iv PREFETA CGCE.

this will be intrepreted as a proof of his vanity, any appearance of Which is uſually turned to his diſadvantage. And on the other hand, if he ſhould make no mention of his own books at all, where the nature of the deſign in which he is engaged makes it proper for him to mention them, this might perhaps be cenſured as a falſe and affected modeſty. It is no caſy matter to keep clear of theſe extremes, and for this reaſon it would have been a particular pleaſure to me to have ſeen this work undertaken by another hand; but as this hath not been done, I have choſen rather to at- tempt it myſelf, than that a work, which I cannot but think might be of real ſervice, ſnould be neg- lected. It cannot be expected, that a diſtincét no- tice ſhould be taken of all the writers that have ap- peared among us againſt revealed religion for this century paſt. This, if it could be executed, would take too large a compaſs, and be of no great uſe. A view of the principal of them, or, at leaſt, of thoſe, who have made the greateſt noiſe, may be ſufficient. And the deſign is not to give an hiſtorical account of the authors, or of their perſonal characters, but to give ſome idea of their writings, which alone we have properly to do with. The method propoſed, and for the moſt part urſued, is this: The ſeveral writers are mentioned in the order oftime in which they appeared. Some account is given of their writings, and of the ſe- veral ſchemes they! have advans ecd, as far as the cauſe of revelation is concerned. And great care has been taken to make a fair repreſentarion ot them, according to the beſt j judgr nent I could

form of their delign. Some obſervations are add- ed,