of my Converfion. Thus I have been very early accuftom'd to Examination and Enquiry, and taught not to captivate my Under ftanding, no more than my Senfes to any Man or Society whatfoever. Now the beft Method, I think, of communicating to others the Truth, is that by which a Man has learnt it himself.

That the well-meaning Chriftian may not fufpect, as it falls out very ordinarily, that I aim at more than 1 declare, and cunningly disguise fome bad Principles under the fair Pretence of defending the true Religion; I affure him that I write with all the Sincerity and Simplicity imaginable, being as thoroughly convinc'd of what I maintain, as I can be of any thing. If any good Man fhould after this Proteftation perfift tothink hard of me, it must needs proceed from violent Prepoffeffions: for

very few can be found that are not deeply engag'd in fome of one fort or another, for which a due Allowance must be made. How fond are we all apt to be of what we learn'd in our Youth, as the Sight or Remembrance of the Places where we past that agreeable Time, does ftrangely affect us! A Mother is more charm'd with the lifping half-form'd Words of her pratling Infant, than with the best Language, and moft folid Difcourfes. That any Upstart, but of Yesterday, fhould pretend to overthrow what coft the Antients fo much Time and Breath to establish, and themselves fo great Pains and Charges to learn, is of hard Digeftion to fome. And when others are but pray'd to explain their Terms, which commonly fignify nothing, or what they must be afham'd to own that would never be thought in an Error, they are uneafy, as an extravagant

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Merchant to examine his Accompts; and 'tis well if they can restrain their Paffions. Not only a few Men, but oftentimes whole Societies, whilst they confider Things but very fuperficially, fet fuch a Value upon certain Sounds, as if they were the real Effence of all Religion. To question or reject any of thefe, tho never fo falfe and inconvenient, is dangerous Heterodoxy: And yet, as I hinted now, they either fignify nothing, or have been invented by fome leading Men to make plain things obfcure and not seldom to cover their own Ignorance. What is unpardonable, the boly Scripture is put to the Torture to countenance this Scholaftick Jargon, and all the metaphyfical Chimeras of its Authors. But the weakness of the greatest part of thefe Prejudices is fo notorious, that to mention them is fufficient Confutation: Nor fhall

I be otherwife mov'd with any thing of this Nature, than a prudent Man would be at the Declamations of fuch as have recourse to Railing when Reafon fails them.

As for thofe Gentlemen who fuggeft that the Credulity of Popery has frighted me to an unwarrantable Diftance from it; I have nothing to Jay for their Satisfaction, but that I don't envy them the cheap and commodious Mean they boast of, while I think Truth and Error to be the two Extreams. Religion is not to. be modell'd according to our Fancies, nor to be judg'd of as it relates to our private Defigns; elfe there would be full as many Creeds as Perfons: But how little foever our Notions agree, and let our worldly Conveniences be what they will, Religion is always the fame, like God its Author, with whom there is no

Variablenefs, nor Shadow of changing.

If any should ask me whether I have fo good an Opinion of my own Abilities, as to imagine that I can prove a rational Account may be given of all thofe jarring Doctrines, ambiguous Terms, and puzling Diftinctions which have for fo many Centuries fufficiently exercis'd the Learn'd of all forts: Ianfwer, that I don't pretend (as the Title-Page can testify) that we are able to explain the Terms or Doctrines or this or that Age, Council, or Nation, (most of which are impervious Mysteries with a witnefs) but the Terms and Doctrines of the Gofpel. They are not the Articles of the Eaft or Weft, Orthodox or Arian, Proteftant or Papift, confider'd as fuch, that I trouble my felf about, but thofe of Jefus Chrift and his Apostles. And in manag