Life

As a probationer for the ministry, William Ashdowne went to Dover,, then following the death of his father-in-law became minister in the (Unitarian

Unitarianism

Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....

) General Baptist denomination at Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. He was an active contributor to several magazines, but not always accepted for publication, as in 1786, an article on baptism by the editor of the Repository.

He was a friend and correspondent of Joseph Priestley

Joseph Priestley

Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...

.

Works

He wrote several religious booklets including one arguing for an allegorical reading of the New Testament devil passages: An attempt to shew that the opinion concerning the devil or satan, as a fallen angel, and that he tempts men to sin, hath no real foundation in scripture. Ashdowne acknowledged continuity with

‘The Notions concerning Dæmons, about our Saviour’s time, have been collected, from the best authorities, by Dr Lardner, in his Tracts; by Dr Newton

Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...

, in his Dissertations on Prophecy; and lately by Mr Farmer

Hugh Farmer

Hugh Farmer was an English Dissenter and theologian.He was educated at the Dissenting Academy in Northampton under Philip Doddridge, and became pastor of a congregation at Walthamstow, Essex. In 1701 he became preacher and one of the Tuesday lecturers at Salters' Hall, London...

, in his Dissertations on Miracles: It only remains, that we should search the Scriptures, and point out some Errors in the application of known Truths.’.

Ashdowne's view forms part of a wider stream of similar arguments in the writings of Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury , in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy...

 (1651); Arthur Ashley Sykes

Arthur Ashley Sykes

-Life:Sykes was born in London in 1683 or 1684 and educated at St. Paul's School. In 1701 he was admitted to Corpus Christi College at Cambridge, where he received scholarship , B.A. , M.A. , and D.D....

 (1737); Richard Mead

Richard Mead

Richard Mead was an English physician. His work, A Short Discourse concerning Pestilential Contagion, and the Method to be used to prevent it , was of historic importance in the understanding of transmissible diseases.-Life:The eleventh child of Matthew Mead , Independent divine, Richard was born...

(1755) and others, and his 1794 work was cited in general reference works such as the Penny Cyclopedia of 1837..

Among his other works were several focussing on the subject of baptism, including: A dissertation on St. John, iii. 5. In which, from arguments intirely new, is fully made appear from the New Testament, that by the word Spirit, is meant the word of God; ... Likewise that baptism, ... is the only initiating right [sic] into the Kingdom of God, (1798)

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