Breafts*. Yea, the Scriptures themselves are, according to his account of the matter, entirely needlefs. He oppofes the inward Atteftations of the Spirit, to mere manufcript Authorities, and Paper-Revelations, as he calls the Scriptures by way of Contempt. Thofe that are inftructed by the Spirit, need not concern themselves about the Credit of antient Miracles, or the Genuineness of diftant Records, nor will think any human Teftimony (and this Writer always reprefents the Teftimony by which the Gofpel-Records are conveyed to us under that Idea) of confequence enough to engage a Moment's Attention upon this Subject. So that according to his Reprefentation of the matter, a Man that has the Spirit, will not regard the Accounts given us in the Gofpel of the Life, Miracles, Refurrection, Afcenfion of our Saviour, and the other extraordinary Facts there recorded, as of any confequence at all, and will believe as well without them as with them. He fpeaks as if all Believers were fo far under the Influence of the Spirit, as to be rendered infallible. That the Holy Ghoft, that great Dictator and infallible Guide, has promifed to abide with us to the End of the World, that we might not be left liable one Moment to a Poffibility of Error and Impofition. And he reprefents this Spirit as Speaking the fame thing to all, and bringing them to think all alike **. So that, according to the Account this Gentleman is pleafed to put upon us as the GospelAccount of Faith, and of the Spirit, all Believers are made to think all alike, tho' we plainly fee they € P. 61. † P. 59, 60. P. 56. P. 60. P. 58. they differ from one another in several things; and tho' they hold contradictory Sentiments, yet they are all infallibly guided by the Holy Ghoft, and not liable one Moment to be mistaken. Thus he places the fole Foundation of the Chriftian Faith upon a thing that is evidently falfe in fact, and that is, the immediate infallible Infpiration of every particular Perfon. And at the fame time he utterly difcards all moral Certainty and Evidence, as if Faith had nothing to do with it; that is, the Evidence whereby the Gospel-Hiftory, the facred Records come down to us. He declares, that this is indeed the highest Degree of rational Evidence that the Nature of the Subject can poffibly admit of*; but yet that it is altogether uncertain, and not to be depended on. He often degradingly calls it human Teftimony, in its Nature ever liable to Error; and that it is nothing more than the precarious Conjecture of a fallible Fudge upon the traditional Teflimony of a fallible Witnest. That it is a Being left to the Courtesy of a few Reporters. And that it is to us no more than an uncertain Hearfay; the uncertain Assertions of fallible Men relating it after one another **. Thus have I laid together in one view the Account this Writer gives us of Faith, and of the Spirit, and the Evidence on which Christianity is founded. This is what he calls the Revealed and Scriptural Account of the matter. And he applauds himself for having pointed out what is really and pofitively the authorized Principle of Faith; and for having carried on his Detection of a falle Principle P. 32. P. 31. P. 51. ** P. 52. 53. P. 68. Principle to a fatisfactory Conclufion in the Discavery of a true one *. And he declares with an Air of Affurance, that the Account he gives depends not for its Support upon the bare Strength of any Single Quotation whatever, but on the joint Tendency and Tenor of the whole †. I do not think there can be a more complete Scheme of Abfurdity and Enthusiasm, than what this Gentleman here puts upon us for the true Scripture-Account of Faith, and of the Spirit, and of the Nature of Gofpel-Evidence; which he undoubtedly intends for expofing the facred Writings, but which, with all equal Judges of things, tends only to expose the Unfairness of this Writer, and the little Regard he hath to Truth and Candour. But this is the way of these Gentlemen, in writing against Christianity. They never can allow themfelves to give fair and equal Representations of things, but throw them into false Lights, in order to make them appear ridiculous. In any other cafe but this, fuch a Conduct would fcarce be thought confiftent with common Honefty. And I know not how to account for it, but that it proceeds from a Consciousness that they cannot fucceed against Religion by fair Representation and equal Argument. The Account this Writer gives of the Nature and Grounds of the Chriftian Faith, is not more abfurd in itself, than different from the Reprefentations made to us of it in Scripture. According to him, Faith and Religion is a thing that can never be taught; according to the Gospel, Faith ordinarily * P. 106, + P. 105, } ordinarily comes by hearing and teaching *. According to this Writer's Account of it Faith, is completed at once, made perfect in an Inftant, and is not a thing that requires Time to attain. But according to the Representation made of it in the Gospel, Faith may be fincere tho' weak, it admits of feveral Degrees, it is a thing capable of Growth, and which ordinarily takes time and pains for its Establishment and Improvement +. Upon his Scheme, all outward Teaching is perfectly needlefs, and Christians are not to receive the leaft Part of their Inftructions from one another; according to the Gospel, outward Teaching is neceffary; Chriftians are exhorted to teach and admonish one another. And the Plan upon which the Chriftian Church was established was this, that they should be formed into facred Affemblies, in which there fhould be Perfons whose proper stated Office it fhould be to teach, and in order to this to give themselves to Reading, to Exhortation and Doctrine; and Provifion was made for a Succeffion of fuch Perfons in the Church, who fhould be able to teach others alfo . The Faith recommended in the Gofpel is a Faith that is joined with Knowledge, and whereby the Underftanding is enlightned **. But the Faith described by this Author is a Faith without Knowledge, and that has nothing to do with the Understanding. According to him, the Zeal for the Faith required of the Profeffors of Christianity, is a Zeal not according to Knowledge; but in the Gofpel, a Zeal not according to Know Rom. x. 14, 17. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. 2 Tim. ii. 2. ledge Rom xiv. 1. ** Phil. i. 9. ledge is difapproved, and reprefented as not a Zeal of the right kind *. Faith, according to his Reprefentation of it, is a thing for which no reafon hould or can be given, But the contrary is plainly fuppofed in the Gofpel, where it is required of Chriftians as a Duty, that they be ready to give an Anfier to those that afk them a Reason of the Hope that is in them, And it is infifted upon as a proper Qualification in the Teachers of the Gofpel, that they be able to convince the Gainfayers |. As he reprefents it, all Examination and Enquiry is abfolutely inconfiftent with the Nature of Chri ftian Faith; whereas in the Gofpel, we are commanded to fearch and try; an eminent Inftance of which we have in the Beraans, who are highly commended for doing fo; and their Believing is represented as the Refult of their Examination and Enquiry **. According to his Account, the Chri ftian Faith has no dependance at all upon the Miracles or external Atteftations given to our Saviour, or any of the extraordinary Facts recorded in the Gofpel; but according to the Account given us in Scripture, our Saviour appealed to the Miracles he wrought, as illuftrious Atteftations to his divine Miffion; and the very End for which thefe Things were written, was, that we might by them be brought to believe on the Name of the Son of God, and that believing we might have Life in his Name . This may give a general Idea of this Gentleman's Performance; and perhaps fuch a general View of it might be fufficient. But at your defire Tit. i. 9. ** ■ Thetf V. 21. Rom x. 2. f 1 Pet. iii. 15. John xx. 31. |