Anfwers have been thought a little too fanguine and unguarded.

But thefe were no more than the firft Effays of Infidelity, and weak Attacks upon what, in Comparison, we may call the Outworks of Chri flianity. For, tho' its Minifters were vilified, and its Myfteries ridiculed, yet the great Proofs of its Divine Truth and Authority remained as yet untouched; till, in the Tear 1724, there was published a Difcourfe of the Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion, whofe Author, * under the pretence of great Zeal for the Jewish Difpenfation, and the literal Meaning of the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, which in the New (as he tells us) are always cited in an improper and allegorical Senfe, has done what he can to destroy one of the principal external Evidences of our most holy Profeffion, viz. the Com

pletion

*Bishop of London's 1ft Paftoral Letter.

pletion of the antient Prophefies, in the Perfon and Actions of our Blessed

Saviour.

And as this Author had happened to fuggeft, that the Miracles, recorded of Chrift, might be treated in the fame manner, as he had done the Prophefies relating to him; So, in the Year 1727, and at certain Periods following, there came out a Set of Difcourfes on the Miracles of our Saviour, in View of the Controverfy between Infidels and Apoftates, whofe Author, pretend ing to raise the Actions and Miracles of Jefus to a more exalted and Spiritual Meaning, has laboured to take away the Reality of them, and thereby to rob us of the other great external Evidence of the Truth of our high Calling.

Thus were we bereaved (in the Defigns of thefe Men at least) of what the Scripture calls the Demonftration

ftration of the Spirit, and of Power, whereon the Chriftian Religion is happily established; but the Excellency of its Doctrine, and the Purity and Extenfiveness of its Precepts maintained fill their Ground, and remained unmolefted; till, within the Compafs of a Tear or fo, there appeared a Book, with the enigmatical Title of Christianity as Old as the Creation, or the Gofpel a Republication of the Religion of Nature; which, by crying up the Power of Reason, as a perfect Guide in Matters of Religion, has made Revelation of no Effect, and what additional Light, we received from thence, has reprefented, either as a pure Fiction, or a fet of useless Difcoveries; fo that, if the Pens of fuch Authors were able to do it,) they would deprive us of the internal Evidences of our holy Profeffion likewife.

But our Comfort is, that, with all their Malice, they are not able to do

it ;

it; and that our Foundation is upon a Rock, which their feeble Efforts cannot remove. For, befides the Iniquity of the Caufe, which they have efpous'd, and wherein they are fure to have God for their Adverfary; they seem not to have fuch humane Helps at their Command, neither Such compafs of Learning, nor Power of Invention, nor Clearness of ReaJoning, as can inject any great Terror, or make us look upon them as a formidable Enemy.

*The First of these Authors has done little more, than revive the Stale and Thread-bare Objections, which the Jews, in all Ages, have made against the Christian System; and not fet them in any better Point of Light, (tho' he has certainly urg'd them with more Malice and Gall of Bitterness,) than we ufually meet with in their Writings.

* Mr. Collins, in his Difcourfe of the Grounds and Reasons, and his Scheme of literal Prophefy.

Our

Our Second Author is the moft improper Man breathing to maintain the Paradox, which he pretends to advance; for, except a few lame and imperfect Paffages, which he bor rows from purious, as well as genuine Authors, at all Adventures, he has nothing, wherewith to Support his beloved Notion, but only blunt Blafphemy, and a ftupid Affectation of Wit and Raillery, which he, poor Creature, was never defign'd for.

+Ad hæc Mufarum Dona vocares, Boetum in craffo jurares Aëre natum.

Our § Third Author feems better fitted for his Task, and has labour'd the Point more abundantly; but, befides, that the chief Bulk of his Book

is

* Mr. Woolfton, in his Difcourfes on the Miracles, &c.

Hor. Ep. L. 2.

§ Mr. Tindal, in his Chriftianity as Old, &c.