"of fuch mere pofitive Laws and Inftitutes "fhall be allow'd at all."* This feems to be a determined Refolution to banish Chriftianity (as far as his Pen can contribute to it) out of the World, with its three great, divine, holy Inftitutes, which are fo pofitively appointed, Battifm, the Lord's Supper, and the Worship of God thro' the Mediator Jefus Chrift, its peculiar Glory and Distinction, to the greateft Honour of God, and to the highest Benefit and Comfort of Men, let who will offer to protect, or make any Apology for it: nay, notwithstanding thofe Pofitives appear to all other reasonable Men to be purpofely calculated and ordain'd from Heaven as the best Means in the World for improving in, and carrying on the Moral Law of Righteousness to the highest Human Perfection; and that they have a rational, moral Connexion with, and a real efficacious Tendency to that End, as Experience teftifies, where-ever there are any real ferious Chriftians to be found; and confequently worthy both of the Name, and of an univerfal Reception, as a Reasonable Service, the moft defirable, perpetual, and only true Religion that can be propounded to the World, by degrees, or fettled at last firmly in it: yet to him folely it fhall appear, by himself fingly it fhall be accounted as the Reverse, be conftrued, be mifreprefented and traduced, as having no fuch. tendency, Pag. 177, and throughout his Book. But tho' he appears refolutely and inflexibly bent upon his inglorious Point against common Conviction, and the cleareft and strongest Argument to the contrary, ftill I hope he will at length, relent of this Temper, and rather than * Page 444 put put out the Eyes of every body for feeing dif ferently from himself, begin to think there must be fome Fault in his own. * THESE are fome of the Noftrums of our great Religion-Mender, more might be mention'd, had I compafs for it in this Place. He is in perfect Harmony with the two Oracles of Deifm I have confuted, in exploding and ridiculing Miracles as any Proof of Religion coming from God; that Prophecy is as little to be given in for Evidence of Doctrines f, that they are no more than fortunate, human Conjectures, a kind of Fortune-telling fupported upon Trick and Cunning for selfish Views + He agrees with them in difallowing any well attefted Revelation, whilst he is fomewhat fingular (unless you will range him with the Quakers) in requiring it to be Perfonal to every Man, whilft every Reader will be ready to do juftice, in affirming that this Author is not peculiar, but of one Heart and the fame Soul with the reft of his Brethren, in laboriously repeating and repeating, printing and reprinting the fame confuted Stuff, without taking the leaft Notice of any Answer. What fort of a Caufe that is, and with how much Honour and Ingenuity the Defenders of it abound, must be left to the Publick. I may venture to commend, or rather blame him, for his Masterly Skill in the Socinian Subtleties: but where is the Glory or Senfe of playing that bocus pocus Game over Page 81, 92, 3, 28, 411. 289, 305. † Page 333- + Page 165, B 2 again? again? For there will be the full Belief and a full Confidence in the reality of Motion, be the Ar guments never fo fubtle or feemingly convincing againft it; fo, be there never fo many Figures, Allegories, &c. lurking in the Fingers of the Socinians, to fpirit away the Common Senfe of fo many, fo very many plain Words, and Sen tences, and Paragraphs of Revelation, which disagree with, and are not well-affected to their Scheme; ftill there will be Common Senfe, and Apprehenfion of Words left in great abundance to ftand ground, and not be baffled out of one's Senfes by fuch refined Abfurdities. I am afraid therefore, that whoever goes about to add to the Subtlety of our Author's Head, will, at the fame time, take away a great deal from the Integrity of his Heart, which he should not thank any body for. But fo it is, I am forry to obferve, for the fake of fo ingenious a Perfon, what can't escape general Obfervation, That much the greatest Part of this elaborate Work confifts of, and fwells itself up with thofe egregious Repetitions, baffled Attacts, ftale, diffipated Objections; and, I muft add further, tho the chief Merit of it appears to be of that fort, I can't do him the Pleasure of anfwering him in particular as to those Matters, for two good Reasons : becaufe I have already pretty largely, and very lately, answered his Accomplices in the fame way of Thinking, and Reasoning; and because a much greater Perfon than himself, the Publick, might justly be displeased with the repetition of Argu ments unanfwer'd, and wholly declined by this famous Antagonist, tho' they enter into the very Heart of the Cause he efpoufes. However I fhall I shall endeavour to gratify him with all that is needful, or can be thought proper, in this present Reply, by addreffing myself to what new Strength, he may think, he has added to old Arguments, or the greater Light of feeming Truth, he fuppofes, he has projected. upon, and recommended his beloved Subject under: and this I fhall do where-ever he advances any thing, which I judge does directly appertain unto, or immediately affect the Merits of the Caufe in debate. IT is obvious to every curfory Reader, that he is Hand in Glove with the Two celebrated Authors I have answered, in making the Chriftian Revelation to be, neither more nor lefs than the Republication of the Law of Nature; in maintaining, that Jefus Chrift died only as a Martyr, Witness, or Example; that the Pofitive inftituted Parts of the Religion called Chriftians, are fenflefs wretched Things, having not the leaft rational Ufe, Fitnefs, or Moral Tendency in them; fit for nothing but to be exploded as Nonfenfe, and cashier'd as Prieftcraft: And he is fo closely link'd with them in his Affection to the Clergy, that he can't find Words bad enough for them. But as there happens to be fome new Turn now and then in the Procefs of his Affertions, or fomething obfervably bright or fmart in the Management of his Argument, or Elucidation of his Point, he might think himself neglected, if I did not likewife take fome Notice of his Club or Share in the pious Design that has been fo long in hand. IN confequence of profeffing himself a Chriftian Deift, he declares, "I must therefore B 3 "take "take Christianity, as to the Substance and "doctrinal Parts of it, to be a Revival of the "Religion of Nature."* He had declared for Jefus Chrift before t, and through his Book owns him in no other Character but that of a Prophet, or what is neceffarily included therein; as he proclaims every where, that he died only as a Martyr, and Witness to Truth, Example of Moral Righteoufnefs, he particularly adds, "That all that was done or fuffered by "him was necessary to himself, and upon his 66 own Account." "That the Sufferings and "Death of Chrift, as a propitiatory Sacrifice for "Sin, is not as the meritorious Caufe, but as the "moral effective Means of our Salvation and "Recovery, &" This is his figurative allegorical Sacrifice, Propitiation, &c. and all other Senfe is abfurd Raving not Reasoning: and elsewhere, speaking the Sense of fuch Chriftians as himself, That the Death of Chrift, "as an Atonement or Propitiation in the pro "per Senfe is abfurd, impoffible, and contrary to the Nature of God, to the Nature of "Man, and to the neceffary Reafon, and Mo"ral Fitness of Things."** And frequently loads the commonly receiv'd Christian Scheme, as the Dregs of Judaifm tt, Enthufiafm and Superftition. That the Chriftians (whom he therefore every where brands by the Name of Judaizing Chriftians) learn'd the Trick and Cheat of Propitiation, Atonement, Sacrifice, from the Jewish Priefts, who learnt it from the Egyptians. To quote Paffages relating to this laft, would be in Effect to cite half his Book. * Page 392. Page 228. + Page 153, 4 + Page 358. ** Page 95. + Page 200. At |