ly against all, and are equally engaged to bear the opposition of all.

If the contest be only betwixt Deists and priests, which of them are men of the greatest parts and sense, let the effects determine it ; and let Deists yield the victory to their conquerors, who by their own confession carry all the world before them.

XVII. If Deists say that this is, because all the world are blockheads as well, as those priests, who govern them; that all are blockheads, except the Deists, who vote themselves only to be men of sense; this (beside the modesty of it) will spoil their great and beloved topic in behalf of what they call natural religion, against revealed, viz. appealing to the common reason of mankind. This they set up against revelation; think this sufficient for all the uses of men here or hereafter, (if there be any after state) and therefore that revelation is of no use. This common reason they advance as infallible, at least as the surest guide; yet now cry out upon it, when it turns against them; when this common reason runs after revelation (as it always has done) then common reason is a beast; and we must look for reason, not from the common sentiments of mankind, but only among the beaux, the Deists.

XVIII. Therefore, if Deists would avoid the mortification (which will be very uneasy to them) to yield and submit to be subdued and hewed down before priests, whom of all mankind they hate and despise? if they would avoid this, let them confess, as the truth is, that religion is no invention of priests, but of divine original; that priests were instituted by the same Author of religion; and that their order is a perpetual and living monument of the matters of fact of their religion, instituted from the time, when such facts were said to be done; as the Levites from MOSES, the Apostles and succeeding Clergy from CHRIST, to this day; that no heathen priests can say the same. They were not appointed by the gods, whom they served, but by others in after ages; they cannot stand the test of the four rules before mentioned, which Christian priests can do, and they only. Now the Christian priesthood, as instituted by CHRIST himself, and continued by succession to this day, being as impregnable and flagrant a testimony to the truth of the matters of fact of CHRIST, as the sacraments, or any other public institutions; beside that, if the priesthood were taken away, the sacraments and other public institutions, which are administered by their hands, must fall with

them; therefore the devil has been most busy, and bent his greatest force in all ages against the priesthood, knowing that, if that go down, all goes with it.

XIX. With the Deists, in this cause, are joined the Quakers and others, who throw off the succession of our priesthood together with the sacraments and public festivals. But, if

these were dropt, the Christian religion would lose one most undeniable proof of the truth of the matter of fact of our SAVIOUR, upon which the truth of his doctrine depends.

Let us consider and honour the priesthood, sacraments, and other public institutions of CHRIST, not only as means of grace and helps to devotion, but as the great evidences of the Christian religion. Such evidences, as no pretended revelation ever had, or can have. Such, as do plainly distinguish it from all foolish legends and impostures whatsoever.

XX. Last of all, if one word of advice would not be lost upon men, who think so unmeasurably of themselves, as the Deists; you may represent to them, what a condition they are in, who spend that life and sense, which God has given them, in ridiculing the greatest of blessings, his revelations of CHRIST, and by CHRIST, to redeem those from eternal misery,

who shall believe in him, and obey his laws; and that God in his wonderful mercy and wisdom, has so guarded his revelations, that it is past the power of men or devils to counterfeit them; and that there is no denying of them, unless we will be so absurd, as to deny, not only the reason, but the certainty of the outward senses, not only of one, or two, or three, but of mankind in general; that this case is so very plain, that nothing, but want of thought, can hinder any from discovering it; that they must yield it to be so plain, unless they can show some forgery, which has all the four marks before set down. But, if they cannot do this, they must quit their cause, and yield a happy victory over themselves; or else sit down under all that ignominy, with which they have loaded the priests, of being, not only the most pernicious, but (what will gall them more) the most inconsiderate and inconsiderable of mankind.

Therefore let them not think it an undervaluing of their worthiness, that their whole cause is comprised within so narrow a compass; and no more time bestowed upon it, than it is worth. But let them rather reflect, how far they have been all this time from Christianity; whose rudiments they are yet to learn. How

far from the way of salvation.

How far the

race of their lives is run, before they have set one step in the road to heaven. Therefore, how much diligence they ought to use, to redeem the time, they have lost, lest they lose themselves forever; and be convinced by dreadful experience, when too late, that the Gospel is a truth, and of the last consequence.