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    deserves , let authority judge ; but I will venture to say that ibe book itself doth both deserve and need thetlames ; for ' tis so abominably foul , that nothing can purge it , save only that which consumes it too . This book was first put into my hand by an eminent citizen of

    Lpndon , who lnrormed me , that its author is by trade a clock mater / This being so , it may be thought a matter of no great credit for a divine of the Church of England to dispute a point of faith against

    an illiterate mechanic . * ' The doctor reverts to the occupation of John Smith in the Introduction

    p . 5 . After mentioning " Ebion , and besides him that villian Cerinthus , who held and endeavoured to propagate the same cursed opinion , ' * he asks who is cc this very assuming Socinian champion?—he calls himself , if his printer do

    not nickname him , John Smith , and truly , as the poet observes , convenient rebus nomina sape suis , this person ' s name is apposite enough , and somewhat of kin to Jbisoccupation ; for I am informed

    th } $ great undertaker and reconciler is by trade a clockmaker , and therefore a man , in all probability , who never bad any thing of a liberaLand learned education ; perhaps indeed some little skill

    lathe maihcmaticks may be useful to hijtn in framing a clock , but in his managing this great controverted point of divinity , as we do not expect arjy mathematical ; so neither can we find any logical

    demonstratipn . " Our learned doctor presently admires the 4 <

    unparaiWJld presumption of an illiterate mtchanick , who should rath ^ f & ) &f ) dle : tj > e smith ' s hammer than the scholar ' s pen , " He adds , •* since in this unhappy age

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    of purs , we hive good store of lay-preachers- ^ -who wlthdtif any steps and university degrees per saltum leap from " the slfopbfctfrd into the minister ' s pulpit—^ whether our cloekmaker be d preacher or not , I cannot tell : '"

    Dr . Gregory is a pdletmc of the school of South rather than of Tillotson . During more then a century > elapsed sthbe H \ h publication , "he has scarcely beten excelled if evW equalled ^ a coiner of opprobriouse ^ itbets . Observing his talent for daWin ^ rtaiil ^ s , I have taken the 1 fhvihte- ta collect

    them , and find ttttft ift ^ lte coune of this volume , Jofiir Smktf i ^ invested \ vi ( h the fcdlti ^ fti ^ 'trtks . 44 Heretical trlocteffia ^—great pretender—subtle i % ptii&t ^ iU \ t rate meiharii ^ ' - ^ fdb ^ lsh Soiftefan

    author — Sqciniait Sc * ir ) blller — blind beetl ^—Iproti Jl scKadteikn —mechdriic aH ^ rH g ^ Mflijtfg sb'tbbier—rank x So&riigii&-haW he . eh anic - ^ tiAgtftf ^ BfetSi ^ fci igh . ty disputaiif ^ cdir ^ deHt ^ er ^

    tfg-our clockmaker—doting sttibwr — doable hWretid- ^ ijHofd aiittor—Socinian babhler' ^ Sdflrfrrf ^ a pamphleteer—^ prestrrriing' tee ^ h ' anid . ' Besides these torrripr ^ hensivc

    appellations Jt > hh Smith is described as c < unejipectedly started up * , though not ifropt dcfWril ^ ffom the clouds : — - " a sofry artist if the works of his ftind y ifi hh < Jwn craft , be not far better ' thaii this

    of his heady if lie dW rrot trse his common tools mvith better than bis pen ; and it * e Wotktfi * of his springs , WtiVels ^ ria blo cks , be ' not more regtif ^ *^ rf * t ^ li ^ * t& ^ the arguments ahd a ^ ielrfidtlfe * rf' his boot / ' H ^^ b ^ ri i ^^ Crfllea »

    blasbhemou ^ MW ^ hieri ^^^ oes highly aeserv ^ ^ W fl »^ hat censure soever inis dWth of may

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    712 Book-Worm . A o . IX .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1813, page 712, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2434/page/20/