[
258]
ornamental style or flowers of eloquence to captivate the multitude.
They shew him, in common indeed with his other publications, to have been, in theological sentiment, an Arian of nearly the same school with
Peirce,
Benson, and other distinguished ministers of that day in the
Presbyterian denomination.
But he does not appear to have taken any public part in the Trinitarian controversy, which, in fact, was not brought very prominently forward during the greater part of his active life.
The most remarkable of
Chandler's controversial writings are his replies to some of the leading Freethinkers of his day, particularly
Collins and
Morgan.
His publications in this controversy are numerous and important; shewing not merely a thorough acquaintance with the subject, but a power of reasoning, and a clearness and force of statement, which rendered him a very formidable opponent.
Though not in general displaying in any offensive form the asperity from which so few writers on controversial theology are free, nor disgraced by the unworthy personalities too often substituted in the place of argument, they are frequently remarkable for a keenness of sarcasm, and an authoritative uncompromising dogmatism, proceeding from a consciousness of his own superiority, which he is at no pains to conceal.
In 1727, Mr. Chandler published ‘Reflections on the Conduct of the modern Deists in their late Writings against Christianity, &c.; occasioned chiefly by two Books, entitled “ A Discourse of the Grounds and Reasons, &c.”
and “The scheme of literal Prophecy considered.”
’ In the following
