ufefully in the Service of your King and Country: That you may long employ them fo, is the fincere and hearty Wish of, A LETTER FROM The Reverend Mr.Defaguliers* to John Chamberlayne, Efq; relating to the following Treatife. SIR, HAVE read your Tranflation of Dr. Nieuwentyt's excellent Treatife; and highly approve your Defign of Publishing it, as it will be of great Service to Religion and Philofophy. THE Doctor's Reafon that he gives for writing his Book in Dutch (namely, that a great many Atheistical Books having been written in that Language, he chose to confute the Oppofers of a Providence in the fame) will be as powerful a Motive for the tranflating it into English; fince we have not been behind-hand with our Neighbours in publish *Now Doctor of Laws. ing the impious Conceptions and blafphemous Raillery of our Scoffers at Religion. If fuch of them as had been able, had publish'd their crude Notions in any of the learned Languages, their Books wou'd have needed no Answer, their Readers wou'd have despised them: But their Profelytes are gain'd among the Weak and Ignorant, or fuch conceited Debauchees as are glad to be fupply'd with Means of defending their Imm by attacking Religion with a fhew of Wit and Argument. WHEN an Atheist has the Impudence to call himself a PHILOSOPHER, fome wellmeaning Perfons that have not much look'd into Nature, are apt to be prejudic'd against the Study of it; as if the Philofophy and vain Deceit, against which the Apoftle has warn'd us, had been the Contemplation of the Works of the Creation: Whereas it was only the Sophiftry of the Schools, contriv'd to difguife Error, and defend the Syftem of the fuperftitious Heathen Divinity. HE that reads Nieuwentyt will eafily fee that a Philofopher cannot be an Atheist, and if it were true, that a Smattering in Phyfics will give a proud Man a Tincture of Atheism, a deep Search into Nature will certainly bring him back to a Religious Senfe of God's Wifdom and Providence. THO' we have lately had feveral very good Books upon this Subject, this will not be less acceptable, because it contains several fine Obfervations annd Experiments, which are altogether new, as is also his Manner of treating the most common Phanomena; from which he deduces admirable Confequences in favour of a Religious Life. And I think I may fay this for the Tranflation, that it will perhaps do more Good than the Original; because in giving us all his Arguments for Natural Religion, you have omitted those which his too eager Žeal made him alfo draw from the Modern Philofophy for Reveal'd Religion; the Weaknefs of which latter might give thofe FreeThinkers occafion to triumph, who would be ftruck dumb at Convictions from the former. If I can be of any Service in helping you to look over the Sheets, you may readily command, Sir, Channel-Row, Your moft Humble And Obedient Servant, J. T.D. |