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into him; that is, make him a conqueror over the world, as Jesus was." I have quoted only these few words; but Mr. Edwards, if he pleases, or any body else, may, in this first chapter, satisfy himself more fully, that the design of it is to show, that in our Saviour's time "Son of God" was a known and received name and appellation of the Messiah, and so used in the holy writers. And that the faith that was to make men Christians was only the believing "that Jesus is the Messiah." It is to the truth of this proposition that he "examines his witnesses," as he speaks, p. 21. And this, if I mistake not, in his epistle dedicatory, he calls "Christianity;" fol. A 3, where he calls them "witnesses to Christianity." But these two propositions, viz. That " SON OF GOD," in the Gospel, stands for Messiah; and that the faith, which alone makes men Christians, is the believing "Jesus to be the Messiah," displeases Mr. Edwards so much in my book, that he thinks himself authorized from them, to charge me with Socinianism, and want of sincerity. How he will be pleased to treat this reverend prelate, whilst he is alive, (for the dead may, with good manners, be made bold with) must be left to his decisive authority. This, I am sure, which way soever he determine, he must, for the future, either afford me more good company, or fairer quarter.

A

SECOND VINDICATION

OF THE

REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY,

&c.

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PREFACE

TO THE

READER.

IT hath pleased Mr. Edwards, in answer to the Reasonableness of Christianity, &c. and its Vindication, to turn one of the most weighty and important points that can come into question, (even no less than the very fundamentals of the Christian religion) into a mere quarrel against the author; as every one, with Mr. Bold, may observe. In my reply to him, Í have endeavoured, as much as his objections would allow me, to bring him to the subject-matter of my book, and the merits of the cause; though his peculiar way of writing controversy has made it necessary for me, in following him step by step, to wipe off the dirt he has thrown on me, and clear myself from those falsehoods he has filled his book with. This I could not but do, in dealing with such an antagonist; that, by the untruths I have proved upon him, the reader may judge of those other allegations of his, whereof the proof lying on his side, the bare denial is enough on mine, and, indeed, are wholly nothing to the truth or falsehood of what is contained in my Reasonableness of Christianity, &c. To which I shall desire the reader to add this farther consideration from his way of writing, not against my book, but against me, for writing it, that if he had had a real concern for truth and religion in this dispute, he would have treated it after another manner; and we

should have had from him more argument, reasoning, and clearness, and less boasting, declamation, and railing. It has been unavoidable for me to take notice of a great deal of this sort of stuff, in answering a writer who has very little else to say in the controversy, and places his strength in things beside the question: but yet I have been so careful to take all occasions to explain the doctrine of my book, that I hope the reader will not think his pains wholly lost labour, in perusing this reply; wherein he will find some farther, and, I hope, satisfying account, concerning the writings of the New Testament, and the Christian Religion contained in it.

Mr. Edwards's ill language, which I thought personally 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 scurrilous treating of Mr. Bold, is his way and strength in management of controversy; and therefore requires a little more consideration in this disputant, than otherwise it would deserve. Mr. Bold, with the calmness of a Christian, the gravity of a divine, the clearness of a man of parts, and the civility of a wellbred man, made some animadversions" on his Socinianism unmasked; which, with a sermon preached on the same subject with my Reasonableness of Christianity, he published: and how he has been used by Mr. Edwards let the world judge.

Mr.

I was extremely surprised with Mr. Bold's book, at a time when there was so great an outcry against mine, on all hands. But, it seems, he is a man that does not take up things upon hearsay; nor is afraid to own truth, whatever clamour or calumny it may lie under. Edwards confidently tells the world, that Mr. Bold has been drawn in to espouse this cause upon base and mean considerations. Whose picture of the two such a description is most likely to give us, I shall leave to the reader to judge, from what he will find in their writings on this subject. For as to the persons themselves, I am equally a stranger to them both: I know not the face of either of them and having hitherto never had any communication with Mr. Bold, I shall begin with him,

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