PREFACE. In these days of fanciful innovation, and bold impiety, Scriptural Doctrines are abused and perverted on the one hand, by the extravagance of folly and enthusiasm; and are insulted on the other, by the scoffs of Socinians. They are ridiculed as a vague and visionary scheme, which finds its origin only in the wild imaginations of men. Notwithstanding the contempt and ridicule which are continually poured from the lips of opposers, the author avows himself a believer in all the peculiar and essential doctrines of the Gospel; and his intention in publishing this essay is, to defend these doctrines against the injudicious evasions, wild reveries, bombastical assertions, and sarcastical animadversions, of those men who would rob Christianity of its glory, blast our hopes, and make this world one vast scene of misery and chaos. In this controversy, the author sincerely desires truth to have its full weight. He contends for no human creeds or explications whatever; they may be right, or they may be wrong; infallibility is not stamped upon any human creed whatever; consequently none ever pretended to infallibility, but the absurd system of Popery. Suffer the author to add, that it is his firm opinion, that the articles, liturgy, and homilies, of the established Church, approach nearer to divine inspiration than any other human system ever extant. Notwithstanding the superior excellency of this divine establishment, and although the author can, consistent with his own conscience declare, that there is not one point of Christian Doctrine inculcated by it, but what is fully supported by the infallible testimony of revelation; yet it is only human, or, in other words, the compilers of this most excellent system of rules and doctrines, were only fallible; therefore, no man can appeal to it or any other, and confidently say," Thus saith the Lord." The highest that can be said of any human creed, however excellent, is, that it is a stream from the great fountain or source of all truth; and a fountain must for ever excel its streams. Therefore, the author is determined to make the Scripture the great fountain of infallible truth, the grand standard of his faith and practice, and its sacred decisions the universal authority on which he will build every part of that system unto which he gives his assent; and he would have Mr. Heineken, and his Socinian brethren, to recollect, that he attacks them because he believes they are blinded by prejudice and plunged into error-because he believes that the system of Socin |