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Side, and to be examined by the Deifts on the other, with Impartiality and Indifference, in order to put an End to the Controverfy at once. Permit me to indulge a benevolent Wish, that one Part of this Propofal had been performed as fully, and fairly, as the other has.

Many fubftantial Reafons have been produced, to fhew the Divine Authority of the Scriptures What have you advanced in Oppofition to them, or as an additional Objection? You exclaim grievously, for Want of P. 18. Unanimity among Chriftians, in their Arguments to prove this Point. And yet what Evidence is this, that the Point is not proved by any of them? of them? The fame Truth may be proved by different Mediums, fome of which may appear more forcible, others lefs, to different Understandings; what an impartial Reafoner would seek for, and be contented with, is fome conclufive Proof of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, and not Unanimity amongst Chriftians, i. e. one and the fame Method of Proof; confifting of the fame Kind, and Number, of Arguments, equally approved of by them all. However, they are unanimous as to their Belief of the Divine Original of the Scriptures: No Party, no Sect, deny this: The Methods they take to prove it are different, and fometimes oppofite, and yet if the Arguments, alledged by any of them, answer the Purpose they are produced for, it is fufficient.

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P. 18.

Why should this be fuch a furprifing Inftance in regard to the Authority of the Scriptures? Since it is a Circumstance not peculiar to that Question alone, but belongs equally to others, of the greatest Importance. It attends even the first, and fundamental, Doctrine of all Religion, viz. The Existence of God. Some Writers, of great Learning and Ability, imagine this is proved by innate Ideas; others deny that the human Understanding is poffeffed of any fuch: Some alledge the univerfal Confent of all Nations; others detract from this Argument; imagining, that the accurate Obfervation of modern Free-thinkers has difcovered fome Nations in the World, fo brutish and uncivilized, as to have little or no Knowledge of the Being of God. And yet, after all, this great and important Truth is evident to Demonftration, whether all the Arguments alledged for it are unanimously affented to, or not.

What an unreasonable Demand is it, to make Unanimity among Chriftians fo peculiarly requifite, in proving the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, that WITHOUT IT they must not only expect to fail of convincing the Deifts of the Truth of their Caufe, but also render it a doubtful Point whether they are rationally convinced of the Truth of it themselves. Let us have no grofs Imputations, in a Treatife profeffedly written in Oppofition to fuch

Conduct.

Conduct. * Does it become doubtful whe-
ther a Man is rationally convinced of the
Existence of God, or of the Truth of any
Doctrine in Philofophy, because he believes
it on his own Reasons, and not on another's?
Does an Opinion that others reason impro-
perly, infer any Doubt as to the rational Con-
viction of him, who argues in a different,
and perhaps contrary, Manner? As to the
other Branch of your Affertion, that with-,
out this Condition of Unanimity, we must
expect to fail of convincing the Deifts of the
Truth of our Caufe ;-It has, I am afraid
too much Truth in it. They will scarcely
be convinced either with it, or without it.
In this Respect, the Thing is of little Con-
fequence; nor is it very material to retort
(as might easily be done) the Want of Una-
nimity, amongst the Deifts; the Diversity,
and Contrariety, of Opinions which they have
advanced, to fubvert the Christian Religion.

Let us rather difmifs this Subject; and (after reminding you, of your having put the whole Iffue of the Controversy, upon the Scriptures being a divine Revelation, or not,) examine what you fay next, in Contradiction to the Scriptures appearing to be P. 24. the Word of God, to every Man who, in the

* We have, I apprehend, much groffer Imputations, and groundless Calumnies objected to Chriftianity, in Pag. 48. "Millions of People have fallen a Sacrifice to CHRISTIAN PIETY," &c. D 2

beft

P. 24.

Ibid.

beft Manner he can, does exercife his Reafon, in the Perufal of them; (or rather, in judging of the Arguments alledged for their being a divine Revelation.) And here, in Order to fhew, that the divine Authority of Scripture cannot be apprehended by natural Reafon, you affert, that fupernatural_Matters are incapable of an Examination by natural Reafon; and therefore are incapable of being apparently Reafonable, or being approved of as fuch by our Reafoning Faculties and if there be fupernatural Matters in the Scriptures, thefe cannot be pronounced by Reafon to be at all Divine. But whether fupernatural Matters are incapable of being apparently reafonable, or approved of as Juch by our reafoning Faculties, is nothing to the Purpofe in this Place: The Subject, at present in Dispute, is not whether all the Doctrines in Scripture are apparently reafonable, but whether they are divinely revealed.

;

This is the Queftion into which you was pleafed to refolve the other, and now, I hope, you will not take the unaccountable Liberty of refolving it back again into the fame Queftion, in the Place of which it was fubftituted, and allowed to be decifive.

Neither is it a juft or regular Confequence that you have drawn, that If there are fupernatural Matters in the Scriptures, these cannot be pronounced by Reafon to be at all the Word and Revelation of God. For, these Matters may be known to be the Word and Reve

lation

lation of God, by collateral Proofs, by Arguments, taken from Things within the Course of Nature, and difcernible by our Senfes and concerning thefe, Reafon is very well able to judge, whether they are real Facts, and whether they amount to. a fatisfactory Proof of the Points for which they are given in Evidence..

But to give a general Answer to your Affertion, that fupernatural Matters are incapable of an Examination by natural Reason; only reflect with yourself, what can be more fupernatural, more above the Comprehenfion of Reason, than the Manner of God's Existence; yet you will not infer, that becaufe this is a fupernatural Matter, therefore the Existence of fuch a Being is incapable of being apparently reasonable, or being approved of as fuch by our reafoning Faculties:

The whole Matter may be fet in a clear Light, by obferving, that in the present Queftion, Natural and Super-Natural are not to be taken as contradictory Terms, the one, of Confequence, excluding the other. Whatever we call fupernatural, is as much comprehended within the immense System of Nature, and has its Foundation there, as thofe very Objects that are the most familiar to us, and esteemed moft natural and common.

The Want of attending to this Distinction, feems (if I may fpeak my Sentiments) to have occafioned a great deal of Confufion

and

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