rRLE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

A39002085613660B

YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

A M
EXAMINATION Of a Book intituled
THE TRUE GOSPEL OF
JESUS CHRIST
Asserted,
By Thomas Chubb*
• And alfo of
His Appendix on PROVIDENCE.
To which is added,
A Dissertation on EPISCOPACY,
Shewing, in one fliort and plain View,
The Grounds of it in Scripture and Antiquity.

r*

By LAWRENCE JACKSON, B.D.
Some Time Fellow of Sidney-College in Cambridge.
Do ju/ify, love Mercy ^ and walk humbly with thy God.

L O N D ON:
Printed for John Clarke, under the Royal Exchange, Cornhill,
M. sec. xxxix.

To the Right Reverend
EDMUND Lord Bifhop of London.
My Lord/
r-jpHESE Papers ad-
I drefs themfelves to
you, becaufe they
are owing to your Lord-
fhip's Dire&ion ; I mean,
general Dire&ion to your
Clergy, to turn their At
tention on the Side of the
present Religious Contro-
verfies, to be always ready
to give an Anfwer to thofe
A'2 that

iv Dedication.
that ask a Reafon of the
Hope that is in them, and
to labour to maintain by
their Arguments, . and re
commend by their Lives
that Faith, which wras once
delivered to the Saints. You
not only gave^ the Precept,
but fet the Example, and
appeared early in the Caufe
of Christianity ; and many
with great Abilities and
anfwerable Succefs have
followed : The Rich out
of their Abundance, have
caft in much into this
Treaiury of God ; but two
Mites properly placed and
rightly circumftantiated ,
may turn to account. To

Dedication. V
To d\Vell here upon the
fliiriing AccomplifhmentS
which diftinguifh you?
publick, or the amiable
Qualities which conftitutd
your private Chara&er,
the Propriety, the Wl£
dom, the Beauty of your
Dire&ions, the Influence,
the Weight, the Dignity
of your Behaviour, your
fteady Care for the Prefer-
vation of our happy Efta-
blifhment; the eafy Accefs
allowed to all who want
your Advice or AfRftance ;
would be impertinent in
me, troublefome to your
Lordfliip, and to the World
unneceflary. Thefe Things are

vi Dedication.
are ieen,< felt, and^univer-
fally acknowledged : Your
Friends admire them, and
your Enemies confefs them,
by their mean Endeavours
to obfcure and traduce
them.* r I have placed your Lord-
fliip's Name, to exprefs my
Refpe& to it, and to obtain
a favourable Reception for
an honeft Defign of refcu-
ing Perfons and Things from
Mifrepyefentation and A-
bufe. I have long wiihed
and hoped for fome one to
arife, who was both able
and willing, to refute all
the various Errors, repeJ
the Slander, and expofe the
Weak-

Dedicat ion. vii
Weaknefs, the Sophiftry ,
and the Virulence of a pro-
fefled Enemy to all that is
orderly, or bears the Stamp
of Divinity upon it. Till
fuch Juftice is done to Man
kind, be pleafed to accept
this Attempt towards it,
from, My Lord,

Your Lordjhifs
Mofl Dutiful, andmoft Obedient
Humble Servant*

Lawrence Jackfon.

The Reader is defired to correct the Errors of the Prefs, by read-
. ing thu$ : Page 20. line 19. onyns fometi/jies, Obedience 
¦p. 23. Reference at Bottom, x'Johit'vt. 9,10.  zjC?»%v.
18, 19.  p. 99. 1. 3 , Fondnefsof the Generality of Men for
external Obfervances  -p. 163. 1. 3. court to titfjeivs 
p. 169. 1. 2. free him from the  p. 25Z. 1. 2.8. to be only
the Original  p. 254. 1.6. provide Sujienance——p. 272^.
1. 25. fold him out of Envy j the Ijhmaelites for Profit — p. 274.
Reference at Bottom, Ec/lef. ix. 11.  job. xxjciii. 13. 
p. 275. Refer. Deut. xxviii.-^ — p. 281. 1. 11. than that it
Jhouldby affecicial Acl of Power be turned out of it.

( I )

A n
EXAMINATION OF THE
True Go/pel of JESUS CHRIST
afferted.

a

VARIOUS have been the Methods of
attacking and weakening Chriftianity,
to ferve the Ends of Pride> Pique, Li--
centioufnefs and Infidelity. Some have endea
voured to rob it of its Light of Prophecy,
and, after having obfcured and perplexed a
Paffage or two of that Nature, concluded the
Work done : Others have taken Pains to fpoil
its Miracles, by reprefenting them as Cheats,
or at leaft, impertinent to prove the Miffion
of him 'who performed them. Some have
gone roundly to work, and afferted the Ufe-
leffnefs, and even Impoffibility of any Reve
lation ; and that the Ghriftian, in particular,
has no Right to the Name or Thing, but
what is founded in the Craft of the Priefts,
and the Credulity of the People. But thefe
were all declared Infidels, open Enemies, and
B it

2 AnExamlnatton of the True Go/pel of
it was no difficult Matter to guard againft and
iubdue, them. The Author , beforgL_me. has
taken . a different Path, and, .like Catilim~in
the Senate, plotting the Deftruftion of it,
chufes to , fight again$r_ Qhriftianity within its
Walls, and under its own Banners, and efteems
it unjuft and ungenerous in any one tp repre-
fent him as an Unbeliever, and Enemy to the
Gofpel for fo doing. We have a Right to call
Things by their prpper Names, but when thofe
Names are offenfive, it may not be Manners to
give them- .A gay Humpurift, who was con
tinually calling all the Women in Company
Whores, except one, was afked by her, Why
he did not afe|he,fame Liberty with her ? Be-
caufe, Madam, replied key you really are one.
Out of the fame Regard to Decency, I fhall
be contented to prove this Writer's Affertions.
to, be Untruths, without calling thena Lyes:
though generally the guarding fo zealoufly
againft ill Treatment in the Beginning of a
Work, is a ihrewd Sign the Author defighs
to provoke and deferve it. How . far this is
the prefent Cafe, may poffibly appear in the
Progrefs of this Examination. , ^
This extraordinary Piece is intitled, *Xh&
True Gofpel of J ejus Chrijl affirted. The,
good Man then defigns to defend our Reli
gion, and maintain the Gofpel of Jefus
Chrift: Yes, but it is after he (like the Ty
rant of old, who lopped thofe that were too
long, and ftretched thofe who were too
ihort

JESUS CHRIST ajjerim 3
fhort for his Bed) has curtailed and racked it
to his own Standard. I would allow the Title
however, if I might be allowed to change:
one Word in it, and put perverted, inftead of
afferted: Or in the Grbfs, as it ftands, if af-
ferted, implies no more, than naked, urifup-i
bbrted Afl^rtion, without and againft Proof:
And this the rather, becaufe I know no one
more given to thus afferting Things, than this
Author,, more infallible in his felf-erected
Throne^ than the moft infolent of the Ro-
rhan Pofltrfs. He, of all Men, cannot with
any Grace complain of Severity, fince there is
no Thing or Perfon fo facfed, as to efcape ill
Treatment from him: He has robbed God of
his Providence, Chrift of his Mediatorftiip ?
and if he deals thus freely with the Mafter of
the Houfe, no Wonder, if he gives hard Names
to thoTe of his Houfehold. His Work indeed
may be called a: Banter On the Gofpel, and a
Satire" on the Minifters of it i For this plain
Mail is the" moft ferious Droll in the World.
His Title-Page is a Key to let you into the
D^fign of the Performance, which with great
gravity addreffes^ itfelf to the particular Con-
.ftdera&on of all thofe, who efleem themfehes,
or are ejieefned by others, to be Minifiers of
J ejus Chrift, and Preachers of his Gofpel ; and
more efpecidtty to all thofe, . who have obtained
the Reputation of being the great Defenders of
Chriftianity. In the Preface he very candidly
fuggefts, that thefe great Defenders brought in
B 2 Chri-

4 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Chriftianity to countenance their Contention
for Worldly Poffeflions, Power, and Pre-Emi-
nence, z>, Italics. He dilates to his Maker,
in Matters wholly dependent on his Will, with
fo uncommon, a Prefumption, as may make
one queftion his Humility and Natural Reli
gion, whj,cli he pretends, to ; and he ufes fo
much Chicane and Artifice, in fhifting his
Perfonage, and being the Quaker, theSoci-
nian, the, Infidel, the Chriftian, by turns, as
may makers doubt the Sincerity of his Inten
tions, and; preclude him the Character of an
honeft, but miftaken .Man, which fome have
been inclined to gjve him.
I have chofen to anfwer.this particular Au
thor, becaufe he is allowed to have done fome
Mifchief, and becaufe one may fee to the End
of one's Labour : For if you confute one or
two of his Pieces, you confute all, his Works,
which are only Tranicripts ' of one; another,
differently .dreffed and exhibited : A few trite
Soeinian Sentiments, with fome wretched Per-
verfions of detached Paffages of Scripture, in-
terfperfed with proper Witticifms on the Re
verends and Right Reverends, make a finifhed
Book, which breeds other, Books, as fall ashe
can copy himfelf. He' deals in. a flight, but
falhionable Sort of Ware, and gets Money and
Reputation with little, Pains, as^Doiley got an
Eftate by the Stuffs, which bore his Name.
But the chief Reafon of my Attempt is the
Concern I have in the true Gofpel of Jefus
Chrift,

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 5
Chrift, which every Chriftian is obliged to
adorn with his Life, and defend with his Ar
guments, as ~God has given him Grace and
Abilities to do the one or the other. He,
that obtrudes a new Gofpel upon us, under
the venerable Name of our Saviour, is Anti-
Chrift, and to be treated as fuch, by thofe who
are called by his Name. * Though we, or an
Angel from Heaven, fays the Apoftle, Preach
any other Gofpel, let him be accurfed. For I
certify you, Brethren, that the Gofpel, which
was preached of me is not after Man, for I
neither received it of Man, neither was I taught
it, but by the Revelation of J ejus Chrijl.
-j- Other Foundation can no Man lay, than that
is laid, which is J ejus Chrijl. St.' John, who
reviied and approved the other three Gofpels,
and added his own, and whofe Revelation
clofes the Sacred Canon, fays at the End of
his Prophecy, what is certainly applicable to
all Scripture given by Jnfpiration of God ; % If
a Man Jhall add unto thefe Things, God Jhall
add unto him the Plagues that are written in
this Book ; and if any Man Jloall take away
from the Words of the Book of this Prophecy,
God Jhall take away his Part out of the Book
of Life. How far this Author hath made
himfelf the Obje& of this terrible Denuncia
tion, by the Reprefentation he has given of the
Gofpel of Chrift, I come now to examine.
B 3 Senfible,
*Gal.i. 8, n, 12. t iCor. iii. u. J Rev. xxii. 18, 19.

6 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Senfible, I fuppofe, of the Scarcity and
Poornefs of his Proofs in the Body of the
Work, he lays them on thick at the Begin
ning, in order to evince, what no Chriftian
ever denied, or caljed in Queftion, that the
great End and<profeffed Defign, which Chrift
came into the World to profecute, was to pro
cure Men's Salvation, to infure to them the
Favour ofGod, and their Happinels in another
World, and as much of it in this World, as
their State of Probation will admit of. But the
Texts, he has thrown together on this Occa
sion, prove <lfo the Manner of effecting all
this, which he induftrioufly concealed, and de-
figned to pervert, left hisBook fhould be ftifled
in the very Birth.
From this acknowledged End of Chrift's
Miffion he draws an Inference, pag, 4.. which
I can fee no Reafon for, befldes a ftrong In
clination of being early at the Parfons, with
out which his Work wouki grow dull and un-
faleable. The Inference is, that it is an AbuJ'e
of the Name and Revelation of Chrift for any
Chrifian, or any Set, Order, or Body of Men
among Chriflians, to pretend to any the kajl
Degree of Temporal Pmver as delegated by
Chrift, out of which their prefent Inter eft might
arij'e. That is, fays he, they cannot infiiB cor
poral Punishments or pecuniary MulSls : That
is, fay I, the Spiritual Society is not the Civil
Society: Prodigious Discovery ! But what im
perious arrogating Orders of Chriftians is this
Au-

JESUS CHRIST afferfed. J
Author fighting with ? Thofe of the Church
of Rome, I hope : And then what is it, but
downright Impertinence to thofe of thisKing-
dotn, who claim no Temporal Power at all
from Chrift ? But if he means, that the Chri
stian Clergy, becaufe they have not Temporal,
have no Powers at all delegated to them from
Chrift, this is one Untruth ; becaufe to them
is committed the Functions of Preaching the
Word, and admitting into, and excluding out
of the vifible Church : And, if he fays, they
have no Right to eat and drink, be cloathed
and maintained, by Virtue of their Exercife of
thefe Powers and Functions, that is another
Untruth ; becaufe Chrift expreffly gave them
fuch Right : As when he fent out his Difciples
into the Hafveft, faying, the * Labourer was
worthy of his Hire : When he faid, it Jhould
be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah,
than for that Houfe or City, which did not re
ceive and fupport them. Accordingly' we find
St. Paul afferting this Right, as belonging to
him in Virtue of his Office and Commifli'on,
and declaring it to be founded in the Reafon
and Nature of Things, as well as the Divine
Appointment, -f- if" we have Jown unto you
Jpiritual Things, is it a great Thing, if we
Jhall reap your carnal Things ? Do ye not know
that they, which minijter about holy Things, live
of the Things of the Temple'? And they, which
wait at the Altar, are Partakers with the Al-
B 4 tar ?
* Luke x. 7, 12. f 1 Cor. ix.. 11,13,14.

§ An Examination of the True Gofpel of
tar ? Eve\ fo hath the . Lord ordained, that
they, which preach the Gojpel, Jhould live of the

But to return from this Digreflion, to which
this Author's Virulence forced me. — We come
pag.$. to what alone conjlitutes a Chrijlian,
and that is, to believe in, and fubmit to be go
verned by the Laws of Chrift. The Sentence,
as it is pointed, feems to fay, to believe, in the
Laws of Chrift, and to fubmit to them : And
then I do not well underftand it. I know what
it is, to believe in the Law-giver, and obey
his Injunctions j but I Scarce know what it is,
to .believe in his Laws. But perhaps this is his
Meaning j and then the Affertion is, that. no
thing elfe is required to make a Man a Chri
stian, but to believe in Chrift, and- obey his
Laws: And it is a true Affertion, if by believ
ing in Chrift is meant, believing him to be,
what he is under that Name, the. Saviour, the
Mefliab, the King, the Redeemer, theMedi-
at6r, the Interceffor, the Son of Gpd ; and if
by his Laws is meant all his Laws and Insti
tutions, and among the reft, Baptifm, the ini
tiating Ceremony of Chriftianity. But if by
believing in Chrift, is meant only believing
him to be a Preacher of the Moral Law ; and
by Obedience, practising only the Duties be
tween Man and' Man ; which will hereafter
appear to be this Author's Meaning j it is an
Affertion as falfe, as the Gofpel is true, where
Chrift

JESUS. CHRIST dferfed. g
Chrift fays, * He that believeth and h%tptifed,
Jhall bejaved: And again, -f- This is the mill of
him thatjent me, that every one, which few fhe
Son, and believeth on him as fuch, may hame
everlajling Life : But he that believeth noi±
Jhall be damned. In this Author's Senfe, a
Mahometan, a Heathen, who happens to prac
tise this Part of Morality, and believes Jefus
was right in teaching Men fo to do, is a Chrif-
tian, and has that, which alone constitutes
him fuch.
Such being the Terms of becoming a Chri
stian, every Man, pag. 9. may accept or re-
fufe them : Yes, but at his own Peril: For
% if they efcaped not, who refufed him that
Jpake on Earth, much more Jhall we not efcape,
if we turn away from him that Jpeaketh from
Heaven. But to go on — Every one muft be a
Volunteer, he cannot be preffed into the Ser
vice. Granted; with proper Exceptions for
Children of Christian Parents, who are pro
nounced Holy as Parts of their Parents, and
taken into Covenant, as the Infant Jews were,
.which Covenant however they may renounce,
when they come of Age. Well, what fol
lows ? As every Chrijlian is, and mujl be a Vo
lunteer, fo he is fuch, independent of the Will and
Determination of any Chrijlian, or any Order
of Men among Chriftians, it not being in their
Power to make him Jo, or to make him otherwije.
This is crude and pofitive : But let us fee how the
* Markxvi. 16. fjohnvi. 40. % Heb. xii. 25.

ib An Examination of the True Gojpel of
the Matter Mftds. There is an Order of Men
appointed by Chrift to make Difbiples of all
Natiohs, by instructing and baptifing them in
the Name of the Trinity j and Chrift fays of
thofe, who are thus difcibled, that they Shall
be faved. Whether a Man can be a Chrift ian
in any other Way, in Cafes of Neceffity, is
not material to enquire : God will not perhaps
punifh the neceffary Want of his Ordinances,
but he certainly will the Neglect of them,
where they can be had. There are then Men,
furnifhed with Powers to admit others into the
visible Society of Christians, the only ordinary
Means, by which any one can be a Member
of the myltical and invisible. There are alfo
Men, invefted with Powers to exclude from
this Society, for apparent and Scandalous Offen
ces. The Perfon, thus .excluded, is to be reck
oned as an Heathen, being no longer of that
Body, of which Chrift is the Head, and con
sequently without Spiritual Nourifhment. For
this is Chrift's own Judgment in the Matter :
* 'After proper Admonition tell it to the Church ;
jf he hear not the Church, let him be as a Pub
lican, or the moft Sinful Heathen, that is cer
tainly, no Christian, -f Thus St. Paul judged,
and ordered the incestuous Corinthian to be
caft out; and faid, he had delivered %Hyme-
neus and Alexander to Satan, that is to Pains,
Difeafes, and Sufferings, the Work of Satan,
in confequence of their Ejection from the
Church and Favour of God,- becaufe they had
made
* Matt, xviii. 17. f 1 Cor. v. % iTim. i. 19, 20.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. u
made Shipwreck of the Faith, that they might
learn for the future not to blafpheme. In
Short, Obedience to our lawful Superiors is. one
of the Laws of Chrift, apd, wilfully to break
it, is to violate the Terms of our Admiffion to
Chriftianity. But this Author will not allow any Supe
riors or Authority in the Ch.riftian Church} but
fays, pag. i 1, fince Chriftians Stand to each
other as Brethren only, there is no fuch Thing
as greater or lejs among them, considered ,as
fuch, any otherwife, than as the Christian Re
velation has a greater or lefs Influence upon
their Minds and Lives, that is, as they are
better or worSe Men* If he means, that Vir
tue, not Station, Shall recommend to, the Di
vine Favour, and the, Christian of the loweft
Degree and Order may be happier, than one
in the higheft, if he is a better Man ; no Body
contradicts it, and it is one of thofe plain
evident Things, which has never yet been con
troverted, or denied. But if he means, there
is no Difference of Station, or Degrees of Au-
. thority among Chriftians, no Power delegated
by Chrift to fome Chriftians to prefide and di
rect, and no Command to others to comply
and obey ; it is falfe, if the Scriptures, are true.
He Says, Chrift is the only King, Governor,
and Judge of the Christian Society; he alone
can affect the Confcience, punifh and reward
for the Thoughts and Intentions of the Heart,
and pronounce a Sentence, that fhall not be
rever-

12 AnExaminatibn of the True Gofpel of
reverfed. And in this Senfe, I anfwer, he is
alike King, Governor and Judge of the civil
Society, for he is King of Kings, and Lord of
Lords: But for all that, he may have Officers
under him in both, to fee to the Execution of
his Laws on Earth, to provide for Order and
Decency, and reftrain, by proper Methods,
Difobedience to thofe Laws, when it becomes
notorious. ThifrMan feems willing toward off
his Trial to the greateft Distance, and puts me
in mind of the Enthufiaft, who, in a Court of
Juftice, refufed to be tried by any, but Chrift
and his twelve Apoftles. But our Author goes
farther, and will not admit the latter to be
either his Judges or Jury, and will plead only
before Chrift himfelf. The Ends and Me
thods indeed of Government in the two Socie
ties, and the Powers each is invefted with, are
not of the fame Species ; but there is an Autho
rity of fome over others in -one, as well as the
other, a Refiftance and Oppofition of which,
under proper Circumstances, is an Offence a-
gainft the Law of Chrift, which has not only
enjoined Obedience to the civil Power under
Pain of Damnation,' but has directed Christi
ans * to remember them who have the Rule over
them, who have Jpoken unto them the Word oj
God, and to obey them, that have fuch Rufcover
them, and fubmit themfehes. Now Obedience
pre-fuppofes Authority, and cannot be a Duty,
but upon fuch Supposition. Indeed, if the
Gover-
* Heb. xiii. 7, 17.

, JESU;S CHRIST ajferted. ¦ 13
Governors pf either Society, Nebuchadnezzar,
or aPope, command anyThing contrary to the
known Law of God, as to fall down before a
golden or wooden Image, the Anfwer' is the
fame to both, we muft obey God, rather than.
Men.  But let us go farther in the Difcuffion
of this Point, and fee the Face of the Thing;,
as it is portrayed in Scripture. That Chrift
himfelf had a proper Authority, may perhaps
be allowed by this Author :&But perhaps it
may not, if he is in an Humour' fb contradict,
and therefore I will Shew it. lie proved his
Divine Miffion to the People by incontestable
Miracles, and then infifted on being received
and believed by Virtue of thofe Works, which
declared him invefted with a Legislative Au
thority. He did not only demand to be cre
dited for his ReafonsT'but his bare Affertion:
Ye have heard, that it has been faid by them
of old Time — but I fay unto you -Jo and Jo 
Thou Jhalt and thou Jkalt not do fo, as God
Speaks in the Ten Commandments. Accord
ingly it is observed, that he taught, as * one
having Authority, and not as the Scribes. When
afked by Pilate, whether he was a King, he
faid}> he came into the World to affert this
Truth among others : And when the Mention
of his Kingdom awakened the Jealoufy of the
Earthly Powers, he explained it, but did hot
deny it, faying, it was not of the Nature of
thofe it gave Umbrage to, it was not attended with
* Marki, zz.

14 An Examinattoftiof the True Gofpel of
with Fafces and Lictors, nor armed with
Swords of Soldiers to fight for him, as was the1
Cafe of Temporal Princes. As the Father Sent
him, So, he declared, he Sent his Apoftles, that
is, with Authority and Commission, to profe-
lyte the World, arid form them into Societies
by Instruction and BaptiSm, and provide thatf
all Things in thofe Societies Should be done
decently, in Order, and to Edification, to ad
mit into them thofe that were worthy, and ex
clude from them the unworthy, and appoint
others to fupply their Mortality, and fill thofe
Offices to the End of the World. To qualify
them for this Employment, he p'rdmifed them1
the Affrftance of his own Spirit, arid the Con
tinuance of it, and adtially poured it on them:
He gave them the Key's of the Kingdom of
Heaven, and Said, whpfefoeve'r Sins they re
mitted, fhoufd be remitted, and whofefbever
Sins they retained, Should be retained. He
talked of Thrones, upon which they Should fit
judging the twelve Tribes of IJrael, but warn
ed them againft Ambition, or Love of Power
or Pomp, when in thefe Circumstances, bid
them be humble and beneficial, as himfelf had
been, whom they rightly called their Lord and
Mafter. Accordingly the Apoftles, and' thefr
Succeffors, exercifed thefe Powers, each in their
proper Sphere, and . under the proper Limita
tions, as they were Men, more or iefs certain
of the unerring Guidance of God's Spirit. They
planted Christian Societies, directed what was to

JESUS CHRIST affiKtttL is
tb be done in them, governed them themfelves,
and c»mmiffioned others to do the like Of
fices. When Offence and Oppofition happen
ed, St. Paul faid, he would come and know,
* not the Speech of them i that were puffed up,
but the Power. <f St. John threatened Diotre-
phes far prating againft him with malicious
Words, becaufe he loved the Pre-eminence,
and refufed to receive the Apoftolical Authority
and Direction. Timothy and Titus were em
powered to rebuke and chaftife with all Au
thority, and ordain others in every City. If
there was a Point of Doubt or Controversy,
ar £ Council of thefe Men determined the
Matter : '|f"If one Officer baptifed, a Superior
was fent for, to lay Hands on the initiated
PerSbns. ** And our Saviour faid, the leaft
Officer in his new Kingdom was higher in
Office than the Baptift, whom yet he de
clared to be more than a Prophet. This i&
the State of thefe Things, as they Stand in
the Scriptures : But this Author, as if he had
never read them, or was refolved to contra
dict them in every Particular, afferts roundly,
that thofe, who are called to any Office in a
Christian Society, do not acquire by that. Call
any Power, Authority, Jurisdiction, or Pre--
Eminence, over their Fellow Chriftians, but
on the coatrary they are all upon a Foot of
perfect Equality. And
* i Cor. iv. 79. f 3 John ix. JA&xv. — jj viii. 1^4..
•** Mat.xi. u.

1 6 An Examination of the True Gofjtel of
And thus we have got through the firft
Section of this extraordinary Performance, in
which there are almoft as many Untruths, as
there are Affertions; and this, in all the Pomp
of regular Deduction, Demonstration, and po-
fitive Decifion. It is certainly reckoned the
Privilege of modern ReaSon, to prove any ,
Thing from and by any Thing, to extract, in/
a Chymical Manner, what was nbt in the.
Principles, before fuch Refolution of them y
or elfe, this mighty Reafoner of the Age could
never have drawn out, from the fimple Po
sition of Chrift's Coming to Save Souls, the,
feveral Concliifions, I have been considering :
That the Ministers of Chrift have no Right to
even a Maintenance, in Virtue of .their Office :
That Belief in the moral Laws of Chrift, that'
is, the Practice of the Duties between Man*
and Man, is what alone constitutes a Chri^
Stiari : That no Order of Men have a Power,
by Delegation from Chrift, to admit into, or
exclude out of, the Christian Society ; but
there is a perfect Equality among Christians^
and, as much Iniquity in difregarding the
friendly Admonition of any common Chri
stian, as in doing it to Chrift, and thofe he
commissioned for that Purpofe. . I hope for
Excufe, in being fo long in the Examination
of thefe Particulars. . The Author's Arguments
do not deferve fo much Consideration, but the
Things in Queftion juftly call for it; — and my
Bufinefs was, not only to confute this Author, which

JESUS CHRIST afferted. ly
which I Should think a mean Point of my Am
bition, but to Set Men right in fome Questions
of Moment to their . Happinefs, which this
Man has Started, and endeavoured to obfcure
and pervert.
In the next Section he propofes to enquire,
what Methods Chrift ufed to accomplifh the
"End of his Miflion, the Salvation of Souls, or
in what Refpect he became our Saviour. ' And
here, by a Piece of Legerdemain, he firft flips
into the Place the Word Benefactor, and then
proceeds thus.  Whoever contributes to the
promoting, or increasing the Happinefs, or to
removing and lefferiing the Mifery of Men, is
their Benefactor ; and he, who does this in an
eminent Degree, is an eminent Benefactor:
Chrift did fo, not by making any new Disco
veries of the Deity, or his Will j but by recom
mending to. their, moft Serious Consideration
certain doctrinal Propositions, founded on the
Supposition of a Deity; that is, as he explains
it, by preffing them to obferve that Law of
Reafon, which they knew before, but did not
enough attend to, and to which he added not
a Tittle, defiring them to repent, if any one's
unhappy Circumstances required it, and infor-
cing all this by telling them, there was a fu
ture Judgment. This, he fays, is the good
News, or the Gofpel ; called the , Gofpel of
Jefus, becaufe recommended by him: And to
wards the End he breaks out with an Air of
Affurance and Infallibility, like that of Peter
C in

I

8 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
in the Tale of the Tub, This is the true Gofpel of
J ejus Chrijl; this is the Way, he means, the
only Way and Method, which Chrift has taken
in order to fave Men's Souls. I freely own,
Chrift did perform the kind Office of a Preacher,
and that fo well, that he fpake, as never Man
fpake, and that for this he deferves the Name.
of our great Benefactor : But a great Bene
factor may not be a Saviour : Many did thefe
kind Offices to Mankind before Chrift, but
did not pretend to the Auguft Title of Saviour
for fod&ing. Enoch, the feventh from Adam,
proph&lp^of a Judgment to come : Noe was
aPreaohec of Righteoufnefs to the whole World
for an "Hundred and Twenty Years together :
John theBaptifl called Men to Repentance, and
God's Ministers are continually, in their feveral
Capacities, doing the fame Thing: But none of
them are Saviours for all that : To teach and ex
hort a Man is one Thing, and to fave him is an
other. The Baptift preached Repentance, and
fo well, that all the People thought his Doctrine
to be of God : He baptifed with Water, but faid,
he that came after him, fhould do more, *Bap-
tije them with the Holy Ghofl and with Fire.
According to this Author, Chrift taught Men
nothing, but what they knew before : And
therefore I cannot conceive, how his Gofpel
fhould be called good News, fince it was no
News at all ; nor why it fhould be called his
Gofpel, any more than Noe's, or John the
Baptifl's ;
* Mat. iii. 1 1 .

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 19
Baptifl's ; nor why it fhould be ftiled the new
Covenant, Since it contained nothing more
than the old one ; or why the new Law^ or
any Law at all, fince it was nothing, but an
excellent Sermon of Morality. A Saviour, in
the Senfe of the Gofpel, is a Redeemer, one,
that does .more than barely inftruct Men in
their Duties, to one another; one, who does
fomething, which has Refpect to, and fheds
its Influence on all Ages; as well antecedent,
as posterior to Chrift ; who gave Comfort to
the firft Man in his fallen State, and to Abra
ham, who faw this Saviour's Day two Thou
sand Years before it came, and rejoiced at it:
But there was but little Ground for Comfort*
or Joy, to thefe Men, to forefee, there was a
Preacher to come fo many Years after they
were dead, who would put Men in mind of
the Duties they knew before, but did not e-
nough attend to.
But the Author, for fear you will not take
his bare Word, goes on, SeSi. 3. to prove, or
rather repeat his Affertion, and we muft fol
low him. Firft he fays, Chrift requires and
recommends a Conformity of Mind and Life
to that Rule of Action, which is founded in
the Reafon of ThingSj and makes or declares
that Compliance to be the fole Ground of
Divine Acceptance, and the only Way to Life
eternal : In which Paffage, there are as many
'Falsehoods, and direct Contradictions to the
Gofpel of Chrift, as there are Affertions. For
C 2 firft,

20 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
firft, Chrift did not come to recommend Con
formity only to that Rule of Action, which
is founded in the Reafon of Thingsj that is,
in this Author's Senfe, which the Reafon of
Man could find out. He did not appeal to
fuch Reafon of Things, but required Compli
ance with -his Directions, upon the foot of Au
thority. He came, not only to enforce the
Duties difcoverable by human Faculties, but
to give a new Law, which explained what
was dubious before, and added what was
wanting. He made new Difcoveries of the
Deity, from whence refult new Relations, new
Duties. He improved and refined Morality
in all its Branches ; taught Forgivenefs of In
juries, and even Love of Enemies, as well as
Friends ; that unreafonable Anger was Mur
der, and Luft Adultery. He required, as this
Author owns, fometimes Obedience to "the
Ten Commandments, one of which contains
a pofitive Precept of obferving a feventh Day,
which no one's Reafon could inform him of.
He fet the Standard of human Perfection
higher than it was before, and preffed Men
to afpire to it, by new Motives of Gratitude,
refulting from new Benefits conferred on them,
and new Affiftances promifed them. He
brought Life and Immortality to Light, which
no Man's Reafon could inveftigate, and difco-
vered the final Judgment in his own Perfon,
over the Thoughts and Words, as well as Ac
tions of Men, the Confequence of which was to

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 21.
to be an endlefs State of Happinefs or Mifery,
Things equally beyond the Compafs of our
natural Faculties to difcern. Befides Obe
dience to thefe Laws, thus afcertained, im
proved and compleated, he required a Faith in
his own Perfon, and a Baptifm into his Re
ligion. He, that believeth and is baptifed, Jhall
befaved. And again — * Except ye believe,
that I am He, ye fhall die in your Sins. This
Belief, that Chrift is He that fhould come, is
the Belief of him, as the Meffiah, the Son of
God, the Saviour, Judge, and Law-giver of
Men : And Salvation is declared the Confe-
quence of this Belief and the Obedience arifing
from Such Belief jointly, -j- Ye believe in God,
Says Chrift, believe alfo in me. The Belief in
God, is the Belief of his Existence and Na
ture, as far as he has difcovered it : And in
like, manner, the Belief in Chrift, is the belie
ving him to be, what he has declared himfelf
to - be. Accordingly when the Man, cured of
Blindnefs, was caft out of the Synagogue. by
the Jews, Chrift found him out, and faid unto
him, % dofl thou believe in the Son of God? The
Belief, here enquired of, is plainly a Belief of
fome Perfon being the Son of God : for he an-
Jwered and faid, who is he Lord, that I might
believe on him? J ejus faid unto him, thou haft
both feen him, and it is he, that talketh with
thee: And he faid, Lord, I believe, and he
ivorfhipped him. So far from Truth is it, that v
C 3 the
* John viii. 24. f John xiv- >• t Johnix. 35, 36, 37.

22 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
the Laws of Chrift are no more, than that
Law of Nature, which Unaffifted Reafon could
make out : And as far from Truth is it, that
Belief on Chrift is nothing more, than be
lieving his moral Sayings to be the Laws of
God. The Texts, the Author has produced,
concerning obferving, and not obferving the
Sayings of Chrift, with Allufion to the Hoixfe
built on a Rock, and that on the Sand, prove
Obedience to Chrift's Laws, to all his Laws,
an indifpenfable Condition of Salvation : The
Texts, I have produced, prove Faith on him,
and Baptifm to be required by the fame Au
thority, and for the fame End. The right Con
clusion from hence is, that both are heceffary
in their Order and Degree. But our Author
is too irreconcilable with every Scripture
Truth, to admit this: He chufes one of thefe,
to found his Hopes of Salvation upon, and un-?
fortunately pitches upon the wrong ; and af-
ferts, that Compliance with the Law of Chrift,
in that narrow Senfe too, as it means the Law
of Nature, is the Sole Ground of the Divine Ac
ceptance, and the only Way to Life eternal.
Now this is fo far from being the only Ground
of Acceptance, that, if the Scriptures are true,
it is in Propriety of Speech no Ground of Acr
ceptance at all : For we are accepted in the
Beloved, in the Name, and for the Sake of
Jefus Chrift. It is true, Holinefs of Life is ne-
ceffary, becaufe it is commanded as a Condi
tion, without which the Benefit of a Saviour will

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 23
will not be extended to us : but they are the
Merits of that Saviour, which are precifely the
Ground of our Acceptance with God. For
let us hear what the facred Writings fay :
* When ye have done all thofe Things which are
commanded you, fays Chrift, who here puts the
moft favourable Cafe, fuppofing all done that
was commanded ; yet even then fay, We are
unprofitable Servants, we have done that which
was our Duty to do. This makes no Amends
for former Tranfgreffions, has no Merit, can
challenge no Reward. Therefore -j- God fent
his only begotten Son into the World, that we
might live through him. Herein is Love, not
that we loved God, but that he loved Us, and
fent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins.
The % Miniflery of Reconciliation is thus repre
sented. God was in Chrijl reconciling the World
unto himfelf, not imputing their Trejpajfes unto
them || : in which Chrift Jefus our Lord, We
have Boldnefs and Accefs with Confidence by the
Faith of him. ** Him hath God exalted with
his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour,
for to give Repentance to Ifmel, and Forgive-
nefs of Sins. For -f-f- We are wafhed, we are
J'anSlified, we are juftifed in the Name of the
Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God.
XX Neither is there Salvation in any other ; for
there is none other, Name under Heaven given a-
mongMen, whereby we muft be faved.
C 4 But
* Luke xvii. 10. t John iv- 9> I0' t 2 Cor- xviii- 19-
|| Eph. iii. 12. ** Afts v. 31. ft 1 Cor. vi. 11. %% Afts
jv. 12.

24 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
But our Author fays, obeying only the Ten
Commandments, as far as the Law of Nature
is contained in them, ' that is, obeying only
Part of the Ten Commandments, will do the
Matter for us, and that Chrift himfelf has told
us fo. A Man aSks him, (whether with good
or bad Defign, we are not told, and till we
know that, we cannot fay whether it was a
fair Queftion) what good Thing Shall I do,
that I may have eternal Life ? As he was a
Jew, Chrift fends him to his Law, and fays
* ;/ thou wilt enter into Life, hep the Com
mandments. He afked, Which ? And was
'told the following, Thou Jhalt do no Murder,
tbou JhaJi not commit Adultery, thou Jhalt not
jleal, thoujhalt not bear falje Witnefs, honour
thy Father and thy Mother, and thou Jhalt love
thy Neighbour as thyjelf If we Stick to the
Letter, without Regard of Circumstances, as
this Author does, a Man may leave out. of
his Creed and Practice four of the Command
ments, and yet be faved. But why might.
not a Part here be put for the Whole ? As
fearing, loving, and believing God, is fome
times put for the entire Duty of Man. Per
haps our Saviour, who knew what was in Man,
knew the Enquirer to be defective in refpect
of the particular Laws he chofe to mention :
As in the Cafe of the impotent Man, whom
he bid fin no more, glancing at fome fecret
TranfgreSTion, left a worfe Thing fhould come unto
* Mat. xix. 1 6, 17, 18, 19.

JESUS CHRIST afferUd. 2*5
unto him. For, when the Lawyer, tempting
him, afked a like Queftion, he referred him
to both Tables, and faid, if he did this, he
Should live. Is one Man to obey more Laws,
and another fewer ? But duff, fays oiir Rea-
foner, Should have anfwered them plainly,
here was Opportunity for it, he forfeited his,
Character of Instructor, if he did not tell them
of Faith in a Redeemer, had that been necef-
fary to Salvation. Perhaps keeping the Com
mandments was proper for the firft Direction,
and would have led to all the reft ; * for if
a Man does the Will of God, he Jhall know of the
DoSirine, whether it be of God. Perhaps it was
not the proper Time, to inform them in further
Particulars ; perhaps it would have been of no
Ufe to them j perhaps they did not deferve it,
or were not qualified for it. All was not yet
accomplifhed, and Chrift delivered Things, as he
knew People could bear and profit by them.
•j- As they came down from the Mountain, Jefus
charged his Difciples, to teV'the Vifon of the
Transfiguration to no Man, until the Son of Man
be rifen again from the Dead. He faid, he
had many Things to fay unto them, but that
they could not bear them yet. When the Dif
ciples afked him, why he fpake in Parables,
% he anfwered, becaufe it is given unto you to
know the Myfteries of the Kingdom of Heaven,
but to them it is not given. For whofoever hath,
to him Jhall be given, and he jhall have more
Abun-
* John vii. 17. f Mat- xvii- 9- t Matt- x'"- I0> &c

26 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Abundance : but nvhofoever- hath not, from him
Jhall be taken away, even that he hath. There
fore fpeak I to them in Parables : becaufe they
feeing, fee not, and hearing, they hear not* nei
ther do they underftand. ._ When unclean * Spi
rits jell down before him, and cried, faying,
thou art the Son of God: He flraitly charged
them, that they jhould not make him known:
And precifely to the Point  When Peter, in
Anfwer to his Queftion, whom fay ye that I
am? faid, f the Chrift of God; he flraitly
charged and commanded them to tell no Man that
Thing  becaufe before the open Difcovery of
that Particular, the Son of Man was to faffer,
be rejected, Jlain, and raijed the third Day.
Occafionally, where it would be of Service,
he revealed this Truth, as to the Man born
blind, of whom he required Faith on the Son
of God. The Sum then of this doughty Ar
gument, which the Author lays fuch Strefs
upon, calling on the Reader again and again to
obferve it, as Chrift's own Account of the
Matter : I fay, the Sum and utmoft Strength
of it is, that Chrift, before the Accomplifh-
ment of Things, and the proper Time for
Publication of thcMyfteries of God to all, was
come, refers the enquiring Jew to his Law,
and the.Difpenfation he was under, for Salva
tion, bidding him keep, the Commandments,
and telling him, if he did fo, he fhould be faved.
If it be brought to prove any more, it proves too
* Markiii. u. -j- Luke ix. ?o.

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 27
too much, and quite againft the Author him
felf : For it proves, that fix only of the ten
Commandments are neceffary to be obferved
in order to Salvation, and there need be no
Worfhip, or Truft in God ; and then all the
Law of Nature is not neceffary for that Pur-
pofe : The latter Cafe fays, all the ten are ne-
ceSIary ; and then fomething is required befides,
and more than the Law of Nature, and that is
Obfervance of the Sabbath, which has a Place
among the four firft Commands.
In order to prove, that the Obfervance of
the moral Law, either in the whole, or in Part,
(for he fays both in different Places) is alone ne
ceffary to Salvation, the Author, Seel. 5. has
another Argument, fetched from the Particu
lars of the laft Judgment, as recorded by the
Evangelists, * When the Son of Man fhall
come in his Glory, and all the Holy Angels with
him, then fhall -he fit upon the Throne of his
Glory. And before him fhall be gathered all
Nations, and he fhall feparate them one from
another, as a Shepherd divide th the Sheep from
the Goats. And he Jhall Jet the Sheep on his
right Hand, but the Goats on the I ft. Then
jhall the King Jay to them on his right Hand,
come ye blejfed of my Father, inherit the King
dom prepared for you from the Foundation of the
World. For I was anhungred, and ye gave me
JMeat: Iwasthirfty, and ye gave me Drink : I
was a Sir anger t and ye took me in : Naked, and
* Mat. xxv.

28 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
and ye clothed me : Iwasfick, and ye vifited me :
I was in Prijon, and ye came unto me. Then
jhall the Righteous anfwer him, faying, Lord,
when Jaw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or
thirfty, and gave thee Drink? Whenfaw we thee
a Stranger, and took thee in ? Or nakid, and
clothed thee? Or whenfaw we thee Jick, or in
Prijon, and came unt6 thee? And the King Jhall
anfwer, and fay unto them, verily I fay unto
you, in as much as ye have done it to one of the
leaf of thefe my Brethren, ye have done it unto
me. Then fhall he fay alfo unto them on the left
Hand, depart from me, ye curfed, into everlaf-
ting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his An
gels. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me
no Meat: I was thirfiy^ and ye gave me no
Drink : I was a Stranger, and ye took me not
in : Naked, and ye clothed me not : Sick, and
in Prifon, and ye vifited me not. Then fhall
they alfo anfwer him, faying, Lord, when faw
we thee an hungred, or a thirft, or a Stranger,
or naked, or Jick, or in Prijon, and did not mi-
nifier unto thee? Then fhall he anfwer them,
faying, verily I fay unto you, in as much as ye
did it not to one of the leaf of thefe, ye did it not
tome. And thefe fhall go away into everlafiing
Punijhment, but the Righteous into Life eternal.
From this Paffage at length the Author con
cludes, in his rambling Manner, and by his
Art of drawing Inferences, that nothing but
fuch Actions of Charity and Benevolence to
one another, is required of Man as his Duty, or

JESUS CHRIST afferted, 29,
or will be the Subject of Examination at the
laft Day, or the Caufe of Acquittal or Con
demnation then. But if we confider this Scrip
ture to the Bottom, it will be found, that thefe
very Actions of Charity, which are to make a
particular Part of our final Examination, are
reprefented as available to our Salvation, only
' in and through Chrift. In as much as ye did
it to thefe, ye did it to me, fays Chrift; in as
much as ye did it not'to thefe, ye did it not to
¦me. Why then Chrift was fomething more,
than a mere Preacher of Righteoufnefs ; or elfe
I do not fee, why doing, or not doing thefe
Things to him, would be more, than doing,
or not doing them to any other Man. Agree
ably to what he faid, * A Cup of Water given
to a Difciple, in the Name of a Difciple, jhall
not go without its Reward: This Small Cour-
tefy is accepted, not on its own Account, but
the Principle, it is done upon, the Love of
Chrift, and, in Confequence, of thofe who
are called by his Name. But even the Actions
here mentioned, and thus circumftantiated,
will they be the only Subject of Enquiry at the
laft Day ? Adieu then to both Reafon and
Scripture, which confpire to tell us, that every
Thought, Word, and Action fhall be brought
into Judgment, that by our very Words we
fhall be justified and condemned, and the Se
crets of our Hearts fhall bedifclofed, divulged,
and placed to our Account. Shall it not be
enquired,
* Mat. x.42.

30 AnExamination of the True Gofpel of
enquired, whether a Man has feared, loved*
and worfhipped his Maker, and trufted in his
Redeemer, who faid, he that believeth in me,
&nd is baptifed, Shall be faved, and yet who,
according to this Author, will not afk one
Word about thefe Particulars ? Shall it not be
examined, whether a Man has been chafte,
temperate, heavenly minded? Whether he has
done Juftice, and walked humbly with his
God? And will it be Sufficient AnSwer to thefe
Questions, that he has clothed the naked, fed
the hungry, vifited the fick and imprifoned,
and done the other Acts of Mercy fo Man ?
This Paffage therefore, and an hundred others
of the fame Kind, could they be produced,
either prove again ft the Purpofe,for which they
were brought, or are at beft impertinent to it.
The' fourth Section goes on to fay, that Chrift
came only to preach Repentance and Amend
ment, in Cafe of any Violation of the Law of
God, and to affure Men, that fuch Repentance
and Amendment were the only Ground of the
divine Mercy and Forgivenefs; and towards
the End determinately aflerts — that Chrift by
his Death made SatisfacJion to God for the Sin's
of the World, and thereby merited the Sinner's
Difcharge, is a DoElrine, Chrift did not teach:
The Falfehood of all which I proceed to fhew.
For firft Chrift did not only come to preach,
but to give Repentance to Sinners, as the Scrip
ture declares : The holy Spirit, by which it is
effected, is of his beftowing : He had Power, even

JESUS CHRIST affertik 31
even on Earth, to forgive Sins, as in the Cafe
of the Man, whofe Sins he forgave, to prove
this very Point ; and of the Woman, whofe
Sins, though many, he declared forgiven, for
this Reafon, becaufe fhe loved him much. Se
condly, he is fo far from declaring Amendment
of Life to be the only Ground of God's Mercy
and Favour, without Refpect had to him, as
the meritorious Caufe of it, the Saviour of the
World, that he has declared the direct contrary
to it ; as will appear from the following Scrip
tures. * The Son of Man, he fays, came to give
his Life a Ranfomfor many, -j- Anna the Pro
phet fs, J'poke of him to all that looked for Redemp
tion in Ifrael. A Ranfom is a valuable Con
sideration given for fomething ; and Redemp
tion, is laying down a. Price, the Purchafe ofa
Thing loft and gone. Accordingly the Apo
ftles fay, — X We are bought with a Price. We
were not redeemed with corruptible Things, as
Silver and Gold, but with the precious Blood of
Chrift, as ofa Lamb without Blemifh and with
out Spot. Hence Chrift is called ** An Of
fering, and a Sacrifice to God for afweet fmel-
ling Savour, •f-j- When we were yet without
Strength, in due Time Chrijl died for the Un-
. godly ; while we were yet Sinners, Chrift died
for us. X+ God hath made him to be Sin jor
us, who knew no Sin, that we might be made the
* Mat. xx. 28. f Luke ii. 38. J 1 Pet. i. 18. — 1 Cor. vi.
20. ** Eph. v. 2. -f-f Rom. v. 6, 8. JfaCor. v. 21.

32 - "An Examination of the True Gofpel of
tkeRighteoufneft of God in him. * The Lord
hath laidm him the Iniquity of us all. -j- The
Man, Chrift Jefus, gave himfelf a Ranfomfor
all ; X And he is the Propitiation for our Sins,
and alfo for the Sins of the whole World. \\ Chrijl,
being come an High Prieft of good Things to come,
not by the Blood of Goats and Calves, but by his
own Blood entered in once into the Holy Place,
having obtained eternal Redemption for us. The
Blood of Beafts fandtifieth to the purifying of
the Flefh: But the Blood of Chrift, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf with
out Spot to God, fhall do much more, purge
the Confcience. Therefore once in the End of
the World Chrift appeared, to put away Sin by
the Sacrifice of himfelf, he was once offer edt to
bear the Sins of many. It plainly and unde
niably appears from thefe Scriptures, no ways
to be evaded, or mifunderftood, that a Sati£
faction has been made by the Death of Chrift,
and accepted, for the Sins of the whole World.
Forgivenefs of Sins is by this means made pof-
fibleto the believing Penitent: And the End
and Defign of all this is, ' that Men, having
this Affurance and Encouragement fhould a-
mend their Lives, that being the exprefs Con
dition, upon which Chrift will avail themj
and therefore from henceforth all Men are e-
nabled, and called upon every where, to repent,
and approach the Throne^ of Grace with full
Affurance
*Ifa.liii. 6. f iTimlii. 6. % i John ii. z.
||Heb.ix. ii,£jV.

JESUS CHRIST ajf&ted. -? 33
Affurance of Faith. Such is the Gofpel Re
pentance, and the true Scripture Ground of
the Remiffion of Sins. No wonder therefore,
the Gofpel, and fuch Repentance and Remif
fion of Sins, fhould be ufed as Synonymous
Terms : As where it is faid «— . * Go into all
the World, and preach the Gofpel to every Crea
ture : which is expreffed by St. Luke after this
Manner — -fThus it is written, and thus it be
hoved Chrift tofuffer, and to rife from the Dead
the third Day, and that Repentance and Remif
fion of Sins Jhould be preached in his Name among
all Nations. For the Grant of Repentance,
and Remiffion of Sins in the Name, eo Nomine,
that is, on the Account of Chrift, is the par
ticular, distinguishing good News, or glad Ti
dings, or Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. But this
Author's Repentance, as it denotes Amend
ment only, without Regard to Chrift and his
Merits, is fo far from being the Gofpel, or
any Doctrine of it, that it is quite oppofite to,
and irreconcilable with, that Repentance, which
Chrift preached, and ordered his Difciples to
puhlifh to the World. I Should not defire two
Stronger Texts, than thefe, to confute the Hy
pothesis, this Author brings them to confirm.
For why it Should fo carefully be foretold, that
Chrift Should Suffer, and why it behoved him
to fuffer, fince he laid down his Life volunta
rily, and no Man could take it from him, I
cannot conceive ; if fuch Suffering and Death
D had
* Markxvi. 15. t t«ke XXiv- 4&-

34 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
had nothing to do in procuring Man's-Salvation:
Neither can I conceive, why his Difciples
were directed to preach Remiffion of Sins in
his Name, if it was not to be obtained by that
Name, according to that Scripture which fays,
there is no other Name given to Man, by which
we can be faved, fave only the Name of our
Lord Jefus Chrift.
This Author's Method of obtaining Remif-,'
fion of Sins, is not the Method of the new
Covenant; neither is it the good old Way, as he
is pleafed to call it. For from the Beginning
of all Accounts, fomething, befides bare Sor~
row for Sinand Amendment of Life, was held
neceffary for obtaining Forgivenefs. Sacrifice
was as early as the World, and, as it ca'n have
no Foundation in Reafon and the apparent
Nature of Things, muft be the Effect of early
Revelation. Sacrifices, Offerings, and Burnt-
Offerings for Sin were required under the Jew-
ifh Difpenfation, and the Apoftle afferts, that
almoft a 'I Things are by the Law purged with
Blood; and without Jhedding of Blood, is no Re
miffion. And therefore thoMghlfdiah and Eze-
chiel called on Men, to turn from their evil
Ways, that their Sins might be done away,
and fo Iniquity might not be their Ruin : Their
Meaning could not be, that this only was ne
ceffary, and required for that purpofe : Nay
the Prophetsjrsentiori'the Neglect of Sabbaths,
Sacrifice, and other inftituted Observances, as
fome of thofe Sins, which were to be "done a-
way.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 35
way. It is true, as the Apoftle fpeaks, it is
impoffible, that the Blood of Bulls and Goats
Should, by their own Virtue, take away Sin;
but they did it in Virtue of that one Sacrifice
of Chrift, to which they pointed the Eye of
Faith. They were the Shadow of good Things
to come : But then the Shadow muft refemble
the Subftance; which Subftance was ChriSt,
called therefore the Lamb, Slain from the Foun
dation of the World. The Author concludes
this extraordinary Section with a Paffage, which
is to Shew at once his Reading and Smartnefs.
* Let not therefore the Sinner trufl to, nor rely
upon the vain Words of Men, who, like Rabfha-
key the Captain of the Hofl of the King of Afjyria,
may, and will deceive' them; but let them trufl to,
and rely upon the Words of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, &cc. But the Misfortune is, he has quite
mistaken the Hiftory of the Fact : For it was
not Rabfhakey that is faid to deceive Hezekiah,
but Rabfhakey tells him, he deceived himfelf,
in faying, (but they were but vain Words)
that he had Counfel and Strength for the War,
and trufting on Egypt, that Staff of a bruifed
Reed, on which if a Man lean, it will go into
his Hand and pierce it. I beg leave therefore
to turn this Piece of Hiftory upon him, with
more Truth and Juftice; and Since he has, been
proved to teach a Method of Salvation and
Forgivenefs of Sins, which Chrift has not
taught, apply myfelf to the Sinner, and defire,
D 2 he
* 2 Kings xviii.

36 An Examination, of the True Gofpel of
he will not truft to, nor rely upon the vain
Words of this opinionated Man, which, like
the Promifes of Egypt, will certainly deceive
him ; but let him t uft to, and rely upon the
Words of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who was fent
of God to be his Guide and Instructor in this
Particular, and who, he may be aftured upon
good Grounds, will not deceive him in fo im
portant an Affair.
The laft Thing, this Author, Seel. 5. allows
Chrift to have done for Men's Salvation is, theaf-
furing them there would be a Judgment, in which
they Should be acquitted or condemned, in
another State, according to their Behaviour in
this. It is very true, he did all this, and be
sides acquainted them with fome Particulars
of that Judgment, the Perfon of the Judge,
the Univerfality of the Enquiry, the eternal
Iffue to life or Death. This Judgment is alfo
an Appointment of the utmoft Reafon and
Propriety, as all God's Appointments muft
be, fince he, by the Perfection of his Nature,
not any fatal Neceflity, does always freely
what is belt, and in the beft manner. This
Judgment was alfo Part of the original Scheme
of Providence, when, and alfo before this
World was called into Being ; for * known un-,
to God from the Beginning are all his Works.
Moreover Chrift, as a righteous Judge, will
approve, or condemn, reward or punifh every
Man, according as there has been an antece dent
* A&sxv. 18.

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 37
dent Fitnefs or Unfitnefs, Worthinefs or Un-
worthinefs in the Perfon judged : that is, as
he has behaved himfelf in all his Relations
and Capacities, with refpect to God, his Neigh
bour, and himfelf; that is, as he has believed'
and done, or not believed and done all thofe
Things which God has revealed to be his Du
ty to believe and do, in order to his Salvation,
To all this I heartily agree : But if the Author
means, as he feems to do, that Man is to be
confidered, not in all, but fome only of his
CajpackfeSj, that the Points of Faith, which are
revealed^ will not affect his Salvation, and he
need only be charitable and benevolent to his
Fellow-Creatures, in order to merit, and be
affured of the Divine Favour : I believe he
will ftand alone, and not find a thinking, in
telligent, Sober Perfon upon Earth, who Will,
or can agree with him.
It would be amazing in any Author, but
this, after fo many manifeft Falfehoods, na
ked Affertions, Paffages weakly perverted, and
impertinently applied, all at utter Variance with
the whole Tenor of Scripture, to fay, he had
Shewn in the three preceding Sections, what is
the true Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. I have heard
of many unauthorised Writers of Gofpels for
merly, as of that according to the Egyptians,
and according to the Hebrew*., &c. And if
this Author had been contented to call his
Work, the Gofpel according to Chubb, I could
eafily have admitted it : But when he calls it
D 3 the

38 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
the Gofpel, the true Gofpel, and only Gofpel
of Jefus Chrift ; I defire, that his Affertions,
as well as mine, may go no further, than the
Proofs of either of them go, and then 1 fhall
be in no Pain about the Title of his Book,
however wrong it may be. — But to proceed—
The Author, having fhewn, as he fays, what
is the true Gofpel 'of jefus -Chrift, begs leave,
SecJ. 6. to fhew in one or two Inftances, what
is not that Gofpel. For you muft know, he
is extremely methodical and uniform in Error,
and always goes thorough Stitch with a Mistake*
Not contented to have fhewn that to be the
true Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, which is not fo;
he proceeds to fhew that not to be the true Gof
pel, which really is the true Gofpel.— But let
us hear him.—
Firft, the' Gofpel of Jefus Chrift is not an
hifiorical Account of Matters of Fa£i, fuch as,
jChrifi fuffered, died, rofefrom the dead, afcended
into Heaven. But though it may not be the
historical Account of fuch Matters of Fact, it
may be, and is the Matters of Fact themfelves.
For in this Point, either an Angel from Hea
ven is mistaken, or this Author muft be al-
low'd to be fo, becaufe they flatly contradict
one another. The Gofpel, as this Author fays
elfe where, is the good News, or the glad Tidings
from above to Mankind : Therefore thefe good
News or glad Tidings, and the -Gofpel, are
fynonymous Terms, mean the fame Thing, and

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 39
and one may be put for the other. Well then
• — The Angel of the Lord came to the Shep
herds, and fa-id, fear not, for behold I bring
you good Tidings of great Joy, Which fhall be
to all People; that i*, I bring you the Gofpel:
Well, what is it? Why, it is a Fact, like
thofe mentioned by this Author,  * For unto
you, Jays the heavenly Meffenger, is born this
Day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is
Chrift the Lord: That is, I tell you the Gofpel^
or good News, this Day is born he, who Shall
procure your' Salvation; Chrift, the Anointed,
the Prophet to teach you his Law, a Prieft to
offer Sacrifice, to mediate and intercede for
you, the King to rule and govern you for ever,
the Lord, or Jehovah, that is God. The Gof
pel is then precifely a Matter of Fact, if we
may credit Heaven. Nay, the Gofpel is pre-
cifely one of thofe Matters of Fact, which the
Author denies to be the Gofpel, namely, the
Resurrection of Chrift : For thus St. Paul
fpeaks to the Jews in the Synagogue of An-
tioch, -j- We declare unto you glad Tidings, that
is, the Gofpel : Well, what were thefe glad
Tidings,- this Gofpel ? Why, they were, that
God had raifed up Jefus again. But let us give
a Hearing to the Author, and his Proofs  ¦
Thefi Matters of Fact, fuch as Christ's Suffer
ing, Death, Refurrection, Afcenfion, &c. are
not the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, neither in whole,
nor in Part. But why ? His Reafon follows.
D 4 John
* Luke ii. 10, 1 1. f Aftsxiii .32, 33.

40 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
John fent his Difciples to know if Jefus was
the Chrift : Jefus anfwered, * Go your Way,
and teU John what Things ye have feen and
heard, fhow that the Blind fee, the Lame walk,
the Lepers are cleanfed, the Deaf hear, the Dead
are raifed, to the Poor the Gofpel is preached,
&c. Our Saviour here refers John to the Things
predicted of the Meffiah by Ifaiah and the o-
ther Prophets,'1 which, being performed by
himfelf, pointed him out to be the predicted
Perfon, the great Deliverer and Saviour, and the
Defire of all Nations. One of thefe predicted
Marks and Tokens was, that the Gofpel was
to be preached to the Poor. But Still the Que
stion returns, what was this Gofpel, which
he preached to the Poor ? Yes, fays 'this in
genious Man, it could not be the Facts of his
Sufferings and Death, becaufe this Preaching
was antecedent to thefe Facts. Why, cannot
one teach a Fact, that is to come ? Our Savi
our actually did it, when he faid, he would
give his Life a Ranfom. The Angel indeed
preached the Fact of his Nativity, after it hap
pened : But the fame Fact was preached many
Thoufand Years before, to Adam, when he
Was told for his Comfort, that a great Deliverer,
Conqueror, and Repairer of the Breaches of
Mankind, fhould arife out of his Iffue : Abra
ham was taught it, and rejoiced to fee that
Day, though far off: And becaufe he was
made acquainted with God's gracious Defigns
to Mankind through a Saviour to arife out of
his
* Luke vii. zz.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 41.
his Seed, he is faid by the Apoftle to have had
the Gofpel preached to him. * The Scripture,
forejeeing that God "would juftify the Heathen
through Faith, preached before the Gofpel unto
Abraham, faying, in thee Jhall all Nations be
bleffed. The Prophets, and Daniel in particu
lar, not only taught the Coming of the Mef
fiah, and the Time of his Coming, but his be
ing cut off too for the Sins of the People. But
Still more exprefUy to the Point, and what
puts it beyond all Controversy, Chrift himfelf,
antecedently to the Facts, did teach his Suffer
ing and Death, his Refurrection and Afcenfion,
with fever al other Facts relating to his Dignity
and MiSfiorii and the Deliverance and Happi*
neSs he would procure to Mankind by them ;
And this was the vCry Gofpeli, he preached
both to the Poor and the Rich : As when he
faid to the People, -f- Deftroy this Temple^, (he
Jjpake of the T&mpk of bis Body) and in three
Days Iwillrafifi it up. And to Nicodemus,,
when he told him of Baptifm and Regene
ration by the Spirit, without which a Man
cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven* and
added, X & Mofes lifted up the Serpent in the
WiMernefit evenfo muft the Son of Man be "lifted
up : That whojbever believeth in him Jhould not
perifh, but have eternal Life. For God Jo loved
the World, that he gave bis only begotten Son,
that whofoever believeth in him, Jhould not perifh,
but have everlafting Life. Indeed the whole
Scripture contains nothing, but Accounts and
Proofs
* Gal. iii. 8. f John ii. 19. — xii. 32. % John iii. 14, &c.

42 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Proofs of thefe Matters of Fact, and Inferences
and Instructions founded on, and flowing from
them, for the Direction of human Life, And.
this the Reader will find to be the precife Mean
ing of the Word, Gofpel, as often as it occurs
in thofe facred Writings. Therefore furely fuch
Facts, as thefe, may be allowed tomake a Part
at leaft of Chrift's Gofpel by anyone, who has
not an uncommon Share of Confidence.
But he goes ori — — Chrift's turning Water
into Wine, and his other Miracles, are Facts
which make no Part of Chrift's Gofpel : And
for Proof, he refers to the foregoing Texty
where Working of Miracles, and preaching the
Gofpel to the Poor, are reprefented as two dif
ferent Things. Precious trifling ! Miracles cer
tainly were not the Gofpel Chrift preached j
they were what he did, not what he faid: But
however he taught, they were to be believed,
and that he was to be received in his proper
Character, by Virtue of thefe Credentials, and
thus they make a Part of his Gofpel preached
and written. He referred John to them, to
prove his Meffiahfhip, his being Saviour and
Chrift, which is precifely the good News of
the Gofpel, and that he might behave accord
ing to that Truth, now made known to him:
And they are recorded for the fame Purpofes,
for the Benefit of After-Ages, that they might
believe Jefus to be the Chrift, and behave them-
felves agreeably to that Perfuafion, by all the
Actions

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. ><¦'¦"- 43'
Actions ofa virtuous and holy Life, and fo be
faved by him.
But now the Author defigns to be fhrewd,
and fo becomes very fcurrilous. In order to it,
he firft mifquotes a Text, and tells us, St. Pe
ter fays, Chrift went and preached to the Spi
rits in Prifon. Now the Text is, *' For Chrift
alfo hath once fuffered for Sins, the Juft for the
Unjufl, being put to death in the Flefh, but
quickened by the Spirit, by which Spirit alfo he
went and preached to the Spirits in Prifon, which
were dif obedient in the Days- of Noah. Now
this he might do to thefe People,, while they
were yet alive and wanted it, and before their
Spirits were in Prifon. And this probably is
the Meaning of the Paffage, and then it is plain
and intelligible, and then it becomes a Part of
our Belief, becaufe propofed to it by the fame
infallible Spirit, who actuated Chrift, and his
Minifters before, and his Apoftles after him.
If we cannot, with proper Affiftances, arrive
at the Certainty of the Apoftle's Meaning in
this Matter of Fact, it is not required of us to
believe it in any determinate Senfe : Becaufe Ig
norance of what we cannot know, will not be
imputed to us. But it is of mighty Concern
to us, to believe the Relation true, in the Senfe
the Apoftle delivered it, becaufe otherwife we
Shake that Credit, upon which the whole Gof-
pef Stands: And thus this Matter of Fact; like
the others, is Part of the Gofpel of Chrift. This
* i Pet. iii. 1 9, 20.

44 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
This Author may divert himfelf with playing
up and down in his own little Fairy Circle,
which he has drawn, and with which he has
circumfcribed the Gofpel: But he has no Right
to make arbitrary, falfe Definitions,- and then
impofe them oft others. The Gofpel of Jefus
Chrift, is the whole Revelation of God, of
Things to be believed and done, in order to
^Salvation by Jefus Chrift ; and fo far as this
Relation of St. Peter is a Part of that Reve
lation, fo far it is a Part of the Gofpeh The
principal Points of this Gofpel, or good News,
or glad Tidings of great Joy to all People, are
the Doctrines of a Saviour, who by his Death
made Satisfaction for the Sins of the World ;
and of Repentance and Amendment of Life,
now certainly available to Salvation by Virtue
of that Satisfaction ; and of higher Degrees of
Perfection and Holinefs, attainable in Confe-
quence of new Grace and Afttftahee promifed,
inforced by new Motives arising from new Dis
cover Jes of the Deity, and the certain Expec
tation of an eternal Weight of Glory, purcha-
fed for us by our mighty Deliverer and bene
ficent Saviour. If this Author's^ Notion will
not take in thefe Points, it is too narrow,: and
he muft reform it : For Things are what they
are, and Will not be, what he whimfieally
pleaSes to make them. -
But this Writer is not partial to St. Peter :
He deals as freely with St. James, Who, to
fhew the wonderful Effect of fervent Prayer, quotes

JESUS CHRIST ajferled. > 45
quotes the Example of El/as, pr E£jak% who,
* though a Manjubjeft to HkePafftons as we are,
prayed earneftly that it might not rain, and it
rained not on the Earth by the Space of three
Tears and fix Months. Now there is no men
tion of this Prayer of the Prophet in the Book
of Kings, where this Tranfaction is recorded;
and this Author cannot imagine from whence
the Apoftle had this Particular ; but he fays,
He neither knows, nor cares : Nor I neither, if
he will but allow it to be true, which* I think,
he might do, if he had any Degree of Mo-
defty, and be thankful top for an Information
in the Epiftle of St. James, which was not
to be met with in the Book of Kings. But
we know our Man, and how witty he can be
upon OccafiQ.n4 For not contented to insinu
ate the Apoftle was miftaken in this Matter,
and related without proper Authority this
Prayer of the Prophet, he tries alfo to render
him ridiculous, by making him fay, the Prayer,
which occasioned the Drought, was the Effect
of the Prophet's intemperate Heat and Paffion ;
becaufe he Says, Elias was a ManfubjeEl to like
Pafftons as we are. This way of quoting Scrip
ture, and arguing from the bare Sound of an
Englifh Word, puts me in mind of another
Textuary, I once met with, who, to prove ly
ing in Bed in a Morning was wholefome, pro
duced the Paffage relating to Lazarus- — If he
..Jleepeth, he Jhall do well. The natural Import of
* James v. 17, iS.

46 An Examination of the True Go/pel of
of the Words — -being JubjecJ to like Paffions as
we are — -agreeable to the Confbuction of the
Place and the DeSign of the Apoftle, and the
Way of. fpeaking in all Writers, Sacred and
profane, is, that Elias was Subject to like In-
firmites, Accidents, and Sufferings, as we are;
that is, he was a mere Man, and yet his fer
vent Prayer was thus effectual. There is not
the leaft Hint, either in the Old or New Tef-
tamenr, of the Prophet's being angry and in a
Paffion on this Occafion : For he proceeded
calmly, deliberately, and under the Direction
of God in the whole Affair, For this feems
to have been the Cafe : The People of Ifrael
had left the Worfhip of God for that of Baal,
and being not to be reclaimed by gentle
Means, God refolved to do it by fome great
temporal Calamity, a Drought ; to be follow
ed by a Famine, and ufed the Miniftry of
Elijah for that Purpofe. The Prophet, thus
commissioned, acquaints Ahdb the King with
it, faying, *As the Lord God of Ifrael liveth,
before whom I ft and, there Jhall not be Dew,
nor Rain theje Tears, but according to my
Word. That it might appear from what
Hand, and for what Caufe, the Calamity
came, it is likely, that, after an unfuccefsful
Admonition to the People to prevent it by Re
pentance, he made ah earneft Prayer in their
Prefence, that it might not rain for three
Years and fix Months. The Confequence. agrees
* 1 Kings xvii.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 47
agrees to this, which was the Recovery of the
People from Idolatry, the Destruction of Baal
and his Worfhippers, and the univerfal Accla
mation of, the L-jrd, hs is God. But this bold
Man, who in one of his Pieces denied God
himfelf the Power of extirpating the Amakkites,
and called it a horrid and bloody Murder,
may poffibly refufe the Prophet, or Him that
fent him, the Right of afflicting a whole
People, though idolatrous, with fuch a tedi-
ous.Drought. And thus much for the Facts,
which this Author denies to be . true, or Part
of the Gofpel of Chrift, but which have
been Shewn to be true, and fome of them to
be, not only Parts, but the principal Parts of
the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift.
The Second Thing, which this Author ex
cludes from being Part of the Gofpel of Chrift,
is any particular, private Opinion, of any, or of
all the Writers of the Hiftory of his Life and
Miniftry, or of all thofe, whom he fent out to
publifh his Gofpel to the World, nor is any of
their Reafonings, or Conclufions, founded on, or
drawn from^ fuch Opinions, any Part of that
Gofpel. The Opinions, Reafonings, and Con
clufions, here intended, are all thofe Records
of Matters of Fact, all the Explanations of Ar-
guings upon, and Deductions from the Articles
already fhewn to be the fundamental Ones of
Christianity, which the Apoftles were enabled,
and commissioned to preach and write, for the
Instruction and Direction of their own Age, and

48 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
and all fucceffive Generations. But why thefe
fhould be called Opinions \ which are Matters
of Faith and Practice, effential to the Christian
Re'igon; why particular Opinions, in which
they all agreed, why private ones, which were
made pub.ick and perpetual for the Ufe of the
whole World ; I cannot conceive : Unlefs the
Author thought, he might as eafily impofe on
other People, as himfelf, and that he gained
juft fo much Credit, as he detra&cd from his
Betters. That I h.ve not wronged the Author
in this Rep: efentation, w.ll appear from his
firft Inftance of the Beginning of St. John's
Gofp;l, which fays, In the Beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God : All Things were made by him,
and without him was not any Thing made, that
was made. Thefe Propositions, he fays, for
any Thing that appears to the contrary, are
only the private Opinion of St. John, and no
Part of Chrift's Gofpel. Now thefe are bold
Inftances of the private Opinion of a Single
Apoftle, which were Declarations rmde by
Chrift himfelf, in the Time of his Life on
Earth. Fie taught his own Pre-Exiftence and
divine Nature, when he faid, * Before Abra
ham was, lam; ^ and talked of afcending
up to the Glory of the Father, in which he
was before his Incarnation : When he made
himfelf the X $m &f God, that is, as it was un
derstood, equal to God; and when he faid, \\ I

John viii. 58. f vi. 62. J xix. 7. || x. 30.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 49
and the Father are one. Thefe Things there
fore might with greater Propriety be- ftiled the
private Opinion of Jefus Chrift, than of his
Apoftle St. John, and therefore are of great
Concernment to us to know and believe; and
if the Word of the Lord in his Mouth was
Truth, thefe Things are true alfo.
But here I think it incumbent upon me,
once for all, to affert and vindicate that Credi
bility of the Writers of the New Teftament,
which this vain Man has prefumed to fet his
own in Oppofition to. The Chriftian Church
has been in Pofleffion of this Evidence for many
Centuries, and conftantly appealed to it, as
authoritative and decifive in any Point. I have
ufed the fame indifpu table Right in the Courfe
of this Work, and therefore am concerned to
juftify that Right, by Shewing, I have as much
and the fame Warrant to believe the Apoftles
did not, could not err, in what they wrote, as
I have to believe, Chrift himfelf did not, and
could not : Since we have no other Authority
but theirs, under the Guidance of one and the
fame Spirit, for what Chrift himfelf faid and
did : And fince they were his chofen Witneffes
and Scribes; if they were fanciful, miftaken,
or forgetful in one Thing, they might be in
many^ and fo in any, or all. I think it. is a-
greed between us, there was fuch a Perfon as
Jefus Chrift, who by Miracles proved his di
vine Miffion, and who accordingly went about,
making the Difcoveries, and preaching the
E Doc-

50 An Examination of the TrueQofpel of
Doctrines, as Occafion offered* which he came.
into the World to make and teach. Tp prove*
the Word, of God was in his. Mouth Truths
the Spirit of God defcended and refted upon.
him, accompanied with a vifible Appearance^
But as. he confined his perfonal Instruction tp
the Jews, and flayed but a little Time neithej
with them, having refolved to give his Life a
Ranfom for the World ; his Revelation, would
have been but of one Age, aod known bu|
to one People, if he had not by fome Means
Spread and. perpetuated it. He therefore choSg
twelve Men, to accompany him during his
Ministry, and to be Witneffes. of his. ReSiu>
rection, and tp go, and preach, and make a
Standing Record of his Truths among all Na-r
tions. And to enable them to do this with
Authority and Succefs^ the Affiftance of the
Holy Spirit was, promiSedy as far as it could be
wanted for- thefe Purpofes,. and actually be
stowed, when he breathedjan, them, and faid»
Receive, ye the Holy Ghofir, which, for the Con
viction- of • the People,, was afterwards poured
on them in the Face of, all j Nations under
Heaven, accompanied with a. vifible, aStoniSh,
ing Appearance,, as in the Cafe of their Mafter,
before them : By which Spirit they, performed
the miraculous Works, their Lord did, that
they might obtain the fame Credit with him,
and by the fame Means, and be believed upon
their Word, as he required to be, for thofe
very Works Sake. This Spirit, they were af-
fured,

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 51
furedj was to fuggeft proper Anfwers, without
the leaft Premeditation, to Kings and Magi-
ftrates, when they were brought before them
for the Gofpel of Chrift : And when they were
to relate or write any Thing, touching Jefus
and his Doctrine, the fame Spirit was to bring
to their Remembrance, whatever he had faid
to them. If any Thing was wanting, or
doubtful, in the Courfe of their Miniftry, the
fame Spirit vouchfafed a new Revelation in
that Point, as to St. Paul and other Apoftles, in
the Cafe of * the Time of admitting the Gentries.
Chrift left fome Things to be difeovered, taught,
and recorded by them, which for wife Reaforis
he did not chufe to declare openly, and teach
explicitly himfelf. The Account of the Trans
figuration was ordered to be a Secret, 'till af
ter his Refurrection : His Death, and Suffe
rings, and Refurrection^ he fpokeof with Cau
tion, and was often contented to glance at
them in publick, left the Meafures of Provi
dence, relating to thofe EventSj fhould be pre
cipitated, or impeded, and Prophecies obstruc
ted, or 'require a Miracle to prevent it. The
Refurrection, which was the grand Sign from
Heaven, muft be chiefly taught and reafoned
from by the Apoftles, after his Death ; and if
their Credit Was not upon the fame folid Foun
dation with their Lord's, there might arife Mi
stake and Doubt in Matters, Chrift himfelf
mentioned as of the greatest Moment to him-
E 2 , felf.
* Eph. iii. j.

52 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
felf. Accordingly the Apoftles demand: * to
be accounted of as of the Minifiers of.Chrifti
and Stewards of the Myfter.ics of God : And fay,
it is required of Stewards, that a Man be found ,
faithful, The Revelation of God by . his Son
muft be imperfect, as well as uncertain, if the
Apoftles are not to be depended upon : For
Chrift taught them many Things after his Re
furrection, which he had not taught them, or
the World, in his Life-Time. To the two
Difciples, walking to Emaus, beginning at,
Mofes and all the Prophets, he expounded in
all the Scriptures the Things concerning: him
felf. He came among the eleven, at the In-
ftant this was told them, and opened their
Understandings, that they might understand
the Scriptures. Are they then not to be relied
upon-in their Relations, Expositions, and Ex
planations of thofe Scriptures? Chrift gave
his Difciples many Informations, Instructions,
and Doctrines, -j- pertaining to the Kingdom of
God after he by the Holy Ghoft had given Com-
_ mandments unto them : for he Jhewed frimfelf a-
live after his Paffion, by many infallible Proofs,
, being feen of them forty Days, and fpeaking of
the Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
But allt thefe Things pertaining to the. King
dom of God, and indeed all others, that Jefus
faid or did, difcovered or taught in order to
our Salvation, muft have been loft to us, if
thofe, who were to inform the World of them, had
* Cor. iv. i, 2. f Ads i. 2, 3.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 53
had been fubject to Error in the Relation of
them. The Apoftles, thus instructed, and
impowered by their Lord, and actuated by an
Infpiration which they felt, addreffed them-
felves immediately to execute their Commif-
Sion, to preach, explain, inculcate, and record
the Doctrines of Chriftianity, all that Jefus
had faid and done, and all that he commanded
them to fay and do, in order to the Salvation
of Men. One of them intitles his Work, the
Gofpel of Jefus Chrift: Another wrote his,
that we might have Certainty of thofe Things,
which.were firmly to be believed among us, that
is, to: be the Rule of our Faith and Practice.
They all affirm the Affiftance of the promifed
Spirit in their Writings, and affirm of all Wri
tings,- like theirs, that they are given by In
spiration of God. From this general View of
thefe Things put together, I defire the Reader
to confider the Arrogance of this Writer, when
he afferts,. that to fay, St. John, or any other
Apoftle, was infpired in writing his Hiftory,
is (for any Thing, that appears) ground lefly fo
prefume a Point, which is void of Proof, and
which therefore is not to be admitted. The
Conclusion, flowing from the foregoing Pre-
mifes, is clearly, that fuch Infpiration of the
Apoftles is, not a groundlefs Prefumptian, but
a vindicated, indubitable Truth, built on all
the Atteftations Heaven could give, in a Mat
ter of the greateft Importance to be certainly
known. But to finifh this Argument, at leafl
E 3 with

54 An Examination of the Trite Gofiel of
with this Author, I beg leave to infert here the
Subftance of two loofe half Sheets, which I
formerly published, in Anfwer to another Trad
of his profeffedly on the Subject, intituled, An
Enquiry concerning the. Books of the New Tefta-
ment. By the Infpiration of the Holy Scriptures, I
mean fuch an Influence of the fupreme Being
on the Minds of the Writers, as revealed to
them new Truths, enabled them to recollect
Truths formerly revealed, fecured them in the
right Ufe of their Faculties, and all other Means
of Information, as far as was neceffary for the
End propofed, viz. the Eftablifhment of true
Religion in the World. As Spiritual Matters,
in this State of Things, cannot be apprehen
ded by us, but from their Analogy to Objects
of Senfe ; fo in this divine Impulfe and Direc
tion, certain in its Effects, but in the Manner
myfterious and un Searchable, the Agent is cal
led Spirit or Breath, and the Action, Inspira
tion, er Inbreathing, from the Refemblanee to
Wind, which bloweth where it lifteth, and
thou heareft the Sound thereof, but canft not
tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth. The
Subje&s of this Operation are faid, with great
Propriety of Speech, to be inSpired, from the
Similitude of their Cafe, who Spake as the Spi
rit gave them Utterance, to that of Wind In*
Struments of Mufick, which are Silent 'till
breathed into, and, after that, retain Still their
natural

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 55
natural Properties of Tone, fo as to be dftin-
guifhed from each bther.
That fuch Infbiration, as Ihave been descri
bing, is a poffible Thing, can no. be denied by
any feafohable Creature. To fay, it is not pof
fible, is to alien, that, though God Can im-
prefs on Matter Motion no way of the Effence
of Matter j yet he cannot give Knowledge to
a Spirit made for Intelligence : That he, who
formed the S6ul and all its Faculties, cannot
direct them in the Difcovery of Truth. And
he, that will take upon him to fay all this,
has no Right to be talked to as a ratipnJ
Creature. I advance a Step farther, and fay, that the
Infpiration above-mentioned is not only pof
fible, but neceffary, to thofe Writings, which
were defigried for a Rule of Faith and Man
ners to an fucceedih'g Generations. That the
Gofpel was not intended for that Age only, in
Which it began to be publifhed, but for all
Aj;es to the End of Time, appears from the
Revelation, and the Declarations of thofe who
firft publifhed it. Now there are but two
Ways of certainly conveying fuch Revelation
through ail 'Generations, either by continually
raifing up ihfpired Men to preach and prove it
to every hew Generation ; or by perpetuating
the Doctrine once taught and confirmed in a
Record, for the Direction and Conviction of
future Times : The former Method, was not
puffued, by a ^rofufion of new heedl'efs Won^
E 4 ders;

56 An Examination oj the True Gofpel of
ders ; for Miracles are long fince ceafed ; there.
remains therefore the latter, namely, the Re
cord of the facred Writings: But how can
thefe Writings be fuch a Record, unlefs there
was the fame Superintendency over thefe Wri
tings, as over the Preachings of the Apoftles;.
to fecure them from all Poffibility of Error ?
Since then the Writings of the Apoftles were
defigned to be a Rule of Faith and Manners
to all fucceffive Generations, it was neceffary,j
thefe Writers Should be guided from above in
the Composition of them.
A well-grounded Perfuafion of the Fact be
ing fuch, with Relation to the Writers of thejr
Religion, made the Jews retain a certain Num
ber of Books, as facred, exclufive of all others,
and hold them dearer than their Fortunes or
Lives. They had many other Histories, many
other Pieces of Poetry, befides thofe contained
in the Bible; but they were human Compo
sitions, thefe were acknowledged to be divine,
and therefore appealed and fubmitted to, * as to
infallible Decifions in every Cafe, in every
Age. - A like Conviction it was, which made Chri
stians inroll thefe, and feveral other later Wri
tings, in their facred Canon. For thefe Books
they fuffered Torments, and Death itfelf, and
to thefe they would fuffer none to be added,
though written by the holieft or wifeft of Men,
for want of the divine Stamp and Character of
Infpiration. The early Difpixtes, about the
Recep-

JESUS CHRIST afferted. $j
Reception of certain Books into this Catalogue,
is an Evidence, upon what Foundation they
proceeded in the Examination of Books pre
tending to this Character, and upon what per
fect Conviction they admitted or rejected fuch
Pretentions. But it may be faid, this was only the Per-
fuafion of Jews and Chriftians; the Fact is
not yet proved, that the Bible was written by
Inspiration, and under the Superintendency of
Heaven. I go on therefore to prove it, and
defire, in this Argument, no more to be grant
ed me, than that the Apoftles had fo much
Senfe, as to know what they felt, and fo much
Integrity, as to tell us what they knew. The
Account, they give of themfelves, is, that, af
ter a mighty Sound from Heaven, and the Ap
pearance of Fire On their Heads, in the Sight
of a vaft Concourfe of People of all Nations,
they were enabled to Speak in an Inftant all the
Languages of "the Earth ; and from thencefor
ward they declare, that they acted and fpoke
by the Spirit, as Men endued from on high.
This Effufion of the Spirit was not a fingle,
tranfient Act, but continued with them, and
was communicated by them to others, and
was felt by Chriftians for many Years, 'till the
Purpofes of fuch divine Affiftance were all an
fwered. Take the State of the Church from
that of Corinth, and you will find, that the
Gifts of the Spirit were Various, common, and
unqueftioned: There was the Gift of Tongues, of

58 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
of discerning of Spirits, and of interpreting.
The Matter of fheir Speeches was in their or
dinary Ministrations reVealed to them, fome
times in one Language, fometimes in another :
And fo cautious were they of mixing their own
Conceptions with the Spirituallnfufion, that'
they would not take upon them to fender into.
one Tongue, what Was revealed in another,
without the Aftiftance of the fame divine Di
rection to fecure them of the right Interpreta
tion. Hence the PreCept of Praying, that they
might interpret. Such Influences Could not but
be felt; The Apoftles faid, they felt them j
and further they appealed to Heaven for the
Truth of what they laid, and iSeaven anfvvere<$
their Appeal, by the Series of Miracles they
were empowered to .perform.
The Writings of the 'New Teftament coh-
fift of the historical Parts, the abdftolical E-
piftles, and the Revelation of St. John. The
Title, and almoft every Paffage of the laft,
Shew, from whence it came. That the Gof-
pels were written Under the Direction of the
Spirit, we have all the Reafon in the World
to believe. They are a "Record of What Jefus
faid and did upon Earth. The Prbfnife of
Chrift to his Apoftles was, that the Holy
Ghoft fhould teach them all Things, and bring
all Things to their Remembrance Whatfoever
he had faid unto them. Were then the Apo
ftles left to themfelves, in writing this Hiftory,
or were they affifted by the Spirit to recollect what-

JESUS CHRIST ajferted, 59
whatever was neceffary for that Purpofe? If
the Promife was not then fulfilled, when it
was moft neceffary, it Should ; when was it,
when could it be fulfilled ? Another Promife of
the like Nature was, that when the Spirit of
Truth came, he fhould guide the Apoftles into
all Truth, all neceffary Truth : And was not
the Account, of what Jefus faid and did, a
Part of fuch neceffary Truth ? The Gofpels
then were written under the Influence of the
Spirit of God. Many other Gofpels were writ
ten, as St. Luke affures us in the Beginning of
his, but not having this Evidence of Heaven
upon them, they were not received as a Rule
of Faith and Manners. Agreeable to which
is the ancient Tradition, that St. John faw
three of thefe Gofpels, approved them as au
thentic, and added his own to them.
The Authors of the Apoftolical Epiftles af-
fert to themfelves, in almoft every Page, the
Same divine Affiftance, which has been fhewn
to belong to the Gofpels. The Corinthians de
manded of Paul a Proof of Chrift Speaking in
him : (this is the Mark to warrant a Scripture.)
The Apoftle afferts it, and gives the Proof de
manded. He tells the Theffalonians, that the
Commandments, he gave them, were by the
Lord Jefus. The fame Perfon tells the Corin
thians, that not only the Things, but the Lan
guage alfo of his Epiftles, was under the Di
rection of the Spirit, as far as was neceffary, where

60 An ExatmnaUm of the True>QoJpel of
where he fays, * which Things alfo we fpeak,
not in theWo-ds which Mans Wifdom teacbeihj
but which the Holy Ghoft teacheth.
Now if the Apoftles were thus under the
Guidance of Heaven in what they wrote in
their Epiftles, it is the Dictate of the fame
unerring Spirit, that the Books; of the Old
Teftament were written by Infpiration : Since
St. Peter, fpeaking of thefe,/ fay&, f that, the
Prophecy came not , in old Time by rthe Will of
Man, but holy Men of God fpake, ' as they were,
, moved by the Holy Ghoft. St. Paul to ,the He*
brews afferts, the Holy Ghoft faid, what the
Pfalmift faid, viz.. X^o-day, if ye will bean
his Voice. And again in the Ads, God is faid
to || fpeak by the Mouth of his Servant, Davidi
By Scriptures was underftood, in the Days of
Chrift and his Apoftles, the Writings of the
Old Teftament, as where the Jews are bid to
Search the Scriptures: And St. Paul to Timothy
fays exprefily, that ** all this Scripture is given
by Infpiration of God.
Thus I have. laid together in one fhort View
Some of the Arguments, upon which the In
fpiration of the holy Scriptures Stands. It is
now Time to anfwer the Objections made by
this Author, who denies the Infpiration of the '
facred Books of the New Teftament, accord-?
ing to the vulgar Ufe of that Expreflion. The
Notions of the Vulgar I am not concerned to
ex-
* t Cor. ii, 13. f 2 Pet. i. 21. J Heb. iii. 7.
i| Aftsi. 16. r* 2 Tim. iii. 16.

JESUS CHRIST aferted. ' 61
examine or defend ; my own Senfe of Infpira
tion Ihave:given, and, I hope, maintained. It
is not my Purpofe to follow this Author through
all his Pages, or refute every trifling, Stale Ob
jection, which has been an hundred times con
futed ; but to fet down a few Strictures and
general Obfervations on the Work, in order to
prevent its Influence oil weak and unguarded
Minds. The hiftorical Parts of the New Teftament,
he fays, were not written by Infpiration, for
the following Reafons : Becaufe fuch Infpira
tion was needlefs ; there were more Hiftorians
than one ; they difagree with each other ; they
omit fome Things of moment, and fpeak
doubtfully of others ; laftly, becaufe fuch In
fpiration is disclaimed by Luke, one of the
Hiftorians. Thefe Reafons are quite inconclu
sive : The firft, becaufe I have fhewn, above,
the Infpiration of the hiftorical Parts of the
New Teftament to be neceffary, and reafon-
able ; therefore Chrift prpmifed it, and there
fore he fulfilled that Prorrrife. The fecond,
becaufe God can .work with more, or fewer,
with, or without Means ; he can give all his
Gifts to one, or fome to one, and fome to an
other, and it ferves to many excellent Pur-
pofes, that there were more infpired Hiftori
ans than one. Thirdly, there are Differences
enough in thefe Histories, to evidence, they
were not Copies of one another, and there is
Agreement enough, to fhew, they were direct ed

62 An Examination of the True Gojpel of
ed by one and the fame Spirit. Fourthly,
there can be Shewn no Omiffions of moment
in thefe Writings ; that relating to the Refur^
rection, which is mentioned^ is no Inftance of
it, being fet down in another infpired Book.
Fifthly, there appears no Doubtfulnefs, or Un
certainty in any Facts, which required greater
Certainty : The Spirit^ no doubt, knew, how
many Firkins, or Parts of Firkins, the purify
ing Water-pots in Cana of Galilee contained a-
piece ; but it was neither neceffary for him to
inform the Writers, or them; the World, in
fuch a Matter : They might- as Well have help
ed our Arithmetic, and told us, how many
Cube Inches, of Water they hold. Laftly St.
Luke does not disclaim Infpiration in the Pre
face to his Gofpel. He fays, it feemed good
to him to write his Hiftory; therefore, . fays
our Author, it was his own Choice, therefore
Heaven had nothingto do in it. Strange Con
clusion ! Does he then certainly know, from
whenct the Impulfe to this Work came? But
be it his own Choice, it was a right one, there
fore might be permitted, and furthered by the
Spirit. I will explain myfelf by an Inftance-:
It is recorded in th&A.Sls, thatiPsa/ purpoSed
to go into Bithynia, but the.Spirit fdrffered him
not : If his Purpofe had happened to have been
to go into Macedonia, where it was proper for
him to go, it is likely there had been no In
terposition of the Spirit, but he had been fuf
fered to execute his Defign. St. Luke's Choice in

JJSS^S CHRIST ajjerted. 63
in this,Matter no way excludes the divine Sur
per-intendency. But, %s the Author, Luke
himfelf tells you, from whence he had his Hi
ftory, not from Heaven, but from thofe, who
were Eye- Witneffes of the Fad related. And
who were thefe ? Why, the Apoftles, and he
was their Amanuenfis ; juft as the Epiftle to
the Romans was Paul's, though Tertius wrote
it, and. thep it was certainly dictated, or at
leaft apprpved by infpired Men. This Luke
was the conftant Companion and Fellow Tra
veller of St4 Paul, and is generally agreed tobe
the Perfon, whofe Praife in the Gofpel, as
preached and written, is mentioned by him.
lie, and;SkMar&too, were alfo of the Num
ber of thofe Seventy, whom Chrift commissio
ned to evangelize, or propagate the Gofpel,
and therefore, may Safely be allowed to be au- ,
thorifed and affifted by him, in their written
Accounts of it. But further, Luke declares,
he had perfect Understanding of thefe Things
clvu^tv ,: Now this Word is ufed in the Senfe
cf , vfAvodrevt from Heaven, or from above,
ih,, many Places of the New Teftament, as
Lightjoot well pbferves. Now if this fhould be
the Meaning of the Word in this Place alfo,
there arifes a new Construction of it, which,
inftead of excluding, directly claims the higheft
Degree of Inspiration j for then the Senfe
off the, Pafiage will be this:  For as much as
many have taken in hand to fet forth in Order
a , Declaration of thofe Things, which are
moft

64 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
moft furely believed among us ; it feemed
good to me alfo, having received perfect In
formation from Heaven, to write unto thee,
Theophilus, that thou mightefl know the Cer
tainty of thofe Things, wherein thou haft been
inftructed. We have feen what Regard this Author
would have us pay to the Hiftory of the New
Teftament, and upon what Grounds: But the
Judgment of the Apoftles, in their Reafonings
and Applications of Scripture, is ftill lefs to be
minded, if you will credit him. It is imper
tinent, he fays, to quote an Apoftle in any
fuch Cafe : He might err, he did err. This,
I believe, is what the Author heartily wifhes
to be true, that he and his Fellow- Writers
may be no longer galled with fuch Authori
ties ; but we muft beg the Favour to fee it a
proved, before we admit it. Is not the Appli
cation of Scriptures, concerning the Meffiah,- 'a
Part of Truth neceffary, among other Things,
for the Conviction of the Jews? I can fee
none more neceffary. Our Saviour made fuch
Application, when the Baptift fent to know
who he was : In the Courfe of his Life,' he in
structed his Difciples in fuch Things : After his
Refurrection, he opened to the Difciples^ walk
ing to Emaus, the Scriptures relative to him
felf: An Argument this, that he thought fuch
to be neceffary Truth : If fo, the Promife is,
that the Apoftles fhould be guided in the Dif
covery of fuch Truth : Then they are to be
attended

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 65
attended to in fuch Matters more, than this
Author, or any other he can name. But he
replies, will you difpute againft Fact? TheApo-
ftles did err in fuch Applications, even after
the Effufion of the Holy Ghoft; for they were
for a Time ignorant of the Myftery of calling
the Gentiles, though plainly foretold. Egre
gious Trifling! In the Inftance mentioned,
they were directed from above at a certain
Time. The Ignorance of this particular Truth
might be, and probably was, as neceffary 'till
then, as the Knowledge of it was then, in or
der to bring about the Purpofes of Providence
with Refpect to the Jews. The Promife was,
the Apoftles fhould be led into all Truth ; not
abfolutely all Truth, but all neceffary Truth,
not all at once, but at the very Time it be
came neceffary.
The Apoflolical Epiftles, this Author fays,
were not written by the Guidance of the Spi
rit, becaufe they are not called the Spirit's E-
piflles, but bear the Names of thofe who wrote
them, viz. Of Paul, and Peter, and John,
&c. And who were thefe? They were Apoftles.
It is furprifing, what Things will ferve for Ar
guments in fome People's Hands. The Names
were fet at the Head of the Epiftles, on pur
pofe to fhew, they were written by the Apo
ftles, 'that there might be no doubt of their
Infpiration. For the fame purpofe Paid fet
his Hand to the fecond Epiftle to the Thejfalo-
nians ; and affured them, this was his Token
F in

66 An Examination of the True Qofpel of
in every Epiftle. The Apoftles wrote their
Epiftles, in the Name of God, his Son, and
his Spirit, and put their own Names and Hand-
writjngrnthat they might be received as fuch.
TheJVlatter qi" thefe Epiftles needs only to
be attended to, and the Epiftles themfelves
read, to Shew they arp mere human Comppf
fitions, according to this Author. The Mat
ter of, thefe Epiftles is indeed various, and
therefore d.qes,,not every where require thej>fame
Degree of Infpiration. Some Parts were new
Revelations,- fome were Recollections of old
ones, fome were Reafonings, and Applications
pf Scriptures; there are Directions, Commands,
Threatenings, Comforts, pathetical Perfuafions,
Salutations, Meffages, and Qrders, relating tp
common Life : ^u| all are juftiy conceived to
be regulated by fuch a Super-intendency of
Heaven, as Secured them from Error, or Im
propriety. .Several Things, may appear to us
too common, qr top minute, to be the Sub?
ject of divine Direction, which yet might draw
fuch Confequences, as were worthy the Care
of Heaven. The Advice toTim^thy, of mix
ing Wine with his Water on account of his frer
quent Infirmities, might not only relate to hirr^
but be fet down, to check, a Scrupulous Abfti-
nence in every Age, and with a particular View
to an Opinion, which afterwards Started up a-
mong a Sect, fuperftitious in this Point. The
Parchments, fent for by Paul, might be of
Confequence to Juftice, or even the Salvation of

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 67
of Men. The Salutations of particular Perfons,
by the Apoftles in their Epiftles, might be
Suggested by the Spirit, forefeeing of what Con-
feqiience the Zeal, occafioned by them, would
be to the Interests of Chriftianity. An Age,
unacquainted with the whole Difpenfation of
God in the Matter of our Redemption, might
wonder, why the Book of Ruth, the Hiftory
of a private obfcure Family, was thought wor
thy a divine Direction : But we, who know
the Connexion of the Houfe of David with the
Meffiah, may fee a Reafon, why God might
command it to be written, and inrolled among
the facred Writings.
Thefe general Obfervations applied will re-
folve every Difficulty, raifed by this Author;
and I fhall think, I have left nothing in his
whole Tract unanfwered and unconfuted, af
ter I have fet in a true Light a Paffage to the
Corinthians, m which he triumphs, but unfor
tunately, for it directly proves againft him.
The Paffage is, where the Apoftle diftinguifhes
between what he received from the Lord, and
his own Judgment, in the Cafe of Virgins. * i"
have no Commandment of the Lord, (that is,
Chrift in his Life-time had given him no Or
ders about this Matter) 'jy# I give my Judgment,
as one that hath obtained Mercy of the Lord to
be faithful. To be faithful ; that is, to be di
rected by a Being, who Suffers me not to err.
For Proof pf this Interpretation, I appeal to
F 2 the
* 1 Cor. vii. 2;, 40.

68 An Examination of the True- Gofpel of
thj laft Verfe of this Chap er, where the fame
Apoftle again,- gives his Judgment in a Cafe,
bat afferts, in exprefs Words, the Guidance of
the Spirit to it. She is happier, if fhe fo abide,
after my Judgment, and I think alfo, that 1
have the Spirit of God: Which manner of
fpeaking is fo far from implying any Doubt of
the Matter, that it is the ftrongeft Way of af-
ferting, that his Judgment was directed by the
Spirit of God; as will appear to all, who un
der Stand- the Nature and Beauty of Language.5
Having thus vindicated the Credibility of the
firft Teachers and Writers of Chrift's Doctrines,
I have proved my Right to the Ufe I have al
ready made, or lhall hereafter make, of their
Testimony. If therefore St. Paul declares to
the Romans, that the Preaching of the Gofpel
to the * Gentiles was owing to the Rejection
of it by the Generality of the Jews, he has a
Right to be believed; especially when there is
nothi g often five to Reafon, that through the
Oeconomy of Providence, the JeWs fhould be
firft acquainted, as they were in a former In
ftance, with th; Revelation of God's Will, and,
if they would receive \t; through them other
Nations ; but if they refufed it, that their fore-
feen Obftinacy fhould be the OcCafion and pre-
eife Time of applying to other People. Agree-.
ably our Saviour faid, -j- I am not fent, but to
the loft Sheep of Ifrael: And his Apoftles, who
had received a new Commiffion to difciple all
Nations,
* Rom. xi, 10, tifc f Mat. xv. 24.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 69
Nations, faid to the Jews,. * it was neceffary
that the Word of God ftjould firft have been Jpo
ken to you ;; but feeing ye put ft > from you, and
judge yourfelves unworthy of everlafting Life; lo,
we turn to the Gentiles. That, this temporal
Judgment, of their being thrown from their
Privileges, Should provoke the Jews to J aloufy,
and .fo the Favours done to Strangers fhould be
the Occafion of their Repentance and Conver-
fion, that, by the wonderfu! and gracious Me
thods of divine Wifdom, all Ifrael, all the
World, might have it in their Power to be fa-
ved; is quite natural and beautiful in the Sup-
ppfition, and therefore, when warranted by
the Authority of an Apoftle, may, and ought
to be concluded pertinent and true.
The Apoftles delivered Things no more ab-
ftruf-, than their Mafter did. The Quality of
the Saviour, and- the Terms of Acceptance and
Salvation through that Saviour; the Doctrines
of the Trinity, Faith, and Grace, and of the
Sacraments, were taught \ alike by bo h. If
fome Things, which St. Paul taught in his E-
piftles, were hard to be underftood, which fome
Men perverted to their own Destruction ; the
fame may be Said of the Parables and Doc
trines of his Mafter, which the very Difciples
^did not understand, 'till they were explained to
them. Nay, if Mifunderftanding or Perver-
fion of a Thing be a Mark of its being abftrufe,
every Thing, Chrift faid and did, was fo, fince
F 3 this
* Afts xju. 46.

jo An Examination of the True Gofpel of
this Author has found out the happy Art of
mistaking Of corrupting it all.
From what Chrift faid, the Author proceeds
Sec~l. 7. to what he did, and fays, he Wrought
a Train of Miracles, if the Accounts given in
his Hiftory are true, which he does not take
upon him to' vouch. But thefe Facts do not
hang upon ifs &<id-ands: They were performed
publickly in the Face of Day, a whole People
being Witneffes; they were of fuch a Nature,
as could not be miftaken; they were recorded
by Men, who' performed the like wonderful
Works in Token of their Authority and Vera
city, and were uncontradicted by the very E-
rtemies of Chriftianity : And what Sort of fu-
perior Agency was concerned in them clearly
appears, from the beneficent Nature of the
Works, and the Perfection of the Institutions,
they were brought to cdnfirm\ The End of
thefe aftonifhing Interpofitipns of Heaven Was,'
according to this Author, to draw the Multi
tude about Pur Lord, (but a Drum or Trum
pet might have done as much) and alfo to call
in their Attention to whatfhe had to offer, and
make them carefully confider '•¦ the Truth and
ReafonableneSs of it. Now it has been fheWri,;
that Chrift. taught many Things, which no
Man's Reafon could acquaint him with, and,
though all heTaid and did, was certainly moft
reafonable, yet he did his fupernatural Actions,
to gain the Authority of a divine Lawgiver,
to be credited, whether he gave a Reafon, or
his,

JESUS CHRIST dfferted. ji
his Hearers perceived that Reafon, or not. * If
I had not done aniOng them, he fays, the Works,
which no other Man did, they had not had Sin,
but now they have no Cloak for their Sin. And
precifely to the Point, -f If ye do no; believe me,
believe me for my Works Hake. Chrift then is
to be believed on upon his own Word and Au
thority, not for his Reafons, but for his Works.
As this Author has Mifreprefehted the End
of Chrift's Miracles, fo has he alfo Secl.'S. that
of his Death, in order to ferve his poor Hypo-
thefis. Chrift, be fays, the better to recom
mend his Precepts, liven agreeably to th m :
And as this Behaviour drew on him the unrea-
fonhMe Refentment of the Clergy among the Jews,
who ftlrredupthe Reft of the People, fo this gave
an Ovcaftonfor hisjealihg his Teftimony with his
Blood. And thus, and thus only, both his Life
and Death were made jubfefvieht to hisDoBrine.
But the Scriptures give another Account of this
Matter, as I have abundantly fhewn above ;
and mention his Death, as an Inftance of the
greateft Benevolence to Mankind, but in quite
another, higher Way, than this Author feems
to dream of. The wicked Jews and Romans
could hot have taken his Life ; he declares, he
gave it Voluntarily: And why he fhould chufe
to give it, add fo fodn too, if it was only to
make Men think, he believed what he taught,
is entirely inconceivable : It would have been
a greater Act of Kirtdnefs, to have continued
F 4 in.
* Jolin xv. 24, t x. 35. — xiv. 1.1

yz An Examination of the True Gofpel of
in Lff? longer, and propagated his Instructions
farther,. But he not only came to teach Men,
but tp die for them, by giving his Life a Ran-
Som., ; If was, expedient for him to go away,
that the Comforter might come, and pour his
fanctifying Graces on the Hearts of Men, in
Confequence of God's being reconciled tp them
through the Blood of his Son. This Chrift
has afferted, and to this bear all his Apoftles
Wjtnefs,; and therefore his Death was not, as
this Man fays, only made, fubfervient to his
Miniftry, but was the principal End and Pur-,
pofe of his bting made Flefh and; dwelling a-
mong us.
But we now come, Seft. g. to the Author's
Account of the Christian Church, which, is
only Friendly Societies and Families of Love,
Which Chrift laid the Foundation of, in order
to recommend his Gofpel with the better Grace
to the World and Posterity ; and in which is
no Pre-eminence, Super-intendence, or Diffe
rence of Office, but all is perfectly equal.
This Author's Notion of the perfect Equality
among, Chriftians .has. .been already examined
and confuted : And the Texts, he produces in
fuppprt of it, have been fhewn, only tp carry
in them a, Warning to the Apoftles againft
miftaking the Nature of Chrift's Kingdom,
and their own Offices in it ;. againft their Af
fectation , pf temporal Power, and Grandeur,
againft Pride, Ambition, and Tyranny; againft
being at the Head of Parties, and dictating, like

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 73
like the Rabbies among the Jews; againft
forgetting the Example of him, whom they
juftly called their Lord and Mafter, for he
really was fo, but acted with the Condefcen-
fion and Humility of one, who came to mini
ster, and not to be miniftred to. If thefe Paf
fages are urged any farther, they are imperti
nent, inconclufive, and againft Fact. For
Chrift, the Fountain of .Spiritual Power, not
only laid the Foundation of outward, vifible
Societies among Chriftians, but commanded
that there: Should be fuch : He appointed out
ward, . vifible Sacraments to be celebrated in
them ; he gave fome Commiffion to rule over
thefe in the Lord, to admit into, and exclude
out of them; to explain and inculcate his
Doctrines, to direct all things tending to Or
der and Decency ; and declared, that hearing
them, was hearing him, as, hearing him, was
hearing God. Thefe Men were the City fet
on an Hill, which cannot be hid; the Salt of
the Earth, who were to feafon others, and
who were efpecially to take Care they did not
lpfe their Savour : For thefe Paffages were di
rected to the Apoftles in particular,' with re
gard to their Office and, Diftinction from and
above other Chriftians. The Church is an
Houfehold, of which Chrift is the Mafter,
and in which all others are Servants, but (as
in other Houfeholds where one gives out to
others their Portion in due Seafon) different in
Situation and Dignity of Employment. Ac
cordingly

74 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
cordingly the Mafter of the Family fettled
different Officers, in a due Subordination to
one another, as in the Cafe of the Apoftles
and the Seventy whom he invefted with diffe
rent Pdwers and Commiffions at different
Times. The head Officers of this Family ex
ecuted their Commiffion in like manner, by
fubftituting other fpiritual Officers of different
Order and Degree, as appears from the Scrip
tures themfelves, and the Hiftory of thofe
Times; and ttiofe immediately following:
And thefe Offices had, as in the Reafon of
the Thing they muft have, their diftinct
Names, Titles, dnd Degrees of Refpect. It is
therefore mete Declamatio :, ill-natured, ill-
mannered Ribaldry, and calculated to ferve
the wbrft of Purpofes, to talk of fome of the
Difciples and Followers of thrift being fingied
out from their Brethren, to be pojfejfed of great
Revenues, live in ftately Palaces, Wallow in
Luxury and Eafe, drjbrdidly to heap up Riches
to raife a Family, to lord it over thofe by who ft
Labours they are maintained, 'clothed in pomp
ous and antick Dreffes, placed on Thrones or
garnifh'ed Stalls; and Seats of HorioUr, ajfum*-
ing and exerciftng Dominion ever their Breth
ren, &Ci' What Superiority of fome Chriftians
over others I have maintained, ahd upon what
Grounds, has been ¦Shewn.- If in any Coiih-
try, Or Place, there are thofe Monfters of Metf,
thofe overgrown, wealthy, ftately, luxurious,
wanton, covetous, Anticks of Chriftians, on
Thrones

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 7$
Thrones Or in Stalls, lording it over God's
Heritage; let them look to it, this Author's
Cenfure fits them : But fure his Eye muft be
Strangely distempered, before it can behold
fuch frightful, antichriftian Figures in his own
Country. ¦' ; <
The Author, SeB. io and 12. goes on to
blunder and puzale every thing relating to
Chrift or his Church. Every one, he fays,
who is difcipled to Chrift, is left to judge and
chtife fifr himfelf, what particular Society of
Chriftians he will join himfelf to. I agree, that
every one muft judge and chufe for himfelf in
this Point; but then it is at his Own Peril if,
under proper Circumstances, he judges and
Chufes amifs. It is in this, as in alt other
TranfadtiOrts between God and Man relating
to, Virtue and Religion : A Man muft chufe,
whether he will ferve God, of not, and obey
his Appointments, whether he fpeaks by Him
felf, bis Prophets, or his Son ; but it is not a
Matter of Indifference for all that, but the
Confequence is difmal, if he refufes to hear
him that fpeaketh on Earth, much more, if
he difobeyS him, who fpeaketh from Heaven.
Indeed Ikrtow of but one Christian Society,
that is, of Chrift's Appointment, diffufed over
the Earth, which is called the Catholiek, or
Univerfal Church, and one Miniftry, or Epif-
eopate, ¦ which is held in Part by every Bifhop
with Authority, derived from the Fountain of
all Power. If this Society was not too nume rous

76 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
rous to be contained in one Place,, and to be
officiated to by one Perfon, they would be all
obliged to affemble together in, that one Place,
under the, Miniftry of that apthorifed Perfon :
But fince this is impoffible, as much Unity js
directed in Scripture to be preferved, as is pof
fible in the Nature of Things, by Conformity
in Doctrine and Worfhip, in the V& of the
fame Sacraments, under the Miniftry of P^e*?
Sons, commiffionedi'fpr that Purppfe by the
fame original Authority, that of Chrift.^ Thefe
are the Men, who come regularly into the
Sheepfold, the reft, are pronounced Thieves and
Robbers. It was indeed forefeen, there would
be Deviations from this Plan of Unity. Chrift;
fore-told, it was impoffible, but Offences and
Divisions muft come, and declared a Woe a-
gainft thofe,, by whom they came. He apr
prifed his Followers, there would come fa^fe
Teachers, who, though clothed, in Sheep's
Clothing, are inwardly ravening Wolves,;. His
Apoftle fays, the Time will come, when Men
will not endure found Doctrine, but will have
itching Ears, and heap . up to themfelves
Teachers, according to their Lufts. Hence
arife Sdnfms, Separations, Herefies, Divisions,
Congregations of Perfons, calling themfely.es
Chriftians, and yet not communicating witji
each other, in Faith, in.Doftrine, in Wor
ship, without Sacraments, becaufe without that
Order of Men, who are alone by Chrift com*
miffioned to adminifter them. For the Apoftle. is

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. yj
is exprefs, that no Man can take this Honour
unto himfelf , * but he that is called of God, as
was Aaron: And he afks with the Force of
the ftrongeft Negation — -J- How fhall, they
preach, except they be fent.? If therefore the
Author's Meaning is, that a Man may with
out Danger join himfelf to any one particular
Society of thefe nominal Chriftians, his Affer
tion is falfe, - or the Scriptures cannot be true :
Becaufe thefe are felf-erected Societies, of dif
ferent Belief and Worfhip, without and againft
Commiffion, Direction, and Covenant; but
the Church of Chrift is appointed and model
led by himfelf, and is one, as there is in it one
Faith, one Baptifm, &c.
But to proceed. — -The Author firft defines a
Bifhop, to be the People s Monitor, their com
mon Advijer andlnftruBor, their Reprejhitative
and Speaker, in their publick and Joltmn Ad-
drejfes to God : The Bifhop indeed is all this,
and more, but with Authority and Commif
fion from the Fountain of all Spiritual Power,
as has been Shewn. Accordingly he is, not
only the Reprefentative of the People, but of
Chrift, in whofe Stead, by whofe Name and
Authority, he performs with Effect the pub-
lick Offices? of Religion : Thefe Men reprefent
Chrift, as he did his Father, Sincere fent them,
as he himfelf was fent.
The Author next goes on to fay, that every
Chriftian Society are left to judge and ckuj'e

fr.

or

them-

Keb. v. 4. -f- R?m. x

I :

78 An Exaitymatioji oftheTrue Gofpel oj
themfefoes, who floall be their Bifhop, that is, to
jeparate him, and by that Separation make him
J'uch, Chrift having not invefted any Chrijlian,
nor any Body of Men among Chriftians, with
Power and Authority to judge and determine for
any^Chriftian Society in thefe Matters : The
contrary to all which is Fact, if there is any
Truth in Scripture, or Hiftory. Chrift, with
out any Regard to this Right of Christian So
cieties, appointed his Apoftles the Minifters
and Governors of them, and gave them Com-
miffipn to appoint and conftitute others in their
Room: Which Commiffion they executed
every where in their own Perfons, and direc*
ted others to do the like, as in the Cafe of Ti~
msthy and Titus, and many others, to be^met
with in the Hiftory of thofe Times. But it is
proper to confider the Authorities for popular
Elections of the Clergy, after I have obfervedy
that Nomination and Election of Perfons to
the Miniftry, and the making them Ministers,
are two different Things ; and that the laten,
without an Inftance to the contrary, except in1
the Cafe of miraculous Interpofitions of Hea
ven, was always referved to the Clergy: The
former indeed has admitted of fome Alterations,
agreeably to the different State of Things, and
the Circumftanees of Chriftian Societies.
This being premifed, I come to examine' the
firft Inftance, given by this Author, which is
that of the feven Deacons, ABsvx. Upon which
Occafion, the Twelve called the Multitude of
the

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 79
the Difciples to them, and firft directed them
to chufe feven Men, and then limited their
Choice to Men of honeft Report, full pf the
Holy Ghoft and Wifdom ; that is, marked out
by the miraculous Endowments of the Spirit,
as Stephen, one of them, certainly was : And
ftilj, after this Choice, the Thing was not done,
Authority was wanting : The Orders of the A-
poftles were  look out j roper Men, whom we,
not ye, may appoint over this Bufinefs : And
the Multitude was pleafed with this Condef-
cenfion, and cbofe Stephen and the reft, whom
they fet fefavethe Apoftles, and, when they had
prayed, they laid their Hands on them. This
is a notable Inftance of the fundamental Right
of the People to chufe and make their Minif
ters, which proves the direct contrary, and
whichv thus represented at full Length, and in
its true Light, the Author, I fancy, will not
be very fond( of. He thinks it probable, that
BiShops were conftituted by and with the like
Confent of the People : This might be allowed
to have been fometimes the Cafe, in After-
Ages at leaft, (though there is no Example of
it in Scripture :) Provided, the authoritative
Aft of Ordination is referved to that Set of
Men, to whom Chrift and his Apoftles com
mitted it. But the Author is flat againft this,
as this is dirpctly contrary to his vifionary Er
quality of Chriftians: And therefore fays, (but
faying will not do) though the Act of laying
on of Hands, and praying for God's' Bleffmg on

80 An Examination of the True Gofpd of
on the Perfon and Labours of the chofen xMi-*
nifter, was performed by the Bifhop of that
Chriftian Society, or any other, yet this was
nothing at all, but an Appendix to, and Sign of
thaf Separation made by the People's Choice, in
which alone confifted the EJJence of Ordination.
And no wonder, if this is the whole Meaning
of Ordination, that any Chriftian might do the
B ifinefs of the orda ned Minifter, as well as
he, which this Author expreffly afferts, p. 86,
Since they would both have alike, that is, no
Authority at all. But let us have done with
his Affertions, and hear his Reafons: Why,
Chrift chofe his twelve Apoftles, and fent forth
his feventy Difciples, and yet ufed no Cere
mony, that we read of. But here the Author
quite mistakes the Point. This or that Cere
mony, or Sign, is not effential to the Ordina
tion and Appointment of Gofpel Minifters,
but Authority is, which appears not to be in
the People, but in Chrift, who exercifed it
without afking their Confent, and ufed him
felf an outward Sign, when he breathed on the
Apoftles, and faid, Receive ye the Holy Ghoft.
Again, after the Afcenfion, P^rftoodup,
and propofed the Election of one into the Sa
cred College, in the Room of Judas : He ad-
dreffed himfelf perhaps to the Apoftles only,
when he faid,' * Men Brethren, of thefe Men,
that is of the hundred and twenty prefent, who
have companied with us all the Time that the
Lord

* Aftsi.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 81
Lord Jefus Chrift went in and out among us,
muft one be ordained, to be a Witnefs with us of
his RefurreBion. And they appointed two:
Well, and did the People chufe one ? No  .
They referred the Decifion to Heaven, and
gave forth their Lets, and the Lot fell upon
Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven.
But without lmpofition of Hands, Says the Au
thor, as far as appears; and with it, fay I, for
any Thing that appears to the contrary : But
be it with or without it, it matters not in the
prefent Queftion : The Authority was un
doubted, it was an Act, not of the People, but
of God, to whom the Apoftles referred the
Election, becaufe the promifed Day of Pente-
coft was not come, when they were to be en
dued with Power from on high, and were to
enter upon their Commiffion of constituting
Churches all over the World. When this was
over, they proceeded in an authoritative Man
ner, without any fuch Appeals to Heaven, in
the Election and Ordination of Church Mi
nifters, and did it, as the Church Officers by
their Direction and Example have ever fince
done it, by Prayer and lmpofition of Hands.
Thus they did in the Cafe of the Deacons :
ThusSt.Paul appointed Titus over the Churches
of Crete, * to Jet in order the Things that werS
wanting, and ordain Elders in every City, at
he had appointed him  to rebuke them Jharply,
that they might bejound in the Faith. And all
G *his>
* Tit. I ;•

82 An Examination of the True Gojpel of
this, we might prefume, (if the Apoftle had
not told us fo) was done, without confulting
the People of that Ifland ; fince it is improb
able, Men of fuch, a Character, as he there al
lows to belong to them, would have chofen fo
fevere' a Minister. The'fame Apoftle fays to
Timothy, *Iput thee in Remembrance, that thou
ftir up the Gift of God.:which is in thee, by the
putting on of my Hands. This was the autho
ritative, the efficacious Act, which made him
what he was, an Officer in Chrift's Kingdoms
He orders him to obferve the fame Method,
-j- and lay Hands Juddenly on no Man, but to
commit what he had heard to faithful Men, who
' fhall be able to teach others alfo. And in the.
Directions given relating to this Affair, where*
if at all, we fhould expect to meet it, not a
Word is mentioned of collecting the Suffrage
of the People : And it is plain, the Apoftles
every where constituted Bifhops without it, as
at Antioch, at Smyrna*, and Alexandria ; where,
from the Time of the Evangelist Mark, the
Prefbyters, not the People, .chofe one of their
own Body to be their Bifhop. Ireneeus fays
.of the Innovators, they are later than the Bi
shops, to whom the Apoftles, not the People,
delivered the Churches. Clemens Romanus
chofe Euariftus for his Succeffor before his
Death : And tells us, the Apoftles, fent by
Chrift, as himfelf was by God, ordained their
firft Converts Bifhops and Deacons of thofe, who
* 2 Tim. i. 6. f i Tim. v. 22.

• JESUS CHRIST afferted. 83
who fhould hereafter believe, and therefore to
be fure without the Confent of thefe not yet
exifting Societies.
What therefore fhall we fay to this Author's
Quotation from Father Paul, that the Order, .
of admitting none to any ecclefiafticaj, FunBion,
but by EleBion of all the Faithful in a general
Affembly, was inviolably obferved, and. jo con
tinued for above two hundred Tears after Chrift?
Why, we muft fay, that it is an Affertion rafli
and unfupported by, and againft Fact. If by
Election is meant any authoritative Act, there
is not a Practice, or a Precept, to warrant it in
all the Scripture, as has been fhewn : Chrift
knew nothing of it, his Apoftles neglected it,
and commanded their Succeffors to do the fame.
How can that be an Order every where invio
lably obferved, which was not regarded at
Alexandria ? Againft which a very early Ca
non, the 36th of the Apoftolical, was made,
which taxes the People of a Diocefe with Ini
quity and Stubbornnefs, who would not re
ceive a Bifhop, ordained for them and fent to
prefide over them, ordering he fhould never-
thelefs continue Bifhop there, and fufpend the
Clergy of that City, for not being better In-
ftructors of fuch an infolent People.
„ The Facts, brought to fupport fuch a Claim
in the People, are fo few, and fo impertinent
to the Cafe, that nothing, but a Strange Fond-
nefs for an Hypothefis, can build any Thing
upon them. Alexander, a Bifhop of Cappa-
G 2 docia,

84 An Examination of the True Gofpvl of
docia, comes out of Devotion to Jerufalem :
By two Vifions it was declared to be the Will
of Heaven, he fhould continue there to affift
the fuperannuated Bifhop Narciffus, who was
1 1 6 Years old: Upon which the People would
not fuffer him to return home. This is brought,
for want of better, as one Inftance of the Peo
ple's chufing and making a Bifhop, who was
made fo long before, and was prevailed upon
to exercife his Function in a new Diocefe, by
the Defignation of Heaven, and the Intreaties
of the Brethren. Again  While the People
were met together about a Succeffor to the See
of Rome, a Dove miraculoufly lights on the
Head of Fabianus : Upon which they all, as
it were by Infpiration, cry out, Fabianus was
worthy the Bifhoprick, and haftily fet him on
the Throne. But thefe are Miracles, Exam
ples of God's Choice, not Men's, and are no
thing to the purpofe. The Suffrage of the
People is mentioned by St.. Cyprian, in the E-
ledtion of Cornelius at \ Rome, and himfelf at
Carthage : And therefore thefe are laid hold of,
as two more Instances of the People's Power,
but impertinently ; fince by Suffrage, in this
Writer's Language, is meant no mofe, (as has
been fully Shewn by the learned) than Appro
bation, Acquiefcence, Applaufe of Perfons or
dained in their Prefence. Pontius the Deacon
calls this the Favour of the People, in St.Cy-
prian's Cafe ; but he explains himfelf, by fay
ing, it was the People's earneft, fpiritual De fire

JESUS CHRIST afferted. %$
fire to have him for their Bifhop. This holy
Martyr indeed refolved not commonly to do
any Thing relating to Ordinations, without the
Confent of his Clergy and People : But his
very Refolution fhews, he was understood to
have it in his Power to do it: Nay in Fact he
fometimes did it, as in the Ordination of the
Confeffor Aurelius, without the People's Char-
rafter and Testimony of him. The general,
regular Method of chufing and making Bifhops
we find in the fame Author : The neighbour
ing Bifhops of the Province, meeting together
at the Church of a vacant See, chofe a Bifhop
in the Prefence of the People, who knew his
Life and Converfation : This is faid to be done
in the Ordination of Sabinus, and the Reafon
for it given, that the Epifcopate might be of
fered him, by the Suffrage of all the Brethren,
and the Judgment of the Bifhops prefent. The
Parts here are clearly diflinguifhed : The Peo
ple, who knew his Life and Converfation, were
to witnefs to his Character, the neighbouring
Bifhops chofe the Perfon : The Action of the.
People is, Approbation of the Candidate and
Suffrage of Applaufe; that of the Bifhops,
Judgment with Authority. This he affirms to
be the Practice of his own, and almoft every
other Province. The Reafon for this Practice
of performing Ordinations in the Prefence, and
with the Atteftation of the People, who knew
the Morals of the Perfon to be promoted, was
certainly very good; fince it was, as the fame
G 3 Author

86 An Examination oj the True Gofpel of
Author elfewhere fpeaks, that the Crimes of ill
Men might be brought to light, and the Me
rits of good Men openly proclaimed. No won
der therefore, that wife Bifhops, like Cyprian,
took of their own accord this ufeful Method,
and Canons of Councils enjoined others to do
it ; hut with great Variations, as the Circum
stances of Times and Things would admit and
required. No wonder, the Voice of the Peo
ple was invited arid called' for at fome Seafons,
and their Turbulence, Petulance, and affumirig
Ambition, restrained at others, and kept within
due Bounds. No wonder, after fuch Canons
for Elections and Nominations to be made in
Prefence and with Confent of the People, pri
vate Elections, without fuch Confent, fhould
be held irregular, and. even invalid, being Afts
of Difobedience to the Authority of Councils,
according to what is further quoted from the
fame Father Paul; who, after all, was a pre
judiced Writer in this Point, and faid more than
he could juftify, in the Courfe of maintaining
the Rights of the Venetians againft .the In-
croachments of the See of Rome. The Truth
is, Princes, Parliaments, and private Patrons,
by virtue of their building and endowing
Churches, have had their Share at different'
Times and Places in the Nomination of Per
fons to the Miniftry: The whole Body of the
People have had their Share too, more or lefs,' in
the fame Right of prefenting, nominating, and
chufing: But ftill with Refervation of judging,
appoint

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 87
appointing, and^ ordaining, to thpfe whom
Chrift and his Apoftles invefted with.it, through
all the Periods of the Chriftian Church for
1500 Years together ; during all which Time,
neither Prince, nor People, pretended to make
by their own Authority a Single Minister of the
loweft Order. And the Inftances of fuch No
minations and Elections are fo far from pro
ving an original Right of Ordination, or Sepa
ration, as this Author calls it, in the People,
that they prove directly againft it. It appears
from Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, that fometimes a
Synod propofed, and the Clergy and People
accepted ; fometimes the Clergy and' People
propofed, and the Synod confented : But the
Bifhops ordained, or refufed to ordain,, as they
judged it proper, in every Cafe. If there was
a Divifion and Tumult, the Matter devolved
to the Metropolitan, who was to put an End
to it. Pope Leo gives this Rule, that he fhall
be preferred, whom the Clergy and People do
unanimoufly agree upon and require : But the
Reafon, he gives, for no one's being ordained
againft the Will and Defire of the People, Shews
it to be a Matter, not effential, but difcretio-
nary : ¦ — left they contemn or hate their Bijhop,
or become irreligious or difrejpeBjul, when they
cannot have him, whom they defir d. That this
was Matter of Indulgence, not Right ftrictly
fo called, appears, from its being withheld in
fome Cafes, and limited in others, by the ac
knowledged Authority of the Church Gover-
G 4 nors.

88 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
nors. If the Majority of a People were turned
Heretics or Scifmatics, their Confent was not
afked in the Election of their Bifhops, who
were fent to them without and againft their
Approbation,- as in the Times of Arianifm, and
the Schifm of the Donatifts. Again, when
the Confent of the People could not be eafily
had, by Reafon of Diftance of Place, the Bu-
finefs was done without it ; which was the Cafe
of Frumentius ordained Bifhop of the Indies at
Alexandria, without the Knowledge of thofe,
he was to convert and prefide over; and of the
Bifhop of Tomi in Scythia, ordained at Conftan-
tinople, as, by a Canon of the Council of Chal-
cedon, the Bifhops of barbarous Nations were
ordered to be. If an Interventor, one fent to
procure the Confent of the Clergy and People
of any Church in a Vacancy, got himfelf elec
ted into the vacant See, without Confent of the
Metropolitan and a Provincial Synod, he was
to be rejected, though all the People were una
nimous in chufing him. In cafe of Compe
titors and Factions, it was ufual with the Me
tropolitan and Provincial Synod, to chufe and
ordain an indifferent Perfon, not only without
the Confent, but even to the Surprife of the
People. In fome Places, the Clergy and Peo
ple were confined in their Choice, and obliged
to take one out of three, nominated by the
Bifhops in Council: At others, the better Sort
of the People were only allow'd to have a Con
cern in Elections, and the reft were excluded: But

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 89
But in all, the Bifhops were acknowledged to
be Judges of the Qualifications of the Perfon
elected, the Matter was ftill fub Judice, and
he was not what he was elected to be, 'till
they had approved and ordained him.
Indeed it would appear ftrange, that God,
who forefaw and foretold the Times, when Men
Should be falfe Accufers and Haters of thofe
that are good, retaining the Form of Godlinefs
without the Power of it ; fhould have given
the Populace the fole Power of appointing and
constituting their Guides in Spiritual Matters :
That Populace, who are feldom pleafed with
the beft Perfons and Things, and often chufe
the worft. But it would be ftranger ftill, if
they were left fole Judges of the Qualifications,
of the Ability and Learning of the Candidates
for the Miniftry. St. Paul directs Timothy to
Reading and Study, and from hence, and the
Nature of the Thing, the Chriftian Church has
in every Age required a competent Degree of
it. But this Author, who has named fourteen
Apoftles, and feems to think himfelf the fif
teenth, and worth them all, tells us, the Of
fice of a Bifhop does not require any great De
gree of Learning, or long and tedious Study, or
the being brought up at the Feet of Gamal.el :
Nay, that when thefe Things came to be thought
neceffary, Chrift and his Gofpel werejoon preached
out of the World. His Reafon is, that the Gof
pel being a plain fimple Thing, great Learning
and tedious Study are only neceffary, to render Men

qo An Examination of the True>Gofpel of
Men capable of perverting it. But why fo ?
When we fee this Man, with only great Igno
rance, and another great Thing, called Affu
rance, capable of exceeding all the learned Men
in the World in perverting the Scripture. It
has always been allowed in other Cafes, that
Study, and a thorough Acquaintance with a
Subject, and what belongs to it, enabled a Man
to underftand it better himfelf, and teach it to
others : But why thefe Things fhould be Stark
naught in the prefent Cafe, I cannot fee any
Reafon, but that this Writer has none of them.
Indeed there is no Occafion for thefe Qualifi
cations, in order to write fuch a Gofpel as his:
But I can tell him, we fhould have had no
true Gofpel of Chrift, to direct and comfort us,
nor he any, to abufe and .vilify, if there had
not been Men of more improved Understand
ings, and as great Integrity, as his, with all
the Affiftances of human Learning, topreferve,
explain, inculcate, and tranfmit down to us
the facred Record.
But he fays, Chrift did. not chufe Men of Let
ters only to be his Apoftles. What then ? He
chofe one, who was brought up at the very
Feet of Gamaliel, and therefore had no Quar
rel to human Learning, and fupplied the Want
of Learning in the others, by giving them that
Spirit of Wifdom, which all their Enemies
were not able to gainfay. But this was Mi
racle; and a Man, who expects to be thus
qualified and instructed for the Miniftry, with- .
out

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 91
out ufing his beft Endeavours, may as reafona- *
bly expect to be fed by Ravens, as Elijah Was,
though he takes no Pains to get his daily Bread.
. As the Apoftles were not Men of Learning them-
Jelves, Jo neither did they chufe fuch for Bifhops;
this Author, as is ufual with him, perempto
rily afferts, but is not fo kind as to give us his
Authorities. It would be eafy to refute him
by feveral Inftances of Perfons of Learning
and Ability, mighty in the Scriptures, ap
pointed by the Apoftles to this Office : But I
chufe to fay, they chofe Men of the greateft
Abilities and Probity they could find, and
thofe fometimes pointed out by the miraculous
Affiftance' of the Spirit, and Prophecies that
went before of them, as of Timothy, whom
yet the Apoftle directs to improve himfelf by
Reading and Study.
But whatever the Apoftles did, or were, this
Author is refolved, all Shall die with them, for
fear of fome unlucky Claims from them. IJor
he begs leave to obferve, that when the Apo
ftles of our Lord died, the Apoftolic Office
died with them, they having no Succeffors ;
and therefore fays, // is vain and affuming for
any Man, or any Set, or Order, or Body of
Men among Chriftians, to ¦ lay Claim to any
Apoflolical Power or JurifdiBion upon that Ac
count : For Chrift fays, * As my Father hath
fent me, even fo jend 1 .you. A very concife
Proof truly ! in which you are defired to fee,
that
* John xx. 21.

92 An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
that the Apoftolic Commiffion only extended
to the Perfons of the Apoftles, and no farther.
Now I am fo unhappy, as not tp fee this Con-
fequence, but the very Reverfe of it, and
fhould conftrue the Paffage thus :  As my
Father fent me with Power to commiffion
you, fo fend I you with Power to commiffion'
others: Especially when Chrift could not other-
wife make good his Promife, of being with
them alway unto the End of the World, which
he gave them at the Time of their receiving
their laft and fulleft Commiffion, but which
muft have been defeated, upon the Suppofition
of their having no Succeffors : And 2dly, Be
caufe I actually read in Scripture of their com-
miffioning Perfons to aft in their ftead, and
bidding them commiffion others for the fame
Purpofe. It is true, Infallibility, and the other
extraordinary Gifts and Operations, died with
the Apoftles, or furvived them but a little
Time. ' Thefe Endowments were neceffary to
give Succefs to the firft Apoftles, as Miracles
were to make the firft Converts : But the
Apoftolic Office, which was precifely to go
into the World, and make Difciples of all
Nations, instructing and baptifing them in the
Name of the Trinity, either by themfelves,
or Minifters of their Appointment, fent by
the Apoftles, as Chrift fent them, and the Fa
ther fent him, was to laft to the End of the
World. The Power of the Apoftles, by which
they may be ftiled the Root of the Church, was

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 93
was the Power of founding Churches, by
tranfmitting fo much of their Authority to
others, as was neceffary to conftitute and con
tinue thofe Societies to the End of the World.
Thus St. Paul fays to the Corinthians, if I am
not an Apoftle to others, yet doubtlefs I am to
you, for you are the Seal of my Apoftlefhip
in the Lord. That is, a Seal does not more
confirm the Writing to which it is affixed,
than you, who are my Work, put it paft
Queftion, that I have a Right to found a
Church, and therefore am an Apoftle. The
Power of founding Churches, was the Power
of profelyting People to Chriftianity, forming
Societies of them, and perpetuating thofe So
cieties, by appointing fucceffive Perfons to
preach the Gofpel with Authority, and cele
brate the Ordinances of it with Effect, to the
End of the World. And to this Purpofe, the
Apoftles ordained Bifhops, not only for thofe
already converted, but for thofe alfo, who
Should hereafter believe. And the like Power
they convey'd to others : St. Paul mentions
the Care of all the Churches belonging to him:
In like manner the Care of many Churches be
longed to Titus, whom he left in Crete to ap
point Elders in every City, and who therefore
fucceeded Paul in this Branch of his Apoftle
fhip throughout that ISland. The Apoftles
were to be obeyed, according to Chrift's
Direction, he that heareth you, heareth me :
And the likeObedienceChriftiansweretopayto t:;ofe

94 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
thofe whom the Apoftles fet over them, ac
cording to that Direction, Obey them that have
theRule over you. The Apoftles were in Chrift's
Stead, and to be followed and refpected ac7
cordingly : And the Bifhops fucceeded them in
this Privilege alfo, as Ignatius affures us, who
was ordained' a Bifhop by one of them, and
who therefore muft be fuppofed to know, what
himfelf was, and they, who were his Cotem-
poraries. All of you, jays he, follow the Bifhop*
as J ejus Chrift does the Father, &c. Wherever
the Bifhop appears, there let the Multitude be\
that is, let that be deemed the true and autho-
rifed Church, as' where J ejus Chrift is, there
is the Catholic Church: What Jefus Chrift is to
the univerfal, that the Bifhop is to a particular
Church. They were Succeffors to the Apo
ftles, to whom the Apoftles. delivered the
Churches ; but they wCre the Bifhops, as Ire-
naiis informs us: According to whom alfo, the
Bifhops were the Appointment of Chrift, as
well as of the Apoftles.; or rather they were f o,
by being the Appointment of the Apoftles. Je-
Jus Chrift, fays • he, is the Appointment of the
Father, as alfo Bifhops, made all over the World,
are the Appointment of Jefits Chrift. To this
purpofe Tertullian fpeaks: As the Church oj
Smyrna records Poly carp by John, 'Jo the other
Churches alfo exhibit to you thofe whom, being
conftituted Bifhops among them by the Apoftles,
they hold as the Propagators and Conveyers of the
Apoftolical Seed to them. That is, by means of

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 95
of an Epifcopal Miniftry, in a continual Suc-
ceffion mounting up to the Apoftles, the feve-
ral Chriftian Societies of the World conceive,
they have derived down to them all the Saving
Doctrines, Ordinances, and Privileges of the
Gofpel, which are the Seed, planted firft by
the Apoftles, and propagated to After- Ages by
this Miniftry of their own Inftitution. Je
rome fays, becaufe the Apoftles are departed out
of the World, you have, in their flead, the Bi
fhops, their Sons: (and if Sons, then Heirs and
Succeffors.) Thefe alfo are thy Fathers, becaufe
thou art governed by them. And this Appoint
ment of the Apoftlesis referred to Chrift himfelf
by the fame Author, who fays, Chrift has confti
tuted Bifhops to be the Heads and Governors of the
Church, throughout the utmofl Bounds of the World.
The Apoftles, by Virtue of the extraordinary
Direction of the Spirit, might exercife fome
Powers, which could not be claimed by their
Succeffors; but that they exercifed the or
dinary Jurifdiction of Bifhops alfo where
they fettled, and conveyed it to others, is as
evident, as Scripture and Hiftory of Facts
can make it. The Apoftlefhip, from which
Judas by Tranfgreffion fell, is called the Epif-
copate : And to denote their Succeffion to this
Office of the Apoftles, the firft Bifhops were
-called by their Titles : Thpfe, who in Theodo-
ret's Time were ftiled Biftpops, were, accord
ing to that Author, in the Apoftolic Age call
ed Apoftles :¦ Thus Epaphroditus was 'the Apo
ftle of the Philippians, thus alfo Titus of the
Cretans :

96 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Cretans : , But in Procefs of Time, they left the'
Name of Apoftles to thofe who at firft bore it,
and affixed the Appellation of Bifhops to thofe;
whom before they called Apoftles. The Apoftles
then had Succeffors, arid it is not Arrogance
in the proper Perfons to take to themfelves a
Privilege, which belongs to them by fo much
inconteftable Evidence.
But our Author has ftill a Subterfuge of Re
treat : If Succeffion from the Apoftles fhould
be conceived to convey fome Powers to the
Clergy, yet no fuch Succeffion, he afferts, has
in- Fact been. But why? It feems, it is a
vain Pretence of a regular, uninterrupted, fuc
ceffive Miniftry in the Church of Rome ; find
it has been more than once broken. But how
fo ? Why, I fuppofe, there have been Divi
sions and Factions in that Church, two and
more Popes, claiming at the fame Time the
Right of Succeffion. There may have been,
I confefs, Irregularities, and certainly there
have been, in that, and other Churches ; but
without any Danger to the Succeffion contend
ed for : All the Claimants were true Bifhops,
though not all rightful Poffeffors of this or
that particular See : And if they were, they
might ordain true Bifhops, and fo no Inter
ruption of the Succeffion of the Miniftry hap
pen at all. All Irregularities muft be anfwer
ed for by thofe who occafion them : But h re
gularities, (where the Effence of a Tnir? is
preferved) and Nullities do not infer one an-
oiher.

JESUS CHRIST afferiedi 97
other; That no fuch Nullities have happened,
there is the Strongest Prefumption, both from
the Nature of the Thingj and the Providence
of God, who is concerned to guard his own
Inftitutions againft mere Cafualties ; or if
any fuch have taken Place, undifcernable by
Man, he may juftly be conceived to grant
new Powers to thofe, who feek them in his
appointed Way. Indeed, if the Voice of the
People, in fuch OrdinationSj is effential to
them, as this Author is pleafed to fay, there
are Nullities and Interruptions enough, becaufe
that has been often omitted : Nay^ it is Non-
fenfe, to talk of Succeffion as poffible; Since
the Apoftles themfelves, from whom it is to
begin, were no Miniftry at all, being appoint
ed without fuch Confent and Voice of the Peo
ple, and neglecting it in the Ordinations which
themfelves afterwards performed. But this
Claim I have examined and refuted, and the
mighty Argument, raifed upon it, muft fink
with the Sandy Foundation, on which it was
built. And confequently this Author's In
stance of the Method of conveying the Crown
of Poland, or any other elective Kingdom,
which he confidently afferts to be exactly pa
rallel to the Cafe of making Chriftian Mini
sters, is juft as parallel to it, as two Lines are,
which continually run towards, or from one
another. But our Author, if he cannot defeat the
Clergy of their Claim to fpiritual Powers by
H • maia

98 An Examination oj the True Gofpel of
main Force, Js refolved however to Starve them
out of it: For I think, no lefs. could be the
Confequence, if every Chriftian, in all Cir-
cumftances, and at all Times, was left to judge
and chufe for himfelf, what Share he will beaf
of the E^pence,, neceffary tofupport the particu
lar Society to which he belongs. I have proved
a divine. Right of the Chriftian Clergy tp.a
proper and fultable Maintenance, founded in
the Nature of Things, and, derived from Chrift
himfelf: And there I chufe to reft the Matter."
But was any one fond of having more to dp,
than needs muft; with this Author, it would
not perhaps be impoffible or hard for him to
Shew this pofitive Man, that firft Fruits and
Tythes were from the Beginning of Things
appropriated to the immediate Service of God,
and the Maintenance of thofe who officiated
in it, and that this Appropriation has nev?r
been revoked; and confequently that thefe
Things, thus referved by the Proprietor of all
Things, never cWere, nor could be Part of any
Man's private Property, but upon Supppfition
of an Equivalent given and accepted, in lieu of
them. I proceed to obferve upon a few Things in
this Author, which, not to interrupt the Courfe
of my Argument, I have paffed over. And
the firft is SeB. 11. his Account of the Chrif
tian Sacraments, Baptifm, and the Supper of
the Lord. As to the former of thefe, he fays,
Chrift appointed indeed the external Aflion of
wafhing with Water, when any one was pro-
felyted

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 99
felyted to Chriftianity ; but then it was only in
Conformity to the XJfages and Cufloms of the
World, and the Fondnefs for the Generality of
Men, or external Obfervances. Well then, we
are agreed, that Chrift appointed this Action
of Initiation into his Religion, whatever was
his Purpofe for doing it; and by that means it
is become neceffary, and let any Man neglect
it at his Peril. It is certain, he, who appoin
ted it, laid great Strefs upon it, when he de
clared, * He, that believeth and is baptifed,
fhall befaved : The true Converfion of which
Sentence is, he, that does not believe and is
not baptifed, Shall not be faved. This indeed
is not exprefly faid in the Text, but only  he,
that believeth not, fhall be damned : But then it
is naturally inferred from the foregoing Part of
the Sentence; and Unbelief was perhaps only
mentioned in the following as the Caufe of
Condemnation, becaufe Belief precedes Bap
tifm in Adults, and the Want of the former
Suppofes the Want of the latter. But to afcer-
tain our Guefies, Chrift himfelf has thus con
verted this Propofition in his Difcourfe with
Nicodemus, where he fays exprefily, -j- Except
a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Now all
this, I conceive, is. more, than would have been
Said of an'infignificant Ceremony, only ap
pointed to amufe and humour Mankind.
H 2 The
* Mark xvi. 16. f John iii. 5.

ioo An Examination of the True Gofpel oj -
The other Sacrament is made, by this Au
thor, to ferve every Purpofe, but that for which
it was appointed, namely, to be a Memorial t
of the great Sacrifice on the Crofs for the Sins
of Mankind, and the Covenant of God made
with Man in virtue of that Sacrifice. That,
this was the precife Purpofe, ' Intention, and
End, of the Appointment, appears from the
Words of the Inftitution, which this Author
has impertinently brought to prove the contrary.
Chrift * took Bread, gave Thanks, and brake it,
and gave it unto them, Jaying, this is my Body,
which is given for you, do this in Remembrance]
of me, thus dying for you : Likewife alfo the.
Cup after Supper, faying, this Cup is the new
Covenant in my Blood, which is fhed for you :
•f This do ye, (as the Apoftle adds) as oft as ye
fhall drink it, in Remembrance of me. The
precife Thing then, to be remembered and ex
hibited by this Action, is the Body of the Sa
viour broken, and his Blood fhed, and that,
for us ; by virtue of which Body arid Blood
we enter into, the new Covenant with God. A
Confequence of this Memorial will, and ought
to be the remembering the Laws, as well as
Favours of our Lord; efpecially, fince the Ob
fervance of the former is the exprefs Condition
of the latter being applied to us. But it is not
a Sacrament, nor a hundred of them, that will
Stand in the Way of our enterprifing Author, when
* Luke xxii. 19. 20. -[• 1 Cor. xi, 25.

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 101
when he has a Mind to glofs over and pervert
a Scripture, irreconcilable with his Hypothefis.
For he tells us in this very Section, that
Chriftians are taught, not to expeB God will deal
with them, according to, or for the Sake, and on
the Account of the Merits and Inter ceffion of his
Son. But where are they taught this ? Why,
it feems, where one would leaft expect to find
fuch a Doctrine, in the very Form or Model
of Prayer, which Chrift taught his Difciples,
beginning with  Our Father, which art in
Heaven. This is quite curious, and out of the
Way, and I offer it to the Reader, as a per-
feft Specimen of this Author's Acquaintance
with Scripture, his prodigious Talents in argu
ing, his Penetration, Ingenuity, and Acute-
nefs, and above all, of his Fidelity in repre
senting. Chriftians, he fays, are taught in
this Prayer to expeB God will deal with them,
not according to, or for the Merits of his Son,
but according as they behave thenifelves to one
another— forgive our Debts, as we forgive our
Debtors. — Very well: Then if a Man has
been guilty of Blafphemy, Sacrilege, and Ido
latry, he has nothing to do, in order to obtain
Forgivenefs, but to forgive others, who have
been injurious to him. But I always, till now,
thought Repentance of Sins was neceffary to
their Remiffion, and if we forgive our Brethren
ever fo many Offences, and do not repent of
our own, we fhall be in a very bad Way:
And the Gofpel reprefents Repentance itfelf
H 3 avails

102 An Examination oj the True Goffel of
available, only through a Mediator, as has been
abundantly fhewn. We cannot indeed have
the Benefit of this Mediator and Redeemer,
without forgiving others, becaufe this is one of
the Conditions, upon which it is fufpended.
Another Obfervation of our Author is, that
this Prayer direBs us to the true ObjeB of
Prayer, that is, to God, without any Reference
to Jefus Chrift. Father is a relative Term,
and implies Sonfhip ; and we are here directed
to addrefs God, under the Appellation of our
Father, the Father of us and of all Chriftians.
Now God may be faid to be the Father of the
firft Man, whom he jmmediatejy created, out
of the Way of common Generation :; And ac
cordingly St. Luke, recounting the Anceftpts
of Jefus in a progreffive Afcent of Son to Fa
ther up to Adam, calls, him * the Son. of God.
And thus, in a derivative Senfe, God may he
ftiled the Parent of all Mankind. But befides
this general Relation to all Men, founded in
•Creation, there is a particular one, founded in
Favours done to fome Men preferably to others:
And thus God enters into a nearer Alliance,
and by Covenant is declared a Father to fome,
and denied to be fo of others. This was the
Cafe of the Jews, a privileged and felefted
People : Accordingly God fays by his Prophet
Jeremiah, -j- I am a Father to Ifrael. This is
more fully expreffed : by IJaiah • — - X God jaid
¦off Ifrael, furely they are my People, Children, . that
* Luke iii. 38. f Jerem. xxxi. 9, J Ifa. 63.

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 103
that will not lie. Agreeably the Prophet ad-
dreffes him — Look down from Heaven, where is
the Sounding of thy Bowels and thy Mercies to
wards us ? Doubllefs thou art our Father, Thou,
0 Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer : Re
turn for thy Servants Sake, the Tribes of thine
Inheritance : Our Adverfaries have troden down
thy 'SdriBuOry : We are thine : Thou never ba-
reft Rule over them, they were not called by thy
Name. A ftill nearer Relation was introduced
between God and Men, founded on greater
Favours, when God fent his only begotten
Son, who by his Spirit adopted his Difciples
into the Rank of his Brethren, and confe-
quenfly into that of being, in a peculiar and
higher Manner, Sons of God, whom he calls
* his Father, and their Father.- Concerning
which Matter, let us hear the Apoftle to the
Ephefiaris : -j- Bleffed be the God arid Father of
our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed us with
all Jpiritual Blejfings in heavenly Places in
Chrift, according as he hath chofen us in him
before the Foundation of the Worlds that we
Jhould be holy and without Blame bejore him in
Love, having predeft'inated us unto the Adop
tion of Children by Jefus Chrift to himfelf, ac
cording to the god P leaf ure of his Will, to the
Praife of the Glory ¦ of his Grace, wherein- he
ha.'h made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom
we have Redemption through his Blood, the For
givenefs of Sins. The fame Apoftle to the Ga
ll 4 mlatians
* John xx. 17. f Eph. i. 3, &cc.

104 -An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
Jations afferts this peculiar Sonfhip of Chrifti
ans, together with the Caufe and Method of
it.  * When the Fulnefs of the Time was come,
God fent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made
under the Law, to redeem them that were under
the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of
Sons ; And becaufe ye are Sons, God hath fent
forth the Spirit oj his Son into your Hearts, cry*
ing, Abba, Father : Wherefore thou art no more
a Servant, but a Son ; and if a Son, then an
Heir of God through Chrift. From this clear
View of the Cafe, the certain Conplufion is,
that, when Chrift directs his Followers to adT
drefs God, under the Name of their Father,
he means that Paternity and diftinguifhing Re
lation, which he had introduced : And confer
quently a juft Paraphrafe of it wopld be- —
O God, who haft accepted us in the Beloved,
and adopted us into the Rank of thy Children,
fending into our Hearts the Spirit of thy Son,
whereby we are enabled to come with Bold-
nefs to the Throne of Grace, arid call Thee our
Father; for his Sake, in his Name, on his Cc-
count, we befeech Thee, give us our daily
Bread, forgive us our Sins, deliver us from
Evil, &c. The explicit Mention of the Name
of Jefus Chrift is not indeed made in this
Prayer, as neither was it in the Prayers and
Sacrifices before the Incarnation, which yet
received all their Efficacy from it : The Time
fpr this was not yet come, the grand Sacrifice and
* Ga}. ly. c.

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 105
and Atonement was not yet offered. And
this is the Meaning of our Saviour's Words to
his Difciples in St. John, which contain an exg
prefs Order for praying explicitly in his Nam£
after his Departure, and a Declaration of its
not being done before.  * Hitherto have ye
afked nothing, in my Name: ask, and ye fhall
receive. — In that Day, when I Shall be taken
from you, and you fhall not fee me,ye Jhall ask
me nothing, as you ufe to do while I am pre
fent with you ; but verily, verily I Jay unto you,
whatfoever ye Jhall ask the Father in my Name,
he will give it you . Agreeably to this Direc
tion, the Apoftles from that Time continually
prayed, gave Thanks, and did every Thing in
the exprefs Name of the Lord Jefus ; and from
them the Chriftian Churches throughout the
World. The great End of our Lord Jefus Chrift's
Coming into the World was certainly, to de
liver Mankind from Mifery by Reformation,
and to raife them to Happinefs and an Affimila-r
tion to God by the Steps of Virtue and Piety;
and the Means, he ufed, were certainly the
moft proper to obtain that End, becaufe he
ufed them, in whom dwelt all the Fulnefs of
the Godhead. But this Author, SeB.i^, and
14. and I are at infinite Difagreement about
the Methods actually taken to bring all this a- N
bout, to capacitate Man for fuch Happinefs,
to. make him holy and good, and in confe-
quence
* John xvi. £3, (3 c.

1 06 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
quence of that fitted for Bleffednefs. Mr. Chubb
lavishes his Eloquence, to difplay the happy
State x)f the World, the more than Saturn ian
Days, the Age of Righteoufnefs far preferable
to that of Gold, if Men would univerfally
make the Precepts of the Gofpel the Principle
of Aftion to themfelves: Then the moft fierce
and cruel of our Species would become mild, gen
tle, and compafftonate ; the moft lewd and de
bauched become chafle and temperate ; the moft
felfijh and avaricious become benevolent ' and libe
ral. This indeed is a juft Compliment to the
Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, which, with its Doc
trines, Instructions, Example, Difcoveries, Mo
tives, and Affiftances, is, excellently calculated
for thefe glorious Purpofes : But in this Au
thor's Gofpel, they are all nothing but fine
Words, to a barren and lifelefs Scheme. For
Since he here leads us to it, let us review the
Cafe. Mankind were corrupt in their Notions
and Praftices, they had loft the true Senfe of
God, were departed from Righteoufnefs, were
polluted with all Manner of Wickednefs, their
Understandings were darkened, theirWills were
perverted, their Hearts hardened, by the Judg
ment of God, and the natural Progrefs of De
pravation which, left to itfelf, goes on fronl
bad to Worfe. Take their Picture, as the A-
poftle to the Romans has drawn it.  * When
they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful, but became vain in their
Imagi-
* Rom. i. 21, £sct

JESUS CHRiST 'ajferted. 107
¦Imaginations, and their foolijh Heart was dark
ened; prof effing themfelves to be wife, they became
Fools, and changed the Glory of the incorrupti
ble God into an Image m?de like unto corruptible
Man, and to Birds, and four-footed Beafts, and
creeping Things : Wherefore God alfo gave them
up to Uncleannefs through the Luft of their own
Hearts,, to difhonour their own Bodies between
themfelves. And as they did not like to retain
God in their Knowledge, God gave them over to
a reprobate Mind, to do thqft Things which are
not convenient, being filled -with all Unrigbte-
fiu/heft, Fornication, Wickednefs, CoVet^ufnefs,
•Malicioufnefs ; full of Envy, Murder i Debate,
TXeceit, Malignity ; Whifperers, Backbiters,
Haters <f God, defpiteful, proud, Boafters, In
ventors of evil Things, difobedjent to. Parents,
withoutXfnderftanding, Covenant-breakers, with
out natural \AffeBion,: implacable i 'unmerciful,
who, knowing the Judgment of God, that they
which commit fuch Things are worthy of Death,
.not only do the fame, but have Pleafiire in. thofe
that dojhem. — God had Compaffion for this
deplorable State of the World, and- refolyed by
;fome Method to refcue Men from this Thral
dom and Mifery, and /make them capable of
. Forgivenefs and Salvation. And the Method,
according tb this Author, only was, to fend
Jefus Chrift, a mere Man, who, after fome
Wonders performed to gain the Attention of
his Fellow-Creatures, told them,; they muft
confider, and aft agreeably to the Nature and
Reafon

108 An Examination of the TrueGofpel of
Reafon of Things; that Reafon and Fitnefsof
Things, which their natural Faculties pointed
out to them j that is, perform the Duties be
tween Man and Man, Summed up in the Ten
Commandments, He told them moreover,
that the Judgment of God, as their own rea-
foning Faculties might affure them, would fol
low their evil Praftices ; therefore as many as
needed, muft repent of and amend them ; all
which they knew before, and yet were thus
wicked : But he bid them attend to it, and
Shewed them an excellent Example in his own
Life, which was theTranfeript of his Precepts :
lie bid them repent, but offered them no new
Motives, no new Encouragements, or Affif-
tances j that is, he bid the Ethiopian change
his Skin, arid the Leopard his Spots, he bid
them do, what it was impoffible for them to
do without fuch Affiftance of God, who
worketh in us both to will, and to do of his
good Pleafure, that is, he bid them learn of
him to do Miracles, and produce Effects with
out any vifible Caufe. He told them, (no
doubt, to raife their Humility and Thankful-
nefs, and prevent their Relapfe into Sin,) that
if they repented, they were fuch as God would
have them be, and from thence had a Right to
Forgivenefs and theKingdom of Heaven ; both
which were Debts, not Favours ; not of Grace,
but of Works ; the Merit of Men, and not the
pure Gift of God. After he had done and faid
thefe Things up and down his own Country for.

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 109
for three or four Years, he left the World with
no other Provifion for their Salvation, than
their own natural good Senfe, and twelve or
fourteen Men to awaken it during their natural
Lives, by preaching thefe Things in other
Countries. But then thefe Miffionaries might
err, and did err, they contradicted one ano
ther, were unlearned, ignorant, and fanciful,
they put off upon the World their own private
Opinions, instead of the Doctrines of their
Mafter, they mistook in Reafoning, forgot in
Recording, they mifled Mankind, and fo un
did all that Chrift had been doing : And when
they died, all died with them ; and no great
Matter, fince they were fuch forry Guides.
From henceforth the People Were left to fink,
or fwim, as they could direft themfelves, or
were directed by others of their own chufing,
making, and authorifing ; to be fed, or flarved,
or depofed at their Difcretion ; to whom no
Qualifications were abfolutely neceffary, but
the Want of Learning and tedious Study, which
in Fact have led Men to preach the Gofpel out
of the World. Rifum teneatis, Amici ?
And yet, ridiculous as it is, this is our Au
thor's Method of Salvation by Jefus Chrift, this
is all he allows him to have done for Man,
this and this only, he fays, is the true Gofpel
of Jefus Chrift; which Affeveration he repeats over

1 1 o An Examination of the True Gofyel of
over and over again, as if he thbUght there was
fome Charm in the Words, or as fome People
tell their own Fancies fo often, 'till they come
to believe them to be Realities. If this was all
Jefus did, a lefs Perfon might have come into
the World, and done the Bufinefs of a Saviour,
as well as he. Was it for this, that a Train
of Predictions, Types, and Ordinances pointed
to him, and a Succeffion of Prophets through
every Age of the World, marked him out for'
the Expectation and Defire of all Nations ?
Was it for this, that one in the Spirit of Elias
preceded, and prepared the Way tor him, that'
the Heavens opened, and the Spirit defcended
on him, and the Voice of the Father declared
him his beloved Son? Was it for this, that
there was a Profufion of Wonders, that De
vils and'Difeafes fled before him, the Winds
and the Seas obeyed him, and that the Holy
Ghoft was poured on all Flefh ? It is incon
ceivable, it is impoffible. For far nobler Pin>
pofes the Son of God was incarnate, bom, and
died ; if Reafon is not a mere Name, if the
Scriptures are Writings of any Senfe, or Mean-'
ing, not only to call Men to Repentance and
Amendment of Life, but to give it, by put
ting it in their Power ; to do for them, what
they could not do for themfelves ; to infpire
them with the greateft Horror of Sin, by fet*
ting the Juftice and Veracity, as well as Mercy
and loving Kindnefs of God, in the ftrongeft
Light ; to encourage them to the greateft Pro
ficiency

JESUS CHRIST afferted. in
ficiency in Gpodnefs, by prefenting the moft
affecting Motives of Aftion, Setting the Stan
dard of the higheft Perfection in their View,
and promifing, and then purchasing a Reward
for them, which their beft Actions could lay
no Claim to. This Method of Salvation is only
refolvable into the unfearchable Riches of the
divine Wifdom and Goodnefs, it is what no
Man's Actions could deferve or challenge, it
is what no Man's Reafon could find out ; but
it is what every Man's Reafon, unlefs greatly
perverted and prejudiced, muft admire and
adore, as the moft excellent Expedient for
difplaying the Attributes and Perfeftions of the
Deity, for reclaiming a loft Species of Crea
tures, and carrying them to the greateft
Heighths of Virtue and Happinefs their Na
ture is capable of. I will not take upon me
to fay, that this was the only poffible Method
of Saving Man ; becaufe I will not, like this
Man, affume the Liberty of faying, what it
is not in my Power to know to be true ? — —
For fecret Things belong unto the Lord our God,
but thofe Things, which are revealed, belong un
to us. But I will venture to fay, there is no
one better, becaufe God has chofen it : And
the more any Man considers it, the more he
will fee the Excellence of it.
But in order to fee this, we muft examine
the Condition of Man, before and after he
had finned, with refpect to his Claims of Ex
emption from Mifery, and his Title to Hap
pinefs,

ii2 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
pinefs, confidently with God's Attributes and
Declarations. The firft Man came good from
the Hand of his Maker, for he pronounced
every Thing, he had made, to be fo ; but
with, a Power in himfelf of being otherwise,
This Author fays, we are ' fickle and various,
but God i? one and unchangeable, He ap
proves, or dijapproves, according to the perfimal
Merit, or Demerit of the ObjeB, and it is un-
reajbnable in him to do otherwije. Therefore the
Sinner muft be dif approved, and, Repent ant muft
be approved by him. Let us fee then how the
IVJatter flands upon this Foot. God gave Man
a* Law : What, if he had kept it? Then he
would not have incurred the Penalty annexed
to the Breach of iti — In the Day thou doftffo,
thou [halt furely die.  But would he have
had a Claim to eternal Life, by Virtue of that
Obedience ? By no means. He would but
then have done his Duty, he would ftill have
been an unprofitable Servant, without any Ti
tle to Reward, but what was founded in the
Goodnefs of God, who in that Cafe doubtlefs
would have dealt with him gracipufly, per
haps above what he could afk or think. For,
though the Wa^es of Sin is Death, eternal,
Life is the free- Gift of God. But the firft ;
Man difobeyed the Orders of his Maker, and,
thereby became the Object of his Difpleafure,,
The Death, threatened upon this Occafion,
Was not, as appears, immediate -Extinction of
Being, but the having a frail, mortal, and cor-
rupted

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 113
rupted Nature, and conveying to his Poste
rity that Flefh, in which, according to the
Apoftle's and every Man's Experience, dwel-
leth no good Thing. For in Adam we all thus
died, there is none that doeth good, no not one,
but we are all by Nature the Children of
Wrath, being incapable of fatisfying for paft
Offences, or preventing future. To expect
Creatures, in thefe Circumftances, fhould re
form themfelves, would be the fame, as to
expect Men, bound Hand and Foot, to walk,
without looting their Chains. Befides, fuch
Reformation, if poffible, could not in the Na
ture of Things make amends for paft Tranf-
greffion, and caufe the Sinner not to have been
fuch : It might prevent new Punifhment, but
could not remove that already incurred. And
yet without Reformation, antecedent, or con
fequent to the Pardon, it was improper to for
give the Sinner : It could not be antecedent,
therefore it muft be confequent The Aft of
Grace then muft begin from the Creator, fince
it could not on the Part of the Creature,
paffive in the Act of Renovation, as Matter
was in the Act of Creation : Which Reno
vation is therefore called the new Creation,
the new Birth, begun in us by the Spirit of
God, without our Knowledge or Participation,
as the Wind bloweth, where it lifteth. But
Afts of Mercy and Grace are at the Discre
tion of the Doer, to be withheld, or beft owed,
according to 'his Wifdom and other Attributes.
I Thus

114. An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Thus God extended not his Favour, to the An
gels, who kept not their firft Eftate, no" Me
diation was offered or accepted for them -/Chrift
took not on him the Nature of Angels, and there
fore they continue the Objects of God's Dif-
pleafure, and are referved in everlafting Chains
wider Darknefs until [the Judgment of thegreqt
Day- But for Reafons of infinite Wifdom and
Goodnefs, undifcoverable by us, God dealt
tnore favourably with Man, and granted him
Pardon and Reftpration; but upon Terms moft
Conducive to his own Glory, and the Adjust
ment of his Attributes and Perfections with
each other,, and moft effectual to recover his
loft Creatures from Corruption and Mifery to
Perfection and Happinefs, and yet confiftent
with the Nature of free Agents. To bring this
about agreeably to his effential Holinefs, which
is of purer Eyes than to behbld Iniquity, he
chofe to look on Man, not as he was in him
felf an unregeaerate Sinner, and therefore the
natural Object of his Difpleafure, but through
the Medium of his Sqn, who is therefore faid
to have died for us while we were yet Sinners,
the juft for the unjuft : And in this View, Man
became the true Objeft of his Mercy and Com
panion, ^capable of Reformation, and in, cdn-
fequence, of the Happinefs, before the Foun
dation of theWoi'ld designed him. And could
there be. a Scheme, more worthy of God, or
beneficial to Man? ..No other Method, as, far
as we can difcern, could fo happily ierve both
thefe

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 115
thefe Purr5ofes, as that of Salvation by JeSus
Chrift. To fhew forth, and communicate in
fome Meafure, his Excellencies, is the Defign
of God in every of his Aftions: And how great
a Share it had in this, will appear upon every
Con federation of it. HisPower was Sufficiently
fet forth in his Creation of Angels and Men;
his Juftice in the Condemnation ancf Punifh-
rnent of both; his Liberty and Goodnefs, in
, , leaving the former in wretehedCondition, when
by an Aft of Clemency and Mercy he redeemed
and delivered the latter ; his Holirjefs, in the
Sanftification of Men; his Rectitude and Love
of Virtue, in his requiring the higheft poffible
Degrees of it, to capacitate, them for his; Fa
vours; his Liberality in rewarding their honeft
Endeavours far beyond their Merit ; his Wif-
dom, in making the Ground of Acceptance
Such, as would import the, greateft Abhorrence
of Sin, and be the moft powerful Incentive to
Righteoufhefs and jthe Practice of every good
Work ^ laftly his Veracity, in. requiring Satis
faction, before he would releafe the remaining
Part of the Punishment threatened. Again • — -
The Unity of the Godhead exists in three Di
vine Perfons, as the Scriptures inform us; which
attribute diftinct Operations to each, and to
each alfo the Perfections, Powers, Name, and
Titles, appropriate to the one QorJ, and incom-
¦ ¦ fnunicable to any one that is not fo. It was ne
ceffary Men fhould know this, that they might
refpeft and worfhip God, as he is, a Trinity
I 2 in

1 1 6 An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
in Unity, and an Unity in Trinity. To im
print this Truth, and teach the Duties refulting
from it,i<the Father is reprefentedj as the Cre
ator of the World, by the Agency of his Son
and Spirit, in order to exprefs the Power of the
Deity : The Afts of Redemption, that is, of
Love,' are appropriated to the Son, that he may
have his proper Refpeft, as he has his Existence
in the Godhead, and all Men fhould honour
him, as they honour the Fath.r : And for the
like purpofe, the Afts of Renovation and Sanc-
tification,: which are expreffive of the Divine
Holinefs, are referred to the Spirit of the Fa
ther and of the Son. Thus was the Scheme of
Salvation by Jefus Chrift every way fitted to
manifeft the Glory of God, to exhibit the way
of his Exiftence, and exprefs at once the Va
riety, the Greatnefs, the Beauty, the Harmony
-of all his Attributes and Perfections.. And fure
-n© Method could be mote effectual, than this;
; to keep Mankind at the greateft Diftance from
thofe Things, which debate and corrupt their
Nature, and lead them to all the Improvements,
which Can raife and adorn it. In confequence
of God's thus reconciling himfelf to the World
in his- Son,*1 the holy Spirit is befto.wed on "Men,
not. to deftroy their Freedom of Acting,,; but
put it in their Power to turn to God ; to Strive
with their Spirit,^ by throwing Light enough
on the ^intellectual Faculties, to enable them
to difcern what is right, and propofina;' proper
Motives to incline them to chufe it, after they
have

JESUS CHRIST afferted. nj
have difcerned it. The Influence of this Spi
rit is promifed, in proportion to the Difficul
ties to be furmounted, the Heighths of Virtue
to be attained, and the Ufe that is made of it:
To him, who concurs with, and improves what
he hath, more fhall be given ; from him, who
does not, ihall be taken away even that he al
ready bath. Sin was the Source of all human
Calamity ; the moft powerful way then to re
form Men was, to give them a juft Senfe of
the Majefty of God, and»,tbe Danger of offend
ing him : And what can fet this in a Stronger
Point of Light, than to ShewDifobedience and
Sin to be of fuch a malignant Nature, fo con-
nefted with Punishment, fo irreconcilable with
God, that he did not think it confiftent with
his Wifdom and other Attributes, to forgive it
without Satisfaction made, and fuch Satisfac
tion, as but one Perfon could make, his only
begotten Son, of the greateft Dignity, and the
greateft Merit. This awakens all the Fears of
Man ; fince if he goes on to fin wilfully and
prefumptuoufly, there remains no more Sacrifice
for Sin : Chrift died but once, and then for
the Penitent, who alone can reap the Benefit
of that Death; the reft of Mentmuft be in
the Condition of unredeemed Angels, and go
into the everiafting Fire prepared for the De
vil. ¦ For how Jhall we efcape,. as ther Apoftle
forcibly concludes, if we negieB fo great Salva
tion? In like manner, all the Cords of a Man,
by which as a free Agent he can be drawn to
I 3 God,

1 1 8 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
God, are Set to work in this Method of Re
demption and Salvation. The Standard of Per-
feft jpn> .js, Set as high as poffible, and Men are
enabled, and directed to afpire to it, the moft
perfeft Laws and Inftitutions are delivered to
them,nand the moft Shining Example in the
Perfon of the Legislator is fet before them, the
moft Godlike Graces are promifed, and the
moft amiable Difpofitions and Habits are re
commended and preffed upon them, by all the
Ties of Gratitude, Lpve of God and them
felves ¦: Heaven is Set open to their View, and
the Degrees of Glory are proportioned to the
Degrees of their Endeavours after a'Likenefs to
God. The Apoftle might well fay, fuch Love
of God conftraineth us r  And, what manner
of Perfons ought we to be in all holy Converfa^
tion and Godlinefs ?
For Inftance, how benevolent to Man?
Since Chrift .died ,for us, and the Apoftle fays,
weought fo to lpve pur Neighbour, as to do
fo for him, if there is Occafion ? How hum
ble, thankful, devout, and obedient to God,
in whofe Sight the Angels themfelves are not
perfect, and who, to prevent an arrogant, af-
fumirig Thought, has taught us by his, Method
of faving us, that thefe Favours and immenfe
Rewards are not for the beft Works, we have
done, or can do, but for the Merits of that
perfeft, well-beloved Son, in whom he, is wpij
pleafed ? The Language pf our Saviour is, that
the Father gives him thofe, wfio come unto him, and

JESUS CHRIST afferted. J ^9
and believe on him, and they Jhall have ever laft
ting Life, and he 'will rdife them up at the laft
Day. It is he, that prepares the Manfions in
his Father's Houfe: I go, Says he, to prepared
Place for you, that where I am, there ye may
be alfo. I am your Interceffor, if ye fhall afk
any Thing in my Name, 1 will do it, I will pray
the Father, and he Jhall give you another Com
forter, that he may abide with you for ever.
This is indeed Encouragement, this is Life from
the Dead. Defpondency drops the Hands,: and
a faint Hope of Forgivenefs upon Amendment,
a weak Glimmering of a future Reward, uri-
promifed, uncovenanted, unexplained, is not
enough to fet a Creature, funk in Trefpaffes
arid Sins, about the Work of Reformation : but
it muft be that lively Hope, full of Immorta
lity ; to which God hath begotten us, by the
Refurrection of Jefus Chrift from the Dead.
This is the Scripture Method of Salvation,
which appears thus happily concerted, to fhew
forth the Glory of God, and carry his Crea
tures firft to the higheit Perfection, and then
to the moft exalted Happinefs, their Nature
will admit of. This is that great Myflery of
Godlinefs, God manifeft in the Fie ft}, juftified in
the Spirit, fern of Angels, preached unto the Gen
tiles, believed on in the World, received up into
Glory. Thefe are the Things, the Greatnefs,
the Beauty, the Contrivance, the Wifdom, and
Circumftahces of which the Angels defire to
look into. But whatever thefe glorious Beings
I 4 may

120 An Examination oj the True Gofpel oj
may do; to weak, fhort-fighted, conceited
Man, Chrift crucified is an Offence, to the ob-
Rimtejew a Stumbling Block, to the arrogant
Greek Foolifhnefs ,: and this Author, if he
pleafes, may be as obftinate as the one, and
opinionated as the other, and more- blafphe-
mous than both ; may treat his Saviour with
Contempt and Outrage, trample under Foot
the Son of God, and count the Blood of the
Covenant an unholy Thing. The Propriety
of this Expedient for faving a loft World, 1
fhall leave him to difpute with his Creator,
who appointed it, and not with me, who have
only .offered fome of the many Reafons for ad
miring and adoring the Excellency of it, but
am not able to fathom the Depth of the* Riches
both of the Wifdom and Knowledge of God: For
his Judgments are unfearchable, and his Ways
pafi finding out : For who hath known the Mini
of the Lord, -or who hath been his Councilor? Or
who, hath firft given to him, and it Jhall be re-
compenced to him .again? But the Juftice of
God's Proceeding- in this Matter, I will venture
to fay, cannot be impeached upon any Ground
of Reafon : Since no Injury can be done, but
upon Suppofition of the Want of Confent in
the fuffering Party. But Chrift, himfelf has
prevented this Objection, where he affures us,
no one could take his Life from him againft
his Will, that he had Power to lay if down,
and Power to take it again; and that therev
fore he voluntarily gave it for the Ran^ fom

JESUS CHRIST aferted. 12X
fom of Man. <;^ Again, it might be^ abfurd
and injurious to tlje Majefty of Heaven,' to
fuppofe, God removes his Difpleafure from and
takes into his Favour one Agent, for what was
perfonally pleating in another, withput requiring
the utmoft Endeavours of the pardoned and
favoured Agent, in order to qualify him for
fuch a Grace : But it is no way inconsistent
with the Attributes of God, but declarative of
them all, to reward the perfonal, extraordinary
Merit of an Agent, and give him for his Re
ward his own perfonal Exaltation, and 'alfo
Pardon and Life for thofe penitent, believing
Sinners, whom he petitioned for, thai where
he was, there they might be alfo : to do for
Man, what he could not do for himfelf; firft
to look on him through the offered Mediation
of his Son, that Mercy might be extended to
him as an Object of Compaffion ; then to take
the firft Step in his Converfion and Reforrna-
tion, by fending his Spirit to enable him to
efchew Evil, and do Good; and then, in vir
tue of that Capacity given, to require of him
the greateft Degrees of Goodnefs; to put the
Forgivenefs of Sin on the foot of fuch a Satis
faction, as would enhance the Heinoufnefs of
the Offence, and the Favour of the Pardon,
create the greateft Abhorrence of. Evil, and
Thankfulnefs, Submiffion to, and Dependance
upon God; to fufpend the < Benefit of this
Atonement and Reconciliation with Man, " on
the Condition of his working out. his own Sal
vation

122 An Examination of the True Gojpel oj
vation with Fear and Trembling ; and laftly,
to put the Reward of eternal Life, no way
adequate, but infinitely fuperior to the higheft
Attainments and beft Performances of a Crea
ture, upon the only true Foundation, the Gift
of God for the extraordinary Merits bf a Sa
viour, freely offered, freely accepted, in order
to prevent and ftifle the natural Arrogance and
Pride of Man, enough alone to fink hirri, that,
according as it is written, he that glorieth,
might only glory in the Lord. The Part bf
, the Creature is, to ufe his utmoft Endeavours
to render himfelf capable of the divine Fa
vours ; but if he does fo, they are Favours ftill,
not Debts : the Part of God is freely to be-
ftow thefe Favours, on Terms the moft con
ducive to his own Honour, and the Advantage
and Perfection of his Creatures. Both thefe
Parts have been Shewn to be finely regarded
and reconciled in the Method of Salvation by
Jefus Chrift : and he, who can difapprove, or
not admire it, muft have a very odd Under
standing, and muft alfo ftrangely lean to it.
There is really fo much of Harmony, Pro
priety, Reafon, Beauty, and every Excellence
in it, that I cannot help praying, that this
Author, and every other Perfon, inftead of
trifling with irrational Cavils and fenfelefs De^.
clamations, may be able to fee it in its full
Dimenfion, and comprehend with all Saints,
what is the Breadth, and Length, and Depth
and Heigbth) and to know the Love of Chrift, which

JESUS CHRIST afferted: 123
which paffeth Knowledge, that they may be fil
led with all the Fulnejs oj God.
, We are at laft arrived at the 15th SeBion\
which, with the following one, contain fome
plain, unquestionable Truths, in order to pa-
liate, and make pafs the moft glaring FalSb.
hoods, the cruelleft Infinuations, the groffeft
Mifreprefentations, the weakeft Obfervations,
the lo weft Ribajdry, and the moft intempe
rate Scurrility, that can well be crowded toge*
ther in fo fhort a Compafs. The profeffed In
tention of the Author is, to give the Reafons
of the little Succefs of Chriftianity : an Inten*
tion innocent in appearance, but, by his Ma
nagement of it, purely calculated to ferve the
Purpofes of Error and Abufe, He begins with
faying— — If the Gofpel of Chrift is founded in
Reafon, and is exaBly conformable to our natu
ral Notions of Things, &c. The Gofpel of
Chrift, and the whole Method of our Salva
tion by him, was doubtlefs founded in the
higheft Reafons, fome of which I have drawn
out and fhewn : but if he means, that it con
tains nothing in it, but what the Reafon of
Man could difcover to him, and that nothing
is enjoined of Faith, or Practice by it, but
what was the Refult of his natural Notions ;
it is the fame flale, refuted Error, which runs
through his Book, but here cpoked up a-new
with other Things, in order to Aide more eafi-
ly upon the ungarded Reader. But to proceed
with the, other Ifs  If this Gofpel be a proper Expe-

1 24 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Expedient to reform the World, and if this is
the only poffible Way for Men to fecure to them
felves the divine Favour, and the Happinefs of
another World, and the moft likely Way to ob
tain Peace and Happinejs here ; Why was not-
the Gojpel, when firft preached, univerfaily re
ceived? The Author thinks it natural for the
Reader to enquire of this; but he certainly
dreams, for furely no one would have afked
So filly a Queftion. For, O the matchlefs
Acutenefs ! to afk, with great Gravity,1 why a
Thing did not happen, which nothing but a
destructive Miracle of turning Men into Ma
chines, could have made to have happened.'
Was there ever any Thing univerfaily received,
uncontroverted, unoppofed among Men ? Man
is a free Agent by his Conftitution, a Creature
befides of Whim, Caprice, and Humour, im-
merfed in Corruption and Flefh, proud, con
ceited, fickle: and is it then a pertinent Quef
tion in thef; Circumflances, why the Gofpel,
at its firft Publication, did not meet witli uni-
verfal Reception ? Is it not rather a Matter of
Wonder and Aftoriifhment, refolvible only in
to the Strength of its Evidence, the Cogency
of its Motives, and the Grace of God, that,
notwithftanding thefe Obftacles, it prevailed fo
far as it did ? Has Reafon, or natural Religion
deduced from it, met with better, or fo good
Quarter in the World? The Author thinks,
he fhall oblige the Reader by another Quef
tion, why the Gofpel, where it is received, has
not

JESUS CHRIST afferUds 125
not generally its proper Effect and Influence
upon the Minds and Lives of its Profeffors.
Why did ever, or can it be fuppofed, the Ge
nerality of Men ever will, live up to the Prin
ciples of their Religion, efpecially if they are
of a fpiritual and felf-denying Nature? No
Reflexion then this on any, A not even the pureft
and nobieft Inftitution. But I fear, this not
able Querift is guilty of fome Degree of Mif-
reprefentation, when he carries the Matter fo
far in his Defign of abating and abufing Chrif
tianity, as to fay, that Chriftians in general ap
pear to be like other People, having the fame
Vices and Corruptions prevailing among them :
the fame Pride and Arrogance, the fameTyran-
ny and Cruelty, the fame Fraud and Oppreffton,
the fame Covetoufnefs, Diffimulation, Intempe
rance, and the like, are to be found among
Chrift Hans, as are among other Men: Jo
that the main Difference betwixt Chriftians
and Mahometans, Jews and Pagans, Jeems
to be in Name and Projeffton only, and in
the different Rituals of their fever al Religions.
The Precepts, the Light, the Difcoveries, the
Encouragements, the Terrors, the Examples,
the Authority of the Gofpel, and the Affift-
ances of divine Grace, are certainly in their
own Nature excellently fitted to reform and
perfeft Mankind : That therefore this beft of
Religious Inftitutions fhould have no more Ef?
feft upon Men, than the worft; that there is
no difcernable Difference in the Tempers and
Beha-

j 26 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Behaviour of the Chriftian and Pagan; is ir
reconcilable with the Nature of Things, and
alfo with Faft. For we have a quite different
Account of the Matter, from the Friends and
Enemies of Chriftianity. No fooner was the
Gofpel preached through the World, and quick
Was its Progrefs, and wonderful its Succefsj
than its Influence was felt, feeri, and acknoW-
> ledged by all. The Chriftian Apologists infit)
openly and in the face of the World on this
¦•Fact, thati, when Men became Converts to the
Religion of Jefus Chrift, they were altered in
their Tempers, Difpofitions, artd Practices,
they were new-born, and quite other Creature^.
If you will not take the Character of Chriftians
from their Friends, take it from their Enemies,
who well knew them, and would admit no
thing in their Favour, that could be denied
therii ; fuch as Pliny, fcoffing Lucian, and
Julian the Apoftate, who reprefent them as an
innocent, devout, and charitable Sort of Men,
and propofe thelmitation of their Piety to God,
and Benevolence to Man, to thofe of their own
Religion. Julian in 'particular ordered" the
'Example, they firft {et, of Hofpitals and be
neficent Foundations, to be followed by the
Pagans. And indeed the Power of Godlinefs
Shone fo bright in the Chriftians of feveral Cen
turies, that the Heathens themfelves notably
profited by it. Their Philofophers borrowed
Light from them, and reformed their imper
fect, erroneous Syftems. "The Heathen Wor ship

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 127
Ship was purged of many of the impure and
cruel Praftices, which before made a Part of
it. Wherever the Sun of Righteoufnefs, arofe,
the Devils fled, the delufive. Oracles were Silent,
lying Wonders ceafed, Men were no longer Sa
crificed to fatiate theCruelty of bloody Demons,
Women were no longer wantonly divorced, or
CQWeniptuoufly fold, nor Children murdered,
or expofed to ForeSts and, wild Beafts; And
though the Influence of our holy Religion may
have vifibly decreafed in thefe later Ages, and
may go on to leffen, till it may be a difficult
Matter for the Son of Man to find Faith on
the Earth at his coming ; yet, bleffed be God,
there are numerous, Shining. Inftances, in our
Own Times, and thofe of our Fathers, of the
fame Piety, Devotion, Charity, Juftice, Tem
perance, Meeknefs, and every Virtue, in obe
dience to our holy Poffeffion, which are in
vain looked for in Countries, not under fo hap
py a Direction. Whether this Author has
met with them, I cannot fay: it is poffible,
as he does not feem to feel the Power of Grace
himfelf, he may not converfe with thpfe that
do : He may delight to rake in Kennels and
Sinks, and then cry, the Streets are dirty : he
may collect the Morals of the infamous Part
of our Species, and make them the Standard
of his Judgment on the beft: he may not
know, what he fays, to be true, or he may
fay it, though he knows it not to be fo.1 He
need but read the Accounts of China and Jarpon,

1 2 8 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
pon, of the Eaftern, Weftern, or Southern Parts
of the World, to convince him of his Mistake,
and fhew him the different State of Juftice of
Dealings in a Chriftian and a Pagan Country,
and that there is not the fame Cruelty apd
Tyranny, Luft and Intemperance, generally
to be found in one, as the other. The Author
indeed is fo complaifant, as to allow, that
¦where Chriftianity has taken place, it may pof-
fibly have introduced more Learning and Know-'
ledge, and better Order, and Decency among
Men: Well thefe are good Things however,
and I am glad we are thus far Gainers by Chri
ftianity. But the Author would not have you
hug yourfelf in his Conceffion, which he made
with nokind Intention, but to introduce hisFear,
that this very Knowledge, Order, and Decency,
have been fiibfervient to render the Villainous
among Chriftians more compleatly Jo, and to
make Men more dextrous and decent Rogues.
Sure never was finer Satire ! But if Chriftiani
ty has ferved thefe fad Purpofes with the Vil
lainous, I hope it may be allowed to have
ferved quite other Purpofes with thofe who are
not fo, who have been led by it, not only to
name the Name of Chrift, but to depart from
Iniquity. And we need but call our Eye on
all who ever have lived, or now. live under the
Light of the Gofpel, and all who had, or now
have no other than that of their Reafon, un
certain Tradition, and national Inftitutions re-
fulting from it ; to difcerh the R.afhnefs and
Malice

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 129
Malice, of this Author's Affertion, that there is
no cither vifible Difference between Chriftians,
Mahometans, and Pagans, but in Name, and
the Rituals of their refpeftive Religions.
He prefaces his Reafons, why the Gofpel
was not univerfaily received at its firft Publica
tion, with an Obfervation on the Freedom of
Man : It feems, the Terms of Salvation might
be offered him, Life and Death, Bleffing and
Curfing, fet before him ; but ftill it muft be
left to his Choice, whether he would hear, or
whether he would forbear, whether he would at
tend to, or fet his Face againft InftruBion and
Information, he might therefore chufe amijs, and
many aBually did fo. The Gofpel, I -agree,
could not be forced upon any, confiftently with
human Virtue : but his faying, that the Gof
pel made its Way, only by pure Dint of Rea
fon and Strength of Argument, that is, in his
meaning,, by fhewing the Fitnefs and Grounds
of the feveral Precepts and Directions of the
Gofpel in the Nature of Things, is contrary
both to Reafon and Faft. This had been a
tedious and, as Experience fhews, an imprac
ticable way of reforming Men, the Generality
of whom have always been kept in Order, and
governed by Authority, and not the particular
Reafon of Things. Accordingly Chrift, who
knew what was in Man, proceeded authori
tatively : he declared h mfelf a Teacher, but a
Teacher fent from God, that he, who heard
him, heard the Father, and required the fame
K Faith

130 An Examination oj the True Gofpel of
Faith in himfelf, as in the Father: he de
manded Affent to whatever he delivered, whe
ther with a Reafon, or without : he did not
argue, but command ; he did riot difpute, but
dictate, by Virtue of all Power in Heaven and
Earth vefted in him. The Grace of God was
poured on the Hearts of Men, and thofe, who,
co-operated with it, were converted and faved,
and thofe, who did not, were deferted and
hardened againft accepting the proffered Salva
tion. Thpfe, who received Chrift's Instruc
tions, received them on the divine Credit of
the inftruftor : * Shall Chrift, when he comes,
do more Miracles than this Man hath done? Say
the People^, who gladly followed him. And
the Crime of the Unbelievers confifted in their
rejecting him, ~f who Jpokejr om Heaven. This
Method of Reformation is indeed founded in
the higheft and moft obvious Reafon, for it is
founded in a Principle, the moft clear, acknow
ledged, natural, and proper, that God is to be
obeyed, on Account of his Authority and
Power.. — Fear him, who hath Power to cafl
both Soul and Body into Hell. — What this Au
thor means, by the Miracles of Chrift flumping
a divine CharaBer on his DoBrines, which yet
he allows. of Force no farther, than Men could
fee the, Fitnefs of them ; I do not underftand,
and perhaps he neither.  But now for his
Caufes. The
* Johnvii. 31. f Heb. xii. 25.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 131
The firft, he affigns for the Oppofition
made to the Gofpel at its firft Publication, is
the Wickednefs the World lay in, and the long
Habits of Vice Men had contraBed. And no
Wonder indeed, Men in thefe Circumflances
Should be averfe to break off their Sins, bid a-
dieu to their beloved Lufts, and grow fpiritual
and felf-denying, without which the Favours
of the Gofpel could not be enjoyed ; though
invited ever fo kindly, and called upon by ever
fo great an Authority. Many would naturally
be difpofed to turn a deaf Ear to the Charmer,
charm he never fo wifely, fince he did not
drive, but perfuade them, did not force, but
command them. But how this Author, who
allows no original Taint and Corruption, in
troduced by the Sin of the firft Parent into hu
man Nature, can account for and reconcile
this univerfal Depravation of Mankind, the
whole Worlds lying in Wickednefs, which proved
fuch a Bar to the Reception of the Gofpel, I
cannot imagine : Since this is admitting an Ef
fect, without a proper Caufe, which is a Con
tradiction. Sure Reafon, of whofe powerful
Guidance we have heard fo much, was afleep
all this while, or this could never have hap
pened. — But to proceed — If this univerfal De
pravation, however it came, naturally indif-
pofed Men to receive the Benefit of any good
Inftruftion, no Wonder, as he fays fecondly,
it did fo with RefpeB to the Gofpel, which car
ries Duty to the higheft Degree of Perfection,
K 2 calls

132 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
calls for the purging the Heart, that Fountain
of impure Affections; lays the Ax to the Root
of the Tree, not only forbids Evil, but all the.
Caufes of, Approaches to, and Appearances
of it ; gives no quarter to wicked Thoughts,
any more than to Words and Actions ; which
promifes indeed God's Favour to Men, above
and beyond their own Merits, and therefore
for the Sake of another who was able to de-
ferve any Thing ; but yet preffes this Favour,
becaufe undeferved, as obliging Men to greater
Diligence, Purity, and Virtue, or upon Neg
lect of thefe Conditions to greater Condemna
tion ; which restrains the Benefit of Redemp
tion to thofe only who believe in and love
Chrift, and allows nothing, fhort of keeping.
all his Commandments, to be Faith in and
Love of him. Other Religions may have met
with a more favourable Reception, fince they
are more complaifant to the Vices of Men :
Since moft of them, as this Author fays, (but
with Intent to Serve the Purpofes of Mifrepre-
ienta-.ion and Scandal) have fome kind and fa
vourable Salvo's annexed to them, Jomething to
help Men out at a dead Lift, Jomething to offer
to God, inftead of a right Behaviour, Repen
tance, and Reformation of their evil Ways, and
by which they are led to hope, that they jhall
find Accept ajice with him, though they have no
thing perfonally valuable in themfelves to recom
mend them. Moft other Religions have provided
for their adherents, either coftly Sacrifices, or
painful

' JESUS CHRIST afferted. 133
painful Penances, or tedious Pilgrimages, or
Bowings and Profirations,. or frequent Wat c br
ings, Wafhings, Faftings, and Prayers, or a
ftriB Regard to Rites and Ceremonies, or the
good Works, the Sufferings, or the Inter ceffion of
others, or jomething, which Mens Wealth and
Power can procure for them ; to be the Grounds
oj their Acceptance with God, and oj their ob
taining the divine Mercy. So that, let Men live
as vicioufiy as they pleafe, and though they go on
and perfift in their wicked Courfes ; .yet ftill there
is fomething to fly to, fomething to render the
PraBice of Vice eafy to themfelves, and to give
them Hope even to the laft. But the Gofpel of
Chrift, even as this Author underftanc • it,
does not, much lefs, as the Scriptures reprt ent
it, does it admit of any Salvo's of this kind,,
or afford any fuch delufive Grounds of Hopes
and Comfort to wicked Men. For it requires
no coftly Sacrifices on our Parts ; it mentions
one great Sacrifice, as the Foundation of God's
Favour to Mankind: but that Sacrifice coft us
nothing, it was a free Gift, and the wicked,
while they continue fo, will not be the better
for it, nay, will be much the worfe for it, as
their Condemnation will be more fevere, than
that of other Men, who, if they have repented,
will rife up in Judgment againft them, and
condemn them, for not being better, than they,
under greater Means of Grace. Again the Gof
pel requires no painful Penances or Pilgrima
ges; It requires only fuch prudent Mortifica-
K 3 tion

134 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
tion and Self-Denial, as will enable us to Sub
due and get the better of our intemperate Ap
petites and Lufts, without which Victory the
Work of Reformation cannot begin. It places
no Merit in Bowings and Proftrations, but
enjoins Behaviour fuitable to every occafion,
and bids us bow down to and adore God alone.
It requires the Worfhip of and Prayers to the
Deity (and fure the Author is not againft this,
though he is fufpicious from the Company he
placed it in) to keep up the Senfe of him in
our Minds, fecure our Dependence on him,
and enforce Obedience in all the Duties of a
holy Life : and it enjoins no Rites or Ceremo
nies, but fuch as are neceffary to Order, De
cency, and Edification of publick Worfhip.
Two folemn Sacraments are inftituted by it,
but only as outward vifible Signs of an inward
and fpiritual Grace, both calculated for the
Improvement of the Chriftian Life ; the one
containing an Engagement to renounce ail Sin
and Wickednefs, called therefore the Anfwer
of a good Confcience before God ; the other
the Memorial of that Love of God, which na
turally and by Appointment, becomes the
means of raifing in us Sorrow for Sin, a Hun
ger and Thirft after Righteoufnefs, the Love of
God and Man in every Branch and Degree of
it. The Myfteries of the Gofpel, and Faith
in them, which is expected of us, are not fuch
as fuperfede Practice, or will be available with
out it. Faith is neceffary, but then it is a
lively

JESUS CHRIST affetted. 135
lively Faith, fuch as worketh by Love, tfie
Source of good Works, and dead without
them, like that of the Devils, who believe only
and tremble. * Thus Chriftianity is, in every
Part of it, an active Principle of Holinefs, it
is a Thing, and not a mere Name and Profef-
fion ; and fince it could no way be bent to
favour Men's Vices, no wonder, many vicious
Perfons rejected it; or put off to a diftant Time
the Confideration of it.
The next Hinderance to the Reception of
the Gofpel, mentioned by this Author, 'was
the Prejudice of Education and pre-conceived
Opinions, which is fo great and overbearing,
that Religion with many becomes hereditary, and,
like Men's Eftates, dejcends from Father to Son :
thus the Children of Jews, Mahometans, and
Chriftians, of all Denominations, generally em
brace the Tenets of their Anceftors, without Ex
amination, or with fo flight and partial a one,
as produces no EffeB. This, 1 own, is too
true, and this was remarkably the Cafe of the
Jews, to whom our Saviour preached his Go
fpel. They had a great Veneration for the
Religion of their Anceftors, and that Law,
which they knew came from God by the Dif-
pofition of Angels. But this was not the worft,
for Chrift came, not to deftroy that Law, but
to fulfil it: they had made void this Law of
God, by their Traditions, Interpretations, and
Glories : by this means they deprived them
felves of the Evidence arifing from the Prophe-
K 4 cies

136 An Examination oj the True Gofpel oj
cies of their own Scriptures, which Chrift bid
them read as Books, which teftified of him.
Immerfed in Flefh and Love of the World,
they would not admit a Redeemer, who would
not make them Lords 6f.it: their mistaken
Hope of a temporal Prince in the Perfon of
the Meffiah, who fhould reftore the Kingdom
of Ifrael, made them blind to an humble Sa
viour, who b;d them take up their Crofs, and
follow him. They were therefore fo fuperfi-
cial in their Examination of Chrift's Preten
sions, as to rejeft.him upon a falfe Faft, his
^coming out of Nazareth, from whence their
Scriptures directed them to expect no Prophet;
when they might have informed themfelves
from their own Registers, that he fprang from
Judah, and was bom at Bethlehem, marked
out for the Place of the Meffiah's Nativity.
Thus infatuated by Prejudice and Error, they
imputed his Miracles, the only Means left to
convince them to the Agency of evil Spirits,
firft faid he had a Devil, and then perfecuted
him accordingly ; and fo drew down another
Caufe of their Impenitence and Hardnefs of
Heart, the Curfe of God, and a judicial Blind-
nefs, that feeing, they might not fee, and hear
ing, they might not underftand : and thus,
* becaufe they knew him not, nor yet the Voices
of the Prophets, which were read every Sab
bath Day, they fulfilled them in condemning
him. In Such Circumftances, if the Qofpel of
Chrift
* A&sxiii. 27.

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 137
Chrift had been, as this Author States k, only
an Appeal to the natural Notions of Mankind,
and not in Demonftration of the Spirit and in
Power ; it had been more a Wonder, that
there had been a Single Believer among the
Jews, than that the Gofpel of Chrift was not
univerfaily received among them. But the
Succefs of it, even among this People, Shews
the Means to have been more efficacious than
this Author dreams of. -f For many among
the chief Rulers believed on Chrijl, and many
more, than dared to own it : and X the com
mon People heard, admired, and followed him
gladly. One Sermon of an Apoftle made three
thoufand Converts, || fo mightily grew the
Word of God, and prevailed. Again — Pre
judice, and the Fondftefs and Veneration for
national Inftitutions, as fuch, will account in
psrt lor the OppOlition of the Gentiles to the
Gofpel, at its firft Publication. The Devil,
by his wicked Arts and Delufions, had de-
kd ached the Pagan World from their Duty to
God, introduced every where different forts of
Idolatry and impure Worfhip, transferred the
A loration of the Creator to the worft of Crea-
turts, himfelf and his affociated Spirits : * For
the Things the Gentiles facrificed, the Apoftle
tells us, they facrificed to Devils,- and not to
God : and then to fix Men immoveably in this
Vaffalage, Error, and all other abominable Practices,
* John xii. 42. f Markxii. 37. % A£teii. 41,
II 1 Cor. x. 20.

1 3$ An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Praftices, declared by his Oracle at Delphi,
that Men fhould invariably obferve the religi
ous Rights and Inftitutions of their refpeftive
Countries : which, being admitted by fo great
a Man as Socrates, and confirmed by his Prac
tice through Life, and particularly in the laft
Aft of it, when he ordered a CoCk to be fa
crificed to Mfculapius; placed fuch a Barrier
againft Innovation and Reformation, as no
thing but the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, with
its extraordinary Authority ' and Affiftances
from Heaven, could ever haye broken through.
Our Author's mere Dint of Argument, and
fome Differtations on the Propriety and Fit-
nefs of Things, could not have done it. The be
witching Oracles muft be filenced, the Works of
the Devil destroyed, the Grace, the Authority,
the Power of God muft interpofe on this Oc
casion : they did interpofe, and anfwerable
was the Succefs. The Gofpel grew by Perfe-
cution, and threw down all Opppfition : A
Pagan Emperor very early propofed, to admit
the Author of it among his Gods ; and by the
Second Century, it had made fuch Progrefs all
over the Roman Empire, as enabled a Writer
of that Age to declare to that People, that if
the Chriftians were to feparate themfelves, and
leave their Cities, their Armies, their Senate,
it would create fuch a Defolation in their Pro
vinces, as would amaze and affright them.
And thus it may be faid, to the Honour of
Chriftianity, and in proof of its divine Origi nal,

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 139
nal, that it is the only Religion, which did
not owe its Reception to the Prejudice of Edu
cation, or Compliance with Men's Lufts, but
prevailed againft all the Cuftoms and Corrup
tions of the World, made obftinate by the
Prefcription of Time, and fenced in by all the
Arts of a powerful, fubtle, and feducing Spi
rit. And though it is too true, that Men are
apt to take their Religion upon Truft, and as
it were by Inheritance from their Fathers, and
fo the Sons of Chriftians are often Chriftians
for no other Reafon, contrary to the Direftion
of Scripture, which bids every Man try, and
prove, and then hold faft what is good ; yet
that this Charm may be broken, this Author,
if born of Chriftian Parents, has Shewn us, by
his refufing to accept this Legacy from them :
And I will venture to fay, he has fhewn by his
own Example, that Prejudice, however indu
ced, is of as great Force to make Men oppofe
a true Religion, as to maintain a falfe one;
fince he has fet himfelf againft the Chriftian,
with more Virulence and upon Slighter Grounds,
than ever Man oppofed or maintained any
Thing. The next Hindrance to the firft Reception
of the Gofpel, mentioned by the Author, were
the civil Governors, many of whom, by a Stretch
of Power, have impofed a Religion on their Peo
ple, and then fecured Submiffion to it, by threat-
ning and infliBing the fevereft Pains and Penal
ties on the Dijobedient. I agree, that this is a
great

140 An Examination1 of the True Gofpel of
great Stretch of Power, and alfo that by this
means, the moft grofs Abfurdities and fouleft
Superstitions have been pinned down upon the
People from Generation to Generation, with
little or no Hope or Profpeft ofa Reformation:
Becaufe to attempt any Alteration in fuch reli
gious Eftablifhments, is like digging up Founda
tions, and turning the World upftde down : fo
that the civil Eftablifhment of Religion, exclu-
five ofa general Toleration, is not only wrong in
itfelf, but alfo the greateft Bar to all Reforma
tion in Religion. This was the Cafe at the firft
Publication of the Gofpel; the Power of the
civil Magistrate was turned againft the Preach
ers of it: * Herod the King ftretched forth his
Hand to vex certain of the Church, he killed
James with the Sword; and proceeded further to
take Peter alfo. And hence arofe the various,
cruel, unreafonable Perfecutions, which flained
the Reigns of many Emperdrs and' Princes.
But then what a Confeffion is all this of the
more than human Influence of the Gofpel, and
the Power of the Spirit accompanying it, that
it Was able to furmount and break through this
confeffedly greateft Bar to all Reformation in
Religion ? That the Blood " of the Martyrs
Should be the Seed of the Church? that Men
Should fmile at Tortures, and come in Crowds
to Executions? That Magistrates fhould be
Sooner weary of inflicting Pains, than Christi
ans were of undergoing them? That the Exe
cutioners
* 1 Afts xii.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 141
cutioners themfelves fhould enter into the Place
of the Criminals, and defire to Share: in their
Religion, and their Torments? This cannot
be accounted for in the ordinary Courfe of
Things, and upon the Scheriie of the Gofpel,
given us by this Author.
But however, if he was as prone to com
mend, as to find Fault, felt as ftrong an Im
pulse to do Juftice, as to fcatter injurious In
sinuation ; he would here have feen a fair Op
portunity of obferving to the Honour of his
Country, that it feels no fuch Stretch of Power,
as puts the greateft Bar to all Reformation :
That here, at leaft, the Magiftrate ufes no o-
ther, than the natural Right of every Man, to
chufe for himfelf, after ferious Enquiry, what
appears to him the true Religion, and, as fuch,
moft conducive to the Good of the Society in-
trufted to him: that he does no more, than the
Duty of every good, Governor, when, in con-
fequerice of his Perfuafion concerning the Truth
of his Religion, he recommends and encoura
ges the Belief and Practice of it in his Subjects,
protefts them from Infult in the Exercife of
it, and admits fuch only to Offices of Truft
and Power, for his own Security and that of
his People ; and yet takes not on him to be a
Judge of other Men's Confcience, leaves them
to fcrve the great Searcher of Hearts in their
own Way, and allows a general Toleration,
as far as it can be confiftent with the Safety of
his

142 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
his Government, and the Happinefs of the
whole Society.
But the Author is in too ill an Humour for
Panegyric : he grows warm, and is refolved to
throw a great deal of Dirt, and fling it about
at Kings, and Priefts, and Tradefmen, and
all, that are fo unfortunate as to enter into his
Head : He knows the Game ; throw enough,
and fome will Slick. Under his foregoing
Head, he mentioned Prejudice, as the. greateft
Bar to all Reformation, and the Caufe of the
greateft Oppofition to it : but forgetful of this,
under his fifth Head he tells us, that of all the
Kinds of Oppofition, which have been at any
Time made to the reforming the World, that,
which has come from the interefted in Reli
gion, has always been the greateft and jlrongeft.
I believe hedefigns the Preference to this great
eft above the other greateft, becaufe he has added
flrongeft to it. But who are thefe interefted in Re
ligion ? Why, he fays, Men offelfijh Views, who
have built a profitable Trade on Religion, and
made it fubfervient to the purpofes of gaining
worldly Power, Wealth, and Grandeur to them
felves. And thefe are no fewer, than many, if
not moft of thofe, who have taken upon them the
DireBion and Management thereof, in all Ages
and Countries ; and, it feems, this is notorioujly
the Cafe at this Day. If y u want to know
further Particulars, thefe interefted are the Priefts
and the Princes, colloguing together to help
each other out at a dead lift, as one good turn
always deferves another ; and befides, thofe or

: JESUS CHRIST affertea. 143
Artifans, who wove Hangings for the Groves,
or Veftments for the Worfhippers , of Baal, or
thofe Silver-fmiths, who made Shrines for Di
ana, with all the Workmen of the like Occu
pation, whofe feveral Craft and Wealth arifing
from it muft be in Danger, if People are once
perfuaded, they are no Gods which are made
with Hands. Thefe wicked Folks have made
a Conspiracy againft Reformation, and accor
dingly clap Padlocks on People's Underftandings,
that they may not difcover their Tricks ; make
Enquiry and Free-thinking damnable ; fet up
Eccleftaftical and Courts of Inquifition, to awe
the Minds of People, and punifh all thofe, who
jhalf prejume to deviate from the Standard oj
Truth, which thefe Managers have fet up : And
if at any Time the People have been awakened,
by fome Shrewd Perfon, as, fuppofe, this Au
thor, to look a little farther into thefe Matters;
then prefently thefe interefied in Religion found an
Alarm of Danger — the great Goddefs Diana,
whom all Afia and the World worfhip, fhall be
defpifed  the Watch Word is given, the
Cry is up,  the Church or Religion is in Dan
ger  Herefy or Infidelity prevails  in order
to ftir up the Refentment of the weak and bi-
gotted Multitude. I know not, how the Rea
der may be affefted with Declamation ; but,
for my Part, I am more difpofed to fmile,
than to reply ; efpecially, as I have the Hap
pinefs to live in a Country, where the Things
complained of have no Place, and therefore
cannot be the Caufe of this ftrongeft Oppofition to

144 -^n Examination of the True Gofpel of
to Reformation : a Country, where the Clergy
live in due Subordination to the' civil Powers,
whom they affift with their Prayers and all the
good Offices of Religion, which cari affeftthe,
Confciences of Men, arid' make thetri dutiful,
peaceable, virtuous, and ufeful Members of So
ciety,, and who, in returri, are maintained and
fupported in the, Exercife of their refpeftive
Functions, which are thus ferviceable to the
Whole Commonwealth : a Country, where no
profitable Trade is grafted on Religion, no In-
tereft carried on, under that Name, but what
every "good Man fhould be proud tOefpoufe, the
Intereft of the Community : where the Word
of God is, or may be, by every One read and
heard ; where no Padlocks are clapped on the
Uriderftanding, no Fetters on the Feet; where
are no Inquifitions to terrify, or Faggots to
burn ; Where the Prefs isOpen, and every one
finds it in his Power to fay and write what he
pleafes in religious Matters ; where, by a com
mon Right, one declares for Herefy, and ano
ther ..calls the Declarer an Herefick ; one writes
againft Religion," and another for it, one prb-
feffes a Disbelief of the Gofpel, and the other
pronounces him, what he profeffes himfelf to
be, an Unbeliever : Where laftly, in cafe of
Reformation offered, there isho Danger of Tu
mults from the Men, whofe Craft confifts in
fupplying. the few Books andTJtenfils, necef
fary for the Service and Worfhip of God. But

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 145
But however it is now, this, the Author
fays, was, the Cafe at the firft Publication of
the Gofpel; all the Jews, toaMan, were either
interefted in the Thing, or influenced by thofe that
were. But, for my Part, I do not fee any
Reafons to Support this Affertion, and lead us
to think, that a Fear of lofing the gainful Trade,
grafted by the Jews on their Religion, was the
Ground of their Oppofition to the Gofpel of
Chrift. For the fame civil Policy might have
continued, and the fame Revenues of the Tem
ple, and thofe who officiated in it, if Chrift
had been admitted for the Meffiah: The Tern-
t
pie itfelf might have flood to this Day, if their
Rejection of him had not overthrown it. Chrift
gave the Jews no Offence or Apprehenfions of
this Sort : he allowed the Authority of their
Law, and declared, he came * not to deftroy,
but to fulfill it, and all his Life long behaved
himfelf obedient to it : he determined Jerufa-
lem to be the true Place of Worfhip, and that
-f- Salvation was of the Jews : he allowed their
Priefts and Rulers to be the legal Instructors
and Governors, and faid, the Scribes andPha-
rifeesfate in Mofes' Seat, and directed the Peo
ple to obferve and do, what they bid them ob
ferve and do, but not to imitate their Works,
which were not of a piece with their Doctrine :
and when an Apoftle ufed an intemperate Ex-
preffion to the High Prieft, he afked Pardon
for his Inadvertence, and want of Refpeft to
L the
* Mat. v. 17- t J0*111 'v- 2Z-

146 An Examination of the Tru$ Gofpel of
the * Ruler _of his peopled The Caufes of the
Incredulity -of "the. Jews" were, as has been
fhewn, their Mistakes of their Scriptures rela
tive to the Meffiah; their Strong Prejudice a-
gainft the mean Appearance of the Perfon, who
took upon , him that Character;! their Vices,
corrupt Prafticej?, apd the_Opinipns of fome of
thek.Spfts.tincorifift.ent with the Purity of thf
Precepts and Soundnefe of, the Doctrines. de->
livered by Chrift. The Pharjfees devoured Wi
dows Houfev .'<jnd,.rfor a pretence, made long
Prayers ;' thefe were expofed and lafhed by him,,
and- thence were- ledtto hate and perfecute him*
The Sadducees helieved.no Refurrection, neither
Angel nor Spirit, and were Enemies to him,
who taught both; befides they were the riehefh,
and in ..-PoSts of Honour, and the moft fre&
Livers, and therefore on Account of Practise^
a.s jwell as Opinion, could; not endure hirn,
Thefe were the Perfons, who brought Jefus to
his. Death, and were filled with Indignation,
and put his Apoftles afterwards into the com
mon Prifon, as we read in the^^, viz. -f- An*-
nas the High Prieft,; and Caiaphas, and John,.
and Alexander, and the reft of his Kindred, all
of the SeBof the Sddducees, and no otherwife
interefted in the Thing, than as all.miftakea,
and wicked Men are, when they oppofe Truths
and are uneafy at their being difturbed in their
habitual Gratifications. But this Author, by j
know"/ not what unhappy Turn,, perverts and;
mifre-
* Afts xxiii. 5. ¦ -. f_ A&siv. 6, Sec. — v. 17.

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 147
mifreprefents every Thing, he meddles with :
and fo I leave him to hug himfelf in the Acute-
•nefs of his fifth Hindrance to the Reception of
the Gofpel, and all the Wit and Satire wrap
ped up in it. And proceed to his
Sixth and laft Hindrance, namely, the early
Corruption of the Goifpel of Chrift in many
Things, (which, becaufe not here fpecified, I
pafs over) and in particular, in that gran ^Prin
ciple of all trueReligion, whether naturaltar re
vealed, viz. theUnity of God. And this, riot only
became a Bar fo Men's receiving the Gofpel at
firft, but it gave Occafiori for that great DefeBion
from it, which has fo far and Jo long prevailed
in the World, commonly called Mahometanifm.
This Obfervation of the Author is very fmart
and extraordinary, but labours under his con
stant Misfortune, of being contrary to Truth
and Fact in every Part of it. For the Unity
of the Godhead is an avowed Principle of
Christianity, and of all who have for Seventeen
Hnndred Years running preached and taught it.
* One God, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm,
one God and Father of all, who is above all, &c.
is the Doctrine of the holy Scripture, and has
been the Creed of the Chriftian Church in
every" Age of it. That therefore was not an
early-Corruption of the Gofpel of Chrift, which
never appears to have been at all. Indeed the
Existence of three divine Perfons in the God
head Was a very early Doctrine k, for Chrift
L 2 himfelf
* Eph. iv. 5, 6.

148 An. Examination oj the True Gofpel of
himfelf taught it, and his Apoftles after him,
and the Chriftians of all Ages after them : but
this cannot, be called a Corruption of the Gof
pel, fince it was the' original Plan of it, arid
therefore hot destructive of that Unity, which
is there; evety where maintained. Chrift tells
us, that *whatfoever the. Father hath, is his:
but then he tells us, -j- He too is in the Father,
and the Father in him. And further fays, X that
He and his Father are one. The Apoftle, who
acquaints us, If there are Three that bear Re*-
cord in Heaven, informs us at the fame time,'
thefe Three are one. *-* The Spirit of God
knoweth the deep things of God, which he could,
not dp, if he' was not in God, as no one know
eth the Things of a Man, fave the ¦ Spirit oj
Man which is- in him : but whatever is in God,
is God. Apd: as this manner of Exiftence in three
Hypoftafesj' or Perfons, no wayt affefts the
Unity of the Godhead; fo the teaching it,
could be no Offence to the Jews, nor any
Ground of their Oppofition to the Gofpel; be
caufe , their own Scriptures, defigned particu,-
larly to fecure them in the Acknowledgment
of the one true God, difcovered this Truth to1
them; which was accordingly in fome meafure
believed by them. And therefore when Chrift
called himfelf the Son of God, they underftood
his Meaning to be, that he -f--f- made himfelf God,

Johnxvi.^15. f xiv. 1 i. Jx. 30. || 1 Johnv
1 Cor. ii. tp, 11. .'ft John x. 33.

*•>.-

JESUS 'CHRIST affertel 149
God, and equal to God. Creatiorj, is. related,
in the firft of their facred Book , as performed-
by Perfons in Concert with each other — ~het
us dofb and fo. In the fame Books, -, God is
often reprefented under a plural Noun joined
to a Verb of the Singular Number, in order to
intimate the Unity and Distinction at the fame
Time. Even the Name Jehovah, confeffedly
incommunicable to any but the true God, is
applied to two Perfons ; as where $ the Lord
is faid to have rained down Fire upon Sodom
from the Lord but of Heaven. , In confequence
of thefe and other Paffages, the ancient Jews
held a Logos, the Word, the Mind, the Wif-
dom of God, always with him, and in him,
God of God, by whofe Agency the Work of
Creation, and all the Tranfaftions fubfequept
upon it, were performed. To this the Para-
phrafts and Targumifts agree : When. Jacob
fays, — the Lord fhall be my God — Onkelos ex
plains it by thisParaphrafe  The Word of Je
hovah fhall be my God. And thus every where,
for Jehovah, they put the Word, of Jehovah.
Phi 16 afcribes the making of the World to this
Logos, or Word ; and when God is faid to
have created the World; the Expofition of the
Targumift is, that he did it by his Word. Our
Saviour's Doftrine then of fuch. a PerSbn's ex
isting in the Godhead, could not reafonably be
objected to by the Jews, who had been taught
it, at leaft imperfectly, Time out of Mind,
L 3 and
* Gen. xix. 24*

150 An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
and confequentiy was not the ftrongeft, fince
it was no Ground at aft ot their Oppofition to
his Gofpel of Chrift. Indeed it is faid, when
he affirmed, , he w$s the Son of God, and that
the Father and he were one, they took up
Stones to throw at him, not f r the Doctrine,
but the Application of "it to himfelf, becaufe,
as the Evange ift tells us, he being (as they fup-
ppfed) a mere Man,, by affuming this Title and
Character made himfelf God.
The Author is not lefs vifionary, or ignorant
of what every Body elfe knows, when he af-
figns, this early, imaginary (Corruption of Chrif
tianity, as the Caufe of Mahometanifm, which
began Six hundred Years after it, by the Craft,
Ambition,, and Luft of an Impoftor, who made
court to the Vices of Men by the Provifion of
afenfual Paradice, apd propagated his Doctrine.
by the Sword, and cruelExterminations of all
who oppofed it. Affifted by a Perfian Jew,
,4 and an heretical Monk, he took from each,
what would make his Scheme f.rviceable to
. his Purpofe of Empire : And, in compliment
to his Affppiates, tranfcribed into his Law Paf
fages from both Teftarnents, but not 'till he
had corrupted and modelled them to his De
fign. He, then denied, God had a Son, that
he might Step into his Place, arid be" acknow
ledged, what; hec prpfeffed himfelf to be, the
Redeemer of his, Followers. This moft afpi-
ring, cruelletr, lewdeft of Meri, no doubt, afted
upon Principles of Confcience in this Matter, and

JESUS CHRIST afferted. i5f
and had no other Quarrel to Chriftianity, but
its early Violation of the divine Unity : And,
if it had not been for this unfortunate Step in
the firft Chriftians, Mahomet had fheathed his
Sword, and taught his Followers to be hum
ble, chaft, obedient Believers of the Gofpel,
inftead of Muffulmen, or Believers in the moft
monftrous Syftem of Impieties, Fables, and
Immoralities, that ever were jumbled together.
It may with more Juftice be faid, and, I be
lieve, the ingenuous Reader will be inclined
to think fo, that this Author^ arid' his Friends
the Sociriians took the Hint of their Scheme
from this Impoftor, but forgot his Policy : he
firft corrupted the Scriptures, and then quoted
them for his wicked, Purpofes ; thefe let them
Stand, as Evidences in every Page againft their
Self-confuted Hypothefis: efpecially, fince they
feem to have borrowed from the AlcOran (for
where elfe could they have if ?) the moft ridi
culous Tale of the Author's paffing through
the Seven Heavens to the Throne pf God, and
transformed it into an, imaginary Afcenfion of
Chrift to the Father, juft before he entered on
his Miniftry ; in order to get' clear of thofe Paf
fages, which mention his Pre-Exiftence in
Heaven, and/which are utterly irreconcilable
with their fenfelefsJHerefy. And thus much
for the fix Caufes, affigned by this Author,
(with, what Truth, Juftice, and Propriety we
havC "feen)fbr the Oppofition made to the Gof
pel of Chrift, "at its firft Publication.
L 4 The

152 An Examination of. the TrueyGojpel of
The fixteenth Section proceeds to enquire,
how it comes to paft, that with fefpeB to thofe,
who do receive and make a Profeffim of the Go
fpel, it has not generally its proper EffeB and
Influence upon 'their Minds and Lives. And
here, the Author begs leave to repeat, what h e
has already a hundred times obferved to be the
Gofpel of Chrift. It is hard, that one muft
over and over again hear repeated Things, ut
terly falfe, and which no Repetition can make
true: and yet on the other Hand it is cruel,
to deny him this Liberty, fince that is, to take ¦
from him the Power of writing and lengthen
ing out Books. Well then - — - the Thing to
be repeated is, that, the Sum of the. Gofpel is
contained in thefe three Piopofitions : firft,
nothing, but a Conformity of Mind and Life
to that eternal and unalterable Rule of Aftion,
founded in: the Reafon of Things, will render-
Men pleating and acceptable, to God. zdly,
Nothing but Repentance and Reformation of
Men's evil Ways, will recommend Sinners to
the Divine Mercy, ^dly, God has appointed
a Time, in which he will judge the World in
Righteoufnefs, and reward and punifh Men
according to their Deferts. Now if the Gofpel
had done nothing, befides the reco'm mending
the feripOs Confederation of thefe doctrinal
Propofitionv it would have had no Effect at
all in working the Reformation of the World.
For, iff, to refer Men folely to. that Rule of
Action, which their Reafon could difcover to
be

. JESUS CHRIST ajjerted. 153
be founded in~the Nature of Things, is toire-
fer them to that Rule, which the Generality
of People could nothave difcerned, and which
the reft would have made what Ufe of they
pleafed. zdly, To bid a corrupted, finful, ob
noxious Creature, repent, amend, arid render
himfelf pleating to God, without offering him
proper Affiftance for the Work, is bidding him
do what it is impoffible for him to do y may
make him uneafy, but cannot make him good,
or happy, ^dly, A bare Difcovery ofa Judg
ment to come, without Affurance of an Eter
nity of Happinefs, or Mifery to every one be
ing the Confequence of it, would contribute
little, if any thing, to the Reformation of
Mankind ; becaufe eternal Rewards arid Pu-
nifhments are but Sufficient to keep fome Men
from finning, and not Sufficient to keep all
Men from it ; and- therefore any thing, Short
of this, would fcarce affect them: at all in the
Point of Reformation. But the Gofpel of
Chrift is quite a different thing from this Au
thor's degrading Reprefentation of it: it not
only explains- the deplorable State of fallen
Man, with his natural Inability to rife again,
but it provides a Remedy for this otherwife in
curable Difeafe : it firft puts it in the Power of
Men to repent and amend, and then bids them
do it, upon Pain of eternal Condemnation.
It requires Satisfaction for Sin, above what the
Sinner can give; but then procures this Satif-
faftion for him : it teaches, that no one can
become

1 54 An Examination of the True Gofpel df
become the'Objeft of God's Mercy or Favour,
but through the Merits of a Saviour, and that
thefe Merits will not be available to procure
any Perfon the one or the other, unlefs, in pur
suance of the Grace given him, and to be mul
tiplied in proportion to his concurrent Endea
vours with it, he reforms and amends his Life,
and Conforms hiriifelf to all thpfe Directions,
which God (who always afts agreeably to the
beft and higheft Reafon) has given him, and
that, becaufe he has given them, whether the
Foundation of thefe Directions in the Nature
of Things i^ Seen, or not. If I was not Sick
of the Expreffion, becaufe fo often and fo im
pertinently abuSed by this Author, I fhould
here fay, this is the true Gofpel of Jefus Chrift.
However, that I may proceed, 1 will agrefe
with the Author, as Tar as 1 can, and allow
with him, that whatever Doctrines or Prac
tices have taken place ainong Chriftians, which
either immediately or mediately tend to weaken
or take off the Perfuafipri of the Neceffity of
Repentance, and Amendment, and the Exer
cife of every Virtue, in order to Salvation ;
that fuch Doctrines and Practices manifeflly
tend to perVert the Gofpel of Chrift, and more
or lefs to render it'unfuccefsfufupbn the Minds
and Lives of Men.
The firft Doctrines, he mentions, of this
pernicious Tendency, are thofe, of the imputed
Wghteoufnefs, the meritorious Sufferings, and
the prevailing Inter ceffion of Chrift, being J'epa-
rately

JESUS CHRIST ajferted*. 155
rately or together the Grounds of Meds Accep
tance tOith God. One of thefe might be enough
to do the Work, the Author farcaftically ob
serves, if there was the boafted ^Sufficiency in
it, and then there was no Occ&fibn for the o-
ther. But here he (hews his Wit, at the Ex-
pence of his Underftanding : " For what he
reckons three, are but different Views and Con
siderations of one and the fame. Thing. The
voluntary Sufferings of Chrift are the Founda
tion of thofe Merits, which enabled him to
intercede, or go between God and Man, and
have his Righteoufnefs imputed to all, who
Sincerely believe in and follow him, in fuch
Proportion as they honeftly endeavour to do fo.
This being the State of the Cafe, let us examine
the formidable Argument built upori it, with
its clear Confequence. If, fays, our Reafoner,
Men can be prevailed on to believe, they do not
become Obj^Bs of the divine Mercy ana Favour,
on account of what themfelves do, but only on the
, account of the right Behaviour, the Sufferings,
and Inter ceffion of Chrift, then the Confequence is
clear, that to Perfons, fo perfuaded, there can
not appear any Necejfity for them to become per-
Jbnally valuable in themfelves, by Repentance,
and the higheft Degrees of. Reformation, they
ate capable of: becaufe, if they are recommended
to God's Mercy and Favour by the former, then
the latter cannot be neceffary to that End. But
how fo? When they are expreffly told, they
cannot have the" Recommendation of the for
mer,

156 An Examination' of the' True Gofpel of
mer, without the latter, and that in the higheft
Degree poffible ? The Very Reverfe is the right
and true Confequence; that therefore Men,
thus perfuaded, muft fly from Sin, as from the
Face of a Serpent, and attempt the higheft
Steeps of Virtue and Piety; fince otherwife,^
the Benefit of Chrift's Suffering and Intercef-
fion? Without which they cannot be acceptable
to God, -and for which therefore they cannot
be enough thankful, will not be extended to
them ; fince he redeemed them to himfelf fo be d
peculiar People, zealous of good Works; fince he
declared, Unlejs they repented, they Jhould all pe-
rijh, and none fhould be acknowledged for his,
and be, where he was, in the Regions of Blifs,'
but thofe who kept his Commandments; fince he
required a Righteoufnefs, exceeding that of the
Scribes, and Pharifees, and all other Men, as
the Condition of his Favour, and would fave
none for calling him Lord ever fo often, unlets
they, riot only named the Name oj' Chrift, buf
departed jrom all Iniquity : Since laftly he a-
wakened all the Hopes and Fears, Inclinations,^
Affections, and Defires of Man, in order to1
quicken him to run the Race Jet before him,
pointed out the Path of Righteoufnefs and every ,
Virtue, walked in it himfelf, and bid us follow
him, and by that means became the Captain,
the Author, the Pattern of our Refurrection to
Newnefs of Life, and in confequence of that,
to Glory. This is confiftent with, and all the
natural; Refult of Chrift's Suffering and Inter-
ceffion,'

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 157
ceffion being . the fole Grounds of the divine
Favour and Mercy to Men. Whoever indeed,
whether Antinomian, or other, afferts, Men's
own right Behaviour and their Repentance and
Reformation are not neceffary,, to qualify, them
for thefe Favours of God through Chrift, nor
any way fubfervient to that end ; he perverts
the Gofpel of Chrift in the point of greateft
moment, and the principal Intention of it.
On the other hand, he,, who claims the divine
Favour and Mercy, on the account of his own
good Works of Repentance, without Reference
to the Beloved, in whom his weak, but honeft
Endeavours are accepted, according to what he
hath, and not according to what he hath not;
he is arrogant and prefuming, ungrateful, and
injurious to his greateft Benefactor ; he refufes
to be faved, in the way fo ineftimable a Blef-
fing is offered him; he takes off from the Me
rit of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, Sufferings, and
Interceffion, and likewife from the Freenefs of
the divine Grace to, Mankind, and evacuates
all the Motives arifing thence of Love, Hu
mility, and Obedience : And if the Gofpel of
Chrift is true, he, who thus undertakes tp do
acceptable Duty, without Chrift who ftrength-
ens him, fhall never do it ; and he, who thus
claims Heaven, as due to his beft Performan
ces, fhall never have any Portion in ft,
The Author, fenfible, I fuppofe, of the
Weaknefs of his Argument, appeals to the
Experience of the prefent and paft Ages for
Proof,

i ^8 Ah Examination of the True Gofpel of
Proof, that thefe Doctrines have, in faft, made
Men carelefs in the Bufinefs of Reformation.
I fhall leave the paft Ages to fpeak for them
felves : but for the prefent, as far as my Expe
rience has gone, I can fafely fay, I never faw
any Man, who Sincerely believed the Doctrine
of his Salvation by Jefus Chrift, and laid it to
Heart, but "he was the better for it, the better
in every CirCumftance and Relation of Life,
more penitent,; tnore pure, more righteous,
more cOnfpicuous in every Branch of Duty to
God and Man. It is true, there; are Inftances,
too many, of Perfons profeffing Christianity- •
who indulge themfelves in a vicious' Courfe of
Life, and yet groundleffly hope, trufl, arid rely
upon Chrift (as they call it) for Salvation to the
laft : but ti en it is without any the leaft War
rant from him, or his Doctrine, and generally
through a flattering Refolution of repenting,
according to his Direftion, fome time 6t other :
that is, they are wicked, inconfiderate, incon-
fiftent Men, who have not fo much as the
Shew of Godlmefs, much lefs feel the Power
of it ; who call themfelves Chriftians, but are
not: and who can c help their calling them
felves fo, when this Author himfelf affumes
the Name of Chriftianity, while he is oppo
sing and villifying its moft facred Truths? The
fame Men would be as weak and rnconfifterjt;
and more fo, lefs restrained, more wicked
and flaoitiorjs, under any other Profeffion,^
Under the Guidance of urraffifted Reafon, than
; " they

JESUS CHRIST aJJerUd. 159
they are under the Direction of the Gofpel.
For if they hear not him that Spoke from
Heaven, how Should they be fuppofed to liften „
to another fmaller Voice ? They love Plea-, '
fure more than God, they are the Caufe of
Reproach to the holy Name by which they
are called, but no Objection againft any of
the t)oftrines of Chriftianity, which are every
way fuited to produce a contrary Effect.
I hope, all Preachers of Chrift and his Go
fpel will, as they are warned by this Author,
ever reprefent to^the People -the true Grounds
of the divine, Favour and Forgivenefs, and the
true and only Way to Life eternal, and that
they will take great Heed to their Miniftry,
rightly tojulfil it. For I agree with him, that
whoever points out to Men. another Way to God's
Favour and eternal Life, than Chrift hath pointed
out; fuch an one preaches another Gofpel, he is
a Deceiver in Points of the greateft Importance,
(whether, he intends it, or not) he is an Anti-
chrift, and a Betrayer of Men's Sauls: And
fince this Author, has done all. this (whether he
intended it, or not ; for he has in his Zeal left
no room for a charitable Suppofition) by de
nying the Merits of .Chrift to be the Ground
of God's Acceptance, and finding out another
Name to be faved by, befides and exclufive of
that of Jefus Chrift ; I defire, he will be fo
juft, as to abide by his own Sentence, and take
to himfelf thofe Titles and Appellations, whicli
he has with great Propiety annexed to his own
Character,

160 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Character, and by repeated Blafphemies, Scur
rilities, and Mifreprefentations, richly deferved
to wear : efpecially, when this is confirmed
by the Authority of an Apoftle, who fays,
* He is a, or the Liar, who denies that Jefus is
the Chrift, he is Anti chrift, who denies the
Father and the Son ; for whofoever denies the
Son, the fame hath hot the Father.
The Author owns, the Doctrine of the me
ritorious Sufferings of Chrift being the Ground
of God's Mercy to Sinners, is faid to be con
tained in the Writings of the Apoftles. He
might have faid, with Truth, this Doftrine,0
with the proper Inferences from it, make up
the whole of the Apoftles Writings, and that
Gofpel, which they preached : To prove this
by Instances, would be, to tranfcribe the whole
New Teftament ; I muft therefore be contented
to refer the Reader to the Paffages, already
quoted in the Courfe of this Work, and to
any Chapters, he can dip into throughout the
the Apoftolical Epiftles. If the Apoftles are
not to be certainly underftood in this Point,
no Words can make a Thing plain enough, to
be certainly known : if not to be credited in
this, then in no point ; fince they are in none
fo clear, fO pofitive, fo frequent, fo unanimous :
they fpeak of it in, and out of Figure, they
put the whole Salvation of Man upon the foot
of'believing it, upon believing it, fo as to do
all Things conformable to it. Yet this Author is
* i John ii. 22, 23. ,

JESUS CHRIST afferted. i6i
is flout enough, not to admit this to be their
Doctrine : it had been Modefty, compared
to this Affurance, to tell us, the Sun does not
Shine at Noon-day. But I Will not dwell
on a Nothing, that is, his Modefty ; though
I muft dwell on as great a Nothing, that is,
his Reafons.
The Apoftles, he fays, made ufe of all
means to bring .over their Countrymen, the
Jews, to Chriftianity ; and, to that end, en
deavoured to affimilate the Gofpel to their Lais),
by adopting the Expreffions of it, concerning
Atonement, Sacrifice, and Expiation for Sin.
Alas ! they had no Occafion to ufe any palps
to create an Affiniilation, which was made to
their hands. The Law and the Gofpel were,
in their original Plan, Similar, and fubfervient
the one to the other: the Law was the
* Schoolmafter leading to Chrift, "and "all, it's
Ufages, Practices, and Ordinances, were
Types, FigureSj^Adumbrations, Images, and
Shadows of real good things to cOme under
the Gofpel. The Apoftles, with -great Ener
gy, fhew this Agreement, Similitude, and Sub
servience, but do not invent, and make it.
They inculcate, and prefs the fame Doctrines
in their Epiftles to the Gentiles, whom they
had no Temptation to compliment in this
manner, with whom fuch Aflimilation Could
be of no Service; efpecially at the Expence of
Truth, in a Point of the higheft Moment,
M which
* Gal. iii. 24.

1 62 An E xamination oj the True Gofpel of
which by this means muft be loft to the
whole World. The Apoftles, in faft, were
not fo complaifant to the Jews, as in their
Words or Actions to make Compliances,
which might derogate from, or miffeprefent
the Gofpel in this Particular : and when one of
them, through Weaknefs, but blamable, did
fo for once, he, who was moft affeftioned to
the Jews, withftood him to the Face, becauie
he was to be blamed. * For before that .cer
tain came from James, he did eat with the
Gentiles ; but when they were come, he with
drew, and feparated himfelf fearing them of
the Circumcifton, and the other Jews diffembled
likewife with him, infomuch that Barnabas
alfo was carried away with their Dijfimulation:
But when Paul faw, that they walked not up
rightly according to .the Truth of the Gofpel^
he faid unto Peter before them all, why com-
pelleft thou the Gentiles to live, as do the Jews?
We, who are Jews by Nature, and not Sin
ners of ths Gentiles, knowing, that a Man is
not juftified by the Works of the Law, but by
the Faith of J ejus Chrift, even we have be
lieved in J ejus Chrift, that we might be jufti
fied by the Faith of Chrijl, &c. Would this
Apoftle, who thus argues againft Compliance
with his Countrymen in fo fmall a matter* as
eating, drinking, and converting, left the
World fhould be led into mi flake by it; in
every Page fo reprefent the grand Article1 of
Man's
* Gal.ii. iz, &c.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 163
Man's Acceptance with God, that all Man
kind muft run into Error about it, * in order
to make his court the Jews? It is impoffi
ble and inconceivable.
But the Apoftles ufed high and lofty Figures
of Speech. It is allowed they underftood the
true Sublime, which confifts in a noble Sim
plicity, not deftruftive of Perfpicuity. None
more eloquent than they, where there is room
for it ; none more plain in their Inftruftions
and Determinations, in Points of Faith and
Practice. But thefe lofty Figures of Speech
were^ fometimes borr&t^ed from the figurative
ABions, appointed under the Difpenfation of
Mqfbs. And whence could they borrow them
better? Thofe Expreffions, Which fuited the
Shadow of Things, muft, in a higher Man
ner and Senfe belong to the Things them
felves, which wete the Subftance. But whe
ther they were lofty, or taken from the Old
Teftafnent, or not, they were certainly pro
per, and defigned to fet us right in thefe
-Matters of the utmoft Importance, becaufe
he, who ufed them, faid, he fpoke them not
with * the Words which Mans Wifdom teach
eth, but which the Holy Ghoft teacheth. If
this Paffage refers to a Quotation from the
Old Teftament, it proves the Language of it
to be divinely directed, and confequentiy that
of the Points in queftion ; if it refers to the
Apoftle's own Writings, it proves his Expref-
M 2 fions
* 1 Cor. ii. 13.

164 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
fions were under the fame Guidance; and
either way, whether he took them from the
Old Teftament, or not, that they were pro
per, fignificant, and definitive.
The Inftance of the figurative Actions,
fpecified by this Author, is what was ordered
to be done on the great annual Day of Expia
tion. '  *And Aaron fhall lay both his Hands
upon the Head of the live Goat, and confefs
over him all the Iniquities of the Children of
Ifrael, and all their Trdnfgreffions in all their
Sins, putting them upon the Head of the Goat,
and fhall fend him away by the hand of a fit
Man into the Wildernefs, and the Goat Jhall
bear upon him all their Iniquities into a Land
not irihabited, and he Jball let go the. Goat into
the Wildernefs. Now for Acutenefs. Thefe,
fays our Expofitor, were figurative Actions,
becaufe, if we underftand them literally, they
are very abfurd : feeing the Sins of the People
were not capable of being collected together,
and then carried off in this Manner: For the
Prieft could not draw them all out of the, Peo
ple by a kind of SuBiori into his own Breaft,
and then breath them out again upon the Head
of a ,Goat, to be carried into the Wildernefs,'
and loft ; nor gather them, and bind them in
Bundles on this Goat, as Traders pack their
Wares on Horfes, to be carried, to Market.
Here is a Joke, but I cannot find the Rea-
foning. If thefe are Figures, cannot they
mark
* Lev. xvi. 21 1 &c.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 165
mark out Truth and Reality ? Figures exprefs
the Thing, they figure, as ftrongly at leaft,
as Words can do ; as the Picture of a Man
exhibits him to us as forcibly, as his Name.
There are fome Metaphors ufed here, as it is
almoft impoffible to fpeak without them :
what then ? was there nothing real and effec
tual in this? might not the legal Pollutions
of the People be forgiven, upon this Aftion
performed, in virtue of Appointment and Co
venant with God, and not without it, as ef
fectually, as if they could be gathered, and
tied in Bundles, and carried to market, or
the Dunghil ? By the. fame doughty Argu
ment, and, I think, with as much Wit, any
Man may prove, God cannot forgive Sins
upon Repentance, though he had declared,
he would remove his Difpleafure from Man,
upon condition of his breaking off his Sins.
Thefe, our Wag may fay, are figurative
things, abfurd in the Letter.  :- What ?
are Sins like Glafs, that a Man can break
them ?¦ Removal is a Motion out of one Place
into another : arid is God's Difpleafure a
Moveable, capable of being removed, carried,
or fhoved, from where it was, to where it
was not before ?  But not to laugh, but
* proceed.  This Aftion, and all the-others
of Sacrifice, Atonement, and legal Expiation,
appointed by God under the Jewifh Difpen
fation, were real Aftions, followed by real
Effects : they were both declarative and figu-
M 3 rative:

1 66 An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
rative: they declared, that God required fome
thing, befides Repentance and Amendment,
in order to the Forgivenefs of Sins; they
were efficacious and available, as far as they
were defigned to be, to the Removal of the
Punishment for Offences againft the ceremo
nial Law, not by a natural and phyfical, but
an appointed covenanted way, and in virtue
of that great Sacrifice of the Crofs, to which
they directed the People's Eye, as that, which
God had accepted, inftead of the eternal
Punifhment of Man, and without which he
would not be reconciled to him. The Beafts,-
which were flain, and that which was dif-
miffed, with all the ceremonious Aftions at
tending each, were Figures and Reprefenta-
tions of him, who, as Ifaiah fays, * Hath
born our Griefs, and carried our Sorrow s : he
was wounded jor our Tranjgrefftons., he wqs
bruifed for our Iniquities, the Chaftifement of
our Peace was upon him, and with his Stripes
we are healed. All we, like Sheep, have gone
aftray, we have turned every one to his own
Way, and the Lord, hath laid on him the Ini
quity of us all. •¦
The Author, fearful for the Event of this
Combat with the Apoftles, is refolv'd to make
St. Paul do, what himfelf could not do, that
is, confute St. Paul. This Apoftle, it feems,
has more of thefe Expreffions relating to the
Merits and Imputation of Chrift's Death, than
* Ifaiah liii. 4, &c.

JESUS CHRIST afferted: 167
than all the reft : and no, wonder, fince he
wrote more than all the reft. What then ?
This Apoftle fays, in his Epiftle to the
Hebrews, * It is not poffible, that the Blood of
Bulls and Goats fhould take away Sins : there
fore, fays our Author, the Blood of Chrift
cannot, and therefore all the Expreffions,
relating to the Merits of that Blood, are
high and lofty, and imply no Merits at all.
Now it is very ftrange, that a Confequence
Should be faftned upon this Apoftle, directly
oppofite to what himfelf draws in the very
Place : for, from the Impoffibility of the in
voluntary Offerings of irrational Animals tak
ing away Sins, he concludes, all, they could
do towards it, muft be by virtue of that Body
prepared for Chrift through the Will of Godt
by the which Will we are fanBified, through
the Offering of the Body of Jefus Chrift, once.
for all. But this Conclufion is not for our
Author's Purpofe, and therefore he will wreft
it from him by mere Dint of Argument. For
the proper Queftion, he fays, is, wherein lies
the Impoffibility of the Blood of Bulls and
Goats taking away Sin ? I anfwer, becaufe
there was nothing fpontaneous or meritorious
in it ; but the Death of Chrift wiz both.
But let us hear the Author's own manifeft
Anfwer to this Queftion : which is, that the
Impoffibility lies in the Nature of the Thing:
that is, if I understand him right, Blood has
M 4 no
* Heb. x. 4, fcfr.

2 6 8 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
no phyfical Quality in it to take away Sin,
it is not a proper Menftruum to diffolve Sin,
or cleanfe the Impurity of it away. "I anfwer,
neither had Jordan any natural Power, be-r
yond the Rivers of Damafcus, to cure a Le-
profy; and yet Naamon, dipping in it feven
Times, by the Appointment of God, had
his Flefh come again, like that of a little
Child. The Waters of Baptifm have no vir
tue of wafhing la way Sin, arifing from their
own Nature, and Properties; but in confe
quence of the divine Appointment and Cove
nant, they become the Laver of Regenerar
tion, facrameptally applied to any Perfon,
who by this means is born again of Water,
and of the, holy Spirit. By like divine Ap
pointment, the Blood of Animals might, and
did retrieve the legal Pollutions and Offences
againft the ceremonial Law ; and the much
more precious Blood of Chrift can, and does
purge us from all Sin, the Guilt, the Punifb-
ment, the Power of all Sin. It is true, as
this Author obferyes, neither the Blood of ani
mals, nor of Chrift himfelf, I add, nor Re
pentance, nor ForgiVenefs, nor any Aft of
£od or Man, can render a Sinner left a Sinr
ner, than he was before: becaufe no Power
, extends to Contradictions and Impossibilities,
Such as, to make that not to have been, which
actually has been, that is, to make him not
to be a Sinner, who has once made himfelf
fo. But the Gpodnefs and Mercy of God can

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 16^
can pardon and acquit "the Sinner, and free
him the Punifhment and Forfeit of his Of
fences, juftify him, that is, accept him as if
he was juft, and deal with him accordingly,
upon proper Confiderations ; and thofe-Confi-
derations may be, what the divine Wifdom
thinks fitteft, the Sufferings of the Sinner, or
of another Perfon for him ; which laft he
may make, and actually has made, the
Ground, the Means, of his Reconciliation to
Men, and of their Reformation, and confe
quent Reconciliation and Affimilation to God.
The Author thinks this Matter too plain, to
be infifted on any farther ; and I think fo too,
and therefore here leave it.
In the next Paragraph he flarts a Queftion,
What St. Paul means by paying fo great a
Compliment to the Sacrifice of Chrift's Death,
as he doth, and by giving it fo great Preje->
rence to the Sacrifices appointed by the, Law ; if
it did not literally take away Sin, or if St.
Paul did not underfiand that to be the Caje.
And indeed it would puzzle this Author, or
any, other, to account for his Conduct in fay
ing fo often and fo expreffly, that the Death
of Chrift takes away Sin, if he did not know
and believe, that it did take away Sin, the
only Way it could be taken away, by pro
curing the Pardon and Mercy of God to the
Sinner. A Man of the Apoftle's Attention,
Pifcernment, and Probity, writing too under
die Direction of the Spirit, could not but
mean

170 An Examination-of the True Gofpel of
mean what he faid, and fay what he meaned :
and therefore Since this Author does not feem
to know, I will tell him, what he intended,
by doing this Juftice, not Compliment, to
Chrift's Death : he intended to fhew, that
Death was the Satisfaction, accepted by God
for paft Offences, and the appointed happy
Prefepvative againft future Tranfgreffions ; that
it took away Sin, by procuring the Pardon of
if, and prevented it, by affording all the Af-
fiftance, furnifhing* out the moft cogent Mo
tives and propereft Arguments to work upon
Sinners to repent and amend their Ways,
and thereby t-o render themfelves capable of
God's Mercy through Chrift, granted upon
that exprefs Condition. This double View of
the thing made him determine * not to know
any thing, fave Jefus Chrift, and him crucified,
-j- and to count all things but Lofs, for the Ex
cellency of the Knowledge of Chrijl Jefus his
Lord, in comparifon of whom he counted all
his other Advantages and Performances, as
Dung, that he might win Chrift, and be found
in him, not having his own legal Righteouf
nefs (in which however he was blamelefs) but
that which is through the Faith of Chrift,
the Righteoufnefs, which is of God by Faith ;
and induced him alfo to reprefent the fame
Death and Blood of Chrift, as that which
X< purifies, JanBifies, and purges the Confcience
from dead Works, to ferve the living God, and fo
* 1 Cor. i:. 2. f Phil. iii. S, q. J Heb. ix. 14.

JESUS CHRIST affirted. 171
fo effectual to that Purpofe, that he faid, * He
could do all Things, through Chrift, whoftrength-
ened him, not he, the natural Man, but the
Grace oj God which was in him.
The Author is fenfible, it is, pretended, that
God could not pardon Sin, 'till SatisfaBion was
made to his Juftice for Tranfgreffions, and that
Chrift by his Death made fuch SatisfaBion;
and confequentiy that his meritorious Sufferings
were the Ground and Reafon of God's fhewing
Mercy to Sinners. He does not here take upon
him to fay, this Attribute of the Deity did
not require fuch Satisfaction : neither will I
take upon me to fay, it did, and that God
could not pardon Sinners without it ; but that
he would not, and has not, I maintain, fup
ported by the whole Tenor of Scripture. But
the Author's ObferVation is, that the Scripture
Method of Satisfaction, fuppofing it neceffary,
is fo far from fetting the Matter right- in point
of Juftice and Equity, that it is quite the Re
verfe, and acting unjuftly by both Parties con
cerned, by punifhing where Punishment was
ndt due, and by forbearing to punifh, where
it was due. , The Sufferings of the Innocent, he
Says, could not pqffibly be a SatisfaBion to Juf
tice for the Faults of the guilty: Not, I own,
by their own Nature and Efficacy ; but finely
they may, by Acceptation, Bargain, and A-
greement, which is the prefent Cafe. Suppofe
pne Perfon owed another a Debt of Service or
Monep,
* Phil. iv. 13.

172 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Money, which by fome Accident he was un
able to pay, and another, out of Love and
Kindnefs, undertook and actually paid it for
him, is any Injury done to the Creditor ? Is
not his Juftice, as far as Juftice is concerned,
fatisfied by this means ? But farther  St. Pe
ter,* tells, us, the Juft fuffered jor the Vnjuft ': But
the. Author thinks this another Piece of Impro
priety and Injuftice to both Parties. Impro
priety, becaufe the Soul, that finned, Jhould haVe
fuffered, and not the guilty have been let go free.
But this ismiftake: the Perfon, that finned,
was not let go free, he fuffered, as far as .was
confiftent with, the gracious Defign of having
Mercy upon him, and giving him a frefh Op
portunity of Trial : he was punifhed with a
corrupted, calamitous, mortal Nature, and
what was ftill wanting, was kindly fupplied
by another. To fay, the Sinner muft bear in
his own Perfon the whole Punifhment, fup-
pofed to be required by the Juftice of God, is
to fay, God could not any way extend Mercy
to him ; fince, upon the foot of fuch Juftice,
he could not pardon without Satisfaction! made,
and the Sinner could not make it without be
ing eternally miferable, and he could not be
eternally miferable, and be faved, There i8
therefore no Impropriety in this Method of fa-
ving the obnoxious Party, fince as much Pu
nifhment was laid on his own Perfon, as was
. confiftent with his being faved at all : and no
Injury can be fuppofed to be done him in the
Cafe,

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 173
Cafe, fince he received the greateft of Favours.
There was alfo no Injuftice in this done to the
innocent Party, who fuffered, becaufe he- was
not forced, but offered hirhfelf freely to un
dergo thefe Sufferings, upon Confideration of
an Equivalent to be made him, which he re
ceived in his ow 1 perfonal Exaltation, and the
Redemption of as many as he covenanted for,
that is all who would believe in, and obey him.
Nor is there any Impropriety, that an innocent
Party was the Sufferer, fince none, but an in
nocent Perfon, could have been proper for this
Work: A Sinner could not have Satisfied the
divine Juftice for himfelf, much lefs for others :
fuch an one was wanting, and alone proper,
who had no Services of his own due, no Sins
of his own to fuffer for, and fo could raife a
Merit on what he undertook, and apply it to
thofe, who flood in need of it. God did not,
in this cafe, confider Things, otherwife than
they were, he did not look on the Juft as Un-
juft, andtheUnjuft as Juft: he declared Chrift
to be * his beloved Son in whom he was well
pleafed, at the very Time of his Humiliation
and voluntary Suffering, and upon that Score
allowed him to merit, and purchafe Pardon
and Happinefs for thofe Sinners, who, becaufe
fuch, could no otherwife obtain it. Thus
•j- when we were yet without Strength, in due
Time, Chrijl fied for the Ungodly : J He loved
us, and gave himfelf jor us, an Offering and a
. „ Sacri-
* Matt, iii. 17. f Rom. v. 6. % Eph. v. 2.

174 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Sacrifice to God for a fweet Jmellirig Savour.
The Author fays, No : He did not fall a Sa
crifice t6 the Juftice of God, but the unprovoked
Wrath and Malice oj the wicked Jews and Ro
mans. The Jews indeed Were the Inftruments
and Agents in this Affair • but neither they,
nor yet Pilate to whom he was delivered, could
have had any Power at all againft him, unlefs
it had been given them from above: The whole
was the Aft of God, concerted with his Son
before the Foundation of the World, and as
much fo, as if Heaven had interpofed in the
moft aftonifhing manner: The Aftion Was ap
pointed, and the means too of bringing it a-
,bout. * For him, being delivered by the deter
minate Ctmnfel and Fore-knowledge of God, arid
by wicked Hands being crucified and (lain, God
hath raifed up. Accordingly he foretold his
own Death, and the Caufe, and Manner of it:
he called it God's Will, and -f- bid that Will be
done: he faid, he could call Legions of Arigels
to his Affiftance : Thofe, who came to take
him, owned his Power, by X going backwards,
and falling to the Ground: And on the Crofs
he retained his Spirit, 'till all Was finifhed,
Which it behoved him to do and fuffer, and
then difmiffed it, when he had Strength to cry
out with a loud Voice. The Earth fhook,
Darknefs covered it, the Veil of the Temple
was rent, dead Bodies arofe and appeared to
many. The very Centurion and Company,
who
*Aftsii. 23, f Matt. i. 26, 39,53. J Johnxviii. 6.

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 175
who attended the Execution, could difcern
fomething extraordinary, and fee the Finger
of God in it, when they faid, * certainly this
was a righteous Man, -f truly this was the Son
of God: And all thefe Things together confpire
to fhew us, this was not the cafual Death of
an innocent Perfon, but the voluntary Aft of
the Son, and appointed by the Father, for the
purpofes declared.
The Author is again fenfible, it is pretended,
that God could not, conftftently with the Ends of
Government, pardon Sinners, without fhew'ng
his Diftike of Sin; and that God's Diftike of
Sin was fhewed by the Sufferings and Death of
Chrift ; and confequentiy he made his Sufferings
the Ground or Reafon of his fhewing Mercy to
Sinners. This is indeed faid, and with great
Appearance of Truth. For was it not necef
fary, a righteous God Should Shew his ftrongeft
Averfion and Difpleafure at Sin, in order to
keep Men, and all other created Beings from
it ? And could he Shew this in a Stronger
Light, than by not pardoning the Sinner, but
upon fuch a meritorious Satisfaction, as no
Creature could give, which only one Perfon
could give, and that but once? For Chrift dies
no more, Death hath no more Dominion over
him And can there be imagined a greater
Awe, than what arifes hence, to preferve in
Obedience the Angels, who defire to look into
thefe Things, and the Inhabitants of this and
other
* Luke xxiii. 47. ' f Matt, xxvii. 54.

176 Ari Examination of the True Gofpel of
other Worlds, who may be informed of what"
has happened to us, as we have been of God's
Difpenfation to the fallen Spirits? They perifh
everlaftingly for want of a Mediator ; we had
the only one, who could fuftain the Charac
ter; one, not to be expected by any other Spe
cies of Offenders : The Mind of Man cannot
frame the Image of an Oeconomy, which, thus
anfwers all the Ends of Government, and is
contrived to keep the Univerfe in order. But
as there Stands upon Record one conceited
Man, who pretended to a Skill of mending
the Plan of the World, if he had been at the
making it ; fo. this Author is another Inftance
of a Genius, who offers his Correction of the
Plan of Redemption to the Almighty, and
thinks himfelf wife enough to be his Coun-
fellor. God, according to him, might have"
Spared his own Son, and not delivered him up
for us all; he might' have Jingled cut one, or
more, of the vileft of our Species, and laid fome
heavy AjftiBion upon them, in fuch a way, as
that it might appear to all to be his Hand, and
that it was laid upon them as aPunijhment for
their Sins, and this would have been aftandirig*
Monument of his Diftike of Sin: Such a Mo-:
nument fure, as would have fhewn fo little
Danger in offending, as would have kept very
few, if any, from it. But God's Ways are
not, as our Ways,, nor his Thoughts, as this
Man'sThoughts. To exprefs in indelible Cha
racters the Heinoufnefs of Sin, arid his Abhor rence

JESUS CHRIST afferted, 177
rence of it, and keep all others at the greateft
Distance from it, he punifhed, not one, or
fome few of the vilefl Sinners, but all that
had finned ; and ftill would not pardon, with
out farther Declaration of his Difpleafure :
For this purpofe he tingled out one of the
greateft Dignity and Merit, without Spot, and
blamelefs, that his own Tranfgreffions might
not appear the Caufe of his Sufferings, and
permitted him, with his own free Confent, to
Stand in the Place of Sinners, and in that
Place fuffer for them, what otherwife they
muft have endured to their utter Ruin ; and
made this his own evident Aft, by a long
Preparation of Predictions and Inftitutions lead
ing to it, by all the Circumftances immedi
ately preceding and attending it, a Darknefs,
an Earthquake, a Refurrection, and a Record
of the Fact, with the Reafons, Defigns, and
Purpofes of it, for the Information of after
Ages. In Short, the all-wife and gracious
God, who in the midft of Judgment remem-
breth Mercy, punifhed the whole Race of
Sinners with Degradation, Labour, Infirmity,
Calamities, Mortality, and the continual Strug
gles of a corrupted Nature ; and then was
pleafed, of his free Grace and Favour, to ex
empt them from the reft of their Punifhmenr,
which would have been inconfiftent with his
Defigns of recovering and faving them ; but
upon the foot of a Mediation, founded in the
Merit of the voluntary, vicarious Sufferings of
N his

178 An Examination of. the True, Gofpel oj
his beloved Son : by this he Signified to all
rational Beings out of the World the Dan
ger of Sin againft God, which required' for
Pardon fuch a Mediator, as they are not ca
pable of receiving ;. arid to all in this World
the Neceflity of living, up to the Mercy be
llowed on them, which otherwife muft turn
to the botte'ft Vengeance ; Since there is no
more Sacrifice for Sin, and if, they trample un
der Foot the Son, of God., and count the Blood
, of the Covenant, wherewith they are fanBified^
an unholy Thing, either formally rejecting and
departing from' it, or not performing the
Terms and Conditions of it, there is nothing
left, but to fall, into the Hands of that living
God, who hath faid, Vengeance is his and he
will recompence it; nothing, but a fearful
looking for of Judgment and' fiery Indignation,
which jhall devour the Aaverfaries. This is
the ftupenduous Method of Salvation by Je
fus Chrift, the excellent Expedient for adjufl-
ing the Attributes of God, and refcuing a
whole Species of Creatures from Destruction,
exactly fitted to anfwer all the Ends of Go
vernment, as far as we can difcern, and
taught and expreffed clear y in al moft, every
Page of the Gofpel ; and therefore is imper
tinently and perverfely brought by this Au
thor as the principal Hindrance of that Gof
pel, and it's good Effect on the Minds, and
Lives of Men. " And I conclude againft him
in his own Words, that if there is any
fuch

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 179
fuch Thing as perfifting obftinately in Error,
he is guilty of it in the prefent Cafe.
The fecond Hindrance of the Gofpel's true
Effect on the Minds and Lives of Men, falfely
alledged by this Author, is the Doftrine of
Men's being rendered acceptable to God by a
right Belief, or a found and orthodox Faith.
For if Perfons are prevailed on to believe, that
Men are rendered acceptable to God, only on the
account of their Judgment being brought to ,a
particular Standard, and their affenting to a
Set of fpeculative Propofitions ; juch Perfons
will not think themfelves under a Necefftty of
reforming their evil Ways ; becaufe if the for
mer renders Men pleafing to God, the latter is
not neceffary to that End. And though a Jeri-
ous and well-grounded Perfuafton of the Truths
of the Gofpel naturally tends to reform the
Vices, and rightly to direB and govern the
AffeBions and ABions of Men, and therefore
Faith, or J'uch Perfuafions, is highly fpoken of
in the New Teftament ; yet if Faith flops at
a bare Affent to thefe, or any other Propofi
tions, it is Jo far jrom being beneficial, that it
is a Snare to Meri, as it leads them into a
groundlejs Perfuafton oj their being interefted in
Gods Favour, whift they are the unfuitable and
improper ObjeB s of it. I muft here leave the
Author to fight with his Shadow, and com
bat the. Vifions of his own Head : and when
he can find the Man, who afferts, the Part is
equal to the Whole ; that bf two Conditions,
N 2 both

1 8 o An Examination of the True Gofpel of
both declared neceffary to Salvation, one is
only neceffary; that Affent to Propofitions,
without any Practice refulting from them,
will be beneficial to any one, in the Affairs
of this Life, or the other ; I will allow him
not to be a Trifler. Faith or Perfuafion, in
the Nature of Things precedes, , and is the
Caufe of all Aftions, which come under De
liberation. A Man muft believe, there is
fuch a Place as Rome, before he will attempt
to go thither ; that there is fuch a State as
Heaven, before he can take any Meafures to
gain it. But if he refts in the bare Specula
tion, and does not make one Step in his
earthly or heavenly Journey, it is plain, he
will never arrive at either. As Faith, or Per
fuafion, is the Principle of all deliberate Ac
tions, fo it is the Denominator of them too,
and what ranges them in their different Gaf
fes. The Aftion cannot rife above the Prin
ciple, which produced it, in Name or Qua
lity, as Waters do not rife higher than their
Fountain : an Action, otherwife good, is
quite bad in the; Doer, if performed with an
ill View : if it is done with a Defign of
Praife, and gains it, it has it's only Reward ;
if for Conveniency, and out of a regard to
Propriety and Beauty, it may have the End
propofed, but can claim no farther : if it is
done out of Refpeft to the Wifdom of God
in directing, and his Authority in command
ing, it is of a religious Nature, and has a
cove-

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 181
covenanted Title to the Favour of God. As
neceffary therefore as right Aftions are in any
Cafe, So neceffary are right Principles; and
if doing well is required, believing well muft
be required alfo. * A good Tree cannot bring
forth evil Fruit, nor a corrupt Tree good.
-f* The Light of the Body is the Eye, if 1 1, at be
fingle, the whole Body is full of Light ; but if
the Light in thee be Darknefs, how great is
that Darknefs ? This is the Nature and Order
of Things, and the Gofpel Method of Salva
tion is agreeable to it. As God was pleafed
to fix upon the Method of faving Man by
the Mediation of his Sop, he required Faith
in the feveral Particulars of that Mediation,
as the Condition of applying the Benefit of
it to him, and the means of producing in
him a Behaviour fuitable to it, accordingly
it is declared, He that believeth and is baptifed,
Jhall be Javed: and X this is Life eternal, that
we know the only true God, and J ejus Chrift
whom he has Jent. Thus alfo we are faid to
be |j juftifted by Faith, as it is the natural
and appointed Medium of conveying the Me
rits of Chrift for Pardon and Grace, and ef
fecting that Holinejs, without which no Man
fhall fee the Lord. A Faith is required/ but
fuch, as worketh by Love,, and is fruitful in
all the feveral Afts of Obedience, and makes
thofe Acts to be what they are; fuch as,
N 3 without
* Mat. vii 18. f vi. 22, 23. j John xvii. 3.
| Rom. iii. 28.

i 82 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
without fuch Afts, is dead and ineffeftual to
fave a Man : according to the Apoftle, — —
* Shew me thy Faith without thy Works, and I
will jhew thee my Faith by my Works.  ¦
But yet Faith is diftinct from Practice, as the
Caufe is from the Effect, and the formal
from the material Part of an Action. The
Aftion, of giving the Body to be burned, is
a religious and Chriftian Action and intitled
to Reward, with a proper Faith ; arid of no
Significance, without it. The Author- blends
thefe Things, thro' the Confufion of his
Head, andFondnefs for his Hipothefis, and fo
makes Faith and believing in Chrift 'to be
nothing elfe, but obeying upon any Princi
ple his practical Precepts. But believing in,
or on a Perfon, is at leaft believing him to
be, what he has declared himfelf to be, and
occurs in no other Senfe all thro' the Scripture. >
As to believe in God, fignifies, to believe him to
be what he is, and fuch Belief is effential to
all religious Practice, relating to him : fo the'
Faith or Belief in Chrift, is the Affent of his
being what he has declared himfelf to be, the
Son of God, the Ranfom for Man, the Savi
our of the World, and is effential to Chriftian
Obedience. Such explicit Faith in certain
Propofitions Chrift requires, as from the blind
Man in the Gofpel, whom Jefus meeting
afked,  ¦f Doft thou believe on the Son of
God? The blind Man afked, not what prac
tical Precepts he taught, but who he was, that
> * Jam. ii. 18. f John ix. 35, Uc.

JESUS CHRIST affcr'ted. 183
that he might believe on him ? and beina; in
formed it was the Perfon talking with him
he faid, Lord, I believe, and he worfhipped
him. the Belief demanded is in this Propo-
fition, that Jefus- was the Son of God, which
was affented to, on conviction of the Miracle
wrbught, and followed by an Act of Wor
fhip agreeable to that Perfuafion." An Affent
to the fame Proposition was required of the
Eunuch of Ethiopia, before he was admitted
to Baptifm, as neceffarily enjoined by the
Chriftian Covenant : Firft a Handle was
taken, from the Prophet he was reading, to
preach unto him Jefus, his Humiliation, Death
and inexplicable Generation , or Son-Ship :
and when, informed in thefe Particulars, he
afked, what hindered hirfi to be baptifed ?
Philip faid, * If thou believeft with all thine
Heart, tkbu riiayeft : he anfwered and faid, I
believe, that Jefils is the Son of God : and
upon this Profeffion he was admitted to B'ap-
tifrh, and became Heir of the Promifes, and
fubjeft to the Ordinances of the Gofpel Cove
nant. In like rnanner, whep the Jailer faid
to the Apoftles, -J- Sirs, what muft I do to be
faved? They faid, believe *on the Lord Jefus
Chrift, and thou Jhalt be faved. The Faith
of the Gofpel then is an Affent to the Parti
culars of our Redemption by Jefus Chrift,
which are fo many Propositions of Facts, and
is naturally and by Appointment greatly in
fluential towards the Reformation and Perfec-
N 4 tion
* Afts viii. 37- fxvi. 30, 31.

184 An Examination of the True Gofpel of.
tion of Man ; but yet is not the fame thing
with fuch Reformation, but distinguished from
it by the Apoftle, when he declared to the
Elders of Ephefus, * That he had kept back no
thing that was profitable for them, but had
taught them all, Jews and Greeks, Repentance
towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Je
fus Chrift. Faith then is the Belief of cer
tain Facts, and the Doftrine of fuch Faith
rendring Men acceptable to God, is not a
Perverfion of the Gofpel, fince it is the ex
prefs Doftrine of the Gofpel: and a Faith
which is, by Nature and Appointment, pro
ductive of Obedience, and declared ineffectual
without it, cannot fuperfede the Neceffity of
Reformation, or countenance the Negleft of
it ; and therefore the Doftrine of fuch Faith
is falfely and impertinently alledged by this
Author, as an Hindrance of fuch Reforma
tion, which it every way calls for, promotes,
and quickens.
If one could wonder at any thing in this
Author, marvellous muft appear his Blindnefs,
or Affurance, in begging his Reader to ob
ferve here, what a wide Difference there is
between the Sayings and Declarations of Chrift,
and the Sayings and Declarations of fbme of
thofe Men, who call themfelves after his Name,
touching this Matter. Our Lord fays, if thou
wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments ;
and keeping the Commandments, by his own Ex
planation, is to love the Lord our God, and. our
* Afts x". 21.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 185
our Neighbour as ourfelves. Here is no men
tion of Faith, therefore it is not neceffary,
according to this Man of Reafon. A Man
then perhaps may love Qod, without believ- "
ing in him : but I fancy, every one will al
low the Apoftle to be the better Reafoner of
the two, when he fays, * Without Faith it is
impoffible to pleafe God ; for he, that cometh to
God, muft previoufty believe, that he is, and
that he is the Rewarder of them, who diligently
Jeek him. The fame Jefus, who here direfts
one Man to kep the Commandments, in order
to his Salvation, which fuppofes a previous
Faith, without which they cannot be kept ;
direfts others to believe in him as the Chrift,
the Son of God, and the Father and him to
be one, which Belief implies a confequential
fuitable Behaviour; and fays, whoever thus
believeth and is baptifed, fhall be faved.
Thefe are the Words and Declarations of
Chrift : and how do his Followers fay and de
clare otherwife, when they affert in the Creed
of Athanafius, Whofoever will be faved, be
fore all Things it is neceffary, that he hold the
Catholic Faith, which is the Worfhip of one
God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity ? They
only make that to be before all Things necef
fary, which is before all Things in the Order
of Nature ; and they declare nothing to be
thus before all Things neceffary to Salvation,
but what Chrift himfelf has expreffly declared
to be fo. As no one can perform any religious Aftion
* Heb. xi. 6.

I £6 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Aftion; without firft believing God to be, what
he is; fo no one cdri perform a Chriftian Ac
tion, without firft believing Chrift to be, what
he is. It is Strange then, that this Doftrine,
which is thus agreeable to the Nature of Things,
and is alfo the exprefs Doftrine of Chrift, fhould
be blafphemed and reviled, as the higheft Pitch
of Antichrifiianifm, and oppofing Chrift in thr
moft material Point of all.
But the Author fays, fome of the Propo
sitions of this Creed are unintelligible, or ex
ceeding difficult to be underftood, others are
contradictory, and ipany of them are, what
the Salvation of Men' is not the leaft concerned
with : and inftances in the Worfhip of one
God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither
confounding the Perfons, nor dividing the Sub
ftance. This Propofition, as far as we are con
cerned to believed it, is not unintelligible, or
exceeding difficult to be underftood. Every
one may eafily apprehend the Terms of it,
what is meant by three, and what by one,
what by Divifion, and what by Confufion,
what by Subftance, and what by Perfons, and
may Conceive the fame Subftance communi
cated to fevCral Perfons, existing undivided ly
in one ariot-her, and in the fame undivided Sub
ftance. We have indeed nothing of this Na
ture offering to our Senfes, but we have analo
gous Things enough to help us to a clear Con
ception of the feveral Ideas, contained in this
Propofition. It is true, the manner of this
Existence of the Deity is quite unintelligible by
us,

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 187
us, and therefore we are not concerned to form
any Notion Of it, nay, are prefumptuous, when
we do it : but neither is the precife Manner of
the Exiftence or Powers of God any way in
telligible, or explicable by us. When the Au
thor will help me to conceive the manner of
neceffary Exiftence, Omnipotence, Omnifci-
ence, Omniprefence, Eternity paft or to come;
I will explain to him the Mode, by which one
undivided Subftance is communicated to three
diftinft Perfons. In the mean time, I can as
eafily underftand this Propofition, as the others,
and believe it, as far as I underftand it, as-
well as the others, upon the fame Authority,
the Truth of God.
It is faid in the Creed. — There is one Per
fon of the Father, another of the Son, and a-
nother of the Holy Ghoft : and every one of
thefe is faid to be Eternal; and yet it is faid,
there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal —
But here is no Contradiction, except in the
Author's Imagination : a Contradiction is, when
the fame thing, in the fame refpeft, is faid to
be, and not to be at the fame time : if there
fore thefe three Perfons were faid to be one
Perfon, or this one Subftance was faid to be
three Subftances, there would, be a Contradic
tion. But this is not the Cafe: the Subftance
of God is one and undivided, and the Attri
butes and Powers of God are together with his
Subftance, the whole Subftance is referred to
each of the Perfons, with all the Attributes ex-
ifting,

1 8 8 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
ifting in it; each therefore, in virtue of this
Subftance, is by himfelf God, and Lord, eter
nal, uncreated, incomprehensible.
But however this be, the Author aflcs, what
has a Trinity in Unity, or Unity in Trinity,
or three Perfons and one God, to do with the
Saving of Mankind ? Nothing, he is fure, no
more than the moral Fables of Mfbp, nay, not
fo much. Since then he does not know, I
will inform him, how thefe Propofitions have
much to do with the faving Mankind : firft,
becaufe a Steady Affent to them is made the
Terms of our Salvation by the great Author of
it. Secondly, as they enable us to worfhip
God in the Order and Manner, in which he
has revealed himfelf to exift. Thirdly, as they
acquaint us with the Dignity of our Saviour
and Redeemer, and thereby capacitate us to.
make a due Eftimate of the Greatnefs of his,
Love to us, and the Meafure of our Returns of
Affection and Duty to him. Greater Love
hath no Man than this, that a Man lay down
his Life for his Friend: How furpaffing
theri is the Love of the fecond Perfon in
the Godhead, in that h^tafteth Death for every
Man,- and' died for us, while we were yet Sin
ners ? Can they chufe but love muchj to whom
fo much is given and forgiven ? And can they
love Chrift much, and not keep his Command
ments ; Since they are then only declared his
Friends, if they do whatjoever he commands
them? The

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 189
The Author, who is an equal Enemy to all
Creeds, (but his own, whatever it is,) has An
gled out the Athanafian to bear the Weight of
his ill Humour : this, he thinks, is unduly
honoured, by being appointed to be read in our
religious Affemblies on certain Feftivals, which
have Marks of Honour (but improperly, I fup-
pofe) ftamped upon them, fuch as Chriftmas ;
Eafter, and Afcenfion Day, &c. and that this
PraBice tends to mifiead the People in an Affair
of the laft Importance to them. The Athana
fian Creed is indeed longer and more explicit
than the others, but this we muft thank the
Infidels and Heretics for : For if Men will pub
lish falfe Doftrines, or wrong Explications of
true ones ; they, who watch for the Souls of
Men, and are the Guardians of that Faith
once delivered to the Saints, muft oppofe to
them true Doftrines, and true Explications.
But then the longeft Form does not contain
any new Doctrine, or different from that of the
Shorteft. The Unity in Trinity, and the Tri
nity in Unity, is as much and Strongly taught
in the ancient baptifmal Confeffion of Belief
of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, or of
that one Article, required by our Saviour, that
he was the Son of God, or that he was in the
Father, and the Father in him, as in that,
which bears the Name of Athanafius : which
is only explanatory of the others, the general
Truth deduced into its Particulars, and that
not chofen, but forced upon the Church by the
Per-

190 An Examination of the True Gofpel of ,
Perverfenefs of thofe, ' who oppofed themfelves
to the Truth, and endeavoured to feduce other
People. Creeds then, as fuch, cannot tend to
miflead the People, fince they are required of
them by the Author of our Salvation, upon
Pain of Damnation. The Creeds of our Church
teach nothing, but what Chrift himfelf taught,
and if the People are miffed by them, they
are milled by Chrift himfelf. The Command
ments, and" Directions for Practice have a con
stant Place in the fame Services, Affemblies,
and on the fame folemn Days, where and when
thefe Points of Faith are recited to the People,
and are alike honoured and inculcated, and
confequentiy the latter cannot tend to miflead
them to the negleft of the former, but to lead
them to believe aright the Things God has re
vealed, that they may acceptably perform what
he has commanded, without which Belief they
cannot perform it, and to fet them right in an
Affair of the laft Importance to them.
The Clergy have fubfcribed the Articles, and
that among the reft, which declares. — — the
three Creeds, Nice Creed, Athanafius's Creed,
and that which is commonly called the Apo
ftles Creed, ought thoroughly to be received
and believed: for they may be proved by moft
certain Warrants of holy Scripture.  And it
is Candour to believe, they would not have
made .Subscription to what they did not affent
to as true, and would give up any Thing, ra
ther than profefs that to be true, which they
con-

JESUS CHRIST afferted. J91
conceived to be falfe. They are not therefore
obliged to this Author for his kind Infinuation,
nor can make ufe of the notable Expedient of
the Salifbury Curate in the Cafe of the Book of
Sports, by reciting thefe Creeds, and then de
claring, they read them indeed in obedience to
human Authority, but were forbid to believe
a Tittle'of them upon the Authority of God.
When therefore they rehearfe the Declarations
of the Creed in Queftion  Whofoever will be
faved, before all Things it is neceffary, that he
hold the Catholic Faith; which Faith except
every one do keep whole and undefiled, without
doubt he fhall perift} everlaftingly  And again,
He therefore, that will be faved, muft thus think
of the Trinity  And, furthermore it is necef
fary to everlafiing Salvation, that he believe
rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jefus Chrift
 And, this is the Catholic Faith, which ex
cept a Man believe faithfully, he cannot be fa
ved  They muft fay, if they fay any Thing,
that thefe are the Doftrines of Jefus Chrift,
the Terms of the new Covenant, the. Way,
and the only Way, pointed out byat to Life
eternal. This is the Account they muft give
of their acting in thefe Declarations, if they
are as fincere and honeft, as I have Reafon to
think them ; if they are not as weak, wicked,
and abominable, as this Author, for Reafons
beft known to himfelf, has thought fit to re-
prefent them. The

192 Ari Exariiination of the True Gofpel of
The next Hindrance to the Influence of the
Gofpel on the Minds and Lives of Men, ac
cording to this Author, is the Doftrine of an
irrefpeBive Predeftination, an AB of Sove
reignty determining irreverftbly fome to Happi
nefs and others to Mifery, independent of their
good, or bad Behaviour. This Doftrine, I
freely own, evacuates the whole Gofpel, makes
its Precepts and Exhortations ufelefs; and all
Virtue impoffible, as it turns Men into Ma
chines, arid the World into a Puppet-fhew,
where no. Agent has the Power of directing
hhnfelf, but muft follow the Guidance and
Direftion of the Strings, which irrefiftibly
draw him upwards or downwards, this Way
or that Way. Obedience in this Cafe is, to
be ftill, like the Bell of a Clock, till Struck
upon, and to roll, like the Wheels, as the.
Weight forces. But then this Doctrine is
falfely and impertinently affigned by this Au
thor, as a Reafon why, where the Gofpel has
been received and profeffed, it has not gene
rally had its proper Effect: fince as this is not
a Doctrine of the Gofpel, fo it has not been
generally receiv'd, nay, is almoft univerfaily .
rejected by thofe, who profefs themfelves Chri
ftians, and therefore cannot be the Caufe of
the Gofpel's general ill Succefs among the Pro-
feffors of it. This national Church, and moft
others, difclaim this Doftrine : and if any Sec-
tarifts at home, or Societies of Chriftians a-
broad, hold it, they muft anfwer for it, as for
any

JESUS CHRIST afferted, 193
any other Errors, which are inconfiftent with
the Plan of Religion and Virtue, and the Gof
pel in particular.
The next Hindrance to the Gofpel's good
Effefts among profeffed Christians, the Au
thor fays, is a kind of Fatality taught by them,
which puts it out of the Power of Men to do
good, and neceffdrily and unavoidably determines
them to do Evil ; and a Piece of falfe Doc
trine fuperadded, that this unhappy State of
Mankind, which fubjefts them unavoidably
to the Difpleafure of God, and Miferies of
another World, is owing to the Mifcarriage of
¦ our firfi Parents, or to the Operation of fome
foreign Agent, or both. But this is all Mif-
reprefentation, and one would be apt to think,
the Author muft know it to be fo. This is
not the Doftrine of the Gofpel, nor of any
One profeffing it, and therefore cannot be the
Caufe, why the Gofpel has not generally had
its proper Effect, where it has been received.
The Scripture Doftrine on this Head is, that
original Sin, committed at the Instigation of
a wicked Spirit, introduced that Corruption
and Weaknefs into Adam and his Pofterity,
as made them prone to Evil, and averfe to
Good : But that, fo far from their being left
in this deplorable Condition, which muft have
grown from bad to worfe; a Remedy was pro
vided as early as the Difeafe, a Covenant of
Grace was made, a Saviour promifed, and in
confequence of it, the Affiflance of God's
O Spirit

194 An Examination of the True Qofpel oj
Spirit granted, to enable Men to rife to Vir
tue and Happinefs. The Infirmities of our
Nature ftill hang about us, but are not un-
furmountable : The * Devil, like* a roaring
Lion, ftill walks about, Jeeking whom he may
devour, but is by no means irrefiftible : if we
take the Shield of Faith offered us, we may
quench all his fiery Darts; we may refill him,
and, if thus refitted, he will fly from us.
Since in our Flefh dwelleth no good thing, we
muft mortify and'fubdue it : Since our Salva
tion is a Conflict, we muft work it out with
Fear and Trembling : Since we ftrive for the
Mattery, and the Reward of our Victory will
be an incorruptible Crown, we muft be tem
perate in all things: we muft be fober and
vigilant, believing and devout, and put on
the whole Armour of God, that we may be
able to Stand againft the Wiles of the Devil:
-f For we wrefile not againft Flefh and Blood,
but againft Principalities, againft Powers, a-
gainft the Rulers of the Darknefs of this World,
againft Jpiritual Wickednefs in high Places.
Thus calculated for all the Purpofes of the
Chriftian Life is the Doftrine of cn-iginal Sin,
as it is drawn out in the Scripture : but how
diftorted and deformed is every Feature of it
by this Author, who firft forges, and then'
accufes, disfigures every thing, he defcribes,
and poifons every thing, he touches. The
* i Pet. v. ?. -f- Rph. vi. i:.

JESUS CHRIST affbrBJ.'- 195
The next thing; the Author mentions, as
highly injurious to the: Gofpel' of Chrift; is
the fitting too great a Value upon-j arid paying
too great a Regard to Rites, and Ceremonies,
and pofitive Inftitutions, and giving them P ree
fer ence to moral Duties.' This, he fays, is moft
vifible (he fhould have faid, only vifible) in
Popifb Countries, where Men's Zeal for, and
Trufl in thefe things, is carried to its utmoft
Height ; where this Principle-has introduced a
Multitude of Superftitions, expreffed by Wafh-
ings, Faftings, Bowings, Proftrations, Croffings,
and the like ; where large Bodies, , or religious
Orders of Men, live lazily, without contribut>-
ing a Mite to the common Good, and expeB to
be javed by the Merit of a hair Shirt, a hemp
Girdle, or fpending fome of their Time in Me±
ditatian and Devotion. That there may be an
Impropriety and Excefs in thefe Things, aS
well as others, is confeffed: that Rites and
Ceremonies may be f oppifh and impertinent,
and fo numerous, as to choak true Religion,
and miflead in the Notion of it, and that this
is really the Cafe in Popifh Countries, is alfo
acknowledged, and one need but read over
one Solemn pontifical Mafs, to be convinced
of it :- and that Numbers of People there
live, Shut up in Cloyfters, and think they
are ferving God, by becoming ufelefs to the
World, is allowed and lamented. But all
this is nothing to Chriftianity, as profeffed
elfewhere, and particularly in the Church of
O 2 Eng-

196 An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
England; which, on account of her Doftrine,
Difcipline, and Worfhip, the Clergy (without
fearing the Imputation of telling God Almighty
fdle Tales in fome of their Prayers) call the
beft, the moft reformed, the pureft, the moft
primitive and apoftolical of any Church in
the World. Rites and Ceremonies may be
fuperfluous and ufelefs, and they may alfo be
neceffary and inftruftive: falfe Dependences
may be created by them, an undue Regard
may be paid to them ; but yet a juft Me
dium in, and Refpeft towards them, may be
fo far from hindring, as greatly to promote
Religion. And then, according to the Gof
pel Direction^ thefe Things will be done,
and not the others left undone. In fhort,
there can be no religious Societies without fe
cial Worfhip, nor fecial Worfhip, without
uniform Action, nor any Aftion without its
Mode and Manner of Performance. The
apoftolic Rule in this Cafe is, that all things
be done * decently, in order, and to Edifica
tion. If this Author had Eyes to difcern the
Beauty of Holinefs, he would perceive ; and
if he had Ingenuity, he would own ; how
exactly this Rule has-been followed by that
Church, which has a Right to his Commu
nion, unlefs the Terms of it are finful. That
Church, whofe Service is exactly fiiited to all
the Purpofes of ppblick Worfhip : where Sup
plications, Prayers, and giving thanks, are
made
* 1 Cor. xiv. 40.

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 197
made for ourfelvesand all Men, audibly, and
in the common Language, with graceful Or
der, .happy Mixture, and interchangable Re
lief of Devotion and Inftruftion: where there
is no room for Affectation of Cefture, or
Amufement of fantaftic Garb : where' the
officiating Minifter appears in a fimple Veft-
ment of one Colour, to guard againft Negli
gence on the one hand, and Foppery on the
other, and nothing of Drefs or Aftion is ad
mitted, which may diftraft or miflead the
People : where no wafhing is prefcribed, but
what was appointed by Chrift in the Sacra
ment of Baptifm ; where but one Croffipg,
and that upon one Occafion, is allowed, and
at the fame time explained to denote, the ini
tiated Perfon fliall not thence forward be
afhamed to confefs the Faith of Chrift cruci
fied : where we confefs our Sins, meekly
kneeling on our Knees, and fland at the Con
feffion of our Faith, and perform every Part
of the Service in the Poflure and Manner,
which are moft agreeable to the Nature of it:
that Church, which gives not the leaft En
couragement to Will-worfhip, and fanciful
Merits, and ufelefs Seclufions from the World,
but is happy in two only Seminaries of Learn-r
ing and Religion, from whence to draw out a
continual Supply of Members, able and wiU
ling to ferve God both in Church and State :
which allows indifferent things tobe indiffe
rent things, and divine Appointments to be
O 3 divine

198 An Examination of the True Gojpel of
divine Appointments ; fubmiffive and exact in
her Obfervance of the latter, and difcreet and
charitable in her Direftion of the former.
As to the Author's Outcry about the undue
Preference of Rites and Ceremonies above the
weightier, Matters of the Law, and the exalt
ing pbfitive Inftitutions beyond moral Duties ;
it is an Outcry only, and always loudeft with
this Writer, when there is leaft to fupport it.
No fuch Doftrine is acknowledged by our
Church, or defended by any one of the Preach
ers of Chrift and his Gofpel among us. Who
ever endeavours to fet the Laws of God at
Variance with each- other ^ and teaches the
Obfervance of pofitive Inftitutions to the Neg
lect of moral Duties, orpf moral Duties to
the Negleft of pofitive Inftitutions, is an Ene
my and Hinderer of the Gofpel of Chrift:
arid the Character fixes itfelf on this AcCmfer
of his Brethren, fince he has actually done it.
Moral Duties are fuch, as refulting from the
Nature of Things, are juftly concluded to
be his Willr who created the Things with
their feveral Relations. Pofitive Inftitutions
are Appointments of the fame divine Will,
rriade known to us by exprefs Revelation,
founded in the higheft Reafon, but not ob
ligatory upon us, becaufe not difcoverable by
us, without fuch Revelation. The Ground
of Obedience is the fame in both Cafes, name
ly, the divine Authority, which cannot be
fafely, if at all, reverenced in one Inftahce,
^ and

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 199
and difregarded in another. The Principle is
uniform, and the Practice muft be agreeable to
it, not humourfbme and partial, but univerfal.
* Ye are my Friends, fays Chrift, if ye do
whatfoever I command you. And the Apoftle
fays, ' -f If we offend in one Point, we are guilty
Of all: and the Reafon follows, for he that
faid, do not commit Adultery, faid alfo, do not
kill, and (I add) faid alfo, X do this in Re
membrance of me ; now if thou commit no
Adultery, yet if thou kill, or neglefteft the
other Ordinances of God, fuch as Baptifm
and the Supper of the Lord, thou art become
a Tranfgreffbr of the Law. It will be no
Plea, that thou haft kept this or that Com
mand, if thou haft wilfully neglected any :
all were alike enjoined by the fame unquefti-
onable Legiflator ; there is no commuting, or
obeying by halves, you muft be entirely com
plying, or not at all upon a Principle of Re
ligion. Indeed where Duties feem to clafh in
point of Time or Place, that both cannot be
performed, we muft with our beft Judgment
chufe that, which we can any way difcover
to be the Will of God on that particular Oc-
cafion; efpecially, if he has explained him
felf at all on that Head, if we are going to
his own Altar, || and remember our Brother
bath ought againft us, we muft firft go, and
be reconciled to our Brother. The Prefervation
O 4 of
* John xv. 14. f Jam. ii. 10, n. {Luke xxii. 19.
\ Matt. v. 23, 24.

ioo An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
of Man or Beaft, in the Circumftance of
immediate Danger, is no Breach of Sabbath:
and if a great Aft of Mercy and Sacrifice call
at once for our Attention, we are warranted
in general, and urilefs there is fomething
particular in the Cafe, to prefer the former,
by him, who faid * I will have Mercy, and
not Sacrifice. But in all other Cafes, there is
no greater or lefs among the Commandments
of God with refpeft to our Obedience, except
in the Imaginations of fanciful Men, and the
Practice of half, that is, no Chriftians. And
as this is the exprefs Doftrine of Scripture,
and of the Church of England, and unconr
tradifted by any Preacher in it ; the lnfinur
ation pf this Author to the contrary is Mif-
jeprefentatipn apd Afberfion, a Zeal for FalfT
hood and Fondnefs of Abufe, and a blind
Refolution of maintaining his Errors, at the
Expence of Truth, Charity and Manners.
In the feveral following Paragraphs the Au
thor has reSolved to fhine, and the Reader is
to expect all his Treafures of Scandal, Out
rage, and fenfelef Declamation : he is arrived
at the beaten Path of railing and raving at thp
Clergy, and treads eafily, and gayly, and ex-
ultingiy in it. He ftands, like Sampjqn be
tween the two Pillars, and endeavours to bow
them together with all his Strength : but alafs !
he is not Sampjqn ; nor, if he was, does he pull
againft an Idol Temple, but that Rock, upon
which
Matt. ix. 13.

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 201
which Chrift has built his Church. His Satire
againft all Clergymen, or the Wealth and
Power of Clergymen, is like an Invective a-
gainft Men and Women, or Wealth and Power
in general, which may fhew the Wit, and
fometimes the Folly and Malice of the Wri
ter, but hurts no body, in the Judgment of
the Candid and Ingenuous. That a Miniftry
was the Appointment of the great Author of
our Religion, has been Shewn in its proper
Place : and it is hard to be donceived, how the
facred Records of it fhould have been pre-
ferved, and tranfmitted, and the Senfe of its
important Truths kept up on the Minds of
Men, without fuch a wife Appointment, or a
continual Miracle. How then comes it to
pafs, that this Order of Men have fo far de
feated the End of their Inftitution, as to be a
Hindrance to that Gofpel, they were defigned
and every way fitted to promote ? How is it,
that they, who were the natural and appoint
ed Inftruments of continuing the Knowledge
and Practice of Chriftianity to all fucceffive
Generations, are become in a great meafure a
worthlefs, ufelefs, nay, injurious Tribe of Fel
lows ? Why, if this Author is to be credited,
it is owing to that great Liberality, which took
place in the early Times of Chriftianity, by
which Men gave their Goods, both moveable and
immoveable, to the Church, that is to Chriftian
Societies. Wealth begetsLuxury, and Property
!Power, and Power tends to its own Enlarge ment :

202 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
merit : and fo thefe Liberalities did a world bf
Mifchief; the Chriftian Societies forgot the
Gofpel, arid fell a 'Squabbling for thefe Things;
like fo many Dogs, I fuppofe, for a Bone.
But this is nothing, but a Vifion in his own
Head: for at the Time when Men fold their
Poffeffions, and laid them at the Apoftles Feet,
nothing was feen generally among Chriftians,
but Peace, and Love, and every good Work.
Every Degree of Property, with this Author
is Wealth, and Wealth is followed by Luxury
and Ambition, at leaft among Chriftian So
cieties. Now I fee no Remedy for this, un
lets all Chriftians will diveft themfelves of their
Poffeffions and Estates, and give them to forne^
body, who is a Stranger to Chriftianity : and
perhaps this Reformer of Mankind may be
contented to accept of therii, under that Cha
racter. But if they fhould happen to have the
fame dire Effects on him, as on Chriftian So
cieties, and hinder his great Work of Refor
mation, he rnuft refign them, by hii own Ar
gument, to another, and he poffibly to a third,
and fo on, till there may not be one left to en
joy therii. But I fliall not do this Writer
juftice, unlefs I allow he levels his Arguments,
not againft the Chriftian Laity, but the Chri
ftian Miniftry : he firft invidipufly calls their
Maintenance Wealth and Power, and then
charitably reprefents them as a Parcel of Raf-
cals, who regarded nothing elfe, when they
entered into the Miniftry. But now fince
Chrift'

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 403
Chrift has appointed, that they, who ferve the
Altar, fhould live by the Altar, and when this
was left to the Difcretion of People before the
Settlement of Chriftianity in civil Societies,
they had the Whole, or great Part of the Ef
fects of the Laity left to their Difpofal ; this
Author need not be angry at the Wifdom of a
fixed Maintenance, which prevents fuch Pro-
fufion of Wealth to the Clergy, and the ill
Ufe, that might in After-times be made of it :
if he would not provide for them himfelf, he
may be thankful to better Men, who have done
. it to his Hand; and thereby have encouraged
and raifed a regular Order of Men, to attend
upon this very thing, the fludying and preach
ing the ufeful Doftrines of Chriftianity, and
keeping up the Senfe of Religion and good
Manners in their refpeftive Stations, free from
the Avocations and Sollicitudes of the World
inconfiftent with Application to their Work,
and not put under the Temptation of courting
the Humours and flattering the Vices of thofe,
whom they are to adrnonifh and inftruft, in
hope of extraordinary Gain, or through fear
of ftarving : which would have been the great
eft Bone of Contention, that could have been
thrown among Chriftian Societies, and would
have opened the Door to loud, fervile, and
empty Pretenders of every kind, and fhut it a-
gainfl the modeft, the deferving, and the good.
That there may be an Excefs in fuch Provifion,
as well as in other Things, is acknowledged j
and

204 -dn Examination of the True Gofpel of
and where it is, it ought to be retrenched, ac
cording to the Circumftances of Things, and
the Nature, Conftitution, and Order of every
Nation : But if the Author had not told me fo,
I fhould fcarce have believed, he faw an In
ftance of it in his own Country, which has
ever had a watchful Eye on this Particular, and
no fooner found any Inconvenience of this
kind, but it has redreffed it. The Maintenance
of the Clergy of the eftablifhed Church is a-
greeable to the Nature of their Office, and upon
the Model of the divine Appointment, and, by
virtue of it, they keep, and ever muft keep
that Station in Life, which beft qualifies them
to be ufeful to all Orders .of Men, as Citizens,,
and as Minifters : and, Envy and Malice a-
part, they have in general proved the Wifdom
of their Appointment, by their good Offices to
Mankind. But the Endowments of the Church, accor-?
ding to this Author, have introduced, not only
an ufelefs, but afuperftuous Clergy, dignified and
diftinguifhed by pompous Titles and. Vefiments,
wallowing in Riches, and affuming Dominion
over their Brethren, whom they endeavour to
keep in Ignorance arid Superftition, which are
the Grounds of their own Wealth and Sovereignty.
He refers us for Proof to Popifh Countries, but
has not been fo juft, as to acquit our own.
As to the Church of Rome, it is a Policy and
Confederacy of State, rather than a Religion,
and I am no ways difpofed to undertake the
Defence

JESUS CHRIST djferted. 205
Defence of thofe, who have facrificed the Doc
trines and Interefts of Chriftianity to thefe
political Views. But among what Proteftants
Some of thefe fuperflubus, dignified, pompous
Clergymen maintain their Ground, notwith-
ftanding the Reformation, I cannot difcern.
We have, it is true, and I thank God that
we have,, Bifhops among us, exercifing their
proper Powers in the Church, which were
not given them by any Man or Number of
Men, but delegated to them from Chrift, the
Fountain of Authority : and thefe, like other
Perfons and Things, have their proper Titles,
Names, and Drefs, diftinguifhing, but not
affected, decent, not pompous. We have be
fides fome few Revenues of a moderate Size,
appropriated to Ecclefiaftics, or Perfons enter
ed into the Service of the Courch, without
the Care of any diftinft Parifh, or Society of
Chriftians annexed to them. Thefe are the
Spurs of Induftry, and the Diftinftions of
Merit ; and the Poffeffors are called upon, by
their Situations, Leifure from parochial Du
ties, and the Expeafttions of the World, to
remove Envy from their Elevation and other
Advantages, and juftify their Diftinftion, by
a proportionable Improvement in Study, Vir
tue, writing and living for the Benefit of the
whole Church ; and many it muft be owned,
have done fo,' and added a Luftre to their
Dignities, by becoming moft ufeful, and there
fore not at all fuperfluous, Clergymen. But

206 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
But there are not only fupe'rftuous great
Clergymen, according to this Author, hatful
pernumerary little ones too, and other Griev
ances, fuch as Pluralities and Nonreftdence.
He proceeds thus in his candid Way: The
Defire of Wealth and Power, being an unj'a-
tiabie. Appetite, efpecially in the Clergy, it has
introduced Plurality of Benefices', and. this in
troduced Curates, and they Nonreftdence. The
monopolifing, fat, lazy Ingroffer of Prefer
ments fends his Journeyman to do the Duty,
upon a fmall Stipend, while he enjoys the Reve
nue in Luxury and Eafe. Ridicule is the ea-
fieft Thing in the World, and by the like
Figures of Speech, called falfifying and mif-
reprefenting, a Man may undertake to expofe
any Perfons and Things to Contempt and Buf.
foonry. As to Curates, whom this Author
civilly ftiles fupernumerary and journeymen
Clergy, they muft have place in every Church,
or the Offices and Duties of it muft in many
Places be omitted ; unlets every Parifh Mini-?
Sler is certain of continual Health and Strength
to do them himfelf at all Times, how many
and how laborious foever they may be.
When an honeft Livelihood is likely to be
obtained in any way of Life, Men will qua
lify and offer themfelves for it ; and for this
Caufe many enter into the Miniftry, without
any certain Cure of Souls in their own Right,
but as Affiftants, to others, and endeavour to
ferve God and their Country in, that Capacity, till

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 207
till they fhall be called to another. And it
is for the Intereft of Religion and the Church,
that there fhould always be fuch Candidates,
whom, experienced and approved in the fe
veral Parts of their Function, fhe may admit
into her vacant Cures. Till this happens, if
they are called to affift in fome of thofe al
ready full, upon a proper Stipend ; inftead of
one Perfon's enjoying two Benefices, one Be
nefice fupports two Clergymen, who unite
their Endeavours for the common Benefit :
no one is injured, and much Good is every
way done. In cafe of Pluralities, (which, in
our Church at leaft, arife, not from the Opu
lence, but Poverty of Provifion for the paro
chial Clergy, not fo often' from Choice, as
Neceffity of the Perfons poffeffing) each Cure
has by this means its proper Minister, though
under different Titles ; the Revenue is propor
tioned to the different Circumftances and Sta
tions of the Perfons, and the Decifion of that
Affair left, to the Judgment of the indifferent
Diocefan, under proper Reftriftions of the
Law, which fuperintends the Good of the
Whole. This is the Face of Things in this
Proteftant Church, where Parifhes are in ge
neral regularly ferved, Covetoufnefs and Lazi-
nefs checked or prevented, Diligence and Me
rit expected and rewarded ; and where Non-
refidence, except upon extraordinary Occa-
fions, is neither countenanced, nor allowed.
If one was to form a Notion of our Clergy upon

£68 An Examination off the Tru£ Gbfffd of
upon the fo often forfeited Credit of this in*-*
venOnied Writer, one would be led to imagine^
they were, almoft to a Man, a Set of fat; wan
ton Creatures, with Paunches ftrutting out be
fore them, fpending their Lives in Riot and
Intemperance, and utterly regardlefs of the
fpiritual or temporal Wants of their Brethren.
He is intemperately merry, and turns arrant
Droll upon the Occafion. For hear him- 
Neither the Hireling, nor his Principal, neither
the poor, nor the rich Rogue, does more for
the People than their fiated Duty and the Law
obliges them ; and very often not fo much. Yea,
fuch is the Behaviour ofjome Clergymen towards
their People, that they do not come near them
jrom Sunday to Sunday, and then it is only
hafiily to read over the Church-Service j with a
jhort Leffbn of InftruBion ; and when that is
done, the Horfe ftands ready at the Hatch, and
carries them off. If the Parfons are capable of
being rallied to Death, they are in great Dan
ger : for what matters it, whether it be true ?
It is certainly a Joke, and that will take with
fome People. For after all, this opulent, un-
weildy Doctor, who comes trotting on a Sun
day to a Church, with no more Religion than
his Horfe,- is perhaps fome pious, good, but
indigent Man, whofe Horfe hangs at the Hatch,
for want of Money or Intereft to get him bet
ter accommodated, who wears out his Life in
endeavouring to do what Service he can, and
rides from Church to Church to get a forry
Liveli-

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 209
Livelihood, which is not the tenth Part of
what with the fame Abilities he might have
probably gained in any other way of Life.
Such a Perfon can be no Inftance of the Wealth,
Luxury, and Negligence of the Clergy, nor
help to fhew, what the Author fays he intends
by all this, how it comes to pafs, that where
the Gofpel has been received, it has not gene
rally had its intended Effect ; and that this is
in part owing to that ufelefs Miniftry, which
has too generally prevailed in the Chriftian
World. But we have not yet done with the Clergy ;
the wicked Lives of many of them are brought
in judgment againft them, as highly injurious
to the Gofpel of Chrift, and the Souls of Men.
For Example influences beyond Precept, and
bad Examples beyond good ones ; and the bad
Examples of Clergymen are more mifchievous
and hurtful, than any others. The Author
does not fay, at what Clergy he points his In
vective, but, I will venture to fay, would wil
lingly have the Reader underftand him of thofe
of his own Country : and then it will be diffi
cult to quit him of the Charge of being Scan
dalous, malicious, and libellous, accufing, con
demning, murdering the Reputation of a whole
Order of Men, refpeftable at leaft for their
Office, without and againft Proof. As far as
my Experience and Obfervation has gone, and,
I believe, it will be confirmed by that of every
candid Inquirer, the Generality of the Clergy
P of

a io An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
of this Nation lead fober and regular, and
many bf them exemplary and pious Lives. It
is to be hoped, and I think may fairly be be
lieved, there are very few, fo forgetful of their
many Obligations, their Situation on the Hill
not to be hid, and the fatal Influence of their
ill Behaviour on .their own and other Men's
Salvation, as by a wicked Life to dishonour
that holy Name by which they are called, and
make Meri abhor the Offering of the Lord.
We hear of but rare Inftances of this fort a-
mong us; and yet we may be pretty fure, we
hear of all the Inftances which can be pro
duced. Such Men can expect no more Quar
ter among the Friends, than among the Ene
mies to Chriftianity : every Spot in their Gar
ment will be feen, lamented, and complained
of by the former, in order to wafh it away,
and prevent the Contagion of it ; and will be
aggravated, fpread, and trumpeted on the Houfe-
tops by the latter, in order to diffufe Scandal,
raife a general Odium, Strengthen Infamy, and
ferve all the wicked Purpofes of Virulence and
Railing. Since then this Author has been fo injurious
and miftaken in the Hindrances of the Gofpel's
true Effect on the Minds and Lives of Men,
which he has hitherto produced ; I beg leave
to affign one evident and glaring one, which
he has fupplied me with : I, mean, his own
Writings, and thofe ofa like Character, which
are continually perverting, reviling, and blaf-
pheming

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 2U
pheming this holieft and pureft of Inftitutions,
and defeating the kindeft Intentions of Provi
dence to Mankind; which remove Religion,
and next, God out of the World, difdain the
Means of Grace, and run counter to all the
Hopes of Glory ; which diftraft and debauch
the Minds of the People from their Duty, and
engage them in the bare Amufement of end-
lefs Difputation and univerfal Scepticifm ; which
with idle Cavils obftruft and endeavour to over
turn that Faith, which otherwife would be
fruitful in every good Work, and by perpetual
Mifreprefentations, Afperfions, and Calumnies,
weaken the Hands of thofe, who are willing,
and otherwife under God would be able, a-
greeable to their Inftitution, to do a great deal
of Good to Mankind, by preaching the Gofpel
of Chrift, keeping up the Senfe of true Reli
gion in the World, and preffing its happy In
fluence on the Hearts and Confciences of Men.
The Author has been long in the Quaker's
Quarter, and from thence fpent his fmall Shot
of hireling, Journeymen, ufelefs, fuperfluous, fu-
pernumerary, injurious, rich, wanton, lazy, lux
urious, wicked Priefts : he now Shifts his Situa
tion, and plants a new Battery from the Side
of the Anabaptifts, and mentions Infant Bap*.
tifm and Infant Communion, as Proftitutions
of the Ordinances of Chrift, and Hindrances
of the due Effects of his Gofpel. As to Bap
tifm, which is the Ceremony of Initiation in
to the Chriftian Covenant, Children are ca-
P 2 pable

2 12 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
pable of it, as well as Adults, by the Favour
of God : they were admitted into fuch Cove
nant on the eighth Day under the Jewifh Oeco-
nomy, by the Direftion of God ; and have the
fame Claim to it under the Chriftian frprri the
general Command, and uninterrupted confe
quent Practice, of baptifing all Nations and
Families, unlefs they -can be fhewn to be ex*
cepted by fome hitherto undifcovered Prohibi
tion. When thefe initiated Perfons come to
Years of Difcretion, they are required to de
clare their Affent and Confent to this Cove
nant, and the Terms of it, or may renounce
and annul it; that is, obey or difobey God
at their own Election, and muft ftand to the
Con Sequences of fuch their Determination.
Now how all this is a Proftitution of Chrift's
Ordinance, or can be any Hindrance to the
Gofpel, or its Effects on the Minds and Lives
of Men, I cannot difcern. Chriftianity does
not hereby become hereditary, nor is any
Countenance given to fo wild an Imagination,
that the other Terms of Salvation may be Safe
ly neglefted, provided this of Initiation be ob
ferved : on the contrary, every Perfon is called
upon to underftand and perform the Cove
nant, he had the Privilege of being early en
tered into, from which however he is to ex
pect no Benefit, but extraordinary Punifhment,
without fuch Performance of the Conditions of
it, as foon as he is of Age and Capacity. In
this cafe, indeed the Favours of God, in fome
meafure,

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 213
meafure, become hereditary, fince they are
gracioufly extended to the Children of Chri
stian Parents, who enjoy the Advantage of
their Parents Piety and covenanted State, if
they die, before they are capable of acting for
themfelves. This is an Inftance of God's
boundlefs Generofity and Goodnefs, a warm
Encouragement to the Piety of Adults, who
thus are permitted to entail a Bleffing on their
Offspring, and the ftrongeft Incitement to that
Offspring, arrived at Maturity, to anfwer in
fome meafure thefe kind Purpofes of Heaven,
by a Life Strictly and confcientioufly conform
able to the Will- of their fovereign Lord and
beneficent Saviour j efpecially, when by a diffe
rent Behaviour they renounce all Title to the
Favours, and become obnoxious to all the Ter
rors of the Gofpel, the certain Confequence of
abufed Mercy and affronted Kindnefs and Con-
defcenfion. This Practice therefore every way
makes for the Interefts of Virtue and Religion,
and therefore is falfely and abfurdly brought
by this Author for a Hindrance to the Gofpel
of Chrift.
As to Infant Communion, upon whatever
Principles it once obtained, it has now no
Place among Chriftians in thefe Parts of the
the World, and therefore is with equal Impro
priety placed in the Clafs of the prefent Hin
drances to the Gofpel, if it could be fuppofed
ever to have been one. I own freely, Chil
dren do not feem, according to the Nature of
P 3 Things,

2 14 An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
Things, capable Subjects of this Sacrament,
as they are of the other : in the one cafe they
are only Patients, in the other they are fup-
pofed to be Agents, which pre-fuppofes the
Power of acting : in one they receive a Fa
vour, in the other they are to do a Duty ; in
one fomething is done to and for them, in the
other they are to do an Aftion themfelves, as
a Memorial between God and Man. Be In
fant Communion then a Miftake, it was a
well-meant one however, committed out of
abundant Caution and Refpeft, and does not
feem to deferve the hard Name this petulant
Writer has beftowed upon it ; who has here
ftepped out of his way to fwell his Bill of
Complaints, and who, to fhew his Learning
and great Reading, rails at a Praftice, as if
modern, which has long fince been out of
date in moft Parts of Europe, but which he
picked up fome where or other, and was reT
folved to prefs into his Service.
But he is now carried beyond all Temper,
when -he comes, Sthly, to what has been moft
of all injurious to the Gofpel of Chrift, name
ly, the Countenance, Encouragement, and
Settlement given by Chriftian Princes to ReT
ligion, which he calls an unnatural Coalition
of Things, which jhould have been for ever dif-
tinB and feparate, religious and civil Societies.
On this Occafion he pours forth a Flood of
thin Nonfenfe, bitter Rancour, and infipid
Declamation. For inftance  By this the
moft

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 215
moft abjurd DoBrines and grofs Superftitions
have been perpetuated ; by this the Profejfion of
Chriftianity has been made principally Jubfer-
vient, not to the faving Metis Souls in another
World, but the Purpojes of worldly Policy in
this : by this the moft bloody and cruel Perjecu-
tions have been praBijed among Chriftians, to
the reproach of the Chriftian Name : by this
Men of all CharaBers, good and bad, have con-
ftituted, and brought into Contempt Chriftian So
cieties : nay, a Miniftry has been eftablifbed and
impofed upon Chriftian Societies, and whether
thofe Minifters have preached the true Gofpel, or
perverted it, whether they have been beneficial,
or Plagues and Pefts to the Societies committed
to their Care, the People have been obliged to
attend them, and fit down under their Miniftry,
without Power of redr effing themfelves, except by
Separation from the eftablifhed Religion, which
has often coft them dear : In Short, by all this
put together, Chriftianity is become the moft
terrible Thing that ever took place in the World.
Shall we weep, or fmile ? This frightful De
scription of Church and State in Confederacy,
big with all manner of Evils, brings to mind
that fpecious Monfter, the Trojan Horfe, with
Mifchief, inftead of Brains, in his Head, and
for Guts, with united Greeks iffuing out of his
Belly, to draw Priam's Curtains at the dead
of Night, diftain the Pavements with Gore,
and fet the World on fire. But be not alarm
ed ; this hideous Spectre, of the Author's own
P 4 railing.

2 1 6 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
railing, vanifhes, the moment you have Cou
rage to fpeak to it. Man is by Nature a reli
gious Animal, and, without the Acknowledg
ment of certain religious Principles, cannot give
the Security neceffary for the Trufl, Confi
dence, and Peace of focial Life: the Magif-
trate therefore, who is true to his own Inte-
refts, or thofe of his People, muft encourage
and cherifh fuch Principles by publick Inftruc-
tion and Offices, and require exprefs Declara
tions on that Head from thofe, who are in-
trufted with Power and Government. In cafe
of different Pretentions to his Favour, he muft
chufe that Religion which appears to him the
trueft, and confequentiy moft conducive to the
general Safety. In this Determination he on
ly ufes the Right of private Judgment in chu-
ling his Religion, and the Right ofa good Go
vernor in maintaining, and recommending that
Religion by all honeft Means to the Obfervance
of the People, for their own and his mutual
Advantage. As long as no Violence is offered
to any one on account of his religious Perfua-
fion, no Injury is done to any : Religion re
mains, what it was, a Matter of Confcience
and Choice ; and, if it is from above, is firft
pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eafy to be
intreated, full of Mercy and good Fruits, with
out Partiality, and without Hypocrify. Re
ligion throws the kindeft Afpeft on civil Socie
ties, as it cultivates thofe amiable Difpofitions,
which preferve and adorn them, as it checks and

JESUS CHRIST affertel ziy
and controuls thofe Savage Humours and furi
ous Paffions, which difturb and over- turn them;
as it makes us better Men, better Citizens, bet
ter Subjects, better Neighbours, better in every
of the Relations of Life. The more true and
divine any Religion is, the more ferviceable it
is to thefe great Purpofes, and the true is moft
ferviceable of all. The Chriftian is the Ap
pointment of God, and the true Religion ; and
the rightly informed Ruler muft obey its Dic
tates himfelf, and endeavour that others fhall
do fo too ; he muft in point of Wifdom, In-
tereft, and Confcience, cherifh, maintain, and
proteft it, employ thofe who profefs it, and
put no Power into the Hands of thofe, who
out of Principle muft labour to weaken and
over-turn it. This is what is meant by an
Eftablifhment, which is fo far from being an
unnatural Coalition of diffociate Things, that
it is exactly founded in the Nature of Things,
and the certain Refult of them ; it is befides
the exprefs Appointment of God, and foretold
by Ifaiah as the happieft State of the Church,
* when Kings Jhould become its nurftng Fathers,
and Queens its nurftng Mothers. But the Grie
vance with this Author is, that by this means
Chriftianity, the beft, the moft beneficial, and
focial Inftitution (which however, in his Lan
guage, is Error, Abfurdity, Cruelty, and Ty
ranny) is confirmed, and as it were perpetu
ated by Law among us. He charges many
bloody
* Ifa. xlix. 23.

2 1 8 An Examination of the True Gojpel of
bloody Maffacrees and Perfecutions to that
religious Settlement, which js the only hu
man Means to prevent them, quelling the
continual Struggles and Heats of contending
Factions and Parties, by giving that Preference
and Support to one, which is due, and that
Liberty to all, as anfwers all the Claims of
real or pretended Confcience, but fruftrates the
Views of defigning Men. If any horrid Pro
ceedings have at any time lurked under the
fpecious Mafk of Religion, it is a Fate, to
which the heft things are liable, that is, to be
abufed. If true Religion was not the beft
Reafon in the World for acting, it would
never have been made the Pretence to cover
the worft of Aftions, fuch as Cruelty, Op-
preflion, and Wrong: in which whoever is
concerned, either is not religious, or his Reli
gion is not a true one. But falfe Religion im
plies true, as a curve Line does a Strait, from
which it is a Deviation. If there are wrong
Establishments, it calls for Attention to make
right ones, with Judgment and Temper : for
if every thing is to be banifhed out of the
World, which has been abufed and perverted,
there will be nothing left in it, but all muft
be annihilated.
But in eftablifhed Societies of Christians
there are wicked Members, as well as good ?
be it fo : " and how will this Author prevent it
in any Societies of Chriftians not eftablifhed ?
unlefs he has found out the Secret of looking into

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 219
into the Hearts of Men, which are left to the
Cognizance of the great Day of Judgment
and Difcrimination. Wicked Actions, when
apparent, are punifhed and reftrained in every
well ordered Society ; in other Cafes Men's
Profeffions are all we have to depend on : and
thus the * Tares and the Wheat, by our Savi
our's own Decifion, muft grow together to
the general Harveft, left we blindly pluck up
one with the other.
It is true, in a Settlement of Religion, there
is an appointed Miniftry, and well is it for
the People, that there is : but Still they are
not fo tied down by the Ears under them,
efpecially, if they are the Plagues and Pefts of
Society, but that, at leaft in this Nation, they
may complain of and redrefs the Evil by pro
per Authority; but that they may follow their
own Confcience with Impunity, nay, their
Fancies, and that to Wantonnefs, in heaping
up to themfelves Teachers more to their Tafte.
They may, as they every Day do, negleft and
defpife the wholfome Rivers of living Water,
and hew unto themfelves broken Citterns,
which cannot hold Water, deaf to the Dic
tates of Reafon, and Commands of God, and?
the earneft Intreaties and kind Remonftrances;
of their regular Superiors in Church and State.
And thus much for the Author's, not Argu
ment, but wild Declamation and frantic Rav-
ipg at the Civil Eftablifhment of the Chri ftian,
* Matt. xiii. 29.

220 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
ftian Religion in his Country, which has been
fhewn to be the natural, the appointed, the
predifted means of bringing about the moft
flourishing and happy State of the Civil and
Chriftian Societies, and therefore can be no
Hindrance to the Gofpel, which was emi
nently calculated for the Good of both.
The Author, who in two Sections toge
ther, inftead of giving Reafons for the ill Suc-
cefs of the Gofpel, has been hunting for To
pics of Harangue, low Witticifms, perfonal
Slander, and railing Accufation, has at laft hit
upon a true Caufe of the thing in queftion,
when he obfenes, that, as Man is a free
Being, fo it muft be in his Power, and be left
to his Choice, whether he will behave well, or
ill, notwithftanding the great Tendency of the
Gofpel to difpoje and engage him to do what is
right. And if he could have been contented
here to have refted the matter, it would have
fpared him the Trouble, and faved him the
Shame, the Guilt, of many impertinent, ma
licious Pages. It is certainly no Impeachment
of the Divinity, the Evidence, the Reafon-
ablenefs, -and the Ufefulnefs of Chriftianity,
that fome Men do not difcern all this', others
do not attend to it, and the Generality of
Men do not live up to it. Many are too
much taken up in the Hurry of a bufy flutter
ing World, to examine into the Truth and
Propriety of Things, too inattentive to ob
ferve, too carelefs to give themfelves any Trou ble

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 221
ble about them, wholly converfant with Ob
jects of Senfe, and ingroffed and fwallowed
up in the Cares and Pleafures of Life. Many
come to the Examination of thefe Things
with Pride and Prejudice, too conceited for
Inftruftion, or with a Biafs hung on their
Judgments from vicious Affections, feek ing
Diftinftion at the Expence of Truth, or wish
ing that to be falfe, which they fear to find
true. No wonder, fuch Perfons fhould not
be affected with Things, they never think of,
while others miftake them, for want of Sin
cerity, Impartiality, and Difintereftednefs, in
their Difquifition of them. But fuppofing a
Man has confidered and is convinced of the
Truth and Reafonablenefs of the Gofpel, it
'may ftill not have its proper Effect on his
Mind and Life: he may reft in the idle Spe
culation, and never apply it in his Praftice ;
he may love prefent Pleafure more than God,
yield to the Sollicitations of outward Objects,
heightned by the Agency of wicked Spirits,
and countenanced and recommended by the
Example of a vicious World : he may indulge
in criminal Gratificatians in Defiance of ac
knowledged Duty ; put off the Thought of
Righteoufnefs, Temperance, and a Judgment
to come, thofe Things which make him trem
ble, to a diftant never to be found Opportu
nity ; ftifle the Remonftrances of Reafon, and
Confcience, and the Spirit of God, till he
lofes them all, and then lives fo long like a
Beaft,

222 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Beaft, till it is Intereft to die like one j and
then, bending his Faculties to his Behaviour,
may endeavour to perfuade himfelf and others,
he fhall do fo. Powerful is the Influence of
the Chriftian Religion to remedy thefe Evils,
but not irrefiftible: It could not be more
powerful to fubdue the Vices of Men, with
out killing their Virtues too, by a total Sup-
preffion of human Liberty. But if this Reli
gion, with all its Excellence of Conftitution,
its Affiftances and Influences from within and
without, can fcarce keep Mankind in tolera
ble Order ; lefs fure could do nothing towards
it. How can the Revelation of fuch a Reli
gion be faid to be unneceffary ? And are they
Friends to Mankind, who fay fo ? who daily
weaken its Powers and faving Influences, and
labour to fet Men loofe from the Reftraints
of it ?
The Author, SeB. 17, cafts an Eye back
ward on his Work, and with an Air of Tri
umph, Pleafure, and Self-complacency, fays,
he has done what he propofed. If he pro
pofed all that he has done, he is* a worfe Man
than I take him to be : but fome of his
Faults, if he would give me leave, I would
willingly fhelter under Ignorance, and impute
to a want of due Acquaintance with his Sub
ject, and only charge him, in thefe Particu
lars, with the Rafhnefs of meddling with
Things he does not underftand, aggravated by
the Importance of the Things. But his Per
formance

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 223
formance is Stained with fome Blemifhes,
which cannot plead this imperfeft Excufe. It
is Matter of Amazement, that he can furvey,
without Horror, his Outrage againft all that
is venerable and facred, the poifonous Arrows
he has in fport fcattered through the World,
his Conceit, his Arrogance, his Blafphemy to
wards God, and his various Injuries to Men,
his Virulence, his Abufe, his perfonal Scandal,
which he has dealt out by Wholefale ; his
Prevarications, partial Quotations, interefted
Insinuations, diftorted Reafonings, and wretch
ed Conclufions, with all the Mifchiefs actu
ally arifen, and which may hereafter arife
from them. If he faw all this in a true Light,
he would at the fame Time fee, he had occa
sion for the deepeft Repentance, and the Ap
plication of that Saviour's Merits, which he
fupercilioufly defpifes, in order to give him
Peace of Confcience, and a comfortable, ra
tional Hope of the divine Forgivenefs. But
* feeft thou a Man wife in his own Conceit ?
Says Solomon, there is more Hope of a Fool, than
of him. Infenfible of all this, he calmly fays,
be has fhewn the great End, and profeffed De
fign of our Lord Jefus Chrift's coming into the
World, and of what he did, and fuffered in it,
from it, and for it: when it is notorious,
that he has perverted and mifreprefented every
Thing, relating to that important Difpenfa
tion. He has likewife fhewn, he fays, the
Means
* Prov. xxvi. 12.

224 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
Means Chrift made ufe bf in order to obtain thi
End propofed; and that thofe Means are excel
lently ffuited to anfwer that Purpofe : when it i9
demonftrable, Chrift did not ufe the Means
he mentions, nor could they at all have an
fwered the Purpofe propofed, if he had. He
fays, he has alfo fhewn, what were,- and are,
fome of the principal Ways, by which that End
has been dij'appointed : when he reckons up
among them fuch, as God appointed, arid
are in faft excellently fitted to promote the
great Purpofe of our Salvation ; mentions
fome without Ground, for the fake of per
fonal Abufe ; and conceals others, which are
really the prefent main Hinderances and Ob->
ftruftions to the Gofpel, and its falutary Ef
fects among Men.
But the Author would have us entertain a1
good Opinion of his Views and Intentions,
and therefore here in the Conclufion puts on
the Face of Concern for the Welfare of Man
kind, and begs leave to recommend to them
the Jerious Confideration of a future Judgment
orRetribution, as deducible from Reafon, and
then not barely to entertain it as a Speculation1,
which in point of Argument they are capable of
defending, but to make it a Principle of ABion
to themfelves, that is, live fuitably to Juch a
Perfuafton, and as Perfons, that muft give an
Account of themfelves to God. But, under this
grave Appearance, he is only clenching the
Nail, he has been all along driving, which is,
that

JESUS CHRIST afferfed. 225
that Revelation is unneceffary, and the Evi
dence of revealed Religion inferior to that of
natural : his declared Point is, to maintain
the Caufe of the Deifts, whom he will not
fee infulted, and to have another Fling at our
Chriftian Writers and Chriftianity-defenders, *as
he- calls them. In order to this, he firft un
dertakes to fet before his Reader the Princi
ples, upon which the Certainty of a future
Judgment ftands, which however he does not
take upon him to prove, and then draws a
Conclufion difadvantageous to Revelation: and
is fo confident of Succefs in all this, that he
defires his Principles may be carefully examin
ed, and the World fhewn, wherein the De
fect of his Reafoning lies. I am difpofed to
cSmply with his Requeft, and accordingly
proceed to the Examination of his Princi
ples. The firft of them is, That there is a Deity,
or governing Mind', who as he made alt things,
exclufive of himfelf; fo he infpeBs, or takes
Cognifance of the ABions of his Creatures. The
firft Principle is inconteftable, the Foundation
of all Religion, natural and revealed, and
therefore befet with all the Lights, God could
throw-upon it. If our Faculties, under pro
per Circumftances, are true,.1 there muft be
fuch a Being ; and if our Faculties are not
true, it is in vain to talk about any thing, all is
Dream and Illufion. We cannot account for
the Exiftence of any one Thing in the Uni-
Q^_ verfe,

226 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
verfe, without the Exiftence of fuch a Beings
all is Contradiction, Abfurdity, Impoffibility.
This Being muft have been eternal, or nothing
could have been : he could not have been eter
nals without being neceffarily,exjfting. He
nanft have Power, who made all things ; and
Intelligence, Since he gave it. His moral At
tributes flow from thefe, and are confirmedhy
our Experience too : he is good, becaufe pow
erful, wife, &e. and we feel continual Inftances
of his being fo. He created all things With a
Tendency to an End, difeernable by his Crea
tures, the Means, of promoting which End,
are Afts of Goodnefs and Beneficence : he in
tended therefore, thefe Qualities, in the higheft
Degr-ee, Should be accounted Perfections, and
aferi'bed-to himfelf. He is true, for he is top
wife, to. err ; too great, to fear ; without vi
tiated Affeftions from within, or enticing
Temptations from without to miflead him:
there is no Reafon againft this, and -many for
it : befides, he has taught us the Praftice of
Truth by the Constitution of Things, Which
cannot be, carried on without it; and therefore
with great Certainty we conclude, that it is
agreeable to his Nature; nay, we know, that
he could not be the Governor of the moral
World without it ; his Commands, hi& Di
rections, his Revelations of any kind, muft
all be fuiperfluous, ineffeftual, were we. not
affured, he neither could, nor would, mistake
or pervert Tiuth. The Beipg and Nature of
v God,

JESUS CHRIST afferted. ztj
God, as far as is neceffary to our Acknow
ledgment of any Trufl in him, and to create
a moral Certainty, that is, to be the Foun
dation and Principle of our Dependence and
.acting, the Negleft of or Compliance with
which fhall be imputed to us as intelligent
moral Agents, is.as evident, as it can be made;
it is clear, as the Sun at Noon-day, and clearer;
there hangs no Cloud, or Mift about it: no
Data are wanting, the Conclufions are near,
and impoffible to be miftaken : Reafon pro
ceeds with full Conviction upon it, we have
the fame Affurance, that we have of our Ex
iftence. But though our Faculties can with
Certainty proceed thus far, it does not follow,
they can in all Cafes do fo: nay, in faft, they
cannot : in complex Cafes we are extremely
liable to Miftake, in fome we want certain
^.Principles to go upon, in fome we fupppfe
"wrong ones; we often fancy we fee Connexions,
.where we do not, and we fometimes do not
-fee them, where they are: fome Things admit
of Doubt, fome of Uncertainty, fomeofmere
Guefs. It is in this Science, as in mathema
tical, Some Things are clearly difcerned, others
in vain laboured after : the Equality of three
Angles of a Triangle to two right ones, is
known ; many other Properties and Relations
of Quantity are Still, and perhaps ever will
be defiderata. So the Exiftence and Nature
of God may be known with Certainty by that
Reafon, which may be puzzled in the next
Qjz Step

228 An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
¦ Step it takes, and conclude too little, or too
much, prefuming to walk confidently without
fufficient Light. Thus far for the Author's
firft Principlej which I heartily allow; and'
have faid fo much in Support and Explication
of, for .Reafons, which will hereafter ap
pear. Tlis fecond Principle is, that there is a na
tural and effential Difference of Things, and
that one Thing or ABion is preferable to another
in Nature, that is, (as he afterwards explains
it) abftraBedly from, and independent of, any
divine Determination concerning them. Now,
though I allow an effential Difference in
Things, yet this Principle is not true; becaufe
antecedent to and independent of the Deter
mination of a Superior, there can be no Law,
and confequentiy no Preferablenefs of one
Aftion above another, to a moral Agent, no
Obligation upon him to do one Thing rather
than another, unlefs for prefent Convenience,
which is nothing to the Morality of thefe
Actions, which cannot be imputable to him,
(and in Imputativenefs confifts the whole. Na
ture of moral Aftions) but with refpeft to the
Appointment of a lawful Superior. To take
what one wants, when one wants it, and
where one can find it, if this can be done
with Safety, is certainly more eligible in the
Nature of Things, than to pinch, and be in
Fain, and comfortlefs, if no Regard was had
to the Will of a Superior, with Obedience to
which

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 229
which our Happinefs is connected. Indeed
in this cafe the Circumftances of the Aftion
are altered, it is not in this. View, what it is
in the other ; it is beautiful, it is rational, it is
wife, to do a Thing in the one Cafe, and
quite otherwife to do the fame Thing in the
other. Hence the fame Aftions, which are
held criminal and fhameful in Men, are yet .
quite innocent and feemly in Brutes, becaufe
the one has not Reafon to direft him to the
Difcovery of a Law-giver, and his Obliga
tions arifing thence; the other has. The Au
thor may call this Principle Self-intereft, if
he pleafes, for fo it is ; but, if it takes into
view the Whole of Man's Exiftence, it is a
noble Self-intereftednefs, fuch as is implanted
in our Nature, and cannot be torn from it ;
fuch as is the folid Foundation of all Virtue
and Religion, and fuch as naturally carries us
to the Heighths of Duty and Happinefs. The
Beauty and Propriety of Aftions, which we
have a Sort of moral Senfe to difcern, and
which our Reafon can deduce from the feve
ral Relations of things, are only fuch, when
God is taken into the Confideration, and
ceafes to be fuch, when he is left out of the
Queftion : they are only fo many Indications
of his Will and Determination in thofe Ac
tions, which upon that account become pro^
per Aftions and Duties : take away that Will
and Determination, and Aftions are all alike
as to Obligation, they are«Matters of Indiffe-
CL 3 rence,

2%o An Examination of the True Gofpel oj
rence, may be complied with, or disregarded,
as the prefent Occafion, Intereft, or Humour
Shall direft. The Law of Nature is nbthing
elfe, but the Law of God, and is his pofitive
Law, as much as his revealed one: thefe two
Laws do not differ in Kind, but in the Man
ner of Communication, the one difcovered
^and Collefted from our own Nature and that
of all things about us ; the other, either by
immediate divine Impreffions made on our
Minds, or outward Declaration of Speech or
Writing. His third Principle is, that the effential Dif
ference in Things, and the Prejerablenefs of one
Thing or ABion to another in Nature, is the
Ground of the divine ConduB, and the Reafon,
why God 'chuffs tb aB one way, rather than an
other. My Quarrel to this Principle, as it is
worded, is, that it feems to fet up fomething
external to, and coeval with, and even Supe
rior to God. For whatever determines a Per
fon to aft, or is the Reafon of his acting, muft
either be himfelf, or fomething coeval with
and- above him. I can eafily conceive what it
is, for God to aft according to his own Na
ture, and be determined by his. own Perfect
tions in what he does ; but I think it indecent^
prefomptuous, and abfurd, to fay, God is de
termined to aft by the effential Difference of
Things, which Things, all Things, and their
Differences, he himfelf made, which therefore
are pofterior to hirft, and could have no fhare in

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 231
in the Determination of his Aftions. Again—
If the effential Difference of Things is the
Ground of the divine Aftions ; before thefe
Things exifted, God had no Ground for act
ing at all, therefore he could not aft at all,
therefore he could never make thefe Things.
It is one Thing, to fay, God will aft with us
agreeably to the Nature of Things we live in ;
and another, to fay, this Nature of Things is
the Ground of his acting. The former we
may conclude, becaufe he made the Nature of
Things agreeable to, and expreffive of his own
Nature: fo far therefore as we can perceive of the
Nature of God from the Nature of Things be
fore us, fo far we may certainly know, he will
aft agreeably to the Nature of thefe Things,
becaufe that is, to aft agreeably to his own
Nature. Again  The Affertion, that the
Preferahlenefs of one Aftion to another in Na
ture is the Reafon, why God chufes to aft one
way, rather than another, feems to limit his
free Agency, and to limit him in thofe Things,
in which he is unlimitable. That we enjoy
fuch a free Agency in innumerable Inftance ,
and can aft, or not aft, this or that, without
a particular Motive, and only to exercife that
Liberty we are endowed with, and take a
Pleafure in exerting for its own fake ; is evident
to every one's Experience, and agreeable toJRea-
fon, becaufe, without fuch a Power, we de
generate into mere Machines, unaccountable
for our Actions, upon any Scheme whatfoever.
Q^4 And

232 An Examination oj the True Gofpel of
And why fuch a Power fhould be denied to
the Creator, and why a Multitude of Things
may not prefent themfelves, in which there is
no Preferablenefs, except what he gives by his
own free Determination, I cannot fee. The
Creation of this World, and the manner of
con fli rutin g it, may be of this fort, for any
thing I, or this Author, or any other upon
Earth, can prove to the contrary. He might,
for ought that appears,, have made it, or not
made it, in this manner, or a million of other
ways, which would have been all good, equal
ly good, and his Election of this before others,
was owing perhaps to his Power of electing in
fuch Cafes. The Author is indeed entirely
right, when he fays, if God could be fuppofed
to aft againft Reafon in one Inftance, he might
be fuppofed to do it in any, and fo in all : but
he is quite puerile, when he fays, if he could
be fuppofed to aft without a Reafon in one
cafe, he may do it in many : for where is the
Mifchief, if he, who never afts againft Reafon
in any cafe, nor without a Reafon or particular
Motive in Cafes that admit of it, fhould aft
without fuch particular Motive in Cafes, which
do not admit of or require it ?
The fourth Principle is, that, as God is pre
fent to, and in, and with all Things, arid as he
has no wrong or vitiated AffeBions from within,
nor any enticing Temptations from without, to
miflead him either in Point of Judgment or
PraBice : fofrom hence it becomes certain, that he-

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 233
he cannot err in Point of Judgment, and that
he will not in Point of PraBice ; that is, he
cannot pofftblyform a wrong Judgment of Things
in any Cafe, and he will always chufe to aB
right, or agreeably to that Reafon of ABion,
which refults from the effential Difference, and
the Preferablenefs of one Thing to another in
Nature. I have nothing to object to this, if
the laft Words be ftruck out, and inftead of
aBing agreeably to the effential Difference and
the Preferablenefs of one Thing to another in
Nature, be put, acting agreeably to his own
moft perfeft and eternal Nature.
Thefe are my Exceptions to the Author's
Principles : I proceed to examine his Reafon
ings upon, and Conclufions from them, in re
lation to a future Judgment ; which he ex
plains to be a future Retribution, in another
State, of Reward and Punifhment, according to
the Merit or Demerit of Men's ABions, and Be
haviour in this. The Certainty of a Judg
ment, he fays, is the natural Refult of the
foregoing Principles, and he proceeds, or ought
to proceed, thus to make it out. Man is
a Creature , qualified to difcern the Diffe
rence of Things, and the Tendency of fome
Aftions above others to promote the general
Good, or Hurt, of the Society he is placed
in, to which he may be a Bleffing, or a Curfe,
a Benefactor, or a Plague, at his Election :
he may alfo, from this Conftitution of Things,
perceive it to be the Will of his Creator, that
r he

234 ¦&*¦ Examination of the True Gofpel of
he fhould be the former, and not the latter.
All thig is granted : What follows ? Why,
when Man has aBed his Part in Life, and is
gone off the Stage of ABion, then it is highly fit
and reafbnable, it is perfeBly juft and equal,
that the Maker, DireBort and Governor of the
Univerfe fhould call him to account for his Be
haviour, and fhould fhew his Favour or Dif
pleafure to him, according as the Merit or De
merit of his ABions fhall render him worthy of
either. Now fince there is this evident Reafon
for a future Judgment, and God will always
aB agreeably to the Reafon of ABion, therefore
there certainly will be fuch a Judgment. But
here the Author runs too faft abundantly, and
jumps to the Conclufipn, before he has proved
it : he firft calls his own unfupported Gueffes
Reafon, and then prefcribes to the Almighty
to aft according to them. It is indeed evi
dently reafonable, it is perfectly juft and equal,
that a proper Difference fhould be made be
tween good and bad Men : but why muft this
be done in a future Life? How does he cer
tainly know, this is not done in this Life, by
the fecret undifcernable Methods of Provi
dence ? The Pfalmift faw, and grieved at the
Prosperity of the Wicked, but found an Ac
count for it, in their being fet in flippery
Places, and Suddenly caft down, and coming
to a fearful End. The unfeen Comforts and
Conveniences arifing from good Actions, by
the Nature of Things and the Special Appoint ment

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 235
ment of God, and the Difquiets and Incon
veniences, arifing from bad ones, may bring
Things to a Balance even in this State of
Things. But if this Should not be the Cafe,
as indeed it does not appear to be in many In
ftances, then it is reafbnable to expect, this In
equality fhould be adjufted elfewhere. Be it
fo : but cannot this be done, without a Retri
bution to good and bad ? Suppofe the Wicked
are punifhed, firice the Wages of Sin is Death,
and the Good are let go* free, and acquitted,
permitted to ceafe to exift and be releafed from
further Work, or aft; their Part in another
Syftem : Can Reafon claim a Reward for im
perfeft Services, mixed with many Deviations
from Right in the beft of Men ? Have they
not here the Enjoyment of a thoufand Bene
fits, they do not deferve ? Is not Pardon fuffi
cient for penitent Sinners; and Freedom from
Punifhment the higheft Demand of unprofita
ble Servants? Favour and Reward, beyond
what we can aSk or think, may have a Foun
dation in God's Nature, but can have none in
ours : How then is it perfectly juft and equal,
to expect thefe Things, which are no ways our
due, without a Declaration and Promife of
them? Bounty, or Grace, is free in the Nature
of the Thing, and at the Difcretion of the
Giver, otherwife Grace is not Grace : and
therefore the Language of the Mafter in Scrip
ture touching thefe Things is — cannot I do what
I will with mine own ? When I have fulfilled
my

2 36 An Examinatiori of the True 'Gofpel of
my Engagements, cannot I beftow the reft, in
what Proportion, and upori what Perfons I
pleafe? Every Man's Reafon is presuming and
pragmatical, which meddles with thefe Things,
which are out of its Reach : they may be
Matters of Speculation, of Hope, of fome De
gree of Probability; but not at all of Certainty.
This Point therefore of the Retribution to good
apd bad Men in another Life, thus clogged
with Doubts, and befet with Clouds, and pur-
fued through a Train* of precarious Reafonings,
which not one in a thoufand could draw out
or underftand, would be but a weak Principle
to influence the Bulk of Mankind in the Prac
tice of their Duty; efpecially, fince no Man's
Reafon could afcertain the Nature and Dura
tion of the future Life, fuppofing the Exif
tence of it proved; whether its Pleafures or
Pains fhould be great or little, permanent or
temporary. God therefore has not refted the
Obedience of his Creatures on fo uncertain an
Iffue, but has brought Life and Immortality,
and all the everiaftinq; Terrors of the Lord; to
Light through the Gofpel ; and all this to be
little enough, we fee and lament, to keep Men
in Order. We tell the Deifts this, not, as this
Author intimates, to infult, but inftruft and
reform them, and reftrain that Infolence, which
is fo pernicious to Mankind; to fhew the Im
perfection of that Guide, which they.fet up in
Contempt and Defiance of clear Revelation,
and prove, however fpecious, pretending, and
con-

* JESUS CHRIST afferted. 237
confident they are, their Scheme to be immo
ral, filly, and impracticable, which is, to put
out the Eyes of Men, that they themfelves
may become blind Leaders of the Blind.
But now we are to fee the Heighth of Sa
gacity, and the wonderful Powers of modern
Reafon to beat down Chriftianity. For fince
fome Chriftianity -Defenders have faid, that the
Certainty of a Retribution to good and bad
Men in a future State, and of the feveral Par
ticulars relating to it ; is owing to Revelation ;
this Reajbn-monger craves leave to afk, what
Certainty Revelation affords in the prefent Cafe.
The Anfwer is, as he prefumes it wil: be, that
God has declared therein, that he will thus
judge the World. But we cannot certainly
know, God will aft agreeably to this Declara
tion, unlefs we previoufly know, that God is,
and that he is a God of Truth ; and this we
can only learn from the Difcoveries he has made
of himfelf to us by the Nature of Things.
The Notices' of God and of his Nature, that
he is a Being of Power, Wifdom, Goodnefs,
and Truth, are, I own, the neceffary P'recog-
nita, the only poffible Foundation of Religion
natural or revealed, that is, of the Difcovery of
God's Will in the ordinary or extraordinary
Way. We cannot deduce one Duty from the
Nature of Things, nor believe one exprefs De
claration, either by writing, or Word of Mouth,
or Vifion, or internal Impreffion, without pro
ceeding upon this Ground ; for exprefs Decla rations

23 8 An Examination of the TrueGojfel of
rations may be deceitful, and the Nature of
Things a Delufion, if God is not a Being of
Truth. God therefore > has furropnded this
Point with all the Glare of Evidence, he has
Set it in the ftrongeft Light, wrote it in Such
large Characters, that he, who runs, may read
them, and no intelligent, confidering, atten
tive Perfon can miftake them, as I have above
fhewn. Now what we can certainly and clearly
know of God by the Nature of Things, with
out Doubt or Obfcurity, we may build upon
Securely1. This Point of God's Being and Ve
racity is of this Sort, we difcbver it clearly, un
doubtedly from the Nature of Things, we
might as well deny our own Exiftence, as quef
tion it : therefore -we may build fecurely upon
it, provided we do not make any Errors in the
Progrefs of our Work, which we are apt to do
in long and operofe Deductions of the reafbning
Faculty. Reafon fees fome Things clearly,
fome clouded, fome not at all : in the firft Sort
it cannot err, in the two latter it may, it of
ten does, through Ignorance, through Hafte,
through Inattention, through Prefumption,
through Paffion. Of the former Sort of Things
is the Being and Veracity of God, Reafon fees
this clearly, and takes the next Step fecurely,
becaufe it is the neceffary, immediate Confe
quence of it, viz. that what this God of Truth
has plainly and explicitly faid fhall be, fhall
be : If therefore he has thus declared hirhfelf
touching the Particulars of a future Judgment,
we

JESUS CHRIST ajferted. 239
we are as fure of the Matter's being fo, as of
the Being of the Declarer. This is the folid
Ground of our Belief of a future Retribution,
upon the Foot of Revelation. But if Reafon
undertakes the Proof of the fame Truth from
Things, fhe does not clearly fee, or not fee at
all ; if fhe presumes fome Particulars, gueffes
at pthers, miftakes fome, and begs others;
She cannot pretend to the fame Certainty, or
vain is her Pretention, though God is, and is
true : God is true, but every Man may be de
ceived. This is the Author's Cafe, who from
Principles, fome falfe, fome precarious, has de
duced the Certainty of a future Reward and
Punifhment, and argues with as much Confi-
• dence from his own Imagination of the Nature
of Things, as from that Nature of them, in
which a Man cannot be miftaken ; and fays,
becaufe the Nature of Things, real or imagi
nary, is concerned and the Ground of Belief
in both Cafes;, therefore one Conclufion is as
certain and undeniable, as the other. The
Evidence in both Cafes indeed refolves into the
Nature of Things, as that is declarative of the
Nature of God : Reafon is concerned in both
Cafes to difcern this Evidence: but in one
Cafe She only walks alone in the Beginning of
her Progrefs, where She fees clearly, and then
is taken up and conducted by an unerring
Guide; in the other fhe is unaffifted through
out her whole Journey, and even thofe Parts
of it, where the fees very dimly, or not at all,
and

240 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
and therefore is liable to be bewildered and loft
every Step fhe takes. For this Reafon the gra
cious God, who knows whereof we are made,
how prone to miftake in Matters of Confe
quence to our Happinefs, when left to long
Deductions of Arguments, which not one in a
thoufand is difpofed to make or difcern, has al
ways from the Beginning made exprefs Decla
rations of his Will and Pleafure to Mankind,
and left them' to obferve the Conformity of
them to their own natural Notions, rather than
to find out thefe Things by them. He, no
doubt, informed the firft Men of the Particu
lars of their Duty, and fettled the Modes of
Worfhip of himfelf, as appears by the early
Praftice Of Sacrifice, which could not owe its
Rife to the Difcoveries of unaffifted Reafon,
and therefore muft be owing to exprefs Reve
lation. He revealed and explained his own
Nature and Attributes, and the feveral Duties
of Men to God, themfelves, and one another,
and bid the Fathers teach their Children the
fame. And when the Pofterity of thefe Men,
diffufed over the Earth in their different Set
tlements, had by Negleft and Courfe of Time
forgot thefe Inftruftions, and worn off thefe
Impreffions, their Reafon did not hinder them
from lofing Sight of Truth, and running into
all the Abfurdities of Belief and Corruption of
Manners, which disfigure the feveral un-en-

lightened Ages of the World.

But

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 241
But the Author has fomething more to of
fer, which muft be confidered. He fays, the
Certainty, which Revelation affords in the
Cafe of a future Retribution, does not barely
refult from the divine Declaration, but from
the Ground and Reafon of that Declaration,
viz. the Rightnefs and Fitnefs of the Thin©-
declared. For if God may be fuppofed to aB in
this Inftance without a Reafon, he might then
aB without one in a thoufand others, as well as
in this, and then without a Reafon he might
refufe to abide by his own Declarations touching
a future State, and then they would not' afford
fuch a Ground of Credit, as ought abfolutely to-
be relied upon. But this is all more wretched
Stuff, than any of the former, a mere Mi-
mickry of Argument, a fenfelefs Fallacy, or
talking without his Wits. I have fhewn above,
that, for any thing that appears to the con
trary, God can do nothing againft Reafon,
but may do many things without a particular
Motive or Reafon ; and the Diftribution of
Rewards, being a Matter of free Bounty, may
be one of thoie Things. But fuppofing, what
this Author cannot prove, that God could not
aft, at leaft in this cafe, without a particular
'Reafon ; muft that Reafon be founded in the
Nature of Things, and not, in his own Na
ture? Or, fuppofing, it to be founded in the
Nature of Things ; is it neceffary we muft fee
it by our natural Faculties ? Can we take in
the whole Compafs of Nature, and difcover
R every

4
242 An Examination of the True CZoJfiel oj
every Fitnefs in Things? Though therefore
God muft haye a Reafon for afting, and that
Reafon muft be founded in the Nature of
Things ; yet cannot he do a Thing, and be
believed, when he declares, he has, dope, or
will dp it, becaufe I cannot find out that Rea
fon? It is a fafe Conclufion, that Vy.hatever God
does, where there is Room for a Reafon, is
done upon the beft Reafon : but it is very u,n-
fafe and inconclufive, to fay, whatever I think
or imagine there is Reafon for dping, or not
doing, that Opd muft, or cannot do. The
latter is the Author's Affertion : therefore I take
the liberty to conclude directly againft him, that
if the Certainty of a future Judgment could
not be at all difcovered by Reafon, yet we
might have a Certainty of it frorn divine Re
velation: apd further, that Revelation carries
the Evidence for it much higher, than,.Reafon
without Revelation could, both as to its Cer
tainty, and the feveral Particulars of it ; and
that Revelation borrows and wants no Strength
from Reafon, but the Principles of the Being
and Veracity of God, which fhe is enabled
clearly to difcoyer and make out.
But our Infidelity-Defender is afraid for the
Gentlemen of that Denomination, and fays,
that he has taken all thefe Pains, and ex-
haufted his Treafures of Arguments on this
Head for their Sakes ; becaufe iff Deifm and In
fidelity prevail, as we may guefi by fome People's
Complaints, the Evidence for this momentous Truth,

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 243
Truth, arifing from divine Revelation, will be
of no weight with Perfons, who diftelieve fuch
Revelation. And indeed, not to diffemble my
Fears, I apprehend nothing will : for if they
hear not Mofes, and the Prophets, and Chrift
himfelf, neither will they be perfuaded, though
this Author's Arguments, arid all the Reafon-
ing in the World prefented themfelves at once
before them. They, who reject Reafon in the
ftrongeft Inftance, and aft againft its cleareft
Dictates, in their Abufe and Blafphemy of the
laft merciful Attempt of God to bring them to
himfelf ; they, who ufe Raillery and Decla
mation inftead of Arguments, Outrage and
Virulence inftead of the Temper of Confide
ration, the meaneft Arts and bafeft Falfehoods
to vilify the moft facred and irhportant Things,
and bring about the worft of Purpofes ; and
who are fo induftrious and fold to 111, as to
compafs Sea and Land to make a Profelyte,
that is, to make him tenfold more the Child
of the Devil than he was before ; are, I great
ly fear, in a defperate Condition. There are
fuch Things, as Apoftacy and Blafphemy a-
gainft the Holy Ghoft: there are Sins of fo
deep a Dye, as. to be jrrimifiible, not to be
prayed for, the Confequence, of which is Ob-
duration, and growing worfe and worfe. How,
far this may be the Cafe of fome Men, I will.
not takeupon me to fay : that it may not be
of any, that they will be warned in time, and
fee the Things* belonging to their Peace, be-
R 2 fore

244 ^n Examination of the True Gofpel of
fore they are hid from their Eyes ; ought to
be the Prayer of every good Man. In the
mean time it does not feem expedient for, or
kind to them, to lull them on in their Sleep
of Death, to compliment their Parts, and al
low more Strength, than they have, to thofe
human Faculties, under the Witchcraft and
Opinionativenefs of which they labour, asun
der a Frenzy. It feems a far better Method,
to expofe the Imperfection, the Weaknefs, the
Wickednefs of their boafted Performances, to
reduce the Swelling of their Imaginations, re-
prCfs the Effufion of their Ribaldry, and thus
try to bring them to themfelves ; that, if pof
fible, they may be induced to floop low enough
for Entrance at the Door of Humility, Which
is the Chriftian, the only Paffage to Happi
nefs. It is quite ufeful for this Purpofe, tO ac
quaint them, that all the Senfe, Learning, and
Virtue of this, or former Ages, are againft
them, which carries a ftrong Prefumption, that
they think better of themfelves, than others
will think of them : that Reafon is indeed a
noble Faculty, but, as Cowards do to Courage,
and drunken Men to Sobriety, they may pre
tend moft to it, who have leaft of it ; and
that, if one was to take the Standard of it from
the Ufe thefe Men have made of it, one fhould
fcarce think it a Privilege for any Beings to
have it : that their moft celebrated Writers are
utterly unacquainted with the Subjects they
handle, and have brought it to pafs, that the
reverfe

JESUS CHRIST afferted. 245
reverfe of Feftus's Opinion, of St. Paul's being
mad with much Learning, will fuit them, fince
they have run out of their Wits, and done all
the Afts of Violence and Diffraction, for want
of Learning, and every thing that can affift
and improve the Underftanding : that Certain
ty cannot be had of a Negative to a poffible
Thing, fuch as the Truth of Chriftianity ; and
that Doubting will not warrant a publick and
virulent Oppofition to any thing, much lefs to
a Revelation pretending to a divine Character,
and containing, by their own Confeffion, what
is moft ufeful to Mankind : that Error is not
innocent, when it is chofen, and that it is then
chofen, when Men take lefs Pains to avoid,
than to run into it : that they feem, by all the
Symptoms of their Performances, to facrifice
their own Safety and the Happinefs of Man
kind to a jocofe Humour, and an Ambition
for the Character of Wits, and yet do their
Work fo ill, as to forfeit all Claim to it, and
appear as filly, as they are mifchievous and
wicked : that they have chofen the eafieft Tafk
in the World, which is Ridicule, and yet have
executed fo poorly, as to become the Objects
of it: that if they are in the right, they pur-
fue it by wrong Means; but if. they fhould
prove in the wrong, for which there is no lefs
than Certainty, no one can exprefs the Wretch-
ednefs of their Condition, If haply all this
while they fhould be found fighting againft
God, traverfing, as far as human Impotence
R 3 can

246 An Examination of the True Gofpel of
can go, all the gracious Defigns of Providence,
and affronting, blafpheming, and fruftrating
the laft kind Efforts of divine Mercy to fave
them ; it had been better for them, as well as
Mankind, that they had never been born. For
if they, who turn many to Righteoufnefs, fhall
Shine Tike the Stars in Glory ; finely for thpfe,
who are inceffantly exercifed in a contrary Em
ployment, and debauching the People from
their Duty and Happinefs, muft be referved
the Blacknefs of Darknefs for ever. It will
help to arreft the Career of Pfeafure, moderate
the Gaiety, and recover the Underftanding of
thefe Gentlemen, if they will be perfuaded to
fhew themfelves Men, and confider, this may
be their Cafe, for any thing Reafon can offer
to the contrary, and muft be their Cafe, if the
Scriptures are true. Could they fufpend Laugh
ter, give a Truce to Banter, refift the Impulfe
of vain Glory, and turn their ferious Thought
on what fo much deferves it ; I know no Con
templation more awakening, more proper
to preferve them in this happy Temper of
Mind, than that of a future Judgment, not
as it may be dreffed up by Pancy, or dif-
cerned by the imperfeft, dubious Lights of
unaffifted Reafon; but as it is certainly de
duced, and clearly portrayed, with all its a-
mazing Circumftances and Iffues to Life, or
Death eternal, in the feveral exprefs Declara
tions and Difcoveries God has made of it to
Mankind, The Majefly of the Scripture Ac
counts

JESUS CHRIST affetted. 24.J
counts of that Solemnity is fo greatly dreadful,
fo almofl inftlpportable to human Apprehen
sion, that one of the Ancients, who dwelt On
the Thought of it, imagined he ever, either
fleeping Or waking, heard the laft Trumpet
founding in his Ears : and he, who can read
and confider the Defcription given of it, and
not be deeply affefted, is under a Lethargy bf
Soul, which is defperate of Cute ; he muft be
fomething more, or lefs, than Man. The pre
ceding Circurnftances of that awful Day are a
darkened Suri, and the MOon withdrawing
her Light, the Stars falling, the Powers of
Heaven fhaking, and the Elements melting
away with fervent Heat : then fhall appear
the Son of Man coming in the Clouds, with
Power irrefiftible, and Glory beyond Concep
tion : the Trumpet of the Archangel fhall
found forth the univerfal Summons, which
Shall pierce through the Graves, and awaken
the Dead : then fhall be feen the Ancient of
Days, as the" Prophet Daniel expreffes- it, with
Thoufands of Thoufands miniftring unto him,
and ten thoufand times ten Thoufands Hand
ing before him : the Judgment is proclaimed,
begun, the Books are opened, the Living
caught up into the Air to the Lord, and, to
gether with all thofe that were dead, judged
out of the Things written in thofe Books, ac
cording to what they have thought, faid, or
done in the Body, whether it be good or bad.
If the Righteous on this Occafion fhall fcarce-
R 4 *y

248 An Examination of the True Gofpel, &c.
ly be faved, where fhall the Ungodly and Sin
ner appear ? Where fhall the nominal Chri
ftian, the wanton Infidel, the bold Blafphe-
mer, point his Eye, or direft his Foot for
Safety ? Shall they not, Great and Small, hide
themfelves in the Dens, and in the Rocks of
the Mountains, and fay to the Mountains and
Rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the Face
of Him that fitteth on the Throne, and from
the Wrath of the Lamb ? But Rocks and
Mountains, heaped on each other, cannot
conceal, cannot cover from that Prefence, from
which the Earth and the Heayens fly.

AN

( 249 )

A N
EXAMINATION Of the Tract on
PROVIDENCE. HE Author has added to his Piece on
the true Gofpel, a Differtation on
Providence, which contains a flat De
nial of the Interpofition of God in the
Affairs of the World, and is a new Inftance of
the fatal Declivity of Vice, down which Men
Aide from one destructive Error to another,
precipitated, infatuated, blinded, and unable
to flop, 'till they have run the greateft Lengths
of Mifchief. We have indeed here a true Por
trait of Infidelity, which isufhered in by a Pa
rade of fair Profeffions and fpecious Declama
tion and then follows with difdainful Step,
painted Face, and wanton Tofs of the Head,
courting the Eyes, andraifing Cunofity by tin-
fel Pieces of Novelty fluttering up and down
in her Drefs: but could we fee the Abfurdity
and Conceit within fwelling out of this ftrut-
* ting

250 On PROVIDENCE.
ting Phantom, and Atheifm, Irreligion, and
the long Series of Evils following in her Train,
it would fright moft People from her infidious
Embraces. Thus our Author .began with a
Call for Reformation, and the Tender of Af
fection to Mankind ; talked much of Virtue,
Benevolence, arid the Nature of Things; pro
ceeded to Cavils, Satire, and Raillery againft
Perfons; at length difdained Revelation, and
trampled under foot the Saviour of Mankind;
and ends with a finifhed Attempt to banifh
God, and all Reliance upon and Trufl in him,
out of the World. This is quite cruel, after
having robbed Men of thofe Difcoveries and
Scriptures, written for their Direftion and Com
fort in all the Circumftances of Life, to leave
them naked and defencelefs amid the Hurry
and Turns of Matter and Motion, under the
Oppreffion of a fatal Neceffity, or the Gui
dance of undifcerning Chance, without allow
ing a Look upwards, or Expectation of a Ray
of Light from thence, to conduct and difen-
tangle them from their various Perplexities.
No one knows, but this Author, or fome other
of his. School, may proceed a Step or two far
ther, and queftion the troublefome Infpeftion,
as well as Interpofition of the Deity in human
Affairs, and fay with the nitidus Epicuri de
Grege Porcus  Deos, didici, fecurum agere
JEvum ; nee ft quid miri faciat Natura, Deos
id trifles ex alto Cceli demittere teBo. And then
the Bufinefs is done, and Mankind are at Li
berty

On PROVIDENCE. 251
berty to do what they will ; and then the Evi
dence of a future Retribution will vanifh as an
idle Tale, and be no more heard or attended
to, than Strepitus Acherontis avari. The Cre
ation of the World may next come under Ex-
arnination, and Matter be pronounced as eter
nal, as its Maker, whofe Exiftence and Nature
will then be unneceffary, and fo may be de
nied at pleafure. I the rather apprehend this,
becaufe there is a Connection between thefe
Principles, and becaufe the Atomic Philoso
phers, who were this Man's Predeceffors in the
Rejection of Providence, maintained their Point
on the Foot of the Eternity and Independence
of Matter on the Gods, who were only, if at
all, finer material Beings, living in the mun-
dan or intermundan Spaces, of too great Te
nuity or Solidity to be ftruck or affefted by the
Changes of the various Syftems, and too happy
to admit the Care or Infpeftion of them: If
the Author Starts at, or difdains the Supposition ;
fo did Hazael, when the Prophet told him
weeping, that he fhould fet the ftrong Holds
of Ifrael on Fire, flay their young Men with
the Sword, dafh their Children, and rip up
their Women with Child  * Is thy Servant a
Dog, that he fhould do this great Thing? And
yet he did it. If thefe Things, or like Things,
are intended by this Friend to Mankind ; a
poffible Reafon of his guarding fludioufly in his
Preface againft the Appellation of Deift and
Unbe-
* 2 Kings viii. 13.

252 On PROVIDENCE.
Unbeliever may be, that he aims at a higher
Name in the Lifts of Fame, a Name, which'
has ever been beftowed on thofe, who oppofed
God's actual Direftion and Government of the
World and its Inhabitants. If the Author re
plies, he does not deny a Providence, but only
its Regard to particular Perfons and Cafes: the
Anfwer is, we know what it is, Verbis ponere,
re tollere: and if we did not, he himfelf has
taught us in his former Work, which fets out
with afferting the True Gofpel of Jefus Chrift,
but proceeds all along in perverting, and ends
in denying it. To deny a particular Providence,
is to deny Providence, and God's Government
of the World on which it ftands, in the whole.
If God governs the World, he does it with
Wifdom, Juftice, and Goodnefs, and this he
cannot do without a Regard to Propriety, and
this cannot be done without regarding the fe
veral Objects of it, that is, without Particula
rity : and Providence is that Eye of the great
Governor of the World, which takes in all
Things at a View, and the Hand which di
rects them agreeably to the feveral Occafions.
But it is Time to fee, what the Author's
Notion of Providence is : and in this Exami
nation, we Shall find the Providence, he,, al
lows, to be the only original Aft of creating
and 'frarning the World with a general Dif-
pofition to produce Food enough for, the Ani-r
mals in it. After his Diftinftion of Providence
into' general and particular, he explains the for
mer

On PROVIDENCE. 253
mer thus — ¦ God at the Creation put the natural
World under the DireBion of certain Laws, arid
ever fince has cauffed it to be paffively fubjeB t6
thofe Laws, by which means he has made a con-
ftant Provifion for the animal Part oj the Cre
ation, which kind Provifion gives it the Deno
mination of Providence. That is, God framed
the material World, and fet it going by fome
invariable Laws of Motion, the Refult of which
was to be a conftant Provifion of Food for the
Animals in it, without any Regard had before,
or at the Time, to particular Beings or Cafes;
and this is all of Providence he exercifes in the
World. As to the various Species of living
Creatures inhabiting this Globe, God made
them, and continued their Being by proper
Generation : he implanted in them Appetites,
Paffions, and Degrees of Intelligence, propor
tioned to their State, which are defigned for
the Spring, Principle, Rule and Meafure of
Action to them, and fo the Law of their Be
ing. Man in particular has a Superior Intelli-
. gence, which renders him capable of difcern-
ing moral Good and Evil, and fo conftitutes
him an accountable Being in a State of Futurity;
In the mean time he, and all other Creatures
are left to produce one another, as their natural
Appetites fhall impell them ; and to defend
and maintain themfelves, as their Faculties
(which are not divided feverally to every one
by God as he wills, but are the pure Refult of
Matter and Motion in the Way of Generation) will

254 On P R O V I D E N C E.
Will enable them*, out of that firft <deftined
Provision for the whole Syftem of Animals,
but made without any view to particular Cafes
of Individuals, or Societies of Men; who are
all left to get out of Dangers^ overcome Dif
ficulties, provide Subftance; efcape Casualties^
Mifery, or Want, without the leaft Hope of
Affiftance, but what may arife, or not arife,
from the natural Courfe of Things; not framed,
condufted, or direfted with any Regard to
this or that Occafion, but carried on according
to the uniform Laws of Matter and M'otipn:
I think; I have not mifreprefented the Au
thor, but have fet fairly; what he calls appa
rently the true State of the Cafe; notwithstanding
what weak, or defigning, or enthufiaftic Perfons
may have faid to the contrary. Now this No
tion of Providence is a Denial of Providence^
and always, has been held a great Degree of
Atheifm; arid is contrary to Reafon, to Facts,
to the united Voice of Mankind, and tp every.
Revelation God has made of himfelf to the
World. Creation is that Aft of God, by which he
called-Things into Being, or made that to be,
which was not before. Frefervation is that
Aft of God, by which he keeps all Things irt
being and acting,' agreeably to theif feveral
Natures. Whether this latter5 Aftion is diffe
rent from the former, or whether Prefervation
is not a fort of continual Creation, a fuftaift-
ing and keeping up what would otherwife be
nothing

On PROVIDENCE. 255
nothing ; is an Enquiry we can, never refiblve:
Perhaps to Be, independent of fuch fuftadni«gy
prefecving Power, is the fole Privilege of the
Supreme Being, who therefore takes the incom*-
municable Name of I am, or Exiftence ; and
all other Things have their Exiftence no lon
ger, thap they are continually created, fuftain-
ed, and preferved. The Laws of the. material
World refolve themfelves into Gravitation and
Attraction, and this into a fine imperceptible
Fluid, and this perhaps into the divine Ener
gy, which keeps in being and actuates every
thing : otherwife it feems to be only removing,
not folving the Difficulty, like the 7»<£tf»!sj Set
ting the World; on a great Elephant, and'fup-
porting that by a huge Tontoife, but unahle?
to fay what fuflained his Tortoife. There
fore in Scripture it is: faid  * By him all
Things confifi. -j- He preferveth and upholdetb
all Things by the Word, of his Power. X ^e
Earth, which drinketh in the Rain that cometb
oft upon it, and bringeth forth Herbs meet for
them by whom it is dreffed, receiveth < Bleffing
from God. j| In his Hand is the Soul of every-
living Thing, and, the Breath of all Mankind,
** In him we live, and move, , and have our

Providence is that Aft, or thofe Afts of
God, by which he direfts and conducts all
the, Aftions, and Motions, in the World and: the
* Col. i. 17. f Heb. i. 3. % Heb. vi. 7. || Job xii; (6.
**, Afts-xvii. 28.

256 On -PROVIDENCE.
the Things in it, fo as beft to illuftrate his
own Attributes, Secure the Dependence and
Trufl of his Creatures, and ferve the various
Occafions of moral Agents in their State of
Probation. This Care extends to the Vegeta
bles and Beafts of the Earth, and Fowls of
the Air; but not for their own Sakes, but
Man's, under whofe Feet all things are put
in Subjection : for God, as the Scripture
Speaks, in this Senfe * doth not take care for
Oxen. When the divine Hand makes itfelf
quite vifible, by apparently fufpending or al
tering the ordinary Courfe of Things, this is
a Miracles When it brings Events about by
a Power, not lefs, though lefs difcernable,
without offering Violence to any natural A-
gent, or without our perceiving that it does fo,
this is Providence: called general Providence,
as it takes in a large Compafs of Things, and
conducts them in the ufual apparent Courfe ;
particular, as it refpefts each fingle Thing,
and accommodates that general Conduct to its
peculiar Circumftances ; fpecial, when it feems
to mark itfelf out to Notice of the Parties
concerned, by the Manner of the Execution.
So that the Diftinftion of general and particu
lar Providence feems not to be in the Thing,
but in our Conception of it: it is, as the
Whole is to its Parts, and general Providence
is made up of an infinite Number of particu
lar Providences, or Afts of Providence. But
the prefent Difpute need not be about a Name ;
it
* i Cor. ix. 9.

On PROVIDENCE. 25/
it is the Thing I contend for, namely, a Pro
vidence refpefting particular Perfons. The
Manner of proceeding in this Affair cannot
be Matter of Controverfy, unlefs we will talk
upon we know not what ; for it is quite out
of our Reach, and God's Ways ars paft find
ing out: but that this is done in fome Manner
or other, is a clear Cafe. God indeed dwell-
eth generally in fecret, his Pavilion round about
him, are dark Waters, and thick Clouds of the
Skies : So. that we cannot always know Good
or Evil from what is before us, or that this
was done for fuch a Reafon, that happened
upon fuch a Perfon's Account : and therefore
Diagoras the Atheift, in-L^anger of being baft;
overboard in a Storm, as having caufed it by
his Impiety, rightly direfted the Sailors to look
at the other Ships Struggling with the Tempeft,
and confider, whether Diagoras was on Board
every one of them. But the Facts of fuch In-
terpofition of Heaven in human Affairs are fb
various, frequent, and fometimes fo circumftan-
tiated, as not to efcape the Notice of every cdn-
fidering Man ; and I believe there is not the
Life of any one, whofe Incidents Will not fur-
nifh him with Inftances. One Man prays for
Deliverance, and meets with it in fo furprifing
a Way, as points out the Author. Another
remembers with Gratitude the afflicting Dif-
appointment, upon which turned the Happi
nefs Of all his After-Life. The Senfe of an u'n-.
accountable Motive for or againft doing a Thing,
S the

258 On PROVIDENCE.
the Confequence of which was confiderable and
affefting, is of the like Nature. It is cuedibly
related at the laft dreadful Siege of Ifpahan,
when Men died on Heaps, and the greateft
Treafures could not purchafe a Moufe or a Cat
to fufpend Death for a few Hours; that a poor
Beggar from Door to Door furvived it, fuftained,
uninjured, in fo mercilefs a Famine. Socrates
faid, he often felt a fecret Check in many of
his Aftions, and conftantly perceived his Efcape
from fome Mifchief, in obeying its Impulfe.
It is not here material to enquire, whether this
was the Agency of a good, or bad Spirit ; I
bring this Cafe, as I do thofe that follow, not
for Proof, but Explanation of the Thing I am
fpeaking of, and to fhew the Senfe of Mankind
on this Matter. Simonides was remarkable for
his Piety and Humanity: he buried a Corpfe
found on the Shore, and at Night faw the
Perfon forbidding him to take his intended Voy
age next Day : he obeyed the Vifion, and be
held thofe of his Company, who flighted it,
fhipwreck'd in his View. The fame Author,
for a flipulated Sum of Money, wrote a Poem
in honour of a Conqueror in the Gracian
Games, and digreffed, according to cuftom,
into the Praife of Caftor: at the following
Entertainment the infolent Victor paid him
half the Bargain, and referred him for the reft
to the Deity he had complimented : that In-
ftant the Poet was fent for out of the Room,
and no fooner had quitted it, than it fell in
and

On PROVIDENCE. 259
and killed the Guefts. I fhall conclude thefe
Fafts of Jlluftration with that known Jewifh
Tradition, or Fable, which reprefents MofeS
on a Mountaiu conferring with God upon
fome Particulars of Providence, and ordered
to look down on the Valley beneath, where
Was feen a Soldier alighting at a Spring of Wa
ter, and leaving his Purfe behind him, which
a little Boy fome time after took up and went
away with : an old decrepid Man comes to
the fame Place, the Soldier returns, finds him
fitting there, and regardlefs of his ProteftationSs
,of Innocence, kills him for ftealing his Purfe.
The Prophet, amazed at this Proceeding, is
told, that the old Man Was the Murderer of
the Father of that Child, who had now occa
fioned his Death.
By what Methods the divine Wifdom pro
ceeds in making all things in one apparently
uniform Courfe confpirC to fo many Purpofes,
and constitute a beautiful Chain extending
from the Beginning of the World to the End
of it, is quite out of our Reach to difcover,
and may he our Privilege and Enjoyment to
behold, when we arrive at a higher State of
Being : but that there is fuch Superintendence
and perpetual Direftion of the fupreme Go
vernor of the World, will appear a thing not
to be queftioned.
Providence feems to contain in it and im
ply thefe three Notions, ¦w^eyviomv Foreknow
ledge, vrepdrcny Predifpofition of Things,
S 2 and

260 On PROVIDENCE.
and cNoiVji™ the Execution and Admiriiftra^
tion, agreeable to this Foreknowledge and
Predifpofition of Things. The two latter
may be only different Confiderafions of the
fame thing, arid fo may coincide together.
For the Providence of God may exert itfelf
in one fingle original Aft by which, in cOrife-
quence of his perfeft Fore-knowledge, he may
have fo ordered Things to happen, as may
anfwer all the various Occafions arid Circum
ftances of rational moral Agents in their State
of Probation ; or it may exert itfelf in many
Afts, as the Occafions offer. To Almighty
Power one Method is as eafy, as the other,
and both come to the fame thing, as to the
prefent Queftion ; both equally exclude thofe
ideal Powers of Chance and Fortune, and im
ply a Direftion and ordering of things by in
finite Wifdom, fo as to anfwer all the Pur
pofes of the Creator, and the various Circum
stances of his Creatures : that is, in both Cafe's
there fhall be Plenty or Scarcity, foft Showers
or furious Tempefts, Health or Sicknefs, War
or Peace, Protection and Deliverance upon
proper Application to God for it, and Destruc
tion without it, and fo in all other Parti
culars. Such Interpofition of God in the Affairs of
the World (whatever the Mode of it be) is
firft perfectly agreeable to Reafon. It is like
ly, created Things cannot be independent of
God ; of if they can, it is no way proper -they
Should .

On PROVIDENCE. 261
Should. L is highly reafonable and fit, that
the Creator of the World Should be the Go
vernor and Director of it, and every Attribute
bf the Deity qualifies him for it, and difplays
itfelf in it, By his Wifdom he fees all the '
Relations of Things, and the Connection of
Caufes and Effefts through all the Periods of
paft, prefent, and future: by his Power he
executes whatever he pleafes in Heaven, and
Earth, and all deep Places : he is prefent to
and in every thing, and by that Prefence fuf-
tains, upholds, actuates, and difpofes all things
in Number, Weight, and Meafure. He gives
their Nature to Things, and then direfts them
agreeably to that Nature to work his Will,
that the infinite Variety of Movements do
not clafh or interfere with each other, but an
fwer all the Purpofes of his Juftice, his Good^
-nefs, his Dominion, and exclude Want of
Defign and Contrivance from all his Works.
This Scheme of Providence is not, as this
Author fcurriloufly calls it, a perpetual patch
ing arid mending the Conftitution of Things ;
but it is the original Plan and the very Confix
tution of Things, full of Propriety and Beau
ty, and worthy of the Projection and Execu
tion of the greateft and beft of Beings. His
Majefty is particularly expreffed in it ; for a
greater Idea, I think, cannot enter and fill the
Mind of Man, than that of a Being, who
fuftains and actuates all Things, and directs
jhem to produ.ce a common and moft extenfive
S 3 Qood\

262 On PROVIDENCE.
Good, with an unlimited View to all Times,"
Places, and Circumftances, and equal Refpeft
to Individuals and the whole Species of Men.
This Scheme of Providence does not fuppofe
the original Conftitution of Things to be badly
put together, becaufe it requires the conftant and
fpecial Attendance of a Deity, not to amend,
but to carry it on according to its Cdnftitu-j
tion. If Miracles fignify the Aftions or Proi
duftions of God, fuperior to thofe of apy crer
ated Being, then God has been continually
working Miracles : for to create and fuftain
the Syftem of Nature is a continued Miracle,
and requires a Power equal to that of fufpend-
ing or overturning the Courfe of Nature ; and
in this Senfe may be taken our Saviour's De
claration, that * hitherto his Father worketh.
The Scheme of a particular Providence fup-
pofes God generally to aft; without interrupt
ing the natural Courfe and Agency of Things,
or without being perceived to do it, and fo it
is diftinguifhed from the Notion of a Mira
cle: and therefore leaves no room for that Sar-
cafm, that according to this Scheme, God has
been doing by Nature, what fbme Men have been
doing by Religion, namely, he has been continu
ally turning it topfyturvy. This copld alone
fuit fuch a bungling Projector, as the Author.
God has indeed been continually watching here,
and there, and every where, and has been me
diately or immediately conftant ly interpoftng to
bring
* John v. 17.

0« .PROVIDENCE. 263
bring forth Evil and Good upon his Creatures,
as was proper for every Occafion ; and this is
a Juftice I hope all good Men will do their
Maker, acknowledge, admire, and adore him
for. Sure this Author imagines it an Inter
ruption to the Happinefs of God, that he has
all thefe Cares upon his hands at once, and
thinks it ftrange, that the Keeper of Ifrael
hath not Time to flumber or fleep, but is con
tinually watching here and there. Perhaps his
Deity is like the Idol Baal, whom the Priefts
were bid by the Prophet to call loud upon,
who was gone a Journey, or muft be roufed
from an agreeable Dream, or a delicious Meal,
before he can hear the Cry of the Poor, and
can help him : or like Epicurus's Gods, who
are happy in pleating Indolence and everlafi
ing Inactivity, which muft not, for all the
Worlds in the Univerfe, be fufpended, or
broke in upon.
As fuch Administration and Adjuftment of
Things, with a View to the Whole and every
Part of that Whole, is agreeable to the Na
ture of God ; fo it is alfo to the Nature of
Man, who is to be kept in a conftant Depen
dence and Reliance upon, a continual Atten
tion to, and Trufl and Hope in, the Being
who made and fuftains him. If he did not
fee the Finger of God in many Things, he
would foon come to doubt of his Exiftence ;
and conclude, the World might have been
made, as well as direfted by Chance : if he
S 4 did

264 On P R O V I D E N C E.
did not deny God,, he would forget him, and
live without him in the World. In Profperity'
he would be licentious, in Adverfity defperate :
Left to the Mercy of Matter and Motion, in
variable and undirected to any particular Per
fon or Occafion, and haunted with that Fear
which is natural to the Mind of Man, with
out a Gleam of Light from within ot with
out, he would be the moft hopeleSs and forT
lorn of Creatures, with Senfe enough to dis
cern all the Variety of Mifchiefs about him,
and at the fame Time his own Impotence to
prevent or alleviate any of them. So com-
fortlefs, diftrafting, and uneafy in this Scheme,
that more of the Sect, who maintained it,
turned their own Executioners, than of any
other Profeffion whatfoever : this was the Cafe
of Diodorus With many others, and of Lucre
tius who dreffed up the Doftrine in Numbers,
and (as if there was Contagion and a Curfja
on the Notion) of the Perfon who tranflated
him into our Tongue, though with no ill In
tention. The Doftrine of God, or at leaft fome Su
perior Beings, governing, ordering, and direct
ing the Affairs of the World, is fo agreeable
to the Notions of Mankind concerning the
Nature of God and themfelves, that it has
obtained an almoft univerfal Confent, as ap
pears both from Praftice and Declaration. Alt
the religious Offices of the different Inhabi
tants of the Earth have been performed, to obi
tain

On PROVIDENCE. 265
tain the Protection, Affiftance, Favour, and
Benevolence of the great Director of Things
to them and their Affairs, to procure fome
wanted Good, avert fome impending, or re
move fome prefent Evil : which Praftice fup-
pofes they were perfuaded, fome one could,
and often would do it, that is, that there was
a particular Providence. If any fingle Perfon
in an Age denied this, he was termed an
Atheift, and perhaps there never exifted any
other fort of Atheift in the World. The Ato
mic Philofophers, Democritus, and his Fol
lowers the Epicureans, did not indeed allow
a Providence, but neither did they Creation or
Prefervation, or a future State : all was a fenfe-
lefs Con courfe of Atoms of certain Figures,
and moving in feveral Directions : the Gods,
they mention, were only more permanent
Men, in their fhape, and made after the fame
manner ; and as they had no Share in making
Things, fo confiftently they were allowed no
Share in conducting them, but lived fecure, re-
gardlefs, and unaftive, at as great a distance
as poffible from the Shock of Elements, and
diforderly Convulsions and Ruins of Worlds.
Thefe were held Atheifts by their Cotempo-
raries, and all fucceeding Generations; and
yet fo great is the Force of that Truth they
oppofed, that they themfelves were not con
vinced of their own Doftrine, but were Slaves
to thofe Fears they pretended to deliver others
from. Cicero, in the Perfon of Cotta, fays of
Epi-

266 On PROVIDENCE.
Epicurus  * Nee quemquam vidi, qui magis
ed, qua timenda effe nega/et, timer et, mortem
dico & Deos. But thefe were a Handful of
Men, abfurd in every Part of their Hypothe-;
Sis, and under the Infamy of the worft of im
moral Praftices, (whatever was the Cafe of
Epicurus himfelf) and oppofed and condemn
ed by the reft of Mankind. Plato builds his
DiScourfe concerning God on this acknow-';
ledged Foundation  m el'mv 'Qn^Xn^oi &iot
vrdvmv (xap-Zv >i [A&^ova>v, that the Gods con
cern themfelves in the Care of all Things, both
fmall and great. Ariftotle in his Book of the
World fays  vamp cv" vn\ xu^nprytrns, au ap-
fjg.Ti ))V/o^os, cv %'Jp^ oi yj}f>u(pxi(^, a* -nroAa £s
vo/jjj(, <L> (p£>ftT6'7reJN^ r\yiiAU'v, tVtv S-gos ct> tt£ajj.Ot:.
God is to the World, what the Pilot is to the
Ship, the Driver to the Chariot, the Praecentor
and Leader to the Chorus, the Law to the
City, the General to the Army. The Stoics
maintained and defended with Frequency and
Zeal the. fame Doftrine. Seneca in his En
quiry, why Calamities happen to good Men,
fays many things to prove it,, and particularly,
— — Prceeft univerfis Providentia, & intereft
nobis Deus, there is a directing Providence over
all Things, and God concerns himfelf and
mixes in our Affairs. With him Cicero agrees
in Places, too many to be enumerated. And
this srQpvoia, or Providence, was fo univerfaily
acknowledged and efteemed, that fhe was made
* Tull. 4e Nat. Deorum, 1. i .

On PROVIDENCE. 267
a Goddefs and worfhipped for fuch, as were
the reft of the divine Attributes and the Vir
tues, and Vices, and Paffions of Men, among
the Heathens. Now the united Voice of
Mankind to a Point refolves itfelf, either into
the evident Reafon of the Thing feen by all, or
an original Tradition, fo conformable to the
natural Notions of Mankind, as to be re
ceived and preferved through all fucceffive
Generations. But why fhould we any longer direft our
Steps in this Enquiry by dimmer Lights, when
we may walk in the broad Day, in which
God has placed it, who in the feveral Revela
tions given to Mankind has afcertained his own
particular Providence, and fet it beyond the
Region of Doubt, or Poffibility of Miftake,
And here the Trouble is, to feleft, not to
fearch for Prpofs of the Thing in queftion :
we are oppreffed with the Copioufnefs of the
Evidence, we meet it in almoft every Page,
and to fet down all the Inftances and Declara
tions to this Purpofe, would be to tranferibe
great Part of the Bible. There we read in
general, that * whatfoever the Lord pleafeth,
that doth he in Heaven, and in Earth, and in
the Seas, and in all deep Places : that all things
ferve him. As to the material World, and
the continual Production of Vegetables and
Animals, God, according to this Author, laid
them under Laws, to which they are paffively fubjeft j
* Ffalm cxxxv. 6.

268 On PROVIDENCE.
Subject ; that he forefaw the Viciffitudes, Di£
afters, and Irregularities, which would arife
out of this Conftitution of Things, but nei
ther at firft direfted, nor fince direfts them,
to ferve particular Occafions, but it rains or
Shines, thunders or blows, freezes or burns,
the Storm arifes or is ftill, the Earth germi
nates or is barren, the Animals breed or not,
are fed or Starved, Men are knocked in the
Head or efcape, juft as it happens in the
Courfe of Things, which were bid at firft to
go on without refpeft to any body. On the
contrary the Scriptures fay, that God * caufeth
the Vapours to dfcend : he maketh Lightnings]
for the Rain " he bringeth the Wind out of his
Treafuries. -j- He commandetb and raifetb tht
jlormy Wind^ which lifteth up the Waves: a-
gain, he maketh the Storm a Calm •' Men cry
unto the Lord in their Trouble, and he bringeth
them out of their Difireffes, unto their defired
Haven. God bleffes the living Creatures,
X faying, be fruitful and multiply : He giveth
Life and Breath to Animals, and proportions
their Numbers to the Occafion, In one Cafe,
|| there fhall not be Male or Female barren among
a People, or their Cattle. When the Egyptian,
Air is to be filled with Flies, and the Ground
covered with Locufts, thofe Animals are, bred,
or created in fuch Numbers for that purpofe :
one Wind brings them, and the contrary car-? ries,
* Pfalm cxxxv. 7. f Pf. cvii. 25^ bfc. | Gen. i. zz.
|| Dent. vii. ^. ' '¦*

On PROVIDENCE. 264
ties them all away. * He Jaith to the Snow t
be thou on the Earth. He hath compaffed the
Waters with Bounds : hitherto fhalt thou come,
but no farther, and here jhall all thy proud
Waves be flayed. Will the Waters break, this
Order of themfelves ? yet by Commiffion, the
Fountains of the great Deep Shall be broken
up, and the Flood fhall rife above the higheft
Hills, and cover the Face of the Earth. Noah
preached Repentance to a wicked World ; they
did not repent, and the Deluge came, and only
the Preacher and his Family furvived the uni
verfal Deftruftion. Jonah cried, yet forty Days,
and Niniveh Jhall be overthrown : they repen
ted, and the City Stood, -j- Fire and Hail,
Snow and Vapour, ftormy Wind, fulfill his Word:
X He turneth them round by bis Gounfels, that
they may do whatfoever he commandeth them upon
the Face of the World in the Earth, fj He cau-
feth it to come, whether for CorreBion, or for '
his Land, or for Mercy. God not only does
thefe Things, but does them with Regard to
the Occafion, either for Correction, or Mercy.
Sodom was to be deftroyed with Fire and Brim
stone : but the fiery Shower is fufpended, 'till
righteous Lot is out of Danger : ** Hafte thee,
fays the Heavenly Meffenger, for I cannot do
any Thing 'till thou artfafe. ff The Lord giv-
eth Rain, both the former and latter Rain in his
Sea-
* Job xxxvii. 6. xxvi. 10. xxxviii. n. f Pfalm
cxlviii. 8. % Job xxxvii. 12. |] Job xxxvii. 13. **Gen,
xix. 22. f f Jer. v. 24.

270 On P R 0 V I D E N C E.
Seafon. At another Time the Fruitfulnefs of
the Earth is effected in another manner by the
fame Hand. * The Lord God had not caufed it
to rain upontheEarth : but there went up a Mi ft
from the Earth, and watered the whole Face of
the Ground. Again, when the Lord's Wrath
is kindled, \ He fhutteth up the Heaven,* that
there be no Rain, and that the Land yield not hen
Fruit. The Pfalmift gives us the. fame Faft
with the particular Reafon for it : X He caufetl)
the Graft to grow for the Cattle, and Herb for
the Service of Man, that he may bring forth
Food out of the Earth. Again, He tumeth
Rivers into a Wildernefs, and the Water Springs
into dry Ground, a fruitful Land into Barren-
nefs,for the Wickednefs of them that dwell therein.
Further, || the Lord increafeth the Nations,
• and deftroyeth them . He increafes the Numbers
,of a People, and diminifhes, and does not leave
that Affair to mechanical Laws, Appetites^ or
; Chance. The Promife to ** Abraham was,' that
he fhould be multiplied exceedingly, and that
his Seed fhould be as the Stars of Heaven innu
merable : and it is impoffible to account for
the vaft and uncommon Increafe of the People
of Ifrael in fo fmall a Country as Palaftine,
whether we make our Eftimate of it from their
Armies in their flourishing State, or the Num
bers which perifhed, and went into Captivity at
* Gen. ii. 5, 6. + Deut. xi. 17. % Pfalm civ. 14.
cvii. 33, 34. j] Jobxii. 23. ** Gen. xvii. z. xv. 5.

On PROVIDENCE. 27I
at their Deftruftion ; except upon the foot of
a fpecial Jnterpofition of Providence in purfu-
ance of this Promife. Further, God is parti
cularly concerned in the Revolutions of States
and Kingdoms : * He changeth the Times and
the Seafons : he removeth Kings, andfetteih up
Kings. What a Series of particular Afts of
Providence fhines out in the Hiftory of Cyrus?
God, by his Prophet Ifaiah, calls him by
Name 150 Years before he was born, and fays,
¦j- He is my Shepherd, and fhall perform all my
Pleafure, even faying to Jerufalem, thou Jhalt
be built, and to the Temple, thy Foundation Jhall
be laid. Thus faith the Lord to his anointed, . to '
Cyrus, whoje right Hand I have holden, tofiub-
due Nations bejore him : and I will looje the
Loins of Kings to open before him the two-leaved
Gates. See the amazing Steps of the divine
Conduct to this Affair : the 70 Years of Ju-
dah's Captivity expire with the firft pf Cyrus,
Daniel from a Prifoner becomes firft Minifter
of Babylon, is endowed with more than mor
tal Wifdom, reads the Fate of Belfhazzar on
the Wall, who was flain that Night agreeably
to it : the Fame of this lifts him to thcnotice
of Darius the Mede, he meets Cyrus at Baby
lon, fhews him probably this Prophecy of him,
which he obeys, and X mentions in his Decree
- for building the Houfe of God at Jerufalem.
Again, the fame God fays, j| / kill, and I
make
* Dan. ii. 21. f Ifa; xliv. z8. xlv. 1. J Ezra i. z,
)| Deut. xxxii. 39.

672 On PROVIDENCE.
make alive : he fhortens Life, or adds to it, a9
he fees convenient. Herod fits well on his
Throne, arrayed in Royal Apparel, makes an
Oration, is called a God, gives not God the
Glory : § And immediately the Angel of the
Lord fmote him, and be was eaten of Worms,
and gave up the Ghoft. Hezekiah is lick unto
Death, and told by the Prophet to expect it:
he prays to the Lord, and Ifaiah is fent back
to tell him, the Lord hath heard his Prayer,
and * would add unto his Days fifteen. Years.
St. James tells us, -\ every good, and perfeB Gift
is from above: and the Prophet fays, X jhall.
there be Evil in a City, and the Lord hath nst\
done it ? And Job fays, Jhall we receive Good
at the Hand of God, and fhall we not receive
Evil? Both then come from the fame Hand.x
[| The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich ;* be
bringeth low, and lifteth up. , Seven Years . of
Famine are to afflict Egypt and the neighbour
ing Nations : behold, Jofepb is envied, fold;
\nto Egypt, becomes Lord of it, faves that, and
all the other Countries from perifhing, his Fa
ther too, and the Brethren that fold him : they
fold him out of Envy, to the IJhmaelites for pro
fit, but it was neither of them, but God, who,
by a wonderful Series of Even.ts.fent him before,
** to preferve Life, as the facred Text affures
us. It is the fame Lord, who -j-f* maketh the
bar-
§ A&s xii. 23. * 2 Kings xx. 6. f James i. 17.
X Amos iii. 6. || 1 Sam. ii. 7. ** Gen. xlv. 5. f+ Pf.
cxiii. o.

On PROVIDENCE. 273
barren Woman to keep Houfe, and to be a joyful
Mother of Children. Hannah prays in the Bit-
ternefs of her Soul, and has a Child, who is
devoted to the Lord who gave him, and be
comes his distinguished Prophet. * The Horfe
indeed is prepared againft the Day of Battle :
but Safety is of the Lord. If an Abfolom flies,
it is to be caught in the Boughs, and give Op
portunity for the Weapon that is to go through
him. For it is the Lord, -J- who delivereth
and refcueth : he X maketh Wars to ceafe unto
the End of the Earth ; he breaketh the Bowj
and cutteth the Spear in f under ; he burneth the
Chariot in the Fire. Surely the Wrath of Man
fhall praife him, the Remainder of Wrath Jhall
he reftrain : he Jhall cut off the Spirit of Prin
ces, he is terrible to the Kings of the Earth.
|| Semiacherib approaches Jerufalem, Summons
it fo furrender to a refiftfefs Conqueror with
Armies fo numerous, as with the Soles of their
Feet to have dried up all the Rivers of befieged
Places: he blafphemes, that neither Gods nor
Men can deliver out of his Hand. But what
is the Anfwer of the great Governor of the
World ? Tell him, I have brought it to pafs,
that he fhould lay wafte fenced Cities into rui
nous Heaps': therefore their Inhabitants were
of fmall Power, they were difmayed and con
founded. But the King of Affyria fhall not
come into this City, nor fhoot an Arrow, nor
T caft
* Proy xxi, 31.. f Dan. vi. 27. J Pf. xlvi. 9. — Ixxvi. 10, 12
|| 2Kingsxix. Ifa. xxxvii.

274 On PROVIDENCE.
caft a Bank- againft it : I will put my Hook ift
his Nofe, and my Bridle in his Lips : I will
fend a Blaft Upon him, and he Shall hear a
Rumour, and fhall return to his own Land,
and I will caufe him to fall by the Sword in
his own Land. Accordingly .he fell in the
Temple through the Wickednefs of his Sons :
God did not make that Parricide, but by with
drawing his Protection gave Opportunity fof
it, and accommodated it to his purpofe of Pu-
nifhment Thus this Providence condufts, but
offers no Violence to the free Agency Of Man,
and therefore has no Share in the moral Evil of
the World, which is never made an Objection
to it, but by thofe, who do not underftand
what they are talking of. ~. It may feem -to Short
sighted Man only Time and Chance happening
to all Men, that * the Race is not to thefwift,
nor the Battle to the ftrong, neither yet Bread
to the wife, nor yet Riches to Men of Undemand
ing, nor yet Favour to Men of Skill. But Job
gives the true Account, when he fays, -f Who
knoweth not in all' thefe, that the Hand of the
Lord hath wrought this? What feems more ca
fual than the Lot ? X ^e Eot indeed is caft
into the Lap ; but the whole difpofing thereof is
of the Lord. It is God, who worketh all thefe
Things, and all others, \ after the Counjel of
his own Will: it is in vain to Strive againft
him, ** for be giveth not account oj any of his
Matters.
* Prov. ix. ii. f Jobxii. 9. \ Prov. xvi. 33.
[| Eph.i. 11. ** Job xxx. 13.

On PROVIDENCE. 275
Matters* But then he is no God for our in-
quifitive Author, who expefts an Account of
all his Matters, and will trufl him no farther,
than he can fee him. If his Difpenfations are
refolved into his Counfels, they are arbitrary ;
if Religion be his Will, it maybe this, or that,
or any thing: his faying and expreSIly corn-
manding will not do the Bufinefs ; he muft
give his Reafons, and fhew them to be found
ed in the Nature of Things, or what he fays
fhall not be believed, and what he commands
need not be done. I am contented only to oh*
ferye this, and proceed in my Argument. God
who appears to do and direft all thefe Things,
particularly concerns lumfelf to blefs and pre
serve good Men in a peculiar manner. If thou
Shalt hearken diligently to the Voice of the
Lord thy God, * bfeffed fhalt thou be in the
City, in the Field, in the Fruit of thy Body and
of thy Cattle ; Meffed ft}all be thy Bafket, and
thy Store; fjfeffed Jhalt thou be when thou comeft
in, and when thou goeft out, and, in all that thou
jettefi thine Hand unto. \ Thou Jhalt not be
afraid for the, Terror by Night, nor for the Ar
row that flieth by Day, nor for .the P eft Hence
that walketh, in Darknefs, nor for the Deftruc-
tion, that wafteth at Noqn Day, &c. God Pro-
mifes to be with Jacob: X I am wifh thee, and
will keep, thee in all Places whither thou goeft,
and will bring thee again into thy Land. God
T 2 fays
* Deut. xxyii,. f Pf. xci. % Gen. xxviii. 15.

276 On PROVIDENCE.
fays to all, * J the Lord thy God am a jealous
God, vifttirig the Iniquity of the Fathers upon
the Children unto the third and fourth Genera
tion of them that hate me , and fhewing Mercy
unto Thoufands of them that love me, and keep
my Commandments. But how can all this be ?
how can this Difference be rriade, without a
refpeftive Providence ? From all thefe fbriptu-
ral Declarations and Inftances, confidered to
gether, it undeniably appears, that the mate
rial, the vegetable, the animal, and rational
World, are all under the fpecial Direftion of
God, and condufted by him to anfwer all the
Occafions and Circumftances of moral alterable
Agents in their State of Probation, whether
they are great or fmall, fingle or in Societies,
and that nothing is left to Chance, or the acci
dental Refult of Matter and Motion, and Ap
petite ; that is, that Providence is particular
and refpeftive;
The difobedient Prophet is killed by a Lion
in the way : he neither eat the Carcafe, nor
tore the Afs, but flood by both, as if to de
clare, it was not Hunger or Anger that im
pelled him, but Commiffion to go fo far, and
no farther. There is an annual Sermon in
Commemoration of the Deliverance of a
Gentleman met by a Lion in the Indies, which
paffed flowly by him, and left him uninjured.
I fuppofe the Author will call it Weaknefs, to
fuppofe God had any Concern in it. Yet -j- Da niel
* Exod. xx. 5,6. f Dan. vi. 22.

On PROVIDENCE. 277
niel tells the King, it was God, who Shut the
Mouths of thofe fierce Creatures for his Safe
ty. God neither continues, nor takes away
the Life of any Man, or fuffers it to be done,
without a proper Reafon, refpefting that Per
fon, or others, or both. If therefore a Man
may thank God for the Continuance of his
Life, he- may,. and ought to thank him, for
not being crufhed by the Houfe, which fell as
foon as he had paffed it ; efpecially, when his
Nearnefs to Dangfer feems to be , on purpofe to
admonifh him of his Duty. The Man who
efcapes Shipwreck, and he who perifhes in it,
may each have caufe to thank God for thefe
refpeftive Afts of Providence. Thofe eighteen,
on whom the Tower of Siloam fell, * were
not Sinners above all Men that dwelt in Jerufa
lem ; nor were feveral, who efcaped the Ruin,
more righteous than thofe who perifhed in it :
but could the Deliverance of the one, or the
Deftruftion of the other,- ferve no other Pur
pofes of Providence ? This indeed checks our
Prefumption in affigning the Caufe of what
happens upon moft Occafions, but it no way
excludes a proper Caufe : becaufe nothing ap
pears to efcape the Care and Direftion of Pro
vidence, and where there is room for a Rea
fon, a wife Providence cannot aft without one-j
otherwife Providence would convert into
Chance. A Town may Suffer, arid the Inha
bitants be brought into great Diftrefs by a Fire,
T 3 Spread
* tujce xiii. '4.

278 On PROVIDENCE.
fpread and communicated by a particular Di
rection of the Wind, and all this may be done
by a particular Providence, and yet the Inha
bitants not be greater Sinners than their Neigh
bours. Judgment may begin with them, and
proceed to others, who, unlefs they are warn
ed by it and repent, may all likewife perifh :
this might be done, either to punifh for fome
particular Offence of thofe Sufferers, or to ex
ercife their Patience in bearing, and the Virtue
of others in relieving the Calamity, or for a
, thoufand other namelefs-Reafons of Propriety.
In like manner, though we cannot affign the
Caufes, why in November 1688, God granted
England a Deliverance from Popery and Slave
ry, while he fuffered other Countries to labour
under the Oppreffion of them; yet we may
allow it was an Aft of his Providence, and of
his Goodnefs too, to do it; efpecially, fince he
has declared himfelf particularly concerned in
the Revolutions of Kingdoms : and if his: Pro
vidence was concerned in the End, it was in
the Means too. We cannot, and we neednot
fay", whether the Sudden (Lifting of the Wind,
which favoured this Qccafion, was defigned
.principally or only for it, or for that together
with many others. It anfwers the Purpofes of
Providence, that the Church Should in fome
Times and Places be in a persecuted State, in
others in an eafy and flourifhing Condition. It
need not therefore be prefumed in the prefent
Cafe, that we were better than our Neigh bours,

On PROVIDENCE. 279
bours, or that Proteftanifm, as profeffed in Eng
land, was more precious in Gods Sight, than as
it is profeffed in other Countries: though it
would be difficult for the Author to prove it
is not. We gratefully remember the Favours
we have received from God, and leave it to his
Wifdom to determine, why he bleffed us be
yond other People. But the Author fays, God
had nothing to do with this particular Change
of the Wind ; and, for any thing we know to
the: contrary, it was brought about in the
Courfe of his general Providence; that is, by
Chance in his Langage : but here we are not
obliged to take his Word, till he can prove,
confiftently with Reafon and Scripture, that
the Wind can blow or fhift, without, being
direfted to fepve fome Purpofe of Providence.
In the mean time, fo critical a Change; on
which depended the Fate of a Church and
Kingdom, feems to mark itfelf out to fpecial
Obfervation. Had I been prefent at the Paf
fage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, and
had neither feen nor been told any thing of
Miracle, but only perceived a ftrong Wind
force up the Waters, and lay bare the Chan
nel, till one whole Nation to a Man had
efeaped through it, and another purfuing Na
tion was got into the midft of it, and then
immediately change, and let the Waters re
turn to their Strength, and deftroy all the lat
ter ; I Should not have fcrupled calling it, and
fhould have thought myfelf obliged to ac-
T 4 knowlege

280 On PROVIDENCE.
knowlege it, an Aftcof fpecial Providence,
pointed out to my particular Notice by thofe
nice Circumftances. » -
But the Author's Providence is without Pre-
vifion of, or Provifion for any particular Cafes,
which two Things conftitute the Effence of
of divine Providence. God, according to his
Scheme, < made all thirigs paffively fubjeft to
certain Slated Laws of Matter and Motion,
and, though he foref&w many Difafters, Dif-
orders, and Calamities would follow, bid them
go on, without any Regard to Perfons or the
Circumftances of Things : that it is in this
Cafe, as in the Art of Navigation,' which has
occafioned many accidental Loffes arid Mif-
chiefs, but yet upon the Whole is ufeful and
beneficial: that God introduced: this fome
times hurtful Conftitution of Things, without
any Caufe arifing from the Sinfulnefs of the
Creatures ; that is, he ordered- Things worfe
than he might have ordered them, and for no
Reafon or Regard to Propriety. < But the:
Scripture more reafonably acquaints us on the
contrary, that all Carrie perfeftly good from
the Hand of God, and that he c-urfed the
Ground for the fake of finful Man, and for
the fame Reafon he introduced all the other
Diforders of Nature, by altering perhaps the
Pofition of our Globe, or fome other> way af
fecting its Conftitution. But however thefe
Evils came, God, according to ourfAuthor^
bid them fall indifcriminately and undiftin-
guifhing,

On PROVIDENCE. 281
guifhing, agreeably to the ftated Rules of
Matter and Motion, and never concerns him
felf in the Prevention or Direftion of them,
unlefs by Miracle upon fome great Occafion,
as to turn a threatning Comet out of its Way :
and yet the very Inftance of Providence he
mentions and allows, is the very patching and
mending the Syftem, he complains of and re
jects with fo much Difdain : for had it not
been better the Comet had never gone in a
"wrong Way, than that it fhould be a fpecial
Aft of Power to be turned out of it ? This
is our Author's Providence, which is only For
tune without any Eyes, running up and down
the World, and flinging Goods and Evils pro-
mifcuoufly among all, that happen, to Stand
in the Direftion of her cafual Favours and
Mifchiefs, On the contrary, as has been, fhewn, the
Voice of Reafon, of Revelation, and of Facts
is;- that God not only created, but that he
continually fuftains, actuates, and is prefent
to all things: that Nature is only an abftraft
Notion, and not a real Exiftence independent
of God, and the Courfe of Nature is. nothing,
but the apparent Manner of the divine Pro
ceeding in the Conduct of all things: that this
Conduct reaches to and comprehends all things,
and this comprehensive Direction of all things
is fo adjufted,. as to anfwer and fall. in with.
the particular Occafions and refpeftive Cir
cumftances of every moral Agent in the
World;

i82 On PROVIDENCE.
World 5 and that Providence So takes in the
whole Compafs of Things into its View, as,
like the Eye of a 'fine Picture, to point and
throw its particular Regard on every' Perfon
Who looks upon it. This is that Providence,
which is the Foundation of Trufl, Hope, De
pendence, and Prayer to God, worthy of
God, and agreeable to the , prefent State , of
Man, and is held out to us, as in all other
Places of Scripture, fo particularly in the fixth
and tenth Chapters of St. Matthew, referred
to by the Author, and with which I fhall
bound my Enquiry.
The whole Tenor and Purport of the for
mer of thefe Chapters is, to teach Us to gain
an Intereft in God in the Ways of his Ap
pointment; and then to caft all our Care upon
him, becaufe he careth for us ; to performre-
ligious Aftions, and perform them on a Prin
ciple of Obedience to God alone, in full Re
liance on-him for Maintenance, Support; Pro
tection, Deliverance, and all the Neeeffaries
to our Being and Well-being, as. far and as
long as Shall he expedient for us ; and in cer
tain Expectation - of a future, publick, and
glorious Reward.: Thus we are to conduct
ourfelves in giving Alms, in Prayer, and Fall
ing. We are to pray with- Devotion, not
Nbife, and, among other Things, for the
Neeeffaries of Life' with entire Dependence On
thedivine Wifdom and Will", as to the Qua
lity or Quantity of them. This is the Mean ing

On PROVIDENCE. 283
Ing of our Saviour's Saying, But when ye
pray, ufe not vain Repetitions, as the Heathen
do ; who continued one Word or Cry for a
long time together, in order to make their
diftant, Sleeping Gods hear them, thus think
ing they fhould be heard for their much Speak
ing ; and who alfo direfted their fenfelefs Idols
what to give, by a vain Enumeration of
worldly Particulars, as Wealth, Honour, or
Delights. Be ye not therefore like unto them ;
for your Father knoweth what things ye have
need of, before ye afk him, and will give you
what is needful in thefe Particulars, as far as
it Shall be needful and proper, upon a gene
ral, fubmiffive Supplication, and fo feed you
with Food convenient for yqu. After this
Manner therefore pray ye : Our Father, wife
and good, tender and regardful of thy Chil
dren, thy Will be done, be it obeyed and fub-
mitted to in every Inftance, and particularly
in the Petitions here offer'd : Give us this
Day our daily Bread. We Shall have then
the Neeeffaries of Life, if we afk for them,
according to that of our Saviour, Afk, and ye
\ ff all receive : and again, Whatfoever ye Jhall
afk the Father in my Name, he wilt give if
you. Shall the Wicked and Difobedient have
.what they afk? No: for the Condition of
Succefs is Obedience to the Will of God.
* He that turneth away his Ear from hearing
the Law, even his Prayer fhall be Abomination. If
* Prov. xxviii. q.

284 On PROVIDENCE.
If the Obedient afk for good Things, Shall
they receive hurtful ? No : our heavenly Far
ther will not give a, Stone for Bread, or for
Fifh a Serpent to his Children, becaufe he
knoweth better, than any other Parent, * bow
to give good Things to them that djk him. If
by Miftake the Good afk for hurtful Things,'
fhall they be granted ? No, for the foregoing
Reafon; God will not turn our Piety into a
Curfe, he will give good things. Shall! the
obedient Supplicants have Whatfoever they
aft; in Pursuance of the foregoing, unlimited
Promife to his Difciples? Yes, if it is good
for them ; otherwife, a better. Thing. A ge
neral Promife muft be reftrained by limited
Promifes made' by the fame Authority upon
the fame Subject: and this is the-juft and^ac-
knOwledged Rule of Interpretation •¦ in Cafes.
What, if we afk not at all, or not aright; fhall
we receive? the Apoftle anfwers in the negative:
Ye have not, becaufe you afk not; * ye ajk, arid
receive not, becaufe ye afk amifs, that ye map>
conjume it on your Lufts. But if a Man be 'a
prpper Object of. the divine Favour, fhall he
not, without, <afking, have the Suftenance
needful for his well-being? This is a Contra
diction in Terms, to fuppofe a Man a proper
Object of the divine Favour in r this Particu
lar, without Prayer :- becaufe God has made
afking the Condition of receiving the Necef-
farks of Life. Did he make afking for our
daih? <
* Matt. vii. n. f Jam. iv. 2, 3.

On PROVIDENCE. .285
daily Bread the Condition of rCceivirig it, ohly
to put us in mind of being induftrious to get
it ? No certainly : but to make us fenfible of
that unfeen, almighty Hand, which can alone
difpenfe or withhold it : to teach us, it is vain
Labour that we h^tfle to rife up early, and fo
late take reft, and eat the Bread of Careful-
nefs, unlefs the Lord gives a Blefliflg to our
Endeavours. Otherwife the Direftion to^p/ay
for Bread defeats its own Intention, by mis
employing the Time, which might be better
fpent in getting it; and the bufy groveling
Wretch, who has no Leifure from the Cares
of the World to think of God, is upon a
better foot as to the Neeeffaries of Life, than the
moft induftrious devout Man. Upon the whole
then, if we pray aright for the Neeeffaries and
Conveniences of Life, for which we are com-
rnanded to pray with Affurance of Succefs, we
Shall according to Promife certainly have them-
if we pray not at all, or not aright, we are not fure
of them. But how can all this be, if the Courfe
of Things is not primarily direfted with a
View to particular Cafes, or afterwards divert
ed or accommodated to them ? In this Cafe, he
that prays, and he that does not, he that afks
aright, and he that afks amifs, are both upon
afoot, or, if there is a Difference, it is to
the Disadvantage of the pious Petitioner. A
Man may as Succefsfully fall down to a Stock,
as before the* Deity in his Wants, who framed
the Courfe of Things without any Regard to
the particular Circumftances of either, and
cannot

286 On PROVIDENCE.
cannot be prevailed with to alter his Plan,
unlefs in the, Matter of a Comet, or fo*
Prayer fuppofes; an Application or withholding
of Things agreeably to the Circumftances of
the Supplicant, therefore our Savjour's Direc
tion of ufing Prayer, is his Declaration of the
Providence in queftion. Even after Bread is
had, there muft be a Bleffing and Direction
of it, to make it ufeful to the Purpofes of
Nutrition ; fox' Man liveth not by Bread alone,
but by every Word which proceedeth out. of the
Mouth of God, who can turn his Bread into
Stones, or thofe Stones into Bread. Other
Petitions in this Prayer, which have the Pro
mife of being granted, are » — > Lead us not
into Temptation, dangerous Trials and Per
plexities : but deliver us from Evil, natural
and* moral, the evil one, tS im>np». But
vain are thefe Aphlications, by, the .Author's
Scheme of Providence : you muft encounter
the Perplexities and Difireffes, which -Matte?
and Motion smd other' Agents bring upon
you in courfe, and if you are. got into a Dif
ficulty, you muft get out of it as well as you
can ; Things muft go as they will, and muft
not be, altered for your Sake. No Grace, no
Affiftance, no Deliverance is to be expected
from Heaven, but from your.all7fufficient feff.
The Author may find a ftrange, Pleafure 'in
this gloomy Situation: but the Scriptures,
which were written fer their Comfort, give
Chriftians a more delightful Profpeft of a
God, who will give the holy Spirit to them that

On PROVIDENCE. 287
that afk him, in order to fubdue natural Cor
ruption and avoid Sin ; who is faithful, and
will not fuffer them to be tempted above that
they are able, but will with the Temptation
make a Way to efcape, that they may be able
to bear it ; and who will keep Men, that the
wicked one toucheth them not. Chrift tells
Peter, * Satan had defired to fift him as
Wheat ; but he had prayed for him, that his
Faith might not fail. The particular Diftrefs
of this Apoftle was confidered and provided
for, as was that of Paul, who, -j- left he
Jhould be exalted above meajure, through the.
Abundance oj Revelations, had a Thorn in the
Flefh fent him, the Meffenger of Satan to
buffet him. The Lord would not remove the
ufeful Affliction, though, thrice petitioned for
it, but gave what was better, an Affurance
of Grace fufficient for his Weaknefs.
Our Saviour proceeds, Verfe 19.  Lay
not up for yourfelves Treafures upon Earth,
'where Moth and Ruft, doth corrupt, and where
Thieves break through and Jleal. Neither va
lue, nor fordidly heap up fiich things, as are
liable to be continually fpoiled and loft, likely
to give Vexation, and defeat the Happinefs
they were heaped up to procure. But lay
up Jor yourfelves Treafures in Heaven, feek
thofe Things which are above, permanent and
ineftimable. It is difficult for a rich Man not
to trufl in his Riches : hardly therefore Shall ;a
* Luke xxii. 31 , 3*. f 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8, 91

288, On PROVIDENCE.
a rich Man enter into the Kingdom of Hea
ven. If ye heap up thefe Things, • ye will
grow fond of them, they will get Poffeffiotf
of your Affections, arid become the govern
ing Principle of your Aftions : they will con
tract your Amis, make you faft to devour
Widows Houfes, deftroy that Dependence on
God, which is the Foundation of Prayer :
For where yo%r Treafure is, there will your
Heart be alfo. If the governing Principle of
thy Aftions," which is like the Eye that lights
and direfts the feveral Movements of the Bo
dy, be a Defire of earthly Things, it will
miflead thee from the Paths of Duty to God,
thy Neighbour, and thyfelf ; it will make
thee little, harrow, wicked; thou wilt fpend
thy Life in mean Solicitude and fruitlefs Care
for Money, and wilt give up Confcience,
Honour, thine own Welfare, arid tha'r of
Mankind for it, and wilt follow the Luft of
thine Eyes, when the Voice of Religion and
God call thee an oppofite Way. For no Man
can ferve'two Mafter s, fo contrary in their
Directions ; for either he will hate the one, or
love the other ; or elfe he will hold to the one,
and defpife the other : ye cannot ferve God and
Mammon. Therefore 1 fay unto you, be fo
far from this, as to take no Thought for your
Life, what ye fhall eat, or what ye fhall
drink ; nor yet for your Body, what ye fhall
put on : Have no Anxiety or Solicitude about
thefe Things, nor make immoderate Provi fion

On PROVIDENCE. 289
fion for them : Is not the Life more* than
Meat, and the Body than Raiment ? Go on in
the Way of Induftry, Piety, and Charity,
and leave thefe Things to the Care and expe
rienced Goodnefs of Providence. Our Lord,
is guarding againft the inordinate Love of
Mammon} pr the good Things of Life, becaufe
inconfiftent with the Love and Service of God.
This Paffion begins in a Solicitude, and Shel
ters itfelf under the Name of a prudent Care
for the Neeeffaries and Conveniences of Life:
But he, who knew what was in Man, pulls
off the Mafk from this fordid Vice, and plucks
up its very Root, by not admitting a fingle
anxious Concern for even the Neeeffaries and
Conveniences of Life, Food and Raiment :
fince the Care for thefe Things will hinder you
from ferving Go,d, and you cannot ferve both
God and Mammon ; therefore I fay unto you,
take no Thought about thefe Things: God,
who gave you Life and Body, will provide
Suftenance for the one, and Covering for the
other. The Connection of this laft Paffage
with the reft, and the Tranfition from the
24th to the 25 th Verfe, is fo clear, fo pertiT
nent, fo beautiful, that it will be difcerned
and admired by every ingenuous Reader. But
plain as it is, our Author did not, or would
not fee it : and as he cannot miftake, or Shut
his Eyes, and nothing can be true that he is
ignorant of; fo, agreeably to his ufual Fami
liarity with facred Writers., he fixes his own
U Blunder

2oo On PROVIDENCE.
Blunder^ of Want of Connection, on tht
Badnefs of the Apoftle's Memory, and fays,
As this Difcourfe was written many Years after
it was jpoken by wr Lord ; jo probably, thro'
a DefeB of Memory in the Hiftorian, what our
Lord faid immediately before it, which intro
duced it, and was made the Ground or Reafon
of i it, was forgotten, and therefore was not re
lated by him. I fhall leave the Reader to judge
between him and the Apoftle, and do not
doubt his feeing a great Defect of Manners,
but not of Memory, in the Cafe. But to pro
ceed in the Argument:  The w^ole Paf
fage relating to Providence, which comes now
unde/ Examination, is this, — *— — Veffes
25, &c.
Therefore 1 fay unto you, take no Thought
for your Life, what ye fhalf eat, or what ye
Jhall drink ; nor yet for your Body, what \ye
Jhall put- on : Is not the Life more than h(feef,
and the Body than Raiment ? Behold, the Fowls
of the Air ; for they fow not, neither Iffo they
reap, nor gather into Barns ; yet, your heavenly
Father feedeth them : Are ye not much, better
than they,? Which of you by taking Thought
can add one Cubit unto his, Stature ? And why
take ye. Thought for Raiment? Confider the Li
lies of the Field how they .grow ; they toil not,
neither, do they fpin : And yet I fay unto, you,
that even Solomon in all his Glory was not ar
rayed like one of thefe. Wherefore if God fo
clothe the Grafs of the Field, which to-day is
an

On PROVIDENCE. 201
.••¦¦ - '¦ ¦..* . • »'• T-: a; ,- ...
and to-morrow is caft into the Oven, ftjall he
not much more clothe 'you, O ye of little Faith ?
Therefore take no Thought, faying, what Jhdll
we eat ? Or what fhall We drink ? Or where
withal fhall we be clothed ?¦ (For after all thefe
Things do the Gentiles feek) for your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all thefe
Things : But jeek ye firft the Kingdom of God,
and his Righteoufnefs, and all theft Things fhall
be added unto you. Take therefore no Thought
for the Morrow ; fir the Morrow fhall take
Thought for the Things oj itfelf : 'Sufficient unto
the Day is the Evil thereof. '-¦
The Author and I are agreed that the De
fign of this Difcourfe of our'Savibur was, to
"Warn his Difciples and Followers againft an
anxious and needlefs Care for the Things of
this Life: but in all other Particulars we are
at great Difagreement. According to him,
the Point of Wifdom, held forth to us in this
^Paffage, is, not unneceffarily to multiply Cares
to burfelves, by a Solicitude or Fear of want-
'inV the Neeeffaries of Life ; becaufe fuch
Want may not happen at all, and if it does
in the" uniform Courfe of Things, we cannot
prevent it by any Solicitude or Methods in our
Power. Now this is but cold Comfort, and
the Confideration of an irrefpective Courfe of
Things, in which a Man may abound or
ftarve, ' as it happens, would be fo far from
removing or abating Anxiety for the Neeeffa
ries and'C'Omforts of Life, that it would greatly
U 2 encreafe

,2Q2 On PROVIDENCE.
encreafe and heighten it. The Intention of
this Paffage, according to me, is to banifh-an
anxious Fear,, -.of wanting what, is neceffary
and proper, becaufe to thpfe, who put them
felves under the Guidance of God, fuch Want
cannpt happen, through the Kindnefs of .a
Watchful Providence, which has engaged; to
fupply and give thefe Things to every fueh
Perfon in due and convenient Proportion ,
either by fuitipg the apparent Courfe of Things
to the Exigence, or altering the Courfe for it;
either beff owing the proper Food and Raiment
by a Blefting on the ordinary Means of ob
taining them, or covering the Earth with. a
Manna for forty Years, and forbidding the
Clothes to grow old for as long a Space, if
the Servants of God, like the Children of If
rael, are led by him through a barren and
dry Wildernefs, where, thefe Things cannpt,
otherwife be had. This is a .folid Ground: pf
Comfort, Reliance, certain Expectation, and
banifhes and makes, ridiculous allearking Cares
for the Things of the World :. and this is the
exprefs Defign of the Paffage before us, as I
proceed to fhew.
The Adyice given at the 25th Verfe is— -
Take no Thought for your Life, what ye Jhall
eat, or what ye Jhall drink; nor yet for the Body,
what ye Jhafl put on. The Reafon given in
Support of th|s Advice; is— — Is not the.Life more
than Meat, and the Body than Raiment ? The
Argument is from the greater to the lefs : that
Provi-

On PROVIDENCE. 293
Providence which gave you Life, wanting the
continual Recruits of Meat and Drink, will
certainly provide thofe Things neceffary to fuf-
tain it ; that Goodnefs, which gave a Body in
need of Defence from the Injuries of Weather,
will affuredly fupply proper Covering for it.
He, who beftowed the greater Things, Life
atad Body, will not fail in the letter, Food and
Raiment. But here the Queftion returns, by
what Sort of Providence God will give thefe
latter Things, Food and Raiment:- Why, by
the fame that he gives the former, Life and
Body. And what is this Providence ? a par
ticular one beyond all doubt, fuited to every
Cafe ? The Life of Man is the Refult of the
Soul or Spirit, infufed or put intojevery Indi
vidual. But how ? In the common Way of
Generation, and according to the Appetites of
Ihe Creatures, and the mechanical Laws of
Matter and Motion ? This is -impoffible and a
Contradiction!'* God breathed into the firft
Man the Breath of Life, and fo Man became
a living Soul, and fo he has done by every
Man fince. -f The Lord formeth the Spirit of
Man within him. X He maketh, us this Soul.
He maketh the Body too, and faftiions it, as
a Potter doth the Clay. The Prophet fays,
|| O Lord, thou art our Father, we are the Clay,
and thou our Potter, and we all are the Work
oj thy Hand. Job deforibes the manner of it,
U 3 — Thou
:m< « '*•'¦ ' " - - ' . .
* Gpn.ii. 7. f Zech.xii. i. J Jer. xxxvui. 16.
\ Ifa. lxiv. 8.

294 On PROVIDENCE.
—*Thou haft clothed me with Skin and Flefh, and
haft fenced riie w^itb Bones and Sineti)s. And
the Pfalmift ftill more minutely — -f Thou haft
covered me in my Mother's Womb: I will praife
thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made :
my Subftance was not hid from thee, when Iwai
made in fecret, and curioufty wrought: thine
Eyes did fee my Subftance yet being unperfeB,
and in thy Book all my Members were written,
which in Continuance were faftnoned, when as yet
there was none of them. Let this Author account,"
if he can, for the Difference' of Iffue in appa
rently like Circumftances, for the Promife of not
one barren among a People in one Cafe, and
the Threat of many being fo in another, upori
arty; other foot, than that of Children being an
Heritage and Gift that Cometh of ' the Lord!
Let him account, without the particular Su
perintendency and Direction of God in this Af
fair, for the exact Stock of Animals kept up
for the various U'fes Of bur Globe; for the nice
Proportion obferved in the; Production of the
Sexes; for the Longevity of the firft Inhabi
tants," the gradual Decreafe of the Length of
human Life, its decreasing no farther; and its
cbfttinuing ~%t a' Stand for' Thoufands of Years.
The irrelpeftive Laws of Matter and Motion,
and the Courfe of Things Unrestrained within
certain Bounds, and undirected to all thefe fpe
cial Purpofes, cannot bring this to1 pais. The
Conclufion therefore of this Argumentis, fince
' God
* Job x. 1 1 . f Pf. cxxxix. 1 3, &c

On PROVIDENCE. 295
God has given us, by his particular refpeftive
Providence, this living, Intelligent Soul, this
curioufly organized Body ; he will certainly
give, by the fame particular Providence, what
is neceffary and proper to fuftain this Life, and
cover this Body.
,,v The Argument has gone on thus far upon
what God has already done for Man : It pro
ceeds Verfe 26. upon what he does for other
Creatures — Behold the Fowls of the Air : for
they fow not, neither do they reap, nor gather
into Barns ; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them: are ye not much better than' they? God
has lighted up Man with Intelligence and Fore-
fight, qpajified him for Induftry and Labour,
condemned him to it for his Sins, and then pro-
mifed he fhould eat the Bread convenient for
him in the Sweat of his Brow, which Bread a-
rifes from the Succefs given to his Work by
Providence, and proportioned to the peculiar
Circurnftaoces of the Worker. For the fame
Ipduftry and Fprefight does not produce the
fame Return ; but it is diftinguifhing Provi
dence, * and the Direftion of the fupreme Hand,
which gives the Difference of Increafe. The
Fowls of the Air, who are not fitted for thefe
Employments, are provided Jor in another
manner, by Swarms of Infefts floating in the
Air, Worms rifing out of , the Ground, the
Herbage .of the Fields, and Fruits- of Trees
growing for their Subfiftence. The Governor
of the' World does all this, as has been above
U 4 proved:

296 On PROVIDENCE.
proved : he limits the Generation of Animals
to the Ufe of Men, 'he gives every Degree of
Life, and difpenfes Food at what Seafon, and
in what Quantity is due and proper. All his
*, Creatures, both fmall and great Beafts, and
Things creeping innumerable, wait upon him,
that he may give them their Meat in due Sea
fon : that, which he giveth them, they gather;
he openeth his Hand, and they are filled with
Good: when he hideth his Face, they are
troubled, when he taketh away their Breath,
they die and return to their Duft. Since there
fore Providence thus minutely extends its Re
gards with fuch aftonifhing Exaftriefs' through
all the Gradations of animal Life, adapts every
Thing to every Thing, and thus his Mercy is
over all his Works; fhall it not much more in
terest itfelf in the Provifion for Man, on whofe
Account all thefe Things are made and fed?
The Care of God, which reaches to the tefs
noble and ufeful Parts of this Creation, will
certainly a fortiori riiuch rather cOncerri itfelf
with your Provifion, who are much' better than
they. Ycxfe.zy. Which of you by taking Thought
can add one Cubit to his Stature ? The Author's
Reafoning from this Argument is very extraor
dinary, and administers great Comfort. He
fiys, the Thoughtjulnej's here condemned is fruit-
lej's and vain, it makes no Alteration in the Cafe
to which it is applied, no more than to our Sta ture
* Pf. Civ. 2r CJV.

On PROVIDENCE. 297
ture, but leaves Things juft as it finds them.
And will this remove my Anxiety, pnlefs I
am told, God will do this for me, which I
cannot do for myfelf? But for this the Author's
Scheme leaves no room ; but according to him,
I cannot add to , my own Stature one Cubit,
and I may as well expect God will make fuch
Addition to it, as that he will turn, or apply,
or interrupt the Courfe of Things on my par
ticular Account : that is, I have no Reafon at
all to expect it. If therefore I am in extreme
Want and Straits, I may get out of them if I
can, and as well as I can, and if I cannot, and
the Courfe of Things will not allow of it; it
is in vain to be anxious and uneafy : Una Salus
, miferis, nullam fperare Salutem.
But the original Word, here rendered Sta
ture, , may fignify Age or Life, and probably
does fo here : becaufe a Cubit in a Man's Sta
ture is a great Addition, but to a Man's Life is
a little, one : and the Turn of the Paffage feems
1 to be, that we, who by our Solicitude cannot
do this little Thing, how can we do a greater?
And then the Argument is this — You cannot
with all your Anxiety get Bread, without God's
Affiftance fuited to your particular Cafe ; nor,
when ye have got it, will it nourifh you any
otherwife or any longer, than God direfts it to
do fo : you cannot extend your Life one Cubit
beyond the Limits fet to it, which you cannot
alter, but God may, and add to or take from
your Days, fifteen or more Years, as he fees it
con-

298 On PRO V I D E N C E.
convenient. Therefore as you muft depend
for the leaft Continuance of your Life upon
him, in whofe Hand is the Soul of every living
Thing, and the Breath of all Mankind ; de
pend OP him alfo for Food and Raiment, which
are much lefs Things. What removes Anxiety
in this Cafe from us, impotent as we are, is,
that he, who alone can continue. our Life, will
do it as long as it is convenient for us, hewill
defend it from thofe Dangers, which befef and
threaten it with Extinction : if we walk in his
Ways, we fhall not be left naked and defence-
lefs'amidft all the cafual Mifchiefs arifing from
undirected Matter and Motion : he, who lead-
eth Jofeph like a Sheep, will be pur Quidcjeven
unto Death. The good Map may fay — —The
Lord is thy Keeper : I laid me down and flepf,
I awaked ; for the Lord juftained me : the Lord
fhall pre ferve my going out, and my coming in :
he is wi.th me, and will keep me in. all Places
whither I go, and therefore will give me Bread
to eat, and Raiment to put on: for by him- have
I been h'olderi up from the Womb : Thou, Lord,
onlffnakeft me dwell in Safety, The Conclu
fion is, that by the fame Providence, by which
God continues Life to Man, he will alfo fup
ply the Neeeffaries of it ; .but fuch Providence
is 'a particular Providence, refpecting every
Man. Verfes 28, 29, 30. And why take ye Thought
for Raiment? Confider the Lilies of the Field
how the J grow ; they toil not, neither do .they
Jpin:

On P R OV I DE'rl'CE. lp
(pin :' and yet I Jay unto you, that even Solomon*
in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of theft.
Wherefore if God jo clothe the Grafs oj the Field,
which to-day is, and tb-riiprrow is caft into the
Oven ; Jhall he not much more clothe you, O ye
of little Faith ? Our Lord here ufes a like Ar
gument, to diffuade from Anxiety for Rai
ment, with that he before ufed in the Cafe of
Food : as God fuftains and feeds, in due and
proper Seafon and Proportion, Animals infe
rior to Men, who may therefore be fure of his
more particular Care in providing convenient
S'u'ftenance for them; fo he clothes the Vege
tables even to Elegance, and therefore will
much more particularly provide, that Men
Shall have their proper Covering. If the Lilies
and other Flowers, which bedeck the Bofom
of Nature, and are 'Scattered up and down to
give a Gaiety to the Creation, and refresh the
Eye of Man, are finiffied up by the Hand of
Providence, with that exquifite Art and match
lefs Beauty, that a Solomon in all his Glory
Was not arrayed like one of them ; how much
more fhall the fame accurate and, kind Provi-^
de'nce give neceffary Raiment to, Men,. 'for
whole Entertainment thefe Vegetables of . a
Day are raifed and dreffed ? The fame Provi- ,
dence is concerned in the Productions of the
Earth, as is concerned in the Adjuftment of
all Things to their proper Occafions and Ufes ;
that is, a particular Providence. The genial
Shower that waters, the kindly Heat that
warms

39© On P R O V I D E N C E.
warms. and enlivens, the rattling Tempeft that
breaks, and Lightning that burns them, are
in God's Hand, and direfted by him to ferve
the various Circumftances of Perfons and
Things. The '*? Heaven, which drops the
Dew,, becomes BraJ's, and the teeming Earth
Iron, at his Word. The -f Locuft, the Can
ker Worm, the Caterpillar, and. the Palmer
Worm, are his great Army, and obey his ex
prefs Orders ; they go fo far, and in fuch
Numbers, and no farther. The Spires of
Grafs are pointed, and the Numbers of them
determined by the fame every where exifting,
acting Providence, which fees every thing, and
orders every tiling in the. belt manner, ' which
with-holds thefe things at one time, and grants
them at another, both for Correction and Mer
cy, as may beft fuit the various Exigences and
Circumftances- of moral Agents. And in this'
confifts the Effence of a particular Providence;
namely, in fuch Adjuftment of all Things to
their proper' Occafions, by .whatever Means it
is effected. _ . : -ns
. But the Author himfelf, while he is endea
vouring froni this Scripture, to overthrow a par
ticular Providence with refpeft to Man, really
proves and eftahlifhes it by his own Principles.
GenerafProvidence, with him, is nothing but
the eftablifhed Laws of Matter' and Motion,
undirected and without all Regard to particu
lar Cafes ^nd Perfons: by this general Provi-
' ,  - '^'. dence,
- - * Beat, xxviii. 23. f Joel ii. 25.

On PROVIDENCE. 36x
dence, he fays, the Vegetables grow, and the
Animals are fed: therefore, I fay; it cannot
be this Providence, which the Difciples here
were concerned with ; fince they were to be
fed more certainly and much more clothed,
than thefe ; for this implies Refpeft to one
thing more than another, and argues Defign,
and Diftribution, and Regard for Particulars.
Matter and Motion are of themfelves undiftin-
guifliing Things, and will not leave any Man
in abetter Condition as to Food and Raiment,
if in 'fa. good an one, as the Fowls of the Air,
and theElowers of the Field. If the Diffe
rence in this Cafe is to arife only from the fa-
perior Intelligence and Sagacity of Man, I fear
the Advantage will lie on the Side of the in
animate Vegetable and irrational Creature : be
caufe the Principle of Vegetation and Inftinft
work much more fteadily and certainly in the
Point of Food and Raiment, than all the
boafted Faculties of Man. The gay Clothing
of the Flower grows with it, and the Beafts
are born with what is proper to cover and de
fend .them; while we fee many of our own
Species difficultly get it, and fometimes go
without it. And the like may be faid of Food,
which without Trouble of Preparation every
where offers itfelf to the inferior Animals, and
is with greati Eafe- obtained by them. How
therefore can the Difciple, the good Man, be
much .more. certainly fed and clothed, than
thefe, but upon the Suppofition of a Providence
particularly

^02 Qn , P R 0 V I D E N C %
particularly refpefting him, and ' fome way pr
other with greater Certainty fupplying his
Wants? It is riot neceffary, that the Hand of
Providence fhould make itfelf bare to our Vie'w
upon this Occafiori ; nor is it any Objection to
the particular Provifion in Queftion, that tye
fee no.miraculousfeedingpr cloathing; no- Ra
vens bringing Men Bread arid Flefh , in the
Morning and Evening, as to Elijah; rib Dref-
Ses defcending from the Skies ready made and
fitted to the Circumftances of the Wearers:
we may conceive many fecret Methods, by
which this may be brought about, arid Gbd
may effect it by Thoufands of others, which
we are not able to difcern or imagine; and fohVe
of thefe Ways he muft do it, or his Promife
cannot be the Ground of Affurance and De
pendence. Verfes 31, 32, 11. Therefore take nb Thought,
faying, what ft}all we eat ? or what fhall^we
drink? or wherewithal ft} all we be clothed? (For
after all thefe Things do the Gentiles feek) for
your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have1 need
of theft Things. But feek ye firft the Kingdom of
God, and his Righteoufnefs, and all thefe Things
fhall be added unto you. Thefe Verfes contain
farther Proofs of "a particular Providence; " and
the Argument of them proceeds thus : Be riot
Tolicitous for the good Things of this Life, like
the Gentiles, funk in the Cares arid Delights of
the World, and fpending their Lives in the Pur
suit of them, who importune their Gods for
' this

On PROVIDENCE. 303
this or that particular Condition, Conveniency,
or Pleafure, without knowing whether they are
proper ; as I obferved to you before in my Di
rection for Prayer : but do ye fubmit to your
appointed Situation, -and, having Food and
Raiment, be therewith content : and if ye
defire and afk for only Neeeffaries, your hea
venly Father knoweth that ye have need of
all thefe Thirigs: feek therefore firft the King
dom of ; God and his Righteoufnefs, worfhip,
obey, and trufl in God, and all thefe things
fhall be added unto you. But this muft be
a diftinguifhing and discriminating Providence,
or elfe, thofe who feek the Kingdom of God,
and thofe who do not, are upon a foot, as to
the Neeeffaries of Life. The Author, fays,
the godly and induftrious Perfon will have a
Supply of his Wants from God, and that this
has generally been the Cafe in faB. But gene
rally will not do, it muft he \ always fo; for So
ftands the Promife, feek God firft, and all
thefeThings Shall be added unto you. Heaven
and Earth fhall pafs away, but God's Word
cannot pafs away, till it' be fulfilled; which
it pannot certainly be, but upon the foot of a
refpeftive particular .Providence^, which is
therefore proved by this Text, as it is by all
the others, which mention God's Favour in
this Life to the Godly, above other Men,
Verfe 34. Take therefore no Thought for the
Morrow: jor the Morrow ftjall take Thought
for the Things of itfelf: fufficient unto the Day

3<H On PROVIDENCE.
is the Evil thereof. This Verfe concludes the:
whole Paffage with teaching us, not to add.
to the neceffary Evils and Difquiets .of Life,
and burden- one Day with the Cares for ano-.
thertocome; efpecially, when that Anxiety
is fuperfeded by the Doctrine of God's. Pro-
videnee'refpefting particularly every good Man,
and is therefore not only unoeceffary and toiw
menting, but diftruftful and wicked.
I proceed to the tenth Chapter of St. Mat"
thew, faid by this Author to contain many
Things againft, and' nothing for a particular
Providence. He afferts, our Lord in this Dif-;
courfe is fo far from leading his Difciples info
a Reliance upori the particular and fpecial In-r
terpofition of the Deity in their Favour, during-
the Exercife of their Miniftry, excepting in one
Caft, (which one Cafe however is enough .to -
prove fhe Thing in queftion) that, on the ' con^i
trary, he jeems to put a Bar to it, by obferv
ing to them, that every thing would be left .to.)
take its Courfe. Let us fee then how this
Matter ftands.
The Chapter begins with the Number and
Names of the Difciples, and their being fent
by their Lord; to go firft through the Cities
and Towns of Judea, and freely to exercife
the Powers, they had freely received, of heal
ing the Sick, cleanfing the Lepers, raifing
the Dead, -calling out Devils, and to preach
as they v/ent, faying, the Kingdom of Heaven
is at hand:- that is, as will appear from what
follows,

On PROVIDENCE. 305
follows, a great Vifitation is at hand, in which
Chrift will exercife his kingly Power, by de
stroying fome of his violent Oppofers, and ref-
cuing from that Calamity his faithful, perfe-
vering Servants. And the Time for this is
marked out, Verfe 23, to be near, — -. Ye
fhall not have gone over the Cities of Ifrael, till
the Son of Man be come. Verfes 9, 10. Our
Lord direfts his Apoftles, in order to this long
and difficult Work, to provide neither Gold,
nor Silver, nor Brajs in their Purfes : No
Money at all : Nor Scrip jor their Journey,
No Victuals, nor two Coats, neither Shoes,
nothing but the Cloaths they had on, without
Provision forf their wearing out, nor yet Staves-,
or Weapons for Defence : (for the Workman
is worthy of his Meat.) At this Time they
were to be provided for thus; at another Time
in another Manner, as appears from Luke xxii.
35, 36. Where our Saviour, referring to this
Commiffion, afked his Difciples after their
Return, When I fent you without Purfe, and
Scrip, and Shoes, lacked ye any thing t and
they faid, Nothing. Then J'aid he unto them,
but now he that hath a Purfe, let him take it,
and likewife his Scrip : and he that hath no
Sword, let him Jell his Garment, and buy one.
Now is there no Appearance of a particular
Hand in all this ? Was no Heart touched upon
the Occafion, no Incidents direfted? Was
there no extraordinary Provifion made, no fpe
cial Aft of Proteftion and Deliverance exerted,
X in

3o6 On PROVIDENCE.
in behalf of thefe deftitute, defencelefs Emif-
faries, fent on an Errand more likely to pro
cure them all manner of Evils, than one An
gle good thing from Men ? Can an undiftin-
guifhing, irrefpeftive Courfe of things bring
this about ? Is it ufual with Men, in fuch Cir
cumftances, to lack nothing ?
Verfe i x. Into whu'tfbeVer City or Town ye
Jhall enter, enquire- who in it is worthy,- the
likelieft to receive and entertain' you, and there
abide till ye go thence : in that Houfe abide :
the likelieft way this, one would think, to
tire out the Hoft, and make the burdenfome
Guefts unwelcome: yet this way becomes fuc-
befsful in the hand of Providence in this. Cafe.
Verfes 14, 15. Andwhofbever fhall not receive
you, nor hear your Words ; depart out of that
HouJ'e or City, jhaking off the Duft of your
Feet : and verily I fay unto you, it fhall be
more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Go-
morrha, in the Day of Judgment, the great
Day of the Jeyos Deftruftion (referred to be
fore under the Name of the Kingdom- of Hea
ven, and. afterwards under the Phrafe of
Chrift's coming) than for that City. That
is, the Hand of Providence fhall fo conduct
things, that thofe very Cities and Houfes,
which reject you, ffiall Share in the Deftruc-
tion Shortly going to fall on the Jews, . and
fliall feel Such Calamities in that Day of Vifi-
tation, as^ fhall exceed thbfe of Sodom and
Gomorrha

On PROVIDENCE. 307
Gomorrha deftroyed of the Lord by Fire from
Heaven. ¦ ' ' '
Our Saviour then goes on to acquaint his
Apoftles with the Troubles and Sufferings,
they and other Chriftians were to expect in
the Progrefs of their Profeffion and Miniftry,
and particularly after his Death ; and offers
them various Considerations to Support 'and en
courage them in the Difcharge of their Office,
which was to be one Day fatal to them. He
fbrewarns them of, and fo forearms them
^againft thefe Things; tells them, thus far
they Shall go, and no farther- that nothing
Shall hurt, but under the Direction of Provi
dence for good Ends, and nothing fhall de
stroy them, till they have anfwered the Pur
pofes of their Miffion. Verfe 16. Behold I
find ye forth, as Sheep in the Midft of Wolves;
be ye therefore, or ye may be, I permit you,
to be; wift as Serpents; ufe all Prudence and
Circumfpeftion, do not court Danger, and
tempt God ; particularly, when they perfecute
you in one City, flee ye into another. But let
not your prudent Caution degenerate into
mean Cunning, in Negleft of Duty, or Thirft
of Revenge, but be ye harmlefs as Doves.
Verfes 17, 18. But beware of, not avoid,
but ex'rieft greateft Danger from, Men, the
Men whom ye know I mean, the Jewifh Rulers,
fOr' they will deliver you up to the Councils, and
they will jcourge you in their Synagogues. And
when they have refolved to kill you, ye Jhall
X 2 be

308 On PROVIDENCE.
be brought by them before Governors arid
Kings for my Sake, for a Teftimony againft (to)
them and the Gentiles, This muft be done,
and thefe Things ye muft endure, becaufe this
is the providential Way of having my Truth
known and teftified to the Jews* and to the
Gentiles. But one thing I have to tell you
Tor your Comfort, Verfes 19, 20. Whettthey
deliver you up to thefe Powers, ye need take
no Thought, how or what ye Jha.ll fpeak, for it
Jhall be given you in that fame Hour what ye
Jhall Jpeak. Ye fhall be extraordinarily affift
ed and enabled to fpeak fo, that a Felix fhall
tremble, and an Agrippa almoft be perfuaded
to be a dhriftian: For it is riot ye that fpeak,
but the Spirit of your Father which fpeaketh
in you. > •' --
Verfes 2 1, 36. I tell you further, the-Heats
and Difputes about my Religion fhall break
natural Affection. The Brother Jhall deliver
up the Brother to death, and the Father 4he
'Child, and the Children Jhall rife up againft
their Parents, and caufe them to be put to death,
and a Man's Foes fhall be they of his own Houfe-
hold. To the fame effect are Verfes 34 and
"I3.5. Under thefe difaftrous Circumftances,
when ve Jhall bi hated of all Men for my Names
Sake; take the following Considerations along
'wjth you ; he' thai endure th to the End, jhall be
javed. Thofe of you, whom the Wifdom. of
Providence Shall fuffer to die before the De
ftruftion pf Jerujakm, Shall have a glorious
Reward

On PROVIDENCE. 309
.Reward for their Martyrdom ;, and further,
all, ; who -.at that Time adhere Strictly to their
Chriftian Profeffion, fhall efcape the Destruc
tion of, that Time. For I tell you a Secret
for your comfort, that by a Series of particular
and fpecial Providence, Verfe 39. He float
findeth bis Life, , that is, diffembles his Reli
gion at that critical , Time for fear of the
Jewj, in order to preferye his Lifei Jhall lofie
it %hxo} that very Diffimulation : and he that
Iqfeth his Life for my Sake, that is, runs all
the Dangers of lofing it by a conftant Pro
feffion of me, by that very means Jhall find
iti, And this was exaftty and wonderfully ac
complifhed, when Gallus fate down before
Jerufalem, .and without any vifible Caufe on
a fudden raifed the Siege, and by that means
gave opportunity to the Chriftians of that
City to leave it, in Obedience to. our Lord's
Direftion of flying to the Mountains, and to
a Revelation at the Time, commanding them
tOjgo over Jourdan to a City called Pella :
fo that when Titus a few Months after befieged
Jeru/dlem,.thexcwas not one prpfeffed Chri
ftian in it; but they, who had concealed
their Religion for fear of the Jews, were
Shut up and perifhed with them. The whole
Account -is this Day extant in, Jofephus.
., Verfes 24, 25. The .Difciple is not above his
Mafter, nor the Servant above, his Lord: if
they have called the Mafter of the Houfe Beelze
bub, how, much rnqre jhall they call them of bis.
X 3 Houf

3io On PROVIDENCE,
Houfhold? Your Lot is Trouble and Perfec
tion, and at laft Death, and fo is mine: I live
notwithftanding, 'tilllhayefipifhed my Work,'
and then I will difmifs my Spirit, and fo Shall
ye: I am to bear my Crofs in proper Time,
and fo are ye., This is the exprefs Condition
of Difciplefhip to me, and whoever is not .
ready to do fo, or lets any Confideration draw
him from his Duty, is not -worthy of me : Shall
not be protected here, or made happy hereaf
ter. This is the purport of Verfes 37, 38. Fear
them not therefore : Verfes 26, 27. be. riot>dif-'
couraged at this fad Face of Things : Forthere
is nothing covered, that Jhall not be revealed;
and hid, that fhall not be known. I, Who- am
now oppreffed. Shall fit on the Throne of my
Glory, my Gofpel, now concealed,- Shall break
through all Oppofition, and be known to- the >
Ends of the Earth : and ye muft not out of
Fear fupprefs what I have: told you ; what I
tell you in Darknefs, that fpeak ye in Light, and.
what ye hear- in the Ear, that preach ye on the
Houfe-Tops. Verfe 28. And fear not them 'which
kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul;
but rather fear him, who is able to- deftrqy both
Soul and Body in Hell. Fear them not, for the
utmoft they can do,, is to take away your Life,
and that is but a fmall Sacrifice for avoiding
eternal Punifhment, and gaining everlafiing
Happinefe: fear them net therefore, they can
but do this ; nay they can not do fo much, 'till
the proper Time affigned by Providence. For
hear

On PROVIDENCES 3u
hear 'Verfes 29, 30, 31. Are not two Sparrows
fold for a Farthing ? and One of them fhall not
fall On the Ground without your Father. God,
Who- gave'Life, Will not fuffer it to be taken
away, 'till the purpofes of that Life are all ari-
fwered, even in a Creature of fo little Value as
a Sparrow : a wanton Boy fhall not kill it
(notwithftanding our Author's Joke) if its Life
is of further Ufe to the Syftem of Things; and
thus it does not fall to the Ground without our
Father. This is the Voice of Reafon, and the
exprefs Declaration -of this Scripture, no Way
to be evaded. But our Lord proceeds — As to
you, my Difciples, employed in fo momentous
a Commiffion, the very Hairs of your Head
are all numbered. ' That is, your minuteft Con
cerns are under the efpecial Direftion of Provi
dence ; no Hurt fliall come to you, but fo far,
and at the precife Time when it is proper, and
therefore permitted by Providence. It is a pro
verbial and ufual Expreffion of the gieateft
Distance from harm, to fay, a Hair of the
Head fhall not be hurt or fall to the Ground.
David fays to the Woman ot Tekoah, * there
j]}all not one Hair of thy Son fall to the Earth.
Thus Paul fays- to the Company of his Ship,
whofe Safety God had declared to him, take
fome Meat, for this is for your Health : -fjor
there Jhall not. an Hair fall from the Head of
any of you. The Author will find no roorn
here for his very ingenious Conceit, of a Boy
X 4 care^
* 2 Sam. xiv. 11. f A&sxxvii. 34..

3 12 On ~\ PROVIDENCE.
carelefiy clitting the Hair of his Head, which
clitting will occafion the pulling off" fbme in the
Combing, &c. Our Lord proceeds — Fear ye
not therefore, ye are of more Value than many
Sparrows. If fuch Creatures Share the Super
intendence of Providence, and are continued
in Life, as long as it is proper ; much more
Shall ye be defended and Secured to fulfill your
Ministry, as ye are Men, as ye are good Men,
as ye are the Agents of God for Purpofes the
moft conducive to his Glory and the Welfare
of Mankind, whofe fmalleft Concerns are there-
Tore attended to, and who are kept by that
Hand, out of which no Man can pluck you.
So particular is the Concern of Providence fpr
you, that it Shall reach for your Sakes even tp
thofe who receive and any. Ways affift you, or
any other Minifter of my fending; fuch Shall
have a Share in the like Protection, Bleffings,
and future Reward, with thofe immediately
fent on the Bufinefs of Heaven. This is the
Meaning of the 40, 41, 42d Verfes, which
end the Chapter.
The Author is pretty dextrous at playing
with Arguments, but what will he do with
Fafts, which, are Stubborn Things, and will
not fo eafily be managed ? It appears from the
Hiftory of the Apoftles, that, according to the
foregoing Promifes, they were thus fupported,
delivered, and eared for, by a great Number
of particular Interpositions of Heaven. Hear
fhe Tribulations, Dangers, Diftreffes, St. Paul
went

On PROVIDENCE. 313
went through, and was preferved in by the
Hand of Providence. He fays, he was * in
Labours abundant ; in Stripes above meafure ; in
Prifons frequent ; in Deaths oft : once fioned,
thrice he juffered Shipwreck, was a Night and
a Day in the Deep : in journeying often, in Pe
rils of Waters, oj Robbers, by his own Country
men, by the Heathen, in the City, in the Wil
dernefs, &c. Yet he was not fuffered to finkun-
der any of thefe Things. The Apoftles were
no Sooner put into, the common Prifon of Je
rufalem, <j*than the Angel of the Lord by Night
;©j?ens theDoors, and brings them forth to fpeak
to the People. X Herod killed James, and
-proceeded further to take Peter alfo, put him
jn Prifon, delivered him to four Quaternions
of Soldiers to keep him, intending after Eafter
to bring him forth to the People. In the un-
direfted Courfe of Things, he had probably
Shared the Fate of his Brother Apoftle. But
fee  while Peter is Sleeping between two Sol
diers, bound with two Chains, the Keepers
watching the Doors, a Light Shines, the Angel
enters; Fetters fall off, the third Gate of Iron
ppens of its own Accord: Peter having walked
the Length of a Street, and at laft awaked
put of his Aftonifhment, fays, now I know ofa
Surety, that the Lord hath fent his Angel, and
hath delivered me out of the Hand of Herod, and
from all the ExpeB at ion of the People of the Jews.
The Angel in this Cafe performed the Office, faid
¦t 2 Cor. xi. 23, &c. -j Afts v. i8, &c % Afts xii. i, trV

314 On PROVIDENCE.
faid in S^jpme to be the frequent Employ
ment of the (e Meffengers of Heaven : for * are
they not all miniftring Spirits, fent forth to mi
ni ft er for them who .Jhall be Heirs of Salvation ?
Sent forth, not for Apoftles only, but the
Chriftian of the loweft Form; the Babe in
Chrift, according to that of our-Saviour.-' ¦
•f* Take heed that ye defpife not one of thefe little
ones ; for I Jay untq you, that in Heaven their
Angels do always behold the Face of , my Fa
ther which is in .Heaven :_ that is at leaft,
the Angels ftand before the divine Prefence,
in a Read.inefs to execute any Co'mmmiffion
relating to -thefe Heirs of Salvation. Again;
there is a Tumult at Jerufalem, X Paul
is jefcued by the chief Captain from being pul
led to pieces by the contending Parties: the
Lord ftands by him in the Night, and fays,
be of good Cheer, Paul ; for as thou haft tes
tified of me in Jerufalem, fo muft thou bear
witnefs alfo at Rome. What then fignifies the
Confederacy of more than forty. Perfons, bound
by Oath not to eat or drink, till they had kil
led Paul? The Defign is difcovered, prevent
ed, and made the Occafion of his going firft
to CaJ'area, and afterwards to Rome. Hear his,
own Account of himfelf there—  || At my
firft Anfwer no Manftood with me, but all Men
forfook .me : notwithftanding the Lord flood with me,
* Heb. i. 74. f Matt, xv iii. 10. % Afts xxiii. 11, &c.
j| z Tim. iv. 16, 17, i3.

On PROVIDENCE. 315
me, and ftrengthened me, that by me the Preach
ing might be fully known, and that all the Gen
tiles might hear : and I was delivered out of the
Mouth of the Lion: and the Lord fhall deliver
me from every evil Work, and will preferVe me
unto his heavenly Kingdom.
I flop here, and conclude, that if there is a
Truth, incapable of being controverted or de
nied by any rational Creature, it is here in the
point of a refpeftive or particular Providence.
There is no Occafion, as the Author weakly
imagines, forGod to run or watch up and down,
and turn the vifible Courfe of Things topfy-
turvy, in order to effect all thefe various Dif-
penfations : God is prefent to every thing, fuf-
tains every thing, and, by Counfels and Ways
quite incomprehenfible to us, direfts the ap
parent regular Courfe of Nature, or fuperfedes
it, with regard to particular Cafes and Perfons.
This is the Providence, which the Author
gainfays, for no other Reafon, that I can per
ceive, than to fhew he is at all, and bring in
the poor Joke of the wanton, carelefs Boy, af
fifted by fpecial Providence, in killing a Spar
row or combing his Hair. There are fome
other Smartneffes upon weak, deftgning, enthu-
Jiaftic Men, and upon Syftem Writers in Di
vinity ; which might be the Occafion of the
Tract. Now, for my part, I know nothing
fo fyftematical, as this Tribe of Writers : they
catch from each other the fame Cant Words and

3i6 Oh PROVIDENCE.
and -quaint Phrafes, dwell eternally upon the
-feme hackney Topicks, and are certainly bred
in the Same School. They all reyile, abufe,
and mifreprefent Perfons by. wholefale, and all
cry out, if touched with a Finger : they firft
rail, and then rave againft railing, and call for
the Spirit of Meeknefs. in the Language of
Billingjgate. As to this particular Author, fince he is fo
bitterly averfe to reading what others fay, he
muft be fuffered to read, admire, and tranferibe
himfelf; fince he hates Orthodoxy, both the
Name and Thing, he muft be allowed to keep
at the greateft poffible Diftance from it ; fince
he fcorns the old fubftantial Notions, which
have Stood the Teft of Ages, he muft be in
dulged to fpin out of his own Head flender
new ones, which, like Cobwobs, may en
tangle fome fluttering Creatures, who are car
ried about with every Wind, and love to pry
into dirty Corners. I put in no Bar to any Ap-»
pellation he may affume to himfelf, or others
may give him, except that of a Friend to Man-r
kind ; which cannot belong to him, who poor
ly endeavours to rob Men of the ufeful, the
delightful Thought of an all-wife, all-power
ful, all-gracious Being, continually prefent tp
them, to feed, direct, conduft, aflift, Support,
proteft, deliver them, in all the Viciffitudes
and Circumftances of Life and Death : A
Thought, fo every way fuited to our Wants, and

On PROVIDENCE. 317
and agreeable to our Capacities, fo produftive
of Duty, Peace, Joy, Reliance, and every plea-
fing Affeftion of the Soul ; that I can Safely
fay, with Cicero in the Cafe of Immortality,
that if it had not all this Evidence to fupport
it, nay, if it is an Error, it is fo innocent and
happy a one, that I fhould chufe to die in it.

( 3*9 )

A
DI S SERTAT ION
O N
EPISCOPACY,
Shewing, in one Short and Plain Viewy
the Grounds of it in Scripture and Antiquity.
' N the Courfe of the foregoing Work, the
divine Appointment of a fucceffive Mini
ftry has been in fome meafure Shewn :
but there was not "room in that place for con-
fidering the Nature and Form of that Mini
ftry, which. has b' en the Subject of fome Con-
troverfy among the Profeffors of the Chriftian
Religion, -And has given thofe, who are of no
Religion, theOpporiar.ity of concerning them
felves in t\v\i Qu-eftion. The Church of Eng
land 'has received great Honour, even from the
Oppofition, which has from Time to Time
been made to her from all Quarters. It is an
open Confeffion of her being the Pillar and
Ground oj the Truth, that all, who have de
parted

320 ^DISSERTATION
parted from the Truth in Principle or Practice,
have thought it their Intereft to vilify and tra
duce, weaken and deftroy her. Againft this
Bulwark of Proteftantifm and Glory of Refor
mation, the Policy and Force of Rome have been
continually levelled, no Stratagems have been
left untried to undermine, no Calumnies to
blacken, no Violences to torment, afflict, and
crufh her. This Church, Apoftolical in its Con
ftitution and Doftrine, flourifhing in Learning,
victorious in Argument, defended by a thoufand
Providences, adorn'd with the Piety, Wifdom,
Firmnefs, and even Martyrdom of its Mem
bers in the worft of Times, is the Eye-fore bf
Popery, againft which her Books, her Sword
has been ever pointed : While the various Sects,
diffenting from it, have been unmolefted, nay
fometimes treated with Complaifance, Indul
gence, Favour, having fuch effential Flaws and
Defects in their Compofition, as give no Um
brage to the Court of Rome, confident of an
eafy Victory over them, when unfupported. by
the Dignity and Excellence of the National
Religion. Nay, fome of them are juftly be
lieved to be the Offspring of Popery itfelf, and
one Contrivance of that reftlefs Party to divide
a Church, which united, was fure to be trium
phant over all her Adverfaries. There are Hi
storical Facts, which fet this above a mere Con
jecture, and it adds great Strength to it, that
moft of thefe Sefts have been made ferviceable
to that Caufe, and have fometimes been footh'd, and

w EPISCOPACY. 321
and fometimes frighten'd, perhaps without their
Knowledge, into Meafures directly calculated
to promote it. The Paffages of the laft un
happy Popifh Reign will be a Standing mourn
ful Monument of this Affertion.
The modern Infidel, the boafted Enemy to
Bigotry and Prieftcraft, is perhaps a Shoot from
the fame bitter Root, a Tool in the Hand of
the fame implacable Confpirators againft the
Peace of our Jerufalem, a Jefuit in another
Shape, and if not with his Knowledge, at leaft
in Fact, is raifed up to pull down the pureft
and mildeft Ecclefiaftical Conftitution, in or
der to make way for the moft tyrannical and
corrupt. That this may not be thought mere
Fancy and Vifion, it may be obferved, that
Deifm came into England, like other Fafhions
from Abroad, and our fine Gentlemen are but
a fort of fecond-hand Wits and Beaux. Deifm
has credibly been related to be the Religion of
the Court of Rome, and fome of the greateft
Men there and elfewhere, who have fet them
felves to maintain and propagate the Errors of
Popery, have been known to believe as little
of the Matter, as any other People. Our Men
of Travel, who have brought over the Way of
Building from Abroad, without the Reafon of
it, and commenced Men of Tafle by doing
abfurJly that in a cold Country, which is only
convenient in a hot one, may poffibly have
borrow' d this new way of thinking, with as
little Difcernment of the Political Ends, to
Y which

322 A DIS STE R T A T I O N
which it. Serves in the Places from whence they
had it. But however that be, Deifin is cer-"
tainly equally convenient for thofe, who by
pious Frauds for their own Advantage wou'd
maintain among the People a falfe Religion,
and thofe who, to indulge their Eafe or Plea
fure/1 Wou'd have none at all. It fa-ves. Appea
rances, and prevents the univerfaily odious Ap
pellation of Atheift, it. leaves Men at liberty
to frame their own Rule of Faith and Prac
tice, and gives full play to every Corruption
of the Heart and Caprice of the Head. God
has been pleated to reveal his Nature and At
tributes, that Men might not fall into Miftakes.
in a Matter fo effential to their Direftion in
Life, and the feveral Offices of it; apd the Duty
of Man is written in fuch large Characters,
that he who runs may read them. This once
fet afide, there will be in a Senfe as many forts
of Gods, as there are Men, and Degrees of
Underftanding and Wickednefs among them.
When every one is to find and drefs out his
God, he will do it according to. his Whim and .
Convenience, and will make him what he
pleafes; ?as eaSlIy as with a Chiffel out of Wood
or Stone: the Relation and'Fitnefs of Things
Shall be^as he-choofes tp fee them, and his Plan
of-Dtitfes? 'f h'e ever makes any, fhall be fure
not to interfere with his Pleafure or his Profit:
his Idol fhall have as much of one Attribute
arid- asT little of another, as he has Occafion for;
and his Laws fhall be eafy enough, firice the
fame

on EPISCOPACY. 323
fame Perfon makes them, who is to obey
them. I own, I do not expeft to fee this
rational Religion drawn into Form apd*
branch'd out into its refpeftive Heads, and con- '
ceive it can never be done, till fome Pope of
Reafon, infallible like him at Rome, under
takes the Work, and gives out his Decrees
from fome new Vatican : and then I appre
hend, there muft be new Subfcriptions, Tefts,
and Perialties, or there will be lefs Uniformi
ty than there is at prefent. lam told, the
Infidels dp not promife themfelves the Happi
nefs of this bleffed Change in their own Days,
but hope to leave it the invaluable Inheritance
of their Children in the Second or third Gene
ration. Indeed I am of their Opinion, that
considering the Abilities of the prefent Ma
nagers, they will find Work enough for one
Courfe of Lives, in demolifhing the Religions
already in being, and think they are right in
not fubjefting their Plan to Examination, 'till
all the Rubbifh of former Buildings is remov- .,
ed, that there may be room enough for a Re
ligion of that benevolent Latitude, as will
take in all the Inhabitants of the Earth, good.
and bad, wife Men and Fools.
In the mean time, the Induftry of thefe
Gentlemen for the Good of Pofterity can ne
ver be enough admired : fenfible of the Great
nefs of their Work, they fet all Hands about
it, and feem of Opinion with fome, to whom
they would not willingly claim Relation, that
Y 2 a

324 A DISSERTATION
a., gopd End will, fanftify the Means, and an,
lntentipn to ferve Mankind will juftify. Abufe,
Calumny, Forgery and Lies. The Church of
England has the Compliment of being thought
to Stand moft in the Way of this glorious
Revolution, and therefore has exhaufted all
the Ski!}, and experienced the utmoft Rage of
thefe new Undertakers. Sometimes in the
Language of Puritans fhe is arraign'd of into
lerable Arrogance in affirming to herfelf the
Name of the Church, in exclufion of far
greater Numbers of Proteftants diffenting from
her ; fometimes in the Language of Papifts
as a novel Sect and Creature of the Magiftrate,
She is accpfed of Tyranny and Ufurpation ;
her Impofitions of Creeds" and Tefts, are a
Violation of the natural Rights of Mankind,
her Clergy are Bigots, and her Bifhops Anti-
chrift : her Writers are turned againft each
other and themfelves, and the Faults of fo
reign Countries and former Ages laid to the
charge of this,: her Sons are reprefented as
Enemies to Government, and Church and
State muft for ever juflle and invade each
other. The Infidel can fhift his Character
with the Occafion, now a furious rZealot
againft all Power, next for Civil againft Ec-
clefiaftical : one time full of Confcience and
Cant, at another of Profanefs and Banter:
fometimes for laying open the Fences out of
Charity to the Scrupulous, fometimes for tearing
up Foundations to let in univerfal Liberty and
unbounded

on EP IS CO PA C Y. 325
unbounded Licence :t a violent Declaimer a-
gainft human Inventions and Additions to fa
cred Writ : facred, if a Paffage can ferve the
prefept Argument ; mere Cheat and Impof-
ture, if irreconcileable with it. He is at
Times a Jewifh Rabbi, a Mahometan, a Mo
ral PhiJofopher, a Rake, a Fanatic, an Alle-
gorift, an Enthufiaft, a Bigot, a Statefman, a
Buffoon. One might be apprehenfive, that
all Men of all Perfuafions, Times and Inte
reft, had united their Strength, and at once
declared againft Chriftianity as profefs'd among
us. But our Fears vanifh, as foon as it is dif-
cover'd, that all thefe Attacks are from one
and the fame Quarter, and that it is the im
potent Infidel ftill, tho' he choofes fometimes
to conceal himfelf and appear in a different
Drefs and affume a Variety of Appellations.
This puts me in mind of §>uintius Flaminius
the Roman General in an Affembly of the
fffreeks, who compared the pompous Enu
meration of the Forces of Antiochus the Great,
which were only fo many foft Afiatics under
a number of hard aftonifhing Names, to an
Entertainment he had been at, in appearance
of furprifing Variety, which neverthelefs up
on Examination proved to be nothing but
Chicken, only differently tofs'd up and ranged
to make a Figure.
It is the peculiar Happinefs and diftinguifh-
ing Glory of the Church of England, to
have retained at her Reformation that Form
Y3 of

326 ^DISSERTATION
of Church Government, which can be de
monstrated to be at leaft of Apoftolical Infti
tution ; L.by means of which She is in poffef-
fion^ of , a regular, fucceffive and authorised
Miniftry, Sacraments , of unqueflion'd Vali
dity, and a covenanted Right to all the Pro
tection, Affiflapce, Favour, .and Influence an
nexed to the Chriftian Religion by the great
Founder of it, when he declared himfelf in
vefted with all the Power in Heaven and
Earth, when he fent his Apoftles into the
World with Commiffion to gather and con
stitute a Church out of it, with which he
promifs?d to be prefent to the End of Things,
and againft which he engaged the Gates of
Hell fhould never prevail. This Light on an
Hill, this Honour of his Country, the mpr
dern Infidel has too weak Eyes to fee,, op
too vitiated to behold with Patience : it thwarts
his. Defigns, and then incurs his hotteft Difr
pleafure. He begins with reviling^ and,rpake?:
a.;Shew of. reading and confuting,;, and what
is wanting in Argument, is made up in De
clamation on Affuming Priefts and Ecclefiaf-
tical Tyrants. . He, who hates all Christian
Miniftry, declares folemnly for a Parity of
Minifters ;.and he who denies Infpiration and
fcorns the Bible, with great Gravity quotes
the Gofpel for his Purpofe, and triumphs in
the long fince confuted Arguments of a filondel
and hiskindred Writers. But to lee you know,
he will not reft here, and to Shew his Learning, he

on EPISCOPACY. 327
he has found out from fome Gloffary that the
Word Jjno-xoT©., in our Language Bifhop,
denoted an Officer among the Pagans, and
we are threaten'd with terrible Confequences
from this acute Difcovery : fiich, I- fuppofe,1 as
thefe— If the Name be of Heathen Extraction,
why not the Thing ? If High Pf iefts and Altars
were the Inftruments of Idolatry, how can they
confift with and have a Place in Chriftianity?
The Divifion of Religious Societies into Provin
ces and Diocefes was in conformity with that
of the Civil Government among the Romans, a
human Invention, a Secular Conftitution, the
Refult of Ambition in the Clergy and Weak-
nefs3in the fuperflitious Laity; arid therefore
Exarchs, Patriarchs, ArchbiShops and Bifhops,
with other Dignities and Offices, founded only
in the Conftitution of the Empire, diffolved
with it, and confequentiy have -no other Exif-
tence in ariy Country, but what the Magistrates
bf it are pleafed to give them. In the end we
may poffibly.be- told With a Sneer, that- the
Captain of our Salvation (a heathen Name too)
with all his inferior Officers may be as eafily
cafhiered, as a Captain of Foot with all who
command under him.
From what has been already Started, and
what may further be expected on this Head, it
may not be judged improper, to fet this Matter
in7 a fhort, but clear Light, that thofe may fee
the Merits of this Caufe, who are unable or
unwilling to fearch it out in the more elaborate
Y 4 and

328 ^DISSERTATION
and voluminous Works of Contrpverfial Wri
ters. If fo interesting an Affair can be cleared
in two or three Sheets, I imagine it will be
pleating and ufeful to thofe, to whom the Dif-
courfe may prove fatisfaftory^ and not tedious
even to thofe, who may not be convinced by
it. The Arts of lengthening out and induftri-
oufly obfcuring controverted Points, together
with the Caufes of them are well-known ; and
the honeft Art of contrafting them to a few
.Sheets of Paper wou'd be equally well known,
and as ufually praftifed, if Men cou'd be per-
fuaded to lay afide Prejudice, Heats, and pri
vate Views in the DiScuffion of them, aixf Were
as eager to find out the real Truth in any par
ticular Queftion, as to make a Figure and ob
tain the Victory of the laft Word in a Difpute.
I have therefore added this ffiort View of the
Ecclefiaftical Conftitution, as it has appear'd
to me in the Holy Scriptures, and as I have
been able to gather it from the earlieft and la-
left Writers on that Subject, without conceal
ing or paffing over the Objections, which have
been made to it. Without further Preface, I
Shall addrefs myfelf to make good the three fol
lowing Propofitions :
The Firft, that Christ appointed different
Orders in his Miniftry, and defigned, that of
thofe, whom he fent, fome fhould be above
others. The Second, That the Apoftles were in the
higheft of thefe Orders appointed by Christ, and

on EPISCOPACY. 329
and received from him Commiffion to ereft
and govern Churches, and fettle afucceffive
Miniftry in them.
The'Third, That the Apoftles did fo build
and model the Churches they founded, that
the Clergy and People of certain Diftrifts were
under the Direftion of fingle Perfons, of an Or
der and Rank fuperior to all others, and ap
pointed and were fucceeded by Bifhops.
The^/fr/? Propofition is, That Christ ap
pointed different Orders in his Miniftry, and
defigned, that of thofe, whom he fent, fome
fhould be above others.
To teach us this, it may be, our Saviour
gave his Difciples different Commissions at dif
ferent Times : he did not endow them all at
once with all Power, but raifed them from one
degree of it to another. The firft Inftitution
of the Chriftian Clergy we meet with Luke ix.
where, calling together thofe, whom he had
before chofen to attend on his Perfon, Mark
iii. 14. Christ gave them power to caft out
Devils and heal Difeafes, and fent them to
preach the Kingdom of God. Here we have
one Clerical Order: for to conftitute fuch an
one, nothing elfe is required, but that fome
fhould have a Commiffion from Heaven to ex
ecute fome public religious Office. In Luke x.
we read of other Seventy fent by our Lord,
adorn'd with the fame Powers, and almoft in
the fame Words with the Twelve in the pre
ceding Chapter, whom therefore we place in
the

330 A DISSERTATION
the fame degree of Orders with them. Thefe
Seventy being no farther promoted bybUr Lord,
nor dignified with any new Comriiiffion, the
Twelve were advanced Still higher, and fent out
With jrejh and new Powers and Authority,
which firft our Lord promifed to one of them,
Mat. xvi. 19. and then conferred on them all,
Johnxx. 21. and following Verfes : when he
Sentthem, as his Father had fent him ; when
he breathed on them and gave them the
Holy Ghost; and laftly, when in themoftv,
folemmManner he granted them the Privilege
of remitting and retaining Sins. Here we
have another Order of Clergy, greater than
that before-mentioned. For as nothing more
is required ta conftitute a holy Order, than a*
Gommiffibn from above to minifter in facred
Things ; fo to make two Orders, nothing more
is required, than- that they fhould be diflin-*1
guijhed by different Powers ; and to make one;
Order greater than another, it is enough, that*
one has more or greater1 Rights than the other :
which being the Cafe of the Apoftles by this'
Gift of tile Keys and other Powers, I fup
pofe they were then raifed to a higher Order ;
higher than they themfelves were in at their
firft Promotion, and than the Seventy, who'
once were equal to them ; whofe Advance
ment afterwards, of one to the Apoftlejhip, ]
arid of others to the Deaconjhip, by the hands
of the Apoftles- (if we may credit Hiftory) is
a certain Sign, the Apoftles and They were not

on EPISCOPACY. v 331
not left by our Saviour in the fame Degree
and Order. This fuperior Dignity of the
Apoftles above others their Lord perhaps fig-.
nified and foretold, Mat. xix. 28. where in.
Anfwer to Peter's Queftion, What they jhould
have who had left all to follow him, He fays,
in the Regeneration, i. e. the Meffiah's new
Kingdom, When the Son of Man fhall be ftated.
on the Throne of his, Glory, i. e. after his Af
cenfion, They jhall Jit upon twelve Thrones,
judging the twelve Tribes of Ifrael. That this
Promife related, in part at leaft, to thislAfe, I
am led to think for two Reafons : one is, the
parallel Place in St. Luke xviii 30. which ex-
prefHy mentions this Life, as the Time when
the Apoftles Should receive much more than
they had left, as well as in the World to
come, Life eternal : the other is, that the
Difciples underftood their Mafter to fpeak of
fome earthly Dignity, as appears by what fol
lows: the Mention of Thrones alarmed their
old fond Defire of fecular Grandeur. In the
next Chapter the two Sons of Zebedee with
their Mother, afked for the firft Seats in this
new Kingdom^ which -when the ten -heard,
Ver. 24. they had Indignation againft the two
Brethren, That thefe-ali underftood their Mat
ter of Temporal Greatnefs, is " plain from his
Correction of them, which immediately fol
lows, when he- called them unto him, and
faid, ,Ye know that the Princes oj the Gentiles
exercife Dominion over them, &c. but it fhall not

332 A DISSERTATION
not be fo among you ; but whoever will be great
among you, let him be your Minifter, and
whofo will be chief among you,, let him be your
Servant. But what is this? Do you not
hear fay fome, Christ himfelf denying Au
thority and Dignity to his Clergy ? Among the
Gentiles indeed it is fo, but it fhall not be fo
among you : I anfwer, I hear no fuch thing,
but quite the contrary, from this Paffage : for
teaching the Difciples how they may become
Great and Firft, is not forbidding them to be
fo. In this Place I find our Lord not denying
all Primacy in his Church, but ffiewing pf
what Nature it is, and how it differs from
that of the World: I fee him warning his
Clergy againft Ambition and Love of Great
nefs, but by no means faying, there are no
firft Seats for thofe, for whom the Father hath
prepared them. In a Word he does not bid
them not be Great, but calls upon them' to
be humble and ufeful, when they are fo, after
the Example of their Mafter, who, tho' the
Greateft among the Sons of Men, miniftred
and gave his Life a Ranfom for many. They,
who are lefs moved by the Authority of this
Place, may hear our Lord declaring himfelf
more plainly in another, Mat. ii. where fpeak-
ing to the People of John the Baptift, in the
1 1 til Verfe he fays, Among them that are born
of Women, there hath not rifen a greater than
John the Baptift: notwithftanding he that is
leaft in. the Kingdom of Heaven, is greater than be.

on EPISCOPACY. 333
he. Where is a Comparifon between the great
eft Minifter under the Law and the leaft un
der the Gofpel State, and this pronounced Su
perior to the other. If you endeavour to ftrike
out any other Meaning from this Place, you
will find it not eafy to do it, confiftent with
Truth and Senfe ; if you oppofe to John,
whom our Saviour calls fomething more than
a Prophet, a private Chriftian not in the Mi
niftry, you deftroy the Oppofition of Mini
fter to Minifter, and make a Sentence which
may not be allowed true, that the leaft pri
vate Chriftian is in Dignity, or any thing elfe,
above the greateft Prophet. If you under
stand by the Kingdom of Heaven here, not the
Kingdom of Grace, but that of Glory, either
the "Meaning is, that the leaft Chriftian in
Glory is greater than the greateft Prophet on
Earth, which is a very true, but alfo a very
weak Obfervation ; or elfe, that the leaft Gof
pel Minifter ffiall be greater in Heaven, than
the greateft Prophet, which is certainly very
falfe. Since then no other found "Senfe can
be given to this Paffage, let this be the Mean
ing of our Saviour's Words, that of thofe
whom he fent, the leaft in Dignity and Spiri
tual Power was fuperior to any fent before his
Time. But Superior and Inferior, Greater
arid Lefs, imply one another : fince therefore
our Saviour in this Place mentions the leaft
of the Gofpel Minifters, he muft alfo at the
fame Time inform us, there were Greater, and

334 * DISSERTATION
and confequentiy that he appointed different
Orders hi his Miniftry, and defigned that of*
of thbfe, whom he fent, fome Should be above,
others: which was the firft Propofition I un
dertook to maintain.
The fecond is, that the Apoftles were in the
higheft of thefe Orders appointed by Chrift,
and received from him Commiffiori to erect
and govern Churches, and eftablifh a Succef-
five Miniftry in them. Whoever acknow
ledges Degrees in the Chriftian Clergy, will
not think it unreafonable to place the Apoftles
in the higheft of them, whom under the for
mer head we faw rifing from one Order t6
another, paffing by others, themfelves exceed
ed by none, that we read Of. It was certainly
their Province to ereft Churches, to whom it
was faid by Chrift, juft before he left the
Earth, go and make Difciples of all'Nations,"
and that this happened to the Apoftles we;'
learn from Mat. xxviii. 18. &c. Again, they
had the Right to .govern the Churches they
founded, whom Chrift fent, as he himfelf
had been; fent by the Father; to whom he
promifes a Kingdom, as the Father had to !
him; Who had a Commiffion to fit on
Thrones; and exercife Judgment, to open; and
fhut Heaven;1 to retain or remit Sins:: but that
our Saviour adorned his Apoftles with all thefe
Privileges and Powers, is plain from Luke
xxii. 29. John xx. 21. Mat. xix.28. and
xvi. 19. John xx.- 23. compared" with jokriv: 22

en EPISCOPACY. 335
22. Ifaiah xxii. 22. Mat. ix. 6. They, laftly,
were to eftablifh a fucceffive Miniftry in the
Churches, whom Christ commanded to col-
left, eftablifh and govern a Society, which
fhould fpread as wide as the whole Earth, and
laft as long as the World : but thefe were the
Apoftles, as we learn from Mat. xxviii. and the
other Scriptures above quoted.
It may perhaps be required, that what I
have proved to be the Rights of the Apoftles
in general, h fhould alfo Shew to belong to
them, not only colleBively in a Body, but to
Each in particular, left it fhould be fuggefted,
that they made a fort of Jacred College, and
had Powers thus to govern the whole Church,
which np one of them enjoy'd over any parti
cular Diftricjt. Let us therefore prevent the
Objection. The Power of the Keys our Lord
firft p.Qrnifed.ta Peter alone, and afterwards
gave it to all the Difciples, as has been above
Shewn; that.no one might be led to imagine,
either that he gave to all, the Apoftles colleBed,
what he did not give to each by himfelf, or to
one. of . them, what he did not give to all.
That the Apoftles together laid their Hands on
feyen Men, and thereby-admitted them into a
Sacred Order, appears from ABs vi. 6. But
from Tit. i. 5. it is plain, Paul alone did this
and fomewhat more, when he appointed Titus
at Crete, with Commiffion to ordain PreSby-
ters. Before the Council of Jerujalem for
about twelve Years after the Death of Christ, that

336 A DISSERTATION
that the Apoftles refided in that City, did not
go far from it, or at leaft returned often to it,
appears very likely from Scripture and ancient
Tradition. But having then confirm'd the:
Church in that Place, and being mindful of
their Mafter's Direftion to go into all the
World, they divided the Parts of it among
them, and feparated each to his refpeftive
Province, and never afterwards, that we read
of, met together again. When or how this
Divifion of their feveral Charges was made,
whether by Direftion of the Spirit, or their
own Choice, or laftly by Lot, I Shall not en
quire. It is certain, that Luke, ABs i. 25.
calls the Portion of one Apoftle a Lot, as alio
a Bift}oprick at the 20th ver. taken out of the
LXX's Verfion of the Pfalms : From which
when Judas had fallen, that no one Province
might want its Apoftle, another was to be
chofen, that he might go to his own Place,
or Part of the World affigned to him. Hence
Paul, Gal. ii. 8. claims to himfelf the Apo-
ftlefhip of the Gentiles, as he allows Peter that
of the Circumcifton ; and in 1 Cor. ix. he fays :
If I am not an Apoftle unto Others, yet
doubt lefs I am to You, for ye are the Seal
of my Apoftlefhip in the Lord : that is, a Seal
does not more confirm the Writing, to which
it is affix'd, than you, who are my Work,
put it paft queftion, that 1 have a Right to
found a Church, and therefore am an Apoftle:
From which Paffage we learn two Things di
rectly

on EPISCOPACY. 337
¥eftly to our purpofe } one is, that the Right
of conftitufing Churches belonged to the Apo
ftles, As such ; for by this very Argument
Paul proves himfelf an Apoftle. The other;
is; that this Right did not appertain to the
Apoftles only, in a Body,, but was the Privilege
of each Apoftle by himfelf; fince we read here,
that Paul alone exercifed it at Corinth. And
thus I think, I have eftablifh'd my fecond
Propofition  WsS. — That the Apoftles were
in the higheft of the Orders appointed by
Christ; and received from hirii Commifliori
to ereft and govern Churches; and fettle a fuc
ceffive Miniftry in them.
I proceed now in order to the third Proposi
tion ; which is, that the Apoftles did fo build
and rhodel the Churches they founded, that the
Clergy and People of certain Diftrifts were un
der the Direction of fingle PerfonSj , of an Order
arid Rank fuperior to all others, and appointed
and. were fucceeded by Bifhops.
"The two preceding Proportions, if proved,
give Light and Probability to this, which is to
follow. For who will wonder, if the Apoftles
eftablifhed in the Church that Diverftty of Or
der, which they knew agreeable to their Lord's
Intention ? Can it be thought ftrange, they
fhould leaVe to others the Thrones on Which
themfelves fat, and put thofe Chriftian Socie
ties under the Direftion of fingle PerfonSj over
which they themfelves, as fingle Perfons, had
fended ''and governed ? Many Arguments
Z might

338 A DISSERTATION
might be drawn from the Excellency of Epif-
copal Government, to prove it to be of Apo-
ftolical Inftitution ; and that upon the Autho
rity of St. Jerom, who gives the Unity of
the Church, and Prevention of Schifm, as
the Reafons of this Eftablifhment all over the /
World. But I chufe to confine myfelf to
Facts, as the moft unexceptionable Evidence
in this Matter.
The Church of Crete being now fpread
through many Cities of that Ifland, an hun
dred, more or lefs, St. Paul fet Titus over it,
with Powers to correct Diforders, and ordain
others : for fo he fays in his Epiftle to him,
i. 5. For this Caufe I left thee in Crete, that
thou Jhouldeft fet in order the things that are
wanting, and ordain Elders in every City as I
had appointed thee. The Church of Epkeftus
was model'd ip the fame Manner by the fame
Apoftle, this being committed to the Direc
tion of Timothy, as the other was to that of
Titus. For his firft Epiftle to him is thus di
refted, The Epiftle of Paul to Timothy,
whom at the third Verfe he had befought to
abide at Ephefus, to forbid new Doftrines, to
judge Prefbyters, to rebuke the Faulty before
all, that others might fear; and, laftly, to
lay Hands on thofe that were worthy, as we
learn fiom the fifth Chapter, nineteenth and
following Verfes.
The fame Form of Church Government
we find flourishing at Alexandria ; where, ac
cording

on EPISCOPACY. 339
cording to JerOm, * from the Evangelift Mark,
that is, from the Times of the Apoftles, as
jar down as the Bifhops Heraclas and Diony-
nifius, that is, as far as the Middle of the
third Century, the Prefoyters call'd, by the
Name vf Bifhop, one always chofen out of their
own Body, and placed in a higher Degree and
Seat above them. It is true indeed, the Au
thor fpeaks here of a Cuftom peculiar to v the
Alexandrians, which did not prevail elfewhere,
nor among them any longer than the Times
of Dionyftus. What therefore was this Par
ticularity among the Alexandrians ? To have
one Perfon fet over them ? This certainly
was in common to them, with thofe of
Crete and Ephejus, and was in ufe among
themfelves, both before and after Dionyftus.
Was the thing then, that the Prefoyters of
that City confecrated their Bifhop? This is
not faid by Jerom. It is, indeed, faid by
^Eatychius, a Writer of the tenth Century,
but againft the Evidence of ancient Hiftory,
which informs us, the firft Bifhop of Alex
andria was ordained by Mark ; the fecond
by Luke, who are fometimes filled Apoftles ;
and the thjrd by the Bifhops of Egypt. The
Miftake of Eutychius is founded upon the falfe
Suppofition, that there were no other Bifhops
Z 2 in

¦'¦ * Natn & Alexandria; a Marco Evangelifta ufque ad Hera-
clam .& Dior.vfium Epifcopos, Prefbyteri Temper unum ex fe
eleitum, in extelliori gvadu collocatum, Epiicopum nonlina-
1>sm, .>:t. H'ki on. in Efijl, adSvagrium.

340 A DISSERTATION
in Egypt, befides him of Alexandria; the
Falfhood of which Suppofition appearing from
Adri an'; Epiftle and many other Ways, what
is built upon it, falls of courfe. It remains
therefore,, that this peculiar Cuftom of the
Alexandrians was, not that they had a Bijhop,
or that the Prejbyters ordained him ; but that
their Bifhop was conftantly one chofen out of
the Prejbyters of that Church ; which Ufage,
having obtained there for about two hundred
Years, at laft was fet afide. We fee, there
fore, at Alexandria, from the Infancy of that
Church, a certain Perfon fet over it of a higher
Degree than others, by Name a Bijhop, before
the Times of Dionyftus, chofen out of the
Prefoyters of that Place, but afterwards chofen
out of any others. But we need not be folli-
citous about this or that particular Church,
when we have the fame Jerom afferting that
from the Time, * Parties were making in
Religion, and it began to be the Language of
the People, and Boaft to fay, I am of Paul,
I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas, (all which
happened, it is well known, in the Apoftolic
Age) it was decreed all the World over, that
One

* Antequam Diaboli Inftinftu, ftudia in Religione fierent, &
diceretur in Fopalis, ego fum Pauli, ego Apollo, ego autem
Cepha;, communi Prefbyterorum Confilio Ecclelia; gubernaban-
tur. Poflquam vero unufquifque eos, quos baptizaverat, fuos
putavit eiTe non Chrilli, in toto orbe decretum eft, ut unus de
Prefbyteris eleftus fuperponeretur ceteris, ad quern omnis Ec-
clefiaj cura pertineret, & fcifmatum femina tollerentur. In com
ment, in Epfft. ad Titttm.

on EPISCOPACY. 341
One elected out of the Prejbyters Should be
placed over the reft, to whom fhould belong
the whole Care of the Church, that fo the
Seeds of Schifm and FaBion might be taken
away. Ignatius, an Author who lived in the Apo
ftolic Age, and was fet over the Church of An-
tioch (if we may credit Athanaftus, Chryjoftom,
and Theodoret) by Peter himfelf, could not be
ignorant of the Mind of the Apoftle who or
dained him, concerning this Matter : he muft
have known what himfelf was, and what they
were, who lived Cotemporaries with him.
Let us fee therefore what Light arifes on this
Queftion from thofe feven Epiftles, which all
the learned World now allow to be genuine.
Firft then, it is plain, according to Ignatius,
that by a Bijloop, we are to underftand a Jingle
Perjon, of an Order and Degree J'uperior to
Prejbyters, fet over a particular DiftriB, or
Church with Authority. Secondly, that there
were many fuch Bifhops in his Age. As to
the firft of thefe, one of his Epiftles is in
scribed to Poly carp, Bifhop of the Church of
Smyrna : and upon every Mention of Prejby
ters, or Prejbytery, he fpeaks conftantly of a
fingle Bifhop in that Place. Again, He, who
upon every Mention of Prejbyters and Bijhop,
always obferves a Gradation between them,
and prefcribes a different Reverence to the one
and the other, he certainly puts them in a
different Order ; but this Ignatius every where
Z 3 does.

342 A DISSERTATION
does. Let one Place ferve for many, that
might be produced : it is in his Epiftle to
thofe of Smyrna, -.  ' * All of you fol-
' low, fubmit to the Bishop, as Jesus
1 Christ does to the Father, and to the
' Presbytery, as to the Apostles, and
* reverence the Deacons, as the Appoint-
c ment of God.' Laftly, He who afferts
nothing in Church Matters, Should be done
without the Bifhop, or, if fo done, is of any
Force, and bids all give Place arid Honour to
him, Presbyters, as well as others, as to God
the Father ; he certainly teaches us that the
Bifhop is over the Church with Authority :
But all this Ignatius does in the Epiftle before
quoted. c ¦f Let no one do any thing in Ec-
« clesiastical Matters, without the Bi-
c shop ; let that alone be accounted a valid
* Eucharift, which is celebrated under the
* Bishop, or by whom he Shall appoint for
« that Purpofe. Wherever the Bishop ap-
( pears, there let the Multitude be, that
c is, let that be deemed the true and autho-
f rifed Church, as where Jesus Christ
c js, there is the Catholick Church.'
What J ejus Chrift is to the univerfal, that
the Biffoft is to a particular Church. And
again,
'* IlxtTtf tZ Izhtkiicu Ux-cTibQ.hs, at, 'l:;tr'in, Xpis-o; tS> «r«Tfi; it rZ
CBToA'1'..
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sff» Qitd at 0 x,ttf»t l-jcrSij isuT in xefleAixy <K»Aij<ria.

on EPISCOPACY. 343
again, in the Epiftle to the Magneftans, 
' * And it becomes you to pay all Reverence
* and Regard to the Bishop, as 1 know your
1 Holy Presbyters do, yielding to and com-
« plying with him; but not him, but the
c Father of Jesus Christ, the univerfal
c Bifhop.' Thefe bold Images may not be
ftrained beyond their Intention, which was
only to import the real Difference and Grada
tion of the Things compared, as far as the
Nature of thofe Things wfll bear it. It is
therefore plain, from the Writings of Igna
tius, what he means by a Bijhop, viz. a fingle
Perfon different from the Presbyters, and oj a
fuperior Order to them, fet over fome DiftriB
or Church with Authority. Now that there
were many fuch Bifhops in the Time of Igna
tius, we learn from the fame Epiftles : Him
felf at Antioch, at Smyrna Polycarp, at Ephe-
Jus Oneftmus, at Magnefia Damas, another at
Philadelphia, and another at Tralles. If you
afk, whence all thefe took their Original, the
fame Author will tell you in his Epiftle to the
Ephefians: -j-JesusChrist, is the Appoint
ment of the Father, as #^ Bifhops, made
all over the World, are the Appointment of
Jesus Christ. There is therefore an End
of this Controverfy, if we liften to Ignatius,
Z 4 who

*

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miparx opttriims, IijirS XfifS ytayni.

344 A DISSERTATION
whp plainly affirms, that true Bifhops, fuch as
he above defer ibes, were eftablifhed, not only
hi fome particular Places mentioned in thefe
Letters, but all over the World, and that by
Chrift's Appointment, either by himfelf, or
his Apoftles.
Poly carp, himfelf a Martyr, ordained Bifhop
of Smyrna by the Apoftles (as Irenausj by St.
John (as Tertullian fays) collefted, recom
mended, and difperfed thefe Epiftles of Igna
tius, whom therefore we may fafely reckon,
as of the fame Dignity, fo alfo of the fame
Opinion with their Author,
Irenaws, when a Boy, faw Polycarp. an old
Man : why therefore may he not be fuppofed
to have learned from him, or from thefe
Epiftles, what he fays in his fifth Book againft
Herefies. * All thefe Innovators are later than
the Bishops, to whom the Apostles delivered
the Churches.
Let us hear Tertullian on this Head, a Wri-'
ter near about the fame Time, ' -f As
: the Church of Smyrna records Polycarp
5 placed there by Jcbn. fo the other Churches
5 alfo ex-hibit to you tiiofe, whom, being con-
; ftituted Bifhops among them by the Apoftles,
5 they hold as the Propagators and Conveyers
£ of
* Omr.es n novatores pofteriores funt quarn Epifcopi, quibus
Apoftoli tradiderunt Ecclelias. Contra H<?res, lib. 5. \*p. 20.
f Sicut SmyrnaMrum Ecclefia Polycarpum ab Johanne col-
iocatum refert, utique & cxterae exhibent, quos ab Apoftolis in
Epifcopatutn conftitutos, Apoftolici l'eminis traduces habent. .D*
£'ra-fcr. cap. 32

on EPISCOPACY. 345
« of the Apoftolical Seed to them.' The Pur
port of WjSeh Paffage, I take to be, that by
means of an Epijcopal Miniftry in a continual
Succeffion mounting up to the Apoftles, the fe
veral Chriftian Societies of the World con
ceived they have derived down to them all the
faving Doftrines, Ordinances, and Privileges of
the Gofpel, which are the Seed planted firft
by the Apoftles, and propagated to After-ages
by this Miniftry of their own Inftitution.
*¦ With him agrees St Cyprian : * Our Lord
* Jefus Chrift, whofe Precepts we ought to
< reverence and obferve, marking out and fet-
< tling the Epifcopal Dignity and Model of his
*, Church, fays in the Gofpel to Peter, I will
. * give you the Keys of the Kingdom of Hea-
* yen, &c, From thence, by a continual Suc-
( ceffion, the Ordination of Bifhops and the
{ manner of governing the Church runs down
' to our Times, fo that the Church is built
< upon Bifhops, and every ecclefiaftical Aft is
' direfted and ordered by them.'
I will not go on to recite a Catalogue of
great and venerable Names, for two hundred
Years, as low as to Jerom, all afferting the
fame Truth, and putting it beyond all reafon-
ahle Doubt, But out of Jerom himfelf, being
claimed
* Dominus nofter, cujus prscepta metuere & obfervare de-
bemus, Epifcopi honorem Sc Ecclens fua; rationem difponens,
\n Evangelio loquitur, & dicit Petro, tibi dabo Claves regni cos-
lorum, &c. Inde per temporum & fuccefiionum vices Epifcopo-
rum ordinatio & Ecclefia? ratio decurrit, ut Eccleiia fuper Epif-
copos conilituatur, & omnis aftus Ecclefia per eofdem guberne-
\".r. Ep. 2-r-

346 A DISSERTATION
claimed as the great Champion of fhe Prejbyte-
rian Side in this Queftion, I fhall'gfet down a
few Paffages. On the 45th Pfalm he has thefe
Words : ' * Now becaufe the Apoftles are de-
« parted out of the World, you have in their
* Stead the Bifhops their Sons : thefe alfo are
' thy Fathers, becaufe thou art governed by
« them.' Again, ' -j- Chrift has constituted Bi-
€ Jhops to be the Heads and Governors of the
* Church throughout the utmoft Bounds of
* the World.' But plainer yet in another
Place, and as if he fet himfelf to prove our
Point for us; he fays, ' J James immediately
c after the Lord's Afcenfion being ordained
« Bifhop of Jerufalem by the Apoftles, took
« upon him the Charge of that Church : Ti- '
{ mothy was ordained by St. Paul, Bifhop of
c the Ephefians, as was Titus of Crete, arid
* Polycarp by St. John of Smyrna.' Since
therefore he, who is called our Adverfary, bears
fuch ample Teftimony to our Caufe, I think
we may fubfcribe to the Truth of my third
Propofition, that it appears from Scripture, and
the moft ancient Records of the Church, that
the Apoftles did fo model the Churches they
founded
* Nunc quia Apoftoli a Mundo receflerunt, habes pro his
Epifcopos filios  funt & hi Patres tui, quia ab ipfis regeris.
f Ibidem, ConftituitChriftus — in omnibus finibus Mundi Prin-
cipes Eccleliae Epifcopos. '
% Jacobus, ab Apoftolis ftatim poll afcenfionem Domini
Hierofolymorum Epifcopus ordinatus fufcepit ecclefiam Hiero-
folymae. Timotheus a Paulo Ephefiorum Epifcopus ordinatus,
Titus Cretse, Polycarpus a Johanne Smyrna? Epifcopus ordina
te. De Script. Ecclef.

on EPISCOPACY. 347
founded, that certain DifiriBs were under the
Direftion of fingle Perfons, of an Order and
Rank fuperior to all others, and appointed, and
were fucceeded by Bijhops.
When a Thing is once proved by undeni
able Matters of Faft, Objections founded in
mere Conjefture, will not overturn or fhake it.
Neverthelefs I am engaged by my Promife, and
think it ingenuous, not to pafs over unmen-
tioned and unanfwered what has been faid a-
gainft the Plan of Church Government here
exhibited :
I think therefore myfelf obliged, before I
finifh this View of Church Government by
Bijhops, to confider the Argument for an Equa
lity of Chriftian Minifters, built upon the In
terpretation of fome Paffages of Scripture, and
on which all the Strength df the Prejbyterian
Caufe feems to lean : which once removed,
our Adverfaries will have nothing to oppofe to
the Truth of my third Propofition, befides one
or two Writers, and thofe either ill quoted, or
worfe explained, contradiftory to themjelves, as
well as to all others. The Argument, I mean,
is this ; firft, in the Scriptures they think they
fee a mutual Communication of the Names,
Bijhop and Preftyter, and thence endeavour to
prove an Identity of Order between them. The
fame Men, fay they, in the facred Writings
are called Bijhops and Prejbyters; there was
therefore anciently but one Order of Men,
marked out indifferently, fometimes by this
and

348 A DISSERTATION
and fometimes by the other Title. For why
Should they call thofe Bijhops, who were Pref-
byters, or thofe prejbyters, who were Bijhops,
if Bifhop and Prejbyter were not common
Names of the Jdme Order and Degree? Chry-
sostom, who obferved this Confufion of Names
in the facred Writings; was not fo quick-fight-
ed as to perceive the Force of this Argument.
A Communication of Names between Bijhop
and Prejbyter, indeed, he fays, did obtain in
the Apoftolical Times: but in the fame Place
he denies, for all that, there being but one Or
der. With whom Theodoret agrees on the ift
Tim. iii. The fame Perfons, at the Time the
Apoftles wrote, were called both Prejbyters
and Bijhops. What then ? Was there at that
Time but one Order of Minifters equal to
one another? The very contrary to this the
Author afferts, viz. that then there were Bi
fhops, true Bifhops, fuch as were in his own
Times. c * Thofe who are now ftiled Bijhops,
« they then called Apoftles : but in procefs of
« Time, they left the Name of Apoftles to
c thofe who were really fuch, and affixed the
1 Appellation of Bijhops to thofe, whom be-
* fore they ufed to call Apoftles : thus Epaphro-
1 ditus was the Apoftle of the Philippians, thus
* alfo Titus of the Cretans? At the Time,
therefore, of the Apoftles writing to Titus, ac
cording
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on EPISCOPACY. 349
cording to this Author, when the Names of
Bijhop and Prejbyter were confufed, there were
however fingle Perfons, fet over the Churches of
particular DiftriBs, as at Philippi, Epaphro-
ditus, in Crete, Titus, who were firft called
Apoftles, and afterwards Bijhops. Vain there
fore, are all Attempts to prove, there were not
different Orders of Clergy in the Times of the
Apoftles, becaufe they were not then diftin-
guifhed by the fame Names, as now : for our
Pofition ftands unhurt and fafe, if it appears,
that the Apoftles fet fingle Perfons to prefide
over particular DiftriBs with Authority and
diftinB Powers, whatever Names they were
called by.
But, farther, This mutual Communication
of Names from Bijhop to Prejbyter, and Prej
byter to Bijhop, you will perhaps, no where
find in the facred Writings. This is Dr. Ham
mond's Obfervation, and carries with it great
Probability, but I fhall fubmit it, after I have
propofed it with the Reafons to fupport it.
That Bijhops, that is, fingle Perfons fet over
particular DiftriBs with Power to govern and
ordain, were called Prejbyters, may not be
denied, when, we call to mind, that Peter Stiles
himfelf an Elder or Prejbyter, 1 Epift. v. to
whom may be added, if you pleafe, John the
Elder to the Elect Lady : when we remember
alfo that Prejbytery, whofe Hands together
with Paul's were laid on Timothy ; and thofe
Prefbyters and ^ft°fiiei at Jerufalem fitting in
J ^ Judgment

350 A DISSERTATION
Judgment on Ecclefiaftical Affairs, where JameS
Bifhop of that See prefided. To this may be
added, that Ignatius in his Epiftle to the Phi-
lidelphians, calls the Apoftles themfelves the
Prejbytery. But that Prejbyters, properly
fpeaking, of the Jecond Order (more of which
than one might belong to a Church) were
called in their turn Bifhops, does not certainly
appear from any Place of Scripture. For the
Prejbyters of the Church, whom, ABs xx.
St. Paul fummoned from Ephejus to Miletus,
and charged to take care of the Flock, over
which the Holy Ghoft had made them Over-
Jeers or Bijhops, were true and proper Bifhops
of the Church fcattered through the Province
of Afia, each over his particular DifiriB; as
appears from St. Paul's Speech to them, and
from Irenaus, who interprets the Place in this
manner. It does not, therefore, appear from
this Paffage, that Prejbyters, of whom there
may be many in a particular Church, are cal
led Bijhops. But it will appear, they fay, clear
as Light, from the Beginning of the Epiftle to
the Philippians : for thus it opens : Paul and
Timotheus to all the Saints in Christ Jesus
which are at Philippi, with the Bishops and
Deacons. Is it not evident, they urge, that
Bijhops here muft be underftood of Prejbyters
properly fo called, of whom there may be ma
ny in the Jame Church ? Can there be more
Bijhops, properly fo called, than one in the
fame City ? If we fhould fay, there might and
there

on EPISCOPACY. 351
there were, we Should not fpeak without Au
thority. For fo Epiphanius  Alexandria ne
ver had two Bijhops, as Jome other Cities had.
It is a generally received Opinion, that the
Apoftles in fome Places inftituted two Bifhops,
one to prefide over the Jewijh, the other over
the Gentile Church there, until in time both
united under one. This might be the Cafe at
Philippi. But fay it was not, and there, was
but one Bifhop of that Place, as indeed there
was but one, now abfent with St. Paul at
Rome ; who can peremptorily pronounce, that
thofe Bifhops, whom Paul Salutes at the En
trance of this Epiftle, were not the Bifhops of
other Places, but refiding for that Time at Phi
lippi? But they purfue the Thing farther.—
If the Philippian Prejbyters are not there in
cluded in the Name of Bifhops, the Apoftle
paffes them by : for after the Bijhops no men
tion being made of the Prejbyters, he paffes on
to falute the Deacons. Let it be fo ; perhaps
he did not falute the Prejbyters of that Place,
becaufe there might be none yet eftablifhed
there. The fame Anfwer may fuffice to
1 Tim. iii. where after Directions to Bijhops,
the Apoftle paffes on to inftruft the Deacons •
becaufe, perhaps, there were in thofe Churches
as yet no Presbyters of the fecond Order. From
thefe and other Paffages it may indeed be con
cluded, that the fingle Men, who prefided over
Churches, were fometimes called Presbyters :
but .neither from thefe, nor any other, can it
wilh

352 A DISSERTATION
with certainty be concluded, that Presbyier%
of which there might be many in one Church;
were ever Galled Bifhops-. But from fuch a
Communication of Names what I pray will
follow? That the Apoftles and Bijhops Were
PresbytefS, becaufe they are called fo ? I grant
it, and that they were Deacons too, if you
pleafe, becaufe the Apoftlejhip is called in the
ABs the Diaconate. What harm in all this to
our Propofition ? Unlets this way of arguing
fhall be held convincing ; the Apoftles and
Bijhops were Priefts and Deacons, becaufe they
are called fo, therefore the Deacons are Prej
byters, and the Priefts, Apoftles and Bijhops^
though the Deacons are never called' Priefts
nor the Priefts Bifhops and Apoftles. How
ever, It muft be remembered, the Difpute is a-
bout Things not Names : though therefore, they
cannot prove it, fuppofe we grant our Adver-
faries as great a Confufion and promifcuous
Ufe of thefe Names as they defire, I do not
fee what Advantage it will be of to their Caufe;
For in the Apoftolical Times, either there were
two Orders of fuperior Clergy, to both which
the Titles of Bifhop and Prieft were given, or
there was one only Order under this double
Name. If they grant us two Ordersj that one
was not fuperior to the other will never fol
low from their having each the fame Names
given them ! if they allow us but one Orderj
that one Order muft be that of Bifhops $ pro
perly'

on EPISCOPACY. 353
periy fo called, to which the fecond Order of
Priefts, properly fo called, was fuperadded in
time; fince it appears by undeniable Facts,
that the Apoftles did place fuch Jingle Perfons as
we now call Bijhops, over the Churches of a
particular Diftrift, with fuch fpiritual Powers
as they now exercife. So that whatever be
comes of the Jecond Order of Clergy, concern
ing the firft there is no doubt, but that it was
of Apoftolical Appointment. This is indeed that
very Plan of the firft Churches, which Clemens
Romanus gives us : ' The Apoftles, fays he, fent
' by Christ, as himfelf by God, * preach-
' ing throughout the Countries and Cities, or-
* dained their firft Converts Bijhops and Dea-
* cons of thofe who fhould hereafter believe.'
That is, the Apoftles provided for Churches,
as yet unborn, by appointing every where Bi
fhops with their AffiAant Deacons, who fhould
provide Minifters for future Congregations.
The Account here given by Clemens of the Pro
vifion made for Churches not yet born, is ex
actly agreeable to that which Epiphanius gives
us of Churches not yet grown up to Maturity,
many of which, fmall at the Beginning, and
contained perhaps within the Walls ofa private
Houfe, had only Bifhops with their Deacons to
take care of them. ' f Where, fays he, there
A a ' was
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exm •

354 A DISSERTATION
' was not found a Perfon worthy of a Bifho-
1 prick, that Place was without a Bijhop: But
* where there was occafion, and Perfons ap-
1 peared worthy of the Epifcopate, there Bifhops
' were constituted : but through the Paucity of
* Believers, there were not found among them
' Perfons to be constituted Presbyters, and there-
' fore they were miniftred to by the Bijhop of
'the Place alone: but without his Affiftant
' Deacon a Bifhop cannot be. In fbme Places
therefore a Bifhop with his Deacon was thought
Sufficient for a new founded Church : but as
the Offices of Religion increafed with the Num
bers of the Believers, the Churches had their
Complement of Clergy, by the Addition of
Presbyters of the fecond Order. To this a-
grees what * Eufebius from Clemens Alexandri-
mis relates of the Apoftle St. John, who, be
ing requefted at his Return from Exile to Ephe-
jiis, went about the neighbouring Provinces, in
fome Places to make Bifhops, in fome to fet
tle whole Churches, in others to ordain to the
Miniftry a fingle Perfon out of thofe, who
were pointed to by the Spirit.
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Eufeb. Ecclef. Hill. lib. iii. cap. 23.

on EPISCOPACY. 355
It muft not here be concealed, that Jerom
indeed reprefents the ancient Church in a dif
ferent Figure, fupported by no other Argument,
than the promifcuous Ufe of the Names Bijhop
and Presbyter in the Texts above explained.
He afferts, there was originally but one Order
of Clergy in the Church, and that not theftrft,
but the fecond. ' * Presbyter and Bishop,
1 fays he, is the fame: but when it was faid, I
c am of Paul, I of Cephas, it was otherwife
c decreed all over the World, and one was fet
' over the reft.' And again, < It may be thought,
' this is not the Doftrine of Scripture, but my
' private Opinion, that Bijhop and Presbyter is
* the fame, the one Name fignifying the Age,
1 the other the Office of the Perfon ; ' and then
he brings the Scriptures above confider'd to
prove his Point. How fairly his Premifes juf
tify his Conclufion, I have already fhewn. But
true or falfe, this plainly, when he was heated
with the Controversy and under Perfonal Inju
ries, was his Opinion, that at firft there was
but one Order of Minifters, call'd, indifferently
Bijhops and Presbyters, and thefe not of the
firft, but j'econd Rank, fuch as admitted Plu
rality in the fame Church : but after there grew
Diffention and Parties in Religion, the Order of
Bijhops, as we now call them, was introduced.
A a 2 But
* Idem eft ergo Prelbyter, qui & Epifcopus, & antequam Di-
aboli inilinftu, &c. alibi, quid enim facit excepta Ordinatione
Epifcopus, quod Prefbyter non facit ?

356 a Dissertation
But there were Parties in Religion, both while
the Apoftles lived and after their Death-: If
therefore Jerom afferts this Innovation to have
happen'd while the Apoftles lived ; however he
may be mistaken, he certainly is not againft
our Propofition, fince he fays Bijhops were in
stituted; the Apoftles themfelves,' feeing, ap
proving, ' directing it, and confequentiy that
they -were :" of Apoftolic al 'Appointment : but if
he means that this happened in the Diffentions
following the Apoftles Death, he indeed bears
Witnefs againft us : but at the fame Time his
Witnefs runs oppofite to all the Writers who
went before him, and what is worfe, over
throws his own exprefs Teftimony in other
Places, which abundantly and clearly affert,
that Bijhops were appointed by the Apoftles
themfelves But a Witnefs, who in a Heat
contradicts all others, and what he himfelf,
when cool, had afferted, may juftly be fet
iafide, as incompetent and fufpeft in the cafe.
It is utterly impoffible to make this Writer's
Opinion quite confiftent with Truth, becaufe
it is irreconcilable with early undeniable Fafts
of fingle Perfons fet over large Diftrifts by the
Apoftles, and vefted with the Powers of go
verning and ordaining others : but it is poffi
ble to bring it nearer to Truth, than at firft
Sight may appear, and fo make him lefs at
Variance with himfelf and all other People.
It is plain from the foregoing View, that the
Churches

;•* EPISCOPACY., 3.57
Churches at firft had not all their full Com
plement of Clergy : in fome there was a Bifhop
only with his affiftant Deacons, in others Pref
oyters without a Bifhop, for want of a proper
Perfon, who muft therefore prefide, till fuch
proper Perfon was found. , The Apoftles them
felves exercifed the Office of Bifhops in many
Places, and in their neceffary Abfence, the
Prefoyters of .thofe Churches might be intrufted
with the Direftion of them. The proper B,ifhop
ofa Church was fometimes called away to affift
an Apoftle in another Place, as Epaphroditus
Bifhop of Philippi was at Rome with St. Paul,
when he wrote his Epiftle to that Province :
And in this cafe alfo the Prefoyters might be
come the ruling Clergy for that Time. Schifms
and Factions, fuch as are fpoken of by Je
rom, might arife from hence, and determine
the Apoftles to fill up Vacancies, and fix pro
per Bifhops wherever they were not before,
for a Remedy to this Evil. And this may be
the Author's Meaning, when he fays, at the
Time Parties were made in Religion, it was
decreed all the World over, that one elected
out of the Prefoyters fhould be placed over
the reft, to whom fhould belong the whole
Care of the Church, that fo the Seed of Schifm
and Faction might be taken away.
If this Accommodation of the Author with
himfelf, with Fafts, with the reft of the
Chriftian World, be admitted, his Affertions, though

3'jf A D I $ $ E R T A T I 6 N
though delivered with Warmth and mixed up
with fome Miftakes, may appear not wholly
without Foundation. But if this is not ad
mitted, he muft ftand by himfelf, ' confuted
by himfelf, and all the Writers on this Subjeft
for near four hundred Years together, and par
ticularly by that holy Martyr, who was near-
eft the Fountain of Truth, who, as Chryfoftom
acquaints us, lived while our Saviour was on
Earth, converfed intimately with the Apoftles,
ccutdiq C#T&t(pW, *} TWV 'UTVeVjU.CUUCCOV VCifJI.d.'TtDV oLifo-
Aatxras, kj ptrmv xj aVopptfTWi' clvtou ILoivcavytaectTtar
Hutix; e\iai cTo'^as a.viv7s dp^rii a'§i©., Kj -zzrC.g^t t^S
afiaDv v&tivwv tLu> apylu) TCLwrftAt ey%eiQ/&ets {Koci
yi-btcvrj) xi<pa.xhj Who was ordained by the
Hands of the bleffeih Apoftles, and therefore
Could not be miftaken in this Matter.
How great foever therefore the Confufion
and Indiftinftion of the Names Bifhop and
Prieft may be in the facred Writings ; whe
ther Jerom be for us, or againft us ; I think
the Propofition undertaken ftands fafe and un-
injur'd, which therefore give me leave to re
peat as a vindicated Truth, that the Apoftles
did fo build and model the Churches they
founded, that certain DiftriBs were under
the Direction of fingle Perfons, of an Order
and Rank fuperior to all others, and appointed
and were fucceeded by Bifhops. 1 have

on EPISCOPACY, 359
I have taken the Liberty to give the plain
obvious Senfe, rather than a literal Transla
tion, of the Paffages which have been above
produced, and am m t confcious to myfelf of
having abufed this Liberty, in order to ferve
an Hypothefis.

F I W I S.

BOOKS, 'Printed for Joh'n. ClArke, under
the Royal-Exchange, Cornhill.
I. TLiTpDERN HISTORY,; or the Prefent State of all
XV JL Nations :• Defcribing their refpeftive Situations, Per
fons'; Habits, Buildings, Manners, Laws and Cuftoms, <Reli-
gion and Policy, Arts and Sciences, Trades, Manufactures and
Hufbandry, Animals, Minerals, &c. being the moft compleat
anil correft Syftem of Geography and Modern Hiftory extant in
any Language. By Mr. SALMON. In three Volumes in
Quarto. Collefted with infinite Labour from a vnft Variety
oi Hiftories and Travels (of good Authority) in feveral Langua
ges, and Improved by the Aiithor's own Observations in his
Travels to many diftant Parts of the World ; and the Informa
tion he received from other Judicious Gentlemen, Natives of the
refpeftive Countries defcribed, or who had refided a confidera
ble Time in them. The whole continued down to the prefent
Year. II. Effays upon the following Subjefts, <v i*. i . Of Gene-
rofity. 2. Of the new Man. 3. Of the Government of the
Eye. 4. De Ratione Fidei, &c 5, Of the Soul of Min.
6- Of Freedom, or Liberty of Body and Mind. 7. Of the
Paffions and Aifeftions. 8. Of Human Perfection. 9. Of the
Origin of Sin, &c. 10. Of Gratitude. 11. Of the Bleffed
Trinity, and fomewhat of t ic Mode. 12. Of Eternal Damna
tion for Temporal Sin, the Juftice and eveu Mercy of God
therein vindicated. 13. Of Dreams. 14. Of the Government
of our Thoughts. 15. Of Happinefs. 16. Of Jinful Ideas. 17.
Of Families, and leaving a great Eftate toChildren. 1 S. A Let
ter to Sir R. Southwell when Piefident of the Royal Society,
touching the Equivocal Generation of Plants and Infefts, wherein
the Creation of the World is particularly look'd into. 19. Of
Reading the Holy Scriptures. 20. Of Perfons running in Debt,
and Dying without Payment. By WH1TELOCK BUL-
STRODE, Efq; '
III. Sermons and Difcourfes on praftical Subjefts never before
printed. By ROBERT MOSS, D. D. late Dean of Ely
and Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grays-Inn. Pub
lifhed' from the Original, at the Requeft of the faid Society.
IV. A Paraphrale and Commentary on the New Teftament
in two Volumes : the Firft containing the four Gofpels and the
Afts of the Holy Apoftles; the Second all the Epiftles, with a
Difcourfe of the Millennium, to which is added, a Chronology
of the New Teftament. A Map and Alphabetical Table of
all the Places mentioned in the Gofpels, Aft:, or the Epiftles
with Tables to each of the Matters contained, and c.f the Words ,
and Phrafes explained throughout the whole Woik. By DA
NIEL WHITBY, D. D. and Chantor of the Church of
Sarum.

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