<< Entertainments of Mirth as are inftructive, or at least barmless, may be thought to deferve well of Mankind: To which I shall "only add, that they retrieve the Honour of "Polite Learning, and anfwer those fower Enthufiafts who affect to ftigmatife the finest and most elegant Authors, both antient and modern (which they have never read) "as dangerous to Religion, and deftructive of "all found and faving Knowledge: و THIS Preface is already much longer than I defign'd: Yet the Reader perhaps may want to know, before I conclude it, whence it is that I bave prefum'd thus to preface a Tract infcrib'd to a Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, as in Dignity, fo in Gravity SECOND to NONE. Tis true indeed, if we have any regard to the Common Confent of all Parties, or but reflect upon what is necessary to form a confummate Character in the Two great Profeffions of Divinity and Law, it must be granted that his Lordship's tranfcendent Abilities in each Capacity bave long fince fhewn him equal to the higheft Station of a Subject whether in Church or State, nor could either poffibly be fill'd with greater Decorum: Yet at the fame time it is not the leaft Part of his Lordfhip's Perfonal Character, and the Publick Felicity, that in Him the most awful Gravity is happily temper'd with the greateft Sweetnefs of Nature; indulgent to others, fevere to himself alone. NOR am I confcious that I should have given any juft Caufe of Offence bad I carried b 2 the the Matter yet higher. To behold indeed the Spirit of Satire preying upon the Vitals of Religion, were a Sight Shocking to any Man of Senfe: but what good and wife Man can be dif pleas'd to fee it reduc'd within its just Bounds, and employ'd to its proper Ufe in eating out thofe little beterogeneous Mixtures of Superftition, which from time to time will be ever officiously intruding, and blend themselves with our Devotion? Iam alfo the lefs apprehenfive of any Impropriety in my Addrefs to his Lordship, by reafon of the Subject of my Preface, when I confider that One of the most celebrated of all his Predeceffors thought it not unbecoming his own Character to compofe a Serious Defence of the Pleafant Manner of Writing. I mean again the excellent Sir Tho. More in his truly eloquent Epistle to Martin Dorpius, an eminent Divine of that Age, who had wrote bitter Things to their common Friend Erafmus, upon his Ludicrous Praise of FOLLY; a Piece dedicated to the Chancellor himself, and which has ever fince been the Admiration and Delight of all the bright Part of the Learned World. AS to Those who can bear with nothing but what fuits their own Notions, and who, by virtue of their own Sufficiency, bave created themfelves Dictators of the Age; I am very fenfible it i next to impoffible a Man fhould differ from them, but he must differ with them: nor will it be an eafy Task, in difcuffing their DECREES, to avoid every Thing that may provoke a Smile: yet remem bring at whofe Feet this Piece is laid, I shall ufe my best Endeavours to pursue the grave and good Advice of a noble Author and Genius aforecited, to one of our famous Universities" in "Modeftiâ animi Libertatem ingenii retinere. I have only farther to premife, that whereas this Part of my Difquifition contains much more Matter, and greater Variety of Argument than the former, I have found it proper for the Eafe and Convenience of the Reader, to divide it into Four Sections: The CONTENTS whereof, that the Plan of the whole Work might appear in one View, I have here fubjoin'd to those of the former Part. THE THE FIRST PAR T. HE Antiquity, the Rife and TReasonableness of this Religious Ceremony in the Gentile World. Its early Adoption eftablish'd, in regard to Ceremonies: and The State of the Cafe at the Restoration; The peculiar Reasons examin'd that occur in Dr. Biffe's BEAUTY of HOLINESS in the Book of Common - Prayer, &c. As alfo Those in Mr. Wheatley's RATIONAL IL- LUSTRATION of the faid Book. Together with the General Argument taken from CUSTOM and the PRACTICE of the Church: Where of APOSTOLICAL TRADITIONS, |