Having taken upon me to give Estibius fome Sentiments of his prefent Work, I shall make bold to add a Caution or two with regard to his future Performance, if he defigns any fuch, as an Answer to this. Not that I pretend to prescribe Rules to him, who has fet none, that I can approve of, to himself; but I may offer Reason, where I know I must submit it.

First then, I think it high time for him to drop the old Cry of Prejudice, which is a Battery always ready to be play'd against any Opinion, especially if it is held by the generality of Mankind; and I am fure is as good an Answer to Second Thoughts, as it is an Argument for them: And yet this, befides a whole Chapter on Purpofe, makes no inconfiderable Part of his Work. But I fear he did not confider, while he spent so many Words to remove Prejudice, what a confiderable one he created against his own Defign; for fuch monftrous Ex

crefcencies,

crescencies, in the Off-fpring of the Brain, can be no great Credit to the

Parent.

In the next Place, I hope we have done with the Controversy about Purgatory, Prayers for the Dead, and Invocation of Saints. These I am fure are wide of the Mark, and touch not the Merits of the Caufe, as it lies between him and me, or rather him and a Reform'd Country. I must confess I cannot fee what Service he cou'd ever expect from this Argument, unless he imagin'd, a Foundation must be ruin'd with a Superstructure; because it does bold vice verfa.

To as little purpose will it be to quote Authorities, especially from Heathens, against this Heathenish Invention; and from Poets in a Metaphyfical Argument, against Philofophers: For here at last he can only fhew his Learning, at the Expence of his Judgment; and I doubt not but a larger Collection of

ancient

ancient Authorities might be made, to prove that the Sun, Moon, and Stars have Souls, than ever he will make to prove that Man has none. However I may demand fair Dealing with Autho rities, and that he would not any more bring Aristotle over by making him fay Man when he said only Male, or quote the Authority of Sennertus on his fide, who folemnly retracted that

Sennert. Hy

pom. 4. c. 10. very Opinion of the Generation of Human Soul.

There is another thing which, in Reason, I may expect from him ; and that is, that he thoroughly acquaint himself with the Grounds of his Advers faries Opinion, before he undertakes to confute it. This is as necessary, as it is a Reasonable Requeft; for hitherto he has not conceiv'd Cogitation to be a Ground or Foundation of Immate riality and yet I have fhewn it has been the Foundation of Immateriality, ever fince that had any Foundation with Philofophers; and I

Pag. 245.

bope

hope I have prov'd it to be a Foundation, which Prejudice and Purgatory will never overturn.dunen durend

Here therefore is new Work cut out for him; and this being the chief Ar gument of my First Part, I expect his Rejoynder mills. confute the feveral Nations advanc'd in thats and tho' I cannot promise bim fucceß in fuch an Undertaking, yet I will be bold to fay, for his Encouragement, that following the Train of Thoughts in that Effay, be will come nearer, than ever he was yet, to bis own Purpose. And I request it of him, when he's let into the Merits of the Caufe, that he wou'd keep there, or be filent; and not, as his way is throughout this Book, touch upon an Argument, and immediately fly off; not unlike the Dogs from drinking at the River Nile, for fear of being Caught.

As to the Scripture part of the Controversy, I am fure the Laws of Dif pute and juft Difcourfe, will require him to reconcile his Tenent with the Doctrine

Doctrine of Rewards and Punishments in another World; efpecially fince I in fift upon it that they are irreconcileable, before he repeats as he has done fo often, thofe literal Expreffions of the Dead not being, not knowing, nor praifing God; these I can affure him will give me no trouble; for I don't think repeating a weak Argument without any Improvement, to be repeating the Blow; but only to expofe the wretched remaining Inclination of a repuls'd Adversary. When he has attempted to reconcile his Doctrine to Religion in general; I may be inclin'd to confider again the Expreffions of Scripture relating to the Point. But I fhall not be confin'd to the bare Etymon of the Words Soul and Spirit; having fo fully expos'd the Weakness of that pretended Criticism, I now expect Eftibius will give the Bible as fair an hearing as he won'd do Galen or Hypocrates.

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