PREFACE TO " AN ESSAY ON CIVIL POWER IN THINGS SACRED." THE author of these papers has frequently fallen into company, wherein he had occasion to converse on the topics of liberty and power, bothcivil and religious : And having neversettled and ranged hisown ideas and reasonings thereupon in so exact and so harmoniousan order as he wished, he someyears ago set himself down to try if he could draw out his thoughts into a regular scheme, whereby he might better confirm or correct his own conduct. He then applied himself to a diligent and faithful enquiry, without consulting other authors, how far his own reason would carry him toward the establish- ment of any certain religion in a country or nation, witha real desire to find a just foundation for it, and try how far it could be brought into form and method. And that hemight secure himself the better from all prejudices arising from present establishments, he proposed to himself the idea of a new erected state or government of any kind whatsoever, laying aside all prepos- s.osionsand influences from the present statutesand customs of men, and from the appearances of things in any nation whatsoever, while he was engaged in these speculations. Itt matters of practice he has always, shewn himself on everyoccasion a constant and sincerefriend and faithful subject to our British government; and as the endeavours to pay every one in church and state their due, so he rejoices in the protestant succession to the crown, and the illustrious family which possesses it. And it is the desire of his soul, that ourpresent rightful sovereign, King George the Second, may have every grace and blessing poured down upon his royal person, to render him a longand glorious instru- ment of divine mercy, to diffuse blessings over the whole protestant world, and particularly over the British nation. As the author abhors the thought-of raising seditions in the state under our happyconstitution from any pretences either civil or religious, so he has no vies, s of disturbing any character or set of men in those just privileges and possessionswhich theyenjoy by the lawsofthe land, for liepossessesall his own privileges by the saine. Hi is so well convinced of our happy situation above and beyond almost every other nation under heaven, that lie does not suppose it can be either proper or lawful for any persons or parties among us to attempt to shake the present foundations of our government, in order to introduce in practice such a scheme of liberty in matters of conscience as these papers may describe in speculation. Surelywe value our British constitution and the privileges we enjoy; both civil and sacred, at too high a rate, overto bring the hazard and loss of them into a competition with any new schemes and models, which may be formed by the warm imagination or doubtful reasonings of men. Yet it may be proper and useful to any man for his own satisfaction to enter into this subject, and tosearch it through and through, according to his best capacity, that he may form a better judgment of the many late contests in our nation concerning penal laws and tests in civil and ,religious affairs. The authorwas very desirous to try " how far his reason could establish a
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