AFTER examining the foundation of our christian faith, and having feen how much valuable information we receive from it, in my Inflitutes of Natural and Revealed Religion, it is with a kind of reluctance, that, according to my proposal, I must now proceed to exhibit a view of the dreadful corruptions which have debased its spirit, and almost annihilated all the happy effects which it was eminently calculated to produce. It is fome fatisfaction to us, however, and is more than fufficient to answer any objection that may be made to christianity itself from the confideration of thefe corruptions, that they appear to have been clearly foreseen by Christ, and by several of the apostles. And we have at this day the ftill greater fatiffaction, to perceive that, according to the predictions contained in the books of scripture, christianity has begun to recover itself from this corrupted state, and that the reformation advances apace. And though some of the most shocking abuses still con

tinue in many places, their virulence is very generally abated; and the number is greatly increased of those who are most zealous in the profeffion of christianity, whose lives are the greatest ornament to it, and who hold it in fo much purity, that, if it was fairly exhibited, and univerfally understood, it could hardly fail to recommend itself to the acceptance of the whole world, of Jews and Gentiles.

The clear and full exhibition of truly reformed chriftianity seems now to be almost the only thing that is wanting to the univerfal prevalence of it. But fo long as all the christianity that is known to Heathens, Mahometans, and Jews, is of a corrupted and debased kind; and particularly while the profeffion of it is fo much connected with worldly intereft, it is no wonder that mankind in general refuse to admit it, and that they can even hardly be prevailed upon to give any attention to the evidence that is alleged in its favour. Whereas, when the fyftem itself shall appear to be less liable to objection, it is to be hoped, that they may be brought to give proper attention to it, and to the evidence on which it refts.

Difagreeable

Difagreeable as must be the view of these corruptions of christianity, to thofe who love and value it, it may not be without its use, even with respect to themselves. For the more their abhorrence and indignation are excited by the confideration of what has fo long paffed for christianity, the more highly will they esteem what is truly fo; the contraft will be fo ftriking, and fo greatly in its favour. Both these valuable ends, I hope, will be, in fome measure, anfwered by this attempt, to exhibit what appear to me to have been the great deviations from the genuine fystem and spirit of christianity, and the causes that produced them.

The following work has been fo long promised to the public, that I cannot help being apprehenfive left my friends, and others, should not find their expectations from it fully answered. But they thould recollect, that it was originally promised on a much smaller scale, viz. as the concluding part of my Inflitutes of Natural and Revealed Religion, which were drawn up for the ufe young perfons only.

I have fince feen reason to extend my views, and to make this a feparate work, larger

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larger than the whole of the Inftitutes; and perhaps I may not have fucceeded fufficiently well in the uniform extenfion of the whole defign. If, therefore, in any respect, either the compofition, or the citation of authorities, should appear to be more adapted to my first design, I hope the candid reader will make allowance for it.

If my proper and ultimate object be confidered, I flatter myfelf it will be thought that I have given reasonable satisfaction with respect to it; having fhewn that every thing which I deem to be a corruption of chriftianity has been a departure from the original scheme, or an innovation. It will alfo be feen, that I have generally been able to trace every fuch corruption to its proper fource, and to fhew what circumstances in the state of things, and especially of other prevailing opinions and prejudices, made the alteration, in doctrine or practice, fufficiently natural, and the introduction and establishment of it eafy. And if I have fucceeded in this inveftigation, this historical method will be found to be one of the most fatisfactory modes of argumentation, in order to prove that what I object to is really a corruption of genuine christianity, and no part of the original scheme.