seized with an immoderate flux of blood. It happened at that time, that some travellers passed by, of that sort, it seems, who bear a great hatred to the clergy without any ground for as if they had been delighted with the sight behold, say they, one of Baal's priests, drunk with red wine, and discharging his overloaded stomach. There was certainly no man living against whom they could with more injustice have thrown this cursed dart of a poisoned tongue; for it was about fifteen years since he had tasted the least drop of wine, except at the holy sa crament, continually tempering and diluting the heat of his blood with cold spring water only. As soon as the good dean was able to take breath after this fit of vomiting blood, he proceeded, little moved with so unworthy a reproach, and wishing his revilers a better mind: "These calumnies," said he, " ought to be refuted by our good deeds."

Dr. Barwick's Life, published by Bedford, 1724, 8vo.

REMARKABLE JURY.

The Rev. Mr. Brome, in his travels over England, page 279, gives us the following list of a Jury impannelled in Sussex during the great rebellion. It was customary in those times to give such quaint Christian names to children, as witness, Pruise-God, Barebone.-The Jury's names are as follow: Accepted Trevor of Horsham, Redeemed-Compton of Battle, Faint-not, Hewet of Heathfield, Make Peace, Heaton of Hare, God-reward, Smart of Fivehurst, Stand-fast-on-high, Stringer of Crowhurst, Earth, Adams, of Warbleton, Called, Lower of the same. Fight the good fight of Faith, White of Emer, More Fruit, Fowler of East Hadley, Hope for, Bending of the same, Graceful, Harding of Lewes, Weep not, Billing of the same, Meek, Brewer of Okeham.

A FANATICAL PRAYER.

Bishop Newton used, with great force and truth, to term extemporary prayer "preaching to God Almighty." A collection of the absurdities and impertinencies taken from the mouths of such preachers would be of no small service. In the Friendly Debate between a Conformist and Non-conformist, we have the following curious specimen, which no doubt was very edifying to the hearers : "Thou art the hope of our help, and the help of our hope; thou art our hope when we have no help, and thou art our help when we have no hope; yea, thou art our Vol. VIII. Churchm. Mag. June 1805. 3 I hope

hope and our help, when we have neither hope nor help, but are helpless and hopeless."

QUAKERS.

A large assembly of this sect having protracted their sitting to a very long and tedious period, could not be prevailed with to break up till a merry wag thought of this stratagem, proclaiming " in the King's name, that no one should depart without his leave." On hearing this, they all immediately rose and went away, that it should not be said they paid obedience to any one.

Bp. Parker's Hist. of his Own Time.

DEFINITION OF AN INDEPENDENT.

A dissenting teacher who came to qualify himself under the Act of Toleration, at the sessions for the county of Cambridge, was asked by one of the Justices, what sect he was of? He replied, that he was an Independent. And why an Independent, says the Justice,? I am called an Independent, says the dissenter, because I depend upon my Bible.

Gray's Answer to Neal, vol. iii. p. 370.

SINGULAR PARISH.

One of the kings of England being in the north, was entertained by the bishop of Durham at his palace there. Among many of the clergy at that time with the bishop, there was the then rector of Elwick-hall, near Hartlepool. His majesty was very particular in enquiriug about the north, and asked the rector of Elwick-hall, if there was any thing remarkable in his parish? the rector replied, there was: for in his parish there was neither town nor village, nor surgeon, apothecary, midwife, schoolmaster nor schoolmistress, blacksmith, shoemaker, cartwright, joiner, house-carpenter, chandler, grocer, mason, bricklayer, public house, taylor, weaver, barber, baker, butcher, brewer, nay scarce one day-labourer, and frequently neither a funeral nor a marriage for twelve months. The king listened to all this with great attention, and laughed heartily when the rector had finished his long string of tradesmen, &c. &c,

What is extraordinary, the parish is at this day nearly in the same state, and the living worth near 4001. per

annum.

The whole parish contains about seventeen or eighteen farm houses, situate in various parts of the parish, and the former rectors have often entertained all the parishioners at their tables. From an Old Record.

The

The WORSHIP of TRINITARIANS not IDOLATROUS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE.

SIR,

I AM pleased, that my little controversy with Mr. Evanson has been the occasion of calling forth some useful ideas on the important subject it refers to; and I see no reason, though Mr. Evanson has withdrawn himself, that the discussion of the subject should not be continued, so long as any new light is likely to be thrown upon it. I was in particular much gratified with the perusal of an article, inserted in your last number, under the signature of Omicron, entitled, "On the Latin words Græcised, employed by the writers of the New Testament," which, with respect to the point referred to, I consider as conclusive. In saying this, I beg not to be understood as approving of the asperity of language, in the use of which either Omicron, or our good friend Jonathan Drapier, has condescended to indulge. There are many persons, sincere inquirers after religious truth, who, having doubts. about the divinity of our Saviour, decline joining in the established liturgy from the fear of incurring sin by that worship of our Saviour, which the liturgy prescribes. Now, though I deem their fear to be groundless, I cannot but consider their conduct, proceeding from so good a motive, as free from criminality, and themselves as entitled to the tenderest treatment. To speak generally, I think it possible to contend earnestly for the faith, without feeling any animosity towards those, who believe not as I do. I see no reason, therefore, for using any asperity of language in controversy. If, however, others nse it, I am ready, for the sake of their motive, to excuse it; much more am I ready to excuse them for the blame, which they may think it right to cast on me for not following their example. With respect to Mr. Evanson in particular, he is, I doubt not, a sincere enquirer after religious truth; but there is evidently something in his composition, which hinders him from pursuing the in

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quiry

quiry with coolness and impartiality. Possibly, it is too late in life for a change in his opinions to be desireable; and I am glad to find, that he can rest in his present opinions with so much satisfaction. As to his conduct at Tewkesbury, I really think, that he has made out a defence, which, if not such as entitles him to praise, is at least sufficient to exonerate him from severe censure. Being of a sanguine disposstion, he expected, it seems, that such alterations in the public forms of belief and worship would soon be made, as would enable him to continue his services in the church, without doing violence to his conscience; and it was only until the event of this expectation should be seen, that he wished his hesitating obedience (blameable in itself, as he acknowledges) to be borne with. I can easily conceive, that in this he acted conscientiously, and I give him full credit for having done so.

What I now, Sir, more particularly mean to observe on this subject is, that the worship of Trinitarians, even admitting them to be as erroneous in their notions of God, as Mr. Evanson supposes, is of a totally different nature from the idolatrous worship of heathens, and cannot possibly be, what Mr. Evanson deems it, the "blasphemy predicted in the apocalyptic visions," or the object of the prophetic threatenings. Anti-trinitarians alledge, that they abstain from worshipping with Trinitarians, lest they should offend God by a forbidden worship, and incur the guilt of idolatry. They need be under no such apprehenWe well know, that the idolatry of the heathens was productive of every species of immorality; that, in the celebration of their solemn religious rites, and in their endeavours to recommend themselves to one or other of their deities, by imitating the several qualities attributed to them, the heathens were guilty of the greatest impurities and cruelties; and perhaps it was this consequence, seeing it was a necessary one, that rendered heathen idolatry so heinous a crime. See Rom. i. But, can any thing of this kind be attributed to the idolatry, of which Mr. Evanson supposes Trinitarians to be guilty? I challenge Mr. Evanson and all his Anti-trinitarian brethren to show, that any practical ill consequences can possibly arise from the belief of the doctrine of the Trinity, or from the worship founded on that belief, which is prescribed by our church. This being the case, their separation from the establishment is left to rest on a mere differ

ence

ence in speculative opinions, and is therefore indefensible; for separation from an established church can be defended only on the ground, that the church calls upon us to join in sinful or forbidden practices.

With respect to the worship of Christ, it appears to me, that the passages of scripture, which declare Christ to be the Mediator between God and man, imply a clear command for that worship; for it does not seem possible, that the character of a mediator can be sustained, without the opportunity of hearing the petitions, and knowing the wants, of those, in whose behalf the office of a mediator is to be exercised. "Christ," we are told, "ever liveth to make intercession for them, who come unto God by him." Heb. vii. 25. But it is in vain, that he lives for this purpose, if he has not also the power, which is necessary to enable him to execute it; and this power is nothing less than an ability, on his part, to hear the supplications, which are offered up to him by all those, who stand in need of his mediatorial offices, aud an obligation, on the part of all those, who are conscious of doing so, to offer up their supplications to him. I am of opinion, therefore, that the following passages of scripture, setting all others aside, are sufficient to justify the worship of Christ, as prescribed by our Church, and, at the same time, to condemn the worship of saints, as prescribed by the church of Rome; and I leave it to Anti-trinitarians to consider, whether the ability of hearing prayer, thus ascribed to our Saviour, does not necessarily imply that ubiquity, which is an essential attribute of the Godhead? There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. ii. 5. “It is Christ, that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Rom. viii. 34.

Were la personal Unitarian, as Mr. Evanson is, or an Anti-trinitarian of any description, I should not think myself justified, on that account, in ceasing to communicate with the established church, though I should judge it right to withdraw from its ministry. For, admitting the worship of the Trinity to be founded in error, and therefore a fault, it must, under the circumstances, in which it is committed by members of the establishment, be a venial fault. No ill consequences can be shown to proceed from it at present, no punishment will be inHicted on account of it hereafter. Did I think, that the established