to prove, that it is needlefs for us to use our own Endeavours; fince this divine Affiftance is not intended to exclude, but rather to encourage the Use of proper Means and Endeavours on our parts. Nor doth it in any wife follow from it, that Religion is not in it felf a reasonable thing. For all the Arguments and Motives of Religion are still maintained in their full Force. And the gracious Provifion God hath in his great Goodness made for affifting our present Weakness and Infirmity by the Aids of his Holy Spirit, should make us more diligent to use our best Endeavours to understand Religion and to practise it; in which cafe this divine Affiftance will be an ineftimable Advantage to us. But if by our Pride and Obftinacy, and bad Difpofitions, we reject the Evidences of Religion, and resist the Methods of his Grace towards us, this must greatly heighten our Guilt, and expofe us to a more aggravated Condemnation. This Gentleman himself feems in Words to acknowledge this. How he can do it in confiftency with his Scheme, I do not fee. But fuppofing the Account now given of the Nature and Defign of this Influence to be true, what he faith on this head is just and reafonable. That "the Tender of this Conviction, "however potent in its Influence, muft yet de"pend greatly upon the proper Difpofition of our Minds to give it reception for its Efficacy, and fo far will afford ample Matter for "Trial and Probation." That a rebellious " Oppofition of the gracious Influence of the "divine

"divine Spirit deferves a fevere Refentment; and that "with all Juftice we may in that cafe "be call'd to a ftrict Account for our Obsti

nacy, Impiety, and Perverfenefs." p. 63, 64. And again he talks of "a fevere Reprehenfion justly due to a rebellious Refusal and Disclaim "of proffered Grace;" p. 66. and of "God's "withholding Light from fuch as chufe to fit "in Darkness, and by their Ingratitude and "Neglect have rendered themselves unworthy "of all farther Sollicitations." Thefe Expreffions, tho' not in the Senfe intended by this Writer, contain awful Truths, which I heartily wifh he would seriously confider, tho' it is very likely he will not thank me for any Concern I can be under on his account.

Thus I have confidered the Account this Gentleman gives of the Influence of the Holy Ghoft, which proves nothing but his own Unfairness, and the great Liberties he allows himself in mifrepresenting the Scriptures, and ridiculing the most Sacred Things. For no two things can be more oppofite to one another than the true Scriptural Account of this Matter, and that which this Writer would put upon us as fuch. The Influence of the Spirit, according to his Representation of it, fuperfedes the Exercife of our own Reason, and the Use of our own Endeavours; but it is evident, not merely from one or two Paffages feparately confidered, but from the general Course and Tenour of the

New

New Teftament, that the divine Affiftances there promised are confiftent with the Exercife of our own Reason and Understanding, and are defigned to take in the Ufe of all proper Means and Endeavours. The Spirit, as he reprefents it, renders the Scriptures entirely ufelefs, and leads to a Neglect or Contempt of them *; but it is not the good Spirit of Christ that infpires a Contempt of the Scriptures, which are every where referred to by Christ and his Apoftles, as of great Authority and Ufe, and are reprefented as able to make us wife unto Salvation, and to make the Man of God perfect, &c. According to his Account of the Spirit, it has no regard to the Miracles and other extraordinary Facts and Atteftations recorded in the Gofpel, as of any Ufe or Significancy; but it is undeniably evident, that in the New Teftament a great ftrefs is laid upon these things, as illuftrious Proofs and Evidences of Christianity, and that the Accounts of them were written for this end and purpofe, to engage us to believe. The Spirit communicated to all Christians, if we may believe him, excludes all outward Teaching; fo that we are not to receive the leaft part of our Knowledge or Inftruction from one another; whereas, according to the Gospel, the In

Auence

*He calls the Scriptures by way of Contempt, Manufcript Authorities and Paper Revelations; as if a Revelation loft its Authority and Ufe by being committed to Writing. He may, if he pleafes, call our Laws and publick Records, Paper-Laws and Authorities; but I queftion, whether this would be thought fufficient to deftroy their Authority.

fluence of the Spirit does not render outward Teaching needlefs, which is all along there fuppofed to be of great ufe and neceffity; and there is Provifion made for its ftanding Continuance in the Church for the Inftruction and Edification of Christians in all Ages. The Spirit, according to his Representation, engages Perfons to believe at once, by a ftrong and irrefiftible Impulse, without Reason or Evidence, fo that Faith is completed in an inftant. But in the New Teftament, the Faith of Chriftians is not fuppofed to be ordinarily begun and completed at once, or to be produced without any Reason that could lay a juft Foundation for believing; but to be founded on fufficient Evidence, and capable of continual Growth and Improvement. He reprefents the Holy Ghoft as abiding with all Chriftians as their infallible Guide, fo as to preferve them from all Poffibility of Error and Impofition; and to caufe them to think all alike. According

*To fhew that the Influence and infallible Guidance of the Spirit is univerfal, our Author produces that Text, This is the Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, which has no relation to any fuch infallible Guidance of the Spirit at all. The Evangelift is there fpeaking of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that he is the true Light, which coming into the World enlightneth every Man, as the Words might be very properly rendered; which fignifies no more than our Saviour himself intends, when he faith, I am the Light of the World. The Defign of fuch Expreffions is to fignify, in oppofition to the narrow Notions of the Jews, who were for confining the Benefit of the Meffiah to their own Nation, that he was defign'd to be an univerfal Bleffing; that he came to inftruct and

enlighten

According to which Scheme, it is impoffible there fhould be any Errors or Differences of Opinion among Chriftians., Whereas in the Gospel it is all along fuppofed, that Perfons may be weak in the Faith, tho' fincere; that they may differ from one another, that they are liable to Errors and Mistakes; and it is exprefsly foretold, that there shall be Herefies among them.

I need not take any particular Notice of the Infinuations he makes, p. 61. that the facred Writings are corrupted; a Charge which has fo often been refuted and expofed with great Strength and Clearnefs. And as to what he talks of, p. 62, 63. as if no Man could underftand the Scriptures without a great deal of Learning and Criticifm, and being well read in profane Hiftory, it will be readily own'd that thefe are good Helps for a better understanding many Paffages of Scripture; and it is our great Advantage that we have many fuch Helps in our own Language, which the Unlearned may

enlighten Gentiles as well as Jews. He was to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the Glory of his People Ifrael. This alfo is the Intention of that other Paffage he produces, the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation (by which we are there evidently to understand the Gospel of fefus) hath appered unto all Men; in which fenfe St. Paul elfewhere declares, that the Gospel was gone into all the World, and that it was preached to every Creature which is under Heaven. Thefe are ftrong Expreflions to fignify, that the Gofpel is defigned for the Benefit of all Mankind, that the Offers of it are univerfal, and that it actually made a wonderful Progrefs in a fhort time thro' a great Part of the then known World. L

Lett. II.

have