A

COLLECTION

OF

THEOLOGICAL TRACTS,

IN SIX VOLUMES.

By RICHARD WATSON, D.D. F. R.S.
LORD BISHOP of LANDAFF,

AND

REGIUS PROFESSOR of DIVINITY in the UNIVERSITY of

CAMBRIDGE

VOL. Ι.

FOR LIBRARY

NEW-YORK

CAMBRIDGE:

Printed by J. ARCHDEACON, Printer to the UNIVERSITY;
for J. & J. MERRILL, Cambridge; T. EVANS, London;

OV

: OF THE

FIRST VOLUME.

A Scheme of Scripture-Divinity, formed upon the Plan
of the Divine Dispensations. With a Vindication
of the Sacred Writings. By J. TAYLOR, D.D. Lond,

1762.

P. 4

This Book deserves to be generally known; it has been for some
Years out of Print, and much fought after by the Clergy: I thought I
should do them an acceptable Service in making it a part of this Col-
lection,

1

Reflexions upon the Books of the Holy Scripture to establish
the Truth of the Christian Religion. In two: Volumes.
Lond. 1688. By P. ALLIX.

:

p.220

These two Volumes were published in French, the First in London,
and the Second at Amsterdam, much about the same Time that they
made their Appearance in English. They were spoken of with Respect
in the Acta Eruditorum for 1688; were translated into German at Nu-
renberg in 1702: and have been always held in great Repute for the
Plainness and Erudition with which they are written. The Author was
French Refugee of diftinguished Learning and Integrity; the Reader
will meet with a good Account of his Life and Writings in the Biogra-
phia Britannica,

a2

:

;

PREFACE.

1

1

N publishing this Collection of Theological Tracts I have had no other end in view, but to afford young persons

of every denomination, and especially to afford the Students in the Universities, and the younger Clergy, an easy opportunity of becoming better acquainted with the grounds and principles of the Christian Religion than, there is reason to apprehend, many of them at present are. My first intention was to have admitted into the Collection, such small tracts only in Latin or English on Theological Subjects as had funk into unmerited oblivion; but, on maturer reflection, I thought it better to confult the. general utility of the younger and less informed Clergy; than to aim at gratifying the curiosity, or improving the understanding of those who were more advanced in years and knowledge. Instead therefore of confining myself to single tracts I have not fcrupled to pub lish some intire books; but they are books of fuch acknowledged worth, that no Clergyman ought to be unacquainted with their contents, and by making them a part of this Collection, they may chance to engage the attention of many who would otherwise have overlooked them. It would have been an easy matter to have laid down an extensive plan of study for young divines, and to have made a great shew of learning by introducing into it a Systematic Arrangement of Historians, Critics, and Commentators, who, in different ages and in different languages, have employed their talents on Theological Subjects. But there is a fashion in study as in other pursuits; and the taste of the present age is not calculated for the making great exertions in Theological Criticism and Philology. I do not confider the Tracts which are here published as sufficient to make what is called a deep divine, but they will go a great way towards making, what is of more worth-a well informed Chriftian. In Divinity, perhaps, more than