What a blessing it is to creatures, with powers so narrow as those of man, to have that Being himself for their instructor, in every thing which it most concerns them to know—not as to the origin of arts or the depths of science, the subtilties of logic or the mysteries of metaphysics, the sublimities of poetry or the niceties of criticism; but -what will become of them after death, and what they must do whilst they live here, in order to render their life hereafter happy. “That thing called Christianity," as the Deist scoffingly speaks, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, has brought life and immortality to light. These are tremendous truths to bad men: they cannot be received, and reflected on, even by the best, with indifference.

*

The generality of unbelievers, in the higher stations of society, are such from want of due instruction on the subject of religion. Engaged from their youth in the pursuits of worldly honours, or wealth, or pleasure, they have neither leisure nor inclination to study the volume of a faith founded, not upon authority, but upon sober investigation. These men are soon startled by frivolous cavile, which they find themselves incompetent to answer; and the loose morality of the age (so opposite to "Christian perfection ") cooperating with their want of scriptural knowledge, they presently get rid of the scanty relics of their nursery-creed. To them, I fear, this little book will never penetrate, or prove acceptable. But there is a numerous and respectable class, the manufacturers and tradesmen of the kingdom, who are in general desirous of information. If it should

* 2 Tim. i. 10.

chance to fall into their hands, and they should think any of the Deist's objections imperfectly answered; they are entreated to impute the imperfection to brevity, to the desire of avoiding learned disquisitions, to inadvertency, to inability-to any thing, in short, rather than the impossibility of perfectly answering them all. The youth likewise of both sexes, who (unhappily for their prospects in the life that now is, as well as in that which is to come *) may have imbibed the poison of infidelity, are implored to believe that all their religious doubts may certainly be removed, whether such a blessed result has been accomplished in these pages or not. God grant that the rising generation of this land, favoured as it is in most respects beyond all other lands, may be preserved from that evil heart of unbelief, which deluged France for so many years with blood; and that neither a neglected education, nor domestic irreligion, nor evil communication and the fashion of a licentious world, may ever induce them to tread under foot the Son of God, nor count the blood of the covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing, or do despite unto the Spirit of Grace! +

* 1 Tim. iv. 8..

+ Heb. x. 29.

P 2

V.

THE

PRINCIPAL PARTS

OF

BISHOP BUTLER'S

ANALOGY OF RELIGION, NATURAL AND REVEALED, TO THE CONSTITUTION AND COURSE OF NATURE,"

ABRIDGED.

All things are double one against another, and God hath made nothing imperfect.-Ecclesiasticus, xxii. 24