Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

vm. f R E F A C E:
the Apoftle Paul ajjerts, the Natural, that u, Un-
regenerate Man, not to know the Things of
God, neither indeed to be capable of know¬
ing them, becaufe they are fpiritually difcem-
ed. , -
From what has been fair/, it is eafy to con¬
clude, that no pedantick Apology on the Part
of the Author, for appearing in Print, or fawn¬
ing Compliments to the courteous Reader, on
the Part of the Prefacer, are to be expelled. The
Truth is, both the one and the other, are rather
little Arts, vailing Pedantry and Conceit, than
Evidences of Modefty and good Senfe. It is of
more life to recommend the Perufal of the Book,
to Per fans of all Ranks and Degrees, from a few
fuitable Topicks, and to Ihovv, wherein this fe-
cond, differs from and excells, the firft Edition.
That all Mankind, however differenced by
their Rank and Station in the World, have an
equal Concern in what is revealed concerning a-
nother and future World, will be readily, owned',
and it muft be as readily granted, that however
allowable it may be, for Men of Learning and
Parts, to pleafe themfehes with Finenefs of Lan¬
guage, Juftnefs of thought, and exaft Connexi¬
on in Writings upon other SubjeXs, yet they
ought not to indulge themfehes in the fame Fajh
in Difcourfes on Divine Things, leafi they expofe
themfehes to the juft Cenfure of ailing with the
fame Indifcretion, as a Perfon in Danger of fa-
milhing by Hunger would be guilty of, if he per*
verfly rejeXed plain whclfme Food, when offered