PREFACE. NOTHING was ever more unexpected by me than that I, or, indeed, that any other perfon, fhould, at this day, have occafion to enter into a difcuffion of the subject of these Letters; as nothing feemed to be better eftablished than the authenticity of almost all the canonical books of the New Teftament, no unbeliever having, of late years, hinted a fufpicion to the contrary, and every reasonable doubt having been removed by fuch laborious and candid writers as Mr. Jones, and Dr. Lardner, not to mention feveral others, whofe works could not be unknown to Mr. Evanfon. That fuch books were extant, in, or very near to, the time in which the events recorded, or alluded to, in them happened, fo that it was impoffible but that the truth might be known with respect to them, there is abundantly more evidence than there is of any other hiftorical books whatever having been written, and published, in the fame circumftances. Doubts, therefore, A 2 fore, with respect to the authenticity of the books of the New Teftament (I mean the univerfally received ones, as the four Gofpels, and the greater part of the Epiftles afcribed to Paul) might justly extend to all other writings whatever, and lead to univerfal fcepticism. By what particular train of thought Mr. Evanfon was originally led to entertain the doubts which at length produced the work on which I here animadvert, does not appear. That it was, directly or indirectly, from any disbelief of Christianity, I have not the smalleft fufpicion. His noble conduct in refigning a valuable church preferment, rather than recite the offices, after he had rejected the doctrines, of the established church, is an abundant proof both of his firm belief of Christianity, and of the happy influence it had upon his mind; unbelievers in general making no fcruple to adhere to any church, fo long as they can receive the emoluments of it. The caft of Mr. Evanfon's writings alfo proves, not only that he is a Chriftian, but that Christian literature is his favourite ftudy, all his publications being of this kind, intended to enforce, and illuftrate, fome article of Chriftian faith or practice. But having given more particular attention to the fubject of prophecy, to which we are indebted |