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Catholic establishment in its stead; and I do solemnly swear, that I will not exercise any privilege to which I am or may become entitled, to disturb and weaken the Protestant religion and Protestant government in this kingdom. So help me, God."

FIVE DIFFERENT TRINITIES.

[From Ben Mordecai's Apology, I. 84, and 213, 214.]

BISHOP STILLINGFLEET tells us, the enemies of the Trinity have mentioned Five Trinities, which he enumerates as follows:

I. The Ciceronian Trinity; so called because Cicero had used the word Personce for different respects; sustineo tres Personas: and, according to this acceptation, three Persons are no more than three Relations, Capacities, or Respects, of God to his Creatures: which, the objectors say, is downright Sabellianism.

II. The Cartesian Trinity; which maketh three divine Persons, or three infinite Minds, Spirits, or Beings, to be One God. This is objected to, as being either a God compounded of three Persons, or else three Gods.

III. The Platonic Trinity, of three divine, co-eternal Persons; whereof the second and third are subordinate and inferior to the first in Dignity, Power, and all other Qualities, except only Duration. This is objected to, as being Arianism.

IV. The Aristotelian Trinity; which saith, the Divine Persons are One God, because they have one and the same numerical Substance. This is objected to, as destroying the Personality of the Son and Holy Ghost; and as never beld in the Church till the year 1215.

V. The Trinity of the Mobile; which is held by the common People, or by such lazy Divines as only say, in short, that it is an inconceivable Mystery; and that those are as much in fault who go about to explain it, as those who oppose it. Stillingfleet's Vind. of the Trin., Pref. p. 5; Bennet's Iren. p. 79.

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VOL. XIV.

MEMOIR OF THE REV. JAMES SCOTT.

[From Mr. KENTISH's Sermon on his Death.*]

THE REV. JAMES SCOTT was born at Stourbridge, on the 4th of March, 1768, being the third surviving son of John and of Elizabeth Scott. He much resembled in temper one of his remoter ancestors, who had suffered deprivations for the sake of conscience; † and he bore the same near resemblance to his parents, of whose characteristic affection and piety filial gratitude could not and cannot be forgetful. His strong inclination towards the ministerial office discovered itself at an early age, together with a mind peculiarly fitted for the undertaking, and earnestly desirous of the scene of his future labours being the district, if not the spot, where they were afterwards so beneficially exercised. For his education he was placed first in a small private school, under the care of the Rev. Radcliffe Scholefield, at Birmingham. In the autumn of 1784, he removed to the Academy at Daventry, where he diligently improved his high advantages for the acquisition of general, nor least of theological, knowledge. He settled at Cradley in 1789, and was ordained there in the following year. About this time, he was occcupied in some arduous, but, finally, very successful efforts, for the spiritual reformation of numbers of his poor and uninstructed neighbours. In 1807, he was associated with the Rev. Benjamin Carpenter, his justly revered friend and former minister, most of whose views of Christian doctrine he himself took, in conducting the services at Stourbridge and at Cradley, on alternate Lord's days, and in performing the other parts of pastoral duty. From that period he continued to divide his labours in nearly the same manner and proportion, never leaving the people of his care, excepting annually for a short and regular season, in order that he might invigorate his health. Thus employed, constantly devising liberal things, and going about doing good, he pursued his noiseless and eminently useful and happy course; greatly esteemed, warmly loved and regarded, wherever he was known; and here, as was fit, most regarded and most loved. Such was

* An Exemplary Christian Minister, the Honoured Instrument of God's Goodness: A Sermon, preached, at Stourbridge and at Cradley, Dec. 30, 1827, &c., &c. 8vo.

The Rev. William Fincher, who was ejected from Wednesbury. Palmer's Nonconformists' Memorial, Vol. III. p. 244.

the path in which he moved, until it pleased Almighty God, at a time, and in circumstances, most gracious to the much-favoured pastor, but awfully impressive in respect of his hearers and survivors, to call his servant to himself; in order that, under the merciful provisions of the Christian covenant, he may enter into his Master's joy.

A powerful spirit of devotion and brotherly love, combined with a temper naturally retiring and unobtrusive, and on principle, and by cultivation, signally humble and modest, was the essence of his character. This character the chief incidents of his life particularly tended to create and strengthen.

Under the domestic roof, he received lessons, and witnessed examples, which caused Christian piety and kindness to be the governing principles of his conduct. The excellent person to whose charge he was afterwards com. mitted, delivered the same precepts, and held out the same pattern.* On entering upon an academical life, our lamented friend again experienced the happiness of being the member of a small family, at the head of which was a man remarkable for the gentleness, as for every other pro perty, of heavenly wisdom;† and here he could prosecute his studies in the holy silence which he loved, and be ex

*The Rev. Radcliffe Scholefield was, for many years, the much respected minister of the society of Protestant Dissenters assembling at the Old Meeting-house in Birmingham; in which town he died, June 21st, 1803. An engaging sketch of his life and character will be found in the Monthly Magazine, Vol. XVI. pp. 379, &c. See, too, the Monthly Repository, &c., Vol. IX. pp. 565, 566.

†The late Rev. Thomas Robins; of whom "a brief," yet instructive, "Memoir," was laid before the public in the year 1810, together with "a Sketch of the Sermon preached on occasion of his Death, (which event took place on May 20, 1810,) by George Watson, and some Biographical Additions."

During the years which the late Mr. Scott passed at Daventry, the academical buildings were not sufficiently capacious to accommodate all the pupils, no small proportion of whom lodged, as the consequence, in private houses, while a few were both lodged and boarded in the family of Mr. Robins, and joined their several classes at lectures, and the whole of their fellow-students at prayers and acade mical exercises.

Mr. Scott's tutors were, the Rev. Thomas Belsham, the Rev. William Broadbent, (who died December 1, 1827), and the Rev. Eliezer Cogan [Monthly Repos. &c. Vol. XVII. p. 285] of these gentlemen he uniformly spoke in terms of the most cordial respect and gratitude; and he was regarded by them with reciprocal complacency and affection.

empted from the comparative agitations of a large and mixed society. Yet he cheerfully associated with his fellow-pupils for every purpose which involved their common and dearest interests; and most with those who, like himself, had the office of the Christian ministry in view. I cannot soon lose the pleasing impression which my intercourse with him, upon occasions of that nature, made, from the first, on my mind. It is upwards of forty-three years since we so met; but the meeting appears to be as of yesterday. During those delightful and instructive hours, the superior piety, sweetness, and candour of his spirit, were evident; while, in the progress of his acadeinical course, other employments, in which he voluntarily engaged, together with his companions, cherished his desire and his habit of useful service-particularly as they gave him opportunities of statedly assisting in the religious instruction of the children of the poor.*

So retiring was he, and so unobtrusive, that only the commanding sense of duty prevailed with him to bring himself before his fellow-men. In all such instances, his reluctance disappeared, though still he would not willingly be prominent; not the first to gain the regard of others. Whether I think on him as a Christian or a Christian mi

nister, I am reminded of the " disciple who leaned on Jesus' bosom," and possessed the largest share of his spirit, -the disciple who, uncalled, and with unconquerable affection, follows Jesus, yet follows him "with humble hope and silent love;" with no anxiety for spectators, and no clamorous or assuming zeal.‡

The judgment of your late pastor was sound, and his perceptions were clear. He bestowed much care on his compositions for the pulpit; so that they might be plain, methodical, intelligible, pertinent, scriptural, and impressive-nor did he fail of accomplishing his purpose. As became a wise and faithful teacher, he availed himself of seasons, and of circumstances, and of special occasions, for the selection of fit topics of address, nor overlooked, in this or in any respect, the wants and the improvement of his various hearers. His devotional services were uniformly simple in style, and unaffected in manner; and, in

*The institution of Sunday-schools was, at that time, of recent origin. John xxi. 20.

† John xiii. 23.

the sentiments which they conveyed, characteristically reverential, adoring, grateful, contrite, submissive, and benevolent.

He was distinguished by considerable regularity in the arrangement of his time, nor least of his hours of study. A part of every day was reserved by him for the perusal of the Scriptures in the original languages, and for the devotional, practical, ecclesiastical, and biographical reading, so congenial to his taste. On subjects of theological controversy he thought for himself, and frankly laid before his audiences the result of his inquiries, making his appeal to the Sacred Writings as the only authoritative standard of Divine Truth,* and calling upon others to use the same guide and test. I have scarcely ever known a man of such genuine candour; assuredly, I have met with none more candid. His pure mind soared above the mists of selfishness to a more serene and exalted region. When good could be done, by any instrumentality, to the bodies and the souls of men, he was among the first to welcome and encourage the attempt.

The excellence of his private character was most auspicious to his public usefulness. He was, in an uncommon degree, "holy, harmless, undefiled;" speaking evil of no man, reluctant to believe evil of any man, and extremely studious of giving no occasion of offence. In language which correctly describes a late eminent and amiable minister, I may say of your deceased pastor, "that the efficacy of his ministry was never obstructed nor impaired by the personal prejudices of his hearers, who regarded him, not only with the deference due to a zealous and enlightened teacher, but with the affection of a friend. He

* "Dissenting ministers," says Mr. Scott, (in a Supplement to a Letter to Foley, &c., p. 41,) "wish not so much to enlist their hearers under the standard of a particular party, as to render them good citizens and good Christians. As we form our sentiments by free inquiry, and a diligent perusal of the word of God, the only infallible and sacred standard of truth, and as we fearlessly avow them, because they are built upon evidence and conviction, so reason and argument are the only means we employ to recommend to others those principles which are dear and valuable to us, and whose importance and efficacy we feel. We appeal to those who statedly attend our ministrations, for the truth of these remarks; if any suspect that such is not the tendency of our preaching, we invite them to come to our places of worship, and judge for themselves."

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