Слике страница
PDF
ePub

1

ercife their Judgments upon, than, in reference to the fame Things, is to be met with any other fingle Work whatsoever.

in

It is upon the Truth of thefe feveral Premifes, that the Author grounds the Use of the following Collection; wherein, as he is not confcious of any partial Concealment or Secretion, fo he is confident that he has not, in any regard, acted otherwise than as a faithful Editor.

And therefore, however Perfons may fee Cause to diffent from his Conclufions or Comments; the Facts upon which he has built, will not, he thinks, be difputed. And tho' L the Generality of his Countrymen should not immediately fall into his Way of thinking altogether; yet he flatters himself that the careful Reader will foon entertain other Sentiments, on this Head, than what he had before; and that in the end, he will not fo much differ from him, as from what, at his first fetting out upon thefe Memoirs, was his own Opinion.

He concludes his Preface with this Hope at leaft; that they who fhall take these Volumes in hand, will be pleafed to read the fame throughout, before they pass a final Judgment upon any Part thereof; and that S no Prejudice will be entertained to the Work, on the Score of its being (as it is) so much out of the Way of his proper Business, the immediate Duties of his Profeffion, as a Clergy

1

[ocr errors]

man.

Of this indeed he has the lefs Reason

to

to be apprehenfive, as fome of the greatest Perfonages of the Church have, in all Times, thought it no Diminution of their Character, to approve themselves Friends to the State, by employing their Pens, tho' not on the fame, yet on Subjects of a like fecular Nature; and as fome of thofe who now adorn the highest Stations in it, have done him the Honour to appear in the fmall Lift of his Subfcribers. Nor can he fear that Men of true Learning will be wanting in the fame Equity and Candour; fince fuch never fail of fhewing all reasonable Countenance and Favour to whatever has a Tendency to the Knowledge of Things, that are in themfelves useful, though of humble Fame.-But whatever Judgment may be paffed be paffed upon the Author, or his Book, nothing can rob him of the pleafing Consciousness, of fincerely intending the Good of his Country, to the utmost of his Power. Satisfied, as he is, with himself, in that Particular; having fecured this Point, the Peace of his own Mind; he is not greatly anxious for what Others shall fay or think about the Matter.

THE

« ПретходнаНастави »