jected at present, but that some of its members, in the days of John Fox the Martyrologist, subscribed to the obsolete exploded article concerning Transubstantiation. The Card hath been exhibited to some friends, who are at a loss for the sense of this opprobrious reflection, under its present application: for how can the University now want to be exculpated, while they are not subscribing, for but against Transubstantiation, as a notion repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, &c. See Art. xxviii. Here, it is presumed, the Author hath a mythological meaning, viz. that the University hath now subscribed a doctrine obsolete and exploded like that of Transubstantiation, even the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, by the belief of which, Christians have been distinguished throughout the World, from the first publication of the Gospel; and this Author hath not one argument against it in his whole book, which a lad might not be able to answer before his matriculation. But this parallel, if such a thing is intended, will not hold in any one respect. For Transubstantiation, in the days of John Fox, was become obsolete by being formally dropped in the Reformation under Edward VI.; whereas the doctrine of the Trinity hath been retained as the fundamental of Christianity by all the reformed Churches: on which account they are all held very cheap by the Author of The Confessional. Transubstantiation had likewise been exploded: that is, it had been completely refuted and exposed by the Divines of the Reformation in public conferences and polemical writings. But where, and when; by what persons, and upon what grounds, except those of Deism, hath the Doctrine of the Trinity been confuted? To explode without confuting is the employment of a free-thinker, in the bad sense of the word, who thinks not only against custom, fashion, and the Church, but against all the reason, evidence, and authority of Divine Revelation. When any writer hath once adopted that plan, he is, generally speaking, past recovery; and when he ought to argue, he will sneer, insult, write cards, and be delighted with the repetition of his own scurrility. A man in this condition, if he have respect to himself only, ought rather to be prayed for than disputed with; though at the same time it is a duty every Christian owes to the public, to take care they are not imposed upon by his sophistry. Lastly, it is affirmed that " Mr. Jones's principles would have justified the University in subscribing to Transubstantiation." Not unless the Author is so indulgent to the Church of Rome, as to allow that Transubstantiation is agreeable to the Scripture. Whoever writes against the Sophistry of The Confessional, must expect to do it at the peril of being hooted at for a Transubstantialist; this being the only argument the Author hath to depend upon; and he hath now worn it as threadbare as the Reverends and Reverences in his theological Card. If he should amuse himself with writing any more Cards, the reverend William Jones will think it most adviseable to suffer in silence under all the effusions of his wit and scandal; if they ought not rather to be thankfully and cordially received from that man, who hath vilified all Christian Antiquity, worried all the best Characters of the Reformation, and was tormented with a more than ordinary aversion for the late greatest ornament of the Church of England. Nevertheless, with God's leave, and a very humble sense of his own abilities, though with the utmost confidence in the self-sufficiency of his Cause, he will be ready to follow the Author in any future Vindication, as soon as he shall apply to Reason or the Scripture in defence of his own spirit and principles; both of which, unless the learned are mistaken, or guilty of gross flattery to the Rev. William Jones, are now left under some disgrace. There are some other words of old John Fox the Martyrologist, which, in their literal acceptation, will explain the true state of things between the Author of The Confessional, and the Author of The Remarks-Quod si is essem, qui perbacchari cum iis contra Episcopos et Archiepiscopos, aut scribam præbere me illorum ordini, hoc est, insanire cum illis voluissem; nunquam istos in me aculeos exacuissent. See Fuller's Church Hist. B. ix. p. 807. Pluckley, |