thy of your Patronage. Such as it is, I fubmit it to your Judgment, and that of the Public: And am, with great Regard, Honoured Sir, Your most obliged, and most obedient, Humble Servant JOSIAH TUCKER. INTRODUCTION. M® R. Chubb, in his late pofthumous Works, has planned out a Scheme to introduce Infidelity the more effectually, by attempting to difcredit the Soundness and Reasonableness of the Chriftian Morals: which the thinking Part of the World have looked upon to be very secure from Attempts of this Nature, when they confidered, that they were better than those of any other Institution, and truly calculated for the Good of Mankind. Mr. Chubb was not infenfible of the Influence, which this Argument would always have with the most confiderate Men in Favour of Chriftianity. He plainly faw, that this alone, unless it could be removed, would more than counterbalance all the Difficulties he could raise in Speculation. Metaphyfical Subtleties and laboured Objections are not a Match against Arguments fuppofed to be grounded on Fact and Experience. Therefore he used all his A Efforts Efforts to disprove the Notion, that the Chriftian Morals deferved to be fo much ef teemed, and to be preferred above others. This was a Taik he was obliged to undertake. The Caufe of Infidelity called upon him to do it. And it must be allow ed, that the Method he propofed was well devised, and artful enough. But how he fucceeded, I hope, the following Pages will fufficiently fhew: His Aim was, to reprefent the Chriftian Morals either as containing no more than any other Syftem did; or elfe as confifting in certain Peculiarities, which were utterly falfe, irrational, or abfurd. This was an home Charge: And I have waited to fee, whether it would call forth the Zeal of fome abler Perfon to take the Cause in hand, and to rescue the Oracles of God from Mr. Chubb's grofs Mifrepre fentations of them. a One at Length appeared, whofe Succefs against Mr. Chubb in his Life-time, gave me the greater Hopes, that his engaging to answer the pofe. Mr. Caleb Fleming, a Diffenting Minifter, I fup pofibu pofthumous Works of his Adverfary, would have fuperfeded any Attempt of mine. But whether it was, that he defignedly checked the Vigour of his Mind against an Antagonist, who now could reply no more; or whether some of these Subjects were fuch, as he had not given fo particular an Attention to (for no Man is Mafter of all Subjects alike) Whatever was the Caufe, yet fo, I think, it was, that his Reply to thefe pofthumous Works, did not carry with it that Author's ufual Strength and Clearnefs. I have therefore put together the hints I had minuted, and the Obfervations I first made on the Occafion; and now fubmit them to the Judgment of the Publick. One thing I must advertise my Reader of, that tho' I do not pretend to answer Two whole Volumes in Octavo; yet I conceive, I have felected the very Flower and Strength of Mr. Chubb's Objections to combat with, in the following Differtations. And if I have confuted them to the Reader's Satisfaction; he may conclude, that all the reft are no ways confiderable, but for their Numbers. Not to mention, that the far major Part of these remain |