through the Use of the fame common Reason, and by the fame Methods of Argumentation, by which we come to the Knowledge of any other fpeculative Truths whatsoever. 5thly, That as the Scriptures were plainly designed to be the univerfal Rule not of Faith only, but alfo of Practice, to different Ages and Nations, and in many different Cafes, Conditions, and Circumftances, fo, many Doctrines and Precepts are of Course delivered in general Terms, and are capable either of Amplification or Restriction, according to fuch Differences of Places, Times, Cafes, Conditions, and Circumstances.

These Rules and Principles will, I apprehend, afford a folid and fure Foundation for the Inquiries I am to make; to which therefore I fhall now proceed, premifing only here, that as a controverfial Writer I mean not to attack Perfons but Things, and therefore defire that every Expreffion which may poffibly carry a more than ordinary Degree of Severity with it, from the Nature of the Argument before me, may be put to no other Account than that of a Zeal for the Honour of God, and the Establishment of Truth.

CHA P.

CHAP. I.

Containing a rational Inquiry into the most fundamental Articles of our Religion upon a scriptural Foundation:

T

SECT. I.

HE firft, and great fundamental Article of all Religion whatever is the Belief of the Being of God; and therefore it will be proper to bestow a few Words on it. For the Atheist, who will readily perhaps approve the general Methods by which we interpret the Scriptures, confidered as mere human Compofitions, does nevertheless impugn this grand Hypothefis on which the whole depends; and indeed the very Hypothesis of the Divine Existence in Holy Writ seems to be a material Proof of the Truth of it; and is a good Argument both against the Antiquity and Reasonableness of Atheism. Because, if Notions abfolutely atheistical had been prevalent in the first, or fucceeding Ages of the World, it is highly improbable that the Author of any Religion, whether true or false, of the Jewish, of the Chriftian, or even of the Mahometan, fhould affect to look upon a controverted Point as a Truth univerfally received, and give themselves no Trouble to combat and defeat an Opinion directly and immediately fubverfive of their whole Defign. Accordingly the general

general Confent of Mankind has ever been reasonably urged as an unanswerable Argument of the Truth of this capital Article; and though the almost total Ignorance of fome Nations may have led them into very abfurd Perfuafions, and the Wit and Learning of Men, unacquainted with Divine Revelation, may have devised many Principles and Hypothefes prejudicial to the Honour of God;

yet

thefe Perfuafions and Hypothefes are so many different Superstructures raised upon one common Foundation, and it is natural to infer the Reality, rather than the Non-existence of a Thing, from the Variety of Opinions that have been entertained about it's Attributes, Qualities, Powers, &c. For Mistakes in the Nature of them suppose some original Principle; and religious, like philofophical Error, is neither more nor lefs than Truth corrupted.

But, fays the Atheist, these several Principles, &c. are all instilled by Education; and even this firft fuppofed religious Truth, the Existence of God, is taught us by others, but would not be dictated by Nature itself.-Now the very Affertion, that we are taught this Truth, fuppofes a natural Capacity to learn: If then there be in Man natural Capacities, Powers, or Faculties, they are no doubt to be exercised upon fuitable Objects; for fure to affirm that Man is endowed by Nature with

certain

certain Powers and Faculties, which he is not to exercise, would be just as reasonable as to maintain that he is not to walk with his Feet, or fee with his Eyes. He who afferts, there is no God, afferts this as a Truth which he is able to evince by certain Reasons and Arguments. These he takes from the Stock which his Education and Learning have fupplied him with; for a Man is no more an Atheist by Nature, than he is a few, or a Chriftian. The Point thefore is not what Sort of a Creature Man in a State of abfolute Ignorance would be, but whether, if the Queftion, Is there a God? were proposed to him when he has attained to the proper Ufe of his natural Powers, and Capacities, &c. he would upon full, and deliberate Inquiry take the affirmative, or negative Side.-The Atheist believes his Inability to form an adequate Idea of the Divine Nature a fufficient Ground to deny the Divine Existence; it is therefore incumbent on him to give us a lefs chimerical, and more comprehenfible Account of Things, than that which Religion has imposed upon Mankind. For it is an invariable Rule of Reason, when two or more Propofitions are propofed to it, one of which muft of Neceffity be true, and the rest false, to yield Affent to that which upon the whole is most agreeable to our Ideas, and Apprehenfions, is liable to the feweft Cavils and Objections, and founded upon the most probable Hypothefis. And furely,

that

that there has been from all Eternity a self-existent, independent Being, who was the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and the first Cause of all Things, is a Theory, which, when duly proposed, and stated in it's full Force to a Mind prepared by proper Inftructions for the Reception of Truth, appears at leaft to be as conceivable as any of those that have been invented, or fubstituted by Atheists in the Room of it, to account for the Original of the World: as,-that the Universe was framed by a mere fortuitous Concourse of Atoms; or, that there has been an infinite Succeffion of Caufes from all Eternity. According to the Tenor of all these Theories, and indeed every other that is or may be advanced upon the fame Article, fomething is supposed to have existed from Eternity, and fo far every Atheistical Hypothefis is equally inexplicable with that of the Theift: The Question is therefore; whether it be more noble, more rational, more agreeable to the general Sentiments of Mankind, and our own inward Reflections and Feelings, to suppose the eternal Existence of an intelligent, immaterial Being, or that of mere inanimate Matter: A Point fure, which it requires a very small Measure of Penetration to determine.

Again; Matter in general if you will, or in the Abstract, did not make itself. For to affirm that Matter made itself, is (as has been often obferved)

to