*~************~** ~~*~*~*****~*~*** To the Reader. I Tllis rvorthy M11n, efpecially in his laur timu, 1Ms {t;rrMnded (through God'J blejfing on him) with a tJtry grrat conjlHence (Jf w.hat might give Contentment to a v4t fpirit of his l<.ank and C11/!ing. HI was enrichtd with a large mu•- fure of Abilities and Opportunims in ferving hiJ Lard ( t9 g/9rifie who,, and do much g!Jr;d to othtrs, is the divine part of "mAn gr~ttious ( whi~h he will) tb1 higbeft 11nd r110{f [olid fatisfr.ftion, ~tnd in rnanJ refpe[fs exceeds what ytr{ona/ Communion with Cod, jingly cunjidertd, brin!,J in : } Be(ide.r , he li11eJ ~tnJ died in 4 fu/- mfs gf bonor lfnd eftum with the beft of men, of Saints; n11, the 1urj} of Enemies : Lik.trti[e of E{f~tte, .1nd OM1Mrd Comf~rts ~/thin his Sphert and r.4nk._, 411 wh.ich did Asd might ~tjford Contentment to what was outward in him. ln the mid/f of tht[e, his ftudy w11s tofind out 4 mrm fub/ime w~ty, and hidden Art flf Selffufficiencie , rhan WA_s in the po11er of .1/1 things to CBntribute or teAch ; Such a skill 111 did not only poi{e .1nd com;of~ his Spirit i~t tbtpn[tnt enjoyment •f all, but might fortifi~ And furnifh hiw 11ith provijion for tbt fut!4re 11gainft the t'o{s •f t~ll, in the timu "Rherein man knmvetb what evil will be in the Earth. 7 his il1arft hlJ fir/} Linufhew ht ./bot at. This Art fome Philo{ophers of old }.ruended rhtm{elves Mll{ltrJ of, and to inftruCf others in, tbroug!. the ~t/Jiftance of Natural Aml MorAlEitlllents,.. e/ev~tted to the Ntllloft height their Principles could carry thtr» ; but in tJt~ii'J : The , Chi'!'iff? in this kind being able to pr~duce no mort bf4: ~[HI/en obfhnttcte and obduratem(s of mi,d. The Natural Spmt of a Man, fuling it [tl{ gr~ater than ~tll Cret~turu ,gathering up, a/Qd conf~!id~tin-g its [elf into its [elf is Able ( AJ Solemon fAieJ ) to fuflam 1ts own, and all others infirmities. But that Aut~rcby this AHtbor here pre{ents, is 4 MJ:ftery, -which none of rhefe Frinces of the World know, or the Wifdom of Man teacheth, but the Holy Ghofl teacheth; and which fm, btlt thofe 1h11t 11re perA 2 fea-,
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