A second vindication of The reasonableness of Christianity, &c, by the author of The reasonableness of Christinaity, &c.

LI.

Where it is that I deride Myste∣ries?

His next Words, p. 104. are very remarkable: They are O how he [the Vindicator] grins at the Spirit of Creed making? p. 18. Vind. the very thoughts of which do so haunt him, so plague and torment him, that he cannot

rest till it be conjured down. And here by the way, seeing I have mention'd his rancour against Systematick Books and Writings, I might represent the Misery that is coming upon all Booksellers if this Gentleman and his Correspondents go on suc••essfully. Here is an effectual Plot to undermine Stationers-Hall; for all Systems and Bodies of Divinity, Philo∣sophy, &c. must be cashier'd: Whatever looks like System must not be bought or sold. This will fall heavy on the Gen∣tlemen of St. Paul's Church-yard, and other places. Here the Politick Un∣masker seems to threaten me with the Posse of Paul's Church-yard, because my Book might lessen their Gain in the Sale of Theological Systems. I remember that Demetrius the Shrine∣maker which brought no small gain to the Crafts-men whom he called together, with the Workmen of like Occupation, and said to this purpose; Sirs, Ye know, that by this Craft we have our Wealth; Moreover ye see, and hear, that this Paul hath perswaded, and turned away much People saying, that they be no Gods that are made with hands, so that this our Craft is in danger to be set at

naught. And when they heard these Sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Have you, Sir, who are so good at Speech-making, as a worthy Successor of the Silver-smith, regu∣lating your Zeal for the Truth, and your writing of Divinity by the Pro∣fit it will bring, made a Speech to this purpose to the Craftsmen, and told them, that I say, Articles of Faith, and Creeds, and Systems in Religion cannot be made by Mens Hands or Fancies; But must be just such, and no other, than what God hath given us in the Scriptures? And are they ready to cry out to your content, Great is Diana of the Ephesians? If you have well warm'd them with your Oratory, 'tis to be hoped they will heartily join with you, and bestir themselves, and choose you for their Champion, to prevent the Misery you tell them is coming upon them, in the loss of the Sale of Systems and Bodies of Divinity; For, as for Philosophy, which you name too, I think you went a little too far. Nothing of that kind, as I remember, hath been so

much as mention'd. But however, some sort of Orators, when their hands are in, omit nothing true or false, that may move those that they would work upon. Is not this a worthy Im∣ployment, and becoming a Preacher of the Gospel, to be a Sollicitor for Stationers-Hall? and make the Gain of the Gentlemen of Paul's Church-yard a Consideration, for or against any Book writ concerning Religion? This, if it were ever thought on before, no body but an Unmasker, who lays all open, was ever so foolish as to Publish. But here you have an account of his Zeal: The views of Gain are to mea∣sure the truths of Divinity. Had his Zeal, as he pretends in the next Para∣graph, no other aims, but the defence of the Gospel, 'tis probable this Contro∣versie would have been managed after another fashion.

Whether what he says in the next, p. 105. to excuse his so o••ten pretend∣ing to know my Heart and Thoughts, will satisfie the Reader, I shall not trouble my self. By his so often doing it again in his Socinianism Unmask'd, I see he cannot write without it. And

so I leave it to the Judgment of the Readers, whether he can be allow'd to know other Mens thoughts, who in many Occasions seems not well to know his own. The Railing in the remainder of this Chapter I shall pass by, as I have done a great deal of the same strain in his Book: Only to shew how well he understands or represents my sense, I shall set down my Words, as they are in the Pages he quotes, and his Inferences from them.

Vindicat. p. 22.

Socin. Unmask'd, p. 108.

I know not but it may be true, that the Antitrinitari∣ans and Racovians understand those places as I do: But 'tis more than I know, that they do so. I took not my sence of those Texts from those Writers, but from the Scripture it self, giving Light to its own mean∣ing by one place compared with a∣nother. What in this way appears to me its true meaning, I shall not decline; be∣cause I am told that it is so under∣stood by the Raco∣vians, whom I never yet read; nor embrace the contrary, though the generality of Divines I more converse with, should declare for it. If the sence wherein I understand those Texts be a Mistake, I shall be beholding to you, if you will set me right. But they are not popular Authorities, or frightful Names whereby I judge of Truth or Falshood.

The professed Di∣vines of England, you must know, are but a pitiful sort of Folks with this great Racovian Rabbi. He tells us plainly, that he is not mindful of what the generality of Di∣vines declare for, p. 22. He labours so concernedly to ingratiate himself

with the Mobb, the Multitude (which he so often talks of) that he hath no re∣gard to these. The generality of the Rabble are more considerable with him, than the gene∣rality of Divines.

He tells me here of the Generality of Divines. If he had said of the Church of England, I could have un∣derstood him. But he says, The pro∣fessed Divines of England; And there being several sorts of Divines in Eng∣land, who, I think, do not every where

agree in their Interpretations of Scrip∣ture; which of them is it I must have regard to, where they differ? If he cannot tell me that, he complains here of me for a Fault, which he himself knows not how to mend.

Vindicat. p. 18.

Socin. Unmask'd, p. 109.

The list of Mate∣rials for his Creed, for the Articles are not yet form∣ed, Mr. Edwards closes, p. 111. with these words, These are the Matters of Faith contain'd in the Epistles, and they are Essential and Integral parts of the Gospel it self. What just these? neither more nor less? l. 4. If you are sure of it, pray let us have them speedily, for the reconciling of Diffe∣rences in the Christian Church, which has been so cruelly torn about the Ar∣ticles of the Christian Faith, to the great Reproach of Christian Charity, and Scandal of our true Religion.

This Author, as demure and grave as he would some∣times seem to be, can scoff at the mat∣ters of Faith con∣tain'd in the Apo∣stles Epistles, p. 18. l. 4, &c.

Does the Vindicator here scoff at the Matters of Faith contain'd in the Epistles? Or shew the vain Pretences of the Unmasker; who undertakes to give us out of the Epistles a Colle∣ction of Fundamentals, without being able to say whether those he sets down be all or no?

Vindicat. p. 33.

Socin. Unmask'd, p. 110.

I hope you do not think how contemptibly so∣ever you speak of the Venerable Mob, as you are pleas'd to dignifie them, p. 117. that the bulk of Mankind, or in your Phrase, the Rabble are not concerned in Religion, or ought not to under∣stand it in order to their Salvation. I remember the Pharisees treated the Common People with Contempt, and said, Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this People who knoweth not the Law are cursed. But yet these, who in the censure

of the Pharisees were cursed, were some of the Poor, or, if you please to have it so, the Mob, to whom the Gospel was Preach'd by our Sa∣viour, as he tells Iohns Disciples, Mat. XI. 5.

To Coakse the Mob, he prophane∣ly brings in that place of Scripture. Have any of the Rulers believed in him?

Where the Prophaneness of this is, I do not see; Unless some unknown Sacredness of the Unmasker's Person make it Prophaneness to shew, that he like the Pharisees of old, has a great contempt for the Common People, i. e. the far greater part of Man∣kind; as if they and their Salva∣tion were below the regard of this elevated Rabbi. But this of Pro∣phaneness may be well born from him, since in the next words my men∣tioning another part of his Carriage is no less than Irreligion.

Vindicat. p. 25.	Socin. Unmask'd p. 110.
He prefers what I say to him my self to what is of∣fer'd to him from the Word of God, and makes me this Complement, that I begin to mend about the close, i. e. when I leave off quoting of Scripture, and the dull Work was done of going through the History of the Evangelists and the Acts, which he computes, p. 105. to take up three Quarters of my Book.	Ridiculously and irreligiously he pre∣tends, that I pre∣fer what he saith to me, to what

is offer'd to me from the Word of God, p. 25.

The Matter of Fact is as I relate it, and so is beyond pretence, and for this I refer the Reader to the 105. and 114. Pages of his Thoughts concerning the Causes of Atheism. But had I mi∣staken, I know not how he could have call'd it Irreligiously. Make the worst of it that can be, how comes it to be Irreligious? What is there Divine in an Vnmasker; that one cannot pretend (true or false) that he prefers what I say, to what is o••••er'd him from the Word of God, without doing it Irre∣ligiously? Does the very assuming the Power to de••ine Articles, and deter∣mine who are, and who are not Chri∣stians, by a Creed not yet made, erect an Unmasker presently into God's

Throne, and bestow on him the title of Dominus deus{que} noster, whereby Of∣fences against him come to be Irreli∣gious Acts? I have misrepresented his meaning; Let it be so: Where is the Irreligion of it? Thus it is: The Power of making a Religion for others (and those that make Creeds do that) being once got into any one's fancy, must at last make all Oppositions to those Creeds and Creed-maker's Irreligion. Thus we see in process of time it did in the Church of Rome: But it was in length of time, and by gentle degrees. The Unmasker, it seems, cannot stay, is in hast, and at one jump leaps into the Chair. He has given us yet but a piece of his Creed, and yet that is enough to set him above the state of Humane Mistakes or Frailties, and to mention any such thing in him, is to do Irreligiously.

We may further see, says the Un∣masker, p. 110. how counterfeit the Vin∣dicator's Gravity is, whil'st he condemns frothy and light Discourses, p. 26. Vindic. And yet in many Pages together, most irreverently treats a great part of the Apostolical Writings, and throws aside

the main Articles of Religion as unne∣cessary. Answ. In my Vindic. p. 19. you may remember these words,

I require you to Publish to the World those Passages which shew my con∣tempt of the Epistles.

Why do you not (especially having been so called upon to do it) set down those words, wherein I most irreverently treat a great part of the Apostolical Writings? At least why do you not quote those many Pages wherein I do it? This looks a little suspiciously, that you cannot: And the more, be∣cause you have in this very Page not been sparing to quote places which you thought to your purpose. I must take leave therefore (if it may be done without Irreligion) to assure the Rea∣der, that this is another of your many Mistakes in Matters of Fact, for which you have not so much as the excuse of Inadvertency: For as he sees, you have been minded of it before. But an Vnmasker, say what you will to him, will be an Unmasker still.

He closes what he has to say to me in his Socinianism Unmask'd, as if he were in the Pulpit, with an Use of

Exhortation. The false Insinuations, it is filled with, makes the Conclusion of a Piece with the Introduction. As he sets out so he ends, and therein shews wherein he places his Strength. A custom of making bold with Truth, is so seldom curable in a grown Man, and the Unmasker shews so little sence of Shame, where it is charged upon him, beyond a possibility of clearing himself, that no body is to trouble themselves any farther about that part of his established Character. Let∣ting therefore that alone to Nature and Custom, two sure Guides, I shall only intreat him, to prevent his ta∣king Railing for Argument, (which I fear he too often does) that upon his entrance every where upon any new Argument, he would set it down in Syllogism, and when he has done that (that I may know what is to be answered) let him then give Vent as he pleases, to his noble Vein of Wit and Oratory.

The lifting a Man's self up in his own Opinion, has had the Credit in former Ages to be thought the lowest Degradation that Humane Nature

could well sink it self to. Hence says the Wise Man, Prov. XXVI. 6. An∣swer a Fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. Hereby shewing, that Self-conceitedness is a Degree beneath ordinary Folly. And therefore he there provides a fence against it, to keep even Fools from sinking yet lower, by falling into it. Whether what was not so in Solomon's days, be now, by length of time, in ours, grown into a mark of Wisdom and Parts, and an Evidence of great Performances; I shall not enquire. Mr. Edwards—who goes beyond all that ever I yet met with in the Com∣mendation of his own, best knows why he so extols what he has done in this Controversie. For fear the Prai∣ses he has not been sparing of in his So••inianism Unmask'd, should not suffi∣ciently trumpet out his Worth, or might be forgotten; He in a new Piece entituled, The Socinian Creed, proclaims again his mighty Deeds, and the Vi∣ctory he has established to himself by them, in these words; But he and his Friends (the One-Article-Men) seem to have made Satisfaction by their profound

silence lately, whereby they acknowledge to the World, that they have nothing to say in Reply to what I laid to their Charge, and fully proved against them, &c. Socinian Creed, p. 128. This fresh Testimony of no ordinary Conceit, which Mr. Edwards hath of the Excellency and Strength of his Reasoning in his Socinianism Unmask'd, I leave with him and his Friends to be considered of at their leisure: And if they think I have mis-applied the term of Conceitedness, to so Wise, Un∣derstanding, and every way accom∣plished a Disputant (if we may believe himself) I will teach them a way how he, or any body else, may fully con∣vince me of it. There remains on his Score marked in this Reply of mine, several Propositions to be proved by him. If he can but find Arguments to prove them that will bear the set∣ting down in form, and will so pub∣lish them, I will allow my self to be mistaken. Nay, which is more, if he or any body in the 112. Pages of his Socinianism Unmasked, can find but Ten Arguments that will bear the test of Syllogism, the true Touchstone of

right Arguing, I will grant that that Treatise deserves all those Commen∣dations he has bestowed upon it; though it be made up more of his own Panegyrick, than a Confutation of me.

In his Socinian Creed (for a Creed∣maker he will be; and whether he has been as lucky for the Socinians as for the Orthodox, I know not) p. 120. he begins with me, and that with the same conquering Hand and Skill which can never fail of Victory; if a Man has but Wit enough to know what Proposition he is able to Confute, and then make that his Adversary's tenet. But the Repetitions of his old Song concerning one Article, the Epistles, &c. which occur here again, I shall only set down, that none of these excellent things may be lost, whereby this Ac∣cute and Unanswerable Writer has so well deserved his own Commenda∣tions, viz. That I say there is but one single Article of the Christian Truth necessary to be believed and assented to by us, p. 121. That I slight the Chri∣stian Principles, curtail the Articles of our Faith, and ravish Christianity it

self from him, p. 123. And that I turn the Epistles of the Apostle into Waste Paper, p. 127, &c.

These, and the like Slanders, I have already given an Answer to in my Reply to his former Book. Only one new one here I cannot pass over in Silence; because of the remarkable Prophaneness which seems to me to be in it, which, I think, deserves pub∣lick notice. In my Reasonableness of Christianity, I have laid together those Passages of our Saviour's Life, which seemed to me most eminently to shew his Wisdom, in that Conduct of him∣self, with that Reserve and Caution which was necessary to preserve him, and carry him through the appointed time of his Ministry. Some have thought I had herein done conside∣rable Service to the Christian Reli∣gion, by removing those Objections which some were apt to make from our Saviour's Carriage, not rightly understood. This Creed-maker tells me, p. 127. That I make our Saviour a Cow∣ard: A Word not to be applied to the Saviour of the World by a Pious or Discreet Christian upon any pretence,

without great Necessity and sure Grounds. If he had set down my words, and quoted the Page (which was the least could have been done to excuse such a Phrase) we should then have seen which of us two this impious and irreligious Epithete given to the Holy Iesus, has for its Author. In the mean time, I leave it with him, to be accounted for by his Piety, to those, who by his Example shall be in∣couraged to entertain so vile a thought, or use so prophane an Expression of the Captain of our Salvation, who free∣ly gave himself up to Death for us.

He also says in the same p. 127. that I every where strike at Systems, the Design of which is to establish one of my own, or to foster Scepticism, by beating down all others.

For clear Reason or good Sence, I do not think our Creed-maker ever had his fellow. In the immediate prece∣ding words of the same Sentence, he charges me with a great Antipathy against Systems; and before he comes to the end of it, finds out my Design to be the establishing one of my own. So that this my Antipathy against Systems,

makes me in love with one. My De∣sign, he says, is to establish a System of my own, or to foster Scepticism in beat∣ing down all others. Let my Book, if he pleases, be my System of Christia∣nity. Now is it in me any more fostering Scepticism, to say my System is true and others not, than it is in the Creed-maker to say so of all other Systems but his own? For, I hope, he does not allow any System of Christianity to be true, that differs from his any more than I do.

But I have spoke against all Systems. Answ. And always shall, so far as they are set up by particular Men or Par∣ties, as the just Measure of every Man's Faith, wherein every thing that is contained, is required and im∣posed to be believed to make a Man a Christian: Such an Opinion and Use of Systems I shall always be against; till the Creed-maker shall tell me amongst the Variety of them which alone is to be received and rested in, in the absence of his Creed; which is not yet finished, and, I fear, will not as long as I live. That every Man should receive from others, or

make to himself such a System of Christianity as he found most confor∣mable to the Word of God, according to the best of his understanding, is what I never spake against, but think it every one's Duty to Labour for, and to take all opportunities as long as he lives, by Studying the Scrip∣tures every day, to perfect.

But this, I fear, will not go easily down with our Author; for then he cannot be a Creed-maker for others. A thing he shews himself very for∣ward to, how able to perform it we shall see when his Creed is made. In the mean time, talking loudly and at Random about Fundamentals, without knowing what is so, may stand him in some stead.

This being all that is new, which I think my self concerned in, in this Socinian Creed, I pass on to his Post∣script. In the first Page whereof, I find these words, I found that the Ma∣nager of the Reasonableness of Chri∣stianity, had prevailed with a Gentle∣man to make a Sermon upon my Refu∣tation of that Treatise, and the Vindi∣cation of it. Such a piece of Imperti∣nency

as this, might have been born from a fair Adversary. But the Sam∣ple Mr. Edwards has given of himself in his Socinianism Unmask'd, perswades me this ought to be bound up with what he says of me in his Introduction to that Book in these words: Among others, they thought and made Choice of a Gentleman, who they knew would be extraordinary useful to them. And he it is probable was as forward to be made use of by them, and presently accepted of the Office that was assigned him; and more there to the same purpose. All which, I know to be utterly false.

'Tis pity that one who relies so en∣tirely upon it, should have no better an Invention. The Socinians set the Author of the Reasonableness of Chri∣stianity, &c. on Work to write that Book, by which Discovery, the World being (as Mr. Edwards says) let into the project, that Book is confounded, baffled, blown off, and by this Skilful Artifice there is an end of it. Mr. Bold preaches and publishes a Sermon without this irrefragable Gentleman's good Leave and Liking: What now must be done to discredit it and keep

it from being read? Why, Mr. Bold too, was set on Work by the Manager of the Reasonableness of Christianity, &c. In your whole Store-house of Stra∣tagems, you that are so great a Con∣querour, Have you but this one Way to destroy a Book which you set your Mightiness against, but to tell the World it was a Jobb of Journey-work for some body you do not like? Some other would have done better in this new Case, had your happy Invention been ready with it: For you are not so bashful or reserved, but that you may be allowed to be as great a Wit as he who professed himself ready at any time to say a good or a new thing if he could but think of it. But in good earnest, Sir, if one should ask you, do you think no Books contain Truth in them which were Under∣taken by the Procuration of a Book∣seller? I desire you to be a little ten∣der in the Point, not knowing how far it may reach. Ay, but such Book∣sellers live not at the Lower End of Pater-Noster-Row, but in Paul's Church-Yard, and are the Managers of other∣guess Books, than The Reasonableness

of Christianity. And therefore you ve∣ry rightly subjoin, Indeed it was a great Master-Piece of Procuration, and we can't but think that Man must speak truth, and defend it very Impartially and Substantially, who is thus brought on to undertake the Cause. And so Mr. Bold's Sermon is found to have neither Truth nor Sence in it, because it was Printed by a Bookseller at the lower End of Pater-Noster-Row; for that, I dare say, is all you know of the Matter. But that is hint enough for a happy Diviner to be sure of the rest, and with Confidence to report that for certain Matter of Fact, which had never any being but in the fore∣casting Side of his Politick Brain.

But whatever were the Reason that moved Mr. B—to Preach that Ser∣mon, of which I know nothing; This I am sure, it shews only the Weakness and Malice (I will not say, and ill Breeding, for that concerns not one of Mr. Edward's Pitch) of any one who excepts against it, to take notice of any thing more than what the Au∣thor has Published. Therein alone consists the Errour, if there be any;

and that alone those meddle with, who write for the sake of Truth. But poor Cavillers have other Purposes, and therefore must use other Shifts, and make a bustle about something besides the Argument to prejudice and beguile unwary Readers.

The only Exception the Creed-maker makes to Mr. Bold's Sermon, is the Contradiction he imputes to him, in saying,

That there is but one Point or Article necessary to be believed for the making a Man a Christian: And that there are many Points besides this, which Je∣sus Christ hath taught and revealed, which every sincere Christian is in∣dispensibly obliged to endeavour to understand:

And,

That there are particular Points and Articles, which being known to be revealed by Christ, Christians must indispen∣sibly assent to.

And where now is there any thing like a Contradiction in this? Let it be granted for Ex∣ample, that the Creed-maker's Set of Articles (let their Number be what they will when he has sound them all out) are necessary to be believed, for

the making a Man a Christian. Is there any contradiction in it to say, There are many Points besides these, which Jesus Christ hath taught and revealed, which every sincere Christian is in∣dispensibly obliged to endeavour to understand? If this be not so; It is but for any one to be perfect in Mr. Edward's Creed, and then he may lay by the Bible, and from thence∣forth he is absolutely dispensed with, from studying or understanding any thing more of the Scripture.

But Mr. Edwards's Supremacy, is not yet so far established that he will dare to say, That Christians are not obliged to endeavour to understand any other Points revealed in the Scrip∣ture, but what are contained in his Creed. He cannot yet well Discard all the rest of the Scripture; because he has yet need of it for the compleating of his Creed, which is like to secure the Bible to us for some time yet. For I will be answerable for it, he will not be quickly able to resolve what Texts of the Scripture do, and what do not contain Points necessary to be believed. So that I am apt to

imagine, that the Creed-maker, upon Second Thoughts, will allow that Saying, There is but One, or there are but Twelve, or there are but as many as he shall set down (when he has resolved which they shall be) ne∣cessary to the making a Man a Chri∣stian; and the saying, There are other Points besides contained in the Scrip∣ture, which every sincere Christian is indispensibly obliged to endeavour to understand, and must believe when he knows them to be revealed by Jesus Christ; are two Propositions that may consist together without a Con∣tradiction.

Every Christian is to partake of that Bread and that Cup which is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. And is not every sincere Christian indispensibly obliged to en∣deavour to understand these Words of our Saviour's Institutions, This is my Body, and This is my Blood? And if upon his serious Endeavour to do it, he does understand them in a literal sence, that Christ meant that that was really his Body and Blood, and nothing else; must he not necessarily

believe that the Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper, is changed really into his Body and Blood, though he doth not know how? Or, if having his Mind set otherwise, he under∣stands the Bread and Wine to be re∣ally the Body and Blood of Christ; without ceasing to be true Bread and Wine; Or else, if he understands them, that the Body and Blood of Christ are verily and indeed given and re∣ceived in the Sacrament, in a Spiri∣tual manner; Or lastly, If he under∣stands our Saviour to mean by those words, only the Bread and Wine to be a Representation of his Body and Blood; In which was soever of these Four, a Christian understands these words of our Saviour to be meant by him, is he not obliged in that sence to believe them to be true, and assent to them? Or can he be a Christian, and understand these words to be meant by our Saviour, in one sence, and deny his assent to them as true, in that sence? Would not this be to deny our Savi∣our's Veracity, and consequently his being the Messiah sent from God? And yet this is put upon a Christian where

he understands the Scripture in one sence, and is required to believe it in another. From all which it is evident, that to say there is One, or any Num∣ber of Articles necessary to be known and believed to make a Man a Chri∣stian, and that there are others con∣tained in the Scripture, which a Man is obliged to endeavour to understand, and obliged also to assent to as he does understand them, is no Contra∣diction.

To believe Jesus to be the Messiah, and to take him to be his Lord and King, let us suppose to be that only which is necessary to make a Man a Christian: May it not yet be necessary for him, being a Christian, to study the Doctrine and Law of this his Lord and King, and believe that all that he delivered is true? Is there any Con∣tradiction in holding of this? But this Creed-maker, to make sure Work, and not to sail of a Contradiction in Mr. Bold's words, misrepeats them, p. 241. and quite contrary both to what they are in the Sermon, and what they are as set down by the Creed-maker himself, in the immedi∣ately

preceding Page; Mr. Bold says,

There are other Points that Jesus Christ hath taught and revealed, which every sincere Christian is in∣dispensibly obliged to understand, and which being known to be revealed by Christ, he must indispensibly assent to.

From which, the Creed-maker argues thus, p. 240. Now if there be other Points and particular Articles, and those many, which a sincere Christian is obliged, and that necessarily and in∣dispensibly to understand, believe, and assent to, then this Writer hath in effect yielded to that Proposition I maintained, viz. That the belief of one Article is not sufficient to make a Man a Christian, and consequently he runs counter to the Proposition he had laid down.

Is there no difference, I beseech you, between being indispensibly obliged to endeavour to understand, and being indispensibly obliged to understand any Point? Tis the first of these, Mr. Bold says, and 'tis the latter of these you argue from, and so con∣clude nothing against him; nor can you to your purpose. For till Mr. Bold says (which he is far from saying)

that every sincere Christian is necessa∣rily and indispensibly obliged to un∣derstand all those Texts of Scripture, from whence you shall have drawn your necessary Articles (when you have perfected your Creed) in the same sence that you do, you can con∣clude nothing against what he hath said concerning that one Article, or any thing that looks like running Coun∣ter to it. For it may be enough to constitute a Man a Christian, and one of Christ's Subjects, to take Iesus to be the Messiah, his appointed King, and yet without a Contradiction, so that it may be his indispensible Duty as a Subject of that Kingdom, to en∣deavour to understand all the Dictates of his Soveraign, and to assent to the Truth of them, as far as he under∣stands them.

But that which the good Creed-maker aims at, without which, all his necessary Articles fall, is that it should be granted him, that every sincere Christian was necessarily and indispen∣sibly obliged to understand all those parts of Divine Revelation, from whence he pretends to draw his Arti∣cles

in their true meaning, i. e. just as he does. But his infallibility is not yet so established, but that there will need some proof of that Proposition. And when he has proved that every sincere Christian is necessarily and indispensibly obliged to understand those Texts in their true meaning, and that his In∣terpretation of them is that true mean∣ing; I shall then ask him, whether every sincere Christian is not as necessa∣rily and indispensibly obliged to under∣stand other Texts of Scripture, in their true meaning, though they have no place in his System?

For Example, To make use of the Instance above-mentioned, is not eve∣ry sincere Christian necessarily and in∣dispensibly obliged to endeavour to understand these Words of our Savi∣our; This is my body, and this is my blood, that he may know what he re∣ceives in the Sacraments? Does he cease to be a Christian, who happens not to understand them just as the Creed-maker does? Or may not the old Gentleman at Rome (who has somewhat the ancienter Title to In∣fallibility) make Transubstantiation a

Fundamental Article necessarily to be believed, there, as well as the Creed-maker here makes his Sence of any disputed Text of Scripture a Funda∣mental Article necessary to be be∣lieved?

Let us suppose Mr. Bold had said that instead of one point, the Right Knowledge of the Creed-makers One Hundred Points (when he has resolved on them) doth constitute and make a Person a Christian; yet there are many other Points Jesus Christ hath taught and revealed which every sin∣cere Christian is indispensibly obliged to endeavour to understand, and to make a due use of: For this I think the Creed-maker will not deny. From whence, in the Creed-maker's Words, I will thus argue. Now if there be other Points and particular Articles, and those many, which a sincere Chri∣stian is obliged, and that necessarily and indispensibly, to understand and believe, and assent to, then this Writer doth in effect yield to that Proposition which I maintained, viz. That the Belief of those one hundred Articles is not suffi∣cient to make a Man a Christian. For

this is that which I maintain; That up∣on this ground, the Belief of the Ar∣ticles which he has set down in his List, are not sufficient to make a Man a Christian; and that upon Mr. Bold's Reason, which the Creed-maker insists on against one Article, viz. because there are many other Points Jesus Christ hath taught and revealed, which every sincere Christian is as necessarily and indispensibly obliged to endeavour to understand and make a due use of.

But this Creed-maker is cautious, be∣yond any of his Predecessors: He will not be so caught by his own Argu∣ment; and therefore is very shy to give you the precise Articles that eve∣ry sincere Christian is necessarily and indispensibly obliged to understand, and give his assent to. Something he is sure there is that he is indispensibly ob∣liged to understand and assent to, to make him a Christian; but what that is, he cannot yet tell. So that whe∣ther he be a Christian or no, he does not know, and what other People will think of him, from his treating of the serious things of Christianity, in so

trifling and scandalous a way, must be left to them.

In the next Paragraph, p. 242. The Creed-maker tells us, Mr. Bold goes on to confute himself, in saying,

a true Christian must assent unto this that Christ Jesus is God.

But this is just such another Confutation of himself as the before-mentioned, i. e. as much as a Falshood substituted by another Man, can be a confutation of a Man's self, who has spoken Truth all of a piece. For the Creed-maker, according to his sure way of baffling his Opponents, so as to leave them nothing to answer, hath here, as he did before, changed Mr. Bold's words, which in the 35. p. quoted by the Creed-maker stand thus;

When a true Christian understands that Christ Jesus hath taught that He is a God, he must assent unto it.

Which is true and conformable to what he had said before; that every sincere Chri∣stian must endeavour to understand the Points taught and revealed by Jesus Christ, which being known to be revealed by him he must assent unto.

The like piece of Honesty the Creed-maker shews in the next Paragraph, p. 243. where he charges Mr. Bold with saying that a true Christian is as much obliged to believe that the Holy Spirit is God, as to believe that Iesus is the Christ, p. 40. In which place, Mr. Bold's words are;

When a true Christian understands that Christ Jesus hath given this Ac∣count of the Holy Spirit, viz, That he is God; He is as much obliged to believe it, as he is to believe that Iesus is the Christ.

Which is an un∣contestable Truth, but such an one as the Creed-maker himself saw would do him no Service, and therefore he mingles it, and leaves out half to make it serve his turn. But he that should give a Testimony in the slight Affairs of Men, and their Temporal Concerns, before a Court of Judicature, as the Creed-maker does here, and almost eve∣ry where, in the great Affairs of Reli∣gion, and the Everlasting Concern of Souls, before all Mankind, would lose his Ears for it. What therefore this worthy Gentleman alledges out of Mr. Bold, as a Contradiction to him∣self,

being only the Creed-maker's Con∣tradiction to Truth and clear Matter of Fact, needs no other Answer.

The rest of what he calls Reflections on Mr. Bold's Sermon, being nothing but either rude and mis-becoming Lan∣guage of him; Or pitiful Childish Ap∣plication to him, to change his Per∣swasion at the Creed-maker's Intreaty, and give up the Truth he hath owned, in Courtesie to this doubty Comba∣tant, shews the Ability of the Man. Leave off begging the Question, and superciliously presuming that you are in the right, and instead of that, shew it by Argument; And I dare answer for Mr. Bold, you will have him, and I promise you with him one Convert more. But Arguing is not, it seems, this notable Disputant's way. If Boast∣ing of himself, and contemning others, false Quotations, and feigned Matters of Fact, which the Reader neither can know, nor is the Question concerned in if he did know, will not do, there is an end of him; He has shewn his excellency in scurrilous Declamation, and there you have the whole of this unanswerable Writer. And for this,

I appeal to his own Writings in this Controversie, if any judicious Rea∣der can have the patience to look them over.

In the beginning of his Reflections on Mr. Bold's Sermon, he confidently tells the World, That he had found that the Manager of the Reasonable∣ness of Christianity, had prevailed on Mr. Bold to Preach a Sermon upon his Reflections, &c. And adds, And we can∣not but think, that that Man must speak the truth, and defend it very impartially and substantially, who is thus brought on to undertake the Cause. And at the latter end, he Addresses himself to Mr. Bold, as one that is drawn off to be an under Journey-man Worker in Socinianism. In his gracious Allow∣ance, Mr. Bold is seemingly a Man of some relish of Religion and Piety, p. 244. He is forced also to own him to be a Man of Sobriety and Temper, p. 245. A very good rise, to give him out to the World, in the very next words, as a Man of a profligate Conscience: For so he must be, who can be drawn off to Preach or Write for Socinianism, when he thinks it a most dangerous Errour,

who can dissemble with himself, and choak his inward Perswasions (as the Creed-maker insinuates that Mr. Bold does in the same Address to him, p. 248.) and write contrary to his Light. Had the Creed maker had rea∣son to think in earnest that Mr. Bold was going off to Socinianism, he might have reasoned with him fairly, as with a Man running into dangerous Errour: Or if he had certainly known that he was by any By-ends prevailed on to undertake a Cause contrary to his Con∣science, he might have some Reason to tell the World as he does, p. 239. That we cannot think he should speak truth, who is thus brought to undertake the Cause. If he does not certainly know that Mr. Bold was THUS brought to undertake the Cause, he could not have shewn a more Villainous and Unchristian Mind than in publishing such a Character of a Minister of the Gospel, and a worthy Man, upon no other Grounds, but because it▪ might be subservient to his ends. He is en∣gaged in a Controversie that by Ar∣gument he cannot maintain; Nor knew any other way from the begin∣ning,

to attack the Book he pretends to write against; but by crying out Socinianism; a Name he knows in great Disgrace with all other Sects of Chri∣stians, and therefore sufficient to de∣terr all those who approve, and con∣demn Books by hearsay, without exa∣mining their Truth themselves, from perusing a Treatise to which he could affix that imputation. Mr. Bold's Name (who is publickly known to be no So∣cinian) he foresees will wipe off that false Imputation, with a great many of those who are led by Names more than Things. This seems exceedingly to trouble him, and he labours might and main, to get Mr. Bold to quit a Book as Socinian, which Mr. Bold knows is not Socinian; because he has read and considered it.

But though our Creed-maker be mightily concerned that Mr. B—d should not appear in the Defence of it▪ Yet this concern cannot raise him one jot above that Honesty, Skill and good Breeding, which appears towards o∣thers. He manages this Matter with Mr. B—d, as he has done the rest of the Controversie, just in the same

strain of Invention, Civility, Wit and good Sence. He tells him, besides what I have above set down, that he is drawn off to debase himself and the post, i. e. the Ministry, he is in, p. 245. That he hath said very ill things to the lessening and impairing, yea, to the de∣faming of that knowledge and belief of our Saviour, and of the Articles of Christianity, which are necessarily re∣quired of us, p. 245. That the Devout and Pious (whereby he means him∣self, for one and none is his own beloved Wit and Argument) observing that Mr. Bold is come to the necessity of but ONE Article of Faith, they expect that he may in time hold that NONE is necessary, p. 248. That if he writes again in the same strain, be will write rather like a Turkish Spy, than a Chri∣stian Preacher; That he is a Back∣slider, and Sailing to Racovia with a side Wind: Than which, what can there be more Scurrilous or more Malicious? And yet at the same time, that he outrages him thus, beyond not only what Christian Charity, but common Civility would allow in an ingenuous Adversary, he makes some awkward

Attempts, to sooth him, with some ill timed Commendations; And would have his under-valuing Mr. Bold's Animadversions, pass for a Comple∣ment to him: Because he, for that rea∣son, pretends not to believe so crude and shallow a thing (as he is pleased to call it) to be his. A notable Contri∣vance to gain the greater Liberty of Railing at him under another Name, when Mr. B—d's it seems is too well known to serve him so well to that purpose. Besides it is of good use to fill up three or four Pages of his Re∣flections; a great Convenience to a Writer, who knows all the ways of baffling his Opponents but Argument, and who always makes a great deal of stir about Matters foreign to his Sub∣ject, which whether they are granted or denied, make nothing at all to the Truth of the Question on either side. For what is it to the Shallowness or Depth of the Animadversions, who writ them? Or to the Truth or Fals∣hood of Mr. B—d's Defence of the Reasonableness of Christianity whether a Lay-man or a Church-man; a Socinian, or one of the Church of England an∣swer'd

the Creed-maker as well as he? Yet this is urged as a matter of great weight. But yet in reality it amounts to no more but this, that a Man of any Denomination, who wishes well to the Peace of Christianity, and has observed the horrible Effects the Chri∣stian Religion has felt from the Impo∣sitions of Men in Matters of Faith, may have reason to defend a Book, wherein the Simplicity of the Gospel, and the Doctrine proposed by our Sa∣viour and his Apostles, for the Con∣version of Unbelievers, is made out, though there be not one Word of the distinguishing Tenents of his Sect in it. But that all those, who under any Name, are for imposing their own Orthodoxy, as necessary to be belie∣ved, and persecuting those who dis∣sent from them, should be all against it, is not perhaps very strange.

One thing more I must observe of the Creed-maker on this Occasion: In his Socinian Creed, Ch. VI. The Au∣thor of the Reasonableness of Christia∣nity, &c. And his Book, must be judged of by the Characters and Writings of those, who entertain or commend his

Notions. A professed Unitarian has defended it; therefore he is a Socinian. The Author of A Letter to the Deists, speaks well of it, Therefore he is a Deist. Another as an Abettor of the Reasonableness of Christianity, he men∣tions, p. 125. whose Letters I have ne∣ver seen: And his Opinions too are, I suppose, set down there as belong∣ing to me. Whatever is bad in the Tenets or Writings of these Men in∣fects me. But the Mischief is, Mr. Bold's Orthodoxy will do me no good: But because he has defended my Book against Mr. Edwards, all my Faults are become his, and he has a mighty Load of Accusations laid upon him. Thus contrary Causes serve so good a Natured, so Charitable and Candid a Writer as the Creed-maker, to the same purpose of Censure and Railing. But I shall desire him to figure to himself the Loveliness of that Creature which turns every thing into Venom. What others are, or hold, who have expres∣sed favourable thoughts of my Book, I think my self not concerned in. What Opinions others have published, make those in my Book neither true nor

false; and he that for the sake of Truth would confute the Errors in it, should shew their Falshood and Weak∣ness as they are there: But they who write for other Ends than Truth, are always busie with other Matters, and where they can do nothing by Reason and Argument, hope to prevail with some, by borrowed Prejudices and Party.

Taking therefore the Animadver∣sions, as well as the Sermon, to be his whose Name they bear, I shall leave to Mr. B—d, himself to take what Notice he thinks fit of the little Sence as well as great Impudence of putting his Name in Print to what is not his; or taking it away from what he hath set it to; whether it belongs to his Bookseller or Answerer. Onely I can∣not pass by the palpable falsifying of Mr. B—d's Words, in the beginning of his Epistle to the Reader, without mention. Mr. B—d's Words are,

Whereby I came to be furnished with a truer and more just No∣tion of the main Design of that TREATISE

and the Good Creed-maker set them down thus, The

main Design of MY OWN TREA∣TISE OR SERMON: A sure way for such a Champion for Truth to secure to himself the Laurel or the Whetstone.

This irresistible Disputant (who si∣lences all that come in his way, so that those that would cannot answer him) to make good the mighty En∣comiums he has given himself, ought (one would think) to clear all as he goes, and leave nothing by the way unanswered, for fear he should fall into the Number of those poor baffled Wretches whom he with so much scorn reproaches, that they would an∣swer if they could.

Mr. B—d begins his Animadversions with this Remark, that our Creed-maker had said, That I give it over and over again in these formal Words, viz. That nothing is required to be be∣lieved by any Christian Man but this, That Iesus is the Messiah. To which Mr. B—d replies, p. 4. in these Words,

Though I have read over the Rea∣sonableness of Christianity, &c. with some Attention, I have not obser∣ved those formal Words in any part

of that Book, nor any Words that are capable of that Construction; provided they be consider'd with the Relation they have to, and the manifest Dependance they have on what goes before, or follows after them.

But to this Mr. Edwards answers not.

Whether it was because he would not, or because he could not, let the Reader judge. But this is down upon his Score already, and it is expected he should answer to it, or else confess that he cannot. And that there may be a fair Decision of this Dispute. I expect the same Usage from him, that he should set down any Propo∣sition of his, I have not answer'd to, and call on me for an Answer, if I can. And if I cannot, I promise him to own it in Print.

The Creed-maker had said, That it is most evident to any thinking and con∣siderate Person, that I purposely omit the Epistolary Writings of the Apostles, because they are fraught with other Fundamental Doctrines, besides that which I mention▪

To this Mr. B—d answers, p. 5.

That if by Fundamental Articles, Mr. Edwards means here, all the Propositions delivered in the Epi∣stles, concerning just those particu∣lar Heads he [Mr. Edwards] had there mentioned, it lies upon him to prove, That Jesus Christ hath made it necessary, that every Per∣son must have an explicit Know∣ledge and Belief of all those, before he can be a Christian.

But to this Mr. Edwards answers not.

And yet without an Answer to it, all his Talk about Fundamentals, and those which he pretended to set down in that place, under the Name of Fundamentals, will signifie nothing in the present case; Wherein, by Funda∣mentals, were meant such Propositions which every Person must necessarily have an explicit Knowledge and Be∣lief of, before he can be a Christian.

Mr. B—d, in the same place, p. 6, and 7. very truly and pertinently adds,

That it did not pertain to [my] undertaking to enquire what Do∣ctrines

either in the Epistles, or the Evangelists and the Acts, were of greatest moment to be under∣stood by them who are Christians, but what was necessary to be known and believed to a Person's being a Christian. For there are many important Doctrines, both in the Gospels and in the Acts, be∣sides this, That Iesus is the Messiah. But how many soever the Do∣ctrines be, which are taught in the Epistles, if there be no Doctrine besides this, That Iesus is the Mes∣siah, taught there as necessary to be believed to make a Man a Chri∣stian, all the Doctrines taught there will not make any thing against what this Author has as∣serted, nor against the Method he hath observed; Especially, consi∣dering we have an Account in the Acts of the Apostles, of what those Persons by whom the Epi∣stles were writ, did teach as ne∣cessary to be believed to Peoples being Christians.

This, and what Mr. B—d subjoins▪

That it was not my design to give

an Abstract of any of the inspired Books

, is so true, and has so clear Reason in it, that any but this Wri∣ter, would have thought himself concerned to have answered some∣thing to it.

But to this Mr. Edwards answers not.

It not being it seems a Creed-maker's Business to convince Mens Under∣standing by Reason, but to impose on their Belief by Authority, or where that is wanting, by Falshoods and Bauling. And to such Mr. Bold observes well, p. 8. that

if I had given the like Account of the Epistles, that would have been as little satisfactory as what I have done already, to those who are re∣solved not to distinguish BE∣TWIXT WHAT IS NE∣CESSARY TO BE BE∣LIEVED TO MAKE A MAN A CHRISTIAN, AND THOSE ARTICLES WHICH ARE TO BE BELIEVED BY THOSE WHO ARE CHRISTIANS, as they can

attain to know, that Christ hath taught them.

This Distinction the Creed-maker, no where that I remember, takes any Notice of; unless it be p. 255. where he has something relating hereunto, which we shall consider when we come to that place. I shall now go on to shew what Mr. Bold has said, to what he answers not.

Mr. Bold farther tells him, p. 10. That if he will prove any thing in Opposition to the Reasonableness of Christianity, &c. it must be this;

That Jesus Christ and his Apostles have taught, that the Belief of some one Article, or certain Num∣ber of Articles distinct from this, That Iesus is the Messiah, either as exclusive of, or in Conjunction with the Belief of this Article, doth constitute and make a Person a Christian: But that the Belief of this, that Jesus is the Messias alone, doth not make a Man a Christian

But to this Mr. Edwards irresraga∣bly answers nothing.

Mr. Bold also, p. 10. Charges him with his falsly accusing me in these words: He pretends to contend for one single Article, with the exclusion of all the rest, for this reason; because all Men ought to understand their Religion. And again where he says I aim at this, viz. That we must not have any Point of Doctrine in our Religion, that the Mob doth not at the very first naming of it, perfectly understand and agree to, Mr. Bold has quoted my express words to the contrary.

But to this, this answerable Gentle∣man answers nothing.

But if he be such a mighty Dispu∣tant, that nothing can stand in his way; I shall expect his direct Answer to it, among those other Propositions which I have set down to his Score, and I require him to prove if he can.

The Creed-maker spends Five Pages of his Reflections in a great stir who is the Author of those Animadversions he is Reflecting on. To which, I tell him, it matters not to a Lover of Truth, or a Confuter of Errours, who was the Author; but what they con∣tain.

He, who makes such a deal of doe about that which is nothing to the Question, shews he has but little Mind to the Argument; that his hopes are more in the recommendation of Names and prejudice of Parties, than in the Strength of his Reasons and the goodness of his Cause. A Lover of Truth follows That, whoever be for or against it; and can suffer himself to pass by no Argument of his Adver∣sary, without taking notice of it either in allowing its force, or giving it a fair Answer. Were the Creed-maker capa∣ble of giving such an Evidence as this, of his Love of Truth, he would not have passed over the Twenty first Pages of Mr. Bold's Animadversions in silence. The Falshoods that are there∣in charged upon him would have re∣quired an Answer of him, if he could have given any: And I tell him he must give an Answer, or confess the Fals∣hoods.

In his 255. p. he comes to take no∣tice of these words of Mr. Bold, in the 21. Page of his Animadversions, viz.

That a Convert to Christianity or a Christian, must necessarily be∣lieve

as many Articles as he shall attain to know that Christ Jesus hath taught

. Which, says the Creed-maker, wholly invalidates what he had said before in these words, viz.

That Iesus Christ, and his Apostles, did not teach any thing as necessary to be believed to make a Man a Christian, but only this one Pro∣position. That Iesus of Nazareth was the Messiah.

The reason he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to shew, That the former of these Propositions, (in Mr. Bold) invali∣dates the latter, and that the Animad∣verter contradicts himself, stands thus: For, says he, if a Christian must give assent to all the Articles taught by our Saviour in the Gospel, and that necessa∣rily; then all those Propositions reckon'd up in my late Discourse, being taught by Christ or his Apostles, are necessary to be believed. Answ. And what, I beseech you, becomes of the rest of the Propositions taught by Christ or his Apostles, which you have not reckon'd up in your late Discourse; Are not they necessary to be believed, if a Chri∣stian must give an assent to ALL the Articles taught by our Saviour and his Apostles?

Sir, If you will argue right from that antecedent, it must stand thus: If a Christian must give an assent to ALL the Articles taught by our Sa∣viour and his Apostles, and that neces∣sarily; Then all the Propositions in the New Testament, taught by Christ or his Apostles, are necessarily to be believed. This Consequence I grant to be true, and necessarily to follow from that antecedent, and pra•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 your best of it: But withal reme••••ber, that it puts an utter end to your select Number of Fundamentals, and makes all the Truths delivered▪ in the New Testament necessary to be explicitly believed by every Chri∣stian.

But Sir, I must take notice to you, that if it be uncertain whether he that Writ the Animadversions, be the same Person that Preached the Ser∣mon, yet it is very visible that 'tis the very same Person that reflects on both; Because he here again uses the same Trick in answering in the Anim∣adversions, the same thing that had been said in the Sermon, viz. By pretending to argue from words as

Mr. Bold's, when Mr. Bold has said no such thing. The Proposition you ar∣gue from here is this, If a Christian must give assent to all the Articles taught by our Saviour, and that necessa∣rily. But Mr. Bold says no such thing. His words, as set down by your self are;

A Christian must necessarily believe as many Articles as he shall attain to know that Christ Jesus hath taught.

And is there no difference ••••••ween ALL that Christ Iesus hath taught; and AS MANY as any one shall attain to know that Christ Iesus hath taught? There is so great a difference between these two, that one can scarce think even such a Creed-maker could mistake it. For one of them admits all those to be Christians, who taking Iesus for the Messiah, their Lord and King, sincerely apply themselves to understand and obey his Doctrine and Law, and do believe all that they un∣derstand to be taught by him: The other shuts out, if not all Mankind, yet Nine Hundred Ninety Nine of a Thousand, of those who profess them∣selves Christians, from being really so. For he speaks within Compass, who

says there is not one of a Thousand, if there be any one Man at all, who explicitly knows and believes that all that our Saviour and his Apostles taught, i. e. All that is delivered in the New Testament, in the true ••ence that it is there intended. For if giving assent to it, in any sence, will serve the turn, our Creed-maker can have no Exceptions against Socinians, Pa∣pists, Lutherans, or any other, who acknowledging the Scripture to be the Word of God, do yet oppose his System.

But the Creed-maker goes on, p. 255. and endeavours to prove, that what is necessary to be believed by every Christian, is necessary to be believed to make a Man a Christian, in these words: But he will say, the belief of those Propositions, makes not a Man a Christian. Then, I say, they are not necessary and indispensible; for what is absolutely necessary in Christianity, is absolutely requisite to make a Man a Christian.

Ignorance, or something worse, makes our Creed-maker always speak doubtfully or obscurely, whenever he

pretends to argue; for here absolutely necessary in Christianity either signifies nothing, but absolutely necessary to make a Man a Christian; and then it is proving the same Proposition by the same Proposition: Or else, has a very obscure and doubtful Significa∣tion. For, if I ask him whether it be absolutely necessary in Christianity to obey every one of our Saviour's Com∣mands, what will he answer me? If he answers, NO; I ask him which of our Saviour's Commands is it not in Christianity absolutely necessary to obey? If he answers, YES; Then I tell him by his rule, there are no Christians; because there is no one that does in all things obey all our Saviour's Com∣mands, and therein fails to perform what is absolutely necessary in Chri∣stianity; and so by his rule is no Christian. If he answers, Sincere En∣deavour to obey, is all that is abso∣lutely necessary; I reply, And so Sin∣cere Endeavour to understand, is all that is absolutely necessary: Neither perfect Obedience, nor perfect Un∣derstanding is absolutely necessary in Christianity.

But his Proposition being put in terms clear, and not loose and falla∣cious, should stand thus, viz. What is absolutely necessary to every Chri∣stian, is absolutely requisite to make a Man a Christian: But then I deny that he can inferr from Mr. Bold's words, that those Propositions (i. e. which he has set down as Fundamen∣tal or necessary to be believed) ar•• absolutely necessary to be believed by every Christian. For that indispen∣sible necessity Mr. Bold speaks of, is not absolute, but conditional. His words are, A Christian must believe as many Articles as he shall attain to know that Iesus Christ hath taught. So that he places the indispensible necessity of Believing, upon the con∣dition of attaining to know that Christ taught so. An endeavour to know what Iesus Christ taught, Mr. B—dsays truely is absolutely neces∣sary to every one who is a Christian, and to believe what he has attained to know that Iesus Christ taught, that also, he says, is absolutely necessary to every Christian. But all this grant∣ed (as true it is) it still remains (and

eternally will remain) to be proved from this (which is all that Mr. Bold says) that something else is absolutely required to make a Man a Christian, besides the unfeigned taking Iesus to be the Messiah, his King and Lord, and accordingly, a sincere resolution to obey and believe all that he com∣manded and taught.

The Jailor, Acts XVI. 30. in An∣swer to his Question, what he should do to be saved; was answer'd, That he should believe in the Lord Ie∣sus Christ. And the Text says that the Jailor took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his straight-way. Now, I will ask our Creed-maker, whether St. Paul in speaking to him the Word of the Lord, proposed and explained to him all those Propositions and Fundamen∣tal Heads of Doctrine, which our Creed-maker has set down as necessa∣ry to be believed to make a Man a Christian. Let it be consider'd, the Jailor was a Heathen, and one that seems to have no more Sense of Re∣ligion or Humanity, than those of

that Calling use to have: For he had let them alone under the Pain of their Stripes without any Remedy, or so much as the ease of washing them, from the Day before, till after his Conversion, which was not till after Midnight. And can any one think that between his asking what he should do to be saved, and his being baptized, which the Text says, was the same hour and straightway, there was time enough for St. Paul and Silas to explain to him all the Creed-maker's Articles, and make such a Man as that, and all his house understand the Creed-maker's whole System; especially since we hear nothing of it in the Conversion of these or any others who were brought into the Faith in the whole History of the Preaching of our Saviour and the Apostles? Now let me ask our Creed-maker, whether the Jailor was not a Christian, when he was baptized; and whether if he had then immediately died, he had not been saved, without the Belief of any one Article more than what Paul and Silas had then ••aught him? Whence it follows, that

what was then proposed to him to be believed (which appears to be nothing but that Iesus was the Messiah) was all that was absolutely necessary to be believed to make him a Chri∣stian; though this hinders not but that afterwards it might be necessa∣ry for him, indispensibly necessary, to believe other Articles, when he attained to the Knowledge that Christ had taught them. And the reason of it is plain: Because the knowing that Christ taught any thing, and the not receiving it for true, (which is believing it) is inconsistent with the believing him to be the Messiah, sent from God to inlighten and save the World. Every word of Divine Reve∣lation, is absolutely and indispensibly necessary to be believed, by every Christian, as soon as he comes to know it to be taught by our Savi∣our or his Apostles, or to be of Di∣vine Revelation. But yet this is far enough from making it absolutely necessary to every Christian to know every Text in the Scripture, much less to understand every Text in the Scripture; and least of all, to under∣stand

it as the Creed-maker is pleased to put his sence upon it.

This the good Creed-maker either will not, or cannot understand: But gives us a List of Articles culled out of the Scripture by his own Autho∣rity, and tells us those are absolutely necessary to be believed by every one, to make him a Christian. For what is of absolute Necessity in Christianity, as those he says are, he tells us is ab∣solutely requisite to make a Man a Christian. But when he is asked whe∣ther these are all the Articles of ab∣solute Necessity, to be believed to make a Man a Christian; This wor∣thy Divine, that takes upon him to be a Successor of the Apostles, can∣not tell. And yet, having taken up∣on him also to be a Creed-maker, he must suffer himself to be called up∣on for it again and again, till he tells us what is of absolute Necessity to be believed to make a Man a Christian, or confess that he cannot.

In the mean time, I take the liber∣ty to say, That every Proposition de∣livered in the New Testament by our Saviour, or his Apostles, and so re∣ceived

by any Christian as of Divine Revelation, is of as absolute necessity to be assented to by him, in the Sence he understands it to be taught by them, as any one of those Propo∣sitions enumerated by the Creed-ma∣ker: And if he thinks otherwise, I shall desire him to prove it. The Reason whereof is this, that in divine Revelation the ground of Faith being onely the Authority of the Proposer, where that is the same, there is no difference in the Obligation or Mea∣sure of believing. Whatever the Mes∣siah that came from God taught, is equally to be believed by every one who receives him as the Messiah, as soon as he understands what it was he taught. There is no such thing as garbling his Doctrine, and making one part of it more necessary to be believed than another, when it is un∣derstood. His saying is, and must be, of unquestionable Authority to all that receive him as their heavenly King; and carries with it an equal Ob∣ligation of assent to all that he says as true. But since no Body can expli∣citly assent to any Proposition of our

Saviour's as true, but in the Sence he understands our Saviour to have spoken it in, the same Authority of the Mes∣siah, his King, obliges every one abso∣lutely and indispensibly to believe every part of the New Testament in that Sence he understands it: For else he rejects the Authority of the Deliverer, if he refuses his Assent to it in that Sence which he is per∣swaded it was delivered in. But the taking him for the Messiah, his King and Lord, laying upon every one who is his Subject, and Obligation to endeavour to know his Will in all things, every true Christian is under an absolute and indispensible necessity, by being his Subject, to study the Scriptures with an unprejudiced mind, according to that Measure of Time, Opportunity, and Helps which he has; that in these sacred Writings, he may find what his Lord and Master hath by himself, or by the Mouths of his Apostles, required of him, ei∣ther to be believed or done.

The Creed-maker, in the following Page, 256. hath these Words; It is worth the Reader's observing, That not∣withstanding

I had in twelve Pages to∣gether, (viz. from the Eighth to the Twentieth) proved that several Propo∣sitions are necessary to be believed by us, in order to our being Christians; yet this Sham-Animadverter attends not to any one of the particulars which I had mentioned, nor offers any thing against them, but onely in a Lumping way, dooms them all in those magisterial Words; I do not see any Proof he produces, p. 21. This is his wonderful way of confuting me, by pretending that he cannot see any Proof in what I al∣ledge; and all the World must be led by his eyes.

Answ. It is worth the Reader's obser∣ving, That the Creed-maker does not reply to what Mr. Bold has said to him, as we have already seen, and shall see more as we go on; and there∣fore he has little reason to complain of him, for not having answered enough. Mr. Bold did well to leave that which was an insignificant lump, so as it was together: For 'tis no wonderful thing not to see any Proof, where there is no Proof. There is indeed, in those Pages the Creed∣ma∣ker

mentions, much Confidence, much Assertion, a great many Questions asked, and a great deal said after his Fashion: But for a Proof, I deny there is any one: And if what I have said in another place already, does not convince him of it, I challenge him, with all his Eyes and those of the World to boot, to find out in those Twelve renowned Pages one Proof. Let him set down the Proposition, and his Proof of its being absolutely and indispensibly necessary to be be∣lieved to make a Man a Christian; And I too, will join with him in his Testimonial of himself, that he is ir∣refragable. But I must tell him be∣fore-hand, talking a great deal loosely will not do it.

Mr. Bold and I say we cannot see any Proof in those Twelve Pages: The way to make us see, or to con∣vince the World that we are blind, is to single out one Proof out of that Wood of Words there, which you seem to take for Arguments, and set it down in a Syllogism, which is the fair trial of a Proof or no Proof. You have indeed a Syllogism in the 23d.

Page, but that is not in those Twelve Pages you mention. Besides, I have shew'd in another place, what that proves; to which I referr you.

In Answer to the Creed-maker's Question, about his other Fundamen∣tals found in the Epistles; Why did the Apostles Write these Doctrines? Was it not, that those they Writ to, might give their Assent to them? Mr. Bold, p. 22. replies;

But then it may be asked again, Were not those Persons Christians, to whom the Apostles writ these Doctrines, and whom they required to Assent to them? Yes, verily: And if so, What was it that made them Christians, before their Assent to these Doctrines was required? If it were any thing besides their Believing Iesus to be the Messiah, it ought to be instanced in, and made out.

But to this Mr. Edwards An∣swers not.

The next thing in Controversie be∣tween Mr. Bold and the Creed-maker, (for I follow Mr. B—d's Order,) is about a Matter of Fact, viz. Whe∣ther the Creed-maker has proved,

That Iesus Christ and his Apostles have taught, That no Man can be a Christian, or shall be saved, un∣less he have an explicit Knowledge of all those things which have an imme∣diate respect to the Occasion, Author, Way, Means and Issue of our Salva∣tion, and which are necessary for the knowing the true Nature and Design of it?

This, Mr. Bold, p. 24. tells him

he has not done.

To this the Creed-maker replies, p. 258.

And yet the Reader may satisfie him∣self, that this is the very thing that I had been proving just before, and in∣deed, all along in the foregoing Chapter. Answ. There have been those who have been seven Years proving a thing, which at last they could not do; And I give you seven Years to prove this Proposition which you should there have proved, and I must add to your score here, viz.