CONTENTS.

SECTION I.

Of the Nazarenes, Ebionites, and Alogi,

SECTION

Of the inference from Hegefippus,

S E CTION

PAGE.

3

II.

8

III.

Of what may be inferred from Juftin Martyr con-

cerning the state of opinions in his time,

14

Of the quotation from Eufebius; and Tertullian's

account of the antient Unitarians, more particu-

larly confidered,

21

Of my being charged with advancing that Justin

Martyr was the first that started the notion of

Chrift's pre-existence,

SECTION

31

VI.

AVING given the best attention that I can to the

work, I have not yet feen any reafon to make more than the following corrections and additions. It will be eafily perceived that they are rather favourable than unfavourable to my principal object. Had I been convinced of any other overfight, I fhould with the fame readiness, have made the neceffary alterations.

VOL. I.

P. 7, 1. 11, After Nazarenes, read, and it may be inferred from Origen, Epiphanius, and Eufebius, &c. P. 19, 1. 2, After corrupted, add, and as these antient Unitarians are called Idiota (common and ignorant people) by Tertullian, it is more natural to look for antient opinions among

them, than among the learned, who are more apt to innovate.

P. 19, 1. 6, For Succeffor, read Predeceffor.

1. 10, Read, Juftin Martyr, and Clemens, in whofe fecond and spurious epiftle only it is to be found, and the ancient hymns, not now extant, but in which, being poetical compofitions, divinity was probably ascribed to him in fome figurative and qualified sense. P. 55, 1. 21, For a great part, read the greater part. N. B. This fhews that the greater part of chriftians in the time of Tertullian were Unitarians, and exceedingly averfe to the doctrine of the Trinity.

Ib. 1. 15,

Ib. 1. 26,

Dele, the pre-existence of Chrift
Dele, is not quoted by Irenæus, and

P. 216, 1. 12, For our Lord, read the Lord.

P. 11, 1. 10, Read, In this age the table on which it was

celebrated was called the myftical table, and

Theophilus, to whom Jerom (if the epiftle be

genuine) writes, fays that the very utenfils, &c.

I fhall be thankful for the notice of any other overfight, which, in a work of this extent, I did not expect to escape. See preface, P. 20. For this laft correction I ana obliged to the writer of the Critical Review.

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THE

INTRODUCTION.

I

>

N the preface to my late Hiftory of the Corruptions of Chriftianity, I obferved * that in a fubject fo copious as this, I "am far from fuppofing it probable that I have "made no mistakes, notwithstanding I have used "all the care and precaution that I could. If any "fuch be pointed out to me, whether it be

by a friend or an enemy, I fhall be glad to "avail myself of the intimation, in cafe there "should be a demand for a fecond edition.".

I now fit down to fulfil this promife, even before that demand be made, that I may give the earlieft proof of my attachment to truth, and of my readiness to correct any overfight that I may have been guilty of. But thofe which I have hitherto been convinced of

are so very few, and fo very inconfiderable (not in the leaft affecting my main object, or any one pofition or argument of moment in it) that this early appearance before the public requires an apology, and this is two fold: first, to answer fome plaufible charges of much greater errors and imperfections, but chiefly to take this opportunity of advancing fome additional obfervations in fupport of one principal object in my work; which was to produce evidence in favour of the doc

trine of the proper and fimple humanity of Chrift having been the original belief of both the Jewish and Gentile churches.

After an introduction calculated to turn my attempt into ridicule, the writer of the Monthly Review for June 1783, fays, " Dr. Priestley's "own fentiments on this fubject," (meaning the Socinian *) are well known, and if repe"tition could enforce conviction, he would' <<< long ere now, have feen the wishes of "his heart accomplished." I do own that I have no wish nearer to my heart than this, arifing from the fulleft perfuafion, that fuch, and fuch only, is the doctrine of the fcriptures concerning Chrift; that every thing that has been added to the primitive idea of the nature of Chrift, has been derived from the vain imaginations of fpeculative but inconfiderate men; who did not reflect that the proper glory. of Chrift is his being the meffenger, of God, fpeaking and acting by him; and who by giving him a divine and fuper-angelic nature, have raifed fuch difficulties to the reception of the gofpel by Jews, Mahometans, and Heathens, as can never be removed but by going back to the primitive faith on this fubject.

Difagreeable as this publication muft, from the nature of it, be to me, I rejoice that it

* P. 516.