Printed with the firft Edition. But he THE writer of the enfuing pages has therein afferted (intentionally at leaft) the cause of religious truth; and, fo far, prefumes, that he has concurred with liberal chriftians, who, he trufts, will judge him with candour, or, at least, with equity. will own that, having differed on a fubject of great importance from a number of his friends, it has, likewife, been his object to vindicate more fully this part of his conduct, and to preferve as much of their esteem as may be. It is meant, indeed, that what he has written shall go principally among those friends. AN AN APOLOGY, &c. WHEN the advocates of revealed religion make demands upon us for our faith, it feems very natural, in this age of free inquiry and difcuffion, for a thoughtful man to reflect on the matter or matters which we are required to believe. "I find my"felf (fuch a man may fay) fituated, as I "conceive, in the midst of the UNI "VERSE of God. I contemplate the "phenomena around me, and perceive no"thing at reft; but the grand fucceffion "of events which fall under my notice, "takes place uniformly and regularly, ac"cording to established laws, from the re"volution of the heavenly bodies, to the "change of feasons upon this earthly globe, " and " and to the circulation of the blood in an "animal fyftem. From what I experi"ence within me, I am convinced that "mind is governed by laws as incontroul"able as the laws of matter; because I am "invariably determined to action by the strongest motive, and I cannot doubt "that other men are determined in the "fame manner. All things, therefore, "which come to pafs were, I conclude, ❝ ordained by, and spring from, the opera"tion of that original Caufe, the wife " and benevolent Author of the universe; "who, being perfectly acquainted with "individual and univerfal nature, knew " from everlasting how to difpofe properly "of every being and every thing, and to "what influences it was proper to fubject "them, in order to produce the proposed "refult, viz. the greatest fum of good. As "a true Theift, it is thus I conceive of "the Deity exerting his power agreeably " to established and invariable laws: for |