Confciences of thefe Men, that doubt of an AfterRtribution, whether they did ever fincerely and imartially defire, or endeavour to be fatisfied about it? Did they ever do, what every Rational Man ought to do, that is willing to be ascertained of the Truth of a common Report? Did they ever put themselves to half that Trouble, to be convinced of the certainty of a future Judgment, that they put themselves to, when they would know, whether the Title of the Eftate, they would buy, be good or no? Do not they drudge from Lawyer to Lawyer,to advise about the Evidences that relate to it? And by this we guess, that they are wil ling to be Satisfied. but marga 1 4 To Scoff at a Motion of Weight and Moment be fore Examination, is a great fign of Indiscretion and Folly in thofe that do it, whilst the prudent Man, that defires to know the Truth of it, enquires, What Solidity there is in it; whether any wife Men were ever of that Opinion; what Renfor they had to think fo; and, what enticed, or moved them to embrace it? He is fo far from exclaiming against it at the first Hearing, or arraigning those that receive it as too facile and credulous, that he'll confult with. Men, whom he may rationally Suppofe, to be at least as Wife and Learned as himself and fee what Arguments they can alledge for it, and whether thofe Arguments be farisfactory, or no ; nor would I require more Pains and Industry in the Cafe in question, than fuck an Application of Prudence, to be satisfied in the Truth of a future State; and he that would thus proceed, must be strange-ly stupid, if he be not convinced of the Verity and Rationality of it.90 haming A 4 But 1 But when I fpeak of enquiring into the Truth of the Notion before us, I do not mean a flight, or Superficial Survey of it, not a flash of Conception, which, like Lightning, (to ufe Plutarch's Phrase) dies as foon as born, but a ferious weighing and pondering the Matter; for it would feem a strange effect of Ar rogance, and Self conceitedness, to undertake at first fight, to comprehend and refute all the Reafons of a Point, wherein very wife Men have employed the Contemplation and Study of many Hours. In all Difputes, there are Topics of greater or leffer weight, and if Some of thefe pregnant Wits find themfelves able to refel fome of the Weakest Arguments, it's ill Logick to infer, that therefore they can as eafly answer the Strongest, and moft Ponderous: And yet this is the ufual Method whereby these vain Men difcipline them felves into Unbelief; they are careful to pick out fuck Additional Proofs, which Men of Reafon fuperadd to their weightiest Obfervations and thefe they take the boldness to cavil at, whilft they avoid thofe more mate rial Evidences, which would stagger their Understandings, and writesas Mene Mene, Tekel Upharfin, upon their Lusts and Passions: Which carelefs Difpo fition, I can afcribe to nothing so much, as want of CONSIDERATION. And indeed, it's lamentable to fee Men endued with Reason, fink fo much beneath it, and live the Reverfe of thofe Principles, which the Supreme Architect of Heaven and Earth bath engraven on their Confciences. To reduce fuch, and other finful Men, to a ferious Confideration of their Spiritual Concerns, is the chief Grace Defign of this Work: And all I fball Request of Your 15, That your will be pleafed to Perufe it fometimes at you Hours of Leifure; not that I pretend to have writ more, or better, on this Subject, than far more Learned Authors have done before me ; but as the mighty Artaxerxes accepted of a Cup of water from the Hand of a Peafant, fo Your Grace will let the World fee, how Great a Mafter you are in the Art of Condefcenfion, by Countenancing the Poor PreSent of, MY LORD, Tour Graces moft Faithful, 35 and most Obedient Servant, and Chaplain, BOOKS Printed and Sold by John Chantry, at the Peftle and Mortar without Temple-Bar. THE HE Hiftory of Chrift's Suffering, wherein the Inftructive Life of the Holy Jefus is recommended to our Imitation in order to an Entire Refignation of the Soul to the Will of God, with Prayers fuitable to each Section, Dr. Horneck's Crucified Jefus. his Beft Exercise. his Sermons on the 5th of St. Matthew. An Admonitory Letter to all young Perfons, written at first for the use of a young Lady, and now published for of Youth in general; the bene by R.Warren, Student of Chrift's College in Cam bridge, and Author of the Sacramental Catechism, Price 2 d. or 10s. a hundred. Reflections on our common Failings, viz. Vanity, Affectation, Raillery, Envy, Self-interest, Friends, Breeding, &c. written originally in French, and Tranflated by a Perfon of Honour. The Art of Patience and Balm of Gilead, an Appendix to the Art of Contentment; by the Author of the Whole Duty of Man, the 2d. Impreffion with Prayers suitable to each Section. Scrinia Referata, or a Memorial offer'd to the great deferving of John Williams, who fometime held the Places of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, Lord Bifhop of Lincoln, and Lord Archbishop of York, containing a Series of the most remarkable Occurrences, and Tranfactions of his Life, in relation to both Church and State; written by John Hacket, late Lord Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry. THE THE PREFACE. T HE Great Foes of Religion, which have in all Ages oppofed its Progrefs, and undermined its Glory, are Hypocrifie and Prophanenefs. Between these two Thieves the Jewel hangs, as its great Master on the Crofs, and they both Revile it, the one un der the Character of a Familiar Friend, the other under that of an Open Enemy; Which of these doth the greatest Harm, is fomething difficult to determine. Hypocrifie commonly uhers in Pro, phaneness, and, as a Lad thruft in at a Window, opens the Door to the greatest Monfter; for there is nothing more common, than for Men, who are not very difcerning, to contemn all Piety, when they fee the blackeft Crimes profecuted under that Silken Mantle, and Men with the Temple of the Lord in their Mouths, abufe both the Temple, and the God that dwells in it. People, whofe Understandings are weak, obferving Mento carry Daggers under their Bibles, and to make ufe of the nobleft Means for the worft and bafeft Ends, are apt to think, they may with Authority laugh at all that's Sacred, and fancy they are excufed from all Devotion, when they find the greatest |
