A VINDICATION OF THE FREE INQUIRY INTO THE MIRACULOUS POWERS, Which are supposed To have fubfifted in the CHRISTIAN CHURCH, &c. From the OBJECTIONS of Dr. DODWELL and Dr. CHURCH. A VINDICATION OF THE FREE INQUIRY, &c. D R. Dodwell takes occafion to acquaint us, in his Preface, that his performance was not intended for the public view, but the perufal onely of a private friend; till being communicated to feveral others, whofe judgement be had great reason to value, it was committed to the prefs by the unanimous advice of them all. Dr. Church alfo, after the example of his partner, could not deny himself the pleasure of declaring; that he likewife had the honor of receiving the approbation of fome eminent, learned, and judicious perfons, who had taken the trouble of revifing his papers, and advised him to offer them to the public. This method of puffing their works a priori, fo flattering to the generality of our writers, is a fort of pride, which I cannot affume to myfelf; who have no man's judgement to trust to, but my own; no Clerical Synod to call around me; no Epifcopal Oracle to confult. I am acquainted, indeed, with many of the Clergy, whom I highly esteem; and whofe advice might be useful 13 useful to me on feveral occafions; if the fubjects, which I have chofen to defend, did not forbid me to feek it: for their fakes, I mean, not for my own; left the fufpicion of any communication with me, might hurt their fame or fortunes, and expose them to the same envy, which I myself have incurred. For heterodox opinions in the Church, like treasonable words in the State, impart a guilt even to the hearer, and make him an accomplice in the crime, unless he purge himself by a discovery, and impeachment of the author. But to return to our Doctors; it is certainly a mere impertinence, to talk of the approbation given to their books, before they had passed through the prefs, fince their merit can onely be ascertained by the fuccefs of that paffage, and the reception, which they may afterwards find, not from a cabal of private friends, but from the general voice, and judgement of men of sense; unprejudiced, and unbiaffed with regard to the point in difpute. And here again, I must own, thefe Doctors have received an honor, which I can never hope to obtain, from the public teftimonial of a great and famous University, to whofe judgement I have ever been difpofed to pay the higheft regard. On this indeed, they have great reafon to plume themselves; but would have had much greater, if that learned Body could ftamp the truth of opinions by the fame feal, with which it ftamps diploma's, and confers honors on the Authors of them. For |