A Preservative Against Deism, Appendix

A Preservative Against Deism · Appendix

p. 213AN APPENDIX TO THE Foregoing Diſcourſe.

AMONG other Letters in Mr. §. I Blount's Collection, I find one written by A. W. who threatens Revealed Religion with a Regular Attack in a Syllogiſtical Way, which he is not over-skilful in. For when he comes to prove the Major Propoſition of his firſt Syllogiſm, which is an Affirmative, and which according to the Rules of Art, ſhould be the Concluſion of the ſecond; inſtead of that, he ſubſtitutes a Negative; p. 214and beſides, he ſhuffles that which was the Subject in the Former into the room of the Predicate in the Latter. For this is the Major of the firſt Syllogiſm. **Oracles of Reaſon, p. 198.That Rule which is neceſſary for our Future Happineſs, ought to be generally made known to all. And this is the Concluſion of the ſecond Syllogiſm, whereby he proves it, viz. Therefore that Rule which is not generally known, cannot be the Rule of our Happineſs. So that I ſuppoſe his Religion, and his Logick, are of apiece, both meerly Natural.

But that which he would be at, is this, That no Revealed Religion has been (any, he is ſo very bold, as to ſay it never could be) made known to all Men, as it certainly would have been, if it were neceſſary to Future Happineſs; elſe there is no viſible means for the greater p. 215part of Mankind to be happy; which is inconſiſtent with God's Infinite Goodneſs, who provides for all his Creatures the means of attaining that Happineſs wherof their Natures are capable.

I ſhall ſpeak more largely to this Point than is neceſſary for a ſufficient Anſwer to the Objection. Partly, becauſe I will endeavour to reconcile the Minds of Men in ſome meaſure to this hard Problem of not granting the Goſpel to ſo great a Part of Mankind: Partly becauſe I am not altogether without Hopes, that it will fare with A. W. as with that Man in the Goſpel, who was once Mad, and Poſſeſſed with an Evil Spirit, but quickly after being in his right Mind, Luke 8.35.Luke 8:35ſate at the Feet of Jeſus as an humble Diſciple of his. It will be ſo, if he will ſtand to his Word; for he ſays, It has been demanded of me **Page 210., whether p. 216I ſhould be convinc'd of my Opinion, and admit of Supernatural Religion, in caſe the Goſpel, i. e. a Supernatural Religion had been promulgated to all the World? I anſwer'd, I ſhould; and was contented the whole Streſs of the Diſpute ſhould be terminated in that One Point. I therefore offer the following Conſiderations.

1. §. II The Caſe of Man is very different from that of all other Creatures, becauſe he is manifeſtly in a State of Apoſtacy, which this Author himſelf confeſſes to be **Page 207.generally acknowledged. Now the Divine Goodneſs was abundantly manifeſted in the Original framing of Man in a Capacity for Happineſs; and abundantly providing him with Furniture for the attaining of it. But he voluntarily fell from that good Eſtate p. 217by his own Default: God therefore is not juſtly chargeable, if he ſhould leave all Mankind in their Deſerved and Self-procured Miſery, and never have ſet on foot in any Place of the World a Deſign of ſaving any Man. This is not a Matter of Right, which fallen Man can challenge as due to him; it may be with-held without any Wrong or Cruelty, becauſe 'tis a Matter of pure Arbitrary undeſerved Favour.

2. This Revealed Religion, which is generally neceſſary to the attaining everlaſting Happineſs, and which he ſays NEVER COULD, I ſay both could and would have been univerſally known, had it not been for the groſs Negligence, Wickedneſs, and Malice of Men themſelves. For God preached it to Adam immediately after the Fall; as alſo to Noah, the two Common Parents of all Mankind. Adam had the Goſpel in p. 218Miniature, in theſe Words, The Seed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpent's Head. And we have great Reaſon to believe, that what was wrapt up in theſe very General Terms, was more particularly unfolded to him, than it is here recorded. For it is evident, That Moſes ſtudies Brevity, and gives an Hiſtorical Account of a great many Ages and Events, within the narrow Compaſs of a few Pages. And there was the leſs need that he ſhould in this place further Dilate upon the Meſſiab, a ſhort Hint was enough, becauſe that was the Subject which he was more fully to open in his following Writings.

And it is highly probable, That our firſt Parents did underſtand ſomewhat of the Death of Chriſt as a Sacrifice, which is the Marrow and Subſtance, the Sum and Center of the Goſpel, and the Foundation-Stone p. 219of all our Hopes of Pardon and Salvation. This may be ſtrongly inferr'd from Abel's Sacrifice, and God's Acceptance of it. The cutting in pieces of God's good Creatures, in whoſe Make and Frame there are ſo many Prints of a Divine Power and Wiſdom; the pouring out of their Blood, the burning of their Fat, &c. This cannot be accounted for as a Reaſonable Service, but only as it ſerved to keep up in Mens minds a Senſe of the heinous Nature and Deſert of Sin; of the Juſtice of God, who would not Pardon without a Sacrifice, and yet of his Mercy at the ſame time, which was a Foundation of Hope to the Sinner, in as much as he would accept the Life of a Beaſt in lieu of the Offender; but principally as Sacrifices were Types and Figures of the Death of the Promiſed Seed, who in due time was to put away Sin by p. 220the offering of himſelf. This Cuſtom was ſpread over all the World; and it cannot be imagined how All Men, in all Ages, and in all Places, ſhould have agreed upon this as a principal Part of Divine Worſhip; but only that it deſcended to them by Tradition from the firſt Father of Mankind. But how inexcuſable was it in them to receive the Shell, and drop the Kernel; to retain the outward Rite and Sign, but loſe the great Thing ſignified thereby; without which the outward Act looks like a Barbarous one, unworthy of God to accept, and of Man to offer; ſo that he that made the Oblation, ſeemed to be as brutiſh as the very Beaſt that he ſlew?

And no doubt but Adam, and other Holy Men, did communicate what Knowledge they had of the Meſſiah to their Children, as they in p. 221all Reaſon ſhould have done to thoſe that were deſcended from them. Noah is expreſly called a Preacher of Righteouſneſs: 2 Pet. 2.5.2 Pet 2:5And did he warn the World of the Flood, and can any one think he would ſpeak nothing of the Promiſed Seed? Enoch ſpake of Chriſt, Jude 5.14.and of his appearing to the Deſtruction of the Wicked; and no doubt but he ſpake alſo of his firſt and ſecond Appearing for the Salvation of the Righteous. Zacharias tells us, That God ſpake of the Redeemer by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets which have been ſince the World began. Luke 1.70.Luke 1:70And if they were Good Men, they muſt needs ſpeak, eſpecially to their own Families, concerning him.

And ſo much of the Doctrine concerning Chriſt, as was abſolutely neceſſary in thoſe Days, lay within a very narrow Room, viz. That Man was in a fallen State, and this they p. 222could not but know and feel: And that God had promiſed to reſcue them from it by ſome Extraordinary Perſon, who ſhould be ſent to this purpoſe in due time; and all that truſted in him, and through him returned to God and their Duty, ſhould be pardoned, and ſaved by him. And was this ſuch a Load to their Memories? Is a Jewel a Burden to a Man that carries it about him? Does the pained Man feel the Smart of his Wound, and forget the Healing-plaiſter; eſpecially when the Blood is trickling down every Day, and there is not a long Parentheſis between the Returns of his ſharp Fits, at the diſtance of many Years, but he has a continual Monitor of it, as they had of their Miſery and need of a Remedy? Was it an unreaſonable hard Task for the Father to teach, or the Son to learn ſo Short a Leſſon as this is; eſpecially conſidering that then the Life p. 223of Man was not ſhut up in ſuch narrow Limits, as now it is? The Cloth is now ſhrunk up to Threeſcore Years and Ten, but then it was ſtretched out to ſeveral Hundreds: A very fair time ſure, for both Maſter and Scholar. A Learned **Dr. William's 2d Serm. of Revel. p. 8, 9.Man has well obſerved, That the Longevity of thoſe Patriarchs, with whom this Leſſon was depoſited, and who were to take care that it might be preſerved inviolable, was a very great Advantage: For three of them alone filled up the firſt Period of 1656 Years, from the Creation to the Flood, viz. Adam, Methuſelah, and Noah. And Four of the Fathers after the Flood, tho' the extent of their Lives was then ſhortened, fell in with the 856 Years from the Flood, to the giving of the Law by Moſes; and in him we have freſh p. 224Information about the Promiſed Meſſiah.

But if their Days had been much Shorter, and the Leſſon much Harder and Longer; yet it ſhould have been ſtudied with the greateſt Application of Mind, as is uſual in all Arts and Sciences, which are of an infinitely Inferior Nature. They tend to a Mans comfortable living in this World; But the Doctrine of the Promiſed Meſſiah, was what their Eternal Welfare was wrapt up in; And ſo was that of their Children too. And therefore conſidering that Love to Themſelves, and to their Poſterity, which is ſo very deeply engraven on the Souls of Men; ſuch a Doctrine ſhould have been diligently and affectionately taught, readily learned, fixedly retained, and carefully tranſmitted down from Age to Age; they ſhould ſooner have forgotten their own Names, than have forgotten that. p. 225Cardan **Baxter's Saints Reſt, Part 3. Ch. 13.ſpeaking of one who had a Receipt that would ſuddenly and certainly diſſolve the Stone in the Bladder, concludes of him, That without doubt that Man is in Hell, becauſe he never Revealed it to any before he died. The Sentence, I confeſs, is ſomewhat ſevere; but as a Lover of Mankind, a Man can hardly forbear to think the ſame, even tho' neither He, nor His, were ever troubled with that moſt afflictive of all bodily Diſtempers. But if this Man had by his own Wickedneſs contracted, and then tranſmitted that Diſeaſe to his Children, and knew it would run down from him in a Blood to his Childrens Children to the End of the World; if yet he had not revealed ſo rare a Secret to his own Offſpring, that they might be freed from p. 226that racking Torment in this World, which he had brought upon them; ſuch wretched ill Nature did deſerve to be puniſhed with Everlaſting Torments in the other State.

All this being conſidered, one would think it were Impoſſible but that the Subſtance of Revealed Religion ſhould have been tranſmitted, and a ſufficient Knowledge of it diffuſed every-where, and been propagated together with the Humane Nature. And ſo it would, had it not been for moſt inexcuſable Negligence and Perverſneſs, moſt amazing Folly and Madneſs. God has not been wanting to Men, but Men have been moſt unaccountably wanting to Themſelves and their Children. Now by what Law is God obliged, in a miraculous Manner, to reſtore a fair Eſtate to a Family, when one was ſetled upon it, and has been very wickedly and fooliſhly embezzled? p. 227Or to make Corn ſpring out of the Earth, when Men refuſe to Plow their Ground, and throw away their Seed?

But leaſt of all, could this have been reaſonably expected, either by the Men of the Old, or thoſe of the New World. For they loſt not only the Notices of the Promiſed Seed, but even of God himſelf; and dropt the plain Principles of Common Morality, as well as thoſe of Revealed Religion. Whether Idolatry, that abſurd and ſottiſh Practice, began before the Flood, is not ſo very certain; however 'tis plain that the whole Earth was covered with Debauchery and Violence, all fleſh having corrupted their way; whereon God reſolved to ſweep them all away at once, eight Perſons only excepted, to people it again with a better Race. But when they had ſtocked it, Wickedneſs, notwithſtanding God's Curſe, ſo lately p. 228and ſo viſibly attending it, grew very fruitful, increaſed and multiplied as faſt as Mankind did; And that vile Idolatry, and abominable Immorality, into the Dregs whereof they ſo ſpeedily ſunk, provoked God to abandon them in a fearful manner, as the Apoſtle excellently diſcourſes in the firſt Chapter to the Romans. And it was a Righteous thing in him to do it. Nor can there be any juſt Grounds to reflect on him for not ſetting on foot a new divine Revelation, which they had wilfully and carefully loſt; when beſides that, they ſo abominably ſinned againſt the Common Light of Nature and Reaſon.

However at length, §. III in infinite Mercy, and undeſerved Compaſſion, God did once again cauſe the Heavenly Light to ſhine into one little Apartment of the Houſe of this World; whence it ſhould, and might have p. 229been tranſmitted and reflected into every Room thereof. For he renews the Promiſe of a Seed in which all the Nations of the Earth ſhould be Bleſſed, to Abraham and his Children, who were Conſiderable Men, and Conſiderable Travellers, and in very Great Eſteem with ſome Kings: And no doubt but theſe Holy Men were forward to inſtruct them and their Subjects in this main Point, had they been but willing to learn.

After this God brings the Children of Abraham out of Egypt, being encreaſed like the Stars of Heaven, and like thoſe in the Galaxy, gathered together into a Body, that ſo mingling their Lights, and ſhining with united Rays, they might be the more viſible; maintains them in the Wilderneſs, plants and preſerves them in Canaan by a Train of mighty Miracles, tho' he could have done it with leſs Noiſe, to awaken the Neighbour p. 230Nations to come and join with them. For when he choſe the Iſraelites, he was far from excluding thereby the Reſt of Mankind from the Hopes and Means of Salvation. As the Apoſtle argues concerning the Way of Salvation by Chriſt, Gal. 3.17.Gal 3:17ſo may we concerning the deſigned Extent thereof: The Law which was Four hundred and thirty Years after, could not, in God's Intention, diſannul the Promiſe, that in Abraham's Seed All the NATIONS of the Earth ſhould be Bleſſed, ſo as to make it of no Effect. Was the Law given the Iſraelites at Mount Sinai, againſt this Promiſe? God forbid. So far was it from this, that 'tis ſuppoſed in the Law of Moſes, the Heathens would turn Proſelytes, and Proviſion in that caſe was made for their Encouragement. Their Law indeed was a Partition-Wall; Eph. 2.14.Eph 2:14but it was ſo to keep the Jews in, not in God's Deſign, whatever it p. 231might be in theirs, to keep the Gentiles out: And therefore in this Wall there was ſtill a Door kept open for their Entrance; and that no more came in, is to be aſcribed partly to the Wickedneſs of the Jew, and partly to that of the Gentile.

And Abraham was a Perſon of great Renown in the Eaſt, among the Syrians and Chaldaeans. Several great Nations, particularly the Saracens, (for they themſelves ſcorn'd to be called Hagarens) deſcended from him, and valued themſelves upon it; and they were very formidable to the Roman Empire, had a vaſt one of their own in the Eaſt, and puſh'd their Conqueſts Weſtward as far as Spain it Self. And the Iſraelites were a Conſiderable People, eſpecially in the Days of David, Solomon, and Hezekiah, as appears from the Bible, wherein we have Records of their Affairs, and which may juſtly Challenge as much p. 232Credit with any Man, even tho' he don't believe its Divine Authority, as any other Ancient Hiſtory. The Greeks indeed, and the Latins who tranſcribed from them, take little notice of them. But moſt of them were late Authors, and very much unacquainted with thoſe Parts of the World for a long time. And tho' Herodotus could not ſee them, yet other Ancient **See them mentioned by the Biſhop of Meaux in his Diſcours ſur l'Hiſtoire univerſelle, p. 42, 43. It. p. 154, 155.Hiſtorians that lived thereabouts did, and made mention of them. And it may be we might have found them in that Father of Hiſtorians, in his particular Hiſtory of the Aſſyrians, if we had it; which either we have loſt, or he never wrote according to his Promiſe.

p. 233The time would fail me if I ſhould ſpeak of the Captivities and Diſperſions of the Jews into the Eaſt, and Egypt, &c. that, together with them, Divine Knowledge might be ſcatter'd abroad: Or of the Tranſlation of Part, if not the Whole of the Old Teſtament by the means of Ptolomy; whence, as appears from Tacitus and Virgil, the World about the time of the Birth of Chriſt was big with Expectations of the Appearance of ſome Extraordinary Perſon for the General Good of Mankind. Only I can't but remark that Evil Spirit that reigned among the Jews, who tranſlated the Sacred Writings very unwillingly, and meerly out of Fear of Ptolomy, whom they durſt not incenſe againſt Themſelves by a flat refuſal of it: but yet they Annually kept a Mournful **Lightfoot's Harm. Vol. 1. p. 490. Walton's App. Bib. Proleg. 9. §. 3.Faſt on the Account of p. 234that Verſion; ſo much did they envy the Glory of God, and the Good of Mankind; and ſo loth were they to communicate this Treaſure to the Heathens, deſiring ſtill to have kept it lock'd up in their own Language.

I ſhall not enlarge on the Deſign and Command of our Saviour to Diſciple all Nations; nor of the incredible Diligence of the Apoſtles in Spreading the Goſpel, nor the Barbarous Treatment they met with. It had reach'd much further, had not Men raiſed up a Bank againſt it. Nor of the Fault of Chriſtians or Heathens at this day, who can Export to, and Import from the remoteſt Parts all ſorts of Commodities for a little Worldly Profit; but the one doth not endeavour to ſpread, nor the other covet that Sacred Treaſure of Divine Knowledge, that is worth infinitely more than Thouſands of Silver and Gold.

p. 235On the whole, 'tis evident, that Revealed Religion, as to the Subſtance of it, and as far as was abſolutely Neceſſary, was twice promulgated to all the World; once to Adam, another time to Noah and his Family; and therefore I claim A. W's Promiſe **Page 210., and expect that he Renounce his Deiſm, and Declare for the Goſpel: And if he be a Man of Honour, and value his Word as a Gentleman, he will publickly profeſs himſelf a Chriſtian. It was alſo preached to the Iſraelites, that from them the Sound thereof might reach other Nations. And we Chriſtians have it in the laſt and beſt Edition of it to the ſame End. And 'tis owing unto the groſs Fault and vile Wickedneſs of Men, that this Religion hath not been Univerſally diffuſed, God having provided very apt and proper Means in p. 236order to it. And having done ſo, he was not obliged in an Extraordinary way to ſend an Angel from Heaven with a Bible in his hand to every Particular Perſon; No more than the Government think themſelves obliged to ſend the Acts of Parliament to every Pariſh, or every diſtinct Houſe therein. 'Tis rationally ſuppoſed, that every one will ſo far mind their Own Concerns, whereon their Liberties, and Lives, and the Common Welfare doth depend, as to enquire them out and look after 'em themſelves. And if the Ordinary means of attaining to the Knowledge of them, be wretchedly neglected, unuſual Methods cannot reaſonably be expected.

Yet after all, §. V if there be any Heathens whoſe Caſe is Compaſſionable, becauſe they want the Ordinary Means of Knowledge; and they honeſtly p. 237live up to the Light of Nature, they are in the hands of a Good God, who will not deal hardly with them, but make all the Favourable Allowances their Caſe will reaſonably admit of. And this I am ſure, they will fare much better than Mr. G. or A. W. who have the Sacred Writings, but, like Swine, trample this Jewel in the Dirt, and impiouſly Blaſpheme the Son of God, who is our Saviour, and will be their Judge at the laſt Day.

For 'tis in vain for this Gentleman to plead as he does, That **Oracles of Reaſon, p. 205.if the Heathens living up to the Height of Natural Religion might be Eternally happy, I ſee no Reaſon but why we may be ſo too. I will be very liberal in my Suppoſitions at the preſent, that Heathens and Deiſts too live up to the HEIGHT of Natural Religion; p. 238and alſo that the Former may be Saved: but I will give him a Reaſon why the Latter cannot: viz. Becauſe through the Wickedneſs of their own Hearts they contemn and defy that Divine Revelation which was never propoſed to, and therefore could not be abuſed by, the other.

Nor muſt he think to come off another Day, §. VI by pretending the want of Evidence of the Truth of Revealed Religion. For thus he argues; **Id. p. 206.If our Happineſs depend upon our Belief, we cannot firmly believe till our Reaſon be convinced of a Supernatural Religion. And if the Reaſons of it were Evident, there could be no longer any Contention about Religion: All Men would embrace the ſame, and acquieſce in it. No Prejudice would prevail againſt the Certainty of a Future Good. 'Tis every p. 239Man's greateſt Buſineſs here to labour for his Happineſs, and conſequently none would be backward to know the Means.— And if I cannot believe, 'tis a Sign the Evidence is not ſtrong enough to make me. And a little before, ſaith **Page 202.he, We (i.e. We Deiſts, for I think that is the true meaning of the Paſſage, tho' it be brought in as ſpoken by an Objector; We) ſay, that Religion is only true, which is or may be reaſonable and convincing to all Men: Now if it be not Generally held, it appears not convincing. Hereby he hath highly obliged the Atheiſtical Crew, and given them an Argument to overturn the Foundations of the Deiſts Natural Religion. For they may ſay, If the Reaſons of it were Evident, there could be no longer any Contention about the Being of a God, or a Future State. And if I cannot believe either of theſe, p. 240(as ſaith the Atheiſt I cannot) 'tis a ſign the Evidence is not ſtrong enough to make me. Nay, as a foul Gun recoils and wounds him that ſhoots with it, ſo doth this way of Arguing return upon our Deiſts. For there are Multitudes that do believe Natural Religion is not ſufficient for the Happineſs of Men, eſpecially of thoſe who have a Revealed one propoſed to them, but denied by 'em. 'Tis ſo evident, that this may be retorted upon themſelves, that our Author obſerves it, and makes this modeſt Reply to it, **P. 202, 203.That there are but few of a Nation that ever conſider to the Bottom of a Religion; which we muſt be ſo civil as to ſuppoſe the Immortal Deiſt to do. But 'tis evident that many Men in all Religions at this day have center'd in the Opinion of Natural Religion, and its Sufficiency of (I ſuppoſe p. 241it ſhould be for) Happineſs. But no Chriſtian doth or can think ſo, as long as theſe Words are in the Bible, He that believeth not ſhall be damned; and except ye believe that I am He, ye ſhall die in your Sins. And Reaſon will tell us, if Scripture had been ſilent, that thoſe Men muſt periſh that prophanely treat the Son of God as an Impoſtor, and his Religion as a Lye.

Further, according to this way of arguing, hardly any thing can be either True or Falſe, whereas every thing muſt be either one or t'other. Let us take for an Inſtance the Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation. If the Reaſons of it were evident, there could be no longer any Contention about it. All Men would embrace it, and acquieſce in it. If it be not Generally held, it appears not convincing. If I cannot believe it, (and all Proteſtants, the Heathens, and ſome of the Papiſts themſelves p. 242tell us they can't believe it) 'tis a Sign the Evidence is not ſtrong enough to make me. Therefore the Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation is not true. And by the ſame way of arguing, I will prove it is not Falſe neither. For if the Reaſons againſt it were evident, there could be no longer any Contention about it; but all the World would preſently turn good Roman Catholicks in this Fundamental Point. And if I cannot believe it to be Falſe, ſaith the Papiſt, 'tis a Sign the Evidence is not ſtrong enough to make me.

But the Reaſon why Men do not believe the Goſpel, is not the want of External Evidence, but Internal Diſpoſition; which latter is as neceſſary as the former. We have Motives ſufficient to ſway a wiſe and pious Man to embrace Chriſtianity; but God hath not given us ſuch a glaring Evidence of the Truth of it, as we have that two and two make four. If he p. 243had, Aſſenting to it would be no Proof of any Man's Ingenuity, there would be nothing Praiſe-worthy in it. A Deiſt may be proud and conceited, mad upon his Luſts, and therefore Unwilling the Goſpel ſhould be true; he may not duly weigh the Arguments which are brought for the Confirmation of it; nor earneſtly and honeſtly pray for God's Aſſiſtance to diſcern aright; nor be true to that Light which he already enjoys; and for theſe Reaſons God in his Righteous Judgment may leave him to the Devil and Himſelf, and then he cannot believe; but for all that he ſhall Eternally periſh, and that very juſtly too, in and for his Infidelity.

And this Gentelman muſt be a great Stranger to Humane Nature and the Courſe of the World, who ſaith, No Prejudice would prevail againſt the Certainty of a Future Good: p. 244'Tis every Man's greateſt Buſineſs here to labour for his Happineſs, and conſequently none WOULD be backward to know the means; which the Experience of all Ages doth evidently confute. In ſhort, beſides Evidence and Argument, there is required a pious Temper of Soul, lying open to, and eaſily impreſſible by Divine Truths; and one of ſuch a Make would quickly cloſe with, and firmly adhere to Chriſtianity; as a prepared Soil eaſily takes in, and firmly retains ſuch a ſort of good Grain as is moſt agreeable to it.

I would not have this Gentleman deceive himſelf with vain Hopes, § VII drawn from Infinite Mercy **Page 209., which is, as he expreſſes it, as 'twere God's High-Court of Equity in the Caſe, to relieve from the Extremity of the Law. p. 245For the Caſe between God and Fallen Man is not as he, with the Socinians, repreſents **Ib.it, like that of Debtor and Creditor; but that of a notorious Rebel, and a Wiſe and Righteous Governor, (which one Obſervation will anſwer moſt, if not all the Pleas brought from Divine Goodneſs). And if a vile Traytor ſhould tear in pieces the Prince's Act of Grace, and defy him that brought it to him, inſtead of complying with the Terms of it; and then pretend to caſt himſelf on the King's Mercy without Repenting of that inſolent Abuſe of his offer'd Indulgence, but ſtubbornly perſiſt, and openly juſtify himſelf in ſo doing, tho' he do pretend to be ſorry for his other Crimes; no Chancery would relieve him, but every Man of Senſe would think it very Equitable that he ſhould p. 246be executed according to the utmoſt Rigor of the Law.

'Tis eaſy to apply this. §. VIII And I hope our Author will, and then he will ſee Cauſe to change his Mind about the value of Repentance, and let fall his Extravagant Notion about it. For having acknowledged **Page 200.that what Sir C. Woleſly tells us is moſt true, That Mankind in all Ages have applied themſelves to God as guilty Offenders, and have agreed that an Expiation was neceſſary, but look'd up to him for the Revelation of it: wherefore they uſed ſeveral Sacrifices and Luſtrations, &c. He makes this very Extraordinary Anſwer to it, viz. Theſe ſeveral Expiations were indeed all but Symbolical, and referr'd to our Sorrow and Repentance; That is the true and only Expiation of Sin, and is ſo agreed upon p. 247by all Men in all Ages, and of all Religions, wherefore take it for an Undoubted Truth. For my part, I cannot but take it for an undoubted Falſhood, and groſs Miſtake. I grant that they thought Repentance **Outram de Sacrif. p. 168.as well as Prayer ought to accompany their Sacrifices. But he that ſays all their Sacrifices were only Symbolical of Repentance, and that it was ſo in the Senſe of all Ages, and all Religions, ſays he knows not what. 'Twas not ſo among the Jews. They offer'd Sacrifices to make Atonement for their Sins, and an Expiation of them; and they judged that their Sins were imputed to the Beaſt, who thereupon was killed, that by its ſuffering Puniſhment in their ſtead, they might be releaſed, and God be reconcil'd to them.

p. 248But the ſmell of a Jew, eſpecially in the Bible, is offenſive to this Gentleman; and therefore let us go to the Heathen Nations, which will be more ſuitable to him. They ranſack'd the whole Earth, Air, and Water, for Oblations to their Gods. Some think Swine were the moſt Ancient ones. But 'tis more **Owen Exerc. on Heb. Vol. 1. p. 310.likely that the Fruits of the Earth were ſo; Herbs and Plants ††Potter's Antiq. of Greece. p. 188.they plucked up by the Roots, and burnt them with their Leaves and Fruit. And the Gods fed as well as the Men; for this was before Fleſh was eaten. But when the one fared better, ſo did the t'other, viz. on Bulls, Oxen, Heifers, Rams, Goats, Boars, Swine, Sheep, Lambs, Dogs, Cocks, Geeſe, Pigeons, Turtles, Horſes, Tunnies, p. 249yea, and Eels too **Id. 193, &c. Lord Herbert de Relig. Gentil. p. 200., if they were of the Larger Sort. But ſome Men were either Poorer, or elſe better Huſbands than ſo; and they made a Cake, and faſhion'd it into the likeneſs of an Ox, and ſo ſacrificed it.

Their Folly did not ſtop here, but turn'd into downright Frenzy; for they butcher'd Men, Women, and Children; their beſt Friends and neareſt Relations, and burnt them on their Altars. Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, Porphyry, and Caeſar, &c. tell us this was a moſt Univerſal Cuſtom. Tho' at length in ſeveral Places they began to relent, and find out a Temper. For at Rhodes ††Porphyry, de Abſt. l. 2. p. 221.they at laſt were contented with the Sacrificing of ſome vile Criminal only; the Romans ‖‖Servius in Virg. p. 552., their Slaves; p. 250and inſtead of that, afterwards they would lay their young Men on their Altars, and ſoundly ſcourge them, (tho' I think the Fathers ſhould have been in their Places); yet others would Whip them to Death **Potter, uti ſupra.. Diphilus in Cyprus made them offer an Ox. Amaſis ††Porphyry de Abſt. l. 2. p. 224, 5, 6. See the Teſtimonies out of Philo's Tranſlation of Sanconiathon. Clemens Alexandr. Dionyſ. Halicarn. and Diodorus Siculus. In Euſebius de Praeparat. Evang. l. 4. ch. 16. Herodot. l. 2. Caeſar de bello Gall. l. 6. c. 4.in Egypt ſubſtituted three Images of Wax, in the place of three Men. At Laodicaea, a Stag at laſt ſupplied the room of the Virgin. Iphicrates, or ‖‖Hiſt. l. 19. c. 1.as Juſtin ſaith, Darius aboliſh'd this Cuſtom among the Carthaginians, and Adrian almoſt throughout the whole Empire. The Alteration, and the aboliſhing of it, ſhews what was the old Cuſtom, p. 251which did obtain univerſally among the Greeks too **Porphyry uti ſupra.; ſo that a late Ingenious ††Potter's Antiq. Greece, p. 193.Author was miſtaken in ſaying, It was hardly in uſe among them, or any civilized Nations. And Philo out of Sanconiathon ſaith, The Phaenician Hiſtory is full of ſuch Inſtances. To which may be added ſeveral Teſtimonies out of the Scriptures, of offering their little Ones to Moloch, &c.

And could all this be done only as a Symbol of Repentance? He muſt be in great want of a Sign, that ſhall hang up his Friend, or his Child at his Door for one. There can be no Shadow of Reaſon to move them to ſuch a way of ſignifying their Sorrow, if that were all that was intended.

But it looks ſomewhat like a Rational Motive, if they had any Hope p. 252hereby to expiate their Sins, and turn away the Anger of God from them; which is ſo Terrible an Evil, that provided it may be obtained, it can't be too dearly purchaſed. And the Same Authors that tell us of their Practice, tell us that this was their Principle. They knew Mankind to be the nobleſt Part of the viſible Creation; and thought the more Excellent the Sacrifice was, the more likely it was to reach this end. This is evident from the Cauſe, and their End in offering any Sacrifices, but eſpecially Humane Ones. They hoped the Death of the Victim ſhould be in lieu of that of the Offender; and the Gods they thought would not be **Quòd pro vitâ hominis, niſi vita hominis reddatur, non poſſe Deorum immortalium numen placari arbitrantur. Caeſar de Bello Gall. l. 6. Cùm inter coetera mala, etiam Peſte laborarent.—Homines ut victimas immolabant, & impuberes aris admovebant, pacem eorum ſanguine eorum expoſcentes. Juſtin. Hiſt. l. 18. c. 6.appeaſed, p. 253unleſs the Life of one Man went for another. This is plain alſo from the very Names they gave their **foreign. Expiatio. Piamentum. Piamen. Februa. Luſtratio. Purgatio.Rites and ††foreign. Piaculum. foreign, &c.Sacrifices, and the Manner of their offering them; which was, not only among the Jews, but the Heathens ‖‖Outram de Sacrif. p. 278, &c.too, with Solemn Prayers to God, that all the Plagues which they or their Country had deſerved, might light on the Head of the Victim, and ſo they themſelves eſcape. And hereupon they thought that all their Sins did meet upon it, and defile it to that Degree, that none who had touched it, dared to return home till they had waſh'd and purified themſelves.

And now let the Reader judge, whether Sacrifices were only Symbolical p. 254of their Sorrow; and that Men never dreamt of any atoning Virtue in them: But that all Men of all Nations look'd on Repentance as an Expiation, and the only one too.

I'll put an end to the Readers trouble, §. IX and my own, when I have obſerved the ſeveral Contradictions and groſs Blunders of our Modern Deiſts. They profeſs to believe that there is **Oracles of Reaſon, p. 197.One Infinite, Eternal God; and yet the Reader may remember that in my Epiſtle to him, I have ſhew'd him, That Mr. G. is for Two ††Page 194.Gods, the one Good, the other Evil. Mr. B. tells us, The Firſt Good, who is alſo the Firſt Principle of all Beings, hath but ONE Affection or Property, and that is ‖‖Page 90.LOVE: And yet in the p. 255ſame Page adds, There is nothing dreadful in the whole Nature of God, but his JUSTICE; no Attribute elſe being terrible.

A. W. ſays this is one of the Chief Heads of their Religion, That we are to expect **Page 197.Rewards and Puniſhments hereafter, according to our Actions in this Life, which includes the Souls Immortality, and is proved by our admitting Providence. But yet, in the ſame Letter ſee how faintly he ſpeaks, viz. Grant that they SEEM reaſonable, &c. But Mr. B. ſpeaks Out ††Page 125., That the Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul, was but a cunning Trick and Invention of the Politicians, who had not ſo much a regard to TRUTH as Honeſty, (a very great Inſtance of their Honeſty to invent Uſeful Lies), and that herein they did p. 256as Phyſicians do by their Patients, or Nurſes by their Children, who tell them a fair Story, tho' never ſo falſe, that they may deceive them for their Good.

If the Son don't ſpeak home enough, let's hear the Father, who ſaith **Ideoque nos Creaturae ſumus aeterni Dei apparitiones momentaneae, quas tantum terris oſtendunt Fata, nec ultra eſſe ſinunt, veluti effigies in Aulaeis. Diſcourſe of Sir H. B's de Anima. In the Oracles of Reaſon, p. 156., We Creatures are the Momentary Apparitions of the Eternal God, which the Fates only ſhew to the Earth, and don't ſuffer to be any longer, as Images in Tapiſtry Hangings. The whole Diſcourſe Mr. B. calls, An undigeſted ††Id. p. 154.Heap of his Father's Thoughts. And that theſe are only ſuch **Id. p. 157.Twilight Conjectures as our Humane Reaſon (whereof we yet ſo vainly boaſt) can furniſh us with.—So that indeed all Philoſophy, excepting p. 257Scepticiſm, is little more than Dotage. A Cenſure true enough, tho' not ſo decent from the Mouth of Mr. B. A Son ſhould not uſe his Pen to let fall ſuch Blots on his Father's Writings and Memory. But how vainly indeed, to uſe his own Word, doth he boaſt of REASON, when he calls it the Soveraign **Preface to Oracles of Reaſon, p. 3.Rule and Touchſtone, the Supreme and Primitive Director of every Man, if it give no better a Light than this? and what Sorry Oracles is it like to utter?

Mr. B. tells us, To be ††Page 91.ſure the Deiſt is no Idolater, none can accuſe him of Idolatry. But the Reaſon is a very poor one, viz. becauſe he acknowledges one Supream Everlaſting God, and thinks Magnificently of him. So do the Papiſts as well as he, and yet Proteſtants p. 258unanſwerably prove them guilty of Idolatry. And the Deiſt, according to his Principles, will be an Idolater, if he live in a Popiſh or a Pagan Country. For, ſaith A.W. **Page 203.the Learned in all Religions, in the outward Ceremonies of every Religion, are every Man of 'em content to Conform to thoſe of their own Country. And ſeeing ſome of the Heathen Worſhip is very filthy and obſcene, we may gueſs at his Sobriety and Chaſtity, if ever he ſhould fall among 'em. But ſuppoſe it ſhould be free from Obſcenity; yet for a Man to join in the Worſhip of an Image or a falſe God, which he believes to be ſo, meerly becauſe 'tis the Religion eſtabliſh'd by Law, is Groſs ſneaking Hypocriſy, which a Man of Honour would Scorn; and thereby we may gueſs at their Moral Vertue which they talk ſo much of, as another of their Fundamentals.

p. 259And ſeeing the Deiſts, as they themſelves ſay, think ſo **Ib.Magnificently of God, and Mr. B. was ſuch a zealous ††Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Blount, p. 6.Aſſertor of the Glory, Honour, and Adoration of ONE GOD, let us a little examin this. Mr. G. ſaith there can be no ſuch thing as a pure ‖‖Page 187.Spirit, independent of all Body and Matter; and that they that advance the Opinion of pure and Immaterial Subſtances, truſt to Fancy and meer Conjectures; and ſo God is a Mateiral Being. And having degraded the Deity from a pure Spirit into a Body, he endeavours to prove there are anſwerable Qualities to be found in him. For, ſince 'tis Evident from this **Page 190.uncontrovertible Maxim, Nemo dat quod p. 260non habet, that the Qualities of all things, and therefore of Body, are in God himſelf (that is, in an infinite Degree of Perfection) the moſt pure of Spirits, 'tis not likely that Body ſhould be derogatory to the Purity of infinitely inferior Spirits. And ſo God is an infinitely hot, dull, and heavy Body; and yet at the ſame time he is Infinitely Cold, and brisk and light too. For there are Bodies to which all theſe Qualities do belong. And doth not this Man now think very MAGNIFICENTLY of his Maker?

But how bold ſoever he may be with him, he is very civil to the Female Sex, in providing Husbands for 'em from among the **Page 190.Angels; tho' what he further ſaith on that Subject for two Pages ††Page 191, 192.together, I ſhall not tranſcribe, becauſe I will not ſtain my p. 261Paper, nor pollute the Mind of my Reader. And yet this wretchedly unconſtant Man quickly after tells us, That a Woman is the moſt lovely **Page 191. at the Bottom.BRUTE of the Univerſe. A Flight this is, which I hope LINDAMOUR, as the Writer of Mr. Blount's Life and Death calls himſelf, will not forget, the next time he pays his Devotions to the Divine Image, as he words it, of the Honourable and Divine HERMIONE; for whom this Deiſt, tho' to be ſure he is no Idolater, has ſo great a Veneration, that he talks of Sacrificing ††Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Blount, p. 1, 2.his own Life for her with his own Hands, as Mr. B. did for Aſtrea, his Brother's Wife. This Lindamour defends and applauds as an Heroical Action in Philander, with this remarkable Saying p. 262out of Almanzor, I my ſelf am King of me; tho' how this is conſiſtent with the third Fundamental of A. W's Religion, viz. That 'tis our Duty to Worſhip and Obey God as our Creator and GOVERNOR, I leave to his Conſideration. As alſo how he will reconcile Mr. Blount's Practice with theſe Words of his in his Diſcourſe againſt the Surrenderers of Charters, viz. **Page 178.He that commits Murder with the Sword of Juſtice, aggravates his Crime to the Higheſt Degree: As theſe Gentlemen would have done in making the Government Felo de ſe, and Acceſſary to its own ruin.

Tho' it be not a matter of ſo great Moment as the reſt which I have already mention'd; yet I can't but obſerve, that Mr. B. ††Page 128.accuſes Sir H. Savil, that he hath ſo far Complemented the p. 263Jewiſh, as to Rob the Engliſh World of the fifth Book of Tacitus's Hiſtory, by omitting any Part of it in his Verſion; and yet he himſelf is guilty of the ſame Fault; and beſides the miſtranſlation of what he gives us, hath kept back a Conſiderable part of Tacitus's Account. But I ſuppoſe he thought, that wherever there is a Jew, 'tis fit there ſhould be ſomewhat of Circumciſion.

I'le add but one more, (tho' I could produce ſeveral others): The Deiſt ſometimes bears up very briskly about Repentance, 'Tis the true and only Expiation of Sin, and is ſo agreed upon by all Men, in all Ages, and of all Religions; wherefore take it for an **Page 200.Undoubted Truth; and this not revealed, but innate, and a part of Natural Religion. Sure by his Confidence he looks on this as Full Payment. And yet a p. 264little after, 'tis but a little part of Compoſition-Money, but 'tis all we have. Repentance is what we can anſwer **Page 209.to an Atonement, and therefore we may reaſonably aſſert 'tis all God will expect from us. 'Tis but as a Thouſand Pounds when a Man owes a Million, and the Creditor can have but All. And as pert as Mr. B. is, yet ſometime his Heart fails him. For the higheſt he can go is but Vero-ſimile eſt, ſimilem Deo à Deo ††Page 90.non negligi. 'Tis likely that he who is like God, is not neglected of God: Not to be Neglected of God, is but a very faint Expreſſion. A Man may be not neglected of God, and yet be but in very low Circumſtances. And yet even this too is but likely, which is but very cold Comfort.

p. 265All theſe Flowers I have gather'd out of one Garden, tho' from ſeveral Beds. The Paſſages are written, ſome by one Author, ſome by another; but we may look upon them as the Senſe of the Party. Mr. Blount hath affixed the Seal of the Company to all theſe Papers, and publiſh'd them all together, as Oracles of Reaſon. He, I am ſure, was anſwerable for them; and ſo is the Writer of his Life, who thus highly commends them, after having ſpoke very Contemptibly of other Writings as Trifles, and their Authors as Whiffling Scribblers. **Account of Mr. Blount's Life, p. 2.But the Subjects and Compoſitions of theſe following Sheets, left no room for either of theſe, i. e. Apology or Abſtract. Their Merit took away all Occaſion of Apology, and the Majeſty and Conſequence of their Deſign all pretence to Abſtracts. Thoſe that deſire to ſee p. 266theſe Sacred MONUMENTS, muſt be more nice Conſiderers than to be ſatisfy'd without attentive OBSERVATION: They are TRUTHS of too great Importance to be Slightly run over; of too great Beauty, not to hold our Eyes ſome time on them, to take a thorough Survey of their various Perfections. I have look'd attentively into theſe MONUMENTS, and think that Lindamour would do well to put in for what he ſpeaks **Ib.of, the next Verger's Place that falls at Weſtminſter; which if he can get, he cannot then point to any Tomb, that is fuller of Stench and Rottenneſs than the Papers which in his Preface he hath ſo highly extolled. On the whole, I believe the Reader will incline to my Opinion, That ſome Men run down Chriſtianity becauſe 'tis Religion, rather than becauſe 'tis Revealed.

FINIS.