THE HOLY GHOST, and the THREE PERSONS in the trinity were invoked; neither did you seem to give your assent to the doxology, so frequently directed to FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. You seemed likewise not to join in the latter end of those prayers which conclude with the doctrine of the trinity in unity, so plainly and solemnly established by our glorious church, and confirmed by the learned pains of many excellent writers. I should be glad to know the true reason of this surprising change; and make no doubt but you will readily explain yourself upon these religious points, as you and I have had frequent conferences upon subjects of scripture.

Unitarian. Why, really, neighbour, I acknowledge the justness of your charge. As my sentiments are very different from those I formerly embraced, and was educated in; so I think it my duty to act consistently with my principles, and to profess and practise, in religious matters, according to the dictates of my conscience. I now profess myself deeply convinced, by the express determination of Christ and his apostles, that the churchworship offered up to Jesus Christ, the messenger of God, and to the holy spirit, and to the trinity, as being three persons, and one God, is false and unscriptural, from whence, I think, it necessarily fol lows, that the famous athanasian doctrine of three co-equal persons in one God, has no foundation in the word of God.

Athanasian. Oh, my friend! you astonish me by such a bold declaration; and I beg of you, for

the sake of your future happiness, to take heed and beware how you run into a dangerous heresy, before you have weighed this important business with a cool and unprejudiced mind. What! is it possible to imagine that so many wise and good men should have been so grievously mistaken, as to be guilty of false worship in their solemn address to almighty God? Don't you know, that our liturgy was compiled by pious and learned men; and that it has been celebrated by several excellent writers, as the most perfect and christian form of public devotion in the whole christian world? You should, therefore, suspect arguments which have tendency to draw you off from an important part of religious worship, settled and determined by the venerable fathers of the church of England, established by acts of parliament and convocation, and strongly enforced by a pious and learned clergy.

Unitarian. I am obliged to you, my good friend, for your advice, as I am well assured it proceeds from a kind regard for my spiritual welfare. But I can seriously declare, that my conviction has not been hasty in the course of my inquiry, I made all possible objections to the contrary doctrines, for the very reason you assign; and I thought it strange and unaccountable, that such an excellent church should have continued so long in an error that breaks in upon the true character of the one God and Father of all, and the holy and only worship admitted, practised, and directed by Christ and his apostles. And upon the most sincere and impartial inquiry, not without earnest applications

I

to the God of truth, for the direction of his holy spirit in my religious disquisitions, I profess myself, an UNITARIAN CHRISTIAN, or a firm believer in one supreme God and Father of all, as a fundamental principle of revealed religion. see with my own eyes, and perceive with my own understanding, that it is my duty to worship and pray to the one God and Father of all, in the name of, or as the disciple of Jesus Christ, for the assistance of his holy spirit and guidance; and think it lawful to offer up petitions to none other, except the invisible and self-existent Creator and Governor of the world, the one only living and true God. As our Lord commanded no worship or prayer to be made to himself, and directed his apostles and others to pray only to God, our Father, who is in heaven, and they taught their disciples the same, surely to pay religious worship to any other must be judged, by every unprejudiced christian, as an instance of will-worship, not warranted by the word of God; and, consequently, such unscriptural forms of devotion ought to be laid aside, though established by the authority of wise and learned men. With respect to the worship of the trinity in unity, or three persons and one God, not even the least colour of evidence can be produced for it; every form of worship set forth by Christ and his apostles is absolutely inconsistent with it. It is certainly worshipping God under a false character, or we know not what (John iv. 22), when we offer up prayers to a being, consisting of three co-equal

persons, contrary to the light of reason and scrip

ture.

Athanasian.

Surely you must labour under some very great mistake, when you make such confident declarations regarding forms of worship, that have been deduced from scripture by so many learned men; and have been defended in so many excellent books, written by persons of almost every denomination of christians, as well as of the church of England. Have you, my friend, carefully examined every part of scripture relating to religious worship? Though my memory, at present, does not furnish me with any particular passages, where the second, third, and fourth petitions of the litany are found in express terms; yet I am persuaded that these forms of worship are warranted by scripture, as our church, which professes the highest regard for scripture, and is founded upon it, has so long recommended and enforced the whole litanyworship and you must allow that the church of England has been blessed with many excellent members, remarkable for their piety, as well as learning; and, consequently, I cannot think of departing from their religious sentiments, without the clearest and strongest evidence, drawn from the word of God.

Unitarian. We of this nation ought to bless God for the inestimable advantages of the free use of the holy scriptures in the vulgar tongue. In the name of God, let every declaration of Christ and his apostles, relating to religious worship, be examined and considered with the greatest care; and

let this important cause be determined by divine and not human authority.

My good friend, do but admit, as your protestant profession, and your seeming regard for scripture require, that the authority of Christ and his apostles is of greater weight than the decrees of even wise and learned men, and you will soon be convinced that the athanasian, or trinitarian worship is false and unscriptural. I will endeavour to point out to you a plain method of gaining entire satisfaction upon this important subject. It came to pass that as he (viz. Christ) was praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. (Luke xi. 1). Now, the grand question is, what answer our Lord made to this reasonable inquiry? For surely it is the duty of every christian to pay a very solemn regard to the determination of Christ himself. And he (viz. Christ) said unto them, when ye pray, say, Our Father, who art in heaven, &c. (v. 2). This is exactly agreeable to the precept he gave in his sermon on the mount; after this manner pray ye: Our Father, who art in heaven, &c. (Matth. vi. 9). It appears, then, that our Lord has plainly commanded all his disciples to worship the one God and Father of all, without any mention of himself, or of the holy spirit of God, as objects of worship.

Athanasian. Your producing the Lord's prayer is, I think, unnecessary, as all christians are uniformly agreed in it; and this prayer frequently occurs in every part of our public service.