Contradictions in Religion) I am mistaken if either they or the Arians can make their Notions of a Dignify'd and Creature-God capable of Divine Worship, appear more reasonable than the extravagancies of other Sects touching the Article of the Trinity; fuch as the Whimfies of EUTYCHES, GENTILIS, and the rest. In short, Mr. Toland had no natural occafion to declare his Sentiments relating to CHRIST's Perfon, that and the other particular Doctrines of the Gospel being the Subject of the feeond and third Books he promises, and by which alone his Conformity or Diffent with the Common Christianity is to be difcern'd. Nor had his Adverfaries from the Prefs run into fo many grofs Miftakes, and been at the trouble of feveral no lefs unhappy than needlefs Conjectures, had they but Patience or Phlegm enough to attend the Publication of thofe Pieces.

It was objected also that he flighted the Sacraments (which is a term he never uses) by making them bare Ceremonies. That he cal'd'em any where mere Ceremonies he abfolutely denies, tho he now affirms with all Chriftians, that the Actions of breaking Bread and washing with Water are as much Ceremonial under the New Teftament, as Circumcifion or the Paffover were under the C

Old

Old. But when Mr. Toland had'a juft occafion to mention the Sacraments,tho not to declare his Opinion concerning their Nature or Efficacy, 'tis evident he speaks there of those numerous Ceremonies of Human Inftitution which were added to 'em by the mistaken Zeal or Prudence of the PrimiPag. 153. tive Chriftians, who, as he fays, not having the leaft Precedent for any Ceremonies from the Gospel, excepting Baptifm and the Supper, ftrangely difguis'd and transform'd thefe by adding to them the Pagan Mystick Rites; and of these appending Ceremonies he gives a large Catalogue in that Chapter. But he's fo far from making any comparifon between Chriftianity and the Orgies of Bacchus, as was likewife alledg'd, that on the contrary he feverely handles thofe who blended fuch Corruptions with pure Christianity. Thus, fays he, left Simplicity, the nobleft Ornament of the Truth, should expofe it to the Contempt of Unbelievers, Christianity was put upon an equal level with the Mysteries of Ceres, or the Orgies of Bacchus. To this may be added another Paf P162,163.fage where he affirms, he could draw his Pa

Ibid.

rallel between Heathenifm and thofe early Superftitions much larger, to fhew how Chriftianity became myfterious, and how fo Divine an Inftitution did, through the Craft and Am

bition of Priests and Philofophers degenerate into mere Pagnifm. Here you fee, 'tis not the Chriftian Religion, but the unwarrantable Additions to it, wherein JESUS CHRIST never had any hand, which he compares with the Mysteries of Ceres and the Orgies of Bacchus. And what, pray, is the main body of the Popish, Eastern, or other Superftitions, but the continuance of thofe Rites of Heathen or Jewish Original which Mr. Toland justly explodes? Or is any body that draws a Parallel between Heathenism and Popery thought difaffected to Christianity? Indeed profeft or difguis'd Papifts will accufe him of fuch a Crime, but no understanding Proteftant can ever be guilty of fo much Weakness.

'Tis poffible more Exceptions were madeto Mr. Toland's Book in the Committee, or these not all in this Order; but these were all whereof he could inform himself, and of which he gives the most compendious and fatisfactory account he can: being as ready to do the fame in relation to all other Objections that fhall fairly come to his knowledg. The greatest Hardship he complains of is, that, being an Inhabitant of England,he thould be molefted in Ireland (where he was only fortuitously born) for

a Book he publish'd in another Country. His Errand hither, God knows, was neither to propagate nor receive any Doctrines, new or old; and as he was far from ever defigning to fix his conftant Refidence here, fo he thinks himself as liable to be disturb'd in any other place, whither his Curiofity or Business may lead him, as in this Kingdom; which is a way of proceeding hitherto unheard of in the World. I fhall give you no further trouble when I have told you, that I refolve always to continue an unalterable Friend to Liberty, an Advocate for Religion without Superftition, a true Lover of my Country, and in particular, Sir, your most humble Ser

vant,

JOHN TOLAND.

T

Here was enough said in the preceding Letter concerning the Socinianifm laid to Mr. Toland's Charge, and I doubt very much whether now there be any Socinians in England; I am fure, no confiderable Body of them: for the Theology of the Unitarians, who vulgarly pass

uns

under that name, is very different from that of Socinus. But thefe Unitarians in one of their latest Prints difown any Service intended their Caufe by Mr. Toland's Book; and all Sects, we know, are ready upon the least apparent Conformity to augment their own Numbers, especially with fuch as they feem to value for their Learning or other Qualifications. In The Agreement of the Unitarians with the Catholick Church occurs the following Paragraph. "The (Bishop of Worcester's) eighth and P. 54, 55. "tenth Chapters, are imployed in oppo

66

fing, and, as he thinks, in expofing and "ridiculing fome Interpretations of a few "Texts of Scripture by the Unitarians ; "and attacking a few Paragraphs in Mr. "Toland's Book, Chriftianity not Myfteri

ous. I know not what it was to his "Lordship's purpofe to fall upon Mr. To"land's Book. But if he would needs at"tack the Book, he should have dealt . fairly. He should have difcufs'd the "main Argument in it, and not carpt on"ly at a few Paffages; and thofe too fo "mangl'd and deform'd by his Reprefen"tation of them, that I dare to affirm "Mr. Toland does not know his own "Book in the Bishop's Representation of it. I do not perceive, to speak truly,

C 3

" but