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AN

APPEAL

TO THE

SERIOUS AND CANDID PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY,

ON THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS, VIZ.

1. THE USE OF REASON IN MATTERS OF

RELIGION,

II. THE POWER OF MAN TO DO THE WILL

OF GOD,

III. ORIGINAL SIN,

IV. ELECTION AND REPROBATION,

V. THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST;

AND,

VI. ATONEMENT FOR SIN BY THE DEATH

OF CHRIST.

TO WHICH ARE ADDED,

A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE RISE OF THOSE DOCTRINES;

AND THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH, BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRIAL OF MR. E. ELWALL,

FOR HERESY AND BLASPHEMY.

TO US THERE IS ONE GOD, THE FATHER; AND ONE MEDIATOR, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS. I COR. VIII. 6. -I TIM. II. 5.

2 AN

APPEAL

то THE

SERIOUS AND CANDID

PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY.

MY CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,

PERMIT one who profeffes obedience to the fame Lord, and faith in the precious promises of the fame gospel with yourselves, to address himself to you with all freedom and plainness of speech, on subjects relating to our common falvation. I need not tell you that the subjects are interefting. In reality nothing elfe is interefting, in comparison with them. For what is this world compared with the future! What is time compared with eternity! Believe me, my brethren, itis nothing but the deepest concern for the honour of a religion which is the most valuable inheritance of the human race, and which fets us above all the follies and vices, all the weakheffes and troubles of life, by giving us the moft folid hope in death, that has induced me to folicit your attention. But I am confident that you will not think it ill-beftowed, because it is upon a fubject that is near and dear to you, and the confideration of which cannot but pleafe and profit you,

If, by the bleffing of God upon our common endeavours to lead and to be led into all truth, I fhall be fo happy as to bring you to entertain the fame views of these things with myself, we shall rejoice together; and if, after all that I may be able to advance, you should still think differently from me, I truft you will, at leaft, be disposed to think with more candour of fome of your fellow-christians, who love the gospel, and are zealous for its honour, though you may think them mistaken in their conceptions concerning it. Let me intreat you therefore, my brethren, to give me a patient and candid hearing. Attend, in the spirit of meekness, to what I fhall fay from the earneftness of my heart; and exercife the reafon which God has given you upon this occafion, which is the nobleft on which it can be exercifed, and for which you may, therefore, conclude, that it was principally given you.

I. OF THE USE OF REASON IN MATTERS OF

RELIGION.

BE not backward, or afraid, my brethren, to make ufe of your reafon in matters of religion, or where the scriptures are concerned. They both of them proceed from the fame God and Father of us all, who is the giver of every good and every perfect gift. They cannot, therefore, be contrary to one another, but must mutually illuftrate and enforce one another. Befides, how can we diftinguish one scheme of

religion

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religion from another, fo as to give the preference to that which is the most deferving of it, but by the help of our reafon and understanding? What would you yourselves fay to a mahometan, whom you would perfuade to abandon the impofture of Mahomet, and embrace christianity, but bid him ufe his reafon, and judge, by the help of it, of the manifeft difference between the two religions, and the great fuperiority of yours to his? Does not God himself appeal to the reafon of man, when he condefcends to ask us, Whether his ways be not equal? Ezek. xviii. 29. Does not the apoftle exhort us that, in understanding we be men? I Cor. xiv. 20. Are we not expressly

and then hold fast that Alfo when we are

commanded to prove all things,
which is good? 1 Theff. v. 21.
commanded to fearch the fcriptures, John v. 39. more
must be meant than merely reading them, or receiving
implicitly, the interpretations of others. Searching muft
imply an earnest endeavour to find out for ourselves,
and to understand the truths contained in the scriptures;
and what faculty can we employ for this purpose, but
that which is commonly called reason, whereby we
are capable of thinking, reflecting, comparing, and
judging of things?

Diftruft, therefore, all thofe who decry human reafon, and who require you to abandon it, wherever religion is concerned. When once they have gained this point with you, they can lead you whither they please, and impose upon you every absurdity which their

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