farther, than to those they were spoke of, I ask whether that agrees with his rules of love and candour? I shall impatiently expect from this author of the occasional paper, an answer to these questions; and hope to find them such as becomes that temper, and love of truth, which he professes. I long to meet with a man, who, laying aside party, and interest, and prejudice, appears in controversy so as to make good the character of a champion of truth for truth's sake; a character not so hard to be known whom it belongs to, as to be deserved. Whoever is truly such an one, his opposition to me will be an obligation. For he that proposes to himself the convincing me of an errour, only for truth's sake, cannot, I know, mix any rancour, or spite, or ill-will, with it. He will keep himself at a distance from those FIENDS, and be as ready to hear, as offer reason. And two so disposed can hardly miss truth between them, in a fair inquiry after it; at least they will not lose goodbreeding, and especially charity, a virtue much more necessary than the attaining of the knowledge of obscure truths, that are not easy to be found; and probably, therefore, not necessary to be known. The unbiassed design of the writer, purely to defend and propagate truth, seems to me to be that alone which legitimates controversies. I am sure it plainly distinguishes such from all others, in their success and usefulness. If a man, as a sincere friend to the person, and to the truth, labours to bring another out of errour, there can be nothing more beautiful, nor more beneficial. If party, passion, or vanity direct his pen, and have a hand in the controversy; there can be nothing more unbecoming, more prejudicial, nor more odious. What thoughts I shall have of a man that shall, as a christian, go about to inform me what is necessary to be believed to make a man a christian, I have declared, in the preface to my "Reasonableness of christianity," &c. nor do I find myself yet altered. He that, in print, finds fault with my imperfect discovery of that, wherein the faith, which makes a man a christian, consists, and will not tell me what more is required, will do well to satisfy the world what they ought to think of him. INDE X TO THE SEVENTH VOLUME. Articles of christianity, and fuch as are neceffary to make a man a christian, different, 352 of religion, have been feve ral hundreds of years explaining, and not yet understood, 177 Atheism, want of ferioufnefs in difcourfing of divine things may occafion it, 304 how falfely "The Reafonableness of Christianity" is charged with promoting it, 305 Author of "The Reasonablenefs of Christianity" falfely charged with making one article neceffary in formal words, 194 falfely accused of denying fome articles of chriftianity, 197 falfely charged with new modelling the apoftles creed, 201 the several articles made 202, &c. 83 neceffary by him, their minds illuminated by 92, &c. the Holy Spirit, Article of faith, how the author pleaded for one only, 174, 196 falfely charged with faying "all things in christianity must "be level to every understand“ing,”. 205, 214, &c. Author Chrift much oftener mentioned his law, 113, &c. how he fulfilled the moral 122 what we may think to be the the neceffity of his coming to the word Chrift often used as a proper name, 226, &c. whether all things of this fort were revealed in our Saviour's time, 345, &c. is fo ftill, ticles of it easy to be under- Creed, of the apoftles, not new 201 - the author's notion of them &c. 251, 252 318, &c. fome things wrote by omitted no necessary ar- |