writers, exalted the character of Jefus Chrift, beyond what the scriptures make him; yet he always contended for the divine unity as a point the most facred; that the Father was the only true God, and object of religious worship.

The amendments, which he earnestly wifhed to have taken place in the liturgy of the church of England, are exactly conformable to this idea. This appears from his Reformed Common-prayer-book, in which fuch amendments are marked in his own hand-writing; which was given by his fon, the late Mr. Clarke, to the British Museum, and is there preserved. All the direct addreffes to Chrift and the holy ghost, are blotted out by him: and fuch only reserved and allowed, where God, the Father only is invoked and adored.

What Mr. Emlyn has preferved of his fentiments on the prefent fubject, with whom he appears to have lived in great intimacy the latter part of his life, is too much deferving your attention not to be transcribed at large.

It was on the profpect of Dr. Clarke being to be raised to the fee of Canterbury, that Mr. Emlyn had an interview with him, of which he gives the following relation.

"Some time, fays he, in November 1727, Dr. Clarke wrote to me in a familiar letter, that he had a great mind to • talk with me, if I could come any morning, but Saturday. Accordingly within two or three days I went to him, and we talked more freely and clofely of these matters. We foberly and fairly confidered what difficulties and just objections might lie in his way, on the fuppofal of his being offered fuch ecclefiaftical dignity. For I must say, that he ever seemed to me, seriously concerned not to violate his confcience for any preferment, nor to run rafhly into great fnares; nor did I ever know any man more ready to hear, with all the ease and calmnefs poffible, what might be in reafon oppofed. He never intended, by any means, to be taken off from profeffing and defending what he believed to be the great truths of the gof

< pel.

pel, and in particular faid, he intended to print a new edition of his Scripturedoctrine, &c. with fome additions.

The greatest difficulty which occurred, as I remember, was the bufinefs of ordination of priests, and deacons. Some things in the prescribed form he did not approve, and could not use; particularly, the hymn, Come Holy Ghoft, eternal God, &c. but there being liberty to use another

hymn, this did not prefs; fome other

⚫ matters I objected to, which did not stick ' with him. But the grand objection of all

was, the requiring the perfons to be ordained, to fubfcribe the articles, according to 'canon 36. He said, it would be evil for

him to require them to do, what he • would not judge fit to do himself, or to • that effect; which I thought to be a juft reflection. But I obferved to him, that although if a fuffragan bishop ordained any without taking that fubfcription, he might be fufpended from giving orders for one year, by his metropolitan, yet by that canon, no penalty was incurred by the metropolitan himself. However as

the

the perfons ordained could not enjoy any • benefice, without fuch fubfcription, and might legally claim it; I thought he ought plainly to tell them, that he no way encouraged them to fubfcribe, nor ⚫ did he approve of it, but yet if themselves. • were fatisfied in their own minds that

they could fafely do it, he should not bar ⚫ them of their liberty therein. To which

the Doctor anfwered, Nay, I would tell them further, that I had not accepted preferment myself for that very reason, and that if it were in my power, I would have it taken away."-Emlyn's works, vol. ii. P. 493.

From this narrative, it may deferve to be remarked ; that the first princes of the houfe of Hanover, George I, and George II. and his royal confort, the patrons of this learned and worthy divine, fhewed extraordinary favour towards him, although he was known to be an Arian, i. e. one who did not believe the doctrine of the Trinity.

And as these great personages had thoughts of advancing Dr. Clarke to the highest dignity in the church, it is probable that of themselves,

themfelves, they would have had no objection to fuch alterations in the liturgy, as he was earnest and folicitous to introduce.

It is not to be expected, that princes fhould turn reformers: but it is a great happiness, when they do nothing to obstruct or hinder the falutary work.

The most honeft and truly learned Mr. Whifton's teftimony to the Divine Unity, and his fufferings for it, fhould be well known to you. For this I would refer you to his memoirs of his own life, written in his old age; a most edifying work, paffing by fome weakneffes and indiscretions very pardonable at fuch a period, and in the midst of fuch fhining excellencies. You have there an account, with what zeal and labour, having given up his preferments for the gofpel's fake, and a penfioner on the bounties of others, this apoftolic man spent the last forty years of his life, in travelling about from place to place, and bearing testimony against the impofition of fubfcrip