lowed to draw near: It is difhonouring the Grace of the Gospel; and in short, is a flat Contradiction to Both Teftaments. For, the Rule of Both is, and the very Nature of Things fhews that fo it must be, that all true Expiation must refolve folely, directly, and immediately, into the one true Sacrifice of Expiation, namely, the grand Sacrifice. If, indeed, we had now any legal, or typical Offences to expiate, then might Bread and Wine be to us an expiatory typical Sacrifice, as before to the Jews; and That would be all. If we look for any thing higher, they have it not in them, neither by their own Virtue, nor by any they can borrow: For, it is no more poffible that the Blood of the Grape, representing Chrift's Blood, fhould purge the Confcience, and take away Sins now, than that the Blood of Bulls or of Goats, representing the fame Blood of Christ, could do it aforetime. The utmost that any material Sacrifices, by virtue of the grand Sacrifice, could ever do, was only to make some legal or temporal Atonement: They cannot do fo much now, because the legal Oeconomy is out of Doors, and all Things are become new. In a word, our Expiations now are either fpiritual, or none: And therefore fuch of course muft our Sacrifices also be, either spiritual, or none at all.

THE

THE

APPENDIX.

A

S I have hinted fomething above a of the frange Lengths which have been run, and of the unwarrantable Exceffes which fome late Systems of the Euchariftick Sacrifice manifeftly abound with; it may reafonably be expected that I fhould here give some Account of what I there intimated. I must own, it is the most unwelcom Part of my Employ, and what I leaft wifhed to be concerned in. It can never be any Pleasure to a good Mind, to be expofing Failings, even when there is a Neceffity for it; but it is rather an Abatement of the folid Satisfaction arifing from the maintaining of the Truth, that it cannot ordinarily be done without fome kind of Rebuke, open or tacit, upon every Gainfayer. When I D

See above, p. 41.

firft

first engaged in the Subject of the Eucharift, I faw what Neceffity there was for throwing off the material Hypothefis, (being unfcriptural, and uncatholick, and many ways unreasonable) left it fhould hang like a Millftone upon the Neck of the main Čaufe. Nevertheless, I endeavoured to remove that Weight, with all imaginable Tenderness towards Perfons, living or dead; defigning only to rectify Mistakes, in a manner the most respectful, fo as not to betray the Caufe of Truth. What I could not approve of, in a late learned Writer, I exprefs'd my dislike of, where neceffary, in the fofteft Terms; scarce noting the Deformities of his Syftem in any explicite way, but wrapping them up in generals, and throwing the kindeft Shade over them. But by what has appeared fince, I find, that every degree of Tenderness, and every Token of Respect must be looked upon as nothing, unless I could have commended the fame Writer, as a Perfon of found Judgment, in the very Things wherein he certainly judged amifs, and much to the prejudice of those important Truths which I had undertaken to defend. A very particular Stress is laid upon that Gentleman's folid Learning and Judgment in this very Queftion: He was, it feems, visibly fuperior in Learning and Argument to all Oppofers; infomuch that a most eminent Person,

• See Dr. Brett's Remarks on Review, p. 97. And compare P. 1, 121, 123, 156.

"Mr. Johnson's Books had given great Offence to many in "the highest Stations in this Church. Dr. Hancock, Dr. Wife,

1

"and

in 1716, had not the Courage to contradict him, however difpofed to it, in the Article of the Sacrifice d I have no Inclination to detract from that Gentleman's Talents: Tho' the proper Glory of a Man lies not in the Poffeffion, but in the right Ufe of them. Admiration of Perfons has often been found a falfe Guide in our Searches after Truth. Very great Men have frequently been obferved to run into great Exceffes: And I doubt not but to make it appear, that He did fo, in the Article now before us. Men muft, at last, be tried by Truth (which is above every Thing) and not Truth by Men, or by Names. That I may obferve fome Method, I fhall point out the Exceffes which that learned Writer appears to have run into, under the Heads here following:

"and Dr. Turner, and fome others were encouraged to answer "him; but they were all found to be too weak to be any of "them, or all together a Match for a Man of his folid Learning and Judgment: He was vifibly their Superior in Learning and Argument, and their faint Effays ferved but to raise "his Reputation. Brett. ibid. p. 122.

66

"This eminent Perfon, whoever he was, (for Mr. Johnson "does not name him) and who was leaft expected to favour "the Doctrine of the Sacrifice, had not the Courage to deny "it to be one. Brett. ibid.

The Defign, I fuppofe, of that eminent Perfon, was not to enter into the Debate at all, but only to fuggeft an healing Thought, viz. That fince every Thing of Moment was perfectly fecure without the material Hypothesis, there could be no good Reafon left for the Warmth that was fhewn in it. A wife Reflection: which ought to have been thankfully received, and ferioufly attended to.

• See my Importance, &c. p. 468, 469.