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THE
POSTHUMOUS WORKS
OF
Mr. Thomas Chubb:
CONTAINING,
I. REMARKS on the III. The AUTHOR's
SCRIPTURES.
II. OBSERVATIONS on
the Reverend Mr. War-
burton's Divine Legation
of Moses.
FAREWEL to his Rea-
ders; comprehending a
Variety of Tracts, on the
moſt important Subjects
of RELIGION.
With an APPENDI X,
Including a PosT SCRIPT to his four laſt
Differtations, more particularly relative to
that on the Hiftory of MELCHIZEDEK.
To the whole is Prefixed,
SOME ACCOUNT of the AUTHOR:
Written by Himself.
In TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
Printed for R. BALDWIN, jun. at the Rofe in Pater-
Nofter-Row; and fold by E. EASTON, in Silver-
Street, Sarum. M.DCC.XLVIII.
4
?
1
zɔcionalela THE
EDITOR
TO THE
READER.
T
HE POSTHUMOUS WORKS of Mr.
THOMAS CHUBB have the ad-
vantage of most others, in that they
appear to have been deliberately finished; and
the reader may be fatisfied they are his genuine
remains, tranſcribed, and, for the most part,
corrected for the prefs, by his own hand a lit-
tle before his death.
THE first fection of his Farewel was pub-
lifhed in his life-time, and is now republished,
that the whole might appear together.
THE following brief account of himſelf, and
of his commencing Author, he defigned as part
of an introduction to a fecond quarto volume
of tracts, of which his Farewel was to have
been the conclufion. As he did not live to
make that publication, it becomes a material
article in his remains, and fupplies the place of
any further preface.
A
AS
ii The Author's Account of himself.
f
A
S the Author,at the conclufion of this col-
lection, takes his leave of the world as a
writer; fo, to prevent any falfe account that
may be given of him, either whilft he is
alive or after he is dead (prefuming it will
not be anacceptable to his readers) he gives
the following ſhort account of himself,andhow
he came to appear in the world as a writer.
THOMAS CHUBB (fon of Henry Chubb, of
the hamlet of Eafi-Harnham, near the city of
New-Sarum, Malfter) was born the twenty-
ninth of September 1679. Henry Chubb, the
father,died in the year 1688. and left a widow
and four children, viz. three fons and one
daughter, of all which the Author was the
youngeſt. The Author was taught to read
English, to write an ordinary hand, and
was farther inftructed in the common rules of
arithmetick; this education being fuitable
to the circumstances of his family and to
the time he had to be inftructed in. For
as the Author's mother laboured hard, in
order to get a maintenance for herſelf and
fa-
The Author's Account of himſelf iii
At
family, fo the obliged her children to per-
form their parts towards it. And, accord-
ingly, the Author was very early required
to perform fuch work and fervice as was
fuitable to his age and capacity; fo that he
had neither time nor means for farther in-
Aruction than that above-mentioned.
Lady-day 1694. the Author was put ap-
prentice to Mr. Thomas Rawlings, Glover,
in Salisbury, where he met with kind uſage
from his maſter and the family, and with
which family he had a particular friendſhip
the remainder of his life. When the Au-
thor had ferved his apprenticeſhip, he
worked a sa journey-man to his mafter,in mak-
ing gloves, as he had no better, nor indeed
no other way to get his livelihood; tho' it
was improper for him, on account of his
weakness of fight. In, or about the year
1705. the Author removed his dwelling to
Mr. John Lawrence's, Tallow-Chandler, in
Milford-freet, Sarum; after which he
partly worked at making gloves, as before,
and partly affifted Mr. Lawrence in his bu-
A 2
finefs,
iv The Author's Account of himself.
fineſs, viz. in weighing candles, giving at-
tendance in Mr. Lawrence's fhop, and the
like; and thus he got an honest maintenance
by his labour; and tho' he did not abound
in worldly goods, yet he had no lack, which,
as it was equal to his defires, was quite
fatisfactory to him. The Author lived a
fingle life, he judging it greatly improper
to introduce a family into the world, with-
out a prospect of maintaining them, which
was his caſe; fuch adventures being uſually
attended with great poverty, the parent of
much mifery; and that was a ftate of life
he did not chufe to rub into. And tho',
according to the proverb, God does not
fend mouths without fending meat to fill
them; yet our Author faw, by daily expe-
rience, that meat to fome was not to be ob-
tained but with great difficulty. And as to
truſting to providence, in fuch cafes, the
Author thought it was rather groundleſly pre-
fuming upon providence, than a proper truft
in it; nor did he find that providence inter-
pofed to extricate fuch it's pretended de-
pendents
1
The Author's Account of himſelf. v
us, in
pendents out of their difficulties. And
ſuch a ſtate of life, the Author's ſphere of
action muſt of neceffity be confined within
very narrow bounds; fo he could not have
been known to the world, had he not of-
fered his thoughts to publick confideration
the occafion of which was as follows.
WHEN the reverend Mr. Whiston pub-
liſhed his hiſtorical preface to thoſe books
he entitled Primitive-christianity revived;
(that were afterwards publiſhed) the pub-
liſhing of which the Author thinks to have
been about the year 1711. that preface hap-
pened to fall into the hands of the Author
and fome of his acquaintance, who were
perfons of reading, in Salisbury; and as fome
of his friends took part with Mr. Whifton,
in the main point controverted, viz. the
fingle fupremacy of the one God and the fa-
ther of all; ſo ſome were againſt him, which
introduced a paper-controverſy betwixt
them.
And as the Author's friends were
by of expreffing themſelves plainly and fully
upon the queſtion, but chofe rather to op-
A
pofe
vi The Author's Account of himſelf.
pofe each other by interrogations; fo this
appeared to the Author a way altogether
unlikely to clear up the cafe, and bring the
point debated to an iffue. And, from this
way of proceeding in the Author's friends, he
was naturally led to draw up his thoughts.
upon the fubject in the way that he did,
as it appeared to him a more probable means
of bringing the controverſy to a conclufion.
And this the Author did without the leaft
view, or even a thought, of it's being offered
to publick confideration, but only for his
own fatisfaction, and for the information
and fatisfaction of his friends in Salisbury,
to whom then his acquaintance was confined;
he having accuftomed himſelf, from his
youth, to put his thoughts into writing,
upon fuch fubjects to which his attention
had been called in; not with a deſign to
expoſe them to publick view, but only thereby
to amuſe and ſatisfy himſelf, and then com-
mit them to the flames, which had been the
cafe in many inftances. The Author having
collected and arranged his fentiments on
t
the
I
The Author's Account of himſelf. vii
the forementioned fubject, as they now con-
tain the first tract in his first volume of col-
lection of tracts, it was expofed to the view
and perufal of his acquaintance and others,
fome of whom approved the performance,
and thought the argument contained in it
to be concluſive for the point intended to be
proved by it, but others thought the con-
trary, and this introduced a controverfy in
writing, betwixt the Author and fome of
thofe who thought differently from him
upon the ſubject, and feveral letters and
papers paffed betwixt them, the tract being
then only in manufcript. Whilft the cafe
ſtood thus, one of the Author's friends in-
tended to take a journey to London, and he
with others defired the tract might be car-
ried thither and put into Mr. Whifton's
hands, for his perufal, in order to have his
judgment upon it, he being then confidered
as a principal in the controverfy. What
was thus propoſed was complied with; and
accordingly the manufcript was carried to
London, and delivered to Mr. hifton; who
thereupon fent a letter by the bearer to the
Au-
viii The Author's Account of himſelf,
Author, importing his approbation of the
performance, and the propriety of it's be-
ing made public; offering to have it printed
and publiſhed himſelf, provided the Author
would permit him to make fome few alte-
rations, in expreffing the fenfe of fome few
texts of ſcripture; which alterations were
fuch as the grand point in queſtion was not
affed by this propofal was complied with,
and Mr. Whiston had the tract printed and
publiſhed forthwith; and thus the Author
appeared in the world as a writer.
R E-
1
40
REMARKS
ON THE
SCRIPTURES
OCCASIONED BY
A COMPLAINT made against the Author:
namely, that he has fallen foul of the
Bible, and has not paid it the deference
which he ought; and, in confequence
thereof, that he has dug up foundations,
and greatly unfettled the minds of men.
Which complaint is grounded on the
Author's IV. Differtations, lately pub-
lifhed, viz: on the hiftory of Melchize
dek, &c.
B
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i
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(3)
REMARKS
ΟΝ ΤΗ Ε
SCRIPTURES, &c.
A
MONGST the many complaints
made againſt me, occafioned by
the publication of my Differta-
tions, this I apprehend to be the principal;
namely, that I have fallen foul of the Bible,
and have not paid it the deference which I
ought; and that, in confequence thereof, I
have dug up foundations, and greatly unſet-
tled the minds of men. So that the preſent
queſtions are, how, or in what respect have
I fallen foul of the Bible? What foundations
have I dug up? And what minds have I
unfettled thereby? And firft, how, or in
what reſpect, have I fallen foul of the Bible?
And wherein have I fallen fhort of paying
it the deference it has a right to claim?
Why, truly, I have taken the liberty to
enquire into the conduct and behaviour of
B 2
fome
+
1
4
Remarks on the Scriptures.
fome of our Old-Teftament Saints, which
ftand upon record in it. I have alfo with-
held my affent from fuch facts therein rela-
ted, and from fuch propofitions therein con-
tained, as have the marks of incredibility
upon them, when having no other evidence
to fupport them, than the bare authority
of the writer. And is this all? To which
it may, perhaps, be thought fufficient to an-
fwer, that this minifters juft ground for com-
plaint. Upon which I obferve, that the Bible
is held forth, and recommended to us, as a
proper guide, by way of example, doctrine
and precept, to our understandings, our
affections and actions; and therefore, moſt
affuredly, the Bible of all other books ought
Atrictly to be examined, and moſt carefully
to be enquired into; and we ought to lend
each other all the affiftance we can in mak-
ing the inquifition, becauſe otherwife we
are in great danger of being misled. As I
am required to follow the examples of those,
who through faith and patience inherit the
promifes; and as the characters of thofe
I am required to imitate, are compounded of
good actions and bad; fo the very nature of
the thing calls upon me, and obliges me di-
ligently to examine, and carefully to diſtin-
guish
Remarks on the Scriptures.
5
guiſh and ſeparate thofe mens virtues from
their vices; becauſe otherwiſe I am in dar-
ger of following them, as well in their bad
deeds as in their good; which muſt render
the cafe, without fuch inquifition, moft
hazardous to me, and to all others who have
the Bible put into their hands. The Bible
is a collection of Books, wrote at different,
and, fome parts of it, at very diftant times,
by a variety of perfons, upon many fub-
jects; whofe authors, as they plainly ap-
pear to have had very different fentiments, and
fometimes, perhaps, to have differed from
themfelves, fo it is not unlikely but they may
have had very different views, as that has
been pretty much the cafe of writers at all
times; and, therefore, I think, it is not
doing juſtice to the Deity, to call it, in the
grofs, the revealed will and word of God,
whatever fome parts of it may be conceived
to be. The Bible is fuch a compofition as
that the moſt oppofite tenets are extracted
from it, as the many controverfies that now,
and at all times paft, have fubfifted in the
Chriftian Church do plainly demonſtrate; and
by this means, it has been the groundwork
of moft of the herefies and fchifms that have
taken place in Chriſtendom, and has occafi-
B 3
oned
6
Remarks on the Scriptures.
oned great confufion, each one appealing to
the Bible, as the Standard which their pre-
tenfions are to be tryed by. And tho' the
various denominations of Chriftians have
racked their inventions or conceiving pow-
ers, in order to reconcile its most difagreeing
parts; yet alas! it is as eafy to make the
two Pole-Stars meet in a point, as fairly to
make all the parts of this compoſition center
in any one of the many fyftems that have
been grounded upon it. This collection of
writings has been the parent of doctrines
moft dishonourable to God, and moſt inju-
rious to men; fuch as the doctrines of abfo-
lute unconditional election and reprobation,
of religious perfecution, and the like. This
being the cafe, it furnishes out a reaſon, more
than fufficient, to engage every confiderate
man, who would fee with his own eyes,
would follow the guidance of his own under-
ftanding, and thereby would act confonant
to his intelligent nature, carefully to read,
and attentively to confider what he reads in
the Bible, thereby to prevent his being
mifled; and this, I prefume, is a fufficient
Apology for my doing as I have done, with
relation thereto.
BESIDES,
}
Remarks on the Scriptures.
7
罪
​BESIDES, this book, called the holy Bible,
contains many things that are greatly be-
low, and unworthy of the Supreme Deity.
That God ſhould ſpecially interpoſe to ac-
quaint men with, and to tranfmit to pofte-
rity, fuch trifling obfervations, as that two
are better than one, that which is crooked
cannot be made freight, that which is want-
ing cannot be numbered, and the like: Or
that he ſhould ſpirit men with, approve of,
or countenance, fuch malevolent defires as
thefe, Let his children be fatherless, and his
wife a widow; let his children be continually
vagabonds, and beg, let them alſo ſeek their
bread out of their defolate places; let the ex-
tortioner catch all that he hath, and let the
Stranger fpoil his labour; let there be none to
extend mercy to him, neither let there be any
to favour his fatherless children; let his pof-
terity be cut off, and in the generation fol-
lowing let their name be blotted out. I fay,
that ſuch trifling obfervations, and fuch
malevolent defires as thele, fhould be confi-
dered as the offspring of God, is playing at
hazard indeed. That the travels and ad-
ventures of Naomy and her two fons, Mahlon
and Chilion, into the country of Moab, (as in
the book of Ruth) is true, perhaps, may
В A
not
8
Remarks on the Scriptures.
not be difputed; but that God fhould fpe-
cially interpofe, to tranſmit ſuch an infignificant
relation to pofterity, when we have nothing
to ground the fuppofition upon, ſeems, to
me, to be taking too great a liberty with the
character and conduct of the Deity. There
are many things, contained in that collection
of writings, commonly called the Bible, that
are much below and unworthy of the moſt
perfect intelligence and boundless goodness;
that theſe ſhould be made the act of the
Supreme Deity, fhould be declared to be a
revelation from, and the very word of God,
without ſo much as a feeming reaſon or
ground for fo doing, any otherwiſe than to
fupport the religious fyftems men have imbi-
bed, or, perhaps, the fchemes of worldly
policy they are engaged in; this, furely, is
not acting properly, nor even justly, by the
common and kind parent of the univerfe.
For men thus to father upon God whatever
they pleaſe, is taking fuch a liberty with the
character and conduct of the fupreme Deity,
as no honest upright man would take with
that of his neighbour; and if fuch practising
ſhould not come under the denomination of
blafphemy, which it fcarcely falls fhort of;
yet it muſt, at leaſt, be a very strange kind
of
Remarks on the Scriptures.
9
of piety. Yea, fuch is the extraordinary
piety of this age, (like that of doing honour
and ſervice to God, by killing his fervants)
that if a man, in confcience of that duty he
owes to his maker, takes upon him to vindi-
cate the moral character of the Deity, in
oppofition to the religious fyftem in vogue, or
what paffes for current orthodoxy, he may
be fure to fall under the imputation of being
a free-thinker, a Deift, (thoſe terms being
ufed in a bad fenfe) or, perhaps, an Atheist.
AND as to the preceptive parts of the Bi-
ble, there is a difficulty attends them that is
unfurmountable to me; viz. what is required
to be done at one time, and under one difpen-
fation, is forbid to be done under another,
whilft human nature continues the fame, and
men's relations, and dependencies, and the
obligations that arife from them, continue the
fame allo. The Deity cannot but perceive
things as they really are, at all times, what-
ever colouring or fhading men may draw
over them; and therefore, to ſuppoſe that
he commands and forbids the fame thing,
whilst the natures, the relations, and the
circumſtances of men and things continue
the fame; this, I fay, is to me an unfur-
mountable difficulty. Matthew v. 38. Ye
bave
IO
Remarks on the Scriptures.
have heard that it hath been ſaid, or ye have
read, Exodus xxi. 23, 24, 25. Life for
life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for
band, foot for foot, burning for burning,
wound for wound, firipe for ſtripe. Upon
which I obferve, if fuch a retaliation of
injuries as this, is, in it's own nature, proper
to reſtrain men's viciated appetites and paf-
fions, and therefore was appointed under the
difpenfation of Mofes; then, for the fame
reaſon, it ought to be appointed and executed
under all difpenfations, becauſe mankind are
the fame, they have the fame appetites and
paffions, and are liable to indulge them to ex-
cefs at all times, and under all difpenfations.
Whereas, Jefus Chrift reverfed the aforefaid
law of retaliation, ver 39. But I say unto ye,
that ye refift not evil; but whosoever ſhall ſmite
thee on thý right cheek, turn to him the other
alſo. Here, we fee, Chrift hath not only forbid
all refiftance of evil, but he alfo requires the
patient, when he has ſuſtained a firſt injury,
to be a volunteer with regard to a fecond,
and to meet it half-way. The having the
body dismembered, by the loſs of an eye, a
hand, or a foot, were not flight and trivial
injuries, but were of great conſequence to the
fufferer; theſe were the evils the law of
Mofes
Remarks on the Scriptures.
IE
* 7 *
Moſes appointed ſhould be retaliated; and
yet theſe are the evils Chrift's difciples are
not to refift, not to retaliate, nor to ſeek a
reparation for. What Chrift faid, Luke xxii.
35, 36, is fo far from giving any encourage-
ment to the refifting of evil, that it is rather
the reverfe. And he faid unto them, when
I fent you without purfe, and fcrip, and ſhoes,
lacked ye any thing? And they faid, nothing.
Then faid he unto them, but now he that
hath a purſe let him take it, and likewife his
fcrip: and he that hath no fword, let him fell
bis garment, and buy one. Thefe directions
were a kind of figurative language, in
which the reverſe to what is expreffed is
pointed out; that is, in the then prefent
conjuncture, purſes, and fcrips, and fwords
were things there would be no uſe nor place
for. For, faid Chrift, verfe 37. that this
that is written must yet be accomplished in me,
and he was reckoned among the tranfgreffors;
for the things concerning me have an end.
The inference from which is, that therefore
purſes, and fcrips, and fwords will be uſeleſs
things. This, I think, muſt be the meaning,
elfe it will be hard to find the connection, or
relation of the latter to the former. And,
as the diſciples underflood the words above-
mentioned
12 Remarks on the Scr iptures.
mentioned in a literal fenfe, and therefor
faid, Lord, here are two fwords; fo Chriſt
anſwered them in the fame kind of lan-
guage as before, and faid, it is enough; that
is, two fwords were enough, becauſe there
would be no uſe nor place for any. Had
Chriſt's perfon been to have been defended in the
ufe of fwords, and by his diſciples repelling
force with force, then two fwords would
have been a great deal too little for them, to
have defended themſelves and their maſter
againſt the multitude, who were come with
fwords and faves to take him. And when
one of thefe fwords had been uſed, in cutting.
off the ear of a fervant of the high-prieft,
Chriſt ſharply rebuked him that uſed it, and
condemned the uſe of it. Matthew xxvi. 52.
Put up again thy fword into his place; for all
they that take the sword, ſhall perish with the
fword. Chrift here reproved and condemned
the uſe of the ſword, and, perhaps, all re-
fiftance of evil, (confonant to what he had
before taught his diſciples) in the fame kind
of language with which murder had been
reproved and condemned. Genefis ix. 6.
Whofo fheddeth man's blood, by man fhall bis
blood be fhed. All they that take the fword,
ſhall perish with the fword. What I obſerve
is,
Remarks on the Scriptures.
13
is, that if God's will is changeable, with re-
gard to men's behaviour one to another, as
in the inftance above, whilft the natures, re-
lations, and circumftances of men and things
continue the fame; then fuch change muſt
be grounded on arbitrary pleaſure, and ſome-
times, not only without, but against reafon;
and if that is the cafe in one inftance, then
it may be ſo in any other; and as fuch change
may poffibly take place without our having
any notice thereof, ſo it muſt always be very
uncertain what the will of the Lord is.
BUT farther, as fome of Chrift's laws have
a peculiarity in them, being different from
the laws given by all other law-givers; fo
from hence, Chrift's Difciples, or, at leaft,
fome of thoſe who pretend to be ſuch, have
taken occafion to boast, that chriſtian mo-
rals are more excellent and perfect than any
other fyftem of morals that hath been exhi-
bited to men; that the morals, or rules of
life, given by heathen philofophers and the
wifeft of men in all ages, have fallen greatly
fhort, in point of excellency and perfection
to chriftian morals. Whether this is the
cafe, or not, will beft appear by an exami-
nation of fome particulars; only it is to be
premiſed
14
Remarks on the Scriptures.
premifed, that fuch rules of life, when com-
plied with, as contribute moft to the publick
good, I think, are to be deemed more excel-
lent and perfect, than thoſe which come in com-
petition with them. And, firſt, let us begin with
the precept before-mentioned, viz. the univer-
fal non-refiftance of evil, put in competition
with that equal reſiſtance and retaliation of in-
juries appointed by Mofes's law, or any other
civil conftitution; and then the queftion will
be, whether an univerſal non-reſiſtance of
evil, or whether a proper univerfal refiftance
and retaliation of it, taking mankind as they
are, will contribute most to human happi-
nefs? If the former be the cafe, then it
gives it for chriftian morals; but if the
latter be the cafe, then it gives it against
chriſtian morals; that is, if refiftance and
retaliation of injury, when properly admi-
niſtered, will contribute more to the fafety and
happineſs of mankind, than a total non-re-
fiſtance of it, then chriftian morals are leſs
excellent and perfect, in this inftance, than
thofemorals that ſtand in competition withthem.
AGAIN, Chrift faith, Matthew v. 33. Ye
have heard that it hath been faid by them of
old time, or ye may have read, Leviticus xix.
12. Numbers xxx. 2. Thou shalt not forfwear
thyfelf
Remarks on the Scriptures.
15
thyfelf, but ſhalt perform unto the Lord thine
Oaths. Under the difpenfation of Mofes,
when a diſpute arofe betwixt neighbour
and neighbour, and no witness could be
brought, to fhew or prove on which fide of
the queſtion truth and right lay; then the
law directed, that the defendant, or party ac-
cufed, fhould vindicate himself by his own
teftimony, as no proof could be brought
againſt him; which teftimony was to be
given upon oath, and that was to end the
ftrife; only it was required and expected,
that the perſon fwearing ſhould not forfwear
himſelf, but ſhould perform to the Lord his
oath, the Lord being, in fome fenfe, made
a party in the cauſe. And fometimes, like-
wife, a perfon voluntarily charged himſelf,
upon oath, to do what otherwiſe he was
not obliged to do; in which caſe, `tho' an-
tecedent to his oath he was free, yet when
he had bound his foul with this bond, then it
was required and expected, that he fhould
make good his vow, or perform to the Lord
his oath; this was the fwearing that was
allowed and appointed of old time, or under
the difpenfation of Mofes. As to idle and
profane fwearing, in common converſation,
it is quite out of the question, as no fuch
thing
16
Remarks on the Scriptures.
thing was allowed, or had been appointed,
nor indeed does the cafe fuppofe it, or admit
it; becauſe all fuch fwearers, of whom it was
required and expected they should not for-
fwear themselves, but perform to the Lord
*their oaths, theſe do not come under the
denomination of idle and prophane, but reli-
gious fwearers. But then, tho' fuch reli-
gious fwearing was allowed, and appointed
by
* An Oath, I apprehend to be this, viz. A Perfon
when going to deliver his teftimony, with relation to any
thing, action, or fact, whether he be required, or vo-
luntary, in order to obtain credit to that teftimony, he
profeffes that he has then upon his mind a fenfe of the pre-
fence of God, as an omnifcient, omnipotent, and a moft
righteous being; which fenfe of the divine prefence is fup-
poſed to have fuch a commanding and reftraining influence
upon the teftifier, as to engage him to declare nothing
more or leſs than the naked truth; and this circumſtance,
viz. the teſtifier profeffing that he has upon his mind a
fenfe of God's prefence when he gives his teftimony,
is ſuppoſed to add weight to that teftimony, and
to render it more worthy of credit than without it it would
be. And tho', in this cafe, God is a witness to what is
teftified, whether it be true, or falfe; yet he is not made,
nor conftituted to be fuch, by any declaration, appeal, or
act of the teftifier or others, becauſe he muft of neceffity
be fuch a witnefs, whether the teftifier will or no, and
whether he be declared, be appealed to, be called upon to
be fo, or not. The profeffed ſenſe of God's prefence,
upon the mind of the teftifier, is fhewn forth, either by
fome mode of fpeech, fuch as by God, before God, or as in the
prefence of God; or elfe by fome action, or actions deputed
for that purpoſe, ſuch as the laying the hand upon, and
kiffing a book, as in courts of juftice among us. This,
I apprehend, is what conftitutes an oath or fwearing; and
thus far the Deity may be faid to be a party in the cauſe.
Remarks on the Scriptures. 17
by Mofes's law, yet Chriſt forbad it. Mat-
thew v. 34,-37. But I fay unto you, fwear
not at all.—But let your communication be yea,
yea; nay, nay: for whatſoever is offered, in
fupport of truth, more than thefe, more than
barely to affirm or deny, cometh of evil,
cometh of that lying and falsehood, that dif-
truſt and jealouſy, that prevail among men,
by which mutual confidence hath been
greatly impaired, which evil oaths were
introduced as a remedy to. This being the
cafe, the prefent queſtion is, whether truth
is better fupported, and mutual confidence
better ſecured, by non-fwearing, or by ſuch
religious fwearing as aforefaid? And, con-
fequently, which of thefe, when become
general, will contribute moſt to the publick
good? If the former be the caſe, then it
gives it for Chriftian* morals; but if the
C
latter
* Suppofing St. Paul did fwear, after the law was
given, which for bad it, all that it proves is, that St. Paul
tranfgreffed this law, which, as he was peccable, he
was liable to. Beſides, St. Paul may have been alto-
gether ignorant of this law againſt ſwearing. The pre-
cept, referred to, was recorded by only one Evangeliſt,
which makes it probable the other three had forgot it, or
elfe that they knew nothing of it. And as St. Paul could
not know any thing of Chrift's miniſtry, but at ſecond or
third hand, and as, upon his converfion, he was very little
among the Apoſtles and companions of Chrift, but was
chiefly among the Gentiles; fo it is not at all unlikely, but
that he may have heard nothing of this law of Chrift
againſt fwearing.
18
Remarks on the Scriptures.
latter be the cafe, then it gives it againf
Chriſtian morals; that is, if religious fwear-
ing contributes more to the fupport of truth
and mutual confidence, than non-fwearing;
then, in this inftance, Chriftian morals are
lefs excellent, and perfect, than thofe morals
that come in competition with them.
AGAIN, Matthew v. 43. Ye have heard
that it hath been faid, thou shalt love thy
neighbour, and hate thine enemy. By neigh-
bour, here, muſt needs be meant friend ; be-
cauſe it is a friend, and not a neighbour,
which is the oppofite to an enemy; and be-
cauſe the ſame perfon may be both neigh-
bour and enemy. The precept before us is
plainly founded in nature, as it required the
Jews to direct each affection or paffion to it's
proper object. He who does me a kindness,
thereby becomes my friend, and renders
himſelf, by ſo doing, the proper object of
my approbation or love; he who caufelefly
does me an injury, thereby becomes my ene
my; and, in fo doing, renders himſelf the
proper object of my averfion or hatred. But
then, this precept Chrift hath, in part, re-
verfed, Matthew v. 44, 45. But I say unto
you, love your enemies, bless them that curſe
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray
for
Remarks on the Scriptures. 19
for them which despitefully use you, and perfe-
cute you: that ye may be the children of your
father which is in heaven, for he maketh his
fun to rife on the evil and on the good, and
Jendeth rain on the just and on the unjuft.
Whether this precept can be complied with,
may, perhaps, admit of ſome doubt; that
is, whether a man can love an unlovely ob-
ject, when perceived to be fuch. That the
fun riſes, and the rain falls, on all, promiſcu-
ously, on good and bad, on juft and unjuſt
men, is true, as in the prefent conſtitution
of things, without a Miracle, it cannot be
otherwife; but that the perfection of the fu-
preme Deity, (Be ye therefore perfect, even as
your father which is in heaven is perfect,ver.48.)
confifts in, and arifes from, his being affected
towards, and his treating all, his intelligent
creatures alike, whether good or evil, juſt
or unjust, as is here ſuppoſed, this is very
far from being a clear cafe.
does, and will be affected to,
And if God
and treat, all
both good and
his intelligent creatures alike,
bad, then there can be no place for a future
retribution. The worldly eftate of good and
bad men is fo mixed and blended, that the
benefits, which arife from the fun and rain,
muft, of neceffity, be common to them both
but
C 2
;
20
Remarks on the Scriptures.
but that this ſhould be a reafon, or an ex-
ample to us, to be affected to, and treat them
alike, when we have it in our power to
make a proper diſcrimination betwixt them,
and when, perhaps, this is the only ftate in
which we ſhall be capable of doing it, this
is past my conception. As the conduct and
behaviour of men are greatly different, fo
nature ſeems to require, and direct, that our
affection to them, and treatment of them,
ſhould be greatly different alío. However,
the prefent queſtion is, whether the being
affected to, and treating perfons of all cha-
racters alike, whether good or bad, friend
or enemy; or whether the being affected to,
and treating perfons differently, and ſuitably
to their respective different Characters; I
fay, which of theſe contributes moſt to hu-
man happiness? If the former be the cafe,
then it gives it for chriftian morals; but if
the latter be the cafe, then it gives it againſt
chriſtian morals; that is, if the being af-
fected to, and treating men, according to
their different behaviours, contributes more
to the publick good, than being affected to,
and treating them all alike; then, in this
inftance, Christian morals are less excellent,
and
Remarks on the Scriptures.
21
and perfect, than thoſe morals that come in
competition with them.
AGAIN Matthew vi. 19. Lay not up for
yourſelves treaſures upon earth, where moth
and ruft doth corrupt, and where thieves
break through and fteal. ver. 25. Take no (or
little) thought for your life, what
Je
fhall
eat, or what ye ſhall drink; nor yet for your
body what ye skall put on. ver. 26,-28. Behold,
(or take for an example) the fowls of the air,--
the lillies of the field: the former of theſe take
thought only for the prefent time, the latter
take no thought at all; yet both are fuftained.
ver. 3. Take no thought for the morrow; for
the morrow ſhall take thought for the things of
itself, fufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
In theſe rules of life, laid down by Jefus Chriſt,
men's thoughtfulnefs, care, and concern for
the things of this life, and their collecting,
and laying up, earthly treaſures, or worldly
goods, are fo limited and reftrained, as that,
comparatively ſpeaking, they may be faid to
be none at all. Men's thoughtfulneſs, care,
and concern for, and their laying up of
earthly, and heavenly treaſures are to be fo
greatly disproportionate*, as that the for-
C 3
mer
Chrift feems, at leaft, not only to forbid his difciples
and followers the laying up earthly treaſures, Matthew vi.
19.
22
Remarks on the Scriptures.
mer will appear almoſt as
compared with the latter.
nothing, when
This feems to
be
19. Lay not up for your felves treasures upon earth, ver. 25.
Tokeno (or little) thought for your life what ye shall eat, or what
you ſhall drink, nor yet for the body what ye ſhall put on ; but
alfo, that they ſhould discharge themſelves of all that wealth
they are poffeffed of, by felling or parting with all and
giving it to the poor, in order to be his Difciples, and to
be intereſted in the treafures of heaven, Matthew xix.
21, 22. Jefus faid unto him (the young man) if thou
will be perfect, go and fell that thou haſt, (or, as in Mark
x. 21. Sell whatſoever thou haft) and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.
But when the young man heard that faying, he went away
forrowful; for he had great poffeffions. But leaft what
Chrift has here faid, of felling all and giving it to the
poor, might be looked upon as peculiar to this young
man, and only as a tryal to him, Chrift, in order to make
it general, and relative to all rich men, adds, by way of
reflection on the young man's conduct, the following
remarks, as at verfes 23, 24. Then faid Jefus unto his
Difciples, verily I say unto you, that a rich man ſhall
hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I fay
unto you, it is eaſier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
To inherit eternal life, to enter into life, to enter into
the kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of God, and to
have treaſures in heaven, all theſe modes of fpeech, as
uſed in the diſcourſe betwixt Chrift and the young rich
man, muft, if they are pertinently applied, be uſed to
expreſs one and the fame thing; for the attainment of
which thing, Chrift hath made, or declared, the felling all
and giving it to the poor, to be pre-requifite or neceſſary;
but the felling all and giving it to the poor is a taſk ſo
exceeding difficult, and ſcarcely to be complied with by rich
men; therefore the conclufion from theſe premiſes muſt
needs be just, viz. that a rich man fhall hardly enter into
the kingdom of heaven; that it is almoſt as eafy for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle, as for a rich man, for
rich man, and not for the young man only, to enter
into the kingdom of God; and this had been exemplified in
the young man's cafe.
any
Remarks on the Scriptures. 23
be the purport of thefe precepts. Man, from
his make and conftitution, is an infirm, indi-
gent creature, whofe ftate and condition in
the world, and the part he ought to act in
it, as an indigent branch of it, theſe require,
and call for much thoughtfulneſs, application
and diligence, in order for him to obtain
for himſelf, and for others, (who may be
the proper objects of his regard) thofe con-
veniencies and pleaſures, that nature hath
prepared, and diſpoſed him to enjoy; and
that, not only for the prefent time, but alſo
for the morrow, and through a life that may
be extended to threescore years and ten, a
life that may be checquered with the
changes of fortune, and many other viciffi-
tudes, all which are to be taken into the ac-
count, and prudently provided for. And as
man's relations, obligations, and duties, all
arife from his prefent exiſtence, and from
what he now is and has; fo his preſent well
doing muſt needs be the special, and more
immediate, object of his prefent regard, As
to man's well doing,in a conftitution of things
to come, all the provifion he is capable of
making for it now, is to act ſuitably to his
manly character, and properly fill up the poſt
affigned him in this. This being the prefent
C 4
condition
24
Remarks on the Scriptures.
condition of mankind, the queftion before
us is, whether that thoughtleffnefs and in-
dolence, as to worldly goods, which Chrift
requires, or that thoughtfulneſs and induf-
try, which man's prefent indigent condition,
or the prefent conftitution of things call for,
the queſtion is, which of theſe contribute
moft to human happiness? If the former
be the cafe, then it gives it for chriſtian
morals; but if the latter be the cafe, then it
gives it against chriftian morals; that is, if
fuch a proper care, application, and diligence,
in making provifions for a man's prefent
well-doing, as his preſent indigent ſtate
feems to require, will, upon the whole, con-
tribute more to the publick good, than that
thoughtleffneſs and indolence, as to worldly
goods, which Chrift hath required, then,
in this inftance, chriftian morals are less
excellent, and perfect, than thoſe morals that
come in competition with them.
AGAIN, Luke xiv. 12, 13. When thou
makeſt a dinner or a fupper, call not, or thou
fhalt not call, thy friends, nor thy brethren,
neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours ;
left they alfo bid thee again, and a recompence
be made thee. But when thou makeft a feaſt,cal!,
or thou shalt call, the poor, the maimed, the
lame
Remarks on the Scriptures.
25
lame, the blind, &c. Tho' this rule of life
was given to a particular perfon, upon a
particular occafion; yet as the reaſon al-
figned for it is general, and equally affects
all perfons, in the fame circumſtances; fo
the precept, connected with it, and grounded
upon it, muft needs be general alfo. As the
precept laid down is moft plain, exprefs and
peremptory; fo, thereby, Chriftians are re-
quired to deny themſelves of that pleaſure and
fatisfaction, which arifes from entertaining,
and being entertained by friends, relations,
neighbours, and thofe of their own rank,
and which, perhaps, is one of the princi-
pal enjoyments of life; and to confine them-
felves, in this refpect, to the company, con-
verſation and friendſhip of the poor, the
lame, the maimed, the blind; that is, to
the neceffitous only. That the poor, the
maimed, the lame, the blind, when ren-
dered, by their misfortunes, unable to take
care of, and provide for, themſelves, ought
to be taken care of, and be provided for,
by thoſe whoſe plentiful fortunes render
them capable of it, furely, is not diſputed;
but then, perhaps, thofe neceffitous people
may be taken care of, in a way, which will
contribute much more to the comfort of their
lives
26 Remarks on the Scriptures.
lives, than fitting down to meat, at a rich
man's table, can do. And, therefore, the
queftion is, whether the fitting down to
meat with the poor, the maimed, the lame,
the blind, exclufive of the rich; or the fit-
ting down to meat with friends, relations,
and rich neighbours, whilft the neceffitous
are properly taken care of fome other way,
contributes moſt to human happineſs? If the
former be the cafe, then it gives it for chrif
tian morals; but if the latter be the cafe,
then it gives it against chriftian morals
that is, if entertaining, and being enter-
tained by, friends, rich neighbours, &c.
together with a proper proviſion for the poor
and needy, fome other way, contribute more,
upon the whole, to the happineſs of man.
kind, than fitting down to meat with the
neceffitous, exclufive of the rich, then
chriftian morals, in this inftance, are lefs
excellent, and perfect, than thofe morals that
come in competition with them.
THESE, I apprehend, are the precepts
that are confidered as peculiarly Chriftian,
or fome of them, at leaft; elfe I cannot con-
ceive which are; and by a fair compariſon
of thefe, with thofe precepts that come in
competition with them, a judgment may be
formed
Remarks on the Scriptures. 27
"
formed, which of them, upon the whole,
contributes moft to human happineſs; and,
confequently, whether there be any juft
ground for boasting, that chriftian morals are
much more excellent and perfect, than any
other ſyſtem of morals that hath been exhibi-
ted to men.
As thefe precepts are confi-
dered to be purely christian; fo, by their
being fuch, Chriftians are laid under a parti-
cular and ſpecial obligation to pay ftrict obe-
dience to them, in honour of their Lord; as,
by fuch obedience,they are to be diſtinguiſhed
and known from the Servants of all other
mafters. Not to commit theft or murder
has no peculiarity, gives no diftinguishing
character, as it is paying obedience to laws,
that have, in common, been given by many
law-givers; whereas, for a man of fortune
to fit down to meat with a collection of poor,
lame, blind people, exclufive of all of his
own rank, is fomething extraordinary, it
gives a diftinguishing character, and plainly
beſpeaks a Chriſtian; that is, a difciple or
follower of Jefus Chrift; as it is paying
obedience to a law which is peculiarly lis,
it not having been given by any other law-
givers. Such acts of obedience render a man
as remarkable as a city that is fet on an hill,
which
28 Remarks on the Scriptures.
which cannot be hid, but must be ſeen and
obferved by all that pafs by, even at a dif-
tance. And tho' a proper obedience paid
to other laws, grounded on other principles,
may conftitute a good man; yet it is a ftrict
adherence to thofe laws that are peculiarly
Chriftian, which conftitute a good or a true
Christian, when a good Chriftian is contra-
diftinguiſhed from a good man.
This being
the cafe, it may very naturally and justly be
expected, that thoſe people, who have volun-
tarily chofen Jefus Chrift to be their mafter
and lawgiver, fhould be particularly carc-
ful to pay obedience to fuch precepts as are
peculiar to their fect, and which their foun-
der's honour is more immediately intereſted
in; but alas! this expectation, how juftly
foever raiſed, is totally disappointed. The
Chriſtians of this age are ſo far from paying
a ftrict regard to thoſe precepts peculiarly
chriftian, that it is plain, from their whole
conduct, they pay no regard to them at all;
but as totally neglect them, as if thoſe rules
of life had never been given them; and this
total neglect runs through their whole lives,
without any appearance of remorſe of con-
ſcience either living, or dying. And this is
the cafe, not only of the thoughtless multi-
tude,
Remarks on the Scriptures.
29
tude, who follow the common cry, and of
courſe join with the religious party that pre-
vails; but alfo of the learned, the fober and
fagacious, and even of thoſe who pretend to
have obtained patents from heaven, for being
masters and ushers in Chrift's ſchool: for
tho', in the exercife of their miniftry, they
read thoſe rules of life, in our folemn aſſem-
blies, as given by Jefus Chrift; yet the
event fhews, they are no more influenced by
them, than the reading the ftories of Balaam
and his Afs, of Bell and the Dragon, or of
Tobit and his Dog. And this very naturally
leads to the question, viz. how can thefe
things be? Is it to be conceived, that a Right
Reverend, or even a moft Reverend Father
in God, and in Chrift Jefus, our Lord, ha-
ving provided a moft coftly entertainment,
fhould fit down to meat with his moſt weal-
thy relations, friends, and neighbours, ex-
clufive of the poor, the maimed, the lame,
the blind, when conscious to himſelf that he
is thereby violating and contemning the law
of his mafter, whom he profeffes greatly to
honour, and to be under the highest obligati-
ons to, and is fenfible that he is as anfwerable
for his diſobedience in this, as in any other
parts of his conduct? I fay again, how can
thefe
30 Remarks on the Scriptures.
theſe things be? and yet, perhaps, this is
the cafe every day. Were it to be fuppofed
that theſe men are concealed Infidels, who
believe nothing of the matter, or that they
really think the rules of life, which Chrift
hath given his difciples, to walk by, are
greatly improper, and thereby fatisfy them-
felves in the total neglect of them; this
would be deemed greatly cenforious, and
therefore, the fuppofition is not to be made;
but then, furely, it lies upon our first-rate
Divines to ſhew their dexterity, in unfolding
this riddle. However, St. James hath in-
formed us, that ſuch fruitless faith is dead
and uſeleſs; and, confequently, not better
than infidelity, but, perhaps, much worse;
as he that knoweth (and acknowledgetb) his
maſter's will, and doth it not, ſhall be
beaten with more ſtripes. Let not then our
modern believers infult, and triumph, over
Deifts and Infidels, becauſe thofe very De-
ifts and Infidels, with the men of Sodom and
Gomorrah, will rife up in judgment againſt
them and condemn them. And were our
Commentators, after the example of the
Scribes and Pharifees, to attempt to make
void thefe laws of Chrift, by their traditions,
fuch attempts would prove abortive, to
thofe
Remarks on the Scriptures. 31
F
thofe attentive minds, who would carefully
and candidly examine the matter, and who
are not prepared and diſpoſed, by precon-
ceived opinions, to be misled. Chriſt faith,
When thou makeft a dinner, or a fupper, call
not, or thou shalt not call, thy friends, nor
thy brethren, neither thy kinfmen, nor thy
rich neighbours; but when thou makeft a feast,
call, or thou ſhalt call, the poor, the maimed,
the lame, the blind. Thefe words are not
a loftiness of language, in which much
more is expreffed than was intended to be
understood; they are not hyperboles, or fi-
gures of fpeech, but plain rules of life, that
do not admit of a double meaning, or any
palliating fenfe being put upon them,
which if they are obeyed at all, it muſt be
in their plain, literal, and most obvious
fenfe. Again, Chrift faith, fwear not at all.
This likewiſe is a plain, and moſt expreſs
prohibition, without any reftriction or limi-
tation, in and by which all kinds of ſwear-
ing are forbid. Befides, the fwearing this
precept was directly and immediately levelled
againſt, was ſuch as the law of Mofes had
allowed and appointed, which was not idle
and prophane, but religious ſwearing. Again,
Chriſt faith, but I fay unto you, that
ye re-
fift
32
Remarks on the Scriptures.
fift not evil. Here the prohibition is gene-
ral, and includes all evils, both great and
fmall; nor will it admit of any limitation,
becauſe it was immediately, and directly, le-
velled againſt ſuch retaliation of evils, as the
law of Mofes had appointed, which were
great evils as well as fmall, fuch as the lofs
of life, of an eye, a hand, a foot, and the
like. Befides, Chrift was fo far from ad-
mitting reſiſtance and retaliation of any
evil, how great foever, that on the con-
trary, he required his difciples to love and
treat kindly the inflictors of thoſe evils, which
is incompatible with refiftance and retalia-
tion of them.
AND here it will be but juſt to acknow-
ledge, that the people called Quakers have
paid a ſtrict regard to ſome of thoſe precepts
peculiarly Chriftian, viz. in the caſes of
non-fwearing, and non-refiftance of evil; at
leaft, this was the cafe in former times,
however of late their fidelity may have
feemed to flagg; but then, they ſeem to have
been equally regardleſs of others of Chriſt's
precepts, fuch as, reftrain the defire and
purſuit of earthly treafures, as they have
ap-
peared to be as great monopolizers of worldly
goods, as any people in the world befides.
From
Remarks on the Scriptures. 33
From whence, then, is this prepofteroufness of
conduct? Hath not he that faid, fwear not
at all, refift not evil, faid alfo, lay not up
for yourselves treasures upon earth, take no
(or little) thought for your life, what ye
fhall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet
for the body what ye shall put on? Were not
thefe precepts all given by one and the fame
mafter or lawgiver? And do they not all
equally oblige the ſubject? And if fo, then
from whence is this great partiality of obe-
dience? For, fuppofing an horizontal hat and
laceless apparel may be characteriſticks of a
Quaker; yet nothing lefs than a uniform.
obedience to Chrift's laws is the characterif-
tick of a true difciple of Jefus Christ. John
viii. 31. If ye continue in my word, then are
ye my difciples indeed.
THE prefent Methodists, I apprehend, do
alſo profeſs to pay a strict regard, at leaſt,
to ſome of thoſe precepts that are peculiarly
chriſtian; and as far as this is really the cafe
in fact, whilft thoſe who oppose them do not,
thus far, they have a much better pretence
to difcipleſhip to Chrift, and to the name
Chriſtian, than thoſe who preach and write
againſt them. The Methodists pretend to
be under the guidance and direction of the
D
Spirit
34 Remarks on the Scriptures.
!
Spirit of God, in the exercife of their miniſ-
try, which our Clergy do fcarcely admit;
they, likewiſe, pretend to aim at a much
higher degree of Chriftian perfection, than
what at prefent paffes for currant chriſtia-
nity; and this has drawn on them the impu-
tation of Enthufiafts. Whether the Metho-
diſts pretenfions are just, or whether this im-
putation be justly laid upon them, I do not
pretend to fay; but this I obferve, that the
former of thefe, viz. the guidance of God's
fpirit, is what our Church prays for; and the
latter is what the writings of the new teſta-
ment require and recommend; and therefore,
furely, the terms enthuſiaſm and enthuſiaſt
fhould be cautiously applyed by Chriſtians,
left they ſhould be found to terminate, not
in methodifm, but in Christianity; for, in
this cafe, as is the ftream, fo is the fountain
it flows from. And, notwithſtanding the
loud out-cry that has been made againſt me-
thodiſm, were it decently cooked up into a
regular conftitution, and were archbiſhop-
ricks, biſhopricks, deaneries, and other e-
moluments of grandeur, wealth and power,
annexed to it; then, I dare fay, it would
be looked upon with a more favourable eye,
and meet with much better acceptance, than
it
Remarks on the Scriptures. 35
it now does; and then, one might venture
to foretell, without the gift of prophesy, that
converfions, even of our Clergy, to metho-
diſm, would not be an unuſual thing, nor a
difficult task to effect, in fuch inftances
where the balance of trade lay pretty much
on that fide of the queftion. And were
inethodiſm equally liberal to it's Clergy with
the Church of England, then, no doubt, it
would be deemed equally excellent with her ;
not but were a better penny to be gained in
another way, diftinct from them both, it is
great odds but it would gain the afcendant
over them, by having the most votaries; as
careful and induſtrious traders uſually go to
the best market. The forms of external re-
ligion are many and various; and if more is
to be gained under one form than under ano-
ther, the queſtion is, why ſhould not a Cler-
gyman accept of a tranflation from one ex-
ternal form of religion to another, as well as
from one parjonage, or one bishoprick, to
another? Why may not the fhepherd change
his pafturage as well as his flock, when his
intereft will as effectually be promoted by
the former as the latter? feeing intereſt is
the ground of all theſe changes. For tho'
one form of external religion may be more
grofs
D 2
36 Remarks on the Scriptures.
grofs and carnal, and more bürdenfome to the
people, than another; yet, as each individual
can neither introduce nor fink forms of exter-
nal religion at pleaſure, fo the queftion is,
whether a man is not to make the best,
and moft, of that form he happens to be pla-
ced under, or may have the opportunity of
being tranflated to? As to truth and true
religion, they are after-confiderations, that
may be thought to be pretty much out of
the queſtion; as every man may inwardly
enjoy thefe, and make them a principle
of action to himself; and confequently, he
may be as good in himſelf, and do as much
good to others, whatever external form of
religion he outwardly conforms to; and as a
ſenſe of God and religion may be, and is
kept up in the world, in and by all thofe ex-
ternal forms. And tho' truth and true reli-
gion are what they are, independent of all
external forms; yet, perhaps, they may, in
part, be mixed and blended with them. Thus,
the unity and the fingle ſupremacy of the one
God and father of all is maintained by the
mahometan form; whereas, under fome of
the external forms of religion, called Chrif
tian, the cafe is otherwife; but then, per-
haps, in other inftances, truth and true reli-
gion
Remarks on the Scriptures.
37
to him.
gion may coincide with thofe Chriftian forms,
and the cafe may be otherwiſe with the Maho-
metan form. As to vice, a man may make
the practice of it eafy to himſelf, under all
external forms of religion. Thus, under the
Several forms called Chriftian, it is but for a
man to apply to himself the words of St.
John, and the practice of vice is made eaſy
1 John ii. 1, 2. My little children,
theſe things write I unto you, that ye fin not.
And if any man fin, we (Chriſtians) have an
advocate with the father, Jefus Christ the
righteous, and he is the propitiation for our
fins; and not for ours only, but also for the
fins of the whole world. Theſe words of
St. John may not unnaturally be paraphra-
fed thus. My little children, fin, or difobe-
dience to God's laws, is difreputable and juftly
blameable, I, therefore, write theſe things
unto you, that ye fin not; nevertheleſs, if
any of you fin, let him not be troubled, let
him not be afflicted; for (or becaufe) we
Chriſtians have an advocate with the father,
Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the
propitiation, attonement, and fatisfaction for
our fins. This, then, may be ſuppoſed to
beſpeak fafety, to befpeak comfort, to a
wicked Chriſtian; that is, to a wicked man,
who
D 3
38 Remarks on the Scriptures.
who is a believer in Jefus Chrift, and pro-
feffes difcipleſhip to him; whatever St. John,
or any other writer of the new teftament,
in oppofition to this, may elfewhere have
faid, or intimated to the contrary. For if
Jefus Chrift is a propitiation, attonement, and
fatisfaction for all the fins of Chriftians,
then the moft wicked Chriftian muft needs
be in a ſafe and comfortable ſtate; becauſe
he may fairly prefume, that God will not
be fo unreaſonable, ſo unjust, as to take double
fatisfaction for the fame offences. And this
may alſo ſeem to befpeak ſafety to all fin-
ners, as well Pagans and Infidels as Chrif
tians, as well impenitent as penitent offen-
ders; becauſe Chrift is not only an advocate
with the father, in the behalf of, and is a
propitiation, attonement, and fatisfaction for,
the fins of all penitent believers or Chriftians,
but he is alfo, (according to St. John) fuch an
advocate for all finners, and fuch a propitia-
tion, attonement, and fatisfaction for all fins,
even the fins of the whole world. Tho' poffibly,
in this, St. John may feem to be a little bor-
dering upon heterodoxy. But to return.
IF it should be faid, that Chrift did not
intend his difciples fhould rigorously comply
with fuch precepts as thoſe above mentioned,
but
Remarks on the Scriptures. 39
his
but left them to put fuch a ſenſe upon
words,as their reaſoning faculties fhould point
out; then the queftions are, how do we
know this to be the cafe? Or how does this
appear? feeing thoſe precepts themfelves do
not admit it. Befides, fuch a liberty as this
is not allowed; the Bible is declared to be the
revealed will and word of God, and all that
we are permitted to do, with regard to it,
is only to examine the evidence by which it's
divine Character is fupported; and when
we are ſatisfied of that, we are not to enquire
into the truth of it's doctrines, nor into the
propriety of it's laws; but humbly to believe
the former, and obey the latter; every thing,
beyond this, being declared to be great pre-
fumption, and prying into fecret things
which belong only to God; fo that what is
urged, above, is only to ferve a turn, and
will be recalled at pleaſure. If, indeed,
mankind are to be under no other guidance
than the original and primary law of na-
ture, and if Chrift's buſineſs with men, was
only like that of Noah, to be a preacher
of righteouſneſs and a kind monitor to them,
by pointing out, and preffing obedience to
the aforefaid law, then all his precepts muſt
be brought to the forementioned test, and
D 4
be
40
Remarks on the Scriptures.
be tried by the ſtandard of human reaſon, as
it is called but then, this totally finks
Chriſt's authority, as a law-giver, and makes
Chriſtianity and Deiſm to be the very famė
thing, which is not admitted, or, if it be,
it is only occafionally to get clear of a prefent
difficulty, and will be difcarded again, as
foon as that turn is ferved. And if Chrift is
to be confidered as a law-giver, whofe au-
thority is to be the ground and meaſure of
obedience, which I apprehend to be currant
Orthodoxy; then, in all laws, grounded on
mere authority, the express letter of the law
is the law, there being no other way to come
at the will and intention of the Legiſlator,
than in, and through, thofe very words by
which that law is expreffed. I fay, in all
fuch caſes, the express letter of the law is
the law, and not any fenfe that may be put
upon it by the ſubject, or thoſe who are to
obey it, how reafonable foever fuch impofed
fenſe may appear to be; becauſe, to inter-
pret any law by reaſon, in oppofition to it's
moft obvious fenfe, is to make reaſon the
ground of that law, and of the obedience that
is paid to it, which finks the authority of
the law-giver, and reduces obedience to
bare or dry morality, as it is called. Now, if
this
Remarks on the Scriptures.
41
this be the cafe, viz. that Chrift is to be
confidered as a Legiſlator, whofe authority
is to be the ground of obedience, then, as
the express letter of his laws are his laws,
and not any impofed fenfe which may be
put upon them; fo, by a juft confequence,
all fwearing, as well religious as prophane,
and all refiftance of evil, whether the inju-
ry be great or fmall, are manifeft violations
of the laws of Chrift. But then, this is not
only contrary to the currant practice, but
alſo againſt the currant and generally received
opinions of Chriftians, and this muſt needs
be greatly perplexing to an attentive mind.
PERHAPS it may be faid, that we are hap-
pily provided with a body of Clergy, men of
learning and penetration, of diligence and
induſtry in their callings, whofe proper bu-
finefs it is, and who have been trained up,
and ſet apart for that purpoſe, viz. to
guide men aright into the paths of truth,
righteouſneſs and peace; and that if we at-
tend upon their miniftry, and rely upon
them, we may be fure not to mifcarry.
That we have a body of Clergy is true,
but then it is equally as true, that all bodies
of Clergy endeavour to fupport and main-
tain that particular ſyſtem of religion, that
religious
42 Remarks on the Scriptures.
religious conftitution, which fupports them,
whether true, or falſe; which, as thoſe ſyſ-
tems are many, and various, ſo they cannot
poffibly be all founded in truth. The Ma-
hometan clergy, of courſe, endeavour to
ſupport Mahometaniſm, or that ſyſtem of
religion, which was first promulged by their
great Prophet Mahomet, and which they
are fupported by. The cafe is the fame, with
reſpect to the Popish, and the feveral bodies
of Proteftant, clergy; each one endeavours
to ſupport that fyftem, that religious con-
ftitution, which fupports and maintains
them. And as this is the cafe of all bodies
of Clergy; fo one of thefe has as juſt a de-
mand, or claim, to fuch reliance, as an-
other. Indeed, if one of theſe bodies were
bleffed with a much higher degree of under-
ftanding, than any other men, or than any
other body of clergy, or were they maſters of
more honefty and integrity than thoſe others,
and did thofe natural and moral endow-
ments, regularly, and conftantly, defcend to
their respective fucceffors, and did this plain-
ly appear to be the cafe; then fuch body of
clergy would have a better pretence to de-
mand reliance upon them, than any other
body of clergy could pretend to claim; but
n
this
Remarks on the Scriptures. 43
this is not the cafe of any particular body
of clergy, whether Mahometan, or Chrif
tian, Popish, or Proteftant, all of which, for
any thing that appears, being upon a foot, in
theſe refpects; and, therefore, neither of
them has any just pretence to fuch demand.
There are two diſtinct bodies of clergy, in
this ifland, each of which, regularly, and
fuccefively, endeavours to fupport a particu-
lar religious conftitution, one diftinct and
different from the other; now the queſtion
is, what does this arife from? feeing there
are the very fame materials for each to work
upon, thereby to lay a foundation for it's
pretenfions. Is it a greater meaſure of pe-
netration, and more honefty, in one of theſe
bodies of clergy, than in the other, which
is the ground of fuch different applications
of their zeal and induftry? furely not.
tho', perhaps, each body may lay claim to
thefe; yet it is what both will deny, with
regard to each other, nor can either make
out it's claim. And if neither greater fa-
gacity, nor honefty, is the ground of thofe
different applications, then the question re-
turns, viz. what is? The anſwer to which
queftion is most obvious, viz. it is their re-
fpective interests. For as each individual
clergyman,
For
44 Remarks on the Scriptures.
ever.
clergyman, in each body, is only intereſted
in that particular religious conftitution, to
which he is immediately related; fo expe-
rience fheweth, that each one's zeal, and
industry, are conftantly applied to ſupport
that conftitution which fupports him; and
this is the cafe of all bodies of clergy what-
Thoſe bodies, likewife, ufually, pay
the highest compliment to that particular
religious conſtitution, they are more immedi-
ately related to, and depend upon. Thus,
the clergy of the church of England fay, of
the Church of England, that it is the beſt
conftituted church in the world; the fame,
no doubt, is faid, and, perhaps, with equal
propriety, by all other bodies of clergy, of
each particular conftitution, that each one is
more immediately related to, and depends
upon; each one's Church is the beſt, as it is
beſt for him who depends upon it, and is
fupported by it. But were a judgment to
be formed, upon a comparison betwixt one
religious conftitution and another, confide-
red abſtractedly from the intereft of him
who makes the comparison; then, that
church will be deemed to be beft conftituted,
which holds forth the most power and wealth
to its clergy; and, in this view of the cafe,
I
Remarks on the Scriptures.
45
I prefume, it will be allowed, that the
church of Rome is the best conftituted
church in the world; tho', perhaps, the
church of England may come in for the
fecond place. And tho' education, a proper
enquiry, and other caufes, may have fome
fhare in forming the judgments, and directing
the zeal and induftry, of fome individuals;
yet theſe ſprings are too weak to move large
bodies of men; nothing but intereft being
Sufficient for that purpoſe. For as thoſe
bodies of clergy are cemented by intereft, fo
that is the grand ſpring by which they are
moved; the efficacy and force of which has
been abundantly exemplified in former times,
viz. when the fame body of clergy changed
from Popish to Proteftant, in one reign,
from Proteſtant to Popiſh, in the next, and
then from Popish to Proteſtant again, in the
third. Theſe ſhiftings of principles and
practices in the fame body, furely, were not
owing to the ſhiftings of fagacity and honeſty
in that body; that is, thoſe clergy were not
more fagacious and honeſt, in one of thoſe
changes, than in the others; but thoſe ſhift-
ings arofe from the different views their inte-
reft appeared in, through the revolutions
that then took place, which intereft they
Steadily
46
Remarks on the Scriptures.
fieadily pursued, in every view, in which it
appeared, whether Popish, or Proteftant,
and that produced the changes aforefaid.
All bodies of Clergy are collections of falli-
ble men; who, each one, enter into their
reſpective miniſtries, for the fake of thoſe
worldly advantages they hope and expect to
reap from them; and therefore, in the very
nature of the thing, they cannot be the proper
objects of ſuch truft as is required. And tho'
bodies of clergy are very often wrangling,
and greatly divided, among themſelves, and
that in points of importance, as Dr. Sherlock
againſt Dr. South; which fhews how unfit
they are to be trufted to, or relied upon;
yet they are exceeding careful, not to rifque
any thing they already poffefs, nor bar up the
way to the acquifition of more, and therefore,
they go no farther, in controverfy, than the
chain by which they are held, viz. their
interest, will admit. And tho' nature has
provided various motives, or excitements to
action; yet, I think, it is pretty clear, that
worldly intereft bears the greateft fway, with
the greatest part of mankind; and this, fome-
times, leads men to act a part, and to put
on fuch difguifes, as otherwife, were their
intereft out of the cafe, they would not be
difpofed
Remarks on the Scriptures.
47
diſpoſed to do; which diſguiſed part the
Clergy are more likely to act, in the affairs of
religion, than other men, as their worldly
intereſt may be more intimately connected
with it, and depend upon it.
AND as all bodies of Clergy do, with dili-
ligence and zeal, endeavour to fupport that
particular ſyſtem, or religious conftitution,
to which they are immediately related, and
which ſupports them; fo the proper queſtion
is, how are they to act, who are providen-
tially placed under them, wherever their
place of abode may be? Thus the Mabome-
tan Clergy, of courſe, prefs a belief in, and
fubmiffion to, the Mahometan revelation; the
queſtion, therefore, muft be, with regard to
them, is it the duty of all thoſe, who are
providentially placed under the Mahometan
Clergy, blindly to fubmit to their dictates, in
the interpretation of the Coran, and rely
upon their judgments, as to the conclufiveness
of the arguments, and the weight of the
evidences, by which it's divine character is
to be fupported, and in all other points and
cafes in which their future fafety is con-
cerned? Ought they to depend upon thefe
Mahometan guides, in the affairs of eternal
falvation, without making it a concern of
their
48
Remarks on the Scriptures.
their own, whether they are right, or wrong?
Let it be admitted that Mahometaniſm is an
impofition; the queſtion then is, whether it
is the duty of all, who live in a Mahometan
country, blindly to fubmit to the dictates of
the Mahometan Clergy, in all matters relating
thereto? If it is, then 'tis plain it is their
duty to believe and practiſe falfe religion, fo
far as the Mahometan religion is fuch; and
then falfe religion and true religion (if there
be ſuch a diſtinction) are upon a foot, each
one is to be alike accepted, when it comes
thus recommended; which, furely, is hard
to fay. And fuppofing the bulk of man-
kind will be under fuch guidance as this,
without taking that proper care of examining
and judging for them felves, in affairs of fo
great importance, as the cafe obviouſly re-
quires that they ſhould; it does not follow,
that it is their duty to do fo, or that it is
blameable in others, to give them what affiftance
they can, in order to lead them to do bet-
ter, which acting confonant to their intelli-
gent natures muſt needs be. Every one of
our fpecies, who has fuch a meaſure of in-
telligence, as renders him accountable for his
conduct, ſuch an one muft of neceffity be
capable, (according to his meaſure and de-
gree
Remarks on the Scriptures.
49
gree of intelligence) of perceiving and doing
whatever is fuitable to ſuch a character, be-
cauſe otherwiſe he would not be that being,
nor would he be accountable; and therefore,
whatever is above him, muft of courſe be
irrelative to him. And if every man is ca-
pable of perceiving, and judging, in matters of
religion, fo far as he is concerned in it; then
he ought to do it, and not be led, like horſe
and mule that have no underſtanding, whi-
therfoever the prieſt, which happens to be
placed over him, fhall direct, whether Pagan,
or Chriftian. And tho' the lower part of
mankind are looked upon with contempt,
with regard to their intellectual abilities; yet,
furely, the diſparity is not ſo great, betwixt
them and thoſe who defpife them, as it may
be thought to be; and this fufficiently ap-
pears, in all thofe inftances of action, and
conduct, to which their attention has been
more clofely and strongly called in. How-
ever, the lower part of mankind have fuch
a meaſure of penetration and difcernment,
(if they will exerciſe it) as is fufficient to
guide them aright, in matters of religion;
ſeeing it requires more art and skill to make
them proficients, in the lower profeffion they
may be be called to, than to make them
virtuous
E
50
Remarks on the Scriptures.
virtuous and good, or truly religious men ;
which requires no art at all, but an honest
uſe and application of thoſe abilities that
each man hath. Nor does the lower part of
mankind's calling in their attention to mat-
ters of religion, tend to puzzle and perplex
them, (true religion being moft plain and
intelligible) but, on the contrary, it obviouſly
tends to bring them out of thofe labyrinths,
thoſe mazes, that creed- makers, and bodies
of Clergy, have led them into, and by
which they gain their advantages of them.
And here, it ought to be remembered, that
Jefus Chrift, the founder of the Chriftian
fect, not only addreffed himſelf to the
poor, the lower part of the people, which
ſuppoſes them to have been capable judges
of what he offered to them, and that then
Chriſtianity was clear of all that mystery and
darkness, that his pretended fucceffors have
fince introduced, to raiſe their fuperftructures
of wealth and power upon; I fay, this muft
have been the cafe, when Chriftianity came
out of it's founder's hand; but he alſo re-
quired his audience to make ufe of their own
faculties, in attending to, and applying what
he offered to them. He that hath ears to
bear, (faith Chrift) let him hear, or, he
ought
Remarks on the Scriptures. 51
ought to hear. One man, therefore, is not
to ſuppreſs the uſe of his natural faculties, is
not to stop his ears, becaufe others will not
make uſe of their's; or, becaufe others pre-
tend they have a right, and are better qua-
lified, to examine, to perceive and judge for
kim, than he can do for himſelf.
AND on the other fidc, if it is the duty
of every man, in a Mahometan country,
not to fubmit blindly to a Mahometan mi-
niftry, but, on the contrary, to act ſuitably
to his intelligent nature, by ftrictly examining,
and duly attending to, what is put upon him,
as true religion; and if he is to form his
judgment, and direct his practice, according
to what appears, upon examination, to be
fuch; I fay, if this ought to be the cafe,
with regard to a Mahometan faith and prac-
tice, then it must be equally the duty of
every man to act thus, towards the respective
miniſtry he is, providentially, placed under,
whether Chriftian or otherwife, whether
popish or proteftant; becauſe fuch fres
enquiry, and fuch conduct, as grounded upon
it, is not a favour, or privilege, peculiar to
Mahometan countries only, but is the natural
birth-night of all our fpecies. Aud, as every
Body of Clergy will ſupport that particular
fyftem
E 2
52
Remarks on the Scriptures.
ſyſtem of religion which ſupports them, whe-
ther it be true, or falſe, this being a propo-
fition, the truth of which is fupported by
univerfal experience and fact; fo this exhi-
bits an obvious reafon to us, carefully to ex-
amine what comes from that quarter, be-
cauſe it is by them we are in the greateſt
danger of being mifled, by implicitly fub-
mitting to their dictates, as they are the
miniſtry we are immediately concerned with,
whether Mahometan, or Chriſtian, whe-
ther popish, proteftant, or otherwife. For
example, fuppofe a Man, in a Mahometan
country, to be under fome doubt, as to the
divine original of the Coran, and fuppofe it
concerns him to be fatisfied, whether the Co-
ran be a divine revelation, or not;
the que-
ftion is, who is proper to be applied to?
And the anſwer is moſt obvious, not to a
Mahometan Priest, becauſe he ſtands en-
gaged, by office and intereft, to defend the
divinity of the Coran, and therefore will
do it; and confequently, he, of all others,
is the moſt unfit to be applied to, or de-
pended upon; and this, furely, will be al-
lowed, by all Chriftians, as the cafe is not
their own. In like manner, fuppofe a man,
in a popiſh country, fhould be doubtful of
the
Remarks on the Scriptures.
53
the doctrine of tranfubftantiation, and ſup-
pofe he has a right to enquire into the truth
of it; the question is, who is
proper for
him to apply to, and depend upon? not,
furely, to a popish priest! becauſe he is obli-
ged, by office and intereft, to fupport popery,
at all adventures, of which the doctrine of
tranfubftantiation is a part; and therefore,
this he will do, as popery is the religious
conftitution he is immediately related to, and
is ſupported by ; and, confequently, every
Proteftant will allow, that truth is not likely
to meet with fair play from that quarter.
Again, ſuppoſe a man, among us, ſhould be
doubtful of the truth of fome article, or
branch, of the conftitution of the church of
England; for inftance, let it be that of In-
fant-Baptifm; and let it be admitted, that
the doubtful perfon ought to purſue truth;
the queſtion is, who is proper to be applied
to, and to be depended upon? And here the
general vote, no doubt, will be for the
parish-priest; whereas, were men to be as
impartial in judging in their own cafe, as
they are in that of others, then the general
vote would be against the parish-prieſt, for
the reafons before mentioned. And this is
not arraigning the abilities and integrity
E 3
of
54 Remarks on the Scriptures.
of the English clergy, but only obſerving,
that they act upon the fame principles that
all other bodies of clergy do, and which,
moft certainly, is the cafe. Every pariſh-
prieſt is pre-engaged and pre-determined, by
office and intereſt, to ſupport and maintain
the doctrines and conftitution of the Church
of England, as it is what fupports and main-
tains him; and, therefore, when any arti
cle of it is impeached, he becomes concerned
to make uſe of all the arguments and evi-
dence, that his abilities and reading can
furniſh him with, to fupport and maintain it,
and, as a true fon of the church, may think
it his duty ſo to do. And tho' Infant-Bap-
tifm muſt needs appear, to an attentive
mind, to be a mere bauble or infignificant
ceremony, that can answer no wife and
good end, (except the promoting good eating
and drinking be confidered as fuch) as it
cannot poffibly have any moral influence on
the fubject; yet how infignificant and ufe-
lefs foever it be, when once it is become a
part of the conftitution of any church, the
true fons of that church will do their beſt to
fupport and maintain it, and which is our
cafe. And this has been, and is, and al-
ways will be, the cafe, whilft man continues
ta
Remarks on the Scriptures. 55
to be the fame creature that he now is. For
tho', perhaps, at the opening of any new dif
peniation, or the founding any new fect,
a great furplus of religious zeal ufually
boils in the breafts of it's first converts,
which ardent zeal produces much greater de-
grees of mortification, felf-denial, and a
contempt of this world, than ordinarily takes
place among men ; yet, constant experience
hews, that fuch trains of zeal, except they
are kept up by a violent oppoſition, gradually
decay, and, by degrees, wear off; tho',
perhaps, the name, and the outward appea-
rance, may remain. This, furely, hasbeen
exemplified, in many inftances, and this may,
perhaps, have been the cafe of Chriſtianity
itſelf, whatever reform upon mankind may,
at firſt, have been intended, or even produced
thereby. And, fuppofing any body of
clergy ſhould infift, that the religious fyftem
they recommend, is the only true religion,
and ſhould urge it's being fuch, as a reaſon
why they ought to be depended upon, in their
promulgation of it, and in their preachments
about it; as this is what all bodies of clergy
affume, with respect to the religious confti-
tution they are in pay to maintain; fo this is
a reason why they ought not to be trufted,
E 4
with
56 Remarks on the Scriptures.
with relation thereto, becaufe, if it fhould
be an error, (of which the ipfe-dixit of any
fuch body does not ſhew, or prove, the con-
trary) it is what they ftand engaged, by of
fice and intereft, to fupport, under the
character they have ftamped upon it; and
this they will do, to the utmoſt of their
power, as it is what ſupports and maintains
them;
; as thereby they execute the truſt
repofed in them, by their mother, the church;
and as thereby they are true to their princi-
ples, which, otherwife, they would not be
confidered to be. And if the religious con-
ftitution, that any body of clergy are thus en-
gaged to fupport, fhould happen to be
wholly founded in truth, which is not very
likely to be the cafe; then fuch clergy ought
to fhew, or plainly make it appear to be ſo,
and not authoritatively impoſe it upon any ;
becauſe man ought to be dealt with ſuitably
to his intelligent and manly nature, and not
like the brute beasts, that have no under-
ftanding, but must go whitherfoever their
leader, or driver, pleaſes.
THE fum of the arguments is this; the
Bible is a collection of writings, which, to
appearance, at leaſt, are greatly confuſed;
which holds forth examples for us to copy
after,
Remarks on the Scriptures.
57
after, of perfons, whofe characters are com-
pounded of good actions and bad; which ex-
hibits doctrines, feemingly, the moſt oppo-
fite, fome of which, are greatly dishonoura-
ble to God, others greatly injurious to men ;
which delivers precepts, the meaning where-
of is, at leaſt, doubtful, and therefore, is
liable to be diſputed, and, in their literal and
most obvious fenfe, the advocates for the Bi-
ble, and the trumpeters of it's praiſe, do not
think proper to govern their actions by; all
theſe hold forth a plain reaſon to us, care-
fully, and attentively, to read the Bible, and
Seriously to confider the contents of it,
thereby to diſtinguiſh and ſeparate the wheat
from the tares, as, in fuch a compoſition,
fome of the latter muft needs take place, in
order to attain to, and be kept in, the path
of truth, and in the right line of duty. For,
as the Bible throughout, and in all it's parts,
can scarcely be admitted, and as all the
diſagreeing parties, that appeal to it, cannot
poffibly all be right; fo, furely, it concerns
us to take heed, left we be found amongst
the many, which, in fuch a hurliburly, muſt
needs be wrong. And tho' the church of
Rome has carefully guarded against thoſe
evils, by locking up the Bible in an unknown
tongue,
58 Remarks on the Scriptures.
tongue, and by providing, at leaſt, a pre-
tended infallible, living judge, to be always
at hand, to give to the people the true fenfe
of the Bible, and to fettle and determine
all points, that are relative thereto; yet, alas!
this is far from being our cafe. We have
not only the Bible put into our hands, in our
mother-tongue, but we are alfo required to
read it attentively, and practically apply it
to ourſelves, which, confidering the various,
and different, and the multiplicity of, tenets,
that feerningly are contained in it; the figu
rative and ambiguous language, in which
ſome parts of it are expreffed; and the very
different meaſures of underſtanding and pe-
netration of thoſe who read it; and add to
thefe, the different interefts of men, that
will be mixed and blended with them; thefe
will, as it were, naturally, and almoſt una-
voidably, introduce the divifion and confu-
fion above-mentioned. And, feeing the
complainers do not only admit, but inſiſt,
that the Bible ought to be put into our
hands, and to be read, and practically ap-
plied, by all; therefore, furely, they ought
either to provide us with fuch an infallible,
living judge, as the Church of Rome pretends
to boast of, that may fettle and determine
all
Remarks on the Scriptures.
59
all points, to general fatisfaction; or elfe to
indulge us in the liberty of examining, as well
as reading, the Bible,and judging for ourselves,
with relation thereto, and forming our conduct
by that judgment; elſe our caſe will not be
greatly unlike, nor leſs abfurd, than, that of a
young child, whofe nurfe fet him a-walking,
and then corrected him for walking alone.
So we are put into the high road to error,
by having the Bible put into our hands, and
being required to read it; and then are com-
plained of for, and upbraided with, walking
in the paths of it, at leaſt in thoſe paths they
are pleaſed to call error. Upon the whole
of this argument, I hope it appears, that I
have not gone out of the line of truth or my
duty, by doing what fome have been pleaſed
to call, falling foul of the bible.
Ir may, perhaps, be expected, before I
leave the fubject, that I take notice of a
complaint, ſubſequent to the former, viz.
that, by falling foul of the Bible, 1 have
dug up foundations, and greatly unsettled
the minds of men. This imputation is moſt
common, and anſwers the purpoſes of all par-
ties. Whoever oppofes popular opinions,
whether true, or falfe, fuch an one expofe.
himself to this charge. To oppofe Popery
ir
60
Remarks on the Scriptures.
in a Popish country, or Mahometaniſm in a
Mahometan country, is digging up founda-
tions, and greatly unfettling the minds of
men. In the reign of King Charles the
fecond, the doctrine of unlimited paffive-obe-
dience, and non-refiftance, to thofe invefted
with civil power, was reckoned to be a doc-
trine of the Church of England; yea, if I
miſtake not, it was deemed the darling doc-
trine of our church; and, confequently,
Dr. Benjamin Hoadly, now bishop of Win-
cheſter, and all others, who vigorously oppo-
fid that dangerous doctrine *, in vindica-
tion
* Perhaps, the Abettors of the doctrine of unlimited paf-
five-obedience and non-reſiſtance, will, in jupport of that
doctrine, call in St. Paul for its voucher. Romans xiii.
I, 2. And as fuftice is due to all doctrines, and to all
perfons and parties; fo I acknowledge, I think, they
may fairly claim him, as he ſeems at leaſt to be plain,
exprefs, and full to their purpoſe. But then, no authority,
whether that of St. Paul or an Angel from hea-
ven, can poffibly alter the nature of things, can make
a falſe propoſition true, can make bad confequences, or
conclufions, to be otherwife than what they really are;
and therefore, all authority is to be put by, that is not
compatible with truth. St. Paul faith, Let every foul be
fubject unto the higher powers, for (or becauſe) there is
no power, but of God; the powers that be are ordained of
God. IVhofoever, therefore, refifteth the power, refifteth the
ordinance of God; and they that refift fhall receive to them-
felves damnation. In this addrefs of St. Paul to the Ro-
mans, he first exhorted them to be obedient to thoſe in
power; and then condemned refiftance to that power, by
obferving what that refiftance was made to, and what would
follow
Remarks on the Scriptures. 61
tion of our late happy Revolution, and in
defence of our civil and religious liberties, fall
under
follow upon it; all which he grounded, not upon the uſe
and application of power, but wholly upon the origin and
foundation of it, which muft of neceffity be the fame,
whether that power be rightly uſed and well applied, or
not; that is, if all power be of God, then it is equally
of him, whatever uſe be made of it. The argument, uſed
by St. Paul, to enforce obedience to thoſe in power, and
to reſtrain reſiſtance to that power, is that all power is of,
or from God; thus it is the ordinance of God; and therefore,
it is to be obeyed, and not refifted. Now, if by power being of,
and from God, and it's being the ordinance of God,if this be,
of itſelf, a proper ground, or reaſon, for paying obedience to
that power, and a reafon againft refifting it, which is moſt
manifeftly St. Paul's argument; then, the misapplication
of that power cannot poffibly cancel an obligation, that
wholly arifes from the origin and foundation of it. St.
Paul, indeed, backs his argument for obedience to thofe in
power, and for non-reſiſtance to that power, by obſerv-
ing to the Romans, what benefits he prefumed they re-
ceived from it. For, (faid he) Rulers are not a terror to
good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of
the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have
praiſe of the fame. For he is the minister of God to thee,
for good; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for
be beareth not the fword in vain: for he is the minister of
God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth
evil. St. Paul, in this branch of his argument, does not
argue from what rulers ought to be, but from what they then
were; tho', leaft he ſhould fail herein, he ftill kept to
his main argument, by ftiling governors the miniſters of
God ; now, for St. Paul to aver that of all governors
indefinitely, which, perhaps, was fcarcely true of any,
this was certainly a bold attempt; tho', indeed, it was
fuitable to that bold, puſhing, adventuring temper, St.
Paul appears to have been very much governed by. For,
ſuppoſing this epiftle was wrote at the beginning of Nero's
reign, whilft his government was mild and gentle : yet
to
62
Remarks on the Scriptures.
under the imputation of digging up founda
tions, and greatly unfettling the minds of
men.
to aver, as St. Paul does, that the ends of government
were then effectually answered, I fear, was greatly
ftraining the point. Nevertheleſs, this does not affect
St. Paul's main argument, which is taken, not from the
right use and application of power, but from it's origin and
foundation. But then, St. Paul fhewed himfelf to be as
bold an adventurer, with regard to the ground of his ar-
gument, as in what he offered as an additional ſtrength to
it. For, whether we regard government in general, or
the particular government that then fubfifted at Rome, or
whether we regard the forms of government, or the per-
fons who adminifter it ; in all or any of thofe views, it can-
not be faid, with propriety and truth, that they are the
ordinance, and by the appointment, of God, ſo as to be a
proper foundation for what St. Paul builds upon it; be-
caufe, ftrictly speaking, they are the ordinance, and by
the appointment, of men, and of men only. And as the
propofition St. Paul grounded his argument upon, viz.
that government, and governors, are the ordinance, and
the minifters, of God, was not true, whether applied to
his own time, or any other; whether to the government
at Rome, or to government in general; therefore, it can-
not be a proper premiſe to the concluſions he draws from it;
and confequently, St. Paul's authority, or declaration, in
the prefent cafe, cannot be a proper evidence to prove
the truth of, or ſupport, the doctrine it is brought to
vouch for. St. Paul's bold, adventuring genius was moſt
fully exemplified, in his extirpation of Judaifm. After
the Apoftles and companions of Chrift had been perfonally
inftructed, by their mafter, in the things that pertained
to his kingdom, and after they had been filled with the
holy Ghoft, (as on the day of Pentecoft) they, then, went
forth to preach the gofpel; and they all fet out upon
principle, (there not being one diffenter) viz. that
Chriftianity was a ſupplement to Judaiſm, and was to be
grafted upon it; in confequence of which, all the preachers
of, and converts to, Chriſtianity, were zealous of, and
*
this
paid
Remarks on the Scriptures. 63
men.
But what foundations have I dug up?
Or what minds have I unfettled? Perhaps,
at
paid a ſtrict regard to, Mofes's law: and thus it continued,
'till after St. Paul's converfion. And, furely, I think,
it muſt be allowed, that if the abolition of Judaiſm was,
originally, intended to be a part of that ſcheme of provi-
dence, that was to be executed by the miniftry of Jefus
Chrift; then it may fairly be prefumed, that Jefus
Chriſt would have fully inftructed his Difciples in this mo-
mentous affair, both in the exercife of his miniftry, before
his death, upon his refurrection, when he informed them
of the things that appertained to his kingdom, and by the
miniftry of the holy Ghoft, after his afcenfion, as on the day
of Pentecoft, by which they were to be led into all neceffary
truth, according to Chrift's promife; whereas nothing of
this took place, but rather the contrary; and therefore
this affords a kind of prefumptive evidence, or proof, that
no fuch thing was intended. Upon St. Paul's becoming
a Chriftian, as one extreme fometimes produces it's oppo-
fite, a rigid diffenter makes a violent high-church-man;
fo St. Paul, from a moft ftrict adherer to Mofes's law,
took upon him the total extirpation of it. And as St.
Paul could not otherwife get clear of that law of
ceremonies, fo he turned them all into figures, types,
and ſhadows, a thing that does not appear to have been
ever heard of before, or even thought of, by Jefus Chrift,
or any of his difciples and followers. For Chrift made
fome changes, as to the moral and judicial parts of Moſes's
law, and which, I apprehend, are confidered to be
improvements of it; yet he left the ceremonial parts of it
in their full force, requiring obedience to be paid to the
moſt minute parts of it, ſuch as the tything of mint,
annifs and cummin; and, notwithstanding this, St.
Paul boldly pufhed at the extirpation of them. And tho
St. Paul had no authority, nor no fort of evidence, that
appears, for what he did, nor did he pretend to any,
but his own reasoning upon the cafe, and what a lively
and ſtrong imagination could furnish him with; yet he
profecuted his defign,with fuch ardent zeal, application, and
diligence,
64 Remarks on the Scriptures.
at laſt, theſe words will be found to have
no meaning; becauſe it may be a difficult.
taſk to fhew how they can, with any pro-
priety, be applied to me. As to thoſe who
are interested in popular and received opi-
nions; they, in general, are out of all dan-
ger; as they carry about them the load-
ftone of felf-intereft, which fo ftrongly at-
tracts their attention and application, as ef-
fectually fecures them from being unſettled
by any thing I can fay, or do. As to the
bigotted, the fuperftitious, and the enthuſi-
aftical, which probably make up much the
greater part of our fpecies; theſe are either
not fettled at all, or elſe are ſo ſettled as to
be unmoveable; becauſe all theſe are quite
out of the reach of argument, and, there-
fore, can be neither fettled, nor unfettled, by
it. And as to the more intelligent part of
our fpecies, who are not intereſted in po-
pular opinions, or who will not be governed
by fuch intereft, thefe, furely, cannot fuf-
tain any injury by my Differtations; be-
cauſe as I have treated, with plainnefs and
freedom, the points therein difcuffed; ſo, of
courſe,
diligence, and by the ſtrength of his fuperior learning
and abilities, as that, probably, he got over moft of the
apoftleg to his fide, and in proceſs of time carried his
point.
Remarks on the Scriptures.
65
courſe, I muſt have miniſtered to their plea
fure, whether they perceive me to have
truth on my fide, or not. The queſtions,
therefore, will return. What foundations
have I dug up? Who are unfettled by my
Differtations? Or, who has fuftained any
injury thereby? Indeed, it has been com-
plained, that I deny a Providence, becauſe I
do not admit that God has any hand in the
plots and intrigues, in the roguery and wic-
kedneſs, that take place in the world, nor yet
in thoſe waftings and defolations, that have
been brought upon mankind thereby; for if
God has no hand in the means, then he has
no hand in the end produced by them.
James i. 13, 14. Let no man fay, when he
is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot
be tempted with evil, (or to do evil) neither
tempteth he any man.
But every man is tempt-
ed, when he is drawn away, of his own luft,
and enticed. My thus vindicating God's pro-
vidence, from thoſe imputations, may be called
a denying it; but then, as this is an old com-
plaint, fo it can anfwer no other purpoſe,
now, than to heighten and enlarge the cry.
What my fentiments are, touching Providence,
I have fhewn, long ago, in my Differtation on
that fubject, to which I refer
my reader.
F
SOME
•
•
1
1
t.
!
SOME
OBSERVATIONS,
That may be confidered,
As relative to the first and third propofitions,
or premiſes, as laid down in the Reve-
rend Mr. WARBURTON's Divine
Legation of MoSES;
WHEREIN
The grounds of affociation, and the bandages
by which focieties are held together, are con-
fidered.
In a LETTER to a FRIEND.
F 2
(69)
SOME
OBSERVATIONS, &c.
SIR,
W
*
HEN I had the pleaſure of your
good company and converſation,
ſome time paſt, you was pleaſed
to take part with the Reverend Mr. War-
burton, according to the first propofition
in his divine legation of Mofes, (tho' whe-
ther your fentiments and his exactly accord,
I cannot fay) in maintaining, that ſuch is
the ſtrength and prevalence of the human
appetites and paffions, that no principle in
nature, exclufive of the belief of the doc-
trine of futurity, is fufficient to curb or re-
ftrain them; that temporal promiſes, and
temporal threatnings, which are the fanc-
tions to human laws, together with a due
F 3
execution
*What, in theſe papers, I call Mr. Warburton's first
and third propofitions, I apprehend are the purport of
what he has laid down in his legation; which if it be not,
then, as far as it is otherwife, fo far he is out of the
queſtion.
;
70
Obfervations relative to the
execution of thofe fanctions, by amply re
warding thoſe who obey, and by puniſhing,
tho' ever ſo ſeverely, them who tranfgrefs
thofe laws, theſe are altogether infufficient
to anſwer that purpofe; fo that where the
belief of the doctrine of futurity is want-
ing, men will naturally, and, as it it were,
unavoidably, commence creatures of prey,
by biting and devouring, robbing and
plundering, wafting and deſtroying, one an-
other; and, confequently, where the belief
of the doctrine of futurity, does not take
place, nor have a commanding and reftraining
influence on the appetites and paffions of
men; there, according to the natural courfe
of things, fociety cannot fubfift, or be held
together. This, Sir, I apprehend to be
a
* If the fanctions, annexed to human laws, with á
due execution of them, are not proper, as not being ſuffi-
cient, to command and reſtrain the appetites and paffions
of men, fo far as motives may be confidered as fufficient,
by having a tendency to influence, or work upon, free
beings; then the judgment and conduct of Governors
ftand condemned, in appointing, and in the execution of
them, as providing means, improper, by their infuffici-
ciency, to reach the end propoſed to be obtained by
them. If inflicting temporal punishment, be not a pro-
per expedient to reftrain from evil doing; then, thus pu-
nifhing evil doers, is not only unneceffary and vain, with
regard to that end, but it is alfo, in that reſpect, a need-
lejs introduction of mifery. If the inflicting corporal
puniſhment,
Divine Legation of Mofes. 71
a fair, and a full, reprefentation of λότερο
fenſe of this matter.
UPON which, if you remember, I ob-
ferved, that human affociation is founded in
nature, as man is, by and from his make
and conftitution, a fociable animal, whofe
affections naturally lead him to fociety;
whofe underſtanding directs him to chuſe it,
as his greater good, or as that which will
contribute much more to his prefent happi-
neſs than un fociableneſs; and whoſe indi-
gency and dependency, as it were, forces or
F 4
compels
puniſhment, be not a proper expedient to reſtrain from
evil-doing, and if the belief of the doctrine of futurity be
a proper means to that end, then to endeavour to reſtrain
from defertion, and other offences, committed againſt the
laws of war, by the uſe of the cat-of-nine-tails, muft
needs be a childish attempt, as it is an ineffectual means
to that end; and then the Chaplain only fhould be
called in, to inftruct the criminal in the doctrine of
futurity, becaufe, tho' the former means will not be ef-
fectual, the latter may; and then Chaplains may be of
much more uſe in an army, than at prefent they appear to
be. Nevertheless, whatever high opinion governors may
have had of the doctrine of futurity, and of the efficacy,
that the belief of it may have upon human minds, this is
plain, they all, whether civil or military, have con-
ftantly had recourfe to temporal punishments, as the
grand restraint upon mankind; which fhews, to a de-
monftration, that the other was what they had no depen-
dance upon, as they did not have recourfe to it, by an
immediate application of it to the criminal; and that the
belief of the doctrine of futurity, tho' it might be of fome
ufe, yet it was not the principal, much less the only ban-
dage, by which focieties are held together.
72 Obfervations relative to the
compels him into it. Theſe are the
grounds
of affociation to men, and the two left of
thefe, viz. indigency and dependency, are
the ground and foundation of civil govern-
ment, as confequent upon it; and all theſe,
together with that fenfe of right and wrong,
which takes place in every man, as refulting
from, or rather, perhaps, as in part it con-
Aitutes human intelligence, and is the
great excellency and ornament of human na-
ture, and which principally distinguishes men
from the brute beafts; all thefe, I fay, are
the natural bandages, by which fociety has
always been held together, whatever ftrength-
ening it may have received from any other
quarter. For tho' it is pretended, that the
belief of the doctrine of futurity is abſolutely
neceſſary to, and is the only principle by
which fociety can be fupported; yet this is
barely prefumed, without any argument or
evidence to prove it; and, if experience may
be admitted to be of weight, it feems rather
to turn the fcale the other way, by fhewing
how little influence this principle has upon
the minds and lives of men; it being evi-
dent from fact, that fome who have
made great pretenfions to this kind, or arti-
cle, of faith, have, notwithſtanding ſuch
preten-
Divine Legation of Malan
pretenfions, and the arguments they them
felves have unged, in fupport of them, in the
event, proved to be the greatest villains.
And this has been the cafe, not only of
that generation of vipers, the Pharifees,
heretofore, who ftrenuouſly maintained the
doctrine of futurity; but, in every genera-
tion fince, many of thoſe who have preached
up, and preſſed the neceffity of the belief of
this doctrine, as a proper reftraint upon
others, thofe men have fhewn, by their
conduct, that the belief of it has had no
fuch reftraining influence upon themſelves.
So that, tho' the belief of the doctrine re-
ferred to, may have it's effect upon fome
minds, at fome particular times; yet, I
think, it is pretty clear, that it has not been
a general and a ſtanding reſtraint to mankind.
However, this is plain, that whatever the
caſe may be with others, thoſe who inſiſt,
that the belief of the doctrine of futurity is
only fufficient to reftrain mankind; thefe.
men declare, for themſelves, that they, of
all others, are the most unfit to be trufted,
or relied upon; becauſe, by their own de-
clarations, neither honour, nor honefty, nei-
ther duty, nor confcience, has any ſuch re-
ftraining influence upon them; and that
they
74 Obfervations relative to the
they ſtand prepared and difpofed to be guilty
of every vileness, their appetites and paffions
may excite them to, except a quick fenfe
of what may befall them, in another world,
ſteps in, and reſtrains them from it; which
quick ſenſe of futurity may not always, nor,
perhaps, generally take place, and be pre-
fent to the mind, and, therefore, is not
greatly to be relied upon; and, confequently,
perfons who are under no other reſtraint,
cannot, from the nature of the thing, be
the proper objects of our confidence. Be-
fides, it is a very low character theſe men
affume. For if he is a bad man, who
would do a bad action, were he not re-
ftrained from it, for fear of being hanged in
this world; then he would be the fame bad
man, if he would do that bad action, only
he is refrained from it, for fear of being damned
in another. The being difpofed to do a bad
action, is an evil difpofition; whether it be
reduced to practice, or not. Matthese v.
28. But I fay unto you, that whosoever look-
eth on a woman to luft after her, hath com-
mitted adultery with her already in his
beart.
ILIKEWISE obferved, that human affocia-
tion has no relation to, or natural connection,
with
Divine Legation of Mofes. 75
with any other, but the prefent conftitution of
things, whether paſt, or to come; that men
do not enter into fociety, on account of their
having pre-exiſted, in a conftitution that is
paſt, nor yet becauſe they ſhall exiſt in fu
turity, and therefore, human afſociation
cannot poffibly depend upon the belief of
any ſuch ſtate; that prefent felf-good muſt
needs be the principal ground of aſſociation
to men, and what holds them together in
fociety; as it is all that can be gained, or fe-
cured to them, thereby; and therefore, fo-
ciety cannot neceffarily depend upon any
thing, that is irrelative to fuch good; that
if the happineſs of this life depends upon
fociety; that is, if the pleafures mankind are,
by nature, prepared and difpofed to enjoy, can-
not be obtained, nor fecured, without affoci-
ation, which, I apprehend, is allowed; and
if fociety cannot fubfift, without the belief
of the doctrine of futurity, then the conſti-
tution of nature muft needs be defective, fee-
ing nature has not, plainly and explicitly,
exhibited this doctrine to men, to be a proper
foundation for fuch general belief, as the
cafe obviouſly requires that it ſhould; be-
caufe, otherwife, nature points out, and
prompts to an end, without providing proper
and
76 Obfervations relative to the
and fufficient means for its attainment, which
is hard to conceive. For if it be admitted,
that there are certain principles, from which
the doctrine of futurity may fairly be de-
duced; yet it requires fuch application, and
attention, to trace it out, as the bulk of man-
kind are not prepared, * nor difpofed, to ex-
ercife;
*Tho' the bulk of mankind are not prepared, nor
difpofed, to trace out, by a long chain of reafonings, the
truth of any propofition; yet, that they may have gene-
rally gone into the belief of the doctrine of futurity, is
eafily to be accounted for. Every individual of our fpe-
cies, when having attained to riper years, will ſee,
from the fate that has attended all others, who have gone
before him, without any farther enquiry, that he is
born to die; he will alſo perceive, without any deep re-
flections, that intelligent existence, if it be not too much
embarraffed with pain and uneafinefs, is preferable to
non-existence; and thefe will, very naturally, bring upon
the carpet of his mind (how uncultivated foever) that
queftion, viz. whether death puts a period to his exiftence,
or whether he fhall exist in futurity. And as men are,
thereby, ftrongly biafied, in favour of the doctrine of futu-
rity, excepting, perhaps, at fuch times when their
prefent exiſtence is become a burden to them; fo that
difpofes them, very cafily, to go into the belief of it; and
this fairly accounts for the doctrine of futurity taking
place all over the world, and for it's prevailing among
men; it being ſcarce conceivable, that it would be
otherwife, whether there be any folid principle for that
doctrine to be grounded upon, or not. Nor, indeed,
is men's belief of this doctrine, if it may be called belief,
generally grounded upon argument and evidence, that re-
quiring more application and attention, than they are pre-
pared, or difpofed, to give it; but men ufually believe the
doctrine of futurity, as they believe the doctrine of
fairies, of witches, and the like; that is, they have an
opinion
Divine Legation of Moſes. 77
ercife; nor, indeed, do they do it, it be-
ing like fearching after jewels, that lie con-
cealed in the bowels of the earth, which re-
quire much labour and inspection to find
them; whereas, if the belief of this doc-
trine be fo abfolutely neceflary to human hap-
pineſs, as is fuppofed, and if it was intended
to be the grand fpring and principle of ac-
tion to men; then, it certainly would, be-
cauſe the caſe manifeftly requires that it
fhould, lie naked, and open to every one's
view, that, thereby, it might be always prefent
to the mind, to answer the purpoſes aforeſaid.
I ALSO farther obferved, that if the belief
of the doctrine of futurity was wanting,
among the Jews, or if this was generally the
caſe, the former of which you maintain, and
which, I apprehend, is analogous to what
Mr. Warburton hath advanced, in his di-
vine
opinion of thefe, that fuch things are, and perhaps, will,
be, without any folid folid conviction of their truth. As
for men's love to, and defire of life, the object of theſe,
is this prefent life only; men's affection to their offspring,
to their relations and friends, and their other attach-
ments to this preſent world, make them very unwilling to
leave it; eſpecially, as they are to pafs into a ſtate, they
know nothing of, nor how they ſhall fare in it. And as
every man may be conſcious of fome impropriety of action,
which is commonly called ſin ; fo, when the mind is greatly
enfeebled by pain, ficknefs, or the decays of age, then,
even the best of men may have fome misgivings, fome
perturbation, or uneafinefs, when death looks them in the
face, whatever their thoughts of futurity may have been.
78 Obfervations relative to the
vine legation; then, furely, this is an evi-
dence from fact, that the belief of the doc-
trine of futurity is not abfolutely neceffary to
hold men together in ſociety; and that there
is fome other principle, in nature, befide the
belief of that doctrine, which is fufficient for
that purpoſe; ſeeing it is admitted, that the
Jews were held together in fociety, exclufive
of the belief of the doctrine of futurity. To
this, you replied, that the Jews were under
a Theocracy; that is, God was their king,
or civil governor, which has not been the
cafe of any other nation, or people; that
God, by a particular and special application
of his power and providence, ruled over,
and governed them, and thereby held them
together in fociety, or rendered them a ſo-
ciable people, which, otherwife, they would
not have been. And, as here our conver-
fation ended, ſo I beg leave to re-affume the
argument, and to obferve farther, viz. that
if God governed the Jews, by a particular
and fpecial application of his power and pro-
vidence, and thereby held them together in
fociety, then, I conceive, he muſt have done
it in one, or other, of theſe ways? viz. ei-
ther, first, he governed them, like the inani-
mate parts of the creation, forcibly, and ir-
refiftably
Divine Legation of Moſes.
79
refiftably, by deſtroying, or taking off, the
force and ſtrength of their appetites and paſ-
fions, and thereby rendered them fociable,
which, otherwiſe, they would not have
been; or elfe, fecondly, he governed them
in a way that was fuitable to their intelli-
gent natures, as free beings, by exhibiting
fome moral Spring, or principle of action to
them, which, when duly attended to, to-
gether with the incentives to affociation, that
arife from the human conftitution, was fo far
fufficient to curb and reſtrain their appetites
and paffions, as to hold them together in fo-
ciety, which, otherwife, would not have been
their cafe.
As to the first of theſe ways, by which
God may be ſuppoſed to have governed the
Jews, viz. forcibly and irreſiſtably, by de-
ftroying, or taking off, the ftrength and pre-
valence of their appetites and paffions, and
thereby to have rendered them a fociable
people, this, their history proves, was not the
cafe; as it affords a variety of inftances, or
facts, by and from which it appears, that
the appetites and paffions of that people,
were as strong and violent, as turbulent and
ungovernable, as the appetites and paffions of
other men; and, confequently, were not
under
80 Obfervations relative to the
}
:
under that forcible reſtraint as is here fup-
pofed. And if God did not govern the
Jews forcibly and irrefiftibly, but dealt with
them in a way fuitable to their intelligent
natures, as free beings, by exhibiting to them
fome moral Spring, or principle of action,
which, when duly attended to, together
with the excitements to fociety, that ariſe
from the human conftitution, was fufficient
to anſwer the aforefaid purpofe; then this
deftroys Mr. Warburton's first propofition,
viz. that there is no principle in nature, ex-
clufive of the belief of the doctrine of fu-
turity, that is fufficient to command and re-
ftrain the appetites and paffions of men, fo
as to hold them together in fociety; I fay,
what was laſt admitted deftroys this propofition,
as, by it, is admitted, that there is fome other
principle in nature, befide the belief of the
doctrine of futurity, which is fufficient for
that purpoſe, which principle was exhibited
by the Deity to the Jews, and was, in fact,
fufficient to hold them together in fociety,
even whilft (as is allowed) the belief of the
doctrine of futurity was wanting among
them.
AND this very naturally leads to the
queftion, viz. what was that /pring, or prin-
ciple
Divine Legation of Mofes. 81
ciple of action, which was exhibited to the
Jews, as aforefaid, and which was fufficient for
that purpoſe? and the anſwer is moſt ob-
vious, if it be collected from the pentateuch,
and if it be allowed that Mofes was God's
miniſter, or ſubſtitute,in all that he delivered
to that people; I fay, if theſe points are ad-
mitted, then it appears, that the way in
which God applied to the Jews, in order to
command and reftrain their appetites and paf-
fons, and thereby to hold them together in
fociety, was by connecting, or, at leaſt, by de-
claring the connection betwixt, their prefent
happiness and their duty, or fociableness,
which was the fame thing; and by making,or
declaring, their preſent happiness and their
breach of duty, or unſociableneſs, to be in-
compatible. And this he did, by giving
them a body of laws, guarded with proper
fanctions, and by promising, or declaring,
that temporal bleffings would, or ſhould, at-
tend thoſe who kept his laws, or were ſo-
ciable, and by threatening, or declaring,
that temporal evils fhould, or would, attend
thoſe who tranfgreffed them, or were un-
fociable. This was the ſtate of the cafe, with
reſpect to the Jews; they were applied to in
the fame way, and their appetites and paf-
G
fions
82 Obfervations relative to the
fions were curbed and restrained, by the
fame Spring, or principle of action, with
thoſe of all other men; viz. by a profpect of
good and evil, that might befall them in
this world. They were temporal proſperity
and temporal adverfity, temporal or bodily
pleaſures and temporal or bodily pains,
temporal life and temporal death, that were
fet before the Jews, in order to command
and reſtrain their appetites and paſſions; and
which, together with the incentives to affo-
ciation, that arife from the human conftitu-
tion, were intended, and were, in fact, fuffi-
cient, to hold them together in fociety, even
whilft the belief of the doctrine of futurity is
declared to be wanting among them. And,
if the forementioned principles were fufficient
to hold the Jews together in fociety, exclu-
five of the belief of the doctrine of futurity;
then, furely, they may be fufficient to an-
ſwer that purpoſe to any other nation, or
people; at leaſt, the queſtion is, why fhould
they not? and confequently, the admitting
Mr. Warburton's third propofition deſtroys
his firft. For, admitting the Jews were un-
der a theocracy, that God was their civil go-
it alters not the cafe; becauſe, they
were governed in the fame way, were
vernor,
in-
Divine Legation of Mofes. 83.
influenced by the fame principles of action,
by the ſame maxims of policy, as all other
civil focieties are; viz. by connecting their
preſent happineſs with their duty, or fociable-
nefs; and by making their prefent happi-
neſs and their diſobedience, or unfociable-
nefs, to be incompatible. But then, it is to
be remembered, that tho' God did give the
Jews, by the hand of Mofes, a body of laws,
guarded with fanctions as aforefaid, and
thereby provided for their fafety, in the
fame way that other civil governors provide
for the fafety of the people, refpectively, who
are committed to their care; yet he did not
put thoſe laws in execution, nor charge
himſelf with the execution of them; but left
the Jews to govern themselves, by thoſe laws
that he gave them, or kindly provided for
them; and therefore, he was not their civil
governor, nor were they under a theocracy,
as is pretended.
IF it ſhould be faid, had God only given
the Jews a body of laws, by the hand of Mo-
fes, guarded with fanctions as aforefaid, this
would have been altogether infufficient to
have anſwered the purpoſes of government
to them, becauſe their appetites and paf-
frons would not have been curbed or reſtrained
G 2
thereby ;
เ
84 Obfervations relative to the
power
thereby; but this was not all, for, befides
this, he governed them by a particular, fpe-
cial, and immediate interpofition of his
and providence, in counſelling and adviſing
them, by Urim, and by his Prophets; and
alfo by ſpecially interpofing, in bringing down
his extraordinary bleſſings and his judgments
upon them and by theje they were held
together in fociety, and rendered a fociable
people, which otherwife they would not
have been. Upon which I obferve, that
the giving the Jews a body of laws, guarded
with proper fanctions, together with thoſe ex-
citements to aſſociation, which ariſe from the
human conftitution, were proper and fufficient,
when duly attended to, to hold them toge-
ther in fociety, or they were not? If they
were, then they would have been fufficient,
had God's extraordinary interpofitions been
wanting; and confequently, thoſe interpo-
fitions were not neceſſary to that end. If
they were not proper, nor would have been
fufficient for that purpoſe; then the Deity
ſtands arraigned of indifcretion and miſcon-
duct, in providing means that were not
adapted, nor fufficient, to reach the end
pro-
poſed to be obtained by them; but the Jews
were held together in fociety by thofe means,
and
1
Divine Legation of Mofes. 85
of
and, therefore, what is urged muſt needs be
a moſt grievous calumny upon him. That
God did extraordinarily interpofe, by way
counſel to the Jews, their history fets forth,
as in the caſe of their going to war with the
Benjamites; (Judges xx.) tho' that advice,
upon the whole, feems to have turned to bad
account; twenty-two thousand men of Judah
being flain in their first encounter, eighteen
thousand men of Ifrael in the fecond, and
twenty-five thousand men of Benjamin in the
third. God alfo fent prophets among them,
to reprove them for their evil deeds, and to
forewarn them what would be the confequen-
ces thereof; tho' thefe kind monitions feem
to have had but little effect. God likewife,
fometimes, tho' very rarely, interpofed, in
an extraordinary way, by bringing down his
Special blessings and curfes, or judgments, upon
that people, as in the cafe of fire coming
down from heaven, and deftroying the two
captains and their fifties; (2 Kings i.)
which extraordinary interpofitions may.
confidered as marks, or inftances, of God's
extraordinary kindness, or difpleafure to them.
But then, as theſe fpecial providences, (ac-
cording to the accounts that are given us, in
the Jewish hiftories) were very feldom dif-
G 3
penſed,
bé
}
1
86 Obſervations relative to the
penfed, were founded on arbitrary pleaſure,
there being no fixed rule when they ſhould,
or ſhould not, take place, and confequently,
muſt have been moft uncertain, they might,
or might not happen; fo, in the nature of
the thing, theſe extraordinary difpenfations
could not be a fufficient foundation for go-
vernment fafely to reft upon, nor a proper
principle for the holding men together in
fociety by. Civil fociety and civil govern-
ment require fome fixed, ftable, permanent
principle for theſe to rest upon, in order to
render them lafting, and to answer the pur-
poſes of afſociation; and not what is fluctu-
ating and uncertain, which was the cafe of
God's extraordinary providences among the
Jews. Good and evil at a distance, or when
uncertain, has but little influence upon the
human appetites and paffions, as expe-
rience fheweth. Ecclefiaftes viii. II.
Because fentence against an evil work is not
Speedily executed; therefore the heart of
the fons of men is fully fet in them to do
evil. If God had given a body of laws to
the Jews, guarded with proper fanctions,
and, inſtead of leaving it to them to execute
thoſe laws, had charged himself with the
execution of them, and, without the inftru-
mentality
1
Divine Legation of Moſes. 87
mentality of men, had immediately inter-
pofed, upon each and every tranfgreffion of
thoſe laws, according to Exodus xxi. 23, 24,
25. and had taken away life for life, eye
for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,
foot for foot, and had rendered burning for
burning, wound for wound, ſtripe for ſtripe,
&c. this would certainly have had it's effect,
and would have been fuch a ſcheme of policy,
as no human government could poffibly ex-
ecute; and then it might have been faid,
with propriety, that the Jews were under
a theocracy; but, alas! this was far, very
far, from being the cafe. For, tho' God,
by the hand of Mofes, gave the Jews a body
of laws, guarded with fanctions, as aforefaid;
yet he left them to govern themſelves by
thofe laws, without executing the office of
a civil governor among them; and tho' he,
fometimes, by his fpecial providence, inter-
poſed, and adviſed them, and brought down
his bleſſings and his curfes upon them;
yet as thoſe extraordinary interpofitions were
very rare, and were arbitrarily difpenſed;
ſo they were not intended to, nor did they,
anfwer the purpoſes of civil government to
that people; and therefore, they muſt have
been held together in fociety fome other way.
Befides,
GA
88 Obfervations relative to the
Beſides, the extraordinary difpenfations of
providence to the Jews, whether, by way
of advice, or in the difpenfing good and
evil to them, were all relative to this prefent
life, with it's enjoyments, and fo come un-
der the denomination of temporal promifes
and temporal threatnings, of temporal blef-
fings and temporal curfes; and, confequently,
the civil government of the Jews, (if it may
be fo called) even by thoſe extraordinary
difpenfations, ſtood upon a foot with that of
other nations, as one principle of action, viz.
prefent felf-good was common to them all.
And tho' one was difpenfed by a divine,
and the others by human hands; yet, as the
Spring of action in both cafes was the fame,
fo, furely, its effect, or influence, upon the
human appetites and paffions, muſt be the
fame alfo. Death is the fame kind of evil,
whether it is to be inflicted by the Deity, or
by the civil magistrate; and therefore, the
profpect and apprehenfion of death muſt needs.
have the fame effect, and be as great a re-
ftraint upon the human appetites and paf-
fions, in one cafe, as in the other. And if
God's governing the Jews, by connecting
their prefent happinefs with their duty, or
fociableness, and by making their prefent
hap-
1
Divine Legation of Mofes. 89
happineſs and unfociableneſs incompatible,
(which is likewiſe the cafe of human govern-
ment) I fay, if this fcheme of policy was
fufficient, in fact, to hold the Jews together
in fociety, exclufive of the belief of the
doctrine of futurity, as I apprehend Mr.
Warburton hath maintained; then, from
hence, I think, it clearly follows, that the
belief of the doctrine of futurity is not ab-
folutely neceffary to that end, which yet, I
apprehend, Mr. Warburton hath alſo main-
tained that it is.
THE ſum of the argument is this, either
the belief of the doctrine of futurity is ab-
folutely necessary to hold men together in
fociety, or it is not; if it is, then no people
can be held together in fociety, where the
belief of that doctrine is wanting; but the
Jews were held together in fociety, exclufive
of the belief of the doctrine of futurity;
therefore, the belief of this doctrine is not
abfolutely neceſſary to that end. Thus, the
admitting Mr.Warburton's third propofition,
deftroys his first, fuppofing this to be the
ftate of his cafe, as it is your's; and which I
here confider as the fame. Again, the be-
hef of the doctrine of futurity is abfolutely
neceſſary to hold men together in fociety, or
it
90 Obfervations relative to the
it is not; if it is, then no people can be held
together in fociety where that doctrine is
wanting; but the Jews were held together
in fociery; therefore, that doctrine was
currantly believed by them. And thus, the
admitting Mr. Warburton's first propoſition,
deftros his third. But then, how, out of
this chaos, the divine legation of Mofes ap-
pears; or how Mofes's law is proved, to be
divine, is hard to conceive, or rather, to me
at leaſt, it is inconceivable.
As to Mr. Warburton's first propofition,
viz. that the belief of the doctrine of futu-
rity is abfolutely neceſſary to hold men to-
gether in fociety; this doctrine, I find, has
many abettors; not, as it may ſeem, from a
full conviction of it's truth, as grounded on
argument and evidence, but rather in com-
plaifance to the chriftian revelation, whofe
divinity may feem to be the better fupported
thereby. For, if the belief of the doctrine of
futurity is abfolutely neceſſary to hold men
together in fociety; and if affociation be
neceſſary to human happineſs; then, the
abettors of this doctrine think this fhews the
neceffity of a divine revelation, to exhibit that
doctrine plainly and explicitly to the world,
which they fay is done by the chriftian reve-
lation,
Divine Legation of Mofes. 91
lation, and which nature has been deficient
in. But then theſe men do not ſeem fuf-
ficiently to attend to the confequences of their
own argument. For, if afſociation be necef-
fary to human happineſs, and if ſociety can-
not be maintained without the belief of the
doctrine of futurity; then the cafe moſt ob-
viously requires, that there ſhould have been
a fufficient provifion, in nature, for the pro-
duction of fuch belief, by exhibiting this
doctrine plainly and explicitly to men, which
yet nature has been deficient in; fo that the
want of ſuch proviſion, plainly beſpeaks the
Author of nature to have been wanting, as
well in goodneſs, as in wiſdom, by his not ſo
conftituting the natural world, as to make
it effectually anfwer his own good deſign,
viz. the well-being of his intelligent crea-
tures; nor was this deficiency in nature fu-
pernaturally relieve,dor ſupplied, till four thou-
Jand years were paſt.
As to Mr. Warburton's third propofition,
viz. that the doctrine of futurity was not
generally believed by the Jews, it's abettors,
I apprehend, are not fo numerous; tho', it
feems, there are fome who maintain, that
this doctrine was not currantly believed by
that people, till after the Babyloniſh capti-
vity.
92 Obfervations relative to the
Vity. This is a point that must be left to
the inquifition of the learned; and all that I
have to obſerve upon the cafe is only this,
viz. it appears plain to me, that Jefus Chrift
and St. Paul were on the affirmative fide of
this queſtion; tho' what ſuch their opinion
was grounded upon, I think, does no other-
wife appear, than from the quotation Chrift
made out of the pentateuch. Matthew xxii.
32. as from Exodus iii. 6. viz. I am the God
of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, and the
God of Jacob. From which words Chrift
infers, by way of implication, that there
will be a future ftate of existence to men,
becauſe God is not the God of the dead, but
of the living which implication is wholly
grounded on God's fpeaking of Abraham,
Ifaac and Jacob in the prefent tenfe, I [am]
the God of Abraham, &c. But as juftice
is due to every argument, and to every ad-
verfary; fo, in favour of Mr. Warburton's
third propofition, I think, it will be but
just to obferve, that it admits of a question,
whether the doctrine of futurity was fo
plainly and clearly revealed to Mofes and the
Jews, in and by the words referred to, as
to render it probable, that this doctrine was,
at leaft, generally admitted, and affented to,
;
by
Divine Legation of Mofes. 93
by that people, as grounded upon them; becauſe
thoſe words may poffibly bear another con-
ftruction, which may not be greatly forced
nor unnatural, and in which no fuch impli-
cation is contained, nor does fuch doctrine
follow from it: As thus, I, that ſpeak unto
thee, out of this burning buſh, am that very
fame perfon that was with, fpoke to, and
was the God of Abraham, and the God of
Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of
your fathers; and therefore, thou mayeſt
Safely rely on me, as they have done before
thee. As this conftruction is not greatly
forced, nor unnatural; fo it ſeems well to
anfwer the purpoſe of the ſpeaker; namely,
to beget in Mofes a firm trust and confidence
in the perſon ſpeaking, in whoſe name, and
by whofe authority and power, Mofes was to
appear before, and to converfe with, Pharoah
King of Egypt, and work wonders in the
land; thereby to procure deliverance to If-
rael, from the bondage they groaned under.
This ſeems, at leaft, to be the defign of the
Speaker, in the ufe of the words above men-
tioned; and if fo, then the conftruction I
have put upon them is to his purpose;
whereas, for him to have informed Mofes,
that Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob were then
alive,
94
Obfervations, &c.
alive, or that there would be a future ftate
of exiſtence to men, feems to be less fo.
Nor, perhaps, is the implication, referred to,
the moſt obvious, according to our reading
the text; becauſe, fometimes, the preſent
is put for the preter tenſe; as in this inſtance,
"before Abraham was, I [am,"] or I [was.]
John viii. 58. Beſides, the particle [am,]
in our Engliſh bible, Exodus iii. 6. is put in
italick characters; which, I apprehend,
denotes a fupplement; and if ſo, then the
word [was] might as fairly have been added,
by way of ſupplement, to fill up the ſentence,
as the word [am.]
As the reflections I have added, to what
paffed in converfation, upon the ſubject,
when I had the pleaſure of your company,
were occafioned by that converſation; ſo
they are ſubmitted to your examination and
judgment, by,
SIR,
Your greatly obliged humble Servant, &c.
THE
THE
AUTHOR'S
Farewel
TO HIS
READERS.
CONTAINING
SECT. I. The Introduc-SECT. V. Of a future
wherein thoſe judgment and retribu-
tion;
Points, viz. of Divine.
Impreffions on men's
minds; of fpecial Grace;
of the Virtue and Merit
of Faith; and of St.
Thomas's Unbelief, are
particularly confidered.
SECT. II. Wherein is
fhewn, what his Senti-
ments are (together with
the reaſons on which
are
thoſe fentiments
grounded) touching the
exiſtence of a Deity.
SECT. III. Of Religion,
when taken in all it's
views.
SECT IV. Of a future
ftate of existence to men,
wherein the evidence
arifing from CHRIST'S
refurrection is fully and
particularly conſidered.
tion,
SECT. VI. Of Divine
Revelation in general;
and of the divine origi-
nal of the Jewiſh, the
Mahometan, and the
Chriſtian revelations in
particular.
SECT. VII. Of Prophecy.
SECT. VIII. Of Miracles.
SECT. IX. Of the perfonal
Character of JESUS
CHRIST; and of the
figurative language he
ufed, in the exercife of
his miniſtry.
SECT. X. Of the writings
of the Apostles.
SECT. XI. The Con-
clufion; with fuch re-
Alections, as are fuita-
ble to the ſubject.
1
(97)
SECTION I.
The INTRODUCTION.
Wherein thofe points, viz. Of divine im-
preffions on men's minds; of Special
grace; of the virtue and merit of faith;
and of St. Thomas's unbelief; are
particularly confidered.
SIRS,
A
FTER having had a correfpon-
dence with you, by writing, for
many years paft, which, I truft,
has not been altogether uſeleſs, nor unac-
ceptable to you; I now propoſe, at the
conclufion of this tract, to take my leave of
you. What I have principally aimed at, in
all my writings, has been both to evince,
and to impress deeply upon your minds, a
juſt ſenſe of thoſe truths, which are of the
highest concern to you. For, tho' I do not
think that error, confidered fimply as fuch,
that is, confidered as a wrong apprehenfion of
things, eſpecially when all proper meaſures
have been taken to have the underſtanding
H
rightly
98 The Author's Farewel.
rightly informed, is either blameable in it-
felf, or diſpleaſing to God, feeing it is what
all men are liable, and greatly in danger, of
falling into, be they ever to careful in
guarding against it yet, forafmuch as
our opinions have, in fome inftances, a great
influence upon our wills, and, confequently,
upon our behaviour; when that is the cafe,
then, error, in the event, may be greatly
injurious both to ourſelves and others; and,
therefore, it must be a matter of moment
to have our underſtandings rightly directed,
in all fuch cafes, in order to the rightly di-
recting our affections and actions. Some of
the points, that I have laboured to imprefs
upon the minds of my readers, are theſe
that follow. First, That there is a natural
and an effential difference in things, and a
law or rule of affection and action, refulting
from that difference, which every moral
agent ought to direct his affections and beha-
viour by; and, that nothing, but a confor-
mity of mind and life to this rule, or, at
leaft, an honest intention of acting rightly,
and a fuitable practice, will render men
pleafing and acceptable to the Deity. Se-
condly, If men have greatly departed from the
rule abovementioned, and have,by their vicious
affec
The Author's Farewel.
99
affections and actions, rendered themſelves the
proper objects of divine refentment; then, as
nothing but their repentance and reformation
can render them the proper objects of mercy and
forgiveneſs, fo that, and nothing but that,
will be the ground and reafon of God's mer-
cy to them. Thirdly, That God will judge
the world, and that he will do it, not by
capricious humour, and according to arbi-
trary will; but by, or according to, the
eternal rules of right and wrong, that is, by
the aforefaid law; and, in confequence
thereof, will reward or punish men, in ano-
ther world, according as they have, by
their good or bad behaviour, rendered them-
felves the proper objects of either, in this.
And, fourthly, That the three foregoing
propofitions are the fum and ſubſtance of the
goſpel of Chrift, or of what Chrift was, in
a ſpecial manner, fent of God to acquaint the
world with. Thefe, furely, are points, in
which mankind at large are greatly inte-
refted; and, therefore, their being fet right
in thele matters must be of the higheſt con-
cern to them. The three first of theſe
come under the denomination of natural
religion; that is, the belief of theſe, and a
practice conformable to fuch belief, conftitute
H 2
the
100
The Author's Farewel.
J
the pure and uncorrupted religion of reaſon
and nature; as they are grounded upon the
unalterable nature, and the eternal reafon of
things, and, as fuch, they are, and muft,
and will, be the fame, whether there be any
divine revelation, or any promulged law, or
not. Men's relation to, and dependence upon,
God, and their relation to, and dependence
upon, each other, and all obligations, that
flow from fuch relations and dependencies,
are what they are, antecedent to, and inde-
pendent of, any revelation or promulged law
and, therefore, are, and muſt be the fame,
both before, and after fuch promulgation;
and all juſt and reaſonable expectations,
grounded upon theſe, and upon men's beha-
viour with reſpect to them, must be the
fame alfo. So that the grounds of men's ac-
ceptance with God, and of their obtaining
the divine mercy, and the juftness and pro-
priety of a future retribution, muft of necef-
fity be the fame, whether God has made a
revelation of his will to mankind, or not.
And, as to the fourth and last point, men-
tioned above, (viz.) that the three forego-
ing propofitions are the fum and fubftance of
the gospel of Chrift, this, I am fenfible, is
fo far from having been generally admitted,
that
The Author's Farewel.
IOI
that on the contrary, great oppofition has been
made to it; and men ſeem difpoſed to have
no goſpel at all, rather than fuch a goſpel as
this. This is a goſpel too plain and intelli-
gible for artful men to make their advanta-
ges of, and to build a profitable trade upon;
they muſt have a gofpel which is fublime
and myfterious, which is out of the reach of
the human underſtanding, and, therefore,
cannot be judged of by it, otherwiſe it will
not anſwer their purpoſes. This is a goſpel
too cloſely attached to virtue and goodness,
for vicious and evil-minded men to be pleaſed
with; they muſt have a goſpel which will
permit them to be eafy under, and which
gives them a little indulgence in their vices;
and therefore, it is no wonder that the re-
preſentation I have given of Chrift's gospel,
ſhould be oppoſed by many; tho', by the
way, if that repreſentation be not the truth
of the cafe, then, it would have been better
for us, that no gofpel had been given at all;
becauſe any other goſpel, but this, would
have been a great impofition upon mankind.
And this leads me to obſerve, that the point
under confideration is fupported by the ab-
furdity of the contrary fuppofition, fuppo-
fing Chrift's gofpel to be divine. For, had
H 3
Chrift
102 The Author's Farewel.
Chrift taught that any thing, befides a right
difpofition of mind, and a right behaviour,
would render men acceptable to the Deity;
or that
any thing, befides repentance and re-
formation, would be the ground of God's
mercy to finners; or that any thing, oppofite
to the eternal rule of right and wrong,
would be the rule by which God would
judge the world; fuch doctrines would be
plainly repugnant to the nature, and to the
truth of things, and, confequently, muſt
of neceflity be falfe. So that it is grofly ab-
furd to fuppofe, that any fuch doctrines were
taught by Christ, whilft we admit his mif-
fion to be divine; becaufe, if the former
were the cafe, then, the latter could not be
fo; that is, if Chrift did teach doctrines,
that are opposite to what I call his gofpel,
then, his miffion, at leaſt, as far as it relates
to thefe, could not be divine, nor could any
external evidence, how great foever, poffi-
bly prove it to be fuch. This, I think, is
the true ftate of the cafe; and my oppo-
nents are at liberty to take which fide of the
queftion they pleafe. It is not fufficient to
fay, that God is at liberty to make what he
will the ground of his favours to men, and
of his mercy to finners, and that he may
judge
1
The Author's Farewel.
103
judge the world by what rule he pleaſes; be-
caufe, tho' fuch a conduct may comport with
the character of an arbitrary and abfolute
governor amongſt men; yet, it will not
comport with the just and proper character
of him who is the most perfect intelligence,
and the wife and good governor of the
univerfe. There is a rule of affection and
action for all thofe cafes, that arifes from
the natural and the effential differences in
things; which rule, we may be certain,
God will always abide by, and make it the
meaſure of his conduct; and therefore, it is
equally as abfurd to fuppofe that God will
add to, as that he will take from, this rule.
Theſe are ſome of the points that I have en-
deavoured to evince, and to impress upon the
minds of my readers; not barely as matters
of fpeculation, but, ultimately, that they may
be a foundation for the rightly directing
and governing our affections and actions.
Alas! what will it avail us to believe, that
nothing but a right difpofition of mind, and
a right behaviour, will render us acceptable
to the Deity; except we are prevailed upon
by it to render ourſelves the proper objects of
God's favour? Or what will it avail a wicked
man to believe, that nothing but repentance
H 4
and
104
The Author's Farewel.
and reformation will be the ground of God's
mercy to finners; except he is led by it to
put away from him the evil of his doings,
to ceaſe to do evil and learn to do well, and
thereby to render himſelf the proper object
of God's mercy? Or to what purpoſe will
it be to believe a judgment to come; except
we are prevailed upon by it, to live as thofe
who must give an account of themſelves to
God? This, I fay, is what I have prin-
cipally aimed at in all my writings, not-
withſtanding it has been faid that I have
written for bread; which I have not been
under a neceffity of doing. And tho' I have,
for fome time paft, been rendered capable
of living independent of labour, by being
enabled, without it, to procure thofe necef-
faries of life, which are fuitable to that rank
in the world that God in the courſe of his
general providence has placed me in; yet,
this is owing principally to the bounty of my
friends, whofe kindneſs to me I take this op-
portunity publickly and thankfully to ac-
knowledge. And, indeed, (according to the
proverb) Let every one praiſe the bridge he
goes over; the world, bad as it is, or as it
may be repreſented to be, has been a kind
world to me; for could an exact eftimate
be
The Author's Farewel.
105
be made of all the good and evil I have re-
ceived from others, I dare fay, it would ap-
pear, that the former has exceeded the latter
ten-fold. I mention this to do juſtice to
the world, before I leave it; and to take off,
or, at leaſt, to leſſen, the popular prejudice
that has been taken up againſt it in this re-
fpe&t.
am;
AND, as I have offered my thoughts
freely to the world, on the points before men-
tioned, as well as on many other fubjects; fo
this has introduced an idle and an impertinent
enquiry concerning me, namely, what I
whether a believer, or an unbeliever.
This enquiry I call idle and impertinent, be-
cauſe it can anſwer no good end, and becauſe
my arguments and reaſonings are juſt the ſame,
that is, they are equally ftrong and conclu-
five, or the contrary, whether I am one,
or the other of thefe. However, I think,
it will be proper to ſtate the notion of believer
and unbeliever, or infidel, that fo this matter
may appear in the clearer light. Whoever
afſents to a propofition as true, ſuch an one
is faid (according to the common way of
fpeaking) to be a believer, with refpect to
that propofition, whatever be the ground of
that affent; whoever doubts of the truth of
a
106 The Author's Farewel.
a propofition, ſo as to withhold his aſſent, and
yet does not believe the contrary, fuch an
one is faid to be a fceptick with reſpect to it;
and whoever, not only withholds his affent to
a propofition, but alfo believes the contrary,
fuch an one is faid to be an unbeliever, or in-
fidel. As thus, Mahomet was a special mef-
Senger Sent from God; with refpect to this
propoſition, whoever afſents to it as true, ſuch
an one is a believer; whoever doubts of the
truth of it, ſo as to withhold his affent, and
yet does not believe the contrary, that is,
does not believe it to be a falfe propofition,
fuch an one is a fceptick; and whoever not
only doubts of the truth of that propofition,
but alſo believes the contrary, that is, be-
lieves that Mahomet was not a ſpecial mef-
fenger ſent from God, ſuch an one is an un-
believer, or infidel. So that a man may
be a
believer with refpect to one propoſition; a
fceptick with regard to another; and an un-
believer, or infidel, with refpect to another:
and thus all men, of thought and reflection,
are believers and ſcepticks, and unbelievers or
infidels, in fome respect or other. And there-
fore, when thofe terms, viz. believer and
unbeliever, or infidel, are applied to me,
I fup-
pofe the enquiry is, whether I do believe that
Jefus
}
The Author's Farewel,
107
And
Jefus Chrift was a meffenger fent from God,
to make known his will, touching the true
way to God's favour and eternal life? or whe-
ther I do not only withhold my affent to this
propofition, but alſo believe the contrary?
I fay, I apprehend, this must be meant,
becauſe, other wife, thofe appellations, with re-
gard to me, are moſt loofe and indetermi-
nate, and may be applied to any ſubject.
So that until the fubject is fixed to which
thofe terms, viz. believer and unbeliever, are
applied, I am not a judge for myſelf, whe-
ther I am one, or another of theſe.
tho' it would probably be a vain attempt to
try to fatisfy fuch inquifitors, feeing, inſtead
of fatisfying, I fhould, perhaps, rather offend
them; yet, I will fhew my readers, becauſe
poffibly it may be of ufe to them, what
my Jentiments are with refpect to the points
before mentioned, as alfo on many other
fubjects; together with the reafons, upon
which thofe fentiments are grounded. And,
in the doing of this, I fhall (as I think I
ought) ftrictly purfue truth, without re-
Spect to perfans or things, and without pay-
ing a partial regard to any fyftem of reli-
gion, whether it be confidered as chriſtian,
or otherwife; and accordingly, fhall treat
every
108 The Author's Farewel.
every queſtion with plainnefs and freedom,
it being, in my opinion, a piece of justice
which is due to all fubjects, that, if we make
an inquiry about them, we fhould do it
with plainnefs, fairness, and impartiality ;
and introduce every thing that makes a-
gainst, as well as for, the queſtion in debate,
whether that question has been generally ad-
mitted, or not; this being the most likely
way to come at truth, and therefore, it is
not likely that truth will be a fufferer by it.
And, indeed, there is the more reaſon for a
ftrict and impartial examination of fuch
points as have met with a general acceptance ;
becauſe that very thing, viz. their having
been generally admitted, is too,too apt to preju-
dice us in their favour. Nor fhall I (I truft)
pay a partial regard to any opinion I myſelf may
have been of, at any time paſt, with regard
to any queſtion I may have given my judg-
ment upon; but ſhall confider it with the
fame freedom and impartiality, as if I had
not given any fuch judgment. For, as I
then gave my opinion according to the evi-
dence that appeared, and as it was then pre-
fent to my mind; fo I fhall do the fame
now, how widely foever I may differ from
myſelf thereby.
BUT
The Author's Farewel.
109
BUT then, I do not pretend to any ex-
traordinary illuminations, or divine impref-
fions, as having been made upon my mind,
becauſe I do not apprehend I have ever ex-
perienced any fuch thing; and therefore, I
have no other way, in which I can purfue
truth, but that of reaſoning and argumen-
tation only. And tho' there have been, as
well in this, as in former ages, many who
have pretended to have been favoured with
divine impreffions, and thereby with extra-
ordinary illuminations; yet, I think, they
are very unsafe guides; not only becauſe I
cannot diſcover any principle, any premises,
from which we may conclude, with cer-
tainty, that their pretences are well grounded;
but alſo becauſe theſe pretenders have, with
regard to their doctrines, greatly differed a-
mong themſelves, infomuch that what fome
have held forth and taught as divine truth,
others have exploded as pernicious error.
Beſides, as there is in man a diſcerning power,
which renders him capable of diftinguiſhing
betwixt good and evil, truth and error, (tho',
through inattention, and a partial know-
ledge of the cafe, he is liable to err in the uſe
of it ;) fo this power is of God; and that it
is fo, is as evident, and as certain, as that we
are,
110
The Author's Farewel.
are, becauſe it plainly appears to be a part
of our frame and conftitution. And that
this faculty was, by the Author of our
beings, defigned and intended to anſwer the
purpoſe aforefaid, is as obvious, as that our
eyes were given us to fee withal; whereas, I
think, we cannot have equal certainty, that
any impreffions, made upon our minds, are
divine; and therefore, the former muft, from
the nature of the thing, be a much ſafer
guide than the latter. And, as our diſcerning
faculty is of God, and is planted in us, by
him, to anfter the aforefaid purpoſe; ſo,
I doubt not, but that in an honeft and care-
ful uſe of it we ſhall render ourſelves approve-
able to our Maker; whereas, with regard to
the impreffions* that may be made upon
our minds, it ſeems to me altogether uncer-
tain, not only whether any of them are di-
vine, and confequently, whether we ought to
be directed by them, but alfo whether we
fhall render ourſelves approveable to God by
following fo uncertain a guide. However,
that
*Some of thofe, who pretend to experience the fpecial
operations of the Deity upon their minds, do not call thofe
operations divine impreffions, but divine influence, which
term is rather more unintelligible, as it's fenfe is undetermi-
nate in the prefent cafe ; but then, whether the term influ-
ence is made uſe of for that reaſon, I am not a judge.
1
The Author's Farewel.
III
that I may fet this matter in as clear a light
as I can, I will fuppofe, that fome ideas have
been impreffed upon my mind, of which I
have indulged the pleafing thought, that the
impreffion was divine; this being fuppofed,
the queſtion is, what is there in the cafe for
me fairly and rationally to ground the pre-
fumption upon, that the impreffion was divine?
And, in order to give a fatisfactory anſwer to
this queſtion, two things feem neceffary to be
enquired into, viz. First, What different cir-
cumftances may be fuppofed to attend impref-
fions, by which difference of circumſtances
one impreffion may be diftinguished from ano-
ther? Secondly, What are thofe circumſtances,
that are peculiar to divine impreffions, by
which they may be diftinguifhed and cer-
tainly known, from all other impreffions, that
may be made upon the mind? And, firſt, the
enquiry is, what different circumſtances may
attend impreffions, by which they may be
diftinguiſhed one from another. And here,
I ſhall not take notice of all the trifling cir-
cumſtances, that may be fuppofed to attend
the cafe; becaufe, I think, that is needlefs,
and would look more like banter than argu-
ment; but only of fuch as are most material,
or fome of them, at leaſt, in order to explain
the
II2
The Author's Farewel.
the thing; and accordingly, I obſerve, that
impreffions may be stronger, or weaker, or
they may minifter more, or less immediate
pleaſure to the mind; the ſubject matter im-
preffed, when confidered abftractedly from
the impreffion, may alſo be confidered as
certain, or probable, or neither; and it may
be of greater or less importance, or of no im-
portance at all; it may be of concern to fome
one, or more, of our ſpecies, or of general
concern to the whole; it may relate to
things fpiritual, or temporal; to things paſt,
prefent, or to come; thefe are fome of the
moft material circumftances, which may be
fuppofed to attend the cafe, and in which
one impreffion may be distinguished from
another. But then, as to the fecond en-
quiry, viz. what circumſtances are peculiar
to divine impreffons, by which they may be
diſtinguiſhed, and certainly known, from all
other impreffions, which may be made up-
on the mind, this I am utterly at a loſs to
diſcover. Whether divine impreffions are
fronger, or weaker, than other impreffions;
or whether they give more, or leſs, immedi-
ate pleaſure to the mind; and fo on this I
cannot poffibly come at the knowledge of,
as I have no rule to judge by, nor can I have
}
any
The Author's Farewel.
113
any light or information from the caſe it-
felf; fo that after all my care I may be un-
der a delufion, if I admit the fuppofition, that
the impreffion was divine; becauſe I have
no way by which I can diftinguish, with
certainty, divine impreffions from all other
impreffions, which may be made upon my
mind. And, if this is of neceffity the cafe
with me, then, I think, it muſt be the fame
with all other men. And, if I am difquali-
fied for diftinguishing divine impreffions from
any other impreffions, which may be made
upon my own mind; then, furely, I muſt be
rather more fo with refpect to the impreffions
that are made upon the minds of other men.
And this, I hope, will be admitted as a fuf-
ficient excufe for my not blindly fubmitting
to what may be dictated to me as a divine
oracle, by thoſe who may confider themſelves
to have been favoured with divine impref-
fions, and extraordinary divine illuminations.
To fay, that divine impreffions can no other
ways be diftinguiſhed, and certainly known,
than by an experimental feeling of the thing
itſelf, which feeling cannot be deſcribed, or
expreſſed, and therefore, cannot be explained
to others; this, I think, is taking fanctuary
in darkness, and feems to favour ftrongly of
I
delufion,
114
The Author's Farewel.
;
delufion, or impofition. If, when ideas are
impreffed upon the mind, there is fomething
felt, which cannot be expreſſed; then, the
queſtion is, how do we certainly know that
what is thus felt is of God? And, if we
have no rule to judge by, in the preſent cafe,
but are guided by mere imagination; we
think it is divine, therefore it is fo; then,
this inexpreffible feeling leaves the cafe in the
ſame perplexity and uncertainty as before
there is fomething felt, which cannot be de-
fcribed, and what is thus felt is preſumed to
be by, or from the immediate operation of
God, without any thing to ground the pre-
fumption upon; this, I think, is the fum of
the evidence, which arifes from thofe inex-
preffible feelings abovementioned. Whether
God does immediately interpofe, and impreſs
ideas upon the minds of men, or not, is
what I cannot certainly determine, with re-
ſpect to either fide of the queſtion, becauſe
I have not wherewith to ground ſuch a de-
termination upon; and, therefore, I ſhall only
obferve, that if God does interpofe, as afore-
faid, then, whether this be confidered as a
part of the original ſcheme of God's gene-
ral providence, by which he propoſed to
govern the world, by conftantly impreffing
on
The Author's Farewel.
115
on men's minds fuch images as each one's re-
ſpective cafe might render ufeful to him, or
whether it be confidered as an act of God's
Special providence, for the removing fuch er-
rors and evils, as, thro' the weakness or vileness
of men, may have been introduced, and be-
come greatly injurious to mankind; I ſay,
whether a divine interpofition, as aforefaid, be
confidered as one, or the other, of theſe,
it feems to be fuitable to, and altogether
worthy of the divine wisdom and good-
nefs, for the Deity to interpofe, in fuch a
way, as that every man may diſtinguiſh,
with certainty, divine impreffions from all
other impreffions, that may be made upon
his mind; becauſe, without this, mankind are
in a moft unguarded and unfafe ftate, as
without it they lie greatly expoſed to delufion
and impofition, and confequently, to thoſe
very errors and evils, which divine impreffions
are fuppofed to relieve them from; but then,
as this does not appear to have been done,
therefore it becomes the more doubtful, whe-
ther there be any fuch thing as divine im-
preffions on men's minds. If it ſhould be
faid, that the nature of the thing does not
admit of any rule, or way, by which divine
impreffions may be distinguished, with cer-
tainty,
I 2
116 The Author's Farewel.
tainty, from all other impreffions that may
be made upon the mind; and as this is out
of the reach of divine wiſdom and power to
effect, fo it is what we are not to feek after
nor expect; if this be the cafe, it will fol-
low, not only that it muſt always be a mat-
ter of uncertainty, whether there be any fuch
thing as divine impreffions on mens minds,
but alſo there will be a ftrong prefumption
of the contrary; becauſe divine impreffions,
without a certain rule, whereby to diſtinguiſh
them from all other impreffions, cannot in-
struct and guide, but only perplex and dif-
treſs mankind; which, furely, the ſupreme
Deity is not difpofed to do. Suppoſe it ſhould
be ftrongly impreffed upon a man's mind,
that it is his duty, and what God requires and
expects from him, at the cloſe of every day, to
plunge his whole body under water, as a token
of his penitence for the fins he had been
guilty of the day paft, and of God's mercy
in the forgiveneſs of them; or fuppofe, it
fhould be impreffed upon his mind, that it is
his duty to cut and wound his body, in fome
particular part, at fome certain times, as a
token of his abhorrence of himſelf for his
tranfgreffions, and of what he might juſtly
expect, were God ſevere in puniſhing him
equal
The Author's Farewel.
J17
equal to his crimes; or fuppofe any other
images to be ftrongly impreffed upon a man's
mind, in which his duty and behaviour is
concerned; in this caſe, if he has no rule, by
which he can diſtinguiſh, with certainty,
divine impreffions from all other impreſſions,
that may be made upon his mind, then, the
ideas that had been impreffed upon his mind,
as aforefaid, whether of a divine original,
or otherwife, could not poffibly inftruct and
guide him, with regard to his duty and be-
haviour, but, on the contrary, (if he acted
with that care and caution as the importance.
of the cafe requires that he fhould, and
which, furely, it is every man's duty to do)
they would greatly perplex and diftress him ;
becauſe he would be altogether uncertain,
whether thoſe impreffions are divine, or not,
and, confequently, whether it was his duty to
attend to them, and be guided by them, or
not. I am fenfible, that the doctrine of di-
vine impreffions has been adhered to, and
maintained, by most, if not all, religious par-
ties in the world; but then, they all feem in-
clined to confine the favour to their own par-
ty, or, at leaſt, to think it is chiefly, and
more certainly with them; and, therefore,
they are apt to draw back, and are unwilling
I 3
to
118
The Author's Farewel.
to fubmit to what is dictated to them as a di-
vine oracle, when it comes from any other
quarter; and thus, a chriftian would ſcarce
think himſelf concerned, much lefs obliged, to
attend to what may be delivered to him as
the produce of divine impreſſion,by a Mahome-
tan; and the like of a Mahometan, by a chrif-
tian. Nevertheleſs, if it ſhould be thought,
that I have not done justice to the fubject,
then, I hope, fome friend to truth, and to
mankind, will kindly interpoſe and ſet this
matter in a clearer and a truer light; and
this may well be expected from thofe, who not
only maintain the doctrine of divine impreſ-
fions, but who alſo confider themſelves to have
experienced the power of fuch impreffions
on their minds; becauſe fuch experienced
men may well be ſuppoſed to be capable
of fhewing plainly, what it is, which
diſtinguiſhes divine impreffions from all other
impreffions, that may be made upon the
mind, fuppofing it can be done; which if it
cannot be done, then, of neceffity, the cafe
muſt be moſt perplexed and hazardous, as I
have before fhewn. To fay, that God does
immediately impreſs ideas upon the minds of
men, tho' we cannot certainly know, at the
time, that we are under the influence of
fuch
The Author's Farewel.
119
fuch impreffions, nor can we diftinguish fuch
divine impreffions from any other impref-
fions, that may be made. upon the mind;
this, I think, in any other cafe, would be
deemed mere prefumption, and would be far
from being fatisfactory.
And,
As I have been lately led to confider, or
rather to re-confider, the doctrine of grace,or
Special grace, as it is fometimes called; fo
I prefume, my readers will take it in good
part, if I lay before them the produce of thoſe
reflections. By grace is here meant that power,
which God is fuppofed fecretly, impercepti-
bly, and fupernaturally to communicate to
men; which power is called ſpecial grace, in
diſtinction from, and in oppofition to, that
power, and thofe favours vouchfafed to
men, by the Deity, in and through the
common and ordinary courſe of nature, there-
by to enable men to perform their reſpective
duties, and render themſelves acceptable to
their Maker, which otherwiſe, or without
fuch ſpecial aid, they are not able, by their
natural powers or inherent ability, to do and
perform. This doctrine of grace feems to
be founded on the following fuppofition,
viz. that it may be, and is a man's duty to
perform that which he has not power fufficient
I 4
for
I 20
The Author's Farewel.
for the performance of; but then, this fup-
poſition ſeems to be moft abfurd, groundlefs,
and falfe. All due, or duty, is connected with,
relative to, and dependent upon that power
which any agent has for it's performance; fo
that the line of a man's duty cannot poffibly be
extended a point farther than the line of his
ability for the performance of it; becauſe,
where, and fo far as power for performance
fails, or falls fort; there, and fo far, duty
fails, or falls fhort in proportion. It, furely,
cannot be a man's duty to fee, who has no
eyes; nor to relieve the needy, who has no-
thing within the compafs of his power or
procurement to relieve them with. The
cafe muſt be the fame in all other inftances
and cafes, where duty may be fuppoſed to be
concerned; whatever a man has not fufficient
power for the performance of, the perfor-
mance of that thing cannot poffibly be his
duty; and therefore, as a man's duty may
be increaſed, by the increaſe of his ability;
fo his duty will be decreased, by the decreaſe
of his ability alfo; and were a man changed
into a brute, which is faid to have been the
cafe of Nebuchadnezzar, then, all the duty
that lay upon him, as a man, would ceaſe
or be annihilated, ifI may fo ſpeak. Whe-
ther
1
The Author's Farewel.
121
ther a man's ability be decreaſed, or deſtroy-
ed by accident, or defign; whether by him-
ſelf, or by any other agent, it alters not the
cafe; becaufe the decreafing, or deſtroying
a man's power for performance, naturally
and neceffarily decreaſes, or deſtroys all the
duty that was connected with it, and depen-
dent upon it. Suppoſe a man fhould de-
fignedly have put out his own eyes, then, thơ'
he may, by fo doing, have been greatly cri-
minal and blame-worthy; yet, when his vi-
five power was deftroyed, and his capacity
of feeing ceaſed, then, all the duty that was
connected with, and dependent * upon that
capacity, of courfe ceafed with it; and it
would be altogether as abfurd to fuppofe it
a man's duty, who has put out his eyes, to
do that, when he is blind, the performance
of which depends wholly upon fight; as it
would be to fuppofe it a man's duty, who
has
* Here a queſtion or two does very naturally ariſe, viz.
Suppoſe a man fhould contract a just debt, and afterwards
fhould fall into fuch circumftances as to be unable to make
fatisfaction, does his inability cancel his obligation? or does
he not continue as much obliged as before? and is it not his
duty to make fatisfaction, notwithstanding his inability? An-
fwer; tho' a man's inability does not ſatisfy any debt he has
contracted, but he ſtill continues to be a debtor, and is ftill
obliged to make fatisfaction when he is able; yet his inability
fo far fufpends that obligation, as to make it of no force, un-
til he is inveſted with power fufficient to make fatisfaction.
122
The Author's Farewel.
has killed himself, to perform that, after he
is dead, which is only performable when, or
if alive. And, if duty is thus naturally
and neceſſarily connected with, and depen-
dent upon, fuitable and fufficient power for
the performance of it, fo that the former
cannot be without the latter, which evidently
appears to be the cafe; then, to fuppofe
that it may be, and is, a man's duty to do
what he has not fufficient power for the per-
formance of, this must needs be an abfurd,
groundleſs, and falfe fuppofition. And, if
the fuppofition, upon which the foremention-
ed doctrine of grace feems, at leaſt, to be
founded, is groundleſs and falſe; then, the
doctrine itſelf feems to want a proper foun-
dation; becauſe it feems quite fuperfluous,
and thereby it becomes very unlikely, that
God ſhould interpofe and communicate power
to men, for the performance of their duty,
when they have fufficient power to do their
duty, antecedent to fuch his interpofition.
Does it not ſeem quite prepofterous, for a
rich man to defire and pray to God to give
him ability to do his duty, as a rich man ;
when the riches he is already in the poſſeſ-
fion of is that very ability by which he is to
do his duty, as a rich man? The cafe is the
fame
The Author's Farewel.
123
fame in all other inftances of duty. And
if ſpecial grace is fuperfluous, as it muſt needs
be; then, this ſeems to be a weighty objec-
tion againſt the truth of that doctrine.
THE truth of the caſe ſeems plainly to be
this; men are a fpecies of creatures, who
are conſtituted of various parts and powers,
by which they are rendered capable of an-
fwering worthy purposes upon this globe; and
as the parts and powers, of which men are
conſtituted, are not all equal, but are diffe-
rent in different perfons, fo their reſpective
duties, and the purposes they are to ferve,
vary and are different alfo. And tho' men
are fubject to many wants; yet, they cannot
poffibly want ability to do their duty; becauſe,
in whatſoever ſtate they are, their duty will
be proportionate to the ability they have for
the performance of it. And tho' men are
furrounded with manifold temptations, that
is, there will many things take place, which
will become excitements to men to break
thro' the line of their duty; yet, as theſe
are excitements only, and do not put a force
upon nature, ſo every man muſt have fuffici-
ent power, either to comply with, or to re-
ject thefe excitements; and confequently, is
at liberty whether he will break thro' the
line
I 24
The Author's Farewel.
line of his duty, or not; becauſe in every
inſtance, where, and fo far as,nature is forced,
in fuch inftances men are not tempted, but
over-ruled, they do not act, but are acted
upon; and therefore, in thoſe caſes, duty is
quite out of the queftion. And, as to the
term ſelf, if by it is meant all the parts and
powers of which each individual is confti-
tuted, exclufive of that principle of freedom
or agency, by which thofe
parts and
powers
are to be directed; then, and in this view of
the caſe, ſelf is the work of God, and can-
not be confidered abftractedly from it; fo
that whatever a man does, he does it by the
ability that God giveth, and God is all in all.
If a man lifts up his hand, or his foot, or
performeth any other action, whatever pur-
poſe the action is made to ferve, he does it
from a power derived from his Maker; and
the power, by which fuch action is per-
formed, is as much, and as truly derived from
God, as if it were fupernatural. And, as
all the parts and powers, which conſtitute
each individual, is each individual felf; ſo
each individual is felf-fufficient for the per-
formance of every thing, which is within
the compaſs of that felf-power, without any
other help. Thus, a man who abounds in
riches
The Author's Farewel. 125
4
riches, is felf-fufficient, for the relief of the
poor, as far as his riches enable him ſo to
do. And thus, a man who has health of
body, and the uſe of his limbs, is felf-fufficient
for walking; that is, he is able, of himſelf,
to remove himſelf, from one place to another,
without any other help; and, indeed, with-
out any other, or farther, power or help
from God, than what refults from his frame
and conftitution. How idle and ridiculous
muft it therefore be, for the advocates of
fpecial grace, by mere dint of afurance, to
run down the doctrine of felf-fufficiency, as
they are pleaſed to call that fufficient ability
a man has, and of neceffity muſt have to
do his duty; as if the very ſuppoſition of
ſuch ſufficiency was a most monstrous thing!
If by felf is meant the exercife of human a-
gency, by which each individual felf does,
of itself, voluntarily chufe either rightly to
ufe, or flothfully to neglect, or wickedly to a-
buſe, the various parts and powers of which
his conftitution is compounded; then, and
in that view of the cafe, ſelf may, without
any great impropriety, be confidered ab-
ſtractedly from the work of God, as afore-
faid; and then, as felf, when it wickedly
abuſes the human powers, by applying them
to
126 The Author's Farewel.
to baſe purpoſes, does thereby of, and from
itſelf, independent of any immediate act of
the Deity, render itſelf a bafe and evil crea-
ture, and does thereby, of itſelf, become
justly defpifeable and condemnable; fo, in like
manner, when felf rightly directs the hu-
man powers to anſwer the worthy purpoſes
they were intended to ferve, then, it does of
and from it ſelf, independent of any immedi-
ate act of the Deity, render itſelf a worthy
and good creature, and does thereby, of it-
ſelf, become juſtly approveable and commend-
able. And, in this view of the cafe, each
individual felf is to be confidered good, or
bad, as of itſelf, abſtractedly from, and in-
dependent of the work of God; becauſe
God leaves each individual felf perfectly at
liberty to direct his work, viz. the parts and
powers of the human conſtitution, to an-
fwer good, or bad purpoſes, as it pleaſes; of
which the cafe would be equally the fame,
fuppofing any ſupernatural power were added,
whilft felf is at liberty to uſe that power
well, or ill. Thus, the member of the body
called the tongue, is wholly the work and
gift of God, together with the ſelf-moving
power, or ability, to uſe it; but then, each
individual is perfectly at liberty, in the ap-
plication
The Author's Farewel.
127
plication of it's felf-moving power upon the
tongue, to direct it to the publication of
truth, or a lie, or the anfwering any good
or bad purpoſe, as it pleafes. And, fuppofe
God fhould, by an immediate act of his
power, add to the human conſtitution any
new endowment of mind, or any new mem-
bers to the body, fuch as a pair of wings, by
which a man would be enabled to fly; if he
is at liberty to uſe this new power well or
ill, then, all the good or evil, that is pro-
duced by it, ought to be placed, not to God's,
but to the agent's account, who directed that
power to anſwer the purpoſe it was made to
ſerve; this new power, when added to the
conſtitution, being as much, and as truly, a
man's felf, as thofe powers are, of which his
conſtitution was antecedently compounded.
How extravagant muſt it therefore be, for
men, out of an affectation of humility and
lowlinefs of mind, to place all the evil they
do to their own account, and all the good they
do to the account of God; whereas, God is
equally concerned in the production of evil,
as in the production of good; and man is
equally concerned in the production of good,
as in the production of evil; and, therefore,
both ought to be equally afcribed to one, or
the
128
The Author's Farewel.
the other. That is, if all the good a man
does ought to be afcribed to God, then all
the evil a man does ought to be ascribed
to God alſo; becauſe God is equally concern-
ed in the production of both; and if all the
evil a man does, ought to be aſcribed to
himſelf, then all the good he does, ought to
be aſcribed to himſelf also; becauſe he is
equally concerned in the production of both.
This appears to me to be a fair, a juſt, and
true repreſentation of the cafe. And,
HERE, perhaps, it may not be amifs to
take notice of what is fometimes urged in
favour of the doctrine of Special grace, or
rather of what is urged against the doctrine
of ſelf-ſufficiency, which feems to ſtand in
competition with it; namely, first, That it
muſt be great pride and arrogance, in man, to
confider himſelf as an independent, felf-fuffi-
cient creature, as one who can, of himſelf, do
many good actions; whereas man, eſpecially
fince the fall, is moſt corrupt, impotent, and
weak, who cannot, of himself, ſo much as
think a good thought, much lefs bring forth
any thing that is good, without the ſpecial
aid of his Maker. This objection, if it may
be called an objection, is fully obviated in
what I have obferved above; tho', indeed,
what
The Author's Farewel.
129
- what is urged is a mere invective, as if it was
pride and arrogance in a man to think justly
and truly of the work of God, of his own
frame and conftitution, &c. which is the
pre-
fent cafe. God has fo far made man an in-
dependent, felf-fufficient creature, as to fur-
nish him with parts and abilities for action,
and has left him quite free to uſe the parts
and powers, of which his conftitution is
compounded, well, or ill; and to call a juſt
and proper ſenſe of this, pride and arrogance,
is most intolerable; not but it is a cafe too
common for men to fupply the want of ar-
gument with invectives. Secondly, It has
been urged, that the fcriptures, and more
particularly the New Teftament, reprefent
mankind to be weak and impotent, as afore-
faid; and thoſe fcriptures require men to
think thus of themselves, and to pray to God
to give them ftrength and power to do their
duty, which, without fome fpecial divine aid,
men, of themselves, are not able to perform.
Anfwer: All doctrines and counfels that mi-
litate against truth, cannot themſelves be
founded in truth; and, therefore, are not to
be admitted, whether they come from Paul,
Mofes, or any other perfon who may have
affumed a prophetick or divine character.
And,
K
130 The Author's Farewel.
And, as every man muft of neceffity have
power fufficient to perform every duty, and
anfwer every obligation that lies upon him,
becauſe otherwiſe he could not poffibly have
been under ſuch obligation; ſo, conſequently,
if there are any doctrines or counfels, held
forth to us in the fcriptures, that are incom-
patible with this truth, then, they cannot
poffibly be founded in truth, and, therefore,
ought to be rejected. Thirdly, It has been
urged, that the doctrines of man's impotency,
as aforefaid, and of special grace, have been
univerfally maintained by men of all religions,
and in all parts of the world, excepting,
perhaps, a few philofophers and deifts, whofe
pride and vanity led them to think all our
fpecies to be either fools, or knaves, but
themſelves; and, as univerfal opinion is on
the fide of the doctrines referred to, fo this is
a prefumptive argument of their truth; be-
cauſe, were men univerfally to err in points of
importance,it would be of very bad confequence;
but this is not the cafe; in points of impor-
tance men univerfally agree. Anſwer: If
there have been any fuch men who have
thought all others to be either fools, or knaves,
that have profeffed to differ in their ſentiments
from them; then, they muft, at leaſt, have
been
The Author's Farewel. 131
upon
been egregious fools that thought fo., And, if
the above charge of pride and vanity, upon
philofophers and deifts, be only grounded
their diffenting from univerfal opinion,
then, the above charge is a mere invective.
What the bad confequences are which follow
univerſal error, I am not apprized of; nor
am I fully fatisfied, that in all points of im-
portance men are univerfally agreed. As to
the doctrines of man's impotency and fpecial
grace, that theſe have had univerſal opinion
to back them, is much to be queftioned;
becauſe in other points there are many that do
not publickly oppofe popular opinions, and yet,
are far from going into the belief of them;
and that may, perhaps, have been the cafe
of the doctrines under confideration. But,
ſuppoſing the doctrines referred to have had
univerfal opinion on their fide; yet, furely,
that cannot be a proper ground to determine
any man's judgment in their favour. Uni-
verfal opinion must have fome reason, that
has been univerſally admitted as it's proper bafis,
elſe it is a mere phantom; to take up an opi-
nion, without fome reafon to ground it upon,
is like building without a foundation. Where-
ever, therefore, univerfal opinion obtains, the
queftion will be, What is that opinion ground-
K 2
ed
132 The Author's Farewel.
ed upon? which ground I am carefully to
examine, in order to fee whether it is a pro-
per foundation for fuch opinion; if I find it
to be fo, I affent to it, not becauſe it is uni-
verfally affented to, but becauſe it appears to
me to be well grounded, independent of fuch
univerfal affent. If I find it to be otherwiſe,
the queſtion will be, What must I do? Muft
I judge of the cafe according to the ſtrength
of the evidence, as it appears to my mind,
or muft I give up my underſtanding in com-
plaiſance to univerfal opinion? Not the latter,
furely, becauſe the ground of affent does not
become a whit the ſtronger, by its having
obtained univerfal affent; nor is it more fo,
than if it had obtained affent from one mind
only; or even than if it had gained no affent
at all. Suppofe the reafons, upon which the
Ptolemaick fyftem of aftronomy was ground-
ed, had obtained univerfal affent; would that
ſyſtem have been well grounded, becauſe the
reaſons upon which it was grounded had been
univerfally admitted? and ought univerſal
opinion to have determined the judgment of
Copernicus, against the ſtrongeſt and moſt
obvious reaſons to the contrary? Surely, not.
If the advocates for fpecial grace fhould
tack about, and fay, that by grace is not
meant
The Author's Farewel. 133
meant any new power that is given to men ;
but only that the Deity does particularly, and
ſpecially, interpoſe and diſpoſe men to make a
proper ufe of the abilities they already have,
which otherwiſe, or without ſuch a divine in-
terpofition, they would not be difpofed to do:
Anſwer: This is in reality giving up the doc-
trine of special grace we have had under con-
fideration, and introducing another fort of
ſpecial grace in it's place and ftead. And, as
to this new ſort of ſpecial grace, if the Deity
does by it any other ways difpofe men to do
their duty, (if it may be called duty, which
is greatly improper) than by difpofing them,
by motives of perfuafion, to make a proper
ufe of the powers they have, this would be
deftructive of human agency; becauſe, fo far
as force takes place, agency is difplaced, and
in all ſuch caſes man is a mere paffive fubject;
he does not act, but is acted upon. And, if
this fort of grace confifts only in furnishing
men with proper motives of perfuafion, to dif
pose them to do their duty; then, in this, it
the province of another fort of
Special grace, which by way of diſtinction I
call the fecond fort; viz. external divine re-
velation, commonly called the chriftian reve-
lation; whoſe proper province it is, or, at leaſt,
enters upon
K 3
it
1
134 The Author's Farewel.
it is faid to be, (by general, if not univerſal,
opinion among chriftians) to lay before men
thoſe motives of perfuafion as are proper to
diſpoſe them to do their duty, which motives
of perfuafion, without external divine revela-
tion,men could not have attained to,and there-
fore, without fuch external divine revelation,
they must have been deftitute of them. So
that, in this cafe, it is pulling down one fort of
fpecial grace, to fet up another; it is taking
from the fpecial grace of external divine re-
velation, by fetting up a third fort of ſpecial
grace to Supply it's place, and to anſwer it's
purpoſes. Thus, when men have taken
from the human conftitution, thoſe powers
and capacities, which the author of nature
has furniſhed it with, and compounded it
of; then, they introduce what they call
fpecial grace, to repair the injury.
BUT farther, I beg leave to repeat an ob-
fervation that I have already made, (perhaps
more than once in the courſe of my wri-
tings) becauſe, I think, it is what my rea-
ders fhould always remember, and govern
their judgments by; viz. that in the deter-
minations they come to,concerning the truth
of any propofition, or fact, fuch determi-
nations ought to correfpond with, and be
+
pro-
The Author's Farewel.
135
go-
proportionate to the ſtrength and clearness of
the evidence upon which they are grounded;
and, that where certainty cannot be attained,
our judgments ought to be directed and
verned by probability; and, as probability
may be greater, or leſs, ſo where the greater
degree of probability appears, it ought to
determine our judgments to that fide of the
queſtion, to which the greater degree of
probability ftands related; and, that our af-
fent ought to be stronger, or weaker, in pro-
portion to the greater, or lefs degree of pro-
bability, which is the ground of that affent.
This, I think, ought to be the cafe; and
herein, I apprehend, lies the propriety, rec-
titude, or morality of faith, if it may be ex-
preffed thus. But then, by the term faith
is here meant the bare act of aſſent to the
truth of a propofition, or fact, abſtracted
from any rectitude of action that may be
previous to it, or confequent upon it; whe-
ther that affent be grounded on fenfible evi-
dence, or on demonftration, (which may,
perhaps, come under the denomination of
Science or knowledge) or
or whether it be
grounded on any other kind of evidence.
I am fenfible, that in oppofition to what
I have thus frequently obſerved, it is pre-
tended.
K 4
136 The Author's Farewel.
tended, that the excellency and merit of faith
arifes from, and bears a proportion, rather
to the weakneſs, than to the ſtrength of the
evidence upon which it is grounded. And,
this opinion is founded upon the words of
Chrift to St. Thomas,-John xx. 29. Je-
fus faid unto him, Thomas, becauſe thou haft
ſeen me, thou haft believed; bleſſed [or more
bleffed] are they who have not feen, and yet
have believed. Now, if the faith that is
founded on the teftimony of others, is more
worthy, more bleſſed, than the faith that is
founded on the teftimony of a man's own
fenfes, as in the inſtance referred to; then,
the confequence is clear, viz. that the virtue
and merit of faith arifes from, and bears a
proportion, rather to the weakness, than to
the ftrength of the evidence upon which it is
grounded. Wherefore, I obferve, that if
this were the cafe, viz. that to believe upon
weak evidence is more valuable, than to be-
lieve the fame thing upon evidence that is
Stronger; then, by parity of reafon, to be-
lieve without evidence muſt be more meri-
torious, than to believe upon weak evidence;
and then, to believe against evidence muft
be ſtill more valuable, than to believe with-
out evidence; the very ftating of which cafe
fuf-
The Author's Farewel.
137
fufficiently expoſes it. Upon this principle,
the faith that is founded upon the fingle
teſtimony of one man is more valuable, than
the faith that is founded upon the united
teftimonies of twelve men, fuppofing them to
be all perfons of equal credit; and it is more
valuable for this reafon, viz. becauſe, in the
former cafe, the evidence upon which faith
is founded is eleven times weaker than in the
latter, as one is eleven times less than twelve.
The value of faith may likewiſe be greatly
heightened, by the circumftances that attend
the cafe. If the teftimony of twelve men
is directly contrary to the teftimony of one
man, and if it appears that the twelve were
better qualified to know the truth of the cafe
referred to, than that fingle evidence, and
likewife were known to be perfons of greater
veracity, and ſo were more likely to teſtify
the truth of what they knew concerning it;
theſe circumſtances greatly weaken the credit
of that fingle evidence, and confequently,
they greatly heighten the value of that faith
that is grounded on his teftimony. But,
furely, nothing can be more prepofterous
than to ſuppoſe, that the faith founded on
the teftimony of one man is in nature more
meritorious, than the faith that is founded
on
138
The Author's Farewel.
on the teſtimonies of twelve men, in oppofiti-
on to that fingle evidence, which twelve wit-
neffes are better qualified to know the truth
of the cafe, and are more likely to relate the
truth of what they know; or to fuppofe the
faith that is founded upon the teftimony of
another man, who is capable of deceiving, as
well as being deceived, is more valuable, than
to affent upon the evidence that ariſes from
what we ourſelves have feen and heard. And
yet, this muſt be the cafe, if the valuableness
of faith arifes from the weakness of the evi-
dence upon which it is grounded. St. Tho-
mas believed the refurrection of Chriſt, upon
the evidence that arofe from his own fenfes;
another man believed the fame fact, upon
St. Thomas's teftimony; now, as the ground
of affent to St. Thomas was moſt certainly
Stronger, than the ground of affent to the
other, as a man comes nearer to certainty by
what he ſees and hears himſelf, than by what
is told him by another man; ſo affent in St.
Thomas, furely, was rather more proper,
and therefore, rather more valuable, than
affent in the other perfon, if there be any
diſparity in the cafe, whatever may have been
faid to the contrary; at leaſt, it appears ſo
to me. If St. Thomas withheld his affent to
the
The Author's Farewel.
139
the fact beforementioned, when proper evi-
dence had been preſented to him, and if his
diffent fprang from any unreasonable preju-
dice, any great impropriety in his conduct
and refolutions, in this he may have been
greatly blameable; but then, I think, his faith
did not become less valuable when he did be-
lieve, by the evidence being ftronger than
that evidence was which had been offered to
him before, and which had been, perhaps,
through his inattention, or otherwife, infuf-
ficient for his conviction. Surely, according
to the principle before laid down, the excel-
lency of chriftianity must confift in the re-
verfing of nature; tho', I think, Chrift did
not intend to fet forth, that faith founded
upon weak evidence is more worthy, more
valuable, than faith that is founded upon
evidence that is ſtronger; but only that other
believers would ſhare in the advantages, that
are fuppofed to follow believing, as well as
St. Thomas, notwithstanding their faith was
not founded on fenfible evidence, as his was.
Thomas, becauſe thou haft feen me, thou haft
believed; but then, tho' the favour of feeing
my perfon, fince I arofe from the dead, as
thou haft done, has been vouchfafed but to
a few; yet, nevertheless, others who answer
the
140 The Author's Farewel.
the purpose of believing will not fail of ſha-
ring in the bleffedneſs, that attends it, as well
as thee, notwithſtanding they have not been
convinced, upon fuch fenfible evidence, as
thou hast been. Thomas, becauſe thou haft feen
me, thou haft believed; bleffed [alfo] are they
who have not ſeen, and yet have believed. As the
above paraphrafe is confonant to truth; ſo, I
think it justly expreffes the fenfe of the text.
SINCE my putting together the foregoing
reflections, the reverend and ingenious Mr.
Foſter has publiſhed * his fentiments, touch-
ing the morality of faith; and has attempted
to fhew, that faith, founded on fenfible evi-
dence, is lefs valuable or moral, than faith
founded on other evidence; but then, he does
not ground this diſparity upon the strength
and weakneſs of the evidence, but upon other
circumstances, which he fuppofes peculiar to
each cafe; viz. that faith in the former, or
when grounded on fenfible evidence, is in a
manner forced, and involuntary, and thereby
is more cafy and cheap to the believer; where-
as, faith in the latter cafe requires more pains
to be taken, more ingenuity, more care and
application to procure it. Upon which, I
obferve, that in fome inftances the cafe may
* See Mr. Fofter's Sermons, Vol. III. Sermon ix.
be
The Author's Farewel.
141
be as it is repreſented, and in other inftances
it may be the reverfe. Suppofe a friend of
mine, upon whofe teftimony I have juſt
ground to rely, was lately come from Lon-
don, and he voluntarily informed me, (with-
out any application of mine to procure the
information) that the pillar, lately ſtanding
near London-Bridge, commonly called the
Monument, was fallen down; in this inftance,
faith, founded on the testimony of my friend,
would be in a manner forced and involun-
tary, and would be much more eafy and cheap
to me, than faith founded on fenfible evidence,
becauſe that would require my taking the
care and pains of a journey to London, to in-
ſpect the place, in order to procure it. But,
admitting the caſe were always, as is repre-
fented above, then, in this view of it, the
worth and morality that attends it, is not fo
much relative to faith, as to that rectitude of
action, by which a man diſcharges his mind
of all partiality and prejudice, and examines
carefully, and candidly, all the evidence that
falls within his notice, both for, and againſt,
the queſtion in debate; this rectitude of action
being plainly diftinct from, and previous to
faith, and is equally valuable, whether it be
productive of faith, or of it's contrary, viz.
infidelity
142 The Author's Farewel.
infidelity. Suppofe a man to have diveſted
himſelf of partiality and prejudice, and to
have honeſtly enquired into the truth and
divinity both of the Chriftian and the Maho-
metan revelations, and fuppofe the produce
of fuch enquiry to be faith in the Chriftian,
and infidelity, with refpect to the Mahometan
revelation; then, the queftion would be,
whether infidelity, with regard to the Maho-
metan revelation, be not equally valuable and
moral, as faith in the Chriftian? And, the
anſwer, I prefume, will be, that one of theſe
is as valuable as the other; or, rather, that
the morality, in each cafe, was not ſo much
relative to faith, nor infidelity, as to that
rectitude of action which was distinct from,
and previous to both. And, let it be admitted,
for argument fake, that the reverſe of this
was the cafe; namely, that the produce of
fuch enquiry was faith in the Mahometan,
and infidelity with refpect to the Chriftian
revelation; and then, the queftion will be,
whether faith and infidelity in this latter cafe,
be not equally valuable and moral, as faith
and infidelity in the former? And the anfwer,
I think, will be, that the latter would be
equally valuable, equally moral with the for-
mer: Ifay, I think, the anſwer will be this,
(except
The Author's Farewel.
143
}
(except the judgment be strongly biaffed, by
fome unreaſonable prejudice, which is fup-
poſed to have been St. Thomas's cafe ;) becauſe
infidelity is equally as valuable, or moral, as
faith, when they are equally well grounded.
And, as faith is plainly diftinct from that
rectitude of action which is previous to it;
fo, furely, what is proper and peculiar to one
of thefe, ought not to be applied to the other;
and yet, I think, the blending together, or
incorporating of theſe, and then, making
what is proper and peculiar to a part, relative
to the whole, is that upon which the ſtrength
of Mr. Foſter's reafoning, and the weight of
his argument depends. And as, in the dif-
quifition of all queſtions of this nature, great
care ought to be taken, in guarding againſt
all hurtful errors; ſo, in order thereto, I
think, we muſt not only diſtinguiſh betwixt
faith, and what is previous to it, but alſo be-
twixt faith, and what may be confequent upon
it. Suppoſe a man to diveſt himſelf of par-
tiality and prejudice, and carefully and can-
didly to enquire, whether there will be a fu-
ture ftate of exiſtence to men, and a future
retribution; and fuppofe the produce of fuch
enquiry to be faith in both theſe, and that
fuch faith was proper, as being proportionate
to
144 The Author's Farewel.
to the evidence upon which it was grounded
and fuppofe likewife, that the believer, in
confequence of his faith, was led to repent of
the evil of his ways, to cease to do evil, and
learn to do well; then, tho' there would be
a propriety, or worthiness in his faith, and in
his behaviour precedent to it; yet, the prin-
cipal worthiness, or merit of the caſe, would
not be relative to theſe, but to that rectitude
of mind and life which was confequent to
them; and, it would be this chiefly that
would render the believer pleaſing and accept-
able to his Maker. For, if the faith before
mentioned ſhould have no fuch good effect
upon the mind and behaviour of the be-
liever, but he still goes on in a vicious courſe,
and lives as if there would be no future ftate,
no future retribution, which may be, and,
perhaps, fometimes is the cafe; then, fuch a
believer, notwithſtanding the propriety of his
faith, and of his conduct previous to it, would
be unacceptable to God; and his conduct,
the whole, would be ſo far from enti-
tling him to a blefing, that, on the contrary,
it would bring upon him a most grievous
curſe. But further, the propriety and wor-
thineſs that may take place in faith, and in
that rectitude of action which may be previ-
upon
ous
The Author's Farewel.
145
I
may
sus to it, theſe riſe no higher than a virtuous
or proper felfishness; he that enquireth, en-
quireth for himſelf, and he that believeth, be-
lieveth for himſelf, and not for another; and
the worthineſs of theſe fall infinitely ſhort, if
fo fpeak, of that worthinefs which is
relative to a virtuous, godlike benevolence, or
what one agent generously does for another.
What an agent does for himſelf, it carries
with it it's own reward; what an agent gene-
rously does for others, renders him worthy
of recompence or reward from all.
As the cafe of St. Thomas has been under
confideration, I think, it may not be amifs
to obferve, that the branch of history, where-
in that cafe is contained, feems to be of doubt-
ful authority; becauſe it ſeems, at leaſt, to
contradict, in two points, the other hiftories,
wherein the refurrection of Chrift is record-
ed; and thereby it ſeems to weaken the cause
it is brought to ſupport, viz. the doctrine of
Christ's refurrection. The purpoſe Chrift's
refurrection was immediately directed to, was
his qualifying his difciples, by giving them
proper inftructions for preaching his goſpel to
the world; and his commiffioning or autho-
rizing them to execute that truft. And the
doing of this properly, feems to have required
L
that
146 The Author's Farewel.
that he ſhould fully have inftructed them
first, and then commiffioned them after-
wards; this laſt act being the finiſhing part,
or that which concluded and put a period to
his miniftry among them. And it ſeemed
alfo to require, that, when the commif-
fion* was given, all should be preſent which
were defigned to act under it; becauſe other-
wife the abfent perfons would have no commif-
fion at all; and it ſeems very ftrange, that Chrift
fhould have chofe a time for giving this com-
miffion, when any one perfon was abfent,
who was intended to act by virtue of it's au-
thority; thefe points are what the nature and
propriety of the thing feem to call for. And
as the account of the refurrection of Chrift
is contained in five hiſtories; fo four of them
make Chrift's giving the aforefaid commif-
fion the last minifterial act he performed to
his difciples, except his bleffing them when
he was parted from them. And as to the
+
other
* That Chrift fhould give a commiffion to his difci-
ples, and that five hiftorians fhould take upon them to
tranfmit this commiffion to pofterity in the very words of
Chrift; and yet fhould all differ from each other with
refpect to it, is exceeding ftrange, and fhews a defect of
memory, or fomething elfe. This commiffion was of
fuch concern, that one would have thought it ſhould have
been fo ſtrongly impreffed upon the minds of thoſe that
heard it, as never to have been forgot, in whole, or in
part.
The Author's Farewel.
147
other point, viz. that all the difciples were
prefent when the commiffion was given, two
of the hiftorians are exprefs as to that, and
fay, that the eleven were there, and conſe-
quently Thomas muſt have been preſent, as
he was one of the eleven; and this the other
two do not contradict, but rather ſuppoſe it.
But then, with respect to both theſe points,
St. John's gospel fets forth the contrary,
where it is faid exprefsly, that Thomas was
not prefent when the commiffion was given;
and that Chrift appeared twice afterward, at
one of which times Thomas was cured of his
unbelief. This being the cafe, the queſtion
is, how muft our judgments be determined,
when two oppofite points are maintained ?
And the anſwer is obvious; if we follow na-
ture, the leſs number ought to give place to
the greater, where the evidences are of equal
credit, and are equally qualified to know the
truth; and, confequently, that the one bif-
torian, viz. St. John, ought to give place to
the four, who contradict him. And then,
as part of St. John's hiſtory will be ſet aſide ;
fo the doctrine of Chrift's refurrection will be
thereby cleared of fuch incumbrance as that
part of his gofpel has brought upon it.
However, in order to bring thofe hiftorians
L 2
10
148
The Author's Farewel.
to fome agreement, and fave St. John harm-
lefs, it will be proper to confider John's hif-
tory, as ending with the 23d verfe of the
xxth chapter of his gofpel; and then, that
history will tally with all the other hiſtories,
jo far as not to contradict them in either of
the points before mentioned. But then, the
queftion will be, what must be done with
the remainder of John's gofpel? And the an-
fwer likewife is obvious, viz. it muſt be re-
jected as fpurious. What faith the fcriptures?
Caft out the bond-woman and her fon; for the
fon of the bond-woman fhall not be heir with the
fon of the free woman. The part of John's
gofpel referred to, may have been added to
that history by fome other hand; princi-
pally, perhaps, for the fake of that ridicu-
lous ſtory of Thomas's unbelief related in it,
that being the principal point it is concerned
with. I call that branch of history a ridicu-
lous ftory; becauſe it ſeems defigned to re-
prefent Thomas, as acting a most ridiculous part
in it. The hiftorian, in giving an account
of Thomas's unbelief, has certainly dropped
thofe circumstances which attended the cafe,
and yet are neceffary to be known, in order to
form a proper judgment upon it. The hiſtory
lets forth, that fome of the difciples came to
Thomas
The Author's Farewel. 149
Thomas, and told him they had ſeen the
Lord; upon which he is repreſented to have
replied, inftantly, [Except I fhall fee in his
hands the print of the nails, and put my fin-
gers into the print of the nails, and thruſt my
hand into his fide, I will not believe ;] this, to
me, feems incredible. The difciples muft,
furely, have told Thomas the circumftances of
the cafe, and in what manner their Mafter
had appeared, and fhewed himſelf to them,
and what was the ground of their affent,
elfe there was nothing to lead him to make
fuch a declaration; if Thomas had not difliked
what was the ground of affent to the other
diſciples, then, he could have had no oc-
cafion given him to declare what ſhould be
the ground of affent to himself. This being
the cafe, I ſhall therefore ſupply the hiſtory
with fuch circumftances as plainly appear to
be both natural and neceffary, taking in fuch
help, from the general hiftory of Chriſt's re-
furrection, as it affords; and with this help
the cafe will appear in a two-fold light; as
thus. The difciples, who had feen Chrift,
after his refurrection, came to Thomas, who
had not ſeen him, and told him they had
feen the Lord; upon this, Thomas asked them
bow, and in what manner their Maſter had
L 3
appeared.
150
The Author's Farewel.
appeared, and fhewed himſelf to them?
They answered, that when they were ga-
thered together (the door being ſhut for fear
of the Jews) their Mafter inftantly appeared
and ftood in the midst of them, and after
he had converſed with them fome time, he
then as inftantly disappeared and vanished out
of their fight; and that, as he had appeared
to them at different times, fo he had made
that appearance under different forms. This
account was ſo far from being ſatisfactory to
Thomas, that, on the contrary, he was na-
turally led to fufpect it; for as this account
afforded no fort of proof of the identity or
fameness of Christ's perfon, that is, it did not
make it appear, that the person whom they
had feen was the very fame person who had
been crucified, but rather rendered it greatly
uncertain; ſeeing that appearance was under
different forms, and was fo inftantaneous as
made it look more like an apparition, than
a real refurrection; fo from hence there ſeem-
ed juſt ground for Thomas to fear, that thoſe
difciples might have been miſled. And, as
the aforefaid account was not fatisfactory to
Thomas, fo he gave his fellow-difciples to
underſtand what would be fatisfactory to him;
namely, that as the crucifixion of Chriſt
had
The Author's Farewel.
151
had rendered his body particularly remarka-
ble, by the ſcars and marks that the ſpear and
nails muſt have made upon it; fo the feeing
and feeling thoſe parts of the body ſhould be
the test to him, and the ground of his affent,
or diſſent; and, if the perfon, who had ap-
peared, was his real and very Maſter, he did
not doubt but he would give him fuch fatis-
faction; nor would he be diſpleaſed with him
for defiring it; ſeeing it was acting with fuch
care and caution, in an affair of great impor-
tance, as every honeft, prudent man, who is
not diſpoſed to follow every dreamer, ought,
and would be difpofed to do. But then, the
cafe may be put in another light, which
may, perhaps, not appear quite fo favourable
to Thomas. The difciples, who had ſeen
Chrift after his refurrection, came to Thomas,
and told him they had feen the Lord. Upon
which Thomas asked them, in what manner
Chriſt had appeared, and fhewed himſelf to
them? To which they answered, that they
had not only ſeen his perfon, but alſo had con-
verfed with him; and that he had eat and
drank in their prefence, and had expoſed to
their view thoſe parts of his body, which the
fpear and nails had pierced; that he had re-
quired them, and they had feen and handled
thofe
L 4
152 The Author's Farewel.
thofe very parts; by which they were fa-
tisfied it was their Mafter. This, however,
was not fatisfactory to Thomas, but he re-
quired ſtronger and clearer evidence; upon
which the difciples asked him, what evidence
would fatisfy him? To which he replied, [Ex-
cept I ſhall ſee in his hands the print of the nails,
and put my fingers into the print of the nails, and
thruſt my hand into his fide, I will not believe.]
Good God! is fuch ridiculoufnefs as this
poffible? Could Thomas be ſuch a ſimpleton to
difallow the weight of the evidence, upon which
his fellow-difciples had been convinced, and
then inftantly infift upon the very fame kind
of evidence for himſelf? Surely, it could not
be. I here prefume, that the diſciples did
fhew to Thomas what were the grounds of
affent to them, befides barely telling him they
had ſeen the Lord; becauſe otherwiſe it is
paft all belief, that Thomas fhould make the
declaration he did. The fupplements I have
added, are not forced, but quite natural, and
are in part taken from the general history of
Chriſt's refurrection; and therefore, I further
obferve, that the difciples, who talked with
Thomas, fhewed him that they grounded their
belief of the refurrection of their Mafter,
either on the circumflances mentioned in the
first,
The Author's Farewel.
153
firft, or elſe on the circumftances mentioned in
the fecond view I have taken of the cafe. If on
the first, then Thomas's declaration was moſt
juft and proper; if on the fecond, then it is
not to be conceived, that Thomas could make
that declaration; the ridiculousness of the
ſuppoſition overſets it; not but the authority
of the relation itself feems to be doubtful,
upon the grounds before mentioned.
Thus much I thought proper to obſerve,
by way of introduction to the following Re-
flections.
1
SEC-
1
+
J
SECTION II.
CONCERNING A
DEITY:
WHEREIN
Thoſe Doctrines, viz. Of the di-
vine Unity; of a treble or com-
pounded Deity; of the Jewiſh
Theocracy; and of the Divine
partiality, are particularly con-
fidered.
!
(157)
SECTION II.
Concerning a DEITY.
T
HAT there is a Deity or governing
mind, who gave being to all things
external to himſelf, and who ex-
ifts by, or from, an abfolute neceffity, in the
nature of things, is, to me, moſt evident
and plain. Through the whole frame of
nature, as far as it comes within our no-
tice, there appears to be defign in every
part, each part being directed to anſwer
Some end. This is moſt apparent in the
frame and texture of every animal, each
part of every individual being directed to
anſwer fome purpofe. Now, to fuppofe
defign, without a defigner, or a deſigning
mind to be the ground and foundation of
that defign, appears to be very abfurd; and,
therefore, is not to be admitted. And tho'
there may arife difficulties that are not eaſily
folved, upon the fuppofition of a Deity,
which
158 The Author's Farewel.
which difficulties Atheism may be ſuppoſed
to be grounded upon; yet thefe, I think, are
by no means equal to the difficulty, or ra-
ther, the abfurdity and impoſſibility above-
mentioned, viz. that great art and defign
may take place, without an artist or defigner
to betheground and foundation thereof; and,
therefore, I think, atheiſm, in point of argu-
ment, is inſupportable. Whoever takes a cloſe
view of the human frame and conftitution, and,
from thence, obferves with what art and skill
every part is contrived, and directed to anſwer
fome end; how the bones and muſcles, the
nerves, the veins, the arteries, and all the other
parts of the compofition are contrived, and dif-
pofed, in order to conſtitute, and continue in
being, for a time, that mafter-piece of art
called man; (not but this argument muſt of
neceffity fuffer, through my inability to
handle it fully, and give it * it's due weight);
I fay, whoever thus takes a view of the
human frame and conftitution, together with
the other various parts of nature, muſt, I
think, be convinced, that the prefent confti-
tution of things is the produce of fome ar-
tift, or skilful contriver, and that it could
not
* See this argument more fully handled, in Mr.
Abernethy's difcourfe, concerning the being, and natural
perfections, of God.
The Author's Farewel.
159
not be the effect of meer accident ; and there-
fore, whatever difficulties may take place,
which cannot eaſily be folved upon the fup-
pofition of a Deity; yet thofe difficulties do
not weaken, much lefs deftroy, the grounds
upon
which that fuppofition is built. And,
as the whole frame of nature beſpeaks de-
fign, fo that defign plainly befpeaks the
most perfect intelligence, goodness, and unli-
mited power to take place in the defigner; be-
cauſe any thing short of this would not be
fufficient to anſwer that defign. When we
take a furvey of this vifible world, and care-
fully obferve the curioufnefs, and the mul-
tiplicity of its parts; and how each part is
excellently diſpoſed to anſwer the end to which
it ſeems, at leaſt, to be directed; together with
theamazing greatneſs, and the prodigious ex-
tent of the whole; and how it is well adapted
to anſwer the purpofe of a general good; we
can ſcarce avoid drawing this conclufion,
from the reflection, viz. that the most per-
fect intelligence, goodness, and boundless
power does moft certainly take place in the
founder of it. And, as the founder of this
world could not poffibly give being to him-
Self, the fuppofition being abfurd; fo he
muſt exiſt, either from an abfolute neceſſity
in
160 The Author's Farewel.
in the nature of things, or elſe be the pro-
duce of ſome external cauſe. If the former
be the cafe, then the founder of this world
is that being, who is ufually characteriſed
by thoſe terms, fupreme Deity. If the lat-
ter be the cafe, then we must look back to
a cauſe, that exists independent of every thing
external to itſelf, and conſequently that ex-
ifts neceſſarily; which neceffarily exiſting
being, as he is the original and primary
cauſe of every thing external to himſelf, fo
he is that fupreme Deity, which is the ſubject
of our prefent enquiry. By exifting necef-
farily, or by an abfolute neceffity in the na-
ture of things, I mean, that the Deity can-
not poffibly be otherwife than what he is,
nor can he do otherwiſe but exiſt; that his
exiſtence, and his being what he is, as to
all his natural powers, do not depend upon
accident, nor defign; do not depend upon
himself, nor upon any thing external to him-
felf; that he did not give being to himself,
nor make himſelf to be what he is, nor can
he poffibly annihilate himſelf, nor make
himſelf to be otherwiſe than what he is;
and therefore, he muſt exist neceffarily,
or, of neceffity, he muſt and will exiſt.
IF
The Author's Farewel.
161
IF it ſhould be asked, whether it be not
equally as hard and difficult, to admit the
fuppofition, that a defigning mind has ex-
ifted eternally, independent of any external
caufe; as to admit that defign has taken
place, independent of a defigning mind? An-
ſwer admitting a difficulty to attend each
fuppofition; yet, I think, the former is by
no means equal to the latter. For, as of
neceffity fomething must have exifted eter-
nally, becauſe, otherwiſe not any thing could
have exiſted at all; fo it is more eafy and
natural to fuppofe, that what has exiſted
eternally is a defigning mind, than to fuppofe
the contrary; becauſe, upon the former fup-
pofition, there is a fair and clear account of
all that defign, which appears to take place
in the univerſe; whereas, upon the
latter ſuppoſition, all that defign remains to
be accounted for. Suppofe unintelligent
matter to have exifted eternally; yet that
could not of itſelf have been productive of
defign, without a defigning mind. Unin-
telligent matter could not have difpofed of
itſelf to anſwer any purpose, much leſs to
anſwer thoſe great and noble deſigns, which
plainly appear to take place in nature:
whereas, if a defigning mind has always ex-
ifted,
M
162 The Author's Farewel.
1
ifted, then all is plain and clear, and every
thing is accounted for. All that beauty,
that variety and order, that skill, contri-
vance and uſefulneſs, which fo confpicu-
ouſly appear, through the whole animal
and vegetable creation, is clearly accounted for,
upon the fuppofition of a defigning mind,
and fo of the folar fyftem; whereas, with-
out a defigning mind, all is darkneſs and per-
plexity, and remains to be accounted for.
And ſeeing that ſomething muſt needs have
exiſted eternally, (as I have already obferved)
becauſe otherwife not any thing could have
exiſted at all, nothing multiplied by nothing
gives nothing for its product; fo it is more
eafy and natural to fuppofe, that what has
exiſted eternally is a defigning mind, than
to ſuppoſe the contrary, as I have before
fhewn. And,
SUPPOSING it equally hard and difficult
to conceive how mind fhould produce mat-
ter, as how matter fhould produce mind;
yet nothing will follow from hence in pre-
judice of Deity. For, were it to be admitted,
that mind and matter cannot be produc-
tive of each other; thne, as mind and mat-
ter do both exist, at leaſt, this is generally
allowed to be the cafe, fo all that will fol-
low
گار
The Author's Farewel.
163
low is only this, viz. that mind and matter
have both exiſted eternally, by, or from an
abfolute neceffity in the nature of things;
that as there has always been an intelligent
active mind, fo there have always been ma-
terials, viz. the various fpecies of matter,
for that mind to act or operate upon. This,
I fay, muſt have been the caſe, ſuppoſing
matter to have exiſted eternally; and there-
fore, the doctrine of a Deity, or of a ne-
ceffarily exifting mind, ftands firm and un-
fhaken, notwithſtanding that fuppofition.
But then, I think it but juft to obferve,
that the neceffary exiſtence of matter, feems
to lie open to this objection, viz. that
whatever exills neceffarily, will exift in every
part of ſpace, and in every point of duration;
becauſe, that neceffity of nature which
cauſed it to exift in one part of ſpace, and
in one point of duration, would equally
cauſe it to exift in every part of ſpace, and
in every point of duration; but whereas
matter does not appear to exiſt in every part
of ſpace; therefore, from hence it may
feem to follow, that it does not exist necef-
farily, and confequently, that it is not
eternal.
M 2
AND
164 The Author's Farewel.
1
AND as the most perfect intelligence takes
place in that defigning mind, whom we cha-
racteriſe by the term God; fo from hence
it will follow, that God will act invariable,
at all times, (at leaſt, whenever he does
act) agreeably to this intelligent principle;
becauſe as it is right he ſhould act thus, fo
nature does not afford a motive or temptation
to him to act otherwife. But then, this
immutability in the divine conduct does not
refult from any fatality, not from any
natural unavoidable neceffity the Deity is
under to act thus; but from the natural and
effential difference in things, which renders
it proper that God fhould act thus, and from
the natural perfections of the Deity, which
put him out of the reach of all temptation
to act contrary thereto. God does moſt
clearly perceive the right and
wrong, which
take place in all inftances and cafes, thro'
the whole univerfal nature; and as acting
right is, in the nature of the thing, better,
and therefore, preferable to acting wrong,
which renders fuch a manner of acting,
the proper object of choice to every intelli-
gent being; fo we may be affured, that God
will always act right, not only becauſe it is
in nature better, and preferable to acting
wrong,
The Author's Farewel.
165
wrong, but alſo becauſe there is nothing in
nature which can poffibly introduce an ex-
citement in him to act otherwife.
* And
in this, I apprehend, confift the moral per-
fections of the Deity, viz. that the divine
power and the divine intelligence are volun-
tarily and immutably ſubject to the eternal
and invariable rule of right and wrong; by
which God is always difpofed to act right
and do good, when he is at full liberty to
act otherwiſe. And, indeed, were the
Deity under a natural neceffity to act right
and
M 3
* RESTRAINT from action arifes either from want
of power, or from want of inclination or will; the for-
mer of theſe is ufually expreffed by the term cannot,
and the latter by the term will not. And according to
this repreſentation of the cafe, it may, very properly and
truly, be faid of the Deity, that he cannot ceafe to be; as
this reftraint arifes from want of power, it not being
(as we conceive) within the reach of divine power, for
the Deity to annihilate himſelf; and therefore he cannot
ceafe to be. In like manner, it may, with equal pro-
priety and truth, be faid of the Deity, that he will not act
contrary to perfect rectitude; this reftraint ariting, not
from want of power, but from want of inclination, as
there is nothing in nature which can poffibly diſpoſe or in-
cline the Deity to act wrong, and as there is in nature
wherewith to difpofe or incline him to act right; and
therefore, he will moft certainly do the latter, and will
not do the former. But were it to be faid, that the Deity
cannot act contrary to perfect rectitude, this would be
fpeaking neither properly nor truly; becauſe the Deity is
not reftrained from acting wrong, for want of potver,
but only for want of inclination; and therefore, he can
act wrong, but will not.
166 The Author's Farewel.
and do good, tho', I think, the fuppofition
is abfurd, becauſe fo far as neceffity operates
on the Deity, ſo far the Deity is only an in-
telligent pafive fubject, that does not act,
(ftrictly speaking) but is acted upon, is only
a paffive inftrument in the hand of neceffity,
(if I may fo fpeak) to bring forth what is pro-
duced by it; but admitting the fuppofition,
then the Deity would be less perfect, and less
valuable, in a moral fenfe, than thoſe of his
creatures who act right and do good volun-
tarily, or from choice, and not from necef-
fity. If it fhould be faid, admitting that
God is at full liberty to act wrong, then we
cannot be certain but, fome time or other,
he will do fo; or, rather, we can have no
certainty when he will not. Anſwer: tho'
motive is not the phyfical caufe, but only
the ground and reafon of action; yet it is fo
far neceffary thereto, as that action will not
take place without fome previous reaſon ex-
citing to it. And as there is a reaſon, re-
fulting from the nature of things, why the
Deity ſhould act right, and a reafon against
his acting wrong; and as there is nothing in
nature, which can poffibly introduce an ex-
citement in God to act wrong; ſo theſe af-
ford a moral certainty, that the Deity will
always
The Author's Farewel.
167
always act right and do good, tho' he is
perfectly at liberty to act otherwife. And
As the defign which plainly appears to
take place in the univerfe, can no other-
wife be accounted for, than by admitting
the fuppofition of a defigning mind; fo it
admits of a queftion, whether the defign
referred to be the produce of one, or of
many minds? whether univerfal nature
through which defign appears to take place,
in every part, be the produce of one intelli-
gent, active principle, which, as an intelli-
gent, active principle, is commonly called
an agent; or, whether it be the produce of
a coalition, or fociety of agents? Were I to
attempt to prove, that there can be but one
neceffarily exifting agent; or, in other
words, the unity of God, I might, perhaps,
go out of my depth, and thereby be in dan-
ger of finking; all, therefore, that I have
to obferve, is only this, viz. that neceffari-
ly exifting mind, I think, muſt be either
unity, or infinity, betwixt which, I think,
there can be no medium. That mind which
exifts neceffarily, and which has been origi-
nally, and primarily, the ground and foun-
dation of all thoſe great and noble defigns
that appear to take place in the univerſe,
muft,
M 4
168 The Author's Farewel.
muft, I think, of neceffity, be but one, or
elfe an infinity of minds; becauſe, if we ad-
mit plurality, then nature does not feem to
admit of any stop that is fhort of infinity,
the former of which, perhaps, may be
thought moſt probable. For if one infinite
intelligence be fufficient to anſwer all the
purpoſes, that are anfwered through the
univerfe, which poffibly may be the cafe;
then it may be urged, that there can be no
reaſon for admitting an infinity of ſuch intelli-
gences; feeing there is nothing in nature
which countenances fuch a fuppofition. And,
as the fuppofition of one infinite intelligence
or mind, in oppofition to a plurality, or
infinity of ſuch minds, feems to be most na-
tural, and therefore, may be thought to be
moſt probable; ſo, I apprehend, it has gene-
rally prevailed amongst mankind. For,
though, in the Pagan theology, a plurality of
Deities were admitted; yet, I apprehend,
the Pagans admitted of but one fupreme Dei-
ty; their fubordinate Gods were many, over
whom there was one fupreme. The Pagans,
of antient times, are reprefented to have
thought, that the one God over all commit-
ted the care and government of the ſeveral
parts of the world to tutelar Deities, to
whom
༤
The Author's Farewel. 169
whom thoſe Pagans addreffed themselves,
and paid divine honours; they alſo, in after-
times, deified their heroes and great men;
but then, thoſe tutelar Deities were confider-
ed as below and fubordinate to the one God
over all, and thus thoſe Pagans maintained
the unity of God.
BUT though the divine unity has been
maintained by the bulk of mankind; yet
there not only are, but also have been, for
many ages paſt, a great number of perſons,
who have come under the denomination of
Chriftians, that have diffented from the reft
of the world, in this grand article of the
unity of God, as their forms of devotion
and their confeffions of faith do plainly
fhew. And this has been the cafe, almoft
as long as the Chriftian fect has had a be-
ing; whilft, at the fame time, thofe very
diffenters, (commonly called Trinitarians)
have pretended to maintain, though with
much confufion, and contradiction, the di-
vine unity. But then, thofe men do not
admit that there are an infinity, but only
that there are three fuch minds, or intelli-
gent active principles as aforefaid, whole
complex idea they exprefs by the term Tri-
nity. Thus, in the litany, or form of de-
votion,
170 The Author's Farewel.
1
votion, uſed by fome chriftian churches,
both priest and people are directed to put up
their petitions to heaven, in the following
words. O God the father of heaven: have
mercy upon us miferable finners. O God the
fon, redeemer of the world: have mercy upon
us miferable finners. O God the holy-gboft
proceeding from the father and the fon:
have mercy upon us miferable finners. Here,
we fee, are three diftin&t, intelligent, active
principles addreffed to, each of which is fup-
pofed to be offended with our tranfgreffions,
and to be capable of, and difpofed to shew
mercy in the forgiveness of them. And as
each of thefe is characterised by a particular
name; ſo that name is ſuppoſed to be appli-
cable only to that particular intelligence, or
mind, to whom it is given; and not to all
three in conjunction, nor to any other indi-
vidual. Thus, the term father is fuppofed
to be applicable to that particular intelli-
gence, who is fo called, and to him only;
and not to all three in their focial capacity,
nor to either of the other two, when confi-
fidered feparately. The cafe is the fame,
with refpect to the terms fon and holy-ghoſt,
each of theſe names is fuppofed to be applica-
ble only to that particular mind to whom it is
given ;
The Author's Farewel.
171
given; and not to all three in conjunction,
nor to any other individual. The ground of
this diſtinction, and the application of thoſe
names, I apprehend to be as followeth, at
leaſt, with reſpect to thofe terms father and
fon, that of holy-ghost, I think, not being
quite fo clear. The term father is applied
to that particular intelligence, or mind, who
is ſuppoſed to be, in a particular manner,
eternally producing another intelligent prin-
ciple, or mind; which manner of produc-
tion is improperly and figuratively called
begetting or generating; I fay, it is impro-
perly and figuratively fo called, becauſe it is
not to be ſuppoſed, in the preſent caſe, that
one mind begets or generates another mind,
that is, that Deity begets Deity, in the fame
manner, and by the fame kind of operation
that one man begets, or generates another
man, as in human generation, where thoſe
terms are uſed properly, and from which
they are borrowed. And as the term father
is applied to that particular intelligence, who
eternally begetteth or generateth; fo the termi
fon is applied to that particular intelligence,
who is eternally generating, and fo exifts by
eternal generation, as aforefaid. And as, in
this cafe, one mind is eternally begetting an-
other
172 The Author's Farewel.
other mind; fo the mind that begetteth and
the mind that is begotten are of one species,
or kind of effence; and are in all refpects
equal, excepting only the manner of their
exiſtence. The father exifteth independent
of generation, or of what may figuratively
be fo called, and therefore, is faid to be un-
begotten; the fon exifteth by generation, that
is, he exifteth in fuch a manner, as may, by
a figure of speech, be called generating or be-
getting, and therefore, he is faid to be begot-
sen. And as in human generation, from
which thoſe terms are borrowed, he who
naturally begetteth is properly called a fa-
ther, or the father; and he who is natural-
ly begotten is properly called a fon, or the
fon; fo, in the prefent cafe, he who figu-
ratively begetteth is improperly and figura-
tively called the father, and he who is figu-
ratively begotten is improperly and figura-
tively called the fon. This I apprehend to
be the ground of the above diftinction of
father and fon, and of the application of
thofe names. But then, as to thofe terms
holy ghoft, I do not fee the propriety, nor,
indeed, any ground for applying them only
to the third perfon or mind in the Trinity,
or to him rather than to either of the other
two.
*
The Author's Farewel.
173
*TVO.
For as both father and fon are fpi-
rits, or ghoſts, or, at leaſt, are of a ſpiri-
tual or ghoſtly nature, each of which is
holy, as being perfectly free from all pollu-
tion and defilement of every kind, which
is all that can be faid of the third perfon in
the Trinity; fo, for any thing that appears,
either of them may, with as much juſtneſs
and propriety, be called a boly-ghost, or the
holy-ghost, as that particular intelligence who
is fo called. And as the third perfon in the
Trinity is fuppofed to exift by proceffion, as
proceeding from the father and the fon, or
rather, I think, it may more intelligibly be
expreffed, that the holy ghoft proceedeth
from the father, in, by,
*
or through the
fon, fo, to ſpeak in the fame figurative lan-
guage as above, taken from human genera-
tion, this third intelligence, or mind, may
more aptly be filed the grandfon, or, per-
haps,
* THAT the fire perfon in the Trinity begat or pro-
duced the fecond perfon, and the fecond, by a power de-
rived from the firft, begat or produced the third, this
ſeems to be more intelligible, and much eaſier to be un-
derſtood, than that the first perfon ſhould be eternally
begetting, or producing the Jecond; and that the fir
and fecond fhould be co-efficients, in eternally begetting,
or producing the third perfon. I fay, the former of
theſe ſeems, to me at leaft, to be more intelligible, and
much easier to be conceived, and underfood, than the
latter:
174
The Author's Farewel.
haps, the ſecond ſon, rather than the holy-
ghoft. For admitting that the fecond and third
perfons in the Trinity do not exift after the
fame manner; yet, feeing the exiſtence of
both is by derivation or communication
from the first, who on account of ſuch com-
munication is, by a figure of speech, called
the father; therefore, the figurative term
begetting, and the figurative term fon, as
grounded upon it, are as aptly and fitly ap-
plied to one of theſe manners of exiſting, as
to the other, at leaſt, it is fo for any thing
that appears to the contrary. So that the
term grandſon, or, perhaps, fecond fon, may,
with as much aptneſs, juftneſs, and propri-
ety, be applied to the third perfon in the
Trinity, as the term fon is applied to the
fecond. And as in the fore-mentioned form
of devotion, both prieft and people are di-
rected to addreſs diftinctly, and feparately,
three
latter; and therefore, one would think, fhould more
readily be admitted. Indeed, in the production of hu-
man-kind, two perfons, viz. a male and a female, co-
operate and produce a third perfon; but then that Deity
fhould be produced and propagated, and thereby be mul-
tiplied like human-kind, requires a prodigious trong
faith, to go into the belief of it, fuch a faith, as I am
not able to make myſelf a maſter of, becauſe I have no
fort of evidence to ground it upon.
The Author's Farewel.
175
three intelligent active principles, each of
which, in his feparate capacity, is fuppofed
to be offended at our miscarriages, and to be
capable of, and diſpoſed to ſhew mercy in the
forgiveneſs of them; ſo both prieſt and peo-
ple are there directed to addreſs them all
together, or in their united and focial capa-
city, characteriſing them by the term Tri-
nity, as in the following petition. O holy,
bleſſed and glorious Trinity, three perfons and
one God: have mercy upon us miferable fin-
ners; or, which, perhaps, may be more
intelligibly and fully expreffed thus. O boly,
bleſſed and glorious Trinity, who though three
perfons, or intelligent active principles; yet
are fo clofely and infeparably united, as to be
one in counſel and defign, one in godſhip and
dominion: have mercy upon us miferable fin-`
ners. And as three diftinct perfons, or in-
telligent active principles, are addreſſed to,
each one in his feparate capacity, and like-
wife all three together, in their united and
focial capacity, as aforefaid; fo they are con-
fidered and reprefented to be, not three tu-
telar Deities, who are fubject to a fourth
intelligence, as their fupreme; nor are two
of them confidered as tutelar Deities, who
are fubject to the third, as the fupreme Dei-
ty, agreeably to the pagan theology; but on
the
176 The Author's Farewel.
many
the contrary, they are confidered, and fpo-
ken of, as three co-ordinate beings, in, and
with whom neceffary exiſtence and fu-
preme dominion do in common equally refide.
Theſe three are confidered as co-equal in all
refpects, excepting in the manner of their
exiſtence. This is particularly and exprefly
fet forth, in that confeffion of faith, common-
ly called the creed of St. Athanafius, which
creed is, and has been held in great vene-
ration, not only by that large body of chri-
ftians called Roman Catholicks, but alfo by
of thofe chriftians, who come under
the denomination of Proteftants. This
creed fets forth, that the Godhead of the fa-
ther, fon and holy-ghoft is all one; that
their glory is equal, and their majefty co-eter-
nal. And after the equality of thefe, in
feveral inftances, is afferted, and alfo their
individuation, or that one is not the other;
then the whole feems to be fummed up in the
following Words. In this Trinity none is
a-fore, or after other; none is greater, or
less than another; but the whole three per-
fons are co-eternal together, and co-equal.
And thus thofe chriftians apparently diffent
from the rest of mankind, in the great ar-
ticle of the unity of God.
Βυτ'
The Author's Farewel.
177
BUT then, I think, it ought to be re-
membered, that though the generality of
chriftians have profeffed to believe in a Tri-
nity, or trine Deity, and thereby have dif-
fented from the reſt of the world, in the ar-
ticle of the unity of God; yet this has not
been the caſe of a few chriftians, nor can
any fuch doctrine, or fuch diffent, be justly
charged upon their master. Jefus Chrift
confidered and reprefented that one fingle in-
dividual intelligence, or agent, whom he
characterised by the term father, to be
greater than all, to be him in whom fu-
preme dominion ſingly and ſolely reſides; and
this appears to be the caſe from the hiftories
of Chrift's life and ministry, as thoſe hifto-
ries have been tranfmitted down to us. And,
indeed, if any fuch doctrine had been taught
by Jefus Christ, then, in fome men's opini-
on, that doctrinewould have been a weighty
objection against the divinity of his miffion,
at leaft, fo far as fuch doctrine did concern.
it. I have already obferved, that neceffari-
ly exifting mind must be either unity, or
infinity, betwixt which, I apprehend, there
can be no medium; and therefore, if three
neceffarily exifting minds are admitted, then
the queſtions will be, why not three hun-
N
dred?
178 The Author's Farewel.
...
"
dred? or three thouſand? and fo on; fee.
ing nature does not feem to admit of any
Stop that is short of infinity, as has been
already obferved. So that, had Jefus Chrift
taught this doctrine of a trine or com-
pound Deity, then it admits of a queſtion,
whether any external evidence, how great
or of what kind foever, could poffibly
have proved it's divinity, or rendered it cre-
dible, or worthy of acceptance amongst
mankind ?
I
*
THIS doctrine of a triangular God, (if
may be allowed to exprefs it thus) is
what, I think, thofe who profefs to believe
and maintain ought carefully to re-examine,
and that for theſe reafons, viz. First, be-
cauſe it does not appear to have been taught
by their master; and this, furely, to chri-
ftians, may be confidered as a weighty ob-
jection against it. Secondly, it may be con-
fidered as a corruption of religion, in the
grand article of the unity of God; and, as
fuch, it may be looked upon to be an error
of the first magnitude. Thirdly, it feems to
i
fet.
* A equilateral triangle feems defigned to be the
cinward fimbol or vifible reprefentation of the Trinity,
cr compound Deity as it is painted upon, or over the
Sup Picces, in fome chufian churches.
1
The Author's Farewel.
179
fet chriſtianity below even the pagan theo-
logy; for though the pagans acknowledged
many tutelar Gods, yet they admitted of but
one fupreme Deity. Fourthly, this doctrine
of a trine Deity ſtands in the way, and puts
an effectual bar to the converfion of Jews,
Turks and Pagans to christianity; and pre-
vents them from examining the evidence, up-
on which the truth and divinity of the
chriftian religion is fuppofed to be ground-
ed: For as the unity of God is deemed
a fundamental principle of religion, by
Jews, Turks, and Pagans; fo a corruption
of this article, (which the doctrine of a
trine Deity is judged to be) is, with them,
moft apparently falſe religion; of which no
external evidence can poffibly prove it to be
otherwife; and therefore, no evidence is to
be attended to, which may be brought to
prove it. And, as the generality of the pro-
feffors of chriftianity, for many ages paſt,
have blended the doctrine of a trine Deity
with chriftianity, and thereby have put an
effectual stop to it's progrefs in the world, by
putting an invincible bar in the way of the
conversion of Jews, Turks, and Pagans; fo,
furely, this of itfelf thould be a fufficient
reafon, to Chriftians, to re-confider this mat-
N 2
ter;
180
The Author's Farewel.
ter; and if it ſhould be found to be an error,
then to purge themſelves of it, and, thereby,
to ſeparate from chriſtianity a doctrine, which
is very offenfive to a great part of our ſpecies.
Lastly, this doctrine of a trine Deity, tho'
of long standing in the chriftian church, ought
carefully to be re-confidered, becauſe the
piety and devotion of Chriſtians are particu-
larly intereſted in it, as fuch piety and de-
votion are liable to, and may be improperly
and falfly directed and applied. For if what
exiſts neceffarily be only one fingle individual
intelligence, or mind; then, to addreſs three
fuch minds, either feparately, or in conjunc-
tion, muſt be greatly improper and contrary
to true piety. And, indeed, whether there
be only one, or whether there be three ne-
ceffarily exiſting minds, in either cafe fuch
impropriety ſeems to take place, in the uſe of
the form of devotion before-mentioned. For
fuppofing there be three neceffarily exiſting
minds, who are fo clofely and infeparably
united, as that they are one in counſel and
defign, in godſhip and dominion; then theſe
three must, by mutual confent and agree-
ment, either act ſeparately, and each one
perform his part, in whatever is produced by
them, and which, indeed, feems to be fup-
pofed
The Author's Farewel.
181
pofed in the form of devotion before-men-
tioned, wherein the work of redemption is
afcribed only to the fon, or fecond perfon in
the Trinity; or elſe they muſt all act in
conjunction, and be co-efficients in all divine
operations. If the former be the caſe, that
is, if theſe three divine perfons act ſeparate-
ly, and each one alone performs his part ;
then, I think, if we would act properly, and
as the nature of the cafe feems to re-
quire, we muſt addrefs each one feparately,
according to the part he acts, and not ad-
dreſs them all in conjunction, as if they were
co-efficients in acting. If the latter be the
caſe, that is, if all three do act in conjunction,
and are co-efficients in all divine operations;
then, I think, if we would act properly, we muſt
addreſs them not feparately, but all three in
conjunction,and that, not only in partnerſhip
and fociety, but alſo as co-efficients in the
cafe. And whereas, in the form of devotion
referred to, three minds are addreffed to, each
one feparately, and likewife all three in con-
junction; therefore, fuch addrefs muft, I
think, in one or other of it's branches, be
greatly improper, and contrary to true piety;
even fuppofing there are three neceffary ex-
ifting minds, though that is a point which
may, perhaps, be doubted of.
N 3
I
182 The Author's Farewel.
I Do not recommend a re-examination of
the fore-mentioned doctrine, becauſe I
think that every error in judgment or prac-
tice, with regard to it, will expofe men to
future mifery; but becauſe I think men
ought to have just conceptions, and to act
properly, whether it relates to God, their
neighbour, or themſelves; and eſpecially in
the preſent caſe, where an error in judg-
ment or practice may miflead them in other
parts of their conduct; which errors men
are in danger of falling into, both in their
conceptions of a Deity, and in the way and
manner of their addreffinghim. Our knowledge
of a Deity is not born with us, nor do we
fuck it in with our mother's milk; it being
the produce of fuch ferious reflections, as
in the first stages of life we are incapable of
making. For though, in our childhood,
we are taught to confefs God with our
mouths; yet, in this, like parrots, we only
pronounce the words, without having any
image of a Deity pictured on our minds:
and when our intellectual faculties ripen,
which render us more capable of ſuch re-
flections, then the other parts of our confti-
tutions ripen allo; and theſe introduce in us
ftrong defires after prefent pleaſures, which,
together
The Author's Farewel. 183
together with the particular vocation each
one enters into, in order to make his way
through the world, do ftrongly engage, and
almoſt engross our attention, before we are
appriſed of the importance of that queſtion,
viz. whether there be a Deity, or not?
And when that queſtion is brought upon
the
carpet of our minds, there are many things
that will divert us from it, if not powerfully
over-ruled; and many things that will per-
plex us in the enquiry, if not carefully and
cautiously confidered. For though the in-
vifible things of God are clearly perceived
from his works, being understood by the
things that are made; yet they are not
thus perceived, but by fober reflection and
confideration; we must carefully and clofely
attend to what we fee of God's works, and
reflect ſeriouſly upon the operations of na-
ture, in order to trace out the cauſe from it's
effects; which is a work (taking all cir-
cumſtances into the cafe) the bulk of man-
kind are not well prepared to undertake, nor
are they likely always to fucceed well in it.
Befides, when once an error of this kind.
has taken place, (which is not unlikely to
be the cafe) it eaſily gains ground, and ſoon
obtains the advantage of having the preju-
N 4
dices
184 The Author's Farewel.
dices, arifing from education and pre-con-
ceived opinion, engaged in it's favour. And
as errors of this nature ufually lay a better
foundation, for artful men to build a profita-
table trade upon, than truth; fo there fel-
dom want men, difpofed and qualified to
cultivate and improve them, for the anſwer-
ing fuch purpoſes; by which means deſigning
men make their advantages of the weakneſs,
ignorance, fuperftition, and credulity of
their neighbours. Thefe reflections are fuf-
ficiently juftified, not only from the nature
and difficulty of the ſubject, but alſo from
univerfal experience and fact. Whoever is
acquainted with the hiftory of mankind, can-
not but know that there are, or have been
few things more various and contrary than
the images of a Deity, which have been
pictured on men's minds. And this has been
the cafe, not only among the barbarous and
uncultivated part of our fpecies, but alſo
where literature and free enquiry have ob-
tained; amongst whom, fome have con-
ceived the Deity to be fo weak and effemi-
nate, as to be wrought upon by mere dint of
follicitation and importunity; whilft others.
have conceived him to be moſt cruel and male-
volent, as one who is not only easily provoked
at
The Author's Farewel.
185
at the weakneſs and trifling miſcarriages of
his creatures, but alſo, who called multitudes
of them into being, for no other purpoſe,
than to exemplify his abfolute fovereignty
And as
and power in their deftruction.
men's conceptions of a Deity have been both
various, and contrary; fo the modes or man-
ners of addreffing him have not been lefs fo.
The ways which fome men have thought
most proper for paying their acknowledg-
ments to God, thofe ways others have
thought to be moſt impious and prophane;
and whilſt ſome men have attempted to
make the Deity more exorable and placable,
by fighs and groans and bitter lamentations,
others have attempted to gain upon him,
by the more foft and foothing means of
warbling upon the harp and organ.
THE ufe I propoſe to make of theſe re-
flections, is to obferve to my Readers, that
men are not only liable to err in their con-
ceptions of a Deity, and in the
way and man-
ner of addreffing him; but alfo, (taking
mankind in general) they are in great dan-
ger of doing fo. But then, if men fhould,
in this cafe, unwittingly fall into error, ei-
ther in judgment or practice, I think, it
may fairly be prefumed, the divine goodness
will.
186 The Author's Farewel.
}
will be their ſafety; that is, it will effectu-
ally prevent or ſecure the Deity from taking
an unreaſonable advantage of their weakneſs
and ignorance to their hurt, provided they
do not otherwiſe render themſelves the pro-
per objects of his refentment. The Pagans
(as has been already obferved) thought
that the one God over all had committed the
care and government of this world to tutelar
Deities; and accordingly, each one addreffed
himſelf, and paid divine honours, to that
particular God, to whom, (as he appre-
hended) the care of that particular nation,
city, or family, to which he belonged, had
been committed. And as God, when con-
fidered abſtractedly from his works, is altoge-
ther inviſible; fo fome of our fpecies have
ufed fuch outward fymbols and visible repre-
fentations of him, as they thought were most
expreffive of thoſe perfections, which they ap-
prehended take place in him. Now, admitting
all this to be erroneous, greatly improper, and
contrary to true piety; and that thoſe who
went into fuch opinions and practices were
guilty of Idolatry,or were Idolaters; yet, if they
went into this in the fimplicity of their hearts,
intending rightly to underſtand, and rightly
to worship,their great creator and benefactor,
with-
The Author's Farewel. 187
any
without vicious view of impoſing upon,
or making advantages of, the weakness and
ignorance of others, which, doubtless, was
the caſe of multitudes; then, furely, all this
will be winked at by the common father of
mankind, who knoweth our frame, our
fituation in the world, and the disadvantages
we are under from it, and who remember-
eth that we are but duft, or weak and frail
creatures. And, indeed, were the cafe
otherwife, men would be in a most hazar-
dous ſtate, even in that fituation, in which
God, in the courſe of his general providence,
has placed them. For if juft and true no-
tions of a Deity, and if a right and proper
manner of addreffing him, be fo abfolutely
neceffary to divine acceptance, as that an
error in judgment or practice, with refpect
to thefe, will incur God's heavy difpleasure
then the bulk of mankind are, by the A-
thor of nature, placed in a moft dangerous,
or rather in a defperate ftate; feeing he has
not made a proper provifion for their fafety,
under the circumftances, which, from the
general courſe of things, they are unavoid-
ably placed in. I have already obferved, that
men are not only liable, but alſo are in dan-
ger of erring, both in their conceptions of
a
188 The Author's Farewel.
a Deity, and in the manner of addreffing
him; and therefore, were God to be fo ex-
treme as to mark every thing that is amifs, in
theſe refpects, and to make it the ground
of his difpleasure; then who could ftand be-
fore him? but this cannot be the cafe; be-
cauſe it is contrary to the goodness, and the
benignity of the divine nature. For as, in this
cafe,no injury,no difrefpect is intended to any,
but, on the contrary, refpect is intended to be
paid to the Deity,tho' wrongly judged of, and
wrongly and improperly expreffed and appli-
ed; fo, furely, it cannot be, to the tender and
compaffionate parent of mankind, the just
ground of a fevere revenge. We may, there-
fore, be well affured, that God will not take an
unreaſonable advantage of the weakneſs and
ignorance of his creatures; becauſe that
would be acting much below his character,
as a juft, wife, and good being, and even
below the moral excellency of fome of his
creatures themſelves. And, indeed, to fup-
pofe that God would act thus, or with fe
verity in this refpect, is to conceive of him
as unworthily and improperly, if not more fo,
than was done by the antient Pagans. It
is true, that fome men have entertained
moſt wild and extravagant notions of a Deity,
and
The Author's Farewel.
189
and have paid their refpect to him, and to
their tutelar and fictitious Gods, in a very
foolish and ridiculous manner; but then, ſo
far as theſe have been the produce of weak-
neſs, and not of a vicious mind, they have ra-
ther rendered men the proper objects of compaf-
fion and pity, than of vengeance and puniſh-
ment: And were we to conceive of the Pa-
gan world, whatever the truth of their cafe
may have been, or whatever picture an ill-
natured limner may draw of them, that
becauſe they were Idolaters, therefore,
they were veſſels of wrath prepared for de-
ftruftion; the impious thought, I think,
may justly be retorted with a God forbid!
I AM fenfible, that the Idolatry of the
Canaanites is ufually affigned, as the reaſon
for God's authorizing the Ifraelites to ex-
tirpate thoſe Cannanites, putting men, wo-
men and children to death, and to poffefs
themſelves of their country and habitations;and
likewiſe, that the Jews were required to treat
their own people, and even their friends and
nearest relations, with great feverity, when
they became Idolaters, that they were not
to pity or pare them, but to ſhut up their
bowels of compaffion from them; but then,
the ſeverities thus required and recommended,
feem
190
The Author's Farewel.
t
feem to hang as a mill-ftone * about the
neck of the moſaick difpenfation. To fay
that the Jews were under a Theocracy
whilst the difpenfation of Mofes lafted, that
God was their civil governor or king, that
idolatry, under that difpenfation, was high
treason againſt the ſtate, and therefore,
thoſe who were guilty of it were puniſhed
with death, as Traitors and Rebels to the
government they lived under and were
protected by; I ſay, to urge this, may, per-
haps, be averring what cannot be clearly
made out. By Theocracy, I apprehend, is
meant, that the Deity acted the fame part
towards the people of Ifrael, that civil go-
vernors do to other nations, upon account of
which they are called civil governors; ſo
that the queſtion before us is, what it is
which conſtitutes civil government, and
civil governors as confequent upon it? And
this
*The difpenfation of Mofes feems to have been the
Parent of two very bad doctrines, as one of them is
greatly difhonourable to God, and as the other is greatly
injurious, and has been moft deftructive, to mankind.
One is the doctrine of abfolute election and reprobation,
which repreſents the Deity to be an arbitrary being,
whofe affections and actions are under no other direction
than capricious humour and meer will: and the other is
the doctrine of perfecuting men on the fcore of religion,
which doctrine has rendered men beafts of prey to each
other, and which, perhaps, has done more mischief in
the world, than any other doctrine whatſoever.
The Author's Farewel.
191
this queſtion is, I think, eafily folved, viz.
that civil government confifts in the execution
of fuch laws, as are proper to direct and re-
gulate the behaviour of the feveral members
of civil fociety, in thofe affairs in which
their civil intereft is mutually concerned.
And as civil goverment confifts in ſuch ad-
miniſtration; fo the adminiftrator is deno-
minated a civil governor upon account there-
of. And tho' laws are neceſſary to the ad-
miniſtration of civil government; yet laws,
confidered abſtractedly from the execution
of them, are but a dead letter, and there-
fore, it is not the making, but the execution
of laws, for the good government of civil
ſociety, which conſtitutes civil government
and civil governors. For whether the ad-
miniftrator executes laws of his own making,
or laws that have been made to his hand by
others; or whether he executes laws that
have been antecedently written in a book,
and entered upon record, or laws that were
made by himſelf or others, immediately be-
fore the promulgation and execution of
them, it alters not the cafe; fuch execution
being as much, and as truly, civil govern-
ment, and he who executes them is as much,
and
192 The Author's Farewel.
and as truly, a civil governor upon account
of fuch execution, in one of thoſe cafes, as in the
other; like as the execution of laws now, that
were made in the reign of Queen Elizabeth,isas
much,and as truly, civil government, as the exe-
cution of laws that have been made bythis pre-
fent Parliament. This being the ſtate of the
cafe, I obferve, that the idolatrous Ca-
naanites are not confidered nor ſuppoſed
to have been under a theocracy; feeing
they were not ſubjects to God, confidering
him in the capacity of a civil
governor, he
not having undertaken to execute any fuch
truſt, with reſpect to them; and therefore,
they could not poffibly have been guilty of
fuch treaſon and rebellion, as is here fup-
pofed, whatever idolatrous practices they
may have been guilty of; nor could there
be any pretence for putting them to death,
upon account of ſuch treasonable practices,
as aforefaid. And, as to the Ifraelites, ad-
mitting thoſe laws which Mofes gave them,
relating to their civil policy, were of a di-
vine original; yet that did not make God
their civil governor, nor their government a
theocracy; becauſe the adminiſtration of
that government, by, and in the execution
of
The Author's Farewel.
193
of thoſe laws, was defigned and intended to
be by men, (as, from the nature of the
*
thing, it appears, and muſt needs have been)
who, in the execution of thofe laws, were
as truly and properly civil governors, as all
other men are, to whom the adminiftration
of civil juftice is committed, in any other
country, or fociety. It muft, indeed, have
been a great favour,vouchfafed to the Jewish
nation, for God kindly to interpofe and
give them a plan of government, provided it
better anſwered the purpoſes of government,
than any plan they could, or were likely to
have provided for themſelves; but then, as
this plan was intended, and, indeed, muſt
have been executed by men, who either
were appointed for that purpoſe, or elſe who
affumed that power, whether Priefts, or
otherwife, and whether they ſhould bear the
title
O
* By men, I mean, that the Jewish government was
fuch, as fuppofed perfons of our own species to be em-
ployed in the execution of it, in oppofition to a govern-
ment,adminiſtered by a fecret inviſible power; and not men,
or males, in oppofition to women, or females; for we
find the Jewish nation to have been under female
government, in the perſon of Deborah, Judges iv. 4, 5.
And Deborah, a prophetefs, the wife of Lapidoth, he
judged [or governed] Ifrael, at that time; and she develt
under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and
Beth-el, in mount Ephraim: and the children of Ifrael came
up to her for judgment.
194 The Author's Farewel.
title of King, or not; fo thofe, and. only
thofe, who executed that truft, by putting
that, or any other plan of civil government,
in execution, among them, were their civil
rulers; the Deity being quite out of the
queſtion, as he did not take the reins of go-
vernment into his hand. And, as to Urim and
Thummim, it does not appear to have been
fet up, among the Jews, as a fountain of le-
giflature, nor as a court of civil justice; but
only as an oracle, to be applied to for counſel,
and advice, in difficult, and in very parti-
cular cafes. The fame may be faid of thoſe
divine communications to the Jews, by an-
gels, by prophets, by vifions, and by dreams;
theſe may be confidered as extraordinary and
Special favours, vouchfafed to them; but
then, they were not intended, nor did they
at all answer the purpoſes of civil govern-
ment to that people. God was, indeed, a
King to the Jewish nation, in like manner
as he is the King of all the earth; but then,
any other refpect, I think, he was only
nominally fo, he might have the name, but
was not the thing.
in
THE Jewish nation feems to have been
upon a foot with all other nations, in relation
to civil government; for, when there were
none
The Author's Farewel.
195
none among them to execute civil power, and
put their laws in force againft tranfgreffors;
then every man did what was right in his
own eyes, or lived as he lifted, he being un-
der no publick check, or restraint. And
that this was fometimes the cafe of the people
of Ifrael, is evident from their own hiftory.
Thus, Judges xvii. 6. and xxi. 25. In
thoſe days (that is, in the days of Ifrael's
oppreffion, whilft they were in fubjection *
to the nations around them) there was no
King in Ifrael; (that is, there was no civil
magiftrate among them, to put their laws
in execution, to correct them for their in-
jurious actions, and put them to ſhame;
which was the cafe of the people of Laiſh,
at that time, Judges xviii. 7.) but everyman
did
02
* The want of civil government rendered the people
of Ifrael weak and impotent, two ways. First, as
hereby every man was expofed to ill uſage from his
neighbours; for where civil government is wanting, and
men are under no publick reſtraint, as the innocent and
fimple will not be a match for the wicked and crafty, ſo
the weak and peaceable will become an eafy prey to the
ftrong and refractory. And as, in this cafe, perpetual
Strife is likely to take place, and neither the perfon, nor
property, of any man can be fecure; fo, this not only
weakens many individuals, and renders them defenceless,
with regard to each other, but it alfo renders a nation
weak and defencelefs, with regard to all foreign inva-
fions and oppreffions upon it. Secondly, the want of
civil government rendered the Ifraelites weak and impo-
tent,
196 The Author's Farewel.
did that which was right in his own eyes, or
agreeable to his own inclinations, he being.
under no publick reſtraint. To ſay, there-
fore, that God was the King, or civil go-
vernor, of the Jewish nation, at that time,
muſt needs be wrong and groundleſs; be-
caufe, in fact, they had neither God, nor
man, for their King, they having no civil
governor at all. To fay, that God was
their King, is the fame as to charge the
Deity with male-adminiftration. Not to act
as King, by putting the laws in execution,
is the fame as not to be King, or, as if there
was no King, with refpect to all the intents
and purpoſes of government; and therefore,
if God did not take the reins of government
into his hand, and act as King, by putting
their
tent, as thereby their strength became but as the ftrength
of an individual. For, as they had no head, no leader,
no center of unity, by which the ftrength of the nation
might be collected together, might be united and exerted,
for their defence and fecurity; fo, by this means, the
Strength of Ifrael became but as the ftrength of one man,
and this rendered them a weak and impotent peo-
ple, and an eaſy prey to the nations around them. And
tho', at feveral times, there were perfons of ſpirit,
who rallied them together, rouzed up their courage, and
led them on to fight for their liberty, and thereby to ob-
tain it yet we fee that ſpirit of ſelf-defence foon left them,
fome other nation made war upon them, and conquered
them; and thus they became fubject to the nations around
them by turns.
The Author's Farewel.
197
their laws, that related to civil policy, in ex-
ecution, which, it is plain, he did not, fee-
ing every man lived as he lifted, without
any publick check, or reftraint, then God
was not, in fact, a king, or civil governor,
to that people. The Jewish writers may,
perhaps, have spoken of God, as their civil
governor; but then, this did not make or
conftitute him to be fuch, nor, I think, is
fuch language of any weight in the prefent
cafe; feeing God did not, in fact, take upon
him that office, nor did he exerciſe any civil
jurifdiction over that people; and, if God
did give them a body of laws, yet he left
them to govern themselves by thofe laws,
without taking upon him the task of being
their civil governor.
BUT farther, the prefence and miniftry of
the God of Ifrael, with, and towards, the
people of Ifrael, do by no means comport
with the juft and proper character of the fu-
preme Deity, or the one God over all; but
rather, with the character of fome tutelar
and fubordinate God, or minifterial and
guardian angel, fuitable to the pagan theology,
in that refpect, of which, I think, there is
abundant proof. Thus Exodus xxxiii. 21,
22, 23. And the Lord faid, behold there is
0 3
a
198 The Author's Farewel.
a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a
rock. And it ſhall come to pass, while my
glory paffeth by, that I will put thee in a
clift of the rock; and will cover thee with
my hand, while I pass by. And I will take
away mine hand, and thou shalt fee my back-
parts: but my face fhall not be feen. Here,
we are informed, the perfon or Deity
Mofes converfed with, and received his in-
formations from, was local, and visible, and
was circumfcribed within certain bounds,
which cannot poffibly be applicable to the
fupreme Deity. To fay, that thoſe terms,
face, hands, and back-parts, are all figures
of speech, can anſwer no purpoſe; becauſe
there were fome things to be expreffed and
fet forth, by thoſe terms, or figures, which
were relative to the perfon referred to, and
which were the objects of vifion to Mofes;
whereas, there is nothing relative to the per-
Jon of the fupreme God, nor, indeed, to
any other perſon, purely fpiritual, that could
be expreſſed by thofe figures, which could
poffibly be the objects of vision to Moſes; ſo
that what was intended to be expreſſed, by
thoſe figures, muft, of neceffity, have been
relative and applicable only to fome local,
viſible being; and confequently, the perfon
who
The Author's Farewel.
199
who appeared to, and converfed with Mofes,
could not be the one God over all, but muft
have been ſome local, tutelar, and fubordi-
nate God. To fay, that the agent, or per-
fon, who ſhewed his back-parts to Moſes,
was not the Supreme Deity, but his angel,
miniſter, and reprefentative, this is the very
thing; and, indeed, it feems to have been
St. Paul's opinion, touching this matter, viz.
that the law, or the difpenfation of Mofes,
was not difpenfed to the Jews, by the fu-
preme God himſelf, but (according to the
Pagan theology) by a mediatorial and fubor-
dinate God, Galatians iii. 19. this angel,
or minifterial Deity, being the tutelar and
fubftituted national God of Ifrael, or that
fubordinate Deity, to whom the care of that
nation had been committed; as Baalzebub,
and other fictitious Deities of the Canaanites,
were ſuppoſed to have had the ſeveral cities
and nations, in Canaan, committed to their
care and protection; the fupreme God, in
both theſe views, being ſuppoſed to act, not
in his own perſon, or immediately of him-
felf, but by his miniſterial and deputed Gods,
fuitably to the theology of thofe times. Whe-
ther the Jews thought, that the perſon who
had appeared to, and converfed with, Mojès,
0 4
and
200 The Author's Farewel.
and other of their Patriarchs, was the fu-
preme Deity, and therefore, called him by
fuch names as they judged proper, under
that confideration, this, I think, is of no con-
fequence; becauſe the queftion is not who, or
what the Jews might think their national
God to be? but who, and what he was in
himself? (abſtracted from their opinion of
him) who poffibly might err, in that re-
ſpect. Nor, I think, is it of any confe-
quence, what name the national God of
Ifrael might call, or characteriſe himſelf by,
whether Jehovah, or any other name, which
may be ſuppoſed to be expreffive of, and
only applicable to, the fupreme Deity; for
if he was a ſubſtituted God, as, I think, it
appears, from what I have already obferved,
he could be no other; then, any name he
might be called by, could not poffibly make
him to be otherwife; nor is it likely that
thoſe names, when ufed by him, were then
expreffive of what men, in after times, have
uſed them to fignify; becauſe it is very im-
probable, that a fubftituted God would take
to himſelf the name, or the respect, that was
proper and peculiar to his principal. And,
THAT the fupreme Deity was not the
pational God of Ifrael, I think, is farther
evident
The Author's Farewel.
201
evident, from the moral conduct of their
national God; which, in feveral of it's
branches, I think, will not comport with
the true and proper character of the fu-
preme Deity, and therefore, can only be ap-
plicable to ſome tutelar and fubordinate God.
Thus, 1 Sam. xv. 1, 2, 3. Samuel alfo faid
unto Saul, the Lord fent me to anoint thee to be
king over his people, over Ifrael: now there-
fore hearken thou unto the voice of the words
of the Lord. Thus faith the Lord of hoſts,
I remember that which Amalek did to Ifrael,
how he laid wait for him in the way, when he
came up from Egypt. Now go, and fmite
Amalek, and utterly deftroy all that they
bave, and spare them not; but flay both
man and woman, infant and fuckling, ox and
Sheep, camel and afs. Here is a commiffion
given forth, which, in it's execution, was
most cruel, barbarous, and inhuman; and in
it's moving cauſe muſt have been moſt un-
juſt, and greatly contrary to true goodneſs;
becauſe the fufferers had not done any thing
to be a juſt and proper ground for fo fevere
a revenge: For whatever had been done to
the Ifraelites, when they came up out of
Egypt, by the ancestors of thofe Amalekites;
yet, as the Amalekites then in being had
na
202 The Author's Farewel.
no hand in it, nor were they any way accef-
fory to what had been done to Ifrael by
their forefathers, and, confequently, were
not parties in their caufe; fo they could not
be guilty of their crimes: and, therefore, the
above commiffion muſt have been both
cruel, and unjuſt. Upon which I obſerve,
that how agreeable foever the above commif-
fion may be with the character of the local
national God of Ifrael, or any other tutelar
Deity, the faculties and powers of whoſe
nature, and the rectitude of whofe actions,
may fall greatly short of the powers, perfec-
tions, and rectitude of the fupreme Deity;
yet fuch a commiffion will by no means
comport with the just and proper character
of the fupreme God, who is abfolutely com-
pleat and perfect, in all natural and moral
endowments; and, therefore, will not take
up an unreaſonable and groundless refentment
againſt fome of his creatures, nor fhew a
partial and groundless regard for others.
THE ufe that I make of this, is to ob-
ſerve to my Readers, that as the fictitious,
fuppofed, tutelar, and national Deities of
the Pagans, were not confidered, by them, to
be the Kings, or civil rulers, of thoſe Pagan
nations, but only their divine guardians,
who
The Author's Farewel.
203
who protected, or were fuppofed to protect
and affift them, by a fecret divine influence
and providential care; fo this was the cafe of
the local, national God of Ifrael. And,
agreeably to this, the great and extraordi-
nary events that are ſpoken of, as taking
place among the Jews, in their forty years
travel through the wilderneſs, and after-
ward, whilft they were under the direction
of Joshua their leader, theſe are manifefta-
tions of the extraordinary power and pre-
fence, and the fecret influence and provi-
dential care, of their local national God,
among them, and over them, until he had
brought them to, and fettled them in the
promised land; but then, thefe are not to be
confidered as the adminiſtration of civil juf-
tice, becauſe they were not the execution
of thoſe laws, that related to their civil po-
licy. And as to the profperity and adverfity
that afterwards attended the Jewish nation,
in which the righteous and wicked were
equally involved, as theſe attended their
publick virtuoufnefs and viciouſneſs; fo they
cannot, with any more propriety, be con-
fidered as acts of civil juſtice, than the prof-
perity or adverfity of any other nation or
people, when fpringing from the like cauſes.
And
204 The Author's Farewel.
And as to thofe extraordinary events, that
took place among the Jews, which were
particular and perfonal, fuch as the fire com-
ing down from heaven, and deſtroying twe
captains, and their fifties, for their deliver-
ing an ungrateful meffage to the Prophet
Elijah, according to the command of the
King their Mafter, as in 2 Kings i. 10, 12.
and two fhe-bears tearing forty and two
children, for mocking the Prophet Elifba,
calling him, bald-head, in confequence (as it
may feem) of the Prophet's curfing them in
the name of the Lord, as in 2 Kings ii. 24.
Thefe inftances of cruelty, as I think
they
* Suppofing that Ahaziah, king of Ifrael, had rendered
himſelf the object of a juſt reſentment to the local nati-
onal God of Ifrael, by his fending to enquire of the
God of another nation, viz. Baalzebub, the local national
God of Ekron, whether he ſhould come down from that
bed on which he had gone up, and which, indeed, was of
fering an affront to the national God of Ifracl, as it fup-
pofes, that Ekron's God was fitter to be applied to, on
that occafion, than he; yet, furely, the foldiers and
meſſengers of king Abaziah muſt have been altogether in-
nocent, in that behalf; and therefore, it feems to have
been contrary to the rules of right and wrong, of good
and evil, to profecute them with fo fevere a revenge, on
their maſter's account, and for his fake. And, as to the
chidren's calling the prophet, bald-head, which childiſh
and improper behaviour, probably, was occafioned by
the oddneſs of the prophet's dress, or by fomething of like
kind, as it is not likely thofe children fhould have trea-
ted Elifba with contempt, on account of his being a pro-
phet i
The Author's Farewel.
205
they may be called, cannot, with any more
propriety, be conſidered as acts of civil juf-
tice, than the fudden deaths of Ananias and
Sapphira, (as in Acts v.) with reſpect to
which events, the latter, I think, is not
pretended to be fuch. Moreover thoſe laws,
that related to the civil policy of the Jews,
had their reſpective fanctions annexed to
them; of which,
of which, I think, we have not an
inftance, upon record, of the God of Ifrael's
interpofing and putting thofe laws in execu-
tion. Thus Exodus xxi. the rule is, life for
life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,
foot for foot, burning for burning, wound
for wound, fripe for firipe. Here we fee,
that the puniſhment inflicted was to be, both
in kind and degree, the fame as the injury
done;
phet; feeing he was but then entering upon that office, and
ſeeing they were but little children, who could fcarcely
have been fuppofed to have taken up any antipathy a-
gainſt prophets; therefore, Elisha's wrath, which was
ſhewn by his curfing thoſe little children in the name of
the Lord, and the God of Ifrael's gratifying the pro-
phet's refentment, by fending two bears, out of a neigh-
bouring wood, to deftroy thofe children, feem, at leaft,
to favour of harshness and cruelty. However, though
the feverity fhewn to the foldiers and children, here refer-
red to, may comport with the just character of the local
national God of Ifracl, who, by his conduct, feems to
have been of the angry, wrathful kind; yet it does by
no means agree with the proper moral character of the
ONE GOD OVER ALL.
206 The Author's Farewel.
done; and the queftion arifing from hence
is, who was intended, and that did, in fact,
inflict thoſe puniſhments? and the anſwer is
obvious, namely, that the God of Ifrael did
not interpofe, by any fecret power, or pro-
vidential influence, and render burning for
burning, wound for wound, &c. and
thereby execute the office of a civil magif
trate among them; but it muſt have been
done, or intended to be done, either by a
body of men fet apart for that purpoſe, to go-
vern them in civil matters, or by fuch as
fhould affume that power, and which feems
to have been the cafe of thoſe who were
ftiled Judges, as well as thoſe who afterwards
became their Kings; or elſe every one muſt
have been intended, and were left to avenge
their own wrongs, in their own perfons, or
by their neareſt relations, and which may,
perhaps, be thought to be the cafe of thofe
who were filed the avengers of blood. By
the appointment of Mofes, according to
Numbers xxxv. Deuteronomy xix. and Joſhua
xx. fix cities were fet apart, for thoſe to fly
to, who ſhould have taken away the life of
others, that thereby they might be protected
from the wrath of the avengers of blood;
that is, from the refentment of thoſe who
were
The Author's Farewel:
20.7
were nearest of kin to them that were flain,
whoſe wrath was fuppofed to be greatly, and
fuddenly raiſed upon the occafion (or as it
is expreffed Deuteronomy xix. 6. left the
avenger of blood purſue the flayer, whilſt his
heart is hot) until the cafe could be heard,
and judged of, by the congregation, that is,
by a court of juſtice, fet up for that purpoſe,
who were to determine, upon hearing the
cafe, whether the flayer was guilty of mur-
der, or not. And if the perfon tried was
found guilty of murder, then he was to be
put to death, and the avenger of blood was
appointed to be the executioner; but if it
appeared, that the manflayer had killed his
neighbour unawares, then he was to be con-
ducted, in fafety, back to that city of re-
fuge he had before fled to, and there to re-
main until the death of the high-prieft, by
which time, it might well be prefumed,
the avenger's refentment would be abated.
From theſe accounts, together with other
paffages in the pentateuch, it is evident, that
the Jews, in civil matters, were originally
governed by a body of men,appointed for that
purpoſe, who were ftiled the congregation;
but after they became fettled in Canaan,
they ſeemed to be fo furfeited with the
fatigues
208 The Author's Farewel.
!
fatigues of war, that they became indolent,
and altogether regardless of their ſafety;
and this expoſed them to the infults of their
neighbours, who often made war upon
them, and brought them into fubjection:
And when they became thus fubdued, their
oppreffors, in order to keep them weak and
defenceless, took from them the exercife of
all civil power, by which the congregation,
appointed for that purpoſe, became diffolved,
and they were left to prey upon, and be a
prey to, each other. And, whilft they were
under thefe diftreffes,at feveral times,there roſe
up perfons of ſpirit and refolution, who rallied
them together, rouzed up their courage, and
led them on to fight for their liberty, and
to obtain it; upon which, thofe leaders took
upon them to govern the people in civil
matters, as, then, there was no congregation,
or court of civil justice,fubfifting among them;
upon which account thoſe victors were
called Judges, and were faid to have
judged Ifrael. And, as they were a long
time in this flu&uating ftate, fometimes in
fervitude, and fometimes free, fometimes
under civil government, and fometimes
without it; fo this very naturally led them
into
*
*Judges iii. 10. and iv. 4, 5. and x. 1, 2, 3. and xii.
7, 2 Kings xxiii. 22.
The Author's Farewel.
209
#
into a refolution of having a King, who
might not only go in and out before them
in their wars, and thereby protect them
from foreign enemies; but alſo, to be a foun-
dation of civil government among them-
felves, and thereby prevent them from fall-
ing a prey to each other. What I have
here obferved is plain matter of fact, from
which it evidently appears, that the God of
Ifrael, whether he be confidered, as only a
tutelar national God, or the one God over all,
was not a king, or civil governor, to that peo-
ple. This doctrine of a Theocracy among
the Jews, as it is not founded in fact, but
is only a meer invention; fo it feems de-
figned, and calculated, to excufe and juftify
the cruelty and barbarity exercifed by the
Jews upon Idolaters; which, as it is fhock-
ing to human nature, fo the abettors of the
aforefaid doctrine would fain father that
cruelty upon the fupreme Deity. Indeed,
THE Reverend Mr. Fofter, in his fermon
of the unity of God, and the * Jewish the
ocracy, has given up the latter, as having
no folid foundation; but then, he has at-
tempted to vindicate the rigour, exercifed
by the Jews upon thoſe Idolaters that were
P
of
* See Mr. Fofter's fermons, vol. III. fermon xv.
pages 375, 376.
210 The Author's Farewel.
of their own nation, another way. What
Mr. Fofter has offered, is as followeth. " As,
<<
<<
therefore, the end for which the civil
conftitution of the Jews was formed, viz.
"to prevent their being over-run with
Idolatry (which, as it prevailed among
"the neighbouring nations, corrupted their
"internal ſenſe of the difference of good
"and evil, and baniſhed humanity and de-
. cency, and many of the moft confiderable
"and important of the focial virtues, by
<<
CC
rr
introducing fhameful impieties, and hu-
man facrifices, quite deteſtable to nature)
"as the end, I fay, for which the civil
conftitution of the Jews was formed, ap-
& C pears, when thus explained, and ab-
"- ftracted from all confiderations meerly re-
ligious, to be moft wife and gracious in
""
itſelf; and as the judicial laws, in that
"fcheme of government, were admirably
<
adapted to ſubſerve and advance this wife
"and gracious end; it neceffarily follows,
"that Idolatry, which would have fruſ-
"trated the whole defign of the conftitu-
..
<<
tion, and have entirely diffolved and def-
troyed it, muft, upon the fame reaſons
"that are allowed to be just in all other
polity, have deferved capital puniſhment.
And
The Author's Farewel.
211
true;
"And this, I think, will effectually vin-
"dicate it's being treated with ſuch ſeverity
"in the Jewish ftate, but not excuſe the
"like rigour exerciſed againſt it in any other,
" where it is merely an error of speculation,
" and the offender, by not diſturbing the
"external peace of fociety, renders him-
"felf accountable to God alone." Upon
which I obſerve, that there have been men,
who have come under the denomination of
Idolaters, that have been guilty of thoſe bad
things before mentioned, may poffibly be
but that this was the caſe of the idola-
trous Canaanites,at the time referred to, or of
the Ifraelites, afterwards, when they became
Idolaters, or that idolatry does naturally pro-
duce thoſe bad things, are points, which,
perhaps, may not be eafily and clearly made
out. There are many bad things, practiſed
by chriftians, which, yet, furely, are not
the natural produce of chriſtianity, and
therefore are not to be placed to it's account;
and if the bad things referred to have been
only practifed by Idolaters, but are not the
natural offspring of idolatry, then, furely,
they ought not to be placed to it's account.
And, indeed, Mr. Fofter fuppoſes, that
ſometimes idolatry does not bring forth fuch
P 2
bad
212
The Author's Farewel.
bad fruit, that is, it does not naturally pro-
duce thoſe things fo greatly injurious to
fociety, as he feems to have charged it with,
but admits that, with regard to fociety, it
may be a harmleſs thing; and therefore, he
excuſes innocent Idolaters, that is, thoſe
whofe idolatry is not hurtful to ſociety, from
that feverity, which he thinks was just, when
exerciſed upon the idolatrous Ifraelites. So
that, when Mr. Fofter is to justify the feverity
ufed by the Jews againſt Idolaters among
them, then he confiders it as the natural
parent of every thing that is mischievous to
fociety; and this he feems to make the rea-
fan why the Jews were to be kept from it,
the doing of which, according to Mr. Fofter,
was the only end and the whole deſign of their
civil conftitution; but when other Idolaters
are to be excuſed from fuch ſeverity, then
Mr. Fofter feems not to perceive any fuch
natural connection or relation betwixt Ido-
latry and thoſe bad things, fo as that one
will naturally produce the other, but Ido-
latry may be, with reſpect to fociety, very
innocent and harmless. But, furely, if Ido-
latry (that is, paying refpect to a fictitious
Deity, or to the true God, by or through
an image, ſet up to repreſent either of theſe)
may
The Author's Farewel.
213
may
any
be practifed in fome countries, without
fuch mischievous confequences to fociety,
as Mr. Fofter feems to fuppofe it may; then,
why muft it be prefumed, that it had, or
would produce thofe bad things in Canaan,
except it can be made appear, that ſuch a
malignant infectious quality in idolatry was
peculiar to that country only?
AGAIN; that the laws againſt Idolatry, in
the Jewish conftitution, were defigned and
intended to keep that people (not as Mr.
Fofter has put it, from being over-run with,
but) quite clear of all idolatrous practices, I
think, does not admit of a difpute; but that
the whole civil conſtitution of the Jews was
folely intended to anſwer that purpoſe, ſeems,
to me, to be paſt all belief. For, fuppofing
that end had been obtained, that alone would
not have been a ſecurity to them; becauſe,
notwithſtanding that, they might have been
a very wicked and unhappy people, and which
was too much their cafe, after the Babilo-
nish captivity, tho' they kept themſelves
clear of idolatry. The civil conftitution of
the Jews was intended to anſwer ſeveral
leffer defigns, befides the great and ultimate
end to which that, and all other civil confti-
tutions are, or ought to be, directed. Thus
P
3
it
214
The Author's Farewel..
it was intended to keep the Jews from ido-
latry, as aforefaid: And thus it was de-
figned to keep them diſtinct, and ſeparate
from all other people of the world; and
accordingly, they were forbid to mix them-
ſelves, by marriages, with the people of any
other nation; which political Jewish confti-
tution is ſo far ftifly adhered to, by the
peo-
ple called Quakers, as that they do not admit
of any marriages among them, but where
both parties are of the fame religious or poli-
tical fociety, viz. Quakers. Now, tho' the
Jewish conftitution was intended to anſwer
both theſe ends; yet, to aver that it was folely
intended to anſwer either, or both of theſe pur-
poſes, or to aver that to act against either,or both
of thoſe deſigns, by paying reſpect to a ficti-
tious Deity,as aforefaid, or by marrying a fo-
reigner,fuppofing theſe practices became gene-
ral, that this entirely diffolved, and deſtroyed
the whole defign of that conftitution, would
be to aver without any ground or foundation
for it. The great and ultimate end, which
the civil conftitution of the Jews was in-
tended to obtain, muft needs have been to
guard and fecure the common good of that
people, fo far as their civil intereſt was con-
cerned, by engaging each individual to join
in mutual affistance and protection, whereby
the
The Author's Farewel.
215
the indigent would be fupported and the
weak protected; and, accordingly, many
laws, or rules of affection and action, were
given them, to anſwer this grand purpoſe;
and, probably, it was to this that all leſſer
defigns were intended to be fubfervient.
Now, if the principal (not to ſay the fole)
defign of the civil conftitution of the Jews,
confidered meerly as civil, (for Mr. Fofter
has excluded all religious confiderations out
of the cafe) was to anſwer the purpoſes of
civil affociation, by fecuring to the people
their civil intereft, which it muſt needs
have been, elſe it would not have come un-
der the denomination of a civil conftitution;
then, all fuch facts as directly and immediately
affected the welfare of that fociety in their ci-
vil intereft, and was injurious to it,and which,
if fuch practices became general, they would
wholly fubvert the grand defign of that con-
ftitution, fuch facts, according to Mr.
Fofter, would deferve capital punishment, of
which kind, perhaps, theft and murder may
be thought to be: but then, fuch facts as
did not directly and immediately affect foci-
ety in their civil intereſt, but only might do
it in their remote and uncertain confequences,
and which, if they became general, would
P 4
not
216 The Author's Farewel.
1
¡
not entirely diffolve and deſtroy the main de-
fign of that conftitution, of which kind the
paying respect to a fictitious Deity, as afore-
faid, and marrying a foreigner,may, perhaps,
be judged to be; theſe lefs offences againſt
fociety, furely, upon Mr. Fofter's foot of ar-
gument, ought to be treated with much
greater lenity. And, feeing the civil confti-
tution of the Jews required the less offence
againſt fociety, viz. Idolatry, to be puniſhed
with death, and the greater offence, viz.
Theft, with only requiring the criminal to
restore fourfold; the question is, wherein lies
the wijdom, equity, and goodness of theſe
branches of that conftitution? Upon the
whole, it appears, at leaft to me, that what
Mr. Fofter has offered, does not justify the
Severity exerciſed by the Jews againſt Idola-
ters, tho' of their own community; and that
it rather burts, than helps, the cauſe it is in-
tended to ferve.
BESIDES, as to the idolatrous Canaanites
abovementioned, it may fairly and perti-
nently be aſked, what had they done more
than other Idolaters, that they ſhould be
fingled out, and made the monument of ſo
Severe a revenge? And that too, to make
way for the fettlement of a stubborn worthless
race
The Author's Farewel.
217
race of men, (as their own hiftorians have
repreſented the Jewish nation to be) who
were ſeldom long free from that very idolatry
which thofe Canaanites ftand charged with.
To fay, that thoſe Canaanites entertained
wrong and unworthy notions of a Deity, and
of his providential government of the world,
that their tutelar Gods were meerly fictiti-
ous, and that their manner of worshipping
them was ridiculous in itſelf, as well as di-
rected to falje objects, is only to ſay, that
they were as weak, vain, and ridiculous as
other Idolaters, who have not fallen under
any fuch reſentment. And if the idolatrous
Canaanites were not more vile than other
Idolaters, nor more the objects of divine
refentment, which they do not appear
to have been; then, furely, God, that is,
the fupreme God, was not ſo partially ſe-
vere to them, as is here fuppofed; ſeeing
his tender mercies are equally over all his
works, without fuch a partial regard for
one, more than for another. I am ſenſible,
that ſome of our great men have infifted,
that there are other inftances of like partia-
lity in the divine conduct, as that above
mentioned; and, therefore, if God may,
confiftent with rectitude, a& partially in one
inftance,
218 The Author's Farewel.
inſtance, then he may in another, provided
no injuftice is done to any thereby; and
this has been urged,in order to fhew, that the
non-univerfality of a revelation is no juſt ob-
jection against it's divinity; fo that, upon
this foot of argument, if the idolatrous
Canaanites had rendered themſelves the pro-
per objects of that fevere refentment, which
was exerciſed towards them, then God
might, confiftent with rectitude, correct
them as he did, whilft he treated all other
idolaters, who were equally culpable, with
much greater lenity, feeing no injuftice was
done to any thereby. Upon which I obferve,
whether the non-univerfality of a revelation
be a just* objection againſt it's divinity, or
not, is a point the prefent queſtion is not
concerned with and therefore, may fairly
;
be
*In my difcourfe on miracles, I entered into the
queftion, whether the non-univerfality of a revelation be
a juſt objection againſt it's divinity, or not? and intro-
duced all the reaſonings, fairly and candidly, that accrued
to me, on both fides of that queftion; and then con-
cluded the whole with the following reflections. "If God
gives a revelation univerfally to all, it muſt be done in
one or other of theſe ways; viz. either, first, by apply-
ing immediately to the mind of every individual of our
fpecies, and thereby revealing, to every individual, the
truths intended to be made known; or elfe, fecondly,
by applying immediately to fome one or more of our fpe-
cies, and revealing to him, or them, the truths intended
to
The Author's Farewel.
219
be dropped here. And were the Deity to
act with ftrict juftice, through his whole
conduct, or did moral rectitude require that
he ſhould, then he would not, he could not,
act in that partial manner as is here fup-
pofed. In the exerciſe of vengeance, or pu-
nishment, ftrict justice requires, or it con-
fifts in puniſhing exactly equal to the deme-
rit of the crime; fo that, if two criminals
are equally culpable, then juſtice, or equity,
requires, that they fhall have equal punish-
ment; becauſe, otherwife, one, or the other,
will be unjustly dealt with; lenity *, or pu-
niſhing less than the demerit of the crime,
being as contrary to equity, as cruelty, or
puniſh-
to be made known, as aforefaid; and then apply
mediately by him, or them, to others, by requiring him,
or them, to reveal or publish thofe truths to others,
and them to others, and fo on, till that revelation
is communicated univerfally to all: And as we are
not very good judges, which of theſe ways is liable
to the least inconveniency, and which beft anfwers
the purpoſe of a publick good, fo, it may be urged,
that this takes off, or, at leaſt, it very much weakens,
that objection againſt the divinity of a revelation, that
arifes from it's not being given univerfally to all. I
introduce this here, to fhew my readers, that in the
Book referred to, I have not leaned to one fide of the
queſtion, viz. that the non-univerfality of a revelation is
a juſt objection againſt it's divinity; tho' this is what has
been unkindly and unjustly faid, or, at leaſt, infinuated of
me.
* See this point more largely and fully confiderel,
in my enquiry into the ground and foundation of Reli-
gion.
220 The Author's Farewel.
1
puniſhing above it; and confequently, if
God treated the idolatrous Canaanites with
greater feverity, than he did other Idolaters,
who were equally culpable, then he muſt
have acted unjustly by one, or the other;
which would have been acting contrary to rec-
titude, upon the preſent fuppofition, but this
is groundlefly urged. Juftice is a negative
virtue, when it takes place of, and is pre-
ferred before, criminal injuſtice; like as the
abfence of pain is, or, at leaft, may be faid
to be, negative pleasure. Juftice is not the
offspring of bounty, or generofity, but only
acting fuitably to a precedent obligation,
that has not been cancelled; and therefore,
it has no pofitive virtue, or merit in it. And,
as it is, at beſt, only a restraint from vice,
ſo it can be, at moſt, but a negative vir-
tue, and lays no foundation for a reward.
Juftice is only valuable, when it coincides
with, and is fubfervient to, goodneſs, by re-
ftraining from the contrary: fo that, when
juſtice becomes incompatible with goodneſs,
which may fometimes be the cafe, then it
degenerates into vice; that is, it becomes,
in the exerciſe of it, wrong and evil. It
was not juſtice, but goodness, that was the
Spring
The Author's Farewel.
221
fpring of action to God, in calling this
world into being, as he could not poffibly
be under any precedent obligation to give be-
ing to what was not; and therefore, it is
not juſtice, but goodneſs, which is the pri-
mary rule, and the ground and reaſon of ac-
tion to him, in the government thereof;
and this is what moral rectitude requires.
Goodness is the ſpring of action to God, even
in the diftribution of vengeance and puniſh-
ment, as well as in the diftribution of re-
ward; it is that great concern and regard
God has for his creatures well-doing, which
raiſes in him a juſt indignation, and a ſtrong
reſentment, againſt thoſe who oppoſe it. And
if God does not act from capricious humour
and arbitrary will, but is guided by the
reafon of things, the latter of which is most
certainly the cafe, (excepting in thofe in-
ftances in which the reaſon of things cannot
be a rule to him, as when it is perfectly in-
different whether he acts one way or another)
then he will act equally, by all his creatures,
in equal or the fame circumftances; be-
caufe the propriety or fitnefs of things re-
quires that he fhould. As thus, if there
be a reaſon, reſulting from the nature of
things
222
The Author's Farewel.
*
things, for the Deity to exercife pity to-
wards one creature ; then that reaſon will
determine the Deity to exerciſe the like pity
to all others, who are alike the proper ob-
jects of it; even tho' he is not obliged, in
Strict juftice, to fhew pity to any of them, but
the contrary, as ftrict juſtice requires they
ſhould all be puniſhed equal to their refpec-
tive crimes. Again, if there be a reason, re-
fulting from the nature of things, for the
Deity to exerciſe a ſevere revenge upon one
creature, then that will be a proper reaſon,
which will determine the Deity to exerciſe
the like revenge upon all other crea-
tures
*To fhew pity to the proper objects of pity cannot
be a matter of indifference, becauſe it is what the pitiable
object is greatly intereſted in; and therefore, if there be
not a reaſon, refulting from the nature of things, for the
exercifing of fuch pity, there muſt be a reaſon against
it; but furely, there can be no reafon against fhewing
pity to the proper objects of pity, becauſe that ſeems,
at leaſt, to imply a contradiction, as it feems to fuppofe
a creature to be, and not to be, the proper object of pity,
at the fame time, and under the fame circumſtances;
confequently, a creature's being the proper object of pity,
muſt be a proper reafon to the Deity to fhew pity to that
creature. And as penitence feems, at leaft, to render
an offender the proper object of pity or mercy;
affords a proper reafon to God to fhew mercy to him;
and it alfo affords a proper ground of certainty to us, that
God will act thus; which certainly refults from the na-
ture of the thing, independent of any divine declara-
tion, which has been, or may be, made concerning it.
fo it
The Author's Farewel. 223
tures, in equal * circumſtances, as they
are all the proper objects of it, without
ſhewing lenity to one, and feverity to ano-
ther. Pity and refentment are not indif-
ferent and trifling affairs, and, therefore, are
neither of them to be exerciſed at random,
without any rule, or reafon; but, on the con-
trary, they are matters of great importance
to the perfons concerned, and therefore, are
neither
* Tho', perhaps, there may not be two men, who are
in equal circumftances, in all refpects, as, I think, a
late ingenious Author has remarked, in his obſervations
relating to the divine partiality, which partiality, (in in-
ſtances that appear to me groundless and unneceſſary) he
has attempted to vindicate; yet, if two men are both the
proper objects, either of pity and compaffion, or of a
ſevere revenge, which, furely, may be the cafe; then,
I think, they may be ſaid to be, without any great im-
propriety of language, in equal or in the fame circum-
ftances; that is, their circumftances are fo far equal or
the fame, as to render them both the proper objects of
either compaffion or resentment, fuppofing, in other ref-
pects, their circumftances are as different, as the two pole-
ftars are diftant from each other. And as equality, or
fameness of circumftances, in the refpects before-men-
tioned, is all that is, or has been, intended, or that re-
lates to the ſubject; fo were God to treat one creature
with lenity, and another with ſeverity, when they are in
equal circumſtances, as aforefaid; that is, they are both
the proper objects of one, or the other, this would be to
act repugnant to the nature of things, and would be an.
inftance of unneceffary, groundless, and unreasonable par-
tiality: But then, tho' weak and vain men may effect to
exert their power wantonly, improperly, and arbitrarily,
or without any rule or reafon, as aforefaid; yet far be
the impious thought from me, that this fhould be the cafe
of the wife and good governor of the univerſe.
224
The Author's Farewel.
1
neither to be exercifed, nor omitted, without
a proper reaſon for fo doing. And, tho'
it is pretended, that there are inftances
of unneceſſary and groundless partiality
in the divine conduct, like that above-men-
tioned; yet, I think, the pretence is ground-
lefs. Suppofe the calling into being a fpecies
of creatures called *Angels, and a fpecies of
Creatures called men, and a ſpecies of creatures
called horfes, be neceffary to anſwer the pur-
pofe of a general good, which good each fpe-
cies of creatures are intended to share in,
fuitable to the part each one is to act, (a
publick, or general good being, I think, the
great, if not the only, end of creation` to our
wife and good creator, in calling this world
into being) and fuppofing that angels are
put into a better condition than men, and
men than horſes; yet, as this disparity is ne-
ceffary to anſwer the purpoſe aforefaid, viz.
a publick good, and as one ſpecies, of thoſe
crea-
* I here admit the fuppofition, that there are a fpecies
of creatures, called Angels, who are related to, or, at
leaſt, a&t upon, this globe, becauſe fome of thoſe men,
who reafon upon this queftion, will force it into the fubject;
but then, thoſe minifterial and guardian Angels feem to
bear fome analogy to the tutelar and guardian Deities of
the Pagans,and from hence a queſtion very naturally arifes,
viz. if the former of theſe are admitted, then why not
the latter; or perhaps, the queſtion may be, whether
thefe are not the fame thing?
The Author's Farewel. 225
creatures muft,of neceffity,have the advantage
of another, feeing that advantage cannot be
common to them all; fo there is no groundleſs,
no unneceſſary, no unreasonable partiality
ſhewn in the cafe. But then, to argue
from fuch inftances as thofe above-mention-
ed, in order to excufe, or rather to juſtify
any unreaſonable, unneceffary, any ground-
leſs partiality, in the exercife of pity or re-
fentment, which is fometimes done, feems,
to me, to be a bold attempt; eſpecially when
the moral character of the Deity is at stake,
which is the preſent cafe. And, as to men's
difparity, in their natural abilities, or endow-
ments of mind, the ſhape, fize, beauty and
Strength of their bodies, their fortunes, their
fituation upon the globe, and other like
circumſtances, in, and by, which one man
has the advantage of another; theſe plainly
depend upon fecond caufes, and cannot, with
any propriety, or truth, be confidered, as
inftances of partiality in the divine conduct.
Suppoſe one man, by his induftry, or any
other means, raiſes a fortune for himſelf
and family, by which means they become
rich; and ſuppoſe another man, by his ex-
travagancy, or any other way, waſtes the
fortune that had been raiſed to his hand,
and
226 The Author's Farewel.
and thereby brings himſelf and family to po-
verty; in this cafe, there is a great diſparity
of circumſtances, betwixt the two families,
viz. one is rich, and the other is poor, which
gives the former many great advantages over
the latter; but then, to confider, or repre-
fent this, as an inftance of partiality in the
divine conduct, would be greatly unjust; and
yet it is not more ſo, than thoſe inſtances are,
that are usually urged to anſwer this purpoſe.
PARTY and faction in religion, have a
very great influence, not only on the paffions,
but alfo on the understandings, or, at leaſt,
on the judgments of men; infomuch, that
every thing is made to bow down to the idol
in vogue: And, as Chriflianity is the fyftem
of religion, which is generally received in
this part of the world; fo, all arguments
and reaſonings receive an additional ſtrength,
or decreaſe in their weight, as they feem to
fmile or frown upon chriſtianity; thus
principles are admitted with pleasure, which
otherwife would be rejected with horror;
and thus one man contends for the moſt
groundless partiality, and another contends
for the moſt abfolute tyranny, in the divine
conduct; (O my foul! come not thou into
their fecret, unto their affembly, mine ho-
nour
The Author's Farewel.
227
nour, be not thou united) tho', I hope,
Chriſtianity does not stand in need of any
fuch propping. The fondness and partiality
men uſually have for the particular ſcheme
of religion they adhere to, in fome mea-
fure arifes from hence, viz. men confider it
as the peculiar property of themſelves and
their party, and, therefore, they defend and
maintain it, and guard against all objections
that may be made to it, with the fame kind
of caution and watchfulness, as a man does,
who defends the title to his eftate, when
called in queſtion; and this leads them to
be as jealous of having the weakneſs and de-
fects of their religious ſcheme laid open, as
a man is of having any defect in the title to
his eftate diſcovered: whereas, religion is not
the peculiar property of any perſon or party
whatever, nor are men competitors with each
other in regard to it; if one man makes
profeſſion of religion in any shape, and is in-
fluenced by fuch profeffion, this does not, in
the leaſt, bar or hinder any other man
from making the like profeffion, nor from
Sharing in the like influence, fo that men
cannot become competitors with each other
in theſe reſpects; and, therefore, they
ought not to be confidered, nor treated as
Q2
enemies
228 The Author's Farewel.
enemies to each other, either for their
affent, or diffent, for their conformity, or
non-conformity, with relation thereto. If a
man follows the common cry, and affents to
the creed that is generally received as or-
thodox, and conforms to the ceremonies that
have been eſtabliſhed by cuſtom, or other-
wife, no other man is a gainer thereby; or
if he diffents in theſe reſpects, no other
man is a lofer by his fo doing; and,
therefore, neither affent, nor diffent, nei-
ther conformity, nor non-conformity, with
regard to any fyftem of religion, whether
it be generally received, or not, can be
a juſt ground for enmity or reſentment.
Religion is what all men, in common, have an
equal right to, and are equally interested in ; as
they have an equal right to, and are equally in-
tereſted in, the common air in which they
breathe; and therefore, as every man has a na-
tural right to receive, or reject any ſcheme of
religion, as he ſhall fee caufe, without aſking any
man's leave for fo doing; fo he has a right,
or rather it is his duty, to enquire into the
truth of any ſcheme of religion, that may be
recommended to him, or attempted to be
put upon him, with the fame freedom and
impartiality, and with the fame kind of
care and caution, as he would, or ought to
en-
The Author's Farewel.
229
enquire into the goodness and wholfomeness of
the food he eats, or the air he breathes in,
when the cafe requires that he ſhould; fee-
ing falfe religion, (like bad food and bad
air) may be as much to his hurt, as true
religion (like good food and good air) may
be beneficial to him. The enquiry is not
like enquiring into the title to a man's
eftate, in which cafe the enquirer knows cer-
tainly, before-hand, on which fide of the
question his intereft lies, and thereby he is
very naturally diſpoſed to hope, and prefume,
that truth and his intereft are on the ſame
fide of the queſtion; and this leads him to
endeavour to ſupport and maintain that fide
of the queſtion only, and to fee every thing
in a strong light that is favourable to it, and
to leſſen and ſuppreſs what
may be
be urged on
the other fide; whereas, in the cafe before
us, until the matter has been fairly tried,
and a proper judgment has been made, it is
altogether uncertain, whether truth, duty
and intereſt, ſo far as true religion may be
confidered as a man's intereſt, * lie on one
23
fide
* By intereft, I do not mean a man's worldly inte-
reft, but the improvement of a man's mind and life,
in virtue and goodness, here, and the recommending him
to the love and favour of God, and, confequently, the
heightening his happinefs hereafter; and this, I think,
may
230
The Author's Farewel.
fide of the queftion, or on the other, So
that, in all queftions, relating to religion, it
is not to be prefumed, nor taken for granted,
that truth, duty, and intereft are on one
particular fide of the queſtion, and not on
the other; becaufe fuch prefumption will
diſpoſe a man to examine the cafe partially,
and he will think himſelf concerned to fup-
port one fide of the queſtion only; whereas,
on the contrary, both fides of the queſtion
ought to be looked upon with indifference,
until the cafe has paffed a fair trial; and, as
it ought to be examined with the utmoſt
freedom and impartiality; fo, the mind ought
to be diſcharged from every biafs, that may
mislead it, in forming a judgment upon the
point in queſtion; this, I fay, ought to be
done, and indeed will be done, if we act pro-
perly, and fuitably to our intelligent natures.
BUT to return. As Idolaters, in all coun-
tries and times, excepting the idolatrous Ca-
naanites, have been fo far indulged, and
their idolatrous practices overlooked, as that
no special commiffion from heaven has been
granted to destroy them; fo, furely, God,
that is the fupreme Deity, who is the com-
mon
may properly be faid to be a man's highest intereft ; and this
is the intereft which all religion ought,and which true reli-
gion, or the being truly religious, will be fubfervient to.
The Author's Farewel.
231
mon parent of mankind, (whatever the local
national God of Ifrael might do) was not
fo partially fevere to the Canaanites, nor fo
partially kind to the Ifraelites, as to give a
ſpecial commiffion to the latter, to deſtroy
the former, root and branch, and to poſſeſs
themſelves of their country and habitations.
And, on the other fide, if the extirpation of
Idolaters, deſtroying them and their offspring
utterly, was proper, and juſtifiable, under
the difpenfation of Mofes, and, therefore,
was appointed by the fupreme Deity; then
it muſt be equally proper and juftifiable in
all after-times, ſeeing idolatry is not lefs vile,
nor less excufable, in equal circumſtances,
at one time, than at another; and, therefore,
it is not lefs fo now, than heretofore; nor
is God more kind, and more tender, of the
lives of his creatures now, than in former
times. I will conclude this fubject with
the following reflection. God is ever un-
changeable, as well with regard to his moral,
as to his natural, perfections; he is equally
difpofed, at all times, in all places, under all
difpenfations, and in all worlds, to exerciſe
pity towards all that are the proper objects of
pity, and towards none but fuch; and alfo
to fhew a fevere refentment upon all that
Q4
render
:
232 The Author's Farewel.
render themſelves the proper objects of it,
and upon none but thefe; for as it was in
the beginning, in theſe reſpects, even fo
it is now, and ever will be, world without
end.
SEC-
SECTION III.
CONCERNING
RELIGION,
WHEN TAKEN
In ALL it's VIEWS.
}
1
1
}
(235)
SECTION III.
Concerning RELIGION.
H
AVING, in the preceding Sec-
tion, fhewed my readers what my
ſentiments are, touching the exif-
tence of a Deity, &c. the next point of im-
portance, which offers itſelf to be confidered,
is religion. I fay, after the confideration of
a Deity, religion, in order of nature, comes
next to be confidered, even antecedent to
the confideration of futurity. Men's rela-
tion to, and dependence upon God, and all
obligations that flow from fuch relation and
dependency, and all other relations, depen-
dencies and obligations, that men may come
under, theſe all arife from that they are, and
what they are, and from what they have;
and not from that they will be, and what
they will be, and from what they will have
in futurity; and, confequently, as religion
is grounded on men's prefent exiftence, and
from
236 The Author's Farewel.
from what they are and have; fo, of neceſ
fity, it muſt be the fame, whether futurity
be taken into the cafe, or not. God is
equally the author of my being, the upholder
of my foul in life, and the fountain of all
the good I have, or do enjoy, whether I
am to exist in futurity, or not; and, therefore,
all the obligations I am under to the Deity,
as they ariſe from thefe, fo, of neceffity,
they must and will be the fame, whether fu-
turity be taken into the account, or not.
The term religion is fometimes taken in a
general, and fometimes in a more reftrained
fenfe.
RELIGION, at large, is that which is the
ground of God's favour, or which renders
men pleafing and acceptable to the Deity;
and, in this view of the cafe, religion in-
cludes all the just and reasonable obligations
a man can be under; fo that a man's whole
conduct may be confidered as religious, or
irreligious, whether his actions relate to
God, his neighbour, or himſelf, as they are
conformable, or contrary to the rule he ought
to walk by, excepting in thoſe inftances
and cafes in which they are perfectly in-
different. And,as there is a natural and an ef
ſential difference in things, and one thing or
ac.
The Author's Farewel.
237
action * is not only diftinct from, but is
allo preferable to, another in nature; fo, of
neceffity, there must be a rule of affection
and action, refulting from that difference,
which will always take place, in all in-
ftances and cafes, where a rule of affection
and action is wanting, whether it relates to
God, our neighbour, or ourfelves; or, in-
other words, there will be a reaſon, reſult-
ing from the natural difference in things,
why we ſhould be affected, and why we
fhould act, this way, or that way, rather
than their contraries; which reaſon is, of
itſelf, and from the very nature of the
thing, a law, or rule, to every intelligent be-
ing, who is capable of difcerning that dif-
ference. And as man is, by the author of
the univerſe, conftituted an intelligent crea-
ture, by which he is rendered capable of
difcerning the effential difference in things,
and thereby of coming at the knowledge of
that
* The word action, both here and elſewhere, is not
uſed to expreſs the bare fimple idea of motion, but the
complex idea of motion under a certain direction; fo that
when actions are faid to be good, or bad, the term action
is uſed to exprefs, not only bare motion, but alſo the
motive or moving caufe of, or rather the ground and rea-
fon of, the exertion of the moving power, and the end
and purpoſe, which the exertion of that faculty is in-
tended to ferve, or which is ferved by it.
»
238 The Author's Farewel.
that law, tho', in difficult and complex cafes,
he is liable to err, with refpect to it; fo, by
a ftrict conformity to this rule, he muft, of
neceffity, render himſelf approveable to his
maker, becauſe thereby he acts confonant
to his intelligent nature, and thereby an-
fwers the end of his creation: I ſay, a
ftrict conformity to the fore-mentioned rule
muft, of neceffity, render a man approve-
able to God; and the reaſon is obvious, viz.
becauſe, hereby, a man renders himſelf the
proper object of approbation and affection to
every intelligent being, and, confequently,
to the Deity, as fuch; and, therefore, to
ſuppoſe otherwiſe, is to ſuppoſe that God is
morally imperfect, which fuppofition is not
to be admitted. And, as the natural and ef-
ſential difference in things exhibits a rule of
affection and action, as aforefaid; fo, a ſtrict
conformity to this rule conftitutes the pure
and uncorrupted religion of nature. This is
called religion, as it renders us approveable
to God, and is the ground of our acceptance
with him; and it is called the religion of
nature, both as it refults from the natural and
effential difference in things, and alfo as it does,
from the very nature of the thing, make us the
proper objects of approbation, and thereby
render
The Author's Farewel.
239
render us truly approveable to our maker.
And this original and primary rule of action,
muſt, of neceffity, be both a perfect and a
perpetual law. It muſt be perfect, as it is a
proper rule, in all inftances, and cafes, where
a rule of affection and action is wanting.
It is a law that has no defect, no deficiency,
but takes in all cafes, under all circum-
ſtances; and, therefore, whatever errors
men may fall into, with regard to this law,
and whatever misrepreſentations may have
been given of it, yet it is, in itſelf, abſtract-
edly from ſuch errors and miſrepreſentations,
a moſt compleat and perfect law, to which
not any thing can poffibly be added to make
it more fo. It is alfo a perpetual law, as it
is always the fame, and admits of no addition,
no decreaſe, no alteration, through diſtance
of time or place; for whenfoever, and where-
foever, the fame things, under the fame cir-
cumftances and relations, take place, the
fame obligations will naturally and unavoid-
ably flow from them, at all times, in all
places, under all difpenfations, and in all
worlds. And,
As a conformity of mind and life to the
original and primary law of nature conſtitutes
true religion, and, confequently, denomi-
nates
240 The Author's Farewel.
nates the conformift a truly religious man;
fo, of courſe, the contrary conftitutes irre-
ligion, and denominates the practitioner an
irreligious man; and the making any thing,
but ſuch conformity, the ground of God's fa-
vour, that conſtitutes falfe religion, as it is
confidered and reprefented to be what it
really is not. I am fenfible, it may be urged,
that as God is the fole fountain of our be-
ings, who has us abfolutely in his diſpoſal,
ſo he can make what he pleaſes the conditi-
ons of his favour; and, therefore, tho' he
cannot increaſe, nor decrease, nor any way
alter the original and primary law of nature,
yet he can do what is equal to it, with re-
fpect to us, he can lay upon us what com-
mands be pleafes, and thereby can increaſe
our obligations. To which it may be an-
fwered, that what God can do, and what he
will do, are two diftinct and different things;
God can, with regard to his natural power
and liberty, act the part of an arbitrary and
abfolute Governor to men, or, in other
words, God can play the Tyrant with his
creatures; this he can do, as he is under no
external reſtraint, and this does not admit of
a diſpute, at leaſt, with refpect to me: but
then, that God will act thus, is not to be
admitted,
The Author's Farewel.
241
admitted; becauſe to act thus, is to act
contrary to the propriety and fitneſs of
things; and, confequently, were God to
act thus, he would forfeit his moral charac
ter, as a wife and good being; and this af-
fords a moral certainty, that God will not
act arbitrarily, as aforefaid. God has no-
thing to gain, nor nothing to lofe, by any
thing that can be done by his creatures, nor
by any thing that he can do to them, or for
them, nor by any thing that he can require
at their hands; and, therefore, as the
Spring of action to God, in all his dealings
with mankind, muſt needs be their good,
fo this will effectually reftrain him from
laying any unreasonable burthen, any ground-
lefs taxation, any unneceſſary commands upon
them; and, confequently, it will moſt
certainly prevent him from making any
thing to be the ground of his favour, that is
not ſo in itſelf, or that the nature of things
does not make ſo, which is the caſe of com-
mands that are the produce of arbitrary
and defpotick power, obedience to which, it
is much to be feared, fprings rather from
fervility and fear, than from gratitude and
love. I fay, God will not make any thing
to be the ground of his favour, but what, in
R
the
242
The Author's Farewel.
the nature of the thing, renders the creature
worthy of it; becauſe, as he cannot be bene-
fited thereby himself, fo neither can any good
end be poffibly anfwered to his creatures
therefrom. To ſuppoſe, therefore, that
God will lay any unneceffary commands
upon his creatures, out of affectation, or
merely for the fake of fhewing his authority,
and becauſe he will be obeyed, and that he
will be pleafed merely on account of his
being obeyed, is to conceive the Deity to be
as weak and vain as his creatures themſelves;
which, furely, muſt be a moſt unworthy
repreſentation of him. To fay, that God
may act as above, by way of temptation or
trial to his creatures, he may give them
commands that are not good, in order to try
their obedience thereby, which obedience.
cannot be ſo effectually tryed in any other
way. To this it may be anſwered, that the
many and great temptations, with which
every man is unavoidably furrounded, are
more, yea much more, than fufficient to ſhew,
to ourſelves and all around us, what weak
frail creatures we are, and how eafily we
are betrayed into folly, as every day's expe-
rience does fufficiently fhew; and this,
furely, muſt be more than fufficient to in-
form
The Author's Farewel.
243
form and convince the Deity (could he poſ-
fibly ſtand in need of any fuch information
and conviction) of what we are, and how
we are difpofed, with regard to obedience,
without his giving us commands, that have
no intrinfick goodneſs in them, in order to
try us in that refpect; and, therefore, to
fuppofe, that God will multiply temptations
upon us, in order to render our obedience
more hazardous, and thereby betray us into
difobedience, muft needs be a moft grievous
calumny upon him.
THE term religion, when taken in a
more restrained fenfe, fignifies the duty, or
refpect, we particularly owe to God, and
which, in general, is expreffed by the term
piety. And here it is to be obferved, that
true piety, or refpect, is purely mental, and
confiſts in a juſt and worthy fenfe of God be-
ing impreffed upon and cherished in the
mind, and the mind's being fuitably affected
therewith. As to what is external in reli-
gion, that, I think, is not, properly ſpeak-
ing, reſpect or piety itſelf, but is only rela-
tive to it, as it ferves to express it, and to
excite and increaſe it; feeing what is exter-
nal may take place, when, and where real
piety, or refpect, is wanting. This is very
juftly
R 2
244
The Author's Farewel.
justly and truly expreffed by Jefus Chrift,
John iv. 23, 24. The hour cometh, and now
is, when the true worshippers shall worship
the father in fpirit and in truth, [or in fin-
cerity] for the father feeketh fuch to wor-
Ship him. God is a ſpirit; and they that
worship him [that is, that worship him ac-
ceptably] muſt worship him in spirit and in
truth. This, I think, is a very just repre-
ſentation of that piety, or reſpect, which is
due to God, from his intelligent creatures;
and this, I apprehend, is grounded upon,
and reſults from, a juſt and proper ſenſe of
the goodness and benignity of the Deity. For,
tho' the power and greatness of God, his im-
menfity, eternity, and his other natural pro-
perties, may raiſe our wonder and astonish-
ment, and greatly excite our fears; yet it is
not thefe, but the divine kindness and bene-
olence, which excite a venerable and grateful
refpect to the Deity. When we take a view
of God's works, fo far as they come within
our notice, and obferve how the divine
power, and the divine intelligence, have been
wonderfully employed, to answer the gra-
cious purpoſes of goodness and beneficence,
how each fpecies of animals are prepared to
Share in the divine kindneſs, that there is a
plen-
The Author's Farewel. 245
plentiful provision made to uphold them in
life, and to give them pleaſure, fuitable to
the time of their stay here, and the part
they are to act, and how the whole is wifely
conducted to anſwer the purpoſe of a publick
or general good; this naturally tends to ex-
cite in us, towards the Deity, that worship,
that respect, which confifts in, and is com-
pounded of, the moſt humble gratitude and
love. And, when a juft fenfe of the divine
benignity is thus duly impreffed upon, and
cheriſhed in the mind, it then naturally
leads us, not only to admire, but alſo to
imitate, the Deity, according to our meaſure
and degree, and as far as the frailty of our
natures will admit. Do the divine good-
nefs, the divine benevolence, render the Deity
truly lovely and amiable to all beholders?
Then, the like difpofition and the like conduct
will most certainly render us fo. And this
will naturally lead us to look round, (fo
far as our ſphere of obfervation and ability
extends) and fee who there are, that can re-
ceive any alleviation of their grief, or any
increaſe of their happiness, by our means;
who there are, whoſe burthens we can
lighten, or remove, or whofe diftreffes and
difficulties we can relieve them from; who
R 3
there
246 The Author's Farewel.
there are, that are helpless and friendless, in
any reſpect, that we can be friends to, and
then readily and chearfully come in to their
aid. This is that worship, that respect,
which is due to God, as the kind creator,
and tender parent of his creatures; and,
where this takes place, God is worſhipped in
Spirit and in truth, and ſuch worshippers
are really and truly pious or religious men.
I HAVE already obferved, that the externals
of religion are not real piety or refpect itself,
but only are either figns and tokens of it, or
elfe are means to excite and encreaſe it. I
here further obferve, that theſe outward
figns, fuch as uncovering the head, lifting
up the hands and eyes, bowing the body,
laying the hand upon the heart, fmiting
upon the breaſt, and the like actions, are not
natural marks of piety or reſpect, but are
arbitrarily made to be fo, by custom, or
otherwiſe; nor does real piety always attend
them, but they may be performed (when
they appear to be directed to God, or to
men) either out of cuftom and form, or out
of hypocrify, with an intent thereby to de-
ceive the fpectators. And, as real piety is
internal and mental, and the tokens or marks
of it are external and viſible; ſo, whether
the
The Author's Farewel.
247
the latter are the produce of the former, and
are certain attendants upon it, or not, this,
in general, probably, God only is the judge
of, who, probably, only knows the fecrets
of men's hearts, and what are the real
Springs of action to them. And, as this is
the cafe, with regard to thofe actions that
are uſed as marks of inward piety or reſpect;
fo the cafe is the fame, with regard to all
other externals in religion, of which pub-
lick, focial, and vifible piety is compounded,
and by which it is expreffed; fuch as pray-
ers, Jacraments, and the like, and which,
in the general, come under the denomina-
tion of pofitive duties or inftitutions; theſe
may be the means of exciting piety in the
mind, or of increafing it, as they may excite
and ſtir up, in the mind, proper reflections,
with regard to the Deity, and thereby ftir
up, and heighten, proper affections to him.
But then, the bare ufe of thefe is not piety
itſelf, ſeeing they may be performed out of
form, and for faſhion fake; like as what
ufually takes place among fashionable people,
viz. I am, Sir, your very humble fervant,
when there is no fervice intended, nor ex-
pected, nor any humility in the cafe; and as
they may be done with a view to deceive
others,
R 4
248 The Author's Farewel.
others, by leading them to think the per-
former is a pious man, when in reality that
is not the cafe. And as publick and exter-
nal religion has it's uſes, as publick reſpect
is paid to the Deity, or, at leaſt, there is
the appearance of ſuch reſpect being paid,
and thereby a fenfe of God is kept up in the
world; as by it fome men are led to fuch
ferious reflections, and their attention is
called into fuch fubjects, which, otherwiſe,
their other affairs would divert them from ;
and the like; fo it is liable to anſwer fome
bad purpoſes alfo, as it leads fome men to
fufpect all, who appear to be affected with
external religion, to be hypocrites, when, in
many instances, the cafe is otherwife; as by
it men deceive and impofe upon others, by
ufing it as a veil of hypocrify, wherewith to
cover their base defigns; and as thereby
had men may deceive themſelves, by think-
ing that the bare uſe of external piety makes
them truly religious, when they have only
the outward fhew and appearance of it.
ALAS! The most conftant attendance on
daily prayers and weekly or monthly facra-
ments, if a juſt and worthy fenfe of God,
and a true and proper veneration of him,
be not ſtirred up and promoted thereby,
thefe
The Author's Farewel.
249
theſe are ſo far from conftituting real piety,
that they are rather the reverse; eſpecially
if an improper and unworthy image of the
Deity be pictured on the mind thereby.
For men to pretend to venerate the Deity,
by fuch acts of piety, as aforefaid, whilft they
conceive him to be an arbitrary, partial,
ill-natured being, who watches for the halt-
ings of his creatures, that he may take oc-
cafion from it to make them miſerable, is
most preposterous. To fuppofe that the Deity
called into being the fpecies of mankind,
and placed them in fo hazardous a ftate, as
that it is ten thousand to one againſt them,
that they will all tranfgrefs, in ſome inftan-
ces; and then to make each fingle miſcar-
riage the ground of his higheft difpleaſure,
and of making them, in time to come,
greatly and laftingly miferable, were they
not ranſomed, or bought off, by fome valu-
able confideration, paid to the Deity, by a
divine Redeemer; this, furely, is placing
the Deity in a very bad light, and conceiv-
ing moſt unworthily of him, and, therefore,
muſt needs be contrary to true piety. And
yet the forementioned principles are, by
fome, made the ground and foundation of
prayers and facraments, and their conftant
atten-
250 The Author's Farewel.
attendance on thefe lead them to think
themſelves truly pious, notwithſtanding
their unworthy conceptions of God, and
how degenerated foever their affections and
actions may be. And, tho' this kind of piety
may leave fome men as it finds them, viz.
good men, or bad men, without making
them to be better, or worse, as it is portable
with either character; yet, it is to be feared,
that fometimes it greatly enfeebles men's cb.
ligations to a& properly in other reſpects, by
leading them to think their zeal for, and
conftant attendance on, external religion,
will excuſe and make up for their defects, in
other parts of their duty.
of their duty. It is alſo compa-
tible with all, even the moſt oppofite vices;
as a man may be a conftant attendant on the
feveral branches of external piety, and be
alſo too much penurious, or too waſteful and
extravagant. This fort of piety is ufually
deemed to be of great importance, and great
Stress is laid upon it, inasmuch as the fre-
quent ufe of it commonly conſtitutes the
character of a very pious man, and the ge-
neral neglect of it conftitutes the oppofite
character. Yea, fuch great stress is laid
upon this kind of piety, that if the new-
born infant be thought at the point of
death,
The Author's Farewel.
251
death, the Prieſt is hurried away, with the
utmoſt hafte, to ſprinkle fome water on it'
face, which is called baptizing it, thereby
to fecure it from paffing into a ſtate of mi-
fery and thoſe alfo who die at riper years,
are confidered as making an improper and
unchriftian exit, except they have their paff-
port figned and fealed, by prieſtly abfolution,
and by a participation of the other Sacrament,
as it is called. Not, but, I think, the efficacy of
the Sacraments is rendered unintelligible, by
the forms of adminiftration, in our book of
common-prayer. Thus, in the form of
baptiſm for infants, the Prieft is directed to
put up the following petition, Almighty
and everlasting God, -regard, we beseech
thee, the fupplications of thy congregation,
fanctify this water to the mystical washing
away of fin, &c. What is here meant by
the mystical washing away of fin, and how
the fprinkling a little confecrated water, (as
it is called) on the face of an infant, is fub-
Servient thereto, are points hard to be con-
ceived. And thus, in the form for the cele-
bration of the holy communion, the Prieſt
is directed to addrefs the communicant, in
the following words, The body, (or rather
more properly, and according to proteftan-
tifm,
*
252 The Author's Farewel.
tifm, the bread I now offer to thee, as a
fign, token, or memorial of the body) of
our Lord Jefus Chrift, which was given for
thee, preferve thy body and foul unto everlaſt-
ing life: Again, the blood (or rather, more
properly, the wine I now offer to thee, as a
fign, token, or memorial of the blood) of
our Lord Jefus Chrift, which was ſhed for
thee, preferve thy body and foul unto everlaſt-
ing life. What is here meant, by preſerving
the body and foul unto everlaſting life, and
how the paffing of the elements of bread and
wine into the ftomach of the receiver, is a
means to that end, feem to me unintelligible.
And, tho' it is added, take and eat this, in
remembrance that Chrift died for thee, and
feed on him in thy heart by faith, with
thankſgiving; drink this in remembrance,
that Chrift's blood was fhed for thee, and be
thankful; this does not explain the thing at
all, as it is only an exhortation, to the re-
ceiver, to remember, that Chrift
gave his
body, and thed his blood, for him, and to be
thankful for the fame. And this leads me
to obferve, that external piety is compatible,
as well with ignorance, as with vice. For, tho',
perhaps, it may not readily be admitted, that
ignorance is the mother of this kind of piety;
yet,
i
The Author's Farewel. 253
yet, ſurely, it muſt be allowed to be compa-
tible with it. And, tho' our publick forms
are expreffed in our own tongue; yet, as it
may juſtly be feared thefe are too often run
over by rote, ſo it is highly probable, they
are as little understood, by fome, as if they
were expreffed in a foreign language.
AND as external piety is portable with
all characters; ſo there are great plenty of
materials provided, to render it practicable
to all, as well to the ignorant and vicious,
as to the more knowing and virtuous. For,
befide our publick prayers, manuals of de-
votion, daily facrifices, week's preparati-
ons, facrifices of the altar, and fuch like
abound, and make a confiderable article in
the printer's and bookſeller's trade. So that
if a man, of any character, be diſpoſed to be
greatly pious in this way, if he be not ad-
dicted to variety, he may purchaſe, for a
fmall fum of money, as many materials of
this fort, when carefully uſed, as will ferve
him all his life. And, as the materials for
external piety are, to fome, a valuable
treaſure, by which they are prepared and
qualified to addrefs the Deity, at all times,
and under all circumſtances, as well in fick-
nefs as in health, both in profperity and
ad-
254 The Author's Farewel.
adverſity; ſo there are others, who ſee theſe
in a very contemptible light, notwithſtanding
they do not exclude all externals from reli-
gion: Theſe pious compofitions are looked
upon, by fome, as fubfervient only to a
dead, formal, fpiritlefs devotion; or, at moft,
that the ſpirit, in it's operations, is greatly li-
mitted and confined, in the uſe of them. Theſe
men are for unpremeditated, extemporary
or off-hand piety, if it may be fo called,
which gives room for the Spirit to open and
enlarge itſelf upon the mind, and which
enables the leader in devotion, in his addreffes
to God, to exprefs himſelf readily, aptly, and
copiouſly, upon every branch of piety he may
be exerciſed in; and alfo to diverfify the
terms he uſes, that thereby the very appea-
rance of form and compofition may carefully
be avoided. Thus, in addreffing the Deity,
the petitioner prays for the forgiveness of
fins, at one time, the blotting out tranfgref-
fions, at another, the cafting away iniquities
at another, and ſo on : and thus, the fruitful
conceptions of the perfon engaged, or the
outgoings of the Spirit, or both, are exem-
plified thereby. Not but fometimes the
leader, in this kind of devotion, is greatly
at a loſs in this reſpect, being forced, as it
were,
The Author's Farewel. 255
were, to torture his conceiving power, to find
out words and requeſts, that may be deemed
proper to each article of piety he is imme-
diately concerned with, and to ſpin out the
time to a convenient length, and, which,
upon fome occafions, (perhaps, on days of
humiliation, as they are called) is greatly
extended; and thus heaven is, as it were,
taken by force. But then, what is all this
ftriving, this wrestling with the Deity for?
Or what purpoſe is ferved by it? Not,
furely, to pleaſe God, that moſt perfect in-
telligence and boundleſs goodneſs, with
whom an honest heart, and an upright life,
which is worthy of, and fuitable to our intel-
ligent natures, muft needs be the most accep-
table Sacrifice; and to whom the greatly
multiplying of words muft be, (if I may be
allowed to uſe Solomon's fimilitude) like the
crackling of thorns under a pot. What pur
poſe then can it ferve? Why, by the making
a fmooth, pathetick and extenfive addrefs
to the Deity, the leader in devotion may
work upon the paſſions, and thereby pleaſe
the pious, tho', otherwife, fickle congregation,
he prays with and for; and, whilſt he is
thus feeding them with spiritual food, he
may ſtrengthen his own hope of partaking
1
with
256 The Author's Farewel.
return.
with them, of their carnal good things, in
However, I beg leave to remind
my Readers, that, amidſt all the pious
hurry and buffle, that takes place in the
world, of this kind, whether among the
formalifts, or the fpiritualifts, (if they may
be thus diftinguifhed) true piety is internal
and mental, and confifts not in externals,
but in a just and worthy fenfe of God, in
fuitable affections to him, and in a proper ve-
neration of him; and that external religion
is no otherwiſe relative to true piety, than as
it ſerves to exprefs it, or to excite and in-
creaſe it. And tho' there is a propriety and
decency, if I may ſo ſpeak, in the creatures
publickly and thankfully acknowledging, by
fome external actions, their relation to, and
dependence, upon God, and the manifold
benefits they have received from him; yet,
furely, fuch acknowledgments can be no
farther, nor otherwife, valuable and pleafing
to the Deity, than as they terminate in thoſe
creatures good. Men, vain and weak men,
may be highly delighted with pompous ad-
dreffes, publick acclamations, and folemn
thankſgivings, and be greatly pleaſed with
the trumpeters of their praife; but then to
conceive thus of the Deity, is to clothe him
with
I
The Author's Farewel.
257
with human weakness. This planet, with all
it's inhabitants, are but as the dust of the
balance, when compared with the universe,
with all the reft of God's works; and,
therefore, to think that the praiſes and ac-
knowledgments of the greatest collection of
intelligent beings, that ever was upon the
earth, when offered to God, in whoſe fight
they muſt all appear, as it were, leſs than
nothing and vanity, can be any otherwiſe,
or upon any other account, pleafing and
acceptable to him, than as they are ſubſer-
vient to the practitioner's good, is to conceive
meanly and unworthily of that great and
moſt perfect mind. To tell the Deity, that
he is infinitely great, and wife, and good,
and to fing anthems and hallelujahs to his
praiſe; theſe, if performed folemnly and
mufically, may ftrike the fenfes and give
pleaſure to the audience; but, furely, ſuch
compliments as theſe can miniſter no pleaſure
to God, who does not need to be told what
he is, or what he does; nor can he be plea-
fed therewith, any otherwife than as his
creatures well-doing is promoted thereby.
The cafe is the fame with refpect to all
pofitive infiitutions, whether they be con-
fidered to be of a divine original, or only of
human
S
258 The Author's Farewel.
human appointment; feeing that does not
alter their natures nor their uſes. And as
to God's glory; the excellencies and perfec-
tions of his nature, with the use and applica-
tion of them in the creation and govern-
ment of the universe, theſe only conſtitute the
true glory of God, and befpeak or fhew forth
his praife; nor does any thing that is fpo-
ken of him, or done to him, or for him,
by his creatures, (could fuch a thing
thing be)
contribute at all thereto. Men
may, in-
deed, conceive and Speak honourably of God,
and may, by words or actions, declare, or
ſhew forth to others, the fenfe they have of
his glory; but then, this does not add to it
at all, by making him more glorious, or by
Shewing him to be fo; becauſe his glory ap-
pears from a perception and confideration of
his works themſelves, and not from what
may be ſpoken of them by another. God's
reputation, his honour and glory, are what
they are, independent of the conceptions, the
actions, and the declarations of his creatures;
and, therefore, for men to pretend to do
honour and give glory to God, properly
ſpeaking, muſt needs be moft childiſh and
vain. And, indeed, in fome of thoſe ways
in which men think they do honour and
give
The Author's Farewel. 259
give glory to God, they only fhew their low
and unworthy conceptions of him. Thus,
men ſet apart a houſe for the fervice of God,
as it is called) they ftile it God's house, they
greatly beautify and richly adorn it, in hò-
nour to God, as they think, or at leaſt pre-
tend; as if thereby God became more
nearly related to one part of ſpace than to
another, and that he was pleased with, as
being honoured by, the coftly and pompous
furniture of an houfe; when, not only the
earth but the univerfe is the Lord's, with
the fulness thereof; and when they are
the operations of nature that fhew forth
God's glory, and not the faint refemblances
of them, drawn by the pencil of human art.
AND as facraments, ordinances, or pofi-
tive inſtitutions, do not operate by way of
charm, nor do they, nor can they, operate
phyfically, but only morally, upon the hu-
man mind fo it muft, in the very nature
of the thing, be quite indifferent who they
are adminiftered by; whether by one ap-
pointed and fet apart for that purpofe, or by
any other indifferent perfon: becauſe the
influence, or efficacy, of fuch facrament, or
ordinance, does not at all arife from, nor
depend upon the adminiftrator; but only,
$ 2
and
260 The Author's Farewel.
and wholly, upon the right use and applica-
tion of it, by and to the receiver. Suppofe
a man to be plunged under water (which,
when religiouſly applied, is called baptizing
him) by a perſon fet apart for that
pur-
pofe; fuch immerſion can have no religious
influence upon the perfon fo plunged, but as
he ſeriouſly reflects upon, and applies it to
himſelf; and this efficacy it will equally and
as effectually have, when thus applied, whe-
ther he who baptized had any defignation
to that office, or not. The cafe is the fame
in the adminiſtration of the facrament of the
Lord's fupper, as it is called; ſuppoſing that
facrament to be adminiſtered by a good man.
or a bad man, by one fet apart for that
purpoſe, or not. For, as the eating bread
and drinking wine in a religious manner,
viz. in remembrance of Jeſus Chriſt and
in obedience to his command, cannot poffibly
have any phyſical influence upon the hu-
man mind, nor can it otherwife operate, or
have any efficacy, than by ferious reflection
and confideration; fo, it is moft apparent,
that fuch operation, or efficacy, cannot pof-
fibly depend upon the administrator, but
only, and wholly, upon the receiver, as he
properly, and aptly, ufes and applies thofe
outward
The Author's Farewel.
261
+
outward actions or figns to himſelf. The
cafe is the fame in all other inftitutions of
a like nature; and alſo in the adminiſtration
of the word, as it is called. The efficacy of
the word preached has no dependence upon
the regular and proper ordination of the
preacher, but only on the attention of the
hearer, and his practical application of it to
himſelf; which efficacy it will equally, and
as effectually, have, when thus carefully and
ſeriouſly attended to, and thus applied, whe-
ther preached by a Priest or a Peaſant.
To pretend, therefore, that the efficacy of
the word and facraments depends on the
regular ordination of the adminiftrator to
the prieſtly office, is a kind of religious bul-
lying, or carrying a caufe by meer dint of
affurance. If it fhould be faid, that the
efficacy of the word and facraments confifts
in the communication of divine grace to the
receiver, which communication of grace
does not ariſe from, nor depend upon, the
will, intention, attention, or application of
the receiver, but altogether upon the word
and facraments being duly administered by
one who has been regularly fet apart to the
Prieftly office. Anſwer: Tho' the word grace,
in our prefent view of it, is altogether unin-
S 3
telligible;
262 The Author's Farewel.
telligible; yet the communication of it (what-
ever it be) muſt be either natural, or ſuper-
natural: if natural, then the cafe muſt be
as has been obferved above; for, as the
word and facraments do not, nor can they
poffibly have a physical*, but only a moral
operation upon the human mind; fo the
grace, communicated by fuch operation,
cannot at all depend upon the ordination of
the adminiſtrator, but altogether upon the
due attention, and proper application, of the
receiver, as hath been fhewn above: And
if, in the prefent cafe, grace is communica-
ted fupernaturally; then it does not depend
upon the adminiftrator of the word and fa-
craments, nor on the receiver, nor, indeed,
upon the uſe of theſe, but altogether upon
the good pleasure of God the giver, who
can communicate grace, altogether as well
without the uſe of thefe, as with it; feeing
the uſe of the word and facraments is not, in
the leaft, fubfervient thereto. If, after
what has been obferved, it fhould ſtill be
infifted
*Infant-circumcifion, as among the Jews; Infant-
communion, in the Lord's fupper, as among the antient
chriſtians; and Infant-baptifm, as among us; theſe,
furely, were not, nor can they be, of any effect: be-
cauſe they cannot poffibly have any influence, or effi-
cacy, on the mind of the receiver.
The Author's Farewel.
263
infifted on, that grace is communicated in
and through the ufe of the word and facra-
ments; and that ſuch communication de-
pends upon the adminiftrator's being duly
fet apart and ordained to the prieſtly
office; then the anſwer is, that this is not
argument, or proof, but mere dogmatiſm.
And as facraments, or pofitive inftitu-
tions, are conftituted of corporeal or bodily
actions, which are arbitrarily made to be
ligns or tokens of what the inftitutor pleaſes;
fo to fpiritualize thefe, or uſe them fpiri-
tually, (as I apprehend the people called
Quakers pretend to do) this feems, to me,
to be greatly abfurd, or, at leaſt, to be alto-
gether unintelligible. Thus, to wash a perfon
with, or to plunge him under water, įs ar-
bitrarily made a token of that perfon's being
voluntarily diſcipled to Chriſt, or his having
chofen Christ for his master; and thus, when
two or three are gathered together in
Christ's name, or in obedience to his command,
and break and eat bread, and drink wine,
(which is commonly called chriftian commu-
nion) theſe corporeal actions are arbitrarily
made a fign, token, or memorial of the
death and ſufferings of their master; and are
the appointed means, by which his memory
$
4
is
264
The Author's Farewel.
is to be perpetuated: but then, that there
corporeal or bodily actions can be fpirituali-
zed, or be ſpiritually performed, is as hard
to conceive, as that, at the general refur-
rection, man fhall be raiſed with a Spiritual
body (1 Cor. xv. 44. It is fown a natural
body, it is raised a fpiritual body. There is a
natural body, and there is a spiritual body)
when ſpirit and body are conceived to be
two oppofites in nature, ſo that one cannot be
the other, at the fame time; and, confe-
quently, the fame fimple identical thing
cannot be both. If it fhould be faid, that
outward or water-baptifm was alfo made a
vifible fign of an inward renovation of mind,
which renovation was fuppofed to have taken
place in the perfon baptized; and that, by
fpiritual baptifm, the Quakers intend this
inward renovation, according to what John
the baptiſt he fet forth, Matthew iii. 11. I
indeed baptize you with water unto repen-
tance (or in token of an inward renova-
tion, wrought in the perfon baptized) but
be that cometh after me, is mightier than I,
whofe shoes I am not worthy to bear; be ſhall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with
fire. Anfwer: admitting this, it alters not
the cafe; becaufe, in this view of it, the
corporeal
The Author's Farewel. 265
corporeal actions and things which conſti-
tute baptiſm are totally dropped, and there-
fore are not ſpiritually performed, nor fpi-
ritualized, nor is there any kind or fort of
baptiſm uſed in the cafe. For, tho' there
may be what baptifm is made the fign or
token of; yet as the token is wanting, fo
baptiſm, which is that token, muſt be want-
ing alfo. I have already obferved, that bo-
dily or corporeal actions, or things, cannot
be ſpiritualized, nor be performed ſpiritu-
ally; and as baptifm is conftituted of bodily
or corporeal actions and things, that are
arbitrarily made figns and tokens of fome-
thing elſe; fo the nature of the thing does
not admit of their being fpiritualized, or of
their being performed fpiritually; and which,
I think, must be the cafe of all inftitutions
of like kind. As to what John the baptift
faid, of baptizing with the Holy Ghost and
with fire, thefe words, when read, or heard,
can impreſs no other images on the mind,
than the bare ideas of characters, or founds;
as they, when put together, have no other
meaning, than what each reader, or hearer,
is pleaſed arbitrarily to annex to them. To
baptize (according to the ideas which com-
mon ufage has annexed to thoſe words) is to
wafts
266 The Author's Farewel.
waſh a thing or perfon with, or to plunge
it under water or fome other fluid; and,
therefore, thoſe words, baptizing with the
holy ghost and with fire, cannot impreſs any
image upon the mind, that is relative
to baptifm, as they are altogether unin-
telligible, and are no more expreffive of
that ordinance, than thoſe words, he fhall
baptize you with walking and talking;
walking and talking being as relative
to, and as expreffive of, baptifm as ghoſt
and fire. And were it to be faid, that John
Baptiſt gave the fign viz. water-baptiſm, but
it is Jefus Chrift who gives the thing, viz. in-
ward regeneration, this would be quite tri-
fling; becaufe where there is not the thing,
there cannot be the fign, non-entity having
no fign. Where there is no fubftance, there
can be no fhadow; and where there is no
thing, there can be no fign or token of that
thing; baptifm therefore cannot be a fign of
what is not. The quoting the words of
John Baptift, in the prefent cafe, I think,
can anſwer no other purpoſe, than the in-
troducing one abfurd or unintelligible propo-
fition, (if it may be fo called) by way of
grace and ornament, and to give countenance
to another. The Quakers, in thus ſpiritu-
alizing the chriftian inftitutions, as they are
called,
The Author's Farewel.
267
called, feem to have copied after the exam-
ple of St. Paul, who thus fpiritualized or
allegorized (if thoſe terms may be allowed
to fignify the fame thing) the inftitutions of
Mofes, and the history of the antient Patriarchs,
without any ground, or any authority, that
appears, fave that of an indulged or fruitful
fancy. Thus, Galatians iv. 21-26. Tell
me, ye that defire to be under the law, do ye not
bear the law? (or rather, do you not hear
the patriarchal hiftory?) for it is written,
(not in the law, but in the hiftory of the
hebrew patriarchs) that Abraham had two
fons, the one by a bond maid, the other by a
free woman; but he who was of the bond
woman, was born after the flesh: But he of
the free woman was by promife. Which
things are an allegory; for thefe are the two
covenants; the one from the mount Sinai,
which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and
anfwereth to Jerufalem which now is, and is
in bondage with her children. But Jerufalem
which is above, is free, which is the mother
of us all. Here St. Paul declares that
Abraham's two fons, viz. Ishmael and Ifaac,
(the former a Baftard, which he hau sy a
bond fervant, the latter his lawful heir,
which
2
268
The Author's Farewel.
which he had by Sarah his wife) are an al-
legory of two covenants; by which, I ap-
prehend, St. Paul meant, that the two
fons of Abraham were a kind of natural em-
blems, or reprefentations, of the two covenants
he referred to, as the principal circumstances
that attended each cafe were fimilar to each
other; and that the former was introduced,
and intended by providence, to point out the
latter. I fay, this, or fomething like this,
feems to be intended by the Apoſtle; or
elfe we ſhall be at a lofs to know what he
intended by an allegory; and, confe-
quently, we fhall be in the dark, with ref-
pect to the whole. And here the queſtion
will be, how came theſe two fons of Abra-
bam to be an allegory of the two covenants
referred to; feeing the former do not ap-
pear to be natural emblems of the latter, by
a fimilitude of circumftances with each other,
fo as for one to be pointed out by the other?
The anſwer to this queftion, therefore,
muſt be this, viz. that it is an allegory of
St. Paul's making, or that it has no other
foundation than in the Apoftle's imagination;
who might as well, and as juftly, have alle-
gorized any other branch of hiftory, and
found his two covenants in it, as in this;
feeing
The Author's Farewel. 269
feeing in this he has made but a poor hand
of it. The Apoſtle having introduced the
two fons of Abraham, to exerciſe his alle-
gorizing talent upon; and having obſerved,
that one of theſe was by a bond woman, and
the other by a woman that was free, he
adds, which things are an allegory, for thefe
are the two covenants; by which, furely,
he muft mean, that by theſe the two co-
venants were pointed out: But then, how
theſe two covenants were emblematically
pointed out* thereby, may, perhaps, greatly
puzzle our moſt ſkilful allegorizers, or
dealers in allegory, plainly to make appear.
Ishmael, it is true, was of a bond woman,
and Iſaac by a woman that was free; but
then, as theſe fons of Abraham were both
perfect men, one (for any thing that ap-
pears) was as free from blemish, or any de-
fect
* Parables ſeem to be a proper means of inftruction,
by leading men to ſee that in a foreign cafe, which they
may not fo eaſily and readily fee in their own; as the
parable of the ewe-lamb in David's cafe, 2 Sam. xii.
but then allegorizing, or turning of facts and ſubſtances
into emblems, types and fhadows, as it is reverfing of
nature, by making the fhadow take place before the ſub-
ftance; or oppofite to, and against nature, by turning a
real fact or ſubſtance into a meer fhadow; ſo it does not
miniſter much inftruction, but rather anſwers the pur-
poſes of crafty deſigning men, by putting it into their
power to lead weak credulous people into whatever
they pleaſe.
270 The Author's Farewel.
fect in his conftitution, as the other; fo,
from hence it ſeems difficult to fhew, how
two very different covenants could poffibly
be pointed out thereby. And fuppofing
Ishmael was born in fornication, and of a
woman that was a flave; yet, furely, nei-
ther a Bastard, nor a Vafal, can poffibly be
a proper emblem of any law, covenant, or
diſpenſation that comes from the moſt perfect
rectitude, or the perfection of wisdom and
goodneſs, which is the cafe of the fupreme
Deity. St. Paul has alfo obferved, that he
who was of the bond woman was born after
the flesh, but he of the free woman was by
promife. The diftinction that is made of
Ifmael's being born after the flesh comes
to nought, becauſe his brother Ifaac was
born after the fleth alfo: For, tho' the
vigour of Abraham's conftitution may have
been miraculously restored; yet, when it was
reſtored, what was produced by it, was as
much, and as truly of, or after the flesh, as
what was produced by it before it's decay;
and fuppofing Iſaac had been promiſed to
Abraham, and Ishmael was not, the queſtion
is, how are two different covenants pointed
out thereby? St. Paul proceeds, but
withal feems to drop the allegory arifing
from
The Author's Farewel.
271
from Ishmael and Ifaac, and introduces
fomething else, viz. the two different places
thoſe covenants were delivered from, namely,
the mount Sinai in Arabia, and Jerufalem
that is above; and from thence he would
infer the excellence and preferableneſs of
one of theſe covenants, to the other. But,
in order to fee the force of the Apoſtles ar-
gument, I think, the 25th verse must be
put in a parenthefis, and a fupplement muſt
be added to verſe 26. and then it may
be read as followeth, beginning at verſe 24.
Which things are an allegory; for thefe are
the two covenants; the one is from the mount
Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is
Agar (for this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,
which anfwereth to Jerufalem which now is,
and is in bondage with her children) and the
other is from Jerufalem that is above, which
is free, and which is the mother of us all.
Here the Apoſtle argues from the places
whence thoſe covenants are fuppoſed to
come, and faith that the first came from Agar,
or mount Sinai in Arabia, which Sinai,
he faith, gendereth to bondage; but how
the mount Sinai gendered (whatever be
meant by gendering) to bondage, more
than any other mountain or place, is hard
to
272
The Author's Farewel.
to conceive. Befides, the Mofaic bondage
arofe from the law or covenant itself, and
not from the place where that law was firft
promulged. St. Paul adds, that this Sinai
in Arabia anfwereth to Jerufalem, which
now is, and is in bondage with her children.
The bondage referred to, and complained of,
was what lay upon the Jews, from the giv-
ing the first covenant, and all the time that
covenant lafted; and, therefore, Sinai
could not more anfwer, nor be more relative
to Jerufalem, than to any other city or
place in Judea; nor does the bondage of
that law at all appear to be pointed out
thereby. The other covenant is ſaid to
come from Jerufalem that is above, which
is free, and is the mother of us all; but
then, what St. Paul meant by Jerufalem
that is above, what by her being free, and
what by her being the mother of us all,
is fcarce conceivable. If, by the last cove-
nant's coming from Jerufalem that is above,
be meant it's coming from God; then, that
fuppofes the first covenant did not come from
God, but was only the produce of human
weakness; and, indeed, this is the only fenfe
in which any part of St. Paul's reaſoning
feems at all to his purpose. For, if the first
covenant
The Author's Farewel. 273
covenant was from mount Sinai in Arabia,
that is, was from below, or of men; then,
it may well be expected to have thoſe
weakneſſes and imperfections which the
Apoftle charges it with, and which all bu-
man compoſitions are liable to: and, if the
other covenant was from Jerufalem that is
above, that is from God; then, it may
fairly be ſuppoſed to have thofe excellencies
and perfections, as are fuitable to that most
perfect intelligence it came from. St. Paul
having thus raiſed an argument, in favour
of the ſecond covenant, from the place it
came from; he, then, as at verſe 27,
ſeems to take wing, and fly as far from his
fubject, as the East is from the Weft. For
it is written, rejoyce thou barren that bear-
eft not; break forth and cry, thou that tra-
vaileft not for the defolate hath many more
children than fhe which hath an husband.
Good God! what connection, or relation,
hath this quotation to the aforefaid allegory?
furely, none at all. Or what ground of joy
can it be, to a barren woman, that harlots
have many more children than thoſe women
that have bushands? feeing ſhe has neither
lefs nor more; nor is it yet, perhaps, very
clear, from fact, that whores have many
T
more
274
The Author's Farewel.
more children, than honest women, but ra-
ther the contrary; tho', hereby, the apoſtle,
indeed, has given learned and artful com-
mentators a fair opportunity of fhewing
their dexterity, in diſcovering connections
and relations where there are none in na-
ture. St. Paul having taken a flight, as
aforeſaid, he returned to his allegory; and
this he ſeems to do by way of application,
verfes 28, 29. Now we, brethren, as Ifaac
was, are the children of promife. But as
then he that was born after the flesh per-
fecuted him who was born after the spirit,
even ſo it is now. The bebrew hiftorian
faith, (as at Genefis xxi. 9.) and Sarah faw
the Son of Hagar the Egyptian, which ſhe
had born unto Abraham, mocking; but gives
no account what that mocking was, nor
who it was directed to; fo that, for any
thing that appears, Ifaac may have been out
of the queſtion: And fuppofing that h
mael mocked Ifaac; yet, it must needs have
been but a very trifling injury to him, as
he was but a child that had then been
weaned; whereas Ishmael fuffered a much
more grievous and beavy perfecution, on ac-
count thereof; inafmuch, as he, who was
but a lad, was, with his mother, turned
adrift
3
The Author's Farewel.
275
adrift in the world, to ſhift for themſelves,
with no other proviſion than fome bread and
a bottle of water; fo that he who was born
after the flesh (as St. Paul calls it) feems
to have been the much greater ſufferer.
Theſe are ſome of the wanderings of this
great man.
may
WHETHER there are any Sacraments, or
pofitive inftitutions, of this fort, that may
properly be deemed acts of piety, which are
of a divine original, is a point that, perhaps,
admit of fome doubt or difpute. As
to the inftitutions of Mofes, they ſeem to
have been treated difrefpectfully by two of the
apoftles of Chrift, viz. St.. Peter, and St.
Paul; by whom they ſeem to be confidered,
as below, and unworthy of the fupreme
Deity. Thus, St. Peter, fpeaking of the
Moſaick inftitutions, Acts xv. 10. calls them
a Yoke, which neither their fathers nor they
were able to bear; and if the cafe was as St.
Peter hath averred, then, furely, this in-
fupportable burthen ought not to have boen
lain upon them; and, confequently, the
galling the necks of that people with this
grievous yoke, or the laying ſuch an un-
reaſonable taxation upon them, could not
poffibly have been the act of the fupreme
Deity;
T 2
276 The Author's Farewel.
Deity; becauſe, it is not to be fuppofed, or
admitted, that God would act fo unkindly,
fo unworthily, by any of his creatures, much
lefs would he deal thus with his peculiar
and favourite people, as the fews were con-
fidered, or, at leaft, as they confidered
themſelves to be; nor, furely, would it
have been an act of kindness to the Jews,
for the Deity to have given them fuch a
burthenfome law, which, yet, I apprehend,
it is judged to have been. St. Paul, like-
wife, not only fixed the fame brand of infa-
my upon thoſe inftitutions, in Galatians v.
1. but he alſo called them carnal ordinances,
as in Hebrews ix. to. and weak and beggarly
elements, as in Galatians iv. 9. which con-
temptuous characters, furely, would not have
been fixed upon thefe inftitutions by St.
Paul, had he confidered them to have been
of a divine original. And, as to the inſtitu-
tions of Christ they do not appear to be re-
lative to the fupreme God, but only to the
difciples of Chrift and their mafter; and if
that be the cafe, then, they are not to be
confidered as acts of worship or external pi-
ety, and, confequently, are out of the prefent
queftion. Thus, baptifm feems to be infti-
tuted, and intended, only as a mark, or vi-
fible
The Author's Farewel.
277
fible token, of voluntary difcipleship to
Chrift, Matthew xxviii. 19. And the Lord's
Supper feems intended to awaken, and keep
alive, upon the minds of Chrift's followers,
a juſt and worthy fenfe of the beautiful cha-
racter of their mafter, Luke xxii. 19. To
which we may add the washing of feet,
which feems to bear fome refemblance to a
pofitive inſtitution; this feems deſigned, and
intended, to imprefs ftrongly, upon the
minds of Chrift's difciples, a fenſe of that
friendly and brotherly behaviour, (even to
the perfonal performance of the meaneft
offices in life) which he defired they would
exercife, one to another, as bearing the cha-
racter of his diſciples; of which he gave it
them in charge, that, in this particular,
they were to imitate him; fuppofing it to
be greatly prepofterous for the fervants, or
difciples, to be above any thing that was
not below their lord and mafter, John xiii.
4-17. Thefe, I think, are the principal
of thoſe pofitive inftitutions, which, with
us, are confidered to be of a divine ori-
ginal.
As to prayer, a queftion may arife, whe-
ther it is a part of natural religion, or whe-
ther it is to be conſidered as a poſitive infii-
tution,
Τ
T 3
278 The Author's Farewel.
tution or ſomething of like kind? which
queſtion, perhaps, may much more eafily
be aſked, than anſwered. If prayer be
confidered as a part of natural religion, then,
it ſeems to fuppofe that God not only
hears, but alſo that he answers the requeſts
of his creatures, by giving them what they
pray for, if the requeſt be reasonable and
for the petitioner's good, and that this is ge-
nerally the cafe; I fay, this feems to be
ſuppoſed, becauſe, otherwife, perhaps, we
fhall be at a lofs to diſcover what there is,
in nature, to be a proper ground for prayer,
ſo as to render it a part of natural religion.
For, if God does not anſwer any of our re-
quefts, by giving us what we pray for;
then, the queſtion will be, why do we
make thoſe requests? or what reſpect is
ſhewn to the Deity, by asking him for what
is not to be obtained by afking? or, if only
a few, viz. fome particulars requeſted, will
be granted; then, the queſtion will be, why
fhould we pray for all forts of favours, or,
indeed, for any favours at all? feeing we
have no rule, by which we can judge what
particular favours will be vouchfafed to each
individual, nor at what particular time thoſe
favours that are to be vouchfafed will be
granted
The Author's Farewel.
279
granted to the petitioner; ſo that, in this
view of the caſe, prayer, at beſt, is like ſhoot-
ingat rovers, in which, poffibly, there may
be ten thousand to one against the petitioner. If
the above ſuppoſition be admitted, viz. that
God does, in general, anſwer the requeſts of
his creatures, by giving them what they
pray for, when the requeſt is reaſonable
and for the petitioners good; then, it may
well be expected, that the truth of this fup-
pofition is abundantly made evident, by
conftant and daily experience and fact, ſeeing
there are a multitude of petitions, conftantly
and daily put up to the Deity; but then,
this involves us in fuch difficulties, as feem,
at leaſt, to be unfurmountable; becauſe, to
appearance, conftant and daily experience
and fact are against us, there being a mul-
titude of prayers, conftantly and daily
put up to God, of which there does not
appear to be any ground for fuppofing that
thoſe prayers are answered, tho' what is
prayed for feems proper for the petitioners
to ask, and for God to give,
quent petitions are put up, by
people, to the Deity, that he
Thus, fre-
pious good
would fo
diſpoſe the minds of the Kings and Rulers of
mankind, as that thofe Rulers may become
I 4
good
280 The Author's Farewel.
good men, and may rule the people in righ-
teouſneſs; which requests, as the good of
mankind is greatly interested in them, fo,
furely, they are both fit to be asked and an-
fwered, fuppofing the changing or turning
men's hearts to be a part of that providential
government that God exercifes among the
children of men; and yet, notwithſtanding
the multitude and the frequent repetitions
of theſe requeſts, the Potentates of the earth,
in general, feem to go on in their own way,
which, God knows, is bad enough. And,
tho' pious people are willing to fuppofe that
they frequently experience the answer to
prayer, as they daily receive a Supply of
their daily wants, according to the requeſts
which they have daily put up to the Deity,
in that behalf; yet, in this, the prefump-
tion lies ftrong against them; for, as the
fupply takes place, by and through the or-
dinary courſe of things, without any par-
ticular divine interpofition, fo there is juſt
ground for prefuming that the cafe would
have been just the fame, whether the peti-
tioner had prayed to God, or not. When
two armies are going to engage in a battle,
each army puts up it's petition to God to
give them the victory; and, whether vic-
tory
The Author's Farewel.
281
tory be obtained by one, or the other, it af-
fords a pretence, to the victorious party,
that victory to them was the answer to prayer;
tho', perhaps, in the next engagement, be-
fore which God was equally invoked by
each party, the victorious party are routed;
and this pretence feems to be as well grounded
as most, if not all other pretences of like
kind. If it ſhould be faid, that God has
made prayer the condition of his favours ;
and, therefore, if we do not ask for what
we want, we have no reason to expect it,
whether God gives it in anfwer to prayer,
or not. This affertion must be anſwered
by an interrogation, viz. when, and where
did God come to this agreement with his
creatures? And if there has been fuch an
agreement, then, moſt certainly, God will
perform his part, by giving what is prayed
for, when the requeſt is reaſonable and for
the petitioner's good; but then, this does
not appear to be the cafe, in fact, as has
been already obſerved. Chrift indeed pro-
mifed his difciples, John xvi. 23. that
"whatfoever they fhould afk the father,
"in his name, he would give it them."
This is a moſt unbounded promiſe, tho', I
think, it will be but juſt to limit it as above,
viz.
282
The Author's Farewel.
viz. to what is proper and for the petiti-
oner's good. Now, however the cafe may
have been heretofore, it ſeems to be an uſeleſs
promiſe now; and, therefore, it
may feem
to follow, that either now Chrift has no dif
ciples, at leaſt, among us; or elfe, that now
this promife is of none effect; for, notwith-
ſtanding the numerous fervent prayers of the
faithful, things feem to take their natural
courſe, as to profperity and adverfity, health
and fickneſs, and every thing elfe, with
which they are concerned, in this world,
and of which an inftance can scarce bet pro-
duced to the contrary. Befides, as God is
the most perfect intelligence and boundlefs
goodness; fo, he does not need to be spurred
up, by our prayers, to do what is right, nor
will all our importunity prevail upon him
to do what is wrong. On the other fide,
if prayer be confidered as a pofitive inftitu-
tion, or fomething of like kind, the ground
of which is not previous in nature, but only
in the use of it it may be fubfervient to the
petitioner's good, by introducing in him
fuch proper reflections, and, thereby, pro-
per affections and actions, as, otherwiſe,
his affairs and advocations would divert him
from; I fay, if this be the cafe, then the
fore
The Author's Farewel.
283
forementioned difficulties feem to vaniſh.
And, in this view of the caſe, God is not
mocked by being invoked; for, as the in-
voker does not propofe to inform the Deity,
nor to make any alteration in him, by his
prayers, but only ufes God's name by way
of petition, &c. in order to raiſe in his own
mind fuch proper reflections, and, thereby,
ſuch affections and actions as will render
him pleafing to his maker; fo, he neither
defires nor expects to have his prayers an-
ſwered, in any other way than through the
natural course of things. If he
If he prays for
the forgiveneſs of his fins, he neither defires
nor hopes to obtain forgivenefs, in any
other way than by rendering himself the
proper object of mercy; if he prays for his
daily bread, he neither defires nor expects
a fupply, but in the courfe of God's general
providence, with refpect to which, he is
fenfible, his prayers can make no alteration.
AND, fuppofing there be an impropriety,
in praying to God for what prayer will not
be a means to obtain; yet, that impropriety,
or prayer, thus circumftanced, furely, is
not mocking of God. Whether fuch im-
propriety ought to be a bar to prayer, or
whether it be displeafing to God, are quef-
tions
284 The Author's Farewel.
tions quite diftinct and different from the
queftion under confideration, viz. whe-
ther praying to God for what prayer will
not be a means to obtain, be mocking God?
It has been, and ftill is, a practice, among
pious people, to fay grace (as it is called)
both before, and after meat; by which in-
vocation of the Deity, no man of common
fenfe, furely, does defire, or expect, that
God will miraculously work any change in
the qualities of the food to be eaten, or in
the difpofitions of the ftomachs that are to
receive it; but only, that, by theſe acts of
piety, or devotion, a fenfe of God's provi-
dential goodneſs may be impreſſed upon the
mind, with a thankful remembrance thereof;
and to call this mocking of God, feems, at
leaft, to be a hard faying.
BUT farther, the term religion is, by
fome men, annexed to the motives to action,
and not to the actions themſelves; and thus,
actions take the denomination of being re-
ligious from the religious motives which are
the ground and reafon of them, and obedi-
ence to God's will and a view to his glory
are what conftitute religious motives fo
that, when an action is done in obedience
to God's laws and with a referrence to his
;
glory,
The Author's Farewel.
Farewel. 285
glory, it is a religious action, and all actions,
that ſpring from any other motive, are not
religious actions. Here, the article [with
referrence to God's glory] feems to be fuper-
numerary, becauſe the glory which accrues
to God, in this cafe, arifes from the obedi-
ence that is paid to his laws; and, therefore,
to do a thing in obedience to God's laws,
and with referrence to his glory, is the fame
thing. And here, I think, it may not be
improper to take notice of a doctrine that has
been advanced, viz. that felfishness is the
fole principle of action to men; and if fo,
there can be no foundation for the above
diftinction, viz. of religious motives and
other motives: For as, upon the prefent
fuppofition, there is, to man, but one com-
mon motive to action, viz. ſelfiſhneſs; ſo,
obedience to God's will is not that motive,
nor is it any motive to action at all, becaufe
it is not obedience to God's will, but the
advantage the agent propofcs to obtain by
that obedience, which is the motive to action
to him. But then, that felfishness is the fole
principle of action to men, of this, I pre-
fume, every man's experience convinces him
to the contrary: For, tho' the affection of
felf-love, which has a very great influence
upon
286 The Author's Farewel.
upon man, was, by the author of our be-
ings, made a part of the human conftitu-
tion, the viciating of which affection, I
apprehend, to be the great corruption of hu-
man nature; yet, I think, there is ſcarce a
man fo viciously felfish, but what, in fome
few inftances, at leaft, acts from a better and
more generous principle.
BUT to return: I have obferved, that
the term religion is, by fome men, annexed
to the motives to action, and in this, I
think, there can be no difpute; becauſe
every man is at liberty to annex to his words
what ideas he pleaſes, provided he explains
himſelf and ſhews what thofe ideas are, that
fo no other man may be imposed upon there-
by. But this is not all. For, as there is a
disparity betwixt motives, one being more
valuable than another; fo, obedience to God's
will is reprefented to be the most worthy
and valuable motive to action, in man.
Upon which I obſerve, that as the
fame action may be done from different
motives, and as one motive is preferrable
to another; fo the prefent enquiry is, what
there is, in nature, to be the ground of that
preferrence, and by which one motive may
properly be faid to be better, or more valu-
able,
The Author's Farewel.
287
able, than another? And, in order to fatis-
fy this enquiry, it is to be obferved, that
our actions may relate either fimply to God,
to ourſelves, or to another. As to actions
that are compounded in theſe reſpects, they
are not ſo proper to explain the ſubject, but
would rather embarrass it, and, therefore,
will not be taken notice of. If an action
relates fimply to God, that is, if reſpect is
only intended to be paid to God by that ac-
tion, and neither ourfelves, nor others, are
intereſted in it; then, as the kindness and
goodness of the Deity are the moſt proper
ground of refpect, fo, a fenfe of that good-
neſs and kindneſs muſt be the moſt proper,
and, therefore, the most valuable motive
to action, in that cafe: voluntarily to pay
our reſpect to God, from a fenfe of his a-
bundant goodneſs and kindness, is, moſt
certainly, more worthy and valuable, in it-
felf, than to pay that refpect from a fenfe
of our being commanded of God to do fo,
according to the proverb, “one volunteer is
better than two preffed men." If the action
relates fimply to one's-felf, then, as felf-good
is the proper ground of doing good to our-
felves; ſo, a fenſe of ſelf-good must be the
moft proper motive to action, in that cafe
and,
1
288 The Author's Farewel:
and, therefore, for a man to do good to
himſelf, by any external action, from a
ſenſe of the benefit he is to reap by that ac-
tion, this is certainly more natural, more
proper, and, therefore, more valuable, than
to do it in obedience to a divine command.
If the action relates fimply to another, as he
only is immediately intereſted in it and be-
nefited by it; then, as the kindneſs and be-
nefit intended to be communicated to an-
other, together with the propriety of that
communication, are the most natural and
proper ground of doing good; fo, the more
proper, the more generous, the more difin-
tereſted, the more worthy and valuable muſt
the motive to action be. And, that this
matter may be made yet clearer, let us fup-
poſe a perſon in great mifery and diſtreſs,
who is the proper object of pity and relief;
and ſuppoſe I not only have it in my power,
but alſo that I am difpofed to relieve him;
which diſpoſition may arife, either from a
feeling fenfe of the diſtreſs and mifery the
perſon is under, and from a fenfe of the
propriety and fitneſs of my relieving him;
or it may ariſe from a fenfe of my being
commanded by God to minifter that relief
to him; or it may arife from a fenfe and de-
fire
The Author's Farewel. 289
fire of raifing my reputation by this means,
and fo of remotely ferving myfelf thereby :
now, the queſtion, arifing from hence, is,
which of thoſe motives to action is the most
worthy and valuable, in the cafe under con-
fideration? With reſpect to the firſt and laſt
of theſe motives, I think, there can be no
difficulty in difcovering which is the beft;
becauſe, I fuppofe, it will be readily admit-
ted, that for a man to remove the diſtreſſes
of his neighbour, purely out of kindness to
him, and from a fenfe of the propriety and
fitness of fo doing, that this is much more
worthy and valuable, than for a man to re-
move thoſe diſtreffes meerly from a view of
ſerving himſelf thereby. The point, there-
fore, to be confidered, is, whether the per-
forming a good action, becauſe it is a good
action, and from a ſenſe of the propriety and
fitneſs of performing it; or whether the
forming that action in obedience to a divine
command; I fay, the point is, which of
thoſe motives to action is the moſt worthy
and valuable? And, in order to clear up
this point, it muſt be confidered what are
the grounds of obedience to God's laws, con-
fidered fimply as fuch, that is, confidered
abstractedly from the propriety and fitness of
U
per-
the
1
290
The Author's Farewel.
the laws them felves; and which I appre-
hend to be one or other of theſe, namely,
from the confideration of God's being our
governor, who will reward our obedience,
and punish our diſobedience, to his laws; or
from the confideration of his being our
greatest benefactor and friend, who, by his
abundant kindnefs, has laid us under the
highest obligations; thefe, I apprehend to
be the grounds upon which obedience is paid
to God's laws. For were we to admit, for
argument's fake, what otherwife is not to
be admitted, viz. that we have received no
favour, no kindness, from the Deity, at
any time paſt, nor ſhall we be any ways
interested in him, or be concerned with him,
at any time to come; then, and in that cafe,
as the Deity would be no ways related to us,
fo there would be no grounds for us to pay
any obedience to his laws at all; and, there-
fore, the ground of our obedience to God's
laws muſt be, either his being our governor,
or elſe his being our benefactor and friend.
If the ground of obedience to God's laws be
his being our governor, who will reward
our obedience, and punish our diſobedience,
to his laws; then, felfishness is moſt appa-
rently the spring of action, in that cafe:
but,
The Author's Farewel.
291
but, furely, to do a good action, becauſe
it is a good action, and from a fenfe of the
propriety and fitness of that performance, is
to act from a much more worthy and valuable
motive, than to do that good action from a
view of a man's ferving himself thereby,
which is the cafe of paying obedience to
God's laws, upon the ground before-men-
tioned. If the ground of obedience to God's
laws be the favour and kindness we have
received from the Deity, and becauſe he is
our benefactor and friend; then, gratitude
is moſt apparently the spring of action, in
that cafe; then, paying obedience to God's
laws is returning good for good, or the anf-
wering (as far as it is in our power) a pre-
cedent obligation; but, furely, to perform a
good action becauſe it is a good action, and
to do this independent of all obligation,
muſt be more noble, more generous, more
worthy and valuable, than to do that good
action by way of return for favours received,
which is the cafe of paying obedience to
God's laws, on account of his being our
benefactor and friend. And, if the per-
forming a good action becauſe it is a good
action, and the doing this independent of all
obligation, is a fpring of action, which, in
U 2
the
292
The Author's Farewel.
the nature of the thing, is moft worthy, and
valuable; then, moft certainly, it muſt be
fo in the fight and eftimation of the Deity.
RELIGION is alfo fometimes diftinguiſhed
into natural and revealed. But then, as
natural religion is abfolutely perfect and ad-
mits of no addition, diminution, or altera-
tion; therefore, revealed religion, if it be
of God, can be no other, nor no more, than
a promulgation or a republication of the
pure and uncorrupted religion of nature.
And, as to pofitive inflitutions and all ex-
ternal religion, if it may be fo called, theſe
are not religion or piety itself, but only
are relative to it, as they are either outward
figns of it, or elfe are means to excite and
increaſe it, as has been already obſerved.
When men are funk into gros ignorance
and error, and are greatly viciated in their
affections and actions, then, God may, for any
reaſon I can fee to the contrary, kindly in-
terpoſe, by a ſpecial application of his power
and providence, and reveal to men fuch
ufeful truths, as, otherwife, they might be
ignorant of or might not attend to; and
alfo lay before them fuch rules of life, as
they ought to walk by; and likewife prefs
their obedience with proper motives, and,
thereby,
The Author's Farewel.
293
thereby, lead them to repentance and refor-
mation; I fay, this may be the cafe; but then,
that it is fo, and when it is fo, will, from
the nature of the thing, be a matter of doubt
and difputation; the truth of which is veri-
fied by abundant experience and fact.
LASTLY, fome fay, the term religion,
when uſed in it's first or primary ſenſe, ſig-
nifies any fyftem or compofition of doc-
trines and precepts, which any man or fo-
ciety of men, ſhall adopt, and make it a
rule or ſtandard of faith and practice to him
or themselves fo that, whatever accords
with ſuch ſtandard, that is true religion to
the perfon or party that adopts it; and,
whatever is repugnant to fuch rule, that is
falſe religion to fuch perfon or party; and,
confequently, what is true religion to one
inan or fociety of men, may be falfe reli-
gion to another. And, in this view of the
cafe, what makes or denominates one man
to be truly religious, may make or denomi-
nate another man to be really irreligious ;
and, in this view, likewife, a man may
very religious, and yet be a very bad man;
and he may be very irreligious, and yet be
a worthy good man; as religion has no rela-
tion to, or connection with virtue, goodneſs,
U 3
be
or
294
The Author's Farewel.
or moral rectitude, but only as it may be
thus connected by the arbitrary determina-
tion of it's imbiber. Thus, Judaiſm is true
religion to a Jew, Paganifm to a Pagan,
Mahometanifm to a Mahometan; and the
oppofite to each of thefe, is falfe religion
to the perſon or party who adopts it: fo
that, whether a man be virtuous or vicious,
if he ftrictly conforms, in judgment and
practice, to that fyftem, or compofition of
doctrines and precepts, he has adopted, ſuch
conformity denominates him to be a religious
man. And
And thus, likewife, Chriftianity,
could it be defined and certainly determined
what it is, would be true religion to a chrif-
tian; but, whereas Chriftianity is altogether
indeterminate, therefore, what is deemed to
be fuch, by each chriftian fect, that is true
religion to that fect; and it's oppofite, in any
of it's branches, is falſe religion to them.
Thus, Popery is true religion to a Papist,
Calviniſm to a Calvinist, Lutheraniſm to a
Lutheran, &c. and the opposite to each of
thefe, is falſe religion to the feet who has
adopted it. And, in this view of the cafe,
religion is merely artificial and of human
creation; as it is founded on the will and
determination of the perfon or party who
imbibes
The Author's Farewel,
295
imbibes or adopts it. Religion being thus
of human creation, and all religions, how
different foever from each other, being, each
one, equally true to the person or party
who adopts it, from hence a queſtion does
very naturally ariſe, viz. whether all reli-
gions are equally relative to the favour of
God? This queſtion has, in effect, been
anfwered by St. Peter, long ago; the juftness
and propriety of which anfwer is fubmit-
ted to the judgment of every reader.
Thus Acts x. 34, 35. Then Peter opened
his mouth, and ſaid, of a truth I perceive
that God is no respecter of persons; but in
every nation, be that feareth him, and work-
eth righteousness, is accepted with him. As
St. Peter's parents were Jews; ſo, in con-
fequence thereof, he not only adopted the
Jews religion, and made it his own;
alfo, he ſteadily adhered to that principle
upon which all their religion and policy was
grounded, viz. that God had chofen the
feed of Jacob, with thofe who fhould be
profelyted to their religion, to be his peculiar
and favourite people through all poſterity,
till time ſhould be no more, exclufive of all
other families, nations and people in the
world; but when St. Peter had (by fome
U 4
but
means
296 The Author's Farewel.
means or other, and the hiſtorian fays by a
vifion) a ſtrong impreffion, upon his mind,
of a fheet let down from heaven, in which
were all manner of beafts and creeping
things, both clean and unclean, as thus di-
ſtinguiſhed by the Jewish law; and being
required to kill and eat of theſe, promif-
cuouſly, without feparating the clean from
the unclean; and, from thence, being led
to confider that fuch a diftinction was mere-
ly arbitrary, as having no foundation in
nature, any other wife than as one fpecies of
animals may be more proper food for man
than others; and, after this, he being re-
quired to go to Cornelius, whom, when he had
converfed with, he found to be a very wor-
thy good man, though not of the feed of Jacob,
though not profelyted to the Jews religion,
though not a Chriftian but only in the way
of being fuch; all theſe things being put to-
gether in the Apoftle's mind, and being fe-
riously and candidly confidered by him;
from thence he clearly perceived, or it ap-
peared, to him, to be a moſt obvious truth,
that the above principle, which, before that
time, he had ftri&ly adhered to, viz. of
God's favour being confined to the Jews, or,
indeed, to any religious fect or party what-
ever
The Author's Farewel.
297
ever, was falſe and groundless. From the
above premiſes the apoftle drawed this con-
clufion, which he confidered as a certain
truth, viz. that God is no respecter of per-
fons, that he does not pay a partial regard
to the perſons of men, on account of their
wealth, or power, or high ftation in the
world, or any natural endowments of body
or mind, or on account of family, or de-
ſcent, or country, or profeffion, or religion;
but regards men only (as they are free beings)
on account of their rendering themſelves per-
fonally valuable, and justly approveable, in
a due diſcharge of all the obligations of na-
ture, by a true fear of God, and a right
behaviour to, or performing works of righ-
teouſneſs unto men. Then Peter opened his
mouth, and ſaid, of a truth I perceive that
God is no respecter of perfons; but (in op-
pofition to the falfe principle the apoftle had
been educated in, and, before that time, had
ftiffly adhered to) in every nation (and, con-
fequently, of all religions and religious
profeffions in every nation) he (and he
only) that feareth him, and worketh righ-
teousness, is accepted with him. When St.
Peter drawed this conclufion from the above
premiſes, chriſtianity (whatever it be) was
but
298 The Author's Farewel.
but in it's infancy; it was, as it were, but
beginning to be,confidering it to be of human,
or even of divine creation; and, therefore,
it was fo far from being the religion of eve-
ry nation, at that time, that it could fcarce-
ly be faid, to be the religion of any nation,
as thofe few Jews, who had embraced it,
could not well be ftiled the Jewish nation,
nor were they fo confidered; but, on the
contrary, the Jews, as a nation, are repre-
fented, as having rejected Jefus Chrift and
his religion, when offered to them by it's
promulgers; and yet, at that time, St. Pe-
ter avers, that, in every nation, he that
feared God and wrought righteoufnes was
accepted with him; fo that, according to
St. Peter, whether a man be a Jew, or an
Infidel with regard to Judaiſm; whether he be a
Pagan,or an Infidel with regard to Paganiſm;
whether he be a Mahometan, or an Infidel with
regard to Mahometaniſm; or whether he be
a Chriftian, or an Infidel with regard to
chriſtianity; if he anfwers the obligations
of nature, by a true fear of God, and by a
right behaviour towards his fellow-creatures
(which is fuppofed may be the cafe, the fup-
pofition being obviouſly implied in the apo-
ftle's conclufion) then, in any, or either of
thofe
The Author's Farewel.
299
thofe cafes, he is (according to St. Peter)
fecure of God's favour; but, without theſe,
that is, without a true fear of God and
works of righteousness, he is excluded from
it whatever his country, his family, his
profeffion, or religion may be. So that,
St. Peter's anfwer, to the above queſtion,
feems to be this, viz. that all religions,
when confidered abftractedly from the mo-
ral influence they may have upon the mind
and life of the profeffor, are upon a foot,
with regard to God's favour, whether a man
adopts judaifm, or paganifm, or mahome-
taniſm, or chriſtianity, if what he adopts
has no moral influence upon his mind and
life, if it does not produce in him, and from
him, a true fear of God and works of
righteousness unto men, nor is fubfervient
thereto; then, it has nothing in it that is a
real good to him, nor does it, in the leaſt,
render him acceptable to his maker. And
this is the cafe of all religions; they only
become eventually good to the profeffor,
and render him pleafing to God, as they be-
come, or are made by him, a moral means
to this end, viz. to a true fear of God
and a right behaviour to himſelf and his
fellow-creatures. And,
IF
3
300 The Author's Farewel.
If the conclufion St. Peter has drawn
from the above-mentioned premifes be just
and well-grounded, then, I beg leave to ob-
ferve to my readers, what extravagancy, or
rather religious madness, has taken place
and prevailed, as well in former as later
times; though, perhaps, there may be too
much ground to fear, that craft, rather
than craziness, has had the principal ſhare
in the management of all religious affairs,
at all times, and in all parts of the world.
It would be too tedious in itfelf, as well as
it is out of my power, to enumerate the
many wild and romantic doctrines, rites and
ceremonies, which have been adopted by
the feveral religious parties, who have taken
place, in the feveral ages and parts of the
world; and therefore, I fhall only inſtance
in what falls more immediately within our
notice and obfervation. One great cry,
among chriſtians, has been, that faith is the
principal pre-requifite to God's favour; fome
jcin works of righteousness with it, others
exclude good works out of the cafe, and
moft require fuch faith as is of their party's
coining; whereas, according to St. Peter,
in every nation, whether it's inhabitants
have ever heard of Mofes, or Chrift, or any
other
The Author's Farewel.
301
other promulger of divine revelation, or
not; or whether they are believers or infi-
dels, with regard to their reſpective miſſions,
whoever, among them, fears God and
works righteouſneſs, is accepted with him.
So that, faith in any religious leader, or in
his miniftry, is ſo far from being a neceffary
pre-requifite to God's favour, that (accor-
ding to St. Peter) it is altogether fuper-
numerary with regard to it. And, indeed,
the very fuppofition is a repugnancy to na-
ture; it is like gathering grapes of thorns,
or figs of thistles, or, at leaſt, it is like ex-
pecting to gather the best of fruit, viz. God's
favour, from a dead body or tree, as St. James
hath reprefented faith to be, when confi-
dered abstractedly from the moral influence it
may have upon the mind and life of the be-
liever. The Methodists in this age, as well
as Muggleton and his followers in the laſt,
proclaim a full and free pardon of all fins,
to all true believers in their way of believ-
ing; though, perhaps, it may be hard to
conceive what their way of believing is; and
they likewiſe denounce damnation, eternal
damnation, upon all obftinate unbelievers ;
and they might, with equal propriety, have
proclaimed a full and free pardon of all fins
to
302
The Author's Farewel.
1
-
to all that fee with their bodily eyes, and
have denounced damnation upon all that are
blind; the latter being as likely to be a
meffage from God, as the former. How-
ever, let it be remembered, to the comfort of
all thofe honest minds who cannot attain to
fuch faith as the Methodiſts pretend to boaſt
of, that St. Peter hath (and, it is to be ho-
ped, very juſtly) excluded both faith and in-
fidelity out of the cafe; and hath made, or
rather declared, the plain honest fear of God
and a right behaviour to ourfelves and fellow-
creatures, to be the true and only ground of
divine acceptance. And, not only the Metho-
difts,but alſo their most violent oppofers,thofe
who treat them with great contempt, make
loud complaints against them and blame
them much for exceeding the bounds or
ſtandard of enthuſiaſm,that hath been fixed by
their fuperiors; I fay, that even theſe ſtaunch
oppoſers of Methodism have not failed to
act their parts in this religious farce. Our
creed-makers and creed-defenders fpare not to
declare, in the face of God and of his church,
or people, that whofoever doth not come up
to that standard of orthodoxy that hath
been fixed, and who doth not believe faith-
fully that creed which our holy mother the
21
church
The Author's Farewel.
303
church hath adopted and, thereby, in a man-
ner, made facred, he cannot be ſaved; and
that, without doubt, fuch deficient and un-
found believers, who fail herein, will pe-
rifh everlastingly. Thefe are the damning,
and, therefore, I think, damnable doctrines
taught by fome, at least, of our foul-faving
divines, who would fain make the world
believe, that they, and they only, have ob-
tained a patent from God, to fhew to men
the true way to falvation. Moreover, thofe
licenſed foul-favers, thoſe pretended lights
of the world, in their pulpit harangues,
and likewife in their writings, have been
too apt to abuſe and vilify thofe who will
not ſubmit to their dictates; and would fain
repreſent them to be as odious to God, as
they endeavour to make them to their
neighbours. Whoever dares call in question
the judgments and determinations of theſe
fallible men, who affume a dominion over
the faith of their brethren, he is preſently
ftigmatized, and loaded with characters that
are deemed terms of reproach; he is a Free-
thinker, a Deift, an Infidel, and what not!
Yea, even Atheiſm is fometimes made part
of his character; and he is placed among
thofe fcorners who feek wisdom and find it
not,
0
304
The Author's Farewel.
not Proverbs xiv. 6. However, theſe are
the ways of men, who, though they cover
themſelves with religious diffimulation as
with a cloak, and pretend that the things of
God and of another world are their main
concern; yet, notwithſtanding theſe pre-
tences, by their works they may be known,
as a tree by its fruit; their haughtiness and
pride, their avarice, ambition and tyranny,
and a full gratification of their appetites and
paffions, plainly beſpeak them to be men of,
from, and for this world. Nevertheless,
God's ways are not as man's ways, with him
there is no respect of perfons; but, in every
nation under heaven, he who fears God and
works righteousness is accepted with him,
whether he be a believer, or an infidel, with
regard to the religion in vogue; or whatever
reproaches he
may fall under on account of
thefe. Infidelity is likewife confidered to
be fuch a great and crying fin as brings.
down God's judgments upon a nation; and,
in particular, the prefent rebellion in Scot-
land, and the evils that have attended it, are
placed to the account of infidelity. So that
(it feems) it is infidelity which hath
brought a popish pretender from Italy, and
which fent a body of Highlanders from
Scotland,
The Author's Farewel. 305
Scotland, to afflict this orthodox nation.
Hard and unequal providence indeed! that
God ſhould correct a nation of found belie-
vers, a church (if our clergy do not carry
their compliment too high) the pureſt and
moſt primitive of any church in the world,
upon account, and for the fake of a few
infidels who refide among them; but this
is not the cafe, if St. Peter has judged
rightly of this matter. I am fenfible, that
many paſſages may be collected from the
books of the New Teſtament, and made to
fpeak juft the reverse to what St. Peter has
concluded, as mentioned above; but then,
this will not in the leaſt weaken or invali-
date that conclufion, but only render thoſe
writings lefs valuable, by making them to
be a nurſery of confufion and contradiction.
A
X
SEC.
1
SECTION IV.
CONCERNING A
FUTURE STATE
O F
EXISTENCE to MEN:
WHEREIN
The evidence arifing from the fact of Chriſt's
refurrection, to prove the poffibility and
certainty of a future refurection to life eternal,
is particularly confidered.
1
X 2
1
J
$
(309)
SECTION
IV.
Concerning a Future State of Ex-
iftence to Men.
HAT men are, and what they
are, theſe are queſtions which
each individual of our ſpecies is
in fome meaſure qualified to anſwer, from
what he experiences of, in, and from him-
felf: But then, that men will be and what
they will be in futurity, are queftions that,
perhaps, do not admit of ſo eaſy a folution.
Man may be confidered to be the head or
principal part of the animal creation, as the
human powers, taken together, ſeem at leaſt
to excel the powers of any other ſpecies of
animals, and as fuch man may be confi-
dered to be the principal inhabitant of this
globe: But then, man ftands upon a level
with all other animals in this, viz. he is
born to die; that is, man is not only fubject
or liable to mortality, but the feeds of mor-
tality are born with him and in him, ſo that
fooner or later his compofition will come
X 3
to
310
The Author's Farewel.
to a diffolution. For, as it is with the vege-
table, fo it is with the animal creation in
general, and fo it is with the ſpecies of man-
kind in particular; each, according to their
natures, are prepared to increaſe and multiply,
and alfo to decay and come to a diſſolution,
and thereby to make way for thoſe others
of their ſpecies that are prepared to fucceed
them. This is the cafe of all other animals,
as far as they come within our notice; and
this, I think, is evidently the cafe of that
compounded creature called man, as he is
prepared and conftituted to be an inhabitant
of this earth; he no fooner begins to be,
but he enters upon that progreffion which
ends in the diffolution of the human confti-
tution. This is a point that needs no illuf-
tration; becauſe it unavoidably falls within
every man's notice and obfervation. We
no fooner make our appearance in the
world, and thereby constitute infants, which
is reckoned the first stage of life, but we
gradually pass on to a ftate of childhood, and
from thence to another ſtage of life called
youth, and from thence to manhood, and fo,
by degrees, we arrive to the highest perfec-
tion which the compofition of each indivi-
dual is capable of attaining to, under the
cir.
The Author's Farewel.
311
circumſtances that attend each one's cafe:
And then the conftitution of each individual
does as certainly and as gradually decay,
until it is diffolved by death, from which the
moſt healthy, the moſt cautious and careful
are not exempt. For, tho' many, by care-
leffneſs, intemperance, &c. fhorten their
days, and bring life to an end much fooner
than otherwiſe it might be; and others,
thro' a healthy conftitution and a prudent
care, lengthen out life to the fartheſt ſtretch
that nature will admit; yet, we fee, by uni-
verfal experience, that no care is fufficient
to keep off old age, nor put off death, it's cons
ftant attendant. And, as man is born to die,
or brings the feeds of mortality into the
world with him; fo, in confequence thereof,
death has paffed univerfally upon all, with-
out any exception that we have any certain
knowledge of. As to Enoch and Elijah's
not tafting death, who were faid to be tranf
lated whilſt alive into fome other region
of the univerſe; theſe are facts of fo very
uncommon and peculiar a nature, that the
bare authority of one fingle hiftorian does not
feem fuitable or fufficient to fupport the
credit of either of them. Our forefathers
are dead, and likewife their forefathers be-
X 4
fore
312 The Author's Farewel.
+1
fore them, and this has been the cafe of all
the generations of mankind, ever fince the
first production of our fpecies; for, as they
have all taken their turns upon, and have
at different times been the inhabitants of
this globe; fo, they have all, in their ref-
pective turns, naturally and neceffarily come
to à diffolution.
WHETHER the human mind, or that
principle of intelligence and activity which
takes place in man and is a part of the hu-
man conſtitution, be, of itſelf, a fubfiftance
or permanent being that is quite diftinct
from any fyftem of matter, that exiſts inde-
pendent of the body it acts in and by, and
is not diffolvable by and with the diffolution
of that body; or whether it be a fubfiftance
perfectly distinct from the body, and yet, in
it's own nature, equally perishable as the
body, fo as that the diffolution of one will
introduce the diffolution of the other; or
whether the human mind refults from, and
is, itſelf, a part of a temporary periſhable con-
ftitution, which is diffolved by and with
the diffolution of that compofition; theſe are
points that I cannot poffibly determine which
is the cafe, becauſe I have hot wherewith
to ground fuch determination upon; and
there-
The Author's Farewel.
313
therefore, all that I can obferve upon the
cafe is only this, viz. that if the human
mind be, of itſelf, diſtinct from
any material
fyftem, a permanent being that exifts inde-
pendent of the body and does not perish with
it; then, there is a proper foundation for
thofe *
arguments upon which a future judg-
ment (which fuppofes a future ftate of ex-
iſtence to men) are grounded: But if the
human mind be a fubfiftance, which, tho'
diftinct from the body, yet is equally perishable
with it; or if the human mind reſults from,
and depends upon a temporary perishable
conftitution, and is diffolved by and with the
diffolution of that compofition; then, furely,
there can be no place for argument with regard
to a future ſtate of exiſtence to men, or a fu-
ture retribution; becauſe when the human
frame is diffolved by death, then man ceaſes to
be and is no more. To argue, in this caſe, from
the known properties of matter, does not
ſeem, to me at leaſt, to give full ſatisfaction.
That it is abfolutely above the power and
ſkill of man to produce a temporary periſh-
able
* By arguments, here are meant thoſe confiderations,
upon which the just and reaſonable expectation of a fu-
ture retribution is grounded, and as that retribution fup-
pofe's a future ftate of exiſtence to men, fo thoſe con-
fiderations may be confidered as arguments for fuch a
ftate: the confideration of which will more properly
come into the next ſection.
314 The Author's Farewel.
able conftitution or ſyſtem of matter, from
which intelligence and activity ſhall naturally
flow, may, perhaps, be the truth of the
cafe; but then, I think, it will be hard to
fay that this is abfolutely above the power
and ſkill of the Deity; or that it is quite
out of the reach of divine power to unite a
mind to a human body, which is perfectly
diſtinct from it, and yet, in it's own nature,
equally perishable with it; thefe, furely are
hard fayings. Man may divide, unite,
compound, and modify matter as he pleaſes;
and yet, perhaps, after all, it may fill re-
main an
an unintelligent, unactive fubject.
And, tho' man can fo modify matter, as that
it fhall have the shape and figure of a human
body; yet, if he extends his power and ſkill
to the utmost stretch, (for any thing that ap-
pears) he cannot produce fuch a body; that
is, he cannot produce a body compounded of
fuch flesh and blood, and bones and muſcles,
and arteries, &c. and covered with fuch a
skin, as the human body appears to be; and
therefore, if man cannot perform the leſs,
then, furely, he cannot perform the greater
work. If man, with all his power and
skill, cannot produce a human body, con-
fidered abſtractedly from any principle of in-
telligence
The Author's Farewel.
315
telligence or activity as flowing from it; then,
it is certain, he cannot produce fuch a con-
fitution from which an intelligent active
mind will flow: But then, that ſuch a pro-
duction is abfolutely above the power and
skill of the Deity I cannot determine, and
therefore will not prefume to ſay. A bird's
egg, for any thing that appears, is no other,
nor no more than an unintelligent paffive
compofition of matter; and yet, by the appli-
cation of a proper quantity of heat, in a
proper time, a living active creature is pro-
duced; which creature has fuch an inferior
kind or degree of intelligence, as is fuitable
and proper to it's ſtate and the part it is to
act. And if fuch an inferior kind or degree
of intelligence as takes place in a bird, may
be ſuppoſed to reſult from a material ſyſtem,
under proper circumftances; then, I think,
it may be admitted that the fuperior kind or
degree of intelligence that takes place in man,
be produced in the fame way. To fay,
that the intelligence and activity which ap-
pear to take place in a bird, are not the re-
fult of the material fyftem, properly heated,
&c. but of an immaterial ſubſtance, which
is really distinct from the material compofi-
tion, tho' united to it, and acts in it and by
may
it;
316 The Author's Farewel.
1
it; this, I think, is more eafily taken for
granted, than proved. And, admitting that
the intelligence and activity which appear to
take place in a bird, are not the reſult of
the material fyftem, properly heated, &c. but
are produced by a fubfiftence that is quite dif-
tinct from it; yet, if that fubfiftence be equally
perishable with the material ſyſtem it is united
to and acts in and by, of which, I think, we
cannot be certain of the contrary; then, in the
iffue, it comes to the fame (with refpect to the
point under confideration) as if it reſulted
from the material fyftem, as aforefaid.
BESIDES, according to the experiments
lately made, (if common fame may
be re-
lied upon, in the cafe I am going to refer to)
the animal called a Polipus, when cut croſs-
ways, and thereby divided into three parts,
produces (in fome time) three compleat ani-
mals of the fame kind; that is, of the fame
form and fize with the animal thus divided,
as it was antecedent to that divifion. For,
as, from the fore-part, or head, there grows
out a middle-part and tail; and from the
middle-part there grows out a head and a
tail; and from the tail-part there grows
out a middle-part and head; fo, upon, or in
confequence of this divifion of matter (fup-
pofing
The Author's Farewel.
317
pofing there be not a diviſion of mind) and
increaſe of form, there is, to appearance at
leaſt, an increaſe of mind alfo, as each par-
ticular individual body, form, or compofi-
tion of matter, thus produced, has a par-
ticular mind, to act or operate upon it. By
mind, I mean, that there appears to be, in
each individual, a diftinct, active or felf-
moving principle, with which, I think,
there muſt be, in each individual, fome low
degree of intelligence, to introduce a ground,
or reafon, or motive, or excitement to
action, and to direct that power, when ex-
erted, to the end propoſed to be obtained by
it; I fay, there muſt be fome low degree of
intelligence to occafion the exertion of the
felf-moving power, becauſe otherwiſe it
would not be exerted at all; and this intel-
lectual and active faculty I call a mind.
And, in this cafe, the increase of mind
feems to refult from and be the produce of
the increaſe of body, particularly modified,
circumftanced, &c. Upon which I ob-
ferve, that if a mind of a very low and infe-
rior kind may refult from, and be the na-
tural production of a compofition of matter,
particularly modified, circumftanced, &c.
which feems to be the caſe of the mind of
a
318
The Author's Farewel.
a Polipus; then, that may be the cafe of
minds of a fuperior kind. This caſe, and
the reaſonings upon it, feem, to me, of
fome weight; and, therefore, I think, it is
not unworthy the notice and attention of
our most able and learned immaterialists.
I AM fenfible, it may be urged, that minds
are of two diftinét fpecies or kinds, viz.
fenfitive and rational; and tho' the former
of theſe may reſult from a material ſyſtem,
properly conftituted and circumſtanced,
feeing it has only material and fenfitive
things for it's object, and upon which only
it's thinking and reflecting powers are exer-
cifed; in which cafe the mind is connatu-
ral to the objects it is exerciſed upon and
is converfant with, and which is the caſe
of the mind of a brute; yet, in the latter
caſe, viz. that of a rational mind, it is quite
otherwiſe, the ratio of things being irrela-
tive to matter and fenfe, and, therefore,
must be imperceptible to a mind that re-
fults from a material fyftem only; and,
confequently, can only be cognizable to a
mind that reſults from a principle that is
diftinct from and ſuperior to matter, viz.
an immaterial ſubſtance, and which is the
cafe of the mind of a man. Upon which I
obferve,
The Author's Farewel.
319
obferve, that if a fenfitive mind cannot take
cognizance of the ratio of things, becauſe
the ratio of things is irrelative to matter
and fenfe, which is the principle from which
a fenfitive mind refults or flows; then, from
hence it may ſeem to follow, that a ratio-
nal mind (ſuch as the fupreme Deity may
well be ſuppoſed to be) cannot take cogni-
zance of material and fenfitive objects, for
the fame reaſon, viz. becauſe material and
fenfitive objects are quite irrelative to an
immaterial ſubſtance, which is the principle
a rational mind flows from. Again, if a
mind that refults from an immaterial fub-
ftance can take cognizance of material and
fenfible or fenfitive objects, (which is fup-
poſed to be the cafe of the mind of a man)
notwithſtanding material and fenfible objects
are irrelative to the principle that mind re-
ſults from; then, by parity of reaſon, a
mind that reſults from a material compofi-
tion only, may take cognizance of the ratio
of things, (and which may be the cafe of
the mind of a man alſo) notwithſtanding the
ratio of things is irrelative to the principle
that mind reſults from. Befides, the think-
ing power, or thinking itſelf, feems, at
leaft, to be as irrelative to matter in one
cafe,
320 The Author's Farewel.
cafe, as in the other; that is, whether the
object it is exerciſed upon be fenfitive or
rational. And therefore, if the material
ſyſtem which conftitutes an animal called
a horſe, produces fuch a mind as is fenfible
of pain, and, from it's reflecting upon the
disagreeableness of that fenfation, does care-
fully avoid the place where it has fuffered
it, or where what appears to the animal to
have cauſed that pain did take place; then,
why may not a material compofition of a
more curious kind produce a mind which is
not only fenfible of pain and, from a ſenſe
of the diſagreeableness of that fenfation,
carefully avoids it himself, but alſo avoids
communicating pain to others, and prevents
the communication of pain by and to others,
from a ſenſe of the propriety and fitneſs of
ſuch a conduct; that is, from the ratio of
things? I fay, if a material fyftem may
produce fuch a kind or degree of intelli-
gence, or a perceptive power as is fufficient
for the former; then, why may not a more
curious ſyſtem of matter produce fuch a kind
or degree of intelligence, or a perceptive
power which will be fufficient for the
latter? Seeing intelligence itſelf, or the
perceptive power, confidered abftractedly
i
from
The Author's Farewel. 321
from the objects it is exercifed upon, feems,
to me at least, to be equally as irrelative to
matter in one cafe, as in the other? What
connection, what relation is there betwixt
folidity, figure, magnitude, &c. which are
the known properties of matter, and thoſe
perceptions which conftitute the fenfations
of pleaſure and pain * ; more than betwixt
the known properties of matter, and the per-
ceptions of the ratio of things? Or what
connection or relation is there betwixt com-
preffing, dilating, dividing, uniting, ex-
tending, contracting, feparating, compound-
ing, &c. which are the known ways that
matter is capable of being acted upon, and
the perceptions which conftitute the fenfa-
tions of pleaſure and pain; more than be-
twixt theſe, and the perceptions of the ratio
* I call the ſenſations of pleaſure and pain perceptions;
becauſe, I think, I do as much perceive that cutting my
fleſh gives me uneafinefs, or pain, as I do perceive that
the whole is equal to all it's parts, which is a truth inde-
pendent of time or place; or, as I do perceive that to do
by others, as we may reaſonably defire and expect that
others will do by us, in like circumftances, is a proper
rule of action to men; the truth of which propofition is
founded in the reaſon of things: I fay, it feems, to me,
that I do as much perceive, or it is as much an act of
perception in one cafe, as in the other; and that theſe
perceptions are the produce of one perceptive power
only, tho' the objects, or things perceived, are of diſtinct
and different kinds.
Y
of
322
The Author's Farewel.
of things? Surely, not more in one cafe,
than in the other. And,
And, therefore, if
matter can be fo modified as to produce a
mind capable of the perceptions, or fenfa-
tions of pleaſure and pain; then, why may
not matter be ſo modified as to produce a
mind capable of perceiving the ratio of
things feeing one of theſe ſeems, at leaſt,
?
to be as irrelative to matter as the other.
To fay, (as, I think, a late learned and in-
genious author intended to be underſtood to
fay, in what he has offered upon the fub-
ject, or else I do not underſtand him, viz.)
that in man there are two diftinct minds,
of two diftinct species, viz. fenfitive and
rational; and that theſe are diftinct in their
acts and operations; that by one of theſe a
man perceives the ratio of things, and that
material and fenfible objects are perceived
by the other. Upon which I obferve, that
experience and feeling feem, to me at leaſt,
to be against this fuppofition; becauſe they
feem to be the very fame intelligent principle
or perceptive power by which I perceive the
difagreeableness of pain to myſelf, and the
impropriety or unreasonableness of my caufe-
lefly communicating fuch a difagreeable
thing as pain to others; which felf-fame
principle
The Author's Farewel. 323
principle feems to be the parent of all per-
ceptions in me. Moreover, were there
two fuch perceptive powers in man, the one
connatural to a material ſyſtem, and the
other quite irrelative to and independent of
matter; then, tho' the fenfitive mind might
be affected, might be ſtrengthned or weakened
by the ſtrengthning or weakening of the
material ſyſtem; and the like of the mate-
rial fyftem with and by ſuch a mind, ſeeing
theſe are ſuppoſed to be connatural to each
other yet it is quite unnatural to ſuppoſe,
upon the preſent foot of argument, that this
can be the cafe of a material fyftem and a
rational mind, with reſpect to each other ;
becauſe, upon the preſent fuppofition, a ra-
tional mind is irrelative to, and independent
of matter: Then Idiotifm would not be the
effect of fome great diforder in the material
ſyſtem, which, by phyficians, I apprehend,
it is judged to be; but it would ariſe from
the want or abfence of a fecond mind, viz.
a rational one, which only is capable of per-
ceiving the ratio of things. Then deliri-
oufness and madness would not be the refult
of any bodily diforder, of a fever, &c. and
the removal of thefe would not be the ef-
fect of removing a diforder that was upon
Y 2
the
324 The Author's Farewel.
the material compofition; but by the re-
treat and return of the rational mind to the
perfon concerned. This, I fay, muſt be the
cafe, upon the fuppofition of two fuch
minds in a man; whereas the contrary to
this feems to be much better fupported from
experience and fact. However, whether
the rational mind in a man refults from a
material ſyſtem, or from an immaterial ſub-
ſtance; this, I think, is moft obvious, viz.
it rifes and falls (if I may ſo ſpeak) with
the material compofition it acts in and by;
elfe whence comes the proverb, once a man
and twice a child.
BUT farther; though there are no footsteps
by which we can trace out any pre-exifting
ſtate we have been in, or that the preſent
conftitution of things is connected with any
conſtitution that is paft; and though there
are no certain figns in nature of a connec-
tion of this conftitution with a conftitution
to come; yet it will not follow that there
is no fuch connection, or that there has not
been, or will not be any fuch ftate. As to
the evidence against our having pre-exiſted,
which may be fuppofed to arife from our
not remembering any ſuch ſtate, that does not
prove the point. There are many images
pictured
The Author's Fare wel.
325
pictured upon
the human mind, which, as
foon as they are removed, or obliterated, (by
the interpofition of other images that are
impreffed) they are forgot, and are never
remembered afterwards, while life lafteth;
and this muſt be the cafe in a multitude
of inftances. Now, to argue, that, becauſe
thefe images or perceptions are not remem-
bered by us, therefore they were not, would
be to argue against experience and plain fact.
Befides, as the memory grows up and ri-
pens by and with the human conftitution,
fo it weakens and decays with it; and, fome-
times, the conftitution receives fuch a ſhock,
by an appolectic fit, or otherwiſe, that the
uſe of the retentive faculty is almoſt loft,
long before the diffolution of the body; and
therefore, if we do or may lose the remem-
brance of preſent things, whilft the human
frame continues; then, our not remembering
that we have pre-exiſted, and bore a part in
a conftitution of things that is paſt, can be
no proof that we have not pre-exiſted. And
if the images of preſent things are liable to
be totally obliterated, whilft the human
frame continues, which is evidently the cafe;
then, fuppofing we ſhall exift and act a part
in a conſtitution of things to come, yet, wo
Y 3
cannot
326 The Author's Farewel.
cannot be certain that the images of pre-
fent things will then be prefent to the mind
and be remembered by us. For, if we lofe
the remembrance of things now, under that
conftitution in which they are acted; then,
we cannot be fure that fuch remembrance
will be reſtored to us, under another confti-
tution of things to come. And, as we can-
not be certain that we have not bore a part
in a conftitution of things that is past; fo
neither can we come to any certainty, that
we ſhall not act, or bear a part, in a confti-
tution which is yet to come. For, though
the multitudes of mankind, who have acted
a part in life and are gone off the ftage of
action, to appearance are not, our fore-fa-
thers are dead, and we know them no more,
and they, to appearance, are * as if they had
never been; yet this does not prove the ne-
gative fide of the queftion, viz. that thefe,
and we with them, will not make a part of
a conftitution of things to come. And, as
the negative fide of the prefent queftion does
not
*Though there are a few of our fpecies, who, by
fome means or other, have been rendered greatly re-
markable, and thereby the remembrance of them hath
been perpetuated: yet, this is not the cafe of the bulk
of mankind, who, when they they ceafe to be remem-
bered perfonally, are fcarce remembered at all, but are,
to appearance, as if they had never been.
The Author's Farewel.
327
not admit of proof; fo neither, I think, can
certainty be obtained with regard to the af-
firmative. For, as to the evidence that a-
rifes from apparitions, refurrections, and c-
ther like facts, to prove the existence of the
human mind, after the diffolution of, and
confequently after it's feparation from the
body; thefe, I think, do not give certain
proof, in the prefent cafe, becauſe the facts
themſelves are liable to be difputed. And,
as to the philofophical arguments and reafon-
ings that are offered on both ſides of this
queſtion, they are too abftrufe and fubtile
for me to understand; and, therefore, I can-
not form any judgment about them, nor
draw
any conclusion from them. And, tho'
we cannot come to ftrict certainty, in the
prefent cafe (as, I think, we cannot;) yet,
furely, our judgments and ſubſequent behavi-
our ought to be determined and directed by
the greater degree of probability, as well in
this, as in any other cafe. I am ſenſible,
it is maintained by fome, that divine reve-
lation affords a proper ground of certainty,
with refpect to men's future existence;
whereas, I think, it does not. For, as we
cannot, in the nature of the thing, come to
a certainty, with regard to the divine origi-
Y 4
nal
328
The Author's Farewel.
nal of any external revelation; fo, from
hence it ſeems to follow, that no revelation
can be a proper ground of certainty, with
reſpect to the truth of any propofition that
is grounded upon it, becauſe that would be
drawing a certain conclufion from an uncer-
tain principle, which is abfurd. And,
HERE, perhaps, it may be expected that
I ſhould take notice of what may be urged
from St. Paul, concerning the doctrine of
futurity, viz. that as the Apoftle obſerved,
2 Timothy i. 10. That life and immortality
were brought to light by the gospel: fo he,
in 1 Corinthians xv. feems to confider Chrift
as being raised from the dead on purpoſe
clearly to evince both the poffibility and cer-
tainty of a future refurrection to life eter-
nal;
and therefore, if the refurrection of
Chrift be fo well attefted, as to lay a proper
foundation of credit, with regard to that
fact, then, that fact becomes a juſt founda-
tion for credit, with regard to the doctrine
of futurity; that is, it becomes a juft and
proper foundation for us to ground the belief
of futurity upon. With respect to what is
here urged, I obferve, that when St. Paul
faid, that life and immortality were brought
to light by the gospel, he poffibly might
mean
The Author's Farewel. 329
mean no more, than that the true way to
a happy immortality was plainly pointed out
by the goſpel; and this aſſertion of St. Paul
the gospel, furely, will justify. If it fhould
be infifted on, that St. Paul meant the doc-
trine of futurity, and that it was diſcovered
or made known by the gofpel; then, the
affertion does not come with a very good
grace from that Apoftle; becauſe he not on-
ly knew that there were a confiderable
number of people among the Jews, viz.
the Pharifees, of which fect himſelf and
family were a part, who believed and zea-
louſly maintained the doctrine of futurity,
as appears from Acts xxiii. 6, 7, 8. but he
alſo repreſents a refurrection to a future life
to be what the body of the Jewish nation
had hope in, as a promife of God that had
been made to their fathers. For, as St.
Paul reprefented his belief in, and his ad-
berence to the doctrine of the refurrection, to
be the ground of the charge laid againſt
him
* When St. Paul returned to Jerufalem, after ha-
ving preached the gofpel to the Gentiles, (according to
the Chriſtian hiftorian Acts xxi.) he went to St. James,
when the elders were prefent, and acquainted them of
the great fuccefs of his miniſtry among the Gentiles. And
James, and the elders alfo, informed St. Paul that many
thoufand Jews were believers in Chrift, which believers
were
330 The Author's Farewel.
him by the Jews; fo, he confidered that
doctrine as a jewish doctrine, or as what had
been conftantly believed in, and hoped for
by that 'people. Thus, St. Paul told the
Jews
were all zealous of the law; and as they had heard that
St. Paul had taught all the Jews, which were among
the Gentiles, to forfake Mofes, faying, that they ought
not to circumcife their children, nor walk after the cu-
ftoms; fo, of courfe, they would come together for fa-
tisfaction. However, to avoid the preſent difficulty, St.
James and the elders propofed to St. Paul a way to de-
ceive thoſe Jews, which Paul approved, as appears from
his compliance with it; viz. they had four men, who had
a vow on them, whom they adviſed St. Paul to take and
purify himſelf with them, and be at charges with them,
and have their heads, that thereby all might know, from
St. Paul's conformity to the law, in thefe inftances, that
what had been faid of him was falſe; and that he walked
orderly, and kept the law, verfe 26. But then, though
St. Paul went into the temple to anſwer the purpoſe a-
forefaid; yet, it had another great and unexpected effect,
and became the occafion of thoſe troubles that afterwards
befel him. For, when the feven days for purification
were almoſt ended, the Jews which were of Afia, when
they faw Paul in the temple, and having before feen Tro-
phimus an Ephefian with him in the city, whom they
thought Paul had brought with him into the temple, they
ftirred up all the people, and laid hands upon Paul, cry-
ing out [men of Ifrael, help; this is the man that teach-
eth all men every where against the people, and the law,
and this place: and farther, hath brought Greeks alfo into
the temple, and hath polluted this holy place] verfes 27,
28.
This is the charge of the Jews against St. Paul,
in which there is not a tittle concerning his having taught
the doctrine of the refurrection, as he afterwards pre-
tended the cafe to be. In like manner, and agreeable
to the above charge, Tertullus the orator pleaded againft
St.
The Author's Farewel.
331
Jews at Rome, Acts xxviii. 20. for the
hope of Ifrael he was bound with the chain
they faw upon him. And thus, he told
King Agrippa, Acts xxvi. that the Jews
knew,
St. Paul, in the following words, [we have found this
man a peftilent fellow, and a mover of ſedition among all
the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the
fect of the Nazarenes; who alſo have gone about to pro-
phane the temple, whom we took, and would have
judged according to our law] Acts xxiv. 5, 6. To
which accufation the Jews affented, ſaying, that theſe
things were fo, verfe 9. In this accufation we have not a
word of St. Paul's preaching the doctrine of the refur-
rection, nor, indeed, does it appear that there was, or
could be any place for it; feeing the preaching that
doctrine could not be deemed criminal by the Jews; but
it ſeems to have been forced into the cafe, by St. Paul,
to anſwer a prefent purpoſe to himſelf. For when the
chief captain had brought forth Paul before the council,
in order to know what the Jews had to charge him with,
and Paul perceiving that the audience were partly Sad-
duces and partly Pharifees, he (to gain a party to himfelf)
craftily cryed out [men and brethren, I am a Pharisee,
the fon of a Pharifec, of the hope and refurrection of the
dead I am called in queftion] Ats xxiii. 6. This ftra-
tagem anſwered the purpofe, for by it the multitude be-
came divided, and St. Paul drew off a great party to his
fide. And, though it does not appear that St. Paul's
preaching the doctrine of the refurrection was ever laid to
his charge, nor is it at all likely to have been the cafe ; yet,
we find he stood to it, and reprefented it to be the ground
of thofe troubles that befel him; probably the better to
conceal the true caufe of his misfortunes, and which,
poffibly, he might be ashamed of, viz. his acting the deceit-
ful part before-mentioned, by going into the temple,
and performing according to the law, with the view
and intent of impofing upon, and deceiving the judaifing
Chriftians thereby.
332
The Author's Farewel.
knew, that, after the most ftrict fect of their
religion, he had lived a Pharifee, which
fect maintained the doctrine of the refur-
rection; and (faid he) now I fland and am
judged for the hope of the promiſe made of
God unto our fathers: unto which pro-
mife our twelve tribes, inftantly ferving God
day and night, hope to come; for which hope's
fake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the
Jews, verſes 5, 6, 7.
And that a refur-
rection to a future life was the object of this
hope, is not only evident from what St.
Paul faid, chap. xxiii. verfe 6. of the hope
and refurrection of the dead I am called in
queftion; but alfo from the words that im-
mediately follow, viz. why should it be
thought a thing incredible that God should
raife the dead? This being the ftate of the
cafe, it ſeems exceeding ſtrange, that St.
Paul fhould confider life and immortality
as having been brought to light by the gof-
pel; when, according to him, a refurrection
to a future life was a ftanding doctrine a-
mong the
the Jews, and was what their
forefathers believed, and had hope in.
And, admitting the fact of Chrift's refurrec-
tion to be fo well attefted, as to lay a proper
foundation for credit, with regard to that
fact:
The Author's Farewel.
333
fact: Yet, that the poffibility and certainty
of a future refurrection to life eternal are
clearly evinced by it, may not, perhaps, be
clearly perceived by every mind. Whether
the human mind is a permanent being, that
exists independent of any material fyftem,
tho' in its preſent ſtate it is united to, and
acts in and by ſuch a ſyſtem; or whether it
reſults from, and depends upon a temporary
periſhable compofition of matter, and is it-
felf diffolved by and with the diffolution of
that compofition, are points which I am not
able to determine, and, perhaps, are not
eafily determined by others; and therefore,
fuppofing the latter to be the cafe, then, as
Chrift's body, when laid in the fepulchre,
did not fee corruption, did not come to a
diffolution; fo, furely, it is eafy to conceive
that divine power could repair the injuries
done to the material fyftem, and put it again
into fuch a ſtate, as that life, or intelligence
and activity fhould naturally flow from it
as before, and yet remain perishable as be-
fore; and if fo, then Chrift's refurrection
proves nothing with regard to a refurrection
to life eternal. And, in this view of the
cafe, St. Paul's conclufion must be much
too strong for the premifes. 1 Cor. xv. 13.
But
1
1
1
334 The Author's Farewel.
But if there be no refurrection of the dead,
then is Chrift not rifen. Here, I fay, the
conclufion is too strong for the premiſes;
becauſe Chrift may be rifen from the dead,
tho' there be no refurrection to life eternal,
The forementioned facts have no neceffary
connection with, nor dependance upon each
other: and therefore, there may be a refur
rection to life eternal, tho' Chrift were not
rifen from the dead; and Chrift may be
rifen from the dead, tho' there were to be
no refurrection of the dead to eternal life.
And,
THAT the refurrection of Chrift was
defigned and intended clearly to evince the
poffibility and certainty of a refurrection to
life eternal, does not plainly appear to me;
becauſe it appears to be directed to anſwer
another purpose; and becauſe it does not
feem wifely directed to answer this. The
purpoſe that Chrift directly and obviouſly
applied his refurrection to, was to gather
or rather keep together his difpirited Diſciples,
to commiſſion and qualify, and fend them
forth into the world to preach his gospel.
The feveral Hiftorians who have given an
account of the refurrection of Chrift, not
only have fet forth that he appeared but a
few
The Author's Farewei.
335
few times, but they alfo agree in this, viz.
that, when he did appear, his time was
ſpent in anſwering the forementioned purpoſe,
without giving the least hint that he applied
it to answer the other purpose; whereas, if
Chrift rofe from the dead, in order thereby
clearly to evince the poffibility and certainty
of a refurrection to life eternal, then, moft
certainly, he would have applied it accord-
ingly, by making fuch reflections upon the
cafe, as, in this view of it, it obviouſly re-
quired; and then, furely, the feveral Hif-
torians would not have failed to tranfmit
thoſe remarks to us: and therefore, feeing
this was not the cafe, from hence, I think,
it may be juſtly inferred, that Chriſt's re-
furrection was not intended clearly to evince
as aforefaid, but only to enable him thereby
to keep together his difpirited difciples, to
commiffion and qualify, and fend them forth
to preach his gofpel to all nations. This
was what Chrift's refurrection was directed
and applied to; and which end, we find,
was effectually anfwered by it. The Apoftles,
according to the inftructions given them by
their mafter, kept themselves together, and
waited at ferufalem until the feaft of pen-
tecoft, when they were filled with the Holy-
Ghost;
1
:
336 The Author's Farewel.
}
Ghost; and then they entered upon their
miniftry of preaching the gofpel; and thus
the end which Chrift directly and immedi-
ately applied his refurrection to, was effectu-
ally anfwered by it. And,
When a
As it does not in the leaft appear that
the refurrection of Chrift was applied to
anfwer this purpofe, viz. clearly to evince
both the poffibility and certainty of a refur-
rection to life eternal; fo it does not feem
wifely directed to answer that end; and there-
fore, it is not at all likely that that purpofe
was intended to be ferved by it.
great and valuable end is to be obtained,
then the nature and propriety of the thing
obviouſly require, that the best and moſt ef-
fectual means fhould be uſed for it's attain-
ment. Such a conduct as this is expected
from a wife man; and in every inftance in
which he acts otherwiſe, in that inftance
he forfeits the character, or, at leaſt, acts
below it, as a wife man. And as God is
the perfection of wifdom; fo he will, con-
fonant to that character, moſt certainly pur-
fue every end by the best and most effectual
means for it's attainment. And as the doc-
trine of futurity is what our fpecies at large
are greatly intereſted in; fo their belief in it
is,
The Author's Farewel.
337
is, confeffedly, of the highest concern to
them; and therefore, if the refurrection
of Chrift was intended to be a proper ground
of faith in this refpect, then the reaſon of
the thing moft obviously requires, that that
refurrection ſhould have been as publick
and notorious, as evident and certain as it
could poffibly be, or as the nature of things
would admit, that ſo the forementioned be-
lief might be procured by it, and be ren-
dered general to mankind. And, as Chriſt,
at his crucifixion, was expofed to a multitude
of ſpectators, who were witneſſes of his
death; fo the nature of the thing ſeems to
require, that upon his refurrection he ſhould
as publickly have expoſed himſelf, and made
thofe fpectators the witneſſes of his refurrec-
tion alfo. And, when the ftory was publiſhed
that Chriſt's Diſciples came by night and
ftole him away, the cafe plainly required
that he ſhould publickly have appeared, and
confronted the ſtory by his living preſence
among them; and thereby have given pub-
lick fatisfaction that the ſtory was falſe; not
but the ſtory itſelf feems greatly to exceed the
bounds of credit. That the chief Priefts
fhould invent, and the foldiers publish the
ridiculous ſtory of the Diſciples of Chriſt
Z
Steal-
338 The Author's Farewel.
ftealing the dead body of their maſter, out
of the fepulchre, whilft thofe foldiers flept,
feems greatly improbable; becauſe they
could have nothing to ground a fuppofition
upon, that the ftory would answer the end
propoſed to be obtained by it, viz. the fiti-
fling, as it were in the birth, the knowledge
of the fact of Chrift's refurrection, and
thereby prevent it's paffing into the world;
which fuppofition of concealing that fact,
muſt have been the Spring of action to the
chief Prieſts in inventing, and endeavouring
to propagate this ftory. For, as the chief
Priefts knew, according to their own account,
Matthew xxvii. 63. that Chrift had pub-
lickly declared he would rife from the dead,
which declaration gave occafion for fealing
the ſtone and ſetting a watch; fo, if Chriſt
was rifen, which they were fatisfied he was
from the report of the foldiers, then they
could expect nothing less than that he would
publickly appear, and that foon, and thereby
fatisfy the world of his having made good the
above declaration; which publick appea-
rance, as nothing lefs could be expected, ſo
it would have rendered the ftory, with all
it's abettors, greatly ridiculous and contemp-
tible. I fay, that nothing less than Chrift's
publick
The Author's Farewel.
339
publick appearance could have been expected
by the chief Priests: And therefore, as
nothing but the fuppofition of the non-pub-
lick appearance of Chrift, after his refurrec-
tion, could render this ftory paffable, even
upon the minds of the chief Priests themſelves,
and which it ſeems next to impoffible they
fhould fuppofe, efpecially confidering the
terrible circumſtances of an earthquake, &c.
that attended Chrift's refurrection, according
to the account given them by the foldiers;
fo it is much more likely that this ftory was
not coined till after the event had fhewn that
Chriſt made no fuch publick appearance at
all, than that this ftory was made by the
chief Priests, and put into the mouths of
the foldiers by them, at the time when
Chriſt was faid to have rifen from the dead;
the former of thefe, I fay, appears from the
Story itself to be much more likely, than the
latter.
BUT farther, the publick appearance of
Chrift, after his refurrection, feems to have
been made neceffary by Chrift himself; viz.
by his publickly declaring (fuppofing he made
fuch declaration) to the people, that he
would rife from the dead, by which he
raifed the people's expectations, and in fome
Z 2
meafure
340 The Author's Farewel.
meaſure made them parties in the cauſe
and therefore, ſeemed in honour obliged to
make good his declaration, to publick fatis-
faction. Not but Chrift's declaring or fore-
telling that he would rife from the dead, or
rather the ground of fuch his declarations,
feems to be attended with fome difficulties,
which render thoſe declarations greatly im-
probable. The probability or improbability of
any relation or fact does, from the nature
of the thing, strengthen or weaken the credit
of fuch relation, or fact. But, before I come
to confider the declarations referred to, I
ſhall make two obfervations, as previous to
it. First, the character Chrift affumed was
that of a divine meſſenger, one who was
fent by the Deity to be a Saviour to the
vicious or loft part of mankind; and accord-
ingly, it is faid of him, that he came to ſeek
and to fave that which was lost; and that
he was fent particularly to the loſt ſheep of
the houſe of Ifrael. So that the moſt diſ
folute, ſtubborn, and faithlefs people of that
time, or that wicked and adulterous gene-
ration, were the people Chrift was particu-
larly and fpecially fent to; and theſe were
the perfons he came on purpoſe to ſeek and
fave. And it was under the pretext of this
cha-
The Author's Farewel.
341
character of a fpiritual Phyfician, at Chrift
juftified his own conduct, in keeping com-
pany with Publicans and Sinners "The
"whole (faid he) have no need of the Phyfi-
CC
<<
:
cian, but they that are fick; I came, not
to call the righteous, but finners to repen-
"tance." And as Chrift affumed the character
of a meſſenger ſent from God; ſo, ſecondly, he
repreſented his working of miracles as a
proper evidence of that character; and as a
proper means of conviction, to those they
were wrought before. Thus, in Luke vii.
when John the Baptift fent to Chrift, to
enquire whether he was the perfon expected,
or were they to look for another? Chrift faid,
by way of anſwer to John's query,verfe22. go
your way, and tell John what things you have
Seen and beard, how that the blind fee, &c.
John x. 25. The works that I do (faid
Chrift) in my father's name, they bear wit-
nefs of me, verfe 38. Tho' ye believe not me,
believe the works: that ye may know and be-
lieve that the father is in me, and I in him.
Theſe two points being premifed, I obſerve,
that in Matthew xii. 38, 39, 40. Chriſt is
repreſented as expreffing himſelf in the fol-
lowing words. Then certain of the Scribes
and of the Pharifees answered, faying, maſter,
we would fee a fign from thee. But be
Z 3
an-
342
The Author's Farewel.
anfwer
and faid to them, an evil and
adulterous generation feeketh after a fign;
and there fhall no fign be given to it, but the
fign of the Prophet Jonas. For as Jonas
was three days and three nights in the whale's
belly fo fhall the fon of man be three days
and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Again, Mark viii. 11, 12. And the Pha-
rifees came forth, and began to question with
him, Jeeking of him a fign from heaven,
tempting him. And he fighed deeply in his
Spirit, and faith, why doth this generation
feek after a fign? Verily I fay unto you,
there fhall no fign be given to this generation.
Again, Luke xi. 29, 30. And when the
people were gathered thick together, he began
to fay, this is an evil generation: they feek a
fign, and there fhall no fign be given it, but
the fign of Jonas the Prophet. For as Jonas
was a fign unto the Ninevites, fo fhall also the
Son of man be to this generation. With regard
to theſe declarations and predictions, tho'
they are related by three Evangelifts; yet
there are ſeveral things which feem, at
leaft, to weaken their credit. Firſt, as
Chriſt affumed the character of a special
meſſenger ſent from God, to feek and fave
wicked people; and as he judged mira-
cles
The Author's Farewel.
343
cles to be a proper evidence of his divine
character, and a proper means of conviction
to thoſe who faw them wrought; fo this
makes it exceeding ftrange, and greatly im-
probable, that Chrift fhould withhold the
means of conviction from thofe very people
he came into the world on purpoſe to ſeek
and fave; eſpecially when thofe people de-
fired him to fupport his character by this
means, which request feems to have been
juſt and reaſonable. This conduct feems
like a kingdom divided against itſelf; and
Chrift, feemingly, is baffling his own de-
fign. To fay that thofe people were vile
hypocrites, a generation of vipers, who only
tempted Chrift by their requeft; this is a
proper reason for offering the means of
conviction to them, and therefore cannot
be a proper reaſon against it; becauſe thoſe
people of all others moſt needed convic-
tion, and were the farthest from it; and
as Chriſt came to feck and fave them, fo
their hazardous cafe required, that all pro-
per means ſhould be uſed, by their ſpiritual
phyſician, to work their conviction and con-
verſion, of which the working miracles be-
fore them, according to Chrift's account,
was a proper means to this end. To fay,
Z 4
that
344
The Author's Farewel.
that theſe bad people were righteous in their
own eyes, makes their cafe ftill worſe; and
renders the reaſon for holding forth the
means of conviction to them, fo much the
Stronger. Or to fay, that theſe people were
Chrift's implacable enemies: then, fo were
they who crucified him, and yet that did not
put a bar to Chrift's compaffion, feeing he
prayed to his father to forgive them: but
how could they poffibly obtain forgiveneſs,
if it was proper that the means of conviction
fhould be withheld from them? Nor were
theſe men greater enemies to Chrift's per-
fon, than St. Paul was to his religion; and
yet that did not prevent the means of con-
viction being offered to him. To ſay, that
St. Paul obtained mercy, becauſe what he
did was through ignorance and in unbelief;
then, that was the cafe of the enemies to
Chrift's perfon. Father, forgive them, ſaid
he, for they know not what they do. I wot
that thro' ignorance ye did it, as did alfo
your Rulers, faid St. Peter, fpeaking of
thoſe who crucified Chrift, Acts iii. 17. If
it ſhould be faid, that the means of convic-
tion was withheld from the perfons referred
to, becauſe Chrift knew the end would not
be obtained by them; then, Chriſt muſt
have
The Author's Farewel.
345
have known that to be the caſe of many
others, from whom, notwithſtanding, the
means of conviction were not withheld. Thus
Matthew xi. 21. Woe unto thee, Chorazin,
woe unto thee, Bethfaida: for if the mighty
works which were done in you, had been done
in Tyre and Sidon, they would have re-
pented long ago in fackcloth and ashes, verfe
23. And thou Capurnaum, which art exalted
unto heaven, fhall be brought down to
hell: for if the mighty works which have
been done in thee, had been done in So-
dom, it would have remained unto this
day. Here we fee, that the moſt obdurate
had the means of conviction plentifully held
forth to them. In fine, there can be no
proper reason for withholding the means of
conviction from a man, but his not needing
it, by his acting a worthy and a proper part;
and agreeable to this Chrift hath obferved,
that the whole have no need of the phyfician,
and confequently, have no need of phyfick, but
they that are fick; "I am not come (ſaid he)
"to call the righteous, but finners to repen-
"tance." Again, in the declarations aforefaid,
Chriſt, according to Mark, ſaid that no fign
ſhould be given to that generation; and, ac-
cording to Matthew and Luke, that no fign
fhould
346 The Author's Farewel.
ſhould be given, except the fign of the Pro-
phet Jonas; which feems to imply, that no
miracle had been wrought, nor should be
wrought to work the conviction, and con-
verfion of that adulterous generation, but
only that of his own refurrection, which
was afterwards to take place; and, if ſo,
then wherefore did he come? or how could
the purpose of his miniftry be anſwered to
that generation, if the means of conviction
were withheld from them? Did not Chriſt
fay to Pilate, John xviii. 37. To this end
was I born, and for this caufe came I into
the world, that I should bear witneſs unto the
truth? but then, how could truth be pro-
perly borne witnefs to, if the means were
withheld by which that truth was to be
eftablished? or how could Chrift, with any
fincerity or truth, complain of the obftinacy
of the Jews, as he did, if the means of con-
viction had been withheld from them?
Matthew xxiii. 37. O Jerufalem, Jerufa-
lem, thou that killeft the Prophets, and fto-
neft them which are fent unto thee; how
often would I have gathered thy children to-
gether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings, and ye would not! furely,
if Chriſt uſed the like care and application
in
The Author's Farewel.
347
in endeavouring to fave the stubborn Jews,
that the ben does for the faving her young,
then no means of conviction could have been
withheld from them. Befides, theſe decla-
rations, viz. that no fign fhould be given to
that generation, are abundantly contra-
dicted in the hiftories of Chrift's life and
miniftry; where we have an account of the
many figns that were given to that generation,
both before and after thofe declarations were
made; and theſe having been given in vain,
gave occafion for thofe woes, which were
pronounced on Chorazin, Bethfaida, and
Capernaum. And when it was told Chriſt,
that Herod would kill him; he ſaid, go ye,
and tell that Fox, behold I caft out Devils,
and I do cures to-day, and to-morrow, and
the third day I fhall be perfected, Luke xiii.
31, 32. So that the aforefaid declaration,
and feemingly hasty refolution, that no fign
ſhould be given to that wicked and adulte-
rous generation, but that of Jonas the Pro-
phet, was not only contrary to the
very end
and purpoſe of Chrift's coming into the
world, but alſo contrary to plain fact; and
therefore, furely, could not come from the
mouth of the compaffionate Saviour of man-
kind. Again, in the above declarations
there
348 The Author's Farewel.
there is a prediction and promiſe, viz. that
the fign of the Prophet Jonas Should be
given to that generation, by which fign is
underſtood the refurrection of Chriſt; but
then, this prediction was not fulfilled, nor
this promiſe made good; for tho' Chrift did
rife from the dead, yet he did not publickly
appear and fhew himfelf to that generation,
and therefore, his refurrection could not be a
figntothem. From what I have here obſerved,
(without taking notice that not one of Chriſt's
difciples knew any thing of this matter) I
think, it appears, that the fuppofition of
Chriſt's not having made the above declara-
tions, is much more fuitable to, and agree-
able with his character and conduct, than
the fuppofition that he did; and, confe-
quently, there is a probability, at leaſt, that
he did not.
PERHAPS, it may be faid, had Chriſt
made fuch a publick appearance as the cafe
is here fuppofed to require; then it would
have rendered faith much too eafy and cheap,
and might, poffibly, have forced conviction
from thoſe obftinate unbelievers, who are
altogether unworthy of God's favour:
whereas the Deity acted more cautiously,
and left room for obftinate men to perfiſt in
their
The Author's Farewel.
349
their infidelity. An inftance of like kind
we had at the reſtoration, tho' the produce
of human wiſdom only; the conforming
clergy, to whofe care and prudence the af-
fairs of religion were committed, thoſe men
carefully and cautiously let fome grounds of
non-conformity remain, and thereby made
the door of the church fo ftrait as that
thoſe obftinate fchifmaticks, the confcientious
diffenters, might not come in .and ſhare in
the power, the dignities, and the revenues
thereof; theſe being fuch worldly good
things of which thofe Schifmaticks were
not worthy. In like manner, tho' Chriſt
did riſe from the dead; yet the Deity pru-
dently let fome grounds of infidelity remain,
leaſt obftinate Infidels fhould believe and be
faved. Upon which I obferve, that if
Chriſt rofe from the dead on purpoſe clearly
to evince both the poffibility and certainty
of a refurrection to life eternal; then, fure-
ly, it was intended to work the conviction
of thoſe obftinate unbelievers before menti-
oned. For, as to the credulous multitude,
who can believe (in their way of believing)
as well without evidence as with it, and
even against evidence, by following the
common cry, clearly to evince to them is al-
together
350
The Author's Farewel.
together unneceſſary, ſeeing the end, can as
well be answered without it; and therefore,
clearly to evince must be in order to pro-
duce conviction or faith in fuch men as can-
not affent but upon proper evidence, and in
proportion to it's firength, which are the
perjons, the Infidels, the obftinate unbelie-
vers our faithmongers make fuch an outcry
about. And if faith be neceffary to the
falvation of thoſe obftinate unbelievers; then
their ſtubbornness renders them fo much the
more the proper objects of the divine con-
cern, as their future fafety is rendered fo
much the more hazardous thereby; and
therefore, the common and compaffionate
parent of mankind, who pitieth every piti-
able object, will most certainly confider their
cafe, and will afford them fuch means of
conviction as it requires, whatever hard or
unkind uſage they may meet with from their
fellow-creatures; tho', I am fenfible, that be-
nignity and every other moral excellency in
the Deity muſt be eclipfed, when the religi-
ous ſyſtem in vogue requires it ſo to be. And,
As the nature of the thing feems, at
leaſt, to require, that the refurrection of
Chriſt ſhould have been as publick and noto-
rious, as evident and certain as it could be,
fuppofing
The Author's Farewel.
351
fuppofing it was intended clearly to evince
the poffibility and certainty of a future re-
furrection to life eternal, becauſe otherwiſe
the means would be disproportionate to the
end propoſed to be obtained by it; fo the
reverſe to this ſeems to have been the cafe,
in every circumſtance. But here I beg leave
to obſerve, that the prefent queſtion is not
whether Chrift did really rife from the dead?
that may have been the cafe, tho' he made
no perſonal appearance upon earth after-
ward; and, confequently, tho' there were
no evidence to prove it: but the prefent
queſtion is, whether the evidence produced
affords a proper foundation of credit, with
regard to that fact? That Chrift did not rife
from the dead, is a negative that cannot
poffibly be proved; and therefore, the
only queſtion is, whether we have proper
proof that he did? This being remarked, I
obferve firſt, that Chriſt appeared, after his
refurrection, but a few times. St. Matthew
mentions but twice; St. Mark three times;
St. Luke three times; St. John * four times;
and
* The two last times that St. John mentions of
Chrift's appearing, after his refurrection, feem to be of
doubtful authority; becauſe they are faid to take place
after the giving the commiffion to the difciples; whereas,
according
352
The Author's Farewel.
and the author of the hiftory of the acts of
the apostles, does not fpecify any number
of times, but only faith, that Chrift was
feen forty days; by which, furely, muſt be
meant, that Chrift was feen fometimes within
that time, and not that he was feen forty
days fucceffively, or every day in that ſpace
of time; becauſe that is ſuch a ſenſe of the
hiftorian's words, as the accounts given by
the other hiftorians do not admit, What-
ever end Chrift's refurrection was intended to
ferve, it might very naturally be ſuppoſed
and expected, that when he was rifen he
would repair to the boufe of fome friend, (if
he did not chufe otherwife to expofe himſelf
to publick view) and make it the place of
his refidence, the time he ſtayed upon
earth; that fo the reft of his friends, and
all others might know where to fee him,
and have acceſs to him; and not that he
would fo conceal himſelf, for the ſpace of
forty days, as not to be feen by any person
living, excepting three or four times, which,
upon the whole, perhaps, may have been
equal to one whole day, and which ſeems to
have
according to all the other hiftorians, Chrift gave the
commiffion to his difciples, to preach his gofpel, the laft
time he appeared among them, which, according to two
of thoſe hiſtorians, was just before his aſcenſion.
The Author's Farewel.
353
have been the cafe, according to the hifto-
ries. The former of theſe ſeems much
more ſuitable to truth and plain dealing, and
is much better adapted clearly to evince the
poffibility and certainty of a refurrection to
life eternal, than the latter; and the latter
looks more like fraud and impofition, than
the former: but then, in which of theſe
ways the Deity, or one ſpecially commiffio-
ned by him, would chufe to act, in an affair
of ſuch moment, muſt be ſubmitted to the
judgment of my readers. Again,
CHRIST appeared but to a few perfons,
and thoſe few he appeared to were his
friends, and fuch as had believed in him,
before his death. St. Matthew mentions on-
ly the women, and the eleven difciples; St.
Mark mentions Mary Magdalen, two difci-
ples and the eleven; St. Luke mentions two
difciples, Simon, and the eleven; St. John
mentions Mary Magdalen, the difciples in
general, and alfo Peter, Thomas, Natha-
niel, the two fons of Zebedee, and two other
difciples; and the author of the hiftory of
the acts of the apoftles mentions the eleven
difciples, the women, and Mary the mother
of Jefus, and his brethren, who were with
him at his afcenfion. According to thefe
accounts,
A a
354 The Author's Farewel.
accounts, the perfons that Chrift appeared
to, after his refurrection, cannot well be
computed at more than twenty, or twenty-
five at the utmoſt, all of which were his
relations and friends. Now, admitting that
all thefe, for any thing that appeared, were
honest people, who could have no immedi-
ate worldly advantage in view, and who
had their fenfes quick about them, and fo
were proper judges of fenfible objects; yet, as
the fact referred to was of univerfal con-
cern, fo, furely, it would have appeared
with a much better grace, had Chriſt ſhew-
ed himſelf publickly, and to enemies or unbe-
lievers as well as friends, becaufe by this all
ground of fufpicion would have been taken
away; and which it may well be fuppofed
a wife conductor of fuch an affair would
chufe to have done, when any thing of con-
fequence was depending; and it is what we
feem difpofed to expect, in cafes of this na-
ture. Suppoſe it ſhould be averred by fome
of our preſent Methodiſts, that a notable
miracle had been wrought among them, to
fupport the divine character of their mini-
ftry, the credit of which fact depended
wholly upon the teftimonies of thoſe who
aw it, or, at leaft, who pretend to have
feen
The Author's Farewel. 355
feen it; then the queſtions that would na-
turally and almoft unavoidably arife would
be, who? and how many were the witneffes
to this fact? and if, upon enquiry, it ſhould
appear, that this miracle was wrought in
the preſence of a few Methodists only, then,
I fear, the unbelievers in Methodiſm, even
thoſe of the moſt heroic faith in other re-
ſpects, would be apt to fufpect it to be a
fraud; and were it to be urged in behalf of
thoſe witneffes, that they were perfons of
the moſt ſtrict honesty in all other reſpects,
and that their ſenſes were quick and ſtrong,
this, I doubt, would not give full fatisfac-
tion.
AGAIN, the perfons Chrift appeared to,
after his refurrection, did not know him,
though they had been moſt intimately ac-
quainted with him before his death; and if
fo, then how could they be proper evidences
of the identity or fameneſs of his perſon?
how could they know certainly that the
perfon which they then faw was the very
fame perfon that had been crucified, when he
did not appear to be the fame? If it ſhould
be faid, that though Chrift was not known
by his perſonal appearance, yet he was af-
terwards known by his voice and converſa-
A a 2
tion;
356 The Author's Farewel.
?
tion; this feems to be but of little weight,
becauſe a man's voice and converfation may
be much more eafily counterfeited, (by one
who ufually converfes with him) than his
perfonal appearance; and therefore, if the
perfon that fhewed himſelf did not appear to be
the perfon that had been crucified, from a view
of the ſhape and fize of his body and the
make or features of his face; then his voice
and converfation could not prove him to be
fuch, becauſe theſe may have been counter-
feited, as I have already obferved. Befides,
as the two difciples going to Emaus did not
know Chrift from his perfonal appearance;
fo neither did they know him from his voice
and converfation, feeing he converſed with
them fome time, and yet remained unknown
to them. Nor did Mary Magdalen know
Chriſt either by his perfon or his voice, but
only by his calling her by her name.
like manner, he was faid to be known to the
diſciples, that had converfed with him, as
aforefaid, in the breaking of bread; which
means of conviction do not feem to be a
clear proof of the fameneſs of that perſon
with the perfon that had been crucified.
And to ſuppoſe that when Chrift either met
or overtook the two diſciples going to Emaus,
In
that
The Author's Farewel.
357
that theſe diſciples did not know him, be-
cauſe they had only a fide view of him,and did
not look him full in the face all that time,
tho' it was in the open day-light, and he
was apprehended by them to be a stranger;
this fuppofition needs a veil to be drawn
over it, becauſe, furely, there has been no
fuch inftance fince our great grandfather
Adam was driven out of paradiſe.
if
AGAIN, as Chrift appeared at different
times; fo, according to the hiftory, he ap-
peared under different forms; and if fo,
then the fenfes of thoſe who faw him muſt
have been ſo baffled, as to be rendered quite
uſeleſs, in the cafe under confideration. For,
the perſon who appeared, formed one picture
upon the
eyes of thoſe he appeared to at one
time, and another picture at another time; then
thofe to whom he appeared muſt have con-
cluded from thofe different appearances, either
that it was not the fame perfon which they
had ſeen at thoſe different times, or elſe that
their fenfes had been fo put upon that they
could form no judgment about who, and
what he was whom they had feen; this, I
fay, must have been the cafe of thofe per-
fons, if their judgments were guided by their
fenfes. Suppofe the perfon that was feen,
A a 3
ap-
.
358 The Author's Farewel
appeared to be a tall man at one time, and
a short man at another; or to be a large full-
bodied man at one time, and a thin spare
man at another; or that he appeared to be
of a pale fwarthy complexion at one time,
and of a ruddy fair complexion at another ;
or with a large maſculine ſtrong-featured face
at one time, and with a fmall effeminate foft-
featured face at another; or that his body
appeared with ſcars upon it at one time, and
without thofe fcars at another time; fome
or other of thefe, or fomething of the like
kind, I apprehend, muſt have been the cafe,
with refpect to the different forms Chriſt ap-
peared in, and by which the fenfes of thoſe
whom he appeared to were defignedly delud-
ed; and here the queſtion is, what proper
judgment could the fpectators form upon
fuch different appearances? And the an-
fwer, to me, is moft obvious; viz. they
muft of neceffity judge that thofe different
forms or appearances were relative to diffe-
rent objects or perfons; or elfe that they
could form no judgment at all of the mat-
And does not this minifter a tempta-
tion to men to think and fay, that if the bu-
finefs of Chrift's refurrection was not a
fraud; yet it looks very much like it, and
ter.
feems
1
The Author's Farewel.
359
ſeems to have the fame appearance as if it
was fo.
LASTLY, the fenfes of thofe witneffes
were over-ruled by fome foreign agent.
Thus, Luke xxiv. 16. But their eyes were
bolden, that they should not know him, verſe 31.
And their eyes were opened, and they knew
him; and he vanished out of their fight. All
facts, the truth of which is to be fupported
by the evidence of fenfe, the fenfes with
regard to fuch facts ought, and must be
left perfectly free, elfe the fenfes are quite
difqualified for being fuch evidence; and
therefore, were fome foreign agent to in-
terpofe, and mislead the fenfes any way, this
would be not only greatly unfair, but it
would alſo render that fact greatly uncer-
tain, the truth of which was to be fupported
by the evidence of ſenſe. If, by the inter-
pofition of fome foreign power,two different
images are pictured upon the eye of the
fame perfon, by the fame object being pre-
fented before it at two different times; then
that perfon muſt be difqualified for judging
which of thefe, or whether either of them
are a true reprefentation of that object; and
confequently, the misleading the fight, as
aforefaid, would quite difqualify that perfon
from
A & 4
1
360
The Author's Farewel.
from forming any proper judgment upon the
cafe at all. And if this was the cafe with
regard to the refurrection of Chrift; then it
is plain, that all evidence arifing from ſenſe,
with reſpect to that fact, muſt ſtand for
nought; and we must be obliged to feek
out for fome other kind of evidence than
what arifes from ſenſe, to ſupport the crcdit
of that fact, elſe it cannot be fupported at
all. And if fome foreign power, by the
introduction of different imperceptible me-
diums, or any other way, can cauſe two
different images to be pictured upon the
fame eye by the fame body or object paffing
before it at two different times; then, furely,
the fame power, by the introduction of fome
imperceptible medium, or otherwiſe, may
prevent any image from being pictured upon
the eye at all, when fuch object pafles before
it, as aforefaid; the latter, for any thing
that appears, being as eafy to be performed
as the former. And, in this view of the
cafe, Dr. Emes * may have rifen from the
dead,
* In the year 1706, or about that time, fome French-
men came into England, viz. Mr. Bofier, Mr. Marion,
Mr. Fage, and ivr. Cavalier; and theſe opened a kind
of new religious difpenfation or miniſtry, which they ftiled
the midnight cry, as being foretold Matthew xxv. 6.
And, as what was promulged by thefe men was declared
to
The Author's Farewel. 361
dead, according as it was predicted of him,
notwithſtanding the multitude of ſpectators
did
to be by divine infpiration; fo, it was accompanied with
bodily agitations, like that which (they faid) attended the
Jewish Prophets heretofore; and which (they likewiſe
faid) Chrift plainly referred to, Luke vii. 24, 25, 26.
whoſe words are very naturally and justly paraphraſed as
followeth. What went ye out into the wilderness for to
fee? A reed fhaken with the wind? A man under bodily
agitations? that, furely, could not be worth your labour;
and therefore, that could not be all you intended in go-
ing thither. But what went ye out in the wilderness fur
to fee? Was it a man clothed in foft raiment? a man co-
vered with a plain ordinary garment made of camel's hair?
Neither could that be worth your labour; and therefore,
the ſeeing fuch a fight could not be all you intended: and
as for thoſe who are gorgiouſly apparelled, make a fine
appearance, and thereby may be thought worth feeing;
theſe are in Kings courts, theſe are not to be fſeen in the
wilderneſs; and therefore, the feeing thefe could not be
your view in going thither. But then, what went ye out
in the wilderneſs for to fee befide theſe? Or rather, went
you not forth into the wilderneſs for to fee what was
more than theſe, viz. a Prophet? Yea, I fay unto you, and
much more than a Prophet, &c. And as this new difpen-
fation was opened here by Frenchmen; ſo it's promulgers
were first ftiled the French-Prophets; but afterwards
they were called the modern Prophets, in diftinction from
the Jewish Prophets, whom Dr. Benjamin Hoadly, now
Bishop of Winchester, in his book publiſhed in their vindi-
cation, ftiled the antient Prophets. Thefe modern Pro-
phets did, or pretended to ſpeak or prophefy in langua-
ges they had never learned, analagous to what is faid to
have taken place at the opening of the chriftian difpenf-
tion. They likewife did, or pretended to have wrought
fome miracles, like as the Apoftles of Chrift are faid to
have done before them; the vouchers to which, or fome
of them at leaſt, had, from their general behaviour, ob-
tained the character of very worthy boneft men, and
there
362 The Author's Farewel.
did not fee him, who attended at the time
and place appointed for that purpoſe. The
grave,
therefore, were as worthy of credit as any other evidences
in the like cafe; or, rather, they were more worthy
than ſuch evidences as are at a great diftance, either in
point of time or place; becauſe the knowledge of their
general behaviour (upon which their refpective charac-
ters are to be formed) may with more eafe and certainty be
obtained, and thereby they become the more proper
objects of our confidence. Theſe French Prophets made
many Profelytes, of which, very foon, fome became in-
fpired, and were under bodily agitations, like thoſe French-
men; and fome went out on miſſions for the farther pro-
pagation of this midnight cry. Of thefe newly infpired,
Mr. Lacy, in his collection of prophetick warnings pub-
liſhed in the year 1708. enumerates fifteen, viz. Mary
Afpinal, Mary Beer, aged 13.Thomas Dutton, Thomas Emes,
(or Dr. Emes) John Glover, Anne Good,aged 11. Elizabeih
Grey, Mary Keemer, Anna Maria King, aged 13.
John Lacy, John Moor, John Moult, aged 15. John
Potter, Mary Turner, and Ann Wats. Some time
after the opening this new prophetick miniftry, the
above-named Thomas Emes Doctor of phyfick died; and
at, or after his interment, Mr. Potter being under
agitations, which was the vifible token of the divine fpi-
rit's being upon him, foretold that Dr. Emes would rife
from the dead on the first of May next enfuing. This
prediction being publickly known, it occafioned a great
collection of people, who attended the place, at the time
appointed, to be fpectators of this wonderful event; but
in this they were diſappointed, the Doctor did not riſe from
the dead, as had been foretold, at leaſt he did not fo rife
and appear as to be ſeen by those who went on purpoſe to
behold him. The prophefy thus failing, it occafioned
various fpeculations upon the cafe, and many reflections
were caft upon this new miniſtry; fome inferring from
this failure, that the whole was an impofition or cheat, in
that what they apprehended to have been offered as an e-
vidence of it's truth, proved to be itſelf a falfhood. How-
ever,
The Author's Farewel. 363
grave and coffin,in which Dr. Emes's dead body
was laid, may have been opened by fome in-
vifible
ever, this failure gave no check to the promulgation of
this midnight cry; it's promulgers infifted that this fai-
lure, or false prophesy as it was called, was given forth
and intended by the Deity to be a trial of the faith and
conftancy of believers, and to be a ſtone of ſtumbling and a
rock of offence to unteachable and obftinate gainfayers. A
cafe like this we have in God's commanding Abraham to
kill his fon Ifaac, not with an intent that the command
fhould be put in execution; but it was given only to be a
trial of Abraham's faith and obedience. And thus God,
by the mouth of his Prophet Mr. Potter, foretold the re-
furrection of Dr. Emes, not with an intent to raise him
from the dead; but that the failure of prophefy, in this
inftance as well as in others, might answer the purpoſes
aforefaid. And, admitting in this inftance Mr. Potter
predicted what he had no authority for; yet theſe men
infifted that this was no juſt objection againſt the divinity
of his miniftry in general; becauſe every divinely inſpired
perfon has it in his power, and is alfo in great danger of
mixing his own conceptions with what is dictated to him
by the ſpirit of God, and this, they faid, may have
been Mr. Potter's cafe. According to thefe modern Pro-
phets every inſpired perſon is a free being, and as ſuch,
it muſt be in his power to mix and blend his own concep-
tions with what is dictated to him by the holy ſpirit ;
and, as it requires much watchfulneſs, care and attention,
for a Prophet clearly to diftinguish and Separate what is
the produce of his own conceiving power, and what is
impreſſed upon his mind by the fpirit of God; fo, hereby
he is in great danger of mixing and blending thefe in the
promulgation of them, which blending may fometimes bet
the cafe. So that, except a Prophet is exceeding watchful
and careful in diftinguiſhing and feparating, as aforefaid,
he is in great danger, unwittingly, of exhibiting that to
others as a divine oracle, which is no other than the pro-
duce of his own imagination. And this, thofe Prophets
faid, was the ground of that diffidence St. Paul expreffed,
I
364 The Author's Farewel.
viſible agent, and the Doctor may have
come forth alive, and may have paffed away
unfeen
a
1 Cor. vii. 4. and I think alſo that I have the spirit of God,
or I think what I now deliver to you is the produce of
divine dictature. And, indeed, this ſeems to be the caſe,
except human agency be fufpended all the time a perſon is
promulging what he receives by divine inſpiration. For
as the organs of fpeech are ordinarily moved and directed
by the human mind; fo that mind must be capable of
exerting itſelf by acting upon them, even whilft under
divine infpiration, except human agency be fufpended;
and confequently, muſt be capable, and may be in dan-
ger of mixing it's own conceptions with the dictates of
the fpirit. And this fhews what uncertain and unſafe
guides, even divinely inspired men muſt needs be; be-
cauſe they may, through inattention, unwittingly or
without deſign, and even with concern, deliver that as
the word of God, which is no other than the produce of
human weakness. But farther, thefe Prophets urged, in
their own vindication, that the ways of God are not as
man's ways, that they are unfearchable and paſt finding
out; that as the wisdom of men is foolishness with God,
fo the righteousness of men, or what they judge to be
fuch, may be unrighteousness with him; and therefore,
the human mind muft of neceffity be uncapable of form-
ing any judgment about them. And this they endea-
voured to fupport, by appealing to what they called pa-
rallel cafes of the divine conduct, as recorded in holy
writ; which cafes they not only averred to be alike re-
pugnant and unfearchable to the human underſtanding,
but they alfo appealed to the judgments and declarations of
their opponents for the truth of it; and therefore, faid
they, nothing can fairly be concluded in prejudice of this
new miniſtry,from the failure of prophefyin Dr. Emes's,or
any other cafe. For, faid they, if God did a&t hercto-
fore in fuch a way as appears to be repugnant and un-
fearchable to the human mind in but one inftance, of
which it is evident from holy Writ that he did in many,
then he may act the fame part now, and then the failure
of
The Author's Farewel.
365
may
eyes
of
unſeen by all that were prefent; this, I fay,
have been the cafe, feeing the
all that were then prefent may have been
withheld that they ſhould not fee him. And,
indeed, if the fenfes are fometimes overruled
as aforefaid; then the evidence of ſenſe will
be ever uncertain; becauſe we have no rule
by which we can judge when fuch power is
exerciſed, and when not.
THESE difficulties do obviouſly attend the
fact of Christ's refurrection, as the evidences.
are held forth to us; whatever colouring and
Shading may be uſed to conceal them. And
here I dare appeal to the moſt fanguine be-
liever, whether fuch a conduct as this, viz.
Chrift's appearing in fuch a form, after his
reſurrection, as not to be known by thofe
who
of prophefy, with regard to Dr. Emes's refurrection, can
be no juft objection againſt the divinity of this new dif
penfation, fuppofing it, in fome inftances, to be repug-
nant and unfearchable to the human underſtanding. But
tho' the failure of prophecy in the cafe of Dr. Emes's re-
furrection, and in other inftances, did not check the pro-
grefs of this new miniftry, which at the firft was confi-
derable in fome places; yet as it had not in it the feeds
of worldly wealth and power, which are the only ſprings
of fuch continued application and diligence as are necef
fary to procure fuccefs in any undertaking, whether of
religious confideration or otherwife; fo the zeal of it's
abettors by degrees grew cold, and the thing itself gra-
dually decayed and wore away, infomuch that in less than
forty years it was fcarcely to be heard of.
366
The Author's Farewel.
who were moſt intimately acquainted with
him before his death; his appearing in one
form at one time, and in another form at
another time; that the eyes of thoſe who
faw him fhould be withheld at one time
that they might not know him, and that
their eyes ſhould be opened at another time
that they might know him; and for Chrift
to appear, and become vifible in a moment
of time, and then inſtantly to diſappear, and
become inviſible; I fay, whether fuch a
conduct as this be not much more fuitable
to, and much better adapted to anſwer the
purpoſes of impofition and fraud, than of
bonefty, fincerity, and truth? The playing
fast and looſe and the acting ſuch a part as
above, is what truth does not need to be
Supported by, becauſe it can be better fup-
ported without it; it is what truth can gain
noreputation from, but rather difcredit; and
therefore, it cannot be it's friend; but then,
whether the Deity, or one fpecially com-
miffioned by him, would act ſuch an unac-
countable part as this, in an affair of ſuch
moment, muſt be fubmitted to more capable
judges.
THAT the Deity ſhould intereft himself,
and be ſo far concerned in the propagation
of
The Author's Farewel. 367
of the doctrine of futurity, as to raiſe a per-
fon from the dead, on purpoſe clearly to e-
vince the poffibility and certainty of a future
refurrection to life eternal; and then, as it
were, to let it reſt there, without taking all
proper care to have this fact rendered as
publick and notorious, as evident and certain
as the nature of the thing would admit, and
as the great importance of the caſe obviouſly
required, but let it remain in the perplexed
uncertain ſtate as above; this is fuch a con-
duct as is not eafily to be accounted for, and
were it found in human affairs, the practi-
tioner would certainly be impeached for act-
ing below his character as a wife man, in
uſing means ſo very difproportionate to the
end propoſed to be obtained by them. As
Chrift, after his refurrection, appeared but
to a few friends only; fo thoſe whom he
didappear to have left no teftimonies upon re-
cord with regard to this fact (except St. Peter
and the hiſtorians;)and therefore, with refpect
to pofterity, they are no witneffes at all.
The hiftorians, indeed, fay, that Chrift,
after his refurrection, appeared feveral times
to ſeveral perfons; but then it does not ap-
pear that thoſe perfons themselves have made
any fuch declarations; and therefore, the
weight
368 The Author's Farewel.
weight of this evidence refts wholly upon
the authority of thofe hiftorians, who (as
fome learned men fay) did not put their
names to their hiftories; and therefore, it
muſt be a little uncertain whether thoſe
books were written by the perſons whoſe
names are now fixed to them. To fay,
that the witneffes of Chrift's refurrection
conftantly gave teftimony concerning this
fact, whilst they were alive; and likewife
laid down their lives to maintain it, tho'
they left no teflimony upon record concern-
ing it; this, perhaps, is building without a
foundation, and averring what may not be
clearly made out. St. Peter, in his first
epiftle, fuppofes the fact of Chrift's refur-
rection to have taken place, but does not
charge himself with the proof of it; and in
his difcourfe with the Jews, Acts ii. he
makes himſelf and the brethren to have been
witneffes of that fact; but then, that St.
Peter delivered fuch a difcourfe to the
Jews, refts only, and wholly on the autho-
rity of one fingle nameless Hiftorian, the au-
thor being unknown; which circumſtance, in
any other cafe, would be looked upon as
weakning it's credit. All theſe things being
put together, one or other of thefe conclufions,
1.
The Author's Farewel.
369
;
I think, will follow from them; either,
firft, that the refurrection of Chriſt was not
defigned clearly to evince the poffibility and
certainty of a refurrection to life eternal ;
or if that was the defign, then, fecondly, it
was not wifely conducted to anſwer that end
or if it was wifely directed to anſwer that
purpoſe, then, thirdly, it is a very lame ac-
count of that affair which has been tranf-
mitted to us; and whether it be one, or
another of theſe, the fubject, in our preſent
view of it, is greatly perplexed, and is thereby
rendered the more uncertain with respect to
us. If it should be faid, that whatever
difficulties may attend this fubject; yet it
is a certain truth that Chrift did really rife
from the dead. Upon which I obſerve,
that if this point is to be taken for granted,
without being brought to a fair trial; then
there is nothing farther to be faid upon the
queftion. Befides, the prefent queſtion is
not whether Chrift did really rife from the
dead? But only, whether the evidence held
forth to us yields proper proof that he did?
Or rather, the queftion is, whether the re-
furrection of Chrift is fo clearly and fully
proved, as to render it a proper foundation
to build the doctrine of futurity upon? Or,
Bb
in
370
The Author's Farewel.
in other words, whether it is fo fully proved,
as thereby clearly to evince both the poffibility
and certainty of a refurrection to life eter-
nal?
PERHAPS, it may be further urged, that
St. Paul has given a much larger and fuller
account of this matter. I Cor. xv. But
then, the question is, whether St. Paul's
account firengthens, or weakens the cauſe it
is brought to fupport? Of which I fear it is
the latter, rather than the former. The
Supernumerary witneffes mentioned by St.
Paul, or thofe who are over and above the
witneffes mentioned by the feveral hiftorians
who profeſſedly undertook to give an account
of the refurrection of Chrift, are St. Paul
himſelf, and above five hundred brethren,
to whom Chrift appeared at one time, of
which thoſe to whom he had appeared at
other times might, or might not be a part;
but then, as St. Paul is filent as to that point,
therefore, they may all be confidered as
other evidences, and that is making the
most of the account. As to St. Paul, it
does not appear that he had ever ſeen, or
had any perſonal knowledge of Jefus Chrift,
either before his death, or after his refur-
rection; I mean, in thoſe forty days in which
•
!
:
he
The Author's Farewel.
371
he is ſuppoſed to have remained upon earth
after his refurrection, and before his afcen-
fion into heaven. And tho', when St. Paul
was travelling from Jerufalem to Damafcus,
he heard a voice, faying, Saul, Saul, why
perfecuteft thou me, I am Jefus whom thou
perfecuteft; yet it does not appear that he
faw the perfon who fpake, but rather the
contrary; becauſe, when a great light from
heaven ſhone round about him, he fell to
the earth, and was ftruck blind by that light,
and therefore, probably, faw the perfon of
no man. Indeed, St. Paul faith of himſelf,
2 Cor. xii. 2. that he was caught up into
the third heaven; but then, whether the
third heaven into which St. Paul was caught,
be that fame heaven or place where Chrift is
feated on God's right hand, St. Paul has not
informed us; and if it was, it is quite uncer-
tain whether he faw Chriſt's body, or not, be-
cauſe it was quite uncertain to him whether
he was in the body, or out of the body, when
he was there; and if the latter was the cafe,
then, as he had left his bodily eyes behind him,
fo he could not poffibly have feen Chrift's body
with them, and therefore, could not therefrom
be a proper evidence of the truth and cer-
tainty of Christ's refurrection. St. Paul
has alfo informed us, Acts xxii. 17. that,
B b 2
being
372 The Author's Farewel.
1
being in a trance in the temple at Jerufalem,
he ſaw Chriſt and talked with him. Whe-
ther St. Paul in this trance was taken up
into heaven, as mentioned above, and fo this
was the fame thing; tho' this is not un-
likely, yet, as it is not declared to be the fame,
we will confider it as if it were not fo. What
it is to be in a trance, may, perhaps, be
inconceivable to all thofe who have never
been trancified. However, when things
are faid to be feen by one in a trance, I
think, one or other of theſe muſt be the cafe,
viz. either the material objects must be
brought before, and be ſeen by the bodily
eyes of the perfon trancified, or elſe the
images of theſe muſt (ſome how or other)
be prefented to, and be pictured on his mind,
excluſive of fuch external appearances, the
latter of which feems to be the cafe. For,
when St. Peter was in a trance, Acts x. it
is not to be fuppofed that a material ſheet,
knit at the four corners, containing in it all
manner of four-footed beafts, and wild beasts,
and creeping things, and fowls of the air,
was then let down from heaven upon the
top of the houſe where Peter was praying;
becauſe ſuch a collection of living creatures
was not neceſſary, as the images of theſe be-
ing
The Author's Farewel.
373
ing pictured upon the mind, was fufficient for
the then preſent purpofe. And if St. Paul,
when in a trance, did not fee Chrift's mate-
rial body, but only the image of it was
pictured upon his mind; then, neither from
this inftance can be be a proper evidence of
the refurrection of Chrift. And, fuppofing
St. Paul did fee Chrift's material body; yet,
as it may well be prefumed the body in
which Chrift appears, as feated on God's
right hand, is greatly glorified, and thereby
makes a greatly different appearance from
what it did both before and after his cruci-
fixion, whilſt he was upon earth; fo, St.
Paul's feeing Chrift's glorified body, could
not make him a proper judge of the identity
or fameness of that body with the body which
had been crucified, and therefore he could
not be a proper evidence of the truth of
Chrift's refurrection. This, I fay, feems
to be the cafe, except we fuppofe Chrift to
have ſhifted his bodily or external form, as
men ſhift their apparel; fometimes appear-
ing in a glorified, and at other times in an
unglorified body. Befides, as Chrift is af
cended into heaven, and feated at the right
hand of God; fo, I apprehend, he is there
to remain until he comes again to judge the
world,
Bb 3
374
The Author's Farewel.
>
world, and which is therefore called his
fecond coming and not that he has, or is
to defcend in the mean time, to work the
converfion of St. Paul, or upon. any other
errand. Upon the whole, I think, it ap-
pears, that St. Paul's evidence to prove the
truth and certainty of Christ's reſurrection
can be but of little weight. As to the
other fupernumerary witneffes, viz. that
Chrift was feen of above five hundred bre-
thren at once, this account feems greatly
to exceed the bounds of credit. Sup-
pofe it should be recorded, in fome hifto-
ry, that, about forty years ago, the French
invaded, and attempted to make themfelves
mafters of the Isle of Wight; and that the
Inhabitants of that ifle affembled themſelves
together, to the number of one hundred thou
Jand men, and forced the French to re-
and fuppofe, when the Ifle of Wight
is fulleft of inhabitants, they never exceed
forty thousand men; then, the forementio-
ned piece of hiſtory would be fo very extra-
vagant as to be paft belief, and that no au-
thority, even that of an angel from heaven,
would be fufficient to fupport it's credit. In
like manner, fuppofe the difciples and friends
of Chrift, who went up with him to Jeru-
treat;
falem,
The Author's Farewel. 375
falem, to keep the Paſſover, who attended
him in his fufferings, to whom he appeared
after his refurrection, was with him at his
afcenfion, and who, by his direction, tar-
ried at Jerufalem, waiting for the promiſe
of the father, do not appear, from the hif-
tories, to be above twenty, or, perhaps, at
the utmost, not more than twenty-five;
then, St. Paul's account of Chrift's being
ſeen by above five hundred at once, is ſò
very extravagant, that not any authority,
even that of St. Paul, would be ſufficient
to ſupport it's credit: and that twenty-five
is the greatest number that can be fairly
fuppofed, in the prefent cafe, is, I think,
fufficiently juftified by the hiftories themselves,
which have given an account of this affair
and of which the hiſtory of the Acts of the
Apostles is very particular. For, when the
author of that hiſtory (As i.) had given an
account of the afcenfion of Chrift, and of the
return of the difciples from mount Olivet to
Jeruſalem, and of their going into an upper
room, he then gives a particular account who
thofe difciples and friends of Chrift were ;
viz.the eleven, whom he mentioned by name,
who (faid he) continued (or remained a
diſtinct body or ſociety from the reſt of the
people
Bb 4
;
376 The Author's Farewel.
1
people in Jeruſalem) with one accord, (or
by mutual confent and agreement) in prayer
and fupplication, with the women, and Mary
the mother of Jefus, and his brethren;
theſe were that body of diſciples and friends
who attended Chrift in the exercife of his
miniftry, who went up with him to Jeru-
falem at the feaft, who attended him in his
fufferings, and to whom he appeared (or
fome of them at leaft) after his refurrection.
And thefe, I think, it may fairly be prefu-
med, were all that body of difciples and
friends of Chriſt, who waited at Jerufalem
until they were endowed with power from
on high; for, as to the rest of the Jews who
went up to Jerufalem to keep the paſſover,
they may fairly be prefumed to have retur-
ned home, when the feaſt was over, whether
we confider them to have been believers in
Chrift, or not; feeing his crucifixion had
put an end to all their farther expectations
with reſpect to him; and tho' Chrift was
rifen from the dead, yet he had appeared to
none but thoſe ſelect friends before-men-
tioned, according to the accounts which all
the hiſtorians have given, touching this mat-
ter. I am fenfible, that, in St. Luke's gof-
pel, chap. x. we have an account of feventy
diſciples,
The Author's Farewel. 377
difciples, which Chrift fent forth to preach,
&c. but then, this, in point of number, is
exprefsly contradicted by St. Matthew, chap.
x. and by St. Mark, chap. vi. both of which
ſay, that it was the twelve diſciples which
Chriſt fent forth to preach, as aforeſaid;
and that theſe three hiftorians refer to the
fame thing, is moſt obvious from the rela-
tions themſelves. Befides, there is nothing
throughout the hiftories of Christ's life,
from the beginning of his miniftry to his af
cenfion, (the above relation by St. Luke,
only excepted) that does, in the leaft, coun-
tenance the ſuppoſition of two fetts of diſci-
ples, a greater and a leſs, one confifting of
feventy men, and the other of twelve. And
had that been the cafe, is it not then ex-
ceeding ftrange, that the leſſer of theſe bo-
dies of diſciples fhould be taken notice of
not only by every hiftorian, but alfo in al-
moſt every chapter of their refpective hifto-
ries; and that the larger, and thereby much
more confiderable of thefe bodies, fhould be
taken notice of but once, and that by one
hiftorian only? this, furely, is very strange,
and more than ſtrange, if ſuch a thing can
be; eſpecially, if it be confidered, that,
according to St. Luke, the greater body of
difciples
378 The Author's Farewel.
diſciples were equally commiffioned, and
were inveſted with equal powers as the lefs.
Moreover, two of the gofpel-hiſtorians are
ſuppoſed to have been Chrift's conftant
attendants, through the whole courfe of his
miniſtry, viz. St. Matthew and St. John;
and that they ſhould know nothing of theſe
Seventy men, or, at leaſt, ſhould give no
account in their hiftories of this large body
of diſciples, and that St. Luke, who knew
nothing of the matter himself, but took
every thing upon truft from others, (upon
what authority we know not) that he ſhould
be furniſhed out with more and better mate-
rials for Chriſt's hiftory, than Chrift's difci-
ples themſelves, this renders it ſtill more
ftrange. This relation, therefore, of St.
Luke, that Chriſt had a large body of ſe-
venty difciples, befide the twelve, is past all
belief; and as it has nothing to ſupport it,
but the bare relation itſelf, and as it has not
Only the greatest probability againſt it, but
is alſo contradicted by two other hiſtorians;
fo, furely, it ought to be given up, and not
to be admitted even as apocryphal, becauſe it
is rather a diſadvantage than a benefit
to any cauſe it is brought to ſupport. I
am alfo fenfible, that the author of the
hif-
The Author's Farewel.
379
hiſtory of the acts of the Apoſtles, when
he had given an account of Chriſt's diſciples
having met together, to chufe a perſon to
fill up the place of the traitor Judas, he com-
puted their number to be about one hundred
and twenty, (as the relation now ftands in
the hiſtory ;) but then, the number one
hundred may, I think, be juſtly ſuſpected to
be an interpolation; not only, becauſe one
hundred and twenty, feems to be a number
much too large for the body of diſciples be-
fore mentioned, nor can it be fupported by
any other part of the hiftory; but alſo, be-
cauſe it ſeems, at leaft, to be contrary to the
account which immediately precedes it, that
was given by this very hiftorian, with re-
ſpect to which, about twenty feems to be a
much more probable computation; and
therefore, one hundred, probably, has been
added. However, admitting the number
one hundred and twenty, which cannot be
admitted without extending the relation
greatly beyond the bounds of probability;
yet still the queftion will remain, how fhall
we make up the account with St. Paul?
who, as has been obferved, informed the
Corinthians, that Chrift was feen by above
frve hundred brethren at one time, which is
more
380 The Author's Farewel.
·1
more than four times that number. This,
furely, was carrying the matter much too far,
and is like ftraining the ftring till it breaks.
This account, therefore, of St. Paul's, may
very justly be doubted of. Beſides, ſuch a
body of people, as five hundred, met to-
gether, muſt have drawn upon them the
obfervation of the people, and from thence
the cenfure of the civil magiftrate, which
was what the difciples themſelves, at that
time, very carefully avoided, John xx. 19.
Then the fame day at evening, being the
first day of the week, when the doors were
fhut, where the difciples were affembled for
fear of the Jews, came Jefus and food in the
midft, &c. Here we fee what caution was
ufed by the difciples, to prevent their being
publickly taken notice of; and therefore, it
is altogether unlikely, that fo great a body as
five hundred and upwards fhould have af-
fembled together at that time, fuppofing
their number to have been fo large; but
that is incredible, as I have already obferved.
And St. Paul, when his hand was in, might
as well have faid above five thousand; one
number being as credible, and as likely to
have been the cafe, as the other. Upon the
whole, I think, it appears, that
St. Paul's
Supernu-
The Author's Farewel.
381
fupernumerary witneffes feem rather to
weaken, than ftrengthen the credit of the
fact referred to.
I WILL conclude this fubject, with obferv-
ing that man is an intelligent free-being,
who, from his make and conftitution, is
qualified to difcern the good and evil, the
propriety and impropriety of his actions; and
who has it in his power, and it is left to his
option, whether he will rightly uſe, or
flothfully neglect, or wickedly abufe the
parts and powers of which his conftitution
is compounded, and thereby of promoting
or fruftrating the great end of creation, by
his being a friend, or an enemy to the com-
mon good: and likewife, thereby, of rendering
himſelf the proper object of divine favour
or difpleaſure. And from hence arifes a
probability that there will be a future ftate
of exiſtence to men, in which ſtate that favour
and diſpleaſure will be properly and amply
fhewn forth; the farther confideration of
which point will more properly take place
in the next Section.
シ
​SEC-
t
1
f
}
SECTION V.、
CONCERNING A
FUTURE JUDGMENT,
AND
RETRIBUTION.
}
I
|
1
}
!
1
(385)
SECTION V.
Concerning a Future Retribution.
I
T has been already obferved, (Section
II.) that the whole frame of nature
beſpeaks defign, each part being direct-
ed to anſwer ſome end; to which I here add,
that there is one grand defign to which the
whole is ultimately directed, and to which
every leffer defign is made fubfervient, viz.
a public or general good; and this, I ap-
prehend to have been the great and ulti-
mate end of the creation of this world.
A public good is the most noble and excel-
lent of all defigns; and therefore, is the
most worthy of him who is the most
perfect intelligence, goodneſs, and bound-
lefs power. God is moft compleatly happy
in himſelf, independent of every thing ex-
ternal to him, as he is poffeffed of all natu-
ral and moral perfections; and therefore, he
could not poffibly give exiftence to other
beings with a view of answering any pur-
C c
pote
386 The Author's Farewel.
*
pofe to himself. And as happineſs is the
moft defirable thing of all things that are de-
firable, or, perhaps, it is the only deſirable
thing, as all other defirable things are only
defirable for it's fake; fo for God to give
being to other things, in order to introduce
public or general happineſs, is to employ his
perfect intelligence and boundleſs power in
ferving the best of purpoſes. And as a pub-
lic or general good plainly appears to have
been the ultimate end which the creator pro-
pofed to obtain by the introduction of the
preſent conftitution of things; fo there is
only one fpecies of beings that inhabit this
globe, (or at leaft this feems to be the cafe)
viz. men, who are, by the author of nature,
rendered capable defignedly and intentional-
ly of promoting and forwarding, or of re-
tarding and baffling this great and good end.
Man is a creature endowed with a principle
of intelligence, which renders him capable
of difcerning the natural and effential diffe-
rence in things, and alto of perceiving that
law or rule of affection and action which
natu-
* God cannot poffibly answer any purpofe to himſelf,
by what he does to and for his creatures; any other-
wife than as by acting properly by them, and communi-
cating happineſs to them, he may, as it were, heighten
his own felicity, fuppofing fuch a thing can be.
The Author's Farewel. 387
naturally and neceffarily refults from that
difference; he is alſo endowed with a prin-
ciple of Self-motion or action, in the free
uſe of which he is capable of moral govern-
ment; that is, he is not only capable of per-
ceiving the propriety or impropriety of ac-
tions, and of the exertion or non-exertion
of the active faculty; but alſo of making,
or refuſing to make that propriety the ground
and reaſon of action to himſelf, by which
his actions are voluntarily conformable or
non-conformable to the aforefaid law. And
as man, with thefe endowments, may be
faid to be godlike, or be made after the
image of God; fo thefe endowments make
him an accountable creature; that is, they
render him, in the reafon of the thing,
accountable for his behaviour to all whom it
may concern, namely, the intelligent world,
and alſo to the Deity, who is the most per-
fect intelligence.
MAN is an intelligent free being, who
has it in his power, (though fome more,
fome lefs) and it is left to his option, whether
he will voluntarily be a friend or an enemy
to the intelligent world; whether he will
render himſelf the proper object of approba-
tion or diflike, of gratitude or resentment,
Cc 2
to
388
The Author's Farewel.
to all thoſe who, by partaking of a like na-
ture, are capable of being interested in him,
or, at leaſt, of difcerning the goodness or
the bafeness of his intentions and actions.
Whoever, therefore, from a good or god-
like difpofition, chufes to be a friend and a
benefactor to the intelligent world, and em-
ploys his abilities in anſwering fo valuable a
purpoſe, fuch a man renders himſelf the
proper object of approbation and gratitude
to every other intelligent being, as he is
their common friend, whether each one is
immediately intereſted in that kindneſs, or
not; and to whom each one ought gratefully
to return the kindness, as to a common bene-
factor, when power and opportunity ferve.
And, in this view of the cafe, ſuch a man
may not improperly be faid to be a friend
to God, confidered as an intelligent being;
ſeeing he ſtands difpofed to contribute even
to his maker's well doing, were the Deity
capable of receiving any kindneſs from him.
And though God has no kindness to re-
turn, for any good that has, or could poffi-
bly have been done to himself; yet, he, as
an intelligent being, ftands diſpoſed to return
the kindness done to his intelligent creatures,
as if that kindneſs had been done to himſelf;
feeing
The Author's Farewel. 389
feeing he himself would have been benefitted
thereby, had he been capable of it, and had
Stood in his creatures ftead. And, on the
other fide, whoever, from an evil difpofition
or baſeneſs of mind, chufes to be miſchievous
and hurtful to the intelligent world, and
employs his abilities in anſwering fo vile a
purpoſe, ſuch an one thereby renders him-
ſelf the proper object of diſlike and reſent-
ment to every other intelligent being, as he
is a common enemy, whether each one has
been an immediate fufferer by him, or not.
And, in this view of the cafe, ſuch a man
may not improperly be faid to be an enemy
and to be injurious to God, confidering God
to be an intelligent being; feeing he ſtands
difpofed to contribute to his maker's hurt,
were it poffible fuch a thing could be. And
though God has no evil to retaliate, that has
been done to himſelf; yet he, as an intelli-
gent being, ſtands difpofed to retaliate the
evil done to his intelligent creatures, as if it
had been done to himself; ſeeing he himself
would have been a fufferer thereby, had he
been capable of it, and had flood in his
creatures ftead. For, as a benificent mind
ftands difpofed to communicate good to all,
and confequently to the Deity, were it pof-
1
С с 3
fible
390 The Author's Farewel.
fible for his cafe to admit it; fo fuch a
mind thereby, in fome meaſure, lays an ob-
ligation of gratitude upon all, and confe-
quently upon the Deity, if I may fo fpeak,
to return the kindness to fuch a benefactor
as to a common friend. And as a vicious and
evil mind ſtands difpofed to be injurious and
burtful to all, and confequently to the
Deity, were that poffible, when his baſe
purpoſes require it; fo fuch a mind thereby
renders itſelf, in fome meaſure, the proper
object of resentment to all, and confequent-
ly to the Deity, who may be faid to be in-
jured by him, as a fufferer in the common
cauſe. And,
As man is capable of, and qualified for,
fo he was moſt certainly defigned and in-
tended by his maker to co-operate and work
together with him, in promoting and carry-
ing on the great and ultimate end of crea-
tion, viz. a public or general good. Who-
ever, therefore, from a benevolent mind,
puts forth his endeavour to anſwer this end,
by introducing as much happiness into the
creation as he can; ſuch a man muſt of ne-
ceflity render himſelf truly acceptable to his
maker, and worthy of recompence or re-
ward. And, on the other fide, whoever,
from
The Author's Farewel.
391
į
from a vicious ſelfiſhneſs and baſeneſs of mind,
breaks in upon the happiness of others, con-
tributes to their mifery, and fets himſelf as
a bar to the common tranquility; fuch a
man renders himself justly displeafing to
God, and is the proper object of divine re-
venge. Indeed, as God exifts, and is what
he is, by, or from an abfolute neceffity in the
nature of things; fo, of neceffity he must be
abfolutely independent of the work of his
hands, he can neither receive kindness from
them, nor ſuſtain any injury by them.
And, I think, it must be acknowledged,
that no man ever defigned, or intended to do
difhonour to God, or to be injurious to him
in his character or otherwife; whatever
wild or extravagant notions they may have
entertained concerning him, or however
foolishly and ridiculously they have uſed
thoſe terms or names by which the Deity is
commonly characteriſed. I fay, I think
no man ever intended to villify or injure the
Deity in any respect, as, I think, there is
nothing in nature to be a ground or temp-
tation to man to be guilty of fuch miſcar-
riages; and therefore, I think, there will
be no fuch thing, nor be any enquiry, at the
laft judgment, after fuch offences as theſe.
CC 4
The
392 The Author's Farewel.
The offences man is capable of, that are
relative to the perfon of God, if I may fo
ſpeak, are moſtly of the negative kind, (viz.)
a want of a juft fenfe of the kindness and
beneficence of his maker and preferver. How
far, and how frequent, and in what way
a man is to make public profeffion of his
gratitude and thankfulness to the Deity;
and whether offences of this kind will make
a part of the grand inqueft, I am not a judge;
and therefore, can only obferve, that it has
been looked upon, among men, to be a mark
of greatness of foul rather to defpife and
overlook fuch ingratitude, than to ſhew any
refentment to it; but then, how far fuch
fort of greatneſs may be applicable to the
Supreme Deity must be left to the determi-
nation of more capable judges. And, though
it is common for men to talk of doing ho-
nour or diſhonour to God; yet, I think, thoſe
terms are relative to us, and ferve rather to
exprefs the propriety and impropriety of our
fentiments and behaviour with regard to a Dei-
ty, than to exprefs any addition to, or diminu-
tion of God's honour and reputation, if I may
fo fpeak. The divine honour, or the greatneſs
worthiness and reputation of the Deity, is
what it is, independent of any thing and every
thing
The Author's Farewel.
393
+
thing that his creatures can think, fay, or do;
and therefore, as God's honour can receive
no luſtre,no increaſe, from what men can ſay
or perform, fo neither can it in the leaft be
fullied, or even fhadowed thereby. And, as
reward is no other than a return of kind-
neſs, or a rendering good for good; and
pu-
niſhment is no other than the retaliation of
injury and wrong, or a rendering evil for
evil; fo, in this view of the cafe, the Deity
has received no good from his creatures, nor
has he ſuffered any evil by them; and there-
fore, as he has no kindness to return to them,
fo he has no injury to retaliate upon them,
on his own account. But then, as God's
end, in calling his intelligent creatures into
being, was that they might in common par-
take of his goodness and be made happy
thereby; fo by this he becomes a party in
their caufe, and is interested in their weal or
woe, and will return the kindneſs, and re-
fent the injury done to his intelligent crea-
tures, as if it were done to himself. It was
a just fenfe of this, that led the wife
King Solomon to make the following re-
mark, Proverbs xix. 17. He that hath pity
upon the poor, (ſo as to relieve them in their
diftrefs) lendeth unto the Lord; and that
which
C
394 The Author's Farewel.
which he hath given, will be pay him again.
And,
UPON theſe principles, chiefly, if not
wholly, I think, the juſt and reaſonable ex-
pectation of a future judgment and retribu-
tion is grounded. For, though the unequal
diftribution of providence, as it is called, that
is, though certain circumftances concur which
render one man's life eafy and happy to him,
and other circumstances concur to render life
a weight and a burthen to another man;
like as one horfe falls into the hands of a
bad maſter, who ufes it ill; and another
horfe falls into the hands of a good maſter,
who uſes it well; which advantages and
diſadvantages are the produce of fecond
cauſes, and are perfectly accidental with
regard to any special divine determination
concerning them, or any fpecial divine in-
terpofition with regard to them, and which,
I think, contain the fum of the argument
drawn from the unequal diftribution of pro-
vidence for a future retribution; I ſay, tho
the different states of thefe two men, or
thofe two horfes, do not feem to require that
there ſhould be a future retribution, in order
to ſet things upon an equal foot with regard
to them; yet the good or bad part men act,
by voluntarily contributing to the good or
burt
The Author's Farewel.
395
burt of the commonweal, moft certainly does,
becauſe their good or bad behaviour, in this
reſpect, render them the proper objects of
reward or punishment. Befides, with re-
gard to this argument drawn from the un-
equal diſtribution of providence, I beg leave
to obſerve, that if all the good and evil
men partake of in this world muſt be placed
to the account of providence; and if recti-
tude requires that all men ſhould have an
equal share of theſe, if not in this world
yet within the period of their exiſtence, whe-
ther their disparity, with reſpect to theſe,
refults from, and depends upon fecond caufes,
or not, or whether it refults from their
vertuouſneſs and viciousness, or not; which
the argument drawn from the unequal diſtri.
bution of providence (as it is called) plain-
ly fuppofes; then it will follow, that as the
fame difparity does take place among the
other species of animals that inhabit this
globe, fo the prefent argument does equally
conclude for a future ftate of exiſtence, and
a future retribution with refpect to all those
animals, as it does for the fpecies of man-
kind. Though, I think, thofe terms judg-
ment and retribution are greatly improper,
in the cafe under confideration; becauſe the
ideas that are ufually annexed to thoſe
terms
396 The Author's Farewel.
:
terms are quite irrelative to the fubject, in
our prefent view of it. Judgment, and re-
tribution confequent upon it, in the common
uſe of thoſe terms, fuppofes and has reference
to a law or rule of affection and action,
which law intelligent beings are to direct
their conduct by, and for which they are
accountable; judgment being an enquiry in-
to, and forming a judgment from that en-
quiry of the propriety or impropriety of a
man's conduct with regard to fuch law; and
retribution being a returning to him, or
bringing upon him that good or evil which
the propriety or impropriety of his conduct
renders him worthy of: whereas, in the pre-
fent cafe, judgment confifts in inquiring in-
to, and forming a judgment of the quantity
of good and evil each individual has been a
partaker of in this world, and alfo it's pro-
portion, when brought into a comparison,
with the good and evil that each and every
other individual has been a partaker of; and
retribution confifts in bringing upon each in-
dividual fuch a quantity and proportion of
good and evil in futurity, as will reduce all
theſe to an equality, without having any re-
ferrence to the keeping or tranfgreffing any
law. Now, though this would be reducing
the
The Author's Farewel.
397
the difpenfations of providence to an equa-
lity; yet, furely, thofe terms judgment, and
retribution as confequent upon it, can have
no place here. Again, though we have no
reaſon to expect that God will call men to
an account for thoſe trifling affairs in which
the great end of creation is not intereſted,
becauſe thoſe infignificant things do not ſeem
to require it yet; men's being friends or ene-
mies to the common happineſs are things of
Such importance as are worthy of the di-
vine notice, and which render men worthy
of the divine favour or diſpleaſure on ac-
count of them. And, as I think, were I
intruſted with the execution of civil juftice,
I ought, and ſhould reward thoſe that have
generouſly contributed to the public happi-
neſs, and puniſh thoſe who have bafely and
wickedly contributed to the public hurt, had
I a perfect knowledge of their cafes, and had
I power fufficient for thefe purpoſes; ſo,
from hence I cannot but conclude, that
God, who is the most perfect intelligence,
goodneſs, and boundless power, will much
more do fo; and confequently there will be
a future judgment and retribution. This,
I apprehend to be the ftate of the cafe, not
as grounded on external divine revelation, or
any
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1
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1
398
The Author's Farewel.
any divine impreſſion which may be fuppo-
fed to be made upon the mind, nor upon
any divine determination concerning it; but
on the eternal reafon and propriety of things,
and which, indeed, feems to me to be the moſt
folid foundation for the doctrine of a future
judgment to be built upon; becauſe, were it to
be admitted that there is not a propriety in the
thing itſelf, then it would be quite uncer-
tain whether there would be any ſuch thing;
or rather, the aforefaid admiffion affords a pre-
fumptive proof that it will not be the cafe,
becauſe it is very unlikely that God will judge
the world, without a proper reaſon for fo
doing. Indeed, if the human mind, or
thoſe principles of intelligence and activity
that take place in man, which render him
capable of perceiving the propriety and im-
propriety of actions, and of voluntarily act-
ing confonant; or contrary thereto if theſe
ſo far reſult from, and depend upon that par-
ticular compofition or ſyſtem of matter cal-
led the human body, as to derive their being
from that compofition under certain circum-
ftances, and cease to be and are diffolved by
and with the diffolution of the body; or if
the human mind be a fubfiftance that is
quite diftinct from, and independent of the
mate-
The Author's Farewel.
399
material ſyſtem, and yet, notwithſtanding, is
equally perishable as the body, and both
will be diffolved together; then, it may
feem to follow, that this world is man's all,
becauſe by that diffolution man ceaſes to be,
* or is not, and will be no more; but then,
that either of thefe is the cafe, I think,
cannot be proved, and therefore, they are
no farther to be admitted or taken for
granted than to give thofe arguments their
due weight that are grounded on thofe fup-
pofitions.
BUT then, admitting there will be a fu-
ture retribution; yet, whether it will be uni-
verfally extended to all our fpecies may,
perhaps, admit of fome doubt. For, as a
great part of human offspring die foon, ſome
in infancy, and others in childhood, before
they
* If the human mind is not of itſelf a permanent be-
ing, but refults from a temporary perifhable compofition
of matter, and is diffolved by and with the diffolution
of that compofition; or if it be a fubfiftance that is
quite diſtinct from the body, and yet, in it's own nature,
is equally perishable as the body, and will be diffolved
with it; then a refurrection, or reftoration, and a future
retribution feem to be excluded. For though God may
produce a conftitution that is exactly fimilar to, and is
made of the fame materials of which a former conftitu-
tion was compounded that is diffolved; yet this would
be a new, or another conftitution, and not a refurrection
or reftoration of a former one, and confequently, it
would be another and not the ſame being.
400 The Author's Farewel.
they are capable of diftinguiſhing betwixt
good and evil in a moral fenfe; ſo they
muſt be again brought into being, and live
to riper years, and act a part upon this
globe, to render them the proper fubjects of
a future judgment; but whereas this does
not appear to be the cafe, therefore it be-
comes the more doubtful whether the
judgment referred to will be univerfal.
And as to all thoſe who die in their youth,
when they are but juſt entring upon action,
and others who act a very low part in life;
the reafon of the thing does not call equally
for a future retribution with regard to theſe,
as it does with refpect to those whofe lives
have been of much greater conſequence to the
world, and who have been greatly fubfer-
vient to the public good, or hurt of man-
kind. Befides, there are a few of our fpe-
cies, (I mean Idiots) whofe capacities are
fome below, and others, perhaps, equal to
thoſe of other animals; and there are many
others, what thro' the weakness of their na-
tural powers, what thro' the want of a pro-
per education, what through inattention,
and what through other caufes, their ſphere
of action is fuch as fets them but little
above fome of the brute beasts; now, that
all
The Author's Farewel. 401
all theſe will be brought to a future account,
may, perhaps, be a doubtful point. A fu-
ture judgment, furely, will not be intro-
duced to anſwer the purpoſes of pomp and
Shew; but to exemplify the moral excel-
lence of the Deity, in his acting properly
by his intelligent creatures.
And,
WERE it to be admitted, on the other
fide, that there will be no future ftate of
exiſtence to men, and, confequently, no
future retribution; yet, in that view of the
cafe, the prefent conftitution of things a-
bundantly fet forth the power, wisdom and
goodness of it's author; feeing the whole is
not only fubfervient, but is alſo excellently
conſtituted to anſwer the purpoſe of a preſent
publick or general good. Suppofe this pre-
fent world to be a compleat and entire fyftem
of itſelf, that is not related to, nor connected
with, nor has any dependence upon any other
conſtitution of things, that has preceded it,
or that will come after it; yet, furely, it
would not fall short of perfection for want
of fuch connection and dependance; feeing
all the beauties of nature and all the bene-
fits held forth by it are just the fame, whe-
ther there be any fuch connection, or not.
And to ſuppoſe the prefent conftitution of
Dd
things
402
The Author's Farewel.
things fo imperfect, as that another con-
ftitution of things to come is neceſſary to
rectify the diſorders and fupply the defici-
encies of this, is, I think, to caft a fevere
reflection on the founder of this world. And
as I think the prefent conftitution of things
is the best that nature would admit of, for
obtaining the prefent purpoſes that were in-
tended to be obtained by it; fo the power,
wiſdom and goodness of God are alike am-
ply fhewn forth thereby, whether futurity
be taken into the cafe, or not. Neverthe-
lefs, whether there will be a future judg-
ment, or not; and whether that judgment
will be univerfally extended to all our ſpe-
cies, or not; yet, forafmuch as men's rela-
tion to, and dependence upon God, and their
relation to, and dependence upon
each other,
are the fame; fo all obligations that flow
from theſe muſt be the fame alfo, whether
there will be a future retribution, or not.
The virtuousness and propriety of piety to-
wards God, of benevolence towards our
neighbours, and of temperance towards our-
felves, and the viciousness and impropriety
of their contraries, do not at all reſult from,
nor depend upon men's future exiſtence, but
are
The Author's Farewel.
403
are founded in the natural and the effential
differences in things; and therefore, are
and must be the fame, whether there will
be a future ſtate of exiſtence to men and a
future retribution, or not. And, as the
practice of virtue will be justly commendable,
and the practice of vice will be justly con-
demnable, whether futurity be taken into
the cafe, or not; fo it will be men's inte-
reft, upon the whole, to practife the for-
mer, and to fhun the latter; becaufe fuch a
conduct is the high road to a happy life.
Would a man attain to the higheſt happiness
that this world can afford, let him examine
the cafe fairly and impartially, and he will
plainly fee that the practice of virtue bids
the fairest for fuch attainment. Or let him
look round him and take a view of man-
kind, and from thence let him judge who,
to appearance at leaft, has the greatest
fhare of preſent happineſs, whether virtuous
or vicious men. From whence come all the
wars, contentions and difquietudes that
take place, and are a plague to mankind?
come they not bence, even from men's vices?
And therefore, fappofing this world were
our all, tho' this would be a just ground for
us not to bring needleſs troubles and perſecu-
Dd 2
tions
404 The Author's Farewel.
tions upon ourſelves, fuch, perhaps, as St.
Paul's fighting with beafts at Ephefus might
be, I Cor. xv. 32. yet it will by no means
justify the Apostle's conclufion, if it may be
fo called, viz. let us eat and drink, for to-
morrow we die.
For if this life is our all,
then it will be our wisdom to make the
moft of it, and by temperance and fobriety
to make it as long and happy as we can, or
as long as life and happineſs coincide and
can be enjoyed together; and not, by glut-
tony and drunkenneſs and other exceffes of
fenfuality, to fool it away, or make ourſelves
miferable in it. St. Paul was fo zealous in
fupporting the point he had undertaken to
maintain, viz. the certainty of a refurrcction
or future life, grounded on the belief of the
refurrection of Chrift, that he ſeems not
fufficiently to have attended to his own ar-
gument, which feems to be defective in
feveral of it's branches. Let us eat and
drink for to-morrow we die, is the fong
of the moſt voluptuous and intemperate.
Ifaiah xxii. 13. And behold, joy and gladness,
flaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh
and drinking wine; let us eat and drink,
for to-morrow we ſhall die, chap. Ivi. 12. Come
ye, fay they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill
0117"
The Author's Farewel.
405
ourſelves with ſtrong drink; and to-morrow
Shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
Theſe fenfualifts foolishly imagine, that the
highest happineſs, in this life, arifes from the
greatest indulgencies and exceffes in fenfua-
lity; whereas the contrary to this plainly
appears to be the truth of the caſe; that is,
experience and the nature of the thing
plainly fhew, that the greateſt exceffes in
fenfuality tend to cut men off in the midft
of their days, or elfe to bring upon them
fuch diforders as render life a burthen to
them; whereas a temperate enjoyment of
this world's good things is the likelieft and
the furest way to a long and happy life. St.
Paul, therefore, would not have fung the
Song of the glutton and the drunkard, let us
eat and drink for to-morrow we die, had he
duly attended to the ſubject. And,
As it will be men's intereft, upon the
whole, to practife virtue, whether futurity
be taken into the cafe, or not; fo men's in-
tereſt in, and dependency upon fociety and
government are equally the fame, whether
there will be a future retribution, or not.
The ground and reafon of affociation and
government to men, is not their relation to,
and dependency upon God, and upon what
Dd 3
may
406 The Author's Farewel.
may be men's fate in another world; but only
their relation to, and dependency upon each
other in this. And the ultimate end and
purpofe of affociation to men, is not to fe-
cure to each individual the favour of God
and the happineſs of another world; becaufe
thefe are things which fociety and govern-
ment can neither give nor fecure, nor take
away; but only to procure to each indivi-
dual thoſe comforts in life which each, in
his fingle capacity, is not able to obtain for
himself, and to guard and protect each in-
dividual from thoſe evils which each, in his
fingle capacity, is not capable of ſecuring
himſelf from. Theſe are the grounds upon
which men enter into fociety, and theſe are
the purpoſes which civil fociety and civil
government are intended to ferve, and
which are wholly diftinct from, and inde-
pendent of futurity. So that every man is
obliged, out of regard to his preſent intereſt
and fafety, to live in fubjection to civil go-
vernment, and to pay his quota for the
fupport of civil fociety, whether he has any
regard to futurity, or not; that being very
much out of the queftion, as not being the
bafis upon which fociety and government
reft. And tho' the belief of a future retri-
bution
The Author's Farewel.
407
1
bution may, in ſome inſtances, have an in-
fluence upon men's actions, (which I fear is
feldom the cafe with bad men ;) yet it is far
from being fuch a neceffary ingredient in
government, as that fociety cannot fubfift
without it; fociety and government being
grounded upon fuch principles as are per-
fectly distinct from, and independent of fu-
turity, as I have already obferved. Nor,
indeed, has any government ever looked
upon the belief of a future retribution as a
proper fecurity to fociety, or as a principle
that might be depended upon; but, on the
contrary, all governments have annexed
fuch fanctions to their laws as are nearer at
hand, and in which men's preſent intereſt is
concerned. They have provided the flocks,
the whipping-post, the pillory, the goal, and
the gallows, as monuments of civil refent-
ment, in order to work upon men's fears,
*
and thereby to prevent them from being in-
jurious to the common-weal, without any
dependence upon men's belief of a future re-
tribution as a fecurity to fociety. This, I
prefume, has been generally, if not univer-
fally,
Dd 4
*If the view of punishment near at hand will not
reftrain men from being hurtful to Society; then, much
leſs will puniſhment at a great diftance do it, which a
future judgment may be fuppofed to be.
1
408 The Author's Farewel.
fally, the cafe, as it hath been with us in
Great-Britain; of whom, I hope, it may
fairly be prefumed, that our faith in futu-
rity runs as high and is as efficacious as the
faith of any people in the world. And
this I take to be the true ſtate of the caſe,
whatever may have been wrote or ſaid up-
on the ſubject to the contrary. And here,
I think, it may not be amifs to obſerve, what
are the fentiments of fome Chriftians with
regard to a future retribution. First, theſe
men maintain, that God, as the righteous
governor and judge of the world, will cer-
tainly call men to an account for their pre-
fent actions, and will reward or punish
them in another world, according as they
behave themſelves in this: Secondly, they
alfo maintain, that the knowledge or belief
of the aforefaid doctrine of a future judg-
ment is abfolutely neceſſary to the holding men
together in ſociety in this world, and to ſe-
cure to them the happiness of the world to
come; becauſe without fuch knowledge or
belief men's turbulent appetites and paffions
would not be restrained, and conſequently,
without ſuch knowledge or belief men would
act like beasts of prey to each other here,
and thereby they would render themſelves
the
The Author's Farewel.
409
the proper objects of divine vengeance here-
after: And thirdly, thefe men likewiſe
maintain, that the doctrine of a future judg-
ment is only grounded upon, and therefore
is only diſcoverable by divine revelation, and
conſequently, that it is not diſcoverable by
the light of nature, or, at leaſt, that men
by the bare exerciſe of their natural powers
cannot come to any certainty with reſpect
to it. Theſe doctrines, as they are maintain-
ed by ſome Chriſtians; fo they ſeem to me to
arraign the divine conduct, by repreſenting
God as acting weakly in his legiſlative and
governing capacity; and fet him much be-
low thofe wife human legiflators, who, ac-
cording to Mr. Warburton, made the doc-
trine of a future retribution a part of the
conftitution in their reſpective ſchemes of go-
vernment; and took care that their people
ſhould be led into the knowledge or belief of
that doctrine; which is what the Deity has
fallen greatly short of, though the cafe, in
our preſent view of it, feems obviouſly to
have required it. For, if the knowledge or
belief of a future judgment be fo abfolutely
neceſſary to the well-being of mankind, both
in this world and that to come, as that with-
out it they would be miferable in both
;
and
410 The Author's Farewel.
}
and if thofe appetites and paffions which are
here confidered to be the ground of men's
mifcarriages, if theſe were planted in them
by the Author of their beings, and are parts
of their conftitutions, which most certainly
is the cafe; then, reafon and equity require
that the knowledge or belief of the aforefaid
doctrine fhould have been, as it were, in-
terwoven in the human conftitution, and God,
as the creator and governor, or as the natu-
ral and political parent of mankind, ought to
have wrote it legibly on the table of every
man's heart; this, I ſay, ought to have been
done, becauſe the cafe requires that it
fhould. If human wiſdom excited human
legiflators, not only without, but (accord-
ing to Mr. Warburton) againſt * their own
belief, to teach the doctrine of futurity to
their people, and to make it a part of the
conftitution in their respective ſchemes of
government, becauſe the purpoſes of govern-
ment could not be anſwered without it;
then, how much more would divine wiſdom
have excited the Deity, who knew full well
what the cafe required, to have made a pro-
per and a fufficient proviſion in that reſpect,
and
*See the Rev. Mr. Warburton's divine legation of
Moſes.
The Author's Farewel.
411
and not to have left mankind to wander in
the dark, in an affair of ſuch moment,
wherein their prefent and future well-be-
ing were concerned, and in which, without
fuch a provifion, they must have mifcarried
with reſpect to both. To conclude this ſub-
ject, I obferve, that tho' fuperftition may in-
troduce groundless fears in fome, and enthu-
fiaſm may beget a groundless confidence in
others, with regard to futurity; yet, I think,
man has juſt ground, from the nature of the
thing, to expect that there will be a future
judgment and retribution.
What follows is here added, as being rela-
tive to the fubject treated of in this fec-
tion.
THE Author received a letter, from a
perfon in America, concerning puniſh-
ment; and alfo on feveral other ſubjects.
What relates to puniſhment is as followeth.
<
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In your tract, entitled the equity and
• reaſonableness of a future judgment ex-
emplified, you fay, in page 130, which
you tranſcribe from page 376 of your
quarto tracts.
[Rewards and punish-
ments have their reaſon in what is paſt,
and not in what is to come.
It is th
• valuable
A
412 The Author's Farewel.
• valuableneſs of a past action which ren-
'ders one man worthy of reward; and it
c
•
is the vileneſs of a past action which ren-
ders another man worthy and deſerving of
puniſhment.-Again, page 132. For as it is
evident, that laws with their fanctions, viz.
threatnings and promiſes annexed to them,
look forward and have their reaſon in
'what is to come, namely, to direct the
future behaviour of men, and to engage
them to act accordingly; fo it is alike.
evident, that the execution of thofe fanc-
tions, in rewarding and puniſhing, looks
backward and hath it's reafon in what is
past; namely, one man
cauſe he has kept, and
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puniſhed becauſe he has
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is rewarded be-
another man is
tranfgreffed the
And tho' rewards and puniſhments
may have an influence upon men's future
' behaviour; yet that is, as I have obferved
above, rather a confequence of, than the
reason of them; it being men's paft ac-
⚫tions which are the ground and reaſon of
€
?
their diftribution.-Again, page 133. There
are other actions which have fuch an inhe-
rent vileneſs and baſeneſs in them, as not
only render the actor justly odious and con-
temptible to a by-ftander, who is no way
<
• inte-
The Author's Farewel. 413
intereſted in them; but alſo worthy of
his juft difpleaſure, worthy that the actor's
wicked actions fhould be recompenfed
C upon his own head, worthy, that is to fay,
fit and reaſonable, that every other intel-
C
C
C
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ligent being ſhould contribute to his miſery,
as the demerit of his vile actions deſerve ;
⚫ which contribution is properly called pu-
nishment. And this is the cafe, when con-
fidered abftractedly from the medicinal in-
fluence of ſuch punishment.] Tho' you,
in page 132, which I have quoted, aré
ſpeaking of puniſhment in civil fociety;
yet, I think, your fenfe and meaning,
‹ in what I have above quoted, and through
your whole tract, is, that puniſhment is
grounded entirely upon the tranfgreffion
of the law; and in what follows, I en-
tirely confine myfelf to God's treatment
of us hereafter, when we fhall have de-
parted this life. I think that puniſhment
• looks no farther backward, and hath it's
reafon in what is paſt, no farther than this,
viz. when a man commits an evil action,
(I mean moral evil) there is a wicked dif-
pofition in that man; and when he is
puniſhed ( I ſuppoſe) the fame wicked dif-
pofition takes place or continues in the faid
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man,
414 The Author's Farewel.
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،
man, as when he committed thofe crimes,
for which (you fuppofe) he is puniſhed.
Puniſhment, by which I mean pain, un-
eafinefs, or miſery inflicted upon vicious
men, has a natural tendency (and which,
I think, is confirmed by experience) to
bring them to confideration; and is the
likelieft method (I can think of) to re-
form them. That men's greatest happineſs
(by men, I mean moral agents) confifts in
a conformity of their lives and actions to
• the eternal and unalterable fitnefs of
things; and that God is willing to act
the kind and good part towards them, that
is, to promote their happiness and greateſt
good; and that God will ufe thofe means
which are most likely to anſwer that end
I take for granted; and as puniſhment is
the moſt likely means (that I know of)
to bring about reformation, I believe God
will, in kindneſs to men, punish them
'till they are brought to a due fenfe of their
fins and follies, and are reformed from
them. So that, I imagine, reformation
is the fole view which God can have in
punishing of men, or any other moral
agents; and by no means think, with you,
that tho' rewards and puniſhments may
•
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' have
The Author's Farewel.
415
C
6
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have an influence upon men's future be-
haviour; yet that is rather a confequence
of, than a reaſon of them. I will put an
inftance, ſo that you may not miſtake my
meaning. Suppofe a man that has been
< a vile and notorious finner in this world
dies, and is thereby entirely incapacitated
to do any one improper action, and God
fhould raiſe him from the dead only to
punish him for having tranfgreffed the law
whilft he was alive, that is, to punish
him without defigning his reforma-
tion, and from no other view and confide-
'ration than his former tranfgreffions; and
after God has puniſhed him equal to the
• demerit of his crimes, (as you expreſs it)
•he ſhould annihilate him immediately :
I defire to know, wherein would be the
fitnefs and propriety of fuch behaviour in
God, and whether it would not be down-
<
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right cruelty? I defire you to inform me,
by letter, wherein lies the connection
and relation between crimes and punish-
nishments, when inflicted upon any one,
for no other reafon but becauſe he has
• violated the law? For, I think, puniſh-
با
ment has no manner of connection with,
or relation to impropriety of behaviour,
or
416 The Author's Farewel.
C
•
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or the tranfgreffion of the law, any fur-
⚫ther than as it is the most likely and probable
mean to bring about the reformation of
the offender or puniſhed perfon. I think
puniſhment is not founded
founded upon the
tranfgreffion of the law, but is entirely
grounded upon this, (viz.) men having
tranfgreffed the law of the eternal and un-
alterable fitnefs of things, and thereby
departed from their greatest good, (as I
have above obferved) and God (who is
‹ a kind and tender father to mankind, and
whofe mercies are over all his works)
being defirous to bring back mankind to
that happiness which they have departed
from, will punish, or, in other words, will
inflict mifery upon men, as the most likely
and probable mean to bring them to re-
flection, and thereby to reformation; and
confequently, thereby to promote men's
greateſt happineſs. The foregoing, I ima-
gine, is the only connection between pu-
• niſhment and crimes.'-
6
C
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в
<
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PART of the author's anſwer to the fore-
going letter, as it relates to puniſhment. Sir,
Happiness is the end of being to
intelligent beings; and as the communica-
tion of happineſs is kind and good, ſo all
<
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The Author's Farewel.
41*7
* unreasonable communication of the con-
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trary is unkind and evil; and, in my
opinion, renders the communicating
agent the
proper object of resentment; that
is, it renders him worthy to have the evil
• retaliated upon him, which he fo bafely
laid upon others. But then, it is not im-
propriety of action, confidered fimply as
fuch, but the baſe and vile introduction of
mifery, which I make the ground and rea-
fon of punishment. And, in this view of
the cafe, puniſhment may be ſaid to be
relative to guilt; (that is, to fuch guilt as
before-mentioned) as there is a propriety
and fitness in inflicting the former, upon
account of the latter. Were I to fee a
man rip up women with child, take young
children and dash them against the ftones,
and commit other like barbarities, I should
think it fuitable and proper, and what he
justly deferved, to lay fo:ne heavy burthen
of affliction upon him, as a puniſhment for
fuch cruelty, confidered abstractedly from
any benefit he might receive thereby. And
as the cafe appears thus to me ;
thus to me; ſo I cannot
but approve of the divine conduct, in plant-
ing in man the paffion of refentment, or
an inclination to render evil for evil; thơ'
VOL. I.
Ee
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this
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↓
418
The Author's Farewel.
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any
this paffion, like all other parts of the hu-
man conftitution, is liable to be perverted
and miſapplied. And when the ſuffering
agent is led to ſee, from the juftness or pro-
priety of his puniſhment, the bafeneſs of
his actions, which were the ground and
reafon of that puniſhment, and which, in
other view, I think, punishment does
not point out; then he stands fair for re-
pentance and reformation. However, in
all this, I apprehend, you differ in your
• fentiments from me. You fuppofe, to lay
any puniſhment upon the moft barbarous
creature that ever exifted, for, or on ac-
• count of his barbarity, would be to act
unjustly and cruelly by him; whereas, I
think, it would be acting properly by him,
and as h juftiy deferves, whether it may
properly be called cruelty, or not.
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(
And
here I beg leave to afk, why puniſhment
(or if you pleaſe cruelty) fhould be uſed
as a means to amendment? For tho' the
end, viz. amendment, is worthy and valu-
able and much to be defired; yet the
means, viz. cruelty, is bad, (upon your
principles) and much to be detefted. I
might alſo aſk, what connection is there
betwixt puniſhment and reformation? or
'how
The Author's Farewel.
419
how does the former become a proper
means to the latter? not phyfically; be-
¿ cauſe pain and mifery, or uneafinefs, rather
ર
<
tend to ruffle and diftract, than to com-
pofe and rectify the diſorders of the mind.
And if pain and miſery or puniſhment be
'confidered as unconnected with guilt, (I
¿
<
<
mean fuch guilt as aforefaid) and if it be
arbitrary and unjustly laid upon a creature,
' which upon your principles it ſeems to be;
then, tho' it may lead the fufferer to curfe
bis fate, yet the queſtion will be, how
can it be to him a reaſonable ground of re-
formation? and admitting that pain na-
turally leads the ſuffering agent to reflec-
tion; yet if that pain be arbitrarily and
¿ unjustly laid upon him, which I think
your principles ſuppoſe, then the queſtion
again takes place, (viz.) how can it be to
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to him a reaſonable ground of reforma-
⚫tion * ?
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6
* Ir has been obferved above, And when thǝ
fuffering agent is led to fee, from the juftness or propriety
of his puniſhment, the baserefs of his actions which
were the ground and reason of that puniſhment, and
which, I think, in any other view, puniſhment does not
"point out; then he stands fair for reformation.' By
which I mean, that punishment, in this view of the cafe,
has a natural tendency to lead the offender to reform or
purge himſelf of that evil difpofition which was the cauſe
E e 2
of
420
The Author's Farewel.
of his miſcarriage. But then, by a natural tendency, I
mean, not a phyfical, but a moral tendency, as a criminal
by ſeeing the baſeneſs of his actions, in the juftness of his
puniſhment, fees, as it were in a glafs, how greatly he
has debafed himself, and acted below his character thereby;
and that, furely, is a reaſonable and proper ground of diſ-
liking himſelf and his paft conduct, and of acting more
properly, and more fuitable to his intelligent nature, for
time to come; which change is ufually expreffed by thoſe
terms, viz. repentance and reformation. Whereas, were
puniſhment to be arbitrarily and unjustly inflicted upon a
criminal, that is, when he had not done any thing for
whichhe justly deſerved fuch correction; then, this puniſh-
ment, furely, could have no moral influence upon the of-
fender, fo as to lead him to reformation; becauſe, as
the corrector, in fuch a cafe, would act the very fame part
by the criminal, as the criminal had done by another, and
even that which conftituted his crime, viz. made another
miferable, who had not done any thing justly to deferve it,
fo the criminal's conduct, in a moral view, would not be
condemned, but would rather be justified thereby, as hav-
ing even the divine example to countenance it. To fay, that
puniſhment, in this cafe, is defigned and intended to re-
form the offender; and therefore, he ought to be reformed.
thereby, I think, is not to the purpofe; becauſe the of-
fender ought to reform, whether he be corrected, or not;
and becauſe the queftion before us, is not, what puniſh-
mentis, or may be defigned and intended for? butonly, whe-
ther punishment, when confidered as irrelative to guilt,
and abftractedly from the intention of the inflictor, has a
natural tendency to amend the fuffering offender, by being.
to him a reaſonable and proper ground of reformation?
when, in this view of the cafe, it does not in the leaſt
ſhew, or point out to him his deformity, nor the impropriety
of his actions; and therefore, it may feem to be ground-
lefly and unreasonably laid upon him. But if puniſhment
be confidered as connected with, or relative to guilt, that
is, if he, who, without any just ground, makes another
miſerable, does thereby juftly deferve to be made mifera-
ble bimfelf; then, as he may fee his own deformity, and
the propriety of his amendment, in the punishment he fuf-
fers;
The Author's Farewel.
421
fers; fo his correction appears to be proper and juſt,
whether he improves it to his amendment, or not.
However, I have not denied, but admitted, that pain
and mifery may be a means to reformation. A man that
has caufelefly made others miferable, when he becomes un-
happy himself, and has a quick and feeling ſenſe of his
ewn mifery, may be led by it, to look back, and fee the
unkind and improper part he has acted, in groundlefly mak-
ing others fo; and that may lead him to repentance and
reformation. But then, it is an experimental feeling of
mifery itſelf, conſidered abſtractedly from the ground and
caufe of it, which produces this effect; and therefore, it
would produce this effect, whether it were inflicted as pu-
nishment, and confidered as fuch, or not. And if the
feeling of pain and mifery, confidered abſtractedly from
puniſhment, may produce fuch an effect; then, the add-
ing to it the moral fenfe of its being inflicted as a just pu-
niſhment upon the fufferer for his having cauſeleſly made o-
thers miferable, this greatly heightens or increases the ground,
or reason, arifing from it, for repentance and reforma-
tion; and the inflicting it as a puniſhment is juſtified, whe-
ther it be productive of amendment, or not. Upon the
whole of this argument, I obſerve, that as we have all the
certainty the nature of the thing will admit, that the divine
conduct, in all things, in all inftances and cafes, will be
conformable to perfect rectitude; fo we are thereby certain
that the Deity will not punish needlefly, or without any
juſt ground, nor will he extend it beyond its proper bounds.
IN-
INDE X
OF THE
FIRST VOLUME.
(N.B. Thofe in the Parentheſes refer to the Notes.)
A
A
UTHOR, of complaints against him, and
bis own vindication 3. 59. 65. His aim
and doctrines 97. 10. His gratitude 104.
Determinations 107. Pretenfions, &c. 109.
Actions, the rectitude of them are moral, inde-
pendent of faith 141. What kind are the most
valuable
B
Bible, why to be examined 4.
doctrines 7. And precepts 9.
the grofs. See Goſpel
C
291. 385
Refpecting it's
What it is in
56.
Chrift, Whether men may put their own ſenſe on
his words 38. Of bis feventy difciples 376.
See Refurrection.
50.
Chriſtians, diffent from the unity of God 169.
Chriſtianity, primitive, not mysterious
Clergy, whether any particular body of them may
be relied on 41. 52. How to act towards
them
47.
D
Index.
D
Deity, the evidence of his existence 157. Dif-
ficulty concerning it answered 161.
As
always freely and invariably right 164. If
one, or infinite in number 167. Of man's
knowledge of him, &c. 182. His justice not
arbitrary 219. How concerned with man's
conduct 391. See God.
Duty and ability run parallel
E
III. 123. 130.
Examination, every man's duty
Evidence, should direct our judgments
Error, the confequences of it
F
51
134.
97.
Faith, of it's merit arising from evidence 134. If
neceſſary to man's favour with God
300.
Future ftate, if fociety may be fupported without
the doctrine of it 72. 77.89. (Why the bulk
of mankind believe it 76) If any certainty of it
from Revelation 327. The probability of it
381. Judgment and retribution concerning it
defined 395. What cafes only feem to require it
397. The conftitution of things,reſpecting man,
the fame, in the prefent fate, without it 401. An
objection against future punishment
G
411.
99.
Goſpel, Of it's precepts 9. 13. The Author's
Senfe of it
God, his will if changeable, the confequence 9. 13.
The nature of extraordinary actions afcribed
to him 204. Selfishness the motive of ferving
him when rewards are in the cafe 290. Whe-
ther any arbitrary laws may be made the con-
ditions of his favour 240. Wherein man's duty
so him conſiſts 243.Wherein confifts his glory 258.
10
Good
}
Index.
Good and evil, either both of God, or both of
man
127.
Has no proper
Grace fpecial, what it is 119.
foundation 122. Man felf-fufficient for his
duty without it 124. Deflructive of human
agency and Special Revelation 133. Indepen-
dent of the minifter
261.
I
Illuminations extraordinary, or impreffions divine,
unneceſſary and unfafe, becauſe undiſtinguiſhable
from natural impreffions 109. Yet embraced
by most religious parties, each as principally
117.
their's
Idolatry in general,and that of theCanaanites confi-
dered,and Mr.Fofter's vindication of their deftruc-
tion for it by the Jews answered 210. If to ex-
tirpate Idolaters was of God, then the fame is
right now against all Idolaters
230.
Jews, had not the doctrine of a future ftate 77.
Their government not a Theocracy 78.82.
86. 190. 194. 203. Governed by temporal
rewards and punishments like other men 81. Of
God's extraordinary interpofition among them 85.
Whether they underſtood a future ftate by Exod.
iii. 6. 92. The character of their God fuitable
to the fubordinate Gods of the Pagans 197.
How kept diftinct from other people 214. Their
Severity against the Canaanites unjuſt
216.
Infidels, whether they bring down judgments on
the orthodox
Judgment, should be directed by evidence
Juſtice, the nature of it
Ff
اسها
304.
134.
220
L
Index.
L
Laity, how to act towards the Clergy 47.
Law of nature, antecedent to, and independent of
all Revelation
99.
Life and immortality, being brought to light by
the gofpel
M
328.
Man, may exerciſe his agency well or ill 125. A
free and accountable creature
386.
Methodists, what would make them a flourishing
Church 33. The doctrine of them and their op-
pofers
I
301
312.
Of it's
324.
Igo.)
Mind human, an enquiry what it is
pre-existence and future-existence -
Mofes, (the parent of two bad doctrines
P
Precepts, of feasting the poor 24. Purely Chrif
26.
tian
Paffive obedience (St. Paul's doctrine examined
60.)
Providence, the Author's opinion thereof 65.
Puniſhments (if temporal) are most proper to ref
train men
70.
Paul St. bis allegorizing Ifaac and Ishmael 267.
His erroneous practice and reafoning 329. His
being trancified 371. His reasoning about a
future ftate
Prayer, if a part of natural religion, or a pofitive
inftitution 277. If neceffary as to God, and in
what manner as to ourselves
Polipus, confiderations thereon
404.
282.
316.
Prophets, (from France, an account of them) 360.
Public good, the most valuable aim
е
385.
Quakers, their obedience to Chriftian precepts
32. Their fpiritual facraments
263.
R
1
Index.
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R
Reafon, a fafer guide than extraordinary illumi-
nations
1,09.
Refurrection of Chrift, remarks thereon 336. 351.
379. Objections answered 348. The number
of it's witneſſes 353. 374. Of his difciples not
knowing him 355. Of his appearing in dif-
ferent forms 357. Of the fenfes of his difci-
ples being overruled 359. The fact ill attefted
365. And bow conducted 366. If defigned to
evince the poffibility of man's refurrection 369.
St. Paul's account of it
371.
Religion, of mens changing from one form to ano-
ther of it 35.
Good and bad in all forms 36.
Difcerned by the lower class of mankind 49.
Of factions and parties therein 226. defined
235.256. Of it's external nature and ufe 246.
253. Unworthy notions of it 248. The ex-
ternal and pofitive inftitutions of it, of wha: va-
lue to God 256. As annexed to the motives of
action 284. Natural and revealed, what each
are 292. In what ſenſe all profeſſions of it are
equal
Riches, the contempt of them
S
293.
2I.
Sacraments, it is all one who they are adminiftered
by 259. Cannot be fpiritualized 263. Whether
they are of divine original
Sceptics, Believers and Infidels defined.
Sect, the newer the fritter
275.
105.
55.
Self-fufficiency, in man, in oppofition to Special
grace, defended
124.
Society, natural to man 71. Relates only to the
prefent State 74. Supported without the doc-
trine of futurity 82. Depends not on extraordi-
nary interpofitions of Deity
86.
Swearing
3
Index.
Swearing, the law and gofpel concerning it, com-
pared
T
14.
145
Thomas St. animadverfions on his faith 138.
Of the story of his unbelief
Trinity, the doctrine of it ſhewn 169. Not taught
by Chriſt 177. Prevents the converfion of
Jews, Turks and Pagans 179. Why to be ex-
amined
Truth, not to be impofed arbitrarily 56. Not de-
termined by any person affuming a divine cha-
racter, nor by univerfal affent 130. Appears
according to the clearness of the evidence 134.
£
W
182.
He
Warburton's divine legation, examined 69.
admits what destroys his own propofition 79.
His notions reflect on the conduel of deity
409.
The End of the First Volume.
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