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Blackewell 10-31-36 32861

THE

PREFACE.

A

S the following fheets contain reflections which are the produce of many years enquiry: fo, I hope, my reader will not be furprized, or make it a matter of complaint, if he fhould find me in one part to differ from myself in another; but would rather think it ftrange, if I fhould not, feeing it is what men of free enquiry are always liable to; because those evidences, which are the ground of their perfuafions, are, by fuch enquiry, liable to be differently perceived by them. A proper and well-grounded affent to the truth of any propofition, is founded on a perception of the evidence, upon which the truth of that propofition is fuppofed to depend: and, therefore, as our perception of fuch evidence is, in many cafes, liable to alter and change; that is; what we perceive to

be conclufive to day may appear otherwife to morrow; fo our opinions are liable to alter and change likewife. And as I have, in the courfe of my enquiries, had a strict regard to truth, and this has led me fometimes to differ from myfelf, by a change of my opinions: fo I am ready to retract and give up my opinion I have embraced or maintained, when fuch farther evidence fhall appear, as renders it just and proper fo to do.

THE

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