into him; that is, make him a conqueror over "the world, as Jefus was.' I have quoted only these few words; but Mr. Edwards; if he pleafes, or any body elfe, may, in this firft chapter, fatisfy himself more fully, that the defign of it is to fhow, that in our Saviour's time," Son of God," was a known and received name and appellation of the Meffiah, and so used in the holy writers. And that the faith that was to make men chriftians, was only the believing, "that "Jefus is the Meffiah." It is to the truth of this propofition that he "examines his witneffes," as he speaks P. 21. And this, if I mistake not, in his epiftle dedicatory, he calls " christianity;" fol. A 3, where he calls them "witneffes to chriftianity." But these two propofitions, viz. That "SON OF GOD," in the gospel, ftands for Meffiah; and that the faith, which alone makes men chriftians, is the believing "Jefus to be the "Meffiah," difpleases Mr. Edwards fo much in my book, that he thinks himfelf authorized from them, to charge me with focinianifm, and want of fincerity. How he will be pleased to treat this reverend prelate, whilft he is alive (for the dead may, with good manners, be made bold with) must be left to his decifive authority. This, I am fure, which way foever he determine, he muft, for the future, either afford me more good company, or fairer quarter,

PRE FACE

TO THE

RE A D

E

R.

T hath pleafed Mr. Edwards, in anfwer to the "Rea "sonableness of Chriftianity, &c." and its "Vindication," to turn one of the most weighty and impor tant points that can come into queftion, (even no lefs, than the very fundamentals of the chriftian religion) into a mere quarrel against the author; as every one, with Mr. Bold, may obferve. In my reply to him, I have endeavoured, as much as his objections would allow me, to bring him to the fubject-matter of my book, and the merits of the caufe; though his peculiar way of writing controverfy has made it neceffary for me, in following him ftep by step, to wipe off the dirt he has thrown on me, and clear myfelf from thofe falfhoods he has filled his book with. This I could not but do, in dealing with fuch an antagonist; that, by the untruths I have proved upon him, the reader may judge of thofe other allegations of his, whereof the proof lying on his fide, the bare denial is enough on mine, and, indeed, are wholly nothing to the truth or falfhood of what is contained in my "Reafonablenefs of Chriftianity, &c." To which I fhall defire the reader to add this farther confideration from his way of writing, not against my

N 4

book,

book, but against me, for writing it, that if he had haď a real concern for truth and religion in this dispute, he would have treated it after another manner; and we fhould have had from him more argument, reasoning, and clearnefs, and less boasting, declamation, and railing. It has been unavoidable for me to take notice of a great deal of this fort of stuff, in answering a writer, who has very little elfe to say in the controverfy, and places his ftrength in things befide the queftion: but yet I have been fo careful, to take all occafions to explain the doctrine of my book, that I hope the reader will not think his pains wholly loft labour, in perufing this reply; wherein he will find fome farther, and, I hope, fatisfying account, concerning the writings of the New Teftament, and the Chriftian Religion contained

in it.

Mr. Edwards's ill language, which I thought perfonally to me, (though I know not how I had provoked a man whom I had never had to do with) I am now satisfied, by his rude and fcurrilous treating of Mr. Bold, is his way and ftrength in management of controverfy; and therefore requires a little more confideration in this dif putant, than otherwife it would deferve. Mr. Bold, with the calmness of a chriftian, the gravity of a divine, the clearness of a man of parts, and the civility of a wellbred man, made fome" animadverfions" on his "So"cinianifm unmasked;" which, with a fermon preached on the fame fubject with my "Reafonablenefs of Chri"ftianity," he published: and how he has been used by Mr. Edwards, let the world judge.

I was extremely furprifed with Mr. Bold's book, at a time when there was fo great an outcry against mine, on all hands. But, it feems, he is a man that does not take up things upon hearfay; nor is afraid to own truth, whatever clamour or calumny it may lie under. Mr. Edwards confidently tells the world, that Mr. Bold has been drawn in to efpoufe this caufe, upon base and mean confiderations. Whofe picture of the two, fuch a defcription is most likely to give us, I fhall leave to the reader to judge, from what he will find in their writings on this fubject. For as to the perfons themselves, I am

equally