OF THE

GROUNDS and REASONS

OF THE
CHRISTIAN RELIGION,

In two Parts :

The first containing fome CONSIDERATIONS

on the Quotations made from the Old in the New
Testament, and particularly on the Prophesies cited
from the former and said to be fulfill'd in the latter'.
The second containing an EXAMINATION of

the SCHEME advanc'd by Mr. WHISTON in his Elay
towards restoring the true Text of the Old Testament,
and for vindicating the Citations thence made in the New

Testament.
To which is prefixʼd an Apology for free debate and
liberty of writing. Liille only

na

Who hath also made us able Ministers of the New Testament,

not of the Letter, but of the Spirit ; for the Letter killeth, but

the Spirit giveth Life. 2 Cor. iii. 6.
· Omnia a MOSE ordinata enumerans, ostendere poffem figu.

ras & notas & denunciationes esse eorum quæ CHRISTO
eventura erant, eorumq; qui in ipsum ut crederent præcog.
niti fuerant, atq; item eorum quæ CHRISTUS ipfe erat

fa&urus.. ? JUSTINI. MARTYRIS Opera. p. 261.
Sin dixerint poft adventuin Domini salvatoris & prædicatio-

nem Apoftolorum libros Hebræos fuiffe fallatos, cachinnum
tenere non potero: Ut Salvator, & Evangelistæ, & Apo-
{toli ita testimonia protulerint, ut Judæi postea fallaturi
erant!

HIERON. Oper. tom. 3. p. 54. C. 6. in ISAIAM.

LONDON. MDCCXXIV.

PREFACE

TO THE

READER:

CONTAINING,

An Apology for Mr. Whis

Ton's liberty of writing.

HE title of my book,

e and the contents, which CTS

I shall place at the end GUO of this preface, will sufficiently explain the subject and me

thod thereof, and make all further ; preliminary to those ends needless. A 2

But

But it may not be improper to en:
deavour to prevent a misconstruction
and false inference, which the se-
cond part, which more particularly
concerns Mr. Whiston, may per-
haps occafion.
· It is very possible, that in opposing
the opinions of that ingenious and
learned gentleman, I may be unde-
signedly instrumental in railing up a-
gainst him the pallions of some rea-
ders; who may think, that the opi.
nions he maintains, are luch, as
should not be allow'd to be advanc'd
or defended ; and that he ought to
luffer in his person or fortune for
maintaining them. Wherefore, to
clear my own intention, and to pre-
vent, as far as I can, such thoughts in
iny readers minds against my adversa-
ry, I will here offer a few particu-
lars by way of apology for his liberty
of writing ; which, in my opinion, is
not only justifiable in itself, but high-
ly becoming a Man, a Christian, and