the revelation, and do imagine, that our interpretation is natural, rational, and harmonious.

Affuredly, there is a petulancy of spirit, that has long hurried men into a strange vehemence of imagination; by which they have been prompted to fwallow, unmasticated, eftablished doctrines; for no better reason, but because they are myfterious and unintelligible. a fort of enchantment is found, in all the secret chambers of churchifm. And the people are trained, in a veneration of antiquity and univerfality of opinion and fentiment, without seeing the infinite importance of judging and determining, every man for himself, in all matters of faith and religion."

a

however he fais,

A fpecimen of true theology, or bible divinity, &c. just published by Whifton and White; is faid to have a Phyfician for its author. It seems to be the production of a mind somewhat disordered. the holy feriptures affure us, that the time will come, when the rational and immortal spirits of all mankind, shall repent and confefs CHRIST, either here or hereafter, and fhall be delivered out of torment, and admitted to eafe through Chrift's imputed merits; and we believe with ERASMUS, every indi vidual of mankind will finally, through Chrift's merits, be received again into the favour of his Almighty Father, and in fome degree partake of happiness to all eternity. And this, we think, the

boly

This Effay and Survey, may fuggeft fome moral and divine instructions, in aid of our faith, hope, and obedience.

holy fcriptures do every where plainly point out, and declare to us, in a multitude of pallages.a

Upon the doctrine of an infinite fatisfaction, this would be no unfound conclufion. but, upon our interpretation, it has no fort or degree of countenance from the revelation.

Again, he fais, natural death feems to be the feparating of the immortal rational spirit, together with the fenfitive Soul, from the body or carcafe laid in the grave; while the fenfitive Soul may ac company the rational and immortal spirit, and may be formed for the fufferings, and ease of the intermediate fate, according as man's behaviour has been in this prefent life, and that, for a further ftate of tryal of the wicked in fome degree, &c.e

This, I fhould fufpect, has the smell of purgatory.

a Specimen, p. 18.

e P. 34.

CHAP.

Moral and divine inftructions, arifing from the views taken in the Survey of a fearch after the Soul.

I. XXN the scheme of interpretation of the New Teftament doctrine, the

XXX one God the Father, is confidered, as the infinite fource of being, life and bleffedness! and Jesus Christ is understood and described, as the minifter of this one God, who has made a revelation of his will to mankind; not as the purchaser or procurer of any. divine benefits, but as the inftrument of declaring and conveying the benefits. The benignity and goodness of God, is free, effential, immutable and eternal. Every divine advantage we do, or can receive, from the mediation of Jefus, is the refult of that ef fential, free, and immutable goodness of the Father

U 3

Father; only made more manifeft by him who prefides as fovereign, and is the one Lord of the chriftian. As Redeemer and Saviour, this Jefus does not propitiate, appease or reconcile God, or give him fatisfaction, by his fufferings and death; but has thereby expofed fin, iniquity, and vice, in order to reconcile finners by his death; which thus offers the reafon of conviction, repentance and reformation; the only method in which the finner can be reconciled to God, and recovered to virtue and glory. The whole of our Lord's doctrine, concerning his own miffion, does confider, confult, and report the glory of the Father, as final. Here is nothing incompatible in all this, with the firft principles of natural religion.

ages

II. Religion has been one and the fame thing, in principle, motive, and spirit, throughout all and among all nations. The difference of the modes of expreffion, will put no negative upon this obfervation. A fupreme reverence of one fupreme Being, producing all the fruits of righteousness, has been the basis of human hope and confidence univerfally. That very maf terly narration of the energy and efficacy of

faith or religion, given by St. Paul, Heb. xi. will confirm and establish the truth of this inftruction. and we may add, that teftimony

given by Eufebius, before cited from that justly celebrated work, Dr. LARDNER's Credibility; wherein a moft noble confeffion is made of

the truth. It is not reasonable to fuppofe, that the God of the Spirits of all flesh, would leave his creature man, without evidence, either of his being or benignity. And moreover, we find accordingly, that shining, illuftrious characters for piety, do appear in all the ancient records of mankind. They have clearly feen from the beginning, that God is the final end of their exiftence; and they have been able to own, his favour to be life; and his loving kindness better than life. their language has been, whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth to be defired befides thee. for when flesh and heart fail, God is the rock of the heart, and its portion for ever. They have had expectations of a future-state. If. lvii. 1, 2. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none confidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. he shall enter into peace, they shall reft in their beds, walking,