Character of a Mystery, and as fuch, how irreconcileable foever with our Reason and Senfe, an Article of Faith; it may be remarked that we do not reject this Doctrine primarily because it is inconfiftent with our Reason and Senfe, but because it does by no means appear to be a Scripture Doctrine; when it shall be proved fo to be we shall believe it, but muft think till then, that it is no manner of Presumption in us to refuse to comply with the unreasonable Demands of those who "teach for Doctrines the Commandments of " Men."

This Subject has indeed been fo often and fo fully difcuffed, that little or nothing new can be faid upon it; however, because the fame Arguments are capable of being fet in different Lights, and Points of View, I am inclined to bestow a few Words upon it, as it offers itself fo naturally in this Place. Now that the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation is no Scripture Doctrine may, I conceive, be proved to a Demonftration, if we examine and interpret the Scriptures by the fame Rules by which we understand all other Writings. That we must understand them as we do other Writings, is as certain as that they are Writings; elfe it is impoffible we should understand them at all.-To fay that we cannot understand them at all, is in effect

to maintain that we cannot read them,

or are not reasonable

reasonable Creatures. This will not be afferted; and therefore it must be allowed, that as reasonable Creatures and common Readers, we are capable at least of judging of them in fome Measure and Proportion. As reasonable Creatures and common Readers then we must observe many Passages and Expreffions in Scripture to be figurative, as they are in other Writings; and as every Passage and Expreffion must be literal or figurative, we have Recourse to known and obvious Rules of Interpretation in order to ascertain the Senfe of a particular Paffage or Expreffion. For instance, when we read that "God is a Spirit," that " Jefus Chrift " is Lord of all," that "there are Three that bear "Record in Heaven," &c. &c. we naturally understand these Expreffions in a literal Sense; but when we read that "God is a confuming Fire," that Chrift is "the Vine," that "by the Spirit we are fealed "unto the Day of Redemption," &c. we as naturally understand thefe Expreffions in a figurative Senfe: And thus we could not but understand them agreeably to the Rules of ordinary Interpretation, notwithstanding a thousand Decrees or Determinations to the contrary.Now this Expreffion of our Saviour at his last Supper, "This is my Body," is either literally or figuratively to be understood; if literally, we may challenge the Church of Rome to produce one figurative Expreffion in the New Teftament; if figuratively,

the

the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation falls to the Ground, according to the Rules whereby we must interpret this Paffage in the facred Writings, if we interpret it at all. Once more; the fcriptural Paffages infifted on moft by the Members of the Church of Rome, as countenancing this Doctrine, are those in the 6th Chapter of St. John's Gospel. Now thefe Paffages are either to be understood in a figurative, or a literal, or föme in a figurative, and others in a literal Sense; if some are to be understood in a figurative, and some in a literal sense, we must desire to have them forted, and a Reason affigned why fuch are figurative, and fuch are literal. If these Paffages are to be understood in a literal Sense, then Jefus Chrift is "living Bread,” (see Ver. 51.) and he that eateth of it is immortal in this World, (fee Ver. 50.) nay, he that eateth this Bread need eat nothing else; for "he fhall never

hunger, nor thirst: (see Ver. 35.) But these Things contradict common Senfe and Experience; and therefore these Paffages must be understood in a figurative and fpiritual Senfe, which they eafily and, naturally admit, and is indeed plainly put upon them by our Saviour himself. (fee V. 63. And this figurative Senfe is evidently fubverfive of the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation.—It seems plain then that this Doctrine has no good Foundation in the Scriptures as far as we are able to understand the Paffages relating to it: How far we have a Right to make Ufe of our Judgment in religious Matters,

Matters, or are obliged to acquiefce in the Decifions of others, are Questions which we shall hereafter have an Opportunity to debate: It is fufficient to remark for the prefent, that if the Church of Rome will affert this to be a Scripture Doctrine, which she does, and will maintain that Affertion by rational Arguments, without taking Refuge in the Determinations of a fuppofed infallible Authority, we should be very willing to have the whole Merit of our Caufe laid upon the Iffue of the Controverfy.-What has been faid may, I truft, give us a proper Idea of a rational and implicit Faith; as implicit, it is more than an Affent to fuch Propofitions or Doctrines only as are credible in their own Nature, and as fuch fairly dif coverable by our natural Powers; as rational, it is not a tame Submiffion to the Decifions or Definitions of any pretended Authority whatsoever: The true Believer neither stupidly refigns his Reafon, nor proudly prefumes upon it; his Underftanding is neither fervile, nor self-sufficient; in a Word, he believes in God, but not in Man.

HAV

SECT. IV.

AVING attempted to fecure, in fome measure, our holy Religion against the Attacks which open and avowed Infidelity has made upon it; it is to be my present Business to enquire

after

after a proper Remedy for those secret Wounds which have been given it by many who profeffedly fight under the Banner of Christ himself. For it is certain that Numbers who call themselves Chriftians, and glory in that Calling, do yet by artificial Gloffes, ambiguous Interpretations, referved Expofitions, and all the Arts of Equivocation, undermine, weaken, and betray the very Cause they ever affect zealously to support.

Were it not for the Inconveniences and Mischiefs that flow from fuch religious Hypocrify, it would be pleasant enough to obferve a Set of Men, who perpetually proclaim and extol the Purity of the Precepts, and the Sublimity of the Doctrines of Christianity, and decry thofe of every other Institution, stumbling at the fame time at one common Stumbling-ftone with the most notorious Infidels, and discovering by their Refervedness of Sentiment and Expreffion, their inward Unbelief of the fundamental Articles of the Religion they profess.

I do not think it at all material to my present Purpose to divide into feparate Claffes the Infidels I am now concerned with, or to enquire how far one appears to breathe the Spirit, and fpeak the Senfe, though not the precife Language of Socinus, or another of Arrius, as his Humour, or his fupposed Judgment may have directed him; fince the VOL. I.

F

Tenets