THE PREFACE. A S the following sheets 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 should find me in one part to differ from myself in another; but would rather think it strange, 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 persuasions, 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 cases, liable to alter and change; that is, what we perceive to be conclufive to day may appear otherwise to morrow ; fo our opinions are liable to alter and change likewise. 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 myself, by a change of my opinions: fo I am ready to retract and give up any opinion I have embraced or maintained, when fuch farther evidence fhall appear, as renders it just proper fo to do. and |