Smith John , of the parish of St. Augustin, London, was by trade a clockmaker, and occasionally employed himself in the construction of philosophical instruments. Little is known of his personal history, several of the most probable sources of biographical information having been examined without success. It has been inferred, however, from expressions which incidentally fell from his own pen, that he was born about the middle of the seventeenth century: and it appears, from the title of one of his own works, that he did not survive the year 1730. His claim to a place in these volumes arises from the circumstance of his having published, in 1695, a short treatise, entitled, "A designed End to the Socinian Controversy ; or, a rational and plain Discourse to prove, that no other Person but the Father of Christ is God Most High: by John Smith." A second edition of this was printed by the Unitarian Society, under the superintendence of Michael Dodson, Esq., in 1793, to which Dr. Disney supplied a Preface. The treatise, at its first publication, in 1695, attracted the notice of the civil power ; and, by order of Parliament, it was burnt, and the author prosecuted. The particulars of this prosecution have already been given in the introductory part of this work ; and it may not be amiss to add, in this place, the following brief outline of the matters discussed in the "Designed End to the Socinian Controversy." 

There is a God, who is one in nature, essence and person: and it is He only who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is not the True God, because he himself has a God above him ; because what he does is by a power received from God ; and because God and he are plainly distinguished. The Scriptures represent Christ as a man: the primitive confessions, recorded in the New Testament, correspond with this representation ; and we are nowhere enjoined to believe, on pain of damnation, either that Jesus is God Most High, or that he is both God and man, or that he is eternally begotten of the Father. Christ, however, is not a common man, but the chief, and most transcendently excellent of all human beings ; yea, in dignity, even above the angels. Yet it is not in any way justifiable to honour him falsely ; and those only give him the honour really due to him, who receive him as the undoubted Messiah, and steadfastly believe and obey his Gospel.—The author having, as he thinks, established these points to the satisfaction of all, whose understandings are not enslaved by the tyranny of self-conceit, interest or education, proceeds to consider the objections which have been urged against the views of Christian doctrine advocated in his pamphlet ; and when he has replied to the principal of these, he lays down the following rule, by which all other objections may be answered. "If any principle in religion be true by the greater and by the plainer number of its evidences, it can never be false by a few in number, or by them that are dark and doubtful. If, then, the arguments to prove the True God to be only the Father of Jesus Christ, are more in number, and plainer to be understood, than those are which are objected in favour of the contrary, you need then only to reply thus, that the proofs that make for it are more both in number and weight, than those that are against it ; and that therefore it would be unpardonable to suffer such trifles to unsettle and shake your faith." The question respecting the true notion of the Holy Spirit is reserved for the last section; and on this subject the author is very explicit, contending that the Holy Spirit has no distinct personality. "It is plain," says he, "from the general analogy of true faith grounded on scripture evidence, that the Holy Ghost is no distinct person subsisting of himself; for then it is clear that our Lord could not be the Son of him who is now called God the Father, or the first person in the supposed Trinity, since it is plain that the Virgin Mary's conception was occasioned by the 'overshadowing of the Holy Ghost,' Luke i. 35, which all Trinitarians acknowledge to be the third person, and not the first. It is expressly said, that 'that which was conceived in her was of the Holy Ghost,' Matt. i. 20, ' and that she was with child by him,' Matt. i. 18. Wherefore it is evident from these additional words, 'And the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee,' Luke i. 35, that the Holy Ghost is only that divine and invisible power of God, by which he works his will and pleasure in the world; and by consequence, that God, and the Spirit of God, are no more two distinct persons than man and the spirit of man are ; for to the one the other is compared in scripture, 1 Cor. ii. 11. And as the members of man's body do secretly and wonderfully obey the dictates of his will or mind, so, and much more so, do all creatures act, and are commanded by the Almighty power of God's divine and most wise will and pleasure."

A sincere and earnest spirit pervades the whole treatise ; and the design of its publication evidently was, as the author declares it to have been, "the alone glory of God Almighty, and the Church's peace, which no ways can be established firmly, but on the foundations of truth." The writer, however, feels himself constrained to give expression to a secret distrust, that what he offers will not be kindly received. "They that love riches," he observes, "will hardly run the hazard of losing any temporal preferment for the sake of truth. Others will be averse from acknowledging themselves in a mistake, who before have been honoured with the repute both of orthodox and learned men ; and those who have been long prepossessed with the contrary persuasion will hardly relinquish it, though the best of reasons be offered to convince them of their error." These forebodings were soon realized. But their author could scarcely have believed when he penned them, that, with his own convictions unchanged, he would be reduced, by the strong hand of ecclesiastical tyranny, to the sad necessity of confessing, that, in delivering his sentiments so freely, and with such "unusual confidence" setting his name to them, he had presumed too far upon his own reason and understanding ; of expressing his regret that he had given currency to such sentiments through the medium of the press; of entreating the forgiveness of all, who had taken offence at the publication of his little book; and of retracting the "pernicious errors and heretical positions" which it contained. Alas for poor human nature, when such a confession could be extorted from such a man! But what shall we say of the existence, in free and enlightened England, and in less than seven years after " the Glorious Revolution," of an authority competent to demand such a confession, and invested with power capable of enforcing compliance with the demand?

Since the republication of the "Designed End to the Socinian Controversy" in 1793, and the additional light thrown upon the events which followed its original publication, and which have already been given at some length from the Monthly Repository for 1813 and 1829, in the "Historical Introduction" to these volumes, other interesting particulars respecting the works of John Smith have been brought to light by the researches of James Yates, Esq. These were embodied, by that gentleman, in a communication to the "Christian Reformer "for May 1846, from which they are transferred to the present pages.

"I have found copies," says Mr. Yates, "of the original edition of the 'Designed End to the Socinian Controversy,' London, 1695, in the British Museum, and in the Library of the Royal Society. It is without any license, and without any printer's or publisher's name. The publication being illegal by the well-known Blasphemy Act of William and Mary, no 'Imprimatur' could be obtained, and it must have been equally difficult to find a bookseller who would sell it or allow his name to appear on the title. Probably the author printed it at his own expense and for private circulation among his friends and acquaintance." These conjectures of Mr. Yates, as to the reasons for the original mode of publication, have strong presumptions in their favour ; but there is a slight anachronism in the one assigned for the absence of the usual "Imprimatur." Mr. Y. attributes this to the operation of the "Blasphemy Act of William and Mary;" but that Act was not passed till three years after the publication of the "Designed End to the Socinian Controversy," and consequently could not have been the cause of its appearing without the usual license. Mr. Gailhard, indeed, towards the close of the Dedication of his work, entitled, "The Blasphemous Socinian Heresie disproved and confuted," which was addressed to both Houses of Parliament, for the express purpose of inducing them to pass that Act, makes a quotation from John Smith's book, in order to shew the insidious nature of the Unitarian publications. "Of late," says he, "one S— among others, saith of the Lord Jesus, 'In that great instance of magnanimity, he hath outdone all the mentioned heroes of Greece and Rome:' he Would seem to speak much in his commendation, but latet anguis in herbd." The passage here quoted may be seen, on a reference to page 18 of the "Designed End to the Socinian Controversy," Ed. 1793. But let us now pass on to the remainder of Mr. Yates's communication to the Christian Reformer. 

"He [John Smith] must have been well known in the city of London, and it appears probable that at an early age he attracted the notice of many eminent men by his knowledge and skill as a mechanician, and a manufacturer of barometers and other philosophical instruments. For among the MSS. belonging to the Royal Society is the extract of a letter, dated 'Binfield in Berkshire, Sept. 5^th, 1676,' in which he expresses a wish that the Society would notice a book called 'The Shepherd's Legacy;' he then gives an account of the 'baroscope,' or barometer, which he used, and adds, 'It were to be wished that by the directions of the R. S. we might have an exact standard for the dimensions of those fore-mentioned instruments, that so all persons agreeing in the size of their instruments and manner of noting their observations may, by communicating the agreement of their several registers, be at last able to reduce them to a rule for the good of posterity.' Here is perhaps the first suggestion of a plan, which men of science have only recently begun to carry systematically into effect. Besides his ' Designed End,' John Smith published works, all brief in their extent, upon different subjects connected with his trade, as well as one which proves him to have anticipated to no small extent the doctrines of the modern hydropathists.—The following works are by our author. 

1. "Horological Dialogues, in Three Parts, shewing the Nature, Use, and right Managing of Clocks and Watches; with an Appendix containing Mr. Oughtred's Method for calculating Numbers. The whole being a Work very necessary for all that make use of these kind of Movements. By J. S., Clock-maker. London, printed for Jonathan Edwin, at the Three Roses in Ludgate Street, 1675, pp. 120.—This is a pleasantly written book. The introduction of Oughtred's name in the title, and afterwards in the Appendix, sufficiently refutes the charge brought by Derham (Preface to 'The Artificial Clock-maker') against the author, of having copied Oughtred's tables without acknowledgment.

2. "Of the Inequality of Natural Time, with its Reasons and Causes ; together with a Table of the True Equation of Natural Dayes. Drawn up chiefly for the Use of the Gentry, in order to their more true Adjusting and right Managing of Clocks and Watches. By John Smith, C. M. London, 1686, pp. 42. 

3. "Horological Disquisitions concerning the Nature of Time and the Reasons why all Days from Moon to Moon are not alike Twenty-four Hours long: in which appears the Impossibility of a Clock's being always kept exactly True to the Sun: with Tables of Equation, and newer and better Rules than any yet extant, how thereby precisely to adjust Royal Pendulums, and keep them afterwards as near as possible to the apparent Time. With a Table of Pendulums, shewing the Beats that any Length makes in an Hour. A Work very necessary for all that would understand the true Way of rightly managing Clocks and Watches. By John Smith, C. M. To which is added, The best Rules for the ordering and use both of the Quicksilver and Spirit Weather-glasses, and Mr. S. Watson's Rules for adjusting a Clock by the Fixed Stars. London, 1694, pp. 92.—He says he means by 'Royal Pendulums,' those invented by 'that eminent and well-known artist, Mr. William Clement;' and to this statement an allusion is made by the writer of the article on Clock-making in Rees's Cyclopaedia. These three works appear to have been superseded, and nearly consigned to oblivion, in consequence of the publication of 'The Artificial Clockmaker,' by W. Derham, F. R.S. It is amusing to observe how in this instance a justly celebrated Divine of the Church of England has committed the same error, if it be an error, with the author, upon whom both he and another Clergyman of the same communion severely animadvert. The Rev. Dr. Francis Gregory concludes his answer to John Smith by advising him, in the most insolent language, to write no more Theology, but to go back to the noise of his hammers and the use of his pincers. We do not find that the ecclesiastic (Derham) was ever blamed for assuming the pincers and the hammer, although the reverse step was an intolerable offence in a clock-maker, who ventured to differ from the doctrines of the Church.

4. "A complete Discourse of the Nature, Use and right Managing of that wonderful Instrument, the Baroscope, or Quicksilver Weather-glass. In 4 Parts. By John Smith, C. M. To which is added, The True Equation of Natural Days; drawn up for the use of the Gentry, in order to their more true Adjusting and right Managing of Pendulum Clocks and Watches. London, 1688, pp. 96.

5. "The Art of Painting, wherein is included the whole Art of vulgar Painting, &c. &c. Composed by John Smith, Philomath. London, 1676, pp. 84.

6. "The Art of Painting in Oyl, &c. &c, by John Smith, C. M. 2nd Ed. London, 1687.—This is a second edition of No. 5. The third edition I have not seen.

7. "The Art of Painting in Oyl, &c. Fourth Edition, London, 1705.—This fourth edition contains much more that is new, especially at the end, 'The whole Art and Mystery of Colouring Maps and other Prints in Water Colours.'

8. "A short Introduction to the Art of Painting and Varnishing. London, 1685.

9. "A short and direct Method of Painting in Water Colours, written by the late ingenious Mr. Smith. London, printed for and sold by Mary Smith, at the Fan and Flowerde-Luce, over against Somerset House in the Strand, and nowhere else. 1730, 4to.—The title of this tract shews that John Smith died either in 1730, or before that year. Another work, which I shall quote presently, proves that he was born before A.D. 1650. When he died, he musthave been eighty years old, or perhaps more. These works relate entirely to what the author calls 'the art of vulgar painting;' they do not concern painting as one of the Fine Arts. The author appears at first to have studied the use of oil and water colours, and also the art of varnishing, merely in connection with his business. The running title of the first editon of his 'Art of Painting' is, 'The Art of Painting Sun-dials.' In all his treatises, his desire to publish whatever would be useful is very conspicuous. 

10. "The Curiositys of Common Water; or the Advantages thereof in Preventing and Curing many Distempers, gather'd from the Writings of several eminent Physicians, and also from more than Forty Years' Experience. By John Smith, C. M. To which are added, Some Rules for preserving Health by Diet. The Second Edition, corrected. London, 1723, pp. 80.—This book contains a great collection of very curious passages and facts from various authors, shewing the advantages of drinking water, and applying it externally to the body. The author says he began himself to practise the use of it at thirty years of age, and went on to seventy-four. (Pp. 4. 53.) He regards water as ' a universal remedy.' This work appears to have been extremely popular. The tenth edition, dated 'Edinburgh, 1740,' contains 'Additions communicated by Mr. Ralph Thoresby, F. R. S., and others:' it has the following motto in the title:

'That's the best physick which doth cure our ills
Without the charge of 'Pothecaries' bills.'

"It is probable that other circumstances respecting this author might be ascertained by examining the parish register and Church at Binfield, and the records of the Clockmakers' Company in the city of London. I have produced sufficient evidence to shew that he was a man of respectable character, and of varied and extensive acquirements. That he should have been forced to recant what he had written, and what he no doubt solemnly believed to be true, is deeply to be lamented: but it should be remembered in his justification, that of all Courts those of the Church are the most cruel and relentless, and that their jurisdiction is rendered the more terrific by the uncertain and indefinite extent of the power which they assume ; and likewise that John Smith was openly countenanced in his heresy by not a single individual of rank or influence, and was at that period almost the only Unitarian who ventured to publish with his name." 

(Vidend. A designed End to the Socinian Controversy, &c., by John Smith. London, 1793, Preface, passim. Mon. Rep. Vol. III. (1808) p. 154; Vol. Vm. (1813) pp. 710—713. 781—786; Vol. 111., N. S. (1829) pp. 352, 353. Christian Reformer, Vol. I., N. S. (1845) pp. 805—811; Vol. II., N. S. (1846) pp. 292—295.) 

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