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mirum et incredibile cenfendum eft. Melius

Æneas,

O pater, anne aliquas ad cælum hinc ire putandum eft

Sublimes animas, iterumque ad tarda reverti Corpora? quæ lucis miferis tam dira cupido?*

Certe fi quidquam de meipfo prædicare licet, unice exopto, ut quæcunque revelavit Deus, patienter investigem, fideliter tradam, forti animo et invicto defendam. Ut doctrinam Chrifti vitâ atque moribus ad pietatis et virtutis normam rite compofitis femper ornem. Ut fupremo fpiritu exclamare liceat, vixi, et quem dederit curfum naturæ parens, peregi. Sit mihi denique libertas, evangelii ob amorem, natali folo gratior. In articulo mortis refurgendi certa spes, in ipfa morte, alta quies, placidufque fomnus.

Ex præmiffis igitur concludo, quod ftatus animarum in intervallo mortis atque refurrectionis agentium quicquam five fentientium ex facris literis colligi nequeat.

* Virg. Æn. vi.

Ib. Æn. iv. 654.

A SHORT

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FIRST PUBLISHED MDCCLXXV.

NOW RE-PRINTED

FROM THE THIRD EDITION,

MDCCLXXVI.

A SHORT STATE, &c.

IN compliance with the fuggeftions of fome worthy perfons, who had perused a letter I fent to the bishop of Norwich previous to my refignation, I have now stated more fully my opinion, refpecting the particular point of doctrine, which gave occafion to that measure: I have added fome remarks concerning the spirit of protestantism, and the study of the fcriptures, which I hope will not be judged unfeasonable; and have subjoined the above-mentioned letter to my late diocefan.

I fubmit my fentiments on these subjects to the candour of the public. I would not willingly fhock the feelings of any pious. christian. Let fuch reflect, that if I have embraced an opinion respecting the perfon of our faviour, which is chargeable with heterodoxy, my declaration of fuch opinion cannot have the remoteft tendency to the impofition

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impofition of it on his confcience.

It is in the option of every reader to reject it, if in his own apprehenfion it is abhorrent from the doctrines of the gospel.

It has been for fome time paft my firm perfuafion, that the doctrine of the trinity, as explained in the creed of Athanafius; as propounded in the thirty-nine articles of the church of England; as established in the liturgy; and further guarded by penal fanctions in an act of parliament paffed in the reign of William the third, is equally contrary to found reafon and the holy fcriptures. I am fully fatisfied that in the divine nature there is no plurality of perfons; but that the almighty author of the universe is, in the stricteft fenfe of the expreffion,

ONE.

And I think I have reafon to believe, that the present openly avowed adherence of most established churches to the contrary perfuafion, which does not appear to be conformable to the fentiments of chriftians in the earliest and the pureft ages of the church, is not only one of the most powerful obftructions to the converfion of the mahometans and the jews; but is alfo an

almoft

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