5 THE ANSWER OF THE Zine Earl of Nottingham ΤΟ Mr. Whifton's Letter to Him, Concerning the Eternity of the Son of God, AND Of the Holy Ghoft. Deut. XXIX. 29. The fecret Things belong unto the Lord our God, but thofe Things which are reveal'd, belong to us, and to our Children for ever. 1 Tim. VI. v. 20, 21. Keep that which is committed to thy Trust, avoiding prophane and vain Babblings, and Oppofitions of Science falfly fo call'd; which fome profeffing, have erred concerning the Truth. The EIGHTH EDITION. L NDON: Printed for ErD VALENTINE; at the Queen's- Price One Shilling I Think I ought to give you fome Account, When I receiv'd your Letter concerning the Eternity of the. Son of God, and of the Holy Spirit, dated July 10. 1719. together with your Letter of Thanks to the Bishop of London, dated Jan. 17. 171. annext to it: Tho' I thought I was Cunot, at my Tears, to learn my Catechism; yet my riofity led me to read them, knowing your Reputation for Learning And I own my great Surprize, to find So many Teftimonies, and fome Texts, cited by you against the Doctrine of the Trinity, by which you had been drawn from that Opinion and Faith, which you once profefs'd; and which now, with the Boldness and Authority of an Apoftle, (like St. Paul himself in another Cafe) Behold, I fay unto you, is "a fatal Gal. v. 2. "Miftake: So I refolv'd to look into your Quotations, the Bishop and confider your Texts; and I own alfo, that I was of London much more furpriz'd, to find your Quotations liable p. 18. to fuch Objections, as you will fee in the enfuing Letter, which I writ foon after yours came to my Hand, with an Expectation of Jeeing you, when you came into this Country, as you us'd to do every Tear; and to prepare my felf, as well as I was able, for your Alfaults, and not to enter into an open Paper-War, knowing my own Ignorance and Weakness; and that I had not fufficiently A 2 prov'd Letter to 38. prov'd the Armour, which was necessary for an Encounter with fo great a Champion, as had defy'd the Armies of the Living God. But fince you have been in Rutland, both laft Tear and this, and not afforded me your. Company here, as formerly you were wont; and that your Letter to me is referr'd to, in a late Tract by your felf, as a full Evidence of the Truth of your Doctrine; and that many may take your peremptory Affertions upon Trust, from fo eminent a Man as your felf; and fince I have had Leifure to examire your Quotations, and do find that you have perverted the Scriptures, and abus'd your Authors by an untrue and unfair Reprefentation of the Paffages you cite out of them; I have now ventur'd to fend to the Prefs my Animadverfions, and what has occurred to me upon this Subject; that I might not, by my Silence, be thought your Profelyte And because it is not enough om.x.10. to believe with the Heart, but with the Mouth Confeflion is made unto Salvation; and not confelling the Lord Jefus before Men, is next to the denying him. I do not doubt, but your Zeal will prompt you to a Reply; and therefore allow me to tell you the Method, in which it will be most fair in its felf, and fatif factory to me and others, who shall read it. 1. To fate your own Doctrine, and to shew that it is confiftent with common Senfe, and with the other Doctrines of our Holy Religion; which, I hope, we agree in fome of which I have mention'd in my Letter: For, like the Men of Capua, who would not defroy their Magiftrates, though they extremely diflik'd them, because they could not find better to put into their Places; you should not, in an Age, when many ridicule all reveal'd Religion, reproach that, which is establish'd among us, as being against "the Light "of Nature and common Senfe till bave уси freed |