those quotations, as may satisfy his mind upon this subject.

As to what I have, in the ensuing papers ascribed, to Mr. Gildon publisher of the Oracles of Reason, I had written it before I understood his recovery from Deism. But yet I thought it not meet to alter it, because there are, no doubt, many others who entertain the same notions he then did maintain, and my opposition is to the principles and not the persons. As for his recovery, 1 congratulate it, and wish it may be such as may secure him from after-reckoning for the hurt he has done.

If any Deists shall see meet to undertake this debate, I decline it not. If they treat my book as they have done those of others, every way my superiors, and as rats are wont to do gnaw only the outside, advert to incident things that are not to the purpose, and single out rather what seems exceptionable than what is of moment, following him who did so,

I have somewhat else to do, than to take any notice of such impertinency. If any shall offer a solid and rational confutation, which yet I am not much afraid of, and convince me, not by jest, buffoonry and raillery, but by solid arguments, of my being in a mistake,

Cuncta recantabo maledicta, priora rependam
Laudibus, & vestrum nomen in astra feram.t

* And leaves out whatever he despairs of being able to shine in if they were touched on.'

دو

"I will recant all my reproaches, I will make amends for my former slanders by praises, and will exalt your name to the stars."

INDEX.

PAGE.

3

9

13

25

ཱཝ ཨསྶ

PREFACE,

Recommendations of the work,

Author's address to the reader,
Introduction,

[Wherein it is proved a matter of the highest import and
necessity to make a right choice of religion; and wherein
it is further evinced, that no man, without the most mani-
fest violence to reason, can turn Heathen, Mahometan, or
acquiesce in Atheism or Scepticism, and that consequently
every man must acquiesce in the Scriptures, or turn De-
ist. Deism undertaken to be demonstrated false and
ruining. The author's inducements to this undertaking,]

CHAP. I.

Giving a short account of the rise, occasions, and progress of Deism, especially in England;-the opinions of the Deists;-the different sorts of Deists, mortal and immortal,

СНАР. II.

Mortal Deists who, and what judgment to be made of them and their sentiments,

СНАР. III.

41

54

Wherein the controversy betwixt us and the Immortal Deists is stated and cleared,

57

CHAP. IV.

Where in the insufficiency of natural religion is proved from the insufficiency of its discoveries of a Deity,

64

CHAP. V.

Proving the insufficiency of natural religion from its defectiveness as to the worship of God,

CHAP. VI.

Proving the insufficiency of natural religion from its defectiveness as to the discovery wherein man's happiness lies,

CHAP. VII.

Nature's light affords not a sufficient rule of duty.-Its insufficiency hence inferred,

CHA P. VIII.

PAGE.

1

79

85

98

Proving the insufficiency of natural religion from its defects as to sufficient motives for enforcing obedience,

CHAP. IX.

Shewing the importance of knowing the origin of sin to the world, and the defectiveness of nature's light as to this,

CHAP. X.

Proving nature's light unable to discover the means of obtaining pardon of sin, or to shew that it is attainable,

SECT. I. The importance of this difficulty stated,

SECT. II. Shewing the darkness of nature's light as to
pardon,

SECT. III. Wherein it is inquired whether repentance
is sufficient to attone for sin? How far nature's light
enables to it? What assurance nature's light gives of
pardon upon repentence?

OBJECTIONS Considered,

DIGRESSION Concerning God's government of the Hea-
then world, shewing that there is nothing in it whence
any design of God to pardon them may be certainly
inferred,

108

115

128

128

136

143

169

195

CHAP. XI.

Proving the insufficiency of natural religion to eradicate our inclinations to sin, or subdue its power,

CHAP. XII.

PAGE.

204

Wherein the proof of the insufficiency of natural religion is concluded from a general view of the experience of the world,

CHAP. XIII.

Wherein we make a transition to the Deists' pleas for their opinion, and take particular notice of the Articles to which they reduce their Catholic religion; give some account of Baron Herbert, the first inventer of this Catholic religion, his books, and particularly of that which is inscribed De Religione Gentilium, as to the matter and scope of it, and the importance of what is therein attempted to the Deists' cause,

CHAP. XIV.

Wherein it is inquired, Whether Herbert has proved that his
Five Articles did universally obtain,

CHAP. XV.

Wherein it is made appear that Herbert's Five Articles did not universally obtain,

CHAP. XVI.

Wherein some general considerations are laid down for proving that many of the best things, which are to be met with in the Heathens, were not the discoveries of nature's light, but came from tradition,

CHAP. XVII.

Wherein we consider what Herbert's opinion was as to the sufficiency of his Articles, and offer some reflections, showing how foolish, absurd and ridiculous the Deists' pretences to their sufficiency are,

Containing an answer to some of the Deists' principal arguments for the sufficiency of natural religion,

213

219

230

253

270

276

286