YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Infidelity Scourged:
CHRISTIANITY VINDICATED.
I. From the Scandalous Afperfions
of Mr. Thomas Chubb, in his four late
Diflertations, viz. i . On Melcbizefck. 2. On
Jacob and Efau. 3. On Balaam. 4. On the
•Extirpation of the Canaanites.
II. From the Sophiftry of a late
Book called, Chrijiianity not Founded on
Argument.
Containing a full, clear, and ('tis hoped)
a fatisfacJory Answer, to fome of the moft popular
Objections to Revelation, more efpecially thofe that
concern the Hiftory of the Old Te/lament ; and eftablifh-
ing fuch Principles as may enable even an unlearned
jAeadet, to anfwer moft other Obje&ions of like fort.
— That thou might eft bejujlified in thy Saying,
and clear when thou art judged, Pf. Ii. 4.
By JAMES BATE, M. A.
ReSor and LetJurer of St. Paul's, Beptford.
Formerly Fellow of St. John's, Cambridge ; and Chap~
lain to Mr. Walpole, his Majefty's Ambaflador at Paris.
LONDON:
Printed by H. Kent; and fold by J. Roberts, at
the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane. M DCC XLVI,
[Price Two Shillings and Six pence.]

PREFACE.

Here prefent the Reader with
Remarks upon a Couple e/Infidel
Writers, of a Strain very differ'
ent from each otherl For as
Deifm is juft as conjtftent with
itfelf, as it is with Reaibn and Truth, — fo%
one of this Par nobile Fratrum difcards Reve
lation, hecaufe human Reafon is all-fufficient
without it ; and the other, hecaufe — there is
nofucb thing as Reafon or common Senfe intbe
World ; confequently, as Chriftianity can never ,
reft upon that which does not exift, it can of
courfe reft upon nothing, and ought to be treated
as a Dream. «
flow far Mr. Chubb'* own Reafon is all-
fufficient for the Ends and Purpofes he has ap
plied it to in his late Differtations,* thefollow-
A 2 ing
* Mr. Chubb has dedicated thefe Differtations to one
Mr. Samuel Dicker, of Walton in Surry ; who, he tells
us, is come over hither from Jamaica, to pafs the Re
main Jer of bis Days in the Contemplation of 'truth. To be
fure the Gentleman's Delign is a very laudable one ; but I
muft take the Liberty to fay, that if he reads no Books but
thofe of the lame Caft with Mr. Chubb 's Writings, he is
like to make but a bad- Voyage of it. For in this Cafe, he
may hunt after Truth long enough, before he'll be able to
catch any thing but Fraud and Impojlure.

¦iv PREFACE.;

.;__.' t

^ng^RSff^kCw'***1 may help the. ' Rcfier +»';
difce/n > aha may perhaps, convince him, that\>
'tis the Misfortune of dur Deifts, to try up the
AlLfuffickncy* o/iJkiman1 Reafon, upon the
Strength of fuck Arguments as are a Shame and-
aScandalto that- Reafon they would jitfdlt. fhey'
are a Sort of Travellers whofcorn phe life of
a Map, — to enquire, the Way, — • or,, even, to.,
afk whether thePldce they au '\ bound tp^ lies:,
JLafi, Weft, North or' South : and all, Jax.this?
wife.Reafoh — hecaufe, they have-Eyes of their
own to Tee. . • .
Ihe, other Gentleman,' I confefs, has thus far
carried' his Point ;,be* has fairly /hewn himfelf
to be no 'Exception to his own general Rule, by
drawing together a greater Quantity of Non-*
fenfe into a narrower .Compafs, than any > Man*
before him, was, I believe, ever able, to do. Yet
fuch is the Greedinefs offomz Men in this Age,
tofwallow down at a' Venture, any irreligious
Nonfenfe that has but afaucy'Thle Page,' that ,,
this Book foon ran thro' three Editions. Amaz~:
ing! that the mojl ingeniaus andfenftble Nation
upon Earth, Jhould, in this Jingle Inftance of
encotiragiHg'lnhdel Nonfenfe and Sophiftry,
fhew themfehes the greateft of all Dupesv And
they are, I doubt not, as heartily laugh' d, at
in fecret, even by the very Men that impofe-
on 'em.

\~>\ M.'l

isrO --¦.. '" ' Some,

PREFACE.' v
Some, perhaps, may think that I have handled
Bptb'-ybefe Gentlemen a little top roughly. Jiut,
for t*y Part, I don't love to put either bitter,
for ffreet, or fweet for bitter. Befides, he who
attempts to -cheat me and my P^ofterky out of
the Hopes of future Happinefs,. deferves as lit
tle Ceremony, in my Opinion, as the, Man whox
picks my Fob. I have therefore treated thefe
Gentlemen, in the Manner that appears to me*
the hefi adapted both to the vifible Knavery of
their ProjeiJs, and the Folly with which they
are executed.
As to the Author tf Chx\&\a.n\ty not founded
on Argument, I.proteft I know him not, but,
have, only heard that he profejfes Phyfic ; and
therefore the Gentleman may be , affured that I
no where intend any Perfonal Affront, however
freely I may handle his Sentiments-. But, as, to
Mr. Chubb, he is an old Offender, and. has
too long reigned without ContradiElion. Be
fides, I have both his Example and his Pre
cept for the Liberties I have taken with him.
His -Example in almoft every Page, where any
facred Writer is quoted ; ^and his Precept, as
Jlrongly as can be, in p. 23. where he tells us,
how carefully and attentively we ought to
confider, what it is that is held forth to us, in
Books put into our Hands as Guides to our
Judgments and Actions. And this, fays he,
ought more efpecially to be done with refpeft
.to Writings that have a divine Character ftamp'd

vi P-Jt-£.RA£&
ftamp'd upon 'ern ; becaufe long and gene
ral Exper$nce fhe w$, that Men af e top, too apt'
to give up their Onfterftandings to whaj
comes forth under fuch) a Character. ?{e$t
therefore;' if Writings that have a, divine Cha^'
rafter ftarrip'^ upon 'em (for he does not here
fuppofe tbe'Stamp'to be forged) ifCutti'Writ}*
ings are not to by; treated with, too much Cofn~,
plaifance, then; a fortiori, 'tis little neceffafj?
in the handling thofe that have, no other Cba£
ratter ftamp'd upon them, but ti?e Stamp of,
'the cloven" Foot.
The Remarks, upon. Chrjftian^ity not foundecf
upon Argument,' were written fome Tears ago*
andfobn after, the Publication, of that Book j
but I threw 'em by when finifh'd, with an In
tention not to publijh' em : and accordingly, '1
kavefeen none of the Anfwers to this Bcok,fave
only afmall Anonimous one, datpdjrom one of
the TJnfoerfti.es, and whfch I then imagined
to 'be written by the Author himfelf, as a Pujrf
to make his Book taken. Notice of. Amongft
ether Reafons which induced rne at that Ti?n}
to fupprefs thefe Remarks, one 'was — '/%
Hopes I had that fo trifling a Piece of §6*
phiftry would fpon be looked upon as a fuffi?
•dent Anfwer to itfelf; in which I proved mi-
ftakeH. But the principal' Reafon was, becaufe
in the Handling of that Book, I was infenfibty
led^on to a nobler Defign, and which, if J
fepuld live to finifh it, muft of courfe render
VuVl'i thefe

P R fe F A G JB? vii
thefe Remarks utterly needtefs. What tmeap
fs, ,A Rationale of the Chriftian Faith ; &
«$«& ^ hope to demonftrate, after a neiju
Manner, the great Wifdom and Gobdnefs
of God, in permitting the Fall of Man,
dtid the fubfequent Corruption of our human
Nature. Making this the Bafis of my Edi
fice, Xpropofe tofhew, that in every Step taken
for the Eftablijhment of Christianity
(which is properly the Cure of that grand
Evil, — an Evil which had much better have
bappen'd than not) the to fiehnqov, or that
which is wifeft and beft upon the Sum to
tal, has ever been purjued, and ftrillly ad
hered to. 7be Whole is intended to eftablifh a
Sett of fuch Principles, as Jhall be a Coun
termine to moft Infidel Objections, worth No
tice, that have Btp'eirB been made. The Pro-
fecution of this Work, /Jay; Made hte throw
by the Remarks on Cfihtliarfity not founded
on Argumeriti as wW Woitld be PeHder'd need-
lefs thereby -, but when I perceived it was likely
to take me up more Time that I thought it
would atfirjl (a Thing which frequently hap
pens, Ifuppofe, in like Cafes) and when I de
termined to Remark upon: Mr. Chubb ; Ire-
folved, to prefent at the fame Time that other
Gentleman, Hand in Hand along with him to
the public View. In dealing with Mr. Chubb,
/ have been forced to anticipate feme few
Things which I propofe to make Part of that
other Traft ; but as 1 know not the Hour of
my

viii PREFACE.
¦^Peihln°r w&f^rJ fhalblfoe tofinifb
^ham^-tmcLexecute fo ijrgr af&Z
Iamf,e iefsforryWai I'haie hefe publit
fomefew of thofe Hints, which I intend to
handle more at large in the Work abovl
mentioned, if God gives me Life and HuS*
St. Paul's, Deptford; '
7we 24,1746. ¦

>.

Infidelity Scourged :

O R,

Chriftianity Vindicated, &c.

Part I.

Being an Anfwer to Mr. ChubUs
four laft Dissertations, &*c.

REMARKS
On the Differ tatton on the Hiftory
of Melchizedek. »R. Chubb's Differtation on
the Hiftory of Melchizedek
is an Attempt to prove,
that Abram did not give
Tithes to Melchizedek^
but Melchizedek to A:, ram.
Having, as he thinks, evin
ced this Propofition, the
Confequence he draws from it (which feems,
indeed, to be the main Point aimed at) is,
B that

fa]
that the Epiftle to the Hebrews, which affirms
the contrary, cannot therefore be of divine
iOrjgiflaJj. but .muft be a; human and fallible
Compofition. So that a Book that has been
received by all Chrifbian Antiquity, as infpired ;
is at once moft modeftly difcakled but of the
Canon of Scripture, only becaufe it interprets
one Textvin (?£»£/&, differently from Mr. Chubb.
The j-eal "undi%uifed*i>^V of this Writer,
feems fairly reduciable_tp this one Syllogifm :
" That which is wrong, can never come from
" God,5, Mc jQh'ubb thinks /fo'/wrong •, there-
" .fore this can, never come from God." By
fuch Logic is 6ne of the moft Valuable of the in-
fpirqd Writings, at ©nee divefted of all Autho
rity and Credit. Pll be bold to fay, that had the
Epiftle to the Hebrews been brought to Jight
but Yefterday, the very Reafoning to be found
in that admirable Book, might have entitled
it to a more decent Treatment than this Wri
ter has giveji it. But let us fee howr,well he
fupports his main Propofition.
^ His nine firft Pages are taken up with giv
ing us what he calls the " Natural Thread of
" this Part of the Mofaic Hiftory. And
" would, he doubts not, be admitted as fuch,
" were it not eontradifted in one of its Ar*
" tides, by the Author of the Epiftle to the.
" Hebrews; which Author eonfiders Abram as
" having given Tithes to Melchizedek." For
the clearing and fettling this Point, he ob-
fsrves, pirftf

[ 3 ]

Pirft, That thi Author to the Hebrews had
nothing but the Hiftory of Mofes, that could be
of any Weight, to ground his Opinion upon,
touching who gave the. Tithes. We beg his
Pardon there.- The Author to the Hebrews
had it from the Author of the Pentateuch,
who was himfelf an Eye-Witnefs of the whole
Tranfaction. In fhort, the Holy Ghoft was
the Author both of this Epiftle, and of the
Pentateuch too; and therefore bexan beft tell
us who gave Tithes in the-Cafe in hand. Let
Mr. Chubb, inftead of ridiculoufly begging
the Queftion, as he does j firft invalidate thofe
Arguments that. have induced all Chrifliart
Antiquity (Heretical, I think, as well as Ortho
dox)* to receive this: Epiftle as the Diftates of
the Holy Ghoft. • .: <
Secondly, Healledges (p. 12^ ¦%"$.) That the
Words of Mofes are exprefs, that Melchizedek
paid Tithes- to. Abrarh : Becaufe Mofes, without
the leaft Hint -.of a Change vf Per fans, cbferves,
that the Perfon fpeaking, viz. Melchizedek
gave Tithes to the Perfon fpoken to, who was
Abram. -
sTis allowed that there is an'ObfcUrity of
Expreffion in this Paflkge, and that it has
been debated (by one or two) who gave Tithes
to whom in this Cafe. But 'tis as clear, that
the whole Stream of Interpreters have ever
urtderftobd Abram to be the Perfon who
B 2 paid

[4]
paid Tithes. If Mr. Chubb excepts againft ,
the Chriftian Commentators, as Parties con
cerned to make good the Authority of the
Epiftle to the Hebrews ; we muft remind him,
that this is alfo the general Opinion of the
Jewijh Writers ; who-being at the fame Time
much mortified to think that their great
Anceftor paid Tithes to a Canaanite (as
Melchizedek certainly was, for his Territories
lay on this Side Jordan) in order to falvc the
Honour of their Nation, they do moft ab-
furdly, and contrary to all Reafon and Scrip
ture too, . maintain that Melchizedek was the
fame with Shem. An Abfurdity they would
never have embraced, could they with any
Colour of Reafon have, told us that the Tithes
were paid not to, but by Melchizedek. So that
in this Jnftance even the very Jews have been
wifer, as well as honefter, than to embrace
this Opinion of Mr. Cbubb's. The known
Guftom of thofe ancient Times, for Conquer
ors to prefent the Tenth of their Spoils of
WartoGod, and the palpable AbfurdByof
fuppofingfuch an one to receive Tithes from
a Prieftof God's, only becaufe he had bset^
bleffed- % God's Providence in his ExpaWi
tion •, the^fe Confiderations, I fay, vjtefifuSfc
cient, not only to lead, bat even tQ+farcfvth&
Common Senfe of all Men,' into -thedjOiBiJ
M waning of this Text. _-. a ? - .. . , '
.] .¦¦ .«
* Thirdly,

Is]

* Thirdly, The Circumftances, fays he, which
attended the Cafe, do not admit it to be other-
wife. Thefe Circumftances he reduces to three
Heads. Firft, he tells us, Melchizedek had
done nothing to, or for, Abram, which Called
for fuch a grateful Return ; whereas Abram
had laid Melchizedek, and all the People in
that Neighbourhood under an Obligation of Gra
titude to him, in that he had (for the prefent at
leaft) rid the Country of their great Oppreffor.
Melchizedek had done nothing, to or for,
Abram, worth a grateful Return \ done no
thing \ to or for him ! An Apophthegm truly
worthy the Pen of l4c Britifb Infidel! It came
from the Bottom of his honeft Free-thinking
Heart, Pll anfwer for him. We read in the
19th and 20th of this xivthof Ge'nefisf thitbc*
fore Abram had paid his Tithes to Melchizedek,
the Royal Prieft (influenced no doubt by the
holy> Spirit of God) had fhowered down upon
Abram all the Spiritual and Temporal 5/^-
•fings of -the Moft High God, Poffeffor ofiHeaven
and Earth. * What, Sir, is this doing nothing
to or for Abram? Are the Spiritual and Tem
poral Bleffings of the Moft tfigh God, noT
thing? If thefe Bleffings are taH^-Tbing, fure
thB^Meffenger by whom God's Providence
Cdftvfcyv'.ein, does fomething. But 'tis nowon-
def-'that our Infidel who can live in a con*
ftant and habitual, as well as moft bale and
ungrateful negleft of all God's Bleffings,
^JTii* B 3 both
* Page 1-5,

V 6 3
both Spiritual and Temporal, fhould pay an
equal Regard, both to him who fends 'em,.
and to thofe who implore and "convey 'em. So
much for vrhat Melchizedek did for Abram ; let
us now fee what Abram did for Melchizedek,
And that, as far as I can find, was juft no
thing. Chedorlaemer's Quarrel was wholly
againft the Inhabitants of Pentapolis, or Vale
of Sodom, and the Countries South and Eaft
of that Vale or Plain. Salem and its Terrir
tory lay to the Weft of Jordan, about twelve
Miles South of the Sea of Galilee; in the half
Tribe of Manaffeh. 'Tis evident from the
whole Story, that Chedorlaomer had no Quar-
rel, nor attempted any Mifchief, againft the
Princes of that Part of Canaan, but marched
home 'quietly with his Booty, by the Way of
Hoba, Weftward, (or, as the Targums fay,
Northward) of Damafcus. Therefore, by all
we can find, that Prince either would not,u or
could not, but moft furely did not attack that
Part of Canaan ; prevented* poffibly, by -the
Difficulty of palling the Jordan, in the Face
of a Country fo populous as Canaan even then
was, At leaft, that he aftually did not ravage
the Parts about Salem, is plain ; for had he
done that, as he made clean Work where-r*
ever he came, and drove all before him, pray
what would have become of thofe good Things
of Salem, out of which Mr. Chubb tells- us,
Melchizedek paid his Tithes ? * Nor,

C 7 3
* Nor, Secondly, Had Abram any thing of his
ewn to pay Tithes of becaufe he went out in
hafte, and probably carried nothing with him
but Weapons of War. Allowed. For tho*
'twas indeed ufual for Warriors .of old to
pay Tithe of Spoils ; yet we no where read of
their paying Tithe of their own Baggage.
fNor, Thirdly, Gould Abram pay Tithes of
the re-taken Plunder, becaufe all that was re-
ftored to the Inhabitants of Pentapolis, who
were the-diftreffed Owners of 'em. Agreed ;
provided by re-taken Plunder be meant only
fiich Plunder as had firft been taken, from
thofe to whom Abram returned it.
% Nor, Fourthly, Could Abram be fuppofed
to pay thefe Tithes outof any Spoils taken from
Chedorlaomer and his affociated Princes, be
caufe tho' they took with them, no doubt, their
Weapons of War, and a prefent Subfiftence, yet,
'tis not to be fuppofed that they needlefly incum-
bred themfehes with Goods and Riches thereby
to lay a Foundation of Spoil for their Enemies.
That they took their Goods and Riches with
'em, with a View to tempt their Enemies^to
cut their Throats, is indeed not likely ; but
'tis very likely they might do it with wifer
Views, viz. to induce their People to fight
ftoutly — not only for Victory and Plunder,
but alfo (if occafion be) pro arts fcf focis % a
B 4 Con*
* Page 14. \ Page 15. J Ibid. See Note,

ConfnJsrai^(^tffe^efe>fi*^n,*iSt0,nach for a Fight, beyond any tbSngi fc But bd their
Reafon for it what it will, 'tis notorious, that
the Eaflfefc*: itfince« evUniidjicd well as now
alway^doai^tst the Field sfcfth Equipages pro-
digrouflyligrgndf and pompons. The very
Camete* JBcftfesVand Affesioeceffary for fuch
an Expedition^ as. GtedotdsotM's, muft hatfe
been-a wsi^^wblte Bddtyt fcBat det us allow
hints all fhjsioo* and tbattthde ?Prince>i} mv
fteadbf bgiftg fourspowferft$ rkh^ndpompous
Monads cof :iheiE4ft« were onh/iour Kmg& ~>
of fteke&i^/?^ or if herpMfes. to-have it fo, *-:
fout.ScjeMJff.sir.ds.', at the^Headof foist Higb*^
landiGlatei newly' broker otit of Lochdb^
andV- COnftq«ejitly,^ that: they had "nottawgj^of y
their own. tqjofe, nor Abram to plunder *fcm it
of, iave-^aly their Scalps and their Skins r- ftTH^*'
Mfj Cfcttkl&- Argument fHcks juft whwe-k5
did*r;jF«y <jSfcer.he forgets, rthat: fofdf&theffr
Pr%ceg)£ait^eJkedv Peniapata? fayxha&ofafr&-?i-
geqLand plundered al\;the^oi«riry Somhlmiifc11
Eaf^f^i-^MBw th^fykfafyj^imjf&mfmit
and/Hmtesj. and • after starX fiil:;iaptffij ifa>
Amalekipfs aftd Amorites i:d£rn£'em; People'.
for:the,.J^ftituUort'-oftoh^'P&nder,-'<4Jfi^ was^-j^.^n^rned.r.^^/^^^ from, ^o^iifirter have tg^MSdASpoil tO'^a^i
Ti^h^stofciE'JtT fty.pefftbjyynri djejrig rmWisafc
OpiWRftiMli«!tfe4t'hf -^saicbhaslFlir^esiflub^^
fhe^j^toPiWKSVQf >*He $&.. aftbriate Ptfiw£s* whon$

[9]
whom he had defeated (and probably fiain)
between Dan and Hoba.
What follows from the Top of the 16th, to
the Middle of the 1 8th Page, I might well
be excufed from anfwering, it being all built
upon a Foundation already demolifh'd, viz.
" That the Epiftle to the Hebrews muft
" be a human and fallible Compofition —
" becaufe — it has erred in this one Point
" of the Tithes paid by Abram." We'll fee
what he fays however. * Firft then, Jefus
Cbrift*was not a Prieft after the Order of
Melchizedek, becaufe be was not the Principal
of the Family or Tribe to which be belonged.
Premifcs and Confequence equally good ! For
our Lord's Genealogy plainly fhews, that he
a finally was the Principal of his Tribe accord
ing to the Flefh. Then again, the Order of
Melchizedek did not confift wholly in the
Priefthoods being exercifed by the Head of
each-iFamiJy •, but principally in this -, — .
whereas the.Levitkal Priefthood was limited
to one particular Tribe or Family ; and the
exertafe of it confined folely to the Jewifh
Nation i on t'other Hand, Melchizedek was a
Prieffcupon the Footing of the old Patriarchal
Difpenfation. A Difpenfation not confined,
like^t-he Mofaic, to one particular Nation, and
the Priefthood of it to one particular Family ;
but given at large, firft, thro* Adam, and then
thro' Noah, to all Mankind in general j as
* Page %6. Chrifti-

[ IO ]
Chriftianity now is. And therefore Melchizedek
was a moft proper Type of that Heavenly
High Prieft who intercedes for all Men, blef-
fes all Men, and has offer'd himfelf up'a wil
ling Sacrifice for all Men ; provided only
that all Men be but willing to accept and lay
hold of the offered Benefit.
But fince it has fallen in my Way to fay fo
much of Melchizedek, I fhall here take the
Liberty to' offer my Conjeftures, concerning
fhe true Ground and Reafon of all that paired
between Melchizedek and Abram. But this,
and the following Paragraph, I direct only to
the fober Chriftian Reader •, defiring others to
pafs on to Page the 1 3th. That Melchizedek was
both a Prieft and a Prophet of the true God,
upon the Footing of — the old Patriarchal
pifpenfation, I'll venture to fay, ho doubt can
be made. What Abram was, I need not fay.
I fhall only obferve, that 'tis moft highly prOr
bable,that during Abram'sReddence mCakaan^ .
two fuch Perfons as Abram and Melchizedek
were, fo eminent for their , Piety towards the
true God,* (by that Time almoft forgotten,
every where) muft have been acquainted with
each other. For probably, a Journey of one
hundred and fifty Miles (theDiftance of Hebron
from Salem) could be no Objection £0 the
meeting of two fuch Souls. "" If this was the
Cafe,' Melchizedek might: have learn'd from
Abram' % own Mouth, that two-fold Promife of

[ » ]

of God, made to him in the Beginning of
Genefis;x Chap. xi. 3»/z? that God would one
Day give all that Land of Canaan to the Seed of
Abram : and that' in Abram ftmtld all'the Fa*
milies of the Earth be bkffed. I think,' ' there
is little "doubt- tor be made, but that Abram
well knew in what manner -all Mankind would
be bleffed thro' him, tho' Mofes, for wife Rea-
fons, does not relate it ; and that Mekbizedek
might well know the fame, either from Abram,
or immediately from the Holy Ghoft. If this was
the Cafe, it miift be a prodigious Confirmation
of the Faith of Melchizedek, to fee the Almigh
ty give fb earlyanEarneft of thefulfillingthefe
Promifes, by bleffing Abram with fo miracu
lous- a Victory, as that moft certainly was,
which was obtained over four Confederate
Princes, with only a Band of three Hundred
and Eighteen trained Servants, born in his
Houfe.- -Upon this, he comes out to congra
tulate and blefs Abram, moved to it, no doubt,
by the Influence of the Holy Ghoft ; and if we
may with Humility conjecture,— - probably
for this Reafon. t
TheSeeds.of the Mofaic Difpenfation, had as
it were been jbwn, in the Call of Abram. The
Msfmc Difpenfation was to fucceed t\\ePatru
drchM-, as foon as the latter fhould be effaced
and worn out, by the Infidelity, Wickednefs,
and; Negligenee of Mankind. God 'Almigh
ty, by bleffing Abram, thro* the inftrumental Means

[ "]

Means of Melchizedek, did, as it were, ce
ment and connect thefe firft zxxdfecond Dif
penfations together, in fuch a Manner, as
plainly fhewed, that he who ordained the firft,
gave alfo his Fiat and his Bleffmg to the fe- ,
cond. By God's makmgMelcbizedek the Prin
cipal in the Cafe, (Abram doing, as it were,
Homage to him) the Holy Ghoft plainly
teaches us, that this fecond, was of an infe
rior Nature to that firft, or more general Difc
penfation which we call Patriarchal ; and on
ly fubfervient towards the repairing, or com-
pleating it, by Chriftianity, For the Patri
archal j.nd Chriftian Difpenfations, feem to
differ only in this, that under the one,, there
were Hopes of Salvation by Means; of a
Meffiab to come, juft as under the otheri , we
now hope for Salvation, thro' the Merits,^ a,
Me/tab pattj an^qggpe. ,And as God \ Al
mighty was thus, pleated to pronounqe aJJtek
fing, thro' the Channel of a Patriarchal Pro
phet, upon Abram, in whom thcMofaic pif-
penfation began ,y — . fo, Mr.. Chubb yvrkh fm*
nifh us within. Inftance in which the ferne
God (ever Ijt^ar, and : likehimfelf in all his
Difpenfatjpns^ldpes alfb conclude. *he:P-a&frr
archal, and compleat the Mofaic Difpenfatipn,*-
by a moft folemri Prophetic Bleffing '-(jgtyen.--
with a very ill Grace'pg ;true, but &.i%gfyen)x
by another Progh||, of the fame -oldb^jr/V;
archal Religjls^ Anfi-.that 'twas high Tm^
for the Almighty to repair the Ruins of the
r««. - Patri-*

Patriarchal Religion, the inconfiftent, bafe,
and corrupt Demeanor of that Prophet may
ferve to teach us : For the Prophetic Bleffing
of Balaam, feems to be the loft Gafp of that
corrupted, dying Difpenfation.
But, to return to Mr. Chubb. I was ob-
ferving juft now, that our Lord gave himfelf
a willing Sacrifice for the Sins of Mankind.
But Mr. Chubb thinks otherwife: * becaufe
Cbrift did not facrifice hm\fe\fbut wasfactificed
by the wicked Jews. Anfwering dull Stuff, be
ing dull Work, I fhall only tell him (what we
have been all told above feventeen Hundred
Years ago) viz. That he, who by his miracu
lous Works, had plainly fhewedall Nature to
be at bis Command, could eafily'have called
in the Aid of more than twelve Legions of
Angels, had he thought proper ; but how then
could the Scriptures have been fulfilled ?
" Vr- '¦¦ - ' * ' *8«Wi
He adds j —jMihay that Chrift'x Pr#3
hood was Spiritual^ifbefide the Point % becWM
that is the fame as tbfay, that Chrift was omy
a Prieft in anlmprbper. and figurative Senfe.
'Ti&'ifkrfirviefmkir Cbrift is the only true,
real, -lite** Prieft. ^TfeMofaic FJfgh Prieft
waS'oSly m'-Embletn^T^pe, 'or^Shfldow :of him.
But^en,-%8f^r»MKood*may; in one Senfe,

guage
Page 17.

[ 14 ]
guage is often ftiled Carnal, by way vfAnti-
thefis to the Gofpel,. which is ftiled Spiritn&l,,^
Come We , now to a Paffagej which, I frank^
ly confefs, did exceedingly amaze and puzzle
me at firft, as falling from the Pen of fuch a
Man as Mr. Chubb, who had always been re
presented to me (for I know but little of his
Works) as an able Reafoner. His Words
are thefe, at the Foot of Page 1 7 . To fay, that
whatever Chrift was in the Days of his Flefhj
yet fie if now a Prieft, as he executes a Prieftly
Office in Heaven ; this is towering in our Ima*
ginations above the Clouds, and avering1 that
which we have no Way (obferve his Emphafis
on no Way) that appears; clearly to underftand,
or make out •, and, confeqttthtly, it is extenW'Hg
-our Faith beyond the. Means of Information,
Heaven being'quite out of Diftance with refpeSt
to us, fo as for us to underftand what is trans
acting there.
Now, if any one, of '• the Education, Tafte,
and Abilities of a Beetle, had talked at this
Rate, what Wonder ?.- What Wonder- if fuch
an one had fbtrnd it hard to tower in his Imn*
gindf ion either up to the Clouds, or indeed -up to
the Top of a Chimney ? -But, that Mr. Chubby
the exalted • Reafbnef Mr. Chubb,- fhbukl
deem it fo hard to tower~abotve the Clouds, on14
ly mentally, in the Purfuit of Truth ; — when
every Country 'Squire in the Peak of Defray Jhire,

t «S]

Jhire, can do it literally, almoft every Day
of his Life, in purfuit of a Fox ; — this, I
fay, does really aftonifh me. And 'tis ftill
more amazing, that this Difficulty of tower
ing above the Clouds fhould be complained of
by the very fame Man, who at other Times
can with Eafe tower fo high above the Clouds
as to attack the very Throne of God, ar
raigning, condemning, and even ridiculing
his Perlon and Actions.
Men complain heavily of the great Difficulty
of digefting the Myfteries of Chriftianity i but,
o'my Confcience, the Myfteries of Infidelity
are, tome, of a much more incomprehenfible.
Nature... Infidelity is all Wonder and Amaze
ment, from Head to Foot. 'Tis credulous
to a ^ridiculous Degree ; for it can believe
any Thing but what it ought to believe. The
Throat of it is Sometimes wide enough to
fwallow a thoufand firft-rateAbfurdities; and
at other Times fo narrow, that 'tis forced
to boggle at every plain, eafy, demonftrable
Truth. When 'tis called upon to raife itfelf
up a little, in Order to contemplate the Beau
ties, of Wifdom, Truth, and Holinefs ; — why
then, theLord have Mercy upon us, we are fo
fetter'd, clog'd, and confin'd, that we can't
ftir an Inch from the Earth ; our Minds are
all, of a hidden as fubjeft to the Laws of Gra-.
vity, as our Bodies, and are every jot. as hea
vy and: dull. But then again, how happily is
the

1 1«]
the Scene changed, the Moment that Part of
the eld. Snake predominates, which confifb
of Contradiction, Pride, and Rebellion againft
God ? we ftart up, in an Inftant, into all-
fofficient, all-wife and all-knowing Judges, de
quolibe ente \ even tho* we profefs at the fame
Time, that we have no Data to work with,
and make it our whole Bufinefs to prove as
much. Surely, Men of fo myfterious a Nature,
fhould of all Men beware how they complain
of Myfteries. But to return to Mr. Chubb.
Suppofe this heavy Genius of his, fo averfe
to towering, flwuld be hoifted up above the
Clouds by the Help of a Pulley, or a new
Tower of Babel, fo as actually to fee with his
own Eyes, what is a doing in Heaven ; would
that be Sufficient to Satisfy his Doubts ? I fear
(and have Reafon to think) not. I rather fuf-
peft that thofe Gentlemen that have been fo
long ufed to doubting, may at length even
doubt themfelves out of a Capacity of doing
any Thing elfe but doubting ; 'till they come
(I mean) to actual feeling. To give an In
stance, upon what rational Grounds a Free-
Thinker may doubt of a Certainty, I fhall
oblige the Reader with a fhort Story which I
had from a Perfon of Credit. The Parties
concerned (from one of which I had it) are,
to the beftof my Information, all alive at this
Day. A Gen-

[ '7 ]
A Gentleman bf-'nb- mean natural Senfe
and Abilities, was'brought ov'ey^to^ngland;
lived" here, I think— "a rear.- ^"HrFRefidence
was chiefly in London^ buthe'fSw'manyjPther
Towns, and rriiich of the'" CountFj^b^nd
about -, was perfectly ih'his SehTes*all.llhe
white -, and aftua.lfy Te^arn'cT'our ^atiguage.
But- upon his return to-;n^'s*6wn!Cbli'rffiy aTtid
Kindred; he "Soffn SuffeiJd'himfeiF,'ta*tye'plr-
fuaded, that he never had ; really" :beeq"|.K £%g--
land»ak all : and -to "this SJay, nd^hlg-m&es
him more choleric than being ttild the. con
trary. Nbwy thisGenilemarUwasjrmheatrue
genuine Free-TrrrfrkeV; - abfoTt^toW^rladuJte-
rated with the Ieaft Spark pf Rev.efeion'v nei
ther Me nor any of His Anceftefs^'HaVirjg'eyer

ie
was-'-a- Native of- that Part ~ of' Norjfijftmerica
ti^t^ot^^s^imm'TIudfon's Bay~\ .^Cottntry
where the Bfeffings of Infidelity areTtnjOyed
in-iheir moft' amiable Prolixity; "^ri^.jea'rjy,
when'afl' is donegTour Infidels atttome'f are
but of-U-Saftaid, corrupted, mongfeT'Breed,
in" 'fc»Vr?piaWon-M:o^$:re'"of Some -other* Coym-
tiSes tha¥IJeould rrlrriev -'-Atthi|Gentleman's
¦»ftuYh'.§^24^«;*K^hJc« ^ffi. g°c

tttttSt Mrin^ari^aMr^ffeW^g^eefaflf to the
aziri:

3*c(*urttSihJ gavribFW£n&zWS¥fedeur,
¦WafflPttilf Pb^aSSffias QFthe-S$/^- Na
tion ; when he came to deScribe our Slumping
fUffafe Pool, near London (which he compared
C to

[ !8]
to one of their Woods) they unanirhoufly a-
greed, that all he had feen, muft certainly be
an Impofition upon his Underftanding ; — that
the Captain who had carried him over, and
brought him back again, muft certainly be a
Conjurer, had thrown him into a deep Sleep,
and made him fee. all this in a Dream, only
to cheat them into falfe Notions of the Wealth
and Strength of Great Britain. The Man
being fairly out- voted by Numbers, foon came
into their Opinion ; and fo heartily too, that
he will bear no Coqtradiftion upon that
Point. He is now living, at Hudfon's Bay,
in the Service oS that FaSiory. The Gentle
man I had it from, is a Man of Credit, not
unknown to the Learned World ; and has of
ten converfed with this Savage in his own
Country, fince this ftrange Adventure befell
him. The ufe I would make of all this,
is, — that what has been, may be : fo that if Mr.
Chubb were to be even favoured with a Bea
tific Vifion, it would probably but little confirm
the Faith either of himfelf or his Friends.
The Gentlemen of his Club, no doubt, would
foon perfwade both him and themfelves, that
all he had feen was an airy Phantom, and juft
nothing at all. But to proceed.
* Heaven is quite out of Diftance with rejpetl
to us, fo as for us to underftand what is tranf-
afting there. Quite out of Diftance ! and fo is
* Page 1 8.

[ »'9 ] .
is the King of Sardinia's Army ; and if we'
would atlually fee what that Prince is a doing,'
we muft tower much above the Clouds, I'll
affure him -, becaufe we muft tower over the
Alps in our way thither. But then., we may
reasonably Save ourSelves that Trouble;, Only
by waiting Sor the Dutcb Mail. Now, were
Such a Mail to bring us the News of a com-
pleat Viftbry gained there, Mr. Chubb, I
warrant him, would have Faith enough to buy
into the Stocks; without towering, above the
Clouds and the Alps too, to fee if the Gazette
Spake Truth. Why, then, can't a Man t of
his Penetration believe what's a doing in Hea
ven, fince the fame is fo much better atteftecf
to'us, than any Thing poffibly can be that on
ly comes by the Mail? For in one CaSe, our
Affurance comes Srom thoSe who have given
us demonftrable Evidence oS a Divine LegaJ
tion ; whereas we receive the other only from
a carnal Courier, who feldom travels with
better Credentials, than thofe of an Earthly
Ambaffador. From this 18 th Page, to the End of his
firft Differtation, he begs Leave to digrefs a lit
tle. High time to vary the Subjeft, I think.
From the Inftances of the * Vifions of the
Prophet Micaiah and that of St. Stephen, -f-
(and more he might haVe added) he charges
the Scriptures with " tending to give us grofs
C 2 Notions
* i Kings xxii. 19. -f Ads vii. 55.

[ 2° ]
" Notions of the Spirituality and Omnipre-
« fence of the Deity :" — when 'tis evident to
any Man who will but read, that 'tis a main
Drift of thofe facred Writings to give us the
moft refined and exalted Notions of both.
Sometimes, indeed, the Holy Ghoft does wife-
Iy and mercifully condefcend to Expfeffions
adapted to human Thoughts, and human
Ideas -, but then, how often and how plainly
are we told, that Heaven and the Heaven of
Heavens cannot contain him. That he is the
King immortal and invifible. That be dwells in
Light which no Man can approach unto -, whom
no Man hath feen nor CAN fee. Nor can any
Quibler charge thefe Texts with Contradicti
on ; no, they are wife and merciful Applica
tions to thole feveral Degrees of Apprehenfion
with which God's Creatures are differently
endowed : and they are frequently and una
voidably occafioned by the Scantinefs of Lan
guage,, which is all derived from fenfible Ob-
jefts. The Accurate Mr. Chubb, is himfelf
an Inftance of this ; he often talks of God's
fpeaking and faying this or that ; but 'twould
be hard to infer from thence, that So cloSe a
Thinker imagines the Deity to have a real
Mouth, Tongue, Lips, and other Organs of
Speech : therefore he that gives, fhould alfo
be contented to take. But to proceed ; I fee
no Contradiction in fuppofing the Deity to
give more glorious and fenfible ProoSs of his
Exiftence, in fome one particular Place (call ic

[ 21 ]
it Heaven or what you will) than he may do
in others. Nor is it abfur'd to imagine, that
for wife Ends of his own, he may, upon
fome; extraordinary Occafions, imprefs in a
preternatural Manner, as ftrong Reprefenta-
tions of heavenly Things and Places, upon the
human Mind, as are ufually excited by the
Pifture formed in the Retina of the Eye.
Such kind of Vifion was one of thofe feveral
Ways whereby God revealed his Intentions to
the Prophets of old.
From the Vifion of Micaiah, he takes a
Handle to cenfure God's deftroying Ahab, at
Ramoth Gilead, by fuffering a lying Spirit to
entice him to go up there. * This, fays he,
was a Practice worthier of the Father of Lies,
but very unworthy of God, becaufe God could
have deftroyed him by other Ways, without
making ufe of the low Means of Artifice and
Collufion. Certainly, God might have de
ftroyed him by other Means, but by none fo
wiSely and juftly adapted to Ahab's CaSe.
The whole Hiftory of that Prince, more efpe-
cially the Story of his Cataftrophe, plainly
fhews him to have been a moft rank ant
ftubborn Infidel, and Rebel againft God. Hi
had wilfully finned againft the cleareft hea
venly Lights to that Degree, that juft befort
he fet out upon that Expedition, he threw
a Prophet of the true God into a Prifon, and
C 3 fed
Page 21.

[ 2a ]
fed him there with the Bread of Affliction, and
the Water of Affliction, only for telling him
this uncourtly and difagreeable Truth, That
If be would perfift in going up to Ramotb.
Gilead, he would certainly 'fall there. There
fore what could be more wife in God, than
to make his Sin vifible in his Punjfhment ;
and what more juft, than to Suffer that' Man
to fall by a Delufion, who was refolved to
hearken to nothing elfe but Delufions ? ?Twere
to be wifhed our Modern Infidels wo.uld make
a practical USe of this Paffage in Holy Writ-,
for, if, like Ahab they will obftinatejy refufe
to walk by the brighteft Light ; they'll de-
Ser-ve but little Pity, if, like Ahab they chance
to break their Necks iii the Dark.
I have obferved, that 'tis generally the Fate
of a Free -Thinker, either to begin or end
with fome Swapping AbSurdity. Mr. Chubb
winds up his Bottom,with tellingus, * that tho!
whatever God fays is Truth, and need not be
farther enquired into ; yet what' God faith by
the Mouths and Pens of Men, may be moft
uncertain and precarious.' That is, tho' God
may really Speak by the Mouths and Pens of
Men, 'tis poffible, that at the fame time, he
really may not Speak, by the Mouths and Pens
of Men : for he who fpeaks that which is moft
uncertain and moft precarious, does much the
Same as if he Spoke not at all. But, if he
means
* Page 24.

r«3 3
means that " God may really fend a Mef-
" Sage to Mankind by theSe Means, but that
" the Meffengers entrufted with it, may
" murder it in the Delivery," — that's as
much as to Say, that the All-wiSe and All-
knowing God, who does nothing in vain, may
poffibly Send a moft important Meffag'e to
Mankind, which Meffage he knew beSore-
hand, would never be delivered. A Blunder,
more likely to proceed from the fhallow Pate
of a Britifh Infidel, than from the Fountain
of Wifdom.
So much for Mr. Chubb's Differtation on
the Hiftory of Melchizedek, in which the Di
vine Authority of the Epiftle to the Hebrew's
was to be overfet, — and for the Sake of that
one pretended Error, in that one fingle Book ;
he moft cruelly cuts off all the other * Cano
nical Writers, at one Blow; for no other
Fault, that I can fee, but only for being
bound up in one Volume, with the Epiftle to
the Hebrews. But Mr. Chubb forgets the
good old Rule, that they that preach fhould
practice. So little does he regard that, that
he is here guilty of a much more unmerciful
Practice than what he afterwards charges up
on Jofhua, viz. in cutting off the innocent
and guilty Canaanites all at a Blow. Let us
now examine how well he Succeeds in his
next Differtation.
C 4 REMARKS
* Page Z3.

[ 24 ]

RE MAR K S
On Mr, Chubb'* Differtation on
the Temper and Behaviour of
Esau and Jacob.
THO' Mr. Chubb's Objeftions to the Con-
duft of Jacob and Efau, are, as to the
main Subftance of 'em, far from being new ;
yet, to do him Juftice, it muft be confeffed,
that he has attack'd that Part of Revelation
with more Art and Ingenuity, and drefs'd up
his Objeftions in Terms more dangeroufly
Popular, than perhaps any other Writer has
done beSore him. To Speak an honeft Truth,
(and I Scorn to oppoSe Falfhood by Falfhood)
that Part of Scripture has its Difficulties ;
and may well puzzle the Underftanding even
of many a well-meaning Chriftian Reader. I
confefs further, that 1 never could get true
Satisfaction upon this Head, from any Books
I have yet been able to meet with. I fhall
therefore take the Liberty to offer the Reader
fome Thoughts upon this Point, with which
I have hitherto been contented with SatisSying
only my own private ConScience. As the
Subjeft we are upon will oblige us to let
down the Veffel, Somewhat deep into the
Spring

[ *5 ]
Spring of Life -, it will of courfe require much
Care in me to explain myfelf, and no Small At
tention in an ordinary Reader, iS he is de-
firous of coming at a true and real Satisfac
tion. That I may the more effectually level
my Solution, as near as can be, to every Ca
pacity, I fhall throw the Subftance of what
I have to fay, into certain Lemma's, as they
are called •, that is, into Such Propofitions as
are previoufly neceffary to be eftablifh'd, be
fore we come to the main Queftion. That
done, I fhall the more eafily bring Mr. Chubb's
Objeftions, to the Touch-ftone of Reafon and
Common Senfe.

Lemma I.
Since the Modern Oppofers of Chriftianity,
have unanimously given up the Caufe o
Atheifm, and do allow of the Being and Attri
butes of a God fupreme over all : it follows
that fuch Objeftions to divine Revelation a;
make equally againft the Being and Attri
butes of God, are at once to be caft out ol
the Scale, as of no Weight ; becaufe, the)
avowedly prove too much, and confequently
prove juft nothing. Lemma II.
'Tis agreed by the Enemies of Scripture,
that all the material, vegetable, and animal
as well as all the rational Beings in the World, muft

r 26 ]
muft be the Work of an All-wife and Good
Creator. And yet, they do, and muft allow,
at the fame time, that there are Some Things
in this UniverSe, which we cannot reconcile
with thofe Attributes, becauSe we cannot dis
cover the final CauSes or USes of them. Still,
they readily allow, that Such Difficulties argtle,
— not that there is no God ; but only — that
we ourSelves are ignorant, and defeftive in
our Underftandings. The Reafon is, that
fince the Syftem of the Univerfe in general,
fufficiently demonftrates the Being and Attri
butes of a wife and good Creator ; all Ob
jeftions drawn from our own Ignofance muft
of courfe fall to the Ground.
Le m ma III.
' If the divine Original of Scripture, ftands
upon Proofs to the full as clear and conclu-
five, as the divine Production of the Univerfe
does ; it follows* that fome few Things in
Scripture, which we perhaps cannot under
ftand, are, (by L e m m a I.) no more an Ob
jection to the divine Authority of Scripture,
than fome Difficulties in Nature are, to the
divine Production of the Univerfe. For In-
ftance, as I am not to fay there is no God,
becauSe I am puzzled to find out the CauSes
and USes of Saturn's Ring, or Jupiter's Belts ;
So, I am not to fay there is no divine Revela
tion, becaufe there may be in Scripture, here
and there a Difficulty, which I am not able
to Solve. Lemma

[ ^7 ]
Lemma IV.
The divine Authority of Scripture, actually
does ftand upon Proofs to the full as clear and
as conclufive, as the divine Production pf the
Un iverfe doc s. For if the Exj,ftenee of Matter,
in its prefent Variety of Forms, fo wifely and
benevolently diverfified for the Ufe of the
Creatures ; — if this fhews the Neceffity both
of recurring to a firft Caufe of all, and of ac
knowledging that firft Caufe, to be both wife
and good : it will appear that Chriftianity
ftands upon a Bottom equally firm and ftable.
For — Prophecies and Miracles (even a
great Variety, and a long" continued Series of
each) are the Pillars that Support Revelation :
and the Bafes of thofe Pillars are (the faireft
and ftrongeft Sure, that can be, for they are) thp
Conceffions both of Jewifh and Heathen Ad-
verfaries. Firft then, Prophecy is a Power of
forefeeing the unbyaffed Aftions of Free-
Agents. I equal this Power, to the Power of
original Creation ; becaufe, knowing. without
any Data which I can conceive, is to me, juft
as hard aTask as making without Materials ;
and as ftrongly argues a Divine, or at leaft a
Superhuman Power. Let any Man batter
his Brains as long as he pleaSes, and than tell
me, why and wherefore the one is eafier to be
perSormed than the other, viz. to make with
out Materials, or to know without Data, or
Materials oS Knowledge. Again ; a Power of

I 28 ]
of working Miracles, is a Power of repealing
or fufpending the ftated Laws of Nature. I
equal this to the Power of impofing thofe
Laws of Nature at firft. Let any Man bat
ter his Brains as long as he pleafes, and then
tell me, why and wherefore it is eafier to fuf
pend and controll the Laws of Nature, than it
is to enact 'em at firft.
Lemma V.
The Solution of many Difficulties, both
Natural or Phyfical, and Metaphyseal ; is
capable of being brought to a good Degree of
Certainty : becaufe, when the true Solution is
hit on,, the Problem and the Solution always
will and always muft tally, like Lock and Key,
or rather like Key and Cypher. And when
we perceive 'em thus to tally and accord, we
reafonably conclude, that the Knot is untied :
becaufe we are then arrived at all the certain-
ty the Nature of the Thing is capable of.
But we cannot reverfe the Argument, and
fay — I cannot untie this Knot, therefore 'ris
not to be untied at all : nor can we argue
thus ; — here is a Lock, my Key won't open
it, therefore no other Key will.
1,'/. ~*.
Lemma VI.
'Tis reafonable to conclude, that a higher
Degree ofheavenlyWifdom has been expended
on Things of higher, than on Things of lower
Moment;

[ 29]
Moment ; becaufe the former are nobler and
worthier Occafions of exercifing it than the
latter : and becaufe that which is endowed
with a greater Degree of Perfection,; and fo
comes nearer to the Godhead ; muft abfolute-
iy require a greater Share both of Wifdom
and Power to bring it to that Perfection.
Lemma VII.
The Material, Vegetable, and Animal Syf-
tem, have required the moft amazing Depths
of Wifdom, to make 'em what they are.
Our daily Difcoveries may convince us, that
daily Difcoveries are yet to be made. Now,
the Rational Syftem, (that is, the collective
Body of free reafonable Creatures in the Uni
verfe) are of a nobler and more important
Concern, than the Material, Vegetable, and
Animal Syftem : and therefore (by Le mm a
VI.) the Creation and Government of thefe,
muft exercife a deeper Degree of heavenly
Wifdom, than the Formation and Manage
ment of thofe. Lemma VIII.
To trace the Footfteps of divine Wifdom
in its nobleft Works and Produfts, muft (by
Lemma VI, VII.) be a far more arduous;
Tafk, than to follow it only thro' Operations
of an inferior Concern. Hence, God's 'fpi-
ritual Difpenfations muft be more deep and
'tinfea'rch-

t 3* J
unfearchable - than the Works of Nature1 ate;
If then the Works of Nature puzzle us, but
are yet' allowed to be the Works of God!;
much mote may Some Things in- Spiritual
DfSpenSation* ptizzle us;- an.'r yet be moft'
Wife, moft goodj and moft juft in themfelves:
and would- even clearly appear So to us^ were
we but fo happy as to know every Thing.
...v. L E mm a IX. '
< The divine Authority* of Chriftian Reve-'
lation being eftablifh'cS (by Le MM a. IV.)-
as ftrongly.as the Being of a God is -, it fok1
lows, i that one or tWo nibling ObjeftiOnsare-
not to Preponderate the moft clear and pofi-
tive.. Evidences- • of the Thing itfelf. For as
the fame Thing can never be both true and
falSe at the Same Time, it follows, • that no
real;, but only fome feeming Objeftions, can
fie againft Such a Propofitionasba'sbeen once
absolutely demonftrated to be true. Hence,'
an unlearned Reader, not verfed in deep Spe
culation, fhould beware how he abates- one
Jot of his Faith in Jefus Cbrift, on account
of thofe many Quibbles the World now
abounds with. For, fome Objections to
Chriftianity, which Serve only to excite the
Laughter of Men of Senfe and Learning*
may yet be ftrong enough (without this Cau
tion) to puzzle thofe Heads that are not ufed
to the Diflefting of Quirks and Quibbles;
More efpecially, becaufe the Anfwer to an
Ob*

C 3i ]
Objection, muft always be of a Nature more
complex and harder to be comprehended,
than the Objeftion itfelf.
Lemma X.
More Difficulties than ordinary may rea
sonably be expected to occur, in thofe
Parts of Scripture which were intended on
ly as Preparatives or Introductions to a
more compieat Rule of Faith and Manners ;
by giving Prophetic Views of thofe
Things and Perfons, by whom the Rule of
Faith and Manners fhould be compleated.
And fuch early-written Parts of Scripture
may contain Difficulties, that fhall be abfo
lutely infuperable, except we ufe 'em as they
were intended to be ufed ; *'. e. except we
explain 'em by thofe later-written Scriptures,
which are the Key that alone can open the
Cypher of thofe Ancient Prophetic Paffages..
If: it be asked, why thofe Paffages could not
have been made abfolutely plain and clear at
firft ? I anfwer, becaufe that, would have:
gone near to have ftripp'd Revelation (in
Time) of its ftrongeft Evidences. This Pa
radox (if God gives me Life and Health,) I
hope to evince in another Work, of which;
thefe Sheets are, at prefent, an Interruption :
in the mean Time, I make a Prefent of it to
our Gentlemen Infidels, as a Bone for 'em
to pick at their Leifure.
Lemma-

C.32 I

Lemma XI.
- If the Old and New Teftament be confi-
dered as Cypher and Key, they will be found
to tally and agree like any other Key and Cy
pher ; therefore (by Le m ma V.) 'tis rea-
fbnable.to conclude, that they wet e originally
intended for. each other. And 'tis as unrea-
fonable to fay, they were not So intended, as it
would be, to maintain that any Dictionary'
was hot made for an old ohfolete Language,
even, tho' all Authors in that Language may
be rationally and confidently explained by the
Help of that Dictionary. Lemma XII.
'Tis the plain and obvious Drift of the
Mofaic Rites and Ceremonies, to typify, pre
figure, or prophetically defcribe the PerSon
and Office of the Meffiah, and the the whole
CEconomy of Redemption. 'Tis needlefs'
for me to recommend the learned Reader, to
Books where this Point is handled more at
large ; ftill, I fhall venture to recommend -
both the learned and the unlearned Reader, to
an excellent Treatife (aScribed by common
Fame to a Gentleman oSgreatNote and Emi
nence in the Adminiftration of Affairs in Scot-.
land) called, " Some Thoughts concerning
" Religion, tending to fhew, that Chriftia-
" nity, is, indeed, very near as old as the
" Creation." From this TreatiSe ample Satif--
faftion may be gained upon this Head.
Lemma

C 33 3

* L E M M A XlII.
Since it was the main Scope of the Ceremd-1
nial Part of the Law of Mofes, to prefigure
the Chriftian Difpenfation, 'tis reafonable to
judge, that this may have been the main View
and Defign of the whole Pentateuch; and
that the fame uniform End was aimed at, and
carried on, even in the Hiftorical Parts of the
Books of Mofes, more efpecially in the Hif
tory of the Patriarchs. I fay more efpecially
in that Hiftory, becaufe the Patriarchal Hif
tory^ from the Call of Abraham downwards,
was, as it were the Seeds of the Mofaic Dif
penfation -, confequently, there is the greater
probability, that to a Palate rightly in tafte,
the Seed may partake of the Flavour of the
Plant. But to proceed. As it is very poffible
that fome of the real literal Actions of the Pa
triarchs, might be fimilar to fome of thofe
Events which God forefaw were to happen in
the Courfe of the Oeconomy of Man's Re
demption : So, it was worthy of the divine
Wifdom, to pick out, and feparate fuch par
ticular Actions from the reft, and record 'em
in facred Writ. I fay, this was worthy of
God, becaufe it was a moft compendious and
wiSe Method of fhewing at one and the fame
time, the divine Authority both of the Mofaic
and Chriftian DifpenSations. Of the Mofaic —
becaufe Mofes herein, at once, fhewed himfelf
both a, faithful Hiftorian and a. true Prophet ;
Since the Actions he recorded, were, at once,
D both

[ 3+3
both Hiftory and Prophecy. It eftablifh'd
the Divinity of the Chriftian Difpenfation —
becaufe the Out- lines of the Chriftian Oeco-
nomy, eXaftly refemble thefe ancient Events,
and tally with 'em like Key and Cypher ;
consequently (by Lemma V.) they were ori
ginally intended for one another, like Cypher
and Key, and mutually eftablifh each other's
Authority. If it be objected, that if we take
the Liberty to Allegorize fome difficult Parts
of Scripture-Hiftory, in order to reconcile
'em to ReafOn ; we fhould then allow the an
cient Pagans the fame Liberty, in Extenua
tion of the Abfurdities of Paganifm : I an
fwer, ift. The thought of Allegorizing Hea-
thenifm, fo as to make the feveral Parts of
it myftiGally reprefent the various Powers of
Nature, was a Contrivance to palliate the Ab
surdities of Idolatry, not thought of by either
Greeks or Romans, till the Jews and Chriftians
firft help'd them to the Hint. Ift fhort, their
betaking themfelves to Allegory, was only
a Twig held out to fupport a finking Caufe.
I do believe, that the Eaftern Heathens (who
were infinitely more knowing, tho' lefs fa-
gacious than thofe of the Weft, whether Greeks
or Romans) did really intend to reprefent the
Powers of Nature by their Gods : but it no
where appears that thofe of the Weft, who
borrowed their Religion from the Eaft, did
at the fame time borrow the Refinements of
the Eaft. No, they took only the groffer Part of

[ 35 ]
of their Idolatry, and left the finer behind.
'Till at length, over-born by the fuperior
Arguments of the Chriftians, they luckily
thought of Allegorizing their Fooleries. But
all won't do ; for, idly, Between Heathen
and Chriftian Allegory, there is this prodigious
Difference : Heathen Allegory aims at no
more than being defcriptive either of Hiftory
or Phyfics, of Things paft or Things prefent,
and may therefore be the eafy Produft of a
human Brain : Whereas, Chriftian Allegory,
is, ever Prophetic ; and thereby demonftrates
its divine Original.

'D'

Lemma XIV.
Mankind is a reafonable Creature, endow
ed with Freedom of Will ; tho* that Will, is,
fome how or other, evidently very much
corrupted. Lemma XV.
Since God Almighty has endued us with a
Freedom of Will, which Will is yet evidently
corrupted and depraved ; and fince God can
therefore never confirain, but only perfuade
us : It will follow, that the Behaviour even
of the beft of Men, muft generally, if not al
ways, be of a mixt Nature, partly good and
partly bad. Therefore, whenever God Al
mighty fhall bepleafedj covertly and obfcurely
to deliver a Prophecy, by recording fuch
Actions of Men, as he forefees to be fit and
D 2 proper

[ 36 ]
proper for Allegorical Defcriptions of future
Events ; in this Cafe, I fay, it feems necef-
Sary (if I may fo fpeak) for the Almighty to
take Men's Aftions as he finds 'em* and as
they are in themfelves, viz. partly good, per
haps, and partly bad. For otherwife, God Al
mighty muft be fuppofed fo to over-rule the
Freedom of the Agent, as to deftroy his Free-
Agency, which would be abfurdly undoing
his own Work. Again : Since the main
Point aimed at, in all thefe typical and alle
goric Aftions being thus recorded, is, thro'
them to fketch out fome future Aftions,
Things, or Perfons ; 'tis plain, that bare Si
militude is the principal Thing to be regarded
in the Choice of fuch allegoric Aftions. If fo,
'tis of fmall Import, whether thofe Actions
are in themfelves morally good or bad ; pro-.
vided only they be but (in the main Out
lines) like thofe they are intended to pre
figure and predefcribe. For, in this Cafe,
Likenefs is the Thing plainly aimed at, and
not moral Precept. Moral Precept, indeed,
may be ultimately aimed at, and ultimately
Served by it -, (becauSe Such allegoric Prophe
cies, tend to eftablifh the divine Authority of
thoSe, who fhew themfelves to be the belt
Teachers of Morality) in the mean time,
however, bare Likenefs is the more immediate
End of thefe typical Records.
Lemma

¦ [37]
Lemma XVI.
Things may fo fall out, that this Simili
tude may be moft commodioufly drawn or
defcribed,by recording Some allegoric Actions,
which (iS ftriftly examined, and abftrafted
from their main and ultimate View) may not
be really Moral. But ftill, if thofe Actions
fo recorded, can be made uSeful towards
the eftablifhing of the nobleft moral Precepts,
or towards the ferving any other great and
valuable Ends, 'tis no way beneath the Wif
dom of God to ufe 'em to that Purpofe ; be-r
caufe the worft that can be faid of it, is, that
in this Cafe God draws much Good out of a
little Evil: The doing which, is the moft
exalted Aft of Wifdom and GoodneSs that
we can conceive, and therefore worthy of
God, Lemma XVII.
'Tis utterly unjuft, and unreasonable, to
tax a Writer" with favouring Vice and Immo
rality, only becaufe he records fome Inftances
of it ; when at the fame time, the plain Drift
and Intention of that Writer, is, avowedly
to eftablifh Precepts the moft ftrictly Moral.
Or, in other Words, to plead Scripture Ex
amples (recorded quite with other Views ; to
plead thefe) in Behalf of Immorality, and
fay they tacitly and covertly encourage it, and
were written with that Intent; when the fame
Scriptures do, with the utmoft Plainnefs,
D 3 the

[ 3« ]
the greateft Severity, and higheft Abhor
rence, condemn all Such immoral Practices ; this,
I Say, is a kind of Reafoning the moft fcan-
daloufly unfair that can be. For, had the
Sum Total of Revelation confifted only of
fuch Examples, they might then have been
alledged in Favour of Immorality with fome
Colour ; but, as the Sum Total of Revela
tion (particularly of that collateral Revela
tion which was publifh'd at the fame Time
with theSe Examples) does evidently aim at
the Eftablifhment of the moft exalted Mora
lity — the only fair Conclusion in- this Cafe,
is, and muft be, that theSe Examples, (which
at firft Sight feem to run counter to the main
Drift of it) cannot for that Reafon be rightly
underftood by us ; but that there muft be
Some Secret, behind the Curtain of thefe Nar
ratives, which we have not yet difcovered.
Lemma XVIII.
The Holy Ghoft exprefly tells us, that fome
Parts of the Mofaic Hiftory are (a^ya^m,
Gal. iv. 24. that is) real Facts indeed, but
yet, recorded wholly as allegorically Defcrip-
tive of God's future fpiritual . O economy.
Therefore, if fome Parts of that Hiftory were
written with that View, others may alfo, Sor
ought we know to the contrary. And if
others may, 'tis both poffible and likely
that every Part of that Hiftory, more espe
cially of the Patriarchal Hiftory, was record ed

[ 39 ]

ed principally with that View. That this is
more than probable, we learn from the fame
great Apoftle we juft now quoted ; who
plainly tells us, (in i Cor. x. n.) That all
thefe Things happen' d unto them [the Jews'] for
Enfamples : — So fays our Englifh Tranfla-
tion, but St. Paul fays — thefe Things hap
pen' d unto 'em for Types, r\hoi : And that
die Apoftle really meant the fame with what
we now call Types, is evident beyond dif-
pute ; for, in the ten preceding Verfes, he
recounts nothing lefs than the whole Hiftory
of the Jews, from their coming out of Egypt,
to their arrival on the Borders of Canaan :
every Branch of which he allegorizes, or
fhews the typical Senfe of, as he goes along.
Lemma XIX.
My not being able to make out the con
tinued allegoric Meaning of the whole Par-
triarchal Hiftory, is, (by Lemma V, VI,
VII, VIII) no Proof that it is not to be made
out at all : no more than my not being able to
trace out God's Wifdom in every Branch of.
Nature, is a Proof that God's Wifdom was
not concerned in the Conftruftion of Nature.
'Tis poffible that the natural, much more the
fpiritual Produftions of God's Wifdom, may
be as deep and unfearchable as the Fountain
from whence they Sprung. For ought we
know to the contrary, the latter may be in
tended to exercife our Ingenuity, and re-
D 4 ward

[4°]
ward pur Induftry with frefh and frefh Difco
veries — to all Eternity.
Lemma XX,
The Blunders and Extravagancies fome
Men have run into, in Allegorizing of Scrip
ture Hiftory, is no more an Argument . that
Scripture Hiftory is not to be Allegorized,
than the freakifh and whimfical Syftems of
. PhiloSophy, Some Men have written, are an
Argument that true PhiloSophy can never be;
discovered. Lemma XXI.
The likelieft and fafeft Way to arrive at
the true allegoric SenSe of Scripture Hiftory,
is, to follow the Clue the Holy Ghoft has
put into our Hands in the Paffages above-
cited : w|iich is, to make the general Scheme
of the Oeconomy of Redemption, the Key
to open' every one of thofe allegoric Hifto-
ries. LJecypher 'em by that Key, and per
haps you'll find the Old Teftament Hiftory
(more efpecially the Patriarchal) to be not
only the cleareft Prediftions, and brighteft
lUuftrations of the Chriftian Oecqnomy ; but
alfo the utter Bane and Deftruftion both of
Infidelity, and Herefy, its Coufin-German,
From thefe Premifes, give me Leave to draw,
the following Conclufion, or .

COROLLARY,

[4« ]
COROLLARY.
THAT Part of the Mofaic Hiftory which.
concerns the Conduft of Jacob and Efau,
will be found upon Examination very much
to refemble (and we may therefore reafonably
judge it was recorded as an allegorical De-
fcription of) the great and principal Out
lines of the whole Oeconomy of Redemp
tion. Let us fuppofe then, that Efau, the
Elder of the Brothers, reprefents the Jews,
who are God's elder Son ; and that Jacob
refembles the Gentile Converts to Chriftianity,
who are God's younger Son. The Blindnefs
of Ifaac may perhaps typify God's long fuf-
fering, mercifully conniving at, and as it
were hiding his Eyes from that continued
Series of Rebellion and Obftinacy, which
makes up almoft the Sum total of the Jewiftt
Hiftory ; and his perfifting to the laft, to ufe
all poffible Means to bring 'em to a true
Senfe of their Duty, and by that Means to
qualify themfelves for that great Bleffing the
Poffeffion of Heaven ; of which the earthly
Canaan was a conftant Type. Ifaac's undeni
able Partiality for the elder Son, and his
evident Intention to confer his great and final
Bleffing upon him, moft beautifully fets forth
thofe Offers of Salvation which were always
intended to be made, — to the Jew firft, and
then alfo to the Gentile : and which conftantly
were made to the Jew firft, — but then, in
deed, to the Gentile, upon the Jews defpifing of

[ 42 ]
of it. As Efau defpifed his Birth-right, and
in Contempt parted with it for an errant Tri
fle ; — fo, the Jews continue to defpife their
Birth-right,/, e. the Chriftian Faith ; and the
Gentile converts happily knowing how to fet
a proper Value upon it, they do now inherit
thofe Bleffings which the Jews fet at nought ;
and fupplant the elder Son by becoming (what
the Jews once were, and might have been
fiill) the peculiar People of God ; and are
become, to all Intents and Purpofes, the
elder Son of God, tho' a later Produce of the
Womb of Chriftianity. As Ifaac called for
favoury Meat, before he pronounced the Blef
fing, fo God always does and always muft,
exact the fweet Smelling Savour of good
Works from thofe upon whom he intends to
conferr the final Bleffing of Heaven. Becaufe,
'tis only by a Series of fuch Works, that we
can contract that Habit of Soul, which alone
can qualify us for Heaven, or make us relifh
the Joys of it.
Rebecca, the Mother of thefe Allegoric Bre
thren, had at firft been barren •, like the Mo- .
thers of ( I think ) all the r\&\Q 'tt'Jtf, or
Typical Men, recorded in the Scripture.
Whether that Circumftance denotes the Birth
or Production of Chriftianity from out of a
State of Heathenifm, barren and unfruitful of
good Works ; or whether it denotes its being
produced by Means of the Pre-eftablifhment of

[43 ]
of Judaifm (barren of Works truly good, al
moft as much as Heathenifm) is to me uncer
tain : it may typify either one or both. But
to proceed. Jacob's, Supplanting his Brother,
and robbing him of his intended Bleffing (juft
as the Heathen ox Gentile Converts Supplant
the Jews and inherit the fpiritual Bleffings^
firft intended for and offered to the Jews) was .
accomplifh'd, we are told, by his deceiving
his Father by this flat Falfehood : — I am
Efau thy firft Bom. But, I will maintain
theSe Words to contain a Propofition, to all
Intents and Purpofes absolutely true. I grant
indeed, that Jacob and Efau could not, by
any Contract between 'em, really Exchange
their own PerSonal Identities ; but this they
might and did do, — make a total Change of
the Circumftances of each. The Elder had
put the Younger into his own Situation, by a
Contraft confirmed with an Oath : which
gave Jacob a Right to tell his Father, that, to
all Intents and Purpofes, 'twas he himfelf that
was the elder Son, (Since they had agreed to
change Places) and therefore had a Right to
the Bleffing, becaufe he had fairly and ho-
neftly purchafed a defpifed Birth-right, and
all its appendant Privileges; one of which
was — the great and final Bleffing of the old
Patriarch. But perhaps Something further
might be intended by that Expreffion of
Jacob's, I am Efau thy firft-born ; for when
thofe Gentile Converts, whom Jacob typified, are

[44]
are mentioned by the Prophets, they are con
ftantly ftiled, Ifrael, the chofen Seed, the Seed
of Abraham, &c. and the Church called —
Jerufalem, Mount Sion, &c. In fhort, every
Branch oS Chriftianity is deScribed by the
Prophets, in Terms borrowed from the Mofaic
Difpenfation. And why, but becaufe we
Gentile Converts fucceed into the Rights, and
Privileges which the Jews contemptuoufly re
jected. All which is moft beautifully typi
fied in that feeminglyflat Contradiction, I am
Efau thy firfl-born : which (to all Intents and
Purpofes) was true ; and juft fuch another
Figure of Speech as that by which we Gentile
Converts are ftiled by the Prophets — " the
Seed of Abraham" and the " Ifrael of God."
What Jacob's Journey to his Uncle Laban
was intended to point out, is lefs clear. It
m?y polfibly typify the future Condition of
the Ifraelites in Egypt, who were alfo in every
Thing a Type of the Chriftian Church. The
Reafon why I fufpeft this to be the Cafe, is,
becauSe Something like it happen'd both to
Abraham and to Ifaac before him. Jacob's
growing Rich, under all the Oppreffions of
Ldban, (who fo often fhifted his Wages, and
to So little Purpofe) may denote the conftant
JncreaSe of the Church, under all the various
Methods made ufe of by its Adverfaries, to
crufh and deftroy it. My Reafon for think
ing fo, is, becaufe Jacob's Wealth confifted in.

[4S ]

in Flocks j which in the Prophetic Language
conftantly denote the Profeffors of the true
Faith ; as the Shepherd ever typifies that
great Shepherd and Bifhop of our Souls, in
Heaven, and who is alfo the true Head of
the Univerfal Chriftian Church. By the
Dream or Vifion of Jacob at Bethel, in his
Way from Beerjheba to Padan Aram ; was
plainly fet forth, the Means that God would
take, in Jacob and his Seed, to blefs all the
Families of the Earth. And he dreamed, and
behold, a Ladder fet upon the Earth, and the
Top of it reached to Heaven ; and behold, the
Angels of God afcending and defcending on it.
And behold, the Lord flood above it, and faid,
I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father^
and the God of Ifaac ; the Land whereon thou
liefl ( i. e. the Land oS Canaan, for he Saw
this Vifion in the Diftrift of the Tribe of
Benjamin, about twenty-five Miles North
Eaft of Jerufalem) to thee will I give ft, and
to thy Seed. And thy Seed fhall be as the Duft
of the Earth ; and thou fhalt fpread Abroad
to the Weft, and to the Eaft, and to the North
and to the South : and in thee and in thy Seed
fhall all the Families of the Earth be bleffed.
And behold I am with thee, and ^oill keep thee
in all Places whither thou goeft, and will bring
thee again into this Land ; for I will not leave
thee, until I have done that which I have fpoken
to thee of. Ana\ Jacob awaked, &c. Genefis
xxviii, v. 12 — - 16. By the Ladder reach ing

f 4« 3
ing from Earth to Heaven, it was expreffed*
that the Land of Canaan fhould be the Coun
try,, wherein the Communication between
Heaven and Earth, or God and Man, fhould
bfe opened and carried on : and that this
Country fhould be the Scene of thofe glo
rious Transactions which were afterwards to
compofe the Hiftory of both the Teftaments.
That the Angels of God, or the Agents by
him employed to compleat the whole Oeco
nomy of Redemption, fhould receive their
Commiffion from Heaven, afid execute it in
this Land of Paleftine, which was to become
the Scene of the future Scripture Hiftory.
Laftly, by the friendly Reconciliation of Jacob
and Efau, is pointed out, that general Con-,
verfion of the Jews to the Chriftian Faith,
which fhall be brought to pafs, when the Fub-
nefs of the Gentiles Jhatt be come in : that is,
after all the Heathen Nations of the Earth,
fhall be brought within the Pale of the
Church. For then, the Spirit of Chriftian
Grace and Supplication fhall be poured upon
them, (the Jews) and they fhall look on him
whom they have pierced, and fhall mourn for
him as one mournethfor his only Son, Zech. xii.
to. But till that Time comes, the main
Body of the Jews, are, for the wifeft Rea
sons, to remain in their prefent State of moft
obftinate Infidelity. Yet even fo do they ful
fil the nobleft Purpofes of God, and are of
infinite Service (tho' they fee it not) to the
glorious

[47 ]
glorious Caufe of Chriftianity : for they re-*
Semble So many Pipes of Lead, and are the
fitter to convey die Waters of the Well of
Life to others, becaufe they are too obdurate
to imbibe any of it themfelves.
I have now paved my Way, the more
commodioufly to wait upon Mr. Chubb thro*
his Enquiry into the Conduct of Jacob and
Efau. * /TS the Jews have always boafted of, and
^/v valued themfelves on being the fpecial
Favourites of Heaven, fingled oui from
the Body of Mankind in general, and the Seed of
Abraham in particular, to be the peculiar People
of God -, fo, it may be proper to enquire whether
there be any Ground of that Preference in Rea
fon and Nature. But by- Mr. Chubb'sgpod
Leave, I can help him to a Couple of Points,
ftill more proper to be enquired into. As, Firft,
what Right can Mr. Chubb have, to cavil at
the Proceedings of that God, from whofe
Hands he received even that Power which
he has of cavilling at him ? And, Secondly,
for what Reafon fhould the Author and Ruler
of Nature, be Himfelf confined to, or ruled
by, the ordinary Laws of Nature ? But to
let that pafs ; he infinuates, that God's pre
ferring Ifaac to his elder Brother Ijhmael, and
Jacob to his elder Brother Efau, has no Ground in
* Page 25, 26.

[4« ]
in Nature. If he means, that 'tis unjuft iit
God, to prefer the younger Brother to the ,
Elder ; I anfwer, we Men prefer the Elder to
the Younger, becaufe we judge that he to
whom God has given the Preference of Birth,
fhould alfo have the Preference of Inheri
tance : but then, this is no tie upon God, who
has as good a Right to give Preference, as he.
has to give Exiftence. If he- afks, why the-
Perfon to whom the Preference is allotted,
could not then — have been born firft ? I
anfwer, 'twas wifely ordered to the contrary :
becaufe in the Inftances above-mentioned,
and in < many more that might be offered,
almoft from all Parts of Scripture, — the
Tounger Son is preferred to the Elder, to ty
pify the future Preference of the converted.
Gentiles, who are God's younger Son, to the
unconverted Jews, who anfwer to the elder
Son. If he further afks, What Ground of
Preference there was in our particular Cafe ?
or why, the Seed firft of Ifaac, then of Jacob?
was chofen, out of all the Pofterity of Abraham ?
I anfwer ; becaufe he who can in an Inftant
dart his Eye thro' Futurity, and who well
knew the future Difpofitions of that Pofterity
of Jacob, which lay, as yet, unborn in his
Loins ; he, I fay, knew well that the Seed of
Jacob would beft anfwer the Purpofes God
intended to ferve, by the Means of a peculiar
People. And the more rebellious, ftubborn,
and abfurd that Seed of Jacob was, the fitter- were

[49 ]
Were they for the Purpofes for Which God
intended 'em. But to proceed :
* Mr. Chubb, in order to make a proper En*
quiry, takes a.Jhort View of the Conduct of thefe
two Men ; beginning with Efau the Elder. A
Jhort View indeed ; for tho' he tranfcribes a
pretty deal of the Story, yet do but Obferve,
how well he comments upon Efau's defpifing
his Birth-right 1 He calls it, his bartering
away his Right to a greater Share of the Inhe
ritance of his Father. But I muft tell him
that Efau bartered away fomething, that Was
much more valuable than all his Father's
Eftate ; yea, much more worth than all the
Milk and Honey of the Land of Canaan.
To the Birth-right belonged — not only his
Father's Eftate, and the Priefthood, or the
Honour of being the more immediate Ser
vant of God : but, what was much more, in
this particular Cafe, Efau bartered away his
Right to the Honour, Privilege and Bleffing
of deriving Salvation upon all the Families of
the Earth, by being a Father of the Faithful,
and a Progenitor of the human Part of an
incarnate God. For such were the Terms of
the Promife made by God to Abraham, and
from him tranfmitted to Ifaac and his Seed.
If Mr. Chubb did not know all this, pray where
was that diligent Enquiry, that careful and at
tentive Confideration in Points of this Confe-
E quence,
* Page 27.

[ so]
quence, which, with all the Gravity of an Owl,
he fo foberly recommends to us in Page 24?
But if Mr. Chubb did know all this, yet will
fully-omitted it in ftating the Cafe, it will
then be a Point too nice ior me to determine,
whether his Penetration or his Honefty be .
the more considerable. In fhort, Efau was a
Chubbifi.% an Infidel who, without Reafon, de-
fpifed , the promifed; Bleffings of a future
Mefflah, juft as Mr. Chubb defpifes-tliofe of a
Meffiab paft and gone.
Obferve next, that Efau muft in this Cafe
have finned againft the cleareft Light of the
nobleft and beft Information and Inftruftion.
He was more (but we know not how much
more) than forty Years old when he commit
ted this Folly. He had had the Advantage, not
only of the Example and Inftruftions oilfaac
his Father, but alfo of Abraham his Grand
father, who lived to fee him a Lad of fifteen
Years old, and of whom God himfelf bore
this Teftimony, I know him, (i. e. Abraham)
that he will command his Children, and his
Houfhold after him, and they fhall keep the
Way of the Lord, GeneSis xviii. 19.
Befides, when Efau afk'd, what Profit fhould
this Birth-right do him ? He evidently fpoke
of it with Contempt. Thofe who are but the
leaft acquainted with the Hebrew Idiom, know
that the Particle nt (zeb) here made ufe oS, is
a noted

[ 5i 3
a noted Mark of Contempt. (See i Kings
xxii. 27.) As if he had faid, " What Good
" fhall this fame Birth-right do me ?
Laftly, 'Tis pretty plain from thefe two
Expreffions of Jacob, — Sell me this Day, and
Swear to me this Day — that Efau had often
expreffed his Contempt of the Primogeniture:
.therefore, fays Jacob (who better knew the
Value of it) that which you have fo often de-
fpifed, and fo often offered to barter away in
Contempt ; Sell me now, and put your Of
fers in Execution tins very Day. /'.
Let us now fee how * Mr. Chubb palliates
this truly prophane Contempt. 'Twas committed
in his Youth ¦, " when young Men are not fo
" wary." A hopeful Youth indeed ; above
forty we know, and perhaps fifty Years old.
Then, he had a violent Drought or Fever upon
him, that put him off his Guard. Pardon me
there ; 'twas his Infidelity that put him off
his Guard : that which puts Mr. Chubb So
frequently off his Guard, and makes him fo
bafely mifreprefent the plaineft Fafts. Next,
he conceived himfelf to be at the Point of Death.
Infidelity, ftark flaring Infidelity again ! For
had Efau inherited the good Faith and good
Senfe of Abraham, and not fooled away his
Birth-rjght, he might have been affured, that
he could not have died (confiftently with
E 2 God's
* Page 28.

[52]
God's Veracity, and the Performance of his
Promifes) 'till he had propagated the pro-
mifed Seed, and transferred it to his Succef-
for. Abraham reafoned much better in a pa
rallel CaSe, when he trufted that God would
have raifed ISaac again from the Dead, even
tho' he had been flain. For the good Man
knew, that otherwiSe God's PromiSe could
never have been made good to Ifaac, had he
died beSore he had propagated the promifed
Seed. Abraham, it Seems, could believe any
Thing, beSore he could SuSpeft that God was
capable of falfifying his Word : and Efau
would have argued fo too, had he in the leaft
obferved — either the Inftructions or the Ex
ample of his Grandfather. Then again, Jacob's
Pottage was the only Means Efau had to fave
his Life. Then he was hard put to it, to be
fure ; a likely Story indeed, that the eldeft,
and moft favourite Son, of fuch a Man as
Ifaac, equal in Point of Wealth and Grandeur
to any Prince of Canaan, — fhould not be able
to find one Morfel of Viftuals in all his Fa
ther's Houfe ! Such are the Reafons Mr.
Chubb has to conclude, that * Efau acted right
in giving up his Birth-right, to fave his Life,
and that his Mifconduct was the Effect of Weak-
nefs not of Wickednefs ; .of a miftaken Judg
ment, but not of a vicious Mind. But I hope
the Reader does by this Time perceive, that
it was (like all other Infidelity, Ancient as well as
* Page 29.

[ 53 ]

as Modern) a Compofition of all four of thefe
Ingredients put together. Alack-a-day ! into
what Pools and Ditches do thefe Infidels blun
der, when they obftinately forfake the Light
' of the Sup, to travel by that of a Jack-a-
Lanthorn f
He next, very modeftly accufes the Author
of the Hebrews of Partiality, in ftiling Efau
prophane, without taking Notice of the princi
pal Circumftances that attended the Cafe. But,
I muft tell him once more, that they that
preach fhould practice. I have already proved
clearly, and fhall do it over and over again,
that 'tis Mr. Chubb, and not the Author to
the Hebrews, who is guilty of omitting prin
cipal Circumftances. He obferves further, in
flat and faucy Contradiftion to that facred
Writer, that * Efau was not rejected from the
Bleffing for having fold his Birth-right,, but that
he was tricked out of it by the Lying and Falf-
hood of his Mother and Brother. But fuppofe
that the Lying and Falfhood of his Mother
and Brother, were fuffered by God's Provi
dence to Succeed, as a Punifhment for that
contemptible Value, he himfelf had firft fet
upon his Birth-right ? Befides, how was he
tricked? Efau was tricked out of nothing but
what he had willingly fold, and had even
Sworn to ftand to his Contraft. Laftly, the
-Author- to the Hebrews contradicts Mofes, Says
E 3 he,
* Page jo.

[ 5+ ]
he, in Saying that Efau repented of his Folly
and Sin : whereas, he was only firry he had
been impofed on. But I can't find one Word
in Mofes to juftify that Remark -, and fhall
therefore recur to my old Anfwer ; and tell
him, that the fame holy Spirit, that indited
both Accounts, beft knew the Truth of the
Matter. He next confiders Eftfu's Behaviour upon
his Difappointment of the Bleffing. * Firft,
He was deeply affefted with his Lofs : (and with
his own Folly too, I prefume.) Secondly,
He madeftrong Applications to be bleffed, as well
as his Brother. If Mr. Chubb means,, that he
alfo defvxed fome Bleffing ; then, 'tis plain that
he fucceeded in his Applications. For firft, he
was blefs'd with the Grace to repent ; and
then, he became the Father of a mighty Na
tion. But if he means that Efau defired to
be blefs'd, exactly in the fame Manner that
his Brother was ; the Text Says the contrary ;
befides, that would have been abfurd and im
practicable. For as that Bleffing confifted
principally (as I obferved) in being the Pro?
genitor of the Meffiah, 'twas impoffible to be
granted to both of 'em, except two different
Men could have been the Fathers of one Son.
And as this Requeft would have been im
practicable ; fo, it would have been highly
unjuft, to have taken the Bleffing from Jacob, (who
* Page 33.

[ 55 ]

(who highly prized it, and had fairly bought
it) — in order to reftore it to Efau who had
not onlydefpifed it without Reafon, but (what
•is more) who could not take it back again,
without the Addition of a moft fblemn Piece
of Perjury. Thirdly, * The Refentment Efau
Jhewed againft Jacob, was juft and proper, be
caufe Jacob who had wronged him, was a pro
per Object of his Hatred. Wide of the Mark
again. 'Twas Efau himfelf was the proper
Objeft of his own Hatred ; for having made
an impious and a foolifh Bargain.
He next tells us, -f he fhall not enquire whe
ther in thofe Times, Parents had it in their
Power to determine the State and Condition of
their Children, for many Generations to come ?
If he fhan't, I fhall ; for the Enquiry is foon
made. All Parents are not faid to have had
that Power, but thofe only who inherited the
Promife. For they were Heads of the true
Church ; and consequently Prophets of God,
as well as Kings and Priefts in their own Fa^
milies. Therefore, thofe Patriarchs were the
proper Channels thro' whom the great Bleffing,
and indeed all other Bleffings, were to be con
veyed. He concludes his Observations upon Efau'%
Conduft, with Encomiums on the brotherly
Love, and forgiving Temper of Efau tOT
E 4 wards
* Page 34. j Ibid.

[ 56]
wards Jacob. I heartily Second him, that
Efdu's Example, is, in thisRefpeft, well wor
thy of our Imitation, and much to be com
mended. Nor can I, for my Part, make any
Doubt, but that Efau* (tho' he did irretrieva
bly cut himfelf off from the great Bleffing of
beinga Progenitor of the Meffiah) I fay, I can
not doubt, but that he repented, and that his
Repentance qualified himfelf per finally (for I
fay nothing of his Pofterity) for a great De
gree of Happinefs in Heaven. As to Mr.
Chubb's Sneer upon Chriftian Bifhops (an old
Friend not excepted) for not following Efau's
Example in " refijfing his Brother's Prefents,
" but endeavouring to improve their For-
" tunes,, by bettering their Preferments ;" —
'tis- urireafonable and abfurd. -For fince the
good Providence of God holds out temporal
Rewards to Men of Worth and Merit, they
have a Right (with Moderation^ to purfue
'em ; eyery Jot as good a Right as any Tradef-
man has to enlarge his Cuftom ; or as any
Gentleman has to improve his E/late. Nor
can any Man foberly maintain the contrary,
without evidently thwarting the plain Defigns
of Providence. I truft, however, that a Bri-
tifh Bench of Bifhops, if called to it, would
adorn a p&rfecuted as well as a fiourifhing
Church. He next confiders the Conduft of * Jacob ;
fp.ending a Couple of Pages in railing at his
* Page 38—49. Covetouf-

[ 57 ]
Covetoufnefs and Extortion, in demanding Ji
high a Price for bis Mefs of Pottage, as all his
Father's Inheritance. But this is already an-
Swered. Jacob. d'\d not regard the Temporal
Eftate of his Father, (for the World was wide
enough) but he pioufly, wifely, and prudent
ly fet a Value on thofe fpiritual Bleffings and
Promifes, which his Brother fo unreafonably
defpifed. * Come we now to confider the Means
made ufe of, to procure the great and final
Bleffing of Ifaac . After reciting the fourteen
firft Verfes of the 27 th of Genefis : he obferves
as follows : Here we fee that Rebecca was the
Projector of the intended Fraud ; fhe put her
Son Jacob upon playing the Trickfler with his
Father and Brother. To underftand the true
Nature of Rebecca's Fraud, we muft look back
into the laft Chapter. There we fhall find,
that upon her perceiving a preternatural
Struggling between the two Brethren con
ceived in her Womb ; and rightly judging,
that it was a portentous Token, of fomething
more than ordinary to befall the Parties en
gaged in fo early a Conteft, as well as pro
per for her to know ; — fhe conSulted God
(by Means which we are not told of) what
this unufual Strife might portend ? Upon
this, fhe received the following oracular An
fwer. And the Lord faid unto her, two Na
tions
* Page 4° —43-

[ 58 r_
tions are in thy Womb, and two Manner of
People fhall be feparatedfrom thy Bowels : and
the one People Jhall be ftronger than the other
People ; and the • Elder fhall ferve the Younger. ,
Genefis xxv. 23. From whence it appears,
that Rebecca knew, even from God himfelf,
that 'twas his divine Will, thjit the Elder
fhould be inferior to the Younger : which
could never have been, had not Jacob been
the Man that inherited the great and final
Bleffing of the Patriarch. Sov that Rebecca's '
putting s5jjj$ir«p5h playing^the- Trickfler with
his Father and Brother, turns out at laft, to
be no more than her putting Jacob into a.
Method of fulfiling the great and wife De-
figris of Providence, and of juftly punifhing
his Brother's impious Contempt of God's
moft precious Promifes. As we have already
pretty well commented upon Mr. Chubb's
Penetration and Honefty, and can't, in point
of good Manners, fuppofe him defirous of
playing the Trickfler with his unwary Readers ;
We muft let him go for the prefent, with only
obferving, that when he came to this Paffage,
either his all-fufficient Light of Nature want
ed fnuffing, or elfe his Spectacles' unluckily
dropt off from his Nofe, and prevented his
feeing how clearly this Circumftance, oS God's
AnSwer to Rebecca, over-Sets his whole Charge
of Tricking and Cheating.
As

t 59

nSt^ti

As to Jacob's Fears of notyifcceeding in his
Attempt to procure the Bleffing Vf" Ifaac, from
Efau's being an hairy Man, arid himfelf a
Smooth Man ; it does not appear, Ihrtt either
JacVb, or even Ifaac himfelf, as yet, knew any
thingiif the Anfwer which God had returned
tp Rebecca's Enquiry ; 'tis poffible fhe might
(like the Virgin Mother of him, in whom all
_ Types and Allegories center) be content With
^keeping all thefe Things and pondering them in
her ovfnLfeart, Luke ii. 19. Now, this Sup-
pdfition, added to the refpeftful Prefents of
tim Fruits of his Labours in Hunting, which
Efdu made to Ifaac, . eafily accounts at once,
both for Ifaac's Partiality for Efau ; — for
Rebecca's Partiality towards Jacob, and for
Jacob's ill-grounded Fears of SuCcefs. For
tho' he knew he had, by Compaft with his
Brother fairly made, a plain Right to that
Bleffing which Efau was born to ; he might
ftill dread the Anger and Refentment of Ifaac:
not knowing perhaps, as yet, that all' was
done by God's Defignation. And therefore
he could not befure, that his Profecution of
that which he yet knew to be his Right, would
meet with Succefs. Many an honeft Man be
ing often anxious for the Succefs even of honeft
Means. jj-
I fhall only add, ift. That Rebecca's cloath-
ing Jacob in the Garments of Efau, was a
beautiful Allegory of the Chriftian Difpenfation Succeed"

[ 60 ]
Succeeding the'Jewifh, by our cloathing our-
Selves With thoSe Robes oS RighteouSneSs,
which before, were worn only by the Jews,
while they remained the peculiar People of God,
and did their Duty as fuch. And that Efau's
Garment, which typified the Mofaic Rites and
Ceremonies, (as they typified Evangelical Obe
dience, and the good Works of FaithJ fhould,
when worn by Jacob, or the true Church, by
their doing thofe good Works which the Mo
faic Rites prefignified, procure at length the
great and final Bleffing of God, upon all his
faithful Servants.
idly, As to Ifaac's Enquiry, how Jacob
came by his Prefent fo quickly? And his
anfwering, that the Lord his God brought it
him ; — it was true, both in its literal and its
allegoric Senfes. For, as this was Rebecca's
Contrivance, in purfuance of that oracular
Anfwer, " that the Elder fhould ferve the
" Younger ; it was evidently God who gave
him this Succefs -, and who might alfo: inipire
him Suddenly with this Prophetic Anfwer. For
take it in its allegoric Senfe, and it pre-ftgni-
fies the ready Obedience which the Gentile
Converts fhould pay to the Chriflian Gofpel,
according to the WhiSpers of that heavenly
Grace, which alone can work in us both to. will
and to do : and which may therefore juftly be
Said, to bring unto us, that, is, to work in us,
thoSe good DiSpoSitions, and good Deeds which

[61 ]

•which we afterwards dedicate unto God.
From all which, we may fairly conclude, that
the Diffimulation and Falfhood, the Lying, the
making God a Party in an unrighteous Caufe,
and a Forwarder of Fraud and Impiety, are a
Pack of bafe, infolent, and blafphemous Ex-
preffions, which Mr. Chubb has the beft Right
to take back to himfelf. For, God's Ways
are equal, but the Ways of Infidels are unequal.
As to what he fays of * Jacob's hierogly
phic Dream, in Genefis xxviii. and of God's
Promifes then made to himfelf and his Seed ;
— of his Journey to Padan Aram, and his
Tranfaftions there with Laban ; enough has
been faid upon thefe in the Corollary :
where the Reader may find a Key, that will,
I believe, confiftently explain the Whole.
Perhaps I may hereafter, upon another Occa
sion, more largely expatiate upon theSe Points.
In the mean time, as enough has been already
Said, to enable the meaneft Reader to See
thro' the Sophiftry and unjuft Calumny oS the
Eight Sollowing Pages, viz. to the End of
Page 52, I fhall venture to move on thither,
after making two (hort Obfervations. ift.
Then, in what he fays of Jacob's out-witting
and cheating Laban ; he fays not one Word
of Laban's impofing upon Jacob in the Cafe
of Leah and Rachel : nor of that prodigious
Wealth, which God, for Jacob's Sake had he-
-¦¦ flowed
* Page 44.

[ 62 ]
ftowed upon Laban ; nor of Laban's ungrateful.
Return for all ; in endeavouring to pake, (as
faras we can fee) a perpetual Slave of him. But
what cuts the Difpu-te fhort, is this : in the
Cafe of Jacob's enriching himfelf from out of
Laban's] Flocks, by a fubtile Application of
Second CauSes, he had God's Direftion for
it ; Genefis xxxi. v, 10, n, 1,2. Alas ! what
was Laban, more than a Servant to him whp
is the Great Lord and Proprietor of all
Things? Now, God himfelf .thought proper
to transfer to Jacob) 1 that Wealth, which, thro'
Jacob's Means, he had firft conferred upon
Laban ; and for this moft juft Reafon ; — for
I have feen all that Laban doth unto thee.
Genefis xxxi. v. 12. The known Will of
God, is that which conftitutes the Quality of
aj] Actions ; the Will of God was here plainly
made known to Jacob ; and fhewn to be
founded upon the moft juft and reafonable
Motives, viz. Laban's unjuft Treatment of
Jacob. And the Event juftified Jacob's aft-
ing by divine Commiffion : for, that the Ima
gination of brute Animals could be wrought
upon by Jacob's Rods, without a miraculous
Intervention, is not to be conceived. If Mr.
Chubb thinks otherwife, let him agree with
fome Grazier, and make the Experiment. If
he'll tell us, that Jacob falfified in quoting
God's Commiffion for what he did ; I an
fwer, that is calling the Veracity of Mofes in
queftion. If he hides himfelf there, wt'il Soon

[ 63 ]

foon beat him out of that Subterfuge, I'll
warrant him. For either Mofes fpeaks true,
or he does not. If he does, 'tis plain the
whole Jewifh Nation (neither Man, Woman,
nor Child excepted) were Eye-Witneffes of
his divine Commiffion with a Vengeance,
during all his long Miniftry among them. 'If
Mofes did not fpeak true, let Mr. Chubb name
thofe Motives that could at firft induce the
Jews to fettle dieir Polity upon his Plan : and
let him alfo point out the Time when fuch
an Impofture (as the Pentateuch muft be, if it
be one at all, ~-) was firft put upon the Jewijh
Nation : but of this, more below.
But idly, He fays, * that in the Cafe of
Jacob'.? multiplying Wives and Concubines, if
this was confonant to Reafon in his particular
Cafe, it muft alfo be fo, in all other Cafes un
der the fame Circumftances.. Allowed. Plura
lity of Wives and Concubines, in thofe early
Days, was not yet prohibited ; and if our
Gentlemen Free-Thinkers will but have the
Patience to wait 'till they fhall come under
Jacob'.? Circumftances, that is, 'till this Pro
hibition be repealed ; why then, in God's
Name let 'em propagate both their Specie^
and their Principles too, as univerfally as they
themfelves fhall think fit. But to proceed..
From Page 53 to the End of Page 57, he
gives us fuch a Farrago of I know not what, con-
* Page 46. cerning

[6+]
cerning Angels ; that 'tis hard to fay what he
drives at, except it be to ridicule the Notion
of there being any fuch Celeftial Spirits at all,
or anyCreatures of fuperiorRankto Man. But
he may as well imagine, there are no Heads
of fuperior Reafon to his own ; for in this, he
exaftly refembles that Laplander who thought
Skaiting (or the Irifhman who thought Bog-
trotting) the moft exalted Qualification a ra
tional Being could arrive at. He tells us,
that * if there be Male Angels in Heaven, there
may be Female Angels there too. That, -j- if
the Deity has a Male Child, called a Son of
God, he may alfo have a Female Child, called
a Daughter of God ; and • — fo forth, to the
End of Page gy. In all which, as he gives us
nothing, but a Dofe of caput mortuum, equal
ly deftitute both of Wit and Argument, I
fhall therefore beftow neither upon him. His
mean, fcurrilous and blafphemous Jeft upon
the SON of GOD, is equally adapted to
make even a Devil tremble, or a Britifh In
fidel give an Ideot Grinn.
From Page 57 to Page 62. He remarks on
theConduft of Jacob's Sons ; in which he allows
Jacob himfelf to be blamelefs ; confequently,
'tis no Part of our prefent Enquiry. And
fo, I haften to his practical Inferences (drawn
from all his previous Scandal and Nonfenfe)
in Page 64. HiJ
* Page 54. -j- Page 56.

[6S]
His general Conclufion is this. * That there
could be no proper Ground, either in Nature, or
Reafon, for God to fingle out the Jewifh Na
tion to be his peculiar People, becaufe they were
defcended from Jacob who was a wicked- An-
ceftor. Thefe Premifes are doubly falfe. For
ift. The Moral Character of Jacob, has been
amply cleared up, in every Inftance laid to his
Charge. Then zdly, 'Tis falfe that-God chofe
the Jews for the Merits of Jacob ; for, he
pitch'd upon that Nation in Reward of the
Faith and Merits of Abraham. And a great
^and fignal Bleffing it was, that God herein
conferred upon 'em. For, while they inhe
rited the Faith and Obedience of Abraham,
they were the happieft Nation upon Earth :
but, when they, indeed, fell from that, God
fell from them and difperfed 'em. So here
was one Ground in Reafon, why God pitch'd
upon the Jews. As to the Reafon why the
Seed of Jacob was chofen out of all the Seed
of Abraham, the Cafe is plain. From Abra
ham this Privilege defcended to Ifaac ; who
had only two Sons, Efau and Jacob. The
Elder defpifed the Promife of God, refufed
to be made God's Inftrument in bleffing all the
Nations of the Earth : and fo, both by Na
ture, Reafon, Contraft, his own earneft De-
fire, and in ' fhort by every Argument to be
. drawn from even common Senfe as well as
F common
* Page 64.

[ 66 ]
common Jufticc; the gloridus Rights of
Efau were devolved upon Jacob, the next
Brother. But now for Mr. Chubb's Confequence,
Suppofing I was to give up all I have fully
proved, and allow Mr. Chubb that Jacob was
as ill a Man as he labours to prove him. What
of all that ? Why,, in this Cafe his Confe
quence would be juft as good as I have fhewn
his Premifes to be. For God might have
wife Reaforts Soi bleffing Jacob, not Sor his
own Sake, but for the Sake of his Pojlerity,
fome of which he t forefaw wbuld be Men of
the greateft Worth and Merit, and the very
wdrft of 'era highly ufeful towards the pro
moting the wifeft Ends. Befides, if it be an
Argument againft, Chriftianity, that God blef-
fed : a wicked Anceftor, for the Sake of his
ufeful Pofterity,. dries it not prove too much ?
Doe's it not equally prove againft the Being
and*. Attributes .of .God, and equally fubvefc
zWNatural as well as Revealed Religion ? For,
does not God daily blefs fome very unworthy
Objefts, probably becaufe they are the Chan
nels thro' which his Bleffings are the moft
commodioufly conveyed, to thofe who, he
forefees, will be proper Objefts of 'em. HoW
often . are wicked Princes blefs'd with Suc
cefs, for the Sake of their Subjefts ; and the
beft of Princes overwhelmed with Calamities,
that thro' their Sides a wicked Nation may feel

[ 67 ]¦

feel the Scourge of Adverfity. And how
often is a worthlefs young Spendthrift blefs'd
with a fine Eftate, that a Multitude of honeft
Tradefmen, may, thro' him, be bleffed with
a comfortable Subfiftence, and be fed by his
Follies and Vices. Therefore, (by Lemma I.)
I conclude, that Mr. Chubb's Premifes and
Confequence, have no Reafon to laugh at
each other.
* That the common Parent of Mankind fhould
fingle out a particular and peculiar favourite
People, is hard to conceive, — is what the hu
man Underftanding cannot well digeft. But in
deed, Mr. Chubb, the human Underftanding
muft conceive and digeft it too* let it be never
fo hard : or elfe it muft give up the very Be
ing and Attributes of God, and digeft Atheifm,
which is a Pill harder to be fwallowed than
the Dome of St. Paul's. For is it not juft as
hard to conceive that the common Parent of
Mankind fhould make fome Men Hottentots
and others Englifhmen : fome rich and fome
poor ; fome ugly and fome handfome ; fome
Kings and fome Coblers ? Now, were I as
well difpofed to argue againft the Being and
Attributes of God, as Mr. Chubb is to quib
ble at Chriftianity, I could argue thus. " Hard
" to conceive that Mankind has any common
" Parent at all ; for if they had, he would
M hardly have made me fo meagre, pale and
F 2 " thin;
* Page 64.

f68 ]
" thin ; when he has made others fo ruddy,
" fat and jolly." Again, I might fay — 'tis
bard to conceive, the human Underftanding can
not digeft it, that the common Parent of Man
kind fhould blefs Mr. Chubb with fo clear an
Infight into the Frauds and Impofitions of •
Chriftianity, while I, for my Part, cannot, for
the Heart and Soul of me, fee into any one
of 'em. But he goes on,
* And that God fhould give the Preference
to the lefs worthy, the lefs deferving is fiill more
fo. Now let me try to brandifh that Argu
ment a little. — " And that the lefs worthy,
" the lefs deferving Part of Mankind, fuch as
" thofe, on one hand, who are eaten up with
" Pride, Arrogance and Self-conceit ; or thofe
*' on t'other hand, who are the moft emi-
" nent Whoremongers, Adulterers, Drunkards,
" Gamefters, and Street-fcourers of the Town ;
" that thefe fhould be pitch'd upon to be al-
" moft the only Part of the Britifh Nation to
*' whom (as to fo many choice Favourites)
" the peculiar Bleffings of Infidelity, and all
" its valuable Privileges are revealed : while
" all the fober honeft Plodders and Enquir-
" ers after Truth, are quite kept in the
" Dark, ridden —- and even Spur-gauled to
" Death by a Pack of infolent Priefts ;" -—
fuch Partiality, I fay, is hard to conceive, the
human Underftanding cannot well digeft it. But
yet,
• Ibid.

[ 69]
yet, we fee it muft be digeftetti for 'tis certain
that Things are, — moft exactly juft what
they are : and not only the Being, But alfo the
Government of a God, is acknowledged* by all
our Deifts, notwithftanding thefe palpabfe,In-
equalities. * But that we may fift this Gentleman to
the Bottom, and turn his Argument infide
out ; how does Mr. Chubb know that no other
Nation would have behaved as badly as the
Jews ? He can know this only from Revela
tion ; for otherwife, he muft be able to prove
a Negative of a very difficult Nature, before
he can make it out. Befides, might not the
Almighty Wifdom forefee, that much Good
might be drawn out of the finful rebellious
Difpofition of the Jews, by his taking a
Handle from thence, to difplay fuch an amaz
ing Series of Judgments upon 'em, as fhould
be a moft ufeful and ftanding Piece of Warn
ing to all other Ages and Nations, not to re
bel againft their Maker, as that abfurd Peo
ple generally did.
¦f Perhaps it may be faid, that the Jews
were chofen, not for their own Sokes, but, — to
keep up a Knowledge and Senfe of the true God ;
— to abolifh the Doctrine of deputed or minifte-
rial Gods ; — and that from Jacob' s Family the
Saviour of the World might fpring. Agreed,
F 3 fave
* Ibid. f Ibi<l>

[ 7© ]
fave only, that the firft of thefe Reafons is
partly true and partly falfe. For the Jews
were chofen, partly for their own Sakes, but
chiefly for the Sake of others : that is, they
were chofen as a Foundation neceffary for Cbrir
fiianity to be built on ; or rather, like theBuildg-
ways of a Ship, which are knocked away as
ufelefs when the Veffel comes to be launched.
Tho' the Jews, I think, chufe to, go to Sea
in the Buildg-ways, leaving the Ship to us.
The Subftance of his three next Pages, is,
to "prove, — * " That as the Jews could not
" be chofen for any of the Reafons he al-
" ledges, therefore, 'tis plain, that they were
" not chofen at all, to be God's peculiar Peo-
" pie : " forgetting, as I obferved, that they
were chofen principally as a neceffary Founda
tion for that great and final Difpenfation —
Chriftianity. We'll fee what he fays, how
ever. That the Jews, Says he, were not choSen,
to keep up a SenSe of the true God, appears
from hence, j According to the Learned (mean
ing, I fear, that Part of the Learned who
know nothing, and therefore have no Occa-
fion to read) the Knowledge of, and a Senfe of
a fupreme Deity, was Part of the Pagan Theo
logy, and therefore not in Danger of being funk
and loft in the World. But, pray Mr. Chubby
was not the Senfe and Knowledge of a fupreme
Deity, tho' not abfolutely funk indeed, yet, UP
* Page 6$, 66> 67. f'Page 66.

[ 72 ]
up to the Chin in Danger (as a Body may fay)
when one of the wifeft Nations of Antiquity
(the fame that worfhipped the unknown God)
fate (like a Court of Inquifition) and con
demned one of their wifeft Philofophers to
Death, only for maintaining that Doctrine ?
When other wife Nations, and fo many re
nowned Gymnofophifts maintained (and do fo
to this Day) that the World was made by an
old Cow -, for which Reafon they ftill pioufly
abftain from eating of Beef ? And pray, what
fort of a God did even the wifeft of 'em all
imagine this fupreme Deity to be ? Did not
they take him for one Jupiter, who abufed
and quarrelled with his Wife ; and ufed to
Mafquerade it down to the Earth, to debauch
Mens Wives and Daughters ? Who even did
worfe ; and fet fuch an Italian Example to his
Worfhippers, that if fome of 'em had not had
more Senfe than they fuppofed their one fu
preme Deity to have had, he might have pro
ved the great Extinguisher of the human
Race, inftead of the Common Father of
Gods and Men, as they called him. A rare
Senfe of a fupreme Deity, Mr. Chubb! A rare
Contraft this, to the Character of that Incar
nate God, whom you have taken fuch Pains
to revile and demean ; who condefcended to
take our Flefh upon him, and to vifit Man
kind, — only that he might go about doing
Good, and at laft lay down his Life a Ran-
fbm for our Sins. The GoodneSs diSplayec
F 4 «

[72]
in the Act ; and the Wifdom difplayed in the
Means made ufe of for our Redemption, re
quire no lefs than an Eternity, either to con
ceive the one, or. to exprefs our grateful Senfe
of the other. Mr. Chubb, your Treatment of
fuch a Benefaftor to the whole human Race,
is fuch, that fome Writers would have fkinn'd
you like an Eel for it. In the handling fo
contemptible a Caufe as this Man's, 'tis hardly
worth while to obferve that the fupreme God
of the Weftern Heathens of Greece and Italy
(who were infinitely more ignorant than the
Eaftern Heathens ;as being more diftant from
the Source of Knowledge) did not know,
even this fupreme God of theirs, by any one
Name that was not manifeftly of Hebrew Ori-
gine. A clear Proof, that even thofe crazy
Notions of any Deity at all, were all of 'em
borrowed at firft, from Divine Revelation —
monftroufly corrupted.
He adds. * Nor could the Election of the
Jews to be God's peculiar People, abolijh or ex-
tinguifh the Doctrine of miniflerial or fubftituted
Deities, becaufe Judaifm itfelf was grounded
upon it. He then endeavours to prop up this
tottering Nonfenfe, by quoting in Defence of
it, Galatians iii. 19, that the Law was ordain
ed by Angels. And Hebrews ii. 2. That the
Word (there fpoken of, i. e. the Law of Mofes)
war fpoken by Angels. I muft here obferve, that
* Page 67.

[ 73]
that as the New Teftament was written both
in and by the Spirit of the Old Teftament,
we muft interpret the Terms of the New
Teftament as if they were tranflated from the
Hebrew Terms, correfpondent to 'em, in the
Old Teftament, if we would difcover their
true Senfe. Now the Greek Word Angel,
does indeed fignify what the Hebrew Word
Mal-ac often does ; that is, Agent or Meffen-
ger ; and it often fignifies alfo, thofe Celeftial
Spirits commonly called Angels. But, in both
the Texts above-mentioned, I ftrongvy fufpeff
it is to be taken in the firft of thefe Senfes,
and denotes Agents, human Agents, afting by
a divine Commiffion ; that is — deputed
from God. Therefore, when St. Paul fays,
the Law of Mofes was ordained (it fhould be
delivered) by Angels in the Hand of a Mediator,
he means, as I apprehend, that it was given
by the Intervention of thofe human Agents —
Mofes and the Prophets ; who were deputed
thereto by God the Father, and guided and
diredbd in their Miniftry by God the Son,
who is our Mediator.
In the fameMannerl interoret Hebrews W.i.
and will venture to fay, that the Apoftle's
Argument is greatly ftrengthen'd by this In
terpretation. For he argues thus. " If tranf-
*l greffing the Law of Mofes, which was or-
*' dained only by human Agents, was always
*' fo feverely punifhed ; then, a fortiori, how
" fhall

[ 74 ]
«* fhall we efcape, if we neglect that which
" was begun to be fpoken to us by the Lord
?« himfelf in Perfon." Then the Apoftle, in
vi 6, .goes on to apply to our Saviour, that
Expreffion of the 8th Pfalm. What is Man
that fhou vifiteft him. Now, this Pfalm being
a Hymn directed to Jehovah our Lord (for it
begins with thofe Words) it follows, that
from that Pfalm, thus applied to Jefus Cbrift
by the Author to the Hebrews, the Divinity
of our Lord, or his being one of the Perfons
of Jehovah's Effence, is eftablifh'd beyond
all Contradiftion.
I well know, that I have not the Autho
rity of any one Commentator to plead for
this Interpretation of mine, of Galatians iii.
v. 19, and Hebrews ii. v. 2. For all our
Comments make fad Work of thefe Texts,
for want of confidering the true Senfe of the
Word here rendered Angel ; but ftill,/ I will
venture to fay, that let an attentive Reader
confider thefe Paffages in this View, and he
will find a new Light thrown over them
thereby. Now I am upon this Head, I fhall
obferve further, that this Term — " the
" Angel of the Lord," does in the Old
Teftament, in the Pentateuch at leaft, I think
conftantly denote, the Second Perfon in the
Holy Trinity ; ^and fhould be rendered —
not,

[75 ]
not, the Angel of the Lord, but — Jehovah
the Agent ; or that Perfon of the Trinity who
condefcended to be the Agents and Mediator
between God the Father and Mankind. Take
it in this Light, and it overfets all the Ob
jections of the Socinians at once ; particularly
thofe heaped together by Enjedin theTranfylva-
nian, and. others, The Root of the Hebrew
Word SjX'TO (Mal-ac) which we render Angel,
is loft out of the Biblical Hebrew ; and (like
many other Extra-biblical Roots) the true
Senfe of it muft be fetch'd from the other
Neighbouring Languages or Dialefts. This
comes from the Aithiopic Word Laaca, to
fend or depute ; which certainly once was
Hebrew, tho' not occurring in the Bible. For
the Aithiopic is only broken Arabic, as Arabic
is broken Hebrew : only, there is, I think, a
greater Affinity between the Aithiopic and
Arabic than between the Arabic and Hebrew.
There are many other valuable Difcoveries in
Hebrew CriticiSm, and confequently in Chrif
tian Theology, yet to be made, by thus trace-
ing the Extra-biblical Roots thro' the Neigh
bouring Languages. But to return to Mr.
Chubb. I can't imagine how he came to
blunder into that abfurd Notion of Angels
being deputed Gods and Minifterial Deities,
when we are fo plainly told, that they are
only Miniftering Spirits : except it be either to
infinuate that Chriftianity and Paganifm are
equally guilty of multiplying Gods, orelfe to
intra-

[76]
introduce that Socinian Nonfenfe of his, in
Page 67, that according to Scripture, Jefus
Cbrift is only a fubordinate or deputed God.
But, as Socinianifm has been fome time dead
and buried, I fcorn to make any Reply to it.
He goes on,
* And if the Jews were elected to be God's
peculiar People, in order to keep God's Wor-
Jbip clear of Idols, or Idolatry ; then the Means
was greatly difproportionate to the End pro-
pofed by it -, becaufe there was never a People
more addicted to Idolatry than they, 'till after
their Difperfion. Well fhot, Brother- Blun-
derbufs ! fpecially well fhot for a Man that
fhuts his Eyes, and then cries he can't fee,
becaufe he won't I However, we fee that the
End that God propofed in all this, has been
moft amply obtained. For, as the Mofaic
Difpenfation was the neceffary Foundation of
Chriftianity ; and as Chriftianity has evidently
been the Bane and Downfall of Heathenifm,
'tis plain that God's Means and his Ends, axe
much better connected together, than Mr.
Chubb's Premifes and Confequences ufually
are. But fuch Miftakes about Means and
Ends will happen, when Shoemakers go beyond
their Lafts, and Coblers turn Critics" in Divi
nity. Then again,
The Jews could never have been chofen
that the Mefftah might defcend from the Seed
* Page 68. of

[ 77 ]
of Jacob ; becaufe — * provided Mankind
have but a Saviour, it can be of no Confequence
to them, from whom he defcended. But by
your Leave, Sir, it might be of fome Confe
quence to know from whom he was to
defcend. ift. For the Convenience of point
ing him out by Prophecies, zdly. To prevent
Impoftors from fheltering themfelves under
thofe Prophecies that foretold him. And,
gdly, That Mankind might the more readily
know and pay Obedience to him, at his Ap
pearance. As to the Second of thefe Rea
fons, pray remember how ready one of the
Herods (a Defcendant of Efau's) was, to re-
fupplant Jacob's Seed, and to pafs himfelf up
on the World for the Mefjiah. 'Tis notorious
that thofe Court Sycophants who contended he
was fo, from thence took the Name of Hero-
dians. Let it alfo be remembered what Pains
Jofephus (that Jew of Mongrel Principles)
took, to make iitus pafs for the Meffiah.
¦f He fhuts up all, with thefe two natural
Conclufions, as he calls 'em. ift. That it was
fully exemplified in the Cafe of Jacob, that God
fees not Sin in fome People. Let the Reader
judge, whether or no It has not been fully ex
emplified, in every Article laid to Jacob's
Charge, that (as to thofe Points,) God could
fee no Sin in him, becaufe there was none to
be feen. So much for his Premifes : as to
the
* Ibid. + Page 69.

[ 7»]
the Confequence that lies lurking behind *erri^
*ui%.. that the Revelation which reprefents
God as thus partial, muft therefore be a
Cheat ; does it not prove equally againft the
Being and Attributes of God ; who, to all
Appearance fees not Sin in fom& Ment when
he makes many a wicked Man Rich and.
Plump ; while many an honeft Man, befides
myfelf, is meagre and poor. If he tells me,
that by the Religion of Nature, thefe Things
may be fet right in a future State of Retribu
tion : — That won't ferye his Turn. For,
upon the Principles of Natural Religion, an
honeft Man ought always to be happier than
a Knave, in both Parts of his Exiftence. Nor
can he fhew me the contrary, except he qua
lifies his Light of Nature with Arguments
and Difcoveries borrowed from Revelation.
Juft as the Bifhop of Meaux qualified and
.defended Popery, by the Help of Proteftant
Doctrines. Reader, cheer up ; we now fee Land ; and
are happily got to his fecond and laft Con-
clufion. * Secondly, As Jacob was highly fa
voured of God, and what he did the Lord
made it to profper ; fo,if a Man takes him for
an Example, and goes into the like Practices of
Diffimulation, Falfhood, &c. to anfwer his
evil Purpofes, as Jacob did -, then he can have
no juft Ground to conclude, but that the Lord may
* Ibid.

[ 79 ]
may be with him, and that he may be highly
favoured and profpered of God alfo.' The
Reader, has feen that Rebecca acted in this
Matter by a divine Commiffion ; — That
Jacob only procured that Bleffing which God
defigned him; — which his Brother defpifed ;
— had contemptuoufly fold ; — and could
not inherit without Perjury ; — which Jacob
himfelf was next Heir to ; — which he well
deferved, becaufe he knew how to prize it ;
and which he had fairly bought, of him that
wantonly -fold it in Contemft^. Now, what
is there in all mis, that can- be drawn into a
Precedent, in behalf of Immorality ? 'Tis
allowed, that: no Infidel can plead this Prece
dent, except he puts hiflifelf-into Circum
ftances exactly, fimilar to iribfe' of Jacob's.
Now, the worft Charge atfy Man breathing
can wifh to make good againft Jacob, can
amount to no mor§ than this ; that he was
tempted to unwarrantable Praftices, out of
the high Value he fet upon God's Promifes
of a Meffioh, which he looked upon as the
main Article, and as the faireft Flower of
his Birth-right. Now, 'tis a Contradiftion in
Terms,, to fuppofe an Infidel to plead the
fatne Motives" to Diffimulation and Falfhood ;
and 'tis an utter Impoffibility that the fame
Cafe fhould ever happen again as long as the
World ftands. Therefore, for Mr. Chubb to
draw a Cafe into Precedent, which Cafe can
never happen again, as long as the Moon
endures ;

[So]

endures j is a kind of Quibbling to be ab
horred, even by the vileft Newgate Sollicitor
that ever adorned — (that with which I fhall
conclude for the prefent) A PILLORY.

REMARKS

[ 8* ]

REMARKS
On Mr. Chubb'* Differtation on
the ConduB of Balaam.
WE read in the Book of Numbers, that
when the Time drew near for the
Ifraelites to take Pofleffion of Canaan, and
were now drawing near the Borders of that
Country ; they had particular Orders from
God, to moleft none of the Nations border
ing upon Canaan : fuch as the Edcmites,
Moabites, Amorites, Ammonites, &c. partly,
perhaps, becaufe thefe People had not yet
filled up the Meafure of their Iniquity ; but
principally on Account of their Relation to
the grand Patriarch Abraham, whofe Faith
and Zeal had rendered him fo dear to that
God, who vifits, indeed, the Sins of the Fa
thers unto the third and fourth Generation
of them that hate him, but fhews Mercy un
to Thoufands, in them that love him and
keep his Commandments. However, fo it
was that God commanded the Hoft of Ifrael
not to moleft thefe Nations, but only to beg
a Paffage thro' their Territories, under the
ftrifteft Obligations to obferve the utmoft
Honefty, Juftice and Regularity in their
March. But, in Deuteronomy ii. 9. we find
G that

[ 8a]
that upon the Ifraelites decamping from
Ezion Gaber on the Coafts of the Red Sea,
to march Northwards for Canaan, God gave
'em an efpecial Order not to moleft or diftrefs
the Moabites, of whom Balak the Son cf
fcippor was then King. If we confider how
much it behoved thefe Neighbouring Princes,
by means of their Spies, to watch the Mo
tions of fo formidable and prodigious a Body
of Invaders, and how eafily this might be
done, as they all fpoke pretty nearly the, fame
Language ; we fhall make no doubt but that
thefe Orders (which had been but oS Small
Ufe, except publickly proclaimed in the
Camp of Ifrael) muft certainly have been
known to all thefe bordering Princes ; and
particularly to Balak King of Moab, one of
the fhrewdeft of 'em all. However, upon
the Arrival of the Ifraelites upon the Plains
of Moafi (fo called becaufe formerly poffef-
fed by the Moabites, tho' now held by the
Amorites, their Neighbours, on the North)
and upon their fo feverely punifhing the in-
hofpitable Amorites ; all this, I fay, put Balak
King of Moab in great Pain for his own Do
minions : tho* he had neither received the
leaft Moleftation from Ifrael, nor had any
reafonable Grounds to fear any. However,
he joins with the Midianites, his Neighbours
on the Eaft (and a Republic, as it fhould
feem, or at leaft a Confederacy of Petty
Princes) to concert Meafures for the deftroy- ing

[ 83 ]

ing the Ifraelites. Thefe Affociates having
feen and heard enough of the Succefs df
Ifrael over all their Enemies, and judging,
from all that had befallen 'em fince their
coming out of Egypt, that they were peculiar
Favourites of Heaven ; and all of 'em Wor-
Shippers of Jehovah the true God, the fame
who had been the fole Objeft of Worfhip
among the ProfefforS of the old Patriarchal
Religion ; now juft worh out, tho' not totally
gone : on all thefe Accounts they held it
meet to. go cautioufly to Work ; and to try,
if by any Method it were poffible, to get the
Favour of Jehovah the true God, to be tranf-
fferred from the Ifraelites to themfelves, to
facilitate their cutting 'em off. To this End,
Balak and the Princes, or States of Midian,
fend a joint Embafly into Aram or Mefopota-
Wtia, to Balaam the Son of Beor ; who was
known to be a Prophet of the true God, upon
the Footing of the old Patriarchal Difpenfa
tion. That he was (tho' a very wicked Man,
yet) a Prophet of the true God, no doubt cart
be made ; the whole Context plainly fhews if :
and that he muft be of the old Patriarchal
Difpenfation, is equally plain, becaufe no
other then exifted. The Meffengers, upon
their Arrival, addreSs him with high Com
pliments upon the Intereft they fuppofed
him to have with Jehovah the God of Ifrael ;
and had the Prudence to fecond their Com
pliments with Royal Prefents, and Rewards
G 2 for

[ 84]
for the good Services they expected from
him. The Prophet, whether out of fheer
Hofpitality, (as Mr. Chubb will have it) or
with an oblique View to the Rewards of Di
vination which the Meffengers brought in
their Hands ; (and which, the good Prophet
might think, it were a Pity fhould want
Houfe-Room) he entertains them for that
Night; tells 'em he would addrefs himfelf
to Jehovah to know his Pleafure ; but ac
quaints 'em in the Morning, that God had
charged him to have nothing to do with
'em, and by no Means to curfe the Ifraelites,
becaufe they were then aftually under his
own immediate Bleffing and Protection.
Thus far all is right Mr. Chubb. But here
begins all the Mifchief that befel Balaam :
He certainly knew (for he had it from God
himfelf) that the unchanging and unrepent-
ing God, had abfolutely refolved to blefs the
Hoft of Ifrael. And therefore Balaam fhould
have flopped here ; he fhould abfolutely have
wiped his Hands of the whole Affair, and
have received no further Meffage from the
Confederate Princes. His not doing fo, was
a demonftrable Proof that he was blinded
by Avarice and Ambition to fo incurable a
Degree, as to hope to gain his dirty Ends, by
reverfing the Decrees oS Heaven. If this was
not Madnefs, (as St. Peter properly ftiles it)
pray let Mr. .Chubb tell us what is. Ac
cordingly,

[ 8.5 ]
cordingly, when his Pride and Avarice were
very dextroufly blown up, by the Arrival of
nobler Meffengers than before, bringing, I
prefume, Prefents proportionably larger than
the former ; why then, — tho' he does indeed
tell 'em that he had no Power to reverfe, but
only to declare the Decrees of Heaven ; yet,
at the fame time he very abfurdly tells 'em in
effect, — that he'll do what he can towards it :
beggs 'em by all Means to tarry with him
that Night, that he might know what Jehovah
had further to fay to him. (Numbers xxii. 19.)
The Iffue was, that God gave him over to
his own Inclinations ; a Method by which ill
Men are frequently punifhed, while good
Men are as frequently bleffed, by having their
Inclinations croffed and thwarted. At the
fame time, however, God, either commands
or foretells (it appears not which, but I think
the latter) that, notwithftanding this Per-
miffion, he fhould do neither more nor lefs at
laft, than that only, which God fhould fay to
him. The Difficulty here ftarted, is, why God
fhould firft forbid Balaam to go ; — then
bid him go-, — then be angry with him for
going ? I anfwer. 'Twas highly proper for
God Almighty to reveal his Mind to the
Prophet, at his firft Application, and to for
bid him to go, — in order to preclude his
pleading any thing in Defence of himfelf, in
G 3 cafe

[ 86]
cafe he had complied with the Meffengers,
and curfed the People of his own Head. And
I repeat it again, 'twas there that Balaam
fhould. have let the Matter reft. Inftead of
this, Gold and Golden Promifes, and a Call
to Court, dazzle his Eyes -, and he heartily
longs to do fomething to earn his Fee. God;
had told him in the ftrongeft Terms (for the
Original is much more exprefs than our Eng-
Ufh can be) thoufhalt not curfe the People, for
they are bleffed. The Word for bleffed,
("Tffl) is the Participle Pahul Kal ; which
denotes always, fay the Grammarians — Act'u-
onem adhuc durantem :¦ as much as to fay, the
People you are invited to curfe, are at this
Time actually under my Bleffing and Protec
tion. Notwithftanding all this, upon a fe-
cond Meflage, he drives on like a Madman,
and refolves to do all. he can, to draw down
the Curfe of God upon the. People; Upon
this, it was moft wife in God to give him up
to his own Inclinations, and permit him to
go, — for thefe two Reafons.
Firft, Becaufe the- Bleffing pronounced up
on Ifrael, under all imaginable Circumftances
of Ill-will in the doing it ; made the Bleffing
itfelf appear the more amazingly Miraculous;
— it the more evidently fhewed the Finger
of Heaven in it ; and ought to have hum
bled the Confederate Princes into a Senfe of
their Duty, did not their inconfiderate Stubr
bornnefs

[ 87 ]
bornnefs fhew, that they were fully ripe for
Deftruftion, and Deftruftion only. In a
Word, God firft forbid Balaam to go, for a-
Reafon with which any Man of Reafon fhould
have refted fatisfied. He next fuffered him
to go, in order to draw the moft glorious
Good out of that evil Inclination of his ; as-
alfo to put him into a Way of receiving a
Punifhment for his Iniquity, moft wifely and;
juftly adapted to the Nature of his Sin.
For we find, that after Balaam had, by the
over-ruling Providence of God, pronounced1
that remarkable Bleffing upon Ifrael ; from
the Terms of which, it appears, that God had
opened his Eyes, — that he had acquainted
him with the whole Scheme of the Redemp
tion of Mankind by the Meffiah ; that Star
which Balaam faw, but not nigh. From this
Prophecy it plainly appears, that Balaam
Well knew — that no open Violence could
ruin Ifrael; — that nothing but their own
Sins and Rebellions againft fo great a Pro-
teftor, could poffibly prove their Ruin. Why,
upon this, Balaam, that bafeft and blackeft
of all Men (fave one) that Stand recorded in
Sacred Writ ; he puts the People of Moab and
Midian into the only Method of deftroy-
ing Ifrael ; which was, to entice 'em to Sin
againft their heavenly Guide and Benefactor.
So that for the Sake of a dirty Bribe in
hand, he would gladly have deprived, both
G 4 himfelf

[88]
himfelf and the whole Race of Mankind, of
the propitious Influence of that Morning
Star, which himfelf aftually _/2ra>, tho' not nigh,
That this moft deteftable of all Men; plainly
faw and knew by the Spirit of Prophecy,
that in cafe Ifrael had been extirpated, the
Hopes of a Mefftah muft have been cut off
by the fame Blow, is plain : becaufe his Pro
phecy was defcriptive of the whole Oeconomy
of Redemption ; and he muft of courfe know,
that by God's Promifes to the Patriarchs,
the Mefflah was in the Loins of this very Seed
of Jacob, whom he endeavoured to deftroy,
Now, that Balaam did himfelf well un
derftand the Meaning of his own Prophecy ;
and did not deliver himfelf (as thofe infpired
by the Devil ufed to do) in fuch a Fit of en-
thufiaftic Madnefs as bereft him of his Un
derftanding ; — this, I fay, is plain : we have
his own Authority for it. He calls himfelf
the Man whofe Eyes were open, — which heard
the Words of God, — which faw the Vifion of
the Almighty ; — and, (which crowns all) — ¦
whieb knew the Knowledge of the moft High:
'Tis therefore evident to a Demonftration,
that this great and good Man of Mr.
Cbubb's, finned againft the flrongeft Con
viction, and the cleareft Light, when he
bafely put the Enemies of Ifrael upon entice-
ing the People to fin. And that he did fo,
I\Aofes himfelf affures us. Behold thefe [the
Midianitifh,

[ 89]
Midianitifh Women] caufed the Children of
Ifrael, thro' the Counfel of Balaam, to commit
Trefpafs againft the Lord, in the Matter of
Poer, and there was a Plague among the Con
gregation of the Lord, Numbers xxxi. 1 6. 'Tis
plain, therefore, that when the Midianites, in
Return for his Treachery, were all deftroy
ed ; this faithful Chaplain-General of theirs,
Balaam the Son of Bear, (who ftill lurked
among 'em, in full Confidence that his Stra
tagem againft Ifrael would fucceed) met the
Fate he very juftly deferved, and was flain
with the Sword. Numbers xxxi. 8. And, be .
this his Epitaph. " He was a Hero, well wor-
" thy the Pen of fuch aP anegyrift as Mr . Thomas
" Chubb of Salifbury. I fhall conclude this
Preface to my Remarks, with obferving, that
Secondly, Another wife End of God, in
permitting Balaam to attend the Meffengers
from Moab and Midian, and which I judge to
be the Point principally aimed at in this whole
Tranfaction ; — may be this. As God Al
mighty had fown the Seeds of the Mofaic
Oeconomy in the Call of Abraham, — and as
he had connefted the Mofaic to the Patriar
chal Difpenfation, in a Manner that fhewed
plainly, that he who was the Author of the
firft, gave alfo his Fiat to the fecond ; by blef
fing Abraham thro' the Means of Melchizedek,
who was a King and Prieft, of the old Patri
archal DiSpenSation, (or that truly General and
Catholic

t90 ]
Catholic Religion which God gave to all
Mankind, immediately upon the Fall _ of
Jdamf — fo, the Mofaic Difpenfation being
now compleated, it is ufhered in with ano
ther folemn Benediftion from the Mouth of
Balaam, a Patriarchal Prophet. Now, 'tis
plainy that this fecond' — or Mofaic at Difpen
fation (which was added ~ becaufe of Tranf-
grejfions, * i. e. becaufe Mankind had now al- ,
moft univerfally fallen from the Patriarchal
Religion ; for that I judge to be the Apoftle's
Meaning,) I fay, this fecond Difpenfation was
now juft compleated and eftabiifhed. For
the Hoft of 'Ifrael lay encamped on the Plains.
of Moab, hard by the Fords of Jordan, and
within Sight of the promifed Land. There
fore, (what God- had begun formerly by*
• Melchizedek, he now compleats by Balaam.
By Melchizedek he beftowed a- formal and
very fignal Bleffing, on the Seeds of the Mo
faic DifpenSation, fbwn in Abraham: and by
Balaam, (who was a Prophet likewiSe of the
old Patriarchal Order, as Melchizedek was)
he beftowed a formal and much more fignal
Bleffing, upon the fame Mofaic Oeconomy,
now- compleated by Mofes. And as this Oe
conomy was to fueceed the- Patriarchal one,
'twas- very fit this Bleffing fhould come from
the Mouth of Balaam, bqcaufe he was the laft
Patriarchal Prophet we read of-, andho doubt
the laft that exifted. 'Tis plain that this
}aft Patriarchal Prophet was a very wicked
* Gafetians iii. 19. Man,

[ 9i ]

Man, and the Religion he profeffed was
much corruptied -, becaufe — at the Times
when he confoked the true God, his Cuftoin
was — to practice unwarrantable Superftitions
of his own ; for at thofe Times — he went to
feek for Enchantments* Numbers xxiv. i.
Again, The Mouth of a wicked Prophet, was,
in this particular Cafe, the fitteft Organ for
God to deliver this Bleffuig by, — Firft, Be
caufe it made God's Fiat, or. his Confirma
tion of the Mofaic Oeconomy, the more mi
raculous, and thereby the more eminently
vifible to be God's own Work ; becaufe it
came from a moft reluctant and unwilling
Mouth. And, Secondly, Becaufe the Wicked*-
nefs of Balaam fhewed to what a Degree the
Patriarchal Religion was now corrupted ; and
of courfe it fhewed, in how proper a Time
the Mofaic Difpenfation (which was only a
Re-publication of the main Tenets of that
old Religion) was eftabiifhed ; fince thofe
Tranfgrefflons of the Patriarchal Law, which
made the Mofaic neceffary, muft certainly be
at their height, at a Time when even a Pro
phet of that Difpenfation, was capable of be
ing fo bad a Man. So clofe, and fo Micro-
fcopical an Infpeftion, will God's Providential,
as well as his Natural Wonders bear.
Nor can any Man tell us, that thefe are
only conjeftural Refinements of our own, not
to be found in, and therefore not to be war
ranted

I 9*1

ranted from the Scripture ; for 'tis plain that
the Wifdom of God difplayed in the natural
or vifible Creation, may be treated in the
fame Manner. And were I to obferve to an
Atheift, or an Atom-Jumbler, how wifely God
has adapted all Things to their Ufes, fuch for
Inftance as the Back of a Horfe to the Seat
of a Rider ; he may as well tell me, that
" this Was no Mark of an Intelligent Crea-
" tor ; — that both Horfe and Man were ori-
" ginally formed by a fortuitous Jumble of
" Atoms ; and to fay, that a Horfe was ori-
" ginally intended for a Rider, is only a con-
" jetturol Refinement of our own." If Mr.
Chubb fhould tell me, that in the Difpofition
and Formation of Nature, our own common
Senfe is fufficient to fhew us the Ends and
Ufes of Things, without a Voice from
Heaven to inform us ; I anfwer, 'tis true :
but then 'tis equally true, that in the Difpofi
tion and Management of God's fpiritual Oe-
conomy, our own common Senfe is fufficient
(if honeftly and diligently applied ) to lhew
us God's Ends and Aims, without a particu-&
lar Revelation to point them out to us. I
conclude therefore, that all Mr. Chubb's idle
Stuff about God's changing his Mind, in
commanding and countermanding of Balaam,
inftead of being an Objection to Revelation,
proves at laft to be one of the moft beautiful
Difpenfations of Heaven, that the Heart of
Man can wi(h to contemplate. This

[ 93 ]

This Prefatory Matter, ( longer, indeed,
than I intended) will enable us, to fiSt with
Much eafe, Mr. Chubb'j fhort Differtation on
the Conduct of Balaam.
The Subftance of his four firft Pages of
this Differtation having, I truft, been fully
anfwered, pafs we on to Page 75. In which
he quotes the latter End of Numbers xxiii,
and fome Paffages in Numbers xxiv. connect
ing his two Quotations thus. — [And when-
Balaam faw that it pleafed the Lord to blefs
Ifrael, [then follows, in Roman Character] he
went not forth to receive Inftruftions, as at
other Times, or as he had done before, but
the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and
he prophefied of, and pronounced a Bleffing
upon Ifrael ] Balaam went not forth to receive
Inftructions, as at other Times, fays Mr. Chubb.
But pray, Mr. Chubb, what kind of Spirit did
you receive your Inftruftions from, when you
had the Impudence, to dare to vent, in this
75th Page, as rank, wilful, and flagrant a
Forgery as any Villain ever yet peeped thro'
a Pillory for? Who told you, Sir, thatBalaam
went forth to receive Inftructions at thofe other
Times, when Mofes fo exprefly tells us, that
at thofe other Times, he went to seek for
Enchantments. Had you told us, that at
thofe Times he went forth to receive Inftruc
tions from the Devil (to try what he could do
for him, fince God was immoveably againft him)

[ 9* ]
him) had you told us that, you had told us
right ;; for; 'tis plain the Inftructions which he
looked for oii thofe Occafions, were to come
from the fame Source with thofe of his able
and honeft Apologift. Reader, behold the Man
that takes fuch Pains to fhake your Faith,
and behold well the Means he makes ufe of !
And jiidge whether Mr. Chubb's Writings
don't require at leaft as much Care and Cau
tion in reading and applying? em, as (in Page 70.)
he tells tis' the Scriptures do.
After all this, the Reader will not be fur-
prized that Mr. Chubb (when his Hand is in)
fhould go on in the fame Strain, and prefent
us with another downright Cheat : truftingi
I prefume to the Politics laid down in the
old Proverb ; -— that a Man may as well be
over Boots as over Shoes ; and as well be hang'd
for a Hog, as for a Dog. For he tells us, *
that if to what he had faid before of the amia
ble Character of Balaam, we add, what the
Prophet Micah has faid concerning him, (by
what Authority we know not) [true ' enough,
o'my Confcience, in one Senfe] it will greatly
heighten his Character. Now, what the Pro
phet Micah really does fay of him, will heighten
his Character juft as much as what I have
faid of him. For, all that Micah fays of him,
is contained in Chapter vi. 5. The Prophet
having in this and the two foregoing Verles,

enume-

Page 76.

( 95 ]
enumerated God's Benefits conferred upon
the Jews ; he proceeds in the 6th Verfe
(which Mr. Chubb fraudently reprefents to be
the very Words of Balaam) in that 6th Verfe,
I fay, the Prophet Micah begins to fet before
the Jews, thofe Duties which they ought to
have performed to God, (but did not) in
grateful Return for the Benefits before re
counted. Among the Benefits and Bleffings
fo recounted, the Prophet mentions God's
over-ruling the Defire of Balak to have the
People eurfed. O my People, remember now
what Balak King of Moab confulted, and what
Balaam the Son of Beor anfwered him from
Shittim unto GilgaL That is, " Remember
" that Sin into which ye were entangled by
" the crafty Advice of Balaam to Balak :
" when ye were drawn in (purfuant to his
" Advice of throwing the Midianitifh Wo-
" men in your Way) to revolt to the Wor-
" Ship of Baal Peor ; which Revolt began at
" Shittim (in the Plains of Moab) Numbers
" xxv. i. and the Guilt of it was not fully done
" away, 'till God mercifully forgave it, by
" renewing his Covenant with you at Gilgal."
Jofhua v. 9. In the 6th and 7th Verfes, the
Prophet, by a Tranfition ufual among the
Prophets, reprefents the Jews as ftruck with
a contrite Senfe of thefe Things, and afking
what they fhall do to render themfelves ac
ceptable to God ? They exprefs themfelves
in the following Terms, fo fublime and beau tiful,

[96 ]
tiful, that none but a Man inferior in Senfe
and Tafte even to Balaam'* Afs, could be ca
pable (one would think,) of ridiculing them.*
Wherewith fhall I come before the Lord,' and
bow myfelf before the High God ? fhall I come
before him with Burnt-Offerings, with Calves
of a Year old ? Will the Lord be pleafed with
Tboufands of Rams, or with ten Thoujands of
Rivers of Oil? Shall 1 give my firft -born for
my Tranfgreffion, the Fruit of my Body for the
Sin of my Soul? Micah vi. 6, 7. In the 8th
Verfe the Prophet re-affumes his own PerSon,
and thus anSwers to their Queftion. He hatb
fhewed thee, O Man, what is good ; and what
doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juftly,
and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with
thy God?
Now, that not a Syllable in theSe 6th, 7th,
and 8th VerSes, could be SuppoSed to be any
Words oS Balaam, quoted and applied by
Micah, is demonftrable ; becauSe thefe Words
of Micah axe partly a Quotation from Mofes
in Deuteronomy ; which Book (as plainly ap
pears from the Contents of it) could not
poffibly have been written, till fome Time af
ter Balaam was cut to Pieces. They are alfo,
partly, a Quotation from the Pfalms, which
were not written 'till above four Hundred
Years after Balaam's Death. Now, as this is
a plain Demonftration that thefe could not be
origi-
* See Note, Page 77, where he makes a Jeft of Rivers
tfOil.

[97]
originally any Words of Balaam, — fo — 'tis
equally demonftrable, that Mr. Chubb muft
certainly know as much at the very Time
that he writ and maintain'd the contrary : be
caufe — thefe Quotations are, all of 'em,
fairly pointed out, by the Marginal Referen
ces, in all our Englifh Bibles. I have there
fore a full Right to poft Mr. Chubb, and by
thefe Prefents, thus made known to all Men,
accordingly / do poft Mr. Thomas Chubb of
Salifbury, for an arrant, wilful, and deliberate
Impoftor. As to that Fling he has at the
Infpiration of the Prophet Micah ; I anfwer
him. The Authenticity of that Book appears
from its being conftantly received as authen
tic by the Jews : and the divine Infpiration of
it appears, from its containing Prophecies
which we have lived to fee compleated in the
Chriftian Oeconomy. And this, I hope, is
a full and compleat Anfwer to Mr. Chubb'%
elaborate Encomium upon Balaam, down to
the End of Page 78.
He next goes on to confider, what may be
objected to the Character of Balaam. What
he advances in Page »yg, has been fully an-
fwered above. He tells us Over-leaf (in flat
Contradiftion to St. Peter) * that Balaam'*
Afsfpake, is recorded in the Hiftory-, but that
the Prophet'* Madnefs was properly reproved
thereby, does not appear. But pray, was not
H the
* Page 80.

[98 ]
the very Speaking of the Afs, a. moft porten
tous Miracle, and a fufficient Rebuke of his
Madnefs ; and was it not an ample Demon
ftration of his Madnefs, that inftead of taking
the leaft Notice of the Miracle, and drawing
proper Deductions from it, he only fell into a
Paffion, and wifhed for a Sword to kill the
Creature with ? Upon God's opening the
Mquth of the Afs, and her afking her Mafter,
Why he had fmitten her, fince fhe never had
ferved him fo before, during the Courfe of
her long Service ? (which was a good Argu
ment, that fomething very extraordinary muft
be the Caufe of her doing fo now) upon this
—Mr. Chubb thus criticifes. The Voice is Man's
Voice, but the Reafining is that of an Afs.
But, whether Balaam's Beaft, or Mr. Chubb
reafons moft like an Afs, let the Reader judge
for himfelf: for he goes on thus. As fhe had
always carried her Mafter with Safety before,
fo that gave her Mafter reafonable Ground to
expect (he not perceiving any Impediment in the
Way) that fhe would have carried him with
Safety then, and her doing otherwife was the
Ground of his Difpleafure againft her ; fo that
what the Afs offered as^pn Excufe, muft have
appeared to her Mafter as an Aggravation of
her Fault. So Balaam perceived no Impedi
ment in the Way ; even God's exerting fuch
a Miracle as the putting Speech and , Reafon
into a Brute Beaft, was no reafonable Impe
diment to a Man who was haftening to King
Balak's

[ 99 ]
Balak- s Court, to take Out the Seals ! But
to let that paSs. The Excufe of the Afs Was
this : — " That fhe had never fetved her
" Mafter fo before." And who but an Afs
could avoid drawing this plain Confequence
from thence, viz. that it muft be fomething
very extraordinary, that had occafioned her
Serving him So then. Inftead of this, Mr.
Chubb takes upon him to vindicate Balaam's
Anger againft the Beaft, upon this Confide-
ratiort, -^ that 'twas the firft Fault fhe had
ever committed ! That is, had fhe been ufed
to blundering, and frequently pitch'd her Ma
fter upon his Nofe, fhe would then have de
ferred no Punifhment ; but, as this Was her
firft Fault, fhe richly deferved a good Beat
ing ! Surely, Mr. Chubb muft have fome
private Views, in this Way of arguing. I,
for my Part, take this to be a deeper Piece of
Deist-Craft, than a carelefs Reader may
be apt to fufpeft. Depend upon it — the
Cafe is this. He would by all Means prove,
that a Writer who makes perhaps one or two
Miftakes in his whole Life-time, muft be in-
excufable : while an indefatigable old Scribler,
who has fpent all his Days in wafting of good
Ink upon Infidel Nonfenfe, and Heretical
Blunders, fhall have a Right to plead Pre-
fcription, and ought to come off Scot-free.
All that follows betwixt this, and the End
of the Differtation, having (I hope) been fuf-
H 2 ficiently

t ioo ]
ficiently anfwered already ; I fhall conclude
for the prefent, with Mr. Chubb's own prac
tical Inference. * That we ought carefully to
examine the Facts from which the Characters of
Men [in Scripture] are collected, and to take
in the Whole of their refpective Cafes, and can
didly to form a Judgment from thefe, becaufe
otherwife we are in Danger of not doing Juftice
to them. Something might here be faid : but,
as the Care and Candour of Mr. Chubb, upon
thefe important Occafions, has been fufficient-
ly kick'd and cuff 'd about already ; I fhall
content myfelf with obferving, how well this
Golden Rule of his own making, has been
practiced by himfelf. * Page 87.

REMARKS

[ IQI ]
 I I I II .
REMARKS
On Mr. Chubb' j Differtation on tht
Extirpation of the Canaanites.
I Take the Liberty to alter the Title of Mr.
Cbubb's fourth and laft Differtation, partly
for Brevity Sake, but principally becaufe my
Lord Bifhop of Salifbury's Name, feems to be
ufed on this Occafion, rather in the Nature
of a Puff; to make the Differtation the more
taken Notice of, as feeming to be written in
Contradiftion to fo great a Name, when in
Reality it aims at the fame Mark his other
Differtations do, i. e. to invalidate the divine
Infpiration of Scripture, as giving a Sanftion
to fome Things, which, as Mr. Chubb tells
us, are in their own Nature unwarrantable,
and therefore cannot come from God.
The Bifhop has publifh'd a Sermon on
this Text ; — And the People ferved the Lord,
all the Days of Jofhua, and all the Days of the
Elders that out-lived Jofhua, who had feen all
the great Works of the Lord, that he did for
Ifrael, Judges ii. 7. Thus far, fays his Lord-
fhip, all is well. This Conclusion of the
Biffiop's, Mr. Chubb endeavours to invalidate,
H 3 by

[ *02 ]
by obferving, * ift. That if by ferving the
Lord, be here meant the Worfhipping him ac
cording to the external Piety of thofe Times,
i. e. by building Altars, — by Sacrifices, &c.
the Ifraelites had been almoft totally deficient
herein, -f" idly, That if by their ferving the
Lord, be meant the Wqifhipping him only, in
Oppofition to Idols, — they were equally de
ficient there ; as appears from Jofhua's exhort
ing them (Jofhua xxiy. 14.) to put away the
ftrange Gods their Fathers ferved beyond the
Fkod, and in Egypt : which, fays he, plainly
fhews, theyftill retained thofe Gods. I anfwer.
The Ifraelites may, with the ftrifteft Proprie
ty be faid to have ferved the Lord in both
thefe Inftances, notwithftanding fome few
Exceptions to the contrary, becaufe • — they
did not Nationally Swerve from their
Duty. Therefore, if the National Eftablifh-
ment was right, and that Eftablifhment was
conformed to by avaft Majority, 'tis plain, that
the Revolt of an inconfiderable Minority, can
never invalidate the Truth of thofe Premifes
in the Text, from which the Bifhop draws
his Confequence.
Now, that the Principles and Praftices of
the Bulk of the People flood right, during
this Term of Time, appears, ¦ — ift. From
that laudable Zeal of the Ifraelites dwelling
both Eaftward and Weftward of Jordan, which
* Page 90. •}- Page 91.

[ I03 ]
which ftands recorded in Jofhua Xxii. And,
idly, From our reading of no National Judg
ments fhower'd down upon 'em, during that
Period ; whereas fuch Judgments, did, dur
ing the whole Theocracy of the Jews, con
ftantly attend every National Revolt againft
God, which ftands upon Record.
Nor, $d!y, * Can the Ifraelites, fays he, be
faid to have ferved the Lord, by paying Obedi
ence to God's Commands in general, becaufe,
the Duty and Service paid to God by the
Ifraelites, throughout the Time referred to, may'
be fummed up in — their having killed and taken
Poffeffton. True; it may be fo, during that
Period ; becaufe they were all that while em
ployed in extirpating the Canaanites : in do
ing of which they yet ferved the Lord, be
caufe, they had his exprefs Commands to do
as they did. -J- And this leads me to obferve,
fays he, that fome Times, ferving the Lord, im
plies, the executing Vengeance on thofe whom
God had appointed to Deftruction. — It is moft
true, that fometimes it does imply as much.
For Inftance, when the Execution of a Cri
minal, legally condemned, is commanded by
a legal Magiftrate, and performed by the pro
per Officer : in which Cafe, both Magiftrate
and Executioner, may, with the ftrifteft Pro
priety be faid — to ferve the Lord. And ab
folutely of this fort was the Service paid to
H4 God
* Page 92, \ Ibid.

[ 104 ]
God by the Ifraelites, in the Vengeance they
executed, by God's exprefs .Commands, upon
the wicked Canaanites. But now comes the
Poifon, for he goes on thus. — * Or at leaft
upon thofe who were declared to be thus deftin-
ed, by the Men who affumed the Character of
being God's Voice to the People. And in this
Way of ferving the Lord, it may, perhaps, be
truly faid of the People of Ifrael, that they
ferved, or intended to ferve the Lord, all the
Days of Jofhua.
If by thefe Words Mr. Chubb means any
Thing, he muft mean this : that Jofhua falfly
and without warrant, affumed the Character
of being God's Voice to the People. The
Word affumed will here bear no other Inter
pretation ; nor can it, in this Place, be con-
ftrued into any Senfe, but a bad one only.
This Afperfion, therefore, it behoves me to
wipe off : and I do it thus,
If the Book of Jofhua be really authentic,
and not an Impofture, or a Cheat obtruded
upon the Jews ; but — a true Hiftory of true
Fafts : it will eafily follow, that Jofhua cer
tainly had a divine Commiffion for what he
did ; becaufe, the miraculous Paffage over
Jordan, the Deftruftion of Jericho, and a
Multitude of the like Fafts there recorded,
are an evident and undeniable Proof of the
Hand
* Ibid.

[ xoj ]
Hand of God interpofed. But, if the Book
of Jofhua be an Impofture, and confequently
the Miracles there recorded be all Lies, it will
behove the Man who fhall fay fo, to ponder
well the following Queries :
Firft, When was this Book forged, and by
whom ?
Secondly, How came the Jews to receive it
at firft for authentic.
Thirdly, How could a Book, replete with
fuch furprifing Narratives, be at firft received
by the moft incredulous Nation upon Earth,
had not thofe who firft received it, been Eye-
Witneffes of the Wonders there recorded, and
of courfe Eye-Witneffes to the figning and
fealing of Jofhua's divine Commiffion ?
Fourthly, The Ifraelites neglefting the to
tal Extirpation of the Canaanites, was ever
the Bane, and at laft the Deftruftion of their
State : fince either out of Cowardice, or La-
zinefs, or a falfe Compaffion, or for the Sake
of Intermarriages, or for the Lucre of a fmall
Tribute ; fince they had, I fay, for one, or
more, or all of thefe Caufes a manifeft Inclina
tion to fpare the Refidue of the Canaanites -, — -
and aftually did fpare 'em, as foon as they
found themfelves. pretty well fix'd : — I afk,
Ho.w came the Book of Jofhua (which fo
ftriftly

[ «>6]
ftriftly enjoins the contrary Practice) to be at
firft received among thefe People, in Oppo-
fition to their own manifeft Inclination, had
they not received it as authentic, from their
Anceftors ; and from fuch Anceftors too, as
could not be fuppofed to have received it at
firft, had they not been Eye-Witnesses of
the divine Authority of it ?
Fifthly, How came it to pafs, that among
the frequent Revolts of the Jews to Idolatry/
the fraudulent Impofition of this Book, was
never once alledged in favour of the Princi
ples and Praftices of Idolatry ?
Sixthly, How came it to pafs, that all the
Tribes and Families of the Jews, fo quietly
Submitted to the Divifion oS the Lands by
Jofhua, if they had not been well affured of
the Divine Authority of Jofhua, by whom that
Diftribution was made ? For 'tis certain, that
in this Divifion, many Inequalities both muft
and did happen ; for one whole Tribe quiet
ly fubmitted to go, almoft without any Al
lotment at all. If I am told, that their quiet
Submiffion was owing to a previous Agree
ment to fhare the Land by Lot ;' — I anfwer.
This makes the Matter ten times worfe for the
Objeftors than before : for Jofhuadxew thefe
Lots in the faireft Manner -, being overlooked
— probably by the whole Hoft at Shiloh ;
but moft certainly by at leaft three Men, cho fen

[ io7 3

(fen out of every Tribe (Jofhua xviii. 4.) for
-that very Purpofe. Now, thefe Lots, thus
iifairly drawn, did yet, come up in a Manner
j evidently miraculous and preternatural ; for
^each Tribe was thereby difpofed of, exactly
-according to the famous Prophecy of Jacob
. in Genefis xlix. by which the future Difpofi
tion and Situation of the Tribes was foretold
fome Hundreds of Years before thefe Lots
were drawn. Now, 'tis not to be imagined
r but that a Prophecy of fo interefting a Nature
i as that of Genefis xlix. (fo folemnly delivered
; by the dying Patriarch to the Heads of all
the Tribes) was carefully handed down by
Tradition, to the Heads of each Family, and
, fo — to their whole Pofterity : who by this
Means muft certainly have known, that the
. Lots drawn by Jofhua came up in a miracu
lous Manner. And this was an evident Con
firmation both of Joftiua's divine Commiffion,
and of the Authority of the Book of Genefis,
in which Jacob's Prophecy was recorded.
Nor, can it be faid, that in this Cafe, the Pro
phecy proves the Miracle of the Lots, and
the Lots prove the Prophecy in a Circle :
for you may as well fay, that, in the Cafe of
one Man's finding a Piece of Cypher, and ano
ther's difcovering a Key, that fairly Decyphers
it ; you may in this Cafe as well deny, that
the Cypher and Key were intended for each
other, becaufe — the Key proves the Cypher,
and the Cypher proves the Key in a Circle.
No;

[ »8 ]
No ; as a Cypher and Key thus fhew themfelva
to be intended for each other, not by any
Argument that dances in a Circle, but — by
one that fairly fquarCs with common Senfe and
plain Demonftration ; juft fo do thefe mira
culous Lots prove the divine Infpiration of
Jacob, and that Prophecy does alfo prove the
divine Difpofal of the Lots, without being
liable to be called a Proof running in a Circle.
And as the Difpofal of thefe Lots was thus
evidently from God, this was alfo a collateral
Proof of the divine Commiffion of 'Jofhua, by
whofe Hands they were drawn. Therefore,
to conclude this Head ; as foon as Mr. Chubb
fhall have removed thefe fix Objeftions to
there being any Poffibility of fuppofing the
Hiftory of Jofhua to be forged ; I may then,
perhaps, prefent him with fix more of the
fame Sort, and beg his Solution of them <oo\
but thefe fhall fuffice for the prefent. Noty
if Mr. Chubb did not confider thefe Things,
where was that Care and Diligence he elfe-
where fo gravely recommends, in the Hand
ling of Points of this Confequence ? If he did
confider thefe Things, but yet wilfully fup-
preffed 'em, with an Intention to make the
Blind to go out of his way, that is, to impofe'
upon a lefs knowing or lefs vigilant Reader -,
why then, where was — (that which we have
fuch frequent occafion to enquire after) ¦ — his
honefty ? But fee how he perfeveres in his old
Strain ! For,

[ I09 ]
j * In the Words immediately following my
.laft Quotation, he taxes the Scriptures with
. reprefenting God as delighting in Cruelty, by
; being far better pleafed with Men's Punftu-
, ality in the Execution of Vengeance upon
, Sinners, than with any other Inftance of hu-
, man Obedience : repeating it no lefs than -f
feven Times, that Difobedience in fuch Cafes,
is, of all other Inftances of Difobedience, the
moft deteftable to God. In proof of this he
quotes i Samuel xv. 22, 23. where Samuel's
Words to Saul, were indeed occafioned by
Saul's Slacknefs in executing God's Vengeance
upon thofe Sinners Afo'Amalekites ; but yet
the Words lay no sort of Stress upon
Cafes of Vengeance ; but only fay in general,
that all Obedience is better than Sacrifice. —
and that all Rebellion againft any of God's
Commands in general, is as idolatry, &c.
Let "the Reader turn to the Paffage, and fee
whether I have not a full Right (were I not
almoft afhamed to trample upon a Man al
ready laid fo low) to poft him once more for
an arrant, wilful and deliberate Impoftor.
Gentlemen Infidels of this Land, — view
your Champion : view well the Streights he
is reduced to, in Defence of your wretched
Caufe !
In a Moment we catch him at it again. But
firft let me obferve, that he goes on as fol
lows :
* Page 92. -f Page 92, 93. 1

[HO J
lows : * To fit this Matter (the Extirpation of
the Canaanites) in a full and proper Light j it
feems neceffary to enquire, how great and exten-
five that Destruction was, which conftituted th
Service of the Ifraelites. But, Sir, an honeft
Man would rather have begun with enquir.
ing' — ' how great and extenfive thofe Sins of
the Canaanites were, that fo juftly drew down
God's Vengaance upon their Heads, in fo
fignal a Manner : this Point you hardly touch
upon in your whole Differtation. A fine Fel
low this, to abuSe the Sacred Writers for omii-
ing principal Circumftances ! But now for the
Fraud I fpoke of.
¦f And firft, fays he, it will be proper U
fee the Extent of their Commiffion to kill -ami
deftroy. And to exagerate the Extent of this
CommifBon, he does, contrary to the Teftf-
mony of lioly Writ, bring into it all thofe
Countries bounding upon Paleftine, which (in
Jofhua i. 4, and fundry other Places) God
promifed to put into the PofTeffion of Ifrael;
but which was not accomplifh'd fully 'till the
Times of David and Solomon, when the Jewifh
State was at its higheft Pitch of Grandeur.
Now, Mr, Chubb reprefents all thefe Nations,
as put under one general D"\n» or Curfe of
Extirpation, along with the Canaanites : which
is fo far from being true, that the Ifraelites
had, generally* Orders not to moleft the E»-
tra-
* Page 93. -j- Ibid.

[ I" ]

tra-Canaanite Nations, 'till they fhould firft
moleft Ifrael. Which they generally did, in
deed, without Provocation ; and 'tis as true,
that they generally fuffered for it. We all
know they had Orders totally to extirpate the
proper Canaanites, tho' they had not perfonally
offended Ifrael ; but they had done worfe, — .
they had perfonally and moft grievoufly of
fended the God of Ifrael. He flourilhes away,
upon the Strength of this Falfhood, even to
the Middle of Page 95. Where
* He next enquires how duly this Commiffion
was executed: and begins with condemning
the Folly of the Ifraelites, in fending Spies
to Jericho, when they might have known
that no human Art or Strength could witbftand
God. 'Tis true ; it can not : but yet, when
God bleffes an Army with Victory, he does
it by bleffing the Means made ufe of to gain
it : and therefore fuch Means will always be
neceffary. Therefore we may as well con
demn their ufing Swords and Shields, as their
fending out Spies.
-f" Thefe Spies, fays he, went to Jericho, and
took up their Quarters with an Harlot, who
concealed them ; and fo added Treachery to her
Lewdnefs. As to her Lewdnefs, whatever
fhe might once have been (fome fky only a
Victualler, but I honeftly confefs I think 'em
wrong ;
* Page 95. -j- Ibid.

[ I" ]
wrong ; for tho' the Hebrew Word admits of
that Senfe, yet the Greek in Hebrews*!. 31,
will not) I fay, whatever fhe had formerly
been (bad enough I fuppofe, by the Place
fhe lived in) yet 'tis plain, that by this Time
fhe had the Grace and Senfe to repent, and
to become a true Convert to Virtue and
Piety. For in Jofhna ii. 10, 11. fhe argues
thus, We have heard how Jehovah dried up .
the Red Sea for you, — how you flew the
Amorites, &c . — When we heard thefe Things
our Hearts did melt ; as Well they might : and
then fhe concludes with this noble Confeffion,
which was a moft juft and logical Inference
from her Premifes, viz. For Jehovah your
God, he is God in Heaven above, and in Earth
beneath. How natural, plain and eafy was
this Confequence, tho' Mr. Chubb could ne
ver yet difcover it ? What a Shame, that an
ignorant, illiterate poor Canaanitijh Woman,
fhould fairly beat the celebrated Mr. Chubb
at his own Weapons, and abfolutely out-
reafon him !
Give me Leave to make two fhort Obfer-
vations here. ift. Then, we may hence
learn, to what a deplorable Degree the Ca
naanites of thofe Times were ftupified and
blinded by Sin : when out of a large, rich and
flourifhing City, the Refidence of a King,---
one fingle poor untaught Harlot alone, could
have the Senfe to repent, to fubmit to the
evident

[ "3 ]

evident Will of Heaven, and to beg the Fa
vour of being incorporated among the Jews
as a Profelyte. idly. There feems to be a very
beautiful Allegory couch'd under this Hiftory,
viz. That by Means of the Conqueft of Canaan
and the Settlement of the Seed of Jacob in
it, that Religion fhould in Time be built up,
which fhould convert all the Heathen Nations
upon Earth from committing fpiritual For
nication (as the Prophetic Language Stiles
Idolatry and falfe Worfhip) juft as Rahab the
Harlot was, by thefe Means, reclaimed both
from Spiritual and Carnal Fornication. But
to proceed,
As to Rahab's Treachery, pray where lay
that ? When once fhe faw that the God of
Ifrael was the true God, it did of courfe be
come her Duty to transfer her Allegiance
from the King of Jericho to the King of
Heaven : and fhe had better deceive the King
of Jericho, than betray the Servants of the
true God. But, as Rahab's Faith ftands ce
lebrated in Scripture, that alone is enough to
provoke Mr. Chubb to fall hard upon her
Treachery and Lewdnefs. She is generally
fuppofed to be the fame Rahab who was af
terwards married to Salmon ; if fo, her Re
pentance was well received indeed -, for fhe
became thereby a Mother of the Meffiah.
Her Cafe was a noble Leffon to us all, that
true Repentance never comes too late. God
I grant

[ "4 ]
grant Mr. Chubb may well cOnfider this ; and
recant as well as repent : for tho' I give no
more Quarter to his Principles than I would
to a Canaanite, yet I heartily pray God, both
to amend and to forgive him.
* What follows concerning the miraculous
Deftruftion of the Walls of Jericho, will hard
ly bear a Repetition ; I am fure, at leaft, it
deferves no Anfwer. He tells us (but he for
got to quote his Authority) that the Jews
dug down the Walls of Jericho. But Mr.
Chubb had fhewn himfelf a better Engineer
(and not a Jot a worfe Hiftorian than he elfe-
where proves himfelf) if he had blown up
the Walls of Jericho with Gun-powder. There
I could have help'd him out myfelf ; and
have told him, that what ftands recorded in
Scripture of the Shouts of the Ifraelites upon
that Occafion, was only a Miftake for the '
Report at the Springing of the Mine.
He endeavours, however, to make amends
for this Nonfenle, by entertaining the gentle
Reader with an Elegy- upon the Deftruftion of
Jericho, work'd up with fo much Art and
Cunning, and cloathed in Terms fo patheti
cally moving, melting, fainting, dying — that
'twould be; a barbarous Aft of Injuftice to
his Rhetoric, not to make a Prefent of it at
full Length, to the tender-hearted Reader, more
* Page 96.

[»s]
more efpecially to the Ladies. * 0 Jericho !
Jericho ! hard was thy Lot ; the Sons of Ra
pine and Violence (pity he- put in Rapine, be
caufe the People were not fuffered to plunder)
entered thy Streets, and wafted their Footfteps
in thy Blood ; thy Virgins were cut off as the
Flowers of the Field, ['twas much if there was
one adult Virgin in all the Town ; but how
ever — ] and thy young Men wereflain with the
Sword ; in thee were heard the dying Groans
of Multitudes, who were weltering in their
Gore, whilft there were none to pity, nor none
left to make Lamentation ; in thee the weeping,
bleeding, fainting, dying Mothers, beheld with
pierced Hearts, their tender innocent Sucklings
torn from their Breafts, and trampled under
Foot -, in thee the grey Hairs of the Aged plead
ed for Mercy, with thofe Savages whofe tender
Mercies were Cruelty ; and yet, moft affuredly
bleffed are the Merciful, for they fhall obtain
Mercy, Matt. v. 7. [and therefore, I fay,
let all fuch unmerciful Fellows, as Judges,
Juries, Sheriffs, Mayors, Hangmen, Beadles
and Dog-Whippers, be banifh'd the King
dom, for no better praftifing the Doctrine in
Matthew v. 7. and then, we may all do, as
they do in the Woods of America ; where
every Man does as he will, and where Free-
Thinking flourifhes like a green Bay Tree.] O
Jericho, great were thy Sorrows, in the Day
of thy Calamity ; and yet Jericho'* Sorrows
I 2 were,
* Page 97.

[n6]
•mere, but the Beginning of Sorrows. O Jeri
cho! Jericho! &c. &c. &V.
Poor tender-hearted good-natured old
Man ! I'll warrant him, he thinks it a Mil
lion of Pities fo many beautiful young Ladies
fhould be cut off in the Flower of their Age,
and be no longer fuffered to adorn the Maf-
querades and Ridottos in the Temple of Baal
Peor * ; where, by the Principles of their
Religion, they were obliged to proftitute their
Bodies, in honour of that beftial Idol, who
was the Priapus of the Eaft. A charmingly
comfortable Religion, where promifcuous
Luft and Proftitution were Marks of Piety
and Devotion ! An Employment well wor
thy the Pen of a Britift) Infidel, to ftickle fo
hard for the beautiful Profeffors of a Faith,
fo well adapted to the innocent Delights of
Life !
Then again ; Thy young Men were flain
with the Sword! A Million of Pities, I fup
pofe, that fuch a fine Parcel of Smock-fac'd
young Catamites were not referved for other
Purpofes ! For 'tis notorious that Canaan was
then over-run with that more than beftial
Folly, Vice and Sin, called Sodomy. But how
does it fhock a Britifh Reader, to find that
Sins worfe than Sodomy, were very rife among thefe
* /'. e. Baal the Opener, as he might well be caUed>
indeed.

[ "7]

thefe Canaanites, even Beftiality; and what
is more, Beftiality praftifed by Women too.*
All thefe Things, fays God himfelf, they (z*. e.
the Canaanites) committed, and therefore
/ abhorred them. An Employment well
worthy the Pen of a Britifh Infidel, to defend
thefe Praftices : as Mr. Chubb virtually does,
in blafpheming God, for thus extirpating
thefe Canaanites.
And, — Oh the weeping, bleeding, fainting,
dying Mothers, that beheld their innocent Suck
lings torn from their Breafts, and trampled
under Foot ! A Million of Pities, I fuppofe,
that fo many fine Children were not rather re-
ferved as a lufcious Burnt-Offering to regale
the Noftrils of their God Molok with, in
thofe head Quarters of the Devil, the Valley
of Hinnom, \ or Tophet. |] For to that Place
could thefe tender Mothers carry their little
Infants, innocently fmiling in their Arms ;
and then deliver them up to the QHID3) or
Black Priefts of Molok, fo called partly from
the Colour of their Garb, but principally from
the Nature of their Office, "1)33 fignifying
to burn, or to make black by burning) by
whom thefe little Innocents, juft torn from
their Mothers Breafts by their Mothers them-
I 3 filves,
* Compare Leviticus xx. 16. with Leviticus xx. 23.
t i. e, The Valley of Shreiks, from the Shreiking of
the Infants, while under their Tortures.
|| Tophet, fignifies the Valley of Drums, ufed in gre»t
Numbers there, to drown the Cries of the Infants.

[ "8 ]
felves, were gradually — worfe than burnt;
even tortured to Death, in a brazen Cavity of
the Image of Molok, heated by a Fire under
it. Ye Mothers and Daughters of Great Brir
tain, to whom Mr. Chubb's Writings have
been recommended (and they have been re
commended, to fome, now living in my own
Parifh, by one who had beft look to his Re
commendations a little better for the future)
— View well the Man, retained by Satan as
Council in behalf of thefe tender Mothers,
thefe fainting, dying, tender Mothers ; whofe
only Mark of Tendernefs confifted in their
endeavouring to drown, by Drums and Trum
pets, the Shreiks of their little Sucklings,
expiring in the midft of flow Tortures. But,
tho' their tender Mercy could flop their Ears,
indeed ; yet it could not blind their Eyes, for
thefe tender Mothers, it feems, could always
look on. And 'tis amazingly Remarkable, that
in thefe Infant-Sacrifices the Canaanites fhew'd
lefs Mercy to their Infants, than they did
even to fhe brute Beafts they facrificed : for
thefe were conftantly ftain before they were
burnt ; while their little Children were gra
dually burnt (or rather baked) alive. Prac
tices worthy the defending Pen of a Britifh
Free-Thinker ! worthy the Pen of the famous
Mr. Thomas Chubb of Salifbury.
Laftly ; Ob the Grey Hairs of the Aged that
pleaded for Mercy ! A Million of Pities, I pre-
fume?

[ "9]

fume, that thefe venerable Sages, fhould not
receive a more gracious Reward, for all the
Care and Pains they were at, in breeding up
fuch a hopeful Race of Devils incarnate, to
the Difgrace of human Reafon, as well as to
the Defolation of human Nature. Were I
not tired to Death, in the Chace after Mr.
Chubb's Induftry, Learning and Honefty,
what a fine Hue and Cry might I here fet up
after all three of 'em ! I hope, however, this
Paraphrafe of mine upon his moft beautiful
Elegy, is a fufficient Anfwer to that wife and
honeft Queftion with which he concludes it.
— Oh Jericho! Jericho ! what hadft thou done,
that thou fhouldft be purfued with fo fevere a
Revenge ? When the Religion by Law efta-
blifh'd was the groffeft Idolatry, and the
Rites and Ceremonies of it were Fornication,
Adultery, and fome fay Sodomy (for if they
rightly interpret 2 Kings xvii. 4. the Hang
ings there faid to be woven by the Women
for their facred Groves, were, — to conceal
their Sodomites from common View) where
other Rites and Ceremonies of it, were, the
moft inhuman and favage Murders and Tor
ments of little Infants ; — I fay, fince this
was the Cafe, let Mr. Chubb name me one
Sin thefe People were not capable of, and
had not aftually committed -, and I'll under
take as hard a Tafk, — I'll name him, in
I 4 return,
* Ibid,

[ I2° ]
return, fome Blunder that no Infidel ever yet
committed in his Writings.
But the terrible Deftruftion of the young
and innocent Sucking-Infants of the Canaanites,
deferves, and requires, a Word or two more.
It muft certainly have been a moft piteous
and a grievous Sight, and no doubt very dif-
agreeable to thofe who were the neceffary ,
Executioners of it. But ftill, it was moft
wife, and even moft merciful in God, to de
vote even thefe Innocents to Deftruftion as he
did. This will favour lefs of the Paradox,
if we do but confider, how deeply and in
curably the Sins of thefe Canaanites had taken
Root, as it were, in the very Blood of this
detefted Nation. For it appears from thofe
Remnants of 'em, who were imprudently
fpared by the Ifraelites, that nothing could
reclaim 'em. Tho' they lived, fo many
Ages, in Towns and Villages, interfperfed
among the Ifraelites, and muft of courfe be
Eye-Witneffes of all the Wonders that befel
them, during the whole Courfe of the Theo^
cracy, or divine Government of the Jews ;
yet we find they retained their old Sins and
Follies ; and few or none of them defired to be
incorporated as Profilytes. Accordingly we
find that the Carthaginians their Defcendants
(who fled probably into Africa from the
Face of Ifrael) carried this Cuftom of human
Sacrifices with 'em into Africa, and retained it

[ »I ]

it there, " by publickly facrificing their Chil-
" dren to Saturn," (as Tertullian, himfelf
an African, allures us in Apol. ch. ix.) " until
" the Time of Tiberius, by whofe Com-
" mand, the Pr<etor of the Province abo-
" lifh'd," fays he, " fo ftrange a Barbarifm,
" by putting to Death the Priefts, inftead
" of the Infants, by an Imperial Decree."
And I am much miftaken, if the Mexicans,
and indeed moft other favage Americans, prac-
tifing this Enormity, were not originally of a
Punic, i. e. a Phoenician, or a Canaanite
Stock. Thofe Chriftians who may think other-
wife, fhould beware of Arguments that prove
too much. Therefore to apply this ; fince
fuch was the Nature of a Canaanite Confti-
tution, God, (who eafily forefees, what all
the Seeds of Time will produce) acted wife
ly and mercifully, in timely tranfplanting
into a happier Climate, thofe young Sprouts,
which he forefaw would otherwife grow up in
to the moft poifonous Plants, to the ruin both
of themfelves and others. But to proceed.
Achan having (in direft Breach of God's
Commands,) fecreted fome of the Goods de
voted to Deftruftion ; upon this, God in-
flifts a flight Judgment upon all Ifrael, a
Party of whom are defeated by the Townf-
men of Ai, and put to Flight with the fmall
Lofs of Thirty-fix of their Men. * This
Defeat,
* Page 98.

[ I23 ]
Defeat, fays Mr. Chubb, put Jofhua into the
ui moft Confufion at firft, 'till he had found out
an Expedient to revive the Courage of the
ISraelites, and to fave his own Reputation,
as God's Voice to the People, i. e. Achan'*
Thift was to he confidered as the Ground of
God's Difpleafure againft ISrael. But what Ex
pedient will this Man find out, to revive the
Courage of his own Party, and fave his own
Reputation, when he can't ftir an Inch with
out having Recourfe either to fome arrant For
gery, or (which is much the fame) to the wilful
Omiffion of principal Circumftances ? By Lots
fairly eaft, firft the Tribe was pointed out ;
then the Family of that Tribe ; then the
Branch of that Family; then the Houjhold
of that Branch ; and then the Perfon of that
Houfhold, who had committed the Sin ; and
all was finally confirmed by the Man's own
Confeffion. Were there here no Marks of
the Finger of God, worth Mr. Chubb's No
tice ?
* Well ; but it was, it feems, a very im
proper and unnatural Difpenfation of Provi
dence, that Achan'* Sin, the Sin of an Indivi
dual, fhould bring Difpleafure upon all Ifrael.
I anfwer ; this Sin of Achan was not only a
moft flagrant Breach of God's moft exprefs
Command, but alfo one of the firft Sins of
the kind we read of, fince the Commence ment
* Page 99.

[ I22 ]
ment of the Theocracy : confequently, it . de-
ferved fome fignal Vengeance, for an Example
of Terror to all Ifrael •, and fome of the wifeft
Ends were ferved, by making all Ifrael par
take of the Punifhment. For,
ift. This made the Sin, and the miracu
lous Difcovery of it, the more taken Notice
of, by the whole Hoft of Ifrael. idly. It
naturally made every Man, as it were, the
Guardian of his next Neighbour's Honefty,
and a diligent Spy over his Aftions. And
this Effect it had in Reality, as we afterwards
find ; for in the Conteft between the Weftern
and Eaftern Ifraelites, the former thus Ad-
drefs the latter : — f And it will be, feeing ye
rebel To-day againft the Lord, that To-morrow
he will be Wroth with the whole Congregation
of Ifrael. Therefore this was an effeftual Tie
upon thofe wicked and defperate Men, who,
tho' they valued not their own Lives and For
tunes, might yet be linked toothers, for whom
they might have the greateft Regard. As
many a Man is kept back from High Treafin
here in England, not becaufe he much values
his own Neck perhaps, but becaufe he dreads
the difgracing and ftarving his Family by At
tainder and Forfeiture. But we are told, that
this contradifts the Prophet Ezekiel, where
We read, that the Wickednefs of the Wicked
fiall be upon him, and him only. I anfwer ;
the
f JoJhuaTxn.. 18.

[ I24 ]
the Rule in Ezekiel, is, indeed, God's general
Rule of afting ; but the Cafe of Achan was
very particular ; and when Circumftances!
vary, 'tis neceffary God's Difpenfation fhould
vary accordingly. I have already obferved^Jj
that in the Beginning of the Theocracy it was
wife in God to punifh all Difobedience in a
more than ordinary fignal Manner. And it
was as merciful as it was wife ; becaufe by
thefe Means the Sin, and confequently the
Puniftment, of Thoufands was eafily pre
vented. Laftly, Jofhua (by way of Atonement) de
stroys, along with Achan the principal Of
fender, his Family, Goods and Cattle. * This,
fays Mr. Chubb, was unrighteous, for the'
Achan had trefpaffed, yet his Children and his
Family were guiltlefs. But, pray, who told
him they were guiltleSs ? As the Goods were
buried in the midft of his Tent, his Family"
could not well avoid being privy to Achan's
Guilt : they muft needs know oSthe Hole he
dug in the Middle of the Tent, to bury the
Goods in ; more "efpecially if we confider,
that as the Hoft had been now fome time
encamp'd, the Floor of his Tent muft be fo
padded and harden'd, that the Breaking it
up could be no Secret to his Family, who all
dwelt , together in it. I find
* Page ioo..

[ I25 ]
I find nothing worth Notice, 'till we come
to -j- the Ifraelites having put off Humanity,
and having difcharged themfelves of the previ
ous Obligations of Nature, under the Pretext of
a divine Commiffion, went thro' the Country of
Canaan, cutting off its Inhabitants like wither
ing Hay. I can't conceive what this Man
means here, by, the previous Obligations of
Nature. The Word Nature can denote no
thing more than " God's Manner of acting,"
or (if you pleafe) " the prefent Difpofition
" of Things, which are juft as they are, be-
" caufe God has made 'em juft fo :" and the
Obligations of Nature are " fuch "Obligations
" as arife from the prefent Difpofition of
" Things." They that ufe the Words Na
ture, and Obligations of Nature in any other
Senfe, talk like Magpies, and ufe Words with
out Ideas. Now, pray, is not Obedience
from the Creature to the Creator at leaft one
Branch of the Obligations of Nature? or ra
ther, is it not the very Fountain-Head of 'em
all ? But it feems the divine Commiffion of
the Ifraelites was only a Pretext, forfooth :
but from what Mr. Chubb has hitherto faid,
it little appears, that he is able to invalidate
that Commiffion of theirs ; or even to fhew
us one Flaw in it. And I call upon him, and
his whole Tribe of Auxiliary Infidels to do it
if they can. As to their cutting off the Ca
naanites like withering Hay ; we have fuffici*
ently feen they were ripe for the Sickle.
f Page 103. * At

[ 126 ]

* At the Bottom of this Page, we have an
Annotation, that deferves fome Notice on
account of its Impudence only. Speaking
of God's flopping the Diurnal Motion of the
Earth, to give Jojhua Time to deftroy the
Canaanites; -— of the' Shadow's going back
on the Dial of Ahaz ; — and the miraculous
Cure of Hezekiah' s Boil, by a Lump of Figs :
he concludes thus. Surely, by thefe extrava
gant Relations, the Hebrew Hiftorians tried
to what Length human Credulity was capa^
ble of being extended. No, Sir, the Cafe was
this : When you indited that bafe and Hell-
born Sentence, the Devil was a. try ing to what
Length the Impudence, Blafphemy and Folly
of an Englijh Deift was capable of being ex
tended. For if you had not been bereft of
common Senfe, as well as common Grace, you
would firft have invalidated the divine Au
thority of the Books which contain thofe Re
lations. For while the Authority of thofe
Books ftands good, fuch Relations may in
deed be extraordinary, but they can never be
extravagant. Therefore you Shout before the
Victory, Mr. Chubb ; for all you have hither
to advanced againft the Divinity of any one
of the facred Volumes, has been plainly fhewn
to be nothing more than fuch a Compofition
of Knavery and Folly, as may juftly fet the
whole Nation a laughing, from Dan even to
Beerfheba. From
* Ibid.

[ I27 3
From hence we pafs on, to that Contra
diftion he would charge upon the Words of
my Lord of Saliftury's Text : in order to
fhew, that the People did not ferve the Lord
all the Days of Jofhua, &c. *Tbey had indeed
cut off the Idolaters f fays he, but then they
preferved the Idols, and thereby cherifh'd the
Idolatry ; and this led Jofhua, d little before
his Death, to give them a Charge, faying, put
away the ftrange Gods that are amoagyou, and
incline your Heart unto the Lord God of Ifrael.
As Mr. Chubb here alludes to Jofhua xxiv,
Verfe 14, 15. I think I cannot anfwer this
Objection better, than by giving thefe Texts
at large, together with Mr. Pyles's Paraphrafe
on 'em ; by which I will abide. For it muft
be honeftly confeffed, there is fome Difficul
ty here ; fome learned Expofitors being of
Opinion, that at leaft a few of the Ifraelites,
did really at this Time, retain in Secret, a
few Dregs of the old Superftitions of the
Eaft ; but others (I think with much more
Reafon) wholly deny it. To this latter Opi
nion, the Reader may perhaps feegood Reafon,
prefently, to SubScribe.
* Page 106, 107. Jofhua

[ '28 ]

Jojhua xxiv. Verfe 14.
Now therefore, fear the
Lord, and ferve him in
firicerity and in truth, and
put away the gods which
your fathers ferved on the
other fide of the flood,
and in Egypt : and ferve
ye the Lord.
Verfe 15. And if it
feem evil unto you to
ferve the Lord, choofe you
this day whom you will

which your fathers ferved,
that were on the other
fide of the flood, or the
gods of the Amorites, in
whofe land ye dwell : but
as for me and my houfe,
we will ferve the Lord.

VerSe 14, 15. And now
I leave it to your own Con
fcience, whether a People' in
your Circumftances fhould
fuffer it to remain a Que-
ftion, what God they fhould
ferve, or what Religion they
fhould adhere to. Methinks
tnis aay wnom you win 7 ?> i r *
ferve, whether ie gods you can hardly chufe to re-
lapfe into that of the Na
tions beyond Euphrates. For
tho' they may pretend Anti
quity for their Religion, yet,
remember, that's no War
rant for a real Error ; Abraham renounced it,
and reformed from it, and was bleffed for fo do
ing, with the Inheritance of the very Canaan
you now poffefs. Nor, furely, can you be fo ab-
furd as {deliberately at leaft] to chufe the Wor
fhip of the Canaanite Idols, the pretended Gods
that were fo unable to defend their own Wor-
fhippers, that you yourfilves have routed, de
ftroyed, and almoft extinguifhed their Names
from under Heaven. Upon the Whole, you muft,
after all, think and chufe for yourfilves, ' ' and
ftand the Confequence of either Side. As to
myfelf, I am determined, by the fame weighty
Reafons I recommend to you, and hope fo to
fix my whole Family in the Worfhip of Jehovah
the One true God, that it fhall be in no Body's
Power to pervert them from it.
This

t «9 ]
This Interpretation of Mr. Pyle'sl fubfcribe
to for this Reafon ; becaufe it immediately
follows in Verfe 16. — And the People an-
fzvered and faid, God forbid that we fhould for-
fake Jehovah, to ferve other Gods. An An
fwer, which plainly fhews, that if they were
to make any Change in their Religion, it muft
be by turning// om Jehovah — to other Gods.
Which ftrongly implies, that Jehovah (and
not other Gods) was at that Time their Ob-
jeft of Worfhip. For otherwife, their Anfwer
ought, in all Propriety of Speech, to have
run thus -, — " God forbid that we fhould not
" forfake our Idols to turn to Jehovah." Be-
fides, St. Auftin well obferves upon this Place,
ift. That the whole Tranfaftion recorded in
Jofhua, Chapter xxii. is an ample Demonftra
tion of the Zeal and Orthodoxy of all Ifrael;
and that in Chapter xxiii. 8. the fame is put
out of all doubt by the exprefs Teftimony of
Jofhua himfelf, in thefe Words, — Cleave un
to the Lord [Jehovah] your God, as ye have
done unto this Day. idly. Nee Deus inultum
pafflus fuiffet tantum fielus, i. e. " God would
" certainly have punifhed 'em for it, if they
" had been guilty of fuch a Sin." And
indeed, all the Sins of the Ifraelites, during
the Theocracy, feem to be recorded with no
other View, than to fhew us, how clofely a
fevere Puniffiment, ever followed upon the
Heels of every Sin they committed. There
fore Jofhua's Exhortation can mean no more
K than

[ *3° ]
than this ; — - " to perfevere in the Work they
" had begun, and to put away the falfe Gods
" that were — ftill among them ;" that is,—
" among thofe idolatrous Canaanites v/ho were
" not yet fully extirpated, but ftill poffeffed
" the Country in common with the Ifraelites."
Mr. Ckubb indeed, tells us, * that the Angel
that came up fromGilgal to Bochim, [Judges,
Chapter ii.] rebuked the People for cleaving
to Idols ; but this is another of his Forgeries ;
for that Angel (as our Englifh erroneoufly calls
him), rebuked 'em, only for that Slacknefs in
extirpating the Canaanites which ftands re
corded in the foregoing Chapter. We may
therefore fafely conclude I hope, that the
Bifhop of Salifbury's Affertion, as grounded
upon, or as a Conclufion drawn from the
Words of his Text, is a moft juft and proper
Conclufion, drawn from moft juft and righte
ous Premifes. But,
He goes on thus : f Were I to introduce a
Text, analogous, to the Bifhop' s, as ferving the
Lord, by killing of Men is the Subject of bothb
viz. John xvi. Verfe 2. They fhall, put you
out of the Synagogues ; yea, the Time Com
eth that whofoever killeth you,, fhall think
that he doeth God Service : and were I, like
the Bifhop to infer from thence, — thus far all
is well ; this, perhaps, would only introduce a
Queftion, whether the Bijhop's Conclufion or
mine
* Page 108, Line 5. f Page 108, 109.

( '3' ]
mine was moft natural and juft. A fhort Pa-
raphrafe upon this blafphemotts Nonfenfe will
be the beft Anfwer to it. Mr. Chubb's Que-
ftion, turned into plain Englift),wou\d be this :
Query, Whether Jofhua's deftroying, by God's
exprefs Command, a moft peftilent and wick
ed Neft of Sinners, was not as bad a Thing
as Men's perfecuting Chriftianity at the Infti-
gation of the Devil ? Or more briefly thus ;
Whether it be fitter to obey the Commands
of God, or khe Impulfes of the Devil ? He
adds, * Or were I only to ground an Affertion upon,
or to draw an Inference or Conclufion from
the Bifhop' s Premifes, which is directly con
trary to what his Lordfhip has inferred from
thefe Premifes,.v\z. Thus far all is, or was ill ;
without offering any thing by way of Argument
or Evidence to fupport fuch an Affertion ; this
may, perhaps, be looked upon as balancing Ac
counts with the Bifhop, by bringing one naked
Affertion againft another : but then, this would
not fatisfy the prefent Enquiry. Now, do but
obferve with what Sagacity and Honefty Mr.
Chubb fatisfies the prefent Enquiry ! Why, juft
in this Manner : / therefore obferve, that Life
is a natural Good, and Death is a natural
Evil ; and therefore, to fave Life is doing well,
and to take away Life, is doing ill, when con
fidered abftraftedly from all other Confider ati-
K 2 oris
* Page 109.

[ *32 ]
ons. Now, if he means any thing at all, he
muft mean, that Cafes may happen, in which
the taking away of a Man's Life may be doing
well, provided all Circumftances be but fairly
confidered, and not fraudulently abstracted
and fecreted from out of the Queftion. But
then, here, ftarts up another Queftion ;— How
came Mr. Chubb to abstract in fo barefaced
a Manner, all thofe moft important Consi
derations of the Vices, Sins and Provoca
tions of the Canaanites, which I have fupplied
in the foregoing Pages ? Anfwer, " No Man
" can, in point of common Senfe, be fuppof-
" ed to prevaricate, lye and quibble, till he is
" absolutely conftrained to do it, and there-
" Sore can't help it. 'Tis plain thereSore that
" this is not Mr. Chubb's Fault, but his
" Misfortune (becauSe, Neceffity has no
" Law) the Fault lying wholly, not in Mr.
" Chubb, but in Mr. Chubb's Caufe, — which
" happens to be of that fort, that it abfolute-
." ly obliges him (even in fpight of his Teeth)
" to lay hold of all thefe Helps and Advan-
" tages, for fear the Caufe fhould Jink."
* But that the Matter may appear plain and
obvious to every Reader [I'll take Care of that,
I'll promife him] / will introduce, fays he, a
fimilar Cafe [with a Strefs upon fimilar Cafe,
pray obferve that} and thereby make the Cafe
our own. The fimilar Cafe is this : Suppofe
a Man
* Page not

[ *33 ]
a Man who pretends [falfly pretends he muft
mean] a Right to the Crown of thefe Realms,
fhould likewife pretend, that God has given him
a fpecial Commiffion to difpeople this Ifland ;
and in Confequence of fuch a pretended Com
miffion fhould actually kill and deftroy all before
him : in this Cafe would any Man fay, — Thus
far all was well? Why truly, I believe no
Man in his Senfes would fay fo, except the
Pope, the Pretender and Cardinal Tencin.
But then, — where's the Simularity of the
Cafe, that Mr. Chubb promifed us ? Why,
if a Man's own Practice be the beft Comment
upon his own Principles, he muft mean, —
that Forgery is fimilar to Truth and Honefty -,
— and that as a forged Quotation from Scrip
ture, is fimilar to a true and exaft one, — juft
fo, a Commiffion falfly pretended to come
from God, is fimilar to one that moft certain
ly and evidently did come from God. And
the juft Defolation of a moft wicked and ido
latrous Race of Men, is fimilar to the unjuft
Defolation cf a People who worfhip their
Creator (and him only) in Sincerity and
Truth. But he further illuftrates this favourite To
pic as follows : * The Scotch Rebellion, and
the Defcent of the Highlanders into England,
beaded^ by a Popifh Pretender, has given us a
K 3 Tafte
* Page no, in.

[ "34 ]
Tap of fuch Troubles * as we have not been
ufed to bear. — And as the People of England
have been greatly alarmed on this Occafion, fo,
I pre fume, none of us will admit, that God, our
common Parent, has given thefe Banditti any
fpecial Commiffion, to rob and plunder as they
have dene : f Suppqfing a divine Commiffion
for it was pretended, and thefe Spoilers thought
it to be the Cafe ; and fuppofing there were Men
who affumed a Prophetic Character to vouch
for it, and even a Pretence of Miraculous
Power to back it ; I fay, fuppofing the Difturb-
ers of the Publick Peace at this Time put on
fuch
* Here he inferts a Note, importing, that if God fent
thefe People among us for a juft CorrcElhn of our Sins, as
the Clergy maintain ; then, the entering into Jfociations,
and raifing Soldiers to quafh the Rebellion, muft be a kind of
Fighting againft God. But I aft. Mr. Chubb ; when he is
griped, or otherwife difordered, does he not take Phyftc
for fear he fhould die ? If he does, he certainly fins againft
that Natural Religion of his, that tells him, that both Di-
ftempers and, Death are by God's Appointment. There
fore, upon his own Principles, he does as dire&ly contra
dict his own Natural Religion, as he would make us think
the Clergy thwart Revelation, by maintaing the Lawral-
nefs of endeavonring to remove a National Calamity. The
Truth is, tho' Affliftions Natural and Political come from
God, yet he leaves us at Liberty to ufe all honeft Means
to get rid of 'em, in either Cafe. For tho' 'tis certain,
that Affliclions, indeed, do come from God, yet 'tis equally
certain, that an Inclination to Self-Prefervation, comes
from God likewife. And the very Trouble we are un
der, in getting rid of a Calamity, may, for ought we know,
be all the Punifhment God for the prefent intends us.
f Page 112.

[ us]
fuch Pretences as thefe, yet, furely, there is no
Man of common Senfe among us, who has fo
low, fo mean, fo unworthy, fo contemptible
an Opinion of the common Father of Mankind,
as to Countenance or give Credit to them. But,
what becomes of the Simularity of the Cafe,
all this while ? Why, here it lies, I fuppofe :
— the Cafe of thofe Rebels who neither had,
nor even pretended to have any fpecial Commif
fion 'from God ; is exaftly fimilar to the Cafe
of thofe Ifraelites, who both aftually had a
divine Commiffion, and aftually gave fo many
clear Demonftrations of it. But fuppofe the
Rebels really had been Fools enough to pre
tend to a divine Commiffion ; — what then ?
There would have been but little Simularity of
Cafes, except the Reverend Father Graham
and Mr. Cappoch had gone before the High
land Clans, and divided the Solway Frith for
'em (as Jofhua divided Jordan) and carried
them over Dry-fhod [I would fay dry-footed]
without lofing their Cannon, and getting
Agues and Fluxes by wading it up to the Chin ;
had they done that, and inftead of retreating
to Brampton to make Scaling Ladders, had
they only carried the conficrated Wafer round
the Walls of Carlifte in Proceffion, and then*
fhaken down the Walls of that City, only
with the Sound of their Proceftion-Bell, or the
Singing of an Ave-Mary -, had they done all
this, Mr. Chubb, there had been fome Simu
larity of Cafes ; (and, fure enough, they'd
K 4 have

[ '36 ]
have done it, if they could, when the Duke
of Cumberland hunted 'em back to their Ken
nels :J..but, as no fuch Thing was either done
or pretended to be done by 'em, — all that
we can deduce from this dull Stuff of yours
about the Rebellion, is, — that when you had
proceeded thus far in your Labours for the
Caufe, you had fcribbled yourfelf into a De
lirium. When I draw near the Conclufion of an
Infidel Pamphlet, I always tremble for fear
fome fhocking Abfurdity fhould bolt out up
on me, all of a fudden, and Surprize me.
And ]ul\fi it happen'd here : * God, fays
our Author, is not all Wrath and Vengeance
in one Age, or to one Part of the human Spe
cies, and all Patience and Long-fuffering in ano
ther Age, or to another Part of Mankind ; but
be is always and every where the fame. So
then ; out comes the Truth at laft : I
thought, indeed, it would fhew itfelf fooneror
later. The Great God of the Univerfe, being
always and every -where the fame, proves at laft
to be an idle drowfy Epicurean Deity, who is
neither angry with Sin and Vice, nor pleafed
•with Piety and Virtue. A fine Piece of
Blunder this, to fall from the Pen of that
fame Man, who but feven Pages hence con
cludes with telling us, that, " As he is God's
"Creature, fo he thinks he has a Right,
*' (with-
* Page n;, 114. '

[ *37 ]

" (without giving reafonable Ground of OF-
" fence to any) to take off thofe groundlefs
" Imputations, wherewith Men have ftained
" the beautiful and fpotlefs Charafter of God
" moft High." A dutiful Creature of God's,
indeed ! And a moft curious Defender of
God's beautiful and fpotlefs Charafter, who
thus reduces him to a Parity with the King,
that Jupiter gave the Frogs in the Fable ; —
even to a Log.
'Tis but natural to imagin that fuch emi
nent Zeal for the Honour of his God, fhould
be attended with a fuitable Regard for the
Honour of his Country : for an Epicurean can,
by his very Principles, regard nothing but
himfelf alone. Hear him thus fweetly chant
ing forth the Praifes of — (thofe indeed, who
have their Faults as other Men have ; but are
yet) the moft learned, generous, brave, and
( in the Main ) the moft virtuous Nation
upon Earth . * If it fhould be faid that the
Canaanites were Idolaters, — that they wor-
fhipped fubftituted and fictitious Deities, and
that this was the Caufe of God's Difpleafure
againft them ; — whereas the Inhabitants of this
Iftand are clear of Idolatry, and worfhip the one
God over all. Anfwer. That the Inhabitants
of this Iftand are better, act more fuitably to
their intelligent Nature', and better anfwer the
Purpofes of their Creation, than the Canaanites did;
*Page 114.

[ '38 ]
did ; — this, fays he, is much more eafily taken
for granted, than proved. As it would be an
Affront to my Countrymen, were I but to
offer to wipe off this bafe Accufation, of their
being ten times worfe than Devils incarnate
(foryo they muft be, if they are as bad as the
Canaanites, as finning againft the cleareft
Light ;) I fhall therefore content myfelf with
telling this Accufer of his Brethren, that were
indeed all the Inhabitants of this Ifland, his
Readers and Difciples, he might be better able
to make good his Charge, than I hope he is
at prefent. I do indeed acknowledge with
all my Heart (and 'tis neither my Inclination,
Duty nor Practice to flatter Sin) that we have
but too much Reafon to make a public and
daily Confeffion, that we have offended -f- againft
all God's Holy Laws [one or other of us, more
or lefs : but not every Man againft every Law,
as he would infinuate] and God grant us the
Grace to grow better and better ; but ftill,
we have no Reafon to confefs ourfelves to be
fo many Canaanites. And let me tell Mr.
Chubb, that were we ever fo bad, 'tis neither
his Principles, nor fuch of his Praftices as I
have detected in thefe four Differtations, that
are like to reform us.
|| But we know nothing of the moral Behavi
our of the Canaanites, fays he, but from tbe
Hebrews, that very Party of Men who were
their
f Page 115. || -Ibid,

[ '39 ]
their Deftroyers. I already have, in part, and
could with much Eafe, ftill further abafe his Pre-
mifes : but I fliall content myfelf with telling
him, that his Confequence is as lame as ufual ;
for granting we know nothing of them, but
from the Hebrews alone, (which is falfe) yet,
as thofe Hebrews have been fhewn^ to be di
vinely Infpired, their Accounts are of courfe. to
be credited, or elfe God may infpire a Lye.
But lo ! he is now about to prove us as bad
as the old Canaanites, becaufe — we worfhip
Jesus Christ. * And if worfhipping fubfti
tuted Gods, be Idolatry, then it becomes a Quef
tion, Whether the Inhabitants of this Iftand be
altogether clear, in that refpect ? becaufe, it may,
perhaps, be a little doubtful, whether Jefus
Chrift, who is made the Object of Worfhip among
us, be any other than a minifterial and fubftitu
ted God -, feeing he is ordained of God (Afts x.
42.) to be judge of Quick and Dead : therefore
he cannot be the fupreme Deity, becaufe he re
ceives his Commiffion from another. That the
Scriptures, partly in Condefcenfion to human
Language and human Ideas, and partly to
avoid long and puzzling Circumlocutions ; —
do, indeed, and muft make ufe of fome Terms,
not always Strictly adequate to the high Myf-
teries they treat of, is undeniable. And 'tis
certain, that this is often the Cafe with regard
to the Trinity ; but then, 'tis manifeftly both
unfair
* Ibid.

C r4Q ]
onfair and injudicious — to draw our Notions
of the Trinity from Terms ; from Terms that
muft of Neceffity be Metaphorical, borrowed,
and of courfe — more or lefs, improper. No ;
let us deduce our Notions of the Three Per-
fons from a Comparifon of the Actions and
Offices of each, as they Hand recorded in
both Teftaments, more efpecially in the Old
(I don't mean our Englift) — but the Hebrew)
and we are fafe. For Actions and Offices may
be very properly related, while borrowed
Terms, may (and muft be more or lefs) im
properly applied. If the great courtly Di
vine at St. James's, fome Years ago, had
rightly confidered this, he would both have
writ and talk'd upon this Subjeft more like
a Scholar, a Chriftian, and a Man, than he did :
and not have addreffed the Ladies, as he
ufed, by afking, with a pretty Grimace, —
Pray, Madam, how does little Mafter do ? I
hope he does not think himfelf as old as his
Papa ? But I'll venture to fay, that little
Mafter might (in this refpeft) eafily have
been as wife as his Doctor, tho' not fo old
as his Father. But to return to Mr. Chubb.
That the Son of God, /* very God, equal
to the Father, as touching his Godhead, I'll
undertake to evince ; ift. even from Mr.
Chubb's oWn long Quotation, in Page 107.
and, idly, From the very Inftance he brings
in., this 115th Page, to prove the contrary; from

[ '4i ]
from either of which, even his own Reafon
might have deduced it with Eafe, if his In
fidelity had not made him as blind as a
Buzzard. ift. Then, the Angel, who ( in Judges,
Chapter ii.) came up from Gilgal to Bochim,
fpeaks thus to the Ifraelites. [In his own-
Perfon exprefly ; and not as a Meffenger /ra»
God, with the ufual Preface of — Thus fays
the Lord 'J I made you, fays he, to go up out of
Egypt ; — I brought you into tbe Land which
— I fware unto your Fathers, — and I faid — .
I will never break my Covenant with you.
Now, who or what could this Angel be, but
the Angel or Meffenger of the Covenant ; af
terwards ftiled by Malachi — Jehovah, whom
the Jews fought, even the Meffenger of the Co
venant whom they delighted in [till they faw
his humble Appearance in the Flefh, and
then — defpifed him] and who was fuddenly
}o come to his Temple, as the Meffiah did ?
Again, who can this Angel be, but the An
gel or Meffenger of the Covenant, the fame
that Jacob fpoke of, fo many Years before,
in the xlixth of Genefis, when he blefs'd his
Sons ? God, before whom my Fathers Abraham
and Ifaac did walk, the God which, fed me all
my Life long unto this Day, the Angel which
redeemed me from all Evil, blefs the Lads.
The original Hebrew is much ftronger on
the Orthodox Side of the Queftion, than the
Englifh

[ J42 J
Englifh Verfion ; but I wave all that, pre
suming Mr. Chubb is not acquainted with it :
I only maintain,, that Srom thefe Texts, thus
eaSy to be compared by any Englifh Reader,
Mr. Chubb himfelf might eafily have Sound
out, that this Angel could be no other than the
Son of God. Consequently, that as he Speaks
in the Same Stile, Name, and Authority, with
Jehovah, the. firft PerSon of the Trinity,—
and takes to himfelf Aftions exprefly faid to
be done by Jehovah (for fuch was the Oath
fworn to Abraham, Genefis xvii. i. which
begins with — I am the Almighty God, &c.
and in Verfe 7th, it goes on, — / will efta-
bliflj my Covenant, &c. ) I Say, it follows hence*
that be — the Second Perfon of the Trinity,
muft be equal to the Firft : which was thfl
Thing to be proved. Let Mr. Chubb inva
lidate this Proof if he can, and call Mr.
Whifton to his Aid if he pleafes.
But, idly. I am to prove the Divinity of
the Son of God, from the very Text Mr.
Chubb brings againft it. viz. His being or
dained of God, to be the Judge of Quick and
Dead. By his being ordained of God to this
Office, muft be underftood his taking it upon
him, by a Compaft between the Perfons of
the Trinity, to devolve this Office upon him.
Now, fince a Judge of Quick and Dead, can
be no Judge of either one or t'other, except
he can judge the Thoughts and Intentions of
all

[ J43,]

all Hearts, from the Beginning to the End
of the World, and fince this Power can belong
to God alone, it follows, from this very Text
that the future Judge of Quick and Dead,
muft be God, or equal to God : — which was
the Thing to be proved. But to proceed,
Mr. Chubb's Imagination was fo terrified
by the Pretender (and the Inquifition together,
I fuppofe) that he can't get rid of the
Thoughts of him yet. * For in the .next
Page, i — fays he, If God granted a bloody Com
miffion to Jofhua heretofore, why may he not
grant one to a Popiffi Pretender now ? If you
fay, that would be to abet Popery ; which is a
bad Thing. Anfwer. The other was abetting
Judaifm, which is near of Kin to Popery [a
pretty diftant Relation, however, I afiure
him.] For, is Popery a Compofition of beg
garly Elements ? — A bloody Conftitution ? —
A Law of Carnal Commandments ? — A Yoke
of Bondage ?— &c. &c. &c. So was Judaifm.
True -, but here lies the Difference, Mr.
Chubb. Judaifm was moft wifely ordained of
God himfelf, as a neceffary Foundation upon
which Chriftianity {that perfect Law of Obedi
ence) fhould afterwards be built. And it thent
and then only, commenced to be, what you
(by perverting the Apoltle's Intention) here1
ftyle it, — when it came to be fuperfeded by
Chriftianity, and ought to have been rejefted
* by
* Page 1 1 6, 117.

[ 144 ]
by the Jews, as a Thing no longer of ufe.
Whereas Popery, Sir, as>far as it departs from
found Chriftianity, is .a Piece of Prieftcraft,
ordained by the Devil,, to t\\\ the Pope's Coffers,
and to pamper and fatten thofe Life-Guards
of his,, The Monks and Friers.
* As to thofe " Demerits of Abraham's Seed
" which he oppofes to the Perfonal Merits
" of their Anceftor, and which ought to have
" prevented Gpd's chufing them for his per
«• euliar People." — We Anfwer. The Seed
of Abraham did not conftantly, generally, and
univerfally eaft off all Regard for God, but
only at, fome Times, and in fome MeaSure 5
tho' too much, indeed, at all Times. But
ftill, even thofe occafional Revolts were highly
ufeful to God's Providence : who wifely,
made them fo many ft andfog Leffons of Admo*
nitfon, to all Pofterity.
-f As to — God's granting no particular
Commiffion to the Ifraelites, becaufe fuch would
have been a moft partial Difpenfation, and
therefore could not come from God : — We re
ply. Even according to your own Principles,
you prove too much, and therefore prove*
juft nothing at all. For it equally follows,
from your Argument, that therefore there is
neither a God, nor a Providence : becaufe,
many Advantages, both Natural and Providen tial
* Page 118. f Ibid.

[ *45 ]

tial are. granted, as well to fome Nations in
General, as to fome Individuals in particular,
which are denied to many more. And, Sir,
let me Whifper one Secret in your Ear. ¦'.' Be
twixt you and me, (for I would have it go no
further, to be fure) whatever you alledge againft
the Reafonablenefs of Chriftianity, will, in
like fort, always prove too much. Therefore
fince the Fort of Deifm is no longer tenable,
you had better by half retreat back into that
of Atbeifm, as your Predeceffors did in the
laft Age. And then there will be a new
Field for us ; and we, fhall try, whether or
no we can't beat you from thence, with as
much Eafe as our Predeceffors did yours.
* But, fuppofing a miraculous Power really
did attend the Ifraelites, how does it follow
that their Hiftorians always wrote Truth, fince
thefe were Points irrelative to each other ?
Not at all irrelative, fay I, becaufe thofe Mi
racles more properly attended — not the whole
People, but — thefe Hiftorians ; to whom
(and not to the Bulk of the People J that
Power of Miracles was delegated. But, if
you will ftill fuppofe thefe Hiftorians to have
written Lies ; this Suppofition clafhes with
¦common Senfe two Ways. For, as each
Hiftorian wrote, either wholly, or in part,
the Hiftory' of his own Time, and confe-
L quently
V * Page 1 19;

[ '46 ]
qiiently the Hiftory of their Time to whom
the Book was directed ; how came the feve-
ral Cotemporaries to receive, and to tranf-
mif to Pofterity, fuch Lies as they knew to
be Lies. Again, this fuppofes that God de
legated a Power over the Laws of Nature^
for certain Ends, to certain Men ; which
Men, he knew before-hand, would apply
that Power to other Ends.
* Befides, what Affurance have we, thai
any miraculous Power was exercifed by, or
among the Ifraelites, to countenance his Com
miffion ? If it fhould be faid, that the Credit
of thofe Miracles is fufficiently fupported by tit
Hiftories in which they are recorded : An
fwer, Then I fear our Argument muft end in a
circular Dance ; the Credit of the Hiftories ft
fupported by the Miracles,^ and the Credit of
tbe Miracles is fupported by thofe' Hiftories.
Tou, Mr. Chubb, have made a circular Dana
of it indeed ; but we Shall foon fquare your
Circle for you. The Cafe, in Fact, is this.
ift. There never was a Time when the Jewijh
Nation disbelieved the Books of Mofes, or
that of Jofhua. Underftand me right ; there
were Times in which they [almoft but nevet
wholly] difregarded and neglected the Law,
and revolted to Idolatry ; but, — there never
was a Time, when they formally rejefted it, as
* Ibid.

[ i+7]
as an Impofition put upon their Anceftors by
Mofes, or any one elfe. Let the Man who
fhall deny this, name the Time when the Cafe
was otherwife. Nor could the Cafe, indeed,
ever be otherwife :. For,
%dly. Had thefe Books been the Work of
an Impofior, how came they to have been im-
pofed upon the Belief of the Jewifh Nation
at first ? For this fuppofed Impoftor muft
necefiarily have begun this Harangue to 'em
thus : " You yourfelves know, [when yet he
knew they could know no fuch Thing] " that
" it has been the conftant Tradition of your
" Nation, handed down, moft carefully and
" moft invariably, from Father to Son, that
" God conducted you from out of Egypt,
" thro' the Channel of the Red Sea ; — that
" he gave you this very fame Law [which
you now fee for the firft Time, quite new
as it came out of my own Brain but laft
Week] " ftill that he gave you this very fame
" Law in that tremendous Manner from
" Mount Sinai, as therein is mentioned ; —
" that he then conducted you, with me at
*' your Head, for forty Years together, thro*
*' the Wildernefs, by a Pillar of Fire by
" Night, and by a Cloud by Day. — That
" he fuftained you all this while with a mi-
" raculous Food from Heaven, called Manna,
^ and by Water miraculouily fpringing from
L 2 " out

[ '4»]

" out of a Rock *. That he gave the very
" Cloathing that covered you, fuch a mira-
" culous Durability, that not even a Shoe or
" a Sandal was worn out by any of you in all
" your
* 'Tis, I think, the conftant Tradition of the Jews*
the Opinion of* moft Expofitors, and feems to be the ge
nuine Senfe of that Expreilion of St. Paul — Tbe Reck
which followed them, i Cor. x. 4. — that the Waters
which gufhed out of the Rock of Meribah, followed after
the Ifraelites, thro' all their Peregrinations in the Deferts
of Arabia. This Opinion feems to be confirmed by
Dr. Shaw, who was at this Rock oi Meribah, in the Year
1722, and gives the following Account of it.
" Here we flill fee that extraordinary Piece of Anti-
" quity, the Rock of Meribah, Exod. xvii. 6. which
" hath continued down to this Day, without the leaft
" Injury from Time or Accidents. It is a Block of
" Granate --Marble, about fix Yards Square,, lying totter-
" ing, as it were, and loofe in the middle of the Valley,
" and feems to have formerly belonged to Mount Sinai,
" which hangs in a Variety of Precipices, all over this
" Plain [of Repbidini]. The Waters which gufhed out,
" and the Stream which flowed withal, Pfal. vii. 8, 21.
" have hollowed, acrofs one Corner of this Rock, a
" Channel about two Inches deep, and twenty wide. —
" We fee all over this Channel, a great Number of
" Holes, fome of them four or five Inches deep, and
" one or two in Diameter, the lively and demonftra-i
" tive Tokens of their having been formerly fo many
" Fountains. Neither Art nor Chance could be con-
" cerned in the Contrivance. For every Circumftance
" points out to us a Miracle, and, in the fame manner
" with the Rent of the Rock of Mount Calvary at Jera-
" jalem, never fails to produce a religious Surprize jn all
" who fee it." Shaw's Travels, p. 352, 353.
Now, as fuch an Excavation, in a Rock of Granatt
Marble, could nqt well be formed by fo fhort an Efflux of

[ *49 ]
" your forty Years Travels f. — [Deuteronomy
" viii. 4. and xxix. 5.] — That he divided
lt the Jordan for your Paffage into Canaan,
" and miraculoufly ffiook down the Walls of
"the firft City you came to, after your En-
" trance into the Country."
Such muft have been the Speech of any
Impoftor that can be fuppofed to have forged,
and fraudulently impofed upon the Jews, ei
ther the Pentateuch, or Jofhua, or both, or any
other Book of the Old Teftament. But this
is neither all, nor near one half; for, this
L 3 Speech
of Water, as was fufficient for the Hoft of Ifrael, only
during their Encampment at Rephidim : it feems probable
that this Flow of Water was of many Years Continuance.
And confequently, it is at leaft fome Confirmation of that
general Opinion, that the Stream of it followed the
Ifraelites, in a miraculous Manner, from hence, 'till
they came to Kadefh, viz. about Thirty-eight Years.
Otherwife, it feems unlikely that fo great a Miracle fhould
be continued, longer than the final Caufe of it was in.
Being. ¦\ 'Tis amazing to me, that a Man of Mr. Chubb's
. Sagacity, did not take a Handle from hence, to expatiate
upon God's unmerciful Treatment of Shoemakers, Taylors,
Hatters, Perukemakers, Sec. whofe Trades muft be all hurt,
if not ruined, by this Miracle. And 'tis ftill morefupri-
fing, that he picks no Hole in the Pillar of Fire that con
ducted the Ifraelites. This latter muft be a moft com
mendable Piece of Self-Denial in him, becaufe that
Miracle was certainly a great Detriment to the Trade of
a Tallow Chandler. What a fine Parcel of Diffi
culties and Objections, could I help thefe Gentlemen to,
were I but admitted into their Club.

[ *5°]
Speech of our fuppofed Impoftor, muft have
been unanimoufly received (contrary to all
Senfe and Reafon, but no Matter for that,
I fuppofe) by the whole Jewifh Nation : who
muft therefore all have entered into a prodi
gious and moft unnatural Confpiracy, to de
ceive both themfelves and all their Pofterity.
And this fenfelefs and moft ridiculous Plot,
muft have been executed with fuch a mira*
culous Unanimity, that among fo many My
riads of Men, there was not one fingle Soul
to be found, that was either honeft enough to
betray the Secret to Pofterity defignedly, or
weak enough to difcover it inadvertently. But,
all muft be fuppofed, even Man, Woman and
Child, from Dan even to Beerfheba, to hang
together, without Variation, in one and the
fame Story, — So prolix, — So various, So long,
So wonderful, and So — abominably falfe, as Mr.
Chubb would fain make us think. Nay, tho'
the old Jews (as Mr. Chubb rightly obferves)
were perpetually revolting to Idolatry, yet,
not even one of thefe idolatrous Revolters, ever
difcovered the Cheat ! or ever once pleaded
it in Defence of his Principles and Practices !
Further yet; this moft hardened, proud,
and incredulous, as well as earthly-minded Na
tion, muft be fuppofed to have received thefe
forged Books, at the Hands of a known lm-.
poftor, contrary both to their known Pride, —
and to what is acknowledged to be their
moft

[ »5' ]

moft ftrong Inclination, — as well as directly
oppofite to that wordly Intereft of theirs, to
which they have ever been the moft remark
ably attach'd of all Nations upon Earth.
For firft, the Mofaic Hiftory is full of the
Obftinacy and Rebellions of that People ;
whofe Pride had never fuffered 'em to receive
fuch Accounts for Suthentic, had they not
known 'em to be true, and feverely felt the
Punifhments God fent upon 'em, in reward
of thofe Rebellions.
Again ; their ftrong Inclination to Idolatry*
which Mr. Chubb fo often and fo well defcants
upon ; [for 'tis with Pleafure I lay hold of
any Opportunity of fpeaking in his Praife ;
and am only vex'd, that he gives me fuch
rare Occafions of fhewing my Talent at Pane
gyric] I fay, that ftrong Inclination of theirs
to Idolatry (fo well, fo frequently, and fo im
partially defcribed by Mr. Chubb) muft have
been an infuperable Obftacle to their joyfully
receiving an Impofture, the very Drift and
Intention of which, was, to root up that fa
vourite Idolatry of theirs.
It was contrary to their worldly Intereft to
have received the Law for an Impofture,
knowing it to be fuch ; ift. Becaufe it ob
liged them to fubmit to the Pains of Death,
for feveral Offences, which would neither
have been capital Offences, nor indeed any
L 4 Offences

['52]
Offences at all, if the Law of Mofes had ne
ver exifted. idly. Becaufe it obliged them
to the Payment of Tythes, firft Fruits, Offerings,
three annual Appearances at Jerufalem, and
other burthenfome Expences, from all which
they had been exempt at firft, and would at
any Time, gladly have thrown 'em off ; had
they not been well affurad, that it was the in-
difputable Will- of God, that thofe Burthens
fhould be fubmitted to.
Now, — what a comfortable Packet of
Abfurdities, muft here be fwallowed down,
all at a Gulp, by the Man who fhall deny
the divine Infpiration of the Books of Mofes,
Jofhua, Sec. And yet we fee, Mr. Chubb can
Swallow 'em all, and flatly deny even this de
monftrable Truth -, calling it — a Dance in a
Circle ! I fhall therefore leave him to exorcife
himfelf out of his own Circle, and only re
commend it to the candid Reader to judge,
whether the Throat of a Chriftian, or that of
an fnfidel, has the wider Swallow ?
He concludes, * That if Things (according
to the Bifhop of Salifbury'* laft Sermon) arefo
directed by certain fecret Springs of Motion, or
by the Hand of Providence, that Profperity and
Adverfity bear fome Proportion to Virtue and
Vice ; then — the Ground and Reafon of a fu
ture Retribution, is of courfe taken away, and
this
* Page 121.

[ *S3 ]

this World ceafes to be a State of Probation^
Anfwer. I think there is no doubt to be made,
but that this World is, in fome Meafure a .
State of Retribution ; but it is a State of Pro
bation ftotwithftanding : becaufe, it is a State
of Retribution — only in part. I do believe,
that Murders, for Inftance, are pretty gene
rally difcovered by the Hand of Providence.
The Gibbet or the Wheel, in this Cafe, is
certainly a Retribution in part ; but, without
Repentance proportionate to the Crime, it is
only a veryfmall Part, in Comparifon to what
will follow hereafter. So, on t'other hand ;
good Men may be pretty generally rewarded
here in this Life, both with temporal and fpi
ritual Bleffings ; but what then ? Does this
preclu.de them from the never-fading Crown
of Glory hereafter ? By no Means. It is only
a fmall Earneft and Pledge of it. And here
in confifts the Beauty and Excellency of
God's divine Oeconomy, — not to leave us de
stitute of Hopes and Fears, with regard to
either Part of our Exiftence ; either in this
World, or the World to come. I conclude
therefore, that, notwithftanding Mx. Chubb's
impertinent Cavil, the Bifhop is right ; and
that this World is a State of Probation, tho'
it is, indeed, in fome Meafure, a State of Re
tribution alfo.
He thus concludes all. The Ground of the
precedent Enquiry, and of what I have offered upon

[ r54 ]
open it, is in Honour and Juftice to the fu
preme Deity. For as I am God's Creature ;
fo, I think, I have a Right (without giving
reafonable Ground of 'Offence to any) to take off
thofe groundlefs Imputations, wherewith Men
haveftained the beautiful and fpotlefs Charac*
ter of God moft High.
If any tender-hearted Reader fhould afk
me, how I could ufe fo much Sharpnefs and
Severity, againft a candid well-meaning old
Gentleman, who concludes with So handSome
a Confeffion ?. I anfwer. I have juft the fame^
Regard for the Devil, when drefs'd like an'
Angel of Light, as when he appears in his;
more proper Garb of the Prince of Darknefsf
Or to fpeak an honeft Truth at once, I ra-^j
ther like him beft in his Native Hue. *Tis'
too late for Mr. Chubb to cant, and talk like
a Saint in his laft Paragraph ; when he has
fo plainly difcovered the Hoof, .in every other
Page. Befides ; be it obferved, that Mr. Chubb
'tranfgreffes with many a Circumftance of the
jnoft aggravating Nature. He is born (as L
am well affured) with very excellent Natural :
Abilities. — He. has had the Advantage of a
Chriftian Birth and Education. — He has had
the Advantage of a moft learned and en-
lighteh'd Age ; — an Age which abounds in
fuch excellent Treatifes of all forts, in the
Vulgar

C r55 ]
Vulgar Tongue, that any Englifh. Reader may
become no contemptible a Scholar in general,
and no mean a Divine in particular. And
as he not only lives in the moft enlighien'd
Age, and in Great Britain the moft enlighlevc
Country too ; So, it would be unpardonable
in me not to add, that he has alfo the Ad
vantage of being an Inhabitant of a Diocefe,
that can juftly boaft of having at its Head, —
one of the brighteft Lights that can well
adorn a Chriftian Church.

The End of the First Part.

Infidelity Scourged:
O R,
CHRISTIANITY VINDICATED. Part II.
— - — " " ¦ ¦ ...... t ¦¦ i ^^«w»w«^«^»
CONTAINING
REMARKS
On a late B O O K. called,
CHRISTIANITT Not Founded on Argument.

Ye Hypocrites, — Why even of yourfilves judge
ye not what is right, Luke xii. gy.
An s w. Becaufe " it is the greateft Mockery to invite
" Reafon to give Sentence, where there have been
" Praftices before-hand, and are Praftices ftill con-
" tinued to obftruft or limit her Influence.
Christianity not Founded on Akgujbintj ^.6.

LONDON:
Printed in the Year Mdccxlvi.

Infidelity Scourged :
O R,
Chriftianity Vindicated, &a
Part II.
CONTAINING
REMARKS On a late BOOK called,
CHRISTIANITT Not Founded on Argument.
JINCE we know that Satan
can transform himfelf into
an Angel of Light, (tho*
he feldom Jong wears the
Difguife) no wonder that
an Infidel Pamphleteer
fhould fet out with a Pre
liminary Differtation on
the great and high Importance of Thinking right
in regard to Religion : The Subject of the
World,

[ 160 ]
eWorld, fays he, where it is of the moft tremendf*:
[ mis Confequence to be miftaken. For there only
'it is that Ignorance and Error are fatal, and
Knowledge truly of Importance. I not only
Second him with all my Heart, but fhall ob
ferve further ; that if involuntary Ignorance
and Error be of fo tremendous a Confequence,
what fhall we fay of thofe People, • whofe
Ignorance and Errors are voluntary, — caufed
by their own criminal Neglect and Contempt
of the Ufe of Means, — by the Obftinacy of
their own perverfe Wills, and an irrational
Compliance with their fenfual Appetites ?
Further yet ; If Simple Error in Religion be
bad, and voluntary Error worfe, — what
Treatment do thoSe Men deServe, who, not
content with enjoying the Delufion to them
felves, fhall endeavour to propagate it a-
mongft others ; and that too, by all the little
Arts of Chicanery, Sophiftry, and Faljhood ?
As thefe are the ordinary Wiles to enfnare
the Ignorant, Young, and Raw ; no wonder
our Author's Difcourfe is addrefs'd to a Young
Gentleman ; but, that we muft fuppofe him
to be a. young Academic too, is fomething odd.
I hope then, that neither this Writer, nor
his young Correfpondent will take it amifs, if
we fuppofe him to be a very young Gen
tleman indeed, — even abfolutely callow
from the Shell, for this Tutor of his makes
him an utter Stranger to the diftintt Provinces of

[ *6i ]

tf Faith and Reafon ; a Point which the loweft
rated Student, in either of our excellent Semi
naries, would fcom to be deemed ignorant of.
Takingit for granted then, that thisyoungP/5>/-
lofipher is not yet quite nine Days old in the
Study of the Sciences, we fhould pafs the
{lighter Cenfure upon the Speech he makes in.
p. 4. did it not appear, by thejSequel, that it
contains neither more nor lefs than the true
and genuine Sentiments of our Author him-.
felf ; for tho' he ironically condemns it for pro
fane and vain Babling, we fhall find, upon
Enquiry, that his whole Book is little more
than the Subftance of that Page, fomewhat,
expanded, ftretch'd and unfolded. That it
is not only (what himfelf calls it) profane and
vain, — ,but nan fenfical Babling too; a fhort
Paraphrafe upon each Sentence of it, will
readily evince,
You told me, fays he, that your own Reafon
was the only Guide you could depend upon, to
same at the Knowledge of every Thing your Ma
ker defigned you fhould know . But fuppofe my
Maker defigns I fhould know certain Hiftori-
cal , Facts and Tranfactions, which it may
pretty much concern me to know ? Can the
bare. Workings of my own unaffifted Reafon
(without the help of Tradition) guide me to
the Knowledge of fuch Facts ? No furely,. no
more than my Nofe or my Palate can. Now,
this is the real Cafe of the Subject before us.
M Chrift*

[ '62 ]
Chriftianity takes its Rife from certain Facts,
of a Nature as truly and properly Hiftorical,
as any Points of Greek or Roman Hiftory;
and confequently the Knowledge of fuch
Facts, can be communicated to Mankind by
none but the ordinary Modes of Communica
tion. Such are, the Rebellion of the Fallen
Angels, their Enmity to Mankind", the Ori
ginal Corruption of our human Nature, the
Caufe of fuch Corruption, and the prefcribed
Methods to cure it. The Difcoyery of thefe
Things, is as Foreign to the Province of
Reafon, as it is to thofe of Geometry or Algc-
bra. Again; Suppofe my Maker is willing I
fhould know fome of his future Views and
Defigns ; which it may greatly concern me
to know ? Can my own unaffifted Reafon
guide me to thefe ? I may as well expect to
difcover them by a Telefcope. Therefore
Cafes may happen, in which my Reafon may
hot be fo properly my Guide, to Knowledge, as
that by which I am qualified to follow aGuide,
when that Guide fhall firft have convinced me,'
that he ought to be followed.
That they who pretend to Vote this Principle
[Reafon] unfecure, reftecfed highly on the'Wifi
aom and Equity of its Author. Allowed ; pro
vided he fpeaks of Reafon properly exerted',
— exerted too upon the proper Subjects of
Reafon : For human Reafon, in general, is
certainly fufficient for the Ends for which it
was

[ i63 ]
was intended. But if we ourfehes abufe or
mifapply it, the Fault is in us, not in our
Maker. That for your own Part, you bad not that
impious Notion of tbe fupreme Being, to diftruft
the Confequence of your fincere Endeavours to
pleafe Him.
Nor need any Man, in his Senfes, diftruft
the Confequence of fitch Endeavours. But
whether our Author's Endeavours are of that
Sort, we fhall foon be able to judge.
Or to imagine, that you might innocently
tamper with your Reafon, to the Prejudice of
your Eternal Happinefs.
And who, but an Irijh Bogtrotter, could
have imagined that any kind of innocent Tam
pering, could work a Man's Damnation ?
That if our Hearts did not condemn us, we
muft needs have a juft Confidence towards God.
Thefe Words are neither true (nor does the
Apoftle ufe them) in an abfolute unlimited
Senfe. For fome Men, 'tis evident, may
make their Hearts fo hard and callous, that
in time they fhall neither be able to perceive
their Guilt, nor to pafs a proper Sentence
upon it. Therefore if fuch Men have any
M 2 kind

[ 164]
kind of Confidence towards God, it muft be
what we call — An Irifh Confidence.
That a Man could evidently never be jealous
enbugh of Opinions contracted by Education, and
made facred by Habit ;  —
But fuppofe thofe Opinions fhould chance
to be well grounded, found and true ? Muft
they be aft eaft off becaufe they were contrac
ted by Education ? Our Author can never
lay, down this for a general Rule, becaufe it
is poffible, thro' the Influence of Education,
for- a Man to contract this Opinion, *- That
Chriftianity is ' not founded on Argument. I afk
this Gentelman then, Would this Propofition
ceafe to be true, if contracted by Education ?
If it would, what an undutiful Rogue muft
his own Son turn out ? For if his Father edu
cates him an Infidel, the Youth muft of courfe,
as foon as he comes to Years of Difcretion,
burn his Father's Writings, fay his Prayers,
and lead the Life of an ordinary Chriftian.
That a Man could never be too induftrieus in
improving his Sufpicions of Things, his own
Reafon had no Share in introducing.
What Share had this Gentleman's Reafon^
in introducing Sir Isaac Newton's Theory of
the Moon ; — or the Revolution in the Year 88 ?
None, I prefume. But will he therefore ex
pend

[ *6j ]i
pend his valuable Induftry in improving his'
Sufpicions of the faid Theory, or of "the Truth
and Reality of 'the Revolution ? I. hope, upon?
fecond Thoughts, he will think it more ad-'
vjfeable' to improve his intellectual Faculties^:
rather than his Sufpicions ; that for the future;
he may know better where to be fufpicious and
where to befecure.
Accordingly, that tofhake Hands fairly with
all, we had been taught [fome Writers would
have taken this mannerly Leave of. only the:
ufelefs Part oSwhat they had learnt] was the
firft Step to ¦ be taken, if ever we meant to be
fixed on any rational Perfuafipn. — - •. ¦
Put this NonSenSe into its proper Garb —
a Fool's Coat, and it runs thus. — The only;
Means to come at a rational PerSuafion, is,
firft to eaft off all Means of coming at it.-
Well, but the Reafon why we muft take this '
extraordinary Method of arriving at rational
PerfuaJion, is this 3
Becaufe every one's Tutor cannot poffibly be in
the Right.
To be fure, if they all Quarrel, they can't
all be in the Right ; but yet, 'tis poffible that
fome one or more of them, may. On the con
trary, this Writer feems to me, to lay it
down for a fundamental Principle, throughout
M 3 his

[j l66 Y
his whole Booki. that whenever two People
difagree, it is abftird in the Natute of Things,
to, imagin that either one or t'other of 'em,
can poffibly be in the Right., Hard judging.
indeed! ¦-*- However, we gain, one. Point by
it pretty eafily ; for then — by our Author's
cftro Confeffion, i he has hardly a juft Senti
ment in all his Book, becaufe, he and, I dift-,
gree about almoft every Thing he advances.
I. And there was no Mark of Diftinttion [be
tween Right and. Wrong] poffible to hifow&i,
without taking Matters into our own Hartdti
beginning Things entirely again, and boldly fit
ting up for~owfilvej, f
APtopofition this, with which I havefio
great Fault to find, Save only the Impertifierice
of it. For it amounts, I think, to thus much,
and no more. " That the beft Way to dif-
" tinguifh one Thing from another, is, fo
" examine 'em both very well ; and to exa-
" mine 'em with one's own Eyes too, rafhef
" then to borrow a Pair of any Body elfe."
Hitherto this Author would feem to fpeak
the Sentiments of his young Correfpondent.
In p. 5. he re-affumes his proper Shape, and
argues, if I underftand him right, to this Effect.
" Chriftianity can never be proved by Rea-
" fon, becaufe the Deductions of Reafon re-
** quire fome time to be made out ; during
" which

[ i67]

" which Time, the Perfon to whom thofe
" Reafonings are addreffed, muft be allowed
" to doubt, and not to believe." And fo let
him. 'Tis time enough for him to believe when
he has examined the Grounds of Belief, and
lifted the Arguments propofed to move his
Affent. Before that is done he . cannot, pro
perly, either believe, or difbelieve ; but can
only Sufpend his Affent.
Again ; If Scepiicifm, fays he, or Doubting
(as he affects to call Examining) be a neceffary
Qualification for tbe obtaining of a true Faith,
bow can we be fecure that it will not improve
into direct Unbelief?
I'll tell him how. Why, by ufing the proper
and ordinary Means of Information ; and by
making an honeft impartial Ufe of our Reafon
in the Application of 'em.
No, but that won't do neither ; for three
Lines further we find, that after all is done,
Conviction is under no Influence of his; he (poor
Soul) has no Power to interpofi, to direct its
Courfe or Operations, or any further Concern
than as a Looker-on.
Had he been an Impartial Looker-on, he
had been a Chriftian ; and would not have
expofed a new a wretched Caufe, by fuch a
Pack of Nonfenfe in Defence of it. But
M 4 Reafon

[. i68 ].
Reafon, or Conviction, is under no Influence of ,
his, it feems | becaufe it mull and will take its
natural Courfe. [And fo 'twill, I'll anfwer
for it, whenever a perverfe and wicked Will
does not interrupt it.] And yet, in the
very next Page we are told, That Practices
before Hand, and Practices ftill continued, may
fo obstruct or limit its Influence, as to
make it the greateft Mockery to appeal to it. A
truly Golden Sentence, and I have according
ly adorned my Title- Page with it, and ho
noured it with a Place, hard by a Text of
Scripture. And to fpeak my real Sentiments,
I think it the only Anfwer that can be given
to that Text. However, as it happens to
occafion a fmall Trope, called a Contradiction,
I fhould be glad to know, in his next Edition,
which of thefe two contradictory Propofitions
he is determined to abide by. In the mean
Time, before this Gentleman writes again,
let him pray to God to open the Obftruttions,
and enlarge the Limits of his own Underftandr
ing ; ox elfe, let him expect to be expofed,
with the greateft Juftice, to the greateft
Mockery. ^In p. 6. — To have the Mind in Mquilibrio,
is rank Infidelity. Rank Nonfenfe rather. For
how is the Mind in Aiquilibrio, if the Scale
of Faith kicks the Beam ? But if he Sneeringly
irifinuates this to be a Pofition of Chriftianity,
'tis a rank Falfhood. For the Gofpel recom mends,

[ 1 69' ]

mends Examining ("which he. chufes to call — -
" having the Mind in AlqUilibrio) in the Ex
ample of the noble Bereans<, who fedrcbed the
Scriptures daily, whether thofe Things , were fo
or not. '' ,; ''.'
Hitherto his Matter has been Prefatory ;
but in p.j. he conies to the Main of his laudable
Defigri, which, as he fairly tells us, is to' fheW,
That Affent to Revelation cannot be founded up
on the "Conviction of our Underftanding.' Or,
in plain Terms, that Chriftianity, having.nei-
ther Reafon nor Argument to Support it, muft
consequently be an Impofture : He Marfhals
his Forces thus.
i. That it is inconfiftent with the Nature
both of Reafon and Chriftianity, that Chrifti
anity fhould be founded on Reafon.
2. That "tis contrary to Scripture. ]
3. He jocularly promifes to tell us, what
kind of Proof Chriftianity really does depend
on. He begins the Proof of his firft Proposi
tion thus ; Chriftianity can never be founded on
Reafon, becaufe it requires all Men to think
alike. An Argument, by the Bye, which
equally proves that the Propofitions of Euclid,
are not founded on Demonftration. But, how

[ *7° ]
tow does he prove it abfurd and . impoffible,
for all Men to think alike in Point of Reli
gion ? Why thus : Theyoungeft Pupil in Pbi-
lofophy, fays he, p. 8. would ftart at the Prepo-
Jition. Which we will allow to be a fufficient
Reafon, when he fhall firft have proved, That
a Pupil in Divinity, guided by Revelation,
and of courfe fupplied with fufficient Data,—'
fhall have Reafon to be of as ftartifh a Nature,
as a Pupil in Pbilofopby, who has litde more
than his own Conjectures to work with.
Next ; 'Tis impoffible to attend fairly to Que-
ftions propounded under the Reftraints of Threats
and Authority ; and where the Rod is held out
with the Leffon.
WTiy really, — "tis an ugly Thing for a
Man to be forced to dilpute in a Fright ; but
I muft fay, that our Author's Fright, feems
to me, to be one of the Panic Kind ; it being
ufual with fome Men — to fear, where no Fear
is. For the Scriptures, properly fpeaking,
are but declarative of that Deftruction and
Mifery, which, without a Reconciliation with
Heaven, will be the unavoidable Confequence
of our Original Corruption. At leaft, if the
Rod ever is held out, 'tis not with a View to
chaftife a weak Judgment, which it is not in
our Power to amend ; but only to fcourge a
perverfe and wicked Will, which we can, and
eught to rectify. And this, our Author him felf

[ *7i ]
Self allows to be juft 3 for however terribly
he dreads the Rod, in p, 8. yet by that Time
he gets to p. 64. we find he has out-run his.
Fears, and can argue thus : " A Rebellious
" Oppofition of all the gracious Inftances of
" the divipe Spirit to enlighten our Hearts,
" the wilful Repugnance to all his earneft
" Solicitations to accept of his faving Truths ;
" may they not as defervedly expect all that
" fo great a Perfonage can inflict ? " Again ;
— "There is no Reafon, fays he, but that
" we may be, with all Juftice, called "to the
" ftricteft Account for our Obftinacy, Im-
" piety and Perverfenefs."
In^. 9. We have his third Objection to the
Reafonablenefs of Chriftianity, viz. Infant-
Baptifm. Where is Reafon concerned, when
Babes accept the Terms' of Salvation by Deputy,
and are entitled to all the Privileges of the moft
extenfiveFaith, by another's Act ? Let him con-
fult the London Cafes for his Satisfaction in
this Point. What, is this a Time of Day for
the Church of England to be called upon to
defend the Practice of Infant -Baptifm ? Let
it fuffice for the prefent to tell him, that tho'
the Reafon of Babes is not at all concerned at
their Baptifm, yet, their Intereft is. Nothing
is then concerned -, but firft, The Love and
Favour of God, in conferring a very great.
Benefit upon the Infant ; and next, The Care
of the Sponfors is concerned, to make the Child
fenfible

[ r72 ]
fenfible of the true Nature, and real Value of
this' Benefit, as foon as he is capable of Senfe :
For, by Baptifm, the Infant commences a
Member only of th» Vifible Church ; and muft
become a Member of the Invifibie Churfch af
terwards, gradually, as it becomes a Reafon
able Creature.
¦' Page 10. Reafon has no Share ifc producing
Faith ; becaufe we are ordered to pray for En-
creafe of our Faith.
But,. does not this Man know, that when a
Chriftian prays for an Encreafe of his Faith,
he prays for the Grace of God, not to operate
folely, (like the Countryman's Prayer.! to Her
cules in the Fable) but to co-operate 'with his
own ufe of Means. And that, chiefly, by
helping him to eaft off thofe Prejudices that
fetter his Reafon. Our Objector fhould have
underftood the Religion he attempts to ridi
cule. Page ii, 12. If we were required to give a
rational Affent to Chriftianity, it would be highly
wicked and unjuft, to prepoffefs the Minds of
Children, in favour of it, before they come to the
full Ufe of their rational Faculties ; becaufe fitch
early Inftructions preclude all future Alterations
of Opinions, '¦ by reprefenting 'em as heinous and
deteftable.
Now

[ 173 ]
Now a plain Man (as I am) would rather
be apt to think, that if our Affent to Chrifti
anity be Rational, it muft for that Reafon,
be wicked and unjuft, not to inftruct our
Children in it. But if we are to wait 'till they
come to the full Ufe of their Rational Faculties,
before we begin with 'em, we may as well
wait on, 'till they come to doat ;' becaufe I
apprehend it to be the principal Work of
Education — to bring Men to the full Ufe of
their Rational Faculties. Again ; If this Po
sition has any SenSe or Truth in it, it will
equally Sollow, that it is highly wicked and. un
juft, to prepoffefs the Minds of Children with
the Danger of funning into a Fire, leaping
down a Precipice, or drinking Poifon.
\np. 12 and 13. We are. told again, That
— Examining pre-fuppofes. and allows . of
Doubting, and the fettling of all Doubts, is
precarious in the Nature of the -Thing.
,-' But I hope he'll remember, that there are
many Things in the World, about which Men
may reafonably doubt at firft, and yet may foon
fatisfy their Doubts, by a candid and dili
gent Enquiry. I once doubted about the
true Caufe of the Librations of the Moon ; but
after I had ftudied Aftronomy, my Doubts
were at an End; and our Author may put
as happy an End to his Doubts, about the
Reafonablenefs of Chriftianity, if he will but
examine

[ *74 ]
examine the Grounds oS it, with as much
Candor and Impartiality, as Men common-
Jy ftudy Aftronomy, or any other ordinary
Science. Well, but fettling of Doubts is like (p. 13.)
to take up too much Time. [And therefore, I
prefume, 'tis the wileft Way never to fettle
'em at all.] And the very Integrity of tbe
Examiner, will be the natural Impediment t$
bis Difpatcb.
Let him take Courage ; 'tis evident, his
Difpatch is in no great Danger of being
hurt from that Quarter. But what Doubts
does he talk of ? If he means Doubts of a
Critical Nature, concerning the Senfe of fome
particular difficult Paffages of Scripture : —
The Anfwer is, that no ordinal y Chriftian
has occafion to puzzle his Head about fuch
Doubts at all. If he means Doubts concerning
the principal Evidences of Chriftianity, we An
fwer, the Credibility of the Gofpel Hiftory,
(founded on the Concurrent Teftimony of
fo many different Nations and Languages)
and the Nature of a Prophecy, and the Na
ture of a Miracle, that thefe are Points fo
level to the meaneft Capacity, that none but
fuch as make a Trade oS Doubting, need
doubt about 'em a Moment. The Truth
oS it is, That the Difficulties of Chriftianity
lie in the Will, and not in the Underftanding. Let

[ 175]
Let the Will, therefore, be but honeft and
fincere, and the Underftanding fhall eafily
fettle all Doubts, without much Lofs of
Time. 'Tis true, fettling of Doubts, may
take up all this Gentleman's Time, if ra
tional Evidence is not good enough for him,
and he goes on to Practice that Golden Rule
of his, in p. 32. of requiring a higher De
gree of Evidence, than the Nature of the
Subject can pqfftbly admit. But, as to Chri
ftianity, — let him confider the Time it re
quired to fettle the Doubts of the Self-
taught Pbilofopbers of old. How long' were
they a fettling the great Doubt, Whether-
there was one God, or no God, or ten Thou-
fand Gods ? * It was a main Drift of Chri
ftianity to fettle our Doubts at once, —
to fave our Time ; and prevent our fool
ing it away upon fuch Doubts, as were ei
ther not wordi fettling at all, or, never to be
fettled by mere human Reafon.
Again -, Ibid. Page 13. Rational Faith may
not come Time enough to regulate our Practice.
Meaning, as he explains himfelf, that be
caufe the fettling or our Religious Doubts,
muft indeed take up fome Time ; it thence
follows, that perchance it may take up all
our Time. Then begging the Queftion,
and taking it for granted, that every Man is
under an abfolute Neceffity of Doubting for
ever ;
* I think the Number came to thirty Thoufand at laft.

[ f-7* ]
ever ; he very wifely infers, - that therefore it
can never be neceffary to fettle our Doubts at
¦all. That is,','a Man muft doubt- for ever, be
caufe he muft doubt. As this doughty Argu
ment came probably from a Tea-Table, (be
ing undoubtedly a Lady's Reafon) I fhall have
the. good Manners to let it pafs without Cen-
fure ; and proceed to entertain the Reader
with a remarkable Specimen of. our Au
thor's Confiftency with himfelf, occurring in
p. 14. Where he tells us, .That fince the life
of Chriftian Faith is to enable, us to overcome
the World, it muft be quite ufelefs, arid un
fit to direct our Conduct, or influence our Actions^
except we have the Advantage of it in thofe ear
ly Tears, when Reafon is leaft able to form her1
Judgments in our Affiftance. Now it was but
in p. 11. that he maintained it to be. the
wickedeft Thing in the World, to poffefi\ ten
der Minds in favour of a Rational Syftem of -
Religion. But 'tis worth while to obferve
how thefe two Paffages look, when brought
to confront and ftare each other in -the
Face. ..-! v

P. 11.

[ *77 I

p. n.
If our Affent to Chri
ftianity were a Ratio
nal Affent, it would be
highly wicked and un
juft to prepoffefs Men's
tender Minds in any
manner, before they come
to the full Ufe of their
Rational Faculties. But
now, that we are ac
tually commanded with
early Diligence to re
tain our Children as fo
many Votaries to tbe
Caufe we profefs our-
felves, it is plain that
a Rational Affent is by
no Means required at
our Hands.

P. 14.
The Ufe of Faith /*/
to enable us to overcome
the World. But what
fhall become of this Vic
tory, if the Conteft muft
be fo long depending ?
Our Paffions will be be
forehand with ourRea-
foning. — The Habits
of Vice will be taking
deep Root. — For want
of this timely Notice,
the Secret of diftinguift)-
ing may be loft in the
Power of Habit, beyond
Recovery. For want
of early Intelligence, we
may be innocently in
volved in the moft hor
rible Degrees of Guilt.

So that hence we may learn, 1. That Chri
ftianity is Abfurd and Irrational, becaufe > — ¦
we learn it in our Youth. And, 2. That it
would be very abfurd and ufelefs, if not
learnt in our Toutb only.
P. 15. " Let our doubting Difciple lead
" ever fo fober a Life all the while, it will
" entitle him to no Regard at all at the
N " Throne

[ >78]
" Throne of Grace ; becaufe, whatever is not
" of Faith9 is Sin."
I very well know, that a Milk-Diet will
not do the Bufinefs of itfelf. But if this
Difciple is fuppofed to add to a fiber Life, a
fincere and honeft Heart, I then aver, that
the Pofition is a Slander upon Chriftianity.
For fuch a Life, with proper Means of In
formation, will procure him that great Blef
fing (which this Man fo much defpifes) a
true Chriftian Faith. For he that is fincerely
defirous of doing (as well as knowing) tbe Will
of God, fuch an one fliall know of tbe Chri
ftian Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whe
ther it be of Men. As to thofe Words of
St. Paul, — Whatfoever is not of Faith, is
Sin, Rom. xiv. 23. — They evidently denote
no more than this ; — that what a Man does
contrary to the Dictates of Faith (whether an
erroneous Faith or not) that fuch Actions are
finful ; becaufe, fays the Apoftle, fuch an one
condemns himfelf in the Thing that he allows.
Not but that it is undoubtedly true, that all
Moral Actions, not taking their Rife from
Chriftian Faith, muft proceed, more or lefs,
from fome oblique, felfifh and corrupt Prin
ciple or other. All which is occafioned by
chat Original Corruption of our Nature,
which nothing but Chriftian Faith, aided
and affifted by the holy Spirit of God, can
Wholly correct and cure. For though a Man in

[ 179 ]
in a Natural State may do many an Action,
good and beneficial in itfelf, yet, none but a
Regenerate Perfon can act upon fuch Princi
ples as are wholly free from all Mixture of
Imperfection. P. 17. We have the old Difh toffed up
again : That a true Faith being equally necef
fary at all Seafons of our Life, and impoffibU
to be had in our doubting Seafon ; and yet, a
doubting Seafon neceffary to true Faith, becaufit
an Examination is fo'; it follows, that we need
not trouble our Heads at all about a true Faith.
I anfwer, — A true Faith is not equally ne
ceffary at all Seafons of our Life. For the
firft Seafons of it, muft be fpent in Sleeping
and eating Pap ; others, in learning to read ;
others, in learning to judge ; and then, after
that, comes the proper Seafon for true Faith.
And if this Gentleman had but paffed thro'
the third and laft of thefe Seafons, he need
not have been told all this.
P. 18, 19. We find the Creator accufed of
requiring a juft Judgment of Things, and yet not
giving us Abilities to judge at all. But our
Author is miferably out. 'Twas one Pharaoh,
Kirig of Egypt, that ufed to exact Brick
without Straw ; the Creator never did any
Such Thing; He has given us various (but
Sufficient) Abilities ; and will judge us accord
ing to the various Degrees of 'em, and the
N 2 various

[ f«o ]
various Ufe we make of 'em.. But the Mif-
chief is, that God gives Abilities, and the
Devil gives Prejudices ; and we may, if we
think fit, improve thofe Prejudices to that
Degree, as to render our Abilities utterly ufe-
lefs. Had not this been our Author's own
Cafe, he could never have advanced the fol
lowing moft fhocking Abfurdity, at the Foot
cfp. 1 5. That the Truth of the Gofpel itfelf ,
is by no Means the Matter in queftion, — but
his Obligation to affent to it, fuppofing it true.
The Queftion is eafily anfwered, as knotty
as 'tis. He, certainly, is under no Phyfical
Obligation to believe the Gofpel, that I know
of ; for if he pleafes, he may ftill utterly
harden his Heart againft it. But then, he
will, fome time or other, be under a Phyfical
Obligation of feeling the Effects, of a crimi
nal Unbelief.
In p. 20, 21. We have (if I underftand him
right) the Prophecy of Daniel's Weeks, and
as far as I can find, all the Prophecies of the
Old Teftament in general, fairly lopp'd off,
at one jolly Stroke, as Inventions of late
Date. I fay, if I rightly underftand him ; for
he is a little ambiguous here, judging it necef
fary, perhaps, to throw in here and there the
Mift of an ambiguous Expreffion, for the Be
nefit of efcaping thro' it hereafter, in cafe he
fhould happen to be too clofely purfued. All
the ingenious Applications of myfterious Prophe cies,

[ i«x ]
t/**, «»i their References, fays he, rt?v, in my
Opinion, never to be mentioned as Arguments
and Means of Conviction, in behalf of a Truth
deftined to be univerfally received. — As to —
the learned and prof ound Calculation of Daniel'*
Weeks, &c. when he confiders all thefe enlight-
ning Lucubrations as Proofs infifted on, — arid
as calculated for the general and ready Ufe of
all to whom tbe Precept of Believing is addref-
fed ; or, in ftiort, as that which any Part of
the Evidence of Chriftianity is to ft and upon ; —
Such Arguments — inftead of convincing his
Reafon, they rather fuggeft ftrongly to him, that
fuch aPofition [i. e. the Truth oS Chriftianity]
can never be that neceffary Truth, becauSe it
ftands in need of fuch far-fetch' d Apologies, and
laboured Accounts, to reconcile and explain it,
I confider all thefe as, in Truth they are, Inven
tions of late Date, Says he.
Now, does he confider the Prophecies, or
what he calls the Applications of the Prophe
cies as Inventions of late Date ? For my own
Part, I do verily believe, that if he had but
the Courage to fpeak out like a Man, he does
really fufpect the Prophecies themfelves, parti
cularly thofe of the Prophet Daniel, to be In
ventions of late Date. And what wonder ? For
as he muft certainly have heard his Grand
mother talk of the French Prophets here in
Queen Anne's Time, he may naturally enough
fuipect the Prophet Daniel to have been one
N 3 of

[ **» ]
6f 'em. But let him mean which of thefe
two he pleafes, 'tis plain he is equally out in his
Facts. For it is a Truth So well known, that
I fhall not give mySelS the Trouble even to
quote an Author for it, — that the general
Expectation of the Meffiah, which was fo
current over all the Eaft, even before the Birth
of our Saviour, was founded (amongft others)
upon this Prophecy of Daniel's Weeks. If
it was not founded upon this Prophecy, let
this Gentleman account for that general Ex
pectation, upon other Principles. If it was
founded upon it ; why, then the Application
of this Prophecy to the Perfon of Jesus
Christ is fo far from being an Invention of
late Date, that it muft have been an Invention
(if he will give it that fooliffr and improper
Name) of an older Date than even our Lord's
Incarnation. Again. 'Tis evident from fome of the very
Jews diemfelves, that their mifapplying this
Prophecy from the Perfon of Jefus Cbrift, to
that of fome other expected Meffiah*, — was
the immediate Caufe of the Deftrucrion of
their whole Nation. We learn from Jofepbus.
(De Bell. Judaic. Edit. HudSVol. II. p. 1283.)
that this Confederation was the very Thing
that principally ftirred 'em up to rebel againft
the Romans. But Manaffeh Ben Ifrael, in
Speaking oS this very Prophecy oS Daniel (in
Lib. De Term. Vit, Apud Wagenfiil. Tel. Ign.Sat.

[ 'S3 ]
Sat. p. 613.) tells us, yet more exprefiy than
Jofephus does, — that this Interpretation of it,
was received by all who at that Time took up
Arms againft the Romans. I argue therefore,
ift. That fince the Jews were fo wilfully
blind and obftinate, as not to apply this Pro
phecy 'to the true Meffiah ; it was both wife
and juft in God, to fuffer their wilful Mifap-
plication of it, to prove their Punishment,
as it had been their Sin. And, idly, This
is a plain Demonftration, diat fince the Jews
of thofe Times put the fame Conftrudtion
upon this Prophecy that we do now ; it fol
lows, that tho' it may be attended with Dif
ficulties now, when fo many Records are loft ;
ftill, it was free from all Difficulties then,
when the Hiftories of thofe Times that are
contained in Daniel's Period of four Hundred'
and ninety Years, were more compleatly un-
derftood, than now they either are or can be.
So much for this learned Gentleman's Inven
tions of late Date.
But we are further told, it feems, that Chri
ftianity can never be the true Religion, becaufe
it ftands in need of fucb far-fetch' d Proofs and
Apologies. But, we deny that it ftands in
need of 'em. It has 'em, indeed ; — it can
produce 'em upon Occafion ; but it does not
ftand in need of 'em, for — God, out of his
fuprr-abundant Goodnefs, has furnifhed his
Religion with a vaft Variety of Proofs, giving
N 4 us

E 184. ]
L
us good Meafure preffed down, andsunning over*
The Prophecy of Daniel's Weeks is one Proofs
but 'not the Only Proof of Chriftianity. Nor '
is it neceffary for every illiterate Reader, to
have either the Books or the Abilities to clear.
it-' of all its critical Difficulties ; but ftill,— ,
the Prophecy is of ufe to us* (tho' principally
intended for 'thofe indeed, who lived near the.
Time of its1 Completion) for it is what Men
of Learning and Genius may exercife them
felves abbut, with great Pleafure and Profit, '
both to themfelves and others.

But after all, where is the Difficulty to a.i
milling Mind, of applying this Prophecy of
Daniel to the Proof of Chriftianity ? The
CaSe is no more than barely this : Our, Ene
mies the Jews thefnSelves, well know and al
low the Book of Daniel to be authentic This,
Prophet foretold, that at the End of feventy
Weeks, each Week confifting of feven Years,
— that is, at the End of four Hundred and
ninety Years, the promifed Meffiah fhould
come into the World, and fhould be cut off;
and that an End fhould then be put to the
City, Temple, Sacrifices^ and Ecclefiaftical and
Civil Polity of the Jews. All "Mankind
agrees, that thefe Things did happen accord
ingly, either on or upon or about the Time fo
foretold : — that none but Jefus Cbrift alone,
either did (or did pretend to) give any Proof
of being this Meffiah ; and therefore, fince
none.

[ 185 ]

none but God alone could forefee thefe Events
at fuch a Diftance of Time, it follows* that.
God did, by this Prophecy, bear Teftimony
to the divine Authority of Jesus Chbtst.
And I am much miftaken, if there be a Por
ter or a Carmen about Town, who fhall not
readily comprehend this Reafoning, tho' it
be fo much above the Capacity of the learned
Phyfician who is faid to be the Author of all
this idle Sopbiftry.
But if this Gentleman ftill fufpects either
this or any other Prophecy of the Old Tefta
ment to be really not authentic ; I muft then
let him into a Secret well worth his know
ing. I muft tell him, that the different Sects
and Herefies among the Jews of old, and
among the Chriftians fince, have made Peo
ple too diligent Spies upon one another, to
Suffer any Forgeries to be carried on with re
gard to the Canonical Books ; and that this,
probably, was one oS the wile Ends oS Pro
vidence, in permitting theSe Sects and Divi-
fions. There muft be Herefies among us (tho*
Woe to them by whom they came) that they
which are approved may be made manifeft among
us, i Cor. xi. 19.
In^>. 22. He grows indeed a little more
reaSonable, and allows (but after no fmall
mumbling of the Matter about in his Mouth)
that there might be ftill — fome —faint — fhew of

[i86 J
of Foundation — or Pretence for our endeavour
ing — to Multiply — this kind of improved —
Hints, — and fpeculative Refinements upon the
Subject, [i. e. upon the Prophecies] at length
out it comes, — If the Candidates for Heaven
were all Philofophers and Scholars. I proteft
I thought, 'till this Moment, that Chriftiani
ty, according to -this Gentleman's Scheme,
had nothing at all to do with either Philofo-
phy or Scholarfhip, or even with common
Senfe, and took it to be the whole Drift of
his Book to prove as much. But I now find
both thefe Propofitions to be true, that Chri
ftianity both has, and has not, any thing to
do with Philofophy and Scholarfhip. But as
to this new Trope, — Who wonders at it ? To
an Infidel, all Things are poffible, — but Chri
ftian Faith. And, Lord ! How fearfully and
wonderfully made, are the Throats of theft
Men! They can either boggle at a Pill, or
fwallow Mount Atlas.
But as to our ignorant Candidates for
Heaven, — I don't know that we are all ob
liged to be equally wife, any more than we
are to be equally rich. The Confequence is
plai? both Ways. As the Man who wants
Money, muft go to the Rich ; fo he that
wants Wifdom or Learning, muft firft go to
God for his Bleffing, and then go to thofe
that are wife and learned for Inftructions That
is, he muft fay his Prayers and go to Church, for

[ 187 ]

for the Priefts Lips keep Knowledge. This is
what's to be done, by all ignorant Candidates
for Heaven ; and let our Author be fure to
make one among 'em ; and no longer fneer
upon his neglected Preachers. He may chance
to find thofe among - his neglected Preachers,
that may have Spirit, Senfe, and Zeal enough
to fiourge his Neglect with a Whip of Scor
pions. He concludes this Head of his Difcourfe,
by moft heroically and couragioufly maintain
ing, p. 23. That there is not in the whole
World [for his Hand is againft every Man]
one Man breathing, that is capable of fair Rea-
foning. Meaning, I fuppofe, that of courfe
Chriftianity can never be proved by fair Rea-
foning, becaufe there is no fuch thing as fair
Reafoning in the World. I am fure he very
fairly proves himfelf to be no Exception to the
Rule, by fetting out upon the Proof of it,
with as egregious a Piece of Nonfenfe, as
ever dropt from the Quill of a Goofe. 'Tis
couch'd under the following Terms, fo foft,
fo eafy, fo fluent, and genteel. Prejudice,
ever earlier than the firft Effays of Reafon, is as
abfolute a Difqualification for fuch a Tafik [fair
Reafoning] as the, greateft natural Incapacity.
It muft be an active Principle with a Ven
geance, if it acts before it exifts ; for what
is Prejudice, but a Depravity of Reafon?
Again ; He begins the Paragraph with grant ing

s .iss ]
ing every Man living to be naturally as Capable
as we pleafe of judging in thefe Points, yet I
fiill afk,-fays he, Where is the Man living, that
is capable of making the Trial ? — I fhould
have thought, that a Man capable of doing
the Thing, might at leaft be capable of mak>
ing the Trial. Laftfy; As to Prejudice being
as abfolute a Difqualification for fair Reafon
ing, as the greateft natural Incapacity, let him
remember, that there is this flight Difference
between 'em however ; 'tis fully in our Power
to remove a Prejudice, if we are but wife and
honeft ; but we can no more remove a natural
Incapacity, than we can remove a Mountain.
Now for a frefh Head of Difcourfe. We
have hitherto Seen the ReaSons why a rational
Faith in Chriftianity, can never be attained.
And if the Reader ever faw fuch Reafons be
fore, or ever will fee fuch again,' I am much
miftaken. We come now to the Reafons why
a rational Faith, even tho' attained, would not
anfwer the Ends of Faith. And if thefe do
but equal the elder Branch of the Family, we
fhall have Sport enough in the Chace after
'em. But firft he Prefaces, p. 24. What, is
this .Syllogifticol Faith, tbe Faith that was to
triumph over all the Powers of Nature, to make
Men remove Mountains, and walk on the Wa
ter ?¦ No, it is not; the Faith we contend
for, is not the miraculous Faith given in the
early Days of the Church (and which became ufelefs,

[ i89 ]
ufelefs, and ceafed in a few Centuries) but
what we call common or fiaving Faith ; the
fame which this Man So much ftands in need
of. The miraculous Faith, was the imme
diate Gift of God, in Reward of that faving
Faith they firft rationally attained, and as a
Means to help them to communicate it to
others. Now for his Reafons,
Firft, A rational Faith would prove too
cold. For (p. 25.) He that has once experi
enced all the Difficulties and Uncertainties thai
attend a Courfe of Reafoning, will never dare
to abett any of his Difcoveries with Warmth.
Now, that the Primitive Martyrs abetted their,
Difcoveries with Warmth, appears from their
Practice ; for they often abetted 'em upon,
Gridirons. And that theirs was a rational
Faith, appears Srom their Apologies ftill extant;
and (luckily for this Writer) tranflated too.
That thefe holy Men were alfo fupernaturally
affifted in their Sufferings, we both allow
and contend ; What then ?
Again; P. 26, 27, 28. We are told,
that a rational Faith would be too changeable.
And why ? Becaufe if Reafon eftablifh'd this
Faith, the fame Reafon muft have a .Power to
repeal it. But by his good Leave, Reafon, is
not that which eftablifhes our Faith ; but ra
ther i — that Faculty whereby we perceive the
Grounds it. is built on. Now, if thofe Grounds always

[ 190 ]

always remain the fame, (as they always muft)
and my Faculty of perceiving 'em remains
the fame too ; why then, my Faith remains
the fame ; and never can vary, for that very
fame Reafon, viz. becaufe it is a rational Faith.
For if I "lay two or more Facts together, and
clearly perceive fuch Conclufions as refult
from 'em, 'tis in the Power of no Man's
Reafon, but fuch as this Man's, to make
Facts ceafe to be Fact£, and the Relations
between two Facts, ceafe to be Relations. But
would the Reader know what 'twas led our
Author into this Blunder ? Why, 'twas a
Maxim in Law, I fuppofe, and a very good
one too, viz. that the fame Power that efta-
blifhes a Law, can alfo repeal that Law. Ergo,
fays he, if Reafon eftablifhes Faith, Reafon
muft have Power to> repeal it. Could any
Thing but the Brain of a Britifh Infidel di-'
ftill fuch Nonfenfe ? Does it not affect old
Euclid, as well as Jefus Cbrift .? For */ De
monftration firft eftabliftfda Theorem, I prefum'e
thei>i the fame Demonftration muft have Power
(upon his Principles) to repeal it, and prove
it all Nonfenfe.
This wife Theory is confirmed, he tells
us, by our daily Experience, in the Cafe of Con
verts from one Religion to another ; who found-'
ing their Religion upon Reafon, are always
ready to be turned about with every Wind of
Doctrine, as the Evidence fhall fhift to another Point.

[ '9i]

Point. But he is miferably out; for thefe
Cutters and Shufflers change their Religion fo
often, not — becaufe their Faith is, but be
caufe it is not founded upon Reafon. I have
known People make the Grand Tour thro' all
the Religions in Europe, without either know
ing, or perhaps defiring to know, one Tittle
of any one of 'em.
Page 29. A Faith founded upon Reafon, can
not give a Man that Spirit of Comfort in the
Reflection, as the Faith which he contends for.
But what Authority has be to pronounce that,
who profeffes be never knew what 'twas to be
rationally convicted ? He may as well pretend
to affign Reafons why, in cafe he had been
born Blind, he fhould have chofen his Fool's
Coat of yellow, rather than green. As to the
Fact, — I do affure our Author, upon my
Honour, that 'tis falfe, with regard to my
felf ; for I find the bigheft Complacency and
Satisfaction of Mind imaginable, refulting from
a rational Faith. And I take it to be the
Cafe of every Man, who will but follow St.
Peter's Advice, and hold himfelf ready to give
a Reason of the Hope that is in him ¦, having
a good Confidence. As to that great Tranquili
ty of Mind, and Confidence of Spirit, (he. might
have added Confidence of Vifage too) which
thofe Men enjoy who never trouble their Heads
about Religion, he quite miftakes the Cafe ;
the Tranquility and Confidence of fuch Men

I *%2 J
is no more than the Tranquility ;and Confi*
dence of a* Perriwig- Block, the proper Name
of which0 1'&' Infenfibility or Stupidity. But, as
great as their Confidence' ufually, is, J believe
it generally reSembles that of the. old Roman
Infidel, who crept under his Bed every time
it thundered. \r\
In the laft Place, (fays he, p. 30.) no Con
viction drawn from Reafon, can be fujficfffifojo
command our' Paffions, or make us vir}uoM
againft Gur Inclinations. I afk again; How
does'-hei" who profefies not to know what ra
tional Conviction is, how, I fay does he know
how far it fhould be able to command -the
Paffions ? Let him anfwer1 for himfelf, if he
pleafes ; but if he has a Mind to anfwer for
others too, let him firft confult the Marlyrolo-
gies, and then tell us how far rational Convic
tion, aided and affifted by the Grace of God,
is able to carry a Man. How many Thour
fands has it carried into the Fire, in defpite of,
that fovereign Paffion, Self-Love or Self-Pre-
fervation ? And that rational Conviction was
their real Motive appears from the Accqunts
of the holy Sufferers themfelves. The Truth
of the Matter, candid Reader, I take tp be
this : Our Author having heard fay, that an
Argument a Priori, was the moft reputable
Kind of Argument, and finding it his own
Cafe, that Religion can't bridle his Paffions, »
therefore, thinks he, if I do but begin to ar
gue

[ *93 ]
gue from myfelf firft, I have then a fair Ar
gument k Priori, that rational Conviction can
bridle the Paffions of no Body elfe. In fhort,
if this Argument has any the leaft Senfe or
Meaning in it, it muft ftand upon this Poftw
latum, " That the human Race, are as inca-
** pable of being fwayed by Reafon, or any
" other Motive, but the immediate Objects
" of Senfe, as the very Beafts of the Field."
And o'my Confcience, were many of my Fel
low-Creatures capable of arguing as our Au
thor does, at the Top of p. 32. I'd readily al
low him to fink the Value of the human Un
derftanding, as low as he pleafes. As I look
opon this Paffage to be the Coryphaeus of the
whole Work, 1 fhall give it the Reader at large.
Page 32. I will very readily grant you all
the moral Certainty in thefe Proofs, that you
can defire ; and farther, that this is indeed the
higbeft Degree of rational Evidence, that the
Nature of the Subject can poffibly admit. What
I contend for, is, that it must be something
still greater, and more abfolutely conclu-
Jiiie and fatisfactory, to anfwer the Purpofe of
enforcing a holy Life, and to weigh in the Scalp
againft demonftrative Good.
Being really unable to oblige this Gentle
man in the modeft Petition he makes, for a
higher Degree of rational Evidence, than the
Nature of the Subject will, poffibly admit ; even
O fome-

[ *94 ]
femetbing ftill greater than the very Nature ref
the Thing fa be proved will bear, being yet
willing, I fay, to do all I can to oblige him,
I have put hisRequeft into Capitals ; which
tho' not greater indeed than the Nature of tbe
Subject will poffibly admit, are however, fome-
tbing ftill greater than his Italics. For I do
affure the Reader, that for fear this Demand
of his fhould efcape the Public Notice; he*
has actually printed it in Italics. I think he
fhould wear that Sentence about his Neck as
long as he lives, engraved on a golden Me
dal made of Lead, if the Nature of tbe Sub
ject, I mean* will poffibly admit it.
Ye Sons of Tipperary, fhall we laugh, or
fhall we weep, at fuch an Abufe of God's
moft excellent Gift, the human Underftand
ing ? No wonder the defending Sword muft play
full in tbe Sight of fuch a Man, or the delict-'
ous Apple of Sin will infallibly befnatch*d at,
for want of a DiffuaJive of equal Force id rt-'
ftrain him ; I warrant him, the fure Lofs both "
of the Hand and the Head too, of fuch a '
^Reafoner, would ne'er refrain him from fnatch*
ing at tbe Fruit.
As to his calling in Queftion, at the Bot
tom of this memorable Page (the 32.) the
Sufficiency of a rational Faith, to produce it
faithful Martyr upon Occafion ; enough/ has
been laid to that already. But if he has a
Mind

[ 195 ]
Mind to have any Thing more upon that
Subject, let us examine his Solution of the
Matter. He attributes the refolute Sufferings
of the Martyrs, wholly to the Impulses of
the Spirit, to the Exclufion of all rational
Conviction. Now, this Man (in p. 64) rea
dily allows the Impulfes of the Spirit, to be
refiftible by Men of Obftinacy, Impiety and
Perverfenefs. Therefore, upon this Writer's
own -Principles, what could poffibly induce
thefe Martyrs fo far to obey the Dictates of
the Spirit, as to undergo their Sufferings ?,
Why, nothing furely but a rational Conviction.
of the Impiety, Folly and Perverfenefs of refitt
ing 'em. , Therefore a previous rational Con
viction is neceffary, by his own Account, toi
render the Influences of the Spirit at all. ef
fectual. I well know, that even this rational
Conviction, is faid to be the Work of the Spi
rit. But how, and in what Senfe? Does. the
holy Spirit ever pour into our SquJs Convic
tion without Proof (which in other Words* is
no more than Entbufiaftic Perfuafion ?) No
"Sure ; , it only aids and affifts us in throwing
off thofe Paffions and Prejudices, which fetter
our Reafon, and won't allow it fair play. For
let me tell him, human Reafon, will rarely
bring in a wrong Verdict, provided that it
Sets out upon, the Enquiry ; Firft, With Suf
ficient Data, or Materials to work upon ; arid,
Secondly, With an entire Freedom from Paf-
fion and Prejudice. If therefore the Spirit,
O 2 firft

[ 196 ]
firft gives us Sufficient Data, as it does in the
Scriptures; and then gives our ReaSon fair
play, by clearing tbe Stage of it from Paffion
and Prejudice ; — why then, — rational Con
viction naturally follows. And, it as natu
rally follows, that this rational Conviction
may properly be called the Work of tbe Spirit:
not indeed the Work of the Spirit folely, but
of the Spirit co-operating; with our own free
Will. Such is the Reafon our Author has to
vaunt, in p. 33. that if the holy Martyrs bad
no furer Principle (than rational Conviction)
to bear 'em out in their Sufferings, Abneb.'x
Elegy would have fuited the beft of 'em, Died
be as a Fool dies. Let him reftore the inter
rogative Point, and it fuits 'em well. For,
Died tbey as Fools die ? No. In tbe Sight ef
theUnwife tbeyfeemed to die, and their Depar
ture was taken for Mifery. FOOLS counted
their Lives Madnefs, and tbeir End to be with
out Honour. But tbey are in Peace. For- tho3
tbey were pmift)ed in the Sight of Men, yet
were tbeir Hopes full of Immortality. How
are tbey numbered with the Children of God,
and tbeir Lot is among the Saints / Where
our Author's Lot, will never fall, if he dies
in his prefent State of B'afphemy, Ignorance
and Stupidity.
At the Conclufion of this Head of Dif-
courfe, he modeftly ariSwers both for himfelf,
and all Mankind, that the exceeding Weight of
Glor

[ x97 ]
Glory will have but little Weight with us, 'till
we behold tbe Son of Manjtanding plainly be
fore our Eyes, and not thro* tbe dim andobfcure
Perspectives of Hiftory and Tradition, tofup-
port and reward us. Why, 'us true, — No
thing appears plain to thofe who will always
chufe to look thro' an Owl's Light ; and to
them who quite Unit their Eyes — nothing
at all appears. Therefore, if this Author
waits 'till we can give him higher Evidence
than tbe Nature of tbe Thing will poffibly
admit ; I muft tell him, that the Sight of
the Son of Man, is a Sight that he is in no
fair Way of beholding, 'till the Son of Man
fhall come to judge him for his obftinate
Infidelity. And if he won't be contented
to look with the Eyes of a rational Faith,
he may thank himfelf for the Confequence.
But God grant him Repentance ; and that
the Contempt and Laughter of his Fellow-
Creatures here, which is the juft and jnevi-
. table Confequence of fuch Reafonings as his
own, may bring him to a true Senfe of him
felf, before * tis too late ; — before be and
his Book become the Scorn and Derifion of
Devils. We come now to his fecond Head of Dif-
courfe ; in which he is to fhew Scripture
Authority for all the Nonfenfe we have juft
- been laughing at. And if he proves as good
as his Word, we'll readily allow the Scrip-
: ~ O 3 tures

[ i9» ]
tures to, be. as ridiculous, a Book, £S he bjm,
felf could have Written. k , He fets out with \a
Preamble to his Scripture Proofs, which if
it has any Meaning at all in it, muft repre
fent the Gofpel as addreffing itfelf to Man
kind, in, the following Terms : " Judge fphe-
"' theryou have Time or net ; judge whether
" you are Judges or not ; judge all for your-
'" felves, and yet judge all alike" Surely the fV^an
raves. Let him Specify his Facts. Who was
ever ordered to judge, without having fuffi
cient Time to judge in ? Where does Chrifti
anity enjoin aqy Man to judge whether he has
Abilities to judge or no? And, as- for '¦'¦Judge
all 'for yourfilves, and, yet, judge all alike." —
Why, if all Men have the fame Data, . fujfir
cient Abilities, ,.ax\d are equally Honeft an<h
Induftrious, they muft of couife judge all
alike. But what puzzles' this poor Man's
Under (landing, feems to me to be this, viz.
t-^e, Itupoffibility of Men's judging all ajike,
becaufe why ? Why, becaufe each Man judges
feparately for himfelf. Therefore, if five
Hundred Men are altogether at a Concert of
Mufic, 'tis impoffible, I fuppofe, they fhould
all hear the fame Tune at the fame Time,
becaufe, — each Man hears for himfelf. No
thing, . I prefume, can (in his Judgment)
make 'em all hear alike, but the Hearing,
thro' one long Pair of Ears, com mon to the
whole Affembly. Now, .whether all, my
Readers have much 'Time to judge or not, or.
whether

[ 199 J
whether they are ajl very acute Judges or not ;
ftill I dare anfwer for 'em, they'll all judge
Jor themfelves, and yet judge all alike, that
Such a Difputant as this Gentleman, is like
ly t6 meet with but Small SucceSs in the Ex-
pofition and Application of Scripture ; and
of Scripture too, brought to argue againft
its own Authority. However, he is fo fure
of his Point, that it is, it feems, entirely un
controvertible. But no Wonder; a happy
Coalition of Ignorance and Stupidity, will
always generate a good Degree of Confi
dence. But to proceed. The plain narrative
Part of Scripture Hiftory, fo far as it relates
to the Bufinefs of planting the Gofpel, and the
Manner by which it was attempted ; [I proteft,
I thought 'twas effected, as well as attempted}
ofwbicf} we have happily for h rs Purpofe (and
I hope as happily for mine) fo exacf and di-
ftinct an Account there given us. On this
Ciriumftance, fays he, I fhall chiefly reft my
Appeal. With all my Heart ; let us join If-
fue then, without Lofs of Time.
P. 36. Did our Saviour himfelf, then, lay tbe
Argiiments and Proofs of his Miffion frankly be
fore his Difiiples, and then give them Time to
confider calmly of their Force, and Liberty to
determine thereon, as their Reafon ftiould direct
them ? — No fuch Matter. For his Part he
taught them, as one having Autho
rity. And well he might ; for let us but
O 4 ftop

[ 200 ]
ftop a Moment, and confider a little the pre
vious Methods made ufe of by the infinite
"Wifdom, to eftablifh, beyond all reafonable
Contradiction, that Divine Authority by
which he taught.
The Sceptre was now, in every Senfe of it,
departed from Judah -, for Judah was under
the Dominion of an Edomile Prince, and he a
Tributary to the Roman Emperor. The
Hope of Ifrael was brought to a Crifis, by the
Expiration of Daniel's Weeks ; which pointed
out the Meffiah's Appearance, at the very
Time in which our Lord began his Miniftry.
The whole Jewifh Nation underftood that fa
mous Period to be now expired : They
grounded their Expectation of the* Meffiah's
Inftant Appearance upon it ; and he that
denies this Fact, may as well deny the Exift-
ence of the Jewifh Nation at that time.
'Tis notorious, that a Parcel of Court •Syco
phants, (who learnt their Religion in a draw
ing Room) took the Advantage of this general
Expectation of the Nation, to fet up Herod
for the Meffiah; and were from thence cal-
- ced, Her odians. Be it remembered too, that
before our Saviour called any one Difciple,
John the Baptift had prepared the Natiorf to
receive him ; — that he had borne his Public
Teftimony, of him, to all thofe who went out
¦to him and they were (Matt. iii. 5. and Mark
j. 15.) no lefs then J erufalem, and alljudes.

[ 201 ]

and all tbe Region round Wout Jordan. At
which very Time, (for it'came to pafs in tboft
Days, fays St. Mark 'exprefly, ch. i. 9.) Jefus
himfelf came atnongft them ; received' the
Public Teftimony of John the Bapiift ;' had the
Holy Ghoft vifibly lent down upon him ; and
was, proclaimed to be the Son of God, by a
Voice from Heaven. Let this Objector an
fwer mfe plainly •, Were thefe, Arguments and
Proofs of a Divine Miffion, or not? Was the
Manner in which they were propounded, fair
and frank, or not ? Had the Difciples Time
enough, and Liberty enough to determine there
on, of no ? - Or could their Reafon direct
them to determine otherwife thereon, than it
did ? — Viz. That tbey had found him of whom
Mofes in the Law, and the Prophets did
write. So little Reafon has this Man to talk
as he does, in p. 37. viz. That "the Apo-
" {ties knew nothing of Reafoning." 'Tis evi
dent, they knew enough both of Reafon and
Revelation too, to make a reafonable, and a
ready Application of the latter, to the Divine
Authority of our Lord. And 'tis clear from
the facred Hiftory, that the Converfion of
everyone of the Difciples, was wrought by
rational Motives, addreffed to honeft upright
Hearts. Well ; but after all thefe public Proofs of
our Lord's Divine Authority ; when the
Pharifees came tempting of him, and feeking a
Sign, he ftghed deeply at their Perverfenefs, (p.
3 80

[ 202 ]
g 8.) and ftiled them a foolifh and adult enus
Generation ;*when at the fame Time, it was
their Duty, fays he, tofeek a Sign. But I fay,
it was their Duty to feek rational Conviction.
Had that been their principal Motive, they
might have had both "that, and their Sign too.
But they fought for Signs, hot as Means of
rational Conviction, but with an Intention to
pick Holes in 'em. Befides, thefe Pharifees
came tempting him ; i. e. they- wanted to' make
a- frefh Trial of his Power, after they had had
fufficient Proofs of it already. The infinite
Wifdom knew their Motive, and therefore
very wifely refufed them that,, which, if
granted, would have -done them no good,
but rather have enhanced their Condemnation.
And this Reafoning was juftified fully in the
Event, for when thefe People were Eye-wit-
neffes of any, the moft clear indifputable Mi
racle, What was the Confequence ? Were
they Converted ? No ; but inftead of that,
their Way was to afcribe the Miracle (with
equal Wifdom and Piety) to the Aid of the
Devil. '¦'''¦¦
Again ; P. 38. We find the Apoftles were
as bad as their Mafter.- For they gave not
any Conceffions of Time, for Doubting or Deli
beration. VVhen a Man tells me a Lye to my'
Face, I have nothing to do,: but to tell him
fo. However for the Sake of good Manners,
I will only tell our Author, at prelent, that He

[ 2o3 ]
He is out in his Method,, .For, after he had
lopt off the. Prophecies of the Old Teftament,
as Inventions of late, Date, (p„ % i , where, by
rights, he fhould have given us their true and
real Pate) when his Hand was in, he fhould
have gone on, and ftruak off the Acts of "the
Appftles too ; for that whole Book is one con
tinued Confutation of that infamous Slander.
-However, in^». 39. he endeavours to make
the,Apoftles amends, by furnifhing 'em with
an jExcufe for this ill Practice of theirs. They
haft riot, Time to Difpute, not they.: No ; the
Harveft was plenteous upon their Hands. Their
Office was only to circulate their Creeds, It
was Qualification enough for a Miffionary to bev
furnilhed with his Manifefto. Let me tell him,
thefe: Preachers were furnifhed . with a better
Manifeftp, than ever Cardinal Fleury dxew up.
It was drawn inTermsfoainanfwerably ftrong
and-clear, that all the Towers of Nature, even
the, very Devils themfelves, came into an ex
tempore Subfiription to- it. Nor would our
Britifh Infidels have been fo long behind-hand
with thefe latter, in point of Compliance,
had not the Manifefto borne hard upon two or
three favourite Vices that I could name., For,
whatever is pretended,, there lies the Difficul
ty :¦' tis contrary to fome Men's Intereft to
hope. Chriftianity is true, and contrary to their
Courfe and Manner of Life, to profefs that
they believe it. Again ;

[ 2o4 ]
Again; To his great Admiration, Thou-
fdnds at a Time were actually convinced by a
fingle Lecture ; fo mightily grew the Word of
God and prevailed, Says; the Ideot Grinner.
Why, theSe Believers, Man, had all Seen the
Manifefto ; arid therefore Could not find the
leaft Room to ftart new Difficulties. 'Well,
but how Could fo many Thoufands be rationally
convicted, all at a Time? Oh! Sir, I tell you
how : r BecauSe they could all' think rationally
at a Time, without taking Turns to think,
one after another. '. More efpecially, if the
Audience was but free from Philosophers of
your own Size, 'demanding ftronger Evidence
than the Nature of tbe Subject would poffibly
admit. Then again ; As the Apoftles had not
Time, fo (p. 40.) neither had they Skill and
Addrefs to manage' a Contr overfly. From whence
we gain one Point however, that there was
no Prieftcraft among 'em. For it evidently
requires more Skill and Addrefs to conduct an
Impofture, than it does to defend a plain arid
naked Truth. However, their want of Skill
and Addrefs was pretty well fnade up1 to 'em
another Way, for he that gave ' therri their
Commiffion, and furnifted them with their Ma
nifefto ; gave 'em alfo a Mouth and Wifdom,
'which all their Adverfaries were not able to
gainfay nor refift. • >u Next,

[ 205 ]

Next, comes a Sneer upon St4 Paufr for
difilairning all Acquaintance with human Learn-
ning, the Moment he commenced an Apoftle ; — .
refilvmgto -know nothing, but Jefus Cbrift, and
him cmeified, left the Crofs of Cbrift fhould be
made of none Effect. But what's all this to
the Purpofe? except our Author can prove
that the Apoftle disclaimed the Ufe of human
Reafon, as well as his human Learning; which
he that attempts to prove, muft firft difcard
theUfe of his own Senfes. All that St. Paul
here profeffes to difclaim, was Judaifm, or
Heathen Philofophy, or both. And it, had
been well, if the Church had followed his
Example in after Ages. For if this Man can
look into Ireneus, Epiphanius, or Auftin, ,he
may there find, that almoft all the ancient
Herefies, fprang from the Root — either of
Judaifm, or Heathen Philofophy ; particularly
Plajmifm, and what's worfe, Platonifim cor
rupted. The Herefies of the former kind,
the Church has pretty well got rid of ; but
we/jtill labour under the latter in Quietifm,
Myfticifm, Quakerifm, Methodifm, and all other
Branches of Ent.bufiafm. And that Spirjt of
pure and heavenly Wifdom, by which that
great Apoftle, both Spoke and wrote, enabled
him to foreSee all this, and to forewarn the
Church of their Danger ; oftly theChurch
has always more, or lefs, abounded with Men
of this Writer's Size of Underftanding, whofe
inward Light difdains the Guidance of an in
fpired Apoftle. P. 43.

[ 206]
P. 43. Hb argues thus: '- The rational Evi
dence offered in Behalf of '¦' Chriftianity, unfbi-
tunatebprequires one equa^ Degree of Capacity tb'
apprehend, and give' it a proper Hold and Influ
ence ; and therefore cannot be the Meanswhich
God makes' 'ufe 'of to draw all Men to himfelf.
A falfe Conclufion this, unfortunately- drawn
from falfe Premifes. For tho' the Capacities
of all, upon whom this Talk is laid, muft
indeed be equal to — or fit for — the'TafkH'
it does not therefore follow, that they muft
all be equal to one another. For God may
have given the meaneft Reafoner, a Capacity
fufficient to apprehend both the Scope and
Evidence of Chriftianity : and if this be given
to the meaneft Reafoners, 'tis of courfe given
to thofe of higher Capacity ; becaufe the
greater comprehends the lefs. So much for
the Confequence. As to the Premifes, — we
anfwer, — that the Evidences of the Truth of
Chriftianity, are many and various. Some
.are fit to exercife the Wit and Induftry of the
acuteft and moft refined Reafoners ; others
are adapted to the loweft Degree of human
Capacity. Therefore, one equal Degree of Ca
pacity or Apprehenfon, is nOt required1 in alt
thofe who are the proper Subjects of Reve-1
lation. Again, we fay ; there neither is, nor'
can be, any fure and certain Connection^ be
tween even, the cleareft rational Evidence, arid
a proper Hold and Influence upon our Actions,
proceeding from that Evidence. Becaufe,— let

t 207 ]
Jet. Evidence be as inconteftably clear and
ftrong as you will, yet, as the Will of thofe
to whom it is directed, is, and muft be, free,
they may obftinately refufe to be fwayed by
it, if they pleafe. Thus, the Devils them
fehes believe, and tremble, and yet,..—, they
obftinately rebel. And tho' a Britifh Infidel
may not, perhaps, have the Senfe to imitate
tbeir trembling, lie may yet be Fool enough.
to Copy tbeir Obftinacy ; and, like them, . rebel
againft the plaineft Evidence, and ftrongeft
Conviction. . >-.
P. 44. If a Man is to be held only by bis
own Reafonings in the Point, what is this but
directly Licenfing a Diffent from the Gofpel,
whenever its Evidence may happen not to ob
tain ?
May happen not to obtain ! As if the Suc
cefs of Gofpel-Evidence depended upon
Chance, like a Game at Dice. , No, Sir,
Whenever Gofpel-Evidence want Succefs, 'tis
not becaufe the Luck runs againft a Man, nor
becaufe his Stars are in fault ; but becaufe he
has wilfully and obftinately drawn upon him
felf, jwhat you call Qo. 45.) the infuperable Inr
capacity of a particular Infidel Make^ and Ah-
tkhfiftian Complexion. Therefore, — 'tis One
Thing to fubmit the Gofpel fairly to-a Man's
own Reafon, and another to grant him a di
rect Licenfi to diffent from it, contrary to
Reafon. From

[ 208 ]
Fropi.the Middle of this 44th,, to the End
of the 45th p, the Man feems to me to be in
a ftrong pelirium. Talks of Peoples being
confifained to refufe the Tender of a Saviour's
Mediation, thro' fome natural Infiinct and Im
pediment. — — Of the great Judge of Hearts,,
actually declaring in Favour of the JUST Ex-.
cep tions offincere Unbelievers ; and yet, at the
fame Time, punifhing the wilfully Obftinate and
Difobedient. — — Of God's doing fuch Me$.\
the Juftice to acknowledge their equal Merit in
their Oppo/ition ; (that is in their Oppofitiont
to himfelf!) and inviting them, of courfe, to.\
take their Places among the Saints, and, to* fit
down with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and:
with all the Martyrs and Confeffors. Rare.-,
Company for Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob I
Now, as the Devil has always been the fincer* ,
eft and heartiefi Oppofer of the Gofpel, of any
we read of, I hope our Author will do him
the Juftice to place him at the upper End of
the Table, and acknowledge his fuperior Me
rit in the Opposition. But I wave all further
Remarks upon this Rhapfody, becaufe at the
Bottom of this 45th p. he feems to recover a
little from his Fit, himfelf plainly grantingit
to be all Nonfenfe. But, to what Purpofe,
then, does he let it ftand in his Book ?
Why, as a proper Introduction, it feems, to
fuch a Differtation on the Chriftian Miracles,
as is itfelf the moft amazingly miraculous., It

[ 209 ]
It begins at' p. 46; where our Author Sets
outopon this new Head of Difcourfe, asiifual,
with the Old Trope in his Mouth, — a flagrant
Piece of Nonfenfe. Tou'll fay, fays he, that
if "theft Founders of Chriftianity, did not indeed
appeal to Mens reafoning Faculty, — ftill, they
appealed to tbeir Senfts, by performing Miracles
before tbeir Faces. Now, if the Senfes do but
make a faithful Report to the Underftanding
(as, to do 'em Juftice, they commonly do)
a Body would think, that an Appeal to the
Senfes, was an Appeal (and a pretty earneft
one too) to the rational Faculty likewife.
Nay, I fhould be .glad if this Writer would
let'me know (either by the Penny-Poft, or by
any other Way of appealing to my Senfes, how
"tis poffible to appeal to the Underftanding,
but thro' the Intervention of the Senfes. But to
proceed :
Miracles were not meant as Arguments for
Chriftianity, fays he ; Firft,. Becaufe they have
been ufed by ImpoftoTs, in favour of falfe Do-
3?in:s. Were not meant as Arguments ? Not
meant f • — What were they recorded for then ?
Why r1 id both our Lord and his Difciples fo
co^ faintly appeal to 'em, as to — unanfwer-
ab'.e A; y-uments ? ' What, do the facred Wrir
tel* record them only as fo many Objections to
their own divine Authority ? Sure, the Devil
begin? to doat, in thefe latter Ages. But Mi
racles, fays lie, have been wrought by Impo-
ftors, in favour of falfe Doctrines. I don*t
P deny

t 210 ]
deny this ; but only beg the Reader to, take
Notice oS the Medium, this Abortive Child of
Logic makes uSe of to prove it by -, becaufe
the Scripture forewarns us of Lying Wonders.
Put his Argument therefore into plain Lan
guage, (I had like to have faid plain Senfe)
and it runs thus : " Real Miracles may be.
" wrought in Proof of a falfe Doctrine, be-
*' caufe the Scripture fays, that pretended,
*' falfe, fictitious, or Lying Wonders, may be
" wrought with that Intent."
However, allowing him that real Miracles
have been, and may be again wrought,- in
Proof of an Impofture ? — What then ? Does
not he himfelf confefs in the next Sentence,
that the Scripture has given us a fecure Mark
to try 'em by ? Viz. the Fruits or Works of
thofe who perform fuch Miracles ? If there
fore it be confeffed, that the Miracles (whe
ther real or pretended) wrought bylmpoftors,
are doomed to carry their own Confutation
along with them -, how can this Man argue
from hence, that no Miracles (not even the
moft real, genuine, and inconteftable Ones)
can be fure Marks of a true Doctrine ? And
we may depend upon it, that the wife, juft,
and good Providence of God will always take
Care (as hitherto it always has done) eithet
that fuch Impoftors, as are fo Hypocritical
and Saint-like, as not to betray themfelves by
their Fruits or Works, fhall have no Power
of working Lying Wonders; — or, that fuch as
' fhall

[ 2I1 3

thall have the PoWtr of working tying Won~
Jer}, fhall always betray themfelves by tbeir
Fruits or Works : So that no Impoftor fhall
ever1 be able to wear the compleat 'Difgpife of
a divine Commiffion.
But to cut fhort this Difpute, I (hall here take
the Liberty to infert the Subftance of what I
once had Occafion to advance, in a Contro
versy I had, fome Years ago, with a Perfon
whofe Principles feemed to me to confift of
Quakerifm and Methodifm, melted down and
confolidated together. The Subftance of what
I thereadvanced upon the Subject of Miracles,
Was,— that when we read of Miracles wrought
(with God's Permiffion) by evil Spirits, real
Magicians, or by human Impoftors, we fhall
always find 'em diftinguifh'd from thofe
brought in Atteftation of Chriftianity, by one
or more^of the following remarkable conco
mitant Circumftances.
Firft, That God never once permitted the
Performers of Lying Wonders, to build (or
even aim at the Building of) any new Syftem
of Religion upon the Authority of 'em. The
pretended Popifb Miracles are no Exception
to this Rule ; for they are Lying Affertions,
and not Lying Wonders. The lame is to be
faid of Nums'i Intercourfe with the Nymph
Egeria. As for Mahomet, 'tis evident be pre
tended to no Miracles at all, wrought in pub-
p '2 Hc :

[ i" ]
lie : tho?, he has indeed, the Impudence and
Folly to pretend he; has, perform' d 'em in pri
vate. Thus for Inftance,,.he Somewhere pre
tends, as I remember, that he cut off a great
Piece of the Moon one Night ; but as the
moft accurate of our Aftronomers could never
yet difcover where the Slice is wanting, we
fhall venture to rank this Miracle, under the
fame Head of Lying Affertions.
, , Secondly, We read that all fuch Impoftors
as wrought Miracles of any Kind, that are
well attefted ( I particularly mean the Magi
cians of Egypt) were nonplufs'd at laft ; and
confequently their Power was thereby plainly
fhewn to be not Divine.
Thirdly, The Plot was always marred by
their maintaining fome concomitant Abfur-
dity of other ; which was another Token of
their true Origin. For Inftanee, Simon Magus
held, if I rightly remember, that the Syftem
of the. World argued, not the Wifdom but the
Folly of the Creator : a Demonftration this,
that his Signs and Wonders came not from
God. For not even any rational Man,
not . even this Gentleman himfelf, can be
thought fo weak as to authorize any one (ex
cept his Printer and Publifher perhaps^ to
make it appear to all the World, that he him
felf is a Fool. Fourthly,

[ 213 ]j
Fourthly^ Whereas the Miracles of the true
Meffiah, were foretold by Prophecies indis
putably autheritic, whereby the World was
prepared, to expect Such mighty Works,' as
alSo to examine well the Truth ands Reality
of 'em : — on the contrary, all the Lying-
Wonders we read of, either wanted fuch Pre
diction, or, if they were predicted, — it was
in a manner not much to the Reputation of
their Authors.
Fifthly, The Miracles really, literally, and
publickly wrought, in behalf of Divine Reve*
lation, did at the fame time allegorically al
lude to, and as it were inculcate, Some5 of the
moft important Truths of Religion and Mora
lity. Whereas, the Miracles wrought, ' or pre
tended to be wrought among the : Heathens,
were always of a trifling, childifh and ridicu
lous Nature, like thofe of our Modern Jugglers.
Sixthly, I believe I may lay it down as %
general Rule, that the Miracles boafted of
by fome ancient Heathens, were never re
corded, or even pretended to be recorded, by
Eye-Witneffes. Whereas, thefe wrought in
Proof of Chriftian Revelation constantly
were. Let any Man, by thefe Notes, exa
mine all the Miracles that are, or perhaps
ever will be recorded ; and he'll eafily diftin-
guifh the Finger of God, from that of the
Devil.
P 3 But

[2*4 3
But while I. was actually employed in cor
recting thefe Sheets from the Prefix a Book.
came to my Hands, juft cpublifh'd by the
Reverend Mr. Weftsn, Felfpw of , iStt John^xs
Colleges- Cambridge^ " concerning the Caufes5
" that induced the ancient Heathens to .flight
"and. reject the Evidence of the Chriftian^
*' Miracles," as tthey undeniably did. From
this .Book* the Reader may eeap good Satis
faction upon this Point of Miracles. The
Matter of it is new and curious, and as far as,
I am able to judge of it, from Only fuch a,
curfory Perufal, as I have hitherto had Time
to give it^ it feems to me to be handled with
great Learning and Judgment -, to that I fhall
-venture to calbit'— A Work highly ufeful fp
tbe Caufe of Chriftianity. This Gentleman
accounts for the anGient Heathens flighting
-the Evidence of Miracles, -r- " From the fup-
*' pofed Intercommunity of their Gods ; r- -
" From the Cheats and Impofitions of their
" pretended Oracles ; — From the Influence
" of Magic; t- The fuppofed Multiplicity
" of their Gods, &c ." I could only wifh he
had dwelt longer on the true Caufe of their
being, fo eafily carried away with the Notions
of Magic : for thofe Notions were doubtlefs.a
principal Caufe of their flighting the Evi
dence of real Miracles. And what wonder?
For, how could they who knew not what
Nature was, nor by what Laws fhe was go
verned, how could tbey, I fay, distinguish between

[ "5 ]
between Natural and. Preternatural. 'Twas
therefore evidently the Want of Natural Know
ledge, or Skill in true Philofophy, that laid the
ancient Heathens open to the Impofitions of
Pretended Magic ; and made them equally
fufpect all Pretences to Miracles, becaufe fome
they knew to be Impofitions. Accordingly,
Experience fhews us, that we are indebted tb
the Newtons, Boyles, and Hales's of the Age,
for putting to Flight the Whimfies of Magic
and Witchcraft, juft as Light difpels Dark'
nefs ; while Climates not productive of fuch
Men as your Newtons, Boyles and Hales's, are
ftill as much enflaved to the Notions of Ma
gic as ever. In fine, the Improvers of Natural
Knowledge axe the only Men that can teach us
to diftinguifh between real and pretended Mi
racles. But 'tis now Time for us to return to
our Oppofir of Chriftianity, whom the World,
I hope, will now readily eriough acquit of the
Charge of being a Wizzard or a Conjurer.
P. 47. The Miracles of our Lord and his
Apoftles, were only — natural Effects of Gof
pel Benevolence. Then follows about half a
Page of fomething, to which I would make
a Reply with all my Heart, if I could but
underftand it. Let the Courteous Reader
be fo good as to try if he can make it out ';
for i" for my Part, am utterly nonphft. But
hear him : One might alledge yet further, that
all this wonderful and miraculous Evidence, as
P 4 you

you regard it,< was indeed, inStriMnefs, but the
" naturals Effect of their •Da&riia,inftead, of any
fupernatural Proof of its Veracity -, < which may,
be -beft: learnt, by confideringfhe Nature of thefe
extraordinary Actions, and the Occafions upon
which. they were, generally- produced. Fat>'Jn->
fiance, the mighty Act of c&fting out Devils^
does not furely neceffarily imply any fuch Purpofe..
in it, as \the mere jhewing: of Divine. Power.
The diftodging that potent and infidious Advert
fary of Mankind, from his ufurped Seats. in, a..
human Br eaft,. feems to carry Jn itmanifefi. Rea
fon enough of its own befides^without any fuch
impofedConftruStiahofit. u Far may it. not ra-,.
ther be confidered naturally enough, as. an Act •
only in the Way of their Function, and abfolute
ly never to be omitted by-:fia;b,':as profefs'd to.
plant the Gofpel? Prefumrng, that the beft,
and, generally fpeaking^. the. only Way .to
confute Nonfenfe, is to. give it a bare. Repe
tition ; I (fhall content myfelf with that;
But, Silence Gentlemen, hear him again.
The Healing, of, the Sick^lh: p. 47. feems, in
like manner, to . want no fuch laboured Account
to explain it, but to fpeakviifelf fufficiently.in
its own beneficial Tendemp- It was, a fuitabk
¦Jnftance of that univerfal ^Benevolence,? -they
,(our Lord andhis Difciples) .were recommend
ing, andrwMch it would be .very hardto confi
der apart from its Merits -and Influence, as
prattifedon an indifferent andfrmtlefs Occaf\on,
. merely

["7 ]
merely as expteffive of the Power they acted by.
The Reader, . perhaps, will think I am in jfeft, '
if I teft? him that this Pamphlet is generally
attributed to ,a <~Pbyficiari -of the City of
Londsn-; ;But, upon my Honour, it is fo re
ported. . If the Rumour be true, I pray God
comfort the poor Wretches who take" his
Pbylic. Sure I am, it would be Barbarity to
truffca Lap-dog to the Care of a Man capable
of publifhing Such Stuff as this is, upon the
Nature of Difeafes and . Cures. What fkill
— *a not only in Logic, but alfo in ^Opiks,
Acou/lics, Pharmacy and Surgery, have we
here difplay'd,' : within the narrow Compafs of
eight amazing Lines ? The curing, by a
Word or a Touch, of the Blind, the Deaf,
the Dumb, the Lame, the Maimed,, the Le-
porous, and the Paralytic, — wants, Says he;
no fuch laboured Account to explain it.- Truly
I think fo too ; the Power of God explains
the Matter at once, which is no fuch laboured
Account at all. But it will want averyJaboul
red Account indeed, to explain thefe Cures
away to nothing at all, as this Gentleman
feems willing to do. That thefe Cures were
Inftances of Benevolence we readily allow, and
he muft allow they were evident Marks of a
divine miraculous Power ; and not tell us^ as
he does in Effect,' that becaufe they were
Marks of Benevolence, they could not, at the
fame Time, be expreffive of a divine Power. But,

[ 3*8 ]

But, the Heating of the Sick, fays he, (i. e.
the Cures recorded in the Gofpel) fpeaks> itfelf
fufficiently in its own beneficial Tendencfi If
this Gentleman really does profefs Phyfic, I
would advife him to fufpend the practifing
Part, and attempt no Cures, till he can follow \
the e as y> Method of our Lord and his A-
poftles, and comfnandhis Patients to be well,
by Virtue of his own -Perfonal Authority,
(without the Trouble and 'Charge of Apotbe-*
caries and Nurfes) for. I am much miffiaken,
if the Man who is capable "of talking at this •''
Rate, about the Healing of the Siek, will ever
be able to heal the Sick, by the' Help -of a
Prescription. ': ,-¦ -¦¦.,.,
P. 48. He proceeds to fhew us:, that his
Skill in Divinity, is at leaft equal to his Skill
in Phyfic, and his Honefty equal to both put
together. For here goes his third Objection
againft the Evidence of Miracles, viz. our
Lord's/ concealing fome of 'em. from public
Notice : See thou tell no Man, Was generally
the. Charge, fays he. . I afk him, and let him.
anfwer me, upon the Honour of a Free-
Thinker; Was this generally the Charge, or
not? ;Did our hordrconceal; or charge other's
to conceal — all his Miracles, or not ? If he
anfwersi inthe Affirmative, we muft fend him
back to his Teftament for Satisfaction ; there
he may find, that only fome few of 'em
were concealed. But why were any of 'em
ever

i 219 3
ever prohibited to be publifh?d ? We an*
fwer, That pretty generally this might be
the; Reafon , Becaufe, he. was God as well as
Man ; and knew the Hearts of Men. There
fore, neither Wifdom nor Juftice would per
mit him to offer/ Miracles to thofe, who,
he knew, laboured under the •infiuperable Inea?
pacify of a ^partieulati Infidel-make, and.Anti-
Chriftian.'G^npkxidn ; — as our Author calls
invincible Obftinacy and Stubbofnwfs. Had
our Lord been lavifh of his Miracles to Peo
ple, of this Stamp, he had fuxnifhed his' Ad
versaries with an Objection indeed. They might
then have reafonably afk'd, — " Where was
" his infinite Wifdom, when he threw away
" fo many Signs and Wonders upon thofe,
" who (as hd might have known) would ne-
" ver improve by 'em ? " Accordingly, tho'
our Lord (whofe Miniftry was wholly directed
to the obftinate incorrigible Jews, becaufe
the Foundations of Chriftianity muft neceffa-
rily there be laid) tho' he, I fay, did indeed
command, upon particular Occafions, fome
fiw of his Miracles not to be publifh'd ; yet,
we find the Apoftles, who miniftred to all
in general, to Greeks and Barbarians, as well
as Jews, they never concealed one of their
Miracles. And. why? — Why, becaufe the
infinite Wifdom knew that their Miniftry
would be attended with better Succefs ; and
meet with a more candid Reception, than
our Lord's Perfonal Miniftry among the Jews
either

'[ 2P20 ;]
either did, 'of indeed could meet with, cqnfift-
entiy with -the Schemes of Providence . for
Man's Redemption by a> fluff er ing Meffiah^
Again ; When. the expelled Spirits were offi
cious, fays he, 'lb. p. 48. of their own accord,
and in Oppofitipn to their own Intereft (I beg his
Pardon' there, the Devil knows his own Inte
reft beft," and"* never talks like a Saint, without
fome very bad Defign) to proclaim their Know
ledge af his divine Char -after > to the World, tbe
Difeovery was by no means permitted at their
Hands, but tbeir Tongues immediately reflrain-
ed, and ' an" Act of Omnipotence exerted, to
oblige them to Silence. , Ay, Say we, and 'twai
an Act of' infinite Wifdom, as well as infi
nite Power, fo to do. For the Jews, we
find, were ready enough, as it was, to ac-
•cufe our Lord of; acting in Concert with
Belzebub ; and yet, this wife Amender of
iGiod's Oeconomy, thinks our Lordffiould have
confirmed them in their Sufpicions, by appeal
ing to the Devil for his good Word. No, no.
'Tis enough for *hem to appeal to Satan, who
can't carry on their Caufe wkhout bis' AvTift-
ance and Recommendation. ¦ Alas ! the Au
thor of Chriftianity wanted no fuch Help ;
'tis only fuch a Caufe as this Writer's, that
can ftand in need of the good Word and Af*
flftance of the Devil. ^49-

[ 221 ]
P. 49. Our Lord is reprehended for not
countenancing and cultivating that goodpromi-
ftng Symptom and Mark of future, Difciplefhip,
winch King Herod fhewed, when be wanted to
fee fome Miracle done by him. A great Pity
? truly J That our Saviour was not fo civil as
to give the Lords and Ladies at Court, the
Diverfion of a Miracle or two 1 Efpecially
when Herod fhewed fuch towardly Marks and
Symptoms ! But the Truth of it was, that He
rod had tbe n to do with one, who was not to
•be deceived by Marks or Symptoms, let'em
be ever fo towardly, fair, or fpecious. There^
fore, it much more befitted the Wifdom of
him, who knew what was in Man, not to
proftitute the leaft Branch of infinite Power,
to the Satisfaction of a light and vain Curio-
fity. For our Lord knew well, that Herod
— laboured under the infuperable Incapacity of
a particular Infidel-make, and Anti-Chriftian
Complexion. Which is a Difeafe that all the
miraculous Evidence in the Univerfe can never
cure.
J 1
Then again ; P. 50. Where-ever our Lord
conferred his miraculous Favours, it was ftill —
firft perceiving that the Patient had Faith to be
healed. And what if it was ? Why, I fup
pofe our Author thinks it hard that he did not
bellow a few of his miraculous Favours upon
the honeft Infidels and Free-Thinkers of thofe
Days. Now, if he had, I prefume we fhould have

t 222 3

have been plentifully told 'of his giving* 'equal
Encouragement both to Believers, and-Unbe-
lievers ; and this Gentleman would then have
h^d fome ColOQr of Reafon for faying as he
does,' ** That ollr Saviour never intended his
" Miracles for Proofs of Chriftianity."
But if this Mail fuppofes, (as fome have
done before him, tho* I believe none of 'em
very great Phyficians) that the Cures in the
Gofpel were the natural Effects of the Pati
ent's Faith ; — as if the Blind, the Dumb,
%the Deaf, the Maimed, the Lame, the Le-
porous and the Paralytic, could be cured by
Conceit, (as the Country People cure Agues
by Charms) we muft then afk him, How
he*ll account for the; Miracles wrought upon
• Subjects inanimate, and confequentlywicapa-
ble of Faith? Had the Water, Faith to be
turned into Wine ? The Fig-Tree, Faith to
be dried up ? The Sea, Faith to be fuddenly
calmed ? Or the Carcaffes of the Dead, Faith
to be raifed to Life again ? I believe he had
beft return to his old Solution, in p. 47. and
tell us once for all, that the Miracles were but
the natural Effects of 'the Doctrine, inftead of
any fupernatural Proof of its Veracity. " As to
the Difficulty of. conceiving how a Miracle
" can, atv the fame time, be a natural Effect,
the Reader muft" Overlook it for once ; be
caufe 'tis eafy to conceive, that an Irifli Bull
fcatter'd here and "there, is the unavoidable Confe-

t 223 ]

Confequence of a Man's being born under a
blundering Planet. \ .
Thus much I have ventured to intimate of my
OWN Sentiment, upon this ftrong Hold, fays
our doughty Hero, p. 50. as 'tis hy fome
efteemed, of miraculous Evidence. And a Hold
it is, that is in no great Danger, I truft, of
being weakened or impaired by fuch Reafon
ing as his own. But we are not to triumph
, too foon, becaufe we have one more Pufh to
ward off firft. For, fays he, Ibid. p. 50.
" granting that thefe Miracles were indeed dif-
y played, merely Jor that End you fuppofe, and
carry with 'em the Demonftration you contend for,
, yet bow will this ferve the Purpofe ? For to
whom were they Demonftration ? Why, to thofe
only who faw them ; to that one Generation
to whom they were addreffed. — And, for the
fame evident Reafon, they can be no Demonftra
tion to us now. The, Reafon of this Affertion
is contained, I prefume, in the Words that
ftand oppofite in the Margin, viz. Antiquity
muft impair much of tbeir Weight, p. 51.
That Antiquity may impair and weaken
the Evidence we have of the Truth of a
Fact, we allow ; but that it can impair either
the Weight or the Meafure of the Fact itfelf,
., we do not allow ; for that can never be a Fal-
fity To-morrow,:, which was a Fact Yefter-
day. We do alfo grant, that no Atteftation from

[ ^4 3
From others, can be equal,. to, ocular, Demon
ftration Ybut this we alfo affirm, that tho',.no,
Atteftationcan indeed equal die Reportsof our
own Senfes, yet 'tis poffible for Facts to be fo
ftrongly attefted, that none but a Man bereft
of his Sences,. can, with-hold his Affent, from
'em ; which, as it is all we contend for, fo
is it fufficient for our Purpofe. For I argue
thus. Does our Author, believe the Affaffina-
tion of Julius Cafar to.be a true Fact, or no?
If he believes it true, he muft believe it upon
the Atteftation of others ? and for this fole
Reafon, becauSe no Man in his Senfes, , can
conceive it poffible for" So many Witneffes to
agree together to impoSe a Falfhood . upon
him, without having any Intereft of their own
to ferve by it. If he allows this to be a Rea
fon, he fhall then go,a Step further, in fpite
of his Teeth, and grant me, that the Truth
of the Scripture Facts, particularly the Mira
cles, are ftill more ftrongly attefted, than.
even the Murder of Julius Cafar. For
the Facts which fupport a Religion, particuj-
larly the Facts on which Chriftianity is Found
ed, are of a very inter efting Nature. 'Tis
the Intereft of fome Men to fight, pro dris fc?
focis, in Defence of 'em ; and in others,
there is the ftrongeft Inclination, that either, a
Senfe of Guilt, or a Dread of Punifhment, or
Malice,' Obftinacy, Zeal, or Superftitign,
can infpire 'em, with, — to difproye, thofe
Fafts 'if poffible. Now, that our Lord and
j. his
".ens ¦ > :

[ 225 ]

his Difciples, did really raife the Dead,' and
exert other miraculous Powers, as the Scrip
tures record, this, I fay, the Jews themfelves
confefs, contrary to their own manifeft Inte
reft, nay, to their own utter Confufion. If
our Author doubts the Truth of this, let him
eaft his Eye over a fmall Tract in the Jeru-
falem Talmud, called mt iTTDP. Let him
alfo recollect, that the more Modern Writers
among the Jews, not being hardy enough to
deny the Fafts, endeavour to account for our
Lord's miraculous Power, by telling us, that
he acquired it by difbdvering the Secret of
the ETTiOan OP. A Solution, — to the full
as wife and intelligible as our Author's, viz.
That the Miracles were only natural Effects of
Gofpel Benevolence. For granting our Saviour
to have difcovered that imaginary Secret, ftill,
let 'em tell us by what Secret the Apoftles
wrought their Miracles ? Why, they plainly
acknowledge, both in the fore-mentioned
Tract, as alfo in the f|?mp BTID, that the
Apoftles wrought their Miracles, by calling
upon tbe Name of Jefus of Nazareth. So
much for Jewifla Atteftation. As to the
Heathen Enemies of Chriftianity, 'tis evident
to a Demonftration, that they allowed the
Fafts, by the Pains they took to give Solu
tions of the Power, by which they were per
formed. Hence, the Chriftians were called
Magicians, and Chriftianity the New Magic.
Thefe are Fafts fo notorious, that we have
nothing to do but to quote all the Primitive
O Writers

[ 226 ]
Writers in a Body, more efpecially the Apo-
logifis, for the Truth of this Affertion. There
fore thefe Fafts are attefted, we fee, both by
Heathens and Jews. Now, let our Authpr
go and calculate how many Ounces, Drams
and Scruples, Fafts thus attefted, are likely
to lofe of their Weight by Antiquity ? Let
me tell him, that as long as it will be either
Logic, Senfe or Equity, to argue from the
p\a\n Conceffions of our Adversaries, fo long
will thefe ftubborn Fafts continue to flare full
in the Face of Infidelity. But now for a
frefh Head of Difcourfe.
P. 54. The Scene changes, for a while,
from Infidelity to ¦Quakerifm ; and according
to our Author's conftant Cuftom^ at the Be
ginning of a new Topic, firft enters a ftark-
ftaring Abfurdity, couch'd in the following
Terms. And yet we may be certain, from the
Confideratian of his reafonable Nature, who en
joined the Duty (viz. Chriftian Faith) that there
muft be fomewhere ftill, fome general uniting
Principle in being, which, if well attended to,
will be a proper Foundation in all, for this ge
neral Affent. That it cannot be human Reafon,
we have feen. In plain Englifh thus : " Be-
" caufe God is a rational Being, and Man a
" rational Creature, 'tis therefore abfurd to
" SuppoSe, either that God fhould require, or
" Man fhould give, a rational Affent to a di-
" vjne Revelation." So that the rational
Nature oS God, and the rational Nature of
Man,

[ 227 ]
Man, are the Reafons why 'tis abfurd ta fup
pofe 'em to deal rationally with one another.
" Well then ; If our Affent can never befou,nd'
ed on Reafon, What muft be the proper Ground
of it ? Why, in p. 55. he difcovers a fatter
Ground to fix upon, in this important Point.
Now, as the Affent of the Mind to any
Propofition, is, properly fpeaking, npthing
more than the Perception of the Evidence 'tis
built on ; it follows, that if this Man can
difcover a better Ground of Affent, than ra
tional Evidence, he muft difcover a kind of
Evidence, which is not properly Evidence,
but evidently fuperior to all Evidence.. But,
to our great 'Difappoinr.ment, — inftead of
giving us Light, fhining brighter than Light
itfeff, we are prefented with a Piece of
NonSenSe, that may juftly be entitled, — The
Paragon of all Nonfenfe ; being not to be pa-
rallel'd among all the Ravings in Bedlam,
nor to be match'd, in. fhort, fave only among
the Produftions oS Quaker ifm : which oS all
thefeveral Species of human Folly, I take to
be the moft commodious Standard to meafure
Nonfenfe by. For he fends us to the facred
Writings, thofe authentic Oracles, from which
alone our Rule of Affent can be drawn. That
is, after labouring hard, thro' upwards of fif
ty Pages together, to prove it utterly abfurd
, for, any Man to affent to the Scriptures at all ;
he, j now takes Refuge himfelf, in the Autho-
0^2 rity

( 228 ]
rity of thofe very Same Scriptures. And what
is worfe, he quotes the Authority of the Scrips
tures, for a Pofition neither to be found there,
nor poffible indeed to be there, viz. That in
the Scriptures, Reafon is ever INT I RELY
excluded the Queftion. Whereas, the very In
diting of the Scriptures, is, ipfo facto, an Ap
peal to human Reafon.
If the Reader fhould be apt to think, that
what this Man here advances in behalf of
Stfuakerifm, was originally intended for a Joke,
and can therefore never deferve a ferious An
fwer, becaufe. Infidelity is, in Truth, his real
Aim. I reply, that I am' not always able, I
confefs, to tell where he is in earneft, and
where he jokes : nor is it much matter, pro
vided I can but always tell where he talks
Norifence. But as to his- Manner of building
Sfuakerifm upon an Infidel Bottom, — be
.muft be an utter Stranger to that unaccount
able and afnazing Sect, who does not know
that 'tis their conftant Practice. According
ly, tho' Barclay maintains, in Prop, 3. that
the Scriptures are not the adequate primary
Rule of Faith and Manners, but a fecondary
Rule, fubordinate to the [Private] Spirit; yet,
in every Page of his Apology, he recurs to
Scripture as to an adequate and primary. Rule
of Faith ; deducing the very Being and Exift-
ence of his private Spirit fffinward, Light,
immediate Revelation, and all, from Scripture.
Now, therefore to return to our Author's true
Principle of Affent. ~ This,

[ 229 3

This, in p. 56. We find to be the inward
Light of the Quakers ; a Principle to be nei
ther feen, heard, felt, nor underftood. For
'tis fometimes reprefented as the Light of
Nature ; fometimes as the Diftates of what
we call Confcience; fometimes as a kind of
fpiritual Difcernment, according to the oldfa-
natic Senfe of that Word, as if it meant a kind
of new inward Senfe ; and fometimes as the
ordinary Influences of the Holy Ghoft. And
yet, itTeems, it is neither one, nor other of
thefe feparately, nor any, nor all of them put
together, nor any thing diftinct from one, or
morei or all of 'em. However, tho' this
chimerical Principle be indeed hard to be un
derftood, (for tbe Brethren never could be
perfuaded, to this Hour, fairly and pofitively
to define it, or tell us what it is, tho' upon
every turn they can tell us what it is not f tho',
I Say, it be hard to be underftood, yet, Sor
our Cornfort, what this Writer would Seem
fobuild upon it, is not at all hard to be con
futed. Therefore, whether our Author be a
Quaker in juft or in earneft, I fhall give him
this fhort, but ferious, and I hope fufficient
Anfwer, to all that he advances upon that
Head, viz.
In fondry and various Parts of his Book,
particularly in p. 43, he avers, that rational
Evidence can never he the Means., that God
makes ufe of to draw all Men to himfelf, — be
caufe, — it requires an equal Capacity in alt
Q^3 Men

[ 230 ]
Men to apprehend it. I afk him then •, how
is tne Matter' mended, by his fubftitutirig an
inward.Light, or a private Spirit, in the room
of rational Evidence ? Why, not at all. For
ashe himfelf all along fuppofes that the Influ
ence of this Pririciple, (whatever it be) it re-
fiftibleby ill-difpofed Perfons, {fee p. 64 J and
as it is notorious to all, as well as confeffed by
himfelf, that all Perfons are not equally well
difpofed to bb led by it ; it muft follow, by
his own Confeffion, that this Principle can
never be Ihe Means that God makes ufe of to
draw all Men to Himfelf, becaufe — it re
quires that which is not to be had, viz. an
equal Inclination in all Men to be drawn by it.
Or thus -.Rational Evidence, fays this Wri
ter, can never anfwer the Ends and Purpofes
ef Faith, becaufe all Men are not to be fway-
ed by its Influence ; whereas the Principle he
recommends, iscf univerfal Influence. "Al
lowed ; yet, as himfejf grants, that this uni
verfal Influence is not univerfally efficacious,
we ftill remain in flatu quo ; or rather, we are
worfe off than before. For upon the rational
Scheme, if the fame identic Evidence be ten
dered to all Men, and all Men have the fame
rational Faculty of difcuffing it ; — fuch Evi
dence is better calculated for univerfal Affent,
than any chimerical Principle, which can be
the Objeft of neither the fenfible nor rational
Faculties. And we have a Right to call this
Principle a chimerical one, becaufe the very
being

[ 2.3i 3
being of it is firft proved from Scripture ; and
then, -the Authority of the Scripture itfelf, is
proved from this Pririciple, in an endlefs
Circle. In this Circle we : fhall leave it, to
attend our Author, now refuming his priftine
Shape of an Infidel, in p. 65.
Here we are entertained with a Repetition
of the old Song, viz. Tbe fudden Converfion of
Multitudes of our Lord's Difciples : Which,
fays he, could not be rational, becaufe it was
fudden. Humbly conceiving, that we have
fhewn already, that thefe Converfions might
be fudden, and rational too ; pafs We on to
his Sneer upon St. Matthew's fuddenly quitting
a Beneficial Employ — to follow our Lord ;
Which he calls — pricipitately deferting it, for
he knew not whom. But let me 'tell this ig
norant precipitate Critic, that he precipitately
carps at what he knows nothing of. I'll
warrant him, St Matthew knew what he did,
when he obeyed the Call of him who bad the
Words of Eternal Life. For this Apoftle was
not called 'till the Conclufion of the firft, or
the Beginning of the fecond Year of our Sa
viour's Miniftry ; by which Time it was mo
rally impoffible, but that both the Perfon
and Miracles of pur Lord, muft be Well
known to every Soul in Judea -, much more
to a Publican ; to a Publican tod, whofe Sta
tion was by the Lake, and hard by Capernaum,
which had now, for fome Time, been the
principal Refidence of our Lord, and of
Q_4 courfe,

[ 232 ]
courfe, the principal Scene of his Miracles.
And of all the Publicans, in and about Caper
naum, furely our Saviour's Perfon and Works,
muft be particularly known to St. Matthew,
becaufe he was related to our Lord, accord
ing to the Flefh ; being the Son of Cleopas
or Alpheus, who married the Sifter cf our
Lord's Mother. But the Call of Sr. Matthew,
is alfo circumftantiated for our Author, moft
unfortunately, in Point of Time.
For juft before he received his Call, Mul
titudes had flocked to our Lord, now at Ca
pernaum, from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerufalem,
Judea, and from beyond Jordan. Nor were
thefe of the meaner Sort only, for juft before
the Call of St. Matthew, there came to him
thither, Pharifees and Doctors of the Law,
out of every Town of Galilee, and Judea, and
Jerufalem, Luke v. 17. Before thefe Men,
our Saviour performed feveral miraculous
Cures ; particularly, that remarkable one, of
the Paralytic Man, let down in his Bed, thro*
the Veil or Covering of the inner Court of
the Houfe, where the People were affembled-
Afier thefe Things, fays St. Luke, (Things^
which without a Miracle, could never efcape
the Knowledge of St. Matthew) Jefus went
forth, and faw a Publican named Levi (or
Matthew) fitting at the Receipt of Cuftom, and
he faid unto him, follow me, Luke v. 27. He
immediately obeyed the Call ; and as a Teft
of the grateful Senfe he had, of the Honour arid

[ 233 ]
arid Happinefs conferred ©n hini, — $e went
and made a great Feaftin his own Houfi, v. 29.
Well ; but fays our Objector,, if what.be
bad feen before, had difpofed him to Difiiplefljip,
he would have had the. Merit of engaging volun
tarily in the Service, without waiting for a
particular Addrefs — or Call. That . this
Apoftle was a Believer, Convert, or Profelyte
— before his Call, there feems no Room to
doubt ; but I muft inform this Gentleman,
that the Reafon why he did not intrude him
felf into the fielect Number or Difciples, before
he was called, I judge might be this — becaufe
the Apoftle was no Quaker. And the Reafon
why he came when he was called, was, — be
caufe he had more Senfe and Honefty, than
to be an Infidel.
Had this Gentleman been a Clerk in the
fame Office, and received thefame Call, —
He, I'll warrant him, would have kept his
Poft, with all the Diligence of a Dutch Money-
Scrivener ; and inftead of obeying the Call,
would have entered, no doubt, into a Difpute
about the Nature of rational Evidence. A pre
vious Train of Miracles would never have
moved his. Affent ; — No, no, Says he, I muft
have greater Evidence than the Nature: of the
Thing can poffibly admit. Miracles, quoth he,
are nothing to the PurpoSe, — they are only
natural Effects of your Benevolence ; work me
half a Score flat Contradictions, — and, I am
your

[ 234 3

your Man. So much for his Sneer upon St.
Matthew's fudden Compliance with his Call.
But let me advife this Author, in his next
Edition, to pitch upon fome other Apoftle,
for an Inftance of fudden and irrational Com*
pliance. I affure him, he could not have
chofen worfe out of the whole Number. So
badly does it commonly fare with thofe, who
precipitately, turn Renegado's to their Faith,
carping at they know not what, and blaf-
pheming they know not whom.
P. 67. Our Lord was particularly cautious
ofexpofing his Perfon after his Refurrection, to
public View ; when his taking one Turn in the
Market-place, might have fpared both the pain
ful Labsurs and Lives of fo many holy Vouchers,
who perifhed meerly by the Things being done 'in
a Corner. As to the Labours and Sufferings of thefe
holy Vouchers, let me perfuade him to make
himfelf eafy : I'll anfwer for it, the holy Suf
ferers are now very well pleafed with what
has happen'd. . But as to our Lord's taking
one Turn in the Market-place, — fuppofe he
had. taken ten Turns there ; — What then ?
Why then — our Author's Objection would
have been jevery jot as weighty as 'tis now ;
for tho?, thofe ten Turns might have, been
Evidence to thofe who happen'd to be at
Market that Day, they could have been none
to thofe Jews who happen'd at the fafne time to

[ 235 ]

to be taking their Turns in the High-ftreet,
orelfewhere. But' we'll go a Step further, and fuppofe
Him 'actually to have appeared to the Whole
Jewifh Nation. Would that have fatisfied
our Author's Doubts and Scruples ? By no
means. For then he'd have faid, that as our
Lord's Refurreftion was an Event of general
Cohcern to all Men, therefore all Men ought
to have had ocular Demonftration of it. Let
us fuppofe that done too, and that our Lord's
Refurreftion was performed in the Sight of
the whole Race of Mankind, then exifting.
Why then, — fome obflinate, flow, exceptious
Child of Infidelity, might ftill have told us,
that what their 'Fore-fathers faw, was no
Proof to the next Generation; much lefs to
us, at this Diftance of Time, — when Anti-r
quity has impaired the Weight of the Evidence,
juft as Ruft eats up old Iron, I fuppofe.
'But to return once more to the Jews. This
Writer imagiries that a Turn or two in the
Market-place, would have cured 'em of their
Infidelity. But We have ftrong Reafon to
think it would have cured neither them nor
himfelf. For the Refurreftion of Lazarus was
as phblicly performed, as any Infidel could
demand-, and pray, what Effect had this Mi
racle upon the Jews ? Why, the new-raifed
Man publicly -took, it feems, fo many Turns
among 'em, (fome of 'em in tbe Market place,

[ »3« J
place, ten to one elfe) that — they confulted
that they might put Lazarus alfo to Death. Be
caufe, that by reafon of him, many of the Jews
went away, and believed on Jefus, John xii. 10,
ii. Now, had our Lord appeared after his
Refurreftion, as publicly as Laz.arus did after
his, the Jews mult of courfe have redoubled
their Induftry, and have crucified him a fe-
cond Time, upon the fame Motives that in
duced 'em to plot the Death of Lazarus.
And fo on, doubtlefs, toties quoties, as often
as ever our Lord had rifen and appeared, to
'em. But then, — Where would have been
his divine Wifdom, in fhewing himfelf fo
often, and to fo little Purpofe, to Men, whofe
Obftinacy, he might have known, was invin
cible ? How much wifer and worthier of God,
was the Method really made ufe of ? viz. to
leave the Atteftation of the Fact to a Num
ber of chofen Witneffes, who, without a Mi
racle, can neither be fuppofed to have been
themfelves deceived- in this Fact ; nor know
ingly to have deceived others. For, 'tis
plain, they had no worldly Intereft to ferve,
nor any Reward to expect on Earth, but
Lives of Labour, and barbarous Deaths.
Henceforward he feems to do little elfe
than chew the Cud, over what we have had
before. > " 'Tis inconfiftent with the very
" -Nature of Reafon and Religion, that Re-
" ligion fhould be founded, on Reafon. —
" Inftance in Baptifm ; which in p. 6$. is full
" as

[ 237 ]
** as abfurd an Inftitution, as it was three-
«' fcore Pages ago ; and for juft the fame
" Reafons. Then, in p. 70. The Cultiva
«' tion of Faith and Reafoning muft produce
" contrary Effefts." They claflh in Iheir very
firft Principles, tbeir very firft Leffons are the
moft direct Contradictions to each other. But
the Reafon, I confefs, is new. Tbe Founda
tion of Philofopby, fays he, is all Doubt and
Sufpicion [I advife him not to lodge' under
its Roof then] whereas theFoundation ofReligi-
. on, isallAcquiefcence and Belief. I thought, that
Acquiefcence and BelieS had been the Super-
ftrufture, rather than the Foundation of Re-
ligiori ; but as 'tis but a trivial Error, to mi-
ftake the Foundation for the Superftrufture
{for Boys do it every Day, when they ftand
upon their Heads) we fhall content ourfelves
to jog on top. 75.
Here, he defires us to repair, but for one
Moment, to the next Scene of Religious Wor
fhip, that may chance to be at hand, and then
to tell him ingenuoufiy, whether all the Votaries
in this harmonious Flock, are really giving a
rational Affent to all the Articles of our com
mon ftandard Creeds, when Experience floews,
that the Generality of 'em, never in their whole
Lives, beftowed one fingle Thought upon the
Truth or Faljhocd of any of 'em ? Poifon and
Antidote moft judicioufly put together !
Truly, I believe that Multitudes do not give
^"rational Affent to all the Articles of their

[ *3« ]

Belief; and I do as truly believe, that him
felf has given us the true Reafon why,w'z. Be
cauSe, in their whole Lives they never take
the Matter into Confideration, nor beftowone
Jingle Thought upon it. But, they may give a
rational Affent to theSe Articles, if they pleafe.
There are Grounds of rational Affent to all
of 'em, if Individuals will but take the Pains
to examine 'em. But then, they muft not fol
low our Author's Directions fo clofely, as to
repair to thefe Scenes of Worfhip, — only for one
Moment; nor muft they come thither with an
Intention barely to carp at what they hear. Let
them come with honeft Hearts and found
Heads, and they may hear all the Articles of
their Faith, at proper Times, fo rationallyex-
plained, and fo rationally proved to 'em, that
they'll foon be qualified to give, a rational
Affent to 'em. In the mean time, they will
readily judge, if they can but judge at all,
that before they turn their Backs upon an old
Eftablifh'd Religion, they ought to give po-
fitive Reafons for their Diffent. And then,
let 'em fee whether their Teachers will not be
able to give Reafon for Reafon, and Satisfy all
their Doubts.
What paffes betwixt this, and p. 90. feems
¦ fo near of Kin, to what has been alreadyexa-
mined, that 'tis needlefs to lofe Time about
it ; pafs we on then, to that fame Page .90,
where we are entertained with an Obfervaiion
that feems entirely new, viz. " That we had
" better

[ 239 3
"better Submit to the Guidance of thofe,
" who pretend to Infallibility, but have it
" 'not, than to the Direction of fuch as are
" neither happy enough to have it, nor kna-
" vilh enough to pretend to it." The Cburcb
of Rome, fays he, confines, very judicioufly, all
the Doctrinal Province, to fuch only as have,
fie infifts, the Advantage of an immediate Cor~
refpondence with tbe holy Spirit. - — - Tbeyfiat^
ter us at leaft, with Certainty, — there's fame*-
thing plaufible, at leaft, we muft acknowledge,
upon tbe Face of fuch a Profeffion, to invite us
to undergo tbe Experiment. ,,,,.., ¦ But bow to
undertake it, with any lefs. Degree of Self-
fufficiency, is the Queftion ? The moft fuch a
Solicitor can fay, when he offers his Service, is,
that be will guefs for us ; which, one .would
think, fhould not go very far in recommending
the Ufe of bis Affiftance. Indeed, the moft fpe-
cious Authority of Councils, without Infallibili
ty, amounts, in Effect, to no more than the pro
verbial Advantage, that two Heads are better
than one. A good old Proverb, however ; for
of courfe it ftrongly implies, that 'tis fafer to
truft to two honeft Heads, than to one kna-
vifh one ; — contrary to what this Gentleman
here maintains.
"Next ; If I am to depend upon another, fays
he, Ibid. p. 90. for my Faith, and. all its Con-
fequences, 'tis but a reafonable Demand on my
Side, to have an infallible Dictator. Allow
ed ; And fuch a Dictator we have in that
holy

E 140 ]
holy Spirit thatdictated the Scripture, that in.
fallible Rule of Faith. But if he means,.
that no Man ought to prefume to teach others;
who is fallible himfelf, this we deny ftoutly ;
for then, — our Author himfelf (who is fal
lible with a Vengeance) would have no Right
to fet up for a public Teacher of Infidelity.
The Truth is, the Teachers of Chriftianity,
are not fent as Dictators of new Articles of
Faith, but only as Helps and Affiftances to
our better underftanding the old Ones, and
practifing their fubfequent Duties. Therefore
a fallible Man may make a ufeful Teacher,
tho' he be but badly qualified for a Dictator*
But, with vjhat Face can thefe fallible
Guides provoke us, (p. 91.) with their clamo
rous and perpetual Defiances, prefuming to la-
vifh their Wrath, as they do, againft the very
Term of Free-Thinking. Why, if this Charge
be true, I confefs, 'tis a great Mark of their
Fallibility fo to do. For they who are Ene
mies to Free-Thinking, are Enemies to all
Thinking ; all Thinking being as Sree as Smel-
ling,Tafting and Feeling ; except theFreedom;
of it, I mean, be curbed by the bafe and vi
cious Inclinations of the Men themfelves ;
and incorrigibly warpt by Obftinacy, Pride
and Prejudice. Now, if the Wrath of our
fallible Guides be occafioned by fuch Men, and
fuch Practices, it may well be clamorous. Again;

[ 24I 3
Again ; With what Face can thefe Men en
tourage us to the Ufe of Means, and then con
demn fhe neceffary Effect of our Compliance. —
[For fo he ftiles the rejecting all rational Evi
dence, conftantly calling it the neceffary Ef
fect of Examination.] With a very good
Face, Say I ; becauSe — 'tis one Thing to ex
hort to a Sober Ufe of Means, and another
Thing to refent a wanton Abufe of 'em.
In p. 95. We are prefented with the firft
of four prefumptive Arguments, to prove,
that the Profeffors of , Chriftianity, are them
felves confcious of the Weaknefs of their Caufe ;
or, as he ftiles it, — So many plain and pregnant
Intimations, how unwilling they are to leave the
whole Determination of thefe Affairs, to the
SingleForce of argumentative Conten
tions. If he himfelf maybe allowed to be his
own beft Interpreter, we may judge, that his
real Scope and Drift is laid down, without
Dilguife, in his marginal Contents, which
run thus : If Religion were rational, the Pro
feffors of it would not difcourage Opponents. —
Magiftrates would not take upon 'em to prefcribe
it. — Our Univerfities would not expect us ready
formed in it. — No Parents would inflruct their
Children in it. I fhall examine each of thefe
Allegations feparately, and fo — ' wind up my
Bottom. Firft, then ; Religion is irrational, becaufe
thefPrefeffors of it difcourage Opponents. There-
R fore,

'Caufes of Infidelity, Quaketiftn,
and irrational, becaufe thepa-
# difcourage the Oppofitiori -tjf
^lirtie^^iliei^^il"1 ^ s Moreover, Reafon itfelf has
thenwst Reafon in it,'»BfccauSe all- Men in their
$5er#lzs, diScourage ^'0|pp%i€®i of Madmen,
and fhut »em up by themfelves. And^were
*M^^!e^'te>l'5e|5' Mem^Compahf^>ho fiem ripe
^^/'Chriftianity would have but few Op-
onents for it to difcourage ; ¦*- none, I dare
anfwer for it, to troubie-rhe World witM&h
impertinent Quibbl4j& w^4!WW*>3 wol
•O sai yd eij lonaija '
Secondly ; If Chri)Mkl$> (fj^ftowfflaa
" rational Syftem, Magiftrk^rwMd^b/akeru^
cn'em to prescribe it. Therefore^ fayhj^ctail
1 Property is abfurd and unreafonable, becafffe
Magiftrates take upon them to prefcribe High--
waymen and Houfe*breakers to the Gallows.
A fummary Way of proceeding this,v which .
fhews hofy y ''wiwilfingfthey are tbv leave the
whole Determination, to the fingU Force of ar
gumentative Contentions. Again ;: IS the De
fence or Oppofition of the Magiftrate alters
the Merits of the Caufe, it will follow, that
tho' Chriftianity be falfe and irrational ifom,
yet it might be a reafonable and true Syftem
-^fisr^e^ three firft Centuries ; becaufe in tii&jfe
"i%^fhe Civil Magiftrate oppofed ity niere
ftbutly than ever he bppofed Theft or Mortter.
SB#ip^lt hence follows too, that tho'thpGof-
f~|&JHbe a Pack of Lies indeed, here in Europe,
ijp§ite it has obtained a Civil Eftablifhmeht ;
jo ' , yct?

[ ^43 ]
yet* sdobut land it in Turky, China, Japan* or
any-other Country, where the Magiftrate op
poses it, — and whip! it becomes true. . To
compleat this Topic* 'tis diverting enough to
hear this fafciculus Abfitrditatum Talk,, at the
Bottom of p. 98. of thofe wholfom Severities
isberewtb the Civil Magiftrate feconds the A-
wards of Heaven — When at the fame Time
'tis wjjorious, that his own infamous Libel,
both upon the Eftablifh'd Religion of bis.
Country, and the common Senfe of his Fel
low Creatures, never had the leaft Notice
taken of it, by the Civil Magiftrate ; nor
.ever met with the leaft Severity of any kind,
fave only the Scorn and Contempt of all Men
of Senfe, which was unavoidable. No really,
wefcorn to fet the Civil Magiftrate upon 4
Wretch, who is fo eafily knock'd down with
only the Butt-end of a Feather.
Thirdly ; Now let the Univerfities ftand
clear. — For Chriftianity is irrational, fays
he, p. 99. Becaufe our Univerfities expeS our
Toutb to be ready formed in it, before they
.come there. And fo doom Shops zxxdCompting-
sMoufes too, (as well as our Univerfities,) if the
/nGwners of 'em have three Grains of .Senfe,
/Bat, r.as to our Univerfities, — we'll alkw him
?all that his own Heart can wifh v nay, we'll
a^ioft him for once, that every Practice, in
¦ MeryUniverfity in Chriftendom% is as abfurd, as
,v if he himfelf had drawn up all their Statutes.
Forwhatthen ? What'sall/Aw to the Purpofe ?
R 2 Or

[ 244 3

Or h'b#' does it affeft the rReafonabIcffe& of
Chriftianity, which was fully eftablifh'd fo
rhany Centuries, before any one of thefe Uni
verfities was founded or thought of. Butt, be
fore I let go 'my1 ¦ Hold,' T muft affure this
Gentleman, that our Univerfities^ here in Eng
land, expeft nbmOreof the Youth who come
there for Admiffion, than is very confiftenl both
With the Age and Education, previoufly ne
ceffary to their Admiffion. And after their
Admiffion, 'tis notorious, that the Cafe of
Religion and its Fundamentals are (as this 'Man
requires) in earneft, fairly and fully ftated' to
'em, the beft -Champions'- on both Sides, honeftly
'and ingenuovfty ¦¦ recommended to their Perufsl
'and Confider atien. Nay more -, — our Youth
are" daily allowed, or' rather required^ to hear
the ftrOrigeft Afg'ume'hts, 'againft y as well as
for, Chriitianity,-'-(iarid thole urged home too)
jn our Divinity Schools : Where no Opponent
tver 'doe's f' or ever need fpare his Refpondent.
* r- "•' ¦ ., ¦-, ..*,,- ;
u JJut, we are further afk'd, whether7 Pro
tection and Good-will, at. leaft, are affured to
'thofe, who after all fliall happen- to Diffent?
Pray mind the Word happen ! Again -, I muft
once more tell this- Gentleman, that in the
Cafe before tis, Deffent never happens, but
is always caufed. The Divine Wifdom has
'given us fuch various^ ample, and Sufficient
Evidence of the Truth of Chriftianity, that
nothing but either fome natural Defect of the
Underftanding, or a criminal Neglect, -or
Abufe,

ft" 245 3
Abufe, of the ordinary Means of Information,
can make any Man diffent from it. Or, in
plainer Englifh, fuch Diffent, can be caufed
by .nothing but Knavery or Folly ; two. Quali
ties, >.which, J confefs, will eyer ftand a poor
Chance, of meeting with . Protection and
Good-will, in either of our Univerfities ; where
thofe pofieffed; of 'em, may; well expeft to
have, this very . pertinent Queftion, put to fern,
f—^Pray Gentlemen, what Bufinefs have you h.ere?
But further yet ; Were our Religion rati
onal, a free and amicable Correfpondence
might well be admitted, (p. 101.) and. the
wildeft Opponent received (in our Univerfities)
upon an eqjjal Foot with his. moft Orthodox
¦ and approved Antagonift. What; then,; muft
our Univerfities pay Stipends and Salaries to
a Regius Profeffor of Deifm, or to Mr. Pror
feffer. of Atheifm; and muft every other Spe
cies of Folly and, Madnefs, be adorned with
a Profefforial Chair ? For, Unlefs this he done,
How can the wildeft Opponent be received upon
an equal Footing, with the moft .Orthodox
and approved Antagonift ? When our Univer
fities fhall have complied with this modeft
Demand, and have found room, enough for all
Hthefe new Profefforial Chairs to be, placed iii ;
I would then advife this Gentleman,, to .go
down to one of 'em, and offer himfelf a Can
didate for the Place and Dignity of Modern
Profeffor of Hibernian Solecifms : I'll anfwer
for it, that he fhall carry his Point, by a great
Majority,

[ 246 ]
Majority, *ia either of "out:! Univerfities.. And
*0hat an excellent Motto Sorhis Inauguration-
Speech, would thefe Words of his make;- in
p. ioi. -* Were Religion, indeed, a ratimal
Inftitution, a Man might furely well difputeft,
without a Crime. ii > '¦-.&,:.
Fourthly and Laity; if Chriftianity' h$d
.any, Foundation in Reafon, no Parents would
inftruct their Children in it. For, The anti
cipating, fays he, (p. 102.) thus unfairly, the
Strength of the fuppofed: Evidence, before that
Evidence is produced to fpeak f or. itfdfc ;-&e.
could admit of no Excufi or Glofs for the Injury,
*— in cafe they fhould change to be miftaken.
Chance again ! — But pray,5 Where wouldfbe
the Injury in cafe the Parent really fhould **-
chance to be miftaken. Will he fay, that a
Man is in danger of being damned hereafter,
for having had a fober Education here ; or,
can he make it appear, that any one isrin
danger: of Hell-fire, for not Whoring and
Drinking plentifully enough: in this World ?
And yet this Man muft ftrain hard, and fet
all his Logic at work, to prove this and, more,
before he can make it out,- that a Chriftian
Education can poffibly prove a Detriment to
the Infant. :
--.¦ -la^-A'.
Again; The anticipating the Strength -ifjthe
Evidenceof Chriftianity, before 'that Evidence *-is
produced to fpeak for 'itfelf, -*¦ is what we call a
Ssletijfa w Speech, and an Abfurdity in Na
ture;

[ *47 ]
¦ture ; becaufe — the Evidence isko Evidence,
. fall it is produced to fpeak for itfelf : and the
niejyinftrueting of yoimg Perfons in Chriftia-
*nfeyi?is, ipfo fattov $hf miiking^hem acquaint-
, e&^hthe JEwfes^riof it. sT/Jietefpre, he that
in this Cafe talks of anticipating tbt Strength of
tbe Evidence, before that Evidence is produced to
fifikakjor itfelf, niay aVtoeU £onapJ&iiKti£hav-
jrighmHead broke: for a Blunder, byjcalgreat
Blow, -i- before that -Blow was given, j^irrch
• imiBufcif he wo\tfd^n!unfiate, that^tisa fhrewd
¦f&efiqnption, that fhe Frofeffors of Chriftiarii-
,^'t^then^elves diffident of die Grounds of
.5»^fepEa«Ie they take the Advantage of the
;;W!aknefs and Inexperience of Youth, to in-
-eufcate thofe Notions. We anfwer, that - the
snssriral Affeftion of the Parent, throws the
Prefumption quite on t'other Side the Quefti-
.un i it being a much ftronger PreSumption,
•that the Parenrafts from a full PerSuafion of
the Trudi and Certainty, as well as Utility,
? of -what he teaches. .Ijihnslq gnjjfaiiQ
libns n.A .mil iwr mM-z.it is y fv "
-- Again ; This Phantom of an Argument,
proves a little too much ; > for fince he that is
never. taught, will always be a Boy in Know
ledge, let him be ever fo old in Age. 5 'tis evi
dent, that, begin to inftruct a Man at what
i^Age*yoj» #$!> J«hffit% Rudiments of Know-
Vdedge ybu teach hto,t*rill always be liable to
fi this -Objection agairmJiChriftian Elation, ;
iohfequently,; it can never be^oimvSidiMt
i 3un by

[ 248 ]
by teaching the next Generation nothing at
all: Or,' in other Words, by letting 'em run
wild in the Woods, like Savage Americans.
And then, fuch as this Writer, might have
Leifure enough to contemplate the Happineft
of living in a Country, equally blett with
Free-Thinkers and Free-Booters.
I think, I cannot wind up my Subjeft bet
ter, than by prefenting the patient Reader
with a View of the true Scope and Drift of
our Author, accordirg to his own Confeffion ;
given us (with an unparallel'd Francnefs and
Honefty) in p. 105. It is enough for my De-
fign, if the main Drift and Scope of the Argu
ment, may be allowed to be, upon tbe Whole,
maintained only with fome tolerable degree of
Popriety, fo as to carry just the Face of
something Plausible and Consistent,
and that way appear to deferve your farther
Attention. How far the Man, capable of publifhing
fuch a Confeffion, may appear to deferve the
farther Attention of the Public, I here leave
the Reader at full Leifure to determin ; or
rather, — to turn himfelf, if he pleafes, to
Meditations of a nobler Kind.

FINIS.

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