THE INTRODUCTION. INCE the publication of my Second Defence in the cause of SINCE our blessed Lord's Divinity, I have been waiting to see what further attempts we were to have from the Arians. I perceive they are still resolute in their opposition to the faith of Christ, blaspheming his Godhead, impugning his worship, and despising every kind offer of instruction, or exhortation, to convince or reclaim them. I have the satisfaction however to observe, that they daily give ground more and more; that the defensive part, which they begun with, is, in a manner, yielded up; their main scheme appearing so gross, and so untenable, that they themselves are afraid or ashamed to own it. As to the offensive, which is now all that they are willing to abide by, they hold it on still as far as they are able: and yet even here one may observe, that, as to matter of argument, their attacks are as harmless as a man might wish; only there is a certain fierceness or bitterness of spirit still remaining, and which seems to increase, as their strength decreases; and which perhaps may grow upon them more and more to the last, as is natural and common in such cases. But to come to the point. B 2 Their first effort to renew the contest appeared under the title of Remarks, &c. by one Philalethes Cantabrigiensis, printed for J. Noon. Having no manner of acquaintance, that I know of, with the man under that conceited name; and finding little in the piece more than tedious repetition, and studied confusion, I slighted it, as apprehending myself not at all obliged to take notice of it. Waiting a while longer, there comes out another pamphlet, entitled, Observations, &c. and by the Author of the Reply to my First Defence, printed for James Knapton, &c. which when I saw, I immediately concluded, as I had some leisure upon my hands, that here was a call to me to set pen to paper once more. For however low an opinion I might have of the performance, after reading it, yet the Author of the Reply, when he has any thing to say, and while our readers are not quite weary, may always command my more especial notice. Whether it be Dr. Clarke, or whether it be Mr. Jackson, (for though it be doubted which, all agree that it lies between them,) they are both men whom I must attend to: one, as he is the principal in the cause; the other, as he is second, and had the first hand in committing my Queries to the press, engaging me ever after in the public service. Let but either of those two gentleman stand accountable in the opinion of the world, (I mean no more,) for any foul play on their side, as I by setting my name am answerable for any on mine, and then I shall think myself upon even terms with them in that respect and as to any other, I humbly conceive, I have no reason to fear their gaining any advantage. The author of the Observations begins with giving us his judgment of his own performance; assuring his reader, in the most solemn manner, that the Observations contain in them no argument, nor branch of any argument, but what, upon the most serious consideration and careful review, appears to him strictly and perfectly conclusive. Thus far perhaps may be true: for I know not how things may appear to him, nor how defective he may be in judgment. But I wish he could have added, no representations but what, upon calm examination, he had found to be strictly just; no reports, but what he knew to be true; no charges upon his adversary, but what he believed to be honest and upright; no personal reflections beyond what he had clear and sufficient grounds for. But I pass on to his book. He has cast his work into fourteen observations; the weightiest, no doubt, that the whole compass of the controversy could afford. I shall consider what to say to them, after I have given the reader some brief hints of the past and present state of the dispute between us. It should be remembered, that this gentleman at his first setting out, and all along till now, undertook to answer queries, to satisfy objections, to assoil difficulties, to reconeile the new scheme to itself, to Scripture, to antiquity, and to reason; that so having first cleared his own doctrine in every part, beyond any thing that could be done for the faith received, he might then with a better face disturb the peace of the Church, and plead the more earnestly (but modestly withal) for a thorough change. This was what he undertook: and had he been as able to execute, as he was forward to project, I profess sincerely, he should not have wanted any encouragement, or even thanks of mine; so far should I have been from giving him further molestation. But it hath happened to him, (as it ordinarily must to every man, who undertakes a business before he has seen into it,) that he has met with many difficulties, more than he at first apprehended, and is by no means able to surmount them. To mention a few particulars, out of a great number. 1. He has not been able to clear his scheme of the unsupportable charge of making two Gods, one supreme, and another inferiora. 2. He has not been able to get over the difficulty of supposing God the Son and God the Holy Ghost two creatures, in direct a See my First and Second Defence, Query v. vol. i. and ii. b See my First and Second Defence, Query xi. xii. vol. i. and ii. |