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In 1699, Mr. Clarke published three practical essays on baptism, confirmation and repentance; and an anonymous work, entitled "Reflections on part of a book called Amyntor, or a defence of Milton's life, which relates to the writings of the primitive fathers; and the canon of the New Testament in a letter to a friend." In 1701, Mr. Clarke published his paraphrase on the Gospel of St. Matthew, which was soon followed by those on the other evangelists. They were afterwards printed together in 2 vols. 8vo. and have since undergone several editions. He intended to have gone through the remaining books of the New Testament, in the same manner; but something accidentally interrupted the execution," and it is now," says bishop Hoadley, "only to be lamented, that any thing first diverted him from it; or that he did not afterwards prevail upon himself to resume and complete so great a work."

In the year 1704, he was appointed to preach Boyle's lecture, and the subject he chose was "The being and attributes of God," in which he succeeded so well, that he was appointed to preach the same lecture the next year; when he chose for his subject "The evidence of natural and revealed religion.' These sermons were first printed in two distinct volumes; the former in 1705, the latter in 1706. They have since been printed in one volume, under the general title of "A discourse concerning the being and attributes of God, the obligations of natural religion, and the truth and certainty of the christian revelation, in answer to Hobbes, Spinosa, the author of the oracles of reason, and other deniers of natural and revealed religion."

In his discourses on the evidences of natural and revealed religion, Dr. Clarke laid the foundations of morality deep in the mutual relations of things and persons to one another, in the unalterable fitness of some actions, and the unfitness of others; and in the will of the great creator of all things, evident

from his making man capable of seeing these relations and this fitness; of judging concerning them,” and of acting agreeably to that judgment. He then proceeds to demonstrate the christian religion to be worthy of God from its internal evidence, taken from the perfect agreeableness of its main design to the light of nature, and to all moral obligations of eternal reason and after this, to prove it to have been actually revealed to the world by God, from the internal evidence of prophecy going before it, and of miraculous works performed in express confirmation of it. These sermons, says bishop Hoadley, every christian ought to esteem as his treasure, as they contain the true strength not only of natural, but revealed religion.

About this time, Mr. Whiston tells us, he discovered that Mr. Clarke had been looking into the primitive writers, and began to suspect that the Athanasian doctrine of the trinity, was not the doctrine of the early ages. He then informed Mr. Whiston, that he never read the Athanasian creed in his parish at Norwich, except once, and then only by mistake.

In 1706, our author published his letter to Mr. Dodwell in answer to that writer's epistolary discourse, concerning the Immortality of the Soul; and, likewise, translated Sir Isaac Newton's Treatise on Optics into elegant Latin. Having now become celebrated in the literary world, he was brought to court by his patron, and recommended to the favour of Queen Anne, who appointed him one of her chaplains, and soon after, in consideration of his great merit, he was presented to the rectory of St. James, Westminster. Upon his advancement to this station he took the degree of D. D. when the public exercise, which he performed for it, at Cambridge, was exceedingly admired. The questions which he maintained were these; 1st "That no article of the Christian faith, delivered in the holy scriptures is disagreeable to right reason; 2d. "That without the

liberty of human actions, there can be no religion." In 1712, he published a beautiful edition of Cæsar's commentaries, adorned with elegant sculptures. In this work, the doctor took particular care of the punctuation; and, in the annotations, selected what appeared the best and most judicious in former editions, with some emendations of his own, interspersed. "The beauty of the paper, says Mr. Addison, of the character, and of the several arts with which this noble work is illustrated, makes it the finest book I have ever seen." This edition has risen in value, from that time to the present, and is now exceedingly scarce. A copy of it was lately purchased at a public sale, in England, by the Duke of Grafton, for which he paid the sum of 195 dollars and 36 cents.

The same year, 1712, he published his book, entitled "The Scripture doctrine of the Trinity, &c." in consequence of which, he soon got involved in a very warm controversy, an inundation of books and pamphlets, many of which he answered, being written against him. For the opinions which he advanced upon this subject, he, likewise, became obnoxious to the ecclesiastical power, and his book was complained of by the lower house of convocation. The doctor drew up a preface, and, afterwards, gave in several explanations, which seemed to satisfy the upper house at least, the affair was not brought to any issue, the members appearing desirous to avoid dissensions and divisions.

In 1718, Dr. Clarke made an alteration in the doxolor of the singing psalms, which produced no small noise and disturbance, and occasioned some pam. phlets to be written. The alteration was this:

To God, through Christ his only Son,
Immortal glory be &c.

and,

To God, through Christ, his Son, our Lord,
Ail glory be therefore &c.

A considerable number of these select psalms and hymns having been dispersed by the society for promoting Christian knowledge, before the alteration of the doxologies was taken notice of, he was charged with a design of having imposed upon the society: but, from this imputation he was vindicated by his friends, who assert, that the edition had been prepared by him for the use of his own congregation only, before the society had thoughts of purchasing any of the copies and, that as the usual forms of doxology are not established by any legal authority, either ecclesiastical or civil, he had, so far, committed no offence. Dr. Robinson, bishop of London, however, so highly disliked the alteration, that he published a letter to the incumbents of all churches and chapels in his diocese, against their using any new forms of doxologies. The letter is dated Dec. 26th, 1718, and begins thus: "Reverend Brethren, there is an instance of your care and duty, which I conceive myself at this time highly obliged to offer, and you to regard, as necessary for the preservation of the very foundation of our faith. Some persons seduced, I fear, by the strong delusions of pride and self conceit, have lately published new forms of doxology, entirely agreeable to those of some ancient heretics, who impiously denied a Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead. I do, therefore, warn you, and charge it upon your souls, as you hope to obtain mercy from God the Father, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord, and by the sanctification of the Holy Ghost, three persons and one God blessed for ever, that you employ your best endeavours to prevail with your several flocks, to have a great abhorrence for the above mentioned new forms, &c." Those who approved of Dr. Clarke's sentiments, reprobated the conduct of the bishop as highly intolerant, whilst the advocates for the generally received doctrines of the church, considered it as a laudable zeal to suppress errors, which sapped the foundation of the Christian

religion, and were fraught with destruction to the souls of men. The letter, as might have been expected, became the subject of a warm controversy; in which the most able champions were engaged, on both sides; but to which of the parties, the palm of victory should be adjudged, does not, we conceive, belong to our province to determine. Without, therefore, expressing our sentiments, with respect to the religious opinions of our author, we shall only take the liberty of directing such of our readers as are not fully satisfied on the subject, "to the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

In 1727, upon the death of Sir Isaac Newton, he was offered, by the court, the place of master of the mint, worth upwards of 6000 dollars per annum : this appointment, however, he thought proper to refuse, as he considered secular preferment incompatible with his profession, and likely to interrupt him, in the discharge of what he believed more important duties.

In 1728, was published "a letter from Dr. Clarke to Benjamin Hoadley F. R. S. occasioned by the controversy relating to the proportion of velocity, and force in bodies in motion," and printed in "The Philosophical Transactions, No. 401." In the beginning of the year following, he published "The 12 first books of Homer's Iliad in quarto," which was dedicated to the Duke of Cumberland. The Latin version is almost entirely new, and annotations are added at the bottom of the pages. Homer, bishop Hoadley tells us, was Dr. Clarke's admired author, even to a degree of something like enthusiasm, hardly natural to his temper; and that in this he went a little beyond the bounds of Horace's judginent, and was so unwilling to allow his favorite poet ever to nod, that he has taken remarkable pains to find out, and give a reason for every passage, word and tittle, that could create any suspicion. The translation," adds

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