The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson

"moral certainty fome understood fuch a certainty as "makes the caufe, &c." To vindicate myself in this, I fall only fet the author's words before the reader's eyes. They are thefe: "This term moral certainty, every one "explicated not alike; but fome understood by it fuch a certainty as makes the caufe always work the fame ef"fect, though it take not away the abfolute poffibility of "working otherwife. Others called that a moral certain

ty which proceeds from, &c. A third explication of "this word is, &c. Of these three the first ought ab66 folutely to be reckoned in the degree of true certainty, "and the authors confidered as miftaken in undervaluing "it." Is this only to tell us, that by moral certainty fome understood, &c.? Does not the prefacer alfo exprefsly affirm, that what thefe fome understood by moral certainty, ought abfolutely to be reckoned in the degree of true certainty? which is the very thing I cited him for.

Another heavy charge is, that, according to my ufual fincerity, I quote Rushworth's nephew to Say, [vol. 3. p. 322.], that a few good words are to be caft in concerning fcripture, "for the fatisfaction of indifferent men who have been brought up in this verbal and apparent refpect "of

of the fcripture""" whereas (Says Mr. S.) in the "place you cite, he only expreffes, it would be a fatisfa"Etion to indifferent men to fee the pofitions one would in"duce them to embrace, maintainable by fcripture." Does he only fay fo? let the reader judge. The words in Mr. Rushworth, p. 76. 77. are thefe: "Yet this I must tell ye, "that it were a great fatisfaction for indifferent men, that "have been brought up in this verbal and apparent respect "of the fcripture, to fee that the pofitions you would in"duce them unto, can be, and are maintained by fcripture, "and that they are grounded therein." Certainly one would think, that either this man has no eyes, or no forehead.

But the greatest outcry of all is, that I abufe his firft demonftration, by virtue of a direct falfification both of his words and fenfe, by cogging in the word all, making his principle run thus, that "the greatest hopes and fears are "applied to the minds of [all] Chriftians." This indeed I make to be his principle, grounded upon his words which I had cited a little before, Evol. 3. p. 330.]. And they are thefe. 1. That Chriftian doctrine was at first un

"animously

animously fettled by the Apostles in the hearts of the "faithful, difperfed in great multitudes over several parts 66 of the world. 2. That this doctrine was firmly believed by ALL thofe faithful to be the way to heaven, and the "contradicting or deferting of it to be the way to damna"tion: fo that the greatest hopes and fears imaginable were, by engaging the divine authority, strongly applied "to the minds of the first believers," &c. Now, if these firft believers, to whom he fays thefe hopes and fears were ftrongly applied, be all thofe faithful he spoke of before, which were difperfed over feveral parts of the world, as the tenor of his words plainly fhews, what are thefe lefs than all the Chriftians of that age? And he himself a little after tells us, there is the fame reafon of the following ages. So that I made his principle run no otherwise than he himself had laid it. And if it contradict what he fays elsewhere, it is no new or strange thing. I wonder more at his confidence in charging fuch falfifications upon me, as every man's eyes will prefently confute him in. Methinks, though a man had all fcience, and all principles; yet it might not be amifs to have fome confcience.

I fhall only speak a few words to the two folid points, as I may call them, of his Letter; and I have done.

I had charged him, that he makes traditious certainty a first and felf-evident principle, and yet that he goes about to demonftrate it; which I faid was impoffible to be done and if it could be done, was needlefs. To avoid this inconvenience which he found himself forely preffed withal, he diftinguishes between fpeculative and practical felf-evidence; and Jays, that things which are practically felf-evident may be demonftrated, but thofe that are fpeculatively fo, cannot. But he must not think to fhelter himself from fo palpable an abfurdity by this impertinent diftinction. For, let things be evident how they will, fpeculatively or practically, it is plain, that if they be principles evident of themselves, they need nothing to evidence them; and if they be first principles, there can be nothing to make them more evident, because there is nothing before them to demonftrate them by. Now, if Mr. S. had in truth believed that the certainty of tradition was a first and felf-evident principle, he should by all means have let it alone; for it was in a very good condition to fhift for itself: but his blind way of demonftration

is enough to caft a mist about the clearest truth in the world. But perhaps, by the felf-evident certainty of tradition, Mr. S. only means that it is evident to himself; for I dare fay, it is fo to no body elfe. And if that be his meaning, he did well enough to endeavour to demonftrate it; it was no more than needed.

The other point is about his first principles; fuch as thefe, A rule is a rule, Faith is faith, &c. which he fays, p.11. "must principle all that can be folidly concluded either a"bout rule or faith." Of thefe he hath mighty store, and bleeth himself in it, as the rich man in the gospel did in his full barns, Soul, take thine ease, thou haft principles laid up for many years; and out of an excess of good na ture pities my cafe, p. 74. who did" undertake to write a "difcourfe about the ground of faith, without fo much as one principle to bless myself with." But the mischief is, that after all this ftir about them, they are good for nothing and of the very fame ftamp with that frivolous one Ariftotle (Analyt. Paftor. 1. 7.) Speaks of, If a thing be, it is, which he rejects as a vain and ridiculous propofition. Such are Mr. S.'s firft principles, furfeited of too much truth, (as an ingenious writer of his own church fays of them), and ready to burft with felf-evidence; and yet by ten thousand of them a man shall not be able to advance one Step in knowledge, because they produce no conclufion but themfelves; whereas it is of the nature of principles to yield a conclufion different from themselves. And to convince Mr. S. fully of the foolery of thefe principles, I will try what can be done with them either in a categorical or hypothetical fyllogifm, e. g. "A rule is a rule; tradition is a rule: ergo, tradition is a rule." Again, "If a rule "be a rule, then a rule is a rule; but a rule is a rule 66 ergo." How is any man the wifer for all this? But may be Mr. S. can make better work with them, and manage them more dexterously, fo as to principle any thing that can be folidly concluded in any controverfy

And now I hope at last to have given Mr. S. full fatisfaction; fince he has brought me to the very point he defired, to acknowledge that I have no principles. And indeed, if there be no other to be had, but fuch as thefe, I do declare to all the world, that I neither have any principles, nor will have any.

The

CONTENTS.

SERMON I. The wifdom of being religious.- -Job xxviii. 28.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;

and to depart from evil, is understanding

pag. I

SERM. II. The folly of fcoffing at religion.- -2 Pet. iii. 3. Know-

ing this first, that there shall come in the last days fcoffers, walking

after their own lufts

SERM. III. The advantages of religion to focieties.-

-Prov. xiv.

34. Righteousness exalteth a nation; but fin is the reproach of any