which it is very natural, and no lefs pertinent to the concern in hand to make this further reflection, that we should not be over hafty to pronounce any thing (even of a phyfical, much less of a religious nature,) to be impoffible, only because it appears to us to be incomprehenfible. For befides that the incomprehenfibility of a thing is (as this whole difcourfe fhews) no certain argument of its impoffibility, and that appears incomprehenfible to our understandings may at the fame time be well comprehended by those of angels, not to fay of wifer men, perhaps that which appears to us at present to be above all comprehenfion, may in process of time, and upon further reflection and experience, so brighten and clear up to our minds, as to be comprehended, or at least to be thought of a comprehenfible and poffible nature even by our more improved felves. For the incomprehenfibility of a thing as fuch being no abfolute affection or intrinfic denomination of the thing itfelf from its own nature, but only fuch as affects it from without, and in relation to the prefent capacity of our understandings, there needs no alteration in the nature of the thing to make that comprehenfible which was before incomprehenfible, a change in our understandings is fufficient, upon whofe greater improvement alone an incomprehenfible may become a comprehenfible object. So that befides the nullity of the confequence from the incomprehenfibility of a thing to its impoffibility, even the principle itself from which that confequence is pretended to be drawn may be removed, by the prefent comprehenfion of what paffed before with us for an incomprehenfible propofition. Upon both which confiderations we are admonished to be very cautious how we conclude any thing in nature, much more in Scripture, to be impoffible, becaufe to us incomprehenfible. And it is the very ufe Mr. Whifton himfelf makes of the latter of them in the conclufion of his excellent work, from which I think it worth while to tranfcribe a paffage both for the advantage of the prefent argument, and the greater conviction of the reader, to whom, as well as to myfelf, it must be no little fatisfaction to fee the fentiments of fo great an author concur with mine.

"The measure of our prefent knowledge," fays he, "ought not to be eftcemed the xpiTrpiov, or teft of truth, (the very propofition almost in terms of my fourth chapter) or to be opposed

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to the accounts received from prophane antiquity, much less to the inspired writings. For notwithstanding that several particulars relating to the eldest condition of the world and its great catastrophes, examined and compared with so much philosophy as was till lately known, were plainly unaccountable, and, naturally speaking, impoffible; yet we see now nature is more fully, more certainly, and more fubftantially understood, that the fame things approve themselves to be plain, eafy, and rational. It is therefore folly in the highest degree to reject the truth or divine authority of the holy Scriptures, because we cannot give our minds particular fatisfaction as to the manner, nay, or even poffibility of fome things therein afferted. Since we have feen for many of those things which feemed the most incredible in the whole Bible, and gave the greatest fcruple and scandal to philofophic minds, fo fully and particularly attefted, and next to demonstrated from certain principles of aftronomy and natural knowledge, it is but reasonable to expect in due time a like folution of the other difficulties. It is but juft fure to depend upon the veracity of those holy writers in other affertions, whose fidelity is fo entirely established in these hitherto equally unaccountable ones. The obvious, plain, or literal fenfe of the facred Scriptures ought not without great reafon to be eluded, or laid afide: several of those very places which feemed very much to require the fame hitherto, appearing now to the minutest circumstances true and rational, according to the ftricteft and most literal interpretation. of them. We may be under an obligation to believe fuch things on the authority of the holy Scriptures as are properly mysteries; that is, though not really contradictory, yet plainly unaccountable to our (prefent degree of) knowledge and reafon. Thus the facred hiftories of the original conftitution, and great cataftrophes of the world, have been in the past ages the objects of the faith of Jews and Chriftians, though the divine Providence had not afforded fo much light as that they could otherwise fatisfy themfelves in the credibility of them, till the new improvements in philofophy. And this is but juft and reasonable: for fure the ignorance or incapacity of the creature does by no means afford fufficient ground for incredulity, or justify men in their rejecting divine revelation, and impeaching the veracity or providence of the creator." With which weighty, and to the prefent purpose very pertinent words of this worthy author I feal up my own, and leave them both to the confideration of the reader.

THE IMPIETY AND ABSURDITY OF THEIR PRINCIPLES ARE CLEARLY SHEWN.

ADDRESSED

BY A COUNTRY CLERGYMAN

то

HIS PARISHIONERS.

A

PRESERVATIVE

AGAINST

SOCINIANISM.

MY DRAR BRETHREN,

You

OU live in an age, and in a country, in which many think they have a right to do, and say, what they please. Thus far, indeed, we are ftill under the protection of the law, that one man cannot fhoot another through the head, without being Hanged for it; unless he does it upon a principle of honour. But he may afperfe characters, accufe the innocent, put darknefs for light, and light for darkness, blafpheme God, difhonour the king, and expofe the nakedness of his country, without being called to any account. He may erect a literary star-chamber, wherein all works, in defence of true religion, and the polity of the church of England, are mifreprefented, and mangled, without justice or mercy, for five-and-thirty years together; their ears cropped, their nofes flit, and thus disfigured they are turned out into the streets, to be scorned by the public; who are hence to collect, that our faith is defencelefs, and our writers ridiculous.

Before the flood of Noah, the earth was filled with violence, God was defpifed, all goodness was trampled under foot, and men were too far gone to take any warning. The Gospel tells us it fhall be fo again: and all good people, who are not impofed upon by empty founds, can plainly fee that licentiousness, fo loudly glorified under the name of liberty in thefe latter days, will be the grand inftrument in bringing the new world up to that degree of corruption, which destroyed the old.