the Mahometan. A learned foreigner has taken the pains to digest one of the infidel creeds into three and twenty articles 2, eight of them negative, and fifteen affirmative: there is scarce an article amongst them but what is big with many and shocking absurdities. By which it may appear, that those over censorious gentlemen do not want faith, where they have inclination; but while they strain out gnats, can swallow camels. They can readily assent to things more incredible or impossible than any to be met with in romance or legend: indeed nothing is too absurd for their belief, when they have a mind to it. They can believe, for instance, that Moses (a wise man by all accounts) could be weak enough to attempt the imposing a forgery and lying history upon a whole nation, endeavouring to persuade them out of their senses at once; and that he did not only attempt it, but succeeded in it too, and palmed his imposture upon all the people, none gainsaying it, nor discovering it; that the same imposture had the good fortune to pass unsuspected upon the people of the Jews for many ages, and came at length to be received even by Christ himself, who entirely confided in it, and staked all his character upon it, where he says; "Had ye believed Moses, ye "would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe "not his writings, how shall ye believe my words "?"

z Symbolum Fidei Tolandicæ.

mam.

Articuli Negantes.

2.

1. Nego spiritus incorporeos. Mentem æternam et præstantissi3. Providentiam numinis divini. 4. Immortalitatem animæ humanæ. 5. Pœnas et præmia in vita futura. 6. Authentiam et divinæ Scripturæ originem. 7. Miracula Mosis et Christi. 8. Mosem fuisse autorem Pentateuchi.

Articuli Affirmantes.

1. Affirmo mundum aut naturam rerum esse solum numen, neque genitum neque interiturum. 2. Religionem esse pulchrum politicorum commentum. 3. Atheismum esse naturalem notitiam et sapientissimorum virorum religionem. 4. Religionem vulgi esse superstitionem. 5. Religionis institutores et sacrarum legum latores esse vafra et subdola ingenia. 6. Omnium religionum sacerdotes, et sacrorum mysteriorum interpretes esse simulatæ pietatis vanos ostentatores, qui ex errore alieno quæstum

a

faciunt. 7. Religionis cultores et numinis cœlestis veneratores, esse ignavum et imbecille hominum genus. 8. Quæcunque pro supernaturalibus habentur et in Deum vertuntur, esse res mere naturales. 9. Quæ pro miraculis venditantur et creduntur, esse fraudes impostorum, vel effecta morbi melancholici in testibus qui ea viderunt vel audierunt. IO. Autographa Veteris et Novi Testamenti intercidisse. II. Mosem et Scriptorem Pentateuchi fuisse Pantheistas; aut, ut recentiores loqui amant, Spinozistas. 12. Mosis scripta explicanda et corrigenda esse ex exoticorum libris. 13. Certiorem fidem adhibendam esse Strabonis diligentiæ, quam Mosis, uti pie creditur, autoritati. 14. Atheum esse meliorem civem quam Theistam. 15. Religionem reipublicæ nocere. Fayi Defens. Religionis contra Joh. Toland, p. 248, 249, 250.

a John v. 46, 47.

But because the same gentlemen, who make Moses an impostor, must of consequence make Christ and his Apostles impostors also, let us next observe, how credulous they appear to be in this point too, as well as in the former. Not to mention a multitude of other absurdities, they must believe "that a des"picable company of wilful impostors and deceivers, men of a "hated nation and religion, without learning and discipline, "without skill and experience, without any of the arts of pleas"ing and recommending themselves to mankind, should run "down all the wit and power and policy of the world; and preaching a most despised and incredible and seemingly ridi"culous doctrine, directly contrary to all the worldly interests "and humours of men, to their religion and customs, and to "their reason and philosophy too, should propagate the belief of "it far and wide through the earth, so that there was scarce a "nation in the whole compass of the globe, but what, in whole or in part, received this fiction as the most sacred truth of "God, and laid all the stress of their salvation

66

66

upon it." I borrow this representation from a very judicious writer and close reasoner, who pursues the same turn of thought a great way further, setting forth in the strongest and most lively colours the numerous and intolerable absurdities which infidels must admit of; thereupon observing, very justly and pertinently, that "their so much boasted aversion to all kind of bigotry and "credulity is mere jest and scene, and that they are either some "of the most fondly credulous persons in the worldd," or worse; "credulous to a prodigy," and might as well" go on to the "fictions of a Popish legend, or a Turkish Alcorane." These are the men who are pleased to reproach the Church of Christ with easiness of belief, for believing mysteries and miracles. It is true, we do believe mysteries, few and well attested; while they believe many and palpable absurdities. We admit miracles

also, assigning a cause more than equal to the effect; while they are forced to admit the same effects, or things more marvellous, independent of their proper or adequate causes; which is admitting contradictions. In short then, we believe what we can prove by good authority, and no more: they believe what they please. Let themt herefore first clear their own accounts, and then proceed, if they see proper, to charge the churches of Christ, as such, with credulity.

2. Another party word and term of reproach, near akin to the former, is bigotry: a calumny thrown upon us for our steadfast adherence to Moses and the Prophets, to Christ and his Apostles, to God blessed for ever. In the mean while, to whom or to what do our accusers adhere, that we should be bigots, and not they? Bigotry means, in common acceptation, a warm or obstinate adherence to things or persons, to principles or party, against reason or without reason. By this definition we desire to be tried, and to join issue with our adversaries: and let the indifferent world judge whether Christians or infidels are most properly bigots.

The lower class of unbelievers appear to have as tame and as implicit a faith in their new instructors, as it is possible for men to have; that is, they are bigoted to them, and led blindfold by them. They believe every tale that is but confidently told them against religion, or the ministers of it: they accept of any sophistry that is offered them, and submit to any delusion or imposition upon their judgment and understanding. They often take dictates for arguments, mere assertions for proofs, equivocating for reasoning, and sound for sense. While they are afraid of being guided by priests, they consent to be governed by

66

66

one another, as the square and cir"cular figures, and whereby an in"finite number of inconsistent attri"butes, and all the variety and antipathy of the thoughts of mankind are true at the same time of one and "the same most simple and indivisible "substance." Bayle in Spinoza, 2791, 2792.

A celebrated author has a reflection of like kind, in the words here following:

"It must certainly be something "else than incredulity which fashions "the taste and judgment of many gentlemen, whom we hear censured

anti-priests; who demand a much greater submission from them than we can pretend to: for we are content and thankful, if our people will but observe us in what is evidently true and right, while they expect to be believed and followed in what is palpably false and wrong. From hence may appear the bigotry of the inferior sort among the Deists.

As to the leading men themselves, they generally follow the track of their predecessors, and appear to be zealous bigots to their systems, to their creeds, to their paradoxes, to their party; all which they adhere to as pertinaciously as we can do to our Bible. They have Pagan historians to rest their faith upon, instead of Moses and the Evangelists; they have Pagan morals to answer to the Divine Sermon on the Mount, and Pagan or Jewish calumnies to set against our Christian evidences. They have Epicurus and Celsus, Porphyry and Julian, for their guides and leaders in many things, as we have the sacred writers in all. Hobbes and Spinoza seem to be their chief instructors among the moderns; and it has been observed by knowing judges, that Hobbes himself was little more than a disciple of Epicurus in his system of religion, or irreligion. The like may be shewn, and has been shewn in some measure, of the present advocates for infidelity. Now, indeed, if they have reason for preferring those their guides and teachers to ours, then we are the bigots: but if it has been manifested a thousand times over, as I presume it has, that the proofs are on our side, and that it is impossible to come at any, as to the main things, on theirs; then we humbly conceive that the bigotry lies at their door, and we appeal from the seat of calumny to the truth and reason of things. Let them shew that they have as good grounds for following the doctrines of Epicurus, or any other ancient or modern infidel, as we have for following Christ. Such was the challenge which Arnobius long ago made to the Pagans, who presumed to oppose their philosophers to Christ and his Apostles and such we make to every unbeliever at this day.

g Hoc probe scio, ipsum nihil nobis obtulisse nisi quod apud veteres in Epicuro reprehensum inveniamus. Ut enim Epicurus omnia a Democrito surripuisse dicitur, ita Hobbius omnia Epicuri flagitia ingenti fastu tanquam sua recudit; atque ut nova videantur, novis nominibus (quorum ille, ut sunt novatores omnes, egregius artifex)

appellare affectavit. Parker, Disputat. de Deo, p. 86.

h Scripture Vindicated, vol. iv. part 2. p. 284, &c.

i Et quid est quod in hac parte, aut vos plurimum habeatis, aut nos minus? Vos Platoni, vos Cronio, vos Numenio, vel cui libuerit creditis: nos credimus et acquiescimus Christo.

Perhaps they will say, that they follow no one's authority implicitly or absolutely, but collect from all what they like best. This might shew they are no bigots to mere human authority; neither are we: but then they may be bigots to their own passions, or prejudices, or party, in rejecting Divine authority sufficiently attested; while there is no bigotry in submitting to the highest reason, and in adhering to God. Balance reasons with reasons, evidences with evidences, facts with facts, and thereupon judge where truth and credibility, where error and bigotry lie. It is easy to raise objections to any thing; as it is easy to be ignorant, or unattentive, or humoursome, or perverse: but the great point is, whether those objections, surmises, or suspicions, comparatively, have any weight, or how much, when put into the scale against solid arguments. There then rests the whole thing: let our accusers shew that the reasons are all on their side, and then we shall readily admit, that all the bigotry is on ours but till this be done, (and it is impossible it ever should,) the charge which they bring against us is as easily retorted as made, and with much more truth and justice; which will always be the case, as often as Christianity is impeached upon this article.

3. Another famous term of reproach, which unbelievers asperse us with, is superstition; a name which often stands for Christianity, or for all revealed religion, in their nomenclature. But the word properly imports any religious excesses, either as to matter, manner, or degree. There may be a superstitious awe, when it is wrong placed, or is of a wrong kind, or exceeds in measure: and whenever we speak of a superstitious belief, or worship, or practice, we always intend some kind of religious excess. Any false religion, or false part of a true one, is a species of superstition, because it is more than should be, and betokens excess. Hence it has been usual for persons of some religion, to style all but their own, superstition, as being false in their account and they that admit no religion as true, make superstition the common name for all. The contrary extreme

Iniquitas hæc quanta est, ut cum utrique auctoribus stemus, sitque nobis et vobis unum et socium credere, vobis velitis dari, quod ita ab illis dicatur accipere, vos ea quæ proferuntur a Christo, audire et spectare nolitis. Atqui si causas causis, partes partibus voluerimus æquare, magis nos vale

mus ostendere quid in Christo fuerimus secuti, quam in philosophis quid vos. Ac nos quidem in illo secuti hæc sumus: opera illa magnifica, &c. Arnob. adv. Gent. lib. ii. p. 49.

k See Vossii Etymologicum, in Superstitio.