PLYMOUTH;

PRINTED AND SOLD BY B. HAY DON;

SOLD ALSO BY

J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, LONDON.

M DCC XCIII.

THE

PREFACE.

T

HE reafon which induced the author to compofe the following fheets, and now to offer them to the public, was a defire to contribute, in fome little degree, towards the recovery of what he apprehends to be a very important truth, which has been long loft to the world, but feems now to be gradually reviving, THE UNITY OF THE

DIVINE NATURE.

Profeffing to have no wish for the spread of his own opinion, any farther than that he judges it to be agreeable to the declarations of the holy fcriptures, he was truly rejoiced when Dr.* Hawker's fermons made their appearance, because it was probable they would be the means of calling the attention of many perfons in this part of the world to the fubject, who, otherwise, might never have bestowed upon it a ferious thought; and he is perfuaded that the difcuffion of

every

* Since the following sheets were compofed, and sent to the press, Mr. Hawker has received the degree of Doctor of divinity, from the University of Edinburgh,

every queftion, on which ever fide the truth may lie, must always prove fubfervient to its fuccefs.

He was, however, not a little furprised, on perufing the fermons, to find that Dr. Hawker had brought forward his proofs from fcripture, as though they had never been. replied to; and that he had hardly noticed a fingle argument which has been urged by Unitarians in favour of the contrary doctrine. This he trufts will ferve as his apology for having offered upon the fubject little or nothing which is new; for till old interpretations are fet afide, and old arguments are refuted, it is not to be expected that recourse will be had to new ones.

It was alfo a matter of wonder to him, that Dr. Hawker fhould have pronounced, fo decidedly as he has done,* on the merits of the controverfy between Dr. Horsley and Dr. Priestley, when it appears to be evident that he has not read the works of Dr. Frieft

ley. For he obferves, page 26, note, that

"" when

* See his Sermons, p, 17, note,