The PREFACE. IT is tf,, Privilege of Cf,-ijlimity, _t!Jat Li~e and Immortality are brought to Light Ill the Go~pcJ. !he .f-!eathm World fat tn Dark11Cjs, wtt-s fecm·e in Mifiry: A.r one that flaps ,- pler/5 d m~th t be Scenes of Fmrcy ; he Dreams of Treafitrcs ofGold f G(lrdem, of .Fc(ljls, md (hinks the pai11ted Appeartt11CeJ, the Jitperftcial Colour; :f Good to he Rcdlrtre~: thus whrlji Reajo11 was dark;,ed by Serrfe, the World "'"" content 1~1 /h ple~tflmt Delujtous. Hh~ amo11gj1 the many pretmders to JIVifdom, had a C011'lJi 11 cing A1101viedge of the BleJ!!d Etermty to come? Wlro had <glimpfe ofth<t Happim(s that refidts ftom thefght ofGod m Glory ? Thi< brftmrJiorz fo rejiejbi11g o11rSpirits, dark11ed with Sor1'0Ws here, comeJ ftom the_School_of Heave?': _as the ~~m reviver 11:1 by its chearjitl AppMr.. il!lce, tmd ajford.t th~tt Lzght, wtthout whrch zt were rmpoffiMe to behold it. During ~he Legal DiJ!e.J!_[atio~t, th~re was a Mif111ptm the Fut:tre State. The notice of Etcr"nl Th11rgs w.u a Twzl.ght mzxt wzth Shadows. The R.evclat zorz of the He.-omly GlorJ mu referv'd till our Saviom·'s appearing vt the T'Vorld, who purchtn'd it with the deareft price tmc_i ojfers it 11fOltjitch /(.racioJH TcrfJis~ that whoJoevcr jinccrely dejiruandfeeks, JbaU oh~ taw tt; nud none foa/1 be d,priv'd of it, b tt for their wi!Jitl and guilty treglelJ. It might be expected that fui:h ·a Propofal were jit{ftcient to wga,~e Men with <U their Active P=ers to fecur~ Jitch a precioJH lntereft, whm indeed their befl Endeavo~trs a1rd mofl zealom Ajfefli~ O~ts are too flight and faint, with rcJPet1~ tl1 that excellent Httppincfl. Are 110t thefirft /I.,Toftofls ofTbings tbat 'are wtittw in o:tr Breajls, Jitjftdwt to couvince ta, that what if for ever, " to be prefirr'd before what jitddmly pajfes away l Or i< it 11ecejfory in Matters of Temporal ConcerJJmcJJt, to t:{e ftrong A,·gltJJlf;pts to perfwacle 11-:r rather to ch".fe aTreafltre that roil! enrich Nf for our Lives, than what will purcht{c food only Jot• a day? Yet 'tH flrange l o .m~tazcm_ent, that i11 Things of Infinite fVeight and Co![{eq~tence that rejjet1 the Soul, a11d f_rzvud Thmg; that r~JPel1 the B~dy, Meu m%ke M prepofte~ONJ a Judgment and Choice, tH :;,,'!;:: Th:e i7j:c:;'~~;:t:x~:=J~~c;:u~:f,~Jfib/emJJ":,te;":{~~e:v;e~hfF:l:!~~ ~J; Efo%= pleat a11d jiwe, that the leaf/ jhadaw ofEvil fbaU neve>· eclipfo it: TheSoul fbaUbeinajlate ofhi..ri,heft PerftfJ/(m a11d Joy; theVnderftanding illuminated with perfiCJ Knowledge, with nomore fludy , tha11 opening the E;'e and fixing it Ol! the GloriotH ObjeCJs, theT'Vill fatisfied t:J::: ;:;~~ ~~:~~~;,~:~:!Yfo;;;: !~~h:·lff:!:; ~:~·~:V;: f:%!!:~!e~~~~~d~~;~ ~;;;· i11111'1J!C1'able Affembly ofAugels and Saints alway.J ajford.J !lW and i11ejiimab!e Delights; ~=tew!:~~t~ tt;n;f,at,.;h afa;~}eh~t:'J!,t:n;e;}o~~f/Z ~~IJ:~,;;~ 2 ti:; ~~~ d:!,}.; j{ttisfj thcSwfis, much lcfs 0111' uob!e a11d tomprehenjive FacHlties : whofe Grieft arefometimes Jo heavy and opprcjfiug, that all the Comforts of the 1 'orlcl llre 110 more ejfeOual tu relieve tlle Soul labouring 1mder them, tha11 thcfiJJmdiug of Brajs, tt11d the tinckli~t,.(!, of Cymbal.J, ufordly dom by theHcatbws, rr:ere to ft·ee the Moou from it.J dark Ec!ipfe, which they fimcicd to labour in cxfl·oHity. Tet the petty Prefirmmt.J, the dcceitfitl Riches, the dcceitjitl Riches, the vai11 Plcajitres here are chofw, mtd 'ambitio11jly and eagerly pmjited, n11cl the inf1titc cvednfling Hnppinefs hereafter 1mdervalued a1sd 1·ejet1ed. B11t M the 1Vonder cettfis, thllt a Mau doth not fee iu the cleareft_ Dt!J, byfoying, He iJ bliucl: fo Carn.al Mm are rrithout Fttith, that}$, tbe Internal Light oft he Mind, they do not jledfoftly be· lic've the Rett!ity ofthe Divine 1Vorld, tho fo clearly ope,'d i11 the GoJP!l. They llre 1mder fo jlrong a Dellfjiou aud Error of Senfuality, that they vilify n Spirit;tal Happine{s, aGloritJIII Fr!lr,Tity, mul pr~{mt fo~fibleThings, ofno price incompttrifim, have the higbeft place in t beir Efl..e~m aud AffiiJioJrs .The proper Nieans torecllver Mtmfrom hW wo[11l Fo/Jy,are unceajhtg fi'rverrt Prayers, That the God of our Lord Jefos Chri([, the Father of Glory, may give unto them tbe Spi rit of Wi fdom and Revela tion in the knowledge of him: TheEyes ~fs r2::fin~,n~~~n,~~,~~ngeb;i;'~f,e~'~¥1~\~:~~~~~t~~e6is~~,e~?t~~c;'·l~·:~! ~~rn~7~~J. ::r:ft'1:,;;t~~;;.:ll:.~:~; ';,;::~J'E;;:~, ~,:;?v:;~.:~:~t;;,~It~;:~tea~';=:~ t/h:t ~~:~;n;~( their Endenvwrs into tbe right Channel; that the j11dicioJH CompttriJo!! between Objefls fo vaftly dijferi:r'?.• may be the governing Priuciple of their Lives. AU Things nre vain and trnnjient, within the Corifines of Time; aU Thiflgs flable and folid in the Terrif()riu of Etrr11ity. JOHN
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