Preface

WHAT I here make public has, after a long and scrupulous inquiry,
seemed to me evidently true and not unuseful to be known- particularly
to those who are tainted with Scepticism, or want a demonstration of
the existence and immateriality of God, or the natural immortality
of the soul. Whether it be so or no I am content the reader should
impartially examine; since I do not think myself any farther concerned
for the success of what I have written than as it is agreeable to
truth. But, to the end this may not suffer, I make it my request
that the reader suspend his judgment till he has once at least read
the whole through with that degree of attention and thought which
the subject-matter shall seem to deserve. For, as there are some
passages that, taken by themselves, are very liable (nor could it be
remedied) to gross misinterpretation, and to be charged with most
absurd consequences, which, nevertheless, upon an entire perusal
will appear not to follow from them; so likewise, though the whole
should be read over, yet, if this be done transiently, it is very
probable my sense may be mistaken; but to a thinking reader, I flatter
myself it will be throughout clear and obvious. As for the
characters of novelty and singularity which some of the following
notions may seem to bear, it is, I hope, needless to make any
apology on that account. He must surely be either very weak, or very
little acquainted with the sciences, who shall reject a truth that
is capable of demonstration, for no other reason but because it is
newly known, and contrary to the prejudices of mankind. Thus much I
thought fit to premise, in order to prevent, if possible, the hasty
censures of a sort of men who are too apt to condemn an opinion before
they rightly comprehend it.

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