friendship with professed Socinians, and some embraced their sentiments. By these, and some laymen of note, among whom Mr. Locke is named, and under the patronage of Mr. Firmin, a citizen of London, never to be mentioned but in terms of the highest honour, were published those called UNITARIAN TRACTS; which might have rendered all subsequent writings in the same cause unnecessary, had a proper attention been paid to them. Their authors were all members of the church of England: and as there were many of them persons of great worth and eminence, much might have been expected. from their joint endeavours in promoting the proper unity of the Divine Being. But all came to nothing, or rather no immediate good effect followed; which was probably owing to their conformity to the trinitarian worship of the church, by which they confuted their own arguments for the necessity of a reformation in it. This was seen at last, and owned by some of them.

The Act of Toleration brought no relief to the conscientious worshipper of the one true God, the Father, to the exclusion of Jesus Christ or any other person as God along with him. Oppugners of the trinity are expressly excepted out of that Act.

And by the Act of the 9th and 10th of William III. persons educated in, or who have professed the Christian religion within this realm, by writing, preaching, teaching, or advised speaking, denying any one of the persons of the holy trinity to be God-such persons, upon conviction, for the first offence, "shall be adjudged incapable and disabled in law, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, to have or enjoy any office or offices, employment or employments, ecclesiastical, civil, or military, or any part of them, or any profit or advantage appertaining to them or any of them; and for the second offence shall be disabled to sue in any court, to be guardian of any child, or executor

executor or administrator to any person, or capable of any legacy or deed of gift, or to bear any office or benefice for ever, within this realm, and shall suffer imprisonment for the space of three years."

From this brief historical deduction, Victorin, you perceive, that this doctrine of more divine persons, more gods than one, first imported into the religion of Christ by heathen converts, has kept its ground to this day, not by any solid arguments taken from the scriptures, but by the prevention of all free examination into them, whereby error might be detected; it having been for many ages, and still to this hour being, unsafe and dangerous, by the laws of the civil power in every Christian country, to profess or publish any doctrine concerning Christ, or the Holy Ghost, contrary to that established by the state. But now that men have not been afraid to publish what appears to them to be the truth on this subject, notwithstanding unreasonable and unrighteous laws to the contrary, and are more and more encouraged to it by a general tacit condemnation of such laws; this polytheistical doctrine is falling into discredit; and the doctrine of the divine unity is making its way in all countries, especially in our

own.

But I wish you may not think that I have detained you too long from seeing what was the issue of Volusian's anxieties, in which the last day's conversation left him. I pro. ceed therefore with what followed.

THE

THE FIFTH DAY.

Volusian sees how easily, and with what honour and credit, the service of the church of England may be reformed, with respect to the object of divine worship, in which it is now sadly erroneous.

AFTER the conversation of the former day, Volusian was observed to be extremely pensive, and not to mix with his friends on the several topics that were introduced, in that frank, unreserved manner that was usual with him: which was the more remarkable, as he was wont to say, that a man ought not to go into company with any thing about him, that might interrupt the hilarity of those he associated with.

It was afterwards found to be caused by an anxiety, which he could not possibly shake off, how to conduct himself on the recent discovery that he had made, that the holy Jesus, whom he had hitherto considered as the supreme God, and object of worship, was no more than the favoured creature and messenger of the most high God to man: whether he was to go on notwithstanding to attend the public worship of one, who, he was persuaded, 'was not God; or what to do.

In a few days, however, the gloom was dissipated, and he appeared even more cheerful and vacant than he had been for some time. But as the same thoughts were still uppermost, the first convenient opportunity that he could find, when the company were at leisure, and assembled together, without any preface, and with an

easy, serene countenance, he entered upon the subject

all at once.

VOLUSIAN. You will be pleased, my friends, to hear, that I never felt myself happier than in this light of divine truth, which has lately broken in upon my mind, by which I can see my way clearly before me, upon the most important of all subjects, with respect to the Being who made me, and whom it is my first duty and happiness to adore.

To me indeed it now appears a truth so plain and demonstrable, that the single person of Jehovah, the maker of heaven and earth, is God alone, and Jesus Christ only his highly favoured messenger and prophet, that it needs but to be laid before all, even those of the lowest understanding, in that simple manner in which it has impressed me, and all will be brought to acknowledge it. I cannot therefore but look forward with satisfaction to the day, at no great distance, I hope, when the public sentiment will be changed, and every one will be eager to call for a corresponding change of our public forms of worship in this respect, being not able any longer to take a part in, and countenance, what will appear to them, as it now does to me, an idolatrous service.

MARCELLINUS.-How delightful is truth! says Marcellinus, pleased with such an opening; what peace and security is there in the possession of it! especially in what relates to the knowlege of the great parent of all things! It is plain that Volusian would not exchange its charms, and the sober joy he now feels, for all that the universe can bestow. And he has no regrets, whatever be the cast or colour of his future life here, unless that he did not sooner become acquainted with it. I wonder

not,

not, my welcome friend and guest, that you are so deeply penetrated with the strong and invincible evidence, that has so lately presented itself to your inquiring mind, from the scriptures. "Quod deus est singularis et unus,' as Lactantius often expresses himself; "that God is one single person." If the judgment were not previously warped and perverted, by the conceits and subtleties of theologians, almost literally taken in with our mother's milk; this strict unity of God, without a peer or rival, would be as evident to every rational mind, as the sun in the unclouded firmament at noon day, to one who has the use of the organs of sight.

But although it very naturally strikes you, Volusian, who have so recently been brought to see the light of this grand truth, that others must be equally affected with it, you must be sensible, from a little reflection on your own former state, and that of many of your friends at present, that such a change must be a work of time. From indolence, and a variety of motives, many are wholly indifferent to a question, which is of the utmost importance to them; who is God, their maker? A greater number, from education, without inquiry, believe, that there are three divine persons, whom they are equally, and severally bound to worship, and nevertheless can maintain, that they are but one God: so far happy in the delusion, in never reflecting upon the objects of their devotion, as the thought would necessarily overwhelin their minds with inextricable confusion about them, what to do with so many of them. And yet it is undoubted, that a truth so momentous as that of the divine unity, so plainly inscribed in the book of nature, but