fent of the worthy family of the Author, upon their being fatisfied there was no private view, but a public benefit intended by it; and on his affuring them, at their defire, that nothing fhould be added in the LIFE of the Author to the account already given by Dr. Calamy. Of which account the following Effay is chiefly an abridgement, drawn up purely with a defign to make fo great a man more extenfively known to the prefent age, who was fo much the admiration of the laft. There are indeed fome additional reflexions in the margin on fome of his works,

in

* The Editor, notwithstanding this, was intirely at liberty to infert any general reflexions of his own or others; or any hiftorical memoirs of other perfons, who are occafionally mentioned by Dr. Calamy and accordingly has ufed that liberty, without adding any new facts immediately relating to the Author's life or his family. This is mentioned only to prevent groundless fufpicions arifing from thofe paffages that are not to be found in the Doctor's account.

in order to recommend his writings to the perufal of the younger ftudents in divinity; whose large and exalted apprehensions of the nature and defign of genuine Christianity, the depth and folidity of his reflections, and his ftrong and rational devotion appearing in his Sermons and works, many have spoken of, with the greatest regard *.

Ir is hoped that the following discourses will do no difhonour to the memory of this great man. When all circumstances are candidly confidered, they tend rather to heighten our idea of the fertility of his invention, the folidity of his judgement, and the manly strength of his genius. But if any inquire why these are selected, or made choice of before many others, which perhaps the

world

*To use the words of the ingenious Author of the life of the late reverend and learned Mr. GROVE, P. xx.

world may never fee? it is answered that these were judged to be upon the most feasonable and important fubjects. The love of GoD, and our BROTHER, which is the fubject of the first volume, is not only effential to, but indeed the whole of religion*. And there is as much occafion to explain and inculcate it now, as there was near seventy years ago, when the Author delivered thefe excellent discourses from the pulpit.

Ir ever this divine affection fhould univerfally prevail, the world will be

a

IN fome of the fermons on this fubject, particularly the 111, IV, VI, and three or four following, there are feveral paffages, fcarcely inferior to the fineft in his printed works; and if the Editor is not mistaken there is throughout the whole a greater perfpicuity of expreffion. In short the fame may be faid of them, that Archbishop Tillotson does of the pofthumous works of Dr. Barrow, which he published, that, "They are

animated throughout with fo genuine a fpirit "of true piety and goodness, that he muft either "be a perfectly-good, or a prodigiously-bad "man that can read them over, without being "the better for them."

a kind of paradife. There will be no more uncharitableness, nor persecution; all pride, oppreffion, malice and ill-will, fcandal and detraction, which fo fhamefully prevail among Chriftians, will be banished from the earth; and a new heaven and a new earth will take place, wherein righteousness, and univerfal peace and love, will dwell for ever.

IN placing the Sermons in the fecond volume regard was principally had to the order of time, in which they were preached; but where this rule is deviated from, it was chiefly occafioned by the relation, which those subjects bear to each other.

THE Editor is concerned that the publication of these volumes has been fo long delayed contrary to his intention, and despairs of being able to give intire fatisfaction to all his

fub

fubfcribers. But fuch of his particular friends, who are acquainted with the true reafons of it, will, he doubts not, readily forgive him. And it is hoped also that all those, who have not only a great veneration for the name and works of this excellent Divine, but have expreffed also a great defire to see these posthumous Difcourfes, will favourably accept them; and candidly allow for fome leffer errors and mistakes, which, in a great measure, are always unavoidable.

FINALLY, whatever labour and pains the Editor hath been at in the execution of this work, he shall think himself amply rewarded if it proves fubfervient to the common cause of Christianity; or is inftrumental to animate any one to the

practice