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the latter of which, it must be confeffed, they are bleffed with a plentiful fbare of. When I represented the Chriftian miniftry as having been injurious to the Gospel of Chrift, I did not represent it to have been univerfally, but only too generally the case. There have been, I doubt not, many honeft worthy good men employed in the Christian ministry, who have laboured abundantly to render the Gospel of Chrift efficacious and fuccesful upon the minds and lives of men; and this has been the cafe in all ages, in all countries, and perhaps amongst all fects and parties in the Chriftian world; but then, taking all these into the account, what proportion there has been betwixt the Fleetwood's and the Sacheverell's, betwixt those who have been nurfing fathers and those who have been the troublers of our Ifrael, betwixt those who have fed and those who have fleeced the flock of Chrift, I will

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leave to the determination of more capable judges.

One of thefe my opponents has been pleased to observe, (in the introductory part of his book) that what I, at feveral times, have offered to the world, one part is built upon another, and thus I go on to build; fo that the answering one or two of my tracts answers the whole. Upon which I obferve, that many of the fubjects I have treated of are as diftinct and independent as any fubjects of moral confideration can be ; and therefore, there was no place for this author's idle remark. And what point he proposed to gain by it I cannot conceive, except it was to let his readers fee how very inattentive he could be to the fubject he took upon him to examine, and that therefore, they ought not to be furprised if they found this to be the cafe through his whole book. However, I obferve to this author, and to

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the rest of my opponents, that I have laid down two or three principles which I have made the ground and foundation of argument; which principles if they are deftroyed, then, all that I have built upon them must fall with them. But if they cannot be destroyed, as, I think, they cannot, then, what I have built upon them muft ftand in fpite of all oppofition; and that Babel of confufion which my opponents are building, muft, in point of argument, fall to the ground. The principles referred to are these three. First, that there is a natural and an effential difference in things, and that one thing or action is diftinct from, and really preferable to another in nature; Secondly, that there is a rule of action refulting from that difference, which every moral agent ought in reason to govern his actions by; Thirdly, that God makes this rule the measure of his actions, in all inftances and cafes

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in which it can be a rule to him. These are the principles I reason from, the destroying of which, deftroys all that I have built upon them; whereas, if these are immovable, then, every thing juftly grounded upon them must be immovable also. Here then, is a short and plain way of anfwering me, though it is fuch a way as my opponents will not be prevailed upon to come into. It is but to fhew that the forementioned principles are falfe, and the work is done, I am confuted. then, every thing short of this, falls fhort of an answer to me. This is what I have obferved long before now, and perhaps my repeating it here, may give an occafion to my acute and quick fighted opponent to renew his remark, viz. that I ftill go on to build one book upon another. It is no anfwer to me to advance doctrines barely grounded on the figurative language of the New Teftament,

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Teftament, whether the New Testament was written by divine infpiration or not; becaufe figures of Speech are not a proper foundation to build doctrines of importance upon, efpecially when those doctrines are plainly repugnant to the most plain and evident principles of reafon, which is the present case.

But to return to my readers. Sirs, I beseech you to be upon your guard, and examine carefully and attentively whatever is offered to your confideration; because, now, oppofition is made from all quarters to those truths that are of the utmost concern to your present and future well being. When the queftion was put, Who fhall perfwade Abab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? And one faid on this manner, and another faid on that manner. There came forth a fpirit, and ftood before the Lord, and faid, I will perfwade him. And the Lord faid unto him, Wherewith? And be faid, I

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