Of idolatry a discourse, in which is endeavoured a declaration of, its distinction from superstition, its notion, cause, commencement, and progress, its practice charged on Gentiles, Jews, Mahometans, Gnosticks, Manichees Arians, Socinians, Romanists : as also, of the means which God hath vouchsafed towards the cure of it by the Shechinah of His Son / by Tho. Tenison ...

To the Right Honourable ROBERT Earl of MANCHESTER, One of the Gentlemen of his Majesty's Bedchamber, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Huntington, &c.

My LORD,

IT is now a year, and almost another, since I wrote a Let∣ter for private Use, about the Worship of Images: A Practice most scandalous to the Chri∣stian Religion, and (as some use it) so extremely ridiculous, that the very statue, had it any apprehension, would mo∣destly bow it self, and prevent the Adorer. From that small beginning has arisen a Book sufficiently big; but of the less solidity by reason of the hasty growth of it. More art, together with more hours of leisure would have made it a lesser Volume. For in writing of Books, as in carving of Statues, the cutting away of each superfluity is a work of skill and time.

But if this Volume were equally great and good, it would be the more suitable Present for your Lordship, to whom the Dedication of it is due, whether the Author be consider∣ed, or that which be hath written.

For the Author he hath had long dependance on your Honourable Family; such as may al∣most be dated from that happy time in which these Islands were disenchanted, and received their true and undoubted Soveraign, in place of that Spectre of Authority which then walked at Whitehall. He is possessed of one Living by the Bounty of the then Lord Cham∣berlain your Father, whose most generous kindness and condescension must for ever be remembred by him. And seeing the Noble offer makes the favour, and not the accept∣ance; he owes to your Lordship his acknow∣ledgments for another. Many other Obliga∣tions from your Honourable Person and Family, and therein from your most excellent Lady, (whose eminent and exemplary Virtues sur∣pass the very heighth of her Birth and Quality) as in Gratitude I must not forget, so in good manners I ought not here to repeat them at large; for it would be a rude abuse of your Lordships patience to turn this Epistle into a second Book.

For the Book it self, some part of it was meditated, the whole revised at your Castle of Kimbolton; a place where your Lordship does yearly offer new matter to the admiration of Travellers, who speak with such praise of the Fair Villa's of England. It was enlarged, and now at last published, not without the desire of some of your Lordships very Learned Rela∣tions, who by their own accurate Pens have made amends to the world for any trouble they may occasion by mine. It hath already some hope of your favourable acceptance; and therefore it lays it self with the greater assurance at the feet of your Honour.

Where it offendeth either in Matter or Form, (for in an heap of so many particulars some which are not very current may pass through my hand undiscerned;) I beg not Patronage, but excuse.

In the matter, I would hope that the main of it is passable, because I have used as its touch∣stone the Doctrine and Worship of that Church, in whose Communion (by Gods good Providence) I have always lived, the Church of England: a Church of unparallel'd sobri∣ety and invincible Truth. The Country was one of the last of those which the Arms of the ancient Romans subdu'd; and the Church is

such that it can never be conquered by the Ar∣guments of the Modern.

It is true, I have said many things which the Church hath not said; for I was unwilling to disgust any curious Reader, by serving up nothing but what had formerly been often set before him. But against the Church I am not conscious that I have written a syllable. And for some Speculations which might have been subject to misconstruction, I have com∣mitted them to (that which they call the best keeper of Secrets) the Fire. If any offensive phrase or notion have escaped me, as soon as I am shewed it, I shall be readier to blot it out, than I was ever to write it.

Touching my manner of writing, I crave leave to observe a few things about the stile, and the temper of this Discourse.

Concerning stile, had it been my Talent, it had not been possible in such an Historical and Philological Argument to have made any considerable use of it. A Discourse into which the words of other men of differing Professions, Ages, Countries, Languages and stiles, are so frequently woven, must needs be uneven and parti-coloured.

Concerning the Temper observed in this writing, I have endeavour'd to abstain from

all unnecessary heat and severe Language. For I cannot perswade my self that the Witch∣craft of Error can be removed, or so much as weakned by the meer scratches of the Pen. It hath also been my care not to misrepresent the opinions of those from whom I differ. Yet I am sensible that this very Impartiality, with which I move in the middle path, will draw upon me the censorious lashes of many Zea∣lots who place themselves on either hand. Those whom Jesuitick Bygotry possesseth will say I have maliciously blackned their Church. Others whose over-rigid humour must needs pass for the only Protestancy, whose Religion sheweth it self in nothing but in a fierce and indiscreet zeal against Popery, will think my Pen hath flattered. They will cry out that it hath imitated his pencil, who drew the loose Gabrielle in the figure of chaste Diana.

But I have (I hope) avoided both those Extremes: Most certain I am, I have studied to do so. And if just moderation must be bla∣med, I am willing to be a sufferer in so good, so honourable a cause.

There are another sort of Enemies of whose Censures I am also in some expectation, though in no fear at all: I mean the lower sort of

Criticks, into whose Province of Philology I have sometimes stepped. This sort of men seemeth to me like those wretched Barbarians on the Coast of Guinea, whose Idol is a certain Bundle of Feathers. Religious men of the warmest temper are not more earnest about matters of Faith than these are in questions of wit, and debates about words and tittles. For though the interest of the thing they con∣tend about be insignificant, yet they think that power and mastery in any thing is worthy their zeal. If I have but mispelled the name of some Heathen-god, I expect severe usage from such Grammarians. But though they shall prove angry, I will not retaliate. It is not worth the while to keep up a controversy begun about a trifle, and to bandy light mat∣ters backward and forward by eternal dis∣pute.

But I trespass upon your Honour by the liberty of this Discourse, and by introducing these Pedantick people who make so absurd a figure in Courts.

This only I have to add: If there be any thing useful in this writing, I know your Lordship will accept it for its own sake. And for that which is useless, or defective,

I hope it may obtain pardon through the submission of the Author, who is,

From Dr. Lawson's house in Mincing-Lane in Lon∣don, March 16, 1677.

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most Obliged and Obedient Servant, THO. TENISON.