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then, as we had been the flaves of fin, and were redeemed by God, who ranfomed us by the death of his fon, it was maintained 'till after the time of Austin (the principal author of all the rigid doctrines that are now called Calvinist) that the price of our redemption was paid not to God, but by God to the devil, in whofe power we were. Of this opinion

was Austin himself, who wrote largely on the fubject in his treatise on the doctrine of the trinity. It was long after his time before we find

any traces of its being generally thought that the price of redemption was paid to the o ffended justice of God and the present doctrine of atonement, founded on the idea of the abfolute neceffity of an infinite fatisfaction being made by one infinite being for offences of an infinite magnitude, as committed against another infinite being, is fubfequent to the reformation. This doctrine was advanced by the reformers in the course of their controverfy with the papifts, about the doctrine of human merit, works of penance, and the power of granting indulgences. Now can it be supposed that a doctrine of fo much importance, as this is always represented to be, fhould have been unknown so many ages?

Thus all these boasted ancient doctrines are in fact of late date, either having arisen from the principles of heathen philofophy, or having been started and extended in the courfe of controverfy, one false pofition making another neceffary for its fupport;

and

and an air of awful and deep mystery has been no fmall recommendation of them to many of the more ignorant.

The doctrine of the trinity, having been one of the earliest corruptions of chriftianity, will probably be one of the laft to be completely eradicated. But the time, I truft, is faft-approaching, when, by means of the zeal of truly enlightened and good men in this great caufe, this fundamental error, which gives fuch great and juft caufe of offence to jews and mahometans, will be removed, and all that has been built upon it will fall to the ground.

THE CONCLUSION.

My chriftian brethren, if the reading of this addrefs give rife to any doubts or fcruples in your minds, with respect to fome doctrines which you have been used to confider as true and fundamental in the chriftian religion, inquire farther; and if you be fatisfied that you have hitherto been mistaken, dare to avow the truth, and act confiftently with it. Dread the confequences of joining with an enlightened mind, in the idolatrous worship of any creature, though enjoined by any human authority; remembering the words of Chrift, Thou shalt worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only halt thou ferve. Matt. iv. 10. and alfo that awful voice from heaven refpecting all antichriftian corruptions of the gospel in myftical Babylon; Come out of her, my

people

people, that ye be not partakers of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Rev. xviii. 4.

Think not to avail yourselves of the wretched equivocation of many divines, who imagine that they may fafely ascribe all divine honours to Jefus Chrift, on account of his union with the Father, when they believe no more of his proper divinity than profeffed arians or focinians. By this artifice they fecure the reputation of orthodoxy; but let them confider the value of the purchase, and the price they give for it. To mere worldly confiderations, to the praise of men, or filthy lucre, they facrifice that integrity, for the lofs of which worlds cannot compenfate.

The publisher of these tracts does not conceal his name through the fear of any thing that men can Jay of him, or do to him, but merely to give what he has written a better chance of being read without prejudice. What he has done is out of a fincere good-will and compaffion to the multitude, who believe they know not what, or why, and what is of more confequence, who know not what Spirit they are of; but instead of speaking the truth in love, miftake bitterness and rancour for a zeal for God and his truth, and also for the fake of a better fort of people, who are unhappily drawn into the fame delufions.

Confidering the deference which the common people always pay to the judgment of men of learn

ing, there can be little doubt but that, if those perfons who, having ftudied this fubject, have been convinced that Chrift is not God, and ought not to be worshipped as God, had openly avowed their opinion, and had had recourse to no mean fubterfuge or equivocation, this fundamental article of true and rational christianity had long ago been the prevailing belief; and our religion appearing more worthy of its divine author, there would have been, at this time, fewer unbelievers in all christian countries, and many more converts made to it from other religions. And, compared with this glorious advantage, what has been gained by all the arts and fophiftry of minifters, who have concealed their real meaning under ambiguous expreffions, left, as they pretend, they should too much shock the prejudices of their hearers?

That fome regard fhould be paid to the prejudices of the weak is allowed; but let not this lead men to criminal diffimulation, or extend to things of fo much importance as this, respecting the unity of God. In this cafe, let us keep at the greatest distance from every thing that is difingenuous; let the truth be fpoken in the most explicit manner, and let the confequences be left to the power of truth, and the God of truth. Besides, it is impoffible that while men retain depraved and unworthy notions of God, their devotion fhould be fuch as God requires; fo that this pretended tenderness injures

injures those who are the objects of it, as well as bears an unfavourable afpect on the interests of christianity more at large. Such are the effects of the wisdom of this world, when it is put in the place of fincerity, and a regard to the plain truth of the gospel of Jefus Christ!

Profeffing the purity of the chriftian faith, let us be careful, my brethren, to adorn it by a blameless and exemplary life. More especially let us beware that we do not wear the form of godliness, when our hearts are deftitute of the power of it; and that we indulge no fecret hope, that by any peculiar strictnefs and aufterity of life, by frequent or long prayers, or by attending on much preaching, and ufing other means of religion, we shall atone for a neglect of the weightier matters of the law, righteoufness, mercy, and truth. Let the integrity of our hearts appear in the chearfulness of our countenances; and let us fhew that we love God whom we have not feen, by loving our brethren whom we do fee, and by being always ready to do them every kind office in our power.

To judge of our love to God, or of our love to Chrift, directly, by what we feel when we think of them, especially when we are excluded from the world, as is the custom with many, is to expose ourfelves to the groffeft and most dangerous delufions. We find in the fcriptures a much plainer, and fafer method of judging in both these cases.

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