Book, or perhaps fóme fmall part of a Book, fhall be his, and the reft he fhall have nothing to do withal. This is no trivial matter, nor of fmall Confequence, and ought not to be at the pleasure of any one who has a mind to be taken notice of, for contradicting the receiv'd Opinion, and being more confident than others. And the lefs occafion there is for thefe Criticks, the more Danger there is from them; for if there be no Work for them, they will be apt to make themselves Work: And what Author will be able to stand before Men, whofe Bufinefs and Ambition it is to find fault? But though, the Jurifdiction of Criticks be very large and abfolute ; yet I have taken care not to come under it, but have purpofely avoided infifting upon any Authorities which have fallen under their Disputes, unless it be, perhaps, in speaking of the Sibyls; but there I have the Confent of the best Criticks, befides evident Reason, on my fide, fo far as I am concern'd for them.

4. A Pretence to Miracles and Prophecies, without Reason or Ground for it, in behalf of fome particular Errors, has weaken'd the Belief of the True Miracles and Prophecies: and whilft laborious Endeavours have been used to fhew, that the Christian Religion cannot be true, unlefs thofe Doctrines be true, which have no Foundation in it; the quite contrary has happen'd to what in Charity we must suppose these Authors defign'd: for instead of owning their Religion to be true, Men, who are convinced

of the Weakness of their Pretences, have taken them at their word, and have been forward to grant them, that there is no Religion true, and therefore not theirs.

5. I fhall fhew at large, in due time, That the many Differences and Difputes in Religion, are no Prejudice to the Truth and Certainty of it; but they are, notwithstanding, a great Scandal and Temptation, and a great Hindrance to the Salvation of Men, efpecially as they are commonly managed; whilft by all imaginable Arts and Means, Men of different Parties and Opinions strive to run down their Adversaries. Those who are concern'd, would do well, I fhould think, to confider what mischief may enfue, through the imprudent and unchristian management of Difputes, even in a right cause, which has no need of fuch methods ; and therefore they are the lefs excufable, who use them in defence of fuch a Caufe. If we would convince or perfuade Men in any other thing, we never are wont to think it a proper Expedient, to use them ill, and give them hard Words: And is rough Ufage proper only for the Propagation of the Doctrines of the Gofpel, and of a Religion of Peace, and Meekness, and Charity?:

I know what Examples may be produced to countenance this Practice; but those great Authors have Excellencies enough for our Imitation, we need not imitate their Faults. Our Bleffed Saviour, indeed, himself, and his Apo

ftles,

stles, did not always forbear fevere Language; but then they spoke with a Divine Power and Authority, and knew how to speak to the Hearts, as well as to the Ears of Men, and fully perceiv'd when this was the laft and only Remedy to be used; they could ftrike dead with their Words, and were infallible in the use of such Expreffions as were proper for the present occafion, either to comfort or to terrify Sinners, or awaken them to Repentance. There is no doubt, but a feasonable Reproof or Rebuke, though it be very fevere, may be not only confiftent with Charity, but may also be the Effect of it; and if ever we may speak with the Power and Authority, as well as in the meekness and gentleness of Chrift, we must do it when the Truth of the Chriftian Religion is call'd in question, and that by Christians. We live in an Age in which Men think they have done a great thing, and enough for them to value themselves upon, if they can but start a bold Objection against the Scriptures, though it have never fo little Senfe in it. We have fufficient Warrant to treat these Men as they deferve: for the Apostles were commanded (according to a Custom in use amongst the Jews) to shake off the duft of their feet, against fuch as rejected their Doctrine and the leaft we can fay to them, is to let them know, that if they will not believe, we are forry for it, but cannot help it, and that they will have the worst of it. Mr. Hobbs himfelf will allow, that an Atheist ought to be banish'd

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nish'd as a publick Mischief, and scarce any Terms can be too fevere for those who openly apoftatize from the Religion in which they have been baptized, and blafpheme that Holy Name by which they are called. We must not fo debafe the Gospel of Christ, as to feem to beg their Approbation, which, I'm fure, we have little need of, in the present cafe. I am far from thinking any thing fmall or inconfiderable, in which the Honour of God, and the Truth of Religion is concern'd; but certainly a great Distinction is to be made between them from whom we differ in particular Points, tho' great moment and confequence, and those who reject the Whole. Our chief Zeal and Strength fhould be employ'd against the Common Enemies, who delight in our Quarrels, and fport themselves with the mutual Wounds we fo freely give one another.

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6. We have a fort of Men amongst us, who from hence have taken occafion to make it their whole Business both by their Discourses and Writings, to laugh all Religion and Morality out of the World: which has made our very Wit to degenerate, though this be the only thing for which these Men seem to value themfelves; and our Poems, with all their soft Numbers, and flowing Style, to be far from deserving Commendation for this way of Writing is as much against the Rules of Poetry, as against those of Vertue; and they can never anfwer it to their own Art, whatever they may

do

do to their Confciences; but ought to be cenfured for being ill Poets, as well as ill Men. A fine Saying, a foft or bold Expreffion, or a pretty Character! Is this all we have in exchange for our Reason and Religion, which these Men have fo laboriously decry'd! Some of the best Poets of our Age have been fo fenfible of the Dishonour hereby done to God, the Differvice to Mankind, and the Difgrace to fo Noble an Art, that they have employ'd their Genius a better way. But the extravagant Raillery against Religion has been the more licentious, and the more frequent, not only because it has met with Applause from fo many, who are none of the wifest part of Mankind, but because it is the easiest way of Wit, flowing so naturally from the very Temper and Inclination of corrupted Minds; and fmart Reflexion may eafily be taken from another Subject, and apply'd here with Advantage, because it looks more extravagant and daring, and furprizes for no other Reason, but for the bold irreverent ufe of it. What is there in Religion, if it were untrue, that can seem ridiculous? What, in the awful Majesty of the Lord of Heaven and Earth, that can provoke the Laughter and Mockery of any but Fools and Mad-men? It is not obvious to conceive, why it should be thought a greater Argument of a Man's Parts, to revile his God, than his Prince; to speak Blafphemy, than it is to speak Treafon; or why the Wit should atone for the Crime more in the one cafe

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