Yet fo very pertinent: For fince,as is well known, thefe Scholaftick Engagements are intended for Trial and Exercife-fake, as well as for the Discovery of Truth, I fee not where the Harm or Shame of it lies, if, as the Opponent argues against a plainTruth,to fee whether the Refpondent can defend it; fo the Refpondent fhould be fometimes allow'd the liberty to deny a plain Truth (Suppofing it not to be fo plain as to be uncapable of proof) to fee if the Opponent can prove it. So that this Reflection, seems not very just or fair. But enough of this Matter, unless I had occafion to treat more profeffedly of it.

There is a Paffage in the former Part, which tho otherwife clear enough in it felf, may yet perhaps require a little farther clearing, because of a SchoolObjection which feems to brush hard against it. "Tis where I reprefent the λy, as concurring in the Work of the Creation, not fo properly by way of a ftrict Efficiency, as by way of a Rule or Exemplar. Now this perhaps may be thought to clash with a receiv'd Rule in Divinity. The Rule is, That the Works of the Trinity which are without, are undivided; which feems to imply, that thofe that are within are on the contrary divided. The ground of which Difference I take to be this, That in thofe Operations whith are within the Formal Principle of the Operation, is not the Nature, but the Perfon. And because the Perfons are diftinct, therefore the Operations are alfo divided. And fo we fay, the Father generates, and not the Son; and the Son is generated, and not the Father. But now in those Operations which are without, and terminate in the Crea

ture

ture, there the Principle of Operation is the Deity it felf, or the whole Divine Nature; and confequently every Perfon must be jointly concern'd in them, and that because every Perfon equally communicates in that Divine Nature. But what then? Tho' they all jointly concur, yet there is no neceffity by virtue of this Rule, or any other, that I know of, that they fbould all concur after the fame manner. No, tho' they have the fame external Work in common between them, because of the Unity of their Effence; yet the manner of their Concurrence in it may be different, according to the Distinction of their perfonal Properties. As appears plainly in the great Work of Man's Redemption, which tho' as much a Work without as the Creation, and confequently, by virtue of our School-Maxim, as much undivided, that is, as equally common to all the Perfons of the God-head; yet ; yet 'tis well known, and must be allowed, that they concurred in it very differently, one after one manner, and another after another, according to the Order and Oeconomy which each Perfon has in peculiar to himself in the fame Divine Nature. So that there is no fuch great Difficulty in this Matter as may appear at first fight, and I believe no good School-Divine will have any Contention with me about it.

Neither, I hope, will it be thought strange that in this prefent Part I make the λoy of St. John to be the fame with Solomon's Wisdom.

And

to this purpose I here further remark, befides what is there alledged for it, that it feems not unreafonable to fuppofe, that St. John by his roy&. (since

be

be falls fo directly, and, as it were, abruptly upon it, and fays withal no more of it) did intend to exprefs a Notion or Doctrine that was before received by th Jewish Church, and contained in the Scriptures of the Old Teftament. And, if fo, it will be most reasonable to fuppofe, that it was therein contained under the Term of Wisdom, which occurs fo often in the Writings of Solomon, the Pfalms, and elfewhere, there being no other that carries so near an Affinity with it. And that St. John did chufe to exprefs this old Doctrine by the word λóy as being a Technological Term well known among the Jews (probably from the Writings of Philo) at that time. And herein I have Concurring with me, the very Learned Author of the Judgment of the antient Jewish Church against the UnitariJudgment of the antient Jewans. It cannot be denied, fays ifh Church, Page he, that St. John being one of the (as I think) 162. Circumcifion, did write with an efpecial respect to the Jews, that they might understand him, and receive benefit by it. And therefore it cannot be doubted but that when he called Jefus Chrift the λoy, he used a word that was commonly known among the Jews of thofe times in which he lived. Otherwise if he had used this word in a fenfe not commonly known to the Jews, he would have fignified to them that new Idea he had affixed to it.

I am not ignorant that the fuccefs of Books depends not only upon the Judgments of the Writers, but also upon the Qualifications of the Readers,

And

And tho' there may be many more capable Readers than good Writers, there being not fo much requir ed for the former as for the latter; yet when 'tis confidered how Mens Affections do betray their UnderStandings, and how far Men are under the Power of thefe Affections; and that, tho' they read with their Eyes, and conceive with their Understandings, yet they judge and give fentence generally by their Paffions and Prejudices; and confidering again how va rious thefe are in different Men, 'tis not eafie to prefage from the intrinfick Worth or Quality of any Book, what the fortune of it will be. That Account which Monfieur de Launoy gives us of the various Fortune of Ariftotle in the Parifian Academy, is a fufficient inftance of this. Tho' upon the whole, I cannot but think that Ariftotle's Books have had very good Fortune. How this may speed in the World is of lefs Confequence, tho' perhaps of more hazard, by reafon of its incountring fo many Prejudices, and its appearing in an Age of fo much finenefs and exactness. So that I have at once both old Prejudices, and new Light to contend with. 'Tis' a great difadvantage to come abroad in a difcerning Age. Many things that were written formally when the Chanel of Learning was at a low Ebb, being then well received and thought confiderable, by reafon of their Comparative Eminence, have liv'd upon the fame Stock of Reputation ever fince, and retain'd that Credit afterwards which they happen'd to have at their first Ďelivery;which,if they were now to make their first appearance into the World, would not, I am confident, be fo much admired. And I am

of

of Opinion, that few things of the Antients, except their Poetry and their Oratory, if they were now firft to fee the Light without our knowing the true Date of their Age, would relish over and above with 245. But the fingle Prejudice of that reconciles us to

them.

-Meliora Dies, ut vina, Poemata reddit.

How far this prefent Treatife needs the Favour and courteous Acceptance of the Publick, I am fufficiently fenfible; but how far it may deferve it, it belongs to others to judge, tho' perhaps not to fo many as will. All that I can fay for it is, that I have inquir'd carefully after the Truth, and am ready to Correct whatever Ifball find contrary to it. As thinking it as much below the Ingenuity of a Man to refolve to defend with pertinacious Animofity what he has once erroneously faid, as above the prefent Condition of Mortality never to fall into any Miftakes.

This being the first time (as far as I know) that this Hypothefis has appear'd in the form of a System, it may, upon that account, have fome Pretence to hope for a kind and candid Reception: Which, if it meets with, perhaps I may be encouraged to trouble the World, once more, upon a Subject of more general concernment as thinking it of the foonest to leave off Writing at an Age wherein perhaps it would be most advisable to begin. In the mean time, Reader, fuppofing thee to have confider'd the former Part, I now commit this to thy Hands; befeeching thee, if thou vouchsafest to peruse it, not to do it