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It is likewife faid, that if the use and intent XXXVII. of miraculons power, is to work conviction on objection unbelievers, and if unbelief takes place now as beretofore, then it feems to follow, that miracles racles, will take place now as heretofore; because God is the fame kind being now as heretofore, and is not wrought a whit altered; but miracles do not take place now to work the conviction of unbelievers, therevince un- fore they did not take place beretofore to answer believers that purpose. Vol. II. p. 229.

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This writer has confeffed, from the improbability of the fuppofition, that the hiftory of Chrift's life and miniftry is a fiction, arifeth the probability of the contrary fuppofition, viz. that there was fuch a perfon as Jefus Chrift, and that he, in the main, did, and taught as is recorded of him. Vol. II. Vol. II. page 42.

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This being granted; fince what is recorded of his actions, appears for the moft part to have been miraculous; it is probable that miracles were wrought by him. But if this is probable, the above piece of reafoning is fallacious. And altho' miracles were aforetime wrought with an intention to produce conviction in unbelievers, it will nor follow, that because there are unbelievers now, that therefore miracles fhould be wrought; tho' God is the fame kind being he ever was. Miracles were to evince the divine miffion of Jefus, during his public ministry, and were in full proof of it: and after that, miracles were to evince his having commiffioned his apostles to preach in his name, the doctrine he had delivered; and did prove that their commiffion but when this doctrine had been fufficiently made known, and committed to writing, and the apoftles had finifhed their miniftrations, there was no farther occafion for mira

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Befides, unbelievers there were, vaft numbers, notwithstanding the testimony of miracles; but there has been an increase of believers fince, without their teftimony; therefore the number of unbelievers now, is no reason why miracles fhould be wrought, as they were in the first propagation of the Chriftian doctrine. The fame means that are effectual to the producing faith or credit in thofe who are believers, are allowed to those who are unbelievers, and if they are wanting to themselves, in not properly ufing and applying thefe means, it is their own fault; or if they fuffer any prejudices to blind their understandings, they muft not blame God, or look upon him as obliged to give more than fufficient evidence. If they indeed reckon, or estimate all believers to be weak, or mistaken men, who abuse their reason, and impose on themselves, by embracing Chriftianity; they muft e'en folace themselves in their own fuperior abilities, and take all the pleasure they can in their darling infidelity. But let none of them be so vain, as to imagine, that because of their efforts to dif credit Christianity, any believer, who can use his reafon, will take their ipfe dixits for equal, much lefs, fuperior teftimony to that of the authority of the New Teftament Writings.

XXXVIII.

Mr. Chubb objects to God's raising fuch a Sect. battery against virtue and true religion, as the Two load of Jewish ceremonies plainly appear to be, apoftles furely cannot be admitted: forafmuch as two are faid to apostles of Chrift, viz. St. Peter, and St. Paul, treat the 2 have treated the Mofaic-law with great con- law with Mofaictempt, contempt.

tempt, as if it was altogether below, and unwor thy of the fupreme Deity. Vol. I. p. 275, 276. II. p. 19.

Since Mr. Chubb has no where fhewn, that any of the Mofaic ceremonies were a battery raised against virtue and true religion; neither is it in the power of any man to fupport his affertion there is little occafion to enter deeply into the fubject. Only with refpect to the two apostles, it may be allowed that they have spoken" contemptuously of the Jew-ritual: but then, it has not been in any abfolute fenfe, or as relative to the season and age of that inftitution. Nothing like this has dropped from their pens; but they thus contemptuously speak of it, in comparison, or in competition with the Chriftian inftitution. And they are to be juftified in representing it an obfolete, abrogated thing; tho' it had been of divine appointment: for Mofes, the Jew-lawgiver, will himself vindicate fuch treatment of it. See Deut. xviii. 18, 19. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall Speak unto them all that I shall command him.. And it fhall come to pass, that whosoever will not bearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. comp. Joh. xii.

49, 50.

This prophecy Mofes delivered, could not refer to a fucceffion of prophets, but only to Jefus, as Peter has well obferved, A&t. iii. 22, 23, 24. Forafmuch as all the prophets, from Samuel, and thofe that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewife foretold of thefe days. Hence any. one may fee that Mofes did authorize the apoftles to fpeak of the Mofaic inflitution as giving way to a more perfect inftitution, under a fuperior law-giver, or inftructor.-Befides, it fhould feem

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that a great part of the burthenfome ritual, bad been added because of, or by tranfgreffion; or to employ a people fond of ceremonies and rituals, and very prone to idolatry. This writer has therefore been much too bold, in excufing the infidelity of the Jews; because of the apostles fhewing that the Mofaic inftitution was to vail to the Chriftian. Vol. II. p. 173. It was to be fuperfeded, when this Prophet should appear, mentioned by Mofes : and it would be at their peril, that they did not hear him in all things; for God would, and he did require it of them. Witnefs the deftruction. of their nation by Titus; and their dispersed remains, which are fugitives throughout the habitable earth!

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What deferves more notice, is, the fingling out Sect. of the Jew nation, Mr. Chubb affirms, does inti. XXXIX. mate unreasonable partiality in the divine conduct: fonable -and is the ground of that monftrous doctrine partiality of God's decrees, of his having predeftinated some in fingling to everlasting happiness, and others to eternal mi- out the fery, independent of any previous worthiness or un- Fewworthiness in his creatures to be the ground of these determinations. Vol. II. p. 20.

He might as well have objected to that declaration of our Lord's, Matth. xxii. 14. For many are called, but few are chofen. Which furely cannot mean either an infincerity, or any defect in the call; but a perverfenefs in the perfons who neglect, or reject the call. This must be our Lord's meaning; forafmuch as God is no refpecter of perfons: but would have all men come to the knowledge of the truth, and be faved. Yet men muft be free fo far as they are moral: fo that it is not, cannot be in the power of omnipotence to destroy this freedom, and make men virtuous and happy by force. We are very fafe in affirming this; because if it was, we may be affured that

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there would not be found one vicious, unhappy creature in all God's intelligent creation, i. e. if his will or defire, in the language of holy writ, could effect the removal of all wickednefs. He does whatever is fit to be done, and all that is worthy his perfections: and if men did all which they are capable of doing, they would all of them be faved.

In the article of an unconditional predeftination, I am as much an unbeliever as Mr. Chubb was, or any man can be. So that if I faw, that the fingling out of the Jew-nation did intimate any unreasonable partiality in God; or could rationally be made the ground of the above monftrous doctrine, I fhould treat the whole hiftory of the Jew-nation as fabulous: for I am affured that no fuch thing could ever have had place in the divine conduct, as a partial regard to the everlasting well-being of his creatures. I am obliged to account for the feparation of the Jew nation, upon very different principles and motives. Such as,

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I. In the spread of idolatry, this feparation was made, in order to preferve the belief of one God in the world. This appears, from that people's falling under remarkable judgments upon their idolatry and alfo from their fignal protection and defence, whilft they kept themselves free from idolatry. II. This feparation of the Jewnation, made illuftrious the actual Supremacy of the one God, manifeft in the exercife of a particular providence. This, the nations around Judea, had many opportunities of obferving; and were often made to acknowledge. III. This feparation ferved to point out the family and place from whence the promifed Meffiah fhould arife. But in no one of thefe refpects do I difcern any unreafonable partiality in God; or the leaft ground

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