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His Sermons were printed in four volumes, 8vo. ; the two first by himself in 1726, dedicated to his patron Trelawny, and the two latter after his death, by his Chaplain Dr. Thomas Moore.

by Lord Chesterfield to Maty, it appears that Atterbury was long a sceptic as to the grounds of that religion, for the established forms of which he was so zealous: though (if this statement, indeed, be true) he fortunately lived to discern his error, and from his religious convictions in the close of his life derived the chief consolation of his adversity.

But, if we may believe the joint evidence of his actions and his writings, we should receive the story with distrust. His • Sermons on the Miraculous Propagation of the Gospel' and on a standing Revelation's being the best means of conviction, bear important testimony to his faith: and the contempt with which he generally treats unbelievers as an ignorant, superficial, or conceited class, is a tolerably good proof that he was not one himself. A man may conceal, or deny, or even prosecute his own opinions; but he will not appear to despise those, who hold them.

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DR. SAMUEL CLARKE.

[1675-1729.]

DR. SAMUEL CLARKE was born at Norwich October 11, 1675, and educated in the Free School of that place, under the care of the Rev. Mr. Burton. He was the son of Alderman Clarke, who had represented Norwich in parliament for several years; a gentleman of an excellent natural capacity, and of untainted reputation.

In 1691, Mr. Clarke placed his son at Caius College, Cambridge, under the tuition of Mr. (afterward Sir John) Ellis. Here his talents quickly displayed themselves and such was his industry, that he became a model of excellence to the whole University.* When he was little more than twenty one, he greatly contributed, both by his example and by his translation of Rohault's Physics with Notes,† to the establishment of the Newtonian philosophy!

He was characterised, indeed, among the rest of the students, by the title of the Lad of Caius.'

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† Rohault had written as a follower of Descartes: but, as Newton's system was then little received or understood, Mr. Clarke thought that an indirect vehicle would best convey his illustrations of it; and accordingly his version, published in 1697, became a general text-book for a considerable period, and gradually familiarised students with the language and rea

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Upon his arrival at Cambridge, the system of Descartes was the established theory, and Mr. Ellis was a zealot in it's defence; though, as Bishop Hoadly justly observes, it was only the invention of an ingenious and luxuriant fancy; having no foundation in the reality of things, nor any correspondency to the certainty of facts. Newton had, indeed, then published his Principia:' but this book spoke to the intelligent alone, and required commentators for the many; as both it's matter and it's manner placed it beyond the general reach, and a strong prejudice in favour of received notions contributed to obstruct it's reception. But neither the difficulty of the task, nor the respect which he paid to the director of his studies, nor the opposition of those by whom he was surrounded, had any influence upon the mind of Clarke.

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Dissatisfied with arbitrary hypotheses, he speedily made himself master of the chief parts of the New Philosophy. From this he took the subject of the public exercise, which he performed in the Schools to obtain his first degree; and he surprised his audience by the depth of knowledge and the clearness of expression, which pervaded the whole disputation.

In 1697, he accidentally at a coffee-house in Norwich became acquainted with Mr. Whiston, who discovering from his conversation that he was a young man of extraordinary genius, and had made great progress in the Newtonian doctrines, commenced an intimacy with him. Mr. Clarke had recently taken orders;

sonings of the Principia.' It was, subsequently, translated into English by Dean Clarke, his brother.

and Whiston at that time was Chaplain to Dr. More, Bishop of Norwich, who delighted in patronising men of abilities. That Prelate, on receiving an account of the interview, desired Alderman Clarke and his son to dine with him; and the very next year, on Whiston's promotion to the living of Lowestoffe in Suffolk, appointed Mr. Clarke to succeed him as his Domestic Chaplain. In this situation, he found sufficient leisure to pursue his favourite study, divinity.

In 1699, he published three practical Essays upon Baptism, Confirmation, and Repentance; and an anonymous piece, entitled Reflexions on Part of a Book called ' Amyntor." These compositions are men

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The propositions maintained in this work, written by Toland, which Dr. Clarke thought most deserving of consideration, are the three following:

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1. That the books ascribed to the disciples and companions of the Apostles, which are still extant, and at this time thought genuine and of great authority (such as the Epistle of Clemens to the Corinthians,' the Epistles of Ignatius,' the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians,' the Pastor of Hermas,' the Epistle of Barnabas,' &c.) are all, without difficulty, proved to be spurious: '

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2. That it is easy to show the ignorance and superstition of the writers of these books; and,

3. That they, who think these books genuine, ought to receive them into the Canon of Scripture, as their reputed authors were not less companions and fellow-labourers of the Apostles, than St. Mark and St. Luke.

In opposition to these assertions, Dr. Clarke maintained the three following propositions:

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1. That, though we are not infallibly certain of the genuine. ness of the Epistles of Clemens, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Barnabas,' with the Pastor of Hermas,' they are generally, and upon great authority, believed to be genuine;'

2.That therefore, though they are not received as of the same authority with the canonical books of the New Testament,

tioned by Dr. Hoadly, Bishop of Winchester, not as equal to the author's other performances, but as displaying at once marks of a Christian frame of mind, and a surprising familiarity with the writings of the early Christians.

In 1701, Clarke published his Paraphrase on the Gospel of St. Matthew,' which was speedily followed by those on the other Evangelists; a work, deservedly held in the highest esteem. His original design was, to have gone through the whole of the New Testament in the same manner, giving a simple representation of it's contents without entering into abstruse critical commentaries. He had actually begun, we are told, a Paraphrase upon the Acts of the Apostles,' when something accidental interrupted the execution; and it is now only to be lamented, that he did not afterward resume and complete his labours.

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About the year 1702, the Bishop collated him to the Rectory of Drayton near Norwich, and procured for him a parish in that city; and these he served in person, whenever the Bishop was in residence at the palace. His preaching was at first without notes, and so continued, till he became Rector of St. James'.

In 1704, he was appointed to preach Mr. Boyle's Lecture. Upon this occasion, he chose for his subject The Being and Attributes of God;' and succeeded so well, that he was re-appointed the follow

they ought to have a proportional veneration, with respect both to the authors and to the writings themselves; and,

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3. That neither the belief of their being genuine, nor the respect paid to them as such, in the least derogates from the authority of the New Testament, or tend to render the number of the canonical books uncertain or precarious.'

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