out of a Compliment to their Country, and to be civil to the Government under which they live. To call all Reveal'd Religion into question, is nowa-days almoft as neceffary a Step towards the compleating of a Gentleman; as nice Breeding and Behaviour, or a good Drefs. And he that can't (at least) doubt and demur whether the Prophets and Apostles were not mere deluded Enthufiafts, or wicked defigning Impoftors; makes as ill a Figure in a genteel modifh Company, as he who wears a Habit, that has been out of ufe for two or three Centuries. AWretch that can scarce hammer out the Senfe of an Author of the Loweft Clafs (perhaps even in his own native Tongue) fets up now-a-days for a Critick upon the Gofpel; and every little Tyro, that is just advancing to bis firft Degree in Mathematicks, thinks he is able to demonstrate all to be a Cheat. But furely, if the Great Masters and Patrons of Deifm, who were better furnish'd for all the Purposes of Argument and Enquiry, could never carry their Oppofitions to Chrif tianity higher than impotent Slander and Reproach: This inferiour Train of raw unexperienc'd Disciples (who, whatever they have to fay, can never pretend, that their Reason and Philofophy are affronted) ought never to attack Religion in infolent and pofitive Terms; but, tho it were out of mere Complaisance and Regard, to the Examples of their Teachers, Should be contented to make their Efforts against Chrif tianity, in a way more worthy of themfelves, and let all Pretences to Argument and Reafon alone. Scarce ever was any Age fo degenerate as ours, wherein People get Intereft, Favour, Credit, nay even a bare Livelihood and Subsistence (as fome of our exploded Itinerant Deists have done) and all this, upon the pure Merits of Infidelity. But the Cure of all these Disorders, we must leave to the Care and good Providence of God Almighty.. While the Publication of this Book has been defer'd thro many unforeseen Interruptions and Avocations, I have been furpriz'd fometimes, to find how indifcreetly fome Perfons, who pretend to stand by the Doctrine here afferted, have talk'd of an Undertaking of this Nature. However, I can certify the Reader, that to the best of my Knowledg, they were only fuch, to whom I was vastly more indebted for their Diflike, than I fhould ever have been for their Approbation, had they been any thing bufy in telling the World, how much they either approv'd the Defign, or valued the Author. There have not been those wanting, who have been fo wife, as to think I must rather betray, than vindicate, the Doctrine of the Refurrection; because I do not prove it all along from the New Teftament, as a Divine Revelation. And one particularly (who ought to have known better things) could not poffibly beat it out of his Head, but the Refurrection was actually to be demonftrated by Lines and Figures; I fuppofe, because he had met with fuch unlucky hard Words, as Scholium, Corollary, &c. in the printed Propofals: and did therefore very gravely declare, that 'twas a Shame, an Article of the Chriftian Faith, and one of fuch Confequence too, should ever be treated after fuch a manner. And the Perfons thus rash, are feldom much addicted to Blushing, yet I won't put it to the Trial whether they can or no, by telling them, Who, and What Sort of Perfons, have been of a very different Opinion from them, not only as to the Defign, but the Performance too. As for my own Part, as I had nothing but the Service and Advantage of a Caufe, of molt Important Truth, in view, and which I was fully certain could never fuffer, by being fet in the clearest Light that could be fo having taken fome Pains to do fo, I have hopes that this Treatife may be of fome Ufe, to Know❤ Knowing, Candid and Unprejudic'd Readers of all Sorts; and that they may find some important Points relating to NATURAL RELIGION, fettled to their Satisfaction in the Appendix, as well as that Great one of REVEAL'D RELIGION, in the Body of the Book. THE (1.) The CONTENTS. The Argument, for the Truth of the Chriftian Reli gion, drawn from the Refurrection of Jesus Christ; What treatment the Doctrine of Chrift's Refurrection The Cafe between the Chriftians and Deifts, fairly B H SECT. I. E that well confiders the Force of thofe Arguments, which are brought to establish the Truth of Chriftian Religion; that fees how they all (tho drawn from different Topicks) confpire in the most perfect manner, to convince the World of the Di vine Original of this Faith; would fcarce think it poffible, that the Reafon and Understanding of Mankind fhould ever oppofe it; and therefore conclude, there is fomething more than pure Infidelity at the bottom, and that they are not mere Scruples of the Mind, which create fo long and violent Contention. If he thinks on the Excellency of the Precepts of the Chriftian Religion, he finds them of the fitteft Nature poffible, to perfuade him to receive it as the Contrivance of Heaven: They are all fo worthy of God, fo beneficial and improving to Human Nature, and fo conducive to the Welfare and Happiness of Society. When he confiders the ftrange and fpeedy Propagation of this Faith through the World, with its triumph over the Wit and Policy, the Force and Malice of its formidable Enemies; and all this accomplish'd by fuch Methods, as the Reason of Mankind would have pronounc'd the most foolish and abfurd: He fees here the over-ruling Hand of God, which alone could give it fuch astonishing Succeffes; by thofe very Ways and Means, from which its utter Confufion was to be expected. The |
