be rejected by Christians. And, as to the circumftance of miracles, no external evidence whatsoever can poffibly fo alter the nature of things as to make a falfe propofition true. Befides, miracles are evidences, or natural marks, not of the veracity, but only of the power of the agent that performs them; and therefore, all doctrines and rules of action that are delivered under the pretext of miracles ought to be tried, before they be admitted. And, agreeably to this principle, Mofes gave it in charge to the people of Ifrael, Deut. xiii. 1. and fo on. If there arife among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a fign or a wonder, and the fign or the wonder come to pass, faying let us go after other gods, (which thou hast not known) and let us ferve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; &c.

I have already obferved, that the fum total of Dr Stebbing's charge, is, that what I have represented to be the True Gospel of Jefus Chrift is Heathenifm, mere Heathenifm; or, in other words, it is Deifm and Infidelity; these, I think, being ufed by him as fynonymous terms, and which, by his own conftruction, in a parallel * case, is the fame as to fay, that I

am

* See the Reverend Dr Stebbing's Controverfy with the Reverend Mr Fofter; in which, when Mr Fofter had charged the Doctor with having maintained a Mahometan maxim, viz. the laying pecuniary mulets on Diffenters,

the

am an Infidel, a Deift, a Heathen, yea a mere Heathen. These are hard names or terms of reproach as they are commonly used and understood, and which, I think, in the present cafe, can anfwer no other purpose than to render me odious and contemptible; and this is a short and easy way of dealing with an adverfary. However, the point with me, is, (as I have already obferved) whether what I have advanced be the truth, with respect to which Dr Stebbing hath not yet fhewn the contrary; and not what name it is to be called by, or that I am to be called on account of it, and therefore, the Doctor may go on with his invectives, which are well fuited to answer low, mean, and bafe purposes. Befides, thofe characters of Infidel, Deift, Heathen, &c. may with as much juftness and propriety be fixed upon other perfons as upon me, whom yet, furely, Dr Stebbing would not chufe to treat in this way; and therefore, if the Doctor's Vifitation Charge is to be confidered as an anfwer to my book, then, there is a reply, which has been prepared long fince, viz. a Sermon preached by the Right Reverend Dr Sherlocke now Lord Bishop of Salisbury, at Bow-Church, London, on the 17th of February

the Doctor, in the bitterness of his foul, poured out his complaint to the publick, that Mr Fofter would make him a mere Turk; and yet he makes no fcruple to use the author in the fame way. Though perhaps, to do as one would be done by, is a principle too low and mean, Heathenifh for Dr Stebbing to make it a rule of action to himself.

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February 1715, before the Society for propagating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts; which Sermon, I conceive, to be a full and complete reply to the aforefaid Charge; and therefore, to it I refer my readers for their farther fatiffaction, or, at least, to what I have quoted from it in the foregoing Enquiry; and to which Sermon or Reply Dr Stebbing may make a rejoynder if he pleafe.

To conclude this Poftfcript, I obferve, that as the book Dr Stebbing refers to has made a great noise in the world; fo feveral books and pamphlets (whereof the Doctor's Vifitation Charge is one) have been published called anfwers to it, the fhewing the weakness and impertinence of which, would not be of much use or benefit to my readers; and therefore, I have rather chofen to represent to them what are the folid grounds upon which true religion is founded, as in the precedent Enquiry, the attending to which Enquiry will be much more fubfervient to their improvement in useful knowledge and virtue, than to a wrangling controverfy. And if Dr Stebbing, or any other perfon has wherewith to oppose; they may fhew off as foon as they please. There is nothing fo plain and evident but what artful men may find out ways to darken and perplex; and, tho' this may take with the weak and inattentive, yet men of understanding can fee through fuch disguises, and therefore, to their judgments I readily fubmit what I have written.

I will only add, that as Dr Stebbing's charge is a much clearer proof of ftrong paffion, than found reafon; fo, I fear, it was the produce of his refentment; namely, for my having publickly called upon him to reconfider his falfe and evil doctrince of pecuniary mulets, and either publickly to defend it, or give it up; one or other of which, furely, he ought to have done, though I have not heard he has yet done either. I call the forementioned doctrine falfe and evil, because, I think, I have proved it to be both, in my letter to the Reverend Dr Stebbing, on that fubject; which letter I ordered to be sent to him, and, I doubt not, but it was fent accordingly.

* See the author's fecond letter to the Reverend Dr Stebbing.

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