Clerical Petitioners, the success of the debate in parliament Cranmer (Archbishop) had a hand in burning Joan of Kent and Ridley concerned in burning the pious and learned Van Parre, a Dutchman 150* 192 35 37 101 57* Creed (The Apostles') censured by some Jesuits as not favour- Disquisitors (Candid) how far their views of reformation went 125 171 153 88, &c. Dury (Mr.) his well meant, but idle attempt to bring all Firmin (Thomas) an Unitarian, his eminent virtues his fears that the whole christian church would become paganized by confessing three persons Fox (John) his letter to Queen Elizabeth, to dissuade her from burning two Dutch Anabaptists George (11.) an honourable testimony concerning him 03 113 Ghost (Holy) or Spirit, no authority from scripture to pray to any such person Heresy and Heretic, not names of just reproach James (I.) his unworthy behaviour his detestable policy Joan (of Kent) burnt for her opinions concerning Christ 34, &c. her laudable zeal in recommending the Scrip tures Jones (Rev. William) his catholic doctrine of the Trinity, in opposition to Dr. Clarke's scripture doctrine the two writers ib. Lactantius, his testimony to the Unity of God, and to Christ Smithfield >his good character-burnt alive in 112 48 49 Litany, the perplexing variety of the objects of worship held forth in it Origen, his just sentiments in one place concerning the ob prayer Madan (The Rev. Martin) his singular way of explaining Mosheim, a good historian, but to be read with caution ject of Parliament, a most injurious Act, passed 9 and 10 Wm. III. Paul (Father) how withheld from quitting the communion of the church of Rome not entirely satisfied with his own methods of quieting his scruples Plato, his doctrine of a second God grafted upon the gospel by the heathen converts Prideaux (Dr.) his interpretation of the Chaldee phrase, the word of God Robertson (Rev. Dr.) relinquishes his preferment in the church of Ireland-the motives that induced him Seeker (Abp.) his explanation of the Trinity of three being one Sherlock (Dr.) his trinity of three minds Smalridge (Bp.) his unworthy fears of examining into the truth of established forms of worship South (Dr.) his trinity of three modes or attributes Tucker (Rev. Dr.) his ungrammatical and contradictory 92* 38* 144 128 63 188* ib. Tillotson (Abp.) his opinion concerning frequenting public worship, where one could not sincerely join in the prayers used in it Whiston (William) his expulsion from the university of Cambridge for maintaining that the only God of Christians is God the Father his character Whitby (Rev. Dr.) maintains that the christian writers, be-fore the council of Nice, held that Christ was not God, but a creature made by him his retractation of the errors in his Commentaries on the New Testament concerning Christ Wightman (Edward) burnt to death for his opinions concerning the Trinity Wollaston (Rev. Mr.) and his associates their application to the bishops to set forward a reformation-rejected THE APOLOGY, &c. CHAPTER I. THE INTRODUCTION, WITH SOME STRICTURES ON THE ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY, AND THE OPPOSITION IT MET WITH TO THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION. IT would be doing an injury to the petitioners to parliament for redress in the matter of subscription, with whom the writer was from the first connected, to class them as holding the same opinions with him, if there should be any thing to blame in the freedom with which he hath delivered his sentiments on some favourite points. The rise of his scruples and difficulties was many years prior to that connexion, and would, he is persuaded, have brought him to take the step he has been constrained to for his own quiet, without it. Whilst at the same time he must ever think the design and conduct of that association, unsuccessful in its main point as it hath hitherto been, highly serviceable to true religion, and honourable to all concerned in it; and cannot but reflect with peculiar satisfaction, that he did not quit his ministry in the church established, till the most reasonable attempts for a farther B reformation were rejected; first, in the honourable the Commons House of Parliament refusing the petition of the clergy, and the two professions of law and physic, for relief in the matter of subscription to the Liturgy, and Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England; and next, in the abrupt negative put by the governors of the church upon the application made to them by the Rev. Mr. Wollaston and his associates,* for their assistance and direction in procuring this relief: viz. that in their opinion it was† neither prudent nor safe to do any thing in the matter by them submitted to their consideration; the very words (as communicated by a friend) of the A-p of *Three of Mr. Wollaston's associates have been since promoted to dignities in the Church: the Honourable James Yorke to the Bishopric of Ely, Dr. Porteus to Chester, Dr. Percy to the Deanery of Carlisle. As the influence of these gentlemen is increased by their high stations, it is not to be doubted but it will be exerted in accomplishing as far as they are able the desired reformation: and a better plan cannot be proposed than appeared soon after this present Work was laid before the public, and is in some respects an improvement upon it, printed without the name of the Author, but ascribed to an honourable member of their association, and entitled "Queries relating to the Book of Common Prayer, &c. with proposed Amendments; addressed to Those in Authority, and submitted to their Consideration." London. Printed for J. Wilkie, No. 71, St. Paul's Church-yard, 1774. "It may therefore be dangerous to begin with making alterations and amendments in the church, lest those scaf foldings, which are erected for repairs, should be made use of to pull down the whole fabric." |