thereto relating: Thus Mr. Collins's Grounds and Reasons, which pretended to prove that Chrift and his Apostles depended on double Senfes of Prophecies, occafioned my Discovery, that no fuch double Senfes were heard of till the fourth Century of Christianity. The fame Book occafioned me to write that Sheet of Propofals, which demonstrated that almost all Mr. Collins's Affertions in Oppofition to the Bible were utterly groundless and indefenfible: And the like might be obferv'd of almost all the other Pamphlets written against Christianity, in this and the last Age. Nor indeed, as I verily hope, will all the other Follies, and Enthusiasms, and Disorders, of the prefent Churches and Parties, end in any Thing else at last, than in fober Perfons, of all Perfuafions, laying afide their several Peculiarities in Religion, and uniting in truly Primitive Christianity, as it ftands in all the original Records of the Gofpel; and principally in the Apoftolical Constitutions; which, if it please God, may I myself live to fee alfo. Amen. In 1716, I published an Account of a furprizing Meteor [or Northern Light,] feen in the Air March 6th, 171% at Night; containing, I. A Description of this Meteor from the Au- II. Some historical Accounts of the like Meteors V. Reasons V. Reasons why our Solutions are fo imperfect. VI. Inferences and Obfervations from the Premifes. 8vo. Price 6 d. N. B. Whatever Hypothefes have been thought of about thefe Meteors or Northern Lights, none do pretend to give any fure Account why they were for above 20 Years together fo much more frequent than in former Ages; which Fact I know to be undeniable. However, the ufual, if not constant Direction of the Line thro' the Middle of the Bases of these Steams, of about 15° or 16° Westward from the North, as all horizontal magnetick Needles do here decline at this Time: And the Center of their Cupola, when compleat, ufually, if not conftantly reclining Southward nearly as much from the Vertex, as all the magnetick Meridians in England do, feem evidently to imply that they are no other than magnetick Effluvia that occafion them. Tho' how the particular mechanical Caufes or Circumstances thereof do at present act, in their Production, is not known. Dr. Halley imagined, that one Side of each Particle was light, and the other dark, and the light Part was still toward the South; but could give no probable Cause of fuch a Diverfity and Pofition, and fo could afford us no real Satisfaction. In this Year 1716 I published An humble and ferious Addrefs to the Princes and States of Europe, for the Admiffion, or at least open Toleration of the Chriftian Religion in their Dominions. Containing, I. A Demonstration, that none of them do, pro- II. The true Occafions why it is not Admitted, III. Some Reasons why they ought to Admit, or at least openly Tolerate this Religion. IV. An earnest Addrefs to the several European Princes and States, grounded on the Premises, for the Admiffion, or at leaft open Toleration of the fame Chriftian Religion in their Dominions. 8vo. Price 1 s. N.B. Tho' this Pamphlet has now been published above 30 Years, yet has it been hitherto without a Reply. And the Reafon is, because what Doubts foever may be moved, whether Clement of Rome wrote the Apoftolical Conftitutions, the only Books that pretend to be an entire original Syftem of the Christian Religion, from the Mouths of the Apoftles, at their five Synods or Councils, which I take to be the plain Truth of the Cafe; yet it is undeniable that they contain an authentick Account of the Worship, Discipline, and Institutions of the Gospel of CHRIST, and of the whole Chriftian Oeconomy, both for Faith and Practice, as they were left by the Apostles, and their Companions, in the latter End of the first, and former Part of the fecond Century, till the Martyrdoms of Ignatius, Juftin Martyr, and Polycarp. Which is most evident in even the bare Notes of Cotelerius's themfelves; which I remem remember to have heard Dr. Grabe call Aurea Note, Golden Note; as well as more fully in my Third Volume of Primitive Chriflianity reviv'd, and other later Writings; as alfo in Mr. Baratier's Vindication of them, out of Epiphanius himself; who directly attests that they certainly contained the genuine Laws of Christianity. It may not be amifs to take Notice here of the Confolation I used to receive by Milton's Character of the Seraph Abdiel, who was the only one of the innumerable wicked Crew of invifible Beings who continued obedient to GOD and his MESSIAH, when all the reft fell: It fo near fitting my Cafe, who have almost alone attempted to restore Primitive Christianity, when the reft of my Fellow-Labourers seemed to give it up, and to content themselves with the Hopes of getting rid of the Athanafian Heresy only; that I could not but frequently folace my felf with it: Which, with due Allowance for human Frailty in the Application, fhall be here all fet down verbatim: So fpake the Seraph Abdiel; faithful found His Loyalty he kept, his Love, his Zeal. Nor Number, nor Example with him wrought, To fwerve from Truth, or change his conftant Mind; Tho' Single. The The friendly Powers, do time receive Of Truth; in Word mightier than they in Arms: Than Violence. For this was all thy Care Which laft unspeakable Reward of all my honeft, tho' imperfect Endeavours, I have long used for the Restoration of this most defirable Thing, Truly Primitive Christianity, may our Saviour allot me at the great Day. Amen! Amen! In the Year 1717 I published Aftronomical Principles of Religion, Natural and Reveal'd. In 9 Parts. I. Lemmata, or the Known Laws of Matter and Motion. II. A particular Account of the System of the Univerfe. III. The Truth of that Syftem briefly demonftrated. IV. Cer |