owns, that the word is figurative, as Chriftians are faid to be begotten thro' the gospel. Ibid.

Having admitted the probability of Chrift's miffion being divine, he thus expreffeth himself, Art. XI. I fay, the great question with us must needs be A plain what was that message? and not, who, or what rule of was that messenger? because a messenger, conjudging of "fidered abstractedly from his message, is a mere character. fiction, is nothing feeing the very character of a messenger,as well as the importance of that character, are merely relative, refulting wholly from the important meffage they stand related to. V. II. V. II. p. 55

Chrift's

So that the New Teftament writings are a rule of judging, every way adequate to the capacity of all who are privileged with them; by which alone the characters of the feveral writers, and the importance of those characters may be determined. Neither can they oblige, as a rule of men's forming their judgments and practice, farther than the meffage they contain.

These conceffions fhould have their weight; notwithstanding any raillery, either here or elfewhere, he may have beftowed upon the fubject. It is an open declaration, that miracles recorded, and the doctrines revealed, are what imply no abfurdity.

Yet, he thinks it not likely that Jefus Chrift was fo produced, as above mentioned, and that no great or good purpose could be served by it. The opinion is not fingular, tho' it denies the authority of two evangelifts, and would throw afide a prophecy, which we are perfwaded did refer to the Meffiah, viz. that of a virgin, or maid, conceiving and bringing forth a fon. But Art. XII of this more hereafter.

The Pro- Mr. Chubb has also affirmed the probability of bability of a future ftate of retribution; for having confi a future dered man as made free, and capable of being a retribu- friend or an enemy to the common good; he

ftate of

tion.

Lays,

fays, bence arifes a probability that there will be a future ftate of existence to men, in which state, God's favour and difpleasure will be properly and amply fhewn forth;- -V. I. p. 381.

And

again, as I think, were I intrufted with the execution of civil juftice, I ought, and should, reward thofe that have generously contributed to the public happiness, and punish those who have bafely and wickedly contributed to the public burt, bad I a perfect knowledge of their cafes, and bad I power fufficient for thefe purposes; fo, from bence I cannot but conclude, that God who is the most perfect intelligence, goodness, and boundless power, will much more do fo; and confequently there will be a future judgment and retribution. Ib. 397.

Art. XIII. This is a conclufion drawn with more affu- The cerrance, than a bare probability would fupport: it tainty of it. is drawn from what he knew of himself; and in which he infers the certainty of a future judgment and retribution.

Yea, with regard to future punishments, he has thus expreffed himself: Upon the whole of this argument, I obferve, that as we have all the certainty the nature of the thing will admit, that the divine conduct, in all things, in all inftances and cafes, will be conformable to perfect relitude; fo we are thereby certain that the Deity will not punifh needlefly, or without any just Art.XIV. ground, nor will be extend it beyond it's proper nifhments bounds. Ib. 421.

Future pu

how con

- If any regard is due to the moft fober decla- ducted. rations, that have in them the air of fincerity, we have Mr. Chubb's opinion in favour of the usefulness of prayer. He owns a special providence, and an express divine revelation.—That the Christian revelation is the most perfect of any traditionary one. That miracles are confiftent with the perfections of God, and probably were

at

Section I.

atteftations of the truth of Chrift's miffion.pipe He folemnly declares, that he has not written out of difrefpect to the person and ministry of Jefus Chrift; but that upon a dependance on Jefus Chrift being the judge of quick and dead, he has no difagreeable apprehenfions.-Nor has he any defign to lead his readers to a neglect of the writings of the apoftles.-That as to Chrift's character, it is excellent and beautiful--And he has not only allowed the probability, but affirmed the certainty of a future ftate of retribu tion. And has likewife given his opinion as to future punishments.

From thefe premifes, for any to fay, that Mr. Chubb did not profefs himself, or that he was not a Chriftian, would be an unjuft conclufion. In the above portrait, as far as I know, I have fairly reprefented him in all the articles which I have cited.

CHA P. II.

Shews fome of the blemishes, and imperfections that are to be found in Mr. Chubb's postbumous-works.

TH

HIS is the more difficult and lefs pleafing part of the undertaking. Yet in it, I will not only endeavour to do his writings juftice, but as far as the cause of truth admits, treat his er rors with candour.

Mr. C. has, without fcruple, given us very Revela. explicite accounts of his disbelief of any revelation can tion; tho' he takes much pains to overthrow the have no credibility of one! e. g. Fhave already obferved, previous that divine revelation is above or out of the ordiground. nary courfe of nature, and as fuch, we can have no previous ground to prefume or expect that there is or will be any fuch thing; nor can we poffibly

be

be under any previous obligation with regard to it; and therefore we cannot be obliged to feek after it. To this, I may add, that it seems a little prepofterous for a man to hunt after a guide to his judgment and behaviour, when the anthor of his being has placed one in his own breaft; especially if it be confidered, that the guide he has must be proper and fufficient to answer the purpose aforefaid; becaufe, otherwife, the author of nature, who is the most perfect intelligence, and of the most boundless power, must have been greatly wanting to his own defign. Vol. II. p. 30.

I would firft obferve, that Mr. C. is able to remove all the mist he has raifed, from a man's hunting after a guide to his judgment, and behaviour; because not able to difcover whether the New Teftament, as we have it, or the Coran, as we have it, are genuine accounts of the Chriftian, or of the Mahometan revelations. He fhall himfelf clear up the cloudy" heaven which his own imagination had created: for these are his very words refpecting Chrift's divine miffion; I fay, the great question with us muft needs be, what was that meffage? and not who, or what was that messenger? because a meffenger, confidered abftra&tedly from his message, is a mere fillion, is nothing; feeing the very character of a messenger, as well as the importance of that character, are merely relative, refulting wholly from the important meffage they fand related to. Vol. II. p. 55.

This will enable us to place the rule in fight of every man, cven thofe of the loweft understanding for the word is nigh them. They are under no obligations of hunting after a rule. The meffage is before their eyes, and they may judge of the meffenger, and the importance of his character by it, with as much eafe and certainty as

if they had lived in Judea from the first of the reign of Tiberius, down to the end of Nero, and had converfed perfonally with Chrift and his apoftles or had been witness to the Churches, thro' the Roman and Grecian empires, receiving the New Teftament writings as agreeable to the doctrines that had been taught by the apostles, every where. It is the meffage and the importance of it, that determines the character, and the importance too of the meffenger's character. And this we have before us, which wholly excuseth the honest and ferious any further labour in bunting; than that of a diligent attention and due application of the rule.

Nor would I have the unbeliever triumph in his notion, of the univerfal fufficiency of reason, or the light of nature. The New Teftament writings have taught this doctrine, as plainly as he is able to do it. Jefus fays, that no man can come to bim, except the father, i. e. the evidences which he exhibits of God's paternal character, draw him. And it is because men did believe in God, that they did also believe in Jefus. St. Paul has affirmed, that that which may be known of God, is manifeft to the pagan world; for God bath fhewed it unto them. And that when the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature, or habit, the things contained in the law, thefe having not the law, are a law unto themfelves. And St. John, in the introduction to his Gofpel, (which Mr. C. had imagined, was his own private opinion) fpeaks of God's having always been the life of men, and that very life was properly their light. That the true light was that which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. That God had always had bis being and perfections manifeft to men in his providence, and the world bad been made by him, and yet, the world knew him not. And when our

Lord