TO George Poplewell, Efq; OF Eaft-Retford in Nottinghamshire. SIR, You are a Lover of Truth and A Liberty, and a Foe to Prieft craft and Spiritual Tyranny, I beg Leave to infcribe this Volume to your Name. Having no Views felfish or perfonal, I am under no Temptation to flatter you: Nor am I fo vain as to think, that this Dedication can do you any Honour. It will, probably, expofe you to the fame Cenfures which the Editor himself has long fuffered; the Cenfures of the Ignorant, the Bigot, the Hypocrite, and the Prieft. But You and I, Sir, God be thanked! have both learned to despise these Things, and to pity the Authors of them. To that just Zeal which I have often heard you exprefs for Civil Liberty, You have likewife added a noble Zeal for that which is religious. After having acquired a plentiful Fortune by honest Induftry, you ftill continue to affociate with thofe only who are the Friends of Liberty; nor are you afhamed to countenance and encourage thofe that dif fent from the Established Church. And indeed it is quite inconsistent with all just juft Notions of Civil Liberty, to be indifferent about Religious Shackles and the Impofitions of Priests. Oppreffion in Matters of Religion, and Ecclefiaftical Tyranny, ever made Way for, and will eternally introduce, Civil Bondage, and the Tyranny of Princes: And in our own History more especially it appears, that Civil and ReligiousOppre flion rife and fall together. I congratulate you upon that noble Spirit which of late Years hath appeared in this Nation; a Spirit of free Enquiry, and careful Search after Truth: The Consequences of it will, we hope, be happy and glorious to our Country. That God Almighty may long preferve your Life; and as you increase in Years, that you may advance in Wifdom and Goodness; and be eternally A 3 happy |