tirely the words, trinity, incarnation, when he actually and profeffedly retained nothing of what is commonly intended by them. But he might imagine, that he should thus give lefs offence, and more easily remove the prejudices of his readers. It is not a good precedent however, and name and thing were better to be abandoned together.

We are told in the preface, that the manufcript was given by the author to the late princess Amelia, who had the highest esteem for him; and who, at her death, bequeathed it to Dr. Bell. Dr. Le Courayer in putting it into the princess's hands, wished it not to be made public in his life-time, for fear of any disagreeable confequences, and the reflections that might be caft upon him for it. But as that period is past, and he has been long out of the reach of mortal things, and it is apparent that he intended it should one day be printed, the literary and christian world are indebted to the truly learned and refpectable editor, for the honourable part he has acted, in not fuppreffing free religious fentiments; which fome have been known to do in fituations like his; but fairly pro

ducing them before the public. I fhall make one or two extracts from it (/).

A declaration of my last fentiments on the different doctrines of religion.

BEING foon to appear before God, (begins the venerable writer, then in his 86th year) and defirous to act the fincere. part which becomes every one, as well as to furnish all, into whofe hands this writing may fall, with that teftimony which all perfons owe to truth; urged likewife by my confcience to declare my thoughts on the doctrines of chriftianity, and the differences which divide chriftian focieties, I proceed to do it with that fimplicity and integrity which become a man in the near profpect of death.

I believe, (p. 5.) that there is but one God; and that his fpirit is not a subftance diftinct from him; and that Jefus Christ, to whom the deity was most inti

mately

(1) There is a tranflation of this tract, with an account of Dr. Le Courayer prefixed, printed for Johnfon, St. Paul's church-yard,

mately united, is his fon, by virtue of that union. This is all the trinity, that I find in the gospel. And I have no conception that any other kind of trinity can accord with the unity of God. I know that many of the fathers have had recourse to the multiplication of fubftances, to give us an idea of this mystery; and others have imagined other systems, which favoured more of philofophy than of the gofpel, and ferved rather to darken the fubject than to throw light upon it. But I make a wide difference between these systems and the gospel; and my deep refpect for the latter makes me think it of little confequence to adopt notions, which often have much obscurity in them, and are fometimes involved in contradiction.

"The incarnation moreover has nothing in it contrary to the doctrine of the unity of God, any more than the trinity. Accordingly, it is extremely remarkable, that neither Jefus Chrift, nor his apoftles, have ever represented these mysteries to us, as containing any thing incomprehenfible, or not to be reconciled to reason.

God being

defirous

defirous to draw men from their errors, and purify them from their fins, filled Jesus Christ with his wifdom, invested him with his power, gave not the Spirit by measure (John iii. 34) to him, as to the prophets; but united himself intimately to him, so that Jefus Chrift appeared (Phil. ii. 6.) in the form of God; who conftituted him (Acts ii. 36.). Lord and Chrift, prince (v. 31.) and Saviour;

by imparting to him. his power and authority, made him at the fame time a partaker of his glory, so that be that honoureth the fon (John v. 23.) bonoureth the father who hath sent him. And thus, every thing being conftantly referred to God, and not terminating in Jesus Christ, who is confidered only as the organ and inftrument of the power and mercy of the Father, it is always God alone who is the object of our adorations; and there is nothing that shocks us in conceiving, that He can communicate himself to a man as fully, and as intimately, as he judges it neceffary for his own glory, and the falvation of mankind.”

SEC

SECTION IX.

Christ's power neceffarily limited. How far it is to be fuppofed, that he passed through. childhood, and youth, without any faults or breach of duty. That he was of a nature liable to fall into fin, acknowleged by himself, and declared by his apoftle. Of the limitations of Chrift's knowlege, and the inftances of it produced by Dr. Priestley.

THE inference that I would make from the arguments in the foregoing section, and from these two extraordinary testimonies, is; that as the evidence is so strong and unfurmountable; and all the rational unprejudiced world, who turn their minds to religion and the facred writings, are feeing it every day more and more, viz. that our Lord Jesus Christ was truly one of the human race, diftinguished only from the rest of man