To return to the Church of England.  About the middle of the eighteenth century there was a revival of one phase of the Trinitarian controversy.  A movement arose to procure the abolition of subscription to the Articles and Liturgy.  The spread of Unitarian opinions among the clergy is said to have originated this movement, though probably this was not the sole cause.  One of the most active promoters of this attempt was Archdeacon Blackburne; he was supported by Clayton, Bishop of Clogher, who boldly avowed that his object was to open the door for different views upon the Trinity in the Church.  His own views on this subject expressed in a treatise entitled ‘An Essay on Spirit’ were certainly original and startling.  He held that the Logos was the Archangel Michael, and the Holy Spirit the angel Gabriel!

This treatise and that of Blackburne, entitled ‘The Confessional,’ called forth the talents of an eminent Churchman in defence of the received doctrine of the Trinity—­Jones of Nayland.  His chief work on the subject was entitled ‘The Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity,’ and was drawn up after the model of Dr. Clarke’s famous book, to which, indeed, it was partly intended to be an antidote.  It was written on the principle that Scripture is its own best interpreter, and consisted of a series of well-chosen texts marshalled in order with a brief explanation of each, showing its application to the doctrine of the Trinity.  On one point Jones insists with great force, viz., that every article of the Christian faith depends upon the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity; and he illustrates this by applying it to ’our creation, redemption, sanctification, resurrection, and glorification by the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit.’[452] Jones did, perhaps, still more useful if less pretentious work in publishing two little pamphlets, the one entitled ’A Letter to the Common People in Answer to some Popular Arguments against the Trinity,’ the other ’A Preservative against the Publications dispersed by Modern Socinians.’  Both of these set forth the truth, as he held it, in a very clear and sensible manner, and at a time when the Unitarian doctrines were spreading widely among the multitudes who could not be supposed to have either the time or the talents requisite to grapple with long, profound, and elaborate arguments, they were very seasonable publications.

But the most curious contribution which Jones made to the Trinitarian controversy was a pamphlet entitled ’A Short Way to Truth, or the Christian Doctrine of a Trinity in Unity, Illustrated and Confirmed from an Analogy in the Natural Creation.’  He shows that the powers of nature by which all natural life and motion are preserved are three—­air, fire, and light.  That these three thus subsisting together in unity are applied in Scripture to the Three Persons of the Divine Nature, and that the manifestations of God are always made under one or other of these signs.  These three agents support the life of