C 83 the facred Voiùme; the Author will think, that thefe Refleftions, which have occurred to himfelf, were not an idle Amufement, but an happy Expense of his Time and Pains. If they fhouid not thus fucceed, by a contrary Determination of the divine Providence; he will Rill own, that he has Reafon to be very thankful for many bleffed Moments of Comfort and Joy, which he has experienced in the Courfe of thefe Difquifitions, However, he leaves the whole, with Refignation, to the Will of Him, who worketh what, and when, and by whom He pleafeth. The Power of GOD can convey his Mercies through the Channel of the meaneft Words; while, without that attendant Energy, all the Eloquence and Wifdom of Man, or even of Angels; however it might filence or convince the Mind, could never en- liven or convert the Heart. It is very probable, that, in treating on fo great a Subjeft, fome Mittakes may have occurred, which will need the learned Reader's Candor ; though the Author has been diligent to avoid them, and has ftated nothing for Truth but under the Conviftions of his own Mind; for which Reafon he hath referred (and fometimes only referred for Brevity's Sake) to many Authorities, and might have appealed to many more. He has often fin- cerely wifhed, that a Topic, worthy the Contemplation of Angels, had been difcuffed by Abilities more equal to the Tafk than his own; and therefore only offers his Effay, as the Succedaneum ofa more perfeft Inveftiga- Lion. Upon this Occafion, he may be indulged to make the well-known Apology of the Poet; fi quid novifli rains ißis Candidus imperil, fi non, his utere mecum: In thepraêlical Ufe, which the Author has attempted to make of each Title or Name, he has aimed to con- vey to others what he felt himfelf, and to fpeak " as a dying Man to dying Men," To this Point all our Knowledge and Speculation fhould tend ; to this Point mutt our Faith and Practice (like the magnetic Needle Gz to
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