§ 171.1. =Deism, Arianism, and Unitarianism in the English Church.=
1. =The Deists= (§ 164, 3). With Locke’s philosophy (§ 164, 2) deism entered on a new stage of its development. It is henceforth vindicated on the ground of its reasonableness. The most notable deists of this age were =John Toland=, an Irishman, first Catholic, then Arminian, died A.D. 1722, author of “Christianity not Mysterious,” “Nazarenus, or Jewish, Gentile, and Mohametan Christianity,” etc. The Earl of =Shaftesbury=, died A.D. 1713, wrote “Characteristics of Men,” etc. =Anthony Collins=, J.P. in Essex, died A.D. 1729, author of “Priestcraft in Perfection,” “Discourse of Freethinking,” etc. =Thomas Woolston=, fellow of Cambridge, died in prison in A.D. 1733, author of “Discourse on the Miracles of the Saviour.” =Mandeville= of Dort, physician in London, died A.D. 1733, wrote “Free Thoughts on Religion.” =Matthew Tindal=, professor of law in Oxford, died A.D. 1733, wrote “Christianity as Old as the Creation.” =Thomas Morgan=, nonconformist minister, deposed as an Arian, then a physician, died A.D. 1743, wrote “The Moral Philosopher.” =Thomas Chubb=, glover and tallow-chandler in Salisbury, died A.D. 1747, author of popular compilations, “The True Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Viscount =Bolingbroke=, statesman, charged with high treason and pardoned, died A.D. 1751, writings entitled, “Philosophical Works.”--Along with the deists as an opponent of positive Christianity may be classed the famous historian and sceptic =David Hume=, librarian in Edinburgh, died A.D. 1776, author of “Inquiry concerning the Human Understanding,” “Natural History of Religion,” “Dialogues concerning Natural Religion,” etc.[518]--Deism never made way among the people, and no attempt was made to form a sect. Among the numerous opponents of deism these are chief: Samuel Clarke, died A.D. 1729; Thomas Sherlock, Bishop of London, died A.D. 1761; Chandler, Bishop of Durham, died A.D. 1750; Leland, Presbyterian minister in Dublin, died A.D. 1766, wrote “View of Principal Deistic Writers,” three vols., 1754; Warburton, Bishop of Gloucester, died A.D. 1779; Nath. Lardner, dissenting minister, died A.D. 1768, wrote “Credibility of the Gospel History,” seventeen vols., 1727-1757. With these may be ranked the famous pulpit orator of the Reformed church of France, Saurin, died A.D. 1730, author of _Discours hist., crit., theol., sur les Evénements les plus remarkables du V. et N.T._