cerning the following Performance, I don't expect any Deference fhould be paid me by the World, that fpares no body; much less am I defirous of Abettors out of Singularity: but rather if the Reafons I offer be not cogent, I fhall take in good part a modeft and pertinent Animadverfion. And if I am not fo happy in rendring things perfpicuous to others, as they feem to my felf, yet I have fairly aim'd at it, and fpoke what I think to be Truth without Fear or Favour; wherefore my good Intentions will need no other Apology.

Some Paffages in the firft Section or preliminary Differtations of Reafon, which, in the former Edition, 1 fu→ Spected would prove a little obfcure to ordinary Readers, are now rendr'd more familiar: And tho I then declar'd that the understanding of those Paffages of no Confequence to any

that

that would reafon fairly, being only inferted to prevent the forefeen Wranglings of certain Men, who ftudy rather to protract and perplex than to terminate a Controversy; yet I could not but readily comply at this time with the Defires of thofe, who wish'd'em more clearly exprefs'd, tho it should coft me a few Words more, whereof I shall always be as fparing as I can. I have likewife every where else endeavour'd to speak very intelligibly, and am not without hope that my Affertions do carry their own Light along with them. I have in many Places made explanatory Repetitions of difficult Words, by fynonymous Terms of a more general and known Ufe. This Labour, I grant, is of no Benefit to Philofophers, but it is of confiderable Advantage to the Vulgar, which I'm far from neglecting, like those who in every Preface

tell us they neither court nor care for them. I wonder how any can speak at this rate, efpecially of those whofe very Bufinefs it is to ferve the Vulgar, and Spare them the Labour of long and painful Study, which their ordinary Occupations will not allow them. Lay-men pay for the Books and Maintenance of Churchmen for this very end: but I'm afraid fome of the latter will no more believe this, than that Magiftrates too are made for the People.

Nor can any from this Office of the Clergy infer, that the Vulgar are implicitly to receive their Arbitrary Dictates, no more than I am to make over my Reafon to him I employ to read, tranfcribe, or collect for me. The Learn'd will not, contrary to the Experience of their own Taste, take the Brewer's or the Baker's Word for the Goodness of Bread or Drink, tho

ignorant

J

ignorant of their Craft. And why may not the Vulgar likewife be Judges of the true Senfe of Things, tho they understand nothing of the Tongues from whence they are tranflated for their Ufe? Truth is always and every where the same; and an unintelligible or abfurd Propofition is to be never the more refpected for being antient or ftrange, for being originally written in Latin, Greek, or Hebrew. Befides, a Divinity only intelligible to fuch as live by it, is, in humane Language, a Trade and I fee not how they can be angry at the Name, that are fo paffionately in love with the thing. But of this in due place.

The Poor, who are not Juppos'd to understand Philofophical Syflems, foon apprehended the Difference between the plain convincing Inftructions of Chrift, and the intricate ineffectual Declamations of the Scribes. For 2 2

the

the Jewish Rabbies, divided at that time into Stoick, Platonick, and Pythagorean Sects, &c. did by a mad Liberty of Allegory, accommodate the Scriptures to the wild Speculations of their feveral Mafters. They made the People, who comprehended nothing of their Cabaliftick Observations, believe 'em to be all profound Myfteries; and fo taught 'em Subjection to Heathenish Rites, whilst they fet the Law of God at nought by their Traditions. No wonder then if the dif interested common fort, and the more ingenuous among the Rulers, did reject these nonfenfical Superftitions, tho impudently father'd upon Mofes, for a Religion futed to the Capacities of all, delineated, and foretold by their own Prophets.

I wish no Application of this could be made, in the following Difcourfe, to the Cafe of any Chriftians; much

lefs