1810, ] 
passages, supposed by some to be such also, 
have nothing to do with that subject, but only. 
relate to other persons and things. 
14, That the book of Job is a poetical al- 
legory, founded chiefly on some ancient facts, 
embellished by the machinery of poetry; and 
that it was written by Moses. 
15. That the bodies of-Adam and Eve 
were Created mortal by nature 5 and that the 
Sentence of death passed on them related to 
the death of the soul. 
16. That the inspiration of the New Tes- 
tament is partial also. That there was no 
doubt a superintendancy, according to the pro- 
mise of our Lord, to bring all necessary facts, 
proper to be recorded, to the remembrance of 
the writers, but that there is no proof-of any 
thing more. 
17. That it is an injury to the Christian 
Cause, to assert more authority than can be 
proved. Thatits internal evidence is abwn- 
dantly sufficient to prove its divine origin. 
That the discourses and parabies of our Lord 
are so infinitely superior to any. thing else in 
the world, that they prove divine wisdom to 
have been given to him in abundance, be- 
cause he spake as never man before him spake. 
18. That the orthodox doctrines of the 
Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, original sin, the 
imputation of Christ’s righteousness, his vi- 
earial satisfaction, unconditional personal elec- 
tion and reprobatien, irresistible grace, ne- 
cessary final perseverances and the etérnity of 
liell torments, were not ia his Bible. 
19. That tosuppose the Great Father of 
all, furious and severe, till Jesus made him 
propitious, is contrary to the plain declara- 
tions of the apostles, as well as to reason.. 
20, That there cannot be guilt. in mistaken 
opinions ; and that to suppose Ged will pu- 
nish his creatyres for these, is forming'most 
unworthy notions of the Great and Gracious 
Father of all. 
91. That Christianity is entirety a moral 
system, sanctioned by future rewards and 
punishments. 
22. That the wicked and impenitent will 
hereafter be punished, according, and in pro- 
portion, to their guilt, and then will be put 
out of being. 
25. [hat the second death, and the cestruc- 
tion, so frequently menvioned in the scrip- 
ture, is theextinction of 2 wicked soul ; and 
eternal life the great prize and gift of God to 
the righteous. 3 : 
94, That the whole body which is laid into 
the earth is not to arise, but only the original 
stamina, which bad been expanded by adyen- 
titious nourishment. ‘That the matter of this 
nourishment will be le‘t behind, and that the 
real original body, will be expanded, «and 
made, perhaps, as subtle as light itseli, and 
filled with a glorious splendour, if the final: 
allotment be happiness. 
25. That, notwithstanding the corrupt prac- 
Monrnry Mac, No. 194. 
~ 
Account of the Life and Opinions of Dr. Pike. 
€5 
tice of multitudes of Christians, it is idolatry 
_ to worship as God any beingexcept the Great 
Spirit, the Father of all. That our Lord never 
ordered divine worship to be paid to himself, 
and that he is not the right object thereof, but 
only the Great Universal Parent. 
26. That in the present state of the Chris- 
tian church, ignorant, uneducated ministers 
are its disgrace, and never truly useful. That 
a distinct order, carefully educated and sepa- 
rated from secular employments, is absolutely 
necessary for promoting the true understand- 
ing ofthe gospel. Nevertheless such an or- 
der is not divinely appointed, and any one 
who understands Christianity may teach it : 
any Christian may baptize another 3 and any 
number of Christians may celebrate the Lord’s 
Supper, either with or without a clergyman. 
27. Yhat baptism of infants is absurd, be- 
cause they cannot repent or believe : and that 
in the baptism of adults, it is immaterial in 
what way the water is applied, whether by 
immersion, pouring, or sprinkling., 
I believe Dr. Pike held most, if not 
all, of these sentiments. He was, per- 
haps, a Christian suz generis; yet he 
certainly never embraced a novel notion 
without deep thought, and what appear- 
ed to him tv be substantial reasons. 
Before I conclude, I must mention 
further, that I am in possession of some 
letters, and other old papers, by which 
it seems to me, that I know more of his 
family and descent than he ever appeared 
to know himself, as he never mentioned 
his ancestors beyond his great-grandfa- 
ther. 
John Ficus, the celebrated Eark 
of Mirandula, a lordship in Italy, who 
was a very remarkable man in the fif- 
teenth century, and whose life was partly 
translated from the Italian by a Thomas 
More, (I suppose Sir 'Thomas,) could trace 
hisdescent on the paternal side, from a ne- 
phew of the Emperor Constantine. Be 
that as it may, he was born anno 1463, 
and during his youth was most remarka- 
ble for his intense application to his stu- 
dies, and rapid acquisition of all learn- 
ing. THe was not entirely prudent in the 
government of ms inclmations, for, (as 
my papers say) before he was twenty 
years old, he had ason by a young lady, 
to whom, 1t was believed, he was private- 
ly married, notwithstanding he was in- 
tended for priesthood. She died, and 
the marriage was never owned. Soon 
after, there appeared a wonderful change 
in his disposition and conduct. He for- 
sook all splendour and voluptuousness, 
and became a rigid religionist, according 
to the nations of these days. He burned 
: D many 
