to draw their own inferences, without being diftracted by the intervention of such as are altogether foreign to the fubject. I have gone yet farther, and, reasoning on the principles I had fet down, have fupplied them with fuch arguments as were amply fufficient to my own conviction; and which, had I not believed them to be fufficient to theirs, I never fhould have given to the world.

But, as I was new, both to that world, and myself as an author, it was natural in me to wish to obtain its fentiments as fpeedily as poffible. To this purpofe (which was all that an anonymous writer could do) I directed my printer to prefent copies of my book to a felect number of perfons, who might reasonably be fuppofed to lead the fentiments of the public: Perfons on whom, either an exalted ftation, or fomething better than an exalted station had conferred confequence. I flattered myself that I should the more readily learn their opinion of my work, (if a favourable one) by taking this method of foliciting their perufal of it. I was not difappointed; for though I have not much to boast of any approbation, perfonally addreffed to myfelf, from those who have drawn their honours from the royal fountain, yet I was not unnoticed by others, who derive theirs from the clear and unpolluted fpring of merit. Amongst the firft of thefe, Sir, I was favour

ed

DEDICATION.

iii.

Let

ed with your fentiments, delivered to me thro' the medium of my bookfeller's conveyance, in the speediest and most polite manner. then a Layman, writing on a moft important religious fubject, make his boast, that he can, at least, produce credentials in his favour from a layman, and that layman Mr. Edmund Burke.

To have found an ally in a person who had himself maintained the establishment of the church; who, as a friend to truth, and as an investigating Christian, had already fo ably, fo eloquently, fo zealously combated in her caufe, must, in any situation, have been a pleasing circumftance. In mine it was much more; for when I perceived myself abetted by your favourable judgement, it gave me the fulleft reafon to hope, that my well-meant endeavours, to fatisfy the fcruples of men, who object upon one particular ground, would be attended with fuccefs; efpecially as I might now take the liberty of infcribing that work to you, from whofe approbation alone it could derive the confidence to claim your patronage.

When I have thus made it known to the world that you have borne me a favourable teftimony, I may add, that I republish with a certainty of being useful. I may indeed confider myself as having answered Mr. Lindsey's book in a manner originally foreign from my

intention,

intention, and thrown a weight into the oppo fite scale, fufficient to preponderate against his huge mass of human authority. I have the honour to be,

Sir,

With the greatest respect and esteemt,

Your much obliged,

And moft obedient, humble fervant,..

WILLIAM BURGH.

IN

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the following sheets, which I am defirous of rendering univerfally useful, I have taken care to write the third and fourth chapters in fuch a manner, as that they may be read feparately by perfons to whom the preceding part of the work might be difficult or unneceffary.-The plan I have purfued throughout is as follows. Having, as I think, set aside Mr. Lindsey's foundation of argument in the introduction, and fhewed the fallacy or inconclusiveness of what he builds most upon, I have in my first chapter stated the proper premises upon which our reafon is at liberty to act with respect to fcripture truths. In my fecond, I have endeavoured to fhew the nature of the evidence which is borne to that great scripture truth to which our faith is required. And in the subsequent parts of the work have fhewed what the evidencé itself is. I have but one request to make of my reader, which is, that he will do by me as I did by Mr. Lindsey; and when he is reading my book, that he will place the Bible

a

Bible befide him; for, by my agreement, with that only do I defire to stand; nay, if I shall be found to difagree, I wish to fall. In fome few inftances, for the fake of continuing a sentence, I have changed the perfon used in a scripture precept, and, instead of abfolutely adhering to fuch words as do ye, have fometimes faid we are defired to do, &c. and in a few inftances have omitted a multitude of nominatives, where one answered the purpose full as well, as in Rev. vi. 15, 16, where it is faid that the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains; in fuch cafes I have used only the firft. Of this I think it neceffary to apprize my reader, left he should charge me with inaccuracy in my quotations; whereas I will promife him that, throughout the whole work, he will not find the smallest alteration made in the fenfe. The paffages with which I have taken this liberty are but very few also; but let him lay the Bible before him, and there is no great danger of his being misled.Sometimes instead of quoting I have para

phrased;