To theKEADER. tion, governed with a grave andfolid 7udomem, and the ?fur of both expreJfed in a grave and decent Style, fo as it is nor eafie to fay, what one. would delire in a Divine, that was wanting in him. He had an Heart full of Love and Zeal for God and his Glory, and "out of the abundance of his Heart, his Mouth continually flake. So frequent, yet fo learned and folid Preaching by the fame perforo, was hule left than miraculous. But he was a Scribe fully infirutled in the things of the Kingdom of God, and like a good Houfholder, war continually fetching oat of the Store -house of his knowing and judicious Seal, things both old and new. He was no fiadyer of Words and Phrafes, he abhorred lush sr Pedantry qnd debafin the Authority -of Gofpel Propofstions; but agrave and ferions Soul, fitted with his skill in Arto, and Lang mo i, neither ever did, nor child want E.xpreffions, above the fcorn of the moll wanton Word- dreflers, rhô beneath the expetlaeions of fuck a! can be pleated with the tune - ablenefr of Paranomafi2es, or the rollinós of fix footed words. He was agood, and learned, a grave aid cioas perfoon, and his Auditory never failed (too' be laboured more than the moft Preachers, his ronflant chafe of Preaching being for many years Five timer, and till near his End, three times a Week) to hear from him a pious, learned and molt judictoas Difcoarfe. This, thofe who never heard him may easily believe, by his printed Com- mentaries and Sermons, in which we never met with any that complained for want of any thing fit for a Divine So that he is one of thole Authors, upon the credit of whofe Name, not only the plainer and left intelligent fort of people, but evenScholars, may adventure robes, any Bookthat was his, and be affared they will fee no cattle to re- pent of the expenee of their Money. His late large Folio upon the 1 tg` Pfalm.is a plentiful Evidence of this; send great Part of our Ens* World bath given their fieffrage to this, by making it fo scarce in fo fhort atime, as the Price of it is enhanced above a fifth part. We here offer a zd Yawn, of agreater Bulk(tho' no greater price) which contains his Difcourfes upon the zg`° of Matth. the 17' hapt. of John, theó &and 8', Chapter o( Paul's Epifiteto the Romans, and the 5', Chapt. of his za Epistle to the Corinthians, five Chapters, than which pojbly in the whole New Teltament there willnot be found five others, more fill of Gaffe! Dotbine, rn the Knowledge of whichGods People are more concerned. In the fire, under the Parable of the Ten Virgins (five of which were wife, five foolilh) our Lord repre- fents to as the flare of the Members of the Church waiting for CLrrifis. Second coming to judgment : Amongst whom lane are fincere, force are Hypocrites, the different atlions and iffhes of whom are excellently reprefinred ro us, and molt worthy ro be learnedand confsdered. a. Vnder the Parable of the Talents, we are tnflrutled in Gods different difpen ration of his Gifts to men, their different efe of them, and the Account they are like to be called to about them. To which it fubjoyned an Hypotupofis of the day of Judgment, fie to be continually in our Eyes and Ears. In.the fecund, we bave our Saviours lafi Prayer for his Eleht, tuna ahofe that to the end of the Worldshould believe, as thole who at that time did believe. It was our Lords Legacy, what good Christian defsretb not afull xnderftanding of it, that he may know what to hope, andpray in Faith for, as being first fecured to him by the Prayer of him whom the Father heareth alwayes? 'tithe 6'b and /la' of the Romans are contained great Treafuries of Gofpel Truth. Vpon both (the latter eJle- cially) many learned men have f rent their labours ro great advantage r But the Scripture issuch a Book as we never know when we folly comprehend it, and (if he may judge to whofe share it fell to peruse fame of thole Notes) the Reader will fund force things here dbfcovered, which he will hardly meet with clfewhere. His way of handling ir, is rather Dogmatical and Practical, than Polemical ;yet he now and thenjudiciouflyrefolvetb a Queflion : But all along in the handling ofit,he difcoverethboth an excellent Notion, and a moft profound andfolid7adgment. The !aft Difcourfes on z Cor. q. hooklike a Cygnea - cantio : Whether they wereforce of his haft Difeourfs we cannot tell, nor can we judge it from the Subjetl, he being a perfon who was dying daily, and never fo in love with his Earthly Tabernacle, nor?offefs'dof fo weaka Faith as to the Houfe in the Heavens, m's either en de- /re the former should Rand loner than fhould be for the glory, of God, or hitnfelf kept from the latter over -long. It pleated God not to furprize` aim with death, but to let bim fee it at force diflance, making its approaches to him, before it gave him the fatal word of Arreft. Thou wilt, Reader, find fame things once and again token to, as the Text led him, but in filch a variety of Phrase, that they have much new in them. Had this eminent Per/on lived to have fupravifed his own Notes, he mighgpoffbly have added or altered fomething: We havereen no reafon to do it, bat given thee his Notes as they were under his hand only when (not able to read force words in his Notes) roe were forced to add a word or two for clearing the fenfe. Now, Reader, whatshall we fay to thee, but only to quicken thee to biefiGod, for this Milk from the Bottle, when thou canft not have it' from the Breafts, ,h ,701(0el1,0 Thus Dr. Manton ( rho' dead) yet fpeaketh. God give thee, and us, an hearin Ear, and an anderfianding Heart. We have thus line upon line, and Pre- cept upon Precept: Let us not-be barren and unfruitful. We commend there Labours and thy Soul to Gods Bleffing, Subferibing ourfakeer, Aug. ,. 1684, Thine Affectionate Servants in the Work of theGofpel, William Bates. yohn Coil/ages. 7obn Howe. ADVERTISEMENT. A Praetical Expofition of the Lords Prayer. Octavo. By Tim. Maueon, D. D. Sold by Ìona- 11 than Robinson at the Golden-Lion in St. Pauly Church yard, 1684
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