Excerpt from Considerations on the Theory of Religion, Vol. 1 of 3 HE following difcourfes were originally part of a larger defign, tending to {hew that arts and fciences, natural and revealed reli gion, have upon the whole been progreffive, from the creation of the world to the prefent time; as alfo that they have been fuited to each other, as well as to the circumftances of mankind, dur ing each eminent period of this their 'progrellion. A theory, which, when fairly reprefented, may be fuppofed to give fome fatisfae'tion to many thoughtful perfons 5)t being convinced of the exiftence and attributes of one fupreme firf't caufe, yet are fo unhappy as to entertain {trong preju dices againlt every kind of Revelation; chiefly on account of the' circumf'tances, under which it feems to have been communicated; which they are unable to reconcile with the couffe and or der of Divine Providence in other, refpeetsz, as Well as to affif't fome ferions enquirers, who are perhaps equally at a lofs in their fearch after'any Tettled order, in either of thefe Ef'tablifhments but yet, if they could once perfuade themfelves in general, that one of thefe proceeded in foxne fort of uniform mm, and analogy with the other; and that both were in a fiate of progrej/ion; would probably have patience to wait a while, in hopes of feeing their particular objeftions gradually re moved in each, by the fame rules. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.