OMNES AD SACRAS LITERAS SUNT DUCENDI, UT
INDE TALIA HAURIANT, QUÆ, NISI DEO SE-
MET PATEFACIENTE, COGNOSCI NEQUEUNT.
GROTIUS.

YORK:

Printed by A. WARD, for the AUTHOR, and fold by
W. NICOLL, in St. Paul's Church-Yard, London;
and by all Bookfellers in Town and Country.

MDCCLXXV.

[PRICE THREE SHILLINGS.]

DEDICATION.

ΤΟ

EDMUND BURKE, Efq;

SIR,

W

HEN I first committed the volume, with which I now prefent you, to the public, I was actuated purely by a defire to ftop the progrefs of errour, which I feared, from the facrifice that had been made to her, would be mistaken for truth; and as fuch embraced by many unfufpecting, and many indolent perfons. A train of thinking, upon one fide of the queftion, had been prescribed to them, and the conclufions, fet up for their affent, abetted by proofs of fincerity, which I apprehended fuch men would confider as the criterion of truth. For their benefit I ventured to interpofe, and, to the best of my power, have pointed out the only premises from which any conclufions in religious enquiry can refult; and from which they may proceed