PREFACE,

TO THE

FIFTH EDITION.

THIS little piece was written, without any malevolent design, about three years ago, merely for the use of a few associated churches, and, by their desire, to avoid the trouble of transcribing, it was printed; but it was not then published, nor was it intended to be published afterwards, because it was known to contain some disagreeable truths, which are at all times a censure, and therefore always an offence to some people, and it was thought needless to offend where there was no hope to reform.

By some means, unknown to me, the book fell into the hands of a certain noble peer, who thought proper to mention it in a debate in the house of lords, and, the dissenters bill being just then depending in parliament, much was said about it also in the house of commons. These accidents, and not any inclination of mine, published this book to the world.

During the sale of four editions I took no no tice of any thing that was said about it, and my si

lence proceeded from a consciousness that nothing was further from my natural disposition, nothing more opposite to my religious principles, nothing more contrary to my whole conduct through life than rancorous bigotry in matters of religion, and I thought I had been so careful in writing the book to distinguish between men and things, that nothing but wilful ignorance could impute such a disposition to me.

At length I judge it necessary to say a few words to such as think this little insignificant pamphlet of consequence enough to deserve their censure, and I divide these gentlemen into two classes.

The first consists of those, who have incorporated their own passions into the christian religion, who call ignorance solidity, indifference candour, censoriousness and ill temper zeal for truth, pride of priesthood, propriety of character, or, to use the language of a prophet, who are wise enough in their own eyes, and prudent enough in their own sight to call evil good, and good evil.

To Candidus,and Veritas, and Niger, and Mendar, and all the rest of this order, I owe no service, write no anwers, and have nothing to say, except that as I never intended to offend them, so I never meant to please them, and as I never printed a line for their use, so I never intend to review

one.

To the other class I turn with the most profound esteem, and, as they have somehow mistaken my meaning, I beg leave with all possible deference to

say a few words concerning the subject, of which this book treats, and the manner, in which it is here treated.

The subject of the book is the constitution of a christian church. It is affirmed, that Christ is the head, believers the members, scripture bishops and deacons the only officers, scripture the law, and pure and undefiled religion the sole object of this community. How can this subject be offensive to any disinterested christian?

The manner of treating it is by a statement of historical facts, which never were, nor ever can be denied. Indeed these facts might have been narrated with an accompanyment of soft words, that would have rendered them less glaring; but then this would have been a history, and not what it is now, an analysis, an index of history, or a kind of chapter of contents. The translators of the bible have thought fit to put at the head of each chapter a brief sketch of its contents, and were these contents published alone they would appear full as uncourtly as this syllabus. The truth is, some of us are ugly fellows, and no style of painting can reconcile us to our own faces.

Where the truth of facts cannot be denied, and where the manner of stating them is a matter of comparative indifference, there will remain only one method of getting rid of them, that is, by pretending to know the motives of the narrator, and by attributing to him the worst that can be imagined. This is an expeditious method, and fitted to all men, even to such as have neither abilities

nor virtue to qualify them for any other service. This may be done without reading and without reasoning; it may be done while we make good cheer, smoke our pipes, or job in the stocks; though. it cannot be done without extreme folly by those, whose cause is pleaded by the books they censure.

Although the truth of a history does not at all depend on the motive of an historian, nor the strength of an argument on the spirit of him who urges it, and although my motives in writing this piece are too insignificant to merit the attention of any man, yet I will strain a point, and honestly declare, as far as I know my heart, and in the sight of him who searcheth it, what induced me to compile this little piece. My tale shall be plain and artless, suffice it at present, that it is true.

I have long observed, and much enjoyed, the felicity of being a Briton. Great Britain is the first country in the world, and the God of nature hath stored it with every thing that can make its inhabitants happy. Its insular situation, the extent and figure of its coasts, the islands that surround it, its springs, waters, and navigable rivers, its timbers, fruits, herbs, corn, and all other productions of its luxuriant soil, its immense treasures of earths, salts, fossils, minerals, stone, marble, and fuel; its animals, wild and tame, flocks, herds, hives, daries, poultry, fisheries, decoys, the stately horse, and the hardy ass, all ministering to the subsistence and pleasure of its inhabitants, the stature, genius, fecundity and longevity of its natives, the temperature of its climate, in one word, the natural advan

tages of Great Britain render it, upon the whole, the most beautiful and desirable country in the world. The whole is a rich present, which the bounty of providence has bestowed upon us.

I have observed, with the utmost pleasure, the art and industry of my countrymen assisting nature, Agriculture, architecture, navigation, commerce, literature, arts, sciences, in endless varieties, give grace and elegance to this lovely island. Who can behold cities full of inhabitants, artists and manufacturers employed in thousands, shops thronged with customers, warehouses full of stores and goods, markets and fairs exposing plenty at our doors, roads, rivers, fields, villages, mines, and sea-ports all alive; I ask, who can behold all these in his own native spot, and not exclaim, may my country flourish to the end of time!

I have received an addition to my pleasure, by understanding, that all the natural and artificial advantages of Great Britain are capable of great improvement, and I have been happy to see every year new advances towards national perfection. The forming new societies for improvement, the invention of new machines for facilitating labour, the inclosing of wastes, the making of roads, scour◄ ing rivers, cutting canals, draining fens, planting timber, importing foreign arts, books, grains, grasses, animals, all these, and a thousand other amendments and inventions, convince us that we are not yet arrived at our zenith, and open a fu ture prospect of rational pleasure and joy.