The late Bishop (u) LLOYD fays, "though "fome of our Deifts complain of the Lofs "of PORPHYRY's Books against the Christian "Religion, yet they may be affured for their Comfort, they will not want the Help of our learned Men to bring them to Light. "We want them indeed on many Accounts; but efpecially, to fhew them, that as they have "PORPHYRY'S Malice, fo if they had his great Learning too, both these join'd to"gether would not hurt the Chriftian Religion. (x) As for his Arguments, it cannot be imagined that there was any Thing of Strength in them, more than what JULIAN "the Apoftate took into the Work, that he "writ afterwards on that Subject. And to "our Comfort, as well as the Deifts, that "Work is not loft. "The Church of Rome, fays (y) Dr. "SHERKOCK, will not suffer her People to difpute their Religion, or to read heretical p. 21. (u) Lloyd's Chron. Account of Pythagoras, &e. " Books, Books, nay not fo much as to look into "the Bible itself. But we allow all This to our People, as That, which God not only "allows, but requires, and which all confi"dering Men will allow themfelves, whoever forbids it. Dr. NICHOLS and other learned Divines have writ many elaborate Works, in Behalf of Christianity, by Way of Dialogue; wherein they introduce Deifts and Scepticks, who must be supposed to argue for their feveral Hypothefes with the fame Strength real Deifts and Scepticks do; for it is not to be imagined, that the Authors of thofe Dialogues, who cannot but know that the Nature of Dialogue requires a true Reprefentation of Characters, and that Juftice is due to all Men, fhould be fo illiterate and unfair, as to make their Dialogift-Deifts and Scepticks talk Booty, and in Concert with the Orthodox-Dialogist, in order to establish the Author's own Opinions. In fine, the reverend Dr. JENKIN fhould feem to be of the fame Sentiment with the great Men before-mention'd, when he fays, (*) that (≈) that "all the Arguments brought against "Christianity are fo weak and infignificant, that they rather make for it. 15. The greatest Enemies to Liberty of Debate in Matters of Religion do allow certain religious Questions to be publickly debated; and pursuant thereto, there are ever some religious Debates on Foot, even in thofe Countries, where Agreement in Doctrine and Uniformity in Worship are the chief Objects of the Care of the Magiftrate, the Church, and the Inquifition, and of the Zeal of the Beggars; which four, when united in a common Polity, make the strongest Band imaginable against the just Liberties of Mankind. On the other Side, the greatest Contenders for Liberty of Debate in Matters of Religion do contend for fome Restraints upon that Liberty, and think that there are certain Propofitions, which ought not to be call'd in Question, as being neceffary to be profefs'd for the Support of Peace and Order in Society, or at least not deny❜d. (z) Jenkin's Pref. to Reafon. of Chrift. Rel. Vol. I. p. 36. Both Both Parties must therefore allow, that there is a juft Medium between Restraint and Liberty. This Medium, from the great Importance of the Matters conftantly depending on it to Society, fhould feem not very difficult to fix and determine in most Cases. And it seems to me fo plainly to discover itself, that almoft any Man, if placed in proper Circumftances, would judge rightly and truly how far, or in what Particulars, Men fhould have Liberty in Religion, and confequently wherein they should be reftrain'd. Let, for Example, a Member of the Church of England (whom I will fuppofe perfwaded, that he is obliged in Confcience publickly to profefs the Doctrine of the Church of England) go fucceffively into Countries of Pref byterians, Papifts, Mahometans, and Heathens; and by finding out the reasonable Liberty, which he wants himself, he can hardly fail of finding out the reasonable Liberty of Men. He He cannot but think; that he ought to be allow'd publickly to profess his Religion among the Prefbyterians; though they may esteem him fuperftitious, or fanatical, or factious, for making a Separation from their establish'd Church about Ceremonies and Matters of Difcipline; that he ought to be allow'd to profess his Religion publickly among the Papifts; though they may esteem him an Heretick and Schifmatick, and a Destroyer of all Order and Uniformity, for pretending to make the Scriptures, interpreted by his own Judgment, his Rule of Faith, and for denying the Authority of the Church; that he ought to be allow'd to profefs his Religion publickly among the Mahometans; though they may deem him impious, for denying the divine Inspiration of the Alcoran and the Authority of MAHOMET, and an Idolater for worshiping the Son and the Holy Ghoft, each as fupreme God, as well as the Father; and that he ought to to be allow'd to profess his Religion among the Heathens; though 'they may call him Atheist, as the Heathens did the primitive Christians, either for afferting the Unity of a Deity, with whom they were unacquainted, ог |