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ANACCOUNTOF THEGROWTHOFDEISMINENGLAND. |
LONDON: Printed for the Author, MDCXCVI. |
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SIR,
'Tis now three Years since you and I had a serious Discourse concerning therise and progress of Deism: which is an Opinion of late Years creptinto England, tho not so widely spread here as in other parts of Europe. I well remember we were both agreed, that there was no shadow ofReason why any one should suspect the Gospels of Forgery, since thematter contain'd in them hath not the least favour of any worldly Interest, orindirect Design, but all the Lines of them do only center in the highestImprovement Humane Nature is capable of. So that in conformity [4]every Man may take great comfort in himself, and all Mankind livewell with one another. Besides, the Preachers of this excellent Doctrine had atfirst all the Discouragements which an irreligious and idolatrous Age could givethem, (as is confessed by their Enemies) insomuch that nothing but their ownpersonal full Conviction of the Truths they professed could engage them toPreach 'em; and the intrinsick Goodness of the Law of Christ, wassufficient to gain mens hearts, after Miracles had born down theirPrejudices, and gain'd their serious Attention. In fine, you and I could see noreason to doubt of the Truth of any matter of Fact contain'd in the Gospels,which relate the miraculous Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ; but what would oblige us to deny the truth of all Historywhatsoever. And from these Considerations laid together, we concluded that theDoctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ was undoubtedly sent to us by God.
This still made it appear more strange to us both, how DEISM (whichis a denial of all reveal'd Religion) should creep in upon us where the Scriptures are made so publick, and where so many Learned Treaties arewritten, which so strongly assert their Authority to be Divine. I confess, I wasas desirous to know upon what Grounds Men rejected the Gospel, as youyour self were, and therefore I willingly undertook the Task you laid on me, viz. To collect and put together those Motives whereby some had beeninduced to lay aside all Revelation. For which Performance I was thefitter, because it doth not require any Learning and strength of Wit, but onlyObservation, and Inquiry, which I might easily make, because of the numerousAcquaintance I have contracted in Town, where (you know) I spend the Winter, andin the Country, where I bestow my Summer Visits. But all I shall [5]do in this matter, is barely to give you a Relation of thosePrejudices, and (as I think) false Reasonings, which have drawn some of myAcquaintance from Revelation to DEISM.
1. Now, first I have observed, that some who pretend themselves Deists,are Men of loose and