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ΤΟ

THE MOST REVEREND

CHARLES AGAR, D. D:

LORD SOMERTON,

ARCH-BISHOP OF DUBLIN,

PRIMATE OF IRELAND,

&c. &c.

THIS HISTORY

IS

MOST HUMBLY

INSCRIBED

BY

HIS GRACE':

MOST DUTIFUL

AND

MOST HUMBLE SERVANT,

The Author.

TO

THE READER.

THIS Publication is intended to remove an objection to the Divine Origin of the Gofpel, to promote Christian Morality and to ferve the Sick РOOR of the Author's Parish in Dublin. This work which he is publishing by fubfcription for their benefit cleared 2001.: with which fum he purchased two debentures that will produce a permanent Fund of tol. a year. Near 250l. which another work of his produced in 1795 were devoted then as the iol. a year will be in future to the poor, without regard to religious diftinctions. Whe ther the work is likely to ferve the cause of Religion and Virtue the judicious Reader will determine.

This history is not intended to magnify the errors or vices of fects; but to render Christianity amiable by a difplay of its advantages, and to ftrike fhame into the un

believer

6

believer who reviles or derides fo useful an inftitution. The Author hopes his exertions have been more usefully employed against the enemies of the Gofpel in general, than if they had been directed againft fectaries who, while they err in fome points, admit the fundamental articles of our religion.

To the ufual arguments for the Divine Authority of the Gospel, this history adds. one which requires no extent of learning, nor any other than common powers of mind to comprehend it; namely, that Christianity has actually operated for the benefit of mankind and as might be expected from a religion profelling to be divine.

Bayle, Shaftfbury, Voltaire, Rouffeau, Gibbon and other infidel writers have endeavoured to prove religion injurious or useless-a fource of perfecutions and troubles, of enthufiafm and fuperftition. Could fuch a charge be made good the direct evidences of Chriftianity would have little weight; for were they as ftrong as mathematical demonftrations they muft ftill be infufficient to prove that God was the Author of a religion which has actually been injurious or even ufclefs to his creatures.

The author of the following pages afcribes to Chriftianity the good deeds of its teachers, of religious princes and of its profeffors in general; where thofe deeds were the natural fruits of its letter or fpirit. A history of the effects of Chriftianity is neceffarily confined to its proper fruits; and it is as neceffarily

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