hing, which is
concupiscence, or the love of the creature; as it commands but one only
thing, which is charity, and the love of God. Upon this double precept
is founded the whole system of the Christian religion; and it is unto
this, say they, according to the expression of Jesus Christ, that all
the ancient law and the prophets have reference; and we may add also,
all the mysteries, and all the precepts of the new law; for love, says
St. Paul, is the fulfilling of the law.' And these divines likewise cite
a remarkable passage of St. Austin on this subject, viz., 'He that knows
how to love God, and to regulate his life by that love, knows all that
the Scripture propounds to be known.' And might add the authority of
a greater man, and a Papist too, * who says, 'Religion adds nothing
to natural probity, but the consolation of doing that for love and
obedience to our Heavenly Father, which reason itself requires us do in
favor of virtue.'"

* Archbishop of Cambray: Lettres sur la Religion,
p. 258, a Paris.

Tindal was a solid, rather than a brilliant writer: but he perfectly
knew what he was about; and the work from which we quote, was well
conceived and carefully executed. His ground was skilfully chosen, his
arguments were placed on an eminence where his friends could see them,
and where his enemies could not assail them. Dr. Leland, in his view of
Deistical writers, is quite in a rage with him, because he discredits
Book Revelation, to set up Nature's Revelation. His real offence
was, that he did prove that Nature was the only source of truth and
reason--the criterion by which even Divine Revelation must be judged.
He carried men back to the gospel of nature, by the side of which the
gospel of the Jewish fishermen did not show to advantage. Tindal did
put something in the place of that which he was supposed desirous
of removing. How unwilling Christians of that day were to admit of
improvement in religion, is shown by the number of attacks Tindal's work
sustained. The Bishop of London published a "Second Pastoral Letter"
against it; Dr. Thomas Burnet "confuted" it; Mr. Law "fully" answered
it; Dr. Stebbing "obviated the principal objections" in it. "The same
learned and judicious writer," observes Leland, a second time entered
the lists, in "answer to the fourteenth chapter of a book, entitled
'Christianity as Old as the Creation.'" Mr. Balgny issued a "Second
Letter to a Deist," occasioned by Tindal's work.