>./■ 
 
 ^1 ~~J 
 
^ 
 
 $ THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,! 
 
 Princeton, N. J 
 
 ^/-/ 
 
 ^ From the Rev. W. B. SPRAGUE, D.D. Sept. 1839. J 
 
 Case, Division J.... 
 
 '^'«'V. Secti.n ,..|.'.. 
 
 .c^.J^ 
 
 so:: 
 
 F 
 
A N 
 
 EfTay on Spirit, 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 The'Doarine of the T r i n i t y 
 
 IS CONSIDERED 
 
 In the Light of Nature and Reason j 
 
 AS WELL AS 
 
 In the Light in which it was held by the 
 ancient Hebrews : 
 
 Compared alfo with the Dodlrlne of the 
 Old and New Teftament. 
 
 I WITH . . 
 
 An Inc^uiry into the Sentiments of^ the Primitive 
 . Fathers of the Church : ' 
 
 AND . * 
 
 The Do6lrine of the Trinity as maintained by the 
 Egyptians y' Pythagoreans^ and Platonijis. 
 
 TOGETHER WITH 
 
 Some REMARKS on 
 The Athanasian and Nicene Creeds. 
 
 Inanimum eji omne^ quod impidfu agitatur exterrfo y quod 
 autem animal eji^ id motu cieiur intertore^ et fuo. 
 
 Cic. Somn. Scip.; 
 
 \-ri\ 
 
 The Second Edition, with 
 Additions and Corrections by the Author. 
 
 London, printed : 
 And fold by J. Noon in i\\Q Poultry^ G..Woodfall 
 2LiCharing-Crofs^ 2indiM, Coo? "EKinP at er-nojler-row. 
 
 MDC CLII. 
 
 • [Price few'd 2 s. 6 d.] 
 
[iii] 
 
 T O 
 
 il 
 
 HIS GRACE 
 
 GEORGE, 
 
 LORD PRIMATE 
 
 OF ALL 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 MY LORD, 
 
 AS I am a Clergyman of the 
 eftablifhed Church, and have 
 for feme Years been poffeffed 
 of an Ecclefiaftical Preferment, in- 
 to which, before I could be admit- 
 z. z ted, 
 
iv DEDICATION. 
 
 ted, I was obliged to fubfcibe the 
 four firft Canons, which include 
 my Affent to the Articles of our 
 Religion, and, alfo to declare pub- 
 licly my unfeigned Affent and Con- 
 fent to all and every thing, contain- 
 ed in The Book of Common-Prayer : 
 And, as I have not been fo much 
 employed about my temporal Af- 
 fairs, but that I have found Leifure 
 to apply fome Time to my Books, 
 and to think as well as read; I 
 find that I do not now agree ex- 
 adlly in Sentiment, either with my 
 former Opinions, or with thofe Per- 
 fons who drew up the Articles of 
 our Religion, or with the Compi- 
 lers of our Liturgy, and in parti- 
 cular, with the Athanaftan Creed : 
 And therefore I have laboured un- 
 der 
 
DEDICATION. v 
 
 der fome Difficulties, how to direft 
 myfelf in thefe Circumftances. 
 
 There was a Sermon preached, 
 not many Years ago, by Dr. Co- 
 nyheary before the Univerfity of 
 Oxford^ which feems to have been 
 approved of by them ; and which 
 hath fince been reprinted in Ire-^ 
 land^ wherein he afferts, that every 
 one who fubfcribes the Articles of 
 Religion, does thereby engage, not 
 only not to difpute or contradict 
 them ; but that his Subfcription 
 amounts to an Approbation of, and 
 an Afient to the Truth of the Doc- 
 trine therein contained, in the very 
 Senfe which the Compilers thereof 
 are fuppofed to have underftood 
 them : That they are not to be 
 a 4 con-' 
 
vi DEDICATION, 
 
 confidered as Articles of Peace, but 
 of Dodrine, as the very Title de- 
 notes, which is For the avoiding Di- 
 Uerfities ofOpmons^ and for ejlahlifh- 
 ing Confent touching true Religion. 
 Whereas I apprehend any Attempt 
 towards avoiding Diverfity of Opi- 
 nions, not only to be an ufelefs, but 
 alfo an impracticable Scheme ; fince 
 I do not only doubt whether the 
 Compilers of the Articles, but even 
 whether any two thinking Men ever 
 agreed exactly in their Opinion, not 
 only with Regard to All the Articles, 
 but even with Regard to any One of 
 them 5 fo that if they were to give 
 their own Interpretation of them, 
 there would be found as many differ- 
 ent Sentiments as there were In- 
 terpreters; The Difierence indeed 
 
 would 
 
DEDICATION. vii 
 
 would not always be great; but 
 ftill there would be a Difference. 
 
 I faid thinking Men^ for, as to 
 the unthinking Herd, whatever was 
 the Creed of their Father, or Tu- 
 tor, that will be theirs, from their 
 Infancy, to their Lives End ; and 
 accordingly, whatever Country you 
 go into, let the Religion be what 
 it will, the unthinking Part there- 
 of are always the reputed Ortho- 
 dox. 
 
 An Uniformity ofProfeJJton may 
 indeed be both pradicable and ufe- 
 ful ; and feems in feme degree to 
 be neceffary, not only for the Pre- 
 fervation of Peace, but alfo for the 
 general Good and Welfare of So- 
 a 4 ciety 
 
viii DEDICATION. 
 
 ciety : Since I do not conceive how 
 any Society or Common-wealth can 
 fubfift, unlefs fome Form of Reli- 
 gion or other be eftablifhed therein ; 
 as well with regard to Points of 
 Dodrine as Difcipline ; which how- 
 ever ought to be as plain, few, and 
 fundamental, as pofiible. And as no 
 eftablifhed Form of Religion can 
 fubfift, unlefs that Form be pub- 
 licly made known, and the Teach- 
 ers thereof are laid under fome 
 Obligation, either by Subfcription 
 or other wife, of complying with 
 that Form, and of not preaching, 
 or publicly teaching, any Doftrine 
 contrary thereto ,• fo, I own, I do 
 not fee any manner of Impropriety 
 in the legiflative Power of any So- 
 ciety infifting upon fuch a kind of 
 
 Subfcription, 
 
DEDICATION. ix 
 
 Subfcription, as is only required to 
 be made for Peace-fake, and the 
 Prefervation of the outward Forms 
 of Society: Since a Man under 
 thefe Circumftances may, for pru- 
 dential Reafons, honeftly fubfcribe 
 and fubmit to the Ufe of one efta- 
 bliftied Form, though he, in his own 
 private Opinion, may think ano- 
 ther to be better,- provided that 
 he is not obliged to fubfcribe any 
 thing finful; or fo diametrically 
 oppoflte to Truth, as that he can- 
 not poffibly put any other Conftruc- 
 tion upon it. 
 
 The firft Subfcription, that I 
 know of, was fet on foot at the 
 Council of Nice^ when the famous 
 Conteft about the Trinity was de- 
 termined 
 
X DEDICATIONf. 
 
 termined in Favour of the confuh- 
 
 fianttal Doctrine, by a Majority of 
 
 near Twenty to One : To which the 
 Emperor required all the Biiliops 
 
 then prefent to fubfcribe. But then 
 he allowed every one to put their 
 own Senfe upon the Word Confuh- 
 Jianttal^ and not the Senfe that was 
 intended by the Compilers of the 
 Creed : And accordingly, Eufebius 
 Bifliop of C<efarea, though he at 
 firft refufed fubfcribing, yet when 
 he was allowed to interpret the 
 Word Conjubjiant'taly as meaning 
 only, that the Son zvas not of the 
 fame Suhjtance with the Creatures 
 that wf're made by h'tm\ he then 
 fubfcribed it, and fo, in a little 
 Time after, did Arm. 
 
 Peace 
 
DEDICATION. xi 
 
 Peace was what the Emperor 
 wanted, and therefore he was con- 
 tent with Peace: But from the 
 Time that Power was put into the 
 Hands of the Church of Rome^ im- 
 plicit Faith and Obedience to her 
 infallible Determinations being what 
 fhe required ; unlefs Subfcriptions 
 were then to be underftood as made 
 according to the Senfe of the Com- 
 pilers of the Articles, the Recu- 
 fants were anathematifed, and Fire 
 and Faggot was the Word. 
 
 But as I apprehend that the 
 Church of Ireland doth not fet up 
 for Infallibility, I do not think that 
 {he requireth any other Kind of 
 Subfcription than fuch as is necef- 
 
 3 f^^y 
 
xii DEDICATION. 
 
 fary for Peace and Quietnefs : And 
 therefore I am now not much dif- 
 turbed upon this Head. I likewife 
 find by the Words of the Ad of 
 Parliament, which enjoins the De- 
 claration of our ^^ Affent and Con- 
 *^ fent to all Things contained in 7"/^^ 
 ^^ Book of Common-Prayer^'" that the 
 Purport and Intent of the A61 is, 
 that this Declaration of Aflent 
 fhould be only to the life of thofe 
 Things which are contained in the 
 faid Book, which is very different 
 from affenting to the Things them- 
 felves ; and therefore I am pretty 
 eafy alfo with regard to this. 
 
 How thefe Words, to the Ufe of^ 
 
 came to be omitted in the ex- 
 
 prefs Form of Words that are or- 
 
 I dered 
 
DEDICATION. xiii 
 
 dered to be read in Church for a 
 legal Qualification, I cannot fay, 
 nor whether they were omitted out 
 of Negled, or by Defign ; but I 
 own it feems to me, when I confi- 
 'der the Humour of the Times when 
 that A&, was made, that it was 
 done with Deiign ^ as a Snare, to 
 obHge poor [i] confcientious Men, 
 who did not read the Ad: of Par- 
 liament at length, to give up their 
 Livings, rather than declare their 
 *^ unfeigned Affent and Confent to all 
 ^^ and every thing contained in The 
 '^ Book, of Common-Prayer.''' For it is 
 to be obferved, that this Condition 
 was not required by the y^B of 
 
 [i] And accordingly, there were 1800 Per- 
 fons that were actually deprived of their Livings, 
 rather than fubmit to the Terms prefcribed. 
 
 Umformity^ 
 
xlv DEDICATION. 
 
 Umformhy^ as publifhed in the 
 Time of Queen Elizabeth, but 
 was an Addition made thereto, af- 
 ter the Reftoration of King Charles 
 the Second, when the Nation was, 
 as it were, mad with the Joy of 
 havin^ recovered its ancient Confti- 
 tution both in Church and State; 
 The httle Oath therefore, wherein 
 it was declared, that v: ts not law- 
 ful, upon ari^ Pretence whatfoever, 
 to take Arms again jl the King, was 
 at the fame time inferted into the 
 Acl of Uniformity. Which Part 
 of that Ad hath been fince repeal- 
 ed ; and indeed I cannot but fin- 
 cerely wifli, that the other Addi- 
 tion, which was made at the fame 
 time, was fo far redified, that the 
 Words of the Declaration fliould 
 
 be 
 
 . \ 
 
DEDICATION. xv 
 
 be made to correfpond with the 
 Defign of the Ad, which mani- 
 feftly was, to require the Declara- 
 tion of Aflent and Con fen t only fo 
 the Ufe of all and every thing con- 
 tained in The Book of Common-Pray- 
 er. Becaufe I think that That folemn 
 Declaration, which a Clergyman is 
 obliged to make in the Prefence of 
 God and his Congregation, when 
 he is going to take npon himfelf the 
 Care of their Souls, ought to be 
 fimple, pofitive, plain; free from 
 all Ambiguity or Doubtfulnefs ; 
 and fhould be exprelTcd in fuch a 
 Manner, as that it cannot be mif- 
 nnderftood, either by him, or by the 
 Congregation; but that he may 
 fafely and honeftly make it, accord- 
 ing to that plain and ordinary 
 
 Senfe 
 
xvi DEDICATION. 
 
 Senfe of the Wordsy in which they 
 would commonly he underjlood by all 
 Mankind, without any Evaftoriy 
 Equivocation^ or mental Referva- 
 tion whatfoever\ that is, without 
 any latent Reference to the Inten- 
 tion of the Ad, which is not ex- 
 preffed in the very Words of the 
 Declaration. 
 
 And indeed I am the more de~ 
 firous of this, becaufe I know for a 
 Certainty, that fome of the moft 
 learned and confcientious Perfons 
 among the Diffenters, have made 
 theForm of our Declaration of ^^ un- 
 ^^ feigned Aflent and Confent to All 
 *^ and Every thing contained in The 
 " Book of Common-Prayer^'' an Ob. 
 
 je£lion> 
 
DEDICATION, xvli 
 
 tion if not the principal one, a- 
 gainft coming into our Church. 
 
 As alfo becaufe fome of our own 
 Brethren, who confider Subfcrip- 
 tions in the fame Light with the 
 bigotted Members of the Church 
 of RomC'^ and probably never read, 
 or never duly confidered the /^ci of 
 Uniformity^ have taken Occafion, 
 from that Form of Declaration of 
 Affent, to brand thofe, who pre- 
 fume to doubt, or difter from them 
 in any of their imaginary orthodox 
 Notions, with the Imputation of 
 Perjury, or, at leaft of Hypo- 
 crify. 
 
 But though we fliould fuppofe 
 
 this was done, and that Subfcrip- 
 
 b tions 
 
xviii DEDICATION. 
 
 tions were declared to be only re- 
 quired for Peace-fake ; yet there is 
 ftill a Difficulty which remains be- 
 hind, with regard to thofe who 
 do not approve of all the Articles 
 of the eftablifhed Religion or of 
 every thing in the Liturgy ; becaufe 
 it is natural for them to defire, that 
 thofe Things, which they take to 
 be Errors, fhould be amended ; and 
 yet it is found by experience, that 
 whoever attempts to find fault with 
 the Canons or the Articles of Reli- 
 gion, or the eftabliflied Form of 
 Liturgy, becomes immediately a 
 Difturber of the Peace of the 
 Church, as he is fure, at leaf!:, to 
 be loaded with the opprobrious 
 Name of Sch'ifmattc^ or Heretic^ 
 which, ever fince the days of Po- 
 
 peryy 
 
DEDICATION, xix 
 
 per^^ are Sounds that occafion won- 
 drous Horror in the Ears of the 
 Vulgar. 
 
 Whoever confiders the Difficul- 
 ties which attend the Reformation 
 of Religion in general, and, in par- 
 ticular, the Difficulties which at- 
 tended thefe Nations in their Re- 
 formation from Popery^ ought to 
 thank God, that fo much was done 
 at that Time as was done, rather 
 than repine that more was not ef- 
 fefted. The Humour of the Times 
 would not fufler a more thoroup^h 
 
 o 
 
 Reformation; thefe Nations hav- 
 ing been fo long accuftomed to a 
 Kind of utter Darknefs, that their 
 Eyek would not bear too much 
 Light to be let in at once 
 
 b X Chrifti- 
 
t% DEDICATION. 
 
 Chrlftianity was not eftabliflied, 
 nor the Jewifh Religion thorough- 
 ly reformed, all on a fudden. Af- 
 ter St. Paul had been many Years 
 a Preacher of the Gofpel, he com- 
 plied with the Jewifh Ceremony of 
 \i\Jhavmg his Head in Cenchreay 
 hecaufe he zvas under a Vow-^ and 
 of [3] purifying himfelf at the 
 Temple of Jerufalem^ rather than 
 give Offence to the Jews. And the 
 whole Council of Apoftles, when af- 
 fembled at Jerufalem^'^L^^ViX.z^ to en- 
 join x\\o{^\ji^Jewifh Profely tes, who, 
 from among the Gd'A^i^i/^j, were turn- 
 ed unto God, to continue for fome 
 
 [2] A6ls xviiii i. 
 [3] Ads xxi. 24. 
 [4] Ads XV. 19. XX, 29. 
 
 time 
 
DEDICATION, xxi 
 
 time under a Prohibition from eat- 
 ing Things ftrangled, and fromi 
 Blood, which hath been long fince 
 difcontinuedo And our Saviour him- 
 felf was pleafed to declare, that he 
 concealed many Truths, till the 
 Difciples fliould be able to hear 
 themy John xvi. iz 
 
 The prefentConftitution ofthefe 
 Kingdoms, both in Church and 
 State, is, in my fincere Opinion, 
 the beft in the known World j but 
 I will not fay, that it is not capable 
 of being ftill further amended. 
 What then is to be done ? For if 
 t]ie Church be not infallible any 
 more than the State, why may not 
 that be amended as well as the 
 State? And why fhould we be 
 b 3 more 
 
xxii DEDICATION. 
 
 more afraid of breaking the Peace 
 of the Church than of the State? 
 The Peace of the one being full as 
 ncceffary to be preferved as the 
 Peace of the other. 
 
 The Chrifitan Religion was, at 
 its firft Propagation, called a [5] 
 Hnefy ; and therefore [6] St. Paul^ 
 in his Apology to Felix^ faid, This 
 I confefs^ that after the M'^ay which 
 they call Heresy, fo worfhip I the 
 God of my Fathers. Which Deno- 
 mination was continued, to it, fo 
 long as to the Time of CGnJIan- 
 tine the Great, who, in his Epiftle 
 to Chrejlus Bifhop of Syracufe^ calls 
 
 [5] Acls xxviii. 22. 
 [6] Adls xxiv. 5^ 14. 
 
 t|ie 
 
DEDICATION, xxlli 
 
 the Chrifltan Religion the [7] Ca- 
 tholtc Heref^ : Which Letter was 
 written after the Emperor had de- 
 clared in favour of Chrijiiamty. 
 
 hX^BCTLQy according to Stephens^ fig- 
 nifies, in general, the fame thing 
 with the Latin Words Se^a and 
 Dogma y that is, a SeB or Opimon. 
 And accordingly he reckons no 
 ten Seds or Hereiies of the ancient 
 Philofophers. But among the Ec- 
 clefiaftical Writers, fays he, it lig- 
 nifies an Opinion, or SeB that is 
 contrary to the orthodox Faith. 
 But as the eftabli£hed Religion of 
 every Country is that which conftir 
 
 [7] T»K cci^Uiug T?j KOihhiK^i* Eufeb. Hijf. 
 
 JEccL lib, X. cap. 5. 
 
 b4 tutes 
 
xxlv DEDICATION. 
 
 tutes Orthodoxy^ according to the 
 common Senfe of the Word ; hence 
 it is, that they who differ and fe- 
 parate therefrom are generally call- 
 ed Hereticks ; and hence it comes 
 to pafs, that a Perfon may be ef- 
 teemed as very orthodox in Eng- 
 land or Ireland^ who would be 
 deemed as an Heretic at Romey or 
 in other Countries, And for the 
 fame Reafon it was, that the Chrtf- 
 tians were at firft called Heretics 
 in JuddBUy becaufe they feparated 
 from the JewiJJjy which was the 
 eftablifhed Religion of the Coun- 
 trv : and were alfo called Heretics 
 in Rome^ becaufe they refufed join- 
 ing with the Heathen y which was 
 the then eftablifhed Religion there. 
 
 It 
 
DEDICATION. j:xv 
 
 It is therefore poffible that an 
 Heretic may be in the right; ac- 
 cording to the original Senfe of the 
 Word. It is alfo poffible that he 
 may be in the wrong. And there- 
 fore St. Peter fays , [8] There are 
 falfe Teachers among yjti^ who prl-- 
 vdy Jhall bring in damnable Here^ 
 fies^ even denying the Lord that 
 bought them. And St. Paul fays, 
 [9] / hear there are Schifms among 
 you\ and I partly believe it: For 
 
 THERE MUST BE ALSO HeRESIES, 
 
 that they which are approved may 
 be made manifeji. Now there is no 
 other neceffity for Herefies being 
 among them but this: That God 
 
 [8] 2 Pet. ii. I. 
 
 [9] I Cor xi. 18, 19. 
 
 3 did 
 
xxvi DEDICATION. 
 
 did not frame human Nature In 
 fuch a Manner as to neceflitate all 
 Men to be of one Mind ; but hav- 
 ing made Mankind to be free 
 Agents, he left them in the Hand 
 of their own Council^ to chufe their 
 own Opinions for themfelves ,• ac- 
 cording to the Merit or Demerit of 
 which Choice, they will be proper 
 Subjeds for Rewards or Punifb- 
 ments. And therefore, while this 
 Conftitution of human Nature re- 
 mains, there mujl be Schifms, Di- 
 vifions, Herefies, or a Diverfity of 
 Seels among them. And as all Man- 
 kind think themfelves to be in the 
 right, fo they naturally conclude 
 all thofe who differ from them to 
 be in the wrong ; and hence it 
 comes to pafs, that the Word He-- 
 
 retie 
 
DEDICATION, xxvii 
 
 retk is generally ufed In a bad Senfe, 
 thoughbecaufe a Perfon is an Here- 
 tic, or is of a different Se6l from the 
 eftablifLed Religion, it does by no 
 means follow, that therefore he muft 
 be in the wrong. If the Perfons 
 from whom he differs fhould be in- 
 fallible, as it is allowed the Apoftles 
 were, then indeed it would follow, 
 of confequence, that the Heretic 
 or Separatift muft be in an Error. 
 And if, after Inftrudion and Ad- 
 monition, he will not amend, it 
 is then fit he fliould be ejefted, or 
 excommunicated out of the So- 
 ciety of the Faithful, left his Ex- 
 emption from Punifhment jfhould 
 giv^e Encouragement to the Seduc- 
 tion of others ; for though it can- 
 not be fuppofed that his Excommu- 
 nication 
 
xxvili DEDICATION. 
 
 nication will amend himfelf, yet it 
 may contribute to fave other Per- 
 fons. 
 
 And hence it is, that St. Pauly 
 In his Advice to Tttus^ fays, A 
 Man that is an Heretic^ after the 
 firjl andfecond Admonitiony rejeB ; 
 knowing that he that isfuch^ is fuh- 
 verted^ andfinneth^ being condemned 
 of himfelf Which Admonition 
 and Rejeftion fhews the Crime of 
 Herefy to confift in an Error of the 
 Will, rather than of the Judg- 
 ment; for otherwife Titt4s would 
 have been directed to inftrud fuch 
 a Perfon, rather than to admonifh 
 him. But as it is to be fuppofed 
 that Information and Inftrudtion 
 would be firft tried by Titusj even 
 
 before 
 
DE!.DICATiON. xxlx 
 
 before the firft Admonition, there- 
 fore it is the Perverfenefs of his 
 Will, in ftill perfifting in his Seft 
 or Herefy after Admonition, that 
 feems to be the Caufe and Founda- 
 tion of his Excommunication: For, 
 fays St. Patik f^ch a one is fub- 
 verted from the Faith, ^n^ fmneth^ 
 by perfevering therein after Admo- 
 nition ; and is f elf- condemned^ as 
 having no Excufe of Ignorance to 
 plead after his being admonifhed 
 thereof: He may indeed not be 
 f elf -condemned with regard to his 
 Error, becaufe he may not be con- 
 vinced that he is in an Error ; but 
 may think himfelf to be in the 
 right, v^hen he is in the v^rong: 
 Whereas, with regard to his He- 
 refy, 
 
XXX DEDICATION. 
 
 rcfy or Separation from the Church 
 to which he belonged, he cannot 
 be ignorant therof, after Admoni- 
 tion, for differing from the Senfe 
 of the Church ; And therefore if he 
 perfifts therein after being admo- 
 niflhed, he muft h^ felf-condemned^ 
 with regard to his Perfeverance in 
 oppofition to the Church. 
 
 And as every legiflative Power is 
 fo far infallible, as it is the dernier 
 Refort, and only Judge now left 
 upon Earth, of what is. right and 
 wrong, within the Limits of its 
 own Jurifdiclion ; therefore when 
 any Form of Religion hath been 
 cnceeftabUfhed, they who feparate 
 therefrom or aft in direct Oppo- 
 fition to its Commands, are to be 
 
 treated 
 
DEDICATION, xxxi 
 
 treated as if fuch legiflative Power 
 was infallible; and if they will 
 not fubmit, upon Admonition, are 
 to be rejected, to prevent others 
 from being feduced, and to pre- 
 ferve the Peace of Society, 
 
 By which Rejedion or Excom- 
 munication, I do not mean an 
 Exclufion from Civil Rights, and 
 the Protection of the Civil Magi- 
 ftrate,but only from the outward and 
 vifible Communion of the Church, 
 and its faithful Members, and all 
 the particular Benefits which pro- 
 perly belong thereto, or may re- 
 fult therefrom ; from which as it is 
 by their own Choice that they differ, 
 in difobeying its Rules, or rejeding 
 its Communion, it can be no In- 
 
 juftice 
 
xxxii DEDICATION. 
 
 juftice that they fliould be exclud- 
 ed, if they ftill periift in their Dif- 
 obedience after Admonition. 
 
 Since therefore it appears, that a 
 Man's being of a wrong Opinion is 
 not that which properly denomi- 
 nates him an Heretky but rather 
 his being of a diiFerent Opinion 
 from the Majority ; one would 
 be apt to wonder why that Word, 
 in general, fhould have fo bad an 
 Idea annexed to it ,• but that the 
 Anfwer thereto is obvious, viz. 
 That it arifes from our having too 
 great a Fondnefs for ourfelves, and 
 our own Opinions ; and too great 
 an Averfion to thofe who differ in 
 Opinion from us. 
 
 There 
 
DEDICATION, xxxiii 
 
 There is indeed no Reafon to be 
 ajfTigned in general, why Men (hould 
 be more difpleafed with one ano- 
 ther for being of different Opinions, 
 than for their being of different 
 Sizes, or for having a different per- 
 fonal Appearance. And were it 
 not that Experience convinces us 
 of the Matter of Fad, it would 
 be hard to believe that Men's Paf- 
 fions could carry them to that De- 
 gree of Animofity againft each 
 other, on account of Opinions 
 barely fpeculative, which we find 
 pradifed in all Countries, and al- 
 moft all Ages. 
 
 I can very well conceive why 
 Mqn fhould contrad an Averfion 
 
 c and 
 
xxxiv DEDICATION. 
 
 and an Hatred for one another 
 about Opinions where their tempo- 
 ral Interefts are concerned ; and do 
 not wonder v/hen I read, that [i] 
 Demetrius the Silverfmith raifed a 
 Tumult againft Paul at Ephefus^ 
 for fayiug, that they he no Gods 
 which are made with Hands^ be- 
 caufe by this bold Affertion, as 
 Demetrius acknowledged, this Craft 
 was in danger to be fet at nought, 
 and, ye know^ SirSy faid he, that by 
 this Craft we have our Wealth. 
 
 But it is not fo eafy to account 
 why one Man fhould bear an ill 
 Will to his Neighbour, or any of 
 his Fellow-Creatures, for being 0£ 
 
 [ij Ads xix. 24, 
 
 a dif- 
 
DEDICATION, xxxv 
 a different Opinion from him in 
 Matters barely fpeculative, in which 
 the other is no way concerned, 
 further than as he is a [2] Man, 
 and a Lover of Mankind . In which 
 Refped: every Body ought to be fo 
 far concerned for his Fellow- Crea- 
 tures as to do all that lies in his 
 Power to contribute to the Happi- 
 nefs of each other ,• but then this 
 is to be done in a proper, kind, and 
 friendly Manner: And, if that will 
 not prevail, contrary Methods ought 
 by no means to be attempted ; fince 
 that Principle which diredts us to 
 ufe all Men well, can never vindi- 
 cate us in ufing any Man ill. 
 
 [2] Hotno [urn, bumani nihil a me alienum 
 pult, 
 
 CZ If 
 
xxxvi DEDICATION. 
 
 If one Man Is a Chnfitan^ and 
 another is a Jew^ Tm% or Infidel, 
 of any Denomination, there can be 
 no more Reafon for having a Dif- 
 like upon that account to each 
 other, than becaufe they were not 
 all born in the fame Country, or 
 bred up under the fame Tutor, or 
 do not all fpeak the fame Lan- 
 guage; fince ninety-nine in an 
 hundred of thofe who are Chrtjli- 
 ans^ would probably have been 
 Mahometans y if they had been born 
 in Turkey^ and would have imbi- 
 bed their Religion, as they do their 
 native Tongue, along u^ith their 
 Mother's Milk : And the fame may 
 be faid of Jeivs or Mahometans^ 
 that they would have been Chri" 
 ■ . ' JiianSy 
 
DEDICATION, xxxvii 
 
 fi]ans^ if they had been born in a 
 Chrifiian Country, and of Chri- 
 ftian Parents. 
 
 If it pleafes the Almighty to 
 endow one Man with a better Un;^ 
 derftanding, or greater natural Abi- 
 lities of any kind, than his Neigh-- 
 hour, to appoint the Place of his 
 Birth, where he has better Oppor- 
 tunities of being informed in true 
 Religion, or to produce him from 
 fuch Parents as will take care that 
 he is better educated in the Paths 
 of Virtue; thefe are BleiBngs for 
 which he ought to be thankful to 
 his Creator; but are far from be- 
 ing any Reafon why he fhould 
 bear an Ill-will to thofe Perfons, 
 who have not received the fame 
 
 Advantages 
 
xxxvni DEDICATION. 
 
 Advantages from Providence; or 
 why he fhould not live in a kind 
 and neighbourly Manner with them, 
 though he thinks them in an Error 
 with regard to their religious Prin- » 
 ciples. 
 
 And yet Experience convinces 
 us, that the Condud of Mankind 
 is quite otherwife ; which can be 
 attributed to nothing but a vicious 
 Pride in our Nature, which makes 
 us not content with the Applaufe 
 of our own Confcience,. when we 
 think ourfelves in the Right, un- 
 lefs we have the Applaufe of others 
 alfo. And renders us folicitous to 
 gain Followers and Admirers, at 
 the fame Time that it gives us an 
 
 Averfion 
 
DEDICATION, xxxix 
 
 Averfiion for every one that differs 
 in Opinion from us. 
 
 Athanafius^ in anfwer to this 
 Queftion, Iloflsy Asyija; Ar^scr/^; tin-- 
 de dk'ttur Hcerefis? faith, 'Atto tS 
 
 eltgendo &^ profeqtiendo fentenitam 
 fuam privatam. So that the con- 
 ceiving of Error is not that which 
 conftitutes the Crime of Herefy, but 
 theprofecuting and perfevering in it, 
 to the railing of a Party, and ex- 
 citing Followers^ whence alfo the 
 Word SeB is derived ; and for thig 
 Reafon it is that St. Paul reckons uo 
 Hereftes among fuch [3] Works of 
 the Fle&5 as Hatred^ Variance^ E^mi-* 
 
 33] Gal. V. 20, 21. 
 
 c 4 lattons^ 
 
xl DEDICATION. 
 
 lationSy Wrath^ Strife^ Seditions^ 
 EnvyingSy Murder Sy and fuch Itke^ 
 as it is near of Kind to them, and 
 may be the Foundation and Caufe 
 of them. 
 
 What then is it the Duty of any 
 Perfon to do, who is the profeffed 
 Member of any efxablifhed Church, 
 if he fees, or imagines he (c^^y any 
 Errors, either in the Doctrine or 
 Difcipline of that Church ? Muft 
 he, for fear of difturbing the Peace 
 of the Church and being deemed 
 a Schifmatic, or Heretic, fit down 
 quietly, and not endeavour to fet 
 them to Rights? Or, muft he fly 
 ofF, and feparate immediately from 
 it? 
 
 As 
 
DEDICATION xli 
 
 As to the Firft, if Men were not 
 to declare their Opinions, in fpight 
 of Eftablifl^ments either in Church 
 or State, Truth would foon be ba- 
 nifhed the Earth. Error puts on 
 fo much a fairer Outfide, ornaments 
 itfelf with fo many plaufible Ap- 
 pearances, and comes loaded with 
 fo many Bribes to tempt us from 
 pur Duty ; that if Truth did not 
 fometimes fhew itfelf, and exert its 
 Abilities in its own Defence, the 
 World would be foon over- run with 
 Error, as an uncultivated Garden 
 with Weeds. Of which the Expe- 
 rience of Times paft is fufficient to 
 convince us, by the Growth and 
 Continuance of Errors in the Church 
 of Rome^ from the Time that the 
 
 Bible 
 
xHI DEDICATION. 
 
 Bible was fliut, and the Court of 
 Inquifition opened. 
 
 And as to the Second, whoever 
 he is who thinks he ought to fepa- 
 rate from that Church wherein he 
 fees fome Errors, if it will not im- 
 mediately reform and amend them ; 
 and thinks it his Duty to refufe join- 
 ing in Communion with any Set 
 of Men, till he meets with a Con- 
 ftitution, either in Church or State, 
 that is abfolutely free from Errors ; 
 fuch an one, I fear, is not fitted 
 for this World, but muft live by 
 himfelf, till he is conduced into a 
 Society of Angels, 
 
 In my Opinion, therefore, the 
 fniddle Courfe is that which he 
 
 ought 
 
DEDICATION. xUii 
 
 ought to purfuej which in this Af- 
 fair, as well as moft others, is cer- 
 tainly the beft. 
 
 Let us confider how a Perfon in 
 like Circumftancesj with regard to 
 the State, ought to conduit him- 
 felf ; and this may perhaps deter- 
 mine our Behaviour with regard to 
 the other. For we generally talk 
 more calnily, as well as more ra- 
 tionally, concerning the Affairs of 
 the State, than of the Church. 
 
 Suppofe a Perfon fees any Errors 
 in that Conftitution of Government 
 under which he lives ; may he not, 
 ought he not to lay his Opinion 
 before the Legiflative Powers of 
 that Society, in order to procure 
 
xli7 DEDICATION. 
 
 an Amendment of it? I think he 
 ought. But then he ought at the 
 fame time, unlefs in Cafes of the 
 utmoft Neceffity, where the Vitals 
 of the Conftitution are in Danger, 
 not only not to defe t the State, 
 though the Amendment flaould not 
 be made ; but alfo to avoid raifing 
 Parties or Fa&ions in the State, for 
 the Support of his Opinion ; which 
 in the Ecclefiaftical Style, would be 
 called Hereftes. 
 
 But to this it is objeded, that 
 here the Parallel will not hold, be- 
 caufe Men's temporal Interefts will 
 reftrain them from overturning the 
 Eftablifliment of the State; where- 
 as too many would be very glad to 
 have the Eftablifliment of the Church 
 
 quite 
 
DEDICATION, xlv 
 
 quite fet afide. It may therefore 
 be dangerous to begin with making 
 Alterations or Amendments in the 
 Church, left thofe Scaffoldings which 
 are ereded for Repairs, fhould be 
 made ufe of to pull down the whole 
 Fabric. 
 
 With humble Submiflion how- 
 ever to thefe ca-utious Gentlemen, I 
 am under lefs Apprehenfion for the 
 Church than for the State : For, as 
 to the Chrijlian Religion in general, 
 we have the fure Word of Pro- 
 phecy, that the Gates of Hell Jh all 
 not prevail agamjl it. And as to 
 particular Eftablifhments, I fhould 
 apprehend, that the freer they were 
 from Errors, the more likely they 
 would be to ftand. At Icaft, I 
 
 fhould 
 
 X 
 
:^lvi DEDICATION. 
 
 fliould think it would be right to 
 run fome Rifque, and place fome 
 Truft in the Providence of God, 
 rather than let Errors of any Con-- 
 fequence remain. 
 
 But, fay they again, Truth is not 
 to he fpoken at all Times. Which 
 I will allow fo far, as to acknow- 
 ledge, that Prudence and Temper 
 is to be made ufe of even in the 
 Publication of Truth; but not that 
 Truth may be concealed for ever^ 
 under the Pretence, that the Publi- 
 cation of it at prefent would be 
 out of Seafon ; for if Error may be 
 fafely eftabliflied, and Truth con- 
 cealed, how can we vindicate all 
 that Outcry that was made by 
 Protefiants againft the Dodrine of 
 
 Tranfub-- 
 
DEDICATION, xlvii 
 
 TranfuhJlanUauoHy &c ? Since it is 
 nianifeft, that, before the Refor- 
 mation took place, the fame Argu- 
 ments were then made ufe of againft 
 any Innovations in Religion that 
 are now. And all Alterations in 
 the eftabliidied Form of Worfhip 
 were then as much declaimed againft 
 by the Ecclefiaftics of thofe Days 
 as they can be at prefent. 
 
 I am not againft joining the Wif- 
 dom of the Serpent with the Inno- 
 cence of the Dove: But I would 
 not have the Wifdom of the Serpent 
 without the Innocence of the 
 Dove. Let us be as wife as pof- 
 fible in defending what is right in 
 our Eftablifliment, but let us not 
 exert the fame Wifdom in defend- 
 
 in 
 
 g 
 
xlviii DEDICATION. 
 
 ing what is wrong. But, above all, 
 let us, in the Name of God, take 
 care, that our Foundations be clear, 
 and that our Articles and Creeds 
 are free from Error. 
 
 The Author of thefe Papers, 
 though he hath addreffed them to 
 Your Grace, is very feniible, that 
 it is not in Your Power, nor in that 
 of all the Ecclefiaftics of the Land, 
 to alter the eftablilhed Form of Wor- 
 fhip; he knows, that the Aci of 
 Uniformity^ upon which it depends, 
 and of which our Liturgy is a 
 Part, was paffed into a Law, by 
 the joint Confent of the three E- 
 ftates of the Realm ; and he trufts 
 in God, that he never fhall fee the 
 Church independent on the State. 
 
 But, 
 
DEDICATION, xlfx 
 
 But, my Lord, though the Bi- 
 /hops and Clergy, either in or out of 
 Convocation, cannot redrefs, yet 
 they may recommend ; the Author, 
 however, cannot but remark, that he 
 does not recoiled any Inftance in 
 Hiftory, fince the Times of the 
 Apoftles, vi^here the Reformation 
 of Religion in any material Points 
 hath been brought about by the 
 Influence of the Clergy in general ; 
 the Bulk of them, who are always 
 the leaft knowing, being mofi: te- 
 nacious of old Opinions. The 
 Pope, indeed, every now and then, 
 makes fome Reformation of the Ca- 
 lendar of Saints, and ftrikes out a 
 few antiquated Holy-days, in order 
 to make Room for new Canoniza- 
 d tions : 
 
1 DEDICATION. 
 
 tions: But if we are to take our 
 Precedents from what hath hitherto 
 pafied in the Reformation of any 
 material Points in Religion, it muft 
 be efFeded by a few leading Perfons 
 among the Clergy, when fupported 
 by the upper and more thinking 
 Part of the Laity. 
 
 And, as it hath pleafed God and 
 His Majefty to call you to the Pri- 
 macy of this Church, the Author 
 cannot think of any Perfon more pro- 
 per to addrefs himfelf to at prefent, 
 than Your Grace ; as well on ac- 
 count of Your perfonal AbiHties, 
 as af Your Intereft with thofe lead- 
 ing Members of the Society, whe~ 
 ther Laymen or Clergy, who com- 
 pofe the Legiflative Power of this 
 
 Realm. 
 
 And 
 
DEDICATION. li 
 
 And as he thinks this to be the ' 
 moft proper and Chrifiian Method 
 of conveying his own Sentiments 
 to the Powers that he ; fo hath he 
 alfo pubhfhed his Sentiments in the 
 Garb of a metaphyfical Effay, to 
 prevent their falling into the Hands 
 of the lower Clafs of Readers, whofe 
 Thoughts might be difturbed by an 
 Enquiry into Subjefts of this Na- 
 ture ; till by gentle Degrees they 
 come, by the Bleffing of God, to 
 be made a Part of the eftablifhed 
 Religion of the Country ; which 
 will give them a proper Recom- 
 mendation and Weight with thofe, 
 who are not otherwife capable of 
 judging of them. 
 
 Not that he expeds, that every 
 Thing, which he hath advanced 
 
 d 2 in 
 
Ill DEDICATION. 
 
 in this Ejlfay, is to be received bjr 
 his Reader as an Article of Faith, 
 but only that it may have its due 
 Weight in his ferious Confidera- 
 tions; for as he is defirous, that 
 no human Conjectures may be im- 
 pofed upon him, as of equal Au- 
 thority with Divine Revelation ; 
 fo neither does he defire, that his 
 Conjeftures jfhould be obtruded up- 
 on others. 
 
 The Author is thoroughly con-- 
 
 vinced, that Minifters of State will 
 be very cautious, and with great 
 Reafon, how they embroil them- 
 felves with religious Difputes. But 
 as he does not apprehend^ that there 
 is any Need of purfuing violent 
 Methods, fo neither does he exped: 
 that a thorough Reformation of 
 
 every 
 
DEDICATION, liii 
 
 every thing that may be amended, 
 fhould be made all at once. He 
 could wifhj however, that fomething 
 was done, to convince the World, 
 that the Clergy of the Church of 
 Ireland^ are not averfe to a proper 
 Reformation of fuch Parts of her 
 Public Service, as demand a more 
 immediate Revifalj fince, other- 
 wife, they may give Offence by 
 their Obftinacy, and feeming Infal- 
 libility ; and if a Storm fhould 
 arife, may run a Rifque of having 
 that Tree torn up by the Roots, 
 which might have been faved by a 
 little pruning. 
 
 As the Laws of the Land require 
 Subfcriptions to be made to the 
 Canons and Articles of our Reli- 
 gion, only by Clergymen, Fellows 
 d 3 of 
 
Il^r DEDICATION. 
 
 of Colleges, Clerks, and School- 
 Mafters, fo thefe do not feem to 
 need that immediate Redrefs, 
 which thofe Parts of our Worfhip 
 require, in which the whole Com- 
 munity are expelled to join. 
 
 He thinks, that he need not in- 
 form Your Grace, That that Creed, 
 which is commonly called the 
 Athanafian Creed, hath of a long 
 Time given Oiience, and conti- 
 nueth to give great Offence to 
 many People, And indeed not 
 without Reafon, if we confider it 
 only in this Light, that the Sub- 
 je£t of a great Part of it, is a Theo- 
 logico-Metaphyfical Difpute, which 
 few, if any, of the Learned under- 
 ftand; but is undoubtedly above 
 the Capacity of the Vulgar j and 
 
 yet, 
 
DEDICATION. h 
 
 yet, by being made a Part of our 
 Public Service, every Body, as well 
 low as high, is required to alTent 
 to it. 
 
 It is alfo now univerfally acknow- 
 ledged among the Learned, that it 
 was originally a fpuriousProduftion, 
 impofed upon the World under the 
 Name of Athanafmsy till deteded 
 by the Criticifms of the learned 
 Vojfius. But, fuppofing it had been 
 a genuine Piece, and had been un- 
 doubtedly written by Athanafius^ 
 therecanbe noReafonaffigned, why 
 the Members of the Church of Ire- 
 la^d (hould be tied down to affent to 
 the Compofitions of a private Perfon, 
 who had no other Merit, which the 
 Author can find, for being declared 
 a Saint, but his bafe and low Sub- 
 d 4 million 
 
IvI DEDICATION. 
 
 million to the Biflbop o^Rome^ who 
 had no legal Authority over him ; 
 and his infolent Behaviour to his 
 lawful Prince, who undoubtedly 
 had a Right to his Obedience. 
 
 The Author does, by no means, 
 prefume to prefer ibe to YourGRACE'; 
 but he thinks himfeif in duty oblig- 
 ed to recommend it to Your Con- 
 fideration, whether the iirft Step 
 to be taken is not to try to get the 
 Words in the Declaration of Affent 
 and Confent made agreeable to the 
 Intention of the Aft, which was 
 attempted in England^ A.D. 166 1^ 
 about a Year after the laft AB of 
 Umformhyy and paffed the Houfe 
 of Lords, but was thrown out in 
 the Houfe of Commons, by the 
 then over-ruling Influence of the 
 
 Duke 
 
DEDICATION. Ivii 
 
 Duke of Torky and his Party, who 
 did not let the Claufe propofed pafs 
 even the Houfe of Lords without 
 a Ptoteft. But, as we are now, 
 thank God, free from any Appre- 
 henfionsof the prevailing Influence 
 offuchan Adminiftration, he hopes 
 Your Grace will not decHne mak-- 
 ing the Attempt here, as he ap- 
 prehends it will open a Freedom of 
 Converfation among thofe Perfons, 
 who have hitherto imagined them- 
 felves to be Tongue- tied, by having 
 publicly and abfolutely given their 
 unfeigned Aflent and Confent to all 
 and every thing contained in the 
 Book of Common-Prayer^ 
 
 Which will be a proper, if not 
 neceflary. Preparative to a gradual 
 Reception of thofe further Emen- 
 dations 
 
Iviii DEDICATION. 
 
 dations of our Liturgy^ which are 
 propofed by feme anonymous Au- 
 thors, in the fecond Edition of a 
 Book, lately publifhed, entitled 
 Free and candid D'tfqmfittom relat- 
 ing to the Church ^/England. With 
 whom, though the Author of thefe 
 Papers does not agree in Opinion, 
 concerning the Dodrine contained 
 in the Athanafian Creed, and a few 
 other Particulars: Yet he cannot 
 avoid giving them their due Com- 
 mendations, for the true Chrijiian 
 Spirit of Candour, Moderation, and 
 Meeknefs, which breathes through 
 their whole Performance. 
 
 It is indeed prohibited by the 
 AB of Uniformityy under fevere 
 Penalties, for any Perfon to preachy 
 declare^ or /peak any thing to the 
 
 Dero- 
 
DEDICATION. Hx 
 
 'Derogation or depraving the Book 
 of Common -Prayer, or any Part 
 thereof*^ whichs however, is by no 
 means inconfiftent with that Chrl" 
 ji'tan Liberty of a decent and free 
 Ufe either of Converfation, or of 
 the Prefs, concerning any Altera- 
 tions or Amendments, which it may 
 be right and prudent to have made 
 therein. As he apprehends, that 
 every Perfon is liable to be punifh- 
 ed by the Laws of the Land, who 
 fliall preachy declare^ or /peak to 
 the Derogation or depraving any 
 Ad of Parliament, while it conti- 
 nues in Force; And yet common 
 Reafon, as well as common Cuftom, 
 allows every Perfon to propofe Al- 
 terations, and fpeak his Mind with 
 regard to any Amendments, which 
 
 may 
 
Ix DEDICATION. 
 
 may be made therein, provided it 
 be done with common Decency, 
 and a due Refped: to the Legifla- 
 live Powers of the Realm. 
 
 And when this is complied with, 
 he then looks upon it as the Duty 
 of fuch as fee any Errors in the 
 Conftitution, either of Church or 
 State, to lay their Sentiments be- 
 fore the Powers that bey in order 
 to produce an Amendment ; which 
 is the Motive that prevails with the 
 Author of thefe Papers, to give 
 Your Grace the Trouble of this 
 Addrefs; and to recommend to 
 thofe in Authority the Confidera- 
 tion of the Advice given by the 
 learned and x^igiovisT>x, Hammond y 
 inhisTreatife, entitled, [^]^Fiew 
 
 [4] See Sea. 40. 
 
DEDICATION. Ixi 
 
 of the new DireBory. Where, fpeak- 
 inff in favour of the Moderation 
 ufed in our Church-Catechifm, he 
 faith, ^^ If we would all keep our- 
 ^' felves within that Moderation, and 
 " propofe no larger Catalogue of 
 " Credenda to be believed by all than 
 ^^ the Apojlles Creed j as it is ex- 
 " plained in our Catechlfm^ doth 
 ^^ propofe ,• and lay the greater 
 " Weight upon the Confideratioa 
 ^^ and Performance of the Vow 
 <« of Baptifni, and all the Com- 
 *' mands of God, as they are ex* 
 " plained by Chr'tfi ; — Ifhould be 
 ^^ confident there would be lefs hat- 
 ^* ing and damning one another, 
 '^ (which is moft ordinarily forOpi- 
 «^ nions) more Ptety and Charity^ 
 " and fo true Chrifiianhy among 
 
 '^ Chrijiiam 
 
Ixii DEDICATION. 
 
 ^' Chrifiians and Protejiants^ than 
 ^^ hath hitherto been met with." 
 Which would be the moft proper 
 Method that could be taken, to ren- 
 der the Church o^ Ireland truly 
 catholic ; not by driving Members 
 out of its Paky on account of hu- 
 man Appointments and Determina- 
 tions, in imitation of the Church of 
 Rome ; but by opening the Gates^of 
 its Communion as wide as was con- 
 fiftent with theGofpel oiChriJi. 
 
 The Preface to our Book of Com- 
 mon-Prayer declares, that " the parti- 
 *^ cular Forms of divineWorihip, and 
 ^^ the Rites and Ceremonies appoint- 
 '^ ed to be ufed therein, being Things 
 ^' in their own Nature indifferent 
 *' and alterable, and fo acknow- 
 *^ ledged, it is but reafonable, that 
 ^^ upon weighty and important Con- 
 
 fider- 
 
DEDICATION. Ixlii 
 
 *' fiderations, according to the various 
 " Exigencies of Times and Occafions, 
 " fuch Changes and Alterations may 
 ^' be made therein, as to thofethat are 
 *' in Place and Authority fliould, 
 ^ fromTimetoTime J feem either ne- 
 ^' ceflary or expedient," 
 
 The Eyes of Mankind have been 
 greatly opened, not only fince the 
 Reformation, but even fiince the 
 Revolution. And that Liberty of 
 Converfation and the Prefs, vi^hich 
 the Inhabitants of thefe Kingdoms 
 have ever fince been glorioufly indul- 
 ged in, hath much promoted a Free- 
 dom of thinking, which was curbed 
 and kept down, during the Domi-- 
 nion and Influence of P^^^ry. 
 
 And as at prefent the Generality of 
 
 thefe Nations feem more inclinable 
 
 to liften to Reafon than formerly, the 
 
 Author of thefe Papers hath that Con- 
 
 I '^ fidence 
 
kiv DEDICATION. 
 
 fidence both in the Soundnefs of 
 Your Grace's Judgment, and the 
 Prudence of Your Condud, that he 
 makes no Doubt of Your doing every- 
 thing that is proper upon this Occa- 
 jfion, to remove thofe Rocks of Of- 
 fence, which He in the way of fo 
 many well-meaning Perfons. 
 
 This Attempt of his, he thinks, 
 however, for many Reafons, to be 
 worth the making, becaufe, though 
 it fhould not fucceed, yet he is fure 
 of having that Satisfadion from it, 
 that he can fay, Liberavi Ammam 
 meam ; See ye to it : And that it 
 furnifhes him with an Opportunity 
 of profefling himfelf to be 
 2^/^r Grace's 
 
 Mojl devoted^ and 
 Moft obedient 
 Humble Servant. 
 
[I] 
 
 AN 
 
 ESS AY 
 
 O N 
 
 SPIRIT. 
 
 l^rnp^HE Opinion of [i] Sptnofa was, 
 I that there is no other Subjiance 
 -*^ in Nature but God: That 
 Modes cannot fubfift, or be conceived, with- 
 out a Subftance: That there is nothing in 
 Nature but Modes and Subflances: And 
 that therefore every thing mufl be concei- 
 ved as fubfifting in God. 
 
 ' Which Opinion, with fome few Al- 
 terations, hath been embraced and culti- 
 
 [i] Prater Deum nulla datar, nee concipl poteft 5«^- 
 Jlantia, (per Propofit. xiv.) hoc eft (per Defin.) R^s, qu^ in 
 fe eft, & per fe concipitur. Modi autem (per De^n. v.) fine 
 Subftantia, nee effe, nee concipi pofTunt : Quare hi in fola 
 divina naturaeffe, & per ipfam folam concipi pofTunt. 
 
 Spin. Oper pojih, Ethicespar. I. p^^-g- ^2. 
 
 B vated. 
 
2 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 vated, by P. Malbranche and Bifhop Berke- 
 ley. 
 
 II. It may indeed be aflerted, that there 
 is in Nature but one Self-exiftent Being, 
 Subfiftence, or Subiflance, which, by way 
 of Eminence, may therefore be called the 
 Siibjfance ; or, figuratively and comparative- 
 ly fpeaking, the only Beingy Subjtftence, or 
 Stibjiance in Nature. For by thefe three 
 Words, I would be underftood to mean one 
 and the fame Thing. The Logicians de- 
 fine Subjiantia to be Ens per fe fubjijiejis, 
 & fubftans accidentibus. And I mean the 
 fame Thing by a Beings Exijlencey Subjijl" 
 ence^ or Subjlance 5 that is, fomething ca- 
 pable of fupporting Modes, AccidejitSy Re- 
 lations , or Properties y which are only diffe- 
 rent Words, to denote the various Manners 
 or ModeSy by which Exiflent Beings can raifc 
 Ideas in our Minds, or, which is the fame 
 Thing, can become knowable by us. Eve- 
 ry Exiftence or Being, I therefore call a 
 Subftance ; the Manner in which it makes 
 an Impreffion on our Minds, I call a Mode^ 
 and the Effe^St or Impreffion, which is 
 thereby made upon the Mind, I call an 
 
 Idea, 
 
 Nov/ 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 3 
 Now as Nothing can have no Proper^ 
 tiesy wherever we perceive any Properties, 
 we therefore reafonably conclude, that there 
 muft be Somethings that is, fome Exi- 
 ftence or other to fupport them. Hence the 
 Maxim laid down by Spinofa^ Modi fme 
 Subjiantia^ nee ejfe^ nee coiicipi poffunt \ Ox 
 as Sir IJaac Newton exprefleth it [2]yVirfus 
 fine ^iibjlantia fiibfjiere non potejl, • 
 
 And as God is the only Self-exiftent Be- 
 ing, therefore he may comparatively fpeak- 
 ing, be faid to be the only Being in Nature. 
 And accordingly, when Mofe^ enquired of 
 God, by what Name he fliould^ make him 
 known to the Children of i/r^^/, God faid, 
 \^l^hus Jhalt thou fay to the Children of 
 Ifrael, I am hath fent me unto you. That 
 is, I that A M hath fent me unto you.; for fo 
 it fhould have been rendered. And there- 
 fore, in the firfl P^rt of the Verfe, where 
 God faith unto Mofes, I am tkat^ I am \ it 
 fhould be rendered I a m that am, as it is 
 by the Septuagint, lyd 21(^1 o ^yy, that is, Ia?n 
 be that is, or thatexifts, as if, comparatively 
 fpeaking, there v/as no ether Being or Ex- 
 iftcnce but God, 
 
 [2] Newt. Prhic, Schi. gen. p,/^Si. [3] Kxod. ill. 14. 
 
 B 2 From 
 
4 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 From which Paflage it probably was, 
 that [4] Plato borrowed his Notion of the 
 Name of God, when he aflerted, that the 
 Word \<^\y eji'^ is folely appHcable to the 
 eternal Nature of God. And from him it 
 alfo probably was, that the Word «, /. e. 
 thou arty was all that was written on the 
 Door of the Delphic Temple : Upon which 
 Plutarch remarks, that this Word is folely 
 applicable to God, fince that which truly 
 is muft be fempiternal. 
 
 All which is true, when we fpeak of 
 GJod in a figurative and lefs corredt Man- 
 ner, only in Comparifon with the Creatures 
 that have been made by him; between 
 whom and their Creator there is no Pro- 
 portion 5 and which, when confidered in 
 Comparifon with him, are as Nothing. 
 Which is the View that God is to be confi- 
 dered in, as fpoken of in the above-men- 
 tioned Paffages, quoted out of the Books 
 oi Mofes^ and the Theological Works of 
 Plato, 
 
 [4] Plato, TlmaEUsi 
 
 IIL But 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 5 
 
 III. But when we fpeak of God and his 
 Works, in a philofophical and more accu- 
 rate Manner, this will not hold. Since, as 
 Des Cartes truly argues, I know that I exiji. 
 1 cannot be deceived in this. If therefore I 
 exift, and that I am not God, then there 
 is another Exiftence in Nature befide God. 
 I hope I cannot be thought fo abfurd, or fo 
 impious, as to imagine, that there are more 
 Gods than one\ or that I did not receive 
 my Exiftence from the Will and Power of 
 God : The Confcioufneis of my own Ex- 
 iftence necelTarily leads me to a firft Caufe, 
 which firfl Caufe can only be one 5 becaufe 
 two firft Caufes are a Contradiftion in 
 Terms. Every Thing therefore that exifts, 
 befide that Firjl Caufe, which Way foever 
 it is brought forth into Being, whether it be 
 begotten^ emanated^ created^ ox fpoken forth ^ 
 it muft proceed from, and owe its Exiftence 
 to the [5] Will, as well as Power of that firft 
 Caufe. However, fure I am, that fince I 
 
 [5] Jthananajtas acknowledges it to be impious, to fay 
 that God the Father was neceflitated to aft, even when he 
 begat the Son : And allows alfo that neither the Son nor 
 Holy Spirit are the firft Caufe ; but the Father alone, and 
 that the Son and Holy Spirit were both caufed. Jihm'.j 
 Vol. X. p. 512. /</. Vol.11, p. 442, 443. 
 
 B 3 ^ do 
 
6 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT 
 do exift, I exifl as a feparate and diftindl 
 Exigence from God ; though not indepen- 
 dent of him, 
 
 IV. And as my own Confcioufnefs con- 
 vinces me of my own Exiftence, fo does 
 the fame Faculty convince me, that this Ex- 
 iftence of mine is compofed of two very dif- 
 ferent Kinds of Exiftence, that is of a think- 
 ing, adive, powerful, Exiftence ; and a dull, 
 heavy, inadlive, Exiftence. One of which, 
 to wit, the adive, we will, for Diftindion 
 fake, without entering into any further me- 
 taphyfical Difputes about Words, call the fpi- 
 ritual Exiftence, Subfiftence, or Subftance ; 
 and the other, 'uiz, the inactive, we will call 
 the material or bodily Exiftence ; and fome- 
 times, for Brevity fake, we will call one Spi-^ 
 rity and the other Matter or Body. 
 
 V. Wherein the Nature orEffence, either 
 of this material or this fpiritual Subftance 
 doesconfift, we are entirely ignorant; for 
 we know them only by the Eff^edls or the 
 Influence, which fome of their Modes or 
 Properties have upon our Minds. ThuSj 
 for Example, though we are capable of per- 
 ceiving the Hardnefs, Colour, Figure, &c. 
 
 of 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 7 
 of material Exiftences ; yet are we entirely 
 ignorant, what it is thatfupports thofe Pro- 
 perties; or wherein the Nature, Effence, 
 or Identity of Body does confift, when the 
 Hardnefs, Figure, Colour, &c. is either 
 altered or removed. In like Manner, we 
 are equally ignorant of the Nature or Ef- 
 fence of Spirit : We know indeed fome of 
 the Properties thereof, fuch as. Perception 
 Thinking, Willing, Doubting, &c. But we 
 know not the Effence of that fpiritual Be- 
 ing within us, which perceives, thinks, 
 wills, or doubts, &c, 
 
 VI. And though we know not wherein the 
 Nature or Effence, either qf Body or Spirit 
 does confift : yet we find by Experience, 
 that is, from the Effeds which we feel from 
 within, and from without ourfelves, that 
 thefe tvvo Kinds of Exiftences, of which 
 the human Conftitution is compofed, have 
 very different and inconfiftent Properties: 
 As for Example, that one has the Power 
 of Motion in itfelf; whereas the other can 
 neither put itfelf into Motion, nor put a 
 Stop to its own Motions, when once begun ; 
 whence we reafonably conclude, that their 
 l^atur^s or Effence are alfo different. 
 
 B 4 VII, We 
 
8 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 VII. We likewife find, from Experience, 
 that there is a Difference between necef- 
 fary and voluntary Motion 5 and that fome 
 Agents have a Vovjer of Beginning, vary- 
 ing, and putting a Stop to their own Mo- 
 tions ad libitum y while others invariably 
 aft after one regular, conftant, and uniform 
 Method of proceeding, equally and at all 
 Times. And although it is not eafy to de- 
 termine the Boundaries between thofe two 
 Species of Beings, the Gradation from the 
 one to the other, in fome Inftances being fo 
 exceedingly exquifite, as for Example, be- 
 tween the vegetable and the animal Part of 
 the Creation, as to render the Diftindion 
 hardly perceptible ; yet fure we are of the 
 Matter of Fa6t, viz. that there are fome Be- 
 ings, which arecapable of voluntary Self-Mo- 
 tion, whereas we find, by Experience, that 
 others are not : And fince we find, by re- 
 peated Experiments, that that Kind of Ex- 
 iftence, which we call Matter, is incapable 
 of producing any Kind of Motion, either 
 voluntary or involuntary ; whenever we fee 
 any thing moved, we may fairly conclude 
 the firft Author, or Caufe of that Motion, 
 to be what we call Spirit. 
 
 VIII. It 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 9 
 
 VIIL It is beyond the Reach of human 
 Abilities to explain, how thefe two different 
 Kinds of Exiftence, the adtive and inadive, 
 can have an Influence, or can pofTibly affeft 
 each other. When we fee a Stone defcend to 
 the Ground, we are not much furprifed, 
 becaufe it is common 3 but certain it is, 
 that the original Caiife of that Motion 
 muft be fome Spirit or other ; not only with 
 regard to the Petermination of that Mo- 
 tion, but alfo with regard to the whole 
 Momentum of it : Since, as Nothing can 
 a5i where it is not^ that Power whereby 
 any Body continues in Motion, is as much 
 the Effecft of fome concomitant Spirit, as 
 the Power which put it firft in Motion, 
 
 IX. That Power alfo, whereby Matter 
 i§ enabled to refiji Motion, is as much the 
 Effed: of Spirit, as that whereby it is ena- 
 bled to continue in Motion, when once com- 
 municated ; Since Matter, as Matter, cannot 
 poffibly exert any adive Power of any Kind, 
 either in beginning, continuing, or refifting of 
 Motion. It may remain at Reft, by virtue 
 of its own Inadivity ; but if no adive 
 Power with- held it, a Mountain would be 
 
 as 
 
10 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 as eafily moved as a Mole-hill. Becaufe 
 that Refiftance, Weight, or Gravity is occa- 
 fioned by nothing elfe but the Tendency of 
 one Body towards another, impelled thereto 
 by the attradive Force of fome Spirit, 
 Which Tendency^ or attractive Power, be-- 
 ing in Proportion fo the [6] Quantity of 
 .Matter, makes the Difference of Weight or 
 Gravity in Bodies. When therefore this 
 Tendency is removed, there will be no 
 Difference in their Gravity ; becaufe none of 
 them, whether large or little, will have any 
 at all: And of Confequence; their Power 
 of Refiftance will be deflroyed. Which 
 plainly proves, that Refiftance is fomething 
 •more than bare Inability, or a Want of 
 Power, or a Negation of Spirit, as the Au- 
 thor of [7] Sins afferts it only to be. 
 
 X. And as there can be no Motion, 
 without a Diredtion or Determination being 
 
 [6] Ha6lenus phaenomena Coelorum & Maris noftri per 
 vim Gravitatis expoiui ; fed caufam Gravitatis nondum af- 
 fignavi. Oritur utique haec Vis a Caufa aliqua, quae pene- 
 tratad ufque Centra Solis & Planetarum fine Virtutis dimi- 
 nutione ; qusque agit, non pro quantitate Supecficierum 
 Particularum in quas agit, (ut folent caufx mechanicas) fed 
 pro quantitate Materia^ foiidx. Newt. Prjrc. Schol. ge>u 
 p. 482. 
 
 j'7] Siris, Sea. 290. 
 
 1 given 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, ir 
 
 given to that Motion ; hence it will follow, 
 that every Being, capable of moving, either 
 jtfelf, or any thing elfe, muft alfo be en- 
 dowed with an IntelleB, or Underftanding, 
 capable of diredling that Motion. And as 
 nothing can adt where it is not, hence alfo 
 it is that Attraftion, or Gravity, does not 
 operate in proportion to the Superficies of 
 , Bodies, but according to the Quantity of 
 Matter; becaufe every, even the leaft Par- 
 ticle of adtive, or attradive Matter, mufl: 
 be diredled in its Motions by fome Spirit, 
 united to that Matter, which may have juft 
 fuch a Quantity of Intelled communicated 
 to it by its Creator, as will enable it to per- 
 form thofe Fundions, which are afligned it 
 by its Creator, in order to carry on the gc- 
 jieral Oeconomy of this Univerfe. 
 
 Which Fundions, all adive Beings that 
 are not endowed with a Freedom of Will, 
 mufl conftantly and regularly perform, when- 
 ever there is an Opportunity given them of 
 exerting thoie Faculties. And therefore, if 
 they are appointed to perform the Opera- 
 tions oiAttra^ion^ni Re p u Ifion, ihcy mufl.-, 
 as neceffary Agents, always attraSi or re- 
 ^4 at certain Diftances, and according to 
 
 certain 
 
12 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 certain and flated Rules, prefcribed by their 
 great Creator ; and will never vary in their 
 Tendency towards this Body, or their Aver- 
 fion from that ; but will for ever afl: in one 
 uniform Way of attrading or repelling the 
 fame Bodies, and in one regular, conftant, 
 Method of Proceeding. From the Obfer- 
 vance of which Operations, thofe Rules, 
 which are called the Laws of Motion, are 
 deduced by the Curious. 
 
 XI. All Nature, therefore, feems to be 
 animated, or alive ; and this whole World 
 to be replete with Spirits formed with diffe- 
 rent Kinds and Degrees of Abilities, accord- 
 ing to the various Ends and Ufes, for 
 which they were defigned by their Creator. 
 The Difference of whofe intelledlual Fa- 
 culties may not only confifl in the Difference 
 of their original Formation as Spirits ; but 
 aifo in the difierent Inlets for Knowledge, 
 through the Tegument of that Body to 
 w^hich they are united, and by which the 
 Spirit within is capable of receiving any 
 Kind of Information, for the Improvement 
 pf its own Underftanding, 
 
 Buf 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 13 
 
 But if the Almighty is pleafed to add a 
 Liberty of Will to this afllve IntelledV, 
 and create Spirits endowed with a Power 
 oi voluntary Motmi, then it feems neceffary 
 that Almighty God (hould confer alfo upon 
 fuch intelligent Spirits, fuch Faculties and 
 Powers, as would enable them to be ca- 
 pable of perceiving Pleafure or Pain ; fince 
 nothing elfe, but a Senfe of one or other of 
 thefe, feems capable of determining the 
 'Will to aft. For if the Senfation of Plea- 
 fare or Pain be removed from the Will, there 
 can be no Reafon or Caufe for it to prefer 
 one Motion to another, and of confequence, 
 no Diredton or Determination. 
 
 XII. And hence may be deduced the fol- 
 lowing Obfervations : That to fuch a Be- 
 ing every thing may be called Good, that 
 giveth Pleafure j and every thing Evil, that 
 produceth Pain. The higheft Pleafure, 
 which any Being is capable of enjoying, may 
 be called its Happinefs\ and the higheft 
 Pain, Mifery. Now as the Ufe of all Pain 
 is to determine our Motions, fo that when 
 we feel or fear Pain, we may be thereby ex- 
 cited to new Adtions, for our own Pre- 
 
 fervation 
 
14 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 fervation and Delight; hence it appears, 
 that Evil takes its Origi?i from the Good- 
 nefs of God, in which it will alfo be 
 finally abforbed, when Pain fnall be no 
 more. The Will cannot be at Liberty to 
 chufe Evil as Evil. But as Pain may be 
 produdive of Pleafure, or Pleafure be pro- 
 dudive of Pain, hence it comes to pafs, 
 that free Agents, by being deceived, through 
 their Ignorance or Paffions, may chufe 
 Evil under the Appearance of Good ; and 
 herein confifts human Freedom ; not in the 
 Power of chufing Evil, but in the Power of 
 chufing what feems Good from among a 
 Variety of Good, whether real or apparent : 
 And herein lies the Difference between the 
 Freedom of God and of Man; that as fallible 
 Men may chufe an apparent Good, in- 
 ftead of a real one, they, by being liable 
 to be deceived, are free, by that Means, 
 to chufe Evil, inftead of Good : Whereas 
 God, who cannot be deceived, is only free 
 to chufe out of that infinite Variety of real 
 Good, which his Will and his Wifdom may 
 didlate.— And laftly, That Virtue, Wifdom, 
 Prudence, &c. in Mankind, may be con- 
 fidered only as various Names, for the feve- 
 ral Powers given to them, and the different 
 
 Methods 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 15 
 
 Methods ufed by them in the Attainment of 
 Happinefs, and avoiding of Milery. And 
 lience alfo Self-Love may be looked upon, 
 in Nature, as the Principle of all voluntary 
 Adion 3 and the Foundation of all Mora- 
 lity, 
 
 XIII. We find, by Experience, that there 
 are fome voluntary felf-moving Beings here 
 upon Earth, which have but one or two 
 Methods of furnifhing their Minds with the 
 Senfe of Pleafure, or of Pain ; others have 
 three; others four; others five; which 
 are commonly known by the Name of 
 Senfcs; to which rational Beings have one 
 more added, which is that of inward Re- 
 fledion. And therefore, the Author of 
 tlie Book of Ecclefiajiicus, fpeaking of the 
 Formation of Mankind, fays [8], Tkcy rc^ 
 ceived the life of the Jive Operatiom of the 
 Lord, and in the fixth Place he iwparted to 
 them Vnderjlanding. 
 
 XIV. But let their Number be never {0 
 various, they may, in general, be reduced 
 to thefe two. Firft, thofe Methods of In- 
 formation, which the Mind of any Bein^^, 
 
 rsl Ecclu? xvii, 6, 
 
 com-' 
 
i6 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 compofed of Body and Spirit, is capable of 
 being afFecfled with, by the Intervention of 
 the Senfes; which furnifh the Mind with 
 fuch Ideas as may be called the Ideas of Sen" 
 fatioriy becaufe they are conveyed to the 
 Mind through the Organs of Senfation. Or, 
 fecondly, thofe Methods of Information, 
 . which the Spirit of any felf-moving Agent 
 is capable of being affedled with, by its 
 own reflex Ads upon itfelf; by the Means 
 of which, the Mind is furniflied with fuch 
 Ideas, as may properly be called Ideas of 
 Refe^iion. 
 
 XV And indeeed it is in thefe reflex Ads 
 of the human Spirit, that is, in the Power 
 which the human Spirit is endowed with, 
 jfirft, in perceiving its own internal Opera- 
 tions in Thinking ^ and, fecondly, in being 
 able to turn back its perceptive Faculty, to 
 its paft Perceptions, that the chief Differ- 
 ence feems to confift, between the Spirit 
 of Man, and the Spirit of Brutes 5 or be- 
 tween the rational, and that which i^ com- 
 monly called the Animal^ Creation. 
 
 XVI. By the Affiflance, however, of thefe 
 
 two Faculties, that is, of Senfation and Re^ 
 
 1 flexion 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, i^ 
 
 flexioUy the Spirit of Man is furnifhed with 
 all thofe Ideas, which fill the human Mind ; 
 and fapply it with Objeds of intellediilaly 
 as wfell ^s fenfual Pleafures. The latter of 
 which it is, that ftrikes as foonell: and 
 ftrongeft, as being moft neceflary for the 
 immediate Ufe, atld Prefervation of Life. 
 And accordingly, we find, that the human 
 Mind requires a kind of Ripening, before 
 it is capable of making any reflex Ads up- 
 on its own Operations, or having arJy Re- 
 li(h for intelledual Pleafures. Upori which 
 Account it muft be ackhowledged to have 
 been one great Advantage, which Adam 
 had over all his Poflerity, that his intellec- 
 tual Faculties came veith him into thd 
 World in their full Force ; by which Means, 
 he was free from that Biafs in favour of 
 fenfual Pleafures, v/hich all his Offspring 
 have, ever fince, neceflarily, laboured un- 
 der, by an Habit of being indulged in 
 fenfual Gratifications, from their Infancy^ 
 till they come to a Maturity of Judgment ; 
 during which whole Time, the human Will 
 hath no Relifh for any Pleafures, but fuch 
 as enter in by the Senfes. 
 
 G XVII. The 
 
i8 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 XVII. The Spirit of Man, therefore, 
 being furniftied with Ideas by the Opera- 
 tion of the two Faculties of Senfation and 
 Refiexion ; when the Mind begins to ope- 
 rate a-new, its Operations are called by 
 different Names, according to the different 
 Ufe it makes of thofe Ideas. For when 
 the Spirit retains any Ideas in View, and 
 collates, or compares, them together, this 
 A6t of the Spirit is called Thifikifig, The 
 Continuation of which A6t is called Atten- 
 tion, When it depoiites its Ideas in the 
 Store-Houfe, or Trealury, of the Mind, 
 for future Recolledlion, and produces them 
 back, upon Occafion, in the fame Manner 
 as they were depofited ^ this Acft is called 
 Memory : But when it varies, alters, and 
 compounds them, fo that they are not the 
 fame, as when depofited ; this AcS is called 
 Imagination. 
 
 XVIII. When the Spirit, by collating 
 and comparing Ideas together, finds out the 
 Agreement, or Difagreement, of thofe Ideas j 
 this Operation produceth Knowledge^ and is, 
 by the Logicians, called Judgment : But 
 when the Spirit is miflaksn in this Opera- 
 tion, 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 19 
 
 tion, and imagines Ideas to have an Agree- 
 ment, which have no Agreement, and, vice 
 njerfa, this Operation produceth Error. 
 
 XIX. When this Agreementj or Dlfa- 
 greement, of Ideas, ftrikes the Mind at 
 once, without the Intervention of any third 
 Idea, to prove their Agreement, or Difa- 
 greement with one another ; this is intuit 
 five Knowledge : Which is fo called, from 
 its Refemblance to the Information, which 
 the Mind receives by the Senfation of Sight 5 
 becaufe it perceives thofe Kinds of Truth, 
 as the Eye does Light, only by being dire(ft- 
 ed to them: The Objedls of which are 
 thofe Propofitions, that are called felf-evi^ 
 dent Truths : Such as, that two and two 
 make four 5 that the Whole is greater than ai 
 Part 5 that Happinefs is preferable to Mi- 
 fery, <Q?r. which the Mind cannot but af- 
 fent to, as foon as it is made to underftand 
 the Meaning of thofe Terms, and which 
 can no more be proved, or demonftrated, 
 than limple Ideas can be defined 5 as being 
 themfelves the Foundation of all Knowledge 
 and Demonftration. 
 
 C 2 XX, But 
 
20 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 XX. But when the Mind is employed in 
 a more complicated Operation, that is, in 
 comparing together thofe Relations, or this 
 Knowledge which we have acquired of the 
 Agreement, or Difagreement of our Ideas ; 
 or, which is the fame thing, when the Mind, 
 by comparing the Propofitions, which re- 
 lult from the Agreement, or Difagreement, 
 of our Ideas, from thence deduces certain 
 Conclufions ; this Operation of the Spirit, is 
 called Keafoning. 
 
 The Neceflity and Laborioufnefs of 
 which Operation, in order to arrive at 
 Truth, (hews the Imperfeftion of human 
 Nature 3 fince we find, by Experience, 
 that there is but a very llnall Part of Know- 
 ledge, which is fo felf-evident to us, as to be 
 intuitive. Whereas Beings of a fuperior Na- 
 ture, have, probably, their intuitive Know- 
 ledge enlarged, in proportion to the Excel- 
 lency of their Natures : By which Means, 
 thole Degrees of Knowledge, which hu- 
 man Beings are groping after, by long and 
 tedious Dedudions of Reafon, are open, 
 at once, to the Eyes of their Underflanding, 
 and ftrike them, at once, with an intuitive 
 
 View J 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 21 
 View ', which is always the more extenfive, 
 in proportion to the Excellency of their Na- 
 tures. 
 
 XXI. And hence it is, that [9] Plafo^ 
 fpeaking of human Abilities in the In- 
 veftigation of Truth, calls it, beholding 
 Tibings in the Glafs of Reafon : Which he 
 explains, by faying, That as they who con- 
 template an Eclipfe of the Sun, lofe the 
 Sight of it, unlefs they are fo careful as to 
 view its Reflexion in Water, or to look at 
 it through fome Medium, fuch as thick 
 Glafs J fo the Eye of an human Spirit is too 
 wqak to find out Truth, unlefs it looks at 
 it through the Medium of Reafon ; which 
 St. Paul alfo calls [i] feeing through a Glafs 
 darkly, 
 
 XXII. V/e do indeed fee through a Glafs 
 darkly, by the Means of this Tegument of 
 Flefli ; this earthly Tabernacle, that en- 
 compafleth our Spirit : Since it is manifeft, 
 that the intelligent Spirit within Man is, in 
 itfelf, endowed with Faculties, greatly fu- 
 perior to thofe Powers it exercifeth in the 
 human Underftanding ; and performs many 
 
 [9] Plato in fi&^r/i?. [i] iCor. xiii. 12. 
 
 C 3 Ope- 
 
22 AN ESSAY ON spirit; 
 
 Operations within us, and upon us, that 
 are not only above our Power to diredl, but 
 above our Underftanding to comprehend, 
 That Power, which is conftantly working, 
 within us, to form and preferve the regular 
 Difpofition of our bodily Organs, and to 
 change the Food which we eat, into Blood, 
 into Flefb, and into Bones ^ and which, ac- 
 cording to the Naturalifts, is faid always to 
 work moft powerfully, when the human 
 Underftanding is afleep, is manifeftly above 
 oar Compreheniion. 
 
 XXIII. It is a common Obfervation, that 
 when the Belly is full, the Bones would be 
 at reft j which feems entirely owing to this, 
 that the Spirit, being unmolefted with hu- 
 man Cogitations, and its Attendance upon 
 our Will, may be more at leifure to purfue 
 thofe Operations, which are immediately 
 neceflary towards our Prefervation. For 
 that it is the fame wife Agent, which ope- 
 rates in the Digeftion of our Food, and 
 that enables us to put in Execution the 
 Directions of our Will, appears from hence, 
 that when we have a Mind to move a Fin- 
 ger, or a Leg, that Part of the human Un- 
 derftanding, which is under our Diredion, 
 
 is 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 23 
 
 is capable of doing no more than the Power 
 of willing it ; but how to perform this Ac- 
 tion-, it is as ignorant of as the Beaft in the 
 Field. 
 
 XXIV. Which Operation of the Spirit, is 
 that which is known by the Name oihJli?2By 
 and goes through the whole Creation. It is 
 by Injiindt that the minuteft Particles of 
 Matter attracft or repel each other : It is by 
 Inllindl that the Flower of the Field, which 
 out-does Solomon in all his Glory, is direfl:- 
 ed in throwing forth its Leaves and its Flow- 
 ers, and forming its Fruit in due Seafon : It 
 is by hiflhiB that the Birds of the Air build 
 their Nefts ; and the Beafts of the Field pro- 
 vide for themfelves and their Young, with a 
 Sagacity fuperior to the Directions of human 
 Wifdom. 
 
 XXV. Whether the Spirits of all created 
 Beings or even of all Beings of the fame 
 Species, are equally perfedl, is a Queftion 
 not very eafy to determine 3 becaufe, though 
 we find, by Experience, a vaft Difference, 
 between the Underftandings of Men, not 
 only with regard to their improved, but 
 alfo their natural Abilities; yet this may 
 arife, not from any Difference between the 
 
 C 4 Spirits 
 
24 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 Spirits of Men, but from the different For- 
 mation of their bodily Organs ^ which may 
 have that Influence upon their Spirit, as fuf- 
 ficiently to account for the Difference of their 
 Underftandings : Since we frequently fee 
 bodily Diftempers, fuch as Frenzies and Fe- 
 vers, make fuch an Alteration in the Un- 
 derftanding, as to reduce Men, at other 
 Times of good and fenfible Difpofitions 
 at leaft, to the Level, with Madmen and 
 Idiots. 
 
 XXVI. And therefore we cannot be po- 
 fitive, but that all created Spirits, may only 
 differ, according to the different Combina- 
 tions of that material Syftem, with which 
 they are circumfcribed, and in which they 
 arc enclofed, by the great Author of Na- 
 ture. For, as Extenfion feems to be a Pro- 
 perty peculiar to material Subftance, it may 
 be, that all created Spirits, do not only owe 
 their Shape, and the Limits of their Exift- 
 (^nce, to Matter, but alfo the Extent of thofe 
 Faculties, which they are permitted to ex- 
 ert. And that the fame Spirit, which, 
 when cloathed with one Set of material Or- 
 gans, is only capable of exoftrting its Intelli- 
 gence in the Performance of Attraction or 
 
 Repul- 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 25 
 
 Repuliion, and when jarring Elements meet, 
 l^reaks forth in Thunder and Lightning, 
 ^nd Earthquakes, or any other mechani- 
 cal Operations, may, when united to a dif- 
 ferent Sett of Organs, of a more exquifite 
 and delicate Contexture, be capable of ex- 
 ercifing voluntary Motion, may be enabled 
 to think and to reafon, to operate in Love 
 or Hatred, and, when provoked by Oppo- 
 fition, may be agitated with Anger and Re- 
 fentment, and break forth in Quarrels, Con- 
 tention, and War. 
 
 XXVII. What other Spirits there are in 
 the Univerfe, befide thofe which belong to 
 this terraqueous Globe, and how or when 
 they came into Exiftence, human Under- 
 flandings are not capable of pointing out : 
 But more than probable it is, that the great 
 Expanfe is full of Spirits of different Ranks 
 and Degrees, from the lowefl Power of Ac- 
 tivity to the highefi: Degree of Perfedion, 
 which it is poffible for created Spirits to be 
 poffeffed of. 
 
 XXVIII. To what Degree of Perfedion 
 Spirits are capable of being created, human 
 Knowledge cannot poflibly determine : But 
 
 certain 
 
26 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 certain it is, that the Degree muft be limited 
 in every Being, but God alone ; and that 
 God cannot create or produce any Being, 
 equal in Power to, or independent on, him- 
 felf ; becaufe two All-powerfuls, two Su- 
 preoies, would imply a Contradiction, 
 
 XXIX. We may, however, eafily fuppofe, 
 that God may communicate to the Works 
 of his Hands, fuch Portions of his own At- 
 tributes, as are greatly beyond the Com- 
 preheniion of Mankind to conceive : Be- 
 caufe God can do every Thing that does 
 not imply a Contradidlion. For, as a blind 
 Man cannot apprehend how a Shepherd, 
 from the Top of an Hill, can prefide over 
 feveral Flocks of Sheep, wandering about, 
 at a Diftance from each other ^ how he 
 knows when they flray, or how, by the 
 Help of his Eye-fight, he can be, as it were^ 
 omniprefent : So a Man of the greateft Abi- 
 lities may, for Want of Faculties, be unable 
 to conceive that Power, whereby a created 
 intelligent Agent/ of fuperior Qualifications 
 to thofe communicated to Mankind, can 
 he enabled to fee in Darknefs as well as 
 Light ; to know the inmoft Recefies and 
 Thoughts of Mens Hearts -, to prefide at 
 
 once 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 27 
 once over fuch a World as this which we 
 inhabit, and where two or three are gather- 
 ed together, there to be alfo invifible in the 
 Midft of them : And yet fuch a Power may 
 certainly be communicated, becaufe it im- 
 plies no Contradidtion. 
 
 XXX. In like Manner, therefore, as we 
 fee Mankind farniftied with Abilities to 
 contrive and form feveral Machines of won- 
 derful Force and Efficacy ; to build Houfes 
 and Ships, make Clocks and Watches ; and 
 govern Kingdoms : So there feems to be no 
 Contradiction, in fuppofing that God might 
 communicate fo much Power to one of his 
 own Creatures, of a more exalted Nature 
 than Man, as to enable him to create infe- 
 rior Beings, and frame a World of his own, 
 compofed of intelligent Agents : Which 
 Power, however muft be limited, and muft 
 be dependent on the Supreme Being. 
 
 XXXI. And, as the Almighty God is the 
 only fupreme, infinite, unlimited. Being ia 
 the Univerfe ; fo is he, probably, the only 
 unembodied Spirit that exifts : That is, the 
 only Spirit which is not limited, clogged, 
 and fettered, with fome Kind, or Degree, 
 
 of 
 
28 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 inadive Matter, which may ferve to give a 
 Form and Shape, or Boundary, to^ts fpiri- 
 tual Nature. For [2] .there are Bodies ce- 
 kjitaly and Bodies terrejlrial ; but the Glory 
 of the celeflial is one^ and the Glory of the 
 terrejlrial is another. And as we know not 
 what the Eflence of that ina(ftive Principle 
 is, which we call Matter^ we cannot fay, 
 to what exquifite Degrees of Perfedlion its 
 Properties are reducible, or what Improve- 
 ment it is capable of receiving ; but that fome 
 [3] Spirits may be furniflied with Bodies of 
 io delicate a Texture, that they may cloath 
 themfehes with Light, as it were with a 
 Garment^ may make the Clouds their Cha- 
 riots y and walk upon the Wings of the Wind: 
 By the organical Difpofition of which Bo- 
 dies, the Spirits united thereto may be ca- 
 pable of receiving and communicating to 
 
 [2] I Cor. XV. 40. 
 
 [3] Moll of the ancient Fathers fuppofed the Angels, to 
 have Bodies. See Clemens Alex. Padag,yX\. p. loi. as 
 aKo Huetii Origen'ianay lib. ii. c. 2, 5. Tertullian was fo ab- 
 furd, as to fuppofe even God to have a Body, Tert. de 
 Came Chrifii^ cap. 1 1 . which 1 fuppofe he borrowed from the 
 old Platonic Notion, of God being the Soul of the World. 
 But this God, he ought to have confidered, was not fuppofed 
 to be the Supreme God. See Plato in fim.^o: See alfo 
 Virg. jEneid. lib. vi, 721, 
 
 each 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 29 
 
 each other Ideas of bodily Pain and bodily 
 Pleafure, as Well as intelledlual Pain and in- 
 telledual Pleafure ; may have their Affec- 
 tions and their Paflions as well as we ; their 
 Friendfliips and Animofities ; their Wars 
 and Alliances; none of which, however, 
 we can form any real Idea, or Notion of, 
 for Want of the fame Kind of Senfes, which 
 they are furnifhed with ; any more than a 
 deaf Man can of Sounds, or a blind Man 
 can of Light and Colours. 
 
 XXXII. And, as to the Time when they 
 were created, we are as ignorant of that, as 
 we are of their Natures. But probable it 
 is, that as God is an adtive Spirit, for God 
 is a Spirit^ and hath exifted from all Eter- 
 nity, he hath been conftantly employed in 
 exerting this adive Faculty ; and therefore 
 may have created fome intelligent Beings, 
 from fuch a diftant Duration of Time, as 
 we can no otherwife defcribe but by calling 
 it eternal. For to imagine that there are no 
 Spirits in the wide Expanfe of Space, but 
 what have Reference to this terraqueous 
 Globe, this Speck of Matter, on which 
 Mankind are placed, or even this planetary 
 Syftem, which is vifible to human Eyes ; 
 
 arid 
 
30 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 and that no Worlds, filled with intelligent 
 Spirits, were created till about 6000 Years 
 ago ; about which Time, both Reafon and 
 Revelation agree, that this Ball of Earth 
 began to revolve about the Sun, is a Thought 
 unworthy of a Philofopher, and inconfiftent 
 with the Infinity of God's Power, as well 
 as with the Eternity of his Exigence. 
 
 XXXIII. And yet we ought to take No- 
 tice, that in the Language of the Scriptures, 
 both in the Old and New Teflament, when 
 the Creation is fpoken of, it is only to be 
 confidered as referring to the Creation of 
 this World, in which there is no Mention 
 jmade of the Creation of Angels, or of any 
 other Beings, becaufe it would have been fo- 
 reign to the Purpofe : And that therefore, 
 St. Jolm begins his Gofpel with the fame 
 Exprefiion that Mofes does j hj the Begin- 
 ningy i. e. of this World. For when we 
 fpeak of any Beings, which exifted before 
 this World was created, having no Meafures 
 of Time, whereby to denote, or diftinguifli 
 the different Durations of their Exiftence, 
 we mud equally fay of them all, that they 
 exifted [4] in the Begimiingy or before the 
 
 [4] Gen. i. 1. Joha i. i. xvii. 5. Pfal. cii. 5. Prov, viii. 
 
 World 
 
 22. 2V Micah V. 2 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 31 
 
 World waSy or of old, or from Everlafting, 
 See Sedt. L. LI. LII. 
 
 XXXIV. And as God may communicate 
 what Proportions he pleafes of his Attri- 
 butes, to the different Gradations of created 
 Beings, with which he hath been pleafed to 
 fill the Univerfe : Each of thefe, with re- 
 gard to Beings of their own Species, may 
 have fuch Faculties and Properties communi- 
 cated to them, as may render them know- 
 able to each other. But, with regard to 
 Beings of a different Nature, ihofe uf a 
 fuperior, or more excellent Kind, may not 
 be cognifable, by Beings of an inferior Or- 
 der; though Beings of an inferior Kind may 
 be eafily cognifable to thofe of a more ex- 
 alted Nature ; the Properties of the one be- 
 ing of too exquifite and delicate a Frame 
 and Contexture, to affcdt the Perception or 
 ftrike the Senfes of the other. And hence ^ 
 it is, that human Beings may be furrounded 
 with Myriads of fpiritual Agents, without 
 ever being fenfible thereof; unlefs thofe fu- 
 perior Beings are pleafed to aflume fuch 
 Forms, and condefccnd to furnifli them- 
 felves with fuch Qualifications, as are capable 
 of making an ImprelTion on the human 
 
 Spirit 
 
32 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 Spirit from within, dr the human Senfes from 
 without. 
 
 XXXV. He/tod, one of the firft Heathen 
 Authors extant, fuppofeth Myriads of invi- 
 fible Spirits cloathed in Air, attending upon 
 this terreftrial Globe, and employed as An- 
 gels, that is, Mefengers, between the great 
 God and Mankind, obferving their Adiions, 
 and reporting them to Jupiter. And [5] 
 Plato fays, that *' Satur7i well knowing 
 *' there was no Man who could have 
 *' abfolute Empire over others, without 
 «^ abandoning himfelf to all Kinds of Vio- 
 ** lenee and Injuftiee, fubjected the Nations 
 " not to Men, but to more noble and ex- 
 *' cellent Beings, as their Lords and Go- 
 <« vernors ; namely to [6] Damons, or in- 
 *' telligent Spirits, of a more divine and 
 <* better Nature than themfelves, after the 
 «* fame Manner, as we deal with our Cat- 
 
 [3] Plato, de Leg. lib. iv. 
 
 [6] * h'Khai yi)iH<i $«o]ef» t« >cJ «/:A«voy'^, A(»tjitov«?. By the 
 Word Damon, vve are not to underhand Einl-Spirits, as it 
 hath been vulgarly thought to mean ; but rather happy 
 ones, the Word Aai^o^K, Damon, originally fignifying happy. 
 But as thofe Spirits to which the Heathen gave the Appel- 
 lation of happy t have been deemed by Chrijiians to be rather 
 unhappy and evil Spjrits ; therefore this Word is generally 
 mifapplied, 
 
 tie: 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 33 
 
 *^ tie : For, as we do not fet a Bull over 
 " a whole Herd of his own Kind, nor a 
 ^' Goat to govern a Flock of Goats ; but 
 *' put thofe of both Kinds, under the Con- 
 " du6l of a Man 5 fo God, who loves 
 " Mankind, placed them, at firft, under 
 " the Condudt of Angels/' 
 
 XXXVL The [7] Greeks^ it is certain, and 
 Plato, in particular, borrowed many of their 
 theological Sentiments from the Hebrews ; 
 among whom this, of a Number of invi- 
 fible Spirits attending upon this Globe of 
 Earth, and prefiding over States and King- 
 doms, was certainly one. For the Opi- 
 nion of the Jews upon this Head was, that 
 Almighty God, the lirft Author and Crea- 
 tor of all Things, was of fo tranfcendent a 
 Nature, that, before he created Beings of 
 the lowed Rank, he produced an infinite 
 Variety of Beings, in a gradual Defcent, 
 which were flill greater and fuperior to 
 others, who yet were employed by him to 
 ad: in a middle Station, between him and 
 the lower Produdions of his Almighty 
 Power. The Septuagint Tranflation of 
 the Bible therefore renders that PaiFa^^e in 
 
 f/J See Eufeb. Pr.-ep. Evntig. p. -07, 
 
 D the 
 
34 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 the Song of Mofes^ which is mentioned, 
 Deiit.xxKu, 8, 9. after this Manner: ^Jk 
 thy Fat her y and he willjhew thee , thy El- 
 ders^ and they will tell thee : When the Mojl 
 High divided to the Nations their Inherit 
 tance -, When he feparated the Sons of Adam, 
 he fet the Bounds of the Nations according to 
 the Number of the Ajigels of God^ and the 
 Lord's Portion is his People Jacob, //^e' f 8] 
 Li7ie of his Inheritance Ifrael. And the 
 wife Son of Sirach faith [9], For in the 
 'Divijion of the Nations of the whole Farth, 
 God fet a Ruler (or Governing An gel) over 
 myery People ; but Ifrael is the Lord's Por- 
 tion. The fews accordingly fuppofed fome 
 of thefe Angels to have been appointed as 
 Guardian or Governing Spirits [i], over 
 the feveral Nations of the Earth ; and that 
 the Portion of Ifrael was particularly com- 
 mitted to the Care of that Being, who is 
 here denoted by the Name of the Lord, 
 
 [8] Or Boundary. See l Cor. x. 1 6. 
 
 [9] Ecclus xvii. 17. 
 
 [i] It appears alfo from Clemens Alexandrinus, that this 
 was the Opinion of the Chrijiian Church in his Time. See 
 Clem. Alex. Zhom, p. 309, 822, 828, 830, 832. Edit. 
 Oxon. Pot. 
 
 XXXVIL It 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 35 
 
 XXXVII. It ought to be acknowledged, 
 however, that the Words here quoted out 
 of tlie Book of Denferonomyy as rendered 
 by the Septuagint, do not exadly agree 
 with the Hebrew Copy of the Bible. For, 
 according to the Hebrew^ it (hould run thus : 
 When the Moji High divided the NationSy 
 when he fefarated the Sons of Adam, he Jet 
 the Bounds of the Nations according to the 
 Number vf the Children of Ifrael, and Je- 
 hovah's Portion is his People : Jacob is 
 the Lot of his Inheritance, But it ihould 
 be obferved, that although this Separation^ 
 or Difperfion of the Sons of Adam^ this 
 fettling the Bounds of the Nations, was a 
 Tranfadlion which came to pafs long be- 
 fore Ifrael had any Children to number, or 
 W^s even himfelf in Being 5 yet the Com- 
 mentators have taken much Pains to recon- 
 cile this Text with the Matter of Fad: 3 
 and to make the Number of the various 
 Nations upon Earth, agree with the Num- 
 ber of the Children of Ifrael-, which, ne- 
 verthelefs, they have not been able to ac* 
 complifh: For, if the Number of the Chil- 
 dren of Ifrael hQ computed by the Number 
 of his immediate Defcendents, which were 
 D 2 only 
 
36 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 only thirteen, viz» twelve Sons, and cn€ 
 Daughter -, this Number would be too few 
 for the Nuipber of Nations difperfed over 
 the Earth ; and if all the Defcendents of 
 Ifrael be taken into the Account, then the 
 Number will be infinitely too large. As 
 therefore the reading of this Text accord- 
 ing to the Septuagint Verfion, is fupported 
 by that Paffige, already quoted, out of the 
 Book of Ecclefiafliciis^ as well as by other 
 Parts of the Old Teftament^ and corref- 
 ponds with the general Opinion of the moft 
 learned antient Jews: I am inclined to 
 prefer the Septuagint Verfion of this Text, 
 to the prefent Reading in our Hebrew 
 Bible. 
 
 XXXVIII. Aad what adds no fmall 
 Weight with me in this Affair, is an Ex- 
 preflion made ufe of by [2] St. FaiiU in 
 his Epiftle to the Hebrews, where, fpeaking 
 of the fecond coming of our Saviour, when 
 he (hall appear in a State of Glory, mani- 
 feflly fuperior to Angels, he fays, For unto 
 the Angels hath he Jiot put in Suhjeclion the 
 World to come^ of which we f peak. Whence 
 it feems to appear, that it was St. Faiil\ 
 
 [2] Heb. ii. 5. 
 
 Opinion 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 37 
 Opinion, that this prefent World had been 
 put in Subjection to Angels. 
 
 XXXIX. Which Opinion is alfo confir- 
 med by St. 'Jude^ who feems to attribute 
 the Error of the fallen Angels, who finned 
 as (3) St. P^^<?r expreffcth it, to their Mif- 
 condudl in the Government of thofe Pro- 
 vinces which were allotted to their Charge. 
 For, fays he, Kyyih^Q re. t8j /xi^ T^pvica^jTcic 
 Tv\v iuvrm «p%i^v, dhhx UttoKiiovtcci; to i^iov 
 C4iiy]T'/iptov, elg apia-iv {ueyoihy^g i^fjLspug^ dscixoTg 
 SuHok; vt^o (^o^ov reri^pviKsv. '"The Angels 
 which kept not their Principalities ivith 
 due Care-y but neglcoled their proper Pro^ 
 evinces y he (God) hath referved in everlafl- 
 ing Chains under Darknefs : For fo this 
 Verfe ought to be tranflated. The Verb 
 ri^p/w, which we tranllate kepty fignifying 
 the keeping of a Thing with Care and 
 Diligence : In which Scnfe it is ufed, when 
 it is applied in the Septuagint to the (4) 
 keeping the Commandments of God, and 
 keeping our own Hearts, and our Ways. 
 And in Canticles ^\\. 11, 12, it is ufed to 
 denote the Keepers of a Vineyard, who 
 
 [3] 2 Pet. ii. 4. 
 
 [4] I Sam. XV. II, Prov. iii, i, 21. iv. 23. viii. 34^ 
 
 D 3 were 
 
38 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 
 were to drefs it, and cultivate it. And aS, 
 to the Word 'Ap%i^, that is generally ufed 
 by the Septuagint to denote a Fmzcipality^ 
 as the Word is rendered in the Margin of 
 our Englijh Bible. And it is to be obfer- 
 ved, that it is the Word 'Ap%wv and "Afi- 
 -xovTBQy v.'hich Daniel gives to thofe ruling 
 Angels, which are faid, in the Book of [5] 
 Daniel, to prefide over the Realms of Gra- 
 da, Perf^a and Ifrael, The Word axo- 
 ui'Ku, which our Tranflation renders lefi:, 
 is frequently applied by the Septuagin^, to 
 denote the leaving or negleding any Bufi- 
 nefs, which it was our Duty to have purfu- 
 cd Vas when [6] Baafia is faid to have left 
 off buildiitg Kzmdh, and let his Work ceafe -, 
 and when Solomon blameth the [y^ffrange 
 Woman, for forsaking the Guide cf her 
 Youth. The Word d/Ki^Tv^'p/ov, though it 
 properly fignifies a Dwelling-place, in ge- 
 neral, yet it is not confined to iignify a 
 Houfe, nor even a Province, or larger Space 
 of Ground ; but is by the Prophet [8] Jere- 
 miah applied to denote the wide Extent of 
 God's holy Habitation in Heaven : However, 
 it is here reftrained by the Word Ihovy ta 
 
 ' [5] Dan. X. 13, 20, 21. xii. i. [6] 2 Chron. xvi. 5, 
 {^^7] Pfov- ii. J 7. [8] Jcr. XXV. 30. 
 
 denote 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 39 
 
 denote the proper and peculiar Provinces 
 of thefe Angels, which they may be fuppo- 
 fed to have been employed in the Conduit 
 and Management of j and accordingly the 
 Word oPyiirv\g denotes fuch a Domeftick as is 
 employed in the Bufinefs of the Houfe, and 
 is always ufed by the Septuagint to fignify 
 a [9] Servant. And therefore this Expref- 
 fion of 'ATToAiTovTflj? TO fSi9v oinviTVipioV) Hiay 
 very well be underftood to fignify their for- 
 faking, or negleding, their proper Bufinefs, 
 or Provinces, that were given into their 
 Charge by God. 
 
 XL. As for the Opinion of the more 
 modern yews, it is no eafy Matter to col- 
 lect or fix their Sentiments ; becaufe that, 
 fince the coming of our Saviour, the yews, 
 not being willing to abide by the Expofi- 
 tions given to the Prophecies in the Old 
 Tefl:ament, by the Chnftia?2s, or even by 
 their own ancient Paraphralls, made a Col- 
 ledion of their oral Traditions, which 
 they gathered together into one Book, which 
 they called the T'^/z/W ; And finding many 
 feeming Contradidions in the literal Inter- 
 pretation of thofe Texts of Scripture, which 
 
 [9] Gen. ix. 25. xxvii. 37. xliv. 33, ^c, 
 
 D 4 were 
 
40 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 were univerfally allowed by the ancient 
 Jew^ to refer to their Meffiah ; and not 
 being willing to expound them of different 
 Advents of one and the fame Perfon ; the 
 one in a State of Humiliation, and the 
 other in a State of Glory ; the one in this 
 World, and the other in the next; they then 
 ran into numberlefs abfurd Contrivances, of 
 expounding the Scriptures by a cabaliflical 
 Method of Interpretation, in finding out 
 myfterious and hidden Meanings, not only 
 in the Sentences and Words of Scripture, 
 but alfo in the very Letters themfelves, as 
 well as in the Number of Letters, of which 
 thofe Words were compofed : And, by 
 this Means, the Learning of the more mo- 
 dern "Jenjos is reduced into fuch a nonfenfi- 
 cal Jargon of Sounds, without Senfe, as 
 makes their Works infinitely tirefome in the 
 Perufal. And therefore, rather than fa- 
 tigue my Reader with an Account of fuch 
 Trifles, I fhall chufe to lay before him the 
 Opinion of the mofl fenfible and learned 
 among the ancient ^ews^ as I find it collect- 
 ed very judicioufly, by Eufebius Bifhop of 
 Cafarea in Paleftine, who muft be allow- 
 ed to be a tolerable Judge, becaufe he lived 
 amongfl them in the Land of Judcca. 
 
 XLI. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 41 
 
 XLL [0 " The Jews, fays he, after 
 
 " that Eflence of the All powerful God, 
 
 " who had neither Beginning nor Origin, 
 
 " place that [2] Head or Chiefs which was 
 
 *' begotten of the Father, and therefore 
 
 *^ was his Firft-born. Which, as he is 
 
 " the Co-adjutor of his Council, is there* 
 
 ** fore called the Image of his Father. 
 
 *' Which Chief, as he far exceeds all crea* 
 
 *^ ted Beings, is for this Reafon called the 
 
 " Image of God, the Wifdom oj God^ the 
 
 •' Logos, or fVord of God, the Prhice of 
 
 ** the Lord's Hoji, and the Aiigel of his, 
 
 *' CotinciL As to thofe Intelligences, which 
 
 " come after this Chief they are of fuch 
 
 " various and different Forms, that human 
 
 *' Expreffions cannot denote them, but by 
 
 " Comparifon and Analogy to thofe Things 
 
 ** which are the Objeds of our Senfes \ 
 
 <« as the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and 
 
 " the Heaven, which enclofeth all Things, 
 
 " As the divine Apoftle does, when he fays, 
 
 [i] Eufeb. ?raf. Enjang. lib. vii. cap. 15. 
 
 [2] 'Af%>3, which Word is fometimes ufed by the Authors 
 of the Septuagint Verfion of the Bible, inftead of *'Apxa;is to 
 denote the Heady or Chief, of any Societ}^ or colleftive 
 Body of Men. See Exod. vi. 25. 
 
 ^' "there 
 
4a AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 *^ There is one Glory of the Su?iy and another 
 ^' Glory of the Moon^ and another Glory, of 
 *^ the Stars, for one Star differ eth from ano^ 
 '* ther Star in Glory, In like Manner, 
 *' muft we think of the Subordination of 
 «^ unbodied, intelligent, Beings. For, as 
 *5 the ineffable and infinite Power of God 
 " (like Heaven^ comprehends all Things ; 
 " in the fecond Place comes the operating 
 «f and illuminating Power of the divine 
 «' LiOgoi J for which Reafon he is called by 
 " the Hebrews, the Light, and the [3] Sun 
 " 9f JhA^^^ ' Then, after this [4] fecond 
 •* Effence, as it were in the Place of the 
 <* Moo7i, comes the Holy Spirit ^ which they 
 " place in this royal Dignity, and Degree of 
 " [5] Pnncipality 5 becaufe it is the Will of 
 *^ the great Archite<fl to appoint him to 
 *' the Principality of thofe inferior Beings, 
 «^ which may want his Affiftance. Who 
 *^ therefore, obtaining the third Place, 
 <« confers on thofe who are inferior to him, 
 " thofe excellent Virtues, which he himfelf 
 *' received from another, to wit, from the 
 divine Logos, his Better and Superior; 
 
 cc 
 
 [3] Mai. iv. 2. Which Philo Judaus interprets of the 
 Mejfiah, [4] Aeulefiav »Vta». [5] 'Af;j^)5j. 
 
 who 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 43 
 ''i who we before faid was the fecond to 
 " the fupreme, unbegotten, and Almighty, 
 «' God. — So, fays he, all the Hebrew Divine$, 
 *' after that God, who is over all, and after 
 " his firft-born Wifdom, pay [6] divine 
 " Worfhip to the third and holy Power, 
 <^ vt'hich they call the Holy Spirit, by which 
 " they themfelves arc illuminated, when 
 '' they are divinely infpired." 
 
 XLII, In another Place, [7] Eufebiusi 
 in explaining the Sentiments of the 'JewSy 
 fays, that, " as Milejius made a fecond 
 " Principle of Water-, HeracUtus of Fire -^ 
 " and Pythagoras of Numbers^ &c j fo the 
 " "Jews made a fecond Effence of the Lo- 
 *^ gQS^ which was begotten by the Firfi 
 \' Caufer 
 
 XLIII. And in another Place, [8] Eu- 
 
 febiiis quotes a Paffage of Philo Judaus, 
 
 wherein that Author calls the LogoSy the 
 
 [9] Second Gody in whofe Image Man was 
 
 created. And again, where he calls this 
 
 [S] AiaoQetd^ovariv. [7] Eufeb. Pr^ep. E'vaTrg. lib. vn.loip, 
 12. [8] Eufeb. Pra^p. E'vang, lib. vii. cap. 13. [9] Aiv 
 
 Ttfov Sew. 
 
 Logos, 
 
'44 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 Legos, The firft-born Son of God, to whom 
 Gcd had committed the Care of all Things, 
 [ I ] ^J ^ great King af points a Miiiijier^ or 
 Viceroy y to a5i under him. 
 
 XLIV. And, in another Place, [2] he 
 quotes Philo, for calling this Second Caufe 
 the hnage of God, the firfl-^horn Logos, the 
 tnoji antient of Angels, andy as it were^ the 
 Archangel, fiibfifling with many Na??ies. For 
 fays Philo, He is called the [3] Chief the 
 Na?ne of God, the Logos, the Image^ and 
 the [4] Owr/^^r, Vifiter^ or Regarder of 
 ifrael, 
 
 XLV. I am very fenfible, that fome learn- 
 ed Men are of Opinion, that thefe were 
 only the Sentiments of the Jews belonging 
 to Faleftine and Egypt \ but if we look in- 
 to thofe Books, which contain the Do(5trines, 
 which ail Jews either do, or ought to pro-^ 
 fefs, that is, the Scriptures of the Old 
 Teftament, we fhall find that there is great 
 Foundation for the afore -mentioned Opi- 
 nions of the fewsy with regard to, Angels ; 
 
 [2] Eufeb. Pr<^p. E'vang. lib. xi. cap. 15. Flf^i rS ^it/lsfni 
 »lriii. [3] AfX^. [4] 'O opy 'lafur,X. 
 
 and 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 45 
 
 and for all thefe Appellations, which are 
 here given to iVAs fecoiidary EJjejice^ who is, 
 by Phih^ very juftly called the Archangel 
 *ivith many Names, For the Prophet [5] 
 Z>^;2/f/ declares, that the Angel Gabriel^ hav- 
 ing touched him, and fpoken to him, faid, 
 that he was come to make him underjiand 
 what Jloould befal his People in the latter 
 Days, and that he would have come fooner> 
 but that [6] the Prince (or riding or govern^ 
 i?2g Angel) oj the Kingdom of Perfia with* 
 flood him one and twenty Days^ till Michael, 
 one of the chiej Princes^ or, as the Hebrew. 
 expreffeth it, the First Prince, came to 
 help him. And again the Angel fays. And 
 now I will return to fight agaiffl the Prifice 
 of Perlia, a?id when 1 am gone forth ^ lo the 
 Prince of Grascia Jhall come. But 1 will 
 jljew thee what is noted in the Scripture of 
 Truth ', and there is none that holdeth with 
 me in thefe "Things^ but Michael your 
 Prince, And a little afterwards he calleth 
 Michael the great Prince which ft andeth 
 for the Children of Ifrael. Or, as Philo 
 
 [5] Dan. viii. i6. ix. 21. x. 13, 20, 21. xii. i. 
 
 [6] Hcb. "l?Z''. Sept. '"A^x^v. Simmias, the Difciple of 
 Socratesy in Plato's Ph^edoy fpeaking of Guardian Angels, 
 calls them Aeffisolu^f i. e. Lonls, or Gcvemors. 
 
 would 
 
46 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 would have exprefled it, o opSv ^IcpaviKt 
 He that regardeth, or is the Guardian An- 
 gel of, IfraeL 
 
 XLVI. And correfpondent hereto the 
 Septuagint Tranflation of the Bible, as be- 
 fore quoted, renders that Paflage in the 
 Song of Mofes^ which is mentioned, Deut, 
 xxxii. 8, 9, Jljk thy Father^ and he will 
 Jhew thee-^ thy Elders y and they will tell thee: 
 Wheji the Moji High divided to the ISta- 
 tions their Inheritance ; when he feparated 
 the Sons of Adam, he Jet the Bounds of the 
 'Nations according to the Number of the An- 
 gels of Gody and the hoRD's Portion is his 
 People Jacob, the Line of his Inheritance 
 Ifrael. Upon which Words Rufehius has 
 this Remark. [7] " By the Words the Moji 
 " Highy Mofes denotes the Father, who is 
 " God over all; and by the Lord, he means 
 " the LogoSy who is called ic?r^/, as being, 
 «' with regard to us, next to that God who 
 " is over all. But, fays he, all Nations 
 " whom he calls the Sons of Adam^ were, 
 " for Reafons to us unfearchable, diftribu- 
 « ted according to the Will of the Moil 
 ** High, to Governing and Guardian An- 
 
 [7] Eufeb. Dem, E'vang, lib, iv. cap. *j, 
 
 « gels. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 47 
 
 «' gels, who elude our Sight. But to the 
 " moft eminent Governor, Ruler, and King 
 " of all, as to his only Son, he allots the 
 " Government of "Jacoh^ or IfraeW And 
 in this Interpretation he is fupported by Ck- 
 mem AlexandrinuSy who fays pofitively, that 
 [8] Angeh were appotJited by God to prejide 
 over Nations and Cities : That [9] they 
 are his Minifters in the Government of ter^ 
 rejlrial Affairs ; and, [i] in particular, that 
 they were by his Command diliributed among 
 the NationSy &c. 
 
 XLVII. Whence it is matiifeft, that, ac- 
 cording to the Scriptures of the Old Tefta- 
 ment. Angels were appointed to prefide 
 over People and Nations upon Earth, and 
 that one Angel, in particular, who is called, 
 by Mofes [2], Jehovah^ and by the Septua- 
 gint is tranflated the Lordy had Ifrael affign- 
 ed to him by the Mojl High^ as the Portion 
 of his Inheritance ; and therefore may very 
 reafonably be fuppofed to be the fame Perfon 
 with ihdiijirjl Prince^ mentioned by Daniel^ 
 
 [8] Gem. Alex. Etroni. lib. vi. p. 822. Edit. Pot. 
 
 £9] Id. ibid. lib. vii. p. 839. [i] Id, rbid. p. 832. 
 
 [2] See Sedl* xxxvii. 
 
 whom 
 
4S AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 
 whom he alfo calleth Michael, the great 
 Prince which fiaudeth for the Children of If* 
 rael; and with that Archanger with many 
 Names, whom Philo calls the Regarder of 
 Ifrael. 
 
 XLVIIL And what is remarkable, is 
 this, that this Name of Michael^ which is 
 given by jD^;/7V/ to this Archangel, literally 
 fignifies [3] who is like God*, and accord- 
 ingly Phiio obferves, that one of the 
 Names belonging to this Archangel, was 
 the hnage of God. Which Image [4] he 
 calleth the Logvs and the fecondGod^ and fup- 
 pofed Man to have been made in the Image 
 of this Image ; Becaufe, fays he, " nothing 
 " mortal can be formed in the Image of 
 " the Supreme God, the Father of all 
 *' Things." 
 
 XLIX. Which Ugos, or Word of God, 
 is, in the Book of Wifdom^ manifeftly fpo- 
 ken of, as the Guardian Angel of Ifrael 5 
 where the Author of that elegant Work, in 
 
 [3] The Word Michael, being derived from the three Be- 
 hre=w Words, M/, which fignifies n,vho; Cha, which fignifies 
 foy or like, or the fame ; and EI, which fjgnifies God. 
 [4] Eufeb. Pra^p. Eviz^g. lib. vii. cap. 13. 
 
 defcribing 
 
AN ESSAY ON Sl^IRIT. 49 
 
 defcribing the [5] Angel, who was fent to 
 refcue them from their Egyptian Bondage, 
 by deftroying the Firft-born of the Egyp- 
 tians, fays : For [6] while all Things were 
 in quiet Silence^ and that Night was in the 
 Midji of her fwift Courfe, thine Almighty 
 Word leapt down from Heaven^ out of thy 
 royal Throne ^ as a fierce Man of War into 
 the Midfi of a Land of DefiruBion^ a?id 
 brought thy unfeigned Com??iand?}ient, as a 
 fiarp Sword, and fianding up, filled all 
 Things with Death, a7id it touched the Hea- 
 'uen, but it food upon the Earth, And there-* 
 fore alfo the fe7'ufale7n Targiim on Exod. 
 xii. 23. where it is faid in the Hebrew^ 
 And Jehovah will pafs through to finite 
 the Egyptians, paraphrafes it by faying, 
 And the Word of Jehovah fi:all pafs 
 through to fmite the Egyptians. Which 
 Expreffion of Memra Jehova, or Word of 
 Jehovah, is fo favourite an Expreffion, 
 among all the Chaldee Paraphrafts on the 
 Old Teftament, that, where the original Ex- 
 preffion in the Hebrew fays, fehovah did 
 fuch or fuch a Thing, they commonly para- 
 phrafe it, by attributing thofe Operations to 
 
 [5] Exod. xxiii. 21. [6] Wifd. xvlii. 13 — 16. 
 
 E the 
 
so AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 the Memrdy that is, the Logos, or J'Ford 
 of Jehovah. Inftances of which it would 
 be endlefs to produce. 
 
 L. And as this Angel, whofe Portion Is 
 ^ Ifrael, is called the Word of God, becaufe 
 God empioyeth him to carry his Word ; fo 
 is he alfo, by the fame Figure of Rhetoric, 
 called the Wifdom of God, becaufe he is em- 
 ployed by God to execute the Purpofes of 
 his Wifdom. For thus the wife Son of Si- 
 rachy when fpeaking of this Guardian An- 
 gel of Ifraely by the Name of Wifdom, 
 fays [ 7 ], I came out of the Mouth of 
 the High, and covered the Earth as a 
 Cloud, I dwelt in high' Places, and my 
 throne is in a cloudy Pillar, So the Crea- 
 tor of all Things gave me a Command- 
 ment 5 and he that made me caufed me to 
 reft, and f aid. Let thy Dwelling be in Ja- 
 cob, and thine Inheritance in IfraeL He 
 CREATED me from the Beginning, before 
 the World, and I ftjall never fail. In the 
 holy Tabernacle I ferved him -, and fo was I 
 eftablifhed in Sion. Likewife in the beloved 
 City he gave me Reft, and in Jerufalem was 
 7ny Power. And I took Root in an ho?iQU- 
 
 [7] Ecclu? xxiv. I— 12, 
 
 rable 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 51 
 
 rable People^ eve7i in the Po7'tion of the 
 Lord's Inheritance, I therefore being eter- 
 nal, am given to all my Children which 
 are named of him^ i. e. I am fent to the 
 Children of Jfrael^, who are God's peculiar 
 People, and are fo named of him. See Lev. 
 xxvi. 12. Micah iv. 5. 
 
 LI. Where it is to be obferved, that this 
 Being is fpoken of, as coming out of the Mouth 
 of the Moft High, made and created; which 
 muft be underftood in the fame Senfe with 
 thofe Words of ilf^^j, when hedefcribes the 
 Creation of Light : And God f aid. Let there 
 be Light, and there was Light, Gen. i. 3. 
 It is likewife to be obferved, that this Guar- 
 dian Angel of Ifrael, whofe Throne was 
 in the cloudy Pillar, &c. is here declared 
 to have been a created Being, in Terms as 
 ftrong and plain as it is in the Power of 
 Language to exprefs. It may alfo fur- 
 ther be remarked, that although he is poii- 
 tively faid to have been made and created, 
 yet, becaufe he was fpoken into Exiftence 
 before the Sun and the Moon, thofe Mea- 
 fures of Duration, which were given Man- 
 kind, [8] for Signs and for Seafons, and 
 
 [8] Gen. i. 14. 
 
 Ea for 
 
52 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 for Days and for Tears ; becaufe he was 
 in the Beginning , before the Worlds he. 
 ftyles \i\TC\.{€ii etcrnaL See Se6t. xxxiii. 
 
 LII. And in the fame Kind of Style it is 
 that Solomon^ fpeaking of this fame Being 
 under the Denomination of Wfdoni^ repre- 
 fents it as a feparate intelligent Agent, per- 
 fonally fubfifting vJithGoA f rem E^jerlajiiiig, 
 becaufe it was brought forth before the Cre- 
 ation of this World. For thus, fpeaking 
 in the Perfon, and under the Charader of 
 Wifdom, he faith [9], Jehovah [i] pojjejjid 
 me in the Begi?ming of his Ways-, bejore his 
 Works of old. I "was jet up from Evcrlaji- 
 ing, from the Beginning, or e-oer the Earth 
 was. When there were 710 Depths, I 
 was BROUGHT FORTH ; when there were 
 no Fountains abounding with Water, Be^ 
 fore the MouJitains were fettled -, before the 
 Hills was /brought forth; while 
 as yet he had not inade the Ea?'thy nor 
 the Fields, 72or the highefi Parts of the 
 Dufl of the World, When he prepared the 
 Heavens, I was there : When he fet a Com- 
 pafs upon the Face of the Deep : When he 
 gave to the Sea his Decree, that the Wa- 
 
 [9] Prov. viii. 22. [i] In the Septuagint it is, The 
 Lord created me, 
 
 ter 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 53 
 
 ter JJ:ould not fafs his Commandment : When 
 he appoiiited the Foundations of the Earth ; 
 then I was by him as one brought up with 
 him : A?id I was always his Delight^ re^ 
 joicing always before him^ 
 
 LIIL But Fhilo Judaus further obferves, 
 that this Archangel with many Names, 
 whofe Portion was Ifrael^ was alfo called 
 by the Name of God. Now let us fee what 
 Foundation there is for this in the Scriptures 
 of the Old Teftament. The Name of 
 God, which the Jews never pronounced, 
 but called it the ineffable Name, was Je- 
 hovah ', fo that, whenever in reading the 
 Bible, they met with this Word, inftead 
 thereof, they always faid Ado7iai or Elobim; 
 and the Authors of the Septuagint Tranfla- 
 tion of the Bible, who were Jews, when 
 they rendered it into Greeks always tranf- 
 lated it by the Ward KJg<o^, which we in 
 EngliJJj render the Lord. Which is the 
 Reafon alfo why Philo does not mention 
 that Name of God by which this Archangel 
 was denominated, but fays only, in general, 
 that he was called by the Name of God. 
 Now the Inftances in the Old Teftament, 
 where an Angel, and in particular, that 
 E 3 Angel 
 
54 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 Angel which adted as a Guardian Angel to 
 the Seed of Abraham, and prefided over 
 the Children of Ifraely is called Jebovahy 
 arc very numerous. 
 
 LIV. Thus, when Hagar fled from the 
 Face of her Miftrefs, it is faid, that an An- 
 gel of Jehovah found her in the Wildernefsy 
 and the Angel of Jehovah faid unto her^ 
 Return to thy Mtfirefs, Now, though Mo- 
 fes in this Place calls the Perfon who fpake 
 to Hagar an Angel of Jehovah, yet Mofes 
 afterwards mentions this fame Perfon under 
 the diredt Name of Jehovah : For, fays 
 he, [2] Hagar called the Name of Jeho- 
 vah that fpake to her, T^hou God fief me, 
 
 LV. Thus alfo it is faid of Abraham, 
 that [3] Jehovah appeared unto him in the 
 Flains o/'Mamre ; and he fat at the 'Tejit- 
 Door in the Heat of the Day \ and he 1ft up 
 his Eyes and looked, and lo, three Men food 
 by him. Now that two of the Perfons 
 which are here called Men, becaufe they ap- 
 peared as fuch, had each of them the Ap- 
 pellation of Jehovah given them, \vill ap- 
 
 [2] Gen. xvi. 7 — 13. [3] Gen. xviii. i, ^r. 
 
 pear 
 
AN ESSAY.ON SPIRIT. 55 
 
 pear from the Context : For when one of 
 thefe Men enquired for Sarahy and faid, 
 Lo ! Sarah thy Wife fiall have a Son ; upon 
 which Sarah laughed within herfelf ; then 
 it is pofitively faid, that Jehovah faid 
 zinto Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh ? Is 
 any thing too hard for Jehovah ? And yet 
 it is faid, after all this, that the Men rofe up 
 from thejice^ and looked towards Sodom ; 
 andAhr^h^LW. went with them to bring them 
 on the Way : And Jehovah faid^ Shall I 
 hide from Abraham that "Thing which I do? 
 And when two of the Men had turned their 
 Faces from thence, and went towards So- 
 dom ; it is faid, Abraham food yet before 
 Jehovah. And when Abraham was plead- 
 ing in Favour of Sodom and Gomorrah^ 
 he faid, among other Things, to this Je- 
 hovah with whom he was converfing, Shall 
 not the Judge of all the 'Earth do right? 
 And when the Difcourfe was ended, Mofes 
 fays, that Jehovah went his Way^ as 
 foon as he had left communing with Abra- 
 l^am, and Abraham returned to his Place, 
 Whence it is manifeft beyond all Doubt, that 
 one of thefe three Men who was left alone 
 in Converfation with Abraham^ is called 
 Jehovah^ and the Judge of all the Earth\ 
 
 E 4 LVI. And 
 
56 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 LVI. And when the two Men, which 
 had left Abraham and jfehcvah converfing 
 together, came to Sodoin^ it is faid, [4] 
 ^nd there came two Angels to Sodom at 
 Even. And when the Morning aroje^ then 
 the Angels hafiened Lot. And he faidl 
 that is, one of the Angels faid, Efcape for 
 thy Life ; for I cannot do any thing till thou 
 be come thither. And the Sun was rifcn up-- 
 en the Earthy when Lot entered into Zoar. 
 Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and 
 upon Gomorrah Brimjlone and Fire from 
 Jehovah out of Heaven. Whence it is 
 plain, that one of thefe two Angels is here 
 alfo dignified with the Appellation of Je^ 
 hovahy and yet is reprefented as afting un- 
 der the Influence of another Jehovah in 
 Heaven. So that it is manifeft, here are 
 two diftin<fl Perfons, or Angels, which ap- 
 peared upon Earth, to each of which is 
 given the Appellation of Jehovah. 
 
 LVII. Again, when Jacob lived with his 
 Father Laban, and was giving an Account 
 to his Wives of their Father's Condudl and 
 
 Q] Gen. XIX. i, i^c. 
 
 Be- 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. S7 
 
 Behaviour towards him, he fays, [5] And 
 
 the Angel of God fpake to me in a Dreamy 
 
 faying, Jacob ; and Ifaid, Here am J 3 and 
 
 hefaidy lam the God ^Bethel, where thou 
 anointedji the Pillar, and vowed a Vow unto 
 vie. Now the Vow which Jacob made at 
 Bethel was this : [6] If God be with me, 
 and will keep ?ne in this Way, that I go, and 
 will give me Bread to eat, and Raiment to 
 put on ', fo that I come again to my Fathers 
 Houfe in Peace : Then fhall Jehovah be 
 my God. Whence it is plain, that an An- 
 gel of God, fpeaking to Jacob, calls him- 
 felf [7] Jehovah the God of Bethel. 
 
 LVIIL Thus alfo we find it faid, that 
 [8] the Angel of Jehovah appeared unto 
 Mofes, in a Fla?ne of Fire out of the Bufb. 
 AndMoit^faid, I will now turn aftde, and 
 fee this great Sight, why the Biifh is not 
 burnt. And when Jehovah faw that he 
 had turned afide to fee, God called unto 
 him out of the Midji of the Bufi. Moreover 
 he fatd, I am the God of thy Fathers, the 
 
 [5] Gen. xxiv 47. xxxi. 1 1 , 13. [6] Gen. xxviii. 20, 21, 
 [7] See alfo Gen. xxxii. 24, ^c, and compare it with Hofea 
 xii. 4, 5. [8] Excd. iii. 2, 6. Aas vii. 30, 35. 
 
 God 
 
58 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 G^^^ Abraham, the God ofU^zCy arid the 
 God of ]2iCoh, And Mofes hid his Face , 
 for he was afraid to look upo?i God, Where 
 it is manifeft, that an Angel is called by 
 MofeSy Jehovah -, and that the Angel calls 
 himfelf the God of Abraham^ the God of 
 IfaaCy and the God of Jacob, 
 
 LIX. Thus alfo, when the Children of 
 Ifrael were marching towards the Red-Sea^ 
 it is faid, that [9] the Angel of God, which 
 went before the Camp of Ifrael, removed and 
 went behind them, and the Pillar of the 
 Cloud went from before their Face, and food 
 behind them. And yet, in another Place, it 
 |s faid, that [i] Jehovah went before 
 them by Day in a Pillar of a Cloud, to 
 lead them the Way 3 and by Night in a 
 Pillar of Fire, to give them Light. 
 
 LX. It is alfo faid, when Mofes went up 
 to Mount S/W, That [2] Jehovah called 
 imto him out of the Mountain. And again. 
 That Mofes ca7he and called for the Riders of 
 the People, and laid before their Faces all 
 ihefe Words which Jehovah cofjimandedhim: 
 
 [9] Exod. xiy. 19. [i] Exod, xiii. 21, [2] Exod. xlx. 
 
 And 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 59 
 And that Mofes returned all the Words of the 
 People c/Ifrael unto Jehovah : That Je- 
 hovah /aid again unto Mofes, Go unto the 
 People^ and fandtify them To-day and To- 
 morrow^ and be ready againjl the third Day : 
 For the third Day Jehovah will cofne 
 down, in the Sight of all the People, upon 
 Mount Sinai. And the third Day Mount 
 Sinai was altogether on a Smoke, be^ 
 caufe Jehovah defcended upon it in Fire. 
 T-'-And Jehovah came down upon Mount 
 Sinai. — -^W Jehovah called up yio^tsunto 
 the Top of the Mount. And Godfpake all 
 thefe TFordsy fayi72g, I am Jehovah thy 
 God, which brought thee out of the Land 
 of Egypt, &c. And yet St. Stephen, who 
 was a Jew, affirms, that [3] the Law was 
 given by the Difpofition of Angels: And 
 that it was an Angel thatfpake to Mofes 
 fro?n Mount Sinai, and with our Fathers^ 
 who received the lively Oracles to give unto 
 us. And St. Paul fays, [4] that the Law 
 was ordained of Angels. And, in his 
 Epiftle to the Hebrews, he calls it [5] the 
 Wordfpoken of Angels, 
 
 [3] Ads vii. 33, 3S. [4] Gal. iii. 9. [5] Heb. ii. 2, 
 
 LXI. It 
 
6o AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 LXI. It Is likewife to be obferved, that 
 when [6] Mofes and Aaron, and Nadab 
 and Abihuy and feventy of the Elders of 
 Ifraely went up into the Mount, by the 
 Command of God, it is faid, T^hey Jaw the 
 Godqfl{r2.e\', — alfo they Jaw God^ and did 
 kat and drink : That is, They faw the 
 God of Ifrael, and did Hve to eat and 
 drink. Whereas, when Mofcs afterwards 
 applied to God, and begged it of him, as 
 a Favour, that he might fee his Glory, or 
 Face, that he might know him -, [7] Je- 
 hovah y^/V unto him. Thou canjl not fee 
 my Face ; for there f:all no Man fee me^ 
 end live. But, fays he to Mofes ^ I will 
 make all my Goodnefs pafs before thee^ and I 
 'will proclaim the Name ^^ Jehovah before 
 thee : And it foall come to pafs, while my 
 Glory paffetb by, that I will put thee in a 
 Clift cf the Rock ^ and will cover thee with 
 my Ha7id while I pafs by : And I will take 
 away mine Hand^ and thou floalt fee what [8] 
 
 [6] Exod. x:<iv. lo, l^c. [7] Exod. xxxiii. 20, l^c. 
 [8] The Original, which, in our Tranflation, we render 
 Back-farts^ properiy fignifies any Thing or Perfon that is 
 behind or followeth another. In which Senfe it is ufed 
 Gen, xviii . 1 0. when Mofes faith. And Sarah heard it in the 
 
 follows 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 6i 
 
 follows me -, but my Face Jhall not be Jeen, 
 And accordingly, when Mofes returned to 
 the Mount, it is faid, that Jehovah dcf- 
 cended hi the Cloud, and Jlood with him 
 there, and proclaimed the Name of Jeho-. 
 VAH. And Jehovah pajfed by before 
 him, and proclaimed Jehovah, Jehovah 
 God, merciful and gracious, &c. And Mo- 
 fes made hajle, and bowed his Head and 
 worfnped, 
 
 LXII. Whence It is manifeft, that this 
 Jehovah, whom Mofes made hafte to wor- 
 fhip, could not be. that Jehovah, whofe 
 Face could not be feen, whom no Man 
 could fee and live ; but the Jehovah who 
 followed the invifible Jehovah, and was pro-- 
 bably the fame Perfon with that God of 
 Ifrael, who was k^n by Mofes and Aarojt, 
 and Nadab and Abibu, and the feventy El- 
 ders oi Ifrael: And who is called by God 
 in another Place, the Similitude, or Image, 
 ef Jehovah. For, fays Jehovah unto the 
 
 Tent-door, njchich ^was BEHIND him So alfo, Jofhua vi. 
 
 13. And the Ren-ivard follQn}:ed after the Ark. So alfo 
 2 Sam. X. 9. When joab fa^to that the Front of the Battle 
 -ojas againft him before and BEHIND, See alfo Z Ciiron. xiii. 
 
 14, 15 c. ^c. 
 
 People 
 
62 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 People of Ifrael^ with my Servant Mofes 
 liiill I fpeak Mouth to Mouth ; and [9] the 
 Similitude of Jehovah Jhall he behold. 
 
 LXIII. Now this Jehovah, or this Simi- 
 litude, Image, or Reprefentative of Jeho- 
 vah, which Mofes beheld, is manifeftly the 
 fame Perfon with that Guardian Angel of 
 Jfrael, who had fo often appeared already, 
 and fpoken to Abraham, Jacob, and MofeSy 
 In the Name and Perfon of Jehovah ^ be- 
 caufe it was on this very Account that Mofes 
 defired of God to fliew him his Glory, 
 that he might know the Perfon who was to 
 cdndud: the Ifraelites into the promifed 
 Land. For thus it is, that Mofes introdu- 
 ceth his Requeft : [^i"] And M.o{t?>f aid un- 
 to Jehovah, See thou fayeji unto me, bring 
 lip this People : And thou hafl not let me 
 know whom thou wilt fend with 7ne. — Now 
 therefore I pray thee, if I have found Grace 
 in thy Sight, fiewmenow [2] thy Way ; 
 
 [9] Numb. xH. y, 2. [i] Exod. xxxiii. 12, l^c. 
 [2] The original Word *1*T1 is ufed in a great Variety of 
 Senfes in the Old Teftament ; the Septuagint Verfion ren- 
 ders it in this Place ^ictvjov, thyfelf. And in the fame Senfe 
 it probably is, that Da'vid^ Playing to Jehovah, fays, God 
 be merciful unto us^ and blefs us j atid caufe thy Face to fhim 
 
 that 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 63 
 
 that I may know 'thee : And confider that 
 this Nation is thy People. Arid Jehovah 
 faidy I will do this Thing that thou haji fpo- 
 ken, &CQ, Arid he faidy Thou canjl not fee 
 my Face 5 for there fhall no Man fee my 
 Face ajid live. But it fhall come to pafsy 
 while my Glory pafjeth by^ that I will put 
 thee in a Clift of the Rock 5 and will caver 
 thee with mine Handy while I pafs by ; and 
 I will take away mine Handy and thou fhalt 
 fee what followeth me : But my Face fhall 
 not be feeny &c. 
 
 LXIV. So that this Being which follow- 
 ed Jehovahy this Way, this Glory of Jeho- 
 vahy whom the invifible Jehovah proclaim- 
 ed to be Jehovah as well as himfelf, is ma- 
 nifeftly that Angel, who was appointed by 
 God to conduft the Ifraelites into the pro- 
 mifed Land. And therefore God faith to 
 Mofesy in another Place, [3] Behold I fend 
 an Angel before thee to keep thee in the Way^ 
 
 upon us : That T h Y W a y (or Thou) may he knonvn upon 
 Earthy thy fa<ving Health amoiig all 'Nations , Pfal. Ixvii. z. ' 
 AndinPfaL Ixxvii. 13. he fays, Thy Way, O God, (or 
 Thou) is in the SanSIuary. And hence probably it is, that 
 the Prophet Jmos calls the God or Idol of Bserjhebay the 
 /^j o/' Beerfheba, Am. viii. 14, 
 [3] Exod, xxiii, 20, 21, 
 
 and 
 
64 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 and to bring thee into the Place 'which I have 
 prepared. Beware of him^ and obey his 
 Voice ^ provoke him not^ for he will not par- 
 don your T^ranfgrefjiom j f o R M Y N a m e 
 IS IN HIM. That is, Behold, I fend an 
 Angel before thee ading in my Stead, and 
 by my Authority ; beware of him, and 
 obey his Voice, provoke him not, for I 
 have proclaimed him Jehovah \ and, as he 
 acfls by my Authority, and my Power is de- 
 legated unto him, as my Sijnilitude^ Image, 
 or Reprefentative, he will not pardon your 
 Tranfgreffions, for my Name of Jehovah 
 is in him. 
 
 LXV. And hence it comes to pafs, that 
 this Second Jehovah is in a particular 
 Manner diftinguifhed by the Appellation 
 of the God of Ifrael, the Jehovah of 
 Zion, and the Jehovah of th-e Jews. For 
 thus the Prophet Hofea^ fpeaking by 
 Authority from God, tlie great Jehovah^ 
 faith, [4] But I will have Mercy on the 
 Honfe y^' Judah, and will fave them by 
 Jehovah their God. And Zechariah 
 the Prophet, fpeaking of the fame People, 
 
 [4] Hof. J. 7. 
 
 fiiith. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 65 
 faith, [5] I willjlrengthen them in Jeho- 
 vah, aiid they Jloall walk up and down i n 
 HIS Name, faith Jehovah. Not in my 
 . Name, but in his Name, faith the invifible 
 Jehovah ; that is, in the Name of the God 
 ^'Ifrael, v^hom they had feen. And, in 
 another Place, the fame Prophet faith, [6] 
 Sijtg and rejmce, O Daughters of Zion ; 
 fh'y lo, I come^ and I will dwell in the 
 Midji of thee, faith Jehovah : And ?nany 
 Natiom fmli he joined to Jehovah in that 
 Day, and fJoall be my People : Arid I will 
 dwell in the Midf of thee, and thou /halt 
 know that the Jehovah of Hosts hath 
 fent me unto thee. Where the Jehovah of 
 Zion is plainly diftinguiflied from the Jeho- 
 vah of Hojls, and acknov/ledgeth hiinfelf 
 /.o be fent by him/ 
 
 LXVI. The only Difficulty in this Cafe 
 is this, that the Jehovah of Zion, though 
 in this one Place he acknowledgeth him- 
 felf to be fent by the Jehovah of Hojis, 
 yet in other Places this Jehovah of Zion, 
 Dr the Angel v^hich appeared unioAl)raham 
 and Jacob, and Mofes, does not always de- 
 
 [5] Zech. X. 12. [6] Zech. ii. lo, ii. 
 
 F clare 
 
66 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 clare that he is deputed, ^nd Ipeaks by the 
 delegated Authority of the Jehovah of 
 Hofts; which is the general Meaning 
 of the Phrafe of fpeaking in the Name o-f 
 any one 3 but actually and literally fpeaks in 
 his own Name, and calls himfelf Jehovahy 
 and faith, I am /& G^^ ^ Abraham ; and 
 I am the God of Bethel ; and / brought 
 thee out of the Land of Egypt, &c. and 
 politively prohibits Mofes and the Children 
 of Ifrael from worshiping any other God 
 but himfelf : Thou^ fays he, f:^alt have noTie 
 ether Gods before me. Thereby feeming to 
 forbid even the Worfhip of the Supreme 
 Jehovahy the Jehovah of Hojis. 
 
 LXVII. In Anfv/er to which it is to be 
 obferved, that the Hebrews were far from 
 being explicit and accurate in their Style> 
 but left great Room for the [7] Imagination 
 of the Reader to fupply, and fill up the 
 Deficiences > and that it was very cufto- 
 mary for one Perfon to fpeak in the Name 
 
 [7] Any one that does but open the Englijh Bible, and 
 obferve th« Number of Words that are inferted in Italick 
 Charafters, none of which are in the Original, will imme- 
 diately perceive the Truth of this AfTertion. 
 
 and 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 67 
 and Charafter of another Perfon, without 
 making the leaft Mention of the other Per- 
 fon, in whofe Name the Words were fpo- 
 ken. Thus it is allowed by the univerlal 
 'Confent of all Antiquity, as well Jews as 
 Chrijiians, that, in the fecond Pfalm, David 
 is there fpeaking of the Meffial\ and yet 
 the whole Pfalm is delivered in the Perfon 
 and Character of David himfelf. IFky^ 
 fays he, do the Heathen rage, and the Peo- 
 ple i?7iagine a vain Thing ? The Kings of 
 the Earth fet themfelves^ and the Rulers 
 take Counfel together againfi Jehovah, and 
 againji his Anointed. He that Jitteth in 
 Heaven Jhall laugh -, Jehovah jfhall have 
 them in Deri/ion. Then Jljall he /peak unto 
 them in his Wrath, and vex them in his fore 
 Difpleafure, Tet have I fet my Ki72g upon 
 my holy Hill of Sion. / will declare the 
 Decree Jehovah hath faid unto me^ 
 Thou art my Son, this Day have I be- 
 gotten thee, Afk of me, and I will give 
 thee the Heathen for thine hiheritance, 
 and the utterinofi Parts of the Earth for 
 thy Pofjeffion, 
 
 LXVIII. Now it is plain, that the De- 
 cree here fpoken of, though it was deliver- 
 F 2 ed 
 
68 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 ed unto David, yet the Purport thereof 
 was not promifed to David, but to fome 
 one of the Seed of David, 2 Sam. vii. 
 12, 14, i6j of whom God faid, Iivi/l^ 
 be his Father, and he pall be my Son. And 
 yet David faith, when fpeaking of this 
 Decree, / will declare the Decree Jeho- 
 vah hath faid unto me, Thou a?^t my 
 Son, this Day have I begotten thee. And 
 what is further remarkable is, that it was 
 not Jehovah, but Nathan the Prophet, 
 who fpake to David by Authority from 
 God'. 
 
 LXIX. And indeed nothing is more com- 
 mon than for Prophets and Angels to fpeak 
 authoritatively in their own Name, without 
 introducingtheir Speech with an explanato- 
 ry Preface, mentioning the Pcrfon in whofe 
 Name they fpeak. Thus the Prophet /- 
 faiah faith, [8] The Word that Ifaiah the 
 Son of Amos faw concerning Judah and 
 Jerufalem — [9] For behold the Lord, the 
 Jehovah of IAosts^ doth take aiva'y from 
 Jerufalem and from Judah the Stay and the 
 Staff, &c. — And then fome Verfes aftcr- 
 
 [8] Ifai. ii. i. [9] Ifai. iii. i — 4. 
 
 wards. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 69 
 wards, he faith, And I will give Children 
 to be their Pri?tces, and Babes Jh all rule over 
 them^ &c. Where it is manrfeft, that the 
 Prophet fpeaks in this laft Place in the 
 firft Perfon, in his own Name, without in- 
 ferting the Words, and ]'ehov au faid unto 
 me, which feem neceffary to have been in- 
 fcrted, in order to make his Words inteUi- 
 gible, if he intended they {hould be under- 
 ftood of Jehovah y and not of himfelf ; but 
 that he knew very well the Jews would, 
 of themfelves, fupply the Deficiency. 
 
 LXX. In like Manner, in the Revela- 
 tion of St. John^ though the Apoftle de- 
 clares, that it w^as delivered to him by an 
 Angel, and calls it [i] The Revelation of 
 Jesus Christ, which God gave unto 
 him^ to fiew unto his Servants 'Things which 
 muji fjortly cpme to pafs ; aftd he fent and 
 fignified it by his Angel ujito his Servant 
 John : Yet through the whole Book this 
 Angel fpeaks indifferently in the firft Per- 
 fon, either when he fpeaks in the Name of 
 God the Father, or in the Name of Jejus 
 Chrijiy or in his own Name. Thus, Rev. 
 
 [i] Rev. i. I. 
 
 F 1 1. 10. 
 
70 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 
 
 i. lo. St. John fays, Iwat in the Spirit oh 
 the Lord's-Day, and heard behind me a 
 great Voice y as of a T'rumpet, f^y^^^K^ I ^^ 
 Alpha and Omega, the Firjl and the Lofty 
 &c. Now this Voice was undoubtedly the 
 Voice of the Angel, who was fent to teftify 
 unto him s and yet he fpeaks in the firft 
 Perfon, faying, / a?n Alpha and Omega : 
 And Verfe 13. when he turned to fee the 
 Voice that fpake with him, he fays, [2] 
 Ajtd 'when Ifaw him, I fell at his Feet as 
 de(id^ And he laid his Right-hand upon me^ 
 faying unto me. Fear not : I am the Firfl 
 and the Laft 5 / am he that liveth and was 
 dead 'y and behold I am alive for ever?nore. 
 Where it is manifeft that this Angel fpeaks 
 at once both in the Name of God the Fa- 
 ther, and of God the Son ; becaufe he calls 
 himfelf Alpha and Omega; aod yet declares 
 he was onc^t dead. And yet, Chapter iii. 14. 
 this fame Angel fpeaks only in the Name 
 of jefz{s Chrijiy faying, Thefe "Things faith 
 the Amen, the faithful a?id true Witnefsy 
 THE Beginning of the Creation 
 6f God: Which is the Charader giveri 
 by St. Fciicl of Jefus Chrift, who ftyles 
 
 [2] Rev: i. 17, 
 
 him 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 71 
 
 him [3] the Firji-born of the whole Crea^ 
 
 LXXL However, towards the Clofe of 
 the whole Revelation, St. John fays, [4] 
 /John faw thefe T^hmgi nnd heard them^ 
 and "when I had heard and feen^ I fell down 
 to worJJnp before the Feet of the Angel 
 which Jhewed me thefe Things, Then faith 
 he unto me, See thou do it not-y for Ia?n thy 
 FelloW'Serva7ity and of thy Bretb'en the 
 Prophets, and of them which keep the Say- 
 ings of this Book : Worjhip God, And he 
 faith unto me. Seal not the Sayings of the 
 Prophecy of this Book j for the Time is at 
 Hand. — And behold I come quickly 5 and my 
 Reward is with me, to give to every Man 
 according as his Works fhall be. I am Al- 
 pha ajid Omega, the Beginning and the Ejid, 
 the Firji and the Laji, — / Jefus have feyit 
 mine Angel to tefiify unto you thefe Things 
 in the Churches. I am the Root and the Off- 
 fpring of David, and the bright and the 
 ^orning-Star ^ 
 
 [3] np<i>7oTo;ta< taVm^ XTi<r€«f . i.e. The Flrft-born of the 
 whole Creation ; and not, as we tranflate it, the Firji-born 
 hfeverj Creature^ Col. i. 1 5 . [4] Rev, xxii. 8, ^c. 
 
 P A LXXII. 
 
72 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 
 
 LXXII. Where It is manifeft, that this- 
 Angela who had refufed Worfliip and Ado- 
 ratiorij and had declared himfelf to be 
 a created Being, the Fellow-Servant of 
 'John^ and of his Brethren the Prophets y 
 yet becaufe he was fent by 'Jejn^ to teftify 
 that Revelation, [5] which was given untu 
 ''fcfus by God^ he therefore fpeaks indiffe- 
 rently in the hrft Perfon, /, either when he 
 fpeaks in his own Perfon, in the' Perfon of 
 ^efiis^ or in the Perfon of God the Fa- 
 ther. So that it fhould feem no extraordi- 
 nary Thing to find that exalted ^;;^^/ whom 
 God had proclaimed Jeho'vab^ fpeaking alfo 
 in the firft Perfon, and faying, I am that 
 am, or, lam the God oi Abraham^ or the 
 Godioi Bethel Sec. 
 
 LXXIII. This however is manifeft from 
 The whole taken together, that the Jews 
 had great Foundation in the Scriptures of 
 the Old T^fiament for their Opinion of a 
 Aeureeo; Ses^, a Second or Secondary God, . 
 that is, one who acted by a deputed Power 
 from tl|^ Supreme God ^ which PM^xalls 
 
 [5] Rev. i. I, 
 
 the 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 75 
 
 the Archangel with many Names : For it 
 appears he was therein called, T^he great 
 Prince which Jlandeth for the Children of 
 Ifrael 3 "The Word of God ; i:'he Wifdom of 
 God ; The Similitude, or Image, of God y 
 and Jehovahy or the Name of God. 
 
 LXXIV: Now then let us fee what 
 Foundation there is in the Scriptures of the 
 Old Teftament for the Opinion of a third 
 Perfon, whom the Jews a7ro5eic/(ouo-ii/, 
 paid divine Honours to. And here it may 
 be obferved, that it hath been already fhew- 
 ed, that two of the Angels, which appear- 
 ed to Abraham in the Similitude of Men, 
 were each called by the Name of feho-^ 
 vah [6] : For as the one which remained 
 Gonverling with Abraham^ while the other 
 two went towards S^odom^ was called Jeho- 
 vah, fo alfo is one of the two Angels which 
 went to deftroy Sodom, called Jehovah alfo : 
 For, fays Mofes, Jehovah rained upon So- 
 dom and Gomorrah Brimjione and Ftre 
 from Jehovah out of Heaven, 
 
 [6] See Sea. LVI. 
 
 LXXV. It 
 
74 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 
 
 LXXV. It is likewife to be obferved, that 
 in the Prophecy of [7] Zechariah, that 
 Prophet, in declaring a Vifion which he 
 had tttn of a Candleftick, with two Olive- 
 Trees by it, fays, that an A?7gel talked with 
 him, and Zechariah faid unto him. What 
 be thefe two Olive-Trees upon the Right Side 
 of the Candlejiick and upon the Left Side 
 thereof'^ And I anfwered again and faid un^ 
 to himy What be thefe two Olive-Bf^afjcheSy 
 which through the golden Pipes empty the 
 golden Oil cut of thetnfehes ? And he 
 anfwered me^ and faid^ 'Thefe are the 
 
 TWO ANOINTED ONES, THAT STAND 
 
 by the Lord of the "whole Earth. 
 
 LXXVL Now it is manifeft, that That 
 Angel, whofe Portion is Ifrael, is by the 
 Prophet Ifaiah called the Angel of God's 
 Prefence. For, fays that Prophet, [8] / 
 will mention the loving Kindnefs of Jeho- 
 vah, and his great Goodnefs towards the 
 
 Hoife of Ifrael. In all their A.ffliBiom 
 
 he was afiicied^ and the Angel of his 
 Presence faved them. And as this An- 
 
 [7] Zech. iv. I, Idc. [8] Ifai. Ixiii. 7, 9. 
 
 gel, 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 75 
 
 gel, ox great Prince, which jiandeth for the 
 Children (?f Ifrael, is by that Prophet Daniel 
 diftinguifhed by the Name of Michael % 
 fo it may be further proper to take Notice, 
 that there is another Angel named by a par- 
 ticular Name in the Scriptures of the Old 
 Teftament, who is called [9] Gabriel *y 
 which Gabriel, according to St. [i] Luke^ 
 called himfelf alfo the Angel that Jiandeth 
 in the Prefence of God, So that here are 
 plainly two Angels, one of which, for Dif- 
 tindion-fake, is called Michael, and the 
 Other Gabriel, which are defcribed as Hand- 
 ing in the Prefence of God, m, as Zecha- 
 riah exprelTeth it, which Jiand by the Lord 
 of the whole Earth. As a Type of which, 
 according to [2] Philo Judceiis, it was, 
 that, at the Building of the Tabernacle, God 
 direded only two Cherubim to be placed 
 over the Mercy-Seat in the Holy of Holies, 
 
 LXXVII. And as it appears, that the 
 Archangel Michael i^ thatPerfon who is cal- 
 led the Second EJJence by the Jews, io, upon 
 Inquiry, we fhall find that the Angel G^- 
 
 [9] As Michael fignifies the Similiticde of God ; fo Gabriel 
 figmfies, CtiQ Strength, ox To'vcer of God, [i] Luke i. 19. 
 [2] Phil. Vj. Mofis, lib. iii. p. 669. Edit. Fane. 1691. 
 
 - - hriel 
 
76 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 
 
 briel has a very. good Title towards being 
 conlidered as that l^bird EJJmce, or Being, 
 to which the Je\vs paid divine Honours. 
 For the Opinion of the Jews^ with regard 
 to this Third Being, was, [3] that " after 
 '' the Second Efience comes the Holy Spirit y 
 *' which they place in this Royal Dignity, 
 " and Degree of Principality, becaufe it is 
 '*" the Will of the great Architecft to ap- 
 *' point him to the Principality of thofe in- 
 *' ferior Beino-s, who.mav want his Affijft- 
 " ance. Who therefore, obtaining the third 
 *' Place, confers on thofe, who are inferior 
 *' to him, thefe excellent Virtues which he 
 *' himfelf received from another, to wit, 
 *' from the diviiie l/i?^!?^, his Better and Su- 
 V pe'rior, whom vv^e before faid was the Se- 
 ^* cond to the ilipreme, untegotten, and al- 
 *' mighty God.''. So fays EufebiuSy " All 
 *' the sK'^/YW -Divines, after that God, 
 *' who is over all, and after this firft-born 
 *^ Wifdom', pay divine Worfhip to the third 
 " iitid holy Power, which they call the 
 " Holy Spirit, by which they themfelves 
 ^^ are- illuminated when they are divinely 
 " infpired." 
 
 I3] Eufeb. fr^f/. J^t'ang. lib. vii. cap. 15. 
 
 LXXVIIL 
 
AN teSS AY ON SPIRIT, yj 
 LXXVIII. Now it is manifeft, that the 
 Angel Gabriel was employed in the Admi- 
 niftration of this Office, that is, in the illu- 
 minating of thofe who were divinely in- 
 fpired 3 which the Prophet Zechariah meta- 
 phorically expreffeth, by emptying through 
 golden Pipes ^ the golden Oil out of themj elves. 
 Since it was undoubtedly for this Purpofe 
 that Gabriel was fent to the Prophet [4] 
 Da?iiel^ to ?nake him iinderjia7td the Vijion : 
 And to give him Skill and Vnderfianding, 
 And therefore, it is probable, that this Angel 
 Gabriel was that holy Spirit who was em- 
 ployed by God in illuminating the reft of the 
 Prophets of Old, and w^ho is fo often men- 
 tioned in the Scriptures of the Old Tefta- 
 ment, under the Name of the holy Spirit^ 
 the Spirit oj God, or the Spirit of Jehovah. 
 For thus the Prophet [5] Nehemiah pofi- 
 tively faith, that Jehovah teftified againft 
 the Wicked by his Spirit in his Pro- 
 phets, And the Prophet [6] Zechariah 
 faith. They made their Hearts as an Add-- 
 mant Stone, leji they Jkoidd hear the Law^ 
 end the Words which the Jehovah of 
 Hosts hath sent by his Spirit in 
 the former Prophets. 
 
 [4] Dan. viii. i6. ix. 21,22. [5J Neh. Ix. 63. 
 £6] Zech. vii, 12. 
 
 LXXIX. 
 
78 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 LXXIX. Which Words plainly prove 
 this Spirit to have been an intelligent Agent, 
 feparate and diftind from God, becaufe he 
 W2isfe7it by him For though Men may be 
 faid to be infpired, or actuated, by the 
 Spirit of God, w^hen God is pleafed to in- 
 fpire or influence them by virtue of his 
 own almighty Power, without deputing 
 any other Spirit to do it : Yet it is ma- 
 nifeft that God cannot fend himfelf ; be- 
 caufe thofe Terms imply a Contradidlion. 
 And therefore the Prophet Ifaiah is faid to 
 have been7^;2/ both by God and his Spirit. 
 For, fays he, [7] And now Jehovah Gody 
 and his Spirit hath fent me. And in the 
 Books of [8] Judges zndi Samuely it is not 
 faid, that it was Jehovah^ but the Spirit 
 of fehovahy which came upon Othoniel, 
 a7id Gideon, a7id Jeptha, and Sampfon, and 
 Saul, and David, to affift them in the Go- 
 vernment of Ifraely and the Execution of 
 their Office. And the holy [9] David, 
 in the penitential Pfalm, which he com- 
 pofed on his Tranfgreffion with Bathfheba^ 
 
 [7] Ifai-xlviii. i6. [8] See Judg. iii. lO. vi. 34. xi 29. 
 xiii. 25; I Sam. x. 6. xvi, 13, [9] Pfal. li. 11, 12, 13- 
 
 bcgs 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 79 
 
 begs of Almighty God, not to take his 
 HOLY Spirit from him; Init^ fays he, 
 7'ejhre ??ie unto the Joy of thy Salvation^ 
 and uphold 7ne with thy free Spirit. 
 
 LXXX. And therefore this holy Spirit i« 
 fometimes faid to enter into Men when it 
 infpired them. For thus the Prophet Eze-- 
 iJ/^/ declares, that the Spirit [i] entered in-^ 
 to him when it /pake unto him. And the 
 Prophet Ifaiah, fpeaking of MofeSy faith, 
 that [2] God put his holy Spirit within him. 
 Which likewife fhews this Spirit to have 
 been a feparate intelligent Agent, diftindl 
 from God himfelf, becaufeit is faid, that it 
 was God who put this holy Spirit within 
 him, 
 
 LXXXL And as it pleafed God, that this 
 holy Spirit fhould fometimes manifeft its 
 Abode in particular People, by fome out- 
 ward and vifible Token, for the Sake of the 
 By-Standers, that they might be obedient 
 unto thofe Perfons upon whom it abode ; 
 therefore it is, in the Language of the holy 
 Scriptures, fometimes faid to reji upon thofe 
 
 [i] Ezek. ii. 2. iii., 24, [2] Wu vi 3. 
 
 on 
 
8o AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 on whom it was conferred. Thus, when 
 God ordered Mcfes to appoint Seventy El- 
 ders, who fhould affift him in the Diftribu- 
 tion of Juflice, it is faid, that [3] Jehovab 
 came down in a Cloudy and fpake unto him, 
 and took of the Spirit that was upon him, 
 iind gave it to the Seventy Elders ; and it 
 came to pafs, that when the Spirit rest- 
 ed UPON them, they prophejied and did 
 not ceafe. 
 
 LXXXII. Now it is obferved of Mofes^ 
 that, when he came the laft Time down 
 from Mount Sinai, [4] the Skin of his Face 
 Jhone, fo that the People were afraid to 
 come nigh him. It is therefore probable, 
 that this Manifeftation of the Spirit, which 
 was conferred on Mofes, and from him di- 
 vided among the Seventy Elders, was a 
 kind of lucid fhining Appearance which 
 refted upon them as an outward and vilible 
 Token of the inward Affiftance and Illumi- 
 nation of the Holy Spirit. And therefore 
 God alfo commanded Mofes, when he ap- 
 pointed Jojhua for his Succeflbr, to [5] take 
 
 [3] Numb. xi. 16,25. [4] Exod. xxxiv. 29. 
 [5] Numb, xxvii, 20. 
 
 Jofliua 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 8i 
 
 Jofliua the Son of Nun, and, fays he, thoii 
 /halt lay fome of thi?ie Honour upon him, 
 that all the Congregatim of the Children 
 of Ifrael may be obedient : In like Manner, 
 when Elijha was appointed Succeflbr to 
 Elijah, it is faid, the Spirit ^Elijah, or 
 the Spirit which was on Elijah, doth rest 
 ON Elijha. And they came to meet him, and 
 bowed themfelves before hi?n. 
 
 LXXXIII. But when this Holy Spirit 
 was pleafed to make its Appearance, either 
 in the Figure and Form of an Angel or Man, 
 l^^fews then 'A7ro9cj3£!(^ou(7ii/, paid divine Ho- 
 nours to it: As Daniel did to the Angel [6] 
 Gabriel, when it appeared unto him in the 
 Form of a Man ; for, faith he, [7 J / was 
 afraid, ajidfell upon my Face : As Ezekiel 
 alfo did to the [8] Holy Spirit, when it ap- 
 peared unto him in [9] the Likenefs of the 
 Glory o/' Jehovah 3 for, fays he, JVhen[_i'\I 
 faw it, I fell upon my Face, Which was the 
 ufual Method of Proftration both with [2 J 
 
 [6] Dan. viii. i6. ix. 21. [7] Dan. viii. 17. [8] Ezelc. 
 ii. 2. iii. 24. [9] Ezek. i. 28. [i] Ezek. i. 28. 
 
 iii. 3. xliii. 3, 4. xliv. 4. [2] Ezek. ix. %, xi. 13. 
 
 G himj 
 
82 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 him, and all the ancient [3] Prophets and 
 Patri??rchs, whenever they had any earneft 
 Requeft to make to Almighty God; or when 
 they apprehended that an Angel fent from 
 God was fpeaking to^them. , 
 
 LXXXIV. And indeed it feems but rea- 
 fonable, that, befide the Refpedt which is 
 due to this Holy Spirit on account of the 
 Excellency of its own Nature, there fhould 
 be a further Degree of Reverence and Re- 
 gard paid unto him, in proportion to the 
 Degree of Power or Authority over us, 
 which is committed unto him from God : 
 Since it is but juft, that whatever Degree of 
 Superiority the Almighty is pleafed to give 
 to any one Being over others, there fhould 
 be a fuitable Degree of Submiffion and Obe- 
 dience paid to that Being, in proportion 
 to the Extent of Authority delegated from 
 God. 
 
 LXXXV. Not that Angels, as Angels, 
 have any Right to divine Worfhip or Ador- 
 ation upon their own Account -, and there- 
 
 [3] Gen.xvii. 3. Numb.xvi. 22. xxii. 31. Jofli. v.14. 
 See alfo Matt. xxvi. 39. Mark xiv. 35. Though he iirft 
 kneeled down, Luke xxii. 41 . 
 
 fore 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 83 
 
 fore all [4] voluntary Humility and Worjloip- 
 ing -of Angels, even the higheft, out of 
 our own Head, or without a Commiffion 
 from God for fo doing, would be Idolatry: 
 which was theReafon why that Angel who 
 was fent from God to'fhcw the Revelation 
 toSt.y/9y6/7, reprimanding the Apoftle, when 
 he [5]y^// down to Worship before the 
 Feet of the Angel which fhewed him thefe 
 
 ^hings^ faying, See thou do it not, * 
 
 WorjlAp God, Becaufe St. fohn feems to 
 have paid this Worfoip to the Angel on his 
 own Account, without any Regard to the 
 Authority by which he was fent ^ which 
 would have been Idolatry. But when Angels 
 arecommiffion'd from God, v/ith any Degree 
 of Power over us, and are fent in his Name; 
 then it cannot be Idolatry, to pay them fuch 
 aDegree of Adoration, as is proportionate to 
 the Authority with which they are inveft- 
 ed : Becaufe fuch Adoration or Woriliip, 
 not being paid them on their own Account, 
 but on account of the Authority which hath 
 
 [4] Col. ii. 18. — —Whether cur Tranflation is ftridly 
 juft, I will not fay j but lure I am, that it correfponds to 
 the Meaning of the Apoillc. However Grotius may be con- 
 fulted by any one who wants further Satisfaclion, 
 
 [5] Rev, xxii. 8. 
 
 ' G a been 
 
84 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 been delegated unto them, terminates in the 
 one only and fapreme God. See Sedt. 
 CXIII, CXIV. 
 
 LXXXVI. Which Method of Reafoning 
 may he purfued from the higheft Degree of 
 Worlhip, payable to the moil perfect Be- 
 ing next to God, ailing with the higheft 
 Authority which God is pleafed to commu- 
 nicate or delegate, down to the loweft De- 
 gree ofDeference or Refped:, which, Reafon 
 inftrufts us, is proper to pay to fome of our 
 own Fellow-Creatures for the Prefervation 
 of a due Subordination in Society : Since in 
 this Senfe it is, that [6} not ofily the Powers 
 which he^ are ordained of God -, but alfo that 
 thofe Prophets and Judges of Ifrael [7] fo 
 whom the Word of God came ^ are called Gods-, 
 becaufe they fpoke by his Authority, and 
 a(fted in his Stead. 
 
 LXXXVIL Which Dodrine o?t\it Jews 
 with regard to God the Father, God the 
 Son, and God the Holy Spirit, feems there- 
 fore not only to be fupported by the Doc- 
 
 [6] Rom. xlii. i. [7] See Exod, xxii. 18. Pf- Ixxxli. 
 
 I, 2, 6. John X. 34, 55. 
 
 trine 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 85 
 trine of the Old Teftame-nt, but alfo recon- 
 cilable to Reafon , fince, if we do but refledt 
 on the iinnienfe Diflance there is between 
 the imperfecfl State of human Beings, and 
 the infinite Perfeftion of Almighty God, 
 we cannot but think that God fhould 
 chufe to govern this Univerfe by a gradual 
 Subordination of Beings, one fuperior to 
 another; rather than to be the fole Direilor 
 or Governor of every the moft minute Af- 
 fair : Not that fuch a Government would 
 be troublefome to God, or that he would be 
 unable to perform it, or that God can pof- 
 fibly diveft himfelf of the fupreme Autho- 
 rity, univerfallnfpedlion, and general Super- 
 intendency even of the minuteft Tranfac- 
 tion in the whole Creation : But becaufe it 
 feems moreconfiftent with the divine Good- 
 nefs and Wifdom, to employ the various 
 Works of his Hands, in the Exercife of 
 thofe Powers and Faculties with which he 
 hath endowed them; rather than perfonally 
 and immediately to interpofe in the Con- 
 dud of thofe Tranfeftions, for which he 
 hath created Numbers of Beings furniflied 
 with Abilities fufficient to perform them. 
 
 G ^ LXXXVIII. 
 
86 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 LXXXVIII. It is likewife reafonable to 
 believe that the fame Method of Govern- 
 ment, which God hath ordained in this 
 fublunary Globe, is carried on by a Kind of 
 Analogy through the vv^hole Creation. And 
 that as the great Creator hath been pleafed 
 to conftltute this World in fiich a Manner, 
 as to require the Authority of fome Perfons 
 prefiding over others, in Families, in Towns, 
 in Cities, in Provinces, in Kingdoms, in 
 Empires -, fo probably in the great Expanfe 
 of Spirits, there are Degrees of Superiority 
 analogous to thefe fublunary Difpofitions ; 
 which we have no better Method of ex- 
 prefling, than by calling them in AUufion 
 to the Things which we do know [8] 
 T['hroneSy Dominions^ Pmicipalities^ Powers. 
 
 LXXXIX. And as this Dodrine is re- 
 concilable with the Scriptures of the Old 
 Teftament, the Sentlm.ents of the Jewip 
 Divines, and with Reafon ; fo is it alfo with 
 the Scriptures of the New Teitament. For, 
 fays St. Paul, [9] 'though there be that are 
 called Gods^ whether in Heaven or Earthy 
 
 [8] Col. i. ~i6. [9] 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6. 
 
 (for 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. Sy 
 (for fbere be Gods jnany^ and Lords many) 
 yet to Its thef^e is but one God, the Father^ 
 oj whom are all things, and we in him ; 
 and one Lord Jefus Chrijt, by whom are all 
 Things, and we by him. That is, there is but 
 one fupreme God, in comparifon of whom 
 there is [ i ] none other but he -, and with 
 regard to whom Jefus theChrift is only to be 
 called Lord and not God : The Father hav- 
 ing give?! him a Name that is above every 
 other Name, that every '\to7igue fiould con- 
 fefs that Jefus Chrijl is Lord, to the Glory 
 qf^ God the Father, Phil. ii. 9, 11. 
 
 XC. Which God the Father, as he is de- 
 {cribed by Mofes, under the Character of 
 that God, [2] whofe Face cannot be feen r, 
 for 710 Mail can fee him and live \ fo alfo St. 
 Faul charafterifes him as that God, who is 
 [3] the blefjed and only Potentate, the 
 King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who 
 ONLY hath Immortality, dwelling in the 
 Light which no Man can approach untOy 
 whom no Man hath or can see. 
 And St. John fays, [4] No Man hath feen 
 
 [i] Mark xii. 32. [2] Exod. xxxiii. 20, 23. [3] 
 .1 Tim. xi. 15, 16, [4] Johni. 18. vi. 46, i Johniv. 12. 
 
 G A, Goa 
 
88 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 God at any T^ime. Which ojie^ onh^ invifible 
 God cannot therefore poflibly be the lame 
 with that Gd?^ who [5] was manifejled hi 
 the Flefi. 
 
 XCl. Whence it appears, that here is a 
 Diftindlion made by the Apoftles between 
 the Divinity of God the Father and of God 
 the Son : And that although the Term of 
 Gody as when we fay. There are Gods ma- 
 ny, may be attributed to the Son, yet that, 
 ftridlly fpeaking, as when we fay. There is 
 but one God, this Appellation is only to b^ 
 attributed to God the Father 3 and accord- 
 ingly the Nicene Creed, as all the ancient 
 Creeds did, begins with faying, I believe in 
 07ie God the Father Almighty, &c. And the 
 Reafon affigned for this Diftinftion by St. 
 Faul is, becaufe God the Father is alone to 
 be confidered as the [6]Jir/i Caiife ; for, fays 
 he, there is one God the Father, of whom 
 ARE ALL Things : And therefore God 
 the Father is by the Son himfelf ftyled [7] 
 the only t?'ue God, For, fays he, when fpeak- 
 ing of the Father, ^his is eternal Life, that 
 
 [5] I Tim. ill. 16. [6] See Scft. i^i. 
 [7] John xvii. 3. 
 
 tbey 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 89 
 
 they may know thee the only true 
 God, aiid Jefus Chriji whom thou bajl 
 fent* 
 
 XCII. As therefore the firft Self-exiftent 
 Caufe oi whom are all Things, can alone 
 be properly called God, when the Title of 
 God is given in the Scriptures to any other 
 Being but the Father, we are to underftand 
 this, only as expreffive of fome God-like 
 Power, which hath been given or commu- 
 nicated to that Being by God the Father. 
 And accordingly Jehovah faid unto Mofes^ 
 when he fent him to Pharaohy and com- 
 municated to him the Power of working 
 Miracles, [8] Thou jhalt be to him injlead 
 of God : Which he thus exprefieth in ano- 
 ther Place, [9] See I have made thee a God 
 to Pharaoh* When all Power therefore in 
 Heaven and Earth was given to the Son, 
 he was made a God to thofe Beings over 
 whom that Power was given, that is, over 
 thofe Beings which inhabit this Heaven and 
 this Earth, and over thofe only, fince it is 
 manifeft at the fame Time, that he muft 
 be excepted who did give this Power unto 
 
 [8] jSxjod. iv. 16. [9] Ejcod. xvii. t, 
 
 him 5 
 
50 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 him ', and therefore St. Paul politively de- 
 clares, .when fpeaking of the Son, that [i] 
 when it is f aid, AllThifigs are put under him^ 
 it is manifejl that he is excepted, "which did 
 put all 'Things under him : and when all 
 things Jljall be fubdued unto him, then, fays 
 he, Jhall the Son alfo, that is, even in his 
 higheft State of exalted Glory, be fubjeSi 
 unto hifn that did put all things under him^ 
 that God may be all in alL 
 
 ■ XCIII. And as that fecondary Effence 
 among the 'Jews whofe Portion was Ifraely 
 was by them called the IVord ^nd the JVif- 
 io77t of God : So it is undoubted that thefe 
 Appellations were from thence transferred, 
 by the Apoftles of Chrijl who were born 
 and bred Jews, into the Chriftian Religion, 
 and applied by them to Jefus the Chrijl^ 
 who is in the Scriptures of the New Tefta- 
 ment called [2] th JFord znd the Wifdofn of 
 God. 
 
 XCIV. And as that fecondary Effence 
 was by the Jews called the Image of God, 
 fo is the Lord Jejus Chrijl called in the 
 
 [i] I Cor. XV. zy, 28. [2] John i. i, 54. i Cor. i. 24. 
 
 Language 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 91 
 
 Language of the New Teftament, [3] the 
 Image of the invifible God : That is, the 
 vifible Image, or delegated Reprefentative 
 in Power of the invifible God. For that 
 this is the fcriptural Meaning of the Word 
 Image, when applied to the Image of an 
 invifible Being, feems plain from many Paf- 
 fages, but in particular from that wherein it 
 is faid, that Man was created [4] in the 
 Image cf God : Becaufe as foon as God is 
 reprefented by Mofes as having faid, Let us 
 ?nake Man in our Image after our Like^ 
 nejs : Then immediately follows, and let 
 him have Dominion over the Fijh of the Sea ; 
 and over the Fowls of the Air, &c. And 
 therefore the Arabic Verfion of the Bible 
 renders this laft Sentence to this Purpofe, 
 that by the Image which God embled, he 
 created him to have Dominion. And the 
 wife Son of Sirach obferves, that [5] the 
 Lord created Men, and endued them with 
 Strength, by themfelves, and made them 
 according to his Image-, and put the Fear 
 of Man upon all Flefi, and gave him Do- 
 minion over Beajls and Fowls, And that 
 this Word, 'EiJtojy Image, when applied to 
 
 [3] Col. i. 15. [4] Gen. i. 26, 27. [5] Ecclus xvii. 
 
 ^^^'^' Perfons 
 
92 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 Perfons, was generally underftood to denote 
 the one as being the Deputy or Reprefenta- 
 tive of the other, in Power and Dominion, 
 is plain from an pxpreffion in Bafil upon 
 this very Subjed:. Where he manifeftly 
 ufeth this Word to fignify a Viceroy : 
 When, in Anfwer to this Objedion, But 
 how theny if there are two diJiinB Perfons 
 (in the Godhead) do we not make two Gods ? 
 To which he anfwers, [6] Why juji as a 
 Kingy and the Deputy of a King^ do not 
 make two Kings, 
 
 XCV. And as the Jews fuppofed their 
 XiOgos to be the fame Perfon with that [7] 
 Angel of God's Prefence^ who is reprefent- 
 ed in the Old Teftament, as being the 
 Guardian Angel of the Children of Ifrael^ 
 fo alfo do the Scriptures of the New Tefta- 
 ment fuppofe their Logos ^ or the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift to be that very Angel who brought 
 Redemption to Ifrael -, and therefore St^ 
 Pauly fpeaking of the Deliverance of the 
 Ifraelites from their Egyptian [8] Bondage, 
 
 [6] ■'Ot/ ^ckTiKivi hiyzTou )^ ii TV (iacriKic^^ ^auv, )^ k 
 J" 00 ^(tatK&ii. Bafil. De Spir. SanSl. c. xviii. 
 
 [7] Exod. xxiii. 20,21, xxxiii. 2. ^^umb. xx. 16* 
 [8] I Cor. X. 1—9. 
 
 faith, 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 93 
 
 faith. Moreover^ Brethren^ I would not have 
 yott. ignorant-i how that all our Fathers 
 were under the Cloudy and all pajjed through 
 the Sea ^ and were all baptized unto Mofo 
 in the Cloudy and in the Sea > and did all 
 eat the fame fpiritual Meat ^ and did all 
 drink the fame fpiritual Drink : For they 
 drank of that fame fpiritual Rock that fol- 
 lowed tljemy and that Rock was 
 Christ. He alfo faith, that by their 
 Mifcondud: in the Wildernefs, they tempted 
 Chrifly and were therefore deflroyed of Ser- 
 pents. And in his Epiftle to the \jf\Hebrews^ 
 he attributes' the Perfeverance of Mcfes in 
 quitting Pharaoh's Coui't, in Obedience t6 
 the Commands of the Jehovah-Angtly and 
 refufing to be called the Son of Pharaoh^s 
 Daughter, to his eileeming the Reproach of 
 Chrifi, i, e. the [i] Reproach of the £^^^- 
 fia?is for Chrifi's fake, greater Riches than 
 th T^reafures in Egypt. 
 
 XCVL And as the "Jews held their Lo- 
 gos to have been in the Beginning with 
 God 5 and to be J^emgoy ;&eoy, a fecond God: 
 
 [9] Heb. xi. 26. [i] This Method of fpeaking was 
 V€r>- cuftoraary among the Hebre^^s, See Pfal Ixxxix. 50. 
 G^. vi. 17. I Pet. iv. 13. 
 
 So 
 
94 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 So alfo do the Scriptures of the New Tef- 
 tament acknowledge their Logos, or the 
 Lord Jefus, to be called [i] Emanuely 
 which being interpreted is, God with us. 
 He is therefore frequently, in the Language 
 of the New Teftament/ fpoken of as fuch. 
 Thus Johi the Evangelift pofitively fays, 
 that [2] the Word was God. And St. Paul 
 calls him, [3] God manifejied in the Flejh. 
 And St. 'Thomas, when fpeaking to him> 
 fully and pofitively calleth him, [4] my 
 Lord and my God, 
 
 XCVII. But then thefe Scriptures are in 
 ©ther Places very expreiiive, with regard 
 to the Superiority of God the Father, over 
 God the Son : Thus St. Peter, in that 
 Speech which he makes to the Jews, A5ls 
 ii. 33. where he is applying a Paffage, out 
 of the cxth Pfalm, to our Saviour, fays. 
 For David is not afcended into the Hea- 
 liens : But he faith himfelf, " The Lord 
 *' faid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my 
 " Right Hand, until I make thine Ene- 
 ^' mies thy Footftool." therefore, fays 
 St. Peter, let all the Houfe of Ifrael know 
 
 [1] Matth. i. 23. [2] Johni. i. [3] i Tim. iii. 16. 
 [4] John XX. 2S. 
 
 ^ ajTuredk, 
 
 U/ J 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 95 
 
 ^fjiiredly, that God hath made that fame 
 Jefus nvhom ye crucified,, both Lord and 
 Chrifi. Which ihews that the Son could 
 not have been from all Eternity co-equal to 
 the Father, fince the Father could not have 
 made him eitlier Lord or Chrift, if he had 
 no Superiority over him. And accordingly, 
 St. Paul applies that Text of Scripture to 
 yefm Chrifiy which Danjid maketh ufe of 
 in the Pfalms, v^hen he faith, [6] Thy 
 Throne y O God, is for ever and ever ; a 
 Sceptre of Right eoufnefs is the Sceptre of 
 thy Ki?2gdom : Thou haft loved Righteoufnefs 
 mid hated Iniquity 3 therefore God^ even 
 THY God, hath anointed thee with the Oil 
 of Gladnefs above thy Fellows, In which 
 Paffage, though Chrift is undoubtedly called 
 God^ yet the Superiority of God the Father 
 over this God, is manifeftly preferved ^ be- 
 caufe he is called even his God, And the 
 Lord Jefus Chrifiy when he was departing 
 out of this Life, not only [7] offered up 
 Prayers and Supplications unto the Father. 
 as unto him that was able to fave him from 
 Death ; but alfo [8] cried with a loud 
 •Voice^ faying^ My God, jmy God, why 
 haft, thou forfaken me f 
 
 [6] Heb. i. 8. [7] Heb. 7. 7. [8j ]\latth. xxvii. 46. 
 
 XCVIIL 
 
96 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 XCVIII. I am not ignorant, that in or- 
 der to invalidate this Argument, it is faid, 
 that this laft Expreffion was fpoken only in 
 regard to his human Nature, with refped: 
 to which he was undoubtedly inferior to 
 God the Father 5 but in anfwer to this, it 
 is to be obferved, that in the firft Paflage 
 here alluded to in the cxth Pfalm, our Sa- 
 viour is there called Lord^ and yet Jebo- 
 i:ah is faid by St. Peter y to have made him 
 both Lord and Chriji, And in the fecond 
 Paflage here quoted, the Pfalmift fpeaks of 
 him as God^ yet at the fame Time declares 
 God the Father to be his God. And the 
 fame Method of fpeaking is continued in 
 the Scriptures, not only while he was here 
 in this World, fubjefl: to Mortality ; but 
 after he had overcome Death, and the 
 Grave, even after his Refurredtion ; at 
 which Time, he alfo acknowledges God 
 the Father to be his God : For when Mary 
 would have approached unto him, he faid, 
 [9] Touch me nof^ or, do not ftay to touch 
 or mind me at prefent, for lam 72ot yet af- 
 cended unto my Father y but go to my Bre^ 
 threriy and fay unto them^ I afcend unto my 
 
 [9] John XX. 17. 
 
 Father^ 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 97 
 Father, and your Father, unto my God, 
 AND YOUR God. And the Apoftle Paul, 
 in fpeaking of our Lord Jefics Chriji, even 
 after his Afcenfion, after his Exaltation, 
 after he had been feated [ i ] at the Right 
 Hand of God, far above all Pri?ictpality, 
 and Power, and Might, and Dominion, 
 fpeaks of God the Father, as ftill being his 
 God. For fays he, [2] Bleffed be the God 
 and Father of our Lord Jefus Chriji, And 
 again, he faith to the Ephefians, Wherefore, 
 I ceafe not to give Thanks for you, that 
 the God of our Lord Jefus Chriji, the Father 
 of Glory, may give unto you the Spirit of 
 Wifdom. And in the Revelation of St. 
 John, the Apoftle fpeaking of Jefus, faith, 
 [3] who hath made us Kings and Priefs 
 TO HIS God and Father. 
 
 XCIX. And indeed the whole Condudl 
 and Behaviour and Dod:rine of our Lord 
 Jefus Chriji, while he was in this World, 
 was correfpondent thereto^ for he not only 
 fpeaks of the Superiority of God the Fa- 
 ther in general Words, as when he fays, in 
 exprefs Terms, [4] the Father is greater 
 
 [i] Eph. i. 20, 21. [2] Eph. i. 3. [3] T<S' ^s« 
 K^i'TTdLTfi clvri'y Rev. i. 6. [4] Johnxiv. 28. x. 29. 
 
 H than 
 
98 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 than I \ and again, the Father is greater 
 than all: But acknowledges that his whole 
 Condudt, not only while he was in this 
 World, but before he came into it, before 
 he had taken human Nature upon himfelf, 
 was in Submiffion to the Will and Com- 
 mands of God. For he acknowledges, in 
 numberlefs Places, that it was the Father 
 who fent him, and gave him a Cor/wmnd- 
 ment what to do. [5] For^ fays he, 1 7nnjl 
 work the Work of him that sent 7nc -, and 
 again he fays, T'he Father ivhich sent me, 
 he GAVE ME A Commandment, what I 
 Jljould fay, and what I fmdd fpeak. And 
 again. As the Father gave me Com- 
 mandment, fo do I. We may therefore 
 fairly argue, as our Saviour himfelf does 
 upon another Occafion, that \b\as the Ser-- 
 'vant rs not equal to his Lord, neither is 
 he that is fent equal to him that fent him. 
 He therefore alfo acknowledged, that all 
 the Power he was pofleffed of, not only na- 
 tural, but fupernatural, was receiiyd from 
 the Father, and was [7] given unto him. 
 And this not only while he was upon Earth, 
 
 [5] John ix. 4. xil. 49. xiv. 3 1 , ^r. ^c. [6] John xiii. 
 16. [7] John V. 26. xvii. 2, 7, 8, 9, 11, ^c. ^c. 
 
 whil6 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 99 
 while he was clogged and fettered with the 
 Shackles of Mortality : But even after his 
 Refurrecflion, and Afcenfion, and Exalta- 
 tion, he declares, that all the Power which 
 he had in Heaven and Earth, was [8] given 
 zmto him of the Father. And fome Years 
 after that, St. Paul^ in his Epiftle to the [9] 
 Cori7ithian5y faith, But I would have you 
 know^ that the Head of every Man is Chriji ; 
 ti72d the Head of the Woman is the Man 3 
 and the Head of Christ is God. 
 
 C. And as Mofes was commanded by 
 God to obey the Voice of the Angel, which 
 he fent to keep him in the Way ; and to 
 provoke him not, becaufe his Name was in 
 him 3 fo the Lord Jefus ChriJI declares, 
 that the Honour which is due unto him is 
 on the Father's Account 5 that is, becaufe 
 he was fent from the Father : For, fays 
 he, [i] T^he Father hath committed all 
 Judgjnent to the Son, that all Men fiould 
 honour the Son, even as they honour the 
 Father : And then he adds the Reafon, 
 For, he that ho?ioureth not the Son, honour eth 
 not the Father which hath fent him. 
 
 [8] Matth. xxviii. i8. [9] i Cor. xi. 3. [i] John 
 V. 22, 23. 
 
 H 2 CI. It 
 
ICO AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 CI. It is likewife very remarkable, that 
 in this Place, as well as in Exodus xxiii. 
 21, where God ordereth Alofes and the 
 IfracUtes to obey the i\ngel which was fent 
 in his Name, the Incitement offered for 
 honoia'ing the one, as well as obeying the 
 other, is tlie Power of "Judgment^ that was 
 committed unto them. For, fays God to 
 Mofes, Beware of him., obey his Voice, pro- 
 'Doke kitn not, for he will not pardon your 
 TranfgreJJions, And in the New Tcftament, 
 our Saviour obferves, that all Judg- 
 ment WAS COMMITTED TO THE SoN ; 
 
 that all Men Jljould honour the Son^ even as 
 they honour the Father. 
 
 CI I. It is a Remark made by Sir Ifaac 
 Newton, that the Worfhip which is due 
 from Man to God, is on account of. the 
 Dominion he hath over him. For, fays 
 he, '' [3] God is a relative Term, which 
 " has Reference to Subjedls, and the Word 
 " Deity, denotes the Dominion of God, 
 " not over his own Body, (as the ancient 
 *' Philofophers imagined, who called God 
 
 [3] Newt. Prin. Schol. gener, 
 
 : - " the 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. loi 
 " the Soul of theWorld)butover Subjefts." 
 And again, he faith, *' We arrive at the 
 " Knowledge of God, by confidering his 
 " Properties and Attributes 5 by inquiring 
 V into the wife Formation and Conftitution 
 " of all Things ; and fearching into their 
 " final Caufes ; but we woriliip and adore 
 '' him on account of his Dominion/' So 
 that the Son becometh our God,, not fo 
 much on account of his having been em- 
 ployed in our Creation, and that by him God 
 created the Worlds, as becaufe all Judgment 
 is committed unto him, this being the great 
 Obligation of all Duty: There being no 
 Reafon for Men to lay themfelves under 
 any Reftraint, in obeying or difobeying the 
 Commands of any Being, which hath no 
 Power over them. 
 
 CHI. Now the Reafon why Almighty 
 God was pleafed to commit this Power of 
 Judgment unto the Son, is alfo affigned ; 
 for, fays our Lord Jefus, [4] "the Father, 
 hath given to the Son Authority to execute 
 Judgfnent j becaufe he is the Son of Man, 
 That is, as a Reward for having taken hu- 
 
 [4] John V. 26, 27. 
 
 H 3 nian 
 
102 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 man Nature upon him. For, upon the Fall 
 of Adam^ this Son of God, being willing 
 to undertake the Redemption of Mankind, 
 [5] he was accordingly [6] anointed cf 
 God for to do whatfoevcr bis Hand and bis 
 Council predetermined to be dojie. That 
 is, he was [7] anointed to do and to fufrer^ 
 whatfoever it fhould pleafe God for him tq 
 do or to fufter. And for an Encouragement 
 in which Undertaking, God was pleafed tq 
 propofe to this his anointed Son, that, on 
 the Performance of fuch Things as God 
 ihould appoint for him to do, he fhould 
 be exalted to [8] Joy and Glo7j. 
 
 CIV. When therefore, in the Fulnefs oi" 
 Time, it pleafed God to lend forth his Son, 
 who being [9] in the Form of God n^w^x-^ 
 thelefs divefted himfelf of that Glory which 
 he had with the Father before the World 
 was, and [ i ] came down from Hea^-cen^ not 
 
 ' [5] Aas iv. 27, 28. [6] Hence called the Mejfmh^ 
 which literally figniiies t\i& anointeJ. [7] Or appo.nted. 
 
 This Tei m of anointing being made ufe of, inflead of ap- 
 pointing, in compliance with the human Cullom of anoint' 
 ing Perfons, when they were appointed to the Adminillration 
 of particular Offices, fuch as either iT/V/o-, Friejl, ov Prophet. 
 See 1 Sam. xiii. i. 2 Sam. ii. 7. Exod. xx\x. 7. Ifai. Ixi. i. 
 [8] Hcb. xii. 2. I Pet. i. u. [9] Phil. ii. 6. [j] i John 
 iv. 34. V. 30. vi. 38, 42. 
 
 to 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 103 
 
 to do his own Will, but the Will of him 
 that fent him ; [2] The Spirit having tejii-' 
 Jied beforehand the Sufferings of Chrift, a?id 
 the Glory that Jhould follow ; he therefore 
 [3] fi^ ^'^^ J^y ^^^^ "^^^ fi^ bejore hi?n, en- 
 dured the Crcfs, defpifing the Shame : [4] 
 Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted 
 him, and [5] fct him at his own Right- 
 hafjd EXALTED, [6] and hath given him a 
 Name that is above every Name, that [7] 
 IN THE Name of Jesus every Knee 
 foidd bow, of T'hings in Heaven, and Things 
 in Earth, and Things wider the Earth : 
 And that every Tongue fioidd confefs that 
 Jefus Chrift ishoRTi to the Glory of God 
 the Father » 
 
 CV. Wherefore Jefus having [8] finijh- 
 ej the Work which his Father gave him to 
 do, and inanifefted his Name unto Men, that 
 they might know God the Father the only 
 true God, and Jefus Chrift whom he hath 
 fent ; and having perfifted therein unto 
 Death, [9] that he might i^econcile both 
 Jews and Gentiles ujito God in one Body by 
 
 [2] I Pet. i. 1 1 . [3] Heb. xii. 2. [4] Phil. ii. 9. 
 [5JAasii. 33, Eph. i. 20, ^r. [6j Phil, ii.' 9, 10, 11. 
 [7] *£;/T(y o)^//ccT/. [8] John xvii. 4. vi. 3. [gjEph. ii. 16. 
 
 H 4 the 
 
I04 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 the Crofs : And having been [ i ] for the 
 Suffering of Death crowned with Glory and 
 Honour ; inftead of the Portion of Ifraely 
 which had been before the Line or Boun- 
 dary of his Inheritance 3 he had now [2] 
 Power given him over all Flefi, And [3] 
 all Nations were made of one Blood under 
 him, and the Bounds of their Habitations 
 were brought within the Line of his Inhe- 
 ritance : And [4] there was given unto him 
 JDo7ninion and Glory ^ and a Kingdom y that 
 all People y Nations y and Languages Jhould 
 ferve him, 
 
 CVI. From this Time forth, therefore, 
 his Difciples were fentunto [5] all Nations 
 to [6] preach the Go [pel unto every Creature, 
 And what is remarkable is, that, from this 
 Time, the fame Holy Spirit y which undef 
 the Mofaical Difpenfation [7] fpake by the 
 Prophets, and had only illuminated the 
 Minds of thofe of the Sons of Ifraely to 
 whom the Word of God came y was, through 
 the Interceffion of Jefus Chrijly conferred. 
 
 f I ] Heh. li. 9. [2] John xvii. 2. [3] AS.S xvii. 26. 
 [4]Dan. vij. 14. [5] Matt.xxviii. 10. [6jMaikxvi. 15, 
 [7] 2 Pet. i. 21. and Nicene Creed. 
 
 upon 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 105 
 
 upon all Mankind that believe on him, of 
 what Nation foever they be, whether Jews 
 or Gentiles \ and JJoed forth his benign In- 
 fluence on all thofe who come to God 
 through fefus Chrijl : That [8] through 
 loim both Jews and Gentiles 7nay have an 
 ^ccefs by one Spirit unto the Father. That 
 [9] the Blefjing of Abraham^ wherein it 
 was promifed, that in his Seed ihould all 
 the Nations of the Earth be blelTed, might 
 co7ne on the Gentiles through Jefus Chrift, 
 that they might receive the Fromife of the 
 Spirit through Faith : And that [i] all 
 might be baptized into one Body^ whether 
 they be Jews or Gentiles, whether they be 
 bond or free^ and might all be made to drink 
 into one Spirit. 
 
 CVII. When therefore Jefus Chrijl the 
 Lord was raifed from the Dead, and for- 
 mally invefted in the Poffeffion of that 
 Kingdom which [2] the Father had appoint- 
 ed unto him -, having received from the Fa- 
 ther the Fromife of the Holy Spirit, he 
 llied forth this Holy Spirit [3] abundantly ^ 
 as well upon the [4] Gentiles as the fews^ 
 
 [8]Eph. ii. 18. r9]GaI. ill. 14. [i] i Cor. xii. 13. 
 [z] Luke xxii. 29. [3] Tit.jii. 6. [4] Ads xi. 15. 
 
 putting 
 
io6 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 putting no Difference between them. 
 Which Holy Spirit is fometimes in the 
 Language of the Scriptures of the New 
 Teftament, called the Spirit of God the Fa- 
 ther, becaufe he [5] proceedeth from the 
 Father who fent him unto us ; and fome- 
 times the Spi?^it of the Son, or the Spirit of 
 Chriftj becaufe it was by the Interceffion 
 of Jefus the Chrif that the Supply of this 
 Holy Spirit was fent unto us -, and is alfo 
 called [6 J the Spirit of Truth, becaufe it 
 was fent to guide Mankind into all Truth. 
 
 CVIII. Now St. fohn plainly calleth that 
 Holy Spirit, by which he was infpired with 
 the Book oi Revelations, an AngeL For 
 his Words are thefe, [7] The Revelation of 
 Jefus Chrift, njohich God gave unto him, to 
 fiew unto his Servants Things which jnift 
 Jhortly cojne to pafs 5 and he fent and fignified 
 it by HIS Angel unto his Servant John . 
 And yet through this whole Book, he calls 
 this Revelation, the Dictates of the Spirit. 
 [8] Ke that hath Ears to hear, fays he, let 
 him bear what the Spirit faith unto the 
 
 [5] John XV. 26. [6] Johnxvi. 13. xiv. 26. i John 
 ii. 20, 27. [7] Rev. i. i. [8j Rev. ii. j, 11, 17, 19. 
 iii. 6, 13, 22. 
 
 Churches, 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 107 
 
 Churches, And it is very remarkable^ that 
 although the Virgin Mary is pofitively faid 
 to have been [9] fou72d ivifh Child of the 
 Holy Sphit^ and to have conceived of the 
 -Holy Spirit \ yet the Perfon fent to her 
 from God upon this Occafion, calls himfelf 
 an Angela and in particular, [ i ] the Angel 
 Gabriel that fiandeth in the Prefence of God-, 
 who under the old Covenant had been 
 fent to infpire [2] Daniel with Skill and 
 Underftanding. 
 
 CIX. Which [3] -/^/^g-^/ Gabriel being 
 
 fent from God unto the Virgin Mary^ The 
 
 Angel, fays it: Luke ^ came in unto her^ 
 
 and faid^ HaiU thou art highly favoured^ 
 
 the Lord is with thee : Blejjed art thou. 
 
 among Women, Behold^ thou Jhalt conceive 
 
 in thy JVomb^ and b?'ing forth a Son^ a?id 
 
 Jlmlt call his Name Jefus. Then faid Mary 
 
 unto the Angel, How foall this be ^feeing I 
 
 know not a Man ? And the ^^ngel anfiver- 
 
 ed and faid unto her ^ The Holy Spirit 
 
 Jlmll come upon thee^ and the Power of the 
 
 Highefl fhall overjhadjiw thee ; therefore alfo 
 
 [9] Matt. i. 18, 20. f I] Luke i. 19, 26. [2j Dan. 
 viii. 16. ix. 21. [3] Luke i. 26. 
 
 that 
 
jo8 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 that holy Thingy which Jl:all be horn of thee^ 
 JJ:all be called the Son of God. And Mary 
 faidy Behold the Handmaid of the Lord^ be 
 it tinto me according to thy Word. 
 
 ex. Which is all the Account we have 
 of this Affair, but that after fhe returned 
 from her Coufin ElizabetlDSy where fhe had 
 remained three Months [^s\fi^ icas found to 
 be ivith Child, before fie and Jofeph, to uohom 
 Jhe was efpotifedy had come together , then 
 Jofeph her Hufiand being ^ [6] good-na- 
 tured Man^ and not willi?2g to make her a 
 publick Example y was minded to put her away 
 pri'^jately. But while he thought en theje 
 ThingSy behold the Angel of the Lord ap- 
 peared unto him in a Drmm, faying, Jofeph, 
 thou Son of David, fear not to take unto thee 
 Mary thy Wife : For that which is co72ce:ved 
 in her is of the Holy Spirit, "Then Jofeph, 
 bei?7g raifedfrom his Sleep, did as the Angel 
 of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto 
 him his Wife : And knew her not till Jhe 
 had brought forth her firf-born Son, 
 
 [5] Matt. i. 18, 19, 20. [6] :^vA.ci'^<;^ This Word 
 is often ufed to fignify a good-natured Perfon, in which 
 Senfe alfo the Word jufius is frequently ufed in the Latin 
 Tongue. And in this Senfe this Word ough; tp (JC under- 
 liood, Ads X. 22. I John i. 9. 
 
 CXI. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 109 
 
 CXI. The pre-exlftent Spirit of the Lo- 
 ^^^ being therefox^e, by the wonderful Pow- 
 er and Will of God, conveyed into the 
 Womb of the Virgin by the Miniftration of 
 the Holy Spirit, (lie conceived and brought 
 forth Jejus .' By which Union of that ex- 
 alted Spirit with human Nature, the Logos 
 became incarnate, and was made Man. 
 Which Logos did, by this Piece of Condef- 
 cenlion, fo far gjcevao-e gccJlor, [7] empty him-- 
 felf^ and diveft himfelf of that Glory of his 
 antecedent State, which he had with the Fa- 
 ther, before the World was, that, Sin only 
 excepted, he became liable and fubje<3: to 
 all the Infirmities of our Nature. And 
 therefore, during the Time of his Con- 
 tinuance here upon Earth, he is reprefent- 
 ed all along as being under the Guidance 
 and Condud: of the Holy Spirit, 
 
 CXII. He is accordingly faid to have 
 been [8] led up of the Spirit into the Wilder- 
 nefs to be tempted of the Devil : And that 
 when the [9] Devil had ended his TejJipta- 
 tion^ Jefus returned in the Power of the 
 
 [7] Pkil. ii. 7. [8] Alatth. iv. 1. [9] Luke iv. 
 13, 14. 
 
 Spirit 
 
no AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 Spirit into Galillee. That afterwards, he 
 \^i^ caji out Devils by the Spirit of God, 
 which [2] defcended upon him at his Bap-^, 
 tilm in a [3] vifible Manner, and abode upoji 
 him for fome Time* He is therefore faid 
 to have been [4] anoijited with the Holy 
 Spirity and with Power : And that when 
 he was in an Agony praying with Vehe-^ 
 mence to God, that, if poffible, the Cup of 
 his Affli(5tions might pafs from him, [5] 
 £in Angel appeared imto him from' Heaven^ 
 flrengtbening him : That it was through [6] 
 the eternal Spirit^ that he offered hi^nfelf 
 without Spot to God upon the Crofs : That 
 when he was in the Grave, he was [7] 
 quickened by the Spirit ^ and [8] declared ta 
 he the Son of God with Power ^ according to 
 the Spirit of Holinefsy by the RefurreElion 
 from the Dead. 
 
 [1] Matth. xii. 8. [2] John i. 22. [3] i. s. By 
 the Defcent of a lucid Ihining Appearance, which alighted, 
 and refted upon him, uail Tef/s-efctf, as a Do'vc. Not that 
 this alludes to the Form and Figure of the Appearance, as 
 if it was in the Shape of a Dove ; but to the Manner of its 
 Defcent, which defcended and alighted upon our Saviour, 
 as a Dove defcends and lights upon any thing. See SeS. 
 Ixxxii. 2iXidiV/hithy O'Si Luke \\\. 26. [4] Acls X. 38. See 
 Note in Sed. ciii. [5] Luke xxii. 42, 43. [6] Heb. 
 ix. 14. [7J 1 Pet. iii. 18. [8] Rom. iii. 4. 
 
 CXIIL 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, iii 
 
 CXIII. And indeed it does not appear, 
 either in the Old or New Tellament, that 
 the Logos had any Power over the Holy- 
 Spirit, till after his Afcenfion, [9] when all 
 Power was given iiiito hiniy both in Heaven 
 and Earth. For, faid Jefus to his Difciples, 
 [i] It is_ expedient for you^ that I go away, 
 for if I go not away^ the Comforter 
 will not come unto you \ but if I depart^ I 
 will fend him unto you. For, [2] I will pray 
 the Father^ and he fiall give you another 
 Comforter, that he may abide with you for 
 ever-, even the Spirit of 'Truth, [3] which 
 proceedeth from the Father : Whom I ^wtll 
 fend to you from the Father, For, as St. 
 John remarks, [4] the Spirit was not yet 
 given, becaufe fefus was not yet glorified. 
 He therefore, after his Refurrecflion, com- 
 manded his Difciples [5] not to depart from 
 Jerufalem, till after his Afcenfion, but to 
 wait for the Pro?nife of the Father. Which 
 having [6] received of the Father, he foed 
 it forth upon them. From which Time, 
 this Spirit is indifferently called the Spirit of 
 
 [9] Matth. xxviii. 18, 19. [ij John xvi. 7. 
 [2] John xiv. 16. [3] John xv. 26. [4] John vii, 39. 
 [5] Luke xxiv. 49, .Afts i, 4. [6] Ads ii. 33. 
 
 God, 
 
112 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIt. 
 
 God, and [7] the Spirit of Chriji, or [8] 
 the Spirit of the Son\ becaufe the Son had 
 now obtained Power of the Father, to fend 
 him., not to the 'Je^'jos only, but aUb to the 
 Gentiles ; that all Nations might be baptiz- 
 ed, [9] in the Name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ; [i] that 
 the offering tip of the Gentiles might be accept- 
 able, being fanBified by the Holy Spirit. It 
 feems therefore highly reafonable, that we 
 fliould pay divine Homage to that Holy Spi- 
 rit in Proportion to the Degree of Power 
 which hath been delegated to him, from the 
 Almighty -, and that it is our Duty to pray 
 to him, for the Communication of thofe 
 fanBifying Graces, which he hath received 
 Power from God the Father, through the 
 Son, to diftribute to his Difciples. I do 
 not fay that we ought to pray to him for 
 the Forgivenefs of our Sins, becaufe [2] all 
 fudg7nent hath not been committed unto 
 him : But as he was undoubtedly fent, to be 
 our [3] Comforter, to guide us into all Truth, 
 and to help our Infirmities, furely we ought 
 to pray to him, to comfort us, and to grant 
 
 [7] Rom. viii. 9. [8] Gal. iv. 6. [9] Matth. xxviii. 
 19. [ij Rom. XV. 16. [2] See Sefl. Ixxxv, c, ci, cii. 
 [3] Johnxiv. 26. Johnxvi. 13. Rom. viii. 26. 
 
 US 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 113 
 
 us his Affiftance, that we may be [4] led by 
 
 him, and that we may, of the Spirit, reap 
 
 Life everlajling. And as the Manijeftation 
 
 of the Spirit wai given to every Man topro^ 
 
 jit withal', and as to one is given by the Spi^ 
 
 rit the Word of Wifdom, and to another, the 
 
 Word of Knowledge, by the fame Spirit, di- 
 
 vidi?2g to every Man fever ally as he will -^ 
 
 furely it is but reafonable, that we fliould 
 
 apply to that Holy Spirit, who [^]fearcheth 
 
 in our Hearts the deep Tbi?igs of God, to 
 
 confer fuch a Portion of his Influence on our 
 
 Minds, as may by Degrees [61 quicken and 
 
 firengthen us, till we iLall be at Itngih filed 
 
 therewith. Left alfo on the other hand 
 
 by negleding fo manifeft a Duty, we fhould 
 
 thereby [7] grieve and do fuch defpite to the 
 
 Spirit of Grace, as entirely to quench it. 
 
 See Sedt. Ixxxiv, Ixxxv. 
 
 CXIV. I apprehend therefore, it is mani- 
 feftly {hewed in thefe Papers, that, from 
 the Confideration of the Nature of Spirit, 
 by the Light of Reafon, it appears, there 
 Can be but one God, that is, one fupreme 
 
 [4] Rom. viii. 14: Eph. vi. 8. i Cdr. xli. 7, ^r. 
 [5] I Cor. ii. 10. [6] i Pet. in. 18. Eph. i;.i. 16. v. 8, 
 [7] Eph. iv. 3. Heb. x. 29. 1 Theff. v 9, 
 
 I intelligent 
 
114 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 intelligent Agent; which one God may, 
 however, create an infinite Series of fpiritual 
 Agents, in Subordination one to another; 
 fome of which may, by an Authority com- 
 municated to them, from the fupreme God, 
 aft as Gods, with regard to thofe inferior 
 Beings who are committed into their Charge, 
 1 apprehend it iikewife appears from the Sen- 
 timents of the JeivS, as well as from the 
 Scriptures, both of the Old and New Tefla- 
 ment, that this is the Method of Govern- 
 ment, which the Almighty hath been pleaf- 
 ed to purfue in the Oeconomy of this Uni- 
 verfe -, ftill referving to himfelf that incom- 
 municable Quality of Supreme, which it 
 would be a Contradidion to fuppofe him 
 diverted of, either with or without his Will ^ 
 that is, either by his own Confent, or by 
 Neceffity. 
 
 CX V. It may not therefore be improper 
 to confider what was the Opinion of the 
 moft early Fathers of the Chriflian Church 
 upon this Head ; which though it ought to 
 ■ have no Weight againfl the exprefs Didtates 
 either of Reafon or Revelation, yet, in Points 
 not fully or diitindly revealed, the confult- 
 ing of them is very proper and ufeful , as 
 
 they 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 115 
 
 they certainly are the beft Evidence that can 
 poflibly be had of the Sentiments of the 
 Church in their Times ; and the nearer that 
 thofe Fathers lived to the Times of the A- 
 poftles, they may juftly be fuppofed to be 
 the lefs liable to have varied from any of the 
 Dodlrines or Pradlices of the truly primitive 
 Church. 
 
 CXVI. Now if we confult the Opinions 
 of the Fathers upon this Subjecft, for the firft 
 three hundred Years after Chrift, we fhall 
 find them all univerfally agreeing in the a- 
 forementioned Dodrine : As may appear by 
 confulting Jujiin Martyr, Athenagoras^ 
 TafiaUy lre?iaus, the Author of the Recog- 
 nitions^ Tertidliany Cle^nem Alexajidri- 
 nus^ Orige?iy Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dio-. 
 nyfius of Alexandria y La5lantius^ &c. out 
 of which it feems needlefs to produce any 
 Quotations, as this Point is plainly given 
 up by three of the mod learned Perfons of 
 the laft Age ; two of whom being of a con- 
 trary Opinion from thofe Fathers, cannot 
 be fufpedled of lightly giving up a Tefti- 
 mony of fo much Confequence, if the Fla- 
 grancy of the Truth had not obliged them 
 to it : And thefe are, the judicious Mr, 
 1 2 Chilling^ 
 
ii6 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 Chilliftgworth, the learned Bifliop Bull^ and 
 the difcerning Dr. Cudworth. The Opinion 
 of Mr. Chillingworth is to be found in a 
 Letter of his to a Friend, who defired to 
 know what Judgment might be made of 
 Arianifm, from the Senfe of Antiquity. In 
 anfwer to which Mr. Chillingworth wrote 
 the following Letter: " I was miftaken in 
 *^ my diredting you to Eufebius for the 
 " Matter you wott of. You fhall find it in 
 *« a Witnefs much farther from Exception 
 " herein than Eufebius -, even Athaftafius 
 " himfelf, the greateft Adverfary of that 
 " Dodlrine i and Hilary y who was his Se- 
 « cond. See the firft in Ep, de Synodis 
 « Arim. & Seleuc. p. 917. D, T'om, i.Edit. 
 «' Par, 1627. See the fecond, De Synodis y 
 ^\foLgj. In the firft you fhall find that 
 *^ the Eighty Fathers, which condemned 5j- 
 ^' mofatenus, affirmed exprefsly — That the 
 *« Son is not of the fame Efjence of the 
 '« Father. Which is to contradift formally 
 «* the Council of Nice^ which decreed the 
 <« Son coeffential to the Father. In the 
 «' fecond you fhall find thefe Words, to 
 «' the fime Purpofe : — OBogiftta Epif 
 <« copi olim refpuerunt -n Homooufion, See 
 " alfo^ if you pleafe, Jufi. cont. Tryph. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 117 
 
 " p. 283, 356, 357; Tertullia?! againfl: 
 ** Praxeas^ cap. ix ; Novaf. de Tri7i. in fine ^ 
 '* who is joined with JertiiL AthanaJ\ Ep. 
 *' de fide div, Alex, torn, i. />. 551 ; Bafih 
 '' tom/u. p. 802, 803. Ed, Par. 1618. See 
 *' St. Hierofn^ ApoL ii. contra Ruff, torn, ii. 
 *' p, 329. Par, 1579. See Petav, upon 
 *' Epiph. his Panar, ad Haref,6g. quce efi 
 '' ^r/V, />. 285. And confider well how he 
 <* clears Lucian the Martyr, from Arianifm, 
 " and what he there confefles of all the an- 
 *« cient Fathers. 
 
 
 If you could underftand French^ I 
 would refer you to Perron^ P* ^33, of his 
 " Reply to King "James ; where you (hould 
 ** find thefe Words: If a Man fiould de^ 
 *' mand of an Arian, if he would fubmit to 
 " the yudgment of the Church of the Ages 
 <« precedent to that of Conftantine, he would 
 " make no Diffcidty of it-, but would prefs 
 *' himfelf that the Controverfy might be de- 
 " cided by that little which remains to us 
 '* of the Authors of that Time, For an A- 
 " rian would find in Irenasus, Tertullian, 
 *' and others which remain of thofe Ages^ 
 " that the Son is the Inftrument of the Fa^ 
 ** ther\ that the Father commanded the ISon 
 \ 1 " in 
 
Ii8 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 «5 in the Works of Creation ; that the Fa^ 
 « ther and the Son are aliud et aliud, 
 " isohich Things he that fioiild now hold^ 
 ** now when the Language of the Church is 
 *' more ex amine dy would be efieemed a very 
 [^ Arian. 
 
 ** If you read Bellarmine touching this 
 *^ Matter, you fliould find that he is trou- 
 *' bled exceedingly to find any tolerable 
 *' Gloffes for the Speeches of the Fathers 
 *' before the Council of Nice^ which are 
 *^ againft him; and yet he conceals the 
 «* flrongeft of them, and to counterpoife 
 f^ them, cites Authors that have indeed anci- 
 ^^ ent Names, but fuch as he himfelf has 
 «« ftigmatized for fpurious or doubtful in his 
 
 Book Be Script, Ecclef 
 
 <( 
 
 *^ Were I at Leifure, and had a little 
 «« longer Time, I could refer you to fome 
 " that acknowledge Origens Judgment to 
 ^' be alfo againft them in this Matter. And 
 <* Fijher^ in his Anfwer to Dr. White's Nine 
 <* Queftions, has a Place almoft parallel to 
 <^* the above cited out of F err on. 
 
 ul^ 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 119 
 
 " In a word, whofoever (hall freely and 
 '' impartially confider of this Thing, and 
 « how, on the other Side, the ancient Fa- 
 « thers Weapons againft the Jriam are in 
 <^ a Manner only Places of Scripture (and 
 *« thofe now for the mod part difcarded as 
 '' impertinent and unconcluding) and how, 
 «^ in the Argument drawn from the Autho- 
 « rity of the ancient Fathers, they are almoft 
 <* always Defendants, and fcarce ever Op- 
 c« ponentsj he fhall not choofe, but confefs, 
 <' or at leaft be very inclinable to believei 
 « that the Dodrine of Jrius is either a 
 " Truth, or at leaft no damnable He- 
 " refy[7]/* 
 
 The Words of Blfhop Bull, when fpeak- 
 ing of the Sentiments of Origen upon this 
 Subjeft, arethefe: '' I conclude thus with 
 " myfelf, that Origen, who hath been fo 
 « feverely cenfured by Divines, both anci- 
 «' ent and modern, was really Catholick in 
 « the Article of the facred Trinity ; al- 
 <' though, in the manner of explaining that 
 <'" Article, he fometimes^ fpeaks otherwife, 
 
 [7] See the Life cf Mr. Chvlliirg^orth, written by Ba 
 Maizeaux, p. 5 1 . ^ . 
 
 I ^ *' than 
 
I20 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 " than the Catholicks do ; [8] which is no 
 '* more than almojl all the Fathers did 
 " who lived bejore the Council of Nice." 
 As for Dr. Cudworth, he does not only 
 jgive up the primitive Fathers, in their Ex- 
 preffions, but alfo in their Meaning. For, 
 as he undoubtedly thought himfelf to be in 
 the Right, he imagined thofe Fathers to 
 have been in an Error ; and makes ufe of 
 this univerfal Confent of the ancient Fa- 
 thers, of the Three firft Centuries, in aflert- 
 ing the Dependence and Subjedion of the 
 Son to the Father, as an Argument in Proof 
 of the Failibity of the primitive Fathers of 
 the Chriftian Church. For, fays he, [9] 
 *^ Though it be true, that Athanafius^ 
 " writing againfl the Avians^ does appeal 
 *^ to the Tradition of the ancient Church. 
 ^* and, among others, cites Origeris Tefti- 
 " mony ; yet was this only fqr the Ecer- 
 «« nity and Divinity of the Son of God, but 
 " not at all for fuch an abfolute Coequality 
 ^^ of hini with the Father, as would ex- 
 
 [8] Quod ipii cum reliquis fere omnibus Patribus, qui 
 Concilium Nicsnum anteceflerunt, commune fujt, Bulli 
 Def. Fid. Nic. Se(5l. xi. c. 9. § 22. 
 
 [9] gu4. hte/L Syji, 1. i. c. 4. p. 595, 
 
 '? elude 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 121 
 
 *« elude all Dependence^ S^ub ordination^ and 
 «< Inferiority: Thofe Ancients fo unani- 
 M nioufly agreeing therein, that they are 
 ^* therefore by Petavius taxed with Plato^ 
 ** 72ijmy and having, by that Means, cor- 
 <* rupted the Purity of the Chriftian Faith, 
 <* in this Article of the Trinity. Which 
 f ' how it can be reconciled with thofe other 
 *' Opinions of Ecclefiaftical Tradition be- 
 " ing a Rule of Faith, and the Impoffi. 
 ^* bility of the vifible Churches erring in 
 " any fundamental Point, cannot, fays he, 
 /« eafily be underftood." 
 
 CXVII, For my own Part, I will readi- 
 ly give up the Fallibility of the primitive 
 Fathers, and w^hcever will but give himfelf 
 the Trouble of peruiing their Writings, will 
 foon be convinced, that they were fallible 
 Men 3 and I therefore only make ufe of their 
 Teftimony in this Point, to (hew what was 
 the Senfe of the Church in their Days, of 
 which their own Writings are an infallible 
 Proof 5 whether they were fallible in tliem- 
 felves or not. 
 
 CXVIIf. But Petavius, fays Cudworth, 
 toed the primitive Fathers with Platonijm, 
 
 and 
 
122 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 and with having, by that Means, corrupted 
 the Purity of the Chriftian Faith. That 
 many of the primitive Fathers were bred 
 up in the Schools of the Tlatonia Philofo- 
 phers can hardly be denied ; and that they 
 would be inclined to endeavour to reconcile 
 their own Principles and thofe of the Chri- 
 ftian Religion together, is more than pro- 
 bable. It is alfo certain, that the Pagans 
 held the Dodlrine of a 'Trinity^ and made 
 ufe of that Word to exprefs it by ; but if it 
 can be proved, that they held a Subordina- 
 tion in the Perfons of the T*rinit)\ before 
 Chriflianity appeared in the World, and that 
 all the primitive Chrijflians, whether Flato* 
 nifts or not, held alfo the Doftrine of a Sub- 
 ordination of Power, in the Perfons of the 
 Triiiity, for the firft Three hundred Years 
 after C/6r//?; then the more probable Con- 
 fequence to be drawn from thence, is this. 
 That the Dodrine of the Trinity, as held by 
 the primitive Chriftians, coinciding with the 
 Dodrine of the Trinity, as held by the Pa- 
 gans in general, and by the Platomjls in par- 
 ticular, wherein a Subordination of Power 
 between the Three Perfons of the Trinity 
 was a fundamental Principle, this might be 
 one mainReafon, why the Platonijls were 
 
 fo 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. i2j 
 
 fo ready to embrace the Chriflian Religion : 
 And not that they corrupted it after they 
 had embraced it; lince, had their Principles, 
 and the Chrijttans on this Subjed: originally 
 differed, the Platonijls would not have been 
 fo eafily made Converts. 
 
 CXIX. It may therefore not be impro- 
 per at prefent to fet before the Reader a (liort 
 Sketch of the Dodrine of the Pagan Trinity, 
 from whence will appear the Truth of what 
 I have juft now afferted. 
 
 CXX. The Opinion of the Egyptians 
 concerning the Trinity, may be found in 
 yamblichus^ who delivers it unto us. For 
 in the Beginning of the Eighth Sedlion, he 
 makes Porphyry afk, " What do the Egyp- 
 «' tians fay is the Firji Caufe? Is it Intel- 
 " left, or fomething above Intelled ? Or, 
 «^ is it one only Being, or is it two, or 
 <^ more ? Or, is it corporeal, or incorpo- 
 " real ? Or, is it the fame with the Crea- 
 *« tor of this Univerfe, or fomething fuperior? 
 «' In {hort, were all Things produced by 
 « Oney or by Many ?'* To which Jambli- 
 chin anfwereth, n^o rm ovhg ifja^Vy Kj t^V 
 
124 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 f^tivuv, ^Tg ^ voyjlov cwTM iTriTrXiKfUcciy ^tb ci}K9 
 t;. Yloi^cLoeiyf^oL oz 'iSovJcu tS oujtS 'Zirccjpogy 
 auToycvii, Kj f^ouoTrccTo^og BbS, t5 'cvjtog dyociS. 
 Mei^ov yd^ ti Kj '^^cotov Kj ^>]f^ t&j zs-dfjcvv, 
 ^ TS-D^fA^yiv TU)v vo^f/Avav TtTPcorm Bi^ccv 'cvjoov, 
 
 'AtTO S\ tS hog T^THy cwTclpx^^ ^^^S kotUTOV g^s- 
 ;vflt|Ul^£* OIQ Kj CWTOTTUTCt)^, Xj CWTcl^X^g. *A^%»J 
 
 y}i cwTcg Kj Bsog 3-em* fJLOvdg c/>c t9 ivcg, 'sr^o 
 i^a-lag ?^ u^x^i rrjg ^(rictg' dir <IQ,H ^ i icrio- 
 TTjg Kj jj ^V/ci- Sio ^ vo'^ci^x^g Tx^^otruyo^ivilai. 
 AvToti f^zv oiiy etariv oc^x^^ 'zar^iO'QvTcijai ^dilooVy 
 dg 'E^f^yig txt^o tccv diSs^iccv ?^ k/jLTrvptcov Be^v 
 'STPo^^dTJeii Kj TcHv iTm^oLvicov. Which is thus 
 rendered into Latin, by Mr. Gale : Ante eas 
 res qua vere funt, et ante Principia umver- 
 falium, eft Deus unus, prior etiam primo 
 Deo et Rege ; eji ille immobilis in folitudine 
 Juce Unitatis permanenSy neque enim inteU 
 leBuale ei mifcetury 7ieqtie.aliquid aliudy eft que 
 exemplar fui ipfius patris, defegeniti et icni- 
 pater Deus ; et vere bonus. Eft enim majus 
 guid et prius. Pons omnium et Radix intel- 
 ligibilium Idearum pritnarum Entium. Ab 
 hoc autem unOy DeuSy per fefufficiens fe ipfe 
 explicavit ; proinde ejl fui Pater et ftbi Juf- 
 Jiciens. Eji enim hie et Principium, et 
 Deus Deorumy TJnitas ex unOy ante ejjentiam^ 
 et Eft entice Principium > nam ab eofuit En^ 
 
 titas 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 125 
 
 titas & Efeutia^ qtiapropter Noetarcha di- 
 citur, Hac igitur fiint Principia omnium 
 antiquijjima^ qiice Mercurius fupra Deos 
 ^the7'eos & empyreos, & ccelejies conjiituit. 
 
 CXXI. I would have tranflated this Paf- 
 iage into Englijh, if I could; but there are 
 feme Parts of it, which feem to me fo fuper- 
 intelligible, that I thought it advifable to 
 give it in the Author's own Words ^ and re- 
 fer the EngliJJj Tranflation of it to fonie 
 of thofe Deiftical Admirers of the Plain- 
 nefs and Simplicity of the Religion of Na- 
 ture, who cannot bear the Thoughts of 
 ony Thing that is myfterious in Revealed 
 Religion. 
 
 CXXII. Abftrufe and dark however,as it is, 
 we may be furniflied by it with fome Light 
 towards the Explanation of fome Expref- 
 fions in the Pythagorean Trinity, as it is given 
 us by [i] Simplicius^ in his Comment on 
 Arijlotky out of Moderatus the Pythagorean ; 
 
 TO ^6V TT^MTOV iV UTTl^ TC OV JCj TT^ITOCV ^(TlCiV CtTTO-' 
 
 (paivelcti* TO de devTB^ov iv 07n^ i<^i to ovjcog ov, £ 
 ^oifloVy Toc eiSri (pfj(r)v etvar to J'g t^Itqv, C7r£^ i^-i 
 iH^vxuovy iJLii^x^iv tS hog, Kj T^y etSm. For it 
 
 [i] Simpl. in?hyf.AriJl. fol. 50. 
 
 is 
 
126 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 is plain that the 'zxt^mtov iv v7n^ li h k^ TrAo-ccv 
 io-Uvy of the Pythagoreans^ that is, the Firjl 
 One who is above Beings and all Exijle?2ce^ 
 is the fame (I had almoft faid Beifig) with 
 that God of the Egyptia?t5y who being 
 prior to the Firfl: God, is Super-Intelligible, 
 That the to S^vtb^ov h osri^ i^t ts 'oi^cvg oV, k. 
 voyjlovy Tci eiSr} (py}a^iv eivoci That is, the Se- 
 cond Ofie who is exijlence itfelf^ and InteU 
 ligejice^ and is called Idea, is that Firft, 
 or rather Second God aforementioned, who 
 according to the Egyptians^ having unfolded 
 himfelf, came forth into Being, and was 
 felf- begotten, and was equally his own Fa- 
 ther and his own Son, who is the Principle 
 of all Exiflence, and of all Intelligence, 
 As to the 10 T^Tov %v or I'hird One^ of the 
 Pythagoreans^ which they call To%<;:o\, or 
 Animal^ that anfwers to the jthird and lower 
 Clafs of the Empyrean and ^therial Deities, 
 who are fuppofed to prefide over feveral 
 Parts of this Univerfe, being as it were the 
 Souls of this World. 
 
 CXXIIL The Platonic Trinity, as it 
 
 was digefled into Form by the Difciples of 
 
 PlatOy was not very different from this. 
 
 There is indeed no one Paffage in Plato^ 
 
 I where 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 127 
 
 where his Notion of a Deity is delivered 
 explicitly, and reduced into a regular Sy- 
 ftem. For, either out of Fear of his Coun- 
 trymen, or becaufe he was not fettled in his 
 own Notions, or both, he fpeaks very ob- 
 fcurely on this Subjed. That Treatife 
 which he entitles T'lmceus, is the moft co- 
 pious on this Head, and therein he fpeaks 
 plainly of [2] one fempiternal and unorigi- 
 natedGod. Which God, fays Plato, when 
 he reafoned within himfelf about a future 
 God, made this Univerfe, and placed this 
 [3] perfedlly happy God which he begat, as 
 the Soul in the Middle of it. 
 
 CXXIV. Which God though he fre- 
 quently mentions as a created Being, yet he 
 ftyles him alfo [4] the Image of Intelli- 
 gence^ or of the moft intelligent God; the 
 greateji and bcfi \ the mojl beautiful^ and 
 the mojl perfeBy and the onlybegotten God. 
 Which Univerfe, fays Plate, when he had 
 thus made and [5] contemplaled, he rejoi- 
 
 [2 J To 01/ dzly yvno'iv o\ ovx. '^X°^' 
 
 [3] lv^ui[Aova, Beov dvlov lysvv^acilo. 
 
 [4] 'Eifcovx 7S ic-nlS fA£7iroK y^ cc^iroi/, xa?,Atrov t^ T£^«v- 
 7cc]ovy and l^QvoytyV' 
 
 [5] Whoever reads this, I think, cannot avoid being con- 
 vinced that /*/«/<? herein imitates ihs Account which Mofes 
 
 ced 
 
128 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 ced over it. He then made Time, and [6] 
 formed the Sun and Moon, and five other 
 Planets, to be the Meafures thereof. But as 
 there were yet no Animals, therefore God 
 formed what was wanting, by a fecondary 
 Imitation of the fir ft Exemplar : Tt^lg tyiv tS 
 TToc^^eiyfA^ciJog dirolvTr^fJiivog (pva-iv* Which 
 is plainly borrowed from that Dodtrine 
 among the jews^ wherein they afferted 
 Man not to be made in the Image of the 
 Supreme God, but of the Second God. 
 The Words of Pkiio yudaus^ as they are 
 quoted by Eufebius, ar-, Bvy^ov yu^ ovS^h 
 dTriiKovicB'riVUi Troog tou dvcdjuTco Kj Trctjs^ tc^v 
 OAcoy iovvocloy ahAcL Tr^og rov Civfs^ov c/^cVj ci 
 iKGiv'dAcycg, Nihil enim mortale in fummi 
 illius & reriim univerfariim Parentis imagi-^ 
 nem cojifignari potefi^ fed in imagi?iem Se- 
 cundi Dei, hoc efi, ejus Ferl?i,potff. Eufeb. 
 Prap. Eva?2g. lib. vii. cap: 13. 
 
 CXXV. Plato then, in compliance with 
 the orthodox Notion of his Country, and 
 
 gives of the Creation, which he fignifies with faying, JnJ 
 
 God fanv e'very Tlhvtg that he had made y and heboid it ivas 
 ^very good. Gen. i. 3'' 
 
 [6] "HAtof xj SeXji'rrj, xj Tcini. aKKa, arga, IttUAuv lyjavloc 
 
 Gen. i. 14. ; of which this isalmoll a Tranflation. 
 
 for 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 129 
 
 for Fear of the Fate of Socrates^ fays, But 
 as to other Gods which are called [7] £)<^- 
 mons^ to fpeak properly of their Origin, or 
 even to conceive it, is above the Reach of 
 our Faculties; it is therefore our Duty to 
 believe thofe our Anceftors, who, having un- 
 folded their Natures, affirm them to be the 
 Offspring of the Gods; and fo to fubmit 
 ourfelves to the ancient Laws and Cufloms. 
 And then he introduces the God wlio f8] 
 framed all Things, as fpeaking to thefe Dae- 
 mons, SaturUy Ops, Jupiter^ &c- whom 
 he calls [9] the Gods begotten by himlelf; 
 and empowers them to be his Inftruments in 
 the Produ(ftion of Animals, and [ 1] to imi- 
 tate that Virtue which he had exercifed in 
 their Origin. 
 
 CXXVI. Whence it is plain,' that Plato 
 was afraid to fpeak out ; but his^ D'fciples, 
 by degrees, gathering Courage, his Syilem 
 was reduced into Form, before the Time 
 
 [7] See Se£l. xxxv. 
 
 [8 J '^Of TO iroiv yivvT^a-ui;, 
 
 [9J Tors' tavlS yiwyj^ocai* 
 
 K of 
 
130 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 of [2] Porphyry^ who in his Fourth Book 
 of the Hiftory of Philofophy, fays, " kxt^ ^ 
 
 *Z3-^oex6iiv icrioLV^ sivctt o\ r j^S/j dvuTccjov Bicv 
 T 'AyciS-oVi f^ST drnid ti ?^ JgJrg^ov rcy A??|^i- 
 ovoyovy T^iTviv <^e rjjy t^ aoa-iiov \pvx%v. TJfque 
 adtres Hypoftafes, dtcit Plato, Dei pr ogre di 
 Effentiam -, & effe quidem dicit Deum fam- 
 me bonum; poft ilium, ant em fee undum Con- 
 ditorem -, tertium autem Mundi Animam. 
 
 CXXVII. Porphyry was reckoned the 
 mod learned Platoniji of his Age; and 
 flourifhed about the Time when the con- 
 fubftantial Dodrine of the Trinity began 
 to make a Noife ; and therefore his Senfe 
 of the Platonic Dodlrine, is fo much 
 the more for our Purpofe. It appears 
 therefore from hence, that the Platonic 
 and Pythagorean Doctrine of the Trinity, 
 did not differ very widely at this Time one 
 from the other, and that That God of the 
 Egyptians^ which was prior to the firft, or 
 the n^wTov ei' of the Pythagoreans^ was the 
 
 [2] Porphyry flourllhed about the latter End of the third 
 Century. His Books were afterwards ordered to be burnt; 
 but the Quotation which I have here produced may be 
 found in St. Cyr;7V Treatife againft y»//V7z?, B, viii. 
 
 4 fame 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPRIT. 131 
 
 fame with the to iy, and the to dyaS-cv of 
 the Platonifts, The God of Exijience^ 
 Ideas ^ or Intelligence^ according to the 
 Egyptians, or the to Sc\jt^ov ev of the Py- 
 fbagoreanSy which they alfo called jfo^^f. 
 Idea, being by the Platonijls called v^g and 
 Xoyo'g ; i. e. Mind and Reafon, or Wifdom. 
 And the inferior Clafs of ^therial Deities, 
 who were cdnfidered as the Sdul of the 
 World, ainong the Egyptians, anfwering 
 to the T^/roi/ 'fei* or the \v Tl'%<»ci/ of the 
 Pythagoreans, being called Ty;^>?\ i. e. the 
 Soul^ by the Platonijls, 
 
 CXXVIII. They agrfeed alfo in the Of- 
 fices which were alTig'ned to thefe T^hree 
 Gods. For the firft was aiTerted to be vttXo 
 above all Exiften'ce and Intelligence. The 
 Second God was Exiftence and Intelligence 
 itfelf, and the Communicator of therii to 
 other Beings: He is therefore reprefented 
 by them as the AyjiA-iov^yogy the Fabricator^ 
 and Maker of this Frame of the tlniverfe. 
 The Third God, who is faid to partake 
 both of the Firft and Second '^Ei/, or God, 
 was held to be the Soul of the Worlds 
 vivifying and enlivening it. 
 
 K2 CXXIX. 
 
132 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 CXXIX. Hence it is plain, however, that 
 the Difciples of Plato had varied from 
 their Mafter's Plan. Becaufe he pofitive- 
 ly aflerts the one unoriginated God to have 
 made this Univerfe, and therefore frequent- 
 ly calls him the [3] Arifjuov^ycg* He like- 
 wife pofitively aflerts the Second, that is, 
 the God who was begotten by the one un- 
 originated God, to have been placed by 
 him in the Middle of this round Univerfe, 
 as [4] the Soul of it. 
 
 CXXX. It is neverthelefs manifeft, be- 
 yond all Controverfy, that both Plato and 
 his Difciples held a Kind of eflential Sub- 
 ordination to have exifted between thefe 
 Gods, as the Hebrews undoubtedly did. 
 And therefore I fuppofe them to have been 
 more eafily converted to the Chrijlian 
 Religion than they other wife would have 
 been. 
 
 CXXXI. And accordingly, Clemens Jlex- 
 andrinus^ one of thofe primitive Fathers- 
 whom Cudworth allows to have acknow- 
 ledged a Subordination in the Perfons of 
 
 [3] Plato in Timao, [4] Id. ibid. 
 
 the 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 133 
 
 the Trinity, when fpeaking concerning a 
 
 Paflage in Plato , fays, [5] ** / underjiand 
 
 *' this no otherwijey than that the holy Tri, 
 
 " nity is fignified thereby, //6^ Third being 
 
 '* the Holy Spirit, and the Second theSon^ 
 
 '* by whom all Tihings were made, according 
 
 " to the Will of the Father." This Faf- 
 
 fage, to which Clemens refers, is to be found 
 
 in the fecond Epiftle of Plato to DionyJiuSy 
 
 on account of his having complained, that 
 
 Plato was not explicit enough in what he faid 
 
 about the FirftCaufe-, to whom Plato fays, 
 
 «' That thefe Things muft be fpokenof ina 
 
 '' kind of Riddle-, that if any Accident 
 
 «' (hould happen to thefe Papers, either by 
 
 *' Land or Sea, he that finds them may not 
 
 " be able to underftand them. The Thing 
 
 *' therefore, iliys he, ftandsthus: Xl^^^ Tm 
 
 ** TToivTav ficc^TiAecx, Trdff i<^t, x^ ixeivov 'tvsjcu TTccila, 
 
 " ii iKeivog utriov ctTrctfjccv rcov K.cx.?\ct)v' Ssvteoov 
 
 Circa omnium Regem funt omnia, & illins 
 Caufa omnia : G? ipj'e ejt omnium rerum fuU 
 chrarum Caufa : Secundum ad Secunda, 
 Tertium ad Inertia, Which Fear of a Dif- 
 covery accounts for the feeming Contradic- 
 
 [5] Clem. Alex. Ztrc7n. lib, v. p. 710. edit. Pot. 
 
 K 3 tions 
 
134 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 tions in Plato, and the Darknefs in whicl^ 
 his Theology is involved, and {hews that his 
 Dilciples were indeed obliged to pick his 
 Dodtrine out of Riddles, as he himfelf ex- 
 preffeth it. 
 
 CXXXII. But [6] St. Cyril oi Alexandria, 
 who wa^s of the contrary Opinion from Cle- 
 mens Alexafidrinus, that is, who held a Co- 
 equality in the Pcrfons of the Trinity, for he 
 lived in the fifth Century, and, about lOO 
 Years after the Council of Nice, wherein 
 the Confubflantiality of the Father and the 
 Son was firll eftablifhed in the Chrijliaji 
 Church; Cyril,d fay, when fpeaking of the 
 Platonic Philofophy, [7] fays, '' There 
 <^ would have been nothing at all wandng 
 *' to the Platonic Trinity, for an abfolute 
 *' Agreement of it with the Chrtjiian, had 
 ** they but accommodated the right Notion 
 " of Ccnfubfta7itiality to their three Hypof^ 
 *« /^y^j ; fo that there might have been but 
 " one fpecific Nature or Effence of the God- 
 <* head, not diftinguifhable by any natural 
 ** Diveifity, and fo no one Hypojlajis any 
 *' way inferior or fubordinate to another." 
 
 [6] Cyril cont. Jul. lib. viii. [7] Idem, ibid. 
 
 CXXXIIL 
 
4N ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 13; 
 
 CXXXIII. As for the Dodrine of the 
 three Hyfojlafes, which is here mentioned hy 
 Cyril, that was not the Dodrine of the Coun- 
 cil of A^/V^', but was the Dodrine of the Ari- 
 ans, as well as of the Platonijls. It was in- 
 deed afterwards adopted by lome of the Con- 
 fubjtantialijls, and was inferted in that Creed 
 which goes under the Name q{ Athanafius -, 
 but whiph could not poflibly have been writ- 
 ten by him, becaufe he, as well as the reft 
 of the Nicene Fathers, infifted upon it, that 
 there was but [8] one Hypoftajis in the Tri- 
 nity, any more than one UJta, iince they 
 contrary to the Doctrine of the Platonijls^ 
 fuppofed thofe two Words to mean one and 
 the fame thing ; in which however they were 
 certainly fo far in the right. For the Word 
 Oixrio, literally fignifies a Being or Exijlejice ; 
 and the Word 'TTrotrocG-ig literally fignifies a 
 Subfitlence^ or Siibjlance -, which hath been 
 fliewed in the [9] Beginning of this Tieadfe, 
 
 [8] Athanafius, in his Tratife on the Synods of -^r/z«/««z« 
 zxASeleucia, [vol. i. p. 934.] which was written towards the 
 latter End of his Life, pofitively aflerts : 'h t-. vir'oTot.ci^ hc\oi, 
 sr*, >«)s^£y a^Xo o-DjLAaivo/AEvoi' 'ixu. Hypojiajis enim {jdetn cum 
 \5 %\ k\ fuhflantia ejf, nee aliam f.gnificatmicm hahet. And 
 to the fame Purpofe in feveral other Places. 
 
 [9] See Se£l. ii. 
 
 K 4 to 
 
(( 
 
 136 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 to be the fame with a Being or Exijlence. 
 And accordingly,' the Greek Word OuV/^t is 
 generally tranflated by the Latin Word Sub- 
 Jfantia. [1] Socrates^ the Ecclefiaftical Hi- 
 llorian, who lived after Cyril^ and was a very 
 zealous Conjubfiantialili^ when giving his 
 Opinion concerning the Meaning of the Word 
 'TTTo^^aa-ig, fays, '* that this Word, according to 
 *« IrenceuSy was a barbarous Word ; and was 
 *' not to be found among the antient Authors. 
 ** But, fays Socrates^ it is ufed by Sophocles y 
 *^ to fignify a Trap or Pit Jail ^ to catch any 
 thing in ; and by Menander to fignify the 
 ^ Sediment of any thing ; as for Example, 
 ^' if any one fhould call the Lees of Wine 
 '' which fall to the Bottom, an Hypofiafis. 
 " But though this Word was not ufed by 
 ^^ the more ancient Philofophers, yet, fays 
 *' he, you muft underfland^ that the Mo- 
 " derns make ufe of it in (lead of Ova-ice^' 
 To fay therefore that the three Perfons in 
 the Trinity are one Vfia and three Hjpojtafes^ 
 is the fame thing as to fay, that they are one 
 Siibjlafice and three Subjiances at the fame 
 time ', which I take to be a Contradidion in 
 
 [e] Socrat. Ecclef. Wfi. lib. iii. cap. 7. 
 
 Terms, 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 137 
 
 Terms, and therefore cannot be affirmed 
 even of God himfelf. 
 
 CXXXIV. For when it is faid, in the 
 Nicene Creed, that the Son is [2] U t^^ ^a-Zaf 
 T^Trccl^og, of the ^ubjiance of the Father^ and 
 that he is i[^o^(^iog tm Trctj^iy of one Subjiance 
 with the Father, it is not meant thereby that 
 he is of one and the fame Kind of Subrtance 
 with the Father, but that he is adlually one 
 and the fame undivided Subftance with the 
 Father. Wherein then, you will fay, does 
 the Difference confifl ? Why according to 
 Cyrily not i?i any natural Diverfty^ but nu^ 
 merically only ; that is, in being faid to be 
 three Subftances, at the fame time that they 
 are but one Subftance. 
 
 CXXXV. I am very fenfible that in our 
 Englijh Tranflation of the Creed commonly 
 called the Athanafian Greedy we have fol- 
 lowed the Church of Rome, whofe Infallibi- 
 lity can give what Signification it pleafes to 
 Words, in rendering the Word 'TTrcVcto-i^, 
 by the Englijlo Word Perfon, that Church 
 
 [2] This is omitted in our Englijh Copy of. the M'- 
 cene Creed, though it was undoubtedly in the original 
 Greek, 
 
 having 
 
138 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 having rendered it by the Latin Word Fer- 
 fona. But let us fee whether this will mend 
 the Matter, which we Ihall find it does not, 
 unlefs we make ufe of a fliameful kind of 
 Equivocation, by ufing the Word Per Jon m 
 two different Senfes, or rather, in no Senfe 
 at all. For that the Word Perfon is capable 
 of two different Senfes being put upon it is 
 very plain ; thus it is fometimes made ufe of 
 to denote that identical P er finality ^ where- 
 by any one intelligent Jlgent is dijhnguijhed 
 from any other intelligent Agent, As for 
 Example, when it is faid. Numb. v. 6, 7. 
 *' When a Man or Woman fliall commit any 
 <^ Sin that Men commit, to do a Trefpafs 
 •* again ft the Lord, and that Per fin be 
 <^ guilty ; then they (hall confefs their Sin 
 *' which they have done," ©c. In this 
 Place the Word Perfon is here put to denote 
 the Man or Woman who was guilty of the 
 Trefpafs : And can never fignify any other 
 Man or Woman but the offending one only ; 
 nor any more Perfons than thofe that were 
 guilty. According to which Senfe of the 
 Word, every feparate Perfon muft be confi- 
 dered as a feparate intelligent Agent, and 
 every feparate intelligent Agent muft be con- 
 fidered as a feparate Perfon from every o- 
 
 ther 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 139 
 
 ther intelligent Agent, and will for ever, if 
 he exifls fo long, be the fame Perfon he was, 
 whether he repents or not, whether he is 
 .young or old; or whether he exifls in this 
 World or in the next. And it would be a 
 Contradidion in Terms to fay, that this one 
 Perfon is two different Perfons, or that two 
 different Perfons is the fame Perfon ^ for 
 hence it is that the common Expreffion takes 
 its Rife, when fpeaking of any one Man, we 
 fay, this is the very individual Perfon, who 
 did fuchor fuch a Fact, becaufe, if he could 
 be divided^ he would be no longer the fame 
 Perfon. 
 
 CXXXVI. But in this Senfe of the 
 Word, the Cojifubjlantialijis will not allow 
 the Word Perfon to be applied to the three 
 Perfons in the Trinity, becaufe this would 
 make them as much three feparate Beings, 
 as Matthew, Mark^ and Luke, are three fe- 
 parate Men : And would contradidl the Ho- 
 mooufian Dodlrine, which fuppofes the three 
 iPerfons of the Trinity to be one u?jdivided 
 Subftance, or, as C^t/7 expreffeth it, onefpe^ 
 cific NaturCy or EJfence, 
 
 CXXXVIT 
 
140 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 CXXXVII. Sometimes however this Word 
 Perfon is made ufe of to denote only the Re- 
 lation which one intelligent Agent bears to 
 another ; or the diftinguifhing Mark of his 
 Charader,^ whereby he is to be known from 
 other intelligent Agents, or even from himfelf, 
 either at different Times, or in different Cir- 
 cumftances. In which Senfe of the Word 
 the fame individual Perfon, or intelligent A- 
 gent, may be confidered as twenty different 
 Perfons all at the fame Time, For thus the 
 fame intelligent Agent may be confidered in 
 the Perfon of a King, of a General, of an Ally, 
 of a Philofopher, of a Father, or of a Son, of 
 an Hufband, or of a Batchelor, of an old Man, 
 or of a young Man, (Sc, &c. For, fays 
 Stephens, in his Lathi Thefaurus^ Perfona 
 figjtijicat qiialitatem earn, qua homo differt 
 ab homine, turn in anima^ turn in corpore^ turn 
 in extra pofit is -, quce a Rhetoricis annumeran- 
 turinAttnh[itisPerfonce: ut HeBor adPria- 
 mumPerfonaFilii ejl i ad Ally ana^emP erf ona 
 Patris J adAndromachemPerfona Mar it i ; ad 
 ParidemPerfonaFratris -, ad Sarpedone?n A- 
 mici 'y ad Achillem Perfona Inimici, In which 
 Senfe of the Word it is that that ExprefTion 
 muflbe underilood, when Mofes faith of God, 
 
 that 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 141 
 
 that he [3] regardeth not Perfons, by which is 
 meant, not that God regardeth not Mankind, 
 as they are fo many intelligent Agents, but 
 that he doth not refped: Men on account 
 of their perfonal Circumftances, or Charac- 
 ters, or Figure, or Relation in Life : But 
 neither will the Confubjiantialijis allow this 
 Interpretation of the Word Per/on to be ap^ 
 plied to the three Perfons in the Trinity^ fo as 
 to be underftood as if they were only three 
 different Perfonages or Charafters, or At- 
 tributes, of the fame Being ; becaufe that 
 would be manifeft Sabellianifm^ and would 
 not allow any real Exiftence to any of them^ 
 but one. 
 
 CXXXVIII. And though they fay that 
 one of thefe Perfons is the Father^ and the 
 other the Son \ they will not allow one to be 
 prior or pofterior to the other 3 but declare 
 them both to be coequal and coeternal, which 
 is by no means confident with the Relation 
 that there is between Father and Son : For 
 though the Relation between two coequal co- 
 eternal Beings might bear fome Analogy to 
 the Denomination of Brothers^ yet it feemg 
 
 [?] Dcut. r. 17. Matth. xxii. i6. Mark xii. 14. 
 
 abfolutelj 
 
142 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 abfolutely inconfiftent with that of Father 
 and Sorifc 
 
 CXXXIX. But, in order to condud: us a 
 little further into the Knowledge of this Af- 
 fair, it may be proper to inquire into the 
 Reafons which feem to have led the Com- 
 pilers of the Nicene Creed into this Determi- 
 nation of the ConfubftantiaUty of the Father 
 and Son. 
 
 CXL. The Dddtrine ofyfr/^^j, was^ that 
 the So?2, being begotten of the Father before 
 ain^imes and all Jiges^jubfijled only through 
 the Will of the Father : But that he was not 
 eternal^ that is coetemal with the Father s 
 nor did he come into Exijlence along with thS 
 Father, 
 
 CXLI. In order to refute \vhich Dodrine^ 
 iht Nicefie Biftiops compofed a Creed, where- 
 in they afferted the Son to be of the Subjlance 
 of the Father y and confubjiantial with the 
 Father ; and at the End of the Creed an- 
 nexed thefe three Anathemas, or damnatory 
 Claufes : [4] T^q Si Xiyovjag on tjv Tfori qtb ^^^ 
 
 [4] Socrat. Ecck/. Hiji, lib. i. cap. S. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 143 
 
 iyivejoy oj g£ ire^ccg oVo^^Vsw^ ij ouV/os^ (pdcncovjoci 
 iiVcLiy yj icji^cvy 7) T^iTrjoVy 7} uXXoiootov tov i^qv th 
 S-e^y dm9ef4.cLTi^£i ^' dyloc KctQoXiTcyj Kj aTto^oXiKti 
 iKKMo-lu, But they who fayy Inhere ivas a 
 Time when the Son was noty and that he did 
 not exijl before he was begotten : Or that fay 
 he was begotten out of nothing : Or that fa)' 
 he exijted out of any other Hypostasis, or 
 Usi A, than the Father ; or was created, or is 
 liable to Mutation or Change, the Holy Ca- 
 tholic Apoftolic Church anathematifes. 
 
 CXLII. From whence it may be obferv- 
 cd in the firft Place, that thefe Fathers un- 
 derftood the Words XJfia and Hypojlafis in 
 the fame Senfe, fo as to mean one and the 
 fame thing ; and that as the Son was of the 
 fame undivided, or individual JJfiay fo was 
 he alfo in the fame undivided or individual 
 Hypojlafis with the Father. And poffibly 
 this may be the Reafon why thefe Anathe- 
 mas are omitted out of our prefent Nicenc 
 Creed; becaufe they contradicS in Terms 
 the Athanafian Creed, which aflerts, that 
 «' there is one Hypoflafis of the Father, and 
 «« another of the Son, and another of the 
 ^' Holy Spirit." 
 
 CXLIIL 
 
144 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 CXLIII. But it does not feem fo eafy to 
 explain what is meant by the firft Anathema: 
 Curfed be they who fay ^ There was a Time 
 when the Son was not ; and that he did not 
 exi/l before he was begotten. However, if it 
 means any thing, it muft be this ^ that where- 
 as the Arians afferted that the Son was be- 
 gotten l)efore all Time, and before all Ages, 
 neverthelefs they afferted, that although 
 they would allow he might, upon that ac- 
 count in fome Senfe be called eternal ; yet 
 that the Son could not be cocternal with the 
 Father, becaufe the Begetter muft have exift- 
 ed before the Begotten. In order therefore 
 to invalidate the Force of this Argument, and 
 make the Son neverthelefs coeternal with the 
 Father, the Nicene Biftiops, fince they could 
 not deny but the Begetter muft have exifted 
 before the Begotten, feemed to have framed 
 this Anathema, wherein they affert, in Imi- 
 tation of Irenceus, and fome few other meta- 
 phyfical Writers, that the Son did exift be. 
 fore he was begotten : That is, that he did 
 potentially exift in the Subftance of the Fa- 
 ther, out of which he was afterwards be- 
 gotten. 
 
 jL CXLIV. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 145 
 
 CXLIV. And this is the Reafon why they 
 likewife anathematifed, in the fecond Place, 
 thofe who ihould fay, that the Son was be- 
 gotten out of nothings in order to eftabhfti 
 the following Dodrine of the Son being be- 
 gotten out of the Subftance of the Father; 
 which Subftance being undoubtedly coeter- 
 nal with the Father, therefore the Son, who 
 virtually [5] or potentially exlfted in it, muft, 
 according to their Method of Reafoning, 
 alfo be coeternal, 
 
 CXLV. But, v/ith humble Submiffion to 
 fuch great Authorityj this Affertion abfolute- 
 ly deftroys the modern favourite Dodlrine of 
 the eternal Generation of the Son : Becaufe 
 that although it (hould be allowed that the 
 Son might poffibly have virtually fublifted 
 from all Eternity, in the Subftance, or Mind, 
 of the Father, as every thing did, that either 
 hath exifted, or ever will exift, yet I fup- 
 pofe it a Contradidion in Terms to fay, that 
 he exifted, as a Son, till he was begotten. 
 And therefore that the Nicene Fathers have 
 
 [5] Avtct(/,^ ii Iv Tu •ffUTf) uyini^Tucy Totentlaerat in Patre, 
 
 ingenita ^uadam ratione. Theod. Ecdef. Hift. lib. i. 
 cap. 12. 
 
 L anathe- 
 
146 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 anathematifed all fuch as will not affirm a [6] 
 Contradidion. 
 
 CXLVI. And I cannot help faying, it is 
 fomething odd to havethefe two Creeds efta- 
 bliftied in the fame Church, in one of which 
 thofe are declared to be accurfed^ who deny 
 the Son to be of the fame JJJia^ or Hypojiajisy 
 with the Father ; and in the other, it is de- 
 clared, they cannot be faved who do not affert, 
 that [7] there is one Hypojiajis of the Father^ 
 and another of the Son, and another of the 
 Holy Ghojl. 
 
 CXLVII. But, in order to obviate all 
 thefe Objedions, it is thought fufficient by 
 fome, to fay, that there are many Powers in 
 the divine Nature, which human Beings are 
 not capable of comprehending. Nay, fo far 
 are we Mortals from being able to compre- 
 hend the Divine Nature, that we know very 
 little of the Things which are on Earth; that 
 there is not one of all the variousThings which 
 furround us, that does not contain fomething 
 in its Frame and Conftitution, which is be- 
 
 [6] For the Afl'ertions of the Brians were h rrolr, ot« 5 
 ii'osyV^K, ^c. That there <was (a Time) <when THE Son 
 njcas notf See. Athan. vol. i. p. 97. 
 
 [j] Athanafian Creed. 
 
 yond 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 147 
 
 yond the Abilities of the moft fubtile Philo- 
 fopher to explain, 
 
 CXLVIII. Be it fo. — Let us then ac 
 knowledge the narrow Limits of the human 
 Underftanding ; which, I think, nobody, 
 who looks within himfelf, can be without 
 fenfibly feeing and feeling : But then let us 
 not turn fuch violent Sceptics, as to afiert, 
 that, becaufe w^e do not know every thing, 
 therefore we know nothing ; that becaufe we 
 cannot fee by Night as well as by Day, there- 
 fore we mud: not believe our own Eyes, even 
 when the Sun fhines diredlly over our Heads. 
 
 CXLIX. I (hall therefore take it for grant- 
 ed, that there are fome Truths in Nature, 
 that are level to our Underftandings, and that 
 we may pronounce with fome Degree of 
 Certainty, for Example, that two and two 
 make four ; and that it is a Contradidion in 
 Terms to fay, that the fame individual Sub- 
 ftance, whether fpiritual or corporeal, can be, 
 and not be^ at the fame Time, and in the 
 fame Place. Now, if the Knowledge of 
 thefe Propofitions is within the Reach of our 
 Underftanding, then we may fafely affirm, 
 if the Father and Son ix^ confab jl ant ial^ that 
 
 L 2 is. 
 
148 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT, 
 is, if the Subftance of the Father be the fame 
 undivided Sabftance with the Son 5 and that 
 the Subftance of the Son did enter into the 
 Womb of the Virgin Mary^ and became in- 
 carnate 5 that then it will follow, of Confe- 
 quence, that the Subftance of the Father did 
 enter into the Virgin's Womb, and was in- 
 carnate alfo. Since otherwife, one and the 
 fame individual Subftance may be, and not 
 be, at the fame Time, and in the fame 
 Place. 
 
 CL. Again, if this Propofition be taken 
 for granted, which may be found totidem 
 Verbis^ in the Athanaftan Creed, that as 
 the reafonahle Soul and Flejh is one Man^ 
 Jo God and Man is one Chrift ; and if this o,- 
 ther Propofition be allowed, which may be 
 found as explicitly in the Scriptures, that this 
 one [8] Cbrifl Juffered for the Sins of Man- 
 kind 5 then it muft follow, of Confequence, 
 that Chrijl fuftered in his Godhead, as well 
 as his Humanity ; fince otherwife, it would 
 have been the Man J ejus, and not J ejus the 
 MeJJiah^ or Cbrijl, that fuffered for the Sins 
 of Men. 
 
 £8] Hcb. ix 28. ! Pet. ii. 21. iv. xS, 
 
 CLI. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 149 
 
 CLI. Now as the Confideration of thefc 
 Things is, fo far at leaft, within the Reach of 
 our Capacities, if we fuppofe the Premifes 
 aforementioned to be true, which the Con- 
 fiibjlantialifls will hardly deny ; the Con- 
 clulions, which they will not allow, are, 
 neverthelefs, as demon ftrably true, as any 
 Propofition in the Mathematics. 
 
 CLIL But let us go a little further, and 
 fuppofe, for the prefent, that thefe Things 
 were above our Comprehenfion ; and then I 
 fhould be glad to be informed of the Reafons 
 why thofe very Perfons who roar fo loud a- 
 gainfl: the vain Attempts of Men, in fcrutiniz- 
 ing the Things which belong unto Heaven^ 
 fhould take upon them to explain thofe Doc- 
 trines, which they themfelves declare to be a- 
 bove the Reach of human Underftandings. 
 
 CLIII. When the Tapijls want to per- 
 fuade Men out of their Senfes, and to prevail 
 upon Protejiants to acknowledge the abfurd 
 Dodlrine of Tranjubjlantiation^ they are very 
 ample and florid in their Declamations upon 
 the Immenfity and IncomprehenCblenefs of 
 God and his Attributes 5 and noon the Mi- 
 
 nutenefs 
 
150 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 nutenefsand Infufficiency of human Abilities ; 
 and are always fetting forth, in the ftrongeft 
 Terms, how Httle we know, and how much 
 we are ignorant. And therefore, fay they, 
 fince our Saviour hath faid. This is my Body^ 
 and this is my Blood, we ought to believe it 
 to be fo, though we could not comprehend 
 the Manner how. 
 
 CLIV. All which would be undoubtedly 
 right, and true, if they were to go no fur- 
 ther. But if what they fay be true, about 
 the Weaknefs of human Underftandings, 
 how came they to have Abilities for explain- 
 ing thofe Myileries, which the reft of Man- 
 kind are fo unequal to the Inquiry into ? Why 
 do they pretend to fay, that this Myflery 
 confifts in a Tranjubjlantiatioji of the Ele- 
 ments, when there is no fuch Word in the 
 Scriptures ? 
 
 CLV. And fince it muft be undoubtedly 
 acknowledged, that the Belief in any My- 
 ftery can be no further required as neceflary 
 to Salvation, than in proportion as that My- 
 ftery is revealed j if this be a Myftery, fure- 
 ly they ought to leave it as they found it, and 
 not prefume to explain that which they de- 
 clare to be inexplicable. 
 
 CLVI. 
 
AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 151 
 
 CL VI. And is not this Method of Reafon- 
 ingas ilrong, with regard to Confubjlantiation^ ^j y^ . 
 as Tranfuhjtantiation ? It certainly i^ ^^d'T^^^'^^*^ 
 therefore when the Proteftaiits argue again ft^"^^^^ ^^"^^ 
 the Dodtrine of Tranfubjlantiation^ the Pa^^^^^"*^^^<-^ 
 pifts never fail objeding the equal Incredibi*-^ ^^ z-^-^^o^ 
 \\Vj o{ 2i confubJlaTitial Trinity. ^^^3^ >i- *- 
 
 CLVII. The Dodlrine of the Trinity is a^ 
 certainly revealed in the J9thVerre of the 
 xxviiith Chapter of St. Matthew, as the Doc- 
 trine of the Euchariji is, in the 26th Verfeof 
 the xxvith Chapter of the fame Evangelifl: : 
 But the Scriptures are as filent about the 
 Confubjtantiality of the one, as about the 
 TranfubJia?2tiation of the other. Whence 
 then came the Revelation of thefe wonderful 
 Doflrines ? Why ! both originally from the 
 fame Oracle ; from the Papal Chair. 
 
 CLVIII. I think it therefore incumbent 
 on thofe Frotejla-nt Bifhops, who hold the 
 Doftrine of a confubdantial Trinity, to in- 
 form us of the Reafons why the Infallibility 
 of the Pope mufl be acknowledged in one of 
 thefe Inftances, and not in the other. And 
 why, if their Eyes are fufBcient to let them 
 fee, as well as the Pope, that the three Per- 
 fons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are 
 I one 
 
152 AN ESSAY ON SPIRIT. 
 
 one coeternal, coequal, and undivided Sub- 
 ftance, when we undertake to argue againft 
 it, they'ihould fay to us, Ye are blind ! ye are 
 blind 1 Or, why if we are blind, though they 
 are not, this metaphyfical difpute fhould be 
 made a Part of the public Service of the 
 Church, which is an AfTembly compofed, 
 not only of quick-fighted Philofophers, but 
 of the lowed of the People, who are requir- 
 ed there to give their Aflent to thefe equivo- 
 cal, if not contradidory. Interpretations of 
 Scripture, under the Penalty of eternal Dam- 
 nation 5 and to declare, that every one who 
 doth not keep this Faith whole aiid undejiled^ 
 without doubt Jhall perifb everlajlingly -, and 
 that this is the Catholic Faith, which except a 
 Man believe faithjully^ he cannot be faved. 
 
 CLIX. I fliall accordingly expedl fome of 
 the Right Reverend Members of the Pro- 
 tejlant Church of Ireland, either to account 
 for this, or to exonerate their Confciences, 
 by joining in an humble Remonflrance a- 
 eainft it: And I do promife, if any of them 
 Ihall deign to honour this Treatife with an 
 Anfwer, that if it pleafeth God to fpare my 
 Life, it (hall fpeedily be foUowedj either by 
 a Recantation, or a Reply, 
 
 FINIS. 
 
A 
 
 FULL ANSWER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 ESSAY on SPIRIT; 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 All the Author's Objeftions, hoih fcriptural 
 and philofofhicaU to the Doftrine of the 
 Trinity j his Opinions relating to the 
 Uniformity of the Church ^ his Criticifms 
 upon tht Athanajian ^nd Nicene Creeds, 
 &c. are ^examined and confuted. 
 
 WITH 
 
 A particular Explanation of the Hermetic^ 
 Pythagorean^ and Platonic Trinities : 
 
 AND 
 
 ^ PREFACE, giving fome account of an Author 
 
 who has lately publifhed in Defence of the EJfay, A 
 
 Thus faith the Lord^ Jiand ye in the ways and fee^ and 
 afk for the old paths^ where is the good way^ and 
 walk therein^ and ye Jhall find refl for your fouls : hut 
 they faidy we will not walk therein, Jerem. vi. i6. 
 
 €)fow ^i\ov Xili\i(ri^ yioci «>c aXn9tvov. Epiphan. Ancorat. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for E. Withers at the Seven Stars, next the 
 Inner Temple-Gate in Fleet-flreit \ and S, Park E a 
 at Oxford, M.DCC.LIIL 
 
To the Reverend 
 
 Sir yohn Dolben^ Bart. D. D, 
 
 AND 
 
 Prebendary oi DU R HA M. 
 
 Reverend Sir ! 
 
 AS my fituation renders me, in 
 fome meafure, accountable to 
 you for the ufe I make of my leifure 
 hours, it is natural for me to feek 
 your favour and protedion with re- 
 gard to the following papers ; your 
 kind acceptance of which, will not 
 be imputed to any merit of theirs, 
 but entirely to that well-condufted 
 zeal and unreferved condefcenfion, 
 which will not fuffer you to defpife 
 even the meaneft efforts, where they 
 are intended to promote the honour 
 of God J or the v/elfare of mankind. 
 A 2 But 
 
t iv 3 
 
 But I have many other reafonsy 
 Sir, for prefixing your name to the 
 following pages ; from which, the 
 motive already-mentioned borrow- 
 ed its chief and more efpecial in- 
 fluence ; for I am fully fenfible, that 
 your charader and ftation in the 
 Church, your firm attachment to, 
 and experienced knowledge of, the 
 Holy Scriptures, your familiar ac- 
 quaintance with Antiquity, both fa- 
 cred and profane, and your unble- 
 mifhed life (the beft recommenda- 
 tion of every other excellence) will 
 reconcile my readers, be they more 
 or lefs, to whatever you fhall be 
 pleafed in any degree to approve • 
 and effedlually remove thofe natural, 
 prejudices, which otherways might 
 be conceived, as well againft my 
 years, as againft the name of a per- 
 fon fo unknown to the world. 
 
 I ought indeed to make fome apo- 
 logy for prefenting a piece of the 
 controverfial fort, to one who efteems 
 it a far greater benefit to believe^ 
 ...-'- than 
 
[v] 
 
 than an entertainment to difpute ; 
 and vvhofe temper is too ferene and 
 harmonized to have much relifh for 
 the noife and difcord of a contro- 
 verfy : but the importance and dig- 
 nity of that divine truth, which I 
 have humbly endeavoured to aiTert 
 and vindicate, as it v^ill juflify me 
 to the world, fo will it Hkewife re- 
 commend me to your attention ; be 
 the form of my work either fmooth 
 and declamatory, or, as at prefent 
 it is obliged to be, rugged and dif- 
 putatious. 
 
 I am fo far, Sir, from taking any 
 pleafure in thru fling myfelf into a 
 public controverfy, (and indeed my 
 talents are rather fitted for retire- 
 ment and obfcurity) that it would 
 give me a much greater fatisfadion 
 to behold them that confefs God's 
 holy 7tamey agreeing in the truth of his 
 holy wordy than to be capable of 
 writing the moft learned refutation 
 of one that oppofes or contradids 
 it : to fee the church of Chrifi in 
 
 poffefTion 
 
[vij 
 
 fjoffeition of that peace, which he 
 himfelf bequeathed to it, than to 
 obtain the moft compleat vi&ovy 
 over one of its adverfaries. 
 
 But fo many unreafonable de- 
 mands. Sir, are made upon us, fome 
 of them even by men of our own 
 order, that our ftate is, and muffc 
 be, militant. Peace, under thefe 
 circumftances, is not to be obtained, 
 but by making the m^oft unlimited 
 concefTions, and bringing the chri- 
 ftian faith down to their iize, whom 
 we cannot perfuade to come up to 
 it. 
 
 A treaty of coalition, propofed 
 upon fuch terms as J:hefe, will, I 
 truft in God, never be fubmitted to 
 by the legiilative powers of this 
 realm : I believe, and am perfua- 
 ded, that it will not : and thofe 
 writers, who follicit them to the 
 repealing of any article, fupported 
 by the imdoubted warrant of divine 
 writ, pay (o mean a compliment to 
 their underftanding, as well as to 
 7 their 
 
[ vii ] 
 
 their Falth,^ that they will, I dare 
 fay, rejed it with a juft and fuitable 
 indignation. 
 
 As for the manner in which I 
 have treated the fubjecls that have 
 occurred to me, I forbear to fay 
 any thing either by way of excufe 
 or recommendation ; taking it for 
 granted, Sir, that as your learning 
 and judgment, on the one hand, are 
 not to be bribed by the tedious apo- 
 logies of a petitionary writer j fo 
 your unafFefted candour and huma- 
 nity, on the other, will naturally 
 difpofe you to make every juft and 
 favourable allowance. And though 
 I am not fo prefuming as to exped, 
 that what I have now offered fhould 
 be found fufficient to remove every 
 objedion, and clear every diiHculty; 
 yet I am encouraged to hope, it will 
 at leaft be accepted (by you. Sir, I 
 am fure it will) as the iincere tefti- 
 mony of one, who afpires to no 
 higher charader, than that of an 
 humble Claimant in behalf of our 
 
 religion, 
 
religion, and an hearty well-wifhcr 
 to our conftitution ; and who gladly 
 takes this opportunity of profeffing 
 himfelf to be, with the moll un- 
 feigned refpedl and veneration^ 
 
 Reverend SIR, 
 
 Your mojl ohligedy 
 
 Moji ohedienty 
 
 And very faithful Servant^ 
 
 Finedon> 
 
 William Jones, 
 
[ i«] 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 IT wds not my intention to trouble or de- 
 tain the reader with a preface , but fome 
 time after the following iheets were ready 
 for the prefs, a pamphlet came forth with 
 this title — A defence of the Effay on Sprit % with 
 remarks on the feveral pretended Anfwers \ and 
 whi-ch may ferve as an antidote againft all that 
 jhall ever appear againft it. — If the book itfelf 
 fhould really be able to fupport fuch a Title- 
 page, and be found anfwerable to the latter part 
 of it, my labour can avail but little, I think, 
 however, that I may be pretty fecure of its 
 making any imprefTion to my difad vantage, as 
 the author of it, in the firft place, does not feem 
 rightly to underftand the very Icope and defign 
 of the piece he has undertaken to defend. 
 
 He tells us, that the author of the EJfaf^ 
 ** whole book feems only intended, not to en- 
 " force any explanations of his own, but to 
 " lliew how ineffedual all attempts to explain 
 " this myftery (the do&ine of the Trinity) have 
 " been hitherto." * Now, if he has enforced no 
 b expk- 
 
 » Defence, p. 5, 
 
[x] 
 
 explanations of his own, then it would be im- 
 poffible for me to extrad and produce them: 
 but the fubftance of them, in fhort, is as fol- 
 lows : — The perfon of the Father only, is the 
 one fupreme intelligent Agent : the Son^ and Holy 
 Spirit are not really God, but called fo^ becaufe, 
 by an authority communicated to them from 
 the Supreme, they are commiflioned to act as 
 Gods with regard to thofe inferior beings com- 
 mitted to their charge.^ — And fo far is the Effay- 
 writer from endeavouring to exclude every ex- 
 planation, that his whole book is principally 
 calculated for the fupport of this. 
 
 Let it alfo be confidered, that in the dedica- 
 tion prefixed to his Effay^ he hopes that " his 
 " fentiments will by gentle degrees come, by 
 *' the blefiing of God, to be made a part of 
 *' the eflablifhed religion of the country." *= If 
 therefore, as it is alTerted in th^ Defence, he has 
 enforced no explanation of the Trinity ; and it is 
 nevcrthelefs hoped in the Effay^ that his fenti- 
 ments will be made a part of the eftablifhed re- 
 ligion ; this is in effect to hope, that Nothing (by 
 the blefling of God) will be eflablifhed as a fun- 
 damental of the chriflian faith. So that this Gen- 
 tleman, inflead of defending the EJfay, feems to 
 have defeated its principal intention, mifrepre- 
 fented its author, and reduced his whole book to 
 an abfurdity. 
 
 Another 
 * See chap. V, of the following An/wer, . « P, 5 1. 
 
[ ^i 1 
 
 Another method of this writer, almoft as hurt- 
 ful to the caule he has undertaken as the former, 
 is to afiert what he cannot pofTibly know to bq 
 true, even fuppofing it were fo, and what the 
 world muft know to be falfe. A juftly celebra- 
 ted difcourfe upon the Trinity, written by the^ 
 late dean Swift ^ has, upon the publication of the 
 EJfay, and to prevent in fome meafure (as the 
 Editor exprefTes himfelf ) the evil effeds of that 
 treatife, been reprinted in Ireland. This dif- 
 courfe, the author now before us has affaulted 
 with a great degree of prejudice and animofity \ 
 and after he has fifted fome abfurd and contra- 
 dictory fenfes out of its exprelTions, and treated 
 his lordfhip of Orrery^ and other ahU and learned 
 gentlemen, v/ith great contempt for not having 
 Jkill enough to make the fame difcovery, confi- 
 dently affirms, that he has " fhewn the IDean to 
 " have been an Arian in his heart. ^^ '^ Now, if 
 the Dean has been fo unhappy in his expreffions, 
 as to fubfcribe himfelf ^;^ Arian^ while he meant 
 to declare himfelf a Catholic^ he muft furely have 
 wanted common fenfe, a defeat, which (in his 
 day) he was farther from than moft men living : 
 if in his exprefTions he appears to be orthodox^ 
 and yet was, in th^fecrets of his hearty an Arian ^ 
 this author muft pretend to fome degree of om- 
 nifcience in being able to find it out, 
 
 b 2 As 
 
 ^ Pass 32* 
 
[ ^^ ] 
 
 As a fpecimen of his comments upon the Holy 
 Scripture, I may fet down the evidence he has 
 ailedged in favour of angel-worfliip. 
 
 Thi.: Brians have always been greatly diflrefTed 
 to jultify the adoration they allow to the fecond 
 and third perfons of the Blefied Trinity, while 
 at the fame time they degrade them down to 
 the rank of created beings. It is therefore pre- 
 sumed in the EJfay, that the worfliip of angels 
 can be no idolatry, becaufe it terminates in the 
 one only and true God : to which a certain author e 
 has very judicioudy replied — '' yet it feems, in 
 '^ St. Paul's flyle, being idolatrous, and doing 
 *' (religious) fervice to them which by nature are 
 '^ no Gcds, are fynonimous expreflions." But 
 here, the author of the Defence, in order to avoid 
 the confii6t in which he feems apprehenfive of a 
 defeat, " cannot but lament the ill treatment the 
 t* fcriptures of truth meet v/ith, when they light 
 ** into indifcreet hands, who catch at a fingle 
 *^ verfe, which without confidering the context^ 
 ^' they wrefi to their own purpofes : for in thofe 
 *« words of St. Paul^ the crime is, ferving them 
 '^ v)hich arc not Gods by nature^ without a com- 
 <'• milTion from God for fo doing ; by which 
 «' means, the fl^rvice did not terminate in the 
 <' one only and true God." \ 
 
 That 
 
 * Of an nrticle publifned in the Duhlin Literary Journal 
 foi" Decetnher 175 1. ' Page 13. 
 
[ xill ] 
 
 That there are, in the world, men unlearned 
 2indi mftable^ who bend and accommodate the 
 fcriptures to ferve fome private purpofc of their 
 own, is a lamentable truth, which every ferious 
 Inquirer will be ready enough to confefs ; and 
 the reader, I am fure, will agree with me, that 
 the remark I have juft now tranfcribed, is hkely 
 to afford us a mod ample comfirmation of it : 
 for after this pathetic exclamation againft ill 
 treatment, indifcreet hands, and a difregard to 
 the context, the verfe itfelf contains an argument 
 full and clear, and the difregarded context — 
 
 without a commijfion from God for fo doing 
 
 which gives a contrary turn, or, a wrefi to the 
 whole, is not St. Paul*s^ but bis own. 
 
 If the crime of the Heathens in worlhipping 
 their idols, confided (according to this author's 
 (late of the cafe) only in a want of commiffion ; 
 then he mud fuppofe it pofTible, for God to au- 
 thorize that very crime, againft which he hath 
 pronounced the moft extreme vengeance and 
 maledi6lion, the very abomination that he hateth^^ 
 for the adoration of the creature, to redound to 
 the glory of the Creator •, and for the worfhip 
 of an idol, the itump of a tree, to terminate in 
 the only and true God, 
 
 I will in this place- take the liberty of pro- 
 pounding the following fhort remark : that as it 
 
 appears; 
 
 % Deut, xii. 31. See chap, xxviii. \\^l^c. 
 
[ XIV ] 
 
 appears from the text of St. Paul above-cited, we 
 are to worlbip thofe only who are ((JJuo-it ^£»?) 
 Gods by nature ; and as all the primitive ecclefi- 
 aftical writers, in their application of the term 
 o'jo-ia, fjjence^ make it fynonimous with (pva-ig^ na^ 
 iure^^ it may, I humbly conceive, be inferred 
 from hence, that the Ho7nooufian doctrine, for 
 the fake of which the Artans would rejedl both 
 the Athanafian and Nicence creeds, is fcripturaj 
 in its term^ as well as in its fenfe. For, if we 
 are to worfnip the Son and Holy Spirit^ as the 
 Arians themfelves are forced to confefs, they 
 muft be God by Nature, oiJt.o\i<Tioty of the fame 
 ejfence or nature with God the Father ; if not> 
 the adoration we pay to them mull include us in 
 that fentence of condemnation pafled upon the 
 idolatrous Gentiles. Bu|: to return to the author, 
 whofe manner of reafoning I ihall, in the next 
 place, take fome notice of. 
 
 Dean Swift tells us in hi§ Sermon, that *' about 
 *' three hundred years after Chriil, there fprang 
 ** up an herefy, of people called Arians from 
 *' ont Arius the leader of them : thefe (fays he^ 
 ^' denied our Saviour to be God j" where the 
 author immediately replies — " than which no- 
 *' thing can be more falfe^ for they did acknow- 
 
 •^^ ledge him to be God." * 
 
 Here 
 
 ^ IrEoy, cT* acrid }^ (pv^i; rxvrcv ar* "Tra^x rote 7irxloa.<Ti¥» 
 Nct^ndum ejl, ejfentnim iS naturnm idem ejje afud Fatrts. 
 Ltont. de Se<I:t. p. 308. ' Fagc zz. 
 
Here the reader (hould be informed, that this 
 Gentleman has two definitions of a God : by the 
 firfl, there is a fupreme and true God -, by the 
 fecond, a fubordinate and nominal God, who 
 only a^s as fuch, of which fort he fays there may 
 be three hundred,^ Tell him, that the Arlam 
 denied our Saviour to be God, and he can boldly 
 renounce the charge : but then, it is with a fecret 
 view to the fecond definition, when the charge 
 plainly proceeds againft them only with a refpedt 
 to the fir ft ^ and when the firft alone can have 
 either fenfe or truth in it. 
 
 . Where he cannot difprove any thing, he puz- 
 zles and perplexes the whole caufe, and by in- 
 terweaving a proportionable quantity of falihood, 
 renders a queflion, in every view of it, unintel- 
 ligible ; and fo far he is certainly in the right ; 
 for error is not to be advanced either by truth or 
 perfpicuity. In purfuance of this plan, he con- 
 founds the Confubftantialifts (that is, the catholic 
 Chriftians) with the Sabellians^ and vice verfa the 
 Sabellians with the Confubftantialifts^ in tlie fol- 
 lowing manner — " The Confubftantialifts and the 
 " Sabellians (fays he) agree exa^ly in their 
 " opinion of the indivifible unity of the fub- 
 ** fiance of God between the three Perfons of the 
 " Trinity." ^ Which is impoffible to be true : 
 For if the Sabellians agreed exa^ly in this matter 
 
 with 
 
 * Page 44, J Page 27, ^3, 
 
f xvi ) 
 
 ^Vith the Catholics^ they mud then have rrialri- 
 tained that there were three Perfons in the TvU 
 riity, between whom this indivifible union might 
 fubfift : but on the contrary, they affirmed the 
 whole Godhead to be ixix, vrrorcca-ic^ or |W.©yo7rpo(rw* 
 irc;^ "" only ONE hypoftq/is or T erf on. 
 
 Again : " When the Father, Son, and Holy 
 '^ Spirit," fays he, *' are declared by the Atha^ 
 *' nafians to be the fame one undivided Perfon in 
 *' reality ; I own I do not fee any difference be- 
 ** tween that and the do6lrine of Sahelliusy " 
 Firft, he makes the Sahellians affert three Perfons 
 in the Godhead, who never allowed more than 
 one , then, makes the Athanafians allow but one 
 Perfon, who always alferted three ; and then fo- 
 lemnly declares — that he fees no difference be^ 
 tween their do6trines ! Let me defire this Gen- 
 tleman, for God's fake, to refled a while on the 
 notorious falfities advanced in his book, of which 
 I could produce many more inftances. If he 
 iTiould condefcend to do this, at my earneft re- 
 queft, I would then recommend to him a com- 
 parifon between Re'o. ii. 2. and xxi. 8. being 
 willing to hope, that thofe texts, when laid to- 
 gether and confidered,^ may have fuch a profit- 
 able influence upon his heart, as to induce him 
 to alter his ftyle, and favour us with a piece ra- 
 ther more chafliied and corre6l, if ever he fhould 
 appear again in the capacity of an author. 
 
 1 
 
 ^ See Ipphan. v. 2. p. 513.. ^ Page 42, 43. 
 
f XVll ] 
 
 I cannot obferve in a more proper place, tha'l 
 he threatens the world with a treatife, whence ic 
 will " appear, that that part of our Ecclefiaftical 
 <' Hiftory, which relates to the difpute between 
 " the Arians and Athanafmns^ is little better thaji 
 *' an heap of falfities and forgeries." ». For I 
 apprehend that the forgeries above-mentioned 
 may enable the reader to conceive, not an unjud 
 idea, of an Arian turned Htfiorian : If thefe are 
 not fufficient, let him attentively perufe the au- 
 thor's whole book ; and if that will not do^ let 
 me befeech him to confider that account the 
 moft excellent and learned bifliop Bull has given 
 of Chrijioph. Sandius's Nucleus Hijtori^ Ecclefi- 
 aftica — copiqfijfimd fahularum ^ contradiul'ionum 
 acceffione locupletatus — ^ and I am perfuaded he 
 will then be upon his guard againft every hiflo- 
 rical trad which comes from that quarter. 
 
 I fhall now remark (and in truth I am almoft 
 tired of remarking) his rafhnefs in cenfuring 
 what, it is plain, he has not properly confidered* 
 The celebrated and learned Dr. Stehbing^ in a 
 quotation this author has made from him, fays^ 
 *' How three, as.diftin6l in point of agency^ as 
 " Petcr^ James^ and John^ fhould by one com- 
 *' mon principle of exiftence, be one eternal 
 ** God ; this exceeds the meafure of our finite 
 
 " under 
 
 <» Page 40. ? Def. Fid. Nic. Procem. §. 6. See alfo 
 
 Pages 69, 121, 229, i^ alibi fparfim. — The Iretiicum Ireni- 
 corum is another hiftory of the fame complexion with Sandiuu 
 
[ xviii ] 
 
 " underftandings to comprehend : yet It is not 
 " therefore a contradidion ; yet it is not there- 
 *' fore incredible." Which obfervation, though 
 common, is yet very pious, well expreffed, and 
 worthy of the Gentleman that made it. But, 
 fays our author, " If the Dodor had but inferred 
 *' any one nounfubllantive after the adjective 
 " three ^ which he, as all the Athanafians care- 
 *' fully do, has diftngenuoujly omitted, and with- 
 *' out which the whole fentence is nonfenfe*^ he 
 *' could not have avoided feeing the contradic- 
 '« tion, as well as pointing it out to others '^." 
 The noun- fubftantive inferted by the church upon 
 this occafion, is the word Perfons : and the moft 
 free and difpalTionate enquirer can perceive no 
 contradi(5tion in faying, that the blefTed Trinity 
 are three Pf^y^;? J, and one God-, three and one, 
 in different refpeds , three, in refped: of their 
 ferfonality^ and one in refped of their divine na- 
 ture^ or, as Dr. Stehhing has worded it, their 
 common -principle of exiftence. To fay, either that 
 they are three Perfons and one Perfon, or, three 
 Gods and one God, would be to fuppofe them 
 three and one, in one and the fame refpcd, and 
 would indeed amount to a contradidlion in terms ; 
 which is the very thing this author has made of 
 it : " for, adds he, " every one, who is not cut 
 '^ of his fenfes^ mud fee, that affirming three 
 
 '* eternal 
 
 * He elfewhere fays cf this expreflion, that it is — non- 
 fenfe artfully cloathing itfelf, that it may look fomething like 
 fenfe. ^ i'- 34j 35» 
 
[ xlx ] 
 
 *' eternal Gods to be one eternal God^ is a con- 
 *' tradition '." Very true : and I hope no man 
 that is in his fenfes^ when writing upon fuch a 
 fubjeft as this, would dare to make a contradic- 
 tion, where he did not find one. But I muft 
 prefs this point a little farther : for it is obferv- 
 able, that the very fame omilTion of the noun- 
 fubftantive, and where the very fame fenfe is ex- 
 preJGTed too, occurs in the infpired writings : Ou7p» 
 
 <n TPEIi:, EN f;(7*, Tbefe three are one 
 
 fo that, this bold accufation of difingenidty^ non- 
 fenfe,, . and fomething worfe, alledged at firft 
 againft Dr. Stebbing^ wil], Vv^hen carried forwards, 
 be at lad fixed upon Him — whofe name I dare 
 not mention upon fuch occafion. 
 
 In order to give a proper account of the anti- 
 dote^ and enable the reader, as well as I can, to 
 comprehend the force and propriety of it, it 
 will be requifite to premife a few of the author's 
 principles, as they are to be collected from that 
 part of his book, which precedes what is called 
 
 .in the Title-page An antidote againji all that 
 
 fhall ever appear againft the Effay on Spirit. 
 
 The author of the Defence then, declares againft 
 all the decrees of councils and doctrines of men ' ; 
 advifes meiaphyfical divines to forbear their own 
 comments ^ \ and will fufFer nothing but clear and 
 exprefs revelation "" to determine him with regard 
 to any article of moment. And yet, in exprefs 
 c 2 con- 
 
 ' P. 34, 35. • P. h ^ '^'^'^• 
 
 « P. 4, 50, 79. 7 
 
[ XX ] 
 
 contradidion to all this, the ingredients of his 
 antidote^ which is to preclude all future contro- 
 verfies, to determine the queftion for ever on the 
 Arian fide, and (as its very name implies) to eic- 
 pel the poijon of orthodoxy, are nothing more 
 than a quotation from Juftin Martyr "^^ and an- 
 other from the Gentleman's Religion * ; the former 
 a very obfcure metaphyftcal comment^ the latter a 
 groundkfs and unfupported aflertion. If we had 
 not ocular demonftration for this, it would feem 
 altogether incredible, that the fame author who 
 has rejeded all human comments^ and itx. at naught 
 all the councils in Chrijlendom J', fhould think him- 
 felf fecure under the fhelter of that very autho- 
 rity, nay, underafmall and infignificant portion of 
 it, the whole of which he has made it his bufinefs 
 to vilify and contemn. Had he been more con- 
 fiflent with himfelf, and propofed his quotation 
 from Juftin Martyr with the fobriety that might 
 have been expeded, I fhould then have attempt- 
 ed to Ihew with the fame fobriety, that it con- 
 tains the indivijible union of the Son with the fuh^ 
 ftance of the Father -, though blended, as I freely 
 confefs, with fome perplexed and metaphyfical 
 reafonings, which indeed are reconcilable to the 
 principles of Plato^ but not to thofe of the Holy 
 Scripture. However, as he has introduced it in 
 fuch a manner as to render it repugnant to his 
 own principles, and therefore incapable of doing 
 
 his 
 V P. 54 to 78. - * 79 to 82. «" P. 29. 
 
[ 3Cxi ] 
 
 his caufe the lead fervice (be the dodrine of k 
 this or that) I fhall not try to give the reader 
 any edification or amufement by a critical dif- 
 CLiflion of a very long palTage, unlikely to af- 
 ford either. 
 
 But I muft not throw his book afide, without 
 giving fome fhort account of his language ; I 
 mean, of his candour, humility, and charity ; 
 which virtues are as much difregarded in the De- 
 fence (if that be pofTible) as they are recommended 
 in the EJfay, 
 
 The gentlemen who have advifed the Reve- 
 rend author of the EJfay to refign his prefer- 
 ment ', that is, in t^t3i, to appeafe his conference, 
 retrad his fubfcription, and ceafe to difturb the 
 peace of the church with his own private fcru- 
 ples i he upbraids with a fpirit of perfecuiion and 
 ignorance * : which is not more unkind than it is 
 untrue and injudicious. . For, on the contrary, 
 thofe reftlefs and difcontented men, that have 
 efleemed the dodtrines and authority of the church 
 to be an intolerable burden, and undertaken to 
 fupplant its truth by a furreptitious introdudion 
 of their own errors, (whatever fpecious appear- 
 ances of candour and moderation they might at 
 firft afTume in propofing them) have in fad, when 
 affairs have taken an unhappy turn, themfelvcs 
 proved the mod lawlefs perfecutors and merci- 
 lefs oppreflbrs of all civil and religious liberty «. 
 
 And 
 ^ P. 52. 3 See the ihort extrafl made in the fol- 
 
 lowing pages from Mr, Echard\ Hift. of England, 
 
[ xxii ] 
 
 And I leave it to be confidered, whether the fpi- 
 rit that has difcovcred itfelf in the Defence^ were 
 it permitted to have its full play, might not bid 
 fair for an imitation of them. Befides, how in- 
 confiftent is it, firft to tell us that our dodrines 
 and fubfcriptions are fuch as muft drive all men 
 of fenfe and honefty (fuch as the author is) out of 
 the church ^ •, and then, when we ground a flight 
 admonition upon his own principle, to turn fliort 
 upon us with the ftale pretences of popery ! per- 
 fecution ! St. Dominic I Bifhop Bonner ! fire I fa- 
 got, &c M 
 
 Dean Swift he calls a Goliah of Gath, fent out 
 Cby the republication of his fermon in Ireland) 
 to defy the armies of the living God ; and thinks 
 he has flung a few round pebbles of arguments fo 
 dire5lly in his face, as to make him lie proftrate 
 upon the ground ^. Which unnatural application 
 of the Scripture-hiilory gives us a tafte of his 
 charity, and fhews, that in his opinion the Arians 
 are the ele6l people of God, the true Ifraelites^ 
 whilfl all the oppofers of their doftrine (which 
 I hope includes every good chriftian in the na- 
 tion) are uncircumcifed Philifiines, infidels, ido- 
 laters, and in profcfled rebellion againft the liv- 
 ing God. 
 
 The orthoxdox Clergy in general, he reviles 
 as a fet of cloudy, bigotted, indolent men, who, 
 
 if 
 
 * P. 52. « Ibid, f P. 21. and 53. 
 
[ xxiii ] 
 
 if they can but preferve their fuhfcriptions and good 
 livijjgs, care not what becomes of Chrifiianity « ; 
 becaufe they have not wrote an anfwer Cor had 
 not at leaft when his book was publifhed) to the 
 Jate Lord Bolingbroke's objedlions ; and unlefs he 
 has written one himfelf^ it is unfair to make this 
 a pretence for infulting them. 
 
 The learned gentlemen that have appeared in 
 print againft the Effay^ he calls, colle^lors of ca- 
 vils \ orthodox gentry s, men that neither under- 
 ftand the difpute^ nor any thing elfe ^^ their own 
 trumpeters^ ^ minor fcribblers\ animals ^^ buzzing 
 infe^is"^^ hard heads '\ &c. &c. charges the grave 
 and learned Dr. Stebbing with wilful nonfenfe^ the 
 whole church with blafphemy "* : then wipes his 
 mouth, and defires that if any body fliould un- 
 dertake to anfwer the Effay on Spirit ^ they will do 
 it with — Chriftian candour and moderation ^ ! 
 
 From this view of things, we cannot but con- 
 ceive a proper opinion both of the talents and the 
 fpirit of this author •, whom, in truth, it has 
 given me much lefs pleafure to expofe, than con- 
 cern that there was occafion for it. And now, 
 if this Defence was written by the author of the 
 Effay ^ what an amazing change of charadler is 
 
 here ! In the Effay it is Homo fum^ humani 
 
 nihil a me alienum puto '^. — That principle which 
 
 dire^s 
 
 *P-52>53. 
 ^ P. 15. 
 "' P. 51. 
 p P.52. 
 
 
 f I 
 
 ', 2. 
 
 s P. 
 
 19. 
 
 and 
 
 5 J " 
 
 1 
 
 ^7- 
 
 
 ^P.s». 
 
 « P. 10, 
 
 44- 
 
 i 
 
 52' 
 
 q 
 
 Ded. 
 
 P- 35- 
 
 
 
 
 
[ xxiv ] 
 
 directs us to uje all men well^ can never vindicate 
 us in ufing any man ill ^ — And again — were it, 
 not that experience convinces us of the matter of fa5f, 
 it would ^^ HARD TO BELIEVE that mcns poffions 
 could carry them to that degree of anirnofity againft 
 each other ^ on account of opinions barely specu- 
 lative (fuch as the Catholic do5irine of the Tri- 
 nity is fuppofed to be, and upon which the dif- 
 pute has turned in the Defence) which we find 
 pra5fifed in all countries^ and almofi in all ages • 
 There the ruling principle is an univerfal love and 
 afFedion, that makes charitable allowances for 
 every feet of men in the world ^ extending even 
 to HeretickSy Infdels^ Jews and Mahometans \ 
 and lavifhly difpenfmg, as from the papal cl\^ir, 
 its indulgences to every error under heaven. But 
 here (in the Defence) a very different paffion is 
 predominant^ fo far from making allowances in 
 favour of error ^ that it cannot bear even the lead 
 degree of oppcfition from the fincere advocates 
 of the truth \ but vents itfelf in wilful forgeries, 
 contempt, calumny, and all the overflowings of 
 an enraged malevolence. Whether the Effay and 
 the Defence therefore came both from the fame 
 hand (though it is fufped:ed they did) I fhall not 
 take upon me to determine \ fince it is almofi 
 impolTible to believe, that thefe different pafTions, 
 fo diametrically oppofite to each other, can ever 
 
 refide in the fame breall. 
 
 But 
 
 ' Dcd. p, 3:. ' Ih'^d. p." 33. 
 
[ XXV ] 
 
 But iince It plainly appears, that authors of 
 the Arian perfuafion can write fas occafion {hall 
 fervej with two very different tempers •, I mud 
 beg leave to mention, that if any learned gentle- 
 man, who is of their opinion, fhould think fo 
 inconfiderable a writer as I am worth his notice, 
 and fairly propofe his objedions to any part of 
 the following work with fenfe and argument, I 
 Ihall be ready, with God*s leave, to give him 
 fatisfadion to the beft of my abilities, and with 
 ferioufnefs and fobriety. But if any writer fhould 
 unfortunately fix upon the fame plan with the au- 
 thor of this Defence^ and perfuade himfelf that he 
 can invalidate my arguments by fetting me down 
 for an animal^ a buzzing infe^^ or an hard head^ I 
 can eafily forgive him, but muft be excufed fromi 
 making any reply. 
 
 If I myfelf fhould unawares have been hur- 
 ried on by a warm'd imagination to any degree 
 xji that extravagance which 1 have blamed ia 
 others, I am ready on the flightefl admonition to 
 retradt it ; and do heartily affure the ingenuous 
 and chriftian reader, that if, in the courfe of the 
 fucceeding pages, it fhould appear that any un- 
 juft flridures have efcaped me, any fmali at- 
 tempts at wit or ridicule, which may give the 
 leafl reafonable offence to him, they fliall no 
 longer have any approbation from me, 
 
 d What 
 
[ xxvi ] 
 What I have offered in relation tq the HeA- 
 then Trinities ^, I would recommend to the coi)- 
 fi deration of the learned •, not by way ofinftru^r 
 ing them, I pretend to no ilich thing, but ra? 
 ther, that they who are better enabled to judge 
 of it than I am, may try how far fuch 2. phyfical 
 explanation of the heathen inythology will go j 
 ^nd I defire not that any greater weight lliould 
 be laid upon it, than by a temperate and regular 
 application it will be found to bear. In my firfi 
 fhapter^ where I have freqiiently takeq an occa- 
 fion of referring to the phyjics of the mofl an- 
 i:ient heathens, I have dropt a fhort hint of fome 
 refemblance between their natural philofophy, 
 and the plyfical part of Sir Ifaac Newton\s works. 
 If the judicious and inquifitive reader Ihould 
 think it worth purfuing, he may perhaps fee it 
 abundantly confirmed by comparing the few quo- 
 tations 1 have there iiiade from the heathen books 
 ^whiphj had there been opcafion, might have 
 been greatly multiplied) with what has lately 
 been advanced by my learned and ingenious friend 
 Mr. Horne^ Fellow of Magdalen College in Oxt 
 ford^ entitled— /?/^?/r and i?npartial State of the 
 Cafe^ &c. ii work, v/hich as far as it has yet 
 had time to circulate, feems to be receiv'd with 
 general approbation. 
 
 > phap. VII. 
 
FULL ANSWER 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 ESSAY oh SPIRIT. 
 
1 1] 
 
 A N 
 
 ANSWER 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 ESSAY on SPIRIT, 
 
 THE author of this ejay addreffes 
 his dedication to the Lord-primate 
 of Ireland, and fets out with tel- 
 ling his Grace, that " as a clergyman, he 
 *' was obliged to fubfcribe the articles of 
 ^' our religion, and give his affent to all 
 " things contained in the Book of Common 
 " Prayer ; but fince that time, having 
 ** thought, as well as read, he finds that he 
 *' does not now agree exaBly in fentiment 
 *' either with his former opinions, or with 
 " thofe perfons who drew up the articles of 
 " our religion, or with the compilers of our 
 ** Liturgy^ and in particular with the Atha^ 
 <« naftan Creed ; and therefore lie has la- 
 B " boured 
 
[2] 
 
 " boured under fome difficulties how to di-' 
 *' redt himfelf in thefe circumftances/' 
 
 It appears then, that this gentleman, be- 
 fore he fubfcribed the articles, did read^ but 
 not think '^ and yet, that what he then 
 thought to be true (for he acknowledges a 
 former opinion) he now thinks to be falfe. 
 Therefore, as he entered upon an ecclefi- 
 aftical preferment, becaufe he thought the 
 articles true, by thinking otherwife, he hath 
 difcharged himfelf from the obligation of 
 keeping that preferment, whatever it be, 
 any longer in poffeffion. I fhould fuppofe 
 then, that he might without much difficulty 
 dire^ himfelf properly under thefe tircum* 
 fiances y fince nothing hinders him from 
 giving up his preferment, if he fo ftrongly 
 objeds to that title, or rather, to thofe con- 
 ditions, upon which he holds it. He con- 
 feffes, that he now differs in opinion from 
 his former-felf J from the biffiops who drew 
 up our articles in conformity to the word of 
 fcripturej from thofe who in this age are 
 fubfcribers to the faith ; in fhort, he con- 
 feffes that the whole eftablifh'd church is 
 againft him. Now he cannot furely be fo 
 unmerciful to our confciences, as to expeft, 
 I that 
 
[3] 
 
 tliat we fliall difregard all thefe authorities ; 
 go contrary to the fenfe of the church in all 
 ages ; and calmly give up our faith and doc- 
 trine, in compliance with the opinion of one 
 fingle perfon, who, not many years ago, 
 was of a different opinion -, and is, I pre- 
 fume, but lately come to his prefent opi- 
 nion : which is to fuppofe, that the truth 
 of Chriftianity depends upon opinion ; and 
 that its very leading article, the dodlrine of 
 the Trinity, may be this or that, juft as a 
 wavering mind happens to think. 
 
 That uncertainty in which this author 
 hath involved himfelf, inclines him to ap- 
 preheftd any attempt towards avoiding diver^ 
 Jity of opinions^ not only to be an tifelefsy but 
 aljo an impraBicable fcheme. As long as 
 men will lean to their own under {landings^ in 
 contempt of that divine rule by which they 
 are to be direded, I grant it to be impra^li" 
 cable \ they will then believe a lie^ and have 
 pleafure in their own unrighteous imagina- 
 tions. But we muft diftinguiih between 
 faith and opinion 3 fince no faith can be ge- 
 nuine, but when regulated by the word of 
 God, in which we can find no authority or 
 B 2 indulgence 
 
r4i 
 
 indulgence for a man's thinking juft as he 
 pleafes, where God has determined the 
 point for him. Every attempt therefore to- 
 wards reducing Chriftian men to an unity 
 of faith, is laudable, pious, and ufeful ; for 
 there is one faith, and one Lord, who ceafes 
 to be one and the fame to wj, fo long as 
 we have different opinions about him. And 
 I cannot but hope that this fcheme is in a 
 great meafure pracSicable, fince the principal 
 teftimony which our Lord requires us to 
 give the world of the truth we hold, is, to 
 love one another}, for the effedling of which, 
 an unity of fentiment, touching matters of 
 true religion, is abfolutely neceflary. 
 
 The author is fond of reprefenting an 
 unity of fentiment, as a thing altogether 
 impracticable, fubftituting (as before) the 
 word opinion inftead of faiih^ and is in 
 doubt whether any two thinking men are 
 agreed exaBly in their opifiions. Let them 
 who oppofe their own conjedtural fyftems 
 to the exprefs word of fcripture, let them, 
 I fay, look to that : for the obfervation hath 
 little or no concern with thofe, who bring 
 every thought into captivity to the obedience 
 
 of 
 
[5] 
 
 g/' Chrijl ; whofe word, like its divine au^ 
 thor, is perfed: and unchangeable, however 
 thinking mm may err in their comments 
 upon it. 
 
 Thus much for the difagreements of 
 thinking men j from whom the author makes 
 ^ tranfition to what he calls, the unthinking^ 
 ^nd obferves, that whatever country you go 
 tJttOy let the religion be what it will^ the un- 
 thinking part are always the reputed ortho" 
 dox". A truly chriftian account of the holy 
 catholic church ! which, it feems, is com- 
 posed of nothing but men who thinks but 
 do not agree ; and men who agree^ but do 
 not tbinL I would aflc this gentleman, 
 from whom the unthinking herd^ of this 
 nation derive the faith now eftablifhed in 
 our creeds and articles ? for if they did not 
 alfo derive it from another unthinking herd, 
 nothing fuitable to his purpofe can be in- 
 ferred from their orthodoxy. But they de- 
 rive it, thro' the miniftration of the Apoftles 
 and their fucceflbrs, from Chrijl ; therefore 
 the herd^ whether thinking or unthinking, 
 can, as orthodox, be charged with ngthing, 
 but what, if carried far enough backwards, 
 
 will 
 f P. 7. ^ Ibid. 
 
[6] 
 
 will equally hold good againft Chrijl and 
 his apoflles. 
 
 However, we may boldly challenge him 
 to prove the orthodox, an unthinking herd^ 
 becaufe the men, who chiefly fet themfelves 
 forth as orthodox, are thofe who folemnly 
 fubfcribe their unfeigned affent to the or- 
 thodox faith, I mean, the clergy of the na^ 
 tion 'y who from the difcipline they undergo 
 before they are called upon to give this proof 
 of their orthodoxy, are fuppofed, at leaft, 
 to be men of fome difcernment in matters 
 of chriftian dodlrine and human literature. 
 Thefe then are the unthinking herd^ thus 
 refieded upon j and, for the author to repre- 
 fent his clerical brethren as a beaftly, illite- 
 rate rabble, is not quite fo handfome. But 
 neither will the fubjeft bear to be inverted 5 
 for it is not altogether fo clear, that igno- 
 rance, and thoughtlefnefs, will preferve an 
 apparent pretence to orthodoxy among the 
 vulgar; rather the contrary. For mott of 
 thofc fedlaries which have rejected ortho- 
 doxy, and look upon the glad and humble 
 profeflbrs of it, in the light that Milton re- 
 prefents the Devil to have done upon Ga^ 
 
 briel^ 
 
[7] 
 
 ifnel\ have generally fprung from the root 
 of ignorance ^ which, when nouriflied by a 
 proper degree of pride, is always productive 
 of errour. 
 
 The fakers, for example, arofe from 
 the ever memorable George FoXy a mean 
 and ignorant mcchanick, that could hardly 
 fpell his own name ; but with bloody in- 
 veftives againft Baal's prieJIs, execrable hier- 
 lingSy devil-driven Judafes^ with which, and 
 many more fuch foft appellations, his lamb- 
 like fpirit honoured all the minifters of 
 Chrift, was enabled to draw away the un- 
 learned, and unftable, into the very fink of 
 error and delufion. Now, if to thinks be 
 to fubftitute heterodoxy, and a lying fpirit 
 in the place of found faith and the fpirit of 
 truth, the author may behold George Fox 
 and his adherents, claiming the chief feat 
 in the fynagogue of thinkers ; and if he ftill 
 profeiTes to thinks in this fenfe, it may not 
 be an unprofitable mortification to him, to 
 fee how much nearer the thinking herd ap- 
 proach to brutality, than thofe whom he 
 
 is 
 
 * Proud limitary cherub ! Par. loft. B. 4, 969. Had Satan 
 been fpeaking to one of the orthodox, inftead of limit ary^ he 
 would have faid, 1 luppofe^ — facing in the tramels of the 
 Church, See Middhton^ Free Enquiry, 
 
[M 
 
 Is pleafed to fneer for flavifhly embracing 
 the creed of their fathers. 
 
 He allows, indeed, that an U7itformity of 
 frofejjion may be both practicable and ufeful\ 
 and that it feems in fome degree necejfary-^^ 
 for the good offociety ^. In this, if I am not 
 fo unhappy as to mifunderftand him, he le- 
 vels the chriftian religion down to a political 
 fcheme, calculated for the prefervation of 
 peace, or iht tutward forms offociety^, and 
 intended only to make men hang together 
 like a fwarm of bees, which at the end of 
 the fummer, are to be fmoaked out and 
 buried in the earth. But the effcntial worth 
 of the chriftian faith, is its great promife 
 not only of this life, but of that "which is to 
 come. The good of fociety^ without any 
 thing farther, muft found very flat and dead 
 in the ears of one, whofe hopes are full of 
 immortality j and is feldom recommended 
 merely of itfelf, but by your little philofo- 
 phical dabblers, who either dilbelieve the 
 refurredlion, or think themfelves no way in- 
 terefted in the expectation of it. 
 
 If an uniformity of profeffion be all that is 
 neceffary, and if even this be no farther ne- 
 ceiTary, than for the prefervation of peace, 
 
 then 
 
 f Ibid. 8 P. 9. 
 
[9] 
 
 then any national religion, eftablifhed and 
 agreed upon by compadt and confent;, would 
 anfwer the end as well 3 fince the external 
 regulation of fociety would not, in this cafe, 
 depend upon the kifid or quality of the re^ 
 ligion^ but upon the uniformity with which 
 it is profeff'ed. What a fliocking pofition is 
 here ! however, I believe, it may be matched 
 with another or two, fo much refembhng it, 
 that though they differ fomewhat in expref- 
 fion, yet the fentiments are the fame ; and 
 thefe from the celebrated Dr. Middleton^ 
 who in his fpiteful letter to Dr. Waterhnd^ 
 has the following grave remark upon the 
 immorality of TindaFs fcheme. " Should 
 *' he then gain his end, and actually demo- 
 " li£h chrijlianity^ what would be the con- 
 *' fequence^ what the fruit of his labours, 
 *^ but confufion and diforder, till fome other 
 " traditional religion could be fettled in its 
 " place 'y till we had agreed to recal either 
 *' the gods of the old world, Jupiter^ Mi- 
 ** nerva, Venus, &c. or with the idolaters 
 *' of the new, to worfhip fun, moon, and 
 " Jiars 5 or inftead of Jefus, take Mahomet 
 " or Confucius, for the author of our faith f\ 
 and to the fame purpofe, p. ^^* *' but ilaould 
 C we 
 
f€ 
 
 CC 
 
 [ 10] 
 
 we confider it (chrijliamty) as' the bejt of 
 all other religlonsy the beft contrived to 
 promote publick peace and the good of fo- 
 *' ciety — then his crime will be aggravated 
 " in proportion — fince as rs faid above, fome 
 " traditional religion or other muft take 
 " place, as neceffary to hep the world in 
 {y orderj' 
 
 I ihall difmifs thefe impious tenets, with 
 obferving briefly, that a political agreement 
 in the idolatrous republics of Rome and 
 Athens^ and peace and union under Chrifc 
 in t\\t houJJjold of faith, are things entirely 
 different both in their nature and in their 
 confequences ^ the former being built upon 
 fpurious and worldly principles, calculated to 
 promote a tranfitory earth-born glory, and 
 prevent men from cutting one anothers 
 throats ; tho%igh the principles they went 
 upon often made them do it, and were pro- 
 dutlive, juft as it happened, either of or- 
 der, peace, and agreement, or of anarchy, 
 diforder, and bloodflied. The latter de- 
 pends upon an uniformity of faving fdith^ 
 revealed in mercy to loft mankind, by the 
 rigbteousjudgeof all the eaith, and fown in 
 the hearts of the meek and lowly, enabling 
 
 them 
 
[ " 3 
 
 them to bring forth thofe uniform and ge- 
 nuine fruits of love and charity to their fel- 
 low-redeemed, which will entitle them, as 
 a nation, to the protedion of God in this 
 life, and at length give them a place amidft 
 the glorious affembly of the iirfl born, in 
 the regions of everlafting blifs and immor- 
 tality. Such is the difference between his 
 little plea of temporary peace, and an uni- 
 form participation of the means of grace in 
 the church of Chrift. 
 
 But it was his intereft to make an uni- 
 formity of beliefs a matter fo flight and tri- 
 vial 'y or if of any confequence, a fcheme 
 quite impra£ticable, and to recommend in* 
 ftead of it an uniformity of profejjion only, 
 that his readers might be the better prepared 
 to receive his opinion concerning fubfcrip- 
 tiom : for as it is his mofl explicit purpofe 
 flatly to deny the confubftantiality, and co- 
 eternity of the ever bleflTed Trinity, to which 
 doftrines, as they now fl:and in our creeds 
 and articles, he hath by a fubfcription de- 
 clared his unfeigned ajjent j it muft alarm 
 the honefl: part oi his readers, and put them 
 upon enquiring, what method he has found 
 pf quieting his confcience ? Whyj truly, a 
 C 2 ve^y 
 
[12] 
 
 very odd one ; for it is his opinion, that a 
 
 ma?2y for prudential reafons^ may honejlly fuk-^ 
 fpribe and fubmit to the ufe oi one ejlablijhei 
 forniy though he in his private opiiiion may 
 think another to be better'' -, and as for fuch 
 qf his brethren who differ from him, they 
 cojifider fubfcriptions in the fame light with 
 the bigotted members of the church ^/Rome^. 
 
 But, foft and fair. Sir ; we muft not nau- 
 feate moral honefty or chriftian fidehty, be- 
 caufe a fanciful perfon is pleafed to ftlgmatize 
 fuch parts qf it with the name of popery, 
 as really have nothing to do with popery ^ 
 or if at all concerned with it, are diredlly 
 againft it. For if we are not JlriBly bound 
 by a fubfcription to be Chriftians and Pro- 
 teftants, we may fubfcribe with our hands^, 
 and declare with our lips, and yet in our 
 hearts be very Papijls^ Jews^ Mahometans^ 
 or what we plcafe. 
 
 I mufl therefore alk, for what purpofe 
 apy man fubfcribes to^ what the author 
 calls, an eftablifiedform^ that is, to the book 
 of com?non prayer^ and all the dodlrines 
 therein contained, but to fatisfy the church 
 that he believes them ? otherways his fub- 
 fcription nauft be attended with an high 
 
 ^ P. 9. ^ P. 17., 
 
 degrefi 
 
[i3l 
 
 degree of contumacy againft God and 
 man. 
 
 For it hath often been infifted upon, and 
 that with the utmoft truth and propriety, 
 that our articles are articles of dodrine, 
 and that kind of ajfent which is given to 
 chrijiian dodtrines, we cdW faith ; and, there- 
 fore, when a perfon declares his ajjent to 
 thefe dodtrines, we muft of neceffity under- 
 ftand that he believes them : if he does not, 
 quo teneam nodo ? how are we to deal with 
 him, or what are we to think of him ? 
 
 If fuch fraudulent prevarications as thefe 
 are admitted of, how can the ftate be fe- 
 cure of any man's fidelity, or the king of 
 his allegiance; when the fame fubtilties 
 which can explain away his ecclefiaftical 
 fubfcription, will prevent the moft folemn 
 ilate oaths from binding him ? This is fuch a 
 diredt violation of moral honefty, as well as 
 chriftian fidelity, that it mufl give offence to 
 every one that wifhes well either to the church 
 or ftate 5 for fhould fuch loofe principles 
 prevail, the moft important contrads, nay 
 (I repeat it again) the moft folemn oaths, 
 on whatfoever occafion fubmitted to, may 
 lilie threads be twitched afunder by thofe 
 1 who 
 
[ 14] 
 
 who are refolved to have the liberty of tum*^ 
 ing with every blaft. 
 
 He may laugh, if he pleafes, at fome 
 who take occafion^, f?^om the form of deda^ 
 ration of aJJ'enty to brand thofe who frefume 
 to doubt, or differ from them in any of iheir 
 
 IMAGINARY ORTHODOX notioilS, "With the 
 
 imputation of perjury^ or at leal: cf hypo-* 
 crify^ '^ for whofoever fets up thtfe i'lncir- 
 ples muft be guilty of or] c; h-th ; and 
 though the author were mail - s much 
 
 ridicule as a late Irijh Dean, a;:y pLiin man, 
 who will abide by his honeftv, might upcu 
 this fubjedi, at leaft, be an overmatch for 
 him. 
 
 But he has found out a remedy which 
 he efleems fufficient, if not to remove thefe 
 difficulties, yet to make him pretty eafy^ 
 under them ; if not to heal the wound, ye^ 
 to ftupify the part in fuch a manner, as to 
 render it infenfible of pain : for though by 
 the exprefs words of the declaration, every 
 clergyman is obliged to declare his unfeigned 
 affent, and confcnt to all and every thing con- 
 tained ajid prefcribed in, and by the book of 
 co?nmon prayer-, yet fince it is faid in the 
 
 ' P. 17. •"?. 12. 
 
r X5 ] 
 
 nB of ujiiformity, that he fliall declare his 
 affent, and con fen t to the ufe of 2\\ thino-s 
 contained in the faid book, he may read the 
 declaration with a latent reference^, to the 
 intention of the aft, and thereby affent to 
 nothing more than the ufe of the things, 
 which, in the effay-writer's opinion, is njery 
 different from affenting to the things them^ 
 fihes^. 
 
 All of v/hich may be oWiated by invert- 
 ing his affertion, and fuppofing, that the 
 intention of the adt is to be gathered imme- 
 diately from the words of the declaration, 
 not the intent of the declaration, from the 
 words of the ad ^ and in this we fhall have 
 the reafon of the thing on our fide : for the 
 aft of uniformity was unqueftionably made 
 to introduce this declaration, wherein we 
 affent to the things themfehes ^ and to fup- 
 pofe that it is fo unhappily worded as to 
 defeat its own purpofe, is to caft a verv 
 ftrange refledion upon thofe that made it. 
 
 Befides, it is enjoyned by the aft, that 
 the declaration be made in thofe words and 
 no other y which does fo abfolutely exclude 
 all reference to any other words not therein 
 
 expreffed, 
 
 ° P. l6. ° P. 12. 
 
[ i6 ] 
 
 expreffed, that he may as well attempt to 
 qualify them with an ad: paffed in the reign 
 of Henry the Eighth, as with this, paffed 
 in the reign of Charles the Second, 
 
 But even granting (which I have no right 
 or reafon to do) either that thefe words 
 were tranfplanted from the ad into the 
 declaration J or that in the declaration he 
 might be indulged with a latent reference 
 to them, this would not fet the mat- 
 ter right. For in the book of Common 
 Prayer, to the ufe of which he gives his 
 affent, are there not creeds and articles^ as 
 well as offices, prayers, and fuffragcs ? And 
 how a creeds or an article of dodrine, can 
 poffibly be ufed otherways than by being 
 believedy I own, I am wholly unable to de- 
 vife. And this will fliew, that the unifor- 
 mity of profejjiony he would contend for, 
 cannot poffibly fubfift, without an unifor- 
 mity oi faith : for as the profejjiony which 
 is to be uniform y muft be a profeffion of 
 faithy ftill the difficulty will remain, unlefs 
 indeed, by the dextrous chop of a logical 
 weapon, it is poffible to fplit the words 
 frofej/ion of faith y and fhew that a man's 
 profejfwn is one thing, and Kis faith another. 
 
 In 
 
[ 17]^ 
 
 in fhort— — Our Articles are articles of 
 doctrine; and therefore every declaration of 
 U7ijeigned ajjent and confent to therii, ftridly 
 implies a belief of them : arid when the 
 author takes upon him to infinuate that a 
 man^ for prudential reafons^ may hohefily fub^ 
 fcribe and fubmit to the ufe of one ejiablijhed 
 form^ though he^ in his private opinion^ may 
 thitik another to be better^ it is in other 
 Words, a man may folemnly declare that 
 he believes, what he does not believe, and 
 yet be an honeft man ^ nay, that he be- 
 lieves fuch things, a^ no man can be either 
 honefl or chriftian without believing, whe- 
 ther he declares it publicly or not. 
 
 Before I drop this fubjedt, I muft humbly 
 t^ke the leave of remonftrating to the au- 
 thor, that he knows all thefe iliifts and eva- 
 fl'oh's to be infufficient — For if a clergyman 
 iriay profefs what he does not believe ^ or if 
 a fUbfcriptibii for peace- fake to an eftablifli'd 
 form be all that is required, what is it that 
 iTiakes him fo reftlefs ; and whence pro- 
 ceeds his vaft defire of cdrrefting that form ? 
 Is it to fet his brethren right in articles of 
 faith? No: that he efteems ufelefs and 
 impradlicable 5 and yet, in flat contradidion 
 D to 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 to this principle, it is the purpofe of h'ns 
 whole book to contend for it. But error 
 is feldom fo happy as to be confident with 
 ifefelf 3 and from thefe contradictory princi- 
 ples, when laid together, it appears, that 
 articles of faith, when drawn up according, 
 to his fancy, are neceffary; but when ob- 
 truded upon the world, according to the 
 analogy of fcripture, and the judgment of 
 others, they are not. 
 
 As the affair of a fraudulejit fiibjcriptton 
 hath been largely and fully treated by Dn 
 Waterland^ and that in a much better man- 
 ner than it can ever be done by me, I refer 
 the reader to his Cafe of Axhn Subfcription^ 
 and the Supplement to it, which have, and 
 always may give general fatisfadion upon 
 this point j and if the author had read 
 them, he might have found a much greater 
 difficulty in making himfelf, as he hath 
 done, fo eafy under thefe circumftances. 
 
 Having thus endeavoured to mifreprefent 
 iht fubfcriptio?i of the Proteftant clergy, in 
 order to efFed: for himfelf fome imaginary 
 deliverance from the obligation of it, he 
 proceeds to fet that of the Isicene bifliops 
 in the fame lights that their fubfcription, 
 
 when 
 
1^9] 
 
 avhen falfely charged with the fame frauds, 
 and degraded to a like infignificancy, may 
 keep his own in countenance. He tells us, 
 that at the council of Nice^ the Emperor 
 Conftantine alkwed every one to put their 
 own fenfe upon the word confubftantial, and 
 not the fenfe that ivas intended by the com- 
 pilers of the creed : and accordingly ^ Eufe- 
 bius, Bifop of Csfarea, though he at firfl 
 refufed fiibfcribing^ yet when he was allowed 
 to interpret the word .confubftantial, as mean- 
 ing ONLY, that the Son was not of the fame 
 fubflance with the creatures that were p^ade 
 by him \ he then fubfcribed it^ and fo^ in a 
 little time after did Arius ?. I will not fay 
 that I fifpeB all this to be falfe, becaufe I 
 can prove ^ that there is not one word of 
 truth in it, from beginning to end ^ which 
 the author, perhaps being confcious of, has 
 fpared us the trouble of being referred to 
 his authorities. 
 
 For in the firft place, the Emperor did 
 not allow any of the fubfcribers to put a 
 fenfe upon the word confubflantial^ different 
 from, that intended by the compilers of the 
 creed 5 and it would have been very ftrange, 
 D 2 if 
 
 3" Y. 10. 
 
[ 20] 
 
 if he had inftruded the BiQiops how to un^ 
 derftand a creed of their own compiling, 
 being then but a catechumen^ and neither 
 then nor ever after fo afluming as here re- 
 prefented. The word (Homooufios) con- 
 Juhjia?2tial, was added to the creed by gene- 
 ral confent, and is explained, not as mean^ 
 ing QNLY^ that the Son was not of the fame 
 fubjlance with the creatures that were made 
 by him ; but according to the exprefs words 
 of Eufebius^ which I here give at lengthy 
 that the Son of God hath no community with^ 
 or refemhlance to created beings ; but that in 
 every rcfpecfl he is like to the Father only\ 
 . who hath begotten him ; and that he does exijl 
 
 of NO OTHER SUBSTANCE OR ESSENCE BUT 
 
 OF THE Father. To //6/j (adds Eufebius} 
 thus explained we thought good to give our 
 Ckjfent ; more efpecially^ becaufe we alfo knew^ 
 that fome of the ancient lear7ied and eminent 
 Bifiops and writers have made ufe of this 
 term Homooufios, in their explications of the 
 divinity of the Father and of the Soti, Thi^s 
 piuch therefore we have [aid concerning the 
 creed puhlifhed (at Nice) to which we all 
 AGREED, not inconfidexately and without exa- 
 tniJiation^ but according to the senses given, 
 
 ■ whick 
 
[21] 
 
 which were difcufed in the prefence of out- 
 mojl pious Emperor^ and Jor the fore-men-f 
 tioned reafons received with unanimous 
 CONSENT 'J. Now what appearance is there 
 in all this, either that the fubfcription of 
 Eufebius was fraudulent, or that the Em- 
 peror indulged the fubfcribers with a private 
 ienfe of their own 3 when all the Bifliops 
 who were prefent at the Nicene council, 
 fubfcribed the creed according to fenfes 
 given and agreed upon: five only, out of 
 three hundred and eighteen, being recu- 
 fants ? Not the leaft appearance in the 
 world ! but as the faithful Bp. Bidl ob- 
 ferves, ^is cordatm fidem habebit menda- 
 ciflin)o ijii hominum generi '^ F Tho' I am 
 really concerned to fee a man of learning 
 engaged in this bad caufe, yet at the fame 
 time I rejoice to find, that the advocates for 
 Arianijm think and know, that it cannot 
 be kept from falling to the ground, but by 
 a chain of forgeries. 
 
 But we have not yet done with them : 
 for the fubfcription of Arim is mentioned 
 ia fo artful a manner, and fhufBed in with 
 that of Eufebius^ as tp make the reader fup- 
 
 pofe 
 
 ^ Socrat. Hifl. lib. I. ch. 8. f Def. Fid. Nic. 
 
 P- H4- §-4r 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 pole they were both of the fame com-^ 
 plexion : whereas, in truth, no two cir-? 
 cumllances could be more fingularly dif- 
 ferent. The latter alTented to the confabs 
 Jiantiality of the Son, in terms fufiiciently 
 clear and ftrong ; but the former, under the 
 inoil: wicked fabterfuge. We are told, thaf: 
 he ivrote down his own heretical opinion 
 upon a piece of paper, which he concealed 
 in his bolom $ then appeared boldly before 
 the Emperor, figned the creed, and took 
 an oath that he did really think — as he had 
 written \ It will not be impertinent, I 
 hope, to add from the hiflory of Socrateu 
 what follows concerning him ; in which, 
 though there are fome coarfe and difagree- 
 able images, yet, as they are infeparable 
 from the relation, the reader will make the 
 beft of them. '^ But divine vengeance 
 *' clofely purfued u^ra/i's audacioufnefs ; for 
 ** v/hen he departed from the imperial pa-i- 
 '' lace, a terror proceeding from a confci- 
 '* oufnefs of his impiety feized him, which 
 *^ was followed by fuch an unaccountable 
 '' diforder in his bowels, as occaiioned him, 
 '^ together with a large quantity of blood, 
 
 "^ to 
 
 ' Socr. Kill. lib. I. ch. z8. 
 
i n 1 
 
 *^ to difcharge his fpleeii and liver, fo that 
 *' he died immediately." — I hope v/e fhall 
 hear no more of Arius's fubfcription. 
 
 We are now returning once more to the 
 a^ of uniformity 5 for it feems (to the elTay- 
 writer) that theje wordsy to the ufe of, were 
 omitted (in the declaration) with deftgn^ as 
 a fnare to oblige poor confcientious men to 
 give up their livings : and accordingly, he 
 tells us, that there were 1800 perfons de- 
 f rived of their livings, rather than fubmit 
 to the terms prefcribed ^ This, beiides be- 
 ing an inviduous llander againft the legilla- 
 tive powers, affords us a fpecimen of that 
 benevolence towards people of all feds, or 
 of none, fo much admired by the free and 
 candid ones of the prefent age, and pafTed 
 off upon the world for that true fpirit of 
 love to our Chrifiian brethren, fo much in- 
 filled upon in the Gofpel. 
 
 While fiery and infatuated bigotry pre- 
 vails in the church of Rojne, under the 
 name of %eal, I cannot but obferve (and 
 truth, when obferv'd, can oifend no reafon* 
 able man) that this Laodicean coldnefs and 
 infenfibility prevails amongll us, under that 
 
 of 
 
 * P. 13» 
 
i 24 3 
 
 bf charity : both of them (o deftruftive of 
 all true religion, that it is difficult to fay 
 which is the moft pernicious. If we bring 
 them to the holy fcripture, that divine 
 ftandard, by which all virtues and vices are 
 to be meafured, we may form a propor- 
 tionate judgment of them, by the different 
 rebukes they have both received from the 
 mouth of Cbnji : to the former it is faid, 
 ye know not what manner offpiritye are of: 
 to the latter, I will Jpue thee out of 7ny 
 7nouih, Bigots miftake and exceed the Chri- 
 ftian fpirit -, they are much too tall for the 
 flandard-mark : but your beiievokftt ones 
 crouch down, and are afraid of reaching up 
 to it, left they fhould be enlifted as Chri-^ 
 Jlian foldiers into the army of the King of 
 Kings, and carried forth to the battle, 
 Thofe who indulge this lazy luke-warnl 
 principle, may, while they endeavour to' 
 avoid it, give as much real offence to the 
 fincere believers, as even the bigotry of 
 Rome itfelf can do to a diffenter, and be 
 unawares carried out into the moft danger- 
 ous lengths of heretical licentioufnefs -, fmce 
 its humour is, to palliate every the moft 
 abominable deviation from the orthodox 
 . 3 faithy 
 
[ 25 ] 
 
 faith, eftablifhed by Chriji and his Apoftles, 
 and received by the church as the only laft- 
 ing bond of its indifpenfible union, with the 
 foft phrafe of, a different tmde of thinking I 
 
 One of thefe modern advocates for fepa- 
 ratifts and enthufiafts of all denominations, 
 had the following obfervation made to him 
 by a friend, who v/ith a proper indignation 
 interrupted his harangue, and faicj^ " Sir, 
 *^ I believe you have charity for the devil \' 
 at which he, not at all moved, mildly re- 
 plied, " Why, poor fpirit, one may hope 
 *' that there is mercy in flore for him ! '* 
 How near the authors benevol,€nce ap- 
 proaches to the inftance here mentioned, I 
 will not take upon me to determine ; but 
 let the reader judge for himfelf, when he 
 confiders, that thefe poor confcientious men 
 were no other than the Oliverian fchifmar 
 tics, who in their fpirit of Chriftian meek- 
 pefs, fought God by plundering the ftate, 
 deftroying the church, murdering the Kingj 
 
 and defiling tlie altars of ChriJl. -Why, 
 
 poor fpirit s ! 
 
 Mr. Ecbard gives us the following ac- 
 count pf them — '' If confidered altogether^ 
 ^ they y/ere a confus'd mafs and body of 
 E «^ feveral 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 ^' feveral feds, and men of different prin^ 
 " ciples, many of whom mortally hated 
 " each other ; and if it be remember'd, 
 *' how many of them had been unjuft in- 
 *' traders, trumpets, and incendiaries in the 
 " late miferies of the nation, and unmerci- 
 ^^* ful perfecutors of the legal clergy of En- 
 ^'^^ gland', and likewife, how few were wil- 
 ^' ling to difown their feditious pradlices, 
 *^ it is no wonder, c?<r.** We are told in 
 the fame page, ^' that there was more 
 *^ found dodlrine preach'd throughout the 
 ^' kingdom in one twelvemonth after their 
 ^' fatal Bartholome^m (the day on which 
 "'' thtk poor fpir its were difcharg'd) than 
 *' had been in nigh twenty years before '*.'* 
 I have fet down at /?. 14. a very extra- 
 ordinary exprefiion of the effay-writer's ima- 
 ginary orthodox 7iotiom ! which is fuch a 
 bare-fac'd indignity, fuch an aitronting flight 
 upon the important do&ines held by the 
 Proteftant church of England^ that I am 
 pretty confident it cannot have palled un- 
 pbferv'd : and a fmail degree of penetration 
 will enable the reader to forefee from it;^ 
 |vhat his notions^ when extrafted, will be 
 
 concerning 
 
 « Hift. of Eng. vol IIL p. 83- 
 
t^7i 
 
 tohcerhing orthodoxy, together with its op- 
 politeSj hefefy 2indi fchifm, 
 
 Firft then, for his orthodoxy y which ac^ 
 cording to the common fenfe of the wordy 
 is conflitiited by the ejlablijhed religio7i of any 
 country : a?2d hence it vomes to pafs, that a 
 0rfon may be ejhemed as very orthodox in 
 England or Ireland, who would be deemed as 
 an heretic at Rome, or in other coufitries ^. 
 Orthodoxy then, is nothing fix d and ftated, 
 but changes its nature according to the diP- 
 ferent temper of the climate it refides m\ 
 and Chameko72'Yikc^ can aflume any coloui- 
 it chances to fit upon^ and flill be as good 
 orthodoxy as it was before. This, it feems^ 
 is gathered from the common fenfe of the 
 word : but if what is here taken as the 
 common fenfe of orthodoxy, be an erro- 
 neous or abufed fenfe^ nothing but error can 
 depend upon it, or be fairly inferred from 
 it. And that it is fuch, muft be evident to 
 every one who is able to conftrue the Greek 
 (opGoS*o|ia) or knows that in the primitive 
 ages, it was ufed only to denote the right 
 opi?tion, that is, the Chriftian faith in ge- 
 neralj as received in the Catholic chutch. 
 E 2 planted 
 
 ^ Ded, p. 23, 24. 
 
[ 28 1 
 
 planted by the Apoftles, which, in their day% 
 was one and the fame all the world over 5 
 and none but the faithful members of this 
 one communion were termed orthodox. To 
 this purpofe Jujlin Martyr obferves, o^^oS'o^oi 
 <Ti /uiovoi ^eco etpeakovJes "", the orthodox only are 
 f leafing unto God : and fo Theodoreti t^o vmp 
 Toov ccTTD^ohueov Shyf.{gJ(t)v ccycavi^o^vcey op.3t^ 
 <5b|©* ovofj{^ ^y we call him orthodox^ who 
 earnejlly contends for the apojlolic dcBrineSy 
 that isj the faith once delivered to the faints 
 by the Apoftles. Thus alfo, when it is faid 
 of the three thoufand converted Jews ^, that 
 they continued fteadfafly in the Apofiles, doc^ 
 trine and fellow ftnp^ it is perfedly the fame, 
 as if they were declared, in one word, to 
 have been orthodox : and therefore, every 
 particular church now fubfifting in the 
 world, is mof^e or lefs orthodox, in propor- 
 tion as it approaches nearer to, or is more 
 remote from, the purity of the apoftolic 
 times. 
 
 But, on the contrary, if any point of 
 dodrine, whether right or wrong, may, by 
 a flrange abufe of the word, be efteemed 
 orthodox, becaufe it makes a part of the eja- 
 
 hlijl:ed 
 
 '' Qu. !. ad Orth. ^ Pref. ad Dial. 
 
 ~ Ads ii. 4-2. 
 
i 29 ] 
 
 bliJJjed religion of miy country ; then the 
 author's definition, if admitted and applied, 
 will prove that any particular church may 
 be orthodox^ where it is heterodox ^^ which 
 is, what we commonly call, a contradiction 
 in terms. And yet, proceeding upon a fal- 
 lacy, fo eafily detefted, he defcants, thro' 
 twenty pages, upon the crime of herefy ^ 
 meafuring it all the way, by this his falfe 
 ftandard of equivocal orthodoxy, and fet- 
 ting it forth as an infignificant deviation 
 from any eftablifhed form, which, as it 
 happens, may be fometimes right, and 
 fometimes wrong. I will run over thefe 
 pages, and extradl in fhort, as well as I can, 
 the fum of that doftrine they contain. 
 
 Accordingly, I find, that fix of them* 
 may be reduced to the follovv ing propofi- 
 
 tions -The Chriftianity of the Apoftles, 
 
 was, by the blind Scribes and Pharifees of 
 
 the JewSy called herefy^ and therefore, it 
 
 is pojjtble that an heretic may be in the rights 
 
 No ; nothing can poffibly be inferred 
 from hence, but that a perfon who is in 
 the rights may be falfely called an heretic 
 by thofe, who are in the wrong. Which 
 
 conclufion 
 
 * From p. 22. to 28. 
 
[3°] 
 
 conclulion caii anfwer no purpofe in thd 
 world 3 and farther than this, I apprehend^ 
 he cannot go : for it is not in the power oif 
 argument to fheW) that the word heretic^ 
 when applied by fome to one who is in the 
 nvrongy and by others, to one who is in 
 the rights ihould fignify the very fame 
 thing y and unlefs it is, his concluiion be- 
 comes void, and of no efFed:, 
 
 Amidfl: his difcourfe upon herely, he is 
 pleafed to produce a text from St. PW, in 
 which, by the affiftance of a large com- 
 ment, the Apoftle is tortured till he delivers 
 a very Angular account of this crime, to- 
 gether with the reafons for which the church 
 is impowered to inflicS a punifliment upon 
 thofe that are guilty of it : an account, fo 
 foreign from the purpofe of that glorious 
 inllrument of the Holy Spirit, that I dare 
 be confident, he would rather have fufFered 
 martyrdom, than have fubmitted to deliver 
 
 it. The text is this A man that is an 
 
 heretic, after the fir fi andfecond admonitioni 
 reje5l : knowing that he that is fiich^ is fab- 
 ■vertedy andfin?ietby being condemned of him^ 
 felp. From which, the author prefumes 
 
 in 
 
 ^ Tit. i:i= lo, T f - 
 
[31] 
 
 In his comment, that an heretic is fuch, 
 not for the fake of any deftrudtive opinion 
 he maintains in oppofition to the truth, an4 
 to the extreme peril of his own foul, but 
 that he Jinnetb^ by perfevering therein after 
 admonition ^ and that this perverfenefs of his 
 will, not the error of his judgment^ is the 
 caufe and foundation of his excommunicatioji ^, 
 
 So that it is the admonition an heretic re-^ 
 ceives from the church, which makes him 
 become guilty of that very crime, for which 
 he is admonijhed'y and he commences a com- 
 pleat heretic immediately upon his excom* 
 munication, and not before : becaufe, if it 
 is the ecclefiaftical cenfure which renders 
 him guilty, his guilt muft increafe with the 
 feverity of that cenfure \ and when the cen- 
 fure hath arifen to its full growth, the crime 
 Jikewife muft have done the fame. But a 
 fmall attention to this matter will enable us 
 to perceive, that here we have a falfe ac- 
 count oifchifm^ inftead of a true account of 
 l)erefy 5 and that upon this the author pro- 
 ceeds in what follows. 
 
 For it is declared moreover in thefe words 
 pf St. Taul^ that an heretic \% felf condemn' d \ 
 
 at 
 
 9 P. 28, 29, 
 
[22 ]_ 
 at which paffage we are direded by a very 
 judicious marginal reference, to A^s xiii. 46. 
 where Paid and Barnabas tell the Jews^ 
 upon their rejeding the Chriftian faith, that 
 they judged themfehes unworthy of everlajl- 
 trig life. This therefore was fuppofed by 
 thofe pious men, who made the reference, 
 to contain that very fentence of condemna- 
 tion, which an heretic paiTes upon himfelf ; 
 and properly enough, as might be ihewed 
 at large. But the efiay-writer, agreeable to 
 hiB ufual method of taking the perfpedlive 
 by the wrong end, diminiflies it down to a 
 petty convixSlion only, of his wilful perfe^ 
 n)erance in oppofition to the church: which 
 expoiition does not touch upon the meaning 
 of the text, fince in other words it will 
 fland thus — An heretic is fejifible that he is 
 condemned hy the church — whereas, on the 
 contrary, the Apoftle has afierted in terms, 
 that he is conde?nned by hirnfelf-, that is, he 
 is fenfible of his guilt, and ac.cufed by his 
 own confcience. From the whole of what 
 our author hath faid upon this fubje6l, we 
 may collect this unfcriptural definition of 
 herefy— 'It is an offence, not againft the re- 
 vealed wiil of God, and the concerns of 
 3 eternity ; 
 
[ 33 1 
 
 eternity ; but againfl: the will of man, and 
 the tranfitory regulations of this life; not 
 againfl the faith, but againft the church that, 
 abides by it. Which, in effed:, is to fug- 
 geft, that the church fandlifies the faith ; 
 whereas, on the other hand, it is always 
 taken for* granted, that the faith fandifics 
 the church. 
 
 And what are the motives which excite 
 him thus to diminiih this vice, and improve 
 itifpoffible, hy fpeaki?ig fmooth things ^ and 
 prophefying deceits about it, almoft into ^ 
 chriftian virtue ? Why it feems the words 
 fchifniatic and heretic^ are founds^ whichy ever 
 Jince the days of Popery, occajion wondrous 
 horror in the ears of the 'vulgar ^. And as 
 he is apprehenfive, that many of his bre^ 
 thren, upon difcovering his attempt to cor- 
 rupt the dodrines of the church, and dif^ 
 turb the peace of it, will load him with thefe 
 opprobrious names ; he efteems it his intc- 
 reft to explain away their true meaning, and 
 to brand thofe with the name of fuperfti- 
 tious and papiftical vulgar^ who fhall apply 
 to him in their proper fenfe, fuch naufeous 
 appellations. By this means, whatever noife 
 
 F they 
 
 ^ P. 19. 
 
[34] 
 
 they fhall chance to make in his ears^ he 
 may contemplate his own interpretation of 
 them, and continue to enjoy his repofe. 
 
 1 cannot better obviate thefe dangerous 
 infinuations, than by fetting down a true 
 defcription of herefy^ as it ftands in the 
 Holy Scriptures ; which being dictated by 
 the infallible Spirit of God, and written be- 
 fore the days of popery^ cannot be charged 
 with inflaming the account of any vice, or 
 of adulterating its own divine truth with 
 
 , any hot and impure fpirits, diftillcd there- 
 from in after-ages, by the fuperftitious 
 church of Rome. To proceed then— 
 
 2 Pet. ii. I. There Jhall be falfe teachers 
 among you ^ who privily fiall bring in damna- 
 ble herejiesy or {atipeans <t7rcjXiicci) herejies of 
 deJiruBion, Herefies, therefore, are damna- 
 ble y that is, they lead their advocates and 
 propagators to deJlruBion-y and in general 
 they are privily brought in, {TroLpnact^iijiv) 
 they are carried round about, and introduced 
 at fome private entrance -, they do not make 
 their approach with that undifguifed ho- 
 nefty, which fears no difcovery, but Ileal 
 into the houfhold of faith — •— under the 
 mafque of confcience* 
 
 4 - The 
 
[35] 
 
 The apoftle goes on — even denying the 
 Lord that bought them — yea, thefe falfe 
 teachers fhall, to compleat their guilt, even 
 dare to deny the Lord that bought them^ ei- 
 ther by rejecting the ranfom he hath conde- 
 fcended to pay for them, or by difowning 
 that he, who paid that ranfom, was the 
 Lord- 
 
 The remaining part of the verfe declares, 
 that they Jhall bring upon them/elves fwift 
 deftru6iion^ though for a fhort time they 
 may efcape the terror of an earthly tribunal, 
 yet the eye of God can penetrate into the 
 inmoft receffes of their hearts, purfuing 
 them through all their dark and intricate 
 windings ; and his arm will at length drag 
 them forth from their hiding places, to ap- 
 pear at the bar of his tribunal, whofe mercy 
 and long-fufFering they have abufed and af- 
 fronted; though they may delude them- 
 felves with the vain prefumption that they 
 can contradia God, and yet be in the right ; 
 that the matter they are upon is barely fpe^ 
 culativey and fuch as God careth not for ; 
 yet if their crime be fuch as the apoftle here 
 means to defcribe, their judgment now of a 
 F a long 
 
[ 36 ] 
 
 long time linger eth not^ and their damnation 
 Jlumbereth 7iot. 
 
 In I Tim. iv. i. Heretics, or thofe who 
 depart from the truth, and follicit others to 
 follow their pernicious waysy are called fedu^ 
 cing fpiritSy or perfons actuated by that ori- 
 ginal feducer, who iirfl: tempted man to 
 apoftatize from the wifdom of God, and to 
 follow his own lafcivious fancy, in contra- 
 diction to an exprefs command of his maker: 
 their herefies are termed do5trines of devils^ 
 invented by the adVerfary, and fet up as ri- 
 vals to the pure and faving dodrines of 
 Chrifl 5 and thofe who fet forth and propa- 
 gate fuch docftrines, are declared to be mi^ 
 nijlers oj Satan % artfully fubftituting and 
 diligently preaching his word of death, in- 
 ilead of the word of life \ nay proceeding £o 
 far as to call the former by the name of the 
 latter, that they may render it the more 
 palatable, and tempt their hearers to fwal- 
 low down fuch poifonous impurities with 
 greedinefs, 
 
 This I take to be the true account of he- 
 refy, becaufe the fcripture gives it me, and 
 bepaufe I find it iniifted upon as fuch by all 
 
 the 
 
 * 2t Cor. xi. 1 5, 
 
[37 ] 
 
 the pious writers of the ancient church, now 
 fo much defpifed and negleded : and if it is 
 the true, furely we ought to tremble at fee- 
 ing this deftruftive evil with many fpecious 
 fubtilties recommended to the world, under 
 the foft phrafes of an opinion barely fpecula- 
 tive^ a different mode oj thinking ! If an he- 
 retic means no movQ ih^n one of a different 
 opinion from the majority ^, whether that 
 majority think right or wrong; if, I fay, 
 this reafoning be true, then the fcripturcs 
 are falfe ; and the effay- writer, I fear, hath 
 too much penetration, not to difcern, that 
 this alternative is unavoidable. 
 
 As I have alluded to the term, barely fpe^ 
 culative^ it may not be amifs more fully to 
 remark this writer* s ftrange mifapplication 
 of it : for, is it not aftonifhing, that by opi^ 
 nions barely Jpeculativey he would have us 
 underftand the chief and fundamental my^ 
 fteries of the chriflian faith j nay, that very 
 root and (lock, from whence groweth all 
 moral obligation to us as Chrijiians^ all 
 ftrength and comfort in this world, and all 
 our hope of everlafting falvation in the next? 
 All this, as depending upon the do^rine of 
 
 ike 
 
the Trinity y is, it feems, nothing but a mere 
 iifelefs theory, an empty fubjedt for the 
 mind to exercife its curiofity upon, and con- 
 cerning which, it may think and imagine 
 for itfelf with as great freedom, as it does 
 about any bafelefs and airy fabric of modern 
 metaphyfics. But it is evident that the fcrip- 
 tures give no warrant to this diftindtion of 
 fpeculative and pr apical duties; for when 
 the yews put the following queftion to Chnji 
 ^'^Wbat Jhall we do that we might work the 
 works of God? his anfwer was — This is the 
 work of Gody that ye believe on htm whom 
 he hatbfent. Where then is the difference 
 between faith and works ? 
 
 Since the principles of the chriftian faith, 
 in common with thofe of all other religions, 
 are (in the author *s opinion) barely jpecula- 
 iive '^ he feems to wonder that men jhouldbe 
 more dijpkafed with one another for any dif- 
 ference of opinion about them^ than for their 
 being of different fizes or complexions -, and 
 obferves, that for thisy no reafon in genera^ 
 can indeed be afigned^^ as to the fquabbles of 
 Pagans and the devilifti malignity of Ma- 
 homitansy concerning their wicked delufions 
 
 and 
 
 ? Ded. p. 33. 
 
[ 39 1 
 
 and abominations, they are entirely out of 
 the queftion, though he is pleafed to fup- 
 pofe they are not, by complaining of this 
 unaccountable degree of animojity^ as prac- 
 tifed in all countries^ and ahnojl in all ages^. 
 But as to the differences between men pro- 
 felling themfelves ChriJlianSy fome of whom 
 really are what they profefs to be, while 
 others are not j though a reafon in gemral 
 cannot be affigned for them, we arc pretty 
 fure that a reafon in particular may, and 
 that a very ftrong and cogent one, having 
 nothing lefs for its fandion than the autho- 
 rity of the Holy Spirit. For ivhofoever 
 abideth not in the dodrine of Chrift, is not to 
 be received by us into our houfeSy neither are 
 nve te bid him Godfpeed^ (that is, we are not 
 in any wife to encourage his attempt, or 
 promote the fuccefs of it) for he that biddeth 
 him God fpeed^ is partaker oj his evil deeds'^. 
 And our blefled Lord himfelf tells his apo- 
 ftles, that if any one neglcB to hear the churchy 
 hejhould be unto them as an heathen man and 
 a publican > adding withal (on a very proper 
 occafion) that divine authority upon which 
 the church is to proceed — Whatfoever ye 
 
 Jkall 
 
[40] 
 
 Jhall hind on earthy fiall be bound in heaven^ 
 end wbatfoever ye Jhall loofe on earthy fjall be 
 loofed in heaven"^. And though it be now 
 cfteemed necelTary that we fhould entertain 
 very moderate and qualified fentiments about 
 fuch paflages as thefe ; yet, we muft not 
 forget, that in the fcriptures, there are fuch. 
 
 Seeing, therefore, it is abfolutely requi- 
 iite that there ihould be a proper degree of 
 authority in the church, grounded upon the 
 commands of God ; and a diflindtion or dif- 
 ference preferved between fuch as are hum- 
 ble and beheving, and fuch as are refradtory 
 and unbeHeving, left by encouraging the 
 guilty, the innocent fhould partake of their 
 crimes ; it is fomewhat ftrange that the Re^ 
 verend EJJay-writer fliould fpend feveral 
 pages in the unnatural endeavour of bring- 
 ing about a coalition between Chrijlians^ 
 JewSy Turks, Injideh, and Heretics ^^ not 
 confidering, that amongft fuch, it is impof- 
 fible there fliould be any community of kn" 
 timent, or any hearty reconciliation. For 
 if thofe who are on the right fide are quiet 
 and at reft, thofe on the wrong, are, through 
 the implacable fpirit of him tkat from the 
 
 beginning 
 ^ Matt, xviii. 17, 1 8, 
 
t4i] 
 
 heginntng was a murderer^ fo reftlefs and 
 malignant, that they never will, or can be .; 
 and for the truth of this, I might appeal to 
 the teflimony of all ages. 
 
 When there lieth open that plain middle 
 road, of refting upon the moji certain war- 
 rants of holy Jcripture^ and of having fuch 
 a degree of charity for mankind, as to en- 
 courage none of them in fin, this he will 
 not attend to, but flies off on the one fide, 
 and defcants upon Jire and faggot^ as the 
 fandion of human appointments in the 
 church of Rome; and on the other, runs 
 away with an invitation after Cbrijlian 
 Friejls^ Bramins^ and Muftis^ jovially to 
 affociate them, as it were, in a midfiight 
 modern converjatioji ; for an agreement be- 
 tween them, is utterly inconfiftent with any 
 fober intentions. — But with all this, there is 
 fomewhat of a railing accufation intermixt ^ 
 for as the conduB of mankifid (it fliould be 
 of Chriftians) is quite otherways in this re- 
 fpecft, that is, as they fometimes difagree, 
 and will have nofellowfnp with the unfruit- 
 ful works of darknefs^ but rather reprove 
 them 3 he thinks this can be attributed to 
 nothing but a vicious pride in our natures ^ 
 Q which 
 
[42] 
 
 ^^hich gives us an averfion for every one that 
 differs in opinion from iis» Was it always 
 an adl of pride then in the church, when 
 fhe excommunicated an heretic ? And can- 
 not a believer affert the articles of his faith, 
 and endeavour, if not to convince, at leaft 
 to confute a gainfayer, without being called 
 proud t God forbid. We will never bcr 
 lieve that thofe falutary precepts, which He 
 hath given us for the regulation and welfare 
 of his church, can, unlefs they afe abufed, 
 be unto us an occafion of fallings 
 
 But let us examine this a little farther; 
 for, if where this condudt is to be found, 
 if where any perfon expreffes a diflike or 
 abhorrence for another, on account of his 
 religious principles, there a vicious pride is 
 alfo to be found ^ this will diarge a vicious 
 pride upon the Son of God himfelf, who 
 v/hile his foul overflowed with tendernefs 
 for an unbelieving and abandoned nation, 
 could yet fay to them, ye ferpenis^ ye gene- 
 ration of vipers^ how can ye ejcape the darn- 
 nation of hell? And again, ye are of your fa^ 
 ther the devil. St. Faid in like rpanner 
 faid to the fevjs w^ho refufed to hear him^ 
 your hkod be upon your own heads ,; taking it 
 •2 for 
 
in] ^ 
 
 tar granted that they were given over to de- 
 ftrudion : and, on another occafion, he hath 
 tins fevere refledlion concerning fome, who 
 by falfe dodrines made Chrift of none ef- 
 fedl : / wouU they were even cut offy which 
 trouble you. That glorious martyr Policarp 
 likewife, who lived in the age of the apo- 
 ftles, and was by them ordained bifhop of 
 Smyrna^ happened one day to meet Marcmi 
 the heretic, who faid to him, *' what ? will 
 " you not acknowledge me ?" '^ Yes, an- 
 " fwered he, I acknowlege thee for the firft- 
 ** born oifatmi^'^' which, I prefume, would 
 have founded very harfli in the ears of a 
 candid difquifitor. 
 
 This being a reflection, therefore, of 
 which they upon whom he would caft it^ 
 are altogether unworthy 5 I may, without 
 the leaft injuftice, return it back upon the 
 heretical herd ^^ for they are the men, who 
 abound with a vicious pride. This it is^ 
 which gives them their incurable itch of 
 Angularity, and inclines them to prefer their 
 Own fallacious reafonings and groundlefs opi- 
 nions, to the didates of the Mofl^ High. As 
 the following are the words of St. Ignatius 
 
 G 2 upon 
 
 \ lufeh. Ecd. Hift, Lib. 4. Ch. 14, 
 
C 44 ] 
 
 upon this fubjed:, I hope I may adopt hU 
 fentiments for my own, and fet them down 
 without giving offence. " The fpirit of 
 *' error vaunteth itfelf, and proclaimeth its 
 " own excellencies ; it feeketh to gratify 
 *^ its own will and pleafure, and humour 
 ** its defire of vain glory ; it is full of dif- 
 *' dain, lying, fraudulent, foothing and 
 ** flattering, artful, patching things toge- 
 *^ ther to make them look plaufible, tri- 
 *' fling, difcordant, never to be filenced, 
 *^ evafive, timorous"*. 
 
 In this dedicatory introduftlon to his ef- 
 fay, our author hath {qvcv^I p/eas (arguments 
 I will not call them) by which he feeks to 
 countenance his vafl: defire of reforming the 
 dodlrine of the Trinity, as it fl:ands at pre- 
 fent in our creeds and articles : it remains, 
 therefore, that I extradl thefe, and give 
 them their anfwers feparately according to 
 that order in v/hich they occur. 
 
 Fleal, " If the church be not infallible 
 ^^ any more than the flate, why may not 
 
 '' that 
 
 ""' To irr'Ka'm 'mtvy.x ta,v\o xr,^vrlHi rx I'^icc %,ot.\n' av&tx^sa-zov 
 yu,^ ifiv,sccv]o do^uQBi' rv^pa yuoer^ //-cTov, ■^ivoo^oyov vrra^^ti' 
 arrctlxT^ov, ^WTTivlsxoVy i£c?',a«£f']j;tc>', v%ciXov, ^a-^u^oVf ^^ya^tfy^ 
 
 ' f<c-vyi,<p0vo'j, ctyJi^oiTn, 7^^p■%?o», •^o(pQCi!<;. Cited by Suicer, 
 \\X. p. iz--. 
 
t 45 ] 
 
 ** that be amended as well as the ftat€ ? And 
 " why fhould we be more afraid of break- 
 *' ing the peace of the church than of the 
 *' flate ? the peace of the one being full as 
 *^ neceffary to be preferved, as the peace of 
 " the other"." 
 
 No jufl parallel can, I think, be drawn 
 between the fallibility, or infallibility of the 
 church, and of the ftate, fince they are not 
 direded by the fame rule, and are conver- 
 fant about matters greatly differing from each 
 other : the one about invariable truths, which 
 concern the everlafting happinefs of man, 
 and are determined by divine revelation ; 
 the other about national or political princi- 
 ples of its own devifing, which as far as 
 they are built upon human authority or na- 
 tional compaft, may be varied at pleafure, 
 as the different exigencies of times and 
 occafions fhall require 5 as far as they par- 
 take, in common with the ecclefiaftical 
 rule, of divine authority, thefe are as unal- 
 terable as that. If, therefore, it can be 
 clearly proved that any human errors have 
 crept into the church, any pofitions contra^ 
 di&i?7g the word of truth, let them*, in God's 
 
 name, 
 
 « P. 21, 22, 
 
t46] 
 
 hatne, te reformed : but ^s to the eflentia! 
 articles or fubftance of the chriftian faith<j 
 it muft for ever remain fixed arid unmove- 
 able, as that fcripture upon which it depends. 
 As concerning the latter half of the above 
 quotation, it muft be confeffed, that the 
 peace of the ftate is neceflary to be pre- 
 ferved, and that/cr confcience fake no Chri- 
 ftian will difpute it 3 but I apprehend that 
 the author, by his manner of expreffionj 
 means to reprefent the peace of both as ab- 
 folutely of equal concernment to the wel- 
 fare of mankind ; which is to put things 
 fpiritual upon a level with things natural, 
 the things which are feen with thofe which 
 are not feen, things temporal with things 
 eternal— and falls very little (hort of down- 
 right atheiftn. 
 
 Tlea IL " 1 am under lefs apprehenfioii 
 " for the church than for the ftate 5 for as 
 " to the chriftian religion in general, we 
 " have the fure word of prophecy, that 
 *' the gates of hell fliall not prevail againft 
 *' it 3 and as to particular eftabliftiments, I 
 *' ftiould apprehend, that the freer they 
 " were from errors, the more likely they 
 
 ^' would 
 
[47] 
 
 ^? would be to ftand?/* Tis true, a can- 
 (dleftick with a light burning in it may be 
 removed from one part of the houfe to an- 
 other, without extinguifhing the light ^ but^ 
 yet, the apartment from which it is re- 
 moved, having no light but what it received 
 from it, will be left in the dark. The light 
 of chriftianity will always burn fomewhere 
 till the end of the world ; but no particular 
 jchurch or nation pan from this prophecy 
 receive any well grounded encouragement 
 to tamper with the faith, through a vain 
 prefum.ption of its entire continuance, al- 
 though the members of that church, under 
 the fpecious pretence of fnufBng the can- 
 dle, are continually endeavouring to put it 
 put. Suppofe the chriflian religion, when 
 pxpelled from Great-Britain^ ihould fettle 
 whole and found in the city of Amjlerdam^ 
 it would give us but cold comfort to refled:^ 
 that though the chriflian religion in parti- 
 cular had left us, yet the chriflian religion 
 in general \yas flill fubfifling fomewhere in 
 fhe world. 
 
 Before 2iX\y particular ejlahlijloment \s freed 
 from its errorSy \ye mufl afk, who is to 
 
[48] 
 judge of thofe errors ? A council of learned 
 and pious men, affembling in the fear of 
 God, or one folitary objeftor, who is pleafed 
 to think that fuch reformers complied fo far 
 with the humour of the times p in which they 
 lived, as not to have effecfled a thorough re- 
 formatiofi ? If we admit the author's judg- 
 ment, we fhall have that very dodtrine (with 
 many more) expunged as an error, for the 
 renouncing of which the ea/ler?2 churches 
 were totally extirpated, I mean the divinity 
 of the Son of God : for it is univerfally al- 
 lowed that Arianifm was the crime, which 
 chiefly prevailed amongft them, and wrought 
 their deftrudlion. 
 
 Plea III. *' It is manifeft, that before the 
 *' reformation took place, the fame argu- 
 " ments were then made ufe of, againft any 
 ^^ innovations in religion that are now ; and 
 *^ all alterations were as much declaimed 
 " againff^/' 
 
 Hence this ivriter means to infmuate, 
 that as a reformation in religion was once 
 made, againfl an unreafonable oppofition, 
 and the church freed from its errors 5 a re- 
 formation (however oppofed) ought to be 
 
 made 
 7 P. 19. « P. 47. 
 
t^9 ] 
 
 tnade again : that is, there always may be 
 a reformation of a reformation 5 and becaufe 
 the church, at the time here mentioned, 
 had many errors, and was cleared of them ; 
 therefore (he muft have many more, and 
 may be cleared of them again. Which is 
 an excellent medium for proving that Mary 
 Magdalen had fourteen devils 5 and that be- 
 caufe feven were cafh out, feven more muft 
 have ftaid behind. 
 
 Plea IV. '' If a ftorm (hould arife (the 
 " church) may run a rifque of having that 
 *' tree torn up by the roots, which might 
 ^' have been faved by a little pruning ""." 
 
 Whence is this ftorm to arife ? not from 
 any Popfi power 5 becaufe then the moft 
 advifeable method would be, not to lop and 
 to prune^ but to engraft frefli branches upon 
 the old ftock. It is therefore to arife from 
 the oppofite point of the compafs, the ftrip- 
 ping party ; and by the authors foretelling 
 this ftorm, he feems to have as formidable 
 ian idea of the Diffenters, as if they were 
 able to fly away with us in a whirlwind. 
 
 How comes he to confefs, that the very 
 
 perfons, in whofe behalf he fo ftrongly 
 
 H pleack 
 
 \ P. 53. 
 
[ so ] 
 
 pleads for a reformation, are afortofmenV 
 which will tear the tree up by the roots for 
 us ? The tree, I take for granted, is the 
 Chrijlian jaith at prefent growing in the 
 church of England -y and we are advifed to 
 ' frune it^ in order to oblige thofe, who (tho' 
 a while ago they were fet forth as poor and 
 conjcientious) will, rather than fail, tear it 
 up by the roots. However, he feem's to know 
 his men, and gives us a pretty juft charafter 
 of them, by putting a little florm and tem- 
 peft into their compofition. But what can 
 he mean by a little pruning ? for it is the 
 defign of his effay to fet afide the dodlrine 
 of the Trinity in Unity ^ and to recommend 
 an alteration of this nature, under the name 
 of a little pruning, will be underflood by 
 every judicious reader as a moil dangerous 
 miftake : for this doftrine, as hath been al- 
 ready obferved, is the root of the Chriftian 
 religion ; and to prune a tree, by cutting 
 up the root of it, is the way to make the 
 branches, not flioot out and fiourifh, but 
 wither and decay : and if this be our me- 
 thod oi pruning, we may bid defiance to 
 the fury of our adverfarles- for when his 
 
 tefnpejluous 
 
[51 ] 
 
 tempejiimis gentlemen come to rip and rend, 
 there will be nothing left for them to do. 
 
 Plea V. '' The moft proper method that 
 *' could be taken to render the church of 
 
 " Ireland truly catholic ^ would be to 
 
 " open the gates of its communion as wide 
 *' as was confiftent with the Gofpel of 
 '' Chrift ^'' 
 
 How wide the author thinks that to be, 
 cannot exadly be determined, till he fpeaks 
 more explicitly : but we ought to be very 
 cautious how we enter upon this 'widening 
 fcheme, for fear of making a fatal miftake 
 — for Jlrait is the gate "which leadeth unto 
 life-, as on the contrary, wide is the gate 
 which leadeth to dejlruclion^ and many there 
 be^ which go in thereat ^ It may be faid, 
 without giving offence to any fincere be- 
 liever of the churches of Rngland and Ire- 
 land^ that if they were opened as wide as 
 fome afFedledly-moderate and difguifed fpi- 
 rits among the Diffenters would have them, 
 they might pretty much refemble thofe de- 
 fcribed by the poet, 
 
 • -T^he gates wide openjloody 
 
 ^bat with extended wi?2gs a ba?iner'd hojl 
 H 2 Under 
 
 * Drd. p. 62. < Matth. vii. 13, 14. 
 
[52] 
 
 Under fpredd enjigns marchings might p(ifi 
 
 through 
 With horfe and chariots rank'd in loofi 
 
 array •. 
 
 What kind of army that is, which would 
 march through the gates of our commu- 
 nion, were they thus opened, may juftly 
 be conceived by taking a review of that 
 confufed rout, which, a little above a cen- 
 tury ago, when they were torn off their 
 hinges, marched into our churches, tore the 
 facerdotal veflments, converted the pulpits 
 and communion tables into butchers blocks 
 and fhambles, and then cavalcaded in triumph 
 through our ftreets with furplices over their 
 coats, and tooting upon the broken pipes of 
 organs, v/hich they had chqpt down with 
 their pole-axes. At a time when one of 
 thefe mad proceffions was making, after the 
 demolition of a church, one of their com- 
 manding officers flaid behind, with a few 
 choice friends, to chriften his horfe in his 
 own urine, which he had plentifully dii* 
 charged into the baptifmal-font ^ and called 
 
 him Ball Efau^ becaufe he was hairy ''. 
 
 And 
 
 « Par. loft. B. II. 1. 884. ^ Many fhocking ac- 
 
 counts of this fore are to be found in Fouus's Hillory of ths 
 i*re{ended Saints. J B. II. whence this is taken. 
 
t53 3 
 
 And can we think that men of this dif- 
 poiition would ever live in peace and agree- 
 ment, even fuppofing that the church of 
 England was fwept and garnijhed in the 
 manner they defire, w'lih /even wicked fpi*. 
 rits ready to receive them ? No : diffention 
 is their profeffion 5 and if the church were 
 fwallowed up and loft in their fchifm, they 
 muft then diflent from Diffenters, rather 
 than not dilTent at all : and this they cer* 
 tainly would do ; for it is faid of thofe poor 
 confcientious men which were difcharged for 
 nonconformity, that even when they were 
 uppermoft, and had ufurped a tyrannical 
 dominion over the church, they mortally 
 hated each other. PreJbyterianSy ^akers^ 
 Anabaptifts^ and all the fpawn of diffention, 
 even at this day preach with fuch impla- 
 cable animofity againft diffenting brethren 
 of different denominations from themfelves, 
 that it plainly appears they only want power 
 to perfecute them. The Aiititrinitariajis 
 of England v»^ere anathematized by thofe of 
 Pola77d^ i and this is the compliment which 
 pioft heretics and feparatifts are ready to pay 
 each other. In one point indeed they all 
 
 agree, 
 
 *■ L^J-ie. TJic-log. works, fol. v. I. p. 220. 
 
[54] 
 
 agree, that Chrijl is to be oppofed, and his 
 body, the church, torn in pieces 5 but they 
 are ready to cut one another's throats about 
 the manner how ; which to thofe who look 
 on, is but a very bad recommendation of 
 their caufe. Therefore, in God's name, let 
 us keep where we are, and leave them to 
 themfelves 5 let thefe ungodly men fall into 
 their own nets together^ but let us ever 
 efcape them. 
 
 Plea VI. ' The preface to our Book of 
 ^ Commo7i Prayer diQcXzxts^ that ^^ the parti^ 
 " cular forms of divine worjhipy and the 
 *' rites and ceremonies appointed to be ufed 
 *' therein y beijig thi?igs in their own nature 
 " indifferent and alter able ^ and Jo acknow- 
 " ledge dy it is but reafonahle^ that upon 
 '^ weighty and important . corfiderations^ ac- 
 " cording to the various exigencies of times 
 " and occafionSy Juch changes and alterations 
 '^ may be made therein ^ as to thofe that are 
 *' in place and authority fbould^ jrom time ta, 
 " time^ feem either necefary or expedient'^ 
 
 This pailage is taken by the elTay- writer 
 in as large and unlimited a fenfe, as if thofe 
 pious men, who reviewed our excellent Lir 
 turgy, had thereby infinuated a permiffion 
 
 to 
 
iss] 
 
 to change the eflential articles of faith there- 
 in contained, according to the various hu- 
 mours of every age ; or to alter the doBrine 
 of the Trinity^, Sec. in fuch a manner, as 
 that the Liturgy might alvv^ays wear a garb 
 fuitable to the cut of the times. If they 
 intended that a more reftrained fenfe fhould 
 be put upon their conceflion, it will do him 
 little or no fervice; for it cannot in any 
 Ihape anfwer his purpofe, or countenance 
 his propofed method of reformation, unlefs 
 it be made to appear, that by fnch forms of 
 divine worjloip^ rites^ a?id ceremonies, as are 
 in their own nature indifferent and alterable ^ 
 they mean Creeds, Articles, and all other 
 effentials of the Liturgy ; fincc thefe are the 
 points wherein he would contend for an al- 
 teration. But this is fuch an indulgence, as 
 thofe faithful and judicious men well knew 
 they had neither a right to grant, nor a 
 liberty to accept of; and if they are per- 
 mitted to fpeak for themfelves,they will foon 
 be cleared of the accufation here brought 
 againft them. For nothing can more ex- 
 prefHy fet afide fuch a Latitudinarian accep- 
 tation of their words, or more juftly cha- 
 xadlerize all our reforming adventurers, than 
 
 the 
 
[56] 
 
 the lines which immediately follow the 
 
 above paffage, extracfted from their Preface 
 
 to the Book of Common Prayer, Their ob- 
 
 fervation is this, " accordingly we find, that 
 
 *^ in the reigns of feveral Princes of blef- 
 
 " fed memory fince the reformation, the 
 
 *' church, upon juft and weighty confidera- 
 
 *' tions, her thereunto moving, hath yield- 
 
 '' ed to make fuch alterations in fome par* 
 
 *^ ticularSy as in their refpedive times were 
 
 *' thought convenient : yet y3, as that the 
 
 *' main body ^nd ejfentiah of it (as well in 
 
 *^ the chief ejl 7nateriah^ as in the frame and 
 
 '^ order thereof) have ftill continued the 
 
 " fame unto this day ^ and do yet fland 
 
 *' firm and unfhaken, notwithilanding all 
 
 *' the vain attempts, and impetuous affaults 
 
 '^ made againft it, by fuch men as are giveii 
 
 *^ to change^ and have always difcovered a 
 
 ** greater regard to their o^Vi private fancies 
 
 *' and interefts, than to that duty they owe 
 
 " to the public." They like wife inform 
 
 us, that after the reftorationj " divers pam- 
 
 " phlets were publiihed againft the Book of 
 
 " Common Prayer^ by thofe v^ho under the 
 
 *' ufurped powers had made it their bufi- 
 
 '' nefs to render the people difafteded there- 
 
 -3 *' unto 5 
 
[57] 
 *^ unto; the old objedions were muflcrcd 
 " up, with the addition of fome new ones, 
 " to make the number fwelL" And that 
 at the time of their review, ^' of the fundry 
 *^ alterations propofed to them, they re- 
 " jefted all fuch as were either of dangerous 
 confequence (as fecretly Jiriking at fome 
 ejlahlijhed doBrinCy or laudable pradlice 
 of the churchi of England^ or indeed of 
 ** the whole Catholic church of Chriji) ot 
 ^' elfc, of no confequence at' all, but utterly 
 '* frivolous and vain/* 
 
 It might have been as prudent therefore 
 
 in the author, not to have meddled with 
 
 this Preface 3 fince it is direded throughout 
 
 againfl all fuch changeable minds, as " feek 
 
 *' occafion of cavil, or quarrel againfl. the 
 
 " Liturgy of the church." But it is his 
 
 method to extraft a fcrap, and either by 
 
 quoting it wrong, or interpreting it falfely, 
 
 to make a writer fpeak v/hat i^\\{(^ he pleafes; 
 
 which is a mighty difingenuous pradlice, 
 
 but frequently to be met with in his book, 
 
 ^s the reader muft already have obferved, 
 
 .and will many times more, before I have 
 
 f^pne with it. 
 
 I. And 
 
[ 58] 
 
 And now, after having feen the very pe- 
 culiar caft of his reafonings againft the ar- 
 ticles of faith eftablifhed (by the blefling of 
 God) in the church of Engla7id, we cannot 
 be at a lofs to know v.^hat he means by that 
 freedom of thinkings which he fuppofes to 
 have been prcraoted by the legiflature, not 
 cnh fince th: reformatioriy but even Jince the 
 re^olidijn^ : and likewife what fort of prin- 
 ciples they are, from whence arifes that air 
 of triumph, with which he obierves, that 
 the eye^ of mankind have (of late) been 
 greatly opened^. If their eyes are opened 
 fo wide as to make them, inftead of truth, 
 fee nothing but the intricate error of their 
 own imaginations, and, inftead of fubmit- 
 ting to divine revelation, to know what 
 God is, better than he himfelf does ; happy 
 would it be for them, if they were ftill 
 blind. But I have fuch an opinion of my 
 brethren and countrymen, as to think, that, 
 many of them at leaft, whatever they may 
 be in time to come, are not yet perfuaded, 
 that all knowledge, and wifdom, and judg- 
 ment, is within the compafs of their own 
 free and unreftrained reafon : and, that fucll 
 
 a 
 
 y Ded. p. 63. ^ Ibid, 
 
[59] 
 
 a fuggeftion as this, may now, and always 
 be ajlander againfl the greater half of them, 
 is all the harm I wifh them. 
 
 We are now entering upon the work it- 
 felf, the EJfay on Spirit ; which, I prefume, 
 is fo called by the author, becaufe, in the 
 beginning of this piece, he lays down a 
 {hort fyftem of metaphyfical fpeculations, 
 concerning the nature and effence of God, 
 the Spirit of the world, or anima mundi^ 
 the operations and effence of the foul of 
 man, together with the exiftence and power 
 of angels or created fpirits. But before he 
 h^th advanced many fteps into this fyftenx,* 
 he flies off into objections againft the divi- 
 nity of Chriji and the Holy Spirit \ works 
 up his own metaphyfical principles, with 
 what is revealed in the Old and New Tefta* 
 ment concerning them, and then cements 
 the whole together with thofe impure tradi- 
 tions of the Rabbies^ which originally made 
 the word of God of none effe^y and were 
 infifted upon by the JewSy after their di- 
 fperfion, on purpofe to deface and ob- 
 fcure the doftrines of the primitive Chri- 
 ftjan church, 
 
 I 2 ^ It 
 
[ 6o } 
 
 It is not my intention to confront his fy- 
 ftem with another of the like nature, or to 
 launch out into any metaphyfical difquifi- 
 tions upon thefe points j; fince to argue in 
 this fpeculative manner, and to proceed 
 merely upon cgnjedture, is to fight as one 
 that beateth the air -^ and inftead of fhewing 
 his errors, nothing could hereby be mani* 
 felled but my o.wn weaknefs, enough of 
 which may perhaps appear, without my 
 diving into the cold obfcure'of metaphyjics. 
 I'fliall therefore meddle with this fyftem, 
 no farther than as it clafhes with revealed 
 truths, and fliall remark, as 1 go along, his 
 abufe of Heathen learning, and mifapplica- 
 tion of the holy fcriptures; in doing which, 
 we Ihall find that his fpetulations, altho' 
 they appear in a modern garb, are very an- 
 cient, fince they may plainly be traced up 
 to their origin, Gentile philofophy. 
 
 If, in the courfe of thefe remarks, 1 
 fhould fometimes be obfcure and immethb- 
 dical, I hope it will be chiefly owing to the 
 author's lefs perfpicuous manner of treating 
 his fubjed : for when I perufe his book, I 
 confefs myfelf often puzzled to perceive the 
 connexion j and his arguments are fre- 
 quently 
 
[6, ] 
 
 quetfitly fo difperfed, that it is no eafy mat- 
 ter to colled them. However, that I may 
 the more readily be underftood, I fhall di- 
 vide my reply into feveral chapters : the 
 Jirjl of which fhall comprehend his notions 
 concerning the nature and effence of God, 
 the Spirit of the univerfe, and the human 
 foul — the fecondy thofe relating to the ex- 
 iftence and power of created fpirits — the 
 ibirdy his objedions againft the divinity of 
 the Son — xht fourth y his objedions againft 
 that of the Holy Spirit — the fifth ^ the ex- 
 tent and validity of his conclufion— the 
 Jixfhy his enquiry into the fentiments of the 
 primitive Fathers — the feventhy his mifap- 
 plication of the Heathen Trinities — — the 
 eighth and laft, his remarks upon the Atba^ 
 nafian and Nicene Creeds. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
-i.) i.'un 
 
 [62] 
 
 C H A Pf =t' 
 
 Jn which his .?iotiotis concerning the nature 
 <.v..and ejjence of God, the Spirit or hiJiinB 
 ,.^ .cf the univcrfe, and the Joul of man^ are, 
 confidered, 
 
 iT muft give us fome fiirprize, to fee the 
 firfl: fcene of , this ejfay open with an 
 atheift giving his definition of God; thatjs, 
 of what he was pleafed to aiTume for the 
 fupreme Governor of th^ univerfe. For the 
 ^uthor tells us, " The opinion of Spinofa 
 '\ was, that there is no other fubftance in 
 '' nature but God : that modes cannot fub* 
 *l/iil, or be conceived, without a fubftance : 
 *^ that there is nothing in nature, but modes 
 *^ and fubftances : and that therefore every 
 " thing muft be conceived as fubfifcing in 
 *' God^.'' By which, if I am fo happy 
 
 as to underftand him, he means -that as 
 
 tjiere is nothing in nature but modes^ or va* 
 rious manifeftations of impreffed aftion i 
 and as thefe modes cannot fubfift without a 
 fubjlance^ therefore all the motion or adlion 
 which appears in nature, muft proceed from 
 
 the 
 
 * tjfay, p. 1. Spin. Op. PoUh. Eth. par. I. p. 12. 
 
[63] 
 
 the intimate prefence of God's fuhjlance ex- 
 panded through the univerfe. Which opi- 
 nion of Spinofdy hath always been allowed 
 to terminate in atheifm -^ becaufe if purfued, 
 it proves that the univerfal fubftance of na- 
 ture, animated by a concomitant intelli- 
 gence, is God: which fubflance being no- 
 thing more than inanimate matter, and the 
 modes therein obfervable owing to material 
 or fecond caufes, under the direftion and 
 influence of the fupretnCy leaves us without 
 any God at all, except that which all ido- 
 laters have allowed, the creature rather than 
 the Creator. 
 
 How far the author's opinion co-incides 
 with this of Spinofa, will appear as we pro- 
 ceed. For according to him, *' It may be 
 *' afferted that there is in nature but one 
 " felf-exiftent being, fubfiftence, or fub- 
 " ftance, which by way of eminence, may 
 ** therefore be called the fuija?2ce, or, figu- 
 " ratively and comparatively fpeaking, the 
 '' only being, fiibjijlence, or fnbjlance in na- 
 " ture'^y As to the firft part of this fen- 
 tence, we grant that there is but ont felf- 
 exijient being*, but it cannot follow from 
 
 hence, 
 
 ^ P. 2. 
 
t64] 
 
 hence, that there is but ont fubjtjhnce ox fub* 
 fiance % becaufe a fubjlance (except when it 
 is improperly ufed for the word ejfence) 
 always implies fomething material -^ whereas 
 a being may be either material or immate-^ 
 rial. However, to make this fomewhat 
 plaufible, he *^ would be underftood to 
 *' mean by thefe three words (beings Jub- 
 ** fifience^ and fubjlance) one and the fame 
 ^^ thing *^:*' that when the words are grant- 
 ed to be fynonymous, whatever is proved 
 of a beings may hold good of a fubfiance^ 
 which is not arguing, but equivocating. I 
 take notice of this, becaufe, m the next 
 page, the fcripture is introduced giving its 
 verdidt in favour of this opinion. *' Whea 
 *' Mofes (fays he) enquired of God, by 
 *^ what name he (hould make him known 
 *' to the children of Ifrael^ God faid, thus 
 " fhalt thou fay— I am hath fent me unto 
 " you — which is rendered by the Sept. lyw 
 " kw <wy, I am he that is^ or that exifts; 
 " as if, comparatively fpeaking, there was 
 *' no other being or exifience but God"^." 
 In this comment, the ejfay -writer hath 
 dropt the words fubftjleiice and fubfiance, 
 
 and 
 « P. 2. «» P. 3- 
 
[65] 
 
 and introduced only thofe of l?ei7tg and ex^^ 
 ijlence : but as he would be underftood to 
 mean the fame thing by all of them, wc 
 have his own authority for fubftituting one 
 for the other as v/e think proper ; and then 
 his paraphrafe upon ^y^ nai o ojv will be, 
 *' I am he that fui/ijls ', as if there were no 
 *' othtv fubjtance but God:* He adds, that 
 " from this paffage it probably was, that 
 *' Plato borrowed his notion of the name 
 " of God, when he afferted that the word 
 " g(j-/, eji, is folely applicable to the nature 
 *^ of God. And from him it probably was, 
 " that the word gt, thou art, was written oa 
 ^^ the door of the Delphic temple ^'' But 
 the original text can, I apprehend, afford 
 no room either for this comment, or for 
 introducing thefe Heathen parallels. It is 
 ^^^^^ ^^^ H^HK, where the Hebrew root of 
 the verb H^HK lam, is mn nov'Au to be \ 
 from whence is plainly derived the word 
 mn* Jehovah, which when given under a 
 paraphrafe, doth not comparatively denote 
 the only being or Jubilance, but ftridly and 
 properly, Him 'which was, and is, and is to 
 come ; and expreffes the felf-exijlence or ef- 
 K fcjitial 
 
[66] 
 
 fcntial eternity of the divine nature, as dif- 
 tinguifhed from C7^eated Beings, which have 
 a beginning a parte ante^ and a dependent 
 duration a parte poji. 
 
 As for the fpeculations of Plato^ &c. con- 
 cerning their falfe God, it is impoflible to 
 make them fquare rightly v^ith the infpired 
 appellations of the true ; and fuch autho- 
 rities being extremely vague and uncertain, 
 will at any rate do the author'^ caufe no fer- 
 vice ; for it is by no means clear that Plato 
 aprts that the word i<^i is folely applicable to 
 the divine nature j fmce he alfo afferts, that^ 
 it is applicable to the effence of the human 
 foul^ And moreover, while Plato tells us 
 that o>v (or as he hath it in the neuter gen- 
 der TQ o\) is the only Being that exijis ; his 
 fcholar Arijlotle holds that.it is the only 
 Being which is abftradted from exiftence, 
 or which does 720t exifi, Thofe who are 
 fond of fuch contradiftions, may enjoy them 
 whole and entire if they pleafe 3 but when 
 they are introduced to the depravation of 
 any facred truth, we muft then be obliged 
 (whether it be civil or not) to drive them 
 off with a procul ejle prof ana ! 
 
 The 
 
 tm Tu EZTIN. Phicd. § 41 . 
 
[ 67 ] 
 
 The author next confiders God as the 
 firfl. cauje, and argues thus — " The con- 
 " fcioufnefs of my own exiftence necelTarily 
 " leads to a firjl caiife^ which firft caufe 
 " can only be one^ becaufe two firft caufes 
 *^ are a contradidion in terms.'* And this 
 argument is ufliered in with the following 
 caution, *' I hope I cannot be thought fo 
 ^* abfurd or fo impious, as to imagine that 
 " there are more Gods than one s." By 
 which he feems to accufe the orthodox with 
 abfurdity and impiety ; and to fuppofe, that 
 becaufe they maintain a plurality of Perfons 
 in the unity of the effence, they imagine 
 that there are more Gods than oie-, that is, 
 more Jehovahs or felf-exifient Beings. But 
 what if this very abfurdity and impiety is 
 to be found in that author, who here feems 
 fo exprelly to declare againft it ? And this 
 I think, is the true ftate of the cafe ; for it 
 is his opinion, that the Father^ Son^ and 
 Holy Spirit^ are three Beings, abfolutcly 
 diftinft from each other 5 but at the fame 
 time he owns very freely (as we fliall fee 
 hereafter) that the name Jebovah is applied 
 to all of them : iiud, therefore, according 
 K z to 
 
 8 p. 5. 
 
[68] 
 
 to the allowed interpretation of that word, 
 which conveys the fame fenfe with Exod, 
 iii. 14. I AM THAT I AM, he muft hold 
 three feparate felf-exijient Beings, which is 
 as flat a contradiftion as three firjl catifes. 
 To allow that the only name of God which 
 implies felf-exi/ience, is applied to the fe* 
 cond and third perfons of the Trinity ; and 
 then to argue that they are not coeter^ 
 nal with the firft ; if it was not wicked, 
 would in a learned man be an unpardonable 
 blunder. 
 
 Now we are upon the fubjedl oi felf-ex- 
 ijlencey it will be proper to note that Chriji 
 (on more occafions than one) aflumes this 
 undifputed charadteriftic of effential divinity. 
 Before Abraham was (fays he) i am ; 
 defcribing his own exiflence by the perma- 
 nent prefenfy expreffive of that mode of 
 exiftence, which can only be conceived of 
 the fupreme God or firji caufe. The com- 
 ment of Lucas Brugenfis upon this expref- 
 lion is — ISSori dicit eram, fed sum, ut notet %. 
 cotijiantem ipfus, et immoMlem (eternita- 
 
 iem^. 
 
 But 
 
 ** See Vole in be 
 
[ ^9 ] 
 
 But as concerning xhtfrjl caiife^ the au- 
 thor affirms, that ** every thing which ex- 
 " ifls befides that, which way foever it is 
 •^ brought into being, whether it be begot^ 
 " ten^ emanated^ created^ or fpoken fcrthy 
 *' it muft proceed from, and owe its exift- 
 " ence to the will as well as power of 
 ^' that firft caufe." And to make this ap- 
 pear plaufible, he adds, in a note, the 
 opinion of Athanajius^ who (as he tells us) 
 acknowleges it to be impious to fay that 
 God the Father was neceffitated to aft, 
 even when he begat the Son \ and allows 
 " alfo that neither the Son nor the Holy 
 " Spirit are the firft caufe ; but the Father 
 ** alone, and that the Son and Holy Spirit 
 *' were both caufed\'' How ftudioully 
 doth he in all this avoid the word creature ! 
 though he takes care to exprefs the fame 
 thing in other words, as the Ariam always 
 did : for which reafon, Athana/ius in that 
 very page^, to part of which the author 
 refers us, thus appeals to his readers— 
 " How manifeft is their crafty ambiguity I 
 *' for while they are afhamed to call him 
 *^ {Chriji) the work of God^ or a crc^turey 
 
 *^ devife 
 * Ibid, k Vol. I, p. ^12. 
 
 €< 
 
 ci 
 
[70] 
 ^' devife other modes of fpeech, introdu- 
 '^ cing the term will, and faying, that un- 
 *' lefs he exifted by the will of God, God 
 " was neceffitated to have a Son agaiiijl his 
 " will. But (adds he) ye impious men, 
 '' which pervert every thing for the fake of 
 " your herefy, who pretends to afcribe ne- 
 " ceffity to God ?'* And this is his method 
 of acknowledging it to be impious to fay ^ that 
 God the Father was 7iece[jitated to aB ; which 
 expreffion, as it Hands together with the 
 context, appears in a light extremely diffe- 
 rent from what it does in the author's refe- 
 rence to it. 
 
 'Tis true, Athanajius does fpeak of the 
 • Father as a caufe, but not in the author's 
 fenfe of a firfi caufe. " He begets the Son 
 " (faith he) and J ends forth the Spirit, and, 
 *' therefore, we call the Father a cauje^ -,'' 
 meaning only that 'the firfl perfon of the Tri- 
 nity is a caufe, with refped: to that office 
 he hath taken upon himfelf in the oeconomy 
 of man's redemption ; in which fenfe, he 
 is not a natural, but an occonomical caufe. 
 However, as there is no undoubted war- 
 rant 
 
 rcvva /x£v rlv f\'jv' IxTropfvn ^e ;t) rl Trijuaa to olyioyv t^ otct 
 TfcTo J'.fyelat 6 Uxlrr^ atTi^. V. 2. p. ^^^. 
 
[71 ] 
 
 rant of holy fcripture for the terms caufa 
 and caufatus ^ I think, indeed, Athanafius 
 might as well have fpared them, for they 
 tend to no edification, and muft, if they 
 fall into bad hands, terminate in prefump- 
 tion. 
 
 From page 8 to p. 12. of the ejfay^ wc 
 have an account of a fpiritual power an- 
 nexed to inanimate matter. I will extradt, 
 from this part of his theory, fuch paffages 
 as will enable us to form a judgment of it. — . 
 " When we fee a ftone defcend to the 
 " ground — the caufe of that motion muft 
 '' be fome jpirit or other — fince as nothmg 
 " can a5l where it is net, that power 
 '' whereby any body continues in motion, 
 ^' is as much the effeft of fome concomitant 
 " fpirity as the power which firft put it in 
 ** motion'". — *' The tendency of one bcdy 
 *^ towards another, .s from the attradive 
 " force of fome fplrit, which attractive 
 " power, being in proportion to the quan- 
 '' tity of matter, makes the difference of 
 «' weight or gravity in bodies \ — '' Every 
 *' particle of adive or attraftive matter muft 
 '' be directed in its motions by (oxncfprit, 
 
 " imited 
 "^ p. 9. ^ P. 10, 
 
[72] 
 
 ^^ united to that matter, which may have 
 
 '' juft fuch a quantity of intelkB commu- 
 
 *' nicated to it by its creator, as will enable 
 
 *' it to perform thofe fundions which are 
 
 *' affigned it, in order to carry on the gene- 
 
 " ral oeconomy of the univerfe"?'' This is 
 
 very old philofophy; for the hmc Jpirit or 
 
 fpirits which are here affigned by the author 
 
 as the caufes of motion, were in great repute 
 
 with the mofl: ancient heathens ; but with 
 
 this difference, they fuppofed this fpirit to 
 
 be a material QV corporeal on^, endued with 
 
 intelligence; v/hereas his is nothing but 
 
 mere unembodied intelled:, inhering not in 
 
 any material agent, which is the caufe of 
 
 motion, but in the moved body itfelf. 
 
 This intelligent fpirit, by which we are 
 
 to underftand the athery or mixture of air' 
 
 and light expanded through the whole folar 
 
 fyftem, is the Atheiiey called by Athenagora^ 
 
 Yi^^vr]m9 S'loc TTccvJcov SiTiKi^actj CI mind or Intel- 
 
 le5l pervading all things : which fame Athe- 
 
 ne or Minerva, was no other than the adlive 
 
 power of xh^funs rays, or of the aether dif- 
 
 fufed every way from his orb, as Macrobius 
 
 delivers it from Porphyry, who affirmed 
 
 that 
 ° P. II. 
 
[73 ] 
 
 that Mmerva was the power of the fun^ 
 "which (befides its wonderful effeds upon ina- 
 nimate bodies) even communicates prudence and 
 intelligence to the hwnan mind p. The fame 
 thing we learn from Jamblichtis^ concerning 
 th^ Egyptian ddty, Neith or Neit has ^ namely, 
 that it was ^^ou ovo^l^ S'imovt©^ S'l oA» r« 
 Ttocr^Vi the name of a God which pervades all 
 nature. And Tatian accufes the Greeks 
 with idolatry, for worfhipping — irvevf^ ^tao 
 TYi? vMs S'lYiKov, a SPIRIT which pervades 
 matter"^. But as there is fuch fuperabund- 
 ant evidence to prove that the moft ancient 
 heathens affigned the diredlion of all effeds 
 to an etherial fpirit, endued with intelli- 
 gence ; I muft not drop the fubje<ft, with- 
 out producing a little more of it. The au- 
 thor of the book de Diceta (fuppofed to be 
 Hippocrates^ though fome think it more an- 
 cient) defcribes this fubtile agent under the 
 charadier of etherial /r<f — '^ Which filently 
 " and imperceptibly governs and difpofes 
 *' all nature. In this is life, fenfe, pru- 
 ^^ dence, the power of increafe, motion, 
 " diminution, alteration, fleep, vigilance; 
 L " and 
 
 P Saturn, Lib. I. Ch. 17. <? Oral. cont. Grxcos. P 144. 
 Edit, Par. 
 
[74] 
 '' and it doth with an inceffant aftivity dl- 
 '' red all things both in the earth and in 
 /' the airy regions'." The ancient philofo- 
 phers, according to Cicero, *' divided nature 
 " into two parts, one of which was adive 
 *' the other paffive/' Thefe they fubdivided 
 into the four elements ; of which, air and 
 Jire have the powder of moving and of a6lu- 
 ating, while the others, eartb and water^ 
 are paffive and difpofed to receive their im- 
 'preflions'. With all this, the igneus vigor ^^ 
 Qifpiritus iritiis alem "" of Virgil, and the in- 
 telledual fpirit of our author (though, in- 
 deed, he does not feem to underftand it) 
 perfedly agree. 
 
 And here, if by the way, I may be per- 
 mitted to give my opinion, I cannot but 
 think that the heathen fages, bating their 
 atheiflical compliment of intelligence, talk 
 very rationally of this powerful agent the 
 eether 5 which, if confidered as an inferior 
 or fecond caufe, under the diredion of the 
 fupreme^ and purfued in this fenfe, might, 
 
 perhaps, 
 
 *" Hy^, O'ui^ TTX'JlalV STTlKPCclislui, OISTTOV CCTiXvlcC fCCcloC. (pvCTiV^ 
 ctxJ/O^O!' Kcti o^n xui -^ccva-ii' ev TOvlb) ■4'f%»!) vo'^, (p^OVYiCTK;^ 
 civ:^v<7K;, ;iivr;£7K, [/.ho^ctk;, oixX'Ka^iqf vkvqc, iye^t yo^cri^' rovlo 
 
 Lib. I. Sea. 11. ' JcaJ. ^afl. Lib. i. Ch. 6. 
 
 ^ Jineid. 6. 730. " Ihid. 1. 726. 
 
[75^ 
 
 perhaps, open no unentertaining fcene of 
 natural philofophy^ or at leaft ferve to di- 
 lucidate and explain the hints which Sir Ifaac 
 Newton"'^ hath dropt concerning the powcj- 
 and fufficlency of a material caufe (defcribed 
 by him as a fubtile medium^ or ather Jubti- 
 lis) which hints, as it is obferved by his in- 
 genious commentator Dr. Pemberton"^^ are 
 worthy of himfelf. 
 
 We find this fpirit^ and its operations, 
 traced in brief by the author through the 
 whole creation, under the name of inftinSi^ 
 " It is by inJiinSi (fays this philofopher) 
 ^^ that the minuteft particles of matter attracffc 
 ^' or repel each other : it is by inJiifiB that 
 ^^' the flower of the field is directed in throw- 
 " ing forth its leaves and its flowers, and 
 " forming its fruit in due feafon : it is by 
 " injlinSl that the birds of the air build 
 " their nefts ; and the beafts of the field 
 " provide for themfelves and their young V 
 This reafoning, v/hen the order of it is in- 
 verted, will iland thus— The birds of the 
 air and the beafts of the field (which are 
 ardmated beings) provide for themfelves by 
 (what we call) inJlinB i and, therefore, 
 L 2 the' 
 
 7 Opt. Qa. 21. '^ Pemb, Fievj, Intr. p. 22. ^ P. 23. 
 
[76] 
 
 the flowers of the field (which are ina?ii^ 
 mate) grow by inftinB j and, confequently, 
 all inanimate matter, attraBsy and rep eh by 
 inJiinB, 
 
 But the operations and efFefts of this in- 
 ftinB, may ferve as a key, which will help 
 us to difcover what that agent really is, that 
 is here difguiied under a term never before 
 applied to it. He obferves, that it is the 
 fame inftindl, which enables the beafts, ^c* 
 to provide for themfelves, and the flower to 
 throw forth its leaves, and form its fruit: 
 therefore this infanB is what the heathens 
 called the joiil of the world, and I find it 
 commented upon nearly in the fame words 
 — Hac igitur ejl animje mundi natura et 
 dignitas — qiice ccelo ignes accendity aera ac 
 mare luce ajiuque replet aique ^attollit, terras 
 ANiMALiBUs plantisque, foBCundaf^ teU 
 lurem denique alt em a in cevum vice nunc 
 fruijuSy nunc floribus vestit% Or if 
 we have a mind to take it from Macrobius^ 
 it will be ftill more exprefs — florum /pe- 
 des hie Deus (sol fc. ) injeminat, progene- 
 raty fovety 7iutrity maturatque^. In like 
 manner according to the true and proper 
 
 fenfe 
 
 f Vallin, in Bo'ith. Lib. 3- p. 144. \ Sat. L. i c 17. 
 
[ 17 \ 
 lenfe of this affair, we read, in the holy 
 fcripture, of the precious things put forth by 
 the Moon ^ and of the tender grafs, which 
 fpringeth up from the earth, by clear JInning 
 after rain"-. So that the author % account 
 oiinfiinB^ brings us back again to th^ Athene 
 of Jamblichiis^ and the 'virtus folis of For-- 
 phyry. 
 
 He, moreover, proceeds fo far as to think 
 that " all created fpirits may owe the li- 
 " mits of their exiflence, and the extent of 
 *^ their faculties to matter : and that the 
 *^ fame fpirit, which when cloathed with 
 *' one fet of material organs, is only capable 
 " of exerting its intelligence in the perform- 
 *' ing of attraction and repulfion, and when 
 *' jarring elem.ents meet, &c. breaks forth 
 *' in thunder, lightning, and earthquakes 
 " [^ccelo IGNES accendit) may when united 
 '* to a different i^i^ of a more delicate con- 
 " texture, be enabled to think and reafony 
 '' and when agitated with anger, to break 
 " forth in quarrels, contentic.i, and war^.'* 
 Hence it will follow, that the Ibul of a 
 pajfwnate man^ and the foul of giinpo%.dery 
 are in nature the fames only the one is 
 
 cloathed 
 
 fe D^;//. xxxiii. 14. ^ 2 ^atn. xxiii. 4. ^_ ?. 24, 25. 
 
[78] 
 
 cloathed with charcoal and fulphur, the 
 other with flefli and blood -, and the fame 
 foul that operates in a blaft of air, which 
 drives impetuoufly forward, and throws 
 down every thing which oppofes its courfe, 
 may afterwards operate in the body of a ty- 
 rant, and tear up kingdoms by the roots. 
 
 But there is another very fhocking confe- 
 quence which will naturally flovi^ from this 
 principle ^ for if the fame fpirit which per- 
 forms only the offices of attradion and rc- 
 puliion in inanimate bodies, may, when uni- 
 ted to a different fet of organs, be capable 
 of thought and reafoning 5 then, ince verfd^ 
 the fame fpirit, which when united to the 
 body of a man, is capable of thought and, 
 reafon^ may when that fet of organs is dif- 
 folved, be united to an inanimate body, and 
 be capable of exerting its intelligence, only 
 in the performance of attradiion and repul- 
 fion ; which at once deflroys the immor- 
 tality of the foul, introducing us at the 
 fame time to the dodlrine of tranfmigration 
 in its lowcft fenfe, and to all the jargon of 
 the Egyptians about the revolution of the 
 forms. But God forbid that any man, who 
 profeffes himfeh^a Ckrijlian, fiiould hcfpoiled 
 
 himfelfj 
 
[ 79 ] 
 
 himfelf, and endeavour to fpoil others, with 
 fuch Acitik^ihlQ philofophy and vain deceit as 
 this ! 
 
 How irreligious and unphiiofophical is 
 it to talk of intelleB ^ in thunder and light- 
 ning ! when all thefe natural operations are 
 performed by the mechanical agency of the 
 air or cether^ under the diredion of God ; 
 for fo we find them reprefented in holy 
 writ — h^p tr^pH!^ i:n:) ^heres dederunt 
 "Dociimy as Pigninus renders it, or, as the 
 ^ Englijh verfion hath \i-^The air thundered^ 
 and THINE arro%vs (the (hafts of lightning 
 .directed by the hand of the Almighty) we?2t 
 abroad^. There is, in this place, no men- 
 tion of any [piritiial agency, but that of the 
 [upreme Being 3 nor of any fecondary effici- 
 ents, but the air and ccmbuflible exhala- 
 tions J the former of which is not an intel- 
 ligent but a mechanical caufe 5 the latter are 
 materials for it to work upon. 
 
 So likewife as to the affair of vegetation ; 
 a plant we perceive will not grow without 
 
 the 
 
 * Cornelius Agrippa in his occult P'hilofophy mentions i.mc 
 orders o^ Denjils j the fixth of which was called the po^-ers of 
 the air, thefe are very bufy in thunder and lightning, and their 
 prince is called Mirizim. See Le Gra?iifs Body of Phil. p. 8g^, 
 fol. f FfaL Ixxvii. 17. 
 
[ 8o] 
 
 the agency oiair and light (that Is, heat the 
 receffary efFeft of fire or light) whereas, if 
 this operation was performed by the adive 
 power of any fpirit refiding in the plant, 
 then it fliould continue to extradt its nutri- 
 ment from the earth in which it is fet, and 
 to flourifli without the external agency of 
 any mechanical inftrument, which is utterly 
 contradided by experience. 
 
 But, to be no longer ferious upon fuch a 
 very odd fubjed, I fliall (for the humour of 
 the thing) allow that there are fpirits or ///- 
 telUgencies refiding in all bodies, wherein 
 we difcern any adive or attradive power 5 
 and that we may hear how this philofophy 
 will found, I flaall attempt to account for, 
 in the author's ftile, the wonderful efFeds 
 of the loadJio72e, In the loadftone then, there 
 are two poles, one of which attraEls^ the 
 other repels ; and fince a fpirit which hath 
 the operation of attradion afligned to it, 
 always attracts as a necefjary agent ^ and that 
 which hath the operation of repiilfion af- 
 figned to it, always repels ^, there mufl: in 
 a loadflione be two fpirits^ fitting back to 
 back upon the two poles, one performing 
 
 its 
 
 6 p. II. ^ Ihid, 
 
[ 8i ] 
 
 its office of attradlion, and pulling the needle 
 towards it, the other that of repulfion, and 
 driving it off. When the poles are inverted, 
 or the attrading one changed (as it may be) 
 into the repelling and vice verja ^ the tvi^o 
 fpirits have agreed to change places 5 and 
 when by Jire or the ftroke of an hammer, 
 either a loadftone or magnetic piece of iron 
 lofes its attrading and repelling power, the 
 fpirits are both of them either burnt out, 
 and expire in a dlue vapour (as a philofopher 
 once faid, who obferved this phanomeiton) 
 or knocked on the head* 
 
 He hath likewife philofophifed much on 
 the operations, and on the effence of the 
 human foul j but in his reafonings upon the 
 former, he feems greatly to have miftaken 
 the meaning, not only of Plato^ but alfo of 
 St. PauL For, having obferved^ that the 
 human mind is forced to be at the trouble 
 of " comparing the propofitions> which re-* 
 " fult from the agreement or difagreement 
 " of our ideas, in order to arrive at truth : 
 " hence it is, fays he, that Plato ' fpeaking 
 *^ of human abilities in the inveftigation of 
 " truth, calls it beholding things in the glafs 
 M " of 
 
 1 In Phad. 
 
[ 82 ] 
 ^' ofreafon\ which he explains by faying, 
 *' that as thofe who contemplate an eclipfe 
 « of the fun, lofe theftghtofit, unlefs they 
 '* are fo careful as to view its refledlion in 
 " water ; fo the eye of an human fpirit is 
 '* too weak to find out truth, unlefs it looks 
 *' at it thro' the medium of reafon ; which 
 " St. Paul alfo calls ^ feeing through a glafs 
 *' darkly'r 
 
 Plato does not here difcourfe about corn- 
 faring propofitionSy that is, about (Ao^^icr^©-) 
 rea fining*, but (Ao^oi) the reafons of terreftrial 
 things, or things which are not-^ and in- 
 forms us, that by attending properly to them, 
 we may thence infer the reafons of the (ra- 
 ovTa) things which really are, as for exam- 
 ple, by obferving nature, it appears that no 
 quality can poffibly admit its contrary, Fircy 
 the effence of which is heaty cannot become 
 €old^ and yet continue to htfire > therefore, 
 the foul, the eifence of which is life^ can- 
 not poffibly admit its contrary, death. 
 
 As to the fimilitude which Socrates makes 
 ufe of, to illuftrate this his plan of enquiry, 
 the author hath not rightly underftood it. 
 For, fays he, ** they who contemplate an 
 
 '' eclipfe 
 
 ' I Cor. xiii. 12. * ^u^/> p- 20, 21. 
 
[ 83 ] 
 ^* eclipfe of the fun, lofe fight of it, unlefs 
 *^ they are fo careful as to view its reflexion 
 *' in water ;" whereas Plato has it thus — > 
 " unlefs they view the image of the fun in 
 *' water, or fome fuch thing, they kfe (not 
 ^^ the fight of the fun) but their own eye- 
 ^^ fight^' by gazing attentively upon an ob- 
 jed brighter than it can bear ™. That is, 
 the mind, by contemplating too clofely the 
 fTOj ovuxy and endeavouring by its own in- 
 ternal energy to behold them as they are in 
 themfelves, will he dazzled and ftupifi- 
 •cd i but by having recourfe to feniible ob- 
 jects, it may there contemplate the images 
 of them, without being in the leaft im^ 
 paired. 
 
 Let us next examine whether St. Paul^ 
 when he fpeaks of feehtg through a glafs 
 darkly, hath any view to the cof?2paring of 
 propoftions. The Greek is, (^AeirofJiev yccp 
 ctDTi ^i eoTHn^a iv aiviyfjLOLTty Ton ^ TrooacoTivv 
 wp@^ 7rpo<Too7nv, JSIow (in this life) we fee 
 thrmgb a glafs (or mirror) by an aenigma ; 
 hut then face to face. Wherein he certainly 
 alludes to the manner in which we are 
 obliged to attain to all our knowledge of 
 M 2 things 
 
 °* Aja^Get^ovTai ya.^ wow ino\ rot o(ji.yia.roct estv f^n tv v^xn 
 
[84] 
 
 things fpiritual or invifible, that is, by 
 ufing the creation as a mirror in which to 
 behold them : for, as he obferves in an- 
 other place, the invifible things of God are 
 clearly feen fro?n the creation of the world^ 
 being underftood by the things which are 
 made. The whole natural world, through- 
 out the facred oracles, is referred to as a 
 figure of th^ fpiritual', inilances of which 
 it would be endlefs to produce : but as my 
 meaning may not be fufficiently clear and 
 explicit without a few, it may readily be 
 remembered, that the power and glory of 
 Chrif is fet forth in the operations of the 
 vifible light or fun " — his efficacy in raifing 
 the dead, by the dew which caufes the grafs 
 to fpring forth from the earth *^ — the dif- 
 ference between a corruptible and incorrup- 
 tible body, by earthly fubftances and the 
 lights of the firmament p — - the efficacy of 
 the Holy Spirit in cleanfing and purifying 
 the foul, by water which cleanfeth the 
 body"^ — the hidden manna or invifible bread 
 cf life, by natural bread, which fupports 
 the body, &c, ^Sc. Here are vifibles fub- 
 
 ftltuted 
 
 " Mai. iv. 2. John viii. 12. ** If. xxvi. 19. 
 
 P I Cor. XV. 38. <^ jeq. q John vii. 38, 39, 1 Cor. 
 
 vi. II. Tit. iii. 5. 
 
[ 85 ] 
 
 ftituted all the way inftead of hivifibles -, 
 becaufe as all our ideas enter by the fenfes, 
 it is impoffible for us to form any notion of 
 the latter, but by viewing them though the 
 medium of the former. 
 
 To reprefent things fpiritual under the 
 figures of things corporeal, is (according to 
 the fcripture-ufage of the word) to fpeak 
 by an anigma -, and to attend properly to 
 this method of conveying knowledge, is to 
 iinderfiand a proverb and the interpretation 
 of ity the words of the wife and their {oany^ 
 f^Tu) riddles or divi?2e allegories ; wherein 
 one thing obvious to fenfe is exprefled, and 
 another, beyond the reach of fenfe, intended 
 and underftood. 
 
 The whole meaning therefore of St, Paul's 
 expreflion, as I humbly conceive, is this — . 
 all fpiritual truths are fituated as it were 
 above or behind us, out of our fight ; while 
 the glafs of the creation lies before us, and 
 therein we fee them by a faint reflexion: 
 but in another life, when the foul (hall be 
 perfedled, and the body glorified, we fhall 
 then fee them no longer by reflexion, but 
 face to face ^ that is^ we (hall then receive, 
 1 not 
 
[ 86 ] 
 
 not the reflefted but the diredi rays, which 
 ilTue forth from them. 
 
 But we are now going to confider fome 
 operations of the foul, infinitely moregrofs' 
 than thofe of thinkijig and reafoning : for, 
 in the author's opinion, *' it is the fame 
 *' wife agent which operates in the digeftion 
 " of our foody and that enables us to put in 
 *' execution the diredions of our will^'* 
 It is not my province to explain the whole 
 procefs of dlgejlion^ &c. nor would the 
 compafs of this work admit of the attempt : 
 but, I think, the Chymifts zxq pretty gene- 
 rally agreed, that all digeftion is performed 
 by the agency oi fire or heat^ -, and Dr. 
 Keil, in his excellent little compendium of 
 miaiomyy accounts for this operation by the 
 force of fleam -, which amounts to the very 
 
 fame thing: his words are thefe- " This 
 
 " force (that is, of the fluids adling in the 
 '' ftomach) is much augmented by the im- . 
 " petus which the heat of the ftomach 
 •* gives to the particles of the finids ^ nor 
 •' does this heat promote digejlion only thus, 
 *' but likewife by rarefying the air con- 
 " taincd in the pores of our food, which 
 
 " burfts 
 
 * P. 22. ^ See Dr. Fiiend\ Cbym. Left. p. 103. 
 
[ 87 ] 
 
 *' burfts its parts afunder ^*' Air md fre 
 ^vc material ^nd mechanical agents : whe- 
 ther they are wife ones or not, I leave 
 my learned readers to judge for themfelves. 
 However, thus much may be faid for the 
 author, that in this opinion he doth not 
 Hand fingle, fince moft of the ancient Gen- 
 tile philofophers are on his fide. Their opi- 
 nions are colleded by Manafeh Ben Ifrael^-r 
 ^' Hipparchus thought that the foul was 
 «' compofed oi jire\ Anaximenes^ Anaxa^ 
 " goras^ Diogenes CynicuSy and Critias main- 
 " tained, that it was air. Others again 
 " contended, that it was a mixture of air 
 " and/r^, as Epicurus. Others afErmed, 
 '' that it was a thin fpirit difFufed through 
 " the whole body, as Hippocrates Cous. 
 '' Heraclitus Ponticus faid that the foul is 
 '' light''.''* With fome, or with all of 
 thefe, the author muft concur in fentiment, 
 when he refers the operations of the mate- 
 rial or animal fpirit to the effence of the 
 immortal and immaterial, which is altoge- 
 ther diftind: from it. 
 
 The 
 
 t Anat. ahridg^d, p. 4I. " ^' ^'f^'' ^'''' ^'^' ^^ 
 
 chap. 8„— the fame colkaion, with feveral additions to the 
 lame purpofe, is to be met with in Mairebius f> Somn, Set/,. 
 lib. I. chap. 14, 
 
[ 88 ] 
 
 The Chevalier Ramfay is pleafed to fay, 
 that the Pythagoreans " always diftinguiflied 
 '^ between the underjlanding or the pure 
 " fpi^i^y ^^^ ^^^ <^;z/wj/ foul or ether ial 
 " body : that they confidered the one as the 
 ** fource of our thoughts^ the other as the 
 " caufe of our motiofis'",'' But I could wiih, 
 that this learned man had been a little more 
 exprefs in his evidence for the truth of this 
 diftindion. It is, to be fure, highly ra- 
 tional to fuppofe that there is an animal 
 foul or etherial fluid difFufed through the 
 body y and this agent bids the faireft for 
 fupplying us with an eafy and natural folu- 
 tion of mufcular motion ^ : but after what 
 manner the isoill or intelkBual fpirit makes 
 its impreffions upon this, fo as to caufe it 
 to exert its influence, muft always remain a 
 fecret. 
 
 When the effay-wrifer imputes thefe me- 
 chanical operations of the material fpirit^ 
 
 to, 
 
 ^ TheoL of the ancients, p. 40, 41. 
 
 ''Sir Jfaac Ne^^^ton was plainly of this opinion, and has 
 a remarkable paflage to our purpofe— Adjicere jam liceret 
 nonnulla de/piritu quodam fubtilifiimo, cujus vi & adionibus 
 - — fenfatio omnis excitatur, & membra animalium ad volun- 
 tatem moventur, vibrationibus fcilicet hujus fpiritus ad cere- 
 brum ^ a cerebro in mufculos fropagatis. Princlp. Schol. 
 gen. ad fin. 
 
[ ^9 ] 
 
 to, what he calls, a mfe agent, he feeks to 
 confirm his hypcthefts by this common ob- 
 iervation, that '' when the belly is full, the 
 « bones would be at reft 5 which (fays he) • 
 « feems entirely owing to this, that the fpi- 
 « rit, being unmolefted with human cogi- 
 «^ tations, and its attendance upon our will, 
 " may be more at leifure to purfue thofe 
 « operations, which are immediately necef- 
 '^ fary towards our prefervation ^.^ So then, 
 there are upon this occafion no dull fumes 
 which arife from the ftomach, and opprefs 
 ihtfenfory : no ; xhtfpirit is fo much taken 
 up with its natural functions of digeftiony 
 concoBion, feparation, &c. that it is too bufy 
 to think or reafon. He might have added, 
 as a collateral proof, that when a man takes 
 phyfic, and the foul is exercifmg its purga- 
 tive faculty, he is then lefs able to ftudy, 
 read, or meditate : which may be eafily ac- 
 counted for upon his principles 3 though 
 phyficians indeed are fo impertinent as to 
 fay, that fach an indifpofition is entirely 
 owing to a relaxation of the whole frame, 
 which forbids any intenfe application of the 
 bodily organs. 
 
 N A^ 
 
 y Ibid. 
 
[90] 
 
 As I have now finiflied my firft chapter, 
 I think it neceffary to obferve, that this 
 head of the ejfay we have hitherto been 
 upon, is entitled by the author, The doc- 
 trine of the Trinity confidered in the light of 
 nature and reafon^ becaufe, unlefs the reader 
 were reminded of it, he might not fo rea- 
 dily perceive any connexion between that 
 facred docSrine, and thefe philofophical fpe- 
 culations. 
 
 C H A P. IL 
 
 The exijience and power of created fpirits. 
 
 <c l.rTrnHERE feems to be no contra- 
 " JL didion (fays the author) in fup- 
 ^^ pofir g that God might communicate fo 
 " much power to one of his own creatures^ 
 *' of a more exalted nature than man, as to 
 *' enable him to create inferior beings, and 
 " frame a world of his own ^." This is 
 introduced, I prefume, in order to prepare 
 us for conceiving, that Chri/l may be a 
 Creator, and yet notwithftanding this, be 
 
 himfcli 
 
 ^ P. 271. 
 
[91] 
 
 himfelf a creature j which, in efFeft, was 
 the herefy of Carpocrates^ who affirmed that 
 angels were the creators of the world ^. But 
 by a Creator^ the Chrijlian world hath al- 
 ways underftood a jirfi caufe : and if there 
 are more Creators than one^ there are more 
 Jirjl caufe s than one. So that the author 
 hath hereby entangled himfelf in a contra- 
 didion, which, a while ago, he feemed to 
 hold in the very utmoft contempt. And 
 farther, if God may give this power to one 
 creature, becaufe there is no contradi5iion in 
 it (which, by the way, is fuch a turn of 
 arguing as will run us upon everlafling fup- 
 pofitions) then he may, for the fame reafon, 
 communicate this power to any or to all of 
 thofe fpirits he hath given being to. So 
 that we are like to have a ftrange confufed 
 multitude of Creators^ which it muft be 
 blafphemy to mention, or even to think of: 
 but I am obliged to take that dirty road the 
 author leads me 5 and if I am not fo fuc- 
 cefsful as to turn him out of it, I may pofr 
 libly prevent others from ftriking into it. 
 
 11. He goes on — -'' We cannot fay, but 
 
 ^' that fome fpirits may be furnifhed with 
 
 N 2 ^* bodies 
 
 A'thanaf. Qrat. II. contr. Arian. 
 
[ 92 ] 
 
 " bodies of fo delicate a texture, that they 
 '' may cloathe themfehes with lighf, as it 
 '' were with a garment y 7nay make the clouds 
 " their chariot, and walk upon the wings of 
 '* the winder We have no right to infer 
 any fuch thing from a defcription, meant 
 only of the fupreme God : for to Him it is, 
 that the Pfahniji in the preceding verfe ad- 
 dreffes himfelf— jB/^/? the Lcr^ (mn^ D.S) 
 O my foul : Lord my God, thou art he- 
 come exceeding glorious^ &c. As the fupreme 
 God is moft indifputably here denominated 
 by the word Jehovah^ it argues a great de- 
 gree of prefumption in the author to rob 
 him of the context, and apply it to created 
 fpirits, without being able, or even at- 
 tempting, to produce any reafon or autho- 
 rity for fo doing. 
 
 III. And again — " That no worlds, fil- 
 " led with intelligent fpirits, were created 
 *' till about 6000 years ago 3 about which 
 '' time, both reafon and revelation agree, 
 ^' that this ball of earth began to revolve 
 " about the fun, is a thought unworthy of 
 *' a philofopher \ '* Reafon, to be fure^ 
 hath many proofs that the world was creat- 
 ed 
 
 ^ P. 28. ^ P, i;o. 
 
[ 93 1 
 
 ed juft about 6000 years ago 5 the firft and 
 nioft ftriking of which is, that it cannot 
 prove it to have been created at all. For 
 Arijlotle maintained that it v^as eternal^-, 
 and even though he had received fome ob- 
 fcure account of the v^orld's creation by 
 tradition, abfolutely rejedled it as abfurd and 
 incredible : and Arijlotle is, I think, allov^- 
 ed to have ^been a perfecS mafter of reafon. 
 But how doth revelation agree, that this 
 ball of earth began to revolve about the 
 fun ? If the author can fliew where the 
 fcripture afferts the revolution of the earth, 
 he hath an opportunity of fettling a contro- 
 verfy, which hath long diftrelTed the learned 
 world with regard to the facred philofophy. 
 IV. After he has fappofed, that a creature 
 may be a Creator^ purely becaufe it is no 
 contradiction ; he paffes on to that rule or 
 dominion over the earth, and the feveral na- 
 tions of it, with which he imagines the 
 angels to be inveiled. In relation to which, 
 he firfl: fuits himfelf with an opinion from 
 jihe heathens, and then attempts to make 
 the fcripture perfedly comformable to it. 
 The Pagan option of this matter, as deli- 
 vered 
 
 i Gale's Court of the Gent. P. II. B. 6. ch. i. 
 
[ 94 1 
 
 vered by the Efay-wrifer^ is as follows :— 
 ** Hefiod, one of the firft heathe^i authors 
 " extant, fuppofeth myriads of invifible fpi- 
 ^' rits cloathed in air, attending upon this 
 *^ terreftrial globe, and employed as angels ^ 
 ** that is, mejjhigersy between the great God 
 *' and mankind, ohferving their aftions, and 
 *' reporting them to Jupiter'' And Plato 
 fays% " that Saturn well knowing there was 
 '* no man who could have abfolute empire 
 " over others, without abandoning himfelf 
 ^' to ail kinds of violence and injuftice, fub- 
 " jeded the nations to dcemom or intelligent 
 " fpirits, as their lords and governors ^." 
 
 As this gentleman does, for the moft 
 part, give a lame and imperfe.d: account of 
 every thing, it will be proper to examine 
 more particularly into the nature of thefe 
 daemons : this done, it will be very clear, 
 that there neither is, nor can be, any re- 
 femblance or fimilitude between them, and 
 the minifiring fpirits of the true God, men- 
 tioned in holy fcripture. . 
 
 Hejiod tells us, that '^ the race of men 
 '' which lived in peace and fecurity in the 
 '* golden age under the reign of Saturn^ 
 
 " were, 
 
 «^ Plato de Leg. lib. 4. ^ P. 32. 
 
[95] 
 
 ^^ were, when they died (upon the expira- 
 " tion of that happy age) ordained by the 
 *' wife counfel of Jupiter to be daemons, 
 *« which go to and fro about the earth 
 *^ clothed in air, obferving the good and 
 " evil adlions of men s. *' The dcemom 
 therefore, or myriads of invijiblefpirits which 
 Hefiod fuppofeth, are nothing more than the 
 departed fouls of men, cloathed in air : as for 
 their being angels or meffengers between the 
 great god ( that is, the heathen Jupiter) 
 and mankind, he fays nothing about it. 
 
 But there happens to be a very notable 
 contradiction, as to this affair, between 
 Tlato and Hefiod: the one fuppofeth thefe 
 daemons to have been appointed by Saturn 
 that is, during the time of the golden age -, 
 becaufe his adminlftration and the golden 
 age expired together : the other maintains, 
 that they were ordained by Jupiter ^ who, 
 as it is well known, did not begin his reign, 
 till he had firft caflrated and dethroned his 
 father Saturn. 
 
 Another account of thefe beings, given 
 more at large, is to be found in Apuleius^ 
 which I (hall contradt into as fmall a com- 
 
 pafs, 
 
 g Hefiod. Egy, lib. L 1. io8, ^<r. 
 
[96] 
 
 pafs, as can conveniently be done, and fet it 
 down. " There are certain middle powers 
 *' (between the gods and meriy that is) which 
 " are divine : thefe the Greeks call dcemons^ 
 " by whom, as Flato fuppofes, all the mi- 
 *' racles of magicians are performed, and 
 *^ the various figns, fuch as appear in the 
 " entrails of beafts, the flafhings of lighten- 
 *^ ing, ^c, by which we foretel future 
 *' events,, are regulated ; for it is not worth 
 *' the while of the Dii fuperi to condefcend 
 '^ to fuch offices as thefe. They have bodies 
 *' fo exadly balanced, that they are neither 
 *' too light nor too heavy; for were they 
 *' too light, they might mount upwards, 
 " and fly off Into the more remote etherial 
 ^^ fpaces ; were they too heavy, they might 
 " then take the lower road, and be preci- 
 '' pitated into the infernal regions/' The 
 argument, made ufe of by Apulehis^ to 
 prove the exiftence of thefe airy dcemons^ 
 is fomething curious: *' For as there are 
 '* animals which inhabit the earthy others 
 " which live in water^ and others again, as 
 ** Ariftotle contends, in fire ; therefore, ar- 
 *^ gues he, it is abfurd to fuppofe that the 
 " element oi air is left defolate, and with- 
 3 '' out 
 
[97] 
 
 '^ out its proper inhabitants generated in it : 
 *' as for birds, they are more properly to 
 *' be efteemed terreftrial animals ^.'* 
 
 Such is the nature of dsemons, as de- 
 fcribed by the Heathens, who believed in, 
 and worfliipped this tribe, only becaufe they 
 thought the matter of the univerfe to be 
 eternal, and the air (of which according 
 to them the human foul was a part) divine 
 and intelligent. Whether there is any re- 
 femblance between thefe and the mi?2ijiri?2g 
 fpirits mentioned in the holy fcripture, will 
 appear when we confider, that the former 
 depend upon the matter of this fyftem for 
 their exiftence, and hover continually in 
 the air ; the latter were in being before it, 
 and dwell in the prefence of ' God. We 
 fhould likewife remember the promife of 
 Chriji^ that at the refurreBion we fliall be 
 as the angeh of God which are in heaven ; 
 and if by heaven is meant the material hea- 
 ven^ or expanfe filled with fpirits, then our 
 refidence is to be as theirs is, in the air^ 
 which is every way impoffible. For at the 
 laft day, the heavens^ or expanfe, (efteemed 
 divine and intelligent by its infatuated vo- 
 O taries) 
 
 ** j^puL de Deo Socrafis, p. 62, Sec. 
 * R(v. xii. 7." DfTi. vii. 10. 
 
[ 98 ] 
 taries) JJ:aU pafs animy with a great noife, 
 and the elements Jh all melt withjervent heat-, 
 the earth alfo, and the works that are therein, 
 jhall be burnt up ^. 
 
 V. But we ought to enquire, how the 
 Heathe?7S can pofllbly be qualified to give 
 any evidence worth our notice upon this 
 point ? The opinion of the Effay-writer is, 
 that '' the Greeks^ it is certain, and Plato 
 " in particular, borrowed many of their 
 ^' theological fentinients from the Hebrews-, 
 " among whom this, of a number of in- 
 " vifible fpirits attending upon this globe 
 '* of earth, and prefiding over ftates and 
 ** kingdoms, was certainly one K'* The 
 infinite difparity between the two accounts 
 of thefe fpirits, as given, on the one hand, 
 by the heathen philofophers, and, on the 
 other, by the fcripture, fhould^ I think, 
 feem entirely to preclude any fuch fuppofi- 
 tion. But what Hebrews does the author here 
 mean ? not the modern Jews, for they bor- 
 rowed from the Greeks^ and corrupted their 
 own theology, by heathen philofophy. If 
 he means the ancient Hebrews, they muft 
 have been fo very ancient, that none of their 
 
 fentiments 
 
 ^ 2 Pet. iii. 10. * P. 33. 
 
[ 99 ] 
 
 fentiments are to be found but in the early 
 parts of the fcripture - hiftory. For the 
 Greeks received moll: of their knowledge, 
 and indeed all their ancient theology, from 
 the Phc^72icians ; being defcended from thofe 
 Ccmaanites which in the time of yoJJjua in- 
 habited ^Jta^ who afterwards were called 
 PhcefiiciajiSy and fpread themfelves from j4Jia , 
 into Africa^ and from thence into Greece^ 
 Italy, &c. 
 
 Hence came that knowledge which the 
 Greeks had of writing or letters^ from Cad" 
 mus^ as they fay, but rather from CDHp, 
 CaDoM, the Eaft "", the land of Canaan^ 
 from whence the Ifraelites had driven them. 
 And this indeed they clearly confefs, by 
 calling this Cadmus a Thcenican, and their 
 letters ^oivwjfiioL, the Phoenician thi?jgs ", as 
 being abfolutely of Fhcenician or oriental 
 origin. 
 
 All their theological fentiments of t/iis 
 early date, w^ere certainly derived from the 
 Canaanites 5 and the very higheft of them 
 muft founder in that idolatry, by adhering 
 to which, the inhabitants of the land of 
 Canaan^ had filled up the meafure of their 
 O 2 ini- 
 
 »" See Mifceh reflexions upon Mr. Squire s effays. 
 * Chijhul\ aniiq. Afiat. p.p9. N° 37, 38. 
 
[no] 
 
 iniquities, and were deflroyed or externii- 
 rated by the armies of the living God. 
 
 As for any fentiments of Fhcenician the- 
 ology, borrowed and picked up by Tlato 
 in his travels, he himfelf is not very clear 
 concerning them. He calls them Phoenician 
 and Syria?i fables^ and declares that they 
 were ctiropnToh urifpeakable^ that is, (as the 
 learned Gale very judicioufly comments) be- 
 caufe he neither underjlood^ nor could exprefs 
 the mind thereof^. Now thefe muft have 
 been either portions of the pure fcripture, 
 or Jewi/h comments upon the fcripture — if 
 they were the former, the original of them 
 muft be found in the Bible ; if they were 
 the latter, it is moft likely they were ihi- 
 pure forgeries j becaufe ever from the Baby- 
 lojjtjh captivity, to the coming of Chriji^ 
 they grew daily more and more ignorant, 
 in proportion as oral tradition prevailed, and 
 the plain word of fcripture was thereby cor- 
 rupted. In either cafe Flato confefles that 
 he did not underftand them, and therefore 
 not much can be gathered from them. As 
 to tlie affair of dcemoiis or intelligent Jpirits, 
 in particular, Blato exprefTes himfelf fo clear- 
 ly 
 
 ° Vol. I. p. Z4> 
 
[ lOI ] 
 
 ly upon this, and withal fo differently from 
 the fcripture, that v/e may fairly conclude, 
 that this fentiment was certainly not borrow-- 
 ed from thence. 
 
 However, upon the whole I will confefs 
 (and it muft be confefled) that fome articles 
 in the theology of the Pagans, were origi- 
 nally of Hebrew^ that is, of divine extrac- 
 tion : but then they are fo defperatcly man- 
 gled, fo altered to the purpofes of heathenifm, 
 and turned into the channel of idolatry ; 
 that to think of truly explaining any myfte- 
 rious dodrine of the fcriptures by thefe 
 ethnic perverfions of it, would be no lefs 
 abfurd, than to fearch for the true fenfe of 
 Virgil^ in Mr. Cottons Travejlie, 
 
 VI. We now pafs on to the fcripture itfelf; 
 from whence the author hath extracfted fe- 
 veral paffages, in proof of this his dodlrine, 
 of a '' number of inviiible fpirits attending 
 ^' upon this globe of earth, and preiiding 
 ** over ftates and kingdoms :" whether thefe 
 proofs have any relation to the point in 
 hand, will appear upon an examination of 
 them. 
 
 I. The firfl is, the text of Df7//.xxxii. 8. 
 
 as rendered by the LXX — When the Moft 
 
 3 High 
 
[ 102 ] 
 High divided to the nations their inheritance^ 
 when he Jeparated the fons of Adam, he Jet 
 the bounds of the nations according to the 
 number oj the angels of God^, The words 
 which the LXX have mofl unaccountably 
 tranflated by oL^yeXo^ r&Ey, angels of God, are, 
 in the Hebrew original, b^lti^^ ^::i, children 
 of Ifraely with which our author is fo fair 
 as to acknowledge, that the rendering of 
 the LXX does not exacily agree. I need 
 not therefore defcend to any critical exami- 
 nation of this matter, till he can Ihew us, 
 either that ^Nn?i^^ ^:in is equivalent to af^gAo; 
 ^y, or that the authority of the LXX is 
 fuperior to that of the Hebrew text. 
 
 2. The fecond is the following paflage 
 from the wifdom of Sirach — ---For in the 
 divifwn of the nations of the^ whole earthy 
 God fet a ruler (or governing angel, fays the 
 author) over every people-, but Ifrael is the 
 Lord's portion *i. In the firft place, this is 
 an apocryphal book of fcripture, which the 
 church doth not apply to efablijh any doc- 
 trine '' ; and in the fecond place, the origi- 
 nal word, which he renders by, goveryiing 
 angel, is nothing more than yi}'V/x?r©^, a 
 
 leader 
 " P- 33' 34» 35- ^ M^y^ P 34-— Eccluf.xvii. 17. 
 
 ^^tii. Article \'\. 
 
[ 103 1 
 
 leader or head of a nation • ; and yet, two 
 pages after this, he boldly refers to this me- 
 taphrafe, as if it were a true and undifputed 
 conftrudion. 
 
 n, «« What adds no fmall weight with 
 " him in this affair, is an expreflion made 
 " ufe of by St. Paul, Heb. ii. 5. where, 
 «< fpeaking of the fecond coming of our 
 «' Saviour, in a ftate manifeflly fuperior to 
 <* angels \ he fays, for unto the angels hath 
 " he not put in Jubjedlion the world to come^ 
 " of which we JpeaL Whence it feems to 
 " appear, that it was St. PWs opinion, 
 ** that this prefent world had been put in 
 -" fubjedion to angels".*' No fach thing 
 can appear, becaufe, in the lafl verfe of the 
 preceding chapter, St. Paul aflerts the very 
 contrary, and informs us, that the angels 
 ^are all minifiring fpirits, feni out to miiiijler 
 
 for 
 
 « Hyi|xa-y is ufed Gen. xxxvi. near 50 times by the LXX 
 in this fenfe. And in this very book of Lcdefiapcus^ the 
 
 word viyeiAEv^ fignifies a f.^aj^er or ruler not an ange/ic 
 
 one, becaufe cercain moral direaions are given him for his 
 behaviour. Ch. xxxii. i . or, as fome copies Lave it, ch. xxxv» 
 the title of which is— -cTEpt y^yeiAeiuv. 
 
 » How comes the author to confefs that the flate of C/:riJi 
 is mamfefily Juperior to angels F for we know of no intellec- 
 jual beings, but God, argels, and men-, and as angels are 
 Tuper-or to men, and ChriJ} fuperior to both, he muft, ag- 
 cording to this concelTion, be G-J^ ** P. 0. 
 
[ 104 ] 
 
 for themy who JI: all be heirs of falvatlcn. If 
 therefore all of them, which have any in- 
 tercourfe with the earth, are appointed only 
 to mijiifler or ferve^ they are not appointed 
 to rule or have dominion : unlefs it can be 
 proved, by fome unintelligible fubtilties, that 
 ,a perfon by being minifter'd unto, is put into 
 fubjeclion ; which, I mufl apprehend to be 
 impoflible. 
 
 4. " This opinion is confirmed by St. 
 " Jude for fays he, Ar>eA«$ rt tb5 fjLn 
 
 ." XiirQVTx<i TO iSiov oixurrfiop, &c. 7^he aft' 
 .** gels which kept not their principalities with 
 " due carCy but negleded their proper pro- 
 " vinces, he (God) hath referved in ever- 
 ^' lafting chains under darknefs/' This is 
 the author's tranflatlon, and he aflerts, that 
 the ** "verfe ought to he fo traiifated^ ,'* 
 His earneft defire of obfcuring the docflrine 
 of the bleffed Trinity, leads him into per- 
 petual miftakes ; for, a more erroneous tran- 
 llation than this, was furely never offered 
 by any man of learning in the world, i. 
 He is pleafed to render ap^m, pri?2cipalities, 
 and QiKrilnpiov, provinces, in the plural, when 
 
 the 
 
 - P. 37. 
 
[ ,05 ] 
 the original words are both fingular ; which 
 makes a great difference. 2. The word 
 ap^v cannot relate to any principality which 
 the fallen angels once had over the earth, 
 and forfeited by a neglecft of their duty; 
 becaufe after their fall, they ftill preferve 
 their title of ap^oa — for, faith St. Paul, we 
 wrejlle not againji Jlejh and bloody but againjl 
 frincipalitieSy tt^^as^. 3. The words iS'zoi' 
 oimrvpiovy cannot fignify, their proper pro* 
 vincey that is, a nation over which an angel 
 had the government, becaufe oinYiTPipiov never 
 fignifies any thing but an habitation or dwel- 
 ling-place 'y and to render it as the author 
 does, is as unfcholar-like a piece of criti- 
 cifm, as if he had afferted, that when 
 Strabo calls Athens the <m(fm o/x^Trpior, he 
 means that it was the place, in which wife 
 men were governing ajigeh, 4. The dwel- 
 ling of thofe angels which St. "Jude fpeaks 
 of, could not have been any nations or 
 provinces upon earth, becaufe the angels 
 which fell, fell from heaven — How art thou 
 fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, fon of the 
 morning ^ ! 5. When they were caft down 
 from this their firft eftate and dwelling, 
 P thi 
 
 ^ Eph, vi. 12. y Ifa. xiv. T2, 
 
[ io6 ] 
 
 the earth was not created ; for the fall of 
 the angels was a circumftance which niuft 
 have happened before the world j becaufe, 
 as foon as the world was created, there was 
 a devil ready to tempt and deftroy mankind. 
 So that upon the whole, if he had main- 
 tained the very contrary, and afferted, not 
 that angels Were degraded from the direc- 
 tion of any provinces upon earth, but that 
 they afiumed their proper provinces in con- 
 fequence of their degradation, he would 
 have been much nearer the truth : for thofe 
 evil fpirits with whom we are in a ftate of 
 warfare, are called Kocr/btoKpe^ope^ rulers of 
 this world' ':, and the devil himfelf is called 
 the prince of this world. He is alfo termed 
 the prince of the power of the air ; and thofe 
 evil fpirits, the miniflers of his fubtile and 
 deftradlive wiles, which hover in that ele- 
 ment, like adtive and fharp-fighted birds of 
 prey, are the Dcemo?2s the author endea- 
 vours to obtrude upon us from the hea- 
 thens, as beneficent miniflers of the Al- 
 mighty, 
 
 5. '' The prophet Daniel declares, that 
 •* the angel Gabriel having touched him and 
 
 [^ fpoken 
 
 * Eph. vi. 12. 
 
[ ^o? ] 
 " fpoken to him, faid, that he was come to 
 ^* make him under ji and what Jhould befal 
 " his people in the latter days^ and that he 
 *^ would have come fooner, but that the 
 ** prince (or rulings or governing angel) of 
 *' the kingdom of Perfia, wifhjlood him one 
 *^ and twenty days^ till Michael one of the 
 *' chief princeSy or as the Hebrew exprefleth 
 *' it, the FIRST PRINCE came to help hi?n''J\ 
 It is wrong to fuppofe that the prophet Da- 
 niely when he fp'eaks (by the information 
 of the angel) concerning the princes of Per-^ 
 fa and Grceci(^y means (according to the 
 author'^ metaphrafe) governing angels : fince 
 it is plain, that he frequently refers to the 
 then condition of thofe kingdoms, and 
 prophefies concerning the changes of the 
 Perfan and Grcecian empires; wherein, 
 amongft the affairs of other princes^ he al- 
 ludes to thofe of Alexander and Darius Co^ 
 domannus ^ ; fo that if the prophecy of Da- 
 niel be interpreted throughout according to 
 this new plan, the battle of Arbela will ap- 
 pear to have been no other than the battle 
 of the angels j we may, therefore, fairly 
 P 2 give 
 
 * May p. 45. Dan. X. 1 3. ^ See Umh'ue Hift. Qaat. 
 Monarch, p.. 1 1 8, ^c, p, 302. ^c. 
 
[ io8 ] 
 
 give up all that he hath advanced upon the 
 prophecy of Daniel -y but before we difmifs 
 it, it will be proper to obviate what he has 
 offered about Michael^ one of the chief princes^ 
 or the frft prince : by which, and by an- 
 other expreffion in the fame prophecy — 
 Michael the great prince^ which faitdeth 
 for the children of Ijrael — he thinks it is in- 
 timated that as inferior angels were appointed 
 to rule over other nations, fo he was com- 
 luiffioned by God to rule over IfraeL 
 
 He fuppofes all along that Michael is the 
 fame perfon with Chrift -y which I readily 
 grant, and will give my reafons for grant- 
 ing this, though he hath not given his for 
 fuppofing it. After which (though this 
 fubjed more properly belongs to my next 
 chapter) it fhall be fhewn, that Michael is 
 not a created angel, and that he had not 
 the diredion of Ifrael) as the author afferts *" 
 afftgned him by the Moft High, as the por- 
 tion of his inheritance. 
 
 Firft then, I am to fhew that Michael 
 and Chrifi are one and the fame perfon. 
 
 There is no evidence, throughout the 
 whole fcripture, for a plurality of archan- 
 
[ 109 ] 
 gels : we hear only of one, who is ap^«t)jf 
 TO)v oifyi?^oov (for fuch the word is, when given 
 at length) the heady or ruler cf the angels^ 
 he whonri the angels were commanded to 
 worjldipy as being his creatures and fervants. 
 And thefe angels, which in the book of 
 Reijelatiojty are called the angels of Michael^ 
 are likewife faid to be the angels of Chrifti 
 for, the Son of Man (as he himfelf hath 
 aflured us) fiall come^ in the glory of the Fa- 
 ther^ with his holy a?2geh^ -^ and again, the 
 Son of M.2iVi fiall Jend forthy at the end of 
 the world, his angels'". Therefore, as the 
 angels have but one ruler ^ and are faid to be 
 the angels of Michael^ and of the Son of 
 Many it neceffarily follows, that Michael 
 and the Son of Man are one and the fame 
 perfon. The fame conclufion will follow, 
 upon a comparifon of the two following 
 texts. — T^he Lord himfelf (hall defc end from 
 heaven with a Jhouty with the voice of the 
 archangel^ &c^ which voice of the arch^ 
 angel is elfewhere faid to be the voice of the 
 Son of Man — For the hour is coining^ in the 
 
 whicl\ 
 
 ^ Matt. xvi. 27. • Ibid, xiii. 41. ^ i ThefT. i\\ i6. 
 
C "o] 
 
 which^ all they that are in the graves^ Jhcill 
 hear his imcey and come forth ^. 
 
 And thus is this matter rightly underftood 
 by the very learned and pious Jolm Gregory^ 
 where, fpeaking of that voice, Vv^hlch ihall 
 av^ake the dead, he fays, '' nor fhall it be 
 " the voice of a God, and not of a man ; 
 *' it ihall be an human voice, for by the 
 *' archangel v^e are to mean the Son oj Man^ 
 y for the hour is coming, &c^." 
 
 The fecond propofition I am to make 
 good is, that Michael is not a created angel. 
 
 The only paffage vi^herein he is menti- 
 oned under the charafter of the archangel^ 
 is to be found in the epiflle of St. 'Jude — v. 
 9. — Michael the archangel, when contending 
 with the devil, he difputed about the body of 
 Mofes, durji not (or was not bold to) bring 
 cgainfl him a railing accufation^ but faid, 
 the Lord rebuke thee. Now if w^e turn to the 
 prophecy of Zechariah'\ it v^ill appear, that 
 he who fpake thefe words to the devil, as 
 referred to by St, Jude^ is there exprellly 
 charadlerized as a perfon of Jehovah, And 
 be fhewed me^ fays the prophet, Jojhua 
 
 jla?idi?2g 
 
 8 John V. 25, 27, 23. ^ Pojib, IVoyks, part 2. p. 6z, 
 * Ch. iii. 12. 
 
[Ill] 
 
 fiandlng before the angel of the Lord, 
 and Satan ftaftding at his right hand to rejijl 
 hifriy and the Lord faid unto Satan^ the 
 Lord rebuke thee-, where the word tranf- 
 lated, the Lord^ is in both places Jehovah. 
 As Michael, therefore, hath that name ap- 
 plied him, which without all controverfy 
 denotes Je If' exijlence, he cannot be a created 
 cjigeL Nothing but an unreafonable pre- 
 judice to mere founds, can difpofe us to 
 think, that becaufe he is deferibed as the 
 Urch angel or prince of the angelic hoji^ he is 
 therefore of the number with thofe Beings, 
 of whom he i^ the headend riders, fincethe 
 very fame turn of argument will prove that 
 becaufe God is called the king of kings ^ or 
 Chrifi the prince of the kings of the earth ^, 
 he is therefore the chief of earthly mo- 
 narchs, and nothing more. 
 
 To what hath been faid in relation to this 
 fecond particular, it may farther be added, 
 that the fame hoft of celeftial beings are 
 called, not only the angels of Michael and 
 of the Son of Man, but alfo the angels of 
 God the Father^: from which intercom- 
 munity 
 
 ^ Rev.i. ^, A^^uv 7U1 ^ifrQ-^hiUi T>)? >-»!?. ' P^6V, iii. J. 
 LuL Ku, 8, lUb. I 6. 
 
[ 112] 
 
 manity of appropriation I infer (and, I own, 
 I do not fee what can invalidate the infe- 
 rence) that as Michael and Chriji appear from 
 hence to be the fame perfon, fo it muft alfo 
 appear that Chrifi partakes of the fame di- 
 vine eflcnce with God the Father, and is 
 his co-equal in majefty, power, and domi- 
 nion. 
 
 It is in the next place to be {hewn, that 
 Cln^ifi under the names oi Michaely Jehovahy 
 or the great prince which jiandeth for the 
 children ^Ifrael, had not " the care of xSxdX 
 *' nation ajfigned to him by the Moji High^* 
 as the portion of his inheritance ; which 
 propofition is by the Effay writer held in the 
 affirmative"", and a great part of his work 
 refts upon the fuppcfed truth of it. 
 
 But if Chrijly as the guid^ and protestor 
 of the cliildren of Ifrael^ was himfclf the 
 Is^fl Highy it muft carry with it a felf-con- 
 tradicftion to fay, that he had the care of 
 that people ajjigned to him, as the portion 
 of his inheritance, by the Mojl High, St. 
 Paid obferves, that fome of the Ifraelites 
 were deftroyed in the wildernefs, becaufe 
 they r^;;?//^^ Christ", which the divinely 
 
 infpired 
 
 ^ See Efay, P. 34, 45, 47, 4S. " I Cor. x. 9. 
 
[ "3 ] 
 
 infpired Pfalmi/i expreffes by faying, that 
 they tempted the most high God". 
 
 And again, it is certain that the kingdom 
 of Jfraely was not, according to the author's 
 fenfe of the thing, affigned to Chrijl the fe- 
 cond perfon of the Trinity, as to its guar- 
 dian angel, becaufe this very fame kingdom 
 is alfo appropriated to the Holy Spirit : for 
 the prophet David in his laji prophetic 
 words, thus defcribes or entides the divine 
 Perfon, to whom he owed his infpiration — 
 The Spirit of the LoRDfpake by me^ — the 
 God of Israel faid, ^c. 
 
 We have now gone through all the argu- 
 ments by which this angelic fyftem of go- 
 vernment, framed purely for the fake of 
 ranking Chrijl with created angels, is fup- 
 ported. The author of them thinks they 
 have given him a fufiicient warrant for fet^ 
 ting down the following conclufion — " It 
 " is manifeft, that, according to the fcrip- 
 " tures of the Old-teftament,'' (he jfhould 
 have added " and of the New,'' fince two of 
 his arguments out of five are taken from it) 
 " angels were appointed to prefide over 
 "■' people and nations up07i earth^!' Not 
 
 Q^ quite 
 
 * Fial. Ixxviii. q6. conf Ixcd: xvii. 2, 7. pP. 47' 
 
quite fo vmnifejl^ I think, from the fore-* 
 going premifeSj which for our fatisfadlion 
 We will, by recapitulating, take a fhort 
 review of. The firll is, a verfion of the 
 LXX, which ftroEgly favours of traditional 
 Jtidaifm, and contradidls the Hebrew text* 
 2. A quotation from an apocryphal book, 
 v/herein the word 7^y\i^^v(^ is tr^nflated, 
 governi?7g angeL 3. An expreffion of St. 
 Paul^ relating to the other world. 4. The 
 fall of angels before the woi'ld^ alluded to by 
 St. yiide, 5. The mention made pf human 
 frinces by the prophet DanieL 
 
 CHAP III. 
 
 His cbje5lions againjl the divinity of Chrift 
 anfwered. 
 
 IT is high time for me to inform my 
 reader that I have hitherto omitted to take 
 notice of the JewiJIj evidence, alledged 
 every now and then by the author in fup* 
 port of his opinions 3 and evidence in plenty 
 he might have colledled from fewifld wri- 
 ters, if it v/ere poffible for his opinions to 
 
 1^5 
 
E "5l 
 
 be ten times worfe than they really are. If 
 their teftimony were of any avail agaijijl 
 the truth, Dr. Middleton would have flood 
 a much fairer chance than he did, for {hew- 
 ing that the whole law of Mofes was a mere 
 human fidlion, artfully framed by a cunning 
 fellow, well verfed in the wifdom of Egypt^ 
 to keep a fuperftitious and filly people under 
 proper regulations ^. 
 
 Our author ^' chufes to lay before his 
 " reader the opinion of the moft fenfible 
 " and learned among the ancient Jews^ as 
 *^ he finds it very judicioufly collected by 
 *^ Eufebhis bifhop of Cdefareu in Faleliiney 
 *^ who muft be allowed to be a tolerable 
 *' judge, becaufe he lived amongji them m 
 ^' the land of Judaa\ What is it, that 
 we muft allow him to be a tolerable judge 
 of? that the opinions he hath collected were 
 really Jewifh? no body denies it. But as 
 Eufebius did not flourifti till towards the 
 latter end of the third century, when the 
 Jews had been for three hundred years em- 
 ployed in evading the true fenfe of the fcrip- 
 tures, in order to baffle and defeat the fol- 
 0^2 lowers 
 
 1 See his quotations from Jofephus cont. App. and Fhilo 
 de exitu — in his defejice of the latter ^ &c. p. 27, 41, 'P. 40. 
 
[ ii6] 
 
 lowers of Jefiis 5 how can it be expedted 
 that their impure comments fhould breathe 
 the uncorrupt fpirit of chriilianity ? Thefe 
 are the men, whom he gravely dignifies, 
 in his title page, with the appellation of 
 ancient Hebrews, that is, moderji jews, who 
 had endeavoured to their utmoft fo to infed 
 that air the Chriftians were to breathe in, as 
 to breed a peftilence amongft them. Nay> 
 the author himfelf, to the utter ruin of his 
 whole fcheme, as far as the Jews are con- 
 cerned in it, confeffes that ever " fince the 
 coming of our Saviour, not being wil- 
 ling to abide by the expofitions given ta 
 the Old-teftament, they ran into number- 
 " lefs abfurd contrivances of expounding the 
 " fcriptures according to hidden and caba- 
 ^^ Hftical meanings,'' of their own deviling*. 
 But thefe, he obferves, were the more 
 modern Jews -, that is, to ufe his own words, 
 all the Jews who lived " fince the coming 
 " of our Saviour" were modern ^ and pray 
 then, what fort of Jews muft thofe have 
 hctn, amo?2gJi which Eukhius lived? for if 
 they commenced abfurd and modern upon 
 our Saviours coinings how is it poffible for 
 
 them 
 « P. 39, 40. 
 
t"7] 
 
 them to be fenfibk and ancient^ three Imn- 
 dred years after it ? As it appears that the 
 author contradidls himfelf, I will fhew that 
 the Jews do the fame, and then fairly dif- 
 mifs them. 
 
 At page 41, we find a quotation from 
 EufebiuSy which extends nearly throughout 
 three pages, the conclufion of which runs 
 thus — " All the Hebrew divines, after that 
 " God, who is over ally and after his firil- 
 «^ born Wifdom, pay divine worfliip to the 
 " third and holy power, which they call 
 <^ the Holy Spirit/' But what authority 
 have thefe Hebrew dhifies for faying, that 
 adoration is to be paid to the firft-born Wif- 
 dom, AFTER that God who is overall; 
 when a little backwarder in the fame quota- 
 tion, they confefs, that this firft-begotten 
 of the Father far exceeds all created beings ? 
 The plain alternative is this, he is either a 
 created being, or xhcfelf-exifleiit God-, but 
 he cannot be a created being, becaufe he 
 far exceeds all created beings ; if io, divine 
 worfhip is not to be paid to him after, ox. 
 in fubordination to the Father, but upon an 
 
 equality with him. 
 
 A2:ainj 
 
[ n8] 
 
 Again, he tells us, that " the ^ews made 
 '* a jecond tjfence of the Lci^c!^, which was 
 *^ begotten by the ^r/? caiife • and PZ?//(; 
 *^ Judceus calls the Lc'^(?^ (J gJgj?©. ^s©-) 
 *' a Jecond Go a, in whofe image man was 
 " created ^'' It feems that all the Hebrew 
 divines agree in ihefe matters, and make the 
 Logos 2ijecoJidary Gcd^ one who is to receive 
 a fort of divine adoration, inferior to that 
 paid to God^ who is over alL Now, I have 
 the authority of a "Jew for affirming, that 
 all the Hebrew divines maintain the very 
 contrary, and confefs that the LogoSy or fe- 
 cond perfon of the Trinity, under another 
 name, that of the redeeming angel, is ftridlly 
 and properly to be efteemed the very God. 
 For rabbi Mofes thus gives his opinion con- 
 cerning the divine perfon, who appeared to 
 Jojhiia under an human fhape, as captain 
 of the Lord's, hoft : " This angel," fays the 
 above-named Hebrew divine, " is the An- 
 " gel-Redeemer^ who in Exod. xxxiii. 14. 
 *' is called they^^:^ of God-, but the face of 
 " God fignifies God himself, as all in- 
 '^ TERPRETERS confcfs 3 of this fame angel 
 
 '' it 
 ' P. 4^.. 
 
[119] 
 *^ It is faid, my 7iame {the incommunicable 
 ^* name Jehovah') is in him ".'* 
 
 As there can be no perfed coincidence 
 between the prefent Jewip plan, and the 
 Chri/iiany the only poffible ufe that can be 
 made of their writings is, to extraft fuck 
 parts of them, as contradid the apoflate 
 fcheme, and to turn their own weapons 
 backward upon themfelves ; which defign 
 hath been admirably well executed by the 
 deeply learned Raymund Martini^ in his Pu- 
 gio Fidei ; who by fearching with indefati- 
 gable labour into all the combined efforts of 
 this fynagogue cf Satan^^ hath fet forth an 
 whole volume of their unguarded. concef- 
 fions, which as oft as they are pointed to- 
 ward the main body of their deteftable fic- 
 tions, muft, like a fcorpion ftriking itfelf 
 to death with its own ftirig, give fo many 
 mortal wounds to the general flrain of their 
 extravagant interpretations. 
 
 We know, that in the time of our bleffed 
 Saviour, the fcribes and lawyers among the 
 
 Jews^ 
 
 ^- Me angelus eil atigelus Reditnptor, qui t'^. fades Dei. 
 "Exod. xxxiii. 14. Atquiy'^^f/>j Z^a fignificat ipsum deum» 
 ut fatentur omnes interpretes. De hoc dicitur, nomen meum 
 in eo ^/.—Cked hy Fagius, upon Jojh. v. 14- ^ Rev. ii, 
 9. and iii. 9^ 
 
[ I2Q ] 
 
 y^iw, who ought to have been, men in-^ 
 Jiru5fed, by the facred oracles, into the king- 
 doni of Gody had taken away the key of know- 
 lege ', and it is no Vi^here recorded, that from 
 that day to this they ever returned it. Nay, 
 ever from that time forv^ards, they grew 
 continually v^orfe and worfe, as to their 
 knowledge of the holy fcripture 5 which they 
 fearched only to pervert 3 and being infti- 
 gated by the moft infernal malice againfl 
 Htm^ inftead of whom they had defired a 
 murderer to be releafed unto them;, fell into 
 as great a degree of biindnefs as thofe men 
 of Sodom y who wearied themf elves to find the 
 door of tfie houfe, with the defperate refo- 
 lution of affronting the divine perfons in- 
 clofed within it. And though to us, who 
 enter in by Chrifl^ the 'way^ the truths and 
 the Ufe^ the fcripture is clear and open 5 yet 
 to them it is as fafi: (liut and clofed, as that 
 den into which the prophet Daniel was caft, 
 with a ftone laid upon the mouth of it, 
 apd fealed with the fignet of heaven : nor 
 hath thtpurpofe of the king yet been changed 
 concerning them. 
 
 Vv^hatever therefore Fhilo and his bre? 
 thren may have been pleafed to utter, about 
 
 the 
 
[ 12' 3 
 
 the fecond caufcy the moji ancient of angels^ 
 the guardian of Ifrael^ and the archangel 
 fuhfijling with many names — away with it 
 all i let it return to the place from whence 
 it came ; and as a final anfwer to the author 
 upon this head, and to caution my reader 
 againft that trafh of Judaifm, with which 
 the Efjay onfpirit hath prefented us ; let me 
 fubjoin that earnefl injundlion of St, Paul 
 to Ti7Jtothy, given at a time, when it may 
 reafonably be fuppofed, that there were 
 many and much more antient writings of 
 this fort extant — give no heed to Jew- 
 ish FABLES. 
 
 We are now to enter upon the Effay-wri^ 
 ier\ objections againft the divinity oiChriJl -, 
 moft of which, inftead of being found ar- 
 guments, are mifapplied texts of fcripture, 
 weak furmifes, and groundlefs affertions ; 
 but that my work may be the (horter and 
 the eafier, I {hall firft beg leave to lay be- 
 fore the reader a few propofitions, which, 
 I apprehend, no Chrijlian will, and no man 
 of learning can, difpute the truth of, defiring 
 only, that as they are very important, he 
 will give them a ferious and attentive con- 
 fideration, 
 
 R ?rop. 
 
[ 122 ] 
 
 Prop. I. The name ntH^ Jehovah doth 
 exprefs abfolute felf-exijience. 
 
 Prop. II. There is but one being or ef- 
 fe?7ce^ to which this na?72e can be applied— 
 Hear O Ifraely Jehovah our God^ is one 
 Jehovah, Deuf, vi. 4, which our Saviour 
 himfelf affirms to be, the very firft article 
 of xht firft of all the cornmandinents^. 
 
 Prop. III. This najiie is applied, ex con^ 
 cejfo, to three perfons^ the Father, the Son, 
 and the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Prop. IV. If io applied, it muft de- 
 note, that thefe three pe?^Jons are, after fome 
 ineffable manner, really and trully one ; be- 
 caufe, by Prop, 2, there is but one Jeho- 
 vah. 
 
 Prop. V. The fall of mankind was occa- 
 fioned by an offence againil xh^fuprejjie God^ 
 not againft any created aitgeL 
 
 Prop. VI. The falvation of mankind is 
 not to be effected by the union of our nature 
 with created angels, but with the fiipre??2e 
 God. — God ivas in Chrifi reconciling the 
 world to himfelf. 2 Cor. v. 1 9. 
 
 Prop. Vil. We are to be reconciled and 
 united to him, by means of his union with 
 
 the 
 
 ^ MarJi xli. 29. 
 
[ 1^3 1 
 
 the human body of Chrijl. — ^here is one 
 mediator between God and men^ the man 
 Chri/l Jefus. 
 
 Having premifed thus much, I proceed 
 to the objedions : 
 
 I. The firft of which is borrowed from 
 an apocryphal hook of fcripture — For " the 
 *' wife fon of Sir achy fays our author, v/hen 
 *' fpeaking of the guardian angel of Ifrael^ 
 *^ under the name of Wifdom^ fays, I came 
 ^' out of the 7720uth of the Mofl High — He 
 *' that MADE me caufed me to reft^ and j aid ^ 
 ^^ let thy dwelling he in Jacob, and thine i?i^ 
 " heritance in Ifrael. He created me in 
 *' the beginning, before the world, and I 
 '' fhall never fail, &;cV' 
 
 Upon this he remarks, that this being 
 muft be underftood to have been made and 
 created^ in the fame fenfe as the Hght, when 
 God faid, let there be light, and there was 
 light 'y and immediately after this, fpeaking 
 by a figure of rhetoric, commonly called 
 tautology, he fays, '' it is likewife to be ob- 
 ^' ferved (as if he had not obferved it before) 
 '' that this angel of Ifrael \^ here declared 
 " to have been a created being, in terms as 
 R 2 plain 
 
 yP. 50, 51. Ecclus. x\iv. i — 12, 
 
[ 124 1 
 
 " plain as it is in the power of language to 
 " exprefs/' Very true, fo it is, and we 
 would have granted it, without being twice 
 told of it : but by what authority does he 
 attempt either to eftablifli, or unfettle any 
 point of faith, from a book, which with 
 good and fufficient reafons, we hold as un- 
 canonical ? Befides, it mufl: be noted, that 
 the JVifdom oi Sirach^ as we now have it, is 
 nothing more than a Greek tranflation of an 
 Hebrew original, in which we have fome 
 reafon to fuppofe, that the term created was 
 not to be found, becaufe it is not ufed in that 
 paflage of the book of Proverbs, of w^hich 
 this is a plain imitation, and from whence 
 the next objedion is drawn. 
 
 11. For to the afore-mentioned obferva- 
 tion, it is immediately added — ^' In the 
 " fame kind of ftyle (with the above paffage 
 *' ivoWiihtfon of Sirach) it is, that Solomon^ 
 *^ fpeaking — in the perfon, and under the 
 *' charadter of wifdom, faith, Jehovah pof- 
 *' fejjed me in the beginning of his ways, he- 
 *^ fore his works of old : I was fet up from 
 " everlafing, from the beginning, or ever 
 " the earth %msi when there were no depths. 
 
[ 125 J 
 *^ I was BROUGHT FORTH, &C."' Thc 
 
 word CREATED was plainly for his pur- 
 pofe, and, therefore, agreeable to his un- 
 handfome and dilingenuous method of pro- 
 ceeding, he ^rji lays hold of that, and af- 
 terwards would have us fuppofe, that So/o^ 
 mon fpeaking in the fame kind of ftile, makes 
 a declaration to the very fame efFed: : as if 
 the book of Proverbs were an imitation of 
 the Wifdom of Sirach^ not the JVifdom of 
 Sirach an imitation of that. 
 
 The Ariam, in the days of Athanafius^ 
 laid a great ftrefs upon this paffage, in a 
 manner putting the fuccefs of their whole 
 caufe upon the iiTue of it. They borrowed 
 their fenfe of it from the Scptuagint^ which 
 renders the words, 'J:p nin% The Lord 
 created me ; and defcanted upon the word 
 created^ with as much confidence, as our 
 author does upon the fame word, borrowed 
 from the fon of Sit^ach ^ : whereas the paf- 
 fage, when read in the original Hebrew^ or 
 in the EngUJJj verfion, v^^hich rightly tranf- 
 lates it, lofes all its force, and becomes in- 
 capable of fuch an application. 
 
 But 
 
 "^ p. 52. Prov. viii. 22, &c. ^ The words of 
 
 Cornelius a Lapide upon tins occafion are Hie locus err.t 
 
 Achilles Aria7iorum^ quo Chrillum creaturam t^ii, probarunt, 
 quia hie I dicunt, Deus £XT»cr£ /:*?, crea^^jit me> 
 
[ 126 ] 
 
 But the Primitive Fathers, in order to 
 clear up the whole, did not underftand this 
 of the divinity, but of the humanity of 
 Chrijiy which they fuppoied to be here 
 fpoken of, in the fame kind of ftile ; as 
 where he is faid to be the Lamb Jt am from 
 the foundation of the world: to this pur- 
 pofe Atha?2afius inftrudts us, that Solomon 
 " doth not fay, he created me before his 
 " works y that we ihould receive it as fpoken 
 *^ of the divinity of the Logos -, fince it was 
 *' the God-man, who (as man) was created 
 *' the begijining ^ of his waySy whom be 
 *' afterwards manifefted to us for our fal- 
 " vation/' The fame is declared by £/»/- 
 fha?iiuSy vol. I. 748. And Pole upon this 
 place, referring to Salmazar^. who has col- 
 ledted their opinions, tells us, that the Fa- 
 thers unanimoufly applied this paflage tp 
 the humanity, or human foul of the Mef- 
 fiah. The moft ancient of the Jews like- 
 wife, after their manner of expreffing the 
 thing, held that the foul of the MeJJiah .-'as 
 
 created 
 
 ^ The original is not H^t^'KI!!!. ^^ ^^^ heginnbig, as our 
 Engli/h vcrfion fuppofes it to be, but H^u ^s'^> t^e beginning. 
 See v.'hat St, Jerom fays upon tlie words ri^ti^''$^"1 and cff%>3, 
 in his comment on the 71a verfe of PfaL xi. (in him the 
 xxxixth.) Vol III. p. 130. Ed. f^r. 
 
[ 127 ] 
 
 created before the world : and what is very 
 remarkable, in that little fhort prologue, 
 which is fet down before the defcription 
 Wifdom gives of herfelf in the book of 
 EccleJiaJlicuSy it is faid, Wijdom JloaJl fraife 
 jiERSELF (as we render it) but the Greek is 
 '^^'^(W ccuinsy her soul. To this, it may 
 be added, that mojft of the ancient theolo- 
 gical writers, in ftrid: agreement with the 
 holy fcriptures themfelves, have determined, 
 that Chrifl appeared as man to the patri- 
 archs and prophets, long before his incar- 
 nation* 
 
 III, I have laboured hard to give the 
 form of an argument to the next objec- 
 tion, but find the difficulty infurmountable. 
 '^ Philo Judceus,*' it feems, " obferves that 
 ^' the archangel with many names^ was alfo 
 *' called by the name of God"" :'' and then 
 the author proceeds to fhew from many 
 places of fcripture, '^ that the angel which 
 " aded as a guardian-angel to the feed of 
 ^^ Abrahamy and prefided over the children 
 *^ of Ifrael^ is called Jehovah. " From 
 whence, he would conclude, I prcfume, 
 that the name Jehovah is applied to a create 
 
 ed 
 
[ 128 ] 
 
 ed angel. But in all this, I cannot for my 
 life difcover where his medium of proof lies; 
 Philo fays, that the archangel with many 
 names is called by the 72a7ne of God — we 
 find that the angel, which prefided over the 
 children of Ifrael^ is called "Jehovah — and 
 therefore — nothing ! abfolutely nothing ! for 
 when X£\tiz premifes are laid together and 
 compared, they cannot poffibly fupply us 
 with any conclufion in the world. 
 
 As for the inftances the author has offered 
 from the Old Teftament, in order to fhew, 
 that the fame perfon, who is faid to be the 
 angel of Jehovah^ is likewife mentioned 
 under the diredl name of Jehovah-, before 
 thefe can be of any fervice to him, there 
 are two very important queftions to be fet- 
 tled : the firft is, whether the word a?2gel^ 
 as ufed in the fcripture, muft in all cafes 
 fignify a created being ? The fecond is, whe- 
 ther the name Jehovah , which denotes /^^ 
 exijlence^ can be applied to fach a being ? 
 If both of thefe queftions were determined 
 in the affirmative, he would then have in- 
 ftanced fomething to the purpofe : but to 
 beg them both, and proceed to his in^ 
 ftances^ without clearing a paffage to them, 
 o .is 
 
I 129 ] 
 
 iS a fmall overfight in one, who thinks him- 
 felf authorized by the peculiar ftrength of 
 his reafonings, to triumph over the unthink- 
 ing herd^ for running head-long into inde- 
 fenfible opinions, merely becaufe their fa- 
 thers did fo before them, 
 
 I iliall therefore not trouble either myfelf 
 or my reader with the tedious labour of fet- 
 ting all thefe mifapplied inftances in their 
 proper light 3 but obferve only, that the 
 word angel^ as fignifying literally ^^ one that 
 is fenti may, and muft be applied to the 
 Second and Third Perfons of the ever blef- 
 fed Trinity ; becaufe, according to thofe of- 
 fices of redemption and fanEliJication^ they 
 - have mercifully condefcended to take upon 
 them in the o^conomy of grace, they are 
 both faid to ht fent by the Father ^ 
 
 IV. The next objedtion is taken from 
 that declaration of "Jehovah to Mofes^ where- 
 in it is afferted, that the face of Jehovah 
 could not be feen^ becaufe, faid he, there 
 Jhall 720 man fee me and live. But yet at 
 the fame time we are told that Jehovah 
 made all his goodnefs to pafs before Mojes^ 
 and permitted him to behold his back-parts^ 
 
 ^ 1X7/t3» * John V. 23.— 'Xiv.-26. 
 
[ 13^ ] 
 
 nnx, which the author renders, 'what fol- 
 lowed him. From whence he argues, that 
 there muft have been two Jehovahs, that is, 
 a vifible Jehovah following the invifibkJ. 
 But fince, as the fadl ftands recorded, it is 
 not faid that Mofes faw the face of any y^- 
 hovah ', and as it is not poffible that there 
 fliould be two Jehovahs, the one diftinft 
 from the other, unlefs the firft article of the 
 firft of all the commandments is a felf-con- 
 tradidlion ; I pafs this over without any far- 
 ther notice. See Prop. 1.4. 
 
 V. The fifth objedion prefents us once 
 more with the fame impoffibility, the ex- 
 iilence of two Jebovahs, For the author 
 fets down the following paflage from the 
 
 Prophet Zechariak- Sing ajtd rejoice^ O 
 
 daughters 0/ Zion 5 for, lo, 1 come^ aiid I 
 isjill dvjell in the midji of thee^ faith Jehovah 
 — and thou JJ:alt hiow that the Jehovah of 
 Hofts hath Jent nie unto thee^: and then 
 obferves, that '' the Jehovah of Zion is 
 *' plainly diftinguiilied from the Jehovah of 
 ** Hojls, and acknowledgeth himfelf to be 
 '^ fent by him ^." It proves, on the con- 
 trary, that the fender and the Jeiity are ef- 
 
 fentially 
 
 f Ejr. p. 60, 6t. Exod. x-xiii. 19, yr, 
 f Z-uh. ii. 10, ir. ^ F. 6-;. 
 
[ 131 ] 
 
 fcotially one. Nor is the Jehovah of Zion 
 diftinguiflied from the Jehovah of Hojis j 
 becaufe, the very perfon, whom the au- 
 thor here fuppofes to be diflinguifhed 
 from the fupreme Jehovah^ or God the Fa- 
 ther, by the former name, is alfo expreflly 
 dignified with the latter. For, faith the 
 Prophet Ifaiahy mine eyes have seen the 
 King, the Jehovah of Hosts '\ which 
 when compared with Johit xii. 41. fettles 
 the point : I'hefe thi?igs faid Efaias^ when he 
 SAW his glory (the glory of Chrijl) and [pake 
 of him, 
 
 VI. The fixth is not an objedion, but a 
 demonfiration againft himfelf 5 and I cannot 
 conceive how he came to ftart it : for, 
 taking it as granted that there are two Je- 
 hovahsy a fuperior and an inferior, he is 
 pleafed to obferve hereupon, ^' that this 
 " Jehovah of Zion (whom I have juft 
 " proved to be the fupreme God) does not 
 *' always declare himfelf to be deputed, 
 *^ but adually and literally fpeaks in his 
 ** own namCj and calls himfelf Jehovah^, 
 " and faith, / am the God of Abraham ; 
 '^ and, / am the God of Bethel ^ and, / 
 S 2 " brought 
 
 \ Ifa. vl 5. 
 
[ 132 ] 
 
 « brought thee out of the land of Egypt, &'c.' 
 *' and pofitively prohibits Mcfcs and the 
 " children of Ifrael from worfhipping any 
 *' other God but himfelf : tkou^ fays he, 
 '* fialt have no other Gods bejore 7ne : there- 
 " by feeming to forbid even the worihip 
 <* of the fupreme Jehovah, the Jehovah of 
 
 «' HoJIsK" That is, in other words 
 
 when the God^ who brought the children 
 of Ifrael out of Egypt^ commands them to 
 worfhip him, as the one only objed: of ado- 
 ration, he feems thereby to forbid the wor- 
 fhip of another God fuperior to himfelf. 
 No : he thereby forbids the worfhip of all 
 inferior Gods, and afferts that he himfelf is 
 HciQ fupre^ne : for the argument, when drawn 
 up, will fland thus — "Dat fupreme God is to 
 be wcrfhipped — but no other God, except 
 him who brought the children of Ifrael out 
 of Egypt, is to be worfhipped — therefore^ 
 the God, who brought the children of Ifrael 
 out of Egypt is y^t fupreme God, Here is a 
 plain demonftration againfl him • nor can I 
 forcfee how it is pofTible for him to vindi- 
 cate this abfurd notion, of a Jehovah affirm- 
 ing himfelf to be the fole objeft of worfhip, 
 
 when 
 
 ^ P. 66. 
 
[ 133 ] 
 
 Ivheri all the while, he murf not be fup^ 
 pofed to mean himfelf, but another Jeho^ 
 vah^. " It is to be obferved, fays he, that 
 " the Hebrews were far from being explicit 
 " and accurate in their ftile, but left great 
 *' room for the imagination of the reader 
 *' to fupply and fill up the deficiencies "*.'* 
 Never was there a cavil fo contemptible, 
 oppofed to an argument io important ! and 
 it is a lamentable confideration, that the 
 Holy Ghoji hath not an accuracy in his Jiiky 
 fufRcient to preferve his readers from falling 
 into idolatry. Befides, we may learn from 
 this obfervation, that the capital do&ine of 
 the whole fcriptures is to be fettled, not 
 from what is faid, but from what is not ; 
 not from the exprefs words of fcripture, 
 but from what the imagination is to fupply ; 
 which, according to the fancy of every 
 different reader, may fupply juft what it 
 pleafes. 
 
 vir. 
 
 * Liquet, veteribus Juda-is nunquam in mentem veniffe^ 
 commentam illud, quod noftro fecula viris quibufdam dodfs- 
 inter Chriftianos placuit ,* nempe eum, qui Moji in rubo & 
 monte Sinai apparuit & locutus eft, merum fuilTc angelum, 
 qui fe Deum Jbra^jami appellaret, Deique nomine cultum di- 
 vinum, fibi adhibitum, bbenter admitteret. I'simirum ab- 
 furda nimis, & plane horrenda eft iJla Tentemia, Bulli Off. 
 Fid Nic. Sea. I. cap. I. §. ii. » P. 66. 
 
[ 134 ] 
 VII. I pafs therefore on to the flext ob^^ 
 jedion, which is a paflage from St. Paul^ : 
 *' For, fays this Apoftle, though there be 
 ** that are called Gods^ whether in heaven 
 *^ or in earth (for there be Gods 7nany^ and 
 *' Lords many) yet to us there is but one 
 ** God^ the Father^ of whom are all thingSi 
 *' and we in him ; and one Lordjefus Chrift^ 
 *^ by whom are all things^ and we by him^ 
 '^ That is, there is but one fupreme God^ 
 *' in comparifon of whom, there is none 
 •' other but he^ and with regard to whom 
 *' Jefus the Chrift is to be called Lord^ and 
 *' not God^,'* In the verfe immediately- 
 preceding thofe which are here quoted, the 
 Apoftle gives a clear explanation of his 
 meaning, by declaring the very fame thing 
 in a few words, we knowy fays he, that an 
 idol is nothing in the worlds a?id that there is 
 no other God but one. After which, in the 
 words now before us, he draws a contraft 
 more at large, between the belief of ido- 
 laterSy and that of ChriflianSy oppofing the 
 one only and true God^ to that tribe of ce- 
 leftial and terreftrial deities, which by the 
 Heathens were called Gods, but, in reality, 
 
 were 
 
 ^ I Gor. vi;L c, 6. ^ P. 87. 
 
[ 135 ] 
 
 wrerc nothing in the world. The author 
 imagines, that the Apoftle here means tq 
 draw a comparifon between the fupreme 
 God, and fubordinate angels : for, fays he, 
 ^' the term of God is to be attributed to 
 ^' the Son, as when we fay, there be Gods 
 ^' many'' But liwe fay it at all, we mull 
 fay it in the fenfe St. Paul did, and then it 
 will make an idol of him, who is God over 
 ally blejfedfor evermore. 
 
 It ihould here be obferved, that when 
 the fcripture fpeaks of one God^ it doth cer- 
 tainly exprefs the unity of the bleiTed Tri- 
 nity ; and the appellation of the Bather^ 
 afcribed to the one God, upon which he 
 lays fo great a ftrefs, doth not here mean the 
 perfon of the Father in feverence from the 
 Son and Holy Spirit, but denotes, as it does 
 in many other places of the fcripture, the 
 fulnefs of the Godhead, or that elTence, to 
 an union with which, the manhood of Chri/i 
 was exalted. Which is well obferved by 
 Athctnafms, who affirms, that the Father is 
 frequently taken for the fulnefs of the God- 
 bead, which dwelt in the body of Chrijl, 
 and is therefore called his God, ^oi Tm capxo^ 
 p Xf^r^- ^"^^ certain it is, that there are 
 
 3 f^^^y 
 
[ '36 ] 
 
 many paffages of fcripture, which demand 
 fuch an explanation : of which fort is — the 
 God and Father cf our Lord Jefus Chrijl p ^ 
 and ^gain — For as the Father hath life in 
 himfelfy fo hath he given to the Son to have 
 life in himfef. That is, as Jehovah hath 
 life effential in himfelf, io hath he given to 
 the man Chrijl Jefus a communication of 
 the fame hfe, by uniting him to the efence 
 of the Godhead, 
 
 But he carries on this objedion in fuch a 
 manner, that I jQiall be able to turn his own 
 artillery upon him. For this " God the 
 ** Father, fays he, St. P^2// charadlerizes as 
 " that God, who is the bleffed and only 
 " Potentate^ the King of Kings, and Lord 
 ^' of Lords, who only hath immortality, 
 *' dwelling in the light which no man can 
 *! approach unto, whom iio man hath 
 */ SEEN, OR CAN SEE ^." This he allows 
 to be a defcription of the one only and y?^- 
 preme God ; but, it is a defcription of Chrijl. 
 This is evident^ firft, from the context ; 
 which, when the connedion is preferved, 
 runs s\\\x^^-—Keep this ccmmandment without 
 fpoty unrehukabk, until the appearing of our 
 
 Lord 
 
 I* Fph i. 3. ^ Ibid, i Tim. vi. 15, 16. 
 
[ m ] 
 
 Lord Jefus Chri/ly which he (the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift himicM ) J]:all fiew, who (Chrift) is 
 the bleffed and only Potentate^ &c. Secondly, 
 becaufe the appearing of Chrift^ here fpoken 
 of, Chriji himfelf through the power of the 
 Godhead in him is to manifeft at the end 
 of the world j jufl as it is faid of him after 
 his refurredtion, on this wife shewed hb 
 HIMSELF ^ But thirdly and chiefly, be- 
 caufe ChriJI is dignified with all thofe very 
 attributes, which are here afcribed to the 
 fupreme God , and we may take all the ar* 
 tides feparately, and find parallels to them 
 throughout. Firft, who is the bleffed and only 
 Totentate — fo of ChriJI it is elfe where faid, 
 that he is the head of all principality and 
 power ^. 2. Tlhe King of Kings ^ and Lord 
 of Lords — fo-^ — he hath on his vejlure and on 
 his thigh a name written^ King op Kings, 
 AND Lord of Lords ^ 3. Who only hath 
 immortality — fo- — in him was life ^ 4* 
 Who dwelleth in the light which no man can 
 approach unto — fo — the city (the heavenly 
 Jerufalem) had no need of the fun^ for the 
 glory of God did lighten it^ and the Lamb 
 IS the light thereof"^. 
 
 T I 
 
 r John xxi. !. ^ Col. ii. lo. ' Rev. 
 
 " John i. 4. ^' Rev ?xi. 23. 
 
C 138 ] 
 
 I need not run this parallel through the 
 laft article, the tnvifibiUty of the Godhead, 
 becaufe it is to be confidered in a diflferent 
 capacity, as it furniflies the author with his 
 next objedtion. 
 
 VIII. For, as concerning '^ the one, only, 
 " invilible God,'* he affirms very roundly, 
 ** that he cannot possibly be the fame 
 " with that God, who was manifefled in 
 " the fiefh"^.'" But by this manifeflation, 
 none have ever been fo weak as to imagine, 
 that the Godhead became vifibky any farther 
 than by its immediate union with that^^, 
 which was vifible : for when Chriji became 
 incarnate, though we did not fee God^ yet 
 we faw the p erf on who was God. 
 
 Without infifting afrefli upon that de- 
 scription of the Father^ (as he will have it) 
 or, one^ only, invifible God^ which I have 
 juft now proved applicable to Chriji , I fhall 
 fet down two expreffions, which at once 
 muft filence all cavils and difputes : for 
 Qhrijl affirms of the unbelieving Jews^ that 
 they had both seen and hated ^ both him and 
 his Father ^ : and again he fays to one of 
 
 his 
 
 » P. 88. I Tim. iii. 16. >' John xv. 24. 
 
f 139 1 
 
 his difciples — He that hath feen me^ hatb 
 SEEN THE Father ^ 
 
 IX. His next argument runs through 16 
 oih\sfe&io?2S\ in which he hath collc6led 
 many texts wherein Ch7-iji is mentioned, as 
 receiving power from God — being anoiiited 
 mth the oil of ^ladfiefs above his Jelloivs 
 (mankind) being ??iade Lord and Chrifi — • 
 raifed from the dead — exalted to the right 
 hand of God, ^c. all of which relate to 
 the human nature, and cannot poffibly af- 
 ford any evidence for the inferiority of the 
 divine. And let it here be recollefted, that 
 the falvation of mankind does not depend 
 upon the exaltation of a God, qv of any 
 other being, but of man only, who fell 
 from God by fin, and through the ?}ian 
 Chriji Jefiis^ is re-united to him. It muft 
 be obferved though, that four of the above 
 fedlions begin with, aiid as the JewSy in 
 which we are obliged with a repetition of 
 that Rabbinical evidence, which hath al- 
 ready received its anfwer, at the beginning 
 of this chapter. 
 
 X. " To declare the Father and the Son 
 
 " to be co-eqiial and co-eternal^ is by no 
 
 T 2 " means 
 
 ^ John xiv. 9. * From p. 89, to 106. 
 
 \ 
 
[ 140 ] 
 
 ^* means confiftent with the relation that 
 " there is between father and fon *'/' With 
 that relation, as it fublifts among uien, it is 
 not: but this js no reafon, why it fliould 
 not be fo with God-, or even, that in all 
 created beings it fhould be an inconfiftency. 
 As for example- — Light is the offspring of 
 fire^ and yet co-eval with it 5 for it is im- 
 pofTible to conceive a time, when the fun 
 exifted without emitting light ; and were 
 the fun eternal, light would be co-eternal 
 with it : as was very judicioufly obferved by 
 Mr. Lejlie *^ to the Unitarians^ many years 
 ago, and it is not anfwered yet. 
 
 XI. *' If the fubftance of the Father be 
 '^ the fame undivided fubftance w^ith the 
 " Son, and the fubftance of the Son be^ 
 '* came incarnate, then it will follow that 
 " the fubftance of the Father became in- 
 " carnate alfo ^,'' If he had ufed the word 
 ferfon inftead oi fubftance^ there would have 
 been no difficulty in this : but purely to 
 raife the difficulty, and perplex us with 
 wrong terms, he confiders God as united to 
 man, in that refpeft only, in which God is 
 
 but 
 
 * p. 141. * Theolog. works, fol. vol. I. p. 227. 
 
 * P. 148. 
 
[ 141 ] 
 
 but ONE ; not as the Icripture and the 
 church does, in that refpedt in which he 
 
 is THREE, 
 
 XII. The laft objedion I Ihali take no- 
 tice of, is drawn from the hypoflatical 
 union of the two natures in the perfon of 
 Chrift, and is as follows — -*' If this pro- 
 ^' polition, fays he, be taken for granted, 
 " which may be found totidem 'verbis m 
 " ihQ Athanqfian creed, xh'dXasthe reajonable 
 ^^ foul andjiefi is one matiy fo God and man is 
 " one Chrift ; and if this other propofition 
 «^ be allowed, which is to be found as ex- 
 ^' plicitly in the fcriptures, that this one 
 " Chriji Suffered for the fins of mankind ; 
 ^* then it muft follow, of confequence, that 
 " ChriJI fufFered in his godhead^ as well as 
 ^' his humanity ^ fince other wife, it would 
 " have been the 7nan Jefus, and not Jefus 
 '' the MeJJiah, or Chrijiy that fufFered for 
 ^* the fins of men^/'. 
 
 Hitherto he hath objeded as an Arian^ 
 and talked about the mofl antient of angels, 
 fee. but now, he is changed on a fudden 
 into the charader of a ^ocinian : for this 
 very argument hath ever been advanced and 
 I infilled 
 
 I Ibid. 
 
[ 142 ] 
 
 infilled upon by them, to prove that Cbrijl 
 was nothing more than a mere man ^ be- 
 caufe, fay they, if God became an indivi- 
 dual perfon with man, God muft h?ivefuf- 
 fered ', which it is not poflible for him to 
 do. In anfwcr to this, I muft recommend 
 to his confideration the two following texts; 
 and if he can, either under the charadler 
 of an Arian^ or a Socinian^ get clear of 
 them, he may proceed with his objedion ; 
 till he does this, he cannot be qualified to 
 it. - Herein is the love of god, thai he 
 LAID DOWN HIS LIFE for US, And again 
 '^^The churchy which god hath purchafed 
 with HIS OWN BLOOD. It is incumbent 
 upon him therefore, if he believes the di- 
 vine authority of the holy fcriptures, to 
 {hew us, that thefe paffages do not prove, 
 that the perfojiy who fuffered for us upon 
 the crofs as many was God as v/ell as man ^. 
 
 * N. B. Thefe three laft objections are intermixed with. 
 Jiis remarks upon the creeds. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
[ 143 ] 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Obje^ions to the diviJiky of the Holy Ghoji 
 anfwered. 
 
 '' L ry^HE Holy Spirit muft be an in- 
 " A telligent agent, feparate and di- 
 ** ftindl from God, becaufe he is faid to 
 *^ be fent by him : for it is manifeft that 
 '* God cannot y^W himfelf; becaufe thofe 
 " terms imply a contradiftion '.*' It hath 
 already been proved ^, that the fender and 
 the Jent may be effentially one 5 and as for 
 the fuppofed contradiElion of God's fe7iding 
 himfelf^ it arifes merely from his begging of 
 the queftion, that there is but one ferfoji in 
 the divine effence 5 but the fcripture fhcws 
 that there are three^ which takes the con- 
 tradiftion av^ay. 
 
 U. His next objection is an inference 
 
 drawn from the following expreffion. • 
 
 Jehovah and his Spirit ^ as if, by the ufage 
 of the particle and^ it muft neceffarily fol- 
 low, that they are feparate and diftindt be- 
 ipgs. But neither will this obfervation hold 
 
 any 
 
 » P. 78. ^ Set tJie preceding chapter, Se3:. 5. 
 
 * Ibid. — Ifa. xhiii. iC. 
 
t ^44 ] 
 any mote than the former ; for Chrijl thus 
 expreffes himfelf — I and my Father are 
 ONE ', where, though the particle and may 
 feem to disjoin the Father from the Son, yet 
 the whole fentence exprellly aflerts theif 
 union : and St. ^ohn^ fpeaking of the whole 
 three perfons, calls them the Father^ the 
 Word, AND the Holy Ghoji, and yet adds— 
 and thefe three are one. So likewife, when 
 our Lord commanded his difciples to bap- 
 tize in the name of the Father^ and of the 
 Sony AND of the Holy Ghof^^ though he 
 inferts the particle and^ upon which the 
 author grounds his argument, yet he withal 
 expreffes the unity of the Trinity : for tho' 
 three perfom are mentioned, he bids them 
 not baptize in the names, but (gi$ ixj ovo,p{^) 
 in THE NAME ; upon which the excellent 
 
 Bp. Andrews thus comments '' If we 
 
 "' will flay yet, but a little, at our baptifm, 
 " and hearken wells as we hear that the 
 *' Holy Ghoft is God, fo fhall we that he 
 ^' is God in Unity, For there we hear but, 
 " in nomine, but oi one name. Now as the 
 '' Apojile reafoneth (Gal. iii. 16.) Abrahce 
 ' ^ di^la funt promijjioncs & femini ejus, Non 
 
 " dicit 
 
 » Matt, xxviil. 19. 
 
t H5 1 
 
 *^ iitcit feminihm^ quajl in muJth ; fcd^ iaiU 
 *' quam in iinOy femini ejus. To Abraham i^ 
 *' and his feed, were the promifes made ; 
 *' he faith not to the fieds as of man.y, but 
 " to his feidy as of one^ So we are bapti^ 
 " zed, non in nominibus, quafi mult is 3 fed 
 " in nomine^ quafi uno \ not in the riames^ 
 *^ as cf many, but in the name, as of one : 
 " one name, and one nature or eflence; 
 *' Vniim fumus (faith Chrifi) of two of them : 
 " uman funt faith St. fohn of all threes 
 •^ this we hear there"." 
 
 III. " In the books of fudges and Sa- 
 *' muely it is not faid, that it was Jehovah, 
 " but the Spirit of Jehovah, which came 
 *^ upon Othoniel, and Gideon, and Jeptha^ 
 *' and Sanipfon, and 5^?^//, and David, to 
 *' aflift them in the governnfient of Ifrael^ 
 *' and the execution of their office °.'* The 
 laft objection was built upon a particle of 
 three letters 5 that rioW before us, hath no* 
 thing more to reft upon, than the flender 
 foundation of tivo ; for he affirms, it is not 
 faid, that it was Jehovah himfelf, but the 
 Spirit OF Jehovah, which infpired andadlu- 
 U ated 
 
 ^ Sermons P. 64.2. ° Ihid. See Judg. HI. 10, — vi. 34. 
 *— ix. 29* — xiii. 25. I Sam. x. 6. — xvi, 13, 
 
[ h6 I 
 
 afed the illuftiious perfons above-mentionecf,. 
 But the very firft inftance he refers us to 
 for a proof of this aflertion, fhews us, oa 
 the contrary, that the fame perfon, who is 
 iaid to be the Spirit of Jehovahy is like- 
 wife mentioned under the direct name of 
 Jehovah himfelf^ which the author is pleafed 
 to affirm he is not. For of Othniel it is 
 faid, that the spirit of Jehovah came 
 upon him^ and he judged Ifrael, and went out 
 to wary and Jehovah (the fame fpirit^, 
 which enabled him to go out to war) deli- 
 vered the king of Mefopotamia into his hand. 
 In like manner, the Spirit of Jehovah is af- 
 ferted to be very God, in the paflage he 
 refers to concerning Saul , for the prophecy 
 of Samuel with relation to this matter, i^ 
 thus worded— 7J^ spirit of Jehovah. 
 will cc?ne upon thee, and thou fialt prophefy 
 with thon, and Jhalt be turned into another 
 man : and let it Bcy when thefefg?is are come 
 unto theey that thou do as occafionfiall fervCf 
 for God is (or will be) with thee. 
 
 IV. '^ St. John plainly calleth that Hohj 
 " Spirit by which he was infpired with the 
 " book of Revelatio?js, an angel r for this 
 '' levdation was fignilied to St. John by an- 
 
 *^ inigel 
 
I H7 1 
 
 '^' angel fent from Chrijl -, and yet through 
 " the whole book he calls this revelatioq. 
 " the did-ates of the Spirit. Re that hath 
 *' an ear^ let him hear what the Spirit faith 
 '^' unto the churches^ J* In this we have a 
 grand fpecimen of the author's talent in ex- 
 plaining the fcripture ; for the words here 
 iet down^, were not fpoken by the angel^ or 
 by St. John, but by 'Xlbrij^ himfelf, from 
 among the fe'-jen , golden candlejiicks '^. This 
 is a fufficient anfwer; but I cannot leave 
 this remark without firfl admitting it to be 
 true, and then tracing a flat contradiiftion or 
 two, which mufl of neceffity follow frona 
 it. Firftj if that ang^l, which fignified to 
 ^St. John the fceaes defcribed in the book of 
 Revelations.^ was the Hoh Spirit \ then, as 
 it was but one and the fame angel of Jefu^s 
 Chrif,\ which, from beginning to end, pre- 
 sented all thefe things before his imagina- 
 tion, it follows, that the Holy Spirit is not 
 to be worfliipped j becaufe, w^hen St. j^6.^';2 
 offered to pay adoration to the angel, which 
 iignified or fhewed to him the things he 
 then heard and faw, he was forbid to do it, 
 U 2 and 
 
 ? P. io6. Rev. ii. 7, n, 17— iri. 6, 13. *i Midi. 13— 
 16, dffr. ' Chap. i. V. I. Ch. ult. v. 16. 
 
[ 148 ] 
 
 and at the fame time direded to the one 
 only proper objedl of woriliip, the fupremc 
 God*. Again, as this angel declared to St. 
 'John that he was his fcJiGi^-fcrvant, and of 
 bis breihrcn the prophets ' ; then, if this an- 
 gel was the Holy Spirit, it muft appear, that 
 he is a fellow- [ervant with the prophets 
 which he infpired, that is, bound to serve 
 pr worfhip the fime God : but — all fcrip^ 
 ture is given by inspiration of God" — and 
 then, if any thing follows, it is, that God 
 is to worJlAp himfelf, 
 
 V. "■' Although the Virgin Mary is pofi- 
 '^ tively faid to have been found with child 
 *' of the Holy Spirit^ and to have conceived 
 *^ of the Holy Spirit-, yet the perfon fent to 
 " her from God upon this occafion, calls 
 " himfelf an angel, and in particular, the 
 " angel G2ihvic\ that fumdeth in the prefence 
 *' of God^^r The angel Gabriel was fent 
 from God to forewarn the Virgin of a future 
 efficacy from the Holy Spirit, and fpeaks of 
 the Holy Spirit (whom he charaderizes as 
 the Mcfi High) as of another perfon 5 not 
 that he himfelf was the Holy Spirit, as the 
 
 author 
 
 ' V. g. « Ibid. " zTim.iii. ip. ^^ ?. iq;— 
 
 Mace. i. 18, 20. Lukei. 19, 26. 
 
[ H9 1 
 
 author imagines, and feems to be fo pleafed 
 with the difcovery, that he thinks it fome- 
 thing very remarkable. 
 
 Now we are upon this fubje^^:, I muft 
 beg leave to remind him, that JeftiSy the 
 holy thing which was bor?i of theVirgin Mzry, 
 was called the So7i of Gop, becaufe he was 
 begotten of the Holy Ghojl -, which on more 
 accounts than one, deferves his very ferious 
 confideration, and he would do well to clear 
 it up. The very fame truth may be col- 
 lefled from many ether paffages of holy 
 writ 3 but the following inftance may be 
 fufficient — God, who at fundry times, and 
 in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the 
 Fathers by the prophets, hath in thefe laji 
 daysfpoken unto us by his Son ""r which God, 
 who fpake in time paft by ih^ prophets, and 
 in the latter days by his Son, is by St. Pe- 
 ter called the Holy Ghojl : for fays he, in 
 old time, holy men of God, the prophets, that 
 is, fpake as they were moved by the Holy 
 
 Ghost^. 
 
 From all which, it manifeftly appears, 
 as I have already obferved, that the whole 
 undivided godhead, is in the fcripture fre- 
 
 quently 
 
 ^ Heb. i. I, 2. y 2 Pet. i. 21. cohf.Lukei. 68, ^V. 
 
1 150] 
 
 quently reprefented as the Father of tlie 
 man Jeftis, and that the Holy Spirity which 
 begat him of the Virgin, is the very and fu- 
 preme God, becaufe the angel Gabriel calls 
 kii power, the po'wer of the highest*. 
 Nay, the very devih themfelves, could with 
 li. loud 'voice y call out upon Jefm their con- 
 queror, as the Son of the mofi high God ' ; 
 and here the author introduces what he 
 fuppofes to be a created and fubordinate an- 
 gel upon this o€cafton. 
 
 Now we have gone through all the ar- 
 guments, offered in the Effay\ with the in- 
 tent of degrading the Son and Holy Spirit, 
 down to the rank of created beings ; it will 
 be proper to enquire, how the writer of it, 
 in allowing them divine wor/hip, can pof- 
 libly clear himfelf from the charge of idih- 
 latryy which the Arians^ upon their prin- 
 ciples, have never yet been able to do? 
 Why, he confefles " that angels, as angels, 
 ** have no right to divine worfhip or ado* 
 ^' ration on their own account ; but when 
 " angels are commiffioned from God, with 
 ** any degree of power over us" (which 
 they never are, being only ?mmjiring fpi- 
 
 rits) 
 » Lukci. 35. * Matt. V. 7, 
 
rits) " and are fent in his name ; then it 
 *^ cannot be idolatry to pay them a propor- 
 " tionate degree of adoration > becaufe fuch 
 *« adoration or worfliip not being paid them 
 " on their own account, but on account of 
 *' the authority which hath been delegated 
 " to them, terminates in the one only and 
 « fupreme God ^'' 
 
 Thus the difficulty is folved 1 we are not 
 guilty of idolatry in paying divine adoration 
 to creatures^ becaufe in them we worfhip 
 God ; which is the very excufe Bartholomew 
 Malam'' gave for himfelf, when he kiaelt 
 down and worfliipped George Fox the Qua- 
 ker s faying, that he did not worfhip George 
 Fox himfelf, but the light in George Fox > 
 that is, he adored the faid George FoXy not 
 upon his own account^ as George Fox, but as 
 one commijfioned from God^ with a degree of 
 power over us, raifed by the irrefiftible work- 
 ings of the Spirit, from the ftate of a me- 
 chanick, to that of an infpired preacher^ 
 a fon of thunder uttering a voice upon Mount 
 Sion^ from the four winds, Sind fent in the 
 name of God, If the learned will pardon 
 me, for mentioning the name of Cicero^ in 
 
 the 
 
 *»P. 82, 83. « L^flieThcol Works Vol. 2. p. 619, 
 
t ^5^ 1 
 
 the fame page, with that of the mofl ilHte« 
 rate George Fox -, I think the compliment 
 he makes Scipio Africa72us pay to PubliuSy 
 *' Jcito te deiim efj'e^'' proceeded from a hke 
 principle with that above-mentioned : io 
 that Bartholomew Malani did nothing more 
 than fing a fober te deum to George Fox^ as 
 the great Scipio did to Piiblim, and as the 
 E£'ay'W7'iter would perfuade us we may 
 lawfully do to created beings, our fellow- 
 fervants. But doth he not perceive, that 
 this method of reafoning will excufe all the 
 fai?it and angel worfliip, profeffed by the 
 modern and fuperftitious members of the 
 church of Rome^ and hitherto fo juftly re* 
 nounced by Proteftants ? For as oft as they 
 are warmly attacked upon this article, their 
 method is, to fecure a retreat in the very 
 diftin6tion here advanced by the author, and 
 as oft as confuted, ftill to infift upon it, 
 that the incenfe they ojfier to created beings, 
 afcends through them to the fupreme God, 
 and tends to the abundant increafe of his 
 honour and glory. 
 
 It is, I apprehend, with a retrofped view 
 
 to this argument, that the author afterwards 
 
 delivers his opinion, concerning that right 
 
 I which 
 
[ 153 1 
 
 which God himfelf hath to the worfliip of 
 his creatures 3 for the cafe is flated in fuch 
 a manner, as feemingly to favour the pofr 
 fibiiity of a title to adoration in inferior be- 
 ings. The fentiment is borrowed from iSir 
 Ifaac Newto?i^ though I would hope that 
 great man never intended to make fo bad 
 an ufe of it, and the whole remark is this 
 — " The worfhip vvhich is due from man 
 *' to God^ is on account of the dominion he 
 " hath over him. — So that the Son be- 
 ** Cometh our God:, not fo much on account 
 *' of his having been employed in the crea^ 
 *' tion, and that by him God created the 
 *' worldsy as becaufe all judgment is com- 
 ** mitted to him, this being the great obli- 
 *' gation of all duty^/' 
 
 But, to worihip God as the Creator of 
 the world, is alfo to worfhip him as the fu- 
 preme ruler of it^ for the act of creation, 
 and the right of fupremacy, are infeparable. 
 The earth is the Lord'j, faith the pfalmift, 
 and the fulnefs thereof^ the worldy and they 
 that dwell therein: to which he immedi- 
 ately fubjoins the reafon, why the Lord 
 hath this dominion over the world and all 
 X its 
 
 ^ P. 100, 101^ 
 
[ ^54 ] 
 
 Its mhabitants— /cr (or becauje) he bath 
 
 founded it upon the Jeas^ and ejiablijhed it 
 upon the jloods ^ Were it the dominion of 
 God, in feverance from his power as Crea- 
 tor, which lays us under the obligation of 
 worfhip^ then St. Fauly when he condemned 
 the idolatry of the GentileSy fhould have 
 ftated their crime thus — that they wor- 
 Ihipped what had no dominion^ rather than 
 him which had. But he expreffes it other- 
 ways, and fays, that they worfhipped the 
 creature y rather than the Creator^ ^ which 
 plainly fhews what it is that entitles God to 
 the adoration of mankind; they are his 
 creatures, and therefore they muft adore 
 him* 
 
 This principle of dominion^ if it were 
 refted in, would excufe all the abominable 
 idolatry of the Pagans, who pay divine ado- 
 ration to the natural rulers, the fun, moon, 
 ftars, &c.. which God hath appointed to 
 rule over tlie day, and over the night, be- 
 <faufe they deemed them to be the Gods 
 which GOVERN the worlds -, and the con- 
 teft between antient believers and unbe- 
 lievers, always turned upon this point, whe- 
 ther 
 
 * ?{. xxiv, 1,2. ' Rom. i. 25, * Wifd»myi\\u 2. 
 
[ ^55 ] 
 
 ther tfaefe natural rulers were felf-exiftcntj 
 and had power eflential in themfelves, or 
 whether they derived it from a Creator, 
 who being fuch, was therefore alone to be 
 worfliipped. But there is another capital 
 error in this aflertion 5 for, argues he, " the 
 *^ Son becometh our God, becaufe all judg- 
 ** ment is committed taito him,'' Now, as 
 far as all judgment is committed to the Son, 
 he is not our God-, becaufe, as far as all 
 judgment is committed to him, h^ is man j 
 for which reafon St. Paul declared to his 
 audience of philofophers at Athens, that 
 God will judge the nsjorld by that man (er 
 arcT/jO whom he hath ordained"^', and he is 
 not our God by being man only, but by be- 
 ing Emmanuel, God with us, that is, God 
 incarnate. As far as he is a perfon of the 
 God-head, he hath judgment efTentially in 
 himfelf, for vengeance is mine, I will repay ^ 
 faith Jehovah*. Wherefore, let us turn 
 his arguments which way foever we will> 
 and fet them in what light we pleafe, 
 ftill, every way, nothing but the moft 
 complicated error is to be found in them ; 
 and, therefore, without purfiing them any 
 
 X 2 farther, 
 
 *» Afts xvii. 31. * Rom. xii. 19. from Deut, xxxii. 35, 36. 
 
[ 156 ] 
 farther, I may obviate them all at once, by 
 fubjoining the words of God himfelf, ut- 
 tered by the prophet Ifaiah^ in relation tq 
 this very article. Thus faith God the Lord^ 
 HE THAT CREATED the heavenSy and 
 Jiretched them out — I am Jehovah, that is 
 my name^ and ?ny glory will I not give tq 
 ANOTHER, neither my praife to graven ima- 
 ges\ No perfon, but the one Creator ^ can 
 have the glory of being called by the name 
 Jehovahy or be entitled to any degree of 
 that praife which is due thereupon ; and he 
 who is the fupreme Creator of the univerfe>. 
 doth here declare, as full as words can ex- 
 prefs it, that he will not commiffion any 
 being to receive divine adoration, fince this 
 is due only to himfelf-— thou shalt wor- 
 ship THE Lord thy God, and hii^ 
 
 ONLY SHALT THOU SERVE \ 
 
 \ Ifa xlii. 5, 8. y Matt. iv. 10. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
[ 157 ] 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Wherei?2y the extefit and validity of his Con-f 
 clufion is emmined. 
 
 T 'Y ERE we fhall have the opportunity 
 J.^ of feeing the opinion this gentleman 
 entertains of the merits of his own perform-? 
 ^nce, and the ftrength of his reafonings, 
 how much his Conclufion amounts to, and 
 how much, according to the plan, upon, 
 which he has proceeded, it ought to amount 
 to. I fhall firft fet down the whole, as it 
 ftands in his book, then divide it into par- 
 ticular articles, and make a feparate reply 
 to each of them. His Conclufion is this j 
 
 *^ I apprehend therefore, it is manifeftly 
 *^ {hewed in thefe papers, that, from the 
 ^*^ confideration of the nature of fpirit, by 
 *^ the light of reafon, it appears, there can 
 '^ be but one God, that is, one fupreme in- 
 '^ telligent agent ^ which one God may, 
 '^^ however, create an infinite feries of fpi- 
 ^' ritual agents, in fubordination one to an- 
 <' other; fome of which may, by an au- 
 ** thority communicated to them from the 
 ^/ fupreme God, ad: as Gods^ with regard 
 
 " to 
 
cc 
 
 [ 158] 
 
 to thofe inferior beings, who are com- 
 " mitted to their charge. I apprehend it 
 " likewife appears from the fentiments of 
 ** the 'Je'ws, as well as from the fcriptures, 
 *' both of the Old and New-teflament, that 
 ** this is the method of government, which 
 " the Almighty hath been pleafed to purfue 
 " in the ceconomy of this univerfe, ftili re- 
 ** ferving to himfelf that incommunicable 
 ** quality of fupreme^ which it would be a 
 " contradiftion to fuppofe him divefted of, 
 " either with or without his will ; that is, 
 " either by his own confent, or by necef- 
 " fity"*. 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 *' I apprehend, therefore, it is manifeftly 
 " fhewed in thefe papers, that, from the 
 " confideration of the nature of fpirit, by 
 ** the light of reafon, it appears." 
 
 An s w e r. 
 Nothing, concerning the fpiritual or in* 
 vlfible world, can really appear by the light 
 of unaflifted human reafon ; which being 
 natural itfelf, and having nothing but na- 
 tural things before it, hath no poflible 
 
 means 
 » P. 113, 114. 
 
[ ^59 ] 
 
 means of obtaining any certain knowledge 
 of things fpirkual. Many things, indeed, 
 •nay fee?n to appear (as tlie aftronomer faid, 
 '■jideor mihi njidere) when, in truth, they 
 are nothing but the abortive conceptions of 
 a whimfical brain, and have no exiflence 
 any where elfe in rerum natiirci. One fpe- 
 culative difquifitor may, out of a compli- 
 ment to the fuppofed depth of his own ima- 
 gination,, regulate the fpiritual world in this 
 manner^ and another in that ; while, fo long 
 as revelation is out of the queftion, they can^ 
 when called upon, neither fupport their 
 own fyftem,. nor confute that of another 
 perfon. 
 
 For thefe reafons, therefore, and others 
 before mentioned, it cannot be exped:ed> 
 that, from this topic of argumentation, any 
 thing real or worth our notice fliould^ appear 
 upon the important fubjecS now in hand: 
 and, indeed, to confider any do(5lrine by 
 the light of nature and reafon, when there 
 is that of revelation ready at hand, and pro- 
 fefledly giving its affiftance, is every whit asr 
 imprudent and abfurd^ as for a man to re- 
 ject day-light, and an open road to travel 
 in, that he may fhew his genius by taking 
 
[ i8o ] 
 
 a foiitary walk amongft bogs and pits in this 
 dark, when it is ten to one but he tumbles 
 headlong into the firft that lies in his way* 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 *' There can be but one God, that iSj 
 *' but one fupreme intelligent agent.** 
 
 Answer. 
 
 None but heathens ever difputed it -, was 
 there any occafion then for rummaging the 
 depths of reafon, to prove what every Chri- 
 ftian mull unavoidably grant ? or rather, 
 doth he not mean to afiirm, that he only^ 
 whom we call the firft perfon of the Trinity^ 
 is the fuprem-e God ? But if the fcripture 
 gives the title oi fupreme to the Sen and Holy 
 Spirit likewife, as I have manifeftly (hewed 
 that it does, fomething elfe muft -appear;^ 
 which a proper degree of humility in the 
 author would have inclined him to believe 
 upon God's authority, and have faved him 
 the fruitlefs labour (I wifli it was nothing 
 worfe) of writing two hundred pages in 
 order to difprove it. 
 
 A R T I C L E 
 
[ i6i ] 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 •^^ Which one God, however, may create 
 " an infinite feries of fpiritual agents, in 
 " fubordination one to another/' 
 
 Answer. 
 True, God may do this 5 but unlefs this 
 gentleman has proved, that Chri/i and the 
 Holy GhoU are of this number, he has done 
 nothing, but is ftill m ftatu quOy juft where 
 he was when he fet out : why did he not 
 fay then, // manifeftly appears that they are 
 creatures? for whether it does or no, we 
 are fure, it was his full intent that it fliould ^ 
 and his premifes, if they are found and good, 
 prove a great deal more than he hath deemed 
 it proper here to fet down in his conclufion, 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 " Some of which (created fpirits) may, 
 " by an authority communicated to them, 
 '^ from the fupreme God, adt as Godsy 
 ^^ with regard to thofe inferior beings, who 
 " are committed into their charge." 
 Answer. 
 
 It ought to have been — " fome of which, 
 
 may be dignified with the incommunicable 
 
 name Jehovah^ declared to htjuprcjne, and 
 
 Y adored 
 
[ i62 ] 
 
 adored as Creators of the univerfe ^ and yet 
 after all, be in reality, not Gods^ but crea- 
 tiiresr As for their being a kind of quafi- 
 dei, afiuming to themfelves the honour of 
 felf-exiHence, and fuffering divine worfliip 
 to be paid to them, only becaufe they were 
 fent in the name ofGod^ it is abfurd and im- 
 poffible ; for a vicegerent or embaffador is 
 never honoured with the title of the mo- 
 narch he reprefents, or admitted to fit as his 
 equal upon the throne with him ^ 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 " I apprehend it, likewife, appears from 
 *^ the fentiments of the Jews, as well as 
 *' from the fcriptures, both of the Old and 
 '^ New-teftament, that this is the method 
 " of government the Almighty hath been 
 '' pleafed to purfue, in the ceconomy of 
 " this univerfe/' 
 
 Answer. 
 
 " Nefas eft cogitare, hlflrioniam aliquando exercuilTe 
 angelos, et deum incommunicabile romen ipfis communi- 
 caile, aut talem repreientationem, in qua creatura omnia, 
 qua^ Dei funt, iibi attribuat. Redle etiam dcdilTimus Came- 
 ro : favBy inquir, falroni clicntum ferfonas fcefe induunt ; at 
 Tie fando quidem unquutn auditum {/?, ullum legatum, cum 
 principis Jul mandata froponit, aliter Icqui quam in tertid 
 firfond : princeps meus hscc dicit. Qjus rei illufire tejiimo' 
 nium hahemus apud prophet as, apud qtws nimirnm fohnnis for- 
 n.ula ejiy Dicit dominus, i^c, Defenjio Fid. Nec^n. Sed. 
 1 . Cap. I . § 1 1 . 
 
[ i63 ] 
 
 Answer. 
 As for the modern Jeivs, I have fhevved 
 that they are not quaUfied to give their evi- 
 dence in relation to this or any other point 
 of Cbrifiian dodrine 3 and the author him- 
 felf hath entered a difquahfication againft 
 them, without fairly offering to reverfe it. 
 As for the method of government^ or angelic 
 fyftem of politics here alluded to, if the 
 reader thinks it worth his while to turn 
 back to the page in which I have fummed 
 up the evidence, alledged in fupport of it, 
 I dare be anfwerable for his apprehendwg no 
 fuch thing. 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 " Still referving to himfelf that incom- 
 ** municable quality oi fupreme^ which it 
 *' would be a contradidtion to fuppofe him 
 « divefted of, &cr 
 
 Answer. 
 True, it would be a contradiSion for the 
 fupreme to be divefted of this his incommu- 
 nicable quality; but this is nothing to the 
 purpofe : for the queftion ftill remains un- 
 touched, which is, whether the fecond and 
 third perfons of the Trinity, as fubfifting in 
 Y 2 'the 
 
[ i64 ] 
 
 the unity of the fupreme t&ViZty and par- 
 taking of this incommunicable quality, muft 
 thereby divert the Father of it ? 
 
 Such is this mighty conclufion, to which 
 the gentle reader is led through fo many 
 dark and intricate windings ; and which by 
 the author of it is thought fufhcient to over- 
 turn the Liturgy, demolifh the Creeds, and 
 make the Bilhops and Clergy, which have 
 in faith and truth fubfcribed to the Book of 
 Common Prayer^ afliamed of themfelves ! 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 His enquiry into the fentiments of the Primi' 
 tive Fathers of the Chrijlian church con- 
 fdered, 
 
 OUR author, having thus fummed up 
 his dodtrine in brief, as he appre- 
 hends it manifeftly to appear from his pre- 
 mifes, is pleafed to afTure us, in the next 
 place, that *^ if we confult the opinions of 
 *' the Fathers upon this fubjedl, for the firft 
 <' three hundred years after Chrift, we fliall 
 " find them all univerfally agreeing in the 
 7 . *' afore- 
 
[ i65 1 
 
 ^^ afore-mentioned dodrine : as may appear 
 " by confulting Jufiin Martyr^ AthenagoraSy 
 ^' Tatia?i, Irenceiis, the Author of the Re- 
 <« cognitions^ Tertulliariy Clemens Alexandria 
 ^' niis, Origen, Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dio- 
 '' ny/ius of Alexandria, LaMantius^ k.c.''*' 
 
 The afore-mentioned do^rine^ which we 
 are to find them all univerfally agreeing in, 
 is, that the Son and Holy Spirit are neither 
 of them really God, but aft only as Gods, 
 and yet are to receive divine adoration from 
 inferior beings. Well^ but where are his 
 proofs ? they come next, to be fure, be- 
 caufe fomething is to appear, upon confult- 
 ing the Fathers. No ; quite another mat- 
 ter: the thing, it feems, is fo clear, that 
 «' it is needlefs to produce any quotations out 
 <' of them, as this point is plainly given up 
 " by three of the moft learned perfons of 
 " the laft age, w^hich are, the judicious 
 <^ Mr. Chillingworth, the learned Bp. Bull, 
 " and the difcerning Dr. Cudworth^:' 
 
 How the cafe really ftands with thefe 
 three divines, fliall be confidered, after I 
 have laid before the reader a much more 
 powerful reafon for that pretended ?ieedlefs- 
 
 7:ef, 
 
 p^ iij, ? Ibid, 
 
[ i66 ] 
 
 nefsy by which this gentleman would cxcufc 
 himfelf from the trouble of quoting -, which 
 is, that all the Fathers he has mentioned, 
 (one only excepted) are univerfally againft 
 his afore-mentioned doBrine, But as the ex- 
 tracfls I fliould make from them, would, if 
 fet down in their feveral originals, be cal- 
 culated only for the fatisfadion of the learn- 
 ed, who may as well turn to the books 
 themfelves, I may be excufed from increa- 
 fing the bulk of thefe papers by giving them 
 at length, and fliall therefore only refer to 
 the places at the bottom of the page ^. 
 
 And, not to leave my Englijh reader 
 quite in the dark, I {hall beg leave here to 
 offer one argument, which of itfelf is fuffi- 
 cient to fliew, that all the moft early mem- 
 bers 
 
 9 Juji. Mart, ad Diogn. Epiil. Ed. Par. p. 501. aroq «£{, 
 ^c. Refp. ad Orthod. p. 295. Evrt t» ^£«, ^C' — Athenag, 
 p. 10. ihid. aX^ sriv ft©-, ^r. — Tatian. Orat. cont. Graec. 
 p. 145. ibid. — Irenaus. adv. Hzeref. lib. 4. c. 11. Dotnintis 
 
 enim nofievy Sec. and lib. 3. c, 8. ip/e eni7n infedvs, &c ■ 
 
 Author of the Jpoji. Conji. lib. 7. c. 42. Kat s*? Kt^gtc? Tjjcrav, 
 
 i^c. ^eriulL adv. Prax. c. 3. Numerum & difpofitionem 
 
 Trinitatis, l^c—Ciem. Alexand. Admon. ad Gen. p. 5. and 
 6. Nyy d'e, k^ c. Pscdag. ]. I. c. 8. p. 113. — ' — Origen contr* 
 Celf. lib. 6. p. 287. «T£ yxf rov aycuvirovy t^fc. and ttb^ oL^ywvy 
 as cited in 'Jerom. torn. 9. p. 121. Nunqu^m utique in Uni- 
 tate Trinitatis, i^c.^—Greg. Thaum. Ed. Par. p. 1. Tfta? xi- 
 Aeia, ^'c. — For the opinion of Dianyjius of Alexandria, fee 
 Athanajiusy torn. i. p. 559, l^c. 
 
[167] 
 
 bers of the Chrifiian church, were univer- 
 fally againft his do^rme ', and fuch an argu- 
 ment it is, as both the learned and unlearned 
 muft immediately perceive the force of. 
 
 Lucian^ who lived as early as the days of 
 Adrian (that is, about the beginning of the 
 fecond century, two hundred years before 
 the council of Nice) and was initiated into 
 the Chrifiian faith, but afterwards aporta- 
 tized to Paganifm, in one of his dialogues, 
 wherein the interlocutors make it their bu- 
 finefs to feoff" at the Chriftian religion, puts 
 the following fpeech into one of their mouths 
 
 vimct, vm Harp©., Uv^vi,^ ^y. YloLTp©. iKTo- 
 
 yofjj^i Zyivx, tov ^i n-^y ^eov. The almighty 
 God, great, immortal, and celejiial, the Son 
 of the Father, the Spirit proceeding from 
 the Father, one 5/^ three, and three of 
 ONE : THESE jou muft fuppofe to be Jove, 
 THIS you miift efteem as God. To which 
 another makes anfwer, by way of ridicule 
 — H)c 01^ ytp 77 Myir.' iv Tficc, k^ rptcc iv '. 
 I dont under/land what you mean : one is 
 three, and three are one ! 
 
 This 
 
 ' Lucian. Oper. fol. p. 1121. 
 
[ i68 ] 
 
 This of Lucian^ though it is but a jeer, 
 yet it is fo ftrongly expreffed, as to afford 
 us a direft proof, that the docSrine of the 
 Trinity in perfed Unity, that is, conftitu- 
 ting together the one fupreme God, was in 
 his time profeffedly fubfifting in the church ; 
 for it is not any one particular writer, or 
 two, or three, but the whole body of Chri* 
 Jlians, he here aims at. And therefore, it 
 appears as manifeftly, that the doftrine of 
 the Trinity, according to our prefent fenfe 
 of it, was then univerfally profeffed by the 
 Chriflians, as it does from another expref- 
 fion of the fame Lucian^ that they then 
 univerfally maintained the refurreB'ton of the 
 dead : for he derides them all, as a fet of 
 poor fenfelefs wretches {jcccko^cci/uoviSi poor 
 devils) who deluded themfelves with the 
 vain hopes of being made immortal ". 
 
 As for Mr. Chillingworthy the author fa- 
 vours us with a pofthumous letter of his, 
 given in his life, as written by Des Mai- 
 xeauxy p. 51* which is an anfwer to a 
 friend, who defired to know what judg- 
 ment might be. made of Arianijm^ from 
 the fenfe of antiquity. If this letter is ge- 
 nuine, 
 
 fotToj ecTEaSaj. De Mort. Peregr. 
 
[ i69 J 
 
 nuine, I am forry for it : but, at the fame 
 time, am not in the leaft influenced by the 
 authority of a great name, where I may 
 with modefty think, that I have a right to 
 judge for myfelf. And therefore, I muft 
 take the Hberty to afTert, that Mr. Chilli7ig' 
 worth hath groffly mifreprefented the fenfe 
 of antiquity, at the beginning of his letter 5 
 and given, not only an unfair, but an in- 
 judicious ftate of the cafe, at the end of it; 
 which, in fo great and celebrated a writer, 
 is what I cannot account for. He tells his 
 friend, that " even in Athanafius himfelf, 
 " the greateft adverfary of the (Avian) 
 '^ dodtrine, he may find, that the eighty 
 " Fathers, which condemned Samofatenus^ 
 *' affirmed expreffly — that the So?2 is not of 
 *' the fame e fence with the Father, Which 
 *' is to contradid: formally the council of 
 ^^ Nice, which decreed the Son co-ejjential 
 " with the Father r To each of thefe fen- 
 tences, I am obliged to fet dcpwn an exprefs 
 contradidlion : for the eighty 'Fathers, which 
 condemned Faul of Sa?nofata, did not deny 
 that the Son was of the fame effence of the 
 Father ^ neither did they formally contra- 
 dia the council of Nice, This crafty fel- 
 Z low. 
 
[ i7<^ ] 
 low, Pauly made a wicked ufe of the word 
 homooufwSy and by it endeavoured to run the 
 orthodox upon the contradiftion of three 
 ovaidiy or effences in the Trinity * : fo that 
 when it is faid of thefe eighty prelates, that 
 they re]cd:ed the term bomooufioSy conjiibftan- 
 tial, we are to underftand nothing more, 
 than that they rejected it, becaufe Samofa- 
 tenus had abufed and perverted it ; fince it 
 is plain, that, in other words, they retained 
 that very fenfe of the Trinity, which by the 
 decree of the Nicene council, this term was 
 intended to convey. For in their fecond 
 fynodical epiftle, written in regard to this 
 arch-heretic, we find the following words— 
 ^i autem dicity confiteri jilium Dei ejfe 
 Deuniy non ejfe aliud qua?7i Duos Deos prce- 
 dicare, hunc alienum ejje ab ecclejiajticd re-- 
 gula arbitramur ''. Whofoever Pdallfay^ that 
 to conjefs the Son of God to be njery God, is 
 the fame with preaching up two dijliiidl Godsy 
 (as the faid Paul did z^vm) fuch an one we 
 efieem to have departed from the eJiabliJJjed 
 do5irine of the church. Now to affirm, as 
 they here do, that the Father and the Son 
 are not two Gcds^ is to affirm that they are 
 
 one. 
 
 * Dicnyffi Alex. Y.'^i^.m Athanaf. v. I. p. 919. 
 
 " Cited by Peta^oius, Prsf. ad Lib. de Trin. ch. 2. §. i. 
 
[ 171 1 
 
 one. But this unity muft be either an unity 
 of effence, or an unity of pcrfon : an unity 
 of perfon it cannot be ^ therefore it is an 
 unity of effence. And pray, what is this, 
 but the very fenfe of homoou/ios ? wherefore, 
 Mr. Chillingworth (if the letter be re.tlly his) 
 hath certainly mifreprefented thefe Fathers ; 
 and it is manifeft, that they, and the Bifliops 
 of the Nicene council, were of one and the 
 fame opinion j though, as occafion required> 
 they may have exprelTed themfelves differ- 
 ently. 
 
 But in the conclufion of this letter, he 
 in a manner leaves the Arimu in pofTeffion 
 of the field j and that for the following rea- 
 fon. '^ Whofoever, fays he, fhall freely 
 *^ and impartially confider of this thing, and 
 '' how, on the other fide, the ancient Fa- 
 " thers weapons againfl the Ariam are in a 
 " manner only places of fcripture, and thofe 
 *' now for the mofl part difcarded as im- 
 " pertinent and unconcluding — he fhall not 
 " chufe but confefs, or at leafl be very in- 
 ** clinable to believe, that the dodiinc of 
 " Arius is either a truth, or at leafl no 
 ^^ damnable herefy." 
 
 Z 2 And 
 
1 172 ] 
 
 And what weapofjs would Mr. Chilling^ 
 worth have had them ufe ? There can be 
 none fo proper, as the /word of the Sptrity 
 which is the word of God, It was the very 
 we^ipon Chriji himlelf made ufe of againft 
 the devil : and though the Arians have, in 
 all ages, done their utmoft to turn the edge 
 of it, it is ftill fharp enough to cut in pieces 
 all the fubtilties and ftratagems of fatan ■ 
 and theirs amongft the reft. I cannot, there- 
 fore, be fo free and impartial, as to con- 
 clude with myfelf, that the doftrine of Arius 
 was no damnable herefy, purely becaufe the 
 weapons of the Fathers againft his followers, 
 were in a manner only places of fcripture. 
 Whether they are, as he calls them, i??2per* 
 tinent and unconcludiiig^ is another queftion ; 
 with which, as this learned man hath not 
 been pleafed to mention any of them, w^e 
 have at prefent no concern. 
 
 We next proceed to Dr. Cudworfh : and 
 as for him, the author tells us, that '' he 
 '* does not only give up the Primitive Fa- 
 " thers in their exprefiions, but alfo in their 
 '' meaning ^." Of which, and of the quo- 
 tation made from the faid do^or, I fhall 
 
 take 
 ^ £f^y, -p. 120. 
 
[ 173 1 
 
 take no farther notice, than juft to fubjoin 
 a little fhort hint, from a fcarce and incom- 
 parable work of the learned Dr. Turner upon 
 mythology, in which we meet with the 
 following ftrifture upon the difcerning Dr. 
 
 Cudworth '' But I wonder how it came 
 
 *' to pafs, that the learned writer of the 
 «^ Intellecftual Syftem, who feems at every 
 ^"^ turn to be fo extravagantly fond of a Tri- 
 *' nity (notwithftanding, as I have proved 
 ^* elfewhere, he hath made it his bufinefs 
 " to undermine and overthrow it) fhould 
 ^' be able to make it out fo fully, that the 
 '' Greeks and Romans had a Trinity, though 
 *' he himfelf hath none^T 
 
 The third divine, who has plainly given 
 up this pointy and allowed that Arianifm 
 hath the teflimony of all the ancient Fathers, 
 is Billiop Bull : and the ftrange fate of this 
 great man, who will for ever deferve the 
 praife of the Chriftian church, for his moft 
 learned and pious defence of its faith, can- 
 not fufficiently be wondered at. It is but 
 a few years fince he was, by the learned 
 Mr. Warburton^ dragged into a Ati^viz^ of 
 
 the 
 
 * l^Qtes on Mythol. 1 cannot refer to the page, becaufe 
 
 this book was defigned only as a preface to a larger work, 
 and is unpaged. 
 
[ m ] 
 
 the Divine Legation^ and made to affirm 
 (as the new fcheme of that ingenious gentle- 
 man required) that the dodtrine of a future 
 flate was not to be found in the law of 
 Mofes. And here he is again as unhappily 
 introduced by this writer, and falfely repre- 
 sented as giving up the fenfe of antiquity to 
 the cauie of Arianipn 5 when in truth, he 
 hath written fet pieces, contrary to, and de- 
 llrudlive of, the fchemes advanced and de- 
 fended by both thefe gentlemen. In one, 
 he hath evidently ihewed, that everlajling 
 life was the hope of all good men under the 
 law y : in another, he hath reconciled the 
 Fathers of the three firfl centuries with the 
 Nicene faith ; and undertook this glorious 
 work, becaufe it was the vain boaft of the 
 Arian party (as ftill it is^ for they are never 
 to be filenced) that the mofi: ancient Fathers 
 of the church were the original advocates 
 and propagaters of their herefy. 
 
 From this very work it is, that the au- 
 thor extrads a paflage, wherein it is con- 
 fefTed, that " almofl all the Fathers, who 
 '* lived before the council of JNice, in their 
 •*' manner of explaining the article of the 
 
 " facrcd 
 
 y See his Sermon upoaPf, c'ui. 15, 16, 
 
[ ^75 ] 
 ." facred Trinity, fometimes fpeak other- 
 '' wife, than the Catholics doV But this 
 concefiion can be of no advantage to an 
 Arian \ becaufe it hath been the attempt of 
 this moft learned man to prove, by a com- 
 pleat induction of particulars, that although 
 the Ante-Nicene and Catholic Fathers do 
 fometimes differ in expreffion^ yet they differ 
 not \n fe?itimej2t. And the man that is fo 
 ignorant as not to know, either that this 
 was his attempt, or that he hath well fuc- 
 ceeded in it, can have no right to mention 
 the name of that illuflrious prelate 3 whofe 
 memory will ever be dear to thofe that re- 
 gard the ineflimable truths of the Chriftian 
 faith, and reverence fuch as profefs them, 
 according to the diredVion of our bleiTed 
 Mailer, in innocence of life, and fandity 
 of manners. The man that does know this, 
 and yet can reprefent him as giving up a 
 point within the fpace of three lines, which 
 through the compafs of almofl three hun- 
 dred pages he hath endeavoured to cany, 
 mufl be of the mendacijfimiim genus horni- 
 721WI', a character, which the aforefaid Bi- 
 fhop, for their notorious and repeated for- 
 geries, 
 2 ]Ef. p. 119, 120. Def. Fid. Nic, Sea. M. c. 9. §. 22. 
 
[ 176 ] 
 
 geries, thought proper to beflow upon the 
 Arians. 
 
 Before we finlfh upon this head, it will 
 not be amifs to recoiled:, that the author in 
 his title-page promifed an inquiry into the 
 fentiments of the Primitive Fathers of the 
 church. And what does he think an in- 
 quiry to be ? Is it fomething, in which a 
 man never inquires at all ? for inftead of 
 turning to any pertinent expreffions in the 
 writings of the Fathers, and obhging his 
 readers with a fair and regular difquilition of 
 them, he rather chufes to borrow a fecond- 
 hand opinion from thofe, who for different 
 reafons have turned to them, and made 
 different reports concerning them : having 
 done this, he treats us with an imperfedl 
 account of their anfwers. One fays, that 
 the docSrine oi Arius is no damnable herefy, 
 becaufe the weapons of the Fathers, on the 
 contrary fide, were nothing but places of 
 fcripture — another, that he difcards even 
 the very meaning of the Primitive Fathers 
 -—and a third, has written z folio y to prove 
 the very contrary to what he would make 
 him affirm. And this he is pleafed to call 
 (by way of banter to be fure) an inquiry 
 
 into 
 
[ ^11 ] 
 
 into the fentiments of the Primitive Fathers? 
 when,, as far as they are concerned, he feems 
 only juft to have inquired what their 7iames 
 were, and then makes a rattle with Athena- 
 goras^ Gregory TbaumaturguSy 5c c. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 His mi f application of the Heathen Tri?iities. 
 
 THIS part of his work is entitled, an 
 inquiry into the dodrine of the Tri- 
 nity, as maintained by the Egyptians^ Py- 
 thagoreans, and Platojiijis. His defign in 
 making this inquiry, is to point out a fub- 
 ordination of power in the perfons of the 
 Trinity ; that this dodlrine, as maintained by 
 the Heathens before the coming of Chrift, 
 may confirm his own notion of the [acred 
 Trinity, And he is pleafed to conjedure, 
 or rather to affirm for truth, that the reafon 
 why the Platonifts, &c. were fo ready to 
 embrace the Cbrijlian religion, was, the 
 clofe refemblance between the Pagan Tri- 
 nity in general, or the Platonic in particular, 
 A a and 
 
[ ?78 1 
 
 and the Trinity as maintained in its pure 
 and gepuine fenfe (with a profefled fubor* 
 dination of power in it) by the Primitive 
 Chrijiians % All of which is gratis diBiim; 
 for in the firft place, it is cle^r, that the 
 Primitive Chrijiians^ where they write like 
 themfelves, do not allow a fubordination of 
 power ; and in this he miftakes the Arians 
 for the Chrijiians, fmce it is the original 
 Arian Trinity, and not the ChrijUan ^, that 
 fuppofes fuch ap inferiority in the perfqns 
 of the Godhead. It is likewife clear, that 
 the refemblance between the Platonic and 
 the Chriftian Trinity, as fometimes loofely 
 commented upon by the early writers of the 
 church, be it more or lefs, did not proceed 
 from any natural affinity between them, but 
 from that ftrange leaven of falfe philofophy^ 
 with which feveral of th^ Fathers corrupted 
 the purity of the Chriftian fyftem. 
 
 But, to come nearer to the point, we 
 muft infift upon it, that our author fliould 
 inquire y what the Pagans originally meant 
 by their Trinities, and endeavour to explain, 
 before he applies 5 for to inquire after them, 
 and inquire into them, are two very diffe- 
 rent 
 
 ? p. 122, !2;. ^ Mfl:?v?>ov ^^fiiawf \ Xf<ru?:!'0*^ 
 
 Ath^n. Ep. ad Afr, Fpifc. 
 
t 179 1 
 
 rent things : the former any body may ddj 
 the latter is attended with fome labour and 
 difficulty. And unlcfs he can be fure, that 
 the Pagans, when they profefs a Triniiy^ 
 mean the very fame with that of the Old 
 and New Teftament, they cannot be per- 
 mitted to have any fhare in the controverfy. 
 
 The inquiry is opened with the Egyptian 
 Trinity, as delivered by Jamblickus y and 
 yet the gentleman, agreeable to his ufual 
 intricacy, does not attempt to give any fa- 
 tisfad:ory reafons for producing it, but con- 
 felTes that he cannot tranflate it. It is ab- 
 Jlrufe, dark, and fuper 'intelligible 3 and he 
 leaves the tranflation of it to the ** deijiical 
 " admirers *^ of the religion of nature ^. '* 
 A mighty odd way this : firft to put the 
 Heathen Trinity upon a level with the Chri- 
 JiiaUy then draw it up in battle-array, and 
 found a trumpet before it, as if it were ca- 
 pable of great atchievements againft the 
 dodlrine he is at war with 5 and then, on a 
 fudden, to turn fhort, and ridicule its con- 
 A a 2 temptible 
 
 * P. 1 2 J. ^ The principles of which religion are 
 
 io much admired by the author himielf, that he has received 
 them as the moft efFedlual teft of the fcriptural Trinity. For 
 the beginning of his title-page runs thus—y/w ^Jfoy on Spirit^ 
 in qjohUh the doftrine of the Trinity i$ ccnjidind in the light 
 of Nature and Reason. 
 
[ i8o ] 
 
 temptlble abfcurity ! This Egyptian Trinity 
 I fliall tranfcribe, as the author gives it*'; 
 and, with humble ilibmifiion, try my hand 
 at a literal Englijlo tranflation of it : and 
 and though it is one of the dark recefles of 
 Paganifm, which cannot be properly fearch- 
 ed into without much diligence and atten- 
 tion, more than at prefent I have either lei- 
 fure or inclination to bellow upon it, yet I 
 fhall beg leave to offer, as they occur to 
 ipe, a few hints toward an explanation of 
 It, and readily fubmit them to better judg- 
 ments for improvement and corredion. 
 
 ripo r&n' omjj cvlo&Vy xcti Ta>v Q?^eji)v. ap^osv 
 rr/!T©s, jLcevmi ^re yap vo-^gp avfoi) miTrMKS^ 
 
 ipr, v^i TTYiyi) Tcov 'jT^vlff^n: H^il'zrv^nvi'^m- 
 dto y^t ecu TO TictT WD, 5ca t av T^^px^. s . A p^n y^p 
 
 lifflCCC,. 
 
 ^ P. 123,124. 
 
[ i8i 1 
 
 Thi XXI Yi a^oL' ^0 yxp vonrctp^m vr^jayopevi* 
 
 ^* Before all things which really are,, 
 *' and before the beginning of all beings, 
 *' there is one God, prior to the firft God 
 " and king^ remaining immoveable in the 
 " folitude of his unity 3 for neither intel- 
 " leduality, nor any thing elfe, is inter- 
 ** mixt with him. He is the exemplar of 
 ^^ himfelf the Father, the felf-begotten God^ 
 ^' the only Father, and the truly -good. For 
 *' he is the greateft and the firft, the foun- 
 " tain of all things, and the root of all ori- 
 " maryexiftent forms. But froip this one^ 
 •^^ the felf-fufficient God flione himfelf out ;, 
 " for which reafon, he is felf-generated and 
 " felf-fufficieht 3 for he is ^the beginning^^ 
 " and the God of Gods : he is unity pro- 
 " duced from one ; he is before all eflence,; 
 " and is himfelf the beginning of cSencey 
 *^ becaufe, from him are entity and elTence : 
 " wherefore he is called the prince of in- 
 *' telligence. Thefe, therefore, are the moft 
 
 ancient 
 
[ i82 i 
 
 *^ ancient principles of all things, under 
 *' which, in the third and inferior clafs, 
 " Hermes ranks the etherial, empyreal, arid 
 " celeflial deities.'* 
 
 This, to be fure, if I have been a faith- 
 ful interpreter, is mofl infernal jargon : but 
 if the Egyptian fages, who drew it up, in- 
 tended there fhould be any fenfe in it, we 
 fhall not be likely to difcover this fenfe, by 
 coming prepoflelTed with chriflian (or, in 
 effedt, unchrijiian) prejudices, and vainly 
 imagining that Heathens, who knew 7iot 
 Gody muft have been prepofleffed with the 
 fame notions : for it is a plain and fervice- 
 able rule in interpreting any author, not to 
 bring his fenfe to him, and father an inten-- 
 tion upon him which he never dreamt of ^ 
 but to take it from his own words, and fup- 
 port it by a comparifon with the fentiments 
 of thofe that profelTed the lame dodrines. 
 
 It will alfo be allowed as indifputable, 
 that the Heathens themfelves beft knew 
 what was intended by their own fuper-in^ 
 teUigible myfteries : for which reafon, I dare 
 not attempt the fliort inquiry I have pro- 
 pofed, without taking Maa'ohiiis^ who, as 
 
 1 far 
 
[ i83 ] 
 
 far as I am able to judge, was the moil learn- 
 ed of them all, for my guide and diredor j 
 and then, though the mift is very thick, I 
 have courage enough to hope, that wq fhall 
 not quite be loft in it. He tells us, that if 
 we would underftand the Heathen theology, 
 we muft take with us the following admo- 
 nition— C^'uf ajihnes, mi Aviene, poefarum 
 gregem am de diis fabulanfur, non ab ady^ 
 tis pleru7ique philofophice Jemina mutnari ^ 
 ^' When the poets relate their myfterious 
 " fables about the gods, take it generally 
 " for granted, that the fubjedl-matter of 
 " thefe myfteries is borrowed from the 
 ^' depths of natural philofophy.'' This rule 
 Macrobius hath made an excellent ufe of; 
 in unfolding the myfteries of the Egyptians^ 
 Pythagoreans, and Plafonijis 3 and if it holds 
 good, it muft put us upon fearching, not 
 for a fpiritual or intelledual, but for a phy- 
 fical Trinity, in that precious ftuft" I have 
 juft now tranflated. 
 
 In purfuance therefore of this plan,' we 
 will lay it down, that the firft God herein 
 mentioned, is the chaos ox jirjl matter ; that 
 the fecond is lights or the fun 5 and the 
 
 thir4 
 
 ^ Saturn, lib. i. c. 17. 
 
1 184 ] 
 
 third the foul of the world:, or vivifying fpi- 
 rit diffufed from th^ fun through the whole 
 fyftem of beings, from the ftars and planets, 
 dov^n to men, animals, and plants ; and I 
 muft beg the reader candidly to fufpend his 
 judgment till I have run through the whole. 
 
 To proceed then, ' 
 
 Before all things which really are, aiid be^ 
 fore the beginning of all beings^ there is one 
 God, prior to the fir jl God and King, 
 
 This, as I have already obferved, is the 
 chaos or firfi matter^ as it fubfifted in a 
 boundlefs uncreated mafs from all eternity, 
 till the melior natura ^, its own intellectual 
 efficacy, brought it into order 3 or as Sa?2- 
 choniatho expreffes it, till the dark air of the 
 chaos fell in love with its own principles ^ and 
 caufed that mixture, from which all the 
 Gods were generated ^-. This fame deity, 
 made of right fuperintelligible, is fometimes 
 called incomprehenfible da-rhiefs^ as by Da- 
 7nafciliS — M/a lo^v o?^ct)v ocp'^^ri cr^ofS^ oiyvoo^ov *, 
 The only principle of all things^ is incom- 
 prehenfible 
 
 g O'vidMet.X-h. I. I. 17. ^ Hj5icr^59 to ':snvu.x rut 
 
 iTnuv ct^x.^v, x.ui iyvjiio avyzocca-iqj Scc. Eufgh. Prsp. Evan. 
 Lib. I. Chap lo. ^ All I mention of DamafciuSt is 
 
 taken from a manufcript fragment, referred to by the learned 
 BiOiop Ciimherlancl in his remarks upon the hid. of Sancho- 
 ?iialho. See page zSc, ^c. 
 
[ i85 ] 
 
 prehenjible darknefs\ and the Babylonians^ 
 as the fame writer informs us, while they 
 exprejfed divine worfhip to the other Gods, 
 adored this firfl: and fuper-exiflent God, by 
 pajjing him over infilence^. In the Orphic 
 hymns, Night is faid to be the. begetter of 
 Gods and men^-, and at other times the 
 Heathens made a perfed: merry Andrew of 
 this dark deity, the material chaos ^ and cal- 
 led him Proteus^ which according to the 
 origination of his name (n^WTgus) is tht fr/l 
 God, or firji mattery which originally fub- 
 lifted under no form, but was capable of 
 affuming any, according to the infinitely va- 
 rious modifications of matter ; and hence 
 the poets, agreeable to their cuftom of bor- 
 rowing from the adyta philoJophicSy tell us 
 fo much of his tricks and transformations. 
 That this Proteus, or xhtjirjl matter of the 
 djaoSy is the very fame with that Deity, 
 which is here nonfenfically ftyled the one 
 God, prior to the firJi God and King, muft 
 I apprehend, be evident from a fragment of 
 EpicharmuSy the mofl ancient of all the co- 
 mic poets, wherein it is affirmed that the 
 B b Chaos 
 
 ^ lAiccv Tft-v o?k&Jv (x.PX'^'^ aiyn Tvcc^icvai. See alfo rlato de 
 Rep. 1. 6. p. 686. ^ Ntxia ^tm y%v(\n^a,v ancoi^at, 
 
[ i86 ] 
 
 Chaos is the Jirji of all the Gods— Xa©* 
 nPflTOS Toov ^ed^v ; nor is it poffible there 
 fliould be any fenfe in the phrafe of, a tt^c*)- 
 7©- T» TT^wTy, a prior prhno^ a God before 
 the firji j unlefs by the firft wpool©^, we un- 
 derftand, the felf-exiflent matter of the cha- 
 OS ', by the fecond the lighf ox fun y the firft 
 and greateft ruler of the world, who was 
 formed out of it. 
 
 It is farther faid of him, that he " rC" 
 *^ mains immoveable in the [olitude of his 
 *' unity y He filled the boundlefs extent 
 of fpace "^, had no room left to move into, 
 and therefore was in a motionlefs flate of 
 univerfal ftability, fince it was impoffible 
 that he Ihould change places with himfelf. 
 But he is in another fenfe more properly 
 efteemed as immoveable unity ^ that is, be- 
 caufe out of this firft matter all formed fub- 
 ftances are derived 3 and while they (the 
 forms) undergo the perpetual viciffitudes of 
 generation and corruption (or diflblution) 
 that firft matter out of which they are fra- 
 med, 
 
 ^ Thus Sanchoniatho affirms, that the dark air, and tur- 
 bid matter of the chaos, was for a longtime infinite, and had 
 7J0 hounds. — ravix h uvea cctthp^cx. ;^«^ c.^« woAyy Oiiuvu f^^i 
 £;!^£i» TT-t^af.?. Ibid, 
 
[187] - 
 
 mcd, fiill keeps fteady to its principles, and 
 remains unalterable. 
 
 Omnia mortali mutantur lege Creata- 
 At manet incolumis MVNDUsfua^ue omnia 
 
 fervat ; 
 ^ce uec longa dies auget^ mimiitve fenec- 
 
 ttis : 
 Nee mofm pundio currit, curfufquefatigat. 
 Idem femfer erit, quoniam femper fuit 
 
 IDEM; 
 
 Tslon alium i)idere pafres^ aliumve minor es 
 jlfpicient 'y Deus eft, qui non mutatiir in 
 avian, 
 
 Manil. Aftron. 1. i. v. 515. 
 
 The unity, immutability, and divinity of 
 this firft matter, is a point of very high an^ 
 tiquity ; for it was a principle of Z/;^^^j, that 
 of the one "whole is all things, and that all 
 things conjlitute the one whole ", v^hich is the 
 firft and incomprehenfible God : and Dio^ 
 genes Laertiics affirms the fame of Mufceiis^ 
 who maintained, like all the reft, that all 
 things are made of one (the homogeneous 
 and eternal matter of the univerfe) aiid that 
 B b 2 into 
 
 Eclog. Phyfic. 
 
[ i88 ] 
 
 info this ONE, they are again all refolved''. 
 And thus alfo Plato, defcribing the univerfe, 
 as confifting of firft matter, diverfified into 
 all the vifible 7^^6*5, fays, that the whole 
 is ONE and many p. 
 
 It is added moreover, that iieither intel- 
 hBuality\ nor any thing elfe is intermixf 
 with him : that /6f is the exeinplar of hi mf elf 
 the Father, the fef -begotten God, the only 
 Father, and the truly good.'' From all of 
 which, I can underftand nothing more, than 
 that matter was lelf-originated from all eter- 
 nity without a Creator : whatever elfe may 
 be intended by it, is abundantly too deep for 
 my capacity. But when it is faid, that 
 " he is the great eft and the firft, the foun- 
 *^ TAi"^ of all things, and the root of all 
 ** primary exifteiit forms;" here, I pre- 
 fume, we have a clear proof, that this firft 
 God is nothing more than the formlefs and 
 univerfal mafs of matter, out of which the 
 forms are derived, as from their fountain, 
 
 and 
 
 ®E| iM^-' roe, Travlcc yino-^a.!,) x.cn £jj rccvrov ctvuXvecr^ai. Diog, 
 Laer. in procem. S. 3, Thiscapital article of the Kgyptian 
 phyfico-theology was expreiTed hieroglyphically by the figure 
 of a ferpent, m an orbicular pofture, with its tail in its mouthi 
 Vy v/hich, as Pterins obferves, they meant to fignify, mun- 
 dum ex fcipfo all, etinfere-vul^z. Hicrogl. I, 14. p, 102. E, 
 * Hccp iwui ivxcci 7cq7\7\x. Plat, in Parinen, 
 
[ i89 ] 
 
 and from whence they fhoot forth, as the 
 flem, branches, and leaves of a tree do from 
 its ROOT. In which very manner, Jupiter^ 
 as underftood to be the one univerfal God, 
 comprehending all other deities compre« 
 henfible and incomprehenfible in himfelf, 
 is defcribed by Orpheus^ 
 
 €V7@-, Arifl. de mundo. 
 
 Jupiter is the firjl and the lofty the heady 
 and the midjl -, out of him all things are 
 fabricated', he is the root of earthy and of 
 the Jlarry heaven. By which it is meant, as 
 I humbly conjecture, that he is th^frjiy as 
 having exifled in a dark and incomprehenfi- 
 ble Hate, prior to that of the forms -, the 
 piiddky as fubfifting under the forms 3 and 
 the lajlj as refolved, in the continued round 
 of generation and corruption, into his own 
 firft principles again. Much more might 
 be faid of this dark firft caufe 3 but we will 
 pafs on to the fecond perfon of this Trinity, 
 o whofe 
 
[ Ipo ] 
 
 whofe origin from the firft is fet forth in 
 the following terms. But from this one, 
 the felf'fiifficient God Jhone himfelf out ; for 
 iwhich reafQiiy he is f elf -generated and fef- 
 fufficientr The lights which is the fecond 
 God here fpoken of, did, according to the 
 Heathen creed, extricate itfelf by its ow^^ 
 power from the bands of original darknefs, 
 and arofe from the confufed mafs of earthy^ 
 aii-y, and watry matter. For it is affirmed 
 by Hefiod in his theogony^ that Chaos, the firft 
 incomprehenfible darknefs, begat Night and 
 'Erebus \ that is, the chaos turned itfelf into a 
 male and female power, a fort of hermaph- 
 rodite^ and then begat ather ov day-light"^ -^ . 
 who is elfewhere called Eca)^ Love or Cupidy 
 which fprang forth with golden wings from 
 the chaoSy and hatched it. . The Egyptians 
 worihipped this fame God, under the name 
 of Cneph \ and aflerted him to be without 
 
 beginning 
 
 ^ HT3^fX£;/nPI2TISTA XAOS ysi/jx' 
 
 E;£ XastS)* Y.ci^'^ T£ (AsXxiva re Nv| sysvovlo, 
 
 Theog. 1. 1 1 6, ^V. 
 
 ' Which is the Hehrei.u word ^'^'2 CaNcPH, a ^.ving ; and 
 by this name, ihey meant to intimate the fwiftnefs of the 
 light in itf progrefs from the fun, and accordingly they made 
 images of this God^ painted of different colours, and iK:inged, 
 See Macroh. Saturn. Lib, i . Ch. 19. 
 
[ ^9^ ] 
 
 heginning and without end^i and yet D^- 
 mafcius confefles that Afclepiades makes his 
 Egyptian Cneph or Cmephisy to be begotten 
 out oifand and water, the muddy mixture 
 of the chaos ; from which it muft be altoge- 
 ther clear, that this God/ though without 
 beginning and without end, could yet be 
 no Jpiritual ptmciph * , and if not a fpiritual, 
 then a natural or phyjical principle, which is 
 the very thing I am contending for. 
 
 " He is the beginning, and the God of 
 ** Gods''] which Cicero exprefles, by cal- 
 ling the fun, the — dux et moderator luminum 
 reli quorum"^. " Unity produced from one: 
 *^ he was before all ejjence, and is himfelf 
 " the beginning of ejfence j for from him are 
 " e?itity and ejence,"'] What the en or one 
 is, we have feen already j as for this fjiom^ 
 or unity which arofe from him, Macrobius 
 fays of it (juft as it was faid of Cneph) that it 
 is without beginjiing and without end. He 
 alfo affirms, that it is the mind begotten of 
 the fir/i caufe ', which mind, as we learn from 
 another part of his writings, was nothing 
 elfe but the fun '\ And this is ftill farther 
 
 confirmed, 
 
 5 P/uf. de If. and Ofir. * See Cufnhcr land's, Remarks, p. 
 1 3, p. 281. " Somn. Scip. ^ In Sgmn. Scip. Lib. i . Cap. 6» 
 
 Cap. 20. 
 
[ 192 ] 
 
 confirmed, becaufe the AJfyrians adored the 
 fufiy under the very name of unity 5 they 
 called him Adad^ which is plainly a cor* 
 ruption of the Hebrew ^HK Achad, and 
 Macrobius fo explains it ; for, fays he, ejus 
 nominis interpretatioy e/i vkvs^. 
 
 How he could be before all ejfence and 
 be himfelf the beginning of effence, may, I 
 think, be underftood by the help of an an- 
 cient Scholion upon a verfe of Hefiody which 
 fupplies us with a very clear diftinftion be- 
 tween firjl matter and effence ; according to 
 which, vAn firji matter ^ is to be confidered 
 as an unwrought mafs of metal ; 8otcc ef- 
 fence, as the fame mafs hammered into 
 form and figure y. Therefore, tht fun , as 
 his fubftance from all eternity made a part 
 of the formlefs cbaos, was before effence ; as 
 receiving a form and figure, upon his felf- 
 generation from it, he is the firfi effence^ 
 properly fo called. The reafon why it is 
 added, that from him are entity and effence ^ 
 is plainly this ^ the Heathens efteemed the 
 light or power of the fun, to be the fole 
 efficient caufe in the formation of all the 
 
 fubftances 
 
 "^ Sat. lib. I. c. 23. y y^oj ^£v Efiv ^ccXz^f aaiot, ot n 
 ^KKlvTrua-ic Tii^a7ifcii. See Da^!. Hewjtus''^ Edit. p. 239. b. 
 
[ 193 i 
 
 jTubflances in nature : the matter of therU 
 they fuppofed to have been as eternal as 
 himfelfj but their growth, form, and fi- 
 gure, proceed entirely from his agency, and 
 the ejf[ence of any thing ^as we have already 
 feen) is conftituted by its figuration. As 
 intelligence likewife, according to their phi- 
 lofophyj arifes from the form or ftrudture 
 of any particular body, and as this ftrudure 
 is owing to the operation of the fun's power^ 
 therefore he is (as alfo for other reafons 'j 
 dignified with the attribute of voyi^mp^m the 
 *' prince of intelligence''*-^ 
 
 Thus much for the firfl and fecond per- 
 fons of this Egyptian Trinity : as for the 
 third degree of power, it is fupported by 
 the whole tribe of etherial^ empyreal^ and 
 celejlial Gods^ amounting to nothing more 
 than the damons or divine minds, which 
 animate the ftars and planets, and people 
 the wide extent of the airy regions ; that is^ 
 in fhort, the intelligent ather itfelf, ex- 
 panded from the fun's orb, to the extre- 
 mities of the fyftem. 
 
 As Egypt was the grand academy of Pa- 
 
 ganifm, and the other Trinities, the Pytha- 
 
 C e gorean^ 
 
 2 See what I cited at p. 73. from the book De Ulatu^ 
 
[ i94 ] 
 
 gor early and Platonic ^ were in all probabi- 
 lity borrowed from that we have already 
 confidered, it fhould feem needlefs to take 
 any particular notice of them 3 but as it is 
 in fome degree neceffiuy to trace this fimi- 
 litude, I fliali fpend a few words upon each 
 of them. 
 
 The firft of the two, is given by Sim- 
 pliciiis in his comment upon Arijlotle^ out 
 of Moderatus the Pythagorean^ and ftand^ 
 thus *, To iJUev TrpwTor tv VTT'cp TO ov y.0Li 'jsccaocv 
 ov(JioLv aTTocpaf i/gTai' to cfe S'evn^v iv oirep 
 ic^i IT) or7a>5 ovt K0i voy\n:opy rrti. eL^y\ Cfmiv gu'at* 
 
 iv©^ ^[^i rm &^m. "The firfi o?2e he (i, e. 
 Pythagoras ) declares to be above being and 
 ejjence : the fecond ofie^ which is exiftence and 
 intelligence^ he Jays^ is the forms : and 
 that the third one^ 'which is animaly partakes 
 ofthejirftoney and of the forms. 
 
 Nothing, in my humble opinion, can 
 (in fo fmall a compafs) more compleatly 
 explain the Hermetic Trinity, in the very 
 fenfe I have underflood it, than this does. 
 Here is a tt^cotdj/ gj', 2,firjl one^ declared fu- 
 perior to all being and ejjence ; becaufe, as it 
 hath been remarked above, beiiig or ejfence 
 
 arifes 
 
 * Eff. p. 1 25. Simpl. in Phyf.- AnJ}. fol. 50. ■ 
 
[ 195 ] 
 
 atKcs from form, and firft matter is with- 
 out jorin. For the fame reafon, the fecond 
 me is called ejfence and intelligence -, and the 
 very name of, tbe forms, is here applied to 
 him, which furely muft put the matter out 
 of difpute. From our author's account of 
 this fecofid God, it muft evidently appear, 
 that he was either unable, or unwilling to 
 underftand what he was about. The ori- 
 ginal is— To ^sVTtppy ev, oinp eq^i tzi ovnzei 
 Qv^ ^i voriTOV, TCL &i^A (pTicnv etVccL — which 
 he thus tranflates— " The fecond one, who 
 " is exiftence itfelf, and intelligence, is cal- 
 " led idea\" Tec eihy the forms, in 
 the plural, is according to him, idea (an 
 image) in thtfmgular I which, if compared 
 with the language, and the intent of, the 
 original, is neither fenfe nor grammar. He 
 was, perhaps, under fome private appre- 
 heniions, that if he left this multiform Deity 
 in poiTeffion of the fecond place in this Py- 
 thagorean Trinity, all would be fpoiled ; be- 
 caufe, then no man could be fo abfurd as to 
 fufpedl a parallel between a God who is in- 
 C c 2 finitely 
 
 *» P. 126. He is plcafed once more to deliver this interpre- 
 tation at p. 131. 
 
[ 196 3 
 
 finitely many, and the fecond perfon of the 
 facred Trinity, who is only one. 
 
 As for the Te/'^v ev, or third one^ it does 
 not exadly anfwer in expreflion to the ethe- 
 rial Gods above-mentioned, but in fenfe 
 amounts to the fame. It is the foul of the 
 worldy the animal fpirit that beftows life^ 
 fenfe, and motion, upon all rational, ani- 
 mal, and vegetable beings : and what this 
 is, we have already feen from rnany autho- 
 rities (to which ten times as rnany more 
 might foon be added) in the firft chapter. 
 
 The lafl: in order is the Platonic Trinity, 
 which, inftead of being more refined than 
 the reft, as according to the extravagant opi- 
 nion fome men have conceived of Plato, it 
 ought to be, rather feems to clinch the 
 whole, and may, therefore, reafonably en- 
 courage us to fuppofe, that we have hit 
 upon the true explanation of them all. Pla- 
 to, fays the author, " in that treatife which 
 ?* he entitles Timceus, is the moft copious 
 " on this head, and therein he fpeaks plainly 
 '^ of? one fempiternal and unoriginated God 5 
 *^ which God, fays Plato, when he reafoned 
 i^ within himfelf about a future God, made 
 
 I' thi2 
 
 ® To oy Kii, yma-w h cvk i'/ov* 
 
[ 197 ] 
 ^^ this univerfe, and placed this perfedly 
 '' happy God which he begat, as the foul 
 " in the middle of it ^." The words fem- 
 piter72al and tmoriginated have a pompous 
 found 3 but as we are certain that thefe phi- 
 lofophers dignified the firfl: matter of the 
 pniverfe with thefe attributes, they are no- 
 thing but mere founds without either fenfe 
 pr meaning 5 for whatever noife they make 
 with the attributes of eternity^ wifdoin^ 
 goodnefs^ perfeBion^ and the Hke; yet, if 
 they beftowed thefe high appellations upon 
 a wrong objeft, upon that which by nature 
 is not Gody the moft fubtile reafonings in 
 the world cannot clear them from the odi- 
 ous imputation of having difhonoured that 
 God, whom we are told, tbey did ?iot like 
 to retain in their knowledge''. All that can 
 be done (or at leaft all that I have feen) 
 upon this occafion, is to prefume in a grave 
 and folemn ftrain, that the wife Heathens 
 could not be fo abfurd as to over look the 
 power of a Creator, and afcribe divine in- 
 telligence to the dead elements of the world. 
 But this can amount to little or nothing^ 
 becaufe, whether they were fo abfurd or 
 
 notj, 
 
 P. 127, « Rom. i. z%. 
 
[ ^98 ] 
 
 not, is the very queflion in difpute, and no- 
 thing but their own expreffions, compared 
 with the character they bear in the facred 
 writings, muft decide it. 
 
 But let us defcend to a clofer examination 
 of Plato's words. This fempite'r7ial and un^ 
 originated Geo, it feems, when he reajojied 
 witbi?t hi mfc if about a future God^ made this 
 wiiverje. The /ormation of the univerfe, 
 therefore, was necefiary to the exiftence of 
 t\ns future God, If to this be added, the 
 refidence of this perfeBIy happy God, who 
 was rea foiled about by the firft, it muft, I 
 apprehend, at once difpel all farther doubts 
 and difficulties. For when he was begotten, 
 he was placed in this univerfe, as the foul 
 in the middle of it. Now wJiat is it that is 
 placed in the middle of the univerfe, but the 
 light in the orb of lYicJun, the firfi: and chief 
 of ali tht forms that emerged from the ob- 
 fcurity of primaeval darknefs ? This is the 
 foul Plato fpeaks of, and accordingly it is 
 confeffed by Heraifcus in Damafcius^ that 
 the fun^ here called the foid in the middle^ 
 16 the j/y$ vQY\i:©^ the intelligent mind of the 
 world ^ So that this perfe^ly happy God is, 
 
 after 
 
 [ Bp. Cumb. Bid, p. z8a. 
 
[ 199 1 
 after all, nothing greater than the high an(i 
 mighty Cnephy begotten out of faiid and wa^ 
 ter. This is fufficient to give us a furfeit 
 of Plato's Trinity, and, therefore, any far- 
 ther account of it would be fuperfluous. 
 But the Effhy-writer thinks it " more for 
 ^^ his purpofe'' to take this Trinity as deli- 
 vered by Porphyry, *' who flour ifhed about 
 " the time when the c'onfubjlantial dodrine 
 ^' of the Trinity began (as he calls it) to 
 " make a noije^\'' Which obfervation^ 
 though irreligioufly worded, is yet in the 
 main true enough ^ fo true, that it will at 
 once overturn all he has attempted to build 
 upon it. This Porphyry was an apoftatd 
 from the Chrijiian to the Heathen religion, 
 and in his execrable writings, cppofed that 
 truth from which he had deferted, with the 
 moft implacable bitternefs, even to a degree 
 of madnefs 5 which principle encouraged 
 himi to draw up the opinion of Plato in the 
 very terms made ufe of by the primitive Fa- 
 thers to exprefs the dodrine of the facred 
 Trijiity -, and it is plain, that his intent was, 
 impudently to confront the Chrijlians with 
 this contemptible fcrap of Paganifm, dreffed 
 
 up 
 •sP. 130. » 
 
t 206 j 
 tip in their own expreffions. The words of 
 Porphyry are thefe — hy^e/. yxp ^^cov vvro- 
 
 aarixr, &c, " Pkto /aid, that the effence of 
 God is dijlmguijhed into three Hypoftafes,'* 
 &c. Flato never faid any fuch thing; he 
 never thought of defining his confufed tri-^ 
 plicity by the terms ovaioi and vnoc^oLuii pro- 
 perly applied and diftinguiihed : and when 
 ornamented with this garb, it makes, I 
 think, a much worfe appearance than it 
 did before, by affiiming a character, which 
 it neither can, nor ever was intended to 
 fupport. So that Forphyry^ by his fenfe of 
 the Platonic Trinity, inftead of betraying 
 the weaknefs of the confubftantial dodrine, 
 betrays nothing but his own want of judg- 
 ment. ' He has borrowed the moll diftin- 
 guiihed terms from the Chriftians of his 
 time, and by an injudicious application of 
 them, made that Trinity a confubftantial 
 one, v/hich according to its original and 
 genuine acceptation, was never defigned as 
 fuch. 
 
 Upon the vvhole then, there will be no 
 
 danger in granting, that " it is m.anifeft (as 
 
 *' our author afferts) beyond all controverfy, 
 
 2 " that 
 
[ 201 ] 
 
 ^^ that bdth Plato and his difciplcs held a 
 *' kind of eflential fubordination to have 
 *' exifted between thefe Gods^;" for the 
 argument drawn from a comparifon between 
 an heathen and the fcriptural Trinity is fo 
 inconfequential, that if he had inftanced a 
 fubordination in fifty more Trinities of the 
 like nature, it would not in the leafl: ef- 
 fect the fenfe of this doftrine as maintained 
 by believers. 
 
 I fhall, therefore, purfue this point no 
 farther, and ought to beg the reader's par* 
 don, for dwelling fo long upon fo dry a fub* 
 jedl ', but as it was prefled into the fervice of 
 heterodoxy, I thought it could not be amifs 
 to fet this matter in that light, in which the 
 Pagans themfelves appear to have feen it. 
 I am not ignorant, that many learned men 
 have put a very different conftrucTtion upon 
 thefe articles of the heathen theology, and 
 have been fo hardy as to apprehend without 
 the leafl ceremony, and, I believe^ with as 
 little authority, that when the ancient phi- 
 lofophers fpeak of their Gods and Daemons, 
 they mufl mean the fame as a believer does 
 by the true God, and the hofl of angels. 
 D'd This 
 
 ^ P. 132. 
 
[ 202 ] 
 
 This is a fad too well known to need mf 
 particular proof i but, however, let me, by 
 way of fpecimen, exemplify this fpecies of 
 error, by producing an inflanee of it from 
 the great Bocbart; w^hich, as this learned 
 man was not lefs fkilled in facred than in 
 prophane knowledge, is fo much the more 
 remarkable, and may ferve to teach us, that 
 before we venture to affert an agreement be- 
 tween the Pagans and the Bible in any ar- 
 ticle of moment, a proper degree of cau- 
 tion, even in the greateft men, is abfolutely 
 neceffary. 
 
 Sanchoniatho, in his Cofmogony, after he 
 has afferted his firft dark principle of the 
 univerfe, and a fecond God begotten of him 
 by a felf-concupifence, fets down, in the 
 third order, a fort of daemons or intelligent 
 animals, which he calls Zophefeminy fpiea 
 or infpedtors of the heavens, each of them 
 formed in the fliape of an egg, and gene- 
 rated from mud'i which Zophejemin are 
 fuppofed by Bocharfy to mean the celeftial 
 angels, the intelligent and real inhabitants 
 of the invifible heavens. A criticifm fo evi- 
 dently abfurd and contrary to truth, that I 
 
 feall 
 
 ^ Eufeb. Prxp. Evan. Lb. i. c. lo. 
 
, f 2^3 J 
 
 fhd\ not undertake to difprove it ^ and the 
 rather, becaufe it is taken proper notice of 
 by the learned bifihop Cumber lafid^. 
 
 This unaccountabie fancy of fearching 
 for facred truth amongft the writings of 
 profeffed idolaters, hath had too many and 
 too able advocates both ancient and modern j 
 and though we ought not to fufpedi, that in 
 all cafes it proceeds from a very bad princi- 
 ple, yet can it feldom or never be referred to 
 a very good one 5 and every attempt towards 
 reconciling the facred and prophane fyftem, 
 muft be in general fruitlefs and unfatisfac-» 
 itory: for though it be granted, that upon 
 D d 2 the 
 
 ^ The learned Bocbart hath rightly given the original of 
 the name Xophtfemim from the H€brew HS'^j fignifying 
 /peculators or ohfer-vers, and "CytyV bewven-'y but he does vio- 
 lence to the author's whole text and fcope ; befides that he 
 oppofes i;'/(;,'^i/i^j's juil refiedion upon him, as not propound- 
 ing the inhabitants of heaven, i. e. the angels, for Deities, 
 v/hen he interprets thefe Zophefemim to be angels, f'or how 
 fhould angels be bred, as thefe are faid to be, out of mud ? 
 How, when angels are io generated, Ihall the fun, moon, 
 a.nd Rars, fliine out ? how iliall angels be ihaped like an Qgg, 
 or in a roundifli form ? 1 he truth is, his mind v.'as prepofTefTed 
 with Chriilian notions, and he vainly imagined tJiat an Hea- 
 then muft be fo too. But Sanchsniatho meant only, that the 
 celefiiul bodies are intelligent y and fee what is done here be- 
 low ; and, therefore, were to be adored as Gods. Remarks 
 upon the Hift. o/Sanch. p. 21. 
 
[ 204 ] 
 the rife and progrefs of idolatry after the 
 flood, the moft ancient Heathens carried off 
 many fublime myfteries of the true religion, 
 and purloined more in after ages from the 
 people pf God, y^t when they were in pqf, 
 feffion of them, they mixed them up with 
 their own muddy principles, then ftrained 
 away the purer part of the mixture, and 
 let it run to wafte : fo that if we now feek 
 it again from them, there is little to be 
 found but their own filthy fediments in- 
 ftead of it. And if in fcattered fragments, 
 borrowed from the Hebrews, there fhould 
 be found fome dark notices of the true God, 
 yet, after all, we are not to form our fenti- 
 ments from the Heathen theology, but to 
 reform and cqrredt that by the Chriilian, 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Jlis remarks upon the Athanafian and Nicene 
 Creeds obviated. 
 
 T 
 
 HE intent of the eflay-writer in thefe 
 remarks is, to point out a few con- 
 tradiftions both in the language and in the 
 3 fenfc 
 
[ 205 ] 
 fenfe of thefe two Creeds, when compared 
 either with themfelves, or with each other* 
 But, I fear, that whatever contradictions we 
 ihall meet with, they will at laft prove to 
 be nothing but the genuine produce of his 
 own imagination, I will try the experi- 
 ment, by fetting down thefe remarks fepa- 
 rately, and fubjoining a reply to each of 
 them. 
 
 Remark I.^ ^' The dodtrine of three Hy- 
 ^^ poftajes^ was not the doftrine of the coun^ 
 " cil of Nice^ but was afterwards adopted 
 *^ by fome of the Confubjiantialijisy and was 
 " inferted in that Creed which goes under 
 ^' the name of Athanafius ; but which could 
 *^' not poflibly have been written by him, 
 <* becaufe he, as well as the reft of the 
 •^ Nicene Fathers, infifted upon it, that 
 " there was but 07ie Hypojlafis in the Tri- 
 ^' nity, any more than one Ufia ^'' 
 
 His reafon then for affirming that the 
 Creed which goes under the name oi Atha^ 
 nafius^ could not pojjibly have been written 
 by him, is, becaufe he in/ijied iipoji it^ that 
 there was but one Hypoftajis in the Trinity, 
 any more than ojie Ufia, In which, we 
 
 have 
 
1 206] 
 
 hax^e a flight fpecimen of the mendaci[ft^ 
 mum : for, on the contrary, Athanafius in- 
 Jijied upon it^ that in the Trinity, there is 
 jone Vfia and three Hypojtafes : as a proof 
 of which, the following inftances v/ill be 
 efteemed fufficient. In his queflions, we 
 find thefe two, with their refpeftive an- 
 swers How many effences do .you confefs in 
 
 the Godhead? Anf. / confefs one effence, 
 one nature^ &cc, Qu, How many Hypoftafes 
 do you confefs in the Godhead? Anf. I confefs 
 qTHREE Hypostases or Perfons^ &c ^. And 
 again, in his dialogue with a Macedonian ^ 
 he'lays, Tgw? i^t^.^rs 077 ytc/^L vi TroL^^gnoc Aucr^riKn 
 Qi^iv ^^4^ TPEiS TTTDsa^/s". Hitherto you 
 have hem made to under f and ^ that even the 
 Old Tejlament declares for the dcBrine of 
 TYLKEE-Hypofiafes. . It is likewife clear, that 
 Athanafus never meant to coniound the 
 fenfe of thefe terms, fo as to make thern 
 iynonimpus, becaufe he has explained the 
 oiie, Hypofafis^ by nrfoQ&ntov^ perfon^ and 
 the other, Vfia^ by ^u^i^, nature 5 which 
 are as diftindl in their fignifi^pations, as any 
 other terms whatever. 
 
 ; iL 
 
 ' *** EVi T8 Ssa '^ocrxt ycTja? ofAo?^oy=H- ; AH. Miay aaaf 
 ^jyo), (Aiav (pvciVy &C. EP. TTrorccaBi; os tiToa-uq o/x&Ao^ek f^^ 
 7» Gsa ; An. Tpnq vjror oca-Big o^oA-oytv, reix Wfocrw^ra, &C. 
 
 V. iL p. 442. '■' V. I. p. 223. 
 
[ 207 ] 
 
 II. " Socrates, the ccclefiaftical hiflorian,- 
 " fays from Iraneus'' (the grammarian, not 
 the Father) " that though the word Hypo- 
 ^' Jiajis was not ufed by the more ancient 
 " philofophers, yet, fays he, you muft un- 
 " derftand that the moderns make ufe of 
 ^' it inftead of ^aict, \" 
 
 Socrates does not fpeak of the moderns^ 
 as intimating the Cbrtjlians^ but the modern 
 Greek philofophers -y and our bufinefs at pre- 
 fent is not with them, but with the inten- 
 tion of the Nicene Fathers. 
 
 III. '' To fay therefore that the three 
 *' Perfons in the Trinity are one Ufia and 
 «^ three Hypojlafes^ is the fame thing as ta 
 " fay,, that they are one fubjlaiicc and three 
 ^^ fuhjtances- at the fame time ; which I take 
 ^' to be a contradiction in terms, and there- 
 *' fore cannot be affirmed even of God him- 
 « felfp/> 
 
 No : it is the fame thing as to fay, that 
 they are three Perfons and one nature 5 fince 
 Athanajius explains the word Hypojiajis by 
 '^iT^ocamv, perfon, and UJia by q)'jaiiy nature y 
 which is therefore fo far from being a 
 contradidion in terms, that it is the very 
 
 thing 
 
 ° P. 136. P Ibid, and 137. 
 
t 268 ] 
 
 thing the thlirch means to exprefs and Ihfiil 
 tapon. 
 
 IV. " When it is faid in the Mcene 
 *' Creed, that the Son is ex. in? amoLi t» ITa- 
 *' Tep^, ?/ ^'^^ fubjiance of the Father y and 
 *' that he is ofJi^nai©^ too UaT^y of one 
 *' fubjiance with the Father — wherein does 
 *^ the difference confifl ? Why, in being 
 *' faid to be three fubftances at the fame 
 " time that they are but one fubftance "^y 
 
 It is. not faid, either in this place or any 
 where elfe, that the Perfons of the Trinity- 
 are three fubjiances ; but when a man is fo 
 violently heated with his own opinion, he 
 can never attend to any thing but what he 
 himfelf fays. By the former of thefe ex- 
 preffions, we are to underftand (as it is faid 
 in the Creed itfelf ) that the Son was yewn- 
 ^evnm^y begotteny ik ^ms acncc^ oj or from the 
 fubjiance of the Father 5 and by the latter, 
 that when fo begotten, he was o/^acn^y of 
 the fame fubjiance^ nature, or effence, with 
 the Father, though a different Perfon from 
 him. He may therefore, nay, and muft 
 furely, if he was begotten of the Father, 
 be of the fame effence or nature from which 
 
 he 
 
 1 Ibli. 
 
[ 209 ] 
 
 he was begotten, and yet, not be confound- 
 ed in perfon with the Father : which was 
 the herefy of Sabellius^ who maintained that 
 the Trinity was ^ctoroTrepo-wT©-, /. e, that it 
 confifted of one Perfon numerically the 
 fame, but re^o^wyi©^, diilinguiiJied by three 
 different appellations. 
 
 V. ^' I am very fenfible that in our En- 
 *^ glt/h tranflation of the Creed, commonly 
 ^^ called the Athanafian Creed, we have 
 *^ followed the church of Rome^ whofe in- 
 fallibility can give what fenfe it pleafes to 
 words, in rendering the word T-rog^OT?, 
 by the 'Englijl:^ word perfon^ that church 
 " having rendered it by the Latin word 
 [^ perfona \J' 
 
 Athanafiiis^ Epipha72iuSy and all the Greek 
 Fathers ', have metaphrafed it by the Greek 
 word ^^cod-Trnvy perfon -^ and therefore we 
 have not followed the church of Rome's 
 Latin word. This remark is fucceeded by 
 a long and moll perplexed criticifm upon 
 
 the 
 
 ' p. 138. ^ Y'TToraj't; act; fuj^ocwrrov rxvrov sr* 
 
 /cr«p' uvtok;. Hypcjlajts l^ perfona idtm eji apiid illos. Sc. 
 Patres. Leont. De Sed. p. 388. And Buidas affirms, that 
 
 TO 'Erpoo-wTTov Hypojiajis. according to ecclefiaftical ^d apo^ 
 
 Helical t»dition^ is the fame with perfon, 
 
 E e 
 
 <c 
 
 St 
 
[ 210 ] 
 
 the different acceptations of the word per/on^ 
 as applied to men : v/hich is all wide of the 
 pointy becaufe we have no concern either 
 with its application to diftindt and feparate 
 men, or to the fame man confidered in dif- 
 ferent capacities, but to the Godhead : and 
 when thus applied, we know what we would 
 mean by it, and fcorn any low equivocations 
 about it. This attempt upon the words 
 whereby we exprefs our faith, is no new 
 thing: for whoever is in the leaft converfant 
 with ecclefiaflical antiquity, will find that 
 the Aridns always harboured the moft im- 
 placable malice againfh them : for which, 
 no other caufe can be afligned, than that 
 thefe terms, when applied fo properly as 
 they are in the Creeds, cut their herefy up 
 by the roots — hinc illce lachryma ! Nor did 
 their wrath confine itfelf to the terms, but 
 did likewife moft amply exert itfelf againft 
 the Nicene Bifhops, who, with others that 
 embraced their fentiments, were looked upon 
 by thefe gentlemen as nothing better than 
 fools and idiots *, while themfelves were 
 the only wife and knowing amongft man^ 
 kind. / 
 
 3 yi- 
 
 t See Socr. SchoL lib. I. ch. 9. 
 
[211] 
 
 VI. " I cannot help faying, It is fonie- 
 " thing odd to have thefe two Creeds (the 
 *' Nicene and Athanafian) eftabliflied in the 
 ** fame church, in one of which thofe are 
 " declared to be accurfed, who deny the 
 " Son to be of the fame Hypojiafis or UJia 
 ** with the Father 5 and in the other, it is 
 " declared they cannot be faved, who do not 
 *^ affert, that there is one Hypojiafis of the 
 " Father^ and another of the Son^ and an- 
 [' other of the Holy Ghofl'^r 
 
 This feeming contradidlion arifes only 
 from his confounding the words ^^gl and 
 VTTvgztms : for though it be faid, in the ana^ 
 thema annexed at the end of the Nicene 
 Creed, that they are accurfed who fay that 
 the Son is of any other Hypojiafis or Ufa than 
 of the Father, yet when it is confidered, 
 that the Son is of the Hypoftafis in one fenfc, 
 and of the Ufa in another, the Athanafian 
 and Nicene Creeds are by no means at vari- 
 ance. Thus, the Son, as God, is of the 
 Father's Vfia^ and partakes of that divine 
 nature or effence^ from which he is gene- 
 rated : as a ^on, he is begotten of the Fa- 
 ther's Hypofiafis or Perfon-y which makes 
 
 E e 2 the 
 
 " P. 146. 
 
t 212 ] 
 
 the Gontradidion vanifli entirely ; fince it 
 fhews, that there may be three Hypofiafis 
 in the Godhead, as the Athanqfiaji Creed 
 fets forth 5 and that the Son may be begot- 
 ten of the Father's HypoJiaJtSy as it is afferted 
 in the Nicene. But, even fuppofing his ob- 
 fervation upon this anathema to be juft, yet 
 his fufplcion of oddnefs in the eftabHfhment 
 of the church is ahogether groundlefs, fince 
 it is wholly omitted in that form of the 
 Nicene Creed inferted in our Book of Common 
 Prayer ; and therefore it is weak to calum- 
 niate the Proteilant church, for eftablifhing 
 what it hath never eftablilhed at all. 
 
 Thefe are all the remarks I thought it 
 neceffary to take any notice of. But the 
 author of them, fuppofing. they have put 
 us into fuch diforder, that our only way is, 
 to make a fair retreat, and give up the mat- 
 ter as unintelligible, befl:ows upon us the 
 following fneer- — " In order to obviate all 
 *' thefe objedions, it is thought fufficient 
 '^ by fome, to fay, that there are many 
 " powers in the divine nature, which hu- 
 " man beings are not capable of compre- 
 ^' bending ^" But, with humble fubmif- 
 
 fioii, 
 ^ P. 1^6. 
 
[ 213 ] 
 iion, this hath not been my way of obviating 
 theje objeBions : and though fuch a decla- 
 matory method would have fpared me much 
 trouble, yet have I endeavoured to fet them 
 all alide, by (hewing that, in efFed:, there 
 are no real objeftions either againft the fcnfiei 
 of a Trinity in Unity, or againft the man- 
 ner in which this dodtrine is fet forth in the 
 Creeds. For whatever degree of humility 
 and acquiefcence is expefted in relation to the 
 articles of our faith, neither the fcripture, 
 nor the church-catholic requires us to be- 
 lieve that the Holy Trinity are one and three 
 in one a7td the fame refpeB 5 which would 
 indeed be a moft infuperable contradidioni 
 but in the fenfe we hold it, it plainly ap- 
 pears, that there is none. 
 
 As for his frequent ufe of the name Con-- 
 
 fubfiantialijh^ as if thofe, who believe a 
 
 conjubjlaiitial Trinity, were fome private 
 
 party or fedl of Chriftians diifenting from 
 
 the truth — his charging us with following 
 
 the Pope's infallibility- and his affirming 
 
 with fuch confidence, that the revelatiofz 
 
 of this wonderful doEirine came originally 
 
 from the Papal chair '^ it is all a mere 
 
 trick 5 
 "^ P. 151, 
 
[ 214 ] 
 trick 5 jufl the fame with his comparing us 
 tQ the bigotted members of the church of 
 RomCy for regarding our ecclefiaftical fub- 
 fcription, as all honeft men and confcien^ 
 tious, who believe the articles of their faith> 
 ought to regard it. For though in the holy 
 fcriptures it be not afferted totidem Uteris^ 
 that the Trinity is conjubfiantialy yet is it 
 expreffly declared, that the Lord our God is 
 ONE Jehovah, and that the Father, Soriy 
 and Holy Ghoji, are one, that is, one eter- 
 nal nature, co-equal in majefly, wifdom, 
 powerj and every other attribute of effential 
 divinity. At our baptifm we are, after the 
 ordinance of Chriji our Lord, folemnly ini- 
 tiated into the faith of a Trinity in Unity— 
 The infpired Apoftles, and from them the 
 church-catholic, pronounce their bleffings 
 in ftrift conformity with this faith, as the 
 High Prieft, on the day of the great yearly 
 attonement, did upon the Ifraelites by a 
 threefold repetition of the name Jehovah ^ : 
 and the two Teftaments, as hath been 
 fliewn, abound with the revelation of this 
 divine myflery. 
 
 It 
 
 y Numb. vi. 24. 
 
[215] 
 
 It is therefore, without all controverfy, a 
 fcriptural truth, that the Godhead is one, 
 and that in this Godhead there are Three 
 Perfons : and if the author can devife any 
 method of exprefling their unity more fully 
 and more fenlibly than by the word confub" 
 flantial^ let him advance it : but to reprefent 
 the whole as of no higher an original than 
 the Papal chair^ when even the very word 
 confubjiantial was not borrowed from thence, 
 is to betray the weaknefs of his own caufe, 
 and offer an affront to the common fenfe of 
 every Protejlant Chriftian. 
 
 Another method he takes of blending this 
 dodlrine and Popery together, is by obferving, 
 that " when the Proteftants argue againft 
 " the dodlrine oi tranfub/iantiation^ the Pa* 
 " pi/Is never fail objecting the equal incredi* 
 " h'lWty oi ^ confubjiantial Tvxmiy^.'* This 
 is very true : but a Proteflant is not bound 
 to anfwer for the indifcretion of a Papiji^ in 
 putting the dodlrine of a confubjiantial Tri- 
 nity upon a level with a tranfubflantiation 
 of the facramental elements : and a parallel 
 between thefe two do&ines cannot poflibly 
 t^rn out to the difadvantage of the former, 
 
 fince 
 
 ? Ibid, 
 
[ 2l6 ] 
 
 iince the one is fubjecled to the fcrutiny of 
 our fenfes, and contradids them 5 the other 
 is above our fenfes, and does not. If in^ 
 deed he rejeds the myilery of a Trinity in 
 Unity, becaufe he is pleafed to think it in^ 
 credible^ the argunient drawn from hence 
 carries with it no more weight than that of 
 a bad example : for the queftion to be de- 
 cided, is not, whether he believes this doc^? 
 trine, fince thoufands befide him have dif- ' 
 believed it, but whether it is revealed in the 
 holy fcriptures 5 of which, not a fingle Iota 
 could be afFedied by the dilbelief of the 
 whole world. For what if fome do not be^ 
 heve ? ' fiall their unbelief make the word of 
 God without effe5i? God forbid ! yea^ let 
 God be irue^ but every piah (that oppofes 
 him) a liar. 
 
 FINIS, 
 
--^■^^- 
 
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