ever God may do, he has actually done. To the 3. Tho' the prefervatien be conceived in Terms general and abfolute, [If any Man] yet it related only to the State of the Church at that time, when Miracles were Wrought; St. Paul expreffing himself in the fame manner of the Temporary Ufage, of Praying and Prophefying with the Head covered or uncovered, &c. and in feveral other inftances. But where, fay they, was it Abrogated or Alter'd? We Anfwer, it fell of it felf, when the Miraculous Virtue cealed which attended it, fince 't had been a mocking God to have afcertain'd the fign without the Subftance e ver accompanying it. 'Twas the Prayer of Faith which was required with it, namely, The Faith of Miracles, both in fick and whole. Now we defire leave to ask them one Question, for the many they have ask't us. Wherein they think it Faith or Prefumption in fome of their own Wife Saints of late Ages, who have gone to Graves, and commanded the Dead to Arife; and when they have lain ftill, as ftubborn as any Hereticks, refufing to hear 'em, have continued bellowing over 'em to perfuade 'em to 't, refufing to ftir, till dragg'd away by thofe about 'em. 4. That the Church ftill continues the Practice of it, as a Sacrament, and this in all Ages, and Places, after the Miraculous Virtue ceas'd, they pretend, but can never prove, the Councils they bring for't being about 800 years after our Saviour. We know the Valentinian Hereticks us'd it, but fuppofe they'll fearce plead their Example 5. Nature teaches to feek Health by all lawful means, God does the fame, in the command, Thou halt not kill. You think he alfo bids you do it in the Apocrypha, Give place to the Phyfician, for the Lord hath created him. The Nobler the Phyfician the better, the furer the means, the more de firable. Miracles, you grant, were lawful means, and the Nobleft of any other; therefore they were as much requir'd to be ufed fince the power not given in vain. 6. All the three words here us'd, plainly related to the Body, σώσαι, ἐγει και νάμνοντα. Το fave (as he fav'd others, himself he cannot) to lift up Sick, or Bedrid. But their Unction is not to Cure the Body, feldom or never with expectation of it, why elfe do they call it Extreme? Therefore not the fame with that in the Text, nor to be grounded on it, as fome of their own Authors ingenuously confels. 7. There's no neceflity of all having this miraculous Gift, 'tis enough if fome had it in all Churches, which 'tis very reasonable to believe they had; the Gift of Miracles, and particularly healing, being then conftantly beftowed at the pouring out of the Holy Ghost, as we learn from the Hiftory of Simon Magus. For the Objection, None then would have died: It lies almoft as full against the Miracles of all the Apollies, at leaft, while among their Converts. But 'tis easily antwered; Miracles were only to be wrought where and when God's Glory requir'd 'em, and where, as before, he gave the miraculous Faith to heal, and to be healed. 8. This has been partly anfwered, and there needs little more than repeating what has been faid, for it's full fatisfaction. Several of St. Paul's Precepts were plainly temporary, as well as this of St. James, and yet most of their Writings to be a perpetual Rule. What St.Paul fays of Prophefying; as before, was temporary, if not alfo that of Marriage. What be Wages of the Priefts maintenance, Schifins, the Sacrament, &c. are all perpetual. be greater than the End of the World, how could we think 'em Divinely inspir'd? If they could be mistaken in one thing, why not in another? And were can we ftop, or what fecurity for our Faith when they who fhould be the pillar and Foundation of Truth, thus deceive us? This, 'tis true, muft be allowed that the Apostles, as Men, were Fallable and fubject to the like Paffions and Infirmities with other good Men, and where accordingly in common matters of 9. What they urge, that Mira-Life, like others fometimes miftacles here don't extend to Spiritual Gifts, as Salvation and Forgivenefs; The firft has been anfwered; The fecond was not the Effect of Miracle, but of Prayer, Faith and Confeffion, afterwards recommended; on which, as Dr. Hammond thinks, Abfolution by the Bishop or Priest [the Ablo lution of the Church in the Hands of the Rulers thereof] are his exprefs Words. Whereas the Papifts make this Abfolution ftill diftinct from the Union, and both neceffary to all that leave the World, juft as they are departing. ken. But when they acted as Apoftles, or Evangelifts, publishing the Gospel, or inftructing the Church by their Writings, both in that and after Ages here, 'tis highly Reafonable, nay, neceffary to fuppofe fuch an Extraordinary Affiftance from heaven, as fhould preferve 'em from delivering any thing that was false to the World; fuch affiftance had the Penmen of the Holy Writings in the Old Testament, who delivered all in the Name of God; and where they are quoted in the New, they are attributed to the Holy Spirit. Nor were the Apostles Inferior to them, nay, had a more plentiful Effufion of all Miraculous Gifts than ever was beftowed on Men before our Saviour; and if they were but fo much as Honeit Men, their Writings must be allo divinely directed, because they themselves equal 'em with the reft of the facred Scriptures, when they have occafion to mention 4. No, by the Socinians leave, them. But now to Fact, for we it's fo far from being plain, that own 'twill be in vain to Realon the contrary is true and evident. for their Infallibility, if it appears And indeed were it not,could the they have actually fail'd, which Sacred Writers have been fo grofly we deny they ever did,and are fa mittaken, and that in things of fotisfied noObjection can be brought great moment, as fare none can to the contrary, which mayn't Q. Is it not plain, that the Writers of the Scripture were Fallible, as well as others; and that the Apostles were actually miftaken in matter of Faith; both HiStory and Prophecy; particularly St. Paul and others, as to the end of the World, which they thought very near, as we read from their Writings? have a fair and fufficient Answer. For 'tis St. Paul, which is moft frequently clamoured againft (tho' we mult thank Grotius for beginning it; but if he won't allow the Apoftles to be Infallible, we hope we need not allow him to be fo,) it feems unacountable, how Men of Senfe, and fuch deep Pretenders to Reafon, fhould Run away, whole Droves of 'em together, with fo open a Fallacy. The place they principally urge, is that in Thef. 4. chap. Then we that are 'alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord fall not prevent them which are asleep. And again, verfe 17. We which are alive, and remain, fhall be 'caught up together with them in 'the Clouds, to meet the Lord in 'the Air, &c. ་ ་ From whence they fhrewdly argue, He includes himself, and therefore thought he should be alive at the coming of Chrift. But does not any Child know that common way of Speech wherein we speak, our felves in the PerSons of others, especially when Members of the fame Community; as St. Paul of the Church Mi litant? It's plain from other places, he could not himself think the End of the World was fo much as near; and this he folemnly tells thefe Theffalonians in the next Epiftle; which feems to be writ much on that very occafion, becaufe fome bad miltaken his first, as others do now, and thought the World was not long to latt. A gain, he could not expect to live to the end of the World; for he fays, he expected foon to die; I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my depaiture is *at hand. QWhat degree does filver bear T amongst other metals, what are the chief Properties of it, and from whence it is that we have the greatest part of it? A. Silver is the finest Metal in the World excepting Gold, 'twill beat very thin, and firetch in Wier beyond any fort of Metal but Gold, even as fmall as a Man's hair. It will not ruft, but Cankers a little into a pale blew, confumes fome fmall matter in meltting, tis difolvable, like other Metals, in Aqua fortis; And a thin plate of it, as a great or leffer piece, rub'd with Brimftone, and held over a Candle, fpits and moultes, because it is Calcin'd; the powder of which paints glafs yellow. It chiefly comes from the Weft-Indies, and High Germany, being dug out of Mines in an Oar not much unlike Lead or Antimony; and the richer Veins of Leid are faid to have much Silver in them. When this Oar lies open to the Air it fends forth fometimes branches like a white Moss, of pure Silver call'd the Silver tree, and is faid to be imitated by fome Chymifts who alfo pretend to make factitious real Silver by the lower preparation of their Philofopherstone; befides which there is a Counterfeit of it, made by whitening Copper, too well known to thofe (parks amongst us who cheat by falfe Plate or Money. The touchitone and fire are generally the methods 'tis tryed by. A vefvel of it in common ufe is long a heating, but then perferves its heat as long. QIfhall not take the way that fome Perfons have done, in hopes to gain an Anfirer, by acoufing you of unkindness, in not refolving my Query, altho' perhaps as often fent as most you receive, and N & with fing divers opinions, and thewing the unconquerable difficulties wherein they thou'd involve themfelves let them embrace which fide they wou'd, and therefore they conclude it is enough to believe the ground of things, without its being necessary to decide any thing about the manner of 'em, determining only in fuch cafes where the Scripture or our reafon inftructs us fo clearly that 'twou'd be impoffible to remain in doubt. They maintain in ge with as many requests added to mine; but rather conclude,if I patiently wait, I fhall fooner or later be fatisfied by you; And fince I obferved in one of your late Oracles, that you would have anfwered a question,if it had again been fent you; and not knowing but mine may, as well as others,be loft in the Crowd, I fcall here again repeat it as follows, viz. What are the Opinions of the Remonftrants, as to matters of Faith? I beg the favour of you to be as full upon it as your Paper will permit;neral, that God is not the Auwhich will be no fmall Obligation to me, and many other of your bearty Friends: thor of fin, but fay when men fin God determines them by the concourfe of his providence to will certain things which are fins, and yet without having any part in their fins; becaufe God performs only what is Physical in their actions, and men the moral part. In refpect to the fin of our firft parents, they fay that God, to A. The Remonftrants believing that the Chriftian Religion con filts in obeying the precepts of the Gospel, they maintain we muft particularly endeavour to fhin all errors which may divert us from Pity, and that we ought to inftruct our felves in the Do-prove their obedience, forbid ctrines of the Chriftian Religion, according to the relation they have to the obedience which God requires of us. They believe if Chriftians were not fo divided as they are, 'twou'd be fufficient onIv to keep to this Principle; but fince controverfies have caufed fo many divifions amongst then, they look upon it almost neceffa ry to examine the importance of thefe controverfies, that they may not rafhly condemn fuch men as excluded from falvation, who might be as good Chriftians as themfelves. They do not allow of engaging our felves into fuch fubtil queftions about which God has revealed nothing to us, as whether Eternity is fucceffive or not about the manner of God's in menfity, and fuch like. They fause themfelves with propo them to eat of the fruit of a certain tree under pain of death, which they understand of a temporal and not eternal death; and that after they had fuffer'd divers iniferies, their fouls fhou'd be feparated from their bodies; whereas if they had obey'd God, they fhou'd never have dyed. As to the effect the fin of our Parents has produced in their Pofte rity, befides the miferies and death which we inherit from 'em, they hold that Children are born lefs pure than Adam was when he was created, and with a certain inclination to pleasure, and what foever can caufe it, which they do not immediately take from Adam, but from their Mothers; and that this inclination varies according as the defects of thofs which bare them are different, he had thought fit, without the facrifice of his Son, yet they fay he was not willing to do it, except his Son wou'd offer up himfelf a facrifice for the falvation of mankind. They maintain this doctrine in oppofition to thofe who believe that Jefus Chrift per form'd no act of his Prieftly function upon earth, and likewife against those who fay he compleated his oblation upon the Crofs. And they fay he perform'd the office of a King, in that being enter'd into Heaven by his own blood, he received from God the power of Converting men, and expiating their fins by making them acceptable to God through the holiness to which he guides them. The Remonstrants also hold, That Jefus Chrift did not fuffer the pains which we have deferved, either in respect to their duration or greatness, but that God through his mercy, was willing to accept, the facrifice of his Death for the expiation of our fins, and upon his account has remitted that punifhment which we merited. They believe, that those who from this. Opinion, accufe them of leffen different, and according to the diverfity of their temperaments. This difpofition being natural to Children, the leaft occafion is fufficient to incline them to fin: As foon as they are arrived to any knowledge they ardently embrace whatever creates them any pleasure, and avoid pain at any price whatever. But whilft they are uncapable of making any ufe of their reason, the Remonftrants maintain that this inclination is not properly a fin, and that it cannot merit eternal death. They further fay that there is nothing criminal in this inclination, after they are capable of using their reafon, provided they don't conlent to follow it when it inclines them to violate any of Gods commands, concerning the covenants which God made with Abraham and Mofes; they fay the laft was not capable of carrying the Ifraelites to a perfect fanctification, which they look upon to be the reafon for making the covenant of grace; and that 'twas the pure mercy of God which induced him to make this covenant with Men; wherein at the fame time he difcover'd his mercy towards Sining the fatisfaction, have not taners and his hatred to fin, by pardoning none but through the faerifice of his Sen. They fay our Saviour added to the Laws of Mofes thole which prohibit fwea ring, putting away a Man's wife except for Adultery, and the command of loving our enemies. This as he was a Prophet; and that he executed the office of a Prieft in the oblation of the fa-ply, and of it felf, to the Fudgcrifice which hath expiated our ment of God,it wou'd not avail,be fins, and the interceffion he now caufe there is nothing in man that continually makes for us in hea- can merit any thing before God, yen. Although they affirm that God cou'd have pardon'd us, if ken their Idea of this Sacrifice from the Scripture, but fome Schools Divines. They affirm that both Reafon and the Scriptures furnish them with invincible proofs for this opinion, and fay that herein they agree withCalvin, who faid that the merit of Jefus Chrift de pended alone on the grace of God, and that if we wou'd oppofe it fim They look upon predeftination to be only a decree of God by which |