Varnish of his odd Opinions are worn off, they are not now, that I have perceiv'd, fo much regarded, but have been forced to give way to other Notions which are as bad, and have nothing more to recommend them, but that they are of a later Date and a newer Fashion.

There is little Reason why any one should value himself for talking against receiv'd Doarines, and perfuading others to what they are already but too much inclin'd. But to rescue antient and despised Truths, and bring them into Reputation; to convince the Judgments, and gain the Affections of Men; to make the fame Truths always please and always appear with a new and amiable Luftre; this is indeed a difficult Task. For a Man to cultivate the Principles of Vertue, and improve the Growth of it, to make every Subject which he treats of, to become the better for him, and to thrive and flourish under his Hands, is an Argument of true Learning and substantial Knowledge; but there is no Skill required to make the Weeds of Vice grow apace; all the Art is in destroying them, and it is a fign of a little Mind when one is able to distinguish himself only by Singularity, by an odd Drefs, or a new Mode, when his Wit borders upon Madness and Prophanenefs, and his Learning is all out of the way. Many who are neither Heterodox in, Religion, nor fond of being fingular in any thing else, have shewn an extraordinary Sagacity, and a furprizing Variety of excellent Learning upon

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Subjects which are unusual and in themselves but little confiderable. And I will not deny but that fome of the Men of Singularity have no worse Design than to gratify a little Vanity, and to appear like Somebody in the Commonwealth of Learning, as if Learning were a mere Trifle, a very Play-thing, to be employ'd to no ferious and useful purpose, but would serve only to give Men occafion to talk, and to be talk'd of. This is call'd Pedantry, and I know not why that should go under a better Name, which is of a worse Nature, and joins the Trifling of Pedantry to the Mischief of Irreligion. If this fort of Men would but bufy themselves no worse than Tiberius did, when he examin'd, who was the Mother of Hecuba, what Name Achilles went by, whilst he hid himself in Womans Apparel, and what Songs those were, which the Syrens were wont to fing; thofe indeed are profound Enquiries, and fo worthy of them, that it were pity they should be disturb'd in fuch ingenious Difquifitions. But if Men will be for removing Foundations, and rejecting establish'd Doctrines, and denying the Principles of Religion; it is fit they should be told that there is neither Wisdom nor Learning in this; and those who are acted themselves by a Spirit of Contradiction, have the least Reason of any Men to take it amifs to be contradicted, tho' it be in never fo plain a manner. In short, it is poffible that fome may be well skill'd in Tricks and Artifices, who know little of the fubtantial and ufeful Part of the Law, and it is certain,

certain, that many who talk boldly of the highest Points of Religion, are ignorant even of the Principles of the Doctrine of Chrift. There furely can be little need for any Man to have recourse to Error and Extravagancy for the Exercife and Improvement of his Faculties, they must be strange Faculties to want fuch Improvement. Truth it felf is infinite, tho' always uniform and consistent in every part, and will afford room enough for the free use of Reason, in examining and confidering the Nature of things, in stating particular Cafes by general Rules, in the Study of Antiquity, and in explaining particular Texts of Scriptures, according to the Analogy of Faith, and the Tenour of found Doarine. And it may justly be look'd upon as a Defect of Judgment and good Sense, or be fufpected (which is much worfe) of want of Sincerity and a good Confcience, when Mẹn can find nothing, by which they may recommend themselves to the World, but by setting up for Novelties in Religion. For what Man of an honest Meaning, and of fufficient Abilities and Strength of Parts, to proceed fecurely in direct and approved Paths, would run out of the way by Cunning and Artifice, to steal a despicable Reputation, which another would be afham'd of, and of which the best thing that can be said, is, that, as it is never worth the having, fo it is never lafting.

After the Reception and Establishment of the Gofpel for fo many Ages, we are call'd upon to prove the Grounds and Principles of our Reli

gion all over again, and we will never decline a thing so easy to be done. But the Modern Infidels have chang'd the State of the Question: the Truth of the Miracles wrought by our Saviour and his Difciples was never deny'd by the Adversaries of Chriftianity of old; this was not difputed by Celfus, Porphyry, Hierocles, and Julian the Apoftate; if fome of them did upon any occafion infinuate the contrary, that was fo malicious and groundless a Calumny, that they were neither able to insist upon any Proof of it, nor to reconcile it to what they themfelves had elsewhere faid. The Matter of Fact was acknowledg'd by the antient Jews, and has been confefs'd by their Pofterity; they could not contradict the Miracles, but deny'd the Confequence of them: though the Men we have to deal withal, to make clear work, with much Confidence, but with as much Ignorance, deny both. Let them know then, that they are in part confuted by the Enemies of our Religion; and it were strange if its Friends fhould fail in the other part.

IV. I have here endeavoured to do fome Right to our Religion, and to satisfie all fuch as are willing to be fatisfied in the most difficult Points of it. And tho' I have difcourfed at large upon the Subjects of which I treat, and not in the ufual Method of Objection and Anfwer; yet I have always had my Eye upon the Objections, which I have known, that I could think at all material. But to bring in Objetions at every Turn in plain Difcourfes, fuch

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as these were defign'd to be, as far as the Matter would permit, might have been of no good Confequence. A Man may very well be guided in the right Road, without having all the wrong and dangerous Paths defcrib'd to him; and he may be directed how to recover or preferve his Health, without being prefented with a Catalogue of Difeafes; he may get fafe to his Journeys end, without knowing all the Bogs and Precipices by which he might have miscarried; and in order to be well, there is no need that he should be acquainted how many ways there are of being fick. I have heard of some that read Objections without the Answers; as lately a shameless Writer has produced the Objections of Celfus and Fauftus, against the Canon of Scripture, without taking Notice of the Anfwers given by Origen and St. Auftin, from whom. he had them. And tho' both the Objections and Answers should be read, yet Objections are commonly in few Words, and are often remembred, when the Answers are forgotten. And indeed, tho' I were never fo expert at it, I have no Ambition to try my Strength in tying a knot, that I may fhew'my Skill in unloofing it. But to provide against all Exceptions, as much as it is poffible, I have proved at large, that if all Objections could not be answered, this would be no fufficient Reason to reject or question the Authority of our Religion.

I cannot fay I must confefs, that I have been able, or have been much folicitous to obviate all the Cavils which may have been started, ma

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