f IxltrAC2. 227 4ificulties are utterly precluded by the hypothesiswhich I have proposed in the last question. What that very learned author has drawn out of the fathers with much labour and 'criticism, let it fall on either side of the controversy, will have but small force to move any manwho considers these two things : 1. How little we can suppose to learn of the certain doctrinesof Christ and his apostles, with any exactness andaccuracy from the mere traditionsof persons who livedfor the most part a hundred mid fifty, two hundred, to three hundred years after them ? For we have the original sacred writings as well as they ; the rest is all but traditionand uncertainty. 2. When he considers that the early fathers, who wrote before these controversies arose and were debated in the church, represented their: senti- ments on these subjects in very looseand indeterminate language, as Doctor Whitby himself will easily allow, and they were indeed hardly consistent with themselves, or with one another, in this as well as in many other points of opinion or doctrine. This uncertainty of their sense is the spring ofmany debatesbetween Doctor Whitby and Gerard Vossius. I know some opinions will be found here, which are supposed tobe bor- rowed from the common schemes of orthodox writes, but let them not beat oncerenounced with contempt and disdain*, by any age which is fond of no- veltyand reasoning. Perhaps there may be some reasonings here brought to supportthem, which have not been set in a clear and full light by former writers ; and notwithstanding their old-fashioned appearances, these may be found to be divine truths. If the reader shall meet with any new thoughts here, let not the book be at oncerejected on that account : This preface entreats the author may be forgiven, whohas entered into an untrodden path sometimes, not willingly, but he has been constrained to it, in order to solve such difficultiesas we have never yet seen relieved to the general satisfaction of men, by all the usual and common tracks of argument. "Every scribe whois instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, should bring forth out of his treasure things new and old;" Mat. xiii. 52. If every person who is pleased to peruse these leaves, pays but the same high veneration to what scripture has revealed, has the same just regards to the plain dictates of right reason, the same deep sense of the difficulties which attend these enquiries, and such a constant zeal to abolish the controversies of Christianity, and to reconcile contending Christians, as the writer desires to have; I persuade myself there will not be many rash and sudden or severe censures pronounced upon the arguments here used, though they may not happen to convince the reader : Nor will there bemany angry adversaries, or manydisdmiaful opposers of the reconciling sentiments of this book, whether they may carry in them the appearance of being old or new. Neither novelty nor antiquity of opinion can make any certain pretences to truth, nor can they be esteemed just prejudices against it: As there are many divine truths which.havebeen known and acknowledged from all anti- quity, so I ant persuaded there are some others which have never been seen to their full force and perspicuity since the days ofour Saviour and the apos- tles; there are some sacred verities which have had much darkness diffused i' It is too frequent a custom of many readers to applaud or censure a book very highly, according to the opinion it favours, not accordingto the reason or argument it produces. If the opinion be agreeable to the sentiments and lan- guage of any particular party, which the reader has chosen, the arguments, though ever so common er trifling, are pronounced strong and cogent. On the other hand, if the opinion .happen to be near a-kin to those of a contrary sect, then the arguments brought to support it ate all trifling : The author is a heretic, and therefore his reasonings must needs be all weak and insufficient, if not dangerous and destructive." May divine providence deliver all that I write un deep and difficult subjects from the hand of such readers, till they are become more sincere and impartial in the search of truth t P 2
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