opportunity offered itself, of revenging letters in general, on their very worst and most relentless enemy, the ANSWERER BY PROFESSION. Of whose trade happening to speak with the contempt that it deserves, I was accused by the dull malice of these Answerers themselves to mean the gentlemen of the long-robe; the most learned as well as useful body in the state; and, by far, the most capable part of that public to whose lay-judgment I had appealed: the only men who speak sense concerning MORAL OBLIGATION, and the best judges of truth, by their knowledge of MORAL EVIDENCE: their habitual acquaintance with its nature and with the proportioned weight accompanying every varying degree of probability, (a knowledge where reason is in its sovereignty) qualifying them to determine in all clear questions of religion. But as the plainest description could not secure me against so ridiculous a calumny; it may be proper to present the reader with the originals themselves. Two of which, fortune hath just thrown into my hands; and two the most curious of their kind. They had been Answerers from their early youth; and, as the heads of opposite parties, never yet agreed in any one thing but in writing against the Divine Legation. Here they went to work as brethren: and, indeed, not without reason: the book was manifestly calculated to spoil their trade.

These reverend veterans, whom one may, not improperly, call Wardens of the Company, had both, as we say, trod the same path to glory,

Ille pedum melior motu

Hic membris et mole valens

and stuck themselves to the fortunes and principles of two truly great men, to whom, the present happy establishment is exceedingly indebted: to the one, for his support of our religious constitution; to the other, for that of our civil. In the prosecution of which services, just reasons of church and state had drawn them into different ways of thinking and engaged in a very warni controversy, where the interests of both were capitally concerned.

Into this famous dispute, without any other preparation than a willing mind, and a strong desire to be doing, our -VOL. XI,

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two

two squires-errant would needs thrust themselves, to bear the wallet, for salve and lint, and the balsam of Fierabras: where they battled it, unasked, with the broken lances, that fell on each side, from the conflict of their masters, But let not the reader imagine these were only things they picked up in the combat. For, though the dispute was, whether a pure virgin church should be given up to the polluted and profane enbraces of old civil policy; yet our squires, like honest Sancho Pancha at the marriage-feast of the fair Quiteria, agreed not to quarrel with the scum of good Camacho's kitchen. In a word, not to dishonour them by comparisons, like Homer's heroes, they did their work, and dined.

But now that both have been so much luckier than inen generally are after a drawn-battle, one would imagine they should have been glad to give the poor remainder of their lives a little rest; and not go out again secking adventures, where nothing was to be expected but dry blows. For the golden days of controversy had been long over. Here was no church to be defended but that of Moses; which would hardly bear its own charges. A Jewish theocracy was a barren field, compared to an English establishment; and a conflict in those quarters was like a battle in fairy-land, which affords no spoils but in description. The sage Sancho might, here again, have been their example, who was glad at last, even unknighted, to retire with the moderate gratification of a bill of exchange for three asses. But,

"Our beavor'd knights, who bear upon their shield "Three steeples argent in a sable field,"

are still restless and unsatisfied, and aspiring after the GOLDEN HELMET OF MAMBRINO.

Since therefore they have thought fit once more to entertain the Public, I will do my part that they lose not the last and only reward yet unpaid them, a ceremonial and solemn plaudite: that the posterity of those whom they so well entertained in the last age, may understand what good judges their fathers were of merit. For merit. they laid claim to; and this search after adventures, they called a search after truth. For the easiest of all things is to give a good name; as the hardest is to deserve one. Thus,

1

Thus, (in the manner of these moderators between truth and falsehood) the TOYMAN OF BATH, with great solemnity of face informs you, that he is a factor between the poor and the rich. Not that this importance would be much amiss, if it stopt there; as affording others (who take the thing right, in the sense of making the most of both) a very innocent occasion of mirth: but the mischief is, it is apt to give them wrong notions of themselves: and the Answerer begins to think himself a servant of truth; and the toyman, an useful member in the state.

But I should be very unjust to my own order, did I suffer the reader to remain under a wrong impression, as if these were the usual ways of rising to the honours of the gown. I have the pleasure of seeing, in the number of my friends, many who have made their fortune by 'supporting the dignity of scholars, and preserving the integrity of churchmen. And it is with high satisfaction I can take this occasion of doing justice to the merit of two of them in particular, who have both greatly distinguished themselves, in the common service of religion, against libertinism and infidelity. In which, the one has so employed his great talents of reasoning, and profound knowledge in true philosophy; and the other, his familiar acquaintance with antiquity, and his exact and critical skill in the languages; as to do all that can, in these times, be expected from the ablest servants of truth, to put infidelity to silence: while at the same time, to approve their own sincerity, they have been so far from looking with a jealous or suspicious eye on others engaged with them in the same service, that it was with pleasure they saw new lights attempted to be struck out for its support; and with readiness that they lent their best assistance to put them in a way of being fairly considered. I need not tell the reader, that in this account I pay á very sparing tribute to the merit of the worthy deans of Christ-Church and Winchester*.

REMARK I.-BUT it is now time our Heroes should answer for themselves. The Examiner of my second Proposition leads the way: who, at the time of writing my Appendix to the first part of these Remarks, I had not * Dr. John Conybear, and Dr. Zach. Pearce.

the least conception to be Dr. Stebbing. And when afterwards I found the pamphlet generally given to him, I had still one very particular reason not to credit the report. But when (on the best information) I could no longer doubt of the author, I sent him word, that, if he would own his book, I would give it a full answer. He desired to be excused: and still hides his head; so that we must try to catch this eel of controversy by the tail; the only part which sticks out of the mud; more dirty indeed than slippery; and still more weak than dirty: as passing through a trap where he was forced, at every step, to leave part of his skin, that is, his system*, behind him. His Appendix therefore, the part yet untouched, shall be the subject of our following Remarks: it is intitled, Considerations on the Command to offer up his Son. In this he opposes an explanation, which, if true, will be owned by all to be of the highest service to religion. I shall therefore beg leave to quote and reexamine it paragraph by paragraph.

By which it will be seen, that, as Cicero says of Velleius the Epicurean, "He fears nothing so much as to appear "to the reader to doubt of any thing :" And hopes nothing so much as that the reader will never doubt of him. Hence it is, that he, all the way, boldly denies what he does not understand; and prudently conceals what he is unable to confute. But soit! before this important APPENDIX shews itself, we are gradually brought on and prepared for its appearance by this inquisitorial sentence, which concludes his EXAMINATION. "Whe"ther you intend (says he) to proceed, or will suffer yourself to be wholly diverted from your purpose by matters of another kind, LESS SUITABLE TO YOUR CLERICAL FUNCTION; you best know. But give me "leave to say, Sir, you are a debtor to the Public; and "I hope that in your next volume YOU WILL MAKE (6 SOME AMENDS FOR THE WRONG YOU HAVE DONE TO RELIGION in this; in which, instead of placing Christianity upon a surer bottom, You HAVE ONLY FUR"NISHED OUT MORE HANDLES TO UNBELIEVERS "Do you think such an image of Revelation as this is * See p. 308, et seq. of this volume,

66

Nil tam metuens quam ne dubitare aliqua de re videretur.

“likely

likely to cure unbelievers of their prejudices, and will "not rather minister fresh OFFENCE? If any thing hinders this effect, it must be the ABSURDITY OF THE But ENOUGH of this. If the reader has la mind to see another very STRONG EXAMPLE OF THE INSAME SORT OF MANAGEMENT, he may find it in the "APPENDIX *."

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CONCEIT.

And in this manner has every honest man been treated before me, whenever he did, or did but endeavour to serve mankind. Harvey himself, who had more and much abler examiners of the absurdity of his conceit than I have had of mine, scarce got better off with one Emilius Parisanus, a man of great name in Italy, who wrote a complete refutation (as he called it) of the Doctor's arguments for the circulation of the blood: a discovery which appears to have given this Italian_no Jess disturbance than The Divine Legation has given our Examiner." Quamobrem nos aliter philosophati et ratiocinati de Harveii fidentia (says he) admirati; de clar. Londinensis Academiæ consensu et conspiratione 46 obstupefacti, &c. -Verum enimvero collecto spiritu, missa tandem maxime novitatis admiratione, melius "nobis consulti, ad vivum Harveii allata resecantes, ut commenticia et ficta excogitata colligentes, propria "nostra sententia permansimus.-Semper in ore atque " in animo habere debemus, ut homines nos esse memi❝ nerimus, ea lege natos, ut exposita fortunæ telis omni"bus et nostra sit vita, & nostræ actiones cunctae sub "Censoribus semper extent: Proindeque PERPETUO

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PUGNANDUM SIT; & nunc quam maxime, quum pro "aris et focis atque etiam Larariis (quippe de Corde, &c.) "fortiter decertandum."--Seriously, this was a sad story. The poor gentleman was plainly frighted. But still he laments like a gentleman. Here are no insinuations that Harvey had suffered himself to be diverted by matters less suitable to his medical function, while he was exploring the use of the venal valves. Nor does he take the liberty to tell him, that he ought to make amends for the wrong he has done to physic; though he thought he had done a great deal: or that he had furnished out more handles for empirics: though he Exam, of Mr. W's second Prop. pp. 132, 133.

AA 3

thought