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laid upon fo controverted a paffage. But after all the conceffions I have made, regarding the article of worship, are there not, in fcripture, several high titles

has fo defended it, that he who thought it genuine "before, will now conclude it to be interpolated by "fome latin scribe firft." (Trin. controverfy reviewed, P. 448.) Dr. Bentley in his famous lecture at Cambridge, when he ftood candidate for the chair of regius professor of divinity, intirely gave up this text, and publicly proved it to be fpurious. (Hift. Memoirs of Dr. Clarke, p. 101.) Dr. Waterland, on being afked whether Dr. Bentley's arguments did not convince him, replied," No, for he was convinced before." Nor does the doctor, I think, ever quote that text as genuine in any of his writings. Which, fays Whifton, in fo zealous and warm a trinitarian, deserves to be taken notice of as a fingular inftance of honesty and impartiality, (ibid. and Sykes's Connexion, p. 271.) Dr. Sykes Owns that he vehemently fufpects it." (External peace of the church, p. 18.) and elsewhere, that this text is proved spurious, if it be poffible for any paffage to be proved fo." (Modeft plea, p. 15.)

Dr. Jortin calls it "A fpurious text which is still "maintained in bold defiance to the fulleft and "clearest evidence against it." (Remarks on E. H. V. iii. p. 100.) Dr. Randolph has not quoted it in his "vindication of the doctrine of the trinity, in answer to

the effay on fpirit, though he has collected the most "confiderable texts that are ufually alledged to prove C "the

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titles and attributes afcribed to the fon and holy spirit, which furely have a tendency to induce chriftians to think them equally divine with the Father?

UNITARIAN. I am perfuaded, that if a perfon who had never heard of the athanafian doctrine and worship, was to read the new Testament*, he would

be

"the athanafian doctrine," (Trin. Controverfy reviewed, p. 448.)

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Notwithstanding these, and a great number of other teftimonies, Mr. Travis has addreffed feveral letters to Mr. Gibbon, in defence of the authenticity of this text, fo lately as 1784.-He has however been very properly and ably reproved in fome remarks published in "Commentaries and Effays." v. 1. p. 511-539. From whence we may finally conclude, in the words of Dr. Jortin, that "At prefent, this paffage and all "that relates to it, hath been fo fully difcuffed, that "none, except ftubborn and perverse people, pretend to deny that the heavenly witnesses are an interpolation." (Life of Erafmus, v. ii. p. 102.) Mr. Porfon, fellow of Trinity college, Cambridge, has finally proved the fpurioufnefs of this text, without leaving any probability of any further vindication or reply, in his late very learned and very fatisfactory Letters to Mr. Archdeacon Travis, in anfwer to his defence of the three heavenly witnesses, 8vo. 1790.

• When Job Ben Solomon, the African prince, (who was mafter of the Arabic, and had acquired a competent knowledge

be furprised to find that fuch a doctrine and worship ever prevailed in the christian world. But, (to give a direct answer to your objection, drawn from the high titles and attributes afcribed to the fon and holy fpirit)

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knowledge of the English language) was in England. about fifty years ago, and was asked, after reading the new Testament, if he found three Gods there: he replied, " No, No! ONE GREAT GOD, ONE GREAT GOOD GOD."

It is also observed, by one who lived feveral years familiarly with the Indians of North America, "The

great article that they ftick moft at, is this, they "exclaim against the fuppofition, that the divine word

was fhut up for nine months in the womb of a "woman: and fay, that it is a thing unheard of, "that for the expiation of Adam's fin, God should 66 put God to death to fatisfy himself: or that the

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peace of the world fhould be brought about by the incarnation of God, and his fhameful death. They "affirm that reason ought not to be controled by any "law, or put under a neceffity of approving what it "does not comprehend; and, in fine, that what we "call an article of faith, is an intoxicating potion to "make reason reel and stagger out of its way; for as "much as the pretended faith may fupport lies, as "well as truth, if we understand by it a readiness to

believe, without diving to the bottom of things." La Honton's New Voyage to North America, v. ii. cited in Cardale's True Doctrine of the N.T. 2d. edit. p. 360.

spirit) it is no wonder that great things are ascribed to Christ, and to the operation of the spirit or power of God, fince they are frequently concerned in, or connected with, the grand work of man's falvation. But, the facred writers have taken all imaginable care to fecure the fupremacy of the one God and Father of all, when they fpeak in the highest strain of the one mediator, the man Chrift Jefus, and the holy spirit the comforter. With respect to the title of God, in some few paffages afcribed to our bleffed lord, it is extremely plain, from the old and new Teftament, that fuch title is fometimes ufed in an inferior fenfe; Mofes, magiftrates and angels being filed gods, confiftently with the acknowledgment of the fu, reme God; and Chrift himfelf, in his answer to the jews, when they charged him with blafphemy, exprefsly contends for the ufe of the word God in an inferior fenfe. (John x. 34-36.) But, it is fufficient for my present purpose, to observe in general, that when this, and other high titles and attributes afcribed to Chrift, (for the holy spirit is never exprefsly ftiled God, or lord,) are collected together, and prefented to the reader with all poffible advantage, which is frequently done by athanafian writers; our lord himself, and his apofiles, have affured us, in the most folemn manner, that he, (viz. Chrift) RECEIVED his being, high titles, and attributes from God the Father; that God advanced him to high dignity and honour, upon acccunt of his perfect

righteousness,

righteousness, and obedience unto death: (fee Philip. ii. 8, 9, &c.) and that the whole redounds to the glory of God, the Father.

This plain and folemn account effectually overthrows the argument ufually drawn from the most pompous recital of our lord's high titles and attributes: it being absolutely impoffible that the supreme God should have any thing given him by any being whatever. For, according to the unanswerable declaration of the apostle Paul; Who hath firft GIVEN to him (viz. God,) and it fhall be For of him, and through him,

things; to whom be glory for ever.

recompenced to him? and to him are all (Rom. ii. 35, 36.)

From whence it follows, with demonstrative evidence, that Chrift, who was given by almighty God, who received his all from God, is a person, in his most exalted state, inferior to the one fupreme God and Father of all. And the argument holds ftill ftronger with regard to the holy fpirit; which was beftowed. and fent from heaven, according to Chrift's promife, and the commiffion he had received from his God and Father, to furnish the apostles with extraordinary gifts, and to render them qualified for their important work.

Add to this, that there are, in the new Teftament, about two hundred and forty paffages, wherein Chrift is declared to be inferior to almighty God. The expreffions relating to this point are plain and clear, incapable of any other fenfe, without violence and diftortion.

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