T H E , PR E FA C .· E. T HE SubjeEf if' the er!fuing Difcouifes is rf that ineflimabie Excellency and Importance, that it ae~ jerves our deepeji RefieEfions and Care to con(ider . and apply it : 'Tio the great M yfl:ery if' Godlinefs, the dejign if Eternal Wijdom , the chiifi!J! rf all God's Works, that contains the glorzous Wonders if' hzs Mercy and Power, whereirt he renders himjelfmoji r,;;ortly of our fopreme Veneration and AjfeEfion. Our moji raijed Thoughts are infinitely heneath its ,Dignity. Though the Light if' the Gqfpel bath clearly reveal'd fo much of it, as is requijite to be known in our earthly jiate, yet the fublimer Parts are flill fecret, and riferv'd for a full dijcovery, by the brightnifS if' our Sa·viour's Appearance. Now if the Excellency of things excites our Spirits to be attentive in fearching into their Nature, this Divine ObjeEf jhould awaken all our Powers, and arrefl our Mind.r, in the Jerious jleady Contemplation if' it, being alone capable to fatisfy their Immortal r.Appetite. ' · The Importance qf it is corrdj_Jondent to its Excellency ; for 'tis no lefs than the. recovery rJ us from extreme an~ eternal Mifery, and the restoring of us to the Enjoyment qf the Bliffed God ; a Felicity without comparifon or end. . ff we have any regard to Salvation, ( and who would he fo unhappy as to negle£f it for unconcerning frivolous Vanity ? ) it will be delightful to know the means by which we may obtain it ; and to em;. ploy the flying moments of our ./hort time, in thrfe things that are prqfitable for our lajl End, that we may not life Temporal and Eternal Life together. Many qfthe Ancient and Modern Divines have written of this Noble Argument, from whom I have received benefit in the following Compojure ; But none, as I know, bath coiJ!idered all the Parts together,·and prefented tbem in one vie·w. There flill remains a rich abundance for the perpetual E.vercife if' our N Spirits.
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