AnNet, Peter DE IS M FAIRLY STATED, AND FULLY VINDICATED FROM THE GROSS IMPUTATIONS AND GROUNDLESS CALUMNIES ог MODERN BELIEVERS. WHEREIN Some of the PRINCIPAL REASONS Contained in In a LETTER to a FRIEND. By a MORAL PHILOSOPHER. For Modes of Faith let graceless Zealots fight, POPE. LONDON: Printed for W. WEBB, near St. Paul's, MDCCXLVI. T was with no ordinary Degree of Pleasure that I formerly used to converse with you, on philosophical and theological Subjects. Your good Senfe, good Nature, and Candour; your extenfive Erudition, and more extenfive Charity, render you a moft agreeable and inftructive Companion. But this is a Bleffing I have a long time been deprived of, by my Removal to a Place, at too great à Diftance from you. However, I think, this Miffortune may in fome measure be compenfated, by your favouring me with your Thoughts, in a B friendly friendly Epiftle, on the two forementioned Subjects, which may be comprized in one, viz. Moral Philofophy. You fee, Sir, how defirous I am to propagate that Intimacy fo long fince contracted, by thus introducing it, in this public Way; nor can you but remember, that you were wont to conclude our amicable Debates with the following, or like, Sentence: "Well, I have Charity for the "Sincere, and Well-meaning, of all the various "Denominations of fallible Men, and for you in particular; but don't take it amifs if I freely tell you, I think you are an honest Infidel." Now, tho' I profefs I never took it ill at your Hands, yet, I affure you, it gave me Concern, to find myfelf thus ftigmatized; and at the fame time, in Confcience, obliged to differ from my most valuable Friends; and particularly from yourself, of whose Parts and Integrity, I had Reason to have the highest Efteem. However, it was attended with one happy Confequence, viz. It put me on a ferious Re-examination of the Motives to my entertaining thofe exploded Sentiments, and the Juftnefs of thofe Reafonings upon which they were grounded. Much about the time I was deprived of your Converfation, I was in the midst of thofe my Researches, and, not having you any longer to have recourfe to, I applied myself, in the most impartial and unprejudiced Manner, to the reading fuch Chriftian Writers as had obtained the greatest Reputation, both for found Judgment and nervous Reafoning. But, after all, not having found whereon whereon to reft the Sole of my Foot, as a confiftent Christian, and an honeft Man, in the fame Perfon, I could think of no better Expedient, than to return to you, for a Solution of those weighty Objections, which appear infolvable to me. Before I proceed to anfwer the repeated Calls and Invitations of fuch of your Christian Brethren, as have moft Reafon to be confident of the Goodnefs of their Caufe, by freely producing to public Confideration thofe ftrong Objections, as they (by way of Contempt) are pleased to call them; I beg leave to lay before you my Complaint against fome of them, for very injurious Treatment of their Adverfaries; of whom I may fay, and, furely, with your Approbation, they are too pofitive and angry to do Service to any Caufe; even that of the Heathens they affect so much to defpife. That there is fuch a thing as true Religion, how differently foever Men may think concerning it, I no more doubt of, than I do of my own Existence; but the Gentlemen I refer to are very positive it confists, fome, in one Set of Opinions; and some, in another; and all are unanimous, (which very rarely happens where Unanimity is requifite) in fuppofing that Integrity of Heart, and Regularity of Life, in thofe who diffent from them, will leave them still short of a well-grounded Hope of Salvation, while they continue to question, whether certain fpeculative Truths, and uninveftigable Points |