vi· PR R F, A·c E. gers to it, that they.~ran~ the perfons who are fohappy as to be poifeffed of It, with the hard name of fpirimal– itls, reckoning them a kind of Entbu}ia/h, unworthy of their regard. The truth is; Chr-iftianity is a myfiery, mere reafon does not comprehend it. There is a fpiri– tual di fcerning neceifary to its being rightlyunderfiood, whence it comes to pat\ that men of great lean'ling and abilities, th'o' they read the fcriptures with attention, and comment learnedly upon them; yet do nor,yea can– nor, enter into the vein of thought peculiar to tlie in– fpii·ed penman, becaufe they flure not of the fame fpi– rit; wherefore it is, th~u the Apofile Paul afferts, the' 1tatura!, that is, tmregenerate mari, not to know the things.of Cod, neither iadted to be capable qf kno1uing them~ becat~fe tlrey af'e f piritua/!y diflerned. 1 F,rom w,hat hits been faid, itis eaiy to <:oociude, Thit no pedantic apology' on thepal't of the Autho_r, f()r :appearing in print, or fawning complirntnts to the courteons reader, on the pan of the prefacer, are to he expeCl::ed. '"fhe truth is, both the one and the o– ther an; rather little arts, vailing pedantry and conceit 1 · than evidences ofmodefty and good- fenfe. It is ofmor_e· ufe to recommend the perufal ~f the book to pet·fons– of all ranks and degrees, from a few fuirable topicks·, · than to fllow. wherein this edition dii'fers from and excels the fidr. . · That all man kind, however di~'crencecl by their r::mk and fhricn !n the world, have an eqn2.l co~cern in "''hat is tcvea!ed concerning ariorher and future '"orkl, will he readily owned ; and it mpft be .as readify granted, ' that however allowable it may be for men of karnin·g and parts, to pleafe themfelves with fineri~fs of lan- . gu,,r:e· juftnefs of thought, and exaCt connet1ion_ in ·writings upon other fubjeCl::s; yet they ought not to . indulp e rhemfelve:-: in the fame tafte in d'ifcourfes on , 0 • di\·ir..e rh'ir' g .. , left they expofe themfelves to the. juft' cc:.;fure of icring with the fame ind ifer eti·on, as a perfon in dan1T(T of famiihinR: bv hunger, would be g,ui1rv of, 0 V " v '-' . ~ if he perverfely r ejc{ ted plain w,holefome food, when · of-
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