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 THE 
 
 APOLOGY 
 
 O F 
 
 THEOPHILUS LINDSEY, M. A, 
 
 ON RESIGNING THE 
 
 VICARAGE OF CATTERICK, YORKSHIRE. 
 
 The Second Edition. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, in St, Paul's 
 Church Yard. 1774. 
 
THE 
 
 P R E F A C E: 
 
 ^ I ^00 large a circuit may feemto 
 -*• have been taken in this work, 
 and fome things introduced appear 
 foreign and unfuitable, if it be not 
 confidered, that the defign hath not 
 been barely to offer a vindication of 
 the motives, condud, and fentiments 
 of a private perfon upon the fubjed 
 of it, however important to him. 
 
 A 2 The 
 
IV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The aim has been higher, whe- 
 ther attained or no: to promote 
 that charity^ without which a faith 
 that can remove mountains (i Cor. 
 xiii 2.) is nothing ; and to excite 
 fome to piety, virtue, and integrity : 
 in which it will be accounted far 
 happier to have fucceeded, than ia 
 making the largeft number of pro- 
 felytes to any opinions. 
 
 A fentiment not unlike to this, 
 has often been read with pleafure, in 
 that fine writer, teacher and exam- 
 ple of virtue and true religion, Lac- 
 tantius ; a confefTor for the truth in 
 the worft (the Diocletian) times, and 
 
 unchanged. 
 
PREFACE- V 
 
 unchanged, humble, and moderate 
 in the moft ilourifhing, when made 
 tutor to Crifpus, the emperor Con- 
 ftantine's fon : He thus concludes 
 one of his firft chriftian writings. 
 
 *^ But if life be an objed of de- 
 fire to a wife man; truly I could 
 wifti to live for no other end, but 
 to do fomething worthy of life ; and 
 which may enable the Reader, not 
 to be more learned and eloquent, 
 to which I can form but little pre- 
 teniions, but to be a good man, 
 which is the chief thing, of all. 
 And this, if I can but accompUfh, 
 I (hall think I have lived long enough, 
 and fulfilled my duty as a man, if by 
 
 any 
 
VI 
 
 P R E F A C E. 
 
 any labours of mine, fome few may 
 be delivered from error, and di- 
 reded in their road to heaven."* 
 
 * Qiiod fi vita eft optanda fapienti ; profe6lo 
 nullam aliam ob caufam vivere optaverim, 
 quam ut aliquid efficiam quod vita dignum lit, 
 et quod utilitatem legentibus, etfi non ad elo- 
 queiitiam, quia tenuis in nobis facundise rivus 
 eft, ad vivendum tamen afFerat, quod eft max- 
 ime neceflarium. Quo perfedlo, fatis me vix- 
 ifTe arbitrabor, et ofEcium hominis implefle, fi 
 labor meus aliquos homines ab erroribus libera- 
 tos, ad iter coelefte direxerit. 
 
 Lactantius — de opificio Dei, p. 496, 
 
 JuJI Puhlijhed, Price Six-pence, 
 
 A Farewell Address to the Parishioners of 
 Catterick. By Theophilus Lindsey, M. A. 
 
 Printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, St. Paul's Church-yard. 
 
 CON- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. I. rif^HE Introduction, with fome ftric- 
 § tures on the origin of the do6trine 
 of the Trinity, and the oppofition it met 
 with to the time of the Reformation. p. i 
 
 The word Trinity not found in the Bible, 
 and never ufed by Chrillians till about the 
 year 200 after Chrift ■■ I2 
 
 Difbelief of the Trinity no blameable 
 
 herefy ■ ' ■ 21 
 
 Chriftians for fome ages after Chrift were 
 
 wholly Antitrinitarians 23 
 
 By what means the dodrine of the Trinity 
 prevailed ■ 24 
 
 Chap. II. Of the ftate of the Unitarian dodrine, 
 in our own country more efpecially, from 
 the aera of the Reformation, with an account 
 of thofe Chriftians who have profelTed it. 33 
 
 Conclufions to be made from the forego- 
 ing hiftory 74 
 
 Chap. III. There is but One God : religious 
 worftiip to be offered to this One God, the 
 
 Father only S2 
 
 No. plurality of perfons in God ■ 93 
 
 Texts fuppofed to favour a plurality of 
 perfons in God, or a Trinity in Unity 98 
 
 Baptifm by the apoftles in the name of 
 
 Chrift only 105 
 
 The apoftles creed cenfured by fome as an 
 
 Arian or Photinian creed ■ IC9 
 
 Religiou's worlhip to be paid to God. the 
 Father only, and not to our Lordjefus Cbrijl 1 19 
 . . . Chrift's 
 
VI 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Chrift's character of Mediator and High 
 Prieft utterly incompatible with his being the 
 object of worfliip * . p. 126 
 
 The principal texts alleged to authorize 
 prayer to our Lord Jefus Chrift — - 128 
 
 Of Chrift's high power and authority, as 
 a ground of worfliip ■ 1 36 
 
 Religious worlhip to be paid to God, the 
 Father ; and not to the Holy Ghoji — 142 
 
 Religious worfhip to be addrefled only 
 to the one true God, the Father, the 
 exprefs doctrine of our Saviour Chrift and 
 his apoftles, and the pradice of the Chriftian 
 church for the firft three centuries 147 
 
 Chap. IV. The caufes of the unhappy defection 
 among Chriftians from the fimplicity of re- 
 ligious worfliip prefcribed in the fcriptures of 
 
 the New Teftament 152 
 
 Chap. V. Union in God's true worfhip, how to 
 
 be attained — 172 
 
 A ftanding apoftolic rule for prayer 176 
 
 Dr. Clarke's amendments of the liturgy 
 recommended — — 184 
 
 What may be done by thofe who cannot 
 confcientioufly join in the eftabliflied worfliip 192 
 Chap. VI. The writer's particular cafe and dif- 
 ficulties «*. — 202 
 
 THE 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE INTRODUCTION", WITH SOME STRICTURES ON 
 THE ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE O^ THE TRINITY, 
 AND THE OPPOSITION IT MET WITH TO TH^ ; 
 TIME OF THE REFORMATIO!^. 
 
 I 
 
 T would be doing an injury to the pe-» 
 titioners to parliament for redrefs in . 
 the matter of fubfcription, with whom the 
 writer was from the firft conned:ed, to 
 clafs them as holding the fame opinions 
 with him, if there fhould be any thing.to 
 blame in the freedom with which he hath 
 delivered his fcntiments on fome favourite 
 points. The rife of his fcruples and dif- 
 ficulties was many years prior to that con^» 
 nexion, and would, he js perfuaded, ha\»T2 
 brought him to take the ftep he has been 
 conftrained to for his own quiet, without 
 it. Whilft at the' fame time he liiufl: ever , 
 think the dcfign and condud: of that afib- 
 ciation, unfuccefsful in its main point as 
 it hath hitherto been, highly ferviceable 
 to" true religion, and honourable to all 
 concerned in it ; and cannot hut refled: 
 with peculiar fatisfaftion^ that .he did- 
 not quit his miniftry in- the church efta- 
 B ^ blilhed. 
 
[ 2 ] 
 
 bliflied, till the moft reafonable attempts 
 ' for a farther reformation were rejedled ; 
 iirft, in the honourable the Commons 
 houfe of parliament refufing the petition 
 of the clergy, and the two profeffions of 
 law and phyfic ; and next, in the abrupt 
 negative put by the governors of the 
 church upon the application made to 
 them by Mr. WoUafton and his affoci- 
 ^tes, viz, that in their opinion it was * nei-» 
 ther prudent 7tor fafe to do any thing in the 
 matter by them fubnit ted to their conjidera^ 
 tion-y the very words (as communicated by 
 a friend) of the A — — p of C- y, to the 
 
 • ' * " It may therefore be dangerous to begin with 
 >•*'- making alterations and amendments in the church, , 
 *^ left thofe fcafFoldings, which are ere6ted for repairs, 
 *' fhould be made ufg of to pull down the whqk 
 «' fabric." 
 
 '' Anf. As to the Chriftian religion in general,- 
 *' we have the fure word of prophecy, that the gates of 
 *-' hell JJyall not prevail a ga'injl it. And as to particu- 
 " lar eftablifliments, I fhould apprehend, that the freer 
 " they were from errors, the more likely they would 
 *'. be to ftand. At leaji IJhould think it would be right 
 •' to run fame rifgue^ and place fome trujl in the provi- 
 '' d'ence of God, rather than let errors of any confequence 
 
 ^-^^ remain, Ek. Clayton, bifhop of Clogher, o 
 
 fAaKa^tT/if, dedication to efTay on fpirit, p. xlv. xlvi. 
 
 previous 
 
r 3 ] 
 
 previous meflage and deputation fent to 
 him from Tennifon's library. 
 
 The clergy- fociety at the Feathers was 
 made up, as the like voluntary combina- 
 tions of ferious and inquifitive perfons un- 
 known to each other ever will be made 
 up, of men differing in opinion from each 
 other in many refpedts, but united in this, 
 that fubfcription to human formularies of 
 faith was an unjuft impofition upon the 
 confciences of men, and an invafion of 
 Chrift's authority, the only lord of con- 
 fcience, and head of his church. 
 
 As a body of men, they are no more 
 chargeable with the private opinions than 
 with the private condud: of each indivi- 
 dual of their number. Some of them, 
 without anyjuft impeachment of their in- 
 tegrity, may think nothing amifs in re- 
 peating that fubfcription, of which they 
 fought the removal. Others may npt be 
 able to allow themfelves fuch a latitude. 
 And it may be painful, and even impoffi- 
 ble to fome to reconcile their minds any 
 longer to continue thofe miniflrations in 
 the church, to which their fubfcription 
 and declarations bind them, when admit- 
 .tcd to a cure of fouls. B 2 By 
 
[ 4 1 
 
 By a long train and feries of thought 
 and events, I have found myfelf unfortu- 
 nately of this latter nuaiber, and after 
 much balancing in my own mind, have 
 believed it incumbent on me to make 
 this apology for myfelf, who never thought 
 of troubling the public with any thing of 
 mine : willing, at the fame time I mud 
 own, when thus called to it, and even 
 glad, at whatever coft, to bear my feeble 
 tefcimony to the honour and true worfhip 
 of the O/zd' G^^ and Father of all, obfcured 
 or opprefled by high authority or dark fu- 
 perftition, in almoft every Chriftian coun- 
 try ; and thereby to leave, with my friends 
 at leaft, a reafoiiable juftitication of my 
 .condudt for quitting an advantageous fitu- 
 tion in the church, of feme probable ufe- 
 fulnefs to others, and cafting myfelf on 
 the providence of God. 
 
 It may be TomeTecommehdation, if not 
 of the truth of what is delivered, yet of 
 the diligence and fmcerity of the writer, 
 that they are not notions taken up of yef- 
 terday, but the refult of many years pain- 
 ful and felicitous enquiry, not without 
 frequent and earneft alpirations to the 
 i^-'. Father 
 
[ 5 } 
 
 Father of Light i for direftion and affift- 
 ance ; and to which the prejudices of edu- 
 cation and the fuggeftions of worldly eafe 
 and intereft were inoft oppofed. 
 ' .And as he hath been fearful of commit- 
 ting any miilakes himfelf, he hath been no 
 lefs defirous not to mifiead others, in what 
 he here prefumes to lay before the public. 
 Firmly perfuaded, upon fuch evidence 
 as he thinks no fair mind can refifl:, 
 that the Lord Jefus came from God, ia 
 the writing of thefe (heets he hath been 
 all along under the mofl ferious impref- 
 fions of the relation he bears, and the ob- 
 ligations he owes to this divinely com- 
 miiiioned Saviour, who loved him (Galat- 
 i i . 20.) and gave himfelf for him ; th e a p - 
 pointed judge of quick and dead, by whom 
 his future lot is to be decided, and who 
 hath given his faithful followers hope, 
 after death,, of ** beholding his ghry, and 
 being for ever ttith kiin'^ John xvii. 24. 
 
 I Theffal. \v. 17. 
 
 But 
 
 * John xvii. 24. ^* Father / will, that they alfo 
 
 whom tliou haft given me, be with me where I am." 
 
 But it ought rather to be tranflated. Father, / deftre^ 
 
 —-as the phrafe, I zuill, in our language, is ambigu- 
 
 B 3 ^ ous. 
 
[ 6 J 
 
 But he dares not advance this divine 
 Saviour to an equality ** with his God 
 and heavenly Father, who himfelf came 
 to teach men, that the Father was the 
 only true God ; and whofe higheft aim, 
 glory and felicity was, to be the beloved 
 fon and chofen mefienger of the Father, 
 and to be employed by him in teaching 
 his will to men. John xvii. 3. — '* This 
 is life eternal, that they might know thee, 
 the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom 
 
 ous, and not clearly that oi a /applicant. The French 
 tranflations have it Je defire ; Je fouhaite. 
 
 * When Dr. James^ the divinity profeflbr at Cam- 
 bridge, treated our Saviour's name with too much le- 
 vity in drolling upon Mr. Whifton's and Dr. Clarke's 
 fuppofed error about the Trinity, at the difputation of 
 the latter for his degree of doiStor in divinity j the fa- 
 mous Dr. Bentley made the following extempore tetraf- 
 tic on the profeflbr : 
 
 Tii ne mathematicum, male falfe Jacobe, laceiHs, 
 
 Hiftrio dum ringis ferium habere virum ? 
 Ludis tu Chriflum, Dominumque Deumque profefTus : 
 Ille colit Dominum^ quem negat eflfe Deum. 
 
 ENGLISHED, 
 
 And doft thou, James^ with aukward keennefs mark 
 Whijion, and fcofling fret at ferious Clarke f 
 Thou jefli'ft on Chrift, thy Lord and God fupreme ; 
 TFhifi on zdovQS him Lord-, but fears him God to name. 
 Whifton's hift. mem. of Dr. S. Clarke, p. 14, 
 
 I thou 
 
I 7 J 
 
 thou haft fent"*, or Jefus Chrift thy mef- 
 ienger, thine apoftle. And iv. 24. *« My 
 meat is to do the will of him that fent me, 
 and to finifli his work." 
 
 When the malicious Jews, perverting 
 his words, calumniated him, John v. 18. 
 ♦ for making himfelf equal with Oodi and, lii 
 like fort, x. 33, were going to ftone him 
 for blafphemyy becaufe that he, being a ma?t, 
 made hiwfelf Gody by which making himfelf 
 Gody and equal with Gody they meant no- 
 thing more than his affuming a divine 
 power and authority without any warrant 
 for it, as the context and his anfwer to 
 them plainly flieweth : his defence of him- 
 felf at both times was — not, that he was 
 indeed equal to God, or that he was God, 
 but that he had his authority from the 
 Father; v. 19, the fon ca?i do nothing of 
 himfelf y but what he feeth th^ Father do ; 
 and X. 37, If I do not the works of my 
 Father, believe me not j referring them 
 to the works he did, as a proof of the ma- 
 
 * Gr9tius's note on the text is happily expreiled, 
 *« De fe modefte in tertia perfona loquitur. Senfus eft. 
 Et ut me agnofcant ut legatun-i tuum. Hac voce of- 
 .tendit honorem fibi habitum ad patrem redire. Nam 
 regis intereft, ut legatus honoretur. 
 
 B 4 licioufnefs 
 
t 8 ] 
 
 licioufnefs of their accufation, and of his 
 power and authority from God. 
 
 If he faid, John v. 22, 23, ** The Father 
 judgeth no man ; but hath committed all 
 judgment unto the fon : That all men 
 (hould honour the fon even as they honour 
 the;Father*'* He immediately explaineth 
 what that honour is which he thus claimr 
 ,cth, y, 23, latter part: *' He that ho- 
 npureth not the fon, honpureth not th^ 
 Father, which hath fent him ;" i. e. thp 
 honour to be paid to him was not fo much 
 on his own accc-nt, as out of refpedt to 
 God, who hadjent biniy and the important 
 office which he had committed to him *. 
 
 John vi. 57. He declares that he re- 
 ceived life and being from the Father; — ^ 
 ^^ As the living Father hath fent me, 
 
 •* This is Origen's interpretation of this paflagc, and 
 the idea, he had of the ground of the honour to be paid 
 xo Chrift. For after afferting that the heathens can 
 iliew no authority {rem the God over all to vvorfhip 
 their gods, daemons, and heroes — he fays, '' If CeJ- 
 fus in his turn fhould afk us concerning Jcfus, we 
 fnall demonilrate that the honour we pay to hini Is ap' 
 pointed by God, namely, that all men iJjould honour 
 the Son as tbty honour the Father,^' 
 
 Origen contr. Cclf. 1. yiii. p. 384. 
 
 *' and 
 
cc 
 
 [ 9 ] 
 
 and I live by the Father" ^See Dr. 
 
 Clarke's paraph rafe. 
 
 vii. 16, *^ My doftrine i$ not mine, tut 
 his that fent me.'* 
 
 viii. 28, 29, **Thenfaid Jefus unto them, 
 \yhen ye have lifted up the fon of man, 
 then (hall ye know that I am he, and that 
 I do nothing of myfelf; hut as the Father 
 hath taught me, I fpeak thefe things 5 and 
 he that fent me is with me ; the Fatherly 
 hath not left me alone : for I do always 
 thofe things thatpleafe him," 
 
 See farther our Lord's declarations con* 
 cerning himfelf, recorded by this his 
 beloved difciple, John ix. 4. x. 17, iS, 
 24 — 30. xi.40 — 42. xii. 49. xiii. i6, 20. 
 xiv. i^ 16, 28, 31. XV. 8, 10. x^i. 5, 23. 
 xvii. throughout; in all which he formally 
 profeffes his inferiority and depcndance^ 
 that he received his being and all his 
 powers from God; and leads men by his 
 precepts and example, to look up to God 
 the Father, as the fole author and fource of 
 all bleflings to all, and the fole objedt of 
 fupjreme adoration from all. 
 
 Whatever 
 
[ 10 ] 
 
 Jnln'^mrd Whatever difficulties there 
 name. may be in the bible in other 
 
 refpedts, one would imagine 
 there could be no difpute concerning the 
 objed of divine worfliip, whether one 
 or many ; compounded of more perfons 
 than one, or uncompounded. The moftw 
 unlearned reader fees at once, (unlefs told 
 he mufl: not fee it,) that the God that made 
 him, and whom he is to adore, is one, 
 without multiplicity Or divifion, even as 
 he knoweth himfelf to be one being, one 
 perfon, and not many. Learned Chrifti- 
 ans have indeed coined a new language o| 
 their own quite unknown to our Lord 
 and his apoftles, and have called God ?>/- 
 mty, a "Trinity in Unity that is to be wor^ 
 Jhipped-y which is obvioufly departing from 
 the fimplicity of the gofpel, and is at beft 
 making a plain thing obfcure. For thofc 
 perfons, however, who reckoned thefe to 
 be proper expreffions of what appeared t^i\? 
 them the fcripture doftrine concerning the 
 deity, there could be nothing blameable 
 in their thus wording and explaining it for 
 themfelves. They had a right to do it, 
 which no one fhould or ought to interfere 
 with or hinder. But the unhappinefs hath 
 
 been> 
 
[ " 1 
 
 been, that fome men have not been con- 
 tented with making and adopting this 
 phrafeology concerning the deity for them- 
 felves, but have alfo obtruded it upon 
 others, by methods not always the moil 
 juftifiable, as the only right and allowable 
 way of thinking and fpeaking concerning 
 God. And this obfcure language, confe- 
 crated at firft by a few leading names, and 
 grown hoary, as it were, thro' length of 
 years, takes place of, and with many i$ 
 revered above that of holy fcripture itfelf j 
 and the dodlrine thus worded is called a 
 tremendous do5irine^ 2, /acred fnyjlery ; and, 
 for many ages, Chriftians have been for- 
 bidden to fearqh into it, or call it in que-* 
 ftion, under various pains and penalties, 
 even unto death ; and at this very day, to 
 difapprove this unfcriptural language and 
 the dodtrine conveyed by it, fhall by fomc 
 be looked upon as denying the truth of di- 
 vine revelation, as little fhort of atheifm 
 itfelf*. The 
 
 * " The Complainants, if we may judge from fome 
 publications previous to this attempt, are a motley mix- 
 ture o^ Infidels of various denominations, fuch as Delflsj 
 ' Jrians, Socinians, and Pelagians , the grand point they 
 v^ant to be rid of, is the doctrine ©f the Trinity in Uni- 
 
[ 12 3 
 
 The rife and The woi'd 'Trinity was not 
 
 date of tne n /->i 
 
 mmQTrinity. known OF uled amongll Chnf- 
 
 tiansfor near two hundred years 
 
 after Chrift, when it was firft ufed by The- 
 
 iy., and Its confequences, fuch as the godhead of Chrift^ 
 and the perfonality and godhead of the Holy Ghoji -, if, 
 thefe could be ftruck out of the liturgy and articles, 
 they wpuld be content. Dr. Clarke's Beings A'laho- 
 met's Alia — any but the true God will ferve their 
 turn " '~— 'Scriptural Comtnent on the xxxix Articles — 
 preface, page ix. x. by M» Madan, A; B. &c. 1772. 
 f <« _-^ — This is the principa;, if not the only charac- , 
 teriftical note, whereby to diftinguifh a Chriflian from 
 another man; yea, from a Turk; for this is the. chief 
 thing that the Turks, both in their alcoran, and other 
 writings, upbraid Chriftians for, even becaufe they 
 believe a Trinity of perfons in the divine 77aiure. For 
 which caufe they frequently fay, they are people that, 
 believe God hath companions ; fo that take away this ar- 
 ticle of our Chriftian faith, and what depends upon it, 
 and there would be but little difFerence betwixt a Chrif- 
 tian and a Turk." Bijhop Beveridge. Private- 
 
 thoughts, part ii. page 53. ' '■' 
 
 One is forry to fee this pious bifhop laying fuch un- 
 warrantable ftrefs on his own privat/^ opinions in thi^ 
 and other points, and dealing out fuch uncharitable 
 cenfures in a book of practical piety ; unfit place for 
 it furely of all others ! Much is to be allowed undbubt- 
 edly to the warmth of his natural temper. But then 
 he fliould be read with caution, left we receive harm 
 from him inftead of benefit, and in fettling our ortho- 
 doxy lofe our charity, 
 
 ophiluG, 
 
[ 13 3 
 
 ophllus, a gentile convert, bifhopofAn- 
 tioch; bat in no great conformity to 
 what it is made to fignify at prefent. 
 — It is acknowledged to be entirely of 
 heathen extraction, borrowed from Plato, 
 and the Platonic philofophy : and this 
 being its true origin, it fliould feem, 
 that a proper zeal for God's word, and 
 regard for Chrift and his infpired apof- 
 tles, fhould make us relax a little of our 
 pafiion and vehemence againft thofe who 
 fcruple to ufe a language not fandified 
 by their authority, in fpeaking of and 
 addreffing the great God. 
 
 Luther and Calvin, (as a learned author * 
 informs us) in fome moments, were little 
 difpofedto favour this nnfcriptural dialed:. 
 **' The word Trinity founds oddly, faith 
 the former, and is a human invention. It 
 were better to call almighty God, God, 
 than Trinity'' ** And Calvin fays, I like 
 not this prayer, O holy, blefled, and glo- 
 rious Trinity : it favours of barbarifm. — • 
 The*word Trinity is barbarous, infipid, 
 profane; a human invention; grounded 
 on no teftimony of God's word ; the fo-- 
 
 * Ben Mordecai, letter i, page 75. 
 
r Hi 
 
 fifh God, unknown to the prophets and 
 apoftles *." 
 
 We bear with this freedom of fpeech in 
 thefe eminent reformers, becaufe they 
 were well-known and warm contenders 
 for what is called t^e dodirine of the Tri- 
 nity, tho* they expreffed fuch utter diftafte 
 and diflike of the word itfelf. It would 
 be but fair and equitable to give a patient 
 bearing to thofe, who do not take upon 
 them to condemn this obnoxious language 
 in To rude a way, but who think there 
 is caufe and ground from holy fcripture 
 to difcard not only the name, but the 
 doctrine itfelf^ who aflert the divine Unity 
 in the ftridteft and mofl abfolute fenfc ; 
 that God is One, and his name One, the 
 God that made the world, the God of 
 Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifl ; and that 
 He alone is the fupreme objed: of his crea- 
 tures religious regards and worftiip, by 
 the teftimony of Jefus himfelf. 
 
 * " Imo Calvlnus non dubitavit dicere, ^' cette 
 priere re^ue communement, fainU Trinite^ un feul 
 Dieu, aye pitie de nous^ ne me plaift point, et fent du 
 tout fa barbaric;" in Epift. ad Polon. fecund. Gallic 
 cam epiftolarum ejus editionem.'*— — Curcellsei Op. 
 page 833. 
 
 The 
 
f »5 ] 
 
 The bulk of Chriftians have fuffcrcd 
 themfelves to be flrangely deluded into a 
 notion that there is a merit in believing 
 dark, inexplicable doftrines *, and that it 
 
 15 
 
 * I beg leave to give a fample at length of one of 
 thefe dark doiSlrines, to ftiew what hay and Jlubhh 
 (\ Cor. iii. 12.) fome that are fuppofed mafter-build- 
 crs prefent us with, to build us up in our moft holy 
 faith : 
 
 *« We are now to confider the order of thofe per*' 
 fons in the Trinity, defcribed in the words before us> 
 Matth. xxviii. 19. Firft, the Father, and then the 
 Son, and then the Holy Ghoft \ every one of which is 
 really and truly God j and yet they are all but one 
 real and true God. A myftery, which we are all 
 bound to believe, but yet muft have a great care how 
 we fpeak of it ; it being both eafy and dangerous to 
 miftake in exprefling fo myfterious a truth as this is. 
 If we think of it, how hard is it to contemplate upon 
 one numerically Divine nature in more than one and 
 the fame Divine perfon ? or, upon Three Divine perfons 
 in no more than One and the fame Divine nature ? If 
 we fpeak of it, how hard is it to find out words to ex- 
 prefs it \ If, I fay, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, 
 be three, and every one diftinftly God, it is true : but 
 if I fay, they be three, and ^\^x^j one a diftin£l: God, 
 it is falfe. I may fay, the Divine perfons are diftind 
 in the Divine nature; but I cannot fay, that the Di- 
 vi«e nature is divided into the Divine perfons. I may 
 
 ray. 
 
f »6 3 
 
 is owing to want of a proper humility that 
 others will not fabmit their underftandings 
 to receive them. Neverthelefs our Saviour 
 Chrift teaches no ni) (lerious doftrines, 
 nor commends any faith but that which 
 
 fay, God the Father is One God, and the Son is One 
 God, and the Holy Ghoft is One God -, but I cannot 
 fay, that the Father is one God, and the Son another 
 God, and the Holy Qh oft a third God. I. may fay, 
 the Father begat another who is God ; vet I cannot 
 hy, that he begat another God. And from the Father 
 and the Son procecdeth another who is God ; yet I 
 cannot fay, from the Father and the Son proceedeth 
 another God. For all this while, though their Nature 
 be the fame, their Perfons are diftinct^ and though 
 their Perfons be diilin6l:, yet ftill their Nature is the- 
 fame. So that, though the Father be the firft perfon, 
 in the Godhead, the Son the fecond, the Holy Glioft- 
 the third ; yet the Father is not the iirft, the Son a- 
 fecond, the Holy Ghoft a third God. So hard a 
 thing is it to word fo great a myftery aright ; or to fit 
 fo high a truth with expreflions fuitable and proper to. 
 
 it, without going one way or another from it." 
 
 Bp. Beveridge. Private thoughts^ part ii. pag, 48, ,49. 
 
 When we read fuch puzzling unintelligible myftery, 
 and fee fuch mighty ftrefs laid on it, how thankful 
 ought we to be for the good kn{e and fimplicity of the 
 gofpel of Jefus, which leads us by no fuch dark and 
 intricate roads to heaven ; but as one of his chief apof- 
 tles fpeaketh, Ads xx. 21. requireth no more of all 
 men but repentance toward God, and faith toiuard our 
 Lor'd Je/us Chri/I / 
 
 imme- 
 
[ 17 i 
 
 immediately influences the lieart and 
 practice. " But (to ufe the words of 
 an author of good account) this pretence 
 of a neceffity of humbling the underftand- 
 ing is none of the nieaneil arts, wherehy 
 ^fome perfons have invaded and ufurped a 
 power over other men's faith and confci- 
 ences. But he that fubmitteth his under- 
 ftanding to all that he knows God hath 
 faid, and is ready to fubmit to all that he 
 hath faid if he but knov/ it, denying his 
 own affedions, and ends, and interefts, 
 and human perfuafions, laying them all 
 down at the feet of his great mafter Jefus 
 Chrift, that man hath brought his under- 
 /landing into fubjedtion, and every proud 
 thought into the obedience of Chrift, and 
 this is the Cirxyio-n Trif-ooc, the obedience qf 
 faith, which is the duty of a Chriftian.'* 
 — Tay/or, Liberty of propbejyijig, p. 30* 
 
 The firft Chriftians faw fo far into this 
 great truth, that piety, benevolence and in- 
 tegrity, are the end of tlie divine commands 
 ment, and of all the various communica- 
 tions of light and knowledge to men, that 
 they readily admitted their virtuous heathen 
 progenitors into the Chriftians' heaven, to 
 '£ C . ■ be 
 
[ i8 ) 
 
 be faved by Chrift, though they never 
 heard of his name, as thinking, and think- 
 ing rightly, that the grace and mercy of 
 the kind parent of the univerfe, revealed 
 by Jefus Chrift, would be extended to ail 
 thofe in all times, who had diligently im- 
 proved, and walked according to the 
 meafure of light afforded to them. 
 
 *« Think not, faith Irena^us, that Chrill: 
 came for thofe only who believed on him 
 in the time of Tiberius, or that the Father 
 hath made this merciful provifion only for 
 the men that now are : It is for all men 
 whatfoever, who have lived from the be- 
 ginning, and according to their power, 
 have feared and ferved God in their gene- 
 ration, and aded righteoufly and chari- 
 tably towards their neighbours, and have 
 defired to fee Chrift and hear his voice/' 
 lib. iv. cap. xxxix. 
 
 *< They that have formerly lived, (and 
 they that now live) agreeably to reafon, 
 are Chriftians, and in a fecure and quiet 
 Hate." Juftin. Martyr. Ap. i. p.. 83. 
 
 «* Therefore before the coming of Chrift, 
 philofophy was that which was necefiary 
 for falvation to the Greeks"— and thea 
 again — ^*^it was their fchoolmafter toChrift^ 
 
 as 
 
[19] 
 
 as the law was to the Jews." Clem. 
 Alcxand. Stro. i. vi. 
 
 AndOrigeny on Romans li. lo, ii, 12. 
 ** This 1*5 rpoken of the Gentiles, who Z-^^w';^^ 
 no law are a law unto thcmfehes, who (hall 
 not lofd the reward of their good deeds, in 
 being juft and chafte, and governing them- 
 felves with prudence, temperance, and hu- 
 mility." Vid. V\^hitby. DiiT. facr. p. 232. 
 But as Chriftians multiplied, and increaf- 
 ed in power and wealth, their charity to- 
 wards thofe who diffented from them grew 
 lefs, in relation both to this world and the 
 fiext; and the manfions of blifs would be 
 thinly peopled, if their anathemas and 
 profcriptions of their fellow- creatures wetc 
 to be ratified there. 
 
 •Hence that vulgar unhappy error, which 
 is infufed into us from our very cradle, by 
 which we are nurfed up in the contempt 
 and almoft abhorrence of every feft of 
 Chriftiaps, but the one in which we our- 
 felves had the good hap to be born; fo 
 that they whofe minds become afterwards 
 more enlarged, can feldom fo entirely (hake 
 off this prejudice, but the leaven of it will 
 cling to them. Whereas it fhould be a 
 firft and perpetual leffon, to efteem the 
 
[ 20 3 
 
 virtuous and the good alike of every per- 
 fuafion, and never to think difrefpedfuUy 
 of^ thofe who worfhip their Maker in a 
 way different from ourfelves : nay, we 
 fliould be principled in it, for it is the 
 very dodrine of Chrift our Mafter, not to 
 judge or condemn any that are upright 
 and fincere, but to think as favourably of 
 their future {late and condition as^of our 
 own, hov/ever remote their opinions may 
 be from ours, in points that we deem mofl 
 efiential. For if they be equally fincere 
 inTeeking the truth, and living up to it, 
 they vyill be equally accepted with God; 
 and of their fincerity he alone is the Judge, 
 and not we. 
 
 At the firft planting of the gofpel, ere 
 yet all the apoftles of our Lord were gone 
 to their reft, many ftrange errors and doc- 
 trines fprung up amongft feme of their fol^ 
 lowers. But in a very few years after, 
 fuch extravagant fyftems concerning God 
 and the iavifible world were grafted on 
 the fimple truths they had taught, that 
 the wildeft myftics of later times have 
 produced nothing more frantic and ab- 
 furd. 
 
 Jrenseus^ 
 
I 2« J 
 
 Irenasus, of whofe work we have little 
 more than an old Latin tranflation remain- 
 ing, hath written as large againft thefe he^ 
 rejiest as he calls them ; and by his labours, 
 and thofe of others, their contradidlion to 
 the fcripture, and abfurdity was fo fully 
 expofed, that men grew ailiamed of them, 
 and they died away of thenifelves. 
 
 But it was an evil hour af- Difbeliefof 
 
 , ,' , the Trinity 
 
 terwards, that the term bere/y no blame- 
 became particularly affixed to ^^^'^'^'''^>'- 
 fuch opinions as were not in agreement 
 with the doftrine of ihc Trinity , and 
 thofe tailed heretics who oppofed that 
 doctrine. For the name being already of 
 bad found, on account of the monftrous 
 tenets of thofe men to whom it was firft 
 given, though in itfelf of indifferent fig- 
 Tiification, and invidious infinuations being 
 then thrown out, as fometimes now, that 
 they who rejeded the received Creeds, 
 fought to degrade Chrift from his real 
 dignity, the paffions of the ignorant mul- 
 titude were wound up to the highefl: pitch 
 againft jhofc that were fo branded. But 
 whoever reads the annals of ecclefiaftical 
 hiftory with an impartial eye, and will 
 pot fufFer himfelf to be governed h)' names 
 C 3 anvl 
 
[ 22 J 
 
 and founds, will foon perceive, that from 
 the days of Conftantine to the prefent 
 times, thofe called heretics by their adver- 
 faries, have generally been the honeft feWj^ 
 >vho have ventured to fearch the holy 
 fcriptures fpr themfelves, and openly to 
 profefs the truth of God wliich they there 
 learned, in oppofition to popular error. 
 
 We readily allow this definition to be 
 the true one, and glory in the name of hC" 
 reticy as an honourable diftind:ion, whea 
 given us by the Papiils, as from time imme- 
 morial they have given it to all that oppofe 
 the Roman Chief and feiihop, and to this^ 
 day never ajfford us Proteftants any other 
 appellation. Let us not ufe two different 
 meafures : let us put the fame favour^^ble 
 conftrudion upon a confcientious diffent; 
 from the dodrine of the Trinity, or what- 
 ever has had the good fortune to he 
 efpoufed by the majority and counted or- 
 thodox, in former times, or in our own, 
 and then we (hall abandon the name of 
 heretic intirely, as moft unjuftly fixed upon 
 thofe who differ from others on fuch juft 
 grounds; or elfe, if we will continue to 
 life it, ii vyill ceafe to be a name of re- 
 proach^ 
 
[ 23 3 
 
 proach, and become honourable to the 
 wearer, as it was to the apoftle Paul, Adls 
 xxiv. 14. *' I confefs unto thee'* (faith 
 he, in his defence before the Roman go- 
 vernor) *^ that after the way which they 
 ** call herefy^ fo worfhip I the God of my 
 '' Fathers." 
 ' A very general perfuafion hath Chriftians, for 
 
 ° fome ages after 
 
 been entertained, though no- Chriii. were 
 thing can be farther from the Trintum^s?''' 
 truth, that thofe who have been 
 diffatisfied from the firft with the dodlrine 
 of a Trinity in Unity, and have objeded 
 to it, have been only a few v/himfical, 
 conceited, obftinate perfons, the follow- 
 ers of one Arius, who lived near 1500 
 years ago \ or of Socinus, who was only 
 of yefterday, in the time of our forefa- 
 thers. Authorities of men are nothing ; 
 it is holy fcripture alone which can decide 
 this important point, and to that we muft 
 make our final appeal. But if the matter 
 is to be put to the vote as it were, it is 
 abfolutely neceffary that the lefs learned 
 fhould be told, what upon enquiry will 
 be foun^ to be undeniably true, viz. that 
 the fathers of the firfl three centuries, and 
 C 4 con- 
 
[ 24 ] 
 
 confequently % all chrijllan people, for up-* 
 wards of three hunared years after Chrijty 
 till the Council of Nicey were generally TJnit^ 
 ariansy what is 720W called either Arian or 
 Socinian, i. e. fuch as held our Saviour 
 Chrift to derive life, and being, and all 
 his powers from God, though with dif- 
 ferent fentiments concerning the date of 
 his original dignity and nature. 
 Ey what means They fliould be told, that 
 
 the dodlrine of \ > r - 
 
 theTrinitypre- after this, for a courie of 
 vaiied. between three and fourfcore 
 
 years, fometimes the Arian^ fometimes, 
 the Athanafian was the prevailing doc- 
 trine, according as the reigning emperor 
 happened to be a favourer of the one 
 or the other opinion j till at length, , 
 
 * Of this, the Creed called the Apoflles, and the. 
 other creeds of thofe early times, are a pregnant proof; 
 a collection of thefe creeds is to be found in King'.s 
 ^^ enquiry into the worfliip of the primitive church, '-' 
 page 58 — 64. And it no lefs appears from the addi- 
 tions made to thefe creeds in after time. 
 
 See alfo this facl proved, with regard to the Arian 
 fentiments of the Antenicene fathers efpecially; and 
 the objedlions of Bull and VVaterland, confuted with 
 accumulated evidence by Whitby, Dtjfert, de ScripU 
 Interpret, prccf. fe^io- qui?ita throughout. 
 
 \^ Thecdcfjiis 
 
[ ^5 ] 
 
 ^''Theodofius the Great *, (in Mofhelm's 
 words, vol. 1. cent. iv. p. 342.) raifed 
 the fecular arm againft the Arians with a 
 terrible degree of violence, drove them 
 from their churches, enabled laws, whole 
 feverity expofed them to the greateft cala- 
 mities, and rendered, throughout his do- 
 minions, the decrees of the council of 
 Nice triumphant over all oppofition; fa 
 that the pui/ic profeffion of the Arian doc- 
 
 * The pious ftratagem of ^aint Amphilochlus, a 
 bifhop of thofe times, to inftigate Theodofius to this 
 , inhuman work, deferves to be recorded. Fie afFecled 
 one day, in the emperor's prefence, fome very difre- 
 fpe<Slful and improper behaviour towards his fon Arca- 
 dius, who had lately been declared Auguftus. The 
 emperor, highly incenfed at it, ordered him to be im- 
 mediately turned out of the palace. Upon v/hich, the 
 biifhop, in a fct fpeech retorted upon him ; "Sir, 
 you cannot bear a little flight put upon your Son, and 
 are even enraged vi^hen he is not treated with due re- 
 fpe<St: doubt not but the God of the univerfe ftiil 
 more abhors -thofe who blafpheme his only Son.'' 7'he 
 emperor hearing this reproof, called him back, and 
 begged his pardon, and foon after fet on foot the per- 
 fecution of the Arians. Unhappy the princes, who 
 like Theodofius, Louis XIV. or our James IL are 
 Vinder.the controul of priefls and churchmen, and 
 ipade the tools and implements of their impotent paf- 
 (ions and vengeance, ancj little, mean fuperf^.ition ! 
 
 trine 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 trine was confined to the barbarous and 
 unconquered nations, fuch as theBurgun- 
 dians, Goths, and Vandals," 
 
 Still to take oft undue prejudices againft 
 the Unitarian dodrine, as if it were a An- 
 gularity or novelty only of late days, it 
 ihould be farther inculcated, that for fe- 
 veral centuries, till filenced and fubdued 
 by violence, many princes and ftates in 
 Europe, that were not in fubjedlion to the 
 empire, continued to profefs the Arian 
 dodrine. *' Towards the commencement 
 of this (the fixth) century (faith the fame 
 hiftorian, vol. I. p. 467.) the Arians were 
 triumphant in feveral parts of Afia, Africa, 
 and Europe. Many of the Afiatic biQiops 
 favoured them fecretly, while their opi- 
 nions were openly profefTed, and their 
 caufe maintained by the Vandals in Africa, 
 the Goths in Italy, the Spaniards, the 
 Burgundians, the Suevi, and the greateft 
 part of the Gauls.— The triumphs of the 
 Arians, however, were but tranfitory^ 
 and their profperous days were entirely 
 eclipfed, when the Vandals were drivea 
 out of Africa, and the Goths out of Italy, 
 by the arms of Juftinian/* 
 
 It 
 
[ 27 1 
 
 It deferveth notice alfo, on this argu» 
 m&n% that the Neftorians *, that hayc 
 fubfifled from the clofe of the fourth 
 century, and are now in great numbers all 
 over the Ealt, are in general Unitarians, 
 The account which Mo(heim gives (vol. L 
 p. ^J2.) of their peculiar opinion concern- 
 ing Chrift, concludes thus — *< that 
 Chriji was therefore carefully to be diftin* 
 guiflied from Qod, who dwelt in him as 
 
 * They could not well be other than Unitarians, 
 who (o ftri61:Iy adhered to, and reverenced the name 
 and writings of Theodore, Bifhop of Mopfueftia, who 
 flourifhed in the fourth century, and was one of the 
 ^bleft interpreters of the fcriptures in all antiquity, as 
 appears from the very few fragments of his writings 
 that have been preferved to us. Dr. LarJner has 
 given a fine interpretation from him, of that confeffion 
 of Thomas to Chrift, '' my Lord, and my God," 
 John XX. 28. " He did not (fmh he) call C/^r//?, 
 Lord and God : but being aftonifhed at the great mira- 
 cle of his refurre6tion, and the full evidence of it that 
 he had afforded him, he praifed God, who had raifed 
 Chrifl from the dead. Nor is the being raifed from the 
 dead a proof of Deit;.'* Credib. vol. IX. part 2, p. 
 41 1. Dr. Whitby, in his laj} thoughts^ p. 77, appears 
 to have borrowed the folution of this paflage from thi« 
 authoi^ 
 
 See alfo La Croze, hifloire du Chriftiaaifme des 
 Jndes, vo^ L p. 362, 364, 
 
 in 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 in his temple; and that Mary was to be 
 called the mother cf Chrijiy and not the 
 mother cf GodJ* 
 
 Moflieim occafionally mentions the con- 
 tinuance and profeffion of the Arian doc- 
 trine concerning Chrift, to the tenth cen- 
 tury in Italy, amongft the Lombards, and 
 among the barbarous nations, as they are 
 called, and in the Eaft i and how it funk 
 away, and the vifible profeffion of it was 
 lo(l. Grofs darknefs had now overfpread 
 the Chriiiian world : the cipojlacy foretold 
 by St. Paul (i Tim. iv. i.) had come 
 on, and the daemon-idolatry, the worship 
 of dead men and women prevailed, and 
 which flill fubfifls among that large body 
 of Chriftians, the Papifts. Some light, 
 however, (hone in the midft of this dark- 
 liefs, and the witneffes to the truth pro- 
 phecied, tho* in fackcloth and afhes. 
 
 The divine Unity in particular was never 
 loft fight of by fome few at leaft, who in 
 different ways bore their teftimony to it. 
 
 Rofcellin, canon of Compiegne, about 
 the clofe of the eleventh century, main- 
 tained, that it was impoffible the Son of 
 God (hould take on him the human na- 
 ture 
 
( 29 ] 
 
 ture alone, without the Father and the 
 Holy Ghoft becoming incarnate alfo, un- 
 lefs by the three perfons in the Godhead 
 were meant three diftincft perfons or na- 
 tures, which would be three Gods. And 
 he feems to have maintained this, with a 
 view to fhew the ftrange confequences 
 that would follow from fuppofing the Son 
 to be the fupreme God. 
 
 But it was an effedual argument, which 
 is faid to have been ufed by Anfelm, 
 archbifliop of Canterbury, to filence this 
 canon of Compiegne, and which would 
 indeed filence and prevent all herefy and 
 difference in opinion for ever; namely, 
 " a Chriftian muft not enquire about the 
 truth of any thing which the church be- 
 lieves ; but is fimply to believe whatever 
 the Romifli church profeffeth to believe/'* 
 
 The famous Abelard, in the next cen- 
 tury, by fome faid to have been a difciple 
 of Rofcellin, fell under a public profecu- 
 
 * " Non efTe Chriftiano inquirendum de verk^te rei 
 quamjcredit ecclefia, fed fimpHciter credendum quic- 
 quid credit et confitetur ecclefia Romana." Sandii 
 nucl. hlft. ccc!efiatt% 1, ii. p.- 105. Mofhcim, vol. II. 
 
 tion 
 
r 30 ] 
 
 tion for hercfy, and ^ St* Barnard (whom 
 unflattering pofterity has ftripped of much 
 of hb faintfhip) was his accufer. 
 
 " The charge brought againft him was, 
 that he had notorloufiy corrupted the 
 doftrine of the Trinity^ blafpJiemed againft 
 tbe majefty of the Holy Gboft, enter- 
 tained unworthy and falfe conceptions of 
 the perfon and offices of Cbrift, and the 
 union of the two natures in bim, denied 
 the neceffity of the divine grace to render 
 us virtuous, and, in a word, that his 
 dodtrine ilruck at the fundamental princi* 
 pies of all religion." 
 
 This was the colouring and reprefenta* 
 tion of his advcrfary. The truth is, that 
 being a man of genius and piety, he fzw 
 deep into the fore depravations of Chrift's 
 religion, and fought earneftjy, but in 
 vain, to remedy them ; and feem& lo have 
 been completely an Unitarian. 
 
 Befides eminent individuals, who arofe 
 out of the bofom of the catholic church, 
 as it was called^ and afferted, that the one 
 
 * Moflielm, vol. II. p, 430, — who gives feveral 
 inftances of the violence with which St. Barnard op- 
 pbfed all Reformation of the corruptions of the church. 
 
 God, 
 
t 51 ] 
 
 God, the Father was the God of the 
 Chriilians, there were ftill lefler churches 
 and focieties of Chriftians fubfifting, who 
 were founded and united on this Unita- 
 rian principle. Mofheim takes notice of 
 fonie in Italy, who were called Pafagini^ 
 ans, in the twelfth century. *' The fc- 
 cond tenet (faith he) that diftinguiflied 
 this feft, was advanced ia oppofuion to 
 the dodtrine of three perfons in the divine 
 nature 5 for they maintained that Chrift 
 was no more than thefirfl and pure fl crea" 
 tiire of God; nor will their adopting this 
 opinion feem fo furprifing, if"" we confider 
 the prodigious number of Arians that 
 were fcattered throughout Italy long be- 
 fore this period of time." vol. IL p. 456. 
 Hiftory alfo makes mention of other 
 fedts of the like Unitarian principles, who 
 were often confounded with the Mani- 
 cheans, and went under that and other 
 obnoxious names. But they were all, in 
 progrefs of time, either wholly extirpated, 
 or driven into corners and filence. For 
 nothing could now withftand the papal 
 power, backed, as it were, with that of this 
 whole weftern world. ** The princes of 
 
 the 
 
r 32 3 
 
 the earth, (as forefeen and foretold) had 
 one mind f and agreed to give their powef 
 end lirength unto the beafl. — Revelation 
 xvii. 13, 17. 
 
 So that, independent of its truth, or 
 otherwifc, it mull be owned, that that 
 which is called the catholic doctrine of 
 the Trinity, was firft eftablifhed, and hath 
 been all along fupported, by violence and 
 the fecular power ; an argument in its be- 
 half furely not to be boafted of, and con- 
 cerning which the gofpel of Jefus is whol- 
 ly filent. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
[ 33] 
 CHAPTER ir. 
 
 6f the state of the unitarian doctrine, in 
 <)ur own country more especially, from 
 the j£ra of the reformation, with an ac- 
 count of some of those christians who have 
 ♦ pr©f£ssed it. 
 
 * I ^HE principal divifions and differences 
 of proteflants amongft us, till about 
 ths time of the revolution, chiefly re- 
 lated to the impofitlon of unfcriptural rites 
 and ceremonies, and points of difcipline 
 and church-governtnent. The Puritans, 
 the inferior and perfecutcd party, (but 
 who became perfecutors in their turn when 
 they had the power) differed not at all 
 from their proteflant brethren in the doc- 
 trinal points of the Trinity, incarnation^ 
 original fin, works before jujiijicat ion, pre* 
 dellinatirm, and the like. Their adverfa- 
 rles, and archbifliop Laud at the head of 
 them, were the firft that broke the ice in 
 this refpecfr, and took upon them to refine 
 away th-e plain words of the xxxlx articles 
 (agreed upon for the avoiding of diverfties of 
 opinion^) which they difllked, or wijh 
 which they found themfelves aggrieved. 
 D And 
 
[ 34 1 
 
 And altho', in imitation of Heylin then, 
 and Waterland in the days of our fathers. 
 Dr. Nowell and others have laboured to rid 
 the articles of holding forth the melan- 
 choly dodrine of an arbitrary elecSion of 
 fome men to eternal life, , and rejedlion of 
 others, yet while the feventeenth article 
 remains, vain will be their endeavours to 
 foften the horror of it by any qualifying 
 paflages from the homilies, or particular 
 expreffions in the liturgy, or other writings 
 of thofe who cornpiled it. 
 
 Will they allow the fame kind of argu- 
 ment to be ufed and conclufions drawn, 
 in a parallel cafe ? It may then be proved, 
 that the venerable compilers of our liturgy 
 were Arian or Sociftian. For, although 
 in the litany throughout, and in many 
 parts of the morning, evening, and com- 
 munion- fervice, a Trinitarian form of wor- 
 fhip is adopted : never thelefs, the ge^ 
 neral turn of addrefs in the collefts 
 2nd prayers is to God, and not to 
 Chrift ; and the Holy Ghoft is almoft left 
 put wholly unworfhiped: in which forms 
 no Arian or Socinian would refufe to join. 
 
 But the minds of many, both of the 
 ekrgy and laity, are now diftrefled on a 
 
 fub. 
 
t 35 l 
 
 fubjefl: in our articles and liturgy, of far 
 greater rtidment than the colour of the 
 fninifters vefltoents of the pofture at the 
 facrament, or even the Jeered determina- 
 tions of the divine mind about the future 
 doom of his creatures, a curlofity which 
 feems, frorii the nature of the thing, un* 
 hallov^ed and forbidden. 
 
 The proper oije^ of divine worifhip 
 was a matter left wholly untouched and 
 iihenquired into by the leading Divines, 
 at the reformation from popery. 
 
 The philofophic and fcholaflic language 
 and doctrine concerning the Trinity, which 
 had been forming and fettling from the 
 time of the Nicene council, during the 
 cpo/facy that followed, "was never called in 
 (jueftibn, was received with the moft im- 
 plicit faith and reverence, and regarded 
 as fomethin'g more facred even than holy 
 fcripture itfeif. 
 
 The greater part of our proteftant pre- 
 aeceflbrs, unhappily for us, feem to have 
 had a fuperftitious awe and dread of look- 
 ing into a fubjeet involved, as this was, 
 in learned myftery and darknefs. Their 
 prc:judice3 ran fo high in favour of it, and 
 D 2 they 
 
. [ 36 ) 
 
 they efteemed it fo neceflary and funda- 
 mental a point, that they could not fufFer 
 the leaft doubt of it in their own minds, 
 or objection from others. They imagined 
 the glorious work of reformation from the 
 grofs errors and idolatries of popery, which, 
 they had truly at heart, would be fcanda- 
 lized, and an invincible bar put to its pro- 
 grefs, were any heretical opinions about 
 this great point, to be found amongft 
 them ; orj if found, not feverely animad- 
 verted upon and puniflied. 
 
 With what earneftnefs does Oecolam- 
 padius labour, in a letter to Bucer, Aug. 
 5, 1531, to clear himfelf and his friends 
 from the imputation of giving any coun- 
 tenance to Servetius book de Trinitatis er* 
 roribus^ that was juft then come out. '* I 
 «* defire you would acquaint Luther, (fays 
 «* he) that this book was printed out of 
 <* this country, and without our know- 
 «* ledge* Our churches will be very ill 
 <* fpoken of, unlefs our divines raake it 
 «* their bufmefs to cry him down. I be- 
 «« feech you in particular to keep a watch- 
 *' ful eye over it, and to make an apology 
 
 " for 
 
[ 37 ] 
 
 •*■ for our churches, at leaft in your con- 
 ** futation infcribed to the emperor *." 
 
 And Moflieim tells us, that at the firft. 
 dawn of the reformation, in Germany and 
 Italy, there appeared feme who dented the 
 divinity of Chrift. ** But the efforts of 
 thefe men (faith he) were oppofed with 
 united zeal and vigilance, by the Romifh, 
 Reformed, and Lutheran churches;" i.e. 
 iy burning , and putting them to the moft' 
 cruel deaths -f*. 
 
 To 
 
 * Account of Calvin's treatment of Servetus--i724, 
 p. 163. The letter concludes thus — " We know not 
 '* how that beaft came to creep in among us. He 
 " wrefts all paflages of fcripture to prove, that the 
 <* Son is not coeternal and confubftantial with the 
 «« Father, and that the man Chrift is the fon of God.'* 
 
 t Mofheim accufes thefe perfons, that they began 
 t*o undermine the dodtrine of G.hrift's divinity, and the 
 other truths that are connected with it, and propofed 
 reducing the v/hole of religion to pra6tical piety and 
 virtue." There could be nothing furely wrong in this* 
 if they did not leave out of their fyftem (2nd we have 
 no reafon to think they did leave out) thofe gofpel mo- 
 tives to holinefs, which arofe from what appeared to 
 them the true nature and chara^er of Chriji^ and the 
 goodnefs of God manifefted in him. 
 
 Moflieim is a vakiable hiftorian, ,good-tcmpercd, 
 
 .^pd in general candid. But he was a warm Lutheran, 
 
 D 3 swid 
 
C 3S 3 
 
 To this yiplput and extreme prejudice, 
 which was then entertained by almoft ^11, 
 agai^ift fuch as pppofed the dodrine of the 
 Tripi^y; and, to that other error conr^Q€;$»» 
 tgd with it, that it v^as lawful to put he- 
 retics to deatk, vvc rauft attribute Calvin's,^ 
 mofl ungenerous and barbarous behaviour 
 towards the ingenious Spanifli phyfician^ 
 and innocent fufferer, Servettis, whoox,. 
 he caufed tq^ be burn'd alive a^t Qe^, 
 neva, for his opinions coneerning th^ 
 Trinity ; and we may not doubt, but that 
 as Calvin fin'd igncrantly and in unbelief, 
 this extenuated before God the crime, of 
 that his otherwife faithful fervant, and- 
 Vrirtuous. holy man ^* 
 
 We 
 
 and alfo a condemner of all thofe whodid not hold the 
 three perjans in the Godhead to he equal id each other in 
 rank: and dignity \ and is therefore' to be read with cau- ' 
 tion, when he fpeaks on thefe points. See what he 
 fays of Eufebius, the ecclefiaftical hiftorian, Vo], I, 
 p. 290, 
 
 ^,'Beza, Galviai's-difciple, takes every opportunity 
 of raking in the aihes of this unhappy, much fnjured 
 perfon, and infulting his memory after he was dead. 
 Take one fample of. his fpirit' from h4s comment or? 
 CploiT* i. 15, where our Saviour Chrift is called //^^ 
 firji'lorn of every creature. Sed eft notandus quoqu^, 
 
 hie 
 
I 39 J 
 
 We muft make the fame allowance for 
 our reformers in England at this period, 
 who were a(5taated by the fame blind zeal 
 againft the Anti-trinitarians, and behaved 
 with no lefs barbarity towards fuch as had 
 the misfortune to fall in their way. 
 
 hie locus adverfus impium ilium Servetum, kc, viz. 
 <' But this pallage particularly makes againft the ira- 
 pious Servetus, who maintained, that Chrift was the 
 fdn of God Only with refpecSt to his human nature, antl 
 therefore denied that he was the eternal fon of God. 
 So that when he was going to receive the juft punifli- 
 ment of his blafphemy (to be hurrid alive at ajlake^ 
 reader]) he refufed to give him the title of eternal fon 
 of God, though Paul here proclaims aloud, that be- 
 fore any creation, i. e. from eternity, for time began 
 Vjrith creation, he not only was, but was born." But 
 our Dr. Hammond, tho' otherwifefar from favourina: 
 the feiitiments of Servetus, would in Beza's account 
 have deferved to be burn'd alive for blafphemy as far as 
 this text of fcripture is concerned, for he could fee no 
 fuch dotSlrine in it as of Chrift*s eternity. «' The word 
 7r/:wT-oTo:'.of, fays he, bcfides the ordinary notion of 
 jirjl-born^ which cannot fo well here refer to Chrift's 
 eternal generation, becaufe of that which is added to 
 it, the firft-born of every creature^ which only gives 
 him a precedence before all other creatures, and doth 
 not attribute eternity to him; is ufe4- fometimes for 
 lord, or perfon in power, &c.** 
 
 Hammnd in loc. 
 
 D 4 Eifliop 
 
[ 40 ] 
 
 Bifliop Burnet, after mentioning a poor 
 wrong' headed woman, that was burn*d for 
 feme e:sftravagant notions concerning Chrift, 
 but who, as he obferves, ** was looked up- 
 on as a perfon fitter for Bedlam than a 
 flake;'* goes on to relate, 
 
 *' Sometime after that, a Dutchman, 
 George Van Parre, was alfo condemned and 
 burn'd for denying the divinity of Chrift, 
 and faying^ that the Father only was God. 
 
 '* He had led a very exemplary life both 
 for fafting, devotion, and a good conver- 
 sation ; and fuffered with extraordinary 
 compofednefs of mind. Thefe things call 
 a great blemifii on the reformers. It was 
 faid, they only condemned cruelty, when 
 it was exercifed on themfelves, but were 
 ready to pradife it when they had power. 
 The papifls made great ufe of this after- 
 wards in Queen Mary*s time ; and what 
 Cranmer and Ridley then fuffered, was 
 thought a jufl retaliation on them, from 
 that wife providence, that c^ifp^^f^^ ^11 
 things juftly to all men *." 
 
 * Burnetts abridgmept of the hiflory of the reforma- 
 tipn, vol.ii. p. ;^'9, 8o, 8i, 82. 
 
 Thi^. 
 
[ 41 3 
 
 This fliocking cruelty of the Englifh * 
 and foreign reformers towards men who, 
 in the ufe of their own underftandings, 
 and from fearching into the fcriptures, 
 maintained that the Father only 'was Gcd 
 and to be worfhiped, feems to have 
 prevented their forming themfclves into 
 churches and focieties, and terrified them 
 into filence, if it did not for a time check 
 ^11 enquiry into fuch dangerous points ; 
 for there is a degree of perfecqtion which 
 human nature cannot withftand. 
 
 But fuch intolerance towards their bre- 
 thren and fellow-proteflants, was lefs ex- 
 cufeable in men, who them/elves^ againll 
 opinions fandified by the authority of 
 ages, and in contradiction to the eftablidi- 
 ed religion of their country, had afferted, 
 
 * Thefe perfecutions, in which Biiliop Ridley 
 is faid to have borne a principal part, fiiould not 
 have been omitted in the life of that blfliop, pub- 
 liflied by Gloccfter Ridley, LL. B. 1763. Perfecu- 
 tors, and murderers of cojifcientious men, on whar- 
 ever pretence, heathen, papal, or proteftant, fhould 
 be hcjd up to juft infamy on that account, however 
 worthy in other refpects and fnining through blind 
 paflion and ignorance, as did thefe eminent perfons 
 Cranmcr and Ridley. 
 
 and 
 
[ 42 1 
 
 and matle ufe of their own right of private 
 judgment in interpreting the Icriptufcs. 
 if they might take fuch a latitude and liber- 
 ty in what appeared wrong and grievous 
 to them in the popifli efiabliflhment, why 
 take upon themfelves to abridge otkeri of 
 the fame liberty and privilege with refpeft 
 to their new proteftant cftablifhment > atid 
 ered: themfelves into lb many popes, in- 
 ftead of him at Rome, whofe yoke they 
 had fo lately thrown off? 
 
 Methinks I htear thefe reformers f^y, 
 (and fonie perhaps now would not ftick to 
 fay) thattho' blafphemous opinions againft 
 the Trinity which thefe men propagated, 
 were to be flopped at any rate and by 
 the fevereft punifiiment, as an infult 
 upon God, tending to bring religion into 
 contempt, and make the worfliip of God 
 negleded. And did they themfelves lefs 
 blafphemc or infalt the facramental God 
 which the papiils worfhiped, when they 
 called it awafer-Gbdi, and refufed to own 
 and worship it ? 
 
 But the papifls, continued^ tliciy, were 
 palpably in the wrong, and guilty of di- 
 rect idolatry and breach of the feco,od 
 
 com- 
 
f 43 ] 
 
 cpxpmapdmcDt in vvorflhipping» as the fu- 
 pr^mQ. God^ what was obviouily nothhig 
 bi^t a- pieice of bx^ead or cake. And did, 
 ^y^ ^FP^^f ^^f^ guilty io the eyes of the 
 p^pifts, wlio, refufcd to worfliip the true 
 Qqd wjiercver fee waa owned": really and 
 io^m^diatdy prefeat ? For Chrift,. whom; 
 ^^y h^ldy with the papifts, to be the fu- 
 pre^^ God 5 a:)d whofe real prefence (fa 
 qalkdV ip, the faqrameat they alfo main- 
 tained ; had faid. of the facramentai bread, 
 thU. is ?ny. kodj/-9 and their papal adverfaries 
 wo.uld well reply, that he who was the truth 
 ijcfdf was fcttely to be believed in what he 
 faid> and to be. worijiiped, wherever his 
 body afid prefence were acknowledged. 
 ^ But ttbejfe Arians, faid thefe Proteftant} 
 perfecirtors, Tapped the v^ry foundations 
 qf Chriflianity, denied the divinity of Chr id ^ 
 and the atonement i and thai Jefiis was to be 
 worjbiped. as God, And did not them- 
 felves. deny what to the papifts appeared 
 equally fundamental ; namely, that there- 
 is only one, holy, Roman, catholic, apo- 
 ftolic. church, out of which there is no 
 falvation ? 
 
 What does all this on both fides amount 
 tO! but barely averring, ^^ We are in the: 
 
 right, 
 
[ 44 ] 
 
 right, you are in the wrong ?*' In fliort, 
 by punifliing their Proteftant brethren for 
 diflenting from them upon the dodlrine 
 of the Trinity or any other point, they 
 fully juftified the papifts in putting them 
 or their fathers to the flake, and contri- 
 buted all that in them lay to perpetuate 
 perfecution and murdering of confcientious 
 men, in ail countries to the end of time. 
 
 Alas ! Proteftants had then to learn (I 
 would there were none who had yet to 
 learn) the unalienable rights of confcience, 
 and the liberty from all human controul 
 m that refpect wherewith Chrift hath 
 made us free : they had to learn the com- 
 mon equality of all men in the things of 
 God, the full import of that exprefs in- 
 jundion of their divine mafter, Matth. 
 :<xiii. 8. «' J5f Jiot ye called Rabbiy for one 
 is sour mailer y even Chrifl 5 and all ye are 
 brethren :" They had alfo to learn the />z- 
 7iocency of error^ from which none can 
 plead exemption ; and to bear with each 
 other in their differing apprehenfions con- 
 cerning the nature of the firft great caufe 
 and Father of all, and the perfon of Chriflv 
 and the manner and date of his deriving 
 his being and high perfections from God ^ 
 
 a point 
 
[45] 
 
 a point this latter, which was dark- 
 ened and perverted at the very firft 
 by philofophy and vain fcience of the learn- 
 ed heathen converts, from which it hath 
 not yet recovered itfelf : but furely it mud 
 alfo be owned to have been left involved 
 in fome obfcurity by God himfclf in the 
 writings of the apoftles, (otherwife fo ma- 
 ny men, wife and good, would not have 
 differed, and ftill continue to differ con* 
 cerning it ;) and fo left, it fhould feem, 
 on purpofe to whet human induftry and 
 the fpirit of enquiry in the things of God, 
 to give fcope for the exercife of men's 
 charity and mutual forbearance of one ano- 
 ther, and to be one great means of culti- 
 vating the moral difpofitions, which is 
 plainly the defign of the holy fpirit of 
 God in the Chriftian revelation, and not 
 any high perfeftion in knowledge which 
 fo few can attain. 
 
 One is grieved to find the reign of our 
 great princefs Elizabeth, ftained with th^. 
 blood of men, who, if they were miftaken 
 in thefc abflrufe points, were innocently 
 fo; for I find nx) fedition or crime laid to 
 their charge, but only obftin^xy in error, 
 
 Bifhop 
 
f 46 1 
 
 Biihop Burnet * fpeaks of feme Aha- 
 baptifts, who in the reign of Ed\vard VI. 
 had fled hither frotii Germany, whbfe 
 peculiar fentiment about baptifm, faith he, 
 was the mildeft of the opinions that thty 
 held; for their errors Were, ** That thttb 
 ** was not a Trinity of perforts ; that 
 ** Chrift was not God, and took riot flefh 
 *« of the virgin; and that a regenerate 
 *^ man could not fin •}-.'* 
 
 Of this fed: were thofe, I preftittid, of 
 whom Fuller writes J. *' On Eafter-^day, 
 1575* was difclofed a congregation of 
 Dutch Anabaptifts without Aldgate, in 
 London, whereof feven and twenty were 
 
 * Abridgment of hift. of reformation, vol. ii. p. 81* 
 t Mofheim relates, that at the very beginning o^^ 
 the reformation, fevei"al that went under the name of 
 Anabaptifts oppofed the received doftfine of the Tri- • 
 jiity. And it appears from Burnet, that this was one 
 of the common tenets of the Anabaptifts, at leaft of 
 many of them. It is probable, that thefe people wer^ 
 of the number of thofe, who, as he tells us in anbther 
 place, before the time of Luther and Calvin, hy con- 
 cealed in almoft all the countries of Europe, particu- 
 larly in Bohemia, Moravia, Sv^ritzerland, ail^ G^r-* 
 
 many. See ecclefi^ftical hiftory, vol, iv. p, 132* 
 
 169, and p. 183, note. 
 J Church hiftory of Britain, book ix. p. 104, I05. 
 
 taken 
 
f 47 3 
 
 taken and imprifoned, and four, bearing 
 faggots at Paul's Crofs, folemnly recanted 
 their dangerous opinions." 
 
 *^ Next month, one Dutchman and ten 
 women were condemned, one of whom 
 was converted to renounce her errors, 
 eight were banifhed the land, but two of 
 thefe unhappy creatures, more obftinate 
 than the reft, v/erc burned in vSmithfield, 
 and died (fays my author) in great horror, 
 with crying and roaring." 
 
 Our pious and very learned martyrolo- 
 gift, John Fox, whom the queen alvvavs 
 cMed ber father Fipx, wrote to Elizabeth 
 at the time, to move her to fpare thefe 
 poor wretches, or at leaft to mitigate their 
 fentence, and change it into banifbment, 
 or fome other death iefs horrible and inhu- 
 man. Fuller has preferved to us his let- 
 ter*, penned in Latin, a language the queen 
 well underrtood, and the common lan- 
 guage of princes and the learned in thofe 
 days. It is little inferior to the pure com- 
 pofitions of the Auguftan age,^ and is en- 
 forced with fuch perfuafive eloquence and 
 
 * Fuller beihg not in every one's hands, and faid to 
 ■ be growing fcarce, I. put the original in an appendix at 
 the ^nd of the book. 
 
 argument, 
 
r 48 ] 
 
 argument, that one wonders it did not 
 prevail ^. 
 
 It is by the fame honed and ufeful hif- 
 torian, that we are informed of another 
 perfon, who was burnt for herefy in 
 Smithficld, in the next reign* He has 
 obliged us with a very circumftantial hif- 
 tory of the man and his pejiiknt opiniojis, 
 as he calls them, but not without premi^ 
 fing a very fingular caution againft them -f-. 
 
 *' His 
 
 * Fuller thus apologizes for Elizabeth : " Indeed 
 <3amnable were their impieties, and fhe neceffitated ta 
 this feverity, who having formerly punifiied fome trai- 
 tors^ if now fparing thefe blafphemers^ the world would 
 condemn her, as being more earneft in afferting her 
 own fafety^ than God's honour^ 
 
 Our Saviour Chrift, defcribing beforehand to hi'3 
 difciples the blind zeal and calm cruelty of their ad- 
 verfarics, John xvi, 2. — " Yea^ the time cometh, faith 
 he, that whofoever kilkth you, will think that he doth 
 God fervice/' This has been too fad ly "verified even 
 by his. followers in dcftroying one another, which was 
 an extreme not then to be thought of. 'Tis to be 
 hoped, that the Chriftian world has learned a better 
 lelTon, after pradtifmg this bad one fo long, and that 
 the time is now over, God wanteth no Jiich ftrvices. 
 He is able and ready to vindicate his own honour when 
 injured, if it can be injured, which it cannot, by the 
 fpeculations of his fmcere and erring creatures* 
 
 t <' Before wc fet down his peftilent opinions, may 
 writer add leader fence them felves with prayer to God, 
 
 againft 
 
[ 49 J 
 
 ^« His damnable tenets (faith he, book a. 
 p. 63.) were as foiloweth. 
 
 I . ^hat the creed called the Nicene crcedf 
 and Athanajlus creeds contain not a profef^ 
 fion of the true Chriftian faith. 
 
 2 k fhat Cbrifl is not God of God, be^ot-^ 
 * ten, not made ; but begotten^ and made, 
 
 3. T^hat there are no per fins in the Godheads 
 
 4. That Chri/i was not Godjrom ever la Ih" 
 ing^ but began to be Ged^ ivhen he tookfefi 
 of the Virgin Mary. 
 
 5. That the world was not made by Cbrifi^ 
 
 6. That the apo files teach Chrifi to be man 
 enly. 
 
 7. That there is no generation in God, but 
 ef creatures, 
 
 8. That this affertiony God to be made 
 man, is contrary to the rule of faiths and 
 monjlrous blafphemy, 
 
 9. That Chri/i was not before thefulnefs 
 of timCy except by promife. 
 
 10. That Chriji was not God,, otherivife- 
 than an anointed God. 
 
 againft the infevStioti thereof; left otherwifcj touching- 
 fuch pitch (though but with the bare mention) defile 
 us, cafually tempting -a temptation in us, and awaking 
 fome corruption, which otherv/ife would fleep filently 
 in our fouls," ' . 
 
 E C u. That 
 
1 1 . That Chriji was not in the form of 
 God equal with Gody that is, infubflance of 
 God y but in righteoufnefs , and giving jalvation* 
 
 12. That ChriJI by his Godhead wrought 
 no miracle. 
 
 13. That ChriJI is not ta be prayed unto^^ 
 This perfon feems to have agreed in 
 
 fentiment intirely with thofe called Soci- 
 nians, though Fuller calls him an Arian > 
 but this laft feems to have been a general 
 name then given to all that denied the di- 
 vinity of Chrift. — But to go on with his 
 hiftory. 
 
 " This year, 161 1, that Arian fufFered 
 in Smithfield, being burn'd to death. His 
 name Bartholomew Legate, native county, 
 Effex, perfon comely, complexion black* 
 age about forty years. Of a bold fpirit, 
 confident carriage, fluent tongue, excel- 
 hntiy fkilled in the fcriptures ; and well 
 had it been for him, if he had knowr^ 
 them lefs, or underftood them better ; 
 vvhofe ignorance abufed the word of God, 
 therewith to oppofe God the Word. His 
 convcrfation, for aught I can learn to the 
 contrary, very unblameable." 
 
 *' King fames (proceeds our hiftorian) 
 caufed thi« Legate often to be brought to 
 
 him. 
 
t 51 ] 
 
 Hm, and ferioufly dealt with him jto en- 
 deavour his converfion. One time the 
 king had a mind to furprize him into a 
 confeffion of Chrift's deity (as his majefty 
 afterwards declared to a right reverend 
 prelate, archbifhop Uflier) by afking him, 
 whether or no be did not daily pray to yefus 
 Chrili ? which had he acknowledged, the 
 king would infallibly have inferred, that 
 Legate tacitly confented to Chrift's divini- 
 ty, as a fearcher of the heart. But here- 
 in his majefty failed of his expectation. 
 Legate returning, that indeed he had prayed 
 to Chrift in the days of his ignorance, but 
 not for thefe laft feven years. Hereupon 
 the king in choler fpurned at him with his 
 foot; away^ hafijellow^ (faith he) it JJoall 
 never be /aid that onejiayeth in my prefence^ 
 that hath never prayed to Our Saviour for 
 feven years together.'' 
 
 There feems not any thing in Legated 
 reply, deferving fuch an indecent and un- 
 manly refentment. Did the Lord Jefus 
 ever injpin men to pray to him ? Did he 
 not on the contrary always offer up his own 
 prayers to God, hii Father and our Father^ 
 his Gcd and our God, John xx. 17. and al- 
 fo direct us fo to do in our devotions 5 '•^hen 
 
[ 52 1 
 
 ye p?^ayi fcy^ Our Father which art in hea^ 
 *ven ? Luke xi. 2. 
 
 Bat bigotry and zeal for certain opi- 
 nions, often little founded in God's word, 
 have too generally be^n fuppofed to mike 
 up for defefts in Chriftian obedience and 
 moral righteoufnefs. Hiftorians reprefent 
 this prince, as a man void of fincerity and 
 integrity, a common fwearer, intenipe- 
 rate, of very blameable obfcehe converfa- 
 lion, and who changed his religion, fuch 
 as it was, juft as his paflions and intereft 
 direded: in Scotland, a warm Prefbyte- 
 rian and hater of ceremonies; then, when 
 he croffed the Tweed, a moft {launch 
 churchman, a rigid Calvinift all the while y 
 then more than half inclined towards Po- 
 pery ; and at laft, verging towards Armi-* 
 nianifm, as Laud, his favourite Bucking- 
 ham's favourite and confeflbr, was rifing 
 into play and power. 
 
 ** In the next month (as the fame hif- 
 torian goes on to acquaint us) Edward 
 Wightman^ of Burton upon Trent, con- 
 vicfted before Richard Neile, biQiop of 
 Coventry and Litchfield, was burned at 
 Litchfield for far worfe opinions (if worfe 
 might be) than Legate maintained. Mary 
 
 Magdalene 
 
Magdalene indeed was pofieiled v/lth/even 
 ^evils, but * ten feveral herefies were laid to 
 Wightmans charge ; namely, thofe of E^ 
 bion,Cerinthus,Valentinian, Arius, Mace- 
 donius, Simon Magus, Manes, Manichaeus, 
 Photinus, and of the Anabaptifls." 
 , This lift of no lefs than ten herefies, 
 for which this perfon was condemned to 
 fo {hocking a death, is very formidable, 
 and deferves to be examined. Ebion, or 
 the Ebionites, Arius and Photinus, feve- 
 rally held opinions concerning Chrift, in- 
 compatible with each other; therefore 
 Wightman could but be charged with one 
 of the three. Manes and Manichasus, are 
 names of one and the fame perfon or feft. 
 Of Simon Magus, Origen tells us ex- 
 prefsly, (contr. Cels, 1. vi, p. 272.) that 
 ha was a total unbeliever, letting himfelf 
 up, and being fet up by his followers, as 
 a rival to Chrift. Here then are four of 
 thefe herefies ftruck off the lift. 
 
 BHhop Neile is upon record in our hif- 
 tories, but not for fuch qualities as St. 
 Paul, in his letter to Timothy, requires 
 
 * So reckoned up in the warrant for his burning, 
 fuller, Book x, p. 64. 
 
 E 3 in 
 
t 54 1 
 
 in the cpifcopal characHier. But furely 
 
 moft unfit was he to fit in the feat of juf- 
 tice, who betrayed fiich ignorance of what 
 he was to decide upon, as to condemn a 
 man for opinions which it was impofliblc 
 for him to hold. But there will be a re- 
 hearing in a future world of thofe caufes, 
 where frail mortals have been condemned 
 for involuntary errors of judgment, and a 
 rcvcrfal of every unrighteous fentence, 
 JFl0om oi Solomon, v. i, 2. 
 
 I (hall tranfcribe one more paragraph 
 from our author. 
 
 ** About this time, a Spanifh Arian 
 being condemned to die, was notwith- 
 ftanding fuffered to linger out his life in 
 Newgate, where he ended the fame. In- 
 deed, fuch burning of heretics much fi:ar- 
 tled common people, pitying all in pain, 
 and prone to afperfe juftice itfelf with 
 cruelty, becaufe of the novelty and hide- 
 oufnefs of the punifliment. And the pur- 
 blind eyes of vulgar judgments looked 
 only to what \v2is next to them, the fuf- 
 fering itfelf, which they beheld with com- 
 pafliion, not minding the demerit of the 
 guilt which deferved the fame. Befidcs, 
 fuch being unable to diftinguifli betwixt 
 
 conjlancy 
 
[ 55 3 
 
 ccmflancy and obftmacy^ were ready to en- 
 tertain good thoughts even of the opinions 
 of thofe heretics who fealed them fo man- 
 fully with their blood. Wherefore king 
 James foUficly preferred, that heretics 
 hereafter, though condemned, (hould fi- 
 lently and privately wafte thcmfelves away 
 * in the prifon, rather than to grace them, 
 and amufe others with the folemnity of a 
 public execution, which in popular judg- 
 ments ufurped the honour of a perfe- 
 
 cution."* 
 
 I make no comments. The reader will 
 make many for himfelf. But fome will 
 be pleafed to contrail the fpirit and temper 
 of this firft of the Stuarts, with that well 
 attefled anecdote of George II. of righ- 
 teous and merciful memory s ** who put a 
 *\ flop to a profecution in the ecclefi- 
 ** aftical courts, commenced againft the 
 ** late Dr. Doddridge by fome dignitaries 
 ** of the church of England, for fetting 
 ** up an academy, and teaching youth 
 *' learning and religion, in the town of 
 *' Northampton; warmly declaring upon 
 ** the occalion, that, during his reigUy there 
 * * JJdouldbenoptrJecutvjnfor confcienceJake-\ . ' ' 
 
 • * Fuller, as above, p. 64. 
 t Life of Doddridge by Orton, p. 251, 252. 
 
 E 4 During 
 
[ 5^ ] 
 
 During the troubles of the next reigri, 
 we find Mr. '^ohn Biddle in cuftody for his 
 opinions ; and his writings againft the 
 deity of Chrift, and of the Holy Spirit, 
 were ordered to be burn'd by the hands of 
 the common hangman. Some zealots of 
 the aflembly of (Prefbyterian) divines, 
 moved that he might be put to death : for 
 he was fo bold in propagating his opinion, 
 that he gave great offence by it. 
 
 It was happy for him, thefe Prefbyte- 
 rian divines had not power equal to their 
 good-will, or he might have been burn'd 
 in the fame fire with his writings. The 
 parliament underflood better the rights of 
 nature and of mankind, altho' they gave 
 way to his being imprifoned, perhaps to- 
 fcreen him from his enemies. And, with 
 the fame humane view afterwards, when 
 the council had fent him to Newgate for 
 giving frefli difturbance by hi^ boldnefs, the 
 protestor thought it bed to fend him out of 
 the way, and accordingly tranfported him 
 to Scilly, and allowed him one hundred 
 crowns a year for his maintenance. The 
 ufurper Cromwell, with all his fins againft 
 ^he liberties of his country, ** always pro^ 
 
 feffed 
 
[ 57 3 
 
 fefled * it to be his belief, that 7nen had a 
 right to think a7id aB for the?n/elvcs in mat- 
 ters of religion^ and that fo long as they be^ 
 haved peaceably y they were free to dijjent from 
 the magiftrate and the prieft" This is 
 highly to his honour : and his pra;5lice was 
 conformable to his principles. 
 
 Biddle remained in the ifle of Scilly till 
 the year: 1658, when the noife being over, 
 he was fet at liberty. After the protec- 
 tor's death he fet up a private conventicle 
 in London, which coxitinued till the re- 
 ftoration, when the church being reftored 
 to its coercive power, he was apprehended 
 while preaching, and committed to pri- 
 fon, .where he died in September, 1662. 
 He had fuch a prodigious memory, that 
 he could repeat all St. Paul's epiflles in 
 'Greek, and was reckoned by thofe of his 
 perfuafion a fober man, and fo devout, 
 that he feldom prayed without lying pro- 
 iirate on the ground •f-." ** It was one of 
 Mr. Biddies leffons, that it is a duty, 
 not only to relieve, but to vifit the- fick 
 and poor; becaufe they are hereby encou- 
 
 *■ Harris's life of Oliver Cromwell, p. 4c, 43. 
 f Neal's hiftory of the Puritans, vol. iv, p. 136, 
 
 raged 
 
I 58 ] 
 
 rsged and comforted, and We come to 
 know of what nature and degree their 
 ftraits are, and that fomc are more worthy 
 of affiftance than others : and their condi- 
 tion being known, fometimes we are able 
 to affift them by our counfel or our inte- 
 reft, much more effedtually than hy the 
 charity we do or can beftow upon thern.*' 
 "^Life of Mr. Thomas Firming p. 10, 1 1, 
 
 It Would be inexcufeable to pafs over* 
 in filence, a difciple of Mr* Biddies^ an 
 Unitarian, and great fupport of their caufc ; 
 one, though not diftinguiftied by nobility 
 of birth, or titles, or deep learning, yet 
 in real ufefulnefs to mankind the firft citi- 
 zen of the firft city in the world ; and 
 likely to keep his pre-eminence in the hea- 
 venly Jerufalem, if being indefatigably 
 aftive and eminent in doing good, in af- 
 fifting and relieving the poor, beyond all 
 other men ; if integrity, piety, humility, 
 and adive endeavours in the caufe of truth 
 and virtue, can intitle, and nothing elfe 
 can intitle the faithful Chriftian to that 
 high diftinftion and honour. 
 
 This was Mr. Thomas Firmin^ mer- 
 chant and citizen of London j a name now, 
 it may be, unknown to many, yet the 
 ^ friend 
 
t 59 ] 
 
 friend of Whichcote, Worthington, Wil- 
 kins. Fowler, Tillotfon ; with all whom 
 he lived in friendfliip, and in the greateft 
 intimacy with fome of them, notwith- 
 ftanding their wide difference in opinion, 
 which he never diffembled, nor, to their 
 honour be it recorded, did it caufe any 
 eoolnefs in their regards towards him. 
 
 *« Mr. Btddle firft perfuaded him^, thdt 
 the Unity of God is an Unity of per/on as 
 well as of nature ; that the Holy Spirit is 
 indeed a perfon, but not God. He had a 
 great and juft efteem for Mr. Biddies piety, 
 exemplarinefs, and learning ; and is that 
 
 '* ' * " Mr. Firmin's zeal for his inftru6^or was fo 
 great, that he ventured, while he was only an appren- 
 tice, to deliver a petition for his releafe out of New- 
 gate to Oliver Cromwel), who gave him this fhortan- 
 fwer : " You curl-pate boy you, do you think I'll 
 (hew any favour to a man who denies his Saviour, and 
 difturbs the government ?" — Birch's life of Jillotforiy 
 p. 293. 
 
 This does not contradict what was above remarked 
 of Cromwell's tolerating principles. It might be ne- 
 ceflary for the chief governor of the nation to fay this 
 in public in thofe times, efpecially to fo young a pcti- 
 tioncF. And there is a pleafantry and good-nature in 
 his manner, of which the gloomy bigot js utterly inca- 
 pable. This is farther confirmed by his allowing him 
 25I. a year to fupport him in his exile, no inconfidera- 
 blc fum in thofe days. 
 
 friend, 
 
r 60 ] 
 
 friend, mentioned in Mr. Biddle'% life, who 
 gave him his bed and board, till he was 
 fent prifoner by protector Cromwell to the 
 ifle of Scilly \ and when there, Mr Firmiriy 
 with another friend, procured him a yearly 
 penfion of a hundred crowns from the 
 protedor, befides what he obtained from 
 other friends, or gave himfeif *." 
 
 Archbi(hop Tillotibn, in his fermon at 
 the funeral of the Rev. Mr. Tho. Gouge, 
 fays, ** This was, I think, that which 
 gave the firft hint to that worthy and ufe- 
 fol citizen, Mr. Thomas Firming of a 
 much larger defign, which hath been 
 profecuted by him for fome years, with 
 that vigour and great fuccefs in this city, 
 that many hundreds of poor children and 
 fethers, who lived idle before, unprofit- 
 able both to themfelves and the public, 
 are continually maintained in work, and 
 taught to earn their own livelihood : he 
 being, by the generous affiftance and cha- 
 rity of many Well-difpofed perfons of all 
 ranks, enabled to bear the unavoidable 
 lofs and charge of fo vaft an undertaking j 
 
 * Life of Mr. Thomas FIrmin, p. 10. 
 See alfo a fine letter of CromwelTs to the governor 
 of Edinburgh calHe, mlfhitelock's mtmoudLh^ P- 459* 
 
 -^nci 
 
f 6i ] 
 
 and by his own forward inclination to cha- 
 rity, and his unwearied diligence and ac- 
 tivity, extraordinarily fitted to fuftain and 
 go through the incredible pains of it." 
 
 " During his lafl: ficknefs, which was 
 very (hort, he was vifited by his moft deal- 
 friend (Dr. Fowler) the bifliop of Glou- 
 cefter. What palled between them, his 
 Lordfliip hath made me to know, under 
 his own hand, in thefe words : ** Mr, 
 ** Firmin told me, he was now going : and 
 ^* I truft, faid he, God will not condemn 
 ** me to worfe company, than I have 
 *' loved and ufed in the prefent life. I 
 *' replied, that he had been an extraordi- 
 ** nary example of charity : the poor had 
 " a wonderful blefling in you : I doubt 
 ** not, thefe works will follow you, if 
 ** you have no expectation from the merit 
 ** of them, but rely on the infinite good - 
 «' nefs of God, and the merits of our Sa- 
 '* viour. Here he anfwered, I Co fo : and 
 " I fay, in the words of my Saviour, "ii^^hen 
 ** / have done all, I am but an unprofitable 
 " fervantr He was in fuch an agony of 
 body for want of breath, that I did not 
 think fit to fpeak more to him, but only 
 ga\re him affurancc of m'j earncH: prayers 
 
 for 
 
r 62 ] 
 
 for him, while he remained in this v/orld. 
 Then I took a folemn and afFedionatc 
 farewel of him ; and he of me *." 
 
 Mr. Firming although no writer him- 
 felf, was a great encourager and publiftier 
 of the works of others, and had fome con- 
 cern in feveral volumes of Unitarian tradls^ 
 publiflied about the time of the revolution. 
 His life, from which the above extracts 
 are made, is worthy to be perufed ; as al- 
 fo an admirable fermon, occafioned by his 
 death, printed along with it. 
 
 In the year 1694 began the great conteft 
 concerning the Trinity, betwixt two cele- 
 brated doftors of the church, Sherlock and 
 South; each of them reputed and reputing 
 himfelf orthodox, and each of them ef- 
 poufed by learned and powerful partizans. 
 
 Dr. Sherlock exprefsly affertcd, that the . 
 three perfons in the Trinity are three di- 
 ftindt infinite Minds or Spirits, and three 
 individual Subftances. Dr. South held 
 only one infinite eternal Mind or Spirit, 
 with three Somethings that were not three 
 diftindt Minds or Subftances, but three 
 modes, faculties, attributes, relations, re- 
 lative properties, fubfiftencies, as they 
 
 * Life of Mr, Firmin, p. 8z. 
 
 were 
 
[ 63 ] 
 
 were varioufly denominated. Dr. Sber^ 
 lock was accufed, and with great juftice, 
 if words have any meaning, of polytheifm, 
 or holding three Gcds, Dr. Sauth^ on the 
 other hand, came under the imputation of 
 explaining away the Trinity, and falling 
 into the Sabellian, or Unitarian fyftem : 
 and accordingly fome of the Socinians took 
 advantage of the DocStor's explication of 
 the dodtrine of the church, and declared 
 in their writings, that they fliould not be 
 backward to give their approbation to the 
 liturgy and articles, if that was the kind 
 of Trinity which the language therein ufed 
 was intended to inculcate. 
 
 The univcrfity of Oxford, to whom 
 Sherlock was obnoxious on account of his 
 political principles, declared for Dr. South ; 
 and the vice-chancellor and heads of col- 
 leges and halls, affembled November 25, 
 1695, paffed this cenfure on the oppofitc 
 dodlrine, viz. «* That the affertion, there 
 are three infinite diftind; Minds and Sub- 
 ftances in the Trinity, is falfe, impious, 
 and heretical, contrary to the dodlrine of 
 the catholic church, and particularly to 
 the received doftrine of the church of 
 England." 
 
f 64 1 
 
 But this cenfure had no confequeneesi 
 As both parties made no fcruple of ufing 
 the domnion language of the church, and 
 hel4 three Somewhats-^ they were never 
 called in queftion, or their orthodoxy im- 
 peached. Only, the quarrel ran fo high 
 from the pulpit, that the ftate thought 
 proper to interpofe its authority to flop it ; 
 ^nd accordingly an injunction came forth 
 from his Majefty King William, bearing 
 date February 2, 1695, with diredions 
 to the archbifiiops and bifhops to be ob- 
 ierved in their refpeftive diocefes. The 
 two firft of thefe were, 
 
 1 . That no preacher whatfoever> in his 
 fermon or ledure, do prefume to deliver 
 any other doctrine concerning the bleffed 
 Trinity^ than what is contained in the 
 holy fcripture, [and is agreeable to the. 
 three creeds, and the thirty-nine articles.] 
 
 2. That, in the explication of this doc- 
 trine, they carefully avoid all new terms, 
 [and confine themfelves to fuch ways of 
 expreffion as have been commonly ufed in 
 thq church.] 
 
 N.B, If the words hooked in aparenthe- 
 fis had been omitted, there would have been 
 a better and a more lafting foundation laid 
 for peace and truth, Thefe 
 
[ 65 1 
 
 Thefe difputes among divines, their 
 abufe of each other, and the flrange dif- 
 tindions and equivocation to which they 
 were reduced to defend themfelves, and 
 maintain their diredlly contrary opinions, 
 ^contributed much to the fpreading of the 
 Unitarian doctrine *: yet it is to be feared, 
 many were thereby indifpofed to revealed 
 religion itfelf, when they faw that its 
 great dodors could not agree about the ob- 
 jedt of their worfhip, whether One Being, 
 or Many. 
 
 Whoever would fee to what extravagant 
 pofitions, fubverfive of all religion and na- 
 tural knowledge of God, men will let 
 themfelves be driven, rather than give up 
 an hypothefis once efpoufed, needeth only 
 
 * " I own I have been unfettled in my notions from 
 the time I read Dr. Sherlock's book of the Trinity, 
 which fufficiently difcovered how far many were gone 
 back towards polytheifm : I long tried what I could 
 do with fome Sabellian turns, making out a Trinity of 
 fomewhats in one fmgle mind. I found that, by the 
 tritheiftical fcheme of Dr. Sherlock and Mr. Howe, T 
 befl: preferyed a Trinity, but I loft the Unity : By the 
 Sabellian fcheme of modes, fubiiftencies, and proper- 
 ties, &c. I beft kept up the divine Unity ; but then I 
 had loft a Trinity, fuch as the fcriptures difcover j fo 
 that I could not keep both in view at once." Emlyns 
 tvodsy vol. i, p. 15. 
 
 F 19 
 

 f 66 3 
 
 to read <' Dr, Clarke's Obfervaiions tn Dr 
 Water land's fecond defence of bis ^eries 
 which, I belie vp, clofed the controverfy at 
 that time, and ought to have clofed it for 
 ever *. 
 
 The Unitarian Chriftians were much 
 affedted by a (hocking ad of the ftate, 
 which was fuffered to pafs in thefe early 
 days of the revolution, and which will 
 remain an indelible reproach to it. 
 
 For, *^ by 9 and 10 W. 3. ch. 32. If 
 any perfon educated in, or having made 
 profeffion of the Chriftian religion, (hall 
 be convidled in any of the courts of Weft- 
 minfter, or at the affizes, of denying any 
 cne 6f the perfom of the Holy Trinity to be 
 God, bcQ, he (hall for the firfi offence, be 
 judged incapable of any office -, and for the 
 fecond offence, (hall be difabled to fue any 
 adlion, or to be guardian, executor, or ad- 
 miniftrator, orto take any legacy or deed of 
 gift, or to bear any office, civil or military, 
 or benefice ecclefiailical for ever, and alfo 
 fliall fuffer imprifonment for three years,** 
 
 If we refledt on that high eflimation, la 
 which the celebrated Dr. Clarke and his writ- 
 ings were held foon after this time, by many 
 
 * See alfo Emlyn^ vol. ii. p. 451. 
 
[ (>! \ 
 in high place, and in all places; and aho 
 how great a number have efpoufed his fenti* 
 mcnt, or that of the Socinians, concerning 
 our Saviour Chrift, we (hall not be able to 
 think of the exiftence of fuch a law as this 
 without horror. But that benevolence of 
 the prefent times, which forbids the ex- 
 cxecution, ihould haften the repeal of it. 
 It would carry us too far beyond our 
 purpofe, or here would be the place, in 
 the beginning of the prefent century, to 
 treat of Mr. Thomas Emiyn, an Englith- 
 man, minifter of a congregation of pro- 
 teftant diffenters in Dublin ; who ** fo no- 
 «* bly fufFered unto bonds and imprifon- 
 '* ment, and great worldly loffes, for 
 ** maintaining the fupreme unequalled 
 **. majefty of the One God and Father of 
 ** all, under a moft unrighteous perfecu- 
 " tion againft him," carried on by his own 
 people, diffenters, and abetted by fome 
 great churchmen in Ireland. 
 
 His works will be a lading monument 
 of his genius, learning, piety, and integri- 
 ty ; written in a clear animated ftile, equal- 
 led by few, exceeded by none, in our lan- 
 guage, and with (uch invincible. force of 
 argument, as ftill to promote tUt truth 
 F 2 for 
 
[ 68 1 
 
 for which he was not unwilling to fufFer. 
 
 The perfecution of the learned Mr. 
 "James Fierce of Exeter^ eminent alfo for 
 his writings, and fufferings in the fame 
 caufe, amongft the diflenters ; and, of 
 another learned and excellent perfon, Mr. 
 Tomkins of NewingtoHy muft on the fame 
 account be paffed over unnoticed. 
 
 The famous Mr. WiUiain Whijion end- 
 ed his courfe only about twenty years ago, 
 and his ftory is fo well known, that little 
 needeth to be faid of the perfecution he 
 underwent, and his moft unjuft expulfion 
 from his profefforfliip in Cambridge in the 
 year 1710, for maintaining, that the only 
 God of the Chrijiians is God the Father. . 
 But his undiffembled piety from his youth 
 to extreme old age, his integrity, and 
 chearfulnefs under the lofs of his prefer- 
 ments, his conftancy and courage, can 
 never be enough celebrated and admired. 
 
 Thofe arguments of holy fcripture, by 
 which he proved his grand point, have 
 never been confuted. But fome of the 
 good effedsof his labours were obftrufted 
 by an unlucky infatuation with which he 
 was poffefTed for fome ancient writings, 
 particularly the Apojlolical Conftitutions y 
 
 which 
 
[ 69 J 
 
 which he maintained to be the mofl: fa* 
 cred of the canonical books of the New 
 Teftament, although it muft appear to all 
 unprejudiced perfons to have been written 
 in the fourth century, but probably then 
 compiled out of fome earlier compofitiona 
 of the firft and fecond. Struck with ad- 
 ' miration of the book at firft, as fo much 
 favouring his Arian fentiments, he thought 
 it quite divine; and being of a warm ima- 
 gination and fanguine temper, when once 
 in fuch an error he could hardly get out of 
 it. A fmall fpeck this, in fo bright a 
 charadler. 
 
 The infcription on his tomb-ftone, at 
 Lyndon in the county of Rutland, has 
 done jufticc to his memory. It is not 
 printed along with any of his works that I 
 h^ve feen, and therefore may not unufe- 
 fully or improperly here find a place. 
 '. ** Here lyeth the body of the Rev. Mr. 
 William Whijlon, M, A, fome time pro- 
 feffor of the mathematics in the univerfity 
 of Cambridge ; who was born Dec. 9, 
 1667, and died Aug. 22, 1752, in the 
 85th year of his age. Endued with an 
 excellent gcnius,^ indefatigable in labour 
 gnd ftudy, he became learned in divinity^ 
 F 3 ^ ancient 
 
[ 7^ ] 
 
 ancient hiftory, chronology, philofophy, 
 and mathematics. Fertile in fentimcnt, 
 copious in language, fkilful to convey in- 
 ftrudion, he introduced the Newtoniai^ 
 philofophy, then buried in the deepeft 
 receffes of geometry, into public know- 
 ledge, and thereby difplayed the wonder- 
 ful works of God : More defirous to dif- 
 cover his luUly he applied himfelf chiejfliy 
 to the examination and lludy of the holy 
 fcriptares : Refolvcd to pradife it, he fa- 
 Crificed great v^^orldly advantages andgreat- 
 cr expedations, that he might preferve 
 the teflimony of a good confciencc. Firm- 
 ly perfuaded of the truth and importance 
 of revealed religion, he exerted his utmoft 
 ability, to enforce the evidence, to ex- 
 plain the do(5trines, and promote the prac- 
 tiee of Chriftianity : worfliiping God 
 with the moft profound fubmiffion and 
 adoration, the fupreme majefty of the One 
 God and Father of all, through the inter- 
 ccffion and mediation of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, by the grace and influence of the 
 Holy Spirit ; and teftifying the fmcerity 
 cf his profeffion by the due obedience of ^ 
 holy life. Stridly tenacious of his inte- 
 grity, equally fervent in piety and charity, 
 ' ardfnt 
 
[ 71 ] 
 
 ardent to promote the glory of God and 
 the good of mankind, zealous in the pur- 
 fuit of truth and the praftice of virtue, he 
 perfevered with faith and patience, fted- 
 faft and immoveable, always abounding 
 in the work of the Lord, through many 
 trials and much tribulation, to the end 
 *of his courfe, full of days, and ripe for 
 Paradife, in a firm affurance of a joyful 
 refurrecSion to everlafting life and happi- 
 nefs. NoWy reader y whoe'er thou arty if 
 thou canji not attain to the meajure of his 
 learning and knowledge y yet it is in thy 
 power to equal him in piety y probity y holi^ 
 nefsy and other Chrijiian graces \ and thou 
 mcyejl hereby obtain y together with him, 
 thro* the mercies of Gody and merits of 
 ChriHy an everlafting crown of glory'' 
 
 .Few men in any age have by their wri- 
 tings caft more light on the dark parts of 
 the word of God, or tpore laboured to re* 
 ftore his true wor(hip, than Dr. Samuel 
 Clarkcy reftor of St. James's, Weflmin- 
 fter. Skilful in mathematics and natural 
 philofophy, a moft exadt critic in the 
 learned languages and in the Hebrew, and^ 
 furnifhed with all other knowledge that 
 plight affift in the great defign, he made 
 F4 i( 
 
[ 72 3 
 
 it the whole bent of his ftudies to illiiftrate 
 the fcriptures and teach men virtue and 
 true religion. His moft admired work, 
 the Scripture Da5lrine of the Trinity ^ hath 
 put it in the power of all fincere enquirers, 
 even of the meaneft capacities, to judge 
 for themfelves on a point of the greateft 
 importance ; namely, what, and who is 
 the God they are to worfhip ; <* whether 
 three perfons, of one fubftance, power, 
 and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the 
 fioly Ghofi: j or one perfon^ the Father 
 only be the One Jiving and true God, 
 everlafting, without body, parts, or paf- 
 fions ; of infinite power, wifdom and 
 goodnefs, the maker and preferver of all 
 things, both vifible and invifible/* — ^r- 
 tick I, 
 
 And from the moft exadl, clear, and 
 impartial examination of all the texts of 
 the New Teftament relating to the doc- 
 trine of the Trinity, he hath irrefragably 
 demonftrated the great Unitarian dodrinc 
 of nature and revelation, that there is but 
 One God, the Father^ to whom alone ab^ 
 fJutcly Jupreme honour is duCy and to whom 
 divii^e worjhip and prayer is to be offered. 
 
 The 
 
[73l 
 The Rev. Mr. Jones, in his Catholic 
 Do5irine of the Trinity^ hath availed him- 
 icM of this method of our great author, 
 and endeavoured thereby to make out the 
 quite contrary dodlrine. That gentle- 
 man's intrvduBory difcoiirfe, compared with 
 Dr. Clarke'^ introdiiBmiy will fliew the 
 temper of each, and the methods they 
 purfue. Thofe that compare the different 
 interpretations given of the fame texts, 
 will obferve that Dr. Clarke gives the 
 fenfe the context requires ; Mr. Jones, 
 any fenfe the words will bear that may 
 fuit his fyftem, in which way the Koran 
 of Mahomet might be proved to be a moft 
 orthodox book, and any thing made out 
 of any thing. Thus his firjt proof ^ of the 
 
 Trinity 
 
 * " Sciens ac volens fuperfedeo a multls teftimonlis 
 quibus ufi funt veteres. PlaufibiJe illis vifum eft ci- 
 tare ex Davide xxxiii. 6, verbo Domini coeli firraati 
 funt, et fpiritu oris ejus omnis virtus eorum ; ut pro- 
 barent non minus Spiritus Sandi opus efle mundum 
 <|uam Filii. Sed quum in Pfalmis ufitatum fit bis 
 idem repetere, et quum apud Jefaiam fpiritus oris idem 
 valeat"(xi. 4.) atque fermo, infirma ilia ratio fuit." 
 
 Calvin. Injlit. 1. i. p, 22. 
 
 Calvin was by fome accufed of Judaizing and Ari- 
 ani^Ling, becaufe he gave up this paflage, and Pfaim ii. 
 
 7. Genefis 
 
[ 74 ] 
 
 Trinity in Unity is that text, Pfalm xxxiii. 
 6.*—" By the word of the Lord were the 
 heavens made, and all the hoft of them 
 by the breath of his mouth." Whence 
 be in his way infers — '* The whole Trinity 
 therefore created the world." And he 
 proves this Trinity to be but One Lord, in 
 the fame curious way, from Ifaiah xliv.i 
 2J^.'!r-'Jones*s Catholic Do5lrine, p. 69. 
 
 Coi«:lufions to The religion of Chrift, or 
 the foregoing the wiU of God by him deli- 
 ^lilory. yered to men, was eafy to be 
 
 underftood by thofc to whom he and his 
 apoftles firft preached it. This his reli- 
 gion was afterwards put down in writing 
 by his apoftles and difciples. And this 
 faith once delivered to the faints (Jude 3.) 
 is to be carefully preferved by us. It 
 would be impious to take upon vis to add 
 
 7. Genefis xix. 24. John x. 30. Hebrews i. 5. i John 
 v^ 7. and would not allow them txs fufficient proofs re- 
 fpedtively, of the Trinity, 01; ^he divinity of t^e Son j^ 
 and Holy Spirit. He did not deferve the afperflons of 
 fome of his warm adverfaries, but his good fenfe led 
 hrm to fee, that thefe texts would rather weakei> thaa 
 fupport the do6lrine of the Trinity. On the laft text, 
 I John V. 7, his remark is, " Quod dicit tres efle 
 unum, ad ^flentiam non refertur, fed ad confenfum, 
 potius." 
 
 to 
 
I 73 ] 
 to or diminifli aught from it. This how- 
 ever has been done by many, though oft, 
 1 believe, without dcfign and without 
 knowing it. It was by infenfible degrees, 
 and the work of many ages ; by enlarging 
 creeds one after another, and after all by 
 the laborious fophiftry of monkifli fchool- 
 men, that the prefent complicate fyflem 
 of an orthodox belief was framed. And 
 it muft be by the fame flow fteps and la- 
 bour, that we can expedt to clear away 
 and remove this rubbifli of ages, which 
 has disfigured, and nearly fmothered the 
 fair fabric of the word of God. 
 
 Thefe our honourable predeceffors, with 
 others before them, who, with great la* 
 bour, and hazard, and lofs, have flood 
 up to oppofe the corruptions of God's true 
 worfhip, are to be followed and imitated 
 by us. And, as they have made the way 
 pf truth more eafy and acceflible to us,\ 
 we (hall be without excufe, if we do not 
 endeavour to fecure and improve the dif* 
 coveries they have made, and the advan- 
 tages they have gained for us, and to hand 
 down 'the lamp of God to light thofe that 
 come after us«. 
 
 Pipus 
 
[ 52 ] 
 
 Pious pcrfons may be (hocked at iirft 
 in furveying the great corruptions which 
 have all along prevailed, and ftill pre- 
 vail in the Chriftian church. Befides 
 thofe errors which we fee and lament at 
 home amongft ourfelves, how deformed 
 the daemon worfliip, the worfhip of dead 
 men and women deified, and together 
 with it the pitiful idolatry of a breaden 
 God^y v/hich has fubfifted for many ages, 
 
 and 
 
 * " It is affirmed by the church of Rome, that their 
 God being eaten, may by the fqueamifh ftomach be 
 caft up again; witnefs that canon, ftfacerdos euchar'tf- 
 iiam, &c. which doth exhort the prtefi when he doth 
 vom'tt up the facrament to wipe ity and try once more to 
 eat it. They alfo intimate that the communicant may 
 %it Hi?n out upon the ground, witnefs the caution in 
 their ritual^ that after the reception of the eucharij}^ 
 they do not for a [eafpn fpit^ ne facramenti fpecies de 
 pre decidant, leji the fpecies of the facrament Jhould fall 
 from their mouth. And laftly, to compleat their blaC 
 jjhe'my, they do acknowledge that, in difeafes which 
 take away digeftion, their God comes whole out of the 
 draught ; fo it hath happened^ faith Paludanus ; fo it 
 mufl happen in this cafe^ faith Soto, for fhame fhould 
 not conftrain us to deny the truth. Now to be fpit 
 out of the mouth, or caft out of the ftomach, or to be 
 cje£led at the draught, are the peculiar excellencies of 
 this 772^/;- Go^, which all the follies of the heathen can- 
 not parallel.*'— /F/:?/^. Irrifio Dei panarii Romanen- 
 ftumy.ihe derifion of the hreaden God worfljipped in 
 
 the 
 
i 77 y 
 
 and ftill fubfifts in the church of Rome i 
 that is, a large part of Chriftendom ? 
 
 But we fliould confider, that although 
 God is perfedl, and all that comes from 
 him is originally fo : yet man is a creature 
 full of prejudice, which he takes in with 
 his nurfe's milk, and overwhelmed with 
 various errors ; and that, as there is fcarce 
 any evidence fo clear which paflion and 
 corrupt intereft will not incline him to fet 
 afide, there is no dodtrine fo plainly laid 
 down, which early prepoffefljon and wrong 
 habits will not darken and perplex. Un- 
 lefs then Almighty God had new mould- 
 ed the race of men, when he gave them 
 a revelation of his will, the pure dodrine 
 of the gofpel would unavoidably take a 
 tindture from the manners, difpofitions, 
 and habits of thofe who received it, as 
 water fron^ the beds of minerals through 
 which it pafles. The truth of God there- 
 fore was neceffarily left to take its chance 
 
 the Romljh churchy p. 74, 75. This fine tra6l of this 
 learned, man and true Proteftant, deferves to be adopt- 
 ed by our religious focieties in the lift of their books to 
 bedifperfed, and would help to preferve our own people 
 Proteftants, and convert the Papifts themfclves from 
 their more than pagan idolatry, much better than graver 
 ^ooks, 
 
 ia 
 
r 78 } 
 
 ill the wosld, if we may fo fpeak, and to 
 be more or lefs corrupted in different 
 times and places j yet not without his own 
 watchful overfight in the mean while, and 
 the fulleft affurances and predictions, for 
 the encouragement of his true worfljip- 
 ers, " that truth and virtue would hnMf 
 prevail over the fpirit of error and wicked- 
 nefs." We are not judges how far God 
 intended his difpenfationk of light and 
 knowledge, and moral improvement, to 
 take effedt at any given time: but un- 
 doubtedly they are made to attain the end 
 he propofed, though not all that our pre- 
 cipitate judgments would lead us to 
 expedt. 
 
 What Mr. Whifton remarks concern- 
 ing Bifljop Smallridge, may, I apprehend, 
 influence feme worthy men like him, to 
 fit down contented with eflabliflied forms 
 of religious worfliip which they are far 
 from approving ^ namely, " the dread of 
 ** the ill confequences of difcovering fo 
 <« great and lading errors in the church, 
 ** with a fufpicion of the harm politicians 
 " and unbelievers would turn fuch dif- 
 " covcries to, inftcad of uniting with 
 
 ff good 
 
[ 79 3 
 
 *< good men to corredt the errors them- 
 *< felves*." 
 
 Politicians and unbelievers cannot cer- 
 tainly be €::p€(3:ed to turn reformers. But 
 with regard to the difcoveries which Bp. 
 Smallridgc was afraid of making and hav- 
 ing divulged, relating, I fuppofe to the 
 Athanafian and fcholaftic Trinity, which 
 has been held in veneration and worfhiped 
 thefe fourteen centuries paft, whatever was 
 the cafe in his time, its little agreement 
 with the fcriptures or early fathers has been 
 long no fecret to the Morgans, the St. 
 Jobns^ the Vdtaires, &c. nor have they 
 made any fecret of it; but have thence tak- 
 en a handle to accufe feme of our great and 
 learned churchmen of fhutting their eyes 
 for political ends, or elfe believing as little 
 of the revealed fyftem as themfelves. 
 
 We may affure ourfelves, that no dif- 
 covery of error, no fair reprefentation of 
 fadts can hurt true religion, tho' it may 
 fhakc the empire of prieflcraft and fuper- 
 ftition. We ought rather to be the more 
 excited to fcarch and enquire, and bear 
 our public but peaceable teflimony to op* 
 
 ♦ Whifton^s life of Dr. S, Clarke, p. 97. 
 
 prefflbd 
 
prefled truth, becaufe for want of (hif 
 having been done in time, things are comef^ 
 to the pafs which we now complain of, 
 and with which the adverfaries of our ^ 
 common faith reproach us. 
 
 But thofe men will fall under heavy 
 condemnation, who perfifc in abetting 
 known corruptions, out of mean lucrative 
 views, and the flattery of princes and great 
 men, and inftead of lending a helping 
 hand to the work, calumniate and difcou- 
 rage thofe who feek to remove thefe ftum- 
 bling- blocks to truth and integrity. M 
 
 This looks peculiarly ill in men famous f 
 for learning and abilities, teachers of hu- i^ 
 manity, virtue, and religion, who are % 
 placed on an eminence, and draw others T" 
 after them. *< Wo unto the world, be- 
 caufe of offences : for it muft needs be . 
 that offences come : but wo to that man 
 by whom the ofience cometh." — Matthew 
 xviii. 7. 
 
 In the mean time, mafiy arepurifiedi and 
 made white 9 and tried y Daniel xii. 10, and 
 the thought 5 of many hearts are revealed y 
 Luke ii. 35 ^ the true charafters of men 
 are drawn out and brought to light, and 
 
 many 
 
[ 8i ] 
 
 many known and unknown purpofes of 
 the divine government are anfwered and 
 ferved for the produdtion of virtue, and 
 man's real felicity and perfedlion. Hap- 
 py, where no undue motive influences, no 
 blameable paflion, or difguft at human 
 things and the courfe of the world ; no- 
 thing but the pure love of truth, and 
 fenfe of duty to the great fearcher of 
 hearts, which can be known to him alone. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
[ 82 ] 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THfiRE' IS BUT ONE GOD, THE FATHER*. RELI* 
 ' GIOUS WORSHIP TO BE OFFERED TO THIS ONE 
 . GOD, THE FATHER, ONL^. 
 
 ' I * HAT God is One, and confequently, 
 the object of worfhip One onljy is of 
 firft importance in religion. The wretch- 
 ed ftite of morals in the heathen world 
 flowed from their polytheifm. And not 
 one can remain many hours in a popifli 
 country without feeing the pernicious ef- 
 fect of their idolatrous worfhip *, in their 
 flreets and on the high roads. Nor can 
 we Proteftants be cleared from fome fatal 
 miftakes here, the fource of great unhap- 
 pinefs and diftradlion in the breafts of ma- 
 ny, and of much wrong pradice. For it 
 is obvious, from the converfation and wri- 
 tings of many amongft us, that they are 
 ftr gone into the doctrine of Three equal 
 Godsy whom they figure and reprefent to 
 themfelves under different and very oppo- 
 fUe charafters. Hence they conceive of 
 God the Father, always with dread, as a 
 
 * Erafmus, in his colloquies, has finely ridiculed 
 this depraved fuperftition of the Fapifts, See particu- 
 krly his Naufragium, 
 
 I being 
 
[ 83 ] 
 
 be ng of feverc unrelenting juftice*, re- 
 vengeful, and inexorable without full fa- 
 
 tisfadion 
 
 * ^' Is there no fhelter from the eye 
 Of a revenging God? 
 Jefus^ to thy dear wounds I fly. 
 Bedew me with thy blood. 
 Thofe guardian drops my foul fecure. 
 
 And wafh away my fm 3 
 Eternal Jujiice frowns no rnore^ 
 
 And confcience fmiles within." 
 
 JVatts's lyric poems, p. 84. 
 *' Rich were the drops o/yefus' bloody 
 
 That cairn d his frowning face y 
 Thatfprinkrd o'er the burning throne^ 
 And turned the wrath to grace,^ 
 
 Watts' s hymnsy p. 229. 
 This pious and excellent perfon lived to fee his er- 
 ror and changed his fentiments intirely on this point, 
 before he died. Towards the clofe of his days, but 
 before his faculties were impaired, by a long, ferious, 
 difpaflionate attention to the facred writings, he was 
 brought to that fentiment concerning the perfon and 
 character of Chrift, which feems to have beeft that of 
 his apoftles and firft followers, before philofophy had 
 corrupted theifaith. For this he was rudely attacked 
 from the prefs after his death, by a famous champion 
 of orthodoxy of the times, but did nocwant defend- 
 ers of his fair unfpotted name. " The charader of 
 the gentle, the ingenious, the pious Dr. Watts, (fays 
 one of them) muft be facrificed by the fury of two or 
 three fermons that are filled with aquafortis. And 
 why ? truly, becaufe the Dodor had once believed a 
 G 2 Trinity 
 
[ H ] 
 
 tisfadlion made to him for the breach of 
 his laws. God the Son, on the other 
 hand, is looked upon as made up of all 
 compaffion and goodnefs, interpofing to 
 fave men from the Father's wrath, and 
 fubjeding himfelf to the extremeft fuffer- 
 ings on that account. And God the Holy 
 Ghoft is defcribed in charadlers of the ut- 
 moft love and kindnefs, ever waiting, and 
 ever ready to beftow his gracious commu- 
 nications and affiftances for the falvation 
 of men. 
 
 But how contrary is this language to 
 the holy fcriptures, and how injurious to 
 
 Trinity in Unity. Afterwards his judgment altered, 
 and he publifhed two traits, in which he feems to fa- 
 vour the SabeUian or Socinian hypothelis. So far from 
 being a reproach to Dr. Watts^ that he changed his 
 fentiments, it will be looked upon by all fober, judi- 
 cious, confiftent proteftants, as reflecting much glory- 
 upon his character; tho' Mr. Bradbury happens to 
 think it a mark of his own iledfaftnefs, that he receded 
 not from his education-principles. Notwithftanding 
 this, he fhould allow it natural for men to have more 
 light open upon them, who are not afraid of free in- 
 quiry j whilft the ftedfaftnefs of others may be owing 
 to the inveteracy of their prejudices, that will not fuf- 
 
 fcr them to make any farther difcoveries." Extra£i 
 
 from a pamphlet, intitled, '' The character of the Rev, 
 T. Bradbury, taken from his own pen in his difcourfes on 
 baptijmy printed for Cooper, 1749. 
 
 the 
 
[ 85 ] 
 
 the God of all grace, (i Pet. v. lo.) the 
 heavenly Father and God over all, whom 
 we are there taught alone to look up unto 
 in prayer, to expedt all from him, to refer 
 all to him, who (John iii. i6,)/o loved the 
 world, that he gave his only » begot ten Son to 
 fave men from perijloing for ever; and who 
 (Luke xi. 13.) giveth the Holy Spirit to 
 them that afk him. 
 
 It was in much mercy, that this gra- 
 cious parent of mankind, when he firft 
 made man, did not leave him to the flow 
 procefs of reafon to find out his Maker and 
 bcnefa(ffcor, whom it was his chief happi- 
 nefs to know and to adore. For although 
 fpeculative enquiring minds may, in a 
 courfe of time, arrive at the difcovery and 
 knowledge of a firft great caufe and bene- 
 volent author of all things ; yet, as few 
 have leifure, or are born to be philofo- 
 phers, fonle more fimple and ftriking evi- 
 dence of the being and providence of God 
 was to be defired. He therefore gave our 
 firftparents a fenfible and immediate know- 
 ledget)fhimfelf,his will, their duty and hap- 
 pinefs. This could not fail of being hand- 
 ed down in fome degree to their pofterity. 
 G 3 And 
 
[ 86 ] 
 
 And we find it acftually was fo. For the beft 
 heathen authors profefs to build much of 
 their knowledge of God on tradition, to 
 which our modern philofophers owe more 
 than they will confefsj and in the multi- 
 plicity of falfe objedts of worftiip into which 
 mankind have been led, the perfuafion of 
 One Supreme over all has ftill fecretly and 
 univerfally prevailed. 
 
 In the Bibky which contains an authen- 
 tic account of the divine interpofitions, 
 and communications to men, one would 
 naturally exped: the great point, whether 
 there be One God or more, to be fettled fo 
 as to leave no room for doubt or uncer- 
 tainty. And indeed, an unprejudiced 
 p^rfon, of ordinary underflanding, that 
 took that book in his hand, would never 
 apprehend that it was defigned to teach 
 him to philofophize and make nice dif- 
 tindtions about fome unknown ejjence or fub" 
 fiance of God^ and three perjons in that ef^ 
 fence, equally Gody and equally to he wor- 
 jhippedy and yet all three but one God. He 
 would fee that there was but One God 
 without any fuch perplexity and refine- 
 
 menta 
 
[ 87] 
 ment, as clearly as he would fee that he 
 exifted at all. 
 
 Accordingly * the Hebrews, who were 
 the depofitaries of thefe divine revelations, 
 and above all other people favoured with 
 them, never had any different doctrine, or 
 difputes on fo clear a point. They never 
 dreamed of a plurality in the deity y as we 
 Chriftians have affefted to fpeak, altho* 
 fome have fathered it upon them, and 
 have pretended to gather it from the plu- 
 ral termination of a Hebrew word Elohim, 
 indifferently applied to God and man, and 
 
 * The following declaration of BIfhop Beveridge 
 will carry weight along with it, efpecially as he him- 
 .felf thinks he can fee the my fiery of the T'rini'iy in the 
 Old Teftamcnt, tho' he owns the Jews have, nev^r 
 been able to fee it. " The great myfien of the Trinity^ 
 faith he, though it be frequently intimated in the Old 
 Teftament, yet it is an hanl matter rightly to under- 
 Hand it without the New : infomuch, that the Jews, 
 though they have had the law above three thoufand, 
 and the prophets above two thoufand years among 
 them, yet to this day they could never make this an ar- 
 ticle of faith ; but they, as well as the. Mahometans, 
 ftill afiert, that God is only One in per/on as well as in 
 nature.-^PrivateThou^hts, partii. p. 36, 37. 
 
 ^G 4 ffom 
 
[ 88 ] 
 
 from the Chaldee Targums *, or para- 
 phrafes of the Old Teftament, which yet 
 do countenance no fuch doctrine. 
 
 The 
 
 * Chaldee Targums,'] Dr. AlHx, in his Judgment of 
 the ancient Jewijh church, labours much to make this 
 ancient Jewlfli church Trinitarian, But all the Jews 
 of later times cry out againft fuch an imputation upo^ 
 them and their anceftors, and unqyeftionably the 
 Trinity is one of thofe do6lrines that prejudice them 
 moft againft Chriftianity. I make no doubt but 
 this grofs error and rnifapprehenfion has arifen from 
 Chriftians, like pr. Allix, going to the reading of 
 the Chaldee and Hebrew writings, full of their own 
 Trinitarian ideas, and fixing them upon words which 
 the writers never intended to convey any thing of the 
 kind. Our Prideaux, and Louis Capellus, have fo 
 well explained this matter, and fet afide thefe fancies* 
 that the reader will thank me for producing them : 
 **' With much better reafon (fays the former) does the 
 ^' fame Frenchman (father Simon) difapprove of the 
 *' ufe of the Targums for the proof of the Aayoq^ or 
 " Ward, in that fenfe-in which we find it exprefled in 
 ** the firft chapter of the gofpel of St. John. For 
 ** through all thofe Targums, in a great number of 
 *' places where mention is made of God in the original 
 '*' Hebrew, it being rendered the word of God in the 
 ** Chaldee interpretation, hence the Q\iMet Mimray 
 *' which in that phrafe fignifieth the Word, hath been 
 " thought to correfpond with the Greek Acyo? in that 
 *' gofpel, and both exadly to denote the fame thing. 
 *' And therefore feveral learned men have endeavoured 
 ♦' to explain the one by the other, and from hence to 
 
r 89 ] 
 
 The people of God have in all times af* 
 ferted the divine Unity in the ilrongeft 
 
 terms, 
 
 <* prove the divinity of our Saviour. But others, as 
 " well as Monf. Simon, being fenllble of this phrafe 
 *' in the Chaldee beinor an idiom of that lang-ua^ye 
 
 o too 
 
 ^' which may be otherwife explained, they are againlt 
 *' prefling any argument from it for this point, becaufe 
 ^' it is capable of an anfwer to which we cannot well 
 *' reply :" [i. e. I prefume, it would prove, that the 
 JVordm the beginning of John's gofpel is wrongly ap* 
 plied to Chrift, and is nothing but a defcription, in 
 the Hebrew way, of God himfelf^ which feems the 
 true interpretation, tho' Prideaux and many others 
 have been unwilling to admit it.] — Prideaux z Connec 
 iion^ kc. vol. iv. p. 749, 750. 
 
 Capellus fays, " Although I will not diredlly coa- 
 demn the conjedure, I think it not fufficiently folid 
 againft an obftinate Jew. For it is certain the Chal- 
 dee paraphrafe continually ufes the term, Mimra, IVord 
 for the reciprocal pronoun, himfelf. Continual exam- 
 ples occur of this way of fpeaking. And, therefore, 
 the Word of the Lord^ lidlmra Dejy can fignify no 
 more according to them, than the Lotd himfelf ."—.Lud, 
 Capelli op, p. 76. 
 
 A few inflances out of a thoufand that are produced 
 by Allix, and Bp. Kidder in his demonftration of the 
 Mefliah, will explain and confirm this interpretation. 
 
 " Genefis i, 27. Inftead of God created man^ it is in 
 the Jerufalem Targum, the word (Mimra) of the Lord 
 created many i. e. (hot the word. Logos, a diftin^l 
 being, but) the Lord himfelf created man, 
 
 ^ Gen. 
 
f 90 ] 
 
 terms. One of the articles of their creed 
 is, *' Credo perfedla fide, quod Deus Cre- 
 ator unus fit ; quodque unitas talis qualis 
 in eo eft, in alio nemine reperiatur;*' i. e. 
 I believe with an intire faith, that God, 
 the Creator, is One perfon, and that the 
 unity or onenefs which is in him is not in 
 any other. 
 
 Buxtorf, who gives us this article of 
 their faith, p. 3, in his account of their 
 daily devotions, informs us — " They then 
 go on to fmg,-— ^W GodJIjall he king over 
 all the earth : In that day there Jhall be One 
 
 Gen. ix. 12. " And God faid, this is the token gf 
 the covenant which I make between me and you/' 
 Onkelos paraph rafes—^^/z<;^^« my word (my Mimra) 
 and you, i. e. tnyfelf and you. 
 
 Exod. XX. 24. " For I will come unto thee, and I 
 will blefs thee." The Jerufalem Targum has it, my 
 word (my Mimra) fhall appear to you and blefs you— 
 i. e. I my felf. 
 
 Pfalm ex. I. " The Lord faid unto my Lord.*' 
 The Chaldee paraphraft renders it, The Lord faid by 
 his word, his Mimra, i. e. by himfelf. Which fhew- 
 cth, he did not rightly underftand the words, as pro- 
 phetically addrefled to the Meffiah, according to our 
 Saviour's own interpretation of it, Matth. xxii. 44; 
 but thought it a ftrong afTeveration made by God him- 
 felf, Kidder s dmovf ration of the Mrffiah, part iii. 
 p. 108. 
 
 God, 
 
L 91 ] 
 
 God, and his name One^ (Zachariah xiv. 9.) 
 ill like manner as it is written in thy law, 
 Hear» O IfraeU God our God h one God, 
 This (continueth he) is fo drawn up by 
 them in oppofition to the belief of Chrif. 
 tians, as though we adored more Gods 
 than one, or gave him more names than 
 one, viz. that of Chrift *." 
 
 Our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf uniform- 
 ly and invariably taught this Jewifh doc- 
 trine of the divine Unity. One is fur- 
 prized how any could bring themfelves to 
 think he taught any other. 
 
 I^anguage the moft decifive is ufed by 
 him to denote the finglenefs and unity of 
 the objed: or perfon; /, thou, he, him-, 
 words, which in every other inftance we 
 appropriate to one, fingle perfon ; and 
 w:hich, without confounding all language, 
 are incapable of being applied to more 
 than one, 
 
 * Buxtorf. Synagoga Judaica, p. 165. 
 
 Athanafius, writing againft the Arlans, owns 
 that, on account of the dodrine of theTiinlty, the hea- 
 thens of^that time chargedChriftians with holding many 
 Qods themfelves. Well then might the Jews fo think 
 of that do6lrine, whieh he and others had framed. 
 
 Matthew 
 
[ 92 3 
 
 Matthew xxii. 37, 38, he inculcates 
 that firft and great commandment of the 
 law, referring no doubt to Deuteron. vi. 
 4, 5. " Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God 
 with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, 
 and with all thy mind." And fupremc 
 affedion cannot belong to two or more 
 perfons. We can but love One with all 
 our heart. 
 
 Chrift never referred the Jews to any 
 other than the Lord God of their fathers> 
 whofe words he quotes to them, Matth. 
 xxii. 32. I am the God of Abraham, &c. 
 —Nor any other Creator than he^ that 
 One, whom Mofes declared. Matth. xix. 
 4, He which made them at the beginning, 
 made them male and female : and Mark 
 X. 6, From the beginning of the creation 
 God made them male and female. 
 
 And Matth, iv. 10, he in the moft de- 
 cifive terms declares the Lord God to be 
 One perfoHy and fingly, exclufive of all 
 others, to be the fole objedt of worflhip ; 
 " Thou fhalt worfliip the Lord thy God, 
 and him only (halt thou ferve.'* 
 
 His difciples after him fpeak the fame 
 
 language. 
 
 St. 
 
[ 93 ] 
 
 St. Paul declares to the Athenians, 
 ** Whom ye ignorantly worfliip, kim de- 
 clare I unto you ; God that made the 
 world — he is Lord of heaven and earth ; 
 and now commandeth all men every where 
 to repent ; becaufe he hath appointed a day 
 in the which he will judge the world by the 
 man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he 
 hath given affurance unto all men, in that 
 he hath raifed him from the dead." Adls 
 xvii. 23, &c. 
 
 Sec alfo the joint prayer of the apoftles, 
 Afts iv. 24. 
 
 It is related of father Paul, No plurality 
 
 of perfons in 
 
 that he was once denounced to God. 
 the office of the holy inquifition, for main- 
 taining that no proof of the doftrine of 
 the holy Trinity could be drawn from the 
 firft chapter of Genefis ; and that not be- 
 ing intimidated by the accufation, fo as to 
 retraft his opinion, but perfifting in it, 
 and making his appeal to the inquilltor- 
 general.a.t Rome, he was acquitted^. What 
 was not found to be herefy at Rome, 'tis 
 hoped, will not be ftigmatized as fuch 
 
 * Vita del Padre Paolo, p. 28.^ 
 
 here. 
 
[; 94 ] 
 
 here. Calvin warDs his readers agairifi: 
 fHchftrained interpretations of fcriptare*; 
 and many other learned men befidcs, who 
 have defended the received docTtrine from' 
 other paflages of fcripture, have rejected 
 the kind of proof here brought, as too flen- 
 dcv and precarious a foundation to reft 
 fach a dodrine upon it. 
 
 The ftate of the matter is this. The 
 firft words of the Bible are, /* In the Be*, 
 ginning God created the heaven and the 
 earth." But the V4^6rd ufed for God is 
 EMim or ^leim (as fome v^rite it) v^ith a 
 plural termination ; and the verb created 
 is fingular, as though one fhould fay in 
 Englifli GWj ^^/i? created 5 whence they 
 would infer "f* the One God to be made 
 
 up 
 
 * *' Habetur apud Mofen Elohim, nomen pluralis 
 Humeri. Unde colligere folent hie in Deo notari tres 
 perfonas. Sed quia parum folida mihi videtur tantae 
 rel probatio, ego in voce non infiftam. Quin potius 
 monendi funt lecSlores, ut fibi a violentis ejufmodi glof- 
 fis caveant." Calvin, Comment, in Gen. i. i. 
 
 t It would hence follow, that Dagon^ the god of 
 the Philiftines, confifted of a Trinity or plurality of 
 perfons: for Judges xvi. 23, there is exa6lly the fame 
 conftrudion as here, where, inftead of our prefent 
 tranflation — •« Our God hath delivered Safnfon :"— — 
 
 It 
 
[ 95 ) 
 
 up of more perfons than one, altho* of how 
 many, whether three or more, cannot 
 hence be determined. 
 
 But whoever knoweth aught of the He- 
 brew language, and will judge without 
 prejudice, v/ill perceive that there is no 
 tfuch thing to be inferred, nor any myftery 
 at all couched under this conftrudion of a 
 verb Angular with a nominative cafe plu- 
 ral, or the fimilar conftruftion of a noun 
 fubftantive of plural termination with an 
 adjedive fingular, that language abound- 
 ing with fuch irregularities. 
 
 It is in the Hebrew, " Our Gods hath delivered Sam- 
 fon our enemy into our hand." In this way alfo a 
 trinity or plurality of Gods might be proved as wel> 
 as a Trinity or plurality of perfons, as they term it ; 
 for in fome inftances, not only the nominative cafe but 
 the verb itfelf is plural — as 2 Sam. vii. 23 — where we 
 tranllatc '* whom God went, or hath gone to redeem,** 
 it is, in the Hebrew, Gods have gone to redeem. And 
 fo alfo in two other places, where alfo the One true 
 God is fpoken of, in Gen. xx. 13, xxxv. 7, but 
 which cannot fo well be made to appear in our language, 
 where the fmgular and plural termination of the verb 
 is the fame. But in the French it is more evident— 
 where, in the firft inftance — inftead of Dieu ni a con- 
 duit, it is in the Hebrew, Dieux m ont conduit 3 and 
 in the latter, inflead of D'leu lui etott apparu la, it is 
 in the Hebrew, Dieux lui etoient apparu la. 
 
 Thus 
 
[ $6 J 
 
 i-^liUs Gea. xxxix, 3, '* his majler faw>** 
 is in the Hebrew, ** his majler s hath feen/* 
 
 Gen. xlii. 30. '' the man who is the 
 Lord of the land, is — the man— -the Lords 
 of the land. 
 
 So Exod. xxi. 4, See alfo Prov. xxvii. 
 18. XXV. 13. Ifaiah xix* 4. 
 
 And yet we do not conclude any pin- 
 rality of niyftery to be concealed here. 
 
 Inftances of the like ufage, are Pfalm 
 cxlix. 2. ** let Ifrael rejoice in him that 
 made him," is in the Hebrew, *' rejoice 
 in his makers^ 
 
 Ecclcf. xii. I. Remember thy Creator 
 is, thy Creators. 
 
 Ifaiah liv, 5. " thy maker is thine huf- 
 band,'* is thy makers — ihmc hnjbands. 
 
 The feptuagint tranflation * of the Bi- 
 ble, which was made before our Saviour's 
 
 time, 
 
 * St. Jerom, who faw that the feptuagint tranfla- 
 tion of the bible did by no means favour his Tri- 
 nitarian notions, pretended, for he has no fort of 
 authority for it, that the Jevvifli tranflators *' be- 
 " lieved the dodlrine of the Trinity, but conceal- 
 *' ed it on purpofe in their Greek tranflation, left 
 •* Ptolemy, who was a worftiipper of the One true 
 " God, (hould fufpe6l the Jews of holding a twofold 
 
 ^' divinity* 
 
[ 97 ] 
 
 time, and moft probably made ufe of and 
 quoted occafionally by his apoflles in the 
 writings of the New Teftament, conftant- 
 ly renders Elohim or Aieim, ©^^c?, God, when 
 fi^-^nifying the true God. And all other tran- 
 flations agree in rendering it in the lingu- 
 lar number, confidering its plural termi* 
 nation merely as an idiom of the Hebrew 
 language, which makes ufe of the plural 
 to give dignity to the perfon treated of. 
 And on this account, other words in the 
 fame language, as Adonaim^ Baalm^ im- 
 plying power, authority, and dignity, al- 
 tho' of plural termination, are always of 
 
 " divinity. And they were the more induced to it, 
 '* (proceeds he) becaufe it f.rll in with Plato's doc- 
 " trine," (i. e. their notion of Chrift being 2, fecond 
 God*) " Laftly, fays he, wherever the Icripture af- 
 *' ferts any thing concerning the Father, Son, and 
 '' Holy Ghoft, they either gave a different turn to it, 
 " or pafTed it over in filence, out of complaifance to 
 '' the king, and for fear of divulging too much the 
 <« myftery of the faith." 
 
 See Le Clerc's remarks on Jcrom in his ^eftionss 
 Hieronymtana^ p. 304 — 5. This flanderous device and 
 apology ofjeroni's fhews how nearly their nCw-invented 
 doctrine of the Trinity bordered upon the polytheifm 
 and idolatry of the he^athens, v/hen there was fuch 
 danger of its being mifcon'flrued and taken for it. 
 
 II ^ finguhr 
 
f 9? ] 
 
 Angular fignification, when oije fubjedt o? 
 perfon is fpoken of*. 
 
 Texts fuppofed j John V* 7, 8. For there are 
 
 to favour a plu- i i i 
 
 raiityofperfons three that bear record [in hea- 
 
 Trinity in^U- '^^'^^^ ^^^ Father, the Wo7'dy a7id 
 «Jty. the Holy Ghoji ; and thefe three 
 
 are One. And there are three that bear wit-- 
 
 * Mr. Madan, in his late Scriptural Comment on 
 the xxxix articles, p. 6i, where we render Deut. vi. 4. 
 " the Lord our God is one Lord" — he paraphrafes. 
 
 *' Jehovah (fubfifling in) our Alelm (or plurality of 
 perfons) (is but) one Jehovah." 
 
 According to this interpretation, what we read Deut. 
 
 X. 17. " For the Lord your God is God of Gods — 
 
 would be paraph rafed, '' For the Lord, or Jehovah, fub- 
 
 fijiing in your plurality of ftrfons^ is plurality of perfons 
 
 of plurality of perfons. 
 
 If any are pleafed with fuch interpretations, they 
 have a right to judge for themfelves, but let them not 
 condemn thofe v/ho are content with what is plainer 
 and lefs myfterious. 
 
 See fome good remarks on this point in the appen- 
 dix to " Jn appeal to the common fenfe of all people, 
 particularly the members of the church of Englandy 
 tvhh regard to an important point of faith and praSiice, 
 impofed upon their confciences by public authority^* firft 
 printed for Millar, 1753 — a ferious unanfwef able work, 
 and which has been ufeful in confirming many in the 
 true Unitarian doctrine of the fcriptures, that ths Ont 
 God of Chrjiians is the Father only, 
 
 nefs 
 
[ 99 ] 
 
 mfs in earthy] the fpirit, the water, and 
 the blood; and thefe three agree in one. 
 
 The words here put in a parenthefis and 
 different character, are not the genuine 
 words of the apoftle St. John *. The 
 reafons for their not being genuine, are 
 thus briefly fummed up by Dr, Clarke -f*; 
 
 ** This pafTage was never cited by any of 
 the numerous writers in the whole Arian 
 controverfy : nor ever cited at all by any 
 Greek father, (in any genuine work) ei- 
 ther before or after the council of Nice; 
 though many of them quote the words 
 immediately foregoing and following : nor 
 by any of the LatinSy before St. J^rom: 
 the paflage alleged by fome out of T<^r- 
 
 * " Dr. Jortin calls it zfpurious text^ which Is 
 ftill maintained in bold defiance to the fulleft and clear- 
 eft evidence ag^inft It." Ecclefiaflical hijiory^ vol. iii. 
 p. 100. 
 
 The famous Dr. Waterland gave it up as indefen- 
 fible. 
 
 Luther and Bullinger, at the time of the reforma- 
 tion, omitted it in their German tranflations of the 
 Bible. 
 
 t But whoever, as he obferves, would fee the whole 
 matter learnedly and declfively ditcuiled, may have re- 
 courfe to Mr, Emlyns full enquiry into that text l John 
 V, 7. with the defejicei of it. 
 
 H 2 . ^ tllllbnf 
 
[ loo ) 
 
 tuUiariy being plainly not the words of this 
 text, but of that author himfelf ; and the 
 paffage out of Cyprian ^ being only a myf- 
 tical interpretation of the 8th verfe; as is 
 more than probable, as well from the ex- 
 prefs tefti monies of Euchcrius and Facundus^ 
 referred to by Dr. Mills ^ as from the text's 
 being wanting in all, even the Latin co- 
 pies, both before and long after Cyprians 
 time. And even in the firft Englifli Bi- 
 bles after the reformation, in the time of 
 Henry the Eighth, and Edward the Sixth, 
 it was printed in a differ eiit charaBer, to 
 fi2;nify its being wanting in the original. 
 Which diftindtion came afterwards to be 
 negledled. And, as to Greek manujcripts^ 
 it has never yet been proved to be found 
 in the text of any one of them, elder than 
 tlie invention of printing. — Scripture doc-- 
 trine cf the Trinity y p. 231, 232. 
 
 Dr. Clarke in the fame place well fliews 
 the fenfe of the apoflle to be very com- 
 plete without this paffage. 
 
 <« Who is be that over comet h the ivorld, 
 but he that believeth that Jefus is the Son of 
 God? This is he that came (that was de- 
 clared and manifefted to be the Son of 
 
 God) 
 
[ lOI ] 
 
 God) by water and blood ; {by 'water ^ at his 
 baptifm, when there came a voice from 
 heaven, faying, this is my beloved fon :) 
 and by bloody viz. by his death and refur- 
 
 redion : and it is the Spirit (the giftg 
 
 of the Holy Ghoft, and the power of 
 ^miracles granted to the apoftles) that 
 beareth witnejs ; becaiife the Spirit is truth. 
 For there are three that bear record^ the 
 Spirit, the water y and the blood-, and thefp 
 three agree in One -, or, as fome ancient 
 writers read the text, thefs^ three are one, 
 viz. one teftimony, that Jefus is the Son 
 of God." 
 
 It is very remarkable, that this text, 
 for which there is fo little, or rather no 
 authority at all, is the only one * through^* 
 
 out 
 
 * " It is certain the common people have their eyes 
 upon this, more than on anv-'« ndoubted text m the Bi- 
 ble, in this controverfy, Andi fo far they muft be de- 
 ceived, if it be fpurious. And it is in your LordJJnps 
 and the Clergy's power to let them know it, and to re- 
 fsr them to other texts, which you can affiire them are 
 genuine. 
 
 *' Nor is there any doubt to be made, but the peo- 
 ple think fome branches of the liturgy have their maM 
 foundation on this one doubted text. When they hear, 
 three perfons and OneGod^ in the fourth petition of the 
 H 3 ' litany ; 
 
[ I02 ] 
 
 out the whole Bible that makes difedtlyjor the 
 dodrine of the Trinity in Unity: all th« 
 other texts, that are brought for it, are 
 only inferences from what is fuppofed to. 
 be implied in particular paffages of fcrip- 
 ture : but that three are oney the Father^ 
 the Wordy and the Spirit, One, is no where 
 elfe exprefsly or certainly declared. 
 
 litany ; and, who with thee and the Holy Ghojl ever //V- 
 eth and reignethOneGod, m the doxoiogief ; they think 
 nothing in the New Teftament fo like it as this dubi- 
 ous text. And will you not think it great pity, that 
 your people fhould build fo weighty things on fuch a 
 flender foundation, if your/elves fo judge it ? 
 
 " I fpeak this, becaufe I know not any other text, 
 that aireSIly or clearly fays the fame thing, viz. that 
 the Father^ Word, and Spirit, are One, They are not 
 joined in one doxology ; nor indeed do I find any [dox- 
 ologyj given to the Holy Spirit in the New Teftament, 
 either jointly ov feparately ; much lefs is the Spirit faid 
 to be One with the Father and the Son, I read of One 
 Spirit, One Lord, One God, and Father, Eph. iv. but 
 not that thefe three are One, And if there be no 
 ott2£r text which fays this, it is not the more likely to 
 have been St. Johns faying here ^ but the more grie- 
 vous to have it inferted by any who had not his autho- 
 rity." — Mr. Enilyn's (ferious and affedling) Addrefs to 
 both houfes sf convocation, for the removal of this text 
 ^gut of our Bibles^ vol, ii. p. 159, i6o. 
 
 Matth. 
 
r' 103 ] 
 
 Matthew xxviii. 19. 
 ** Go ye therefore f and teach all nations^ 
 
 baptizing them in the name of the Fa^ 
 
 thery and of the Son^ and of the Hoh 
 
 Ghojir 
 
 The apoftles of our Lord, to whom he 
 delivered this direction concerning bap- 
 tifm, could not conclude from any thing 
 he had before taught them, that he in- 
 tended by it any thing like what we call 
 the doftrine of the Trinity in Unity. For 
 he had taught them, that there was One 
 Gody the Father, ** and none other but ^^." 
 Mark xii. 42, He had taught them, that 
 hehimfelfwa§ the Son of the Father, his 
 meffenger, and that he received his being, 
 dodrine, authority, power, every thing 
 from him. And he had conftantly fpoken 
 to, them of the Holy Ghoft, as the Com- 
 forter or gift of God, by which he him- 
 felf had been guided and aflifted, John iii. 
 34. i. 53. Luke iv. i. and which would 
 be fent to fupply his place when lie left 
 them, to affift and fupport them in preach- 
 ing his gofpel to all nations. John xiv. xv. 
 xvi. m 
 
 H 4 What 
 
[ J04 ] 
 
 What then would they underftand by 
 this form of baptilm, which we have 
 made to contain iuch a myftery, but a 
 compendious fummary of the gofpel which 
 he had taught them *, and into which 
 all men were to be initiated, and inftrudt- 
 ed ? —That religion, which he received 
 from God, the Father^ which he the Son 
 had preached, and which was to be con- 
 firmed and propagated by the miraculous 
 powers of the Holy Spirit, 
 
 It does not appear from what the Lord 
 Jefus had taught them, that they could 
 make any other conftrudlion of this bap- 
 tifmal commiffion given to them : nor 
 does it appear from any thing which they 
 his apoftles afterwards taught others, that 
 they did in fadt otherwife interpret its 
 much lefs infer from it a belief of a 
 Trinity in Unity ^ or that the Son and 
 Spirit were each of them God no lefs than 
 the Father y and equally to be worjhiped, 
 
 * Chriftianity is the religion of Chfift ; or that doc-^ 
 trine of religion, which God the Father taught by the 
 Son, and confirmed by the Holy Ghoft. • Matthew 
 xxviii. 19. — Jefferies, vol. ii. p. 309. 
 
 Fon 
 
f los 3 
 
 For we find, that when Philip baptized 
 the great officer of the queen of Ethiopia, 
 the confeffion of faith which he made, and 
 with which Philip was fatisfied, was, " / 
 believe that ^jejus Cbrijl is the Sen of 
 GodJ' KGts viii. 37. And this flicweth, 
 that this was all the belief that was necef- 
 lary to qualify for baptifrn in the apoftles 
 days. 
 
 And that no fuch ftrefs was Baptifm by 
 Jaid on this form of words as we in the name 
 feem to have laid on it, and j^^-^^^^^^^' 
 that the apoftle? did not think 
 themfelves fo tied up to it, but that bap- 
 tifrn might be compleat without it, appears 
 from many inftances in the Ads of the 
 apoftles, and St. Paul's epiftles. For, 
 Ads ii. 38. Peter fays, *^ be baptized 
 every one of you in the name of Jefus 
 Chrift." And x. 48. He commanded 
 them to be baptized in the name of the 
 Lord. xix. 15. When they heard this, 
 they were baptized in the name of the 
 Lord Jefus. Romans vi. 3. Know ye not, 
 that fo many of us as were baptized into 
 Jefus Chrift, were baptized into his death. 
 Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you as have 
 
 been 
 
[ io6 ) 
 been baptized into Chrift, have put on 
 Chrift *• 
 
 After the Nicenc council had pronoun- 
 ced baptifm to be invalid that was not 
 performed in the name of Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghoft, flatly contrary to what 
 appears to have been fometimes the prac- 
 tice of the apoftles themfelves, we find the 
 advocates of that council much perplexed, 
 how to fave its" credit in making fuch an 
 unfortunate determination. But they foon 
 found out this curious folution of the dif- 
 ficulty : the name — Chrift^ they faid, i. e, 
 the Anointed -f*, was itfelf a declaration of 
 the whole Trinity, as it implied God the 
 Father by whom the Son was anointed, 
 the Son himfelf who was anointed, and 
 the Spirit by which he was anointed, ac- 
 cording to Ads X. 38, God anointed Jefus 
 of Nazareth with the Holy Ghoft. And 
 thus indeed they made it out, that bap- 
 tizing in the name of Chrift might imply 
 a declaration of the whole Trinity, as they 
 called it ; but not of fuch a Trinity as they 
 
 * Gataker — Jdverfariay p, 29. 
 
 t Whitby-i^Stri/^, Pairum inA^i.JpoJlol p. 231, 
 
 232. 
 
 contended 
 
[ 107 ] 
 
 contended for, nor did they thereby clear 
 the Nicene fathers of fctting up their wif-^ 
 dom againft that of the apoftles. 
 
 But it is argued, that the Son and Holy 
 Ghoft being thus named together with the 
 Father, and baptifm being commanded to 
 be celebrated alike in the name of all the 
 three, the ftridt equality of the Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghoft to each other, may 
 be thence inferred, and that therefore they 
 are equally God, and equally to be wor- 
 shiped. 
 
 The weaknefs of this inference is ob- 
 vious from many parallel paflages in the 
 fcriptures. i Tim. v. 21. ''I charge thee, 
 faith the apoftle, before Gody and the 
 Lord yefus Chrill, and the eleB angels^ 
 that thou obferve thefe things/' The an-* 
 gels being here named along with God 
 (ind Chrilly fliews, that when God is join- 
 ed with other beings in the moft folemn 
 manner, no equality can be inferred from 
 fuch a conjunction. So Sam. xii. i8. All 
 the people /^^r^^ greatly the Lord and Sa^ 
 muel, I Chron. xxix. 20. And all the 
 congregation bleffed the Lord God of their 
 fathers, and boWed down their heads, and 
 
 'WOT'' 
 
[ io8 ] 
 
 nvcrfiiped the Lord and the king. Se'e 
 alfo Exod. xiv. 31. Judges vii. 18, 20. 
 2 Chron. xx. 20, 
 
 And I Cor. i. 15. with other like pla- 
 ces, fhews, that baptizing in the name of 
 any one does not of itfelf imply any divi- 
 nity in the perfon in whofe name baptifm 
 is made. 
 
 In fhort, nothing can be concluded from 
 the Son, and Holy Ghoft being here join- 
 ed with the Father, than what the fcrip- 
 tures elfev/here teach us concerning them ; 
 and in accord with what thofe fcriptures 
 teach us, we cannot better exprefs the full 
 meaning of baptizing in the name of the Fa^ 
 ther^ and of the Son^ and of the Holy Ghoji, 
 than in the paraphrafe of Dr. Clarke, that 
 it is *< receiving to a profeffion of the be- 
 lief, and an obligation to the pradlice of 
 that religion, which God the Father has 
 revealed and taught by the Son, and con- 
 firmed by the Holy Ghoft'* 
 
 This interpretation of thebaptifmalform 
 is confirmed by thofe fummaries of Chrif- 
 tian faith drawn up in the firfl: ages after 
 Chrifl:, particularly that called the apojiles 
 creed 'y which, although not compofed by 
 
 thema 
 
[ 10^ ] 
 
 them, is acknowledged, the greateft part 
 of it, to be of very early times. 
 
 Well had it been for our The apofties* 
 
 r>\. TL' • -r 1 /- creed cenfured 
 
 common Cnnitianity, ir thele by fome as an 
 models, left us by thefirft be- ^::Jt 
 lievers, had been copied by 
 thofe that came after them ; and we had 
 been content in our creeds and liturgies to 
 fpeak of God, of Chrift, and the Holy 
 Ghoft, with that modeft referve and regard 
 for holy fcripture, of which the compilers 
 of thofe creeds and abftrads of our holy 
 faith have fet us the example. This cretJ 
 of the apoJtleSf however, did not efcspe 
 cenfure in after times, but has been afperf- 
 ed in moft outrageous fort, as favouring 
 the Phofinian^ or what is now called the 
 Socinian herefy. And it muft be owned, 
 it does not favour the Athanafian doctrine 
 of the Trinity, and approaches too near 
 the holy fcriptures to content thofe who 
 are not fatisfied to exprefs their faith in 
 fcripture language. 
 
 Alphonfus de Vargas^ . a Spaniard, has 
 given'us at large the angry criticifm, which 
 fome Englifh and Spanifli Jcfuits pafled 
 upon this creed, and made public. As 
 the book is rare, and the piece very cu- 
 rious 
 
i '^o j 
 rious in its way, I lliall produce a few {eh-^ 
 tences from the conclufion, and give the 
 original in the margin, 
 
 *' / believe in the Holy Gboft *. 
 ** 7his proportion is put with a bad 
 defign^ and is defervedly to be fiifpeSed 
 
 for 
 
 * Credo In Splritum Sanctum. 
 
 Haec propofitio maligne propofita eft, et ex afFedata 
 hrevitate merito fufpe£ta haberi poteft. Subdole enim 
 Spirltus Sanfti di/initatem, ejufqueapatreetfilio pro^ 
 ceflionem tacet. Proindc Arianam haerefin redolet, 
 fchifmati Grascorum oblique favet, individuamque Tri* 
 nitatem diflblvit. 
 
 Itemque tota explicatio divinse atque individusc Tri- 
 nitatis, o6to iftis articulig comprehenfa, manca et pe- 
 riculofa eft, avertitque fldelem populum a cultu et re- 
 verentia tribus divlnis perfonis indivlfe atque infepara- 
 biliter debita, et fub pr2itextu brevitatis et non neccf- 
 fariae explicationis fubdole totum Trinitatis myfterium 
 evertit, cum tamen perfe<5la ejus et explicatafides me-, 
 dium fit ad falutem neceflarium. Vixque tota hsec 
 dodrina excufari poteft a dolo, quod nullam de Filii 
 aut Spiritus San£ti divinitate, aut etiam aeternitatc 
 mentionem faciat, fed contrarium de Filio in articulo 
 tertio infinuet. — Alpho?ifi de Vargas^ Toletani^ Relalio 
 dejiratagematis Jefuitartm^ p. 148, 149. 1642. 
 
 But thefe Jefuits were modeft men compared with a 
 brother of theirs, Father Harduin, almoft in our own 
 times. For he by one bold, crafty blov/, annihilates 
 at once the original fcriptures of the Old and New 
 
 Teftament, 
 
f "1 1 
 
 for its affe5led brevity. For it craftily 
 pajfes over injilence the divinity of the Holy 
 Gho/ly and his proceeding from the Father 
 and the Son, Moreover it fmells gricvoujly 
 of the Arian herefy, covertly favour eth the 
 
 fchifm of the Greeks^ and de/lroys the undi^ 
 
 * vided Trinity" 
 
 Teftament, and all the authors and records of Pagan 
 and Chriftian antiquity, fix authors excepted, viz, 
 Flautus^t Pliny the elder, Firgil*s nine eclogues and 
 georgics, Horace's fatires and epiftles, Homer's iliad 
 and odyfley, and the nine books of Herodotids^ and re- 
 duces all faith and knowledge to the vuIgate Latin 
 tranflation of the Bible, and the fuppofed conftant, 
 living, and oral tradition of his church. All other 
 v/ritings he maintains to have been forged hy 2,fet of 
 Atheijis in the fourteenth century. 
 
 His fociety were forced publicly to difavoW him, but 
 he was to the laft privately cherifhed by them. They 
 well knew that ignorance was the mother of fuch devo- 
 tion as they taught, and that the Roman catholic 
 church, as they have modelled it, would better {land 
 on the foot of tradition among themfelves, than on the 
 teftimony of the original fcripturcs and fathers. And 
 it muft be owned, it was a noble atheijlical tSovi to 
 prop the tottering fabric of popery, and in an age lefs 
 enlightened, and before the invention of printing, 
 might have caufed infinite mifchief and confufion. — 
 See Joarmis Harduini Jcfuita ad cenfuram fcriptorum 
 
 veterum prolegomena — With a learned preface. ^For 
 
 Vaillant, 1766. 
 
 . •* And 
 
I U2 3 
 
 «^ j^nd the whole of this expofiiion of 
 the divine and undivided Trinity ^ contain^ 
 ed in thefe eight articles [viz. tht apoftles 
 creed fo divided] is defediive and dange* 
 rous. For it takes the faithful off from 
 the worjhip arj reverence undividedly and 
 infqparably to be paid to the three diviJie 
 perfons ; and under a pretence of brevity 
 and making no unneceffary enlargementy it 
 cunningly overthrows the whole mytlery of 
 the Trinity y whereof the perfedi^ and ex^ 
 p licit belief is an indiftenfble condition 
 of falvation. So' that this whole do^rine, 
 {namely, the apoflies creed) can hardly be 
 looked upon as any other than a cheat, be- 
 caufe it maketh no mention of the divi- 
 nity of the Son or Holy Ghofi^ cr their ' 
 eternity, but even infmiates /.^^ contrary 
 concerning the Son in the third article^ 
 viz. who was conceived of the Holy Ghoji, 
 born of the Virgin Mary J' 
 
 It muft be confefled, that thefe Jefuits 
 had fome reafon in their wrath 5 for no- 
 thing could more exprefsly condemn their 
 doftrine of the divine tmdividcd Trinity 
 than this creed of the apoftles ^ and hard- 
 ly ihall you meet with two greater oppo- 
 
 fites 
 
f "3 ] 
 
 fites, than this creed and that which goes 
 under the name of Athanafius. 
 
 I Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6. 
 Now there are diverfities of gifts, but the 
 fame Spirit, And there are differences of 
 ^ adminifirationst but the fame Lord. And 
 there are diver fities of operations^ hut it is 
 the fame God, that worketh all in all, 
 Therefeems jiothing on the face of this 
 paflage of fcripture, or on a comparifon 
 of it with any thing elfevvhere fpoken of 
 the Son or Holy Spirit, to lead us to infer 
 from it the dodtrineof a Trinity in Unity, 
 or the equality of any other being or per- 
 fon to God. It is, on the contrary, an 
 exprefs affertion of his prime over- ruling 
 agency, and of his effeding all things in 
 the Chriftian difpenfation by the miniftry 
 of his Son and Holy Spirit, 
 
 The apoftle's defign, in this place, is 
 to promote humility and peace ; to pre- 
 vent the Chriftians at Corinth from being 
 elated on account of their own, or envir 
 ous of the fpiritual gifts of others. For the 
 miraculous power, of itfelf, made no moral 
 change in the man on whom it was con- 
 I ferred. 
 
1:114 ] 
 
 ferred. Without care and felf govern- 
 ment, his difpofitions might even be chang- 
 ed for the v^^orfe, by thefe extraordinary, as 
 often happens with the ordinary bleffings 
 of Providence; and though made inftru- 
 mental thereby to promote the falvatioii 
 of others, he might forfeit his own. 
 
 He tells them then, i. That there were 
 different gifts of tongues, healing, &c. 
 imparted to different perfons; all of them 
 equally good, becaufe all proceeding from 
 the fame Spirit cr influence of Gody but the 
 variety of them was beftowed for public uti- 
 iity, and not to generate ftrife and pride. 
 
 2. That there were different ftations 
 and offices in the church, the Chriffian fo- 
 ciety; viz. the people, and their miniflers, 
 the deacons and elders ; but all were the 
 appointment of the fame Lord JefusChrift^ 
 and in fubjecftion to him. And, 
 
 3. There were different lvipy^^a.rot, in- 
 fpirationsy degrees of. infpiration : but all 
 
 thefe extraordinary vouch fafements pro- 
 ceeded from, and were direded by the 
 fovereign wifdom and power of God, who 
 taught men by his Son, and beftowed 
 thefe gifts on them by his Floly Spirit. 
 
 Clement, 
 
[ 115 ] 
 
 Clement, whom St. Paul Co highly 
 commends, Phil. iv. 3. feems to have had 
 this very paffage in his eye in his letter to 
 thefe fame Corinthians ; ** Have we not 
 (fays he) me God^ one Chriji.'* Is not 
 one fpirit of grace poured out upon us all ? 
 -~^Wake^ ApofloUcal Father Sy p. 63. 
 
 The following is Athanafius's com- 
 ment upon it, for which I am obliged 
 to Dr. Clarke : •* In the diftribution of 
 gifts, as the apoftle writeth to the Corin- 
 thians, it is the fame Spirit, it is the fame 
 Lord, it is the fame God, which worketh 
 all in all. For the Father himfelf, tbrc 
 the Word, by the Spirit, worketh and 
 giveth all things ;" i. e. as Dr. Clarke fub- 
 joins a little lower ; ** In plainer words, 
 the meaning is, God does all things by 
 his Son, and by his Spirit."— /S^r. Do^> 
 p. 227. 
 
 2 Corinth, xiii. 14. 
 Hbe grace cf our Lord Jefus Chriii^ and the 
 
 love of Gody and the communion of the 
 
 Soly Ghod be with you all. 
 
 The Holy Ghoft here fignifies, either, 
 
 I. a divine perfon, a diftindl intelligent 
 
 agent, as fome underftand it : or, 2. the 
 
 I 2 gift 
 
C ii6 ] 
 
 gift of the Holy Ghoft, ABs ii. 38. which 
 Peter tells the Jews would be given them 
 on their repenting and being baptized; 
 viz. the miraculous powers then ordina- 
 rily conferred on believers : or it may fig- 
 nify any benefit or afliftance which God 
 beftows in anfwer to our prayers : com- 
 pare Matth. vii. 11. with Luke xi. i 3, 
 
 And the apoftle bids farewel to his Co- 
 rinthian brethren, by wi(hing them all the 
 bleffings of the gofpel ; viz. the grace of 
 Chrift, the love of God which is the 
 fource of all, (John iii. 16,) and the gifts 
 and aflidances of the Holy Spirit. In 
 fbort, it is a fummary of the gofpel me- 
 .thod of falvation, much like the baptif- 
 mal form (Matth. xxviii. 19.) above dif- 
 cuffed, and can no more than that be 
 brought to prove the doftrine of a Trinity 
 in Unity, unlefs it be fuch a Trinity as 
 this, namely, ^' xh2il tht One God and Fa'^ 
 ther of all governs and manages the world 
 of Chriftians by the inftrumentality of his 
 Son, and Spirit. 
 
 Thefe are the principal texts of the New 
 Teftament which are brought to eftablifli 
 the dodlrine of a Urinity in Unity ^ of there 
 being three 'perjom^^s they fpeak, in the 
 
 Goi^ 
 
Godhead, equal in power y fever ally God» 
 and yet but One God-, and upon which 
 many parts of our liturgy, and particular- 
 ly the invocations at the entrance of the 
 litany, and the Gloria Patri, Sec. are 
 founded ; a weak foundation, as hath been 
 fhewn, for fuch a building. 
 
 With regard to the laft named doxolo^ 
 gy, I was much difappointed, and few will 
 be fatisfied with what the late Archbifhop 
 Seeker argues in its behalf, and in defence 
 of the exceeding frequent repetition of it 
 in our church fervice. 
 
 " At the end of this and each pfalm 
 (fays he) that we repeat, of whatever na- 
 ture it be, we add the fame doxology that 
 we ufed at firfl: : i. e. Glory be to the Far- 
 ther, and to the Son^ and to the Holy Ghojl : 
 'As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever 
 Jhall be, world without end: glory being 
 due to God, for every thing he hath taught, 
 and every thing he hath done, both in 
 former times and prefent ; and for every 
 afflidlion as well as for every enjoyment. 
 And therefore w^e do well to obferve the 
 apoftle's rule of ** giving thanks always for 
 all things unto God and the Father, in the 
 name of our Lord fefus Chriji. Eph. v, 20^'", 
 * Abp. Seeker's pofthumous works, vol. vi, p. 188* 
 I 2 Surely 
 
[ n8 } 
 
 Surely this was an unlucky overfight, fa 
 produce a te^t which, although injoining 
 thanks to be given always for all things, 
 yet tacitly condemns the pradice of giving 
 thanks to three perfons, and ordereth thanks 
 to be given unto God and the Father only^ in 
 the name pf our Lord Jefus Cbrift. 
 
 Concerning this doxology. Dr. Lard- 
 ner thus remarks, '* Doubtlefs this is faid 
 by many very frequently, and with great 
 devotion. But can it be faii truly ? does 
 not that deferve confideration ? is there 
 any fuch doxology in the New Teftament ? 
 If not, how can it be faid to have been in 
 the beginning ? Are not the books of the 
 N«w Teftament the moft ancient and the 
 moft authentic Chrftian writings in all the 
 ^vorld? It matters not much to inquire 
 when this doxology v/as lirft ufed, or how 
 long it has been ufed, if it is not in the 
 Nev/ Teftament *•" 
 
 The 
 
 * Lardncr's letter on the Logos, p. 176. See alfo. 
 ^ fine paiTage, p. 169, 170, 171. 
 
 Some may be curious, hpwever, tp know "when it 
 firft c^me into ufe. In the fourth century, after the 
 council of Nice, there were great contentions about 
 the form of their do^^ologies, thofe of holy fcripture 
 
 behi^' 
 
[ '^9 ] 
 
 The law of God, given Religious worfhip 
 
 . _ - T^jr r . to be paid to God, 
 
 to the Jews by Moles, and tjbe Father only^ 
 often confirmed _ afterwards rj.^^a-tf 
 by the fame divine authori- 
 ty, invariably taught the Unity of God, 
 Deut, vi, 4. Exod, xx. 2, 3, &c. &c. 
 
 In confequence of this, the Unity of his 
 worfliip was moft; ftrid:ly injoined, and in- 
 violably to be obfcrved. 
 
 Ifaiah xlii. 8. " I am the Lord ; that 13 
 my name : and my glory will I not give 
 to another, neither my praife to graven 
 images." See alfo that fine prayer of King 
 Solomon's at the dedication of the temple, 
 2 Chron. vi. and the book of Pfalms, &c. 
 
 being too plain and fimple for the feveral contending 
 parties. Jerom is then firft faid to have compofed thi* 
 verficle. Glory be to the Father^* Sic, at the requeft ot 
 .Pope Damajus ; and at his requeft to have afterwards 
 added the other, As it was in the beginning, &c. And 
 the caufe of this addition v/as, becaufe, without it, 
 crafty heretics might ftill have gone on with- their blaf- 
 phemy, In underjianding the Son of God, not to have 
 exifted always with the Father, but to have had a be- 
 ginning of exiftence. — nonfemper cum Fatre fuijfe, fed 
 a tempore coepiJfe,^^—'-^Dall(Sus de cult, Lat» religtof^ 
 
 If this be a true account, itmuft be owned, that, this 
 famous doxology had but an unchri^ian and uncharitable 
 firigin, 
 
 I 4 ^ This 
 
This being then the Mofaic law, that 
 reh'gious worfliip was to be appropriat^sd 
 to God, and incommunicable to any other 
 perfon whacfoever, every Jew was bound 
 to give divine honour to God, and could 
 not give it to any other, without incurring 
 the guilt of idolatry. Jefus, therefore, 
 and his apoftles were obliged by this law 
 to worfhip no other being but God, unlcfs 
 it can be proved, that Chrift, by his di- 
 vine authority, or his apoftles by his direc- 
 tion, did in any (hape repeal it. But that 
 they themfelves conformed to it, and gave 
 frefli fanftions to its authority, is now to 
 be fhewn. 
 
 Our Saviour Chrift himfelf always pray- 
 ed to God, the Father, his Father and our 
 Fat her y his God and our God. John xx. 17. 
 
 Luke X. 21. ** I thank thee, OFather, 
 Lord of heaven and earth — even fo. Fa- 
 ther, for fo it feemed good in thy fight." 
 
 Luke xxii. 42. " Father, if thou be 
 willing, (or, oh, that thou wouldft) re* 
 "move this cup from me : neverthelefs, not 
 my will, but thine be done." 
 
 John xvii. throughout. 
 
 Our 
 
[ 121 ] 
 
 Our Saviour Chrift not only prayed 
 hiinfelf but alfo directed prayer to be made 
 only to God^ the Father. - 
 
 . Luke xi. i, 2. Matth. iv, 10. John 
 XV. 16. 
 
 It v^ere needlefs to multiply authorities 
 for fo plain a point. 
 
 Our Saviour Chrift feems, in words as 
 cxprefs as can be ufed, to forbid men's of-^ 
 fering prayer to himfelf. John xvi. 23. In 
 that ddiy yejhallajk me nothing: verily, verily, 
 I fay unto you, Yfh'^i(oQvtv y^fiall ajk the 
 Father in my name^ he will give it you." 
 Hitherto he had been all along prefent with 
 his difciples, as it were in God's ftead in 
 fome refped:s, with a divine power to heal 
 bodily difeafes, to inftrudt in the divine 
 will, to forgive fins, and to comfort and 
 eftablifh 'em in his faith. In confequence 
 of which they had had recourfe to him in 
 ^11 their, wants and diftreffes, Matthew 
 yiii. 25. ** Lord, fave us, we perifh." — 
 Lukexvii. 5. ** Lord, increafe our faith." 
 But as he was now foon going to Jbie 
 withdrawn from them, he acquaints tliem, 
 that, when that event took place, they 
 were no more to apply to him for any thing, 
 bat to God^ the Father ^ [the common Fa* 
 
 ther 
 
[ t22 ] 
 
 ther (f him, and of them ali^ in his name, 
 that is,, as his difciples, relying on his au« 
 thority, and in virtue of thofe aflurances 
 and promifes from God which he had 
 given them. 
 
 I (hall need no apology for producing 
 the following important and appofite paf- 
 fage from Ladiantiui. 
 
 <* When God faw the wickednefs of, 
 men, aud that the worfhip of falfc Gods 
 prevailed over the whole earth, (for his 
 own people the Jews bad not been true to 
 him,) he fent his Son on an embafly to> 
 men, to convert them from their various 
 impious and falfe worfhips, to know and 
 to worfhip him the true God, and alfo to 
 turn them from folly to true wifdom, from 
 iniquity to righteoufnefs*. Thefe are the 
 
 ways 
 
 * Has funt viae Dei, in quibus ambulare eum prae- 
 ccpit. Haec praecepta, quae fervanda mandavit. Ille 
 vero exhibuit Deo fidem : docuit enim quod unus 
 Deus Tit J eumque folum coli oportere; nee un- 
 q^am feipfuni Deum dixit : quia non fervaffet fidem, 
 fi miflus, ut Deos tollerct, et unum afTereret, indu- 
 ceret alium praeter unum. Hoc erat, non de uno 
 Deo facere praeconium j nee ejus, qui miferat, fed 
 luum proprium negotium gerere j ac fc ab eo, quem 
 illuftratum venerat, feparare. Propterea,^ quia tarn fi- 
 
 ddis 
 
[ ^23] 
 
 ways of God, in the which he command- 
 ed him (his Son) to walk. Thefe the pre- 
 cepts, which he gave him to keep* And 
 be was faithful to God. For he taught, 
 that God is One : that he only is to be 
 worfhipped : Nor did he ever fay that he 
 himfelf was God ^ becaufe he would not 
 have been found faithful, if when fent to 
 deftroy the worfliip of many Gods, and 
 affert the worfhip of One alone, he had 
 brought in another befides that One. 
 This would not have been preaching the 
 One God, and doing the work of him that 
 fent him, but his own work, and with- 
 drawing himfelf from Him whom he came 
 to declare. And becaufe he was io faith- 
 ful, and aflumed nothing to himfelf, in- 
 tent only on fulfilling the commands of 
 him that fent him; therefore he was re- 
 warded with the dignity of an everlafting 
 high-prieft, the honour of a fupreme king, 
 the authority of a judge, and the name 
 (or title) of God." 
 
 delis extitit, quia fibi nihil prorfus afrmnpfit, ut man- 
 data mittentis impleret ; et facerdotis perpetui dignita- 
 tem, et regis fummi honorem, et judicis poteftatem, 
 ec Dei nomen accepit." — LailaJitiits ie vera fapientia 
 4t religioney 1, i v. p. 198. 
 
 One 
 
r 124 ] 
 
 One would hardly think it poffible, by 
 any device, to evade and fet afide the force 
 of our Saviour Chrift's own example, and 
 exprefs precept of offering worfliip and, 
 prayer to the One God, the Father only*- 
 But nothing is too hard to be got over by 
 thofe, who have once warmly efpoufed a 
 religious fyftem, and are unwilling to re- 
 linquifn it. Hence it has been ingenioufly 
 invented by fome, though without any 
 authority from holy fcripture, that the 
 word Father^ befides fignifying the firft 
 perfon of the Trinity, as they fpeak, does 
 alfo (land for the divine elTcnce or nature, 
 comprehending the whole Trinity, Fa- 
 ther, Son, and Holy Ghofl: ; and that 
 therefore, when Chrift prays, or bids us 
 pray to the Father, he is to be underftood, 
 of prayer to the whole Trinity. But what 
 a chain of abfurdities and contradidiona 
 follows from fuch a fuppofition ? 
 
 £, It would be making our bleffed Sa-^ 
 viour, whenever he prayed to the Father, 
 pray to himfelf. 
 
 2. To ufe Bifliop Pearfon's words— «* if 
 the Son were included in the Father, then 
 were the Son the Father of himfelf. JSat- 
 pojition of the Creedy p. 32^ And, 
 
 3. Dr. 
 
3. Dr. Clarke (reply to Mr. Nelfon, p. 
 237.) fliews. another ftrange confequence 
 of fuch a fuppofition. *♦ If, faith he, 
 the word Gody which always fignifies an 
 intelligent and powerful agent, were ever 
 made ufe of in Scripture to fignify what 
 this learned author calls the divine nature^ 
 viz. the 'whole three perjons^ who are each 
 of them alfo in fcripturc always fpoken of 
 as intelligent agents; it would follow un- 
 avoidably, that the divine nature was a 
 fourth intelligent agents diftindt from, and 
 conftitutedof thofe three intelligent agents. 
 Which is the utmoftconfufion imaginable.** 
 
 It is from this confufed language con- 
 cerning the Deity, and a worfliip no lefs 
 confufed grounded upon it, that Chriftians 
 have been charged with hoX^xnz, four Gods, 
 
 The four invocations 2.1 the beginning of 
 the litany, can but ill be defended againft 
 fuch a charge. 
 
 Our Lord's apoftles, as may be prefum- 
 ed, were far from going contrary to their 
 divine Mafter's pradice and diredlions on 
 this ttioft important article of wor/hip. 
 
 They direSl men to pray to God only. 
 Romans xv. 6, 30* Phil. i. 3, 4, 6. CoJ, 
 iii. 16, ij. EJph. V. 19, 20, &c, &c. 
 
 They 
 
C "6 j 
 
 'T%ey prayed only to Gdd themfehes^ 
 Afts iv. 24, 3P. Rom. i. 8. xvi. 27. i 
 Tim. i. 17, &c. &c. 
 
 CJjrift's character Bat th^t language concern- 
 
 of Mediator and . n ^ . 
 
 High-Prieft ut- iiig our Saviouf Chrift, which 
 &rMSg ^^s apo0}e Paul in particular 
 ^eobjeaofwor- makcs ufe of, i. €.— ftyling 
 \n<^)\\Ts\ the Mediator y i Tinio 
 ii. 5. giving thanh and glory to God through 
 him and by^him^ Rom. i. 8, vii. 25. Eph. 
 ill. 21. and above all, his calling him our 
 high'priejiy in allufion to the office of the 
 Jevvilh high-prieft, fo largely infiftcd on 
 in the epiftle to the Hebrews, muft for 
 ever exclude the thought and pradice of 
 making him the object of religious wor- 
 fhip. 
 
 Heb. iv. 15. V. 7, 8. His peculiar fit- 
 nefs for this office of high-prieft is dcr 
 Icribed, as he was a many tempted in all 
 points like as we are, yet without Jin ^ iv. 15, 
 V. 7, 8, 
 
 His admiffion into this office at his re* 
 furreftion, v. 5. 
 
 And he is now in heaven aftually fuf- 
 taining that character, whatever it be, 
 miniftcring to God, and ading for us, iv, 
 
 14. 
 
[ J27 ] 
 
 14- ni' 24* to the eod. viii. i, 2, 3, 4. 
 ix, n, 17, &;c. &c. 
 
 He cannot therefore be the God, to 
 whom prayer k to be oiFcred, when he is 
 the high-prieft of that God, hi« minifter, 
 to appear in the prejence of God for us^ ix, 
 ^4. — to make inter cejjion for us 9 vii. 25. 
 What a flrange thing would ^t have 
 been for the Jews to have worfhiped 
 Aaron their high-prieft, inftead of the 
 great Jehovah, whom Aaron ferved ? The 
 idea exhibited to us of our Redeemer in 
 this epiftle is this, and it is full of con- 
 Xolatioo ; that, by his love and friendfliip 
 for us, joined to his power and intercft 
 with God, and the divine promifes by 
 Jiim, we are encouraged to aflc of God in 
 prayer the fupply of all our wants ; and 
 are therefore exhorted to come boldly unio 
 the throne of grace, that we .may obtain 
 mercy, and Jind grace ^o help in tme of need. 
 Hebr. iv-, 16^ 
 
 But diiFerent concluiSons having beea 
 -formed from other parts of the writing* 
 .of the ^poftles and evangeJifls, and a vi^ry 
 contrary pradlice founded thereupon for 
 «natty ages, we muft confider how far it is 
 jeally warranted by them. 
 
 Ada 
 
t 118 ] 
 
 The prinqpal Adts i. 24. ^//^ they pfayed^ 
 
 texts alledged j , - 1 cfl T J r-r 
 
 to authorize and Jatd, Ibou Lord^ which 
 LoT/j.ChrX ^noweji the hearts of all men, 
 Jhew whether of thefe two th(M 
 haji chofen. 
 
 This prayer is addreffed to God, rfie 
 Father, and not to Chrifl:. i. Becaufe ia 
 a fimilar paflage that follows foon after, 
 the fame apoftles addrefs their prayer ia 
 the fame terms to God, the Father, Ad:s 
 iv. 24, 29. '* Lordy thou art God — and 
 now, Lordf behold their threatenings, 
 and grant unto thy fervants, that with all 
 boldnefs they may fpeak thy word/' 2, 
 For the reafon given by Grotius upon the 
 place, who quotes Jeremiah xvii. 10. "I 
 the Lord fearch the heart ;" and obferves, 
 that it is the prerogative of God only to, 
 fearch the heart of man. It may be faid, 
 tiiat, Rev. ii. 23. Chrift faith of himfelf, 
 ** I am he which fearcheth the reins and 
 hearts." But then, this is a derived 
 power, as plainly appears from the fre- 
 quent acknowledgments of his receiving 
 every thing from God, and particularly, 
 Matth. xxviii. 18. ^^ h\\ power is given mz 
 in heaven and in earth" i, e, beftowed upon 
 
 him* 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 him, and intruded with hlai, for the go- 
 vernment of his church, but not furely to 
 ere(ft him into an equal objed: of worfiiip 
 with God, who gave it him. 
 
 A6ls vii. 59. Our tranflation has infert- 
 ed the word God, when it was not in the 
 original, as is eafily perceived by its being 
 put in italics, Mr. Purver tranflates, 
 *' Thus they iloned Stephen, who was 
 calling on (invoking) and faying, Lord 
 Jefus, receive my fpirit!" 
 
 Unqueftionably Stephen made this re- 
 queft, addrefied this prayer to the Lord 
 Jefus. But this can be no precedent for 
 directing prayer to him tinfeen, or ad- 
 dreffing him as God, whom the bleiTed 
 martyr declares he fow with his eyes, and 
 caHs him, v. 56. '* the fon of man (land- 
 ing on the right hand of God;" calls him 
 the Son of man, in that his highefl ftate of 
 exaltation. Soji of- man, and God moji 
 high : what afpace between ? 
 
 Revelation i. 5, 6. 
 
 Unto htm that hath loved us y and wajhed us 
 
 from, our fins in his own bloody and hath 
 
 made us kings andpriefts unto God and his 
 
 Father -, to him be glory and dominion 
 
 for ever and ever. Amen, " 
 
 K The 
 
[ 130 ] 
 
 The very difterent readings of this dif- 
 turbed paffage in the MSS. {hew that it 
 has fufFered by the negh'gence of tranfcri- 
 bers, which may eafily be obferved in Mill, 
 and Wetflein -, and therefore no certain 
 conclufions can be formed from ir. 
 
 *' Dr. Mill obferves (faith Dr. Clarke, 
 Scr. Dod:. p. 146, 147.) that, in one an- 
 cient Greek manufcript, the words unto 
 him are wanting; the reading being, tS 
 dya.TTvicrotvrogKuiX^a'otVTogi infteadofrrt; ccya.TT^'' 
 cocvTt %cci xia-ocvTi : in which cafe the doxo- 
 logy will be, not to Chrift, but the Fa- 
 ther ; and the paiTage would be read — » 
 ** And from Jefas Chrift, (who is the faith- 
 ful witnefs, the firft begotten of the dead, 
 and the prince of the kings of the earth) 
 who hath loved us, and waChed us from our 
 fins in his own blood." 
 
 Revelation v. 13. 
 Bleffing and honour, &c. be unto him that 
 Jitteth on the throne^ and to the Lamb, for 
 ever and ever. 
 
 This is to be underftood in the fame way 
 as Ads vii. 59. The blefling-and honour 
 is tendered to the objedlprefent and vifible: 
 and not upon the throne^ but {landing in the 
 midft, verfe 5. or before the midft of the. 
 
 throne. 
 
( 131 ) 
 
 throne. The reafon alfo, which is affigned 
 for this worfliip being paid him, fliews he 
 cannot be an objeiSl of worfhip equal to the 
 Supreme j namely, v. 12. his being the 
 Lambjlain, and therefore worthy, i.e. fpot- 
 lefs innocence, perfect virtue and goodneff, 
 tried and confirmed by fufFerings, 
 
 The afcribing^/^ry and honour to Chrift, 
 does in no degree imply him to be God, or 
 authorize the vvorHiip of him, or prayer to 
 him. It is no more than a declaration of 
 our reverence of him, and high efteem of 
 his moil perfect moral character and 
 goodnefs. We may, therefore, and we 
 ought on all proper occafions to join with 
 his apoftle in faying, 2 Peter iii. 18. ** 21? 
 him he glory both now and for ever. 
 
 \ Tim. i, 12. 
 1 thank CJiriJl Jefus our Lord^ who hath en- 
 abled me ^' for that he counted me fait hful^ 
 putting me into the minifij. 
 This is no addrefs of thanks to Chrift 
 as an objed: of wor&ip, but a fjdden emo- 
 tion of gratitude in the apoille's mind, and 
 expretTun of his thankfjlnefs to Chrift for 
 his own miraculous converfion (AcSs ix.), 
 and call to be an apoftle, 
 
 K 2 I Co- 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 2 Corinth, i. 3. Rom. i\ 7. 
 
 Grace to you^ and peace from God our Fa- 
 ther^ and the Lord Jefus Clirift, 
 
 1 ThefT. iii. 1 1. Now God Iwnfelf even our 
 Father^ and our Lord Jefus Chrijl^ dircB 
 our way unto you. 2 Theff. ii." 16. 
 
 Thefe, and other the like palTages^ arc 
 only pious wifhes, not prayers. That this is 
 the true interpretation, and not mere afler- 
 tion, appears from Rev. i. 4. Otherwife it 
 may as well be faid, that the writer prays 
 to xhcfeven fpirits there named, which are 
 afterwards in the fame book, v. 6. called 
 the Lamb's eyes^ i. e. Chrifl's angels, meffen- 
 ^vs^fent forth into all the earth. 
 
 2 Cor. xii. 8. For this thing I befought the 
 Lord thrice^ that it might depart from mc. 
 
 St. Paul appears here to have diredled bis 
 prayer to God, the Father ; and to have had 
 in his- thoughts, and imitated our Lord's 
 prayer in the garden, the night before his 
 fufferings, when he prayed three times to 
 God, that, if it pleafed him, the cup of af- 
 ilidion might pafs away from him, with- 
 out his drinking it. Beaufobre on the 
 plate. 
 
 KB. 
 
( '33 ) 
 
 A^. S. The apoflles were not fo exadl in 
 the ufe of the words, Lor/^, Saviour, and 
 the like, which they indifferently gave both 
 to God and to Chrift ; never fuppofing that 
 any would miftake their Lord and mafter, 
 fo lately born and living amongft men, to 
 be the fupreme God, and cbjedl of worfhip. 
 Dr. Hamnaond thus paraphrafes, *' and I 
 eaFneftlyj^r^j^W/(?G^^tobedeliveredfromit/' 
 
 I Corinth, i. 2. IVit/i all that in every place 
 
 call upon the name of "J ejus Chriji our Lord. 
 
 Dr. Hammond rightly obferves, that it 
 iliould be tranflated — '' With all them that 
 are called by the name of ourLordJefusCbrift. 
 
 ** In the ftyle of fcripture, to be called by 
 the name of any one, cr to have the name of 
 any one called upon it, fignifies to belong, to 
 be the property, or to be in fubjedion to 
 that, whofe name is called upon the other.'* 
 Daubuz onB^ev, p. 130. 
 
 But fee in Dr. Clarke {Scr. Do5t. No, 
 691.) an enumeration of the various fenfes 
 in which this phrafe calling on the name of 
 Chrift, and fome like it, are ufed ; among 
 which there is none that implies diredtly 
 invoking him, but A6ls vii. 59. which has 
 been confidered. 
 
 K 3 Rev. 
 
( i34 ) 
 
 Rev. xxii. 20. Come.^ Lordjefus ! 
 Thefe words are only the reply of the 
 apoftle, addreffed to the Lord Jefus prefent 
 with him in the vifion ; who had faid imme- 
 diately before, ** I come quickly." 
 
 Matth. xviii. 20. 
 
 Fcr where two or three are gathered together 
 
 in my name-^ there am I in the midji of them. 
 
 It may be proper to take notice of 
 this text, though out of its courfe, left we 
 (hould pafs by any thing of conftquence on 
 the argument. 
 
 The following feems to be a valuable 
 explication of it. 
 
 *^ If we confider the whole of this paffage, 
 in which our Lord is fpeaking of the great 
 povi^er of which his apoftles fliould be pof- 
 feffed, and efp^cially of the efficacy of their 
 prayers, we fhall be fatisfied, that he could 
 only mean by this form of expreffion, to re- 
 prefent their power with God, when they 
 were affembled as his difciplcs, and prayed 
 as became his difciplcs, to be the fame as his 
 own power with God -, and God heard him 
 always. That our Lord could not intend to 
 fpeak of himfelf as the God who heareth 
 prayer, is evident from his fpeaking of the 
 
 Father 
 6 
 
( ^25 ) 
 
 Father in this very place, as the perfon who 
 was to grant their petitions." ver, 19*. 
 
 Le Clerc, in his harmony, feems to have 
 hadfomewhatof the like thought. '^ Where 
 two or three," &c. ** it will be the fame 
 as if I was amongft them, and praying to 
 X5od along with them "f-." 
 
 MeJanBhon, in a letter to Camerarius, in 
 1532, after a predidlion which hath iince 
 been but too much verified, of the difputes 
 and difturbances that would arifefome time 
 or other about the Trinity, thus concludes 
 iipon the fubjecfl; ** I take refuge in thofe 
 plain declarations offcripture, which injoin 
 prayer to Chrift, which is to afcribe the 
 proper honour of divinity to him, and is 
 fttll of confolation J." 
 
 ^ Familiar Illuflrations of certain pafTages offcrip- 
 ture — printed for Johnfon, Paul's Church-yard, 
 1772, p. 26, 27. 
 
 "f ipfe inter eos eire, et Deum conjun^litn 
 
 cum iis orare cenfebor. Cler'ui hann, evangel. 
 
 X *' Ego me refcro ad illas fcripturas voces, quas 
 jubent invocare Chriftum, quod ell: ei honorem divi- 
 iiitatis tribuere, et plenum confolationis eft." 
 
 Benfons account of Serveius^ p. 165, note. 
 
 K 4 • ^ Obferve 
 
( '36 ) 
 
 Obfei've here, ift, that this eminent pcr- 
 fon thought, and jaftly as it (hould feem, 
 that prayer is the higheft; a£t of worfliip, 
 the proper honour of God, and peculiar to 
 him alone. And,'2. that the principal argu- 
 ment for Chrift s divinity was to be fetched 
 from religious worfliip and prayer being ad- 
 d re iTcd to hirr\ If there be therefore no 
 authority for the latter, as we have fhewn 
 there is not, the other falleth of courfe. 
 
 But one argument of another kind is to 
 be confidered. 
 Of chrift's high That the Lord Jefus is 
 
 power and autho- • . n i • t • i 
 
 rityasa ground of mtrulted With a mighty ex- 
 ^ teniive power and dommion 
 
 for the good of his church and people, is 
 plainly and exprefsly revealed to us. Matth. 
 xxviii. i8, 2C. John xiv. 14. Eph.i. 22.23. 
 I Cor. XV. 24. Philip, ii. 9, ic. &c. &c. 
 
 How and in what manner he exercifeth 
 this power is wholly unrevealed, and there- 
 fore unfearchable by us, as much as the way 
 and manner of God's providence, under 
 which ChriH: ad:eth, and which fuperin- 
 tends and over-rules all thing?. 
 
 To many, however, this high truft from 
 God, and vaft power and dominion have 
 
 feemed 
 
( J37 ) 
 
 feemed fufficient to warrant prayer to the 
 Lord Jefus, although he be not the fupreme 
 God. But this ground of invocation feems 
 over-turned, 
 
 1. By v/hat hath been above (hewn, that 
 Chrift diredied prayer to be made only to 
 God, the Father, and forbad it to himfelf. 
 
 2. There is no authority for it in the 
 writings of the apoftles. 
 
 3. It is fetiing up an inferior objedt of 
 worlhip without warrant, v^hen God in- 
 vites and commands us to addrefs ourfelves 
 upon all occafions immediately to himfelf, 
 and he is able to do more abundantly for us 
 than any other being, though ever fo great 
 and perfed:. 
 
 4. It is deftroying the proper office of 
 Chrift as mediator, high prieft, and inter- 
 ceflbr. 
 
 5. It.diftrafts the mind of the worfhiper, 
 who will be in doubt and uncertainty, when 
 to pray to God, when to Chrift, when it is 
 right, when amifs to do it : a ftate of mind, 
 furely, that ought to have no place in fo 
 important a duty. 
 
 Love, honour, reverence, duty, confi- 
 dence, gratitude, and obedience are, and 
 
 will 
 
r ^38 ) 
 
 will be certainly for ever due from us of 
 mankind, to the Lord Jefus for his immenfe 
 love to us, and on account of his perfedl 
 holincfs, excellency, power, dignity, and 
 dominion : but religious woffhip is the in- 
 communicable honour and prerogative of 
 God alone. 
 
 Some of the iirft Socinians maintained, 
 that Chrift, although no more than a maa 
 invefted with divine powers, was to be 
 prayed to and worfhiped. And there is ex- 
 tant a difpute on the fubjedt between F» 
 Socinus himfeif, and Fra?2cis Davides, fuper- 
 intendant of the Socinian churches in Trail'- 
 jylvania^ who oppofed the invocation of 
 Chrift. The latter died in prifon, in con- 
 fequence of this opinion of his, and fome of- 
 fence taken at his indifcreet propagation of 
 it from the pulpit. I wiih I could fay, that 
 Socinus or his friend Blandratdy had done 
 all in their power to prevent his commit- 
 ment, or procure his releafe afterwards *. 
 
 * The following little hiftory of a contrary beha- 
 viour, being not commonly known, and fhewing the 
 excellent perfon to whom it relates in a moft amiable 
 point of view, will be acceptable to fomc. " Dr. 
 Clarke^ afhort time before his death, began his folici- 
 
 tations 
 
{ ^39 ) 
 
 Moflieim has fome remarks on this dif- 
 putc, which it is but fair to produce, and 
 they will not take us out of our way. *"' Ic 
 is worthy of obfervation, that the motive 
 which efigaged Sochins and his friends to 
 befiow io rA'jch pains and labour in the 
 fuppreilion of this faction, was not a perfua- 
 fion of the pernicious itriQ^ncy of its doc- 
 trines, or peculiar notions. On the con- 
 trary, Socinus himfelf acknowledges, that 
 this eontroverfy turns upon matters of very 
 little importance, by declaring it as his opi- 
 nion, that praying or offering up divine 
 worihip to Chrift is not neceffary to falva- 
 tion. Thus, in his anfwer to Wiijecky he 
 cxprefTes himfelf in the following manner : 
 
 tations at court for the releafement of Mr. Wooljlon^ 
 declaring that he did not undertake it as an approver 
 of his dodlrines, but as an advocate for that liberty 
 vi'hich he"had through his life defended. He looked 
 on Mr. Wooljlon as one under perfecution for reli- 
 gion, which he thought inconfiftent with the liber- 
 ties of England, and the docl:rines of Chriftianity : 
 And on this laudable principle Dr. Clarke folicited 
 the relief of the opprefled, hut was hindered from 
 proceeding in his^virtuous defign by death, foon af- 
 ter Mr. JVoolfion's commitment." — Life of Mr. 
 IFoooI/Icn^ p. i8. 
 
 The 
 
{ HO ) 
 
 The Chrijiian^ whofe faith is fo great as to 
 encourage him to inake his addrejjes habitual- 
 ly and directly to the Supreme Bei?2gy and 
 who ftandeth not in need of the comfort that 
 flows fro?7i the invocation of Chriji his brc- 
 iher^ "who was tempted in all things like as 
 he is^ that Chriftian is not obliged to call upon 
 the name of fefus by prayer orfupplication. 
 According therefore to the opinion of 6*^- 
 cinus, thofe who lay alide all regard to 
 Chrift as an interceffor *, and addrefs 
 themfelves diredly to God alone, have a 
 greater meafure of faith than others. But 
 if this be fo, why did he oppofe with fuch 
 vehemence and animofity the fentinient of 
 Davides, who in efted: did no more than 
 exhort all Chriftians to addrefs themfelves 
 diredly and immediately to the Father, 
 From all this then it appears manifeft, that 
 Socinus and his followers were more artful 
 
 * Seldom is it that we can fairly reprefent the 
 opinions of thofe who differ from us on religious 
 points. Unlefs Chrift's making Inter cejfion for us, be 
 Jlrangely fuppofed to authorize and encourge prayer 
 to him, certainly Socinus did the more cftablifh 
 Chrift's charader as Interccjfor^ by recommending and 
 preferring prayer that was made to God alone. 
 
 7 than 
 
- ( HI ) 
 
 than ingenuous in their proceedings with 
 refped: to Davides. They perfecuted him 
 and his follov^ers, left, by tolerating his 
 dodrine, they fhould increafe the odium 
 under which they lay, and draw upon 
 themfelves anew the refentment of other 
 Chriftian churches, while in their private 
 judgment they looked upon this very doc- 
 trine, and its profeflbrs, as worthy of tole- 
 ration and indulgence *." 
 
 Archbifhop Tennifon's reproof of thefe 
 elder Socinians, for their inconfiftency in 
 holding fuch a doftrine as this of praying 
 to Chrift, whom they took to be only a man 
 indued with divinepower, is very obfervable^ 
 and points out the wrongnefs of praying to 
 him at all, if he be not the fupreme God. 
 
 *' To fay that Chrift is a creature, yet 
 made fuch a God who, can hear all prayers, 
 fupply all wants, give all graces needful to 
 his body the church, know all the fecrets 
 of all thoughts not direded to him, govern 
 and judge with wifdom all the world, and 
 to worfhip him under this divine notion ,- 
 what is it elfe than paying an homage to a 
 
 ♦ Molheim, vol. iv, p, 200— note. 
 
 pre- 
 
( 142 ) 
 
 prefumed creature, which is due only to the 
 One very God ! For what apprehenfions 
 greater than thefe do we entertain concern-* 
 ing the true God, when we call upon hioi, 
 confide in him, or revere him * ?" 
 
 The opinion and praftice of the ancient 
 Chriftians, before the council of Nice, has 
 been often (liewn from their writings, and 
 will hereafter be pointed out. But I can- 
 not better clofe this head, than v/ith a paf- 
 fage out oi Origen de Orat* p. 4^. which I 
 remember not to have feen cited by any one. 
 " But if we wGiiid learn-i fays that excel- 
 lent per fon, what prayer is^ we muji take 
 care not to pray to any creature^ no ?zot even 
 to Chrijl himfelf', but to the God and Father 
 of the Univerfe alone : to whom this Our 
 Saviour himfef offered up his prayers^ as we 
 have fiewn before ') and alfo teacheth us to, 
 offer up oursy for being once ajked, teach us 
 to pray, (Luke xi. i.) he teacheth not to 
 pray to himfef^ but to the Father^ faying^ 
 Our Father who art in heaven-^ &c." 
 Religious wofdiip I find not any example of 
 
 to be paid to Go<^ i \^ \ r>\ - a. 
 
 theFather,andnot praycr to the Holy Goolt, or 
 to the Holy Ghoji. j^^j^, ^^\nx^ as the third per- 
 
 * Tenn-ifon of idolatry, chap ix. p. jj'4. 
 
 fon 
 
'( H3 ) 
 
 fon in the Trinity, as it is called, either in 
 thefcriptures of the Old orNew Tcflament; 
 or any countenance given to fuch a pradice. 
 But it is moft Angular nd remarkable, 
 that St. PauFs epiftles in particular, and 
 thofe of the other apoftles, commonly be- 
 gin with devout wiflies oi bkJJingsjromGody 
 and from the Lordjefus Chrijl-, but the Holy 
 Spirit is never named at all at fuch times : 
 as in the following inftances : Rom. i. 7. 
 
 1 Cor. i. 3. 2 Cor. i. 2. Gal. i. 3, Eph. i. 
 2. Phil. f. 2. CclofT. i. 2. I Their, i. I. 
 
 2 Theff. i. I. I Tim. i. 2. 2 Tim. i. 2, 
 Tit. i. 4. Philem. i. 3. 2 Pet. i. 2. 2 John 
 i. 3. It is alfo farther to be noted, that in 
 the Revelation of St. John, where we have 
 feveral reprefentations.of the worfhip paid 
 by the Chriflian church, and the inhabi- 
 tants of the heavenly world, we have no 
 mention there made of the Holy Spirit, as 
 a diftindl agent, perfon, or ohjed of wor- 
 iliip, br.t the whole is dir^ectcd to God, 
 with hle/fing a?id honour, &c. to the lamb that 
 *wasjlainy v. J2. 
 
 Thefe omifTions muft firike a ferious ob- 
 ftrver. They had fuch an effcd: upon one per- 
 fon, as to convince him of the utter wrongnefs 
 of the received dodrine concerning the Holy 
 
 Spirit, 
 
( H4 ) 
 
 Spirit. *' It cannot be, faid he, if the Holy 
 Spirit be a perfon, and God equal to the 
 Father, that he (hould be thus pafied by, and 
 left out unnoticed by the apofllcs of Jefus." 
 
 ** The only text that can be faid diredly 
 to favour prayer to the Holy Spirit, is 2 Cor. 
 xiii. 8. the communion of the Holy Ghoji be 
 with you all. But to what hath been above 
 fuggefted concerning this Xt^x^ I take the 
 liberty to add v^hat is faid by an able wri- 
 ter, in anfwer to one who bad brought this 
 as a proof of prayer being made to the 
 Holy Ghoft. 
 
 ** The text contains but a pious wifli of 
 fpiritual gifts; and it may as well be faid, 
 when St. Paul writes, Col. iv. 18. Hebr. 
 xiii. 25. Grace he with you ally that it is a 
 prayer made to Grace. And therefore, if 
 the Holy Ghoft never be called God-, be 
 never prayed to in fcripture; if we are never 
 called ihtfervantSy nor churchy nor kii'ig^ 
 dom^ nor people of the Holy Spirit ; if never 
 required to pray, nor give thanks, nor praife 
 to the Holy Spirit (but to God, for and by 
 his Spirit) and only are bid to be guided by, 
 and not to quench, nor grieve the Spirit ; 
 as may be faid aUb of our own confcience : 
 
 if 
 
( H5 ) 
 
 if fo, then what ground is there for al). 
 inferences of prayer and giving thanks :cr 
 alt to the Holy Ghofty and joining him with 
 the Father in all our devct'*<^ns ? If any 
 fuch things might juftly be inferred from 
 Chrlftian priocipleis, far'elv the apofilcs were 
 as much concerned as any to make fach in- 
 ferences, and to have put them in pra<5lise 
 for our imitation *." 
 
 The pradlice of Chriftims for a long 
 time was in ftrid: conformity with the holy 
 fcriptiires on this point. We do not findj 
 thdt the Holy Ghoji was admitted into the 
 Chriftian church, as a feparate and diftindt 
 perfott of the Deity, until after feme ages 
 had pafled over. Not in the year 325, at 
 the time of compoiing the Nicene creed : 
 •for that part [the Lord and giver of life, whi> 
 proceedethfrom the Father -^ who with the Fa^ 
 ther and the Son together is worfiipped and 
 glorifedy who f pake by the prophets) wKioh 
 we have now adopted into the Nicene creed, 
 was not originally in it, but an addition 
 made to it at the latter end of the fourth 
 
 * Em]yn,'voI. ii. p. 447, 448. 
 
 L ^ century. 
 
[ 146 ] 
 
 century, at the fecond council of Conftan- 
 linople -f. 
 
 Some would account for this general fi- 
 lence of the early fathers, by alleging, that 
 the diftindl Deity of the Holy Spirit waS 
 not oppofed before the time of Macedonius, 
 on whofe account the council at Conftanti- 
 nople was beld> and therefore not particu- 
 larly fpecified. The real truth is, it was ne- 
 ver in their thought?. They had hitherto 
 fatisfied themfelves with the plain language 
 and dodtrine of the fcripture itfelf, which 
 we have feen does not favour fuch a ftrange 
 worfliip. ** And what is a farther proof of 
 this, the ancient father?, when they men- 
 tion the objedions of the heathens on this 
 fubjed!, (viz. of Chriftians holding more 
 Gods than One) do not fpeak of them as le- 
 
 f This addition to theNicene creed, made at the 
 fecond general council of Conilantinople, was con- 
 firmed by that of Ephcfus which followed, when it 
 was decreed unlawful to make any additions to it. 
 And yet, not long after, Pope Nicholas the firft add- 
 ed and the Son, (fo that the creed became as we now 
 j?ead it, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son) 
 which Vv'SLS the caulc of Ichifm betwixt the Greek and 
 Latin church, which continues to our time.— /*^^r- 
 fon on the crtcd^ note, p. 325, 3z6. 
 
 veiled 
 
( 147 ) 
 
 Veiled againfl the notion oi three Gods, but 
 of two only ; whereas, if the notion of the 
 divinity of the Holy Ghoji had been then 
 fafliionable, they would have aiade the fame 
 objedion as is now niade by Jews and Mo* 
 hammedans ; not againfl: two Gods, but 
 againfl three'' 
 
 ** I lliall only quote LaElantius, InfJ^. 1. iv. 
 c, xxix. ** Here fome may perhaps a{k, 
 how the Chriftians profefs to wcrfhip but 
 One God, yet we feem to believe and hold 
 two Gods, God the Father, and God the 
 Son. This dcdirine hath been a great 
 ftumbling-block to many, who confefs, that 
 in other points of dodrine we fpeak what 
 is probable, and fit to be embraced; but in 
 this they think weftumble, that we hold a 
 Jecond God, and hitii alfo a mortal one, as 
 one who could die *." 
 
 The Unitarian dodrine therefore is no no- 
 velty ; namely, that religious worjhip is to be 
 addrejjed only to the One true God^ the Father, 
 
 * Ben Mordccai — letter I. note^ p. 107. where, and 
 alfo throughout the v.'hole work, may be found a great 
 deal of important information concerning this point, 
 and the fubject of thefe papeis. 
 
 L 2 For 
 
( 148 ) 
 
 For It was the dodrine our bleffed Sa- 
 viour taught, and always pradifed ; and his? 
 apoftles after him : and it was alfo the uni- 
 verfal pradlice of the Chriftian church, with 
 little or no variation,^^ for the firft three cen- 
 turies. 
 
 Mo?2/, Jurieu faw this, and fairly owned 
 it; but then he maintained, in his fixth pa- 
 floral letter, that the myftery of a Trifiity of 
 per Jons in the fame ejfence, was not under- 
 flood or fully explained, till the two coun- 
 cils of Nice and Conftantinople had mould- 
 ed it into its right fhape and form, and fet- 
 tled it, towards the end of thefourth centu- 
 ry. This, however, is a method of defend- 
 ing this dodrine which few will openly a- 
 dopt, as it muft deprive them of the affift- 
 ance of the whole lift of the primitive Fa- 
 thers : and yet it is an unqueftionable faft, 
 that they were utterly unacquainted with it. 
 
 The learned Biiliop Bull's fentiments on 
 this point will have weight with thofe who 
 know that his prejudices leaned another 
 way. And he confeffes, 
 . ** In the7?r/? and beji ages, the churches 
 of Chrift directed all their prayer s^ according 
 
 t(^ 
 
( 149 ) 
 
 iothefcriptiire, to Godojily, thro' the alone 
 mediation of Jefus Chn^S .^Bijldop Bull's 
 anfwer to the Bifiop of Meaux\ 
 
 And, in another place; ** It is to be ob- 
 ferved, that in the Clementine liturgy, (fo 
 called,) which is by the learned, on all 
 hands, confeffed to be very ancient, and to 
 contain the order of worfhip obferved in the 
 churches before the times of Conftantine ; 
 — /?// the prayers are directed to Gody in the 
 name of his Son Jefus Chrift." — Btjhop 
 BulPs difcourfe concerning the exijlence and 
 nature of angels *. 
 
 It was a great unhappinefs and overfight, 
 that when our forefathers fhook off the 
 yoke of the Bifllop of Rome, they retained 
 fo much of the Roman ritual, its creeds, 
 *and forms of worfliip; and that, as the com- 
 pilers of the liturgy, in the office for ordain- 
 ing priefts, exhort continually to pray to God 
 the Father^ by the mediation of our only Sa- 
 viour Jefus Chrijiyfor the heavenly afjiftance 
 of the Holy Ghoji -, that, this diredion of 
 worfhip to its proper objed:, was not uni- 
 
 * Dr. Clarke — Scrip, DoSf, p. 435. 
 
 L 3 ^ verfally 
 
( 150 ) 
 
 verfally adhered to by themfelves, as it 
 ought to have been. 
 
 The litanyy more than any other of the 
 offices of devotion in our church, feems ta 
 deviate mod widely from this rule of Chris- 
 tian worfhip, and to require a total refor- 
 mation. For in this, 
 
 1. Gody the Father of heaven, is invoked^ 
 
 2. Then follow three feveral invocations 
 of God the Son^ God the Holy Ghoji, and the 
 Holy Trmity. All three direcftly contrary 
 to what Bifliop Bull above declares to have 
 been the pradice of the church in the firft 
 and beft ages, and the rule of the holy fcrip^ 
 tures. 
 
 3. Next follow feveral addreffles to Chrift 
 hy kimjelf And after that, 
 
 4. *' We finners do befeech thee to hear 
 us, O Lord Gody' would feem to be diredt- 
 ed to God the Father. 
 
 5. Then, after a certain fpace, follow 
 many invocations of the Son, as hamb of 
 Gody Chriji, Lord, &cc. 
 
 6. Then we turn off all at once, and ad- 
 drefs ourfelves to the Father, 
 
 • 7. Thea 
 
( IJi ) 
 
 7. Then we return again to the Son, and 
 renew our addrefs to him in feveral invoca- 
 tions. 
 
 8. Prefently after we go back, and fay. 
 We befeech thee^ Father. And, 
 
 9. In the very next addrefs, as placed in 
 this office, we refume our devotions once 
 more to Chrift, in the prayer of St. Chry- 
 foftom *. 
 
 Is there any thing in holy fcripture to 
 countenance this variety of addrefs, and 
 Shifting and changing from one objecfl of 
 worfliip to another ? Can this in any fhape 
 be conftrued into a right worfhip of the 
 One infinite eternal Af/W, the wife and 
 good Parent of the univerfe? 
 
 * See Candid Difqiiifitions, p. 324, 325, 
 
 L 4 CHAP. 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THt CAUSES OF THE UNHARPt DEFIGTIOW, AMON^ 
 CHRISTIANS, FROM THE SIMI^HQITY OF RE^Ir 
 QIOUS, WORSHIP PRESCRIBED IN THE SCRIPTURES 
 
 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 RAPID and aftonifhing was the pro- 
 grefs and fuccefs of the gofpel of Je " 
 fus, at Its firft preaching, in converting 
 multitudes in all countries of the known 
 world, fi'om idolatry and vicious impure 
 pradlices to the acknowledgment of the 
 One true God, and a holy life and conver- 
 fation. But the caufe was adequate to the 
 effed:. The prefence of a divine power, 
 manifeited by frequent miracles, which ac- 
 companied the humble and felf-denying 
 preachers of a religion fo pure and rational ^ 
 the full alTurance of pardon to guilty mor- 
 tals, of being received into the efpeciai fa- 
 vour and protedion of God, in pafling thro' 
 this fcene of trial and fuffering, and the 
 animating profpedl of life and immortality 
 at the clofe of it : thefe were motives, which 
 indeed have now too much loft their pov/er, 
 by being familiar to us, and therefore lefs 
 
 regarded. 
 
( '53 ) 
 
 regarded, but which could not be refifted 
 at firft where men would pay any sttention, 
 and had not loft all fobriety of mind, and 
 love of truth and virtue. The common 
 people,, and the unlearned, who had no fpe- 
 culative prejudices to interfere, would rea- 
 dily and naturally fall in with, and embrace 
 the belief and dodrine of the One living 
 and merciful God, the common Creator 
 aad Preferver, and of Jefus, a divine mef- 
 fenger, prophet, and faviour, fent by him 
 to men, in all that purity and fimplicity 
 with which the apoftles delivered it. 
 
 But the philofophic minds of others who 
 were brought to believe in Chrift, in ap age 
 (o curious and inquiiitive as that was, would 
 not fo foon jfhake off the learned notions 
 they prized fo highly, and had acquired 
 with fo much ingenious labour, but would 
 be induced in fome fort to fafliion their 
 new religion by them. And this, actually 
 came to pafs. Science^ fuifelyfo calledy as the? 
 apoftle fpeaks, i Tim. vi. 20. firft corrupt- 
 M Cbriftianity, and led men into errors con- 
 cerning the perfjn and true charafter of 
 our Saviour Chrift ; and the learned con- 
 verts from heatbenifm wqre they that laid 
 
 the 
 
( '54 ) 
 
 the foundation of the NIcene, Conftantino- 
 politan, and fcholallic Trinity, as of many 
 other unfcriptural do<5trines. So that to 
 know and to worftiip God aright, we have 
 only to abandon the language and ideas of 
 a falfe philofophy, and revert to the pure 
 and fimple teaching and directory of the 
 word of God, 
 
 St. Paul faw thefe fatal errors in the bud, 
 and endeavoured to warn men of them, 
 and prevent their growth. Coloff. ii. 8. 
 I Tim. 6. 20. Adts xx. 30, &c. 
 
 But the apoftle John lived long enough 
 to behold and lament the unhappy fruits 
 that were grafted on this bad ftock. For 
 his firft cpiftle, written at a very advanced 
 age, is chiefly levelled againft a fedl of phi- 
 lofophic Chriftians, which had already 
 fprung up in Afia where he abode, who had 
 imported from their philofophy this ftrange 
 notion, that the Lord Jefus was not a man 
 in reality^ but in appearance only, i. e. a 
 phantom 3 and hence they had the name of 
 AoK'/iraiy docetaj, phantafmatici, phajitomijls. 
 Offended at the meannefs of our Saviour's 
 birth and outward condition, and his fuf- 
 kring to death on the infamous crofs of 
 
 wood I 
 
( '55 ) 
 
 wood ; and full of Plato's fublime fpecula- 
 tions, or rather of the Orientalifts, from 
 whom Plato had borrowed them, they 
 maintained, that bendes the to ov, rccyxSof, 
 the Jelf-exijlent Beings f erf eBly good, there 
 were many emanations of intelligences from 
 him ; and the firfl and chief of thefe, voZg^ 
 Xoyog, mind, reafon, wifdom, zfecondGod-, 
 and they took the Lord Jefus, whom the 
 apoftles preached, the Son of God, to be this 
 firft emanation from God, which their phi- 
 lofophy had taught them. 
 
 Another branch of their doftrine was, 
 that matter was in itfelf dark, evil, impure. 
 They could not therefore allow that a pur« 
 emanation of Deity, fach as they prefumed 
 Cbrift to be, could have any connection 
 with {o impure a fubftance as a human ma- 
 terial body, and fo they invented this folu- 
 tion of the difficulty, that he was man in 
 appearance only, and iiot in reality *. 
 
 ^ Kiflolre critique de Manichee, et du Main* 
 cheifme. Par M, de Beaufobre, torn. J. p. 378, 
 379- 
 
 Cotdlier, 
 
< ^56 ) 
 
 Cotdier, in his notes on the epiille of 
 Ignatius to the Romans, p. 24. well fays, 
 *' A man may as fbon deny that the fun 
 fhines at bright noon, as that the docetas, 
 or phantomift heretics, did not fpring up in 
 ihe very days of the apollles." The good 
 old apoille, St. John's letters are pointed 
 continually at this innovation in the doc- 
 trine of his divine mafter. *^ Every fpirit 
 that confefleth that "Jefus Chriji is come in 
 the FleJJdy is of God. And every Spirit that 
 CQtifeJjeth not that "J ejus ChriJI is come in the 
 fiefid^ is not of God. — For many deceivers 
 are entered into the w^orld, who confefs not 
 that Jefus Chriji is come in thejiejh. This 
 is a deceiver, and an antichrift." i John 
 iv. 2, 3. 2 John 7. See alfo i John iv. 
 14, 15. V. 1. 5, 6, 7. i. I. 19, 20, 22. 
 
 This is alfo the principal error combat^ 
 
 s ed by the apoftolic fathers. There is a very 
 
 ftriking paffage of this fort in Ignatius ep. 
 
 ad. Trail, which I ihall quote in Archbi* 
 
 Ihop Wakes tranflation. 
 
 ** Stop your ears, therefore, as often as 
 any one fhall fpeak contrary to Jefus Chrift, 
 of the race of David, by the Virgin Mary. 
 Who vi2,s truly born, and did eat and drink; 
 
 was 
 
( ^57 ) 
 
 was truly perfecuted under Pontius Pilate ^ 
 was truly crucified, and dead, both the 
 . things in heaven, and the things on earth, 
 and the things under the earth, being con- 
 fcious of it. Who was alfo truly raifed 
 from the dead by his Father, after the fame 
 manner as he [the Father] will a!fo raife us 
 up who believe in him, by Chrifl: Jcfus; 
 without whom we have no tru^life." p. 1 51* 
 
 We cannot wonder, that the fpirit of 
 this pious father, and faithful martyr of 
 Chrifl:, was ftirred up againft thofe dogma- 
 tizing fpeculatiils, who, by the wild fancies 
 of their metaphyfical philofophy, annihila- 
 ted th^ gofpel and the holy e::anf3ple of Jcf- 
 'fus, and turned the whole into, a kind of 
 myftical fairy tranfaftion. 
 
 Irenasus often confutes thefe men, and 
 
 has one whole chapter exprefsly agaijijl 
 
 ' thofe who held Chriffs appearance to have 
 
 been imaginary and not real, and remarks 
 
 that St. John, in hisepiftle, wrote purpofe- 
 
 ly againll them, and bids us beware of 
 
 them*. 
 
 They 
 
 * Adverfus illos qui dicunt Chriflum putative 
 apparuifle. 1. iii. c, xviii. 
 
 The 
 
( I5S ) 
 
 They ftill fubfifted in the latter end of 
 the fourth century ; for Aurelius Pruden- 
 tius, in his poem which he calls Apotheqfisy 
 confifting of different pieces againft dif- 
 ferent forts of heretics, has one intitled, 
 ** Againft the phantomifts, who deny 
 Chrift to have had a real human body*/' 
 
 Thofe very early fathers, Irenaeus and 
 Juftin Martyr, although free from any 
 thing bordering on fuch extravagancies, 
 did neverthelefs contribute to bring into 
 Chriftianity the Platonic dodrine of 2i fe- 
 cond Gody which they had learnt before 
 their converfion to faith ; as might be 
 fhewn by numerous inftances from their 
 writings. And Clemens Alexandrinus, 
 
 The Manicheans held this do6lrIne of Chrift be- 
 ing man in appearrnce only, which they drew front 
 the fame fource of a falfe philofophy. St.^ Auftin,- 
 fpcaking of his own fentimcnts concerning Chrift, 
 whiliL he was conne(5led with this {td(^ fays, " I 
 •was afraid of believing him (Chrift) born of the 
 fiefli, left I fliould be forced to believe him defiled by 
 the flefh. Metuebnm credere in came natum, ne 
 credere cogerer ex carne inquinatum. — Conjcjfionimiy 
 U r. c. 10. 
 
 * yVdverfus phantafmaticos qui Chriftum ncgant 
 yerum hominis corpus habuiire»—-/'/-«^<f«//7^/'./». 202. 
 
 and 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 and Origcn, as they were the mod: learned 
 of all the Fathers, ftill more adulterated 
 the fimplicity of the gofpel, by this and 
 other mixtures of gentile philofophy*. 
 
 All this while the true dod:rine concern- 
 ing the One God, the Father, and his Son 
 Jefus Chrift our Lord, was preferred pure 
 and uncorrupted amongft the Jewifli Chrif- 
 tian?. But their country and nation being 
 laid wade and deftroyed, firft by Vefpafiaix 
 and Titus, and ftill more by the deplorable 
 calamities their unbelieving brethren 
 brought upon themfelves under Adrian ; 
 and being now poor and forlorn, and mak- 
 ing no pretenfions to iiuman learning, they 
 were defpifed by the rich, and learned gen- 
 
 Le Clerc, in his article of Eufebius, (Bihliotheque 
 -univerfelle^ torn, x.) has colleded feveral teftimonies 
 of the high veneration of thcfe ancient fathers, and 
 others after -them, for Plato, and the fatisfa(5lion they 
 exprefTed in the agreement of his philofophy with 
 that of Chrifl:, efpecially on the fubjeilof the Z-^^^i", 
 in the beginning of St. John's gofpel, which they 
 will have to have been the fame v/ith this phliofo- 
 pher*5 dotflrine abovenientioned. Whether there 
 was. fuch an agreement betwixt the do6lrine of 
 Chrill and philofophy o{ Piato, in this and other 
 refpe^is, may well be doubted. 
 
 tile 
 
( i6o 1 
 
 tile Chrlftians, and grew foon to be qiiit^ 
 iiegle<fted by them. 
 
 1 do not mean thofe Jewifh ChrifiianSji 
 who have been called EbionifeSy and who* 
 held our Saviour Chrift to have been only 
 the fon of Jofeph and Mary : of vvhom^ 
 however^ Juftin Martyr* fpeaks mod can- 
 didly, notwithftanding this manifeft error 
 of theirs^ 
 
 But I fpeak of x\\o{q Nazarene Chrifti- 
 ans, who believed our Lord to have been 
 born of the Virgin Mary by the miraculous 
 power of the Holy Ghoft, v/ho fpoke of 
 God and of Chrift in the plain language of 
 the holy fcriptures, and kept clofe to what 
 tfeey found therein revealed, without af- 
 
 * " Altho' I fnall not prove Chrift to be God, 
 otherwife than by proving that this is the Chrift, 
 and that it was foretold he fhould be fo* Yet will 
 it be juft, that thou fhouldft believe me deceived in 
 that one point, and yet not deny that this is the 
 Chrift, though he ft em to be a inan horn of men^ and 
 faid to be chofen to be the Chrift. For there are 
 fbme friends of mine amongft us [Chriftians] who 
 profefs him to be the Chrift, but affirm him to be a 
 man born of men : with whom, however, I do not 
 agree, nor will any fo fpeak who are of the fame 
 opinion wiih me.*'»— 7«/?/« Martyr^ dial, ctim Tryph. 
 
 fecSing 
 
{ i6i ) 
 
 feeling any philofophic novelties, or being 
 wife above v;hat is there written. 
 
 When Mofheim fays, vol. i* p. ii8, 
 that, although the Nazarenes and Ebio- 
 nites are generally placed among the fedls 
 » of the apoftoHc age, they really belong to 
 the fecond century, which was their earli- 
 eft appearance as a ftd: ; he fpeaks what 
 was the truth, though wrongly underftood 
 by hitn. For, indeed, t/ie whole Chrijlian 
 church in the apojlolic age, made up of yews 
 and Gentiles y %cas entirely Nazarene or Vni^ 
 tarian\ and the Jewifli believers, though 
 retaining fome of their Jewifh rites, as they 
 did not impofe them on others, gave no of- 
 fence, nor caufed any feparation or divifion. 
 The gentile Chriftians were the firft fepa- 
 r'atifts or fedarics. 
 
 An anonymous writer * againft Aftemon, 
 about the year 200, bears thcfe Jevifti 
 Chriftians this teftinniony, tho' he would 
 invalidate it by the contrary on his own 
 fide, viz. that they appealed to their ancef- 
 tors, and to the very apoftles thernfelves, 
 as holding and teaching the fame dc£trine 
 concerning Chrift which they did ; and 
 
 * Eufcbius, hift. ecclef, J. v. c. ult. 
 
 M that 
 
( l62 ) 
 
 that the truth of the gofpel, as they held 
 it, was preferved to the time of Vid.OF 
 Bifhop of Rome. 
 
 Thefe churches of Jewlfli believers fub- 
 fifled till the fifth centurv, but then funk 
 away, and we hear no more of them. Our 
 countrymen. Wall, and Lardner, and many 
 learned foreigners, have lamented this 
 coolnefs of the Gentile Chriftians towards 
 the Jewifh believers, and their averfion io 
 all communion and correfpondence with 
 them, which St, Paul laboured to have kept 
 up, and had much at heart. Ro?7h xi. 
 I J — 24. It might have been a means of 
 keeping the Gentile church fteady \n the 
 vvorfliip of the one true God, by the one 
 Mediator, the ma7i Chrijl J^fus, i Tim. ii- 
 5. and have preferved it from, other griev- 
 ous errors, which have fo much defaced and 
 nearly paganized 'the religion of Chrift. 
 But" — there was to be a falling away from 
 the faith, I Tim. iv. 1. and God thought 
 not fit to interpofe, but to leave men to 
 themfelves. 
 
 But another, and a principal fource of 
 the corruptionu of the true Chriflian doe- 
 trine and worfhip; the parent of the word 
 of errors, and which ako, in the proportion 
 
 it 
 
( i63 ) 
 
 U prevails, will perpetuate them for ever; 
 the caufe cf all the animofities, miferies, 
 and bloodflied, that have fo often, and fo 
 long difgraced the Chriftian name: — This 
 is none other than that monfter^ 
 
 Alonjlrum^ horrendum^ informe^ gens, cui lumen 
 ademptum — 
 
 human authority in the church of Cbrifl: ; 
 when man or men, fmgle or combined, with 
 or without the permiflion of the civil magif- 
 trate, have fet themfelves up for lords over 
 the faith and confciences of other?, and 
 didated and prefcribed to them, under 
 various pains and difcouragemenls, what 
 they were to believe, or profcfs to believe, 
 concerning the revealed word and will ot 
 God> and the v/ay in which they v^ere to 
 worlhip him. The apoftles of our Lord 
 affumed no fuch powers over the irjlnds of 
 men. They did not require obedience to 
 any dodlrine of their o'u:ni but only to what 
 they themfelves were taught by Chrift and 
 the Holy Spirit. 
 
 But their followers could not refrain 
 
 from fo unfeemly an ambition, even whilfb 
 
 they were fuffv^ring under the crofs, and the 
 
 civil powers every where turned againft them . 
 
 Ma For 
 
t i64 ] 
 
 For, towards the clofe of the fecond 
 century, Victor, biftiop of Rome, excom- 
 municated all the churches of Afia for dif- 
 fering with him about keeping the time of 
 Eafler : and he (liewed the like imperious 
 behaviour in excommunicating Theodotus, 
 a Jewiih Chriftian, for not coming up to his 
 own opinion concerning Chrift, which was 
 that afterwards called Arian^ and happen- 
 ed then and there chiefly to prevail. A ve- 
 ry different temper of mind this from what 
 Juftin Martyr (hewed, (as cited above,) to- 
 wards a diffcnting brother, but a few years 
 before* 
 
 But when the emperors had embraced 
 Chriftianity, and great worldly privileges 
 and emoluments became annexed to the 
 fafhionable religious opinions, the intoler- 
 ance of Chriftians towards one another for 
 every little difference would have feemed 
 ridiculous, if it had not been attended with 
 ferious confequences to the unhappy dif- 
 fenters. For a long period, ecdefiaftical 
 hiftory is intirely taken up with accounts 
 of the bifliops that bore the rule, travelling 
 about to fit in councils, and decide upon 
 opinions which h^d better have been left 
 
 unde- 
 
( 165 ) 
 
 undecided, and would fooner have died 
 away ; and to excommunicate and depofe 
 fuch as differed in opinion from them, 
 from whom they differed as much them- 
 felves, and over whom they had no power 
 but what the civil magiflratc gave them, 
 who had no right to give them any, or to 
 mokft their opponents fo long as they de- 
 meaned thcmfelves peaceably ; and which 
 power might, with equal juftice, have been 
 turned againfl thofe who thought them- 
 felves mofl orthodox, and adually was fo 
 in the change of time?, as the reigning 
 emperor happened to be Arian or Ho- 
 mooujian * 
 
 Lord B^r<?^fome where fays \ ^^ fuch as 
 hold prcjjure of confciencc^ are guided therein 
 by fome private inter efi of their own^'* 
 This is univerfally true of all oppreffors of 
 the confciences of others, in all ages and 
 countries. " The prince's religion will 
 every where be beft -f- 5 and that^ hereiy, 
 
 and 
 
 * Eufebius, ecclef. hift. lib. v. c. 28. 
 
 'I" Mr. Hume has furnifhed us with a very fingu- 
 lar inftance of the exertion and influence of impe- 
 rial authority in matters of religion, from our own 
 hiftory. 
 
 M 3 J571. " In 
 
( i66 ) 
 
 and to be condemned, which oppofes his 
 edia?. The fanguinary laws of the Chrif- 
 
 tian 
 
 157 1. '' In the former parliament the Puritans 
 had introduced feven bills for a further reformation 
 in religion, but they had not been able to prevail i^ 
 any one of them. This houfe of commons had fat 
 a very few days, when Stricland, a member, revived 
 one of the bills, that for the amendment of the litur- 
 gy, — Religion v/as a point of which Elizabeth was, 
 ifpofTible, ftill more jealous than of matters of ftate. 
 She pretended, that in quality of fupreme head or 
 governor of the church, ihe was fully empowered, 
 by her prerogative alone, to decide all queftions 
 which might arife v/Ith regard to do(5lrine, difcipline, 
 or worfhip ; and fhe never would allow her parlia- 
 ments fo much as to take thefe matters into confider- 
 ation.— The queen was fo highly offended with 
 Stricland's prefumption, in moving the bill for re- 
 formation of the liturgy, that fhe fent for him to 
 the council, and prohibited him thenceforth to appear 
 in the houfe of commons. That a£l of power was 
 too violent even for this fubmiflive parliament. 
 Carleton complained that the liberties of the houfe 
 were violated. — Yelverton enforced the principles of 
 liberty with ftill greater boldnefs. — The treafurer 
 warned the houfe to be cautious in their .proceed- 
 ings ; neither to venture further than their alTured 
 warrant might extend, nor hazard their good opinion 
 with her majefty in any doubtful caufe. The mem- 
 ber. 
 
{ 167 ) 
 
 tian emperors of the Eafl: and Weft, from 
 Conftantine inchijive, againft thofe who dif- 
 fered 
 
 ber, he faid, whom they required, was not detained 
 on account of any liberty of fpeech, but for the ex- 
 hibiting a bill in the houfe againft the prerogative of 
 the queen ; a temerity, which was not to be tole- 
 rated. Clecve, another member, remarked, that 
 the fovereign's prerogative is not fo much as difput- 
 able : he added, thcit in queflions of divinity^ every 
 man was, for his injlru^iion^ to repair to his ordinary ; 
 (ind he fcans to infmuate that the bifiops themfelvcs^ for 
 their inJiru5lion^ inuji repair to the ^leen. 
 
 " The Speaker moved, that the houfe fhould make 
 a ftay of all further proceedings : a motion which 
 was immediately complied v/ith. The Queen, 
 finding that the experiment which fhe had made was 
 likely to excite a great commotion, faved her ho- 
 nour by the filence of the houfe ; and that the 
 .queftion might no more be refumed, fhe fent next 
 day her permiiTion to Stricland to give his attendance 
 in parliament. — Notwithftanding this rebuke from 
 the throne, the zeal of the commons ftill engaged 
 them to continue the difcufiion of thofe other bills 
 which regarded religion, but they were interrupted 
 by a ftill more arbitrary proceeding of the Queen, in 
 which ,the Lords condefcendcd to be her inftru- 
 ment. That houfe fent a meilaire to the com- 
 mans, defiring that- a committee might attend them. 
 Some mernbers were accordingly appointed for that 
 M 4 . purpofe ; 
 
( Jits ) 
 
 fered in religious opinion from the (elk 
 which the amperor favoured, are fliocking 
 to humanity, and would affedt us more, 
 were not a violent diflike and prejudice 
 
 purpofe j and the upper houfe informed them, that 
 the Queen's Majefty being informed of the articles 
 of reformation which they had canvafTed, approved 
 of them, intended to publifii them, and to make th^ 
 hifiops execute them by virtue of her regal authority^ as 
 fupreme head of the church of England -y but that (he 
 would not permit them to be treated of in parlia- 
 ment/' — Hijlory of England^ Svo. vol, v. p. i8c~ 
 184. 
 
 The times are happily changed fince Elizabeth's 
 days. The commons houfe of parliament, on Feb. 
 6, 1772, without apprehenfion of controul from our 
 gracious fovcreign, debated till near the hour of mid- 
 night, upon the petition of the clergy, &c. for the 
 removal of fubfcription to the xxxix articles; and 
 one may furcly aver, that another fuch day's debate 
 muft have carried the caufe for the petitioners, with 
 all reafonable men. 
 
 And foon after in that year, and alfo in the prc- 
 fent 1773, the fame honourable houfe, after a ferioqs 
 * and folemn argument, voted almoft unanimouf- 
 \y for relieving diflenting minifters and fchool- 
 mafters from the fame burden of fubfcription -, not 
 withovit the folfcmn vote, and noble concurrence 
 each time of many of the Tempera! Peers of gicat 
 name in the upper houfe. 
 
 grow a 
 
i i69 ) 
 
 grov/n familiar to us from fach bad precC'- 
 dents, againft all thofe who dare to declare 
 their difjent from a great and fpkndid public 
 ejlablijlmcnt of religion, — What miferies, or 
 elfe what fad havock of confcience and in- 
 tegrity, muft that one edid: of the emperors 
 ^ y\rcadius and Honorius have caufed in the 
 year 395? It runs thus. ** Thofe perfons 
 are comprized under the name of heretics^ 
 and ought to fuffer according to the laws 
 made againft them, who (hall be difcovered 
 to deviate a hair's breadth from the judg- 
 ment and track of the catholic religion*," 
 that is, the emperor. s religion^ or, as we 
 fpeak, the religion of the flat e* 
 
 I (hall make no apology for the follow- 
 ing quotation from Dr. Lardner's remarks 
 . on the council of Nice. 
 
 ** The introducing force and authority 
 in matters of a fpecularive nature is fubver- 
 five of true religion and virtue. For what 
 avail human decifions, if they are not fa- 
 tisfying? If you can bring reafon and fcrip- 
 tufQ for any dodtrine, men will affent. But 
 
 ■'■' Sir Ifaac Newton's obfervations upon the Apo- 
 calypfe of St. Joini, p. 300. 
 
 to 
 
( 170 ) 
 
 to fay that the bilhops of fuch a council 
 have fo declared and determined, is not 
 convincing. Therefore it ought not to be 
 jcxpeded, that men fhould confefs and adt, 
 as if they were convinced. If you make 
 life of any methods, befide thofe of rational 
 arguments, to induce men to profefs and 
 a<5l as you dclire, you do what lies in your 
 power to make them lye and prevaricate. 
 So did this council of Nice. 
 
 •* This way of ading may be fuppofed 
 to have been the chief caufe of the ruin of 
 the Chriftian intereft in the Eaft. This, 
 a'nd the like determinations of fpeculativc 
 doftrines, and the violent methods by which 
 they were enforced, may be reckoned to 
 have paved the way for Mahometanifov, 
 more than any thing elfe. By thefe means 
 ignorance, and hypocrify, and tedious ri- 
 tuals, came to take place of honefty, true 
 piety, and undiflembled fpiritual and rea- 
 fonable worfhip and devotion. 
 
 '* In about three hundred years after the 
 afcenfion of Jefus, without the aids of fe- 
 cular power or church authority, the Chrif- 
 tian religion fpread over a large part of 
 Afia, Europe, and Africa. And at the ac- 
 
 ceffion 
 
( »7i ) 
 
 ceflion of Conftantinc, and convening the 
 council of Nice, it was almoft every where 
 throughout thofe countries in a flourifhing 
 condition. In the fpace of another three 
 hundred years, or a little more, the purity 
 of the Chriftian religion was greatly cor- 
 rupted in a large part of that extent, its 
 glory debafed, and its light almoft extin- 
 guiflied. What can be this fo much ow- 
 ing to, as the determinations and tranfac- 
 tions of the council of Nice, and the mea- 
 fures then fet on foot, and followed in fuc- 
 ceeding times * ?'* 
 
 * Lardner's Credibility, part ii. vol. vili, p. 
 22—24. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 172 ) 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 UNION IN god's true WORSHIP, HOW TO BE AT- 
 TAINED. 
 
 OYNODS and councils have in diffcfrent 
 ^^i»3 ages been afiembled to promote this 
 union ^ creeds and confeffions of faith have 
 been drawn up and inapofed, and forms of 
 worfhip prefcribed and enforced by au'-ful 
 authority; but the defired end hath not yet 
 been attained. In the lafl: century, Mr. 
 Dury, a very pious good man, embarked 
 with the mod difinterefted views, in a de- 
 iign to unite all proteftants together in one 
 common confeffion of faith, and with in- 
 defatigable labour travelled over Chriften- 
 dom for near thirty years, to accomplifli his 
 benevolent defign. 
 
 His plan was, to lay down certain fun- 
 damental points, and to engage the whole 
 community of proteftants in all countries 
 to accede to them, and thus to form a 
 band of amity amongrt: them. In the let- 
 ters rhat paffed * between him, Mr. Mede, 
 and Mr. Hartlib, may be feen how little 
 likelihood there was of an union in this 
 
 * Mede's works, p. 868, &c, ■ 
 
 way. 
 
( '73 ) 
 
 way. They could not agree upon, or fettle 
 what points were fundamental. No church 
 would renounce its peculiarities and infal- 
 libility. Indeed fuch a method was never 
 likely to fucceed. What is fundamental 
 dod:rine to one man, or to a number of 
 men, and fuch as they cannot give up, may 
 not be fo to others, and yet all be equally 
 fincere and upright before God, and the 
 true difciples of Chrift"^'. 
 
 That is a fine declaration of Calvin'«> 
 if he had but kept to it -f. '* Since the 
 
 mind 
 
 * It was upon this principle of not laying down 
 fundamental do(3:rJnes for others, that the excellent 
 Grotius withftoodthe cries of herely and Socinianifm 
 raifed againft him from all quarters, and refufed to 
 the laft to disfigure his noble work of the Truth of 
 the Chrtjiian rcUgloii with making mention of the 
 Trinity in it. Not that he would be underftood by 
 fuch an omifTion to condemn that doctrine, much 
 lefs thofe who held it ; but he pcrfifted in maintain- 
 ing, that it was fufficient to convince men of the 
 divine authority of the fcriptures, and leave them to 
 themfelves to find out the peculiar dodlrincs therein 
 revealed. — " Omnes ad facras literas ducendi funt, 
 ut inde talia hauriant, qus, nifi Deo femet patefaci- 
 ente, cognofci nequeunt.'*—Grj ///<?/>//?. p. 493, 761. 
 
 f <' Cum in Dei majcilate confiderapda mens hu- 
 mana per fe omnino coecutiat'— fi juxta captus fui 
 
( '74 J 
 
 mind of man is totally blind of itfelf when it 
 contemplates the divine Majefty, 1 truft I 
 fhall have the approbation of all good men, 
 if I feek God no where but in his word, 
 think nothing of him but according to his 
 word, nor fpeak of him but by bis word." If 
 this fober referve and reverence for the word 
 of God be neccffary In the private confeffi- 
 on of a man'^ faith, fuch as Calvin was 
 then making, much more ought it to be ob- 
 ferved in the folemn public worfhip of Al- 
 mighty God. Nothing of private opinion 
 or fancy fliould be there admitted, nor any 
 phrafes or modes of addrefs ufed, which have 
 not the exprefs warrant of holy fcripture*. 
 
 tenultatem Deum imaglnari conetur: iftud bonorutn 
 omnium pace ac venia fadluros confidlmus, fi Deum 
 nufquam quaeramus nifi in ejus verbo, nihil de ipfcy. 
 cogitemus nifi cum ejus verbo, de ipfo nihil loqua- 
 mur nifi per ejus verbum." — Cahmi epijiol, p. 043.* 
 * " He [the ever memorable J. Hales] exceed- 
 ingly detefted the tyranny of the church of Rome j 
 more for their impoftng uncharitably upon the con- 
 fciences of other men, than for the e^'rors in theif 
 ov^^n opinions : and he would often fay, he wouM 
 renounce the religion of the church of England to-^ 
 morrow, if it obliged him to believe that Tiny other 
 Chriflian Ihould be damned; and, that nobody would 
 
 Gonchuia. 
 
I ^7S ) 
 
 *' IVe ought to life no other pi^ayers than 
 thofe which are contained in the holy fcrip" . 
 turey (Gw thofe ancient Chriftians, the 
 Vaisdois, in their confe£io7i of faiths pre- 
 fented to Francis I. 1541.) or fitch other 
 as are conf or enable to them for f ub fane e *." 
 
 conclude another damned, that did not vvlfh him fo, 
 —-He thought that pride and paflion, more than 
 confcience, were the caufes of all reparation from 
 each other's communion ; and he frequently faid, 
 that that only kept the iv or Id from agreeing upon fuch a 
 liturgy^ as might Iring them irJo o?ie cc?n?nunion ; all 
 doSirinal pointSri upon which men differed in their opi- 
 iiionsy being to have no place in any liturgy. '' — Lord 
 Clarendon s hijiory of his own life^ p. 5^.. 
 
 * There is fuch an admirable fimplicity and con- 
 formity to fcripture, running through the whole of 
 the confcffton of faith^ from whence the above extra(St 
 is made, that I doubt not but I fhall do a thing ac- 
 ceptable to many of my readers in producing it. I 
 fhall therefore tranfcribe it in the Appendix. We 
 fhould have been now much farther advanced in 
 Chriftian knowledge and the pure worfhip of God, 
 if our articles, and confeflions of faith, and litur- 
 gies, had been framed after fo chafte a model, when 
 we fcparated from the mother cf idolatries^ the church 
 of Rome. But fchool-learning, attachment to what 
 had been eftablifhcd, and a flavifh copying after a 
 fpurious antiquity, mifl«d us then, and continue to 
 miflead us. 
 
 Arch- 
 
( 176 ) 
 
 A (landing apo- Afchbifliop TillotCon, foeak-^ 
 
 ftolic rule con- . r • i i r i 
 
 ccrning prayer, mg OF the grOlS idolatry Of the 
 
 Virgin Mary, our Lord's mo-i 
 ther, among x\\q papijis^ remarks; *' That 
 the greater part of their religion, both pub- 
 lic and private, is made up of that which 
 was no part at all of the religion of the 
 apoftles and primitive Chriftians; nay, which 
 plainly contradifts it : for that exprefsly 
 teaches us, that there is but One objeB of 
 our prayer Si and one Mediator hy whom we 
 are to make ouraddreffes to God." ** There 
 is one God ; and one Mediator between God 
 and man, the man Chrift Jefus," fays St, 
 Paul, 1 Tim. ii. 5. when he gives a ftand- 
 ing rule concerning prayer in the Chriftian 
 church */' 
 
 Now this, which this good man, and 
 moft inftrudivc preacher rightly and wife- 
 ly afferts to be ajianding apoflolic rule con- 
 cerning prayer y from one fingle textj has 
 been at large evinced to be fuch, in the 
 foregoing papers, by a long dedudion 
 from the holy fcriptures 5 and it has alfo 
 been corroborated and confirmed by the 
 
 * Tillotfon's fermons, vol. x. p. 144. 
 
 con- 
 
( ^n ) 
 
 concurring teftimony and confefiion of the 
 beft antiquity harmonizing in this one 
 point, however at variance in other?, that 
 frayer is to be offered to God the Fa- 
 ther alone. It cannot but be, therefore, 
 of the mod ferious concernnrient to all, in 
 thefe enlightened times, not to go con- 
 trary themfclves, or to influence others in. 
 going contrary to fo plain a prefcribed rule 
 of vvorfliip, in which the honour of God 
 is immediately concerned. And is it not 
 inverting the very rule laid down here by 
 the Holy Spirit, to addrefs prayer to the 
 man Chriji jefusi the Mediator, as the apoftle 
 fpeaks> and not to the Oav G^^ himfelf ? 
 If then> happily^ every thing in our liturgy 
 ihat is not agreeable to this Handing apof- 
 tolic rule, and the general prefcription of 
 God's word, be changed or removed, all 
 Chriflian people of whatever denomina- 
 tion, ancient or modern, Arians, Atha- 
 uafians, Socinians, Lutherans, Calvinifts, 
 Churchmen, may agree and join together 
 in the worlLip u fed by. the apollles of 
 Chriftf and primitive Chriflians. 
 
 Other agreem^ent than this in public 
 
 -worfhip can never be attained, nor ought 
 
 N ^ ever 
 
( i7'8 ) 
 
 c^ver to be propofed. For, where men afe 
 allowed to read the fcriptures, and think 
 for themfelves, difference in opinion will 
 be unavoidable, even on points the moft 
 important ; becaufe whatever is matter of 
 confcience to any one is of the higheft im- 
 portance to him. But a form of exprefs 
 fcj^iptilfal worfjip mud be fatisfad:ory to 
 all, and fuch in which they can cordially 
 unite. '* Good men, fays an excellent per- 
 fon, differing in their own tx^vtffion^, yet 
 agree mfcripture forms of words, acknow- 
 ledging the meaning of the Holy Ghofl in 
 them is true ; and they endeavour to un- 
 derftand and find it out as well as they carr; 
 therefore they Ihould continue friends;. and 
 think they agree, rather than think they 
 do not agree; becaufe they do agree in 
 what is God's, and infallible ; though they 
 differ in what is their own^ and fallible : and 
 upon this confideration forbear one another; 
 and not impofe their own, either fenfe or 
 phrafe ^■.'* 
 
 But this charity f i Cor. xiil. this per- 
 feft ftate oi Ghriltianity, fecms to be ftill 
 
 * Dr. Whichcote's letter to Dr. Tuckney, 
 
 p. II. 12. 
 
 afar 
 
( 179 ) 
 
 ^Far off, although we * are, I truft, ap- 
 proximating towards it. Some late pub- 
 lications, and a declared indifpofition to 
 reformation, efpecially in the great oijedl 
 of worjjjtp^ forbid to entertain any pre- 
 fent hope of much fuccefs. In the meaa 
 time, however, truth and right things 
 
 * I would hope the firft words of the followirg 
 paragraph, written fifteen years fince, are too ftrong- 
 \y put J for the reft, it is ferious and important. " I 
 do not fee any figns in this age, to denote it to be 
 an age oif reformation, nor do I think it is the will 
 oif God it fhould ; becaufe I rather think I fee fome 
 mariifeft proofs to the contrary : the time, hov/ever, 
 will come, when, as St. Paul expreilvfth it;, i Cor* 
 xi.3. all men fhall know that the bead of every man is 
 Chrijl ; and as the head of the woman is the man, fo the 
 head of Chriji is God^ The ample illuftration of 
 wjiich great truth may poffibly be referved for that 
 glorious day, when the fuUnefs of the gentiles being 
 come, the meffiahfliip of Jefus will be more evidently 
 difplayed — the Unity of the Godhead be eflablifhed ; 
 and the great ftumbling-block of ofFence to the 
 converflon of the Jews being removed, then Jhall 
 all Ifrael be faved, Rom, xi, 25, 26- But, in the 
 mean time, there vnifl needs be herefies amongjl us, 
 fays the fame apoflle, that they which are approved 
 may be fnade manifeJii'-^'-^Vindication of the hijlo- 
 ries of the Old and New Teflament, by BiJljop-ClaytoHf 
 P' 34> 35' 
 
 N a fhould 
 
( i8o ) 
 
 (liould Se propofcd to the public, however 
 unlikely to fuccecd at prefent; and often 
 propofed, that men may not lofe fight of 
 them. And Providence will raife up in- 
 ftruments to forward its own defigns, when 
 the time comes. 
 
 It remains to be enquired what remedy 
 there may be for thofe who cannot, with a 
 fafe confcience, continue to officiate, or con- 
 llantly join in the prefent forms of our litur- 
 gy ; who may be afraid of incurring his dif- 
 pleafure, who hath faid, Exod . xx. 3 . *' Thou 
 fhalt have no other Gods before me -y' and 
 of contravening our Saviour Ghrift's ex- 
 prefs command, fo often, but not too often 
 repeated by us, *' Thou (halt worfhip the 
 Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou^ 
 ferve." Mattk. iv. 10. 
 
 Dr. Samuel Clarke^ fuperior genius and 
 learning were the lead of his excellencies. 
 His unaffuming modefty and humility, his 
 piety, integrity, arden\ love of truth, and 
 zeal for God and his true worfhip in the 
 world, ilill more diftinguiflied him from 
 ordinary men. It appears from his con- 
 verfation with Mr. Emlyn, to whom he 
 
 8 opened 
 
( ^8i ) 
 
 opened himfelf without referve, that the 
 great obje<ft of his life, ftudies, and en- 
 deavours, was to procure the removal of 
 the declaratmzs and fuhfcrtptions required 
 in our church to its articles and liturgy, 
 and the reformatioii of the liturgy itfelf; 
 * and that, if he had been raifcd to the fee 
 of Canterbury, which, to the everlafting 
 honour of the princes of the lad reign, 
 was deflincd * by them for this Unit arian 
 Divi?ie, he would then, indeed, have ex- 
 :erted all his interefl: and great abilities, to 
 make our church the moji pure, as it has 
 been long the moft refpedable of all the 
 !:€ formed churches. 
 
 It was a noble attempt that he made, 
 related by Mr. Whifton, to change the 
 doxologies that were ufcd in the iinging 
 of pfalms in his church at St. James's, 
 which, not being prefcribed by the rubric, 
 he might think himfelf at liberty to alter. 
 But through the zeal of Robinfon, the 
 then bifliop of London, it proved abor- 
 tive. 
 
 The alteration attempted to be intro- 
 duced was this :~ 
 
 * Emiyn, vol. II. p. 492, 493, 49f 
 
 N :; . ^ To 
 
[ l82 ] 
 
 To God, through Chrifl:, his Son„ 
 Our Lord, all glory be. 
 inftead of 
 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl, 
 Immortal glory be. 
 
 But as the venerable apoftolic old man, 
 who has preferved this account, remarks — 
 •' The bidiop, in the way oi modern autho- 
 rity , was quite too hard for T>r, Clarke in 
 the way of prmitive Chrijlianity *." 
 
 Dr. Clarkes heart was entirely fet on 
 bringing about fpme reformation in this ca- 
 pital point of divine worfhip 5 and if his va- 
 luable life had been prolonged, in whatever 
 fituation he had continued, he would have 
 ufed his beft efforts for it ; and if no fuccefs 
 had attended them, I am inclined to believe, 
 from v.^hat Mr. Emlyn lets fall of the un- 
 eafy ftate of his mind, and from his mani- 
 i^ft dlfapprobation f of all religious worship 
 
 * Hiftorical memoirs of the life of Dr. S. Clarke, 
 edy 3. P- 7^- — Mr. Whifton was above fourfcore 
 years old, when he publifhed this laft edition. 
 
 f This is ftrongly marked in his amendments of 
 the liturgy of our church, cited below ; in which he 
 blots out every pafTage, without exception, in which 
 Chrift is confidered as an objecSl of worfhip, or prayer 
 offered to him. 
 
 not 
 
( i83 ) 
 
 not immediately addrefled to God, ihe Fa- 
 ther, that he would have given up his pre- 
 ferment, and retired. 
 
 But what he might not perhaps have 
 been able after all to effcd: himfelf, he 
 was labouring at his leifure hours to make 
 more eafy for thoft that came after him. 
 
 ** He once rtiewed me (faith Mr. Em- 
 lyn) that he had been making /Sw£' emenda- 
 iions in his common- prayer book. And the 
 very laft time J think I ever fa w him, the 
 March before he died, in fome of our laft 
 difcourfe at parting, he aiked me, if he had 
 fhewn me what he had been doing in his 
 common-prayer book. I faid, I had juft feen 
 it once. He faid, it ihould not be loft *.** 
 
 This hi« laft labour, as it (honld feem, 
 and monument of his zeal for the honour 
 pf God, and purity of his worfhip, has 
 been prefented by his fon to the Britifli 
 Muf3£um, where, it is to be hoped, it will 
 ;not be depofited in vain. 
 
 The 
 
 * Emclyn, vol. ii. p. 494. 
 
 , Thje author oft he GonfejfionaU {edition 3. /?. 426, 
 
 no^i)-^ has given the firfl: information to the public 
 
 concerning this mahufcript, and at the fame time 
 
 - produced from it a valuable atteftation of Dr. Clarke 
 
 N 4 ^ to 
 
( i»4 ) 
 
 tyr:'cun'h's The amendments of the H-- 
 c^the m"! turgy, propo^bd by Dr. ClarJ^e, 
 lindtT''" ^^hJ^fiy relate to the right direc- 
 tion of prayer and thankfgiving 
 to its only objed, the one living and true 
 God, as taughe by our Lord Jefus Chrift y 
 not but that he has made fbme very conii- 
 derable improvements in other refpedts, as 
 he paffcd along. It was no fmall fatisfadion, 
 in the perufal of them, to find that thofe 
 parts of our public fervice, which had long 
 feemed to me to countenance an unfcriptu- 
 ral, and therefore unlawful, forbidden wor^ 
 fhip, i. e, the offering up of prayer to any 
 but the one true God, the Father ; were a/l 
 of them either cancelled or altered by this, 
 eminent perfon. I fhould have held it fit- 
 ting and needful for my own ju{lification,ta 
 have given fome account of thofe paffagesf 
 in the liturgy on the article of divine wor- 
 fhip, which I had fcruples in reading, or in 
 joining in the conftant ufe of them : but I 
 reckon it a fortunate circumftance, that I 
 
 to the dellgn of his own admirable work, which will 
 long remain a clafiic of the firfl: account in our 
 church, 'till it be fuperfeded and fet afide by that 
 full fcriptural reformation in dodrine and worfhip, 
 which it aims to promote. 
 
 am 
 
( t85 ) 
 
 am able to fay, they were alfo, in a greater 
 or lefler degree, the objedions of Dr, 
 Clarke. 
 
 A lift of exceptionable farts of the liturgy 
 with refpeB to the objedl of worfhip -, all of 
 
 ' which are either quite Jlriick out^ or change 
 ed^ by Dr. Clarke, 
 
 Glorv be to the Father, and 
 to the Son, and to the Holy 
 Ghofl: : As it was in the begin- 
 ning, is now, and ever fhall be, 
 world without ^x\^. 
 Te Deum, 
 
 Thou art the king of glory, 
 O Chrift. 
 
 Thou art the everlafting Son 
 of the Father. 
 
 When thou tookefl upon thee 
 to deliver man, thou didfl: not 
 abhor the virgin's womb. 
 
 When thou hadft overcome 
 the fliarpnefs of death, thou didft 
 open the kingdom of heaven to 
 all bejievers. 
 
 Thou fitted at the right hand 
 of God in the glory of the Fa- 
 ther. 
 
 ftruck out, 
 and chang- 
 ed, where- 
 fCMer it is 
 ordered tQ 
 be read. 
 
 changed ; 
 and the 
 whole di- 
 r refted to 
 God, and 
 not toChri/i 
 
 Te 
 
( 1:86 ) 
 
 ^e Dnim continued. 
 
 We believe that tbcu fiialc 
 come to be our judge. 
 
 We therefore pray thee to help 
 thy fervants, whom thou haft re- * ^holTdi- 
 deemed with thy precious blood. ^ -'''"^ *- 
 
 IVIake thern to be nuo:»bered 
 with thy faints in glory everlaft- 
 ing. 
 
 Lord have mercy upon us. 
 
 Chrift have mercy upon us. 
 
 Lord have mercy upon us. 
 
 changed ^ 
 and the 
 
 re^ed to 
 God^ and 
 not XoCkriJi 
 
 -J quite ftruck 
 /out, here 
 
 \ and every 
 ^ wher€. 
 
 Prayer of St. Chryfojlom. 
 — when two or three are ga- '^ changed ta 
 thered together in ^hy name— y^J'^ 
 
 27/^ creed of St. Athanajiu^. flruck Aut. 
 
 Litany. 
 
 O God the Son, redeemer of 
 the world, have mercy upon us, 
 miferable finners. 
 
 O God the Holy Ghoft, pro- 
 
 changed ; 
 
 and the 
 
 ceeding from the Father and the >ardredV 
 
 mi- 
 
 Son, have mercy upon uS; 
 ferable finners. 
 
 O holy, bleflcd, and glorious 
 Trinity, three perfons and one 
 
 tioe mi Gcdt 
 the Fjicher. 
 
 God, 
 
( i87 ) 
 
 Litany continued, 
 God, have mercy upon us, mi- 
 ferable finners. 
 
 •r— whom thou haft redeemed 
 with thy moft precious blood. 
 
 By the myftery of thy holy in- 
 
 *carnation, by thy holy nativity 
 
 and circumcifion ; by thy bap- 
 
 tifm, fafting, and temptation ; 
 
 By thine agony and bloody 
 fweat; by thy crofs and paffion ; 
 by thy precious death and burial; 
 by thy glorious refurred:ion and 
 afcenfion; and by the coqiing of | 
 the Holy Ghoft. -* 
 
 Son of God, we befeech thee' 
 to hear us. 
 
 Son of Godj we befeech thee to 
 hear us. 
 
 O Lamb of God, that takeft 
 away the fins of the world. 
 
 Grant us thy peace, 
 
 O Lamb of God, that takeft 
 away the fins of the world. 
 
 Have mercy upon us. 
 
 O Chrift hear us. 
 
 O Chrijl hear us. 
 
 Lord have mercy upon us. 
 
 changed ; 
 and the 
 whole di- 
 refted to 
 God, 
 
 the whole 
 
 > of this quite 
 
 (Iruck ouu 
 
 Lord 
 
( iS8 ) 
 
 Litany continued. 
 
 LiOrd have mercy upon us» 1 
 
 Chrift have mercy upon uf^ | 
 
 Chrift have mercy upon us, j.^"^^^ ih^:^h 
 
 out. 
 
 Lord have mercy upon us. j 
 Lord have mercy upon us, j 
 
 From our enemies defend us, 
 O Chrift. 
 
 O Son of David, have mercy charged. 
 
 Both now and ever vouchfafe 
 to hear us, O Chrift^ j 
 
 Gracioufly hear us, O Chrift,^ 
 graciouily hear us, O Lord Chrift.] ^^""^ ^^^'^ 
 
 Prayer in time of dearth and 
 
 famine^ 
 — to whom, with thee andlj^'''^'^''^ ^"^ 
 
 I here, and 
 
 the Holy Ghoft be all honour and (everywhere 
 glory, now ^d fbr ever. J;^-^;: 
 
 CoIIeBs. 
 Firji Sunday in Advent. 
 — • who liveth and reigneth^ 
 wi:h thee and the Holy Ghoft 
 now and ever. 
 
 phanged 
 ^ here, ar.d 
 in all other 
 places. 
 
 Third Sunday in Advent. 
 O Lord Jefu Chrift, who, atl ^^f S]^' , 
 thy nrft commg, &c. ykAtoGoj. 
 
 Fourth 
 
( i89 ) 
 
 Tmrth Sunday in Advent. 
 
 changed. 
 
 Chrijlmas-Day. 
 —who liveth and reignethl 
 with thee and the fame Spirit, l,^^^f"5and 
 ever one God, world without I everywhere. 
 
 end 
 
 St. Stephens Day. 
 
 — who prayed for his murder-} charged, 
 ers to thee, O blefled jeias — ^ed loGod. 
 
 Trinity Sunday, changed. 
 
 Nicene creed, ^^^"^^ °"^^' 
 
 Exiwrtation to the communion. 
 — above all ye muft give raoftl 
 humble and hearty thanks to God 
 the Father, the Son, and the 
 Holy Ghoft, for the redemption 
 of the world by the death and ""^^^f^ 
 paffion of our Saviour Chnu, | ^d to G;^"- 
 
 both God and man. — 
 
 To him, therefore, with the j 
 Father, and the Holy Gholt, let ! 
 us give continual thanks. J 
 
 Preface upon the feajl of Trinity^ ftruck out. 
 
 Prayer 
 
( '90 ) 
 
 Prayer after the communion. 
 
 * — by whom, and with whom 
 in the unity of the Holy Ghoft, 
 all honour and glory be unto 
 thee, O Father. 
 
 O Lord, the only begotten 
 Son, Jefu Chrift, O Lord God, 
 Lamb of God, Son of the Father, 
 that takeft away the fins of the 
 world, have mercy upon us. 
 Thou that takeft a ways the fins, 
 of the world, have mercy upon 
 us. Thou that takeft away the 
 fins of the world, receive our 
 prayer. Thou that fitteft at the 
 right hand of God the Father, 
 have mercy upon us. 
 
 For thou only art holy, thou 
 only art the Lord, thou only, O 
 Chrift, with the Holy Ghoft, 
 art moft high in the glory of 
 God the Father. 
 
 Public baptifm of infants. 
 
 — Ye have prayed, that our" 
 Lord Jefus Chrift would vouch- 
 fafe to received him, to releafe 
 him of his fins, to fandify him 
 
 changed. 
 
 changed in- 
 ■ tirejy, and 
 ^addrefled 
 
 only to God. 
 
 changed 
 here, and 
 alio in the 
 .baptifm of 
 fuch as arc 
 of riper 
 years. 
 
 with 
 
I 191 ) 
 
 tvith the Holy Ghoft, to givel 
 him the kingdom of heaven and 
 everlafting life — Ye have heard aifo in the 
 affo,- that our Lord Jefus hath ^^^P'^^"^°^ 
 promifed in his golpel to grant 
 all thefe things. 
 
 changed 
 here, and 
 
 fuch as are 
 of riper 
 years. 
 
 Catechifm, 
 
 What doft thou chiefly learn" 
 in thefe articles of the belief? 
 
 Firft, I learn to believe in 
 God the Father, who hath made 
 me and all the world. 
 
 Secondly,' in God the Son, ^^'"^°«^- 
 who hath redeemed me and all 
 mankind. 
 
 Thirdly, in God the Holy 
 Ghoft, who fand:ifies me, and 
 all the eled people of God. 
 
 Matrimo7iy, 
 God the Father, God the Son 
 and God the Holy Ghoft, blefs 
 prefcrve^ and keep you. 
 
 \ 
 
 changed. 
 
 Vifitation of the feck,. 
 AhfoJution. 
 Our lord Jefus Chrift, who^ 
 hath left power 10 his church to U«^feflruck 
 abfolve all finners, who truly re- J 
 
 pent 
 
( ^92 ) 
 
 pent and believe in him, of his 
 great mercy forgive thee thine 
 offences 5 and, by his authority 
 comn^itted to ine^ I abfolve thee j> quite ftruck 
 from all thy fins, in the name of 
 the Father, and of the Son^ and 
 of the Holy Ghoft* 
 
 What may be ic I may err, and yet be fav^ 
 
 done by thofe , 7 / / 7 ; • • 
 
 who cannot ed. in the- dark and intricate 
 ly'tint'tt "^'^^^^ of controversy, I may make 
 eftabliftied falfe fcps^ njoithout being at all 
 
 vvorfbip. .. ^ _ , ^ 
 
 the more out oj my way to blef- 
 Jedmfs'[ Sincerity and integrity are 
 things nnal in rehgion > right opinions 
 are of inferior confideration, and inftru- 
 , mental only. Earnellly as it is to be 
 wiflied for and endeavoured, that our fo- 
 lemn public addreffes to almighty God* 
 and worship of him, were framed and con- 
 duced in the moil perfect manner, fuited 
 to the difcoveries made of himfelf and his 
 merciful defigns by our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 and fo as bed to cultivate in us a temper 
 of devouteft reverence, fubmiffion, and 
 obedience to him, and of mod unbounded 
 love to our fellow-creatures of mankind : 
 
 yet 
 
( 193 ) 
 
 yet as any great degree of perfedlion is not 
 to be attained in human appointnients, or 
 but by flow degrees ; it feems a duty to ac- 
 quiefce in the public forms of reh'gious 
 worfhip, though faulty and imperfe<51:, and 
 not to make them a caufe of feparation 
 from onr Chriilian brethren, where we caa 
 innocently comply with them. 
 
 About five and twenty years ago, many 
 ftriking faults and defers in our liturgy and- 
 church- eflablifhmenr, were in the moft 
 gentle and inoffenfive manner pointed out, 
 and iirft, privately, and in manufcript, fub- 
 mitted to the conlideration of an eminent 
 prelate, faid to be Bifhop Gibfon ; and af- 
 terwards, if not with his confcnt, yet with- 
 out a prohibition from him, laid before the 
 public, in the treatife called the Free and 
 Candid Difquifitionsy &c. ^ 
 
 The writers of that valuable work do 
 not reprefent any of thofe things, of which 
 ihey fought the redrefs, as contrary to the 
 word of God, but as unedifying, and hin- 
 dering its good efFed: on the minds of his 
 worfhipers. And in parucular, they ap- 
 pear fatisfied with- the commonly received 
 do(flrine of the Trinity, although they 
 plead for the removal of the Athanajian 
 O creed. 
 
( 194 ) 
 
 creed, or a liberty at leaft to drop it, as 
 fcrving no good end, and fome bad ones. 
 
 But the matter becomes infinitely more 
 ferious and important to the individual, 
 when the worfhip injoined in the liturgy 
 is ejfteemed to be dired:ed to a wrong ob- 
 je(ft, and finfuhy finful, I mean, to his ap- 
 prehenfion, who is convinced from the fa- 
 cred fcriptures, that God, the Father, is 
 alone the objeft of religious worfhip, and 
 that prayer ought not to be addreffed to 
 any other being or perfon whatfoever. To 
 join conftantly in forms of devotion, that 
 are direded to one or more other perfons, 
 will appear, more or lefs, an approbation 
 of fuch woriliip, and muft influence him 
 to willi for fome other forms which he can' 
 more approve, and in which he may not 
 wOrJJ:>ip God amifs. 
 
 Many members of our eftabliflied church 
 are faid to be offended with its Trimtarian 
 forms, fo as to be kept thereby from the 
 duty of ajfembling themfelves Heb. x. 25. to- 
 gether for religious worfhip, to their own 
 moral lofs and difadvantage withoiat extra- 
 ordinary care and holy vigilance ; and to 
 the manifefl detriment of others, by an 
 open example of irreligion. Many there 
 
 are 
 
{ ^95 ) 
 
 ire alfo, who are much hurt and diflatlsfi- 
 ed with joining in devotions theydifapprove; 
 but are unwilling to go over to the churches 
 of our diflenting brethren, on account of 
 their preference of a prefcribed form of 
 prayer i and are therefore at a lofs where to 
 ^ turn themfelves for fecial worlhip of the 
 great Creator, the God and Father of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 To fuch peffons as thefe, fomething In 
 the way of Dr, Clarke's reformed lititrgy^ 
 holds forth every thing which they feek. 
 ^^ adopting this, they may quiet and fa- 
 tisfy their own minds, in that great point, 
 the right ohjeB ofworjlnp-, and may do the 
 mod effential fervice tothe church eftablifh- 
 ed, by bearing a peaceable, open, and mod 
 effectual teftimony againft her errors; and 
 fernain a perpetual (landing monument of 
 her departure from the purity of God's 
 worfliip, until fhe return to it. 
 
 The following paffage from an account 
 of Mr, Firmins religion^ annexed to his 
 Life, falls in fo aptly and intirely with 
 my propofal and defign, that I may not 
 .omit it, 
 
 O 2 '' He 
 
[ 196 3 
 
 *^ He [Mr. Firmin] propofcd, befides the 
 continuation* of his tormerefforts, to hold 
 aflemblies for divine wordiip, diftindl from 
 the aflemblies of any other denomination, 
 of Chriftians. But he did not intend tbefe 
 afl^emblies or congregations by way of -f- 
 fchifm, or feparation from the church ; but 
 otAyzs fraternities in the church, who would 
 undertake a more efpecial care oi that arti- 
 cky for the fake of which it is certain both 
 the Tejiaments were written. The great de- 
 fjgn and fcope of both Teftaments, and the 
 
 * This refers to a fcheme of agreement betwixt the 
 church of England and the Socinians, which Mr. 
 Firmin had caufed to be publifhed, in which the So- 
 cians declared, that they could look upon the church ^ 
 Qf England to he a Socman churchy and heartily adjoin 
 themfelves to her, if all that was meant by a Trinity 
 of perfons, was only three internal relations of the 
 Deity to it/elf; an interpretation which had been pub- 
 licly efpoufed by Dr. Wallis and others, in the con- 
 troverfy with Dr. Sherlock, who had gone into the 
 contrary extreme, 
 
 f [Schifm] SeparatioR from a jSarticular church, 
 on account of God's true worihip not being rightly 
 upheld in it, /; no blameable fchifm. Such fchifm is often 
 times a duty^ and laudable. Such fchiftnatics were we^ 
 and the vohole body of protejlants^ when we feparated 
 from the idolatrous church of Rome • 
 
 reafon 
 
reafon that they were given by God, was to 
 regain mankind to the belief and acknow- 
 ledgment of but One God-, to deftroy poly- 
 theifm of all forts. Mr. Firmin intended to 
 recommend it to the Unitarian congrega- 
 tions, as the very reafon of their diftindl af- 
 fembling, to be particularly mindful of, and 
 zealous for, the article of the Unity ^ tocaufe 
 it to be fo explained in their aiTcmblies, ca- 
 techifm?, apd books, that all men might 
 eafily and readily know in what fenfe the 
 Unity of God is to be believed. He fear- 
 ed that, without fuch affemblies, the con- 
 tinual ufe cf terms, viz. 2^ 'Trinity of Divine 
 perfonSi which in their ordinary fignification 
 are confeffed by all to imply three Gods, 
 would paganize in fome time the whole 
 Chriftian church, which is heathen already 
 in the majority of its members by occafioa 
 of thofe ternis ; and that no fufficient care 
 i>s taken to interpret them to the people*," 
 This plan of Mr. Firmin's did not take 
 efFe(fl, probably by his being foon after re- 
 moved away by death. Nor does it appear 
 to have been put into execution by any of 
 
 * An account of Mr. Firmin's religion, p. 50. 51^ 
 
 O ^ his 
 
( 198 ) 
 
 his friends. And near fourfcore years have 
 lapfed fince his time, whilfl: our churchy 
 and its form of worfliip, remain the fame : 
 no aheration made in its unfcriptural lan- 
 guage on this article; but all the unlearn- 
 ed, and feme of better account, too general- 
 ly conceiving oi the trinity of Divine per- 
 fonsy as of three equal Gods equally to be 
 ivorjfjiped. 
 
 *^ Since, then, there is not a plurality of 
 Gods, fays our late metropolitan, and yet 
 the Son and Spirit are each of them God, 
 no lefs than the Father : it plainly follows, 
 that they are in a manner by us inconceiv- 
 able, fo united to him, that thefe three are 
 one; but ftill in a manner equally incon- . 
 ceivable, fodiftinguifhed from him, that no 
 one is the other*/' 
 
 From this defcription, plain ordinary 
 minds would hardly be able to gather, that 
 there is but One God, We fhould be un- 
 avoidably led to conclude that there are 
 three Gods. For the Son and Spirit are de- 
 clared each of them to be God no lefs than the 
 Father, And though it be in words dif- 
 
 * Archbifhop Seeker's Icdures on the church 
 cat€chifm, vol. i, p. 199. 
 
 owned. 
 
{ 199 ) 
 
 owned, that there is a plurality of Gods, 
 yet in common arithmetic, the Son and Spi- 
 rit, each of them God no lefs than the Fa- 
 ther, do certainly count three Gods, 
 
 In the Dean of Gloucefter's fermons, very 
 ^lately published, at page 54, we meet with 
 the following doxology j ** To Iiim there- 
 fore. Father, Son, and Holy Ghoil, let thefe 
 miracles of divine mercy be ever afcribed; 
 and /^ them be glory, praife, majefly, and 
 dominion, both now and for evermore," 
 
 The perfonal pronoun, himy evidently 
 points to One perfon, One individual, intel- 
 ligent agent. So that how it can relate to three 
 ferfons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and 
 they be called /z/;;;, is h?rd to fay, or to re- 
 concile with grammar or notation of num- 
 bers : and for the latter claufe of afcription 
 oi equal glory to Father, Son^ and Holy Ghojiy 
 it isafluredly without precedent in the holy 
 fcriptures, 
 
 ^MQk\ fraternities as thofe now mentioned, 
 i. e. churches or focieties of Unitarian Chrif- 
 tians, would by degrees contribute to the re- 
 moval of fach unfcriptural language and 
 worfliip as this, by holding forth a better 
 
 O 4 pattern; 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 pattern ; and to many other valuable ends of 
 true religion. I have often thought that if 
 the members of Mr. Y^^\i'\i\ov\% fociety for 
 promotingprimitheChriJlianity^', fuch among 
 them as were of the church of England, the 
 late Speaker Mr. Onflow and others, had 
 formed fuch a fraternity or church as we are 
 here treating of, the influence of fuch an 
 example might have had great and lafting 
 good etTed: on their families, their friends, 
 and many others in fucceflion, and wefliould 
 at this day have perceived and enjoyed many 
 Angular advantages to true Chriftianity re- 
 fulting from it; inflead of which, by con- 
 tinuing in conftant communion with the 
 church efi.abliihed, the benefit of their ex- 
 ample and tefl:imony is almofl: intirely loft. 
 
 It muft, neverthelefs, be always con- 
 fefl}.d and acknowledged, that diflferent 
 perfans fee the fame thing in different 
 lights, and form contrary conclufions from 
 it ; and no one ought to condemn another 
 that difFcreth from him. What has been 
 here oflfered, is only applicable to thofe 
 who are perfuaded from holy fcripture, 
 
 * Hiftorical memoirs of the life of Dr. S. Clarke, 
 page 67. 7 
 
 that 
 
I 201 ) 
 
 that religious worfliip is to be paid to God, 
 the Father alone, in the name of Jefus 
 Chrift, and who may efleem it unlawful 
 to join conftantly in the ufe of Trinitarian 
 forms of vvorfliip, as thinking that by fo do- 
 ing they give their feal of approbation to 
 them ; which, furely, to thofe that are fo 
 perfuaded, is no indifferent matter. 
 
 Bur, however things may appear to thofe 
 who occupy the place of hearers, who have 
 no office or authority in the church, and 
 may not fuppofe themfelves to give their 
 affent to any thing they hear, any farther 
 than it is inwardly approved by them ; it 
 can hardly be reckoned a matter of indiffe- 
 rence to thofe who lead the devotions of the 
 congregation, and thereby make them 
 much more their own, fo put themfelves to 
 the necejjity of continual double meaning and 
 collufion^ in addrejjing prayer fome times to the 
 Son^ fometimes to the Spirit^ as no lefs God 
 than the Father, all the while that they are 
 convinced, that there is but one perfon^ the 
 objedl of prayer^ the One Gody the Father) to 
 whom alone it is to be addrrffed. And this 
 brings the matter home to the particular 
 cafe and fituation of the writer. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 C H A P T E R VI. 
 
 T n N n E P f 'E A T T d' T. 
 
 MAY I have leave to fay, without 
 blame, that as far as memory goes 
 back, I was imprefled from early youth with 
 a love of truth and virtue, a fear of God, 
 and a defire to approve myfelf to him; which 
 have never left me to this hour, though not 
 always equally governed by them, nor im- 
 proving fo great a favour and bl effing from 
 God as I ought to have done. 
 
 After the ufual time fpent at fchool and 
 in the univerfity, I entered into the miniftry 
 of the gofpel, out of a free and deliberate 
 choice, with a fuU perfuafion, that it was 
 the bed way in which I could ferve God^ 
 and be ufeful to man^ and with an earneft 
 defire that I might promote thefe the great 
 ends of it. 
 
 Some things in th^ xxxix. articles of our 
 church I always difapproved. And I re- 
 member it ftruck me at the time, as a 
 flrange unneceffary entanglement, to put 
 young men upon declaring and fubfcribing 
 their approbation of fuch a large heteroge- 
 neous 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 ^eous mafs of pofitions anddodrines as are 
 contained in the liturgy, articles, and ho- 
 milies ; efpecially, as I had obferved, that 
 none but thofe called Methodifts, who were 
 then much fpoken of, preached in confor- 
 mity to them. But I was not under any 
 fcruples, or great uneafinefs on this account. 
 I had hitherto no doubts ; or rather, I had 
 never much thought of, or examined into 
 tfie doBrine of the 'Trinity : but fuppofed all 
 ^yas right there. 
 
 Some years after, many doubts concern- 
 ing that dodlrine, which had fprung up in 
 the mind at different times and from vari- 
 ous caufes, compelled me to a clofer ftudy 
 of the fcriptures with regard to it; for the 
 ftate of fufpenfe I was in was very uneafy 
 to me. The more I fearched, the more I 
 faw the little foundation there was for the 
 dod:rine commonly received and interwoven 
 with all the public devotions of the church, 
 and could not but be difturbed at a difco- 
 very fo ill fuiting my fituation. For in the 
 end I. became fully perfuaded, to ufe St. 
 Paul's cxprefs words, i Corinth, viii. 6, 
 that t/ie?'e is biii one God^ the Father^ and 
 he alone to be worfhiped. This appeared 
 
 to 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 to bs the uniform unvaried language and 
 pradiceof the Bible throughout. And I 
 found the fentiments and practice of Chrif- 
 tiapis in the iirfl and beft ages* correfpond- 
 
 ing 
 
 ■^ Athanafius, and others of the poft-Nicene fa- 
 thers, w^ere much pofed how to digeft and reconcile 
 to their nev/ do6lrine the language that had been 
 ufed by fuch apoftolic characters that had lived be- 
 fore them, as Dionyfius of Alexandria, and Gre- 
 gory of Neocsefarea, concerning Chrift; who hefi- 
 tated not to call him a creature, tnade, and the like. 
 They were reduced to fay, that fuch expreffions were 
 ufed according to a certain oeconomy, as they ftiled it, 
 but which was a thing intirely of their own imagina- 
 tions : or, that they were exprciiions uttered only in 
 the way of difputc, and to carry a point againft an 
 adverfary, and not the real fentiments of thofe worthy 
 perfons ; an imputation of difmgenuity and artifice, 
 which could only belong to thofe who invented it. 
 
 This way of getting over fuch expreffions concern- 
 ing Chrift in the fcriptures, and other early writings, 
 which are thought to lower him too much for fome 
 men's fyftems, has now given place to what is called 
 the t%vo natures in Chrift ; a circumftance of which 
 cur Saviour Chrift himfelf appears wholly unconfci- 
 Gus, and his apoftles tells us nothing about it. Ire- 
 naeus was certainly ignorant of it, where in one 
 place, alluding to Mark xiii. 32. he fays, " Since 
 Our Lord himfelf, the Son of God, owned that the 
 
 Father 
 
( 205 ) 
 
 in with it. In a coarfs of time afterwards, 
 in the progrefs and refult of this enquiry, 
 my fcruples wrought fo far as to put me up* 
 on adtually taking fome previous fteps, with 
 a defign to relieve myfelf by quiting my 
 preferment in ihe church. What prevent- 
 ^ ed this refolution from taking place and 
 being completed, I go on to relate. 
 
 I. Deftined early, and educated for the 
 miniflry, and my heart engaged in the fer- 
 vice, when the moment of determination 
 came, I felt a reluctance at call:! ng myfelf 
 out of my profeiiion and way of ufefulnefs, 
 that quite difcouraged me. This was pro- 
 bably heightened by my being alone at the 
 time, haviw no intimate friend to confult 
 or converfe with, and my imagination mJght 
 be {hocked by the ftrangenefs and fmgulari- 
 ty of what I was going to do ; for fuch fub- 
 jeds then, upwards of fifteen years ago. 
 
 Father alone knew the day and the hour of judg- 
 ment, when he laid exprefsly, " of that day, and 
 '' that hour, knoweth no one, not the Son, but. the 
 " Father only ;" let us not think much to referve to 
 God queftions that are far more difficult in refpe^l of 
 our C-lpacitiQs. ForvY-c are not greater than our mafter," 
 
 Irenaus, lib. ii, c. 48. 
 
 were 
 
( 2o6 y 
 
 were not fo much canvaflcd, or become Co 
 familiarized as they have been fincc. Thefe 
 apprehenlions, I am convinced, had great 
 fway at the time, and not any worldly retro- 
 fpefts or motives, by which I was never 
 much influenced. And befide, I had then 
 a profp^dt of not being left intirely defti- 
 tute of fupporty if I had gone out of the 
 church. 
 
 But I did not enough refled, that when 
 unlawful compliances of any fort are requir- 
 ed, the firft didlates of confcience, which 
 are generally the righteft, are to be attend- 
 ed to, and that the plain road of duty and 
 uprightnefe, will always be round to lead to 
 the trueflgood intheend^ bec^ufe it is that 
 which is chalked out by God himfelf *. 
 
 —God 
 
 * Says one of the ejeded minifters, after the re- 
 ftoration in 1660, Mr, Oldjield of Carfington^ Derby 
 /hire, in his private MS. foliloquy and deliberation 
 with himfelf, which fell into Dr, Calanif'^ hands'^ 
 < When thou canft no longer continue in thy work', 
 without difhonour to God, difcredit to religion,- 
 foregoing thy integrity, wounded confcience, fpoil- 
 ing thy peace, and hazarding the lofs of thy falva- 
 tion ; in a word, when the conditions upon which 
 thou muft continue (if thou wilt continue) in thy 
 
 employ- 
 
[ 20? ) 
 
 God doth not need 
 
 Either man's work, or his own gifts, who beft 
 Bear his mild yoak, they ferve him bcft : his ftate 
 Is kingly. Thoufands at his bidding fpeed 
 And poft o'er land and ocean without reft ; 
 Thy alfo ferve who only Ji and and wait, 
 
 Milton y Sonnet xx". 
 
 2. Many worthy perfons, and fome of 
 my own acquaintance, whofe opinions 
 
 varied 
 
 employments are fmful, and unwarranted by the 
 v/ord of God ; thou mayeft, yea, thou muft be- 
 lieve, that God will turn thy very filence, fufpen- 
 fion, deprivation, and laying afide, to his glory and 
 the advancement of the gofpel's intereft. When 
 God will not ufe thee in one kind, yet he will in 
 another. A foul that defires to ferve and honour 
 him, fhall never want opportunity to do it: nor 
 muft thou fo limit the holy One of Jfrael^ as to 
 think he hath but one way in which he can glorify 
 himfelf by thee. He can do it by thy filence, as 
 well as by thy preaching, thy laying afide, as well 
 as thy continuance in thy work." And a little af- 
 ter, towards the conclufion, " *Tis not pretence of 
 doing God the greateft fervice, or performing the 
 weightieft duty, that will excufethe leaft fin, though 
 that fm capacitated or gave us the opportunity for 
 the doing that duty. ^ Thou wilt have little thanks, 
 P my foul, if when thou art charged with corrupt- 
 ing 
 
( 2o8 ) 
 
 varied little from niincy could neverthe-^ 
 lefs fatisfy themfelves fo as to remain; iiij 
 the church and ofRciate in it. Why then, 
 it often occurred to me, and others did not 
 fpare to remonftrate; why muft I aions^ 
 be fo Angularly nice and fcrupulous, as not 
 to comply with what wifer and better ipeh 
 could accommodate themfelves io^ faut 
 difturb others, and diftrefs myfelf, by en- 
 thufiaftic fancies, purely my own, bred 
 in gloomy folitude, which by time, and 
 the free communication and unfolding of 
 them to others, might be difperfed and 
 removed, and give way to a more chear- 
 ful and enlarged way of thinking ? It was 
 
 ing God's worfliip, falfifying thy vows, &c. thou pre- 
 tendeft a neceffity for it, in order to a contiun^nce 
 in the miniftry, &c." __^ , 
 
 Calamfsaccou?2t (vol. ii. p. 175.) of mi?ilfters \^ho 
 fuffered themfelves to be cje£iedandftlenced^ to the 
 number of two thoujand^ rather than fubmifto 
 the new impofitions, and fubfcribe and conform 
 to the liturgy and articles, againft their confci- 
 ences : along Viji^ that does honour to human na- 
 ture ; and to our own country in particular, which 
 has hitherto taken the lead in the refloration of 
 God's true religion: for /^/t/(;//jf held up the light 
 to Luther that came after him ; and may England 
 liill hold it up to the reft of the nations ! " 
 
 worth 
 
C 209 ) 
 
 worth the while at kaft to try fuch a me- 
 thod, and not rafhly to take a ftep of which 
 I might long repent. 
 
 3. It was fuggefted, that I was not au- 
 thor or contriver of the things impofed 
 and complained of. All I did was minif- 
 terial only, in fubmiffion to civil authori- 
 ty, which is, within certain limitations, 
 the authority of God 5 and which had im- 
 pofed thefe things only for peace and pub- 
 lic good. — iThat I ought not only to leave 
 my benefice, but to go out of the world, 
 if I expefted a perfe<ft ftate of things, in 
 which there was no flaw or hardfhip.— 
 That if there was a general tendency in 
 what was eftabliflied to ferve the interefts 
 of virtue and true religion, I ought to reft 
 fatisfied, and wait for a change in other in- 
 cidental matters that were grievous to me, 
 but not generally felt by others. — That in 
 the mean time, I had it in my power to 
 forward the defired v^'ork, by preparing 
 men's minds for it, whenever there (hould 
 l?e a difpofition in the ftate to reftify what 
 was amifs. Therefore, if I could in any 
 way of interpretation, reconcile the pre- 
 fcribed forms with the fcripturc in my own 
 
 P mind. 
 
( ^^10 ) 
 
 tnindi and make myftlf (safy, lAvas^noton* 
 ly jiiftified, but to be 'commended. 
 
 Thefe confiderations all together'were of 
 weight to divert me then from the thought 
 of quitting my ftation in' the chufch, and 
 brought me in timc.to remaih tolerably quiet 
 and eafy in it. Not that I now.juftify my- 
 iclf therein. Yea, rather I condemn my- 
 fclf. But as I have humble hope of the di- 
 vine forgivenefs, let not men.be too rigid 
 in their cenfuTcs : let thofe only bliime and 
 condemn, v;ho know what it is U doubt-, to 
 be in perplexity about things of high eft im- 
 portance; to be in fear of caufelefsly aba^- 
 doninga ftation affigned by Providence^ and 
 being found idle and unprofitable, when the 
 Great Mafter came to call for the account 
 cf the talent received^ 
 
 The methods I took to fatisfy my ovv^n 
 mind were thefe. My great difficulty was 
 the point of worfliip. In comparifon with 
 this*, fubfcription to tb-e articles, however 
 
 momentous 
 
 . '-^'^ The petitioning clergy begun, where all true 
 reformation mud be^in, in feeking; the. abolition of 
 fubfcription. For until this foundation belaid /« 
 
 desdi 
 
( 2U ) 
 
 momentous in itfelf, gave me then but litilc 
 concern. For as the devotions of the 
 church are framed in drift agreement with 
 the articles, and correfpond with them more 
 cfpecially in Vv^hat relates to religious wor- 
 fliip, I looked upon my continuing to ofR- 
 ciate in them as a conftant '"j/r/^^^/ repsti- 
 
 deech as iveU as words, that nothing In the articles 
 or liturgy is to be received and believed, any further 
 than it is agreeable to holy fcripture, you are tied 
 down to acknowledge another rule as fuperior. to 
 Goid's v/ord, and giving law to it, and can make 
 no reformation but in conformity with the articles 
 and liturgy to which you are bound. 
 
 However earneilly therefore fome of the peti- 
 tioners might wilh for annendments in many things, 
 they did not think k became tlifeni to prcpofe any, 
 left it fhould be thoucrht arrop-atincr to themfelves 
 an authority of deciding for others in matters of 
 faith, and fetting up their fenfe of holy fcriplure to 
 he followed by the nation. But if holy fcrlpture 
 was once cleiuly and authenticly acknowledired as 
 the only rule of faith and dodlrlne, and no declara- 
 tion or fubfcription required to any thing elfe, but 
 fo far as found agreeable with that rule, they knew 
 that Atnansfiaqifm, Arianifm, Socinianifm, Calvi- 
 iiifm, PeLigianifm, ajl fedts and divihons would 
 drop of thctnfclves, and Chriftians come forth into 
 truth, and perfe<5l liberty and peace. 
 
 P 2 ' tion 
 
[ 212 ] 
 
 tion of my fubfcriptlon ; and therefore 
 I needed not, nor did decline, the j<^W re- 
 petition of it, when occafion ferved : 
 though I was not forward in feeking fuch 
 cccafions. 
 
 I brought myfelf to confider the Trini-^ 
 tarian forms in the liturgy, and the invoca-^ 
 tions at the entrance of the litany i as a ///ri*^- 
 yi/^reprefentation of the One God, the Fa- 
 ther, governing all things by himfelf, and 
 by his Son, and Spirit; and as a threefold 
 way of addreffing him, as Creator and ori- 
 ginal benevolent caufe of all things; as Re- 
 deemer of mankind by his Son, and their 
 Sand:ifier by his Holy Spirit. 
 
 'This was the famous and avowed expli- 
 cation of the Trinity, publifhed by Dr. 
 Wallis, Savilian profeflbr of mathematics 
 in Oxford, which was well received by the 
 Univerfity, when Dr. Sherlock^s explication, 
 that there were three infinite diftind minds 
 and fubftances in the Trinity, underwent a 
 public cenfure. 
 
 I fhall give it in the Profeflbr's ovvn words, 
 as I find them in a pamphlet intitlcd, *• Con- 
 fiderations on the Explications of the Doc- 
 trine of the Trinity/' p. 7, 1693. 
 
 The 
 8 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 The Unitarians having accufed the doc- 
 tors of the church of maintaining, that there 
 %yas more than one divine perfon, or more 
 than one perfon who is true and moft high 
 God, Dr, Wallis replies ; 
 
 *' This reafoning is grounded on this 
 •fiUy miftake, that a divine perfon is as 
 much as to fay, a Divinity ^ or a God ; 
 when indeed a divine perfon is only a 
 mode^ or refpeBf or relation of God to his 
 creatures. He beareth to his creatures 
 thefe three relations, modes, or refpedts, 
 that he is their Creator, their Redeemer, 
 their Saru3;ifier : this is what wc mean, and 
 all that we mean, when we fay God is three 
 perfons. He hath thofe three relations to 
 his creatures, and is thereby no more three 
 Gods, than he was three Gods to the Jews, 
 becaufe he calleth himfelf the God of 
 Abrahan), tt^e God of Ifaac, and the God of 
 Jacob/' 
 
 I took all opportunities, and have done 
 for many years, both in public, and pri- 
 vately, 'to bear my teftimcny to this great 
 truth of holy fcripture, that there is but 
 one Cod, the Father, with great plain- 
 
 P 3 nefs. 
 
{' ^i'4 ) 
 
 iie]^,^^n(3 witliobt any referve. Butlptir- 
 pcfelj^ fefrirned from the ufe of thofe techni- 
 cal a^fcriptnral namc^ Tnnity; Pv?'/on, Sub- 
 Jla^nce, and the like, and e\^ery thing that 
 bore the air of controverfy, in the pulpit ; 
 for I held it an injury to my hearers to wafte 
 their hours of public religious improve- 
 ment in any thing that had not an imme- 
 diate connexion with a virtuous and holy 
 life, to which it was my- mod earneft defire 
 and eonflrant endeavour to lead them. And I 
 hoped I was laying a good foundation to 
 build on for thofc that came after me, when 
 the rime of a farther reformation fliould 
 come ; and that I might thus* innocently 
 Ccntfnue^' in a church vvhere there were 
 
 '■ many 
 
 * " The ilkiftrious Father Paul, with many 
 other Venetians, about the beginning of the laft cen- 
 tury, were fadly weary of the corruptions of their 
 worfhip in the church of Rome, and groaning for' a 
 reformation; and F. Paul in particular wiflied to have 
 " left Venice and come over to England ;' but he was 
 fo much efteemed by the fenate for his great Vv'if- 
 dom, that, he was confulted by them ars an or^cle^ 
 and trufted with their moil important fecrets j fo that 
 he faw it was impoflible for h^m to attain his cojige, 
 and therefbre he made a fhift to comply as far as he 
 could with their eltabiiihed way of worfliip^ but he 
 
 had 
 
( 215 ) 
 
 many things I difapproved, and wifhed to 
 have amended, as I knew not where I might 
 be in any degree alike ufeful. 
 
 Thus I went on in the difcharge of my 
 duty, till a few years ago, when, from 
 feme providential aw^akenings *, I fecrelly 
 
 but 
 
 had in many things particular methods, by v.-hich he 
 in a great mcafure rather quieted than fiitisfied his 
 confcience. In faying of mafs, he pad over many 
 parts of the canon, and in particuJar thofe prayers in 
 which their facrifice v/as offered up to the honour 
 of faints. He never prayed to faints, nor joined in 
 thofe parts of the offices that v/ent ag^inft his confci- 
 ence ^ and in private confeilions and difcourfes, he 
 took people .off from thefe abufes, and gave them 
 right notions of the purity of the Chrif}:ian religion; 
 fo he hoped he was fowing" feeds tha^ might be fruit- 
 ful in another age : and thus he believed he might live 
 innocent in a church that was defiled. And when 
 one prefl him hard in this matter, and obje6led that 
 he ftill held communion with an idolatrous church, 
 and gave it credit by adhcrins: outwardly to it, by 
 Vv'hich means others that depended much on his ex- 
 ample would be likewife encouraged to continue in 
 it: all theanfwer he made to this was, that God had 
 not giv^n him the fpirh of Luther,'' 
 
 ■ Burnet's Life of Bifhop Bedell, p. i6, 17. 
 
 * "Sir Edward Atkins (that upright chief baron 
 
 of the exchec^uer w evil times) at the Revolution, hav- 
 
 P4 . ^ ing 
 
C 2'6 ) 
 
 but firmly refolved to feek an opportunity 
 to relinquifli a fituation, that was now be- 
 come not very fupportable to me. 
 
 I could not now fatisfy myfelf with Dr. 
 Wallis's and the like foftenings and qualifi- 
 cationsoftheTrinitarianformsintheliturgy. 
 I wondered how I had been able to bring 
 myfelf to imagine, that I was worjhipin^ the 
 Father infpirit and in truths John i v.. 23, 24. 
 whilft I was addreffing two other perfons, 
 God the Son, and God the Holy Ghojiy and 
 imploring favours feverally of them in terms 
 that implied their perfonality and diftindl 
 agency, and deity, as much as that of the 
 Father. 
 
 If invocations fo particular, language fo 
 exprefs and perfonal, might be fifted and ex- 
 
 ing fome fcruple in taking the new oaths himfelf, 
 though he condemned not thofc that did take 
 them, refigned his great poft out of a principle of 
 confcience, and retired into the country. His ufual 
 faying was, when he was difcourfed with about this 
 matter, that the devil (the evil confcience within) 
 was bufy with men on their death-beds; and there- 
 fore he would keep his mind free, that when he Jhould 
 come to die, he might have no doubts and fears on that 
 account tt dijiurb his confcience.^* 
 
 Life of Dean Pridcaux, p. 76. 
 
 plained 
 
( 217 ) 
 
 plained away into prayer to one God only; 
 I might by the like fuppofals and interpre- 
 tation bring myfelf to deify and pray to the 
 Virgin Mary, taking her, as the Papifts do, 
 to be now alive and beatified in heaven j 
 and maintain that I was ftill only praying 
 to the one God, who was thus invoked in 
 his creature that was fo nearly united to 
 him. 
 
 It appeared to me a blameable duplicity, 
 that whilft I was praying to the one God the 
 Father, the people that beard me, were led 
 by the language I ufed, to addrefs themfelves 
 to two other perfons, or diftindl intelligent 
 agents ; for they would never fubtilize fb 
 far, as to fancy the Son and Holy Spirit to 
 be merely two modes, or refpecfts, or rela- 
 tions of God to them. 
 
 As one great defign of Our Saviour's mif- 
 fion was to promote the knowledge and wor- 
 fhip of the" Father, the only true God, as he 
 himfelf tells us, John xvii. 3. I could not 
 think it allowable or lawful for me, on any 
 imagined profpedl of doing good, to be in- 
 ftrumtntal in carrying on a worfhip, which 
 I believed diredily contrary to the mind of 
 Chrift, and condemned by him. 
 
 If 
 
( 2l8 ) 
 
 Mf if it be a rule in morals, qticd dubitas'^ne 
 feceris i'lth ftill more evident, that we are 
 not to do any thing that ^jdc know to be evil, 
 no, not to procure the ' great ejl good, Rom. 
 iii. 8. For God does not want my finful 
 ac5l. It would be improns to i^jppofe, that 
 he cannot carry on his government, and 
 promotethe felicity of his creatures, with- 
 out it. And although in his providence 
 he may bring good out of my evil, he will 
 not let the doer of it go unpunished. And 
 if any thing be evil and odious in his fight, 
 prevarication and falfhood is fuch ; and 
 moftof all an habitual courfe thereof in the 
 moft folemn adt a creature can be engaged 
 in, the vt^orfliip of him, the holy, all-fee- 
 ing God. ' 
 
 It is related in tlie life of archbifhop 
 Tillotfon, that his friend Mr. Nellon hav^ 
 ing confulted him by letter from the 
 Hague, in the year 1691, with regard to 
 the pracftice of thofe nonjurors, w^ho fre- 
 quented the churches, and yet profeffed 
 that they did- not join in the' prayers for 
 their majeftici * s "As to the cafe you 
 
 ^ Birch's Life of Archbifhop Tillotfon^ p. 259. 
 
 DUt, 
 
( 219 ) 
 
 put, replied his Grace, I wonder men 
 fhonld be divided in opinion about it. I 
 think it is plain, that no man can join ia 
 prayers, in which there is any petition, 
 which he is verily perfuaded is finful. / 
 cannot eiidure a trick any wbere^ much lefs in 
 * religion J* 
 
 The archbifhop may be held by fome to 
 be too fevere a cafuift. But if it was his 
 .opinion, that a man v^ho, after the Revolu- 
 tion continued attached to the late king 
 James, could not confiftently or honeftly 
 frequent a communion of Chriftians 
 where their majefties king William and 
 queen Mary were prayed for; what w^ould 
 he have replied, thought I often with my- 
 felf, in the cafe of one who was not 
 barely prefent, but was the mouth of the 
 congregation in offering up prayers to 
 God, which were believed to be deroga- 
 tory and injuri6us to his peerlefs majeily 
 and incommunicable perfe(5lions, and, in 
 the mind of the offerer, a falfe and unwor- 
 thy repreiehtation of him to others? This 
 feemed a trick in religion, which the hoheft 
 hiind of that prelate would have ftill lefs 
 ■ ^ndured, 
 
 ■ From 
 
( 220 ) 
 
 From the firft that I engaged with the 
 afTociatcd clergy for procuring the removal 
 of fubfcription to formularies of faith and 
 dodrine drawn up by fallible men, I fore- 
 faw, that if no relief was obtained, nor 
 any profpe<fl opened of a reformation of the 
 liturgy with regard to the great objecfl of 
 worfhip, or of a difpofition to indulge a lati- 
 tude to private perfons to make difcretion-r 
 ary alterations in it for themfelves, by the 
 exprefs rule of holy fcripture \ it would cer- 
 tainly terminate as to myfelf in a r^fignation 
 of my office in the church ; and I thought 
 this would be a fitting feafon for it^ 
 
 The fervice done to Chrift's true religion 
 by the clergy affociation and petition to 
 parliament, has been great and wide fpread, 
 notwithftanding it failed of immediate fuc- 
 cefs in its primary obje^. A fpirit of in- 
 genuous enquiry has been ftirred up by i^ 
 in the minds of many. The holy fcrip- 
 tures have been feen and acknowledged tQ 
 be the only rule of faith and confcience to 
 Chriftian men ; and there is alfo, in confc- 
 quence of this, a very general acknow- 
 ledgment among all ranks, that there are 
 fome things extremely wrong in our cfta- 
 
 blifhment, 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 blifliment, particularly as it refpedts thtf 
 yoak of fubfcription, and the reftraint the 
 clergy are laid under in their miniftrations, 
 and in declaring the mind and will of God 
 to the people. 
 
 But nothing, it muft be owned, has hi- 
 therto turned out favourable from it, with 
 regard to the great object of worfiipy and a 
 fcriptural reform of the liturgy with re- 
 gard to it. Many perfons in our church, 
 known to be ill at eafe on this point, but 
 unconneftcd with the petitioners, flattered 
 thcmfelves, that the nation's eyes were 
 opening, that we were coming to a better 
 temper, and that things were working to- 
 wards a happy change in this important 
 article. Moft true it is indeed, and I have 
 found it by large experience, that the 
 gofpel light of the knowledge of the one 
 true God, .and the worfliip to be paid to 
 him only, as taught by Jefus Chrift, has 
 long been fpreading its beautiful ray through 
 the Britifli nations, fo that many of all 
 ranks begin to fee with concern the flrik" 
 ing oppofition betwixt our public forms of 
 worfhip and thofe laid down in the w^ord of 
 
 God J 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 God ; and a reformed liturgy in this refpc<J|-; 
 whcfe conformity to holy fcriptu re, could 
 rio!t.:bj9t inftantly; iapprove itfejf to them, 
 would be gladly rpc-eiyjed and' admitted, 
 with a very general confent. But the fault 
 lies not here. It has appeared in the oppo- 
 iition made to the petitioning; clergy from 
 thergrefs, that not only thofc; from whorn 
 it flight be expeded, bu;i fotne thai werd 
 before' efteemed of a more liberal caft^ have 
 fhewn a difpofitioa very contrary to the 
 making or admitting of atiy reformation in 
 our unfcriptural forms of worfhip. And 
 declarations of the like import are faid to 
 have fallen from their fuperiors in fl:ill 
 higher place* 
 
 ■-la this' {late of thing?, therefore, I had 
 no choice iefr, but either to chafige; the 
 pablicXenvice of the cherch, and make it 
 fuch as 1 coiiid cbnfcientioiufly officiate in $ 
 or quietly to retire.". • ' 
 
 I could not reconcile myfelf to the for- 
 mer, becaufe I looked upon the declaration 
 of conformity and fubfcriptlon at inftituticn 
 to be fuch folemn ties, that I could 
 not be eafy under fo great a violation of 
 
 them 
 
t 223 ) 
 
 ihem ^. For t mufi: have adopted all tbofe 
 above-mentioned, as Dr. Ciarkie's amend- 
 nieius, or ^veJi' more;* which waold hive 
 been -raaking almoft a.njev/ kwicQ of xi^jii, i 
 But could I have brought my oxvn mind 
 io it, there were fome thl'ngs in njy fituation^ 
 *^iri fo large a parilli, with three chapels in 
 it, which would have made fach a change 
 imptad:lcable. Not to mention dfo, that 
 when incapacitated by ficknefe^jonremaved 
 by death, the people in albprohafbiihy rgtuS: 
 have returned back to their old forms agairx" 
 In (hort, fuch an attempt wauld have 
 been likely^ in my place, to have prodjuced 
 'much con fufion and perplexity, to- fay the 
 Jeaft : and I c-onldnot fee any adequate reli^ 
 gious improvement or edification among 
 ifvy people, hkelyto arife fromit ; thti only 
 
 * The following is the form of the engagement to 
 
 conformity at. inftitutlon to a living before the bilhop. 
 
 *' I do declare that I will conforni to the liturgy 
 
 " of the church of England, as it is now by 
 
 " law edabliflied. A. B. 
 
 ., .~^^^\ This (dc^clarationwas made and fubfcribed be- 
 
 '' fore>me, by the faid A^ B. to be admitted aad in- 
 
 *' ftituted into the redlory or vlcara2;e of in 
 
 ' "the county of in the year of Our Lord 
 
 "-*-» — , and in the — — - year of our confecra- 
 
 iufti- 
 
( ^24 ) 
 
 juftifiable end of making fuch a change^ 
 and flaying with them* 
 
 Upon the moft calm and ferious delibe- 
 ration, therefore, and weighing of every 
 circumftance, I am obliged to give up my 
 benefice, whatever I fuffer by it, unlefs I 
 would lofe all inward peace and hope of 
 God's favour and acceptance in the end. 
 Somewhat of a tendency to an iffue of 
 this fort, my friends may have occafion- 
 ially obferved, or recoUedled to have been 
 dropt in converfaiion, or by letter : but I 
 refrained from naming it diredlly, and 
 thought it became me to be filent till the 
 time approached, as tny reafons were not 
 another's j nor my condudt a rule for 
 their's ; nor did I know, or believe, that 
 anv one had fuch cogent motives to leave 
 his ftation and miniftrations in the church 
 as I had. 
 
 The example of an excellent perfon, now 
 living at Wolverhampton, Dr. Robertfoni 
 has been a fecret reproach to me ever fincc 
 I heard of it. For I thought, and perhaps 
 juftly, .that he might not have all thofe 
 reafons of diflike to our eftabliflied forms 
 of worship that I had ; and, though my- 
 felf not without unknown ftraits and diffi- 
 culties 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 culties to ftruggle \^ith^ and nof alon'einvoh^ 
 cd ia them, yet have I not ^// thoib diiiua- 
 fives and difcouragtments that he paints 
 forth in his afFeding letter to the bifliop of 
 Ferns, rubjoinedtohisinftrudive and learn- ■ 
 ed work, and which I (hall take leave to"^ 
 infert as an ornament and fuitable conclu-^' 
 fion of my fiibjed and book. 
 
 "■ In debating this matter with my- 
 
 felf (fays that worthy man) befides the argu- 
 ments diredly to the purpofe, feveral flrong 
 collateral confiderations came in upon the 
 pofitive fide of the queftion. The freight- 
 nefs of my circumftances preiTed me clofe : a 
 numerous family, quite unprovided for^ 
 pleaded with the moil: pathetic and moving 
 eloquence. And'the infirmities and wants of 
 age, now coming fail: upon rtie, were urged 
 feelingly. Bat one iingle coniideration pre- 
 vailed over all thefe. — fThat the Creator a?2d 
 Governor cf the unroerfe, ivhcm it is my Jirjl 
 duty to worJJjip and adore, being the God of 
 truths it miiji be difagreeabk to him toprofefs, 
 
 Jubfcribei or declare Jn any matter relating to 
 his worjldip and fervice, what is not believed 
 
 Jlrictiy and/imply to be true *," 
 
 * Attempt to explain the words reafin, fuhjlance^ 
 &c. p. 241. London, ly^S. 
 
 Q^ AP- 
 
[ 226 ] 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Number I *. 
 
 JOHN fox's letter TO QUEEN ELIZABETH, TO 
 DISSUADE HER FROM BURNING TWO DUTCH A- 
 NACBAPTISTS FOR HERESY IN SMITHFIELD. I575. 
 
 SERENISSIMA beatiffima princeps, 
 regina ilhiftriffima, patriae decus, fx- 
 culi ornamentum ! Ut nihil ab animo meo 
 omnique expedlatione abfuit longius quam 
 ut majeftatis tuse ampliffimam excellentiam 
 niolefla unquam interpellatione obturba- 
 rem ; ita vehementer dolet filentium hoc, 
 quo had:enus conftanter fum ufus, non ea- 
 dem conftantia perpetuo tueri ita ut vole- 
 bam licuifle. Ita nunc praeterfpem ac opi- 
 nionem meam nefcio quainfclicitate evenit, 
 ut quod omnium volebam minime, id con- 
 tra me maxime faciat hoc tempore. Qui 
 cum ita vixerim hucufque, ut moleftus fue- 
 rim nemini, invitus nunc cogor contra na- 
 turam principi etiam ipfi effe importunus, 
 non re ulla aut caufa mea, fed alicna in- 
 dudus calamitate. Qnas quo acerbior fit ec 
 ludtuofior, hoc acriores mihi addit ad de- 
 
 * See page 47, 
 
 precandum 
 
( 227 3 
 
 precandum ftimulos. ' Nonnullos intelligo 
 in Angiia hie effe non Anglos, fed adventi- 
 tios, Belgas quidem opinor, partim viros, 
 partim feminas, nuper ob improbata dog- 
 mata in judicium advocate?. Qnorum ali- 
 quot fciliciter redudi publica luerunt poeni- 
 tentia; complures in exilium funt condeni- 
 nati, idquc redliflime meo judicio factum 
 effe arbitror. Jam ex hoc nnmero unum 
 effe aut alterum audio, de quibus ultimum 
 exuftionis fupplicium (nifi fnccurrat tua 
 pietas) ^brevi eft ftatuendum. Qua una in 
 re duo contineri perfpicio, quorum alte- 
 rum ad errorum pravitatem, Siterum 
 ad fupplicii acerbitatem adtinef. Ac er- 
 ; roribus quidem ipfis nihil pofiit abfurdius 
 effe, fanus nemo eft qui dubitar, miror- 
 que tam fxda opinionum portenta in quof- 
 quam potuiffe Chriftianos cadere. Sed ira 
 h abet hum an-a3 infirmitatis conditio, li di- 
 vina paululum luce deftituti nobis relin- 
 quimur, quo non rulmus prsccipites ? At- 
 que hoc nomine Chrifto gratias qiiam 
 maximas habco, quod Anglorum hodie 
 neminem huic inlanice affineii) video. Qviod 
 igitur ad phanaticas iftas Iciflas auinet, eas 
 certe in rconblica r.uilo modo fovendas 
 effe, fed idonca cumprimcndas correc- 
 
 0^2 lione 
 
( 228 ) 
 
 tione cenfec. Verum enim vero ignibu$ 
 ac flammis pice ac fulphure sftuantibus 
 viva miferorum corpora torrefacere, judicir 
 magis coecitate quam impetu voluntatis 
 errantium, durum iftud ac Romani ma- 
 gis exempli efCc quam evangelicas con- 
 fuetudinis videtur, ac plane ejufmodi, ut 
 nifi a Romanis pontificibus, authore In- 
 nocentio tertio, primum profluxiffet, nun- 
 quam iftum Perilli taurum quifquam in 
 mitem Chrifti ecclefiam importaviilet. 
 Non quod maleficiis deledler, aut errori- 
 bus cujufquam faveam, didla hsc efle ve- 
 Km ^ vitse hominum, ipfe homo cum fim, 
 faveo ; ideoque faveo, non ut erret, fed 
 ut refipifcat: ac ncque hominum folum,. 
 utinam et pecudibus ipfis opitulari poffem. 
 Ita enim fum, (ftulte fortaflis hsc de meip« 
 fo, at vere dico,) macellum ipfum, ubi 
 ma(5tantur etiam pecudes,. vix prstcreo^ 
 quin tacito qucdam doloris fenfu mens re- 
 fugiat, Atque equidem in eo Dei ipfius- 
 valde admirer, venerorque toto pedore 
 clementiam, qui in jumentis illis brutis et 
 abjedis, qus facrificiis dim parabantur,. id 
 profpexerat, ne prius ignibus mandarentur 
 <juam fanguis eorum ad bafim altaris efFun- 
 
 ceretur 
 
( 229 ) 
 
 deretur. Unde difceremus^, in exigendis 
 fuppliciis, quamvis juftis, non quid omnino 
 rigori liceat, fed ut dementia fimul adhibi- 
 ta rigoris temperet afperitatem. 
 
 Quamobrem fi tantum mihi apud prin- 
 cipis tanti majeftatem audere liceret fup- 
 j^Iex pro Chriflo rogarem cletnentiffiniam 
 hanc regise fublimiiatis exccUentiam, pro 
 authoritate hac mea (lege tua) qua ad vi- 
 tam multorum confecrandum pellere (/. 
 confervandam pollere) te divina volult de- 
 mentia, ut vits fi fieri poffit, (quid enim 
 non poflet iis in rebus authoritas tua ?) mi- 
 ferorum parcatur, faltetn ut horrori obfif- 
 tatur, atque in aliud quodcunque commu- 
 tetur fupplicii genus. Sunt ejedliones, in- 
 dufiones retrufe, funt vincula, funt per- 
 petua exilia, funt fligmata et TrXviyfitxTx aut 
 etiam patibula J id unum valde deprecor, 
 ne piras ac flammas Smithfieldianas jam 
 diu faufriflimis tuis aufpiciis hue ufque fo- 
 pitas, iinas nunc recandefcerc. Quod li 
 ne id quidem obtineri poffit, id faltem 
 omnibus fupplicandi modis efflagito, 
 riro TO TreXcc^yizov ped:oris tui implorans, ut 
 inenfem tamen unum aut alterum nobis 
 concedas, quo interim experiamur, an a 
 
 0^5 . ^ P^"- 
 
{ 230 ) 
 
 periculofis erroribus dederit dominus ut 
 refanefcant, ne cum corporuai jadlura, ani- 
 mas pariter cum corporibus de ;£terno peri- 
 clitentur exitio ^. 
 
 . * Fuller's Church Hiftory of Britain. — p. 104^ 
 
 N tr M B E R 
 
( 231 ) 
 
 N U M B E R II *. 
 
 A CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE WALPENEES, EX- 
 TRACTED OUT OF CHARLES DU MOULIN DE LA 
 MON. DES FRANCOIS, p. 65. 
 
 A R T I C L E I. 
 
 WE believe, that there is but' One 
 God, that he is a Spirit, Cre'atour 
 of all things, God of all, who is over all 
 and through all, and in us all, --who 
 ought to be worfliiped in fpirit aod in 
 truth, whom alone we ferve, and to whom 
 we give the glory of our life, food, rai- 
 ment, health, ficknefs, profperity, and ad- 
 verfity; and we love him as one who 
 knoweth our hearts. 
 
 ART. 2. " 
 
 We believe that Jefus Chrijl is the vSon 
 and image of the Father. That in him 
 dwells all the fullnefs of the Godhead ^ 
 by whom we have knowledge of the. Fa- 
 ther. That he is our Mediator and Ad- 
 vocate. And that there is no other name 
 under hreaven given unto men, by which 
 we can be faved ; in whofe name alone 
 
 * See page 175. 
 
 0^4 we 
 
i n^ ) 
 
 we call uDon the Father, and ufe no other 
 prayers than thcfe which are contained in 
 the holy fcripture, of fach other as arc con-* 
 formible to them for fubftance. 
 
 ART. 3. 
 We believe that the Hbly Spirit is our 
 Comforter, proceeding from the Father and 
 the Son ; by whofe infpiration we make 
 pur prayers, being by him renewed, v/ha 
 works in us all goods works, and by whoni 
 we h^ve the knowledge of all truths. 
 
 ART. 4. 
 
 We believe that there is one holy church, 
 which is the congregation of all the eleft 
 and faithful ones from the very beginning 
 of the world to the end, whereof our Savi- 
 our Chriil: is the head : the which is govern- 
 ed by his word, and conducfted by his fpirit, 
 wherewith all good Chriftians ought to 
 hold communion : for, fhe prays, for all 
 without ceafing, and the word which (he 
 hath is agreeable to God himfelf; without 
 which church no rnaq pan be faved. 
 
 ART. 5, 
 
 We hold that the minifters of the 
 f:hurch, as Bifliops and Paftours, ought to 
 
 be 
 
( 233 ) 
 
 be irreprehenfible, as well in their life as 
 dodlrine. And that otherwife they ought 
 to be deprived of their offices, and others 
 fubftituted in their places. As likewife, 
 that none ought to prefume to take upon 
 him this honour, but he who is called by 
 GoJ, as was Aaron, feeding the flock of 
 God, not for the fake of difhoneft gain, nor 
 as having any lordfhip over the clergy, but 
 as being fincerely an example to his flock, 
 in word, in converfation, in charity, in 
 faith, and in chafl:ity. 
 
 ART. ()', 
 
 Weconfefs, that kings, princes, and go- 
 vernours, are ordained and eftabliflied as 
 minifl:ers of God, whom we ought to'obey. 
 For they bear the fword for defence of the 
 innocent, and for the puniihment of evil 
 doers, for which caufe we are bound to 
 give them honour, and to pay them tri- 
 bute ; from whofe power none can exempt 
 himfelfj it being likewiTe forbidden by 
 our Lord Jefus Chrifl:, who was wilhng to 
 pay tribute, not pretending jurifdidtion 
 pver the temporal powers. 
 
 6 .We 
 
. ( 234 ) 
 
 ART. 7. 
 
 We believe, that in the facrament of 
 haptifm, v/ater is the vifibic and external 
 fign, which reprefents unto us that which 
 (by the invifible virtue of God operating) is 
 within US; namely, the renovation of the 
 fpirit, and the mortification of our mem- 
 bers in Jefus Chrift; by* which alfo we are 
 received into the holy congregation of the 
 people of God, there protefting and declar- 
 ing openly our faith and amendment of 
 life. 
 
 ART. 8. 
 
 We hold, that the holy facrament of the 
 table or fupper of our Lord Jefus Chrifl: is 
 an holy commemoration and giving of 
 thanks for the benefits which we have re- 
 ceived by his death and paflion ; that we 
 ought to afiemble together in faith and cha- 
 rity, examining ourfelves, and to eat of that 
 bread, and communicate of that his bloody 
 in the very fame manner as he hath pre- 
 fcfibsd in the holy fcripture. 
 
 A R T. 9, 
 
 We confefs that marriage is good, ho- 
 nourable, holy, and inflituted by God him- 
 
 fdf; 
 
{ 235 ) 
 
 felf ; which ought not to b;> prohibited to 
 any perfon, provided that there be no hin- 
 drance fpecified by the word of God. 
 
 ART. 10. 
 
 We confefs, that thofe who fear God 
 * follow thofe things which are well pleaf- 
 ing to him, and do thofe works which 
 he hath prepared to the end that we fliould 
 walk in. them ; which are love, joy, peace, 
 patience, meeknefs, goodnefs, brotherly 
 kindnefs, temperance, and other the like 
 works contained and commended in the 
 holy fcriptures. 
 
 ART II, 
 
 On the contrary, we confefs that we 
 ocght to take heed and beware of falfe 
 teachers, whofe fcope and aim is to turn 
 the people afide from the true worfliip, 
 which belongs to our only God and Lord, 
 and to lean upon creatures, and to truft in 
 them : as like wife to forfake thofe good 
 works which are contained and required in 
 the holy fcriptures, and to do thofe which 
 are only invented by men. 
 
 Wc 
 
( 236 ) 
 
 ART. 12. 
 
 We hold for the rule of our faith, the 
 Old and New Teftament, and agree to the 
 general confeffion of faith, with the ar- 
 ticles contained in the Apoftles Creed, 
 namely, ** I believe in God the Father 
 Alniighty," &c *. 
 
 * Morland's hiftory of the evangelical churches 
 of the valleys of Piedmont, p. 37. 
 
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ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THIS fmall Tra£t was drawn up 
 folely for the ufe of a country-pa- 
 rifli, and never intended to go beyond it : 
 
 But the kind reception it met with 
 there, from an aitedionate and grateful 
 people, and their entering fo intirely into 
 the caufe and fubjedt of it; added to the 
 fuggeftion of ferious friends, that it might 
 be of fome general ufe, has been an in- 
 ducement to make it more public. 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 * My BrethreUy and Fellow Chrijlians^ 
 
 IT will be natural for you to inquire, 
 ho w it fhould come to pafs, that a 
 minifler, with whom you have lived on 
 the befl terms, (hould leave you and a iitu- 
 tion many ways agreeable and beneficial 
 to him, not only without any profped of 
 preferment, the ufual motive for fuch 
 changes, but the contrary. 
 
 ♦ As far as I can judge of myfelf, fince I 
 came among you, no preferment would 
 have tempted me to a change 5 and I have 
 affuredly never fought any other : but here 
 I thought quietly to have ended my days. 
 
 It hath pleafed God in his providence 
 
 to order it othervvife. And his commands 
 
 B are 
 
■ ( 6 ) 
 
 are to be obeyed, and his will preferred, 
 before every earthly conlideration or ad*^ 
 vantage. 
 
 You are many of you no ftrangers to 
 
 the caufe of my fliort abfences from you 
 
 at diff'erent times, thefe two or three years 
 
 paft. You have heard that there was a 
 
 defign fet on foot to move our governors, 
 
 to lighten fome burdens that are laid upon 
 
 clergymen, when they enter upon a cure 
 
 of fouls, in requiring them to fubfcribe 
 
 to the xxxix articles of our church, and 
 
 declare their approbation of every thing 
 
 in the common-prayer book as being 
 
 agreeable to the word of God. 
 
 The requefl humbly made to parlia- 
 ment was, that we might be required to 
 fubfcribe to nothing but the Bible, the 
 word of God, and not to the articles, or 
 any form of prayer or worfhip drawn up 
 by fallible men. And I have no doubt 
 
 but 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 but you of yourfelves would think thi^ 
 fufHcient, and that, as your rniniflers are 
 to teach you nothing but the pure word 
 of God, they ought not to be put upoa 
 fubfcribing to any thing elle. 
 
 But you are farther to know, that 
 pme engaged in this petition to parlia- 
 ment, and myfelf among the reft, in hope 
 that it would lead alfo to an amendment 
 of many things in our liturgy or coirimon^ 
 prayer book. 
 
 You will carefully diftinguifli here, 
 that our holy religion itfelf, the religion 
 of Chrift, can never be amended. I'ha, 
 is always invariably the fame; always 
 moft perfect: and compleat; and is con- 
 tained in the infpired writings of the New 
 Xcftament, 
 
 But the religion which men have made 
 out of it, whether contained in the com- 
 mon-prayer book, or any other book, this 
 B 2 will 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 will be liable to errors and imperfedlons, 
 and often want amendment. 
 
 And thus at the reformation from po- 
 pery, when our forefathers afferted the 
 fufficiency of holy fcripture unto falva- 
 tion, and their right of interpreting it for 
 themfelves ; they purged out of their li- 
 turgy or common-prayer book many ido- 
 latrous and fuperflitious praftices, fuch as 
 praying to faints, viz. dead men and women-, 
 fraying to the mafi-Gody or the bread in the 
 facrament \ praying in Latins the life of oil 
 and fpittle in baptifm ; extreme undiion, or 
 anointing dying perfons with oil; lighting up 
 candles on Candlemas-day ; marking the fore- 
 head with afies on Jjlo-Wednefday ; with 
 many the like idle fopperies and trumpery,, 
 which are ftill retained among the Papifts, 
 who are in no fmall number in your own 
 pari(h, againft whofefediicing arts I beg you 
 fo be continually upon your guards 
 
( 9 ) 
 Endeavours have been ufed, under 
 feveral of our princes fince, to render our 
 common-prayer book more ftridtly agreea- 
 ble to the holy fcriptures, than it could 
 be all at once at its firft compofing. And 
 particularly about fourfcore years ago, at 
 "the revolution, with the countenance of 
 thofe pious princes^ King William and 
 Queen Mary, many great and excellent 
 men, Archbifbop Tillotfon^ Bifliops Pa- 
 tricky Burnet 9 and others, begun the good 
 work, and made great progrefs in it ; but 
 through the violent oppofition of fome 
 fadious perfons, it came to nothing. From 
 that time to this, no attempts have been 
 made, nor any thing done by public au- 
 thority ; through fear^ perhaps, of creat- 
 ing difturbances in the ftate. Although, 
 vvhenever the experiment is made, I doubt 
 not but it will be found, that an improved 
 liturgy, brought nearer the ftandard of 
 jioly fcripture, would be generally accep- 
 table 
 
( lo ) 
 
 table to the nation, and contribute to the 
 public peace, as well as to the promotion 
 of true religion. 
 
 In the mean time, the errors that call 
 for amendment in the common-prayer 
 book, give great pain toferious confiderate 
 men, zealous for the purity of God's wor- 
 fhip* Leffer miftakes and faults in hu- 
 man things ought furely to be borne with ; 
 for there is nothing perfedt here belovy* 
 But where a man efteems any thing con- 
 trary to God's word, and linful, though 
 others may not fo efteem it, he cannot, 
 confidently with integrity, comply with it. 
 
 In this JiJiful light all thofe prayers appear 
 to inCi which are addrejjed to the Trinity, 
 (as, O holy, blefled, and glorious Trini- 
 ty) to Chrijly to the Holy GhoU, or to any 
 other perfony but God himfelf. For our 
 blefled Saviour always offered up prayer 
 himfelf to God, his Father and our Father, 
 his God and our God, John xx. 17. and he 
 
( " ) 
 
 alfo enjoined us to pray to the Father on- 
 ly ; Luke xi. 2. JVhcn ye pray ^ fay ^ Our 
 Father y &c. Many of the prayers in the 
 liturgy are truly excellent, and quite agree- 
 able to this rule and example of holy 
 /cripture. There are alfo many which are 
 not io'y particularly in the litany; which 
 are imm^ediately diredted to Chrift, and 
 not to God. I cannot approve, or offer 
 up fuch prayers myfelf ; or authorize them 
 to be offered up by another for me. The 
 cafe is different with regard to you, who 
 have no authority in the church, who are 
 only hearers, and do not lead the devo- 
 tions of others. If you fliould difapprove 
 of any part of the fervice which you hear, 
 you can pafs it over, and not join m it : 
 but your minifter, by reading it, makes it 
 more his own. 
 
 I CANNOT therefore continue Intheufe 
 of fuch forms of worfhip v^hich f be- 
 live to be fmful, without the guilt of con- 
 tinual 
 
(li) 
 
 tinual infincerity before God, and endan- 
 gering the lofs of his favour for ever. For 
 he requireth truth in the inward parts, 
 Pfalm li. 6. an entire redlitude of heart* 
 He will in no cafe difpenfe v^ith the ha- 
 bitual negledl of truth and uprightnefs, 
 and leaft of all in our folemn prayers and 
 addreffes to himfelf. 
 
 To leave a ftatlon of eafe and affluence, 
 and to have to combat with various ftraits 
 and hardfliips of an uncertain world, is 
 but a dark profped:. But we muft wil- 
 lingly fubmit to this hard lot, when not to 
 be avoided without deferting our duty to 
 God and his truth. And we have great 
 encouragement given us by our divine 
 Mafter and Saviour Chrifl. Matthew x. 
 32. ** Whofoever {hall confefs me before 
 men, him will I alfo confefs before my 
 Father which iS in heaven." And Mark x. 
 29> 30- " Verily I fay unto you, there is 
 
 no 
 
(13) 
 
 no man that hath left houfe, or brethren, 
 or fifters, or father, or mother, or wife^ 
 or children, or lands, for my fake and the 
 gofpers,but he (hall receive an hundred fold 
 now in this time, houfes, and brethren, and 
 fifters, and mothers,and children and lands, 
 vith perfecutions, and in the world to 
 come, eternal life." It is of fmall con- 
 cern in what outward circumftances we 
 pafs over the fhbrt term of life, if we can 
 but obtain that biefled approbation in the 
 end, — " Well done good and faith- 
 ful fervant ; — enter thou into the joy of 
 thy Lord." Matthew xxv. 23, 
 
 It is a great fatisfaftion, at this my 
 departure from you, that I can truly fay, 
 *< i have coveted no man's filver, nor gold, 
 nor apparel." A^s xx. 33. In nothing 
 have I made a gain of you, or fought to 
 enrich myfelf, nor am I enriched by you at 
 all, but what was over and above the fup* 
 ply of .neceflary wants, has been freely 
 C expended 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 expended in the various ways, in which it 
 was thought might be mod ufeful for your 
 prefcnt benefit and future happinefs. I 
 have not fought Tours, but Tou. And al- 
 though humbled before God under a fenfe 
 of many failings and neglefts, yet in fome 
 low degree, I hope I may fay, that, '* in 
 *' fimplicity and godly fincerity we have 
 ** hadour converfation in the world, and 
 ** more abundantly towards you." 2 Cor. 
 i. 12. 
 
 I HAVE endeavoured to teach you the 
 truth which Chrift our Lord taught, as 
 far as I was able to learn it, by an impar- 
 tial and diligent fearch of the holy fcrip- 
 tures. And I often reminded you, that 
 you were not to believe any thing becaufe 
 fpoken by me, but to examine and com- 
 pare how far it was agreeable to holy 
 fcripture, our only rule and guide. And 
 my difcourfes, of late years, have been al- 
 together expofitions of large portions of the 
 ^ New 
 
(15) 
 
 New Teftament, with fuch inferences as 
 naturally and plainly flowed from them, 
 that you might fee it was the word of God 
 which was endeavoured to be fpoken to 
 you, and not the word of man. 
 
 In thefe difcourfesl was led continually 
 to point out to you, that religion lay not 
 in outward forms and ordinances even of 
 God's own appointment, though they be 
 heJps to it ; but in an entire converfion 
 and devotednefs of the heart to God, in- 
 fluencing to fobriety, chaftity, brotherly 
 love, kindnefs, integrity, in all your con« 
 verfation ; to do every thing out of a fenfe 
 of duty to God ever prefent with and fup- 
 porting us in life, and chiefly for his infi- 
 nite love to us in Chrifl: Jefus our Lord, by 
 whom he ie hath called us unto his eternal 
 glory y I Pet. v. lo. And that this inward 
 fenfe of God carried along with you into 
 your daily labours and bufmef$, would 
 faniftify them all to you, preferve you in- 
 ^ C 2 nocent 
 
( i6) 
 
 nocent and holy, fweeten the unavoidable 
 toils and cares of the prefent life, and en- 
 able you to refign it with joy and in peace. 
 
 I HAVE often prefied upon you the duty 
 of family-religion. — That every houfe 
 Ihould be a little church as it were, where- 
 in all the members of it v^ere carefully in- 
 llruded in the things of God, and once 
 at lead:, at the clofe of each day, called 
 together to join in fhort prayer to Goda 
 fince in your way of bufmefs you can feldom 
 meet all together at any other time without 
 inconvenience. This would be a conftant 
 check upon parents in their daily condud:, 
 and would make them haften home with 
 pleafurc after their labours were over, to 
 worfliip God in their families, which 
 would thus become orderly and happy. 
 And this might be a means of preventing 
 that early depravity and corruption of the 
 youth of both fexes, which is fo alarms 
 ing, and from which they are ftldom to 
 
(17) 
 be recovered, when once you have loft this 
 feafon of inftrudion, and of forming ha- 
 bits of piety and virtue. *^ Train up a child 
 in the way he (hould go : and when he h 
 old, he will not depart from it.'* Prov, 
 xxii. 6. 
 
 Still more have I Inculcated upon 
 you the neceffity of keeping the Lord's-- 
 day holy, in obedience to God's primary 
 law, when he firft placed man upon the 
 earth, never repealed fince, and which was 
 regulated anew, and confirmed by the au- 
 thority and example of our Saviour Chrift 
 and hisapoftles :— As many of each family 
 as can be allowed, to attend the public 
 worfhip of the Great Creator and heavenly 
 Father, and to be mindful afterwards of a 
 fuitable employment of your time at home. 
 For fpending one part of this facred day 
 in unneceffary worldly cares, or in fports 
 and diverfions, tends to efface cvery'fe- 
 l-jcus impreffion made on the mind on the 
 
 other 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 Other part, and by degrees leads to fpend 
 the whole of it in the fame ungodly fort* 
 Not that the fervice of God is to make us 
 morofe, or fad and unchearful at this or 
 at any time. There are ways of paffing 
 this holy day, in walking out and contem*« 
 plating the works of God, in pleafing 
 charitable olffices to our neighbours, and 
 in innocent ufeful converfation, which 
 will chear and refrefh both mind and body, 
 far beyond thofe noify and riotous games, 
 always accompanied with profane oaths, 
 and generally ending in the alchoufe or 
 worfe. 
 
 A WRITER of great note, though no 
 clergyman, remarks : 
 
 ** I BELIEVE it may be laid down as a 
 ^' certain fa<fl, that no mafter or miflrefs 
 ** of a family can have a true concern for 
 *' religion, or be a child of God, who 
 " does not take care to worfliip God by 
 
 <V family- 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 *< family prayer." ' Hartley on Man, 
 
 vol. iu p. 336. 
 
 To which I would add, that I have 
 feldom found any ferious religion in a pa- 
 rifli or family, where the Lord's day was 
 cuftomarily prophaned. And, as he con- 
 cludes — '* Let the obfervation of the fa£t 
 determine'' in both cafes. 
 
 It has been matter of deep concern to 
 me, that I have not feen fo much of the 
 fruits of my labours as I defired among 
 you. Parents, ignorant themfelves, and 
 refufing inftrudtion, muft of courfe neg- 
 ledt all godly care of their children. Very 
 Jeldom do farmers meet at markets on 
 their worldly bufinefs without giving more 
 or lefs into drunken excefles, which (hews, 
 that they are under the reftraint of no re- 
 ligious principle. Much bad pradlice 
 
 and open fin is vifible in many. But I 
 
 would not now complain. Let us all 
 
 make 
 
( 20) 
 
 make hafte to repent and amend— for the 
 time is fliort. I would hope that more 
 good may have been done than I know of, 
 and that there are more truly pious than 
 the few that appear to be fo : and that 
 fome feed of the word, that has been 
 fown, may hereafter fpring up, and bear 
 good fruit. 
 
 It will be your wifdom, and happy for 
 you, and a caufe of rejoicing to me, if 
 fiom this time forwards your lives be con- 
 duded with fuch Chriftian fobriety and 
 watchfulnefs, in a daily progrejSive im- 
 provement in virtue and holinefs, that I 
 might be able to fay, *^ I have laboured, 
 *' and another hath entered into my 
 " labours,'* John iv. 38. and that the 
 work of my fucceflbr may be made more 
 eafy to him from what you have learned of 
 me. More efpeciaily if it ihould pleafe 
 the God of all grace, i Pet. v. 10. that as 
 Samfon ferved his country more at his 
 
 death. 
 
.( 21 ) 
 
 death, than in his life, you alio may be 
 more benefited by this my laft farewell 
 exhortation to you, than by what I have 
 laboured in much weaknefs, but great 
 fincerity, for the ten years that I have 
 ^ been with you. 
 
 Soon {hall all the friendfhips and con- 
 nexions of this world be diflblved, and at 
 an end. The parting, and the feparation, 
 which death mufl have made betwixt us 
 in a few years, perhaps much fooner, is 
 only anticipated a little. And it may be 
 a providential blefling to both you and 
 me, if I niay but thereby be approved, 
 and found faithful unto the end, for which 
 I Hefire the help of your prayers ; and if 
 this my voluntary difmiffion of myfelf 
 from my ftation and miniftry among you, 
 to which I am conftrained by a principle 
 of confcience and obedience to Chrilt, .as 
 I firmly believe, may contribute to con- 
 vince you, 
 
 D That 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 That the gofpel of Jefus is the truth 
 of God — the pearl of great price, Mattb, 
 xiii. 45, for which we are to be willing to 
 part with every thing rather than fail of 
 obtaining it : to induce you 
 
 To do nothing now, which you fhall 
 not approve at that folemn hour when yoa 
 leave the world : 
 
 And to be ready at all times, and even 
 defirous to have the common-prayer book 
 reformed, and the public worfhip of Gcd 
 in it made more conformable to the holy 
 fcriptores, for your own fakes, and that of 
 your confcientious Paftors, whenever it 
 (hall pleafe God, in his providence, to 
 incline our gracious Prince and Parliament 
 to fet about fo needful a work. 
 
 And now, O Koly Father, the blejjed 
 and only potentate, in conformity to what I 
 believe thy w^ill and my duty, I refign un- 
 
( 23) 
 
 to thee, from whom I received them, my 
 miniflry and people. Do thou raife up 
 unto them a faithful teacher, who (hall 
 more effeftually preach thy word, turn 
 many from fin, and bring all nearer to 
 ♦thee, their only portion and happinefs. 
 And gracioufly difpofe cf me, thine un- 
 worthy fervant, where and how I may bed 
 be enabled to ferve thee according to the 
 pure gofpel of thy fon, through whom I 
 defire to find acceptance with thee, now 
 and for ever. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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SERMON 
 
 PREACHED 
 
 At the Opening of the Chapel m Essex- 
 i^HousE, Essex-Street, in the Strand, 
 on Sunday, April 17, 1774. 
 
 By THEOPHILUS LINDSEY, M. A. 
 
 ^ TOWHICHISADDED, 
 
 A Summary Account of the Reformed Liturgy, 
 on the Plan of the late Dr. Samuel Clarke, 
 made Ufe of in the faid Chapel. 
 
 The true unity of Chrlftians confifts not in wiity of 
 opinion in the bond of ignorance^ or unity of praifice 
 in the bond of hypocrifyy but in the unity of the fpirit 
 in the bond of peace, 
 
 ■ Dr. Clarke's Sermons, Vol. III. p. 316. 
 
 THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, 5/. PauTs Church-yard, 
 
[ 3 ] 
 THE 
 
 PRAYER before the Sermon^* 
 
 T TNTO thee do we lift up our eyes^ O thou 
 ^"^^ that dwelkjl In the Heave?2s I 
 
 O Lord, the great and glorious God, who 
 haft made all things, and fuftauieft and order eft 
 all things by thy wife and good providence ; 
 who giveft wildom to all that afk it of thee ; 
 to whom alone we look up for a bleffing, and 
 fuccefs on all that we take in hand. 
 
 We befeech thee to look down upon us thy 
 creatures and fervants, who have here aflembled 
 ourfelves togeth-er as the difciples of thy fon 
 Jefus Chrift, to edify one another in thy holy 
 word ; and to render unto thee, O thou moft 
 high, that fupreme worfiiip, reverence, and 
 praife, which are only due unto thee : For thou 
 art God aion€ ; and hefide thee there Is no other. 
 
 May we be found among thy true ivor/hlppers-, 
 fuch as thou feekejl to worJl:lp thee : and make 
 us ever mindful of that pure and undejiled Reli- 
 gion before thee our God and Fathery which 
 thou haft told us, confifteth in acts of mercy 
 and kindnefs, and in keeping ourfelves unfpotted 
 from the world. 
 
 * The prayers before and after the fermon were by no 
 means intended to have been made public j but are printed at 
 jhe r^queft of fomc of the hearers. 
 
 A 2 Increafc 
 
[ 4 ] 
 
 Increafc the number of thy faithful Mini- 
 fters, whofe honourable employ it is to bring 
 men to know thee, and the way to eternal life. 
 
 Particularly aflift thine unworthy fervant, 
 whom by a fmgular providence thou haft called 
 to be a teacher of thy holy gofpel in this 
 place. May he take heed unto himfelfy and his 
 doctrine \ Jiudying to Jhew himjelf approved of 
 thee J and furnijhed to every good work. En- 
 lighten him more and more with the know- 
 kdge of thy truth ; and enable him to fpeak it 
 with all boldnefs, that he may not fhun to de- 
 clare the whole counfel of God to others, as he 
 fliall learn it himfelf. 
 
 Give fuccefs to his labours, that he may make 
 full proof of his minijiry ; and fave himfef and 
 thofe that hear him ! that fome may be often 
 called away from the too eager purfuit of a 
 vain world that profiteth not ; if any live in 
 wilful fm, difhonefty, or vicious praftice, that 
 they may repent and be converted ; and that we 
 all may become more acquainted with thee and 
 our duty, and better fitted to aft our part in this 
 trying uncertain world, with integrity, pa- 
 tience and fortitude : and that thus doing thy 
 will on earth, and being found faithful in our 
 feveral ftations, we may, in the end, have our 
 place in that kingdom of glory and happinefs 
 to which thou haft called us by Jefus Chrift 
 our Lord. 
 
 Ephesians 
 
[ 5 ] 
 
 EPHESIANsiv. 3. 
 
 E?ideavourmg to keep the unity of the Spirit in 
 the bond of peace, 
 
 HAD the benevolent do(5trine of the gof- 
 pel produced the fruits that might have 
 been expected in the lives of its ProfelTors, 
 they would have been as remarkable for their 
 love to each other as they have been too often 
 for the contrary difpofition; and what was 
 faid of the firft difciples of Jefus, would have 
 been verified of their fucceffors to the end of 
 time ; Lo^ how thefe Chri/lians love one another! 
 
 Love to all, even to enemies the moft cruel 
 and injurious, is bound upon us by that moft 
 engaging motive ; nat we may be the children 
 of our Father which is in heaven : for he maketh 
 his fun to rife on the evil and on the good, and 
 fendeth rain on the jujl and on the unjujl, Matth. 
 v. 45. 
 
 Much more then are we to love thofe, who 
 are kindly difpofed towards us -, our brethren, 
 and fellow difciples of the fame Saviour ; be 
 their religious opinions ever fo different from 
 our own. For thereby they do us no injury; 
 and if in error the moft blind and wilful, they 
 are not accountable to us for it, and they only 
 will fuffer by continuing in it. 
 
 It was by this agreement in charity, and not 
 fo much in religious opinions, that our Lord 
 
 A 3 was 
 
[ 6 ] 
 
 was defirous his followers fliould be diftin- 
 
 guiflied from all other men ; where he fays^ 
 
 John xiii. 3 5'. By this [hall all men know that 
 
 ye are my dlfciples, (fye have love one to another. 
 
 His apoftles, and firft difciples, kept their 
 Mailer's vv^ords in remembrance, diligently ob- 
 ferved them, and taught them to others. 
 Charity, peace, and union amongft Believers, 
 is the pleafmg theme they are continually 
 dwelling vipon ; the burden of all their Wri- 
 tings. The exhortation of St. Paul before us, 
 relates primarily and more immediately to the 
 Ephefian Converts to whom he addreffes it. 
 But it is no lefs fuited to all othei's, who in 
 their refpe6live circumftances are to endeavour 
 to keep the unity of the fpirit in the bond of 
 peace. 
 
 The unity of the Spirit, as appeareth from 
 the context i was the kindnefs and harmony 
 amongft Chriftians> their juft deference far 
 each other, and regard for the common good, 
 at that time, whe7i Believers were very- generally 
 favoured with extraordinary gifts of the holy 
 Spirit. And fmce thofe miraculous powers 
 have been withdrawn, which happened very 
 foon, the unity of the Spirit , is the kind af- 
 feftion, good order, and attention to mutual 
 edification, which ought to fubfift among thofe 
 who profefs the do6lrine of Chrift, which was 
 dilated by the fame holy Spirit of God: Some- 
 thing above the pureft friendfhips of this world, 
 as much as the motives, views and excellence 
 of the gofpel, furpaffed the wifdom of maa : 
 
 aa 
 
i 7 ] 
 
 ah endeavour to make all thofe wife and vir- 
 tuous v^ith whom we are conne6led, and 
 thereby to quaUfy ourfelves with them, for per- 
 fe£l and durable felicity. 
 
 We fliall be able to learn more particularly 
 the nature of this unity of the Spirit; to which 
 our apoftle exhorts, by attending to the way 
 in which it is to be preferved ; namely, in the 
 bond of peaesi 
 
 I. ov:;^ v?. 
 
 It is a maxim of undoubted truth, that in 
 their rehgious capacity, mankind are fabjeft 
 only to the authority of God, and of their own 
 confciences. Another may fuggeft arguments 
 and motives to prevail upon us to relinquifh 
 fentiments that he fees to be erroneous and 
 dangerous ; and to embrace his own. And to 
 do this is oftentimes a duty for fome perfons; 
 and a part of chriftian charity in all. But 
 there the matter is to reft. The fuccefs of 
 fuch charitable endeavours is to be left to the 
 force of perfuafion ; and no other force is to 
 be ufed. To a6l otherwife, and to compell to 
 an outward religious profeffion, when tlierc is 
 no inward approbation and willingnefs, is to 
 violate the moft facred rights of confcience, 
 and break that bond of peace, by which alone, 
 rational beings, of capacities and attainments 
 inlinitely diverfified, and independent of each 
 other in religious matters, can live in unity 
 together. A fpirit of dominion however, and 
 tyranny over confcience, foon began to difco- 
 ver itfelf among Chriftians ; and ftill conti- 
 
 A 4 nues 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 nues to hold the greateft part of them in all 
 countries, under the moft abje6l flavery. The 
 evil might have been prevented, if the apoftle's 
 argument for chriftan unity, immediately fol- 
 lowing the words of the text, had been at- 
 tended to and regarded. Inhere is one body 
 (fays he) and one fpirit^ even as ye are called in 
 one hope of your calling: One Lord^ one faith y 
 one baptifniy one God and Fat hereof ally who 
 is above all, and through all, and in you all. 
 Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6. i.e. All Chriftians are equal, 
 and upon a level in the things that concern 
 their falvation. No one is to di6late with 
 authority to another. For they are all One 
 body, as it were; confiding indeed of divers 
 members \ fome more ufeful, and therefore 
 more honourable than others : but no one 
 heady or Lord of another : all under the di- 
 rection of One Spirit y one rule offaithy and one 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, the author of that faith, 
 and difpenfer of that fpirit and power of God, 
 and/6Wof his body, the church; himfelffub- 
 ordinate to, and receiving all his powers from 
 the One God and Father of all. 
 
 For any man therefcre to put his own fenfe 
 upon the words of Chrift and of the holy 
 Spirit, and require others to accept that fenfe 
 only and fubfcribe to the truth of it ; is to fet 
 up his fpirit and wifdom againft the holy fpirit 
 and wifdom of God, and to ufurp the province 
 of Chrift, the fole law-giver and head of his 
 church. We may give out explanations and 
 illuftrations of the holy fcriptures ; and re- 
 commend 
 
[ 9 ] 
 
 commend them to others : but we are not to 
 require or expe6l them to be embraced by 
 others but as they fhall be found by them to be 
 agreeable to that holy fcripture, whofe true 
 meaning we endeavour to point out. 
 
 In the word of God, as in his worksy there 
 are treafures of v/ifdom ftill unexplored. We 
 ai^ commanded to fearch for wifdom. — Prov. 
 (2 Peter i. 5.) to add biow lege to all the other 
 chriftian virtues ; and by no means to lock up 
 pur * mind and reafonable powers at anytime, 
 and fhut out further information and im- 
 provement. Neither may numbers of Chrif- 
 tians in fociety tye themfelves up againft re- 
 ceiving additional light and knowlege, by 
 framing articles of faith, from which they are 
 never to recede. Much lefs are churches or 
 focieties of Chriftians in one age to fetter and 
 confine all future generations of men and fo- 
 cieties of Chriftians, from feeing farther into 
 
 * " Studious and inquifitive men, commonly at fuch an 
 *' age, at forty or fifty at the utmoft, have fixed and fettled 
 *' their judgments in rnofl: points, and, as it were, 7nade their 
 " la/i underftandings ; fuppofing that they have thought, or 
 " read, or heard, what can be faid on all fides of things ; 
 " and after this, they grow pofitive and impatient of contra- 
 *' didion, thinking it a difparagement to them to alter their 
 *' judgment. But our deceafcd friend was fo wife, as to be 
 " willing to learn to the lafl: ; knowing that no man can 
 " grow wifcr without fome change of his mind, without 
 " gaining Tome knowledge which he had not, or correcting 
 '' fome error that he had before." 
 
 Tillotfons fermon at tiTe funeral of Dr. JVlAchcote. 
 
 It is hard to fay, whether this fentimcnt doth more honour to 
 Dr, JVhichcote^ or to the wife and humble Arciibifliop, who. 
 reports it with fo much fatisfa<51iop. 
 
 the 
 
'ho ] 
 
 the intent of God's word, and interpreting it 
 differently from themfelves : a condu6l this, 
 as common among private Chriftians, and 
 churches, in all ages, as it is tyrannical and 
 reproachful. ,As the fervants of God, and 
 difciples of Ghrift, we can only fubmit to the 
 authority of Chrift in his his written word; 
 and in the ferife we ourfelves put upon it, and 
 not that of another. 
 
 II. 
 
 But it has been the do6lrine of too riictny; 
 in all periods of the Chriftian church, that 
 peace and unity are not to be attained, unlefs 
 you bring all Chriftians to be of one opinion in: 
 religion. 
 
 Uniformity of opinion is of fpecious found, 
 and very impofnig on weak minds, who look 
 iio farther than the furface of things. But 
 Almighty God could never make that the only 
 wav to peace and unity, which is in itfelf im- 
 pra6licable and impoflible to fach creatures as 
 we are : and the very appearance of which 
 cannot be kept up without the lofs of what is 
 infinitely more valuable, of virtue and inte- 
 grity ; without tempting many to make no ufe 
 at at all of their underftandings, or to diiTem- 
 ble their better knowledge. For our opini- 
 ons are not in our own power. They depend 
 upon the light and evidence with which truth 
 is prefented to our minds. And this ap- 
 pears fo differently to difterent men, through 
 the diverfity of their prejudices, natural abi-^ 
 Uties, and means of improvement > tliat it 
 
 Gannot 
 
I " ] 
 
 cannot be but we muft differ widely in our 
 judgments concerning many things, on a fub- 
 je6l of fuch compafs and variety, as that of 
 revealed religion. And you may as well re- 
 quire all mankind to be of the fame fize and 
 complexion, as of the fame fentiment in all 
 thofe refpefts, which you perhaps fhall think 
 important. For the one is as little in their 
 power, and as unlikely to be attained as the 
 other. 
 
 III. 
 
 When other arguments have failed, holy 
 fcripture has been preffed into the hard fer- 
 vice of enflaving mankind to one fyftem of 
 religious opinions : though fuch fyftem often- 
 times far from agreeing with holy fcripture ; 
 oft in direct oppofition to it. 
 
 Thus becaufe St. Paul exhorts 2 Cor. xiii. 
 II. to be of one mind : and in another place, 
 I Cor. i. 10. / befeech you, brethren, by the 
 name of our Lord Jefus Chriji, that ye allfpeak the 
 fame thing, and that there be no divifioJis among 
 you ; but that ye be perfeBly joined together i?j 
 the fame mind, and the fame judgmejit. Hence 
 it is inferred, that there ought to be no dif- 
 ference in opinion amongft Chriftians : but 
 that they ought to be all of the fa?ne mind, 
 2ir\(i the fame judgment ', at leaft \w fwidamental 
 points oi (^lih, as they are ufually difiinguifhed. 
 
 We fhall in vain fearch the New Teftament 
 for fundamental points of faith, one only ex- 
 cepted, the belief of which is indeed neceflary 
 for every Chriftian ; namely, that Jefus is the 
 
 ChriJU 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 Chriji^ the/on of God, Without this no one 
 ran be a Chriftian. And he that -fmcerely 
 beheves this, will believe and do every thing 
 €lfe, that Jefus taught and commanded. Our 
 Saviour and his apoftles, tell us not any thing 
 of that long catalogue of other necefiary ar- 
 ticles of faith, commonly infifted on. Thefe 
 are generally, either mifapplications of^holy 
 fcripture ill underftood ; or obfcure, uncer- 
 tain dedu6lions from it, about which good 
 men may well hold different fentiments. So 
 that it might weaken the divine authority and 
 infpiration of the apoftle, to fuppofe him re- 
 quiring men to be of one mind and judgment 
 in points of fo much doubtfulnefs and obfcu- 
 rity. But the cafe is far different. St. Paul, 
 in this place, did very properly require of the 
 Corinthian Chriflians, a itrift obedience to 
 thofe directions for their religious conduft, 
 which he had clearly and fufficiently made 
 known to them, and to be of one mind and 
 judgment in thofe matters. Submitting to the 
 authority of the apoflle, was fubmitting to 
 the authority of God himfelf, from whom 
 he received it. But this can be no rule for 
 other men, who have no authority to dem.and 
 an implicit fubmiffion to their decrees. 
 
 It will moreover be found, that in thefe 
 and the like warm exhortations to unanimity, 
 the view of the apoflle was to prevent un- 
 neceffary difputes, and the fpirit of faction 
 amongfl the brethren, and not to enforce an 
 exact uniformity of religious opinion and 
 
 pra6tice. 
 
[ 13] 
 
 practice. For, at other times, he allows a 
 latitude and variety. Thus, jR(?;;j. xiv. be can- 
 didly admits and allows the fcruples of Ibme 
 Jewifn Believers, in continuing to obferve 
 their new moons and fabbaths ; and in for- 
 bearing to eat animal food at public en- 
 tertainments, left they fliould tafte fuch things 
 as were forbidden by the law of Mofes, which 
 they ftill held obhgatory to themfeives. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Since then an uniformity of opinion in the 
 things of religion is not to be attained, nor is 
 required of us; it follows,, that God never 
 defigned that Chriftians fliould be all of one 
 fentiment, or formed into one great church, 
 as we fpeak : but that there fliould be different 
 fefts of Chriftians, and different churches. 
 This, I fay, plainly appears to be the ap- 
 pointment of God, hov\^ever many have been 
 led away to think and aft as if it were not fo. 
 
 After our Lord's apoftles were dead, the di- 
 vine inftru6lions which they left in writing 
 would be thought to admit of various inter- 
 pretations ;■ and different judgments and con- 
 clufions from them would be formed concern- 
 ing many points both of doclrine and difci- 
 pline; of the manner of conducing divine 
 worfhip, of adminiftring baptifm and the 
 Lord's fupper, and the like. Some would be 
 content with what was more plain and fimple ; 
 and keep as near as jpoflible to the language, 
 rule, and example of Chrift, and his apoftles. 
 Others would fpeculate farther, and niix more 
 
 2 of 
 
of their own wifdom with that of the gofpel: with 
 no ill defign at firft, but thinking that fuch 
 additions and enlargements tended to edifica- 
 tion ; yet thus making a bad precedent for 
 after-times. And in this fort, different fe6ls, 
 and churches, or worfliipping focieties of Chrif- 
 tians would be formed : all profeffing to fol- 
 low the fame rule of holy fcripture ; but fol- 
 lowing it in different ways according to their 
 own apprehenfions. Each would poffefs a 
 right of adhering to their own fentiments, 
 and method of worfhipping God, without 
 controul, fo long as they did not difturb the 
 public peace. And in the midft of thefe dif- 
 ferences and varieties, the unity of the fpirit 
 was Jlill to be kept in the bond of peace ; by a 
 brotherly affeftion, and friendly correfpon- 
 dence one with another, 
 
 V, 
 
 While this friendly benevolent temper is 
 cultivated towards each other, the different 
 fe6ls and churches amongft Chriftians, far 
 from being a hurt or difcredit to religion, 
 are an honour and of fmgular fervice to it. 
 
 For thus a fpirit of enquiry into the grounds 
 of their common faith and diffent from each 
 other, is excited and kept alive. They are 
 prevented from finking into a criminal indo- 
 lence and indifference in a matter of fuch high 
 importance as that of religion ; and from the 
 two bad extremes of rejefting or receiving 
 it, without due examination. But like thofe 
 perfons, whom St. Luke fo highly commends, 
 4 Afts 
 
[ ^5 ] 
 
 Afts xvii. II. they fear ch the fcript lire s daily, 
 whether thofe things are true -, and i Pet. iii. 
 15. are ready always to give an anfwer to every 
 man that ajketh them a reafon of the hope 
 that is in them. This rational fatisfaftion 
 about the grounds of their religion and their 
 duty, is what the bulk of mankind are capable 
 of staining no lefs than the philofopher.* And 
 
 the 
 
 * There is an admirable pafTage in proof of this, in iMr. 
 L O C K E 's Reofonablenefs of ChriJJ'ianity as delivered in ths 
 fcriptures ; where this true philofopher and chriftian has fhewn, 
 that the ufe of reafon in religion is not to he denied to any part of 
 mankind \ and how far all are capable of it. " The bulk of 
 mankind (faith that excellent peribn) have not Jeifure 
 nor capacity for demonflration ; nor can carry a train of 
 proofs ; which in that way they muft always depend upon 
 for convidion, and cannot be required to aflent till tiiey 
 fee the demonftration. Wherever they (lick, the teachers 
 are always put upon proof, and muft clear the doubt by 
 a thread of coherent dedudions from the hrft principle, 
 how long, or how intric ite foever that be. And you may 
 as foon hope to have all the day-labourers and tradefmen, 
 the fpinfters and dairy-maids perfed mathematicians, as to 
 have them perfedt in Ethicks this way. Hearing plain 
 commands, is the fure and only courfe to bring them to 
 obedience and pradlice. The greateft part cannot know, 
 and therefore they muft believe. And I afk, whether one 
 coming from heaven in the power of God, in full and 
 clear evidence and demonftration of miracles, giving plain 
 and direct rules of morality and obedience, be not likelier 
 to enlighten the bulk of mankind, and fet them right in 
 their duties, and bring them to do them, than by rcafon- 
 ing with them from general notions, and principles of hu- 
 man reafon ? And were all the duties of life clearly demon- 
 ftrated; yet I conclude, when well confidered, that method of 
 teaching men their duties, would be thought proper only 
 for a few, who had much leifure, improved underftand- 
 f* ings, and were ufed to abftradt reafpnicgs, But the in- 
 
 " ftrudion 
 
[. i6 ] 
 
 the Chriftian thus formed, whofe - life agrees 
 with his holy profellion, is the brighteft orna- 
 ment to it. 
 
 In the firfl: ages alfo of our faith, and long 
 time afterwards, before printing was difco- 
 vered, thofe numerous fe£ts and churches into 
 which Cliriftians were divided, were, under 
 divine providence, inftrumental in preferving> 
 the holy fcriptures pure and unadulterated. 
 
 *' ftruclion of the people were beft ftill to be left to the precepts 
 "and principles of the gofpel. The healing of the fick, the re- 
 ^' ftoring of fight to the blind by a word, the raifing, and 
 *' being raifed from the dead, are matters of fadl, which 
 " they can without difficulty conceive ; and that he who 
 *' does fuch things, muft do them by the affiftance of a di- 
 ** vine power. Thefe things lye level to the ordinarieft ap- 
 *« prehehfion. He that can diftinguifli between fick and well, 
 *' lame and found, dead and alive, is capable of this doc- 
 !' trine. To one who is once perfuaded that Jefus Chrift 
 ** was fent by God to be a king, and a Saviour of thofe 
 *' who do believe in him ; all his commands become prin- 
 <« cipies : There needs no other proof for the truth of what- 
 *< he fays, but that he faid it. And then there needs no 
 *« more but to read the infpired books, to be i];aftruded : All 
 " the duties of morality lye there clear, and plain, and eafy 
 <^ to be undtrftood. And here I appeal, whether this be 
 *' not the fureft, the fafeft, and moft effedual way of teach- 
 ** ing : Efpecially if we add this farther confideration ; that 
 ** as it fuits the loweji capacities of reafonahie creatures, fo it 
 *« reaches and fail sfies, nay ^ enlightens the higheji. And the 
 ?« moft elevated underftandings cannot but fubmit to the au- 
 f « thority of this dodlrine as divine ; which coming from the 
 *' mouths of a company of illiterate men, ha.th not only the 
 *' atteftation of miracles, but reafon to confirm it ; fmce 
 *' they delivered no precepts but fuch, as though reafon of 
 «' itfelf had not clearly made out ; yet it could not but affent 
 «' to when thus difcovered ; and think itfelf indebted for the 
 <« difcovery." Locke's Keafonahknefs of Chrijiianity, &c. 
 p. 279> 280, 281. . 
 
 Their 
 
[ 17 ] 
 
 Their zeal for their refpeftive opinions would 
 prompt them to multiply copies of thofe fa- 
 cred books ; and would alfo lead them to keep 
 a watchful eye, and be a check on each other, 
 that they did not falfify or corrupt them, in 
 favour of their particular fyftems. 
 
 In procefs of time indeed, one great, pre- 
 tefhded, catholic church, did attempt to fwal- 
 low up and deftroy all the reft, and force all 
 Chriftians to be of one mind ; and for many 
 long ages nearly fucceeded in her attempt. 
 The groffeft darknefs, ignorance and idolatry, 
 accompanied with the moft enormous wicked- 
 nefs, were the natural confequence of fuch a 
 conjirained dead uniformity, of debarring men 
 from the ufe of their underftandings m the 
 things of God. And, had not thofe days been 
 fhortened, gofpel light and truth muft have 
 periftied out of the world. 
 
 In later times, great benefits have been de- 
 rived to true religion, from thofe who have 
 refufed to fubmit to the impofitions of civil 
 and ecclefiaftical authority in matters of faith ; 
 and who, on that principle, have had the vir- 
 tue and courage to depart from the eftablifhed 
 forms in their feveral countries, to worfhip 
 God in the way they believed moft acceptable 
 to him. Their conduft has led many to think 
 favourably of and enquire into the reality and 
 importance of the evidences for chriftianity; 
 and their noble pleas for themfelves and for 
 the liberty of worfliipping God according to 
 their confciences, have opened the eyes of not a 
 
 B few 
 
t i8] 
 
 few to fee the neceffity of allowing to others 
 what each elaimed for themfelves. And until 
 the feveral pubhc eftabliiliments of reUgion 
 fhall be more fimplified; the only true God^ 
 the Father^ acknowledged and worfhipped ac- 
 cording to the teaching of the holy fcriptures, 
 and all authority over confcience difowned ; it 
 muft be of infinite fervice to piety, integrity, 
 and the gofpel, that the numbers of Diffen- 
 ters from fuch eftablifliments Ihould remain and 
 increafe. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Nor can it with truth be faid, tliough it 
 often hath been faid, that different feels of re- 
 ligion in a country, have a tendency to difturb 
 the public peace and quiet* On the contrary, 
 as far as they conduce to make men better 
 Chriftians, which they do in a great degree, 
 they contribute to make them more ufeful and 
 peaceable members of fociety. 
 
 But it muft not be diffembled, for it cannot 
 be difowned, that the difputes and contentions 
 of Chriftians with each other, have been the 
 fource of the moft lafting animofities, and 
 caufed great miferies and difturbances in the 
 world. 
 
 But let not the mild and gentle doftrine of 
 the gofpel be therefore llandered, and charged 
 with thefe evils ; which breathes no other fpirit 
 but that of kindnefs and benevolence, and re- 
 quires it of all who come under its difcipline. 
 Let thofe rather bear the blame, the civil powers, 
 the princes and ftates of this world, who have 
 
 given 
 
1 19] 
 
 given life and importance to thefe difputes, 
 that would otherwife have died away of them- 
 felves, by interfering with them : who inftead 
 of affording proteftion to all the parties, have 
 lent their aid to one to moleft and deftroy the 
 other : who for ends of ambition and lawlefs 
 power, have courted the moft numerous and 
 powerful fefts in their refpeflive countries, 
 pouring in wealth, and honours, and authority 
 upon them, whilft they have generally deprived 
 the inferior number of fortunes, and life, and 
 liberty more precious than life. Can it be 
 wondered, that fuch oppreffion has made men 
 mad ? that fuch partial, iniquitous proceedings 
 have kindled wars and tumults, and fet the 
 world in a flame ? Let but the civil govern- 
 ors, the' princes and kings of the earth, acl 
 the fame part over again, and make themfelves 
 parties to all the religious difputes of their fub- 
 je6ls, throwing the weight of their authority 
 and favour into the fcale of one fide to the 
 depfeflion of the other, and the fame wild 
 fcenes in proportion would return and be re- 
 newed. 
 
 But wife experience has taught them a bet- 
 ter lefibn. A happier ftate of things we pre- 
 fage is advancing : when it fiiall no longer be 
 the road to honours and great wealth for liiini- 
 Iters of religion to be vehement in contending 
 for opinions doubtful in themfelves and of little 
 ufe or importance, fave that they have once 
 been eftablifhed : But the honour and re- 
 ward will be to thofe who have mbft laboured 
 
 B 2 to 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 to make themielves and others wife and good t 
 When the civil magiftrate fliall no more fay to 
 thofe who have a juft claim to his prote6lion 
 and favour ; Tou Jhall not enjoy the privileges 
 and benefits of good fubjeBs, unlefs you worfiip 
 God as I do y or as my Prieji diredis you to do. 
 But all fhall enjoy alike protection from the 
 ftate, who give alike fecurity for their obe- 
 dience to it. 
 
 To the honour of our gracious Sovereign 
 and the government under v/hich we have the 
 happinefs to live -, let it be obferved, that al- 
 though not a few amongft us, lye undefei^v- 
 edly under the terror oi fevere^, unjttjty pe^ 
 nal lawsy made in bad and dark times. Yet 
 thefe laws fleep : they are never put in ex- 
 ecution : they are almoft univerfally reproba- 
 ted and condemned. The growing enlightened 
 fpirit of the nation ; the fpirit of the tinies, 
 and the wifdom, juftlce, and candour of the 
 Britifh leglflature, are a pledge to us, that 
 fuch laws whofe edge is turned only againft 
 
 * t< 
 
 By 9 and lo W. III. c. 32. If aay perfon educated 
 *' in or having made profeflion of the chriAian religion, 
 ** (hall be convided in any of the courts of Wertmi^fter, or 
 *' at the affizes, of denying any one of the per] ms of the Holy 
 " Trinity to he Gody he. he ihall for the fir/} offence, be 
 *' judged incapable of any office j and for xW^^fecond offence, 
 *' ihall be difabled to fue any a^lion, or to be guardian, 
 *' executor, or adminiftrator, or to take any legacy or deed of 
 *' gift, or to. bear any office, civil or military, or benefice 
 *' ecclefiaftical, for ever, and alfo Ihall fuffcr imprifonment 
 « for three y^ars." 
 
 the 
 
t 2. J 
 
 the moft confcientious iiien, fliall e'er long 
 be repealed. 
 
 In the mean while, if the above reafonin^ 
 be fohd and convincing, it may yield us a 
 full fatisfaftion, that thofe who withdi-aw 
 themfelvGS from the eftabliflied worlhip of their 
 country, to worfhip God in a way more a- 
 greeable to his will, as they apprehend, are 
 thus not only approving themfelves to him 
 whofe favour is to be fought above all thin^^s : 
 but do alfo thereby demonftrate themfelves 
 good citizens and ufeful fubjefts of the ftate, 
 not inferior to any others; whilft they are 
 ftudious to keep the imity of the Spirit hi 
 the bond of peace ; and Jive in perfe6l cha- 
 rity, and the exchange of all friendly and 
 benevolent offices with their brethren from 
 whom they feparafee on a religious account 
 and principle of confcience. 
 
 VII. 
 But to draw towards a conclufion; and 
 addrefs myfelf immediately to thofe who. are, 
 or fhall be united in chriftian fociety with 
 us. 
 
 Far will it be from my purpofe ever to 
 treat of controverfial matters from this place, 
 though fomething in vindication of our pre- 
 fent conduft and right of aflembling ourfelves 
 here together, was now judged proper to be laid 
 before you. 
 
 The defign of churches qr congregations 
 of Chriftians, is to join together in the pub- 
 lic worfhip of Almighty God, a duty of high- 
 • ' B 3 eft 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 eft concernment ; and to promote each others 
 falvation more efFeftually than could have 
 been done by Individuals alone. And there- 
 fore, though we are ftill, as we can, to en- 
 deavour that all men may be faved, and come 
 wito the knowlege of the truth : we are under 
 an efpecial obligation and nearer tye to thofe 
 with whom we are thus voluntarily united; 
 to be helpful to each other in the concerns 
 of a future world; to watch over one ano- 
 ther y atid to excite unto love and to good works ; 
 that we may be the fait of the earth ; lights of 
 the world ; and that our light may fo fhine be- 
 fore men that they may fee our good works y and 
 glorify our Father which is in heaven. 
 
 This end, we have, my brethren, in com- 
 mon with all chriftian focieties; and this is 
 the moft important end of all, and princi- 
 pally to be regarded. 
 
 But added to this, there is another end pe- 
 culiar to us and reafon of forming ourfelves 
 into a feparate congregation, diftinft from 
 that of our national church -, and this is, that 
 we may be at liberty to worfhip * God alone y 
 
 after 
 
 * Our Saviour Chrifl was the moft conftant and devout 
 vorfhipper of God ; his Tather and our Father (Joh. xx. 17) 
 h\s God and our God : Mark i. 35, John vi. 11, Luke x. 21, 
 xxii. 41, in which laft he ufes the humblefl- pofture of body 
 to denote his profound reverence of the moft high God, his 
 Father. 
 
 When he was under his temptation^ or . preparatory trial, 
 before his entrance on his public miniftry 3 he gave the fol- 
 lowing 
 
[ 23 ] 
 
 after the command and example of- our Sa- 
 viour Chrift. So that if any alk what we 
 
 are 
 
 iowing anfwer to the Tempter ; Thou /halt worfo'ip the Lord 
 tky God^ and him only Jhalt thou ferve. Matth. iv. lo. 
 
 At another time, as he was fraying in a certain place., when 
 ic ccafed-y tne cf his difcipics /aid unto hitn^ Lord^ teach vs t9 
 pray — ajid he faid uyito them\ when ye pray ., fay \ Our Father^ 
 itttnch art in heaven., Luke xi. i, 2. Upon a requell lo. 
 folemn and interring as this of his apoftles, who were to be 
 tlie future inftrudlorsof mankind ; had there been any other 
 objed or obje(5ts of worlhip but the heavenly Fatiier, our 
 Lord would have told them of it diftindiy and ftated it v^ith 
 all exa^lnefs, as an omiinon here muft neceffarily mifleid 
 them und their converts for ever. But quite filent concerning 
 any other, he anfwers them by giving them a form or mociel 
 of prayer, which is addrefled to theP'athtr, and to him alone. 
 This therefore is a cafe, where the omiiijon of any otiier ob- 
 jects of worlhip is an utter exclufion of them. 
 
 Upon another occafion, he declares, who are the true 
 wordiipers ; and who it is, they worfliiped ; namely GOD, 
 THE FATHER^ only. Believe me — tlu true worjhipers fiall 
 worfiip the Father in fpirit and truth : For the Father feeketh 
 fuch to worjhip him. John iv. 23. 
 
 He never fet l^imfelf up to be the true God., the Father ; 
 or to he worJ}npped as God : But, x\\q fon of the Father^ and 
 the mejfenger of God. 
 
 The Pfalmift fays, Pf. Ixv. 2. O thou that heareji prayer., 
 (or O hearer of piayer) unto thee /hall allflejh come I Is there 
 any other that heareth prayer ? or can hear it ? Did the 
 Lord Jefus difcover any other ; or fay that he himfelf was 
 the God that heareth prayer i' 
 
 Our Lord's precept and example in this moft important 
 refpe(5t, ought furely to be regarded by his followers. I fee 
 not how it ^an be got over. Hovy caa I ere^^t him into 
 ayiother moji high God., and make him the objcvfl of reli- 
 gious worlhip, when he himfelf mofl: exprcfsjy commands 
 me to pray to the Father only ; when he himfelf lets me ihs 
 example of praying to the Father only ? 
 
 The force of this reafoning is not in the le.ifl pbated by 
 Jthe obfcrvation, that wo'Jlnp is frequently j)a.d to Chrift in 
 
 B 4.^ the 
 
[ 6 ] 
 
 are, or for what purpofe we are joined toge- 
 ther in a chriftian fociety; our anfwer is, 
 with the apoille, ** we are a people, that wor- 
 ftoip God in the fpirity and make our boajl in 
 Chrijl Jefusr Philip, iii. 3. 
 
 the holy fcriptures ; and alfo ordered to be paid to him, as 
 Hebr, i. 6. Let all the angels of God worjhip him. But this is 
 not religious vvorfliip. The attentive ftudent of the facred 
 writings well knows that worJJnp is a relative term, of different 
 fignification according to the fubje(fl to which it is applied. 
 When afcribed to Kings or perfons in authority ( iChron. xxix, 
 20.) it implies the honour due to their ftation and charader. 
 When afcribed to the Lord Jefus, it is the honour due to him 
 ijuhom God hath exalted for his excellent virtue and obedience, 
 and given hi?n a name above every name. Philip ii. 9. and 
 vjorjhip when afcribed to God, is that higheft reverence and 
 honour, of which invocation by prayer is a principal part ; 
 which belongs to the Omniprefent God alone, and is uncom- 
 municated;^ if not utterly incommunicable to any other. 
 
 THE 
 
1 25] 
 
 THE 
 
 PRAYER after the Sermon. 
 
 WE have all reafon to thank thee, O 
 Lord our God, for that perfeft rule 
 and way of life and our duty, which thou haft 
 taught us by our Lord Jefus Chrift ; wherein 
 thou haft gracioufly confulted our prefent peace 
 and enjoyment, as thou haft moft munificently 
 provided for our future happinefs. 
 
 For nothing is there wanting, O thou kind 
 Father of men, to turn this earth again into 
 Paradife, and make us completely bleffed, but 
 to copy after that charafter of thyfelf which 
 thou haft fet before us for our imitation, and 
 obey the precepts of thy Son which lead us to it. 
 
 For thou, who art in thine own nature, 
 love and goodnefs abfolute ; haft commanded 
 us to love and to do good to all, that we may 
 be tiy childreii, perfeft, and refembling thee in 
 our degree, as thou, our Father in Heaven, art 
 ferfeB, 
 
 Thou commandeft not hard things ,• or that 
 are too high for us : but only to love one an- 
 other with an affeftion fteady, rational, manly, 
 and virtuous ; and to be happy. 
 
 Wretched, unworthy creatures are we; that 
 will not comply with fo eafy a rule of fo kind 
 a mafter. 
 
 I Remove 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 Remove at laft thofe bars, which we have 
 put to our own happinefs : that proud conceit 
 and ignorance, which ftamps fuch undue value 
 on ourfelves and our opinions, and would have 
 all others bend to us ; which leads us to place 
 a vain merit in a faith which is nothing more 
 than an eafy credulity; aud a religion, pre- 
 tending to come from thee, yet void of charity. 
 
 Preferve us alfo from blind, intemperate 
 zeal ; and the rage of dealing out rafh and 
 uncharitable judgments concerning the future 
 condition of others, who may differ* in fome 
 things from us ; left we be guilty of invading 
 thy awful prerogative, to whom alone the heart 
 of man is known ; and who only haft power 
 to fave and tp deftroy, 
 
 But implant in our hearts a temper of bene- 
 volence and charity ; charity mild and gentle 
 to all; 'which thinketh no evil-, which bear- 
 eth all things ; believeth all things ; hopethall 
 things : That this divine temper being rooted 
 in us, and our whole chara6ler molded into it, 
 we may not confine our goad opinion, and 
 offices of kindnefs to thofe of our own feft and 
 perfuafion ; but may embrace all men with the. 
 moft hearty approbation and good will, as 
 equally thy children, dear to thee, with our- 
 felves ; and equally in thy favour, whilft feek-. 
 ing fincerely to pleafe thee ; and may thus re- 
 joice in them, and in all the good that they 
 receive or do. 
 
 In 
 
I 27 ] 
 
 In requiring this temper and difpofition to 
 be in us, which is in thyfelf, thou giveft us a 
 pleafing idea and foretafte of the happinefs which 
 thou haft refei^ved for us beyond the grave ; 
 and fitteft and traineft us up for the enjoyment 
 of it ; when the happinefs of all will become 
 our own, by our loving them and taking plea- 
 fpre therein ; and will be as boundlefs as that 
 univerfal community of rational and virtuous 
 beings, with whofe blifsful ftate and charac- 
 ters we hope hereafter to become acquainted. 
 
 This, O God, is that blefTed ftate to which 
 we afpire ; w^en charity Jfjall have its perfect 
 work : for which thou didft fend us a divine 
 teacher and Saviour, Jefus, to prepare and 
 to bring us to it. For him we blefs thee; and 
 through him, according to thy appointment, 
 we defire to offer up unto thee all praife, ado- 
 ration and thankfgiving, now and for ever. 
 
 A SUM- 
 
[28 ] 
 
 SUMMARY ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REFORMED LITURGY 
 
 Now ufed at the Chapel in Essex-House^ 
 Effex-Street, Strandy London. 
 
 WH E N the defign of a more fcriptural 
 form of worfhip was firft propofed to 
 be put in praftice, upon the plan of the late 
 Dr. Samuel Clarke, fome friends advifed to 
 print the liturgy of the church of England, 
 with his emendations, and to make ufe of it, 
 exaftly as he had left it. The fame has been 
 fmce much recommended by others. And it 
 were to have been wifhed that this Reformed 
 Liturgy might have come out quite fheltered 
 under the name of that great man, and call- 
 ed intirely his. 
 
 But it would have been an injury to his 
 memory, to have propofed that for a juft 
 model of public worfhip under his fanftion, 
 
 whidi 
 
[ 29 ] 
 
 which he was very far from intending to be 
 fuch. 
 
 His principal attention and care feem to 
 have been employed in reftifying the great er- 
 rors concerning the object of reUgious worihip, 
 which obtained in the national church, of 
 which he was member, and one of its greatefl: 
 ornaments. In doing this, he nobly ventur- 
 ed to follow the leading of holy fcripture, 
 however contrary to the received do6trines ; 
 and blotted out or changed fuch prayers and in^ 
 vocatiom as were addrejj'ed to Chrijly or the holy 
 fpirity and not to the One God, the Father. 
 
 In his examination of the book of common 
 prayer, as he paiTed along, he alfo noted and 
 changed many of the fentiments and expref- 
 fions, which he judged improper or wrong. 
 
 But it fell not within his purpofe, to re- 
 mark or cenfure fuch obvious imperfections 
 of that book, which had been pointed out 
 before by others, and could hardly efcape the 
 obfervatidn of any one, whenever it fhould 
 come under a general review : I mean, tlie 
 very frequent return of the Lord's prayer, 
 and of the like requefts in other prayers ; the 
 repetition of two creeds, within a fliort fpace 
 one after another ; the confufion * occafioned 
 by what were at firft three diftind: fcrvices, 
 and repeated at different hours, being thrown 
 
 .* The Morning Prayer was at firft read at fix in the morn- 
 ing : the Communion Service at nine, or ioon after ; and a 
 little before that, the htany. 
 
 all 
 
[ 3°] 
 
 all together, and blended into one * : From 
 which it happens, that at the end of one 
 part, we are difmiffed with a concluding 
 prayer, and folemn bleffing, and immediate- 
 ly after begin the circle of our devotions again : 
 Faults thefe not of our ever honoured Re- 
 formers ; but of US, their lefs careful and in- 
 dolent fvTCcefTors. Thefe blemifhes therefore, 
 were of neceffity to be removed. 
 
 Some paflages retained by Dr. Clarke y have 
 been omitted * ; and fome farther alterations 
 and additions have been made : all which are 
 fubmitted to the judgment of the ferious and 
 diligent reader of holy fcripture. In the de- 
 votional part, wherever any change has been 
 made, care has been taken not to lofe that 
 fimplicity of fentiment, and eafy flow of pi- 
 ous and natural eloquence, for which many 
 parts of our antient liturgy are juflly adr 
 mired. 
 
 The occafional prayers and thankfgivings 
 have been for the prefent omitted. Perhaps 
 it may not be amifs always to referve to the 
 officiating Minifter the liberty of introdu- 
 cing fuitable prayers of his own compofing 
 on fuch emergencies as can with difficulty be 
 provided for beforehand. 
 
 The obfervation of Chrijimas dayy Good 
 Friday y Eajler dayy the Afcenfioriy and Whit- 
 
 * Thus, for example, the Ohfecrations^ as they are call- 
 cd, in the litany, are left out : By thy holy incarnation^ &c. 
 although Dr, Clarke changes them to be an addrefs to Gody 
 and not to Chrijl, 
 
 Jundayy 
 
[ 31 ] 
 
 funday ; ftill kept up, as being memorials of the 
 principal fa6ls concerning our Saviour Chrift, 
 and the eftablifhment of his religion in the 
 world. ' The Samts days, as they are called, 
 are fallen into almoft univerfal negleft, and ferve 
 chiefly for civil purpofes ; fave that now and 
 then they help to bring back a Proteftant to the 
 bbfom of Popery, by their too near affinity to 
 that mother of fuperftition and idolatries. They 
 are therefore intirely left out. 
 
 The appointment of the litany to be read 
 only on fuch days as the Lord's Supper i-s 
 adminiftred, correfponds with the order of 
 the original Compilers of the liturgy. For 
 our ecclefiaftical hiftory informs us, that the 
 litany was defigned to be a kind of prepara- 
 tion to the Communion, and to be read a 
 little before that office began. 
 
 The morning fervice, on the days that tlie 
 Lord's Supper is adminiftered, is fomewhat 
 ftiorter than at other times; and the intro- 
 duftory part of the Com.munion Service is 
 laid afide as unneceffary ; by which the whole 
 is much abridged. And it is hoped, that all 
 that join in the former, will attend the latter. 
 For it is in itfelf moft unreafonable, and. wholly 
 unprecedented in the Apoftles times, that any 
 fhould join in the devotions, of the church and 
 not join 'in receiving tlie Lord's fupper, a part of 
 thoie devotions ; but not more facred than 
 the reft, nor recjuiring any different reUgious 
 difpofition of mind or preparation ioi' it. 
 
 I ■ ^ Dr. 
 
r 32 } 
 
 ^ Dr, Clarke made many alterations in the 
 Baptifmal office, which was much incum- 
 bered with a continual reference to the ab- 
 ftrufe metaphyfical doftrines of eleStion and 
 original Jin, But he does not appear to have 
 fufficiently difentangled it. A ftrift adherence 
 to holy fcripture, and the fimplicity of the 
 inftitution, has been aimed at in the addi- 
 tional parts of this fervice. 
 
 The promifcuous reading of the Pfalms 
 having been long matter of complaint -, the 
 appointment of thefe, and of the leflbns, 
 feems properly left to the difcretion of the 
 Minifter. 
 
 A colle£lion of fuch pfalms and hymhs as 
 may be fittefl: to be fung by the congregation, 
 will be hereafter drawn up and printed. In 
 the mean time, the Pfalms of Dr. Watts will 
 be made ufe of; whofe devotional compofi- 
 tions were many years ago juftly praifed and 
 commended by the authors of the Candid 
 Difquifitions. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 This Day is publilhed, Price Three Shillings unbound, 
 
 npHE BOOK OF COMMON-PRAYER 
 
 X REFORMED, upon the Plan of the late Dr. 
 
 SaMUEL CLARKE : Together with the PSALTER or 
 
 P.-5 ALMS of DAVID for the Ufe of the CHAPEL in Eflex- 
 
 Street. Printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, St. Paul's 
 
 Church-yard. 
 
DATE DUE 
 
 
 5- 
 
 
 
 
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 __ ,^-:^^^^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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