other nominal Morality, without this facred, this its own proper Obligation first laid, being none other than Civil, or Politick Inftitution of Morality, upon the Epicurean Scheme of Virtue being the Way and Means of attaining the highest Felicity of Man in this Life; but, acting without the Belief of Providence, regardless of future Rewards and Punishments, has nothing of the Religion of Morality in it, and therefore can never deferve the Name of natural Religion.

IN a Question therefore of fo great Dignity and Moment, as what is the only true Religion? it is earnestly intreated for their own Sake, as well as for the Honour of human Reafon, that all Perfons of their Sentiments, whether they own, or decline the Name of Deift, will be fo candid, as to favour this Afpect of Christianity with their Perufal.

THE Deifts I have to do with, are indeed fo candid, as to declare, 1. What will not convince. 2. What will fatisfy them, as to the Truth and Excellency of the Christian Religion. And I have all along had that particular Regard to their Declaration, as the latest that comes from them, after abundance of difputing, and a Multitude of Books, as to confine myself to that wherein they fay, they only feek Satisfaction. There is but one Poftulatum in the Way; in order to open the Scene, I was obliged to begin with, one Suppofition, i. e. that Man was once in a State of Innocence; and was foon after, and

has

has been ever fince in a fallen degenerate Condition; though even that continues a Suppofition but for a very few Pages, before I actually demonstrate, that it must have been fo, from two self-evident Propofitions: That being once proved, all the reft follows in a Chain.

AT the fame Time the two Authors, to whom I reply, and have evidently fhewn to be grofly mistaken in the true Nature of Things, and the Force of Argument, pofitively declare what will not convince them with respect to the Chriftian Revelation, they plainly intimate what will. The noble Author of Characteristicks, firft in Date, and longest in Vogue, has feveral Flings at Miracles as good-for-nothing Proofs; though it must be acknowledged a greater Miracle than all that are reported in the Jewish or Chrifian Inftitutes; that either of thofe Religions, oppofing the reigning darling Vices of Mankind, fhould be received in the World, without Miracles to introduce them at the first: But in a Tract published afterwards, he speaks more openly. "Let it be your chief Endea

vour to make Acquaintance with what is "Good; that by feeing perfectly, by the Help "of Reason, what is Good, and what Ill,

you may prove whether that, which is "from Revelation, be not perfectly good and "conformable to this Standard. For if fo, "the very End of the Gofpel proves it Truth. "And that, which to the Vulgar is only proveable by Miracles, and teachable by pofitive Precepts

I

་

"Precepts and Commands, to the wife and "virtuous is demonftrated by the Nature of "the thing. So that how can we forbear to "give our Affent to thofe Doctrines, and that "Revelation which is deliver'd to us, and "enforced by Miracles and Wonders? But to

us, the very Teft and Proof of the Divinenefs "and Truth of that Revelation, is from the "Excellence of the Things revealed: otherwise "the Wonders themselves would have little "Effect or Power; nor could they be thoroughly depended on, were we even as near to them, as those who lived a Thou"fand Years fince; when they were freshly wrought, and ftrong in the Memory of "Men +.

BEFORE I leave this Author, who has led the Van of modern Deism for many Years, and is, perhaps, the fubtleft Adverfary that ever wrote against Christianity; I would obferve that his pernicious Defign is fo deeply. and artfully laid, as to be understood only by the initiated; and commonly mistaken, nay, fometimes applauded, by very honeft Chriftians. Being thorough Mafter of his own Scheme, he begins his Sap at Christianity, by undermining natural Religion. He imperceptibly betrays Virtue under an infinuating Appear. ance of fawning Love and Friendship for it, and carries on the Attack the more fuccessfully under the Cover of two popular Sentiments, to

+ Several Letters by a N. Lord to a young Man at the University, pag. 32.

both

both of which I have allowed all the true Senfe, and Religion that can belong to them. 1. Affection for the Publick. 2. The Love of Virtue for Virtues Sake; and, at the fame Time, vilifies future Rewards and Punishments, throwing them out of his Scheme; though they actually, and perpetually are the vital Reasons and Obligations of all true Morality, as it is Religion; and fo by fubverting the real Foundation, effectually deftroys the Thing Virtue, and leaves nothing but the Name.

I HAVE alfo detected his other ill Designs against Christianity, in other Parts of his Writing, and offer'd the proper Remedy. And by that time the Reader has gone thro' both Volumes, I doubt not but he will find abundant Reasons for giving up the modifh Idolatry of worshipping his Opinions, and adoring the fine deceiving Imagery of his falfe, deformed Sentiments.

THE Author of Chriflianity as old, &c. likewise enters his protest against any Eviction from Miracles, and condefcends, at the fame Time, to fet forth, what it is that muft fatisfy him and his Difciples. Befides ridiculing them *, he declares, "Without judging Reli"gion by its internal Marks there is nothing "but Miracles true or false, if they are believ❝ed, (and where are they not?) will have "the fame Effect: Nay, if Miracles can be ❝ perform'd by Evil, as well as by good Be*Page. 177, 181.

ings,

"ings, the worst Religion may have moft Miracles, as needing them most*" Would not Chriftians themselves think it fufficient "Proof of a Religion's not coming from God, "if it wanted any of those internal Marks, by which the Truth of all Religion is to be " tried, without enquiring into its Miracles or any other external Proof+." "The Good of "Mankind is the Teft, the Criterion or inter"nal Evidence, by which we are to judge ‡." And he infifts upon "reading the Scripture "with the Freedom of affenting or diffenting, juft as we judge it agrees or difagrees, "with the Light of Nature, and the Reafon of That we are Things ." cc not to be"lieve the Doctrine, because continued in Scripture; but the Scripture on Account " of the Doctrines ."

..

AND as this is an Age that will acquiefce, and be govern'd by nothing but Enquiries in-to the NATURE OF THINGS, I am willing to take all the Difciples of these two great Masters at the Word of their Principals. And, in order to oblige them as far as I can, in relieving their Complaints, that Nobody has fhewn them, and they cannot of themfelves perceive the Reasons, the Excellency, the internal Evidence of the three Pofitives of Christianity which they ftick at; and whereon they find fuch Strefs is laid, that there is no Christianity without them, viz. the Ufe and Benefit of a Mediator, and the Use and BePag. 385. Pag 201.

* Pag. 169. † Pag. 181. + Pag. 371.

nefit