Religion & morality > Human nature in its fourfold state

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PREFACE.
peiTons of all ranks and decrees from a few fuitable topics, than to fhew
wherein this Edition ditfrrs from the firft.
That all mankind, however ditferanced by their rank and (lation in
the world, have an equal concern in what is revealed concerned an¬
other and future world, will be readily owned; and it mutt be as
readily granted, that however allowable it may be for men of learning
and parts, to pleafe themfelves with finenefs of language, juftnefs of
thought, and exaft connection in writings upon other fubjefts; yet,
they ought not to indulge themfelves in the fame tafte in difeourfeson
divine things, leit they expofe themfelves to the juft cenfure, of aCting
with, the fame indiferetion, as a perfon in danger of familhing by hun¬
ger, would'be guilty of, if lie perverfely rejected plain wholefome food,
when offered to him, for no other reafon than the wanf'of palatable
fauce or order and fplendonr in ferving it up.
The facred book we call the Bible, has a peculiar fublimity in it,
veiled with unufual dialeCt and feeming inconneCtion : but it is not
the efore to he rejected by men, who bear the name of Chriftians, as
uncouth or unintelligible ; tru: vvifdom dictates quite another tiling:
it counfels us, by frequent reading, to acquaint ourfelvcs Well with it,,
become accuftomed to its peculiar phrafes and fearch into its fublimi-
t:es; upon this groun.i, that the matters contained in it. are of the ut-
muft confequence to us, wid when rightly underltood, yield a lefined
delight, much fuperior to what is to be found, in reading the bed:
written bool s, on the mofl entcrtaining'fubjeCfs What pleads for
the parent is a plea for the progeny, pra&ical difeourfes upon divine
fubjeCts, are the gen nine offspring of the facred text, and ought there¬
fore to be read carefully and with attention, by perfons of all ranks
and degrees, though they are indeed calculated foi> and prculiaily
adapted to, fnch as- move, in I >w fphercs of life
Let it, however, he a pre-ailing argument with perfons of all deno¬
minations carefully to read books of praft'cal divinity. That many
of them are not written on the fame motives and principles as other
hooks are: rhe r-uthors have often a peculiar divine call to publilh
them, and well-founded hope of their being ufcful to advance Ciriili-
anity in the woild In confeqirence whereof it is, that great numbers
.have reaped benefit by reading them, efpccially in childhood and
youth, m..ny liave been converted by them; and it may be qneftioned,
if ever tliere was a true C iriffian, fince the art of printing made thefe
books common, who lias not, in fone ffige of life, reaped confiderable
advantage from them. This book recommends itfelf in a particular
manner, by its being a fhort, fubfiantia! fyftem of practicaldivinity, in
fo much, that it may with truth be afferted, that a perfon who is
thoroughly acquainted with all that is here taught,may, witliout danger
to his eternal interefl, remain ignorant of other thing', which pertain
to Tie fc'ince called divinity. It is therefore earneftly recommended
to the irrious and frequent perufal of all, hut tfpecially of fucii as aie
ir, ihft ftage of life called youth, and are fo fl-ationed in tlie world, as
jii t to be frequently opportuned to hear fermons, and read commenta¬
ries on the faced tex’.
It is doubtlifs incumbent on rr.aflerj of families, to make fome pro-
vifiiiji t f fpiritual as well as bodily food, for their clrildicn and fervants;
this- S < ff.Ctually done by putting practical books in their hands: and
therefore