quence of an univerfal conformity to a civil eftablishment of religion. It is, it has been the cafe every where, all the world over.

And yet, many invidious reflections are caft on the whole body of protestant-diffenters; as if they were all Enthufiafts, Schifmatics, Heretics, yea, Fanatics!

Accufations, much more easily brought, than fupported. For how will the charge of Enthufiafm have place, where the Scriptures are acknowle ged to be the fole rule of faith and practice; and reafon confeffed to be the fole judge of that rule?

can thofe men be justly reputed Schifmatics, who are of peaceable and charitable difpofitions; and whofe feparation from the Established Church, is upon the very fame principle, on which the reformation from popery had its existence?—or can men be guilty of Herefy, who are not immoral?and with a very ill grace does the Bigot call you Fanatics, who, in your religious profeffion, own but one Lord, and who are not fettered with fubfcriptions to any human creeds, or chained down to the obfervance of human rites and ceremonies.

The genuine principles of a confiftent non-conformity, are truth and liberty; however weakly or wickedly many proteftant diffenters may have miftaken or perverted them.

To the abfurd tenets, and inconfiftent conduct of fuch, I am inclined to attribute the growth of Infidelity, or that disgust which fome have taken of the Chriftian profeffion.

Not that the unbeliever is hereby excufed. For upon a thorough examination he would have known,

that

that no abufes to which Chriftianity is liable, nor any abfurdities in its profeffors can reflect the leaft difbonour on either its doctrine or precepts.

Mr. Chubb, not having duly examined, prefumes, in his Pofthumous-works, to impeach even the fyftem of Christian morals! which has induced me to make the following obfervations.

He has frequently taken cover in Scepticifin, that most comfortable refuge of the unbeliever! which furely is not very becoming the right ftate of a rational mind, in its mature age and capacity: nor worthy the state of the evidence respecting religion, i. e. a man's concern with his Maker. The evidence here, will not require him to hang long in fufpence, and grope his way thro' life, burrowing like the mole, whofe greatest peril and terror is in light. This would reflect great difhonour on God, confidered as a moral Governor. But he has fhewn thee, O man, what is good: and what the Lord thy God does require of thee.-The grace of God, that bringeth falvation unto all men, hath appeared, teaching

The Title which I gave a former treatise, viz. Truth and modern deifm at variance; offended Mr. Chubb; tho' I told him, that by modern, I did not intend, true deifm. Nevertheless, he has faid, "fuch indeed is the penetration of fome men, "that they can difcover connections and relations "where there are none in nature; and fuch are "their abilities, that they can conftitute and diffolve connections and relations at pleasure; and "that merely to exhibit an ill-natured reflection, or "for the fake of a gibe." Pofthumous-works, Vol. II. p. 379.

a 2

What

What more virulent cenfure can any pen deliver? and yet, how heavily do the unbelievers complain of the foverity of their opponents?

I defire not to recriminate: but will obferve, that the propofition which makes the head-title to this tract, viz. True deifm the bafis of Chriftianity, may be thus explained. "True deifm, "confiered objectively, is, God's love of the "world: confidered fubjectively, or in man, is his "firm belief of God's love of the world: but it is "the chief defign of the Chriftian revelation to ex"hibit God's love of the world; therefore true de"ifm is the bafis of Chriftianity.But to deny "or difbelieve that God has made any express re"velation of his love to the world, in the teachings of Chrift and his apoftles, is, modern de"ilm fairly ftated."

The unbeliever can with no juftnefs claim the appellation of Deift, but from his profeffing to believe in God, and from his owning moral obligation. Far if there be no fuch thing as moral obligation, there can be no God; i. e. no fupreme moral Governor. But if God be a moral governor, then we muft attribute to him moral perfections: fuch as juftice, equity, goodness, truth, and faithfulness. The confideration of his being the patron of thefe branches of moral character in his creatures, and the avenger of the contrary vices, is the great operating principle, which balanceth the paffions of mankind fo far as to preferve that degree of order which fubfifts in this world of ours.

Human laws and maxims of government extend no farther than justice and equity. Goodness, in the forms of mercy, lenity, and compaffion, fo ne

ceffary

ceffary to the welfare of mankind, is not under the fanction of civil government. It remains therefore neceffary, that goodness should have had the enforcement of divine authority, which will infer an exprefs revelation. For with respect to those voluntary engagements which men lay themselves under from the principle of benevolence, how would thefe bave appeared of fuch importance, if God had not been known to be a God of truth and faithfulnefs? But.men could not have bad this idea of him, if he had never made any express promifes, in the accomplishment of which, his truth and faithfulness have been manifeft. So that the fcheme of the unbelievers, by denying that any express revelation has ever been made, does deny that truth and faithfulness are moral perfections of the Deity.

It is very affuming in a modern deift, not to fuppofe that a Chriftian may be as capable of feeing evidence, and as folicitous to form a just eftimate of its importance, as he himself can be. And yet, if we form a judgment by fome late performances, there is nothing more ridiculous than the faith and religious profeffion of Christianity. Tho' the ridicule has no better foundation, than in the mifreprefentations of it by fome chriftians.

My defign is to vindicate the reputation of the facred writers; and to fhew, that pure, genuine Christianity, as expreffed in the New Testament writings, is no other than a plain, rational, divine fcheme; fupremely calculated to promote the reclitude and happiness of mankind! and incapable of having any abfurdities or contradictions justly father'd upon it.

The first thing attempted, is, an effay to demonftrate the truth and certainty of a particular

pro

providence. The denial of which doctrine, unbelievers have thought very necessary to render their fcheme plaufible.

The fubfequent remarks on Mr. Chubb's objections, have marginal titles affixed to their diftinct fections. But I did not well know how to throw them into a just arrangement, or give an orderly digeft of them. Some are noticed with great brevity; others are more largely confidered, just as I conceived the fubject would require.

That fyftem which I have endeavoured a defence of, has, befides all its extrinfic, these intrinsic criteria or marks of truth, viz. " it teacheth. that a "love of God cannot be demonftrated, but by a love "of all men; that a love of all men, must be di"rected by a rational love of ourselves And be"cause Jefus exemplified this in his doctrine. Spi"rit and conduct; he was thereupon exalted to do"minion. Hence it is, that Chriftians are obliged "to exemplify their love of brift, in their imita

tion and obedience of him. In the doing of "which, their hopes of eternal life, thro' bis miniftrations, are juftified."

This is the very fcheme of divine truth and goodnefs, which the unbelievers defpife and reject! Would to God I might be the inftrument of convincing any one of them. For, if I know myself, I could willingly, with St. Paul, be accurfed from Chrift, i. e. be an anathema, a devoted thing, or give my life a facrifice, by the authority, or example of Chrift, if it might be the means of faving thefe rejecters of Christianity.

May