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ERRAT A.

AGE 73. Line 29. for his. read its. p. 102. I. 16. for of. 1. up. p. 188. 1. 29. f. charg'd. r. chang d. p. 199. 1. 27. add to. p. 212. l. 12. for is. r. if. p. 263. 1. 4. f. the. r. there. p. 271. 1. 28. dele a. p. 400. 1. 25. add is. p. 408. I. 29. f. in. r. is. p. 409, 1. 2. f. in. r. the.

THE

LITERAL SENSE

OF THE.

SCRIPTURES

VINDICATED.

SECT. I.

Of the Truth and Authority of the Evangelical WRITERS.

EFORE we enter upon the Examination of

B

what we principally in

tend in this Work, it

may not be improper to premise fomething concerning the Writings of the Sacred Penmen, and of those more especially, who have recorded the Life and Actions

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The Artifcripturift's Objection.

of our Bleffed Saviour. The generality
of Chriftians have always look'd upon
them, as fo many honeft and undefigning
Men, who have given us a plain, but
rational Account of our Saviour's Do-
Etrine and Miracles; and in doing this,
were affifted by the Holy Ghoft, the
Spirit of Truth, and, confequently,
could not run into Errors, much less be
guilty of wilful Lying, and barefac'd Im-
poftures. But the Hiftory of Jefus,
as it is recorded by the Evangelifts,
and commonly believ'd by Chriftians,
" (fay fome modern Antifcripturists,) is
"fo improbable in itself, and, when
"thoroughly examin'd, full of fuch In-
"credibilities and grofs Abfurdities, as
“ are quite difhonourable to the Name
"of Chrift. The Evangelifts, no doubt,
were, on all occafions, liberal enough
"of their Mafter's Praife, and apt to fay
more to his Honour, than was ftrictly
<< true;
but in the matter of his work-
"ing Miracles, they feem to endea-
vour to outstretch one another. Mat-
"thew indeed is a little fparing and
"modeft in his Romance; but Luke,
"perceiving the Infufficiency of his
"Tale, devifes a Miracle of a bigger
"Size: And yet, this being thought in-
"fufficient ftill, St. John, (rather than
"his Prophet's Honour fhould fail for

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"want

66

"want of his Affiftance,) forges a monftrously huge one; as if he were mind"ed to palm upon his Readers an im"probable Tale of fenfelefs Circum"ftances, and to bambouzle Mankind "into a Belief of the groffeft Abfurdi"ties. For indeed they do not endea

vour fo much as to lye with a Grace, "nor take they any Pains to make their "Stories hang together; which are ge"nerally fuch filly, nonfenfical, and un

philofophical Stuff, as would make one " believe, either they forgot themselves, " or blunder'd egregioufly; or put a "Banter upon us, to try how far their "abfurd Tales would pafs upon the "World with Credit. The Truth is, "the Stories of Chrift's Miracles, and "other Tranfactions of his Life, are fo "blindly, and lamely, and imperfectly re"ported, that Infidels (if they wanted (c not Liberty) would certainly expofe "them facetioufly; as indeed there is " no need of much Wit to make them "nauseous and ridiculous to the mean"eft Understandings. The best that (6 can be faid of them, (in their literal "Acceptation,) is,that they are like Gul"liverian Tales of Perfons and Things, "which, out of the Romance, never had ແ any Being; and this, added to the distance of Time, wherein they are "supposed

B 2

The Ol

by inftan

cing in

profane Authors, whofe

we be

lieve.

"fuppofed to have been written, and "the Condition of the Writers, who (6 were all the Friends and Followers of

Jefus, is enough to make every pru"dent Reader inquifitive into their Au"thority, and very cautious in what Senfe it is, that he receives them.

We acknowledge indeed, that, at jection an this diftance of Time, we are under fwered, fome Difadvantages to prove the Truth of Matters of Fact, not only because we are forced times to make use of many the Teftimony of our own Authors, Writings (which may look fomewhat fufpicious,) but because it is allowed, that, in all Ages, there has been abundance of fictitious Writers, which may endanger the Credit of the true. But when it is confidered, that, notwithstanding these Impediments, there are feveral Hiftories in the World, which, merely upon their own Teftimony, have obtained a good Repute, and the Facts related therein a general Credit and Belief; we cannot but think, that facred Writers are entitled to the fame privilege, and that, to deny Mofes and the Evangelifts the Favour, which we are fo ready to grant to Cæfar, or Livy, or any other profane Hiftorian, is very partial and unbecoming Treat

ment.

For

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