AARON and the Magicians changed their Rods into Serpents, turn'd the Waters into Blood, and brought up Frogs on the Land of Egypt. And fo far they were on an equal Foot. But at the next Meeting, fuch Things were done by AARON, that the Magicians not being able to imitate them, it appear'd that the Power, by which AARON acted, was fuperior to That of the Magicians, and that Such Things were done by AARON, that the Magicians themselves were forced to confefs unto AARON, THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD. In Answer to which I fay;

1. That, in the Example produced, there is no Criterion laid down by Mr. Green to judge, when an extraordinary Work is done by God, and when not, but only in the Case of a Contest between two Parties working Miracles for Victory. And we are left exposed to receive all the numerous attested Miracles, wrought among the Pagans, when there were no Contests; for it appears, from the Affair before us, that the Magicians not only could and did do Miracles, but that they were accuftom'd to do them, by their free and confident entring into a Contest of Miracles with AARON, at the Command of PHARAOH.

2. This Victory of AARON over the Magicians does no more furnish us with a Criterion to judge from the Works themselves, that God acted by AARON, than if either AARON or the Magicians had fingly, or with

out

out a Contest for Superiority, wrought Miracles.

For if Beings inferior to God can do Miracles, as Mr. Green fuppofes, how can any Body tell, from the Miracles themselves, in a Contest between two Parties, one whereof continues to do Miracles, after the other ceafes, and is unable to do more, but that it is a Contest between inferior Beings, fuperior to one another in Power.

3. There can be no Proof, that an extraordinary Work is a Work of God, from the Work itself, but a Proof, that no other Being can do that Work, befides God. (f) Nor can any Ufe be made of Miracles, if any one but God could work them- They could not manifeft a divine Power, if any less could work them; nor could they atteft to any ones being fent of God, if any other than God could exercife fuch Power, because they might proceed from one as well as the other. You could not know I came from, and was fent by fuch a Prince, by my bringing his Seal along with me, if other People had the fame Seal, and would lend it to others to use it as they faw fit.

II. Mr. Green offers you a fecond Criterion, whereby we may know, when extraordinary Works are the Works of God. And That is contain'd in thefe Words; (g) that extraordinary Works, wrought to affure us that

U) Fleetwood's Efay, p. 11.

(g) Letters, p. 33.

Such

-fuch a Doctrine is a Revelation from God, are to be look'd upon as the Works of God; or, which is the fame Thing in Effect, as done by a divine Power, when the Doctrine they are wrought for the Information of, has a natural Tendency to make Men holy and happy.

To which I answer:

1. First, how does fuch Criterion fhew any extraordinary Works to be Works of God, when fuch Works may be wrought by inferior Beings? Is there any Contradiction in fuppofing that inferior Beings may propose Doctrines, which interefted Men will affert to have a Tendency to make Men holy and happy, and by all Arts and Sophiftry maintain and defend, (as the Papifts do their Doctrines and Practices, which have the greatest Tendency imaginable to make Men wicked and miferable,) or even may propofe Doctrines, fome of which, nay all, may have that real Tendency?

2. Secondly, that if extraordinary Works or Miracles are then only to be look'd on, as the Works of God, when the Doctrine they are wrought for the Confirmation of, has a Tendency to make Men holy and happy, then Miracles, as fuch, do not evince themselves to be the Works of God, and are no Proofs of a divine Revelation. (b) Mere Miracles will fignify nothing, nor determine me one Way or

(b) Fleetwood, Ib. p. 172.

another

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another. And the making a Doctrine (which, as tending to make Men holy and happy, carries its own Proof along with it) a Criterion, whereby to judge, that an extraordinary Work is a Work of God, and a Proof of a Doctrine's coming from him, is to make (i) the Doctrine prove the Miracle, and not the Miracle prove the Doctrine, and to make the Miracle wholly needlefs. For if Men know that a Miracle is wrought to confirm a Doctrine, that has a Tendency to make Men holy and happy, they know the Doctrine has that Tendency, and have a demonstrative Proof of the Truth and divine Authority of that Doctrine, and need no other Proof, and efpecially not fuch a Proof, as an extraordinary Work, which may be done by a Being inferior to God, and which has no Force in itself to prove a Doctrine's coming from God, but what it derives from that Doctrine itself, already demonftrated to be true.

Befides, the Rule, of making Miracles then a Proof of a Doctrine's coming from God, when the Doctrines themselves have a Tendency to make Men holy and happy, cannot be applied in the Cafe of Judaism and Chriftianity; both which, as confifting in many Refpects of merely pofitive Doctrines (fome of which have (k) Objections, as for Example, the

(i) See Fleetwood, Ib. p. 170.

(k) The Reverend Mr. Thomas Bradbury, a Brother-Divine to Mr. Green, and who may be fuppo ed, in reprefenting Christianity,

to

the Doctrine of the Trinity, against them in Point of Reason, which the Advocates for them fay cannot be anfwer'd,) cannot come under that Rule; to fay nothing of fuch Matters, as God's Command to ABRAHAM to facrifice his Son; the (1) Precept in Relation to human Sacrifices, exemplify'd in particular by the Sacrifice of JEPTHA's Daughter; God's directing the Ifraelites to borrow the Jewels of the Egyptians, that they might detain them for their own Ufe; the Approbation of JAEL'S killing SISERA in his Sleep, not only contrary to that Peace, which was between King JABIN (whofe general SISERA was) and the House of HEBER (whose Wife JAEL was) but contrary to the Laws of Protection, and to her own plighted Faith; for fhe went to meet him, and invited him into her House, saying, turn in, my Lord, turn in to me, fear not, and SISERA in Confidence of what the faid put himself under her Protection; God's fending SAMUEL to anoint DAVID at Bethlehem, and, to prevent King SAUL's Jealoufy of the Intent to dethrone him, bidding him fay, he went thither to facrifice; the Prac

to talk orthodoxly, or according to the Notions of the Divines of his Sect, fays (in his Nature of Faith, p. 6, 7,) there are four Things, that may be call'd the chief Practice of the Chriftians Faith. 1. Their Obedience to thofe Commands, that Reafon could not comply with. 2. Their Dependance upon thofe Promises, that Reafon could not fubfcribe to. 3. Their continual Regard to Jefus Chrift, who to Reafon is a Stone of Stumbling. And, 4. Their great Repofe of Soul upon Heaven and Immortality, which to Reafon is all Enthufiafm.

(1) Lev. xxix. 28, 29.

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