AN HISTORY O F EARLY OPINIONS CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST, COMPILED FROM ORIGINAL WRITERS; PROVING THAT THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH WAS By JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, LL. D. F. R.S. AC. IMP. PETROP. R. PARIS. HOLM. TAURIN. AUREL. MED. VOL. I. Antiquam exquirite matrem. VIRGIL. -Αγραφοις χρήσασθαι φωναις· διο σχεδόν η πασα γεγονε συγχυσις τε και ακατασία των εκκλησιων. EUSEBIUS. BIRMINGHAM, PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY PEARSON AND ROLLASON, CHURCH-YARD, LONDON. MDCCLXXXVI. то MRS. RAY NER, O F SUNBURY, in MIDDLESEX. MADAM, OUR known zeal for the caufe in You the defence of which this work is compofed is my motive for prefixing your name to it. It is a great and important question that is now in agitation, and it is but justice that pofterity should, if posfible, be made acquainted with the names of those zealous advocates of truth, whofe exertions A 2 exertions, though not in the character of writers, have yet, in various other ways, contributed to its fuccessful spread. In this honourable clafs I know of few that are intitled to ftand before that of Mrs. Rayner. Such is our focial nature, that thofe who are actuated by the pureft love of truth, and whofe views are the most fingle, feel, and therefore, in fome degree, want the additional motive which arifes. from the concurrence of others, in a caufe in which the world in general is againft them. But a very few, united in a love of truth, of the importance of which they are deeply fenfible, will cafily bear up against any combination. Numbers, power, wealth, long establishment, fashion, intereft, and every other advantage on the fide |