5

LIFE OF TOLAND. 23
This same year, he published the Life of John
Milton, which was prefixed to his works, in three
volumes folio. In the course of Milton's life, Mr.
Toland proved that Icon Basilike was not written
by Charles 1st, but by Dr. Gauden, and took occasion
to remark, that, when this imposition was
practised on the nation, at no greater distance of
time than forty years, he ceased to wonder how so
many supposititious pieces, under the name of
Christ and his Apostles, should be published, approved,
&c. Had he denied the Trinity, or blasphemed
the Holy Ghost, it
would have been nothing
in comparison of curtailing the literary fame
of the royal martyr of the church of England.
Accordingly, Mr. Blackall, chaplain to the
king, in a sermon preached before the House of
Commons, 30th January, 1689, says, " We may
" cease to wonder, that he (Mr. Toland) should
" have the boldness, without proof, and against
" proof, to deny the authority of this book, who
" is such an infidel to doubt, and is shameless
" and impudent enough, even in print, and in a
" christian country, publicly to affront our holy
" religion, by declaring his doubt, that several
*'
*'
pieces under the name of Christ and his Apos-
ties (he must mean those received by the whole
*'
christian church, for I know of no other), are
" supposititious," &c. The reader will here smile,
to see that Mr. Blackall rests the whole stress of
Mr. Toland'^ infidelity, 'on jiis own ig:norance.