tion and love of fupreme excellence and goodness exalts the foul and affifts its progress in every kind of moral attainments. Who ever entertained a lower opinion of the refpectable and amiable qualities of benevolence and probity, because they were united in the fame character with a rational and unaffected devotion to the Father of fpirits, the great Author of good? Does it not raife our ideas of these virtues, to see them fupported by the principles of a folid piety, and formed after the infinitely perfect model of truth and goodness? But in perfons who have derived a name, reputation and influence from religious pursuits, and by the part they acted in the religious world, we especially look for some evidences of inward, unfeigned and manly piety. Otherwife all the eclat of their characters and influence, was only the tranfitory glory of the hypocrite or fanatic. And it is not a certain conclufion, that because a man hath pursued, with great affiduity, theological enquiries, and figured in the religious world, that he was ac tuated by a pure regard to the Deity, and was not led to these studies and to fuch a part by a merely peculiar mental tafte, fimilar to that which leads fome to investigate nature, and others to fhine in mathematical science or polite literature. It is not therefore an unneceffary part of this Work to trace out the Piety of SOCINUS, and to take a distinct view of his character, as formed by the fentiments and influence of genuine and lively regards to the Deity. This hath been partly antidipated under the preceding Sections, particularly when we noticed his Faith and Zeal; this Section fhall be employed in fetting forth his religious temper in its peculiar expreffions, as such a temper may exist, separate from fo firm a faith and fo ardent a zeal. It is a main and feparate branch of real Piety to be devoted to the will and fervice of God, and to make his glory the end of our pursuits and conduct. As to this point, in reply to his friend who had blamed him for entering into a controverfy with PALEOLOGUS, an adverfary of fuch a kind that there would be no end of the debate; and hè would not be able to retreat with any great advantage on his own fide, SOCINUS declares, I am A 66 very little concerned about these points: and in engaging in this controverfy, as it has been my "custom in all my other actions, the only thing "was, whether what I did were agreeable to GoD "or not; and when I have been clearly satisfied, "that I was not only acting agreeably to the Di vine Will, but could not defift from my defign "without "without difpleafing the Deity, I have left with "GoD all concern about the iffue." And further on, in the fame letter," In this "alfo you are mistaken, in fuppofing that I have "been violently carried away to write and publish, by an ardent thirst after virtuous praise, when "nothing is more remote from me, than the thoughts of, fecuring praise amongst men. Nor "amongst the motives you mention, has any one "influenced me but the love of truth. But it particularly affects me, that you entirely pass "over in filence the inducement of the falvation "of others and the glory of GoD and CHRIST. "And again, you add that you request one "thing of me; that I would flatter myfelf lefs. "This I also know has been the request of some "others. But I fear that neither they nor you "perfectly know me. For I am very conscious to "myself, that I am free from this vice. But I will "immediately fhew why you and they entertain "fuch fentiments of me; when I have firft hinted "that, except in the business of Religion, no one "will deny that I think humbly enough of myself. "But in the affair of Religion it seems the cafe is "otherwife. The reafon is, not that I am puffed “up with any opinion of myself, or will not acqui " efce efce in the better judgment of those who admo “nish and inftruct me; but because, when I am fully convinced that others are still involved in "many errors, from which God in his great good"nefs hath entirely rescued me, and when befides "a certain great ingenuity of mind I naturally poffefs (if I may be allowed to say this of myfelf) God hath fowed in my heart the feeds of "Piety, it neceffarily happens that very often, in points of religious debate, I muft openly differ from others, and firmly maintain my own opi"nion: whether I am engaged in advancing my «fentiments, or in proving them, or in explaining the facred Scriptures, or in investigating and il luftrating the truth, or in any other way which is connected with the glory of GoD and CHRIST, and the falvation of fouls *." As the view of SOCINUS, in his difquifitions and publications, appears to have been to promote the honour of GOD; fo we find him afcribing to GoD any acceptance or fuccefs his labours met with: and carneftly imploring that GoD would fmile upon his endeavours, as the greateft favour he could receive. "GOD grant (faith he to one friend) that " as the flyle of my writings does not difpleafe you, fo the fentiment may meet with your ap probation." And in another letter he writes, I am truly much rejoiced in hearing what you "write concerning the printing my little piece, ❝as by this means not only the copies of what I "fent you will be distributed as I requested, but the reading will be rendered more agreeable to "those Brethren who value the knowledge of the "Truth, I mean that divine Truth which is con"tained in the Gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST; "and that this may at length break forth, I ar“ dently pray God; nor do I any longer despair, "as I used, of this event in our Church. But if "this fhould happen in my life-time, I should ef"teem it the greatest inftance of divine mercy "and clemency towards me; my fins deferving that I fhould die before GoD beftows on his "Church fo great a bleffing. I labour indeed to enjoy this happiness, if GoD fhould fo favour "me in my life-time. But I do not labour as I ought, but am flothful and more timid perhaps “than is becoming. I fervently pray that God "would forgive thefe faults t." Another proof of his religious temper arifes from the fentiments of refignation he expreffes under af flictive and painful events. He was perfuaded of L * Opera, tom. i. p. 436. col. 2. "the |