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"be agreeable to, or founded on the No"tions of the Old Teftament." Wherein the Word proves (which is a Word he (c) fingles out, and builds upon, with Regard to your own Explication thereof in the Words immediately following it) has no Relation to the Proof of any Chriftian Facts, but means, Shewing those Facts (which are fuppofed Facts, proved in a proper Way, That is, by Teftimony) to be Things (d) foretold, as to come to pass under the Gospel-Difpenfation.

But left this should be mistaken by others, by the Means of Mr. Green, give me Leave to explain your Senfe yet more diftinctly by an Inftance; which I will fo exprefs, as to make it a Key to this whole Controversy.

1. The fundamental Article of Christianity is, that JESUS of Nazareth is the Meffiah, or Perfon promised in the Old Testament.

2. Whether JESUS of Nazareth be the Meffiah, or Perfon promised in the Old Teftament, must be try'd and proved by the Old Teftament.

3. That trying and proving from the Old Testament, whether JESUS of Nazareth be the Meffiah, includes in it all proper Confiderations of the Facts relating to the Meffiahfhip of JESUS, told in the New Teftament. For how, for Example, can the miraculous Conception of the Meffiah, his Birth at Beth

(c) Letters, p. 11. (d) See alfo Difcourse, p. 25. 33.

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lehem, his Miracles, Death, Refurrection, and Afcenfion, which are fome of the Facts relating to the Merah told in the New Teftament, and fuppofed to be prophefied of in the Old Teftament, be urged as applicable to JESUS, but by producing thofe Facts, as gone through and perform'd by JESUS? And what is producing thofe Facts, but producing thofe Facts attefted by good Witneffes?

At the Clofe of this Letter, he urges a Particular that has a real Oppofition to you, and which I fhall confider, when I have stated, in your own Words, the Matter, to which he objects.

After you had maintain'd, that if the Prophefies of the Old Teftament are fulfill'd in JESUS, then is (e) Chriftianity establish'd on a valid Foundation, you affert on the (f) other Side, that if the Prophefies cited from the Old Teftament be not fulfill'd, then has Chrif tianity no juft Foundation; for the Foundation, on which JESUS and his Apostles built it, is then invalid and false. Nor can, add you, Miracles faid to be wrought by JESUS and his Apostles, in Behalf of Christianity, avail any Thing in the Cafe; for Miracles can never make a Prophesy fulfill'd, which is not fulfill'd, and can never mark out a Meffiah, or JESUS for the Meffiah, if both are not mark'd out in the Old Testament. And

(e) Difcourfe, p. 24.

(f) Ibid. p. 28.

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you say, that Miracles, faid to be wrought, may be often justly deemed falfe Reports, when attributed to Perfons, who claim an Authothority from the Old Teftament, which they impertinently alledge to fupport their Pretences. Against This Mr. Green argues, that (g) your fine Reafoning fignifies nothing at all, for it Serves his Purpofe as much as yours. Το make out which he thus proceeds; If; fays

he, the Arguments to prove that Jefus "rofe from the Dead, and that numerous "and wonderful Miracles were wrought by "him and his Apoftles be conclufive, thefe "Things were certainly fo; nor can the

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charging them with laying an invalid Foun"dation for Chriftianity, making false Inferences, mifapplying Prophefies, marking out one for the Meffiah, who was not "mark'd out in the Old Teftament, claiming thence an Authority without Reason, "and impertinently alledging it to fupport "their Pretences, avail any Thing in the Cafe; for fuch Things as thefe can never render That no Refurrection, which was a Refurrection, or those no Miracles, "which were Miracles, or thofe no Facts, "which were Facts; can never make a true Hiftory falfe. This, adds he, proves nothing on either Side, and is no more than to fay, that That, which is true, can by no Means be proved to be falfe."

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(g) Letters, p. 17.

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the farther Profecution of his Matter, he, fomewhat inconfiftently with This, carries his Arguments farther, and fupposes, that, when the Meffiabship of Jefus is proved by (b) Miracles, fuch Proof remains good, and cannot be overthrown by any Objection, on the Head of Prophefy; which cannot be anfwer'd.

To which I answer,

1. That whether JESUS of Nazareth be the Meffiab promised in the Old Testament, can only be try'd and proved from the Old Teftament.

2. That JESUS CHRIST appealing to the Old Testament, as prophefying of him, it is but Juftice to him, to examine him by that Criterion.

3. That the Meaning of Books is to be fettled by the common Rules of interpreting Books, and not by Miracles, which are not Mediums, or Rules, to mark out the Meaning of Books; and that when the Bereans are commended for fearching the Scriptures, or Old Testament, to fee, whether what the Apoftles preached was true, or no, it was for their endeavouring to try the Apostles Doctrine by the Old Teftament, interpreted by the common Rules of interpreting Books, and not by the Sense given of those Books by JESUS and his Apoftles, who are supposed

(b) Letter V.

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to have wrought Miracles for the Juftness of the Sense they had given of thofe Books; For if Miracles had been a juft Medium to fix the Sense of thofe Books, there needed no Search to find out their Senfe, which had already been made evident by Miracles; nay, such a Search, as engaging them in the Difficulties fuppofed and allow'd by Mr Green to be in the Affair of Prophefy, and of the Citations made out of the Old Testament by the Apostles, would not only have been needlefs, but have embarrass'd them about a Matter, that was fully proved before.

In a Word, is it not exceedingly abfurd in the Question of Tranfubftantiation, the Determination whereof depends on the Meaning of thefe Words, This is my Body, to quit the Context, wherein they are found, and to confider, whether Tranfubftantiation be held forth in that Place, from the numerous Miracles attefted to be wrought in divers Ages of the Church in Behalf of that Doctrine, or by the late Miracle, faid to be wrought publickly in the City of Paris, and attefted to by threescore chofen Witnesses, and publish'd and proclaim'd by a great Chriftian Prelate, his Eminency the Cardinal de Noailles, Archbishop of Paris, and believed by every Chriftian, or not publickly deny'd by any, in the City or Country where it was wrought?

Miracles, though ever fo well attested, feem to me fo improper a Medium in the Case, and to have fo little Relation to the Determination of the true Meaning of the Words, This is my T 2

Body,

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