INTRODUCTION. A BOUT a year ago THELYPHTHORA was recommended to the Author's reading, as a book that contained, in feveral parts of it, such plaufible arguments, as did not appear to be easily confuted. From these suggestions he read over carefully that Treatife, and gave it as his opinion, that there was not that ftrength of argument which people feemed to apprehend. In confequence of this declaration, he was preffed, with fome earneftnefs, to commit to writing those reasons that induced him to think fo. Impelled, not only by this, but by an anxiousconcern for the welfare of the present and future generations, the writer publishes those reafons, in hopes that they will be found generally useful, which may apologize for troubling a 3 troubling the public with his fentiments on a fubject, concerning which fo much has been already faid, THE above-mentioned elaborate work, with the additional confequence of a second edition, which called into the literary world this production, it was fuppofed at first would have been univerfally condemned :but experience has already fhewn the suppo sition to be ill-founded. Its doctrines, fupported by an appearance of great learning, and too well adapted to the taste of a licentious age, though generally, are far from being univerfally exploded. The advocates for this work, excepting those who admire it only for the licentioufnefs of its principles, may be fuppofed, regardless of the means, to look forward to the defirable end propofed, of preventing feduction ;—to which end, however, it is greatly inadequate, and muft must certainly mislead them, if no friendly information intervenes. For thefe reafons the author of the following sheets has attempted to administer an antidote to its poifon. He is fenfible that it has been answered in some points of view, very ably.— But even fuppofing it fully answered before this book is fubmitted to public inspection ; yet it may be useful to many, fince amongst mankind there are varieties of tempers, difpofitions and geniuses; and great difference as to the magnitude of natural and acquired abilities; as alfo different perceptions and ideas in the fame, as well as unequal degrees of improvement of the mental faculties ;confequently there is a neceffity for writers of various abilities to demonftrate truths to communities, compofed of different orders of men. And as writers of humble abilities may by fome happy thoughts very much recommend and support a good cause, every author should have at least a candid hearing, and particularly those whofe real intention. can be no other than to encrease or fecure the happiness of mankind. Such is the scope of the prefent undertaking-fuch the defign of its author; for he has no lucrative views, nor has he vanity enough to suppose he shall receive any pecuniary advantage from a work of this nature. He is fenfible of many faults in point of compofition; but it is not high founding words, or round periods, that he has ftudied; he has endeavoured to fay what, as a lover of truth and a friend to mankind, he ought to fay, in familiar language. He feels himself totally uninfluenced by any human authority, except fuch as is clearly founded upon the divine law but if in any interpretation thereof he has fallen into mistakes, which however he has been anxious to avoid, all candid information will not only be attended to, but most grate fully fully received. ard that we can rightly judge of corruptions; therefore it is highly neceffary that the Scriptures should be exhibited in a true light, and particularly the doctrines of CHRIST.None are fo likely to know thofe doctrines as the Apostles themselves, and those who lived, and converfed with, and were inftructed by, them.-The primitive Fathers, if they were not infallible expofitors, at least delivered the traditional sense and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. If this doctrine is admiffible, then we may fafely depend on what they fay. It is only by the true ftand BUT, with respect to Thelyphthora, it cannot but be evident to every difcerning reader, that a grofs mistake runs through the whole, from not distinguishing principles and laws of moral duty, from outward particular independent acts. But though the author of that book has fallen into thofe fundamental errors |