us. racters; and, I think, if we would act properly, and with fafety, we must put ourfelves under the direction of what God and nature have provided for our common defence, viz. common fenfe and common honefty, which, if duly attended to, will fecure us from being entangled in thofe webs which the more crafty and learned may spread for And though the acting such a prudent part as this, has been, and no doubt will be, represented, by fome of our reverend and learned fpiritual guides, to be fpiritual pride in us; that it is fitting in the feat of the fcornful; that it proceeds from an evil heart of unbelief; that, like Korab, Dathan and Abiram, we take too much upon us; that we act out of our provinces, by making ourselves judges of what does not belong to us; that the care of our fouls is committed to them; that they are the Lord's Priefts, and that we are to receive the law from their mouths; and the like; I fay, though this is likely to be the cafe, because it is the language which fome of our foul-favers abound in; yet this is an affair of too great importance for us to fuffer ourselves to be bullied out of the use of our understandings, as our highest interest K 4 interest is at stake; and therefore, we ought rather patiently to bear fuch reproaches, than to be frighted, or difcouraged by them. In fine, let me intreat my readers to ftand fast in the liberty they were born into, and not to be intangled in any yoke of bondage, whether Jewish or otherwise. SE C SECTION VIL Concerning Prophecy. AVING, in the preceding fection, fhewn what I apprehend the Christian revelation to be, viz. that special message which Chrift was appointed of God to deliver to the Jews; and which, afterwards, Chrift commiffioned his apostles to publish to the reft of the world: And having also fhewn what difficulty and uncertainty must needs attend the cafe, with regard to us, who are feventeen hundred years diftant from it's first promulgation; feeing God did not insure it to the world, and to pofterity, but left it to pass through a very dangerous medium, by which it has been greatly expofed to all forts of injuries: And having likewise fhewn what great care and caution ought to be used, in admitting those books to be guides to our judgments and actions, in which this revelation is fuppofed to be contained: I now proceed to take |