It is the author's intention to examine, in the following pages,

*

First, How far all-forgiving mercy, upon repentance, and without an atonement for our sins, can consist with the wisdom of a God, who has an universe of free beings to keep in order; how far it can consist, that is, with the character of an all-perfect Governor, and the general happiness of the governed:

Secondly, How far Scripture confirms the doctrine of all-forgiving mercy, upon repentance, and without an atonement:

and

Thirdly, To exhort all who sincerely believe the doctrines of pure Christianity, to zeal, and consistency; to let their practice accord with their professions.

Before he concludes this preface, the author is most desirous to disclaim all personal animosity. He is inexpressibly anxious to be thought sincere, in his disavowal of any

b

such feeling. And he trusts, that he shall be believed, when he declares, that he is living, not only in the most perfect amity, but in the strictest intimacy, with many of those whose doctrines he endeavours to overturn. And in truth, he makes this endeavour, scarcely more from regard to those who think with him, than from love to those who differ from him. Whatever therefore may be the success of his attempts, his Socinian friends must, at least, acquit him of all hostile feelings towards themselves. It is against their doctrines alone that he wars; and he contends, (God be his witness!) not for victory, but for truth.

Let then those who have hitherto given him their friendship, in spite of the known disagreement of their religious opinions, still continue to him that friendship; whilst he, on his part, solemnly engages, that so long as difference of religious faith shall be the only difference between them, he will neither abate his love for them, nor, by a voluntary estrangement, relax his intimacy with them; if coldness should ensue,

He

it' shall originate with themselves. owes to them, many of his happiest hours; he has enjoyed many of his purest pleasures in their society; and shall the bond of union, formed by similarity of tastes, and conformity of pursuits, which so long has tied him to them, be now dissolved for ever? Forbid it, Christian love! The prospect is too distressing to dwell upon for a

moment.

The author does not know that he has struck out many new arguments; (perhaps on so beaten a subject it was not possible) neither does he pretend to have madę the most of old ones. His object has been, só to compress and simplify them, as that he who runs may read. He has laboured so to write, as that important truths may be attainable, without much expense of time, and application that they may be within reach of the busy, the gay, and the thoughtless; so near the surface, as that the trouble of finding them, shall neither dismay indolence, nor disgust levity. He has borrowed much from others, but, with a few ex

7334

somewhere said in much better words, th lapse of time often makes it impossible fo us to decide, whether the images which w cull from our minds, are drawn from th storehouses in which memory had depo sited the ideas of others; whether they a our own ideas, formed long ago, and no called forth again by reflection; or wheth they are now first generated, and investe with a local habitation, and a name."

"

The author is aware, that there is some thing of presumption in going over ground often and better trod before; but he know that whilst one only of many modes in whic the Scriptures continue to be interprete by different parties, can be right; to in quire which is that one, can never be su perfluous. He knows too, that so long a men are ignorant of their duty, (which do not indeed often happen in a Christia country) or lax in the performance of i

nent.

Under this conviction, he has written; with this conviction, he throws himself upon the public; animated in his more sanguine moments by the prospect, however faint, of doing some good in his generation; supported under less pleasing anticipations, by a consciousness, capable indeed of making much heavier trials light, the consciousness, that he has endeavoured to promote God's glory, and the happiness of his fellow

men.