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X
A
R E V I E
OF THE
GENUINE DOCTRINES
O F
CHRISTIANITY
[Price One Shilling and Six-pence.]
A
REVIEW
OF THE
GENUINE DOCTRINES
O F
CHRISTIANITY.
COMPREHENDING
REMARKS
ON SEVERAL PRINCIPAL
CALVINISTICAL DOCTRINES j
And fome Observations on the Ufe of
REASON IN RELIGION,
O M
HUMAN NATURE,
A N D O N
FREE AGENCY.
% JOSEPH 'TOWERS.
^1*^— ^^^"^^^ ■ ■■III I I ^ I ■ ■■■ ^^^■^. I lliiMII ^
LONDON:
Printed for W. Sandby, at the Ship.oppofite St.Dunflan'a
Church in Fleet-Street. M, dcc, lxiii.
[?rice One Shilling and Six-pence, j
i
[ iii J
THE
PREFACE.
^ONI'ROVERSIAL writing has
^^ beenfo multiplied in the Chrijiian world ^^
and freque7itly carried on in a manner fo
little agreeable to the genuine fpirit of Chri-
Jlianity^ that many fenjible perfons are apt to
conceive a dijlajie again/i every produSlion of
that kind. But as religion is in itfelf the
moft important thing in the worlds fo it is
likewife of very great i?np07-tance that men
fhoidd entertain jifl notions of it. And though
matters of mere opinion, as fuch, are not
perhaps of very great moment ; yet a?iy notions
which have a tendency to prevent the practical
influence of religion on the minds of ?7im-i are
certainly of very bad conjequence j end are the
more da?igerous a?id prejudicial^ when they are
received as facred doSirines^ and thofe who
have imbibed thein are afraid to diamine them
r^ith freedom and impartiality^
h z If
iv PREFACE.
IT mujl be a matter of regret, to everjk
man 'who is him/elf convinced of the important
'truths of the Chrijiian revelation, who re-
verences its divine author, and is cojtcerned
for the promotion of the inter ejls of his reli-
gion, as a fcheme calcidated in the moft admi-
rable manner to promote the caife of virtuey
and the prefent and future happinefs of man-
kind, to obferve the abfurd and unamiable
reprejentations which are frequently given of
this moji excellent injlitution. It is often fo
inveloped in the abfurdities of fome of its
miflaken prafeffors, that fcarce any traces of
its original fimplicity and beauty are difcern-
' ible,
IT mujl however be acknowledged with
pleafure, that moJi of thcfe abfurd tenets,
which have long contributed to disfigure and
obfcure the original doBrines of the gofpel, and
which have been jheltered under the venerable
nt^me of orthodoxy, - have for a confiderable
time pa II, by the mofi learned and inquifitive
Chrijiians of almofi every denomination, been
difcardedas unfcriptural, as well as irrational.
Bigotry, and a Jlavifi attachment to eflab-
blifed
preface: V
tiffed fyjlemsy to creeds and articles of faith y
the inventions and devices of men, have given
way to a rational and free enquiry into the
real doSirines of the facred writifigs them-
f elves \ by which inea?is the Chrijlian fyjiem
has been better under flood, and more rational
and confijlent fentiments have been ejlablified
in a cmjiderable part of the Chrijlian world.
m is however to be regretted, that not-
withjlanding thefe beneficial effeBs, which
have been the natural refult of freedotn of
enquiry, and the p?'evale?ice of more liberal
fentiments, there are yet great numbers of
pious wcll-mca?2i?2g Chrifiians, who are very
flrongly attached to the abfurd and contradic-
tory tenets of Calvinifm.
AS thefe doSlrines appear in t hen f elves
(though they may 720t always produce their
natural cf'eB) to be very unfavourable to the
morality of the gofpel, and to the promotion
of that real virtue and benevolence of hearty
which it is the principal defign of Chriftianity
to inculcate and promote ; as they mufl appear y
upon an impartial examination, to be QQHtra^y
A 3 to
vi PREFACE.
to the general tenor and defgn of the facred
writings^ however they may be fortified by
imaginary proofs drawn from thence ; and as
the idea which they give of the Chrijiian
fyftem is an abfurd and imamiable one, and
fuch as hath a natural tendency to prejudice^
and in faSl frequently does prejudice^ many
againji Chri/lianity, and even again/I religion
itfelf', every attempt to remove fuch opinions,
and to ejiablifi jufier fentiments of the religion
of Jefus, mufi, if it has any effeSt^ be fer-
viceable to the Chrijiian caufe.
TO obviate, therefore, fome of thofe pre-
judices, which are entertained by thofe who
favour Calvinijiical principles, againjl thofe
more rational and confijient ideas of the Chri^
fian religion, which the free exercife of
reafon, and the unprejudiced fiudy of the
facred writings, naturally fuggeft ; and to give
a flight fketch of that admirable fyftem, as
it it really delineated in the books of the New
T^eflameiit, is the defgn of this traSl.
IT may be prefumed, that an endeavour
to promote fuch fentimcnts in religion, as are
hO'
PREFACE. vli
honourable to thcfupreme Creator^ and agree^
able to the dilates of reafon as well as reve-
lation, though imperfe£l in itfelf will he fa^
vourably received by the Intelligent and the
Candid. But how far this traB may be caU
culated for fuch a purpofe, muji be fubmitted
to the impartial judgnunt of the Public.
A
A
REVIEW
OF THE
GENUINE DOCTRINES
O F
CHRISTIANITY.
TI^E diverfity of fentlment which hath
appeared in the Chriftian world, with
refpeft to many important points of
Chriftian dodrine, muft be a matter
of confiderable furprize to a fpeculative obferver.
It would be very natural to imagine, that in a
divine revelation, intended to lead mankind to
the knowledge of thofe divine truths which
are necefiary to their falvation, thofe truths
would be there laid down with fuch a degree
of precifion and perfpicuity, that no man of
moderate underftanding, who was fincerely
defirous of knowing the truth, could pofTibljr
A 4 xr.iiUke
10 A Review of the
miftake it. But however natural and reafonable
this fuppofition may be, the fa(5l certainly is,
that very different reprefentations of the Chri-
stian rehgion are given by perfons who appear
equally lincere in their intentions.
But as there does not appear to be any fuch
real obfcurity in the revelation itfelf, when fair-
ly examined, at leaft- with refpeft to the general
aim and defign of it, this diverfity of opinion
concerning it muft be attributed to other cauies.
And it appears very evident, that a much
greater uniformity of opinion, with refpedV ac
leaft to the more important and eflential parts
of religion, would have taken place in the
Chriftian world, had men freely exercifed their
own reafon in enquiring after truth, and dii-
covering the real do<5lrines of revelation ; and
had not been induced to hood -wink their
underftandings, and receive as the ditlates of
infallible truth, whatever fome particular zea-
lous and over-bearing men, who have become
heads and leaders of fe(5ls and parties, have
thought proper to declare w^ere the only true
and orthodox do(5l:rines of fcripturc. Articles
of faith, creeds, &c. perhaps m.ay juftly be
confidered as having hindered in a very confi-
derable degree the advancement of juit notions
of the doiSlrinss of the gofpel ; as by them
the
Genuine Doctrines, (f?r. it
the miftakes of feme particular men have been
handed down as facred dodrines, and by that
means the timely redification of fuch errors
hath been in a great degree prevented. By
the increafe of creeds and articles of faith,
fyftems of divinity have been formed, and by
them the fcriptures have been interpreted. In-
ftcad of thoroughly and impartially examining
what appeared to be. the genuine doftrine of
the fcriptures, men have brought their own
prejudices and pre-conceived notions with themj
and at all events the fcriptures muft be made
to tally with thefe notions, however contrary
they might be to the real meaning of the
facred writings, however abfurd and incon-
fiftent in themfelves. Miftaken and falfe in-
terpretations of fome of the more difficult and
obfcure parts of the facred writings, have been
adopted as efiential parts of the doctrine of
the gofpel J and though perhaps contrary to
fome of its mod fundamental principles, when
rightly underftood, yet the reception of fome
of thefe notions hath been ccnfidered as the
only true criterion of foundnefs and orthodoxy.
And thefe tenets have been received by many
with fuch implicit aflent, that they have con-
fidered it as impious to difbelieve, or even to
doubt the truth of them. And indeed when
once any fct of opinions can be brought to be
con-
12 ' 'A Review of tht
confidered in this light, little argument will
be fufficient for their fupport ; fuperllition,-
or a tod timorous piety, will, with the majo-
rity, fortify them againfl all the force of
reafon and of argument.
Had not, by means of this kind, a veil of
obfcurity been thrown over the mofl fimple,
intelligible, and rational of all religions, thofe
heats, animofities, and religious contentions,
with which ecclefiaftical hiltory is difgraced,
could not poflibly have fubfifted in the Chri-
ftian world ; and probably the prefent diftinc-
tions of fedts and parties would have been in a
great degree extind.
As it appears that it was the want of the
free exercife of reafon, which hath been the
principal occafion of the abfurd and miftaken
reprefentations which have been given of Chri-
Itianity; and as it is a notion ftill entertained
by thofe who adhere to the dodrines in this
tra(5t more particularly oppofed, that mere
human reafon, (or, as it is fometimes empha^
tically called, carnal reafon) is not an adequate
judge of religious matters i and that men arc
not capable, by the ufe of their natural faculties'
and powers, of having juft conceptions af
thofe divine truths which are the objefts of
revc*
Genuine Doctrines, l£c. 13
revelation, nor of underftanding revelation
itfelf, a few remarks will be offered upon that
fubjed.
It is indeed no eafy matter to reafon fuc-
cefsfully with thofe, by whom the decifions of
reafon are not admitted. But it may be
obferved, that however ready fuch perfons are
to appeal from the determinations of reafon,
when they make againft themfelves, they are
neverthelefs willing to retain it in their fervice,
as long as it can be employed with any degree
of fuccefs on their own fide. They will reafon
as long as they are able, in defence of their
own tenets •, but when they find they are no
longer defenfible on any rational principles,
they then rejecft the authority of reafon. Agree-
able to an obfervaiion fomewhere made, reafon
is againft them, and therefore they, in their
turn, are againfi reafon.
That the ufe of reafon in religion fhould
have been oppofed by the patrons and adherents
of papal tyranny and fuperftition, is noc at all
wonderful. If ignorance cannot juftly be faid
to be the mother of devotion, it is neverthelefs
the mofl fuitable nurfe for fuperftition, bigotry,
'and implicit faith. It was therefore natural for
ihofe in the interefi of the Roman fee, to
oppofe
14 !^ Review of the
oppofe with all their might the exercifc of
reafon, as the moil dangerous enemy of their
ecclefiaftical ufurpation. But that Proteftants,
whofe rehgion appears to be founded on the ufe
of reafon, fhould neverthelefs refufe to acknow-
ledge the propriety of appeals to it in the deter-
mination of rehgious controverfies, is not eafy
to be accounted for.
Could we be infaUibly certain, that any
do(5lrine was revealed, and any action or acHiions
commanded, by the fupreme Creator himlelf i
it would undoubtedly be our duty to afTent to
the one, and to obey the other, whether we
could difcern their probability and fitnefs, or
not. Reafon itfelf would dictate this. The
Deity can neither be himfelf miftakcn, nor can
he deceive his creatures ; and his wifdom and
his goodnefs render it impoflible that he fhould
command any thing that is not fit and proper.
Therefore whatever we certainly know to be
taught or commanded by Hirh, reafon itfelf
would teach us to believe and to obey. To
objefb againfl any part of the known will of
God, becaufe we do not difcern its reafonable-
nefs, would be both abfurd and impious.
But furely there can be no impiety in examin-
ing, whether what is offered to us as a divine
revelation, is really fo or not , much lefs in
cxaminins
Genuine Doctrines, &c: 15
jamming what are, and what are not, the
real dodlrines of revelation itfelf. We have
otherwife no fecurity againft any fpecies of
delufion and impofture : but at Conftantinople
we mull receive impUcitly the do6trines of the
Koran, and at Rome we muft believe Tran=
fubitantiation.
The warmeft friends to Chriftlanity need
not be under any apprehenfion of that fuftaining
any detriment by the freeft examination, pro-
vided it be a candid and a fair one. The
uncorrupted religion of Jefus will approve
itfelf to the underftanding of every impartial
and reafonable man. It is enthufiafm, bigotry,
and fuperftition alone, that are endangered by
the appeal to reafon ; and it is forbidden only
in thofe erroneous theological fyftems, the pa-
trons of which are confcious that their fchemes
will not Hand the teft of reafon •, and therefore
they are reduced to the necefllty of employing
this fubterfuge to evade its force. Truth
itfelf fears no fcrutiny. It is the diredion
of the great apoftle of the Gentiles, to provs
all things, and hold faji that only which is
good ', He directed thofe to whom he preached,
to
» I Their. V. 21.
^6 A Review of the
to judge what he faid ; and defircd no othe»
aflent to his dodlrines, than what their own
unbiafTed reafon led them to. And he com-
mends the Bereans in very ftrong terms, becaufe
they were free enquirers -, they believed not
the apoftles themfelves implicitly, but fearched
the fcriptures whether thofe things were fo ''.
Indeed it is eafy to prove by many inftan-
ces, that the fcriptures are very far from giving
any countenance to a rejecflion of reafon. We
find, on the contrary, both in the old and in
the new teftament, frequent appeals to the
reafon and underilanding of mankind. God
himfelf is reprefented in feveral places as rea-
foning with his creatures •=, Chrift often appeals
to the underflandings of thofe who heard him ^.
St. Paul is reprefented as reafoning with Felix
the Roman governor concerning the faith in
Chrift ^. The fame apoftle reafons with king
Agrippa ^, with the Athenian phi lofop hers s,
and with the Jews ^. And that an ability of
underilanding the fcriptures, is not confined
to
* A£ls xvii. II. « Particularly in Ifaiah ch. v. 3.
Xxviii. 23 — 26. Ezek. xviii. 24 — 32. and Micah vi, 2,3.
" Mark viii. i7--2t. John viii. 46. ^ Afts xxiv. 24^
75. f Ads XXVI. 8. 6 Afts svu. 16— 31. *> Afts
xvii. 2, 3.
Genuine Doctrines, i^c. 17
to thofe who in feme fupernatural manner have
their minds prepared for the reception of divine
truths, or by fome divine irradiation are already
initiated in the knowledge of them, is evident
from our Saviour's own words, who dire<5ls
even the unbelieving Jews to jsarch the fcrip-
iures ' ; which it cannot be fuppofed he would
have done, had they not been naturally capable
of underftanding them. And indeed of what
ufe can that revelation be, which requires
another revelation to explain it ?
IxDEED the leaft reflection muft convince
us, of the necefilty of our exercifing our rea-
fon in reading the fcriptures. For there are
many palTages in the facred writings, which,
were we to uhderfland them literally, would
be either unintelligible or falfe. Here then
we naturally employ our reafon, as we do in
all other writings, to difcover the real mean-
ing of the writer. We are obliged of necef-
fity thus to exercife our reafon, if we vrould
in any tolerable degree underftand the fcrip-
tures, or indeed any thing elfe. Why then
are we forbid to ufe our reafon freely in
religious enquiries r In facl, the notion that
£ reafon
jonn V. 39,
z9 A Review of tie
reafon is not a proper guide in religious mat-
ters, is fo egregioufly abfurd, that any man,
but one who through the prejudice of educa-
tion, or fomething of that kind, has efpoufcd
this ftrange dogma, muft be amazed that
there fhould be any neceffity of confuting it.
Having in fome degree, it is prefumed,
cftabliflied this principle, that we may with
fafety and propriety take reafon as our guide,
in an examination of what are the genuine
do(5lrines of the gofpel ; we fhall, after a few
previous obfervations, proceed to that enquiry,
in that method which appears the mofl natural
and rational. And this certainly muft be, to
enquire what were the do(5lrines which Chrift
himfelf principally inculcated upon his fol-
lowers and difciples j and what it was that his
apoftles appear chiefly to have inculcated upon
thofe to whom they preached. For it would
be very irrational (however frequently that
method may have been taken) to explain thefe
more intelligible parts of the new teftament, the
meaning of which is fo obvious that it flrikes
at the firft view, with fuch as are metaphorical
and obfcure, and capable of diff^erent interpreta-
tions. But it is fomewhat remarkable, that thofe
who have imbibed the moft abfurd and incon-
fiftent notions of Chriftianity, are particularly
fond
Genuine Doctrines, (^c. 19
fond of St. Paurs epiftles ; and read and quote
them much oftener, than they do the gofpels,
and other lefs controverted parts of fcripture.
The reafon of which appears to be, that thefe,
as being in fome places fomewhat difficult and
obfcure, are better calculated to be fo explained
as to countenance any favourite dodlrine, than
thofe parts of fcripture which are more plain,
and lefs capable of perverfion. Some fuch ufe
appears to have been made of St. Paul's epi-
ftles, even in the moft early ages of Chriftia-
nity. St, Peter ■ obferves, that there were, in
St. Paul's epiftles, fome things hard to be
anderjiood, which thofe that were unlearned and
unfiable ivrejied, even in his time, to their ovjn
dejlru^ion ^.
In profane authors we always make ufe of
thofe parts, the meaning of which is clear and
evident, to explain and ilJuftrate thofe which
are dark and obfcure. And it is certain that
no reafon can be alTigned, why this moft
rational method fhould not be taken with the
fcriptures.
In our intended review of the dotflrines of
the new teftament, we fhail begin with our
B 2 Lord's
^ 2 Peter iii. 15, 16,
20 A Review of the
Lord's fermon on the mount, the longeft and
moft confiderable difcourfe that we have recor-
ded as preached by him. We find it compofed
chiefly of moral precepts, and dire6lions for
the regulation of his difciples conduift ; of
exhortations to peaceablenefs, purity, forgive-
nefs of injuries, candour in judging of others,
refignation to the providence of God, and the
practice of juftice and equity, and that exten-
five benevolence which comprehended in it the
love even of their enemies. Our Lord incul-
cates the pradlice of thefe virtues on his difciples
with peculiar emphafis and force, as the only
thing that could recommend them to his favour,
and on which they could place any rational depen-
dance. Whofoever (fays he) heareth thefe fayings
of mine^ and doeth them^ I will liken him to a
wife man who built his houfe upon a rock ; and
the rain defended, and the floods came, and the
winds blew, and heat upon that houfe, and it
fell not, for it was founded on a rock ^ It is
with thefe words our Saviour's difcourfe ends ;
in the whole of which his defign manifeftly is,
to lead them to the fincere praMice of piety and
virtue ; and to a greater degree of it than was
then generally pradifed by the JewiHi fcribes
and
1 Matt. vii. 24, 25.
Genuine Doctrines, ^c. 21
and Pharifees. For our Lord tells them. Except
your right eojifnefs Jloall exceed the righteoufnefs
of the Scribes and Pharifees^ ye floall in no cafe
enter into the kingdom of heaven '".
There is not the leaft ground for the far-
fetched interpretation that is fometimes given
to the laft-quoted text, viz. that the righteouf-
nefs there fpoken of as neceffary to quaUfy
them for entering into the kingdom of heaven,
was the righteoufnefs of Chrift imouted to
O J.
them. Our Lord is evidently exhorting them
to perfonal righteoufnefs ; for he is throughout
his whole difcourfe inculcating virtues which
they themfelves were to pra6tice. His meaning
evidently is, that if they would gain the favour
of God, and attain eternal life, they mud: not
content themfelves with a formal obfervance
of the external duties of religion, and with
appearing to men to be religious, as the fcribes
and Pharifees, and hypocrites, that he was
fpeaking of, did •, but that they muft regulate
their lives by the rules of religion and virtue,
not in appearance only, but in reahty, in fm-
cerity and finglenefs of heart.
B 1 We
Matt. V. 20.
j2 A Review of the
yN'i find our Lord in the other parts of
the gofpels enforcing the love of God and our
neighbour, as the fum and fubftance of reli-
gion. And he in particular reprefents the
pradlice of benevolence and focial afFe<5lion, as
the diftinguifhing charafleriflic of the profefTors
of his religion. By this Jhall all men know that
ye are my difciples^ if ye have love one to ano-
ther ". And he reprefents the keeping his
commandments, as the proper criterion by
which they might judge of their love to him.
He that hath my commandmentSy and keepetb
them, he it is that loveth me **.
There is an incident of our Lord's life re-
corded, in which he hath pointed out in a very
flrong and beautiful manner, that nothing but
doing the will of God would be a recommen-
dation to his favour. It is faid that, in the
midfl of one of his difcourfes, 'while he yet
talked to the peopky behold^ his mother and his
brethren flood without ^ defiring to fee him. Then
cne faid unto him^ behf}ld^ thy mother and thy
brethren ftand without defiring to fpeak with
thee. But he anfwered and faid unto him that
told him^ Who is my mother ? and who are my
brethren ?
n Jolmxiii. 35. o John xiv. 21.
Genuine Doctrines, i^c* 2j
Irethren ? And he Jlretched forth his hand tO'
wards his difciples, and faid^ Behold my mother^
and my brethren. For whofoever Jhall do the
will of my Father which is in heaven^ the fame
is my brother^ and /ijier, and mother p. Giving
them to underftand, in a moft expreflive man-
ner, that they were more allied to him by the
pra(flice of piety and virtue, than by any other
relation. This is what he appears to have ta-
ken every opportunity to inculcate ; for we are
alfb told, that when a certain woman — lift tip
her voice^ and faid unto him, Bleffed is the womb
that bare thee, and the paps which thou hafi
fucked i — he faid. Tea, rather bleffed are ihey
that hear the word of God, and keep it "5. And
in his pathetic exhortation to his difciples, a
little before his crucifixion, recorded in the
latter part of St, John's gofpel, he with great
earnellnefs repeatedly exhorts them to perfevere
in keeping his commandments, as the only
proper teft of their love to him .
It is likewife very evident, that in the repre-
fentations which Chrift gives of the future
world, he always defcribes their final ftate as
determined by their own moral chara<5ter. In
the
' Matt xli. 46 —50. ^ Luke xi. 27, 28.
24 A Review of the
the end of the world the Son of man Jhall fend
forth his angels, and they fhall gather out of his
kingdom all things that offend, and thetn which
do iniquity, and fhall caji them into a furnace of
fire: — Then fhall the righteous fhine forth as
the fun in the kingdom of their Father "■. In
another place ; at the end of the world, the
angels fhall come forth^ and fever the wicked
from among the juji ; and fhall cajl them into a
furnace of fire ^ Again \ the Son of man floall
come in the glcny of his Father, with his angels ;
and then he fhall reward every man according
to his works *. If the final ftate of mankind
was to be determined (agreeable to the tenets
of fome Chriftians) by a mere arbitrary eledion
of fome favoured individuals to eternal life,
without any refped to their own perfonal merits,
whilft the remainder of the human race were
fuffered to perifli ; or if it had been determined
by the warmth and fervency with v/hich they
had relied on the merits or rightcoufnefs of
Chrift J it would be very extraordinary, if this
was the true ftate of the cafe, that thefe repre-
fentations of Chrill, as well as thofe of the
apoflles in the other parts of the new teftament,
fhould concur in declaring, that, in the future
vv-orld,
' Matt. :dii. -^0—43. « Matt. xiii. 49, 50. VMatC.
xvi. 27.
Genuine Doctrines, (s^c 25
world, men would be rewarded or punifhed
according to their works.
Indeed if we take a view of all our
Saviour's difcourfes, parables, and public in-
llru(5lions, it will appear plainly that the general
tendency of them is, to inculcate upon his dif-
ciples and followers, the fincere pra(5lice of piety,
humility, benevolence, and the moft exalted
virtue ; and to enforce this by imprinting
deeply in their minds the dodlrine of a future
ftate of rewards and punifhments ; and forcibly
pointing out the wifdom of facrificing our
temporal to our eternal interefts, whenever
they come in competition with each other.
And with thefe ideas of the defign of the Chri-
ftian religion, we fhall find the reprefentations
given of it by the apoftles in other parts of the
new teftament, perfeftly to coincide.
We are very far from finding, in the ac-
counts which are given in the afls of the
apoftles, of the difcourfes made by the apoilles
in the promulgation of Chriftianity, any of
thofe unintelligible and irrational dodtrines
which have been taught in later times. Their
difcourfes are intelligible, confident, and re-
pugnant to no principle of reafon. St. Paul's
oration to the Athenians is a ftriking inftance
of
26 A Review cf the
of this ". After having cenfured their idolatry
and fuperftition, he proceeds to preach to them
the true God, the Creator of the World ; and
to give them jufter fentiments of him than
they then appeared to entertain. He (hews the
abfurdity of confidering God as confined to
temples, or as a local deity -, and teaches them,
that God was not to be worfhipped by men,
as though he needed any thing of them ;
becaufe it was from him that they received lifey
and breathy and all things. He reprefents the
Deity, not as a God of a particular country or
people, but as the God and Father of the
whole human race -, and from thence infers the
abfurdity of reprefenting him by any image.
Having eftablifhed thefe firfl principles of na-
tural religion, he goes on to preach to them
fome of the more peculiar doctrines of the
Chriftian revelation. The times of this ignorance
he fays, (fpeaking of the fuperllition and ido-
latry which had prevailed among mankind)
God wifiked at ; but now commandeth all men
every where to repe?it : becaufe he hath appointed
a day in zvhich he will judge the world in rigb-
teoufnefs, by that man whom he hath ordained ;
whereof he hath given affurance unto all men^ in
that
» hd.% xvii, 22—31.
Genuine Doctrines, £f?r. 27
that he hath raifed him from the dead. We
find a ftriking difference between the method
here taken by this great apoftle, and that
which hath been fince taken by many modern
preachers of the gofpel. The apoftle eftabUflies
revelation on the foundations of natural reli-
gion. He urges them to repentance, as that
which it was the end and defign of Chriftianity
to promote -, and as a motive to it preaches to
them the do6lrine of a future ftate of retribu-
tion ; in which Jefus was to prefide as the
fupreme judge : and for a proof of his divine
mifTion and authority, he urges his refurredlion
from the dead. He fays not a fingle word of
the natural incapacity of men to do any thing
which could recommend them to God ; nor
does he once tell them, that a reliance on the
merits or righteoufnefs of Chrift would be
fufficient for their falvation. Which, if they
had really been fuch capital and effential doc-
trines of Chrift's religion, as they have fince
been reprefented to be, he certainly, when he
was thus preaching the gofpel, could not pof-
fibly have omitted.
When St Peter preached to the Jews, after
having healed a lame man in the temple, and
reprelented that miracle, which he declared to
have been done by the power of Chrift, as a
proof
28 A Review cf the
proof of his divine miflion •, he adds, Repeki
ye therefore J and be converted^ that your fins
way he blotted out ; and concludes with telling
them, that God had raifed up his fon Jefus, and
fent him to blefs them, in turning away every
one of them from their iniquities "■". And when
Paul and Barnabas preached to the Lyftrians,
their words are, JVe preach unto you^ that ye
Jhould turn from thefe vanities unto the living
God, which made heaven and earth, and the fea,
and all things that are therein : who in times
fafi fuffered all nations to walk in their own
ways. ISleverthelefs he left not himfelf without
witnefs, in that he did good, and gave us rain
from heaven, and fruitful feafons, filling our
hearts with food and gladnefs ^. In which the
natural ability of man to conform to the rules
of religion is clearly implied ; and alfo his abi-
lity of difcerning the exiftence and charadler of
the Deity by the mere light of nature.
In the account which St. Paul gives cf
himfelf to Felix the Roman governor, we find
the following expreflions : after the way which
they (the Jews) call herefy^ fo worfhip I the God
of my fathers, believing all things which are
written
w Afts Jii. 12 — 26. ^ Acls xiv. 15 — 17.
Genuine Doctrines, Cs'r. 29
written in the law and the prophets. And have
hope tcjoards God^ which they them jesses alfo
nllow^ that there jhall he a refurre^iion cf the
deady both of the juji and unjuji : and herein do
I exercife my [elf ^ to have always a confcience void
of offence towards God, and towards men y.
Nor when Felix fent for Paul, to hear him
concerning the faith in Chrifi, is he reprefented
as faying any thing about the favourite doc-
trines of fome modern fyftems of divinity ;
but is defcribed as reafoning of right eoufnefs^
temperance, and judgmeyit to come. And in St.
Paul's fpeech for himfelf, before king Agrippa
and Feftus, after reciting the manner of his
miraculous converfion, he gives this account
of the method in which he firft preached Chri-
ftianity. I was not (fays the apoflle) difobedient
unto the heavenly vifion : hut fmewed firfi unto
them of Damafcus, and at Jerufalem, and
throughout all the ccafis of Judea, and then to
the Gentiles, that they fhould repent, and turn to
Cod, and do works meet for repentance'*.
Indeed any man who reads the ads of the
apoftles, with any degree of attention and
impartiality, mull be perfectly convinced that
the
y Acl5 xxiv. 14 — 16. 5s AiSs xxvi. 19, 20.
go A Review of the
the doctrines which they taught, and thofe
which have been fince taught by fome who
have affected to be very clofe imitators of
them, were totally different. And the ac-
count which is given in the A6ls, of the
converfion of Cornelius, the Roman centurion,
to the Chriilian faith, is a ftrong evidence of
the regard that is ever paid to fmcere piety and
virtue by the Almighty ; and what little ground
there is for the notion, that men cannot re-
commend themfelves by their own aftions to
the favour of God. It is on the contrary
plainly declared in this relation, that the prayers
and alms, the piety and benevolence, of a
Roman officer, had fo recommended him to
the divine favour, that an angel was fent to
him in order to occafion his converfion to
Chriftianity. For the reafon which the angel
gave for his extraordinary appearance to him,
was, I'hy prayers and thine alms are come up for
c memorial before God ^. This eminent inftance
of the attention and regard of the divine being
to real piety and virtue, wherever found, fo
Uruck the apoftle Peter, who had imbibed the
narrow jiotions of his countrymen, that the
favour of God was confined to their na-
tion.
* Ai\s X. 4»
Genuine Doctrines, ^c. 31
tion, that he opened his mouthy and faid. Of a
truth I perceive that God is no refpe5fer of
perfons : but in every nation^ he that fearetb
him, and worketh righteoufnefsy is accepted with
him.
But it is from the epiftles of St. Paul, as
hath been before obferved, that fome of the
ftrongeft proofs for the Calvinifrical doiRrines,
and fome others which have been founded
upon them, are fuppofed to be drawn. It will
not fall within the compafs of this trad, to
enter into a particular difcufllon of all the
palTages in St. Paul's epiftles, which are urged
in fupport of thefe opinions ; nor to give thofc
more rational and confiftent interpretations^
which have been given by feveral excellent
commentators of fuch pafTages. And indeed
a proper attention to thofe parts of fcrip-
ture, the meaning of which is more obvious
and lefs controverted, ai^d to the general
tenor of the facred writings, would carry more
conviction with it, than any examination of
particular texts. For when once men have
been accuftomed to read any particular parts
of fcripture to a certain fenfe, and to annex a
certain fet of ideas to fuch and fuch phrafes,
though perhaps totally foreign from the ori-
ginal meaning of the v/riter, they naturally
confider
J 2 A Review of the
confider every attempt to interpret any fuch
palTages to a different fenfe than that in which
they have been accuftomed to underftand them,
as a wrefting and perverting of them. But
neverthelefs, fome general obfervations upon
Zt. Paul's epiflles, and fome of the dodrines
which are founded upon a mifunderftanding of
them, may be ferviceable to our defign.
It fliould be remembered, in the reading of
thefe epiilles, that they were written to parti-
cular churches, and perfons, and on particular
occafions ; and had an immediate reference in
many places to fome contentions and difputes
which had arifen in the primitive churches,
and fome of which were peculiar to the firft
ages of Chriftianity. Without a proper atten-
tion therefore to the particular view and defign
of the apoftle in writing each epiftle, it will be
impofllble to form any clear notion of his
meaning. Thefe circumftances, together with
that obfcurity which naturally attends epiftolary
writings of a remote age, mufl, in the very
nature of the thing, make St. Paul's epiflles
more difficult to be underflood than many
other parts of the facred writings.
It appears that there were in the apollles
time many of the Jews who had embraced
Chriftianity^
Genuine Doctrines, £s?r. 33
Chriftianiiy, but who neverthelefs were very
much attached to the ceremonial law of Mofes,
and who laboured to prove that it was necelTary
for the Gentiles, and all the profefTors of Chri-
ftianity, to conform to the Mofaic rites ''.
St. Paul, in his epiflles, oppofes the notions
of thefe judaizing Chriftians ; he teaches them,
that all who believed in Chriflr, and embraced
his religion, would receive the free remifllon
of their pad fins, without any conformity to
thefe ceremonial rites. But from thefe deck-
rations of the apoille, that they were admitted
into the Chrjftian church, and had received
the remiflion of their fins, by virtue of their
faith in Chrift, and without any refpeft either
to their obfervance, or non-obfervance, of the
law of Mofes, the ceremonial part of which
was entirely abolifhed by the Chriftian difpen-
fation i it hath been inferred, that it was cri-
minal for men to fuppofe that their own adions
would contribute to, or be the occafion of,
their final juftification ; or that a conformity
to the laws of religion and virtue, the praflice
even of real works of righteoufnefs, would be
a means of their obtaining eternal happinefs :
though it is the clear and exprefs language of
St. Paul himfelf, as well as of the other lacred
C writers,
^ Ad^s XV. I — 29. xxi. 20 — 25,
54 A Review of the
writers, that eternal life would be the reward
of thofe, and of thofe only, who by patient
continuance in well-doing fought for glory, and
honour, and immortality.
All the different texts In St. Paul's cpiftles,
which fpeak of faith as the caufe of man's
falvation, may be very rationally and confift-
ently explained, and agreeably to the general
tenor of the fcriptures, without having recourfe
to thofe unreafonable interpretations which are
frequently put upon them. And it may he.
proper to obferve, that there was, in the very
nature of the thing, a particular reafon why
faith (hould have been inculcated with peculiar
force in the firft ages of Chriftianity. It was
certainly eflentially neceflary, that at that time
faith fnould be eftablifhed as a firft principle,
Thofe to whom the gofpel was firft preached,
muft have been previoufly convinced of the
divine miftion and authority of Chrift, before
they could be expe6led to obey his laws. But
m later ages, and to thofe who already ac-
knowledge the milTion and authority of Chrift,
the practice of the duties of Chriftianity feems
the principal thing to be inculcated. Though
it muft be acknowledged, that exhortations to
faith may notwithftanding be very pertinent
dnd. advantageous to profeffed Chriftians ; for
it
Genujne Doctrine-s, (^c. 3$
St can fcarcely be imagined that fo many
profefTors of Chriftianity would be inattentive
to the praftice of its duties, if they were really
and heartily convinced of the truth and im-
portance of religion.
But there is another reafon afligned in the
new teftament on which account men were
required to believe, viz, that they might re-
ceive remifllon of fins. Men in their prefent
flate are furrounded with innumerable tempta-
tions, which render it morally impofiible that
they fhould be entirely free from fin -, and the
greateft part of mankind do, and in all ages of
the world did, fin very frequently. All have
finned (fays St, Paul) and ccme Jhort of the glory
of God ^. As all men, therefore, muft have
been confcious of having offended their maker,
in a greater or a lefs degree, and been therefore
fenfible tha;t they flood in need of mercy and
forgivenefs ; but could not have any certain
alTurance of their being in a Hate of favour and
acceptance with him ; the Almighty thought
proper to fend his Son into the world, to die
upon the crofs, that all thofe who would believe
in him might receive remifTion of fins, and
confider his death as a proof of it. The death
C 2 of
' Romans iii. 23,
36 A Review of fhi
of Chrift may therefore be confidered as a
memorial, and an evidence, to all mankind,
of the placability of God. H^e were reconciled
to God hy the death of his fan ^, It was by
faith in the blood of Chriji, that God thought
proper, for infinitely wife reafons, to difpenfe
his mercy to mankind. But it is not therefore
to be fuppofed, that the death of Chrift was a
motive to induce God to the exercife of mercy.
The all-gracious Parent of mankind, effentially
good and merciful in his own nature, needs
no inducements to be merciful to his own crea-
tures. On the contrary, it is the language of
fcripture, that God fo loved the worlds that HE
gave his only begotten fon^ that whofoever be-
lieveth in him jhould not perifh ^.
Bu T it is very certain that it could not have
been the doctrine of St. Paul, that faith in
Chrift would of itfelf entitle men to eternal
falvation without the pradice of holinefs ; be-
caufe it is the plain and exprefs language of
St. Paul, and indeed of all the fcriptures, that
without holinefs no man fijall fee the Lord. And
it appears likewife equally clear, from St.
Paul's own epiftles, that faith in Chrift would
not neceffarily produce that holinefs, which
was
^ Romans v. 10. ^ Johniii. 56.
Geni)ine Doctrines, ^c. ^y
was indifpenfably neceflai y to the completioa
of their lalvation ; and that the juftification
which he fpeaks of their receiving, by virtue
of their faith in Chrift, was not a final juftifi-
cation •, nor did it, in itfelf, give them a right
to eternal life j which will appear very plainly
if we confider, that thofe very perfons whom
he add relies as called, enlightened ^ jujlifiedy re-
conciled to God^ and faved by faith in Chrill,
he frequently exhorts to a conformity to the
commandments of Chrift, and the laws of
righteoufnefs, afluring them that without that
they would have no inheritance in the kingdom
of God. Be ye therefore (fays the apoftle)
foUovuers of God as dear childj'-en : — for this ye
kno'-jj^ that no whoremonger, nor unclean perfon,
nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any
inheritance in the kingdom of Chriji, and of God:
let no man deceive you with vain words ; for he-
caufe of thefe things cometh the wrath of God
upon the children of dijobedience *. Be not de-
ceived : God is not fnccked ; for whatfoever a
man foweth, that fioall he alfo reap. For he
that foweth to the fiefh, fhall of the flefh reap
corruption ; but he that foweth to the fpirit,
fhall of the fpirit reap life everlafling s. From
all which it is very evident, that when the
apoftle
^ Ephefians v. i— 6. e Galaiians vi. 7 — 8.
^8 A Review of the
apoftle fpeaks of their being faved by faitli- in
Chrift, his meaning is not, that it intitled then^
to eternal happinefs ; but that they were by
that faved from the guilt of their pafl: fins, and
received into the favour of God, notwithftand-
ing their former alienation from him. That
on their fai-th in Chrift, they received from the
free grace or mercy of God the remiftion of
their paft- fins-, without their previouily doing
any thing to obtain fuch remifiion •, and that if
they afterwards continued in a fmcere endeavour
to conform themfelve^ to the laws of Chrift,
notwithftandingthofe imperfedions which are al-
ways attendant on human obedience, they would
finally be approved by him, and made parta-
kers of that happinefs which be hath promifed
to all his true difciples. That St. Paul did noG
confider a real faith in Chrift as neceffarily in
itfelf giving a right to eternal life is very evi-
dent from his epiftles ; and it is obfervable,
that fpeaking even of himfelf, (and of the
reality and fmcerity of his own faith he cer-
tainly could have no doubt) he fays, / keep
under my bod)\ and bring it into Juhje5licn^
leji that by any means^ ivhen 1 have preached
to others i I myfdf fhould be a cajtaway ^ ; in
which-
* Corinthlaas ix. 27
Genuine Doctrines, i£c. 59
which the apoflle manifeflly fpeaks of his own
falvation as ccnditionaly and as depending on
the difcharge of" his duty, and his adherence
to tlie law5 of virtue. *' This fingle paflage
*' (fays a very noble and ingenious writer) is a
" full anfwer out of the mouth of St. Paul
" himfelf, to all the miftakes that have been
*' made of his meaning in fome obfcure ex-
*' prelfions concerning grace, eleftion, and
*' juftification." * It may alfo be obferved,
that Chrifl himfelf reprefents perfons who had
fuch a degree of faith in him, as to enable
them to prophecy and work miracles in his
name, who neverthelefs would be in the num-
ber of thofe who would finally be rejecled by
him. Not every one that faith unto me LQrd\
Lo7'd^ fjjall enter into the kingdom of heaven ;
but he that doeth the will of my father ivhich is
in heaven. Many will fay to me in that day,
Lord^ Lord^ have we not prophefied in thy name ?
and in thy name cafi out devils ? and in thy
name dene -many wonderful wo7'ks ? and then
will I profefs unto them^ I never knew ye :
depart from me ye that work iniquity'. We
have alfo a text in the epiftle to the Hebrews,
which
* Obfcrvationi on the Con'trfion ar.d Apoftkfhip of
St. Paul, p. 26.
' Matthew vii. 2ir— 23.
40 A Review of the
which clearly fuppofes and exprelTes the poffi-
bility of men's being finally condemned, not-
withftanding their having a real faith, being
enlightened by the gofpel, and even made
partakers of the holy Ipirit. It is impojfible
for thofe who were once enlightened^ and have
tajled of the heavenly gift^ and were made par-
takers of the Holy Ghojt^ and have tajled of the
goad word of God^ and the powers of the world
to come i if they fhall fall away, to renew them
again to repentance ^. And St. Paul, in the
epiftle to the ColofTians, fays ; Tou that were
fometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, in the
body of his flefh through death, to preferve yovt
holy and iinblameable, and unreproveable in his
fight : if ye continue in the faith grounded and
fettled, and be not moved away from the hope of
the gofpel '. Plainly teaching them, that their
reconciliation to God by faith in Chrift, would
not iflue in their final falvation, without they
continued ftedfaft in their obedience to the laws
of Chrift J and that notwithftanding their pre-
fent reconciliation to God by faith in Chrift,
their final falvation was conditional. It is not
however to be fuppofed that the profeflbrs of
Chrittianity
^ H«b. vi. 4—6. 1 Coloflians i. ti — 23.
Genuine Doctrines, i^c. 41
Chriftianity were to be entirely free frorh fin,
in order to infure their final falvation : man is
Turrounded with fuch innumerable temptations,
that fome degree of moral imperfeftion is
always attendant on humanity. And whilft we
fincerely endeavour to do the will of God,
our involuntary and unallowed imperfections
will be forgiven by our merciful Creator. If
4iny man fin^ vse have an advocate vjith the
Father^ Jefus Chriji the rigktecus "". But we
muft endeavour, fincerely and uniformly, to
obey the will of God j that rnuft: be the pre-
vailing turn and biafs of our minds ; and
without fuch a fincere conformity to the laws
of our creator, we have not the leaft reafon to
expeft his final approbation, nor to be made
partakers of that felicity which he hath pro-
mifed to beftow upon the righteous.
The phrafe, being faved hy faiths may be
very rationally explained, even when it refers
to man's final falvation ; though the phrafe is
certainly frequently ufed in a different fenfe.
For thofe who by a firm belief in the doftrines
which Chrift taught, of a future flare of re-
tribution, &c. are induced to refrain from, and
avoid.
I John ii. I.
4i A Review of the
avoid, the pradlice of vice, and to conform t<!>,
and regulate their lives by the Jaws of piety
and virtue, may, with the ftrideft propriety of
fpeech, be faid to be faved by faith. Becaufe
though they are not faved on account of their
faith ; yet as their faith is the motive that
induces them to regulate their lives by the
rules of religion, they may very properly be
faid to be faved by that.
It muft be acknowledged, that thofe who
adhere to the Calviniftical doctrines of juftiii-
cation, elecflion, &c. do neverthelefs admit the
necefiity of holinefs, as fuppofing that faith
will neceiTarily produce it. But it appears even
from the new teftament, that men may really
have faith who do not ad: in conformity to it ;
and perhaps obfervation on many characters in
real life would be a fufficient evidence of the
pojfibility of it. And though thefe notions may
be, and certainly frequently are, entertained
by perfons who are fmcerely virtuous ; yet to
teach men that they are incapable by their own
natural powers, of fo far conforming to the
laws of righteoufnefs as to attain the favour of
God, muft naturally flacken their endeavours
after it. And to teach them that their own
actions can in no degree recommend them to
the divine favour, and that they are not to
expecl
Genuine Doctrines, e:r. 43
«xpe6l any reward hereafter on account of any
thing which they themfelves can do, is cer-
tainly depriving men of the (Irongeft motives
to a Hfe of piety and virtue ; and appears to
be in a very great degree fubverting the grand
defign of the Chriftian revelation.
But amongfl all the abfurd dodrines which
have been pretended to be founded on St.
Paul's epiftles, there does not appear to have
been any \'o totally repugnant to every idea of
the moral characfter of God, and againft which
every fentiment of humanity fo ftrongly rebels,
as that of Predeilination, St, Paul hath Ihewn,
that God hath eleded or chofen fome particular
nations and colkcflive bodies of men, to enjoy
fome eminent religious advantages ; as the Jews
the Mofaic difpenfation, and the Gentiles the
Chriftian ; which they were favoured with not
on account of their refpeflive merits, but en-
tirely becaufe it was the will and pleafure of
the Divine Being that it fhould be fo " : and
which pecuHar advantages he certainly might
confer, confidently with the moft perfeft ju-
ftice, on whatfoever nations or bodies of people
his infinite wifdom fhould fee fit. But from a
total
• Sec Romans chap. viii. ix. x. xi.
44 ^ Review of the
total mifunderftanding of the nature of the
cle<5lion which the apoftle was fpeaking of, he
has been thought to mean that God had arbi-
trarily eleded a certain number of individuals
to future happinefs, to whom the means of
falvation was given ; whilft the reft were re-
probated, and configned over to eternal mifery.
And all that is alledged in vindication of the
moral chara(5ter of the Deity, which fo much
fuffers in this Ihocking reprefentation of the
divine condutl, is, that mankind incurred this
fentence in confequence of Adam's tranfgref-
fron ; by which he and all his pofterity became
obje<5ls of the divine wrath, and were fubjeded
to everlafting mifery : though the fcriptures no
where reprefent any thing but death being
entailed on mankind in confequence of the
fall. Thus the whole human race are faid to
have been jujlly fubjed to eternal mifery, for
an adlion committed many ages before the
greater part of them exifted -, though it is the
univerfal doctrine of the fcriptures, that men
are puniihed only for their own works. It is
faid to have been the doArine of fome of the
predeftinarian writers, that " God of his own
" pleafure, antecedent to all fin in the creature,
" original or adual, did agree to glorify his
*' fovereignty and juftice in the eternal rejec-
** tion and damnation of the greateft part of
" mankinds
Genuine Doctrines, t^c. "45
** mankind, as the end -, and in their un-
" avoidable fin and impenitency, as the
*' means."
Reason, revelation, and univerfal nature
proclaim this truth, That God is good to all,
and that his tender mercies are over all his
works : but in what poflible manner can we
reconcile this with thefe doftrines ? with the
fuppofition, that he has devoted, by an irre-
verfible decree, millions of his creatures to
endlefs mifery, without even having given
them a poiTibility of avoiding it ? It is in-
deed amazing, that fuch a dodrine, fo totally
repugnant to every idea, not only of goodnefs
and mercy, but even of equity and juftice, fhould
ever have been confidered as a part of that
divine religion, which the Father of mercies,
the God of love, hath inftituted as his laft
and moll merciful difpenfation to the fons of
men.
Indeed notwithftanding the abfurd and
erroneous interpretations which have been given
of fome parts of St. Paul's writings, they are
in themfelves perfe6tly rational and confident ;
and entirely agreeable to the do6lrine of Chrift
and the other apoftles. It is only when fome
particular detached paflages of his epiftles, are
interpreted
46 A Review of the
interpreted without a proper regard to the
peculiar circumftances v/hich attended his wri-
ting them, and to the whole fcope of his
reafoning, that he appears to differ from them.
This apoftle, in all his epiftles, inculcates the
uniform pradice of virtue with great force and
energy. And the account which he gives of
the future judgment, perfedly agrees with
that given in the gofpels. The judgment of
God is according to truth : — 'ivho will render to
every man according to his deeds : to them who
by patient continuance in well-doings feek for
glory s and honour ^ and immortality ^ eternal life :
but unto them that are contentious^ and do not
obey the truth, hut obey unrighteoufnefs, indig-
nation and wrath -, tribulation and anguijh upon
every foul of man that doeth evil ; — but glory,
honour, and peace, to every man that worketh
good : for there is no refpe^ of perfons with
Cod\
The epiftles of the other apoftles are atten-
ded with lefs difficulty. That of St. James is
almoft entirely compofed of inftrudions for the
regulation of the Chriftian converfation of thofe
to whom he wrote. This apoftle inculcates very
forcibly
* Romans ii. 2— ii»
Genuine Doctrines, ^c, '4.^
forcibly the necelTity of pra5fical religion ; and
cautions them againft imagining that faith
alone was fufficient for their final falvation.
Be ye (fays he) dcers of the 'word, and not
hearers only-, deceiving your own felves : — IVbat
doth it profit, my brethren, though a man fay
he hath faith, and hath not works, can faith
fave him ? — By works a man is juflified, arid
not by faith only p. And the fame apoftle re-
prefents the practice of benevolence, and per-
ibnal holinefs, as the fum of religion. Bure
religion and undefiled before God and the Father ^
is this, to vijit the fatherlefs and widows in
their affiiSlion, and to keep hi-mfelf tinfpotted
from the world '^,
The two general epiftles of St. Peter are
likewife compofed of perfuafives to perfonal
virtue, urged chiefly from the confideration of
the future judgment ; together with fome
exhortations to fteadfaftnels under thofe trials
to which the firft Chriftians were more pecu-
liarly expofed. And, agreeable to the repre-
fentations which have been before 2:iven of the
defign of the gofpel, this apoftle declares the
intention of it to be, to call them to glory and
virtue:
f James i. 22. and ii> 14 — 24. 1 James i. 27,
4S !/^ Review of the
virtue : and that by the gofpel-difpenfatlon are
given to us exceeding great and precious promifes\
that by thefe we might be made partakers of the
divine nature^ having efcaped the corruption that
is in the world through luft. And in order to
point out to them in what the excellency of
the knowledge of Chrift confifted, after having
exhorted them to faith, virtue, temperance,
patience, godlinefs, brotherly kindnefs, and
charity ; he adds, for if thefe things be in you^
and abound^ they make you neither barren, nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus
Chrijt\ And the following verfe is remark-
able, and feems to corroborate the interpretation
that hath been before given, with refped; to
fome paffages in St. Paul's epiftles, viz. that
the jultification by faith which that apoftle
fpeaks of, was not an gbfolute and final jufti-
fication, but only a remiffion of the fins of
their paft lives, previous to their converfion to
Chriftianity. He (fays the apoftle) that lacketk
thefe things is blind, and cannot fee far off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from his old
Jins. And the following exprelTions of the
apoftle clearly intimate, that their faith in
Chrift would not of itfelf infure their final
falvation \
» 2 Peter i. 8.
Genuine Doctrin'es, i^c. 4^
fdlvation ; and that it muft be their own
perlbnal adherence td piety and virtue, that
muft finally complete it. Give diligence to
make your calling and eleSiion jure: for if ye
do thefe things ye /hall never fall : for fo an
entrance fhall be minifired unto you abundantly
into the everlafiing kingdom of our Lord Jefus
Chrifl ^
The prafllce of righteournefs is infilled oa
as the eiTence of religion with great force by
the apoille John. Little children^ let r.o man
deceive you : he that doeth righteoufnefs is righ-
teous^ even as he (God) is righteous. — If vae
fay that vje have fellovofhip with him, and walk
in darknefsy ive lie, and do not the truth : but
if we walk in the light,, as he is in the light,
we have fellovjfkip one with another, and the
blood of Jefus Chrifi his fon cleanfeth us from-
all Jin : — Herein do we know that we knozv
him, if we keep his commandtnents. He that
faith, 1 know him, and keepeth net his com-
mandments, is a liar, and the truth is net m
him. But whofo keepeth his word, in him verily
is the love of God perfe5led ; hereby know we
that we are in hini. — If ye know that he is
D ridjtccus.
* 2 Peter i. 10, 11,
z;o A Review of the
righteous^ ye know that every one that dceth
right eoujnefs^ is horn of him. In this the chih
dren of God are manifejly and the children of
the devil: whofoever doeth not righteoufnefs, is
7tot of God: neither he that lovetb not his
Irother. St. John never intimates, that the
beft aflions of men were in the fight of God
of no account, and as filthy rags ; but on the
contrary, aflerts that their keeping his com-
mandments is a motive to the Deity to confer
bleflings on them ; and that confcious integrity
is a reafonable caufe to excice confidence in us
towards God. Beloved^ if our hearts condemn
us notj then have we confidence towards God,
And whatfoever we ajk, we receive of him,
becaufe we keep his commandments, ayid do thofe
things that are -pleafing in his fight. The
praftice of benevolence, and focial affecftion,
are repeatedly and very flrongly inculcated by
him, as effential to the Chriftian charadler ;
and as the only proper criterion of our love to
God. Beloved, let us love one another \ for
love is of God -, and every one that loveth is
horn of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth
not, knoweth not God, for God is love. — JVhofo
hath this world's good, and feetb his brother
have need, and fbutteth up his bowels of com-
pajjion from him, how dwelleth the love of God
in him ? My little children, let us not love in
wordy
Genuine DbCTiiiNES, i^c. 51
^.vord^ neither in tongue^ hut in deed, and in
Pi-uth \
In the book of Revelations, we find the
neceflity of keeping the commandments of
God, in order to attain eternal life, clearly
pointed out. Behold, I come quickly, and my
re'xard is with me, to give every man according
as his ivork Jhall he. — Bleffed are they that do
his commandments, that they may have right to
the tree of life, and may enter in through the
gates into the city ". Here is the -patience of the
faints : here are they that keep the commandments
cf God, and the faith of J ejus. — Bleffed are the
dead ivhich die in the Lord, from henceforth ;
yea, faith the Spirit, that they may reft from
their lahours •, and their works do follovj them •^-
And the following is the reprefentation which
is given in this book of the future judgment.
/ farjo the dead, fmall and great, ft and before
God ; and the hooks were opened : and another
book was opened, which is the hook of life : and
the dead were judged cut of thcfe things which
ivere written in the hooks, according to their
works. And the fea gave up the dead which
D 2 were
t I John ii, iii, iv. '^ Revelations xxli. 12—14.
*^ Revelations xiv. it, 13.
5^ -'f Review of the
%i:ere in it i and death and hell delivered up thi
dead which were in them : and they were judged
every man according to their works ".
Thus it appears to be the defign of the new
teftament, through every part of it, to excite
men to the fteady practice of piety and virtue.
It appears, that the grace cf God, which hath
appeared unto all men in the gofpel difpenfation,
was intended to teach them, that denying ungod-
linefs, and zvorldly lujis, they jhould live foberly^
right eoiijly, and godly in the prefent world y. In
which it perfedlly coincides with thofe innume-
rable exhortations to the pradice of righteouf-
nefs, which occur in the old teftament. And
the doclrine of a future ftate of retribution is
ftrongly prefled and inculcated as the principal
motive to this. There are other motives occa-
fionally fpoken of, but this appears to be the
great leading principle of the Chriftian revela-
tion. The notions entertained by the Heathens
of a future ftate appear to have been attended
with much doubt and uncertainty i fome of
them appear to have confidered it only as a
poetic fidion -, and fome of their beft writers
in fpeaking of it, do it in a manner that ftiews
they
^ Revelations xx. 12, 13. ^ Titus ii. 11, 12.
GENtJiNE Doctrines, i^c. 53
they rather wijhed for it, than really expeded
or believed it : and even the Jews themfelves
appear to have been much in the dark about it.
And it is only by the gofpel, that life and,
immortality hath been clearly brought to light ^;
and the doctrine of a future flate of retribution
plainly revealed. And it certainly is a motive,
that of all others may rationally be fuppofed
to a6l the mofl forcibly upon mankind. For
furrounded as man is in his prefent Hate, with
innumerable temptations, tending to draw him
from an adherence to his duty, perhaps there
is no other that can through the general tenor
of life be fuppofed to a6luate him with fufficient
force. When a man is abftrafted from the
temptations of the world, and in his clofet,
the motives to virtue which may be drawn
from the nature and fitnefs of things, and
the beauty of virtue, may operate with con-
fiderable ftrength upon the mind ; but even
upon the beft minds it iliould feem, that in an
hour of fevere temptation, the firm belief of
a future Hate mufl: have a much greater effeft.
And thefe more refined motives to virtue
would perhaps be found to operate but f^iintly
at any tiine upon the bujk of mankind i for
D ^ whom
* z TioiQthv i. 10.
54- -d Review of the
whom it was undoubtedly neceflfary that a
divine revelation (hould be calculated. And
it is acknowledged even by lord Shaftesbury,
that ^^ this may be faid as to the fupport
*' which this belief of a future reward and
" punifliment may prove to virtue ; that as
" it is capable of raifing men to virtue, who
*' were at firft in a manner (Irangers to it ; fo
" where men are already in a virtuous courfe,
*' it may prove that which alone can lave them
" from falling off from the virtue they poflefs,
.*' into a licentious and vicious pradice ^.'*
Neither does the notion of men's beinsr
excited to virtue, from the confideration of a
future itate of retribution, necefTarily fuppofe
rhem actuated merely by hope or fear, and the
lefs ingenuous affections of the human mind.
For, as the fame noble writer obferves, '* if
** by the thoughts of future reward, or what
'^ regards another ftate, be underftood the
"^ love and cefire of virtuous enjoyment, or
*' of the very pradice and exercife of virtue
^-' in another life •, the expe<5lation or hope of
*' this, mull not only be a great c*ncourage-
'^ ment to virtue j but it appears plainly,
" " that
Inquiry concerning Virtue, B. i. Sed. 3.
Genuine Doctrines, ^c. 55
*' that the very following of virtue in hope to
'' attain that fupreme happinefs which confifts
^' in the perfedion of it, is of itfelf a degree
" of virtue, and a proof of the fincere love
«* we have for it ^.**
As the ideas of human nature which are fug-
gefted by the Calviniftical opinions, appears
dilhonourable both to man, and to his great
Creator -, and as the dodrine of man's free
agency appears to be a matter of very confider-
able importance, and without admitting which
it feems impofTible to form any confiftent ideas
of religion, we (hall make a few refiedions
upon thofe fubjeds.
There have been many, who feem to have
thought, that they could in no way better
evidence their own piety, than in degradino-
and vilifying human nature. It is not eafy to
conceive, that it could ever have been the
dictate of reafon, that there was any piety in
any thing of this kind ; or that it was honour-
ing God to fpeak difhonourably of his crea-
tures. For reafon would rather have didated,
that it was doing more honour to the Almighty
P 4 Author
^ Ifei4.
^6 A Re\'iew of the
Author of nature, to form more favourable
ideas of that, which, in its prefent ftate, what-
ever its imperfeclions may be, is indifputably
the Hobleft part of the vifible creation.
It is very evident, that the bulk of man-
kind are not virtuous ; but it does by no
means rrom thence follow, that they-.ane de-
praved and impotent creatures, naturally prone
to wickednefs, and incapable of what is good
and virtuous. Even amongft the moil: diflblute
part ot the hunian race, amongft thofe who
indulge themfelves in the pradlice of vice witl-^i
the leaft fcruple, there are difcoverable by a
candid obferver many evidences of lament virr
tue ; and anions really virtuous are frequently
performed by chofe whofe general charafter
v/ili not bear a ftri(ft fcrutiny. And indeed
the acTcual exiftence of vice amongft mankind,
is no proof of their being under any invincible
propenfity to it ; for if w? fuppofe men free
creatures, capable either of afling well or ill ;
and as being in a ftate of probation, in which
they have many tv^mptations to a(^ contrary to
the dictates of reafon and confcience ; it will
account for the exiftence of moral evil in the
world, without the necefllty of fuppofing that
they are by any inherent corruption of their
nature biafted towards wickednefs.
Thers
Genuine Doctrines, t^c c^j
There are many particulars obfervable in
human nature, which are very unfavourable
to the notion of man's being naturally a
wicked creature. It may be obferved, that
innocence is generally confidered as one of the
charadleriftics of childhood and youth -, and
that opennefs of heart, candour, benevolence,,
and the focial affedions appear to operate more,
and the contrary difpofitions lefs, in early life
than at a later period j which feems to militate
flrongly againfl the notion of man's being
naturally prone to wickednefs. And perhaps,
whenever difpofitions of a different kind appear
to prevail in childhood and youth, the whole
of it may be attributed to ill example, or the
want of a virtuous education. Children, natu-
rally imitative, are fond of doing thofe things
which they fee done by others \ their adions
are therefore very much regulated by the con-
duct and behaviour of thofe about them. And
we may rationally account for fuch perverfenefs
and frowardnefs of behaviour, as may be
fometimes difcoverable in children, without:
having recourfe to the fuppofition of their
being naturally biafled towards vice. For as
they have in them the feeds of thofe appetites
and pafllons, which, however innocent in
themfelves, are vicious when not reftrained
within their proper bounds ; it is eafy to con-
ceive.
'58 A Revjew ef the
ccive, that if they have ill examples fct before
them, and are fulFered, while their judgment
is weak and unformed, to let thefe natural
appetites and paffions take a wrong diredion,
thofe very children may be froward and vi-
cious, who with judicious culture might have
been tradable and virtuous *.
And it has often been obferved, that the
firft advances to vice are made with reludlance 1
and that it is never pradifed without com-
pundlion, till men have hardened themfelves by
Jong habit to the praftice of it : which feems
to be an evidence, that wickednefs is fo far
fron>
* It is too apparent, th;»t the important bufincfs of
education, particularly with refpedt to piety and morals,
is in general very much neglected, Inftead of inftil-
ling deeply into the minds of youth, their dependance
on, and obligations to the Deity, and thoroughly
grounding them in fentiments and principles of virtue,
which are the moft important points of a right educa-
tion, their parents and preceptors are generally content
with giving them a very flight and fuperficial view of
thefe moft important I'ubjects ; whilft a much greater
attention and regard is paid merely to forming their
exterior behaviour. As the happinefs and ftability of
any nation depends fo much on the virtue of its indi?
viduals ; and as that very much depends on the method
of education that prevails ; this is a point that deferves
the attention of all the friends to religion, virtue, and
their country.
Genuine Doctrines, ^c. 59
from being natural to man, that the pradice
of it is a rebellion againft the firft dictates of
his nature. It is likewife certain, that it is
natural to men to applaud and admire virtue
in others, as well as to approve it in them-
felves. Sentiments of compafTion, of benevo-
lence, and focial affecT:ion, are certainly natural
to the human mind. And it may be affirmed
farther, that fentiments of piety, the love and
reverence of the Deity, are natural to human
nature, when amiable and jull ideas of him
have been inftilled and are imbibed. Inftances
of difmterefted generolity and goodnefs excite
gratitude and afFe<5lion to the benefadlor, by
whom fuch fervices are beftowed, and fuch
goodnefs difplayed. Thefe are the natural feel-
ings and fentiments of humanity. And fuch
fentiments naturally arife with refpeft to the
Deity, when he is exhibited to the mind in a
proper light.
The dodrine of man's lofmg his natural
ability to practice virtue, and aptitude to reli-
gion, by the fall, appears to have no real
foundation in the fcriptures. They only repre-
fent man as fubjed: to temporal death by the
fall, and not as thereby becoming incapable of
religion, and prone only to the practice of vice
and impiety. And Chrift himfeJf does not
feem
6o A Review of the
feem by any means to have countenanced thefc
unfavourable ideas of human nature. For wc
are told, that when his difciples enquired of
him who was the greateft in the kingdom of
heaven, he called a little child to him, and
fet him in the midft of them, and faid unto
them, Except ye be converted, and become as
, little children^ ye [ball not enter into the kingdom
cf heaven ^. And when his difciples rebuked
thofe who brought young children to him, he
was much difpleafed j and faid. Suffer little
children to come unto jne, and forbid them not ;
for of fuch is the kingdom of heaven. Now
can it be fuppofed, that Chrift would have
told his difciples, that in order to enter the
kingdom of heaven they muft become as little
children, and that of fuch that kingdom con-
fifted, if he had known them to be naturally
polluted, and neceflarily prone to wickednefs ?
Mud we not rather infer from thele texts, that
Chrifl confidered young children as innocent,
harmlefs, and teachable \ and therefore proper
emblems of that mild, peaceable, innocent,
and humble difpofition, which became thg
difciples of the blelfed Jefus ?
There
^ Matthew xviii, 1—4.
Genuine Doctrines, t^c. 6t
There is no fort of reafon for imagining,
that thofe appetites and paflions which are
found in human nature, and which, when not
properly reftrained and regulated, are the caufe
of fin, are any confequence of the corruption
of human nature. They do on the contrary
appear, when under proper reltraints, to be
very ufeful to mankind. And indeed, exclu-
five of this, fomething of this kind appears
to be neccflary to any creature while in a ftate
of probation : for without fomething within
themfelves, which might in fome degree prompt
or excite them to a compliance with external
temptations, they could not be confidered as
in a Itate of trial.
The favourers of the Calviniftical opinions
appear to have thought, that the reprefenting
man as a weak, and naturally wicked creature,
tended to promote humility, and to advance
and raife our ideas of the grace and goodnefs
of God in the gofpel-difpenfation. Every at-
tempt therefore to give more favourable repre*
fencations of man's natural difpofitions and
ability, they confide i as having a tendency to
derogate from the grace of God, and diminifh
the glory of the goipel. And perhaps could
they be convinced, that the contrary opinions
had not this tendency, they might be induced
to
62 A Review of the
to examine them with more candour, and
enquire with lefs prejudice and prepofTefllon,
how far their own opinions are really founded
on the fcriptures.
It feems to have been thought, that to
aflert that man pofTefTes, by the conflitution of
his nature, at leaft in his prefent ftate, an
aptitude and ability to a6t virtuoully, is rai-
fmg him at the expence of his Maker, and
making him independent on his Creator. But
this is abfolutely miftaking the point. The
warmeft advocates for human nature, cannot
be fuppofed to form any ideas of man's poffef-
fing any abilities or powers independent of his
Maker, which he did not originally derive
from him \ and for the continuance of which,
as well as for his exiftence itfelf, he does not
abfolutely depend upon his pleafure. The
queftion therefore is nor, whether man can a6l
virtuoufly independent of God j (for in a cer-
tain fenfe we can do nothing without him ;
i. e, without his permilTion, and without his
having originally given us fuitable faculties and
powers) ; but whether he has not framed and
fitted all men by the conftitution of their
nature, in its prefent ftate, for a conformity to
the laws of piety and virtue. This is certainly
the light in which this point ought to be con-
fidered ;
Genuine Doctrines, l^c. 63
fidered ; and therefore, as God is as much the
author and fource of all our natural faculties
and powers, as he mull be fuppofed to be of
any fupernatural grace, the honour of God
can be in no refped lelTened by fuppofing thac
man is naturally capable of praclifing religion
and virtue. On the contrary, if this be not
admitted, it will be found impoiiible to main-
tain the honour of the Divine Being with any
degree of confiftency.
Indeed the Calvlniftical notions of human
nature appear contrary to the common fenfe
and experience of mankind, and to every ra-
tional idea of religion, as well as to the general
(train and tenor of the facred writings. For
amongft all mankind we find, that the per-
formance of a good acfbion is applauded, and
the perpetration of a wicked one condemned
and cenfured ; which is a demonftration that
men commonly confider one another as free
agents. And that inward remorfe and difap-
probation, which men feel after the commifTion
of any wickednefs, unlels their confcicnces
have been feared by a long courfe of iniquity,
is another evidence of their pofTefling a freedom
of adion ; for this can only arife from an
internal confciournefs that they were capable of
ading better. Were men impelled by any
invincibly
64 A Review of the
invincible propenfity in their natures to thd
pradice of wkkednefs, it would be as abfurd
to cenfure a man for the commiflion of a crime,
as to reproach an ideot for his want of under-
ilanding ; and to cenfure men for want of
piety, if it confifted in any difpofitions of mind
out of their power to attain, would be as
unreafonable as to reproach a deaf man for
riOt hearing* or a blind man for not feeing.
And thefe notions of human nature are fo far
from increafing our ideas of man's guilt, that
they do in fadl entirely acquit him of any.
For if man has it not in his power to be pious
and virtuous, and yet fuffers for not being fo,
he is an unhappy creature, but cannot pofTibly
be a guilty one. But the juftice of the Divine
Being will net admit us to form fuch a fuppo-
iition. If man is to be punifhed for not
pradlifing the duties of religion, we mud fup-
pofe that he has it in his power to perform
them V or his punifhment would be both cruel
and unjuft. The very idea of a ftate of retri-
bution neceffarily im^plies in it the free agency
of man. Is it poffible for us to fuppofe, that
the juft and righteous judge of the univerfe,
who muft infallibly do right, will punifli men
for not being what they are by their very
nature incapable of being ? Is this agreeable
to any conhftent ideas of the divine jultice r
And
Genuine Doctrines, ^c, 6^
And if it is not, can any creeds, can any
human fyftems, be of fufficient authority to
force our aflent to fuch a dodrine ?
The whole flrain and tenor of the facred
writings appears clearly to imply the ability of
man to pra(flice piety and virtue, and avoid
their contraries. How otherwife can we un-
derlland thofe numberlefs exhortations to virtue
and piety, and dehortations from vice, with
which the old and the new teftament are filled ?
Do not all the threatenings of punifliment for
difobedience, and promifes of reward for obe-
dience, in the law, in the prophets, and in
the gofpel, neceflarily fuppofe a capability in
the objeds of them, of avoiding the one, and
gaining the other ? For with what propriety
can it be imagined, that Mofes and the pro-
phets, that Chrift and his apoflles, exhorted
men to the practice of thofe things which they
knew they were incapable of pradifing ?
Indeed there are innumerable palTages of
fcripture, both in the old and in the new
teftament, that are utterly incapable of any
rationnl and confiftent interpretation, upon any
other fuppofition than that of man's being a
free agent. In the book of Deuteronomy,
chap. XXX. 15 — 20. we find Mofes making
E this
$6 A Review of the
this folemn and public declaration to the whole
people of the Jews. See^ I have Jet before thee
this day life and good, and death and evil j in
that I command thee this day to love the herd
thy Codf to ivalk in his ways, and to keep his
commandments, and his Jiatutes, and his judg-
ments : — / call heaven and earth to record this
day againfi you, that I have fet before you life
and death, bleffing and curftng : therefore chufe
life, that both thou and thy feed may live : that
thou mayejl love the Lord, and that thou mayeji
cbey his voice, and that thou mayeft cleave unto
him. What can we think of fuch a folemn
declaration as this to the whole people of
Ifrael, if Mofes, at the very time he was
making it, had known that by the natural
perverfenefs and depravity of their natures,
they were really incapable of loving and obey-
ing God ? Can it be fuppofed that he would
have bid them chufe life (as the confequence
of their obeying the commandments of God^
and called heaven and earth to witnefs that he
had fet it before them, when he knew that
they were naturally incapable of chufing it ?
And Mofes appears, ver. ii, 12, 13, 14. of
the fame chapter, to have been fo f;ir from
imagining them naturally incapable of per-
forming the will of God, that he plainly
afierts, that as they knew the will of God,
they
Genuine Doctrines, 6?c. ^7
th<?y Gould have no excufe for not doing it y
which manifeftly fuppofes it was in their power
to do fo. T7jis commandme)it U!hich I command
thee this day, it is not hidden from thee^ neither
is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou
fhouldefl fa)\ Who JJjall go up for us to heaven,
and bring it unto us, that ive may hear it, and
do it ? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in
thy mouthy and in thy hearty that thou mayefi
do it.
The free agency of man is evidently im-
plied in ^hofe pathetic expoftulations which ar&
made to the Jewifh people in the prophecies of
Ezekiel. Cafi away from you all your tranf^
greffwns, whereby ye have trarfgreffsd, and make
you a new heart , and a new fprit ; for why
will ye die, 0 houfe of IJrael ? for 1 have no
-pleafure in the death of him that dieth, faith
the Lord God : wherefore tu?-n ye yourfelveSy
and live ye ^. They are here manifeftly fup-
pofed capable of cafting from them all their
tranfgrelTions, and of turning to God. The
Almighty declares, / have no pkafure in the
death of him that dieth. God had not been
wanting on his fide : he had given them
E 2 faculties
** Ezekiel xviii. 51
6s A Review of the
faculties and powers fufficient for the purpofes
of religion, but they had neglected to employ
them. To the fame purpofe it is faid by St.
Paul, that God would have all men to be faved '.
How is it pofTible to explain this, with any
degree of confiftency, unlefs we confider men
as free creatures. If the falvation of all men
depended on the will of God, independent of
their own anions -, and it was the will of God
that all men Ihould be faved j what was it that
could pofiibly prevent it ? God certainly might
have elected, or given a fufficient degree of
grace, to one man as well as to another. But
if wc confider men as free agents, capable of
afling either well or ill, even independent of
their Maker, whilft they continue in poiTefTion
of that freedom of choice which he hath origi-
nally given th^m •, the difficulty then vanifhes.
It is agreeable to the will of the good and
merciful Father of our fpirits, that all men
ihould conform themfelves to the laws of piety
and virtue, and thereby qualify themfelves for
the enjoyment of eternal happinefs : but as He
has made them free creatures, this depends upon
their own choice ; and it is from thence it
arifes, that though it is the will of God that
all
« Timothy ii. /{.
Genuine Doctrines, &c. 69
all men fliould be faved, yet there are many
who notwithftandfhg will not be laved. God
hath done his part ; but they, being free to
accept the terms of falvation or to refufe them,
have not co-operated with the benevolent in-
tentions of the Deity.
Any inftances which may be produced of
the Almighty having influenced the adions of
fome particular individuals, on extraordinary
and particular occafions, are no juft argument
againft the general dodlrine of the free agency
of man. We know that in the natural world,
as well as in the moral, there are inftances of
the divine interpofuion on particular occallons j
although in the ordinary courfe of divine pro-
vidence, things are fiiffered to go on according
to the fixed and eftablifhed laws of nature.
Neither does our admitting the free agency of
man, and his natural capability of religion
and virtue, exclude the dodrine of dhine affifi-
unce. For though men naturally poircfs fuch
an ability, yet the divine being may certainly
communicate any irradiations, or internal affiH-
ances, which his infinite wifdom for any v/ife
reafons may at any time fee fit and proper ;
and which may not in the leafl interfere with
their natural freedom of acflion. It appears
however very certain, that we have now no
reafon
70 A Review of the
reafon to exped; aiTiftances of that fort, in the
fame degree in which they were con^municated
in the time of the apoftles, and in the firft age
of Chriflianity. The interpofition of the Deity
was at that time more apparent, and it certainly
was more needful in the firft eflablilhment of
the gofpel, than it can be in thefe ages. And
undue pretences to divine illumination have
been fuch a fource of the moll extravagant
enthufiafm, that they fhould therefore by in-
telligent Chriftians be very carefully avoided.
Upon the whole, it is very evident, that it
is the univerfal fenfe of all mankind, in judg-
ing of their own ad:ions, and thofe of other
men, that they are free creatures. The very
exiflence of human laws and government fup-
pofes it. Without fuppofing them mafters of
their own adions, they cannot be confidered as
accountable for them. To reward or punilh
any beings, either in the prefent or the future
world, for adlions which they did not volunta-
rily perform, and which they could not have
avoided, would be both unjuft and abfurd.
The confequence is clear and evident : either
men have it in their power to obey the didlates
of reafon and religion, or they have not : if
they have, they are properly moral and
accountable creatures, and proper objeds of
reward
Genuine Doctrines, Cs'c. yi
reward and punifhment ♦, if they have not,
they cannot be accountable for their aflions,
nor can they, with the lead juftice or propriety,
be either punifhed or rewarded. And the
whole tenor of revelation manifeftly fuppofes
men to be free agents. On any other fuppO'
fition, the whole fcheme of religion appears
full of confufion and diforder, an inexplicable
myflery : but if we admit that men are free
creatures, and confequently accountable for
their a<5lions, thefe difficulties vanifh, and the
whole fyftem of religion appears rational, in-
telligible, harmonious, and confiftent. We
then naturally confider the prefent ftate as a
Hate of trial ; to the very idea of which temp-
tations are effential •, and future rewards and
punilhments then appear natural and necef-
fary.
It appears then that there is no foundation
in reafon for the Calviniftical dodtrines ; and it
hath been fhewn that there is as little real
foundation for them in revelation •, that they
are not the dodrines of fcripture, but the
inventions of men ; and that the great defign
of the Chriftian revelation is to promote the
praflice of righteoufnefs. But how inconfiftent
with this are the methods that are fometimes
taken to depreciate moral virtue ? That which
the
72 A Review of the
the fcriptures invariably reprefent as one of the
moll effential parts of religion, without which
they could never expe<5t to be approved or
accepted by God, is by many Chriftian teachers
numbered (as Swift expreffes it) among the
leggarly dements^
The abfurd and inconfiftent reprefentations
that have frequently been given of the Chriftian
fyfteni by its miftaken friends, appear to have
done it more real diflervice, than all the writings
of the deifts. The oppofition of the deifts
hath in fome refpe<5bs been very ferviceable to
Chriftianity : it hath occafioned the evidences
of its divine original to be more diligently
enquired into, and more clearly pointed out.
And it hath fhewn that the gofpel is fuperior
to all the attacks of its keeneft adverfaries.
But the abfurd notions which have been pro-
pagated of the Chriftian religion by many of
its profeflbrs, have prevented its having its
proper effecb upon many of thofe who did
profefs a belief in it -, and hath been a great
means of adding ftrength to the attacks of its
adverfaries. For indeed many of the argu-
ments of the deiftical writers are levelled, not
fo much againft Chriftianity itfelf, as againfl:
fome miftaken reprefentations of it : but which
they, as it bsft anfwered their purpofe, thought
proper
Genuine Doctrines, ^c, 75
-proper to confider as the real dodrines of Chri-
ftianity.
The religion of Jefus, when it is confi-
dered diftinft from thofe abfurd additions with
which nien have frequently obfcured and disfi-
gured it, muft excite the approbation and the
reverence of every man. Were it always
reprefented in its genuine, in its native beauty,
religion could never be made the fubjed; of
raillery and ridicule. The Chriflian revelation
exhibits the Deity in the moft endearing and
engaging charadlers j as the God of love, and
the father and friend of the whole human race.
It teaches a piety and devotion, not confine^
either to time or place, nor compoled of
fuperftitious and external rites and ceremonies ;
but pure, fpiritual, and rational. It enforces
the utmoft purity of heart, and the greatell
fimplicity, integrity, and reditude of man-
ners. And it inculcates a benevolence not
confined either to feds, or parties, or countries ;
but of the moft difiiifive and difinterefted
kind. In fhort, it is the defign of Chri-
ftianity to promote whatfoever is really noble,
excellent, amiable, and praife-worthy ; what-
foever can refine, perfed, ennoble, and dignify
humanity.
TiTF
^4 -^ Review, ^r.'
The profeflbrs of Chriftianity lliould be
very cautious of corrupting the fimplicity of
the gofpel by human additions. For it fhould
be remembered, that all thofe who contribute
any thing towards rendering its excellency and
reafonablenefs lef§ apparent, do, in faft, (how-
ever different their intention may bej ftrengthen
the caufe of Deifm, and fharpen thp arrows of
Infidelity. ,,
■ ■■ • i
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