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of the Discourse we shall shew the Beauties, Ufes, Advantages and Excellencies of it, which we shall do by way of Reprefentation, in eleven different Draughts or Portraictures, viz. In the multitude of Testimonies given in favour of it; in its Opposition to all false Religions; in the Purity and Self-denial of its End; in its wonderful Effects manifested in the Heart of Man; in the Church, and even in the general Society of Mankind; in the Morality of it, which is so holy; in its Mysteries, which are so sublime, and yet fall in so well with the Principles of Confcience; in the Conformity of its Mysteries to the Lights of Reason; in the essential Relation it has to the Glory of God; in its Divine Agreeableness to our Heart, which it frees from its Misery, Vileness and Corruption; in the exact Proportion it bears to the Jewish Religion, which is the Cause that it contains neither any Reason nor Wisdom, when separated from the Christian Religion, which is the Key of it, and is represented in the Jewish, as in a great and magnificent Looking-glass: And lastly, in the Proportion it bears to Natural Religion, of which Chriftianity is a perfect Restauration, as Paganism was the Corruption of it.

Such is the Plan and Design of this Work in which we principally proposed to do fo things, viz. to lay down the Principles

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Religion in such Order and Connection, as might serve to manifest the Truth of it, to discover the secret Principles of Infidelity, and confute it, by shewing whence it springs; to fatisfy, as far as 'tis poffible, all the Difficulties objected to us either in Books or Conversation; those, I mean, which have any Shew of Probability. And lastly, to use no Arguments but such as have convinced us, and to urge them no further than we our selves are convinced by them, not making it our Business to copy those who have wrote upon the same Subject, nor affecting to avoid what they have said; but endeavouring to raise our selves above all Oftentation of Wit and Learning, which is so fatal to such fort of Works, our Design in this present Treatise being only to find out what establishes the Truth of the Christian Religion, and not that which only proves the Subtilty or Learning of the Author.

Though we dare not flatter our selves with the Hopes of having succeeded in all these our Undertakings, yet we may truly give this Testimony in our own Behalf, that we have endeavoured it with Sincerity and Application. God who has put this Design into our Heart, and supported our Weakness by his Grace, grant it may succeed to the Glory of his Truth, and the Salvation of all those that oppose it.

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