ment was kept alive, and the Dissenting clergy were thus involved in disputes with those of the Establishment, at the moment when other discussions arose, (to us peculiarly interesting,) which led to the erection of our primitive Unitarian church.

As Mr. Peirce was the prominent actor in the events about to be recorded, the “source of all the evil," the arch-heretic of his day in the west, (an honourable title which, indeed, his unwearied pen preserved for him to the end, it may not be amiss to detail the progress of his religious opinions.

He tells us that he was bred up in a scheme which he could call only Sabellianism; but admitting the Scriptures as the only rule of faith, he was soon led to observe, in the course of his studies, that the Ante-Nicene writers never came up to his staudard of orthodoxy, and that the fathers, since the fourth century, (and especially Basil, seemed to teach the doctrine of a common nature, which he thought no less than Tritheism. These reflections both perplexed and alarmed him, so that he determined to banish the subject from his thoughts and his conversation; but when his friend and correspondent Mr. Whiston was accused of heretical propensities, Mr. P. wrote to him, advocating the common opinion. In reply, he was referred to Mr. W.'s Works in the press, the M.SS. of which he was requested to examine; and at the same time was recommended to study Novatian de Trinitate, which, in consequence, he again went through, but it served only to increase his perplexity and doubt: With the auxiliary, however, of Dr. Clarke's "Scripture Doctrine," (published at about this period) Mr. Whis ton's Works completed the overthrow

It is worthy of note in elucidation of the temper of the times, that the individuals who most distinguished themselves in this controversy, (Mr. Withers, the able advocate of non-conformity, Mr. Peirce, the shrewd historian of dissent, and Mr. Ha!lett,) were the very men who soon became the victims of the persecuting intolerance of Disscuting Synods. One might have hoped these exertions in favour of our common liberty, would have obtained for their conduct and their creed a generous construction, and have softened the asperity of anathematizing non-conformists.

of the orthodox scheme in Mr. P.'s mind, after severe struggles and fervent prayers for the light of truth and the guidance of heaven.

In 1713 he was chosen unanimously to be one of the ministers of the united congregations of Protestant Dissenters in Exeter.*

It was about 1716 when Mr. Hubert Stogdon (who had been a warm advocate of Trinitarianism), saw reason to change his opinions; and his conversation being one day overheard, and communicated to Mr. Lavington, † the latter chose to make it the subject of public crimination, and the ferment was increased to a storm in the following year, when Mr. Henry Atkins, in a most furious sermon, accused the heretical Dissenters of Exeter, with "denying the Lord that bought them." Impatient to be acquitted of so dreadful an accusation, and availing themselves of the reports which pointed at Mr. Peirce as one of the guilty, several of his congregation requested him to satisfy the world and them of his orthodoxy, and, in compliance with their wishes, he preached a sermon on the propitiation of Christ. In this (though he defends the common opinion to a considerable extent), he objects to all the conclusions which suppose sin to be an infinite evil, deserving infinite punishment, because committed against an Infinite Being, (a form of words, by the way, whose antithesis is more convincing than its argument).

When the spirit of inquiry is generally diffused, its progress is not only triumphant but irresistible; and it was soon most obvious, that a great

* An accusation often brought against him was, that he had been the first to introduce the "new notions" into that city, but he declares that it had always been one of his maxims to avoid controversial preaching, and besides, that before his arrival, Arianism had made considerable progress there.

This gentleman seems to have been particularly active wherever mischief was to be done. The youngest of the four Presbyterian ministers at Exeter, the least informed and the “most assured,” he was the individual who led on the array of bigotry and inquisitorial bitterness against his co-pastors and fellow-citizens. There was nothing like charity to temper his zeal-nothing like candour to soften his anathemas.

change had taken place in the religious views of many, (for discussion is the fire which purifies the ore of human opinions from the dross of error). Some of the strong holds of Trinitarianism were abandoned as untenable; many rejected the "famous text" of John i. v. 7, as spurious;* and the symptoms of "heretical pravity" were so confirmed, that Judge Price, in his charge to the grand jury at the Devon assizes, spent most of his time in haranguing them on the obnoxious errors which seemed taking so deep a root.

[To be continued.]

J. B.

The authority for this accusation, as given in the margin, is Socrat. Hist. Mosheim (2nd Ed. I. 339), mentions the return of Arius, but gives no hint of his equivocation. Priestley (Hist. ii. 63), says, of his return, that “ Arius presented a confession of his faith, and expressed his hope that as his simple faith was the doctrine of the church, and agreeable to the Scriptures, he might be readmitted into the communion, without entering into matters of doubtful disputation.' This is said on the authority of Socrat. Hist. L. I. Sect. 26. p. 61. One of your readers may perhaps consult Socrates's History on this point. Should such a charge against Arius be found there [

brought incidentally by Sir E. Coke, in his speech, as Attorney General," at the Arraignment of Henry Garnet, Superior of the Jesuits," in 1606. Having charged that society with a disposition to equivocate, he thus proceeds:

"Now for the antiquity of equivocation, it is indeed very old, within little more than 300 years after Christ, used by Arius the heretic, who having in a general council been condemned, and then by the commandment of Constantine the Emperor sent into exile, was by the said Emperor upon instant intercession for him, and promise of his future conformity to the Nicene faith, recalled again: who returning home, and having before craftily set down in writing his heretical belief, and put it into his bosom, when he came into the presence of the Emperor, and had the Nicene faith propounded unto him, and was thereupon asked, whether he then did indeed, and so constantly would hold that faith, he (clapping his hand upon his bosom where his paper lay) an swered and vowed, that he did, and so would constantly profess and hold that faith, (laying his hand on his bosom where the paper of his heresy lay) meaning fraudently (by the way of equivocation) that faith of his own, which he had written and carried in his bosom." The Gunpowder Treason, &c. Re-printed 1679. Pp. 103, 104.

* Mr. Peirce says, he contended for the genuineness of this text as long as he could, and had been quite displeased with Bishop Burnet for giving it up: but at last, "Dr. Clarke wrested it from him."

formation which the Historian had received from orthodox partizans a century after the period in question. A French biographer says of him, “Quoiqu'il proteste qu'il s'est donné beaucoup de peine pour s'instruire exactement de tous les faits qu'il rap porte, il y en a néanmoins plusieurs auxquels on ne peut ajouter foi." N. D. Hist. 1772. V. p. 420.

But no one who has read of the past, or has looked about him, will expect an Attorney General to be scrupulous in arranging the materials of a State-Prosecution. It exactly suited the purpose of Sir E. Coke to bring forth the Jesuits in the company of heretics, so obnoxious, that, as a very few years discovered, the ignorant bigoted public were prepared, without rising in honest indignation, to see such men perish at a stake for no crime except a disbelief of the Trinity. HISTORICUS.

SIR,

O

Sept. 12, 1817. "Lord Nithsdale's escape," (p. 460,) the following account was given in 1717: "William Maxwell, Earl of Nithsdale, made his escape out of the Tower, February 23, 1715-16, dressed in a woman's cloak and hood, which since are called Nithsdales." See pp. 137, 138, of "The History of the late Rebellion, by the Rev. Mr. Robert Patten." 2d Ed. 1717. This divine had been chaplain to Mr. Forster, a zealous Jacobite, but made his peace with the government in possession, by becoming an evidence for the crown. It does not appear that he had got up a plot for the Attorney General of that day. BREVIS.

SIR,

T

17th August, 1817.

It is very desirable that the names of the writers in the Theological Repository, edited by Dr. Priestley, a work which contains so much invaluable matter, should be preserved. I was in expectation that a similar suggestion from one of your Correspondents, some time ago, would have been attended to, as I have no doubt that amongst the readers of your publication a complete list might easily be made out. For this purpose I have sent you an alphabetical list of the signatures, with the names of the different writers affixed, as far as I am able to discover them, which, with your permission, I beg may be inserted in the Monthly Repository. My authorities you will find annexed. Those

SIGNATURES.

Adjutor,

VOLS.

6,

names marked with an asterisk, (*) I found written in a copy of the Theol. Repos. which I have had an opportunity of seeing; how far they may be correct, it is impossible for me to say, but I am of opinion, they will be found so, this copy having originally belonged to an Unitarian minister, now deceased. The signatures used by Dr. Priestley are given by him in Vol. III. p. 478, and VI. 491. Those which have no name affixed to them may be left out or preserved at your discretion, though I think it would be as well to preserve them, as the blanks may be filled up in course of time, and the list made useful for referring to. I need not say that I shall be glad to see any thing added towards rendering T. R. S. it more complete.

1806.

Book-Worm. No. XXV. Reflections on Burnet's Travels.

SIR,

I A

Aug. 8th, 1817. AM disposed to send you some account of another book written against Burnet, of an earlier date, and from a very different quarter than the former. Instead of an orthodox malcontent of his own church, the following title-page will discover a Roman Catholic opponent, sheltered under the wing of the Pope, and even launching his critical thunders from the Vatican.

"Reflexions on Dr. Gilbert Burnet's Travels into Switzerland, Italy, and certain parts of Germany and France, &c. Divided into five Letters. By Monsieur * London, printed

1688. 12mo. Pp. 164."

A former possessor of the book has attributed it, on the title-page, to M. Schelstrate, keeper of the Vatican Library. Dr. Burnet appears to have seen him in 1685, for he speaks of "the famous Greek manuscript of great value which the Chanoine Shelstrat, who was library-keeper, asserted to be 1400 years old." He adds, "The passage [1 John v. 7], is not to be found in the Vatican M.S. no more than it is in the King's M.S. at St. James's." Travels, 1787. P. 45. Let. L. ad fin.

Emanuel de Schelstrate has no place in any English collection of lives or authors, which I have met with. A Parisian biography has described him as Canon and Chanter of Anvers, his native place, and afterwards keeper of the Vatican Library and Canon of St. Peter's at Rome, where he died in 1690. Aged 46. Many works have been attributed to him. Those named are, Antiquitates Ecclesiæ illustrata, 2 v. fol. Ecclesia Africana sub Primate Carthaginiensi, 4to. The biographer charges both with ultramontane prejudices, referring, I apprehend, to the questions between the retainers of the Roman court, and those who coutended for the rights of the Gallican Church. Schelstrate published also Acta Constantiensis Concilii, and is said to have discovered in all his writings more learning than critical discernment, taste or philosophy, son savoir n'étoit pas éclairé par le flambeau de la critique, du goût, et de la Philosophie. Nov. Dict. Hist. Paris, 1772: V. p. 324.

It appears by Mr. Thomas Burnet's Life of his Father, annexed to his Own Times, that," in December 1684, by an extraordinary order from the Lord Keeper North to Sir Harbottle Grimstou," Dr. Burnet "was forbid preaching any more in the Chapel at the Rolls. Thus, at the time of King Charles's death [Feb. 1685], he was happily disengaged from all those ties which might have rendered his stay in England any part of his duty." Accordingly he obtained "“leave to go out of the kingdom" on the accession of James, "an excellent prince," according to the Librarian of the Vatican, who thus dilates on the favourite theme.

"England hath been blessed with very many renowned and good princes, all whose virtues seem to concentre in him, than whom certainly none ever more promoted the safety of his people, and the glory and profit of his whole kingdom, with so much goodness, prudence, courage and constancy. His subjects own all this, and are sensible of the bounty and magnificence of their king, yet are uncapable of taking so full a prospect as those who from foreign parts calmly view and consider all things: even as men in a great ship, making its way to the haven through raging waves and furious tempests, being each too intent upon his own affairs, cannot so well judge of the dexterity and prudence of the pilot, as they who carefully behold all at a due distance. So great is the reverence and renown of this prince amongst other nations, that what Scipio said of the people of Rome may be truly applicable to him; There is no king upon earth they less desire should be their enemy, or whose friendship they covet more." Pref.

What nation humbly could enjoy his reign? If lost, with patience such a loss sustain ? As Young, a Courtier, even On the Last Day, sang in 1718, of James's grandson, the deceased Duke of Gloucester, a child who promised somewhat, yet never lived to perform any thing, or perhaps to shew that he had been all promise, though under the tuition of Burnet, to whose story I

return.

Dr. Burnet, on leaving England, passed through France into Switzerland and Italy, returning through Germany into Holland, where he soon became