street chapel in Westminster. He wrote on religious and political topics, and in the account of his life above referred to, there are contained at full length the titles of no less than sixty three separate works, published by him at different times. He took the side of Hoadly in the Bangorian controversy, and was through his whole life a firm friend of christian liberty, the rights of conscience, and unshackled inquiry. His Essay on Sacrifices, and his Scripture Doctrine of Redemption, are among the best treatises, which have been written on these subjects. His inquiries are conducted on broad and liberal principles. The Scriptures he takes invariably for his guide, and follows boldly where they lead him, without regard to the fancies of men, or the mandates of fallible human tribunals. "His senti

ments respecting the person of Jesus Christ," says his biographer, "are well known to have agreed with those of Dr Clarke; and one of his tracts was expressly written in defence of his Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity." But all his discussions and controversies were carried on in an excellent temper, and in the spirit of the religion which he professed, and which he did so much to adorn in his life, and to defend and illustrate by his writings. He died on the twenty third of November, 1756, in the seventy third year of his age.

PREFACE

TO THE FOURTH EDITION.

THE Innocency of Error had not long been published, before Remarks upon it came out, wrote in a very angry manner; some notice was taken of these in a Preface to the second edition. The same author, and in the same manner, wrote a defence of his Remarks; and since that time others have likewise animadverted upon this little treatise, who laying hold of some incidental passages or inaccuracies, would seem to have confuted the book itself.

The great end I proposed in writing it was to show how innocent a thing it is to be mistaken in any matter, where industry, and honesty, and diligence, had been applied to find out truth; and that God would never punish a man for his errors, if he had been sincere in his searches after the divine will. This point I have not seen confuted; nay, I think that every one of the gentlemen who have been at the pains of endeavouring to refute this tract, have expressly, or by necessary consequence, owned it, how willing soever they may at the same time seem to be to deny it.

I had no other views in writing this treatise at first, nor have I now in correcting the inaccuracies of the former editions, but to follow truth in what I judge to be a matter of importance. From my first beginning to think, I have always deemed it not only an injury to persons, but an enmity to truth, to affix odious names and characters to such as honestly pursue truth, if they happen to mistake; and I have never yet been able to perceive any harm or mischief to society, from a liberty of inquiring, or of publishing sentiments, which are of consequence to mankind.

When therefore it is suggested, as it has been, that I should in some other times have met with public disgrace and discountenance, and even censures on account of this treatise, I cannot forbear asking, whether it would have been on account of the principles in it, from which I have argued, or on account of the consequences, or on account of some incidental inaccuracies? The first, every one that has wrote against me has granted; the second, not any one can deny; and as to the third, I shall always be ready to plead for my excuse;

Homo sum, humani a me nil alienum puto.

I should ask too, what were those times? Were they the times of darkness and ignorance? Or were they the times of tyranny, and oppression, and cruelty? Were they times when truth might dare to appear; or when it could rear up its dejected face, and be heard in the midst of antichristian violence?

But be those times what they will, I own that I rejoice, and every man of reason will rejoice with me, that the times we live in are times when private judgment is allowed; when men may search after truth free from personal dangers; when truth and not the authority of men is made the test of opinions; and when the greatest men in power publicly disown all intention, and think it a disgrace to be charged with a design to put a stop to true liberty.

I have but one thing further to add; that in this edition I have taken the liberty to correct, not only what I had observed to have misled some into notions which I never designed, but likewise many passages which have not, that I know of, been found fault with by others. I have added, altered, omitted, as I thought proper, very many places, and now submit it to the judgment of every reader that loves truth.