^ /. PERKINS LIBRARY Dute U Rare Doolcs 5. THE CHRISTIAN'S FAITH A ^Rational AfTent. In 'A N S W E R to a Pa M P H L E T, Entituled, CHR I STIANITT not founded on Argument, ^c. B Y THOMAK RANDOLPH,D.V>. Vicar of Petham in Kent-, and late Fellow of C. C. C. Oxo N. Be ready oJ^Joays to grce an Anfwer to every Man that ajketh you a Reafon of the Hope that is in ycu. I Per. iii. 15. LONDON, Printed for M. Cooper at the Globe in Pater-Noflir- Rozu, MDCCXLIV, ADVERTISEMENT. nr H E Adva7ttages of publick Education, a Sermon by Tbo. Randolpby Fellow of c. c. c. An Enquiry into the Sufficiency of Reafon in Matters of Religion^ A Sermon, by Tho. Randolph^ Vicar of Petham. Both printed for Mary Fletcher in the High- Street, Oxford. ( iii ) TO THE Moft Reverend Father in God y O H N, By Divine Providence Lord Archbifhop of Canterbury, Primate of all ENGLAND, and Metropolitan. May it pleafe your Grace^ TO accept of this Work of one of your Sons and Prelbyters, wrote in Defence of our common Faith, of which your Grace is, under God and his Majefty, the great Sup- port and Ornament. The Nature of the Defign, your Grace's high Station in the Church, and your knov/n Zeal and Concern A z for iv DEDICATION. for the Interefts of Religion would in- duce me to lay it at your Grace's Feet, though I had not been oblig'd to do fo in Acknowledgment of many perfonal Favours. And that remark- able Goodnefs which gives fo diftin- guifhing a Luftre to ail your Grace's Adions, encourages me to hope, that you will favourably accept my eood Intentions, and overlook the Defeds of the Performance. An Attempt to vindicate our Holy Religion from the artful Mifrepre- fentations of an inlidious Adverfary, cannot but be acceptable to your Grace, who fo thoroughly underftand its Grounds and Principles, and have always fo cordially efpous'd itsCaufe. If I have (hewn any Skill in unravel- ing his Sophiftry, or any Knowledge in the Doctrines of the Gofpel, I learnt it from your Grace's Example and Inftruftions. As I efteem it my Happinefs to have liv'd from my Youth up under your DEDICATION. v your Grace's Influence and Infpedion, fo I cannot but rejoyce to fee the fame Learning, Wifdom, and Piety, which had fo long prefided in one of our Fountains of Learning, now extend- ing its Influence throughout the whole Kingdom. The Chriftian Religion, though it ftands firm and fecure upon its pro- per Evidence, will yet receive frefh Strength and Luftre, while Examples, like your Grace's, of an exadl Con- formity to the Rules prefcrib'd by it, fet it in a Light, at once fo confpicuous, and fo amiable ; and the Church of England in particular will be able to defy the fevereft Afiaults of its moft malicious Oppofers, whilft it flou- rifhes under your Grace's Protedlion, defended by your Writings, adorn'd by your Example, fupported and go- vern'd by a Zeal according to Know- ledge ; a Zeal temper'd with Cha- rity, arm'd with Firmnefs, and guid- ed by Difcretion. I fliall vi DEDICATION. I fliall add no more, but my hearty Prayers to God for your Grace's Hap- pinefs and long Life ; and in thefe (I doubt not but) all who love our Lord 'Jefus Chr'tji will readily join with, Tour Grace s dutiful Soriy and mofi obedient humble Servant ^ Thomas Randolph. THE christian's faith A RATIONAL ASSENT. ONE might reafonably have thought^ that a Religion, which is evidently calculated to make us happy both here and hereafter; which teaches us the purefl: and moft exalted Virtue ; and pro- mifes us Glory^ and Honour^ and Immortali^ fliould meet at lealt with a favourable Reception, fliould be liftened to with At- tention, and examined with Candour and E- quity. We find Men, in temporal Affairs, ready enough to believe any thing, which ^ makes for their Interefl: ; eager to catch at every Bubble, Vv'hich promifes them Gain ; and willing to believe in Hope^ even againii Hope, Is it not flrange then that Men fhould l:>e prejudiced againft the Gofpel of Peace and unwilling to believe the glad T^i dings of goodThings, on the very fame Evidence which they readily admit in every other Affair of Life? That they fhould greedily catch at e- very trifling Objedtion, and induflriouily fliel- tsr themfclves under any vain Pretence, left B they 2 The Christian's Faith they iTiould be forced to admit a Revelation, which promifes them the Pardon of their Sins, the Favour of God, and a glorious and happy Immortality? Whoever will look in- to iome of the late Writings in Favour of Infidelity, will, I beheve, find there is but too much Reafon for fuch a Complaint. Infidelity has, of late Years, been propagated with an unaccountable Zeal and Induftry ; and Chriftianity has been attacked on every Side : Her Dodrines have been mifreprefent- ed, and her Evidences fet in a falfe Light; all the Engines of Sophiftry have been em- ployed againft us, and no Art or Difguife left untried. Several Methods have been ufed to this purpofe by diiferent Perfons; and, as foon as one Scheme has been defeat- ed, we have feen a new one advanced with equal Afiurance. Not many Years ago Chri- ftianity was attacked under the Perfon of a ^ew ; the Evidence of Miracles u^as difput- ed, and the Proof from Prophecy mifrepre- fented. Soon after a more open Affault was made upon our Saviour's Miracles ; the Real- ity of the Fads v/as called in Qiieftion, and the Fliftory burlefqued in the Language and Spirit of Billingsgate, At length arofe a bold Adventurer, who undertook to prove, that Revelation was a thing, in its own Nature^ impoflible j that the Light of Reafon was a- bundantly fufficient without it; and that the Bulk of Mankind were able, without any Affiftance, by the Ufe of their natural Facul- 3 ^^"^^^ a Rational Assent. 3 tics, to know and pradtife whatever God re- quires of them. I need not take notice of the many excellent Anfwers, which have been occalioned by thefe Performances. The Caufe of Religion has, I am perfuaded, re- ceived frefh Strength from thefe unfuccefsful Attacks; her Grounds have been hereby more diftindly confidered, and her Eviden- ces fet in a clearer Light. But now the Enemy appears in quite an- other Shape. This almighty Reafon, this Domina rerum & Regina Ratio, is now tumbled from her Throne. She who/aid in her Hearty 1 will ajcend into Heave?!, I mil exalt my Throne above the Stars of God^ is now degraded to the Condition of the Beafls of the Field. Reafon, which not long ago could teach us whatever God requires of i/s, is now become fit fcarce for any valuable Purpofe. Not only ^ the Generality of Man- kind (we are told) are incapable of reafoning at all, and thrown out at once at the very Mention oj introducing a Medium^ but even ^ the able]} and beji of Men are difqualified for fair Rea foiling by their natural Prejudi- ces. This felf-fuf5cient Reafon can give us no ' SatisfaBion, no Comfort: '^It is preca^ rious and changeable, and fhifts about with every Wind: ^ It can neither bridle our Paf- fions, fecure our Virtue, nor arm us againft the Fear of Death. ^ It has no manner of '^Pag. 17, bp e p. 2(). ' P. 30, tSC. ?• 1* £2 Concern 4 T^he Christian's Faith Concern (it feems) in the Affairs of Reli^ gion. ^ Nay, 'tis dangerous to attempt the Proof of Religion by Reafon ; or even the plainejl ^ejiion in Nature^ the Exijience of a Deity itfelf, ^ The only Means of com^ ing at the Knowledge of divine 'Truths is (we are told) by immediate Infpiration; ^ a conftant and particular Revelation imparted feparately and fupernatiir ally to every Indi- viduaL Thefe Gentlemen, it feems, can put on any Difguife, and fight under any Colours: Dolus ^ an Virtus^ quis inHoJle requirat? They can difpute either Way, confute^ change Jiands^ and Jlill confute^ — as efFeftually as before. They find it, I fuppofe, fafer and eafier covertly to undermine, than openly to alTault. They are in Hopes the moft im- pregnable Fortrefs may be betrayed under the Pretence of Friendfliip^ and the beft Caufe defeated by an aukward and treache- rous Defence of it. Our Author has there- fore thought fit to affume the Charadler of a zealous Chriftian ^ he adopts and patronizes the Errors of fome fincere, but enthufiaftick Believers, and carries them to a Height of Extravagance beyond what their firft Authors ever dreamt of ; and then he would perfuade us, that this Phantom of his own drefling up is really the Religion of Chrifl and his * Pig. %i, ^ P. ^C, ^P. 112. Apoftles. a Rational Assent. y Apoftles. This affords him a Pretence for Tapping the Rock, on which Chriftianity hath flood for fo many Ages ; and placing it on a Foundation, on which, he knows, it can never be fupported. But the Difguife he has put on, is fo thin , that it is ea- fily feen through. ^ His contemptuous Treat- ment of Scripture,^ his grofs Mifreprefentations of Chriji and his Apoftles, *^ his Exceptions againft our Saviour's Miracles, and his avow- ed Oppofition to the Gofpel Evidences, plainly enough difcover from what Quarter the Blow comes. If any one thinks I charge him wrongfully, I only defire him to ful- pend his Judgment till he has read over thefe Sheets 3 and then I believe he will be able to judge what Spirit this Writer is of. But I am more concerned with the Ten- dency of his Pamphlet, than with the De- fign of its Author. As it feems naturally calculated to undermine the Foundations of Chriftianity , I fhall , without any farther Enquiry into his Views or Principles, endea- vour to obviate his Pretences, and jjeturn an Anfwer to the Objedtions he has thrown out againft the Reafonablenefs of Religion, The Point our Author undertakes in his Title-Page to prove, is, that Chrijiianity is rM founded on Argument \ and, in Page 7, he more fully explains his Defign: ^ He tells qs, that the judging at all of religious Mat-- » See p3g. Co^ 61. ^ P. 3^5 l^c. P. 66^ ^ yet we may, and too often do affent without clear Perception. And of all this we fee daily Examples in comm^on Life. The fame Reafons, which fhall fatisfy an unpre- judiced Perfon, fliall be offered in vain to another Perfon of equal intelleftual Capaci- ty, who is ftrongly prepoflelTed the other Way. Nay, the fame Perfon fhall except againft the fame Proof in one Cafe, v/hich ? Deutr XV j. I (J. 3 a Rational Assent. 19^ he readily admits in another. Offer to any Man an Argument, that fliall tend to efta- blifti his favourite Opinions, or footh him in his darUng Vice, how ready will he be to liften to you, how hafty to clofe in with the leaft x^ppearance of Argument ? Go to the fame Perfon, and attempt to perfuade him of fomsthing that {hall clafli with his Intereft, or thwart his Inclinations, how im- patiently will he hear you ? How greedily will he catch at every trifling Objedion ? How difficultly will he admit the ftrono;eft Proofs ? Non perfuadebisy etiamfi perfuafe- ris. But perhaps our Author would fay, that, after a fair and impartial Examination, fet- ting afide all Prejudices and Prepoffeflions, the Proof mud ad: neceffarily on the Un- derftanding. Very true, if there were no- thing to determine our Judgment but the Evidence of the Thing, it muft be deter- mined by that. But this is fo far from be- ing to our Author's Purpofe, that it makes diredtly agalnft him. If all Men were un- prejudiced, it may be prefumed they would, in all plain Cafes, think juft alike; and, if fo, ConviBion w^ould, in fuch Cafes, be no dubious or uncertain Confequence of Debate and Men might be left free to examine^ without any Danger of their being deceived in the Ifue. But if Men will not receive plain Proof, 'tis manifeft they are under the Influence of Prejudices and Prepoffeffions. Da If 10 The Christian's Faith If they rejedl the fame Evidence in one Cafe, which they admit in another, we muft take the Liberty to accufe them of not having examined fo fairly and impartially as they might have done. From what has been here obferved, we may perhaps be able to fet our Author right in feveral things he feems at a Lofs to ac- count for. He imagines it abfurd to re- quire a Beliefs if previous Examination be requiftte, I fhould rather have thought it abfurd to require a Belief v/ithout previous Examination. But furely Men may reafo- iiably be called upon to hearken and attend to the Proofs of a divine Revelation, They may be required to diveft themfelves of all unreafonable Paflions and finful Prejudices, and impartially to examine and weigh the Evidence by which it is fupported. But ConviBion (fays our Author) cannot be e?2furedy if Examination is allowed ; and therefore cannot^ njoith any Propriety^ be in- filled on. In plain Cafes I humbly prefume, that nothing more is required to enfure Con- viBiony than only a common Capacity, and an honeft Heart. But all Men's Capacities are not alike: Few Men are qualified for rea foiling at all; ^ and the ablefl and bejl of Men are difqualifed for fair reafoni?ig by their natural Prejudices. But there are fome Degrees of Evidence, which we pre- ! P^g. J, ^Ibid * P. 17. ^P. 23. . fume a Rational Assent. 2£ fume every one, whom we admit within the Gharadler of a reafonable Nature, is able to perceive ; and we hope to (hew, that the E- vidences of the Gofpel are, at the fame time, adapted to common Capacities; and yet fuch as the moft knowing and learned can find no juft Exceptions to. Befides, s the ^reat Command to believe^ is not fo perem- ptory and abjolute^ as this Writer pretends. The Gofpel does not require Belief fo ah- Jblutely^ as to make no Allowances, and leave no Exceptions in Favour of thofe, who are under a natural Incapacity of receiving and underftanding the Proofs of it. Let us hear what our Saviour himfelf fays: ^ If were blind^ ye JJoould have no Sin : But now ye fay^ We fee j therefore your Sin remaineth. A Sentence which it may concern thofe Gentlemen to confider, who are pleafed to dignify and diftingui(h themfelves by the Title of Free-thinkers, Again, from what has been faid we may poffibly be able to conceive how Faith may be a Virtue, or Duty, entitled to Commen- dation or Reward. Where there is Liberty, there may be Virtue. If then we are in any meafure free in the Ufe and Diredion of thofe Faculties on which our Afient depends, 'tis plain we may deferve Commendation for making a right Ufe of our Faculties, and may be blame-worthy for mifapplying them. I Pag. 23. John ix. 41. We 22 The Christian's Faith We do not affirm, that there is any Virtue in Credulity, or any Merit in believing on little or no Evidence. But furely we may have Leave to fay, that the Love of Truth is a commendable Quality ; that an honeft Mind, free from all fmful Prejudices, difpof- ed to give the Truth a fair Examination ; and, after fuch Examination, willing to re- ceive it, may be acceptable in the Sight of God. And this is more efpecially true with regard to religious and moral Truths. If a Man is unwilling to receive fuch Truths, it is generally owing to fome vicious Habit of Mind; but the worthy and virtuous Man comes, with all the Preparation that Truth requires, ready to receive it, without Preju- dice or Partiality. This Love of Virtue, this ready Difpofition to receive the Truth, is what the Scripture every where fpeaks of with Commendation, i We read that the Inhabitants of Berea were more noble than thofe in I'hejfalotiica, in that they received the Word "with all Read'tnefs of Mind and fearched the Scriptures daily y whether thofe Thi77gs were fo. ^ If a Man will do the Will of God (faith our Saviour) he fJoall know of the DoBrine^ whether it be of God, Again, ^ My Sheep hear my Voice, ^ He that doth T^ruth^ cometh to the Light, " He that is of God^ heareth God's Words.. ' Acls xvii. 1 1. " lb. iii. 21. ^ John vii. 17. 'lb. x. 27. lb. viii. 47. Every a Rational Assent. 23 E'dery Man that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. And p no Man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father, For this Reafon our Saviour requires us to receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child. ' And his Apoftle calls upon us to lay apart all Filthi^ nefs and Superfluity of Naught inefs, and re* ceive with Meeknefs the engrafted Wordy which is able to fave our Souls, And for the fame Reafon ' thofe who believed not the Truth, are reprefented to be fuch as had Pleafure-*^ in XJnrighteoifnefs, and received not the Love of the 'Truth, that they might be faved. With the greateft Propriety of Lan- guage therefore do the Scriptures fpeak, when they defcribe Men as ^ underftanding with their Hearts, — " believing with their Hearts-, — when they talk of ^ purifyi?ig cur Hearts by Faith ; — when they tell us of Atheifts, and wicked Men, that ^ their foolip Heart was darkened-, that y their Un- der flaiiding was darkened', they being alie- nated from the Life of God, through tlye Ignorance that was in them, becaife of the Blindnefs of their Heart. Thefe Expref- fions were perhaps defigned to be defcriptive of the Wills but does it therefore follow, that the Gofpel makes no Appeal to our ° John vi. 45. P lb. vi. 65. Mark x. 15. 'James i. 21. '2 Thefl' ii. 10, 12. ' Match, xiii. i^. ^ Rom. X. 10. A^s XV. s>. ^ Rom. i. 21, I Eph. IV. 18, Under- The Chi^istian's Faith Underftanding ? I hope the Will and the Underftanding may aft amicably together, and Reafon and Virtue both join in con- firming us in the Faith, Again, we may from hence be able to comprehend what our Saviour means, when he fays, — ^ Blejj'ed are they that have not feen^ and yet have believed. Our Saviour did not hereby defign to encourage a for- Hoard Fropeiijity to ajjent without Proof or Enquiry ; or to teach us there was any Me- rit in being convinced without fufficient Evidence. He does not fay, BleiTed are tlie credulous; but — BleJJed are they who be- lieve, when fufficient Proof is offered them, and are not fo unreafonable as to require more than is fufficient. The Cafe indeed is no more than this : Let us fuppofe two Perfons, one ftrongly prejudiced againft the Truth, the other free from fuch Prejudices. This laft, on reafonable Proof, believes the Truth ; the firft ftill ftands out. But God is pleaf- ed, in his Goodnefs, to lay ftill farther Proof before him ; fuch as fhall overcome his un- reafonable Prejudices. Thus they both be- come Believers ^ but which beft deferves the Blejfing^ I leave any Man to judge. But what our Author feems chiefly to infill on, is, that no ^ Propojitions can be tendered to our Reafon with Penalties annexed, and under the Rejlraints of T'hrects and Autho- f John XX. 9. ^ Pag. 8, ritp a Rational Assent. rit\\ ^ that (except on his own Scheme) there can be no poffible Connexion in Nature be* twixt Confcience ajid Believing •, that hu?na?i Inventio?2 cannot find an equal Image to ex- prefs the Abjurdity of an obedient or criminal Underflandtng. But I hope it will appear from what has been faid, that there may be a CoJineBion betwixt Confcience and BelieV" ing, ^ It has been fnewn, that Men are not wholly paffive in believing or difbelieving, but have a great Compafs of Liberty in the ufe of thofe Faculties, on which our Afient depends. So far then as this Liberty reaches, it is a voluntary Adl, and therefore naturally fubjeft to a Law, for the Tranfgreflion of which we are accountable to God. And fince the Obligation and Penalties of this Law muft rife in Proportion to the moral Importance of the Subjedt propofed to us, and fince no Subjedt can be of greater Impor- tance, than the Truth of a Revelation, which is to be the Rule of our Adlions, and the Meafure of our Duty, it follows that to ad: contrary to the Laws of Reafon in this En- quiry mull be a high Offence againft God. If we difmlfs the Propofal of it without due Attention ^ if we refift fufficient Evidence, and fuch as it was in our Power by a right Ufe of our Faculties to have perceived 3 but, ^bove all, if we fuffer any Lufts, or immo^ ^ P. ^4. ^ See Dr. Rcgen on the NecelTity of di- j yine Revelation, p. 203, l^c, E ral i6 The Christian's Faith ral Prejudices to obftrudl or overbear fuch Evidence, and in fuch an Enquiry, this is, even in the Accounts of Nature, the greateft Crime we can be guilty of in the Exercife of thefe Faculties, and confequently fuch as inuft expofe us to the higheft Refentnient of God, and fubjefl: us to the fevereft Penalties, The very Suppoiition of a divine Revelation carries with it an Obligation to attend to it ; and if its Evidences are fufficient to convince any reafonable Man, it will follow that every reafonable Man is in Duty bound, to receive it : If God therefore fends a MelTenger with full and plain Credentials, he may require us to receive him. This Gentleman may, if he pleafes, put on his Airs of Infolence, and call this ^ ISfofifenfey and ridiculous J argon. But pray let me afk him, whether Ignorance will excufe the Negledt of plain Laws ? Whether if a Judge came with a Commiffion from the King, he might not require his Ma- jefty's Subjeds to give Credit to him, and believe the Atteftation of the Broad Seal ? And whether he might not lawfully punifh thofe who fliould take upon them to que- ftion his Authority ? According to our Au- thor he mufi: not. ^ "The commaiiding Men to believe rationally^ and this with threatned Imputation of Guilt and Infusion of Pu- nifbrnent is fuch a Scheme at firft Vieu\ as no Pretence of Authority ^ human or divine^ ^ See p, 64. • lb. can a Rational Assent. 27 can command any Regard or Attention to^ or indeed any Notice^ but that of the Con- tempt due to Paradoxes the moft eminent- ly impudent and Ridiculous — Very magifte- rial indeed — This is in other Vv^or is — Ipfe dixi — and he is an itnpudent Blockhead "who jhall prefume to contradi^ me. But I fancy this Judge, we have been juft now making a Suppofition of, would teach this Gentle- man another LeiTon. He would probably think it by no means unreafonable to com- mand Men to believe, what no reafonable Man could deny; he might call him, who fhould fay otherwife mojl eminently Impu- dent^ and would perhaps foon make him mojl eminently Ridiculous, Why then may not God Almighty require Rational Beings to make ufe of their Reafon ? Why may he not punifn Men for wilful Obftinacy, or cri- minal Negligence ? But if our Author thinks 'tis abfurd to talk of an obedient or criminal Underjlanding^ he muft take the Ahfurdity to himfelf, who firft, I believe, put thofe Terms o^^^^BtS^ together. Unbelievers very well know we lay no Charge again ft their JJnderjtanding ; but againft tbem^ for not making a right Ufe of their Underjland- ing. The Proverb tells us, there are none fo deaf as thofe who "wont hear: Bu: in fuch Cafe v/e don't call the Ear criminal^ but the Man^ who flops his Ears. ^ Dijbelievi?ig [ lb. E 2 therefore. l8 The Christian's Faith therefore, aitd Guilt (to ufe our Author's owi^ Words) may have a Meaning when put to- gether^ Jince the Compliance requir d is nty longer thdt of the Vnderjlanding^ hut of the Willy in its Nature free^ and therefore ac- countable : And though we are not by any Means chargeable for the EJfeBs of our Ap- prehenfion^ yet there is no Reafon^ but that we may be with all fujtice called to the JlriBefi Account for our Objlinacy^ Impiety^ and Perverfenefs, If then Unbelievers fhut their Eyes againft the Truth ; but efpecially if they fufFer vicious Prejudices, to fupprefs the Evidence offered for it, then in this Au- thor*s own Account their Condemnation is juft. But 'tis on this very Suppofition thi Gofpel-'Threats and Penalties are founded. 8 He that believeth not^ is condemned (faith our Saviour;) and this is the Conde?7jnationy that Light came into the Worlds and Men loved Darbiefs rather than Lights becaufe their Deeds were Evil. CHAP. 11. HAVING thus premifed what may be neceffary to ftate the Cafe in Difpute, we may come the better prepared to exa- mine into our Author's Reafonings on this Subjcd:. s Jo]\ iii. 1 8, i^. ^ One ^Rational Assent. 29 ^ One of his chief Arguments is, that it is nbfurd to require a Beliefs if previous Exa- mination be requiftte—Vi\x\. this, I hope, has been already fufficiently confidered. ^ Every Argument indeed we maintain is an Appeal to Mens Judgments and fuppofes the Per- fons we argue with both capable of Under- ftanding plain Proof, and obliged to fubmit to it. Do we not all of us, in our Difputes one with another, expeft Men fhould be de- termined by Reafon ? And are we not very ready to accufe and reprove one another for not hearkening to Reafon ? Whether we will confefs it of ourfelves, or no, we all of us will blame other Men for affenting or diflenting without due Examination ; for fuffering Pre- judices, or Paffions, to obfcure the Evidence of Truth, or divert them from attending to it. Is not this the common Senfe of Man- kind ? And does not this plainly fuppofe, that Men may in fome Cafes be allowed atid required to examiiie^ and yet obliged to be- lieve. To fuppofe other wife, is to fuppofe either that we are not accountable to God for the Ufe of our Faculties, or that there is no Truth fo plain, as that Men may, by the due Ufe of their Faculties, be capable of perceiving it \ the former feems to border upon Atheifm ; the latter is no better than downright Scepticifm. We have juft now P. 5. ' See Dr. Rogsn on the Neceflity of di- vine Rcvelarion^ p, ::o3, ^V. feen 30 The Christian's Faith feen our Author himfelf exclaiming moll heavily againft Men for maintaining Abfur-^ dities and Paradoxes^ moji eminently impu- dent and ridiculous. Bat Impudence is an FiXpreJfion evidently defcriptive of the Will : So then, in this Author's own Account, Men may be to blame for believing Abfurdities j there is therefore plainly a Connexion betwixt Ccnfcience and Believing. But perhaps fome Men may be fo impudent as to maintain fuch ridiculous Paradoxes, as neither they them- felves, nor any Man alive can believe : It foU lows then that there are fome Truths fo plain as that no reafonable Man can be fuppofed to refufe his Affent to tliem. Thefe furely then Men may be expeded, and required to believe j and yet, I fnppofe, they may have the Liberty of examining them. — But to of- fer to ft down to examine^ feems to our Au- thor to be abfolutely giving up the Caufe of Religion ; and defiring him to difpute^ to be begging the ^ejiicn. — I muft own it feems to me quite otherwife : I lliould have thought that he, who fits down to examine^ thereby declares that he does not give up the Caife > and that the very Notion of a Difpute im- plies that the ^lefion is on Foot, and not begged either way. — Bat we muft, it feems, beware of examining. ^ To examine is to doubt y ""and implies a St f pence of ConviBion, ° But this is rank Infidelity ^ and ° amounts to ^ P. 5. ^P. 5. P. 12. ''P. ''P. 12^ a per em* ^Rational Assent. 31 a peremptory and impious Denial. However it j is at leaft a temporary Dipelief.—Bnt we can- not admit of either of thefe Aflertions without ' better Proof, neither does Examination always imply doubting ; nor does every doubt make j ^ Man an Infidel. May not a Man examine^ and that very carefully and impartially, into what he never made the leaft Doubt of ? Or muft a Man doubt of every Propofition in ' Euclid, before he examines the Demonftra- tion of it ? May not a Perfon fkilled in the pradical Part of Navigation look into, and canvas thoroughly the Demonftrations on which it is founded, without doubting of the Truth of thofe Rules which he already knows by Experience to be true ? p This would be a flrange Method indeed ! to turn ones back upon Science in order to meet it^ to difcard it as a Means to commence Acquaintance, Reafon requires no fuch Scepticifm, either in Philofophy or Religion. A Perfon educated in the Belief of a God, and in the Principles of Virtue and Honour, may, I hope, exa* mine into thefe Principles, without ever re^ nouncing them, or entertaining any doubt about their Truth ; and one who has been brought up in the Chriftian Religion, may enquire into the Truth of his Profeffion, though he never found any Reafon to doubt of it. But there is no Medium betwixt be- lieving and not believing. — Very true — but ^ See p, 6. P. 5. 3 neither The Christian's Faith neither is every Doubt inconfiftent with Be^ lief: Nor does a Sufpenjion of Belief amount to a peremptory and impious Defiial. There are many Fads in Hiftory, which I believe, be- caufe well attefled ; many Propofitions in Philofophy, which I affent to upon good Grounds; but yet there may be fome Diffi- culties and Objedtions, which I am not able to give a fatisfadtory Anfwer to, which leave upon oiy Mind fome Doubt^ more or lefs. Again there are fome Cafes, w^here the Proofs appear pretty equal on either Side ; and here I am forced to fufpend my Affenc : As I can neither pofitively affirm, fo neither do I peremptorily deny. To apply this then to the Cafe of Religion. — A Perfon who has been educated in the Principles of Chriftianity, may perhaps meet with Objedlions, which may in fome Degree ftagger his Faith, and make him doubt of the Truth of thofe Things he has been taught. But no fober Man, I hope, will fay^ that fuch Doubts are always criminal ; all we defire of fuch a Perfon, is, to examine impartially into the Merits of the Caufe, and to look into the Anfwers which have been given to fuch Objedions; and then we hope he will foon learn to defplle them. But fliculd fuch Doubts arife fo high, as to amount even to a temporary Difoelief yet we do not call this a peremptory and impious De^ nial^ nor pronounce the Man ' an Apofiate^ r See pag, 6, a Rational Assent. 33 Dr Anti'ChriJi profeji. We ft ill hope that a ferious and impartial Enquiry will fet him right again. ^ But if Doubting be one Moment allow able ^ (fays our Author) who JJoall a/certain the frecife Time for fmnming up the Evidence and pronouncing Sentence ! Who frjall take upon him to fettle the lajt lawful Point of Hefita^ tion ? ^ To determine the critical Foint^ when loJiger W ant of ConviBicn beco?nes cri- ?ni?ialy or fettle the competent Time we ought to be fatisfied in. Curious Reafoning in- deed ! It may be allowable for a Man to doubt of the Truth of his Religion : Therefore he may doubt as long as he lives, never examine into the Evidences of it, nor be fatisfied with any that offers. We ought to take Time to confider what Bufinefs, or Profeflion we will apply ourfelves to ; therefore we may confider all our Life long, and never apply ourfelves to any Thing. A Judge may take Time to examine into the Merits of a Caufe; therefore he may continue examining into it for ever, and never determine it. ^ But who /hall af certain the precife Ti?ne for pronouno^ ing Sentence ? ■ That, Sir, we muft: leave to your own Confcience to deter- mine. Take what Time you pleafe ; if God and your own Heart condemn you not, nei- ther do we. But we muft take the Freedom to tell you, that, ^ God is not to be mock'd. [ Page 13. P. ^1. F ^- Gal. vi. 7. Religioa 34 Christian's Faith Religion is a ferious Thing; and he requires you to be ferious in it. He will allow you Time for a free Enquiry, but he expedls you fhould deal fairly and impartially with your own Heart, and not trifle for ever in an Affair of this Importance. It were to be wifli'd you had confider'd that your whole Argument ftrikes at Natural Religion, as well as Reveal'd. — ^ If Na- tural Religion admit at all of Examination^ it muji Necejfarily (on your Principles) ad- mit likewife of (at leafl a temporary) Dif belief The Ratiofial Theift, whoever he be^ muJi of coiirfe have originally fet out a Sceptick^ a?id heftated for a 'lime^ even whether there were a God or no. > If the Motives to the Belief of a God may be once innocently pro- posed to Exami?iation, they may pofjibly be in- nocently rejected too. Horrid Confequence this ! but 'tis your own, Sir. ^ But we are told that our Saviour has ex* prefsly affurd uSy that he looks upon a Seeker as Anti-Chrijl profefi.* • ■ ■ I never yet heard this reckon'd among the Marks of Anti-chrifi ; nor can I find any fuch Dodrine throughout the Gofpel. — Yes, fays our Author, Our Sa* viour tells us, ^ that he that is not with him is againft him, — But this Gentleman fhould firfl: have been fure that Chrifl fpeaks this of himfelf ; he fliould for his own Sake have taken a little Care, how he attributed to our f Page 12. \ P. 93. ! P. • Matt. xii. 30. Saviour, a Rational Assent. 3^ Saviour, what is really fpoken of the Devil: ^For fo the beft Commentators underftand it. The Pbarifees had attributed a Miracle wrought by our Saviour to the Power of the Devil. To this he replies — Whatever is done by Confederacy with Satan, mufl be fome- thing that promotes the Interefl of his King- dom, and not any Thing diredily contrary thereto ; it could not therefore be fuppos'd ij that Sata?i Jhould caji out Satan, Then it fol- lows —H^' that is not ivith 7ne, is againjt me-^ which is generally fuppos*d to be a proverbial Expreffion, defigned to illuftrate and con- firm what went before. — If when two great Powers are at open and irreconcilable Enmity again ft each other, even he, who only for- bears joining with one Side, is ufually reputed to be againft it, according to the known Pro- verb — He that is not with me, is againfl me^ — how much more ought I, who never took Part with Satan, and never did any Thing in the leaft to promote his Intereft, to be reputed his Enemy ? how little Reafon is there to charge me of being in Confederacy with him ? Our Saviour does not then fpeak here of him- felf 5 he only quotes a proverbial Expreffion, and applies it not to himfelf, but to Satan. When he fpeaks of himfelf, he ufes quite a different Language : He that is not againji lis, is for lis, ^ See Grotius^ Hammond, Chryfoftom, Dr. Clarke, Vol. 6, Serm. * Luke ix. 50, F 2 Our 36 Tloe Christian's Faith ^ Our Author enters now more profefledly on the Proof of his Point, and this he un- dertakes to make out, YuH^ from the Nature of Reafon and Religion. Secondly, from the Account give?! us in Holy Scripture ; and then Thirdly, he is from the fame indifputable Au thority to afcertain the proper and prefcrib- ed Means to come at the Knowledge of Divine Truths, Ifhallfollowhimin his own Method. ^ In the fir ft Place then^ he afks, Can it be by the Exercife of their Reafon that Men can be required to think all alike ? — But what does he mean by thinking all alike ? Does he mean thinking alike in all things? The Gof- pel requires no fuch thing. No Church up- on Earth requires it. Even the Church of Rome allows fome Latitude of thinki?2g, and has an Infinity of Se^s^ which continue un- cenfured wnrhin her Bofom. Befides the Point in Difpute is only about one thing — the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. The whole Que ft ion between us is, Whether Chriftianity is founded on Argument ? Whe- ther Men may not be required to think alike in this one Point ? What then will our Author lay, that Men can never in any one thing whatfoever be required to think alike ? Can nothing be fo plain as that all Men of com- mon Capacities may be prefumed to know \t ? Not only the yoiingefi Pupil of Philofophy^ t Page 7. * P. 8, ir.O - . but a Rational Assent. 37 but the youngefl Boy at School will laugh at fuch a IPropojition. ^ Our Author elfewhere feems to ridicule the Folly of attempting to make Men fee all alike ; and tells us, that the only Method in Natwe to do this is to put cut their Eyes, I willingly accept his Compari- fon, and though it cannot be expefted that all Men fhould have the lame Clearnefs of Sight, yet I prefume there may be fome things which all Men, who have any Eyes at all, may be expected and required to fee. When the Sun fhines in its full Strength, it may reafonably be expected that all Men fhould call it Day ; and if any Club of Men fhould fhut themfelves up in a dark Room and vote it to be Night, they v/ould, I believe, expofe themfelves both to Laughter and Cenfure. I may make a farther Ufe of this apt Comparifon our Author has furnifh'dme with, to illuflrate what has before been faid of the Freedom of AfTent. The Eye, as well as the Underftanding, may in fome In- flances be merely Paliive. The Light may fometimes force itfelf upon us, whether we will or no ; nor can we always avoid feeing fuch Objeds as prefent themfelves before us. But yet it muft be allowed that we have no fmali Compafs of Freedom in the Ufe and Exercife of this Faculty of Sight. We can fhut our Eyes v/hen we will we can turn them towards or from any Objedl, as wc ! Page ^. pleafe 38 , The Christian's Faith pleafe, and may deferve either Blame or Com- mendation in fo doing. Every Parent, Ma- tter or Tutor, expects that thofe under his Care fliould make a proper Ufe of their Eyes, and will chaftife them for looking where they fliould not, and not looking where they fliould. The like Freedom, I apprehend, we have in the Ufe of our Underflanding, and indeed of all our Faculties. But to re- turn : With regard to the Proofs of Religion, I humbly prefume that God is able to give fuch Evidences of a Revelation, as fhall fatisfy every reafonable Man, and I hope hereafter to (hew he has adlually given us fuch of the Chriftian Revelation. If this be the Cafe, it may very reafonably be expefted that God will require Men to receive, fuch a Re- velation, and will punifli them, if, through Obftinacy and unreafonable Prejudices, they rejecft it. Again, with Regard to the parti- cular Doftrines of the Gofpel, there may be fome fo plain, that all Chriftians may be ex- peded to underftand and believe them ; fome fo neceffarily conneded with the very Foun- dations of the Chriftian Covenant, that a Man cannot deny them, without denying in EfFedl the whole Gofpel. If in fuch Cafes then all Men of common Capacities maybe, requird to think alike, there v/ill, 1 hope, be ilill Latitude enough left for Men to abound in their own Opinions. And yet even in thefe Cafes, I doubt not but God v/ill make o all a Rational Assent. 39 all reafonable Allowances for thofe who err in the Integrity of their Hearts and will not condemn any Man for Ignorance when he had little or no Opportunity of knowing better. f What our Author urges in the next Place, of the Abjurdity of propounding ^ejiiom to ourReafon under the Rejlraint^ of Threats and Authority^ s has been already confider'd. It has been fliewn that Belief may reafonably be required of us; that Men may be puniih- able jfor not hearkening to Reafon, for not making a right Ufe of their Underftanding. If Punifhment therefore may be juftly in- Aided on fuch Men, it may be juftly threatened too. Thefe ThreatJiings indeed proceed on a Suppofition that the Gofpel is Supported by fufficient Evidences, and that Men, if they are not wanting to themfelves, may perceive the Truth of it; but if there are any under a natural Incapacity of receiv- ing it, thefe Threats (as I apprehend) were never defign'd to extend to them. The P^- nalties annexed need not therefore any way- prejudice the Freedom of our Enquiry. The fincere and virtuous Man, who will examine carefully and impartially, need not fear any Danger in his Decifons : The Rod is prepared only for the idle and naughty Boy, not him who cannoty but him who will not learn his f Page 8. 5 See before p. . LeJJhn'y 40 The Christian's Faith Lejfon-y and T'ophet is ordained for thofe^ who receive not the Love of the Uruth^ that they might he favedi But we are told, — ^ that the great Com- mand to Believe is peremptory and abfolute*y no Conditions in the Caje^ that we Jhall be- lieve if we have T'ime, if we have AJ^ili- ties'y — no Provifion made for fine ere Infi- delity^ as a pofjible Confeqiience of a fair En- quiry into the Merits oj Religion \ — no Ex- ceptions or Allowances whatfoever for any frofefjing to have ifed all poffihle Meaiis oj; Information^ and remaining ftill diffatisfied, — Not to infift, that Profefions may be in- fincerej pray, how does he prove what he fo roundly and confidently afferts ? He refers to Mark xvi. i6. where our Saviour exprefsly fays: He that believeth not^ JJjall be da?nn- ed. — But I afk again, what Authority has he CO fay, this Threatning admits of no Ex- ceptions or Allowances'? It relates immediate- ly to thofe Perfons only to whom the Apo- files preached; ^ the Lord working with them^ and confirming the Word with Signs following 'y and cannot, with any Reafon, be extended any farther than to thofe, who, like them, have received fufhcient Evidence of the Truth. Thofe, who ftand out againft Convidion, may juftly be punifhed ; and * 2 ThefT ii. lo. ^ P, 23. ^ P. 117. 1 Ver. 20, yet a Rational Assent. 41 yet Allowances made for thofe, who want either Opportunities or Ability to judge. ^ But this Gentleman will not allow us to- pronounce jb tenderly upon the Cafe of invi7i- cible Ignorance, What is this but direSily licenfing a Difjent from the Gofpel, wherever its Evidences ?nay happen not to obtain ; and flamping an equal Mark of necefjary T'ruth upon a thoifand oppofite Opinions. — Very good ! Whatever is tolerated is, it feems, //- cenjed and eftabliilied ; and Error, if fufiered to pafs unpuni(hed, inftantly becomes a ne- cejjdry Truth, Exceptions deftroy the Rule, and equitable Allowances abrogate the Law. s But if invincible Ignorance be a Flea e- ver to be tolerated ^ what are become^ in the mean time^ of all the Privileges of the Pale? — I hope this Gentleman will pardon me, if I have made too liberal Conceffions in fa- vour of fincere Infidelity: I muft own I am not fo jealous of the Privileges of the Pale^ as this mof orthodox V/riter would reprefent himfelf. I cannot take upon me to configa over to inevitable Damnation all, who are without this Pale. But what then? Do I ^ acknowledge an equal Merit in the Oppofi- tion? Do I fuppofe them entitled to the fame Rewards? God may make different Men capable of different Degrees of Happi- nefs. He may make abundant Allowances ^ Pag. 44. £ Ibid. ^ See p. 45. ■ G for 41 The Christian's Faith for thofe, who ^ labour under the injuperable Incapacity of a particular infidel — Make (as our Author ingenioufly exprefles it) and yet the fincere Chriftian may, in many Re- fpeds, have the Advantage of them. Thofe who err in the Integrity of their Heart, may be accepted 5 but it does not follow from hence, that they are intitled to the Promifes of the Gofpel, or that they will be equally rewarded with God's chofen Flock. We know, that he has promifed ^ an exceeding and eternal W eight of Glory to us, who are within his Covenant; but what he has pre- pared for them, who are without the Pale^ we prefume not to determine. But farther, if we were to fuppofe the fincere Unbeliever^ who lives according to the befl of his Knowledge, to be entitled to an equal Reward with the Chriftian, who lives according to the Rules of the Gofpel > yet fcrely 'tis of no fmall Advantage to live imder the Influence of lo great a Light, and fuch engaging Motives to Holinefs. The flronger are our Motives, the more likely we are to be afredted by them; and the greater the Light is, which is fet before us, fo much the more eafy it is to follow its Guidance. Suppofing then the fame Rewards laid up for the virtuous Unbeliever and good Chriftian ; yet the one is in a fairer Way of * Pag. 45, ^ 2 Cor. iv. 17. obtaining a Rational Assent. 43 obtaining thofe Rewards, and in much lefs Danger of mifcarrying than the other is. Laftly, Could we fuppofe them both on the fame Footing in this refped too; yet it muft afford us no fmall Comfort and Satif- fadion of Mind to have a clear Profpedt, and firm AlTurance of thefe Rewards. While the Unbeliever lives in a State of Un- certainty and Anxiety, full of gloomy Ap- prehenfions, and uneafy Forebodings, ^ having no Hope, and ^without God in the Worlds the good Chriftian's Hope is full of Immor^ tality. It is no fmall Privilege to be afTured of the Favour of God, the Pardon of our Sins, and eternal Life 5 from hence muft a- rife Peace and Joy unfpeakable. This muft fwceten all our Labours, make Profperity joyful, Adverfity fupportable, Life eafy, and De-ith comfortable. ^ Oar Author could not well have chofen a more proper Initance for our purpofe than that of St. PauL ° He tells us, that he ob- tained Mercy, becaufe what he did, was done ignorantly inVnbelief : But he never tells us, that the Zeal of Saul the Ferfecutor u-as e- qually meritorious with that of Paul the A- pojile. On the contrary, he calls himfelf the " chief oj Sinners^ becaufe he perfeciited the Church of God, He often laments his for- • Eph. ii. 12. '°Seep.4^. , "iTim. i. 13. * I Tim. i. 14. 15. I Cor. xv. ^. G 2 mer 44 77:^^ Christian's Faith mer Condu£l with the deepeft Contrition; and, with Thankfulnefs, acknowledges the exceeding abundant Grace of God towards him. He tells us, p he counted all things but Lofs for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chrijl Jefus his Lord, We may have then a juft Notion of the Excellency of the Gofpel, and the Privileges of the Pale, without pronouncing fo feverely on the Cafe of invincible Ignorance, Let this Writer then forbear to cenfure our Mo- deration-, let him not attempt to fet afide this only Plea the Unbeliever will be able to make in the great Day of Examination. Let him, however, not pretend to fcoiF at God's Sentence in that Day, left he meet with a quite different Reception; left his Doom be — ^ Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee^ thou wicked Servant, What our Author has advanced with re- gard to the baptizing and educating of Chil- dren, may come more properly to be confi- dered in another Place. I flTiall proceed now to examine what he fays Page lo, where he tells us, that ^ we are io pray for Encreafe of our Faith ^ which, he would perfuade us, is a Proof, that our Faith is no rational Af- fent. Thefe Words are in Italick Chara- cters; but what he would refer to, I cannot Phil. iii. 8. *P. 45. *'Luke xix. 22. * P. 10. eafily a Rational Assent. 4^ eafily find. ^ The Expreflion is in Scripture ; but by Faith is there plainly meant, not the Belief of the Gofpel, but Trufl and Confi- dence in God, a Perfuafion of his Alliftance in working Miracles. But fuppofe it our Duty to pray for the Encreafe and Confir- mation of cur Faith ; what then ? — ^ If Prayer (fays our Author) be the effedlual Means propofed for the attaiizing the Perfe- Bion of our Faith^ there is a ftrong Prefu7n- ptio7i too, that our Labours of every other kind -were to be [pared throughout the whole Progrefs. — A jlrong Prefuniption indeed, — Chrift has taught us to pray for God's Af- fiftance againft Temptation ; are we then to ufe no Care or Labour of our own ? He hath commanded us Xo pray for our daily Bread I fuppofe therefore our Labours, of every o-- ther kind, are to be fpared, and our Bread is to drop into our Mouths by Methods pure- ly divine, and ^without any of our Afjiftance, — ^ But it appears (we are told) from this 7nanner of cultivating our Faith, that Rea- fon ivas to have origi?2al/y no Share in mak- ing the Graft, — This Gentleman is pecu- liarly happy in his Comparifons. Pray (let me afk him) what would become of his Grafts if God did not fliower down a Blef- fing from Heaven upon it. The Hufband- man may plant and 'water-, but it is God ^Lukexvii. 5. ' P. 10. ' Ibid. that 4^ The Christian's Faith that giveth the Encreafe, But is it pojfible nve cati conceive how Re a/on can ever found juch a Faith as Grace can fecond^ or add to^i Or, that ^ a Rational Faith (hould be af terward fuperfeded^ or confirmed by an irra- tional one, — This Gentleman feems to fup- pofe a Man, fiift to attain Faith without a- ny Afiiilance of God; and then God to in- fufe a new Degree of Faith into him with- out any Concurrence of his own. But all this is purely our Author's own Invention, We fuppofe the Man all along to make ufe of his Reafon, and God to affift him ail a- long in the Ufe of it. Both the Beginning therefore, arid Encreafe of his Faith, is ra- tional^ and yet neither obtained without the divine Afiiilance. Suppofe a Man fhould pray to God, to give him a profperous Voy- age in Trade j does he exped: God (hould do this without any Concurrence of his own ? Is it not fufficient, that he profper him in the Ufe of natural Means? And may not both the bottom he fets out upon, and the Riches he brings home, at the fame time be faid to be attained by his own Induftry, and yet owing to the Blefling of God ; or (to ufe our Author's own Comparifon) does not the Blefling of God go all along with the Care and Labour of the Hulbandman ? Who made s 'Tis in the Original — an irrational one to he after- wards fiiperfedcdj or even eGnfirmed by a rational one 3 — but this is^ 1 iupfofe^ an Error of the Prds. 3 the a Rational Assent/ 47 the Cyon to fhoot? Who taught the Stock to I receive and naturalize it ? Who, after its In- ^rfion, gives it its Growth and Encreafe? s But Encreafe of Evidence (we are told) is the only Accefjion to he made to a rational Perfuaficn:, but we cannot allow it to be the only one. T'be Evidence wnW encreafe in vain, if Men are not capable of underfland- ing it, willing to liften to it, and difpofed to give it its due Weight. On the other Hand, the Evidence may continue the fame, and yet a rational Ferfuafion may be either pro- duced or confirmed by enlarging the Under- ftanding, or rectifying the Heart. ^ But, it feems, v/e pray alfo, that God would confrfn and continue m ftedfajl in the Faith. — I am not fo much concerned with what our Author here advances. It afFedls, I think, only an Exprefiion or two in our Liturgy: Perhaps the Governors of our Church may be willing to ftrike out thefe Expreffions, if this Gentleman can fatisfy them, that nothing but good Reafon can e- ver fliake our Stedfafjiefe. But if Self- intercft, vicious Affedlions, a Lightnefs and Ficklenefs of Tem.per, Fear of Reproach or Perfecution, may overthrow the Faith of feme, they may poffibly think it neceffary to fray^ that God would keep us fledfaji, and prevent our being fhaken by fuch Motives as s Pag. 10. II. thefe. 48 The Christian's Faith thefe. But they defire not thofe, who ufe thefe Prayers, to flop their Ears againft the Voice of Reafon. We do not hereby pre- clude ourfelves from all further Enquiries, or from giving any Objedion that offers, a fair Hearing : We may be fo far eftablifhed in the Faith, as not to be carried about with every Wind of Do^rine ; and yet not fo blindly and foolilhly obftinate to a prefent Notion, as to difavow all future Ufe of our Reafon, ^ But the Scripture itfelf, it feems, re- quires this irrevocable Confancy in our Pro- JeffioUy this utter Deafnefs to all farther Pol- licitation for Difciplejhip, We are warn- ed^ though even an Angel from Heaven, moere to preach a?iy new Doclrine to us^ to give not the leaf Heed or Credit to his Pre- tenjlons, — But v^hat then ? Becaufe we muft not hearken to any, the higheft Authority, againft Reafon ; muft we therefore not hearken to Reafon itfelf? I humbly appre- hend, that any of Reafon s Afurances will fal/ify and confront fuch a Preacher. We are not to give Credit to any one, though he pretend to be an Angel from Heaven^ if he teach any thing contrary to plain Reafon, or to a prior Revelation well attefted^ be- caufe the fame thing cannot be both true and falfe, and becaufe God cannot contradid Pag. II. ^ Gal. i. 8. himfelf. a Rational Assent. 49 himfelf. But if an Angel, or any the mean- efl: Man, offers me Reafons againft my pre- fent Perfuafion, the Scripture no where de- bars me from hearing and confidering them. What follows I cannot poffibly make Senfe of, — What is there that the Nature of any external Evidence can pojfibly afford iis^ that has not more than a Balance in fuch an Au- thority ? — Is not the Appearance of an An^ gel itfelf external Evidence ? What Autho-- rity then can any Angel bring with him, that is fo fuperior to ail external Evidence? The many Miracles St. Paul had wrought, were furely fufficient to overbalance any fup-- pofcd Appearance of an Angel. After he had given fuch full Proof of his Minijiry^ he might weil affert with Confidence, that nothing could be offered to overthrow a Do- ctrine fo excellent in itfelf, and fo well at- tefted. ^ Another Objedion againft ufing our Un- derjftanding in Matters of Religion^ is, that it will take up too much T^imC^ and our De- terminations will probably come too late to an- fwer the End for which they were defgnedy — to influence our ASions^ and direSi our ConduB through Life, — But this Gentleman again forgets, that, whilft he is aiming at revealed Religion, he really ftrikes at all na- tural Religion. The Heathen knew nothing I Page t^. H of JO The Christian's Faith of divine Infpiratibn, had they then no Rule of Life? Muft they be for ever debating on eternal Kelations^ and moral Differe7ices of things ? ^ And had they no T/V upon them to rejpe^i the Authority of the Law of Nature ; 710 Inducement to pay it any Degrees of 0- bedience or Co?2formity in their PrtiBice^ 'till it had gained a fujjkient Eflablifldment and Root in their Opinion^ And yet a great ma- ny Enquiries were then necelTary, which we have now lefs Occafion to enter upon. Eve- ry Branch of the Lav/ of Nature was to be proved by Reafon, and eftabliflied upon its proper Principles. This was a Labour, which the generahty of Mankind had neither Capacity nor Time to go through with. But the Gofpel has excufed us from the Neceffity of fuch tedious Enquiries. The Proof of the Chriflian Rehgion itfelf is the chief thing neceffary for us to examine ; and this, as I apprehend, lies within a narrow Com- pafs. When this is once fettled, all other things, neceffary for us to know, may eafily be learnt from the Gofpel. 'Tis one Angular Advantage of the Chriftian Religion, that it has made the Way of Holinefs and Happinefs plain and obvious to the meaneft Capacities : • — The way-faring Men, though Fools^JJjall not err therein. So that our Author's Argu- ment, if it proves any thing, proves the Ne- ceffity of a Revelation. ^ See p. I J . ® Ifai. XXXV. 8. He a Rational Assent. yi He lays down, indeed, Suppofitions that have no Foundation in Nature; no Wonder then that his Conclufions are wild and ex- travagant. He firft fuppofes, that it will , take up a great deal of Time, even a Man's f whole Life, to enquire into the Truth of Chriftianity : But I hope foon to fhew, that \ this is not a Work of fo much Difficulty as ' this Writer would reprefent. Next, he fup- pofes the Perfon enquiring to continue in a State of Infidelity all the Time this Enquiry lafts: But this is again without Foundation. Muft we renounce all Principles before we examine into them? Muft we turn Atheifts before we enquire into the Proofs of God's Exiftence ? Neither Reafon, nor Religion re- quire or allow fuch a Procedure. All the Indifference, or Neutrality^ that Philofophy requires, is, to diveft ourielves of all unrea- fonable Prejudices, not to intereft ourfelves on either Side of the Qiieftion, but to be e- qually ready to embrace the Truth where- ever we find it. But it Is by no Means ne- cefl!ary to ^ Jhake Hands with all we have been taught , and diveft ourfelves of all ^ A^^?- tions of Right and Wrong, Such a vifionary Scheme cannot indeed poffibly take place in Nature. Every Man, when he comes to the Ufe of his Reafon, finds himfelf already en- * gaged in Favour of fome Set of Principles. ! See p. 4. P. 15. H 2 It 52 The Christian's Faith It cannot be othervvife; the Mind cannot lie fallow fo long. Prejudices and Prepoffeffions, either good or evil, will find Admittance in our tender Years. When afterwards our Reafon comes to Maturity, and vv^e begin to examine into the Truth of Opiniom contradl^ ed by Education^ and made facred by Habit ^ is it reafonable or poflible to renounce thofe Opinions before our Examination begins } No Man, I believe, ever does, or can ad: in this manner. We generally flrfl: enquire, and then begin to fufped, or difbelieve, when we find Reafon fo to do, when our Enquiry is finiilied, or at leafl well advanced. Again, in Matters of Pradice, zxt"" our ABiom un- der no Dire5lio72 or Rejiraint, while we are enquiring into the Grounds and Reafons of our Obligations^? Mufl we lay afide the Wor- fliip of God, while we are debating on the Proofs of his Being and Attributes? Mufl W't pay no Degree of Obedience or Coiiformi^ ty to the Law of Nature, whilft the Princi- ples of it are under our Examination? The Account therefore our Author gives us of hi^ doubting Difciplc^ is merely imaginary. The Piclure may be well drawn , but it bears Rc- femblance to no Man living. Let us then next fuppofe a Perfon educated in the Principles of Chriilianity. It is his Duty when he grows up, to examine into the I See p. I). Truth a Rational Assent. 53 Truth of what he has been taught, as far as his Abilities and Opportunities will permit." But he need not therefore either renounce or even doubt of his Religion, much lefs is he 10 forbear the Pradice of it. He wants not all this while a Rule to influence his AElions^ and direB his CondiiB 5 a Monitor to controul his Pafions, ^ His Armour was fitted to him from his Infancy ; and he need not throw it off in order to prove it, ^ He had a Wed- ding-Garment provided for him, as foon as he was born ; and he need not ftrip himfelf na- ked, before he can know whether his Drefs is fit and proper to appear in. He may ferioufly and impartially examine into the Proofs of his Religion, without apoftatizing from it. He may be ready to give all Objedlions a fair hearing, be rcfolved to embrace the Truth, wherever he finds it, and willing to renounce his Religion v/hen he finds it to be falfe, but not before. Should therefore Death in this hiterim furprize him, it will not find him an Infidel, nor overtake him unprepared, or imfurnifi^d of his Paffport, He is all this while doing his Duty ; and need not doubt of Acceptance with God, whether he lives, or dies, during the Enquiry. Befides it muft be remember'd that this Perfon whom we fuppofe enquiring into the Truth of Chri- flianity, is all the while pofTefs'd of the Prin- See p. 14. ^ Seep. 17. ' ' _ ciples 54 75^^ Christian's Faith ciples of natural Religion. Could we there- fore fuppofe the Precepts and Motives of the Gofpel to have no Influence on him during this Interim y are his ABions therefore under no DireSion or Rejlraint ? Have Infidels no Rule to influence their Actions or diredi their ConduB? Are they all of them involv'd in the moft horrible Degrees of Guilt, and loft in the Power of Habit beyond Recovery? This doubting Difciple is furely under the Obligations of the Law of Nature. He has within him a Sage Counfellory a faithful Monitor^ to teach him his Duty, and warn him of the Folly and Danger of Vice. If therefore he fuflfers the Powers of Darknefs and his own corrupt Difpofitions to gain Ground y if the Habits of Vice take deep Root^ he cannot plead Innocence^ nor want of early Intelligence and better Information. ^ But our Author feems to conceive fome- thing abftraftedly of a neceffary Qualification in a true Faith^ fomething of a meritorious Nature in the T'hing itfelf — Let Faith be as necejfary^ and as meritorious as he pleafes; but it can neither be necejjary^ nor meritorious to take up our Faith without Reafon or con- tinue in it without E?iquiry, Faith is there- fore necefary, becaufe it is reafonable ; but 'tis necefary only to thofe who have Time .and Ability to underftand the Reafons of it. ;See p. 13, 14.. i P. Our a Rational Assent. yjr Our Author has taught us to fay that ' God will ne-ver expecl more of us^ than he enables us to perform j that a fincere Dejire to know and do his Willy miift fiipply till his good T^ime the Deficie?2cy of the actual Knowledge, Well, ^ But is not Faith neceffary to purify 2iV\di fiamp a Value upon the Fruits of co7n??ion Moraliix? Do not our Articles and Scriptures declare that, ^ without this previous Acquifition and devout temper, the befi of Lives is ?io Cir- cumfance to recofnmend or qualify us, for any Regard from the Throne of Grace ? — Here then at lafc, I fuppofe, lies the Sting of the Ob- jedlion > The Scriptures and our Articles teach us, that an adlual Faith is abfolutely neceffary to Salvation j if therefore this Faith is to be founded on Reafon, this muft take up fome Time ; and the honeft Enquirer, if he (hould die the Interim^ before he is fully fatisfied of the Truth of his Religion, is un- avoidably damr/d. Let his Conclufions there- fore be never fo extravagant, we Chriftians of the Church of England are bound to admit them, or ov7\\ that our Faith is irrational. — But let us firft hear what our Articles and Scrip- tures fay — ^ Works done before the Grace cj Chrifl (fays our thirteenth Article) are not pleafant to Gody forafmuch as they fpring not of Faith in Jefus Chrift, neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace — yea-^we doubt t Page 5^35 94, [ P. t5. s P. 15. ^ Artie. xiii. not 1 56 The Christian's Faith not but they have the Nature of Sin. — But the Compilers of our Articles defign'd this fhould be underflood of the Works of the Heathen ; they never dreamt of this Suppo- fition our Author here makes of a doubting Difciple, He is fuppos*d to be a baptiz'd Chriftian ; and to have received the Grace of Chrift^ and therefore our Author has wifely put — 'good Works done before Faith^ inftead of Works done before the Grace of Chrijl, — The whole Intention indeed of this Article feems to have been to deny all Kind of Merit ^ The Romanifts held that Chriftians might by their good Works merit eternal Life j they at- tributed alfo fome Kind of Merit to the good Works of Heathens, and imagined they might give them a Claim and Right to God's Grace-, but our Church v^ill not allow their Works to be in any Degree ineritorious. Their bed Works were imperfect, and were fo flu* from meriting Acceptance or making them worthy and ^ meet to receive Grace^ (as the Romanifts exprefs'd it) that taken flridly and in them- felves, they were attended with Sin. But what then ? If the Heathen were all vile a?td wretched Si?2ners, if their very bell: Works were not free from Sin, do we therefore ex- clude them from all hopes of Mercy ? Had they 720 room to hope jor Acceptance, becaufe they could plead no Merit, nor Title to it ? \ P. 15. !! Neque Gratiam decongruo mcrenrur. Much a Rational Assent. 57 Much lefs can we fuppofe they were to be punifhed for want of that Faith they could not have. . But our Author has farther Proof againft us from Scripture. His fingiilar Talent in in- terpreting Scripture, will appear more fully hereafter ; in the mean Time we prefent the Reader with this fmall Specimen of his Skill and Fidelity. — — ^ Even his moft virtuous A6lions (fays he, fpeaking of his doubting Difciple) are highly criminal and difpleafmg to God, as long as he continues in Jiich a Dif- pofttion of Mind, For whatfoever is 7iot of Faith, is Sin, — Why truly here is the Word Fdith, and the Word Sin — and that is all. Did this Writer ever read the whole Verfe hQ jhas taken his Quotation from ; or could he 'read it and not fee, that Faith there means quite another Thing than what he is talking of? — He that doubt eth is damii d if he eat^ becaufe he eat eth 7iot of Faith ; for whatfoever is not of Faith, is Sin. — Is it not plain at firft Sight that by Faith is here meant, not the Belief of the Gofpel, but a Perfua- iiovv of the Lawfulnefs of any Adlion v/e allow ourfelves in? A worthy Confequencs then this! -It is a Sin to eat Flefh without ht'mg fully perfuaded of the Lawfulnefs of it: Therefore whoever enquires into the Truth of his Religion is, during the Enquiry, ii) ^ ^ Page 16, ^ Rom, xiv. 13. I §UtS 58 The Christian's Faith State of Damnation, and whatever he does is a Sift, The next Quotation is full as extraor- dinary. — " He that cometh to God mujl believe that he is, — No ordinary Genius, I think, could have extracted any Thing from hence to our Author's Purpofe. His Comment is indeed curious . — muft believe that he is,- ^ that is, that he has gracioujly revealed his holy Will to Mankind, — Here is at one Stroke natural and reveal'd Religion confounded ^ the Belief of a God, and the Belief of a Revela- tion. But at laft this Text is brought home to our Purpofe — and 7nuji aB only in con- fequence of fuch Perfuafion, — Admirable rea- foning again — He that €0?neth to God muft believe the Gojpely and aB accordingly : (though the Apoftle in this Place fays not a Word about it, but be it fo :) Therefore he muft take up this Belief without any Reafon, and continue in it without any Examination. I cannot help obferving, that ° curious Dtf- quijitions on the Being and Attributes of God lie under the fame Cenfure with our Author, as an Enquiry into the Truth and Authentick- nefs of Revelation, Natural Religion, it fliould feem, is, in his Opinion, no more founded on Argument than Chri/iianity is. But there follows a third Quotation, no way inferior to the two former. ^ IVe miijl 7iot lift up our Hands to Heaven with doubting : * Page i5. Hcb. xi. 6, « P. 16. p i Tim. ii. S, Therefl^rc a Rational Assent. yg Therefore we muji be provided of our Creed before we are warranted to pray fo much as for Faith itfef. — But why muft this Doubts ing fpoken of by the Apoftle, be fuppos'd to be about the Truth of our Religion ; one would rather think it (hould fignify doubting of the Succefs of our Prayers. But what if after all there is nothing of doubting in the Original, what becomes then of our Au- thor's dciibty Argument ? The Word in the Original is SiaXoyia-iu.Sy which never, as I know of, is us'd to fignify doubting. It often fignifies difputing and we know that Dif- puting and Wrath too often go together : But what Connexion there is between Wrath and Douhtijig is not eafy to comprehend. Our Author's next Argument, is, ' that few Men are qualified for Reafoning at all « and the Evidence of Religion is a very critical Point to pronounce upon. — This he feems to lay no fmall Strefs upon ; he profecutes it here at large, and refumes it again feveral Times in the Compafs of this fmall Treatife. But here again we muft complain, that this (as indeed almoft all his other Arguments) concludes more ftrongly againft natural Re- ligion, than it does againft reveal'd. ^ Do the GeJierality of Apprehenfions really extend not beyond a fujjple Propofition? and are there few Men^ who underftand the leaf oj In-- Page 17. « P. iS. :?. 17. 1 2 duBion 6o The Christianas Faith dudtioh or Infer eiice ? Such Men then are in* capable of any Religion at all, and are in- deed in no better a Condition than the Beafts of the Field. The Proofs of natural Reli- gion are, I humbly apprehend, attended witli as great Difficulties, as thofe of reveal'd. ^ Eternal Relations, moral Differences of Things, and a precife Delineation oj the Re- ligion of Nature and its Obligations here readily occur, as fo many indifpenfable Ar-^ tides of Enquiry. The Writings of Cud- worth, Clarke, and Wollajton, are equally iiecefTary to fupport Natural Religion, as the Try al of the Witite fes, ^iui the Analogy of Reafon and Revelation are to confirm the Truth of the Gofpel ; and the Demonjiration of the Being of a God a Priori full as ne- ceffary to be confider'd and underftood by all Men, as the Computation of Daniel'^ IVeeks. Will this Gentlemen then fay, that none but Philofophers and Scholars are obliged to believe and vvorfhip a God ? or that we can have no Evidence of Natural Religion, till we are infpired by an irrefiflible Light from Heaven? ^ He has indeed faid this, or fome- thing very like it ; but of this hereafter. I (hall at prefent examine the Argument before us. He begins with under- rating moft extra- vagantly the Abilities of Mankind. ^ He ^ S?e p. 42. * See p. 81. >'P. 17, 18. tells a Rational Assent. 6i tells us, that feuo Men are capable of giving their Ajfent, tf there he the leaji of InduBion or Inference in the Cafe-, that the generality of Apprehenfiom extend not beyond a fimple Pro- fojition ; and are thrown out at once at the very Mention of introducing a Medium ; that the Souls of the Multitude nre lodged in their Hands for the uoifefl Purpofes, but entirely ivith a View to ailive Life^ not for the u?i- I fruitful Province of Argument and Specula- tion, — But give me leave, Sir, to exclaim in your own Words ; What an injurious Repre- fentation^ what an arbitrary Image is this of Mankind ? What could you have faid worfe of your Dog ? Nay, if he is a Dog of Parts, his AppreheJifions may^ for ought I know, ex- tend beyond a fimple Propofition. It is indeed ridiculous to talk of Souls incapable of appre- hending the leaf of Indudion or Inference ; you had expreffed yourfelf more confiftently, if you had faid (what the Mahometans^ I think, fay of Women) that the Multitude have no Souls at all. It is indeed common for Per- fons of fuperior Learning and Abilities to take up too contemptible an Opinion of the Vulgar. But w^hen they come to converfe with them, they will meet with many of them, who can reafon flirewdly enough 3 and may perhaps find them too hard for them in an Argument. Daily Experience {hews that People in low Life can reafon very juftly on the common Occurrences of it. If they never heard 6i The Christian's Faith h^ard of a Medium, they know what an Ar^ gument is, and often underftand how to ma- nage Affairs, where a good deal of Indudlion and Inference is required. The Publick Wif- dom has thought fit to truft both our Proper- ties and Lives to the Verdidl of twelve plain Men, who are generally neither Philofophers nor Scholars. The Iflues to be tried before fuch Men, are juft of the fame Nature with the Evidences of Chriftianity. — Matters of Fad, Genuinenefs of Records, Credibility of Tcftimony j nay, there may fometlmes come perhaps Cafes of greater Difficulty to be tried before fuch a Jury, than is the Truth of the Chriftian Revelation. And yet this Writer fliall imagine, that his con- fident Aflertions lliall pafs current, without the leafl: Proof, againft the common Senfe and Experience of Mankind. For what at lafl is this Point, which our Author would reprefent as fo difpiitable^ and critical to pronounce upon ? The whole may be comprifed in three or four plain Queftions, which any Man, of common Ca- pacity is, I believe, able to judge of. Does the Chriftian Religion contain any thing in it repugnant to the Law of Nature, any thing contrary to plain Reafon ? The plain Man need not take up much Time in deter- mining on this Point. He need only confult the haw written in his Hearty and compare the Dodrines of the Gofpel with his own 3 Notions a Rational Assent. 6^ Notions of Right and Wrong : If he finds no Difagreeinent between them, he may reft fatisfied on this Head. — Are Miracles a clear Evidence of the Finger of God ? This, a- gain, the common Senfe of Mankind has always agreed in. Artful Men may indeed puzzle the Queftion; and Objections may be made, which it may require fome Skill to give a proper Anfwer to. But our Au- thor, I hope, will allow, that the Vulgar would never think of queftioning fuch Evi- dence. Were they once perfuaded, that Mira- cles were really wrought, they would doubtlefs all, with one Voice, agree in the Confequence, that ^ no Man can do theje things^ except God be with him, I hope hereafter to fliew, that the Argument from Miracles is as juft I and conclufive, as it is plain and obvious. A- gain, were thefe miraculous Fadts attefted by credible Witneffes? A few Words, I believe, would fuffice to recommend the Teftimony of twelve good Men and true, to a common Underftanding. Laftly, is this Teftimony faithfully conveyed dovv^n to us? This, a- gain, cannot be denied, without calling in Queftion the Truth of all Hiftory. This our Author may venture to do; but it would fcarce ever enter into the Head of any plain Man. There are many other Arguments for the Truth of Chriftianity, which may * John iii. 2. be 64 The Christianas Faith be eafily made plain to a Perfon of ordinary Capacity : Such as the Excellency of its Do- drines, the Completion of plain Prophecies, As thefe kinds of Proofs are, in their own Nature, accommodated to common Capacities ; fo there are feveral fmall Trea* tifes, where thefe Proofs are fet in an eafy Light, from whence the common People may receive reafonable Satisfaction of the Truth of their Religion. Such are Lesley's Short Method with the Deijis, the Bishop OF London's Pajioral Letters^ and many others, w^iich our modern Free-Thifikers may fneer at, and throw out general Refle- ctions upon them 3 but they have been too wife to attempt an Anfwer to them. If this Account is true, all that our Au- thor has advanced Page 18, 19, 20, will ap- pear to be mere Flourifti and Harangue. It is built upon two Suppofitions: Firft, that the generality of Mankind are incapable of perceiving the Evidences of Chrifllanity : Next, ^ that the Command to believe is per^ emptory and ahjoliite^ and no Conditions in the Cafe^ that we pall believe ^ if we have lime^ if we have Abilities^ &c. But as nei- ther of thefe Affertions are fupported by any Proof, fo both of them have now been proved to be falfe. . // is by no Means fiifficient (fays our Au- thor) that your Argument be indeed conclu^ fve a Rational Assent. 65- five of itfelf iinlefs son can adapt it eff 6^111- ally to my TJnderJlanding too^ and make it conclufive to me, — We admit your Di/lin- Bion, Sir; but who are you? I hope you /peak not in your own Perfon: If you really want either Ears to hear, or Sagacity to ap- prehend, you will not then be accountable for your want of Underftanding. But you, who can defend Error with fo much Skill and Subtlety, feem not to want the Talents requifite for entering into Demonjiratitn, But if you mifapply thofe Talents, and wilfully flop your Ears, I am afraid you muft be anfwerable, if the Voice of the Charmer does not affect you. But I fuppofe, Sir, you fpeak not of yourfelf, but in the Perfon of one of the Vulgar, whom you feem to have fo contemptible an Opinion of. But were your injurious Reprefentation of them juft and true, your Conclulion would by no means follow. Had they no Abilities to judge at all, it would follow, that God did not require them to judge. ^ When there- fore you bring in the Reafoners on the other Side, as faying — T'his is true-, and therefore all Men muji /^^//Vt;^' /V; — you mifreprefent them, we fay no fuch thing. We fay in- deed — This is plain to all Men of common Capacities ; all fuch Men with the common Helps, w^hich may eafily be had in a Chri- ^ Pje. 20. K ftlan 66 7he Christian's Faith ftian Country, may judge of the Eviden- ces of Chriftianity; and therefore all fuch Men may be prefumed and required to un- derftand and believe the Truth of it^ but we are, at the fame time, willing to make all reafonable Exceptions and Allowances for thofe, who are incapable of forming a right Judgment about it. But our Author has employed all his Skill to magnify the Difficulty of the Gofpel- Proofs, as well as to under-rate the Abilities of Mankind. — ""The Nature of the Evi- dcnces of Religion ( fays he ) in your Ratio- nal JVa)\ being founded entirely on the Cre^ dit and Authenticknefs of Hijlory^ a ijery critical Point to pronounce upon^ it is im- pofible, without a good natural T'urn for Reafoning^ and even fome n^ery confiderable Acquifitions of Learning fuperadded^ to gi^ce any rational Decifion at all in the Cafe, — But what docs this Writer mean? Would he affert, ih^t the Credit of 2\\ Hifory is fo diffi- cult to pronounce upon ? Can none but Men of Genius and Learning judge of t\\Q Authentick- nefs of any Hifory^ though generally received, and queftioned by none ? The common Senfe of Mankind will contradidl him, who all re- ceive many Hifories without any Scruple or Difficulty. What then? Will he place the Gofpels of Matthew ^ Marky Luke^ and Pag. 1 8. 3 John a Rational Assent. 67 yohn among the dubious or fpurious Writ- ings ? Will he fay, that thefe are feme of the HiJlorieSy whofe Credit and Atithenticknefs the Criticks^ and Men of Learnitig^ have found it difficult to pronounce upon? If he can fay this, and prove it too, he will fay fomething to his purpofe. But thofe, who will fay any thing, have not yet ventured to fay this, they have been either too modeft, or too wife to maintain fo palpable a Falf- hood. What becomes then of our Argument ? Many of the Writers of Antiquities are du- bious; it requires great Parts and Learning to judge of their Authority; therefore no plain Man has any Reafon to believe the beft attefted Hiftory extant: In the fame manner may we fay, — Our Senfes often de- ceive us, it requires no fmall Skill in Philo- fophy to correS: the Judgments of them : Therefore the Ploughman, at his Work, can- not tell when the Sun fhines. Some Roads are very intricate ; none but thofe, who per- fedly know the Country, can be fure of find- ing their Way in them ; therefore the Farm- er cannot be certain of finding his Way to Market: Fine Confequences thefe, and yet our Author muft allow them, or give up his own. ^ In another Place w^e are told, that eternal Relations^ moral Differences of things^ mid a precife Delineation of the Religion of ' Pag. 42. K 2 Nature^ ^8 The Christian's Faith Nature^ and its Obligatims^ are fo many in- difpenfable preliminary Articles to be incul- cated^ as the Foundation of a new and per- feBive Revelation, We acknowledge that Natural Religion Is the Foundation of Re- vealed; but we do not therefore fay, that a Man muft know all the Relations and moral Difference of things^ before he can judge of the Authority of a Revelation, What we fay is, that the common Notions of Good and Evil are plain and obvious to Perfons of the meaneft Capacities. Thefe the Gofpel fuppofes Men pofleffed of, and to thefe it appeals. If it is found to contradid: any of thefe, we own this would be a fufficient Rea- fon for rejeding it; nay, we farther fay, that if itcontradids any other natural Truth, if it teaches, that a Part is greater than the whole, or that a Body can be in more than one Place at the fame Time, or any thing clfe contrary to any known Truth, this would alfo be a reafunable Objedion againft it. But, I hope, it will not from hence be concluded, that a Man mufl be firft Mafter of all Arts and Sciences, and take in the whole Compafs of Truth, before he can judge of the Evidences of the Gofpel. ' It is fufficient, that he find nothing in it repugnant to the common Notions of Right and Wrong, which he himfelf underftands ; he need not fearch after Objedions, which might poffi- bly arife from fome unknovv'n Truth. In the a Rational Assent. 69 the fame manner with regard to moral Truths, the plain Man need only confult the La'iu written in his Hearty and compare the Doctrines of the Gofpel with his own Notions of good and evil; if he find no Dif- agreement betv/een them, he may reafonably receive it, though he never read CtLmherland or Wollajion. For Revelation is not founded on, or proved from the Principles of natural Religion, in the fame manner as one Branch of Science often is from another 3 as Trigo- nom.etry, or Conic Sedlions, for Inftance, are founded on, and proved from the Ele- ments of 'Euclid. The direft and pofitive Proof of Revelation muft be fetched from o- ther Topicks. Its Agreement with the Re- ligion of Nature is only a neceffary Condi- tion, without which it could not be admit- ted: And to fhew this Agreement, is not to prove, but only to remove what would o- therwife be an infuperable Objection againft it. When we have done this, we are got no farther than this Conclufion, that what is propofed may be a divine Revelation whether it be or not, muft be determined by its own pro- per Proofs. The Gofpel therefore requires no fuch precife Delineation of the Religion cf Nature^ as neceffary to introduce it. It fup- pofes Men indeed to be rational Creatures, poffeffed of the common Notions of good and evil ; and thefe, as I faid before, are plain and obvious to the meaneft Capacities. As 70 The Christian's Faith As it contradidls none of thefe, fo it brings with it fuch Proofs as are at the fame time ftrong and clear, and level to the moft vul- gar Apprehenfions, s Its Evidences are fuch as require no great Degree of Capacity to apprehendy and give them a proper Hold and Influence \ fuch as muft draw all Men^ who can be drawn by the Cords of a Man, by the Power of Reafon, and Force of Argument. We want no ^elefcopes to di [cover the Light, ^hich is prepared before the Face of all Peo- ple-, it is in itfelf vifible to every Man, but thofe who fhut their Eyesagainfl: it. TheGof- pel indeed is fo far from requiring a precife De- lineation of the Religion of Nature by way of preliminary^ that it, in great meafure, excu- les Men from the Neceflity of entering into fiich critical and ahflraBed kind of T^opicks, as our Author calls them. The Philofophers had no other Way of convincing Mankind of the Truth of their Dodrines, but by te- dious Reafoning, and a long Dedu<5tion of Arguments, which the generality of Man- kind had neither Time, nor Capacity to go | through with. But it is one great Advan- tage of Revelation, that it cuts fuch Enquiries Ihort. When we are once aflured of the Authority of our Revelation (and herein, as I have fhewn, the plain Man may foon re- ceive reafonable Satisfadlion) all other things s See p. 43. are a Rational Assent. 71 are fettled of Courfe, and we may learn our whole Duty from hence with much greater Difpatch, Eafe, and Certainty, than it was poffible to do in the Way of natural Reli- gion. Our Author refumes the fame Topick a- gain: ^ If a jiijl Apprehenjion of the Autho- rity and Saife of the Scriptures be neceffary for us to attain by Reafoning ; fo is in the fir ft Place, it miijl be granted, a good Degree of natural Underfianding for the purpofe \ fo is, again, a compleat Skill in Language and Science, — ' To fate properly its Merits, and clear its Meaning ; to fettle fir ft the Canon, and then the Contents, is plainly enough a T^afk, that no lefs Qualifications can at all admit our Undertaking, If a Bible be there^ fore once necejjary for this ftriB and folemn Perufal, 'tis eafy to fee, that fo are other convenient Means oj Information in great abundance, to give it both Light and Sandli- on ; that fo is Prideaux'j Connexion, for hi* fiance, ajnongfl a thoifand other Volumes, to nil fir ate and fnpport it. And after all he is, it feems, very fhort and reafonable in the Computation of his Demands, — Now all this fine Reafoning is built upon this notable Maxim, that no Man can have any reafon- able AiTurance of the plainefl Truth, with- out knowing every thing that m.ay be faid ^ Pag. \ P. 61. about li yl The Christian's Faith about it; without being perfect Mafter of every Argument, which may be brought to illujlrate and fupport it and of every Diffi- cuhy, which may any way relate to it. Let us then make an Experiment of this kind of reafonino: in fome other Cafes. ^ The Ex- iflejice of a God is^ as our Author tells us, the flainejl S>ueJlion in Nature ; and Vanijii him-- ielf owned, that every Straw w^as a Proof of it. But can no one have 2, jufl Apprehenfion of this great Truth, without underllanding all the Con trover fies, which have been raifed a- bout it, or without reading Derhani^ Phy- Jico-^heolog\\ and a thoufand other Volumes^ which have been wrote to illujlrate and fup- port it? Again, an ordinary Degree of Un- derflanding may fuffice to perceive, that the fame Wifdom and Power, which made the World, muft govern it too. But can no one have any Reafon to believe a Providence^ without being able to account for all the Difficulties of it ? Once more, the moft illi- terate Perfon on Earth is confcious, that he has a thinking Soul. But can he have no Reafon to believe this Truth, till he has read Locke of Human JJnderflanding^ and fully confidered all the Queftions, which have been raifed about the Origin, Nature, and O- perations of the Soul ? I might inftance far- ther in a thoufand Cafes in common Life. - Pag. 81, There a Rational Assent. 73 There is fcarce any thing fo plain and ob- vious, but that learned Men have, fome way or other, raifed Difputes about it : And yetj I hope, there is fuch a thing as plain Truth, and common Senfe. With regard then to the Truth of the Gofpel, I hope I have prov- ed, that a Perfon of common Under/landing may have reafonable Affurance of it. But as the Gofpel has plain Proof to fupport it, fo is it confirmed by feveral other Proofs j fome of them perhaps difputable, which even thofe who believe the Gofpel, are not agreed about ; fomx of them, though conclufive, yet fomething abftrufe and difficult, fuch as may require fom.e Skill in Language and Antiquities to fet in a proper Light. Thus the Completion of plain Prophecies is a clear and undeniable Proof of the Truth of Chri- ftianity, though, at this Diftance of Time, it may require no fmall Skill and Learning to fettle the Meaning of others more obfcure, to confirm and illuftrate the Proof drawn from fuch, and clear it from all Difficulties and Objeftions. Such Proofs as thefe are not ^ calculated for the general and ready JJfe of all thofi\ to whom the Precept of believi?ig is addrejl. They, who have neither Time to confider of them, nor Capacity to judge of them, are not bound to admit their Force, But yet notwithftanding, they may be requir- ed to believe, becaufe they have other plain * See pag. 21* L and 74 Tl'^ Christian's Faith and fufficient Reafons for their Faith. A Man may have reafonable Aflurance of the Truth of the Gofpel, without being able to judge of the different ^ Calculatiom of Da- niel's Weeks \ nay, he may from this very Prophecy , v^nthout entering into the Dis- putes of the Learned on this Point, form a very clear Argument in Defence of Chriftia- nity. He may argue againft the "Jews^ that the Time here fixed for the coming of the McJJiah, is, according to all pofiible Calcu- lations, long ago expired ; and therefore that the Mejjiah muft be already come. Nay, without much reading, he may fee farther, that, though it is not eafy to fix the pretife Beginning and End of thefe JVeeks^ yet it is pretty certain, that they ended about the Time that Chrl/l appeared in the World. Again, an Argument may be very clear in itfelf, and yet there may be feveral things relating to it, which may admit of Difpute: There may be feveral things incidental to the main purpofes of Religion, which the Learned may be ufefully employed in. But the Unlearned may believe the Truth of the Gofpel, on clear and full Proof, without concerning themfelves with fuch Queftions as thefe. Farther, though the Evidences of Chri- ftianity are obvious to every Man of common Underftanding, yet artful Men may ftart ^ See p. 20. Difficulties, a Rational Assent. 75 Difficulties, and raife Objedions fuch as may exercife and try the Abilities of the Learned. This makes it neceflary to employ no fmall Skill and Learning, in Defence of a Caufe, which otherwife, perhaps, would need none. ^ The ingenious Author of the Analogy of Reafon and Revelation, had not perhaps thought it neceflary to reconcile them, if others had not taken no fmall Pains to fet them at variance. His excellent Perform- ance will, I doubt not, be always in Efleem with the learned World, though every Me- chanick be not able to apprehend the Juftnefs and Finenefs of his Reafonin^s. The Pro- vidence of God is a Truth, which a fmall Share of Reafon and Obfervation may ferve to difcover; but yet there are Difficulties at- tending it, which might require the mafierly Pen of a Sherlock, Why then might not the Worthy Author of the Tyral of the Wit- nefjes, be as ufefully employed in confirming and vindicating the Truth of our Saviour's Refurreftion. They have indeed both exe- cuted their Defign with the fame Succefs; both inimitable, both unanfwerable. ^ Our Author methinks (hould have avoided putting us in mind of a Book, which bears full Evi- dence againft him. He owns it to be a noble and convincing Demonjtration, A fair Con- feffion (one would think) that Chrijiianity is ' See p.. 20. ^ P. ^2. L 2 fotiTided 76 The Christian's Faith founded on Argument. But, it feems, all thofe^ whom that Leffon may concern^ are not able • to extra5i and range the Proofs of it thus ad- | ^antageoiijly, ■■■ And what would he infer I from hence ? The Evidence may be plain and I convincing to every Man of common Senfe, ^ though fcarce any other Hand could fum it up with fuch Force and Clearnefs. I would willingly truft this very Tryal to the Deter- mination of any Jury of plain honeft Men, though the ingenious Author did not defign his Treatife fo much for the Satisfadlion of the Vulgar, as for an Anfwer to fuch Ob- jeftions, as no common Perfon would ever have thought of. But it feems thefe noble and convinciJig Demonjlrations ^ have jiijl the contrary EffeB upon our Author from what they have upon every Body elfe : Inflead of convincing his Reajbn of the Truth of the Thing demonftrated, they firongly fuggeji to him that fuch a Pofition can never he that necefary "Truth, which /lands in Need of any fuch farjetch'd Apologies, and labour d Ac- counts to reconcile and explain it. But why ? Becaufe the whole Force cf the Gofpel Evi» dence, muft have been co-temporary with the original Inllitution itfelf : ^ Otherwife the People would have been but very ill provid- ed with a proper Reprefentation c*/' thefe Mat- ters^ before thefe Voluntary Apofles were ' Foge 21. P. ^2. 3 pleafed a Rational Assent. 77 pleafed to engage hi their A[fiftance,^Y^\-\2X (hall one fay to a Perfon of this perverfeTurn of Mind ? He muft farely be of a vtry ^ par- ticular Infidel-niake and Antichrijiian Com- plexion, that can thus turn the very befi: Re- medies into Poifon. But pray, will he him- felf admit of this Kind of Reafoning in any other Cafe? Let us again defire him to try his Argument on the great Truths of the Being and Providence of God. ^ Were People de- ititute of any reafonable Satisfadion in thefe important Points, before Dr, Clarke engaged in their Affijlance, or Dr. Sherlock arofe a Majler in Ifrael ? Let him go to fome Counfel learned in the Law, and a& him whether the moft full and compleat Evidence may not receive fome additional Light and Strength in the Hands of a M )\ or F — k-^y? Let him afk again, whether the plaineft Caufe may not be puzzled and perplexed by an artful Adverfary ? and whether it may not often require great Skill and Pains to un- ravel all the cunning Sophifms of a fubde Objeftor, and fet the plain Truth in a clear Light ? g The Evidences of Religion then were co-temporary with the Original Injlitii^ tion itfelf: Nor would her Caufe need any Advocate, were not her Enemies daily la- bouring with an unaccountable Zeal and In- duftry to puzzle and mifreprefent it. The • See p. 45. [ See p. 62, sgee p. 21. I'Fitneff'es 78 7he Christian's Faith Witneffes of our Lord's RefurreBion had been long ago heard, and after a fair 7ry^/, carried their Caufe: If again, on a Second l^ryal their Caiife receives frefli Light and Strength, we muft thank our Adverfaries, whofe Objedions alone were the Occafion that a Re-hearing was thought neceflluy. But thefe Gentlemen are continually attacking Religion with la- bour d Sophiftry, far-fete Ij d Objedions ; and then if we endeavour to guard againft their Mil-reprefentations, our Apologies come too late. We fhould have defended ourfelves, before we were attacked ; and detected their falfe Reafoning before ever they pubhfh'd s it. But there is one Part of the Objedlion re- mains ftill unfpoken to. Our Author re- prefents it as difficult to attain a jufi Appre- henfion of the Senfe as well as of the Autho- rity^ of Scripture, — I might indeed difmifs this Point as Foreign to our prefent Purpofe: I ihall however beftow a Word or two upon it. Ou rDivines in their W ritingG againft theChurch of Rome^ have fully fhcvvn that all Things neceffary to be known are clearly and plainly reveal'd in Scripture. Other Things there s Since I wrote this, I have rriet v/irh a Pamphlet entiri'd, An Anjwcr to the Tryal of the IVitneJfes : But, on the Perufbl of it, I find no Re^fbti to rerradl any Thing I have here faid. This Author's Objsdlions will be coniiderM hereafter in my Filth Chapter, if I am nor in the mean Time prevenied by lome abler Hand. are a Rational Assent. 79 arelefsneceffary 3 andthefe are fometimes dif- ficult and obfcure: The Senfe of fome parti- cular Paflages may be doubtful, and yet the Truth fuppos'd to be contained in them de- livered clearly elfewhere ; many Prophecies may be obfcure ; Points of Hiftory and Chro- nology may be difficult to fettle and adjuft ; feveral Things incidental and circumftantial, with regard to the main Purport of Scripture, may employ and exercife the Skill of the Learned. In thefe and fuch like Points, Prideaux, and other learned Authors may be ufefully confulted by thofe who have Leifure, and Capacity to enter into fuch Difquifitions. But they are by no Means necelfary to be read and underftood by every unlearned Chriftian, any more than the ingenious Dr. Hales's I Vegetable Staticks is for an ordinary Gar- diner, or the curious Obfervations of the French Aftronomers in Lap-Land for every common Sailor. ^ As to the Ca7ion of Scrip- ture^ the unlearned Chriftian may reft fa- tisfied that 'tis already fettled to his Hands; very few of thofe Books we receive were ever doubted of; all of them have been long ago receiv'd univerfally ; even the Enemies of Chriftianity do not, nor cannot, deny thofe Books to be wrote by the Authors whofe Names they bear : So that a common Chri- ftian feems to have very little Occafioa to [ Page 63. enter 8o The Christian's Faith enter into a critical Enquiry on this Head. After all, (hould we be fo complaifant as to grant our Author the whole of this Ob- jection, fhould we allow that the Evidences of Chriftianity are above the Comprehenfion of the Vulgar, yet this would by no Means come up to his Point, we might ftill contend that Chriftianity is founded on Argument^ though we fliould own that the Arguments which fupport it are not adapted to every Underftanding : Nay, our Author himfel has kindly furnifh'd us with this Diftindion. ^ Fie has ovvn'd that the Proofs of the Gofpel aredem.onftrative, though he, it feems, has not the Talents requifite for entering into De- monftrations : ^ He has confefs'd that the\ Tryal of the Witnefjes is a noble and convince ■. ing Domcnftration ; and that Mr, Addifon has certainly evinc d beyond all Contradidlion, the Veracity of the facred W ritings and Mifjion, Thefe are all fo many plain Contradictions to the very Title of his Book; but perhaps he only means to play the Droll : However we fliall foon find him making full amends for thefe ample Conceffions, and contradicting himfelf again. He will tell us prefently : ^ That the Evidence of thefe Fadts fo con- vincingly demonjlrated^ is no more than un- certain Hear -fay ^ 710 Dejnonflration to any that ivere not aBually and perfonally prefent^ ''Page 19. 1 P. 62. P. 18. "P. 53. ^P. 51. ^hcn a Rational Assent. 8i v)hen they were done^ p that thefe facred Wri- tings whofe Veracity is fo certainly evinc'd be- yond all Co'fitradiBion, are no better than fufpi- cious Repofitories of himan T^ejlimony^ that can- not deferve our leajl Notice, or be thought oj Confequefice to engage a Moment's Attention, But our Author, I fuppofc, will tell us ^ that the Ter?ns of Salvation are calculated for the Benefit of thofe who cannot read that the Precept of believing is, according to our Principles, addrefi to the unlearned, as well as the Learned ^ if therefore they cannot under- ftand the Arguments by which the Truth of Chriflianity is fupported, they muft have fome other Foundation for their Faith. — Be it fo, but why muft this be imm.ediate In- fpiration ? Will not Authority fuffice ? But this perhaps will alarjn our Author s Philo- fophical ZeaL He has, it feems, xh^ juficfi Conternpt for the Notion of Mens thinking by Deputy the beft they can, when they are not qualified to think for themfelves, — Has he fo ? He muft then have a Contempt for every be- nighted and wandering Traveller, who is glad of a Guide a Contempt for every Ship that comes into the River, for they all take in a Pilot; a Contempt for every one, who is wife enough to take Advice. His Contempt furely had been jufier^ had it been beftowed on thofe, who, though ?iot qualified to thi?ik P P^ge 59. ^ ?, 22. > ' P. III. M for Tloe Christian's Faith for themfelves^ will yet neither be advifed, nor dired:cd, but are wifer in their own Conceits than [even Men that can render a Reajbn, We defire then all Men, who can think, to think for themfelves; we defire all to judge, as far as they are capable of judging; We oifer the Grounds and Reafons of our Reli- gion to a fair Trial, and not only permit, but require all Men to examine it, who have Opportunity and Abilities to enter upon the Enquiry, But if there are any not qualijied for Reafoning at all^ let them follow the Guidance of thole who are qualified^ this is the wifeft and mofl reafonable Courfe they can take ; llich Men muft, and do ad: upon Authority in ahnoft every other Affair of Life. Should they then take their Religion upon Truft, and believe in Chrijl for no other Reafon, but becaufe they have been fo taught, yet, if this Faith is fruitful of good Works, 1 can fee no Reafon why it may not be accept- ed and rewarded. God does not indeed ex» pedl Men to judge who are not qualified to judge ; he does not require a Rational Faith of thofe who are incapable of underftanding the Reafons of it. But yet he may expedl and require them to believe what they have been taught, if they have no Reafons for doubting of it. If Men in thefe Circumftances un- qualified for reafoning at all^ throw off the Religion they were educated in, it is plain that not Reafon, but fome unrealbnable and vicious a Rational Assent, 83 7icIous Affedions murt: be the Motive, and uch a Condud mufl: doubtlefs, be difpleaf- ng and offenfive to God. But not only the Vulgar (it feems) but ^'what is ftill more furprizing) ' the ablejl and beji of Men are faid to be dij qualified for fair Reafoning by their natural Prejudices, — But what are thefe natural Prejudices ? We live in a Chriftian Country ; and our natural Pre^ indices generally lie on the Side of Chriftianity. In other Ages and Countries, Men might be by their Education prejudiced againft the Gofpel. They mi-^ht have contracted an in- nocent Partiality for the Religion they were educated in ; an honefl and natural Fondnefs for their old Friends and I doubt not but that the good God would make all reafonable Allowances for fuch Prejudices as thefe. But this is not the Cafe with us; the Caufe of Ckrif is not here the Caufe of the Stra?2ger : We v/ere mofi: of us educated in the Prin- ciples of the Chriftian Religion. What Pre- judices then can our Modern Philofophers have imbib'd againft it, unlefs Vanity, Fond- nefs of Novelty, and an Affeftation of fu- perior Senfe and Learning have taken Poffef- fion of their Hearts ? or unlefs the Vices fo feverely condemned and threatned in the Gof- pel, may be fuppos'd to be the Favourites in vjkofe interefi they are concern d ? But thofe ' Page 23. Ma who 84 T^he Christian's Faith who lie under fuch Prejudices^ are not the ableji and beji, of Men, nor will this be al- lowed of, as a Plea in the great Day of Exa- mination. Again, let me afk our Author, how the Prejudices of fuch Men can afFed the Reafon- ablenefs of Chriftianity. Our Faith may be founded on Argument^ though fuch as are dijqualifed for fair Reafoning may not be in a Condition to receive it. Befides how are fuch Pcrfons like to be better provided for on his Scheme, than on ours ? ^ His Method of Co7ivi6lion as well as ours requires a proper Dijpofition of Mind to give it Reception for it's Efficacy ; but thofe who will not hearken to f air Reafoning^ will probably be difpos'd ^ to rebel againft all the gracious Injlances of the Divine Spirit to enlighten their Hearts, Reafon v/ill convince all reafonable Men 5 but there is no Remedy for Obfinacy, Im- piety^ and PerverfeneJ], Our Author proceeds next to paint theln- fufficiency of Reafon and the Defedls of a Rational Faith, in the ftrongeft Colours. ^ He teils us that a Rational Faith will not produce that lively and adiive Spirit of Zeal, which becomes the Profefors of the Gofpel\ y that it is precarious and changeable with every wind of DcSrine ; ^ that it would mi- nijier little Comfort and SatisfaBion of !Pag.d3. ^Secp.(^4. » P. 24. ^ P. 26. 'P. 29. Mi72d ; a Rational Assent, 8j Mind', and is not of Force fiifficient to com- mand our PaJJions and make us 'virtuous againjl our Inclinations 3 ^ 7nuch lefs to make us Juffer Martyrdom, — But I muft once more put this Gentleman in Mind, that every Thing he here advances holds moft flrongly againft Natural Religion. If the Determina- tions of Reafon are fo precarious, no Man can have any fettled Principles whatfoever, if Reafon is fo weak and infufficient , thofe who had no other Guide but Reafon, could have no Religion at all. If there is no Com- placency and Satisfa^ion of Mind refulting from the Didlates of Reafon-, if no ConviSion drawn from Reafoning can have Force enough to make us virtuous agaiyijl our Inclinations, nor the highefl Degree of moral Jffurance be a fufficient Balance for prefe?jt Temptations^ then farewel Virtue, farewel Honour, fare- wel whatfoever Things are lovely^ and of good Report. Our Author methinks (hould have refieded a little on the Tendency of his Ar- guments before he publifhed them; and not fhot his Bolt at Revelation, without confider- ! ing firft, where it would fall, and what it might ftrike. I (hall enter therefore into a particular Examination of his Reafonings on this Head, in order to vindicate the Caufe of Natural Religion as well as Reveal'd, * Page 30. ^ P. 32. And $6 The Christian's Faith ^ And, firft, we are told, that a rational Faith is not fufficient to remove Mountains^ and make Men walk upon the Water, I know of no Occafion we have to do either. The Objedions of our modern Unbelievers are all that our Faith has to remove-, and thefe can never be called Mountains, unlefs this ingenious Gentleman can make a Moun- tain of a Mole-hilL But let him look again into his Bible, and he will find, that Faith, ^ in the Places he alludes to, does not, nor cannot fignify the Belief of the Gofpel. Chriji had promifed to enable his Apoftles to work Miracles ; and by Faith he here means a Truft and Confidence in his Affiftance, a firm Be- lief of the Truth of that particular Promife, net of the Truth of the Gofpel in gene- ral. Our Author proceeds to teach us, that a rational Faith would prove too cold, and would never produce that lively and aBive Spirit of Zeal, which is every where Jb jlrongly recommended to all Frofejfors of the Gofpel. — It may be true indeed, that En- thufiafts and Bigots are often more zealous than the rational Chriftian. But fuch a Zeal * as this is neither recommended, nor even al- lowed by the Gofpel, The true Chriftian 'Zeal is (as our Author himfelf obferves) sv. Zeal according to Knowledge-, and it bears a ^ Pag. 24. ^ Matth. xvii. 20. xiv. 51. *^ Pag'. 2f. Rom. X. 2. Refemblance a Rational Assent. 87 Refemblance to that Knowledge from whence it fprings. ^ It is fir ft pure^ then peaceable^ gentle^ and eafy to be intreatedy full of Mer- cy and good Fruits^ without Partiality ^ and without Hypocrijy. — But a Zeal according to Knowledge (we are told^) will fcarce ever deferve the Name, — No, Sir, what think you of Zeal for one's Country ? Zeal in De- fence of our happy Conftitution ? Zeal for the Principles of Virtue and Honour ? May we not exprefs a fanguine Concern for thefe great important Points? May we not be- have Vv^ith a laudable Warmth in fuch a Caufe; and yet our Zeal be guided by Rea- fon, and tempered by Charity? The Man, who thoroughly underftands thefe things, furely may, and will contend earnejlly for them, without fuppoiing himfelf infalli- ble. But it fliould feem, according to our Au- thor, we are to have no Principles at all; and then (it muft be owned) our Zeal will be very unnecefTary. Thefe are his very Words: ''What Reafon firfl eftabliPded^ it is evident the fame Keafon mujl ever have the Fower to repeal. Hence a rational Faith will ever be fubjedl to change^ and the mojl fixed Refolves and mature Determiiiations that Reafon can make^ mufi be always ready to be turned about with every Wind of Do- ^ Jam, iii. 17. « Pag. 25. ^ P. 26. dlrine^ 3 88 The Christian's Faith Brine^ as the Evidence fiall fiift to anofhef- Point, — What does he mean ? That what is true To-day may become falfe To-mor- row ? Or is our Reafon fo very weak and pre- carious^ that we can come to no fixed Re^ folves^ no Determinations^ but what are changeable with every Wind'? Take it which Way you will, it is down-right Scepticifm. If Reafon is fo fubjeSl to Change^ and Evi- dence apt to JJnJt about to every Point of the Compafs, we can have no Certainty, no fet- tled Principles whatfoever. If our Author will ferioufly avow this, I muft have done with him. It is to no purpofe to reafon with a Man, who has no Principles ; nor do I de- iire to drive an Adverfary to a greater Abfurdi- ty than Scepticifm is. But perhaps what foliov/s may explain his Meaning, s Reafon (he fays) can never be fo ahfurdly partial and tenacious as, for the fake oj any Conchfions already inade^ to turn, a deaf Ear to all future Suggejlions : — IVhereas it is the religious Mans Interefi^ as it is his Duty, to perfjl in the Faith he has once efpoufed, to his Life's End. — This Gentleman then, it feems, is refolved to turn Sceptick, becaufe he can fee no Medium be- tween Scepticifm and Bigotry. We muft, according to him, be either changeable like a Weather-cock, or fixed like a Mountain i s Pag. 2(>, 27. either a ]R.ATioNAL Assent. 89 cither ready to turn about "with every Wind oj Do5lrine^ or elje Jo abfurdly tenacious^ as to turn a deaf Ear to all future Suggejiions. Whereas, in Truths the right Way lies be- tween thefe two Extremes. In Religion, as well as in Philofophy, we are allowed and required to make our Enquiries with Free- dom; but in neither of them can it be rea- fonable to keep the Enquiry always on Foot. In many Cafes we may, in Cafes where Pra- ftice is depending we muft, come to fome fettled Determination. And lurely where the Evidence is full and clear, we may reft fatisfied in it, and fliut up our Enquiry. We may be reafonably alfured, that the mature Determinations of Re af on made, after a fair Examination, and on full Proof, are irre^ verfible^ and not fuhjebl to Change, A Man thus fatisfied, will not be ready to be turned ibout 'with every Wind of DoBrine: He will not admit of every trifling Objection, e- i/ery little Difficulty againft plain Proof. No fays our Author) ^ the Philofopher, after his jiro7igeJl Conclifom^ fpeaksy however^ very iifidently of their Contitiuance^ and is una- 'joidably liable to Recantation every Momeiit f his Life without Re?nedy, — Sir Ifaac ^ewton^ I fuppofe, did not know whether vhat he had demonllrated To-day, he fhould lot be obliged to recant To-morrow s and ^ Pag. 2(>. ■ N Euclid 5)o The Christian's Faith Euclid and Archimedes, after their cleareffi Demonftrations, fpoke very diffidently of their Conclujions, And yet we find the one has fubjoined ^ E. D. to his Demonftrations, and the other never, all his Life-time, found Reafon to recant his "Eu^'/jKcc, nor has he, nor any of his Followers to this Day, found Room for fecond Thoughts, Well, but are we then to turn a deaf Ear to all future Suggejiions? No: A Man may be certain, and yet not think himfelf infallible; he may be firmly perfuaded of the Truth of his Prin- ciples, and a(fl on fuch a Perfuafion with full Satisfadion of Mind ; and yet, if Objedions offer, he may be ready to give them a fair Hearing, s But the religious Man (we are told) is in Duty boimd to dljclaim all fur- ther Trial : No fuch thing. Religion requires no more of us, than what Prudence didates in every Affair of Life. A good Judge will give both Sides a fair hearing, and will de- termine according to the Evidence; and, no^ doubt, he is often fully fitisfied in the Judg-| ment he has given. But yet, however fully fatisfied, if there fhall afterwards appear good' Reafon to fufped an Error, he may give the' Caufe a Re-hearing. Li Points of Philofo-| phy, in the common Affairs of Life, I may receive reafonable Satisfadion, and acquiefce in what I have difcovered without further epag. 27. Enquiry !l a Rational Assent. (pi Enquiry. ^ Though my "Judgment may continue, for fome time, to vibrate in Un- certainty } yet its Vibraticiis will at length be over, unlefs it moves in vacuo: And, when once it is well fixed, I need not fet it in Motion again, merely to try Experiments. But yet afterwards, if weighty Reafons offer, I may give, what I before thought myfelf i certain of, a new Examination. The very fame, and no more, does Religion require of us. We are to enquire into the Truth of jour Profeffion as far as our Abilities and Cir- cumftances will permit. It is fuppofed, that fuch an Enquirer may receive reafonable Sa- tisfaftion. When we are arrived '^o this, we may fafely acquiefce in it, and need not pur- fue our Enquiry any farther. To be ever j learning, and never able to come at the Knowledge ofT'ruth^ is a Procedure as unwor- thy of a rational Being, as to be unalterably attached to our Opinions, and turn a deaf Ear to all future SuggeJiioJis. But, though our Enquiry is at an End, yet, if there af- terwards appears good Ground to fufpeft our former Opinions, we may then refume it a- gain, and, if we fee Reafon, determine the other Way. But if we have no reafonable Doubt of our prefent Perfuafion, we are not bound to raife any, but may honeftly and fafely fit down, and reft in our prefent Con- ^- Pag. 25 N 2 vldlon. pi The Christian's Faith vidlion. ^ What our Author adds of the Caje of a Convert^ {hews the Fruitfuhiefs of his imagination ; but wants Fad, I am afrarid, to fupport it. It has, on the contrary, been generally obferved, that Renegadces are more zealoully attached to tlie Caufe they go over to, than its original Votaries. But what if fome Converts (as there want not Inftances of this kind) finding themfelves miftakeq in what they once thought themfelves very cer- tain of, afterwards become too fufpicious and diffident of themfelves; is there no fuch thing therefore as Certainty? Ormufl: we therefore be either blindly attached to our prefent Per- fuafion, or continue for ever \h a State of Wa- vering and Uncertainty ? No, let us examine into the Evidences of our Religion, and be able to give a Reafon of the Hope that is in tis; and that will be our beft Security againft Doubtfulnefs or Apoftafy. On the contra- ry, a Man, who has taken up his Faith with- out Reafon, is too often apt to run from one Extreme to another. He dlfcovers per- haps fome Miftakes in the Principles of his Education ; this makes him doubt of every thing. Having no Foundation in himfelf, the leafi Motion fets him adrift-, he conti- iuies fluduating from one thing to another, and, at laft, for want of better Hold, anchors in the fandy Bottom of Scepticifm or Infide- lity. ' Pc^s?. 27. Our a Rational Assent. 95 ^ Our Author has advanced another Fadl of the fame kind with equal Confidence, but lefs Appearance of Truth. He appeals to the Ajinah of our cum Ccuntry, to prove that there never has been fee?i lefs of Zeal a?td Steddi?2efs in the Caife of Religion, than at thofe particular JimBures, when the Cir- cimftances of the Jifnes 72eceJJdrily led Men to the clcfejl Enquiry i?2to its Merits. — Pray, Sir, what I'imes and what^w/Wido you re- fer to? All the Annals I have met with, all the Times I ever heard of, declare juft the contrary. But I will not fend you to any Annals, I will only put you in mind of what pafied in the Memory of Man. You yourfelf may poflibly remember, your Father at leaft muft have told you, that there were, within thefe threefcore Years, Times of Dif- ficulty, when our Clergy fliewed a remark- able Zeal and Steddinefs in the Caufe of Re- ligion, and very inconfiderable was the Num- ber of thofe, ''d:ho made it their Principle to vary every Day with the RJlablifl^ment, " But our Author proceeds to tell us, that the rational Believer cannot promife himfelf that Complacency and SatisfaBion of Mind, "which is the bleffed Fruit of that true and genuine Faith he contends for, - — Why not ? Becaufe he cannot pronounce himfelf inviola- bly fecure in his Adherence to the Caufe he has 94 Christian's Faith has ejpoufed. — But his Premiffes have been already confidered, and confuted ; and there- fore we may difmifs the Conclufion together with them. ° But the ignorant and bigotted, it feems^ enjoy their Belief with much greater Trail- quillity a?id Confidence of Spirit, — A flirewd Argument ! The Fool is ufually more confi- dent than the wife Man; therefore the wife Man can never have any Reafon to be confi- dent of any thing. He muft diftruft the plaineft Conclufions of Reafon; the moft precious Promifes can give him no Comfort or Satisfadtion, nor the moit certain Hopes of Immortality fupport him in his gloomy Hours. One would rather think, that a ra- tional Faith (liould be lefs liable to Mifgiv- ings and Difirufis^ than one taken up with- out Reafon, and built upon Fancy and En- thufiafm. The warmeft Imagination will fometimes grow cool, and the moft confident Enthufiaft will have his gloomylntervals, his Seafons of Derelidion. What then ftall fupport him in this hopelefs Condition ? Reafons he has none to recoiled ; the Bafjs of his Hopes was founded on the Sandy and mull fink, when that gives way. But Reafon ge- nerally burns with a more conftant and e- qual Flame. The Hope which is built upon Reafon, is founded on a Rock^ and though * Pag. 25;. the a Rational Assent. 95 the Raim defcendy the Floods come^ and the Winds bloWy it fhall Hand unfliaken and im- moveable. In the following Pages our Author talks fo very loofely, that I cannot eafily fix his Meaning: p He tells us, that no ConviBion^ drawn from Reafoning^ can ever have Force enough to make us virtuous agaiwft our In- clinations , that the higheji Degree of moral j/l[furance will never be a fufficient Balance for prefent ^temptations. And, again, that the ftrongejl moral Jiffurance is not that CGr- dial RefleBion and Depcndance^ that can in- fpire all the amazi?7g Conjiancy and Refolu- tion into Men^ expiring under the laji Extre- mity of Ttorture. — And he goes on to fet forth how natural it is for Men, in fuch Cir- I cumftances, to diilruft rational Convidlion, and to prefer the great Duty of Self-prejer-- vat ion to the mod plaiifible Hypothejis, ~ What does he mean by all this? Would he fay, that it is impoiTible, by the united Force ofReafon and Religion, to command our Paj^ JionSy and rcjlrain the Propenjlties of our Na» ture? To contemn the Terrors of Death, and facrifice our Lives in Defence of the Truth ? Or is none but the Enthufiaft capable of doing this ? This is direftly fubverfive of all Virtues but (Thanks be to God) we can produce a Cloud of Witnejfes to teftify the Pag. 30. ^- P. 33. ' P. 34. contrary. 5)6 The Christian's Faith contrary. Every wife and good Man, either Chriftian or Heathen, who hath hved a vir- tuous Life, bears full Teftimony againfl: him. Every Man, who hath died in the Caufe, of his Country, for the fake of Ho- nour. Virtue, or Religion, is a Demonftration to the contrary. Many have refilled the ftrongeft'Iemptations, and encountered Death itfelf in all its Terrors j and profeffed to do fo upon rational Principles. Does our Author then mean, that Perfons who have thus facrificed their Eafe or their Lives for the Sake of Virtue or Religion, have afted foolifhly ? for this alfo many of his Expreflions plainly import. ^ T^he mojl valuable Reverfions, he tells us, are but of fmall Regard in Competition with what ii be- fore us? Nor can we be juflly blam d for this Condu^. ^ And again he fays, that the Martyrs^ if they did not proceed upon a much higher and furer Principle than the flrongefi Operations of Reafon^ died as a Fool dieth. What fhall I fay to a Man who talks at this Rate ? Are prefmt Enjoyments then jujlly preferable to the mofi valuable Rever- fionsy and that Reafon bids us 7iot truft too far to Futurity. Is not then the Glutton and the Drunkard, the Whore-monger and Adul- ter, the Traytor and the Coward juflly to be I Page 32. ? P. 33. I Pro- a Rational Assent. 97 blamd ? Are the Sollicifations of Senfe^ the Propenfities of deprav'd Nature fufficient to weigh down the Balance againft the Plea- fures of Virtue, the Teftimony of our Con- fcience, and the Hopes of Immortality ? Is it no better than ^ a fpecious ConjeBure^ a ^ flatter- ing Likelihood^ a ^ plaifible Hypothefs^ that Virtue and Happinefs are infepar able, or that ^ God is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him I In vain then have the Philofophers writ of the Sufficiency of Virtue, the Govern- ment of the Paffions, and the Contempt of Death. The wifeft and beft of Men have been moft wretchedly miftaken, who have willingly parted with prefent Enjoyments^ and chear- fully renounced all their Hopes and Inter efts , in this World, with much lefs Aflurance than the Chriflian Martyrs had, of being happy for ever in the next. Did Socrates die as a Fool dieth ? muft Leonidas, Epaminondas^ CodruSy the Decii, and all the Heroes of An- tiquity, who have facrificed their Lives in the Defence of their Country in the Caufe of Ho- nour and Virtue, ftand condemned of Folly? or muft we return the Charge upon our Au- thor? The Caufe of Virtue, Sir, does not de- pend on s venerable Tradition and hiflorical Records: I will not fend you to your Bible to be better inftrudted : Go, you may learn bet- ^ Page 31. 5 Sec r. 31. O ^ Heb. xi. ter 5^8 The Christian's Faith ter Morals of the Heathen Poet ; he \v\\\ tell you, Phdiaris licet imperety uf Jis Fal/iis^ admoto dit'tet perjuria tauro^ Siimmu7n crede nefas animam praferrePudori, Et propter Vitam vivendi perdere caiij'as. But perhaps it may weigh more with our Author, if we turn the Argument another Way. Let me then beg him to confider that he not only contradids the Rules of Religion, theDidates of Philofophy, and the commoii Voice of Mankind, but even the eflablifh'd Rules of Calculation too. Let me afk him v/hether he would not part with a prefem Sum for a valuable Reverfion, Nay, do not Men often lay down ready Money for a con- tingent Rc'verjion ? and do not the known Lav/s of Chance juftify their Prudence ? — A pretty Propcfition this ! ^ The moji valuable Heverf.ojis are but of fmall Regard in Com- petition unth what is before us: Farewell then not only Religion and Virtue, but even Com- merce too. — — -You muft not lay out your Money in Trade for this is partijig with the Good rjc have^ and trufling to Futurity for amends ; and Reafon forbids this, if there be the Icafi Pojjlbility of cur being dij appointed in our Security, You muft not fow \ for this is putting yourfelf to prefent Expence and * Page 32: Trouble; a Rational Assent. 99 Trouble \ and perhaps at laft you may be difappointed of your Crop. You muft deny yourfelf no Pleafure, fubmit to no Hardfliip, and put yourfelf to no Trouble, not fo much as take Phyfick ; for this is parting with the Good we have, and depending confidently m dijlant Expedlatiom and Promifes for our Compenfation, ^ Our Author would, as far as I can find, in Times of Perfecution be for making the fridiefi prudential Eftimate upon the Matter ; 7nd coinputijig njoith the moft impartial Ex^ lEinefs the Advantage and Lofs attending each import a?it Alternative, Let us take the Thing in his own Light, and examine whe- ;her in this View the Martyrs were fuch Fools IS he feems to imagine them. To proceed :hen regularly in our Calculation, we ought :o confider what they parted with, what they ^xpedted in Reverfion, and what Reafon they lad to expedl it. They parted with the Pleafures and Interefts of this World; and A'hat Value, pray, will our Author put upon jhefe ? If they were weigh'd in the Balance, jl will not fay of the SanBuary but) of found SLeafon, they will be found deceitful upon the VeightSy and altogether lighter than Vanity tfeifi Every wife Man knows that true Hap- Dinefs confifts in the Pradlice of Virtue, that he Pleafures of Senfe afford no true Satif- " Page 34- O2 fadtion s 100 The Christian's Faith f^dtion; that ^ ihx^ delicious Apple palls upon the Tafte, and is bitter in the Belly: That our darling PaJJions will ruin the Man who indulges them ; and the Appetites of our de- pravd Nature^ if gratified, will make us ipiferable even in this Life. ^ Does Reafon then bid iis make Jure of thefe Enjoy- ments at any Rate 5 and is not a reafonable Man jujlly to be blam'd jor fuch a Condu^? Is it not indeed the Privilege of Reafon to fee beyond what is before us ? to look into Fu- turity, and confider the Confequences of our Aftions ? He who can or will look no farther than the ObjeEls that are prefent a?id familiar to his Defres, ftrikes himfelf out of the lift of rational Creatures ; he liveth as a Dog liveth, and well would it be for him, if he could die as a Dog dieth. But however, it may be replied, that the Martyrs did not only part with prefent En- joyments^ but they parted with Life itfelf, and renoiinc d all their Hopes and Interefls in this \ World. ^ And what is Life ? It is even a \ Vapour that appear eth for a little Time^ and f then vanipeth away. It was what they could not hold long, what they knew not how fbon they might, in the Courfe of Nature, be de- prived of: And what are the Enjoyments of this World? uncertain, fleeting, and unfatif fadtory, fcarce a Balance for the many Evils ^ Page 32. ? See ibid. ^ Jam. iv. 14. and a Rational Assent. ar.d Hardfliips of Life. If we were npt bom for Immortality, we had been better never born at ail j if we had no Expedation of a better Life, this would be fcarce worth the preferving. I muft own that if I had ?20 Hope, and were without God m the World, I j fhould w^illingly fubfcribe to the Sentence of j the " Poet : Let us fee next what thefe Martyrs and Confeffors expected in Reverfion : It was a blelTed Immortality, ° a?i exceeding and eter- nal V/eight of Glory. Since then the Prize in View was fo valuable, and what they parted with fo inconfiderable, the leaft Chance of obtaining it will juftify the Prudence of their Condu<^. But our Author himfelf owns that they had p all the moral Certainty they could defire, the highejl Degree of rational E- vidence that the Nature of the Subjedl can pojji- bly admit. I hope then they muft ftand fully acquitted from the Charge of Folly. But there is another Circumftance ftill far- ther to be confider'd; they had Reafon to fear the Punifhment of their Apoftafy, as well as to hope for the Reward of their Con- ftancy and Fidelity. And here our Author f Fofidippiis ap Min. Peer. ° 2 Cor. iv. 17. ^ P. 32. I again loz The Christian's Faith again will tell us, i that where there is a Hell on one Side of the ^ejliony it is but natural Prudence to take readily to the fafeji Side. It needed therefore no very exadt Computation to determine what Choice they in Prudence ought to make on this important Alternative. It would have been the Height of Folly and Madnefs, for the Sake of preferving this Life a few Years, to run the Hazard of eternal Damnation. Should they at laft find them- felves miflaken, fhould both their Hopes and their Fears prove groundlefs, their Lofs, as we have feen, would be but inconfiderable. The Scorner might make a Jeft of their Firmnefs and Conftancy ; but their Scoffs could never reach, or affedt them : They would foon be in the fame Condition them* felves ; perifli for ever, and be no more. But, if there fl:iould be really a future State of Happinefs, or Mifcry, who would then ap- pear to be the Fool ? ' Then they, who have made no Account of the Labours of thefe faith- ful Servants of God, repenting^ and groaning for Anguijh of Spirit^ pall fay within them- felvesy This was he, whom we had fometimes in Derifon^ and a Proverb of Reproach, We Fools accounted his Life Madnefs, and his End to be without Honour, How is he number d among the Children of God, and his Lot is among the Saints ? Page 88. ! Wifd. v. 14. But €1 Rational Assent. 105 But poffibly I may be told I miftake my Author's Meaning all this while : He may fay, he did not intend to quarrel with Reafon in general : But only to fliew, that the Rea- fons, on which the Chriftian Faith is founded, are not fufficient to bear the Weight, that is laid on them. If he does fay fo, his own Words above quoted will juftify my Charge againft him. He fpeaks in general, without any Limitation, or Exception. ^ He tells us, that 710 Convidiio?t draivn from Reafonmg can ever have Force enough to make us vir- tuous againjl our Inclinations ; ^ that the firongejl Operations of our Reafon can never point out Truth fo us in a Light glaring and forcible enough to produce ajaithjul Martyr and a great deal more to the fame Purpofe. But, perhaps, the Gentleman has only ex- prefs*d himfelf unfortunately ? Very unfor- tunately indeed 1 But let us take the Argu- ment in this other Senfe. He has indeed faid a great deal to this Purpofe, ^ where he de- claims copioufly on the Uncertainty of Tra-- dition and human T'ejiimom^ and tells us that fuch Evidence can never be a Ju-fficienf Bajis for a Belief isohich is to produce a new Courfc of Lifcj and an abfolute Majlery of cur PaJJions \ ^ to confirm us fledfaji amidf the Rage and Cruelty of malicious Murtherers^ and enable us to he faithful to the lajl to a « Pag. 30. ; P. 33. 31. ^ See p. 34. perfecuted 104 ^'^^ Christian's Faith perfeciited Religion, — But he all this while forgets that a good Chriftian is fully per- fuaded of the Truth of Natural Relieion; as well as of reveal'd. However weakly there- fore his Perfuafion of the Truth of the Gof- pel may be fuppos^d to be founded, he (lands at leaft upon the fame Footing with the virtu- ous Heathen. The Argument therefore returns upon our Author. Hemuft either maintain that Virtue among the Heathen was neither rea- fonable, nor pradticable; or he muft own that a Chriftian wants not Motives, which may be a fuflicient Balance for prefent Tempta- tions. But is it not Folly to facrlfice our Lives for an ill-grounded Perfuafion? — If we take up this Perfuafion through our own Fault, or Negle6t, mwA fo far fland condemn'd of Folly. Here then perhaps may lie the Strefs of our Obie(ftion. The Arguments^ on which Chrijlianity is fuppos'd to be founded^ \ are at beft very uncertain ; no wife Man would lay any great Weight on them. Un* I lefs therefore the Chriftian M^r/^n had fome higher AlTurance of the Truth of their Pro- I fefiion, than can be had in the Way of Rea- Ij Jon and Argument^ y they could not, nor ij ought in Prudence to have encountered the lafi \ terrible Confequence with fiich Conjlancy arid \ Refolution, • Thus v/e may fuppofe our ( y See p. 33« [l Author's I a Rational Assent. 105 Author's Argument to run ; but then we muft cxpeft better Proof of the Uncertainty of our 'Faith, than only his pofitive Affertion. ^ He tells us indeed, that hurnan T^eJli77iony is ever liable to Error^ as depending only on fallible Authors ; and that our Faith is nothing more ^han the precarious ConjeBure of a fallible Judge upon the traditional Teflimony of a fallible Witnefs, — ^ But I have already (liewn^ :hat we may be fufiiciently certain of Matters ^f Fadt fupported by credible Teflimony^ ind 1 hope hereafter to {hew more fully the Sufficiency of the Gofpel-Evidence, and to Tive every Part of our Author's Argument a iiftindl Anfwer. It may be fufficient at prefent to leave iwith the Reader the Anfwer. of the learn- ed Mr. Chillingworth to a like Argument From his Antagonift. ■ ■ ^ A pretty So- )hifm depending upon this Principle, that who- 'oever pofjibly may err^ be cannot he cer- tain that he doth not err I A fudge may ^ffibly err in Judgment 5 can he therefore lever have Afjurance that he hath judgd 'ight ? A Traveller may poffibly miflake his Vay^ muft I therefore be doubtful whether I m in the right Way from my Hall to my ^uhamber^ Or can c^/r London-Carrier Z^/^i?^ '■0 Certainty in the Middle of the Day^ when ^Page 31. 'See before, p. 61 ^ ChiUingwortJf-^ oi-ks, p. 84., 85. P io6 7he Christian's Faith he is fober and in his Wits, that he is in th Way to London, But once more, there are fome of our Au- thor's Expreffions, which will bear perhaps ftill a different Senfe. In Page 33, ^c. he fets forth how natural it is for Men to dif- trufl rational Conviction in Times of Dan- ger; a to prefer the great Duty of Self-pre- Jervation in Uncertainties^ and lay but fmall Strefs on their Prejudices and PunBilios un- der fuch Dij advantages. — Is rational Con- vision then founded on JJjicertainties and Prejudices ? Or in what Senfe are we to take his Words ? Would he fay, that the Chrifti- an Religion is an Uncertainty^ only a plan- fble Hypothcfis ? We muft, as I faid before, defire more than his bare Affertion for it. We affirm, and are ready to prove, ^that God hath taken care to proportion the Evi- dence of the Reward propofedy to the Difi- culty of the Duty required y that the Chri- itian Martyrs knew whom they had believed^ and ^ had a fixed and well-grounded Confidence of being happy for ever in a?iother World, But perhaps our Author may mean, that the Generality of Men are governed by their Paf fions ; and fo fond of Life, that a rational Faith, without fome other Affiftance, will not be effeftual to keep them fteddy in the Pradice of Virtue, and conilant Profeffion cl * P. 3f ^Seep. 30. ^ See p. 35. Religion ; a Rational Assent. 107 Religion ; if this is his Meaning, I fiiall no^ difpiite it v/ith him. Mankind are doubtlefs highly obliged, and the Caufe of Virtue greatly indebted to him, for preaching up the great Duty of Seif-prefervation , for fpeaking fo jeelingly of the Enjoyments of Senfey for teaching Men to make fur e of prefent Good, and a fur in g them they cannot \ be blafned for their ConduB, But if tliis is ! all he means, pray what is this to his pur- pofe ? Is neither Virtue reafonable, nor Chri^ fticznity founded on Argument ; becaiife Men are hurried away by the violent Appetites of depraved Nature, and find themfelves unable to perform what they know to be good ? But is there not then a Neceffity of fome ^ much higher and furer Principle to bear Men out in fuch heroick Sufferings under the* lajl Extremity ^ of T'orture'^ So, it feems, this laboured Argument ends at lafl in proving theNecefiity of Revelation and divine Grace; fo far then we are agreed ; but what is this Principle we both agree to be neceffary ? Not immediate Infpiration, s to irradiate their Souls at once with a thorough ConviBion of what they were already fully convinced of. No, thofe who have, upon good Reafon, em- braced the Gofpel, and are fully perfuaded of the Truth of it, may yet want Affiftance to enable them to aft according to that Per- ^P^g. 34. 32. ^ See p. 33. P 2 sSee p. s^. io8 The Christian's Faith fuafion. So that our Author, if this is his Meaning, has confounded two things as dif- ferent as Belief is from Pradlice, or the Creed from the Commandments. I have now confidered this Paflage in eve- ry Senfe, I think, that the Words will well bear. He has indeed expreffed hirhfelf fo ambiguoufly, that I cannot eafily fix his Meaning. Nor can I comprehend what L deas he would affix to the Ttxms ^rational ConviBion — and — moral Certainty ; which feem wiih him to fignify ^ Uncertainty^ ' Prejudices and PunBilios, ^ precarious Con- jeBure^ or, at beft, flattering Likelihoods^ and plaufible Bypotbefes. This Gentleman then muftexcufe me, if I can call all this elo- quent Harangue on the Infufficieny of Rea- fon, by no better a Name than incoherent loofe Talk: I cannot indeed fee what pur- pofe it can ferve, unlefs it be to weaken the Obligations of Virtue and Honour, and intro- duce univerfal Scepticifm. At leaft we m^ay hope, that all wife and good Men will be fatisfied with the Evidences of Chiiftianity, when they find they cannot be difputed with- out depreciating, at the fame time, all inoral Certainty-, nor rejected, but on fuch Princi- ples as are fubverfive of all natural Reli- gion. ^ Pag. Mbid, ^ P. 31, ' ^- 33- f P. 34. Our a Rational Assent. log Oar Author proceeds next to confirm his Point by the divine W ord it felf. His Proofs from Scripture will be confidered inadiftind: Chapter: But he afterwards returns again to his firfl Head to contemplate the Oeconomy of Faith^ confidered only in the Eye ofifiri^ and iinaffijled Reafon — What he here adds, con- tains Httle more than a Repetition of what he had faid before, only drefled up in a dif- ferent Form. I do not think myfelf obliged to follow him through all his Variety of Ex- prefiions; if any thing occurs, which may require further Notice, I fhall be ready to attend him. Fini: then, the Inconliftency cfi Faith and Reafoning are here fet down in pretty ftrong Colours: ^he Foundation oj Philojbphy (we are told) is all Doubt and Sufpicion ; as the Foundation of Religio7i is all Acquiefcence and Belief — A ftrange Foundation to build Philcfophy upon ! I thought it had been built upon Axioms and firft Principles. But I fhall not quarrel with him about an Expreffion: He means (I fuppofe) that, in Philofophyy doubting is always previous to Knowledge; that we muft fufpedt all Opinions contraBed by Education^ and Jljake Hands fairly (as he p elfewhere expreffes it ) with all we have been taught, - — But we muft fay (with his and Des-Cartes's good Leave) that there is Pag. 6^, 3 .° P. 71. p P. 4. no ITO The Christian's Faith no Occafion for this. We may (as has been already fhewn) freely and impartially exa^ mine into the Truth of our Opinions, with- out either Jiifpedling or doubting of them. An impartial Enquiry may, in fome Senfe, be faid to be the Foundation of true Pbilo" fopby ; and fo is it of true Religion too. But perhaps our Author would fay, that, in Re- ligion^ we are to take every thing upon trult, and in Philojophy nothing. — Belief is the Foundation of Religion. Very well; but what is this E^/zV/' founded upon? We fay upon Reafon and Argument. But this Writ- er cannot diftinguifh between the Truth of the Gofpel in general, and the Truth of its par- ticular Do&ines. In Matters of Faith the firft Point of Enquiry is into the Authority of the Revelation. Here let the Enquirer examine with the fame Freedom and Impar- tiality as he does into any Point of Pbilo* foph)\ Let him, if he pleafes, be all Doubt^ and Sufpicion^ provided that his Doubts [ and Sufpicions are ready to give way to rea-"' fonable Evidence. But when this Point is once proved, then indeed we are to believe the Dodrines contained in that Revelation on the Authority of the Revealer. And fure- ly it is but reafonable fo to do. Reafor. teaches us, that God cannot lye ; and there- fore both authorizes and obliges us to a/Tent to every Dodrine which he has revealed Such a Faith then is the Faith of Reafon, . Fait! a Rational Assent, in Faith worthy of a Philofophei\ and confident with the Rules of Philojophy, Our Author purfues the fame Argument, 'where he reprefcnts the religious Man and the Philojbpher, as two Species of Men ?2e^ cefjarily oppofite ; and their ^lalrfications^ on both SideSy as Jb iiiany natural and infupera^ ble hnpediments in their Way^ to hinder even a PoJJibility of any Approach or Accoimnoda^ tion, TL he religious Man is (it feems) con-- Jcious that he is pof efjed already of the one thing neceffary\ and therefore conternns very jujily all meaner Purfuits^ which might pojji- bly, by any Means^ divert his Mind from in- tendi?2g^ with all its Powers^ the only Sci- ence deferving of his Application or Regard. But, with the Philofopher^ moral Relations are the general Touch-Jlone for T^rial of all l^ruths that come in his Way, and Revela- tion itfelf fands or falls in his Gpijiion only, fo far as it agrees with this pre- conceived Standard, But he has mifreprefented both the Chrijlian and the Philofopher, The re- iigious Man has no Reafon (as I know of) to contemn any Part of ufeful Knov/ledge. If his Capacity and Circumftances will per- mit, he may make himfelf Mafter of every Art and Science; and he will find, that fuch Knowledge will rather afiift him in, than divert him from the Purfuit of the one thing neceffary. ill The Christian's Faith necejfary. But fuppofe a Man fo wholly t6 intend the Bufinefs of Religion^ as to negledt or contemn the Studies of Philofophy^ what Philofophy is it that fuch a Man contemm'? He thinks perhaps he has no Occafion to be an accurate Naturalift, an acute Metaphy- fician, or a deep Mathematician. But moral 'Philofophy^ I fhould think, he might lawfully apply himfelf to; this is a Part, an effential and fundamental Part of his Religion, He is not, I hope, to difcard Reafon and com- mon Senfe. He may think his Religion founded on ArgumeJit, and may ftudy and underftand the Reafons and Proofs on which it is built. . Again, who is this Philofopher^ who makes moral Relations the Touch-jlone for the T^rial of all Truths that come in his IVay? What, will he believe no Fadls, give Credit to no Teftimony? Fie muft be a ftrange fort of Philofopher, I believe the late moral Philo- fopher. But if he is really, as his Title im- ports, a Lover of Wifdom, he will be glad to come at Truth any way, and will be wil- ling to try every kind of Truth by its proper Tejl. Now this is all we defire of him. Let him examine the Evidences of Chriftianity by the fame Touchfione as he tries other Truths of the fame Nature; and, if they will ftand the Trial, i hope he will readily admit them. Is he fond of regular Argu- ?f2e?2t ? He will find it among the Advocates u Rational Assent. 113 for Chriftianity ? Is he violently attached to certain ejlablilhed Te/h? Let him firft take care, that thefe T'ejh are true and certain j and I will venture to anfvver for it, that Chriflianity fnall not contradidl: them. Are moral Relations his "Touch-Jlone for the Trial of Truth ? Let him apply his Touch-Jione as far as it is capable of being rightly applied j let him firmly believe, and confcientioufly pra- dife every thing that refults from any knov^n moral Relation 3 let him admit nothing that contradids any moral Relation^ and I will again anfwer for it, that both the Evidence and the Doftrines of the Gofpel will endure this Touch-Jlone, In another Place we are told, ^ that Defen- ces of religious Tcfiets proceed in a quite dif- ferent Style from that of any other Logick one meets "u^ith ; and that fuch a kind of Reafoning is avowed upon this Subjeci as goes direclly oppofte to every other Species cj- Ar- gument that carries the Name, — I know not how to anfwer him, 'till he will lirfl in- form me what kind of Reafoning this is, and who avows it. But I would fuggeft a va- rious Reading : For religious read irreligious, • — ita lege meo periculo. — Thefe kind of Writings, and particularly the Treatife be- fore me, abound with a fort of Logick one feldom meets with elfewhere j and 'tis well ^ Page 80. known 114 Christian's Faith known there is a kind of Reafoning called Ridicule^ which has been avowed upon this SubjeB ; which certainly goes direBly oppo/ite to every other Species oj Argument that car- ries the Name, ^ Our Author proceeds to obferve, that the Study of the Mathematicks^ in particular^ is frequently found to have a T^endency to the creating an infidel Turn in the Mind, — • If fuch an Obfcrvation has been made, I hope 'tis without Reafon and Juflice. Sure I am, that there is nothing in the Gofpel inconfift- ent with any jnathematical Truth, No Ma- thematician can have any juft Objeftion a- gainft Chriflianity ; nor have Divines any Reafon, as I know of, to condemn the Stu- dy of the Mathematicks, " But Mathematicians are apt to contrafl a Difregard for any other kind of Rvidence^ than fuch as they are ufed to meet in that favourite Science, — - They muft be very wrong-headed Mathefnaticians that can think in this manner 3 and we muft blame them, not the Mathematicks, nor the GofpeL I hope this Gentleman will allow, that Mathe- maticians may be good Phyficiansj but if they will admit of no Evidence Hiort of ma- thematical Demonftration, I am fure they are not ht to pradtife. ^'But we are told, there never ivas in « Pag. 8i. " Ibid P, 71. a Rational Assent. iij Fa£l any right Under ft ari ding betwixt the Profejfors of Religion and Philojbphy : — the Philojbpher injolently fcoJfi?ig the Believer and he ^ in his Timi, as ze a loujly prefer ibifig the Philojbpher. — What ? Does this Gentle- man take himfelf, and his Club, for the on- ly Philofophers upon Earth ? Were not Ba^ con, and Locke^ and Ray, and Newton Chri- ftians? Has not he himfelf put us in Mind, that our great Philofopher Mr. Boyle infti- tuted and endowed Ledtures in Favour of Revelation ? Produce, Sir, if you can, a Lift of infidel Philofophers worthy to be men- tioned the fame Day with thefe. None of thefe Philofophers ever fcoffed at the Gofpel, or its Believers-, and, I hope, no rational Chriftian will ever profcribe them, or their Philofophy. Chriftian Writers may have beftov/ed their Cenfures on falfe Philofophy, and fet forth the Weaknefs and Infufficiency of human Reafon^ but they could diftinguifh between true Philofophy, and that which falfly ufurps the Namej between making Reafon no Rule at all in Matters of Religion, and making it the only and adequate Stand- ard of Truth. If any good Chriftians have gone beyond this, I am no way concerned 10 vindicate all that they have faid. I may have a juft Efteem for the Abilities of y Lord Ba- con, or the Learning and Piety of ^ Bifhop Pag. %G. y See p. 70. ^ Sec p. 103, 104, Beverege, ii6 The Christian's Faith Beverege, without thinking myfelf obhged to {land up in Defence of every Syllable they have writ. Chriftianity is not anfwer- able for all the extravagant Notions, or un- warrantable Exprefiions of its pious Votaries, any more than Philofophy is for all the Er- rors and Abfurdities of its learned Profef- fors. But, it feemr,, ^ the Wifdom of Man has ever been refuted FoGliJhne/s with God, and his Servants, and, but too often, the Cenfure has been (however vainly) retorted, — We are highly obliged to our Author for owning the Vanity of this retorted Cenfure, But he had better have owned, that the whole Quota- tion was nothing to his purpofe. ^ Mr. Locke thus comments on the Place, — that by o-c- (tog here the Apojlle means a cunning Man in Bufinefs, is plain from his Quotation tn the next Verfe, ^where the Wife fpoken of arc the Crafty. — Thefe Philofophers then of our Author prove at laft to be only cunning Sharpers and crafty Politicians j I'heir W tf- dom, we muft own, has ever been reputed Foolijhnefs with God and his Servants, But, with regard to Learning and Philo- fophy, though they naturally tend to exalt and improve our Nature ; yet it muft be owned, that they may fometimes be pro duftive of bad Effefts. They may fill xMen ^ Pag. 71. I Cor. iii. it?, I ^ See Lcckis Commcni with a Rational Assent. 117 with Vanity and Self-conceit, and infpire them with an Affedlation of Novehy and [Singularity. Prejudices and Bigotry too often take Poffeffion not only of the Blind and Ignorant, but of the Wife and Learned. We frequently fee the Philofopher as ftiffly at- tached to the Tenets of his Seft, or perhaps to fome Nojiriim of his own, as any of the I Vulgar can be to their Guides and Leaders. I Nay, 'tis not uncommon for Men, of a fub- \ tie Spirit and a penetrating Genius^ to over- jlook plain Proof, and maintain the moft 'glaring Abfurdities. We have feen many Inftances of this in Matters of Philofophy : That the State of Nature is a State of War % that all "Things exijl necejfarily ; that Mat- ter can think \ that the World was made by a fortuitous Concourfe of Atoms ; that /r/- vate Vices are publick Benefits^ and many o- ther extravagant Notions, have been warmly maintained by fome of the Philofophers, which would fcarce ever have entered into the Head of a common Perfon. We ought not then to wonder, if the fame Caufe may fometimes have produced the fam>e Effcds in Matters of Religion. We acknowledge that ' Men of Genius and Learning have troubled the Church with many Difputes and Divi- fions ; nay, we flirther acknowledge, that a free Ufe of Reafon (efpecially if not guided by Humility, Difcretion , and Virtue) has ij fometimes led Men into dangerous Errors. ' Thofe ii8 The Christian's Faith Thofe who do not think at all, are in lefs Danger of thinking wrongs they can, however, fall into no Error but what their Guides lead them into. We own then (and our Author may triumph, if he pleafes, in the Conceffion) that from the Ufe of Philo- fophy and Learning have fprung many, or moft of ^ the various Denominations of he- retical Chimeras and Abfurdities that have ever infefted the Peace of Chrift'i Church with the Alarms of Faction and Controverfy. And what then ? Is all this any Objedlion a- gainft, any Disparagement to Learning or Philofophy ? ^ The youngef Pupil of Philo- Jophy might have taught cur Author, that the Ufe of a thing is not to be laid afide, becaufe it has been, and may be abufed; that 'tis often the Fate of the beft things to be made an ill Ufe of; Health, and Light, and Liberty, as well as Knowledge. And what is here faid may help to account for what our Author objects in the next Place. < — ^ If this Chriftian Syftem (he fays) had proceeded on rational Principles^ it could never certainly have laboured under all that Contejnpt in the Eyes of the lettered Worlds which it did. — ^ For you fee your Callings Brethren ( fays St. Paul) how that not many wife Men after the Flejlj are called^ — But See p. 8^ *^See p. 8. 'P. i^. ! P. 80. T Cor. i. 2(). he a Rx^TioNAL Assent. 119 he may anfwer himfelf : — s T^he ablefi and befl of Men are fo?neti?nes difqualified for fair Reafcnifig by their natural Prejudices. — A thoufand Jlrong Impreffions already funk deep i?2to their Mind^ a tkoufand natural Attachments to Cujioms, Perjbns, and Thijigs, may put it out of their Power to make equi^ table Decifwns in CafeSy "where the Inter ejis [of ajiy of thefe Favourites are concerned. — A.S long as Men are fubjeB to the Infuence of Pafjions^ as uoell as Reafon^ fuch a calm and Stoical ConduB is not to be expe5led\ or that the Caife ■ of the Stra?jger fould have all this rigid fujlice and ftridi Regard that looks fo becoming in theory ^ paid to its Pretenfions and Merit, Befides, there may be particular Reafons afligned, why Chriftianity was not likely to meet with a favourable Reception among the Philofophers of that Age. Several of them indeed were Men of true Learning, and found Judgment ; and fome of them did adluallv embrace the Chriftian Profeffi- on. But then it is well known, that Pride, and Arrogance, and a fupercilious Contempt of the Vulgar, v/ere too common Ingre- dients in the Philofophy of thofe Times. A blind Attachment to the Principles of their Sedlj Art and Subtlety in defending and difputing for thofe Principles, were the. s Pag. 23. ufual 120 The Christian's Faith iifiial Qiialifications of the -wife Men amonrr the Greeks. Add to this, that feveral of tbt Tenets of the Philofophers were highly ab- furd and impious, and the Lives of many of them very immoral. No Wonder then, that the Catife of the Straiiger fhould meet with but little Jiijlice from fuch judges-, no Wonder they Ihould give but little Atten- tion to a Company of mean and illiterate Men, who taught nothing but plain Doctrine, fet off with no Ornaments of Rhetorick, or Arts of Sophiftry, and fupported by nothing but plain Fads. It could not, in the Na- ture of Things, be expeded, that fuch Men (liould eafily be perfuaded to forfake their beloved Vices, recant their favourite Princi- ples, and quit all their Pretenfions to Wif- dom. Perfons of a meaner Education were likely to be more humble, and teachable, and better difpcfed to hearken to the Truth, and w^eigh its Evidences, than thofe, who were thus conceited, and fond of their own Wifdom, For the Evidences of Chriflianity, though rational and conclufive, were yet ad- apted to the Capacity of the Vulgar; it re- quired no Depth of Learning to underftand them, but only an honefl and unprejudiced Mind to receive them. ^ Our Author adds, that Chrijiianity had all the Advantage of coming on the Stage at I Page 72.. C 'time a Rational Assent. i2x a Time of Day^ when Reafon was in the htghejl Requeft and Reputation : — but what I he would infer from thence I am quite at a Lofs to apprehend. Did not Chriftianity ipread, and gain Ground in that enquiring Age, and does not this afford a ftrong Pre- ' fumption of it*s Truth and Excellence ? Had the Gofpel made it's firft Appearance in a dark and ignorant Age, would not this have been made a ftrong Objediion againft it ? Would not our Author himfelf have triumphed greatly in fuch an Argument? Would he not from thence have concluded (and that with fome Colour of Reafon) that Chrifiianity was not founded on Argument^ or fuppofted by Evidence ; but that ^ Ignorance was its Mo- ther^ and the Saperftition of a dark Age bred and nurs'd it up. But, it feems, 'tis all one viMth him 3 he can argue which way he pleafes. — The Gofpel came on the Stage in a learned Age — But^ it fee?ns, they were not fo to learn Chrift, and that Religion and Science were^ as I contend^ two 'very remote and dij- ferent SubjeBs, — Q:_E. D. — I have often met with PremifTes, that have flood at a confiderable Diftance from the Conclufion; but 'tis not fo common to bring Premiffes to eftablifh a Conclufion, which^ if they infer any Thing, infer juft the contrary. We come nov/ to Page 8 1, where v/e have a ftrange Argument, or rather a Series of flrange ^ See p. 82. R Ill The Christian's Faith AlTertionSj unfupported by any Proof. <^ We are told, that even upon the plaineji ^eflion in Nature^ the Rxijlence of a Deity itfelf all the labour d ProduBions of Dr, Clarke himfelf have rather contributed to make for the other Side of the ^lejlion^ and raised a ' thoufand new Dijjiculties in the Readers Mind^ which would never elfe have occurr d to him. Again — the very hearing thefe Sub- je5ls canvajY d freely ^ though never fo 7nuch to their Advaiitage in Point of Argument ^ is in itfelf a very dangerous PraBice^ and a great Weakening to all religious AttachmentSy which are eflabliJUd en fo much a better Ground. — I have frequently had Occafion to complain, that our Author really ftrikes at all Natural Religion, while he aims only at Reveal'd: but I am afraid I mufc retra Perfons. But if your Hobbes's and Spinofas ;! ;(ball endeavour to puzzle this clear Caiife with jSophiiiry and Fallacy, I hope there never wili be wanting Clarkes and Cumberlands among us, v/ho will be able to unravel their Fallacies, and follow them through all their Windings and Doublings 5 to prove the fame Trut?h dif- ferent Ways, and place it in every Point of Light. We com.e next to confider another Paffage very much of the fame Stamp with the former. ' Our Author (it feems) cannot avoid regard- ing Mr, Boyle's LeBures, as a very principal Caiife of the prefent prevailiitg Dijpojition and Turn to Infidelity, — He could not well have pitch'd on a more unfortunate Inftance. The ' P. ^5, 8d. 3 very ti6 The Christian's Faith very Name of Boyle muft put every Reader inj Mind, that Reafon and Religion may dwell amicably together j that Learning, Philo- fophy. Honour, Virtue, and Piety may all be united, and center in the fame Perfon. This great and good Philofopher ^ had indeed ! experuncd a 'vajl Reach and Energy in Hu- man Reafon 'y but he did not ^ fondly imagine, that her Power was iiniverjdl, or that tbere\ was no Obje£i too great for her Cog?2izanceJ He thought that the Chriftian Faith might be eftablifn'd by Reafon and Argument, without attempting to fquare the Subje^ of it to the Capacity of our Underjlandings, His Defign has been executed with a Succefs anf.verabie to the Wifdom and Piety of the Inftitution. This ftro7ig Inflance^ as our Au- thor calls it, of the irreconcileable Repugnance betwixt Reafon and Belief happens to be one of the ftroxigefi Demonftrations, he could well have produc'd, of their Agreement and Affinity. Every one of thefe Ledures bears full Teffimony againft him, and proves be- yond all reafonable Exception, that Chri- Jlianity is founded on Argument, It is very furprizing, that our Author fhould delight in mentioning thofe very Books, which over- throw his whole Scheme. He is perpetually putting us in Mind of the Tryal of the Wtt- nejjes^ the Analogy of Reafon and Revela* ^ See p. %6. ^ See p. 87. ticn^ a Rational Assent. 127 'ion, Mr. BojXqs Lectures, &.c. Surely, they :un ftrangely in his Head ; I am afraid they trouble his Confcience. May we not juftly fufpedl, that he is angry with thefe excellent Writers, for demonftrating the great Truths of Religion too plainly ? They Jpeak found Speech, that cannot be condemn d but he that is of the contrary Part is not afoanid to put Nonfenfe into their Mouths, and then exclaim grievoufly againft the ^ Medley of Inconfiftency and ContradiBion himfelf has jumbled to- gether. A fair Anfwer to any one of thefe Defences of our Religion, would be indeed of feme Service to Infidelity; but does he think, that we will be contented with his aflerting roundly and confidently, that " this Scheme has in the Event provd radically injurious to the Caife of Piety, and infrumental in the unhinging of all religious Principles ? Are thefe W riters Arguments inconclufive ? let him fay fo, and prove what he fays. But, if they are conclufive, one would think they {hould confirm, and not injure the Caufe of Piety. I hope then I may have the fame Liberty of aiferting, (and I doubt not but Truth and Fa6t will juftify me) that thefe excellent Performances have greatly ftrengthen'd the Caufe of Religion in the Eyes of all fober and judicious Perfons : But, if there be Men, I "See p. 88. " P. %6. OA 128 Christian's Faith I ° on whom Demo nft ration has a quite cml trary Effe.B^ who can help it? 1 But do we not complain of the Growth oil Infidelity ? Yes, and fo we do of Vice too ; ancf perhaps this Gentleman may be of Opinion^ that the many excellent Sermons preach'd a- gainfl: all Manner of Vice and Immorality may be the principal Caiife of it. Here is again, a plain Proof of our Au- thor's great Regard for natural Religion. Many of tfa€ Sermons preach'd at Mr. Boyle's Lecture, are levell'd againft Atheifm. The Being of a God is there derraonftrated, and the Principles and Obligations of Natural Re- ligion fet forth. But thefe too (for our Au- thor takes them in all, without Diflindion) have, it feems, been p ijijurious to the Caufe of Piety y and injlrumental in the unhinging of all religious Pri?tciples, T^he labour d Produ^ions of Dr. Clirke, have rather con- tributed, to make for the other Side of the ^e- flion \ Bent ley, by {hewing the Folly oj Athefm, has pav'd the Way to it ; and Derharny by diipiaying the Wifdom of the Creation, has taught Men to deny their Creator. The Caufe goes jlill the backwarder for all their La- bours 9 and A^tbeifm iiill reigns triumphant. What muft we call a Man, that can argue in jhis Maimer ? Is he really an Atheifi r or is o See p. 21. P P. H6. ^ P. 8i. ' P. %6. he a Rational Assent, iig he only an humourous Sceptick, who takes delight to puzzle and amuze Mankind, with- out confidering, or caring what he fays ? The Being of a God (as I juft now faid) muft be proved by Reafon, or not at all; and if thefe Writers Arguments will not convince us of it, I really know not what will. But what is it he has to charge thefe reajbning Preachers with ? Has he any thing to objedl againft their Dod:rine, or the Ar- guments they bring to fupport it ? If he has, he chufes to keep it to himfelf. — ^ But they bid us all judge freely for ourfelves-, and yet expedl we fhould all judge jufi as they do, — On this Topick our Author declaims very plaufibly for feveral Pages together ; but one eafy Diftindlion will cut the Sinews of all this fpecious Harangue. — Thefe rational Divines QxpcQ. no Deference to their Autho- rity, but only to the Reafons they bring. — The one they neither have, nor pretend any Claim toj the other is no more than what all Mankind require and exped:. Every one, who undertakes to demonftrate a Propofiti- on, expects that others fhould be convinced by his Demonftration. He who brings good Reafons for any thing, expeds that Men fhould hearken to Reafon, and thinks he has a Right, ^ if not to he angry ^ yet at lead to complain of their Perverfenefs, if they It • Pag' 87. ^ Seep. 93. S do li ijo The Christian's Faith do not. If a Jury bring in a Verdift againfl plain and full Evidence, all the World will complain of their Dccifions, and fufpedt they are under the Influence of fome corrupt Mo- tive. In (hort (^as I have faid before) in all our Communications one with another, we fuppofe Men capable of underftanding plain Proof, and obliged to fubmit to it. Men indeed may be, and often are, over-con- fident; they call that Reafon and Demon^ ftration, which is not fo. But then we ought to difprove their Arguments, and fhew the Weaknefs of their pretended Demonftrations, before we can have any Right to complain of their Confidence. While thefe Preachers Arguments therefore continue in full Force, unanfwered, and unanfwerable, they may reafonably expert Men fliould be convinced by them. Shew me, if you can, Sir, where any one of thefe Preachers has challenged a- ny ol\\tx^ Attention^ or Deference to his Di- diates. They do not defire to be believed upon their bare Authority % nor expert that all your Attempts for Information fhould be under their Tuition and DireBion, They have left the Enquiry as open and free as can be defired ; they conceal no Fads, deny no Means of Information, nor have they JJmt up any of the Avenues of Enquiry. They do not throw out Volumes of myfiert- ^ See above \> 6i.^ 62. ''See p. 85?, 90. ^Sce p. 92, a Rational Assent. 131 Qtis and profound ^eries undecyphered into the Market-place they deal in plain Truths, and plain Proofs, that need no Decypherer ; and only expedl the good Company (hould be- lieve their own Eyes, and not wilfully lliut them againft the Light. ^ They allow you to contradiB them in earneji, and wifli you would do it in earnejl -^ they will not be an- gry with you for difputing againji them % they only defire you w^ould do it with De- cency, Sobriety, and Sincerity. But if Men cannot offer Objedions againrt 2i Lau\ with- out flying in the Face of it, nor give their Reafons againft an Eflablifloment^ without af fronting it', if, inftead of anfwering our Ar- guments, and bringing forth their ftrong Reafons^ they oppofe us with Calumny and Falfhood, Buffoonry and Ridicule, wilful and notorious Mifreprefentations of Scripture and its Dodlrines^ if every Art is judged lawful, and every Difguife becoming; and no Regard thought due to Decency, or Mo- rality, or the firft Principles of natural Reli- gion, we have then furely but too much Reafon to complain^ not againft Liberty^ but the Abufe of it. But to illuftrate this Matter ftill farther, let us fuppofe that Mr. Boyle ^ inftead of en- dowing Leftures in Favour of Religion, had founded a Courfe of Experimental Philofo- [ See p. 95, 9(^. S 2 132. The Christian's Faith phy. His Lefturers would then, I fuppofe, have (hewed their Experiments, and given People Liberty to make ufe of their Eyes, and judge freely for t he mf elves. But, after they had proved a thing by plain and unde- niable, Experiments, they would certainly have expefted they fhould all judge juft as they did, not on their Authority, or bare Af- fertion, but on the Experiments and Proofs they brought. Let us then only farther fuppofe (and 'tis no very extravagant Suppo* fition) that thefe Gentlemen have demon- ftrated the Truth of Religion as clearly; and then why may they not expedl People (hould be convinced in one Cafe, as well as in the other. There is indeed fome Difference in the two Cafes, Mr. Boyle's Difcoveries in Philofophy, though ufeful and important, are not of the fame Importance as the Truths of Religion; nor are Men under fuch Obli- gation to enquire, or judge about them. But God may reafonably exped: we (hould at- tend to what concerns his Will, and our own Salvation. If in thefe Points we err through Inattention, or Prejudice, we muft be anfwerable to him for our Negligence and Perverfenefs. ^ But Freedom (we are told) is the great- eji yejl imaginable^ ivhen tendered with the leaji Air of Authority and Refriction. — I ' Page 38. really a Rational Assent. 133 really always thought that Freedom fubjeft to no Authority or ReJlriBion^ was the very Definition of Licentioufnefs. God has given us Reafon and Liberty ; but we are accoun- table to him for the Ufe of them. He has allowed, and commanded us to enquire free- ly; but he expedls fuch Enquiries {hould be c^uided by Sincerity, and determined by Evi- dence. Such Liberty we have in Religion \ no greater can we have, or defire in Philo- fophy. A Charter oj Liberty, without fuch a Provifo, deftroys itfelf. Another Charge againft thefe reafoning Preachers, is, that they ^ pretend to fet up for Guides ^without Infallibility, — What ? jnuft all School-mafters and Tutors; nay, all Pilots, Coachmen, and Poft-boys be then infallible? I fhould think a Perfon fufficient- ly qualified to be my Guide, if he knew his Way; nay, I might fometimes be glad to ac- cept of a Guide, who knew it but a little better than myfelE Some Perfons have fuf- pedled, that this Writer was a fefuit in Dif- guife ; and it muft be owned, that feveral of his Tenets look very much that way. He here tells us, that ' a5lual Infallibility is the only Title whereon to ground any plaujible Claim to our Difciplefhip : In another Place he tells us^in plain ^erms, that Ignorance is the Mother of all Devotion ; and that the . ^ Pag. 00. « Ibid. ^ P. 82. looking 134 Christian's Faith looking prefumpfuoiijly into the Ark of God, that is, enquiring into the Truth of Religi- on, has ever proved a fatal Curiofity, It is the whole Tenor of his Book to decry a ra^ tional Faith \ and teach us, that ^ it is not the proper Province of Reafon to judge at all of religious Matters, Nor is it the firit time that our Church has been attacked by Per- ibns of that Society under the Malk of En- thufafm-y and they know very well what they do. If they can once convince Men there is no Certainty without Infallibility (which is the main Drift of moft of our Author's x^rguments) when their Brain be- gins to cool, they will naturally feek for that Infallibility el fe where, which they cannot find in themfelves. If they can prevail up- on them to give up their Reafon, and quit the Rock on which they ftand fecure, they may hope to perfuade them, after they are fufliciently tired with driving before the Wind, that the Church of Rome is the only anchoring Place, where they may find a fure Bottom. But what are our Author's Principles, or whether he has any, I pre- tend not to determine. I am concerned on- ly v^ith his Reafonings. And here he tells us that ^ aBual Infallibility is the only Title whereon to groitnd any plaufible Claim to our Difciplepip, — Wirk Idea our Author has ^ Pa-. 7. f P. 50. annexed a Rational Assent. 13J annexed to the Word Difciplejhip, I knovf not J nor what he means by g the true Spi- rit of Difcipleflnpy which he elfewhere feems to recommend to us. But, I hope, a Man, who underftands any Branch of Knowledge, may prefume to teach it, and m.ay retain Scholars, or Difciples^ without pretending to o^Bttal Infallibility. We may give a Reajbfi of the Hope that is in us with Meek- nefs \ and lay before Men the Proof of our Religion, without ufurping the Title of in- fallible DiBators, And what have thefe Preachers done more ? ' They pretend not to give a peremptory afid magijlerial Deci- fion of Things in any one^s Name ; they de- fire no one to believe the Truth of Chriftia- nity on their Authority 5 they offer their Reafons, and leave Men to judge of them. But perhaps fome Divines have gone farther; they have Jet up jor Guides^ which they cannot pretend to do without Infallibiiity for as long as the Guides we employ are lia- ble to be miflaken thenzfelves^ we can never have a?2y fuffxient Foundation or Infurance jor our Dependance on a fafe CcnduB, — A fine Sophifm this, depending upon this Prin- ciple, that there can be no Certainty with- out Infaliibllity, which is the very Sum and Subftancc of Scepticifm. Pie who is liable to be miftaken in any thing, is liable to be * Psgezo, ^ I Pet. iii, 15. 'See p. 01, miftaken 136 The Christian's Faith miftaken in every thing; we muft believe no Man, let his Skill and Integrity be ever fo apparent; w^e muft depend upon no Man's Advice or Authority, though in his proper Art and Province. And thus we (hall hap- pily get rid of all our Divines ; and, at the lame time, of all our Lawyers and Phyfi- cians. But we cannot pitch upon a better Inftance, than what our Author has here kindl v furniflied us with, that of a Guide, No Guide pretends to aBual Infallibility ; therefore he is liable to be mijiaken^ when he conducts us through a Road he has travelled a thoufand times. All Pilots are fallible Men; there- fore when we employ an experienced and authorized Pilot, uoe can never have any fuf- jicient Foundation or Injur ance for our De- pendance on a fafe ConduB. Another Complaint our Author makes, is, that ^ thefe Men prefujne to laviJJj their Wrath againjl the very Term of Free-think- ing. — Surely this Gentleman has never read thefe Performances he fo freely cenfureSa Moft of the Apologies for Chriftianity, which I have met with, recommend and encourage Free-thinking, and often in exprefs Terms. But if the Word Free-thinker is become a Proverb of Reproach, 'tis owing to thofe who have, without any Title, ufurped the Name, or abufed the Privilege. The Words ^ Page 91. Villain a Rational Assent. 13;^ Villain and Knave were once very innocent Appellations, but have degenerated through the Wickednefs of thofe who bore them. Nay, the Words Saint and Righteous have, through the Hypocrify of fome among us, been converted into Proverbs of Reproach. If then the Term Free-thinker has fnared the fame Fate, thofe, Vv^ho have been pleaf- ed to dignify themfelves with this Title, ex- clufive of the reft of iMankind, have no body to blame but themfelves. But I have paffed by a curious Argument, which I muft not forget to pay a proper Refped to. — ^ He that will allow me the Liberty (fays our Author) of fifting and controverting it at jny Pleafure^ 7niflakes the very main End and Defign of Religion ^ which was calculated on purpofe to rejlrain and compofe the turbukfit Spirit of Diffen- fion, and to prevent wrangling. Religion, a pacifck Inflitution, abhors all Difputes, &c, — I was in Hopes I might have enquired into the Truth of my Religion without wrangling. But what does this Writer mean ? Is it the very main End and Defign of Reli- gion to prevent all Enquiries into its own Truth? Was Jefus Chrifl^ fent into the World, not to prove his divine Miffion, but to let Men know, he had no Proof to pro- duccj and forbid them to afk any Queftions ! F^ge 83. T about 138 The Christian's Faith about it ? Or was it the Defign of Religioft to give us fuch a general Rule of Faith^ as fhould prevent all other Controverfies ? For this very Reafon the Truth and Certainty of this Rule ought to be the more ftridlly and carefully examined. But the Truth is,, the Gofpel does not require all Men to be entirely of the fame Mind. All Things ne- ceffary to be believed are plain. In other Things Men may, and w^ill differ ; but they ought not, and need not break through the Rules of Peace and Charity. It is our own Fault, if our Difputes gender Strifes and Parties^ Wra77gling and Diffenfion, I come now to our Author's concluding Argument, which is to come flill clofer, tf fofible^ to the Pointy and [peak home once for all, — It may be mdtzApol/ible for him to come flill clofer to the Pointy and yet be very wudc of it flill. But this home Proof is little more than a Repetition of what he had faid before, Pages 88, 113, 114. The Subftance of what he fo largely defcants upon, as far as I can make it out, is as follows : — Exa- mination into Religion can leave " a baptiz- ed and habitual Believer no better than it found him, and may leave him worfe. If, after fuch an Examination, he is convinced of the Truth of his Religion, he is only fix- ed where he was before, and his habourSy Pag. 115. P. 88. at a Rational Assent. 139 at beji:, are but fuperfuous, ° But if, after ally the powerful Evide?ice, on the Side of Religion, fiould fail in its Influence, and the fpecious Gloffes of Infidelity jhould unhappily mifguide our Reafon^ the Confequence is fa^ tal: For there is no Provifon made, either hy God or Man, for fncere Infidelity, — But all this fpecious Reafoning proceeds upon two \ Suppofitions, both of which we muft beg ' Leave to call in Qiieftion, It fuppofes, firft, the Confequence of a fair Enquiry quite uncertain and precarious. But we cannot think, that human Rcajbn, though not the adequate p Standard of Truth, is yet fo un- certain a Scale, as our Author would per- fuade us 5 we cannot but be of Opinion, that the Evidences of Chriftianity are fufficient to fatisfy every careful and impartial En- quirer. Another thing here fuppofed is, that the Chriftian, who, without any Enquiry, takes his Religion upon Truft, is innocent and fafe in fo doing. But we maintain, that 'tis every Man's Duty, who has Leifure and Ability, to enquire into the Truth of his Re^ ligion. If he negleds this, he is guilty of a criminal Omiffion, however right his Per- fuafion may happen to be. This Duty indeed of examining into our Religion, muft be proportioned to each Man's Opportuni- ties and Abilities. Perfons engaged in an ^ Pag. 117. P See p. ii^. T 2 , aaiv^ 140 The Christian's Faith adive and bufy Life, who want either the Leifure, or the Capacity to make fuch En- * quiries, are under lefs Obligation to enter in- to them. God will not require miich^ where he has not given much. But *i the proud Philofopber, if he is not able to give a Rea- Jon of the Hope that is in him^ is utterly in^ excufable. He has but little Reafon to be proud of his Philojhpbyy while he is a Stran- ger to the trueft and moft neceffary Wifdom, * A refined Genius indeed, that amufes itfelf with Trifles, and overlooks the one thing needful! A Perfon of -u^ry exalted Specula- tions, who can extend them no farther than the things of this World ! — ^ But why Jhould the Phtkfopher affeB to be more a Chrijlian than any of his honeji Neighbours ? — He is not more a Chrijiian, nor has he another kind of Chriftianity than his Neighbours^ after all his Enquiries : He is only better affured, and, on more rational Grounds, perfuaded of the Truth of the fame Chriftianity, which they, in common, believe with him. The Cafe is the fame in natural Religion. The Phi- lofopher believes the fame God, and pradifes the fame Virtues, as the reft of his honejl Neighbours but he underftands better the Realbns and Foundations of his Principles, and is better able to folve any Difficulties which may be raifed about them. And it is " Pig. 114- ' Ibid. his a Rational Assent. 141 his Duty fo to do. His refined Genius and extenfive Learning lay him under Oblignti- ons, which thofe of lower Attainments may reafonably ftand excufed from. If he negleds this Duty, he will not be fo good a Chrifiia?! as the reft of his Neighbours. Fe ought not to be contented with the fame Knowledge as his Sifiery or his Mother ; if he is, they will be not only equally^ but bet- ter entitled to all the Means oj Grace, and Hopes of Glory, But, to give this concluding Argument all pofiible Advantage, let us view it in every Light it will bear. Firft then, let us fuppofe this.honeft and diligent Enquirer educated in a wrong Perfuafion ; it is plain, in this Cafe, he can lofe nothing by his Enquiry. If he continues fixed in his Error, he is certainly no worfe than he was before j but, if he finds Qut his Miflake, he furely can be no Suffer- er by doing his Duty, and difcovering the Truth. This Suppofition, though omitted by our Author, yet ought to be made, be-- caufe no Man, without Enquiry, can tell whether his Perfuafion be right or wrong. Let us then, in the next Place, with our Author, fuppofe this Enquirer brought up in the true Religion. If his Enquiry confirms him in his Religion (as it may reafonably be hoped it will ) he has done his Duty, and has the Satisfaction to find his Faith reafon- ^ble, and his Hope Jure and fiedfajl. But t^z The Christian's Faith 3^ if the artful Reprefentations of the Caufe of Error pould pojjibly happen to mfguide his Reafofiy (which yet we think there is but little Danger of) he has ftill done his Duty, and the Confcquences of it cannot be fatal. If there is a Man fo weak, as to take ^ the fpecious Glofes of Infidelity for Demonftration, and not be able to fee through the plaifihk Pretext of their ingenious Sophifiry^ after a fair and full Enquiry, his Want of Capa^ city will be his Juftification ; the Sincerity of his Intention will acquit hiniy becauje he has done his beji, But //j/^ (we are told) is as much as to fay, that you will either do what God commands yoUy or take Care to come prepard tojujlify your Refufal to his SatisfaBion never ob- ferving the while that all your Reafo7jings of this Stamp are grounded upon the monftrous Suppofition that God would enjoin a T^hing^ that you fhould be able to give folid a?2d fub- flantial Reafons for not complying with. ^ Strangef Delufion fure I to go direBly oppofite to your Makei"' s exprefs Command^ and yet fatter yourfelf with the Hopes of being pro- vided with a fuficient Excufe for your Dif- obedience. — As you, Sir, have all this while fo ingenioufly perfonated the Chriiiian, give me Leave now to take the Part of this fame fincere Infidel. And under this Character I I Page 117. Ibid. ^ P. iiS. mull a Rational Assent. 143 muft tell you, that you are all this while begging the Queftion. You fuppofe God to have commanded me to believe^ whereas this is the very Thing in Queftion. Convince me of this, and my Enquiries will be at an End. I {hall neither make, nor defire any Excufe-^ but be ready to obey my Maker s Command^ as foon as I know what his Command is. All Reafonings of this Stamp (though I never met with any fuch before) are grounded up-- on this monflrous Szippojiticn^ that a Perfon fhould know that God had commanded him to believe, and yet be a fincere Unbeliever. But to fpeak ferioufly, where after all is the Abfardity of fuppofing, that God fliould en- joyn a T^hing^ and yet fome Men be provided with a Jujficient Excuje for their Difohe- dience ? We cannot indeed fuppofe that God would enjoin any Thing Specially to any par- ticular Perfon, which he knew he could not be reafonably required to comply with. But God may give out a general Law, w^hich fome particular Perfons may by fome Acci- dent be incapable of comiplying with. Should we fuppofe God on any particular Occafion to command all Men to fee, yet furely thofe, who have no Eyes, may be able to give folid and fubpiantial Reajbns for not complying. In like Manner, if he commands all Men to believe, yet thofe, who have no Opportuni- ties of coming to the Knowledge of the Truth, may be able to juflify their Refufal to 3 144 Christian's Faith to his SatisfaBio?2. The Truth is, no Com- mands, whether Human or Divine, however general, can be fuppos'd to extend to fuch Perfons, as are under a natural Incapacity of obeying them. But our Author argues fomewhere, ^ that this is inconliilent with the Notion of one only true and faving Faith. How fo ! The Truth is one and the fame, whether Men are capable, or incapable of perceiving it. When we talk of one only faving Faith^ all we mean is that Faith in Chrifl is the only Means appointed by God, whereby we may acquire a legal Claim, and Covenant-Title to the Privileges of his Gofpel. But we do not hereby defign to exclude all others from all Hopes of Mercy ; much iefs do we fay, that God will punift Men for not believing, when he has given them no fufficient Means of Convidion. But this Point has been already, I hope, fufiiciently confider'd. i CHAP. III. I ! I Have now gone through that- Part of ouf j Author's Argument, wherein he feems to ' place his greateft Confidence, where he think- he has acquitted hi?nfelj beyond all Ex- ception. If I have taken from him all his Page 5>4.. See before, p. 40, ^c. ^ P. 106. Armour^ a Rational Assent. j^y Armour^ 'wherein he trujled^ I hope I fliall nore eafily be able to difarm him of thefe iVeapons, on which he himfelf feems not nuch to depend. It required fome Labour 0 purfue him through all the double and reble Meanings of ingenious Sophijlry-, but I lave now little elfe to do, than to give a fair md juft Interpretation of thofe Scriptures he las mifapplied : And I doubt not but I fhall ind it much eafier ^ to a/certain the jiijl Senfe and Meaning of the Scripture, than :hat of our Author. He himfelf indeed, as [ faid, feems to lay no great Strefs on this Part of his Performance. ^ He tells us, that a critical PunBuality is by no Means his Care^ that it is eiiough for his Def.gn, if the main Drift and Scope of the Argument is main^ taind only with fome tolerable Degree of Propriety ^ fo as to carry jiift the Face of fomething plaifble and confiftent, A fair Confeffion indeed ! Behold here a true Picture of all Infidel Writings. They care not for Exa&nefs^ or FimBuality\ it is enough for their Defign^ if what they fay carries juji the \Face of fomething plaufible and conffte^it. The Subjed: before us is, one would think^ ,of the higheft Importance ; the s poi^iting out \fhe authorizd Principle of Faith-, nay, (ac- cording to our Author) the Principle of all divine Knowledge, the ^^only Ground, where- * See p. 3^). f P, 105. « ic:6 U ^Ses p. 81. 1^6 The Christian's Faith on the Belief of a God can be fafely ejla- bliJTfd ; ^ and the Intelligence of this Prijtciple^ he himfelf (fpeaking of Scripture) tells us, can proceed Jrom Revelation only^ And yet this Gentleman, on this Subjeft, fhall con-| tent himfelf with quoting ' luch TextSy asj happen to occur to his Memory^ little concern- 1 ing himfelf how he has mijtaken or mifap-^ plied them. — Tantamne rem tarn negligent er ! \ But he has acquitted himfelf fo uneX' \ ceptionably in making good his firfl Ground^ l that all farther Care^ or ExaBnefs is nowj unneceflary. — The Reader may poffibly be of ^ another Opinion. He may, perhaps, think j rather, that his Apology ought to have been \ more general, and extended to his whole ! Performance. He may have already metj with ^ Inadvertencies^ for which the Author ought to have befpoke his Candor ^ and court- \ ed his Courtefy. But, it feems, he does not depend on any of the particular Tiexts he has quoted ; ^ there are other innumerable Paf fages throughout the whole Scripture^ that concur in proving his Point j and his Argu- ment depends on the joint Tenor and Ten- dency of the whole. — It will be Time enough to confider thofe other innumerable Pajfages^ when he thinks fit to produce them ; but to fly for Refuge to the general Tenor of the ^ Page 10^, 107. ' P. 105. ^ P. 105. J P. 56, 57. «R lol 'i^hok a Rational Assent. 147 whole Scripture feems to be rather giving up his Point, than proving it. At leaft, we muft wait till he is pleas'd to favour us with a new Comment on the greflt Original^ which will fhew us this joint T!endency^ and difcover, what no Mortal yet has ever been able to fee there. All we can do at prefent, is, to examine thofe Proofs from Scripture, he has thought proper to alledge, and leave it to the Reader to judge, whether they can be faid even to carry the Face of any Thing plaufible, or confiftent. " And here he ap- prehends he has little more to do, than to coU ledf all thofe ExpreJJionSy that treat of the Nature of Faith^ *— fuch as — ° Left they fhoiild iinderftand with their Hearts ; — p T!heir foolijh Heart was darken d-, — *i Purified their Hearts by Faith, ~ Exprefjions appli- cable with no Propriety to the intelledlual Fa- culty ^ but evidently defcriptive of the Will only, ' . ■ He begins like an able Commen- tator, throughly vers'd in Scripture-Language. The Word Heart is, it feems, always ikfed to fignify the Will only, What then does he think of thefe Expreffions ? — ' Why reafon ye thefe Tubings in your Hearts ? * ' Why do Thoughts arife in your Hearts - * All Men musd in their Hearts of John. — God fiird Bezaleel andk\io\\2ih with Wifdoni °Matt.xiii. 15. P Rom. i. 21. ^ Acftsxv. 9. ' Mar. ii. 8. • Luke xxiv. 5,8. ! Luke iii. 15, * Excd, XXXV. U 2 of 148 The Christian's Faith of Heart to work all Manner of Work 3 ~ ^ God refpeBeth not any that are wife oj Heart, — But, fuppofing thefe ExpreJJions. were defigned to be defcriptive of the Will^ y it has been already fhevvn that our A (Tent > depends very much upon our Will ; and that i Faith may with great Propriety be attributed to the Hearty confider'd as the Will, and yet be a Rational Faith, * In the next Place, cur Author refers us to the plain narrative Fart of the Gofpel- Hifiory^ from whence, he tells us, it appears ih^t our Saviour did not lay theArgumejits and Proofs of his Mifjion before his Difciples^ nov, give them Time to confider calmly of their \ Force, and Liberty to determine thereon, as their Reafon fhould direB them, — ^ This is, it fe'ems, a Particular, which appears to him entirely uncontrovertible, and cn this Circum- fiance he defigns chiefly to ref his Appeal. — Very well — the Caufe will then foon be brought to an liTue. Let then the Reader turn to John v. Our Saviour there exprelly fays, — ^ If I bear Witnefs of myfelf ?ny Witnefs is not true r— and then he appeals, firft to the Teftimony of John, whom the Jezvs generally acknowledged to be a Prophet lent from God. — Te fent unto John, and he bare IVitnefs unto the Truth — next to the Job xxxvii. 24. ^ See before p. 15, ^c. ^ P. 36/ Ibid. ? Jokn'v. 31^ ^c, ! Matt. xxi. 2^. Evidence a Rational Assent. 149 Evidence of his own Miracles — the Works that I do, bear Witnefs of me^ that the Fa- ther hath fent me, Laftly, he adds: — Search the Scriptures^ for in them ye think ye have eternal Life, and they are they 'which tejlify of me. — Again, ^ when John the Baptift fent his Difciples to Chrift, to afk him — Art thou he that fdould come, or look we for ano- ther ? — >he laid the Arguments and Proofs of his Miffion frankly before them. — In that fame Hour he curd many of their Infirmities and Plagues, and of evil Spirits, and unto many that were blind he gave Sight and he faid unto them — Go your Way, and tell John what Takings ye have feen and heard^ how that the Blind fee, the Lame walk, the j Lepers are cleans d, the Deaf hear, the Dead ' are raisd, to the Poor the Gofpel is preach' d. At another Time he thus befpeaks the 'Jews, > ^ The Works that I do in my Father s Name, they bear Witnefs of me, If I do not the Works of my Father, believe me not ; j but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the Works : That ye may knoiv and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him. — And after his Afcenfion his Apoftles appealed to the Tame Works, as Proofs of his Miffion. St. Peter, difcourfing with the Jews, makes this Appeal to their PCnowledge and Under- Jlanding, ^ ^ Jefus oj Nazareth, a Man ap- t Luke vii, 19- ^ John v. 2^^ 37^ 38. [ Ads ii. 22. I prov'd lyo The Christian's Faith provd of God among you by MiracleSy and IVonderSy and SignSy which God did by him in the midji of you^ as ye yourfelves alfoknow, — sMany more Inftances, were there Occa- fion, might be produced to the fame Purpofe. What fhall we then fay to a Writer, who will affert fo confidently, what has not the leaft Foundation in FacS ; v/hat every one, who ever read over the GofpeUHiftory muil know to be falfe ? ' May the candid and courteous Reader overlook all his Inadvert- encies and Errors, in Poi7it of firidi Cri- iiciftn ; but I hope he will not court his Court efy fo far, as to apply for a formal demnity for notorious and palpable Falf- hoods. Let us however hear Vv^hat he has to fay againft fuch plain Proof ^ Firft then, he tells us, that ^ Chrijl taught his Difciples, as one having Authority ; as one who derivd from Heaven the InftruBions he was commu- nicatingy as a Majier^ who had a Right to dilate and prefcribe to his Pupils without Reply — . But here our Author confounds two Things very diftind:, the Proofs of our Sa- viour's Miffion, and thofe of his Dodtrine. Chriji had no Occafion to offer to their Exa- mination every particular Doftrine, which he taught 'y but only this general Truth, that he ^ See Matt. xi. 20, dsfr. xii. 28. ^ John ii. it. vii. 31. xi. 42. xiv. 10, 11. xv.. 24. ' See p. 105. ^P. 37. ^ Matte viL 2Q. was a Rational Assent. iji was a Perfon fent from God. He taught them indeed, as one halving Authority ; but he firft gave Proof of that Authority. He demonftrated hy 7nany infallible Proofs, that he was fent from Heaven ; and then, furely he might well challenge a Right to diBate and prefcribe to his Pupils, In the next Place we are told, that thefe Difciples knew nothing of Reafoning \ it was a Matter quite out of their Element, — "But it has been already fhewn, that Reafoning is not fo much out of the Element of the Vulgar, as this Gentleman would perfuade us; and that the Proofs of Chriftianity are plain and obvious to any Man of common Capacity. Our Saviour made no Ufe of Sophifry^ to perplex and entangle Men ; the Proofs of his Miffion, though rational and conclufive, might yet eafily be underftood without any profound Skill in the Arts of Syllogifm, The Apoftles had Eyes to fee, and Ears to hear ; they were, I believe, qualified to ferve on a Jury and capable of Judging of plain Matters of Fadt. But we are told, that our Saviour did but ill approve the being called on upon any Occafion to explain ; and that this will readily appear^ when we obferve^ how cautious and refervd thofe who were beft acquainted with his Manner were in that Particular hQi» ^ Pag. 37. ^ Sec before, ^.Ci. .«P, 37. fearful lyi The Christian's Faith fearful at every T^urn of giving Offence^ and incurring Reproof by any farther Enquiry^ eveji at 'Times^ when they did not really ap- prehend his Meaning, — This is another of our Author's p Inadvertencies^ for which he expeds a formal Indemnity. If we look into Scripture, we fliall find juft the Reverfe of all this to be true. ^ Our Saviour himfelf tells his Difciplcs, that he had made known unto them all Things that he had heard of his Father. St. Mark tells us, that though he fometimes fpake to the People in Parables^ yet, when they were alone^ he expoimded all ^hi7igsto his Difciples. ' We find them ac- cordingly at every Turn freely afking him Queftions, and him as freely anfwering them. What then has our Author to alledge againfl all this Teftimony? But one only Inftance, I think, where, on our Saviour's preaching to them difagreeable Dod:rine, we are told ' they under jlood it not^ and were afraid to afk hi?n , though whence their Fear arofe is no Vv^here intimated. Perhaps, like dull Scholars, they were afraid to afk Queftions, left: they fliould be chid for their Ignorance ; perhaps they did iked the Doftrine, and (as is too often the Cafe) were unwilling to be too well alTur'd of it. — Veriti & increpationem, & ex clariore explicatione mceroris augment urn, p Seep. 105. ^ John xv. 15. * Mark iv. 34. * See Matr. xiii. 10. xv. 15. xviii. 21. Mark x. 10. Luke viii. 5. xi. i. Johnxiv. 5, I Mark ix. 32, fays II a Rational Assent. lyg — fays one of the " Commentators. But» whatever Caufe may be affign'd, I think we cannot but admire our Author's Skill, who could fo well improve upon fo flenderaHint, and fo ingenioufly extract fomething out of ^— nothing. In another Place our Author would per- fuade us, that Chrijl had no Intention to prone his own T ruth and Char aBer by his Miracles-, and that he was always remarkably upon the Referve in that RefpeB^ whenever he hap^ pe?id ainongfi unbelieving Co7npany^ and took particular Care to prevent their ever coming to publick Notice, But this again is all falfe Fad. Did this Gentleman never read the Bible ? or, did he hope to meet with Readers, who never had ? It is evident to any one, who will look into the Gofpel-Hiftory, that many of our Lord's Miracles were wrought in the moft publick Manner : y Some at ^e- riifalemy at the Time of a publick FeaR-y ^ others, in the Streets of Villages and Cities ; ^ others, in their ^x^kXiz^ Synagogues \ ^others, hdoxt great Multitudes^ who came together to hear^ and to be heal' d by him of their In- firmities, He healed the Paralytick before a vaft Multitude of People, when there were Pharifees and Doctors of the Law fitting by^ " Lucas Brugenfts. ^ P, 48, ^ John ii, 23, iv= 45. Mark vi, 5^^, * xMact. ix. 35. xii. 10. ^ Luke v. 15. Mark i. 32. ^ Luke X "which 1J4 Christian's Faith 'which were come cut of every Town of Gali-- lee, and fudea^ and Jerufale?n. " Juft be- fore his Death the Blind and the Lame cafne to him in the Temple, and he healed themy and the Chief Priejls and Scribes faw the woftderful things that he did. And, that our Saviour defigned thefe Inflames of his Power as Proof of his Truth and CharaBer, and appealed to them as fuch, has been already, I hope, fliewn fufficiently. But are there not feveral Inflances upon Record, where our Saviour refufed to give Proofs of his Miffion, when called upon fo to do j and took particular Care to prevent their ever coming to publick Notice'? — Be it fo, and what would any plain Man natu- rally conclude from thence, but that as our Saviour, on all proper Occafions, fully prov- ed his Million by many Signs and Miracles^ fo he fometimes had particular Reafons for refufing, or concealing them ? Thus com- mon Senfe and Equity would oblige us to judge, though we could not aKvays affign the Reafon of his fo doing. But let us examine the Inflances our Author has produced ; and we fhall find, that the Scripture itfelf will furnifh us with Reafons fufficient to juffify our Saviour ^ Condudl in every one of them. ^ The firft Inftance he alledges, is that of the Scribes and Pharifees afking a Sign of '* March, xxi. 14, 15. Pag. 373 38. Matth.xii. 38, 39. our a Rational Assent. 15J our Saviour, But he anfweredy and [aid fo them: An evil and adulterous Generation feeketh after a Sign j and there fhall ?io Sign be given it, but the Sign of the Prophet Jc- nas, — This feeking after a Sign, our Author calls defring a rational Evidence for their Difciplejhip \ and tells us, that it was fo far from any thing criminal or blame-worthy, that it was, in all Reafon, their indifpenfable Duty, — Our Author's Inadvertencies mul- tiply upon us apace. He tells us, that thefe Scribes and Pharifees are ftyled a foolijh and adulterous Generation, for their Prefumption in feeking ajter a Sign, But cur Saviour fays no fuch thing; he ftyks them, in gene^ ral, an evil and adulterous Generation, with- |Out any Reference to this particular Inftance of feeking after a Sign : From whence one might reafonably conclude, that our Saviour therefore refufed them a Sign, becaufe they were antecedently evil and adulterous^ and were lixke to be never the better for it. A- gain, the latter Claufe — hut the Sign of the Prophet Jonas — our Author has wholly o- mitted. It was not to his purpofe^ it would have fliewn, that Chrifl did not expedt his Religion fhould be received without Proof; that, though for the prefent he refufed them a Sign, yet he referred, even this evil and adulterous Generation^ to a great and re- markable Miracle to be wrought hereafter, X 2 Bu 1^6 The Christian's Faith ^ But PunSluality is, by m Mea?2s, this Wri- ter's Care : If he had given us a fair Repre- fentation of the whole Truth, it would no have anfwered his Defign-, his Objedtior would not have carried the Face of Jome- thing pi aujible. This we mufl do then foi him : We need indeed only look back intc the Occafion of what pafled here between our Saviour and the Scribes and PharifeeSj and we fhall find a full Juftification of his Condud. We read, <^ that they brought untc hi in one poffefj'ed with a Devil^ blind and dumb ; and he healed him, info much that the blind a?id dumb both /pake and f aw. And all the People were amazcdy and faid^ Is not this the Son of David'? But the Pharifees^ though they could not deny the Truth of this notable Miracle, yet chofe rather to take Refuge in any Pretence, than fubmit to the Evidence of it. This Fellow ( faid they ) doth not cajl out Devils^ but by Beel- zebub y the Prince of the Devils, To this Objedlion our Saviour gives a full and folid Anfwer. But the Scribes and Pharifees,^ though they could not reply to his Reafbns, ; nor deny a Fad plainly wrought before their Eyes, ftand out ftill againft Convidtion, and: call for a new and greater Sign to fatisfy them. ^hen certain of the Scribes and Pharifees \ See f sg. 105. * A'latth. xii, 22, ^c. anfwer ed^ a Rational Assent. anfwered^ faying^ Majler^ we would fee a Sign from thee. Bat all this our Author pronounces to be ^ far from any thing cri^ minal or blame-worthy, Thefe worthy Pha- rifees only defired a rational Evidence for their DifcipleJInp-, it w 2.% their indifpenfable Duty never to be fatisfied, or convinced, but . to require one Sign after another, without fj Reafon, and without End. But our Saviour, I it feems, was of another Opinion: He thought, that, as they deferved no farther Ap- plication, fo any new Means of Conviftion would have been as ineffectual as the for- mer. " But there is another Inftance of the like Nature in Scripture, where the Pharifees, a- gain, on another Occafion, came to our Sa^ viour^ and, tempting him^ defired that he would fiew them a Sign from Heaven, This was, again, after many and great Miracles wrought by him ^ and therefore no Wonder, that he fliould give them the like Refufal. But our Saviour's Anfwer to them, on this Occafion, is very remarkable : — He anfwer- edj and [aid unto them^ When it is Evening ye fay. It will be fair Weather-, for the Sky is red. And, in the Morning, It will be foul Weather To-day ; for the Sky is red and lowr- ing. O ye Hypocrites, ye can difcern the Face of the Sky but can ye not difcern the t Page 38. ' Mauh. xvi, 4. Signs 158 The Christian's Faith Sign!^ of the T'imes ? A wicked and adult erom Generation feeketh after a Sign*, and there poall no Sign be given unto it but the Sign of the Prophet Jonas, — We fee here, that our Saviour was far from expedting to be re- ceived without Proof or Examination, He appeals to their Underflanding-y refers them to the Sigfis of the Times, the Proofs of his Miffion already given. Proofs as obvious to every Underftanding as the ufual Prognofti- cations of the Weather, which all the World had obferved, and formed into common Pro- verbs. Laftly, he promifes them a great and decifive Miracle to be performed hereafter. His whole Anfwer may not improperly be thus paraphrafed. — Why aflc you of me a new Sign ? I have already given you fuffi- cient Proofs of my Miffion, fuch Proofs as are as plain and obvious as the common Ob- fervations you all make on the Weather. I know your Wickednefs and Hypocrify, and think myfelf by no means obliged to gratify every Demand of this kind, which perverfe and unreafonable Men fhall make. But, however, you fhall not be left without Evi* dence. My Refurredtion from the Dead, ty- pified in the Prophet Jonas, will be fuch a Demonftration of my being the Mefjiah, as muft convince all, who are capable of Con- vidion. — And now, I hope, it appears, that thefe Inftances are fo far from (hewing, that Chrijt declined a fair Trial of his Preten- a Rational Assent. lyp fions, that they carry with them a full Proof of the contrary. ^ Another worthy Perfon our Saviour ftands accufed of denying to produce the Teftimonials of his Miffion before, is Herod. § We read that Herod hoped to have /ee?i fome Miracle done by him\ but , though he queftioned with him in many Words, he anfwered him nothing. This uoanting to fee a Miracle, our Author tells us, was a promifmg Symptom and Mark of a towardly Difpofition for future Difciple- (hip\ and ought to have been countenanced and cultivated, if Chrill'i Miracles had bee?i at all calculated for the Purpofe of convert- ing, — But is the ivanti/tg to fee a Miracle^ barely of itfelf fuch a promifing Sy?npto?n? |The laft Inflance of the Pharifees plainly fhews the contrary. A light Curiofity or meer Perverfenefs and Obilinacy, may put Men upon afking a Sign, It appears indeed from the Account, which the Scriptures have left of this Herod, that he was not of fo towardly a Difpofition as this Gentleman would reprefent him. ^ He had heard of the Fame of Jefus, and received fufEcient Tefti- mony of the mighty Works done by him; this ferved indeed to alarm his guilty Con- fcience, but produced no Converlion or Re- formation of his Life. He lived at this very ^ Pag. 40. s Luke xxiii. 8, ^. Matth. xiv. i2j ^c. Time 0 i6o 7^^' Christian's Faith Time in Inceft and Adultery; and he had not long fince put John the Baptiji to Death for telling him the Truth. Well then might Jefus defpair of making any Impreffion on fuch a Man ; well might he refufe to work a Miracle, where, in all human Appearance^ it would be wrought in vain. ' But our Au- | thor is of Opinion, that the feeming defirom to canvas the Evidence^ though from no o- ther Principle originally than that of grati- fying a light Curiofity^ were a Turn of Mind to be favourably entertained. — Our Saviour perhaps had not io favourable an Opinion of fuch a T'urn of Mind, His Miracles were not defigned to gratify a light Curio- fity. Nay, the chief End of his coming in- to the World, was not barely to gain Credit to his Miffion, but to reform Mens Lives. He delighted not (as Impoftors ufually do) in a Number of Difciples, unlefs they were fuch as were difpofed to praftife, as well ! as believe his Dodlrines; he was not foU Ucitous to gain Profelytes^ unlefs they were, at the fame time, likely to become Pro- felytes to Virtue and Holinefs* But how- ever promifing a Symptom this Defire of feei?ig a Miracle might be in itfelf, we, Chriftians, muft be allowed to plead, that our Saviour knew what was in Man, ^ He well underftood what Leaven Herod was of; ^' Tabn ii. 25. he a Rational Assent. \6\ he knew, better than our Author, whether he was difpofed for future Difciplejhip and might well be excufed working a Miracle, where he forefaw it would be inefFedual. ^ Another Inftance produced, to (hew that our Saviour was very fparing in his Mira- cles, is his Behaviour at Nazareth^ where, we are told,"^/6^ did not many mighty Works ^ becaufe of their Unbelief — But this Unbelief our Author thinks, ^ would have been the very . Reafon of his multiplying his Miracles, or fome better Means for their ReduSiion, if he had thought the?n ISubjeBs the leaf deferving of his farther Care or A[f fiance, This might ■pojjibly have alarmed their ftubborn Minds into a better State, and prompted a Defire of farther InflruBion. — But to this it is eafy to anfwer, that pqffibly it might have had no fuch Effed; and that our Saviour befl knew, whether it would or no. In vain then does this Gentleman accufe him of capricioiifiy negleBing the Errand he came on\ he might only ad the Part of a wife Phyfician, who forbears to apply his Remedies, becaufe he finds his Patient in no proper Difpofition to receive Benefit by them. Had Chrif in- deed wrought few, or none of his Miracles, before any but his ov/n Difciples, this might have left fome Sufpicion of Impoflure^ but the contrary has been already fully proved. * Page ^7. ^ Matth. xiii. 58. f P. ^7. Y But I i6z The Christian's Faith But will our Author fay, that an obftinate Continuance in Unbeliefy amidft all the Means of Convidion, is a Reafon for multu flying thefe Means without End? The excel- lent Grotius fliall anfwer him : — ^ Fecit pa f- Jim Chrijlus miracula^ nt hi qui bus de ipfo 7iibil conflabat in ipjiim crederent. Credere incipientibus alia addidit^ quibus in fide jam incboata confirmarentur^ prima fpernentibtis plura nm ingejjit^ ne vilefceret droina Libera- litas. It a Jblet Deus alternis beneficia prce- ftare & afficia exigere. • — pBut if the Reader fhould not have Leifiire to conjiilty or Saga- city to apprehend the acute Lefions of a Ham- mond or Grotius, I will fend him to one, who is not quite fo acute. He need only turn over the Leaf, and he will find our Au- thor, in the very next Page, anfwering him- felf. ^5 He there owns our Saviour to be firicfly juftifiable, in withdrawi?2g his Light f rom fuch as chufe to fit in Darknefs, and abfolutcly refufiug the Continuance of all Means of ConviBion to fuch aSj by their In- gratitude and Negle5ty had rendered them- felves unworthy of all farther Pollicitation y and would, by their Infidelity of Spirit, ren- der its Operations, if tried, of no Effedi, Let us then confider the Cafe of ^kizi^Nazarenes, Our Author pleads warmly in their Behalf. He tells us, that we might not unreafonably ° Grotius Comment, on Matth. xiii. 58. ^See p. 112. 'I P. (58. ' P. 6j. 3 have a Rational Assent. i<53 hai^e expelled to fee fomethtng more of the hng'fuffering CharaBer di [played in their Be- half-, that Jome more patient Degree of At- tendance hady in all Probability^ been in* ^dulged to a tardy Genius and innocent Scru- ples^ if they had been the ofily Impediment y that it might [eem J'omeivhat hard and Jevere to reprobate^ by fo jhort a Procefs for Heft a- tiovcy thofe whom perhaps one additional Cir- cumfiance of Power jhining upon them had brought to a proper I'emper and Obedience, — But pray what Authority has this Writer to call ihhProce[s fo port ? Can he tell us how long Chrif ftaid at Nazareth? The Scrip- ture has no where informed us. But the beft jCommentators agree, that this happened in 'the fecond Year of his Miniftry, that he had now taught and worked Miracles for near two Years, moft Part of which Time he had fpent in the Parts adjacent. ' He had been the Year before at this very Place; but, inftead of receiving his Dodrine, or being convinced by his Miracles (^the Fame of which was already fpread through all the Re- gion round about) they thruji him out of their City, and attempted to murther him. ' i.'^fter this he went about all Galilee^ teach- ing in their Synagogue^ and preaching the Gofpel of the Kingdom, and healing all man- ner oj Sicknefs^ and all manner of Difeajk ' Luke iv. i6. * lb. ver. 14. Y 2 " Match, iv. 23- among 1^4 T"^^ Christian's Faith among the People. ^ And the "Fame of him went out into every Place of the Countr\ round about. Thefe Nazarenes then mufl have heard of his Miracles; they, all of them, either had, or might have feen many of them. And now, after above a Year's Abfence, our Saviour returns to them again. ^ He teaches there, and works Miracles, and would have wrought more, had not he found all his Attempts likely to prove fruitlefs and ineffedual. But though, by Reafon of their Perverfenefs , he did not think fit to do many mighty Works there \ yet he did fome, " enough to ajlonijh^ though not to convince them. He had given them fuch Proofs of his Miffion, that he could not forbear y marvelling at their Un- belief, This Procefs then was not fo fhori as our Author feems to imagine; nor was a tardy Genius and imiocent Scruples the onh Impedi?nent to their Convidion. They had had fufficient Time and Opportunity to be fatisfied of the Truth of his Miracles; it was not the want of Evidence, ^ but the unrea- fonable Prejudices they had conceived at the Meannefs of his Birth and Education, which hindered their Converfion. Nor did our Sa- viour de/ifl from all Occafions to promote their Salvation^ 'till he had fully experienced their ^ Lukeiv. 37. Mark vi. 5. * Matth. xiii. 54. I Mark vi. 6. * Matth. xiii, 54. Luke iv. 22. VnwQrthi- a Rational Assent. Unworthtnefs. After their contemptuous Re- fufal of the Offers of Salvation, and wicked. Attempt upon his Life, he did not (as he juftly might ) give them up injiantly to the Hardnejs of their Hearts without Remedy^ No, he waited for their Converfion with all Patience and Lojig-jujfering, He gave them Time to cool, and confider the Evidence of his Miracles, which, from all Parts, founded in their Ears; and then returned again to feek the Happinefs and Salvation of thofe, who had fo unworthily treated him. But when he found the fame inveterate Prejudi- ces ftill predominant amongft them, he thought it to no purpofe to labour their Re- formation any farther. After this fecond Re- pulfe he might juflly take his final Leave of them, for the fame Reafon as Arijlotle is faid to have left Athens. — ^ iVa '23-^o(pU(riv elg (piXo(ro(piav ci(TiZr,(rco(Tiy. — left we fhould give the Athenians Occafion to commit an- " other Sin (as they did before in the Cafe of Socrates) and left they iTiould offer a fecond " Outrage to Philofophy." Again, how does it appear that this People were reprobated, even after all this contemptuous Treatment of our Saviour ? He ftill continued to preach ^nd work Miracles, though not in this very \ Origen. contra Celfum p. 51. Place. i66 The Christian's Faith Place. ^ He foon after fent his twelve Apo- Jilesy and, after this, feventy others to the lojl Sheep of the Houfe oj IfraeL Then again after his Afcenfion, did not the Apoftles go for thy and preach every where ? Did they make any Exceptions, or refufe any Converts, who came in to them ? ^ Did not they offer Salvation to all the Houfe of Ifrael^ ^ even to thofe who had crucified their Lord and Saviour? Were not thefe very Nazarejies called amongft the reft, and invited by ma- ny additional Circumjlances of Power to embrace that Gofpel they had before lo con- temptuoufly rcjeded? ^ Another Charge againft our Saviour is, that he often purpofely concealed his Mira- cles, which he would not have done, if he had any fuch Meanings as to convince by thefe Works : that he took particular Care to pre- vent their ever coming to publick Notice^ by difraifjing mofi oj the Company and Attend- antSy before he began to proceed to the Ope" ration, that he would not fuffer his gratejul Patients to proclaim the Benefits they had re- ceivedy but enjoined them the firiBefi Silence, — See thou tell no Man, was generally the Charge^ - — Our Author fpeaks in very gene- ral Terms: But there is but one Inftance, as I know of, of our Saviour's dif miffing the ^ Matth. X. 6, ' Luke x. i. ^ Ads ii. 3(>. «^ lb. iii. 12. f P. 48. Company a Rational Assent. 167 Company before he wrought his Miracles, and that was in the Cafe of Jatrus's Daugh- ter, s And then he took with him both fuf- ficient and proper WitnefTes : Five Perfons were admitted, three of his Difciples, who were to be employed to bear Witnefs of his Charader and Works, and the Father and Mother of the Damfel, who were moft con- berned, and beft quahfied to prevent or de- tedl a Forgery. It concerns us not to enquire why the reft of the Compa?2y were dijmtjjed ; perhaps to prevent Confulion or Difturbance, perhaps becaufe the Room would not con- veniently hold them, or for fome other Rea- fons unknown to us. There are indeed fome few Inftances, where our Saviour forbad the Perfons he healed to publi(h it, among numberlefs Ex- amples of Cures and Miracles performed in publick; and of thefe few I hope I /liall be able to affign Reafons abundantly fufBcient tojuftify our Saviour's Condud. ^ The firft inftances of this kind recorded in Scripture are, where Chrijl would 7iot liiffer the Devils to fay^ that they knew him^ but commanded them to hold their Peace, ~ Oar Saviour, I fuppofe, thought he had no Occafion of fuch Teftimony. Thefe Mi- racles were not done in a Corner^ but before great Multitudes j ' one in the publick Syjia- ^ Luke viii. 51. ^ Mark v. 25, 34. Lukeiv. 35p4i. I Mark i. 23. gogue i68 The Christian's Faith gogue^ ^ others before the whole City of Caper^ naum, who vjqv& gathered together at the Door. He did not therefore endeavour to hide them from publick Notice ; but he thought that to filence thefe evil Spirits, and caft them out, was a ftronger Evidence of his Divine Power, than any Teftimony he could receive from their Mouths. Had they been fuffer'd to proclaim their Knowledge of his Diui?ie CharaBer to the Worlds he might have been fufpefted as he aftervi/ards was) of a(fting in Confederacy with thefe unclean Spirits ; but this com^ manding them with fuch Authority as it cut off all Ground for fuch Sufpicion, fo was it a full Proof of his fuperior Power over them. ^ The next Inftance v/e read of, is that of the Leper whom our Saviour heal'd. Ani after he v/as cleans'd, he faid to him See thou tell no Man^ but go thy Way^ pew thyfelf to the Prieji, and o^fer the Gift that Mofes commanded for a Tefiimony unto them, • Now it does not appear, that our Saviour de- fign'd this as an abfolute Prohibition; hefeems, rather to have only forbid him to tell any MaUy till he had firft floew'd himfelf to the Priejl ; and then after this, to have left him at Liberty. He would have the Priefl firft pronounce him clean, that there m^ight be no ^ Mark i. 33. ^ Matt. xii. 24. Mart. viii. 21. Mark i. 40. Luke v. 12. Reafon a Rational Assent. iC^p Reafon or Pretence forqueftioning the Reality of the Cure. Our Saviour therefore feems to have had no Intention to conceal this Mi- racle ; he only chofe to publifli it in the moft prudent and effedtual Manner: He defign*dit for a T!eJlimony unto the Jews, but he took Care to make that Teftimojiy as clear and un- exceptionable as poffible. Thefe are the only Inflances, where our Sa* viour may feem to have forbid the publifliing his Miracles, during the Firft Year of his Miniftry ; and thcfe, it appears, are no In- ftances at all. Our Lord, for the Space of a whoIe Year, went about doing goody and heaU ing all that were opprejs d of the Devil^ in the moft publick Manner that could be. ^ He feems to have taken all Opportunities of ma- nifefting forth his Divine Power. But after this, he found himfelf obliged to ad with more Caution. Though he gave frequent Proofs of his Miffiion, and negled:ed no proper Occafion of doing good, yet he chofe to do it in a more private Manner. The Reafon of his adting thus cautioufly, was plainly this. His Dodtrine did not meet with that Succefs, which might have been expefted. He had a great deal to fear, both from Friends and Enemies. His Oppofers were only the more inraged and incensed, at every new Ad of ^ Matt, iv 23, 24. Matt. viii. i5. Luke iv. 40. John iy. 45, z Mark i. 23. Power ; lyo The Christian's Faith Power ; while thofe who gave Credit to hi^ Miracles, many of them, dreamt only of a Temporal Deliverer, and ^ could fcarce be teftrain'd from taking him by Force^ to make him a King, Thefe therefore he would not encourage, ^ 7ior commit himfelf to them ; while with thofe, he thought it more prudent to decline the Conteft. To multiply Mi* racles before them would be ineffedtual, and might be dangerous. It might raife a Tumult, and expofe his Life unneceffarily, and before his appointed Time. ^ The Publication of his Miracles frequently rais'd fuch a Con- courfe of People, as obliged him to retire, to prevent any Difturbances, and to remove all juft Occalion of Jealoufy in the Government. What Method then fhould he take in thefe Gircumftances ? When any Man came to him to be heard, he would not turn them back, but he enjoy n'd them Secrefy: And thus dif- play'd at once his peaceable Difpofition, his Prudence, and his Goodnefs. Nor is this bare Conjedture ; it is the Account, which the Scriptures themfelves give us of this Mat- ter. ^ Our Saviour, in the Second Year of his Miniftry, had been working Cures pub- lickly at Jerufalem, But the Pharifees^ in- ftead of being convinced, were filVd with Madnefsy and took Counfel with the Herodians *^ John vi. 15. ^ John ii. 24. Mark i. 45. John vi. 15. i Mate. xii. 5). Mark iii. i. Luke vi. 6. hozv a Rational Assent. 171 'how they might dejlroy him, ^ Then cur Sa- mour found it necelTary to withdraw with his Difciples : Then firft we read, that he healed many^ and Jlraitly charg'd them that they fliould not make him known. And the Reafon of this his Procedure is given us in the following Verfes. ^ He would not Jirive^ nor cry^ nor give any Occafion for Tumult or Difturbance, which the publick Exercife of his Power muft in the prefentCircumftances have neceflarily produced. ' This too was probably one Reafon why he chofe to heal Jairuss Daughter in a more private Manner than ufual, and forbad her Relations to make it known. On the fame Account he might forbid ^ the two blind Men, and ^ the deaf and dumb Man to publifli the Miracles wrought on them. Though all this while we find him frequently performing Miracles before great Multitudes, when, I fuppofe, he might fafely do it without Fear of Tumult or Danger. " We read, Mark viii. 22, ,. lb. ver. 27. ' P. 4^- But a Rational Assent. 191 % ■ But' I humbly prefume it required no great Skilly or Addrefs to manage this Cojitroverfy. What was to be proved ? That J ejus was the So72 of God and how was this to be proved? By his Refurredlion, and by the Miracles wrought by him, and his Apoflles. Thefe were plain Facfls ; and to fuch, I hope, the mojl artlefs and illiterate Perfons livifig may bear Witnefs, as well as the molT: learn- ed and eloquent. Nay, the more artlefs they were, the lefs Reafon could there be to fuf- ped: any Fraud. Again, they proved the Truth of what they faid by their own Mi- racles j and furely Miracles, wrought by the moft ignorant Perfons breathing, will carry as great, or greater Weight with them, than if they wxre performed by the greateji Pro^ ficients in Science, But our Author defires us to ^ coJifider on what critical and abjira5led kind of Topicks fuch a Courfe of Proofs as was to be intro- dii^o-ry of a new and perfeBive Re'velationy ?nuft chief y have been fuppofed to turn. Ex- ternal Relations^ moral Differ eric es of Things^ end a precije Delineation of the Religion of Nature^ and its Obligations, were, it feems, fo many indijpenfable preliminary Articles to be treated of in the Way^ and ijiculcated as the Foundation of fuch an intended Su^ perfru6iure, — s This has been already con- ^ Page 42. 5 See above p. 68. fidered ; 3 ipi The Christian's Faith lidered ; it may fufBce to fay at prefent, that the Apoftles had nothing to do with thefe prelimiJiary Articles. The Perfons they preached to were not, 'tis to be hoped, quite devoid of Reafon, or totally ignorant of the firft Principles of natural Religion. The Jews were brought up in the Knowledge of God; ^they knew his Willy and approved the Things that are more excellent^ being in- Jlrii^ed out of the Law. ' The Heathen had the Work of the Law written in their Hearts ; they were not ignorant of the Being of God, and the Diftin^lions of Virtue and Vice. Thefe were all the preliminary Ar^ tides necelTary to introduce the Chriftian Re- ligion ; and thefe the Apoftles did not un-* dertake to prove, but fuppofed them already known, and appealed to the Underftandings and Confciences of their Hearers for the Proof of them. The only thing they were concerned to prove, was their own and our Saviour's Miffion; and this they proved chiefly by Miracles, an Argument quick and powerful, and, at the fame time, obvious to the meaneft Capacities. This was a kind of Proof that required no long Deduftion of Reafoning. It might be feen, and judged of, and received on the Spot. There was indeed one preliminary Article neceffary to be in- fifted on, which our Author has not men- ^ Rem. ii. 18. ' lb, vcr. ly, tioned, a Rational Assent. 193 tioned, ''oiz, to prove, from the Predidlions of the Old Teftament, that Jefu^ was the MeJJtas there prophefied of. This may per- haps be thought a Controverf)\ which may require fome Skill and Addrefs to manage. But I apprehend, that this kind of Proof was attended with much lefs Difficulty then, than it is now. They had to do with Jews^ who were, at that very time, in Expeda- tion of a Meffias-y and who acknowledged moft of the Points the Apoftles had occafion to infift on. They had little elfe to do, but to refer them to their own Books, and to ar- gue from their Interpretation of thofe Books. ^ They bid them fearch the Scriptures^ whe-^ ther thefe Things ivere fo-^ and only faid, — • ^ Believeji thou the Prophets ? — in order to ' ferfuade a Man to be a Chrijlian. Befides, there is one material Circumftancc, which our Author has quite forgot; and that is, that thefe Apofiles were affifted by the Spirit of God. Let them be then ever fo unqualijied in themfelves to manage this Con- troverfy^ I hope God was able to qualify them. ^And accordingly we find, that they did not begin to preach, 'till they were endu^ ed 'with Power from on High; that they then went forth^ and preached the Word w^ith {\ic\\, Bold?ieJ} and Strength of Argu- John V. 39. Ads xvii- ii. Mb. xxvi. 27. Luke xxiv. 49. C c gument, ip4 Christian's Faith ment, " as their Enemies were amazed to fee in fuch unlearned and ignorant Men o T'hey gave Witnefs of the Rejurrediion with great Power ; p and [pake with fuch a Wif do?n a?id Spirit^ as the ablefl: of their Adver- faries coi^ld not reftft. In their Difcourfes, and in their Writings, we every where find the moft fublime and folid Reafoning. Thefe artlefs and illiterate Perfons preached more excellent Dodrine, and entertained more no* ble Sentiments, than any of the wifeft of Mankind ever did before them. Here then is what may juftly excite our Admiration. jfefiis of Nazareth, the Son of a poor Car- penter, with a Company of ignorant Fifli- ermen, have given us a more excellent Sy- ftem of Morality, and furnifhed us with more jufl: and exalted Sentiments of the Dei- ty, than we can meet with in the moft cele- brated Authors of Antiquity. This, I muft own, to me carries with it a ftrong Prefum- ption of divine Infpiration. This learned Gentleman may, if he pleafes, defpife them for their Ignorance, ^ and fcornfully com- pare us Chrijlians with the Followers ofVi^- homet, who boafed that their Pf^ophet could 7ieither write nor read, and reckoned it as a mofl undoubted Mark of his Divinity. I have nothing to do with the Followers of ^ Ads iv. 13. ^ Page 40. lb. 33. P lb. vi. 10. Mahomet'^ a Rational Assent, ipj Mahomet ^ let them make the moft of their Boaft. I would only defire our Author not tp take our Argument by Halves; let him compare the Writings of the Apoftles with their Charader and Circumftances ; and then let him anfwer me, whether, when Men fpeak, or write far beyond what their Edu- 1 cation would promife, or their known A- I bilities furnifh out, it is not ufually judged a Mark of foreign Affiftance? But we are told, that St. Paul imme^ diately^ from the firjl Moment of his com- mencing Apojile, difclaimeA all farther Ac- quaintance with human hearning\ and de- termined to know nothing elfe amongfl his Dijciples but Chrifl crucified^ nor to make any Vfe of the Wifdom of Words, left the I Crofs of Chrift fjould be made of none Effe5t, ■ — 'Tis true, he did fo; but he did not dif- ciaim all Acquaintance with Reafon and common Senfe. He did not prove the Truth of Chriftianity from Topicks of Philofophy; but he no where tells us, that 'tis not founded on Argume?2t, But as thefe two firft Chap- ters of this Epiftle to the Corinthians con- tain fome Expreffions, which may feem, at firft View, to favour our Author's Notions, I fhall attempt to explain the Apoftle's De- fign and Meaning more at large, though I iiaight content myfelf with referring to the Cc z beft 1^6 The Christian's Faith ^beft Commentators. The chief Defign of this Epiftle feems to have been, to vindicate Jiis Authority againft fome falfe Teachers, xvho had made a Divifion in the Church of Cornith. Thefe Men, it feems, boafted of their Wifdom and Eloquence; and, in Vir- tue of thefe Prctenfions, fet themfelves up in Oppofition to St. PauL ^Olie of his Argu- ments therefore, which he here profecutes from ver. 17. of Chap. i. is, that the Gofpcl needed not the AlTiftance of human Wifdom or Eloquence ; that God had generally cho- fen mean and illiterate Perfons to publifh it; and that the Truth of it depended upon quite another kind of Arguments, than were ufed in the Schools of the Philofophers. — Chriji (he fays ) fent him to preach the Go/- fel^ not with Wifdom of Words^ left the Cro/i of Chriji Jhoiild be made of none EffeB-y that is, the Gofpel being founded on Truth of Matter of Fad, on the plain Evidence of undeniable Miracles; it needed not, it fcorn- cd the Affiftance of Sophiftry or Rhetorick. It did not fet forth any Points of nice Specu- lation or Philofophy, but only the plain Do- ctrine of a crucified Saviour ; it was a Dif- paragement to this Dodrine, and derogatory of the Simplicity of the Gofpel, to attempt ' Sec Lochj Hammondy GrotiuSj Dr. Clarke's Sermon cn I Cor. i. 22. iii. 4. Archbifhop Tillotfon on i Con i. 23, 24. I I Cor, i. 17. ' : to a Rational Assent. 197 to fet it off with the Ornaments of Learning and Oratory. But, I hope, no Objedtion can arife from hence againft the Gofpel. Were an eloquent Pleader in a clear Point to difclaim^ and fore* go his wonted Wifdom of Words ^ and fuffer the Merits of the Caufe to reft folely on the Evidence, it would, I prefume, be no Dif- credit either to the Caufe or the Advocate. Again, at ver. 22. the Apoftle thus fpeaks, — ^ The Jews require a Sign^ and the Greeks feek after Wifdom\ but we preach Chrijl crucified y unto the Jews a Stufnbling- blacky and unto the Greeks FooUfhnefs-y but unto them which are called^ both Jews and Greeks^ Chriji the Power of God, a?2d the Wifdom of God, — The Jews looked for a temporal \ Mefjlas, and expeded that God fhould de- clare in his Favour, and quafti all his Op- pofers by fome Prodigy from Heaven. But when they faw Jefus^ inftead of being thus powerfully fupported, delivered to an igno- minious Deaths this was a great Objedion to them, an infuperable Obftacle to their Con- verfion. Chrijl crucified was a Stumbliitg^ block to them. The Gentiles^ on the other Hand, judged of Dodrines by the Elo- quence, and Learning, and Artfulnefs in dif- puting of thofe who taught and maintained them 3 and therefore could not relifh the I I Ccr. i. 22, Plain nefs ipS The Christian's Faith Plainnefs and Simplicity of the Gofpel. The Dodlrine of a crucified Saviour, preached by mean and illiterate Perfons, who took no Care to pleafe their Ears v/ith artful Com- pofitions, or gratify their Curiofity with nice and fubtle Difputations, appeared to them moft ftrange and ridiculous. — Chrijl crucified was to the Greeks Fooltjlmefs, But the Apoftle aflerts, that, notwithftanding thefe Prejudices of both "Jews and Greeks^ the Dodrine of Chrijl had in Reality both thefe Sorts of Evi- dence, which they required, though not juft in the Way that they expeded. It was at- tended with the fulleft Demonftrations of Di- vine Power, in the Miracles wrought by Chrijl^ and his Apoftles ; and it had ail real Marks of true Wildom, and could fland the ftridefl Examination of impartial Reafon — But unto them which are caWd both "Jews and Greeks^ Chrift the Pozver of God, and the Wifdom of God. — Neither fews nor Greeks are here blamed ^ for demanding the Apoftles Credentials^ or defiring a Rational Evidence for their Difciplejhip. St. Paul on the con- trary aflerts they both of them had fuch Evi- dence 3 but the Jews would be contented with no other Sign but miraculous Afliftance from Heaven againfl their Enemies; and the Greeks could relifli no Wifdom, but in the Way of their Schools ; and therefore the Ar- I See p. 38. a Rational Assent, ipp guments^ on which Chrijlianify was founded, though in themfelves juft and conclafive, had no Weight v/ith them. ^ The feeking after a Sign is therefore checked and difcouraged, be- ^caufc it was feeki?2g what they had. Or, to fpeak more properly, the Jews are blam'd not for feeking a Sign, but for rejecting all Signs, becaufe they were not juft fuch as they fought for 5 and the Greeks are cenfur'd not for their " inquiftive Humour, but for want of a due Enquiry ; for a blind Attachment to their own preconceiv'd Notions to what they were pleas'd to call Wifdom. ^ The Apoftle proceeds to fhew in the remaining Part of this Chapter, that God had generally chofen plain and illiterate Men to publifti his Gofpel ; and by their Means had confounded thofe, whom the World efteem'd wife and learned. Thefe mean and ignorant Perfons had triumphed over the Oppofition of the wife and mighty, and brought about a more effedlual Reforma- tion of Manners, than all the Philofophers in the World had ever been able to do. ^ The Apoftle begins his fecond Chapter with aflur- ing us that he himfelf, when he preach'd the Gofpel, did not endeavour to fet it off" with any Flouriflics of Rhetorick or Mixture of Human Learning. What he preach'd was the plain Dbdrine of Salvation by Chrifl See p. 49. ^ See p. 1%. 1 Cor. i. 6fr. * I Cor. ii, I, l^c. crucified % 200 The Christian's Faith crucified ; and this he prov'd not by Argu- ments drawn from Philofophy, but by the Tejiimony of God, He tells us plainly what were the Arguments he made ufe of, by De- monfiratiom of the Spirit^ and of Po-wer^ that is, by plain and undeniable Miracles ; and by cofnparing fpiritual T^htngs with fpiritual^ that is, as ^ the beft Commentators interpret it, by Arguments drawn from a Comparifon of the Prophecies in the Old Teftament. ^ He afterwards tells us, that 'tis no Wonder that the Methods and Counfels of God often feem unaccountable to Men. We cannot know the inw^ard Thoughts of one another, much lefs can we penetrate into the Counfels of the Almighty — ^ T!he natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God 3 for they are Foolifbnefs unto him ; neither can he kwiV them^ becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned. But he that is fpiritual^ judgeth all Things, yet he himfelf is judg'd of no Man — This, it muft be own'd, is a difficult PafTage, but, I hope may receive Light from the following Interpretation. ^ The natural Man^ I fup- ^ See Locke ^ Grotlus, Hammond. * i Cor. ii. 10. f 14, 15- ^ The Word ■\'vx^y-k is generally in Scripture opposM to 7rvHy.tAaTi«o\', i Cor. xliv. 4<). Jude xix. In Jam. iii 15. ic feems to fignify fenfual ^ and fo fome interprec it here. But the former Senfe feems to me more agreeable to the Context. See Locke ^ Hammond^ Grotius^ Whiihy^ Cla- gett's Operations of the Spirit. pofe, I 1 a Rational Assent. 201 pofe, is one unaffifted by Revelation, who has no other Help, but his own natural Faculties^ by the Things of the Spirit of Gody I under- ftand his fecret Counfels, and Methods of , Dealing with Mankind, fuch as the Method of 1 Redemption by Chrift, &c. Thefe, though founded in the trueft Wifdom, yet are not difcoverable by human Reafon. Nay, they might feem unaccountable and foolifh to the wife and learned of that Age, not becaufe they are really fo, but becaufe thefe Men trufted too much to their own Underftand- ing, and could rellQi nothing but what tallied with their own falfe Notions. Thefe Things are beyond the Sphere of our Reafon, and are fpiritually difcer?idor known by Re- velation only, ^he fpiritual Man^ he who has the Affillance of Revelation, is alone capable of knowing or judging of thefe Things ; while others without the Help of Revelation cannot, from the internal Evidence of the Thing, judge whether his Opinions and Doftrines are true or falfe. This Senfe of the Paffage feems to be moft agreeable to St. Faul\ main Scope and Defign. Nothing could more cffedually fet forth the Folly of thefe falfe Apoftles Fretenfions to Learning and Wifdom, than to fliew that the Dodrines of the Gofpel were not difcoverable by human Wifdom, nor to be judged of by the mere Light of Reafon. But the Reader will eafily oblerve, that this Difcourfe of the Apoflle turns upon the Dodrines of the Gofpel, not D d upon loz The Christian s Faith upon the Evidences of it. There are fome Doctrines of Chriftianity, we own, which Reafon could not have difcover'd, and which it cannot fully comprehend, when difcover'd j but it by no Means follows from hence, that we have not reafonable Evidence for the Truth of the Gofpel itfelf. The Apoftle no where fays, that Chriftiaitity is not founded on Argu- ment ; on the contrary he points out the Ar- guments on which it is founded^ and afferts it to be the trueft Wifdom. ^ But our Author proceeds to tell us, that all the Apoftle s P^Jloral Charges and In- JlruBions run in the very fame Strain. — I cannot tell what Pajloral Charges he means ; I have carefully read over the Epiftles to T/'- mothy, and Titus, and can find no fuch Thing, but jull the contrary. ^ Thefe deputed Succefors are exhorted to give Attendance to 'Readings to Exhortation, to DoBrine, to be apt to teach, patient^ in Meeknefs inji rul- ing thofe that oppofe themf elves ; " and are forbid to ordain any others for their Suc- celTors, but fuch as are able by fomid DoBrine both to exhort, and to convince the Gain- fayers. ° But we mufl not look for ExaBnefs in Point of Criticifm here. Thefe Pajloral In- ftruBions are, it fcems, to be found (where I ^ Pag. 40. * I Tim. iv. 13. 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. " Tic. i. 5>. ® See p. 105, fliould a Rational Assent. 203 fhould never have looked for them) hi the Epiftle to the Roma?is. p The Apoftle, we are told, is there givijtg DireBiom for the ^Treatment of a Novice^ who might happen to be ?20t yet quite fo thoroughly in the Perjuafion. — ^5 Him that is weak in the Faith receive ^ T^es ; — 6ut how ? IVhy to inJlruB him better — not by any Means to conjute or argue with him — not to doubtful Difputations, — One might v^'ell afk vi^ho this Gentleman imagines thefe weak Perfons to be ; feme Sed: of Philo- fophers, it may be fuppos'd, who were juft converted, who lived upon ^ Herbs^ and ' nei- ther eat Flefi, nor drank Wine. Let me only defire him to read on to the next Verfe, and there he may fee that the Apoftle is fpeaking not of Novices^ but of Chriftians, who were, as far as appears, thoroughly in the Perfuafion. Their Weaknefs confifted not in any Doubt- fulnefs about the Truth of their Religion, but in fome unnecefTary Scruples about the Ufe of indifferent Things. — For one believeth that he may eat all Takings \ another that is weak, eateth Herbs. ~ The Apoftle exhorts other Chriftians, who were better informed, to receive fuch Perfons into their Friendftiip and Converfation- — but not to doubtful Difpu- tations, that is, if you will, not to engage in unneceffary Difputes and Controverfies about ? Pag. 41. ^ Rom. xiv. I. Dd2 fuch 204 The Christian's Faith fuch Things. ^ But I fhould rather prefer our Marginal Reading, which tranllates this latter Claufe not to judge his doubtful 'Thoughts, The Apoftle, according to this Senfe of the Words, forbids Chriftians to pafs ralh Judgments on their Brethren on ac- count of any Mifperfuafions in fuch Matters as thefe. This Senfe is indeed very wide from our Author's Purpofe but it is more agree- able to the Context, and to the Import of the Original Words. However, the Gentleman may chufe which Senfe he pleafes ; only let me befeech him, for his Reader's fake, and for his. own, not to run away with the Sound of a Word — weak in the Faith — doubtful Dijputations — but to have the Patience to read over a whole Chapter before he makes Quotations from it. But perhaps this is too much to afk ; he would then find nothing to his Purpofe. ^ Another Argument our Author infifts on, is the fudden Converfion of many, upon lit thy or 720 , feeming Evidence, which, he imagines, cannot be accounted for on any other Scheme but his own. His firftlnftance of this Kind, is Si.Matthew's Call and Converfion. He thinks it would feem ftrange, humanly confiderd, he fhould thus precipitately dejert a beneficial Employment for he knew not nvhom, — Suppofing the Cafe were as our Au- *See Hammond^ Grotius, ! Page (^5. ^ Matt. ix. 9. thor a Rational Assent. 2oj thor reprefents it, can we argue from one particular Inftance to the Cafe of Chrijlians in general ? Suppofing Ckrijl had converted a Perfon he defigned for an Apoftle and E- vangelift, by an Ad: of extraordinary Power, will it follow that all Chrijlians are to ex- pe6t the like? But the Truth is, St. Matthew was not called now to be a Difciple, but a perfonal Attendant on Chrift. The Gofpel was preached to all the Jews in general, and all were called upon to believe in Chrift, But, among thefe, fome few in particular were chofen out, and called upon to be im- mediate Attendants upon his Perfon, and AfTiftants to him in preaching the Gofpel. Thefe two Calls are plainly diftinguifhed in the Cafe of St. Andrerc and St. Fetcr, They were converted, and believed in Chrijl on the Teftimony of John the Baptift, ^ But after this they returned home, and continued to follow their Employment, 'till, fome time afterwards, he called them to follow him-y and then they forfook all^ and became, from that Time, conftant Attendants on him. It is in the fame manner plain, that this Call of St. Matthew was no common Call : y He left all, rofe up^ and followed him, — . I hope this Gentleman does not imiagine, that our Saviour required all the Jews to quit their Trades and Employments, and part John i. ^ Matth. iv. i8. I Luke v. 28. with io6 The Christian's Faith with all that they had. St. Matthew had doubtlefs before heard of the Fame of CAW/?, and probably had feen Miracles done by him. ^ He was convinced by what he had Jeen be- fore^ and was become his Difciple^ without waiting for a particular Addrefs. Thus convinced he thought himfelf, both in Duty and Prudence, bound to obey this extraordi- nary Call; and comply at once^ though at the Lofs of his Livelihood. ^ Our Author may efteem T^hiftgs prefent beyond the mofi ''valuable Reverfwns ; and prefer fitting at the Receipt of Cufom before the Hopes of Im- mortality. But St. Matthew had other Sen- timents: He did not follow he knew not whom. He was on reafonable Grounds con- vinced, that fefus was the Chriji. He knew whom he had believed-, and was fully per- fuaded, that he was able to reward him with an hundred jold in this World, and in the World to come with eternal Life. ^ In the next Place, our Author falls very feverely upon the Samaritans^ ^ for believiiig in Chriji fo readily for the Saying of the Wo- man. — A ?20table Foundation truly for Con- fidence and ConviElion^ and perhaps Martyr-- dom. — I do not think myfelf any way con- cerned to vindicate thefe Samaritans their Faith is no where, as I know of, commend- a See p. <)(). ^ See p. 32. ''See p. 6%. Mark x. 30. = P. 6^. [ John iv. 39. - ed a Rational Assent, 207 cd in Scripture. But this Gentleman fhould lirft have known what Foundation they had for their Confidence and ConviBion^ before he made fo light of it. Thefe Safnaritans had a general Expedlation of a Mejfias to appear about that Time; this Difcovery, which our Saviour made of this Woman s fecret Sins, which brought her to a fair Con- feffion, might (for ought our Author knows) have been attended with fuch extraordinary Circumftances, as might reafonably incline them to believe there was fomething extra- ordinary in the Perfon, who made fiich a Difcovery: The Secrets thus brought to Light, might be of fuch a Nature, as could not be well known to any one, but to him ivho knowetb the Hearts, But, however this be, we arecei*tain, that none of thefe Sama- ritans were ever called to be Martyrs on this Foundation only. Chriji himfelf immedi- ately after preached amongft them in fuch a m.anner as convinced many, who would not give Credit to this Woman, ^ And after- wards his Apoftles preached, and wTought many Angular Miracles amongft them. To thefe we may add fome other Cafes, where the Scriptures feem to blamx Men for not believing without Evidence, or com- mend them for believing with little or no Reafon. One Inflance follows here: — John iv. 4I3 42, Luke xxiv. 25. ^ Ads viii, 5, ^c. e p. a. Fools^ 2o8 The Christian's Faith Fooh^ and Jlow to believe, — And all thisy can you imagine^ only becaufe thefe two poor deluded Travellers, were involved only in a na- tional, and, humanly [peaking, a very natural Mifapprekenfion with regard to the Nature \ of their promifed Deliverance ? Befdes, God would not reproach any of his Creatures with \ a defeBive IntellcB, where he was pleafed to give them 7J0 better, — And what of all this? The Charge, as far as 1 can find, amount$jd to this: Thefe poor deluded Travellers had a defective hitelleB, And our Saviour called them Fools, — But God was pleafed Jo give them no better, — fays our Author. We cannot but think thefe Difciples might have known better. The Jcwif Records, though myflerious, yet plainly enough point out a funering Mejjias, — But thefe Difciples were mi (led by the general Seife of their Country, and the authentick Determinations of their ablef DcBors, — They might be fo very in- nocently ^ but had they not. been now, for fome time, Difciples and Hearers of Chrifl? Had he not, before this, frequently inftru6t~ ed them in the Nature of his Kingdom ? And did it not argue fome Folly and Slow- nefs to profit no better by his Inftrudlions? After all, what Method does Chrif take with thefe Difciples ? ^ Does he give them up in- fantly to the Hardnefs of their Hearts with^ ^ See p. 6-]. 1 out i ^1 a Rational Assent. 209 out Remedy, for a rebellious Refufal and Dif- claim of proffered Grace ? s Or does he Je- er etly whifper immediate Co?ivi^io?i to them ? No, he proceeds in a rational Way; ^ and expoufids unto them in all the Scriptures the Things concerjiing himfelf. In Page 79 we have fome other Cafes of the Hke Nature: — With ivhat Severity (fays our Author) does our Lord reprove the Sin of Infidelity in his DijcipleSy for ima- gining they "were going to be drowned^ ivhen their Veffel was aBually finking under them^ and it had been, jrom all Appearance, a Sin againfi. cornw.on Senfe to have thought any otherwife? — But the Scripture reprefents neither the Danger of thefie Difciples, nor the Severity of our Lord's Reproof in fo ftrong a Light as this Writer would place it, ' There arofe a great Tempefi : The Ship was covered with the Waves \ their Lord was afieep'j the Difciples defpond; Chrifi faith unto them, — Why are ye jearful, O ye of little Faith ? A Reproof farely mild enough ^ He had now wrought Miracles amongft them for near two Years. They had feen him heal the Sick, cafi out Devils, cure the Blind^ the Lame, and the Deaf: And, after all this, did Common Sejife teach them to think he could not fave himfelf and his Difciples? Was it not rather Nonfenfe to doubt of his s See p. 5(j. ^ Luke xxiVt 27. ^ Matth. viii. 24-. E e Power^ 2IO The Christian's Faith Power or Care of them? Might they not have reafonably prefumed they were under the peculiar Protedion of Heaven, when the Son of God was with them? Our Saviour at leaft might afk them. Why they were afraid\ why they had fo poor an Opinion of his Power, without any Imputation of Seve- rity ? Another Inftance produced by our Author, is that of Zacharias: ^ In like manner (fays he ) was Zacharias Jlruck dumb on the Spot^ J or Cfily hefttating upon what carried^ ac- cording to the common Coiirfe of Nature^ the higheft Face of ImpoJJibility, — But furely the common Courfe of Nature is quite out of the Queftion in fuch Cafes as thefe. Zacha- rias feems to have had no Doubt about the Reality of the Appearance: His Objeftion was, ' that he was an old Man, and his Wife well Jiricken in Tears. But this was an un- reafonable Objcdlion : he might, and ought to have conftdered, that with God ?2g thing is impofjible. However, the Scripture does not reprefent either his Sin, or his Punifhment, as very grievous. He was deprived of his Speech for a fhort Seafon; and this was in- tended, as well for a Sign to afliire him and pthers of the Truth of the Prophecy, as for a Punifnment of his Incredulity. ^ Abraham^ the Father of the Faithful, is I Page 79. Luke i. 8. * lb. ver. 1 8. P. 79^ brought a Rational Assent. 211 brought next upon the Stage, and a Sneer beftowed upon his Faith: — againji all Hope^ /. e. contrary to all human Proba* bilit)\ believed in Hope and confidered not (what one would imagine Jldould have offer-- ed itfe'lf the firjl to his Confideration) all the natural Ifnpediments that Jee?ned to render the promifed Event impraeli cable, *— I might afl^ here again, what have human Improba^ bility and natural Impedifnents to do in this Cafe? But I hope this Gentleman will be fully fatisfied, when he comes to jfind, that this was reaiiy the very frji thing that offer* ed itfelf to Abraham^* Co?iJideration, Let him then turn to Gen. x^^ii. 17. and there he will read, that, when God promifed him a Son by his Wife Sarah, he fell upon his Face and laughed^ and /aid in his Hearty Shall a Child be born imto him that is an hundred Tears old"? And fiall Sarah^ that is ninety Tears old bear? But when God ftill continued to allure him, that Sarah his Wife Jhould bear him a Son indeed y he then thought it was Time to have done confidering the natural Impediments : ° Is any Thing too hard for the Lord? Is not the Power of God able to furmount all natural Impedi- ments , all human Improbabilities? This Gentleman will not, I hope, fay it is an un- reafonable Perfuafion to believe, that ? ic/;^/ ^ Rom. iv. 18. ^ Gen. xviii. i.}., E e 2 F Rom. iv. 21. Cod Ill The Christian's Faith God has promifed, he is able alfo to perform. When therefore we have the fure Promife of God, it is a rational Faith to believe in\ Hope^ even againjl Hope^ and contrary to all\ human Probability, And accordingly we I find, that Abraham was not difappointed of his Hope-y Sarah his Wife did bear him a Son indeed. And he learnt by Experience what before Reafon and Religion had taught him , that with God nothing was impof- Jible. ^Another Argument againft ufing our Un- derftanding in Matters of Religion, is drav/n from fome Texts of Scripture, v/hich feem to difcourage, and aecry human Wijdom and Philofophy, But is it all fort of Wifdom and Philofophy that the Scripture condemns ? The very Texts our Author has quoted will teftify the contrary. ^ It is fuch Wijdom as led not to the Knowledge of God. ^ Such Wifdom as was not only earthly, hut fenfual, and devil'- ijh\ the Parent of Envyi?2g and Strife, Co?!- fiifion, and every evil Work, * Such Philo- fophy as had only a Shew of Wifdojn fuch as was the Source of vain Deceit, and taught its Votaries to obferve the 'Traditions of Men, and to worfbip A?7gels'y that alone flands cenfured in thofe very PafTages he alludes to, I hope this Gentleman will not be an Advo- ' 73? 74- ' i Cor. i. 21, ' Jam. iii i^^ i^", • Col. ii. 8, 185 23. catc a Rational Assent. 213 cate for fuch Philofophy as this; he is not furely fo fooliflily fond of JVifdom, as to pa- tronize every thing which ufurps the Name. There are indeed two Sorts of wife Men we find cenfured in the Writings of the Apo- 1 ftles. Firft, the Heathen Philofophers ; and I this not becaufe they were really wife^ but becaufe they v/ere wife only in their own Imaginations ; becaufe " p'i'ofefjing themfelves to be^ wife^ they became Fools» l^he W orld (fays St. Paul) by Wifdom knew not God, \ They might indeed have known him by the Light of Reafon ; for the fame Apoftle tells us, that ^ the invifble T!bings of him from the Ci'eation of the World are clearly feen, y But they became vain in their Imaginations ^ ^ and did not like to retain God in their Knowledge ; and therefore their foolifo Heart was darkened. Their boafted Wifdom did not lead them either to the Knowledge of God, or the Pradice of Virtue ; they lived in the grofieft Idolatry, and pradifed the moft abominable Vices. The Dcdlrine of far the greatefl: Part of the Philofophers con- fided in little elfe but Words, and Subtlety, and empty Contention. Each adhered obfti- nately to the Notions of his own Seft; and could relifh nothing but what was agreeable to their own preconceived Opinions, and " Rom. i. 22. ^ I Ccr. i. 21. ^ Rem. i. 20. y lb. ver. -I. ,^ lb. vcr. 28. came 214 ^'^^ Christian's Faith came recommended by their own Arts of Sophiftry and Rhetorick. This is the Ac- count the Scriptures give us of the Philofo- phy of thofe Times : This Accufation is not only confidently maintained againft them by the Chrijiian Apologifts, but is acknowledg- ed by the befl Heathen Authors. 1 fhall only mention two Paffages out of Cicero. — * Plerique Philofophorum err are malunt^ earn- que Jeyitentianiy quam adamavcrunty perti- naajjimc defendere^ quam fine fertinacid^ quid conjiantiffime dicatur^ exquirrere, — And again, — ^ ^otufquifque Philojophorum in- uenitur^ qui Jit ita moratus^ ita animo ac vita conJiitutuSy ut Ratio pojiulat ? qui Dif ciplinam Juara non OJlentationem Scientice^ fed Legem Vitc^ putet ? qui obtemperet ipfe fbiy & Decretis fuis pareat? Videre licet alios tantd Levitate & JaSlatione^ iis ut fu- erit non didicijfe melius : alios Pecuniae cu- fidoSy Gloricc nonnullosz multos Libidinum fervos. — There is another fort of wife Men, which the Scriptures fpeak contemptibly of ; and thofe were feme falfe Teachers, who then infefted the Church. Thefe Men pretended to greater Degrees of Knowledge and Illu- mination than other Chriftians, and from thence were called Gnofich-y but they * Cicero Acad. Q^i?ell. Lib. I. ^ lb. Tufc. Qiixll. Lib. II. taught a Rational Assent. 215 taught the groffefl: Abfurdities, and pradif- ed the vileft Enormities. In fome of their Sentiments they agreed with our Author: «^ They thought Martyrdom no better than Folly, they were refolved to 7?iake Jure of fomething, and would not, on any Confide- ration, part with the Enjoyments already in their Power. ^ This then is the Philofophy and vah Deceit ; ^ thefe the perverfe Dip ptitings of Men of corrupt Minds ; ^ this the Science faljly fo called ; e this the earthly^ fenfualy and deviliJJo Wifdom, which the Scripture fo feverely condemns. But the Scripture no where cenfures, or difcourages the Ufe of found Reafon, and true Wifdom. — ^ Happy is the Man (faith Solomon) that findeth Wifdo7n^ and that getteth Underjiand-- ing, — ^ The Apoftles alTure us, that the Spi- rit of Chriftianity is the Spirit of a found Mind', they exhort m ^ to ajk Wifdom of God ^ to add to our Virtue Knowledge 3 ^ to p'ove all Things-^ " and to be ready always to give an Anfi^er to every Man that afketb us a Reafon of the Hope that is in us. But v/e are told, that our Saviour himfelf declares^ p that no Man can receive the Gofpely except he receive it as a little Child ; that is, as this Writer, ingenioufly paraphrafes it, r'n See p. 32. ^ Col. ii. 8. = i Tim. vi. ^ lb. ver. 20. ^ Jam. iii. 15. ^ Prov, iii. 13. ' 2 Tim. i. 7. ^ Jam. i. 5. ? 2 Pet. i. 5. ^ 2 TheflT. V. 21. I Pec. iii. 15. Page 75. Mark x. 15. 2i6 7'he Christian's Faith the Impotence and Impuberty of a dutiful Under jlanding^ in the tr amiable Simplicity of unpra^ifed Reafon-, not with the Claims of a' felffijficient Difputant ; the haughty and ar- roga?zt Spirit of a replying Academick^ but. with all the objequious SubmiJJioi, and humble Acquiefcence of a Babe^ who has no other Difpojition but to learn his Leffon. — How artfully are Truth and Falfliood here blend- ed together? How ingenioufly are Innocence and. Folly, a teachable Difpofition and im- plicit Faith confounded! But I mufl beg Leave to afk this ingenious Commentator a Queftion or two. Firft then, why does he alter the Text? It is in the Original: — . Whofoever floall 7iot receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child. — Now I fhould think all this relates, not to Matters of Faith, but Pradlice — Whofoever floall not receive the Kingdom of God ; that is, w^ho does not enter upon the Chriftian Profefiion with the Inno- cence and Simplicity of a Child, fhall not en- ter therein j that is, fhall not be accepted as a Chriftian, But fuppofing this ExprefTion to include Matters of Faith ; yet why muft it relate to the Truth of the Gofpel? Let the Truth of our Pvcligion be enquired into all Freedom; but when that is once fairly fettled, it is but reafonable to lay afide the haughty and arrogant Spirit of a replying Academick, When once we are, upon rea- fonable Grounds, fully convinced that the GQil-Jcl is the Word of God; we ought fure- ti Rational Assent. 217 iy to receive its Dodrines, and learn our Leflbn with objeqiiious Siibmijjlon a?id humble Acqiiiejce?ic:. But let us take the Words in his own Senfe, he who enquires into the Truth of Religion, may Itill iind fomething worthy his Imitation in the Character of //V- tle Children, without turning Changeling. He may divefl hinifelf of all unreafonable Prejudices, all Haughtinefs^ Arrogance^ and Self-Jiijicie?icy\ht teachable without Credulity^ innocent without Folly, and humble without an objequicus and blind SubmiJJion, St. Pc7u/, I hope, may be fuppofed to underlland his Mafter's Meaning: But he fays, — v Be not Children in Under jlandliig \ howbeit in Ma- lice be ye Children, but in Under ft imding be Men, — . And again, — <^ I Ujould hwce you ivije unto that "which is good-, and finiple con- cerning evlL — Our Saviour at leaft may be allowed to explain h.is own Meaning; but he admoniihes his Difciplcs ' to be ivife as Serpents, and harrnlefe as Doves, I have now gone through all our Author's Objedlions Irom Scripture, excepting about three or four; and thofe, I believe, my Readers would eafily excule me from tak- ing Notice of. In Page 65 our Author thus argues : JV e befeech you. Brethren, fays the Apoftle, that you all J peak the fame Thing, ~ That ye be all perje5lly of the fame Mind, I Cor. xiv, 20, ^ Kom. xvl. 19. ! M:^:h. x. 16, F f ' and iiH The Christian's Faith 47nd the fame "Judgment. A ftrange Re- quejl this, 'till we come to confider the Cha- raBer and DoBr'me of the Speaker, and the Means by which he defired it flmild be ef- feBedy which is explained to us in ajiother PlacCy with the Repetition of the like De mand: The Gad of all Conjblation grant you to be like-minded. — This may be frange. Sir, to you ; but it is full as f range to us, that you fliould miftake an Exhortation to Peace and Unity, for an Injundion to all Men to think all alike in all Points. ' Yon yourfelf have taught us to fay, that though Men cannot be all of one Opinion in every Thing, they may be of one Faith, which they hold, notv^/ithftanding their Diverfity of Opi- nions in other Matters^ in the Bond of Peace, and Unity of Spirit, But thefe, I fuppofe, are fome of ' thofe particular Hexts, w^hich our Author has quoted, as they happened to occur to his Memory, He has but a bad Me- viory, poor Man, a very treacherous Memory indeed, to remember only juft what fuited his purpofcy and forget all the reft, which muft have led his Reader into the Apoftle^s true Meaning. I need not acquaint the Reader, that the Apoftle, in both Places, fpeaks with Reference to Divifions, which then obtained in the Churches of Corinth and Rome. The Corinthians were divided * Page 7(j- * See p.. 105. mto a Rational Assent. 219 into Parties, and lifted themfelves feparately under different Teachers and Leaders: At Rome there was a Divifion between the 'Jew- ifh and Gentile Converts about the Lawful- nefs of indifferent Things: The one there- fore St. Paul befeeches to unite together in a Belief of the Gofpel, without any fuch Di- ffindlions of Teachers or Leaders.; the others he is fo far from requiring to think all a- like, that he wiihes them to live in Peace and Unity, notwithllanding their Diverfity of Opinions. But I need not, I fay, go fo far back as to inquire into the Occafion and Scope of what is here faid: I need only give the Words themfelves. I fliall tranfcribe the whole of the PafTages our Author refers to, and they will anfwer him : — ^ Now I , befeech yoUy Brethren^ by the Name of our Lord Jefus Cbriji^ that ye all fpeak the fame Thing, attti t&at x\)zn bc 1X0 Di'i^ifions emiDltQ: ^OU ; but that ye be perfe^ly |0tuell tO* gCtfiCC in the fame Miiid, and in the fame judgmejit. jfo? {t fjatlj Uzw flecliireti iuita me of pott, mp'Bretljren, Ijj) tijem toijicD ai^e 0f t^e 5)oufe of Cljioe, tfjat tijere are Com tentiong amoiin; pott* 3l5oto tfjig.afap, t&at eseep one of pott faitS, 31 am of paiK, ana % of Stpollc05 ana 3| of Cepfjas, ana 31 of Cfjjiff ^ — ^The other PafTage runs thus: — Now the God of Patience and Conflation grant you tQ I Cor. i. 10. ^ Rom. xv. 5. F f 2 be no 7%e Christian's Faith ie like-minded mt tOtuatfig aUDtljet, aCCDJ^ ins to (or aftec tlje Cirampie of) Cf)?ift 3le^ fu0 5 tljat pe map, toitlj one Sptim auB one ipoutf), Bloctfp^oti^etientlje jfatljec of our JLo?5i Sefugi Ci)?iff. %Muztm teceto pe one anotljer, m Cl)?lff alfo reeeiies U0, to tlje (©lO?P of (S05* — This Author has doubt- lefs a Right to cenfure others for arguing from a Jl range Mi/application of a firaggling ^exf^ Jome faint Outline^ wbich Jeemed^ they fancied^ to countenance their Notions, He fcorns to lay hold of a firaggling Text -y he can go fetch a Text from the midft of the Enemy; and, though every Line and Word around is pointed againft him, can carry it off triumphant without Fear or Shame. Another worthy Application of a Text we have Page 68. — y The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it. — But I cannot eafily find, v^hat Senfe our Author would make of thefe Words : Does he think the A- pofde requires Men to beheve the Word be- fore they heard it ? Or dees Faith fignify fuch previous Difpofitions as may be necef- fary to give the Word its due Efficacy? ^ Some fuch Difpofitions are neceflary on his own Scheme : And we may ftiJl maintain, that Chrifiianity is founded on Reafon^ tho' * Page 77„ I Heb. iv. 2, » See p. ^3. eyery 3 a Rational Assent, m every Man is not difpofed to hearken to it. But, after all, the plain Senfe of the Words , is no more than this : ^ T^he Word did not ' frofit them, becaufe they did not believe it; and, pray, how Aiould it ? Again at Page 84 [j our Author tells us, that we are JtriBly en- joined to captivate our Reafon to the Obe- dience of Faith. — But I can find no fuch Injundion in all the Bible. I fuppofe indeed j he may have in his Eye 2 Cor, x. 5. Cajiing down Imaginations^ and every high 'Thi?2g that exalteth itfelf againft the Knowledge of God^ and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Chrijl, — But the Apoftle is not here giving any Injundli- ons to others, but fpeaks in his own Perfon. ^ He threatens to inflicft fome extraordinary Punifliment on thole, who oppofed him at Corinth y and, by that Means, demonftrate the Weaknefs of their high Pretences to Know- ledge, and reduce ail Men to the Acknow- ledgment and Pradice of the Truth. Our Author adds, — ^ Is not carnal Wif- dom, viz, the Refult of human Reajon every where indvftrioufly decry' d in the Affair of believing'? — The Anfwer is {hort: — No. Flejljly or carnal V/iJdom is never, I think, mentioned but once in Scripture, and that is, 2 Cor.\. 12. and there it has no Relation to the Affair of believi?jg ; nor does it fignify ' See Locke an4 Hammond, ^ Page 84. the 221 The Christian's Faith ihe Rejult of human Reafon^ but worldly Po- licy and Cunning. We have another extraordinary Quotation Page 79, — He that cometh to Chrijl^ mujl belieue that he is. — — The Apoftle indeed fays, — He that cometh to God^ muft be- lieve that he is ; and the Senfe is plain e^ nough ; ■ No one can worfliip or ferve God, unlefs he is firfl perfuaded of his Ex- iftence. But what Senfe our Author will make of his Scripture, he beft knows. He does indeed make fine Senfe of it. In Faith ( he fays) it is a necefjary Preliminary — He that cometh to Chriji^ ?nuji believe that he is. So, it feems, Believing is a neceffary Preliminary to Faith. This borders very near upon Nonfenfe^ but the Scripture, and the Interpretation, are both his own. But, I fuppofe, thefe are fome of ^ the Inadvertencies he befpeaks our Candour for — eafy and natural Miilakes, when a Man quotes from his Memory. But I cannot but obferve, that what 1 have before me, is the fecond Edition of this curious Piece ; which, I have been told, has received fome Altera- tions and Corred:ions. There have too, I think, in the mean while been publifhed two or three excellent Anfwers to his Book, which might have rubbed up his Memory^ and difcovered to him his Mijlahs and Mif- ' Hcb. xi, 5. ^1 See p. 105. applications* a Rational Assent. 213 applications. But he ftill continues to repeat the fame Miftakes, ftill perfifts hicorrigibiy to palm upon us falfe Scripture and fahe Fad:. What can be faid for him ? Is he an infpired Perfon, and, as fuch, has a Right to interpret, alter, and make Scripture as he pleafes ? Or has he a Difpenfation from the Pcpe ? And does he hold that we, Hereticks, have no Right to the Truth ? There are fome other Texts, which our Author has produced in Proof and Support of his own Scheme ; but thefe will come more properly to be conlidered in the next Chapter: I fhall conclude this with a fhort Explication of two or three PalTages of Scrip- ture he has been pleafed to throw out occa- fional Refledions upon. Thefirft of thefe is, i Theff, v. 21. Prove all Things \ hold fajl that which is good. ■ « But our Author is pleafed to contradid: the Apoftle, however ill it may become the Charader he has affumed. ^ It a hopeful ^ajk^ he tells us, to prove all Things and affures us, that, if we aim at proving all Things, ^ we fhall never hold fajl any Thing. — I am perfuaded, if this Gentleman had met with this Sentence among the Aphorifms of Hippocrates^ he would have let it pafs un- Gcnfured, perhaps would have extolled the Wifdom of it, I (hould not then have had Occafion i24 'Tl'je Christian's Faith Occafion to tell him, that fuch general Rules are always to be underftood with feme Ex- ceptions and Reftridions ; that the Duty of proving all Things^ muft vary in proportion to each Man's Circumftances and Abilities, and can reafonably extend only to fuch Things, as fall properly in the Way of our Enquiry ; that a Man may hold a good Thing very fajl^ and yet be ready to part with it, when he finds good Reafon fo to do. There is, as I have obferved before, a Medium be- tween Scepticifm and Bigotry. It is neither reafonable to continue unalterably fixed to our prefent Perfuafion, without Examination or Enquiry j nor to be always proving, and- refting in nothing; always learnings and ne* ver coming to the Knowledge of the T^riith-. The proper Condudt, which the Apofile here requires of us, lies between thefe two Ex- tremes, Let us examine carefully into thc^ Truth of our Religion, and purfue our En- quiry, as far as is requifite to fuch a juft and reafonable Satisfacftion, as an honeft and confcientious Man may fafely reft in. It is then reafonable to (hut up our Enquiry, and to adhere ftedfaftly to what we are thus fatif- fied in, and direcSt our Pradice accordingly. We need not, nor ought, on every flight Surmife, to enter upon a Re-examination of our Opinions. But if any new Doftrines of- fer themfelves to us, which may reafonably demand a farther Enquiry; if there appears ^Rational Assent. 225 good Grounds to fufpeft our former Perfua- fion, v/e may then enter upon a new Exa- mination with the fame Care and Impartia- Hty, as we did before. If the Reader re- quires farther Satisfaction on this Head, he may find it in the judicious Dr. Rogers's Ser- mons on this Text. § Another Text our Author takes notice of j is I Cor. xiv. 15. / will pray with the Spirit^ and J will pray with the tinder ft andi^ig alfo, — From whence he would infer, that a Man ?n ay pray with the Spirit^ and not with the Underjla?2di?ig, — The Apoftle is here ; fpeaking of praying in an unknown Tongue -y ' but he does not mean, that the Perfon thus praying, did not himfelf underftand what he faid. On the contrary he exprefsly fays, ^ that he that Jpeaketh in an unknown "Tongue^ edifieth himfelf. But he objeds that, by this Means, the Church did not receive edify i?2g: — ^ If I come unto you fpeakifig with Tongues^ what Jloall 1 profit you ? ^Again, ^ Except ye utter by the Tongue IVords eafy to be underfloody how fhall it be hiown what is fpoke?i? Again, ^ Seek that ye may excels to the edifying of the Church, ' Once more, Elfe when thou fialt blefs with the Spirit, how ftoall he that occupieth the room of the JJnlearnedy fay Amen at thy giv- s Page -6. ^ Ver. 4. » Ver. 6. ^ Ver. 5?. ^ Ver. 12. « Ver. 16. G g ing ii6 The Christian's Faith ing of I'hanks, feeing he underfandeth not 'what thou fayefl? " From all which it is e- vident, that by praying with the XJnderJland- ing is here meant, praying in fuch a manner that he might be underftood by others. ° The Reader, for his farther Satisfaftion , may confult Mr. Locke s Paraphrafe and Com- ment. The laft Paffage of Scripture I fhall here confider, is where ? St. John admonifhes his Dlfciples, to try the Spirits whether they are of God and the Teft he gives them where- by they may try the Spirits is, » Every Spirit that confejfeth that Jeftis Chrijl is come in the Flejb^ is of God-, and every Spi- rit that confejfeth not^ that Jefus Chrif is come in the Fleffo^ is not of God. ■ Here our Author objeds, that this is evidently what Philofophers call, arguing in a Circle^ and begging the ^eftion. But if we con- fider, who the Apoftle is fpeaking to, and and what he is fpeaking of, we (hall eafily free him from this Circle. ^ The Apoftle is fpeaking to Chrif ians^ not with Defign to prove the Truth of Chriftianity^ which they already believed, but to warn them againft fome Seducers, who were themfelves alfo profelTed Chrif ians-, but denied fome of the moft important Articles of the Chriftian • See alfo ver. 15;. ; See alfo Jac Cafpellus. p I John iv. I, 2, 3. ^ P. 78. ' See Bulli Opera, p. 25?^. Faith a Rational Assent. 227 Faith. Such were Ebion and Ceri?tthus^ who called themfelves Cbrijlians^ and pretended to extraordinary Infpiration, but denied (he Truth of our Saviour's Incarnation. Here then were two Sets of Perfons pretending to divine Infpiration, the Apoftles, and thefe new Teachers. St. yohn here gives a plain Rule how ChriflianSy already inftruded in the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, might try whofe Pretences were juft, viz. by their Dodlrine. Thofe who denied Cbriji's Incar- nation, were plainly falfe Prophets ; while thofe, who were orthodox in this important Article, were to be admitted as Perfons they could have no juft Exception againft. It was not, as I apprehend, the Apoftle's In- tention to deliver a general Criterion, where- by all Spirits might always be tried. He does not m.ean that all Prophets, v/ho ac- knov/ledged this Dodlrine, were to be admit- ted, however erroneous they were in other Points. He dcfigned this only as a Rule fuited to that particular Occafion, whereby Chriftians of thofe Times might judge which of the two they were to follow, St, Jobn^ or Ebiofi and Cerinthus, But I ought to ac- quaint my Reader, that the learned Dr. Ham- viond puts a different Interpretation on thefe Words : By conjejjing that Jefus Chriji is corae in the Flejhy he underftands not the bare Belief of the Chriftian Religion,, but the confeffing this Faith before Men in G g 2 Times iiS The Christian's Faith Times of DifEculty and Perfecution. Thefe Seducers, it feems, thought they called them- felves Chriftians, yet were not willing to fuf- fer Martyrdom for ChrijTs fake; but pub- lickly maintained it to be lawful to deny him on fuch Occafions. Dr. Hammond therefore fuppofes, that St. John here gives this as a Teft, whereby they might diftin- guifh true Prophets from falfe. Thofe who were willing to fuffer for Cbrijl's fake, might juftly be efteemed true Prophets ; but thofe, who renounced or forfook him in the Time of Perfecution, thereby plainly fliewed them- felves to be 720l of God, CHAP. IV. HAVING now examined our Author's Objedions, both from Reafon and Scripture, againft a rational Faith, it remains to enquire what he would give us in the Room of it; to confider the Means he re- commends to usjor coming at the Knowledge of divine T^ruths. ^ It is nothing lefs than Om7iifcience and Omniprefence itfelf which is to irradiate our Souls at once with a thorough Conviction^ and perform more by one fecret Whifper^ than a thoufand clamo- rous Harangues from the Schools. ^ It is, in I Page 5(^. I P. 58. the a Rational Assent. 229 the jirjl Place^ univerfal^ and yet not one in ten thoufand is confcious, that he ever ei- ther received or refifted this thorough Convi- j Stion, ^ It is to make us think all alike -y I though ^ the only Method in Nature of efFedt- ing this, is to put out all our Eyes, This is of Authority and Force fuficient to counter- mand effectually againfl the mojl 'violent Af- faults of Temptation, It is of immediate In- fluence^ and operates without Delay ^ though (like Seed fown in the Ground) the Progrefs and Method of its Advances Jhall be fure to efcape our nicefl Obfervathn, ^ It flafloes Conviction in a Moment by an irrefiftible Light from Heaven it completes our Faith in an Infant^ and produces at once the moft perfect and finifljed Creed. Its Dictates are^ as it were, felf evident : In this the Sum and Subflance of all Argumentation is briefly comprized, the very Spirit and ExtraCl of all- convicting Power, of a Nature perhaps but little differing from that of IntuitioJi it- felf ^ The Characters thus flamped upon the living Tablets of our Hearts are indelible fuch as no Mifreprefentations can ever poffibly intervene to corrupt, or fhake its Authority in our Minds, s And this our faithful Moni- tor and Guardian has promifed to abide with us to the End of the World, that we might ' P2ge 89. P. 108. ' P. 59. [ P. 60, ^ Ibid, not 230 The Christian's Faith not be left liable one Mornent to a Pojfibilify ef Error and Impojition, Thefe would be, it muft be owned, moft efreclual and infalli- ble Means to come at the Knowledge oj di- 'uine Truths. But, alas ! the Scene will foon be changed. ^ We fhall find in a Page or two, that this ' infallible, ^ inftantaneous^ ^ uni- verfaly and effeBual Irradiation-, this cer- tainy felf-evident^ irrefifible Light from Heaven^ which does not leave "™ us liable to a Pofjibility of Error and Impofition, miiji yet^ like a rational Faith, depend greatly up- on the proper Difpoftion of our Minds to give it Reception for its Effcacy, We may refift this irrejijtible Lights and not be convinced by this thorough ConviBion. We may be infen- fible of this flrong and palpable internal Senfe-, not perceive what /j, ^as it were, f elf -evident nor fee what is known in a manner perhaps but little differing from that of Intuition itfelf ^ This Principle is to make us virtuous againji cur Inclinations-, and yet p its Efficacy depends upon the proper Difpoftion of our Minds, that is, on our Inclinations, It is univerfal \ but now we find that it operates only on fome few particular Perfons it is only ^ ten- ^ Page Ci. ' P. 5(^. ' P. 59. ' P- 58- ^ P. ^o. " Obferve how cautioully this accurate W riter exprefles himfelf, — as it were, — perhaps — hut little differing. •?. 30, ^ ?. 6^. ^ P. 30. ! P. (>3. dered I ^Rational Assent. 231 dcred umverjally, and fo we fay is a Ratio- nal Faith. It is to bring ^ all Men to think all alike-, but we find now 'tis only thofe who are ' difpofed to give it Reception, and fo will a rational Faith, fiich as Books 7nay fur^ nijh, if our "^Infidelity of Spirit did not ren- der its Operations of no Effedl. ^ It is of im- mediate Infuence^ arid operates without De- lay: And yet Men may fufpend or fruftrate its Influence, as they do that of Reafon, by their ^ Obfiitiacy, Impiety^ and Perverfenefs, I need not, I prefame, fpend much Time in confuting this ^ ridiculous Jargon. To ex- prefs myfelf in our Author's own polite Lan- guage : It is fuch a Scheme at firfi View, as no Pretence of Authority, human or divijie^ can command any Regard or Attention to, or indeed any Notice, but that of the Contempt due to Paradoxes, the mofi eminently impu- dent and ridiculous. Strange is it indeed, that a Man fhould attempt to prove by Ar- gument, that y Reafon is changeable, preca- rious, and uncertain ; or by Scripture, ^ that the Scripture is a dead Letter, abfolutely de- fective and infuffic lent for a?2y revealing Pur- fofe. As his Scheme is, in its own Nature^ incapable of Proof ; fo has he fairly preclud- ed himfelf from all Methods of proving it. Will he argue from Reafon? But he has told 'Seep. 58. « Page 68, P. 58, 64. I P. 26 ^ P. di. us. 1^1 The Christian's Faitii us, ^ that 'tis not her proper Province to judge at all of religious Matters ; nor is this an Affair^ cohere pe has any Concerns. Will he argue from Scripture? But he has told that the Scripture is only a fujpicious Repo- Jitory of human Tefimony : and that nothing in it can now deferve our leaf Notice^ or be thought of Confequence to engage a Moment's Attention. What Method of Proof the^n can he invent? I prefume he docs not pretend to work Miracles: if he does, ^ Miracles have (he fays) been perform' d in favour of falfe Do5lrineSy and therefore cannot of them- felves alone he any certain Marks of a true How then are we to be convinced of this Witnefs of the Spirit'? Perhaps he v/ill fay, we have it within us, and may be convinced of it by ^ ^ liro72g and palpable internal Senfe, Why then, truly, our Author 7?iight have /pared his painful Labours : If this be the Cafe, ^ li Jlands in no Need of any jiicb far-fetched Apologies^ and laboured Accounts to reconcile and explain it. He might as well have wrote a Book to convince us, that our Eye fees, or our Heart beats. But, it feems, ^ the Efficacy of this ConviBion de- pends greatly upon the proper Difpoftion of of our Mi?ids, And what is this proper Dif- poftion f — ^ We may, by our Objlinacy, ^ Page 7. ^ P. 59. ^ P. 4(). ^ P, 58 \ P. 21. s P. ^3. ? P. ^4. Impiety^ a Rational Assent. 233 impiety^ and Perverfenefs-, ^ by our Ingrati- tude, Negle5i, and Lifidelity of Spirit, ren- tier its Operations of ?20 Effe^, Had then this Gentleman exhorted us to cultivate fuch a Difpofition, had he perfuaded us to banifh from our Hearts all Objiinacy, Impiety, and Infidelity of Spirit, he would have been wifely and ufefully employed. But the Ten- jdency of his whole Book isdiredly contrary: He has, ( as I have frequently had Occafion to fhew) inflead of this, taken the ready Method to overthrow all natural Religion, as well as revealed. ^ The Belief of a God, according to him, is not founded on Argu- ment. Are Fiety then and Gratitude Dif pofitions previous to the Belief of a Deity ? Befides, I would aflc, whether thefe proper Difpojitlons are natural or acquired ? If they are natural, ^ the V/ ant of them can never be a Crime, If they are then to be acquired, how are we to acquire them? And vt^hat Motive have v^e to cultivate them ? Will Reafon guard us againft Impiety, Ferverfe- nefs, and htfidelity of Spirit ? But ^ this boajled Ally may not raife her Forces 'Time enough to come ii^to our Protection, Befides, \few Men are qualified for reafoning at all-, ^ and the ableft and befi of Men are difqua- lified for fair Reafoning by their natural cP, ^ Rom. i. 16, f P. 5^. s Rom. viii, .16, Our 248 The Christian's Faith — Our Author has forgot this latter Claufe, which plainly fliews, that the whole is no- thing to his Purpofe. The Apoftle's Mean- ing is, that the Holy Spirit enables good Chri- ftians to rejoice in the Teftimony of a good Confcience j from whence arifes a reafonable Perfuafion of God's Favour to them, and a comfortable Hope of a blelTed Inheritance in the World to come. But what is this to the Source and Origin of our Faith'? There is not a Word of the Frinciple oj Gofpel-evi- dence neither here, nor in the whole Chap- ter. ^ In the next Page our Author produces fome Paffages of Scripture, where ' Faith is called the Gift of God\ and where Chrifl fays, — ^ No Man can come unto me, except it ivere given unto him of my Father. — We have already fhewu in what Senfe Faith may be called the Gift of God; but in the firft PafTage here cited, it is not Faith (as I hum- bly apprehend) but Salvation^ that is faid to be the Gift of God, and fiot of ourfehes. But let him take it in his own Senfe : Can God give us Faith no other Way, but by ^ irradiating our Souls at once with a tho- rough Convidlion ? This, inftead of a Re- proof, would carry with it a fair Excufe for thofe unbelieving Jews, whom our Saviour, ^ Page 57. \ Eph. ii. 8. ^ John vi. (>). ^ See p. ')6, in a Rational Assent, 24^ in the latter Paffage, is fpeaking of. Had the only Reafon of their Want of Faith been, becaufe God had not given it theniy and /r- refiftibly ftamped it on their Minds, they could not have been blamed for their Infide- lity. But they wanted an honeft Heart, fin- cerely defirous to know the Truth. This was the Caufe of their Infidelity, and this made it fo highly criminal. But now we come at laft to the Jlrongejl ConJir?nationy — the plaineft 'Declaratio7i ajid ' DireBioii "what kind of Evidence Chrijiiafis *were always to trujl to^ and rely on, for the Information and Jlfjiirance of their Minds, — " ^he Spirit of 'Truth (faith Chriji) which proceedeth from the Father^ he Jhall tejlify of me, — And again, — ° PFhen the Spirit of Truth is comCy he will guide you into all Truth. ■ — What can be anfwered to fuch full Proof as this ? — except it be to defirc the Reader to read on a little, and then he will find immediately after the firft Quotation thefe Words : — p And ye alfo fhall bear Wit- nefs, becaufe ye have been with me from the Beginning : After the fecond Paflage quoted, it follov/s, ■ — and he will fhew you Things to come, — If then this Gentleman can lay Claim to the Gift of Prophecy; if he can prove, that he is above feventeen Page 57. ^ John xv. 16, ^ John xvi» 13, ^ John XV* 27. K k hundred ijo The Christian's Faith | hundred Years old, and was with Chrtjl 1 from the Beginning, we may allow this Pro- || mife to belong to him ; if not, we muft be I at Liberty to think the Words are applicable I only to the Apoftles. Our Author has cer- ' tainly great Reafon to guard againft ^ the \ Ipecious Exceptions of prejudiced Wit-, the evafive ConjiriiElions, which may be impofed ■ on particular Pajfages. No, Sir, we ftand in Need of no evafve ConjlruBions , and have no Occafion to fet our Wits to work; f we have generally little elfe to do, but to | turn over our Bible, and tranfcribe the Paf- | fages entire which you have curtailed. ' I pafs by fome Texts of Scripture, which our Author feems to bring in rather by way of Allufion, than Argument, and proceed to Tage 76, where we have fome more Quota- tions of the fame Nature. — ' When St. Pe- ter confefled his Faith in Chriji, he anfwer- edy and faid unto him^ — Flejh ajid Blood hath not revealed it unto thee, hut my Father which is in Heaven. — I did not know be- fore, that Flejl: and Blood fignified Reafon. But I cannot give the Senfe of this Paflage better than in the judicious Dr. Hamtnond'^ Words : — " This Faith of thine is not '* built on human Teftimony, but upon tlie " Miracles and Dodlrines, which thou haft heard and feen, which are the Teftimonies - % See p. -jC. » P. 58. ' P. 75. Macth.x\1. 17'. " of I a Rational Assent, iji of God himfclf, whereby he hath teftified oi me. ^ Again, Chrift tells the ^ews^ that they jlmll be all taught of God-, and that every Man that hath heard^ and hath learjied of the Father^ cometh unto hinu — I hope, af- ter what has been faid, it is needlefs to add much in Anfwer to fuch Proofs as thefe. It is God, as we have faid already, who gives us a Difpofition of Mind ready to receive the Truth; and therefore all Believers may properly be faid to be taught of God, and to have learjied of the Father, And this was more efpecially true with regard to the fews^ who lived under the Advantages of a Reve- lation, which, had they paid due Attention to, they would have been prepared for the Reception of the Gofpel. ^ But are we not told exfrejly^ that ^ Faith is the Evide?ice of T'hi?igs not feen ? — Yes : And what would a common Reader infer from thence, but that Faith ought to be the Refult of our own Reafo7iings ; that fome Evidence is neceffary to convince the Under- ftanding, before we can place our Faith on the I'bings not feen? No, fays our Author, if we are left free to e?iquire into the ^ruth of all Funda?nentals in Religion-, this is to make Faith only the Evidence of T'hings feen. This is notable arguing indeed! Is this Gen- Page -jC. John vi. 45. " P. 77. .^Heb. xi. i. K k 2 tleman 1^1 The Christian's Faith tleman really unable to diftinguifh between feeing the Force of the Evidence, and feeing the Thiiig itfelf ? Or does he think we can have no rational Aflurance of any Thing, but what we fee with our own Eyes? Muft every Merchant, who trades to yamaica^ firft fee the Place, before ever he fets out for it ? Or is he not left free to enquire^ whether there is fuch a Place or no ? And may he not be able to give an intelligible and fcitif- faBory Account of the Reafons of his Voy- age before he undertakes it? But our Au« thor tells us, that they who would teach us^ that our Faith ought to be the Refult of our own ReafoningSy take upon them to reverfe the authentick Precept^ and bid us walk by Sight ^ in/lead of Faith, ~ So, it feems, this Gen- tleman takes walking by Sights and follow- ing our Reafon, to be the fame Thing : He knows no Difference between his Underfland- ing and his Senfes, I fhould rather have have thought, that what we adually fee^ is not the proper Objeft, either of Reafon or j| Faith y and that becaufe we believe inT'hings not feen^ we ought, on that very Account, to have good Reafons for our Faith. God is himfelf invifible ; but his eternal Power and Ccdhcad are clearly feen^ and evidently de- rnonflrated from the Creation of the Worlds The Things of a future State are Tubings not ? Page 77. ^ Rem. i. 20, feen a Rational Assent. 253 Jeen as yet-, but God has given us fufficient Proof, and full Evidence of them. There remains only one more Paffage of Scripture to be confidered, ^ which, if we will take this Writer's Word, mofi fully, and beyond all Pojfibility of Mifconception, de- fcribes to us the true Nature of Faith, in pr-ojeji Oppoftion to that mijlaken Notion of a Rational one, which fome had, it feems^ erroneoufy entertained. — ^ The Righteouf- nefs which is of Faith, ( faith St. Paul ) fpeaketh on this wife : Say not iji thine Heart, Who jldall afcend into Heaven ? ( that is, to bring Chrifl down from above:) Or^ Who Jljall defcend into the 'Deep'? (that isy to bring up Chrifi again from the Dead.) But what faith it? The Word is nigh thee^ rven in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart-, that is the Word of Faith, which we preach. — This Paffage is (it muft be owned) fome- what difficult, too difficult indeed to build fuch a Dodlrine upon beyond all Poffibility of Mifconception, But I would afk, who thofe Perfons were, who had errc?ieoufy enter- tained this mifiaken Notion of a Rational Faith? ^ Our Author tells us, that they were welUmeaiiifig Devotees, who had a Zeal of God, but not according to Knowledge, But this, one would think, Ihould rather prove them to be Enthufeafis, than Rational Di- ' Page 75. ! Rom. x. 6^ ^c. ^ vines. 254 Christi^^n's Faith 'Dines. If he could produce any authentick Account of any fiich Rational Divines^ who flouriflied in thofe Days, againft whom the Apoftle might be fuppofed to write, it would go a rreat Way towards eflablifhing his In- terpretation. ^ But luch JlriB Criticifm is not his Care, I muft therefore beg Leave to inform him, that they were Jews^ or yewilh Converts, that the Apoftle here writes againfl; that they infilled on the Ne- ceility, and Sufficiency of the Works of the Mofaical Law and that on thefe Points all the Apoills's Reafonings in this Epiftle turn. He had no Controverfy with them about the true Priiiciple of Gojpel-evidence, And, in the Pafiage before us, he is not fpeaking of Faith, but of the Right eoiijhefs which is of Faith', not of Belief, but of Pradice. We need only look back to 'ver. 5. and there we fhall find, that the Apoftle is comparing the Gefpel-Covena7it with that of Mofes^ with refped to the Pradicablenefs and Eafinefs of the Conditions of it. — ^ Mofes defcribeth the Right eoufnefs , which is of the Law, that the Man, which doth thofe Things, pall live by them, — • The Terms of the Mofaical Co- venant v/ere a punctual Performance of eve- ry Part of the Lav/, which it was impoffible for Man, in his prefent corrupt Condition, to come up to. But the Terms of the Gof- * See p. 105. ^ Rom. x. 5. pel a Rational Assent. 2yy pel were plain and eafy. The Phrafes here of afc ending up into Heaven^ and defcending into the Deep, are proverbial, and denote great and unfurmountable Difficulties. On the contrary, being nigb in our Hearts and Mouths^ are Expreffions which import, that the Thing fo fpoken of, is eafy and pradii^- cable. — The Right eoufnefs, which is oj Faith y fpeaketh on this wife. Say not in thine Hearty (^c. — The Terms of the Gofpel-righteouf- nefs or Juftification, are no way difficult or imprafticable, we need not now fay. Who Jhall afcend into Heaven to bring down a Teacher, and a Saviour ? For God has fent one : Or, Who Jhall dejcend into the Deep, to bring up our Chrijl, or Saviour? For God has railed him, who defcended thither for us, and was raifed again for our Jufif ca- tion. All that was difficult in the Work of our Salvation, Chrift hath performed for US; nothing is required of us, but what is plain to be known, and eafy to be pradtif- ed: The Word is nigh thee, even in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart, — Our Duty is now clearly revealed ; and its Precepts are a- greeable to our Nature, fuch as our own Reafon and Confcience diftate to us. I have now, I think, examined all our Au- thor's Proofs from Scripture. But, perhaps, I am all this while fighting the Air, and beat- ing only the Cafe of Diogenes. We cannot fuppofe this Gentleman in earneft in his Al- legation 2y6 The Christian's Faith legation of Scripture-Proofs, after he has told us, ^ that there is nothing in thefe Jiijpicious Repofitories of human TeJlimo?2)\ that can de- ferve our leajl Notice^ or be thought of Con- fequence to engage a Momenfs Attention, And it muft be own*d that his Pradice is an- fwerable to his Profeflion ; he does not feem to have beftow'd a Mome?2t's Attention on any one Text he has quoted. It is beneath him to attend to the Scope and Connexion of Scripture ; fuch ^ Exa^inefs and Pun6tuality is by no Means his Care. But pray let me afk him to what Purpofe he produces thefe Paffages of Scripture ? Does he ferioufly in- tend them as Proofs ? then furely he ought to have beftowed a little Care in fettling the true Meaning of his Proofs. Is it then his De- fign, to charge the Scripture as teaching and abetting the wild Dodrine he would give us as the true PiHnciple of Gofpel-Evidencef And does he think luch a Charge can be fup- ported by a few ^particular Texts quoted from his Memory, without caring how he has mijlaken^ or mifipplied tkeni ? Or does he mean no more than to take every Oppor- tunity of ridiculing and expofing the Scrip- ture ? Even in this View he fnould not have ^ laid himfelf open fo unguardedly \ a little Attention to the Senfe and Defiga of the Scriptures he has quoted might have been ? Page 5^. ^ P. 105. proper, ^old 1 ^ Rational Assent. 257 % Iproper, left he fliould be found to ridicule Jf. Iwhat he does not underftand, and the Con- Itempt and Laughter (hould return upon him- X l^'^lf' Biit whatever are his Views and De- ii. i/igns, it may concern us to vindicate the fm IScripture from his Mifreprefentations. I can- on Inot indeed lay claim to any great Merit in ill Imaking tho fagadous Difcovery'', His Quo- of Itations, (as I have already obferv'd) moft of I them anfwer themfelves ; one need not ^ ^r^;?- ' acute Lejjons of a Hammond, or I a Grotius upon the Suhje5l\ but only give the , I Paflages entire, which he has mifquoted. He ; I has indeed given us three or four Texts, , I which have fome Difficulty in them, in the I Expofition of which learned Men differ. If I I may not have explained thefe to every one's I Satisfaftion, I hope at leaft I have fhewn they I are nothing to his Purpofe. f ^ But he refers us to the great Original'^ I ^ to other innumerable Fajjages throughout the I ' whole Scripture \ s to the joint T'enor and I tendency of the whole. — But what will fuch I general References prove, unlefs it be that he I is refoiv'd to make up in Confidence, what I he wants in Proof? This is juft as if a Plead- er at the Bar, after he had fought for Evi- ; dence in vain, and all his own Witneffes had deposed againft him, ftiould plead that the Thing was notorious, and all the World ' knevy it. See p. 105. * See p. 112, P. 58. ^ P. 5^, 57. s P. 106. LI But xjS T^^Christian's Faith, ©'f. ' But I fiiall now take my Leave of hin for the prefent. This Anfwer has taken up more Time, and run out to a greater Length, than I at firft imagined ; and there- fore, rather than 'defer the Publication any longer, I thought proper to fend thefe Sheets now to the Prefs, and hope foon to prefent the World with the two remaining Chapters. FINIS. AD VEll ri S E ME N t7 SINCE thefe Sheets were tranfcrib'd for the Prefs, I receiv'd the firft Part of Dr. Leland's Anfwer, and find he has in feveral Particulars anticipated me. Had I feen it fooner, it might have fav'd me fome Trou- ble: I read it, however, with a double Plea- fure; I .was glad both to fee fo able a^Hand engag'd in the Controverfy, and to find I agreed fo nearly in many Points with fo in- genious and judicious a Writer. E RRAT A. Page Line 27. 24. dele of Expreflion 28. iO. fir or read for 47- 2. for InciTion read Infition 59- 10, > doubty read doughty 71- 12. fir com pleat read competent 75- 20. for Tyrd read Tryal 80. 18. for Domonilration read Demonfl ration 96. 8. for Remptations read Temptations ib. dele from Are to Futurity 125. I . for unreafonably read unfeafonably ib. 21. for Doubtings read Doublirgs 14.^. I. after trufted fut a Comma 20%. f \o. for amounted read amounts P. 130. in Notes, r. See above, p. 29, 30. And there are foms yiifakes in the References to Texts of Scripture.