I have expreffed myfelf thus: Turning the grace of our God into lafciviousness; denying God, the only Supreme Governour; and denying our Lord Jefus Christ. And again, To them that are fanétified by God the Father, and preferved by our Lord Jefus Chrift. Is it poffible to imagine, that all the divine writers fhould conftantly diftinguish Je fus Chrift from the fupreme God, and yet know him to be the fupreme God? What fort of apoftles would thefe gentlemen make of us? Had not we sense enough to declare it, or was it a revelation referved for later times? We are always ready to give Jefus Chrift all the honour that is due to his character: But, to the only wife God, we fay, be glory, majesty, dominion, and

power.

Judge. Gentlemen of the jury, the unanimous concurrence of every writer in the New Teftament, against this doctrine of the Trinity, being the ftrongest proof that can poffibly be added to the abfurdity of it; common sense, and common honefty, will fufficiently direct you, to bring in fuch a verdict as may be expected from

you.

Jury. We believe the evangelifts and apoftles to be very honeft men, and to have declared the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and that vicious and corrupted priests have invented these abfurdities, with a villainous intent to confound

the understandings, and to deftroy the liberties of mankind.

Judge. You gentlemen of the clergy, fince the jury has acquitted the prisoner, and brought you in guilty, I fhall pass that just sentence, which is established by that law, which requires an eye for an eye. May the laity fhew you the fame mercy they have ever received from you. Amen.

The End of the TRIAL.

POPERY

POPERY a CRAFT,

AND

POPISH PRIESTS

THE

CHIEF CRAFTSMEN.

A

SERMON,

Delivered on

The FIFTH of NOVEMBER.

Firft printed in the Year 1735.

D3

[55]

ACTS xix. 25.

-----Sirs! ye know that by this Craft we have our Wealth.

W

E need only transfer the scene of action from Ephesus to Rome, or to any other city of country, where ambitious and

worldly priests trample upon all the rights of truth, reafon and confcience, in order to prove these two points:

I. That Popery is a craft, a human craft,

II. That it is a craft, a trade invented and managed with a fole view to get wealth, power, and greatness; or, to exalt priests into lords over mankind.