choice of any of thefe, but would have appointed Men of Parts and Reafon. If he that converts a Soul, fhall fhine like the Stars, c. in Heaven, what Idea can one frame ugly enough, for one who has perverted Millions?

The Obfervators give you to underftand, that they have been Dictators, and are very angry that the Scriptures should dictate to them. Nay, we may reafonably fuppofe, they are the Heads of the Party who affume to talk at this Rate, beg the Question, and place themselves not only as indifferent, but qualified as proper Judges of all Evidence, Things and Men. As they have not told their Names, and none can know on what Side they are, but by their Confeffions, which cuts off their Indifferency; or who they are, but fuch as are acquainted with them, by their manner of Writing or Converfation, does it appear in their Performance, that they have either Learning or Knowledge in Divinity or Nature, or in the Methods which have been taken to reveal them, or even Capacity? But that one of them has ftudied the Artifice of Evafion, another the Languages and Grammars of the Apoftates contrived to hide both, another the Science of Drollery, c. upon Matters of the highest Impor

tance, which though he has practifed from a Child, has made, comparatively, a poor Progrefs.

If our Obfervators pretend to make their own Defence, or to be Attorneys, or Council for the Criminals, they cannot be Evidence nor Judges of what is Evidence, if any fuch could be against the Text. "Tis a fettled Rule, that none can be permitted to give Evidence till they prove they are not interested in the Cause, or not guilty of the fame Crimes; and that none can be Judges in their own Cause, nor of the Legality of Records, nor of Judgments given by infallible Judges produced against them. They may make Exceptions to the Evidence, and offer Reasons; but they must be submitted to the Judge. They break through the Rules of all Courts. They take upon themselves at the fame time to be Parties or Criminals, Evidence, Judges of the Profecutor's Evidence, and to be Judges of the Cause, and finally of the Profecutors. Some Counfel, as Sir I have given Precedents for foul Language: Others, for Banter and Drollery. But no Criminal at the Bar ever durft before thefe, offer to set aside the proper and final Judges, and their Judgment. I hope one of Mr. Catcott's Audience will not allow of this Proceeding.

As

As the Explication of the Things in Mr. Catcott's Sermon, was not quite carried through the Hebrew Bible; fo not to the Greek in the New Testament: He carried them no farther. The Obfervator takes hold where he left, gives his Explanations, then makes them odious, or, &c. I must endeavour to fhew, though in Miniature, that these things are perfectly expreffed, and are uniform from the Beginning to the End.

The firft Time, and the only Time that you made a Noife, which any indifferent Perfon took any Notice of, and for which you had any Pretence of being in the Right, as has appeared by every thing you did before or fince, was not for the Affection you had for any or for the Sake of Chriftianity, but out of meer Fear; for there was no real Danger, that you fhould be reftrained from the Liberty of twisting and wrefting every Subject in it, or any that is great, true, and facred, till you have, in your Way, made nothing of it. There were many others who made a great Noise upon former Occafions, as well as then, for the fame or fuch Reafons; who never did any thing for the Service of Christianity, nor ever will; but all they can to deftroy it. If what you

pre

pretended to fear had come to pass, and you and they had not had Liberty to go on in the old Way, your and their Mouths had been stopt; and you would have had a vaft Load lefs to fuffer for. And if you had not been reftrained by Force, you would have defeated what you pretended to defire, and would have introduced what you pretended to avoid; and if ever it be in your Power to act without Restraint, you will do it effectually. The good People of England have fuch an Averfion to Juggling, that they believed every Subject you writ for, was falfe, and would have chofen the Contrary.

We who believe that there was, and is a Person of the Effence in Chrift, think his Word fufficient to give us right, and direct us to fearch the Hebrew Scriptures: So to enquire into the Conduct of any one, or every Chriftian Church, and protest against any thing they have done, or do contrary to the Scriptures; much more that we have a Right, and are obliged to enquire into the Conduct of the Jewish Church; and most of all, into the Conduct of those curfed Villains the Apoftate Jews, who are no Church, and endeavour to rectify what they have done amifs, efpecially when Chrift has given us fo many pofitive

pofitive Commands to do fo. Though 'tis proved, I fhall not urge Chrift's Omniscience to you, because you do not allow it. But as you make him the best Tranflator of the Scriptures, We defire you to explain how he could be so, without either taking it as it was written, or having Omniscience, when he fays, How is it written? if he meant not the Scrip tures. For if he had approved the LXX, or any Translation, he must have said, How is it tranflated in the LXX? or, &c. If he had meant Tradition, he must have faid, Is there not, or there will be, fuch a pretended Tradition? If he had referred to Pointing, or arbitrary Rules of Grammar, he must have faid, You cannot now understand the Scriptures, but there will be Points and Rules forged, to make them intelligible. If he referred to Derivations of Words in the Alcoran, he must have faid as above, You cannot now understand the Scriptures, but there will be an Alcoran forged, and then they may chufe any Mahometan Word that is any thing like any, fo every Hebrew Word, and any of the Conftructions the Mahometans give each Word to explain them. But to come to the Rationale.