From that time, I admit, as I have said before, that this opinion of the great guilt of schism has very much lost its hold on the minds,

the doctrine of the Trinity is no older than Athanasius; an insinuation not only unfounded in fact, but repeatedly shown to be so, and solemnly repelled by every writer on that side of the question. It is indeed, a term so improper in every respect, that it was reserved for the Socinians of the present age to bring it forward, This is, however, outdone in unfairness by a Mr. Evans; who, having published an account of the different sects of Christianity, characterises the Trinitarians" by an opinion of Dr. Priestley, making them in fact Sabellians or Tritheists; and immediately subjoins the "Athanasians" as a distinct denomination; under which the Church of England is impliedly, though not by name, attempted to be stigmatized,

I might adduce further, in corroboration of what I have stated in the text, the controversy between bishop (then Mr.) Hoadly and Dr. Calamy, on non-conformity, which equally proceeded upon the admission of the great evil of schism. To put it in Bishop Hoadly's words, who was tender enough upon the subject, it was agreed on all hands, "That all causeless and unnecessary "divisions and distinctions, are most carefully and conscientiously "to be avoided by all Christians." Reasonableness of conformity, p. 289, duod. edit, and again, p. 479, "That regularity is not to "be neglected without a great necessity, is my principle; and this "author," (that is Calamy) "has said the same over and over "again." What Bishop Hoadly so tenderly calls "neglecting "regularity" the Apostles would probably have called "troubling "the church." However, Hoadly beat Calamy on his own principles, and I think this is fairly to be deduced from what Calamy himself says of the end of this controversy. "I drew up a reply "to it" (the defence of episcopal ordination) "both as to the "historical and argumentative part, in a letter to the author, but "forebore printing it that I might not give him disturbance in the pursuit of his political contest, in which he is so happily engaged, and so much to "the satisfaction of the true lovers of his country. We must believe that Dr. Calamy had no great confidence in a cause which he

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of perhaps, a majority in this nation. It has even ceased to be much debated, and other ideas more lax, and more conformable to the liberality so much professed in these times, have taken its place. But surely, if we trace the commencement, as well as the progress of this change, we shall see no room to be convinced that this new mode of thinking is preferable to the old. It took its rise, or, at least, it appeared first to gather strength from an event, which, though in the beginning it might be said to concern only a few individuals, very soon, by the co-operation of other causes, became extremely general and extended in its effects.

The circumstance to which I allude, is the celebrated controversy which arose about or soon after that time; and which was occasioned by certain positions maintained and promulgated by an eminent prelate of that day; the tenden cy of which (as it was not without good rea son objected to him) appeared to be to encourage all manner of divisions, by inviting every man to follow the bent of his own fancy in the choice of his communion; and by declaring against every species of authority in the

abandoned upon such grounds. What he had to say, he has set down shortly in the place from which the above passage is extracted Abridgment of Baxter's life, p. 713-18, and I believe it will shew I am not wrong in my supposition,

church. There were not wanting many very able and learned divines to come forward in the refutation of such opinions; and that it was done with great success-nay, with an unanswerable force of argument, has been generally enough acknowledged'. But there were cir

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At this distance of time it may not be altogether unnecessary to mention, that the Bangorian controversy was occasioned by two productions of Bishop Hoadly, the one, "a Preservative against "the Principles and Practices of the Non-jurors both in Church and "State," printed in 1716; the other, a Sermon on the Nature of "the Kingdom or Church of Christ," preached before the King, and published by command. As to the latter of which, the Bishop himself says, At whose. request it was commanded to be publish "ed, I know not; but I know that it was not either directly or indirectly from any desire of mine." (Pref. to vol. of Sermons 1754) Against certain positions contained in these publications, a complaint was instituted in the lower house of convocation, which being referred to a committee, a representation was drawn up, reprobating them in very strong terms. But after it was received, and nem. con, voted to be entered on the books of the house, Bishop Hoadly's friends, as is well understood, procured the prorogation of the convocation in order to shelter him from the censure, which he would otherwise hardly have avoided. The bishop indeed disclaims. (Pref. to answer to the representation of the committee) having solicited or even known or suspected any such design, till it was actually resolved and ordered. He adds however, "It" (the prorogation) "neither tends to hinder any light from "appearing, which possibly can be procured, nor can it have such "effect in its consequences, but the contrary. For the debate is by "this means taken from the bar of human authority, and brought to "that of reason and scripture: removed from a trial by a majority of "voices (which cannot be a trial contended for either by truth or by the Church of England) and brought to that of argument "only."

This may, I think, not unreasonably be collected even from

cumstances, which, independently of the merits of the question, tended to give weight and prevalency to the sentiments thus brought forward aud supported by Bishop Hoadly and his adherents. The very circumstance which had occasioned the question to be agitated, secured to him a considerable degree of favour with a very large party in the nation, and the decided patronage of the persons that were then at the head of the government. This was the scrupulousness, extreme, it may be allowed, and too nice, of certain of our divines, who, however they disapproved, and had even resisted the designs of James the second against the church, yet conceived themselves to be

the language of one of the bishop's strongest partisans. A continuation of the account of all the pamphlets relating to this controversy by Thomas Hearn, M. A. was published in 1720, which concludes thus. "Let me add one general observation: that though the principles maintained by my Lord of Bangor do appear to be the only ones upon which our reformation, or indeed any reformation can be justifiable; though they evidents ly tend to justify christianity from the objections that are unanswerable by those, who contend for the contradictory prin"ciples, such as that it makes God a being acting not by reason,

&c. Though this and mmch more be true, yet the number of "those who appear in public opposition to him increases: as fast as former ones are baffled, new ones of higher stations, and "greater dignity succeed, whilst many who are of the same "sentiments with him content themselves with being well-wishers

to his cause; and except those who first sided with him, few "openly appear to his assistance," &c. See Hoadly's works, vol, I, p. 710.

This was particularly the case with five (if 1 mistake not) of

so bound by the oath of allegiance which they had taken to him, that they could not, during his life, transfer that allegiance to any other sovereign; and they in consequence declined acknowledging his successor. This brought on the expulsion of them from their bishoprics and other perferments; and, as they still persisted in considering themselves as the rightful pastors in the several cures to which they had been instituted, occasion was given to a contest, which though in itself purely religious, yet was made naturally enough to bear upon the politics of the day. The assertion of an ecclesiastical authority independent of the civil power was conceived, by the adminstration then existing, to be of a dangerous tendency, and they were not backward therefore to support those who came forward in opposition to such claims. The mode however which was adopted by the then bishop of Bangor for the combating of these pretensions, well or illfounded, must be admitted to have been somewhat extraordinary for one, who was by his office, an established ruler in the church. Not

the seven bishops. It is remarkable too, that Leslie, who was the most violent (perhaps) of the non-jurors in favour of the pretender, had early in his life very strenuously opposed an illegal attempt of James the second to appoint a popish sheriff for a county of Ireland, where he was an aeting justice of the peace. V. Biog. Brit. Art. LESLIE