ing contrary to our natural notions: By which it is plain,
he rejected at once all the mysteries of Christianity.

I could name one-and-twenty more great men, who were all freethinkers;
but that I fear to be tedious: For, 'tis certain that all men of sense
depart from the opinions commonly received; and are consequently more or
less men of sense, according as they depart more or less from the
opinions commonly received; neither can you name an enemy to
freethinking, however he be dignified or distinguished, whether
archbishop, bishop, priest, or deacon, who has not been either "a
crack-brained enthusiast, a diabolical villain, or a most profound
ignorant brute."

Thus, sir, I have endeavoured to execute your commands, and you may
print this Letter, if you please; but I would have you conceal my name.
For my opinion of virtue is, that we ought not to venture doing
ourselves harm, by endeavouring to do good.

I am yours, &c.

_I have here given the public a brief, but faithful abstract of this
most excellent Essay; wherein I have all along religiously adhered to
our author's notions, and generally to his words, without any other
addition than that of explaining a few necessary consequences, for the
sake of ignorant readers; for, to those who have the least degree of
learning, I own they will be wholly useless. I hope I have not, in any
single instance, misrepresented the thoughts of this admirable writer.
If I have happened to mistake through inadvertency, I entreat he will
condescend to inform me, and point out the place, upon which I will
immediately beg pardon both of him and the world. The design of his
piece is to recommend freethinking, and one chief motive is the example
of many excellent men who were of that sect. He produces as the
principal points of their freethinking; that they denied the Being of a
God, the Torments of Hell, the Immortality of the Soul, the Trinity,
Incarnation, the history of the creation by Moses, with many other such
"fabulous and blasphemous stories," as he judiciously calls them: And he
asserts, that whoever denies the most of these, is the completest
freethinker, and consequently the wisest and most virtuous man. The
author, sensible of the prejudices of the age, does not directly affirm
himself an atheist; he goes no further than to pronounce that atheism is
the most perfect degree of freethinking; and leaves the reader to form
the conclusion. However, he seems to allow, that