tainly known, that a great part of them were his own Compofitions. I mention not thefe great Names, nor the Teftimonies they have given of their firm belief of the Truth of Christianity, as if the Evidences of our Religion were to be finally refolv'd into human Authority, or try'd in any other way than by the known and eftablish'd Rules of right Reafon; but my design in mentioning them, is 1. To fhew the very great Affurance of those who would make the belief of Revelation inconfiftent with the due ufe of our Reason; when they have known fo many eminent inftances in our own time, of the greatest Masters of Reafon not only believing Revelation, but zealously concerned to eftablish and propagate the belief of it. 2. The Remembrance of this will alfo be a means, on one hand, to hinder well-meaning people from being mif led by the vain Boafts of our modern Pretenders to Reafon; and, on the other other hand, to check the Inclination of the wicked and vicious to be mifled when both of them have before ;. their eyes fuch fresh and eminent Inftances of found Reafoning and a firm Faith join'd together in one and the fame mind. 3. Further, as thefe were perfons generally esteem'd for Virtue and Goodness, and, notwithstanding their high Attainments, remarkable for their Modefty and Humility; their Examples fhew us, that a strong and clear Reafon naturally leads to the belief of Revelation, when it is not under the Influences of Vice, or Pride. 4. And, finally, as they are all Laymen, there is no room for the Enemies of Reveal'd Religion to alledge, that they were prejudiced by Intereft, or fecular Confiderations of any kind. A fuggeftion, that has really no weight, when urg'd against the writings of the Clergy in defence of Revelation, fince they do not defire to be trufted upon their own Authority, but upon the Reasons Reasons they offer; and Lawyers and Phyficians are not lefs trufted, because they live by their Profeffions; but it is a fuggeftion that easily takes hold of weak minds, and efpecially fuch as catch at objections, and are willing to be caught by them. And, confidering the Diligence of the Adverfary in making Profelytes and drawing Men from the Faith of Chrift; equal diligence is requir'd of those who are to maintain that Faith, not only to leave men no real ground, but even no colour or pretence, for their Infidelity. The following Difcourfes, except that concerning the Evidences of the Chriftian Religion, were all published in feparate Papers fome years ago, and afterwards collected into Volumes, with marks of diftinction at the end of many of them, to point out the Writers. Mr. Addifon's are there diftinguish'd by fome one of the Letters of the word CLIO; and the fame marks of diftinction are here continued; as are also B the the reft, where any Letter was found at the end of the Difcourfe. In those Volumes, they ftand according to the order of time in which they were at first separately publish'd, without any Connexion as to the matters contain'd in them; but here, the feveral Discourses on the fame Subject, which lie difpers'd in those Papers, are reduced to their proper Heads, and put into one view, that the whole may be more regularly read, and each head may leave a more lafting Impreffion the mind of the Reader. upon THE |