xlvi The PREFACE. of moderation and liberty, had reafon to rejoice in the vifible fuperiority the Bifhop had over his antagonifts, in point of argu- spent; and many were fet a thinking about thefe matters, who had not much minded them before. A fpirit of chriflian liberty and charity, did very remarkably diffufe it felf. And upon this occafion, a confide. rable number of minifters, and others in the north, formed themfelves into a fociety, much of the fame nature, and confrfting for molt part of the fame perfons, with that mentioned in the beginning of this preface. Their defign was, improvement in ufeful knowledge; and, in order to that, to bring things to the teft of reafon and fcripture, without a fervile regard to any human au- thority ; a defign, which muff be approved by all men of candor, as a good one, and which could not but be very friendly, both to the caufe of truth and liberty. Mr. Abernethy went into this defign with much zeal: He conftantly attended the meetings of the fociety (which, as they were fre- quently in Belfafl, it being the mofi cen- trical place, thefe gentlemen came . to be called the Belfafl- fociety) and no man con- tributed more to the true ends of it. SEVE-
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