the Arguments of Valleius the Epicurean, with a great deal more Wit and Smartness, than thofe of Cotta the Academick, or Balbus the Stoick. And in the fame Strain all along in Minutius Fælix, Cecilius expofes the Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion. And fo the Arguments of Trypho the Jew, recorded in Juftin Martyr; thofe of Celfus in Origen, and of Julian in St. Cyril, are more blafphemous Reflexions and Infinuations against Chritianity, than any that are found in this Conference. If any shall say, that I help vitious Men to Arguments against Religion: I answer, That these Arguments are common enough to be found elsewhere; and they whofe Minds are byaffed this Way, know well enough where to look for them in thofe wicked Books, where they may find all the Poifon without the Antidote.

As to my Schemes of the Creation and the Deluge, I propose them only as poffible Theories; which I do not lay down, as if they were exactly true, but that they may probably be fo;

which is all I am concerned to prove against the Infidels, who deny the Poffibility of thefe mighty Revolutions. And thofe People that pretend to be angry at any Philofophical Explication of the Creation, and the Deluge in this way, may as well be displeased with Buteo and Dr. Wilkins, for proving the Poffibility of the Reception of the Animals in Noah's Ark, and with the Generality of the Commentators upon. the Bible; who do upon all Occafions Shew the Poffibility of those many miraculous Relations which are found. there.

There is one Thing indeed, in which I would more particularly defire the Reader's Candour; and that is my Explication of the Mofaick Creation of the Stars, a little out of the way of ather Interpreters; which, I confefs, I do not deliver as my fetled Opinion, by any dogmatical Affertion; but only propound it Problematically, as a poffible Way of accounting for the Re-. lation of Mofes, which deftroys the Infidels charge of Impoffibility; and

1

which at last I leave to the Reader's Judgment, either to receive or to reject. And suppose this hypothetical Scheme not to be exactly true, which I am not very eager to contend for ; the cause of Religion will not suffer by. it, nor the Infidels reap any Advantage from it. This is only a Point of Philofophy, and not Revelation; and if there be any Error in it, I am to fuffer for it, and not Mofes. If this Hypothefis be poffible, it proves as much as is aimed at; for any way of fhewing how Mofes's Account may be, is a good Proof against those who af fert it impoffible to be.

When I had finished the four firft Parts of this Work, I thought I had done with my Dialogues with the Deist, having gone through every Part of Religion, which is ufually attacked by that fet of People. But a Book having been not long after published, against the Immortality of the Soul, pretending it to be a mere Heathenish Invention; and affording fome Shew of Philofophical and Scriptural Arguments, fuch as might

Shock

Shock the Faith of fome weak Chrifli ans; and withal having got a fort of Character, among our Natural Religion Men; as helping them to fupport their Infidelity with fome new Arguments: I thought my felf obliged, that my Defence of the Chriftian Religion might not be wanting in any requifite Point, to answer whatever was therein advanced against the common Faith, which I had omitted in my for-. mer Dialogues.

And indeed I had before industriously avoided faying any Thing concerning the Soul's Immortality in thofe Difcourfes because the Deifts do for the generality. pretend that That is a Part of their Faith. And in the Summary of the Deift's Religion drawn up by Charles Blount, and published in the Oracles of Reason, pag. 90. The Doctrine of the Soul's Immortality feems to be pofitively afferted, if one can conclude any Thing to be fo, from fo loofe a Writer. A Man that is endued with the fame Vertues we have before-mentioned, need not fear to trust his Soul with

God

God after Death. And then again af terwards; At Death he goes to God, one and the fame Being, &c.

But however, whether the Doctrines contained in that Book, were agreeable to the Principles of Deifm or no; they were like to do a great deal of Mifchief in the World. And it would befides have been a great Point carried in Favour of the Infidel's Caufe, to have any Article of the Catholick Faith weakened. For Religion then ftands firm and unfbaken in a Man's Breaft, when he believes all the Parts of it entire; but when by the Infection of ill Principles be denies one Part, or is doubtful of another; this is like taking a Wheel out of a Watch; it either ftops all the rest, or makes the whole Work go Lame and Catching. So that after a while, when fuch a Man finds that his Religion goes fuch halting Paces, as it always does when maimed, and mangled according to the Humour of new-fangled Opiniit appears to him fo awkard a Thing, and fo uneafy in the Practice, that 'tis a thousand to one he throws it

ons;

off