the Ufe of any Means on our parts. He afferts, that this Influence of the Spirit is promised to abide with all Chriftians to the end of the World, to guide them infallibly in all Truth, fo that they should not be left liable one Moment to a Poffibility of Error and Impofition. That it is univerfal; it is the Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World: That it caufes Men to think all alike; and that on this Scheme alone, Men may be justly punished for Heresy and for Unbelief; fince this must be owing to a rebellious Oppofition of the Influence of the Spirit, and a wilful rejecting his Sollicitations, and a Refufal of bis offered Grace.

But I do not fee how our Author can confiftently talk of Perfons refifting the Spirit, or what room there is left upon his Scheme for Unbelief, or for Herefies at all. For fince he supposes this Influence to be an irrefiftible Light, inftantaneous in its Effects, infallible in its Guidance, and the Effect of it to be the completing Faith at once, and infufing the whole Creed in an instant, engaging Men to think all alike, and freeing them from all Poffibility of Error and Impofition; and fince he at the fame time fuppofes this Influence of the Spirit and infallible Inspiration to be univerfal, imparted to every Individual, and extending to every Man that cometh into the World; it manifeftly follows, that every Christian, yea, every Man that cometh into the World, is irrefiftibly enlightned, has his Faith abfolutely completed, is free from

all

all Poffibility of Error, and thinks exactly in all Points of Faith the fame way with every other Man; and that therefore there can be no Unbelief, no Error, no Herefy, no Difference of Sentiment among Men or Chriftians.

Nothing can be more contrary to plain and undeniable Fact, more contradictory in all its Parts, and more evidently fubverfive of itself, than the Scheme here advanced by this Writer. I am fenfible this Gentleman will be ready to fneer at the Charge. For undoubtedly he does not intend that the World should look upon it as a thing which he himself believes. It is the true fcriptural and revealed Account of the Matter, and the Scripture alone must answer for it. And therefore the more Contradictions are proved upon his Scheme, the better it will anfwer his Defign, which is to expofe Christianity to the Derifion and Contempt of Mankind.

But if it be made appear, that this is all gross Mifrepresentation; that the Account he is pleased to give us is as contrary to Scripture, as it is to Reafon and Common Senfe, then the Contradictions and Abfurdities are to be charged upon the Author himself, and he is justly accountable for them. And this Attempt of his must only pass for a Proof of his readiness to take any Methods, how unfair or difingenuous foever, to expose the Religion of Jefus.

In order to answer his Defign, he heaps together a number of Texts, without any regard to their particular Meaning and Intention, as they lie

in the facred Writings, and applies them all promifcuously the fame way. He every where confounds the extraordinary and ordinary Influence of the Holy Spirit; that which was peculiar to the Apostles, or to the first Age, he applies to Chriftians in every Age; and if any thing extraordinary was done in fome particular Cafes, he urges it as if it was defigned to be the standing Rule in every Cafe. Thus, to thew that the Holy Ghoft operates without delay, by an irrefiftible Light from Heaven, that flashes Conviction in a moment; he inftances in the happy Metamorphofis of an officious Perfecutor into as zealous an Apostle; p. 58, 59. But tho' the Converfion of St. Paul, taken in all its Circumftances, was a fignal Atteftation to the Truth of Christianity, it would be very abfurd to pretend to draw an Argument from fuch an extraordinary Inftance, to fhew what are the ordinary Methods of God's dealings with Men in bringing them to the Faith of Chrift. That Apostle declares concerning himself, that he did not receive the Gospel, which he preached, of Man, neither was he taught it, but by the Revelation of Jefus Chrift, Gal. i. 12. But can it be concluded from thence, that every Christian receives the Gospel in the fame immediate way from Chrift himself, without any human Inftruction? As well might it be faid, that when he declares concerning himself, that he was an Apofle, not of Man, nor by Man, his Intention was to fignify, that all others were Apostles

Apoftles as well as he. Yet this is the Course of our Author's reafoning, than which nothing can be more abfurd and ridiculous. And even

with regard to this Cafe of the Converfion of St. Paul, his Faith in Chrift though fuddenly wrought was not unreasonable, or without Evidence. His Understanding and Reason was fully convinced by what he heard and faw of the divine Power and Glory of a rifen Jesus. And the Influence of the Holy Spirit upon his Mind, enduing him with extraordinary Gifts and Powers, was not a blind Impulfe to engage him to believe he knew not why (which is the Representation this Gentleman is pleas'd to make of the Influence of the Spirit) but enabling him clearly to difcern the Gospel-evidence, and giving him a right Knowledge of the Chriftian Religion, the whole Scheme of its Doctrines and Laws, its Proofs and Evidences, fo that his Faith was in the ftricteft Sense rational.

It is readily granted, that there was an extraordinary Influence of the Holy Ghoft upon the Apostles, who were chofen to be the firft authorized Witneffes of Chriftianity, and had an immediate Commiffion from Chrift himself to publish his Religion to the World; I fay, there was an extraordinary Influence of the Holy Ghost upon them, both for enabling them to perform the moft illuftrious Miracles, and for enduing them with fpiritual Gifts, and infalli bly guiding them in the Doctrines and Laws they were to deliver to the Church in the Name Lett. II.

I

of

of Chrift. And there is nothing in this but
what is highly reasonable. For fuppofing God.
to give an extraordinary Revelation of his Will
for the Inftruction and Direction of Mankind,
it was very proper that those to whom he ori-
ginally gave that Revelation to be by them pub-
lifhed to the World in his Name, fhould have
their Minds extraordinarily illuminated in the
Knowledge of the Doctrines and Laws they
were to deliver as from him, fo as to be kept
from Error in delivering them; and that they
fhould alfo be enabled to produce fufficient Cre-
dentials of their divine Miffion, to convince
Mankind that he fent them. God's doing this
in the Cafe of the Chriftian Revelation has a
manifeft Propriety in it, and is an Inftance of
his
great Wildom and Goodness. And it would
be a ftrange thing to pretend to argue from this
that Christianity is not on a rational Founda-
tion, or that the Faith of the Gospel cannot be

Affent founded on rational Conviction; when this very Thing is part of the Evidence on which Christianity is founded, and which makes the Affent to it reafonable. And yet this extraordinary Influence of the Holy Ghost, promifed to and conferred upon the Apoftles for thefe valuable Purposes, is what several of the Texts mentioned by this Writer refer to. Particularly thofe Texts which he produces with fo much Pomp, P. 57. The Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father and the Son, be shall testify of me. And again, The Spirit

whom