For if a Man must not judge for himself, he may be a Papist, a Lutheran, a Calvinist, or of what Name and Party he pleases; but he can't be a Chriftian: Since every Difciple of Chrift must have a Reason to give for the Hope that is in Him. He must first be perSuaded of the Truth of the Chriftian Revelation, and then act according to what he (himself, and not Another) apprehends to be the Sense of it. For mine own Part, I am fo well convinced the Truth of the Scripture, that I never fear being reafoned out of that Conviction: And am fo entirely fatisfied of the Sufficiency and Perfpecuity of it too, in all Matters of Confequence, that while I have common Sense and common Honesty, I fear never an Heretic of them all. The Weapons of Reafon and Argument are at the Service of those who differ from me: But as for all Sorts of Carnal Weapons, I am for sending them back to the Philistines, where they were first forged. 1 am very forry that this grofs Heresy of Perfecution has still fo many Votaries, and particularly where I least expected it. That thofe harmless Lambs, who, to my Remembrance, have been bleating against Perfecu tion thefe Thirty Tears, should now bire and devour one another; who would have thought it? That these innocent Doves fhould, in the very fight of the Hawk, and not far out of his Reach, yet be pecking at each other, after all their mournful Notes on Account of Opprefion, is what I should not have imagin d. I wish thofe good People well; and should any refent my Way of expreffing my good Wishes, I shall only fay, "It is the Raillery "of a Friend." This Quotation leads me to add, That Such as are converfant with thofe Polite Performances, which used to footh the Mind, when it had been ruffled with the Quarrels of Parties in the declining Tears of the last Reign, will not wonder, that I am here led to mention, with Honour and Refpect, the late Excellent Mr. Addifon. His Intereft in those inftructive and fine Pieces, will make his Memory dear to Pofterity, as long as Wit, Humour, Good Manners, Liberty, Vertue or Religion, have any Intereft in Britain. I fhould reckon my felf wanting in my Refpect to all, if I did not, on this Occafion, drop a Flower on his Grave, and fhew my felf affected with fa publick a Lofs. I am the rather led to it, becaufe fome of my Readers have been fo kind, to make him the Author of my Lucubrations, at least of fome of them. The I cannot commend their Judgment, and know them to be grofly deceived; yet there is not a little Satisfaction in being mistaken for fuch a Man. I am indeed pursuing the fame Ends, though in a different manner, and with very J very different Abilities: And I should be very much difcouraged at the little Good done by my Effays, in proportion to what I wish; were it not too vifible that his much Superior Senfe and Abilities, and much better Performances, have had fuch Small Succefs, and done fo little to refine the Tafte, or direct the Manners, of my Countrymen. It is a Satisfaction to have endeavoured well; I am fure my Intention has been, to do good I fet out (as my first Preface declares). with an Heart full of good Wishes to my native Country; and to those who are devoted to the Service of Truth, Vertue and Religion: None of which, I am fully perfuaded, will ever fuffer from any Notions of Liberty I have advanced, or endeavoured to propagate.` A Licentiousness in Thinking, and Acting too, is what I heartily abhor; though I would have every Man make the best use of his own Reafon about thofe Matters, that are his dearest Concern, and wherein no other Man can be accountable for him. I have declared against all abufive Notions of Liberty, both in Matters of Faith and Duty. I have endeavoured to ferve the laudable Zeal of Those who are concerned for the Credit of the Commandments, as well as to guide the Zeal of Such as are contending about Articles of Faith, It is with peculiar Pleafure, that I reflect on my Effays to ferve the Honourable SoCIETIES for Reformation of Manners. I wifh All, to whom I have addrest on their Behalf, would give themfelves leave to look over with Care, what I have there laid together. I cannot but hope it would rowze many of the Friends to Religion and Vertue, and engage them in the Defign. I am fure this is what I heartily wish, and fincerely proposed. I fhall only add my Thanks, to thofe GENTLEMEN who have encouraged Me by their Approbation, and especially by their Affiftance: The Continuance of both which is earneftly defired, by Their humble Servant, The AUTHOR. The CONTENTS. and Goodness, p. 3. Men liable to Error, fhould be open to Conviction, p. 4. An Argument of a great Mind to prefer Truth to all Confiderations, p. 5. Change of Sentiment to be owned on proper Occafions, p. 6. No honeft Man at li berty to profefs or act contrary to his real Sentiments, p.74 Ingenuous Retractation, a Piece of Juftice to Truth, p. 8. Would befriend Truth if encouraged, p. 9. As neceffary from Religion as Reafon, p. 10. Countenanced by the best Examples, p. 11,c. Chrißianity came in on this foot, p. 13. The Reformation from Popery, an Inftance of Retractation, p.15. A free Allowance of ingenuous Retractations, fit, in Countries where Proteftant Principles are embraced, p.16. Yet difcouraged on all Hands, p. 18. By all Methods of Violence in Popish Countries, p. 19. By negative Difcourage- ments in other Places, p. 26. Almoft in every Place, by Neglect and Contempt, p. 21, 22. Prudence to be used in Occafion of the Title, p. 3. What a Bugbear is, p. 4. Several Inftances, p. 6. Impreffions of this kind easily made on the Mind, and keep long Poffeffion, p. 7. Roman Au fpicia fuch Bugbears, p. 9. Omens, Dreams, Prognofticati- ons alfo, p. 12. Ignorance of the Caufe of Things, the Pa- rent of fuch Bugbears, p. 14. Men naturally prone to fuper- ftitious Fear, ibid. Bugbears in Trade, p. 17. In Academies, ibid. No Man a Politician without a good Collection of them, p. 21. Never have been more numerous or pernicious than in Religion, p. 22. Ecclefiaftical Bugbears among Papifts, P, 23, 24. Not confined to that Church. Herefy, Schifm, I. To Dr. Prideaux, on Occafion of a Paffage in the firft Volume of the Connexion of the Hiftory of the Old and New Teftament, concerning Liturgies, and bearing hard on II. A Letter to the Author, upon another Paffage of the Doctor's; in the Preface to his Second Volume, relating to the Numb. |