I have no other wish than* adn Bevelv ev ayah to speak the truth, as far as I can discover it, without giving or taking offence, but preserving good-humour and good-will, and fill remembering the fallibility of man.

* Ephef. iv. 15.

T
He servility of Dedications has

too often degraded the dignity
of Literature. The tribute of gross
flattery has not only disgraced Writers
and offended Patrons, but depreciated
valuable Works, and diminished their
effects on the reader.
If I were mean enough to offer

you adulation, your Lordship would despise it : I should despise myself. I dedi

A 2

A

great civilities

cate these Sermons to you, for two
reasons, neither of them adulatory :
the first is, that I may publicly express
the sense I retain of the
which you have shewn me, and the
attention

you

have paid to the place of your education, over which I now preside: the second, a desire to point out to my readers, a brilliant example of one of the first Christian virtues,

In imitation of the great author of our religion, you, my LORD, GO. ABOUT. DOING GOOD.

God has given you a heart, large and liberal as your fortunes. It may truly be faid of your Lordfhip, that

Dii tibi divitias dederunt artemque fruendi.

BENEFICENCE.

Hor.

But I refrain. I know you delight to do good in secret. I will not give you pain, by publicly expatiating on

your

your bounty. Heaven will record it. The world knows it; for it is so frequent and so profuse, that

your endeavours to conceal it cannot be successful.

Give me leave, my Lord, to express a wish, that you may long enjoy, for the sake of others as well as for your own, the blessings which Providence has bestowed upon you.

I am, with unfeigned respect,

1

IT
T was not my intention, in the following

pages, to engage in theological contro-
versy; but I am sensible, that it will appear
from them, that I am a believer in the
doctrine of the Trinity. This belief will
expose me to the attacks of those who con-
demn, without justice or mercy, whatever
militates against the Unitarian opinions. I
therefore solicit the general reader's candour
against the Unitarian's severity'; and hope
he will allow me to retain the opinions in
which I have been educated, and in which I
am confirmed by choice, without loading me
with the imputation of insincerity, irrational
religion, or want of liberality.
If I err in this point, I err with very

wife and good men, and my error is injurious to

no man.

I censure none who sincerely differ from me, acuated by the unprejudiced dictates of