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rules used in the schools, and if their writings be brought to the test of those rules, the books of the Old and New Testament will be an in irreconcileable ftate, and the difficulties against christianity will be incapable of being folv'd. Any that call themselves chriftians, fays, (b) Dr. ALLIX, Should take heed how they deny the force and autority of that way of traditional interpretation, which has been anciently received in the jewish church.

XI.

That Mr. WHISTON's firft propofition is fubverted by his book.

Mprefent text of the Old Testament is,

R. W's firft propofition, (i) That the

generally Speaking, both in the history, the laws, the prophefies, and the divine hymns ; or as to the main tenor and current of the whole, the very fame now that it ever has been from the utmost antiquity; is fubverted by and inconfiftent with the whole scheme, and most of the following parts of his book, which chiefly confifts in afferting and proving, that the text of the Old Testament is (k) confiderably

(b) Allix's Judgment of the Jewish Church against the Unitarians, p. 51.

(i) Whitton's Effay, p. 1.

(k) lb. p. 15, 18, 33, 49, 88, 113-116, 128, 182, 183, 220, 262, 263, 281289.

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rably and greatly different from what it was in the fecond century, and not a little corrupted; and that the New and Old Teftament are in fo irreconcileable a ftate, by means of diflocations in the Old Teftament, and of the introduction of fuch other changes therein, which make the most apparent inconfiftencies and contradictions between the Old and New Teftament, as to overthrow the proofs of the truth of christianity cited by the apostles from the Old Testament; which great corruptions are the foundation and reasons of Mr. WHISTON's Effay towards reftoring the true text of the Old Teftament.

The

The CONCLUSION:

Containing an account of Mr. WHISTON

H

bimfelf.

AVING made an end of my remarks on Mr. W's Effay, I proceed to give you fome account of the gentleman himself; who for fome time paft has made no small noise, not only in England, but in divers parts of Europe, by his numerous writings.

He is a perfon of extraordinary natural parts, and of great acquir'd learning, particularly in philofophy and mathematicks; but, above all, in theology, which he has study'd with the greatest application and integrity in the fcriptures, and in the writings of the ancients; defpifing the catechifms, confeffions, or articles of faith and traditions of all modern churches, and the commentaries on fcripture and fyftemical books of all modern theologues.

He knows how to make the best of every argument he takes in hand. By his fagacity and quickness, by the compafs of his reading, and by his great memory, he omits no

T

thing,

thing, that can be urg'd or wiredrawn to fupport any fentiments he espouses; as is manifest from many of his theological works.

He is an upright and very religious man, and a moft zealous chriftian: leading a moral life, as is common to most who are ftyl'd bereticks cultivating (a) in himself and promoting in others fuch virtue and learning, as he thinks would conduce most to the honour of God, by manifefting the greatnefs and wisdom of his works: renouncing glory, riches, and cafe (which he might have had with the applaufe of all, and envy of none) and willingly and courageoufly undergoing obloquy, poverty, and perfecution (all three whereof have been his lot, and the two former will be always) for the fake of a good confcience: deeming prudence to be the worldly wisdom condemn'd by CHRIST and his apostles, and concealment of religious fentiments to be a great crime; and unmov'd by the example of feveral (b) learned divines, who, as is well known, have great prudence, and, thro' fear of the ignorant, the bigots, and the

crafty,

(a) Hare's Diffi. and Difc. p. 16, &c.

(b). Erafmi Epiftolæ, p. 501, 507, 583, 672. See alfa Whitton's Reflections on a Difcourfe of Free thinking,

P. 53.

Id. Prim. Chrift. Vol. 1. Hift. Pref. p. 27.

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