that you may be long continued a witness for the truth, and an useful labourer in the church,

lot is caft, is the fincere

where your

prayer of,

Reverend Sir,

Your fincere friend,

And unworthy brother,

ABRAHAM TAYLOR.

THE

PREFACE

T

HE doctrine of the bleffed Trinity is a matter of fuch importance, that all who wish well to Chriftianity, ought ever to be on their guard, against any attempts made, either to weaken their faith, or to puzzle their minds, as to this great and adorable mystery: And they, who without any ill defign, give out erroneous hypothefes, relating to this prime article of faith, ought no more to be left to vent their fancies without controul, than others who oppofe this truth, thro' malice, fhould be fuffered to pass without contradiction.

It was because I really thought the reverend Mr. Watts obfcured the doctrine, which he imagin'd he might, perhaps, be able to clear, that

As

appear'd against his books: and when I finish'd my treatise against him, I had little apprehenfions, that I fhould have farther concern with him for as I did not think he would be for launching into controverfy, fo I was determin'd, not to concern my felf with any other perfon, who fhould thruft himself into the debate. there was occafion, this winter, for a new impreffion, I took the opportunity to review what I had wrote, and to look into Mr. Watts's books. This made fome thoughts occur to me, which, I chose rather to throw together, in the form of a preface, than to trouble the world with them feparate.

This fmall tract was publish'd without my name, not becaufe I was afhamed of any thing contained in it, but that it might make its own way into the world, and that the cenforious might have the lefs opportunity to run it down, without weighing the merits of the cause concerned. It has met with fo favourable a reception from many among our felves, and from fome of the church of England, whofe judg ments I value, that I can fit very eafy and unconcerned, under the bitter invectives, which have been utter'd against it, by the admirers of the gentleman I undertook to refute.

I have however the fatisfaction to find, that tho' this worthy and ingenious perfon has many, who defervedly esteem him, on other accounts, yet a he has few, very few, who admire him, or who will indeed defend him, as to the things wherein I am concerned with him.

When the first edition was publish'd, I lived not in London, and fo I could be guilty of no unfairness, in the title I took to my self, of a diffenting country gentleman. I have now thought it proper, to throw off my difguife, and to fet my name, in order to let the world fee, that I fcorn to do, or fay, any thing, under cover, which I am afraid of doing, or faying, in open view. I would not do any thing in private, without confidering, I am in the prefence of the fearcher of hearts; therefore I look upon my felf to be under the fame restraint, as a Chriftian, whether I choose to be known

a That many who admire Mr. Watts, are not pleased with his attempts relating to the Trinity, appears from hence, that tho' fome thousands of moft of his other works have been fold; yet an impreffion of five hundred, of the fecond part of his differtations on the Trinity has not gone off.

or

or unknown, as an author: and consequently all I am concern'd about, is to ufe my liberty, in taking that method, which I apprehend moft conducive, to ferve the cause I engage in.

I was not guefs'd to be the author of this performance, till fome time after it was publifh'd, and, by that means, I had the better opportunity, to take notice of what was objected to it, by fuch as fell in my way. Upon taking the strictest review of what I have wrote, and upon laying together, what I have found, has been objected to it, in converfation, or otherwife, I am forced, by the conviction of my own mind, ftill to affirm, that I have neither mifrepresented Mr. Watts, nor treated him either unfairly or abufively.

Some have thought me guilty of falfhood, when I faid b I had not the honour of Mr. Watts's acquaintance; but this is founded on a mistake; for tho' it may be known to many ministers, that I have often been in the fame place with him, tho' he may declare he has converfed with me in more places than one; and tho' some civilities may have paffed between us, yet I do not apprehend this comes up to an acquaintance; for I was never with him, in private, half an hour, in my whole life, and I never thought talking with a perfon a little now and then, in publick places, and in promiscuous company, render'd another acquainted with him.

It has been induftrioufly given out, that I have treated Mr. Watts with bitterness; but I could never find any ground for this charge: I declared, at first, that, tho' I would treat him with

b Page 112 of this Edit. p. 107 of the first Edit.

Page 4. al. 6.

candor, yet his character for piety fhould not make me afraid of laying open his mistakes or of fpeaking freely of fome things he had advanced.

I cannot fee I have done more than this, or have faid any thing against what he has publish'd, inconfiftent with a fincere value for his perfon; for certainly, my efteem for another man does. not deprive me of the liberty, which belongs to me, as a man, and a Chriftian, to fhew his miftakes, when I take what he advances, to have an ill tendency.

I know, to have the darling productions of our own fancies demolish'd, is not agreeable to the corrupt part, which is in the beft of us; but, however, it is certain, that fhewing a man his error, is acting a friendly part towards him, whether he may think fo or no. Perhaps Mr. Watts may fancy himself more injured, by the frankness I have used with him, than by the wheedling infinuations of a few flatterers; but I would remind him of what was faid by a much dwifer man, and one who had feen more of the world than he or I, that, "faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kiffes of an enemy are deceitful."

We have had a great deal faid, about the best method of treating an adverfary; but I cannot find any one has given us rules, which can univerfally be obferved. I take it, that we are as much mistaken, in thinking only smooth things must be said to him, as others might formerly be, in imagining he ought to be dealt with in a wrathful manner; chriftian charity no more lies in foothing a man's vanity, than chriftian zeal confifts in treating him with anger and bitterness.

d Prov. xxvii. 6.

A man