ture.

ter colour of Reason, than those Heretics do against the Truth and Reality of our Chriftian Myfteries. My Purpose is to lay a Foundation for answering, not only what hath been already offered by them; but what may be advanced upon the like erroneous Principles for the fuIn order to which, I am not to expatiate into any great variety of Matters fubordinate, and of lefs moment; or to apply Arguments or Solutions to each man's peculiar way of Reafoning: But to make a just and impartial Representation of their Doctrine and Principles; to ftate rightly the fundamental Questions in debate; that the whole Controversy may be brought upon the right foot, and the material Branches of it reduced to the utmost point of Decifion. To fingle out fuch of their Arguments as are the main Pillars and Support of their whole Scheme of Religion; none of which I think to pass over or conceal; but to propose them in their full Strength and Force, and in the shorteft and clearest Light, as I have collected

them

them out of their best and most valuable Authors. And lastly, so to adapt my Answers to them, that in reading any of their Works, with a continual eye to the distinction between Metaphor and the true Divine Analogy, the main Delufion andFallacy which runs thro' them all, may lie open to every difcerning and unprejudiced Person.

I HAVE endeavoured to be very exact and juft in my Quotations, tho' I name none but the Antients; and even out of thefe I decline, as much as may be, citing either the Place or Page from whence the Quotations are taken. The few Paffages cited for their Authority only, are to be met with in most Books upon the Subject; and as for the reft, whether from the Antients or Moderns, I leave them to pafs according to their own intrinfic worth and value, without the additional weight of great Names. The world is already filled with that kind of Learning, which confifts in tedious Differtations concerning what such and fuch men's thoughts and opinions were,

1

in Matters plainly to be decided by Reafon and Scripture; when the main Queftion is, what Opinionss they Ought to be of; and who gives the best and most convincing Reasons for what he fays? Truth will ever ftand upright alone; but Error is tottering, and falls to the ground when its Props are removed; and every thing merely human is to be esteemed, not according to the Person who faid it, but according to the intrinfic weight of what is faid.

THO' I may commit many mistakes

and oversights in the course of my Performance; (and who is intirely free from them?) yet that ought to be no Prejudice against the main Foundation I have laid, and do all along proceed upon. If it is false and imaginary, and a groundless Invention of Man, it will come to nought; and I pray God it may do fo fpeedily, that the Fallacy may be laid open to his Glory, and to my own Shame; who have been fo deeply engaged in dangerous Error and Mistake: But if the Foundation is good, and agreeable to the Light both

of

of Nature and Revelation, as I truft it will be found, then it is of God; it will ftand fure; and all Contradiction and Oppofition given to it, will tend only to its farther Establishment; and to the Strength and Confirmation of that whole Superstructure which is raised upon it.

ΑΝ

N°

BOOK I.

CHA P. I.

O Affertion whatsoever feems more agreeable to Reafon, than that Things Human and Divine, Natural and Supernatural, are not perceived by the Mind of Man after the fame manner. Every one at firft Hearing will be apt to think this a true Propofition; and on fecond Thoughts will look upon it as Matter of greatest Confequence in Religion, that it be throughly weighed and confidered: And yet by fome ftrange

E