and would diligently recommend it to others, upon the ground of that evidence with which God hath clothed it, we should gain upon deifs and infidels of all forts. For a religion, reasonable and excellent in all its principles, promulged by a teacher of unfpotted character, with a commiffion from heaven, confirmed by many mighty works, which could be performed by God only, has an evidence, which cannot be easily withftood, and gainfayed. But no authority can recommend falfehood and abfurdity to rational beings, who think and confider. Every one therefore, who loves the Lord Jefus in fincerity, must be willing to reform abufes and corruptions, which have been introduced into the chriftian profeffion, and are matter of offence to heathens and infidels.

:

When the religion profeffed by chriftians fhall be in all things agreeable to the fcriptures, the only ftandard of religious truth; the advantages, juft mentioned, are very likely as alfo divers others, which may be readily apprehended by every one. For then the papal power and tyranny, which for many ages has been a heavy weight upon chriftendom, will fink, and fall to the ground: Impofitions upon confcience, which undermine religion at the very foundation, and prevail at prefent to a great degree in almost all chriftian countries, will be abolished. The confequence of which will be, that true piety and virtue will be more general in all ranks and

orders

orders of men. The great diverfity of opinions, and fierce contentions among christians, which are now so great an offence and scandal to bystanders, will ceafe: chriftians will live in harmony, and will love one another, as brethren. And the church of Christ will be the joy and the praise of the whole earth.

As an unbiaffed and difinterested love and pursuit of truth are of great importance, and would mightily conduce to the good ends and purposes which are so defirable; I cannot but wifh, that we did all of us lefs mind our own things, the things of our own worldly wealth and credit, our own church and party, and more the things of Jefus Chrift. To whom be glory and dominion now and ever. Amen.

END OF THE FIRST POSTSCRIPT.

THE

SECOND POSTSCRIPT.

CONTAINING

Remarks upon the Third Part of the late Bishop of CLOGHER'S Vindication of the Hiftories of the Old and New Teftament*.

When I was preparing thefe Remarks in March laft 1758, we received the tidings of the death of the Right Reverend Dr. Robert Clayton, Lord Bishop of Clogher, who departed this life the preceding month which gave me much concern upon divers accounts. In particular I was in hopes, that these Remarks fuch as they are, might be perufed by his Lordship. I could with likewife, that Mr. Whifton were ftill living. But they are both removed out of this world, as I likewife fhall be in a fhort time. And certainly, it behoves us all to improve diligently the feafon of life, whilft it lafts, and to ferve God and

man,

LETT. iv. p. 59. or 425*.

« But, my

Lord, fuppofing we fhould allow, that there were more Gods than one concerned in the creation of the world, as manifeftly appears that there were, from Gen. i. 26. and Gen. iii. 22. where it is faid: Let us make man in our image, And, behold the man is become as one of us."

Is

man, according to the ability which God has given. us, and the ftation in which we have been placed, that we may give up an account of our stewardship with joy, and not with grief. Though thofe eminent and useful men are now no more in this world, their writings remain. It is with these that I am concerned, If I have inadvertently mifreprefented them, I presume they have friends, who are able to vindicate them. And, if my argument does not appear conclufive, I wish that they, or fome others, may fhew, wherein it fails. Jan. 25, 1759.

*The Author in compofing thefe Remarks upon the third Part of the Bishop's Vindication, made ufe of that edition, which was printed in London in 1758. But another edition of the whole Vindication, with all the three Parts, having been published here on the 23d day of this inflant, January, 1759, just as thefe fheets were going to prefs, He has taken care to add the pages of this new edition to thofe of the former.

1

Is then creative power a property communicable to many, or feveral? St. Paul speaks of one creator only, Rom. i. 25. and blames the heathens, whe worshipped, and served the creature,more than the Creator, who is bleffed for ever. Amen. What then would be the confequences, if chriftians fhould come to believe, that there are more creators than one?

It is hard, that we fhould be put to prove, what is fo very evident, as that there is one God Creator. However, I fhall here prove it from the Old and New Teftament.

Ex. xx. i. And God fpake all these words, fay- ́ ing ver. 3. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. ver. 10. 11. But the feventh day is the fabbath of the Lord thy God. . For in fix days the Lord made heaven and earth, the fea, and all that in them is.

Pf. cxxxvi. O, give thanks to the Lord, to him who alone doth great wonders, to him that by wifdom made the heavens, to him that stretched out the earth above the waters: to him that made great lights, the fun to rule by day, the moon and ftars to rule by night, &c.

If. xlii. 5. Thus faith God the Lord, he that created the heavens and stretched them out: he that jpread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it: He that giveth breath to the people upon it, and Spirit to them that walk therein.