  the  Lord,  as 
 the  reft  of  the  apoftles  ftile  him.  And  (o 
 again,  in  the  Afts  of  the  Apoftles,  he  is  call- 
 ed (Ad:s  ii.  22.  24.)  Jefus  of  Nazareth, 
 who?n  God  hath  raifed  up  y  and  by  Paul  (Ad:s 
 xvii.  31.)  thatra^in,  by  whom  God  will  judge 
 the  world  in  right eoufiefs. 
 
 Cornel,  But,  you,  Antitrinitarlan!  St.  John 
 fays  (i  Ep.  ver.  j,)  there  are  three  that  bear 
 record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and 
 the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  thefe  three  are  one, 
 
 Flekw.  I  have  often  heard  fay,  that  Eraf- 
 mus,   ifi  his  annotations    upon  this  place, 
 
 G'4'  proves 
 
[       24      ] 
 
 proves  that  this  text  is  not  in  the  Greeks  or 
 original  language." 
 
 '^  Upon  this,  fays  the  hiflorian,  the  monk 
 Cornelii(s,  turning  to  the  fecretary  and  clerk 
 of  the  Inquifition,  who  were  prefent  at  this 
 dialogue,  faid  to  them;  Gentlemen,  what 
 think  you  of  this  matter  ?  Am  I  to  blame 
 for  oppofing  fo  oftpn  in  my  feripons,  that 
 wicked,  that  damned  Antitrinitarian,  Eraf- 
 mus  ?  For  it  is  true ;  he  does  indeed  write 
 fo^  &c.  &c," 
 
 THROUGHOUT  the  whole  of  this  dia^ 
 logue,  (for  much  of  it  is  omitted)  it  is  feen  how 
 far,  with  the  few  helps  to  be  had  at  that  time, 
 perfons  of  plain  fenfe  and  integrity,  might 
 attain  a  right  underflanding  of  the  Scrip- 
 tures, in  points  fupppfed  to  be  the  rnoft 
 abftrufe  and  difficult ;  and  by  comparing  to- 
 gether the  feveral  parts  of  thofe  facred  writ- 
 ings in  order  tq  corne  at  their  true  meaning, 
 eafily  become  an  overmatch  for  thofe  who 
 could  only  fupport  their  arbitrary  unfcrip- 
 tural  poljtions,  by  hurnan  authority  and  the 
 fophiflry  of  the  fchools.  To  their  honeft 
 artlefs  minds,  the  uniform  language  of  the 
 
 Bible 
 
C   25    ] 
 
 Bible  throughout,  invariably  fpeaking  of  the 
 Deity,  as  One,  onefingle  Perfon  or  Being, 
 as  having  no  other  equal  to^  or  to  be  compared 
 with  Him,  would  be  intirely  fatisfadlory, 
 that  He  v^as  indeed  one  Jingle  Perfon,  and 
 not  7nade  up  of  two  or  three  Perfons. 
 
 And  in  like  manner,  with  refped:  to  Chrifl; 
 they  would  well  conclude  that  they  were 
 not  to  be  guided  in  their  fentiments  con- 
 cerning him,  by  a  few  particular  texts  and 
 expreffions,  which  they  would  perceive  from 
 Erafmus's  writings,  might  not  be  truly  re- 
 prefented  to  them;  but  that  they  were  to 
 form  their  opinions  of  him  from  his  own 
 conftant  declarations,  who  he  was  i  and  thofe 
 of  his  apoftles,  who  knew  his  hiftory,  and 
 were  beft  acquainted  with  him. 
 
 When  they  obferved  him  always,  with 
 deepeft  reverence,  fpeaking  of  God  as  his 
 Father;  and  telling  his  difciples  after  he 
 was  raifed  from  the  grave,  that  he  confidered 
 them  as  his  brethren,  and  that  he  had  the 
 fame  God  (John  xx.  17.)  and  Father  to  de- 
 pend upon  and  truft  in  that  they  had ;  they 
 would  be  perfuaded,  v/ithout  the  ihadow  of 
 doubt,  that  he  was  the  creature  and  offspring 
 of  the  Great  God,  as  they  themfelves  were. 
 
 When 
 
[       26       ] 
 
 When  he  faid,  (John  v.  30.)  lean  of  mine 
 owjtfelf  do  nothing  :  (vi.  16.)  My  do&rine  is 
 not  mine,  but  his  that  fent  me.  From  thefe 
 and  the  like  folemn  references  to  almighty 
 God,  they  would  perceive  that  this  humble 
 Saviour  would  have  it  to  be  underjflood,  that 
 as  he  received  hi:s  exiftence  from  him,  fo  his 
 wifdom  and  extraordinary  powers  were  alfo 
 the  gift  of  God. 
 
 When,  with  that  modefty  and  humility 
 which  never  forfook  him,  whenever  his  own 
 name  was  mentioned  along  with  that  of  God  ; 
 J  ejus  f aid,  Mark  xiii.  33.  Of  that  day  and 
 that^  hour  knoweth  no  matt,  no  not  the  angels 
 which  are  in  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  the 
 Father  :  they  would  have  no  doubt  but  that 
 he  fpake  the  truth,  and  was  in  real  ignorance 
 of  that  period  of  time,  which  was  known 
 only  to  God. 
 
 If  there  were  any  palTages  of  Scripture  at 
 apparent  variance  with  thefe  diredl  and  re- 
 peated accounts  of  Chrift  given  by  himfelf, 
 cf  his  being  what  he  was  from  God,  and 
 depending  upon  him  for  every  thing ;  they 
 would  have  little  doubt  but  that  fuch  con- 
 trarieties might  be  reconciled,  and  every  part 
 of  fcripture  fhewn  to  be  in  agreement  with 
 
 each 
 
[     27    J 
 
 each  other,  by  an  honeft  itate  of  the  cafe,.^ 
 This  they  had  frequently  obferved  to  have 
 been  done  in  the  writings  of  their  country- 
 man Erafmus  -,  and  particularly  in  that  text, 
 {Romans  ix.  5.)  where  it  was  commonly 
 read,  Chrijl,  who  is  over  all  God  blejjedfor 
 ever.  Amen:  but  which,  in  another  part  of 
 the  foregoing  dialogue,  Flekwifk  afferted 
 very  juftly  to  be  fpoken  of  God  and  not  of 
 Chrift ;  and  that  it  fhould  be  read,  God  who 
 is  over  all  be  blejfed  for  ever.  Amen  :  which 
 Erafmus  had  proved  to  be  a  tranflation  con- 
 fonant  to  the  original  Greek  and  the  ftilc 
 of  the  apoftle. 
 
 BUT  this  happy  ftate  of  things  fo  favour- 
 able to  the  progrefs  of  truth  and  free  in- 
 quiry, did  not  long  continue.  Among  thofe 
 who  feparated  from  the  church  of  Rome, 
 the  Bible  foon  became  a  book  fealed  up  and 
 hidden  from  the  laity  and  the  unlearned, 
 from  all  who  chofe  to  fubmit  to  thofe  who 
 took  upon  them  to  be  their  guides  :  not  in- 
 deed by  forbidding  the  reading  of  the  fcrip- 
 tures,  as  in  former  times  under  the  papacy, 
 but  by  throwing  a  veil  over  them,  and  di- 
 8  verting 
 
[       28       ] 
 
 verting  men  from  fearching  into  them  fairly 
 to  fee  what  they  truly  did  teach,  efpecially 
 in  what  related  to  the  Divine  Unity,  and 
 the  real  charader  of  Chriil. 
 
 For  from  that  period  to  the  prefent  day, 
 in  all  proteftant  communities,  in  the  churches 
 of  Scotland  and  England,  and  among  Luthe- 
 rans and  Calvinifts  upon  the  continent,  their 
 firfl  care  and  principal  labour  has  been  be- 
 flowed  in  fecuring  and  guarding  the  Atha- 
 nafian  dodbrine  of  three  perfons  making  one 
 God,  by  compofing  public  Confeffions,  Ar- 
 ticles of  faith  and  Catechifms,  for  this  pur- 
 pofe ;  to  which  all  minifters  of  religion  were 
 bound  to  fubfcribe,  and  conform  their  pub- 
 lic teachings  and  preaching,  at  their  peril. 
 
 According  to  thefe  prefcribed  formularies, 
 youth  were  to  be  taught  the  elements  of 
 chriftianity;  and  inftead  of  laying  the  greateft 
 weight,  where  Chrift  laid  it,  on  piety  to  God, 
 love  and  kindnefs  to  men,  and  integrity 
 and  fincerity  in  their  whole  condud: :  cer- 
 tain myfterious  dodtrines,  particularly  con^ 
 cerning  Chrift  being  the  moft  high  God, 
 were  recommended  and  infifted  on  as  the 
 very  foundation  of  the  gofpel,  without  which 
 the  whole  fabric  n;uft  fall  to  the  ground, 
 
 Apd 
 
[     29     ] 
 
 And  they  were  Infer uded  to  look  upon  thofe 
 who  held  the  contrary  fen timents  with  hor- 
 ror,  as  perfons  whofe  converfation  was  to  be 
 fliunned  and  avoided ;  and  for  a  long  time 
 no  State  would  tolerate  fuch  men,  or  allow 
 them  to  worlhip  God  in  their  own  way,  and 
 fometimes  would  not  permit  them  to  ftay  in 
 their  country. 
 
 Public  ledures  have  been  eftablijfhed  and 
 ftipends  annexed  to  the  preachers  of  them^ 
 not  to  encourage  men  in  the  ftudy  of  the 
 Scriptures,  and  in  Interpreting  them  In  the 
 fenfe  that  approved  Itfelf  to  their  own  judg- 
 ments, but  in  agreement  with  that  which 
 was  didated  by  others.  Such  is  the  Lady 
 Moyer's  ledure  in  this  metropolis,  with 
 fome  appointments  of  the  like  fort  among 
 DiiTenters.  And  fuch  is  that  more  recently 
 inftituted  in  the  Univerfity  of  Oxford  by 
 Mr.  Bampton  (L). 
 
 The  authorized  forms  of  prayer  or  litur- 
 gies In  ufe  in  all  the  eftabliilied  churches  of 
 
 Europe, 
 
 (Z)  Extraa  from  the  laft  Will  and  Teflament  of  the 
 late  Rev.  John  Bampton,  Canon  of  Salifbury. 
 
 "  I  give  and  bequeath  my  Lands  and  Eftates  to  the 
 *'  Chancellor,  Mailers  and  Scholars  of  the  Univerfity  of 
 
 **'  Oxford  forever * -tathe  endowment  of  Eight 
 
 "  Divinity 
 
t     30     ] 
 
 Europe,  are  all  framed  on  this  plan  ♦  in 
 which  two  other  perfons  are  worfhiped  as 
 gods,  together  with  the  fupreme  Father,  who 
 is  God  alone,  bleffed  for  ever.  And  private 
 manuals  of  devotion,  as  might  be  expefted, 
 of  courfe  fpeak  the  fame  language.  From 
 thefe  circumftances  with  others  that  might 
 be  enumerated,  it  is  evident,  that  fuppoling 
 the  doftrine  of  the  Divine  Unity  to  be  the 
 truth,  it  is  at  the  leaft  full  as  difficult  in  all 
 the  great  civil  eftabliiliments  of  chriftianity 
 to  come  at  the  knowledge  of  it  now,  not 
 only  for  the  unlearned  but  for  chriftians  in 
 
 general, 
 
 **  Divinity  Lecture  Sermons,  to  be  eflabliihed  for  ever  in 
 *•  the  {aid  Univerfity,  and  to  be  performed  in  the  manner 
 *'  following : 
 
 «c 
 
 "  I  dire6t  and  appoint  that  upon  the  firft  Tuefday  in 
 Eafter  Term,  a  Leslurer  be  yearly  chofen  by  the  Heads 
 *'  of  Colleges  only  and  by  no  others,  to  preach  Eight 
 *'  Divinity  Lecture  Sermons  the  year  following  at  St. 
 *'  Mary's  in  Oxford,  the  laft  month  in  Lent  Term  and 
 "  the  End  of  the  third  week  in  A6t  Term. 
 
 "  Alfo  I  dire6l  and  appoint,  that  the  Eight  Divinity 
 *'  Leilure  Sermons  Ihall  be  preached  upon  either  of  the 
 *'  following  fubjecSis— to  confirm  and  eftablifh  the  Chrif- 
 **  tian  Faith  and  to  confute  all  Heretics  and  Schifmatics — 
 *'  upon  the  Divine  Authority  of  the  Holy  Scriptures — 
 **  upon  the  Authority  of  the  Writings  of  thp  primitive 
 
 <'  Fathers 
 
t     3»     1 
 
 general,  as  it  was  at  the  beginning  of  the 
 Reformation. 
 
 But  what  is  chiefly  to  be  lamented,  be- 
 caufe  therein  writers  feem  to  have  been  left 
 more  at  liberty ;  learned  and  worthy  men, 
 who  have  taken  laudable  pains  in  illuftrating 
 th^  facred  writings,  have  not  been  fufficiently 
 attentive  and  difengaged  from  narrow  preju- 
 dice in  their  commentaries  and  annotations, 
 fo  as  to  give  the  plain  and  jufl  fenfe  of  thofe 
 writings  5  but  have  difcovered  a  laboured  par- 
 tiality to  interpret  every  thing  exaftly  in  con- 
 formity to  the  Athanafian  doftrine,  maintain- 
 ed in  the  church  of  Rome,  and  embraced  by 
 
 all 
 
 **  Fathers  as  to  the  faith  and  praclice  of  the  primitive 
 *'  Church — upon  the  Divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
 "  Jefus  Chrift — upon  the  Divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghoft — 
 **  upon  the  Articles  of  the  Chriftlan  Faith  as  comprehended 
 *'  in  the  Apoftles  and  Nicene  Creeds. 
 
 ''  Alfo  I  direct,  that  thirty  Copies  of  the  Eight  Divinity 
 *'  Le6ture  Sermons  fhall  be  always  printed  v^ithin  two 
 "  months  after  they  are  preached ;  and  the  Preacher 
 ^'  (hall  not  be  paid,  nor  be  entitled  to  the  Revenue  before 
 "  they  are  printed/' 
 
 See  the  Introdu6lory  Matter  before  Dr.  Bandinel's 
 Eight  Sermons,  preached  in  the  year  1 780,  at  the 
 Le6lure  founded  by  the  late  Rev.  and  pious  John 
 Bampton,  M.  A.  Canon  of  Salifbury. 
 
 The  clear  income  of  Mr.  Bampton's  Eftate  amounts  to 
 about  120/.  per  Ann, 
 
C     32     ] 
 
 all  the  proteftant  churches   that   feparated 
 from  her. 
 
 Of  this  forced  conftrudion  and  wrefting 
 of  the  Scriptures  from  their  true  meaning  to 
 favour  the  fafliionable  and  received  opinions, 
 I  fhall  produce  a  fev^  inftances ;  as  it  corre- 
 fponds  diredlly  with  my  delign  in  writing ; 
 and  fhall  contrail  them  with  the  better  ex- 
 ample of  Erafmus  250  years  ago  under  the 
 papacy,  which  but  very  few  proteftants  iince 
 have  had  the  courage  and  virtue  to  follow. 
 For,  whatever  were  his  private  fentiments 
 concerning  Chrill,  Athanafian ;  or  Arian,  as 
 they  have  been  commonly  prefumed  :  how- 
 ever dangerous  it  might  be  to  him  to  give  a 
 different  turn  to  pafTages  which  were  ufually 
 fuppofed  to  favour  the  orthodox  docflrine, 
 or  however  advantageous  to  fall  in  with  it  in 
 all  refpedls  :  we  never  find  him  ftraining  the 
 words  of  fcripture  all  one  way,  to  ferve  a 
 particular  purpofe ;  but  honeflly,  and  with- 
 out leaning  to  one  fide  or  the  other,  he  gives 
 what  appeared  to  him  to  be  the  real  words 
 and  the  true  fQixfc  of  the  facred  writers* 
 
 I  PROFESS  a  great  refpeft  for  the  memory 
 
 of  the  late  Dr.  Doddridge  of  Northampton, 
 
 2  thouo-h 
 
[     33     3 
 
 though  in  perfoii  wholly  unknown  to  me* 
 He  will  always  be  honourably  diftingulilied 
 from  ordinary  m.en,  by  his  eminent  piety, 
 modefty,  and  amiable  focial  qualities,  belides 
 his  learning  and  labours  in  the  inftrudlion  of 
 youth  in  literature  and  religion.  His  ^'  Fa- 
 **  mily  Expofitor,  or  Paraph rafe  and  Verii on 
 *^  of  the  New  Teftament,"  mud  have  coil: 
 him  prodigious  pains,  and  is  a  very  valuable 
 work;  fincerely  intended  by  him,  and  in 
 itfelf  calculated  to  promote  piety  and  the 
 knowlege  of  the  gofpel.  I  wifh  I  could 
 equally  praife  him  as  a  juft  and  fiir  Expoii- 
 tor  of  the  Scriptures  in  all  points,  without 
 prepofleffion  (/),  and  indifferent  in  his   re- 
 
 fearches 
 
 (/)  "  If  I  have  hit  upon  any  truth,  it  is  wholly  to  be 
 "  attributed  to  my  indifFerency  in  fuch  fearches  to  embrace 
 "  whatfoever  I  fhould  find,  without  any  regard  whether  it 
 ^'  were  for  the  advantage  of  one  fide  or  other  ;  and  not  to 
 "  any  ability  beyond  others."  Medes  Works,  p.  88 1. 
 Ep.  xcvi.  To  this  great  fcholar,  and  humble  man,  of 
 fuch  a  generous  love  of  truth,  it  was  given  to  throw  fmgu- 
 lar  light  on  that  moft  intricate  of  all  our  facred  books,  the 
 Revelation  of  St,  John,  And  him  alfo  we  have  to  thank, 
 in  thefe  latter  days,  for  firfl  opening  the  way  to  ret^ify  the 
 fentiments  of  chrifl-ians,  with  refpe61:  to  the  Demons  and 
 poffejfwns,  which  we  meet  with  at  every  turn  in  the  gofpel 
 hiftoryj  v/hicb  have  prejudiced  many  perfons  againft  the 
 
 D  whole 
 
[     34    ] 
 
 fearches  Into  them,  on  whatever  fide  the  truth 
 fliould  lie.  But  this  I  am  forbidden  by  his 
 manifeft  bias  and  aim,  which  he  is  at  no 
 pains  to  conceal,  to  turn  every  paffiige  in 
 favour  of  the  popular  doctrine,  however  dif- 
 ficult to  make  them  bend  to  it.  This  is 
 particularly  feen  in  his  dexterous  ufe  of  me- 
 taphyseal fcholaftic  language,  and  fubtilties, 
 unknown  to  the  facred  writers,  when  he 
 would  explain  away  the  true  meaning  of 
 thofe  texts,  v/hich  fpeak  of  Chrift  as  am  in- 
 ferior being,  and  a  creature  of  God. 
 
 As  his  Family  ExpofitQr  is  in  great  requefl 
 with  the  members  of  the  church  of  Eng^land, 
 as  well  as  thofe  who  have  feparated  them- 
 feives  from  it,  and  contributes  to  keep  many 
 from  the    true    knov/lege  of  God   and   of 
 
 Chrift, 
 
 whole  of  it.  So  that  it  is  now  clear  and  evident,  to  the 
 fatisfaction  of  impartial  inquirers,  that  there  v/as  no  real 
 pofleffion  of  evil  fpirits  in  the  cafe,  but  that  what  is  fo 
 called,  was  merely  a  defcription  of  certain  perfons  under 
 certain  violent  difcafes,  epilepfie,  infanity,  &c.  in  the  com- 
 mon language  of  the  jewifli  people  j  who  had  learned  of 
 the  heathens,  during  their  captivities  among  them,  to 
 afcribe  fuch  difeafes  to  the  influence  of  demons,  /.  e.  of 
 tht  fippofed  fyints  of  dead  men  deified.  To  this  language 
 our  Saviour  of  ncce/Tity  conformed  himfeif  in  fpeaking  of 
 Xuch  difeafes,  if  he  ,would  be  underilood  by  his  countryiwen. 
 
t    35     ] 
 
 Chrift,  by  his  ftrained  interpretation  of  the 
 Scriptures  to  accommodate  them  to  the  Atha- 
 nafian  do6trine,  though  in  other  parts  it  may- 
 be read  with  much  information  and  profit ; 
 I  fhall  point  out  a  few  out  of  the  many  ble- 
 miflies  of  this  kind,  with  v/hich  it  abounds* 
 
 Mark  xlii.  32.  But  of  that  day  and  that 
 hour  knoweth  no  man  5  no,  not  the  angels 
 which  are  m  heaven,  Jteither  the  Son,  but 
 the  Father  ,*  or  (Matth.  xxiv.  "^6-)  niy  Father 
 only. 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge's  paraphrafe  runs  thus  : 
 
 But  of  that  great  decifive  day,  there  is 
 no  one  who  knows  the  precife  time,  nei- 
 ther the  angels  in  heaven,  neither  the  So?i 
 of  man  himfelf  with  refpeB  to  his  huma?z 
 naturcy  or  as  a  part  of  what  he  is  com- 
 '^  miffioned  to  reveal ;  for  though  it  be  de- 
 termined by  the  Divine  decree,  it  is  not 
 known  to  any  but  my  Father  alone,  or 
 the  indwelling  godhead.'' 
 Obfervation,     Initead   of  the   term    Son, 
 which  our  Lord  ufes  abfolutely^  and  thereby 
 evidently  denotes  his  whole  perfon,  and  there- 
 by likewife  defcribes  himfelf  in  his  higheft 
 
 P  2  charader 
 
 (C 
 
 ic 
 
 €€ 
 
[     36     ] 
 
 charafler  as  Son  of  God  -,  the  DocSor  changes 
 it  to  So72  of  77ian,  to  favour  his   notion  of 
 Chrift  poffeffing  two  natures,  a  divine  and 
 human  nature,  fo  compounded  as   to  make 
 him  God  and   man  at  the  fame  time  3  and 
 this  alfo,  that  he  might  be  able   to  fay  that 
 Chrift  here  fpoke  only  with   refped:  to  his 
 human  nature.     By  which  management  he 
 makes  our  Lord  affert,  that  he  did  not  know 
 a  things  the  day  of  judgment  for  inftance, 
 as  man^  or  as  fuch  was  not  commiffioned  to 
 reveal  it,  whilft  at  the  fame  time  he  really 
 did  know  it  as  God,     And  then  after  all  to 
 iinifh  this  dark  bulinefs,  which  at  the  beft 
 has  but  a  very  ugly  appearance,  a  new  name 
 is  invented  for  the  Father,  ftiling  him,  the. 
 i?idwelling  godhead. 
 
 To  fuch  quibbling  arts,  which  refled;  no 
 fmall  difhonour  on  Chrift's  charadler,  and  to 
 the  ufe  of  thefe  fcholaftic  unintelligible  terms, 
 are  they  reduced,  who  want  fupport  for  a 
 '  twofold  or  threefold  deity  of  their  own  in- 
 vention, not  content  with  the  iingle  ever 
 bleffed  Parent  of  the  univerfe,  who  is  God 
 alone y  and  no  other  befides  him. 
 
 Erafmus  thus  fairly  gives  the  fenfe  of  our 
 
 Saviour's  words  in  his  paraphrafe  upon  them, 
 
 5  without 
 
[    37    ] 
 
 without  any  fuch  refer ve  or  refinement,  and 
 without  regarding  whether  it  made  for  or 
 againft  the  dodl'rines  in  vogue.  '*  Be  ye  not 
 carefull  to  know  certaynely  when  that 
 fame  lafl  day  fhall  cum,  forafmuche  as  it 
 **  is  not  geven  unto  the  angels  to  knowe  it : 
 **  no  nor  yet  to  the  Sonne  himfelf.  For 
 *^  the  Father  hath  referved  this  fecrete 
 *^  knovvlege  to  himfelf  alone."  I  keep  to 
 the  old  Englifh  tranflation,  made  in  the  reign 
 of  Edward  VI.  and  by  him  recommended  to 
 be  in  the  ftudies  of  Divines.  Q^Elizabeth, 
 in  the  beginning  of  her  reign,  ordered  it 
 to  be  put  in  all  parifh-churches  for  all  per- 
 fons  to  read  it. 
 
 John  xiv.  28. — For  my  Father  is  greater 
 than  /.  Our  Lord  fays  this,  not  with  a  view 
 of  comparing  himfelf  to  God ;  for  fuch  a 
 thought  could  never  enter  into  his  humble 
 and  pious  mind  :  but  perceiving  his  chofen 
 difciples  overwhelmed  with  forrow  and  de- 
 jedion  on  account  of  his  being  foon  to  be 
 taken  away  from  them,  for  their  encourage- 
 ment, he  tells  them,  that  they  ought  rather  to 
 rejoice,  as  it  would  be  a  happy  change  to 
 
 D  3  himfelf, 
 
[     38     ] 
 
 himfelf,  and  alio  as  he  fhould  leave  them  in 
 the  hands  of  a  far  more  powerful  friend  and 
 protedlor-— yir  my  Father  is  greater  than  I, 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge's  paraphrafe  upon  the  words 
 is  ;— for  my  Father,  whofe  fervant  I  am  as 
 Mediator,  is  in  that  reJpeB  greater  than  me. 
 
 This  is  not  to  interpret,  but  to  pervert 
 and  contradi6t  the  words  of  Chrift. 
 
 For  he  fays  of  himfelf,  without  any  li- 
 mitation, my  Father  is  greater  than  /.  No  : 
 replies  Dr.  Doddridge ;  it  is  not  intirely  and 
 abfolutely  fo.  The  Father  is  not  greater  than 
 Chrift,  but  in  one  refpefl:.  Had  any  one  of 
 thofe  who  were  prefent,  when  our  Lord  ut- 
 tered thefe  words,  the  forward  difciple  Pe- 
 ter, for  example,  flood  forth,  and  told  him  5 
 that  what  he  had  fpoken  of  his  own  infe- 
 riority v/as  true  only  in  one  refpedt,  and  that 
 otherwife,  he  was  as  great  as  his  Father,  as 
 great  as  God  himfelf  *,  it  may  be  left  to 
 the  reader  to  imagine,  what  anfwer  the 
 apoftle  would  have  received  from  his  mafler. 
 
 Not  fo  Erafmus.  He  never  takes  fuch  li- 
 berty with  our  Lord's  words,  to  fuppofe  he 
 did  not  really  mean  what  he  faid.  **  Ye  are 
 *^  forrowful,  fays  he  in  his  paraphrafe  upon 
 ♦*  the  paffage,  becaufe  I  go  my  ways,  but 
 I  '  **  and 
 
[     39     ] 
 <'  and  if  ye  did  rightly  love  me,  forfocthye 
 <V 'would  rejoyfe  both  for  your  own  fake  and 
 
 *•  myne  :    for I  returne  again  to  my 
 
 *>  Father,  to  obtayne  for  you  more  excel- 
 ''  lent  gvftes  at  his  hande,  for  becaufe^my 
 ''  Father  is  greater  than  I  am :  and  from 
 ''  him  it  cummeth  what  thyng  foeverr  I  do 
 **  depart  v/ith  you." 
 
 Ads  XX.    2S.     "Tcike  heed   therefore   unto 
 
 yoitrfehes,  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  which 
 
 the  holy  Ghoft   {Spirit)  hath  made  you  over^ 
 
 Jeers,  to  feed  the  church  of  God  which  he  hath 
 
 pur  chafed  with  his  own  blood^ 
 
 Dr.    Doddridge    thus   enlarges   upon   the 
 latter  claufe  of  this  verfe.      '\  See  then  that 
 
 <«  you  be  careful  diligently  to  feed  the 
 
 ''  church  of  God  which  he  hath  redeemed 
 with  his  own  precious  blood,  gracioufly 
 becoming  incarnate  for  its  falvation,  and 
 fubmitting  to  the  fevereft  fufferings  and 
 *^  death  in  that  human  JiaturCy  which  for 
 ^'  this  purpofe  he  united  to  the  divined 
 
 To  this  paraphrafe  he  fubjoins  the  fol- 
 lowing note  in  the  margin.  ''  How  very 
 </  little  reafoa  there  is  to  follow  the/fw  co- 
 
 D  4  ''  p^h 
 
€C 
 
 if 
 
 (C 
 
 (C 
 
 C   40   ]■ 
 
 pies,  v/hich  read  Kvpi^  Lord,  inftead  of 
 0g5?  God,  the  Rev.  Meffrs.  Enty  and  La- 
 vlngton  have  fo  fully  ffiewh,  in  their  dif- 
 pute  with  Mr.  Jofeph  Hallet  on  this' 
 text,  that  I  think  this  paiTage  muft  be  al- 
 *^  lovvcd  as  an  inconteftabl-e  proof,  that  the 
 blood  of  Chriji  is  here  called  the  blood  of 
 God,  as  being  the  blood  of  that  man,  who 
 is  alfo  God  with  lis,  God  manfefled  in  the 
 ^  flejld :  and  I  cannot  but  apprehend  that  it 
 was  by  the  fpecial  direction  of  the  holy 
 fpirit,  that  fo  remarkable  an  expreffion 
 **  was  ufed.'* 
 
 In  what  manner  the  fubjedl  was  handled 
 by  the  perfons  here  commended  by  Dr.  Dod-. 
 dridge,  I  know  not ;  but  I  think  every  at^ 
 tentive  inquirer  will  have  the  moft  folid 
 grounds  to  conclude  upon,  that  no  fuch  ex- 
 preffion as  the  blood  of  God  was  ever  utter- 
 ed by  the  apoille,  or  written  by  his  hifto- 
 rian,  St.  Luke,  in  this  place.  For  in  all  the 
 ancient  MSS.  of  befl  account,  the  reading 
 is,  the  church  of  the  Lord,  and  not  the 
 church  of  God.  In  the  moil  ancient  tranfla- 
 tion  of  the  N.  T.  neareft  the  times  of  the 
 apoftles,  i.  e.  the  Syriac,  it  is  the  church  of 
 Chriji,  /Th^vt  is  alfo  a  great  variation  in  the 
 
 readings 
 
r  41  T 
 
 readings  of  other  ancient  MSS.  2.%.the  church 
 of  God  and  the  Lord-,  the  phurch  of  the 
 Lord  and  God,  But  the  church  of  Gody  as 
 we  have  it  in  our  tranllation,  is  hardly  found 
 in  any  ancient  Mariufcript.  So  little  foun- 
 dation is  there  for  this  triumph  of  the 
 Doctor  upon  the  occafion.  That  there 
 fhould  be  fo  much  variation  in  the  ancient 
 MSS.  will  not  be  thought  ftrange,  if  a  cir- 
 cumftance  often  remarked  by  perfons  verfed 
 in  thefe  matters  be  attended  to,,  viz.  that  ia 
 the  ancient  copies  of  the  Greek  Teftament, 
 written  by  the  hand  before  the  ufe  of  print- 
 ing, the  words  God,  Lord,  Cbrijl,  were  thus 
 abbreviated,  OT,  KT,  XT ;  and  how  eafily 
 one,  might,  by  miflake,  be  put  for  the  other^ 
 will  appear  by  the  leaft  caft  of  the  eye.  So* 
 that — but  that  one  knows  that  it  is  a  part  of 
 our  frail  humanity,  to  believe  upon  the 
 flighteft  grounds  what  we  wifh  and  are  in- 
 clined to ;  to  be  moft  confident  often  where 
 we  are  leaft  affured,  and  endeavour,  by  vehe- 
 mency  of  affeveration,  to  make  up  for  de- 
 fect of  evidence — one  might  wonder  to  hear 
 this  worthy  perfon  aflert,  not  only  upon  a 
 point  fo  very  difputable,  but  where  there  is 
 the  greateft  probability  that  he  was  in  the 
 
 wrong. 
 
r  42  1 
 
 Wrong,  that  he  apprehended  that  it  ivas  hp 
 the  fpecial  dire5iion  of  th^  Holy  Spirit  'that  fo. 
 remarkable  an  exprejjion  as  that  of  the  blood 
 of  God  was  ufed. 
 
 In  another  work,  {m)  it  was  ihewn,  from 
 a  note  of  Wetftein  upon  the  place,  that  the 
 very  oifenlive  expreffion,   the  blood  of  Gody 
 was  reprobated   by  the  famous   Athanafius 
 in  his   day,  as  one  of  the  extravagancies  of 
 the  Arians,    So  that  it  is  plain  he  knev/  no- 
 thing of  this  language,  in  which  Dr.  Dod- 
 dridge glories   fo  much.     The  fame  Writer 
 remarks,   that  fome  of  the  iirft  Reformers, 
 however  orthodox,  were  ftaggered  at  fuch  a 
 fhocking  phrafe.     Bullinger  WjDuld  not  fay, 
 God  died  iov  his  church,  but  the  Lord  Jefus 
 Chrlft  died,  and   cleanfed   it    with  his  own 
 blood.     And   Aretius,   that    the  church  of 
 God  was  pur  chafed  by  the  blood  of  ChrijL 
 They  were  not  then  fo  ready  and  expert  in 
 the  dodtrine  of  the  two  natures,   by  which 
 more  modern  Divines  can  do  fuch  wonders, 
 and  make  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  intend  one 
 thing,  while  they  affert  the  very  contrary. 
 
 L'En- 
 
 (w)  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology  forrefigning  the  Vicarage 
 of  Catterick,  p.  202,  203. 
 
[     43     3 
 
 L*  Enfant  and  Beufobre,  In  their  French 
 tranflation  of  the  New  Teflament,  in  a  note 
 upon  the  place,  fuppofe  the  apoftle's  words 
 to  have  been,  the  church  of  God^  which  he 
 fur  chafed  with  the  blood  of  his  own  fo72y  which 
 reading,  they  fay,  is  favoured  by  feveral  MS, 
 copies.  Erafmus  feems  to  have  adopted  this 
 reading,  or  to  have  thought  it  the  only  ra- 
 tional conftrudlion  that  could  be  put  upon 
 the  paffage,  which  he  thus  paraphrafes  : 
 
 Take  diligent  hede  that  Chrift's  fliepe 
 lacke  no  holfome  food,  and  not  to  play' 
 the  partes  of  wolves  but  of  faythfuU 
 fhepherdes  towards  Goddes  own  congre- 
 ^*  gation,  which  he  muft  not  neglygently 
 looke  upon,  forafmuch  as  God  did  fette  fo 
 much  ftore  by  it,  that  he  purchafed  it  by 
 the  bloud  fheddying  of  his  onely  be- 
 gotten fonne." 
 I  was  much  furprifed  to  find  the  late  Mr. 
 Bowyer  take  it  for  granted,  in  his  **  Con- 
 jectures on  the  New  Teftament,''  that  the 
 blood  of  God  was  the  true  reading  in  this 
 place  of  A6ls  xx.  28.  and  this  even  without 
 giving  any  account  of  the  ftate  of  the  evi- 
 dence upon  the  queftion.  For  he  makes  no 
 remark  at  all  upon  the  paffage,  but  in  a  note 
 
 on 
 
 it 
 
 << 
 
 « 
 
is    44    ] 
 
 oji  John  1.  I .  refers  to  it  as  a  proof  of  Chriil 
 being  ftiled  God.     The  whole  note  is  this. 
 
 *'  John  i.  I.  Ka;  0£o^  ^i/  o  Xc^o;.]  This 
 being  the  only  place  w  ere  Chrift  is  ftiied 
 God,  F.  ^oti  Gej^  riv  v  Xoyog,  as  Rev.  xix.  13, 
 cXoyog  m  0s^.  CrelUus.  Init.  Evang.  S.  Joan, 
 reftitut. — But  fee  Matth.  i.  23.  Acts  xx. 
 28.  Ronl.  ix.  5.  Phil.  ii.  6.  i  Tim.  iii.  15. 
 Tit.  ii.  13.  Heb.  i.  8." 
 
 This  truly  learned  and  very  worthy  perfon 
 has  here  likewife  indifcriminately  fent  his 
 reader  to  all  the  ether  texts  ufually  cited  to 
 prove  Chrift  to  be  called  God,  as  decifive  on 
 the  point  j  and  if  he  fo  efteemed  them, 
 which  we  are  hardly  allowed  to  doubt,  it 
 fliews  that  his  very  general  reading  and  at- 
 tention to  a  thoufand  other  matters,  joined  to 
 the  prejudices  of  education,  never  fuffered 
 him  to  examine  properly  into  the  meaning 
 of  the  Scriptures  on  this  important  fubjedl; 
 but  he  took  up  implicitly  with  the  vulgar 
 authorized  interpretations,  which  were  alfo 
 tbofe  of  the  learned,  Vv^ith  whom  he  chiefly 
 converfed.  This,  I  apprehend,  will  appear 
 by  a  careful  inquiry  into  the  true  ftate  and 
 fenfe  of  tbefe  paffages  produced  by  him, 
 for  all  of  them  will  be  found,  either  to  re- 
 late 
 
[     45     ] 
 
 late  to  God,  and   not  at  all  to  Chrifl:,   as 
 Matth.  i.  23.  Rom.  ix.  5.  Tit.  ii.   13  ;  or 
 to  be   falfe  readings,  i.  e.   plainly  not  the 
 words   of  the  facred  writers,  or  juftly  fuf- 
 ped:ed,  as  this  of  Afts  xx,  28.  and  i  Tim. 
 iii.  15;  or  wrong  and  ungrammatical  con- 
 ilrudlions  of  the  refpediive  paffages,  as  Philip, 
 iia  6.  Hebr.  i.   8.    Bp.   Pearce's  greater  at- 
 tention  and   accuracy  led   him    to  hefitate 
 here,  and  to  intimate  that  there  was  no  fuffi- 
 cient  ground  to  read  the  blood  of  God,  or  to  « 
 conclude  Chrift  to  be   called  God,  as  Mr. 
 Bowyer  would  have  it,  from  this  paiTage  of 
 Adts  XX.  28. 
 
 Wetftein,  fays  the  Bifhop,  {n)  has 
 taken  much  pains  -in  his  N.  Teftament, 
 to  ihew,  that  the  reading  of  Kupfj?  Lord, 
 (hould  be  preferred  before  that  of  ©s^r  God. 
 The  MSS.  vary  in  this  point  very  much. 
 Some  have  ©s^   God,   others  Kup/&r  Lord, 
 
 and  others  X^ig^s  Chrift ^agreeably  to 
 
 which  latter  reading,  in  the  form  of  con- 
 fecrating  Bifhops  ufed  in  our  church,  it  "is 
 faid,  that  *^  we  ihould  not  be  hafty  in 
 laying  on  hands,  and  admitting  any  per- 
 
 <( 
 
 it 
 
 fon 
 
 [n)  Commentary  on  the  four  Evangelifts  and  A6ls, 
 ^Jcc.  in  loCf 
 
t  46  ] 
 
 '*  fon  to  government  in  the  church  of  Chrift^ 
 *'  which  he  hath  purchafed  with  no  lefs  price  a 
 *^  than  the  effufion  of  his  own  blood,'* 
 
 Having  taken  the  liberty,  for  the  truth's 
 jTake,  to  make  thefe  free  remarks  upon  Dr. 
 Doddridge,  to  jfhew  that  the  common  chrif- 
 tian,  and  the  unlearned,  are  under  lefs  fa- 
 vourable circumftances  for  coming  at  the 
 true  Scriptural  knowlege  of  God  and  of 
 Chrift,  from  the  commentaries  and  para- 
 phrafes  of  Scholars  and  Divines  at  this  day, 
 than  they  enjoyed  from  the  great  Erafmus's 
 works  at  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation  :  I 
 fhall  hope  to  be  equally  excufed  the  free- 
 dom of  pointing  out  the  prevalency  of  the 
 fame  narrow  fpirit  in  the  members  of  the 
 eflablifhed  church  ^  of  which  I  iliall  pro- 
 duce one  or  two  further  inftances  from  the 
 laft  named  work  of  the  late  Mr.  Bowyer, 
 republiihed  by  Mr.  Nichols,  with  additio- 
 nal conjediures  of  learned  men  among,  the 
 laity  and  clergy. 
 
 Matth.   XX.   23. — hut  to  Jit  on  my  right 
 hand  and  on  my  left^  is  not  mine  to  give  ^  but 
 
 it 
 
[    47     ] 
 
 it  fhall  be  given  to  them  for  whom  it  is  pre- 
 fared  of  7?iy  Father. 
 
 Dr,  Owen  here  notes,  that' the  words  put 
 in  by  our  Englifli  tranflators,  as  they  thought 
 to  com  pleat  the  fenfe,  and  here  marked  in  a 
 different  charadler,  might  better  be  left  out, 
 and  the  whole  paffage  be  thus  rendered 
 agreeable  to  the  original  Greek ;  *Mt  is  not 
 mine  to  give  unlefs  to  thofe  for  whom  it  is 
 prepared  of  my  Father.'*  After  which  this 
 learned  perfon  adds.  *^  I  mention  this,  be- 
 caufe  the  common  verlxons,  by  introdu- 
 cing dabitury  it  foall  be  given,  have  injured 
 the  fenfe,  diminiflied  our  Saviour's  power, 
 and  given  undue  advantage  to  the  Arians 
 ^^  and  Socinians."     Conjeftures  on  N.  T. 
 
 P-  507- 
 
 The  excellent  Bp.  Pearee  had   made  the 
 
 fame  criticifm  before,  but  without  fuch  re^ 
 
 fleffion,  as  it  is  not  indeed  eafv  to  fee  what 
 
 ground  there  is  for  it.     If  by  Arians  and 
 
 Socinians  be  intended  thofe  who  do  not  hold 
 
 Chrift  to  be  the  moft  high  God,  it  will  be 
 
 difficult   to    fhew  how   the  alteration  pro- 
 
 pofed  fupports  the  contrary  opinion,  which 
 
 may  be  prefumed  to  be  that  of  Dr.  Owen, 
 
 viz.  that  Chriji  is  the  mojl  high  God,.     For  in 
 
 this 
 
 i( 
 
[     48     ] 
 
 this  amendment  of  the  prefent  verfion,  which 
 is  very  proper,  there  feems  to  be  no  change 
 in  the  fenfe  to  give  occaiion  to  fuch  great 
 exultation  on  account  of  it.  Our  Lord  ftill 
 declares  to  the  two  fons  of  Zebedee,  that  he 
 had  no  power  to  diftribute  the  honours  of 
 his  kingdom,  but  under  the  plan  and  direc- 
 tion of  God,  the  fovereign  difpofer  of  all 
 things.  And  herein  he  evidently  confefles 
 himfelf  an  inferior  being,  and  his  powers 
 under  the  limitation  of  Him,  who  is  fupreme 
 over  him,  and  ^over  all.  Dr.  Owen  alfo 
 would  have  done  well  to  have  recolledted 
 thofe  innumerable  paffages  of  the  gofpel- 
 hiftory,  wherein  Chrift  acknowledges  his 
 life,  his  doftrine,  and  all  his  powers  and 
 abilities  of  every  kind,  to  have  been  given 
 him  by  Almighty  God,  Which  afluredly 
 demonftrate  him  to  be  a  creature  of  God, 
 though  moft  highly  favoured  above  others  > 
 unlefs  you  recur  to  the  imaginary  doctrine  of 
 his  being  pofTeffed  of  two  natures,  by  which,^ 
 as  formerly  obferved,  all  thefe  difficulties 
 are  fuppofed  to  be  folved,  while  it  really 
 ^folves  none,  and  only  impofes  upon  the  un- 
 thinking and  unlearned,  by  words  v/ithout 
 
 meaning. 
 
r  49  ] 
 
 meaning,  and  without  any  countenance  from 
 the  Scriptures. 
 
 Let  us  hear  how  Erafmus  better  taught 
 the  gofpel  in  his  day.     '^  Jefus  was  content 
 
 *  that  they  fayde,  that  they  were  readye  to 
 ^  follow  his  crofle ;  but  as  touching  the  re- 
 ^  warde,  becaufe  they  underftode  not  what 
 
 *  they  afl<:ed,  and  becaufe  it  was  not  foi* 
 ^  that  tyme  to  commune  of  it,  he  fayeth, 
 ^  that  it  is  not  in  him  to  geve  them,  but 
 
 *  that  fuch    dignities   fhould  not  chaunce 
 
 *  but  unto  them  unto  whom  it  was  geveii 
 
 *  of  the  Father,  for  to  deferve  (by  deferv-* 
 
 *  ing)  the  chief  place  through  notable  and 
 ^  excellent  virtue.'' 
 
 Adls  vii.  59.  And  they  ftoned  Stephen, 
 calling  upon  GgJ,  and  faying.  Lord  Jefus, 
 receive  my  fpirit. 
 
 Upon  Dr.  Bentley's  aiferting,  that  the 
 word  God,  which  is  not  in  the  original,  was 
 left  out  by  a  flight  overfight  and  miftake  of 
 the  Tranfcribers,  the  late  Mr.  Markland 
 remarks ;  '*  It  is  fo  far  from  being  neceffary 
 to  underftand  G^ov  God,  after  sTTiKocX^iJu^vov 
 calling  upon,  that   it   is    quite   contrary  to 
 
 E  Stephen'^ 
 
[     50     ] 
 
 Stephen's  intention,  which  was  to  die  a  mar^ 
 tyr  to  t/je  divi?iity  of  jefus  Chriji,  So  that 
 it  is  him  only  he  invokes,  as  if  it  had  been 
 written,  B7riy.ocK^^zvov  \^tov  Kvpiov  Iijcr&riyl,  Kca 
 XsyovToc,  Kvpis  I^cr^,  Ssycci^  6cc,  calling  upon 
 the  Lord  Jefus,  and  faying^  Lord  Jefus ,  re- 
 ceive my  fptr  It,''  Conjed-ures,  &c.   p.  22 f. 
 
 There  is  no  ground  to  conclude  from  any 
 thing  related  concerning  Stephen,  or  fpoken 
 by  him,  that  he  knew  any  thing  of  what  is 
 here  called  the  Divinity  of  Chrijl^  or  that  he 
 confidered  him  as  any  other  than  a  creature  of 
 God,  highly  exalted  by  him.  Nor  does  it 
 appear  that  he  was  put  to  death  for  any  thing 
 but  maintaining,  that  Jefus,  of  whom  the 
 jewifli  people  and  their  rulers  had  been  (ver. 
 52.)  the  betrayers  and  the  murderers ,  was 
 Jieverthelefs  a  molt  righteous  perfon,  and  the 
 MetTiah,  the  great  prophet  whom  God  had 
 promifed  to  fend  to  them.  Nay  io  far  was 
 this  holy  martyr  from  afferting  in  his  fpeech, 
 which  brought  on  his  violent  death,  that 
 Jefus  was  the  moil  high  God,  that  he  dif- 
 tinguifhes  him  as  much  as  it  was  poffible  from 
 that  adorable  majefy,  by  introducing  the  pro- 
 phecy concerning  him,  and  defcription  of  his 
 perfon,  which  Mofes  their  divine  law-giver 
 
 had 
 
[    51     ]  ^ 
 
 had  given  them  many  ages  before  he  was  borr  j| 
 ver.  37.  that  he  was  to  be  [0)  afnan,  of  one  of 
 their  tribes,  whom  God  would  raife  up  ia 
 fome  future  time;  whom  they  were  to  obey. 
 
 Let  us  now  contrail  this  comment  and  in- 
 terpretation with  Erafmus's  paraphrafe  upon 
 the  place,  who  follows  the  fame  conftruftion 
 as  Mr.  Markland.  **  Soone  upon  this,  fays 
 he,  they  began  to  ftone  Stephen,  who 
 jieyther  contended  agayne,  neyther  fpake 
 woordes  to  them  of  any  reproche,  but  made 
 to  Him,  who7ne  he  had  feene^  his  invocation^ 
 and  fayde.  Lord  Jefu,  take  to  thee  my  foule!" 
 Erafmus  fees  here  nothing  to  prove  the  di^ 
 ,  "vinity  of  Chrifly  but  is  very  naturally  led  to 
 conclude,  as  there  is  no  other  inftance  (/>) 
 but  this  in  the  Scriptures  of  any  diredt  invo- 
 cation of  Chrift,  that  therefore  it  was  only 
 the  imprefHon  of  the  heavenly  vifion,  with 
 which  Stephen  had  been  favoured  juft  before, 
 being  ftill  ftrong  upon  his  mind,  that  put 
 
 him 
 
 {o)  This  is  thai  Mafes^  which  faid  unto  the  children  of 
 IJrael^  (Deut.  xviii.    15.)  ^  prophet  Jhall  the  Lord  your 
 God  raife  up  unto  you^  of  your  brethren^  like  unto  me :  him 
 fhall  ye  hear,  A6ts  vii.  37. 
 
 [p)  Rev.  xxii.  20.  Come^  Lord  Jefus  !  This  is  aa  ad- 
 drefs  made  in  a  vifion,  v/here  Chrift  v/as  prefent. 
 
 E   2 
 
[      52      J 
 
 him  upon  Invoking  the  Lord  Jefus,  whome 
 he  had  feeney 
 
 The  fame  apology  which  has  been  made 
 for  Mr.  Bowyer's  hafty  interpretations  of 
 Scripture  in  what  related  to  points  of  efia- 
 bltJJded orthodoxy y  as  they  are  fometimes  called, 
 muft  be  applied  to  his  friend  Mr.  Markland, 
 This  very  learned  man  never  appears  to  have 
 had  any  doubt  about  thofe  myfterious  doc- 
 trines, which  he  had  been  taught  to  revere 
 in  his  childhood  without  underftanding  them. 
 And  the  bent  of  his  ftudies  afterwards,  from 
 which  arofe  his  great  and  accurate  claffical 
 knowledge,  led  him  quite  another  way. 
 This  Is  fpoken  with  all  due  refped  for  hig 
 excellent  talents  in  criticifm,  and  particu- 
 larly for  their  ufefulnefs  in  illuftrating  the 
 facred  text.  But  the  province  of  interpret- 
 ing the  Scriptures  Is  another  thing,  and  re- 
 quires a  very  dififerent  kind  of  application. 
 I  fuppofe  this  will  be  feen  in  the  following 
 note  of  his,  p.  528.  of  the  fame  work,  which 
 furnifties  a  frefli  fample  of  the  mift  which 
 the  learned  in  thefe  days  are  continually 
 throwing  over  the  true  charadler  of  Chrift 
 in  the  Scriptures,  and  which  prevents  many 
 
 from 
 
<c 
 <c 
 
 << 
 
 I    53     ] 
 
 from   ever  coming  at  the  right  knowlege 
 of  it.  • 
 
 John  vi.  PhlHp  anfwered  Jefus  ;  two 
 hundred  pennyworth  of  bread  is  not  fuffi- 
 cient  for  them,  that  every  one  of  them 
 may  take  a  little.]  He  feems  to  fay,  we 
 have  but  200  denarii  in  ftock ;  and  if  we 
 lay  it  all  out  in  bread,  it  will  not  be  fuf- 
 ficient  that  each  perfon  may  have  a  little. 
 See  Mark  vi.  37.  **  The  Creator  of  the 
 world  and  his  companions^  at  that  time, 
 probably  were  not  worth  f even  pounds  Jier^ 
 ling  all  together,''  Markland. 
 
 Pious  and  good  as  certainly  were  this  ami- 
 able perfon's  intentions,  had  he  fat  down 
 purpofely  to  devife  how  to  mifreprefent  and 
 difgrace  the  gofpel,  he  could  not  have  taken. 
 a  more  effedtual  method  than  by  adopting 
 fuch  fentiments  and  expreffions ;  of  which 
 there  is  no  precedent  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
 nothing  afluredly  in  the  pafTage  before  him 
 to  fuggeft  it.  One  wonders  his  own  mind 
 was  not  fhocked  with  the  utter  incongruity, 
 and  the  degrading  familiarity  of  fpeaking  of 
 the  Creator  of  the  world  having  twelve  Jews, 
 or  twelve  men  of  any  country,  for  his  com- 
 panions, and  travelling  about  in  poor  cir- 
 
 E  3  cumftances. 
 
[     54     ] 
 
 cumftances.  He  might  equally  have  faidj 
 the  Creator  of  the  world  was  a  babe  (Luke  i, 
 12.  1 6.)  wrapped  in  f waddling  clothes ,  and 
 lying  in  a  manger  -y  was  (ii.  8.)  circumcifed; 
 was  fubjeB  (ver.  51.)  to  his  parents  -y  increaf 
 ed  (ver.  52.)  in  wifdom  with  his  years  -y  was 
 faint  and  wearied  (John  iv.  6,  7,  8.)  with 
 having  taken  a  long  journey,  and  hungry y 
 and  thirjiyy  &c.  &c.  &c.  Surely  the  time 
 will  come,  w^hen  thefe  and  the  like  circum- 
 ftances,  in  which  the  bleiFed  Jefus  actually 
 was,  like  one  of  us;  and  his  conftantand  uni- 
 form declarations  concerning  himfelf,  and 
 thofe  of  his  apoftles  concerning  him,  will 
 bring  back  the  chriftian  world  from  acknow- 
 ledging and  worfhiping  him  as  the  world's 
 Creator,  who  was  in  all  refpecSls  a  humari 
 creature,  though  indued  with  powers  from 
 God  above  any  other  of  the  fons  of  men  ! 
 
 Where  authors  fpeak  from  afyftem,  v^hich 
 has  no  foundation  in  the  Scriptures,  they 
 will  be  fometimes  off  their  guard  and  incon- 
 fiftent.  Mr.  Markland  would  have  found  it 
 difficult  to  reconcile  the  following  jiift  re- 
 mark with  the  above,  without  fuppoling  /ui^ 
 Godsy  and  two  creators  of  the  world* 
 
 f^  Matth, 
 
[     5S     ] 
 
 «*  Matth.  xi.  25.  O  Father,  Lord  of  the 
 heaven  {ind  earth  /]  When  our  Saviour 
 has  occaiion  to  name  his  Father ,  that  the 
 Jews  might  not  poffibly  miftake  whom 
 he  meant  by  his  Father,  he  often  adds 
 fome  defcription  which  belongs  to  God 
 only  \  as  in  this  place,  hord  of  the  heaven, 
 &c.  which  the  Jews  knew  could  not  be 
 applied  to  any  other  than  the  one  true  God^ 
 the  Creator  and  Proprietor  of  the  world." 
 Markland'^  Conjectures,  &c.  p.  503.  Here 
 is  the  God  and  Father  of  all,  owned  to  be 
 the  one  true  God,  and  Creator  of  the  'world. 
 Would  Mr.  M.  then  have  us  to  underftand 
 that  Jefus  was  another  true  God,  and  Creator 
 of  the  world, 
 
 I  cannot  difmifs  the  fubjed  w^ithout  ob- 
 ferving,  that  Mr.  Bowyer,  upon  Romans 
 ix.  5.  fhould  not  have  quoted  Dr.  Whitby's 
 words,  from  his  ''  Paraphrafe,  with  Anno- 
 tations, on  the  N.  T.''  without  remarking 
 the  painful  inquiry  and  evidence  upon  which 
 the  Doctor  changed  his  fentiments  of  this 
 paflage  afterwards,  as  feen  in  his  Dij'quifti^ 
 ones  modejlce,  &c.  and  his  Reply  to  Dr.  Wa- 
 terland's  objedions  to  that  work.  Part  ift 
 and  sd.     Nor  fhould  an  accurate  critic  have 
 
 E  4  left 
 
[    56     ] 
 
 left  unnoticed,  that  this  moft  learned,  moll 
 truly  honeft,  and  venerable  writer,  in  his 
 treatife  entitled,  T^he  Loft  Thoughts  of  Dr. 
 Whitby ;  cojitaining  his  correSiion  of  fever al 
 faJJ<^gcs  in  his  Coinmentary  on  the  New  Tejia- 
 mcnt^  among  other  particulars,  in  which  he 
 corredls  his  former  interpretation  of  this  paf- 
 fage,  declares  his  approbation  of  that  readiiigy 
 which  is  mentioned  in  the  beginning  of  this 
 note  by  Mr.  Bowyer,  viz.  that  mod  proba^ 
 bly  the  apoftle  wrote,  whofe  are  the  fat  hers  ^ 
 of  whom  Chrijl  came  -^  of  whom  (or  whofe)  is 
 the  God  over  all,  bleffedfor  ever.  Nor  fliould 
 it  have  been  omitted,  that  this  reading  which 
 might  have  been  altered  by  the  High  tell  mif- 
 take  of  a  Tranfcriber,  in  putting  o  ccv  inftead 
 of  tdv  0,  is  defended  by  Dr.  Whitby,  p.  8o. 
 by  this  argument ;  **  that  the  apoftle  refers 
 ^^'  to  God  the  Father's  being  the  God  of  the 
 ^^  Jews,  and  peculiarly  knov/n  to  them,  and 
 **  related  to  them,  as  their  God  in  cove- 
 ^*  nant.  And  this  expofition,  adds  he  in 
 ^-  the  fame  place,  is  the  more  probable, 
 becaufe  this  phrafe  is  by  the  fame  apoftle, 
 in  this  epiftle  and  in  another,  plainly  re- 
 ^^  ferred  to  God,  the  Father;  as  when  he 
 '^^  fays,  Rom.  i.  25.  the  heathens  worjhiped 
 
 ^' the 
 
 4f 
 
[    57    ] 
 
 **  tie  creature  more  than  the  Creator ^  o;  sg'tif 
 
 ^'  svXoyrjTog  eig  r^g  oacovc/.g,    who  is  blejfed  for 
 
 '*  ever.     And  2  Cor.  xi.   31.    T!he  God  and 
 
 '*  Father  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chri/ly  og  eg;iv 
 
 *^  evXoyTjTog  sig  mg  oacovocgy   who   is  hleffed  for 
 
 **  evermore^  knoweth  that  I  lie  not.* 
 
 A  brief  confderation  of  Dr.  Doddridge's 
 f  roofs  from  Scripture^  for  the  two  fuppofed 
 natures  in  Chriji ;  referred  to  above. 
 
 Many  will  look  upon  it  as  a  needlefs  wafle 
 of  time,  to  take  any  notice  of  a  dodtrine  fo 
 groundlefs  and  chimerical  as  this,  which 
 alTerts  that  Chrift  v/as  a  Being  compounde4 
 of  two  natures,  a  divine  and  a  human  nature, 
 with  feparate  underftandings  and  faculties 
 belonging  to  each  of  them,  fo  that  what 
 might  juftly  be  faid  of  him  with  refped:  to 
 the  one,  was  not  true  of  him  with  refped 
 to  the  other.  As  it  is  however  a  folution 
 for  this  myftery  of  men's  own  making,  viz. 
 that  Chrift  was  the  moft  high  God  and  a  mor- 
 tal man  at  the  fame  time,  to  which  the  great- 
 er part,  learned  and  unleaaned,  fly  to  defend 
 it,  when  every  other  device  and  expedient 
 fails^  as  what  is  capable  of  reconciling  dired: 
 
 con- 
 
[     58     ] 
 
 contravdiftions,  and  of  j unifying  our  Lord 
 in  that  doable  meaning  which  they  would 
 fix  upon  him,  of  faying  that  he  did  not  know 
 a  thing,  (Mark  xiii.  32.)  when  he  really  did 
 know  it ;  I  fhall  not  think  much  of  exa- 
 mining, what  kind  of  fupport  for  the  reality 
 of  thefe  two  natures  in  Chrift,  is  brought  by 
 Dr.  Doddridge,  in  his  note  on  the  above  text, 
 Mark  xiii.  32. 
 
 I .  He  firfl  alleges  the  faying  of  the  facred 
 hillorian,  (Luke  ii.  52.)  xhTX'Jefus  increafed 
 in  "ivifdom.  Now  unlefs  you  will  fuppofe, 
 and  take  for  granted,  the  very  point  in  quef- 
 tion,  we  have  the  fulleft  evidence  here,  that 
 our  Lord  had  but  one  nature,  the  human  ; 
 or  at  leaft  that  St.  Luke  knew  not  of  any 
 other.  For  this  hiftorian,  having  firft  men^ 
 tioned  Jefus  being  born  of  Mary,  and  de-- 
 fcribed  him  an  helplefs  babe  in  arms ;  he 
 proceeds  to  give  a  Angular  proof  of  his  pious 
 turn  and  knowlege  of  the  Scriptures  at 
 twelve  years  old  :  After  which,  he  fays  no 
 more  of  him,  from  that  time  to  the  age  of 
 manhood,  but  this ;  Jefus  increafed  in  wif 
 dom  and  fiat  lire  'y  or,  as  it  may  more  juftly  be 
 rendered,  Jefus  increafed  in  wifdom  with  his 
 years  y  and  in  favour  with  God  and  man. 
 
[     59    ] 
 
 Can  any  one  with  truth  conclude  from 
 this  account,  that  the  evangelift  intended  to 
 teach  that  Jefus  was  any  other  than  a  hu- 
 man creature  -,  and  that,  like  the  reft  of 
 niankind,  he  gradually  improved  in  know- 
 lege  and  goodnefs  ?  If  I  come,  like  Dr. 
 Doddridge,  to  the  reading  of  this  and  the 
 like  portions  of  Scripture,  prepoffefTed  and 
 fortified  beforehand  with  a  full  belief  of 
 Jefus  having  a  divine  nature,  of  his  being 
 God ;  and  perfuaded  al fo  that  St.  Luke,  in 
 the  pafTage  under  confideration,  fpeaks  only 
 of  tie  e7ido%vments  of  his  human  nature  (to 
 ufe  the  Doctor's  w^ords)  being  communicated 
 to  him  in  a  gradual  manner  %  there  is  an  end 
 of  all  arguing  and  endeavours  to  come  at  the 
 truth.  I  muft  be  left  to  enjoy  my  own 
 perfuafion.  However,  we  learn  nothing  of 
 the  kind  from  St.  Luke,  that  Chrift  had 
 alfo  a  divine  nature,  and  was  the  moft  high 
 God  ;  but,  quite  the  contrary. 
 
 2.  The  Do6lor  next  produces  that  fayin? 
 of  our  Lord  to  the  learned  Jew,  Nicodemus ; 
 John  iii.  13.  No  man  hath  afcended  up  to 
 heaven^  but  he  that  came  down  fro?n  heaven^ 
 even  the  Son  of  man  who  is  in  heaven.  And 
 he  fuppofes  Chrift  to  intend  thereby,  that 
 
 '*  even 
 
[    6o    ] 
 
 ^^  even  while  he  was  on  earth,  he  was  in 
 "  heaven  at  the  fame  time,  as  he  was  every 
 **  where  prefent  with  refped:  to  his  Divifze 
 **  Nature  J' 
 
 In  another  place  {q)y  to  which  I  would 
 refer,  it  has  been  thought  by  fome  to  be 
 made  out  to  full  fatisfadlion,  that  the  words 
 in  queftion  hold  forth  nothing  of  the  kind 
 which  is  here  inferred  from  them  ;  but  are 
 thus  to  be  underflood  : 
 
 And  no  man  hath  ajcended  up  to  heaven"] 
 viz.  no  man  knows  the  whole  mind  and  will 
 cf  God  for  the  falvation  of  mankind  : 
 
 But  he  that  came  down  from  heaven]  viz. 
 but  I,  who  have  my  commiffion  from  God, 
 wbo  am  his  prophet,  his  meffenger,  the 
 Meffiah : 
 
 Who  is  in  heaven]  viz.  who  am  intimate- 
 ly acquainted  with  the  counfels  of  God.  (i?) 
 
 I 
 
 {q)  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology  for  refigiiing  the  Vicarage 
 of  CaLtterkfc,  p.  213  to  219. 
 
 (i^)  This  mterpretation  is  confirmed  by  John  i.  18  5 
 l^e  whole  of  which  is  expreiSve  of  the  fame  fentiment  as 
 this  of  John  lii.  135  and  0  m  £*?  top  sioATrost  th  ^Jtrpj,  tvho 
 is  in  tbs  hfam  aftbs  Father^  has  exadUy  the  fame  meaning 
 as  o  •»  £»  xoi  a^ccm,  who  is  in  heaven ;  and  fignifies  the  being 
 admitted  to  the  knowlege  of  fccret  and  gracious  defigns 
 ©f  the  heavenly  Father, 
 
[    6i     ] 
 
 I  did  not  know  at  the  time,  that  Raphe- 
 llus,  in  his  preface  to  the  firft  vokune  of  hia 
 **  Annotationes  in  Sacram  Scripturam,  &c." 
 had  fo  ably  defended  this  interpretation,  or 
 I  fliould  have  cited  him  for  it,  as  I  have 
 done  other  judicious  critics.  He  produces 
 a  very  learned  Frenchman,  Vatable,  hebrew 
 profeiTor  in  the  College  royal  at  Paris,  who 
 lived  at  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation, 
 (for  he  died  in  1547)  giving  this  fhort  but 
 comprehenfive  paraphrafe  of  our  Lord's  w^ords 
 in  this  place ;  Nemo  novit  res  celeftes  praeter 
 me,  i.  e.  No  man  is  acquainted  v/ith  the 
 counfels  of  God  fo  fully  as  I  am. 
 
 Indolent  and  fuperficial  inquirers  among 
 chriftians,  and  unbelievers  of  like  charafter, 
 may  objedl  to  fuch  a  conilrudion  of  our 
 Lord's  words ;  that  the  real  meaning  fhould 
 be  fo  remote  from  the  found  of  the  words. 
 But  where  perfons  ftudy  the  facred  writings 
 as  they  would  any  others,  and  as  they  ought, 
 to  underftand  them  thoroughly ;  examine  the 
 context,  the  perfons  fpeaking  and  fpoken  to, 
 and  compare  together  the  different  parts  of  a 
 book  fo  various  and  complicated,  and  reach- 
 ing  through  fuch  a  vaft  extent  of  ages  as  the 
 Bible  ',  all  whofe  parts  in  fome  meafure  cor- 
 
 refpond 
 
[  (>^  ] 
 
 refpond  with  and  are  dependent  on  e^ch 
 other,  and  the  fame  peculiar  phrafeology 
 running  through  the  whole,  treating  of  di- 
 vine things  in  language  appropriated  to  them : 
 fuch  perfons,  who  are  alone  the  competent 
 judges,  will  find  this  itnk  affigned  to  Chrift's 
 w^ords  natural  and  juft. 
 
 3.  Another  proof  of  Chrift's  poffeffing 
 two  natures ;  that  is,  of  his  being  the  mofl 
 high  God  as  well  as  a  mortal  man.  Dr.  Dod- 
 dridge derives  from  i  Cor.  ii.  8.  where  it  is 
 fpoken  of  the  Jews,  that  they  a^ucified  the 
 Lord  of  gIo?y,  His  argument,  for  this  he 
 does  not  draw  out  at  large,  is  founded  on  a 
 prefumption,  that  Lord  of  glory  is  a  fpecific 
 title  of  the  m.oft  high  God.  And  not  ven-* 
 turing  to  affert  that  God  could,  properly  fpeak- 
 ing,  be  crucifed,  he  has  recourfe  to  the  two 
 natures,  of  which  he  reckons  Chrift  to  be 
 compofed,  as  explanatory  of  the  whole  mat- 
 ter :  and  infers,  that  in  like  manner  as  he 
 had  fhewn  on  Mark  xiii.  32.  that  Chrift 
 might  be  f aid  to  be  ignorant  of  the  day  ofjudg^ 
 menty  jrom  his  not  knowing  it  as  man,  though 
 as  God  he  ivas  well  acquainted  with  it :  So 
 St.  Paul  might  fay,  the  Lord  of  glory  was 
 crutified,  although  as  fuch  he  did  7iot  fuffer 
 
 death  5 
 
[     63     3 
 
 death ;  not  in  his  divine y  but  only  in  his  hu- 
 man nature. 
 
 But  all  fuch  refinement  and  equivocation 
 the  apoftles  of  Jefus  abhorred  no  lefs  than 
 their  divine  Maifter.  There  was  no  occafion 
 however  to  call  in  the  imaginary  dodlrine  of 
 the  two  natures  to  account  for  the  Lord  of 
 glory  being  crucijiedy  as  the  difficulty  arifes 
 wholly  from  miftake.  For  as  the  God  of 
 glory  (Adls  vii.  2.)  fignifies  the  glorious  God, 
 and  (Eph.  i.  17.)  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jefus 
 Chrift,  the  Father  of  glory y  the  glorious  Fa- 
 ther, by  a  moil  common  form  of  conftruc- 
 tion  :  So  the  Lord  of  gloyy  lignifies  the  gloria 
 Otis  Lordy  the  Lord  whom  God  has  glori- 
 fied. And  how  the  holy  Jefus  came  to  be 
 pofTeiTed  of  this  high  title  and  preeminence, 
 this  lordjldipy  whatever  be  implied  in  it,  the 
 Scriptures  fufficiently  inform  us.  Phil,  ii* 
 8,  9,  &c.  Becaufe  Chrift  Jefus  became  obedi- 
 ent unto  death y  even  the  death  of  the  crofs  : 
 Therefore  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and 
 gracioiifty  beftowed  upon  him  a  ria^ne  which  is 
 above  every  name  :  that  in  the  naine  of  fefus 
 every  hiee  fdould  bow,  of  things  in  heaven,^ 
 and  things  in  earthy  and  things  under  the 
 €arth  ;  and  that  every  tongue  foould  confefs 
 
 that 
 
[    64    ] 
 
 that  Jefus  Chrift  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God 
 the  Father,  And  Ad:s  ii.  36.  Therefore  let 
 all  the  houfe  of  Ifrael  know  afjuredly,  that 
 God  hath  made  that  faine  fefus,  whom  ye  have 
 crucified,  both  Lord  and  Chri/i. 
 
 4.'  With  refpedl  to  the  laft  proof  of  Chrift 
 having  two  natures,  conftituting  him  man 
 and  God  at  the  fame  time,  which  Dr.  Dod- 
 dridge would  deduce  from  Adis  xx.  28 ;  it 
 has  been  ihewn  above,  p.  39.  &c.  that  there  is 
 fatisfaftory  reafon  to  believe  that  this — I  had 
 almoft  iA^  profane  language,  the  blood  of  Gody 
 was  never  made  ufe  of  by  the  apoftle  Paul, 
 nor  penned  by  his  hiftorian  St.  Luke ;  but 
 that  his  words  were,  either,  the  church  of 
 Chrifiy  or  of  the  Lord,  which  he  hath  pur- 
 chafed  with  his  own  blood  -,  or  the  church  of 
 God  which  he  hath  pur  chafed  with  the  blood 
 of  his  own  f on. 
 
 CHAP 
 
[    65    ] 
 
 C  H  A  P  T  E  R    II. 
 
 Of  the  promljing  State  of  the  Unitarian 
 DoBrine  in  England,  at  the  time  of  the 
 Reformation^  with  the  violent  means  ifed 
 to  fiipprefs  it, 
 
 STRYPE,  in  his  Memorials  of  Arch- 
 bifhop  Cranmer,  after  mentioning  fome 
 perfons  who  held  fanatical  opinions  about 
 grace i  and  the  privileges  of  the  Saints^  viz. 
 that  the  EleB  have  a  right  to  take  fo 
 much  of  the  things  of  this  world  as  may 
 fupply  their  necejfities,  &cc.  which  had 
 done  fo  much  mifchief  in  Germany;  ob- 
 ferves  farther,  p.  179,  in  his  account  of 
 the  year  1548  ^  that  **  there  were  other  here- 
 iies  now  vented  abroad,  as  the  denial 
 of  the  Trinity,  and  the  deity  of  the  Holy 
 Ghoft,  and  the  alTertion  that  Jefus  Chrift 
 was  a  mere  man  and  not  God,  becaufe  he 
 had  the  accidents  of  human  nature ^  fuch  as 
 hungring  and  thirfting^  and  being  vifihle  ; 
 **  and  that  the  benejfit  mca  receive  by  Jefus 
 
 F  ''  Chrift 
 
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{     68     ] 
 
 '*  Hnquiili,  renounce,  and  defpife  the  fald 
 *'  deteftable  errrors,  herefies,  and  abomina- 
 ble opinions :    granting    and    confeffing 
 now,   I.  That  the  blefled  Trinity  con- 
 **  fifteth  in  three  diftindt  Perfons,  and  one 
 **  Godhead;  as   God  the  Father,   God  the 
 **  Son,   and  God  the  Holy  Ghoft,  coequal 
 **  in    power    and   might.      2.     That   Jefus 
 **  Chrift  is   both  God  and  Man,   after  his 
 **  holy  nature  eternally  begotten  of  his  Fa- 
 **  ther,   of  his  own  fubftance;   and  in  his 
 humanity   was    conceived  by   the    Holy 
 Ghoft  incarnate  5  and  for  our  redemption, 
 being  very  God,  became  Man.    3.  That 
 by  the  death  of  Jefus  Chrift  we  be  not 
 only  made  partakers  of  the  Teftament, 
 '*  and  fo  difpofed  to  the  knowlege   of  his 
 **  godly  will  and  power,  but  alfo  that  we 
 **  have  full  redemption  and  remiffion  of  our 
 *^  lins  in  his  blood." 
 
 **  Then  he  fubfcribed  his  hand  to  this 
 confeffion  before  the  Archbifhop,  exhi- 
 biting it  for  his  adl: ;  and  lifting  up  his 
 **  hand,  befeeched  his  Grace  to  deal  merci- 
 fully and  gracioufly  with  him;  and 
 touching  the  gofpel,  gave  his  faith  that 
 he  would  faithfully  and  humbly  obey  the 
 
 *^  commands 
 
 €6 
 €C 
 
[    69     ] 
 
 **  commands  of  the  Holy  Mother  Church, 
 **  and  whatfoever  penance  the.  faid  reverend 
 "  Father  ihould  lay  upon  him/' 
 
 Soon  after  this  comes  an  account  of  two 
 excellent  perfons  burnt  to  death,  for  holding 
 the  like  opinions  with  this  man  5  for  Aria- 
 nifniy  as  it  was  then  called. 
 
 Thus,  by  promifes  of  life,  and  fears  of  the 
 moft  dreadful  fufFerings,  were  unhappy  men 
 dealt  with  and  prevailed  upon,  to  make  ab- 
 juration of  their  herelies,  i.  e.  to  difiemble 
 and  fpeak  contrary  to  their  inward  perfua- 
 lion.  For  hardly  any  one,  who,  on  fuch 
 good  grounds  as  this  AJhetoHy  believed  Jefus 
 Chrift  to  be  truly  one  of  the  human  race ; 
 or  who  believed  the  holy  GhofI;  or  holy 
 Spirit,  to  be  only  the  power  of  the  Father; 
 could  foon,  or  indeed  at  all  be  brought  to 
 believe  thefe  two  to  be  each  of  them  the  mofl 
 high  God,  and  equal  to  the  Father  of  all. 
 
 Plinyy  the  younger,  Is  the  firil:  upon  re- 
 cord,  who  fet  on  foot  this  method  of  judi- 
 cial proceeding  againfl:  chriftians,  in  com- 
 pelling them,  on  pain  of  inftant  death,  to 
 abjure  their  religious  opinions,  and  avow 
 the  dire<a  contrary  at  the  very  moment ;   in 
 
 F  3  which 
 
[    70    ] 
 
 which  he  went  on  to  ad:,  not  only  without 
 any  fenfe  of  God,  but  even  of  common  hu- 
 manity. 
 
 (r)  ^'  I  put  the  queftion  to  them^  fays 
 he  in  his  letter  to  'Trajan ;  whether  they 
 were  chriftians.  Upon  their  confeffing  to 
 me  that  they  were ;  I  repeated  the  queftion 
 a  fecond  and  a  third  time,  threatening: 
 "^  ah'b  to  punidi  them  with  death.  Such  as 
 **  ftill  perfifted,  I  ordered  immediately  to 
 ^*  be  led  out  to  fuffer.  For  it  was  no 
 doubt  with  me,  whatever  might  be  the 
 nature  of  their  opinion,  that  contumacy 
 ^*  and  inflexible  obftinacy  ought  to  be  pu- 
 **  nifhed." 
 
 What !  was  conftancy  in  what  they  were 
 perfuaded  was  the  truth,  and  agreeable  to 
 the  will  of  God,  to  be  called  a  contumacy 
 and  obftinacy,  for  which  men  were  not  to  be 
 fuffered  to  live  ?  ^*  There  is  here,  [s)  as 
 **  one   well   obferves^    the  mpft   enormous 
 
 ^'  and 
 
 a 
 
 (r)  "  Interrogavi  ipfos,  an  efTent  chrlftianl,  Confi- 
 **  tentes,  iterum  ac  tertio  interrogavi,  fupplicium  minatus : 
 **  perfeverantes  duci  juffi.  Neque  enim  dubitabam, 
 *r  qualecunque  efTet  quod  faterentur,  pervicaciara  certe, 
 **  et  ii)flexibilem  obftinationem,  debere  punlri." 
 
 C.  Plinius  Trajano  Imp.  S.  Lib.  x.  ep.  xcvii, 
 
 (s)  Bibllotheque  ancienne  et  moderne.  Ton\.  vi.  p, 
 344^ 
 
[  71  ] 
 
 and  complicated   iniquity   and    injufticc. 
 Would  P/iny  then  have  had  them,  if  they 
 were  chrifcians,   to  deny  it  ?  Was   it  juft 
 or  equitable  to  punifli  capitally,  men  that 
 *^  he  himfelf  owns  had  no  crime  whatfoever 
 **  laid  to  their  charge,  unlefs  it  was  their  iin- 
 cerity  and  courage  in  expoling  themfelves 
 to   death,  rather  than  utter  a  falfhood  ? 
 **  Where  was  the  wifdom  of  drawing  weak 
 and   unprincipled  men,    when  any  fuch 
 were  found  among  them,  to   tell  a  lie  in 
 order  to  fave  their  lives;  that  is,  to  fay  that 
 they  had  changed  their  fentiments  when 
 **  they  had  nothing  to  move  them  to  it,  but 
 the  menaces  he  had  thrown  out  againft 
 them  ?  Threats  and  penalties   convey  no 
 light  into  the  underftanding;  nor  do  I 
 fuppofe  that  P/my  believed  they  did." 
 The  real  truth  is,  this  admired  writer,  and 
 moft   accomplished  charader  of  antiquity, 
 with  all   his   politenefs   and  humanity,  for 
 which  he  is  juftly  celebrated   in  other   re- 
 fpefts,  was  here  a  mere  barbarian ;   fporting 
 with  the  lives  of  innocent  men,  out  of  nar- 
 row views  of  State-policy,  and  wholly  in- 
 fenfible  of   the  obligations  of   truth   upon 
 the  human  mind,  and  of  the  duty,  reverence, 
 
 F  4  and 
 
[    72     ] 
 
 and   homage,   which   it   owes  to  God,    its 
 Maker.     A  deplorable  evidence  of  this  was^- 
 feen  in  the  alternative,  which  he  propofed  as 
 ]udge  to  the  innocent  prifoners  brought  be- 
 fore him ;     either    immediate  death,   or  to 
 worfhip  the  image  of  hisMafter,the  emperor, 
 and  the  ftatues  of  their  other  gods,  as  a  teft  of 
 their   renouncing  the   chriftian   faith.      In 
 this    requifition,  he  mull  be  concluded    to 
 have  been  a  dark  ajid  grofs  idolater^  if  lin- 
 cere ;  or  otherwife,  an  egregious  flatterer  of 
 royalty y  and  little  lefs  than  an  Atheijl, 
 
 It  was,  however,  a  poor  temporary  triumph 
 over  the  truth,   that  was   thus  obtained   by- 
 heathen    or  by  chriftian  perfecutors.     And 
 how  little  likely  a  change  of  fentiments  fo 
 produced,  and  in  fuch  circumftances,  was, 
 to  be  genuine,  the  unhappy  Cranmer  himfelf 
 foon  gave  melancholy  proof,  which  is  well 
 known.    Although  he  did  all    that  mortal 
 could   do,    afterwards,    to    redeem    himfelf 
 from  the  difgrace  of  fuch  a  foul  ad:  of  dif- 
 fimulation,  and  to  repair  the  injury  he  had 
 done  to  the  truth  he  had  feemed  to  difown  ; 
 when,  at  the  flake,  he  aftoniflied  and  con- 
 founded his  unfeeling  and  exulting  perfecu- 
 tors, 
 
[    73     ] 
 
 tors,  by  firft  nobly  (/)  fcorching  In  the  fire 
 the  hand  that  had  figned  his  flital  recantation, 
 before  he  committed  the  reft  of  his  body  to 
 the  flames. 
 
 There  were  a  few  however  in  thofe  days, 
 who  abhorred  all  conftraint  upon  confcience; 
 who  better  nnderftood  the  nature  of  the  gof- 
 pel,  and  the  nghts  of  men ;  and  endeavoured 
 to  teach  others.     One  excellent  perfon,  a 
 
 foreigner, 
 
 (t)  The  following  curious  account  of  his  manner  of. 
 dying  is  given  by  a  worthy  and  humane  perfon,  and  no 
 ordinary  character,  a  Roman  Catholic,  himfelf  an  eye- 
 witnefb  of  it,  and  pitying  the  fufFerer,  all  the  while  his 
 wretched  religious  principles  forced  him  to  look  upon  him, 
 as  juflly  puniihed  here,  and  loft  for  ever. 
 
 "  Coming  to  the  Stake  with  a  chearful  countenance 
 *'  and  willing  mind,  he  put  oft  his  garments  w;th  hafte, 
 *'  and  ftood  upright  in  his  fhirt.  And  a  Batcheler  of 
 "  Divinity,  named  Elye,  of  Brazen  nofe  college,  labour- 
 ''  ed  to  convert  him  to  his  former  Recantation,  with  the 
 ''  two  opanifh  Friars.  But  when  the  Friars  faw  his  con- 
 *'  ftancy,  they  faid  in  latin  one  to  another.  Let  us  go 
 *^  from  him;  We  ought  not  to  be  nigh  him:  For  the 
 *'  Devil  is  with  him.  But  the  Batcheler  in  Divinity  was 
 ''  more  earneft  with  him.  Unto  whom  he  anfwered ; 
 *'  that  as  concerning  his  Recantation,  he  repented  it  right 
 *'  fore,  becaufe  he  knew  it  was  againft  the  truth ;  with 
 *'  other  words  more.  Whereupon  the  Lord  JVilliam 
 *«  cryedj  make  fhort,  make  ihort.     Then  the  Bifliop  took 
 
 "  certaia 
 
[    74     ] 
 
 foreigner,  it  will  be  proper  for  me  to  men-* 
 tion,  as  his  book  was  firft  publiflied  here, 
 not  long  after  the  times  we  are  treating  of; 
 and  ftill  more,  becaufe  he  was  an  Unitarian 
 on  the  trueft  grounds,  and  of  the  beft  prin- 
 ciples 'y  a  confeflbr  alfo  to  the  truth,  and 
 not  without  fome  fufferings  for  it  in  our  own 
 country,  v/hither  he  had  fled  for  ihelter. 
 
 [u)  **  That  one  thing  (fays  he,   referring 
 to  the  very  pradtice  we  are  arraigning)   *'  I 
 
 **  never 
 
 *'  certain  of  his  friends  by  the  hand.  But  the  Batcheler 
 *'  of  Divinity  refufed  to  take  him  by  the  hand,  and  blamed 
 *'  all  others  that  fo  did,  and  faid,  he  was  forry  that  ever 
 *'  he  came  into  his  company.  And  yet  again  he  required 
 *'  him  to  aeree  to  his  former  Recantation.  And  the 
 *'  Bifhop  anfwered,  fhewing  his  hand ;  This  is  the  hand 
 ''  that  zurote  it,  and  therefore  Jhall  it  firji  fuffer  punijh^ 
 *«  -mentr 
 
 *'  Fire  being  now  put  to  him,  he  flretched  out  his  right 
 <«  hand,  and  thruft  it  into  the  flame,  and  held  it  there  a 
 "  good  fpace,  before  the  fire  came  to  any  other  part  of  his 
 "  body ;  where  his  hand  was  feen  of  every  man,  fenfibly 
 *'  burnino^ ;  crying  vith  a  loud  voice,  This  hand  hath 
 "  offended.  As  foon  as  the  fire  got  up,  he  was  very  foon 
 ««  dead  ;  never  ftirring  or  crying  all  the  while.'' 
 
 Strype's  Memorials  of  Archbiihop  Cranmer,  p.  384 
 
 and  389. 
 («)  "  Illud  profe£lo,  quin  omni  prorfus  careat  ratione, 
 «  aflequi  nunquam  potui :  quod  qui  falfum  quid  impi-   ^ 
 «  umque  docuiiTe  videatur,  ut  palinodiam  canat,  adigen- 
 
 "  duni 
 
[    IS    ] 
 
 *^  never  could  look    upon  but  as  the  moft 
 **  unreafonable  of  all  ^  that  a. man  v/ho  is 
 
 '^  fuppofed 
 
 "  dum  putent,  prcxpofita   (fi  faciat)   impunitate.     Quor- 
 "  fum  id  qusefo  ?   Qii^e  utilitas  fuerit,  fi  declinandi  fup- 
 "  plicii  caufa,  reluiStante  confcientia,  fuam  haereticus  re- 
 '^  tradaverlt  fentcntiam  ?  lilud  unum  prsetexi  poteft,  quod 
 "  qui  eodcm  tenentur  errore,  ac  forte  latent,  ejus  exemplo 
 "  idem  fafturi   cum  animls   fuis  videantur,  erroremque 
 "  abje6ruri :  quin  etiam.  alius  alii  ut  idem  faciant,  au- 
 "  thores  futuri.     Leviffime  vero   impreflam  earn  perfua- 
 *-'-  fionem  effe  oporteat,  qus  tarn  facile  evelli  poffit.  Quid? 
 *•  nuUane  fubeat  fufpicio,  vitandi  fupplicii  caufa,  non  ex 
 "  animo  faclam  retra6lationem  ?  Non  hinc  potius  ad  in- 
 ^'  vidiatr.  accelTerit  plurimum,  fi  videatur  magiftratus  non 
 "  corpus  tantum  occidere,  fed  etiam  in  animi  macliinari 
 *'  perniciem  ?  Itane  autem  inermes  ad  debellandos  errores 
 "  fimus,  ut  ponendum  nobis  fit  in  mendacio,  in  fi<3:is 
 "  prae  metu   retra6lationibus  prasfidium?  Sed  dicat  ali- 
 **  quis :  '  minime  vero  hoc   agimus,   ut  qualemcunque 
 "  extorqueamus  palinodiam ;  fed  ut  haereticus  errorem, 
 **  non  tarn  ore,  quin  etiam  corde   agnofcat.'     Pracclare 
 *'  id  quidfem,  fi  modo  impetrare  poffis.     Verum  quid  fibi 
 "  volunt  hie  five  minas,  five  blandimenta  ?    Num  haec 
 *'  quidem   ad   voluntatem   expugnandam   valere    aliquid 
 "  poflint  ?    Sed  cum  intelle(5lu  res  eft :  il!e  neque  minis, 
 "  neque  blandimentis  mutatur.  EfEcere  hsc  non  pofTunt, 
 *'  ut  quod  verum  ante  videbatur,  poftea  videatur  falfum, 
 "  ne  fi  mutare  quidem  fententiam   vehementer  cupiat. 
 
 u  _ ^ — -Quod  fi  non  poteft  haereticus,  ne  fi  velit 
 
 "  quidem,  errorem,  nifi  cogat  ratio,  abjicere ;  quid  eftis 
 "  mifero  ut  mentiatur,  Deumque  in  eo  magis  ac  magi^ 
 **  offg^idat,  molefti."  Jcoiitli  Siratagcmata^  ^*  iy6 — 17^. 
 
[    76     ] 
 
 fuppofed  to  have  taught  any  thing  falfe 
 or  impious,  iliould  be  compelled  upon  a 
 promife  of  impunity,  to  make  recantation 
 of  it.  To  what  end  this,  I  pray  ?  What 
 advantage  can  be  propofed  by  it,  if  the 
 heretic,  for  the  fake  of  avoiding  the  pu- 
 nishment, retradl  his  opinion  againft  his 
 confcience  ?  It  may  perhaps  be  pretend- 
 •*  ed,  that  thofe  who  are  in  the  like  error 
 and  lye  concealed,  may  thus  be  wrought 
 upon  fincerely  to  renounce  it,  and  all  be 
 brought  by  degrees  to  follow  the  example. 
 But  they  muft  have  taken  up  their  fenti- 
 ments  on  very  flight  grounds,  who  can  fo 
 ealily  relinquiih  them.  Is  there  not  much 
 more  reafon  to  fufpedl,  that  fuch  renun- 
 ciation of  their  fentiments  may  be  made 
 merely  to  avoid  fuffering  ?  And  will  not 
 this  have  the  appearance  of  fomething 
 ^«  very  fhocking  and  opprellive,  as  if  the 
 magiftrate  aimed  not  only  to  kill  the  body, 
 but  to  lay  a  fnare  for  the  deftrudlion  of 
 *^  the  foul  too  ?  Are  we  then  fo  deftitute  of 
 **  armour  wherewith  to  encounter  heretical 
 *^  opinions,  that  we  muft  have  recourfe  to 
 **  lies  and  feigned  abjuration  for  our  defence 
 <*  againft  them  ?  It  may  be  faid,  that  this  is 
 
 *'  by 
 
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[  n  ] 
 
 by  no  means  what  is  intended,  to  procure 
 a  retraftation  any  how  of  fuch  opinions, 
 but  that  the  heretic  may  not  only  in. 
 words,  but  from  the  heart  abandon  them. 
 This  is  indeed  finely  fpoken,  if  it  can  be 
 accompliflied.  But  what  mean  thofe  fierce 
 threatenings  on  the  one  hand,  and  flatter- 
 ing promifes  on  the  other  ?  Thefe  may 
 indeed  contribute  to  overcome  and  influ- 
 ence the  will  and  inclinations  :  but  the 
 great  bufinefs  is  with  the  underflanding. 
 This  cannot  be  affecfled  by  menaces  or  the 
 moft  engaging  allurements.  They  cannot 
 make  that  which  before  appeared  to  be 
 true,  to  appear  falfe,  how  much  foever  a 
 
 man  may  defire  it. But  if  this 
 
 cannot  be  done  5  and  an  heretic  however 
 earneilly  he  wilh  it,  cannot  quit  his  here- 
 fy  but  by  conviftion  of  ftronger  argument 
 againft  it,  why  flaould  you  folicit  and 
 importune  the  miferable  man  to  lie,  and 
 thereby  more  offend  both  God  and  man  ?'* 
 This  is  taken  from  Acontius's  Stratagems  of 
 Satan 'y  a  valuable  work,  little  known,  compof- 
 ed  in  a  fluent  latin  ftile,  the  language  of  the 
 learned  univerfallyatthetime.  I  cannot  readi- 
 ly give  a  higher  charafler  gf  it,  than  by  men- 
 tioning, 
 
C   78   ] 
 
 ■tioning,  that  in  our  ftruggles  for  religioti^ 
 liberty,  firftagainft  Charles  I.  andArchbifhop 
 Laud  and  his  brethren ;  next  againft  the 
 Affembly  of  (Prefbyterian)  Divines,  fupport- 
 ed  by  the  Long  Parliament :  to  allay  thofe 
 violent  heats  and  intolerant  animofities  that 
 were  then  kindled  on  all  fides,  fome  unknown 
 friend  to  truth  and  to  mankind  ftarted  up, 
 and  tranflated  into  englifh,  and  published, 
 the  third  book  of  this  treatife.  And  not 
 many  years  before,  perhaps  by  the  fame  hand, 
 undoubtedly  with  the  fame  chriftian  bene- 
 volent view,  the  original  in  latin  had  been 
 handfomely  printed  at  Oxford,  to  the  honour 
 of  that  Univerfity,  with  an  emblematic 
 Frontifpiece  engraved  before  it,  and  this  title 
 in  engliili :  (I  give  the  latin  in  the  mar- 
 gin) {w). 
 
 a  he  Stratagems  of  Satan,  In  Right  Books, 
 Firji  publijhed  ahnojl  feveiity  years  ago^  and 
 then  dedicated  to  the  mojl  illujirious  ^een 
 
 Elizabeth, 
 
 {w)  Stratagemata  Satan^.  Libri  O6I0.  Quos 
 Jacobus  Acontius  Vir  fummi  judlcii  nee  minoris 
 pietatis,  annis  abhinc  pene  70  primum  edidit  et  fereniffi- 
 mae  Reginae  Elizabeth-^:  infcripfit.  Editio  iterata  et 
 emendata.  ServaU  unitatem  fpiritus  in  vinculo  pacts*  ^ 
 OxoNii,  1631. 
 
[   n   ] 
 
 Elizabeth,  By  James  Acontius,  aman 
 of  confum??tate  judgment  and  eminejit  piety. 
 A  new  and  corred:  Edition,  i^eep  the  unity 
 of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  Oxford, 
 1631. 
 
 Acontius  himfelf,  or  Giaco?no  Contioy  as 
 Bayle  writes  his  name,  was  an  Italian,  a  na- 
 tive of  Trent  ^  a  place  famous  for  the  cele- 
 brated council  held  there.  He  informs  us 
 in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  printed  at  the  end  of 
 his  Stratagems,  that  he  had  been  bred  up 
 to  the  ftudy  of  the  {U)  law,  and  had  afterwards 
 fpent  a  great  part  of  his  life  in  a  court:  not  how- 
 ever baikingin  its  luxurious  eafe  andblandifh- 
 ments  ^  but  engaged  in  the  duties  of  a  labo- 
 rious department.  In  the  Dedication  of  his 
 book  to  Q^  Elizabeth,  and  in  a  dedicatory 
 
 epiftle 
 
 {h)  It  is  in  fpeaking  of  the  diiHculty  he  met  with  lii 
 tranflating  into  latin  a  treatife  on  Fortifications,  which 
 he  had  formerly  penned  in  Italian,  where  he  fays  with  ele^ 
 gant  fimplicity;  Mitto  difficultatem  nova  inventa  lat'in'i's 
 verbis  exprhfiendi,  homlni prafertim  qui  bona  v'ltce parte  Inter 
 Bartoli,  Baldi,  et  ejus  farina  hominum  fordes  confumpia, 
 muhifque  a'nnis  aidlca  vita^  fed  minime  tamen  otioja  datis^ 
 fcra  udmodum  adpoUtior^s  mufas  accejprit* 
 
[    8o    ] 
 
 epiftle  to  another  work,  (c)  cited  by  Bayle, 
 he  fpeaks  of  hi§  being  an  exile  from  his  na- 
 tive country,  for  the  fake  of  the  gofpel.  He 
 left  it  in  1557.  The  above  named  letter 
 mentions  his  having  been  fome  time  fettled 
 in  England,  in  December  1562,  when  it  was 
 dated ;  and  enjoying  by  the  Queen^s  liberality 
 fome  em^ployment  about  fortifications  ;  hav- 
 ing formerly  turned  his  ftudies  that  way,  and 
 being  admirably  fitted  for  it  by  his  ficill  in 
 mathematics. 
 
 His 
 
 (f )  In  this  laft,  he  thus  addrefles  his  friend,  Francis 
 Beiti,  a  Roman.  "  The  laborious  and  anxious  employ- 
 •*  ment,  in  which  we  have  long  been  engaged  together,  the 
 *'  flmilarity  of  our  ftudies  and  indinations,  and  what  is 
 *^  above  all,  our  union  of  fentimcnt  in  religion,  and  the 
 "  refolution  we  have  taken  of  abandoning  our  native 
 "  country  for  the  fake  of  it,  have  knit  us  together  in  the 
 "  deareft  and  moft  indiffoluble  bonds  of  friendfhip. — Com- 
 ''  munes  fere  quos  diu  fuftinuimus  labores  ac  folicitu- 
 **  dines,  eadem  propemodum  ftudia,  idem  velle  ac  nolle, 
 ♦*  et  quod  omnia  fuperat,  eadem  de  religione  fententia, 
 ♦*  idemque  fumptum  relinquendas  ob  eam  rem  patriae 
 ♦*  confdium,  ita  ar6to  nos  vinculo  conjunxerunt,  ut  con- 
 "  jun£tius  jam  nihil  eile  poteft."  How  fruitful  was 
 Italy  at  that  period,  not  only  in  men  learned  and  in- 
 genious, but  of  eminent  piety  and  virtue,  who  gave  up 
 every  thing  tg  enjoy  the  purity  of  Chrill's  reiigion ! 
 
[     Si     ] 
 
 Kis  Stratagems  befpeak  him  to  have  been 
 a  firm  believer  in  the  Divine  U^ity.  In  one 
 place  indeed,  p.  no.  he  ftiles  Chrift  God  : 
 but  it  is  w^ell  knov/n  v^ith  what  latitude  that 
 term  has  been  ufed  by  many  chriftians,  and 
 particularly  that  thofe  v/ho  at  that  time  held 
 Chrift  to  be  only  a  man  endued  with  extra-^ 
 ordinary  divine  powers,  made  no  fcruple  of 
 calling  him  God  on  account  of  his  divine 
 powers  and  authority.  Although  it  would 
 have  been  better  to  have  abftained  from  it^ 
 as  it  is  not  the  language  of  Scripture;  and 
 is  calculated  to  miflead  the  ignorant  and 
 unwary. 
 
 In  London,  our  Italian  tecame  a  member 
 of  the  Dutch  church  in  Auftin  Friers  ^  where 
 he  came  under  fome  trouble  for  his  opinions 
 from  the  Bifhop  of  London,  who  had  the 
 fuperintendence  of  the  churches  of  foreign- 
 ers. Strype,  having  mentioned  their  chief 
 Elder,  and  Minifters,  one  of  whom  was 
 Hadrian  Hamjied,  tells  us,  [d)  *'  There  were 
 **  at  this  time  other  learned  foreigners  be- 
 **  longing  to  this  church ;  one  whereof  was 
 *'  Jacobus  Acontius'^  who,  with  Hamjledy  was 
 
 ^*  touched 
 
 (d)  Strype's  Life  ofGrlndall,  p^  42^ 
 G  . 
 
I       S2      ] 
 
 touched  with  Anabaptifiical  and  Avian 
 principles ;    and    had    divers    followers, 
 fhrowding    themfelves   under   the   wings 
 *'  of  this  church." 
 
 Their  chief  Anabaptifiical  principle,  fooa 
 after  explained  by  our  hiftorian,  was,  **  that 
 ^'  Chrift  took  not  flefli  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
 **  but  brought  it  dovN^n  from  heaven/'  This 
 was  held  by  the  Dutch  Anabaptifts.  And, 
 as  he  proceeds  to  relate,  {e)  ^'  being  otherwife 
 outwardly  fober  and  quiet  men,  and  pre- 
 tending {profeffmg  rather)  zealoufly  to  be- 
 lieve and  worfhip  Chrift,  and  to  expedt 
 falvation  by  him ;  the  abovefaid  Hadrian 
 took  their  parts,  and  laboured  much  for 
 their  peaceable  and  quiet  fubfiftence,  and 
 enjoyment  of  their  opinions  till  they  were 
 further  enlightened.  And  he  declared 
 how  this  gentle  behaviour  towards  them 
 was  the  likelieft  way  to  win  them  from 
 their  error.  Hadrian  himfelf  was  a  fober 
 and  pious  man,  and  gave  himfelf  out  to 
 be  no  Anabaptijl  in  his  own  judgment ; 
 but  firmly  held  that  Chfift's  taking  flefh 
 of  the  Virgin,  was  a  thing  neceffary  to. 
 falvation.     But  he  was  for  tolerating  thefe 
 
 ^^  men 
 
 (e)  Id.  Ibid.  p.  43. 
 
[     83     3 
 
 *'  men  that  held  the  contrary  ^  and  wrote 
 **  a  paper  confifting  of  various  arguments 
 **  for  the  fame.  Wherein  he  ran  out  into 
 **  many  dangerous  expreffions,  and  vented 
 **  divers  unfound  tenets/' 
 
 It  is  nothing  furprizing,  that  a  plea  for 
 an  univerfal  toleration  of  chriftians,  however 
 erroneous  their  opinions,  who  give  no  juft 
 offence  to  the  ftate,  jdiould  be  reckoned 
 dangerous,  and  give  umbrage  at  that  time. 
 One  may  perceive  in  the  third  book  oi Acon^ 
 tiuss  Stratagems^  a  perfed:  refemblance  of  this 
 '  laudable  moderation  of  Hadrian;  and  this, with 
 his  avowal  perhaps  of  his  unitarian  fentiments 
 fomewhat  too  freely,  may  have  given  occa- 
 iion  to  what  Strype  farther  relates  (/).  **  The 
 Biihop,  [Gi'indair)  as  he  had  cenfured  the 
 aforefaid  Hadria?i,  he  did  the  like  to  ano- 
 ther learned  man  of  the  fame  church, 
 named  Jacobus  AcontiiiSy  a  favourer  and 
 adherer  to  this  man  and  his  opinions ; 
 being  withheld  by  the  Bilhop's  fentence 
 from  receiving  the  holy  facrament,  for- 
 *'  bidding  Loth  the    Dutch    or    any   other 
 
 *^  church  to  admit  him.'* 
 
 Grindall 
 
 (f)  Id.  Ibid.  p.  45. 
 G  % 
 
[    H   ] 
 
 Grindall  was  a  truly  pious  and  learned  man, 
 and  a  moderate  good  natured  Divine  :  but  the 
 temper  of  the  times  and  his  own  prejudices 
 would  not  permit  him  to  give  any  counte- 
 nance but  the  contrary,  where  the  Athanafian 
 dodlrine  of  Chrift  being  the  moft  high  God 
 was  called  in  queftion;  as  it  was  byAcontius, 
 and  by  the  greater  part  of  the  Dutch  Ana- 
 baptifts  at  that  time. 
 
 A  little  time  after  the  forced  Abjuration 
 of  Afheton  above  related,  in  1550,  Strvpe 
 reprefents  the  Unitarian  doctrine  as  fpreading 
 Jo  fafl'9  that  the  leading  churchmen  were 
 alarmed  at  it,  and  under  apprehenjions  of 
 its  becoining  the  prevailing  opinion.  His 
 words  are  very  remarkable. 
 
 "  Arianifm  now  ihew^ed  itfelf  fo  openly, 
 and  was  in  fuch  danger  of  fpreading  far- 
 ther, that  it  was  thought  necelTary  to  fup- 
 prefs  it  by  uiing  more  rugged  methods 
 than  feemed  agreeable  to  the  merciful 
 principles  of  the  profeilion  of  the  gof- 
 pel." 
 
 He  then  proceeds   to  give  an  inftance  of 
 their  putting   tliefe    their  cruel  unchriftian  ^ 
 
 refolutions 
 
[  85  ] 
 refolutions  In  praclice,  upon  Joan  Bocher, 
 on  Joan  of  Kent,  who,  from  her  connec- 
 tions, vvhich  will  by  and  by  "be  feen,  and 
 from  the  extraordinary  elForts  ufed  to  bring 
 her  to  retract  her  opinions,  would  fcem  to 
 have  been  a  perlbn  of  family  and  note. 
 She  appears  to  have  agreed  in  fentiment  with 
 the  Dutch  Anabaptifts  above-mentioned,  in 
 their  general  perfualion  of  Chrift  being,  not 
 God,  but  a  creature  ;  and  in  their  particu- 
 lar notion,  concerning  his  not  taking  fleih  of 
 the  virgin  Mary,  and  not  having  a  mortal 
 innrm  body  as  we  have:  thinking  it  an  in- 
 jurious  degradation  (C)  of  him. 
 
 The  Bilhops  Latymery  Cranmer^  and  Bur- 
 net after  them ;  mention  that  peculiarity  of 
 the  Anabaptiils,  concerning  Chrili's  body,  as 
 her  only  herely.  The  former  of  thefe, 
 who  was  one  of  the  Commiliioners,  (not 
 much  to  his  honour)  who  fat  in  judgment 
 upon  her,  fiys,  ^'  Her  opinion  was  this  : 
 '^  that  the  Son  oi  God  penetrated  through 
 '^  the  virgin  Mary  as  through  a  glafs,  tak- 
 *^  ing  no  fabfhance  of  her.  This  foolifh 
 '*  woman  denied  the  common  creed,  natiis 
 
 '*  ex 
 
 {€)  Neal's  Kiftory  of  the  Puritans,  p.  603  61. 
 
 G3 
 
r  86  ] 
 
 ^^  ex  Maria  virgine,  born  of  the  virgin 
 **  Mary^  and  faid  that  our  Saviour  had  ^ 
 "  fantaftical  body(D)." 
 
 But  Strype,  in  the  contents  prefixed  to  the 
 chapter  we  have  juft  now  cited,  wherein  he 
 fpeaks  of  her,  puts  for  one  of  its  articles — 
 yoan  of  Kent  promotes  Arianifin,  And  im- 
 mediately after  the  above  quotation,  he  goes 
 on  to  relate  that  it  was  for  this  that  fhe  fuf- 
 fered,  in  the  folio v/ing  words  : 
 
 **  One  Joan  Bocher,  or  Knel,  commonly 
 *^  called  Joan  of  Kent,  being  condemned 
 *'  for  this  herefjy  the  latter  end  of  the  lafk 
 *^  year,  a  warrant,  dated  April  27,  was  iffued 
 '*  by  order  of  Council  to  the  Lord  Chan- 
 *^  cellor,  to  make  out  a  Writ  to  the  Sheriff 
 "  of  London  for  her  execution,  to  be 
 *'  burned  for  certain  deteftable  opinions  of 
 ^^  herefy/' 
 
 How  it  was  that  this  worthy  perfon  pro- 
 moted, I  will  not  fay,  Arianifm,  but  the 
 right  knowlege  of  God's  truth,  has  been  re- 
 lated from  good  authority  in  another  place  ;(^ 
 
 but 
 
 [D)  Memorials  of  Archbifliop  Cranmer,  by  Strype, 
 p.  180. 
 
 [d)  Apology  on  refigning  the  Vic.  of  Catterick,  p.  43.. 
 Ed.  iv.  and  Strype's  Eccl.  Memorials,  vol.  ii,  p.  214. 
 
[    87    3 
 
 but  deferves  to  be  mentioned  again;  viz, 
 **  She  was  a  great  dilperler^of  Tindall's 
 *'  New  Teftament,  tranflated  by  him  into 
 ^'  Englilli,  and  printed  at  Colen,  and  was  a 
 **  great  reader  of  Scripture  herfelf.  Which 
 *'  book  alfo  (he  difperfed  in  the  Court,  and 
 **  fo  became  known  to  certain  women  of 
 quality,  and  was  more  particularly  ac- 
 quainted with  Mrs.  Anne  Afcue.  She 
 *^  ufed,  for  the  more  fecrefy,  to  tie  the 
 **  books  with  firings  under  her  apparel,  and 
 *'  fo  pafs  with  them  into  the  Court." 
 
 {e)  Was  a  woman  of  this  excellent  cha- 
 radler,  who  thus  hazarded  her  life  in  dan- 
 gerous times,  to  bring  others  to  the  know- 
 lege  of  God*s  word,  under  a  popifh  prince  ^ 
 to  be    burnt    alive  for  her  opinions,    were 
 
 thev 
 
 (e)  «  Joan  Bocher,  an  obftinate  heretick,  maintaining 
 *'  that  Chrift  affiimed  nothing  of  the  virgin  Mary,  but 
 *'  paffed  through  her  as  a  conduit-pipe.  She,  with  one 
 <"  or  two  Arians,  were  all  who,  mid  that  ju/ffy^  died  in 
 *«  this  King's  reign,  for  their  opinions."  Fuller's  Church 
 Hlftory,  p.  398.  This  obfervation,  to  his  lafting  dif- 
 grace,  is  made  by  our  Hiftorian,  upon  the  fhort  comment 
 on  Joan  Bocher's  death  in  Edward  VI. 's  Diary ;  by  which 
 it  appears  that  that  proinlfing  young  prince  had  been  told 
 €very  thing  in  her  disfavour,  to  make  him  eafy  with  the 
 
 G  4  fentencc 
 
[     88     ] 
 
 they  ever  fo  wrong,  taken  up  out  of  refpeit 
 for  Chrifc ;  and  this  by  proteftant  Bifliops  ? 
 and  her  condemnation  to  fo  cruel  a  death 
 to  be  in  a  very  fhort  fpace  of  time  after,  ap- 
 plauded by  proteftants  themfelves  under  the 
 crofs,  as  we  fhall  foon  fee  ?  But  where  reli- 
 gious zeal,  and  the  fuppofed  guilt  of  herefy 
 were  concerned,  neither  age  nor  fex  were  to 
 be  fpared,  nor  any  mercy  to  be  fhewn. 
 
 IN  the  foUov/ing  reign  of  Mary,  when 
 the  Papifls  had  the  power  of  the  fword  again 
 in  their  hands ;  and  it  came  to  be  the  cafe 
 of  Proteflants,  who  had  made  thofe  to  fuffer 
 whom  they  deemed  heretics,  to  fuffer  in 
 their  turn  5  in  the  examination  of  Arch- 
 deacon Philpot,  a  very  eminent  proteftant 
 Divine  and  martyr,  before  Lord  Rich  and 
 other  commiffioners,  we  have  the  following 
 
 dialogue 
 
 fentence  of  her  death,  which  he  had  figned  reluctantly  and 
 by  over-perfuafion.  And  I  produce  Fullers  remark,  to 
 fhew  how  much  all  authors,  and  even  men  otherwife  of 
 good  temper,  are  continually  inflaming  the  minds  of  their 
 readers,  againft  thofe  who  can  fee  no  grounds  to  believe 
 Chrillto  be  the  mod:  high  God,  but  look  upon  him  as  an 
 inferiour  Being,  from  the  account  the  Scriptures  give  of  < 
 tim. 
 
[     89     ], 
 
 dialogue  concerning  what  pafTed,  of  Phil- 
 pot's  own  writing,  preferved  by  Fox:  in 
 which  the  violent  death  of  this  worthy  wo- 
 man is  again  introduced. 
 
 **  The  6  Examinatio?!  of  maijler  Philpot, 
 
 7nartyr. 
 
 **  hord  Rich.)  All  heretickes  doe  boaft 
 '  of  the  fpirit    of    God,    and    everie    one 
 
 *  would   have    a  church   by    himfelfe,    as 
 
 *  Joan  of  Kent,  and  the  Anabaptifts.  I 
 ^  had  myfelf  Joan  of  Kent  a  fevennight  in 
 '  my  houfe,  after  the  writ  was  -out  for  her 
 '  to  ,be  burnt,  where  my  lord  of    Canter- 
 
 *  burie,  and  bifhop  Ridley  reforted  almofl 
 ^  daily  unto  her  :   but  fhe  was  fo  high  in 
 
 *  the   fpirite,   they  could  do  nothing  with 
 
 *  her,   with  all    their  learning.       But  fhe 
 
 *  went  willfully  into  the  fire,  and  was 
 '  burnt;  and  fo  do  you." 
 
 *'  Philpot,)  As  for  Joan  of  Kent,  fhe 
 ^  was  a  vaine  {f)  woman,  I  knew  her  well ; 
 ^  and  an  heretic ke  indeed  well  worthy  to  be 
 ^  burnt ^  becaufe  fhe  ftood  againfl  one  of 
 ^  the  manifeft  articles  of   our  faith,   con- 
 
 **  trarie 
 
 (y)  A  n}aine  woman)  that  Is,  conceited.     As  appears 
 from  his  ufe  of  the  term  a  few  lines  bel(^w* 
 
it 
 
 i< 
 <i 
 
 ii 
 
 [     90      ] 
 
 trarie  to  the  Scriptures.  And  fuch  vaiue 
 fpirites  be  foon  known  from  the  true 
 fpirite  of  God  and  his  church  :  for  that 
 **  the  fame  abideth  within  the  limites  of 
 God's  word,  and  will  not  go  out  of  the 
 fame,  neither  ftubburnely  maintain  any 
 thing  contrarie  to  the  word,  as  I  have 
 God's  word  throughly  on  my  fide  to  fliew 
 **  for  what  I  ftande  in/* 
 
 Behold  here  the  woful  eftedls  of  the  beft 
 and  moft  merciful  inftitution  of  religion, 
 ill  underftood  and  perverted ;  when  ignorant, 
 prefumptuous  men  make  very  difputable 
 points  of  dodtrine,  if  not  very  falfe  ones,  of 
 fuch  mighty  importance,  that  thofe  who  re- 
 jed:  them  are  not  to  be  allowed  fit  to  live, 
 but  are  to  be  hunted  out  of  the  world,  and 
 deftroyed  like  wild  beaits.  The  mind  is 
 filled  with  horror  and  fadnefs,  upon  feeing  a 
 perfon  in  the  fituation  of  this  clergyman, 
 under  trial  for  his  life  before  a  popifh  tribu- 
 nal, not  only  without  any  fcruple,  but  with 
 too  vifible  a  fatisfaftion,  declaring  of  his 
 own  accord,  without  being  called  upon, 
 that  a  pious,  confcientious  woman,  had,  not 
 long  before,  been  juji/y  burnt  to  deaths  for 
 no  other  crime,  but  becaufe  Ihe  was  an  he-  . 
 3  retic. 
 
[    91     ] 
 
 retic,  and  would  not  recede,  from  fome  opi- 
 nions, which  her  refpedl  for  Chrift  had  led 
 her  to  embrace.  By  this  avowal,  fo  far  as 
 his  own  verdia  went,  he  juftified  his  judges 
 in  the  like  cruel  and  unrighteous  fentence, 
 which  they  foon  after  paffed  upon  himfelf. 
 For  exaftly  in  the  fame  criminal  light  did 
 he  ftand  before  them  ;  an  heretic^  (to  ufe 
 his  own  wovdiS>)  Jiajiding  out  againjl  manifeji 
 articles  of  faith,  contrarie  to  the  Scriptures^ 
 in  their  fenfe  of  them. 
 
 It  would  feem  that  Philpot  had  converfed 
 concerning  her  particular  opinions  with  this 
 Kentifli  martyr,  over  whofe  afhes  he  infults 
 with  fo  much  indecency;  and  as  fhe  was  ab- 
 folutely  fixed  in  them,  fhe  had  probably 
 offended  him  by  not  paying  that  attention 
 and  regard  to  his  arguments  which  he 
 thought  to  be  due  to  them,  and  by  infifting 
 that  {he  was  in  the  right  faith,  whatever  he 
 might  pretend  to  the  contrary.  And  where 
 was  the  blame  of  adhering  to  what  flie  was 
 fatisfied  was  the  truth  ?  Would  fhe  not  have 
 been  to  be  condemned  had  fhe  done  other- 
 wife  ? — But  when  he  goes  on  to  accufe  her, 
 that  *^  fhe  ftuhhurnely  maintained  what  is 
 *'  contrary  to  God's  word^"  as  if  that  was 
 
 fufiicient 
 
[      92      ] 
 
 fufficient  to  authorize  the  moil;  fanguinary 
 proceedings  againft  her;  may  not  we  fay. 
 What  authority  had  he  to  call  his  fellow- 
 creatures  to  account  for  their  inward  thoughts 
 and  difpolitions  ?  Or  how  could  Mr.  Philpot 
 take  upon  him  to  decide,  that  if  this  perfon 
 was  in  error,  it  was  owing  to  the  perverfe- 
 nefs  of  her  will,  and  obftinate  refufal  of  bet- 
 ter information  ?  Was  he  fit  to  fit  in  judg- 
 ment upon  her,  who  was  fo  much  a  flranger 
 to  the  power  of  early  prejudice  over  the  hu- 
 man mind,  as  not  to  know  that  it  will  fome- 
 times  blind  it  againft  the  cleareft  evidence  ? 
 Could  he  defcend  into  the  heart,  and  difceni 
 what  pafled  there  ?  Her  having  fubmitted  to 
 die  in  torments,  rather  than  give  up  or  re- 
 tract her  fentiments,  ihould  have  inclined 
 him  at  leaft  to  have  allowed,  that  fhe  had 
 taken  them  up  from  fincere  convid:ion,  and 
 really  believed  that  to  be  the  truth  of  God 
 for  which  fhe  gave  up  her  life. 
 
 IT   feems  that  in  the  fame  prifon  into 
 
 which  Mr.  Philpot   was  caft,  were  fome  of 
 
 thofe  early   Unitarians,    **  who  denied  the 
 
 Trinity,  and  the  Divinity  of  Chrift /'  either 
 
 4  foreign 
 
[    93     ] 
 
 foreign  Anabaptlfts,  or  more  probably  Eng- 
 liilimen,  their  converts  and  difciples :  for 
 Bifliop  {g)  Burnet  takes  notice,  in  the  year 
 1549,  that  many  of  the  former  were  at  that 
 time  in  feveral  parts  of  England,  who  were 
 generally  Germans,  driven  from  their  own 
 country. 
 
 Mr.  Strype,  the  fame  induftrious  hiftorian 
 fo  often  quoted,  has  preferved  a  very  lin- 
 gular jipGlogy  of  Mr.  Philpot,  written  by 
 himfelf,  and  addreffed  to  certain  friends, 
 who  had  much  blamed  him  for  fome  moft 
 infulting  and  pafiionate  behaviour  towards 
 thefe  his  fellow-prifoners,  in  the  difputes 
 he  had  w4th  them,  and  into  which  he  feems 
 to  have  fir  ft  drawn  them. 
 
 As  it  is  very  little  known,  I  propofe  to 
 tranfcribe  fome  parts  of  it,  and  accompany 
 it  with  remarks  as  I  go  along. 
 
 I  do  not  give  it  the  reader  as  a  curiofity, 
 although  it  will  appear  a  very  extraordinary 
 one :  iince  in  that  flight  view  of  it,  for  the 
 credit  of  Mr.  Philpot  and  of  human  nature,  I 
 fhould  rather  think  it  ought  to  have  been  for 
 ever  buried  and  obliterated.  For  to  me  it  feems 
 hardly  poilible  to  iix  a  deeper  ftain  and  re- 
 proach 
 
 {g)  Hiflory  of  the  Reformation,  Vol.  I,  p.  105, 
 
r  94  3 
 
 proach  upon  the  charadter  of  a  profefled  dif- 
 ciple  of  Chrift,  than  is  exhibited  in  the 
 temper  and  demeanour  of  Mr.  Philpot  to- 
 wards thefe  depreffed  unfortunate  men,  who 
 differed  from  him  on  fome  points  which  he 
 held  facred,  but  which  they  could  fee  no 
 foundation  for  in  the  Scriptures.  Nor  are 
 his  arguments  more  to  be  approved  than  his 
 temper  -,  though  Mr.  Strype  thought  other- 
 wife,  and  has   commended  him  more  than 
 
 he  ought  to  have  done. 
 
 But   I  have  chofen  to  infert  it  here. 
 
 becaufe  fome  portion  of  the  fame  evil  leaven, 
 and  intolerant  fpirit,  however  of  late  years 
 much  abated,  is  ftill  found  in  too  many  ^ 
 and  ready  to  vent  itfelf,  if  occafion  offered, 
 and  power  were  not  wanting,  againfl  thofe 
 who  entertain  the  like  fentiments  of  the 
 proper  humanity  of  Chrift ^  which  were  em- 
 braced by  the  men  who  are  here  fo  ill  treated. 
 And  I  am  not  without  hope  alfo,  that  the 
 hideous  deformity  of  the  pi6lure,  beheld  in 
 another  perfon,  who  lived  fo  long  ago  as 
 Mr.  Philpot;  and  the  obfervations  made 
 upon  his  moft  unchriftian  behaviour,  if  well 
 founded,  may  fteal  a  fecret  approbation  from 
 fome,  whofe  prejudices  hitherto  have  neve^ 
 
 permitted 
 
C    95     ] 
 
 permitted  them  to  fee  fuch  things  in  their 
 true  light ;  and  lead  them  to  perceive  the 
 utter  irreconcileablenefs  of  fuch  a  temper  to 
 that  of  a  true  difciple  of  Chrift ;  and  how 
 unfit  any  one  muft  be  to  appear  in  the  pre- 
 fence  of  a  merciful  God,  breathi-ng  nothing 
 but  the  moft  bitter  imprecations  and  deftruc- 
 tion  forever,  againft  a  fellow-chriftian,  per- 
 haps under  fewer  errors  than  themfelves; 
 but  certainly,  equally  fincere,  and  therefore 
 equally  acceptable  to  the  righteous  judge 
 of  all. 
 
 I  reckon  alfo,  that  it  will  enable  me,  as 
 we  go  along,  to  illuftrate  fome  parts  of 
 Scripture  not  generally  well  underftood;  and 
 to  redtify  the  abufe  of  other  paffages,  which 
 have  been,  and  are  ftill  wrefted  from  their 
 true  fenfe,  thereby  to  foment  and  encourage 
 in  fome  perfons,  an  everlafling  inexorable 
 averfion  and  hatred  to  thofe  who  interpret  the 
 facred  volume  differently  from  themfelves, 
 efpecially  in  what  relates  to  the  perfon  of 
 Jefus  Chrifl. 
 
 Mr.  P/j!Ifiofs  firfl  fitting  out  does  not 
 promifc  very  fair  and  Candid  treatment  of  his 
 
 Opponent, 
 
[     96     ] 
 
 Opponent.  For  in  the  title,  which  he  pre^ 
 fixes  to  his  litde  trad:,  he  fpeaks  of  thofe 
 whom  he  calls  Aria?ts,  in  the  moil  abuiivs 
 terms ;  fo  that  an  unguarded  reader,  who 
 had  implicit  confidence  in  his  judgment^ 
 would  be  apt  thence  to  conclude  them  to  be 
 the  worfl  of  men.  Yet  he  afterwards  allows 
 them  to  be  of  unblemifhed  morals,  though 
 he  calls  tlieir's  a  counterfeit  holinefs  ^  where 
 alfo  he  accufes  them  of  pretending  to  live 
 without  fm  :  which  fliews  however  that  their 
 principles  did  not  lead  them  to  allow  them* 
 felves  in  any  thing,  they  knew  to  be  evil. 
 This  titky  and  the  opening  of  his  accufation 
 of  them,  and  defenfe  of  himfelf,  is  as  follows, 
 
 (L)  An  jipology  of  ]liO^  PHILPOT: 
 written  for  fpitting  upon  a7i  Arian :  with 
 an  invective  againjl  the  Arian s,  the  vefi 
 natural  children  of  Antichrift :  With  aii 
 admonition  to  all  that  be  faith  full  in  Chrifty 
 to  beware  of  them ,  and  of  other  late  fprung 
 herefesy  as  of  the  mofl  enemies  of  the  gofpell, 
 
 Philpot.     /  am  a?nafedy    and  do   tremble 
 both  in  body  and  fowle,  to  heare  at   this  day- 
 
 certen 
 
 (L)  Strype's  Hiftorical  Memorials,  chiefly  Ecclefiafti- 
 ca]j  Vol.  II.  Appendix,  p.  145. 
 
r  97  ] 
 
 Certen  meriy  or  rather  not  men,  but  covered 
 with  fnaris  Jloape^  parfons  of  a  bejily  under ^ 
 Jiandi7igy  who,  after  fo  many  benefyts  and 
 graces  of  our  horde  God  and  Saviour  Jefus 
 Chrifty  declared  to  be  both  God  and  man  by  the 
 fpirit    of  fandlification,    the  eternal  fon    of 
 
 God ,  notwithJia?2ding  are  not  ajhamed  to 
 
 robbe  this  eternal  Son  of  God  and  our  ?7ioJi 
 merciful  Saviour  of  his  infinite  majefiy,  and  to 
 plucke  him  out  of  the  glorious  throne  of  his 
 unfpeakable  deity. 
 
 Remarks  We  have  here  evidently  the 
 language  of  paffion,  and  a  heated  diforderly 
 imagination.  Why  fhould  he  pronounce 
 thefe  Arians  beafts  and  not  men,  becaufe  ^ 
 their  opinions  concerning  Chrift  did  not  come 
 up  to  his  own  ?  Or  why  reproach  them  on. 
 that  account,  with  the  want  of  a  proper  love 
 and  refpecSt  for  Chrift  ?  If  he  had  been  more 
 cool  and  confiderate,  he  would  have  beea 
 far  from  accufing  them  of  knowingly  depriv- 
 ing Chrift  of  any  dignity,  which  they  thought 
 properly  to  belong  to  him  ^  and  w^ould  have 
 found,  that  they  refrained  from  afcribing  in^ 
 finite  majefiy,  or  deity  to  him,  becaufe  they 
 were  perfuaded  it  appertained  only  to  HiXvi, 
 who  was  the  G^iand  Father  of  all -^  and  be- 
 
 H  caufc 
 
f  9!^  1 
 
 caufb  Clirifl:  hirnfeif  always  iifcribed  it  to 
 HIM  J  and  never  arrogated  any  thing  of  the 
 kind  to  himfelf. 
 
 Had  thefe  men  been  as  angry  as  their  ac- 
 cufer,  they  might  have  retorted  upon  him, 
 that  he  was  more  guilty  of  blafphemy  againd 
 the  mcijefty  of  Jehovah,  the  moft  high  God, 
 in  making  Chrift  to  be  another  God  equal  to 
 Hi M^  v/ho  had  often  declared  by  his  prophets,. 
 that  He  had  710  equal,  and  that  there  was  M. 
 other  god  bejides  him. 
 
 But  in  whatever  depth  of  error  concerning 
 God  and  Chrift,  Mr,  Philpot  was  buried,  his 
 antagoniits  would  have  been  equally  cenfur- 
 able  with  him,  if  they  had  ufed  any  hard 
 fpeeches  againft  him,  which  might  have  im- 
 plied in  the  moft  diftant  fort,  that  he  would 
 be  condemned  of  God,  or  deferved  hatred 
 from  men,  for  his  opinions.  Perfons  may 
 hold  very  innocently  the  moft  erroneous  i^n-^ 
 timents  in  religion ;  and  to  point  out  thefe 
 to  them  is  fometimes  a  duty :  but  not  to 
 arraign  and  pronounce  fentence  againft  them> 
 on  that  account. 
 
 Philpot.  O flaming fyerironnes  of  hellyS^cc, 
 (as  he  goes  on  to  exclaim  and  rail  againft 
 them,  p,  145-) — what  heart  may  bear  fuch 
 
 blafphemy  t 
 
f    99    i 
 
 blafphemy  ?  what  eye  may  quietly  behold  fuch 
 an  enemy  to  God?  what  membre  of  Chriji  may 
 allowe  in  any  wyfe,  fuch  a  membre  of  the 
 Divel?  what  chrijiian  may  have  fellowjhip 
 with  fuch  Antichrifs  ?  He  proceeds  then  to 
 call  them,  the  vile  feed  of  the  ferpent  to  be 
 crufhed  to  peeces  unto  eternal  wo  after  they 
 have  fp ewe d  out  all  their  venym  y-^dead  dogger 
 blafphe^noufy  barking  againf  our  Lord-,  with 
 other  like  aggravation  of  the  injuries,  which 
 he  would  have  fuppofed  to  be  done  to  Chrifl, 
 by  not  allowing  him  to  be  the  fupreme 
 God. 
 
 Remarks  Was  this  proper  language  to  be 
 ufed  towards  a  fellow- creature,  following  the 
 light  of  God's  word  to  the  beft  of  his  under- 
 ftanding,  and  for  fo  doing  thruft  into  a 
 dungeon,  together  with  this  Mr.  Philpot, 
 by  their  common  enemy ;  doomed  moft  pro- 
 bably, foon  to  be  fent  out  of  the  world  in 
 lingring  tortures  as  well  as  himfelf,  and  as 
 refolved  to  fuifer  for  what  he  believed  to  be 
 the  truth  of  Chrift,  as  he  was  ? 
 
 It  is  a  very  different  method  of  treatment 
 which  Acontius  above-mentioned,  who  lived 
 in  thefe  times,  prefcribes  to  be  ufed  towards 
 a  diffenting  fellow-chriflian.    It  may  be  ufe- 
 
 H  2  /ul 
 
E      loo     ] 
 
 ful  to  contraft  It  with  Mr,  Philpot*s  condud:,  , 
 and  the  pious  humane  reader  will  not  be  dif- 
 pleafed  with  the  length  of  the  quotation.     It 
 is  not  neceffary  to  cite  the  original. 
 
 '*  Nothing  is  more  to  be  avoided  than  the 
 *^  laying  or  doing  any  thing,  that  may  wound 
 the  mind  of  the  perfon  you  are  difputing 
 with,  or  exafperate  him  againft  you.  Of 
 this  nature  are  all  expreffions  of  diflike  and 
 difgufl: ;  all  imputations  of  fraudulent  de- 
 fign,  of  ignorance,  ihamelefs  effrontery, 
 or  whatever  m.ay  detract  from  his  good 
 name.  But  you  fiiould  flrive  by  every  a6t 
 of  courtefy  and  humanity,  to  excite  in  him 
 a  fpirit  of  gentlenefs,  moderation  and  be- 
 nevolence. Of  which  you  can  have  no 
 **  better  mafter  and  teacher  than  your  own 
 charity  and  love  for  him :  but  then  it  muft 
 be  fincere,  and  not  put  on  for  fl:iowonly. 
 And  if  you  iind^you  have  it  not,  you  had 
 better  never  attempt  to  fay  any  thing  to 
 him,  'till  you  have  attained  it." 
 *'  Should  you  however  difcover  nothing 
 in  the  man  himfelf  to  make  you  love  him ; 
 yet  confider  how  much  there  is  in  God  and 
 ^^  his  beloved  Son,  from  whom  he  is  what  he 
 *'  is,  to  conciliate  your  regards  and  aiFedtion 
 **  for  him.     Had  it  not  been  the  gOod  plea-*^ 
 
 **  fure 
 
[      loi     ] 
 
 '^  lure  of  God,  that  he  fhould  ftill  live  and 
 **  ad:  his  part  in  the  world,  he  v/ould  never 
 *^  have  been  born,  or  in  flan  tly  died  after  it, 
 or  certainly  not  have   had   his  life  fo  far 
 prolonged.      But  now  you  fee  how  God 
 nourifhes  and  takes  care  of  him,  fo  as  to 
 **  make  his  fun  to  Ihine  upon  him  as  much 
 as   upon   yourfelf,     and  caufe  him   in   a 
 thoufand    ways    to   fhare    in    his   infinite 
 beneficence  and  goodnefs.     Do  you  there- 
 fore,   who   are   God's    fervant,    imagine, 
 that  you  are  to  be  lefs  kindly  affedled  to- 
 wards fuch  a  one,  yourfelf?  How  know 
 you,  but  he  may  be  one  of  the  Lord's 
 Iheep,     which    though     it    wander  now 
 from    the    reft    of    the    flock,     full    oF 
 difeafe,  will  in  time  be  found  by  the  good 
 fhepherd,  and  healed,  and  brought  back 
 to  his  fold  ?  But,  if  it  be  fo,   do  not  you 
 perceive,   that  it  is    Chrift,  who  prefents 
 himfelf  to  you,    v/eak  and   fick,  in   the 
 perfon   of  his   fervant,  to  make   trial  of 
 your  love  to  him,  which  he  will  remember 
 **  at  a  future  day  ?  And  fince  It  belongs  not 
 to  you  to  determine,  whether  it  will  be  fo 
 or  no,  it  ought  to  fufHce  you  that  he  pof- 
 ♦*  iibly  may  become  fuch  :  fo  that  whatever 
 
 H  3  ''  kind 
 
 CC 
 
 €e 
 
 << 
 if 
 <c 
 
 CC 
 
[       102      3 
 
 **  kind  office  you  do  to  him,  the  Lord  Jefus 
 **  will  take  as  done  to  himfelf.  Do  not 
 **  therefore  look  at  the  man  as  he  is  in  him- 
 *^  felf,  but  ip  the  relation  he  thus  bears  to 
 *^  Chrift,  whofe  wpnderous  love  to  yourfelf 
 **  you  will  do  well  to  remember.  For  holy 
 *'  and  innocent  as  he  was,  be  thought  it  not 
 *f  too  much  to  fubjedi:  himfelf  to  the  moil 
 f *  painful  death  for  you  the  greateft  of  fin- 
 f  *  ners.  Oh  !  if  we  had  but  the  leaft  fuf- 
 picion  that  any  one  would  be  raifed  to  aa 
 earthly  kingdom  and  become  an  excellent 
 prince,  how  far  fhould  we  be  from  de- 
 fpiling  fuch  a  one,  or  rather  how  much 
 iliould  we  refpect  him,  notwithftanding 
 his  prefent  low  and  obfcure  condition  ? 
 And  yet,  what  is  the  mod  exalted  regal 
 ftate  and  honour,  compared  with  the  dig- 
 nity and  fplendor  that  belongs  to  God's 
 '^  chofen  fervants.  And  fhall  we  think  him 
 **  unworthy  of  our  kind  treatment  and  re« 
 gards,  who  may  be  born  to  inherit  this 
 
 glory.- -To  fuch  reflexions  as  thefe,  you 
 
 ^*  fhould  join  frequent  and  ardent  fuppli-* 
 **  cation  to  God,  that  he  would  foften  your 
 ■'  own  heart,  and  plant  in  it  a  genuine  and 
 *^  lively  charity,  from  whofe  influence  and 
 
 **  guidance 
 
 €C 
 
 it 
 
 4< 
 
 4C 
 
[     5c^3     1 
 
 guidance  you  will  learn  fuch  proper  and 
 fuitable  ways  of  dealing  with  an  erring 
 brother,  that  you  cannot  fail  of  fooa 
 bringing  him  back  to  juft  and  right  fen ti- 
 *^  ments,"     Acontii  Stratagem,  p.  74,  &c. 
 
 Philpot.)  Hoiv  may  we  with  patience  abide 
 to  heare  the  robbery  of  our  ChrijV s  equality 
 with  Gody  who,  as  St,  Paul  witjiejjethy 
 thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ? 
 What  faithfull  fervant  can  be  content  to 
 heare  his  Majler  blaj'phemed?  and  if  per^ 
 chance  he  Jloew  any  jiiji  anger  therfore,  all 
 honejl  men  do  beare  with  his  doing  in  that  be- 
 half. And  cannot  you,  chrifiian  hrethcrne  and 
 Jtjierney  bear  with  mCy  who ,  for  the  jujl  zeal 
 of  the  glory  of  my  God  and  Chriji  being 
 blafphemed  by  an  arrogant ,  ignorant ,  and  ob-- 
 fiinately  blinded  Arian,  making  hymfelf  equal 
 with  Chriji ;  faying,  that  God  was  none 
 otherwvfe  in  Chriji,  than  God  was  in  hym^ 
 making  hym  to  be  but  a  creature  as  he  was 
 hymfelf,  pretending  you  to  be  without  fynne 
 as  well  as  Chriji  ?  Cannot  you  hear  with  mCy 
 if  after  all  this,  I  did  fpyt  on  him  ?  Partly 
 as  a  declaration  of  that  forrow  which  I  had 
 to  heare  fuch  a  prowd  blafphemer  of  our  Sa^ 
 viour  5  as  alfo  to  fignify  unto  other  thefe  pre^ 
 
 H  4  fnt^ 
 
[     104     ] 
 
 fenfy  whom  he  went  about  to  pervert y  that  he 
 was  a  par/on  to  be  abhorred  of  all  chrijiians^ 
 and  not  to  be  companied  withal, 
 ^    Kejnark.    Of  what  vaft  confequence  I5  it, 
 that  the  word  of  God,    delivered   by  holy 
 men,   his  prophets  and  apoftles,   ihould   be 
 faithfully   and    honeftly  reprefented,   in  all 
 tranflations  of  it,  and  in  the  mother  tongue 
 in   every    country  !     This    is    one  of  thofe 
 important  points,  which  chriftians  in  high 
 place,  and  of  eminent  abilities,  fliould  at- 
 tend to,   and  for  the  negleft  of  which  they 
 will  be  accountable.     I   fJDcak  not  of   the 
 clergy y   as  they  are  called,  diftindl  from  the 
 laity^   as  if    it  were    a    matter    peculiar    to 
 them^  for  the  Scriptures  know  not  any  fuch 
 diftindtion :  it   belongs  equally  to   all   that 
 are 'the  difciples  of  Chrift.    And  the  fuffer- 
 ing  fiich  a  falfe  account  of  St.  Paul's  words, 
 as  Mr.  Fhilpot  here  fets  out  with,  to  remain 
 in  our  Englifh   tranflation,   is   one  caufe  of 
 the  like    bitternefs    and    favage    animoiity, 
 'Vvhich  we  often  find  vented  now  by  others, 
 againft  their  fejlovz-chriflians  ^  as  if  they  had 
 a  defign  to  rob  Chrijl  of  fomething  that  really 
 beionged  to  him,  and  vv-hich  he  v/as  jealous 
 of  maintaining,   by  4^nyhig  him  to  be  equal 
 with  God, 
 
 Whereas^ 
 
[    105    ] 
 
 Whereas^  if  inftead  of  putting  it,  that 
 Chrift  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal 
 with  Gody  it  were  tranflated  as  it  is  well 
 known,  it  ought  to  be,  that  he  was  not 
 grafpingy '  or  greedily  ambitious  to  be  like 
 unto  God ;  that  is,  to  be  like  him,  in  dif^ 
 playing  the  godlike  power  of  working  mi- 
 racles which  he  had  received  from  him ; 
 every  one  would  then  fee,  that  the  apofllc 
 here  teaches  Chrift  to  have  been  a  creature 
 of  God,  and  dependent  upon  him,  as  much 
 as  in  any  other  part  of  his  writings.  But 
 to  return  to  our  fubjedt. 
 
 It  appears  from  this  and  other  parts  of 
 Mr.  Philpot's  Apology,  that  he  had  offended 
 many  of  his  pious  friends,  by  his  unwar- 
 rantable and  indecent  adt  towards  the  perfon 
 with  whom  he  was  difputing.  But  rather 
 than  own  himfelf  in  the  leaft  blameable  for 
 it,  he  labours  to  paint  and  i^t  forth  the 
 provocation  given  him  in  the  ftrongeft  and 
 mod  odious  colours.  Taking  therefore 
 this  along  with  us,  that  we  hear  one  fide 
 only,  and  have  the  reprefentation  of  an 
 angry  adverfary^  and  that  paffion  always 
 magnifies  the  faults  and  errors  of  thofe  we 
 diflike;  with  thefe  abatements  made,  we 
 (hall  find  nothing  reported  by  him,  as  al- 
 leged 
 
[     106     3 
 
 leged  or  maintained  by  this  AriaHy  for  which 
 the  man  might  not  have  good  authority  in 
 the  Scriptures, 
 
 One  of  Mr.  Philpot's  accufations  of  him, 
 tojuftify  his  own  unworthy  behaviour  to- 
 wards him,  is,  that  he  held  Chrijl  to  be  a 
 creature.  But  was  there  any  crime  in 
 this,  if  he  was  perfuaded  of  it,  from  the 
 holy  Scriptures ;  and  if  he  believed,  which 
 indeed  is  the  fud^  that  Chriil  never  fpoke 
 of  himfelf  in  any  other  v/ay,  nor  ever  faid 
 that  he  v/as  'cs^y  other  than  a  creature  ? 
 Among  many  others,  one  moji  plain  and  de^ 
 mo72flrative  froof  of  fhisy  not  commonly  at- 
 tended tO)  nor  fo  much  injijled  on  as  it  ought 
 to  have  been,  is,  our  Lord's  continually  call- 
 ing God  his  Father f  the  Father  of  himfelf, 
 equally  (Job.  xx.  17.)  as  of  the  reft  of 
 mankind  1  and  ufing  this  appellation  when- 
 ever he  fpoke  of  him,  or  invoked  him  in 
 prayer.  For  this  was  proclaiming  to  all  the 
 nvorld,  and  telling  to  all  that  teard  him  then^ 
 or  that  can  read  or  hear  his  words  now ;  that 
 Scy  the  holy  yefusy  was  God's  creature,  as 
 much  and  in  the  fame  manner  as  your  calling 
 God  your  Father,  and  invoking  him  by  that 
 name,  whoever  you  be  that  cajl  your  eye  on 
 
 thi^ 
 
[     I07    J 
 
 this  book,  i?22^Ues  that  you  are  God's  crea^ 
 ture. 
 
 But  this  Arian  gave  offence  by  faying,. 
 that  God  was  no  otherwtfe  in  Chriji^  than  in 
 htmfelf.  If  we  had  been  alfo  told  upon  what 
 occafion,  or  in  what  connexion  of  his  dlf- 
 courfe,  the  man  had  advanced  an  aifertion  of 
 this  kind,  it  would  have  been  readily  ieen,  I 
 doubt  not,  that  he  was  well  juftified  in  it. 
 As  it  is,  v/e  may  prefume,  that  he  was  pro- 
 bably fhewing,  that  the  Scripture  phrafe  of 
 God  being  in  Chrijl  (2  Cor.  v.  19.  John  xiv. 
 10.)  was  no  argument  of  his  being  God: 
 for  that  God  was  alfo  in  the  apoftles  and 
 many  of  the  firft  chriftians,  to  whom  gifts 
 of  an  extraordinary  divine  power  were  com- 
 municated, in  the  fame  manner  that  He  was 
 in  Chrift,  though  not  in  the  fame  degree ; 
 fmce  we  are  told  that  unto  Jefiis  (Joh.  iii. 
 34.)  God  gave  not  the  fpirit  by  meafure.  And 
 he  might  maintain,  that  his  opinion  of  this 
 matter,  was  confirmed  by  our  Saviour  him-  ♦ 
 felf,  in  many  of  his  difcourfes  ^  in  which  he 
 fpeaks  of  the  power  by  which  he  himfelf 
 afted,  as  well  as  his  difciples.  F'or,  Matth, 
 X.  19,  20.  where  he  is  furnifhing  what 
 jBight   encourage   th^m,    under    the    dif-* 
 
 Acuities, 
 
[     io8    j 
 
 iiculties,  in  which  he  foretold  they  would  he 
 involved,  in  bearing  teftimony  to  the  gofpel 
 before  the  powers  of  this  world,  aiid  in  the 
 higheft  courts  of  civil  judicature;  JV^e/z 
 they  deliver  you  up,  fays  he,  be  not  over- 
 anxious how  or  what  ye  Jloall  fpeak.  For  it  is 
 not  ye  that  f peak ^  but  the  Jpirit  of  your  Fa^ 
 ther,  that  fpeaketh  in  you.  Which  is  pre- 
 cifely  the  fame  language  that  he  ufes  con- 
 cerning himfclf,  and  the  power  by  which  he 
 wrought  miracles  and  uttered  his  divine  in- 
 Anvdions,  Joh.  xiv.  lo;  when  he  makes 
 this  reply  to  a  queftion  put  to  him  by  one 
 of  his  difciples  :  Believeji  thou  not,  that  I 
 mn  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me? 
 ^ihe  words  that  I  /peak  ujito  You,  I  /peak 
 not  of  myfelf',  and  the  Father  that  dwelleth 
 in  ?ne,  he  doth  the  works-,  that  is,  his  extraor- 
 dinary wifdom  and  power  were  owing  to 
 the  Father,  ox  the  fpirit  of  the  Father  dwell- 
 ing in  him :  which  divine  afiiftance  given 
 to  him,  is  exprefled  in  the  fame  terms  as 
 that  vouchfafed  to  his  difciples.  And.  as 
 many  have  fuppofed,  in  all  times,  that  a  like 
 extraordinary  affiftance  of  the  fpirit  or  power 
 of  God,  is  afforded  to  all  pious  chriftians, 
 in  trying  fituations,  to  carry  them  forward 
 
 ia 
 
[     109     ] 
 
 in  their  virtuous  courfe ;  this  Arian  might 
 probably  be  of  this  fentiment,  and  fo  might 
 fay,  without  any  juft  caufe  of  offence,  that 
 God  was  none  otherwyfe  in  Chrijly  than  he 
 was  ifi  him^ 
 
 It  is  farther  alfo  made  matter  of  blame  to 
 this  perfon,  that  he  jfhould  fay,  and  tell 
 others,  that  they  were  to  be  without  Jin,  as 
 well  as  Chriji.  Upon  what  occafion  he  faid 
 this  we  are  not  told.  But  whatever  he  in- 
 tended by  the  comparifon,  far  from  any  ar- 
 rogance, I  have  no  doubt,  which  is  the  un- 
 friendly conftrudtion  that  a  violent  adverfary 
 puts  upon  it ;  it  iliev/s,  that  he  afpired  after 
 bolinefs  and  chriftian  perfection,  and  taught 
 them  to  others. 
 
 -  But  Mr.  Philpot  reprefents  his  own  cafe 
 in  a  far  more  favourable  light  than  it  will 
 bear,  when  he  alleges  that  it  was  forrow  for 
 •v/hat  he  thought  was  a  difhonour  to  Chrift, 
 that  made  him  commit  an  ad:  of  fuch  inde- 
 cent iafult  and  violence  towards  this  Arian. 
 So  might  the  brutal  Bp.  Bonner,  Mr.  Phil- 
 pot's  judge,  have  defended  himfelf,  that  it 
 was  forrow  for  the  heretics  contempt  of  the 
 catholic  truth,  that  led  him  fometimes, 
 when  they  refufed  to  lillen  to  his  argu- 
 ments 
 
t    no    ] 
 
 ments  and  defended  their  own  fentimenW 
 in  his  prefence,  to  fall  upon  them  and 
 beat  them  moft  unmercifully.  Real  forrow 
 and  concern  for  any  unworthy  fenti- 
 ments  which  men  had  let  fall  concerning 
 God  or  Chrift,  and  ftill  perfifted  in,  would 
 never  vent  itfelf  in  paffionate  expreffions 
 or  violent  outrage  againft  their  perfons. 
 No  :  it  was  indignation  and  a  train  of  far 
 worfe  paffions,  to  find  himfelf  oppofed,  and 
 his  arguments  and  authority  flighted  by  a 
 perfon  whom  he  thought  fo  much  beneath 
 him  in  all  refpefts,  that  excited  Philpot  at 
 the  moment  to  an  a&  of  fuch  rudenefs 
 and  contempt  3  and  he  fliould  not  have  gone 
 about  thus  to  defend  himfelf  in  it. 
 
 Philpot.  If^  this  my  faB  feme  to  them, 
 that  judge  not  all  things  according  to  the  fpirit 
 of  Gody  uncharitable y  yet  let  them  knoWy  that 
 Gody  who  is  charity,  allowith  the  fame.  For 
 it  is  written  yn  the  gofpely  that  Chrift  came 
 not  to  fet  us  at  peace  with  men  yn  the  earthy 
 hut  at  divifion ;  and  that  is  for  his  caufe  and 
 trewth.  And  whofoever  will  not  abide  with 
 Chriffs  church  in  the  trewthy  we  ought  not 
 to  fjew  the  poyntes  of  Charity  unto  any  fuch  y 
 hut  to  take  him  as  a  heathen  and  a  publican, 
 
 1/ 
 
[     iir     ] 
 
 T.f  any  77:an^  fahh  St.  ychriy  bring  not  unto 
 you  this  do  Brine  which  I  have  taught  ye^  fat 
 noty  Godfped  unto  him:  for  rjh'ofj  fayth,  God 
 fped  unto  fuch  a  one,  is  partaker  of  his  evill 
 doyngs.  Confder  you  therfor,  who  have  love 
 and  fcUowfhip  with  fuch y  that  the  fame  dam^ 
 nation  Jhall  fall  upon  you  therfor,  as  is  due  to 
 wicked  heretycks. 
 
 Remark.  It  is  no  unufual  thing  for  reli- 
 gious perfons  of  ftrong  paffions  and  high 
 conceit  of  their  own  infallibility,  to  make 
 the  Almighty  Being  a  party  to  any  thing, 
 however  wrong,  which  they  do.  But  if 
 Mr.  Philpot  could  prove  what  he  attempts, 
 that  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  give  encourage- 
 ment to  fuch  an  unmerciful  difpofition  as  he 
 here  glories  in,  and  to  fuch  unfeemly  inju- 
 rious behaviour  towards  a  fellow  chriilian, 
 without  any  other  provocation  than  that  of 
 entertaining  different  fentiments  in  fome 
 points  from  him,  there  would  be  but  too 
 much  reafon  for  the  objedtions  of  unbelievers 
 to  chriiiianity  on  thefe  accounts.  But  he 
 will  be  found  altogether  a  falfe  interpreter 
 of  Scripture  as  might  be  well  exped:ed. 
 
 For^ 
 
[       112       ] 
 
 For,   (i.)  in  that  predi<2:iori 
 ia .  .    .  34.   ^^^  forewarning:  which  Chrift 
 
 explained.  ^  o 
 
 gave  his  difciples,  of  the  recep- 
 tion which  they  themfelves  and  his  religion 
 would  meet  with  from  the  world;  Matth.  x, 
 34.  'Think  noty  that  I  am  come  to  fend  peace 
 on  earth  :  I  came  not  to  fend  peace,  but  a 
 fword :  he  is  far  from  fpeaking  of  the  delign 
 of  his  miffion,  or  tendency  of  his  dod:rine, 
 r/hich  were  the  very  contrary :  but  he  only 
 declares  the  evils  and  difturbances  which 
 both  would  innocently  produce,  through  the 
 oppofition  of  worldly  minded  men  at  firft, 
 among  the  jews  and  heathens,  and  their  per- 
 fecution  of  his  followers.  And  if,  as  fomc 
 fuppofe,  through  the  foreknowlege  given 
 to  him  from  God,  he  here  carries  his  eye 
 farther,  to  the  no  lefs  horrible,  and  more 
 lalling  cruelties  which  his  own  followers 
 would  afterwards  exercife  one  againft  another, 
 to  ferve  the  views  of  a  v/orldly  ambition,  or. 
 to  gratify  their  pride  and  narrow  prejudices: 
 fo  far  from  recomending  fuch  uncharitable 
 fa^  for  his  caufe  and  trewth,  as  Pvlr.  Philpot 
 here  pleads,  and  foftly  terms  it ;  our  Lord 
 on  the  contrary,  in  this  paffage  feverely  con- 
 demns 
 
[     "3     ] 
 
 demns  it,  as  mofl  oppofite  to  the  defign  of 
 his  religion,  though  among  fome  of  the  fore- 
 fecn  confequences  of  it. 
 
 2.   He  is  no  lefs  miftak- 
 en    m    his    apphcation    or        ,  .    ,        ^      ' 
 
 ^  ^  explained. 
 
 Matth.  xviii.  15,  &c. — ' 
 Moreover,  if  thy  brother  fh all  trefpafs  agai7ijl 
 theey  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee 
 and  him  alone :  if  he  Jhall  hear  thee,  thou  haft 
 gained  thy  brother.  But  if  he  will  not  hear 
 thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  ^nore^ 
 that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnejjes 
 every  word  7nay  be  eftablified.  And  if  he 
 Jhall  negledl  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the 
 congregation :  but  if  he  negledl  to  hear  the 
 congregation,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  an  heathen 
 many  and  a  publican. 
 
 Our  Lord  is  there  giving  a  rule  for  difci- 
 pline,  or  for  the  better  ordering  of  their  vo- 
 luntary religious  focieties,  congregations,  or 
 churches,  into  which  he  prefumes  his  foU 
 lowers  would  form  themfelves ;  when  he 
 tells  them,  that  if,  after  frequent  private 
 admonitions  as  well  as  public,  any  one  of 
 their  members  fhould  ftill  perfift  in  his  ill 
 behaviour,  he  was  then  to  be  unto  them  as 
 a  heathen  man,  or  a  publican,     A  wife  and 
 
 I  neceffary 
 
jiecelTaiy  counfel  :  that  it  might  be  known 
 that  he  did  not  feek  to  have  a  crowd  of  any 
 fort  of  men  to  be  his  followers,  but  thofe 
 only  who  were  feeking  to  become  wife,  and 
 virtuous,  and  good. 
 
 But  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  he  orders  this 
 way  of  proceeding  only  with  regard  to  fuch 
 as  had  committed  a  tr^efpafsy  that  is,  done  a 
 flagrant  injury  to  others  ;  and  is  far  from 
 authorizing  them  thereby  to  call  in  queftion, 
 or  to  ufurp  any  authority  over  a  fellow 
 chriftian,  who  only  differed  from  them  in 
 religious  fentiments  :  which  could  be  no 
 injury  to  any  one.  And  moreover,  the  being 
 bid  to  confider  fuch  obftinate  injurious  per- 
 fons,  as  heathen  men  and  publicans,  was  mere- 
 ly a  difowning  of  them  as  belonging  to  the 
 chriftian  fociety,  and  nothing  more  :  but  not 
 to  touch  a  hair  of  their  heads,  as  we  fpeak ; 
 much  lefs  to  outrage  or  infult  them.  For 
 the  gofpel  injoins  it's  votaries  to  bear  in- 
 juries patiently,  not  to  inflidt  them  upon  any. 
 Thefe  were  not  the  weapons  of  the  chriftian 
 warfare,  nor  the  inftruments  of  extirpating, 
 error,  or  bringing  men  to  fee  the  truth. 
 
 3.  Mr.  Philpot  ftrangely  perverts  another 
 pafTage  in  the  fecond  epiftle  of  John,  and  ^ 
 
 draws 
 
[    115    ] 
 
 draws  a  fliocking  inference  from  it ;  when 
 he  declares  to  his  friends^  to  whom  he  is 
 making  his  apology  for  his  blameable  beha- 
 viour to  thefe  Arians,  in  prifon  with  him ; 
 that  if  they  fhewed  any  love  or  regards  for 
 the  poor  creatures^  wicked  heretycks,  as  he 
 calls  them,  the  fame  danmation  which  was 
 due  to  thenZy  would  fall  upon  the?rif elves. 
 The  good  old  apoftle's  words 
 
 ^1     r     /     T   1  \     2]ohn,ver.  10,  ii» 
 
 are  thele,  (2  John  ver.  lo,  1 1.)        ,.    , 
 
 ^    ^  ^     explained. 
 
 If  there  come  any  unto  you, 
 and  bring  not  this  doBrine ;  receive  him  not 
 into  your  hoife,  neither  hid  him,  Godfpeed. 
 For  he  that  biddeth  him,  Godfpeed,  is  par^ 
 taker  of  his  evil  deeds.  And  he  will  be  found 
 herein,  far  from  commending  or  counte- 
 nancing any  ill  treatment,  or  diflant  unhof- 
 pitable  carriage  of  chriftians  one  towards  ano-* 
 ther,  on  account  of  difputes  and  differences 
 concerning  fome  points  of  the  gofpel  among 
 themfelves. 
 
 The  cafe,  of  which  St*  John  fpeaks^  was  pe^ 
 culiar  to  the  perfons  of  the  apoftles,  and  to 
 thofe  times  ;  and  no  precedent  for  any  that 
 came  after  them*  For  he  refers  to  many 
 Deceivers,  (as  he  calls  them,  ver.  7.)  who 
 had  entered  into  the  world,   i.  e.  had  taken 
 
 I  2  upon 
 
[     "6     ] 
 
 upon  themfelves  the  charafter  of  gofpel- 
 preachers,  njoho  confefs  not,  fays  he,  that  jfefiiSy 
 who  came  in  fiefb^  is  the  Chriji  -,  [H)  that  is, 
 who  did  not  allow  that  he  was  a  mortal  man, 
 fubjed:  to  infirmities,  fufferings,  and  deaths 
 but  was  all  this  in  appearance  only. 
 
 Now,  without  taking  upon  him  a  power 
 cf  kno-wing  the  hearts  of  men,  (which  be- 
 longs only  to  God,  or  to  thofe  to  whom 
 he  gives  it  on  any  particular  occafion,  and 
 the  apofile  lays  in  no  fuch  claim  here)  St, 
 John  might  pronounce  thefe  men  De- 
 ceivers ;  becaufe  it  was  not  in  an  ouinion 
 or  fentiment,  but  a  matter  of  fadl,  con- 
 cerning Chrift,  in  which  he  avers  them  to 
 be  miftaken,  and  in  which  they  muft  have 
 been  very  blameable  and  conceited  to  have 
 perfifted,  after  he  had  let  them  know  their 
 error.  Becaufe  he  could  fpeak  with  the 
 fulled  affurance  of  the  falfenefs  of  their  af- 
 fertions  from  his  own  knowlege,  as  he  had 
 lived  and  been  moft  intimately  acquainted 
 with  Chrift ;  and  had  the  moft  perfedl  af- 
 furance 
 
 (H)  That  fo  the  apoHle's  words  ought  to  be  tranflated, 
 and  not  as  in  our  prefent  Englifh  verfion  -,  See 
 
 *'  The  Gatechift,  or  an  Inquiry  into  the  do£lrine  con^ 
 "  cerning  the  only  true  Gq^^  kc,  p.  119.  note." 
 
[     "7    ] 
 
 furance  that  he  was  a  man  as  other  men 
 were  ;  and,  as  another  apoftle  fpeaks,  (Hebr. 
 iv.  15.)  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are  -, 
 yet  without  Jin, 
 
 Such  a  dodlrhie  as  this,  therefore,  of 
 Chrift  being  a  man  in  appearance  only,  and 
 incapable  of  pain  or  fufFering,  going  to  the 
 very  foundations  of  chriftianity,  and  quite 
 deftroying  the  efficacy  of  his  example,  and 
 the  meritorious  feal  and  teftimony  which  he 
 gave  at  lail  to  the  truth  of  his  divine  mif- 
 fion,  and  the  caufe  of  the  gofpel,  by  dying 
 for  it  ',  well  did  it  become  the  apoftle  to 
 forbid  his  chriftian  friends,  to  give  counte- 
 nance to  and  affociate  w^ith  thofe  w^ho 
 h^ought  fiich  a  doBj^ine,  i.  e.  who  came 
 with  a  view  to  propagate  it,  left  they  fliould 
 be  deceived  by  their  wily  arts.  For  he  well 
 difcerned,  how  plaufible  it  would  found  to 
 many,  though  directly  contrary  to  what  he 
 knew  to  be  the  plain  fadl ;  when  it  was  art- 
 fully infinuated  to  them,  that  they  ought  not 
 to  entertain  fo  low  and  degrading  an  idea  of 
 the  Saviour  of  the  world,  as  to  i?nagine  he 
 could  be  fubjedi  to  the  fame  feelings  and  in- 
 firmities as  we  poor  mortals  are  ;  that  he  mujl 
 be  fomething  vafly  above  all  this  3  and  there- 
 
 I  3  fere 
 
[     ii8     ] 
 
 fore  they  ought  not  to  think  fo  injurioully 
 of  him,  but  to  believe  that  though  he  ap- 
 peared to  be  a  mortal  man ^  he  was  not  really 
 fiich.  But  then,  the  apoftle  does  not  licence 
 them  to  treat  fuch  perfons  with  contempt, 
 or  to  injure  them,  to  deny  them  a  night's 
 lodging,  or  a  meal's  meat,  or  any  prefent 
 relief  they  might  ftand  in  need  of;  but  only 
 not  to  receive  them  into  their  houfe^  and  bid 
 them,  God  fpeed ;  that  is,  not  to  welcome 
 them  with  the  fame  cordiality,  and  prefs 
 them  to  take  up  their  abode  with  them  as 
 long  as  fuited  them,  as  they  did  other  chrif- 
 tians,  and  wxre  often  exhorted  to  do,  and 
 commended  for,  in  thofe  times  and  places, 
 when  there  were  no  inns  or  convenient 
 houfes  of  entertainment  for  travellers,  as 
 with  us ;  and  when  the  preachers  of  the 
 gofpel,  in  particular,  wandered  about,  poor, 
 and  flript  of  all  their  worldly  pofTeffions. 
 In  fliort,  they  were  to  avoid,  as  much  as 
 poffible,  the  conforting  with  thefe  men,  left 
 they  fhould  give  countenance  and  fandlion 
 to  their  great  corruption  of  the  true  doc- 
 trine concerning  Chrift,  or  become  tainted 
 with  it  themfelves. 
 
 But 
 
[     ^^9     ] 
 
 But  this  wife  caution  of  the  apoftle  did 
 -not  avail  to  flop  the  evil,  though  it^cor- 
 redled  it  for  the  prefent.  For  the  great  mif- 
 takes  concerning  the  perfon  of  Chrift,  vvhich 
 foUov^ed,  and  vs^hich  continue  to  this  day, 
 have  fprung  from  this  fir  ft  error,  as  from 
 their  fource ;  from  chriftians  being  afliamed 
 of  the  reproach  of  the  crofs,  of  Chrift  cru- 
 cified ;  unwilling  to  confefs  a  mortal  man, 
 who  was  put,  though  mod  unjuftly,  and  in 
 the  nobleft  caufe,  to  the  death  of  a  Have 
 and  malefactor,  to  be  their  Saviour  and  the 
 author  of  their  religion ;  unlefs  at  the  fime 
 time  they  muft  fuppofe,  and  make  him  to 
 be,  the  moft  high  God;  or  a  great  ftupendous 
 being,  next  to  the  moft  high  God,  and  creator 
 of  all  things  under  him. 
 
 Phil  pot.  Never  was  there  more  abomma^ 
 hie  Belials  than  thefe  Arians  be.  T/3^  ignorant 
 Belials  (meaning  heathen  men  and  papifts) 
 worjhip  the  creatures  for  the  Creator ;    but 
 
 thefe  perverfe  Arians  do  worfiip  Chrijt ; 
 
 but  as  a  creature  like  unto  thernf elves. 
 
 Remark.  Nothing  which  thefe  Arians  do, 
 can  pleafe  him.  Other  wife  he  muft  have 
 been  convinced^  that  they  had  a  fiacere  re- 
 verence for  Chrift,   although  they  believed 
 
 I  4  him 
 
[      I20      ] 
 
 him  not  to  be  above  the  condition  of  a 
 creature;  becaufe  they  worfhiped  him,  by 
 offering  prayer  to  him.  This,  many  Uni- 
 tarians for u pled  not,  at  that  time,  and  af- 
 terwards ;  fuppofing  Chrift  to  be  intitled 
 to  and  qualified  for  it,  by  the  gift  of  the 
 Father,  by  the  great  power  and  dominion 
 which  God  had  conferred  upon  him  for  his 
 perfect  virtue  and  obedience  unto  death,  in 
 the  caufe  of  truth  and  righteoufnefs.  But,  if 
 they  were  miftaken  in  this  pradlice,  as  they 
 mofl  probably  were,  for  ^without  an  exprefs 
 command  for  ity  we  are  not  to  worfhip  a?iy 
 being  hut  God  himfolfy  and  there  is  no  divine 
 C07nma72d for  worjhiping  Chrifi :  yet  furely  it 
 was  a  venial  error,  and  did  not  deferve  fuch 
 hard  names  and  abufe. 
 
 Philpot.  Who  can  abide  the  eternal  gene-- 
 ration  of  the  Son  of  God  to  be  denied  -,  fince 
 it  is  written  of  hym^  His  generation  who 
 fhall  be  able  to  declare  ?  Is  there  any  trew 
 harte  that  grudgeth  not  at  fiich  fait  hies  blafo 
 
 phemoiirs  ? Should  not   the  mouth  de^ 
 
 dare  the  zele  for  his  Maker y  by  fpyttiiig  on 
 him  that  depraveth   his  divine  majejiy,  which 
 
 wasy  and  is,  and  will  be,  God  for  ever  ? 
 
 If  Chrift y  with  a  whippe,  dryved  out  of  the 
 
 temple 
 
[      121       ] 
 
 temple  fuch  as  were  prophaners  thereof,  ought 
 not  the  fervant  of  God,  by  fome  lyk  outward 
 flgnif  cation,  to  reprove  the  vilany  of  thofe, 
 who  go  about  to  take  away  the  glory  of  him 
 that  was  the  Builder  of  the  temple  ? 
 "Remark,      i.  It  was  not  then 
 
 ,  ,        ,  11'       Ifaiah  lili.  8. 
 
 unknown  to  the  learned,  and  is        ,  .    , 
 
 '  explained. 
 
 now  well  known ;  that  the  pro- 
 phet Ifaiah,  in  the  paffage  cited  by  Mr. 
 Philpot,  fpeaks  not  of  any  eternal  generation 
 of  Chrift,  or  of  any  exiftence  that  he  had 
 before  he  was  born  of  his  mother  Mary ;  but 
 either  of  that  evil  age  or  generation  of  men, 
 among  whom  his  lot  was  caft ;  or  rather,  {h)  of 
 his  manner  of  life  in  this  world,  his  unfpotted 
 innocence  and  virtue.  But  why  niuft  he,  for 
 interpreting  this  text  differently  from  him- 
 felf,  call  thefe  n\Qn  fait  hies  blafphemours,  who 
 had  examined  the  Scriptures,  for  aught  he 
 knew  to  the  contrary,  as  fincerely  and  faith- 
 fully as  he  had  done;  and  who  fpoke  of  Chrift, 
 in  as  high  terms  as  they  were  perfuaded  he 
 required  of  them,  though  not  fuch  as  Mr. 
 Philpot  could  be  fatisfied  with  ?  They  de^ 
 praved  not,  as  he  accufes  them,  the  divine 
 majejiy  of  Chrift  -,  for  they  did  not  believe 
 
 that 
 (^)  See  Bifhop  Lowth  on  Ifaiah  liii,  8. 
 
[       122       ] 
 
 that  It  was  what  belonged  to  him  :  but  he 
 fhould  have  been  more  careful  of  depraving 
 the  divine  majejiy  of  the  Father  of  Chrift,  and 
 of  mankind,  in  afcribing  to  another  what 
 belonged  to  Him  alone. 
 
 It  is  v/ith  an  ill  grace  that  Mr. 
 "    *         Phil  pot  feeks  countenance  for  his 
 
 explained.  ^ 
 
 own  paffionate  behaviour  towards 
 thofe  who  were  far  from  intending  any  dif- 
 refpefl:  to  Chrift,  from  what  Chrift  himfelf 
 did  to  a  fett  of  worldly  hypocritical  Jews, 
 who  made  no  fcruple  of  interrupting  the 
 devotions  of  the  heathen  worfhipers  by  carry- 
 ing on  their  trades  in  the  part  of  the  temple 
 appropriated  for  them  by  Almighty  God. 
 We  can  draw  no  precedent  for  our  own  con- 
 dud:  from  fuch  inftances  as  thefe,  in  which 
 our  Lord  ad:ed  in  his  character  of  the  great 
 prophet  and  extraordinary  melTenger  of  the 
 moft  high  God  to  men.  It  is  alfo  always  to 
 be  attended  to,  that  every  Jew,  as  being  un- 
 der a  conftitution  of  government  immediately 
 appointed  by  God,  and  adminiftred  by  him, 
 held  it  to  be  incumbent  on  him,  in  his  own 
 perfon,  like  Phineas,  inftantly  to  vindicate 
 the  honour  of  their  divine  lav/,  and  oppofe 
 the  violation  of  it.     The  njohip  of  fmall  cords 
 
 mentioned 
 
[      123      ] 
 
 mentioned  by  one  of  the  evangelifts,  as  being 
 in  our  Lord's  hands,  might  be  9f  fome  ufe  to 
 drive  the  cattle  out  of  the  facred  place  of 
 worfhip,  but  could  be  but  a  very  puny  in- 
 ftrument  of  oifence,  to  expell  the  men  who 
 were  prophaning  it.  Nor  was  it  at  all  wanted 
 in  that  refped:.  They  were  fufficlently  over- 
 awed by  his  divine  pov/er  and  authority,  and 
 the  charadler  and  circumftances  in  which  he 
 then  appeared.  For,  as  (/)  one  well  remarks; 
 in  what  our  Lord  did  to  the  buyers  and 
 fellers  in  the  temple,  he  is  not  to  be  con- 
 fidered  as  one  fingle  man  only,  but  as  at 
 the  head  of  an  infinite  number  of  people, 
 all  acknowleging  him  at  that  time  for  their 
 MeJJiah  and  King^  and  therefore  ready  to 
 fupport  him  in  any  reformation  that  he 
 fhould  attempt.''  May  not  this  alfo  be 
 confidered  as  a  kind  of  fymbolical  adtion, 
 wherein  by  commanding  and  caufing  the 
 temple  to  be  cleared  for  the  gentiles,  Jefus 
 inculcated  that  the  time  was  come,  when  all 
 the  nations  would  be  invited  to  become  the 
 church  and  people  of  God,  equally  with  the 
 
 Jews  ? 
 
 Philpot. 
 
 (/)  See  Bifhop  Pearce's  works,   Vol.  II.    p.    344, 
 
 It 
 
 €6 
 
[       124      ] 
 
 Philpot. — But  thefc  wicked  Arians,  as  their 
 corrupt  faces  bajhe  not  to  deny  the  eternal  Son 
 cf  God,  fo  are  they  not  ajhamed  to  deny  the 
 Holy  Ghoji  to  be  God:  their  for  eh  ed  is  lyke  the 
 forehed  of  a  whore ,  hardened  with  counter- 
 feited hypocrifye.  Stiff-necked  wretches  they 
 are,  that  will  not  yelde  to  the  trewth,  though 
 it  be  never  fo  7nanifefly  laid  before  their  faQ£. 
 T^hey  have  fworne  to  run  after  their  mafter  the 
 Divel  without  fay,  and  to  draw  with  them 
 as  many  as  they  can,  in  the  which  they  are 
 diligent.  The  Lord  confound  them,  &c. 
 &c.  &c. 
 
 Remark.  I  apprehend  that  the  fentiment, 
 that  the  Holy  Ghoft,  or  Spirit,  is  not  a  being 
 diftind;  from  God,  or  a  Divine  Perfon,  who 
 is  to  be  worfliiped,  is  now  become  very 
 general  among  chriftians  that  look  into  the 
 Scriptures  at  all  for  themfelves  3  though  Mr. 
 Philpot  was  ignorant  of  this  truth,  and  loads 
 with  fuch  heavy  reproach  thefe  men,  who 
 fawit  in  that  early  day.  It  may  furnifh  us 
 with  one  or  two  ufeful  remarks,  and  relieve 
 the  reader,  to  mention  an  inftance  of  a  bet- 
 ter fpirit  and  treatment,  about  a  century  after, 
 in  a  like  cafe, 
 
 .    When 
 
[     125     ] 
 
 (/)  When  the  pious  and  learned  *^  John 
 *'  Biddle,  the  Unitarian,  was  at  Gloucefter, 
 fays  the  Oxford  Hiftorian,  under  bail  for 
 his  appearance  before  the  Parliament,  for 
 his  opinions  concerning  the  Deity  of  the 
 Holy  Ghoji ;  about  the  month  of  June 
 1646,  the  learned  Uilier,  Primate  of  Ire- 
 *%  land,  travelled  through  that  city  in  his 
 way  to  London  ;  and  having  before  heard 
 of  him,  fpoke  to  and  ufed  him  with  all 
 fairnefs  and  pity,  as  wxU  as  with  ftrength 
 **  of  argument,  to  convince  him  of  his 
 "  dangerous  error;  telling  him,  that  either 
 **  he  was  in  a  damnable  error,  or  elfe  that 
 "  the  whole  church  of  Chrift,  who  had  in 
 all  ages  worihiped  the  Holy  Ghoft,  had 
 been  guilty  of  idolatry/' 
 This  worthy  Prelate  was  miftaken,  or  his 
 fentiments  are  mifreprefented  by  the  hifto- 
 rian, in  afferting  that  the  Holy  Ghoft  {ho/y 
 Spirit  rather)  was  worfliiped  in  all  ages  by 
 the  whole  church  of  Chrift.  Whereas  it  is 
 notorious,  that  we  have  no  account  of  any 
 fuch  thing  'till  the  fourth  century.  How- 
 ever, if  fuch  an  abufe  had  crept  in  and  begun 
 
 in 
 
 (/)  Wood's  Athene  Oxonienfes,  Vol.  11.  p.  300, 
 
t  126  ] 
 
 ill  the  very  time  of  the  apoftles,  and  was  cori^ 
 trary  to  what  they  taught,  it  argued  the 
 ftronger  neceffity  to  difcard  it  immediately. 
 In  a  matter  of  fuch  importance  as  the  true 
 objed  of  divine  worfhip,  we  fliould  not  be 
 backward  or  afhamed  to  ov/n  our  errors  and 
 renounce  them,  for  fear  of  confequences  to 
 what  has  been  long  eftablifhed  and  held 
 facred, 
 
 Ufier  fpeaks  too  much  according  to  the 
 favage  and  ignorant  prejudices  of  the  times, 
 in  calling  the  denial  of  the  deity  of  the 
 Holy  Ghoft,  a  damnable  error.  For  fup- 
 pofing  that  Biddle  had  been  miftaken  in 
 his  particular  opinion  concerning  the  holy 
 Spirit ;  as  it  was  an  error  that  flowed  from 
 honeft  inquiry,  and  led  him  to  nothing  im- 
 moral, nor  infpired  him  with  any  malevo- 
 lence or  unkind  thoughts  towards  others, 
 one  of  the  Archbifliop's  charafter  and  edu- 
 cation fhould  not  have  ufed  fuch  coarfe,  ill 
 tempered  language,  which  tended  to  flir  up 
 men's  evil  paffions  againfl  the  perfon  of 
 whom  he  fpoke.  But  he  iliould  have  frank- 
 ly acknowleged,  that  error  fo  circumilanced 
 could  not  be  damnable,  nor  in  the  leaft  de- 
 gree   dangerous,    or    unfavourable    to    any 
 
 man's 
 
[      127      ] 
 
 man's  future  happinefs.    Infallibility  is  the 
 attribute  of  God  alone. 
 
 Philpot.  I  marvel  that  there  Jhould  he  fo 
 little  zele  in  a  trew  chrijiian  harte^  that  it 
 can  feme  to  take  the  part  of  an  Arian,  We 
 cannot  ferve  Chrift  and  BaaL  If  you  be  un^ 
 faynedly  of  the  trewth,  abyde  in  the  trewth^ 
 and  let  all  your  will  be  towards  the  profejjors 
 of  the  trewth  in  the  unity  of  Chrifi's  church ; 
 left  you  may  appear  to  be  fcatterers  with  he^ 
 retycksy  rather  than  gatherers  with  Chrift. 
 Do  ye  not  fee  what  a  rabble  of  new  found 
 fcatterers  there  be,  fuch  a  fort  as  never  at 
 ons  have  byn  hearde  of  yn  one  realme,  the  on^ 
 contrary  to  the  other,  fo  that  the  Divel 
 might  have  fee?ned  to  have  powred  owt  all  his 
 poifons  at  ofts  againft  the  gofpelL  And  will 
 you  that  glory  of  the  trewth,  go  abowt  by 
 word,  dede,  or  help,  to  may7itayne  a?iy  fuch 
 in  their  hedy  errours  ?  He  that  toucheth 
 pytche,    cannot   chufe   but    defile   his  fingers 
 
 t  her  with, St,  Paul,  writing  unto  Titus, 
 
 commandeth  all  chriftian  parfons  to  avoid  an 
 heretyk  after  ojis  or  twyce  warning,  knowing 
 that  fuch  a  ojie  is  perverted  andfinneth,  and 
 is  damned  by  his  owne  judgment , 
 
 Kern  ark. 
 
r  128  3 
 
 Remark.  Here  and  in  many  other  placed 
 the  Arian  and  his  friends  are  upbraided  with 
 breaking  the  unity  of  ChrijTs  church.  This 
 IS  an  impofing,  fine— founding  word,  that 
 afts  like  a  charm  upon  many;  and  might 
 have  in  it  fomething  worth  attending  to,  if 
 it  related  to  any  thing  of  Chrift's  own  ap- 
 pointment. But  when  it  is  really  nothing 
 but  rejedling  the  opinions  of  men,  however 
 learned,  however  many  in  number,  and  in 
 however  long  a  fuccellion,  to  keep  more 
 clofely  to  the  words  of  Chrift,  and  inter- 
 pret them  for  a  man's  felf ;  the  more  fuch 
 unity  is  broken,  the  better ;  as  it  has  gene- 
 rally been  nothing  but  an  unity  in  error. 
 Was  it  not  in  the  fame  way,  in  the  ufe  of 
 his  own  private  judgment,  by  interpreting 
 the  Scriptures  for  himfelf,  that  Mr.  Phil- 
 pot,  with  others,  had  lately  broken  the  unity 
 of  Chriji's  church,  in  feparating  themfelves 
 from  the  Romifh  church  ?  And  why  will 
 he  condemn  another  for  taking  the  fame 
 liberty  of  thinking  for  himfelf,  and  differ- 
 ing, where  he  faw  caufe,  from  him  or  others, 
 in  any  opinion  or  conclufion,  merely  of  men, 
 of  however  long  ftanding  ? 
 
 4        .  -  Hs 
 
[      129      ] 
 
 He  rails  at  thefe  Arians ;  and  calls  them, 
 in   a  fcornful   way,  a  rabble  of   new-found 
 fcatterers,  6cc.     But  did  not  the  Papifts,  by 
 whofe    authority   himfelf    and    this    Ariaa 
 were  caft  into  prifon,   conlider  them  both 
 alike,^  and  fpeak  in  the  fame  terms  of  him, 
 ^s  well  as   of    Cranmer,    Ridley,  Latymer, 
 and  many   others    at    that   time  ?     If  thefe 
 Arians  fcattered  the  good  feed  of  the  word 
 of  God,  or  honefcly  and  fmcerely  intended 
 it,  and   gave   no  juft  offence  to   the   civil 
 powers ;  neither  he,  nor  the  Papifts,  nor  any 
 power   on  earth,  could  condemn,    or  with 
 juftice  interpofe  and   prevent  them.    Whe- 
 ther they  did  right  or  not,  belonged  to  ano- 
 ther power  and  jurifdiilion,  than  that  of  men. 
 
 But  when  he  would  counfel  his  friends, 
 not  to  keep  company  with  thefe  Arians,  as 
 being  in  the  number  of  tho^Qfelf-  condemned 
 heretics^  whom  St.  Paul  fpeaks  of,  (Titus 
 iii.  10,  II.)  he  fliould  have  known;  that 
 fuch  honejly  confcientioiis  men,  could  never 
 come  under  that  defcription,  viz.  the  man 
 that  is  an  heretic ,  after  his  firft  and  fecond 
 admojiition,  rejeB ;  knowings  that  he  that 
 is  fuch  is  fiibvertedy  and  fmneth,  being  con* 
 demned  of  hi?nfef 
 
 K  A  truly 
 
[     ^30     ] 
 
 A  truly  learned   and  good 
 
 Titas  iii.  lo,  il.  ,        ,  n     ^         r 
 
 explained.  ^^^">  ^^^^v  g^^^  ^^  reft,  has  let 
 
 this  paffage  in  its  true  light, 
 {k)  and  fully  proved,  that  what  is  here  faid, 
 relates  to  thofe  times,  and  to  one  particular 
 perfon,  t/je  heretic,  as  the  apoftle  calls  him, 
 gr  the  caufer  of  divifions  among  tiiem,  by 
 mixing  jewifh  fables  (Tit.  i.  14.)  with  the 
 gofpel ;  whom  he  here  points  out.  And  he 
 reprefents  Titus,  as  knowi?2g  the  man  to  Jin, 
 and  to  ht  felf -condemned  \  not  from  zny  fit- 
 pernatural  knowlege,  which  himfelf  or  Ti- 
 tus had  of  the  human  heart,  but  from  the 
 man's  adulterating  the  truth  of  the  gofpel 
 with  fuch  foreign  mixtures,  which  Titus 
 and  all  others  were  perfuaded  the  apoftles 
 never  taught ;  and  becaufe  the  man  himfelf 
 could  not  but  be  convinced  in  his  own 
 confcience,  that  he  never  received  fuch  doc- 
 trines from  the  apoftles. 
 
 It  is  well  known  how  much  this  paftage 
 of  the  apoftle  has  been  abufed  in  former 
 times,  to  encourage  chriftians  in  their  per- 
 fecutions  of  one  another.  As  it  nov^  ftands 
 in  our  englifh  verfion,  common  readers  will 
 
 be 
 
 (/f)  Eifhop  Pearce's  Sermons,  Vol.  IV.  p.  277. 
 
[     131     ] 
 
 be  apt  to  conclude  from  it,  that  there  is  a 
 certain  clafs  of  chriftians,  called  heretics  in 
 the  Scriptures,  teaching  wrong  and  bad 
 dodlrines,  efpecially  in  denying  the  dodtrine 
 of  the  Trinity,  and  the  divinity  of  Chrifl; 
 (for  to  thofc  things  in  particular  the  term 
 has  been  applied  and  confined)  and  who,  on 
 this  account,  are  to  be  confidered  and 
 avoided  as  infcdious  pcrfons,  that  poifon 
 the  minds  of  thofe  who  conv'^erfe  with 
 them,  and  would  endanger  their  eternal  fal- 
 vation. 
 
 But  the  Scripture  knows  no  fuch  ufe,  or 
 appropriation  of  the  terms,  herefy^  or  he^ 
 retic. 
 
 Herefy,  aipEcngy  fignifies  a  fedl,  or  divifion 
 of  men;  holding  certain  opinions.  St.  Paul, 
 in  his  fpeech  before  Agrippa,  fays  ^  (Ads 
 XX vi.  5.)  after  the  mojt  exaB  fe^iy  or  herefy , 
 \^ccipic-iv]  of  our  religion,  I  lived  a  Pharifee, 
 
 A  heretic  then,  or  feBary,  for  the  vi'ords 
 are  fynonymous,  may  be  a  praifeworthy 
 or  blameable  characfler,  according  to  the 
 grounds  on  which  he  goes,  and  for  which 
 he  divides  or  feparates  himfeif  from  others. 
 St.  Paul  intimates,  in  another  defenfe  of 
 himfeif  before  the  Reman  governour ;  that 
 
 K  2  although 
 
[      132      ] 
 
 although  his  adverfarles  accufed  him  of 
 making  caufelefs  dlvlfions,  of  being  a  he- 
 retic, or  fed:ary  in  the  bad  fenfe  of  the 
 word,  by  adjoining  himfelf  to  the  chrif- 
 tians  ;  he  had  the  approbation  of  his  own 
 mind  in  what  he  had  done,  and  gloried  in 
 it :  (Ads  xxiv.  14.)  I coftfefs  unto  thee^  that 
 after  the  way  that  they  call  herefy^  fo  wor-^ 
 JInp  I  the  God  of  my  fathers. 
 
 The  heretic y  or  fe^ary,  in  religion.  Is  at 
 fuch  times  only  a  blameable  charafter, 
 when  out  of  views  of  temporal  power  or 
 profit,  or  any  like  finifter  motives,  and  not 
 from  a  confcientious  regard  for  truth,  he 
 begins,  cherilhes,  and  continues  divilions 
 in  the  chriftian  fociety  -,  like  the  man  here 
 cen Cured  by  Paul. 
 
 The  attentive  reader,  who  confiders,  Ti- 
 tus i.  ID,  15.  and  the  connexion  of  the 
 prefent  injundlion  of  Paul  to  Titus,  (iii. 
 10,  II.)  v/ith  what  immediately  precedes  it, 
 will  find,  that  it  may  thus  juftly  be  rendered 
 into  englifh  :  T'he  caufer  of  div'ifions  among 
 you,  (by  introducing  doftrines  which  he 
 knows  do  not  belong  to  the  gofpel)  after 
 the  firjl  and  fecond  admonitiony  have  no  fo- 
 ciety  with  3   as  yon  are  fully  convinced  that 
 
 he  * 
 
[     133     3 
 
 he  muji  be  wholly  perverted y  and  a  bad  man  ; 
 becaufe  he  knows  in  his  own  cofifcience,  that 
 he  ajjerts  what  is  falfe. 
 
 If  then  chriftians  will  call  others  here- 
 tics,  by  way  of  reproach,  for  not  holding 
 w^ith  them  in  their  opinions  about  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  Trinity  and  Divinity  of  Chrift, 
 or  any  other  opinions,  and  think  it  right  to 
 iliun  each  others  company  on  fuch  accounts, 
 and  to  hate  and  perfecute  one  another,  as 
 this  Mr.  Philpot  advifes ;  they  muft  feek 
 for  other  authorities,  and  not  quote  this 
 pafTage  of  St.  Paul's  epiftle,  nor  his  exam- 
 ple, to  countenance  them  In  fuch  praftice. 
 
 One  remark  may  properly  come  at  the  clofe 
 of  this  account.  We  have  been  endeavouring 
 here,  and  in  a  former  inftance,  p.  115,  to 
 explain  the  condud:  of  two  of  the  apoftles ; 
 and  I  hope  it  has  been  done  fo  as  to  acquit 
 them  of  blame  in  both  cafes.  We  are  how- 
 ever under  no  neceffity  of  juftifying  the  apof- 
 tles of  Chrift  In  all  that  they  did.  They  are 
 no  examples  to  us  any  farther  than  as  they 
 afted  with  propriety,  and  free  from  the  undue 
 influence  of  paffion,  againft  which  they  fome- 
 times  offended,  and  to  their  honour,  made 
 no  fcruple  of  telling  the  wrong  things  they 
 
 K  3  did. 
 
[     ^34    ] 
 
 did.  This  fliews  that  they  were  honefl 
 men,  and  fpoke  the  truth,  though  it  made 
 againft  themfelves  :  a  circumftance  which 
 adds  great  ftrtngth  to  their  general  teftimony 
 concerning  the  fads  of  the  gofpel. 
 
 Philpot.     Thus  have  I  touched  to  give  you 
 *wan2Wg,  how  to   behave  yourfelfs  with   the 
 Arians,  and  other  fchifmatyks  and  heretyks^ 
 whom  all  godly  order,  and  good  learning  dif- 
 plecifeth.  —  If  you  heare  there  is   contention 
 betwyne  us  and  them  that  be  in  prifon,  marvel 
 7iot  therefor^  nether  let  your  mynds  be  alienated 
 Jro?n  the  trewth  any  thyng  t  her  by :  for  as  it 
 is  written,  it  is  necelTary  that  herelies  fhould 
 be,  that  the   elcdt  might   be   tried.      Chriji 
 and  Antichrif  can  never  agree, — Such  Anti^ 
 chrifts  be  they  as  breke  the  unity  of  ChrijTs 
 church,  nether  abyde  in  the  fame,  iiether  fub- 
 mitte  their  judgment  to  be  tried  in  the  caufes 
 which  they  brable  for,  by  the  godly  learned 
 fafors  therof:  but  arrogantly  deprave  them, 
 and  take  upon  themfelfs  to  be  teachers,  before 
 they  have  learned ;  afirmying  they  cannot  tell 
 what,  and  fpeakyng  evill  of  that  which  they 
 know  not,     Prowde  they  are,  and  puffed  up 
 yn  the  imagination  of  their  owne  blynd  fenfes^ 
 and  judge  themfelfs  bejl  of  all  other.y  becaufe^ 
 
 they 
 
[     ^25     ] 
 
 they  can  make  a  pale  face  of  hypocrify  to  the 
 ivorld,  and  cafl  a  glafs  of  diJjhnbUng  "water 
 before  the  eyes  of  the  fwiple  people^  as  thes 
 Arians  do, — Still  they  have  the  Scriptures  in 
 their  mouths^  a?id  cry,  the  Scripture,  the 
 Scripture-  And  when  they  be  by  the 
 
 word  rightly  alleaged  overt hrowen,  and  they 
 have  not  with  reafon   what  to  reply ^  yet  will 
 they  never  be  confounded ,  but  either  depart  yn 
 fury,  or  els  flop   their  eares  at  the  fayings  of 
 the  wife  charmer,  like  deaf  ferpents ;  or  els 
 fall  to  folding,  which  is  their  furefl  divinity 
 to  fight  withal.  And  if  perchance  any  of  them 
 be  foberer  than  other,  their  anfwer  is-,  I  pray 
 you'y  let  us  alone.      Gur  confcye7is  is  fatisfyed. 
 Tou  labour  but  in  vayn  to  go  about  to  turn  us. 
 For  i?if elf  love,  blindnefs,  and  vayne  hypocrify 
 thes  heretyks  continue,  be  they  never  fo  chari- 
 tably or  learnedly  informed. 
 
 Remark,  Hiftorians  tell  us,  that  (Z) 
 *'  the  unhappy  divifions  and  quarrels  among 
 "  the  proteftants,  who  were  under  the  crols 
 **  and  in  prifon  together,  gave  great  advan- 
 *^  tage  to  the  common  adverfary,  the  Papift; 
 
 ^'  who 
 
 (Z)  Burnet  j  and  Neal's  Hiftory  of  the  Puritan?,  Vol. 
 
 I.  p.  IQS. 
 
 K4 
 
[      136      ] 
 
 *'  who  blazed  abroad  their  infirmities,  and 
 faid,  f/jey  were  Ji/ffen'ng  Jor  they  knew  not 
 what  (/).  It  was  furely  an  ill  chofen  time 
 for  difputes.  Their  fituatlon  and  the  bit- 
 ter pallage  through  which  they' were  foon 
 *'  to  go  into  the  other  world,  fhould  have 
 *'  taught  them  more  kindnefs  and  forbear- 
 *^  ance  towards  one  another." 
 
 But  we  ihall  be  inclined  to  make  all  candid 
 allowance  for  fuch  things,  when  we  conlider 
 the  general  miftake  which  chriftians  then  lay 
 under,  and  which  is  not  yet  intirely  removed; 
 that  certain  opinions  concerning  the  fuppofed 
 deity  of  Chrift,    concerning   Original   Sin, 
 
 Pre- 
 
 (/)  ''  One  thing  now  fell  out,  which  caufed  fome  dif- 
 *'  turbance  among  the  prifoners.  Many  of  them  that 
 "  were  under  reftraint  for  the  profeffion  of  the  gofpel, 
 *'  were  fuch  as  held  Free-will,  to  the  derogation  of  God's 
 *'  grace ;  and  refufed  the  doctrine  of  Abfolute  Predefti- 
 "  nation,  and  Original  Sin.  They  were  men  of  very 
 <'  ftrift  and  holy  lives,  but  hot  in  their  opinions  and  dif- 
 
 *'  putations,  and  unquiet."— ''  Befides  thefe  Anti- 
 
 *'  predeftinarians,  there  were  fome  few  v/ho  lay  in  prifon 
 ''  for  the  gofpel,  who  were  Arians,  and  difbelieved  the 
 "  Divinity  of  Jefus  Chrift.  Tv/o  of  thefe  lay  in  the  King's 
 "  Bench.  Thefe  different  opinions  occafioned  fuch  un- 
 '^  feemly  quarrelfome  difputes  among  them,  that  the  Mar- 
 **  dial  was  fain  to  feparate  them  one  from  another." 
 
 Strype's  Life  of  Cranmer,  p.  350,  352* 
 
[     137     1 
 
 Predeftination,  and  the  like,  were  neceflary 
 to  ialvation ;  which  made  them  anxious  and 
 reftlefs  to  bring  all  perfons  to  embrace  them. 
 Thefe  Arians  probably  were  in  fault,  as  all 
 are  apt  to  be  too  eager  to  gain  over  others  to 
 opinions  which  they  think  important.  But 
 Mr.  Philpot  feems  to  have  been  the  chief 
 aggreffor.  For  fuch  were  his  intemperate 
 Zealand  haughtinefs,  that  he  could  not  bear 
 with  patience  thofe  that  differed  from  him  in 
 any  point,  but  efpecially  on  the  fubjed:  of 
 the  Trinity,  and  Divinity  of  Chrift.  And 
 from  his  own  v/ords  we  learn ;  that  when 
 fome  of  thefe  perfons  wifhed  to  be  quiet,  and 
 not  to  wrangle  for  ever,  he  would  not  let 
 them  alone. 
 
 His  propofed  method  of  terminating  their 
 difputes,  would  not  be  likely  to  be  fuccefsful 
 or  accepted.  For  he  required  them  to  fub- 
 mit  their  judgment,  and  refer  themfelves  to 
 tieir  godly  and  learned  pajiors  and  teachers  y 
 i.  e.  to  himfelf,  and  others  of  likefentiments. 
 He  owns,  that  they  profefled  to  follow  the 
 Scriptures  only ;  which  is  to  their  honour ; 
 but  becaufe  they  would  make  ufe  of  their 
 own  underftandings,  and  not  implicitly  re^ 
 ceive  his  interpretation  of  them,  he  rails  at 
 and  abufes  them.     In  Ihort,  he  was  mortis 
 
 iic4 
 
fied  to  find  himfelf  oppofed,  and  baffled  per«i 
 haps,  by  unlearned  men.  For  thefe  Uni- 
 tarians feem  to  have  had  a  found  and  rational 
 way  of  defending  their  opinion  ;  and  would 
 find  no  difficulty  in  anfwering  and  confuting 
 his  arguments,  whofe  force  chiefly  lay  in  de- 
 clamation, and  in  texts  of  Scripture  mif- 
 underftood,  and  ill  applied. 
 
 Phiipot.  Now  will  I  tm'ne  to  the  Arian 
 again,  who  transjigureth  hijnfelf  into  an  an-* 
 gel  of  light y  as  Satan  oftentymes  doeth,  that 
 he  might  under  the  cloke  of  hoUnes  more 
 mightily  dec  eve  thefmple  folk^  And  merely 
 ^  he  is  a  Divel  iticarnate ;  he  hath  a  name  that 
 be  lyvethy  and  indede  is  deade,  fudge  them 
 not  by  their  outwarde  Jhew,  wheryn  they  eX" 
 folk  thejnfelfs  ^wonderfully ,  and  dazel  f??iple 
 mens  eys  like  larks.  For  our  Mafter  Chrijl 
 frophefed  of  fuch  falfe  hypocrites  to  comCy 
 gevyng  us  warning  to  beware  of  fuch  as  pre- 
 tend the  fimplicity  of  a  ftoepe  outwardly y  and 
 yet  inwardely  are  ravening  wolfeSy  devouring 
 the  fowles  and.  bodies  of  men  unto  perdition,-^ 
 Who  be  fuch  fudafes  unto  Chrijl  as  thes 
 Ariansy  which  ceafe  not  to  betray  hym  of  his 
 
 eternal  deity  ? Eve?i  fo  fiall  the  Lord  de^ 
 
 froy  thes  unbelieving  Arians,   whom  he  did 
 once  through  baptifme  deliver  from  the  bon- 
 dage 
 
[     139     ] 
 
 iage  cf  fynnCy  becaiife  they  have  for faken  the 
 deity  of  Chrifl  their  original  jiif  ice,  and  com- 
 pared hyni  iinreverently  and  ungodly  to  them^ 
 felfs ;  to  nvhom  eternal  fire  belongeth,  ivhich 
 is  prepared  for  the  Divel,  and  for  thes  Arians^ 
 his  chife  angels,  Worfe  are  they  than  the 
 Dively  "which,  in  Matth.  viii.  did  acknow- 
 
 ledg  hym  to  be  the  eternal  Son  of  God, • 
 
 But  thes  Hell-hounds  are  offended  at  his  eter- 
 72al  majefty,  and  wold  have  hym  no  better  than 
 themfelfs,  by  creation.  Is  this  the  profefjion 
 of  Chrifi,  0  ye  Antichrifis  ?  Doth  your  fay  n-- 
 ed  hotlines  te?td  to  this  end,  to  difhonour  hym 
 that  is  ?nofi  holliefi  ? 0  you  painted  hypo- 
 crites, doth  your  counterfeited  love,  and  dif- 
 femblying  patience,  go  abowt  to  debafe  the 
 eternal  love  of  God  his  beloved  Son,  o  ye 
 haters  of  God  I 
 
 Re?nark.  Making  due  allowance  for  the 
 violence  of  Mr.  Philpot's  pafiions  and  pre- 
 judices, one  eafily  perceives,  notvvithfland- 
 ing  what  he  fays  again  ft  them,  that  thefe 
 Arians  were  harmlefs,  kind-hearted,  well 
 difpofed  creatures  -,  fomewhat  too  vehement 
 perhaps  in  maintaining  their  opinions,  for 
 Vv'liich  however  they  had  but  too  much 
 provocation,  and  a  bad  precedent  to  follow 
 
 in 
 
[     140     ] 
 
 in  their  antagonift.  And  it  is  much  to  their 
 credit,  that  to  prevent  the  pity  and  refped: 
 which  would  otherwife  have  been  ih^wn 
 them,  he  is  forced  to  depreciate  their  cha- 
 radlers,  by  calling  them  hypocrites ;  whilll: 
 at  the  fame  time  he  owns  that  their  outward 
 demeanor  was  unblameable  and  innocent. 
 His  rule  fhould  have  been,  where  fuch  good 
 fruits  were  produced,  to  own  that  the  tree 
 was  good-y  and  where  no  evil  appeared,  to 
 believe  there  was  none  3  and  therefore  furely 
 ought  to  have  refrained  from  denouncing 
 the  divine  judgments  againft  thefe  men. 
 
 The  indecent  behaviour  towards  them, 
 of  which  he  here  undertakes  the  defence, 
 was  not  the  way  to  reclaim  them,  if  in 
 error,  and  was  moft  unbecoming  a  dif- 
 ciple  of  Chrift.  That  heavenly  teacher  and 
 Saviour  was  never  wanting  in  ardent  zeal 
 for  the  glory  of  God,  yet  was  mild  and 
 gentle  to  all  that  came  to  him;  and  tender- 
 Befs,  compaflion,  and  forbearance  towards 
 fincere  and  honeft  minds,  however  intangled 
 in  manifeft  errors,  will  meet  with  due  ho- 
 nour and  reward  hereafter  ^  when  the  contra- 
 ry behaviour  will  be  condemned,  even  in  thofe 
 w^hofe  opinions  were  the  moft  juft  and  exad: 
 
 5  con- 
 
[     HI     ] 
 
 concerning  him,  as  fpringing  from  pride  and 
 evil  unfubdued  paflions,  which  are  the  worft 
 herefy  of  all  others. 
 
 Mr.  Philpot  fliould  not  have  f^t  himfelf 
 up  as  if  he  were  to  diftate  to  a  fellow- 
 chriftian,  what  he  was  to  believe  or  not  to 
 believe,  becaufe  he  had  not  fo  much  learn- 
 ing as  himfelf;  and  happened  not  to  be  fo 
 well  acquainted  with  the  dodtrines  of 
 churchmen,  and  the  fathersy  as  they  are 
 called,  in  times  paft :  but  ihould  have  con- 
 lidered,  that  he  and  his  fellow-difputant  had 
 one  common  Mafter,  Chrift,  whofe  hearers 
 were  for  the  moft  part  illiterate  perfons, 
 and  whofe  words,  which  in  general  are  not 
 difficult  to  be  underftood,  are  the  only  rule, 
 by  which  himfelf  and  this  Arian  and  all 
 others  were  to  be  guided,  in  all  things;  and 
 which  each  perfon  is  to  interpret  for  him- 
 felf, and  not  another  for  him;  and  none  to 
 be  llftened  to,  however  learned  or  eminent, 
 any  further  than  as  each  perfon  finds  them 
 to  fpeak  according  to  this  rule. 
 
 General  remarks  07i  this  Apology. 
 
 WHAT  excited  this  otherwife  good 
 man,  and  all  the  great  proteftant  Reformers 
 
 in 
 
[       142      ] 
 
 HI  general,  to  ufe  fuch  bitter^  intemperate 
 language,  and  oftentimes  to  proceed  to  the 
 moll:  cruel  outrages  againft  thofe  who  could 
 not  come  up  to  their  ftandard  of  belief  in 
 thefe  points,  were  the  following  falfe  prin- 
 ciples and  maxims  : 
 
 I .  It  was   a  point  with  them  commonly- 
 taken  for  granted,  without  hefitation,  that 
 'A\  oppofition  to  the  dodrine  of  the  Trinity 
 and  the  Divinity  of  Chrifl,  proceeded   only 
 from  pride,   wilful  blindnefs  and  perverfe- 
 nefs,  hatred  to  God  and  his  truth,  and  other 
 bad  difpoiitions.    Accordingly  Mr.  Philpot 
 all  along,  without  fcruple,  treats  thofe  he 
 calls  ArianSf  much  worfe  than  he  v/ould 
 have  done  perfons  of  the  moil:  abandoned, 
 profligate  characters,   reckoning  their  crime 
 beyond  all  comparifon  more  malignant.     It 
 is  however  difficult  to  account,  how  a  be- 
 lief of  the  One  living  and  true  God,  the 
 Father,  being  God  alone^  and  none  other  be-^ 
 fides  himy  fliould  arife  from  fome  evil  prin- 
 ciple, any  more  than  the  additional  belief  of 
 Chrift,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  being  each  of 
 them  God,  and  equal  to  the  Father.    Why 
 fliould  we  feek  for  other  motives,  when  a 
 love  and  defire  of  truth,  and  of  thereby  re- 
 commending, themfelves   to    the    God    of 
 
 truth. 
 
[     H3    ] 
 
 truth,  IS  the  moft  natural  one  that  can  be 
 fuppofed  to  influence  men  in  their  religious 
 inquiries,  and  particularly  to  embrace  fuch 
 opinions  as  the  refult  of  thole  inquiries, 
 whereby  they  may  be  likely  to  fufFer  in 
 their  wordly  interefts  ?  *^  There  may  be 
 **  (it  is  well  (M)  obferved)  as  much  lazy 
 **  floth  m  taking  up  with  what  is  frji 
 "  taught  lis ;  and  as  much  pride  in  />r^- 
 **  tending  to  high  faith y  and  in  being  afham- 
 *^  ed  to  confefs  our  old  long- def elided  opi^ 
 **^  nions  to  he  at  lajl  nothing  but  fad  mif^ 
 ^*  takes y  as  in  any  thing  elfe." 
 
 But  in  truth  we  have  no  grounds  or  pre- 
 tenfions  whatfoever — to  affert,  that  the  re- 
 ligious perfuaiions  of  others,  v/hatever  they 
 be,  are  efpoufed  by  them  upon  bad  and 
 interefted  views,  and  not  owing  to  iincere 
 convidlion.  Men's  adlions,  if  wrong,  lie 
 open  to  cenfure :  but  the  motives  of  their 
 perfonal  religious  fentiments  and  condudt, 
 are  not  within  any  human  cognifance. 
 They  belong  to  an  higher  tribunal,  where 
 we  have  no  claim  or  right  to  interfere  and 
 pronounce  fentence,  any  way.   Who  art  thou 
 
 that 
 {M)  Emlyn,  Vol.  II.  p.  441.     - 
 
[     144    I 
 
 that  judgcjl  another  s  {jii)  fervant  ?  To  his 
 own  majier  he  Jiandeth  or  falleth. 
 
 2.  That  none  could  be  faved,  or  admitted 
 to  future  happlnefs,  but  fuch  as  believed 
 the  doftrine  of  the  Trinity  and  of  the  Di- 
 vinity of  Chrift ;  was  another  maxim  laid 
 down  by  chriftians,  after  they  began  to 
 make  articles  of  faith  for  others,  and  exer- 
 cife  a  lordly  power  and  dominion  in  the 
 church  of  Chrift.  And  this  caufed  all 
 thofe,  who  affumed  to  themfelves  the  name 
 orthodox,  to  keep  no  meafures  of  charity  or 
 common  humanity  v/ith  thofe  who  dilTented 
 from  them  on  thefe  points.  For  when  men 
 can  bring  themfelves  to  look  upon  a  fellow- 
 creature  as  out  of  the  favour  of  God  on  fuch 
 accounts ;  they  are  too  apt  to  take  the  matter 
 out  of  his  hands,  and  go  before  him  in  inflicting 
 the  punifliment,  they  fuppofe  to  be  deferved. 
 
 If  fuch  perfons  could  have  diverted 
 themfelves  of  their  prejudices,  and  taken 
 time  to  confider  the  foundation  of  thefe 
 conclufions,  they  muft  have  been  foon  fatisjfi- 
 ed  that  there  was  fome  miftake  in  their  inter- 
 pretations of  the  Scripture,  and  in  making  the 
 
 favour 
 
 {m)  Romans  xiv.  4.     So  our  englifli  v^rnon  fhoiild  be^ 
 put;   and  not  another   m?ti\s  Jervajit :  for  God  is    tiie 
 Mafier  here  intended. 
 
[     145     ] 
 
 favour  of  God  to  depend  on  the  belief  and 
 admiffion  of  a  dodrine,  which  they  muft  at 
 the  leaft  have  allowed  to  be  of  an  obfcure, 
 if  not  doubtful  nature^  fince  to  many,  in  all 
 ages,  the  dired:  contrary  fentiment  has  ap- 
 peared to  be  revealed  in  the  Bible^  And  they 
 muft  have  been  convinced,  that  a  Being  of 
 all  goodnefs  could  not  caft  off  his  creatures, 
 and  make  them  fuffer  for  ever ;  or  rather 
 could  not  make  them  fuffer  at  all,  for  the 
 inevitable  defers  of  their  underftandings  ; 
 fuppofmg  them  to  be  in  an  error  in  this 
 refpedl.  And  it  muft  favour  of  great  felf- 
 conceit  not  to  allow  others,  who  fee  the 
 fame  things  in  a  different  light,  to  be  as 
 honeft  and  upright  before  God  as  ourfelves, 
 and  therefore  as  acceptable  to  him,  whatever 
 involuntary  miftakes  about  Him  and  his  re- 
 vealed will  they  may  fall  into. 
 
 3.  When  men  could  entertain  fucn  un- 
 worthy fentiments  of  God,  that  he  could 
 doom  his  creatures  to  mifery  for  ever  for 
 their  mifapprehenfions  concerning  him,  it 
 was  an  eafy  ftep  to  conclude  that  he  was 
 angry  with  them,  and  thus  transfer  their 
 own  malignant  paffions  to  their  Maker. 
 This  is  Mr.  Philpot's  language  and  pradice 
 
 L  through- 
 
[     146     j 
 
 tliroughout ;    that  tliofe   Arians,  whom  lie 
 juilifies   hlmfclf    for  maltreating,  and  calls 
 upon  others  to  do   the   fame  to  them,  and 
 Worfe,  were  as  much  hated  of  God,  as  de- 
 teited  by  himfelf.     But  that  great  fir  ft  and 
 befi  of  Beings  can  never  be   difpleafed  with 
 his  creatures  for   their  opinions  concerning 
 himfelf,   however   difproportioned  or    inac- 
 curate, to  v/hlch   they  have  been  led  by  the 
 weaknefs   of  their  underftan dings,  and   not 
 through  want    of   due  reverence   for   him, 
 nor  by  any  wilful  perverfenefs,  or  blameable 
 w^oridly  view  or  deiign.     Still   lefs  has   this 
 benevolent  parent  of  all  comm.iffioned  others^ 
 prince,   prieft,   magillrate,   or  any  of  man- 
 kind,  to   be  judges  of  the  faith  of  others, 
 and  to  life  them  cruelly,  and  perfecute  them, 
 for  not  hting  found  in  it,  i.   e.  for  holding' 
 and    maintaining    different    opinions    from 
 their  pretended  accufers  and  judges.    But  he 
 will  call  to  a  fevere  account  all  thofe  who 
 arrogate  fuch  an    authority    to    themfelves, 
 and  will  make  them   fenfible  of  their  de- 
 merits  and  of   his  juft  difpleafure,  in  pro- 
 portion to  the  mifery  they  have  inflidled  on 
 their    brethren,    or    the   ftill    greater   mif- 
 chief  ;hey  have  done,  in  making  them  dif-'' 
 
 femble 
 
i     H7-    ] 
 
 ifembie  through  worldly  motives  of  fear  or 
 gain  ;  and  in  flopping  free  inquiry,  which  is 
 the  prime  fource  of  all  truth,  virtue,  and 
 happinefs. 
 
 4.  Another  groundlefs  prefumption  has 
 been  very  current  with  thofe  who  have  held 
 Chrift  to  be  the  moft  high  God  5  which 
 v/as,  that  he  had  great  injury  done  him  by 
 thofe  who  maintained  that  he  vv^as  any  thing 
 lefs  than  the  fupreme  ;  and  therefore  that  it 
 became  them  to  refent  the  injury,  and  to 
 filence  and  punifh  all  fuch  pcrfons.  ^^  If 
 ^'  Moifes,  (fays  Mr.  Philpot,  p.  148.)  be 
 *^  commended  by  the  Scripture  f 07'  Jl7'iking  art 
 *^  Egyptian y  that  did  injury  to  one  of  the 
 **  peeple  of  God  -,  how  may  he  jiiflly  be  blam- 
 *'  edy  which  did  hut  fpyt  at  hym^  that  doeth 
 *^  fuch  injury  and  facrilege  to  the  Son  of 
 *^  Gody  as  to  pluck  him  from  his  eternal  and 
 *'  proper  godhedT'  And  again.  **  Speak  ye 
 *'  that  have  tongues  to  praife  and  cojiffs 
 **  Gody  againfl  thes  Arians  : — Suffer  the?n 
 "^*  not  to  pafs  by  you  iinpoynted  at ;  yea,  if 
 **  they  will  be  fo  ftowte  as  not  to  ceafe  to 
 **  fpeak  againf  God  our  Saviour  and  Chrift 
 **  refrayne  not  to  fpyt  at  fuch  inordinate 
 **  fwyne^  as  are  not  afloamed  to  tred  under 
 
 L  2  **  their 
 
[     148     ] 
 
 **  tbeir  feet  the  precious  godhed  of  our  Sa- 
 **  njiour  fefus  ChriJiJ* 
 
 Mofes  is  not  commended  for  flaying  the 
 Egyptian  in  the  Scriptures;  (Exodus  ii.  ii, 
 12.)  which  only  relate  the  facft.  But  he 
 would  have  *been  to  be  condemned  for  it,  if 
 he  had  done  it  through  any  other  motive 
 than  that  of  preferving  the  life  of  an  inno- 
 cent, injured  countryman.  And  it  would 
 have  become  him  equally  to  have  defended 
 an  Egyptian  againft  the  violent  attack  of 
 one  of  his  own  country.  But  this  could 
 afford  no  countenance  to  Mr.  Philpot,  in  his 
 infulting  ufage  of  a  fellow-chriftian,  who 
 did  him  no  injury;  and  who,  notwithftand- 
 ing  this  declamation,  and  unfcriptural  lan- 
 guage, of  the  eternal  and  proper  godhed y  the 
 precious  godhed  of  Chrijiy  was  fo  far  from? 
 any  injurious  detracting  thought  of  Chrift, 
 that  he  was  now  in  prifon,  and  ready  to  die 
 for  his  fake  and  for  his  truth,  and  probably 
 foon  after  fuffered  for  it. 
 
 Chriji  is  ftill  the  fame  that  the  Scriptures 
 make  him  to  us,  from  whence  alone  we  can 
 draw  any  knowlege  of  him,  nor  can  fuffer 
 any  real  degradation,  whatever  be  men*s 
 thoughts  of  him.    And  they  v/ho  diligent* 
 
[     H9     ] 
 
 ly  fearch  and  confult  thofe  facred  oracles, 
 to  find    out  what    they  deliver  concerning 
 him^  do  him  all  the  honour  they  can  ^  and 
 fliould  they  thus  be  led  to  think  his  origi- 
 nal dignity  lefs  than  it  really  is,  he  will  not 
 find  fault,  or  deem  himfelf  injured  by  them. 
 For  his  great  mind  is  infinitely  above  the 
 pride,   and  low  conceit,   to  which  we  are  all 
 fo  prone ;  nor  is  he  difpofed  at  all  to  regard 
 how   exadly   men   think   of  him,   and   to 
 efteem  and  prefer   them   on   that  account, 
 but  for  the  honefty  and  purity  of  their  in- 
 tentions and  endeavours  in  following  thofe 
 holy  commandments  which  he  delivered  to 
 them  from  God.    And  at  the  final  confum- 
 mation  of  all  things,  when  he  is  to  be  in- 
 vefted  with  power  to  judge  the  world,  thefe 
 miftaken   men,    and   paffionate  condemners 
 of  their    brethren,     will  learn   and    refledt 
 with  concern,   that  their  %eal  (Rom,  x.  2.) 
 nioas  not  according  to  knowlege  ;  and  that  the 
 worft  error  of  all  others  that  his  true  and 
 fincere  followers  could  have  fallen  into,  was 
 to  hate   and  deftroy  their   fellow-chriftians, 
 equally  pious  and  virtuous  as  themfelves,  for 
 npt  thinking  of  him  their  common  Saviour 
 
 L  3  pre- 
 
[     ISO     ] 
 
 precifely  as  they  did,  and  feeing  his  perfoa 
 and  character  exaftly  in.  the  fame  light  with 
 them. 
 
 To  iiniili  this  long  article,  but  which 
 however  long,  I  truft  may  have  it's  ufe : 
 
 The  ground  upon  which  this  proteflant 
 martyr,  Philpot,  fhould  have  defended  him- 
 felf  againfl  the  Papiils,  and  have  endeavour- 
 ed to  confute  the  Arians  with  who.m  he  had 
 a  controverfy,  fhould  not  have  been,  by  ob- 
 itinately  maintaining  that  (n)  he  only  had 
 the  truth,  he  only  had  Scripture  on  his 
 fide ;  and  that  thofe  who  did  not  agree  with 
 him  ought  to  be  kept  down  and  puniilied  \xx 
 this  world,  and  v/ould  certainly  be  everlaft-. 
 ingly  condemned  in  the  next.  But  he  fhould 
 have  infifled,  that  the  Papiils  had  no  right; 
 to  call  him  to  account  for  his  religious  opi^ 
 nionS;,    much  lefs  to  perfecute  and  murder 
 
 him 
 
 («)  In  his  Eleventh  Examination  (See  Fox's  A£ls,  &c.) 
 he  faid  before  his  popifh  judges ;  "  Except  the  articles  of 
 **  the  Trinity,  you  are  corrupt  in  all  other  things,  and 
 ^'  found  in  nothing."  This  was  becaufe  on  this  pointy 
 their  opinion  happened  to  tally  with  his  own. 
 
 In  his  Thirttenth  Examination^  he  maintains  that  he  was 
 right,  and  the  Papifts  and  all  heretics  wrong,  hy  the  fpirit 
 cf  God^  which  he  had^  and  they  had  not ;  and  hy  the  word  of 
 Cody  which  h^  knew  to  he  on  his  fidcy  and  agaUiJi  them* 
 
[     151     3 
 
 him  for  them,  fo  long  as  he  comitted  no 
 offence  againfl  the  civil  laws  of  the  commu- 
 nity, nor  did  any  thing  worthy  of  death. 
 And  he  fiiould  have  allowed,  that  the 
 Arians,  as  he  calls  them,  or  any  other 
 chriftians,  if  there  were  any,  whofe  opi- 
 nions were  ftill  more  oppofite  to  his  own, 
 were  not  only  to  be  fecured  from  infamy 
 or  .  perfecution  on  that  account,  but  ex- 
 empted from  all  cenfure  or  blame.  And 
 at  the  fame  time  that  he  condemned  the 
 diftatorial  intolerant  Ipirit  of  the  one,  and 
 ftrove  to  brin?  over  others  to  what  he  be- 
 lieved  to  be  the  truth,  he  fhould  have 
 chearfully  granted  and  declared,  that  thefe 
 and  all  other  chriftians,  however  difienting 
 in  opinion  from  himfelf,  if  alike  fincere^ 
 would  be  equally  with  himfelf  entitled  to 
 ^nd  enjoy  the  everlafcing  favour  of  God, 
 as  manifefted  and  made  known  by  Jcfu$ 
 Chrift, 
 
 L  4  C  H  A  P- 
 
[    152    3 
 
 CHAPTER     III. 
 
 Of  the  worjhip  of  Jefus  Chrift,  by  Socinus, 
 and  his  followers, 
 
 IT  was  a  clrcumftance  much  to  be  re^ 
 gretted  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation 
 in  Europe,  that  thofe  men  who  faw  through 
 the  thick  darknefs,  which  then  covered  the 
 whole  chriftian  world,  and  who  boldly  and 
 openly  aflerted  the  Divine  Unity ^  did  never- 
 thelefs  retain  the  worfhip  of  Jefus  Chrift 
 in  their  churches. 
 
 Whether  they  were  biaffed  to  this  by  the 
 habit  of  offering  up  prayer  to  Chrift,  to 
 which  they  had  been  inured  from  their  in- 
 fancy, under  the  papacy  y  and  perhaps  at  the 
 fame  time  were  wrought  upon  infenfibly  by 
 a  fear  of  giving  too  great  (^a)  offence  in  re- 
 ceding 
 
 (a)  In  a  letter  to  a  Synod  of  Unitarian  brethren,  Socinus 
 exhorts  them,  by  all  means,  to  be  mindful  to  offer  prayers 
 to  Chrift  in  their  churches  -,  left  they  fhould  be  reckoned  to 
 have  a  contemptuous  opinion  of  him,  and  be  ranked  with 
 thofe,  who  not  only  renounced  the  do6lrine  of  the  Trinity, 
 but  the  vvoriQiip  of  Chrift,  at  the  fame  time. 
 
 Socin,  Op,  Vol.  I.  p..49i» 
 
[     153    ] 
 
 ceding  too  far  at  once  from  the  eftabllfhed 
 worfbip  :  both  which  would  incline  thera 
 to  imagine  they  faw  foundation  in  the  Scrips 
 tures  for  the  invocation  of  Chrift,  when 
 really  there  was  none,  as  what  we  have  been 
 long  accuftomed  to  and  much  favour,  we 
 are  apt  to  take  up  with  and  acquiefce  in, 
 upon  very  flight  grounds  : From  what- 
 ever caufe  it  arofe,  fo  it  was,  that  the  Uni-^ 
 tarian  chriftians  at  this  period,  and  efpe* 
 cially  thofe  among  them,  who  becoming 
 the  followers  of  Fauftus  Socinus,  were  de- 
 nominated Socinians,  diftlnguiihed  them- 
 felves  by  pleading  with  an  immoderate  zeal, 
 that  Jefus  Chrift  was  to  be  worfhiped  by 
 prayer  being  made  to  him,  although  they 
 did  not  look  upon  him  as  having  had  any 
 exijftence  before  he  was  born  of  his  mother 
 Mary. 
 
 There  were  thofe  however  among  them 
 who  difapproved  and  rejected  {b)  fuch  wor- 
 iliip,  as  being  without  any  foundation  in 
 the  holy  Scriptures,  the  only  rule  of  a 
 chriftian's  faith  and  woriOhip. 
 
 SEC 
 
 [b)  Mofheim,  Vol.  IV.  p.  199.  Ed.  8vo, 
 
[     154    3 
 
 SECTION    I. 
 
 Of  the  confroverfy  betwixt  Francis  Davides 
 and  Fauftus  Socinus,  concerning  the  wor-^, 
 Jhifi  of  ]c{us  ChdH. 
 
 HE  Unitarians  obtained  a  fettlement 
 very  early  in  Tranfylvania,  and  have 
 continued  there  under  very  various  reverfes 
 (<:)  and  much  oppofition  to  the  prefent  day. 
 But  in  the  year  1578^  Francis  Davides,  an 
 Hungarian,  the  Superintendent  of  their 
 churches,  or  principal  minifter,  a  moft 
 learned  man,  of  admirable  fenfe,  as  the  fmall 
 remains  of  his  writings  fhew,  and  of  a  life 
 irreproachable,  began  openly  to  controvert 
 the  received  dpdlrine  of  praying  to  Chrift, 
 
 in 
 
 (c)  Id.  p.  190.  Clau/enhurg,  otherwife  Colofwar^  is  a 
 town  in  Tranfylvania,  extremely  populous  and  well  forti- 
 fied. The  Socinians  have  here  (viz.  in  1755)  a  public 
 fchool,  and  a  printing  houfe  ;  and  their  community  in  this 
 place  is  very  numerous.  'Till  the  year  1603,  they  v^^ere  in 
 pofTellion  of  the  cathedral ;  which  was  then  taken  from 
 them  and  given  to  the  Jefuits,  whofe  college  and  church 
 |hey  had  pulled  4own,     p,  200, 
 
[    ^55     3 
 
 in  which  he  was  fupported  by  other  {d)  mi- 
 nifters  of  the  gofpel  among  them. 
 
 A  principal  perfon  of  his  congregation  at 
 the  time  was  George  Blandrata,  an  eminent 
 phyfician,  of  Piedmont,  one  of  thofe  Uni- 
 tarians that  rofe  up  in  Italy  at  the  very  be-- 
 ginning  of  the  Pvcformation,  He  had  fled 
 from  the  Inquifition  at  Pavia,  and  takeri 
 refuge  in  Geneva,  where  he  had  thoughts  pf 
 eftablifhing  himfelf.  But  he  foon  gave  of- 
 fence there,  efpecially  to  Calvin,  by  calling 
 in  queftion  the  Divinity  of  Jefus  Chrift* 
 And  it  becoming  hazardous  for  him  to  ftay 
 in  a  place  where  Servetus  had  been  burnt  to 
 death  for  opinions  fimilar  to  his  own  but  a 
 fewyear3  before,  viz.  in  1553;  he  quitted  it 
 in  1558.  He  next  retired  to  Poland,  where 
 at  that  time  liberty  of  confcience  was  grant-? 
 ed  to  the  fedls  who  had  departed  from  the 
 church  of  Rorne.     There  he  was  well  re-r 
 
 ceived 
 
 (d)  Socinus,  in  the  preface  to  his  Dirputatian  with 
 Davides,  mentions  Jacobus  Paleologus,  Joannes  Scmi^ 
 rnerus,  Matthias  Glirius,  men  of  note,  and  others  in 
 Tranfylvania,  who  befides,  or  before  Davides,  v/ere  in 
 thefe  fentiments,  which  he  calls  jewijh  opinions  concern- 
 ing^hrift.  Socinus  had  fpoken  more  truly  and  fully,  if 
 he  had  called  them  alfo  apojiolical  opinions  concerning 
 Chrift, 
 
[     156    ] 
 
 ceived  by  the  'Reformed^   as  the  moft   pre- 
 vailing fed:  was  called  3  till   Calvin's  viru- 
 lent letters  found  him  out,  and  indifpofed 
 them  to  him.    For  he  foon  let  him  know, 
 as  Bayle  remarks,  that  Divines  of  his  high 
 ejftimation,    had  long    arms.      At    length, 
 when  he  could  no  longer  live  quiet  and  un- 
 molefted  among  them,  he  was  very  happy  in 
 receiving  an  invitation  to  attend  John  Si- 
 gifmond,  prince  of    Tranfylvania,   for  the 
 recovery  of  his  health,  in   15635  who  be- 
 came a  profelyte  to  his   opinions,  and  died 
 in    1570.       Blandrata   adted  as  chief  phy- 
 iician  to  him;  and  to  Stephen  and  Chrifto- 
 pher  Battori,  princes  of  Tranfylvania  after 
 Sigifmond,  who  were  not  fo  favourable  to 
 the   Unitarians;    continuing   to  ferve  Ste- 
 phen in  the  fame  capacity  after  he  became 
 king  of  Poland.    He  feems   to  have   been 
 much  hurt  by  his  high  jftation  ;  and   be- 
 came a  fad  example  to  chriftians,  of  the  ex- 
 treme danger  of  a  love  of  the  world,  and  of 
 courting  the  favour  of  princes.    For  in   the 
 latter  part  of  his  life,  he  forfook  (/)  the  in^ 
 
 terefls 
 
 {e)  Monendum  lecStorem  cenfui,  Blandratam  haudpaulo 
 ante  mortem  fuam,  vivente  adhuc  Stephano  rege  Poloniae, 
 
 in 
 
C     ^57    ] 
 
 terefls  of  the  Unitarians,  and  took  part  with 
 the  Jefults,  who  were  in  credit  at  court  ; 
 and  came  to  an  untimely  end  at  laft,  being 
 ftrangled  in  bed  by  his  nephew,  whom  he 
 jiad  made  his  heir. 
 
 Blandrata  had  brought  Fr.  Davides  along 
 with  him,  when  he  went  into  Tranfylvania  - 
 and  by  their  joint  labours  they  fucceeded  fo 
 far  as  to  engage  the  prince  and  the  greateft 
 part  of  the  nobility  in  their  caufe,  and 
 brought  9ver  almoft  the  whole  province  to 
 
 embrac-e 
 
 in  illlus  gratiam,  et  quo  ilium  erga  fe  liberaliorem  (ut  fecit) 
 redderet,  plurimum  remififTe  de  ftudio  fuo  in  ecclefiis  nof- 
 tris  Tranfilvaniis,  noftrifque  hominibus  juvandis  :  immo 
 CO  tandem  devenilTe,  ut  vix  exiftimaretur  priorem  quam 
 tantopere  foverat,  de  Deo  et  Chrifto  fententiam  retinere  : 
 fed  potius  Jefuitis,  qui  in  ea  provincia  tunc  temporis  ope 
 ac  liberalltate  non  medlocriter  florebant,  adherere,  aut 
 certe  cum  els  quodammodo  colludere.  lUud  certilTimuni 
 eft,  eum  ab  eo  tempore  quo  liberalltatem  quam  amblebat 
 regis  Stephani  erga  fe  eft  expertus,  cepifTe  quofdam  ex 
 noftris  hominibus  quos  chariilimos  prius  habebat  et  fuis 
 opibus  juvabat,  fpernere  ac  deferere  etiam  contra  promifla 
 et  obligationem  fuam,  et  tandem  illos  penitus  deferuifle, 
 atque  omni  verae  ac  fmcerai  pietatis  ftudio  valedixifte, 
 et  folis  pecuniis  congerendis  jntentum  fuifl'e.  Quae  fortafle, 
 juftiiTmio  Dei  judicio,  quod  graviflimum  exercere  foiet 
 contra  tales  defertores,  ei  necem  ab  eo,  quem  Aium  haere- 
 Uejin  fecerat,  couciliarunt. 
 
 Socin.  Op.  Vol.  IL  p.  538. 
 
t  158  ] 
 
 embrace  their  fentiments>  obtaining  for  ih6 
 minifters  and  members  of  their  communion, 
 the  privilege  of  profeffing  and  preaching 
 their  doftrines  in  a  public  manner.  This 
 muft  have  been  much  promoted  by  a  pub- 
 lic Difputation,  which  Blandrata  and  Da- 
 vides  maintained,  with  great  fuccefs,  before 
 the  court,  agalnft  qiielques  dodieurs  Reformez^ 
 viz.  fome  who  followed  Calvin's  opinions, 
 in  1566,  as  Bayle  remarks.  Blandrata, 
 however,  was  much  difturbed  at  the  ob- 
 jections flarted  by  Davides,  being  very 
 earneft  that  the  woriliip  of  Jefus  Chrifl 
 fliould  be  maintained  in  their  churches* 
 And  therefore,  after  exerting  all  his  own 
 endeavours  in  vain,  by  argument  and  in-* 
 treaty  to  keep  him  in  the  received  practice, 
 he  called  in  to  his  affiilance  the  celebrated 
 Fauftus  Socinus,  who  was  then  at  Bafil,  in 
 Switzerland;  and  with  that  view  engaged 
 Davides  to  take  him  under  {J)  his  roof,  to 
 
 board 
 
 (/)  Habltavi  ego  apud  Francifcum,  ejufque  menfa  furrt 
 ufus  menfes  circiter  quatuor  cum  dimidiato.  Qiiod  domi 
 ipfius  habltarem,  et  Ipfius  menfa  uterer,  id  fane  non  gratis 
 ab  ipfo  habebam,  immo  chariflimo  pretio  perfolvi  3  quod 
 tamen  pretium  mihi  a  D.  Blandrata  redditum  poftea  fuit. 
 
 Ka<5 
 
[     159    ] 
 
 board  with  him ;  where  he  abode  four 
 months  and  a  half;  that  they  might  debate 
 the  point  between  themfelves  at  full  leifure, 
 Blandrata  himfelf  defraying  the  expences  of 
 his  board  and  journey.  For  Davides  was  but 
 in  moderate  circumjftances,  and  SocinuG, 
 having  left  his  country,  and  all  its  honours 
 and  faireft  worldly  profpefts  for  the  gofpel's 
 fake,  was  not  rich. 
 
 It  would  have  been  happy,  if  Blandrata 
 had  fufFered  things  to  have  gone  on  in  their 
 own  train  ;  and  left  the  minifters  to  fettle 
 the  point  in  queftion  ^mong  themfelves  and 
 with  their  refpedlive  congregations,  without 
 interfering  himfelf  any  farther,  or  calling  ia 
 the  fecular  power,  as  was  afterwards  done. 
 In  which  cafe  it  may  v/ell  be  conjedlured, 
 that  the  fentiment  of  Davides  would  have 
 prevailed,  and  the  worfhip  of  Chrifl,  or  of 
 any  other  perfon,  but  the  God  and  Father  of 
 all,  v/ould  have  been  intirely  excluded  from 
 theif  churches.  For,  after  all,  Socinus  him- 
 felf 
 
 Hac  enim  condltione  Bafilea  me  evocaverat^  ut  et  itineris, 
 et  commorationis  meai:  in  Tranfilvania,  ipfe  omnes  im- 
 penfas  ferret. 
 
 Faufti  Socini  epiPcola  prefix.  Difputat.  quam  habuit 
 cum  Fr,  Davidls. 
 
[     i6o     ] 
 
 felf  tells  us,  (g)  that  he  neither  fatisfied 
 Blandrata,  i^r  the  Unitarians  of  Tranfylva- 
 nia,  nor  his  Poliih  brethren,  that  he  flood 
 upon  folid  ground  in  this  controverfy  ;  be- 
 caufe  he  confejQed,  that  tiere  was  no  exprefs 
 command  in  the  Scriptures  for  the  Invocation 
 of  Chrijl :  fo  that  they  would  never  confent 
 to  his  printing  his  own  account  of  it ;  and 
 he  adds,  that  at  the  lall:  it  came  out  by  the 
 encouragement  and  at  the  expence  of  a  par- 
 ticular friend.  And  moreover,  while  the 
 difpute  was  depending,  or  foon  after,  in  a 
 
 private 
 
 (^)  Ccepi  veheitienter  cupcrCj  et  per  literas  D«  Georgi- 
 
 tim  Blandratam  rogare,  monere,  atque  adeo  urgere,    ut 
 
 aliquid  libro  ifti  opponeretur.     Sed  nihil  unquam  efficere 
 
 aut  impetrarepotui. Cum  igitur  fpem  nullam  efle  cer- 
 
 nerem,  ut  fratrum  Tranfilvanoruni  opera  libro  ifti  ulla  ex 
 
 parte  publice  refponderetur  ;  coiwerti  me  tandem  ad  fratres 
 
 Polonos,  inter  quos  jam  diu  habitabam,  illifque  perfuafi, 
 
 re£le  futurum,  fi  Jefu  Chrifti  invocatio  ab  impugnationibus 
 
 Francifci  Davidis   defenderetur,  idque  edita  mea  Refpon- 
 
 fione  ad  illius  pro  fuis  Thefibus  Defenfionem.     Verum, 
 
 ubi  in  Refponfione  mea  fcriptum  efTe  refciverunt,  nullum 
 
 extare  exprejfmn  in  facr'is  Uteris  prtcceptnm  de  Chrijio  invo- 
 
 cando^  &c.    ut   ipfi   banc   meam  Refponfionem    edendam 
 
 curarent,  nunquam  adduci  potuerunt. Itaque  tandem 
 
 fumptibus  mihi  ab  homine  pio  et  liberali  benigniiTmie  fup- 
 
 peditatis,  integram  mcam  cum  Francifco  Davidis  de  Chrifti 
 
 invoc;itione  Difputationcm  Tub  praslum  dedi. 
 
 LL  Jbld, 
 
t     i6t     ] 
 
 jprivate  affembly  of  fome  of  the  minifters  of 
 Tranfylvania,  there  had  been  a  general  agree- 
 ment in  difapproving  the  cuftom  of  praying 
 to  Chrift ;  and  they  had  come  to  fome  refo- 
 lutions  agairift  it,  **  Chrijiiinvocationi pla?ie 
 iidverfantia^'  fays  Socinus. 
 
 It  was  laid  to  Davides's  charge,  that  he 
 had  violated  his  word,  by  taking  a  principal 
 part  in  the  refolutions  of  this  affembly.  As 
 this  accufatioii  was  brbught  againft  him  after 
 he  was  dead,  and  could  not  defend  himfelf, 
 we  cannot  determine  how  far,  or  whether 
 he  was  at  all  blameable ;  only  we  find  his 
 friends  vindicated  him  in  it  intirely.  As  to 
 that  which  Socinus  farther  urges  againft  him; 
 viz.  ijj)  that  after  having  been  caUtioried  not 
 
 to 
 
 {}})  "  Hifce  D.  Biandratae  Uteris  acceptis,  non  deflltl  ego 
 Francifcum  monere,  ut  caute  pofthac  fe  gereret,  et  ea,  quae 
 ih  fynodo  ifta  decreta  fuIlTent,  ad  Chrifti  invocationem  per- 
 tinentia,  fi  fieri  pofiet,  refcindi  curaret ; — alioqui  ipfi  noa 
 leve  periculum  impendere,  cum  D.  Blandrata,  quern  piu- 
 rimum  apud  prirtcipem  pofTe,  omnes  norant,  aegerrlme 
 fynodi  decreta  ifta  tuliiTet.—- ^— Sed  fprevit  fimiliter  Fran- 
 cifcus  denunciationem  iftam  ;  immo  pro  eo,  quod  cautior 
 faltem  pofthac  in  fuo  impio  dogmate  fpargendo  efle  debu- 
 erat,  poftridle  ejus  diei,  cum  dies  dominicus  elTet,  et  de 
 more  in  majore  tempload  populum  concionaretur,  diferte 
 (quod  quidem  et  publica  fama,  et  literarum  monumenti^ 
 
 M  teilatum 
 
[       l62       ] 
 
 to  propagate  his  impious  dodlrlne,  (as  he  calls 
 it,  but  furely  in  too  dogmatical  and  imperi- 
 ous a  way,)  Davides,  on  the  contrary  not- 
 withflanding,  upon  the  very  next  day,  being 
 Sunday,  preaching  in  the  great  church  to 
 the  people,  told  them  in  fo  many  v/ords ; 
 that  thei^e  was  as  much  foundation  for  praying 
 to  the  virgin  if)  ivlary,  and  other  dead  i^aints^ 
 as  to  Jefus  Chrift :  there  feem.s  to  have  been 
 nothing  juftly  reprehenfible  in  this.  Who 
 had  any  juft  authority  to   reftrain  or  limit 
 
 him, 
 
 teftatum  eflet)  tanUimdem  ejfe  affirmavit^  Jcfwn  Chrijlum 
 Invocare^  atque  M.aria7n  uirginem  et  altos  fan^os  mortuos.^* 
 Id,  Ibid.  The  reader  will  conclude,  that  Socinus  could  npt 
 be  IP.  a  proper  temper  to  debate  the  point,  for  which  he  was 
 called  into  Tranfylvania,  who  beforehand  held  it  Impety 
 in  Davides  to  alTert  that  Chrift,  whom  he  believed  to  be 
 a  human  being,  was  not  to  be  invoked  in  prayer  j  but, 
 God  only. 
 
 (/)  Others  have  made  the  fame  remark.  The  following 
 declaration  of  an  excellent  perfon  is  full  to  the  point'.  *'  I 
 ''  acknowlege  that  a  very  high  degree  of  refpe6l  and  vene- 
 "  ration  is  due  to  the  chara6ler  of  Jejus^  as.  the  anointed 
 *'  prophet  of  the  moft  High,  far  excelling  in  dignity  and 
 "  power  every  prophet  that  preceded  him.  I  honour  him 
 *'  as  the  SonofGod^  in  what  appears  to  me  the  Scripture 
 *'•  acceptation  of  that  term ;  as  the  common  Lord  of 
 ''  chriftians;  as  the  appointed  judge  of  the  living  and  the 
 "  dead.  But  at  the  fame  time  I  am  convinced,  that  the 
 "  diftance  between  him  and  Deity  is  infinite;    thlit 
 
 "  prayer 
 
[     i63     3 
 
 hinij  in  the  inftruftions  which  he  was  to 
 deliver  from  the  Scriptures,  to  the  congrega- 
 tion ?  It  might  have  been  his  'duty,  and  fo 
 efteemed  by  him,  to  bear  his  teftimony  in 
 this  public  way,  to  fo  important  a  doftrine, 
 as  that  which  related  to  the  true  and  only 
 objedt  of  divine  worfliip.  At  the  laft  how- 
 ever, when  Davides  could  not  be  prevailed 
 upon  to  try  to  procure  a  repeal  of  thofe  refo- 
 lutions,  made  by  himfelf  and  the  other  minif- 
 ters,  which  condemned  the  worfliip  of  ChrilT:; 
 nor  would  promife  to  conceal  or  fupprefs  his 
 fentiments :  (which  was  much  to  his  honour, 
 as  it  w^as  very  affuming  in  Socinus  and  Blan- 
 drata  to  put  him  upon  it ;)  the  civil  power 
 interpofed,  moft  probably  at  the  inftigation 
 of  the  latter,  and  three  days  after  Davides 
 had  preached  the  above  difcourfe,  the  Senate 
 of  Claufenburg  had  orders  from  the  prince,  (^) 
 
 to 
 
 **  prayer  to  him  is  no  where  commanded  in  the  Scrlp- 
 **  tures  ;  and,  confequently,  that  the  addrejps  of  chrifiians 
 "  may  with  the  fa?ne  propriety  he  dirc6led  to  the  virgin  Mary, 
 "  as  to  the  Perfon  of  our  Lord.^"* 
 
 A  JJjort  Jfate  of  the  Reafons  for  a  late  Refignation, 
 &c.  p.  5.  by  John  Jebb,  M.  A.      1775- 
 (/^)  "  Tertio  poft  die,  accepit  Senatus  Claudiopolitanus 
 priores  principis  literasj  quibus  jubebat,   Francifcum  ^ 
 
 M  2  munere 
 
t  164  ] 
 
 to  feirtove  him  from  his  ojfiice  of  public 
 Teacher,  and  put  him  in  prifon. 
 
 DIFFERENCES  concerning  matters 
 purely  religious  would  never  have  raifed 
 diflurbances,  or  done  any  harm,  any  more 
 than  the  difputes  among  the  philofophers 
 about  their  peculiar  dogmas,  if  the  magiftrate 
 had  never  taken  any  other  notice  of  them, 
 .than  to  keep  the  peace  among  the  contending 
 parties,  when  either  of  them  prefumed  to 
 lift  up  the  hand  of  violence  againft  the  other. 
 The  confequence  here  was,  that  a  moft  learn- 
 ed, worthy  man,  and  eminent  teacher  of 
 divine  truth,  loft  his  liberty  and  life,  and 
 the  world  the  benefit  of  his  ufeful  talents, 
 as  he  foon  after  died  in  prifon  ;  and,  what 
 was  ftill  a  more  fatal  evil  (/),  many  others 
 
 were 
 
 munere  publice  populum  docendi  removeri,  et  Tub  cufto- 
 dia  afTervari."  Id.  Ibid, 
 
 (/)  In  the  beginning  of  the  Preface  to  the  Difpute  be- 
 twixt him  and  Davides,  printed  at  the  diftance  of  fifteen 
 years  after  the  death  of  the  latter,  one  is  grieved  to  find 
 '^^S.  ^fcocinus,  remarking  with  fomekind  of  infult  j  "  Jam  vero, 
 de  Francifci  Davidis  caufa,  judicio  peradlo,  quamvis  ejus 
 
 airecis" 
 
[     i65     ] 
 
 were  conftralned  through  worldly  terrors, 
 to  duTemble  their  real  pcrfuafion,  and  go 
 contrary  to  the  fenfc  of  tneir'  own  minds. 
 And  thus  liberty  of  confcience,  and  free  in- 
 quiry in  this  momentous  point,  were  no 
 more  fufFered  in  that  country. 
 
 I  have  fought  much  to  obtain  fome  infor- 
 mation concerning  this  excellent  perfon,  and 
 fufferer  for  the  truth  of  Chrift,  Francis 
 Davldes  :  who  in  that  early  day  bore  fuch  a 
 conftant  and  well  fupported  tdlimony  to  the 
 One  only  true  God  and  Father  of  all,  and 
 
 to 
 
 afTeclje  fere  omnes,  fententiam  de  CHrlflo  non  Invccando 
 fe  abjicere  palam  profefli  fulflentj  tainen  cognitum  eft 
 poftea,  id  non  ex  animo  ab  Ipfis  factum  fuifle" — i.  e,  "  And 
 "  now,  {ince  the  fentence  and  condemnation  pronounced 
 "  in  the  cafe  of  Davides,  although  almoft  all  his  retainers 
 "  openly  profefled  that  they  renounced  their  opinion  of 
 *'  not  praying  to  Chrift,  yet  it  was  known  afterwards, 
 "  that  they  did  not  do  it  from  the  heart."  How  unfeeling 
 are  perfecutors  !  where  men  weakly  fuppofe  the  favour  of 
 heaven  confined  to  the  holding  of  certain  opinions,  which 
 they  have  efpoufed,  and  think  their  honour  or  intereft 
 concerned  in  maintaining.  How  blind  was  Socin\is  to 
 the  fatal  confequences  of  the  iniquitous  feverities,  of  which 
 he  had  been  in  fome  meafure  the  author,  or  the  accomplice 
 at  leaft ;  in  forcing  men  to  diftemble  and  a£l  a  difhoneft 
 part :  which  he  ought  rather  have  wept  over,  and  con- 
 (iemned  himfe\f  for,  inftead  of  fpeaking  fo  lightly  of  it ! 
 
 Mi5 
 
[     i66     ] 
 
 t 
 
 to  the  worship  of  him  only;  but  have  been 
 able  to  glean  very  little.  What  I  have  met 
 with  has  been  in  Beza's  correfpondence,  where 
 he  is  brought  in  merely  to  traduce  his  cha- 
 rafter.  The  candid  reader  however  will  not 
 be  the  lefs  inclined  to  efteem  him  for  what 
 is  there  brought  againft  him. 
 
 This  man,  Beza,  of  great  learning  and 
 unqueilionable  abilities,  but  of  a  moft  bitter 
 fpirit,  purfued  his  mafter  Calvin's  plan,  in 
 reviling  and  perfecuting  all  chriftians  who 
 diffented  from  him,  in  certain  points  of  doc- 
 trine, the  'Trinity^  Predejiination^  and  the 
 like. 
 
 In  a  long  letter,  dated  Geneva,  Augufl:, 
 1567,  defigned,  as  appears  from  the  contents, 
 for  Tranfylvania  and  Poland  in  particular; 
 but  entitled,  'To  all  chrijlian  and  orthodox 
 churches  in  our  Lord  J^fus  Chriji,  the  eternal 
 coeffential  Son  of  the  eternal  Father ;  he 
 makes  it  his  bufinefs  to  heap  together  vari- 
 ous ftories  and  calumnies  againft  the  oppofera 
 of  the  doftrine  of  the  Trinitv,  from  the 
 apoftles  time  down  to  his  own.  Many  of 
 his  afperfions  of  his  contemporaries  were 
 known  to  be  abfolute  falflioods  3  particular- 
 
[  i67  ] 
 ly,  that  Paul  Alciat,  [772)  one  of  the  Italian 
 Unitarians,  became  at  laft  a  Mahometan: 
 which  will  not  difpofe  us  to  give  much  cre- 
 dit to  his  reports  of  others,  that  lived  in  re- 
 moter periods. 
 
 At  a  time  w^hen  thefe  Unitarians  were  the 
 obiedl  of  the  common  hatred  and  perfecution 
 of  all  other  chriftians  every  where,  and  were 
 adually  laid  in  wait  for  and  purfued  like  fo 
 many  noxious  animals,  which  it  was  m.eri- 
 torious  to  feize  and  deftroy ;  (;2)  Beza  makes 
 
 no 
 
 {?n)  Ruarus,  in  one  of  his  letters,  mentions  Alciat's 
 fpending  the  latter  part  of  his  days,  atDantzick,  the  place 
 where  he  himfelf  then  was,  upon  the  authority  of  perfons 
 who  had  known  him  well ;  and  from  the  fame  teftimony, 
 informs  us,  that  he  made  ^  very  pious  end  fuitable  to  his 
 paft  life.  Ruari  EpijL  Cei-iinr.  ■pri??u  p.  226. 
 
 (n)  Beza  wrote  a  letter  in  the  fame  calumniating  ftrain, 
 againft  the  Unitarians,  to  Andreas  Dudithius,  one  of  the 
 firft  and  moft  accomplifned  charaaers  of  the  age  -,  who  had 
 been  fent  to  the  Council  of  Trent  by  the  Emperor  Maxi- 
 milian II.  and  was  highly  valued  by  that  excellent  prince. 
 As  Dudithius  favoured  the  Unitarians,  but  had  not  yet 
 taken  part  with  them,  Beza's  aim  was  to  prejudice  him 
 jigainft  them,  and  incline  him  towards  the  Reformed.  Ochi- 
 nus  was  one  of  thofe  Italian  Unitarians,  who  had  been 
 obliged  to  fly  his  country  for  the  gofpel,  and  had  met  with 
 great  misfortunes.     To  this  Geneva  Divine's  falfe  crimi- 
 
 M  4  nations 
 
(     168    ] 
 
 no  fcruple  of  rep refen  ting  each  trouble  and 
 calamity   that   befell  them,  nay  even  their 
 
 very 
 
 nations  and  barbarous  infult  over  him,  Dudithius  thus 
 replies ;  ''  Cum  Ochini  larva  lu(Slaris ;  poenas  etiam  ab 
 Uxore  divinitus  fumptas  affirmas,  quafi  e  caelo,  atque  ex 
 Dei  fenatu  delapfus,  hoc  nobis  illinc  nuncium  adfers. 
 Vobis  hoc  in  more  pofitum  efle  video,  ut  fimul  atque 
 aiiquis  pauio  miferabiljore  morte  obeat,  ftatim  hoc  jufto 
 Dei  judicio  faclum  efle  clametis.  Non  eft  humanum 
 mortuis  infultare,  neque  a  mortis  genere  de  pietate  judi- 
 cium ferri  debet.  Alioqui  quid  Jofiam,  et  alios  fuilTe 
 dicetis  ?  Quid  de  Chrifto  et  Apoftolis,  atque  infinitis  mar- 
 tyribus,  qui  omnes  ignominiofa  et  borrenda  morte  extincli 
 funt,  fentietis  ?  Quid  denique  de  veftro  Zwinglio  refpon- 
 debitis !  Prseclarus  iile  verbi  Dei  prseco,  Chritli  fciiicet 
 difcipulus,  magiftri  nimirum  et  apoftolorum  exemplo,  in 
 prima  acie  caefus  efle  dicitur  !  Quod  genus  mortis,  neque 
 chriftiano  do6tore  dignum,  neque  non  miferabile  tamen 
 fuit,  Quare  define  ita  cum  vulgo  fentire,  ut  ftatim  im- 
 pium  fuifle  cenfeas,  ft  quis  non  levi  ac  placida  morte  mori- 
 atur."  C?acoviae  Calend.  Augufti.  1570.  Socini  Op, 
 Vol,  I.  p,  521.  that  is  3  "  Tou  only  fight  mitb  Ochinus*s 
 *'  i^^J^'i  (He  had  been  dead  fix  years)  and  talk  as  if  you 
 "  were  juji  come  down  from  heaven^  and  frotn  the  councils  of 
 *^  God^  when  you  tell  us  with  authority  that  his  wife  was 
 ^'  taken  off  by  the  divine  vengeance,  (N,  B.  She  died  many 
 **  years  before  her  huft)and,  by  an  accidental  fall.)  / 
 •'  obfervethis  to  he  the  way  of  all  your  party  ^  that  no  fooner 
 **  ^es  any  one  of  different  fentiments  meet  with  a  more  calami-^ 
 **  tous  death  than  ordinary^  hut  you  immediately  cry.  out^  that 
 '^  it  happens  bythe  jujl  'pidginent  of  God  uponVun.     It  is  an 
 
 **  inhumar^ 
 
[     i69     J 
 
 very  poverty,  as  a  judgment  of  almighty 
 God  upon  them  for  their  opinions  concern- 
 ing the  Trinity,  and.  Divinity  of  Chrift.((?) 
 *'  To  one  he  imputes  it  as  a  token  of  the 
 *^  anger  of  heaven  againft  him,  that  he  died 
 of  the  plague,  all  men  fhunning  him;  and 
 that  he  hardly  found  one  to  bury  him : 
 To  another,  that  he  drowned  himfelf  in 
 
 *^  a  vi^ell; 
 
 inhuman  part  to  infult  the  dead^  and  very  wrong  to  meafure 
 and  decide  upon  men^s  charaSlers  by  the  kind  of  death  which 
 they  die.  According  to  yourrule^  what  fort  of  perfo7is  mufl 
 we  reckon  Joftahy  and  others  like  himy  to  have  been  ?  Nay^ 
 what  muft  we  think  of  Chriji  and  his  apoftles^  and  of  an  in- 
 finite number  of  martyrs^  who  were  put  to  the  moft  cruel 
 ^'  and  ignominious  deaths?  Or^  laflly^  what  jhallwe  anfwcr 
 for  your  own  'Zwinglius^  that  famous  preacher  of  the  word 
 of  God  and  difciple  of  ChriJl?  Was  it  after  the  example  of 
 his  great  Mafter  and  the  apoftles^  that  he  was  flain  in  war 
 in  the  front  of  the  battle  ?  A  miferable  way  this  furely  of 
 *'  g^ing  out  ofth-e  worldy  and  unbecoming  a  chrijiian  teacher* 
 *'  Leave  off  then  this  trite  and  vulgar  cuflom  of judgiyig  and. 
 ''  concluding  every  one  to  he  a  bad  many  who  does  not  pafs 
 **  gently  and  calmly  out  of  life.  ^* 
 
 {o)  "  Gribaldus,  pefte  correptus,  fugientibus  ilium  om- 
 nibus, vix  a  quo  fepeliretur,  invenit.  Lifmaninus,  a  quo 
 introdu6lus  fuit  Blandrata,    feipflim  in  puteum  abjecit. 
 
 -— ! Ilium  Francifcum  Davidis,  qui  non  ita  pridem  in 
 
 Tranfilvania,  Chrifto  poftridie  maledi£^urus  erat,  quid 
 ab  extreme  corporis  et  animae  exitio,  ruente  repents  domo, 
 praeter  lon^am  Dei  ,tA«*xpo6y;>nav,  eripuit  ? 
 
 Bezae  EpiftoL  Theologic.  p.  338. 
 
 cc 
 
,  [     I70    ] 
 
 *^  a  well;"  which  if  it  were  true,  is  nothing 
 more  than  the  beft  of  mankind  are  liable 
 to  fometimesi  through  depreffion  of  the 
 animal  fpirits,  or  a  fudden  fit  of  infanity. 
 Had  he  compofed  this  letter  to  the  Polifli 
 churches  fome  years  later,  the  manner  of 
 Francis  Davides's  death  in  a  prifon  would 
 have  been  a  fubjefl:  for  him  to  have  dilated 
 upon.  But  not  being  able  at  the  time,  to 
 iind  out  any  other  event  of  this  perfon's  life, 
 that  might  bear  fuch  a  dark  colouring,  he 
 makes  '^  his  having  narrowly  efcaped  being 
 killed  by  the  fall  of  a  houfe,  to  be  a  mark 
 of  heaven's  vengeance  purfuing  him  to  the 
 utter  deftrucStion  of  foul  and  body,  and 
 nearly  overtaking  him  :'*  from  which  he 
 concludes  that  *'  nothing  but  the  long-fuf- 
 **  fering  of  God  faved  him  at  that  hour." 
 One  of  a  lefs  hoftile  difpofition,  would  have 
 conftrued  the  deliverance  into  a  token  of  a 
 watchful  and  kind  providence.  And  this 
 Beza  would  not  have  failed  doing,  in  the 
 cafe  of  himfelf,  or  of  thofe  he  calls  orthodox  • 
 i.  e.  of  his  own  religious  perfualion.  But 
 no  kindnefs  from  God  or  man,  was  to  be  fliewn 
 to  thofe  of  a  different  opinion. 
 
 IN 
 
i  m  ] 
 
 IN  the  fame  letter,  Beza  acquaints  us, 
 that  Blandrata  firft  met  with  Fr.  Davides 
 in  Tranfylvania  ;  which  muft  have  happened 
 in  fome  journey  that  he  made  thither  foon 
 after  he  firft  went  to  Poland :  and  that  this 
 phyfician  was  converted  by  him  from  one 
 fort  of  blafphemy  to  another  much  worfe, 
 as  he  is  pleafed  to  term  it ;  that  is,  from 
 having  been  of  the  Arian  fentiment  concern- 
 ing Chrift,  he  became  perfuaded  of  his /?r^- 
 ■per  humanity. 
 
 He  then  refers  to  fome  printed  propofitions 
 afcribed  to  Fr.  Davides ;  *^  which  I  dare 
 maintain  and  averr,  fays  Beza,  contain  the 
 feeds  of  every  herefy,  with  w^hich  Satan 
 hath  at  any  time  oppofed  the  gofpel  of 
 Chrift.  But  (proceeds  he)  what  he  after- 
 v/ards  fo  impudently  vomited  forth,  in  pro- 
 nouncing the  (^)  following  perfons,  w^ith- 
 ^*  out  any  referve,  not  to  be  heretics,  but 
 
 **  teachers 
 
 {p)  "  Certe  In  illis  quas  Initio  fcripfit  thefibus,  quae  illi 
 tribuuntur,  aufim  dicere  et  profiteri,  omnium  hserefeon, 
 quibus  unquam  Chrlfti  perfonam  Satan  oppugnavit,  femina 
 contineri.  Q^ias  vero  poftea  evomult  adeo  im  pud  enter j  < 
 ut  aperte  et  fme  ambagibu?,  non  pro  hseretlcis  fed  pro 
 yeritatis  aflertorlbus,  Origenem,  Eutychem,  Neftorlum, 
 ^amofatenum,  Arium,  Donatum,  Helvklium,  Nepotem; 
 
 Eunomium, 
 
 (C 
 
[       172       ] 
 
 *^  teachers  of  truth ;  namely  Origen,  Euty- 
 *^  ches,  Neftorius,  Eunomius,  Praxeas,  Pho- 
 **  tinus,  Cerdo,  Sabellius,  Acephalus :  thefe 
 **  and  the  like  affertions  which  he  makes, 
 *^  were  all  that  was  wanting  to  place  Sa- 
 **  tan  himfelf  in  the  throne  of  God  and  of 
 "  truth/' 
 
 We  may  prefume  that  Davides  had  com- 
 mended thefe  perfons  in  general,  as  they 
 well  deferved,  on  account  of  their  honeft  and 
 bold  defence  of  what  they  believed  to  be  the 
 truth  of  God,  againft  prevailing  error ;  not 
 that  he  approved  all  their  peculiar  and  differ- 
 ing opinions,  which  was  impoffible :  and 
 few  perfons  of  any  candor-,  who  are  acquaint- 
 ed with  the  pages  of  ecclefiaftical  hiftory, 
 and  the  fmall  remains  of  fome  of  thefe 
 early  chriftians,  will  refufe  them  thisjuft 
 praife. 
 
 Beza  finiihes  his  letter,  with  bidding  the 
 princes  of  Tranfylvania  (j')  not  to  cherijh  una-- 
 
 wares 
 
 Eunomlum,  Praxeam,  Photinum,  Cerdonem,  Sabellium, 
 habeat  et  nominet ;  haec,  inquam  ejufmodi  funt,  ut  unum 
 hoc  fuperefTe  jam  videatur,  ut  Satanam  ipfum  in  Dei  et 
 veritatis  folio  collocet."  Id,  Ibid,  p.  333. 
 
 (^)  "Tuum  autem  eft  imprimis, auguftifTime rex fortifli- 
 snse  Polonorum  gentis,  in  eo  cjuod  tarn  feliciter  coepifli, 
 
 con- 
 
[     173     ] 
 
 wares  a  monfier  in  their  bofoniy  meaning  pro- 
 bably Blandrata ;  and  commends  the  king  of 
 Poland  for  what  he  had  already  done  againfl 
 the  Unitarians  :  exhorting  him  not  to  endure 
 any  one  in  his  dominions ^  who  Jhould  calumni- 
 ate the  Son  of  God,  by  transforming  him  into 
 a  creature y  or  by  refraining  the  name  and 
 unity  of  God,  to  the  Father  only  ;  and  then 
 laftly,  addrefling  them  all  together,  admo- 
 niilies  them  fo  to  reverence  the  Son,  as  not 
 to  fuiter  any  to  inhabit  their  refpeftive  coun- 
 tries, who  JJjould  dare  to  rob  him  of  his 
 deity. 
 
 Was  any  one,  at  this  day,  like  this  for- 
 ward impetuous  Divine,  to  take  upon  him 
 
 to 
 
 conftantiffime  pergere,  neque  patl  ut  qui  Filio  Dei  male- 
 dicit,  (quis  autem  apertius  ei  maledicit^  quam  qui  five 
 vinum  five  verumDei  nomenadfolum  Patrem  reftringunt, 
 vel  ilium  in  creaturam  transformant  r )  regnum  tibi  a  Filio 
 Dei  commiflum,  ej  ufmodi  blafphemiis,  reddat  irae  Dei  orani- 
 potentis  obnoxium.  Tuum  quoque  eft,  fereniflime  Tran- 
 lilvaniae  rex,  quern  pene  in  finu  imprudens  foveas,  circum- 
 
 fpicere,  &c. Vos  autem  illuftres  et  generofi  Domini, 
 
 quos  Dominus  ille  dominorum  vera  fui  cognitione  in 
 utroque  illo  regno  dignatus  eft,  ofculamini  Filium,  nee 
 c;ommittite,  ut  qui  fua  ilium  Deitate  fpoliant,  apud  eos 
 confiftant,  quos  in  primis  oportet  ipfius  gloriae  ac  digni- 
 tatis vindices  et  afiertores  fe  prsbere." 
 
 Id,  Ibid,  p,  338,  339^ 
 
[     174    ] 
 
 to  addrefs  that  great  and  wife  prince,  tlie 
 prefent  emperor  of  Germany,  recommending 
 limilar  violent  meafures  to  be  ufed  aeainft 
 his  fubjed;s,  the  Unitarians  of  Tranfylvania, 
 Hungary,  and  other  parts  of  his  dominions ; 
 he  would  furely  order  the  meddling  man  to 
 mind  his  own  affairs,  and  not  to  bufy  him- 
 felf  v/ith  regulating  the  opinions,  and  dic- 
 tating to  the  confciences  of  other  men. 
 
 I  reckon  it  a  great  misfortune  to  Socinus, 
 to  have  been  called  out  upon  this  occafion 
 purpofely,  as  a  champion,  to  defend  the  par- 
 ticular dodtrine  of  the  worfliip  of  Jefus 
 Chrift ;  and  that  he  was  employed  to  convert 
 one,  who,  by  himfelf,  and  his  employers, 
 was  already  prejudged  to  be  in  error.  For 
 he  came,  fion  ta?ji  difcere,  {r)  quam  docerCy  not 
 as  an  inquirer  after  truth,  but  to  diciate  to 
 others  ',  as  Davides  wxll  i-eminded  him  to- 
 wards the  end  of  the  difpute.  This  made 
 him  enter  into  it,  with  fuch  conceit  and  pre- 
 fumption  of  the  rightnefs  of  his  own  opinions, 
 and  contempt  of  his  opponent  as  maintaining 
 an  impious  dodlrine,  that  he  was  not  to  be 
 
 moved 
 
 (r)  Socini  Op.  Vol.  II.  p.  766* 
 
[     ^75     ] 
 
 moved  by  the  force  of  any  arguments  brought 
 by  Davides;  but  litigated  the  plaineft  points, 
 and  evaded  them  by  a  variety  of  diftind:ions 
 and  refinements  ^  in  which  he  was  moft  fer- 
 tile. It  indeed  hindered  him  from  feeing 
 the  truth  ever  after.  For  very  rarely  is 
 there  found  candour  enough  in  the  human 
 breaft,  for  a  man  to  recede  from  opinions^ 
 for  the  defence  of  which  he  has  drawn  his 
 pen,  and  been  highly  applauded,  however 
 ftrong  and  demonflrative  be  the  evidence  to 
 the  contrary  that  is  prefented  to  him. 
 
 Both  the  difputants  agreed  in  this,  which 
 they  equally  believed  to  be  the  doftrine  of 
 the  Scriptures  ;  that  is,  that  Jefus  Chrift 
 was  a  human  creature,  who  had  no  exiftence 
 till  he  was  born  into  this  world,  according 
 to  the  current  computation,  1578  years 
 before. 
 
 But  Socinus  v/ithal  had  taken  up  an  opi- 
 nion, ^^  that  in  condefcenfion  {s)  to  humaa 
 
 '*  weak- 
 
 (j)  *'  IngensautemDei  benignitasergahumanum genus 
 ea  fuit,  quod  Chrifto  homini,  duci  ac  principi  eorum 
 hominum,  qui  ad  immortalem  vitam  ab  ipfo  Deo  vocan-« 
 tur,  et  ea  mala  experto,  quse  fequentibus  cum  experiri 
 necelTe.  eft,  tantain.  dederit  poteilatem,  ut  ad  eum,  tan- 
 
 quam 
 
€S 
 
 <C 
 €€ 
 
 [      176     j 
 
 *'  weaknefs,  in  order  that  mankind  ftiight 
 **  have  one  of  their  own  brethren,    more 
 **  upon  a  level  v^ith  them,  to  whom  they 
 **  might  have  recourfe  in  their  ftraits  and 
 neceffities.  Almighty  God,  for  his  emi- 
 nent virtues,  had  conferred    upon   Jefus 
 the  Son  of  Mary,  fome  years  after  he  was 
 born,  a  high  divine  power,  lordfhip  and 
 dominion,  yir  tie  government  of  the  chrif^ 
 tian  'world  only ;  and^  had  qualified  him  to 
 hear  and  to  anfwer  the  prayers  of  his  fol- 
 *^  lowers,  in  fuch  matters  as  related  to  the 
 **  caufe  of  the  gofpel/'     The  chief  founda- 
 tion,   on  which   Socinus   erected   this  new 
 objeft  of  religious  worfhip,   Jefus   Chrift, 
 whom  he  acknowleged  to  have  had  no  being 
 before  he  was  born  in  Judea ;  and  for  which, 
 he  conftantly  and  fairly  acknowleged,  that 
 there  was  no  exprefs  precept,  was ;  the  de- 
 clarations in  the   Scriptures  concerning  the 
 kingdom  and  power  beftowed   upon  Chrift  • 
 the  interpretation  which  he  put  on  thofe 
 
 paffages 
 
 quam  ab  ipfo  ordinatum,  confidenter  in  iis,  quae  ad  earn 
 
 vitam  confequendam  fpedant,    confugere  poflint-     Nos^ 
 
 vero,  aliquot  annis,  poftquam  ex  Maria  natus  eft,  earn 
 
 poteftatciTi  Chrifto  ex  libera  et  voluntaria  Dei  benignitate 
 
 conceflam  fuiflTe  dicimus.'* 
 
 Id.  Ibid,  p.  715.  737, 
 
[     ^77    ] 
 
 paffages  which  fpeak  of  angels  and  heavenly- 
 powers  being  put  under  him  and  worlhiping 
 him;  his  having  a  knowlege -of  the  fecret 
 thoughts  of  men  imparted  to  him,  and  the 
 like;  which,  with  fome  prefumed  inftances 
 of  the  fadl,  of  prayer  being  adiually  made  to 
 him  ;  he  maintained  to  be  a  fufficient,  though 
 indireft  iignificatlon  of  the  divine  will,  that 
 men  fhould  invoke  Chrift  in  prayer. 
 
 To  this  reafoning  Davides  replied  in  ge- 
 neral;  that  in  each  of  his  particular  in- 
 ftances Socinus  miftook  the  fenfe  of  the 
 facred  writings  :  and  moreover,  granting 
 that  fuch  a  perpetual  power  and  govern- 
 ment over  chriilians  had  been  intrufted  to 
 Chrift,  which  there  was  not,  it  would  by 
 no  means  follow  that  on  that  account  their 
 prayers  ought  to  be  addreffed  to  him.  For 
 to  conftitute  him  an  objeft  of  prayer,  there 
 needed  an  exprefs  command  of  Almighty 
 God.  But  no  authority  of  this  kind  was 
 pretended,  nor  indeed  can  be  produced. 
 
 IT  will  gratify  fome  readers,  and  not  be 
 befide  our  purpofe,  to  give  a  few  inftances 
 of  Socinus's  Ikill  and  dexterity  in  parrying 
 
 N  off 
 
E   178   ] 
 
 off  his  opponent's  arguments  againfl:  the 
 worfhip  of  Chrift :  though  it  often  requir- 
 ed all  the  acutenefs  he  was  mafter  of,  to  do 
 it  with  any  appearance  of  plaufibility. 
 
 When,  in  his  prayer,  a  little  before  his 
 death,  for  himfelf,  his  apoftles  and  fol- 
 lowers to  the  end  of  time ;  Jefus  faid ;  (Joh. 
 xvii.  II.)  (/)  Holy  Father^  keep  in  thy  name 
 thofe  whom  'Thou  hajl  given  me^  that  fhey  may^ 
 be  one,  as  we  are :  Davides  argued  from  it  ; 
 that  by  this  language,  Chrift  plainly  fig- 
 nified,  that  he  himfelf  was  not  the  perfon 
 whom  his  followers  were  to  fupplicate  for 
 prefervation  and  fupport,  but  God,  the fa^ 
 ther  'y  whom  in  the  entrance  of  his  prayer, 
 he  ftiles  the  only  true  God.  And  to  the  moft 
 ordinary,  unprejudiced  underftanding,  this 
 would  appear  as  clear  an  indication  of  the 
 mind  of  Chrift  on  this  head  of  religious 
 worihip,  namelyy  who  was  the  perfon 
 whom  his  difciples  were  to  fupplicate  for 
 protedtion  5  as  it  was  an  undeniable  demon- 
 
 ftration 
 
 (/)  *'  Not,  as  in  our  prefent  Englifli  verfion,  keep 
 •'  through  thine  own  name :  but,  keep  in  thy  name^  as  in 
 *'  ver.  12.  i.  e.  preferve  them  in  the  true  worftiip  of 
 "  Thee,  and  In  the  do6lrnie  of  the  gofpel,  which  I  have 
 *'  maniftfled  unto  men,  ver.  6/' 
 
 Bifhop  Pearce  in  loc. 
 
[     179    ] 
 
 ftration  of  his  own  pradice.  But  the  turn 
 which  Socinus  gives  to  it  is  this  :  "  Chriji, 
 fays  he,  {u)  at  this  time^  recommended  his  dif- 
 ciples  to  the  Father  onfyy  and  intimated  nothing 
 concerning  his  own  prote5iion  of  them,  be^ 
 caufe  he  had  not  yet  received  his  power  and 
 dominion  from  Gody  which  was  to  enable  him 
 to  infpeB  and  govern  thern^  after  his  removal 
 out  of  this  world.  And  although  he  knew  at 
 the  timCy  that  he  was  to  be  invejled  with  fuch 
 a  power y  it  was  proper  for  him,  before  it 
 really  took  place,  to  utter  fuch  a  prayer ^  that 
 it  might  thence  be  known^  that  he  received  it 
 from  the  bounty  of  Gody  and  that  he  himfelf 
 achiowleged  it  to  be  fo,  &c.'* 
 
 There  might  have  been  fome  colour  for 
 this  ingenious  evafion,  if  Chrift,  by  him- 
 felf, or  his  apoftles,  had  at  any  other  time 
 
 ,  diredled 
 
 (tt)  "  Chriftus  autem  propterea  faos,  hinc  difceflurns, 
 patii  commendavit,  quia  munus  et  poteftatem,  eos,  licet 
 abfensj  gubernandi,  nondum  adeptus  fuerat.  Quod  quam- 
 vis,  ut  alibi  apparet,  ipfe  futurum  fclret ;  decebat  tamen 
 cum,  antequam  id  reipfa  fieret,  precantern  ita  loqui ;  ut 
 ea  ratione,  et  id  deinde  fibi  ex  Patrls  largitate  datum  ag- 
 fiofcerctur,  ipfeque  fe  idem  agnofcere  profiteretur,  &c." 
 
 Id.  Ibid.  p.  727. 
 N  2 
 
[    i8o    ] 
 
 directed  men. to  pray  to  him.  But  when 
 there  is  nothing  of  this  kind  injoined  in 
 his  life  time,  or  after  his  refurredlion,  and 
 being  taken  up  to  heaven,  in  refpeft  of  his 
 being  an  objeft  of  prayer  to  his  followers ;  his 
 own  addrefs  and  fupplication  to  the  heaven- 
 ly Father,  to  preferve  them  when  he  was 
 departed  from  them,  is  a  fure  guide  to  us  as 
 it  was  to  them,  that  it  is  God,  our  heavenly 
 Father,  only,  to  whom  we  are  to  offer  up 
 prayer,  in  the  hour  of  diftrefs. 
 
 {w)  ''  THAT  maxim  ftands  firm,  and 
 
 will  for  ever  Hand,  fays  Davides  -,  that 
 "  there  is  extant  a  ftrid:  divine  command, 
 "  that  no  one  is  to  be  invoked  in  prayer, 
 **  but   God,    the   Father,    the  Creator  of 
 
 heaven  and  earth  :   (referring  to  Matth. 
 
 iv,  ic.  Lukeiv.  8.  before  cited  by  him.) 
 
 And 
 
 cc 
 
 <c 
 
 (w)  "  Firmiter  perfiftit,  et  perfiftet  axioma  illud ;  feve- 
 rum  extare  mandatum  Dei,  neminem  extra  Deum,  pa- 
 trem,  creatorem  coeli  et  terrse,  invocandum  effe  :  ipfo 
 Chrlfto  quoque  veritatis  magiftro  docente ;  Fos^  cum  ora^ 
 veritisy  dicite^  Pater  ncfter^  &c.  Huic  enim  contrarium 
 mandatum  nulllbi  extat  de  invocando  Chrifto ;  nifi  fortaflc 
 alibi  alia  extent  Biblia  milii  hadeims  incognita." 
 
 Id.  Ibid,  p*  74a, 
 
[     i8i     ] 
 
 *'  And  Chrlft,  the  great  Mafter  of  truth, 
 '*  himfelf,  alfo  teaches ;  Matth.  vi.  9. 
 *^  When  ye  pray,  fay y  Our  Father,  &c. 
 *^  ¥  ox  there  is  no  contrary  conwiand  given,  of 
 '*  praying  to  Chriji,  unlefs  there  befome  other 
 *^  Bible  which  I  have  not  yet  feenJ' 
 
 In  his  ftriftures  on  the  j&rft  part  of  this 
 affertion  of  Davides,  Socinus  refers  to  fome- 
 thing,  elfewhere  remarked  by  him,  not  very 
 folid,  on  that  prohibition,  Matth.  iv.  10. 
 Thou /halt  worjhip  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him 
 only  fo alt  thoufervei  viz.  that  it  relates  to  ado- 
 ration  only,  not  to  invocation  in  prayer.  But 
 he  replies,  acutely  enough,  to  the  quotation 
 brought  from  Matthew  vi.  9.  that  Chrift  is 
 not  there  teaching  who  was  the  obje5l  of 
 prayer,  but  in  what  manner  the  Father  was 
 to  be  v/orfhiped  in  prayer.  "  Neverthelefsy 
 fays   he,    I  {x)  confefs,  from  the  whole  of 
 
 this 
 
 (x)  "  Fateor  tamen,exuniverro  apudMatthasumChrifti 
 fermone,  atque  ex  re  ipfa  fatis  conftare,  ad  folum  Deum 
 patrem,  illo  tempore  et  antea,  in  Dei  populo  preces  dirigi 
 confuevifle.  Sed  quid  mirum,  cum  Chriftus  nondum  vel 
 extitifTet,  vel  glorificatus  eflet,  qui  folus  inter  res  creatas 
 hoc  a  Deo  obtinuit,  ut  ad  ipfum  quoque,  licet  corpore 
 ^bfentem,  preces  noftr^e  dirigi  poffint  ?" 
 
 Id.  Ibid.  p.  740* 
 N  3 
 
[       1 82       ] 
 
 this  f etymon  of  Chrijl  in  Matthew ^  and  from 
 the  thing  itfelf  that  at  that  time,  and  before ^ 
 prayer  was  wont  to  be  directed  by  the  people 
 of  Gody  to  the  Father  only.  But  what  is 
 there  in  this  to  be  marvelled  at  -y  when  at  fuch 
 times y  either  Chriji  had  not  a  beings  or  was 
 not  yet  glorified ^  by  having  this  peculiar  honour 
 above  all  other  creatures  of  God  befiowed  upon 
 hiniy  that  is y  of  being  invoked  in  prayer y  when 
 ahfent  and  invifibleJ' 
 
 But  Socinus  {hould  have  confidered,  that 
 fince,  by  his  own  avowal,  at  the  time  when 
 Chrift    delivered     this    fermon    upon    the 
 mount,  there  w^as  no  other  oDJedl  of  prayer 
 that  had    ever   been   acknowleged    by    the 
 people  of  God,  but  Jehovah,  the  heavenly 
 Father  of  all  ^  and   Chrift  diredled  prayer 
 to  be  made  to  the  Father,  without  dropping 
 the  leaft  intimation  that  there  was  any  other 
 perfon  to    be   prayed   unto  :    if  he  hiinfelf 
 really,  heverthelefs,  was  one  day  to  be  wor^ 
 ihiped  by  prayer,  he  moft  affuredly  would 
 have  been  careful  to  have  marked  it  par- 
 ticularly afterwards  \  and  would  have  given 
 fome  exprefs  and  explicit  diredlions  concern- 
 ing it,  which  could  not  be  miilaken.    But 
 
 7  a» 
 
[     ^83     ] 
 
 as  he  never  did  this,  the  conclulion  Is  una- 
 voidable, that  Chrift  was  the  fartheft  pof- 
 fible  frcoi  propofing  himfelf  as  an  objeft 
 of  divine  woriliip  and  prayer  ^  and  that 
 therefore  no  fueh  worihip  is  to  be  paid  to 
 him.  And  although  Socinusadds,  that  there 
 is  no  need  of  a  divine  command  for  invoca- 
 tion of  Chrift  in  prayer,  v^^hen  there  is  no- 
 thing in  the  Scriptures  to  the  contrary, 
 v^hich  either  exprefily  or  tacitly  excludes 
 him  from  being  the  objedl  of  worfhip  : 
 Yet,  in  this  view  of  the  fubjedl,  every  di- 
 redlion  of  the  facred  writers  or  of  Chrifl, 
 to  pray  to  Jehovah,  the  Father  ^  every  in- 
 fiance  of  holy  men  or  of  Chrift's  own  pray- 
 ing to  the  Father,  was  a  dired:  exclufion  of 
 Chrift  himfelf  from  being  the  objed:  of 
 prayer  and  worfliip. 
 
 IN  another  part,  Socinus  is  thus  ftrongly 
 prelTed  by  his  adverfary  :   (jk)  *'  When  Chrift 
 
 **  was 
 
 (y)  ^"^  Francifcus  Davides,  Dixit  cum  in  terrisverfaretur 
 Chriftus,  (Joh.  XV.-15.)  Vos  autem  dixi  amicos,  quia 
 omnia  qusecunque  audivi  a  Patre  meo,  nota  feci  vobis. 
 61  haec  patris  voluntas  fuifTet,  ut  ipfe  in  Chrifto  adoraretur, 
 
 N  4  3Ut 
 
[    i84    ] 
 
 **  was  converfant  upon  earth,  he  faid  to  his 
 "  apoftles,  (Joh.  xv.  15.)  -^  have  called  you 
 *^  friends  ^  becaufe  all  things  that  I  have 
 heard  of  my  Father^  I  have  made  known 
 unto  you.  If  then  it  had  been  the  will  of 
 the  Father,  (continues  Davides)  that  He 
 **  fhould  be  worfliiped  in  Chrift,  or  Chrift 
 in  him,  i.  e.  that  Chrift  fhould  in  any  fort 
 be  prayed  unto  a?id  worjloiped  -,  he,  their 
 divine  Mafer,  would  certainly  have  figni- 
 fied  it  to  his  difciples  :  becaife  he  made 
 ^*  know?i  unto  them  all  things  which  he  had 
 
 -'  heard 
 
 aut  Chriftus  in  ipfo,  certe  id  difcipulis  fignificaflet ;  omnia 
 enim  illis  fignificavit  quae  a  patre  fuo  audivit :  certum 
 autem  eft,  quod  hoc  a  patre  fuo  non  audivit.  Doctrina 
 igitur  ifla,  ut  non  ex  Deo  patre,  et  Chrifto  fit  oportet.  Si 
 fortalle,  ut  contendimus,  alTeveraverimus,  poilquani  in 
 caelos  afccndit,  omnem  accepit'  poteftatem,  fuper  omnia 
 exaltatus  eft,  banc  confecutus  eft  dignitatem,  ut  adoretur 
 et  invocetur, — • — nequaquam  confiftere  poteft.  Nam  poft 
 fuam  in  coelum  afcenfionem,  mifit  difcipulis  fpiritum  fanc- 
 tum,  per  quern  omnia  illis  annunciavit,  Sed  hie  nee  alia, 
 jiec  prioribus  contraria,  docuit.  Nam  de  patre  accepit, 
 et  ilium  glorificavit;  non  docendo,  in  Chrifto  Deum  pa- 
 trem  prascipue  adorari,  aut  Chriftum  adorandum  et  in- 
 vocandum  efl'e,  verum  in  do6lrina  per  Chriftum  tradita 
 confirmavit.  Et  fic  pos  quoque  difcipulos  fuos  futuros 
 efie  dixit,  et  patrem  fuum  celeftem  glorificaturos,  fi  fer- 
 monem  illiusfcrvaverimus;  non  fi  Deum  patrem  in  Chrift;^  ♦ 
 ador^vcrimus,  aut  Chriftum  in  Deo  patre.'* 
 
t  185  ] 
 
 ^*  heard  of  his  Father.  But  fince  he  never 
 '^  did  this ;  it  is  certain  he  never  heard  it 
 ^^  of  the  Father.  The  dodlrine  therefore 
 of  worfhiping  Chrift,  is  neither  from 
 God,  nor  from  Chrift,  If,  becaufe  we 
 allow,  that  after  he  afcended  into  heaven, 
 all  power  (Matth.  s:xviii.  18.)  was  given 
 to  him,  and  he  was  exalted,  above  all 
 things,  it  be  hence  maintained  and 
 concluded,  that  the  honour  of  being 
 to  be  worfhiped  and  invoked  in  prayer, 
 was  alfo  then  conferred  upon  him ;  this 
 cannot  with  any  truth  be  alTerted,  For 
 after  his  afcenfion  into  heaven,  he  fent 
 to  his  difciples  the  holy  fpirit,  by  whom 
 he  told  them  all  things.  But  the  fpirit 
 taught  them  nothing  more  in  this  refped: 
 than  they  had  learnt  before.  For  he  re- 
 ceived of  the  Father,  and  glorified  him; 
 not  by  teaching,  that  the  Father  was 
 chiefly  to  be  worfhiped  in  Chrift,  or  that 
 Chrift  in  any  fort  was  to  be  worfhiped 
 and  invoked  in  prayer  :  but  only  con- 
 firmed them  in  the  dodrine  that  Chrift 
 had  delivered  to  them.  And  fo  alfo  Chrift 
 has  inftruded  us,  that  we  fhall  become 
 his  true  difciples,  and  glorify  his  hea- 
 ^'  yenly  Father^  if  we  keep  his  words\  not, 
 
 ''  if 
 
 <c 
 << 
 
 <( 
 
 (C 
 
 <( 
 
 €6 
 
 i( 
 
f 
 
 [   186   ] 
 
 **  if  we  worfliip  the  Father  in  Chrift,  or 
 ''  Chrift  in  God  the  Father/' 
 
 [z)  Socinus  replies ;  **  that  he  had  alrea- 
 *^  dy  fpoken  to  thefe  objeftions  :  but  that 
 **  he  would  now  add,  that  Davides  did  not 
 **  fufficiently  attend,  that  Chrift,  who  had 
 ^  **  faid  that  he  had  7nade  known  unto  bis  dif- 
 *^  ciples  all  things  that  he  had  heard  of  the 
 **  Father ;  did  afterv/ards  tell  them,   (John 
 
 *^  xvi. 
 
 (z)  *'  Faujliis  Socinus,  Quanquam  per  ea  qu^  modo 
 diximus,  fatis  ad  ea  omnia  quas  hoc  loco  dicis,  refponfum 
 eft ;  illud  tamen  addemus,  te  non  animadvertiile  eundem 
 Chriftum,  qui  dixerit  difcipulis  fuis,  omnia  quae  audi- 
 vifTet  a  patre,  nota  fe  illis  fecifle,  cifdem  poftea  dixiile, 
 multa  fe  habere  quae  ilUs  diceret,  quae-  nondum  portare 
 poflent.  Inter  quae,  fi  Dei  per  ipfum,  et  in  ipfo  adoratio 
 et  invocatio,  a  nobis  numeraretur,  quid  qusefo  abfurdi  in 
 ea  re  contineretur,  cum  hsec  fummam  illam  poteftatem, 
 et  ecclefiae  gubernationem  in  Chrifto,  licet  corpore  abfente, 
 ipfiufque  paterni  foUi  participationem  omnino  requirant, 
 quam,  ante  fpiritum  ilium  veritatis  acceptum,  Chrlfti 
 difcipuli  nee  intelligebant  aut  fufpicabantur,  nee  intelli- 
 gere  aut  fufpicari  poterant?  Chriftum  autem,  et  in  Chrifto 
 Deum  adorari  et  invocari  pofle,  poftquam  fpiritum  ilium, 
 qui  eis  faeilia  portatu  redditurus  erat  omnia,  accepiftent, 
 Chrifti  difcipulos  intellexifle,  vel  id  fatis  declarat,  quod 
 primus  ipforum,  qui  fanguine  fuo  veritati  divinae  tefti- 
 monium  dedit,  Chriftum  ea  in  re  invocavit,  in  qua  ipfe 
 ChriftusDeum  patrem  invocaverat," 
 
 Id,  Ibid,  pi  747. 
 
t     »S7    ] 
 
 «*  xvi.  12.)  /  ^^'ve  yet  many  things  to  fay 
 **  unto  you '^  but  ye  cannot  bei^r  them  now. 
 "  And  what  abfurdityy  proceeds  he,  is  there 
 *^  in  fuppofmgy  that  this  doftrine  of  wor- 
 *^  {hiping    God    by   Chriil:  and  in  Chrift, 
 **  and  of  invoking  Chrift  in  prayer,  was  one 
 *^  of  the  things  his  apoftles  could  not  then 
 '^  bear;  as  they  had  no  fufpicion  of  that 
 *«  immenfe  power,  and  government  of  the 
 **  church,  when  invifible  and  removed  in 
 •'  body  from  them,  and  the  partaking  of 
 *'  his  Father's  throne,  to  which  he  was  to 
 *^  be  advanced  :  which  would  authorize  in- 
 *^  vocation  of  him  in  prayer,  when  he  came 
 ^*  to  be  poffeffed  of  them.     But  when  they 
 **  had   received   the   promifed   holy  fpirit, 
 "  which  was  to  make  all  things  eafy  to  be 
 <*  borne  by  them,  they  were  then  under  no 
 '*  difficulty  in  comprehending,  that  Chrift, 
 *'  and  God  in  Chrift,  were  to  be  worftiiped 
 *'  and  invoked  in  prayer;  which  appears  by 
 «*  the  fir  ft  martyr  for  divine  truth,  recom- 
 "  mending  his  fpirit    (Acfts   vii.    59.)    to 
 ^^  Chrift,    in  the  fame  manner  as   Chrift, 
 ^*  when  he  expired,   (Luke  xxiii.  46.)  re- 
 «^  commended  himfelf  to  God  the  Father." 
 
 'Remarks 
 
C     i88     1 
 
 Refjiark.  There  would  indeed  have  been 
 no  abfurdity  mfuppofmgy  as  Socinus  pets  it, 
 that  the  worfhip  of  Chrift  and  invocation  of 
 him  in  prayer,  was  one  of  thofe  things  which 
 he  did  not  mention  to  his  apoftles  in  his 
 life-time,  becaufe  they  would  not  have  been 
 able  to  bear  it;  if  his  apoftles  afterwards, 
 when  they  had  received  the  gifts  of  the  holy 
 fpirit,  had  ever  informed  us,  that  it  was  a 
 new  additional  precept  to  what  their  Mafter 
 Chrill  had  given  them  whilft  living  with 
 them  upon  earth,  that  He  was  to  be  a  perfon, 
 that  was  to  be  worfhiped  and  addrefled  in 
 their  prayers,  together  with  God,  the  Father 
 of  all,  to  whom  alone  they  had  been  wont 
 to  offer  prayer.  But  when  the  apoftles  are 
 themfelves  intirely  lilent  in  this  refpedt,  and 
 their  fentiments  are  prefumed  and  guefted  at 
 from  dubious  expreffions  ^  or  from  fuch  a 
 lingle  imperfect  example,  may  we  not  well 
 call  it,  as  that  of  the  holy  man  Stephen, 
 calling  upon  Chrift  when  going  out  of  the 
 world,  whom  he  had  juft  before  ittn  in  a 
 vifion,  and  when  the  impreflion  of  what  he 
 had  feen  might  well  be  fuppofed  to  be  pre- 
 fent  to  his  mind :  for  thefe  and  other  reafona, 
 
 this 
 
this  argument  of  Socinus,  though  Ingenlou^i 
 is  by  no  means  fatisfadlory. 
 
 BUT  ahhough  Socinus  thus  warmly  con- 
 tended for  addreffing  prayer  to  Jefus  Chrift, 
 he  aci?:nowleged  that  there  was  no  divine* 
 command  for  it,  and  therefore  not  any  abfo- 
 lute  neceffity  of  doing  it :  which  was  the 
 circumftance  in  his  difpute  with  Davides 
 that  difobliged  his  friends,  Blandrata  (a)  in 
 particular,  fo  that  they  were  always  againfl 
 its  being  made  public.  The  ground  of  his 
 making  and  adhering  to  this  diftindlion  and 
 reftridlion  upon  this  point,  was  this.  If  he 
 had  maintained  that  it  was  abfolutely  necef- 
 •fary  to  pray  to  Chrift,  which  it  would  have 
 been  on  the  fuppofition  of  an  exprefs  divine 
 command  for  it,  there  {6)  would  then  have 
 
 been 
 
 (a)  Prefixed  to  the  Difpute  between  Socinus  and 
 Davides,  are  Blandrata's  objections  to  the  manner,  in 
 which  Socinus  had  handled  it. 
 
 Socin.  Op.  Vol,  II.  p.  716. 
 
 (h)  "  Si  prseceptum  eft  datum,  ut  Chriflum  invocemus, 
 
 quandocunque  ejus  rei  occafio  fe  obtulerit;  id  facere  om- 
 
 nino  debemus.    Omnia  enim  praecepta  afErmantia  femper 
 
 obligant,  cum  fe  rei  prasceptae  occafio  offert,     Occafio 
 
 Chrifti 
 
 6 
 
r  190  1 
 
 Been  no  reafon  why  we  ought  not  always  to 
 pray  to  Chrift  :  and  this  he  faw  would  inter- 
 fere with,  and  tend  to  fuperfede  and  exclude 
 the  worfhip  of  the  only  true  God,  the 
 Father. 
 
 Socinus  therefore  afferted,  and  frequently 
 recurred  to  it,  that  it  was  right  and  ftt  I'nac 
 chriftians  fhould  pray  to  Chrift,  tho\^gh  they 
 were  not  by  any  abfolute  command  bound  to 
 do  it  5  and  he  complains  much  of  his  adver* 
 fary  accufing  him  falfely  of  faying,  (c)  that 
 we  miijl  and  ought  to  pray  to  Chrift,  whereas 
 he  maintained  only  that  we  fnight,  and  that 
 it  was  proper  to  do  it. 
 
 When  the  difficulty  of  knowing  when  to 
 pray  to  Chrift,  or  what  things  to  ajk  of  him 
 
 in 
 
 Chrlfti  invocandi  eft  fme  dubio,  cum  quis  in  allqua  necef- 
 fitate  eft  conftitutus,  quae  divina  ope  indigeat,  et  multo 
 magis  cum  quis  jam  reipfa  invocare  vult.  Ergo  fi  prsecep- 
 tum  eft  ut  Chriftum  invocemus,  nunquam,  cum  in  aliqua 
 neceftitate  fumus  quae  divina  ope  indigeat,  et  multo  minus 
 cum  jam  reipfa  invocare  volumus,  omittere  poflumus 
 quin  Chriftum  invocemus.  Sed  hoc  manifefte  falfum  eft. 
 Ergo  falfum  eft.  extare  prseceptum  de  Chrift  invocando.'* 
 
 Id.  Ibid.  p.  478. 
 (r)  "Jam  probatum  eft,  Chriftum  invocari  pofle,  id  quod 
 ego  contendo ;  non  autem,  ut  tu  hie  et  ubique  fere  mihi 
 afiingis,  invocandum  efle,**  Id.  Ibid.  p.  756* 
 
f  191  ] 
 
 in  particular,  was  urged  to  him.  If  there 
 was  no  command  to  fpecify  any  thing  con- 
 cerning it,  nor  any  abfolute  neceffity  for  it. 
 He  replied,  {d)  "  that  there  might  happen 
 fuch  circumftances,  in  which  there  would 
 be  a  relative  necejjity  of  doing  it,  and 
 chriflians  would  be  guilty  of  a  great  fill 
 in  negle6ling  it.  When,  for  inftance, 
 they  happened  to  be  in  a  congregation 
 where  prayer  was  offered  to  Chrift  :  or, 
 when  at  any  time  they  felt  an  impulfe 
 upon  their  own  minds,  to  pray  to  him. 
 Although  in  the  fame  place,  he  allows,  (d*) 
 
 "  that 
 
 {d)  "Quod  fi  in  hac  dlfputatlone  cumFrancIfcoDavidls 
 non  femel  affirmamus,  nos  non  teneri  invocare  Chriftum, 
 fed  tantum  jure  omnino  pofTe  5  id  non  ita  intelligendum 
 eft,  quafi  nunquam  necefle  fit  ut  Chriftum  invocemus, 
 nunquamve  evenire  poffet  ut  peccemus,  fi  Chriftum  non 
 invocaverimus.  Hoc  enim  evenire  pofle,  prorfus  ftatui- 
 mus ;  veluti,  fi  in  caetu  in  quo  prxfentes  fimus,  Chriftus 
 publice  invocetur ;  ut  non  raro  fieri  contingit,  Vel  fi 
 fpiritus  nobis  fuggeflerit,  ut  id  faciamus.  Verba  enim 
 noftra  de  abfoluta  tantum,  non  autem  de  qualibet  necelfi- 
 tate,  accipienda  funt."  Id.  Ibid.  p.  712. 
 
 (^)  "  Dico  igitur  non  efle  abfolute  necefle,  ut  quis  ad 
 Chriftum  ne  femel  quidem  preces  fuas  dirigat ;  id  eft, 
 fieri  pofle,  ut  quis  preces  fuas  nunquam  ad  ipfum  Chriftum 
 direxerit,  et  tamen  nee  ideo  peccaverit,  et  nihilominus 
 
 falutem 
 
[  ^92  ] 
 
 **  that  it  might  alfo  fo  fall  out,  that  a  chrif- 
 tian  might  never  all  his  life  pray  to  Chrift, 
 without  forfeiting  thereby  his  falvation.*' 
 And  with  refped:  to  difcriminating  what 
 things  to  afk  of  Chrift,  and  what  of  God, 
 how  to  divide  the  duty  of  prayer  betwixt 
 both,  (which  feems  an  infuperable  difficulty 
 with  thofe  that  hold  Chrift  to  be  an  objeft 
 of  prayer^  whether  they  look  upon  him  as  a 
 man,  or  the  firft  of  created  Beings,  or  ano- 
 ther fupreme  God,  equal  to  the  Father  and 
 fome  way  or  other  one  with  him)  Socinus 
 •had  contrived  this  ready  anfwer  3  [f)  *'  that 
 of  God,  may  be  afked  all  kind  of  good 
 things  relating  to  any  perfon  whatfoever ; 
 but  of  Chrift,  only  thofe  things  which  in 
 any  way  belong  to  his  univerfal  church. 
 
 <c 
 
 and 
 
 falutem  per  eundem  Chriftum  confequatur:  quippe  cui 
 nunquam  contigerit  ullam  ex  iis  caufis  habere,  quas  fupra 
 attigi,  omnino  preces  fuas  ad  Chriftum  dirlgendi." 
 
 Id.  Ibid.  p.  479. 
 
 ( y)  "  A  Deo  omnia  cujufcuhque  generis  bona,  et  ad 
 quemcunque  pertinentia,  peti  pofTunt :  a  Chrifto  vero  ea 
 tantum,  qu^e  ad  ipfms  univerfam  ecclefiam,  et  ejus  fmgu- 
 las  partes,  fmgulaque  membra  quodammodo  pertinere 
 queant.  Qi^iandoquidem  horum  tantum  largiendorum 
 poteftatcm  a  Deo  Chriftus  adeptus  eft." 
 
 Id,  Ibid,  p,  764, 
 
[     193     ] 
 
 *^  and  Its  feveral  parts,  and  each  particular 
 "  member  of  it.  For  that  Chrift  had 
 *'  granted  to  him  from  God  the  diftribution 
 '^  of  thefe  things  only,  and  of  no  others." 
 But  whilft  Socinus  thus  boldly  prefumes  and 
 undertakes  to  draw  the  line  of  prayer,  v/ith 
 refped:  to  God  and  Chrift,  of  his  own  fancy, 
 and  without  any  authority  whatfoever,  in 
 which  no  one  can  fafely  truft  him  :  it  re- 
 mains, and  will  remain  for  ever  unrefolved, 
 upon  his  or  any  other  plan ;  why  apply  at 
 all  to.  Chrijl  in  prayer^  for  any  thing,  when 
 you  have  no  divine  command  for  it,  afid  when 
 you  may,  and  are  encouraged  to  pray  to  AU 
 inighty  God y  for  every  thing  ^ 
 
 Q  SEC^ 
 
[     ^94    ] 
 
 SECTION     ir. 
 
 Of  Socinus^s  bebavictir  towards  other  Uni- 
 tarians, who  refufedy  and  oppofed  the  wor-^ 
 fiip  of  ]c{\is  Chrift. 
 
 f  I  ^HUS  with  dl  his  ingenuity  and  re- 
 JL  jinements,  Socinus  had  but  a  very 
 unfatisfadory  account  to  give  of  the  obliga- 
 tions of  praying  to  Chrift.  And  yet  like 
 moft  others,  who  have  been  bent  at  all 
 events  to  carry  a  difputed  point,  what  was 
 deficient  in  argument  he  fliiled  not  to  make 
 up  in  paffion,  and  angry  denunciations  of  the 
 Wrath  of  God  againft  thofe  who  ventured  to 
 oppofe  his  fentiments.  In  which,  if  he  did 
 not  come  up  to  our  countryman  Archdeacon 
 Philpot  above  commented  upon,  or  the 
 Frenchman  Beza,  it  was  only  becaufe  his 
 nature  was  gentler,  and  his  education  more 
 polilhed.  And  yet  from  what  I  am  going 
 to  relate,  fome  will  think  he  fell  little  fhort 
 of  either  of  them. 
 
 SOCINUS 
 
t    193    1 
 
 SOCINUS  IS  far  from  appearing  in  an 
 amiable  light,  in  his  anfwer  to  a  friend,  that 
 had   blamed  him  for   his   harili    iiivedlives 
 againft  Pakologus,  who  had  written  againft 
 the  woriliip  and  invocation  of  Chrift.     The 
 reafon   he    alleges    for     his    having    called 
 Paleologus    a    Jew,    and    perfiiling    in    it, 
 fhews  to  what  pitiful  arguments    and    ex- 
 cufes    a    learned    man  will  have    recourfe, 
 v/ho    is   refolved  never   to  own  himfelf  in 
 the  v/rong.       For   he    maintains,    that    he 
 ought   not  to  be  accufed  of  reviling  Pale- 
 ologus by  ufing  fuch  language,  {g)  becaiife 
 in  the  opinmi  of  almoft  all  the  true  churches 
 of  Chrijly  he  was  manfejily  reckoned  to  juda-- 
 ize.     But  what  if  all  the  churches  of  Chrift, 
 and  alltht  members  of  them,  without  excep- 
 tion,  had  charged  him  with  judaizing,    in 
 worfhiping  God,  the   Father  only,  and  not 
 Chrift,  or  in  any  other  peculiar  opinions  enter- 
 tained and  propagated  by  him?   This  would 
 have  been  only  more  to  his  honour,  whilft 
 
 he 
 
 is)  "  Quod  vero  Paleologum  aliqua  in  re  Judaeorum 
 
 fimilem  appello,  idque  fimiil  verum  efTe  demonftro,  non 
 
 video  cur  ob  id  maledicentias  accufari   pofTim,  praefertim 
 
 cum  jam  omnibus  fere  veris  Chrifti  ecclefiis,  eum  plane 
 
 judaizare  aperte  conftet." 
 
 Socini  Op,  Vol.  I.  p.  365. 
 
 O  3 
 
[     196     ] 
 
 he  had  the  teftimony  of  Chrift  and  his  apo- 
 flles  in  his  favour ;  by  which  the  truth  of 
 the  gofpel  dccflrine  is  to  be  proved,  and  not 
 by  the  number  of  voices  on  this  fide  or  that 
 fide. 
 
 He  is  ftill  more  cenfureable  in  the  fame 
 place,  for  calling  Paleologus,  (^)  a  man  quite 
 blinded  with  hatred  to  Chrift' s  glory.  How 
 could  Socinus  know  another  man's  heart,  or 
 take  upon  him  to  point  out  the  inward  mo- 
 tives by  which  he  was  actuated  ?  He  might 
 entertain  as  real  an  efteem  and  honour  for 
 Chrift, as  himfelf,  though  he  durft  not,  with- 
 out an  exprefs  divine  command,  rank  him  fo 
 far  on  an  equality  with  God,  as  to  v/orfliip  him. 
 If  Paleologus  had  replied  to  him,  and  been 
 equally  difpofed  to  railing,  he  might  have 
 accufed  Socinus  of  being  infatuated  with  a 
 blind  zeal  for  his  undue  exaltation  of  him 
 whom  he  acknowleged  to  be  a  human  creature 
 lately  born,  Jefus  the  Son  of  Mary  5  and  put- 
 ting him  upon  a  level  with  the  moft   high 
 
 God, 
 
 {h)  "  At  enim  alibi  eum  Chrifti  gloriae  odio  excaecatum 
 efie  dicis.  Quid  turn  ?  Si  non  modo  id  verifTimum  efle  ex 
 compluribus  aliis  manifeftum  eft,  verum  etiam  locus  ipfe 
 id  omiiino  p-quirebat,  6cc." 
 
<< 
 
 [     ^97    ] 
 
 God,  In  vvorfhiping  him  together  v/ith  God, 
 and  praying  to  him. 
 
 (/)  ''  I  do  not  believe,  continues  Socinus 
 *'  foon  after  the  above,  that  any  one  can 
 read  Paleologus's  book,  without  owning, 
 that  he  could  hardly  have  been  anfwered 
 in  any  other  way,  or  that  a  milder  treat- 
 ^^  ment  than  this  could  with  any  propriety 
 *'  have  been  given  to  him.  And  I  am  per- 
 **  fuaded,  that  they  would  be  the  more  of 
 ^^  this  opinion,    if  they   were   as  well  ac- 
 
 *^  qualnted 
 
 (/)  "Nee  fane  quenquam futurum  puto,  qui  modo  Pa- 
 leologi  librum  legerit,  quin  fateatur  vix  aliter  quam  ego 
 feci  (^uod  ad  banc  partem  attinet)  ei  refponderi  potuifle, 
 aut  mitius  aliquanto  cumeo  agi  debiiifle.  Quid  fi  cognitum 
 baberet,  ut  quidem  ego  habeo,  quot  malorum  caufa,  non 
 ifthinc  tantum  in  Tranfilvania,  fed  in  Ungaria  quoque,  in 
 Lithuania,  et  aliis  in  locis  Paleologi  au6loritas  et  fcripta 
 fuerint  ?  An  non  ipfe  primus  omnium  in  provincia  ifta, 
 fententiam  illam  maxime  impiam  et  deteflan<lam  de  non 
 adorando  neque  invocando  Chriilo,  una  cum  aliis  phiribus 
 peftilentiffimis  erroribus,  docuit  et  fcriptum  reiiquit  ?  Non- 
 neejus  do6trina  hodie,  quae  quibufdam  Francifci  Davidis 
 do6lrina  effe  p reditur,  integrse  eseque  non  paucse  ecclefiae 
 in  Ungaria- feed ifljme  funt  corruptee  ?  Nonne  is  in  Lithu- 
 ania, alterum  quendam  Francifcum  Davidis,  quantum  in 
 fe  fuit,  jam  excitavit,  et  provincis  illius  ecclefias  fuo 
 veneno   infecit,    ab  ipfiufque  FoloniiC  ecclefiis  jam  fere 
 
 divujfit  ac  feparavit?" 
 
 Id.  Ibid.  p.  365, 
 
 03 
 
i      198      ] 
 
 quainted  as  I  am,  with  the  miichiefs 
 which  his  writings  have  occafioned,  and 
 the  great  vogue  they  have  had,  not  only 
 there  in  Tranfylvania,  but  in  Hungary 
 alio,  and  in  Lithuania,  and  in  other  pla- 
 ces. Did  72ot  hcy  the  Jirjl  of  all  others  in 
 that  province  (Tranfylvania)  teach  and 
 piiblijh  in  prints  that  inofv  impious  and  de^ 
 tejlabk  opinion  of  his y  that  Chrift  was  7tot 
 to  be  worjhiped  and  invoked  by  prayer,  to- 
 gether with  very  many  other  moil  pefti- 
 *'  lential  errors  ?  Is  it  not  with  that  dodrine 
 **  of  his,  which  is  by  fome  thought  to  be 
 Davides's  own,  that  not  a  few  churches 
 in  Hungary  have  been  intirely  and  moft 
 fhockingly  corrupted.  Has  not  he,  as 
 far  as  lay  in  his  power,  excited  another 
 Davides  in  Lithuania,  who  has  infedled 
 thofe  churches  with  his  poifon,  and  cauf- 
 ed  a  fchifm,  and  feparation  from  the  Po- 
 *'  li{h  churches  ?'■ 
 
 The  charge  of  caufing  mifchief  and  dif- 
 turbances  has  been  the  common  cry  and 
 cant  of  intolerant  bigots  in  all  ages,  againft 
 fuch  as  would  not  conform  to  their  dictates. 
 Our  Saviour's  apoilles  were  ftiled  by  their 
 Jewifh  adverfu'ies,  (Afts  xvii.  6.)   men  that 
 
 turned 
 
 it 
 
I   299  ] 
 
 fumed  the  warld  upfide  down.     What  liann 
 was  therein  the   churches  of  .Lithuania  or 
 Tranfylvania  difFering  from  thofe  of  Poland, 
 by  rejecting  tlie   worfliip  of  Chriil,  whilfe 
 each  of  them  honeflly  followed  their  convic- 
 tions, and  embraced  what  they  believed  to 
 be  the  truth  ?  Or  what  neceffity  was  there 
 for  them  all  to  hold  exadly  the  fame  opinion 
 in  this  refped:,  any  farther  than  that  Socinus 
 might  give  the  lead,  and  all  men  bow  to  his 
 decifions  ?    If  he  termed   the  fentiment  of 
 Paleologus,  that  Chrift  was  not  to  be  wor- 
 fliiped   by   prayer,  impious  and   deteftable ; 
 there  were  others,  not  a  few,  who  would 
 jlartle  at  his  maintaining  with  fo  much  vehe- 
 mence,   that  a  human   creature,    who  was 
 born  but  yefterday  as  it  were,  at  Bethlehem 
 in  Judea,  iliould  be  made  a  God,  to  whom 
 'worfliip  and  prayer  fliould  be  offered. 
 
 BUT  Socinus  difcovered  a  far  worfe  fpi^ 
 fit,  in  his  treatment  of  Paleologus,  after  he 
 was  dead.  The  little  I  have  been  able  to 
 gather  of  the  hiftory  of  this  remarkable  man, 
 from  Moreri  and  others,  and  of  his  unfortu- 
 liatp  end,  is  this.     He  was  a  Greek  chriftian 
 
 O4  pf 
 
[       200       ] 
 
 of  the  ifle  of  Chic,  and  one  of  many  others 
 who  took  refuge  in  Italy,  after  the  Turks 
 had  become  mafters  of  Conftantinople.  He 
 had  been  fhut  up  in  the  prifons  of  the  In- 
 quifition  at  Rome  for  the  freedom  of  his 
 religious  opinions,  but  had  efcaped  thence 
 in  1559.  After  this  he  fled  into  Germany, 
 where,  as  alfo  in  Poland,  Tranfylvania,  and 
 other  parts,  he  zealoully  propagated  his  pe- 
 culiar fentiments,  and  i'upported  them  by 
 his  publications,  being  a  ftri6b  Unitarian, 
 denying  any  other  God  but  Jehovah,  the 
 Father  and  Maker  of  all  things ;  or  that 
 worfhip  and  prayer  was  to  be  oiFered  up  to 
 Chrift,  in  any  way,  or  on  any  account  what- 
 foever  :  which  laft  was  what  gave  fuch  great 
 offence  to  Socinus.  The  Bifhops  of  Rome 
 ufed  all  poffible  endeavours  for  many  years 
 to  get  him  back  into  their  power  again,  and 
 at  laft  fucceeded  in  procuring  him  to  be 
 arrefted  in  Moravia,  by  means  of  the  Empe- 
 ror, and  fent  to  Rome. 
 
 There  again,  in  the  hands  of  the  Inqui- 
 fition,  we  are  told,  that  he  at  firfl  boldly 
 afferted  the  truth  of  the  dodlrines  he  had 
 taught :  but  being  condemned,  and  on  the 
 poiat  of  being  executed,  he  recanted,  and 
 
 promifed 
 
[      20I       ] 
 
 promifed  to  confute  his  former  publications  i 
 which  he  accordingly  is  faid  .to  have  done, 
 on  being  remanded  back  to  prifon ;  and 
 there  died. 
 
 I  would  here  obferve,  that   huddled   up 
 as  every  thing  is  within   thofe  dark  walls, 
 we   have  nothing  certain  to  fay  farther  of 
 Paleologus,   but  that  he  ended  his   days  in 
 horrid  confinement,    in     the     year     1585. 
 We   may   however  form   a   probable  con- 
 jedure,  that  he  never  wrote  exprefily  againft 
 his  former  fentiments  :  for  if  fo,    we  can 
 have  little  doubt  but  his  work  would  have 
 been  made  public.     And  if  it  be  true,  that 
 after  having  been  for  a  while  firm  and  uu- 
 fhaken,    he  at  laft  gave  way  and  retrafted 
 his   former  fentiments,  through  the  infup- 
 portable  terrors   of  the  rack  apd   of  being 
 burnt  alive ;    let    thofe   blame   who    think 
 they  can  ftand  the  fiery  trial  unmoved :  we 
 need  not  however  to  fear,  but  that  he  will 
 find  all  companionate  allowance  with  the 
 Father   of  mercies,  for   this    fingle  aft  of 
 human    frailty,    and  furely  ought  to  have 
 experienced  the  fame  from  his  fellow-^crea- 
 tures ;  '  far  from  deferving  that   unfeeling, 
 unchriftian  barbarity,   with  which  Socinus 
 purfues  his  memory,  and  infults  over  what 
 
 he 
 
[       202       ] 
 
 lie  took  to  be  his  final  ruin ;  as  is  feen  in 
 what  follows, 
 
 Vujekus,  a  Jefuit,  of  Poland,  in  his  book, 
 in  the  Polifli  language,  on  the  Divinity  of 
 the  Son  of  God^  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit y  had 
 Gommended  Paleologus,  for  being  recon- 
 ciled, before  he  died,  to  the  Church  of 
 Rome.  Socinus  in  his  Anfwer  to  Vujekus 
 replies,  **  (i)  that  fuch  a  converlion  was  no 
 *'  favour  of  God  towards  Paleologus,  but  a 
 *^  juft  punifhment  of  his  impiety.  For 
 **  (proceeds  he)  he  was  one,  and  if  I  am 
 ♦*  not  mifcaken,    the  chi^^f   ftandard-bearer 
 
 **  among 
 
 {k)  "  At  de  Paleologo,  qu€m  fimiiiter  ex  noffro  numcro 
 fuifTe  fine  dubio  arbitrantur,  jam  refpondeo  j  nuUo  pacla 
 Dei  beneficium  erga  ipfum  iftud  fuifle,  quod  ccclcfiiE 
 romanae  reconciliatus  fuerit,  fed  debitam  ipfius  impietati 
 paenam.  Nam  praeterquam  quod  noftros  homines  fimpli- 
 ciffimos  licet  atque  innocentiffimos  edito  adverfus  eos  libro,, 
 cum  interim  tamen  eos  fratres  appell are  ilium  nonpudcrct, 
 tanquam  peflimos  nebulones  traduccre  non  eft  veritus  ; 
 unus  etiam  atque  adeo,  ni  fallor,  prascipuus  fuit  ex  ante- 
 fignanis  illorum,  qui  Chriftum  nee  adorandum  nee  invo- 
 candum  effe  hodie  affirmant,  et  interim  tamen  fe  chriftianos 
 cfle  impudenter  profitentur,  quo  vix  quidquam  fceleftius 
 in  religione  noftra  depravanda,  excogitari  pofle  exiftimo. 
 Merito  igitur  talis  homo  talem  finem  eft  fortitus  ;  ut  curri 
 fui  nomiais  perpctua  ignominia,  et  quod  multo  pejus  eft, 
 
 animsg; 
 
[       203       ] 
 
 *^  among  thofe^  n.oho  at  this  day  affir-m^  that 
 **  Chrijl  is  not   to   be  adored  and  invoked  i^i 
 **  prayer^  and  yet  in  the  mean  while  have  the 
 **  effrontery   to    call    themfelves    chrijiiajis  i 
 *^  than  which  nothing  I  think  can  be  de- 
 *^  vifed,  more  profligate,  or  more  debafmg 
 *'  to   our  religion.       Defervedly   therefore 
 *'  did  fuch  a  man  come  to   fuch  an  end; 
 *'  that,  together  with  the  perpetual  infamy 
 **  of  it,  and  what  is  m.uch  worfe,  the  cver- 
 ^'  laftinp-  deftru6tion  of  his  foul,  he  ihould 
 *'  be  again  united  to  and  become  a  member 
 **  of  that  Great  \Yhore,   with   whom  the 
 kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  for- 
 nication,   from    whofe    tyranny    he   had 
 formerly  by  the  favour  of  God  feparated 
 *^  himfelf,  and  been  more  than  once  deli- 
 vered :  not  prevailed  upon  by  any  good  au- 
 thority or  argument,  but  merely  through 
 ^'  the  dread  of  prefent  puniiliment,  to  re- 
 
 *'  turn 
 
 animae  eterna  jaa-jra^  illi  magnae  meretrici,  cum  qua 
 fcortati  funt  reges  terrae,  a  qua  per  Dei  gratiam  olim  fe 
 fejunxerat,  et  ab  ejus  tyrannide  non  femel  liberatus  fuerat, 
 non  quidem  teftimoniis  aut  rationibus  ullis  permotus,  fed 
 prsefentis  fupplicii  terrore  compulfus,  deni-o  id^  adjunx- 
 erit;  cujus  imperio  ac  jufiii  mifer  poftmodum  cnienta 
 morte  finem  fenilibus  fuis  aimis  invenit." 
 
 Vol.  11.  p.  538. 
 
 4C 
 
[       204      ] 
 
 '*  turn  to  her  again,  from  whofe  hands  the 
 •*  wretched  man  at  Jail  m.et  with  a  moft 
 **  cruel  death  in  his  extreme  old  age.'* 
 
 Poor  vain  mortals,  Jick  of  a  little  brief 
 authority y  will  prefume  to  deal  out  the  di- 
 vine judgments  again  ft  their  fellow- crea- 
 tures, who  fubmit  not  to  their  didates^ 
 however  different  and  contrary  the  dodtrines 
 on  which  they  take  upon  them  to  make 
 their  final  falvation  to  depend.  We  have 
 a  little  before  feen  an  Athanafian  Divine, 
 himfelf  at  the  time  in  circumftances  that  one 
 fhould  naturally  fuppofe  would  have  fubdued 
 and  foftened  all  pride  and  paffion,  and  difplea- 
 fure  at  others,  (p.  89.)  pronouncing  without 
 remorfe  the  fentenceof  the  divine  condemna- 
 tion, upon  an  innocent  woman,  then  lately 
 put  to  death,  and  on  another  perfon  with 
 whom  he  was  difputing;  for  denying  the 
 Trinity,  and  the  Divinity  of  Jefus  Chrift. 
 Here  we  have  Socinus,  who  denied  both 
 thefe  points,  excluding  a  man  agreeing  in 
 fentiment  therein  with  him,  frorpi  heaven's 
 jfnercy,  without  any  crime  to  allege,  or  ac- 
 cufition  to  bring  againfl  him,  but  his  main- 
 taining, from  the  authority  of  Scripture, 
 contrary   to   what    Socinus    thought,    that< 
 
 Chrift 
 
C   205   ] 
 
 Chrift  was  not  to  be  worfliiped,  or  in- 
 voked in  prayer.  Both  Philpot  and  Socinus 
 had  forgotten  that  benevolent  leffon  of  their 
 common  Lord  and  Mafter  ;  (John  xiii.  35.) 
 By  this  jhall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my 
 difctplesy  if  ye  have  love  one  to  another  ;  and 
 hurried  by  their  blind  zeal  and  paffion,  too 
 nearly  approached  the  temper  of  the  moft 
 inveterate  enemies  of  the  gofpel,  of  whom 
 the  holy  Jefus  warns   his   difciples    in    the 
 
 fame  converfation  with  them; (xvi.  2.) 
 
 the  time  comethy  that  whofoever  killeth  yoii, 
 ivill  think  he  doth  Godfervtce, 
 
 TOWARDS  the  conclufion  of  his  trea- 
 tife  againft  Paleologus,  Socinus  fuffers  him- 
 felf  to  be  drawn  into  fome  very  difrefpedful 
 language  concerning  Chrift  and  his  apoftles. 
 Of  this  I  Ihall  take  fome  notice,  as  the  bad 
 example  has  of  late  years  been  too  much 
 followed,  where  one  would  hardly  have  ex- 
 peded  it ;  and  it  will  naturally  lead  to  other 
 matter,  belonging  to  our  fubjedt.  I  iliall 
 give  the  whole  pafTage,  as  it  fhews  his  too 
 confident  temper,  and  how  far  he  was  from 
 that  modefty,  which   became   a  man   who 
 
 was 
 
[      206      ] 
 
 was  afferting  a  very  difputable  at  leafl>  and, 
 in  the  opinion  of  nriany,  a  very  wrong 
 point. 
 
 "  I  maintain,  therefore,  (fays  Socinus  to 
 *^  Paleologus,)  that  this  your  opinion  is  on 
 '^  this  account  mofi:  impious,  or  as  I  faid  be- 
 **  fore,  moil  injurious  (/)  to  God  and  to  his 
 *^  Chrift,  becaufe  it  deftroys  the  moft  ex- 
 *^  cellent  w^orkmanfhip  of  God,  in  which 
 *^  his  fupreme  goodnefs  and  beneficence  to 
 •*  the  human  race  ihines  forth ;    and   de- 
 
 **  privesr 
 
 (/)  "  DIco  igitur,  ideo  maxime  implam  tuam  litam  (en^ 
 tentiam  efie,  five  ut  ante  locutus  fum,  in  Deum  Chriftum- 
 queejus  maxime  injuriofam,  quod  et  Dei  opus  prssftantiffi- 
 jnum,  in  quo  fupremaejus  erga  humanum  genus  bonitas 
 ac  beneficentia  elucet,  plane  tollit;  ctChrifto  honorem  et 
 gloriam,  quse  ut  praecipua  fic  propria  ejus  eft,  adimit. 
 Nam  in  quo  (obfecro)  tantam  erga  honaines  benignitatcm 
 ac  liberalitatem  oftendit  Deus,  quantam  in  eo,  quod  homini 
 
 illi  Tefu  Nazareno,  qui  Chriftus  dicitur, tantam  potef- 
 
 tatem  dedit,  5:c.  Qiiid  porro  ipfi  Chrillo  vel  convenien- 
 tius  vel  honorificentius,  quam,  in  coelis  manentem,  eccle- 
 fiam  fuam  quae  in  terris  degit,  regere  et  gubernare,  ab 
 ipfaque  jugiter  et  adorari  deberc,  et  in  fuis  neceffitatibus 
 
 confidenter  invocari  pofTe  ? Sic  enim  cum  ab  ipfo, 
 
 turn  ab  ejus  apoftolis  edo6ti  fumus.  ^amobrem  et  ipfe^ 
 et  illi  ivjignes  impDJlores  et  falfarii  fuerunty  fi  id  verum  non 
 ejl ;  et  idcirco  nulla  p'orfus  eoriim  di^As  fides  adhiberi  nee 
 j>oteJl^  nee  delete** 
 
 Socini  Op.  Vol.  II.  p.  112,  113. 
 
if 
 
 €6 
 
 [  207  ] 
 
 prives  Chrift  of  his  chief  and  peculiar 
 honour  and  gloiy.  For  wherein,  I  pray, 
 CQuld  the  benignity  and  philanthropy  of 
 God  be  equally  manifefted,  as  in  confti^ 
 tuting  the  man  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  the 
 *^  Chrift,  a  leader  and  guide  to  other  men  in 
 the  road  to  virtue  and  immortality ;  and 
 in  beftowing  upon  him  power  to  affifl: 
 and  proted:  them  in  this  mortal  life  from 
 the  (hares  of  Satan  and  of  the  world  ? 
 And  moreover,  what  fo  becoming  and 
 honourable  to  Chrift,  as  to  reiide  in  hea- 
 ven, and  from  thence  to  rule  and  govern 
 his  church  upon  earth,  and  to  be  conti- 
 nually worfhiped  by  chriftians,  and  with 
 confidence  addreffed  and  invoked  by  them 
 in  their  neceffities  ?  All  which  comes  to 
 nothing,  if  Chrift  does  not  at  prefent  in 
 perfon  adminifter  the  affairs  of  the  chrif- 
 tian  world,  but  is  paffive  in  that  refped:/' 
 N.  B.  Th's  might  he  all  very  welly  were 
 there  a7iy  foundatioji  for  it.  The  point  is  noty 
 what  Socinus  might  conceive  to  be  worthy  of 
 God  ^y  and  honourable  to  Chrijiy  in  his  being 
 appointed  to  hear  the  prayers  of  his  followers^ 
 and  to  help  them  :  buty  whether  God  has 
 thought  proper  to  give  him  fuch  a  power  and 
 
 authority^ 
 
[      2CS      ] 
 
 nuthority.  He  then  goes  on  to  affert,  '^  tliat 
 "  it  is  included  in  the  very  term  and  name, 
 **  the  Chriji,  which  God  has  given  to  this 
 "  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  that  he  ihould  thus 
 **  be  our  king,  to  rule  over  us  and  to  help 
 •*  us  y  and  that  this  is  the  very  dodrine  of 
 *'  Chrift  himfelf,  and  of  his  apoftles/*  But 
 he  forgets  that  feme  better  proof  of  it  is 
 wanting^  than  his  own  war7n  and  poftive  af 
 fertion.  It  then  follows  ;  *'  Therefore  Chrijt 
 **  and  his  apojiles  nmft  have  been  mof  re- 
 *^  markable  impoflors  and  falffiers,  if  this 
 •^  be  not  fo :  (i.  e.  if  Chrift  be  not  the  ob- 
 *^  je6l  of  the  chriftians  woriliip  and  prayer) 
 **  and  710  credit  can  or  ought  to  be  given  to 
 **  any  thing  they  fay  ^ 
 
 Such  vehement  afieverations,  and  unwor- 
 thy infmuations  concerning  our  Lord  and 
 his  apoftles,  betray  a  mind  too  much  heated 
 with  prejudice  and  felf-opinion,  to  inquire 
 with  a  proper  temper  after  truth.  It  is 
 difficult  to  affign  what  could  be  the  motive, 
 which  could  induce  a  ferious  chriftian,  to 
 make  ufe  of  expreffions,  which,  in  the  re- 
 mcteft  degree,  bring  the  moral  character  of 
 Chrift  and  his  apoftles  \w  queftion.  Socinus 
 argues   afterwards^  '*  that  chriftians  would* 
 
 **want 
 
t   209   ] 
 
 want  the  neceflary   aids  and   fupport  to 
 keep   them  fteady  and   virtuous   in  this 
 dangerous    world   of   trial,   if   they   had 
 not  one,  who  had  been  a  man  like  them- 
 felves,  to  apply  to  in  prayer,    for  help 
 *^  and  affiftance."  But  this  remark  and  af- 
 fertion  was  obvioufly  nothing  but  the  efted: 
 of  cuftom  and  pure  prejudice,  in  Socinus. 
 Believing  himfelf  to  have  derived  the  greateft 
 advantages  from  the  ufe  of  prayer  to  Chrift, 
 in  carrying  him  fafe  and  innocent  through 
 various  difficulties  in  the  courfe  of  his  life, 
 he  grew  thence  by  degrees,  to  imagine  that 
 it  was  a  thing  no  lefs  necelTary  for  all  chrif- 
 tians.     So,    many   pious    Roman    Catholics 
 have  believed  themfelves  to  have  reaped  great 
 fpiritual  benefit  from  praying  to  the  Virgin 
 Mary,   and  have  been  perfuaded  that  thofe 
 who  neglefted  it,  deprived  themfelves  of  a 
 principal  means  to  make  them  holy  and  vir- 
 tuous.    But  none  are  to  be  governed  by  the 
 fancies  and    authority   of    others,    but    by 
 what  the    Scriptures  prefcribe,   concerning 
 the  Objed;  of  Prayer.    And  thefe  uniformly 
 direft  and  lead  us  to  make  our  fupplications 
 to  the  merciful  Creator  and  heavenly  Father, 
 
 P  as 
 
[     ^10     ] 
 
 as  one  who  careth  for   us,   and  who  alorie 
 heareth,  and  can  help  us. 
 
 NOT  long  ago,  I  was  led  to  mention,  in 
 what  manner  a  ( Af)  worthy  perfon  ftill  living, 
 fufFered  himfelf  to  be  drawn  into  a  ftrain 
 of  very  depreciating  expreffions  concerning 
 Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  fimilar  to  what  So- 
 cinus  here  ufes. 
 
 But,  as  if  the  example  was  infedlious, 
 Bifhop  Newton  iince,  has  ftill  more,  if  pof- 
 fible,  tranfgrefled  all  rules  of  decency  in 
 this  refped ;  in  his  Works,  publifhed  v/ith- 
 in  the  prefent  year,  1782,  and  nearly,  if  not 
 intirely  printed  off  under  his  own  infped:ion. 
 As  the  Writer  is  in  fome  meafure  a  party 
 concerned,  having  innocently  given  occaiion 
 to  the  ufe  of  fuch  intemperate  language ; 
 and  alfo  falls  under  no  fmall  part  of  the  in- 
 tended blame,  if  there  be  any  belonging  to 
 thofe,  who  do  not  believe  the  dod:rines  for 
 which  the  Bifhop  pleads  fo  vehemently;  I 
 fhall  make   fome   animadverfions  upon  the 
 
 whole 
 
 {M)  See  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology  for  refigning  th^ 
 Vicarage  of  Catterick,  p.  ,418. 
 
[       211       ] 
 
 whole  of  the  fhort  trad:  in  queftion,  as  well 
 as  this  exceptionable  part.  And  as  I  have 
 made  fo  free  with  Socinus,  I  hope  I  fhall 
 not  be  thought  to  violate  the  afhes  of  the 
 dead,  in  what  I  offer  here.  The  difquiiition 
 will  be  found  to  make  a  proper  part  of  my 
 deiign,  which  is,  among  other  things,  to 
 fhew,  how  much  the  general  ftream  of  au- 
 thority and  of  writers  of  note  in  the  times 
 we  live  in,  oppofes  free  inquiry  into  the 
 Scriptures;  efpecially  in  what  relates  to 
 God  and  the  proper  objedt  of  wprfhip,  and 
 the  true  character  of  Chrifc, 
 
 SECTION    IIL 
 
 Of  the  late  Bifiop  of  Briftorj"  method  of  ar-- 
 guing  againfl  Socinians  or  Unitarians. 
 
 WHAT  I  propofe  to  make  fome  com-- 
 ment  upon,  is  in  the  Bifhop's  fifth 
 Charge  to  his  clergy  of  the  diocefe  of  Briftol, 
 for  the  years  1776  and  1777  ;  in  both  which, 
 years,  we  may  prefume,  it  was  delivered.  The 
 title  is  ;  -/f  DiJ/liafive  againft  Sch?fm.  Soon 
 after, the  beginning,  he  remarks  5  vol.  ii.  p. 
 
 703,  &c. 
 
 P  2  Bp. 
 
[      212      ] 
 
 Bp.  INtwton.  *'  Others  there  are  v/hd 
 have  a  better  plea  for  their  feparation,  if 
 their  principles  were  true.  Thefe  are  they 
 who  deny  the  divinity  of  our  bleffed  Sa- 
 viour, admit  him  indeed  to  be  a  teacher  fent 
 with  an  extraordinary  commiffion  from  God, 
 but  will  not  allow  him  to  be  more  than  man, 
 or  to  have  had  any  exiftence  prior  to  his 
 being  born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  confe- 
 quently  profefs  to  reverence  and  obey  him 
 as  their  prophet,  to  apply  to  him  as  their 
 mediator,  but  not  to  worihip  and  adore  him. 
 as  their  God.  Now  the  dodlrine  and  prac- 
 tice of  the  church  of  England  being  con- 
 trary to  theirs,  they  can  no  longer  join  in 
 communion  with  her,  but  renounce  her 
 liturgy  and  articles,  refign  their  livings,  and 
 publiih  apologies  for  fo  doing/* 
 
 Remarks  This  is  a  fair  ftate  of  things,  to 
 
 which    the   Writer    fubfcribes ;     fave  only 
 
 that  if  by  applying  fo  Chrijl  as  mediator ^  be 
 
 underllood    the   addreiling  him   as    hearing 
 
 prayer^  or   having  any  knowlege  of  it,   he 
 
 finds  no  countenance  for  any  fuch  fuppofal 
 
 in  the  Scriptures  [a), 
 
 Bp. 
 
 (a)  Reftgn  their  livings,  andpuhl?Jh  apologies  for  fo  doing) 
 ^Vhen  the  perfon,  to  whom  the  Bifhop  points,  publiflied 
 
 what 
 
[     213     ] 
 
 Bp,  Newton,  *^  If  their  principles,  I  fay, 
 v/ere  true;  if  their  premifes  v/ere  right,  their 
 conclufion  alfo  would  be  right,  and  we 
 fhould  be  really,  what  they  are  pleafed  to 
 t^all  us,  idolaters.  But  they  have  no  better 
 reafon  for  their  denying  the  divinity  of  our 
 Saviour  and  the  dodlrine  of  the  Trinity,  than 
 becaufe  they  cannot  comprehend  them ;  and 
 if  they  are  to  rejed:  every  thing  in  religion 
 which  they  cannot  comprehend,  there  will 
 be  fcarce  any  article  of  faith  remaining.*' 
 
 Remark,     They  have  given  their  reafons 
 for  rejecting  the  divinity  of  Chrift,  and  the 
 
 P  3  docSrine 
 
 what  he  called  his  Jpology  on  refigning  his  benefice,  in  ufing 
 that  term,  he  did  not  intend  an  excufe  for  what  he  had  done, 
 which  was  nothing  more  than  what  he  beheved  fo  be  right 
 ^nd  his  duty.     But  he  gave  it  the  title  of  an  Jpology^  as 
 being  a  narrative  of  the  reafons  inducing  him  to  quit  his 
 preferment  and  connection  with  the  church  of  England, 
 which  he  thought  fome  would  be  glad  to  know.     And  this 
 meaning  of  the  word  was  not  unufual.     So  v/e  underftand 
 IIAaT&;vc?,  AvoXoyicc  Yanfoire?,  Socrates^s  Apology,  given  us 
 by  his  fcholar  Plato^  as  an  explanation  of  the  motives  upon 
 which  he  had  conduced  himfelf,  and  what  had  raifed  him 
 the  enemies  who  had  brought  him  to  the  fituation  he  was 
 in ;  not  as  an  excufe  for  the  part  he  had  aCled.     So  alfo  we 
 underftand  "  The  Apology  of  Jlgerno7i  Sydney  on  the  day 
 of  his  death." 
 
[       214       ] 
 
 dodlrine  of  the  Trinity,  very  different  from 
 what  are   here  afcribed  to   them ;   namely, 
 that  after  the  mofl  laborious  refearch,  they 
 cannot  find  any   fuch  docflrines  in  the  holy 
 Scriptures ;  and  particularly,  that  it  is  thd 
 fupreme  Father  and  Creator  of  all  things, 
 and    not   bimfelf^    whom    Chrifl    invariably 
 fpeaks  of,  as  being  his  Father  and  his  God, 
 and  as  the  only  true  God, 
 -    But  in    reprefenting   thofe    perfons   who 
 thus  diffent  from  him,  as  calling  himfelf  and 
 others  idolaters^  for  their  worfliip  of  Chrifl: 
 and  the  Holy  Spirit  together  with  the  Fa- 
 ther ;  the  Bifhop  betrays  a  temper  of  mind 
 of  too  great  affinity  with  what  we  have  {^tn 
 In  Mr.  Philpot  and  Socinus,  in  drawing  and 
 urging  confequences  from  the  opinions   of 
 thofe  he  is  writing  againfr,  v^hich  they  them- 
 felves  are  far  from  drawing. 
 
 For  although  they  fay,  that  with  their 
 fentiments,  and  under  a  full  convidlion^  that 
 neither  Jefus  Chrifl,  nor  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 are  either  of  them  the  mofl  high  Cod,  or 
 cbjecSls  of  divine  worfliip  and  prayer,  they 
 jJdould  be  felf- condemned  in  praying  to  either 
 of  them y  and  guilty  of  idolatry  y  fo  far  as  a 
 violation  of  the  divine  command  given  to 
 
 Mofes 
 
[    215    ] 
 
 Mofes  may  be  fo  called  j  viz.  (Exodus  xx.  3.) 
 T^hou  Jhalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me  ; 
 i.  e.  Thou  fhalt  not  give  that  w^orfhip  to 
 any  other  perfon,  which  thou  giveft  to  me : 
 And  do  alfo  farther  own,  that  at  times  their 
 minds  have  been  formerly  diflurbed  and 
 nearly  overwhelmed  v/ith  felf-condemning 
 apprehenfions  at  being  concerned  in  carrying 
 on  and  joining  in  w^orfhip  fo  utterly  difap- 
 proved  by  them,  before  they  could  accom- 
 plifh  their  purpofe,  of  emancipating  them- 
 felves  intirely  from  it;  yet,  however  they 
 Ihould  judge  of  themfelves  in  the  cafe,  they 
 never  perm.it  themfelves  to  call  the  worfhip- 
 ers  of  Chrift  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  idolaters. 
 Or  if  ever  they  have  in  any  fort  feemed  to 
 do  it,  they  retrad:  and  rejed  fuch  a  cen- 
 fure,  and  condemn  themfelves  for  it.  For 
 we  cannot  know  what  connedtions  and  affo- 
 clations  of  ideas  are  formed  by  others,  nor 
 the  various  ways  in  which  they  have  been 
 taught  and  accuftomicd  to  reconcile  things 
 to  their  own  minds,  which  feem  to  us  moft 
 repugnant.  When  therefore  a  perfon  fepa- 
 rates  and  withdraws  himfelf  from  a  particu- 
 lar church  or  focietv  of  chriftians,  on  account 
 of  their  worihip  being   fuch  in  which  he 
 
 P  4  cannot 
 
[     2i6     } 
 
 cannot  confcientioufly  join,  and  jfhould  look 
 upon  himfelf  as  guilty  of  idolatry  in  fo 
 doing,  he  does  not  thereby  condemn  them, 
 or  call  them  idolaters.  What  he  does  amounts 
 only  to  this  -,  that  he  fhould  be  guilty  and 
 ■  condemned  himfelf  by  continuing  to  wor- 
 fliip  with  them. 
 
 Bp,  Newton.  ^^  Their  writings  and  Apo- 
 logies ftrike  out  no  new  lights,  furnifh  no  new 
 matter,  nor  even  one  new  argument  to  the 
 purpofe :  they  are  only  a  dull  repetition  of 
 flale  objections,  which  have  been  refuted  over 
 and  over  again/' 
 
 'Remark,  If  they  only  prefent.  neglcsfled 
 ^ruths,  and  good  old  arguments  in  fupport 
 cf  them,  before  their  readers,  they  may  not 
 be  wholly  to  be  difcommended :  for  it  is 
 often  an  ufeful  and  neceffary  fervice.  But 
 concerning  this  point  the  Bifhop  affuredly 
 had  a  juft  right  to  judge  for  himfelf,  and  to 
 declare  his  fentiments. 
 
 Bp,  Newton.  -  But  it  is  not  fitting,  that 
 fuch  peflilential  herefies  fhould  be  fuffered  at 
 any  time  to  walk  about  without  notice  or 
 reply.  As  faft  as  thefe  Hydras  revive  and 
 raife  their  heads,  they  fhould  be  knocked 
 down  again  5  which  in  the  prefent  cafe  hath 
 
 been 
 
[      217      ] 
 
 been  done  moll:  efFeftuallj,  and  to  general 
 approbation,  by  a  moft  ingenious  laymam 
 and  member  of  the  Irifti  Parliament,  (Mr. 
 now  Dr,  Burgh)  by  the  worthy  Prefident  of 
 Corpus  Chrifti  college,  (the  Rev.  Dr.  Ra?2^ 
 dolph)  and  by  a  learned  clergyman  of  my  own 
 diocefe,  Mr.  Bingham^  a  name  memorable 
 for  the  knowlege  of  chriftian  antiquities." 
 
 Remark,  There  can  be  no  reply  made  to 
 the  language  of  the  former  part  of  this  para-r. 
 graph.  All  the  notice  that  has  been  thought 
 neceflary  to  be  taken  of  thefe  publications  fo 
 highly  praifed  by  the  Biihop,  by  the  Writer, 
 is  contained  in  the  Preface  to  a  ^^  Sequel  to 
 *^  the  Apology  on  refigning  the  Vicarage  of 
 **  Catterick."  But  he  would  refer  the  Reader 
 to  a  valuable  work,  viz.  ''  Letters  to  the 
 Rev.  F.  Randolph,  D.  D.  &c.  by  A.  Tem- 
 ple, M.  A.  with  an  appendix,  in  which  the 
 tendency  and  merits  of  Dr.  Burgh's  Publi- 
 cations are  particularly  coniidered;"  and  alfo 
 to  *'  Remarks  on  Dr.  Burgh's  Scriptural 
 Confutation,  &c,"  by  the  fame  author. 
 
 WHAT  the  Bifhop  goes  on  to  produce 
 in  favour  pf  thq  dparine  of  the  Trinitv,  and 
 
[      2l8      ] 
 
 of  the  worfhip  of  Three  Divine  Perfons, 
 each  of  them  God  ;  and  particularly  on  the 
 worfhip  of  Chrifl,  p.  706,  707,  708,  has 
 been  confidered  in  the  Apology  and  Sequel, 
 and  in  a  ''  Differtation  on  praying  to  Chrift." 
 I  pafs  therefore  to  the  part,  v/here  he  en- 
 'deavours  to  prove  Chrift  to  be  the  moft  high 
 God ;  and  in  which  he  gives  way  to  fuch 
 difrefpeftful  and  blameable  expreffions  con- 
 cerning both  Chrift  and  his  apoftles. 
 
 Bp.  Newton,  Vol.  ii.  p.  709.  **  Chrift 
 in  his  godhead  is  equal  to  the  Father,  he  is 
 inferior  only  in  his  manhood.  As  man  only 
 he  is  not  to  be  worfliiped  by  us,  he  is  to  be 
 worshiped  as  God." 
 
 Remark,  Thefe  general  abftraft  terms, 
 manhood y  godhead ,  &c.  which  are  the  crea- 
 tures of  our  own  brains,  and  by  which  many 
 impofe  upon  themfelves  and  others,  as  if 
 they  were  fome thing  real  3  do  here  refer  to 
 the  fidlion  of  two  natures  in  Chrift,  one 
 human,  the  other  divine,  by  which  he  is 
 made  to  be  the  moft  high  God  and  a  mortal 
 man,  at  one  and  the  fame  time.  The  fup- 
 pofed  grounds  for  fuch  a  diftindion,  and 
 what  countenance  and  fupport  it  receives 
 from  the  Scriptures,   have  been  confidered 
 
 above, 
 
[     219     ] 
 
 above,  in  examining  Dr.  Doddridge's  argu- 
 ments in  its  behalf. 
 
 Bp,  Newton.  *'  But  if  he  be  not  God, 
 nor  confeqiiently  to  be  worfiiped  by  usy  what 
 becomes  of  the  truth  of  the  chriftian  religion  ; 
 ■or  what  can  be  f aid  in  vindication  of  Chriji 
 and  his  apojiles  for  advancing  fo  ?72any  fal/ities, 
 and  unavoidably  leading  us  into  fuch  pernicious 
 errors  ?  What  apology  or  excufe  can  be  7nade 
 for  fuch  grofs  fraud  and  prevarication y  as 
 well  as  for  fuch  audacious  effroiitery  and  pre  ^ 
 fumptiony  as  their  afcribing  to  hi?ny  and  his 
 arrogating  to  himfelf  tts  file  and  title  of 
 godheady  when  he  was  no  more  than  a  crea-^ 
 ture  ? 
 
 Remark,  The  apcfliles  never  afcribed  to 
 Chrift,  nor  did  he  ever  arrogate  to  himfelf 
 the  flile  and  title  of  godhead,  or  affiime  any 
 authority  but  what  was  fuitable  to  a  crea- 
 ture, highly  favoured  of  God  j  fo  that  the 
 Bifhop  might  well  have  fpared  this  abufive 
 language  concerning  Chrift  and  his  apoftles, 
 upon  fuch  a  fuppofition.  On  any  fuppofi- 
 tion  it  ought  not  to  have  been  ufed.  But  it 
 is  civil  fpeech,  compared  with  what  will 
 foon  follow. 
 
 Bp. 
 
.  ^Bp,  Newton,  ^^  The  Jews  more  than 
 once  charged  Jefus  with  blafphemy,  becaufe 
 (Johji  V.  1 8.)  he  called  God  Trccrepot  t^Lcv,  his 
 own  father,  makiog  himfelf  equal  with  God^ 
 and  becaufe  (x.  33.)  he  being  a  man  made 
 himfeif  God  :  and  indeed  if  he  had  beea 
 man  only,  the  charge  w^ould  have  been  un- 
 anfwerable.  But  he  was  fo  far  from  adjiiit- 
 ting  their  arguiTient,  or  retracing  in  the 
 leaft  what  he  had  faid,  that  in  all  his  anfwers 
 he  rather  confirmed  and  eflabliihed  his  be- 
 ing equal  with  God,  and  his  being  God.'* 
 ^  Remark,  In  both  thefe  accufations  which 
 the  Jews  allege  againft  Jefus,  (John  v.  18,) 
 that  he  made  himfelf,  not  equal  withy  but,  as 
 the  original  fhould  be  tranllated,  like  to  God-, 
 and  again  (x.  33.)  we  ft  one  thee— for  blafphe^ 
 my,  and  becaufe  that  thou,  being  a  man,  mak^ 
 efi  thyfelf  God:  they  did  not  mean  to  charge 
 him  with  afferting  himfelf  to  be  the  moll 
 high  God.  Whoever  deliberately  confiders, 
 in  what  connection  thefe  charges  are  brought 
 againft  him  ^  and  particularly  his  anfwer  to 
 the  laft,  concerning  his  being  guilty  of  blaf- 
 phemy in  making  himfelf  God,  when  he  was 
 confeffedly  but  a  man,  will  find  that  our 
 
 Lord's 
 
[       221       3 
 
 Lord's  countrymen  by  no  means  Intended  to 
 accufe  him  of  affirming  himfelf  to  be  the 
 very  God  whom  they  worfhiped,  or  of  tak- 
 ing upon  himfelf  to  be  a  different  creature 
 from  other  men,  but  only  with  ajjuming  to 
 himfelf  the  power  a7id  authority  of  God ;  in 
 other  words,  prefuming,  without  fufficient 
 grounds,  to  be  the  Meffiah. 
 
 Bp,  Newton.  *^  According  to  St.  Paul, 
 (Philip,  ii.  6,  &c.)  Chrifl's  merits  confifted 
 in  this,  that  ieing  in  the  form  of  Gody  be 
 thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God, 
 i.  e.  he  did  not  aflume  to  be  equal  with 
 God,  but  made  himfelf  of  no  reputation, 
 tctvTov  s^ismcrsy  emptied  himfelf,  divefted  him- 
 felf of  his  former  glory,  and  took  upon  him 
 the  form  of  a  fervant  ^  and  was  7nade  in  the 
 likenefs  of  men  ;  and  for  this  reafon  was  highly 
 exalt edy  and  a  name  given  him  above  every 
 name,  that  at  the  Jiafne  of  jefiis  every  knee 
 fhoiild  bow  :  but  according  to  thefe  men,  the 
 reverfe  of  all  this  was  the  truth,  and  he  was 
 guilty  of  this  robbery  in  arrogating  an  equa- 
 lity with  God." 
 
 Remark.  Here  again  appear  the  evil  effects 
 
 of , not  correfting  confefTedly  wrong  tranlla- 
 
 tions  of  the  facred  text.  For  the  learned  and 
 
 I  carelefs. 
 
I       222       ] 
 
 carelefs,  whole  prejudices  fuch  wrong  tranf^ 
 lations  favour,  as  well  as  the  unlearned,  who 
 are  moft  to  be  pitied,  will  ftill  continue  to 
 ufe  and  be  guided  by  them.  Bifhop  Newton 
 Ihould  have  known,  tho'  Mr.  Philpot,  (See 
 p.  104.)  more  than  200  years  before,  might 
 be  ignorant  of  it  ^  that  the  original  greek  of 
 Philip,  ii.  6,  &c.  gives  no  ground  for  any 
 fuch  englifh  expreffions,  as  robbery,  being 
 guilty  of  robbery,  in  this  cafe  :  an  imputa- 
 tion, which  he  not  very  candidly  fuppofes 
 thofe  he  is  arguing  with  to  fix  upon  Chrift. 
 The  very  unwarrantable  paraphrafe  of  Biihop 
 Hurd  upon  the  paffage  is  ^  *'  that  Jefus 
 **  Chriil:  was  in  no  hafte  to  feize  upon,  and 
 **  aifert  his  right  of  equality  with  God." 
 St.  Paul's  words,  as  fhewn  in  an  exami- 
 nation of  that  paraphrafe,  (0)  convey  no 
 fuch  ideas.  He  was  better  inftrucled  in 
 the  Scriptures,  than  to  make  any  other 
 perfon,  GoSs  equal.  Error  is  infinite.  Be- 
 hold the  ftrange  flight  of  imagination, 
 which  a  truly  pious  v/riter  indulges,  on 
 this    miftaken    interpretation    and    fuppo- 
 
 fition 
 
 [0)  "  The  Catechift;  or  an  Inquiry  into  the  do6lrine 
 «  of  the  Scriptures  concerning  the  only  true  God,  &c,*' 
 p.  70.  note. 
 
'[     ^^3     3 
 
 fition  of  Chi'ift's  equality  with  God.  [p) 
 **  Jefus  thought  it  no  robbery :  it  was  his 
 indifpu table  right,  to  be  equal  with  the  infi- 
 nite, felf-exiftent,  immortal  God,  Tet^  in 
 mercy  to  finners.  He  emptied  himfelf  of  the 
 incommunicable  honours,  and  laid  afide  the 
 robes  of  incomprehenfible  glory.  When  he 
 entered  upon  his  mediatorial  Hate,  inftead  of 
 adling  in  the  grand  capacity  of  univerfal  fo- 
 vereign,  he  took  upon  him  the  form  of  afer-^ 
 'uanty  &c." 
 
 Amidft  thefe  extolled  popular  writers,  on 
 the  one  hand,  and  learned  men  in  high  of- 
 fices in  the  church,  on  the  other,  the  ge- 
 nerality of  chriftians  have  little  chance  for 
 coming  at  the  knowlege  of  Chriil's  true 
 charad:er. 
 
 JS/>.  Newton.  '*  If  he  was  nothing  more 
 than  man,  and  had  no  being  before  he  was 
 born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  how  could  he  fay 
 (John  viii.  58.)  Before  Abraham  wasy  I 
 umx,  I  amy  the  name  by  which  God  made 
 himfelf  known  unto  the  children  of  Ifrael." 
 
 Remarks 
 
 (p)  "  Hcrvey's  Contemplations  on  the  flarry  Heavens.'* 
 p.  182.  note. 
 
'Remark.  It  has  been  proved  at  large  In 
 another  \N^  place,  that  our  Lord,  in  faying, 
 Before  Abraham  wasy  I  am  ;  affirms  nothing 
 more  to  the  Jews  concerning  himfelf,  than 
 that  he  was  their  divinely  appointed  pro- 
 phet, propbeta  dejignatus,  the  Chrift,  the 
 Meffiah.  As  though  he  had  faid  to  them, 
 in  other  words  ;  *'  You  need  not  to  be  fur- 
 **  prized  at  what  I  have  afferted  of  the  great 
 **  account  which  our  anceftor  Abraham 
 **  made  of  me :  for  I  affure  you,  that  be- 
 **  fore  Abraham  himfelf  was  born,  /  am 
 *'  he,  i.  e.  I  am  the  Chrift,  the  Meffiah." 
 For  fo  the  very  fame  phrafe  is  interpreted 
 and  fupplied  in  verfe  24  of  this  fame  chap- 
 ter ;  and  our  Lord  plainly  refers  to  his 
 having  been  deftined  for  that  great  office  and 
 dignity  before  even  Abraham  had  a  being. 
 According  to  the  fame  hebrew  phrafeology, 
 it  is  fpoken  of  thofe  who  remained  firm  ia 
 the  profeffion  of  the  truth  in  corrupt  times; 
 Revel,  xiii.  8.  that  their  naines  were  written 
 in  the  book  of  life  of  the  lamb  Jlain  before  the 
 foundation  of  the  world.     In  agreement  with 
 
 which, 
 
 ( A^)  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology  on  refigning  the  Vicarag^e 
 of  Catterlck,  p.  222,  &C4 
 
[      225       ] 
 
 which;  the  Apoftle  Peter  fays  of  Chrift; 
 (i  Pet.  i.  20.)  that  he  was  veriJy  foreordain- 
 ed  before  the  foundation  of  the  worlds  but  was 
 manifeji  in  thefe  Jaji  times.  And  fo  far  is  our 
 Lord,  in  this  place,  from  alluding  to  or  af- 
 fuming  the  name  and  charadter  of  Almighty 
 God,  exhibited  in  Exod.  iii.  14.  as  if  it  be- 
 longed to  him>  and  he  was  the  felf-exiflent 
 God :  that,  as  the  learned  know>  the  words 
 written  by  Mofes  are  not,  /  a^n  what  I  am^ 
 but  /  will  be  what  I  will  be,  and  therefore 
 Chrift  could  never  refer  to  them  here. 
 
 Bp.  Newton,  **  Or  how  could  he  men- 
 tion his  having  been  in  glory  before  the 
 world  was  ?" 
 
 Remark,  The  Eiihop  here,  by  trdfting  to 
 his  memory,  mifquotes,  and  thereby  unde- 
 Cgnedly  mifreprefents  the  words  of  Chrift. 
 For  he  does  not  mention  bis  having  been  in 
 glory ^  before  the  world  was.  But  he  fays  ^ 
 (Joh.  xvii.  5,)  And  now,  O  Father^  g^^'^'fy 
 'Thou  me,  with  thine  ownfelf  with  the  glory ^ 
 which  I  had  with  'Thee,  before  the  world  was. 
 
 And  if  we  pay  due  attention  to  this  our 
 Lord's  folemn  prayer  to  Almighty  God, 
 comparing  the  feveral  parts  of  it  with 
 -each  other,  and  having  an  eye  alfo  to  his 
 
 Q^  cir- 
 
[      226      1 
 
 circumftances  and  lituation  at  the  time,  ta 
 which  his  requefts  would  be  exaftly  fuited  ;. 
 we  fliall  find,  that  he  has  no  retrofpedt  to 
 any  prior  exiftence,  which  he  had  in  another 
 world,  before  he  was  born  into  this,  nor  aflcs 
 for  any  dignity  and  felicity  which  he  had 
 formerly  enjoyed,  to  be  reftored  to  him  : 
 But  what  he  a£ks  for,  is  fomething  that  he 
 had  never  enjoyed  before,  to  be  beftowed 
 on  him  in  confequence  of  havtJig  fijiifhed 
 the  work  which  God  had  given  him  to  do, 
 and  as  the  promifed  reward  of  it : fome- 
 thing that  he  had  always  had  a  refpedl  unto, 
 as  being  dejlined  for  him  by  Almighty  God 
 in  his  eternal  counfels,  and  thereby  as  fully 
 infured  to  him,  as  if  he  had  been  from  all 
 eternity  in  acTiual  pofleffion  of  it :  So  that 
 he  might  on  that  account  fay,  that  he  had 
 had  it  with  the  Father ^  exadly  in  the  fame 
 way  of  fpeaking,  as  a  little  afterwards  in 
 the  fame  prayer,  he  fays,  he  had  given,  [i.  e. 
 promifed,  engaged  to  bellow]  this  fame 
 thing  to  his  difciples  and  followers,  which  he 
 fupplicated  and  fought  for  himfelf;  ver.  22. 
 And  the  glory  which  'Thozi  hajl  given  me,  I 
 have  given  to  them: — theiUy  that  is,  ver.  20. 
 to  all  thofe  who  fioiild  believe  on  him  through 
 3  th^ 
 
[       227       ] 
 
 the  preaching  of  his  apojiles  -,  both  to  you  and 
 to  me,.chriftian  reader,  if  we  are  Chrift's  true 
 difciples.  Now  what  is  this  fomething,  this 
 glory,  which  Chrift  fo  earneflly  defired,  at 
 going  out  of  the  world,  for  himfelf,  his 
 apoftles,  and  followers,  for  you  and  me, 
 that  we  fhould  be  partakers  of  it  with  him  ? 
 Why,  it  was  to  be  inftrumentai  in  promot- 
 ing the  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel ;  to  have  the 
 honour  and  glory,  after  him,  of  bringing  the 
 loft  human  race  out  of  darknefs,  idolatry 
 and  ruinous  vice,  to  virtue  and  to  the  at- 
 tainment of  eternal  life.  This  will  be 
 found  to  have  been  the  bleffed  Jefus's  glory ^ 
 which  was  his  earneft  defire  and  prayer  at 
 this  time  -,  v/hich  he  fo  much  longed  for 
 and  afpired  after ;  and  I  would  add  an  in- 
 finitely nobler  and  more  fatisfying  obje6t,  to 
 a  rational  mind,  than  any  perfonal  honour, 
 dignity,  and  exaltation,  of  which  many 
 would  make  Chrift  ambitious  here,  and  to 
 be  foliciting  it  from  Almighty  God. 
 
 Bpo  Ne-Dton,  "  If  he  was  nothing  more 
 than  man,  how  could  he  fpeak  of  himfelf 
 (Joh.  iii.  13.)  as  coming  down  from  heaven, 
 and  being  m  heaven,  even  while  he  was 
 upon  earth  r" 
 
 0^2  Remark. 
 
f      228      ] 
 
 'Remark,  Our  Lord,  though  he  was  no- 
 thing more  than  man,  could  thus  fpeak  of 
 himfelf  with  truth  and  propriety,  in  the 
 fame  way  that  he  could  fay  of  his  doftrine^ 
 that  it  cdjne  dowjifrojn  heaven,  viz.  **  My  Fa-* 
 ther  giveth  you  the  true  bread  (Joh.  vi.  32, 
 %1*^  from  heaven.  For  the  bread  of  God  is 
 that  which  cometh  down  fro?n  heaven^  and 
 giveth  life  unto  the  world,''  In  the  fame  fenfe 
 alfo  as  he  could  fay,  that  John*s  baptifm 
 was  from  heaven  t,  Matth.  xxi.  25.  His  own 
 doftrine,  and  John's  baptifm,  are  both  faid  by 
 him  to  come  down  ox  to  be  from  heaven  ^  becaufe 
 they  were  both  of  divine  authority.  And  in 
 like  manner,  he  here  defcribes  himfelf  com^ 
 ing  down  from  heaven y  becaufe  he  had  an  ex- 
 traordinary commiffion  and  authority  from 
 God.  But  I  refer  to  what  has  been  above 
 delivered  on  this  palTage  of  Scripture,  p. 
 60. 
 
 Bp*  Newton,  *'  Or  how  could  he  de- 
 clare, (Joh.  V,  23.)  that  all  men  Jhould  ho-- 
 Tiour  the  Son^  even  as  they  honour  the  Fa- 
 ther r 
 
 Remark,  It  immediately  follows :  He 
 that  honoureth  not  the  Son,  honoureth  not 
 the  Father^  which  hath  fent  him.    And  thus> 
 
 taking 
 
[       229       1 
 
 taking  the  whole  paffage  together,  we  plain-;, 
 ly  fee,  that  Chrift  fpeaks  onl^y  of  the  ho- 
 nour that  was  to  be  paid  him,  as  fent  by  the 
 Father^  as  God's  ambaffador  or  meffenger. 
 And  this  honouring  of  Chrift  confifted  in 
 receiving  and  obeying  his  meffage,  not  in  re- 
 ceiving him  as  the  moft  high  God,  or  in 
 worshiping  and  praying  to  him,  as  to  God 
 himfelf.  It  is  cbfervable,  that  this  is  one  of 
 the  principal  texts  infifted  upon  by  Socinus, 
 as  juftifying  the  worfliip  and  invocation  of 
 Chrift. 
 
 Bp,  Newt 071.  "  If  he  was  nothing  more 
 than  man,  how  could  he  affume  divine  at- 
 tributes to  himfelf,  (Rev.  i.  17,  18.)  I  am 
 the  firjl  and  the  laji^  I  arn  alive  for  evermore. 
 (ii.  23.)  I  am  he  which  fearcheth  the  reins 
 and  the  hearty  and  I  will  give  to  every  one  of 
 you  according  to  your  imrks  T^ 
 
 Remark.  The  whole  of  the  |irft  paffage 
 Rev.  i.  17,  18.  ftands  thus;  /  am  the  firjl^ 
 and  I  am  the  laji :  I  am  he  that  liveth  and 
 was  dead  'y  and  behold ^  I  am  alive  for  ever-^ 
 more.  And  if  the  Biftiop  had  cited  it  all  to- 
 gether, his  reader  would  have  i^^Wy  that  the 
 perfon  who  fpeaks,  was  not  the  moft  high 
 God,  the  Hrll  and  the  lafly  in  that  i^ni^ ;  but 
 
 Q^3  a  crea-* 
 
[    230    ] 
 
 a  creature y  a  mortal  creature  originally,  who 
 had  \jt^n  put  to  death,  and  reftored  to  life 
 ?.gain.  But  God  cannot  die. 
 
 To  fhev/  that,  m  the  other  paffage.  Rev, 
 ii.  23.  Chrift  does  not  afcribe  omnifcience  to 
 himielf,  but  fpeaks  only  of  fuch  a  degree  of 
 knowlege  as  was  communicated  to  hirn  by 
 Almighty  God  at  that  time,  and  at  that  time 
 only,  may  I  refer  to  ''  The  Catechifl,  or 
 Inquiry  into  the  dodlrine  of  the  Scriptures 
 concerning  the  Only  True  God,  &c.  p.  96. 
 
 Bp.  Newton.  ^'  Nothing  could  juftify 
 fuch  language,  but  its  being  the  voice  of  a 
 God  and  not  of  a  man.  In  any  mere  man  it 
 v/ouid  be  infufferable  ;  and  fuch  a  man  fo 
 prefuniptuoufiy  affecting  godhead,  we  could 
 .never  with  any  reafon  believe  to  be  a  mef- 
 fcnger  of  G.:d,  and  a  teacher  of  righteouf- 
 ncis,  but  niiifi  necejfarily  look  upo?i  him  with 
 ci/jorrence,  as  a  grofs  impcjlory  or  foul  hlaf- 
 pheraer,  or  downright  jnadrnan  at  beft.  It  is 
 impojjihle  therefore  for  any  conjijlertt  Socinian 
 .to  be  a  true  chrijiian,'' 
 
 Remark,  It  is  happy  for  us,  that  whether 
 we  be  true  chrifdans,  or  no,  is  not  to  be 
 decided  by  each  other's  partial  and  prejudiced 
 vcrdidls,  but  at  a  higher  and  more  equitable, 
 
 tribunal. 
 
[       231       ] 
 
 tribunal.  But  whatever  liberties  men  may 
 think  themfelves  allowed  to  take  in  cenfuring 
 their  fellow  chriftians,  it  is  wholly  unac- 
 countable how  they  can  bring  themfelves  to 
 ufe  fuch  terms  as  thefe,  concerning  the  blef- 
 fed  Jefus ;  that  he  mxuft  be  thus  undervalued 
 and  fet  at  nought,  as  a  grofs  impoftor,  or 
 foul  blafphemer,  or  downright  madman,  if 
 he  be  not  what  fome  men  t^.ke  him  to  be, 
 and  do  not  come  up  to  all  that  their  warm 
 imaginations  have  figured  to  them  concern- 
 ing him. 
 
 There  was  a  noted  Divine  of  the  church 
 of  England,  at  the  ciofe  of  the  laft  century, 
 v/ho  was  alfo  a  violent  declaimer,  in  his  day, 
 againft  Socinians  and  Socinianifm.  Mr. 
 Locke  fell  under  his  difpleafure  for  waiting 
 his  ''  Reafonabknefs  of  Chriftianity :"  and 
 in  his  attack  upon  him  for  it,  this  Mr.  Ei- 
 wards  contrived  to  give  fuch  a  turn  to  his 
 words,  as  to  charge  him  with  making  our 
 Saviour  a  coward.  To  fuch  an  accufation,  the 
 fum  of  that  great  and  good  man*s  anlwer^ 
 was;  (r)  that  it  is  difficult  to  fay  hoWy  conjiji" 
 ^ntly  "with  any  true  fiety,  a  man  can  entertain 
 
 (r)  Locke's  Works,  Vo!.  III.  p.  24.8.  410.  Edition. 
 
 a4 
 
[       232       ] 
 
 Jo  vile  a  thought^  or  ufe  fuch  a  profane  ex-r 
 prejjion  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
 
 I  would  be  far  from  faying,  that  Socifziis 
 or  Bijfhop  Neivton  were  men  void  of  true 
 fiety,  as  I  believe  they  had  a  great  deal  i  and 
 it  is  a  difpoiition  of  mind  that  is  particularly 
 difcernible  throughout  all  the  writings  of 
 the  former.  But  this  may  be  faid  concern- 
 ing them,  from  the  licenfe  which  they  both 
 gave  themfelves  in  afperfing  the  charafters 
 of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  on  the  fuppofition 
 that  their  words  were  not  agreeable  to  their 
 interpretation  of  them;  that  they  were  men 
 of  flrong  paffions,  unreafonably  attached  to 
 their  own  conclufions,  and  impatient  of 
 contradidlion  about  them  3  andperhaps  (which 
 is  the  beft  apology  that  can  be  made  for 
 them)  weakly  imagined  that  all  revelation 
 would  fall  to  the  ground  and  come  to  no- 
 thing, if  their  particular  fyflems  concerning 
 it,  were  not  to  be  embraced,  and  univerfally 
 prevail. 
 
 Bp.  Newton- — thus  concludes.  *^  If  ever 
 there  were  any,  thefe  are  the  men,  who  not 
 privily,  as  the  apoftl^  fpeaks,  (2  Feter  ii.  i.) 
 but  publicly y  bring  in  damnable  hereiies,  even 
 denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them,    the 
 
 atone'* 
 
[    ^33     1 
 
 atonement  made  by  Chrift  as  well  as  his  divi" 
 m'ty.  But  this  is  not  their  only  fault. 
 'They  have  new  modelled  the  Liturgy  in  aC" 
 commodation  to  their  own  tenets^  and  would 
 willingly  change  the  whole  form  of  govern- 
 ment ;  many  of  them  being  no  lefs  enemies 
 to  our  civil  than  to  our  ecclefiaftical  confti- 
 tution,  Socinians  in  the  one.  Republicans 
 in  the  other,  and  promoters  of  anarchy  and 
 confulion  in  both." 
 
 Remark,  With  what  foundation  of  juftice 
 and  truth,  the  Bifhop  applies  the  apoftle's 
 w^ords  j  others  will  judge.  But  he  is  mifta- 
 ken  in  imagining  Chrift  to  be  the  Lord  that 
 bought  them,  mentioned  in  this  paffage  by 
 the  apoftle.  For  he  fpeaks  not  of  Chrift, 
 but  of  God,  the  fupreme  Father  of  all,  whofe 
 creating  power  and  governing  providence 
 were  denied  by  thefe  perfons  fo  feverely  cen- 
 fured  by  him.  For  it  is  not  the  ufual  lan- 
 guage of  Scripture  concerning  Chrift,  that 
 he  bought  or  redeemed  us ;  but  of  God : 
 however  commonly  it  has  been  afcribed  to 
 Chrift.  And  the  apoftle  moft  probably  re- 
 fers to  certain  chriftians,  of  whom  we  have 
 well  authenticated  accounts,  that  foon  after 
 the  death  of  the  apoftld  John,  they  held  the 
 
 opinionrs 
 
[        234       ] 
 
 opinions  here  condemned,  which  may  have 
 begun  to  fhew  themJelves  a  little  before  * 
 Peter  died,  when  he  wrote  this  epiftle. 
 For  they  oppofed  the  divine  authority  of 
 Mofes  and  the  prophets,  and  maintained 
 that  this  world  was  not  made  by  Godj 
 but  by  inferior  agents,  with  the  tacit 
 confent  of  the  fupreme  Being,  and  with- 
 *^  gut  his  interpofing  to  prevent  them  (^)/* 
 
 Tht 
 
 {d)  See  Dr.  Lardner's  Hiftory  of  Heretics;  p.  78,  ygi 
 a  pofthumous  work ;  but  the  moft  valuable  account  in  our 
 language,  of  the  ftrange  characters  and  docirines,  that  fprung 
 up,  in  that  dark  period  of  ecckfiaftical  hiftory,  which  ini- 
 mediately  fucceeded  thte  tiriies  of  the  apoftles.  The  wor- 
 thy author,  after  the  truly  learned  and  candid  Beaufobre, 
 of  whofe  Hiftory  of  the  Manicheans  he  makes  great  ufe  ; 
 thus  apologizes  for  the  errors  of  thefe  men :  '*!  Bafuides 
 "  fuppofed  this  lower  world  to  have  been  made  by  angels. 
 "  This  is  an  opinion,  which  many  went  into  out  of 
 "  refpe6t,  though  a  falfe  refpe6t,  for  the  Deity.  They 
 ^'  thought  it  below  the  fupreme  Being  to  meddle  with 
 *^  matter^  in  order  to  give  it  form  and  beauty.  They 
 *'  judged  it  to  be  unworthy  of  him  to  make  perilhing  ana 
 **  mortal  beings.  Above  all,  they  could  not  endure  the 
 *^  fuppofition,  that  God  v/as  the  author  of  the  many  evils 
 "  that  are  in  this  world.  If  God  had  made  this  world, 
 "  they  argued  it  v/ould  have  been  perfect.  But  as  there 
 *'  are  in  it  many  imperfecSljons,  it  cannot  be  the  work  of 
 "  God,  infinitely  perfeCi:,  infiriitdy  good.  'They  chofe 
 "  therefore  to  afcribe  it  to  angels,"  &c.  Id.  Ibid, 
 
[     235     ] 
 
 The  Form  of  Public  Prayer  in  ufe  at  the 
 Chapel  in  Eflex-Street,  to  which  the  Bifhop 
 next  alludes,  was  moftly  compiled  from  Dr. 
 Clarke's  Reformed  Common  Prayer  Book. 
 But,  as  fome  other  alterations  were  admit- 
 ted, v/hich  were  however  fignified  at  the 
 time  to  the  public,  the  title  would  have  been 
 more  juft,  if  it  had  been  called^  (E)  **  The 
 ^'  Book  of  Common  Prayer  Reformed,  in 
 *^  which  Dr.  Clarke's  Amendments  have 
 *^  been  chiefly  followed/'  And  this  choice 
 was  made  by  the  Preacher  at  the  chapel, 
 becaufe,  although  in  fome  things  he  differed 
 in  fen timent  from  that  excellent  perfon,  yet 
 the  Amendments  made  by  him,  in  refped; 
 of  the  great  and  fole  objeft  of  worfliip,  v/ere 
 fuch  as  he  intirely  approved,  and  believed  to 
 be  the  truth.  For  the  Dodtor  has  thrown 
 out  all  thofe  pafTages  in  the  Liturgy  of  the 
 church  of  England,  in  which  prayer  is  ad- 
 dreffed  to  Chrift,  or  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  or 
 any  other,  but  the  perfon  of  the  one  true 
 God,  and  Father  of  all. 
 
 Con- 
 
 [E)  The  title  now  Is ;  *'  The  Bodk  of  Common 
 Prayer  reformed,  according  to  the  plan  of  the  late  Dr. 
 Samuel  Clarke,  together  with  the  Pfalter  or  Pfalms  of 
 David,  and  a  coileiStion  of  hymns  for  Public  worfliip." 
 
C   236   ] 
 
 Concerning  this  Reformed  Liturgy  of 
 Dr.  Clarke,  which  has  been  in  this  manner 
 adopted  at  the  Chapel  in  EiTex-Street,  we 
 have  the  following  teftimony  of  a  late  liberal 
 and  judicious  Prelate,  in  its  favour,  in  a 
 private  letter  to  a  friend  {e). 
 
 Extraft  of  a  Letter  from  Archbifhop  Herring 
 to  Dr.  Jortin^     Dated  Croydon^   Aug.  7, 
 
 J7S3- 
 
 **  I  have  feen  Dr.  Clarke's  Common  Pray- 
 er Book.  I  have  read  it;  have  approved 
 the  temper,  and  wifdom  of  it.  But  into 
 what  times  are  we  fallen  after  fo  much 
 light,  and  fo  much  appearance  of  mode- 
 ration, that  one  can  only  wifli  for  the 
 fuccefs  of 'truth  ?  The  world  will  not 
 bear  it." 
 
 With  refped:  to  the  charge  of  difaifeftion 
 to  the  civil  conftitution  of  our  country, 
 which  is  brought  againft  thofe  who  approve 
 and  attend  this  Reformed  Woriliip,  no  one 
 needs  to  be  fcandalized  or  difturbed  at  it  5 
 as  it  is  but  a  flight  fample  of  the  treatment 
 which  the  Bifhop  has  given  to  a  much  larger 
 body  of  good  Engliilimen,  in  the  Memoii;s 
 
 of* 
 ie)  New  Review  by  Henry  Maty,  A,  M.  Vol,  L  p.  241* 
 
[     237     ] 
 
 t'f  Ins  own  life,  drawn  up  by  himfelf,  and  pre- 
 fixed to  his  works.  From  the  view  here  exhi- 
 bited of  Bp.  Newton  s  methods  of  controver- 
 fy,  I  hope  I  fhall  not  be  thought  uncandid  or 
 unjuft,  in  applying  to  him,  what  is  remarked 
 by  Archbiihop  Tillotfon  in  one  of  his  Ser- 
 mons j  that  **  "where  reafon  is  weak  and  blunt ^ 
 **  pajjion  mujl  be  whetted y  the  only  weapon 
 *^  that  is  lefty  when  reafon  fails.  And  I 
 *'  always  take  it  for  granted,  that  no  man  is 
 *^  ever  angry  with  his  adverfary,  but  for 
 *^  wa72t  of  a  better  argument  to  fupport  his 
 **  caufeJ* 
 
 SECTION    IV. 
 
 O/'Socinus's  method  of  promoting  the  worjloip 
 
 of  Chrift. 
 
 "^E  return  again  to  Sociniis,  to  men- 
 tion only  one  or  two  more  circum- 
 llances  relating  to  our  fubjed:  and  his  con- 
 duft. 
 
 His  unrelenting  rigour  in  infiiling  on  the 
 worihip  of  Ghrift,  by  thofe  v/ho  confidered 
 
 him 
 
t  238  ] 
 
 him  in  no  higher  light  than  himfelf,  as  one 
 of  the  human  race,  does  no  v/here  more 
 fully  appear,  than  in  his  Epiftle  to  the  Sy- 
 nod of  Wsegrow.  How  long  after  he  came 
 to  Poland  it  was  written,  does  not  appear^ 
 as  it  has  no  date.  I  fhall  give  fome  extracts 
 from  itj  with  a  remark  or  two* 
 
 A  Letter  from  Socinus  to  the  Synod  of  Wae-* 
 
 groWi 
 
 [fri)  *^  With  refpecl  to  the  immediate  de- 
 ^^  lign  of  your  Synod  now  affembled  at  Wae- 
 
 **  grow 
 
 [m]  "  Caeterum,  quod  ad  eas  caufas  attlnet,  ob  quas 
 ifthic  Wasgroviai  in  Dei  Chriftique  nomine  conveniftis, 
 etfi  ego  vobis  ulla  de  re  admonendis  parum  fum  aptus^ 
 tamen  vifum  eft  mihi  vos  hortari,  ut  de  adoratione  et  in- 
 vocatione  Chrifti  in  ecclefiis  noftris  confervanda,  imprimis 
 laboretis.  Hac  enim  retenta,  perfacile  omnes  judaici 
 errores  convelluntiir ;  ea  vero  vel  fpreta  vel  abje(Sia,  nulla 
 ratione  fieri  poteft,  ne  ubique  judaifmus  vigeat,  vel  potius 
 turpis  epicureifmus  rxtque  atheifmus.  Qjiiemadmodiim  et 
 pie  et  do6te  fcripfit  olim  D.  Gregorius  Paulus  frater  nofter 
 ad  Tranfilvanos,  cum  de  caufa  Francifci  Davidis  agi  coep- 
 tum  eft.  Prsspoftere  igitur  ornnino  fit,  ft  quis  cum  eo 
 difputans,  quern  conftat  adorationem  et  invocationem 
 Chi-ifto  non  tribuere,  conctur  ilium  ab  aliis  quibufdam  ju- 
 daicis  erroribus  retrahere,  priufquam  eum  a  tanta  igno- 
 rantia  et  csecitate  liberet,  quse  omnium  ejufmodi  errorum 
 
 tanquara. 
 
[     239     ] 
 
 "  2row  in  the  name  of  God  and  of  Chrif);  j 
 
 *^  although  I  do  not  think  myfelf  qualified 
 
 **  to  advife  you  in  any  thing,  I  have  thought 
 
 *'  proper  never thelefs  to  exhort  you,  to  la- 
 
 "  hour  and  take  care  in  the  very  iirit  place, 
 
 *^  that  the  adoration  and  invocation  of  Chrift 
 
 **  may 
 
 tanquam  certiffimus  ac  perennis  quidam  fons  eft  ac  fcatu- 
 
 rlgo. rQuod  fi  qui  funt,  qui  nullo  pa6to  ad- 
 
 duci  queunt,  ut  Chrifti  hoc  tempore  regni  fui  adminiftra- 
 tionem  et  divinam  poteftatem  agnofcant,  non  eft  cum  illls 
 amplius  (ut  mihi  quidem  yidetur)  in  rebus  facris  com- 
 mercium  habendum.  At  vero  ne  alii  in  pofterum  in  eandem 
 impietatem  facile  delabantur ;  non  abs  re  inter  alia  quas 
 fieri  pofTent  fore  exiftimarem,  fi  omnibus  verbi  Dei  ^ninif- 
 tris  injungeretur,  ut  in  publicis  precibus,  ftatutis  faltem 
 quibufdam  diebus,  Chriftum  Jefum  Dei  filium  nominatim 
 invocarent.  Quamvis  enim  recPcillime,  jam  inde  ab  ipfo 
 initio  in  Chriftiecclefia,  fiveufu  receptum,  ii ye  lege  con- 
 ftitutum  fuerit,  ut  ad  ipfum  Deum  preces  dirigantur,  quo 
 illi  praerogatiya  fua  perpetuo  confervetur  ;  tamen  exhiiro- 
 riis  iimul  manifeftum  eft,  Chriftum  quoque,  ftatirn  poft 
 patefaclam  ejus  giorlam  ac  potentiam,  publice  ab  iis  qui 
 ejus  nomen  profiierentur,  invocari  confueviiTe.  Quod  ii 
 unquam  tem.poruin  et  perfonariim  ratio  tulit  ut  id  iieret^- 
 nunc  maxime  inter  nos  fert,  cum  et  nos  tanquam  Jefu 
 Chrlfti  contemptores  peflime  apud  alios  chriftiani  nominis 
 homines  audiamus ;  et  eorum,  qui  Chrifti  nomen  proli- 
 tentes  ipfum  tamen  nee  adorant  nee  invocandum  cenfent, 
 et  nihilominus  quia  Trinitatis  opinionera  abjecerunt  ex 
 iioftro  C3etu  efFe  exiftimantur,  aliquls  omnino  fit  numerus.*' 
 
 Socini  Opera,  Vol.  I.  p.  491. 
 
[       240      ] 
 
 may  be  fecured  in  our  churches.  For* 
 by  making  a  point  of  retaining  this,  all 
 judaical  errors  will  eafily  be  rooted  out. 
 But  if  this  be  negleflied,  judaifm  will 
 prevail  every  where  3  if  it  may  not  rather 
 be  called  a  filthy  epicureifm,  or  even 
 atheifm ;  as  our  brother  D.  Gregory  Paul^ 
 with  great  piety  and  learning  warned  the 
 Tranfylvanians,  when  Fr.  Davides's  afFaiir 
 began  to  be  difcuffed.  In  difputing  then 
 with  thofe,  who  do  not  allow  the  adoration 
 and  worfhip  of  Chrifl,  it  will  be  very 
 prepofterous  to  endeavour  to  remove  them 
 from  other  jewifh  errors,  before  they  are 
 freed  from  this  fo  great  blindnefs  and  ig-= 
 norance,  which  is  the  moft  certain  and 
 everlafting  fource  of  all  fuch  errors. — — 
 But  if  there  be  thofe  who  cannot  by  any 
 means  be  brought  to  acknowlege  Chrift's 
 divine  power  and  perfonal  adminiftration 
 of  his  kingdom  at  prefent,  in  my  opinion 
 there  fhould  no  more  fociety  or  intercourfe 
 be  kept  up  with  fuch  perfons  in  religious 
 **  matters.  And  moreover  to  prevent  any 
 perfon  hereafter  from  Hiding  into  fuch 
 impiety,  among  other  methods  that  might 
 be  taken,  I  fliould  hold  it  quite  right, 
 
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I  H^   ] 
 
 "  that  an  injundlion  fhould  be  laid  upon  all 
 **  minifters,  that  in  their  public  devotions, 
 •^^  on  certain  ftated  days,  they  ihould  be 
 **  bound  to  offer  up  prayer  exprefly  and 
 **  by  name,  to  Jefus  Chrift.  For  although 
 **  moft  fitly,  from  the  beginning,  in  the 
 ^^  chriftian  church,  whether  by  particular 
 appointment,  or  by  cuftom,  it  has  been 
 ufual  to  pray  to  God  himfelf,  in  order  to 
 preferve  to  him  invariably  his  juft  preroga- 
 tive :  yet  it  appears  from  hiftory,  that  after 
 Chrift's  glory  and  power  were  manlfefted, 
 he  was  wont  to  (ikf )  be  invoked  in  prayer  by 
 his  followers,  in  their  affemblies  for  wor- 
 fhip.  And  if  ever  the  times  called  for 
 *^  fuch  an  appointment,  it  feems  to  be  ne- 
 **  ceiTary  now  for  us,  when  we  are  pub- 
 **  licly  flandered,  as  defpifers  {N)  of  Jefus 
 **  Chrift,    from  our  being   ranked   among 
 
 ''  thefe 
 
 {M)  N.  B.  There  is  no  example  in  the  Scriptures  of 
 fuch  worfhip  of  Chrift.  The  heathen  converts  very  fooa 
 corrupted  the  gofpel,  it  is  probable,  in  this,  as  well  as  in 
 other  refpefe  :  by  which  it  fufFers  to  this  day. 
 
 (iV)  I  hope  to  be  excufed  inferting  here,  without 
 leave,  the  remark  of  a  friend,  who  did  me  the  favour  to 
 look  over  thefe  papers,  before  they  were  fent  to  the  prefs. 
 "  At  the  clofe  of  thje  extract,  Socinus  fpeaks  the  truth, 
 
 R  "  and 
 
 KC 
 
[  242  ] 
 
 thefe  men,  who  reje6tlng  in  common  with 
 us  the  doftrine  of  the  Trinity,  and  pro- 
 feffing  themfelves  to  be  the  difciples  of 
 Chrift,  do  neverthelefs  refufe  to  worihip 
 and  pray  to  him." 
 
 Remarks  on  this  lefte?'. 
 
 I .  We  have  here  one  inftance  among  a 
 thoufand  others,  of  the  wretched  lengths  to 
 which  warm  opinionated  chriftians  of  the 
 beft  underftandings,  may  be  carried,  againft 
 thofe  who  refufe  aflent  to  their  favourite 
 notions,  which  they  have  laid  down  as  necef- 
 fary  to  falvation.  It  is  judatfm  ;  it  is  epi- 
 ciireifm ;  nay  it  is  atheijm  itfelf,  according 
 to  Sccinus,  not  to  agree  with  him  in  wor- 
 iliiping  and  praying  to  Jefus  Chrift :  as  if 
 thofe  Unitarians,  who  did  not  fee  any  ground 
 in  the  Scriptures  for  praying  to  any  perfon 
 but  God  himfelf,  could  not  be  as  virtuous 
 
 characters, 
 
 «  and  affigns  the  very  reafon  of  this  violent  language.  It 
 *«  was  to  fave  himfelf  from  the  reproach  of  thofe  he  had 
 "  left.  And  fuch  we  well  remember,  fome  of  the  Clerical 
 «  Society  at  the  Feathers  fuftained  from  the  mors  moderati 
 *'  Reformers,'*^ 
 
[    243     ] 
 
 charaders,  and  as  fincere  chriftians,  as  hlm- 
 felf. 
 
 2.  His  next  uncharitable  ftep  is,  to  forbid 
 all  union  and  intercourfe  with  fuch  perfons 
 in  the  things  of  religion  :  which  was  to  pub«. 
 lifh,  that  they  held  fome  very  dangerous  and 
 pernicious  fentiments,  and  amounted  to  the 
 fame  as  forbidding  to  hold  any  friendly  foci- 
 ety  of  any  kind  with  them.  For  where  any 
 are  taught  to  ihun  and  keep  at  a  diftance 
 from  others,  on  religions  accounts,  they  will 
 foon  transfer  it  to  the  afTociations  of  civil 
 life ;  and  thus  learn  pioujly  to  hate  and  per- 
 fecute  one  another. 
 
 3.  But  in  that  other  device,  which  Soci- 
 nus  falls  upon,  to  conftrain  all  thofe  to 
 whom  his  influence  could  extend,  to  worfhip 
 Chriit,  againit  their  better  perfuafion ;  there 
 is  fome  thing  flill  more  to  be  condemned?' 
 For  he  advifes  the  Synod  to  make  a  law, 
 contrary  to  their  fettled  practice,  to  inforce 
 the  offering  up  of  prayer,  on  certain  ilated 
 days,  to  Jefus  Chrifl: ;  and  not  to  pray,  as  was 
 their  ufual  form,  to  God  only.  This  was  to 
 compel  thofe  who  were  of  a  different  perfua- 
 fion, or  doubting,  to  go  againii  their  con- 
 fcience^    or   elfe  to   drive  them  from  the 
 
 R  2  chriitian 
 
[     244     3 
 
 chrlftian  foclety,  and  mark  them  out  as  irre- 
 ligious charadlers. 
 
 4.  All  that  our  Saviour,  by  himfelf,  or 
 by  his  apoftles,  required  of  thofe  who  came 
 to  him,  to  qualify  them  to  become  his  fol- 
 lowers ;  or,  as  we  fpeak,  to  intitle  them  to 
 the  name  of  Chriftians ;  was,  to  believe  him 
 to  be  the  Chrift.  Other  dodlrines  they  were 
 to  believe  and  receive  afterwards,  as  far  as 
 they  could  come  at  the  knowlege  of  thern. 
 But  Socinus  here  fets  up  a  new  chriftianity 
 of  his  own,  a  new  religion ;  and  will  not 
 allow  any  to  be  chriftians,  who  do  not  pray 
 to  and  worfhip  Jefus  Chrift,  although  they 
 declare  themfelves  ready  to  do  it,  if  they 
 could  find  that  Chrift  himfelf  had  ever  in- 
 joined  it. 
 
 It  w^as  here  indeed,  in  the  whole  of  his 
 condud',  that  Socinus  w^as  fundamentally 
 wrong  ;  in  making  his  private  religious  opi- 
 nions and  praftice,  a  model  and  ftandard  for 
 others  to  be  governed  by,  and  to  follow. 
 With  regard  to  himfelf,  a  man  may  fay,  that 
 to  embrace  certain  opinions,  and  adhere  to 
 one  way  of  worfliip,  is  neceflary  to  iis  own 
 falvation.  For  example  ;  it  may  be  necef- 
 fary  for  you  to  pray  to   Chrift,  if  you  are 
 
 3  ^^i^y 
 
[     245     ] 
 
 fully  perfuaded  in  your  mind  that  he  ought 
 to  be  worfliiped  ^  and  for  me  net  to  worihip 
 him,  if  convinced  from  the  holy  Scriptures 
 that  he  can  neither  hear  my  prayer,  nor  help 
 me^  and  that  this  belongs  to  God  alone. 
 It  is  not  however,  becaufe  either  the  one  or 
 the  other  opinion,  or  pra6l'ice,  is  neceffary 
 to  Salvation  for  other  men ;  to  worfhip  or 
 not  to  worfhip  Chrift ;  (although  there  is 
 certainly  a  right,  and  a  wrong,  in  the  cafe)  ' 
 but  becaufe  neither  you,  nor  I,  can  approve 
 ourfelves  to  God,  unlefs  we  aft  the  part  of 
 hcneft  men,  and  follow  the  didtates  of  our 
 confciences,  in  this,  as  well  as  in  all  other 
 points. 
 
 In  all  ages,  it  has  been  too  much  the 
 way  of  warm  and  well-intentioned,  but  nar- 
 row-minded chriftians,  like  Socinus,  to 
 paint  the  characters  and  opinions  of  thofe 
 who  diiTented  from  them,  in  the  worft 
 light,  as  deiftical,  atheiftical,  and  what  not  ? 
 Where  fuch  injurious  reprefentations  are 
 made  by  men,  who  in  other  refpedls  are 
 juftly  efteemed,  it  is  often  an  ufeful  fervice 
 to  hold  them  up  to  public  view,  in  their 
 true  light.  And  there  is  an  inftance  of  the 
 kind,  in  an  author  abovecited  by  me,  which 
 
 R  3  well 
 
[     246     ] 
 
 well  deferves  cenfure;  and  which  by  no  means 
 leads  me  from  my  fubjed:,  to  mention. 
 
 The  late  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  that  part  of 
 the  life  of  Colonel  Gardiner,  where  he  is 
 apologizing  for  the  Colonel's  warmth  in  de- 
 fence of  certain  points  of  dodlrine,  maintain- 
 ed in  the  eftablillied  churches  of  England 
 and  Scotland  }>  ^fter  a  very  uncharitable  re- 
 flexion on  fome  of  the  Minifters  of  thofe 
 churches,  who  did  not  conform  their  pub- 
 lic difcourfes  to  thofe  formularies  of  faith 
 they  had  once  fubfcribed  :  proceeds  to  fay, 
 {n)  I  muft  obferve  that  it  was  the  Co- 
 lonel's moft  fiedfaft  perfuafion,  that  all 
 thofe  notions  which  reprefent  our  bleffed 
 Redeemer,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  mere 
 *^  creatures,  or  which  (ct  afide  the  atonc- 
 *'  ment  of  the  former,  or  the  influences  of 
 the  latter,  do  fap  the  very  foundation  of 
 chrifl:ianity,  by  rejecting  the  mofl:  glori- 
 ous dodtrines  peculiar  to  it.  He  had 
 attentively  obferved  (what  indeed  is  too 
 obvious)  the  unhappy  influence  which 
 the  denial  of  thefe  principles  often  has 
 upon  the  charafters  of  Minifters,  and  on 
 
 €C 
 €( 
 
 i( 
 
 their 
 
 (72)  ReiTiarkable  Paflages  in  the  life  of  Colonel  Gardi- 
 ner by  Dr.  Doddridge^  6th  Edition,  i2mo.  p.  885  89. 
 
C6 
 
 [  247  ] 
 
 **  their   fuccefs^  and    was    perfuaded,   that 
 *^  an   attempt   to   fabftitute   that  mutilated 
 *^  form  of  t^hriitxanity  which  remains,  when. 
 **  thefe  eflentudc  of  it   are  taken  aw..y,  has 
 *^  proved  one  of  thj  molt:  luccefsful  methoQs, 
 *'  which  the  great  enem    of  fouls  has  ever 
 "   taken  in  thef^;  latter  oays,  to  lead  men  by 
 infeniible  degrees   into  Deifm,  vice,  and 
 perdition."  Soon  after  the  doftor  adds  ; 
 ^^  On  the  whole,  it  was  indeed    his  delibe- 
 rate judgment,  that  the  Anan,   Socinian, 
 and  Pelagian  dod:rines  were  highly  difho- 
 **  nourable  to  God,   and  dangerous  to  the 
 *^  fouls  of  men  ;  and  that  it  was  the  duty 
 *^  of  private  chriflians  to  be  greatly  on  their 
 *^  guard  againft  thofe   minillers    by  whom 
 **  they    are    entertained,     left    their    minds 
 *^  fliould  be  corrupted  from  the  fnnplicity 
 **  that  is  in   Chrift.     Yet  he   iincerely  ab* 
 **  horred   the   thought  of   perfecution    for 
 **  confcience  fake." 
 
 Dr.  Doddridge  here  exhibits  a  curious, 
 but  not  uncommon  piece  of  felf-deluiion, 
 in  faying  very  gravely,  that  Col.  Gardiner 
 abhorred  the  thought  of  all  perfecution  for 
 confcience  fake  y  wnen  fome  inftances  are  at 
 the  very  time  given,  of  his  perfecuting  con- 
 
 R  4  fcientious 
 
[     245     ] 
 
 fcientious  men  to  a  certain  degree,  and  when 
 the  Dodor,  who  fhews  marks  of  approba- 
 tion all  along,  is,  at  the  moment,  heating 
 the  drum,  (pardon  the  coarfenefs  of  the  ex- 
 preffion  for  its  truth)  to  excite  the  bad  paf- 
 lions  of  chriftians,  and  fet  them  one  againft 
 the  other.  For  what  elfe  is  it  ?  What 
 gentler  name  can  be  given  to  fuch  defcrip- 
 tions  of  the  charadters  of  gofpel  minifters ; 
 and  accounts  of  their  doftrines  as  tending  to 
 ruin  the  fouls,  of  men  for  ever  ?  Are  not 
 thefe  likely  to  inflame  the  minds  of  thofc 
 unthinking  multitudes,  who  pay  an  implicit 
 deference  to  what  is  faid  by  a  perfon  in  fo  high 
 repute  as  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  fill  them  with 
 implacable  refentments  againft  fuch  minifters, 
 and  their  teachings.  We  have  read  in  the  me- 
 morials of  paft  times,  and  have  experienced  in 
 our  own,  the  wretched  effed;s  of  the  like  paf- 
 lionate  and  injurious  reprefentations.  And 
 after  all,  v/hat  is  there  in  the  peculiar  tenets 
 of  Arians,  Socinians,  Pelagians,  that  does  not 
 tend  to  make  men  good  and  virtuous  ?  which 
 is  furely  the  great  and  ultimate  end  of  the 
 gofpel.  Admit  that  they  may  not  think  fo 
 highly  of  the  perfon  of  Chrift,  as  the  T'ri- 
 nitarians  do;  yet  furely  the  condefcenfion 
 
 and 
 
[     249     ] 
 
 and  merciful  goodnefs  of  Almighty  God, 
 manifefted  by  Chrift,  are  not  leffened,  but 
 increafed,  on  their  plan.  And  is  not  this  a 
 fufiicient  motive,  can  there  be  a  greater,  to 
 carry  men  to  the  higheft  attainments  of 
 piety,  benevolence,  and  integrity  ?  Is  all 
 true  wifdom  and  goodnefs  confined  to  thofe 
 chriftians,  who  call  themfelves  orthodox  ? 
 Was  not  Dr.  Clarke,  who  is  comonly 
 eileemed  an  Arian,  a  chara6ler  as  virtuous, 
 pious,  and  exemplary  in  all  refpeflis,  as  Dr. 
 Doddridge ;  and  his  writings,  to  fay  the 
 leaft,  as  valuable  a  legacy  to  the  chriftian 
 world,  and  to  all  lovers  of  truth  ?  And 
 without  difparagement  to  Calvin  ;  wherein 
 was  Socinus,  who  was  a  ftrict  Pelagian,  in- 
 ferior to  him  in  true  piety  and  virtue  ?  Few 
 perfons  feem  to  have  lived  more  under  a 
 continual  fenfe  of  the  prefence  of  God  with 
 him,  and  regard  to  him,  than  the  latter, 
 from  his  writings,  appears  to  have  done. 
 
 And  with  refpeft  to  the  fuperior  bene- 
 ficial effefts,  faid  to  arife  from  the  preaching 
 of  the  doftrines  of  atonement,  and  the  like, 
 in  bringing  men  oflf  from  vicious  pradices ; 
 if  inquiry  be  made,  it  will  be  found,  where 
 it  really  has  been  the  faet ;  not  to  have  been 
 
 fo 
 
[     250    } 
 
 lO  much  owing  to  the  dodrines  themfeives, 
 as  to  the  fervour,  earneftnefs,  and  diligence 
 of  the  preachers  of  them ;  which  will  at 
 all  times  proportionably  affedt  the  hearers 
 on  all  fubjedls,  efJDecially  upon  thole  moft: 
 important  ones,  relating  to  God,  and  a  fu- 
 ture eternal  world  and  their  lot  in  it,  and 
 win  many  over  to  ferioufnefs  and  fobriety 
 of  mind. 
 
 The  great  point  however,  to  which  every 
 gofpel-preacher  is  to  bend  his  attention,  is 
 not,  w^hat  dodlrines  we  ourfelves  may  ima- 
 gine, to  be  moil  fuitcd  to  th?  converiion  and 
 lalvation  of  finners,  but  what  it  is  that  the 
 Scriptures  hold  forth  for  thefe  purpofes ; 
 and  to  reft  eaiy  and  perfuaded,  that  what  we 
 learn  there,  will  moft  furely  in  the  end  pro- 
 mote the  virtue  and  hap'pinefs  of  the  world, 
 with  whatever  name,  or  in  whatever  way, 
 angry  men  may  brand  it^  or  traduce  the 
 teachers  of  it. 
 
 I  have  dwelled  the  longer  on  this  matter, 
 becaufe  it  has  fallen  much  in  my  way  to  ob- 
 ferve,  that  infinuations  of  this  nature  againft 
 the  charadiers  of  other  chriftians ;  and  ve- 
 hement condemnation  of  the  dodlrines  held 
 and  taught  by  them,  made  by  fuch  pious 
 
 and 
 
[    251     ] 
 
 and  popular  writers  as  Dr.  Doddridge,  not 
 only  indifpofe  thoufands  for  the  truth,  and 
 for  free  inquiry,  the  only  way  to  come  at  it ; 
 but  alfo  are  often  of  the  moft  fatal  confe- 
 quence,  in  generating  and  cherifliing  a  bit- 
 ter malevolent  fpirit  in  fome  chriilians 
 againfl;  their  brethren ;  to  the  difgrace  and 
 difcredit  of  chriflianity ;  and  to  the  diftur- 
 bance,  not  only  of  private  families  and 
 neighbourhoods,  but  fometimes  of  whole 
 nations  and  kingdoms. 
 
 SECTION     V. 
 
 Of  the  confequences  which  enfued  from  Soci- 
 nusV  worJJjtp  ^Chrifl* 
 
 ^TpHE  fame  principle  of  praying  to  Chrifl, 
 JL  whilft  efteemed  by  them  no  more  than 
 a  creature;  and  the  fame  narrownefs  of  fpirit 
 and"  intolerance,  in  not  allowing  thofe  Uni- 
 tarians to  be  chriftians,  who  did  not  con- 
 form to  their  pradice,  continued  among  the 
 difciples  and  followers  of  Socinus,  upon  the 
 
 continent. 
 
[      252       ] 
 
 continent,  after  his  deceafe.  Various  in- 
 ftances  of  it  might  be  produced  ;  but  it  will 
 be  fufficiently  evident  from  the  following 
 extradrs  from  their  Catechifms,  publifhed  at 
 different  periods. 
 
 The  firfl:  was  printed  in  1605,  a  year  after 
 Socinus's  death,  in  the  Polifh  language ; 
 and  tranflated  into  Latin,  and  dedicated  to 
 our  king  James,  in  1609,  four  years  after. 
 It  thus  exhibits  their  fentiments  on  this 
 head. 
 
 {0)  **  ^lejlwn.  What  think  you  of  thefe 
 men,  who  do  not  pray  to  Chrift,  nor  al- 
 low that  he  is  to  be  worfhiped.'* 
 **  Anfwer,  I  think,  they  are  by  no  means 
 chrijiians 'y  becaufe  in  fadi  they  do  not 
 own  Jefus  to  be  the  Chrift  :  and  though 
 in  words  they  dare  not  deny  it,  they  do  it 
 **  in  their  deeds.'* 
 
 In  two  following  editions  of  the  fame 
 work,  improved  and  enlarged,  in  1659  and 
 1680,  they  are  more  mild  in  their  language,. 
 
 but 
 
 (^)  "  ^iid  vero  fenth  de  its  ho?ninibus^  qui  Chrifium  no?i 
 iuvocarit^  nee  adorandu?n  cenjevA  ? 
 
 Piorfus  non  efl'e  chriftianos  fentio,  cum  reipfa  Chriftumt 
 non  habeant ;  et  licet  verbis  id  negare  non  audeant,  rejpfa 
 negent  tamcn.** 
 
 Catechefis  Eccl.— -Polon.  &c.  p,  115.  Racoviae.  J609. 
 
[     253     1 
 
 bat  not  lefs  peremptory  in  their  eenfure, 
 that  fuch  as  did  not  invoke  the  name  of 
 Chrifl:  in  prayer,  were  not  chriftians.  The 
 article  is  word  for  word  the  fame  in  both, 
 and  runs  thus : 
 
 {p)  "  ^  ^^^  ^^'^^  ^^  y^^  think  of  thefe 
 **  men,  who  hold  that  Chrifh  is  neither  to 
 **  be  prayed  to,  nor  worihiped  ?" 
 
 *'  A,  Since  they  only  are  chriftians,  who 
 **  acknowlege  Jefus  to  be  the  Chrift,  i.  c. 
 "  the  heavenly  king  of  the  people  of  God ; 
 *^  and  therefore  worfhip  him,  and  hefitate 
 **  not  to  pray  to  him  :.  on  which  account, 
 **  as  we  have  feen  above,  chriftians  are  de-- 
 "  fcribed  as  thofe  that  called  upon  the  7iame 
 **  of  the  Lord  Jefus :  from  all  this,  it  is 
 *^  eafy  to  be  inferred,  that  thofe  who  refufe 
 "  to  do  this,  are  not  yet  chriftians,  although 
 
 *'  they 
 
 {p)  ^^^  '^^^^  fentls  de  Us  hominibus,  qui  CBrj/ium  nee 
 invocaiidum^  nee  adorandum  cenfent, 
 
 "  Quandoquldem  illi  demum  chrlftiani  funt,  qui  Jefum. 
 agnofcunt  effe  Chriftum,  feu  coeleftem  ilium  populi  divini 
 regem,  ac  porro  eum  divina  ratione  colunt,  ejufquenomen 
 invocarenon  dubltant ;  qua  de  caufa  fupra  vidimus  chrif- 
 tianos  ita  defcribi,  quod  nomen  Domini  Jefu  Chrifti  in- 
 vocent :  facile  intelligitur,  cos,  qui  id  facere  nolunt, 
 chriftianos  ha6lenus  non  efle,  quamvis  alioqui  Chrifti 
 nomen  profiteantur,  et  doclrinae  illius  feadhsrere  dicant.'* 
 Catech.  Eccl.  Polon.  p.  172.  Irenopoli.  1659. 
 
[    254    ] 
 
 **  they  profefs  the  name  of  Chrift,  and  main- 
 *^  tain  that  they  keep  clofe  to  his  doftrine." 
 
 iV.5.The  compilers  of  this  catechifm  were 
 miftaken  in  alleging,  that  chriftians  are  ever 
 defcribed  in  the  New  Teftament,  as  thofe 
 that  called  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus ; 
 that  is,  as  his  worfhipers.  They  fhould 
 rather  have  faid  :  that  they  are  defcribed,  as 
 thoje  that  were  called  by  the  name  of  fefus  ; 
 that  is,  his  difciples,  his  followers.  For  fo 
 ought  thofe  paifages  to  which  they  allude,  to 
 be  tranflated  and  underftood. 
 
 Thus  Adls  ix.  14.  Here  he  hath  authority 
 from  the  chief  priejis,  to  bind  all  that  call  on 
 thy  name ;  fhould  be  tranflated,  to  bind  all 
 that  are  called  by  thy  name.  And  ver.  2 1 . 
 Is  not  this  he  which  defroyed  them  that  called 
 on  this  72ame  in  ferufalem!  fhould  be,  them 
 that  are  called  by  this  name  -y  that  is,  chrifti- 
 ans. And  fo,  I  Cor.  i.  2.  with  all  that  in 
 every  place  call  upon  the  na7ne  of  the  Lord 
 Jefus  Chrifly  fhould  be  with  all  that  i?i  every 
 place  arc  called  by  the  7iame  of  the  Lord  Jefus 
 Chri/i  ',  that  is,  with  all  chriftians  {a). 
 
 This 
 
 {a)  See  "  Two  Diflertations.     On  the  Preface  to  St. 
 John's  gofpel  j  and  on  Praying  to  )d\xs  Chrift."— p.  93^ 
 ^99. 
 
[    ^55    ] 
 
 This  turn  however,  which  was  taken  by 
 Socinus,  and  thofe  properly  called  Socinians, 
 was  a  great  bar  to  the  fpreadirig  of  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  Divine  Unity,  otherwife  fo  ably 
 maintained  and  defended  by  them.  For  their 
 own  profefTed  practice,  and  rigid  demand 
 from  others,  of  worihiping  Chrift  whom 
 they  held  not  to  be  above  the  condition  of  a 
 human  being,  raifed  a  great  clamour,  and 
 created  infinite  prejudices  againft  them  and 
 their  writings,  in  the  breafts  of  the  whole 
 body  of  Athanafian  chriftians,  who  had  fepa- 
 rated  from  the  church  of  Rome  ;  with  whom 
 it  was  a  general  fixed  principle,  that  to  be 
 adored  and  invoked  in  prayer  was  the  foie 
 privilege  of  the  Deity,  an  high  prerogative 
 and  excellency,  of  which  no  creature  could 
 be  capable^  and  therefore  intirely  incom- 
 municable. 
 
 Their  argument  upon  this  point  deferves 
 attention.  I  ihall  give  it,  as  I  find  it  ftated 
 by  Dr.  Clagget,  a  Divine  of  eminence  in  the 
 church  of  England.  And  I  apprehend  it 
 will  appear  to  have  great  weight  in  it,  fo  as 
 not  eafily  to  be  overfet  by  inferences  drawn 
 from  Chrifl's  kingdom,  and  the  fuppofed  ex- 
 tent of  the  powers  beftowed  upon  him  ;  or 
 8  by 
 
t  256  ] 
 
 fcy  one  or  two  precarious  doubtful  InflahceS 
 of  prayer  to  him ;  or  indeed  hardly  by  any 
 thing,  but  an  exprefs  command  of  God  to 
 make  him  an  objedt  of  worfhip  :  and  this 
 Socinus  never  afferted ;  but  the  contrary. 
 It  is  in  the  Do6lor's  Sermon  on  Matth,  iv* 
 10.     Vol.  i.  p.  122,  123. 
 
 *^  Prayer  and  thankfgiving  (fays  he)  arc 
 proper  exprefiions  of  divine  honour  or  wor^ 
 Ihip ;  the  proper  exprejjions  of  honouring  God 
 cs  God',  becaufe  they  are  the  acknowlege-- 
 ments  of  God's  omnipotence,  fovereignty, 
 and  infinite  goodnefs ;  and  becaufe  our  call- 
 ing upon  him  at  all  times  and  in  all  places, 
 is  a  clear  acknov/legement  of  his  omnipre- 
 fence  and  infinite  knowlege.  For  when  we 
 fpeak  to  an  invifible  Being,  we  can  have  no 
 afilirance  that  we  are  heard,  but  only  this, 
 that  the  Being  is  every  where  prefent  -,  and 
 therefore,  though  we  fee  him  not,  we  know 
 that  he  is  w^ith  us,  and  that  our  prayer  is 
 not  loft.  In  thefe  two  things  then,  that  is, 
 in  prayer  and  thankfgiving ;  or,  to  include 
 both  in  one  exprefilon,  in  religious  i?ivocation, 
 the  fubjlance  of  divine  worfhip  conffls . "  And 
 one  of  his  inferences  from  his  text,  upon 
 this  ground  is ;  *'  all  honour  which  is  done 
 
 to 
 
to  any  invlfible  Being  belides  God,  by  formal 
 invocation  of  it,  or  calling  upon  it,  muft 
 therefore  neceffarily  be  idolatry ;  becaufe  it 
 afcribes,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  aft,  om- 
 niprefence  to  it;  which  is  a  divine  perfec- 
 tion (J))y 
 
 We  may  fee  in  what  Beza  faid,  in  his 
 time,  of  the  unitarian  worfhipers  of  Chrift, 
 in  Poland  and  Tranfylvania,  how  much  the 
 orthodox  chriftians,  as  he  calls  himfelf  and 
 
 others 
 
 \y)  The  fame  opinion  is  thus  briefly  but  peremptorily 
 cxprefTed  by  another  proteftant  writer.  '^  Prayer  is  one 
 ''^  of  the  principal  branches  of  religious  worfhip,  and  the 
 ^-^  peculiar  prerogative  of  the  Great  God,  If  therefore  men 
 "  make  the  obje6l  of  it  a  creature,  they  are  guilty  of 
 "  downright  idolatry." 
 
 Serm.  at  Salter's  Hall,  Vol.  ii.  p.  8* 
 
 An  author,  high  in  v/orldly  rank,  thus  puts  the  argu- 
 ment : 
 
 *'  If  our  Saviour  be  but  a  creature,  how  can  divine 
 worfhip  be  paid  to  him  agreeable  to  the  light  of  nature? 
 Or,  how  can  we  change  the  truth  of  God  into  a  //V,  (Rom, 
 i.  20.  25.)  which  is  the  account  the  apoftle  gives  of  it, 
 according  to  common  fenfe;  and  this  infpight  of  the  many 
 exprefs  texts  of  Scripture,  and  the  firft  commandment,  in 
 doing  fervice  to  one^  (Gal.  iv.  8.)  who  by  nature  is  n9 
 God? 
 
 *'  For  no  excellency  whatfoever,  fliort  of  the  godhead, 
 can  entitle  any  perfon  to  divine  worfhip  j    for    God 
 
 S  (Ifaiah 
 
[     258     ] 
 
 Others  of  his  own  fentiments,  were  averfei 
 to  them,  on  that  account.  It  is  in  the  very 
 entrance,  the  firft  words  of  a  letter  of  his, 
 written  in  1567,  from  Geneva,  quoted  above, 
 p.  171,  that  he  thus  exclaims  againft  them  : 
 ((t)  *'  Who  could  have  thought  it  poffi- 
 ble,  that  among  the  very  men  who  profefs 
 
 them- 
 
 {Ifaiah  xlii.  8.)  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another  \  and  what 
 
 the  angel  faid  to  St.  John^  is  no  lefs  true  in  this  cafe  ; 
 
 (Rev.  xix.  10.)   See  thou  do  it  not-,  for  I  am  thy  fellow - 
 Jervant :  worship  God.     So  that  if  he  be  a  creature,  he 
 
 ought  not  to  be  worfhipM  3  or,  if  he  muft  be  worfhip'd, 
 
 he  muft  be  God." 
 
 "  The  Jnfwer  of  the  Earl   of  Nottingham   to  Mr. 
 Whifton's  Letter  to  hirn^  concerning  the  eternity  of 
 the  Son  of  God^  and  of  the  holy  Ghoji,  p.  4.  6th 
 Edition.  1 721." 
 
 {c)  "  Quls  fieri  pofTe  credidifiet,  ut  in  iis  ipfis,  qui  fe 
 pr.ofitentur,  abje(Sa  omni  idololatria,  Chriftum  adorare, 
 comperirentur,  qui  Deitate  ilium  fpoliarent,  et  S£a>9p«wo» 
 in  vc-tov  ai^fWKQv  transforniareni  ?  Nam  certe  amentis  eft 
 hominis,  et  prorfus  a^aKrO/^Ti?,  idololatram  fe  negare,  et 
 tamen  eum  verum  ac  natura  Deum  efle  inficiari,  quern 
 invocandum,  omnibufque  divinis  honoribus  afHciendum, 
 praidices.  Reperta  funt  tamen  jam  olim  ejufmodi  homi- 
 num  monftra,  quae  propterea  Antichriftos  orthodoxi  vo- 
 cant,  ut  Cerlnthus  et  Hebion  ipfis  etiam  apoftolorum 
 temporibus:  quorum  bl-^'.fphemiam  interpolarunt  poftea 
 Thcodotus  Eyzantinus,  et  exeerandus  ille  Samofatenus, 
 t\\x^  ecciefix  Gonfpurcator,  in  qua  primi  funt  chriftiani 
 xiominati." 
 
[     259     ] 
 
 themfelves  the  worfliipers  of  Chrift,  and  to 
 be   free  from   all   idolatry,  there  fhould  be 
 found   thofe  who  rob  him  of  his  deity ^  and 
 transform  the  God-man  Into  a  mere  divine  man* 
 For  furely  it  is  the  mark  of  perfedl  infanity, 
 and  being  void  of  all  fenfe,  for  a  perfon  to 
 difown  his   being  an  idolater,  at  the  fame 
 time  that  he  invokes  in  prayer,  and  pays  the 
 higheft  divine  honours  to  one  v^^hom  he  de- 
 nies to  be  the  true  felf-exiftent  God.     But 
 fuch  monfters  -were  formerly  to  be  found, 
 and  were  by  the  orthodox  called  Antichrijis, 
 fuch  as  Cerinthus,  and  Hebion,  even  in  the 
 very  days   of  the  [d)  apoftles.      And  their 
 blafphemy  was  new  vamped  and  furbifhed 
 afterwards,  by  Theodotus  of  Byzantium,  and 
 the ,  execrable   Paul   of  Samofata,    the  foul 
 difgrace  of  that  church,  where  the  difciples 
 
 were  firfl  called  chrijiians^ 
 
 The 
 
 (^)  Bcza  might  have  extended  his  inve6llve  to  the 
 
 apoftles  themfelves ;  v^^ho  appear  to  have  had  no  idea  of 
 
 their  Lord  and  Mafter,  Jefus,  being  any  other  than  a 
 
 human  being.     It  happens  alfo  unfortunately  for  him,  that 
 
 the  apoftle  John,  in  his  firft  epiftle,  calls  fome  of  the  firft 
 
 heathen  converts  to  the  gofpel,  Antichrifis ;  becaufe  they 
 
 denied  Chriji  to   have  been  really  and  truly  a  man.     See  a 
 
 *'  Sequel  to  the  Apology  on  refigning  the  Vicarage  of 
 
 "  Catterick."  p.  291. 
 
 S  2 
 
[     26o     ] 
 
 The  excellent  and  gentle  Tillotfon  calls 
 fio  names,  but  is  no  lefs  keen  in  his  raillery 
 on  thefe  men  for  their  inconiiftency,  in  wor^ 
 fhiping  Chrift,  when  they  held  him  to  be 
 not  above  the  condition  of  a  creature. 
 (e)  ^'  And  can  they  difcern  no  difficulty^ 
 no  abfurdity,  Jays  he^  in  this  ?  What,  no 
 abfurdity  in  bringing  idolatry  by  a  back 
 door  into  the  chriil:ian  religion,  one  main 
 defign  whereof  was  to  banifh  idolatry  out 
 of  the  world  ?  And  will  they  in  earneft 
 contefl  this  matter  with  us,  that  the  giv- 
 ing divine  worihip  to  a  mere  creature  is 
 not  idolatry  ?  And  can  they  vindicate 
 themfelves  in  this  point  any  other  way, 
 than  will  in  a  great  meafure  acquit  the 
 pagans  and  the  papifts  from  the  charge  of 
 *^  idolatry  ? 
 
 *^  What  ?  no  abfurdity  in  a  god  as  it  were 
 but  of  yefterday  ?  in  a  creature-god  ?  in  a 
 god  merely  by  pofitive  inflitution,  and 
 this  in  oppojition  to  a  plain  moral  precept 
 of  eternal  obligation y  and  to  the  fixed  and 
 **  immutable  nature  of  things  ?" 
 
 **  So  that  to  avoid  the  fliadow  and  appear- 
 **  ance   of  a  plurality  of  deities,  they  run 
 
 "  really 
 
 (^)  Tillotfon's  Works,  Fol.  Vol,  I.  p.  457, 458. 
 
 4( 
 <C 
 
[     26i     ] 
 
 **  really  Into  it ;  qqcI  for  aught  I  can  fee, 
 *'  into  downright  idolatry,  hy ^wor/hiping  a 
 **  creature  bejides  the  Creator ^  nvho  is  blejjed 
 ^'  for  ever.''    Rom.  i.  25. 
 
 There  is  an  old  proverb,  that  he,  the 
 walls  of  whofe  houfe  are  made  of  glafs,  fhould 
 be  careful  how  he  throws  the  jfirll  Hone  at 
 his  neighbour's  window. 
 
 In  the  very  proflrate  condition,  in  which 
 the  church  of  Chrift  has  lain  for  many  ages, 
 refpe(fting  the  article  of  divine  worfhip,  iirft 
 caufed  by  the  heathen  converts  to  chriftia^ 
 nity,  fo  that  the  pure  worfhip  of  the  {J) 
 Father,  of  the  parent  Mind,  the  fingle  crea- 
 tor and  governor  of  the  univerfe,  is  not 
 publicly  held  forth  and  profefTed,  but  the 
 worfhip   [g)  of  two  other  perfons  mingled 
 
 with 
 
 [f]  John  iv.  21.  23.  Jefus  faith ',  the  hour  cometh^and 
 now  is^  when  the  true  worfhipers  fnall  worfhip  the  Father, 
 infpirit  and  in  truth  :  for  the  Father  feeketh  fuch  to  wor- 
 fhip HIM, 
 
 [g)  the  worjhip  of  two  oth^r  per/ens']  Upon  mentioning 
 an  obfcure  intimation  thrown  out  by  the  famous  Mr, 
 Jofeph  Mede^  in  the  laft  century,  of  fome  fm  "  whereof 
 "  the  whole  body  of  the  Reformation  is  guilty,  and  which 
 *'  neverthelefs  is  counted  no  lin  j"  and  fuppofing  farther 
 $ir  Ifaac  Newton  to  have  had  the  fame  in  his  mind,  when 
 
 S3  b^ 
 
[       262       ] 
 
 With  it  :  and,  together  with  thefe,  in  moft 
 chriftian  countries,  there  is  a  farther  addi- 
 tion made,  of  the  worfhip  of  the  mother  of 
 Chrift ;  and  of  a  tribe  alfo  of  dead  men  and 
 women,  called  Saints,  exactly  anfwering  to 
 the  demon-worAip  of  the  heathens,  of  "Ju^ 
 piter,  'JmiOy  Apollo^  Minerva,  and  fo  on  : 
 In  fuch  a  ilate  of  things,  the  good  x\rch- 
 bifliop  fliould  Rave  been  more  fure  that  his 
 accufition  of  the  Socinians  could  not  be 
 retorted  upon  him-felf.  If  he  charged  thofe 
 worfhipers  of  Chrift  with  bringing  idola- 
 try 
 
 he  fpeaks  of  "  all  nations  having  corrupted  the  chriftian 
 
 *'  religion,  and  of  effe6ling  a  recovery  of  the  long  loft 
 
 "  truth ;"    "  I  can  by  no  means  conceive,  fays  a  living 
 
 *'  author  of  great  eminence,  what  it  is  that  thefe  learnecj 
 
 '*  and  judicious  writers  here  point  at,  except  it  be  the 
 
 '^  Supremacy  of  the  God  and  Father  of  all :   {who  is  above 
 
 f  ally  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all.   Eph.  iv.  6.   E»?  ^£05 
 
 "  ffAif)  which  they  might  polTibly  believe  to  be  a  truth, 
 *^  that  has  been  denied  and  loll  by  the  general  declaration 
 "  ot  the  churches,  that  Two  other  Perfons  are  his  equals, 
 *^  This  is  fo  far  from  being  looked  upon  as  a  fm,  that  it 
 *^*  is  a  fign  of  orthodoxy,  2tnd  is  a  doiSlrine  that  pervades 
 ^  the  whole  Reformation." 
 
 "  Rcfledtions on  the  xvth  chapter  of  Mr.  Gib- 
 
 "  bon's  Hiftory,  &c.  page  73.  note,  by  Henry 
 "  Taylor,  Redor  of  Crawley  and  Vicar  of  Portf- 
 ^«  mouthj  Hants. 't    lygi. 
 
[    263     ] 
 
 try  by  a  back  door  into  the  chriftian  church, 
 he  fhould  have  coniidered  whether  they 
 might  not  upon  good  grounds  reply  to  him, 
 that  he  ought  to  look  about  him,  left,  in 
 his  ov/n  fyftem,  iJo/af?y,  or  fomefbmg  very  like 
 ity  did  not  enter,  in  full  front,  at  the  fore- 
 door,  by  his  diftin(fl  and  feparate  worfliip 
 and  invocation  of  two  other  perfons,  by 
 name,  together  with  the  fupremc  Father  of 
 all  :  v/hich  hov/ever  gloffed  over  in  his  own 
 mind,   [t)  by  metaphyfical   abftraclion  and 
 
 refine- 
 
 (/)  Upon  that  paflage,  The  Lord  thy  God  Is  one  Lord-^ 
 therefore  thou /halt  love  him  with  all  thy  hearty  &c.  this  is 
 the  fir  ft  and  great  commandment  \  the  Archbifhop  obferves, 
 ''  that  it  comprehends  in  it,  rhat  we  fhould  ferve  him  only^ 
 *'  and  pay  no  religious  worjhip  to  any  but  him:  For  to  pay 
 "  religious  worfnip  to  any  thing.  Is  to  make  it  a  God^  and  to 
 *'  acknowlege  it  for  fuch  :  and  therefore  God  being  but 
 ^'  one^  we  can  give  religious  worjhip  to  none  but  him  only. 
 *'  And  among  all  the  parts  of  religious  worjhip^  none  is 
 ^•^  more  peculiarly  appropriated  to  the  Deity^  than  folemn 
 "  invocation  and  prayer.  For  he  to  whorn  men  addrefs 
 ''  their  requefts,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places,  mufb  be 
 "  fuppofed  to  be,  always,  every  where  prefent,  to  undef- 
 <'  ftand  all  our  defires  and  wants,  and  to  be  able  to  fupply 
 "  them:  and  this  ^  God  only  is^  and  can  do. ^^  Tillotfon's 
 Works,  Vol.  I.  p.  498.  This  pious  and  good  man 
 could  make  thefe  juft  remarks  on  the  unity  of  God,  and, 
 of  his   worfhip  5    and  yet   through  the  influence  of  the 
 
 S  4  fchohftiq 
 
[   264  ] 
 
 refinement,  as  the  worfhip  of  one  God 
 only  ;  would,  by  all  perfons  in  general  who 
 attended  fuch  worfhip,  and  in  all  juft  con- 
 ftruftion  and  interpretation,  by  every  cool 
 obferver,  be  efteemed  the  worfhip  of  three 
 feveral  intelligent  Beings  or  Agents  :  and 
 therefore  wh-ether,  (to  ufe  his  own  words) 
 this  his  own  worfhip  was  not  **  in  oppoft- 
 **  tion  to  a  plain  moral  precept  of  eternal 
 '*  obligation,  (Exodus  xx.  23.  ^hou  Jhali 
 '*  have  no  other  gods  before  me)  and  to  the 
 *^  fixed  and  immutable  nature  of  things/' 
 
 fcholaflic  philofophy  of  the  times,  in  which  he  was  edu- 
 cated, without  fufpeding  there  was  any  thing  wrong  Of 
 inconfiftent  in  it,  could  offer  up  prayers  to  two  perfons, 
 to  Jefus  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  together  with  the  perfon  of 
 the  Father,  and  believe  and  be  perfuaded  all  the  while, 
 that  he  was  praying  to  one  God,  one  fingle  Being,  one 
 fingle  He.  Such  philofophy,  'tis  to  be  hoped,  will  iri 
 time  give  way  to  common  fenfe,  and  the  plain  meaning 
 of  the  Scriptures. 
 
 SECTION     VI. 
 
 Of  Socinus's  fevere  opinipji  relating  to  the. 
 falvation  of  the  Papifts. 
 
 HOWEVER  harfh  and  di6latorIal  So- 
 cinus  was  in  his  cenfure  and  condem- 
 nation of  other  Unitarians,  in  not  allowing 
 
 them 
 
[    265    ] 
 
 them  the  name  of  chriftians,  who  refufed 
 to  woriliip  and  pray  to  Jefus  Chrift;  he 
 carried  his  exclufive  edid:  againft  the  pa- 
 pifts  much  farther.  For  chrillians  [q)  o£ 
 all  other  denominations  he  owned,  might 
 he  faved,  however  differing  from  himfelf  in 
 religious  fentiments  f  if  their  lives  were 
 conformable  to  the  precepts  of  the  gofpel : 
 ^*  but  I  cannot,  fays  he,  **  affirm  the  fame 
 *'  concerning  the  papifts  ;  all  of  whom,  at 
 *^  this  day,  I  look  upon  as  idolaters :  and 
 "  I  know,  that  no  idolater  can  inherit 
 ^^  eternal  life." 
 
 But  furely  it  befpoke  a  very  blameable 
 inattention  in  this  acute  writer,  to  clafs  the 
 chriftian  worjfhipers  of  Saints  and  images 
 with  the  idolaters  mentioned  by  the  apoftle, 
 I  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  where  he  fays  :  Know  ye 
 ^qt,  that  the  unrighteous  JJmU  not  inherit  the 
 
 ki?igdom 
 
 (^)  *^  Quod  ad  me  attlnet,  nullum  mihi  eft  dubium, 
 quin  omnes  illi,  five  Calviniani,  five  Lutherani,  five 
 Anabaptiftse,  five  Ariani,  qui  fe  ad  praefcriptum  Chrifti 
 gelFerint,  (nee  enim  dubito,  ex  fingulis  iftorum  ordinibus 
 tales  non  paucos  ^^t^  aut  efle  faltem  pofle)  cceleftis  vitae 
 haereditatem  adituri  fint.  De  Papijiis  idem  affirmare  nolim^ 
 quos  omnes  hodie  idololatras  efTe  ftatuo :  novl  vero,  ne- 
 ininem  idololatrarum  falutis  eternae  compotem  fore." 
 
 Socini  Op.  Vol.  I.  p.  502. 
 
[     266     ] 
 
 kingdom  of  God?  Be  not  deceived :  neither 
 fornicators^  nor  idolatersy  nor  adulterersy  nor 
 effeminatCy  nor  abufers  of  themfelves  with 
 mankindy  nor  thtevesy  nor  covetous,  nor 
 drunkards y  nor  revilersy  nor  extortioners y  JJjall 
 inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.  For  it  is  evident, 
 from  the  connexion  and  company,  in  which 
 thefe  idolaters  are  placed,  that  they  were 
 efteemed  by  the  apoflle  limilar  to  the  reft, 
 whom  he  mentions,  and  very  immoral  per- 
 fons.  And  it  is  well  known,  that  among 
 the  Corinthians,  many  levv^d  and  abominable 
 rites  were  pradlifed,  as  a  part  of  their  falfe 
 religion,  and  believed  to  be  authorized  and 
 fanftiiied  by  it,  But  the  principles  of  all 
 profeffed  chriftians,  and  cf  the  papift^  as 
 much  as  of  any  others,  lead  them  to  hold 
 all  fuch  fbameful  things  in  abhorrence  -,  and 
 therefore  they  ought  not  to  be  compared 
 or  ranked  with  fuch  charafters. 
 
 I  would  moreover  add,  that  it  would  be 
 equally  injurious  to  apply  to  all  the  heathen 
 idolaters,  what  St.  Paul  here  fpeaks  only  of 
 fome  of  them ;  and  to  fuppofe,  that  merely 
 en  account  of  their  idolatry  and  falfe  worjhip^ 
 they  will  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ; 
 but  be  outcafts  from  him  and  from  happir 
 
 neft 
 
[     267     ] 
 
 aefs  for  ever.  For  furely  It  Is  to  entertain 
 a  moft  unworthy  thought  of  the  righteous 
 and  merciful  Father  of  all  his  creatures, 
 to  imagine  that  he  will  cut  off  from  his 
 favour  for  ever,  thofe  of  them  who  have 
 honeftly,  though  imperfedlly,  adled  up  to 
 the  light  he  gave  them,  however  weak  and 
 glimmering;  who  have  lived  and  purfued 
 truth  and  goodnefs  fo  far  as  they  faw  them  ^ 
 which  doubtlefs  has  been  the  cafe  of  thou- 
 fands  and  ten  thoufands  of  the  heathen 
 world;  and  who  have  only  been  miftaken 
 in  the  objedt  of  their  religious  worfhip, 
 through  unavoidable  and  invincible  darknefs 
 and  ignorance  ? 
 
 And  here  I  cannot  but  think  that  learned 
 and  good  man,  the  late  Bp.  Pearce,  too  fe- 
 vere  in  his  crimination  of  the  worfhip  of 
 Chrift,  upon  the  fuppofition  that  there  is 
 no  authority  in  the  Scriptures  for  it(^). 
 If  Chrift,  fays  he,  is  not  to  be  worfhiped  ; 
 if  Vv'c  have  not  firm  and  fure  authority 
 from  Scripture  for  worfhiping  him,  then 
 it  muft  be  acknowleged  that  chriftians 
 diredt  their  worfhip  to  falfe  objefts,  and 
 are  therefore  guilty  of  great  impiety »" 
 
 This 
 (^)  Bp.  Pearce*s  Sermons,  Vol.  IV.  p.  364. 
 
[     268     ] 
 
 This  is  intirely  Socinus^s  wrong  idea, 
 and  hafty  prefumption  ^  that  merely  to  wor- 
 fhip  a  falle  god  is  criminal,  and  impious. 
 Impiety  can  only  be  charged,  where  there  is 
 a  want  of  due  reverence  and  regard  for  the 
 objefl:  men  worlhip,  and  not  where  their 
 religious  regards  are  only  mifplaced  and 
 turned  to  falfe  objefts ;  and  there  can  be  no 
 crime,  where  men  aft  wrong  through  infupera- 
 ble  ignorance.  The  BiJJdop  fhould  rather  have 
 faid ;  that  fuch  fincere  chriftians  as  worlhip 
 Chrift,  believing  they  have  authority  for 
 it,  when  really  they  have  none,  are  men 
 much  to  be  pitied ;  but  that  they  commit 
 no  crime,  contract  no  guilt  whatfoever,  in 
 fuch  circumftances,  by  directing  their  wor- 
 ihip  to  a  falfe  objeft. 
 
 Very  different  therefore  is  the  idolatry  of 
 the  heathens  condemned  by  St.  Paul,  from 
 that  which  obtains  now,  and  has  fubfifted 
 fo  long,  among  the  greater  part  of  the 
 chriftian  world.  Nor  fhould  any  one  pre- 
 fume  to  judge  and  condemn  them  for  it; 
 but  leave  that  province  to  Him  to  whom  it 
 belongs.  This  only  perhaps  we  may  be  al- 
 lowed to  fay  concerning  it :  that  where  meri 
 have  not  made  ufe  of  the  faculties,  lights 
 
 and 
 
[    269     ] 
 
 and  advantages  given  them,  to  know  and 
 worfliip  the  true  God;  but  have  fufFered 
 themfelves  to  be  diverted  and  drawn  away 
 from  ferious  inquiry,  by  indolence,  by  in- 
 fatiable  purfuits  of  pleafure,  or  ambition ; 
 or  where  through  hypocrify,  and  fecular 
 feliifh  regards,  like  many  of  the  heathen 
 world,  they  have  ftifled  their  better  know- 
 lege,  and  have  with  the  multitude,  fallen 
 down  before  Nebuchadnezzar  s  image,  wor- 
 fhiped  whatever  was  eftablifhed  by  public 
 authority :  in  fuch  cafes,  they  will  be  re- 
 fponfible  to  the  judicature  of  a  holy  and  juft 
 God,  and  lover  of  truth,  in  the  degree  and 
 proportion  that  fuch  finifter  interefled  mo- 
 tives, or  evil  paffioas  have  been  predominant 
 in  them,  and  turned  them  from  his  true 
 worfhipj  and  receive  good  or  evil  according 
 to  their  works. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
[     ^70    1 
 
 CHAPTER     IV. 
 
 Of  tbejlate  of  the  Unitarian  doBrine  in  the 
 reign  of  ^een  Elizabeth,  and  of  the 
 Stuarts, 
 
 SECTION      I. 
 
 Of  the  caufe  of  the  great  filence  concerning  the 
 Divine  Unity,  during  this  period. 
 
 AN  hiftorian  of  great  credit,  in  an  ac- 
 count of  the  **  Spanifh  Proteftant 
 **  Martyrology,"  begins  his  preface  with 
 the  following  remark  on  the  fituation  of 
 things  in  that  country,  about  the  time  of 
 the  death  of  Charles  V. 
 
 *'  The  eminent  Spaniih  Divines,  that  were 
 fent  by  the  emperor  Charles  V.  and  his  fon 
 Philip,  into  Germany,  England,  and  Flan- 
 ders,   to  convert  the   Proteftants   in  thofe 
 
 countries 
 
[       271       ] 
 
 countries  to  the  Roman  Faith,  having  by 
 converiing  with  the  Reformers,  and  reading 
 their  books,  been  converted  themfelves,  re- 
 turned  home  full  of  zeal  to  propagate  that 
 holy  faith  through  their  native  country : 
 and  being  perfons,  both  by  their  exemplary 
 piety,  and  great  learning,  extremely  v^ell 
 qualified  for  fo  great  and  blefled  a  work  ; 
 their  fuccefs  in  it  was  fuch,  that  had  not  a 
 fpeedy  and  full  flop  been  put  to  their  pious 
 labours,  by  the  mercilefs  Inquifition,  the 
 whole  kingdom  of  Spain  had  in  all  likelihood 
 been  converted  to  the  proteftant  religion,  in 
 lefs  time  than  any  other  country  had  ever 
 been  before.  So  mightily  grew  the  word  of 
 Godf  and  prevailed  by  the  labours  of  fuch 
 great  men,  and  who  had  been  called  to  the 
 knowlege  and  love  of  it,  after  fuch  an  extra- 
 ordinary manner/'  (^) 
 
 If  the  report  fhould  be  found  true,  that 
 by  the  happy  difpofition  of  the  prefent  king 
 oi  Spain y  ajuftand  benevolent  prince,  that 
 horrid  tribunal  of  the  Inquifition  is   to  be 
 
 aboliihed ; 
 
 {a)  "  Mifcellaneous  Trails,  by  Dr.  Geddes,  p.  447* 
 where  he  produces  the  teftimony  of  contemporary  writers, 
 themfelves  papills,  to  tliis  very  remarkable  fa^t. 
 
[    ^7^    ] 
 
 abolifiied ;  It  is  to  be  hoped,  that  a  ftill  purer* 
 protefiant  faith  will  make  its  way  into  that 
 country;  which,amidfl:other.important  truths, 
 may  hold  forth  the  Creator  and  Father  of  the 
 tiniverfe,  as  the  only  true  God,  and  objedt 
 of  religious  worfhip  >  and  be  a  pattern  in  its 
 turn,  in  this  refpedt,  for  all  proteftant  coun- 
 tries to  follow. 
 
 I  would  apply  this  remark  of  Dr«  Geddes, 
 to  account  for  the  fingular  inattention  and 
 unconcern  about  the  dodrine  of  the  Divine 
 Unity,  during  the  period  of  which  I  am 
 about  to  treat*  It  appeared  above,  p.  84, 
 from  undoubted  authority,  that  there  was 
 fuch  an  enlightened  zeal  for  this  dodtrine, 
 and  it  fpread  itfelf  fo  much,  in  the  fhort 
 reign  of  Edward  VI ;  that  his  Bifhops,  quite 
 alarmed  at  it,  againd  the  prince's  inclinations, 
 put  in  practice  the  methods  of  the  mercilefs 
 inquifition  to  ftop  it :  which  were  followed 
 and  adopted  afterwards  by  their  brethren,  as 
 well  as  countenanced  by  the  fucceeding 
 princes. 
 
 The  memory  of  Elizabeth,  and  of  her 
 fucceffor,  James  I.  will  be  for  ever  tarnifh- 
 cd  in  this  behalf:  fhe,  for  burning  alive 
 feme  unhappy  Hollanders,  Anabaptifts,  who 
 
 had 
 
[     289     ] 
 
 had  taken  refuge  here,  [b)  againfl  much  im- 
 portunity and  intreaty  to  fpare  tbem  :  James, 
 for  his  ftill  more  cool  and  wanton  favagenefs 
 towards  [c)  Legatt  and  Wightmajj-,  and  a 
 Spanifi  Unitarian,  who  happened  unfortu- 
 nately to  be  in  his  dominions  and  within  his 
 reach , 
 
 The  fecret,  arbitrary  proceedings,  and 
 dreadful  puniflim.ents  of  the  Inquifition,  have 
 hindered  all  free  examination  of  the  Scrip- 
 tures, and  fearch  into  their  true  m^eaning,  in 
 Spain,  to  this  hour  :  though  the  hour  of 
 darknefs,  we  truft,  is  now  pafling  away. 
 In  our  own  country,  in  the  interval  of  time 
 before  us,  all  fuch  inquiry  v/as  fuppreffed 
 by  the  horrible  hiirrmig  alive  of  ail  perfons, 
 who  durft  make  ufe  of  their  underftandings 
 to  find  out  the  God  that  made  them,  and 
 declare  and  worfhip  Him,  in  any  way  diffe- 
 rent from  what  was  eftabliflied  by  the  civil 
 magiftrate  %  when  they  had  difcovered  him. 
 Men's  minds  were  every  where  kept  in  av/e, 
 and  feared  at  the  thought  of  prying  into  a 
 fubjed:  fo  big  with  myflery  and  danger. 
 
 T  We 
 
 (^)  Apology  on  refigning  the  Vicarage  of  Catterickj 
 p.  47. 
 
 (c)  Ibid.  p.  48,  &c. 
 
[       290       ] 
 
 ;  We  fhould  have  been  glad  to  have  been 
 better  acquainted  with  the  hiftory  and  cha- 
 radters  of  our  two  countrymen  juft  men- 
 tioned ;  whom  death  in  its  moft  frightful 
 ihape  did  not  deter  from  an  open  avowal  of 
 what  they  believed  to  be  the  truth,  in  oppo- 
 fition  to  prevailing  error  ;  efteeming  it  to  be 
 a  duty  which  they  ov/ed  to  God,  and  for  the 
 fervice  of  their  fellow-creatures.  Both  ap- 
 pear to  have  been  ingenious  and  learned. 
 One  of  them,  (E)  by  the  teftimony  of  his 
 adverfaries,  of  unfpctted  morals  ;  and  we 
 may  well  conclude  the  fame  of  the  other, 
 lince  nothing  is  told  us  to  the  contrary. 
 After  much  fruitlefs  fearch,  what  follows 
 is  all  the  farther  information  which  I  have 
 been  able  to  gather  concerning  them. 
 
 In  a  letter  from  Mr.  Locke  to  his  friend 
 Limborch,  there  is  an  account  oi  Legatt  and 
 Wightman\  condemnation,  and  a  lift  of  the 
 opinions,  for  which  the  latter  fuifered ; 
 taken  out  of  an  Englifh  book,  which  it  has 
 not  been  my  good  fortune  to  meet  with, 
 under  this  title,   **  The  Hiftory  of  the  firft 
 
 ^'  fourteen 
 
 (j&)  Apology  for  refignlng  the  Vicarage  gf  Catterick, 
 &c.  p.  50. 
 
it 
 
 [        291        ] 
 
 ^^  fourteen  years  of  king  James  :"  (without 
 » **  the  name  of  the  author.)      ^^  To  which  is 
 
 '^  added,  A  true  relation   of  the   commiffi- 
 
 *^  ons  and  warrants,  for  the  condemnation 
 and  burning  of  Bartholomew  Legatt,  and 
 Edward  Wightman,     the  one    in    Weft 
 
 **  Smithfield,  the  other  at  Litchfield,  in  the 
 year  161 1,  figned  with  king  James's  own 
 hand."  {d)      The  three    firft   m^entioned 
 
 opinions  for  which  the  latter  fufFered,  are 
 
 T  2  I,  That 
 
 [d]  '^  Hie  BartholomsEus  Legatt  ab  epifcopo  Londi- 
 *'  nenfi,  afTiitentibus  confentientibufque  aliis  reverendis 
 "  epifcopis,  doiPcifque  clericis,  hoerefeos  condemnatus  eft, 
 "  et  brachio  feculari  traditus,  et  deinde  igni  commiflus  et 
 *'  combuftus  in  Weft-Smithneld  Londini. 
 
 ^'  Eodem  fupplicio  afFe6lus  eft  Edvv^ardus  Wightman, 
 "  in  civitate  Litchfield,  anno  161 15  ab  epifcopo  Coven- 
 ^'  triae  et  Litchfield,  haerefeos  damriatus,  ob  has  fequentes 
 *"  opiniones. 
 
 "  I.  Quod  non  eft  trinitas  perlbnarum,  patris,  filii,  et 
 "  fpiritus  fancli,  in  unitate  Deitatis. 
 
 "  2.  Quod  Jefus  Chriftus  non  eft  verus,  naturalis  filius 
 "  Dei,  Deus  perfe^lus,  et  ejurdem  fubftantias,  sternita- 
 "  tis,  et  majeftatis  cum  patre,  rerpe6lu  Deitatis  fuae. 
 
 "  3.  Quod  Jefus  Chriftus  eft  homo  folummodo,  et 
 "  mera  creatura,  et  non  Deus  fimul  et  homo  in  una 
 ^'  perfona." 
 
 «  Lockis  Works,     Vol  IV,  p.  456,  457." 
 
[       292       ] 
 
 1.  That  there  is  no  trinity  of  perfon^. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  unity 
 of  the  Godhead. 
 
 2.  That  Jefus  Chrift  is  not  the  true,  na- 
 tural Son  of  God,  perfecfl  God,  of  the  fame 
 fubftance,  eternity,  and  majefty  with  the 
 Father,  v/ith  refped:  to  his  godhead. 
 
 3.  That  Jefus  Chrift  is  man  only,  and  a 
 mere  creature,  and  not  God  and  man  toge- 
 ther in  one  perfon. 
 
 Among  V/ightman's  other  opinions  that  are 
 afterwards  enumerated,  there  are  fome  that  fa- 
 vour of  vanity  and  fuperftition^  fuch  as  his  be- 
 ing the  prophet  foretold  Deut.  xviii.  and  by 
 Ifaiah  ;  the  Elijah  to  come,  of  whom  Mala- 
 chi  fpeaks.  But  v\^e  may  well  helitate  here, 
 whether  fuch  were  the  man's  r^'.^/fentiments, 
 or  only  thofe  which  his^adverfaries  would 
 fix  upon  him.  The  reader  w^ill  be  pleafed 
 with  Limborch's  reply  on  this  head. 
 
 {e)  ^^  I  thank  you  for  the  great  pains  you 
 *'  have  taken  to  gratify  me.     It  gives  me 
 
 uch 
 
 m 
 
 {e)  "  Pro  labore,  qizem  meo  rogata  fufceplfti,  maxi- 
 "  mas  tibi  habeo  gratlas.  Gaudeo  me  ex  Uteris  tuis 
 "  didicilTe,  qus  epifcoporum  illius  temporis  judicio  hor  > 
 "  renda  ilia  crimina  fuerint,  non  nifi  atroclfTimo  ignis 
 
 "  fupplicio 
 
[  293  ] 
 ''  much  latlsfaclion  to  learn  from  your  ac- 
 ''  count,  v/hat  were  the  horrid  cj-imes,  which, 
 ''  in  the  judgment  of  the  Bifliops  of  thofe 
 ''  times,  deferved  the  moft  terrible  punifii- 
 ''  ment  of  being  burnt  alive.  I  obferve 
 **  that  fometimes  one  and  the  fame  opi- 
 ''  nion  is  delivered  in  different  words  ;  and 
 *^  fo,  what  might  have  been  comprized  in 
 ''  one,  is  flretched  out  into  feveral  articles, 
 ''  with  a  viev;^,  doubtlefs,  that  the  great 
 ^'  number  of  herefies  might  feem  the  more 
 
 T   3  ''  to 
 
 '^  fuppllcio  luenda.  Video  quandoque  unum  idemque 
 **  dogma  diverlis  verbis  enuntiari,  atque  ita,  quod  uno 
 "  comprehendi  potcrat  articulo,  in  plures  diftendi,  procul 
 "  dubio  ut  plurium  hrerefium  reatus  tarn  atroci  iupplicio 
 "  prxtexi  poffit.  Malim  dogmata  ipfis  eorum,  qui  ea 
 "  profelTi  fuerint,  verbis  legere  expreffa  ;  fic  certus  forem, 
 «  me  non  legere  confequentias,  fed  ipfa  dogmata,  eaque 
 «  non  terminis  odiofis  concepta,  forte  in  alienum  fenfum 
 "  detorta,  fed  ipfis  autorum  verbis  nude  et  candide  enun^ 
 «  tiata,  nihilque  continentia,  nifi  quod  ipie,  cujus  caufa 
 «  agitur,  pro  fuo  agnofcit.  Quando  autem  procedendi 
 <«  modum  video,  ad  fancti  tribunaiis  inftar  omnia  exafte 
 
 "  efle  conformata,  non  fine  dolore,  agnofco. 
 
 <^  Talia  in  Reformationis  opprobrium  cedunt.  Mihi 
 "  enim  perinde  chriftianae  charitati  adverfari  videtur  tri- 
 "  bunal  de  fide,  five  id  propter  Tiberim,  five  l^emanum, 
 «  five  Thamefin  confi:ituatur ;  eadem  quippe  exercetur 
 <*  crudelitas,  licet  alio  in  loco,  et  ab  aliis  hominibus,'* 
 Amftelod,  6  Nov.  1699.     Id.  Ibid.  p.  458. 
 
[     294     ] 
 
 to  juftify  the  inflicSlion  of  fuch  fiiocking 
 torments.  I  fhould  have  liked  much  bet- 
 ter to  have  had  the  men's  opinions,  ex- 
 prejjed  in  their  own  words  :  w^hich  would 
 have  alTured  me,  that  I  was  not  reading 
 the  conjequences  that  others  drew  from 
 them,  \i\i\.  their  own  real  fen  timents  \  and 
 thofe,  not  clothed  in  odious  obnoxious 
 terms,  or  turned  to  a  quite  different  fenfe^^ 
 but  directly  and  fairly  exprelTed  in  the 
 very  phrafe  of  the  perfons  themfelves, 
 and  containing  nothing  but  v/hat  they 
 that  were  accufed,  acknowleged  as  their 
 own,"  He  afterwards  concludes,  *' Thefe 
 things  are  a  fcandal  to  the  Reformation. 
 A  court  of  inquifition  into  men's  faith  is 
 alike  contrary  to  chriftian  charity,  Vv^he- 
 ther  it  be  erecfted  on  the  banks  of  the 
 T'iber,  or  of  the  lake  of  Geneva,  or  by 
 the  fide  of  the  'Thames :  for  it  is  the  fame 
 iniquitous  cruelty,  though  exercifed  in 
 another  place,  and  on  different  fubjefts." 
 Amilerdam,  6  Nov.  1699. 
 I  reckon  this  mofl  antichriftian  fpirit  to 
 have  been  much  kept  up  and  ftrengthened 
 among  us,  by  the  connexion  which  our 
 Jleformers,    and  Queen  Elizabeth's  bifhops 
 
 and 
 
[     295     ] 
 
 and  clergy,  maintained  with  Calvin  firft, 
 and  Beza  afterwards  ;  and  parj:icularly  from 
 the  notes  of  the  latter  of  them,  upon  the 
 New  Teftament,  which  were  in  high  re- 
 queft;  and  his  other  writings.  The  temper 
 and  difpofition  w^hich  thefe  tended  to  infufe 
 towards  all  who  denied  the  Divinity  of 
 Chrift,  was  formerly  intimated,  (G)  and 
 may  be  farther  fccn  in  the  following  fample 
 (from  one  of  his  tradts,)  of  his  treatment  of 
 the  unhappy  Servetus;  who  had  been  burnt  to 
 death,  the  year  before,  viz.  27  Odt.  1553. 
 
 The  title  of  it  is  (/),  ''  A  treatife  on  the 
 *•'  right  of  the  civil  magijlr ate  to  piinifb  here- 
 **  tics ;  in  anfwer  to  the  farrago  of  Martin 
 *'  BelUus,  and  the  feB  of  7nodern  Sceptics^ 
 ^'  by  Theodore  Beza  of  Vezelai.  1554/' 
 It  was  well  faid,  that  it  might  have  better 
 been  intitled,  '*  The  right  of  the  civil  ma- 
 *^  giftrate  to  be  the  Church's  or  the  Prelby- 
 ^^  tery's    hangman.''     The    perfons    againfl 
 
 T  4  whom 
 
 (G)  Apology  for  refignlng  the  Vicarage  of  Catterick, 
 
 p-  38- 
 
 (y)  De  Hj£reticis  a  civili  magiftratu  punlendls  Libel- 
 lus,  adverfus  Martini  Bellii  farr aginem,  et  novorum  Aca- 
 demicorum  fectam,  Theodoro  Beza  Vezclio  au'ilore. 
 Oliva  Roberti  Stephani.     1554. 
 
[    296   ] 
 
 whom  he  writes,  had  condemned  in  print 
 the  late  cruel  tranfadions  at  Geneva,  by 
 afferting  that  the  punifhment  of  heretics  be- 
 longed not  to  the  civil  magiftrate,  and  by 
 confuting  the  arguments  commonly  brought 
 in  defence  of  perfecution  for  religion. 
 
 Bellrus,  (which  is  a  iiclitious  name,  for  it 
 was  dangerous  for  the  real  author  of  fuch  a 
 book  to  be  known)  had  advanced  [g)  *^  that 
 Satan  hi?nfelf\  (the  greateft  enemy  to  the 
 gofpel)  could  have  done  nothtjig  more  than 
 burn  thofe  who  called  upon  the  najne  ofChx'A\' 
 thereby  pointing  to  the  cafe  of  Servetus,  (as 
 will  be  {kizvl  in  Beza's  anfwer)  who  had  in- 
 voked Chrift  whilft  he  was  burning  at  the 
 ftake.  For  it  w^as  his  perfualion,  as  alfo 
 that  of  Socinus  and  others,  after  him,  that 
 prayer  might  fometimes  be  offered  to  Chriil. 
 
 (i')  ^'  But  with  regard  to  Servetus,  re-<- 
 ^^  plies  Beza,  whom  ye   dare   not   mention 
 
 ''   by 
 
 {g)s  "  ^(Id  enim  pofjct  aliud  facere   Satan^  quam  tit  eos 
 "  comhurat^  qui  Chrijii  ncmen  invQcani.^'' 
 
 Beza,  de  hsreticis  puniendis,  p.  97. 
 
 [h)  "  Nam  quod  ad  Servetum  attinet,  quern  vos  no- 
 
 minatim   appellare   non   audetis :    quo    pudore    ipfum   in 
 
 mediis  fiammis  Chriftum  magna  voce  concelebrafTe,  et 
 
 fe  in  eum  plcno  ore  credere  vociferatum  dicuis :  quum 
 
 -    hoc, 
 
iC 
 
 [   297   ] 
 
 (/)   by  name  3  with  what  face  can  ye  pre- 
 '   tend  that  he  vv^orfhiped  Chri(l  in  the  midft 
 
 ''  of 
 
 hoc,  ab  eo  jam  morlturo,  nuUis  ecclefice  precibus  extor- 
 queri  potuerit,  ut  Chriftum  pro  seterno  Dei  filio  agnofce- 
 ret  ?  Neque  ullis  miniftrorum  prsefentium  obteftationibus 
 et  pene  lachrymis  impetrari  ut  fui  ipfras  rationem  habe- 
 ret  ?  Nam  etiam  in  ipfo  mortis  articulo,  fuarum  artium 
 oblivifci  non  poterat,  quas  tota  vita  exercuerat.  Itaque 
 quum  fediiloadmoneretur,  ut  aliquod  refipifcentise  fignum 
 daret :  ''  Ego,  inquit,  Chriilum  seterni  Dei  filium  efTe 
 fateor."  Qtium  autem,  dete£laejus  fraude,  ab  eo  pete- 
 retur,  ut  non  modo  seterni  Dei  filium,  fed  etiam  aeternum 
 efie  Dei  filium  agnofceret,  ne  oaicium  Mediatoris  illi 
 eriperet :  obmutefcere  maluit,  quam  filio  Dei  debitunx 
 honorem  trjbucrc,  partim  horrore  mortis  perturbatus,  de 
 qua  nunquam  antea  ferio  cogitarat ;  partim,  ut  ego  exiPd- 
 jno,  juilo  Dei  judicio  perculfiis.  Et  Chriilum  ab  ejuf- 
 modi  hominibus  invocari  arbitrabimur  ?  Abfit.  Imo  vero 
 quotics  Chrifti  nomen  pronuntiant,  toties  ab  ipfis  Dei 
 filius  blafphematur;  ut  qui  Chriftum,  non  qualis  eft,  et 
 qualem  nobis  in  verbo  fiio  Mq  declarat,  fed  qualem  ipll 
 fibi  finxerunt,  id  eft,  pro  vero  et  unico  Chrifto  idolum 
 pertinaciter  ampleclantur.  Nam  alioqui  inter  h^reticos 
 nullus  unquam  fuit,  qui  non  Chrifti  nomen  luis  erroribus 
 obtenderit,  fcque  fiiper  Chriftum  sedificare  jadarit :  fed 
 fruftra;  quum  reipfa  Chrifti  doclrinam  rejiciendo,  Chrif- 
 tum ipfum  repudient."     Id.  Ibid.    p.  98,  99. 
 
 (i)   Calvin  and   Beza,  with  other  Swifs  minifters,  had 
 reprefented  Servetus's  character  and  opinions  in  fo  fhock- 
 jng  a  light,  that  the  people  of  Geneva,  and  every  where, 
 }ield  him  in  execration  3  and  the  few  that  thought  other- 
 wife 
 
te 
 
 [    298    ] 
 
 of  the  fiiimes,  and  cried  out  aloud  that  he 
 believed  in  him  ;  when  at  the  time  that 
 his  end  approached,  it  could  not  be  ex- 
 torted from  him  by  the  prayers  of  the 
 church,  to  acknowlege  Chrift  to  be  the 
 **  eternal  Son  of  God  3  nor  could  all  the 
 *^  in  treaties,  1  had  almoft  faid,  the  tears  of 
 *^  the  Miniflers,  prevail  upon  him  to  do 
 **  this,  and  fave  himfelf/'  N.  B.  Surely 
 it  'was  much  to  bis  honour,  that  neither  in- 
 treaties,  nor  the  near  profpedl  of  the  moji 
 horrible  fiifferings  could  induce  hiin  to  fay  or 
 
 do 
 
 wife,  w^re  afraid  of  appearing  openly  for  him.  Beza 
 fets  out  in  his  firft  page  with  faying  j  that  "  a  year  ago, 
 "  the  almighty  and  merciful  God,  the  juft  avenp-er  of  all 
 "  wrongs  and  injuries  done  to  himfelf,  had  fnatched  out 
 ''  of  the  jaws  of  the  papifts,  that  moft  vile  and  deteftable 
 *'  heretic,  Servetus,  and  delivered  him  up  with  his  own 
 '*  hand,  as  it  were,  to  the  Republic  of  Geneva,  that  it 
 5'  might  have  the  honour  of  infli^Sting  the  punifhment 
 "  due  to  his  crimes  upon  that  man,  of  all  that  ever  lived, 
 .^"^  the  moiL  wicked  and  blafphemous."  i.e.  "  Qiium  enim 
 abhinc  annum  Deus  optimus,  maximus,  juiliffimus  inju- 
 rlarum  fuarum  vindex,  Servetum  ilium  impuriffimum 
 ha^reticum  ex  Pontiiiciorum  faucibus  ereptum,  tanquam 
 de  manu  Genevenfi  Reipublicse  tradidiflet,  per  quam 
 homo  ille  omnium  qui  adhuc  vixerunt  maxime  impius  et 
 blafphemus,  fcelerum  fuorum  pcenas  daret,  Sec.'' 
 
 Id.  Ibid.  p.  K. 
 
(( 
 cc 
 ti 
 It 
 a 
 
 iC 
 
 [        299        ] 
 
 Jo  any  thing  againji  his  confcierce,  **  Na}% 
 continues  he,  in  the  very  inftant  of  death, 
 he  could  not  forget  his  old  tricks,  which 
 he  had  pradifed  all  his  life.  For  Vv^heil 
 he  was'ferioufly  reminded  of  giving  fome 
 fignal  of  his  repentance :  /  confefs,  fays 
 he,  that  Chriji  is  the  Son  of  the  eternal 
 God.  But,  his  arti£ce  being  difcovered, 
 when  it  was  farther  requefled,  that  he 
 *^  fhould  acknowlege  him  to  be  not  only 
 the  fon  of  the  eternal  God,  but  alfo  the 
 eternal  Son  of  God,  left  he  fhould  take 
 aw^ay  from  him  his  office  of  Mediator  : 
 ^'  he  chofe  rather  to  be  filent,  than  to  ren- 
 ^*  der  to  the  Son  of  God  the  honour  due  to 
 him  ;  partly,  through  difmay  at  the  hor- 
 ror of  dying,  which  he  had  never  in  ear- 
 neft  thought  of  before ;  and  in  part,  I 
 believe,  from  the  ftate  of  ftupefadiion 
 which  he  was  in,  by  the  juft  judgment 
 ^*  of  God."  It  would  have  been  more  natu- 
 ral and  equitable,  as  well  as  humane,  to  have 
 afcribed  his  file  nee  at  this  time,  to  his  pcrfe- 
 vering  integrity,  and  patient  fub?niJJion  to  his 
 hard  fate,  *'  And  fhall  we  think  that 
 "  Chrift  can  be  invoked  in  prayer  by  fuch 
 ^'  men  ?    It  cannot  be.     Rather  every  time 
 
 ''  they 
 
 n 
 
 (6 
 
 << 
 
[     3^0     3 
 
 they  pronounce  his  name,  he  is  blafphem- 
 ed  by  them  ;  fince  they  do  not  take  Chrift 
 to  be  what  he  really  is,  and  what  he  declares 
 ^^  himfelf  to  be  in  his  word,  but  fuch  as 
 they  have  framed  him  after  their  own 
 fancies  ;  that  is,  inftead  of  the  true  Chrift, 
 they  obftinately  cleave  to  an  idol  of  their 
 own  making.  For  if  it  were  otherwife, 
 every  heretic  would  juftify  and  cover  his 
 errors  with  the  name  of  Chrift,  (as  they 
 have  always  done)  and  boaft  that  he  builds 
 *^  on  his  foundation.  But  this  is  all  vain 
 *^  pretence,  for  in  rejeding  the  doctrine  of 
 ♦*  Chrift,  they  difown  Chrift  himfelf." 
 
 Ti)us  nothing  that  Serve tus  could  do  was 
 right  'y  his  'very  praying  to  Chrift  iDas  blaf-' 
 phemy ;   becaufe  he  did  7iot  think  and  believe 
 concerning  himy  as  Beza  a^id  the  church  of 
 Geneva  frofejfed  to  believe. 
 
 <C 
 
 SECTION 
 
[     3^1     1 
 
 SECTION     IL 
 
 Of  Mr.  John  Biddle,  M.  A.  of  the  Univer- 
 fty  of  Oxford. 
 
 AF  T  E  R  a  long  Interval,  from  the  burn- 
 ing of  Wightman  at  Litchfeld  in  1 6 1 1 , 
 v/e  hear  of  none  who  dared   to  avow  and 
 publifh  the  dangerous  dodtrineof  the  Divine 
 Unity,  till   the  latter  end  of   the  reign   of 
 Charles  I.  when  Mr.  John  Biddle,  who  had 
 ftudied  at  Magdalen  Hall,  and  diftinguifhed 
 himfelf  with  deferved  reputation  in  the  Uni- 
 verfity  of    Oxford,    drew  the   attention    of 
 many  to  the  queftion  concerning  the  ''  One 
 ''  moft  high  God,  (as  he  fpeaks)  Creator  of 
 **  heaven  and  earth;  whom  he  maintained 
 «*  to  be  none  other  than  the  Father  of  our 
 ''  Lord  Jefus  Chrift/' 
 
 I  have  elfewhere  related,  how  narrowly 
 he  efcaped  being  burned  to  death  for  his 
 opinions,  by  the  Affembly  of  (Prefbyterian) 
 Divines,  who  had  then  the  chief  hand  and  di- 
 reftion  in  matters  of  religion  ;  and  that  at  lafl: 
 4  he 
 
[       i02       ] 
 
 he  perlfhed  in  prifon  in  1662,  when  the 
 pov/er  of  the  epifcopal  church  returned. 
 As  the  author  of  a  fhort  but  valuable  ac- 
 count of  his  life,  informs  us,  (p.  4.)  ^'  It 
 was  by  diligently  reading  the  holy  Scrip- 
 tures (for  Socinian  books  he  had  read 
 none)  and  fervently  imploring  divine  il- 
 lumination, that  he  perceived  the  com- 
 mon doftrine  concerning  the  holy  Trinity, 
 was  not  well  grounded  in  revelation,  much 
 *'^  lefs  in  reafon.  And  being  as  generous  in 
 **  fpeaking  as  free  in  judging,  he  did,  as 
 *^  occafion  offered,  difcover  his  reafons  of 
 *'  queftioning  it.'*  And  yet  he  was  one  who 
 did  not  unreafonably  obtrude  his  peculiar 
 opinions  upon  others,  though  he  omitted  no 
 fair  opportunity  of  bearing  teftimony  to  the 
 divine  truth,  either  from  the  prefs,  or  in  any 
 other  way.  A  proof  of  his  modeily,  as  w^ell  as 
 courage,  is  k^n  in  the  following  inftance. 
 *^  There  was  a  coniiderable  number  of  a 
 congregation  of  thofe  called  Anabaptijls^ 
 whd  began  to  entertain  J.  Biddle's  fenti- 
 **  ments  concerning  the  Trinity.  The  paf- 
 "  tor,  one  Griffin,  thinking,  it  fhould  feem, 
 to  reduce  them  to  their  former  opinion, 
 and  to  put  a  ftop  to  the  fpreading  of  thi^- 
 3  gangrene. 
 
 cc 
 
[     303     ] 
 "  o-anprene,    as   he  efteemed  it,  cliallenges' 
 *'  Mr.  Biddie  to  a  public  difputation,  at  hh' 
 ''  meeting  place  at  St.  Paul's,  upon  thefub- 
 **  ] eft  of  Chrift  5  fzipreme  Deltj;  which  he 
 ''  would    have  declined,    as   knowing  Mr; 
 ^^  Griffin  to  be  far  inferior  to  him  in  learn- 
 **  ing,  &c.   but  at  length   he  accepted  it. 
 '^  And  being  met,  in  the  midft  of  a  numerous 
 *'  auditory,  among  whom  were  not  a  few  of 
 **  Biddle's  inveterate  and  fiery  adverfaries  ; 
 **  Mr.   Griffin,    either  imprudently,    or  to 
 prejudice  the  hearers  againft  his  antago- 
 niil,  or  for  fome  worfe  end,  repeating  the 
 quefhion,  afks;  If  any  man  there  did  deny^ 
 that  Chriji  'was  God  moji  high  ?  To  w^hich 
 our  Biddie  refolutely  and  confcientioufly 
 anfwers  ;  /  do  deny  it.     By  which  gene- 
 rous  profeffion,    he  gave  his   adverfaries 
 *  occafion  of  a  pofitive  and  clear  accufation; 
 which  they  foon  laid  hold  of."     It  gives 
 much  fatisfadion   to  find,    that  the  Unita- 
 rians who  fuffered  in  our  own  country,  were 
 all  of  them  eminent  examples  of  piety  and 
 virtue.      Our  Biographer  well  remarks,  p, 
 lo.  *^  But  that  which  in  my  judgment  does 
 *'  more  commend  our  John  Biddie,  than  all 
 *'  his  labours  and  fufiTerings  for  the  propa- 
 
 I  *^  gation 
 
 <6 
 
 ii 
 iC 
 
[     3^4     ] 
 
 gation  of  great  and  important  truths,  was 
 his  great  zeal  for  promoting  holinefs  of 
 life  and  manners :  for  this  was  always  his 
 end  and  defign  in  what  he  taught.  He 
 vahied  not  his  doctrines  for  fpeculation, 
 but  practice;  infomuch  that  he  would 
 not  difcourfe  of  thofe  points  wherein  he 
 differed  from  others,  with  thofe  that  ap- 
 peared not  rehgious  according  to  their 
 knowlege.  Neither  could  he  bear  thofe 
 that  diffembled  in  profeflion  for  worldly 
 intereft. — He  would  often  tell  his  friends, 
 that  no  religion  could  benefit  a  bad  man; 
 and  call  upon  them  to  refolve  with  them- 
 felves,  as  well  to  profefs  and  practice  the 
 truth  according  to  godlinefs,  as  to  ftudy 
 to  find  it  out ;  and  that  againfl  all  terrors 
 and  allurements  to  the  contrary ;  being 
 alTured,  that  nothing  difpleafing  to  al- 
 mighty God,  could  be  in  any  wife  profit- 
 able to  them." 
 I  iliall  clofe  this  head,  with  one  of  the 
 articles  of  his  belief;  relating  to  the fuppofed 
 two  natures  in  Chriji,  It  is  in  his  '*  Con- 
 feffion  of  Faith  touching  the  Holy  Trinity  i* 
 The  Trinity,  fays  he  in  one  part  of  it, 
 p,   10.   which    the   apoftle   Peter   believed, 
 
 (Ada 
 
[     289     ] 
 
 {A6ls  ii.  22,  23.  36.)  confifceth  of  God  the 
 Father,  of  the  ?nan  jefus  Chrijl  our  Lordy 
 and  of  the  holy  Sprit,  the  gift  of  God  through 
 our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl:/' 
 
 Article  iii. 
 
 *'  I  believe,  that  Jefus  Chrift,  to  the  In- 
 *'  tent  he  might  be  our  brother,  and  have  a 
 *^  fellov^-feeling  of  our  infirmities,  and  fo 
 **  become  the  more  ready  to  help  us,  (the 
 **  confideration  whereof  is  the  greateft  en- 
 *'  couragement  to  piety  that  can  be  imagined) 
 **  hath  no  other  than  a  human  nature  -,  and 
 **  therefore  in  this  very  nature  is  not  only  a 
 **  perfon,  fince  none  but  a  human  perfon 
 **  can  be  our  brother;  but  alfo  our  Lord, 
 **  yea  our  God." 
 
 N.  B.  Biddle  here,  in  like  manner  as  So- 
 cinus,  and  other  Unitarians,  before  and  fin ce, 
 made  no  fcruple  of  calling  Chrift,  God,  al- 
 though he  believed  him  to  be  only  a  human 
 creature,  on  account  of  the  Divine  Sove- 
 reignty, as  he  calls  it,  v^ith  which  he  was 
 invefted.  It  is  in  the  fame  way  that  Mofes, 
 and  magiftrates  are  alfo  called  gods  in  Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 U  After 
 
i  290  3 
 
 ^  After  this,  having  fhev/n,  by  a  variety  of 
 'Scripture  proofs,  that  Chrift  hz.6.nodivi72e,  but 
 o?2ly  a  human  nature-,  was  a  man,  ^nd  nothing 
 elfe :  towards  the  concllifion  he  alleges  the 
 following  texts  of  Scripture  and  remarks 
 upon  them. 
 
 **  Acfls  X.  38.  God  anointed  ^ ejus  of  N a- 
 ^^  zareth  with  the  holy  Spirit y  and  ivitb 
 power 'y  who  went  about  doing  goody  and 
 healing  all  that  were  opprejjed  of  the  de^ 
 vily  for  God  was  with  him.  Luke  xxii, 
 48 .  And  there  appeared  an  angel  to  him 
 (Chrift)  from  heaven  ftrengthening  hi?n. 
 ''  Matth.  XXV  ii.  46.  fefus  cried  with  a  loud 
 voice y  faying  ;  My  God,  my  Gody  why  haji 
 Thou  forfaken  me  ?"  **  What  need  wr  s 
 there,  in  thefe  inftances,  that  the  holy  Spirit 
 **  Jhould  be  given  to  Chrijiy  to  enable  him  to  do 
 *'  miracles ;  and  an  angel  appear  from  heaven 
 **  imto  him  to  Jlrengthen  him?  or  why  fhould 
 *^  he  fo  earneftly  expoftulate  with  GoA  for 
 *y  forfakmg  himy  if  Chrift  were  he,  by  whon* 
 *^  the  firft  creation  was  performed,  had  adt-^ 
 ^'  'u/W  ;z^/wr£',  and  was  Godhimfelf  ?  Could 
 **  not  he  that  firft  created  the  world,  do 
 **  miracles,  without  being  empowered  .by 
 */  another  ?  Would  it  be  faid  of  him  that 
 
 "  had 
 
 i( 
 a 
 a 
 it 
 
[       291       ] 
 
 had  the  Divine  7iatiirei  that  he  did  mira«- 
 cles,  becaufe  God  ivas  "with  kirn-,  and  not 
 rather  becaufe  he  was  God?     Or  needed 
 he  in  his  agony  to  be  ftrenghtened  by  an 
 angel  ?    Would   not  the  Divine  nature  in 
 Chrift,  at  this  rate,  be  in  the  mean  time 
 idle  and  ufelefs  ?  Could  he  that  was  very 
 God  himfelf,  cry  out;  My  God,  my  God, 
 why   hajl  thou  for  Jake  n  me  ?    Was  he  his 
 own  God,  and  bad  forfaken  himfelf? 
 **  Thefe  things  have  I  here  fet  down,  out 
 of  zeal  to  the  true  Son  of  God,  the  man 
 Chrift  Jefus  ;   that  the  adverfaries  may  by 
 thefe  means  be  brought  to  bethink  them- 
 felves,  and  not   fubflitute  a  falfe  one  in 
 his  flead,  namely,  an  eternal  Son  begotten 
 out  of  the  fubflance  of  God-,  whereas  there 
 is  no  place  in  the  Scripture,  that  either 
 faith,  or  intimateth  any  fuch  thing." 
 "  But  they  will  fay,   that  if  Chrift  were 
 not   God,   he   could  not  fatisfy  for  our 
 fins  :    which  reafon   overthroweth  itfelf, 
 and  (heweth  their  opinion  concerning  the 
 '*  Divine  Nature  of  Chrift  to  be  fi6litious, 
 **  For  how  can  God  fatisfy  God  ?    Can  any 
 **  one  make  fatisfaftion  to  himfelf  ?  Neither 
 *'  will  it  relieve  them,  to  reply,  that  there 
 
 U  2  "  are 
 
 <( 
 
 te 
 *s 
 i( 
 
 iC 
 
 <t 
 <( 
 cc 
 <c 
 <s 
 
 €( 
 << 
 i( 
 
 t€ 
 i€ 
 t€ 
 
[       292       ] 
 
 arc  fever al  perfons  in  God,  and  fo  theyj- 
 r^W  fatisfied  the  fo'Ji.  For  if  there  be 
 three  perfons  to  whom  we  are  indebted, 
 and  but  one  of  them  fatisfied,  we  are  in  as 
 bad  a  condition  as  before,  in  that  we  ftand 
 in  need  of  fomeone  to  make  fatisfaftion  to 
 \}citfecond  and  third  perfons  in  God.  If  they 
 further  anfwer,  that  xh^fecond  freely  for- 
 giveth  us :  this  will  make  hifn  more  boiin- 
 tiful  than  the  frji,  who  would  not  do  it 
 without  receiving  full  fatisfadlion.  But 
 this  doftrine  of  the  SatisfaSion  of  Chrift, 
 as  well  as  that  of  his  two  natures ,  where- 
 on it  is,  though  very  ruinoufly,  built,  is 
 a  meer  device  of  man ;  for  neither  is  it 
 expreft  in  Scripture,  nor  can  folidly  be 
 deduced  from  it."  p.  ii,   12. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
{    ^93     ] 
 
 CHAPTER      V. 
 
 Of  the  State  of  the  Unitarian  doBrine  and 
 worfApy  from  the  Rejioration  to  the  clofe 
 of  the  lafl  century. 
 
 SECTION      L 
 
 Of  Mr.  Thomas    F  i  r  m  i  n. 
 
 '   I  "^HE  piety  and  fuperior  virtue  of  'Tho* 
 ft       7nas  Firmin^  citizen  of  London,   are 
 well  knov/n  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with 
 the  hiftory  of  the  Unitarians  in  England  af- 
 ter the  Reftoration;  or  who  have  perufed  his 
 life,   written   in  a  homely  ftile,   but   ftored 
 with   fads,  that  befpeak  an  adtive  benevo- 
 lence and  unwearied  exertions  to  ferve  man- 
 kind, which  few  have  equalled  in  any  age. 
 As  he  was  the  difciple  of  Mr.  Biddle,  and 
 befriended  him  living,   he  was  ftrenuous  in 
 
 U  3  fupporting 
 
[     294     ] 
 
 fupporting  the  caufe  of  the  Divine  Unity, 
 in  which  he  had  flood  forth  fo  nobly,  after 
 his  deceafe.  Bifliop  Burnefs  account  of  him 
 may  be  inferted  here,  as  it  juflifies  our  giv- 
 ing him  a  place,  as  a  Reviver  of  the  dodlrine 
 of  the  Divine  Unity,  though  fpeaking  of 
 his  death,  it  may  be  thought  to  come  in 
 fomev/hat  prematurely. 
 
 *'  This  year,  1698,  (fays  he)  Thomas 
 Firmin,  a  famous  citizen  of  London,  died. 
 He  v^as  in  great  eileem  for  prom.oting  many 
 charitable  defigns,  for  looking  after  the  poor 
 of  the  city  and  fetting  them  to  work  ;  for 
 railing  great  fums  for  fchools  and  hofpitals, 
 and  indeed,  for  charities  of  all  forts,  private 
 and  public.  He  had  fuch  credit  with  the 
 richeft  citizens,  that  he  had  the  command 
 of  great  wealth  as  oft  as  there  v/as  occafion 
 for  it ;  and  he  laid  out  his  own  time  chiefly 
 (it  fhould  have  been  added  his  fortunes  alfo) 
 in  advancing  all  fuch  defigns.  Thefe  things 
 gained  him  a  great  reputation.  He  was  call- 
 ed a  Sociniariy  but  he  was  really  i^k)  an  jiri- 
 
 an; 
 
 {V)  **  Burners  Hiftory  of  his  own  Time,  Vol.  iii. 
 8vo.  p.  292.  It  muft  have  been  owing  to  great  inattenr 
 tion,  that  the  Bifhop  pronounces  him  fo  pontlvely  to  have 
 been  an  Jrian;  when  the  author  of  "  An  Account  of  Mr, 
 
 Firmin's 
 
[     295    J 
 
 m:  which  he  very  freely  owned,  before  the 
 Revolution  ;  but  he  gave  no  public  vent  to  it, 
 as  he  did  afterwards.  He  ftudied  to  pro- 
 mote his  opinions,  after  the  Revolution, 
 with  much  heat.  Many  books  were  printed 
 againft  the  Trinity,  which  he  difperfed  over 
 the  nation,  diftributing  them  freely  to  all 
 who  would  accept  of  them." 
 
 But  a  zealous  Unitarian  as  Mr.  Firmin 
 w^as,  it  muft  be  owned,  what  has  before 
 been  obferved  concerning  SochiuSy  and 
 thofe  properly  called  SocinianSy  that  he 
 much  differved  the  caufe  he  had  at  heart, 
 by  his  own  contradictory  and  inconiifiient 
 condudl,  at  leaft  vv^hat  appeared  fo  to  others  ; 
 becaufe  profeffing  to  believe  the  Father 
 of  Chrift,  and  of  mankind,  to  be  the 
 only  true  God,  he  continued  to  frequent 
 thofe  chriftian  affemblies,  where  two  other 
 perfons,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  were 
 each  of  them  prayed  unto  feverally,  and  wor- 
 fhiped  together  with  the  fupreme  Father 
 of  ail. 
 
 U  4  It 
 
 Flrmin's  religion,*'  printed  in  1698,  Ciys,  p.  4.  that  he 
 embraced  the  opinions  of  Mr.  J.  Biddle;  who  in  an  ar- 
 ticle of  his  belief  above  cited,  declares  his  perfuafion,  tliat 
 Chrift  had  no  other  than  a  human  nature. 
 
[     296     3 
 
 It  is  probable  that  Mr.  Firmin,  being  orl^ 
 ginally  a  member  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land, a  feparation  from  it  did  not  at  firft 
 occur  to  him,  as  he  had  a  method  of  recon- 
 ciling  to  his  own  mind  the  exceptionable 
 pafjages  in  its  public  fervice;  and  there  was 
 no  fociety  of  chriftians  then,  whofe  princi- 
 ples in  this  refpedl  were  lefs  exceptionable 
 to  him,  efpecially  after  his  friend  Mr,  Bid- 
 die  had  periflied  in  prifon.  Being  alio  fettled 
 in  a  part  of  the  city  of  London  where  he 
 had  an  opportunity  of  being  a  hearer  of,  and 
 of  contraciing  an  acquaintance,  and  culti- 
 vating even  an  intiniacy  with  fome  of  thofe 
 moderate  latitudinarian  Divines,  as  they  were 
 called,  Owtram^  (/)  JVhichcoty  Tillotfony 
 Fowler,  &;c.  this  may  have  contributed  the 
 more  to  filence  bis  fcruples,  and  to  recon- 
 cile him  to  a  continuance  in  that  commu- 
 nion, that  he  might  not  be  deprived  of  the 
 advantage  of  the  public  inftrudlions  of  thofe 
 
 fhining 
 
 (/)  I  have  not  obfcrved  in  Dr.  Whichcot's  writingSj, 
 any  language  concerning  God  and  Chrift,  but  fuch  as  is 
 intlrely  Scriptural,  and  in  which  ^n  Unitarian  might 
 hcart'ly  join.  7'his  is  particularly  obfervable  in  that  fine 
 prayer,  which  he  was  wont  to  ufe  in  the  pulpit,  and  v/hich 
 is  prefcrved  in  his  v/orks. 
 
[     297     ] 
 
 fliining  lights,  and  eminent  preachers  of 
 chriftian  virtue,  who  ftill  live,  and  fpeak  in 
 their  writings. 
 
 The  idea  and  plan  on  which  Mr.  Firmin 
 and  other  Unitarians,  his  friends,  defended 
 their  joining  in  Trinitarian  forms  of  w^or- 
 fliip;  and  with  which  they  came  forth 
 in  print,  upon  the  controverfy  about  the 
 Trinity  betwixt  Dr.  Sherlock  and  his  oppo- 
 nent Dr.  South,  and  others,  was  by  feizing 
 q.nd  adopting  the  explications  of  the  latter, 
 who  were  called  Nominalifts,  i.  e.  nojninal 
 Trinitarians,  becaufe  they  afferted  that  their 
 trinity  was  not  the  fame  with  that  of  Dean 
 Sherlock,  did  not  confift  gf  three  divine 
 per  Jons  who  were  three  real  beings  ^  three  in-- 
 finite  minds,  as  the  Dodlor  maintained^  but 
 was  only  three  properties  of  the  Deity,  three 
 internal  relation^  or  refpeBs  of  the  Infinite 
 Mind  to  itfelf, 
 
 Hence  when  Mr.  Firmin  was  reproached, 
 a?  he  frequently  was,  with  his  inconliftency 
 in  paying  divine  honours  to  a  creature,  in 
 worfliiping  Chrift,  whom  he  believed  to  be 
 one  of  the  human  race,  diflinguiihed  in- 
 deed from  otlier  men  by  divine  extraordi- 
 nary gifts^  but  v/ho  had  no  exiftence  before. 
 
 he 
 
[    298     ] 
 
 he  had  his  birth  in  Judea,  in  the  manner 
 in  which  we  lately  faw  Abp.  Tillotfon 
 point  his  arguments  argainft  him  and 
 ethers ;  he  defended  himfelf  by  alleging, 
 that  although  Chriil  v/as  a  man,  he  was  ne- 
 verthelcfs  God  [m)  in  refpedl  of  God  m  /jim, 
 d'welling  in  him,  and  betjjg  with  him,  by 
 thofe  continual  extraordinary  communica- 
 tions and  powers  vouchfafed  to  him ;  and 
 that  the  holy  Spirit,  being  notliing  elfe  but 
 the  divine  power  or  influence,  by  which 
 Chrift  and  his  apoftles  were  aftuated  and  led, 
 might  alfo  not  improperly  be  ftiled  God^ 
 as  the  power  of  God  is  God  himfelf.  So 
 that  his  Trinity^  was  the  one  true  God  In  a 
 threefold  view  of  him;  (i.)  as  the  prime 
 fovereign  agent,  and  author  of  all  things ; 
 (2.)  as  manifefling  himfelf  by  Chrift ;  and 
 (3.)  alfo  by  his  holy  fpirit,  or  extraordinary 
 power  in  the  eflablifliment  and  propagation 
 of  the  gofpel. 
 
 No  one  can  juftly  queftion  Mr.  Firmin*s 
 fincerity  and  integrity,  as  we  have  all  reafoft 
 to  believe,  that  in  this  as  well  as  every  im- 
 
 {rn)  See  *'  An  Account  of  Mr.  Flrmln's  Religion," 
 p.  18. 
 
 portant 
 
[     299     1        - 
 
 portant  concern  of  his  life,  he  afted  from 
 the  pureft  motives ;  yet  we  cannot  but  la- 
 ment, that  he  fhould  have  feen  the  thing  in 
 fuch  a  light,  and  been  the  caufe  of  millead- 
 ing  many  then  and  afterwards,  by  giving 
 them  a  handle  and  enccuragem.ent,  to  look 
 upon  the  T'rlnitarian  worfhip  of  the  church 
 of  England  as  Unitarian  or  Sociniany  and 
 conform  to  it  as  fuch. 
 
 He  and  his  friends  however  appear  to  have 
 entertained  a  fufpicion,  that  this  way  of  ail- 
 ing was  not  quite  right,  by  their  advancing 
 an  apology  for  it,  which  looks  too  artificial, 
 and  will  not  bear  examination.  For  they 
 a]]ej:^ed,  that  the  v/ords  ufed  by  them  on  this 
 fubjed:,  were  to  be  conftrued  into  a  fenfe  by 
 themfelves,  fuch  as  can  be  applied  to  God 
 only,  and  not  to  created  beings.  Says  one  of 
 them  (/6),  '^  by  this  form  of  prayer,  O  God 
 the  Father,  have  mercy  upon  iiS",  O  God  the 
 Son  have  mercy  upon  us ;  O  God  the  holy  ghojly 
 have  mercy  upon  us  :  the  church  only  means 
 
 [.h)  "  Judgment  of  a  dlfmterefled  Perfon,  concerning 
 the  controverfy  between  Dr.  South,  and  Dr.  Sherlock, 
 p.  29.  By  a  Divine  of  the  church  of  England.*'  Lon- 
 don printed,  1696;  and  referred  tg  In  '*  An  Account  of 
 Mr.  Firmia-s  religion,'"  p-  i8._. 
 
 to 
 
r  3^^  ] 
 
 to  invocate  God  by  the  tl^ree  diftinEliG77s 
 which  {he  owneth  to  be  in  him.  And  when 
 fhe  names  thok  diflinuliojts  qv  properties y  Fa^ 
 thevy  Son,  and  Spirit;  flie  intends  thofe 
 words,  not  as  wben  they  are  ufed  of  men,  or 
 cf  any  other  creatures  -y  but  only  in  the  fenfe 
 that  they  are  applicable  to  God,  Father y 
 ^vhen  "f:iid  cf  God,  is  original  intelleoty  or 
 viind ',  Son  is  rejkx  'i::iJdomy  and  Holy  Spirit 
 is  Divine  Love,'' 
 
 AH  this  might  have  nafTed  without  blame, 
 if  it  had  been  a  matter  univerfally  known, 
 scknowleged,  and  acquiefccd  in,  to  put 
 fuch  a  meaning  and  conftru6lion  upon  words 
 uizi  in  acts  of  public  devotion  ;  fo  as  to 
 make  three  drff^rent  and  dijlinui  addreffes  to 
 God  the  Fat  her  y  to  God  the  Son,  and  to  God 
 the  Holy  Ghajl,  to  be  en  addrcfs  to,  and  in- 
 vocation of  One  God  only.  But  'svhen  by  far 
 the  greater  part  conlidered  thefe  phrafes  and 
 addreffes  in  their  plain  natural  fenfe,  as  de- 
 vout applications  to  three  different  and  dif 
 tin^i  perfons,  three y^'u^r^/ intelligent  agents, 
 according  to  the  way  in  which  they  ufe  the 
 like  termiS,  in  the  common  tranfactions  of 
 life:  it  had  not  a  good  afped:  for  the  wor- 
 pipers  cf  the   one  true  Gcd,  the  Father  of 
 
 Chrifl, 
 
i  30J  ] 
 
 Chrift  and  of  mankind,  to  unite  with  facli 
 perfons  in  their  devotions;  and  muft  have 
 much  diminiflied  the  good  effeft  of  theii* 
 teftimony  which  they  might  bear  in  their 
 writings,  or  in  any  other  v/ay,  to  the  doc-^ 
 trine  of  the  Divine  Unity;  and  make  others 
 not  pay  a  proper  attention  even  to  the  mo  ft 
 pov/erful  evidence  they  might  produce  for 
 it.  For  although  learned  and  ingenious  fpe- 
 culatifls,  may  fatisfy  themfelves  with  re- 
 fining upon  and  interpreting  away  the  jull 
 and  proper  and  acknowleged  general  mean- 
 ing of  words,  the  common  underftanding 
 of  mankind  will  hardly  ever  be  reconciled 
 to  fuch  artificial  prad:ice :  but  where  they 
 fee  perfons  offering  prayer  feverally,  to  God 
 the  Father,  to  God  the  Son,  and  to  God 
 the  Holy  Ghoft,  will  confider  them  as  pray- 
 ing to  three  different  Beings ;  as  worfhiping 
 three  diftind:  obje(fls  of  worihip. 
 
 There  was  an  attack  made  on  Mr.  Fir- 
 min's  reputation  foon  after  his  death,  by  a 
 violently  orthodox  preacher  of  thofe  days, 
 in  the  city,  who  *'  accufed  him  of  chang- 
 "  ing  fides  in  his  religion,   when  he  w^as  in 
 
 **  danger  of  being  called  to  martyrdom  for 
 
 •    it 
 It, 
 
[     3<^2     3 
 
 '*  it/'  (n)  alluding  to  the  abovementioned 
 public  profeffiou  of  his  agreement  with  the 
 church  of  England,  and  approbation  of  its 
 Trinitarian  worfhip,  by  putting  his  own 
 fenfe  upon  it;  and  intimating,  as  if  he  had 
 thereby  efcaped  fome  perfecution. 
 
 But  this  feems  to  have  been  pure  furmife 
 and  flander  on  the  part  of  his  accufer : 
 although  one  is  forry  that  there  fhould  have 
 been  any  thing  in  Mr.  Firmin's  condufl:  to 
 give  a  plaufible  colour  to  the  charge  of  his 
 being  a  temporizer  in  matters  of  religion. 
 We  find  indeed  the  Diffenters,  a  little  before 
 Mr.  Firmin's  death,  in  the  year  1697,  ia 
 the  addrefs  of  their  body  to  King  William, 
 by  Dr.  Bates,  very  inconliderately  befeech- 
 ing  him  to  fliut  the  prefs  againft  the  Uni- 
 tarians;  wherein  they  had  chiefly  in  view 
 the  Trad:s  written  by  Mr.  Firmin's  friends, 
 patronized  and  circulated  by  him.  But  the 
 king  (^),  as  one  well  obferves  upon  the  oc- 
 
 calion, 
 
 (n)  See  "  A  Vindication  of  the  late  excellent  and 
 charitable  Mr.  rhomas  Firmin,  from  the  injurious  re- 
 fle£i:ions  of  Mr.  Luke  Milbourn,  in  his  Sermon  before 
 the  court  of  Aldermen  at  St,  Paul's  church  j  Aug.  2S, 
 1698.  p.  34.'* 
 
 (^)  "  Emlyu^s  Works,  Vol.  ii.  p.  374* 
 
\     3<^3     ] 
 
 cafion,  ivas  not  willing  to  be  made  a  perfecu- 
 tor.  It  muft  not  however  be  omitted,  that 
 this  great  prince,  about  this  time,  fufFered 
 himfelf  to  be  prevailed  (^)  upon  to  pafs  an 
 
 [p)  That  the  King  yielded  to  it  with  reluclance,  and 
 through  the  neceffity  of  the  times,  will  appear  moft  pro- 
 bable from  the  following  fa<^ ;  which  is  greatly  to  his  ho- 
 nour.    **  The  Scottifh  CommifTioners  who  came  up  to 
 "  make  a  tender  of  their  Crown  (Anno  1689,)  to  K. 
 "  William,  (and  who  were,  the  Earl  of  Argyle-for  the 
 **  Lords,  Sir  James   Montgomery  for  the  Knights,  and 
 ■*'  Sir  John  Dalrymple  for  the  Boroughs)   being   intro^ 
 **•  duced  to  their  Majefties  at  Whitehall,  prcfented  firft  a 
 •'  preparatory  Letter  from  the  Eftates,  then  ihe  Inftru- 
 *^  ment  of  Government,  with  a  paper  containing  a  Re- 
 "  cltal  of  the  Grievances  of  the  Nation;  and  an  Aadrefe 
 **  dcfiring  his  Majefty  to  convert  the  Convention  into  a 
 "  Parliament.     The  King  having  gracioufly  promifed  to 
 "  concur  with  them  in  all  juft  meafures  for  the  intereft 
 *'  of  the  Kingdom,  the  Coronation-oath  v^^as  tendered  to 
 "  their  Majefties  by  the  Earl  Argyle.     As  it  contained 
 *'  a  Claufe  importing,  that  they  jhould  root  out  herefy^  ths 
 ■"  King  declared,  that  he  did. not  mean  by  thefe  word?, 
 <'  that  he  fhouid  be  under  an  obligation  to  ad  as  a  Perfe- 
 **  cutor.     The  CommifTioners  replying,   that   fuch   was 
 "  not  the  Meaning  or  L"nport  of  the  Oath,  he  defired 
 *'  thejn^  and  others  prefent,  to  bear  witncfs  to  the  Excep- 
 *^  t'wn  he  had  made  J"  r-- — SmoUct's  Hillory  of  England, 
 V&i-.  vili.  p.  319. 
 
r  3^4  1 
 
 A5i^  that  bore  very  hard  upon  all  fuch  chrif- 
 tians  as  Mr.  Firmin  j  though  we  do  not 
 find  that  any  were  brought  into  trouble 
 from  it  at  that  time.  As  this  Aci  fo  imme- 
 diately belongs  to  the  fubjeft  I  am  treating 
 upon,  it  will  be  proper  to  lay  it  before  my 
 reader  with  fome  remarks. 
 
 Statute  8  and  9  William  III. 
 
 By  Statute  8  and  9  William  III.  c.  32. 
 intitled,  ''  An  Ad:  for  the  more  effedual  fup- 
 *'  preffing  of  Blafphemy  and  Profanenefs," 
 it  is  ena6led,  **  That  if  any  Perfon  having 
 '*  been  educated  in,  or  at  any  Time  having 
 *^  made  Profeffion  of  the  Chriftian  Religion, 
 **  within  this  Realm,  fhall  by  Writing, 
 **  Printing,  Teaching,  or  advifed  Speaking, 
 **  deny  any  one  (P)  of  the  Perfons   of  the 
 
 ''  Holy 
 
 Burnei,  in  his  Hiftory  of  his  own  time,  thus  exprefles 
 it  more  briefly  :  "  When  the  King  and  Queen  took  the 
 "  oaths,  the  king  explained  one  word  in  the  oath,  by 
 ''  which  he  was  bound  to  reprefs  herefies  ;  that  he  did  not 
 *'  by  this  bind  himfelf  to  perfecttte  any  for  their  confctence,''* 
 
 (P)  The  Long  Parliament  in  1648,  by  the  influence 
 of  the  Preibyterians,  pafTed  an  Ad  fimilar  to  this,  but  ^ 
 
 with 
 
i  3OJ  ] 
 
 *^  Holy  Trinity  to  be  God,  or  fliall  affert 
 **  or  maintain  there  are  more  Gods  than 
 one,  or  ihall  deny  the  Ghriftian  Religion 
 to  be  true,  or  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the 
 **  Old  and  New  Teftament  to  be  of  Divine 
 
 *'  Authority,    and  (hall  —  be  thereof 
 
 **  lawfully  convi6ted  by  the  Oath  of  two  or 
 -^  more  credible  WitnelTes ;  fuch  Perfonfor 
 
 **  the 
 
 ■with  the  feverer  penalty  of  death  to  be  inflidled  bn  the 
 party  condemned  :  though  indeed  three  years  imprlfonment 
 is  fometimes  worfe  than  death.  The  part  in  it  relating  to 
 the  Trinity,  Is  as  follows  ;  '^  For  the  preventing  of  the 
 *'  growth  and  fpreading  of  herefy  and  bkfphe?ny^  be  it 
 "  ordained  by  the  lords  and  commons  in  this  prefent  par- 
 *'  liament  afTembled  :  That  ail  fuch  perfons  as  ftiall  from 
 ^'  and  after  the  date  o^  this  prefent  ordinance,  willingly, 
 by  preaching,  teaching,  printing,  or  writing,  maintain 
 arid  pubiifh — — that  the  Father  is  7iot  God^  the  Son  is 
 not  God^  or  that  the  Holy  Ghojl  is  not  God;  or  that  they 
 *'  three  are  not  one  eternal  God  j  or  that  fhall  in  like  man- 
 *'  ner  maintain  and  pubiifh,  that  Chrijl  is  net  God  equal 
 ''  with  the  Father ;  or  fhall  deny  the  manhood  of  Chrijl  5 
 *'  or  that  the  Godhead  and  manhood  of  Chrijl  are  fever  at 
 
 "  natures — -all  fuch  maintaining  and  publi(King  of 
 
 "  fuch  error  or  errors,  with  cbftinacy  therelnj  (hall  by 
 *'  virtue  hereof  be  adjudged  felony:  and  all  fuch  perfons 
 "  upon  complaint  and  proof  made  of  the  fame,  in  any  of 
 
 "  the  cafes  aforefaid the  faid  party  fo  accufed,  (hall 
 
 "  be  by  the  faid  juftices  of  the  peace  committed  to  prifoa 
 
 ^«  . and  in  cafe  the  indi(Slment  be  found,  and  the 
 
 X  *'  party 
 
[     306     ] 
 
 the  firft  Offence  fhall  be  adjudged  inca-- 
 pable  and  difabled  in  Law  to  have  and 
 enjoy  any  Office  or  Employment  Eccleli- 
 aftical.  Civil  or  Military :  And  if  fuch 
 Perfon  fl:iall  be  a  fecond  time  lawfully 
 '*  convided  as  aforefaid  of  all  or  any  of  the 
 **  aforefaid  crim.e  or  crimes,  that  then  he 
 *^  fhall  from  thenceforth  be  difabled  to  fue, 
 profecute,  plead,  or  ufe  any  Adlion  or 
 Information,  or  to  be  Guardian  of  any 
 *'  child,  or  Executor  or  Adminiflrator  of 
 any  Perfon,  or  capable  of  any  Legacy,  or 
 Deed  of  Gift,  or  to  bear  any  Office,  Civil 
 or  Military,  or  Benefice  Eccleliaftical  for 
 *'  ever  within  this  Realm,  and  fhall  alfo 
 ^^  fuffer  Imprifonment  for  the  fpace  of  three 
 **  Years,  without  Bail  or  Mainprize,  from 
 *^  the  time  of  fuch  Conviftion." 
 
 Remarks 
 
 *'  party  upon  his  trial  fhall  not  abjure  his  faid  error,  and 
 *'  defence  and  maintenance  of  the  fame,  he  fhall  fuffer 
 ''  the  pains  of  death,  as  in  cafe  of  felony,  without  benefit 
 ''  of  clergy." 
 
 "  An  Ordinance  of  the  Lords  and  Commojis  affem- 
 *'  bled  in  Parliament,  for  punifhing  Blafphemies 
 "  and  Herefies." — London,  printed  for  Edward 
 Hufband,  Printer  to  the  honourable  houfe  of 
 Commons.     1648. 
 
 <6 
 
t   3^5;   ] 
 
 Remarks  o?i  this  AB, 
 
 I .  If  we  confider  the  difpolition  of  the 
 two  houfes  of  Parliament  at  this  jundlure, 
 and  their  fincere  endeavours  to  difcourage 
 vice  and  immorality,  as  well  as  what  they 
 call  prophanenefs,  we  cannot  doubt  but  that 
 this  A61  was  made  by  them  v/ith  a  pious  and 
 good  intent.  This  is  feen  in  the  following 
 extrad:  from  the  Commons  Addrefs,  pre- 
 fented  to  the  King  by  the  whole  houfe, 
 Feb.  17,  1698,  previous  to  their  pafiing  the 
 Bill  ill  queftion. 
 
 {0)  *^  Therefore  in  Concurrence  v/ith 
 your  Majefty's  pious  intentions,  we  do  moft 
 humbly  defire,  that  your  Majeily  v/ould 
 iiTue  out  your  Royal  Proclamation,  com- 
 manding all  your  Majefty's  Judges,  Juftices 
 of  the  Peace,  and  other  Magiflrates.,  to  put 
 in  fpeedy  Execution  thofe  good  Laws  that 
 are  nov/  in  force  againft  Prophanenefs  and 
 Immorality,  and  give  due  Encouragement  to 
 all  fiich  as  do  their  Dutv  therein.     And  that 
 
 X  2  your 
 
 {0)  See  '^^  The  Hiilory  and  Proceedings  cf  the  Houfe 
 *^  of  Commons,  from  the  Reftoration  to  the  prefent 
 "  time."  Vol.  III.  p,  8i,  82.  London,  printed  for 
 R,  Chandler,      1742* 
 
[     3o8     ] 
 
 your  Majefly  would  be  pleafed  to  require 
 from  your  Judges  and  Juftices  of  Affize, 
 from  time  to  time,  an  Account  of  fuch  their 
 Proceedings/' 
 
 *^  And  fince  the  Examples  of  Men  in 
 high  and  public  Stations  have  a  powerful 
 Influence  upon  the  Lives  of  others,  we  do 
 moft  humbly  befeech  your  Majefty,  that  all 
 Vice,  Prophanenefs,  and  Irreligion,  may  in 
 a  particular  manner  be  difcouraged,  in  thofe 
 who  have  the  Honour  to  be  employed  near 
 your  Royal  Perfon ;  and  in  all  others  who 
 are  in  your  Majefty's  Service,  by  Sea  and 
 Land ;  appointing  ftrid:  orders  to  be  given 
 to  all  your  Commanders,  that  they  do  not 
 only  fhew  a  good  Example  themfelves,  but 
 alfo  infpeft  the  Manners  of  thofe  under  them; 
 and  that  your  Majefty  would  upon  all  occa- 
 fions  diftinguifh  Men  of  Piety  and  Virtue, 
 by  Marks  of  your  Royal  Favour/' 
 
 **  We  do  further  in  all  Humility  befeech 
 yo-ur  Majefly,,  that  your  Majefty  would  give 
 fuch  effectual  Orders,  as  to  your  Royal 
 Wifdom  fhall  feem  fit,  for  the  fuppreffing 
 all  pernicious  Books  and  Pamphlets,  which 
 contain  in  them  impious  Doftrines  againft 
 the  Holy  Trinity^  and  other  Fundamental, 
 3  Articles 
 
[     3^9     3 
 
 Articles  of  our  Faith,  tending  to  the  fub- 
 veriion  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  and  that 
 the  Authors  and  Publifliers  thereof  may  be 
 difcountenanced  and  punifhed/' 
 
 2.  In  the  laft  claufe  of  this  Addrefs,  which 
 contains  the  fubftance  of  the  above-cited 
 A61  of  Parliament,  there  are  fome  things 
 which  the  better  knowlege  and  liberality 
 of  the  prefent  times  would  be  far  from  ap- 
 proving. 
 
 For  in  condemning  thofe  writings  which 
 tended  to  prove  the  dodlrine  of  the  Trinity  to 
 be  without  foundation  in  the  Scriptures,  or 
 any  others  relating  to  the  gofpel,  as  impious  y 
 and  calling  for  the  authors  and  publiihers  of 
 them  to  be  punifhed,  the  Commons  of  Great- 
 Britain  affumed  a  province  which  did  not 
 belong  to  them.  For  the  civil  magiftrate, 
 in  this  or  in  any  country,  has  no  right  to 
 interfere  in  directing  and  controuling  men's 
 religious  opinions,  or  in  punifliing  them  for 
 uttering  and  endeavouring  to  propagate  theni. 
 In  this  refped:  we  are  rcfponfible  to  God 
 only,  and  not  to  our  fellow  men ;  whatever 
 be  their  degree  or  ftation. 
 
 If  a  man,  under  the  cloak  and  pretence  of 
 religion,  does  any  thing  to  wound  another's 
 
 X  3  good 
 
L      3^^     3 
 
 good  name,  or  which  is  in  any  way  injurious 
 to  him,  the  magiftrate  very  properly  inter- 
 pole§  to  prevent  and  remedy  fuch  evils. 
 But  he  takes  cognifance  thereof,  not  as  a 
 matter  of  religion,  but  of  civil  policy  :  as 
 what  regards  men's  temporal  rights  and  fecu- 
 rity,  not  as  afifed:ing  their  future  happinefs 
 and  God's  favour,  with  which  he  has  no- 
 thing to  do,  unlcfs  in  the  way  of  offering 
 friendly  counfel  and  affiftance,  as  any  pri- 
 vate perfon  may  do ;  and  nothing  farther. 
 
 Pat  the  cafe,  that  at  that  time  the  great 
 Senate  of  the  nation  had  been  compofed  of 
 thofe  chriftians  called  Arians,  as  were  m.any 
 whole  nations  formerly,  and  a  large  part  of 
 the  learned  and  upper  ranks  of  our  own 
 have  been  reckoned,  lince  the  publication  of 
 Dr.  Clarke  s>  writings.  If  fuch  an  Avian 
 Parliament  had  in  their  turn  pafled  a  con- 
 trary Ad;  in  1698,  to  fupprefs  all  books  as 
 ferntcious  and  containing  impious  doBrine^ 
 which  were  written  in  defence  of  the  Tri- 
 nity, and  had  therein  inflicted  various  punifh- 
 ments  on  all  who  ftood  up  for  and  openly 
 maintained  it :  Thofe  Trinitarians  or  Atha- 
 najians  who  at  that  period  promoted  this 
 Aft  for  filencing  and  imprifoning  unitarian 
 
 chriftians^ 
 
[     3"     ] 
 
 chriilians,  would  in  their  turn  have  been 
 ready,  and  moft  juftly,  to  cry  out  againft 
 fuch  cruel  oppreffion  and  flopping  of  free 
 inquiry  into  the  Scriptures,  and  hindering 
 perfons  from  profeffing  and  publiihing  what 
 they  were  there  taught.  And  what  would 
 have  been  wrong  and  unjuft  in  Arians  to 
 have  done  to  them,  could  not  be  right  for 
 them  to  do  to  other  chriftians. 
 
 3.  The  Commons  houfe  of  Parliament 
 were  at  full  liberty,  each  man  for  hhnfelfy 
 to  declare  what  doctrines  feemed  to  him  to 
 be  fubverfive  of  the  chriftian  religion,  the 
 denial  or  belief  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  or  any 
 other.  But  in  their  legijlative  capacity y  they 
 were  intirelv  out  of  their  line,  and  went  be- 
 yond  their  province,  in  making  any  declara- 
 tions of  the  kind,  to  bind  and  affed:  others 
 in  any  fliape  or  degree.  When  the  freemen 
 of  England  chufe  their  reprefentatives  in  the 
 Senate,  they  do  not  inveft  them  with  a  power 
 to  take  care  of  their  fouls,  to  chufe  their 
 religion  for  them,  to  make  articles  of  faith 
 for  or  againft  the  Trinity,  or  the  like  :  to 
 v/hlch  if  they  do  not  yield  afient,  they  are 
 to  be  fined  and  imprifoned.  No  man  can 
 give  fuch  a  power  to  another.     And  I  ap- 
 
 X  4  prehend 
 
[     3^2    1 
 
 prehend  no  man  intends  to  do  it  in  the 
 prefent  inftance.  If  therefore  any  perma- 
 nent Ads  fublift,  of  fuch  a  power  unjuftly 
 affumed,  likely  to  afFed:  the  reputation,  the 
 property,  the  liberty  of  unoffending,  inno- 
 cent, praife-worthy  citizens,  fuch  Ad:  or 
 Ads  cannot  be  too  foon  repealed  and  re- 
 moved. 
 
 4.  The  title  of  this  Statute  will  be  far 
 from  being  approved  by  any,  who  examine 
 it  coolly,  and  without  prejudice;  viz. 
 
 An  A6t  Jor  the  more  effectual  Supprejion  of 
 Blajphemy  and  Prophanenefs, 
 
 From  fuch  a  title  one  would  exped  that 
 the  perfons  againft  whom  it  was  made,  had 
 been  guilty  of  fome  great  wickednefs,  fome 
 daring  outrage  and  infult  on  every  thing 
 facrcd,  that  tended  to  bring  God  and  all  true 
 religion  into  contempt. 
 
 But  with  what  truth  or  juftice  can  this 
 be  imputed  to  perfons  of  the  following  de- 
 fer ipt  ion  ;  viz,  '^  v/ho  deny  any  one  of  the 
 ''  Perfons  of  the  Holy  Trinity  to  be  God ; 
 ^'  v/ho  affert  and  maintain  that  there  are 
 ,**  more  Gods  than  one ;  or  who  deny  the 
 *^  chriftian  religion  to  be  true,  or  the  Holy 
 
 "  Scriptures 
 
[     3^3     ] 
 
 ^*  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament 
 ^*  to  be  of  Divine  Authority.'" 
 
 It  is  perverting  the  judgments  of  men, 
 and  mifleading  them  in  what  is  of  the  firft 
 importance,  to  make  thefe  things  crimes,  as 
 they  are  afterwards  repeatedly  called,  which 
 are  no  crimes ;  which  on  the  contrary  may 
 be,  and  often  are  laudable  adtions,  and  marks 
 of  true  virtue  and  integrity. 
 
 For  fuppofing  it  was  ever  fo  true,  that 
 there  are  T'hree  Divi?2e  Perjbns,  who  are  each 
 pf  the?n  God,  and  yet  that  thefe  Three  Divine 
 Perfons  are  but  One  God ;  it  can  be  no  crime 
 for  a  chriftian  to  profefs  not  to  believe  it  ^ 
 if  he  dues  not  fee  evidence  for  it  in  the  holy 
 Scriptures.  And  in  fuch  cafe  to  profefs  his 
 diibelief  of  it,  and  aflign  his  reafons,  can 
 have  nothing  wrong  in  it ;  nay  may  often- 
 times, and  even  generally,  be  his  duty.  And 
 if  on  the  otlier  hand,  an  honeft,  fimple- 
 minded  chriftian,  perplexed  with  the  intri- 
 cate difputes  and  affertions  of  learned  men, 
 pn  this  topic  3  of  there  being  Three  Divine 
 Perfons  who  are  each  of  them  God  ;  fliould 
 not  be  able  to  comprehend  them  in  any  other 
 way,  but  that  there  are  three  Gods  ^  he  is  to 
 
 be 
 
[     3H     ] 
 
 be  pitied  for   it :    but  furely  there  can  be 
 nothing  in  it  that  is  criminal. 
 
 Neither  have  we,  on  the  other  hand,  any 
 grounds  to  fay,  that  in  deferting  and  giving 
 up  the  chriftian  religion,  and  denying  it  to  be 
 true,  a  man  is  guilty  of  a  crime,  for  which  he 
 is  to  be  arraigned  and  condem^ned  by  any  human 
 judicature.  May  v\^e  not  rather  fay,  that  a 
 perfon  may  labour  under  fuch  invincible 
 prejudices  :  things  may  have  been  fo  mif- 
 reprefented  to  him  :  he  may  fee  the  hiftori- 
 cal  fa(fts  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament  in 
 fuch  falfe  lights,  and  be  fuch  a  ftranger  to 
 that  weight  of  collateral  evidence  which 
 there  is  for  them  :  he  m.ay  have  been  taught 
 to  view  even  the  morality  of  the  gofpel 
 through  fuch  wrong  mediums,  that  he  may 
 be  equally  jQncere  and  upright  in  denying, 
 as  others  are  in  believing  the  divine  revela- 
 tions in  the  Bible.  And  better  anjd  more 
 honourable  were  it  furely  for  fuch  an  one, 
 iairly  and  openly  to  renounce  the  gofpel,  and 
 to  declare  his  reafons  for  his  Difbelief  of  it, 
 if  he  thinks  proper ;  rather  than  hurt  the 
 integrity  of  his  own  mind,  by  making  an 
 
 outward  profeffion  of  what  he  fecretly  dif- 
 
 * 
 
 approves  and  condemns. 
 
 This 
 
[     3^5     ] 
 
 This  giving  of  ill  names  to  fuch  as  dif- 
 believe  the  dodlrine  of  the  Trinity,  or  who 
 rejed:  Revelation  intirely,  and  reprefenting 
 them  as  bad  men,  and  criminal  on  that  ac- 
 count, and  unfit  to  difcharge  the  common, 
 duties  of  life,  is  of  very  pernicious  confe- 
 quenccj  as  it  tends  to  infpire  men  with  a 
 diilike,  and  fometimes  with  a  deteftation,  of 
 the  befi:  and  worthieft  of  mankind. 
 
 Dr.  Clarke,  Red:or  of  St.  James's,  fo 
 often  named  by  me  with  refpedl,  rendered 
 great  fervice  to  the  chriftian  world  by  his 
 laborious  fearch  into  the  holy  Scriptures  3  and 
 by  bringing  and  claffing  together,  in  a  clear 
 and  diftind:  method,  every  thing  that  related 
 to  the  do6lrine  of  the  Trinity  ;  thereby  fur- 
 niiliing  every  one  with  the  means  of  fettling 
 their  opinions  upon  a  fubjecft,  which  is 
 wholly  matter  of  divine  revelation,  and  only 
 to  be  learned  from  the  Bible. 
 
 After  all  his  labours  and  ftudies,  he  came 
 to  this  determination  concerning  the  One 
 true  Gody  very  different  from  the  dodrine 
 fuppofed  and  referred  to  in  this  Ad  oi  [p) 
 
 Parlia- 
 
 (/>)  The  firft  of  the  thirty  nine  Articles  of  the  Church 
 of  England  is,  "  Of  Faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity,'' 
 
 "There 
 
[      316      ] 
 
 Parliament,  which   is    put  in  the  margi-ii  • 
 
 and  with  a  true  chriftian  courage  publifhed 
 
 his,  fentiments. 
 
 {g)  *'  There  is  (fays  Dr.  Clarke)  One 
 Supreme  Caufe  and  Original  of  things ; 
 One  fimple,  uncompounded,  undivided, 
 intelligent  Agent  or  Perfon  ;  who  is  the 
 Alone  Author  of  all  Being,  and  the  Foun- 
 
 *^  tain  of  ail  Power." 
 
 '^  ThQ  Father  Alone,  is,  in  the  higheft, 
 
 *'  ftricS,  proper,  and  abfolute  fenfe.  Supreme 
 
 **  overall,'' 
 
 **  The  Father  Alone,  is,  abfolutely  fpeak- 
 
 ing,  the  God  of  the  Univerfe ;  the  God  of 
 
 Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  facob  -,  the  God  of 
 
 Ifrael 'y    of  Mofes,    of  the  Prophets  and 
 
 Apoflles  y  and  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
 
 Lord  fefus  Chriji.'' 
 
 '*  The  Scripture,  when  it  mentions  the 
 One  God,  or  the  oitly  God,  always  means 
 the  Supreme  Perfon  of  the  Father  J' 
 
 ''  When 
 
 "^  There  is  but  one  living  and  true  God,  everlafting, 
 *V  without  Body,  Parts,  or  PaiTions  ;  of  infinite  Power, 
 *'  Wifdom,  and  Goodnefs,  the  Maker  and  Preferver  of  all 
 "  Things  both  vifible  and  invifible  ;  and  in  Unity  of  this 
 '^  Godhead  there  be  three  Perfons,  of  one  Subjiance,  Power, 
 "  and  Eternity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghoji.^* 
 
 (^)  "  Scripture  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,"  P«  233>  &c. 
 
 €< 
 
 << 
 << 
 €6 
 
 it 
 
(6 
 
 c< 
 
 €i 
 
 [  317  ] 
 
 **  When  the  word,  God,  is  mentioned  in 
 Scripture,  with  any  High  Epithet,  ^itle^ 
 or  Attribute  annexed  to  it ;  it  generally, 
 (I  think,  always)  means  the  Perfon  of  the 
 "  Father :' 
 
 The  Scripture,  when  it  mentions  God, 
 abfolutely  and  by  way  of  Eminence,  al^ 
 ways  means  the  Perfon  of  the  Father,'' 
 The  late  Dr.  Lardner,  after  a  life  of  la- 
 bour and  ftudy,  protradled  to  a  much  longer 
 period  than  Dr.  Clarke's,  with  full  vigour 
 of  judgment  to  the  laft,  and  after  an  inde- 
 fatigable inquiry  into  the  Scriptures,  and  all 
 the  writings  of  chriftian  antiquity,  of  which 
 he  has  left  the  moft  noble  monum.ents  be- 
 hind him  j  not  only  agreed  with  Dr,  Clarke 
 in  the  above  propofitions,  that  the  Father 
 Alone  is  the  God  of  the  JJniverfe^  the  only 
 true  God :  but  found  caufe  to  recede  farther 
 from  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  commonly 
 received ;  maintaining  that  the  Spirit,  or 
 Holy  Spirit,  was  not  a  Perfon,  a  di/iinci  in- 
 telligent Agent,  but  only  the  power,  the  in* 
 fiuence,  or  energy  of  God ;  and  alfo,  that  our 
 Lord  Jefus  Chrift  was  one  of  the  human 
 race,  who  had  no  exiftence  before  he  was 
 born  at  Bethlehem.,     This  defcription  of  the 
 
 Perfon 
 
[     3iS     ] 
 
 Perfon  of  Chrlfi:  he  proved  to  be  juft  and 
 exadt,  by  an  appeal  to  the  Scriptures,  to  the 
 conilant  uniform  declarations  of  Chriil:  con- 
 cerning himfelf,  and  of  his  apoftles  concern- 
 ing him,  ihewing  alfo  hov7  thofe  few  palTa- 
 ges  of  Scripture  might  better  be  interpreted, 
 which  had  mifled  Dr.  Clarke  and  others. 
 
 Could  it  now,  I  alk,  with  any  degree  of 
 truth,  be  called  hlafphemy  or  propbanenefsj 
 in  thefe  two  men  of  known  pietv,  after  a 
 diligent  ftudy  of  the  facred  writings,  thus 
 to  publifh  what  they  there  learned,  concern- 
 ing the  true  God  and  object  of  their  religi- 
 ous regards  r  Was  it  not  their  duty,  is  it  not 
 the  duty  of  every  man,  to  impart  ufeful 
 knowlege  to  others,  efpecially  fuch  as  may 
 miniller  to  their  prefent  comfort  and  future 
 happineis  ?  And  the  right  knov/lege  of  God 
 will  certainly  ferve  thefe  great  ends. 
 
 Were  fuch  characters  of  fpotlefs  virtue 
 and  integrity  from  the  earlieft  youth,  who 
 rpent  their  lives  in  unambitious  purfuit  of 
 the  moft  important  truths,  and  who  couragi- 
 oufly  ventured  to  publifh  them  for  the  com- 
 mon benefit,  therein  chuiing  to  obey  God, 
 rather  than  man  ?  Or  any  equally  honeA 
 men  and  good  citizens  nov/,  who^iiert  and 
 
 propagate 
 
L     3'9     ] 
 
 propagate  fuch  doclrines,  to  be  held  crimi- 
 nals for  this  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  t^j  he 
 thenc>iforth  difabled  to  fue^  profecute,  plead, 
 cr  life  ajiy  Aciioji  or  Information  for  the  main- 
 tenance or  recovery  of  their  juil  rights;  o'r 
 to  be  Guardian  of  any  Child,  or  Executor  or 
 Adminiftrator  of  any  Perfon,  or  capable  of 
 any  Legacy  or  Deed  of  Gift,  or  t'j  bear  any 
 Ofice  Civil  or  Military,  or  Benefice  Ecclefi- 
 aftical  for  e^cer,  within  this  Realm,  to  be  con- 
 demned a!fo  to  fuffer  imprifonment  for  the 
 Space  of  three  Tears  ? 
 
 Surely  what  might  be  well  intended,  but 
 was  ill  underftood  at  the  time ;  and  vjhat  is 
 in  itfelf  againfl  all  right  and  jiftice  -,  izhat  is 
 direcily  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  Chrifi,  and 
 is  of  7n  eft  fatal  confequence ;  Jhould  be  correci- 
 ed :  arid  la'uos  not  be  fjffered  to  remain,  ivhich 
 fer'-je  to  encourage  men  s  ^ujorft  pafjions,  a7id 
 excite  the?n  to  hate,  p erf e cute,  and  deftroy  their 
 felloiv-citizens  for  their  very  virtues. 
 
 But  to  return  to  and  finilli  the  fubjed:  in 
 
 hand. It  happened,  as  might  well    be 
 
 expected,  that  by  Mr.  Firman  and  his  friends 
 mixing  themfelves  in  the  crowd   with   the 
 
 worfhipers 
 
[     320     ] 
 
 worfhipers  of  the  Trinity,  their  teftimony 
 to  the  Unity  of  God,  if  not  intirely  loft, 
 became  of  little  value,  and  unheeded.  Nor 
 indeed  could  it  well  be  otherwife.  For 
 when  he  and  other  Unitarians  could  quiet 
 their  fcruples,  and  be  eafy  in  joining  uni- 
 formly in  the  ftated  worfhip  and  invocation 
 of  Three  feveral  Divine  Perfons,  andconlider 
 it  all  the  while  as  the  worfliip  of  One  God, 
 they  could  have  no  plea  or  title  to  objedt  to, 
 or  complain  of  it,  as  a  wrong  or  falfe  wor^ 
 fhip  ;  and  others  would  naturally  infer  their 
 full  approbation  of  it  from  their  praftice. 
 
 Of  this  he  became  fenfible  towards  the 
 latter  end  of  his  life ;  and  was  fearful  that 
 in  confequence  of  fuch  univerfal  conformity 
 to  Trinitaria?i  forms  of  worfhip,  Polytheifm 
 would  be  fo  far  encouraged,  that  the  true 
 idea  of  God  would  be  loft  among  chriftians. 
 He  therefore,  (r)  as  was  mentioned  formerly, 
 intended  to  form  feparate  focieties  or  congre- 
 gations of  chriftians,  in  which  the  Unity  of 
 God,  as  delivered  in  the  Scriptures,  without 
 any  Trinity,  fliould  be  acknowleged,  and 
 the  worfhip  of  the  Perfon  of  the  Father y  the 
 
 only 
 
 (r)  Apology  for  refigning  the  Vicarage  of  Catterick/' 
 p.  96. 
 
c  321  i 
 
 only  true  God,  alone  take  place,  without 
 the  admiffion  of  the  worihip  of  any  other 
 Perfon  v/hatfoever.  For  he  foiind,  (as  the 
 author  of  ''  An  Account  of  Mr.  Firmin's 
 ^'  Religion,"  p.  49^  fpeaks)  that  although 
 he  and  other  Unitarian  Chriftians,  were  able 
 to  put  their  own  conftruftion  upon  "  the 
 unfcriptural  terms,  Trimtyy  T^hree  Divine 
 Perfons,  and  the  like;  yet  taken  in  the 
 fenfe  they  bear  in  ccmmon  fafniliar  fpeech, 
 in  which  fenfe  the  greater  number  of 
 men,  almoft  all  the  unlearned,  muft  needs 
 underftand  them,  they  impiy  a  more  grofs 
 and  abfurd  polytheifm  than  any  of  the  old 
 heathens  were  guilty  of^  He  that  under- 
 ftands  Three  Divine  Perfons  to  be  Three 
 diftindtj  infinite,  all  perfeft  Spirits  or 
 Beings  or  Minds,  three  Creators^  three 
 feveral  Objefts  of  worfhip,  is  more  guilty 
 of  Polytheifm,  than  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
 mans ever  were,  before  their  cohverfion 
 to  chriilianity.  Fot  although  they  and 
 other  nations  were  heathens,  that  is  poly- 
 theifts,  afferters  of  many  gods,  yet  they 
 never  believed  more  than  one  infinite  all- 
 *'  perfed  Spirit,  the  Father  and  King  of  the 
 
 **  leflTer  Deities/' 
 
 Y  Had 
 
[       322       ] 
 
 Had  Mr.  Firmin  lived  to  realize  his  plan, 
 it  might,  as  far  as  we  can  judge,  have  been, 
 a  means  of  advancing:  the  true  knowleo^e  and 
 worfliip  of  God.  For  had  he  formed  and 
 eftablifhed  fuch  focieties  of  Unitarian  Chrif- 
 tians  in  the  metropolis,  and  had  others  come 
 forth  in  like  m^anner  after  his  example  in 
 other  parts  of  the  kingdom,  it  might  have 
 produced  lafting  good  effects,  from  that 
 efteem  and  honour  in  which  he  was  held  by 
 many  of  the  Great  and  Good  of  the  nation, 
 as  well  as  by  the  lower  clalTes  of  our  fellow- 
 citizens  who  continually  felt  and  experienced 
 his  kind  and  benevolent  attention  to  them  ; 
 and  we  might  have  reaped  and  enjoyed  the 
 happy  confequences  of  it  in  this  our  day,  in 
 the  eilabliihment  of  many  profeffedly  Uni- 
 tarian churches  of  chriflians  throughout  the 
 nation.  A  fairer  teftimony  to  his  fuperior 
 merit  could  not  readily  be  devifed,  than  is 
 conveyed  by  the  following  Infcription,  which 
 I  prefume  (till  remains,  on  a  pillar,  in  the 
 garden  of  a  refped:able  family  at  Marden  in 
 Surrey^  and  will  alv/ays  be  a  far  nobler 
 ornament  to  their  place  and  name,  than  the 
 moft  finiihed  column  of  Grecian  fculpture. 
 
 To 
 
[     323     1 
 
 (s)  To  perpetuate  as  far  as  marble  and 
 
 love  can  do  it,  the  memory  of  ThoMas  Firminj 
 
 citizen  of  London, 
 
 None  ever  pciffed  the  feveral  periods  of  bu- 
 man  life  more  irreproachably,  or  performed  the 
 common  duties  offociety  with  greater  Jincerity 
 and  approbation,  T^ hough  it  appears,  by  his 
 public  fpirit,  that  he  thought  himfelf  born 
 rather  for  the  benefit  of  others,  than  his  own 
 private  advantage  *,  yet  the  fatisfa6iion  of 
 doing  goody  and  the  univerfal  efieem  of  honeft 
 men,  made  him  the  happiefi  perfon  in  the 
 world.  But  his  Charity,  which  was  720 1  con-- 
 fined  to  any  nation^  feB,  or  party,  is  moft 
 worthy  thy  imitation,  at  leaf  infome  degree^ 
 O  Reader.  He  was  as  liberal  of  his  own,  as 
 faithful  in  difiributing  the  pious  donations  of 
 others,  whom  he  fuccefsfully  perfuaded  to  re* 
 lieve  the  difirefied,  particularly  the  laborious 
 poor ;  for  of  vagrant,  idle,  or  infolent  beggers, 
 he  was  no  advocate  nor  e?icourager .  His  agree- 
 able temper  rendering  him  an  extraordi?iary 
 lover  of  gardens,  he  contrived  this  JValk^ 
 which  bears  his  name,  and  where  his  improv-- 
 
 Y  2  in.g 
 
 (0  «  Life  of  Mr.  Thorrm  Firmin,"  p*  86« 
 
[     324     } 
 
 ing  converfatioii  and  example  are  Jlill  remem- 
 bered. But  Jin  ce  Heaven  has  better  difpofed 
 of  him ^  this  Pillar  is  ereBed  to  Charity  and 
 Friendjlnp  by  Sir  Robert  Clayton  and  Martha 
 his  lady,  who  Jirji  builded  and  planted  in 
 Marden. 
 
 Mr.  Firmin  died  December  20,  1697,  m 
 the  66th  year  of  his  age.  (f)  As  he  had  often 
 fignified  his  defire  of  being  depolited  at  his 
 death  in  Chriji  Church  Hofpitaly  the  care  of 
 which  had  been  fo  much  upon  his  heart 
 while  living,  his  relations  interred  him  there 
 in  the  cloyflers  on  the  fouth  fide,  and  placed 
 in  the  wall  adjoining  a  marble  monument 
 with  an  Infcription,  which  is  now  through 
 length  of  time  and  negledl  become  hardly 
 legible.  Though  it  be  but  coarfely  drawn 
 by  an  ordinary  hand,  the  materials  of  it  are 
 fo  good,  and  the  fubjed:  of  it  fo  worthy  to 
 be  held  forth  to  all,  that  I  hope  the  Gover- 
 nors of  that  moil:  ufeful  charity  will  be 
 mindful  to  repair  and  reftore  it  5  that  it  may 
 excite  the  youth  of  the  place,  and  fome  cu- 
 rious pafienger  now  and  then,  to  the  like 
 eminent  virtue. 
 
 (/)  Ibid.  p.  89. 
 
 C  PI  A  p. 
 
[     3^5     ] 
 
 CHAPTER     VI. 
 
 Of  the  State  of  the  U?iitarian  DoBrine  and 
 Worfnipy  in  the  prefent  century. 
 
 SECTION     I. 
 
 Of  Mr.  Emlyn. 
 
 I  Have  always  reckoned  the  public  profe- 
 cution  of  that  learned  and  excellent  per- 
 fon,  our  countryman,  Mr.  Thomas  Emiyn, 
 for  maintaining  the  caufe  of  the  Divine  Uni^ 
 tyy  carried  on  by  the  Diilenters,  and  abetted 
 by  the  Bifliops  [a)  in  Ireland,  the  long  im- 
 
 prifonment 
 
 [a)  "  Several  Bifliops,  efpecially  the  Archbifhops  of 
 *'  Armagh  and  Dublin^  (Dr.  Narcijfus  Marjh^  and  Dr. 
 "  William  King)  were  not  wanting  to  give  all  the  en- 
 couragement they  could  to  the  profecutionj  and  the 
 
 Y  3  "  more 
 
 M 
 
[     326     ] 
 
 prifonment  and  hardfnips  which  he  endured 
 en  that  account,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
 prefent  century,  and  his  bold  and  well  fup- 
 ported  teftimony  to  that  great  truth,  by  his 
 valuable  publications  for  a  feries  of  years 
 afterwards  in  this  city,  to  which  he  retired 
 after  his  liberty  was  procured,  together  with 
 the  efteem  and  roverence  in  which  he  was 
 very  generally  held  ;    to  have   been   among 
 
 th^ 
 
 *f  more  to  animate  the  proceedings,  came  themfelves  to 
 ^'  the  tjial,  as  if  the  caufe  of  the  church  (fo  oft  made  a 
 *5  ftalking-horfe  to  deceive  the  vulgar)  vi^as  at  flake.  To 
 ."  this  appearance  of  the  Bifhops,  I,  in  a  good  meafure, 
 *'  impute  the  arbitrary  and  illegal  behaviour  of  the  Lord 
 *'  Chief  Juftice  Pine^  who,  by  fome  letters  I  have  feen, 
 *'  vi^as  a  man  inclined  to  moderation,  and  fo  profeiTed 
 *'  himfelf,  v/hen  among  his  friends  on  this  fide  the  water ; 
 ^'  but  he  perceived  he  was  doing  what  was  acceptable  to 
 "  the  governing  ecclefiaftics ;  and  that,  probably,  induced 
 **  him  to  break  through  the  bounds  of  law  and  juftice,  to 
 *'  gratify  thofe  fiery  zealots.  For  as  Sir  Richard  Levins 
 *'  told  our  author  before  the  trial ;  it  was  a  thing  refclved 
 **  on,  to  run  him  down  like  a  wolf^  vjithout  law  or  game ; 
 "  and  this  too  plainly  appeared  by  what  followed,  in  that 
 ^'  they  did  not  obferve  the  rules  of  natural  juftice  required 
 5'  in  all  courts  and  proceedings,  nor  the  rules  of  evidence 
 5f  as  to  thp  fa£l:,  nor  the  rules  of  law  as  to  the  adjudica- 
 ^5  tion  of  the  crime,  nor  legal  meafures  in  the  fentence." 
 «  Memoirs  of  the  Life  of  Mr.  Thomas  Emlyn^  by 
 *f  his  fon  ^ollom  Eml;^n^  Efqj  p.  xxviii." 
 
[     327     ] 
 
 tiie  things  that  made  an  opening  for  and 
 greatly  contributed  to  that  ligV  and  freedom 
 in  this  refped:,  which  we  now  enjoy. 
 
 The  great  notoriety  of  that  unjufl  and 
 illegal  tranfadion,  and  the  heavy  fentence 
 that  was  pafTed  upon  him,  how  much  it 
 was  diiliked  by  good  men  here,  and  excited 
 them  to  plead  againil:  fuperflition,  and  for  a 
 free  toleration,  appears  from  a  part  of  that 
 juftly  admired  '*  Dedication  to  Pope  Cle- 
 ment XI."  prefixed  to  Sir  Richard  Steele's 
 *^  Account  of  the  State  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
 lic Religion  throughout  the  World,''  which 
 was  written  by  Dodor  afterwards  Bifhop 
 Hoadly,  but  not  thought  proper  or  prudent 
 at  the  time  to  have  publiflied  in  his  own 
 name.    It  was  firft  printed  in  the  year  171 5. 
 
 **  Sometimes /^V of  the  Eftabliihed  Church 
 (fays  he)  can  manage  2.proJeciition  (for  I  m^uft 
 not  call  it  a  perfeciitmi)  ourfelves,  without 
 calling  in  any  other  hejp.  But  I  muft  do 
 the  Dijjhiting  Protejlants  the  juftice  to  fay, 
 that  they  have  ihewn  themfelves,  upon  occa- 
 fion,  very  ready  to  aflift  us  in  fo  pious  and 
 chriftian  a  v/crk,  as  bringing  hereticks  to 
 jtheir  right  mind  :  being  themfelves  but  very 
 lately  come  from  experiencing  the  convin- 
 
 Y  4  cing 
 
[     328     J 
 
 ping  and  enlightening  faculty  of  a  dungeon, 
 or  a  fine.  The  difference  between  thefe  two 
 forts  of  perfons,  is  this.  The  one  differ 
 from  us  about  ceremonies  of  worfbip,  and 
 government ;  but  they  boggle  not  at  all  at 
 the  dodrine  fettled  for  us  by  our  firft  Re- 
 formers :  it  is  all  with  them  right  and  good, 
 juft  as  Chriil  left  it  at  firft  j  and  Calvin 
 found  it,  about  fifteen  hundred  years  after- 
 wards. The  others,  unhappy  men,  look 
 ppon  this  to  be  ftraining  at  a  gnat,  and  fwal- 
 lowiqg  a  camel.  However,  the  former  fort 
 having  a  toleration  for  their  own  way  upon 
 fubfcribing  all  our  dodlrines,  can  the  more 
 eafily  come  to  perfuade  themfelves,  that  the 
 chriftian  world  is  unhinged,  if  the  latter 
 fliould  be  tolerated  in  their  oppofition  to 
 dodlrines  which  have  been  called  fundajuentalsy 
 even  by  proteflants,  for  fo  many  years." 
 
 "  This  hath  been  experienced  particularly 
 in  Ireland y  by  {b)  One,  who  could  not  fee 
 exaftly  what  they  faw,  about  the  nature  of 
 Chrifl  before  his  appearance  in  this  world. 
 For,  as  with  you,  a  man  had  better  blafpheme 
 Almighty  God,  than  not  magnify  the  Bleffed 
 
 Virgin ; 
 
 (/')  The  Rev.  Mr.  Emlyn,     See  his  Tradls. 
 
[     329     ] 
 
 Virgin  ;  fo,  with  many  of  us,  //  is  much 
 more  innocent  and  lefs  hazardous  to  take  from 
 the  glory  of  the  Father^  than  of  his  Son, 
 Nay,  to  bluing  down  the  Father  to  a  level 
 with  his  own  Son,  is  a  commendable  work ; 
 and  the  applauded  labour  of  many  learned 
 men  of  leifure.  But,  to  place  the  Son  below 
 his  own  Father,  in  any  degree  of  real  perfec- 
 tion, this  is  an  unpardonable  error ;  fo  un- 
 pardonable, that  all  hands  were  united  againft 
 that  unhappy  man.  And  he  found  at  length 
 that  he  had  much  better  have  violated  all  God's 
 cojn?nandmentSy  than  have  interpreted  fome 
 pafages  cf  Scripture  differ oitly  from  his  bre- 
 thren. The  Nonconformijis  accufed  him  ; 
 the  Conformijis  condemned  him  ;  the  Secular 
 power  was  called  in ;  and  the  caufe  ended  in 
 an  imprifonment,  and  a  very  great  fine  :  two 
 methods  of  conviflion,  about  v/hich  the 
 gofpel  is  filent."  [c) 
 
 About  four  years  after  this  publication  of 
 Dr.  Hoadly's,  and  not  more  than  fifteen 
 from  Mr.  Emlyn's  releafement  out  of  prifon, 
 in  "  A  Narrative  of  the  Proceedings  ap-ainft 
 him,"  drawn  up  by  himfelf  in  a  true  chriftian 
 
 fpirit, 
 
 {c)  Bp,  Hoadly's  Work?.  Vol.  I,  p.  537. 
 3 
 
f   330   ] 
 
 fplrit,  one  has  great  fatisfacllon  in  feeing 
 him  quite  revived  v/ith  the  profped;  of  hav- 
 ing been  of  feme  fervice  to  the  caufe  of  the 
 One  true  God  and  Father  of  all,  by  his  fuf- 
 ferings  for  it.  With  what  he  fays  there  on 
 the  fubjed:,  which  falls  fo  exadly  within 
 my  own  defign,  I  fliail  conclude  his  article; 
 recommending  it  as  a  fample  of  his  fpirit  and 
 temper ;  and  leaving  the  reader  for  the  reft, 
 to  his  works ;  which,  now  that  the  turn  is 
 more  among  us  for  thefe  important  fubjeds, 
 than  has  been  for  the  laft  forty  years,  will 
 foon  become  fcarce,  as  they  are  in  themfelves 
 invaluable. 
 
 **  It  is  a  further  ground  of  rejoicing,  to 
 fee  the  light  of  important  truth  breaking 
 forth  in  many  other  parts,  and  fpreading 
 abroad  its  beautiful  ray  •  that  God  has  raifed 
 up  divers  others,  bold  enough  to  profefs  it, 
 and  able  enough,  with  his  affiftance,  to  de^- 
 fend  it ;  I  mean  with  weapons  of  a  fpiritual 
 warfare,  again  ft  thofe  whofe  great  confidence 
 and  dexterity  are  in  thofe  which  are  carnal. 
 And  though  it  has  been  my  great  gravafjien 
 and  mifery  to  be  laid  by  in  filence ;  fo  that 
 I  have  been  fometimes  ready  to  lament  my~ 
 felf  as  an  unprofitable  fervant^  turned  out  of  ♦ 
 
 his 
 
[     331     ] 
 
 his  mafter^s  fervice  :  yet  if  I  have  contributed 
 any  thing  to  retrieve  the  injured  honour  of 
 the  peerlefs  majefty  of  the  One  God  and 
 Father  of  our  Lord  Jefus  ;  v/hom  to  be  like 
 to,  v^as  the  great  glory  of  our  Lord  Jefus ; 
 .and  if  the  things  which  have  happened  to 
 me,  have  fallen  out  rather  to  the  the  furthe- 
 rance of  the  gofpel,  I  iliall  net  think  myfelf 
 to  have  been  wholly  ufelefs.  For  though  I 
 fhall  ever  prefer  the  intereft  of  ferious  piety, 
 charity,  and  prad:ical  holinefs,  to  any  barren 
 fpeculations  :  and  had  rather  a  man  fliould 
 love  our  Lord  Jefus  in  fincerity,  than  barely 
 think  of  him  juft  as  I  do  :  yet  if  I  have  alfo 
 ferved  the  caufe  of  his  truth,  it  may  be  'tis 
 beyond  what  I  could  have  done,  by  teaching 
 men  only  what  others  would  have  taught 
 them ;  becaufe  there  will  never  be  men 
 wanting  to  take  that  office,  while  fewer  will 
 take  the  part  I  have  borne,  to  the  hazard  of  all 
 that  the  world  counts  dear  and  pleafant.  How- 
 ever, as  matters  were,  I  had  no  room  for  an 
 innocent  choice,  nor  any  other  part  but  this 
 left  me;  being  judged  unworthy,  and  made 
 incapable,  of  all  the  reft.  Yet  during  my 
 confinement  in  the  Marfjalfea,  as  I  fuffered 
 on  account   of  relidon^  fo   I  continued  to 
 
 preach 
 
[     332     ] 
 
 preach  there.      I  had  hired  a  pretty  large 
 
 room  to  myfelf,  whither  on  the  Lord's  days 
 
 reforted    fome  of   the    imprifoned  Debtors  \ 
 
 and  from  without  doors  came  feveral  of  the 
 
 lower  fort  of  my  former  people  and  ufual 
 
 hearers,  w^ho  would  not  wholly  forfake  me, 
 
 nor  refufe  to  worfhip  God  with  me :  which 
 
 v/as  a  great  pleafure  in  my  condition.     And 
 
 if,  in  the  whole,  I  may  but  approve  myfelf 
 
 to  my  gvczt Judge,  and  giver  of  the  prize; 
 
 I  am  not  anxious  about  the  applaufe  or  cen- 
 
 fures  of  the  fpeftators,  v/ho  ihall  be  judged 
 
 alfo."  {d) 
 
 1" horn  as  Emlyn, 
 Iuondo72,    Sept.   171 8. 
 
 SECTION     II. 
 
 Of  Mr.  William  Whijlon. 
 
 F  T  E  R  Mr.  Emlyn,  came  forth  in  aid 
 of  the  fame  great  caufe,  a  fellow-^ 
 fufferer  alfo  for  it,  and  of  the  like  fearlefs 
 integrity,  the  learned  and  pious  Mr.  Whifton. 
 
 Deprived 
 
 [d)   ''  A   Narrative  of  the  Proceedings  aj^ainft   Mr. 
 «  Emiyn.     P.  43,  44." 
 
1     333     ] 
 
 Deprived  of  his  Mathematic   ProfefTorfhlp, 
 and  expelled  from  the   Univerfity  of  Cam- 
 bridge, for  maintaining  the  dodtrine  of  the 
 Divine  Vnity^  he  was  not   deterred  by  his 
 fufferings,  nor  the  difficulties   to  which  he 
 was  reduced  in  providing  for  himfelf  and  a 
 family  ;  but,  for  full  fifty  years  afterwards, 
 went  on  to  the  end  of  a  very  long  life,  hold- 
 ing forth  and  calling  upon  chriilians  every 
 where  to  attend  and  know,  that  there  was 
 no  other  God  but  one,  who  was  the  Father  of 
 Chriji  and  of  all  other  creatures',  witneffing 
 this  great  Truth,  in  all  companies,  in  feafon 
 and  out  of  feafon,  in  the  moft  familiar  man- 
 ner; by  his  writings,  by  his  converfatlon, 
 by  his  reproofs  (where  he  believed  them  ne- 
 celTary)  of  m.any  in  high  rank  in  the  ilate, 
 jis  well  as  of  Ecclefiaftics  of  all  degrees.     So 
 that  to  his  efforts,  together  with  Dr.  Clarke's 
 writings,  may  be  attributed  the   prevalence 
 for  a  long  time  of  what  is  commonly  called 
 the  Arian  doftrine  concerning  Chrift,  both 
 with  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the   eftabliflied 
 church,  and  among  thofe  who  difient  from 
 it;  till  within  fome  few  years  pail,  when 
 what  is  called  Socinianifra,  has  been  fenlibly 
 gaining  ground, 
 
 I  have 
 
[     334     ] 
 
 I  have  formerly  fpoken  particularly  of  thi5 
 excellent  man,  and  fliall  have  occafion  to 
 name  him  again.  One  thing  I  cannot  help 
 adding  here;  that  his  genuine  piety,  firm 
 and  unfhaken  trull:  in  divine  providence,  and 
 the  happy  chearfulnefs  of  his  fpirit,  could 
 not  fail  of  recommending  both  him  and  his 
 doftrine;  of  which  we  meet  v/ith  many 
 pleafing  fpecimens,  in  the  Memoirs  of  him-* 
 felf,  written  when  he  was  fourfcore  years 
 old.  (/) 
 
 S  E  C  T  I  O  N     III. 
 
 Of  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke* 
 
 ALTHOUGH  I  have  frequently  had 
 occaiion  to  fpeak  of  this  memorable 
 and  valuable  perfon,  his  charadter  and  fenti- 
 ments ;  this  will  be  a  proper  place  to  en- 
 large fomev/hat  more  upon  the  fubjedl. 
 
 Froni 
 
 (y)  In  one  place,  enumerating  the  kindneiTes  and  be- 
 nefactions of  feveral  of  his  friends,  together  with  fomc 
 other  means  by  which  he  was  fupported,  with  what  rnno- 
 cent  fimplicity  and  pleafantry  does  he  conclude  \  "  Thefe, 
 
 "  with 
 
[     335     1 
 
 From  having  adopted  a  great  part  of  Dr. 
 Clarke's  Amendments  of  the  Liturgy  of  the 
 church  of  England,  in  the  Reformed  Liturgy 
 in  ufe  at  the  chapel  in  Effex-Street,  and  from 
 thofe  juft  commendations  which  will  ever 
 be  due  to  him  frorn  all  lovers  of  truth  and 
 good  learning,  and  which  I  have  never  been 
 backward  to  pay  to  him,  I  have  been  fome- 
 times  called  upon  by  anonymous  letters,  and 
 in  other  ways,  to  account  for  my  deviation 
 from  his  fentiments  upon  fome  other  parts 
 of  the  chriftian  dodtrine. 
 
 But  furely  the  approbation  of  the  Dodtor's 
 improvem.ents  of  the  Church's  liturgy,  in 
 the  article  of  woriliip,  by  his  confining  it  to 
 the  fmgle  Perfon  of  the  Father  only,  did  not 
 involve  in  it  an  affent  to  his  peculiar  opinion 
 concerning  Chrift ;  which  was  that  for 
 which  the  writer  has  been  principally  blamed. 
 Sincere  chriftians,  equally  Unitarians,  may 
 fee  caufe  to  diffent  from  each  other  about 
 the  date  of  Chrifl's  exiftence ;  whether,  for 
 
 inftance, 
 
 "  v/Ith  EcUpfes^  Comets^  Lectures  of  feveral  forts  In  Lon- 
 "  don  and  elfewhere,  have  made  me  up  fuch  a  compe- 
 "  tency  as  has  greatly  contented  me,  and  enabled  me  to 
 **  go  on  all  along  comfortably  in  my  ftudies.** 
 
 "  Memoirs  of  the  Life  of  Mr,  Wh'ifioru  p.  34,65  347.'' 
 
L    336    ] 
 
 inilance,  he  received  his  being  from  God 
 before  the  world  was  made,  or  whether  it 
 commenced  only  1783  years  ago;  and  may 
 neverthelefs  unite  in  the  fame  forms  of 
 worfhip. 
 
 Since,  however,  this  very  learned  man  was 
 led  to  entertain  undue  prejudices,  as  it  ap- 
 pears to  me,  againfl  thofe  who  are  of  this 
 latter  fentiment,  and  has  oftentimes  expreffed 
 himfelf  haftily  and  peremptorily,  and  in 
 too  general  terms,  in  condemnation  of  them  ; 
 which,  from  his  high  and  deferved  reputa- 
 tion, has  had  vafl  influence  (^)  upon  many 
 perfons,  and  kept  them  from  impartially  ex- 
 amining into  the  matter  for  themfelves  :  I 
 {hall  endeavour  to  point  out  what  in  his 
 affertions  concerning  it,  is  not  fo  well 
 founded ;  not  in  the  fpirit  of  cavilling, 
 from  which  I  v/ould  be  far  removed,  or 
 with  a  view  to  enter  into  controverfy,  but 
 as  a  feeker  of  truth,    and  for  the   love  of 
 
 it. 
 
 [g)  "  Had  not  the  late  Dr.  Clarke^  by  his  great  judg- 
 "  ment  in  other  things,  given  a  fort  of  fan6tion  to  the 
 ''  Ar'ian  hypothefis,  and,  in  the  opinion  of  many^  almolt 
 "  precluded  all  (farther)  examination  of  the  Scriptures  ^ 
 *'  this  great  controverfy* had  been  long  ago  determined 
 *'  in  favour  of  the  humanity  of  Chrift." 
 
 «*  A  Cordial  for  Low  Spirits.  Vol.  L  Pref.  p.  xvi/' 
 
[     337     1 
 
 it.      And    I   hold    it    the    more    becoming 
 me    to    undertake   this   taflc   here ;    becaufe 
 many  perfons,    by    embracing    fuch    high, 
 andj    as    they    appear    to   me,     unfcripturai 
 lentiments    concerning    Chrift's   prior   ftate 
 and  dignity,  are  drawn  aiide  from  the  pure 
 worfliip  and  adoration  of  the  Father  only.  For 
 although  So  emus  himfelf,notwithfl;anding  his 
 lower  opinion  of  Chrift,  pleaded  moft  vehe- 
 mently for  theworfhipof  him;  and  although  I 
 know  on  the  other  hand  fome  excellent  per-* 
 fons,  that  are  Arians^  who  would  think  it 
 linful  in  them  to  pray  to   Chrift,  or  to  any 
 perfon,  but  God:  Yet  the  latter,  who  main- 
 tain that  Chrift  was  the  fubordinate  Creator 
 of  all  things,  andalfo  look  upon  him  to  have 
 been    the    reprefentative  of  God  all  along 
 from   the  beginning,   in  the  O.  T.  (whilil 
 the  true    God  difappeared,)     who  gave  the 
 law,    co7idu5ied    the    Ifraelites,    &c.    which 
 was    the    fentiment    of  Dr.    Clarke  :    fuch 
 perfons    will    be    m.ore    likely    to    worfliip 
 a  creature  fo  aftonifhingly  great,  if  it  was 
 poffible  that  any  fuch   could  be,  than  thofe 
 who  confider  him  only  as  a  human  being, 
 but  lately  called  into  exiftence. 
 
 Of 
 
i  33S  ] 
 
 Of  Dr,  Clarke'j-  ?nethod  of  arguing  againji 
 the  Socinians,  and  for  the  preexijience  of 
 Chrift. 
 
 What  feems  to  have  prevented  this  judi- 
 cious writer  from  {e)  weighing  the  arguments 
 for  the  proper  humanity  of  Chrift,  with  his 
 ufual  impartiahty,  was  the  ftrong  perfuaiion 
 w^hich  he  had  early  imbibed,  concerning  the 
 preface  of  St.  Johns  gofpel ;  that  the  Wordy 
 or  Logos,  there  fpoken  of,  was  none  other 
 
 than 
 
 [e)  A  very  nngirlar  notion^  which  he  had  taken  up,- 
 concerning  Chrift's  origin,  feems  ahb  to  have  thrown  a 
 mift  over  his  eyes  in  this  refpecl.  For  he  maintained, 
 that  he  was  770i  a  creature  like  all  the  reji  of  the  creature f 
 cf  God^  but  fomething  as  it  were  between  God  and  the 
 creature :  in  which  he  was  followed  by  the  learned  Mr, 
 yames  Pelrcey  whofe  fufferir\gs  in  the  caufe  of  the  Onc^ 
 true  God,  the  Father,  threefcore  years  ago,  under  the 
 Weftern  Inquifition,  as  he  calls  it,  at  Exeter^  are  well 
 k-nown.  In  paffing  cenfure  on  the  peculiar  metaphyfiC 
 opinion  of  Dr.  Clarke^  on  which  this  ftrange  notion  was^ 
 grounded,  t;/z.  ''  that  any  creature  whatfoever  might  pcf- 
 Jtbly  have  been  coeternal  with  it's  Creaior^^  Mr.  Whiftoii 
 fays ;  "  See  the  .amazing  fubtlety  of  a  great  Metaphy- 
 ''  frcian,  and  contradi6fory  to  his  ov/n  natural  notion, 
 *'  cxprelTed  in  the  eighth  Sermon  of  his  iirfi:  volumc,- 
 *'  p.  173;  where  the  Dodtor  juftly  affirms,  that  He  why 
 ^'  niacle  all  things^  could  not  but  be  before  the  things  that  ht 
 "  made*'" Hifiorical  Mem.  of  Dr.  Chrke,  p<  55. 
 
[     339     ] 
 
 than  Chrift  himfelf,  who  before  he  was  born 
 of  his  mother  Mary,  had  exifted  from  the 
 beginning,  and  been  the  inftrument  of  God 
 in  the  creation  of  the  world. 
 
 Indeed  he  fo  far  overcame  the  prejudices 
 of  his  education,  as  to  rejed:  the  commonly 
 received  interpretation  of  the  phrafe,  T^he 
 word  was  God ;  which  fuppofes,  that  the 
 wordy  or  Logos,  meaning  Chrijl  thereby, 
 was  *'  Another  felf-exijlenty  underived,  inde^ 
 pendent  Perfo?2y  co-ordinate  in  eJJ'ential fu- 
 preme  authority  and  dominion^  with  the 
 Father  Ahnighty,  For  this,  fays  he,  [h) 
 whatever  metaphyjical  union  may  be  ima- 
 gined of  'Two  fuch  co-ordinate  Perfons, 
 will  always  and  neceflarily,  in  tht  religious 
 and  moral  fenfe,  be  real  Polytheifm ;  fub- 
 verting  that  jSrft  and  great  foundation  of 
 all  Religion,  both  natural  and  revealed, 
 the  monarchical  unity  of  the  Great  King 
 Z  2  ''  and 
 
 (h)  Dr.  Clarke  might  well  give  offence  to  thofe  who 
 did  not  love  a  free  and  impartial  fearch  after  trutli,  which 
 he  fo  laudably  exercifed  :  and  the  more,  as  his  writings 
 tended  to  evince  that  the  acknowleging  Chrift  to  be  God 
 equal  to  the  Father,  was,  as  he  exprefTes  it,  real  Poly* 
 iheifm,  dire£lly  contrary  to  the  firfi  and  great  command* 
 ment^  delivered  by  Mofes  and  confirmed  by  Chrift  him- 
 felf. 
 
<< 
 
 and  God  of  the  univerfe;  and  diredtly 
 contrary  to  that  ^r/l  and  great  command^ 
 ?nent  in  Both  Teftaments^  (Deut  vi.  4; 
 and  Mark  xii.  29.)  Hear,  O  Ifrael !  the 
 Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord,  &c,"  Dr. 
 Clarke,  however,  never  could  recede  fo  far 
 from  the  perfuafion  he  had  firft  taken  up,  as 
 to  fee  that  it  is  not  Chrift,  but  God  himfelf, 
 whom  St.  John  here  defcribes. 
 
 The  opinion  which  he  very  early  fell 
 into  and  maintained  to  the  laft,  and  which 
 gave  great  offence  to .  many,  (/)  vv^as  that 
 which  reduced  Chrift  to  the  ftate  of  a  de- 
 pendent being,  deriving  his  exiftence  and  all 
 his  attributes  from  the  Father,  as  from  the 
 fupreme  caufe.  So  that  he  interpreted  that 
 declaration  of  the  evangel ift,  The  word  was 
 God ;  not  as  implying,  that  Chrift  was  God 
 in  the  higheft  fenfe,  but  a  God,  a  Divine 
 Perfon,  fubordinate  to  the  Father,  and  re- 
 ceiving his  being  and  every  thing  from  Him  5 
 and  alfo  that  **  the  words  {k)  sv  u^x'^  tjv  0  Xoyog, 
 **  m  the  begmning  was  the  word y  and,  0  Xoyo^ 
 '*  crot^^  syevsjo,  the  Word  was  made  jlejlo ; 
 *^  mean,  that  the  fame  Perfon ^  who  in  the 
 
 *^  fuhiefs 
 
 \i)  C7<7ri^*s  Scripture  Do6lrIne  of  the  Trinity,  p.  82. 
 \k)  Id.  Ibid.  p.  81. 
 
[     341     ] 
 
 ^  fiilnefs  of  time  was  made  man  and  dwelt 
 
 *  with  us,  did  before  dwell   with  God,  and 
 ^  afted  in  the  capacity  of  a  I)ivine  Perfon, 
 
 *  as  the  vifible  image  of  the  invifible  God, 
 '  by  whom   God  made  all  things y  and  by 
 
 *  whom  all  things   were  from  the  begin - 
 
 *  ning   tranfadted    between    God   and    the 
 
 *  creature/' 
 
 In  thus  fuppofing  Chrift  to  be  the  Wordy 
 or  Logos y  here  intended  by  St.  John  3  and 
 in  adopting  thence  the  opinion,  that  Chrift 
 was  before  the  creation,  and  affifted  in  it  as 
 God's  inftrument ;  Dr.  Clarke  did  not  con- 
 fider  enough  the  objections  which  layagainft 
 fuch  an  interpretation  :  nor  have  I  ever  i^tn 
 a  folution  of  them.  I  fhall  mention  only 
 two  of  them. 
 
 ObjeBions  to  Dr,  Clarke's  application  of  this 
 preface  of  St.  John's  gojpel,  to  Chrift,  as 
 being  a  great  preexiflent  Spirit y  by  whom 
 God  made  all  things, 
 
 Obj,  I .  It  is  remarkable  that  the  three 
 former  evangelifts  and  hiftorians  of  our  Lord's 
 life,  Matthewy  Mark,  and  Lukcy    and  the 
 
 Z  3  latter 
 
[     342     3 
 
 latter  of  them  in  the  fecond  part  of  his 
 hiftory,  called  the  ABs^  uniformly  defcribe 
 Chrift  as  a  human  creature,  and  nev^r 
 fpeak  of  him  as  being  of  a  diiferent  na- 
 ture from  other  men,  or  as  having  had 
 any  exiftence  before  he  was  born  of  Mary, 
 his  mother. 
 
 Such  an  invariable  agreement  and  harmony 
 in  this  refpeft,  can  in  no  other  way  be  ac- 
 counted for,  but  from  this ;  that  they  did 
 not  believe  him  any  other  than  a  human 
 being.  And  therefore  we  muft  conclude 
 that  the  meaning  of  this  paflage  of  St.  John 
 is  mifunderftood  by  Dr.  Clarke,  and  mif- 
 applied  to  Chriil,  who  had  no  fuch  prior 
 exiftence  in  another  ftate,  before  his  birth  at 
 Bethlehem. 
 
 For  we  cannot  fuppofe  that  the  apoftle 
 ,  "John  had  any  private  particular  revelation  of 
 a  thing  fo  extraordinary,  made  to  himfeh^, 
 which  was  r^ot  communicated  and  made 
 known  to  the  other  apoftles  and  evangelifts  i 
 as  it  would  make  them  to  have  been  moft 
 imperfedl  preachers  of  the  gofpel,  not  only 
 during  their  lives,  but  alfo  to  the  fuccefllve 
 generations  of  mankind  by  their  writings 
 after  their  death.     And  it   cannot  on   the 
 
 other 
 
r     343     ] 
 
 other  hand  be  imagined,  that  they  were  ac- 
 quainted with  fuch  an  extraordinary  circum- 
 Itance,  [o  niiich  to  the  honour  of  their  great 
 Majler 'y  viz.  that  he  had  exilled  before  all 
 ages,  and  was  the  fubordinate  creator  of  the 
 world  y  and  yet  never  once  to  divulge  it. 
 
 Obj,  2.  It  is  a  farther  infpperable  difti- 
 culty,  and  obftacle  to  Chrift  being  in  any 
 fhape  the  creator  of  all  things,  that  there  is 
 an  utter  filence  concerning  it  throughout 
 the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Teftament ;  Gody 
 Jehovah,  the  iingle  Perfon  fo  called,  being 
 conftantly  and  invariably  named,  as  the  fole 
 creator  of  all  things,  without  any  under- 
 agent,  deputy,  or  affiftant. 
 
 Exodus  XX.  2,  3.  ThatT?;?^/^' Being,  whp 
 fays,  I  am  the  Lord  (or  yehovah)  thy  God^ 
 which  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
 out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage :  Thou  jhalt 
 have  no  other  gods  before  me  ;  proceeds  to 
 fay,  ver.  11,  in  fix  days  the  Lord  (or 
 Jehovah)  made  heaven y  and  earthy  the  fea^ 
 and  all  that  in  them  is.  2  Kings  xix.  15. 
 O  Lord  (or  Jehovah)  God  of  hojisy  God  of 
 Ifraely  that  dwelleft  between  the  cherubifns  ! 
 Thou  art  the  God,  even  Thou  alone,  of  all 
 
 Z  4  th^ 
 
[     344     1 
 
 the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  ;  Thou    haft  made 
 heaijefi  and  earth. 
 
 In  the  New  Teftament,  Chrifl  Is  no  lefs 
 formally  and  exprefsly  excluded  from  having 
 any  part  or  fhare  in  the  creation  of  the 
 world. 
 
 Even  after  he  was  raifed  from  the  dead, 
 and  in  his  ftate  of  highefl:  exaltation,  his 
 apoflles,  in  a  folemn  addrefs  to  God,  ftile 
 him  the  servant  of  the  God  who  made  hea^ 
 ven  and  earth,  Ad:s  iv.  24.  30.  Ijord,  (or 
 Sovereign  Mafter)  'Thou  art  the  God,  who 
 hafl  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  fea, 
 and  all  that  in  them  is!— grant — that  figns 
 and  wonders  may  be  done  by  the  name  of 
 thy  holy  fervant  (for  fo  it  ought  to  be  tran- 
 flated,  and  not  thy  holy  child)  jefus.  See 
 i3i\(o  Rev,  iv.  10.  xiv.  7. 
 
 And  St.  Paul  tells  his  audience  at  Athens, 
 Adts  xvii.  24.  31.  that  God,  that  made  the 
 EWorld',  HE,  that  fingle  Perfon,  who  was 
 Lord  of  heaven  and  earth ',  hath  appointed  a 
 day  i?i  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in 
 right eoufnefs,  by  a  man  whom  he  hath  ordain- 
 ed: whereof  WY.  hath  given  a  fur  an  ce  unto  all 
 Vieriy  in  that  h  e  hath  raifed  him  from  the  dead. 
 
 In 
 
[     345     ] 
 
 In  the  efiimate  therefore  of  his  apoftles 
 the  bleffed  Tefus  had  no  exillence  before  he 
 was  born  into  this  world,  fo  far  from  having 
 any  thing  to  do  in  the  creation  of  it  :  but  he 
 was  a  man,  chofen  by  God,  the  fole  creator 
 and  governor  of  all  things,  and  deputed  to 
 hold  a  moil  important  office  under  him. 
 
 Hovv^  eafily  reconciled  and  confident  this 
 is  with  the  language  ufed  by  St.  Paul, 
 Colofl'.  i.  1 6.  fy  HIM  (i.  e.  Chrifl)  were  all 
 things  created ',  Heb.  i.  2.  hy  whom  alfo  he 
 (God)  made  the  worlds ,  Scc;  what  kind  of 
 creatiQJi  it  is,  that  is  meant  in  thcfe  latter 
 paffages,  has  been  elfewhere  explained  (/). 
 
 AFTER  having  thus  given  his  own  Inter- 
 pretation of  this  preface  of  St.  John's  gofpel, 
 that  the  Word,  the  Logos  fignified  Chrift  in 
 his  preexiftent  ftate,  to  which  there  are  thefe 
 and  other  infurmountable  objedions ;  Dr, 
 Clarke  proceeds  to  aflign  his  reafons  for  re- 
 jecfling  their  opinion,  who  take  it  not  to  be 
 fpoken  of  Chriil,  but  of  God  himfelf;  and 
 who  hold  him  to  be  there  defcribed  in  a 
 
 way 
 
 (/)  "  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology  on  refignlng  the  Vica- 
 rage of  Catterick.  p.  454  to  page  492." 
 
[     346     ] 
 
 way  to  which  the  Jews  were  accuflomed,  bv 
 one  of  his  attributes,  his  Wordy  or  his  Wis- 
 dom ;  for  fo  the  term  Logos,  may  properly 
 be  rendered.  I  fliall  produce  what  he 
 fays,  in  his  own  words,  with  fome  remarks 
 upon  it. 
 
 Dr.   Clarke,      *^  The  other  interpretation 
 
 *  is  of  thofe,  who  taking  the  Xoyogy  (the 
 '  Word,)  not  to  fignify  at  all  a  real  FerfoUy 
 
 *  render  the  words  thus :  hi  the  beginning 
 ^  ivas ^  Reason,  and  Reason  was  with 
 '  God,  and  Reason  was  God.  But  the 
 ^  fenfe  of  thefe  propolitions  amounts  to 
 '  nothing  more,  than  that  God  was  always 
 
 *  a  Rational  Being.'* 
 
 Remark.  In  one  place  of  this  work,  (;;^)  our 
 author  obferves,  that  '*  the  Jews  and  Jewifi 
 ^*  chrijlians 'perfonated  (perfonified)//6fc'/;2/^r- 
 **  nal  wifdo?n  oi  GoA ;  or  fpeak  of  \t  Jigura^ 
 *'  tively,  according  to  the  genius  of  their 
 **  language,  as  of  a  Per/on,''  And  would  it 
 not  have  been  better  for  him  to  have  attend- 
 ed more  to  the  genius  of  the  Hebrew  lan- 
 guage in  unravelling  the  apoftle's  meaning, 
 rather  than   follow   the  reveries  of   Plato\ 
 
 philo- 
 
 (?//)  "  The  ScflptureDoSVrine  of  the  Trinity,"  p.  285^, 
 
I     347     ] 
 
 philofop'hy,  brought  into  chrlflianlty  by 
 the  learned  heathen  converts  to  it,  by 
 making  the  term  Xoyog,  the  word,  fignify  a 
 real  diftind;  Perfon,  a  fecond  God  ?  If 
 alfo  he  had  more  confidered  the  acknowleg- 
 ed  reference  which  St.  John  here  makes 
 to  the  dv^fcription  of  Wifdomy  in  Proverbs 
 -viii.  and  had  he  tranflated  the  Evangelift's 
 words  more  agreeably  to  the  Scriptures  and 
 the  genius  of  our  language ;  In  the  begin^ 
 ning  was  Wifdoin,  and  JVifdom  was  with  God, 
 and  JVifdom  was  God;  taking  alfo  along  with 
 him  the  falfe  opinions  concerning  the  ori- 
 gin and  government  of  the  world  then  pre- 
 vailing :  The  Dodlor  would  then  have  feen, 
 that  it  was  not  an  idle  tautology,  which  the 
 apoftle  here  ufes,  ?nerely  declaring  that  God 
 was  a  rational  or  a  wife  Being ;  but  a  doc- 
 trine of  great  moment,  neceffary  to  be  held 
 forth  with  proper  folemnity  in  thofe  times, 
 when  many  chrijlians  were  falling  into  the 
 notion,  that  this  world  was  not  made  by 
 God  himfelf,  (fee  p.  234)  but  by  fome  infe- 
 rior, lefs  perfedl  principle;  and  that  it  was 
 of  importance  to  teach  them,  in  the  very  be- 
 ginning of  his  hiftory,  that  all  things  pro- 
 ceeded from  the  moft  perfefl:  wifdom  of  the 
 
 fole 
 
€C 
 
 I    348    ] 
 
 fole  Creator  and  fupreme  governor  of  all 
 things;  and  particularly  the  chriftian  difpen- 
 fation  of  which  he  was  about  to  treat. 
 
 Dr.  Clarke.  *'  Which  though  indeed  it 
 **  be  in  itfelf  a  certain  truth  ;  and,  as  to  the 
 manner  of  the  expreflions  it  might  per- 
 haps in  fome  fenfe  by  a  figurative  way  of 
 fpeaking  be  affirmed,  that  the  Reafi)n 
 {JVifdofii)  of  God  is  God*,  yet  this  is  no- 
 thing to  the  purpofe  of  what  St.  'John 
 *^  is  here  treating  of,  the  Incarnation  of 
 **  Chrifir 
 
 'Remark,  Here  this  worthy  perfon  (hews 
 what  faft  hold  the  prejudices  of  his  educa- 
 tion had  upon  him,  by  taking  it  as  a  point 
 certain,  that  the  delign  of  the  facred  hifto- 
 rian  is  to  treat  of  what  he  calls  by  that  harjfh, 
 however  cuftomary  phrafe,  the  Incarnation 
 of  Chrift.  If  the  interpretation,  which  he 
 difapproves,  fuited  thedefign  and  purpofe  of 
 the  apoftle,  in  fetting  forth  and  teaching  by 
 whofc  powder  and  wifdom  it  was  that  Chrift 
 fpoke  and  adted,  and  with  which  he  was  in- 
 verted, it  was  a  point  of  no  confequence, 
 that  it  did  not  fall  in  with  his  own  notion 
 of  Chrift  being  a  great  preexiftent  fpirit, 
 that  had  been  the  under  agent  in  the  crea- 
 tion. 
 
[     349     ] 
 
 tion,  entering  Into  a  human  body  and  ani- 
 mating it  for  upwards  of  thirty  years;  which 
 is  what  the  Dodlor  meant  by  th^  Incarnation 
 of  Chriji.' 
 
 Dr.  Cla7-ke,  *^  According  to  this  inter-* 
 ^^  pretation  therefore,  all  thofe  declarations 
 *'  of  Scripture,  wherein  'tis  affirmed,  that 
 *.^  the  "word  was  iitade  fiefh^  and  dwelt  among 
 **  uSy  Joh.  i.  14.  that  Chrift  came  forth 
 **  from  the  Father^  Joh.  xvi.  28.  that  he 
 *^  came  down  from  heaven^  Joh.  iii.  13.  that 
 **  he  [n)  ca?ne  down  fro?n  heaven,  not  to  do 
 
 ''  his 
 
 (^n)  Came  down  from  heaven.'\  Socinus,  and  fome  of 
 his  followers  had  a  ftrange  fancy  of  Chrift  having  been 
 at  fome  unknown  time  of  his  life,  taken  up  perfonally 
 into  heaven,  and  fent  down  again  to  the  earth,  which 
 was  the  way  in  which  they  folved  thofe  expreffions  con- 
 cerning him,  Joh.  iii.  13.  that  he  came  down  from 
 heaven,  &c.  Upon  this  Dr.  Clarke  remarks  {^Script ^ 
 DoSfr.  p.  99.)  "  Nothing  can  be  more  harfh  than 
 '^  than  the  Soclnians^  interpretation  of  this  pafiage :  who 
 "  feio;n  that  Chrift  was  taken  ud  into  heaven,  as  Mofes 
 *'  of  old  into  the  mount,  to  receive  inftrtidtions;  and 
 *'  then  came  down  again  to  preach.  Whereas  the  plain 
 "  meaning  is,  that  he  was  in  the  beginning  with  Gody  be- 
 *'  fore  he  was  made  flejh  and  came  Into  the  world,^'  But 
 Dr.  Clarke  fhouid  have  recolle61:ed,  that  others  had  given 
 an  interpretation  of  this  phfafe  more  confiftent  with  the 
 
 Scriptures  J 
 
I   350   J 
 
 '*  i5/f  own  will'y  but  the  will  of  him  that  fenf 
 **  himy  Joh.  vi.  3.8.  that  he  {0)  took  part  of 
 *'  fejh  and  blood,  Heb.  il,  14.  that  having  (/>) 
 
 ^'  been 
 
 Scriptures;  and  it  has  been  above  (p.  60)  fhewn,  that- 
 all  that  Chrift  here  intended  by  his  coming  down  fro?n  hea^ 
 lien^  was  his  having  a  divine  comniinion  or  authority. 
 
 The  true  interpretation  of  thefe  and  the  like  phrafes 
 will  be  readily  and  univerfally  feen  and  acknowlcged, 
 whenever  the  time  comes,  that  chrillians  fliall  ftudy  the 
 Scripture  v/ith  impartiality,  and  make  it  its  own  inter- 
 preter. To  give  an  inftance  akin  to  that  before  us.  When 
 our  Lord  fays^  Matth.  xi.  23.  of  a  city  of  Galilee,  that 
 it  was  exalted  into  heaven^  he  means  the  advantages  and 
 opportunities  which  it  enjoyed  by  his  abode  in  it,  and  the 
 extraordinary  communications  frem  God  which  they  were 
 favoured  with  by  his  means.  This  interpretation  is  given 
 by  Dr.  Whith)\  at  a  time  when  he  was  a  believer  of  the 
 doctrine  of  the  trinity,  v/hich  he  afterwards  publicly  re- 
 trailed.  "  And  thou^  Capernaum^  which  art  exalted  into 
 "  heaven-l  i.  e.  advanced  highly  above  others,  by  my 
 ^*  prefencc  with  thee,  and  my  miracles  wrought  hi  thee." 
 TP^hitby  in  loc. 
 
 (0)  He  took  part  of  fiejh  and  blood.  ]  This  pafTage  fhould 
 be  tranflated  ;  Forafmuch  then  as  the  children  are  partakers 
 of  flelh  and  blood  \  he  aljo  himfelf  in  like  manner  was  a  par- 
 taker of  the  fame;  i.  e.  Chrift  was  a  mortal  man^  like  all 
 others — directly  contrary  to  the  purpofe  for  which  the 
 Do6lor  quotes  this  latter  claufe  of  the  fentence. 
 
 (j^)  The  apoftle's  words,  sv  ^f.oq<pn  ^«tf  vTrot^^uv,  may  at 
 leaft  full  as  properly  be  tranflated,  not,  having  keen^  as  re- 
 ferring 
 
[     35^     ] 
 
 *^  been  in  the  form  of  God,  he  did  {zzivc^(r^v 
 '*  txuTcv)  e?npty  himfelf  of  that  form,  and 
 **  was  made  in  the  likenefs  of  men^  and 
 *'  found  in  fajhion  as  a  many  Phil.  ii.  6,  7, 
 '*  8.  All  thefe  expreffions,  I  fay,  (accord- 
 *'  ing  to  that  laft  interpretation  of  the  words, 
 ^^'Oasc  yivoXoyoq^^  will  in  reality  mc^n  no- 
 ''*  thinn-  more,  than  that  the  wifdom  of  the 
 **  Father  dwelt  in  the  man  Chriji  Jefus -, 
 *'  that  is,  that  Chrift  was  only,  in  a  more 
 ^'  perfeB  and  continued  n\2.r\nQv  than  other 
 *'  prophets,  znififpiredM.A'^.  Than  which 
 ^'  interpretation  nothing  can  be  more  forced 
 
 ''  and 
 
 ferring  to  what  Chrift  had  been  m  a  prior  ftate;  but,  h^^ 
 ing  in  the  for?n  of  God:  a  form^  in  which  he  appeared 
 upon  earth ;  and  which  evidently  confijled  in  the  godlike  ml- 
 racidous  pozver  with  which  he  was  invefted.  Of  xhis  form 
 of  God,  he  emptied  himfelf,  i.  e.  laid  it  afide,  never  ufed 
 thefe  divine  pozuers^  for  his  own  private  gratification  or 
 even  neceffary  fupport,  to  procure  honour  to  himfelf;  but 
 liVed  ail  ordinary  man,  dependent  on  the  bounty  of  others ; 
 and  at  laft  voluntarily  fubmitted  to  the  moft  ignominious 
 and  torturing  death,  when  he  had  pov/er  to  have  avoided 
 it.  N.  B.  Such  an  example  of  humility,  in  devoting 
 himfelf  to  toils  and  fufFerings  and  death,  to  bring  us  to 
 virtue  and  eternal  life,  Is  more  fuited  to  us  men,  than  the 
 like  condefcenfion  and  fuffe^ings  of  a  great  preexiftent 
 Being,  the  fubordinate  creator  of  the  world,  fuch  as  Dr. 
 Clarke  fuppofes  Chrift  to  have  been. 
 
[     352     i 
 
 *^  and  iinnafuraL  'Tis  reducing  the  whole 
 *^  dodlrine  of  the  hiimiliafion  and  incarna- 
 **  tioji  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  a  mere  empty 
 ^^  Jigv^^^  of  fpeech;  and  under  the  appear^ 
 *^  ance  of  fpeaking  of  Chrijl  as  the  fnpreme 
 **  G(?^,  making  him  r^^///  nothing  but  a 
 *^  /??^r^  man,'' 
 
 Remark.  If  after  fo  magnificent  a  defcription 
 (in  the  Hebrew  idiom)  of  the  divine  wifdom, 
 as  the  fole. efficient  caufe  and  author  of  every 
 thing  in  the  natural  and  moral  world,  theapof-^ 
 tie  concludes  this  introdu6lion  to  his  hiftory, 
 with  faying,  that  this  JVordox  Wifdom  was  made 
 or  became  j?i?/S,  a  mortal  man;  i.  e.  dwelt 
 in  the  man  Chrift  Jefas :  it  is  not  on  that 
 account  to  be  quarrelled  with,  however  much 
 it  may  fall  iliort  of  men's  preconceived  ideas 
 concerning  Chrift.  The  only  point  to  be 
 regarded  is,  whether  it  be  a  juft  interpreta- 
 tion, and  the  apoftle's  m.eaning. 
 
 Nor  can  it  be  called  in  itfelf  a  difparaging 
 reorefentation.     What  can  be  more  honour-^ 
 
 i 
 
 able  to  any  creature,  than  to  have  the  Wif- 
 dom of  the  Father  of  the  univerfe  be  (lowed 
 upon  him,  for  the  accompliihment  of  the 
 nobleft  and  moil  excel^^nt  purpofe-  for  pro- 
 moting the  virtue  and  happinefs  of  the  whole 
 
 human*  ' 
 
[     353     ] 
 
 human  race?  And  what  more  can  be  de- 
 fired  In  a  heavenly  teacher  and  guide  ?  With 
 fuch  divine  endou^ments  he  is  every  thing  to 
 us,   that  we  can  want  or  defire.  [q) 
 
 A  vin" 
 
 {q)  Dr.  Clarke  indeed  will  have  it,  ("  Script.  Doc^r, 
 of  the  Trinity,  p.  121.)  "  that  it  was  the  unanimous  opi- 
 "  nion  all  antiquity,  that  the  Angel  who  {aid,  Exod.  iii. 
 "  6.  I  a ?n  the  God  of  thy  Father^  the  God  of  Abraham^  the 
 "  God  of  Ifaac^  and  the  God  of  yfdcob ;  was  Chrift :  that 
 "  he  was  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant,  Mai.  iii.  i.  Sec.  &c." 
 In  another  place  he  fays,  p.  109.  "  It  is  the  conftant  doc- 
 *'  trine  of  all  the  primitive  writers  of  the  church,  that 
 "  every  appearance  of  God  the  Father  in  the  Old  Tefta- 
 "  ment,  was  Chrift  appearing  in  the  name  or  Perfon  of 
 "  ^e  Father,  &c." 
 
 But  this  unanimous  opinion  of  antiquity  is  really  nothing 
 but  the  fanciful  comment  of  one  man,  Juflin  Martyr,  an 
 ingenious  heathen  philofopher,  who,  it  is  well  known, 
 grafted  Plato's  notion  of  a  fecond  god,  upon  the  gofpel; 
 and  mifunderftanding  the  hebrew  Scriptures,  fuppofes, 
 according  to  his  heathen  ideas,  that  the  Supreme  Being 
 never  appeared  nor  a6led  perfonally,  but  deputed  Chrift 
 to  appear  and  a6l  for  him ;  and  whom  all  the  reft  followed. 
 
 The  whole  argument  has  been  coHfidered  much  at  large 
 in  another  place,  "  Sequel  to  an  Apology,"  &c.  p.  295, 
 to  387.  and  to  that  I  refer. 
 
 One  wonders  however,  that  what  Dr.  Clarke  is  con- 
 ftrained  to  allov/  in  another  place,  p.  374.  fhould  not 
 have  made  him  hefitate  in  admitting  iofirange  a  do£i:rine, 
 when  he  fays  j  "  'Tis  cbfervable  that  we  never  find  in 
 
 A  a  "  Scripture 
 
[     354    ] 
 
 A  V  iridic  at  1071  and  proof  of  Chriji's  proper 
 
 humanity. 
 
 •  And  why  look  upon  it  as  an  undervaluing 
 circumftance  and  defcriptlon  of  Chriu,  that 
 he  was,  only  in  a  more  perfedl  and  continued 
 manner  than  other  prophets,  an  infpired 
 man  :  by  the  term  infpired,  underftanding 
 the  moil  extraordinary  communications  of 
 wifdom  and  power  from  God,  fuch  as  were 
 never  conferred  upon  any  of  the  human 
 race  ?  Why  not  reft  fatisfied  with  this,  if 
 it  meet  every  idea  the  Scriptures  give  us  of 
 him,  and  which  he  gave  of  himfelf  ?        *"" 
 
 Nov/  it  is  open  to  every  one  to  fee,  that 
 In  the  antient  prophetic  accounts,    which 
 
 preceded 
 
 "  Scripture  any  worfhip  pa/d  to  Chrlft,  upon  account  of 
 ''  God's  having  created  the  vjorld  by  hi?n^  or  of  a?2y  other 
 "  a^  done  by  him  before  his  incarnation.'*  And  I  would 
 add.  Not  only  this ;  no  refpeft  whatfoever  ever  paid  to 
 him,  as  fuppofed  creator  of  the  world,  or  whilft  he  is  ima- 
 gined to  have  been  the  fubftitute  of  the  Deity,  during  the 
 whole  Mofaic  difpenfation ;  but,  all  the  while,  not  one  of 
 the  prophets,  not  one  Ifraelite,  not  one  perfon  from  the 
 creation  till  the  birth,  may  I  not  add,  till  the  death  of  Chrift, 
 and  fome  years  after,  ever  fufpedting  that  he'had  any  thing 
 to  da,  or  even  had  any  exigence  all  that  time* 
 
[     255    ] 
 
 preceded  the  birth  of  Chrift,  he  is  fpoken 
 of  as  a  man,  a  human  creature,  highly  fa- 
 voured of  God  and  gifted  with  extraordinary 
 powers  from  him^  and  nothing  more.  He 
 was  foretold  to  be  {Ge?2.  xxii.  i8.)  of  the  JeeJ 
 of  Abraham;  (Deut.  xviii.  15,  18.)  a 
 prophet y  like  unto  Mofes;  (Pfalm  cxxxii.  11.) 
 of  tht  family  of  David;  &c.  &c. 
 
 As  a  man ;  as  a  prophet,  though  of  the 
 higheft  order,  he  was  expedied  by  his  na- 
 tion, to  whom  thefe  promifes  were  made, 
 and  by  v/hom  they  were  and  have  been  pre- 
 fer ved. 
 
 His  birth  of  Mary,  his  ftate  of  helplefs 
 infancy,  his  growing  improvements  in  years 
 and  knowlege,  which  are  particularly  and 
 diflind:ly  recorded,  proclaimed  him  to  be  of 
 the  fame  nature  with  other  men. 
 
 As  fuch  he  prefented  himfelf  to  his  coun- 
 try, when  he  entered  on  his  public  miniftry, 
 after  his  folemn  inauguration  into  it  by  Joiia 
 the  Baptift;  who  naturally  calls  him  (Joh. 
 i.  30.)  a  7nan ',  never  fufped:ing  that  he 
 would  be  looked  upon  to  be  any  other  fort 
 of  being,  angel  or  fpirit,  much  lefs  the  moft 
 high  God.  Bred  up  at  Nazareth,  he  was 
 called  Jefus  of  Nazareth;  a  name  he  gives 
 
 A  a  2  himfelf 
 
C   356   ] 
 
 himfelf  now  he  is  in  heaven,  though  many 
 of  his  followers  upon  earth  are  afliamed  of 
 looking  upon  him  in  that  light,  as  a  man 
 highly  exalted  and  favoured  of  God,  above 
 all  others.  And  we  find  his  mother  and 
 kindred  mentioned  as  thofe  of  other  men; 
 neither  his  mother,  nor  any  other  perfon, 
 ever  imagining  that  he  was  any  other  than  a 
 human  creature,  moft  highly  favoured  of 
 God. 
 
 He  never  claimed  any  honours  or  refpeft 
 on  his  own  account,  or  as  due  to  himfelf^as 
 a  perfon  only  injWlGr  to  the  moft  high  God; 
 but  fuch  as  belonged  only  to  a  prophet,  an 
 extraordinary  mxCiTenger  of  God,  to  liften  to 
 the  m.eflage  and  truths,  which  he  delivered 
 from  him. 
 
 As  to  that  faying  of  Chrift,  I  came  foj'th 
 from  the  Father,  Joh.  xvi,  28.  which  Dr, 
 Glarke  thinks  to  have  a  reference  to  fome 
 'former  ftate,  in  which  our  Lord  had  exifted 
 before  he  was  born  here ;  I  would  refer  to 
 what  i^q)  has  been  noted  upon  it,  in  another 
 -place :  obferving  only  thence,  for  the  fake 
 of  thofe  who  have  not  that  work  at  hand; 
 
 that 
 
 (^)  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology,  &c.  p.  232. 
 
[     ?>S7    ] 
 
 that  Tb  come  out  from  God^  to  come  forth 
 from  the  Father,  fignify  to  havQ  an  extraor- 
 dinary commlffion  and  authority  from  him; 
 and  nothing  more.  For  which  interpreta- 
 tion we  have  our  Lord's  own  exprefs  words 
 and  illuftration.  Jefus  faid  unto  them,  (i.e. 
 to  the  unbelieving  Jews,  who  would  not 
 allow  him  to  be  their  great  prophet,  the 
 Mefliahj)  I  proceeded  forth,  a?id  came  from 
 God :  ?2either  came  I  of  myfef,  but  he  fent 
 me.  Here  he  plainly  teaches  us;  that  his 
 proceeding  forth,  or  corning  from  God,  is  the 
 fame  as  being  fent  by  him :  and  both  ex- 
 prefiions  are  contrafted  with  his  coming  of 
 himfef*,  i.  e.  without  a  commiffion  from 
 God,  without  being  fent  by  him. 
 
 Dr.  Clarke,  *'  'Tis  reducing  the  whole 
 **  dodtrine-of  the  hiuniliatioji  and  incarna- 
 **  tion  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  a  mere  empty 
 *'  figure  of  fpeech;  and  under  the  appearance 
 **  of  fpeaking  of  Chrift  as  the  Supreme 
 *^  God,  making  him  7'eally  nothing  but  a 
 **  mere  man.'' 
 
 Remark,  Undoubtedly  the  account  of 
 Chrift's  proper  humanity,  which  thofe,  whom 
 Dr.  Clarke  oppofes,  maintain  to  be  the  very 
 dodtrine  of  the  Scriptures,  does  in  fadt  fo 
 
 A  a  3  far 
 
[     358     ] 
 
 far  reduce,  as  to  take  quite  away,  all  that 
 humiliation  of  our  Lord,  which  Dr.  Clarke 
 calls  his  Incarnation,  For  it  fhews,  that 
 fo  far  from  having  any  merit,  or  it  being 
 any  adl  of  condefcenTion  in  him,  in  becom- 
 ing man  ;  he  had  no  choice  in  it,  nor  any  con- 
 fcioufnefs  of  it  beforehand  :  it  having  beeri 
 owing  to  the  pure  goodnefs  of  God,  which 
 gives  all  things  to  all,  that  he  had  fo  noble 
 a  being  beftowed  upon  him  fo  lately,  who 
 before  had  no  being.  But  this  is  not  dimi- 
 nifhing  aught  from  Chrifl's  real  dignity  and 
 charadler,  or  linking  them  below  their  true 
 excellence  :  but  bringing  them  to  the  juft 
 ftandard  of  truth  and  the  Scriptures. 
 
 What  now,  may  we  afk,  made  this  moft 
 upright  man,  and  great  mafter  of  reafoning. 
 Dr.  Clarke y  to  overlook  the  vaft  weight  of 
 evidence  which  arifes  from  the  teftimony 
 and  uncontradicted  declarations  of  Chrift 
 himfelf,  of  his  apofdes,  and  others  his 
 countrymen  and  cotemporaries,  that  he  was 
 really  a  man  as  others  are^  and  not  any  other 
 fort  of  being  ?  What  hindered  him  from 
 feeing,  that  God,  by  himfelf  alone,  was  the 
 Creator  of  all  things  ?  And  ftill  more,  what 
 made  him  infenfible  of  the  ajionijlding  incon^ 
 
 gruity, 
 
[     359     ] 
 
 gruityy  I  had  almoft  faid,  the  utter  tmpoji^ 
 hility  that  onCy  whom  he  fuppofed  to  have 
 been  the  creator  of  all  things  under  the  Su* 
 preme,  whom  he  fuppofed  to  have  exided 
 with  the  Father  from  the  beginning  and  be- 
 fore all  worlds,  and  of  whom  he  held  it  too 
 bold  to  fay,  (r)  that  there  was  a  tl^ne  when 
 he  was  not ;  that  fuch  a  being,  whom  he 
 would  not  allow  (fee  p.  358.)  to  be  called 
 a  creature,  fhould  become  firfl:  a  fenfelefs 
 embryo-,  then  a  new  born  babe,  without  un- 
 derftanding  but  with  capacities  for  it;  and 
 afterwards  acquire  knowlege  and  virtue  by 
 degrees,  as  the  Scriptures  reprefent  him^ 
 (Luke ii.  40.  j52.)  ;  unconfcious  all  the  while 
 
 A  a  4  of 
 
 Propofit'ion  xlv. 
 
 (r)  "  The   Scripture^  in  declaring  the  Son's  derivation 
 *'  from  the  Father^  never  ?riakes  rnention  of  any  limitation  of 
 ^'  Time  5  hut  always  fuppcfes  and  affirms  him  to  have  exijled 
 "  with  the   Father  from  the  beginning   and  before   all 
 ^«  worlds," 
 
 XV, 
 
 ^'  They  therefore  have  alfo  juflly  been  cenfuredy  who  tak* 
 *'  ing  upon  them  to  he  wife  above  what  is  written^  and  in* 
 *^  truding  into  things  which  they  have  not  feen ;  have  pre* 
 *'  fumed  to  affirm  (ort  rv  Ttrore  ort  «x  ^jv)  that  there  was  a  time 
 *'  when  the  Son  was  not,"  *^  Scripture  Do6lrine  of  the 
 Trinity,"  p.  271,  274, 
 
[     36o     ] 
 
 €)f  what  he  Is  fuppofed  to  have  been  from  all 
 eternity  ?  I  repeat  here,  that  I  believe  it  to 
 have  been,  among  other  things,  very  princi- 
 pally owing  to  his  immoveable  perfuafion, 
 that  the  introdu6lory  part  of  St.  John's 
 gofpel  wholly  related  to  Chrift  in  a  pre- 
 exiftent  ftate^  in  which  he  was  confirmed 
 by  that  early  prejudice,  which  he  retained 
 to  the  laft,  the  fancy  and  invention  of  fome 
 of  the  firfl:  heathen  converts  to  the  gcfpel, 
 that  Chrift  was  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  that 
 every  appearance  of  God  the  Father  in  the 
 Old  Teftament,  was  Chrijl  appearing  in  the 
 name  or  perfon  of  the  Father.  His  mind 
 intangled  with  this  inconceivable  original 
 dignity  of  Chrift,  which  he  imagined  really 
 to  belong  to  him,  he  could  never  difengage 
 himfelf  fo  far  as  to  examine  fairly  and  tho- 
 roughly the  arguments  of  thofe  he  calls  &o- 
 cinianSy  which  tended  to  diminifh  it;  or 
 bring  himfelf  to  fpeak  of  their  perfons  with 
 becoming  equity  (j)   and  candour.     ji?id  I 
 
 am 
 
 .  (s)  "  The  Sccintan  uriiersy  from  thefe  and  fome  other 
 .^^  the  like  texts  of  Scripture,  have  very  unreafonbly  pre- 
 ^^  fumed  to  colle£l,  that  our  Saviour  was  no  greater  a 
 "  perfon  than  a  mere  man,  born  of  the  virgin  Mary, 
 •*  without  any  former  exiftence,  and  exalted  by  the  pov^^cr 
 
 "  Qf 
 
[     36i     ] 
 
 am  forry  to  have  occafio7i  to  obferve ;  that 
 the  fajhion  Jiill  conti fines  to  our,  day,  cf  de^ 
 crying  thofe  who  are  called  Socinians ;  i.  e.  thofe 
 iv ho  from  the  Scriptures,  ajfert  Chrijl  to  have 
 been  a  hujiiaji  being  and  nothing  higher  j  and 
 of  condemning  them  in  a  fiimmary  way,  as 
 being  fcarcely,  if  at  all  chriftiasis.  For  the 
 multitude,  who  herein  only  follow  the  cry  of 
 others,  one  can  only  pity  them,  that  they  are 
 not  better  informed.  But  it  is  to  he  wij7jed^ 
 that  ingenious   men    would  slather   confider 
 
 their 
 
 *'  of  God  to  this   ftate  of  dignity  in  heaven.'*      Dr. 
 "  Clarke 'i  Serm.  Vol.  vi.  8vo.  p    92. 
 
 In  his  Introduction  to  his  "  Scripture  Do6lrine  of  the 
 Trinity,"  p.  xxxvi.  he  mentions  thofe  who  run  in  the 
 "  other  extreme  into  Socimanjf?n,  to  the  dim'inutmi  of  the 
 "  honour  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  the  taking  away  the 
 *'  very  being  of  the  Holy  Spirit.'^  As  Dr.  Clarke  could 
 not  but  know  that  thefe  perfons  were  fully  perfuadcd  that 
 their  opinion  was  the  very  dodtrine  of  the  Scriptures,  as 
 much  as  he  believed  his  own  to  be,  by  whatever  name  it 
 was  called ;  he  fhould  have  refrained  from  fpeaking  of 
 them  in  terms  that  implied,  that  they  did  injury  to  Chrif?-, 
 and  the  Koly  Spirit.  Who  did  the  moft  honour  to  Chrifl, 
 was  quite  befide  the  queftion.  Both  doubtlefs  equally  in- 
 tended to  do  him  all  the  honour  they  could.  The  only 
 point  was,  v/nofe  fcntiments  and  language  concerning 
 him  agreed  beft  with  the  Scriptures  ? 
 
[    362    3 
 
 their  arguments  for  the  proper  humanity  of 
 Chrift,  and  point  oiit^  if  there  be  any  thing 
 wrong,  or  unjoimd^  or  unjcriptural  in  them ; 
 and  not  cenjure  or  ajperje  their  perfons  cr 
 opinions. 
 
 Concerning  the  'worjhip  fuppofed  by  Dr, 
 Clarke  and  others ^  to  he  due  to  Chrift  as 
 Mediator^ 
 
 Befides  thefe  miflakes  regarding  the  per-- 
 fon  and  origin  of  Chrift,  which  Dr.  Clarke 
 appears  to  have  fallen  into,  there  were  fome 
 other  things  advanced  by  him  relating  to  the 
 worJJnp  of  Chrift,  which  it  will  be  proper 
 for  me  to  review. 
 
 His  Amendments  in  the  Book  of  Com- 
 mon Prayer  plainly  iliew  that  he  difapproved 
 the  offering  up  of  prayer  to  Chrift  in  the 
 public  aftemblies  of  chriftians,  as  he  has 
 blotted  out  all  thofe  pafTages  where  there  is 
 any  invocation  of  him, 
 
 Mr.  Emlyn  however,  who  had  much  in-* 
 timacy  with  him,  and  perhaps  was  more  ac- 
 quainted with  his  fentiments  on  thefe  fab- 
 jedts  than  any  one,  in  vindicating  him  from 
 
 a  charge 
 
[  363  ] 
 
 a  charge  of  having  changed  his  mind  in  this 
 fir  tick  of  worjhipy  brought  againft  him  after 
 his  death,  fays  5  "  I  never  found  that  he 
 doubted  of  the  worfhip  of  the  Son  by  in- 
 vocation. The  w^hole  (/)  truth  of  the 
 matter,  (as  he  goes  on  to  fpeak)  as  far  as 
 I  can  judge,  is  this.  Dr.  Clarke  inlifted 
 but  fparingly  on  the  abfolute  and  direft 
 v^^orfhip  of  the  Son  by  prayer,  in  compari*' 
 fon  of  the  Father  ^  as  judging  this  laft  to 
 be  the  chief  and  moft  important  article 
 in  the  chriftian  religion,  viz,  to  offer  our 
 prayers  to  God  the  Father  through  Jefu3 
 Chrift,  v^hich  our  Lord  has  laid  down  as 
 the  rule  of  our  pra6lice,  Joh.  xvi.  26. 
 At  that  day  ye  fjall  ajk  the  Father  in 
 7ny  name ;  vv^ithout  mention  of  prayer  to 
 himfelf :  though  on  fome  particular  rare 
 occafions  we  may  find  examples  of  prayer 
 to  him."  And  yet,  by  the  way,  I  would 
 obferye,  that  many  will  think  the  weight  of 
 any  fuppofed  fcriptural  inftances  of  prayer  to 
 Chrift,  much  weakened,  if  not  intirely  over- 
 turned, by  what  this  candid  writer  adds  foon 
 after.  **  Indeed  (fays  he)  there  is  no  example 
 **  in  the  Scriptures,  oi  2Xiy  folemnjl ate d general 
 
 f*  prayers 
 
 (0   «  Emlyn\  Works,  Vol.  ii,  p.  484,  485. 
 
[     364    ] 
 
 ^^  prayers  to  J  ejus  Chnji,  in  the  ordinary 
 offices  of  devotion.  The  prayer  of  Ste^ 
 phen  to  him,  (Adls  vii.)  was  2ijingle petition, 
 on  that  extraordinaryj/^6'r/^/occaiion  of  his 
 viiible  appearance,  or  reprefentation  before 
 his  eyes.  The  other  inftances  alleged; 
 fuch  as  God  and  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrijl 
 direEi  our  way  to  you, — and  comfort  you  : 
 And  thofe  falutations,  Grace  arid  peace  to 
 ^^  you  from  God  the  Father,  and  from  our 
 Lord  Jefus  Chriji,  are  rather  pious  wijloes 
 of  goodi  from,  than  prayers  to  him ;  and 
 are  diredled  and  fpoken,  not  to  Chrifl, 
 but  to  chriftians,  to  you  znd  you :  whereas 
 Prayer  fpeaks  to  the  objeB  of  it,  to  God, 
 or  Chrift  himfelf,  and  not  to  the  perfons 
 prayed  for," 
 Dr.  Clarke  in  one  of  his  difcourfes  on  the 
 Unity  of  God,  thus  lays  down  the  ground  of 
 that  mediatorial  worihip,  which  he  fuppofed 
 to  be  due  to  Chrift ; 
 
 («)  *'  Awothtv  kind  or  fpecies  oi  idolatry 
 **  is,  when  men  apply  themfelves  to  God, 
 **  through y^^  and  idol- Mediators,  in  dimi- 
 "  nution  of  the  honour  of  the  one  true  Me^ 
 
 **  diator, 
 
 (k)  Clarke'^  Sermons,  Vol.  I.  8vo.  p.  57,  58. 
 
 <c 
 
 t€ 
 
t     36s     1 
 diafor,  whom  God  himfelf  has  expreffly 
 appointed  to  be  alone  our  advpcate,  inter- 
 ceffor,    and  judge.     God  -who  at  fundry 
 times,  and  in  divers  manners, /pake  in  times 
 fnji  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath 
 in  thefe  lajl  days  fpoken  unto  us  by  his  Son, 
 who,  ^hen  he  had  by  himfelf  purged  our 
 "'  /;2J-,  fat  down   on  the  right  hand  of  the 
 rna]efty  on  high ;  where  he  ever  liveth,  to 
 make  intercefion  for  us.     "fo  us  chriftians 
 therefore,  as  there  is   (if  we  will  ufe  St. 
 Paul's  expreffion)   One  God,  even  the  Fa- 
 ther, of  whom  are  all  things  :,  fo  there  is 
 alfo  one  Lord,  even  Jefus  Chrifi,  through 
 whom  are  all  things.      For  there  is  one 
 <'  God,  and  one  Mediator  between  God ^  and 
 ''  men,  the  man  Chriji  Jefus.   i  Tim.  ii.  5.^ 
 *'  As  therefore  the  fetting  up  any  idol  or 
 *'  falf^   ^^^>  ^^   oppofition  to,  or  in  con- 
 *'  junftion  with   the  true  God,  is  idolatry 
 ''  with  regard  to  God;  fo  the  fetting  up  any 
 ''  idol  or  falfe  Mediator,  in  oppofition  to, 
 "  or  in  conjunftion  with  the  One  true  Medi- 
 '^  ator,    is  idolatry  with  regard  to  ChriJl. 
 ««  Which  moft  evidently  Ihews  that  the  wor- 
 ''  fhip  paid  by  the  church  of  Rome  to  Angels, 
 ''  and  to  Saints  departed,  to  images  and  re- 
 
 **  lies. 
 
 6i 
 
 <6 
 CC 
 6C 
 
 ii 
 ii 
 ii 
 ii 
 
[     366    J 
 
 lies,  and  to  the  blejfed  Virgin^  whom  they 
 profanely  ilile  the  mother  of  God,  is  truly 
 and  properly  idolatry.  And  the  ex- 
 *  cule  they  pleads  that  the  worfhip  thus 
 paid,  is  not  divine y  but  only  mediatorial 
 worfhip ;  is  nothing  to  the  purpofe,  and 
 
 *^  alters  not  at  all  the  nature,  but  only  a 
 circumjlance  of  the  crime  :  An  Zs^i^Z-medi- 
 ator  being  as  truly  and  plainly  an  idol, 
 and  a  departing  from  Chrift  our  only  true 
 
 **  mediator  and  advocate ;  as  the  worfhiping 
 an  Idol-Goi,  is  a  departure  from  the  liv^ 
 ing  and  true  God,'* 
 
 €C 
 
 Remarks  on  this  plea  for  the  'woi'pip  of  Chrift^ 
 as  Mediator^ 
 
 Rem,  I .  The  paflages  of  Scripture  here 
 produced  by  Dr.  Clarke,  are  but  a  {lender 
 fupport,  on  which  to  raife  fuch  a  mighty 
 fabric  as  that  of  the  worfliip  of  Chrift,  in 
 any  iliape,  or  under  any  charafter.  What- 
 ever we  read  there,  of  Chrift's  fittirig  at  the 
 right  hand  of  God,  (Heb.  i.  3.)  oi  his  fitting 
 down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  majejly  on  high; 
 whatever  be  implied  in  it,  we  cannot  thence 
 be  authorized  to  worfliip  and  pray  to  him, 
 I  unlefs 
 
[     3^7    3' 
 
 unlefs  we  have  fome  fpecial  command  from 
 God  that  we  are  to  do  it  on  that  account : 
 but  there  is  no  precept  of  this  kind  whatfo- 
 ever  to  be  found. 
 
 Rem,  2.  With  refped:  to  Chriil's  inte}'- 
 cejjion  for  us,  (t^  I  would  obferve;  that  the 
 alluiions  which  St.  Paul  makes  to  their  cere- 
 monial wcriliip,  in  his  epiftle  to  fome  He- 
 brew chriftians,  could  never  be  intended  by 
 him  to  be  taken  literally  ;  as  Chrift  is  there- 
 in faid  to  be  and  to  do  feveral  things,  which 
 are  incompatible  with  each  other  ^  to  be  the 
 hig/j-priejiy  for  inftance,  2.x\dithe  faa^ifice  2.1 
 the  fame  time  that  was  to  be  offered ;  and  fo 
 on.  His  general  view  in  this  epiftle,  is  to 
 fliew  the  comparative  excellency  of  the  gof- 
 pel,  and  its  divine  founder  above  the  Mofaic 
 difpenfation. 
 
 The  great  benefits  and  advantages  which 
 we  now  receive  from  Chrift,  are  not  to  be 
 looked  for  in  any  thing  that  he  does  for  us 
 at  prefcnt ;  but  in  the  diredions  and  motives 
 to  a  holy  life  bequeathed  to  us  in  the  New 
 Teftament,  efpecially  in  the  teachings  of 
 Chrift  himfelf,  and  his   bright  example,  by 
 
 v/hich 
 
 (/)  See  this  point  fomewhat  more  particularly  explained 
 in  "  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology,"  &c.  p.  87,  88,  &c. 
 
which  they  are  illuftiTtted  and  enforced:  by 
 which  all  who  are  willing  to  become  his 
 fcbolars,  are  inftrudled  how  they  may  attain 
 an  immortal  exiflence,  and  fliare  with  him 
 in  the  glories  which  he  their  great  Lord  and 
 Mafter  now  enjoys,  as  the  reward  of  his  un- 
 wearied efforts  in  the  caufe  of  virtue,  and  for 
 the  good  of  mankind. 
 
 Rem.  3.  Far  too  great  flirefs  has  been 
 laid  upon  the  application  of  the  term  Medi- 
 ator to  Chiiil ',  and  the  chriflian  world  much 
 mifled  by  it.  It  is  never  ufed  by  our  Lord 
 himfelf ;  nor  by  any  of  the  iacred  writers, 
 except  St.  Paul,  and  is  applied  by  him  to 
 Mofes  as  well  as  to  Chrift ;  in  this  fignifi- 
 cation  they  were,  both  of  them,  perfons 
 employed  by  Almighty  God,  on  his  extra- 
 ordinary meffages,  to  teach  his  will  to  man- 
 kind; although  the  one  was  exceedingly 
 fuperior  to  the  other  in  divine  gifts  and 
 endowments,  and  in  the  extent  and  import- 
 ance of  his  commiffion  :  Mofes  fent  only 
 to  one  people;  Jefus,  to  all  mankind  {w). 
 
 But 
 
 {w)  A  learned  modern  has  very  lately  appropriated  this 
 title  of  Mediator  to  Chrift,  in  very  early  time  indeed. 
 "  With  our  Saviour  (fays  he)  did  thofe  walk^  who  are-faid 
 
 «  (Gen. 
 
[  369  ] 
 
 But  from  our  Lord's  having  been  at  firflthus 
 employed  by  the  heavenly  Father;  as  his  medi- 
 ator or  miniiler  to  mankind,  we  cannot  pre- 
 fume  to  lay,  that  he  is  now  adually  fo  employ- 
 ed ;  much  lefs  can  we  infer,  when  nothing 
 is  expreilly  told  us  of  it,  that  he  knows  the 
 particular  concerns  of  each  individual  chrif- 
 
 B  b  tian. 
 
 cc 
 
 (Gen.  V.  24.)  to  have  walked  with  God-,  from  his 
 '^  prefence  Cain^  (iv.  24.)  after  the  murder  of  Jbel,  went 
 "  out;  from  ms  face  he  was  hidy  becaufe  from  that  time 
 *'  he  was  excluded  from  his  fpecial  protection :  he  never 
 "  after  this  enjoyed  that  intercourfe  with  the  Mediator- 
 "  God,  which  he  had  been  pleafed  to  continue  from  the 
 ''  beginning.  It  was  he  who  appeared  to  Adam  imme- 
 *'  diately  after  the  fall,  whofe  voice  when  our  firft  parents 
 "  heard  (iii.  8,9.)  they  hid  themfehes  ft^o?7i  the  prefence  of 
 «  the  Lord  God:' 
 
 Dr.  Bandinel's  Sermons,  p.  181,  182.  Oxford.  1780. 
 This  is  a  very  different  Mediator  from  St.  Paul's ; 
 I  Tim.  ii.  5.  There  is  One  God,  and  one  mediator  he^ 
 tween  God  and  men^  the  man  Chrijl  fefus.  If  our  Saviour 
 was,  as  Dr.  Bandinel  maintains,  Jehovah,  the  moft  high 
 God;  it  may  very  properly  be  afked,  if  there  v/as  any 
 other  Jehovah  at  the  fame  time,  who  was  the  moft  high 
 God  ?  And  if  there  was  another  moft  high  God,  whether 
 there  were  not  two  moft  high  Gods  ?  and  how  to  recon- 
 cile this  with  St.  Paul's  declaration  here,  that  there  was 
 but  ONE  God  ?  The  fuppofition  of  the  two  fiatures  in 
 Chrift,  to  make  him  God  and  mortal  man  at  the  fame 
 time,  has  been  ftiewn  (p.  57,  Sic)  above  to  be  a  fSiion^ 
 "without  any  fupport  from  the  Scriptures. 
 
(     37^     J 
 
 tian,  and  that  we  are  to  go  to  him  in  prayer 
 about  them,  as  one  v/ho  is  inviiibly  pre.fent 
 with  us,  and  is  to  manage  them  for  us  ;  or 
 that  we  are  to  make  our  requefts  to  him  of 
 any  fort,  or  in  any  way.  Whatever  coun-* 
 iSenance  may  be  fuppofed  to  be  for  this,,  in 
 other  parts  of  the  Scripture,  (of  which  I 
 know  not  any  in  reality)  there  is  none  fur- 
 nifhed  here. 
 
 Nor  can  any  concluiions  for  confidering" 
 him  as  a  mediator  in  this  light,  and  offer- 
 ing prayer  to  him,  be  formed  from  thofe 
 other  expreffions  of  giving  thanks  through 
 Cbriji,  of  praying  in  bis  namey  and  the  like : 
 l)ut  on  tliefe  it  is  not  needful  now  ta 
 dwell. 
 
 Tlem,  4.  Dr.  Clarke  here  brings  in  the 
 Fapifts  as  guilty  of  a  ;;c"z*7  fpecies  of  idolatry, 
 by  calling  their  popifa  Saints,  /<iW-media- 
 tors,  and  the  woriliip  of  them,  idolatry  with 
 reJ'peB  to  Chrifi  ;  therein  taking  for  granted 
 that  Chrijl^  under  the  idea  of  a  mediator ^  was- 
 an  objecl  of  i^)07'jJAp,  But  although  in  this 
 he  followed  other  great  names  that  went  be-- 
 fore  him,  it  is  an  idolatry,  both  name  and 
 thing,  for  v/hich  there  is  no  foundation  in 
 the  lacred  writings.     For  idolatry  refpeda 
 
 the 
 
[     37^     ] 
 
 the  living  and  true  God  only,  and  no  other 
 Dcrfoni  In  all  the  injundions  Or  prohibiti- 
 ons, relating  to  this  important  fubjed:  in  the 
 Scripture,  there  is  no  divine  worihip  or  in- 
 vocation of  any  other  being  or  perfon  fup- 
 pofed,  but  of  God  ;  nor  any  criminality  ever 
 imputed  in  departing  from  the  worfliip 
 of  any  other  Being  or  Perfon,  but  of  God 
 only. 
 
 We  may  now  be  able  to  form  fome  judg- 
 ment, how  far  that  defcription  of  the  7nedi^ 
 atorlal  worfilp  of  Chrift  is  confonant  with 
 the  truth,  which  Dr.  Clarke  gives  in  his 
 fftleth  Propojitlon  of  the  v/ork  before  us* 
 
 After  having  laid  down  in  his  foregoing 
 propofition,  (but  upon  what  juft  foun- 
 dations the  reader  will  judge  for  himfelf 
 from  what  has  been  faid  above)  that,  **  at 
 *^  his  Incarnation,  Chrift  freely  divefted 
 *^  himfelf  of  that  glory,  which   (at)   he  had 
 
 ^*  with 
 
 (^)  6o4  Job.  xvll.  5.  And  now,  O  Father,  glorify 
 Thou  me  with  thine  own  felf,  with  the  glory  which  I  had 
 with  Thee  before  the  zvorld  was.  *'  The  Socintans^  Dr« 
 "^'  Clarke  remarks.  Script.  Do6lr.  p.  119.  interpret  this 
 "  paflage  to  fignify  only  the  glory  which  Chrift  had  in  the 
 ^'  foreknowlege  and  predetermination  of  God  3  (»j  t^xpv  rcru^x 
 **  <ro»,  which  I  had^  laid  up  for  me  with  Thsey  before  the 
 
 B  b  7,  *'  world 
 
€€ 
 
 [  372  ] 
 
 **  wit/j  God  before  the  world  was -y  and  in 
 **  this  flate  of  humiliation  he  fufiered  and 
 **  died  for  the  fins  of  the  world;''  it  fol- 
 *'  lows 
 
 (jk)  Propojition  L. 
 
 *^  After  and  upon  the  account  of  the 
 accomplifhment  of  which  difpenfation,  he 
 is  defcribed  in  Scripture  as  invefted  with 
 dijiin^t  worjlnp  in  his  ow7i  Perjm  3  his 
 original  glory  and  dignity  being  at  the  fame 
 time  revealed,  and  his  exaltation  in  the 
 **  human  nature  to  his  mediatorial  kijigdojfi 
 *^  declared:  Himfelf^/.^/;?^ upon  his  jF<3:/y6^r's 
 "  throne^  at  the  right  hand  of  the  majefty 
 *^  of  God ;  and  receiving  the  adoration  and 
 **  thankjgivings  of  his  church,  as  the  Alone 
 "  Mediator  betv/een  God  and  Men/' 
 
 Brief 
 
 *^  world ivas.)  But  the  more  plain  and  literal  meaning 
 *'  of  the  words,  continues  he,  is  that  which  has  been  be- 
 "  fore  expreiTed,  No.  535  5  i.  e.  that  Chrift  had  been  in 
 ''  a  pre-exiftent  ftate  the  fubordinate  creator  of  all  things.'* 
 The  true  meaning,  however,  feems  to  be  that  which  the 
 Dodor  difapprovcs,  and  which  has  been  explained  above, 
 p.  225, 4^c,  The  reader  will  form  his  own  judgment, 
 (r)  Id.  Ibid.  p.  375. 
 
T     373    ] 
 
 Brief  Remarks. 
 
 1.  I  truft  it  will  have  been  made  evident, 
 that  there  is  to  be  ftruck  out  of  this  account 
 ull  that  is  faid  about  our  Lord's  Incarnation^ 
 as  it  is  ftiled ;  or  any  humiliation  or  merit 
 therein :  as  fome  proofs  have  ah'eady,  and 
 more  might  have  been  offered,  from  Scrip- 
 ture, that  there  was  no  fuch  thing.  In  any 
 period  therefore  of  the  chrifdan  difpenfatlon, 
 there  could  have  been  no  revelation  or  dif- 
 covery  made,  of  any  original  glory  or  dignity 
 that  Chrift  poffeffed,  as  he  adually  had  no 
 exiftence  before  he  vi^as  born  of  Majy, 
 
 2.  There  could  therefore  be  no  ground 
 for  any  dijlinoi  ivorjloip  of  him,  on  this  ac- 
 count, nor  indeed  on  any  other,  underftand- 
 ing  thereby  the  worfhip  and  invocation  of 
 him  as  an  invifible  Being,  who  is  never- 
 thelefs  prefent  to  hear  and  to  help  his  wor- 
 fhipers  :  for  no  proof  can  be  given  of  any 
 fuch  worfliip  commanded  to  be  paid,  or  paid 
 to  Chrift ;  and  it  feems  to  be  a  privilege 
 and  prerogative  preferved  in  the  Scriptures 
 facred  and  peculiar  to  God  only. 
 
 3.  What  is  aflerted  alfo  concerning  his 
 exaltation    in    the   human    nature y    muft    be 
 
 B  b  3  dropped 
 
[     374     ] 
 
 dropped  Intirely ;  if  confidered  as  referring 
 to  any  divi?2e  nature  in  which  he  had  exifted 
 before  he  was  born :  fince  it  cannot  be  fhewn 
 that  he  had  any  fuch  tisjo  natures,  but  the 
 human  only, 
 
 4.  Nor  have  we  been  able  to  find  any 
 trace  in  the  Scriptures  of  his  inediatorial 
 kingdom,  in  the  fenfe  intended  by  Dr.  Clarke, 
 viz,  in  which  Chrift  is  to  be  woriliiped  and 
 invoked,  not  as  God,  but  as  a  Mediator  be- 
 tween God  and  mankind  :  no  fuch  mini  dry 
 or  mediation  having  been  ever  committed 
 to  him. 
 
 5.  Neither  does  the  phrafe,  Jitting  at  the 
 right  ha?id  of  God,  Jitting  upon  his  Father  s 
 throne,  fignify  or  imply  a  ftation  and  domi- 
 nion to  which  he  was  raifed,  and  in  which 
 he  was  to  be  worihiped  and  invoked  in 
 pi-ayer. 
 
 We  fufFer  ourfelves  to  be  mifled  by  a  too 
 literal  interpretation  of  thefe  terms  of  honour 
 and  dignity  borrowed  from  what  pafTes  in  this 
 -  world.  But  Qhn^'s  Jitting  on  a  throne,  his 
 exaltation  at  the  right  hand  of  God ^  imply  only 
 the  fp  reading  of  his  religion  by  a  divine  power. 
 But  w^hy  fliould  I  fay,  only,  when  nothing  can 
 be  a  higher  exaltation  or  glory  to  any  Being, 
 
 thaa 
 
■[     375     1 
 
 tlian  to  have  been  inftrumental  In  bringing 
 the  rational  creatures  of  God  to  virtue  and 
 immortal  happinefs. 
 
 We  find  cur  Lord  faying  to  his  apoftkS;. 
 Luke  xxii.  29.  I  appoint  unto  yon  a  king^ 
 dom,  as  ray  Father  hath  appointed  unto  vie ; 
 and  in  another  place,  to  thofe  chriftians  who 
 bravely  fuiTered  for  the  truth  in  that  firfl:  age 
 of  our  religion  j  Rev.  iii.  21.  To  him  that 
 ever  Cometh  will  I  grant  to  Jit  with  7ne  in  my 
 throne,  even  as  I  alfo  overcame,  and  am  fet 
 down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne :  But  we 
 do  not  thence  conclude,  that  the  apoflles 
 and  martyrs  v/ere  made  objeds  of  adoration 
 and  prayer  :  although  the  idolatrous  practice 
 began  in  very  early  times,  and  ftill  continues 
 throughout  a  great  part  of  the  chriftian 
 world,  and  thefe  palTages  of  Scripture  were 
 appealed  to  in  fupport  of  it. 
 
 6.  In  mentioning  Chrift  receiving  the 
 adoration  and  thankfgivings  of  his  church, 
 as  the  Mediator  between  God  and  men. 
 Dr.  Clarke  probably  refer'd  to  Rev,  v.  12, 13. 
 Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  Jlain,  to  receive 
 power,  and  riches,  and  wifdom,  andjlrength, 
 and  hojiour,  and  glory,  and  blejjing.  And 
 0very  creature  which  is  in  heaven^  and  on  the 
 
 B  b  4  ea7'th^ 
 
[     Zl^     ] 
 
 earthy  and  under  the  earthy  and  fuch  as  are 
 in  the  fea,  and  all  that  are  in  theniy  heard  /, 
 faytngy  hlejjingy  and  honour y  and  glory y  and 
 power y  be  unto  him  that  fitteth  upon  the 
 throne  y  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 Here,  and  ver.  8,  9.  we  have  a  vifionary 
 reprefentation,  in  which  honour,  praife,  and 
 worihip,  are  paid  to  Chrift  :  but  then,  they 
 are  tendered  to  him  prefent  -,  and  as  being 
 the  Lamb  that  ivas Jlai?2y  on  account  of  his 
 fufferings  in  the  caufe  of  God  and  his  truth, 
 and  for  the  good  of  men.  But  no  dignity 
 of  moral  character  can  conftitute  him  or  any 
 other  perfon  an  objed:  of  prayer.  Nor  does 
 this  worfhip  paid  to  him  on  that  account, 
 prefent  and  vifible,  authorize  us  to  pray  to 
 him,  unfeen  and  abfent.  Nothing  can  bear 
 us  out  in  doing  this,  but  the  exprefs  com- 
 mand of  God  to  pray  to  him  ;  which  is  no 
 where  to  be  found. 
 
 The  reader  will  now  judge,  whether  what 
 Dr.  Clarke  remarks  in  one  place,  in  con- 
 demnation of  the  worfhip  of  angels,  and 
 Saints  viz.  dead  chrijiiansy  in  the  church  of 
 Romey  be  not  equally  applicable  to  the  wor- 
 fhip of  Chrift  by  himfelf  and  other  Uni- 
 tarians.    The  paffage  I  mean,  is  as  follows ; 
 
 **  Everv 
 
[     377     ] 
 
 *^  Every  attribute  of  God  (fays  he,  Serm, 
 *^  Vol.  ix.  p.  443,  8vo.)  is  a  juft  ground 
 *^  and  reafon  of  prayer  to  Him  ;  and  a  fuf- 
 '*  ficient  argument  alfo,  why  prayer  fhould 
 **  be  offered  unto  Him  alone.  To  pray  to 
 *^  inferior  beings,  to  angels,  or  to  departed 
 *^  faints,  as  has  long  been  the  pradlice  of 
 *^  the  church  of  Rojne,  is  evidently  needlefs; 
 **"  becaufe  God,  we  are  fure,  is  always  near, 
 *'  beinghimfelf  every  where  prefent/'  [^And 
 is  it  not  equally  ?ieedlefs  to  pray  to  Cbrijiy  for 
 the  fame  j^eafon  ;  fmce  we  are  by  no  means 
 fure,  that  he  is  near  us,  or  prefent  with  us, 
 Jb  as  to  be  able  to  hear  us  ?] 
 
 *'  'Tis  moreover  (proceeds  he)  prefumptioUy 
 and  great  vajiity  ^  an  intruding  into  things 
 which  men  have  notfeen,  being  vainly  puffed 
 up  by  their  fiejloly  mind,  and  taking  upon 
 themfelves  to  be  wife  above  what  is  writ^ 
 ten:  for  they  do  not  fo  much  zs pretend, 
 that  praying  to  faints  and  angels  is  any 
 where  commanded y  \JVill  not  a  great 
 deal  of  this  cenfure  fall  very  heavy,  andjufily, 
 on  chrifians  ercB^ing  Chrift  into  a  new  objebl 
 cfworfbip,  intirely  unknown  till  about  1700 
 years  ago  -,  and  no  where  prefcribed  in  the 
 Scriptures  ?     For  neither  did  Socinus,    who 
 
 was 
 
 ti 
 i( 
 it 
 
 te 
 tc 
 <( 
 
[     378     ] 
 
 was  fo  vehement  in  requiring  all  chrljlians  to 
 fray  to  Chrift,  ever  pretend^  nor  does  Dr, 
 Clarke  ajfert^  nor  can  a?iy  man  Jhew,  that 
 fraying  to  Chrift  is  any  where  commanded?^ 
 
 SECTION    IV. 
 
 Concerning  an  Appendix  on  the  worjhip  of 
 Jefus  Chrift,  in  a  Tra£i  called  **  A  port 
 View  of  the  T'enets  of  Tritheijisy  Arians^ 
 Sociniansy  &c. 
 
 I  Would  here  ftep  a  little  out  of  the  order 
 of  time,  now  that  we  are  upon  the  fub- 
 jeft,  to  take  fome  little  notice  of  an  inge- 
 nious anonymous  writer,  who  has  lately 
 publiflied  his  thoughts  with  much  candour, 
 on  the  worfhip  of  Chrift  ^  and  has  fhewn 
 an  inclination  to  favour  it,  on  this  idea  of 
 Dr.  Clarke's ;  as  being  what  is  due  to  him 
 from  the  offices  he  fuftains,  of  Mediator; 
 High  Frieft 'y  head  over  all  things  to  his 
 church;  the  appointed  Lord  ^^nd  future  judge 
 of  mankind. 
 
 Many 
 
[     379     ] 
 
 Many  feem  to  me  to  have  gone  much  be- 
 yond the  line  of  Scripture  in  their  account 
 of  thefe  other  offices  of  Chrift,  as  has  been  juft 
 now  intimated  concerning  that  of  Mediator  ; 
 and  very  unwarrantable  inferences  have  been 
 drawn  from  them,  I  fliall  not  now  enter 
 upon  the  difcuffion ;  but  would  obferve, 
 that  whatever  powers  and  qualifications, 
 however  large  and  dignified,  may  have  been 
 beftowed  on  Chrift,  to  enable  him  to  fill 
 thefe  offices,  we  are  by  no  means  allowed 
 thence  alone  to  conclude,  that  the  poffefiTor 
 of  them  is  the  object  of  prayer  to  chriftians. 
 
 This  m.omentous  matter  of  inquiry,  To 
 -whofn  mnji  I  dire5l  my  prayer  ;  has  not  been 
 weighed  and  examined  with  that  caution  and 
 reverence  that  it  ought,  by  us  chriftians, 
 vv'ho  are  of  the  race  of  the  heathens  ;  whofe 
 anceftors  were  too  much  difpofed  to  worfhip 
 a  variety  of  Beings.  The  Jewifli  chriftians 
 fet  us  a  better  example.  The  change  of  the 
 object  of  worftiip  and  prayer  from  Almighty- 
 God  to  Jefus  Chrift,  and  making  the  latter 
 a  partner  and  ftiarer  in  it,  ftiould  not  have 
 been  fo  {lightly  made,  and  taken  up,  as  it 
 has  been,  without  any  dire5l  authority,  upon 
 inferences  drawn  from  uncertain  premifes, 
 
 fuch 
 
[     sSo     ] 
 
 fuch  for  Inftance,  as  the  nature  and  the  extent 
 of  the  powers  committed  to  Chrift ;  and  fup- 
 ported  only  by  fome  very  rare,  precarious, 
 doubtful  examples,  if  indeed  there  be  any 
 other  than  that  fmgle  addrefs  of  Stephen y  fo 
 often  mentioned  and  debated. 
 
 Something  more  precife,  determinate,  and 
 explicit  ought  furely  to  have  been  produced, 
 on  which  to  ground  fo  novel  and  bold  a 
 praftice,  as  that  of  introducing  a  new  Invi- 
 fible  Being,  to  whom  prayer  was  to  be  offer- 
 ed ;  intirely  unheard  of  in  the  old  world 
 before  Chrift.  When  alfo  he,  our  heavenly 
 Teacher,  the  fuppofed  objevfl:  of  prayer,  al- 
 ways prayed  to  God,  his  Father  and  our 
 Father ;  and  never  gave  any  the  m.oft  diftant 
 directions  or  inftrudlions  concerning  the 
 offering  up  of  prayer  to  himfelf.  For  fure- 
 ly, unlefs  men  had  been  before  but  too  much 
 in  the  habit  of  multiplying  objedls  of  wor- 
 fhip,  they  v/ould  never  have  been  fo  ready 
 to  conclude,  as  fo  many  have  done,  Socinus 
 in  particular,  as  formerly  noted,  but  which 
 I  mention  again,  as  I  find  it  ftill  reckoned 
 a  capital  argument  j  viz,  that  when  Chrift,  in 
 one  place  fays,  [J oh,  v.  22,  23.)  '\the  Father 
 hath  committed  all  judgjnent  unto  the  Son  ; 
 
 that 
 
[     38i     ] 
 
 that  all  me?!  Jhoiild  honour  the    J^^-  "^^  22, 23, 
 
 ,  J       does  not  imply 
 
 Son,  even  as  they  honour  the'  p.^^^r  to  Chrill 
 Father.  He  that  honour eth  not  at  all. 
 the  Son,  honour  eth  not  the  Father  who  hathfent 
 him  :  that  he,  our  Lord  d^ndi.MaJier  intended 
 here,  that  men  fliould  honour  him,  by  pray-- 
 ino;  to  him,  as  well  as  to  the  Father.  Had 
 the  Jews  his  hearers  fo  underftood  him  to 
 fpeak,  they,  who  were  fo  ready  on  much 
 flighter  occalions  to  call  him  a  blafphemer, 
 and  cail  ftones  at  him  as  fuch,  would  not 
 upon  fuch  an  occaiion  have  been  (o  quiet 
 and  patient.  Nothing  of  that  kind  would 
 occur  to  them  from  the  expreffions  (j/)  ufed, 
 which  fo  plainly  intim.ated,  that  he  was  only 
 to  be  honoured  as  God's  meffenger,  as  the 
 Meffiah;    nor  would  it  ever  have  entered 
 
 into 
 
 {y)  Dr.  Clarke  in  his  Paraphrafe,  adopts  that  of  Dr. 
 Clagget  J  and  he  could  not  have  followed  a  better  inter- 
 preter of  Scripture. 
 
 Job,  V.  23.  "  All  which  things*  plainly  (hew,  that  it  is 
 "  the  mind  and  will  of  God  the  Father,  that  the  Son 
 *'  fhould  be  honoured  with  the  fame  faith  and  obedience 
 *'  which  he  requires  to  be  paid  to  himfelf :  So  that  he 
 *'  who  honoureth  not  the  Son  {by  believing  and  obeying 
 *'  him)  difhonoureth  the  Father,  who  hath  fent  him  into 
 *'  the  world,  attefted  with  undeniable  evidences  of  a  di- 
 "  vine  power  and  authority," 
 
r  382  ] 
 
 into  the  imagination  of  others,  if  they  had 
 not  come  to  the  reading  of  this  paffage,  pre- 
 poffefled  with  the  notion  that  Chrift  was  the 
 objeft  of  prayer,  and  glad  to  lay  hold  of  any 
 thing  to  fbipport  fuch  a  favourite  dodtrine. 
 
 The  Author  of  the  Trad;,  which  gives 
 rife  to  thefe  obfervations,  vvill  fcarcely  him- 
 felf,  I  iliould  imagine,  on  further  refleftion, 
 approve  the  following  form  of  devotion, 
 which  he  puts  down  as  the  fpecimen  of  a 
 becoming  mediatorial  worjhip  of  Chrift ;  (2;) 
 and  on  which  I  fhall  beftov/  a  few  brief 
 remarks* 
 
 **  1  worfliip  thee^  the  moft  high  and  in- 
 *'  dependent  God/' 
 
 Re?72ark.  Thefe  epithets,  ??tGji  high^  iitde- 
 pendent,  cannot  be  '^  fiiitabhy  as  the  author 
 *^  propcfes  they  fliould  be,  to  the  charafter 
 **  and  office  of  Jefus  Chrift,  as  Mediator 
 *^  by  the  appoiiitment  of  a  Superior y  as  conjii-- 
 *^  tilted  Lord  of  all  things/'  For  how  can 
 he  be  ftiled  the  mofl  high  and  independent 
 God,  who  is  the  fubjeft  and  fervant  of  ano- 
 ther ?  Vv^hat  fublimer  defcription  alfo  can 
 be  given  of  the  Father  of  Chrift,  the  Creator 
 
 and 
 
 (z)  "  A  Ihort  VIev/  of  the  Tenets^'  &c.  p.  86.    Printed 
 for  Johnfoii,  St.  Paul's  Church-Yard*     1780. 
 
ft 
 
 i     383      ] 
 
 and  Father  of  all,  than  that  he  Is  the  ^nojl 
 high  and  independent  God  ?  Would  not  this 
 alio  involve  the  contradiflion  of  eftabliihing 
 two  moji  high  Gods  ?  ■ 
 
 I  v/orlhip  thee — who  haji  had  judgment 
 committed  to  thee^  and  wajifent ;  who  wajt 
 exalted,  and  haJi  a  name  given  thee  above 
 every  name,  and  that  every  tongue  might 
 confefs  thee  Lord  to  the  glory  of  another  : 
 Remark.  If,  from  what  is  here  faid  of 
 Chrift's  delegated  authority  ^  of  his  being 
 the  appointed  judge  of  all  men  at  the  lafl 
 day ;  of  his  having  a  chrift  having  judgment 
 name,  or  an  authority   committed  to  him,  or  a 
 
 in  I  1  .  name  eiven  him  above  eve- 
 
 beltov/ed    upon    him,  ,  . 
 
 ^  '     ry   name,    or   being   made 
 
 paramount  to  any  Other     Lord,    does   not    authorize 
 
 meiTenger  of  the  moil  p^ayi"2  ^o  ^'^^* 
 high  God  that  ever  went  before  him^  of 
 his  being  made  Lord,  i.  e.  conftituted  the 
 perfon,  whofe  laws  all  mankind  are  to  obey : 
 if  from  hence  it  be  argued,  that  he  is  to  be 
 the  objeft  of  chriftians  worfiiip  and  prayer  : 
 there  is  a  very  neceffary  link  in  the  chain  of 
 the  argument  wanting :  viz.  to  ihew,  that 
 God,  who  inverted  him  with  thefe  high 
 powers,  has  alfo  fubftituted  him  in  his 
 jftead,  to  hold  his  place,    either  conftantly 
 
 or 
 
[  384  ] 
 
 orcccaiionally,  in  hearing  the  prayers  of  chrif- 
 tians.  Unlels  this  be  proved,  and  no  proof 
 of  it  has  ever  appeared  j  fince  Chrift  is  ae- 
 knowleged  by  Dr.  C/arkey  by  this  author, 
 I  fuppofe,  and  by  all  other  Unitarians,  to 
 be  the  fervant  of  God,  and  whoWy  minijic rial 
 in  the  ufe  of  thefe  powers ;  we  are  ftiil  to 
 continue  to  addrefs  cur  devotions,  as  did 
 our  Lord's  apoftlcs,  to  God  only ;  to  the 
 Mailer  and  not  the  fcrvaizty  as  they  ex- 
 prefily  contradijflinguiih  Chrift  from  the 
 Sovereign  Lord  of  all  :  Asa-Trolccy  <ru  0 
 Ssogy  0  TJ-oiTiTcc.;  rev  'dfixvcy,  Koct  ttjv  yvjv,  zat    T'/jv 
 
 B'a,Xcc(T(rixv,   koci  i^xvicc    rx  ev  ocvjoig'' dog — — • 
 
 o'Tjf^Lcia,  y.oci  TSpccjcc  yvjBcr&cx,i  oicc  ra  ovofjiccjog  Td 
 uyi^  sruiSog  (T'd  lyjc-a.  i.  e.  Sovereign  mafter,  (or" 
 Lord,)  T^hoii  art  the  God,  who  haji  7nade 
 heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  fea,  and  all  things 
 that  are  in  them, — Grant— that  Jigns  and 
 wonders  may  be  done  by  the  name  of  thy  holy 
 fjrvant  Jefus.     A^s  iv.  24,  29,  30. 
 
 *^  I  v/orlhip  thee,  (continues  he)  who  art 
 *^  worfliiped  by  angels,  by  the -command  of 
 *'  another." 
 rr  I       •  ^    r   A         The  paffap-e. here  referred 
 
 Hebret'js  i.  6.    direccs  r         o 
 
 only  f /•!;// worfliip  to  to  is,  Hebrews  i,  6.  But 
 be  paid  to  Chriil.         ^-^^^/^  he  again   bringeth  in"' 
 
 the 
 
[     385     ] 
 
 the  fir Jl  begotten  into  the  worlds  h'e  faith^  and 
 let  all  the  angels  of  God  worjhip  him  1 
 
 On  this  paffage,  (concerning  which  the 
 learned  are  much  divided,  from  what  part  of 
 the  Old  Teftament  it  is  quoted,)  Mr.  Ferce 
 well  (hews,  that  the  author  of  the  epiftle^ 
 by  the  phrafe,  again  bringing  into  the  worlds 
 intends  Ghrift's  refurreclionc  At  which 
 time,  the  extraordinary  gifts  promifed  by 
 him  in  his  life  time  to  his  followers,  and 
 called  the  fending  of  the  holy  fpirity  were 
 beflowed  by  Almighty  God  on  the  apoftles 
 and  firft  chriflians,  for  the  propagation  of  the 
 gofpel  with  effe(5l  throughout  the  world  • 
 and  were  probably  then,  at  that  time  onlyi 
 Under  our  Lord's  diredlioh.  And  at  this 
 jundure  it  is,  that  the  writer  of  this  epiftle 
 cites  thefe  wordsj  as  being  then  verified 
 concerning  Chrift ;  Let  all  the  angels  of 
 God  worfjip  him. 
 
 It  may  perhaps  with  fome  probability  be 
 fuppofed,  that  this  v/as  to  intimate,  that  aur*^ 
 gels  were  to  be  fubfervient  to  Chrifl,  and 
 fome  way  or  other  employed  by  him  in  the 
 fervice  of  the  gofpel,  during  that  firfl 
 age  that  it  was   fupported  by  a  miraculous 
 
 C  c  power. 
 
[     386     3 
 
 power.  Whatever  be  fignified  by  it,  the 
 woriliip  thefe  heavenly  beings  were  to  pay 
 to  Chrift,  can  go  no  farther  than  that  refpedt 
 and  obedience  which  was  due  to  one,  fo 
 much  favoured  of  God,  and  fo  highly  ex- 
 alted by  him;  and  cannot  be  extended  to 
 their  making  him  an  objeft  of  prayer,  an 
 objeft  of  that  worfliip  which  they  were 
 wont  to  give  to  the  Supreme  Being.  Such 
 an  idea  and  miftake  muft  be  ov/ing  to  the 
 general  indifcriminate  notion,  that  to  wof^fiip 
 any  one  is  to  pray  to  him ;  and  to  the  not 
 confidering  and  diftinguifliing,  that  worjhip 
 fignifies  in  our  language,  and  according  to 
 the  ufage  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament 
 writers,  that  inferior  refpedt  which  any  of 
 God's  creatures  pay  to  one  another,  as  well 
 as  that  higheft  refped:  and  reverence  which 
 is  due  to  HIM  alone;  one  part  of  which 
 feems  to  be  the  making  him  alone  the  ob- 
 jeft  of  prayer. 
 
 **  I  bow  the  knct  before  thee  (con- 
 **  eludes  our  author)  the  immortal  God 
 **  who  wajijlairiy  and  haft  redeemed  me  to 
 **  God  hy  thy  blood :  to  thee   be  glory   for 
 
 *'  ever," 
 
 Remark  r- 
 
C    3^7    ] 
 
 Remark.  It  feems  not  to  be  quite  eoil- 
 fiflent  to  call  the  holy  Jefus^  the  immor- 
 tal God,  who  immediately  after  is,  by 
 our  author  himfelf,  faid  to  be  Jlatn^  or  put 
 to  death.  For  what  was  immortal  could 
 not  die.  And  St.  Paul  very  juftly  deicribes 
 God,  as  HIM  (i  Tim,  vi.  16.)  who  only 
 hath  immortality.  Chrift  and  all  other  be- 
 ings hold  this  privilege  only  from  God  as 
 his  gift. 
 
 I  do    not    wonder    that    The  title  of  God  too 
 
 this  worthy  perfon,  who  familiarly  given  to 
 ^       ^  -  •      ^  J        -."Li     Chrift  by  fome  Uni- 
 
 appears      convmced      that       .       ^ 
 prayer  is    to    be  addrelled 
 
 to  Jefus  Chrift,  as  a  great  pre-exiftent  Be- 
 ing, but  not  the  Supreme ;  fhould  never- 
 thelefs  fo  frequently  ftile  him  God-,  and 
 fometimes  be  drawn,  as  in  thefe  inftanceSj; 
 to  fpeak  of  him  in  language  that  can  pro- 
 perly be  ufed  only  of  him,  who  is  the  only 
 true  (Job.  xvii.  3.)  God.  It  is  a  natural 
 effed:  of  rnaking  him  the.  objedl  of  worfliip, 
 which  will  imperceptibly  raife  fuch  high 
 conceptions  of  his  perfon,  as  by  degrees  near« 
 ly  to  equallize  him  in  the  imagination  of  the 
 worlhiper^  to  the  fovereign  almighty  Father 
 
 C  c  ^  and 
 
[     388     ] 
 
 and  Creator  of  all  things  j'  as  one  error  has 
 commonly  a  train  of  others  following  it. 
 
 But  the  application  of  the  term  God,  to 
 Chrift,  and  oftentimes  calling  him  the  true 
 Gody  is  ftill  more  remarkable  in  Socinus,  and 
 feveral  of  his  followers ;  as  they  held  him 
 to  have  been  originally  nothing  more  than 
 the  Son  of  Mary,  only  born  of  her  by  the 
 extraordinary  power  of  God,  and  without  a 
 father,  as  Adam  was. 
 
 The  reader  will  be  curious  to  fee,  how 
 Socinus  maintains  that  the  title  of  true  God 
 might  be  given  to  Chrift,  in  his  reply  to 
 fome  propofitions  which  denied  that  title  to 
 him. 
 
 (/J)  Propojition  i. 
 *^    The    fame  God    whom    the   hebrew 
 **  church   worfhiped,  the  chriftian  church 
 
 **  alfo 
 
 (3)  "  Thefcs  de  Chrlfto  a  vera  dlvinltate  excludendo,  nifi 
 fit  creator  coeli  et  terrae." 
 
 «  Thef.s  I. 
 
 *'  Quern  Deum  vetus  Ifraelitlca  colebat  ecclefia,  hiinc 
 ''  et  noftra  colit,  creatorem  fcilicet  coeli  et  terrse.'* 
 
 Refponfw,  "  Coneeditur  hjec  thefis,  fimpliciter  atque 
 "  ut  ipfa  verba  fonant,  accepta." 
 
 «« 
 
 Thcfn 
 
[  389  ] 
 
 **  alfo  worfliipeth  ;  namely,  the  creator  of 
 **  heaven  and  earth." 
 
 Socinus,      *^   This  is  granted,   in  the  mod 
 *'  plain  and  literal  acceptation  of  the  words/' 
 
 Fropofitioii  ii. 
 '^  Since  then  the  hebrevv  church  owned 
 *'  him,  viz,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth, 
 *'  to  be  the  one  only  true  God  :  So  alfo  does 
 *^  the  chriftian  church  acknowlege  him  to 
 **  be  the  one  only  true  God  ;  and  none  other 
 **  befides  him," 
 
 C  c  3  Socinus, 
 
 i(. 
 
 Thefis  2. 
 
 **  Jam  vero,  ut  ilia  hunc  unurn  et  folum  verum  efle 
 "  Deum  profitebatur,  Tic  et  noflra  hunc  unum  et  folum 
 "  pro  vero  Deo  agnofcit ;  alium  vero  prasterea  neminem.'* 
 
 Refpojtfio.  "  Si  'veri  Dei  nomine  intelligitur,  qui  ab 
 "  sterno,  et  a  feipfo,  five  ex  feipfo,  divinitatem  habeat, 
 "  vera  eft  thefis.  Si  vero  is  intelligitur,  qui  divmo  im- 
 '*  perio  et  poteftate  r  ever  a  fit  praeditus,  nequaquam  vera 
 "  eft  thefis.  Quamvis  enim  Ifraelitica  ecciefia  nullum 
 .''  ejufmodi  verum  Deum  agnoverit,  praeter  creatorem 
 "  coeli  et  terrae,  ecciefia  tamen  chriftiana  agnofcit;  homi- 
 "  nem  videlicet  ilium,  Jefum  Nazarenum,  qui  diclus  eft 
 "  Chriftus,  fub  Augufto  Tiberioque  imperatoribus  Ro- 
 '^  manis,  demum  ac  primum  natum,  et  mundo  exhibitum 
 "  ac  patefa6lum,  divinamque.  iftam  majeftatem  ab  ipfo 
 "  creatore  ccpli  et  terrsp  adeptum.'*  Socini  Opera,  Vol.  i. 
 p.  285. 
 
[     39^     ] 
 
 Sociniis:  *'  If  by  the  term,  triie  God,  be 
 underftood  the  eternal^  felf-exiftent  Beings 
 the  propofition  is  true.  But  if  by  it  be 
 underftood,  one  who  hath  a  t?'iie  divine 
 power  and  dominion  ;  it  is  noj:  true.  For 
 though  the  hebrew  church  knew  no  fuch 
 true  God,  but  him  who  was  the  creator 
 of  heaven  and  earth  :  The  chriftian  church 
 acknowlegcs  another  true  God-,  namely, 
 the  man  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  called  the 
 Chrift,  who  at  length,  (after  having  been 
 long  exped:ed)  in  the  reigns  of  the  em- 
 perors Auguftus  and  Tiberius,  was  firft 
 born,  exhibited,  and  made  known  to  the 
 world,  and  had  then  this  divine  majejly 
 beftowed  upon  him,  by  the  Creator  of 
 heaven  and  earth/' 
 I  fhall  fubjoin  only  one  inftance  more  out 
 of  the  Letters  of  Ruarus,  a  learned  and  ex- 
 cellent perfon,  of  great  note  among  the  So- 
 cinians  in  Gerrnany  in  the  laft  century,  and 
 connected  with  the  principal  literary  cha- 
 radters  of  his  time. 
 
 He  is  writing  to  an  intimate  friend,  who 
 had  fent  him  word  after  he  had  quitted  Al- 
 torf  in  Germany,  where  he  had  read  theo- 
 logical leftures ;  that  he  was  accufed  of  hav-* 
 
 ing 
 
[  391  ] 
 in?  been  a  '*  deferter  of  their  facred  inftitu- 
 '*  tion^,  a  fower  of  impiety,  and  corrupter 
 <'  of  the  youth  of  the  place  /'  by  which 
 they  meant,  that  he  had  been  inilrumental 
 in  leading  them  off  from  the  received  doc- 
 trines, to  the  belief  of  the  Divine  Unity. 
 
 In  his  anfwer,  Ruarus  congratulates  him- 
 felf,  that ''  he  had  made  it  his  great  endeavour, 
 that  no  one  fhould  become  worfe  by  affo- 
 ciating  with  him  {'  and  obferves,  ''  that 
 perhaps  the  principal  thing  his  adverfaries 
 had  to  lay  to  his  charge,  w^as,  that  he  had 
 oppofed  the  corrupt  manners  of  the  times ; 
 in   which  he   declares,  he  had  laboured 
 with  all  his  might :"  and  ''  I  rejoice,  fays 
 he,  {c)    that  I   have  this   crime,  if  it  be 
 one,  in  common  with  you,  my  friend,  and 
 *'  with  all  good  men,  with  the  holy  apojlles, 
 "  and  with  my  Lord  and  God,  Jefus  Chrifl 
 ^'  himfelfy     And  he  concludes  his  letter; 
 
 ''  May  the  Lord  jefus,  who  is  God  over 
 *'  all  blejedfor  ever,    pardon  my  dulnefs. — 
 
 C  c  4  To 
 
 (,-)  '«  Si  hoc  ed  crimen  meum,  faeculo  contraivlfTe,  id 
 «  mihi  tecum  ipib  commune  Isstor,  et  cum  omnibus  viris 
 "  probis,  cum   fanais  apoftolis,    cum   ipfo  Domino  ac 
 
 «  Deo  meo,  Jefu  Chrifto M.  Ruari  Epiftol^. 
 
 Vol.  ii.  p.  86. 
 
[     392     ] 
 
 *^  To  whofe  care  I   heartily  commend  you, 
 ^'  my  dear  P/rc^r/,  and  all  your's/* 
 Paris,  January,,  1616.  {d\ 
 
 It 
 
 (^')  Not  long  after  this,  vi%.  in  the  year  16 19,  we  find 
 Ruarus  was  in  our  own  country;  where  he  had  great 
 offers  made  him  to  fettle  at  Cambridge  :  a  ProfefTorfhip, 
 with  a  falary  of  upwards  of  lool.  a  year,  together  with 
 an  eftabliflimeht  in  fome  college  ;  the  liberty  alfo  of  tak- 
 ing pupils,  which  woujd  at  the  leafi:  bring  in  a  icol. 
 more:  "  A  great  temptation,  fays  he  to  his  friend,  to  a 
 "  man  like  me,  in  indigent  circumftances,  and  one  who 
 "  fcarce  ever  felt  the  fmiles  of  fortune;  efpecially,  when 
 "  there  was  a  way  pointed  out  to  me,  whereby  I  might 
 "  make  myfelf  eafy  in  fome  meafure,  in  point  of  confci- 
 ''  ence,  in  difcharging  the  duties  of  my  place ;  which 
 *'  was  a  circumftance  I  had  good  reafon  to  be  alarmed 
 "  about.  '  But  the  love  of  liberty  got  the  better  of  all 
 "  thefe  allurements,  for  I  faw  1  m.uft  be  intirely  fettered 
 "  in  many  refpe£ls :  or  rather,  it  was  the  love  of  that 
 "  beft  and  greateft'  of  Beings,  v/hich  prevailed;  whom 
 *'  I  refblved   not   to  ferve  by   ftealth,    but   ingenuoufly 
 
 *'  and   openly   in   the  face   of   the  world." i.    e. 
 
 *^  Nbn  mentiar,  mi  Dumlere  !  gravis  hsec  fuit  machina 
 *'  ad  oppugnandam  conflantiam  hominis  egeni,  et  qui 
 *'  fortunae  benignitatem  vix  unquam  hactenus  guftavit: 
 *'  praefertini  cum  aliqua  monftrareturratio,  qua  con- 
 *'  fcientiam  animi,  cui  non  obfcure  metuebam,  quo- 
 "  modocunque  falvam  mihi  tuerer.  Vicit  tandem  in 
 "  me  libertatis  amor,  cui  quodammodo  compedes  illic 
 **  parari  videbam ;  feu  potius  ipfius  Dei  ter  optimi 
 **  maximi,  cui  ingenue  fervire  ftatui,  nee  fuffurari  pieta- 
 
 *'  tern,"  quae  coclo   telle    exercer  debet.- Lutetiae, 
 
 ^^  -  ^    •  '  ■    Parifi* 
 
I     393     ] 
 
 It  feems  an  idle  play  upon  words  In  Soci-^ 
 nus,  in  the  inftance  alleged  from  him,  to 
 argue  that  the  title  of  true  God  might  be 
 given  to  Chrift  -,  when  all  he  meant  by  it 
 was,  that  he  had  a  real  divine  power  and 
 dominion  bellowed  upon  him,  to  qualify 
 him  to  take  care  of  the  concerns  of  chrifti- 
 ans,  and  to  hear  and  anfwer  their  prayers, 
 though  he  was  originally  nothing  more  than 
 a  human  creature, 
 
 Mr.  Boyle,  that  honour  to  our  country 
 and  to  human  nature,  is  reported  to  have 
 always  made  a  fhort  paufe  in  his  converfa- 
 tion,    very  diicernible  to   thofe   that    were 
 
 acquainted 
 
 parifiorum,  i6og.  M.  i^z/^r/ E pi ftolae,  Vol.  I.  p.  71. 
 A  greater  liberality  of  fentiment  this,  in  the  Heads  of  Col- 
 leges, and  a  more  inp-enuous  love  and  encouragement  of 
 the  free  ftudy  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  than  we  have  ktn. 
 exemplified  in  the  fame  Univerfity  in  our  owri  days ;  v^^hen 
 men,  ttuo  perfons  in  particular,  of  the  moft  unfpotted 
 virtue,  of  very  fuperior  learning  and  abilities,  inftead  of 
 being  countenanced  in  expounding  the  Scriptures  of  truth 
 in  their  genuine  fenfe  and  meaning,  have  been  oppofed 
 and  forced  to  difcontinue  their  labours,  and  quit  thofe 
 feats  of  learning,  for  not.  fubmitting  to  twift  and  explain 
 thofe  facred  oracles  in  conformity  to  certain  articles  efta- 
 blifhed  by  human  authority.  So  much  lefs  favourable  is 
 that  public  Seminary  of  youth  now  to  the  progrefs  ofchrif- 
 tian  truth,  than  it  was  150  years  ago. 
 
[     394    ] 
 
 acquainted  with  him,  whenever  he  had  oc- 
 calion  to  mention  the  name  of  God :  Cer- 
 tainly Unitarians  ought  to  be  more  fparing 
 and  referved  in  the  ufe  of  a  name  peculiarly 
 belonging  to  the  unfpeakably  glorious  creator 
 of  all  things ;  and  which  can  only  be  figu- 
 ratively given  to  Chrift,  or  to  any  other  per- 
 fon.  Ruarusy  in  the  way  in  which  he  joins 
 Chrift  with  himfelf  and  other  men,  plainly 
 coniiders  him  merely  as  a  human  being  ^  and 
 I  can  no  other  way  account  for  his  calling  him 
 his  God,  in  fuch  a  familiar  way,  but  from,  his 
 having  accuftomed  himfelf  to  pray  to  him. 
 But  to  other  Unitarians  it  is  ftrange  lan- 
 guage. They  would  fay  that  they  think  it 
 an  high  honour  and  felicity  to  be  able  to  call 
 Chrift  //6df/r  Lord,  For  he  himfelf,  with  a 
 proper  fenfe  of  the  dignity  of  his  own  cha- 
 rafter,  faid  in  one  place  (Joh.  xiii.  13.)  to 
 his  difciples,  Te  call  me  Mafter  and  Lord  : 
 and  ye  fay  welly  for  Jo  I  am.  But  they  can- 
 not go  on  to  call  him,  their  God,  For  they 
 have  no  God  but  one,  the  God  and  Father 
 of  all  j  the  fame  alfo  whom  Chrift  acknow- 
 leged  (Joh.  xx.  17.)  to  be  his  God  and  Fa- 
 ther. And  that  the  apoftle  Thomas  did  not 
 intend  Chrift  himfelf,    when  upon   ocular- 
 
 demon- 
 
[     395    ] 
 
 demonftration  of  his  being  raifed  from  the 
 dead,  he  broke  out  into  thofe  words,  (Joh, 
 XX.  28.)  my  hord  and  my  God-y  has  been  too 
 often  fhewn  to  need  being  repeated  here. 
 
 S  E  C  T  I  O  N     IV. 
 
 Of  Bijhop  Hoadly. 
 
 WE  may  lament,  but  we  fhould  not  be 
 fevere  in  our  comments  on  the  con- 
 dud:  of  thofe,  who  having  flood  forth  againft 
 the  corruptions  qf  the  divine  truth  of  the 
 gofpel,  have  ftopt  fhort  all  at  once,  and 
 have  not  proceeded  to  aft  ccniiftently  with 
 their  fentiments  and  declarations,  as  we  ima- 
 gine they  ought  to  have  done. 
 
 If  that  excellent  perfon.  Dr.  Clarke^  did 
 pot  refrain  from  taking  part  and  joining  in 
 the  worfhip  of  the  church  of  England,  in 
 its  Liturgy,  a  very  important  and  main 
 portion  of  which  he  did  not  approve  5  that 
 is,  all  thofe  prayers  and  addrefles  which  are 
 piade  to  Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 
 3  "  ^nd 
 
I  396  ] 
 
 and  not  to  Goi;  he  is  not  to  be  blamed  by 
 us  for  what  he  did.  For  how  often  do  we 
 meet  with  perfons,  otherwife  able  and  dif- 
 cerning,  who  do  not  draw  the  confequences 
 from  their  opinions,  which  to  indifferent 
 judges  feem  almoft  felf-evident  ^  and  there- 
 fore are  not  at  all  influenced  by  them  ? 
 
 The  farpp  apology  mufi:  be  m^de  for  his 
 friend  Bp.  Hoadly,  although  he  had  not  the 
 courage  to  go  fo  far  as  the  Redtor  of  St. 
 yame/Sy  in  avowing  his  antitrinitarian  fen- 
 timents,  which  were  as  little  queftionable. 
 They  are  indeed  fufficiently  fet  forth,  with 
 regard  to  the  fubjedl  of  religious  worfliip 
 which  we  are  difcuffing,  in  thofe  his  fine 
 devotional  compofitions,  publiihed  at  the  end 
 of  his  **  Plain  Account  of  the  nature  and 
 end  of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,'' 
 For  in  thefe  we  find  no  intimation  in  the 
 moft  remote  degree,  that  Jefus  Chrift  was 
 to  be  invoked  in  prayer;  nor  example  of  any 
 divine  worfhip  addrefi^ed  to  him :  but  to  the 
 Father  only.  Now  if  the  Biihop  had  be- 
 lieved Chrift  to  have  been  an  obied:  of  wor- 
 fhip  to  chriftians,  it  is  hardly  to  be  fuppofed, 
 that  in  fet  forms  of  prayer,  drawn  up  with 
 great  care  and  deliberation,  he  fliould  have 
 
 taken 
 
[     397     ] 
 
 taken  no  notice  of  him  in  that  charafler; 
 efpecially  if  it  be  conlidered  which  way  the 
 popular  faihionable  do<ftrine  leaned,  and  the 
 prejudices  of  many  againft  him  on  ether  ac-* 
 counts* 
 
 In  one  place,  he  thus  difcovers  his  fenti- 
 ments  concerning  the  objedt  of  worfhip,  as 
 well  as  the  difpofition  with  which  we  ought 
 to  pray,  {a)  ^^  Vijity  with  a  more  efpecial 
 grace  and  favour^  the  whole  chrijiian 
 world  \  all  who  are  called  by  the  name 
 of  thy  Son,  and  profefs  his  holy  religion. 
 Behold  0  Lord,  a  large  fcene  of  fpiritual 
 evilsy  worthy  of  thy  gracious  and  merci^ 
 
 ful  interpojition  : In  many  places ■ 
 
 the  worfhip  of  Thee,  O  Father,  ex^ 
 prefsly  eflahlijhed  by  thy  Son  Jefiis  Chriji, 
 in  fpirit  and  i?!  truth,  is  overclouded  by 
 numb erlefs  flip erjlit ions  y  and  even  dejiroyed 
 by  idolatry  itfelf 
 In  thefc  forms   of  prayer,  it  is   very  re- 
 markable, that  the  author  never  clofes  them 
 with  requefting  any  thing  of  God,  for  Chrift's 
 fake-,  which   indeed  is  wholly   unfcriptural 
 
 [a)  Appendix  to  a  Plain  Account"       of  the  Lord's 
 Supper.  i2mo.  p.  2o8e 
 
 language^ 
 
f    398     ] 
 
 language.  Nor  does  he  ever  drop  any  ex- 
 preflion,  which  might  be  conftrued  into  a 
 fuppolition,  that  it  was  upon  Chrifl's  ac- 
 count, for  his  interpofing  and  mediating  in 
 our  behalf,  that  God  was  propitious  and 
 merciful  to  us ;  but  he  always  fpeaks,  in 
 agreement  with  the  facred  writings,  and  as 
 a  Jiri^  IJnitarian^  that  the  God  and  Father 
 of  all  was  of  himfelf  ever  inclined  to  over- 
 look and  pardon  the  offences  of  his  frail 
 creatures  on  their  repentance,  and  to  do 
 them  good  3  and  wanted  not  Chrift  or  any 
 other  perfon  to  interfere  and  difpofe  him  to 
 it.     His  language  on  this  head  is  as  follows : 
 
 p.  183.  I  hit  r  eat  of  Thee  alone  ^  as  theFa^ 
 ther  and  judge  of  mankind y  the  pardon  of  every 
 wifui  tra?ifgreJjion  and  omijjioji  of  my  duty^ 
 through  my  whole  life.  I  beg  this  upon  thofe 
 terms  only^  which  the  holinefs  of  Thy  nature y 
 and  the  declarations  of  Jefus  Chrifly  have 
 marked  out  to  us, 
 
 p.  193.  Pardon  7ne,  0  LoRd^  according 
 to  the  abundant  goodnefs  of  Thy  nature, 
 and  the  declarations  made  by  thy  Son  Jefus 
 Chrift  ;  and  grant  me  that  for givenefs,  which 
 I  neither  afk  nor  expe^y  but  upon  thofe  terms 
 
 and 
 
[     399     1 
 
 and  conditions  which  thy  holinefs  and  mercy 
 have  laid  down  in  his  go/pel. 
 
 The  Bifhop  indeed  afterwards  adopts  fome 
 of  the  prayers  of  the  Liturgy,  which  con- 
 clude with  petitioning  God  for  ChriJTs  fakei 
 and  admits  another  prayer,  which  ends  thus — 
 through  yefus  Chriji  our  Lord ;  to  whom  with 
 Thee  and  the  Holy  Ghoji,  be  ell  honour  and 
 glory  world  without  end. 
 
 But  thefe  are  among  thofe  inconfiftent 
 things,  which  we  know  not  how  to  recon- 
 cile. Nothing  of  the  kind  appears  in  the 
 prayers  of  his  own  compoiing  ;  nor  in  them 
 does  he  ever  afcribe  glory  to  Chrift  or  the 
 Holy  Ghoft,  as  Divine  Perfons,  or  in  any 
 fort  put  them  upon  a  level  with  the  Almighty 
 Father. 
 
 This  one  thing  we  may  be  allowed  to  fay, 
 without  juft  offence  to  the  living;  or  in- 
 jury to  the  dead,  who  cannot  defend  them- 
 felves  :  that  a  conformity  to  the  worfhip  of 
 two  other  Divine  Perfons  together  with  the 
 One  true  God  and  Father  of  all,  which  ap- 
 parently {b)  was  not  their  own  choice,  in 
 
 men 
 
 {b)  The  follwomg  addrefs  of  a  very  valuable  and  ufeful 
 writer,  may  very  feafonably  be  applied  her© ;  and  it  would 
 
 be 
 
[     4^^     ] 
 
 men  like  Dr.  Clarke  and  Bp.  Hoadfyy  emi- 
 nent for  their  ftations,  learning  and  many  vir- 
 tues; in  what  way  foever  they  might  qualify 
 it  and  think  themfelves  juftified  in  it,  with 
 which  we  have  no  concern ;  has  much  hin- 
 dered the  fpreading  of  the  knowlege  of  the 
 Divine  Unity;  and  their  example  alfo  has 
 
 ihed 
 
 be  well,  if  this  or  an)''  thing  might  induce  ilien  to  pay 
 more  attention  to  the  important  fubjeft. 
 
 *'  Were  you  engaged  to  draw  up  forms  of  prayer  for 
 *^  chriftian  focieties,  woiild  ybii  infert  In  them  thefe  peti- 
 *^  tions  and  thankfgivings,  in  which  you  yourfeives  could 
 ''  not  join,  as  not  being  agreeable  to  the  divine  rale  ?  Is 
 *'  it  more  confiftent  with  godly  fmr.erity,  to  adopt  fuch  al- 
 *'  ready  drawn  up  by  others?  Doth  not  integrity  of  cha- 
 ''  ra6ler,  aS  well  as  reverence  for  God*s  word,  remorl-^ 
 "  flrate  againft  it  ?  In  private  dev^otions,  when  you  are 
 ''  left  perfe6ily  to  your  own  judgment  and  choice,  do 
 *'  you,  if  you  be  Unitarians^  worfhip  according  to  Tri- 
 "  nitarian  fentiments,  and  in  Trinitarian  language  ?  For 
 "  what  reafon  do  you  difcard  it,  but  becaufe  your  judg- 
 *^  ment  is  convinced  that  it  is  erroneous ;  ar-d  this  bein^ 
 "  your  convi6lion,  you  would  worftiip  the  Father  only,- 
 "  with  the  language  of  fmcerity  and  truth  ?  And  vv^ill  the 
 "  circumftance  of  the  worfhip  being  public  and  focial  af- 
 '«  ford  fufHcient  reafon  for  d'lfpenfihg  with  fuicerity  and' 
 
 "  truth?" 
 
 "  A  free  and  ferious  Addrefs  to  the  chriftian  laity,^ 
 efpecially  fuch  as  embracing  Ifnitarmn  fentiment^" 
 conform  to  Trinitarian  worfnip."  p.  64. 
 
t  4^1  i 
 
 flied  a  baneful  influence  upon  many,  in  flop- 
 ping honefi:  inquiry  through  deference  to 
 their  authority^  and  made  others^to  acquiefce, 
 as  themfelves  appear  to  have  done,  in  pray- 
 ing to  Thofe  as  Divine  Perfons  in  the  pub- 
 lic congregation,  whom  they  never  addrefied 
 in  their  clofets ;  not  looking  upon  them  as 
 gods,  or  to  be  vv^orfhiped. 
 
 S  E  C  T  I  O  N     IV. 
 
 Of  Sir  i/aac  Newton* 
 
 WHETHER  ^'iv  I/aac  Newton,  Br. 
 Clarke's  great  friend,  v^as  of  the^r/^;z 
 fentiment  concerning  the  preexiflence  of 
 Chrift,  which  was  that  which  the  Dodlor  em- 
 braced; or  rather  believed  his  proper  humanity, 
 is  differently  thought  of.  I  have  mentioned  in 
 another  place  [b)  fome  evidence  of  his  being 
 of  the  latter  opinion.  That  he  was  hpw- 
 ever  an  Unitarian  [c)  chriftian,  altho'  he  con- 
 formed to  the  end  of  his  life  to  the  public 
 Trinitarian  w^orfhip,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
 
 D  d  And 
 
 {]))  See  "  A  Sequel  to  the  Apology  on  refigning  the 
 Vicarage  of  Catterick,"  p.i8,  19. 
 
 {c)  Hlftorical  Memoirs  of  the  Life  of  Dr.  Clarke  by 
 Mr,  Whifton,  p,  8, 
 
[       402       ] 
 
 And  though  we  might  wiiii  it  had  been 
 othervvife,  v/e  muft  not  take  upon  us  to  cen- 
 fure  or  condemn,  v/here  v/e  have  no  con- 
 cern, and  are  not  judges  3  but  only  to  take 
 care,  that  no  authority,  however  refpedable, 
 miflead  us. 
 
 It  feems  to  have  been  owing  to  his  na- 
 tural fhynefs,  and  modefly,  and  fear  of  be- 
 ing drawn  into  contrcverfy,  that  this  moft 
 eminent  perfon  never  openly  declared  his 
 fentiments  on  this  important  fubjed:,  in  his 
 life- time;  and  rather  iniinuated  them  indi- 
 reftly  in  thofe  writings  which  were  publifh- 
 ed  afterwards.  I  find  however  that  fome 
 who  lived  nearer  thofe  times,  afcribed  this 
 prodigious  referve  to  a  blameable  timidity 
 and  fear  of  perfecution.  For  the  anonymous 
 author  of  a  pamphlet  of  fome  repute,  who 
 wrote  about  20  years  after  Sir  IJaac\  deaths 
 having  mentioned  Mr.  Rmlyn^  fufferings  in 
 this  caufe,  proceeds  to  fay  :  This  perfecut- 
 ing  fpirit  (J)  **  kept  in  a\ve,  and  filenced 
 **  fome  extraordinary  perfons  amongft  us, 
 *^  Sir  Peter  King,  Sir  Jofeph  yekyll,-  and 
 **  the  greateH  man  of  the  age  and  glory  of 
 *"*  the  Britiih  nation,   I  mean,  the  renowned 
 
 ''  Sir 
 
 l^d)  Caiifa  Dei  contra  Novatores^  &:c,  p.  31.  58.  h<^n-* 
 don,  1748* 
 
[     403     ] 
 
 *^  Sir  If aac  Newt  071,''  After  which  he  points 
 to  Sir  Ifaac's  then  unpublifhed  difcourfe,  or 
 diflertation  (6')  upon  the  pretended  text  of 
 I  John,  V.  7,  8.  as  an  inftanee  of  this  ex- 
 ceffive  caution.  This  differtation  has  now 
 been  long  before  the  public,  demonftrating 
 the  fpurioufnefs  of  thofe  words- — /;?  heaven^ 
 the  Father^  the  Wordy  and  the  Holy  Ghoji  • 
 and  thefe  three  are  one.  And  there  are  three 
 that  bear  witnefs  on  earth ;  {J^  and  fhewing 
 that  they  were  by  degrees  either  fraudulent- 
 ly inferted  into  the  XtrK.t  for  proving  the 
 Trinity;  or  elfe^i  without  any  ill  defign^ 
 taken  from  fome  note  in  the  margin  of  a 
 inanufcriptj  which  had  been  put  there  by 
 way  of  interpretation  of  the  apoftle's  own 
 words^  which  are  only  thefe  :  For  there  are 
 three  that  bear  record^  the  Spirit ^  and  the 
 Water'y  and  the  Blood :  and  thefe  three  agree 
 
 in  One. 
 
 How    longy    after  fiich  frequent   admonl^ 
 
 tions  and  remonjlrances  of  Mr.  Emlyn,  Dr, 
 
 Clarke,    Dr.    Jortin,     Sir     Ifaac    Newton, 
 
 D  d  2  and 
 
 (e)  Two  Letters  of  Sir  Ifaac  Newton  to  Mr.  Le  Clerc,' 
 -on  I  Joh.  V.  7.   I  Tim.  iii.  16.  London,  1754. 
 
 (/)  See    "  Critical  Conjectures  of  Mr.  Bowyer,  in 
 
[     4<^4     ] 
 
 and  others ;  how  lo7ig  will  this  adulterated 
 text  oythethrte  witneffes  in  hc3.vcn ,  ieJlLU co?i- 
 tinued  in  our  EngliJIo  Bibles,  printed  bv  au- 
 thority-,  and  7nijlead  the  ignorant  and  un- 
 wary, in  a  matter  of  fo  i7iuch  importance ,  as 
 what  relates  to  the  true  God  and  okjeB  of 
 worjhip  ! 
 
 SECTION     V. 
 
 Of  the  Author  of  ''  The  Light    of  Nature 
 purfuedf  &c, 
 
 IM  U  S  T  dwell  fomev/hat  longer  on  the 
 writings  and  conduc^l  of  a  very  excellent 
 perfon,  not  long  fince  gane  to  reft;  whom 
 Divine  Providence  had  deprived  for  a  few 
 years  before  his  death,  of  this  outvv^ard  light 
 of  fun,  moon,  and  ftars,  by  which  we  con- 
 template the  beautiful  vifible  world;  but 
 rccompenfed  with  a  double  portion  of  in- 
 ward illumination  of  his  holy  truth;  which, 
 as  he  fincerely  fought  for,  his  prayer  was 
 heard : 
 
 "So  much  the  rather.  Thou,  ccleflial  light, 
 
 «  Shine 
 
[     405     ] 
 
 •   ''  Shine  Inward,  and  the  mind  through  all  her  powr's 
 
 "  Irradiate  !" 
 
 'Milton,  B.  iii. 
 
 The  author  of  **  The  Light  of  Nature  pur- 
 fued/*  a  gentleman  of  eafy  independent  for- 
 tune, bred  atone  of  our  Inns  of  court,  of  large 
 acquaintance  with  men  and  things,  in  pub- 
 lifliing  that  work,  indifferent  to  fame  fo  that 
 he  might  but  benefit  mankind,  chofe  rather 
 to  drop  his  own  name  {g)  and  attrad;  the 
 attention  of  the  public  by  affuming  that  of 
 Edward  Search,  Efq;  fuited  to  his  labour 
 and  deiign. 
 
 In  the  execution  of  his  purpofe,  fome- 
 times  in  graver  mood,  but  more  commonly, 
 efpecially  in  his  former  volumes,  alluring 
 his  reader  in  more  lively  and  chearful  ftrains 
 to  travel  along  with  him,  he  traverfes  large 
 trafts  of  ground  in  the  mental  world,  little 
 trodden  before ;  and  in  trying  what  man 
 by  this  felf- inquiry  and  exercife  could  at- 
 tain to,  has  ftruck  out  a  vaft  variety  of  know- 
 lege  and  ufeful  truths  concerning  the  Great 
 Creator,  his  ways,  and  deiigns  only  of  good 
 
 D  d  3  for 
 
 (g)  His  name  was  added  to  the  four  laft  volumes  of  his 
 work,  publifhed  after  his  death. 
 
[     4o6     1 
 
 for  his  creature  man,  and  fcattered  many 
 holy  lefTons  of  important  information,  for 
 the  improvement  of  the  mind  and  heart, 
 and  for  direction  in  our  pilgrimage  through 
 this  world  to  a  better  j;  efpecially  in  incul- 
 cating that  glorious  truth,  that  all  things 
 flow  from  and  are  conjiituted  by  the  will  and 
 appointment y  and  are  under  the  abfolutey  un- 
 erring guidance  and  direBion  of  a  Being  of 
 boundlefs  wifdoniy  power  and  goodnefs^  the  he^ 
 nevolent  parent  of  the  univerfe^  and  are  tend- 
 ing to  and  will  not  fail  of  terminating  in  the 
 'virtue  and  final  endlefs  happinefs  of  all  his 
 rational  offspring, 
 
 Abraham  Tucker  [h)  Efq;  of  Beachvjorth- 
 cafile,  near  Darkiftg^  Surrey^   (for  fuch  was 
 
 our 
 
 {h)  He  was  the  fon  of  Mr.  Tucker^  merchant  in  Sife- 
 lane^  Lo?idon^  and  educated  at  Bifiiop-Stortford  fchool, 
 Hertfordfhire,  under  Dr.  Tooke  -,  where  he  made  good 
 progrefs  :  rather  referved  and  fparing  of  fpeech,  but  a  boy 
 of  humour  and  facetious ;  difpofitions  that  remained  with 
 him  through  life,  (the  latter  are  particularly  confpicuous  in 
 his  writings,)  and  which  rendered  him  moft  chearful  and 
 agreeable  in  the  circle  of  his  friends  and  acquaintance, 
 though  fomewhat  filent  among  ftrangers.  From  fchool 
 he  removed  to  Oxford,  and  thence  tK>  chambers  in  the 
 Inner  Temple ;  where  he  ftudied  the  law,  not  with  a  view 
 to  praftice,  but  to  qualify  hinifelf  for  future  ufefulnefs  as 
 
 a  good 
 
[     4^7     ] 
 
 our  author's  name  and  family-feat  In  the 
 country)  was  a  fmcere  chriftian,  and  alfo  a 
 firm  believer  of  the  Divi?te  Unity.  But  we 
 have  to  regret,  that  inftead  of  exerting  his 
 endeavours,  as  might  have  been  expecfted, 
 in  exploding  the  cuftomary  unfcriptural  lan- 
 guage concerning  the  Deity,  which  creates 
 and  countenances  the  belief  of  thj-ee  perfons 
 being  each  of  them  God,  and  a  feparate  objedt 
 of  worfliip;  he  became  an  advocate  for  retain- 
 ing the  trinitarian  forms  in  the  fervice  of 
 
 D  d  4  the 
 
 a  good  citizen,  and  particularly  to  a6l  as  a  magiftrate  In 
 the  country.  In  which  chara6ter  he  was  afterwards  emi- 
 nently ufeful. 
 
 About  1735,  he  married  Mifs  Barker,  only  daughter, 
 but  not  only  child  of  Edward  Barker,  Efq;  afterwards 
 Curfitor  Baron  of  the  Exchequer.  To  her  he  was  an 
 excellent  hufband ;  as  he  was  indeed  good  in  every  rela- 
 tion of  life,  and  highly  and  juflly  refpe(3:ed  by  all  that  knew 
 him.  His  fight  became  gradually  impaired ;  but  he  was 
 deprived  of  it  intirely,  only  three  or  four  years  before  he 
 died ;  and  yet  under  this  great  impediment,  he  compofed, 
 and  by  a  very  ingenious  and  fimple  contrivance,  was  able 
 to  write  down  himfelf  the  greater  part  of  the  latter  vo- 
 lumes of  his  v/ork,  which  came  out  after  his  death.  This 
 happened  in  the  year  1776. 
 
 His  daughter,  a  valuable  lady,  who  furvives  him,  v/as 
 wont,  like  the  famous  Milton's,  to  read  the  Greek  Tefla^ 
 ment  to  her  father  when  he  was  blind. 
 
[    4o8    ] 
 
 the  church  ef  which  he  was  member,  by 
 labouring  all  he  could  to  put  an  umtarian 
 fenfe  upon  them. 
 
 To  this  however  he  was  not  led  by  any 
 mean  worldly  motives,  but  by  groundlefs 
 fears  of  unhinging  and  difturbing  the  minds 
 of  ordinary  chriftians  who  were  addicted  to 
 fuch  forms  ^  thinking  that  it  would  fliake 
 their  belief  of  and  regard  for  every  thing 
 that  relates  to  God  and  a  future  world,  if 
 they  were  to  be  told,  that  there  had  been 
 fuch  grievous  miftakes,  and  of  fo  very  an- 
 cient a  date,  concerning  the  obje6l  of  chrif- 
 tian  woriliip.  '*  Hovv^  little  foever  (fays 
 he,  in  one  place,  vol.  vii.  p.  143.)  the 
 Athanafian  fubtleties  m^ay  add  to  the  flock 
 of  ufeful  knov/lege,  yet  if  you  teach  the 
 plain  m^an  to  regard  them  as  impolitions, 
 he  will  think  him^felf  impofed  upon  in 
 other  things  too,  and  pradlife  fbbriety  and 
 honefty  no  farther  than  to  efcape  the  lafli 
 of  the  law,  or  the  cenfures  of  the  world.'* 
 But  it  fhould  have  been  remembered,  that 
 Chrift  enjoins  his  followers  openly  to  con- 
 fefs  him  before  men,  (Matth.  x.  32,  33.)  i.  e. 
 without  refcrve  to  maintain  and  declare  the 
 truth  he  taught,  and  for  no  coniideration  to 
 
 conceal 
 
 i6 
 te 
 
 <6 
 
[     409     ] 
 
 conceal  or  difgulle  it,  or  countenance  the  cor- 
 ruption of  it,  under  the  penalty  of  being  de- 
 nied 2inA  difowned  by  him  at  the  laft,  before  the 
 heavenly  Father,  Neither  is  it  true,  that  we 
 run  any  rifque  of  loofening  men's  regards 
 for  religion,  by  fhewing  them  that  they  are 
 to  learn  it  from  the  Bible,  and  not  from  the 
 words  of  Athanafiiis,  And  befides,  in  dif- 
 charging  our  duty,  and  publifhing  honeftly 
 and  unrefsrvedly  what  the  gofpel  teacher 
 concerning  God  and  the  worfhip  and  honour 
 due  to  HIM  alone,  we  m.ay  repofe  ourfelves 
 in  HIM,  that  no  harm  will  enfue  but  good. 
 
 In  another  place,  (voL  vii.  p.  94.)  fpeak- 
 ing  of  the  apprehenjions  of  the  vulgar  about 
 the  T^rinityy  he  fays ;  '*  It  is  a  very  prudent 
 *^  and  honeft  caution  to  revere  the  myilery 
 **  without  prying  curioufly  into  it ;  and  you 
 *'  do  them  a  real  injury  by  putting  them 
 ^*  upon  comparifons  of  their  ideas,  unlefs 
 **  their  chriftianity  be  a  mifchief  to  them; 
 '*  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  prove;  for 
 *'  you  muft  either  deprive  them  of  the  be- 
 **  nefit  received  from  that,  or  endanger  their 
 *^  dijhelieving  the  unity  of  God,  that  grand 
 ^^  fundamental  article  both  of  natural  and 
 ^  *  revealed  religion , '  * 
 
 But 
 
[     4^o     1 
 
 But  If  the  vulgar,  great  and  fmall,  were 
 taught  the  knowlege  of  God,  from  the  fa- 
 cred  writings  only,  there  would  be  no  need 
 of  any  of  this  left-handed  caution  in  in- 
 ftrudting  them  ;  as  the  unity  of  God  is  no 
 myftery  there  ;  but  a  plain  dod:rine.  And 
 furely  it  is  high  time  to  get  rid  of  human 
 articles  grafted  on  the  gofpel,  which  thus,  to 
 Jfay  the  leaft,  endanger  men's  belief,  as  our  au- 
 thor frankly  owns,  of  the  Unity  ofGody  that 
 grayid  and  fund a777en.tal  article  both  of  natural 
 and  revealed  religion y  as  he  well  defines  it. 
 From  fuch  gloffing  and  varniiliing  of  thefe  cor- 
 ruptions, and  not  bearing  open  and  continual 
 teflimony  againft  them  ;  it  has  come  to  pafs, 
 that  Chriftendom  in  general,  with  fome  few 
 exceptions,  is,  at  this  day,  bowing  the  knee 
 to  and  worfliiping,  together  with  the  God 
 and  Father  of  all,  the  only  true  God,  two 
 other  perfons,  of  equal  power  and  perfec- 
 tions, each  of  them  called  God^  who  yet 
 are  no  Gods,  nor  were  ever  heard  of  as  Di- 
 vine Beings,  till  the  heathens,  on  their  em- 
 bracing the  gofpel,  began  to  corrupt  it  with 
 their  former  idolatrous  notions  and  vain  phi- 
 lofophy. 
 
 Our 
 
[     411     ] 
 
 9 
 
 Our  author's  plan  and  example  then,  if 
 iiniverfally  adopted  and  followed,  would 
 prove  of  moft  pernicious  confequence,  in 
 preventing  the  reformation  of  thefc  polyt&e^ 
 ijiic  dodtrines ;  a  reformation  fo  earneftly  to 
 be  defired  for  the  honour  and  fuccefs  of  the 
 gofpel  itfelf,  and  alfo  for  the  eafe  and  quiet 
 of  thoufands  in  all  countries,  who  fufFer 
 under  the  impofition  of  them;  and  who  have 
 not  fallen  upon,  or  can  ill  fatisfy  themfelves 
 with  thofe  expedients,  by  which  learned 
 men  and  metaphylicians  feek  to  pacify  their 
 fcruples,  in  their  ufe  of  and  attendance  upon 
 forms  of  worfhip,  which  in  their  plain 
 dired:  meaning  they  would  reject  and  con- 
 demn. 
 
 This  will  appear  by  the  ingenious  contri- 
 vances and  refinements  to  which  Mr.  Tucker 
 is  reduced ;  and  the  new  and  different  fenfe 
 which  he  ftnds  it  neceiTary  to  affix  to  his 
 words,  frorti  that  which  they  commonly 
 bear. 
 
 Being  fully  convinced,  that  to  fay  three 
 ferfons  are  one  Gody  in  the  common  fignifi- 
 cation  of  the  word  ferfon^  as  denoting  an 
 intelligent  agent,  was  a  contradiction,  be- 
 caufe  it  would  be  to  aflert.,  that  three  intel- 
 
 ligent 
 
[     41^     ] 
 
 Ugenf  Beings  are  one  intelligent  Being  "y  or,  as 
 he  himfelf  pleafantly  exprefTes  it,  (vol.  vii. 
 p.  96,  97.)  that  nu77iber  three  is  number  one: 
 he  therefore  takes  up  another  meaning  of  the 
 word  perfouy  by  which  he  makes  it  to  fig- 
 nify,  not  a  living  agent,  but  a  chara6ler  of 
 one.  And  thus  his  T'riitity  comes  out  to  be 
 nothing  more  than  a  triple  defcription  of  one 
 and  the  fame  God,  in  his  different  operati- 
 ons ;  or  the  Supreme  Being  afting  in  three 
 dijferent  charaBers,  to  which  he  affigns  the 
 terms.  Father ^  Son^  Spirit.  But  let  us  hear 
 himfelf. 
 
 I  fliall  take  the  liberty  to  tranfcribe  a  pa- 
 ragraph or  two  that  precede  the  paiTage,  the 
 better  to  introduce  it ;  and  to  give  a  fample 
 of  the  author's  excellent  fenfe  and  deep 
 thought. 
 
 *'  In  the  chapter  of  Providence,  fays 
 Mr.  'Tucker,  I  have  Hiewn  it  be  agreeable 
 with  our  ideas  of  the  Deity,  to  imagine 
 that  he  might  once  for  all  have  given  his 
 work  of  univerfal  nature  io  perfed:  a  con- 
 ftitution,  as  that  it  might  have  run  on  its 
 appointed  courfe  for  ever,  without  need- 
 ing any  farther  application  of  his  power ; 
 On  the  other  hand,  that  it  wa$  not  incon- 
 
 fiftent 
 
[     4^3     ] 
 
 fiftent  with  thofe  ideas,  to  fuppofe  him 
 purpojely  to  have  fi'amed  his^  laws  of  na- 
 tui'e  in  fuch  a  ma7i7ier  as  to  require  his  own 
 interpojitions ;     which    arc    not  fuddcn    ex-- 
 
 pedients  to  conneEi  unforefeen  deficiencies  in 
 his  def.gny  but  predeterminedy  and  cofnprized 
 in  the  original  plan  together  with  the  opera^ 
 tions  of  fecond  caufes'' 
 
 *'   Having  thus  found  the  divine  interpo- 
 
 '  iition  alike  probable  in  theory,  both  on  the 
 negative  and  affirmative  fides ;  I  proceeded 
 to  examine,  whether  it  might  be  determined 
 by  the  contemplation  of  vifible  nature  ^  and 
 could  find  no  evidence  of  an  interpofition 
 later  than  the  form.ation  of  the  planetary 
 fyftem,  and  of  this  earth  which  we  inhabit: 
 fince  when,  io  far  as  the  eye  of  human  rea- 
 fon  can  difcern,  all  things  both  in  the  na- 
 tural and  moral  world  have  gone  on  by  the 
 ftated  rules  governing  the  motions  of  bo- 
 dies, and  actions  of  free  agents.  Neverthe- 
 lefs  the  field  fiill  rem.ains  ODen  for  fuch  evi- 
 dence as  can  be  produced  of  further  inter- 
 pofition, and  it  becomes  us  to  give  the  di- 
 vines a  fair  hearing  of  fuch  evidence  as  they 
 do  produce.      It  is  not  my  bufinefs  to  exa- 
 
 ■  mine  the  weight  of  their  evidence :  I  have 
 
 taken 
 
[    414     ] 
 
 taken  no  more  upon  me  than  to  aifempt  d 
 clearer  iinderjlanding  of  what  they  fay^  than 
 hitherto  has  been  commonly  had,  fo  that 
 v/e  may  comprehend  what  it  is  we  are  to  re- 
 ceive, or  rejedt. 
 
 **  ^hey  tell  us,  that  God  created  the  mat- 
 ter, and  gave  the  form  of  this  vifible  nature 
 we  behold ;  thus  much  we  knev*^  before. 
 But  they  tell  us  likewife,  that  he  has  inter- 
 pofed  many  times  fmce,  by  miracles,  pro- 
 phecies, and  revelations;  that  he  united 
 himfelf  to  one  particular  man,  fo  as  to  be- 
 come the  fame  perfon  with  him  from  his 
 birth  5"  (N.  B.  This  and  fome  other  thatfol-^ 
 lowsy  may  he  the  language  of  Divines,  hut  it 
 is  not  that  of  the  Scriptures;  although  it 
 it  capable  of  an  UnitarianyZ^^,  which  is  that 
 which  Mr,  Tucker  intended^  '*  that  he  fre- 
 quently cooperates  with  our  endeavours  to 
 difcover  truths,  and  perform  good  works 
 we  could  not  have  done  without  fuch  aid ; 
 that  thefe  operations  were  performed  by  three 
 (Perfonae)  Perfons  in  one  God,  not  jointly^,- 
 but  each  having  a  diftind:  fliare  in  them : 
 The  union  with  manhood^  and  all  done  in  vir-' 
 tue  of  that  union ^  was  the  work  of  the  Son  r 
 Ihe  afjifance  afforded  occafonally  to  men  in  ge^ 
 
 neralg 
 
C   415   1 
 
 neraly  was  the  province  of  the  holy  Spirit  1 
 and  all  the  rejl,  of  the  Y at nn'R,'' 
 
 ^*  By  the  diftind:  manners  of  operation, 
 proceeds  our  Author,  God  appears  to  aB  in 
 three  characters,  eafily  feparable  from  one 
 another,  in  cur  conception;  but  joining 
 mutually  in  advancement  of  the  general  de- 
 fign,  and  executing  the  principle  ftrokes  in 
 the  plan  of  Providence,  refped:ing  the  mo- 
 ral world.  The  Father  adied  in  the  plan  of 
 King  or  Governor,  controuling  the  courfes 
 of  nature  and  adions  of  fecond  caufes  by 
 immediate  exertions  of  his  power;  and  by 
 his  figns  and  wonders  prepared  the  minds  of 
 men  for  reception  of  the  benefits  imparted 
 by  the  other  two.  'The  So?i  aded  in  the  cha- 
 racter of  a  co-agent  or  partner,  not  controul- 
 ing the  mental  or  bodily  powers  of  Jefus, 
 but  addino;  a  force  and  vigour  v/hich  could 
 not  have  been  furniilied  bv  natural  caufes  s 
 fupplied  what  had  been  left  deficient  in  the 
 plan  of  Providence,  and  rendered  mankind 
 capable  of  reaping  advantages  from  the  efFu^ 
 iion  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  laft  [the  Holy 
 Spi?^it)  ad's  in  the  charader  of  a  friend  and 
 monitor,  not  working  Vv^ith  the  power  and 
 majefty  of  a  monarch,  not  dwelling  infepa^ 
 
 rably 
 
[     4i6     ] 
 
 •rably  with  the  mind  of  man,  but  impercep-* 
 tibly  throwing  in  afiiftance  from  time  to 
 time,  as  wanted,  and  thereby  filling  up  the 
 laft  lines  of  the  divine  plan/'  Vol.  vii.  p, 
 III  to  114. 
 
 In  a  following  part  of  his  work,  refer- 
 ring to  the  above,  he  thus  expreifes  his 
 meaning  :  *'  that  it  was  the  fame  indivifible 
 almighty  Being,  who  governs  all  nature  as 
 alfo  the  affairs  of  men  by  his  ordinary  and 
 extraordinary  Providence ;  ivho  took  upon  him 
 ^Giir  nature  by  an  union  ivitb  the  hiifnaji  foul 
 and  body  of  Jefus,  and  'who  works  occafionally 
 wbon  our  hearts  to  will  and  to  do  according 
 to  his  good  pic  afire :  That  he  did  not  there- 
 by become  three  different  Beings  or  Sub- 
 fan  ces,  having  tranfaBions  with  one  another ; 
 but*  af  limed  the  appearance  of  three  Perfons^ 
 or  charadlersy  each  having  a  feparate  office 
 and  diftindl  province  of  adiion/' 
 
 I  have  quoted  thefe  paffages  from  our  au- 
 .  thor,  in  which  he  delivers  himfelf  moft  in- 
 -  telligibly,  according  Xo  this   new  mode  of 
 
 interpretation.      But  how  difficult  is  it  for 
 
 J. 
 
 .  many  to  underftand  him  even  here;  when 
 .'  he  characterizes  God,  as  being  Father^  Son^ 
 •  and  Holy  Spirit ^  and  fpeaks  of  the  Sq?i  not  con-;; 
 
 trouUng 
 
[     41?     J 
 
 trouling    the    mental    or    bodily    powers   of 
 yejiis,  &CC,  ?   How  much  better  vvould  it  have 
 been,  if  inftead  of  adopting  the  Platonic  fcho- 
 laftic  language  of  Divines,  of  ^^r«?^P^;y3;7 J- (T^;?- 
 Jlituting  one  God,  and  attempting  to  recon- 
 cile with  the  Scriptures  what  they  have  no- 
 thing to  do  with  j   he    had  difcarded    fuch 
 terms  intirely  ?   One  wonders  alfo  he  did  not 
 recoiled:,  that  however  he  mighty  in  his  own 
 mind,  define  the  word,  Perjon^  and  put  his 
 ov/n   unitarian   fenfe   upon   it  :    yet    in    the 
 Athanajian  creed,  and  in  the  ads  of  devo- 
 tion in  the  hit  any  formed  upon  it,  and  ad- 
 drefled  feverally  to  God  the  Father,  God  the 
 Son,    and   God  the    Holy  GhoPc,    there   is 
 much  more  than  what  he  calls  the  appear- 
 ance of  three  Perfons  or  CharaBers ;   there 
 are  three  real  Perfons^  three  feveral  intelli^ 
 gent  Beings  fpoken  to  and  addrelTed  in  prayer, 
 each    adually   bearing  a  feparate  office  and 
 ditlind:  province   of  action.       Vol.   viii.   p. 
 199,   200. 
 
 In  going  on   afterwards   to  explain  what 
 he  meant,  in  God  taking  our  nature  upon  him 
 by  an  union  with  the  human  foul  and  body  of 
 ftfiiS',  after  fome  very  inexplicable  language, 
 he  brings  it  out  at  laft,   to  be  only  an  union 
 
 E  e  of 
 
f  418  ] 
 
 of  the  fame  kind  which  others  of  mankind 
 have  with  God ;   though  in  a  far  lefs  degree. 
 
 *^  Neither,  fays  he,  is  the  term  uniting 
 *'  (i.  e.  union  with  God)  or  other  expreffion 
 **  of  limilar  import,  withholden  from  the 
 *^  regenerate  chriftian  :  of  whom  it  is  faid, 
 *^  the  Father  fall  come  unto  him^  and  make 
 *^  his  abode  with  him^  and  dwell  in  him^  and 
 **  that  he  fall  receive  power  to  be  one  of  the 
 '*  Sons  of  God,''  *^  From  all  which  (he  vt* 
 *^  marks)  may  be  gathered,  that  the  appli- 
 **  cation  of  the  Deity  to  every  fandtified  be- 
 **  liever,  was  the  fame  in  kind  to  that  (f 
 '*  fefus'y  but  immenfely  inferior  in  degree^ 
 ^*  and  temporary."      VoL  viii.  p.  201. 
 
 In  the  next  page,  (202.)  recapitulating 
 this  account  of  the  dodlrine  of  the  New 
 Teflament  concerning  Chrift,.  he  lays;  '^  It 
 *^  appears,  that  Jefus  was  a  real  man,  like 
 "  unto  us  in  all  relpefts,  fm  only  excepted- 
 *^  and  that  the  Divi?tity  united  to  him,  which 
 *  ^  together  with  his  human  foul  and  body  com^ 
 *'  pofed  one  Chrift  was  the  Supreme  Being 
 *^  fiihllantially  and  iifeparably  prefent  with 
 **  /;/;;/,  fipplying  all  imp erfcul ions  in  the 
 **  created  parts  J'  How  much  is  it  to  be 
 lamented  that  this  worthy  andfenfiblechrif- 
 
 tiars 
 
tian  jfliouid  adopt  fucli  language  as  that  here 
 marked  in  Italics,  from  which  common 
 readers  will  imagine  oiir  Lord  to  be  fome- 
 thing  very  different  from  what  he  himfel.f 
 thought  him  to  be  ?  For  all  he  intended  by 
 it  was,  that  the  man,  Chrift  Jefus,  had  ex- 
 traordinary powers  and  affiftances  from  God, 
 above  all  other  men. 
 
 It  would  not  be  fair  thus  to  pafs  fentence 
 bn  our  author's  endeavours  to  exhibit  the 
 Athanafiait  Trinity  in  an  Unitarian  light, 
 without  giving  him  leave  to  make  his  apo- 
 logy for  it  in  his  own  words  ;  which  he 
 thus  offers  in  one  place,  with  that  unaiTum^- 
 ing  modefly  and  good  humour  that  feem  na- 
 tural to  him. 
 
 *^  And  now  I  haVe  done  my  beft  towards 
 explaining  this  mofl;  myfterious  article  of  the 
 do(5lrines  taught  in  our  church.  I  hope  I 
 iliall  not  be  fufpected  of  a  fecret  intention 
 to  undermine  the  foundations  of  religion, 
 nor  yet  to  mifleadj  or  impofe  any  thing  upon 
 the  confciences  of  men.  But  it  will  be^ 
 feen,  that  my  purpofe  was  nothing  more 
 than  an  honeft  attempt  to  put  a  rational  and 
 intelligible  Gonfl:rud:ion  upon  the  words  de- 
 livered, without  pronouncing  upon  the  truth 
 
 E  e  2  or 
 
[     A^^     ] 
 
 or  falfhood  of  the  matter  contained  therein, 
 when  clearly  underftood.  For  I  would  be 
 confidered  as  a  commentator,  not  as  a  judge : 
 I  pretend  to  no  authority,  nor  extraordinary 
 fkill  in  divinity,  therefore  He  under  no 
 temptation  to  conclude  with  ;  ^his  is  the 
 catholic  faithy  which  except  a  man  believe 
 faithfully y  without  doubt  he  Jhall  perijh-  ever-^ 
 lajlingly.'*     Vol.  vll.  p.  128,   129* 
 
 'Examples  of  the  Author  s  fpeaking  cf 
 Chrlft,  and  of  explaining  the  Scrip- 
 tures ^  exactly  in  the  manner  of  TJni^ 
 tarians, 
 
 « 
 1. 
 
 yefus  was  the  Son  of  God,  in  the  fame 
 way  as  the  reft  of  mankind,  though 
 7nore  highly  favoured, 
 *^  The  word  begotten  (fays  Mr.  T ticker,) 
 we  find  often  employed   in   Scripture,    but 
 iifed    figuratively, and   belonging  ori- 
 ginally to  the  77ian  Jefus ;  whom  St.  Luk^ 
 proves  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  by  deriving 
 his  genealogy  from  Adam,   (Luke  iii.  38.) 
 who  was  the  Son  of  God,     In  this  fenfe  we 
 are  all  fo  too :  for  although  we  cannot  trace 
 
 our 
 
L   421    ] 
 
 our  genealogy,  there  is  no  doubt  of  our  be- 
 ing lineally  defcended  from  Adam,  "who  was 
 ths  Son  of  God.  But  Jefus  was  called  by 
 way  of  eminence  the  Son  of  God -y — and  the 
 Son  of  Many  as  being  the  promifed  feed  ap- 
 pointed by  particular  defignation  of  Provi- 
 dence, to  reftore  the  whole  race  of  men 
 from  their  fallen  Hate  of  perdition."  Vol. 
 vii.  p.  117,   118. 
 
 11. 
 
 Chrifl  wrought  miracles  by  the  fame  power 
 as  MofeSy  and  in  the  fajne  way, 
 
 *'  We  may  fuppofe  Chrifl:  worked  mira- 
 cles as  Mofes  and  the  prophets  did,  by  the 
 power  of  the  Father  accompanying  him,  not 
 
 imparted  to  him. -For  he  did  not  claim 
 
 the  powers  he  appeared  to  exert  as  his  own, 
 but  afcribed  the  glory  of  them  to  the  Father. 
 He  faid  {^foh,  v.  17.)  My  Father  worketh 
 hitherto y  and  I  work.  His  own  ihare  was 
 no  more  than  to  difcern  the  proper  times 
 when  miracles  would  be  worked,  and  [e)  to 
 call  for  them.''  p.  120. 
 
 E  e  3  iii. 
 
 (^)  This  Is  a  jufl  remark.  Our  Saviour  appears  always 
 to  have  fought  by  prayer  for  the  divine  afliftance  in  wprk^ 
 ing  miracles.     See  yo/;.  xi.  41,  42. 
 
[    42^     3 
 
 111- 
 
 A  general  account  of  the  beginning  of  St 
 
 JohnsgofpeL 
 ^'  The  Word  or  Logos  being   frequently 
 applied  to  Chriil:  as  a  title  or  proper  name^ 
 has   induced   many    to   believe  it   contained 
 fomething  myfteriqus,  expreffive  of  certain 
 qualities  or  powers  peculiar  to  him  :  and  be- 
 caufe  Logos   iignified  either  a  word  fpoken^ 
 or  the  faculty  of  reafon,  they   conceived  of 
 the  word  as  fomething  analagous  to  the  Nous 
 or  fecond  Hypofatis  of  Plato,  and  made  the 
 Perfon  {Ferfond)  to  whom  it  belonged,  the 
 Demiourgos  or  Maker  of  the  wprld  ^  con- 
 firmed herein  by  an  exprelTion  of  St.  John's; 
 By  him  all  things  were  made,  and  without 
 him  wa^s  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made, 
 
 *'  I  am  not  theologian  enough  to  under- 
 take the  expofition  of  that  text :  perhaps  it 
 may  mean  that  the  whole  plan  of  Providence 
 v/as  formed  with  a  reference  to  the  part  he 
 ihould  adl  in  it,  and  without  fuch  reference 
 not  a  fmgle  ilroke  was  drawn  of  all  thofe 
 multitudes  that  were  drawn.  But  I  believe 
 now  the  literal  {zm^  is  not  holden  or- 
 thodox ;  at  leaft  I  have  not  happened  to  meet 
 y/ith  any  perfon  of  repute  in  the  church  fu 
 
 under-- 
 
[     423     ] 
 
 imderftanding  it  fince  Beveridge^  who  might 
 be  as  good  a  man  as  ever  lived,  'but  certainly 
 not  the  moft  judicious/'      Id.  Ibid.  p.  122, 
 
 123. 
 
 iv. 
 
 How  Chrijl  had  glory  with  the  Father  be- 
 fore the  world  was,     John  xvii.  5. 
 
 Although  fomewhat  inveloped  in  fcholaftic 
 Trinitarian  terms,  Mr.  "tucker  explains  it 
 to  be  a  glory,  not  adually  poffefled,  but  de- 
 figned  for  Chrift  before  the  world  was.  ''  For 
 ''  God,  fays  he,  might  from  all  eternity 
 «*  have  defigned  and  laid  out  the  plan  he  was 
 *v  to  execute  in  time;  and  have  contem- 
 ^*  plated  the  gracious  and  glorious  purpofes 
 *'  He  was  to  execute  by  Chrift."  p.  12S. 
 
 How  well  our  Author  could  explain  and 
 illuftrate  the  Scriptures  when  he  did  not  look 
 upon  himfelf  bound  to  pay  fuch  deference  to 
 the  language  which  human  authority  had  con- 
 fecrated  as  it  were  and  eftabliflied  before  him, 
 will  be  read  by  many  with  pleafure  in  the  fol- 
 lowing quotations. 
 
 On  Redemption, 
 *'  Perhaps  (fays  he)   it   will  be  thought 
 leffening  our  obligations  to  the  Saviour,   to 
 fuppofe  him  effeding  our  redemption  with- 
 
 E  e  4  out 
 
[     4^4     ] 
 
 out  hurt  to  himfelf,  and  reprefenting  it  as 
 an  adb  of  prudence,  which  his  wifdom  muft 
 fhew  him  was  expedient  for  his  own  fake, 
 no  lefs  than  for  the  fake  of  his  fellow-mem- 
 bers :  for  ye  fits  had  a  jhul  to  be  faved  as  ^well 
 as  we,  and  did  fave  it  together  with  ours  J* 
 
 *^  To  this  objedion  I  ihall  anfwer,  in  the 
 *^  firft  place,  that  I  am  juftified  in  this  re- 
 *'  prefentation  by  the  writer  to  the  Hebrews ^ 
 *'  who  tells  us  [Hebr,  xii.  2.)  that  Jefus, 
 ^'  for  the  (y")  joy  that  was  fet  before  him, 
 
 *'  endured 
 
 (/)  Mr.  Jofeph  Hallet^  the  worthy  and  learned  Con- 
 tinuator  of  Peirce's  unfinifhed  Paraphrafe  and  Notes  on 
 the  epiftle  to  the  Hchmvsy  enlarges  upon  this  paflage  of 
 Hebr,  xii.  2.  as  follows  :  "  who,  for  the  fake  of  obtain- 
 "  ing  the  reward  of  joy  and  glory,  and  exaltation  to  be 
 *'  lord  of  all,  which  was  promifed  him,  and  prefented  to 
 "  his  view,  was  cciitented  to  endure  all  the  pains  of  cru- 
 "  cifixion,  which  was  the  condition  of  his  receiving  this 
 *'  reward.'*  Mifled  by  little  ideas  of  glory  and  honour 
 among  men,  and  conceiving  wrong  of  the  Scripture  lan- 
 guage in  that  refpecl  concerning  Chrift,  our  author  un- 
 defignedly  lowers  the  character  of  Jefus,  and  the  motives 
 from  which  he  a6led.  Throughout  the  Scriptures,  the 
 glory  which  he  fought,  the  exaltation  at  the  right  hand  of 
 G:dy  v/hich  was  propofed  to  him,  was  not,  as  has  been 
 before  obfcrved,  any  fplendor  or  dignity  annexed  to  his 
 own  perfon,  which  gave  him  pleafure  and  animated  him 
 to  fuch  heroic  deeds  of  virtu?  iind  obedience  to  God  ;  but 
 it  was  the  fpreadi^ig  of  the  dluln^  truth  cf  the  gcfpel  orig  /- 
 
<c 
 
 [   425    3 
 
 ^'  endured  the  crofs,  defpifmg  thefliame; 
 that  is,  he  adled  for  his  own  irttereft  joints 
 ly  with  ours/'  Vol.  vii.  p.  171. 
 p.  173.  *'  It  would  be  impious  to  ima- 
 gine the  organs  of  Jefus  rendered  infen- 
 *'  fible,  or    that   he   did    not  feel  the  fame 
 
 *<  weight  of  anguifh, when  he  cried  out, 
 
 ^^  My  God,  my  God,  why  hajl  thou  forfaken 
 *.^  me  ?  as  any  of  us  fhould  have  done  in  the 
 like  fituation  :  but  that  weight  was  over- 
 balanced by  the  contemplation  of  his  own 
 intereft  being  involved  in  that  of  the  cre- 
 ation, and  by  the  joy  of  opening  a  paf- 
 fage,  whereby  all  mankind  might  arrive 
 at  the  like  tranquillity  of  mind  under  the 
 *'  fevereft  preffures/' 
 
 **  This  brings  me  to  inquire,  in  what 
 *'  manner  the  fufferings  of  the  Redeemer 
 operated  to  our  benefit :  and  I  apprehend 
 it  to  have  been,  not  by  taking  off  any 
 fervice  we  were  deftined  to  perform  for 
 
 <c 
 
 (  i 
 
 the 
 
 nally  hy  his  means^  and  the  bringing  of  all  mankind  to  the  ac- 
 knowlegement  of  it,  and  to  he  made  eternally  happy  by  it. 
 This  was  his  joy;  that  by  v/hich  he  was  encouraged  in  de- 
 voting himfelf  to  death  in  the  caufe  of  the  gofpel ;  appointed 
 by  God  to  be  the  grand  inftrument  by  which  this  glorious 
 end  and  event  is  accomplifhing,  and  will  be  accompliflied. 
 And  the  profpe^t  of  it  might  well  fupport  his  pious  and 
 virtuous  mind  through  the  dreadful  conflivSl. 
 
i 
 c 
 c 
 
 c 
 c 
 
 € 
 C 
 
 ,  c 
 
 [  426  ] 
 
 the  benefit  of  the  univerfe,  for  this  would 
 be  facrificing  the  general  intereft  to  the 
 advantage  of  a  few;  nor  by  working  a 
 change  in  the  conftitution  of  human  na- 
 ture, for  this  would  look  like  fomething 
 of  a  charm  or  magic  5  nor  yet  by  turning 
 the  purpofes  of  God  from  refentment  to 
 mercy,  for  this  would  be  to  reprefent  him 
 liable  to  pafiion  and  mutability  :  but  by 
 fetting  an  example,  which  might  lead  us 
 into  the  method  of  performing  the  hardeft 
 of  our  fervices,  with  the  fame  tranquil-? 
 lity  and  fatisfadtion  of  mind  that  he  did/* 
 
 On  imputed  righteoufnefsy  and  ChriJTs  mc^ 
 diation  and  inter cejjion, 
 p.  176.  '^  From  hence  we  may  fee,  the 
 imputation  of  righteoufnefs  ;  the  media- 
 tion and  interceiiion  for  fmners  ftill  con- 
 tinuing fuch,  are  only  figurative  expref- 
 lions,  to  denote  that  we  derive  our  righte- 
 oufnefs from  Chrifl,  and  are  enabled  by 
 the  medium  of  his  example  and  aids,  to 
 fulfil  the  laws  of  nature,  which  were  im- 
 pradlicable  to  us  before.  Yet  ftill  the 
 righteoufnefs  muft  be  adlually  derived  to 
 ourfelves  and  become  our  own,  before  it 
 can  be  imputed  to  us :  and  though  he  has 
 
 *'  rendered 
 
[   427   ] 
 
 f^  rendered  the  way  paffable  by  going  before 
 f^  us,  we  muft  travel  it  after  hi'm  with  our 
 **  own  feet,  or  fhall  never  arrive  at  our 
 journey's  end  :  We  may  expedl  to  be 
 helped  forwards,  but  not  carried,  for  any 
 the  moft  preffing  repeated  importunities 
 ^*  whatfoever.  Therefore,  our  truft,  our 
 ^^  devotion,  and  our  religious  exercifes,  will 
 ''  not  commute  for  the  want  of  that  righ- 
 ^*  teoufnefs  which  is  the  fole  operating 
 caufe  of  our  falvation,  and  which  we  may 
 now  attain  by  derivation  from  him.  Nor 
 are  they  of  any  other  avail  than  for  the 
 effeft  they  may  have  upon  ourfelves  to- 
 wards generating  in  us  the  like  moral 
 wifdom,  as  exemplified  by  our  leader,  in 
 the  ready  refiftance  of  pleafure,  defire,  and 
 temptation,  and  unreludtant  endurance  of 
 ^*  the  feverefl  trials." 
 
 **  The  fum  of  our  imitation  then,  and 
 ^*  the  fubftance  of  our  duty,  is  the  fame 
 ^^  with  what  \vas  comprized  by  the  old 
 philofophers  in  two  words,  bear  and 
 FORBEAR.  But  they  could  only  tell  us 
 f'  what  would  make  for  our  good,  whereas 
 he  has  fet  us  an  example,  and  prefcribed 
 inftitutions  and  methods,  vv^hereby  we 
 f^  may  learn  to  bear  and  forbear  with  con- 
 
 '*  tent 
 
 if 
 
 iC 
 
[     428     ] 
 
 tent  and  fatlsfaftion  to  ourfelves.  For  he 
 proclaims  to  us  {Matth,  xi.  28.)  Come  unto 
 mCy  all yc  that  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
 give  you  reji :  for  my  yoke  is  eafy,  and 
 my  burden  is  light :  He  has  made  it  fo, 
 not  by  taking  olF  the  weight,  but  by 
 inuring  our  fhoulders  to  bear  it  without 
 galling/'  All  this  is  finely  and  jnfily  ex- 
 frejfedy  as  is  alfo  this  that  follows. 
 
 On   the  bloody    and  facrifice,    and  merits  of 
 
 Chrifi. 
 
 Vol.  viii.  p.   213,  &c.      **  The  method 
 
 **  of  reconciliation,  by  facrifice,  prefcribed 
 
 **  to  the  Jews  in  their  ceremonial  law,  and 
 
 f*  likewife  pradtifed  by  the  heathens,  feems 
 
 ^'  to  have  introduced  among  both  an  opini- 
 
 **  on,    that  after  having    angered   God   by 
 
 *'  their    tranfgreffions,     they    might    bring 
 
 **  hioi  into  gopd    humour   again,    by    the 
 
 *'  fweet-fmelling  favour  exhaling  from  their 
 
 **  facrifices,  or  the  magnificence  or   beauty 
 
 *'  of  their  oblations.     But    who,  in  thefe 
 
 *'  times  of  better  knowlege,  can  imagine, 
 
 *'  that  God  is  to  be  bribed  out  of  his  favours; 
 
 **  that  any  thing  can  put  him  alide  from  his 
 
 **  purpofe. 
 
[    429     ] 
 
 **  purpofe,  6r  render  him  propitious  wheri 
 *<  he  was  otberv/ife  difpofed."    . 
 
 p.  214.  ''  The  facrifice  of  Chrift  could 
 **  have  no  efficacy  to  charfge  the  immutable 
 ''  God,  who  is  the  lame  yefterday,  to-day, 
 *'  and  for  ever;  or  to  turn  hinl  frorrl  feve- 
 <*  rity  to  gracioufnefs  and  m.ercy  :  but  was 
 ''  efficacious  for  raifmg  the  human  race  to, 
 **  that  righteoufnefs,  which,  in  his  original 
 **  conftitution  of  univerfal  nature,  he  had 
 **  made  the  fole  avenue  to  eternal  life." 
 
 p^  215. — ''  Much  talk  has  palled  among 
 *'  the  pious,  concerning  the  precious  blood 
 <'  of  Chrift,  whereby   we  were  redeemed. 
 *'   As  if  the  material  blood  in  his  body  was 
 ^'  of  a  richer  compofition   than  any  other 
 **  blood,    containing  an    occult   quality,    a 
 **  magic  virtue,  a  vivifying  fpirit,  efficaci-- 
 ous  to  purge  away  all   feeds  of  mortality 
 and  corruption  that   could   be  found  in 
 **  the  world.     And  the   Papifts   carry  this 
 <*  notion  fo  far  as  to  iniift,  that  no  one  can 
 ''  be  fwed  without  fwallowing  the  body  to- 
 **  gether  with  the  blood  included  therein." 
 
 p.  216.  ''  But  I  fee  no  warrant  to  pro- 
 **  nounce  the  blood  of  Jefus  a  whit  better 
 <*  than  that  of  any  other  man,  who  was  born 
 
 (C 
 
 <( 
 
 \\i 
 
 ith 
 
€6 
 
 t       230       j 
 
 ^^  witli  a  good  conftitution,  and  had  lived  a 
 fober  temperate  life  :  therefore  it  was  not 
 the  blood  fhed,  but  the  adt  of  iliedding 
 "  that  availed  to  our  benefit : — -and  the  blood 
 *^  was  no  ctherwife  precious,  than  as  it 
 "  ferved  to  fuftairi  that  life  which  he  facri- 
 **  iiced  for  our  fakes." 
 
 *^  Nor  yet  can  we  fuppofe  any  benefit  of 
 **  delight  accruing  to  the  Father,  from  fee- 
 ^*  ing  him  expire  upon  the  crdfs.  So  thai 
 **  even  his  death  was  not  expiatory^  nor  pro-' 
 **  pitiatory  in  itfelf,  nor  any  farther  needed 
 **  than  as  it  was  necejfary  for  ejiablijhing  the 
 *^  authority  of  the  religion  he  had  ijiftitutedy 
 **  for  the  reftoring  and  pe?feBing  human  na^ 
 *^  tiire  throughout  the  whole  fpecies  of  crea^ 
 **  tures  partaking  thereof* 
 
 p.  217.  **  The  appellation  of  merit  can 
 **  ho  more  be  taken  in  the  ftrid:  primary 
 *^  fenfe  than  any  of  the  former^— — -If  any 
 **  one  has  done  yoii  fom.e  fignal  fervice,  he 
 **  has  a  merit  with  you,  you  owe  him  a  re* 
 *'  turn.  But  what  merit  had  eve?!  Chrift 
 •*  himfelf  with  the  Father  ?  What  obligation 
 •*  could  his  righteoifnefs  and  fufferings  lay 
 **  HIM  under  ?  What  accefjion  was  thereby 
 **  made  to  his  power ^  his  wifdom^  or  any 
 
 *^  other 
 
t  43M 
 
 other  attribute?  You  will  find  nothing 
 tending  that  way  in  the  lacred  records^ 
 which  all  along  reprefent  the  reftoratioa 
 of  fallen  man,  as  'Si  free  grace  of  the  Father^ 
 **  not  a  debt  to  the  Son.'' 
 
 H01V  important  and  ?iecejfafy  to  be  attended 
 to  is  this  next  remark  I 
 
 p.  343.  *^  I  am  apt  vehemently  to  fufpeft^ 
 that  the  prayers  of  our  church  frequently 
 concluding,  through,  or  for  the  fake  of 
 Jeftis  Chri/l,  gives  an  idea  to  many  per- 
 fons  that  God  has  no  immediate  regard 
 for  us  at  all,  but  beftows  his  bleffings 
 purely  to  gratify  his  Son,  upon  thcfe  to 
 whom  he  has  happily  taken  a  liking  :  and 
 that  by  the  ufe  of  that  name  we  may  move 
 him  to  do  a  thing  he  was  indifferent  to 
 before.  I  need  not  take  pains  to  fhew 
 bow  repugnant   this    notion   is   to   reafon 
 
 and  rational  faith. — For  fuch  as  hanje 
 
 ears  to  hear,  they  are  told  exprefsly,  that 
 Godfo  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
 Son  to  be  a  propitiation  for  our  fins.— • 
 **  And  he  is  all  along  reprefented  as  the 
 **  God  of  love  ',  fending  his  funfliine  and  his 
 *'  rain  upon  the  jufl  and  the  unjufl,  long- 
 **  fufFering  and  merciful,  ready  to   forgive, 
 
 **  unwilling 
 
 it 
 
 J 
 <c 
 
 i< 
 
 €i 
 
 << 
 i( 
 
 <i 
 
 6C 
 
€C 
 €C 
 
 <6 
 
 t  4i2   ] 
 
 **  unwilling  the  finner  fhouid  perifh^^  but 
 that  he  fhouid  turn  from  his  evil  way^ 
 and  live.  This  being  his  charafter,  there 
 is  no  doubt  he  is  always  ready  to  give  his 
 creatures  all  the  good  things  proper  foi" 
 **  them,  and  confiftent  with  the  order  of 
 government  refpedling  his  fpiritual  crea* 
 tures,  eftablifhed  in  perfed:  wifdom,  of 
 his  own  mere  motion,  without  needing 
 any  iriterceffion  prompting  him  thereto/' 
 The  gofpel  teaches  that  Chrift  is  the 
 **  way  and  the  life,  for  no  man  can  come 
 **  to  the  Father  unlefs  through  the  Son. 
 **  He  came  from  God  to  direcfl  us  by  his 
 *^  doftrines,  and  affift  us  by  his  inftitutions, 
 **  and  goes  before  to  lead  us  by  his  example, 
 **  in  the  road  which  is  the  natural  avenue 
 **  to  the  divine  bleffings  :  therefore  he  is 
 ftiled  the  intercelTor,  Mediator,  and  agent 
 going  between  God  and  man,  as  I  have 
 endeavoured  already  to  explain.  But  then 
 *'  we  muft  travel  the  road  ourfelves,  or  fhall 
 **  receive  no  benefit  from  his  interceffion, 
 *'  which  operates  no  otherwife  than  by  bring* 
 "  ing  us  into  the  way ;  for  even  his  death 
 **  and  paffion  will,  avail  only  fuch,  who 
 **  flrive  to  imitate  his   endurance  in  a  good 
 
 y  caufe; 
 
 tc 
 
t    433     3 
 
 **  caufe;  to  crucify  the  lufts  of  their  flefh, 
 "  the  pride,  indolence,  and  unruly  paffions 
 "  of  their  heart,  and  to  fubdue  and  fubjedt 
 *'  the  carnal  or  fenfual  part  to  the  fpiritual 
 "  or  rational." 
 
 "  Therefore  I  apprehend  we  are  not  war- 
 **  ranted  to  expeft  that  Ghrift  will  do  any 
 *^  thing  for  us  at  a  diftance  in  heaven,  nor 
 *^  otherwife  than  by  the  inflrumentality  of 
 ^^  our  own  powers  towards  bringing  our 
 **  hearts  into  that  frame,  which  may  qualify 
 *^  them  for  reception  of  thefe  bleffings, 
 **  which  God  in  his  wifdom  and  goodnefs 
 *^  has  prepared  for  his  creatures.  And  by 
 *^  the  phrafe,  through  'J ejus  Chrift^  is  to  be 
 ^*  underftood,  that  we  hope  to  obtain  the 
 *'  things  we  fue  for,  by  the  way  he  has 
 opened  to  us  for  arriving  at  them  :  And, 
 for  his  fdkey  implies  that  God  will  give 
 ^*  them  to  us,  in  conlideration  of  our  em- 
 *^  ploying  the  means  he  has  put  in  our  hands 
 "  for  attaining  them." 
 
 AFTER  having  fhewn  vv^hat  an  Intelli- 
 gent chriftian,  and  conjtjlent  Unitarian  this 
 excellent  perfon  was,  in  all  refpedts,  fave  in 
 
 Ff  his 
 
[     434     3 
 
 his  injudicious  but  well  intended  labours  to 
 give  to  the  T'rinitarian  forms  of  worfliip  In 
 the  eftabliflied  church  an  Unitarian  meaning, 
 which  they  will  by  no  means  admit ;  I  fhall 
 clofe  the  whole  with  one  farther  citation 
 from  him,  which  fhews  that  in  other  re- 
 fcefls  he  was  defirous  of  having  the  public 
 devotions  offered  to  the  Almighty  being  as 
 free  from  imperfection  as  they  might  be 
 made. 
 
 **  In  the  place  of  public  worjfhip,  I  would 
 **  prohibit  all  pompous  titles  and  courtly  epi- 
 ^'  thets  :  thefe  things  are  very  proper  in  the 
 **  world  to  increafe  our  reverence  for  thofe 
 **  whom  God  has  fet  in  authority  over  us, 
 **  but  let  every  thing  be  done  in  its  proper 
 «'  place;  let  us  render  to  Cefar  the  things 
 *'  that  are  Cefar's,  and  to  God  the  things 
 "  that  are  God*s.  When  entered  upon  fa- 
 *'  cred  ground,  we  are  to  pay  our  court  fole- 
 *'  ly  to  heaven,  not  to  our  fellow-fervants, 
 **  though  placed  in  office  above  us.  There 
 *'  {hould  be  no  majejlies^  nor  highnejjesy  nor 
 *'  mojl  noble  patrons y  reverends  nor  right 
 <i  reverends y  nor  by  what  Jiile  or  title  foever 
 *'  dignified  or  di/fmguiJJocd.''      Vol.  viii.  p. 
 
 380. 
 
 To 
 
[     435     ] 
 
 To  corroborate  this  obfervatlon  of  Mr. 
 Tucker's,  I  fhall  fubjoin  the  following  brief 
 extraft  from  a  late  Publication;  {k)  to  be 
 mentioned  in  the  next  fedtion. 
 
 '^  Whether  any  high  titles,  even 
 "  thofe  belonging  to  &is  Majefiy 
 ^^  himfelf^  be  proper  to  be  ufed 
 *^  in  a  form  of  worfhip  to  God  ?" 
 
 SECTION     V, 
 
 Of  an  Anonymous  'TraBy  in  titled^  '^  ^erles 
 **  relating  to  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer^ 
 ''  Sec. 
 
 THERE  are  others  however  of  the 
 eftablifhed  church  and  thofe  not  a 
 few,  who  are  far  from  being  fatisfied  with 
 the  latitude  of  interpretation  taken  by  the 
 Author  of  the  Light  of  Nature  purfued,  and 
 by  which  he  would  reconcile  his  Unitarian 
 fentiments  to  the  Trinitarian  worfliip.     In 
 
 (k)  "  Queries  relating  to  the  Book  of  Common  Pray- 
 er, &c/'  p,  28» 
 
 F  f  2  the 
 
[     436     ] 
 
 the  year  1774,  vvere  publifhed  (for  Wilkie 
 in  St.  Paul's  Church  Yard)  anonymoufly, 
 ^'  Quieries  relating  to  the  Book  of  Common 
 *^  Prayer,  Szc,  with  propofed  amendments, 
 *'  addreffed  to  Thofe  in  Authority,  and  fub- 
 *'  mitted  to  their  confideration /*  believed 
 to  come  from  a  very  refpeciable  quarter y  and 
 evidently  bearing  the  iigiiatures  of  a  wife 
 and  good  mind,  lincereiy  interefted  for  the 
 honour  of  God  and  the  purity  of  his  wor- 
 iliip.  I  hope  fuch  needful  important  Que- 
 ries will  not  be  fuffered  filently  to  die  away, 
 without  obtaining  their  proper  anfwer.  I 
 iliall  clofe  this  chapter  with  that  part  of 
 them  which  immediately  relates  to  my  fub- 
 jed",  and  affure  myfelf  of  the  thanks  of  the 
 Reader,  if  he  chance  not  to  have  feen  them 
 before. 
 
 a 
 
 Whether  all  human  explanations 
 of  what  we  confeffedly  do  not  under- 
 Jlandj  and  all  allujtons  to  and  de- 
 duBmis  from  fuch  expla7iations^ 
 ought  not  to  he  removed  intirely  from 
 a  Fo7^?n  of  Public  Worfhip  f 
 
 ^'  Whether 
 
[     437     ] 
 
 *^  Whether  the  Unity  of  the  Godhead 
 be  72Gt   the  g7^and  pomt  ^  that  runs 
 through  the  whole  of  the  Scriptures^ 
 from  the  07ie  efid  to  the  other  ? 
 
 ^'  Whether  the  revelations  to  the 
 Patriarchs  did  ?iot  inculcate  this  ? 
 V/hether  the  vifible  guidance  of  the 
 God  of  Ifrael^  a?id  the  infpiratioit 
 re?iewed from  time  to  time  to  Pro- 
 phets under  the  old  Covenant^  were 
 not  defgned  profeffedly  to  keep  or 
 recall  that  people  to  the  acknow- 
 legeme7it  of  the  One  true  God  :  As 
 the  defcent  from  heaven^  or  at  leaf 
 the  vifble  appearance  of  Chrift  i7i 
 the  human  nature^  aiid  the  vifble 
 defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit^  and  the 
 guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit^  under 
 the  New  Cove77a?7ty  have  been  to 
 recall  all  nations  from  polytheifn 
 and  idolatry^  to  the  worfjip  of  the 
 One   true    God  in   fpirit    and    in 
 
 truth  ? 
 
 F  f  3  '^  Whether  - 
 
[     438     1 
 
 "  Whether  after  this^  after  all  thefe 
 gracious  manfefiations  of  God  to 
 mankind^  to  inflruci  them  in  the 
 unity  and  perfection  and  ahfolute 
 fovereignty  of  his  nature^  it  he  right 
 for  the  learned  by  their  fubtilties  to 
 miflead  the  unlearned^  or  to  fuffer 
 them  to  be  mifed  into  a  doubt  whe- 
 ther there  be  not  Three  Gods  ? 
 
 ^'  Whether  all  addreffes  to  the  Tri- 
 nity^  either  fepar at ely  or  conjointly^ 
 however  underflood  by  the  learned  as 
 Dii  majorcs  or  Dii  minorum  gen- 
 tium, muft  not  lead  the  unlearned 
 into  the  belief  that  there  are  T'hree 
 Gods  f 
 
 ^^  Whether  then ;  as  nofuch  addref- 
 fes are  ordered  in  Scripture ;  as 
 prayer  is  ordered  to  be  offered  up  to 
 God  the  Father  in  the  name  of 
 Chrifi  \  as  there  is  no  command  for 
 any  prayers  or  addreffes  being  offered 
 
 even 
 
[    439     ] 
 
 even    to   Chrijl    as   our   intercejfor 
 [for  though  it  Jhould  feem  that  it 
 mi^ht  be  allowable^  yet  we  cannot 
 affirm  that  it  is) ;   and  as  there  is 
 no  warrant   direSi  or  indireSi^  i7n- 
 plied,  or  otherwife^   to  authorize  any 
 addreffes    whatfoever   to    the    Holy 
 Ghojl ;    it   might   not  be   right^   it 
 might  not  be  chrijiian^  it  might  not 
 be  mofi  conformable  with  the  known 
 and  exprefs  command  of  Chrifl  him- 
 felf   to    ^*    have  love  one  towards 
 another  \''  to  lay  a  fide  that  praSiicey 
 of  which  we  ourf elves  fcarcely  know 
 that  it  is  right,  for  the  fake  of  thofe 
 who  are  perfuaded  [however  mifiak-- 
 en  they  may  be  thought  in  that  per-- 
 fuafion)  that  it  i$  wrong  ? 
 ^^  Whether,   on  this  fame   account ^ 
 and  for  thefe  fame  reafonSy  all  de- 
 clarations in  our  fer^viccy  that  have 
 any  tendency  to  confound  the  ideas  of 
 F  f  4  the 
 
[     44^     ] 
 
 the  cdngregationy  and  to  mijlead 
 them  into  the  fancy  that  there  can 
 be  Three  Gods,  be  not  of  dangerotis 
 confequence^  and  ought  not  to  be 
 dif carded  accordingly  f 
 
 ^^  Whether  we  can  prove  more  than 
 One  to  be  Supreme  ?  And  whether 
 all  our  Addreffes  fhould  not  in  faEi 
 be^  to  ^^  God  the  Father^  by  the 
 mediation  of  our  only  Saviour  yefus 
 Chrifl^  for  the  heavenly  afftflance 
 of  the  Holy  Ghofl ;"  as  our  church 
 herfelf  exprejfes  it  in  her  office  for 
 the  ordination  of  Priefls  P 
 
 ?'  Whether  therefore^  the  Amend- 
 ments propofed  fome  years  ago  by 
 the  late  Dr.  Clarke  in  his  Prayer- 
 book  3  which  are  framed  on  this 
 model  [and  to  which  all  may  now 
 have  accefs^  the  original  being  given 
 lately  by  the  public  fpirit  of  hiswor- 
 -fhyfon  to  the  Britifh  Mufeum)  might 
 
 not 
 
[  441  ] 
 not  be  adopted^  as  the  foundation 
 of  amejtdments  at  prefent ,;  Ji?7ce  7W 
 mail  ever  fi tidied  that  fubjeSl  77107" e 
 difpaJjtoTtatelyy  or  was  better  read 
 in  the  Scriptures^  or  was  ever  e7i- 
 dowed  with  greater  abilities  for  ftich 
 a  worky  thaTi  he  f 
 
 It  appears  from  thefe  ^eries,  that  in  the 
 idea  of  the  propofer  of  them,  the  v/orfhip  of 
 the  Church  of  England,  as  it  now  ftands  in 
 the  Common  Prayer  Book,  lies  open  to  the 
 charge  of  encouraging  and  miileading  per- 
 fons  into  the  worfliip  of  T^hree  Godsy  inftead 
 of  the  one  only  true  God,  alone  blefled  for 
 ever. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
[     442     ] 
 
 CHAPTER    VI, 
 
 Of  feme  circumjlances  favourable  of  late  years 
 to  the  progrefs  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine 
 Unity. 
 
 SECTION      I. 
 
 Of  the  benefit  accruing  to  the  caufe  ofT'ruthy 
 from  an  open  defence  and  maintenance  of  it* 
 
 WE  owe  lafting  obligations  to  thofe, 
 who  in  times  of  great  corruption  of 
 the  truth,  and  in  the  midft  of  dangers  and 
 difficult  trials  have  flood  up  for  it.  Others 
 are  thereby  excited  and  encouraged,  and  the 
 work  of  finifhing  what  they  fo  happily  be- 
 gan, is  made  eafier  and  fafer  for  thofe  that 
 come  after  them. 
 
 ti 
 
 A? 
 
[     443     ] 
 
 [a)  ^'  At  the  eleftion  of  Maximilian  IL  by 
 *^  the  feven  eleftors  of  the  empire  at  Franck- 
 ford,  fome  of  them,  we  are  told,  being  pro- 
 teftants,  went  out  of  the  place  of  worfhip, 
 when  the  Mafs  began,  becaufe  they  would 
 not  be  prefent  at  that  idolatrous  fervice; 
 but  came  in  again  when  it  was  over." 
 This  was  ad:ing  up  to  the  light  they  had, 
 and  bearing  their  bell  teftimony  to  God,  and 
 to  what  they  believed  to  be  his  true  wor- 
 fhip. And  it  could  not  but  have  weight 
 with  many,  fo  as  to  put  them  upon  examin- 
 ing what  the  dodlrines  were,  which  gave 
 fuch  great  offence  to  thofe  princes ;  and 
 what  foundation  there  could  be  for  fuch  fo- 
 lemn  renunciation  of  them. 
 
 I  have  always  been  much  pleafed  with 
 the  charatler  of  Gruter,  an  eminent  fcholar 
 and  proteftant,  who  lived  about  the  time  of 
 the  Reformation  i  and  who  may  be  confidered 
 as  a  fort  of  Englijhfnan.  For  his  mother 
 was  an  Englifh  woman,  and  fo  diftinguiflied 
 for  literature,  that  Bayle^  whom  I  here  make 
 ufc  of,  thinks  that  Ihe  has  great  injury  done 
 
 her, 
 
 (a)  Vide  Hift.  Maximil.  II.  in  Rom.  Reg.  Elea, 
 Hift.  Simonii  Schardi,  Tom.  3.  cited  by  Mr.  Cheyne]I> 
 in  his  Divine  Trinunity,  &;c.  p.  354. 
 
[  444  ] 
 her,  in  not  being  put  in  the  honourable  but 
 fmall  lift  of  learned  women.  And  his  fa- 
 ther, having  been  driven  by  the  perfecution 
 for  religion  under  Duke  D'Alva,  from  the 
 Low  Countries,  fettled  for  a  few  years  at 
 Norwich y  by  which  means  his  fon  had  part 
 of  his  education  at  Cambj'tdge. 
 
 In  a  very  early  part  of  his  life,  he  loft 
 the  chair  of  Hiftory-profefTor  in  the  univer- 
 fity  of  Wirfemburghy  by  refufing  to  fubfcribe 
 their  Lutheran  confeffion  of  faith. 
 
 Being  at  one  time  told,  that  he  muft 
 change  his  religion,  or  leave  the  country 
 **  where  he  was.  This  laft  I  fliall  chufe, 
 fays  he,  if  conftrained  to  fuch  an  alter- 
 native. And  if  I  am  not  permitted  to 
 pafs  my  days  in  cities,  I  will  fpend  them 
 in  the  fields  and  woods.  The  Almighty 
 Being  will  there  provide  fome  herbs  and 
 roots  to  fupport  me,  during  the  ihort 
 fpace  I  have  to  live.''  (JB) 
 
 At 
 
 [B)  ''  Cum  juberetur  ad  aliam  religionem  tranfire, 
 *'  aut  exlre  foras.  Hoc  malo,  inquit,  quam  illud.  Si 
 ''  non  iicebit  vivere  in  urbe,  licebit  in  agris  aut  in  filvis. 
 *'  Aliquid  femper  Deus  fuppeditabit  radlcis  aut  herbse, 
 "  quod  fpiritum  hunc  alat,  non  diu  manfurum." 
 
 ''  Venator •  in  Paneg,  Gruten^  aptid  Bayle,'\ 
 
 €( 
 
 €€ 
 
[     445     1 
 
 At  Padua^  a  Profeffor's  place  was  pfFered 
 him,  with  liberty  of  confcience  fo  far,  that 
 he  might  woriliip  God  in  what  manner  he 
 pleafed,  in  private.  But  he  would  not 
 fubmit  to  fuch  conditions  of  lilence  and  re- 
 ftraint  in  this  refped: ;  [b)  declaring  that  all 
 the  riches  of  the  world  fhould  not  bribe  him 
 to  it. 
 
 This  was  a  juft  and  noble  refolutlon ;  not 
 to  be  allured  by  any  advantages  to  fettle  in  a 
 country,  where  he  could  not  enjoy  the  free 
 and  public  exercife  of  his  religion.  For  to 
 have  confented  to  fuch  a  demand  would  have 
 been  the  giving  up  his  right  and  privilege  as 
 a  man  to  the  caprice  and  tyranny  of  others ; 
 and  would  have  looked  like  being  bought 
 with  money  to  conceal  what  he  was  perfuad- 
 ed  to  be  the  truth,  concerning  the  great  ob- 
 ject of  religious  worihip. 
 
 So  that  eminent  hebrew,  Daniel,  (c)  dif- 
 regarding  the  infidious  decree  of  the  Chal- 
 dean 
 
 [b)  ^'  Cultus  enim  divini  iibertatem  publicam  (quam- 
 *'  vis  privatim  recepturus)  prae  quibufcunque  divitiis  fibi 
 *^  negabat  efle  venalem."     Ido  Ibid, 
 
 (c)  Now  wheyi  Daniel  knew  that  the  writing  wasjtgned^ 
 he  went  into  his  houfe;  and  his  windows  being  open  in  his 
 (hdmber  towards  Jerufalem^  he  kneeled  upon  his  knees  three 
 
 timet 
 
[    446    ] 
 
 dean  princes,  did  not  refrain  from  his  cuf- 
 tomary  worfliip  of  Jehovah,  the  living  and 
 true  God,  though  they  had  made  it  a  capital 
 crime ;  confidering,  that  to  have  fubmitted 
 to  their  decree  would  deferve  to  be  looked 
 upon  as  a  mean  pufillanimous  denial  of  him. 
 
 In  reading  the  annals  of  our  Englifh  hif- 
 tory,  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  reign 
 of  Elizabeth  to  our  own  days,  we  are  pre- 
 fented  continually  as  we  pafs  along,  with  the 
 edifying  fpedlacle  cf'a  number  of  confcien- 
 tious  chriftians,  growing  by  degrees  into  a 
 large  body;    dilTatisfied  with  the  mode   of 
 
 religion 
 
 times  a  day^  and  prayed^  and  gave  thanks  before  his  God^  as 
 he  did  aforetime.  Then  thefe  men  affemhled^  and  found  Da- 
 rnel praying  and  making  fuppllcation  before  his  God,  Daniel 
 vi.  10,  II.  There  was  no  oftentation  here,  as  fome 
 have  been  willing  to  fuppofe.  Praying  with  his  windows 
 open  towards  Jerufalem,  in  their  captivity,  might  feem 
 to  be  countenanced  by  i  Kmgs  viii.  We  may  not 
 doubt  but  fome  retired  part  of  the  houfe  would  be  chofen, 
 the  leaft  expofed  to  noife  and  interruption.  But  what  a 
 perfon  of  his  very  high  rr.nk  and  ftation  was  wont  to  do 
 thrice  each  day,  could  not  be  concealed  from  his  domef- 
 tics  :  fome  of  whom  might  be  prevailed  v/ith  to  admit  his 
 
 enemies  to  overhear  and  obferve  what  he  did  in  his  pri- 
 vacy. 
 
[     447    ] 
 
 religion  prefcribed  by  the  State,  and  refufing 
 to  conform  to  it,  notwithftanding  the  fevere 
 perfecution  and  fufFerings  to  whiA  they  were 
 expofed;  boldly  aflerting  the  right  of  judg- 
 ing for  themfelves  in  fuch  matters,  and  of 
 worlliiping  God  according  to  the  didiates  of 
 confcience,  in  oppofition  to  arbitrary  and 
 unjuft  laws. 
 
 Some  may  hold  it  a  fign  of  weaknefs,  for 
 men  to  fubjeft  themfelves,  as  thefe  did,  to 
 £nes,  to  imprifonment,  to  be  driven  into 
 deferts  and  foreign  climes,  rather  than  wear 
 a  white  furp He e,  ufe  the  Jign  of  the  C7'ofs  in 
 baptifm,  ov  kneel  at  the  Lord's  Jiipper  -,  and 
 may  think  they  would  have  had  more  claim 
 to  companion,  and  a  jufter  ground  for  their 
 feparation,  if  they  had  entertained  the  fcru- 
 ples,  which  now  make  fo  many  uneafy  under 
 the  Eftablifhment,  on  account  of  its  worfhip 
 not  being  direfted,  as  they  think,  to  its  true 
 ^nd  only  objed,  the  one  God  and  Father  of 
 all,  but  to  two  other  perfons,  whom  they 
 efteem  not  to  be  Gods,  nor  to  be  worfhiped. 
 
 But,  however  it  may  appear  to  others, 
 jiothing  is  a  trifle  to  a  man's  felf,  that  re- 
 Jates  to  confcience.  And  belides,  althouo-h 
 thcfe  perfons  were  not  always  confident, 
 : ,  (confiftency. 
 
[    448     ] 
 
 (confiflency,  alas !  feldom  belongs  to  mor- 
 tals) but  required  others  to  fubfcribe  and 
 conform  to  their  own  catechifms,  articles, 
 and  confeffions  of  faith  :  yet  the  general 
 principle  on  which  they  profefled  to  adt,  w^as 
 rightly  founded  and  excellent ;  viz.  that 
 God,  or  Chrift  as  appointed  by  him,  is  the 
 only  king  and  lawgiver  in  his  church,  and 
 no  other  authority  whatfoever  in  the  things 
 of  religion  to  be  fubmitted  to  or  acknow- 
 leeed. 
 
 For  this  laudable  Angularity,  in  chufing 
 to  obey  God  rather  than  man ;  for  worship- 
 ing the  Almighty  Being  in  a  way  different 
 from  others,  they  were  made  the  theme  of 
 fcorn  and  ridicule  and  obloquy  through  the 
 nation.  For  although  they  flood  up  for 
 what  is  above  all  other  things  moft  valuable 
 to  men,  the  freedom  of  the  mind  and  con- 
 fcience  from  all  human  reflraints  and  impo- 
 fitions :  fo  ignorant  neverthelefs  and  un- 
 taught were  the  generality  of  people  of  all 
 ranks,  at  that  time  and  long  afterwards,  nay 
 even  within  our  own  memories  ;  that  a  Dif- 
 fentevy  in  the  eyes  of  many  churchmen^  was  d 
 creature  fuppofed  to  be  hardly  human y  not  Jit 
 to  be  fpoken  to,  or  to  have  any  commerce  with', 
 
 at 
 
[    449     1 
 
 fit  the  fame  time  that  few  would  give  them- 
 felves  the  trouble  to  inquire  what  their  opi- 
 nions were,  and  the  grounds  they  had,  juft 
 or  otherwife,  for  them. 
 
 This  contemptuous  treatment,  however, 
 with  which  thefe  men  were  fo  little  moved, 
 that  it  only  excited  pity  for  the  vain  pre- 
 fumption  and  ignorance  of  their  adverfaries, 
 has  been  fcen  to  operate  very  differently 
 on  their  defcendantg,  in  caufing  too  many  of 
 them  to  fwerve  from  that  ftedfaft  upright 
 principle  and  conduft,  of  which  they  had 
 fuch  an  admirable  pattern  before  them.  "  If 
 '^  when  you  refide  for  any  time  in  the  coun- 
 **  try  (fays  a  celebrated  author  {a)  you  chufe 
 **  to  go  to  church  rather  than  to  the  diffent- 
 **  ing  meeting  houfe,  becaufe  the  diifenters 
 ^*  happen  to  make  no  great  figure  in  the 
 **  place:  if  you  feel  anything  like  Jiame, 
 **  upon  feeing  the  e?:ternal  meannefs  of  the 
 **  intereft,  and  fecretly  wiih  to  have  your 
 *'  connexions  with  it  concealed ;  conclude 
 *'  that  the  fpirit  of  this  world  has  got  too 
 <*  much  hold  of  you,    and  that  religious 
 
 (a)  A  Letter  to  the  Dijfenters  as  fuch  ^J  the  Rev. 
 Pr.  Prieftley,  p.  28. 
 
 G  g  ^*  motives 
 
r  45^  I 
 
 "  motives  have  loft  their  influence.  If  thi^ 
 *^  be  your  general  pradlice  (and  I  wilh  I 
 *^  could  fay  it  was  not  with  {o  many  of  the 
 **  more  opulent  among  us)  you  are  but  half 
 *^  a  diffenter,  and  a  few  more  worldly  ccn- 
 *^  fiderations  would  throw  you  intirely  into 
 **  the  church  of  England,  or  into  any 
 *'  church  upon  earth.  With  this  temper 
 **  of  mind  you  would,  in  primitive  times, 
 '*  have  been  afhamed  of  ckrifi'ianity  itfelf, 
 **  and  have  joined  the  more  fafliionable  and 
 **  pompous  heathen  worlhip." 
 
 Perhaps  the  nobleft  and  moft  extraordinary 
 facrifice  that  ever  was  made  to  integrity  and 
 religious  principle,  was  that  which  was 
 exhibited  by  this  clafs  of  men,  whether  we 
 confider  the  extent  of  the  numbers  engaged 
 in  it,  the  purity  of  their  moral  charafters^ 
 or  the  eminent  talents  poffeiTed  by  many  of 
 them,  with  the  necelTary  valuable  qualificati- 
 ons of  all  of  them  in  general,  for  their  high  and 
 honourable  office^  when,  after  the  Refor- 
 niation,  and  particularly  in  confequence  of 
 int  Bartholo7?iew  Ad:  of  Uniformity,  little 
 fhort  of  two  thoufand  gofpel  minifters  gave 
 up  their  benefices,  w^hich  to  many  of  them 
 was  all  their  worldly  fubfiftence,  rather  than 
 
 declare 
 
[    451     ] 
 
 declare  their  unfeigned  ajfent  and  co7ife7it  to 
 the  Liturgy  and  Articles  of  the  Church, 
 and  conform  to  many  things  which  they 
 difapproved  and  condemned. 
 
 The  folemn  deliberations  and  reafonines 
 of  lome  of  thefe  Nonconformifls  with  them- 
 felves  on  thefe  trying  occaiions,  which  have 
 beenprefervedtousinPr.  Calamy's  *^  Account 
 of  the  Minifters  ejeded  after  the  Reiloratiou 
 of  Charles  II.'*  breathe  an  uncommon  fpirit 
 of  piety,    and  fliew  an   admdrable  wifdom, 
 and  true  chriftian  courage  at  the  fame  time. 
 Had   more  of  thefe  been    remaining,    they 
 would  have  been  a  high  gratification  to  thofe 
 who  love  to  fee  the  workings  of  the  human 
 mind   on  fuch   folemn   occafions.     We  are 
 however  very  highly  obliged  to   the  learned 
 and   refpedlable   Compiler,  for  his  vaft  la- 
 bours in  procuring  and  furnifhing  us  u^ith  me- 
 morials of  fo many  excellent  perfons.  Among 
 them  neverthelefs,   it  muft  be  confeffed,  we 
 do  not  meet  with  one,   who  entertained  any 
 fcruples  concerning  the  'Trinitanan  worfhip 
 in   the   Liturgy  of  the  eftablifhed  church. 
 Nay,  fuch  was  their  rigour  on  thefe  points, 
 that  an   Unitarian,  an   Arian^  or   Socinian, 
 
 G  g  z  w^ould 
 
[    452     ] 
 
 would  hardly  have  been  allowed  the  name  of 
 chrillian  by  the  greater  part  of  them,  and 
 have  found  little  favour  at  their  hands.  But, 
 for  this  ignorance  and  narrownefs  of  mind, 
 which  was  not  peculiar  to  them  at  that  time, 
 their  juft  praife  is  not  to  be  denied  them, 
 in  other  refpedts.  They  are  not  the  lefs  to 
 be  honoured  for  fo  bravely  adhering  to  what 
 they  believed  to  be  truth  and  the  Divine 
 will,  not  only  without  felfifh  views,  but 
 againft  all  their  worldly  interefts. 
 
 IN  the  year  171 9,  fome  of  the  worthy  de^ 
 fcendants  of  thefe  Bartholomew  ConfelTors, 
 confifting  chiefly  of  the  minifters  in  London 
 and  its  neighbourhood,  in  one  of  their  aflem- 
 blies  at  Salter's  Flail,  made  an  open  decla- 
 ration againft  all  unfcriptural  impolitions. 
 And  although  the  vote  did  not  pafs  without 
 powerful  oppolition,  [f)  it  ftands  upon  re- 
 cord, *^  as  the  firft  example  of  a  body  of 
 
 **  chriftians' 
 
 (/)  "  I  have  feen  a  lift  of  feventy-three  of  thofe  Minif- 
 **  ters  who  figned  their  Advices  to  the  People  of  Exeter 
 
 <«  (for* 
 
[    453     ] 
 
 *^  chrlftiaris'  public  declaration  for  chriftiah 
 **  liberty  in  matters  of  religion.'*  {g) 
 
 It  is  a  remark  which  I  have  frequently 
 heard  from  fome  diftinguiihed  chara6lers  for 
 learning  and  judgment  among  the  DiiTenters, 
 that  if  the  more  enlightened  fort  of  thefe 
 minifters,  (if  it  may  be  allowed  fo  to  term 
 thofe  of  them)  who  were  known  Unitarians^ 
 the  Hunts,  the  Smyths,  the  Lo%vmans,  the 
 Lardners,  &c.  &c.  had  gone  forwards  after 
 this,  with  chriftian  prudence,  y^i  openly  and 
 boldly  holding  out  to  view,  to  their  refpedive 
 congregations,  the  grand  C2Mk<di  their particu^ 
 lar  difapprobation  of  th^worfhip  of  the  church 
 of  England,  which  had  given  no  difturbance 
 to  their  difTenting  forefathers  ^  namely,  that 
 they  could  not  join  in  prayers  where  the  Per- 
 fon  of  the  Almighty  Father  of  all  was  not  con- 
 
 G  g  3  lidered 
 
 "  (for  whafe  fake  the  AfTembiy  was  called)  without  iri-^ 
 "  filling  on  any  unfcriptural  Declarations  :  as  alfo  the 
 "  other  of  fixty-nine,  who  figned  to  the  contrary.  So 
 "  that,  to  ufe  the  words  of  the  late  excellent  Ivlafter  of 
 "  the  Rolls,  Sir  Jofeph  Jekyil,  on  this  occafion  ;  the  Bible 
 ^^  carried  it   by  four." 
 
 Memoirs  of  the  life  of  W.  Whifton,  p.  ^^26- 
 (.^)  Id.  Ibid,  p.  221. 
 
[    454    ] 
 
 lidered  as  Goi  alone,  but  two  other  Perfons 
 joined  with  him  as  equal  to  him,  and  wor- 
 fhiped  :  And  had  they  occafionally,  in  their 
 private  inflrudiions  from  the  Scripture,  ex- 
 plained and  recomended  this,  v/ith  all  ear- 
 neftnefs,  in  the  light  in  w^hich  it  appeared 
 to  them,  to  young  perfons,  as  the  founda- 
 tion of  all  true  religion ;  and  ihewn  how 
 Inconfiftent  and  contrary  it  was  to  every 
 right  principle,  for  Unitarians  cuftomarily 
 to  join  in  T^rinit avian  worfliip  :  Such  a  con- 
 dud;  uniformly  purfued,  it  was  obferved, 
 would  moft  probably  have  prevented  the 
 falling  off  and  diminution  of  the  congrega- 
 tions of  the  j^ational  Diffenters,  (as  the  lefs 
 orthodox  have  been  wont  to  be  called)  v»diich 
 has  been  fo  remarkable  of  late  years.  For 
 we  have  feen,  and  v/e  frequently  fee  the 
 upper  and  more  opulent  part  of  their  hear- 
 ers. Aiding  back  again  with  their  families 
 into  the  eftablifhed  church,  as  if  ajQiamed  of 
 what  their  anccflors  had  done  in  leaving  it, 
 and  feeking  to  hide  the  memory  of  it ;  whilft 
 the  lower  and  more  ferious  fort  withdraw 
 and  aflbciate  with  the  Independents  and  Cal- 
 vinifts,  overawed  with  thofe  anathemas  with 
 which    their   fermons    are  moft   commonly 
 
 filled. 
 
[     455     ] 
 
 filled,  againft:  all  perfons  that  do  not  hold 
 Chiiil  to  be  the  moil  high  God ;  and  not 
 fufficiently  inflrudled  to  fee  the  weak nefs 
 and  prefumption  of  making  the  favour  of 
 God  depend  upon  opinions  of  any  kind  con- 
 cerning God  or  Chrifi,  or  indeed  upon  any 
 thing  but  our  lincerity  in  fearching  out  and 
 doing  the  will  of  God,  when  difcovered 
 by  us. 
 
 Had  thefe  perfons,  who  fo  lightly  defert 
 the  chriftian  fociety  to  which  they  belong, 
 been  well  informed  of  the  truth  and  im- 
 portance of  the  dodrine  of  the  Divine  Uni- 
 ty, they  would  have  been  alarmed  at  the 
 very  thought  of  uniting  themfelves  with  the 
 worfhipers  of  any  other  perfon  as  God,  but 
 the  alraighty  Father  and  Creator  of  all 
 things ;  and  would  have  been  no  lefs  afraid 
 of  putting  their  children  upon  doing  what 
 in  themfelves  they  fliould  have  held  to  have 
 been  idolatrous.  But  from  their  earlieft 
 years,  they  would  have  accujftomed  them 
 to  pray  to  the  heavenly  Father  alone,  inform- 
 ing them  that  they  were  not  to  ciTsr  up 
 their  devotions  to  Chrift  or  to  any  other 
 perfon,  becaufe  there  vv^as  no  other  perfon 
 who   was   God,    or  who    could  hear   their 
 
 G  g  4  .    prayers ; 
 
[    456     ] 
 
 prayers :  and  as  they  grew  up,  and  became 
 capable  of  comprehending  the  reafons  for  it, 
 they  would  have  fhewn  them  how  the  whole 
 matter  lay  in  the  Scriptures. 
 
 For  if  there  be  any  thing  which  is  the 
 duty  of  parents,  it  is  furely  fuch  to  teach  a 
 child,  in  the  beft  manner  they  are  able,  [t) 
 
 who 
 
 (t)  We  have  a  fample  of  the  method  of  initiating  a 
 young  child  into  the  knowlege  of  God,  delineated  by  a 
 line  pen,  fo  eafy,  fo  natural,  and  fenfible,  that  I  know 
 nothing  beyond  it  in  our  own  or  any  language.  It  is  alfo 
 ftri£lly  unitarian  throughout:  the  author  having  very 
 judicioufly  mixed  nothing  of  controverfy  or  human  fyftems 
 in  a  virork  which  viras  vi^holly  for  practice.  In  the  latter 
 part  of  his  life,  he  fell  into  the  depths  of  myfticifm,  which 
 gave  a  tin6ture  to  his  fubfequent  vi^ritings,  and  made  them 
 lefs  intelligible  and  ufeful.  However,  the  works  of  Jacob 
 Behmen,  the  Teutonic  philofopher,  whom  he  followed, 
 did  not  hurt  the  difpofitions  of  his  own  mind,  his  piety  and 
 benevolence,  if  they  did  not  rather  improve  them  in  one 
 refpedl,  as  he  feems  thence  to  have  derived  and  adopted 
 the  opinion  of  the  final  univerfal  happinefs  of  all  the  rati- 
 onal creation  of  God.  His  fmall  piece  which  I  have 
 mentioned  is  thus  introduced  : 
 
 "  Paternus  lived  about  two  hundred  years  ago  ;  he  had 
 "  but  one  fon,  whom  he  educated  himfelf  in  his  own 
 ''  houfe.  As  they  were  fitting  together  in  the  garden, 
 •'  when  the  child  was  ten  years  old,  Paternus  thus  began 
 "  to  him: 
 
 «  The 
 
[     457     ] 
 
 who  IS  the  God  that  made  him,  and  to 
 whom  it  is  that  he  is  to  oiFer  Jiis  prayer's 
 and  acknowlegements  for  every  thing  he  en*- 
 joys  and  ftands  in  need  of;  whether  to  more 
 
 perfons 
 
 *'  The  little  time  you  have  been  in  the  world,  my 
 child,  you  have  fpent  wholly  with  me ;  and  my  love 
 and  tendernefs  to  you,  has  made  you  look  upon  me  as 
 your  only  friend  and  benefactor,  and  the  caufe  of  all 
 the  comfort  and  pleafure  that  you  enjoy :  your  hearty 
 I  know,  would  be  ready  to  break  with  grief,  if  you 
 thought  this  was  the  laft  day  that  I  fhould  live  with 
 you. 
 
 ''  But  my  child,  though  you  think  yourfelf  mighty 
 happy,  becaufe  you  have  hold  of  my  hand,  you  are  now 
 in  the  hands,  and  under  the  tender  care  of  a  much 
 greater  Father  and  Friend  than  I  am;  whofe  love  to 
 you  is  far  greater  than  mine,  and  from  whom  you  re- 
 ceive fuch  bleilings  as  no  mortal  can  give. 
 **  That  God  whom  you  have  feen  me  daily  worfhip ; 
 whom  I  daily  call  upon  to  blefs  both  you  and  me,  aii3 
 all  mankind ;  whofe  wondrous  a6ts  are  recorded  in 
 thofe  Scriptures  v/hich  you  confcantly  read  :  ThatGoci 
 who  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  ;  who  brouo^ht  a 
 flood  upon  the  old  world  ;  who  faved  Noah  in  the  ark ; 
 who  was  the  God  of  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob  ^ 
 whom  Job  blefled  andpraifcd  In  the  greateft  aifliclions  ; 
 who  delivered  the  Ifraelites  out  of  the  hands  of  thiQ 
 Egyptians;  who  was  the  protector  of  righteous  Jofeph, 
 Mofcs,  Jofhua,  and  holy  Daniel ;  who  fent  fo  many 
 prophets  into  the  world ;  who  fent  his  Son  to  redeem. 
 
 **  mankind ': 
 
[    458     ] 
 
 perfons  than  One,  or  to  One  perfon  only : 
 to  give  all  the  light  and  affiftance  they  poffi- 
 bly  can,  on  a  point  which  the  facred  writings 
 make  of  fuch  vafl  confequence,  and  to  guard 
 
 and 
 
 «^  manklrxd :  This  Gocf,  who  has  done  all  thefe  great 
 ^'  things,  who  has  created  fo  many  millions  of  men  that 
 *'  lived  and  died  before  you  was  born,  with  whom  the 
 <'  fpifits  of  good  men  that  are  departed  this  life,  now  live  i 
 *'  whom  iniinite  numbers  of  angels  now  worfhip  in  hea- 
 ♦'  ven ;  this  great  God,  who  is  the  Creator  of  worlds, 
 *'  of  angels,  and  men,  is  your  living  Father  and  Friend, 
 *'  your  good  Creator  and  Nouriflier,  from  whom,  and 
 "  not  from  me,  you  received  your  being  ten  years  ago, 
 *'  at  the  fame  time  that  I  planted  that  little  tender  ehn 
 "  that  you  there  fee. 
 
 "  I  myfelf  am  not  half  the  age  of  this  fhady  oak,  under 
 
 '^  which  we  fit ;  many  of  our  fathers  have  fat  under  it's 
 
 *■'  boughs,  we  have  all  of  us  called  it  cur's  in  our  turn, 
 
 '^  though  it  {lands,  and  drops  it's  mafters,  as  it  drops 
 
 ^'  it's  leaves. 
 
 ''  You  fee,  my  fon,  this  wide  and  large  firmament, 
 ^'  over  our  heads,  where  the  fun,  and  moon,  and  all  the 
 *'  ftars,  appear  in  their  turns.  If  you  was  to  be  carried 
 "  up  to  any  of  thefe  bodies,  at  this  vaft  diilance  from  us, 
 *^  you  would  ilill  difcover  others  as  much  above  you,  as 
 *'  the  ftars  that  you  fee  here  are  above  the  earth.  Were 
 *'  you  to  go  up  or  down,  call  or  weft,  north  or  fouth, 
 *'  you  would  iuid  the  fame  height  without  any  top,  and 
 *'  the  fame  depth  without  any  bottom. 
 
 "  And  yet,  my  child,  fo  great  is  God,  that  ail  thefe 
 «  bodies  added  together,  are  but  as  a  grain'of  fand  in  his 
 
 "  fight. 
 
[     459     ] 
 
 and  fecure  their  families  as  much  as  may  be, 
 byprecept  and  example, againft  tbe  errors  and 
 falie  worfhip  of  thofe  among   whom   they 
 
 live. 
 
 The 
 
 "  fight.  And  yet  you  are  ?.s  much  the  care  of  this  great 
 ^'  God  and  Father  of  all  worlds,  and  all  {[^irits,  as  if  he 
 *'  had  no  fon  but  you,  or  there  were  no  creature  for  him 
 «  to  love  and  proted  but  you  alone.  Fie  numbers  the 
 »'  hairs  of  your  head,  watches  over  you  deeping  and  wak- 
 "  ing,  and  has  preferved  you  from  a  thoufand  dangers, 
 "  which  neither  you  nor  I  know  any  thing  of. 
 
 "  How  poor  my  power  is,  and  how  little  I  am  able  to 
 "  do  for  you,  you  have  often  feen.  Your  late  ficknefs 
 «  has  fhewn  you  how  little  I  could  do  for  you  in  that 
 «  ftate ;  and  the  frequent  pains  in  your  head  are  plain 
 "  proofs,  that  I  have  no  power  to  remove  them.  I  can 
 "  bring  you  food  and  medicines,  but  am  not  able  to  turn 
 **  them  into  your  relief  and  nourifliment :  it  is  God  alone 
 «  that  can  do  this  for  you. 
 
 "  Therefore,  my  child,  fear  and  v/orfliip,  and  love 
 «  God.  Your  eyes  indeed  cannot  fee  him,  but  every 
 *'  thing  you  fee  are  fo  many  marks  of  his  power  and  pre- 
 «  fence,  and  he  is  nearer  to  you  than  any  thing  that  you 
 
 *'  can  fee. 
 
 "  Take  him  for  your  Lord,  and  Father,  and  Friend  ; 
 <'  look  up  unto  him  as  the  fountain  and  caufe  of  all  the 
 «  good  you  have  received  through  my  hands  ;  and  reve- 
 «  rence  me  only  as  the  bearer  and  minifter  of  God's  good 
 «  things  unto  you.  And  he  that  blefled  my  father  before 
 V  1  was  born,  will  blefs  you  when  I  am  dead. 
 
 «  Your 
 
t   460   J 
 
 The  fear  of  caufing  children  to  be  regara- 
 ed  as  precife,  fingular,  and  unfafhionabki 
 ••and  of  taking  them  out  of  the  fociety  of 
 perfons  of  a  certain  rank,  (generally  in  this 
 refpedt  the  mofl:  ignorant  and  ill-taught  of 
 all  others)  who  are  apt  to  look  upon  Diffen- 
 ters  in  a  low  light ;  and  of  depriving  them 
 of  thofe  emoluments  and  preferments,  which 
 are  not  to  be  enjoyed  without  a  conformity 
 to  the  State-religion,  can  never  have  any  ef- 
 feft  upon  Unitarian  parents  who  are  truly 
 pious,  to  prevent  their  inculcating  upon  their 
 offspring,  that  they  v^ere  on  no  account^  as  it 
 would  be  iinful  in  them  who  know  better^ 
 to  frequent  the  religious  affemblies  of  chrif- 
 tians,  where  any  other  perfon  was  worfhip- 
 
 ed 
 
 '*  Your  youth  and  little  mind  is  only  yet  acquainted 
 *'  with  my  family,  and  therefore  you  think  there  is  np 
 ''  happinefs  out  of  it.  But,  my  child,  you  belong  to  a 
 *'  greater  family  than  mine ;  you  are  a  younger  member 
 ''  of  the  family  of  the  almighty  Father  of  all  nations,  who 
 *'  has  created  infinite  orders  of  angels,  and  numberlefs 
 *'  generations  of  men,  to  be  fellow-members  of  one  and 
 "  the  fame  fociety  in  heaven,  &c.  5cc. 
 
 "  A  ferious  Call  to  a  devout  and  holy  Life,  by  TVil- 
 *'  lia?}!  Laiu^  M.  A.  p.  239,  6:c. 
 
 A  child  thus  inltrudted  would  never  entertain  an  idea 
 of  praying  to  any  Perfon,  but  t\\<^  Univerfal  Parent  4nd 
 fovereign  Difpofer  of  all  thing?;. 
 
[     46i     ] 
 
 (ed  or  Invoked  as  God,  but  the  Father.  For 
 what  are  all  the  things  of  thi§  world  that 
 you  can  bequeath  to  thofe  that  come  after 
 you,  compared  to  the  knowlege  of  the  true 
 God?  Rational  and  juft  fentiments  here 
 might  be  likely  to  infpire  youth  with  an  in-^. 
 ward  principle  of  regard  to  God,  might  be 
 inftrumental  in  faving  them  from  vice,  and 
 the  temptations  of  the  world,  and  guard  them 
 againft  the  contagion  of  profane  irreligious 
 company,  the  mixing  with  w^hich  cannot  al- 
 ways be  avoided;  and  thus  fecure  them  from 
 adlually  renouncing  chriflianity  itfelf :  ad- 
 vantages of  infinitely  more  value  to  them 
 than  the  riches  of  ten  thoufand  worlds. 
 
 And  fo  defireable  and  welcome  is  the  dif- 
 tovery  of  truth  to  the  mind,  in  the  morn- 
 ing of  life,  efpecially  of  what  relates  to  the 
 Great  Author  of  being  and  our  duty  to  him  ; 
 that  the  firft  difclofure  of  the  knowlege  of 
 the  ftrid:  unity  of  the  Firft  Caufe,  and  be- 
 nevolent Parent  of  ail  things,  would  be  re- 
 ceived with  tranfports  of  joy,  and  could  not 
 fail  of  making  lafting  and  indelible  imprefli- 
 ons ;  efpecially  when  your  child  was  led  at  the 
 fame  time  to  behold  the  darknefs  and  polythe- 
 ifm  in  which  the  whole  chriftian  world  has  lain 
 
 involved 
 
[     462     ] 
 
 involved  for  fo  many  long  ages,  and  is  flill 
 involved,  and  made  fenfible  of  the  divine 
 gcodnefs  to  him  in  opening  his  eyes,  and 
 delivering  him  out  of  a  ilate  of  fuch  gloomy 
 confuiion  in  refpeft  of  the  great  objecl  of 
 divine  worfhip  and  prayer. 
 
 For  to  their  opening  unprejudiced  under-^ 
 ftandings,  fo  juft,  fo  well-founded,  fo  natural 
 and  plain  might  the  foleworfhip  and  adoration 
 of  the  Father  of  all  things  be  made  to  appear, 
 that  they  would  wonder  how  men  who  had  the 
 Bible  before  them  for  their  direiflion  could  turn 
 afide  to  the  v/orfliip  of  any  other.  For  they 
 would  eafily  be  made  to  behold  at  one  glance, 
 that  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the 
 coming  of  Chriil,  there  was  no  other  per- 
 fon,  an  objed:  of  divine  v/orflrip,  but  Jeho- 
 vah, the  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  the 
 God  of  Ifrael,  that  was  ever  thought  of  by 
 or  at  all  known  to  the  patriarchs  or  pro- 
 phets, or  v/orfliiped  by  the  Ifraelites,  unlefs 
 when  they  funk  into  idolatry,  and  adopted 
 ^he  falfe  gods  of  the  neighbouring  nations. 
 And  aiTuredly  our  Saviour  Chrift  never  made 
 mention  of  any  other  God,  but  Jehovah, 
 the  fupreme  Father,  and  fovereign  Lord  of 
 all   things ;     nor   ever   propofed   any   other 
 
 perfci: 
 
 \ 
 
[  463  ] 
 
 perfon,  as  an  objed:  of  worililp  ;  or  direded 
 his  own  worAip  and  prayers  to  any  other. 
 
 It  does  not  feem  poffible,  that  the  one 
 true  God  and  Father  of  all,  can  ever  be  ge-^ 
 •nerally  known  and  acknowleged,  if  parents 
 and  others  in  iituations  of  authority  and  in- 
 fluence like  them,  who  are  favoured  with 
 light  and  knowlege,  and  who  believe  him 
 to  be  the  fole  objed:  of  worfliip,  not  only 
 negleft  to  impart  their  knowlege  to  thofe 
 about  them,  but  aifo  carry  them  along  with 
 themfelves  to  the  public  devotions  of  thofe 
 chriftians,  who  woriliip  other  perfons,  be- 
 fides  HIM. 
 
 Thofe  however  are  much  to  be  pitied,  and 
 great  allowance  jfhould  be  made  for  them, 
 who  having  been  born,  and  living  under 
 great  civil  eftablilliments  of  religion,  and 
 growing  to  fee  the  wrongnefs  of  them  in 
 many  refpedls,  efpecially  in  the  worfljip  car- 
 ried on  in  them  not  being  uniformly  and 
 conftantly  direftcd  to  its  true  objcd:,  are  un- 
 happy in  their  fituations,  but  fo  intangled 
 by  their  worldly  circumftances  and  connec- 
 tions as  not  to  be  able  to  withdraw  them- 
 felves from  it  without  bringing  others  with 
 them  into  difficulties  and  diilrejQes  :  thoueh 
 
 a  firm 
 
[     4^4     ] 
 
 a  firm  truft  in  God,   in  well  doing,   would 
 remove  every  obftacle  out  of  their  way. 
 
 But,  that  Unitarians y  DiJfenterSy  ah^eady 
 out  of  the  church  ejiahlified ;  that  they 
 who  hanje  the  hlejjing  of  being  free  from  all 
 fuch  fervitude,  and  fubjeBion  to  human  au- 
 thority in  the  things  of  God,  Jhould  volun- 
 tarily put  thenifelves  under  the  yoke  again^ 
 now  fo  mu£b  harder  than  that   ( /6  )   under 
 
 ivhich 
 
 (h)  Says  an  able  advocate  for  a  juft  olfTent  from  tha 
 eilablifhed  church,  in  our  day;  "  To  us  the  church  of 
 "  Efigiand  appears  to  furnlfh'  numerous  examples  of  a 
 *^  grofs  and  culpable  deviation  from  the  fimplicity  of  the 
 ^  gofpel  inftitution  and  worihip.  Various  innovations 
 *'  are  blended  with  its  profefiion  of  chriftianity ;  as  if  the 
 "^  divine  author  of  our  faith  ha^  not  a  clear  an4  compre- 
 ^'  henfive  view  of  all  that  w.is  necefiary  to  the  improve- 
 '^  ment  of  his  diiciples  in  piety,  or  for  giving  his  religion 
 *^  an  efficacious  promulgation.  We  are  ready  to  afk  ^ 
 *'  Js  conpr7natio72  an  inftitution  of  Chrift  ?  Is  the  ahfolution 
 '•^  of  the  Jick  an  inftitution  of  Chrift  ?  Are  the  cro^s  in  bap^ 
 *'  tifm — bowing  at  the  name  of  Jefus — worfhiping  towards 
 **  the  eaft^~&iQ  confecratiQ72  of  churches — appointments  of 
 '^^  Chrift  ?  Is  the  requifition  of  kneeling  at  the  Lord^s  fup  • 
 '•>  per,  O.X  the pcfture  itfelf  an  ordinance  of  Chrift?  Are 
 '-'  mtfeflivah  and  holidays^  obferved  by  the  church,  ap* 
 *'  pointments  of  Chrift?  We  know,  and  we  rejoice  in 
 ^^  the  utility  of  thofe  provifions  for  the  fpread  of  truth  and 
 **  piety,   that  he  gavje  fome  apoftles,  fome  paftors   and 
 
 "  teachers*^ 
 
[     4%     ] 
 
 'which  their  forefathers  groaned,  but  which 
 however  their  honeji  minds  were  not  able 
 to  bear  ;  is  not,  to  fay  the  leaf,  a  thing  eafily 
 to  be  accounted  for,  or  to  reconcile  with  any 
 jvft  and  right  way  of  thinking.  By  going  ' 
 over  to  a  church,  which  they  as  Unitarians, 
 are  perfuaded,  is  very  corrupt  in  the  grand 
 point  of  the  objedl  of  worfliip,  they  take 
 the  ready  way  to  obftrudt  and  prevent  all  re- 
 formation. For  w^herefore  complain,  or  de- 
 lire  any  thing  amifs  to  be  reftified,  when  it 
 Is  no  more  than  you  can  conform  to  without 
 fcruple  or  uneafinefs  ? 
 
 What  language  would  Mr.  Whifton  have 
 ufed  concerning  fuch  Diffenters,  who  did 
 not  refrain  from  faying,  with  his  wonted 
 bluntnefsandhonefty;  '^  It  is  certainly  much 
 **  more  necelTary  for  private  perfons  in  the 
 
 H  h  ''  eflabliilied 
 
 ''  teachers  j  but  where  do  we  read  that  He  gave  arch- 
 *'  deacons,  deacons,  prebends,  canons,  precentors,  &c.  Above 
 **  all,  is  the  v/orfhip  of  One  God  in  Trinity,  and  Trinity 
 «  in  Unity,  an  appointment  of  Chrift  ?  Is  there  any  pre- 
 "  cept  in  the  New  Teftanient  that  injoins  it  ?  or  any  ex- 
 "  ample  of  its  being  pradifed  by  the  apbftles,  to  give  it 
 *'  authority." 
 
 "  Letters  to  the  Rev.  Jchn  Sturges,  M.  A.  in  an- 
 fwer  to  his  Conliderations  on  the  prefent  State  of 
 the  Church  Eftablilhment,  by  Jojhua  Toulmin, 
 yi.  A.     London,  printed  for  J.  Johnfon,  1782. 
 
r  466  ] 
 
 '•''  eflabliflied  church  to  feparate  from  it,  on 
 *^  account  of  thefe  points  of  great  moment, 
 **  (viz.  its  Athanafian  do6lrine  and  woriliip, 
 **  Sec)  than  it  was  for  very  many  of  thofe 
 **  diflenters  of  old  to  feparate  from  the 
 *'  church  of  England,  about  {precompofed) 
 ^'  forms  of  prayer,  or  furplices,  or  the  crofs 
 **  in  baptifm?" 
 
 SECTION     11. 
 
 Of  fame  recent  public  declarations  in  favour 
 of  the  Unitarian  doEirine  and  worfiip,  by 
 an  open  and  avowed  feparatiojz  from  the 
 worfiip  of  the  church  of  England. 
 
 I  CANNOT  better  introduce  and  reccnii- 
 mend  this  article  to  the  reader,  than  by 
 laying  before  him  Mr.  JVhiJions  methods  of 
 quieting  his  mind,  whilil:  he  frequented  the 
 v/orfliip  of  the  church  of  England,  and  the 
 refolutlon  v/hich  he  came  to  at  laft  about  it. 
 And  I  fhall  let  him  fpeak  for  himfelf. 
 
 This  good  man  reprefents  his  being  much 
 afleifled  with  a  letter  he  had   received  from 
 
 an. 
 
[  467  ] 
 
 an  Unknown  hand,  during  the  time  he  wias 
 
 at    Tunbridge   Wells,     in    the   year    174^. 
 
 Therein  the  writer  is  very  earnefb  with  him 
 
 to  know   and    be    direcfted  what  courfe  he 
 
 fhould  take,  upon  the  following  defcription 
 
 of  the  ftate  of  his  mind,  having  previoufly 
 
 given  a  long  procefs  and  detail  of  what  had 
 
 led  him  to  it. 
 
 (/)   ''  In  ihort^  fays  this  his  unknown  cor- 
 
 **  refpondent,  I  became  fully  convinced  of 
 
 *^  this   grand    fundamental    truth,  that  the 
 
 ^^  Father  alone  ^  exchijive  of  all  other  beings  and 
 
 ^*  perfo7is  whatfoever^  was  the  rnojl  high  God^ 
 
 or   in   other  words,  the  only  God  cf  the 
 
 chrijiian   religion:     a    dodlrine    evidently 
 
 taught   by   our    bleffed  Saviour  and   his 
 
 apoftles/' 
 
 *'  Thus  far  all  was  right>  till  reading  the 
 
 *^  authors   who  wrote  on   the  other  lide  of 
 
 *^  the  queftion,  I  was  fomewhat  perplexed; 
 
 "  not  on  account  of  thofe  opinions  I  had 
 
 *^  embraced,  but  in  regard  cf  the  legality  of 
 
 ^^  continuing   a    member   of  the    Church, 
 
 **  from  which  I  found  the  pretended  ortho- 
 
 *'  dox  were  for  excluding  the  poor  Aria?is. 
 
 **  Am.ong  many  others,  I  fhalljuft  mention 
 
 H  h  2  ''  one 
 
 {%)  Memoirs  of  his  own  life,  p.  499^  &c* 
 
4i 
 
 t    468    ] 
 
 ene  or  two,  which  feem  applicable  to  the 
 prefent  purpofe/' 
 
 **  The  author  of  a  pamphlet  called,  ^^  aS^- 
 vera/  hundred  texts  to  prove  our  Saviour 
 to  be  the  rnojl  high  God :  a  character  I  am 
 fure  he  never  laid  the  leaft  claim  to,  but 
 always  attributed  it  to  his  Father :  this 
 author  has  thefe  words  :  **  If  any  deny  the 
 eternal  deity  of  our  Saviour y  they  exclude 
 themf elves  from  all  chriftian  afjemblies.  It 
 muft  be  grofs  hypocrify  and  prevarication  in 
 fuch  to  be  prefent  fo  much  as  occafonally^ 
 at  the  reading  of  the  Liturgy  of  the  church 
 of  England ;  when  all  the  offices  either  f up  ^ 
 pofe  the  divinity  of  our  Saviour y  or  plainly 
 declare  it'* 
 
 ^'  Another  writer,  in  an  Addrefs  to  the 
 conforming  Arians^  both  among  the  cler- 
 gy and  laity,  accufes  them  of  the  vileft  hy- 
 pocrify, in  being  prefent  at  the  hearing  of 
 prayers,  and  creeds  which  they  profefs  not 
 to  believe ;  and  abfolutely  infills  on  it  as 
 their  indifpenfable  duty  to  feparate  from 
 the  church.  And  affirms  that  a  proteftant 
 might  as  well  conform  with  a  papift,  or  a 
 chriftian  with  amahometan,  as  an  unitarian 
 with  the  orthodox.     And  by  no  means 
 
 **  admits 
 
[   469    ] 
 
 *'  admits  their  falvo  ;  viz.  their  not  repeating 
 thofe  paffages  or  prayers  in  the  Liturgy, 
 which  in  their  opinion  are  blafphemous, 
 and  derogatory  to  the  fupreme  unequalled 
 majefty  of  God,  the  Father/' 
 Mr.  Whifton  having  mentioned  the  receit 
 and  contents  of  this  letter,  with  which  he 
 was  much  diflurbed,  judged  it  proper,  in 
 his  own  defence,  to  give  a  recapitulation  of 
 what  he  had  fome  years  before  advanced  and 
 publifhed,  when  he  was  accufed  of  joining 
 in  idolatrous  worfhip,  and  of  bowing  in  the 
 houfe  of  Rimmon,  (Ji)  on  account  of  his  con- 
 tinuing to  frequent  the  fervice  of  the  church 
 of  England,  many  parts  of  which  he  con- 
 demned. 
 
 How  unjuftifiable  foever  (fays  he)  I  have 
 long  thought  fome  inflances  of  worfhip  in 
 the  Athanafian  churches,  and  particularly 
 in  the  church  of  'England^  with  which  I 
 ufually  join  in  public  worfhip,  and  in  the 
 Eucharift  ^  I  mean,  during  the  great  dif- 
 trefs  I  am  at  prefent  in,  between  joining  in 
 a  church  not  yet  free  from  the  Athanafian 
 herefy  in  public  worfliip,  or  of  omitting 
 *^  almofl  all  public  worfhip  at  all ;  yet  did  1 
 
 H  h  3  **  never 
 
 {Ji)  Id.  Ibid,  p.  391,  &c. 
 
 it 
 
I    47^     ] 
 
 *^  never  think  fiat  undue  worfhip  of  the  Son^i 
 *'  and  Holy  Spirit,  as  equal  to  God  the  Fa-^ 
 **  ther,  which  the  modern  Athanajians  have 
 ventured  upon,  without,  I  verily  think, 
 nay  againft  the  intire  Old  and  New  Tefta- 
 ment,  and  v»dthout,  nay  againft  all  the 
 *^  other  antient  records  of  chriftianity,  to  be, 
 **  flridly  fpeaking,  in  the  language  of  Scrip- 
 *^  ture,  the  crime  oi  Idolatry  J" — ^(N.  B.  It 
 is  nevert/oelefs  in  dij'-ecl  violation  of  the  firjl 
 commandment  given  by  almighty  God,  (Exodus 
 XX.)  Thou  flialt  have  no  other  Gods  before 
 ME.  It  was  referved for  the  Athanaiian  chrif 
 tians  alone ^  tofuppofe  and  conftitiite  two  other 
 Divine  Perfons,  equal  to  the  fiipreme  Father^ 
 end  as  fuch  to  invoke  and  worfiip  them^ 
 
 •'  So  that,  continues  he,  had  I  joined 
 ^*  with  the  church  in  this  Athanafian  wor- 
 ^^  f]:iip,  how  criminal  foever  I  had  been  on 
 ^'  other  accounts  in  fo  doing  ;  yet  had  I  not, 
 in  my  own  judgment,  been  guilty  of  that 
 moll  heinous  crim.e  of  Scripture- Idolatry .■ 
 But  that  I  ever  join  in  that  Athanafan 
 worihip,  though  prefent  at  it,  in  any  de- 
 ^*  gree ;  or  fo  much  as  appear  to  join  in  it, 
 **  when  I  join  in  other  parts  of  the  public 
 ?*  worfhip,  is  notorioully  falfe.     Every  body 
 
 ^  f^  that'^ 
 
[  471  ] 
 that  takes  notice  of  my  conflant  behaviour 
 in  the  public  fervice,  may  eaiily  perceive, 
 that  I  never  join  in  any  oF  thcfe  parts  of 
 the  Nicene  creed,  of  the  Litany,  or  of  the 
 Doxologies;  or  of  any  prayers,  or  worfliip 
 v^hatever  that  are  of  that  kind ;  and  that, 
 whenever  I  amprefent  wh^wthtAthanafan 
 creed,  that  fhame  and  reproach  of  the  pub- 
 lic woriliip  of  the  church  of  England,  is 
 there  repeated,  I  do  alvv^ays  fit  dow^n,  to 
 ihew  the  whole  congregation  my  difagree- 
 
 ing  thereto." ''  And  I  farther  declare, 
 
 that  I  fhall  not  think  it  lawful  for  me  any 
 longer  to  frequent  thatpublic  wor£hip,than 
 whilft  I  am  not  only  permitted  to  join  in 
 the  reft  of  it  without  joining  in  the  Atka- 
 najian  parts ;  but  permitted  to  make  this 
 open  declaration,  that  I  do  not,  and  dare  not 
 join  in  thofe  parts  for  any  ccnfideration." 
 But  thi^  moft  confcientious  worthy  m^an 
 was  by  no  means  fatisfied  with  thefe  endea- 
 vours to  palliate  and  excufe  his  conformity 
 in  any  {hape,  to  vv^hat  he  believed  x.o  be  ex- 
 tremely wrong,  and  contrary  to  the  exprefs 
 command  of  God.  Therefore  after  weigh- 
 ing the  difficulties  he  fliould  be  under  in 
 wholly  deferting  the  public  fervice  of  the 
 
 H  h  4  church 
 
[     472     ] 
 
 church  of  England,  and  uniting  himfelf 
 with  any  congregation  of  Diffenters  at  that 
 time,  he  thus  concludes  in  reference  to  the 
 anonymous  letter  fent  to  him,  and  declare^ 
 his  full  mind  upon  the  matter. 
 
 ♦'  In  fhort,  to  determine  the  queftion  (/) 
 *^  propofed  to  me;  I  fee  no  very  right  way 
 *'  of  avoiding  all  the  beforementioned  diffi- 
 culties, in  point  of  confcience,  but  by  fct^ 
 ting  up  new  and  truly  chriftian  congrega- 
 ^'  tions.  Vv' hich  as  I  have  formerly  done  at 
 my  own  houfe,  at  fome  times,  feveral  years 
 ago :  fo  have  I  frequently  expreffed  my  ear- 
 neil:  dciire  of  making  1 20  members  of  fuch 
 a  congregation,  for  the  revival  of  that  pri- 
 mitive chriilianity,  which  began  (m)  with 
 
 <6 
 
 <6 
 
 ii 
 
 fuch 
 
 (/)  The  quelHon  propofed  to  him  was  thus  put.     "  As 
 
 hvpocrify  is  undoubtedly  a  fm  odious  to  God  and  man, 
 
 I  v/ith  many  othei?,  fhould  take  it  as  a  fmgular  favour, 
 
 if,  in  fome  of  your  important  writings,    you  would 
 
 difcuis  this  important  queftion ;  viz.  with  what  church 
 
 or  feci  the  Arians^  in  this  prefent   corrupted  ftate   of 
 
 things,  ought  to  communicate,  till  it  pleafes  God  more 
 
 compleatly   to  reform   the  chriftian  world  ?  Whether 
 
 with  that  eftabliftied :  or  whether  they  ought  to  feparatc, 
 
 and  go  over  to  the  DilTenters,  as  many  Arian  Minifters 
 
 ^"  are  fuppofed  to  be  amongft  them?" 
 
 Memoirs  of  his  own  life,    p.  501?  502* 
 [m)  Ads  i.   15. 
 
[     473     ] 
 
 fuch  a  number.  Wherein  I  would  myfelf, 
 while  life  and  health  would  permit,  con- 
 ftantly  officiate,  according  to  that  Liturgy 
 of  the  church  i?/' England,  reduced  nearer  to 
 the  primitive  Jlandardy  which  I  publifhed 
 thirty-five  years  ago,  and  have  ever  line© 
 made  ufe  of  upon  all  fuch  occafions. 
 **  And  may  God  almighty  blefs  mine  and 
 all  other  good  chrijiians  endeavours  for  the 
 fetting  up  of  fuch  truly  primitive  congre^ 
 gat  ions ;  and  may  fuch  congregations ,  when 
 they  are  oncefet  up,  increafe  more  and  more 
 unto  aperfed:  day,  and  partake  of  the  largeji 
 portions  of  diviiie  grace  hercy  and  of  the 
 high  eft  degrees  of  heavenly  glory  hereafter. 
 Amen  and  Amen'' 
 
 SECTION     III. 
 
 Ofthefrft  rife  of  the  church  of  Unitarian 
 fhriftians  ajfembling  at  the  Chapel  in  ElTex- 
 Street. 
 
 THERE  is  a  fatisfadlion  in  the  thought 
 of  having  been  comprehended  in  the 
 foregoing  devout  prayer  of  this  holy  man,  as 
 
 belong- 
 
[     474     J 
 
 belonging  to  a  congregation  of  chrifllans,  fuch 
 as  he  wiilied  to  fee  eftablifhed,  in  which  the 
 heavenly  Father  is  acknowleged  and  wor- 
 fliiped,  as  the  only  Cod  of  chrifllans .  But 
 there  will  be  a  much  greater  caufe  to  rejoice, 
 if  fuch  a  congregation  (who  are  thus  truly 
 primitive  and  apofcolic  in  their  w^orfhip, 
 according  to  Mr.  Whijlon^  idea,  and  as  they 
 humbly  prefume  themfelves,)  do  alfo  refem- 
 ble  in  the  piety  and  purity  of  their  lives, 
 that  firft  chriftian  fociety  in  Jerufalem, 
 over  which  theapoftles  prefided. 
 
 From  what  ccnvidions  of  mind,  and  by 
 what  fleps,  the  firft  Preacher  at  this  chapel, 
 and  compofer  of  this  work,  was  led  to  quit 
 an  eligible  ftation  in  the  church  of  England, 
 has  been  told  at  large  elfewhere. 
 
 But  he  is  happy  in  this  opportunity  of 
 expreffing  his  grateful  thanks  to  thofe 
 friends,  by  whofe  encouragement  and  affifl- 
 ance,  his  own  wifhes  and  plan  for  a  more 
 fcriptural  worfhip  have  been  realized. 
 
 A  temporary  place  of  worfliip  was  firft 
 provided,  and  opened,  April  17,  1774. 
 
 Previous  to  this,  private  letters   had  been 
 
 received  from  feveral  perfons  then  unknown, 
 
 and  applications  made  by  others,  fignifying 
 
 3  their 
 
[     475     1 
 
 their  defire  of  becoming  members  of  a  focl- 
 cty  formed  upon  unitarian  principles. 
 
 By  thefe  natural,  gradual  ifteps,  a  fmall 
 fociety  was  formed ;  which  being  increafed 
 by  the  acceffion  of  others  of  the  fame  fenti- 
 ment,  a  more  convenient  place  to  meet  in 
 became  necelTary.  And  in  the  latter  end  of 
 the  year  1777,  a  purchafe  being  made  of  the 
 premiffes  called  Effex-Houfe,  the  prefent 
 chapel  was  erefted;  which  was  opened  for 
 public  woriiiip  on  Sunday,  March  28,  ijj^. 
 
 The  deiign  of  its  iirft  founders  and  bene- 
 fadlors,  was,  as  the  difciples  of  Jefus  Chrift^ 
 and  in  conformity  to  his  example  and  direc- 
 tions, to  celebrate  and  perpetuate  the  worfliip 
 of  the  one  only  God  of  the  univerfe.  Which 
 laudable  intent,  'tis  hoped,  will  continue  to 
 operate  gently  and  unceafingly,  till  the  princi- 
 ple become  general,  and  the  worfliip  univerfal. 
 
 It  is  a  fubjed:  of  joy,  and  of  increafi ng  pla- 
 titude to  the  Giver  of  all  good,  who  order- 
 eth  all  things  -,  that  the  feceffion  of  the  wri- 
 ter from  the  eftablifhed  church  did  not  ter- 
 minate in  a  different  and  lefs  ufeful  employ- 
 ment, than  that  of  a  chriftian  minifter, 
 which  was  always  his  favourite  wifli  and 
 greateft   happinefs :    and  he   can    defire  no 
 
 higher 
 
[     476     ] 
 
 higher  honour,  if,  by  the  divine  bleffing, 
 his  labours  {hould  contribute  to  the  ad- 
 vancement of  the  true  knowlege  and  worfhip 
 of  God,  and  the  final  good  and  happinefs  of 
 any  one  of  his  fellow-creatures. 
 
 Not  that  there  have  been  wanting  thofe 
 who  led  the  way  before  him,  in  quitting 
 their  preferments  in  the  church,  unable  to 
 continue  any  longer  in  carrying  on  or  join- 
 ing in  a  worfhip  contrary  to  the  convi6lions 
 of  their  own  minds,  where  prayer  was  oiterecj 
 up  to  perfons  whom  they  believed  not  to  be 
 Gods,  or  capable  of  hearing  them  :  while 
 others  ftarted  nearly  at  the  fame  time,  or 
 came  avvay  foon  after  him ;  and  not  a  few 
 are  ftill  following,  and  feparating  themfelves 
 from  the  communion  of  a  church,  in  which 
 they  cannot  remain  with  a  quiet  mind. 
 
 Of  fome  of  thefe,  whofe  particular  hiflory 
 has  come  to  my  knowlege,  or  which  I  have 
 been  able  to  coiled:  from  what  they  them- 
 felves have  told  the  Public,  I  would  fay 
 fomething  in  this  place ;  that  the  benefit  of 
 their  example  may  not  be  loft.  And  this 
 motive,  it  is  hoped,  will  excufe  the  liberty 
 taken  of  producing    their  names,    without 
 
 jtfkin^:  lecive. 
 
 SEC 
 
[    477    3 
 SECTION     JV. 
 
 « 
 
 or  Dr.  Kobertfon, 
 
 ND  firfl  ihould  be  named,  the  aged  and 
 venerable y^//6^r  of  unitarian  n'oncon- 
 formityoi  our  own  days,  and  of  a  confcientious 
 renunciation  of  the  worfhip  of  the  eftablifhed 
 church,  Dr.  William  Robert/on  ;  a  perfon  of 
 fine  talents,  vivid  imagination,  and  found 
 judgment,  even  to  his  79th  year;  ftill  engaged 
 in  the  laborious  province  of  a  teacher  of 
 a  Free  School  at  Wolverhampton,  w^hich, 
 after  giving  up  his  preferment,  he  willingly 
 undertook  for  his  fupport,  though  now  too 
 much  enfeebled  to  execute  it  intirely  him- 
 felf  as  he  was  wont ;  and  never  fo  well  pro- 
 vided for  as  not  to  call  for  the  kind  genero- 
 fity  of  friends  :  for  till  within  thefe  few 
 years,  he  had  no  fmall  portion  of  his  annual 
 income  to  pay  to  a  fuperannuated  prede- 
 ceffor. 
 
 Of  him  fomething  has  been  faid  in  ano- 
 ther '^  place,  which  I  need  not  here  repeat ; 
 where  reference  v/as  made  to  his  own  inge- 
 nious 
 
 *  "  Apology  on  refigning  Catterick."     The  erid. 
 
C   478   ] 
 
 nious  work,  and  modeft  account  of  himfelf* 
 To  this  however  muft  be  added,  that  he 
 now  ftands  alone,  unprop*d,  the  father  of 
 a  numerous  offspring,  who  are  all  gone  be- 
 fore him ;  yet  ftill  retaining  and  keeping  up 
 that  ferenity  and  chearful  truft  in  the  Divine 
 Providence,  which  can  only  belong  to  the 
 virtuous  and  innocent  mind,  that  has  al- 
 ways before  it  thofe  profpefts  which  the 
 gofpel  opens  into  an  happy  futurity,  where  the 
 holy  and  the  good  will  meet  again,  never  to 
 part  more. 
 
 SECTION     V. 
 Of  Dr.  John  Jebb. 
 
 IN  September  1775,  Mr.  now  Dr.  John 
 Jebb,  was  able  to  put  in  execution  his 
 purpofe,  which  he  had  fixed  fome  time  be- 
 fore, and  made  known  to  fome  of  his  friends, 
 of  refigning  his  ofRce,  and  preferments,  in 
 the  eftabliihed  church.  The  latter  were 
 not  great   in   themfelves ;  but  from  his  ac- 
 
 knowleged 
 
[     479     I 
 
 knowleged  faperior  abilities,  and  connexions, 
 his  preteniions  to  the  higheft  flations  in  it 
 were  v/ell-grounded,  and  the  r6ad  muft  have 
 been  open  and  eafy  to  him,  could  he  have 
 accommodated  himfelf  in  any  degree  to  take 
 the  neceffary  fteps  towards  it. 
 
 What,  a  mind,  feeling  and  upright  like  his, 
 muft  have  endured,  whilft  ofRciatine  in  the 
 forms  of  the  church,  and  invoking  in  prayer 
 any  other  Being,  but  the  one  true  God,  and 
 Father  of  all,  he  himfelf  has  defcribed,  in 
 the  concluiion  of  the  account  that  he  gives 
 of  the  immediate  motives  of  his  reiignation: 
 though  it  does  but  feebly  reprefent  the  anxi-. 
 eties  and  diftrefs  which  he  laboured  under^ 
 and  which  I  have  fometimes  heard  from  him- 
 felf. 
 
 T! hat  account  however  is  too  important  to 
 be  omitted  here;  and  thofe  who  have  read  it 
 before  will  be  glad  to  review  it  ap-ain. 
 
 *'  It  has  been  (fays  (/)  he)  for  fome  time 
 "  paft  my  firm  perfuafion,  that  the  do(?crine 
 
 (/)  "  A  Short  State  of  the  Reafons  far  a  late  Pvefigna- 
 *'  tion.  To  which  are  added  occafional  Obfervations^ 
 "  and  a  Letter  to  the  Right  Reverend  the  Bifhop  of  Nor- 
 ^'  wich.  By  John  Jehh^  M.  A,  Cambridge,  1775.'' 
 p.  4,  5,  6, 
 
 ''  of 
 
[     48o     ] 
 
 "  of  the  Trinity,  as  explained  In  the 
 *^  Creed  of  Athanafius, — as  propounded  in 
 the  thirty  nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of 
 England, — as  eftablifhed  in  the  Liturgy, 
 and  further  guarded  by  penal  fandlions  in 
 an  Adl  of  Parliament  paffed  in  the  reign 
 of  William  the  third,  is  equally  contrary 
 to  found  Reafon  and  the  holy  Scriptures. 
 I  am  fully  fatisfied  that  in  the  Divine  Na- 
 ture there  is  no  Plurality  of  Perfons; 
 but  that  the  Almighty  Author  of  the 
 **  univerfe  is  in  the  ftrifteft  fenfe  of  the  ex- 
 preffion.  One.  And  I  think  I  have  rea- 
 fon to  believe,  that  the  prefent  openly 
 *^  avowed  adherence  of  moft  eftablifhed 
 **  churches  to  a  dodlrine,  v»^hich  does  not 
 appear  to  have  been  the  fentiment  of  chrif- 
 tians  in  the  earlieft  and  the  pureft  ages  of 
 the  church,  is  not  only  one  of  the  moft 
 powerful  obftrudlions  to  the  converfion  of 
 the  Mahometans  and  the  Jews;  but  isalfo 
 analmoftinvincibleobjedion  to  the  cordial 
 reception  of  the  gofpel  by  many  ferious 
 well  difpofed  perfons,  in  every  rank  of 
 life,  and  in  every  ftate  in  Chriftendom. 
 **  Many  worthy  perfons,  who  held  the 
 *^  foregoing   opinion  refpefting  the  Deity, 
 
 **  are 
 
 4C 
 
 <c 
 
E   481    ] 
 
 ^'  ar6  yet  Induced  to  believe  that  the  Prayers 
 ''  of  Chriftians  may  with  propriety  be  di- 
 **  reffle.d  to  Tefus  Chrift;  ctnd 'imagine  that 
 *'  they  may  be  vindicated  in  this  pradlice 
 *'  by  the  command  of  tlTelr  Saviour,  and 
 **  the  example  of  His  apoftles. 
 
 *'  With  the  utmqft  charity  for  thofe  who 
 **  entertain  thefe  fentiments,  I  profefs  my- 
 *'  felftd  be  of  a  different  opinion.  I  am  fted- 
 *'  faftly  perfuaded  that  the  Creator  of  the 
 ""'  world,  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Ifaac, 
 *^  and  of  Jacob,  who  Is  in  the  New  Tefta- 
 ''  ment  alfo  ftiled  the  God  and  Father  of 
 «*  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrlft,  is  therein  repre- 
 **  fented  as  the  only  proper  objedt  of  reli- 
 ^'   2;ious  adoration." 
 
 "  I  neverthelefs  acknowlege  that  a  very 
 **  high  degree  of  refpedl  and  veneration  is 
 **  due  to  the  character  of  Jefus,  as  the 
 "  anointed  Prophet  of  the  Moft  High,  far 
 *^  excelling  in  Dignity  and  Power  every 
 *^  Prophet  who  preceded  him.  I  honour 
 ♦^^  him  as  the  Son  of  God  in  what  appears 
 ^^  to  me  the  Scripture  acceptation  of  that 
 ^'  term,  as  the  cominon  Lord  of  Chriftians, 
 **  as  the  appointed  Judge  of  the  Living  and 
 *'  the  Dead.     But  at  the  fame  time  I  am 
 
 I  i  *'  convinced 
 
it 
 
 €( 
 
 i( 
 
 iC 
 
 [   482   3 
 
 '^  convinced  that  the  diftance  between  him 
 "  and  Deity  is  infinite  5  that  Prayer 
 *^  to  him  is  no  where  commanded  in  the 
 **  Scriptures ;  and,  confequently,  that  the 
 addrefTes  of  Chriftians  may  with  the  fame 
 propriety  be  directed  to  the  Virgin  Mary^ 
 **  as  to  the  Perfon  of  our  Lord." 
 
 *^  Moft  of  the  claufes  in  the  Litany,  and 
 fome  other  Prayers  and  Invocations  in  the 
 eftablifhed  Liturgy  of  the  Chofch  of  Eng-» 
 land,  are  immediately  addreffed  to  our  Sa- 
 viour; and  Honour  and  Glory  are  fre- 
 quently afcribed  to  the  holy  spirit,  as 
 **  to  a  DIVINE  AGENT,  diiUndl  from  the 
 **  Perfon  of  the  Father;  an  Idea,  in  my' 
 *^  opinion,  not  warranted  by  the  Oracles  of 
 "  God." 
 
 **  While  I  held  Preferment,  it  certainly 
 was  my  duty  to  officiate  in  the  eftablifhed 
 fervice  of  the  Church.  But^  opprefted 
 by  the  confcioufnefs,  that  my  fentiments, 
 refpefting  the  Objedl  of  devotion,  were 
 diametrically  oppofed  to  thofe  dodlrines, 
 upon  which  her  Form  of  Worfhip  is 
 *'  founded,  I  have  not  been  able,  for  fome 
 **  time  paft,  to  difcharge  this  part  of  my 
 **  Fundion  without   great   difquiet.      My 
 
 **  anxiety 
 
 << 
 i< 
 
€6 
 
 [  483  ] 
 
 anxiety  hourly  incre?.fed.  I  therefore  at 
 length  found  it  neceffary  to  embrace  the 
 ''  only  meaAire  t^-  lemed  tp  promii^  me 
 tranauillity.  The  event  hath  correfpond- 
 ed  With  my  expedlation.  Having  refigned 
 my  Preferment^  and  with  it  having  di- 
 *<  vefted  myfelf  of  the  Charafter  of  a  Mi- 
 ''  nifter  in  the  Church  of  England,  I  have 
 *«  recovered  that  ferenity  of  mind  to  which 
 *'  I  had  been  long  a  ftranger." 
 
 To  whatever  way  of  life  Mr .  Jebb  had  turned 
 himfelf  afterwards,  his  great  natural  and  ac- 
 quired powers,  and  above  all,  his  refolution, 
 and  indefatigable  induftry,  muft  have  ren- 
 dered him  eminent  in  it*  This  was  foon  f^^n 
 in  the  line  of  Phyfic,  which  he  chofe.  For 
 rarely  ever  did  any  one  fo  early  rank  with 
 the  firft  in  his  profeffion. 
 
 I  hold  it  however  to  have  been  a  great  lofs 
 to  the  chriftian  world,  that  any  thing  fhould 
 have  forced  him  away  from  the  immediate 
 purfuit  of  facred  knowlege  and  ftudy  of  the 
 Scriptures,  and  from  communicating  that 
 knowlege  to  others;  for  which  he  is  fo  ad- 
 mirably furnhhed  %  and  fitted.     And  much 
 
 does 
 
 X  To  this  many  of  his  pupils  bear  honourable  teftimo* 
 hy;  andalaftingproofof  itwillremaininatraa,  intitlcd 
 
 I  i  2  "  Aihort 
 
I  484  ] 
 
 does  he  owe  to  his  country,  and  to  man-* 
 kind,  not  to  let  that  his  great  gift  lie  ufelefs, 
 and  be  buried  with  him. 
 
 Of  his  obligations  in  this  refpeft,  by  his 
 own  exprefs  and  voluntary  engagement,  I 
 would  here  beg  leave  to  remind  him,  and 
 at  the  fame  time  gratify  the  reader,  with 
 the  reafons  for  breaking  off  all  connexion 
 with  the  Church  of  England  as  a  Minifter, 
 which  he  thought  proper  at  the  time  to  com- 
 municate to  Dr.  Young,  his  Diocefan^  the 
 late  Bifliop  of  Norwich. 
 
 [a)  *'  After  the  moft  ferious   and  difpaf-* 
 
 fionate  inquiry,  I  am  perfuaded,  my  Lord, 
 ^  from  the  concurrent  teftimony  of  Reafon 
 
 and  Revelation,  that  the  Supreme  Cause 
 *'  of  all  things  is,  not  merely  in  EJ/ence, 
 but  alfo  in  Per/on ,  One." 
 
 *^  By  the  force  of  the  fame  Evidence 
 *"*  I  am  convinced,  that  this  almighty 
 '*  Power  is  i\it  o?ily  proper  Objedt  of  Reli- 
 '"'  gion." 
 
 *'  A  (hort  Account  of  Theological  Leciures,  now  reading 
 «'  at  Cambridge,"  &c.    By  the  Rev.  John  Jebb,  M.  A. 
 late  Fellow  of  St.  Peter's  college,  Cambridge.     I772» 
 ^  {a)  Id.  Ibid.  p.  17,  18. 
 
 a 
 
 <c 
 
 i< 
 
 The 
 
[   485   3 
 
 ,v  .«i  The  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
 *'  land  is  obvioufly  founded  upon  the  Idea, 
 *'  that  in  the  Divine  Nature  is  a  Trinity 
 ''  of  Perfons,  to  each  of  which  every  fpe- 
 **  cies  of  religious  Adoration  is  addreffed, 
 "  as  well  as  fuch  Powers  afcribed,  as  arethq 
 ^'  incommunicable  attributes  of  God/' 
 
 ^*  Under  my  perfuafion  of  the  erroneouf- 
 ^'  nefs  of  this  doftrine,  I  cannot  any  longer 
 ^'  with  fatisfadlion  to  myfelf  officiate  in  the 
 ''  Eftabliflied  Service:  and  as  I  certainly 
 **  can  have  no  claim  to  the  Emoluments  of 
 my  Profeffion,  unlefs  I  am  willing  tp 
 perform  the  Duties  of  it,  I  therefore  re- 
 iGgn  my  Preferment.", 
 **  But,  my  Lord,  although  I  find  myfelf 
 »*  under  an  obligation  to  relinquifh  my  pre- 
 ''  fent  ftation  in  the  church  of  England,  I 
 ''  do  not  renounce  the  Profeffion  of  a  Chris- 
 tian. On  the  contrary,  penetrated  by 
 the  clearejl  conviBio?is  of  the  high  Impor-^ 
 tance,  and  divine  Authority  of  the  Gofpel^ 
 I  will  labour  to  promote  the  advancement 
 of  Scriptural  Knowlege  with  increafng 
 ^'  xeal'y  and  will  ever  be  ready  to  unite, 
 ^'  with  heart  and  hand,  in  any  juft  and 
 ''  legal  attempt  to  remove  that  Burden  of 
 
 I  i  3  ''  Subfcrip- 
 
[     486     1 
 
 Subfcrlption  to  HumanFormularies,which 
 I  efleem  one  of  the  moft  powerful  ob^ 
 
 ^*  ftrudions  to  its  Progrefs. 
 
 I 
 
 SECTION     VL 
 
 Of  Dr.  Cha7nhers\ 
 
 "^  H  E  order  of  time  in  which  another 
 Minifter  of  the  eftabliihed  church 
 flood  forth  in  the  caufe  of  the  Divine  Unity, 
 although  he  did  not  relign  his  benefice,  calls 
 upon  me  here  to  make  mention  of  ojie^  whofe 
 memory  is  honoured  by  many,  and  w^ll  ever 
 be  frefh  and  dear  to  me  ^  tranfporting  oft 
 with  moft  pleafing  recolledtion,  to  thofe 
 once  loved  and  ever  honoured  retreats,  where 
 congenial  minds  unite^  where  generally  our 
 iirft,  our  pureft,  and  moft  lafting  friendfhips 
 are  formed ; 
 
 Where  Camus  winds  along  his  broider'd  vale. 
 Feeding  each  blue  bell  pale,  and  daifie  pied, 
 Thit  flin^  their  frt^-grance  round  his  rufiiy  fide. 
 
 But 
 
[  487  ] 
 
 But  I  ihall  preface  what  I  have  to  fay  of 
 him,  with  the  recital  of  a  condudl  fome- 
 what  fimilar  to  his,  to  do  juftice  to  another 
 unitarian  andmoft:  upright  perfon,whofini{h- 
 ed  his  mortal  courfe  in  the  time  of  our  fa- 
 thers ;  and  to  let  it  be  feen,  what  an  heavy- 
 burden  it  has  long  been  to  lincere  fearchers 
 after  truth,  to  be  tied  down  to  the  ufe  of 
 forms  of  worfliip  unknown  to  Chrift  and  his 
 apoftles,  and  the  wide  deviations  from  them 
 which  fome  have  been  driven  to  make  for 
 the  repofe  of  their  own  minds,  who  did 
 not  think  it  incumbent  on  them  to  quit 
 their  benefices,  and  feparate  themfelves  en- 
 tirely from  the  eftabliihed  church.  It  is 
 furnifhed  by  Mr.  Whifton,  in  the  Memoirs 
 of  his  life,  p.  429. 
 
 Speaking  of  the  learned  critic  Mr.  Wajfe^ 
 who  had  long  been  a  warm  defender  of  the 
 Athanajian  doftrine  of  the  Trinity  ;  he  tells 
 us,  that  this  gentleman,  who  was  Reftor 
 of  Ainhoe,  Bucks,  was  at  laft  fo  thorough^ 
 ly  fatisfied  of  the  truth  of  the  Eufebian 
 doftrine,  (for  fo  Mr.  Whifton  loved  to  fpeak 
 of  his  own  opinion  concerning  Chrift,  v/hich 
 others  called  Ariariy)  that  he  (Mr,  WafTe) 
 **  had  not  only  a  great  while  omitted  the 
 
 I  i  4  *^  Athana^ 
 
f     4,S8     3 
 
 Athanafian  creed  himfelf,  and  endeavQiir-? 
 ed  to  perfuade   his  neighbouring  clerg}? 
 to  omit  it  alfo ;   but  in  my  hearing  (fays 
 our  Author)   he  publicly  omitted   in   his 
 ^'  church   at  Ainhoe,    both    the    third   and 
 fourth  petitions   of  the   Litany,   that    to 
 the   Holy   Gholl:,   and   that    to   the  Tri- 
 nity, as  knowing  them  to  be  intirely  un~ 
 juftifiable  and   unexampled   in    primitive 
 chriftianity  ;  as  I  had  done  the  very  fame 
 at  Cambridge  firft,  to  the  great  furprize 
 and  diforder  of  the  whole  univerfity.    'He 
 alfo,  after  he  was  thus  fully  {litisfied  him- 
 *'  felf,  offered,  as  he  told  me,   to  have  de- 
 bated thefe  matters  with  the  late  Archbp. 
 ***  of  Canterbury,    Dr.  Potter,  then  Regius 
 '*^  ProfefTor  of   Divinity    at    Oxford,    and 
 **  the  other  learned  men  there;  but  they  re- 
 ''  fufed." 
 
 This  was  a  noble  effort  for  the  times,  in 
 this  celebrated  fcholar  and  worthy  man,  to 
 aft  thus  openly  and  without  difguife,  in  leav- 
 ing out  fuch  parts  of  the  public  prayers  and 
 Worfhip  of  the  church  of  England  v/hich 
 he  believed  to  be  unccuntenanced  by  the 
 Scriptures,  and  direfted  to  falfe  objeds^  and 
 holdly  to  avow  his  fentiments  and  praftice, 
 
 notwith- 
 
 €( 
 <( 
 ii 
 
{     4^9     ] 
 
 potwkhflanding  the  heavy  penalties  to  which 
 he  was  liable  for  it. 
 
 A  like  liberty  was  taken  in  altering  the 
 prayers  in  the  Liturgy  of  the  eflabliilieij 
 church,  by  my  late  mpft  highly  valued  and 
 beloved  friend,  William  Chambers,  D.  D, 
 pf  St.  John's  college  in  tjie  univerfity  of 
 Cambridge,  Redtor  of  Achurch  in  North- 
 amptonfliire. 
 
 Put  in  the  changes  that  he  made,  he  %yent 
 much  farther  than  Mr.  Waffe,  as  his  ob- 
 jedlions  to  the  elLablifhed  forms  of  prayer 
 were  much  greater.  For  he  omitted  the 
 Gloria  Patri^  as  it  is  called,  which  fo  fre- 
 quently recurs  ;  and  never  repeated  any  part 
 of  the  fervice,  where  Jefus  Chrift  or  the 
 Holy  Spirit  were  addreffed  and  invoked,  be- 
 ing perfuaded  thjit  the  God  and  Father  of 
 all,  Vv^as  the  only  true  (j^od  and  objedl  of 
 woriliip. 
 
 He  had  been  long  refplved  never  to  renew 
 his  fubfcription  to  the  Articles,  and  decla- 
 ration of  conformity  to  the  Liturgy,  on  any 
 account  whatfoever,  and  therefore  had  de- 
 clined a  confiderable  preferment  in  this  city, 
 which  w^as  oiiered  to  him  by  a  noble  Earl,  his 
 Relation.     And  he  was  prepared  to  have  fub- 
 
 znitted 
 
[     490     ] 
 
 mitted  to  the  extremity  of  the  law,  had  It  been 
 put  in  execution  againft  him,  by  religning 
 his  benefice,  rather  than  to  have  gone  con- 
 trary to  the  fenfe  of  his  own  mind,  in  fo  fo* 
 lemn  an  acTt  as  that  of  prayer  to  the  moft 
 high  God. 
 
 The  only  time  that  I  had  the  happinefs  of 
 being  with  him  in  the  country,  after  my 
 fettlement  in  London,  I  attended  public 
 worfhip  in  his  church  on  the  Sunday,  with 
 great  fatisfadlion  ;  for  by  the  alterations  he 
 made  in  it,  it  was  intirely  conformable  to 
 the  Scripture-model,  and  unitarian. 
 
 He  was  himfelf  deeply  impreffed  with  a  fenfe 
 of  the  truth  and  importance  of  the  dod:rine  of 
 the  Divine  Unity ^  and  was  zealous  to  diffufe 
 .and  impart  his  light  and  knowlege  to  others; 
 ahd  often  fuccefsful  in  it.  He  had  befides  a 
 thirft  after  all  ufeful  knowlege,  and  fpared 
 no  pains  or  coft  to  attain  it :  yet  ftill  moft 
 concerned  about  what  related  to  God,  how 
 beft  to  ferve  and  make  him  known,  and  to 
 benefit  mankind  in  their  future  everlafting 
 concerns,  which  he  was  moft  ftudious  to 
 promote.  And  he  had  a  mind  always  open 
 to  convidlipn ;  well  knowing  that  we  begin 
 our  rational  life,  full  of  many  right,  and 
 oftentimes  many  dubious  and  falfe  opinions, 
 
 which 
 
[    491     ] 
 
 which  we  unavoidably  take  up  on  the  au- 
 thority of  others,  the  only  way  in  which 
 we  can  at  firlt  learn  any  thing :  and  which 
 it  becomes  us  to  try  and  examine  into  after- 
 wards. 
 
 Above  all  fordid  love  of  gain,  he  knew 
 no  other  ufe  of  his  fortune,  after  the  necef- 
 fary  fupplies  of  his  family,  than  to  make 
 others  happy.  And  he  was  remarkable  for 
 a  conftant  chearfulnefs,  and  innocent  plea- 
 fantry  that  much  enlivened  converfation : 
 which  was  in  him  the  refult  of  a  natural 
 gaiety  of  fpirit,  never  broken  or  diminifhed 
 by  vice,  or  too  eager  worldly  purfuits. 
 
 The  refpeft  and  efteem  in  which  he  was 
 defervedly  held  by  all  that  knew  him,  was 
 much  heightened  by  his  great  fkill  in  Phy- 
 fie,  which  he  had  acquired  by  the  ftudy  of 
 anatomy,  chemiflry,  and  all  the  previous 
 knowlege  requifite  in  the  profeffion  to  qua- 
 lify for  pradtice  in  it.  It  was  indeed  an 
 early  and  favourite  purfuit ;  and  I  have  been 
 informed  by  thofe  v/ho  were  capable  j  udges, 
 that  he  had  that  natural  fagacity  in  difcern- 
 ing  the  fymptoms  of  difeafes,  which  leads 
 to  excellence,  He  employed  much  of  his 
 leifure  time  this  way  in  the  country ;  both 
 /  in 
 
[     49?     ] 
 
 in  commqnicatlng  his  knowlege  to  others, 
 by  which  many  are  even  now  benefited^  and 
 in  healing  the  difeafes  of  the  poor  all  around 
 him,  as  well  as  of  his  friends  and  acquaint- 
 ance who  confulted  him. 
 
 I^et  this  fhort  digrefiion,  and  tribute  to 
 friendfliip,  and  to  fo  much  real  worth,  be 
 excufed  !  He  died  at  Achurch,  September 
 4>  ^777?  ^^^  ^^'^^  buried  at  Derby,  the  place 
 of  his  nativity. 
 
 Fared) el  virtuous  and  amiable  Mind  ^y  till 
 we  meet  again y  injiill  happier  and  more  dura- 
 ble fcencs  ! 
 
 SECTION     VII. 
 
 p/  Mr.   Tyrrwhit,  of  Jefus   College,  Cam^ 
 
 bridge. 
 
 HERE  truth  and  the  good  of  man^ 
 kind  may  be  ferved,  will  be  admit- 
 ted a  fufRcicRt  apology  for  drawing  charac-r 
 ters  of  eminent  worth  out  of  that  conceal- 
 ment, in  which  their  own  amiable  referv^- 
 andmcdefty  too  much  confines  them. 
 
 On 
 
[     493     ] 
 
 On  this  account,  I  truft  Mr.  Tyrrwhit 
 Will  excufe  this  freedom,  in  one  v/ho  can 
 claim  the  honour  of  but  little  perfonal  ac- 
 quaintance with  him,  of  fuch  public  men- 
 tion of  his  name,  and  of  ftating  fome  few 
 things  concerning  him,  which  are  of  great 
 notoriety  within  the  walls  of  the  univerfity 
 of  Cambridge,  and  with  thofe  who  for  feve- 
 ral  years  paft  have  had  connection  with  it; 
 but  are  little  known  in  the  world  at  large : 
 to  which  the  writer  wifhes  to  fpeak,  as  he 
 thinks  the  fubjeft  to  be  of  moment. 
 
 When  of  no  great  ftanding  in  the  Uni- 
 verfity, this  gentleman  was  led  to  fee,  that 
 fome  of  the  Articles  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land were  far  from  being  in  agreement  with 
 the  holy  Scriptures.  The  difcovery  did  not 
 check  his  ingenuous  fpirit  from  going  on 
 ^fter  this  opening,  to  farther  inquiry  and  ex- 
 amination, however  likely  in  its  progrefs  td 
 turn  out  unfavourable  to  his  intended  way 
 of  life  and  future  profpedts ;  till  it  iffued  in 
 a  full  determination  not  to  fubmit  to  thofe 
 demands  of  Subfcription  and  Conformity, 
 a  compliance  with  which  would  not  have 
 failed  to  have  infured  the  lirll:  honours  and 
 emoluments  of   the  eftablifhed  church,  to 
 
 one 
 
[     494    ] 
 
 one  (o  deferving  and  accomplillied,  and  a 
 grandfon  withal  of  the  moft  learned  and 
 pious  Bifhop  Gibfon. 
 
 Was  I  at  liberty  to  mention  fome  fadls 
 that  I  have  been  made  acquainted  with,  it 
 would  be  readily  acknowleged  how  much 
 this  worthy  perfon  has  facrificed  in  refpect 
 of  riches  and  worldly  dignities,  out  of  a 
 principle  of  confcience  and  fupreme  regard 
 to  the  Divine  WilL 
 
 But  it  will  fufficiently  appear,  and  what 
 has  been  advanced  will  be  abundantly  con- 
 firmed, by  the  teftimony  which  a  moft  inti- 
 mate friend  bore  to  his  characfler  before  the 
 public,  eleven  years  ago ;  when,  commend- 
 ing Mr.  Tyrrhwit  for  his  humane  and  gene^ 
 rous,  however  unfuccefsful,  attempt  to  re- 
 lieve the  youth  of  the  univerfity  from  the 
 obligation  of  fubfcribing  the  xxxix  Articles 
 of  religion  of  the  church  of  England,  for 
 their  firft  degree,  he  thus  fpeaks  of  him  -, 
 
 {6)    **  With   refped  to  the  charad:er  of 
 
 **  this  gentleman,  it  may  be  juftly  faid  to 
 
 ''  be 
 
 {h)  "  Letters  on  the  fubje£i:  of  Subfcriptlon  to  the  Li- 
 turgy and  thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  church  of  England  ; 
 firft  printed  in  the  Whitehall  Evening  Poft  under  the  fig- 
 nature  of  Paulinusy  now  reprinted  with  notes  and  additi- 
 ons."   p.  43,  note,     London,  printed  1772. 
 
[     495     ] 
 
 be  above  all  praife.  His  ftrong  abilities, 
 extenfive  learning,  ftridl  integrity,  and 
 mojft  amiable  manners,  united  with  cool 
 judgment  and  determined  refolution, 
 would  refledl  luftre  on  the  mojft  diftin- 
 guiflied  ftation.  And  it  is  one  of  the 
 flrongefl  reafons  for  the  removal  of  Sub- 
 fcriptions,  that  the  impofition  of  human 
 formularies  of  faith  and  doctrine,  and  the 
 acknowlegcd  imperfecSlion  in  the  forms  of 
 public  v/orfhip,  deprive  the  church  of 
 England  of  the  honour  any  longer  of 
 numbering  among  her  worthies  fo  truly 
 honeft  and  venerable  a  man.  I  fhould 
 hurt  his  delicacy,  were  I  to  mention  the 
 facrifices  he  has  made  at  the  fhrine  of 
 integrity  and  honour;  facrifices  only  to 
 be  equalled  by  thofe  of  the  Rev.  Dr* 
 Robertfon,  Author  of  a  Trad:  intituled 
 An  Attempt  to  explain  the  words  Reafon, 
 Subjiafzce,  &c/'  well  worthy  of  theperu- 
 fal  of  every  friend  to  religious  liberty  and 
 virtue." 
 
 When  called  upon  by  the  Statutes  of  the 
 Univerfity  to  perform  the  cuflomary  exer- 
 cife  in  the  Divinity  Schools,  over  which  the 
 late  Dr,  Rutherforth  then  prelided,  he  pro- 
 
 pofed 
 
t  496  ] 
 
 pofed  various  queftions  of  high  importance 
 to  the  Profeffor's  acceptance.  In  many  fub- 
 fequent  converfations  with  the  ProfefTor, 
 who  objedled  to  his  queftions  as  improper 
 fubjedls  of  difpntation,  his  deportment  was 
 modeft  and  unaffiiming,  yet  accompanie(i 
 with  that  manly  freedom,  which  has  ever 
 charaderized  his  eondud:.  If  my  informant 
 be  accurate  in  his  recolledtion,  the  firft  quef- 
 tion  he  propofed  was  the  fame  with  that 
 difputed  on  by  Dr.  Clarke  upon  a  iimilar 
 occafion;  viz.  [a)  NulliU7i  jidei  chrijiia72ce 
 dogma,  in  6*.  Scripturis  traditumy  eft  reclce 
 ratmti  dijjentaneiimy  i.  e.  No  article  of  tfje 
 chrijlian  faith ^  delivered  in  the  Scriptures, 
 is  dif agreeing  loith  right  reafon.  A  fecond 
 afferted ;  that  no  other  confejjioit  of  faith  than 
 an  acknowlegeme?2t  of  belief  in  fefus  as  the 
 MeJJiahy  li^as  necejjdry  for  admifjion  into  a 
 chriftian  church.  And  a  third  maintained  j' 
 \\\2X  the  prayers  of  chriftians  ought  to  be  di- 
 reBed  to  God  alone ^  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
 fefus  Chriji, 
 
 ''*  Mr.Tyrrwhit  for  fome  thiic  continued  to 
 keep  his  fellowiliip  of  Jefus  college :  but 
 in  the  year  1777,  he  refigned  it;  conceiving 
 
 that 
 
 (^)  Dr.  Clarke's  Sermons,  Vol.  I.  Preface,  p.  xx. 
 
C    497     ] 
 
 that  it  bound  him  to  attendance  upon  the 
 eftabliflied  fervice  of  the  church  in  the  col- 
 lege-chapel, which  he  could  ,not  confcien- 
 tiouily  comply  with.  Thus  from  the  fame 
 honourable  and  upright  views,  that  had  al- 
 ways diredied  his  life  and  condud:,  he  re- 
 folved  no  longer  to  enjoy  the  lucrative  ad- 
 vantages of  his  place,  when  he  couid  not 
 perform  the  duty  it  required. 
 
 He  has  now  for  many  years  intirely  dif- 
 continued  all  attendance  on  the  worfliip  of 
 the  eftabliflied  church ;  not  being  able  to 
 fatisfy  his  mind  with  joining  in  it. 
 
 His  friend,  whom  I  have  above  cited, 
 and  than  whom  none  can  be  a  more  capa- 
 ^ble  judge,  has  been  often  heard  to  fay,  that 
 he  knows  not  any  equal  mafter  of  Scripture 
 learning,  or  fo  able  an  interpreter  of  the 
 facred  Volume,  as  Mr.  Tyrrhwit.  Eelides 
 then  that  noble  example  of  integrity,  and 
 teftimony  to  the  fole  w^oriliip  of  the  one 
 living  and  true  God,  and  Father  of  the  uni- 
 verfe,  which  he  has  long  exhibited,  we  hope 
 he  will  rem€mber  what  farther  demands  his 
 fellow-creatures  have  upon  him  for  this 
 great  talent  intrufted  to  him  for  the  gene- 
 ral good. 
 
 K  k  SEC- 
 
[    498     1 
 
 SECTION    VIIL 
 
 Of  Mr.  'Evanfon. 
 
 THE  long  malevolent  profeciition  which 
 this  gentleman  underwent  for  deviating 
 in  fome  refpecfls  from  the  exprefs  words  of 
 the  Liturgy  in  his  public  miniftrations,  and 
 for  fome  truths  unwelcome  to  a  very  fmall 
 part  of  the  congregation,  uttered  by  him  in 
 his  difcourfes  from  the  pulpit,  with  all  the 
 eircumftances  attending  that  whole  affair, 
 have  done  great  honour  to  him,  as  well  as 
 ferved  the  caufe  of  true  religion,  by  awaken- 
 ing the  attention  of  many  to  it,  pointing 
 what  it  was,  and  where  to  be  learned. 
 
 Kow  much  approved  and  acceptable  his 
 charadler  and  labours  were  among  his  pa- 
 rifhioners  as  a  gofpel  teacher,  appeared  by 
 the  generous  fupport  which  he  met  with 
 from  them  under  the  troubles  that  were 
 brought  upon  him,  which  he  mentions  fre- 
 quently in  his  writings  with  gratitude.     The 
 
 title- 
 
[    499     ] 
 
 title  of  his  Eplftle  Dedicatory  to  a  {c)  fmall 
 trad:  in  vindication  of  himfelf  runs  thus : 
 
 '^  To  PFi/h'am  Buckky^fq;  R.ichard'Jack^ 
 **  fon,  Efq;  D'Aveiiant  Hankins,  Efq;  Mr. 
 *'  Richard  Bayza?td,  and  the  reft  of  the 
 ^*  truly  generous  inhabitants  of  the  parifh 
 **  of  Hewkejburyy  who  defrayed  the  charges 
 **  attending  my  defence  againft  the  late  ma- 
 *^  levolent  Profecution." 
 
 He  had  thus  mentioned  the  fame  cir- 
 tumftance  a  year  before  in  another  work.  (<^) 
 *^  In  proof  of  the  real  decay  of  the  fpirit 
 of  antichriftianifm  amongft  us,  as  well  as 
 in  juftice  (and,  on  my  part,  gratitude) 
 to  the  parifhioncrs  of  Tewkefbury,  it 
 ought  to  be  obferved,  that  the  profeca- 
 tion  here  mentioned  was  approved  and 
 ^^  encouraged  only  by  a  fmall  party,  whilft 
 
 K  k  2  "  the 
 
 (c)  "  The  Sermon  really  preached  in  the  Parifn  church 
 of  Tewkefbury,  on  E after  day,  1771,  for  which  a  Profe- 
 fcution  was  commenced  againft  the  Preacher,  Nov.  4, 
 1773  ;  v^ith  an  Epiftle  Dedicatory,  &c.  hy  Edward  Evan- 
 fon,  M.  A. 
 
 {d)  A  Letter  to  the  Right  Reverend  the  Lord  Bifhop 
 of  Litchfield  and  Coventry ;  wherein  the  importance  of 
 the  prophecies  of  the  New  Teftament,  and  the  nature 
 bf  the  Grand  Apoftacy  predi6led  in  them,  are  particu- 
 larly and  impartially  confidered.  ^^^  Edward  Evanfon, 
 M.  A.  p.  128,  note. 
 
 kc 
 
 ii 
 kc 
 kc 
 
[     500     J 
 
 **  the  majority,  upon  the  firft  notice  of  it, 
 *'  to  their  lafting  honour,  formally  declared 
 **  their  deteilation  of  it  in  the  public  prints; 
 *'  and  with  a  moft  dilinterefled  generofity^ 
 *'  and  truly  chriftianlike  benevolence,  vo- 
 '*  luntarily  raifed  among  themfelves  a  very 
 **  large  fum,  to  defray  the  charges  attend- 
 ^^  ing  my  defence.'* 
 
 It  was  well  that  fuch  a  Horm  fell  not 
 upon  a  weak  or  timorous  perfon  who  might 
 have  funk  under  it :   but  upon  one  who  had 
 
 "^  a. 
 
 ^"- manly  fpirit  and  courage  to  bear  up  againft 
 it,  and  was  fo  able  to  defend  himfelf  in  all 
 points,  efpecially  by  his  writings. 
 
 What  juft  and  weighty  caufe  this  learned 
 and  worthy  perfon  had  to  wifh  for  and  feek 
 to  reduce  the  worfhip  of  the  church  of 
 England  to  the  ftandard  of  the  holy  Scrip- 
 tures, appears  from  the  following  extract  of 
 his  letter  to  Dr.  Kurd,  then  Bifliop  of  Litch- 
 jfield  and  Coventry,  now  of  Worcefter;  which 
 deferves  nothing  lefs  than  the  ferious  confide- 
 ration  of  the  whole  chriftian  world,  while  at 
 the  fame  time  it  fliews  the  rare  abilities  and 
 ftrong  m.ethod  of  reafoning  of  the  writer. 
 
 ''  [e)  Here,  by  the  way,  my  Lord,  I  muft 
 take  the  liberty  to  point  out  a  moft  effential 
 
 •      defed: 
 
 (^J   Id.   Ibid.   p.  112 — 120. 
 
[     5°i     ] 
 
 defedl  in  die  only  argument,  that  I  have 
 ever  feen  or  heard  alleged  to  vindicate  our 
 own  national  church  from  that  charge  of 
 idolatry,  which  hath  of  late  been  urged 
 again'ft  her,  for  worfliiping,  as  the  one  eter- 
 nal God,  a  Being  v/hom  flie  herfelf  avows 
 to  be  a  man.  The  argument  is  this  :  ^'  The 
 Scriptures  of  the  Nev/  Teftament,  being 
 the  infpired  word  of  God,  are  our  only 
 rule  of  belief  and  praftice  in  the  concerns 
 of  religion.  In  fome  paflages  of  thofe 
 Scriptures,  this  Man  ib  called  God ;  in 
 others,  the  incommunicable  attributes  of 
 the  Deity  are  afcribed  to  him,  not  in  a 
 figurative  or  fecondary  (as  many  good  and 
 learned  men  in  all  ages  have  believed)  but 
 in  a  primary  and  literal  fcnfQ,  However 
 incomprehenfible  therefore  fuch  a  myfte- 
 rious  union  of  the  two  natures  may  be  to 
 us,  fince  the  holy  Scriptures  exprefsly 
 teach  us  that  this  Man  is  alfo  the  only 
 true  Go  J,  it  is  fo  far  from  criminal  in  us, 
 that  it  is  our  indifpenfible  duty  to  ac- 
 know^lege  and  worihip  him  as  fuch." 
 *^  All  thofe,  (and  a  very  numerous  body 
 they  are)  whofe  indolent  indifference,  whofe 
 
 Kk  3  habitual 
 
[       5^2      ] 
 
 habitual  prejudices,  or  whofe  perfonai  inte- 
 reft  incline  them  to  wifh  the  eftablifhed 
 mode  of  worfliip  right,  may  perhaps  be  tho- 
 roughly fatisiied  with  this  way  of  reafoning, 
 according  to  that  moft  juft  maxim,  y^^//^ 
 credimus  quod  volumus.  But  a  mind  diverted 
 of  partiality  and  prepoffeffion,  my  Lord, 
 will  be  apt  to  carry  the  queftion  much  high- 
 er. It  will  obferve,  that  though  the  Gofpel 
 be  a  revelation  of  the  Divine  will,  yet  it  is 
 not  the  firft  revelation  which  God  hath 
 vouch fafed  to  make;  that,  fince  the  eternal 
 Deity  is  altogether  immutable  bpthJn  nature 
 and  in  will,  he  cannot  contradift  himfelf ; 
 and  confequently,  it  is  impoffible,  that  any 
 genuine,  fubfequent  revelation,  (hould  make 
 that  a  virtue  and  a  religious  duty,  v/hich 
 a  prior  revelation  hath  prohibited  as  an  hei- 
 nous fin,  and  declared  to  be  a  blafphemous 
 impiety.  The  firft  and  moft  important 
 queftion  therefore  in  this  controverfy  is, 
 whether  the  worfliiping  a  Ma?t  as  Gody  or 
 the  one  Almighty  God  as  having  the  nature, 
 and  bodily  form  of  a  man,  be  the  crime 
 prohibited,  under  the  Mofaic  covenant,  by 
 the  name  of  idolatry  ?  For  if  it  be,  it  muft 
 remain  a  crime  to  all  eternity  :  and  had  the 
 
 firft 
 
[     503     ] 
 
 iirft  preachers  of  the  gofpel  really  injolned 
 it,  it  would  have  been  our  duty  to  have  re- 
 nounced and  abominated  their  dodlrine,  upon 
 the  very  ume  principle,  on  which   St.  Paul 
 directs  the   Galatians   to  regard  as   accurfed 
 every  doclrine  which  contradicted  the  Gof- 
 pel which  had  been  firft  preached  to   them, 
 though   it   fhould   be   taught  them   by  the 
 apofiles  themfelves,  er  even  by  [f)  an  angel 
 from  heaven.     If  therefore  the  dodlrine   of 
 the  incarnation  of  God  be  really  taught  in  any 
 Scriptures  of  the   New  Teftament,  and  the 
 worfhiping  the  unchangeable   Deity  agreea^. 
 bly  to   that  dodlrine,  be  idolatry ^  according 
 to  the  Old  Teftament,   thofe   Scriptures  are 
 fo  far  from  affording   us   fufficient  warrant 
 for  admitting  fuch  a  dodtrine,  that  the  doc- 
 trine itfelf  affords   the  ftrongeft  reafon  that 
 can    be,    for   our  rejecting  every  Scripture 
 that  teacheth  it,  as  moft  affuredly  fpuriou§ 
 and  falfe." 
 
 **  Let  us  confjder  then,  how  the  cafe 
 ilood  under  the  Law  of  Mofes.  We  there 
 find  idolatry  fo  repeatedly  prohibited,  fo  fig- 
 nally  and  feverely  punifhed,  and  fo  continu- 
 ally reprefented  as  a  moft  heinous  fin,  that 
 
 K  k  4  the 
 
 (/)  Galatians  i.  S* 
 
[     5^^    ] 
 
 the  great  end  cf  the  divine  difpenfation  under 
 the  Old  Teftament  feems  to  have  been,  to 
 eradicate  from  the  Jewiili  people  all  propen- 
 fity  to  an  idolatrous  worlhip  of  the  eternal 
 Deity,  and  by  their  means  to  eftabliih 
 amongft  mankind  jufl  and  v/orthy  ideas  of 
 the  invifible,  omniprefent  author  and  pre- 
 ferver  of  exiflence.  Accordingly,  (as  the 
 counfels  of  omnipotence  muft  ever  do)  it  is 
 well  known  to  have  adlually  produced  the 
 effect  intended  -,  for,  from  the  Babyloniili 
 captivity  to  the  prefent  hour,  the  Jews  have 
 not  only  fhewn  no  inclination  to,  but  con- 
 flantly  manifefted  the  utmoil  abhorrence 
 from  idolatry  of  every  kind." 
 
 **  To  underftand  the  true  nature  of  that 
 impious  crim^e,  which  is  denominated  ido- 
 latry in  the  Old  Teftament,  we  need  only 
 attend  to  the  two  firft  precepts  of  the  Deca- 
 logue, which  we,  as  well  as  the  Jews  ac- 
 knowlege  to  be  the  Law  of  God  J' 
 
 *'  The  firft  of  thefe  prohibits  Polythetfm. 
 Now  the  Polytheift,  in  order  to  diftinguijfh  . 
 his  variety  of  Deities  from  each  other,  muft 
 neceflarily  conceive  them  to  be  of  different 
 natures,  attributes,  and  forms.  The  objedl 
 of  his  adoration  therefore,  inftead  of  being  ^ 
 
 infinite 
 
[     505     ] 
 
 infinite  and  incomprehenfible,  are  difcernible 
 and  diftingaifhable  by  the   faculties   of  his 
 mind  :   and  with  the  itatuary's'  or  the  paint- 
 er's help,  he  is  able  to  exhibit  a  vifible  re- 
 prefentation  of  the  feveral  Gods  he  worihips, 
 Confequently,    whether  the  artift's    aid    be 
 called  in  or  not,  every  pojytheift  muft  needs 
 be  an  idolater.     The  iirft  fpecies  "'of  idolatry 
 then,  and  that  which,   together  with  poly- 
 theifm,    is   folemnly   forbidden  in   the  firfl: 
 commandment,   coniifts   in    worfliiping  any 
 thing   whatfoever   as   Gody    beiides    the  one 
 incorporeal,    uncompounded,  infinite  Being, 
 by  whom  this   Law  was  given,  whether  it 
 be  a   thing   adlually   created,    or    the   mere, 
 creature  of  our  own  imagination.     If  there- 
 fore  the   Catholic    Orthodox  Church  wor- 
 fhipeth  a  compound  God;   if  (lie  woriliipeth 
 an  human,  and   confequently  a  created  be- 
 ing as  the  true  God  -,  if  ilie  perfonifies,  and 
 makes  a  diftindl  objedt  of  adoration   of  the 
 extraordinary  influence  of  the  Divine  power 
 over  the  affairs  of  men,   (and  that  fhe  doth 
 the  two   firft  of  thefe,  at   lead,  cannot   be 
 denied) ;  fhe  is  guilty  of  the  idolatry  prohi- 
 bited   by    this    Commandment,    and  fo   far 
 anfwers  the  defcription  given  of  the  Anti- 
 
 chriftiaa 
 
[     5o6     ] 
 
 chriflian  Church  in  the  prophetic  vifion  of 
 St.  John/' 
 
 **  But  though  polytheifrn  neceffarily  im- 
 plies idolatry,  yet  it  is  certain  that  idolatry 
 may  fubfiil  without  polytheifrn  3  for  a  man, 
 who  acknowleges  and  vvorihips  only  one 
 God,  7nay  think  of  that  God  fo  unworthily 
 as  to  imagine  him  embodied  in  a  material 
 frame,  and  clothed  w^ith  the  nature  and 
 paffions  of  a  created  being.  The  objed:  of 
 every  fuch  perfon's  worihip  is,  in  his  own 
 idea,  evidently  an  idol -^  and  he  wants  only 
 the  ikill  of  the  artift  to  produce  a  fenlible 
 delineation  of  the  oeculiar  form  and  features, 
 or  to  erecl  an  image  of  the  Deity  he  adores. 
 To  woriliip  the  one  true  God,  therefore, 
 under  any  bodily  form^  whatever,  is  another 
 fpecies  of  idolatry,  made  highly  criminal  by 
 the  Mofaic  revelation,  repeatedly  faid  to  be 
 blajphcming  him ;  and  v/hich  on  account  of 
 ;ts  injurious  derogation  from  the  nature  and 
 attributes  of  the  Almighty,  and  of  it's  per- 
 nicious influence  upon  the  religious  tenets, 
 and  confequently  upon  the  minds  and  morals 
 of  m.ankind,  is,  in  the  fecond  Command- 
 ment, reprefented  as  more  efpecially  dif- 
 pleaiing  to  our  Creator,  and  prohibited  with 
 
 a  de- 
 
I    5^7    1 
 
 a  denunchtion  of  a  peculiar  vengeance  againfl 
 it.     Of  this  kind  of  idolatry  alfo,  offenfive 
 as  it  is  declared  to  be  to  Heaven,  the  w^hole 
 orthodox   church  is   unqueftionably  guilty, 
 for  fhe  avowedly  v^^orfliips  the  one  true  God 
 as   incarnate    in  the   body  of  a  man.     The 
 pembers  of  the  church  of  Rome  make  no 
 fcruple  of  ufmg   fenfible   reprefentations   of 
 this    incarnate    objedl    of    their    adoration ; 
 and    your    Lordfliip   hath    fuggefled,    that, 
 poflibly,  their  church  may,  on  that  account, 
 fleferve    the   charge    of  idolatry    alleged  in 
 this  Prophecy,  againft  the  church  of  Anti- 
 chrift.     However,  with  a  prudent  caution, 
 pbfervable  in  more  than  one  paffage  of  your 
 Lordihip's  highly   polifhed  difcourfes,  you 
 decline    infifting  upon    that    circumftance ; 
 although,  if  we  except  the  above  mentioned 
 tranfgreffion  of  the  iirft  Commandment,  it 
 is  the  only  idolatry.y  properly  fo  called,  of 
 which   flie  is   or  can  be  guilty.     For  lince 
 the    crime    of    idolatry    niaiiifeftly    confiils, 
 either    in    worfhiping    as    God    fomething 
 which  is  not  Gody  or  in  worfhiping  the  true 
 God  under  a  bodily  form;  with  refped:  to 
 the  petitions,  w^hich  the  Church  of  Rome 
 offers  to  deceafed  faints  and  xiiartyrs,  if  fhe 
 
 adores 
 
[     5oS     J 
 
 adores  them  as  ,ft  kind  of  tutelar,  though 
 inferior  deities^  (as  the  Monkifli  divides  of 
 Africa,  in  the  fourth  century,  from  whom 
 flie  received  the  pradiice,  molt  certainly 
 did)  fhe  then,  indeed,  is  guilty  of  a  greater 
 degree  of  polytheiftic  idolatry  than  the  Pro- 
 teilants  can  be  charged  with  ;  but  if,  as  ilie 
 herfelf  declares,  flie  really  applies  to  them 
 not  as  gods^  but  merely  as  mediators  between 
 God  and  men,  whatever  offence  £'i\^  m.av 
 commit  againft  the  one  mediator  of  the 
 Chriftian  Covenant,  whatever  folly  it  m.ay 
 be  to  addrefs  herfelf  to  thofe  who,  as  far  as 
 fhe  hath  any  jud  reafon  to  think,  are  inca- 
 pable of  hearing  her,  ihe  is  not,  on  that 
 account,  guilty  of  the  fin  prohibited  under 
 the  name  of  idolatry.  But  your  Lordfhip, 
 no  doubt,  forefaw  that  a  diredl  accufition  of 
 worlliiping  the  true  God  under  a  bodily 
 form,  brought  againft  the  Church  of  Rome, 
 would  all u redly  draw  after  it  a  iimilar  charge 
 aeainft  other  orthodox  churches :  for  when 
 the  Proteftants  invoke  the  one  almighty 
 Lord  of  heaven  and  earth  by  his  nativity  and 
 circumcifion,  his  agony  and  bloody  fu) eat ^  his 
 '  death  and  burial^  they  reprefent  to  us  the 
 bodily  form  of  their  Deity,  as   plainly  as  if 
 
 they ' 
 
[     5^9     ] • 
 
 they  placed  a  crucifix  before  our  eyes.  And, 
 accordingly,  your  Lordiliip  well  knov^^s,  they 
 are  not  the  churches  and  books  of  devotion 
 of  the  Roman  Catholics  only,  in  which 
 images  and  pictures  are  to  be  found  of  the 
 Human  Deity,  or  the  God-Man^  as  the  or- 
 thodox affect  to  call  him,  w^hom  both  Pa- 
 pifts  and  Proteftdnts  adore  as  the  only  true 
 God/' 
 
 After  fuch  a  defcriotion  of  the  wretched 
 condition  of  apoftacy  from^  the  worihip  of 
 the  one  true  God,  in  which  the  chriftian 
 world  in  general  lies,  it  would  be  injurious 
 to  the  benevolent  mind  and  good  fenfe  of 
 our  author,  to  omit  his  candid  apology  for 
 thofe  who  are  ignorantly  involved  in  it,  which 
 he  afterwards  offers. 
 
 -  *^  I  would  willingly  (fays  Mr.  Evanfon 
 again  to  the  Bifliop)  guard  againft  one  fpe- 
 cies  of  cenfure,  which  I  think  it  not  un- 
 likely thefe  pages  may  excite  againft  me, 
 and  which  I  fhould  be  very  ferry  to  be 
 thought  to  deferve." 
 
 ^*  In  religious  controveriies,  it  hath  been 
 fo  long  the  cuftom  to  predetermine  the  {^n^ 
 tence  of  the  laft'  day,  and  in  the  genuine, 
 uncharitable,  contrafted  fpirit  of  Antichrif- 
 
 tianifm. 
 
{     S^o     ] 
 
 tianifm,  to  condemn  all  who  difFer  froni  oiir- 
 felves  in  opinion,  to  fufFer  eternal  torments 
 in  the  world  to  come ;  declaring  that  t/oey 
 cannot  be  faiJedy  and  muft,  withonf  doubts 
 ferijh  everlajiingly  ;  that,  when  I  attempt  to 
 prove  the  religious  doctrines  eftabliihed  among 
 us  by  law  to  be  b/afp/jemy,  and  the  orthodox 
 mode  of  worfhiping  God  to  be  idolatry,  I 
 may,  perhaps,  be  fuppofed  to  accufe  the  fe-^ 
 veral  members  of  our  legiflature,  and  every 
 individual  profeiTor  of  the  Catholic  belief,  of 
 the  guilt  of  thofe  heinous  fms ;  and  to  inii- 
 nuate,  that,  at  the  day  of  judgm.ent,  they 
 will  be  condemned  to  endure  everlafling 
 pu n i ih men t  as  idolaters  an d  blafphemers .  B u t^^ 
 though  the  opinions  of  men  cannot  alter  the 
 nature  of  things,  nor  prevent  the  many  per- 
 nicious eftefts,  which  a  falfe  religion  and 
 fuperftitious  notions  of  the  Deity,  mufc  ever 
 -have  upon  the  minds  and  morals  of  the  ge- 
 nerality of  the  people,  yet  I  am  fenfiblehovv 
 indifpenfably  requiiite  an  evil  intention  is 
 to  ccnftitute  crime :  and  I  know,  by  expe- 
 rience, that,  w^here  the  moil  blafpbeinous 
 idolatry  is  once  adopted  and  made  familiar 
 by  habit,  it  may  be  pradifed  by  good  men 
 
 with 
 
[     5"     ] 
 
 with  the  fincereft  piety  and  beft  intentions 
 in  the  world/* 
 
 **  The  reh'gion  of  Jefus  Chrift  teacheth 
 me,  that  the  fame  God,  who  wdnked  at 
 -idolatry  in  the  times  of  pagan  ignorance, 
 will  make  the  like  merciful  allowances  for 
 the  influence  of  that  unhappy  <3t/^^;/,  which 
 he  predidled  by  his  prophets,  and  through 
 which  (no  doubt  for  wife  and  good  reafons) 
 he  hath  thought  fit  to  fufFer  his  creatures  to 
 be  fo  long  deceived.*  And  my  hope  is,  to 
 participate  the  bleffings  of  a  future  ftate  of 
 exiilence  together  with  your  Lordfl:iip  and 
 levery  other  virtuous  and  amiable  man,  not 
 lonly  of  every  religious  perfuaiion,  but  even 
 of  none  at  all.  For  I  cannot  help  conclud- 
 ing, that  the  benevolent  Father  and  merciful 
 judge  of  all  men  will  be,  at  leaft,  as  indul- 
 gent to  thofe  Deiilis,  who,  making  a  free  and 
 candid  ufe  of  the  rational  faculties  with 
 which  he  hath  endowed  them,  refufe  their 
 affent  where  their  mind  is  unconvinced,  and 
 rejed:  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  which 
 is  fliewn  them  only  through  the  medium  of 
 error ;  as  to  the  profefTors  of  the  antichrijlian 
 faith,  who,  led  on  by  habit,  in  direft  con- 
 trad  iitioa 
 
[     5'.2     ] 
 
 tradidion  to  their  reafon,   embrace  error  in- 
 flead  of  truth.'* 
 
 In  a  preceding  part  of  this  letter  Mr. 
 Evanfon  intimates  that  but  for  the  delay  of 
 the  tedious  profecution  commenced  againfl: 
 him  in  the  eccleiiaftical  courts,  *'  he  [g) 
 fhould  not  have  been  regardlefs  of  that  pa- 
 thetic, heavenly  admonition,  v^^hich,  in  the 
 Bifliop's  opinion,  made  it  the  duty  of  the 
 Proteilants  to  feparate  from  the  communion 
 of  the  church  Romt."  And  that  being 
 ended,  he  did  immediately,  as  him^felf  in 
 one  place  fpeai^s,  ''  make  a  facrifice  of  his 
 v/orldly  intereft  to  his  chriftian  duty,'*  re- 
 figning  his  prefent  preferment  and  thofe  rea- 
 fonable  expeftations  of  advancement  which 
 one  of  his  uncommon  talents  might  have  en- 
 tertained; and  has  fmce  devoted  himfelf  to  the 
 painful  office  of  inftrufting  youth,  for  which 
 he  is  eminently  qualified,  an  office  feldom 
 conlidered  and  rewarded  as  it  ought  to  be ; 
 whilft  fitted  to  ferve  his  country  in  any  other 
 province,  though  none  certainly  more  ho- 
 nourable and  ufeful  than  to  be  employed  in 
 
 inftilling 
 
 (g)   Come  out  of  her ^  my  -people ^  that  ye  he  not  partakers  of 
 her  fins  y  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues.     Rev*  xvii;* 
 4.     Id.  Ibid.  p.  130. 
 
C   513   ] 
 
 inftilling  ufeful  knowlege  into  the  human 
 mind,  and  forming  it  to  truth  and  virtue. 
 
 In  this  capacity,  and  in  a  moft  pleafant 
 and  healthy  lituation,  about  ten  miles  from 
 this  Metropolis,  Mr.  Evanfon  has  public 
 Divine  Service  in  his  own  houfe  on  the  Sun- 
 days, in  w^hich  he  makes  ufe  of  **  The  Book 
 of  Common  Prayer  reformed  according  to 
 the  Plan  of  the  lateDr.  Clarke."  But  at  the 
 fame  time,  he  has  a  proper  p  erfon  ready  to  at- 
 tend, and  to  take  care  of  any  of  the  youth, 
 whofe  parents  w^ould  chufe  to  have  them 
 frequent  the  w^orfhip  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Although  I  have  already  cited  fo  much 
 from  this  valuable  writer,  I  muft  add  a  fhort 
 preface  to  one  of  his  difcourfes  to  hi&  pa- 
 rishioners, on  Ads  ii.  36. 
 
 (/6)  **  It  has  been  objected  to  me,  by 
 fome  of  thofe  who  have  been  produced  by 
 my  profecutors  to  bear  teftimony  againft  me,, 
 that  I  have  fometimes,  in  my  difcourfes 
 from  this  place,  compared  our  blefled  Sa- 
 viour Jefus   CJirift  to  Mofes.     That  I  have 
 
 (/;)  "  The  Sermon  really  preached  in  the  Parifh  church 
 »f  Tewkefbury,  &c.*'     Preface,  p,  xii.  Note, 
 
 •  L  1  done 
 
[    514    ] 
 
 done  Co  Is  ilriftly  true ;  and  for  very  fufH- 
 cient  reafon,  viz,  becaufe  I  have  in  the  "mofl 
 folemn  manner  vowed  to  inftrudl  the  people 
 committed  to  my  charge  out  of  the  holy 
 Scriptures,  and  to  teach  them  only  what  is 
 agreeable  to  the  word  of  God.  But  Vv^hat 
 excites  both  my  furprize  and  concern  is,  to 
 find,  that  any  chriftian  in  this  proteftant 
 country,  with  the  Bible  in  his  own  hands, 
 fhould  be  fo  intirely  ignorant  of  the  very 
 fundamental  article  of  the  religion  he  pro- 
 fefTes,  as  to  think  fuch  a  comparifon  crimi- 
 nal in  a  minifter  of  the  gofpel.  How  far  it 
 may  be  confident  with  human  fyflems  of 
 Theology,  to  affert  that  Jefus  Chrift  [i)  was 
 a  Jev/iih  prophet  like  unto  Mofes,  let  them 
 confider,  who  having  in  their  infancy  been 
 taught  thofe  fyftems,  are  refolved,  at  all  ad- 
 ventures, to  adhere  to  them  in  maturer  age, 
 without  ever  candidly  examining  whether 
 they  are  right  or'  v/rong.  And  let  them 
 coniider  aifo,  that  for  every  v/ilful  abufe  of 
 
 (/)  Stephen,  in  his  defence  of  himfelf,  applies  that  de- 
 claration of  Mofes  to  Chrift,  zjiz.  "  J  prophet  Jhall  the 
 Lord  your  God  raife  up  unto  you^  of  your  brethreriy  like  unta 
 me  5  him  Jhall  ye  hear'''     Acts  vii.  37. 
 
 the" 
 
[    5^5     ] 
 
 the  underftanding  he  hath  given  them,  God 
 will  bring  men  into  judgment.  For  my 
 own  part,  I  know  no  other  fit  irale  of  doc- 
 trine for  a  public  teacher,  nor  any  other  fe- 
 cure  foundation  of  a  chriftian's  faith,  be- 
 fides  the  plain  and  exprefs  words  of  the  fa- 
 cred  Scriptures  ;  and  if  the  likening  of  Jefus 
 Chrift  toMofes,  is  to  teach  Socmian  doBrines, 
 it  muft  inevitably  follow  from  the  wholefcope 
 of  St.  Peter's  argument  in  the  paiTage  from 
 whence  I  have  taken  the  words  of  the  text, 
 that  Socinian  doBrines  were  taught  by  God 
 Almighty  himfelf  under  the  Old  Teftament, 
 and  by  the  apoflles  of  Jefus  Chrift  under  the 
 New," 
 
 SECTION      IX, 
 
 Of  Mr.  Maty. 
 
 THIS  ingenious,  excellent  fcholar,  and 
 worthy  charaft'er,  is  too  well  known 
 to  need  any  commendations  of  mine  to  point 
 him  out,      Profeffing  however  a  lincere  ef- 
 
 L  1  2  teem^ 
 
 •■*F 
 
[     5i6    ] 
 
 teerh  for  him,  from  fome  little  perfonal 
 knowlege,  I  have  a  real  pleafure  in  inferting 
 his  hame  in  the  lift  of  Worthies,  who  have 
 borne  open  teftimony,  to  their  worldly  lofs, 
 againft  the  impofitions  of  human  authority 
 in  the  things  of  religion,  efpecially  againft 
 the  corruptions  thereby  introduced  with  re- 
 fpedl  to  the  Divine  Unity,  And  although 
 his  objeftions  to  the  fubfcribing  of  the 
 XXXIX.  articles  of  faith,  and  fcruples  con- 
 cerning conformity  to  the  eftablilhed  church, 
 have  not  rifen  fo  high  as  my  own,  and  thofe 
 of  fome  others,  they  could  not  have  been 
 inconfiderable  which  obliged  him  to  a  fepa- 
 ration  from  it. 
 
 On  fuch  occafions,  it  is  highly  ufeful, 
 for  different  perfons  to  publifti  their  refpec- 
 tive  motives,  which  influenced  them.  Thofe 
 who  have  the  means  of  redreiSing  what  is 
 amifs  in  public  fyftems  of  religion,  and 
 forms  of  worihip,  have  thereby  the  oppor- 
 tunity of  coming  at  the  knowlege  of  what 
 is  unfcrlptural  and  unjuftifiable  in  them; 
 truth  ftands  the  faireft  chance  to  come  out 
 and  fpread  itfelf;  and  each  private  individual 
 is  called  upon  to  examine  and  judge  for  him- 
 
 '       felf; 
 
[     517    ] 
 
 felf;  which  is  the  only  way  of  becoming 
 fettled  in  it. 
 
 In  this  view,  Mr.  Maty's  ^"^  Reafons  for 
 '^  feparating  from  the  eftablifhed  church," 
 are  very  deferving  of  attention,  though  one 
 cannot  but  wifli  they  had  not  been  fo  very 
 briefly  ftated,  as  to  make  only  a  fmall  arti- 
 cle in  a  periodical  publication.  His  modefty 
 however  is  herein  very  confpicuous  5  as  is  the 
 moderation  of  his  mind,  in  the  intire  omif- 
 fion  of  one  circumftance  relating  to  himfelf. 
 For  he  drops  not  the  leaft  intimation  of  his 
 relinquifhing  a  iituation,  out  of  a  principle 
 of  confcience,  which  was  the  natural  un- 
 failing road  to  great  emoluments  and  digni- 
 ties in  the  church,  fometimes  to  the  v^ry 
 higheft ;  as  he  was  at  the  time  chaplain  to 
 Lord  Stormont,  the  Englifh  Ambaflador  at 
 Paris ;  nor  takes  any  notice  of  the  great 
 change  which  fuch  a  ftep  would  make  in  his 
 circumftances,  and  the  neceflity  it  would  lay 
 him  under  to  feek  out  a  new  line  of  life  to 
 provide  for  himfelf  and  family ;  but  con- 
 tents himfelf  with  reciting  a  plain  concife 
 narrative  of  the  motives  which  conftrained 
 him  to  decline  any  longer  the  ofticiating  as 
 
 L  1  3  Minift«r, 
 
[    5i8    ] 
 
 Minifter,  according  to  the  eftabliihed  Liturgy 
 of  the  church  of  England. 
 
 It  will  be  proper  for  me  to  cite  the  whole 
 account  which  he  judged  fitting  to  lay  be- 
 fore the  public  on  the  occafion  ;  and  I  have  no 
 doubt  therein  of  obliging  many,  who  might 
 not  hear  of  it  at  the  time,  or  might  not  be 
 in  the  habit  of  looking  into  our  monthly 
 publications. 
 
 It  is  in  the  *^  Gentleman's  Magazine  for 
 Odober,  1777,  and  begins  thus — p.  466. 
 
 *^  Brifijh  MufeuMy  05i.  22,  1777. 
 **  I  fhould  neither  have  withdrawn  my- 
 felf  from  the  miniflry  of  the  Church  of 
 England,  nor  have  troubled  the  public 
 with  my  reafons  for  fo  doing,  if  I  had  not 
 thought  myfelf  obliged  to  both.  I  truft, 
 therefore,  that  both  the  ftep  itfelf,  and 
 this  account  of  my  motives  for  taking  it 
 will  be  treated  with  candour. 
 *^  As  a  Chriftian  thoroughly  fatisned  with 
 the  evidence,  and  deeply  felicitous  about 
 the  fuccefs  of  whatever  had  a  tendency 
 to  promote  the  caufe  of  Chriftianity,  I 
 thought  myfelf  called  upon  to  ftudy  the 
 controverfy   about   Subfcriptions.      The 
 
 **  following 
 
 <c 
 
[     5~'9     ] 
 
 following  Is  an  account  of  the  ejfFed  that 
 fludy  has  had  upon  my  mind,  which  I 
 off^r  as  a  vindication  of  my  'own  conduct 
 only,  and  hope  it  will  be  accepted  as  fuch. 
 
 I  have  no  objeflion  to  fubfcriptions  in 
 general  to  articles  of  faith,  which,  not- 
 withftanding  what  has  been  urged  againfl 
 them  by  Burnet,  the  m.afterly  author  of  the 
 
 **  Confeffional,  and  others,  feem  to  me  both 
 lawful  and  expedient ;  all  the  arguments 
 that  have  been  brought  againfl  them  tend- 
 ing only  to  prove  that  their  ufe  has  been 
 lefs  hitherto  than  it  might  have  been, 
 owing  to  the  narrow  principles  on  which 
 they  have  been  framed ;  conliderations 
 which,  in  my  opinion,  do  not  outweigh 
 the  objeftions  ftated  by  Dr.  Balguy  to 
 having  none  at  all. 
 
 But  fatisiied  as  I  fliould  be,  for  my- 
 felf,  with  a  fubfcription  of  fome  fort,  and 
 probably  not  a  very  general  one  neither, 
 I  cannot  comply  with  that  required  of 
 me  to  the  prefent  articles  and  liturgy  for 
 
 **  the  following  reafons. 
 
 "  Firft,   After   beflowing    all  _the   pains 
 
 '*  which  I  am  able  to  give  in  informing  my- 
 
 ♦*  felf  of  what  is  the  true  Scripture  doctrine 
 
 L  1  4  ''  of 
 
 tc 
 <c 
 tc 
 
 €( 
 
 (C 
 €C 
 
€6 
 
 [  520  ] 
 
 ^*  of  the  Trinity,  the  only  conclufion  I  have 
 been  able  to  arrive  at  is,   that  I   fee  no 
 fufficient  proof  of  the   Athanafian,    and 
 rather  incline  to  the  Arian  hypotheiis. 
 "  2dly,  I  am  clear,  that  the  very  danger 
 
 f '  rous  dodlrine  that  unbaptized  children  are 
 fubjedt  to  the  penalties  of  fin,  is  aflerted 
 in  the  9th  article,  and  ftill  more  ftrongly 
 in  the  fervice  for  the  public  baptifm  of 
 infants ;  and  that  it  is  not  taught  in  the 
 
 ''  Bible. 
 
 *^  3dly,  I  cannot  help  thinking,  notv^ith- 
 ftanding  v^hat  has  been  written  by  Dr. 
 Tucker  and  others,  upon  the  fubjed',  that 
 the  17th  article  does  teach  abfolute  pre- 
 deftination  ;  a  dodtrine  likewife  not  founc^ 
 in  ihe  Bible,  and  of  a  ftill  more  deftruc- 
 tive  tendency  than  that  of  original  fin, — 
 Thefe  are  my  principal  objed:ions  ;  I  have 
 others  to  many  parts  of  the  fervice,  but 
 do  not  mention  them,  partly  becaufe  they 
 are  to  things  generally  complained  of, 
 and  which  will  probably  be  removed 
 whenever  a  revifion  takes  place  j  and  partly 
 ■rufe  I  do  not  know  how  far,  had  they 
 ii  the  only  ones,  they  would  have  leU 
 me  to  thir^k  of  a  feparation. 
 
 ''  This 
 
 (C 
 (C 
 €C 
 
 tc 
 
t  521  1 
 
 '*  This  reparation  I  do  now  think  myfelf 
 authorized  to  5  becaufe,  believing  the  doc- 
 trines themfelves  to  be  erroneous,  I  am 
 not  fatisfied  with  any  reafons  that  I  have 
 {qgd.  given  for  continuing  to  fubfcribe 
 them  under  fuch  a  perfuafion.  I  cannot 
 be  thoroughly  fatisfied,  that  either  the 
 words  in  which  it  is  drawn,  or  the  King's 
 declaration,  juftify  me,  who  think  with 
 Arminius  on  the  fubjedl,  in  fubfcribing 
 the  17th  article  ;  the  more,  as  it  is  a  fub- 
 jeft  which,  in  my  opinion,  is  to  he  dif- 
 puted  upOHy  and  the  obvious  fenfe  of  the 
 article  preached  againji,  whenever  oppor- 
 tunity offers. 
 
 *^  If  the  plea  made  for  fubfcribing  this 
 one  could  avail  me,  I  have  no  fuch  plea 
 for  fubfcribing  the  articles  relative  to  the 
 Trinity,  or  continuing  to  read  the  parts 
 of  the  liturgy  relative  either  to  them  or 
 the  doftrine  of  original  fin*  Thefe  were 
 not  fubjed:s  of  difpute  at  the  time  the 
 articles  were  drawn,  and  of  courfe  no  falvo 
 was  made  for  them,  except  the  general 
 one  of  the  fixth  article.  But  furely  Dr. 
 Waterland  very  fully  confuted  Dr.  Clarke's 
 ideas  on  this  fubjeft,  in  his  cafe  of  Arian 
 
 "  fubfcrip- 
 
[       522       ] 
 
 fabicriptions ;  and  if  he  had  not,  the 
 author  of  the  Confeffional  has  unanfvver- 
 ably  proved,  that,  if  the  fixth  article  had 
 been  defigned  to  juftify  thofe  who,  wil- 
 lingly binding  themfelves  to  fupport  the 
 opinions  of  the  majority,  propagate  opi- 
 nions different  from  theirs,  it  might  have 
 juilified  the  Roman  Catholics,  it  might 
 have  juftified  the  firft  feditious  and  mad 
 difgracers  of  Proteftantifm,  whereas  a- 
 gainft  both  thefe  the  articles  are  well 
 known  to  have  been  made.  Neither  Dr. 
 Povvell's  plea  in  favour  of  firft  fubfcrip- 
 tions,  nor  Mr.  Hey*s  confiderations  on 
 obfolete  ordinances,  can  be  of  fervice  to 
 me,  who  at  this  time  of  life  am  not  at 
 liberty  to  fubfcribe  upon  authority,  and 
 whofe  objedions  both  to  articles  and  li- 
 turgy are  too  extenfive  to  find  a  folution 
 in  the  dodlrine  of  obfolete  ordinances. 
 ^*  Finally,  I  can  neither  fubmit  to  ac- 
 quiefce  in  filence,  after  having  made  my 
 objedions  known,  nor  take  upon  me  to 
 alter  the  fervice  of  the  Church  as  long  as 
 I  continue  to  profefs  myfelf  a  minifter  of 
 it.  The  latter,  befides  its  being  of  dan- 
 gerous example,  I  rather  think  my  vo- 
 
 **  luntary 
 
[     5^3     1 
 
 luntary  promife  to  ufe  the  eilabliflied  li- 
 turgy precludes  me  from.  With  the  for- 
 mer I  could  only  have  been  fatisfieJ  upon 
 thefuppofition  that  the  things  complained 
 of  were  indifferent,  or,  as  they  have  been 
 thought  to  be  by  many  good  men,  of  lit- 
 tle importance ;  but  as  I  fhouid  in  that 
 
 *^  cafe  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  have 
 v^aited  for  a  change  by  public  authority, 
 without  exprefllng  any  difapprobation 
 public  or  private,  fo  being  of  a  very  dif- 
 ferent opinion,  that  is,  believing  firmly 
 
 *'  that  fome  of  the  obnoxious  dodtrines 
 flrike  at  the  root  cf  all  religion,  natural 
 as  well  as  revealed,  and  that  nothing  is  of 
 little  importance  which  the  Deifts  and 
 Methodifts  can  make  fo  form.idable  ufe  of 
 as  they  are  known  to  do  of  the  fubfcrip- 
 
 **  tions  of  thofe  amongft  us  who  fuhfcnho 
 what  they  profefs  not  to  believe;  under 
 thefe  circumftances  I  have  nothing  left 
 me  but  the  part  on  which  I  have  deter- 
 mined, and  that  is, 
 *^  To  withdraw  myfelf  from  minifterino- 
 
 **  in  the  Church  of  England,  either  till  our 
 
 **  forms  fhall  have  undergone  fuch  a  revifion 
 
 ''  and 
 
 ii 
 
[    524    ] 
 
 *'  and  alteration  as  I  think  they  ftand  in  need 
 **  of,  or  till  time  and  farther  ftudy  fhall 
 **  have  prevailed  upon  me  to  view  them  in 
 *^  a  different  light  from  what  I  can  do  at 
 *'  prefent. 
 
 **  This  I  therefore  thus  publicly  declare- 
 **  that  I  do,  with  becoming  humility,  with 
 **  the  utmoft  diffidence  and  regret  for  dif- 
 **  fering  from  fuch  numbers  of  wife  and 
 "  good  men,  and  with  the  refolution  to 
 "  perfift  in  fuch  ftudies  as  may  befl  ferve 
 *^  the  general  caufe  of  religion,  at  the  fame 
 **  time  that  they  bid  faireft  for  affording  my 
 **  own  mind  the  convi£bion  none  can  more 
 *'  ardently  wifh  me  than  myfelf. 
 
 *'  I  will  only  add,  that  I  do  not  mean  to 
 **  preclude  myfelf  from  officiating  in  any 
 •*  other  Proteftant  congregation;  on  the 
 **  contrary,  Ihould  I  fee  reafon  to  believe 
 **  that  there  is  any  number  of  pious  people 
 **  difpofed  to  attend  a  place  of  public  wor- 
 "  fhip,  where  a  liturgy,  not  materially  dif- 
 **  ferent  from  Dr.  Clarke's,  (hall  be  ufed, 
 "  I  will  take  the  firft  opportunity  which 
 *^  prefents  itfelf  of  opening  a  place  of  pub- 
 *^  lie  worfliip  with  fuch  a  liturgy.     In  this 
 
 "  I  fhall 
 
4e 
 
 [    5^5    ] 
 
 I  fliall  do  no  more  than  follow  that  ftrong 
 inclination  which  firft  led  me  to  adopt, 
 and  will  ever  incline  me  to  return  to,  the 
 moft  pleafing,  the  moll:  honourable,  the 
 moft  ufeful  of  all  occupations." 
 
 Henry  Maty. 
 
 SECTION    X. 
 
 Of  Mr»  Harries. 
 
 THE  dodlrine  concerning  the  One  only 
 true  God,  and  Father  of  all,  and  the 
 worfhip  of  him  alone,  taught  and  praflifed 
 by  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  which  has  been 
 fo  much,  and  for  fo  many  ages  corrupted, 
 is  now  fet  in  fo  ftrong  and  convincing  a 
 light,  as  the  very  doftrine  of  the  Scriptures 
 throughout,  by  the  labours  of  learned  men 
 among  us  for  near  a  century  paft,  that  it 
 cannot  fail  of  being  in  no  long  time  very 
 generally  acknowleged  and  received. 
 
 An^ 
 
And  the  confequence  of  this  will  be,  with 
 all  ferious  confiderate  chriilians,  if  there  be 
 no  alteration  in  the  Trinitarian  forms  of  vvor- 
 fliip  required  or  prefcribed  by  the  churches 
 of  England  or  Scotland ,  that  while  fome 
 v/ith  difficulty  and  mucli  anxiety  will  con- 
 tinue in  their  communion,  many  will  be 
 driven  to  feek  a  church  elfe where,  or  to 
 make  one  for  themfelves  in  their  houfes, 
 with  which  they  can  ferve  God  with  a  quiet 
 mind. 
 
 This  has  been  the  efFefl  already  in  the 
 Univerfity  of  Cambridge  in  particular,  among 
 many  of  thofe  who  were  intended  for  the 
 m/miftry.  For  fome  have  been  wholly  dif- 
 couraged  thereby  from  engaging  in  it. 
 Others,  having  taken  orders,  and  for  fome 
 time  officiated  in  the  church,  hav^e  flopped 
 fliort,  and  declined  all  farther  miniflerialduty 
 in  it ',  and  fome  of  thefe  have  given  up  their 
 funftion  intirely,  and  betaken  themfelves  to 
 other  prcfeiTions.  I  have  been  made  ac^ 
 quainted  with  the  names  of  feveral  of  thefe 
 worthy  confcientious  characfiers,  but  do  not 
 think  myfelf  at  liberty  to  mention  them,  as 
 they  are  perfons   wholly  ^unknown  to  me. 
 
 One 
 
[     5^7     ] 
 
 One  however  I  may  name,  not  unknown,  a 
 gentleman  of  great  worth  and  integrity,  Mr. 
 Halls,  educated  at  St.  John's  college  in  Cam- 
 bridge, and  agreeably  fituated  in  a  curacy  at  no 
 great  diitance  from  London,  with  refpedlable 
 connexions  and  profpeds  of  preferment,  who 
 a  few  years  ago,  unable,  with  any  peace  of  mind, 
 to  minifler  or  to  join  in  the  Trinitarian  forms 
 of  worfhip,  was  conftrained  to  feparate  him- 
 felf  intireiy  from  the  eftabliihed  church,  and 
 by  this  ftep  to  fubjed:  himfelf  and  a  growing 
 young  family  to  the  difficulties  and  incon- 
 Veniencies  of  a  very  narrow  fortune. 
 
 The  truly  valuable  charafter,  whofe  name 
 I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  prefix  to  this 
 Sedion,  I  firft  heard  of  by  means  of  an  ex- 
 cellent perfon,  a  friend  to  virtue,  and  true 
 religion,  and  every  good  defign,  (a)  William 
 Tayleur  of  Shrev/fbury,  Efq;  who  was  for- 
 
 '        merly 
 
 (a)  This  gentleman,  of  an  independent  fortune,  and 
 mofl-  generous  Tpirit,  whofe  name  refiecSls  credit  on  any 
 caufe  he  efpoufes,  v/as  an  early  encourager  of  the  Unita- 
 rian worfhip  in  Efiex-Street,  and  one  of  the  principal 
 Benefadtors  to  the  new  chapel  which  has  been  ereded 
 there.  The  writer,  although  hitherto  in  perfon  unknov/n 
 to  him,  looks  upon  his  friendfhip  as  a  peculiar  honour 
 and  happinefs,  and  hopes  he  will  excufe  this  almoil  una- 
 voidable public  mention  of  him. 
 
[     528     ] 
 
 merly  of  the  church  of  England,  but  after 
 having  been  long  diflatisfied  with  joining  in 
 the  worfhip  of  any  other  God  but  the  one 
 only  true  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is 
 above  all,  has  for  a  few  years  paft  been 
 member  of  a  DilTenting  Unitarian  congre- 
 gation in  Shrewsbury. 
 
 Upon  intimating  in  a  letter,  that  it  was 
 much  to  be  lamented,  that  fuch  praife- wor- 
 thy and  virtuous  adlions,  as  the  refignation 
 ^which  Mr.  Harries  had  then  lately  made, 
 Ihould  not  be  more  generally  known,  Mr. 
 Tayleur  procured  for  me  the  following 
 obliging  communications  from  that  gentle- 
 man himfelf,  with  a  permiffion  to  make 
 what  ufe  of  them  I  pleafed.  Some  hefitation 
 only  was  exprefled  about  the  propriety  of 
 publifliing  his  Diocefan's  letter  to  him  with- 
 out leave.  But  upon  the  confideration  that 
 there  v/as  nothing  of  a  private  nature  in  it, 
 nor  any  thing  but  what  did  honour  to  the 
 Brihop,  who  could  not  have  faid  lefs,  if  he 
 took  any  notice  at  all  of  Mr.  Harries's  irre- 
 gularity in  reading  the  fervice  of  the  church  5 
 it  was  concluded,  that  there  could  be  no- 
 thing blameable  in  itfelf,  or  offenfive  to  the 
 Bifhop  in  printing  the  letter. 
 
 6  ALet'^ 
 
[     S^9     ] 
 
 A  Letter  from  Mr.  Harries,  with  fome  ac^ 
 count  of  him f elf ^  and  of  his  rei^fom  for  quit^ 
 ting  the  church  ^'England, 
 
 "  Hanwoodj  near  Shrewfoury, 
 "  5th  December,   1782. 
 
 ''  Dear  Sir, 
 *'  My  efteemed  friend  Mr.  Tayleur  com- 
 municated to  me  that  part  of  your  letter 
 to  him,  in  which  you  exprefs  a  defire  to 
 be  informed  of  the  circumftances  attending 
 my  relignation  of  my  preferment  in  the 
 church.  I  can  communicate  my  fentiments 
 to  you  with  the  m.oft  unreferved  freedom. 
 
 Your  publications  have  contributed  to  efta- 
 blifh  me  in  thofe  religious  fentiments, 
 from  w^hich  I  now  derive  the  utmofl  con- 
 folation.  I  will  give  you  a  fhort  fketch 
 of  the  hiflory  of  my  life,  (fo  far  as  relates 
 to  my  profeffion,)  from  my  entrance  at 
 the  univerfity  of  Cambridge  in  the  year 
 1760.  I  was  intended  by  my  friends  for 
 the  praftiee  of  phyfick  ;  but  very  foon 
 after  my  refidence  at  college,  in  compli- 
 ance with  my  folicitations,  they  confented 
 
 M  pi  "to 
 
€( 
 
 [        530        1 
 
 ^^  to  my  requeft  of  taking  orders.  After  a 
 *^  continuance  there  of  five  years,  I  was  or- 
 *^  dained,  and  promoted  early  to  the  reftory 
 *^  of  Hanwood.  At  that  time  I  fubfcribed 
 *^  the  Articles,  and  went  through  the  form 
 of  inflitution,  &c.  juftified,  as  I  then 
 thought,  by  the  fancSion  of  my  fuperiors  in 
 ability,  learning,  and  worth.  Indeed  the 
 objedtions  I  have  fince  imbibed  concerning 
 *^  them,  had  not  then  made  any  impreflion  on 
 *^  me ;  nor  had  I  any  fcruples  when  I  was 
 *^  prelented  to  the  vicarage  of  Cleobury  Mor- 
 *'  timer  in  1769,  which  I  refigned  in  1779, 
 *'  in  confequence  of  a  promife  made  when  I 
 **  accepted  it,  that  if  I  could  not  refide  there, 
 **  I  would  relinquifh  it  when  called  upon.'' 
 "  Many  years  lince,  I  accidentally  took 
 up  the  life  of  John  Buncle ;  as  I  went  on 
 it  excited  my  curiofity  and  attention.  Your 
 Apology  came  out  locn  after.  Your  fub- 
 fequent  publications,  and  a  careful  exami- 
 *'  nation  of  the  Scriptures,  convinced  me, 
 **  that  the  dodtrine  of  the  Trinity,  Atone- 
 **  ment,  &c.  as  laid  down  in  the  Articles 
 a  -^  ^  «  ■*  -)K-  ^  have  no  foundation 
 *'  in  Scripture.  I  became  iikewife  diffatisfied 
 *'  with  fome  parts  of  the  litargy.  I  expreffed 
 I  -  in 
 
[     531     ] 
 
 in  converfation  with  fome  friends,  my  ear- 
 ned delire  that  fubfcription,to  the  prefent 
 articles  might  be  abolifhed,  and  fome 
 things  in  the  Common  Prayer  omitted  or 
 *^  altered.  I  went  on  however  in  this  ftate 
 of  mind,  for  fome  years,  in  pretty  ftricSt 
 conformity  to  the  rubrick.  And  with 
 compundlion  I  acknowlege,  that  regard  to 
 *^  a  near  friend  induced  me  to  fubfcribe  thefe 
 articles,  upon  accepting  two  perpetual 
 cures,  Vvdth  the  ftrongeft  convidiion  on  my 
 mind,  that  they  contained  what  I  believed 
 were  falflioods.  But  I  hope  to  be  exculpat- 
 **  ed  from  felfifh  views,  when  I  declare,  I  did 
 not  mean  to  -make  any  advantage  of  them, 
 nor  liave  they  benefited  me  more  than 
 twenty  or  thirty  pounds/' 
 **  The  reformed  liturgy  being  introduced 
 **  by  Mr.  Tayleur  at  the  chapel  of  the  Dif- 
 *^  fenters  in  Shrewfbury,  occafioned  much 
 *^  converfation  on  the  fubjed:.  I  openly 
 *^  acknowleged  that  it  had  my  entire  appro- 
 "  bation.  Soon  after,  I  began  to  model 
 ^*  the  eftablillied  Liturgy  in  conformity  to 
 *^  it.  At  firft,  I  omitted  the  Nicene  Creed, 
 **  the  Gloria  Patri,  &c.  and  by  degrees  all 
 **  fuch  parts  where  religious  worfliip  is  paid 
 
 M  m  2  '*  to 
 
 ii 
 
[     53^     1 
 
 *'  to  any  other  God,  than  the  Father  only. 
 
 *'  I  gave   my  congregation  my  reafons   for 
 
 **  doing  ioy  acknowleged  to  them,  that  it 
 was  contrary  to  my  declarations  of  con- 
 formity, and  told  them,  that  if  they  were 
 diffatisfied  with  my  conducfl,  or  my  fupe- 
 
 **  riors  thought  me  unworthy  to  continue 
 in  the  church,  I  would  quietly  refign  my 
 preferment.  I  have  reafon  to  believe  there 
 were  fcarce  any  of  my  hearers  that  were 
 difpleafed,  and  I  do  not  conlider  any  of 
 them  as  my  dark  accufers.  Though  I 
 knew  this  could  not  .avoid  being  public- 
 ly known,  yet  I  fuppofed  the  fmallnefs 
 of  my  preferment  could  not  render  me  an 
 objed:  of  tv^vy  or  refentment.  I  will  an- 
 nex the  virulent  letter  of  mine  anonymous 
 accufer.  Who  he  is,  I  have  never  given 
 myfelf  leave  to  conjefrare.  I  will  like- 
 wife  add  his  Lordfliip's  letter  to  me,  and 
 mv  anfwer  to  it. 
 
 '^  Thofe  vvho  are  fparing  of  their  com- 
 mendations will  fay.  What  a  mighty  facri- 
 fice  truly  ?  40 1.  per  annum,  from  a  man  of 
 fortune,  who  may  have  other  purfuits  or 
 expectations  to  make  him  ample  am^ends ! 
 The  value  of  the  living  I  have  ■  refigned 
 
 (C 
 
 <( 
 
 €< 
 fi 
 
 <  < 
 
 (C 
 
 (C 
 
 li 
 (i 
 <i 
 
 ''  is 
 
[     533     ] 
 
 IS  60 1.  per  annum,  and  the  cures  70). 
 per  annum  :  I  might  have  cleared  from 
 them  near  icol.  per  annum.  I  affure 
 you  this  is  no  inconfiderable  objedl  to 
 one,  who  by  a  lofs  of  the  tendereft  kind, 
 hath  likewife  loft  the  only  part  of  his 
 fortune,  that  is  at  prefent  valuable,  and 
 who  hath  three  younger  children  to  pro- 
 vide for.  Befides,  though  when  in  afflu- 
 ence I  never  fought  or  deiired  farther 
 preferment;  yet  upon  my  fad  reverfe  of 
 fortune,  my  friends  recommended  to  me, 
 to  pufh  my  fortune  amongft  thofe  patrons 
 of  the  church,  whofe  afliftance  they 
 thought  I  might  afk.  My  anfwer  was, 
 I  v/as  determined  never  again  to  make 
 fubfcriptions  and  declarations  contrary  to 
 the  conviction  of  my  own  mind.  I  have 
 no  lucrative  fcheme  in  view.  I  have 
 nearly  finiflied  a  habitation  for  my  refi- 
 dence,  in  the  parifli  of  Hanwood.  There 
 I  will  worfhip  God  according  to  my  con- 
 fcience,  with  my  fmall  family,  and  thofe 
 few  neighbours  who  may  be  inclined  to 
 join  with  m.e,  but  without  the  ieaft  hope 
 of  any  pecuniary  reward.  I  have  earneftly 
 exhorted  them,  that  no^deference  or  regard 
 M  m  3  *'  to 
 
(< 
 cc 
 
 (C 
 
 [     534    ] 
 
 *^  to  me,  iliould  prevail  over  their  real  fen- 
 *^  timents.  But  if  there  were  amongft 
 them,  that  from  convidlion  preferred  a 
 fervice  to  their.  Maker,  upon  the  model 
 they  had  been  for  fome  time  ufed  to,  I 
 fhould  think  it  a  defertion  of  my  duty, 
 not  to  give  them  an  opportunity  of  con- 
 *^  forming  to  it. 
 
 *^  You  fay,  '*  that  fuch  noble  deeds  as 
 *^  mine  fhould  not  be  loft  to  the  wwld." 
 ^'  I  have  no  other  merit  to  plead,  than  an 
 *'  opennefs  and  fmcerity  of  condudt.  If 
 '^  you  think  niy  example  will  have  any 
 *'  effect  in  exciting  the  attention  of  others^ 
 *^  or  towards  removing  thofe  ftumblino"- 
 blocks,  tiiat  contribute  to  prevent  chrifti-^ 
 anity  from  becoming  the  univerfal  reli- 
 gion of  mankind,  you  have  my  permillion 
 to  fpeak  of  it,  {b)  in  a  lowly  way.  I  arn 
 confcious  that  my  abilities  and  knowlege? 
 are  humble.     I  am  very  delirous  to  avoid 
 
 "  angry 
 
 [b)  The  writer  of  this  worktrufls  the  like  candid  con- 
 clufions  will  be  made  for  the  unavoidable  exhibition  of  the 
 too  favourable  fentiments  others  have  exprefTed  for  himfelf, 
 He  fhould  have  felt  much  eafier  in  omitting  them  all,  if 
 it  could  have  been  done  without  deftroying  the  force 
 of  the  narrative  in  which  they  were  included. 
 
C( 
 
 [     535     ] 
 
 *  angry  controverfy,  and  indeed  will  never 
 
 engage    in    it.     Inilead  of   mending   the 
 
 <^  heart  it  tends  to  inibitter  and  four  it.       I 
 
 **  greatly  rejoice  that  you  have  got  a  fel- 
 
 ''  low-labourer  in  the  caufe  of  the  One  true 
 
 ^'  God. 
 
 ''  E.  Harries." 
 
 ^f2  anonymous  Letter  to  the  Bijhop  of  He- 
 reford. 
 
 *'  My  Lord, 
 
 ''  For  a  fubied:  to  hear  with  unconcern 
 *'  his  Sovereign  undefervedly  ridiculed, 
 ^'  would  certainly  be  deemed  difloyal  and 
 <*  tacitly  criminal ;  hov/  much  more  fo 
 ^^  would  it  be  to  hear  with  unmoving  apathy 
 **  the  King  of  kings  and  great  Judge  of  the 
 «'  w^orld  treated  with  contempt  ?" 
 
 ^'  This  confideration,  I  doubt  not,  will 
 ''  fufficiently  apologize  for  the  following 
 "  difagreeable  information." 
 
 **  It  is  with  regret  that  lean  aflureyour 
 <*  Lordfhip,  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harries, 
 <^  Redor  of  Hanv;ood  near  Shrewfbury,  does 
 ^'  not  only  hold  dangerous  tenets  in  religion, 
 
 M  m  4  but 
 
C6 
 
 {      536      J 
 
 '*  but  openly  and  publickly  In  his  church 
 denies  the  divinity  of  our  bleffed  Saviour, 
 and  daringly   difowns  the  facred  Trinity, 
 and  conftantly  for  fome  time  paft  has  omit- 
 ted reading  fuch  parts  of  the  Litany  and 
 other  parts  of  the  Liturgy  wherein  the  di- 
 vinity of  the  fecond  and  third  perfons  in 
 '^  the  facred  Trinity  are  expreft.    Our  blelTed 
 '^  Lord  exprefsly  commandeth    ^*   that  all 
 *^  men  fliould  honour  the  Son  as  they  honour 
 *^  the  Father.     He  that  honoureth  not  the 
 ^'  Son  honoureth  not  the  Father,  who  hath 
 ^'  fent  him/'     But  need  I  quote  Scripture, 
 *'  when  your   Lordihip  well  knoweth,   that 
 **  whoever  denies  the  divinity  of  our  bleffed 
 ''  Saviour  muft  alfo  deny  the  Old  and  New 
 *'  Teftaments,  toge therewith  the  Articles  and 
 *'  Hoinilies  of  our  holy  Pvcligion.     Now  if 
 **  fuch  W.  in  flieeps  cloathing  be  fuffered  to 
 **  fpread  their  diabolical  doftrine  amongft 
 *^  the  flock,  how  epidemical  might  the  con- 
 **  tagion  prove!  But  this  I  know,  that  it  is 
 **  in  your  Lordihip's  power,  when  you  have 
 **  cognizance  thereof,  to  redrefs  fuch  real  fpi- 
 *'  ritual  grievances.      And  that   this   might 
 **  fpeedily  be  done,   for  the  honour  of  our 
 ^*  Lord,  the  good  of  our  Sion,  and  for  the 
 
 '*  fafety 
 
[     527    ] 
 
 **  fafety  of  your  Lordfhip's   own  foul,    i$ 
 *^  the  fervent  prayer  of 
 
 *^  Your  Lordfhip's  moff  obedient 
 Salop,  Jan.  s.iySz,     <<  and  moft huoible  Servant. 
 
 ''  P.  S.  His  Lordfnip  I  hope  will  not  be 
 *'  offended,  if  I  remind  him  of  the  2d  chap- 
 ''  ter  of  the  Apocalypfe,  ver.  14,  15,  and 
 20.  where  fomething  fimilar  might  be  ap- 
 plied to  all  the  Right  Reverends  who  fuffer 
 any  of  the  inferior  clergy  (that  hold  and 
 preach  dodrine  repugnant  to  Scripture)  to 
 ^'  feduce  the  laity  of  their  diocefe/' 
 
 T'/je  Bifiop  ^  Hereford 'j-  Letter  to  Mr.  Har- 
 ries,  inclojing  the  above  Letter. 
 
 '*  Rev.  Sir,  Hereford,  Feb.  20, 1782. 
 
 ^'  The  inclofed,  as  you  will  fee  by  the 
 **  date  of  it,  I  received  fome  time  ago,  and 
 *^  fhouldhave  been  fent  to  you  fooner,  had  I 
 ^*  not  miflaid  it.  Anonymous  letters  in  ge- 
 **  neral  I  pay  little  regard  to;  this  requires 
 *^  fome  notice  to  be  taken  of  it,  though  all 
 ''  that  I  can  at  prefent  fay  is,  that  I  would 
 **  have  you  to  be  cautious  in  future,  if  you 
 **  have  been  faulty  in  the  particulars  menti- 
 <*  oned  in  the  letter.    I  mention  it  now  in  the 
 
 ''  miideft 
 
i    538    ] 
 
 **  mildefl  terms-  but  give  me  leave  to  tell 
 you,  that  if  the  charge  in  the  letter  can 
 be  brought  home  to  you,  it  may  be  attend- 
 ed with  difagreeable  confequences  to 
 yourfelf/' 
 
 I  am.  Rev.  Sir,  &c. 
 
 Jam.  Hereford. 
 
 Mr.  Harries'j-  Reply  to  the  Bijhop  of  Here- 
 ford V  Letter  to  him. 
 
 ''  My  Lord, 
 **  I  received  your  Lordfhip^s  favour,  and 
 thank  you  for  the  candour  with  which 
 you  have  communicated  to  me  the  falfe 
 allegations  of  your  anonymous  correfpon- 
 *^  dent.  I  am  ftill  more  obliged  to  you,  for 
 your  mild  and  friendly  admonition,  and 
 your  kindnefs  in  laying  before  m^e  the 
 confequences  of  my  perfeverance  in  my 
 prefent  mode  of  reading  the  Liturgy.  But 
 ^*  the  omiffions  I  have  made  are  fuch,  as 
 **  upon  a  long  and  impartial  examination  of 
 ^'  the  facred  Scriptures,  I  have  thought  ne- 
 *^  ceflary.  And  this,  my  Lord,  is  the  only 
 *^  part  of  the  charge  againft  me,  that  has 
 **  the  lead  foundation  in  truth.  This  I  own, 
 ^^  for  I  dare  not  prevaricate  or  temporize 
 
 "  —Such 
 
[     539     ] 
 
 — Such  parts  of  the  Liturgy,  where  that 
 religious  wormip,  which  is  only  due  to 
 God  the  Father  of  us  all,  is  paid  to  Jefus 
 Chrift,  or  the  Holy  Ghoft,  I  have  for  fome 
 time  omitted  ;  nor  could  I  confcientiouily 
 do  otherwife,  as  they  appeared  to  me 
 direftly  contrary  to  the  general  tencur  of 
 Scripture,  which  exprefsly  declares  the 
 Son  fubordinate  to  the  Father — And  ab- 
 folutely  inconfiftent  w^ith  that  form  of 
 prayer  our  bleffed  Saviour  himfelf  hath 
 left  us,  and  with  the  manner  in  which  He 
 himfelf  always  prayed. 
 '*  I  have  occaiionally  laid  before  my  con- 
 gregation the  reafons  of  my  condu6t,  as 
 clearly  and  particularly  as  I  could.  At  the 
 fame  time  I  informed  them,  it  was  con- 
 trary to  my  declaration  of  conformity  j  and 
 affured  them,  that  if  on  that,  or  any  other 
 account,  they  were  diffatisiied  with  my 
 mini  dry — or  if  called  upon  by  my  fupe- 
 riors  in  the  church,  I  would  quietly  refign 
 all  my  prefent  preferment,  nor  ever  accept 
 of  any  other  in  the  church. 
 ^*  It  is  not  without  reluctance  I  fhall  fepa^ 
 rate  myfelf  from  a  fociety  of  Chriftians, 
 amongil  whom  I  have  long  relided,  and 
 
 with 
 
[     540     ] 
 
 with  whom  I  am  connedled  by  almoft 
 every  tie  which  can  render  them  dear  to 
 me — neighbours,  tenants,  relations,  and 
 friends,  whofe  efteem  and  love  I  flatter 
 myfelf  that  I  poffefs. 
 
 **  It  is  alfo  late  in  life  to  feek  another  pro- 
 fcdioUy  and  painful  to  quit  one  I  adopted 
 from  choice  formerly,  and  is  now  moil 
 pleafing  to  me.  But  no  motive  fhall  in- 
 fluence me  to  depart  from  my  duty  to  God, 
 or  to  facrince  my  iincerity  to  my  intereft. 
 Whatever  may  be  m.y  defefts  or  failings, 
 if  I  know  my  own  heart,  in  my  love  of 
 truth  and  chriilian  charity  it  is  my  defire 
 to  be  inferior  to  none. 
 **  I  am  fenfible  from  your  Lordihip's  let- 
 ter, that  I  muft  either  conform  more 
 ftriftly,  or  reflgn.  And  I  hope  after  what 
 I  have  now  faid,  your  Lordfliip  can  enter- 
 tain no  doubt  of  my  choice.  On  or  be- 
 fore the  ifl  day  of  October  next,  it  is  my 
 intention  to  refign  the  Redory  of  Han- 
 wood,  and  the  perpetual  Curacies  of 
 Subden  and  Edgton.'* 
 
 I  am,  my  Lord,  &c. 
 
 E.  Harries. 
 
 ■  Independent  of  thofe  prejudices,  which  I 
 may  be  fuppofcd  to  have  tovvards  the  line  of 
 
 ccndudl 
 
[     541     ] 
 
 condudl  which  this  gentleman  has  chofen,  I 
 cannot  but  think,  that  the  good  fenfe  which 
 is  apparent  throughout  the  foregoing  letters, 
 and  the  open,   ingenuous  account  which  the 
 writer  gives  of  himfelf,  and  of  the  progrefs 
 of  his  convidions,  will  aiFed:  and  edify  many 
 as  much  as  myfelf ;  and  that  this,  together 
 with  the  iimilar  natural  feelings,  and  jufi:  ex- 
 ceptions of  others,  alike  modeftly  expreffed, 
 as  quoted  throughout  this  w^ork,  cannot  fai], 
 if  any  have  not  done  it  already,  to  put  them 
 upon  inquiry,  w^hat  it  is,  and  what  autho- 
 rity there  can  be  for  any  thing,   in  any  part 
 of    the   chriftian    church,    wdiich  excludes 
 fuch  confcientious  inquirers,  and  mofl  ufe-^ 
 ful   characters,   from  its    communion ;    and 
 will   difpofe  them,  not  barely  to  wifli,  but 
 to  endeavour  to  have  every  thing  that  is  evi- 
 dently and  confeffedly  wTong  and   unfcrip- 
 tural  removed,   efpecially  what  concerns  the 
 Great  Objed:  of  chriftian  worfliip;  and  that 
 it  may   no    longer   continue  a  reproach    to 
 Chriftendom,  that  they  worfhip  a  different 
 God  from  Him,  whom  Mofes  and  the  pro- 
 phets,   Jefus  and   his   apoftles   adored :    for 
 they  cert.^-inly  did  not  invoke  in  their  Drayers 
 eitiier  Chrift,  or  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 The 
 
[     542     ] 
 
 That  lov/ly  upright  mind,  fo  truly  cha- 
 rafteriftic  of  a  chriftian,  which  appears  the 
 predominant  feature  in  Mr.  Harries,  muft 
 incline  others  to  think  the  more  highly  and 
 refpedtfully  of  him ;  and  even,  where  differ- 
 ing in  opinion,  to  wifh  him  fuccefs,  whofe 
 labours  can  be  directed  to  no  other  end,  but 
 to  bring  many  to  the  knowlege  of  the  one 
 only  true  God,  and  to  a  virtuous  life. 
 
 He  refigned  his  living  of  Hanwood,  and 
 the  two  perpetual  curacies  in  October  laft, 
 agreeably  to  the  notice  he  had  given  to  his 
 Diocefan.  And  Imce  that,  he  has  put  in 
 execution  his  intention  of  forming  an  uni- 
 tarian congregation  in  his  own  houfe,  for  his 
 family,  and  for  any  that  might  be  difpofed 
 to  join  in  worfliip  with  him. 
 
 S  E  C  T  I  O  N     XL 
 
 Of  Dr.  Difney, 
 
 I  COME  now  to  the  moft  recent,  though 
 not  leaft  important  cafe  of  a  feparation 
 from  the  eftablilhed  church,  by  my  much 
 loved,  valuable  friend,  and  w^orthy  colleague,* 
 
 the 
 
[  543  ] 
 the  Rev.  Dr.  Dijhey.  His  fcruples  and  diffi- 
 culties I  had  long  imperfeftly  known,  but  their 
 "magnitude,  and  his  various  plans  to  extricate 
 himfelf,  and  effed:  a  thorough  relief,  I  had  not 
 any  opportunity  of  being  acquainted  with, 
 till  in  autumn  laft,  a  fingular  concurrence 
 of  favourable  circumftances  made  an  open- 
 ing, unlocked  for  before  by  either  of  us,  for 
 that  union  of  principles  and  employment, 
 which  took  place  about  fix  months  ago. 
 
 Nothing  czm  fo  juftly  and  pathetically  de- 
 fcribe  the  previous  fufFerings  of  his  own 
 mind,  and  his  motives  for  the  part  he  has 
 now  taken,  as  the  little  piece  which  he  laid 
 before  the  public  at  the  time;  [c)  which  I 
 fhall  therefore  give  in  his  own  words. 
 
 Having  mxcntioned  his  being  put  upon  a 
 more  ftridl  inquiry  into  the  agreement  of  the 
 particular  do(ftrines  contained  in  the  formu- 
 laries of  the  church  of  England  with  the 
 word  of  God  ;  he  proceeds  to  fay  : 
 
 *'  As  far  as  tuis  inquiry  went  to  fatisfy 
 **  my  unaerftanding  concerning  thefe  quef- 
 
 **  tions, 
 
 {c)  It  is  intitled,  «  Reafons  for  refigning  the  Redory 
 *'  of  Panton  and  V'icarage  of  Sv/inderby,  in  Lincolnfhire, 
 «'  and  quitting  the  Church  of  England;  by  John  Difney, 
 «  D.D,  F,  S.  A.'^— 1782. 
 
[     544     ] 
 
 tions,  I  am  free  to  own,  that  I  was  con- 
 vinced that  many  dodrines  received  as  true 
 by  the  church  of  England,  in  her  Ar- 
 ticles and  Liturgy,  were  not  only  in  no 
 agreement,  but  in  direft  contradi6lion  to 
 what  appeared  to  me  to  be  the  word  of 
 God. 
 
 *'  In  this  iituation,  I  did  not  hefitate  to 
 determine  never  to  accept  any  further  pre- 
 ferment in  the  eftabliflied  churchy  be- 
 caufe,  I  could  not  confcientioully,  and 
 without  equivocation,  declare  my  affent 
 and  ccnfent  to  the  thirty-nine  Articles  and 
 Liturgy  as  by  law  is  required.  And  this 
 determination  I  have  fteadily  adhered  to 
 more  than  once,  when  offers  were  m.ade 
 me  of  preferments,  in  all  other  refpefts 
 delireable  and  advantageous  to  my  feculaf 
 interefls.  For  fome  years  I  did  not  ap- 
 prehend that  my  convidlions  would  carry 
 me  any  further.  In  this  fuppoiition, 
 however,  I  have  been  miftaken.  And  the 
 fame  principle  and  reafons  which  have 
 heretofore  made  m^e  decline  to  repeat  my 
 fubfcription,  have  forced  me  to  make  a 
 refignation  of  my   benefices,    and  of  all 
 
 ''  the 
 
iC 
 
 iC 
 
 [     545     1 
 
 the  advantages  I  had  acquired  upon  fuch 
 terms. 
 
 "  The  public  fefvice  of  the  Liturgy,  or 
 book  of  Common  Prayer,  holds  out  for 
 its  objeds  of  religious  worfhip  three  dif- 
 tind  Beings,  there  ftyled,  God  the  Father, 
 God  the  Son,  God  the  Holy  Ghofi  ^ :  one 
 God  in  Trinity y  and  Trinity  in  Unity  \  : 
 not  one  only  ferfon,  but  three  perfons  J. 
 «<  Thefe,  and  the  like  expreffions^  toge- 
 ther with  repeated  and  continued  addrefles 
 **  by  prayer  to  Jefus  Chrift,  and  even  to  the 
 *'  Holy  Spirit,  inftead  of  the  one  true  God, 
 who  hath  no  equal,  or  iharer  in  the  crea- 
 tion or  government  of  the  world,  and  who 
 alone  can  hear  the  prayers  of  his  creatures, 
 are,  according  to  my  apprehenfion.  In  no 
 way  warranted  by  the  word  of  God,  as 
 **  w^e  read  it  in  the  Old  and  New  Teftament, 
 **  the  only  authority  upon  which,  as  Chrif- 
 **aians  and  Proteftants,  we  can  depend.  But 
 **  on  the  contrary,  they  appear  to  be  in  di- 
 **  red:  oppofition  to  the  exprefs  declarations 
 **  of  that  Being,  who  declared  himfelf,  by 
 *'  Mofes,  to  be  one  Lord,  (Deut.  vi.  4.) 
 
 N  n  *'  and 
 
 *  Litany.  t  Athanafian  Creed,  %  Collect 
 
 in  Communion  Service  on  Trinity  Sunday, 
 
 it 
 
 *€ 
 t( 
 
[      546      ] 
 
 *^  and  cf  Chrifh  himfclf,  vvhofe  words,  bor- 
 ^'  rowed  alfo  from  Mofes,  are,  Tl)OU  JJjalt 
 worfldip  the  Lord  thy  Gody  him  only  Jloalt 
 thou  ferve.  (Luke  iv.  8.)  And  who,  on 
 all  occafions,  prayed  to,  and  called  upon 
 ^^  the  one  God,  the  common  father  of  all, 
 *^  who  v/as  his  father  and  our  father,  his 
 **  God  dnd  our  God.''   (John  xx.  17.) 
 
 We  have   then   foon   after  the  account  of 
 the  various  conflidls  of  his  own  mind. 
 
 "  Under  thefe  convictions,  the  road  of 
 duty  lay  plain  before  me,  hard  as  the  mea- 
 fure  might  feem ;  worldly  confiderations 
 alone  remained  to  prevent  me  taking  the 
 dired:  path,  and  folloving  the  didates  of 
 my  confcience.  And  thefe  temptations  I 
 had  in  no  fmall  degree.  The  juft  claims 
 of  an  infant  family  pleaded  hard  not  to 
 '*  be  neglcded.  Nor  could  I  refrain  from 
 thinking  upon  their  fituation  with  all  the 
 anxiety  of  parental  affed-ion,  and  poffibly, 
 *'  with  more  folicitude  for  their  temporal 
 *^  provifion,  than  the  nature  of  my  own  diffi- 
 **  culties  oup-ht  to  have  admitted.  I  was 
 *'  agreeably  fituated  in  the  circle  of  relations, 
 *'.  and  feveral  efteemed  friends,  and  have 
 **  lived  in  a  condant  kind  intercourfe  with 
 
 ''  all 
 
 €< 
 <€ 
 €( 
 
 €< 
 
[     547    ] 
 
 all  my  parifliioners,  among  whom  I  ever 
 found  my  miniftry  acceptable.  I  had  ex- 
 tended my  ufefulnefs  among  my  neigh- 
 bours in  all  the  ways  I  was  able.  Nor 
 was  I  forward  to  think  that  I  could  be 
 equally  ufeful  under  any  change  of  fitua- 
 tion  which  removed  me  to  a  different 
 fphere  of  ad:ion.  And  I  may  add,  that  I 
 was  not  infenfible  even  to  an  acquired  par- 
 tiality to  the  place  of  my  refidence,  where^ 
 on  many  accounts,  and  for  reafcns  of  a 
 private  nature,  I  could  have  wifhed  to 
 have  continued,  to  the  end  of  my  life,  in 
 the  enjoyment  of  every  delireable  accom- 
 modation and  comfort  which  a  reafonable 
 m.ind  could  wifh  for. 
 **  Thefe  confiderations  deferved  fome 
 thought,  and  they  have  had  their  full 
 weight.  But  they  are,  after  all,  confide- 
 rations of  fubordinate  and  inferior  impor- 
 tance, when  contrafted  by  the  poiitivc 
 duty  I  owe  to  God,  to  the  Gofpel  of  Je- 
 fus,  to  my  Fellow^-Chrillians,  and  to  my- 
 felf. 
 
 *^  It  is  no  light  m.atter  to  profefs  our  re- 
 ligion in  infincerity  and  hypocrify.     We 
 are-enjoined  by  high  authority  to  worlhip 
 N  n  2  **  God 
 
[     548     ] 
 
 God  in  fpirit  and  in  truth.  And  fliall 
 worldly  temptations  prevail  upon  any  one, 
 who  ferioufly  profefles  himfelf  a  Chrif- 
 tian,  to  worfhip  any  other  than  the  one 
 true  God,  Jehovah,  the  Father  of  all, 
 while  he  believes  that  fame  felf-exiftent, 
 and  all-powerful  Being  to  be  God,  and 
 none  other  befides  him  ?  Or,  fhall  we  ap- 
 proach the  great  Searcher  of  hearts  with 
 that  duplicity  and  deceit  which  is  not  to 
 be  allowed  in  our  dealings  and  intercourfe 
 with  our  fellow  men  ?  Or,  fhall  we  think 
 to  amend  the  matter  by  addreffing  our 
 private  prayers  to  the  God  and  Father  of 
 our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  in  compromife  for 
 our  having  publickly  prayed,  in  the  lan- 
 guage of  the  Church,  to  a  Trinity  of 
 Gods,  or  to  the  man  Chriji  yefusy  who 
 lived  among  us,  and  died  upon  a  crofs, 
 and  who  himfelf  renounced  all  adoration 
 and  worfliip?  Shall  we  pray  unto  a  man, 
 though  the  moft  holy  and  excellent  that 
 ever  lived  on  the  earth,  and  thereby  ele- 
 vate the  Creature  to  the  dignity  of  the 
 Creator,  and  take,  from  the  unchangeable 
 and  only  God  and  Governor  of  the  world, 
 any  of  that  prdife  and  thankfgiving  which 
 we  are  enjoined  to  give  unto  him,  and 
 
 *'  unto 
 
€< 
 
 <C 
 
 I     549     ] 
 
 unto  him  only,  and  which  are  Co  peculiarly 
 and  eminently  his  own  ?  Or,  through 
 ^'  our  earneft  defire  to  continue  in  the  efta- 
 blifhed  church,  fliall  we  prove  our  faith 
 by  mental  refervations  in  the  courfe  of 
 public  worfhip,  fo  that  while  we  affent  to 
 one  prayer,  we  rejedl  another,  or,  poffibly, 
 divide  a  third,  approving  the  former  and 
 rejefting  the  latter  part  ?  Or  rather,  fhall 
 we  not,  in  al]  true  fimplicity  and  iingle- 
 nefs  of  heart,  as  St.  Paul  writes,  pray  witk 
 the  fpirit  and  fray  with  the  underjland- 
 ing  alfoV  (i  Cor.  xiv.  15.) 
 The  final  refult  of  his  conflidts  and  deli- 
 berations with  himfelf,  is  thus  exprefled. 
 
 ^^  Thus,  after  the  moft  deliberate  confi- 
 *'  deration  of  all  arguments,  and  after  paf- 
 fing  feveral  painful  years  in  much  folici- 
 tude  and  apprehenfion  of  incurring  the 
 difpleafure  of  Almighty  God,  I  had  but 
 one  choice  to  make,  if  ever  I  hoped  for 
 his  approbation.  I  therefore,  in  obedi- 
 **  ence  to  the  fulleft  convidlions  of  my 
 mind,  have  refigned  my  Miniftry  and 
 preferments  in  the  church  of  England. 
 "  I  fhould  be  much  concerned,  if  any 
 good  man  (hould  fo  interpret  this  feceffion 
 of  mine  from  the  worfliip  of  the  church 
 N  n  3  ''  eftablifhed. 
 
 it 
 
 if 
 
 iC 
 
 €i 
 
 (< 
 
 €< 
 
 €i 
 
4< 
 
 I       550       ] 
 
 **  eftabliflied,  as  if  I   thereby,  In  the  mofl 
 remote  degree,   took  upon  me  to  blame, 
 or  condemn  thole  who  may  continue  their 
 '*  miniilrations   in    it,    even    though    their 
 opinions  on  certain  dodtrines  may  nearly- 
 approach  to  my  own. 
 *'  I   api   fenlible,  from   what  has   paffed 
 within    myfelf,    how    differently    fimilar 
 convidtions  operate  in  different  ftates  of 
 *'  the  mind,  and  how  very  long  a  man  may 
 *^  be  prevailed  upon  to  go  on  doing  things 
 ^-   in  which  he  blames  himfelf,  from  regards 
 *^  to  a  family,  or  to  more  diftant  kindred, 
 ?*  and  to  various  other  local  circumftances, 
 5*  which  cannot  eafily  be  explained  to  others ; 
 and  the  Hill  greater  difficulty,  at  a  certain 
 time  of  life,  of  finding  bread  for  a  family 
 f*  any  where  elfe. 
 
 '*  J  am  thankful  now,  I  trufl:  I  fhall  al- 
 *^  ways  be  fo,  whatever  he  the  event  as  to 
 **  this  world,  that  I  have  been  brought  out 
 ^*  of  a  fituation,  in  which  I  went  on  from 
 day  to  day  condemning  myfelf,  and  that 
 it  has  pleafed  Divine  Providence  to  lead 
 me  to  a  llation,  where  I  may  ftill  bear 
 my  teftimony  to  the  truth  and  holinefs  of 
 the  Gofpel,  and  have  the  fatisfaclion  of 
 
 **  being 
 
 €1 
 
[     55^     ] 
 "  being  united  to  a  congregation  of  Chrifli- 
 "  ans,  affembling  at  the  chapel  in  Efl'ex- 
 "  Street,  London;  where   prayer  is  avow- 
 "  edly    made   to    the    only   true   God,    the 
 "  Father  of  our  Lord   Jefus  Chrill ;    and 
 "  where  I  (hall  ftili  have  more  caufe  to  be 
 «  thankful,    if  my  labours  may  be  fo  far 
 "  fuccefsful,  that  I  may  be  an  inftrument 
 "  of  promoting  his  fole  worlliip,  and  at  the 
 "  fime  time  ferve  the  great  end  of  the  gof- 
 "  pel,  in  encouraging  and  exciting  myfelf 
 "  and  others  to  piety  and  all  virtue." 
 
 SECTION     XIL 
 
 Of  ail   Unitarian  Society  of  Cbrifians,    at 
 Montrofe  in  Scotland. 
 
 LT HOUGH  the  fubjeft  of  this  fec- 
 
 tion   will  not    range    itfelf  in    flrift 
 
 propriety  with  thofe  preceding,  which  ex- 
 hibit inftances  of  feparation  from  the  elta-^ 
 blifned  church  of  England,  on  account  of 
 its  Trinitarian  forms  of  worlliip  j  it  may 
 nevcrthelefs  very  well  find  its  place  here,  as 
 an  example  of  a  feparation  from  the  efta- 
 
 N  n  4  bliflied 
 
[    552    ] 
 
 bliilied   church   of  Scotland,    for  the   like 
 I'eafons. 
 
 It  is  often  matter  of  furprife  and  concern 
 to  many,  that  whilft  our  brethren  and  fel- 
 low fubje£l:s,  the  clergy  of  the  church  of 
 Scotland^  prefent  us  continually  with  inge- 
 nious and  learned  treatifes  on  natural  philo- 
 fophy,  mathematics,  hiftory,  philology,  &c, 
 nothing  whatfoever  is  produced  or  tranfpires 
 from  that  part  of  our  ifland,  which  tends  to 
 reform  their  theological  fyftem,  or  to  open 
 the  eyes  of  the  common  people  on  the  grand 
 fubjefl  of  the  Divine  Unity ;  who,  at  this 
 day,  are  got  no  farther  than  what  John 
 JCnox  and  the  Divines  of  that  time  taught 
 them  from  Calvin  :  and  thoueh  both  thefe 
 were  truly  great  men,  and  eminent  reformers, 
 the  fate  of  Servetus  is  a  melancholy  monu- 
 ment of  the  darknefs  and  intolerance  of  the 
 church  that  adheres  to  their  fentiments. 
 
 Liberal,  rational,  and  truly  excellent  Di- 
 vines, there  are  many,  we  are  perfuaded, 
 ^mong  them;  who,  although  uneafy  under 
 their  fubfcriptions  at  entrance  into  the 
 Miniftry,  endeavour  filently,  in  their  pri- 
 vate departments,  and  parifhes,  to  corred: 
 and  qualify  the  rigour  of  the  received  ortho- 
 doxy. 
 
[     553     ] 
 
 doxy.  In  doing  this,  they  have  a  great  ad- 
 vantage over  the  minifters  of  ttie  church  of 
 England,  in  not  being  bound  to  make  ufe  of 
 forms  of  prayer  and  invocation,  which  they 
 difapprove;  and  may  therefore  remain  in  their 
 refpeftive  fituations  without  fuch  a  degree 
 of  felf- condemnation.  And  from  the  fe- 
 cret  light  diftufed  by  fuch  w^orthy  perfons, 
 we  may  hope  it  will  be  found,  that  multitudes 
 will  be  prepared  to  difclaim  the  worfliip  of 
 any  other  perfon  as  God,  but  the  God  and 
 Father  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  the  omni- 
 potent Creator  and  Governor  of  the  univerfe; 
 whenever  that  Great  Truth  is  plainly  and  pro* 
 perly  held  forth,  and  recommended  to  them. 
 
 Under  this  general  ftate  of  things,  in  that 
 country,  it  gives  peculiar  fatisfaftion  to  be- 
 hold riiing  among  them,  a  fociety  of  pro- 
 feffed,  unitarian  chriftians,  fuch  as  never  be- 
 fore appeared  there. 
 
 It  took  its  rife  from  a  [d)  perfon  engaged 
 in  fecular  affairs ;  but  who  notwithftanding 
 has  found  time  to  accomplish  himfelf  in 
 different  parts  of  literature,  and  particularly 
 in  every  thing  tending  to  illuftrate  the  facred 
 
 writings  -, 
 
 (d)  Mr.  William  Chriftie,  Jun.  Merchant  at  Mon* 
 trofe. 
 
[     554    ] 
 
 writings ;  and  with  this  view  chiefly,  has 
 amaiTed  a  large  well  chofen  library,  fuch  as 
 feldom  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  private  perfon. 
 
 One  much  lefs  qualified  than  this  gentle- 
 man, may  eafily  provide  himfelf  with  ufeful 
 printed  difcourfes,  and  fui table  preccmpofed 
 forms  of  prayer,  by  which  a  chriftian  audi- 
 ence may  be  edified ;  and  may  Hill  follow 
 his  worldly  occupation  fix  days,  while  on 
 the  Lord's  day  he  officiates  as  a  chriftian 
 minifter;  where  one  of  greater  learning  and 
 abilities  cannot  be  procured. 
 
 The  unreformed  condition  of  the  whole 
 chriftian  world,  in  the  point  of  God*s  true 
 worlliip,  will,  it  is  probable,  make  it  more 
 and  more  neceilary  for  private  chriftians  to 
 have  recourfe  to  fuch  expedients  of  gathering 
 congregations  among  themfelves,  with  vv^honi 
 to  join  in  worfliip.  For  vaft  bodies  of  men 
 reform  flowly.  In  the  mean  time,  it  is 
 the  duty  of  individuals,  not  to  wait  for 
 their  movements,  but  quietly  to  do  the 
 work  for  themfelves,  {e)  w^here  they  cannot 
 
 with 
 
 (e)  There  is  fomething  fo  weighty,  and  fo  truly  apof- 
 tolical  in  Dr.  Prieftley's    "  exhortation  to  all  unitarians^ 
 
 "  whether 
 
[     S55    I 
 
 with  a  fafe  confcience  frequent  the'  efta- 
 blifhed  worfliip ;  which  perhaps  is  the  only 
 way  by  which  a  general  reformation  in  fuch 
 important  points  can  be  effefted. 
 
 Mr.  Cbriftie  at  Montrofe,  was  happy, 
 when  he  found  it  neceffary  to  withdraw 
 from  the  w^orfliip  of  the  eftabliflied  church, 
 to  find  others  in  the  place,  of  the  like  uni- 
 tarian fentiments  with  himfelf.  There  is  a 
 ihort  account  which  the  fociety  gives  of 
 itfelf,  by  way  of  preface  to  a  collection  of 
 hymns  for  their  ufe ;  which  is  here  given 
 at  length. 
 
 ^^  The  following  collection  of  Hymns 
 ■  ^  and  Pialms,  was  made  (as  the  [f)  title- 
 page 
 
 "  whether  they  be  members  of  the  eftabllfhed  church,  or 
 "  of  any  fociety  of  Diflenters,"  contained  in  one  of  his 
 valuable  practical  trafts,  that  I  would  here  earneftly  re- 
 commend it  to  every  one's  perufal.  It  is  in  the  laft  edi- 
 tion, printed  at  Birmingham,  1782,  of  his  "  Appeal  to 
 "  the  ferious  and  candid  ProfefTors  of  Chriftianity,"  p.  27 
 to  30.  The  whole  of  this  little  book  is  invaluable,  and 
 (hould  be  in  the  hands  of  every  chriftian. 
 
 [f)  The  title  runs  thus  :  "  A  ColletS^ion  of  Hymns 
 *'  and  Pfalms  for  public  worfhip  ;  firtl  publifhed  for  the 
 *'  ufe  of  Unitarians  in  England,  and  now  reprinted,  with 
 *'  a  Supplement,  fpr  the  Ufe  of  the  Unitarian  Society, 
 **  Montrofe,     The  hour  ccmeth,  and  now  is,  when  the  true 
 
 *'  worjhipers 
 
4C 
 
 €€ 
 
 €< 
 
 [     556     ] 
 
 page  expreffes  it)  for  the  ufe  of  Unitarians 
 in  England  ;  and  in  particular,  for  the 
 *'  accommodation  of  the  Unitarian  congre- 
 *^  gation,  at  Effex-ftreet  chapel,  in-  the 
 *^  Strand,  London  -,  over  which  Mr.  Lind- 
 ky^  late  Vicar  of  Catterick  in  York- 
 fhire,  prefides.  His  refignation  of  his 
 church-preferment  was  followed  by 
 that  of  the  learned  Mr.  Jebb  of  Cam- 
 bridge; and  by  that  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
 Evanfon  of  Tewkelbury,  another  fuiferer 
 for  the  fake  of  confcience,  although  his 
 cafe  is  not  fo  generally  known  with  us  as 
 **  that  of  his  two  brethren.  Thus  within 
 **  this  laft  half  fcore  of  years,  we  have  feen, 
 even  in  thefe  times  of  diffipation  and  dege- 
 neracy, three  ^  clergymen  of  learning, 
 knowlege,  and  virtue,  relign  their  prefer- 
 ments, and  caft  themfelves  upon  the  provi- 
 "  dence  of  God,  rather  than  continue  to 
 
 **  officiate 
 
 "  zvorjh'ipers  Jhall  worjhip  the  Father  in/pint  and  t7t  truth: 
 *'  for  the  Father  feekeih  fiich  to  worjhip  him. — Jesus." 
 Dund.:e  :  Printed  for  the  Proprietors.     1783. 
 
 *  "  Mr.  Evanfon  underwent  a  profecution  for  making 
 **  alterations  in  the  liturgy.  In  this  refpe6t  his  cafe  was 
 "  different  from  that  of  his  two  reverend  brethren." 
 
^  [    557    1 
 
 **  officiate  in  a  church  where  unfcriptural 
 **  articles  of  faith  were  impofed,  .and  unfcrip- 
 *^  tural  forms  of  worfliip  made  ufe  of. 
 
 "  From  m.otives  of  a  like  kind  with  thofe 
 ''  that  afiuated  the  refpedable  and  worthy 
 ''  gentlemen  before  mentioned,    feveral  of 
 **  the  members  that  now  compofe  the  Uni- 
 "  tarian  fociety  of  Montrofe,  found  them- 
 *'  felves  under  a  necefiity  of  departing  from 
 ''  the  different  fefts  and  parties  they  for- 
 ''  merly   belonged   to.      Fully   convinced, 
 *'  that   the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
 ''  Jefus  Chrift,  is  alone  the  only  living  and 
 *'  true  God,  they  deemed  it  highly  incon- 
 *^  gruous  to  remain  any  longer  in  thofe  reli- 
 *^  gious  focieties,  where,  beiides   this   God 
 "  and  Father,  two  other  perfons,  or  Intel- 
 **  lip-ent  agents,  were  acknowleged  as   the 
 **  fupreme  God,  and  equal  with  the  Father 
 in  every  refpedl. 
 
 For  fome  time  they  were  deprived  of 
 **  the  benefit  of  public  woriliip  ;  until,  at 
 **  laft,  becoming  acquainted  with  one  ano- 
 *'  ther's  fituation  and  fentiments,  they  judg- 
 **  ed  it  expedient  to  affemble  together  for 
 **  the  performance  of  this  neceffary  duty. — 
 
 3 
 
 "  This 
 
[     55^    3 
 
 **  This  fhort  preface  does  not  afFord  room^ 
 **  either  to  enter  into  a  defence  of  their  own 
 **  opinions,  or  a  confutation  of  thofe  of 
 **  their  opponents  :  This  was  done  at  con- 
 **  fiderable  length  in  a  feries  of  difcourfes, 
 that  were  delivered  when  the  fociety  was 
 made  public, 
 
 "  To  Mr.  Lindfey*s  colledion,  it  has 
 been  thought  proper  to  add  a  fupplement, 
 copied  from  Dr.  Watts's  Pfalms  and 
 *^  Hymns,  with  fome  fmall  variations  and 
 tranfpolitions.  From  the  compofitions 
 of  this  pious  writer,  the  greateft  part  of 
 Mr.  LIndfey's  collecflion  is  alfo  taken. 
 "  At  the  time  Dr.  Watts  wrote  thefe  devo- 
 *^  tional  pieces,  he  was  a  rigid  Trinitarian ; 
 **  and,  of  confequence,  fome  of  his  pfalms, 
 *'  and  a  great  many  of  his  hymns,  are  fo 
 ^^  ftrongly  marked  with  the  peculiarities  of 
 *^  that  fyftem,  that  they  are  altogether  unfit 
 '*  to  be  ufed  in  an  Unitarian  congregation. 
 *'  Before  his  death,  however,  the  Doftor 
 "  faw  reafon  to  moderate  his  fentiments ; 
 *'  and  in  fome  of  his  laft  publications,  ex- 
 **  preffed  himfelf  in  fuch  a  doubtful,  hefi- 
 **  tating  manner  J  and  found  himfelf  oblig- 
 
 **  ed. 
 
(C 
 (C 
 
 [     SS9     I 
 
 ^^  ed,  from  his  natural  candour,  to  make 
 fuch  conceffions  to  the  Unitarians,  and  to 
 approach  fo  near  their  fyfterri,  that  he  loft 
 his  credit  confiderably  with  fome  of  the 
 friends  of  pretended  orthodoxy." 
 In  a  letter  from  Montrofe,  dated  March 
 13,  1783,  are  the  following  particulars  re- 
 lating to  this  Society. 
 
 *'  Our  Society  has  now  been  of  about 
 eighteen  months  ftanding.  For  feveral 
 months  after  its  commencement,  we  kept 
 our  meetings  in  a  great  meafure  private ; 
 admitting  few  fpectators.  But  about  the 
 middle  of  the  laft  fummer,  it  was  made 
 acceffible  to  all  without  exception.  We 
 adminifter  the  Lord's  fupper  the  firfl 
 Lord's  day  of  every  month,  in  a  plain  and 
 fimple  form.  As  there  are  feveral  Anti- 
 psedobaptifts  amongft  us,  every  member 
 of  our  Society  has  it  in  his  option,  to 
 baptize  his  children  when  young,  or  to 
 defer  that  ceremony  till  they  arrive  at 
 years  of  difcretion.  V/e  admit  alike  Ari- 
 *^  ans  and  Socinians,  leaving  every  one  to 
 **  judge  and  determine  for  himfelf  as  to  the 
 **  preexiflence,   &c.    but  we  are  all   fixed 
 
 *'  and 
 
 <c 
 
 iC 
 
 (C 
 
 (( 
 <c 
 
It 
 tc 
 tc 
 
 I  560  ] 
 
 and  determined  concerning  the  Divine 
 Unity,  and  the  fupreme  Godhead,  and 
 unequalled  dignity  of  the  Father/* 
 
 IT  would  be  an  injury  to  the  church  of 
 Scotland,  not  to  mention  here  the  liberal  fpi- 
 rit  that  appeared  among  them  a  few  years  ago; 
 when  a  moft  worthy,  able,  and  learned  perfon, 
 aggrieved  by  the  ftipulations  he  had  entered 
 into  on  being  admitted  to  the  Miniftry,  after 
 his  cafe  and  complaint  had  undergone  fome 
 difcuffion  in  the  FreihyterY  of  Stra?2raer,  and 
 Synod  of  Galloway,  was  at  laft  admitted  to 
 make  the  following  declaration,  to  relieve 
 his  mind;  which  nowftands  upon  record  in 
 the  books  of  the  Preibytery  at  Stranraer. 
 
 *^  /,  Andrew  Rofs,  Minijier  of  the  Gof- 
 pel  in  the  parijh  ^Inch,  {for  the  exoneration 
 of  7ny  confciencey  more  particularly  with  re- 
 fpeB  to  the  terms  of  Minijierial  communion 
 injoined  by  this  Church)  hereby  declare.  That 
 I  firmly  adhere  to  the  fundamental  principles 
 of  the  Protejiant  Religion,  na-mely  that  the 
 holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Tejla^ 
 ment  are  the  only  Rule  of  faith  and  practice  \ 
 that  the  exercife  of  private  judgment  is  the 
 
 undoubted 
 
■  I"  561  ] 
 
 undoubted  right  and  duty  of  every  chrijliany 
 and  of  every  chriftian  Minijier,  and  that  it 
 is  the  beji  means  of  dif covering  the  true  fenfe 
 of  Scripture  ;  that  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  is 
 appointed  the  fole  head  and  lawgiver  of  his 
 churchy  and  the  only  Mafter  in  religion. 
 And  I  alfo  declare,  that  I  rejeB  all  doBrines 
 and  praBiceSy  that  are  inconfftent  with  thefe 
 principles,  as  witnefs  my  hand  this  third  day 
 ^January,  1776." 
 
 Andrew  Rofs. 
 
 It  is  alfo  to  be  mentioned,  to  the  honour 
 of  the  parifhioners  of  Inch,  that  they  una- 
 nimoufly  prefented  a  Petition,  dated  April 
 24,  1775,  to  the  Prefbytery  of  Stranraer,, 
 praying  that  their  Minifter  ?night  he  allowed 
 to  continue  among  them  upoji  his  own  terfns, 
 and  atteiling  his  excellent,  unfpotted  cha- 
 racter, and  faithful,  laborious  difcharge  of 
 his  duty  among  them. 
 
 Their  Petition  ftands  thus  in  the  Minutes 
 of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Prefbytery. 
 
 **  The  Parifhioners  of  Inch  gave  in  a  Pe- 
 tition  to   the    Prefbytery,    exprefling    their 
 high  regard  for  Mr.   Rofs,   their  Minifler,    . 
 the  tenor  whereof  follows.'' 
 
 O  o  Inch, 
 
€C 
 
 €< 
 
 <C 
 €C 
 
 t( 
 
 [  562  ]  ^ 
 
 Inch,  24  April,  1775, 
 **  To  the  Rev.  the  Moderator,  and  re- 
 manent members  of  the  prefbytery  of 
 *'  Stranraer,  the  Petition  of  the  under  fub- 
 fcribers,  being  all  indwellers,  elders,  and 
 other  parifhioners  in  the  parifh  of  Inch, 
 in  behalf  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Andrew  Rofs, 
 Miniiler  of  the  faid  parifh,  humbly  fhew- 
 eth. 
 
 That  Mr,  Andrew  Rofs^  their  prefent 
 Minijier^  has  been  Redior  of  this  farijh 
 **  for  thefe  twelve  years,  during  all  which 
 *^  time  he  has  done  his  duty  a?nong  them  like 
 **  a  faithful  fervant  of  fefus  Chrijiy  ever 
 **  labouring  for  their  welfare ,  and  endearing 
 *^  himfelf  to  his  flock  by  his  attentive  and 
 ^^  friendly  behaviour 'y  That  they  know  him 
 **  to  be  a  confcientious  and  upright  man,  wor- 
 **  thy  of  the  character  he  bears y  and  emi- 
 **  nently  ifefulin  the  country  where  he  refides-y 
 '*  That  it  is  with  the  great  eft  concern  they 
 *  *  fee  differences  arifiiig  between  him  and  his 
 brethren  about  points  which  they  humbly 
 think  need  not  be  fo  exaBly  infifted  upon  as 
 they  are ;  That  as  nothing,  but  confcience, 
 they  very  well  know,  has  induced  their 
 minifter  to  7?20ve  in  thefe  points,  they  think 
 
 ''  it 
 
 it 
 
 i€ 
 
 it 
 
[     5^3     ] 
 
 //  their  duty  alfoy  to  give  their  tejlimony  to 
 the  fame  caiife^  and  to  declare  their  joint 
 opinion  of  the  fubjeSi  now  in  debate,  fo  far 
 as  their  lights  ferve  them ;  They  fcruple 
 noty  nay  they  glory  to  declare,  that  it  is 
 their  firm  belief,  that  the  Scriptures  of 
 God  are  a  fufiicient  ftandard  to  men  both  of 
 faith  and  practice  ;  they  are  fufiicient  for 
 falvation  in  the  fight  of  God,  and  much 
 more  fhould  they  be  deemed  fufiicient  for 
 chrifiian  communion  in  the  fight  of  men. 
 It  is  their  opinion  that  no  church  upon 
 earth  has  a  right  to  put  any  thing  in  place 
 of  the  Scriptures,  or  to  require  afubfcrip^ 
 t  ion  from  their  minifiers  to  any  thing  but 
 the  Scriptures :  'They  think  that  every 
 church  fidould  leave  its  members  free  to 
 fearch  the  Scriptures,  and  not  to  bind  them 
 down  for  ever  to  one  fenfe  of  them.  In  all 
 thefe  points  they  agree  mofi  cordially  with 
 their  minifier,  and  will  be  happy,  extremely 
 happy  to  live  with  him  upon  thefe  terms ^\ 
 
 FINIS, 
 
N       D       E       X. 
 
 A. 
 
 ACONTIUS,  James,  an  Italian  Unitarian.     His  fen- 
 timents   of  forced  abjurations,   page  73 — 77.     His 
 treatife,  Stratagemaia  Satana^    printed    at    Oxford, 
 1631,  78.      Some  account  of  him,    79 — 83.     His 
 amiable  and  chriftian  fpirit  fbewn  in  an  extract  from 
 his  book,  100 — 103. 
 Jnabapttjis^  in  the  Low  Countries,  at  firft  moftly  Unita- 
 rians, their  rife,  perfecution,  flight  into  Poland  on  ac- 
 count of  their  religion,   12 — 14.      An  extra6l  from 
 their  Catechifm,  printed  1574,  refpe^ling  Jefus  Chrift 
 and  the  Holy  Spirit,  15 — 17.      A  very  different  fort  of 
 men  from  thofe  of  the  fame  name  in  1533,  ^^  Ger- 
 many, and  Holland,  17,'  18.     Very  curious  dialogue  of 
 an  Anabaptift  with  a  Francifcan  Frier,  21 — 24. 
 Jpology  on  refigning  Catterick,  why  fo  intitled,  212,  213- 
 
 note, 
 Ajhetcn^  John,  maintained  the  proper  Unity  of  God,  but 
 
 .  was  made  to  abjure  before  Archbp.  Cranmer,  65,  66. 
 Athanaftan  Greedy  its  contradidlion  to  the  Scriptures,  and 
 the  occafion  of  much  perfecution,  8 — 12. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bampton^s  Le£lures  at  Oxford,  the  objedt  of  their  Foun- 
 dation^  29* 
 
 Bandinel^ 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Mandinel^  Dr.  his  very  early  appropriation  of  the  title  of 
 Mediator  to  Chrift,  and  remarks  thereon,  3685  369. 
 note. 
 
 Beza^  Theodore,  his  invectives  againft  Francis  Davides, 
 and  his  contemporary  Unitarians,  166 — 174.  His 
 charge  of  inconfiftency  againft  the  Socinians  for  paying 
 divine  vi^orftiip  to  Chrift,  257 — 260.  His  Treatife  on 
 the  right  of  the  civil  Magijlrate  to  punijh  Heretics^  and 
 his  unfeeling  infult  over  Servetus,  295 — 300. 
 
 Biddle^  Mr.  John,  Archbp.  Ufher's  behaviour  to  him  at 
 Gloucefter  in  1646,  125,  126.  Further  account  of 
 him,  his  death  in  prifon,  1662,  his  confutation  of  the 
 
 -    two  fuppofed  natures  of  Chrift,  301,  T. — 292. 
 
 BlandratGy  George,  an  eminent  Phyfician  of  Piedmont, 
 and  a  diftinguiflied  Unitarian,  but  v/ho  admitted  wor- 
 fliip  to  Jefus  Chrift, — fome  account  of  him,  155 — 161. 
 
 Bocher^  Joan,  commonly  called  Joan  of  Kent,  her  opi- 
 nions concerning  Chrift,  and  her  execution,  85 — 88. 
 
 Bowyer^  Mr.  animadverfion  on  a  note  of  his  on  John  I. 
 I.  43 — 46.  His  blameable  inaccuracy  with  refpe6t  to 
 his  citations  from  Dr.  Whitby  on  Rom. IX.  5.  55 — 57. 
 
 C, 
 
 Catechijiy  the  defign  of  that  work,  and  why  fo  intitled, 
 
 Pref.  iii — v. 
 Chambers^  Dr.  fome  account  of  him,  of  his  diftatisfadlion 
 
 with  the  Trinitarian  forms  of  public  worfliip  in  the 
 
 church  of  England,  and  of  his  making  fome  very  con- 
 
 fiderable  alterations  therein,  486 — 492. 
 Chapel  in  Eftex-ftreet,  London,  fome  account  of  the  firft 
 
 rife  of  the  church  of  Unitarian  chriftians  aflembling 
 
 there,  473—476. 
 
 O  o  3  Chri/l^ 
 
<s^ 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 ^— w 
 
 ChrtJ}^  his  fuppofed  two  natures  briefly  confidered,  57- 
 64.  Infifted  on  by  Bp.  Newton,  218.  A  vindicatior| 
 and  proof  of  his  proper  humanity,  354. — 362.  Dr, 
 Clarke's  opinion  of  the  mediatorial  worftiip  due  to  him, 
 362 — 366.  Remarks  thereon,  366 — 378.  The  me- 
 diatorial worfhip  of  Chrift  further  maintained  by  the 
 Jate  Author  of  a  fiwrt  View  of  the  Tenets  of  Trkhei/isy 
 and  obfervations  thereon,  378 — 395.  Mr.  Abraham 
 Tucker's  fentiments  on  Redemption  by  Chrift,  423 — 
 426.  Alfo  on  his  Mediation,  Interceflion,  426 — 428. 
 Pn  his  Blood,  Sacrifice,  Merits,  428 — 433. 
 
 Chrtjiie  Mr.  William,  of  Montrofe,  principally  con- 
 cerned in  eftablifhing  the  Society  of  Unitarian  chrif- 
 tians  there,  553 — 556. 
 
 Clagget,  Dr.  maintains  prayer  in  its  very  nature,  to  be 
 inapplicable  to  any  but  the  Infinite,  Almighty  Being, 
 
 255—257- 
 Clarke^  Dr.  Samuel,  his  corre<3:ed  Common  Prayer  Book, 
 
 Archbp.  Herring's  opinion  thereof,  and  the  ufe  made 
 of  it  at  the  Chapel  hi  Eflex-ftreet,  235 — 237.  The 
 final  determination  of  his  refearches  refpe6ling  the  one 
 true  God,  315 — 317.  The  too  great  influence  of  his 
 authority,  336,  337.  His  ftrong  attachment  to  the 
 preexiftence  of  Chrift  moft  probably  grounded  on  his 
 interpretation  of  the  preface  of  St.  John's  gofpel,  338—- 
 341.  Objections  to  fuch  interpretation,  341 — 345, 
 Dr.  Clarke's  reafons  for  underftanding  the  word  Logos 
 to  mean  Chrift,  ftated  and  examined,  345 — 353.  A 
 vindication  of  the  proper  humanity  of  Chrift,  Dr. 
 Clarke's  prejudices  againft  that  doftrine  and  the  main- 
 tainers  of  it,  accounted  for,  358 — 362.  His  fentiments 
 on  mediatorial  worftiip  of  Chrift  cited  from  Mr.  Em- 
 Jyn's  works  and  his  own  fermons,  362 — 366.  Re- 
 packs on  his  arguments,  366 — 378.     The  idle  ftory 
 
 3  ^^ 
 
INDEX. 
 
 ©f  Dr.  Clarke's  repentance  for  having  publlfhed   his 
 work  on  the  Trinity,  refuted,  pref.  xii — xx. 
 Cranmer,  Archbp.  the  recantation  of  Afheton  taken  be- 
 fore him,  65 — 69.     The  circumftances  of  his  own  cafe 
 and  fufferings,  72,  73. 
 
 D. 
 
 Davides,  Francis,  an  Hungarian  Minifter,  maintained  the 
 divine  Unity,  and  openly  rejeded  the  worflaip  of  Jefus 
 Chrift,  the  occafion  of  his  controverfy  with  Socinus  on 
 that  fubjea,  1 54-— 164.  His  death  in  prifon,  reflec- 
 tions upon,  164,  165. 
 
 Demons,  and  demoniacal  pofleflions  in  N.  T .  for  the 
 
 true  interpretation  of  them  we  are  much  indebted  to 
 Mr.  Mede,  33.  note. 
 Difney,  Dr.  of  his  refignation  of  his  preferment  in  the 
 church  of  England,  on  account  of  the  Trinitarian  forms 
 of  public  worfhip,  ftated  in  an  extract  from  his  Reafons 
 for  reftgning,  &c.  542—551. 
 DiJ/enters,  Proteftant,  vindication  of  the  principle  of  their 
 Nonconformity ;    entertained  no  fcruples   concerning 
 Trinitarian  worfhip,  446—452.       The  necelTity  for 
 thofe  amono-  them,  who  are  Unitarians,  to  inftruit  their 
 offspring  in  the  knowlege  and  worfhip  of  the  only  true 
 God    the  Father,  and  to  fet  them  an  example  of  wor- 
 Ihiping  him  only  and  no  other  perfon,  both  in  public 
 and  private,  453—466. 
 DivlneUnity^  dodtrine  of  the,  its  importance,  i — 7.    Em- 
 braced by  many  at  the  Reformation,  12 — 65.     Spread 
 very  much  in  England  about  the  year  1550,  84.     The 
 o-reat  filence  concerning  it  during  the  reigns  of  Eliza- 
 
 to  ^ 
 
 beth,  and  James  I.  accounted  for,  272 — 300,      The 
 duty  of  Unitarian  parents  in  this  refpecl,  455,  &c. 
 
 O  o  4  Doddridge, 
 
J    N    D    E    X. 
 
 Doddridge^  Dr.  Remarks  on  fome  interpretations  of  Scrip- 
 ture in  his  Family  Expofitor^  32 — 46.  Brief  confidera- 
 tions  of  his  proofs  of  the  two  fuppofed  natures  in  Chrift, 
 57 — 64.  A  paflage  in  his  Life  of  Col.  Gardiner  refledl- 
 ing  on  Unitarians,  cited  and  remarked  on,  246 — 251. 
 
 E. 
 
 Emlyuy  Mr.  Thomas,  his  couragious  fufFerings  for  "  the 
 peerlefs  majefty  of  the  heavenly  Father,  the  God  of  all 
 G^^j,"  of  eminent  fervice ;  Bp.  Hoadly's  remarks  there- 
 on, and  an  extra6l  from  Mr.  Emlyn's  Narrative^  325 
 
 —332. 
 
 Erafmus^  his  interpretations  of  the  facred  text  contributed 
 
 much  to  promote  the  dodrine  of  the  divine  Unity,  ig 
 — 27.  An  ingenuous  and  impartial  commentator,  32. 
 Evanforiy  Mr.  the  long  profecution  undergone  by  him  for 
 making  fome  alterations  in  the  public  Service  of  the 
 church,  and  favouring  the  do£irine  of  the  divine  Unity; 
 the  honourable  fupport  he  received  therein  from  his  Pa- 
 rifhioners,  extra6ls  from  his  letter  to  the  Bp.  of  Litch- 
 field and  Coventry,  Dr.  Hurd ;  his  anfwer  to  the  ob- 
 jection againft  him  for  having  compared  Chrift  to 
 Mofes ;  has   unitarian  Service  in  his  ov/n  houfe,  498 
 
 F. 
 
 Firming  Mr.  Thomas,  a  profefled  Unitarian,  but  con- 
 tinued to  frequent  the  worfhip  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land, 293 — 297.  His  vindication  of  the  pra61:ice,  and 
 obfervations  upon  it,  297^300.  The  fame  refumed. 
 Infcription  to  his  memory,  319 — 324. 
 
 G. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gruier^  Hiftory-Profeffor  of  Wirtemburgh,  an  eminent 
 fcholar  and  proteftantj  fome  account  of  him,  and  of 
 his  refufnig  to  fubfcribe  the  Lutheran  Confeflion  of 
 Faith,  5tc.  443 — ^445. 
 
 H. 
 
 Halls^  Mr.  feparates  from  the  Church  of  England,  on  ac- 
 count of  its  Trinitarian  forms  of  worfhip,  536. 
 
 fiarries^  Mr.  a  brief  narrative  of  fome  circumftances  pre- 
 vious to  his  refignation  of  his  preferment  in  the  church 
 of  England ; — his  correfpondence  with  the  Bifhop  of 
 Hereford,  and  his  final  feparation  from  the  church 
 eftabliflied,  on  account  of  the  Trinitarian  forms  of 
 public  worfhip ;  has  public  unitarian  worfhip  in  his 
 own  houfe  at  Hanwood,  525 — 542. 
 
 Herrings  Archbp.  his  letter  to  Dr.  JortinonDr.  Clarke's 
 corrections  of  the  common  Prayer  Book,  236. 
 
 Hoadly^  Bp.  an  unitarian  chriftian,  his  printed  forms  of 
 prayer  correfponding  with  that  idea,  but  continued  his 
 conformity  to  the  church  of  England;  Obfervations 
 thereon,  395- — 401. 
 
 I 
 
 /id^/tf/rjj-r-Socinus's  appropriation  of  it  to  the  Paplfls, 
 confidered,  and  remarks  thereon,  264 — 269. 
 
 yebh^  Dr.  John,  refigns  his  preferments  in  the  church  of 
 England  on  account  of  the  Trinitarian  forms  of  pub- 
 lic Worfhip  ; — Extract  from  his  Short  State  of  the  Rea- 
 Jons  for  a  late  Refignation^  and  his  letter  to  the  late  Bp, 
 of  Norwich  annexed  thereto,  478 — 486. 
 
 yewsy  their  objeftion  to  chriftians  on  account  of  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  Trinity,  3.  and  the  argument  of  Orobio  to 
 that  efFedt  cited,  ib. 
 
 Impoftions 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Impofttions  unfcriptural^  declaration  of  the  diflenting  Minif- 
 ters  in  London  againft  them  in  171 9,  and  obfervations 
 thereon,  453. 
 
 Inquifit'ion  in  Spain,  the  caufe  of  the  filence  concerning 
 the  Divine  Unity  in  that  country,  270 — 272. 
 
 L 
 
 Lawy  William,  extract  from  his  Serious  Call  to  a  devout 
 
 and  holy  Life^  cited,  456.  note — 460. 
 Legatty  Bartholomew,   burnt  in  Weft-Smithfield   16113 
 
 291. 
 
 M 
 
 Mahometans^  their  objection  to  chriftianity  on  account 
 
 of  the  do6trine  of  the  Trinity,  4.    A  curious  argument 
 
 from  the  Koran  to  that  efFecSl:,  cited,  ib. 
 Markland^  Mr.  his  notes  on  A6ls  vii.  59.  and  John  vl,  7. 
 
 in  Bowyer's  Conje5iures^  &c.  confidered,  49 — k^^, 
 Maty^  Mr.  account  of  him  and  of  his  feparation  from  the 
 
 eftablifhed  Church, — his  Reafons  at  large,  for  fo  doing, 
 
 515— 525- 
 Milton^ — millake  of  the  Author  concerning  him,   xxi. 
 
 xxii. 
 
 Montrofe  in  Scotland,  an  unitarian  Society  of  chriftians 
 lately  eftablifhed  there, — fome  account  of  them,  551 — 
 560. 
 
 N 
 
 iV^-r^/tfiw^,  Bp.  of  Waterford,  cited,  i. 
 
 Newton^  Sir  Ifaac,  an  unitarian  chriftian,  but  continued 
 his  conformity  to  the  worfhip  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
 land i  and  obfervations  upon  it,  401 — 404. 
 
 Newtouy 
 
INDEX. 
 
 J^etvton^  Bp.  his  fifth   Charge  to  his  Clergj^,  intltled,  J 
 Dijfuafive  againji   Schifm^ — Remarks  upon   it,  211 — 
 
 o. 
 
 Qwen^  Dr.  Henry,  his  note  on  Matthew  xx.  23.  in  Boiv^ 
 yer's  ConjeSiures^  &c.  confidered,  46 — 49. 
 
 P. 
 
 Pakologus^  a  Greek  chriftian  of  the  Ifle  of  Chio, — a  ftrI(Sl 
 Unitarian,  died  in  prifon  1585, — Socinus's  harfh  be- 
 haviour to  him,  and  towards  his  memory,  with  re- 
 marks,  195 — 210. 
 
 Philpot^  Archdeacon,  a  proteftant  Divine  and  Martyr,—* 
 his  approbation  of  the  fentence  againft  Joan  of  Kent, 
 and  the  inconfiftency  of  it,  when  appHed  to  his  own 
 cafe,  89 — Q2. — his  behaviour  towards  fome  Unitarians 
 who  were  imprifoned  with  him,  with  obfervations  upon 
 it,  93 — 95.  Extracts  from  his  Jpology  for  /pitting  upon 
 an  Arian^  with  remarks  upon  it,  and  alfo  upon  his  in- 
 terpretation of  fbme  paflages  of  the  Scriptures,  96 — 141, 
 General  refle6lions  on  his  Apology,  141 — 151. 
 
 Pliny  the  younger,  the  firft  author,  upon  record,  of  forced 
 Abjurations  of  religion,  69 — 72. 
 
 Queries  relating  to  the  Booh  of  common  Prayer ;  a  valuable 
 Tract,  and  by  a  refpe6lable  Perfon.  Extrads  from  it, 
 435— 441- 
 
 R. 
 
 Rohertfon^  Dr.  of  Wolverhampton,  refigns  his  preferments 
 on  account  of  the  Trinitarian  forms  of  public  worihip, 
 477  and  478.     His  death,  Pref.  xxiv. 
 
 Rofi, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 is!#/},  Rev.  Andrew,  of  Inch  in  Scotland, — his  noble  ftand 
 for  chriftian  liberty, — the  relief  obtained  by  him  from 
 the  Prefbytery  of  Stranraer — Petition  of  his  parifliioners, 
 with  an  extradl  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Prefbytery, 
 560—563. 
 
 '  Ruarus^  a  learned  German  unitarian,  of  the  laft  century, 
 too  familiarly  fliles  Jefus  Chrift,  God^  390  and  391. — 
 reje6i:s  the  offer  of  a  Profellbriliip  at  Cambridge  from 
 his  love  of  religious  liberty,  392.  note. 
 
 s. 
 
 Scriptures^  the  tranflation  of  them  into  the  mother  tongue 
 at  the  Reformation,  favourable  to  the  fpreading  of  the 
 doctrine  of  the  divine  Unity,  19. 
 
 Servetus^  his  cool,  undaunted  fortitude  at  the  flake,  298, 
 
 299. 
 
 B&^inus^  Fauflus, — a  flate  of  the  controverfy  betvi^een 
 him  and  Francis  Davides,  174 — 177. — his  fkili  and  dex- 
 terity in  the  management  of  it — remarks,  177 — 193. 
 his  harfh  behaviour  to  Paleologus ;  Remarks,  195 — 210. 
 his  rigour  in  infifling  on  the  v^orfhip  of  Chrift  fhevvn 
 in  his  letter  to  the  Synod  of  Wsegrow,  237 — 242.  Re- 
 marks on  this  letter,  242 — 245. — The  confequences, 
 to  the  prejudice  of  the  do6lrine  of  the  Divine  Unity, 
 which  enfued  from  Socinus's  worfhipping  Chrifl,  251 — 
 264.  PIls  fevere  opinion  relative  to  the  falvation  of 
 Papifls,  264 — 269.  His  too  great  readinefs  in  giving 
 the  title  of  true  God  to  Jefus  Chrift,  and  fophiflical 
 defence  of  it,  388 — 393. 
 
 Statute  of  8  and  9  of  W.  3.  c.  32.  cited  and  remarked 
 on,  302—319. 
 
 T. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 T 
 
 Tillotfiny  ATchbp.  his  argument  againft  Socinus  and  his 
 followers,  for  giving  divine  worfhip  to^  Jefiis  Chrift — 
 Refle6ltons  upon  it,  260 — 264. 
 
 Titles,  pompous  objeiSlions  againft  the  ufe  of  them  in 
 prayers  to  God,  urged  by  Mr.  Tucker,  and  the  Author 
 of  ^eries  relating  to  ibe  Book  of  Co?nmon  Prayer^  4.34 
 and  435. 
 
 Toulmin,  Mr.  his  letter  to  Mr.  Sturges,  cited,  p,  464. 
 note. — -his  free  and  ferious  Addrefs  to  the  chriftianlaity^ 
 efpecially  fuch  as  embracing  wntarian  fentiments  con- 
 form to  Trinitarian  worfhip,  400.— -Charadler  of  his 
 life  of  Socinus,  Pref.  ix. 
 
 Trinity^  fupported  by  incapacities  and  penalties  on  all  op- 
 pugners, — by  an  Ordinance  of  Parliament  of  1648,  and 
 by  A&.  of  Parliament  1698,  304 — 306.  and  Note. 
 
 Tucker  J  Abraham,  Efq,  (Author  of  the  Light  of  Nature 
 purfued)  an  unitarian  chriftian ; — fome  account  of  him | 
 — his  method  of  giving  the  trinitarian  Forms  in  the 
 Service  of  the  church  of  England,  an  unitarian  turn  and 
 conftrudlon,  confidered,  404 — ^420. — Some  examples 
 of  this  author's  way  of  fpeaking  of  Chrift,  and  of  ex- 
 plaining the  Scriptures,  exadly  in  the  manner  of  the 
 Unitarians,  420 — 435. 
 
 Tyryhwlt,  Mr.  of  Jefus  college,  Cambridge.  Account 
 of  his  attempt  for  the  removal  of  Subfcriptions  at  Cam- 
 bridge ; — his  Qiieftions  in  the  Divinity  Schools  there, 
 and  his  refignation  of  his  Fellowfliip,  from  objections  to 
 the  trinitarian  forms  of  public  worfhip  in  the  church  of 
 England,  492 — 497.  ~  . 
 
 W. 
 
 Warton,  Dr.  Jos.  confutation  of  the  idle  ftorv  of  Dr. 
 Clarke's  fuppofed  Retractation,  in  his  "  EfTay  on  the 
 genius  and  writings  of  Pope,"  Pref.  xii — ^xx. 
 
 Waffs, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Wajfe^  Mr.  made  confiderable  alterations  In  the  publld 
 Service  of  the  ciiurch  of  England,  in  the  courfe  of  his 
 officiating  therein,  487,  488. 
 
 Whijion^  Mr.  deprived  of  his  Profeflbrfliip,  and  expelled 
 the  Univerfity  of  Cambridge,  for  his  unitarian  princi- 
 ples, 332 — 334'  Admits  objedions  to  the  Trinitarian 
 forms  of  v/orfhip  in  the  Church  of  England,  to  be  a 
 juft  caufe  of  feparation  from  it,  465,  466.  His  ac- 
 count of  his  method  of  quieting  his  own  mind  whilft 
 he  frequented  it,  466 — 473. 
 
 Wightman^  John,  burnt  at  Litchfield,  161 1,  for  main- 
 taining the  Divine  Unity;  his  opinions,  290 — 292. 
 Candid  obfervations  on  his  and  Legatt's  fufFerings,  by 
 Limborch,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Locke,  292 — 294. 
 
 William  IIL  openly  difowned  all  perfecution  for  reli- 
 gion, 302,  303,  note.  The  Stat,  of  8  and  9,  W.  IIL 
 c,  32.  and  remarks  thereon,  304 — 319, 
 
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