PR EFEACE üij

objections which have been brought againſt it, though advanced with great confidence, and fre- quently repeated, have been fairly and ſolidly con- futed. Such a view would make it manifeſt, that the enemies of Chriſtianity have not generally be- haved as became fair adverſaries, but have rather acted, as if they judged any arts lawful by which they thought they might gain their cauſe. And yet notwithſtanding their utmoſt efforts for above a century paſt, they have really been able to ſay but little againſt the Chriſtian religion, conſidered in its original purity, as delivered by Chriſt and his apoſtles, or to invalidate the ſolid evidences by which it is atteſted and confirmed.

For theſe reaſons it hath been judged, that a ſhort and comprehenſive view of the principal Deiſtical Writers of the laſt and preſent age, might be of great uſe. And as the courſe of my ſtudies hath led me to be converſant in ſeveral of thoſe writings which have been publiſhed on both ſides in this important controverſy, it was urged upon me, by ſome perſons for whom I have a great regard, to undertake this work. There was one great ob- jection which hindered me for ſome time from at- tempting it, and which ſtill appeareth to me to be of no ſmall weight, and that is, that as according to the plan that was formed, it would be neceſſary to give an account of the anſwers publiſhed to the books I fhould have occaſion to mention, this would oblige me to take notice of ſome of my own. I am ſenfible how difficult it is for an au- thor to ſpeak of his own performances in fuch a manner as not to intrench upon the rules of de- cency. If he gives a favourable character of them,

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