Religion & morality > Human nature in its fourfold state

P R X F A C E. s
tVie fheriffdom of Selkirk, had i particular view to their hentfit, in
printing and publishing them; and therefore the ftile and method is
plain and fimple and fhe firft edition printed on coarfe paper; but the
fubjeft is fo comprehenfiee and important, fo well manag”d, and the
book has been fo well received, that it now appears in the world more
cmbellilhed, as well as better corrected than formerly.
Let it fufiiee, to recommend it to thofe who have a right fade of
genuine Chrifiianity, that all the Author’s notions flow fo directly from
the facred fountain, that it is to be doubted, if he has had much recourfe
to any other helps, than his Bible and his Gon for afliftance. Mean
time, l am aware of an exception from thefe, who rank themfelves
among the polite part of mankind, as that there is the fame harfh pe¬
culiarity of dialeff in it, which is commonly to be found in books of
pr.iflical divinity. But I beg leave to obferve, That the dialefl they
except againli, is borrowed from (acred feriptore; and likeas it has
pleafed God, by the foolirtinefs of preaching tofavc them tlrat believe ;
fo alfo to countenance what they are difpleafed with, by the opetations
of his Spirit, on the minds of true Chriflians as their common-expe¬
rience witnefleth However, I heartily wilh, the exception were alto¬
gether removed, by fome perfons digefling into a methodical treatife,
the views of human nature in its primitive perfeftion. in its depraved
condition and in its retrieved (late, who is mailer of modern Itile, and
thoroughly underflands the fubjedts difeourfed in this book, that by be¬
coming all things to all men, Some, viz Of all ranks and kinds of men,
may be gained.
1 am not to declaim at large in favours cf religion; this were to
write a book by way of preface. Many able pens have been employed
in recommending it to the world, by ftrong arguments drawn from its
ufcfulnefs to fociety, its luitablencfs to the dignity of the rational natme,
and the advantages arifing to men from it, in this and the other world.
But, after all, may not one be allowed to doubt, if religion be rightly
uoderflood by all its pa rous? May not the beauties and excellen¬
cies of a precious gem be elegantly deferibed by a naturalift, or jeweller,
w'no never faw the particular one he talked of, and kuows little of its
nature, lefsof the conftruftion of its parts, and nothing of its proper ufe ?
Are there not men of bright parts, whoreafon finely in defence of reli¬
gion, and yet are fo much ftrangersto it, that they brand thefe who are
fo happy as to be poflclTed of it, with the hard name of Spiritual,its,
reckoning them a kind of Enthufiafls, unworthy of their regard. Tire
truth is, Chriflian'tty is a myftety : mere reafon does not comprehend it.
There is afpiritual difeerning, neceffny to its being rightly underftcod;
whence it comes to pafs, that men of great learning and abilities, though
they read the Scriptures with attention, and comment learnedly upon
them; yet do not, yea cannot enter into the vein of thought peculiar
to the infpired penman, becaufe they ihare not of the fame Spirit;
wherefore it is, that the Apoflle Paul aflerts, the natural, that is ure¬
generate man, not to know the things of God neither rr;deed to be capa¬
ble of knowing them, becaufe they are fp'ritually difeerned
From what has been faid, it is eafy to conclude, I hat no pedantic
apology on the part of the Author, for appearing in print, or fawning
compliments to the courteous reader,on the part ofthe preface! are to
be expc’&yd. The truth is, both the one and the oilier are raTcr lit¬
tle arts, veiling pedantry and conceit, than evidences of moJelry and
good Iculc. It is of more ufe to recommend the pirufal of the book, to
/S 3 p-iioaS