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fed Trinity; I have in the Firft Part of the following Treatife, (that it might appear what was, not the Sound of fingle Texts which may be easily mistaken, but the whole Tenour of Scripture,) collected ALL the Texts that relate to that matter, (which I am not fenfible has been done before,) and fet them before the Reader in One View, with fuch References and Critical Obfervations, as may ('tis hoped) be of confiderable Ufe towards the understanding of their true Meaning.

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In the Second Part, is collected into methodical Propofitions the Sum of that Doctrine, which (upon the carefulleft confideration of the whole matter) appears to me to be fully contained in the Texts cited in the firft Part. And I have illustrated each Propofition with many Teftimonies out of the Antient Writers, both before and after the Council of Nice; Efpecially out of Athanafius and Bafil; Of which, are several not taken notice of either by Petavius or the learned Bp Bull. Concerning all which, I defire it may be obferved, that they are not alleged as Proofs of any of the Propofitions, (for Proofs are to be taken from the Scripture alone,) but as Illuftrations only; and to fhow how eafy and natural That Notion must be allowed to be, which so many

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Writers could not forbear expreffing fo clearly and diftinctly, even frequently when at the fame time they were about to affirm, and endeavouring to prove, fomething not very confiftent with it. The greatest part of the Writers before and at the time of the Council of Nice, were (I think) really of That Opinion, (though they do not always speak very clearly and confiftently,) which I have endeavoured to fet forth in those Propofitions. But as to the Writers after that Time, the Reader must not wonder, if many Paffages not confiftent with (nay, perhaps contrary to) thofe which are here cited, fhall by any One be alleged out of the fame Authors. For I do not cite places out of these Authors, fo much to show what was the Opinion of the Writers themselves, as to fhow how naturally Truth fometimes prevails by its own native clearness and evidence, even against the strongest and most settled prejudices: According to that of Bafil: I am perfwaded (faith he) that the Strength of the Doctrine delivered down to us, has often compelled eyew. De Spiritu men to contradict Sancto, cap. 29. their own Affertions.

Οντως δίμαι τὸ δ doses iqueòr, iταδόσεως ἰσχυρὸν, ἐνήγε πολλάκις τὸς ἄνε deas TOTS dixclois ἑαυτὴν δόγμασιν ἀντιλέγειν.

In the Third Part there is, first, brought together a great number of Paffages out of the Liturgy of the Church of England, wherein the Doctrine fet forth in the former Parts is exprefly affirmed; And then in the next place are collected the principal Paffages, which may feem at first fight to differ from That Doctrine: And these latter Ï have indeavoured to reconcile with the former, by fhowing how they may be understood in a Senfe confiftent both with the Doctrine of Scripture, and with the other before-cited Expreffions of the Liturgy. And This is absolutely neceffary to be done by every one, who when he prays with his Mouth, defires to pray with his Understanding alfo.

It is a thing very deftructive of Religion, and the Cause of almost all Divifions among Chriftians; when young perfons at their firft entring upon the Study of Divinity, look upon Humane and perhaps Modern Forms of speaking, as the Rule of their Faith; understanding These alfo according to the accidental Sound of the Words, or according to the Notions which happen at any particular Time to prevail among the Vulgar; and then picking out (as Proofs) fome few fingle Texts of Scripture, which to minds already ftrongly prejudiced muft needs feem to found, or may easily be accommodated,

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the fame way; while they attend not impartially to the whole Scope and general Tenour of Scripture. Whereas on the contrary, were the Scriptures first thoroughly ftudied, and ferioutly confidered, as the Rule and Only Rule of Truth in matters of Religion; and the Sense of all humane Forms and Expreffions, deduced from thence; the greatest part of Errors, at least the greatest part of the uncharitable Divifions that have happened among Christians, might in all probability have been prevented. The different States, which the Controverfies concerning Predeftination, Original Sin, Freewill, Faith and good Works, and the do&trine of the ever-bleed Trinity, have at different Times gone through, are a sufficient Evidence of this Truth.

The Church of Rome indeed requires men to receive her particular Doctrines (or Explications of Doctrines) and Traditions, as part of the Rule it felf of their Faith And therefore with Them no good Christian can poffibly comply. But the Proteftant Churches, utterly disclaiming all fuch Authority; and requiring men to comply with their Forms, merely upon Account of their being agreeable to Scripture; and confequently in fuch Senfe only, wherein they are agreeable to Scripture; 'tis plain that every person

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may reasonably agree to fuch Forms, whenever he can in any sense at all reconcile them with Scripture.

The first Reformers, when they had laid afide what to Them seemed intolerable in the Doctrines of the Church of Rome, in other matters chose to retain the words they found; yet declaring that they meant thereby to exprefs only the Sense of Scripture, and not that of Tradition or of the Schools. If Tradition or Custom, if Carelesness or Miftake, either in the Compiler or Receiver, happen at any time to put a Sense upon any humane Forms, different from that of the Scripture, which thofe very Forms were intended to explain, and which is at the fame time declared to be the only Rule of Truth; 'tis evident no man can be bound to understand those Forms in fuch Sense; nay, on the contrary, he is indifpenfably bound not to understand or receive them in fuch Sense. For (as the learned Mr Thorndike rightly obferves,) That which once was not Matter of Faith, can never by process of Time, or any Act the Church can do, [or by any Interpretation of Words, that Custom or Carelesness or Contentioufness may have introduced,] become Matter of Faith. Epilog. Part II. pag. 155.

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