cation. And here I beg leave to remind my reader, that, tho' I am pleading the just caufe of atheists, as I would, likewife, plead the juft caufe of Roman Catholicks, or any fect of theifts, or polytheists, did the cafe require it; yet I am not pleading the cause of atheism; and, therefore, there can be no juft ground to infult me on that account, though, perhaps, it is what I may meet with notwithstanding, But, to return,

9.

This perfecuting fpirit, I have been treating of, is rather the fpirit of Judaism, and is not the fpirit of Chriftianity; and therefore, in whom foever this fpirit takes place, which is too prevalent in this age, fuch a perfon may be more properly ftiled a few, than a Chriftian; agreeably to what St. Paul faith, Rom. viii. If any man bave not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his; that is, he is not Chrift's difciple. And likewife, agreeably to this, our Lord puts the queftion, Luke vi. 46. And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I Jay? which is the fame, as to say, that if we profess to be Chrift's difciples, but do not govern our tempers and actions by his laws, then fuch profeffion goes for nothing. Our being called Chriftians, and our profeffing our felves to be fuch, does not make us fo; that depends upon our conforming our minds and lives to Chrift's will, from which, perfecution is at the greatest distance. Our Lord, in John xvi.. 1, 2, 3. fpeaketh to his difciples in the following manner: These things have I spoken unto

you,

you, that you should not be offended. They shall put you out off the fynagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whofoever killeth you, will think that he doth God fervice. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father nor Me. Here our Lord obferves, what would be the effects of that fiery piety; or angry religious zeal, which then took place among the Jews, viz. they who were influe enced by it, would not only exclude Chrift's obedient fervants from their religious affemblies, but would alfo take away their lives, and think they did God fervice in fo doing. He likewife obferved, what was the ground of this Jewish fpirit of perfecution, viz. their being deftitute of that fpirit of true goodness and benevolence, which take place in, and conftitute, the moral character of both the Father and the Son. So that the fpirit of perfecution is not only contrary to the spirit of Chrift and his religion, but it is alfo contrary to the fpirit of God, who is his Father: These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father nor Me. But then, religious perfecution appears with a much better grace in a few, than in a Chriftian; as it is more fuitable to the Jewish, than to the Chriftian difpenfation. For a few to perfecute men, on account of religion, is not greatly to be wondered at, becaufe perfecution feems, at least, to be countenanced by his religion; and, becaufe the fettlement of his ancestors in Canaan, and the behaviour of many men of renown, among

among the Jews, feems to encourage it. But for a Chriftian to perfecute, is to fly in the face of his Sovereign, and is the fame, as to tell him, that he will not have him to reign over him: And, tho' he likes to be called after his, viz. Chrift's name, as it is the fashion of the country in which he lives, and, to be called otherwise, would be difreputable; and though he likes to profess his religion, because of the pomp, and wealth, and power, which may be tacked to that profeffion, or on fome other worldly confideration; yet, he very much dif likes the thing, and chufes rather to be governed by his own lufts, than by Chrift's laws. This is the language of a perfecutor's conduct, if I may fo fpeak. For a Chriftian, therefore, to perfecute, is very prepofterous. However, it is a matter of no fmall confolation to me, that, as I do not lie at these mens mercy now, fo I fhall be perfectly fecure from their ill-will hereafter, as I am to be judged by one, who is thoroughly acquainted with every one's cafe, who will weigh all things in an equal balance, and who will render to every one, according as his works fhall be, whether they be good, or whether they be evil.

A.

A

VINDICATION

OF THE

AUTHOR'S fhort Differtation

O N

PROVIDENCE.

N my Differtation on Providence, I have fhewed what I intended by a general, and what by a particular providence. In my definition of a general providence, I obferved, that God, at the creation, put the natural world under the direction of certain laws; and that, ever fince, he has caufed it to be paffively fubject to thofe laws. By this my reader may fee, that the divine energy, or those immediate acts of God's power, by which the fyftem of nature is kept together, and continually upheld and preferved, is by me confidered, as a part of God's general providence. However, if Mr. Woolafton, or any other perfon, has, or shall differently diftinguish a general, and a particular providence, from what I have done, and fhall make that a part of

God's

God's particular providence, which I have made a part of his general providence; let it be fo, it makes nothing for, nor against me. Again,

In my Differtation on Providence, I have not laid the foundation of my scheme of providence on the New Teftament, as a nameless * writer represents me to have done; but only attempted to fhew two things, viz. First, that those facts, that are confidered as eminent and apparent inftances of fuch a particular providence, as I oppose, do not fhew, or prove, any fuch thing; with refpect to which, my opponent has not attempted to fhew, but only prefumes, that they do, and then makes a fine flourish upon the revolution, viz. that it was a cafe, in which a great and good end was ferved by it, &c. As if no great and good end could be brought about, without the particular and Special interpofition of the Deity to effect it. Whereas this very event might have been, and was, brought about, in the course of God's general providence, for any thing this writer has, or can fhew, or prove, to the contrary. Alas! there are many events take place, fome of which are great benefits, others, great evils, to mankind, with refpect to which, it is not apparent, that there was a particular and fpecial interpofition of the Deity to effect them. And here, I think, it may not be amifs for me, to take notice of another event; namely, the

G 2

* See a book, intitled, an Answer to Mr. Chubb's fhort Differtation on Providence, &c.