tothe R E A D E R. He had the happinefr of high and imimate Communion with God, being a man mighty with him in Prayer;to whom he bad afrequmt recourfe in d~fficult Points and Ct~fes ; and fuch Men wade farther tnto the deep things of God, who have [uch a Leader. He delighted much infearching into Points,and Scriptum wEich were m1r'e abftrufe and neglefled by others, and t:emo: vedfrom vulgar lnquiFy: and was veryfuccejJfolin opening fuch difficult fextr, in difcovering the depths of Satan, in anatomir_ing the Old Man in himfelf and othm. He had been much exercifed in the Controver(tes that baJ been agi~ated ·in the Age he lived in, having apiercing Vn– derjlanding, able to jimJ out where the pirrch andftrefs of Controverftes lay, when he jlated them. in his own heart from Scripture and Experi·ence, an·d had a peculiar faculty to bring themdown to ordinary Capacities in ScriptuFe Language, without hard and ped<1ntic Tei·ms. · He had a deep infight into the Grace of God, ancl the Covenant of Grace. ·A Dar~nefs , in which WYH anci– ently, and JliU is the caufe of gre'at Errours in the Church; the Ignorance of the Greek Fathers, of theGrace of God, gave great occa[ion to the Pelagian Errours, as Janfenius obferves. · He had (before hir undertabJng this Province) gone over in the courfe of hir Minifiry the grand Points of Religion, and con'cofJed them in his own head.and heart. And thisfhe. bad done in frequent and intelligent A1tditories,which greatly draws out the Gifts of Men, and fits them for fuch a war~ as this. · Hehad this farther advantage, That God had exercifed him not only with Inward conflicts, but wit bSufferings for the Truths be owned, leaving not only Preferments, but (which was more precious to him) the Exercife of his Mi– nifiry in his Native Country: Only be bad this, benefit /Jy hif recefr to review and~udy over againbif Notions.and Principles. And we neverfind God wanting i11> the df[co. veries of hir Secrets to fuch Friends in their Retire, ments.
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