and offenfive to them. Every Point of Faith is a Contradiction to their Principles, and every Precept enjoin'd, a Reproach to their Morals. And therefore, in order to ftave off those self-condemning Thoughts, that naturally arife from the ferious Perufal of fuch fort of Trea? tifes, they fcoff at, and despise them, as Dull and Infipid, not worth the Confideration of Men of more refin'd Parts and deeper Penetration, who are too wife to be guided by the Rule of God's Word, and too obftinate to be persuaded to walk in any other Path, but that which the Devil has chalk'd out for them, The Path that leads to Destruction.

But thefe Men wou'd do well to confider, before they are wholly under the Power of Delufion, that this is not really owing to any Flaws or Defects in fuch Performances,

but to their own Reprobate Minds and Depraved Judgments, which tarnish the Beauty, caft a Mift be fore the Truth, fruftrate the Influ ence, and pervert the Design of them; like a vitiated Palate, which naufeates the moft delicious Taftes; or a foul and diforder'd Stomach, that turns the most wholfome Food into Poifon and Corruption. So that they must first diveft themselves of their Luft and Pride, their Preju dice and Partiallity, before they can ever expect to reap any Benefit or Advantage by this, or any other Dif courfes, that tend to the promoting of Piety and Religion,

Having thus open'd a Way to the Reading of this Book, it may not be improper, in order to fet it in, its true Light, and do Juftice to the Author of it, to fay fomething more particularly concerning Both; and

to

to advertise the Reader, that the! following Sheets were writ by the Bifhop in his Younger Years, upon his first entrance into Holy Orders. And tho they may not, perhaps, be fo Perfect and Correct, as if He himfelf had livid to give the finifh ing Stroke to them, and fit them for the Prefs with his own Hand yet, as the roughness of a Jewel doth not leffen the Worth and Va lue of it, when the brightnefs of its Natural Luftre, even under that Disadvantage, outshines that of o thers, which are polifh'd and refin'd by Art; fo, 'tis to be hop'd, the Candid and Judicious Reader will, in this well-defign'd Piece, however unfinifh'd, difcover fuch fingular Beauties and Graces,sas few others, even at the higheft Pitch of their Attain ments, and with the utmoft Care and Diligence, are able to come up

As to the Author's Defign in wri ting thefe Papers, it is fufficiently fet forth in the Title of them. He confider'd, that Truth of Doctrine, and Innocency of Life, were both abfolutely neceffary to the due Ex ercife of the Sacred Function, which he had the Honour and Happiness to be admitted into. He knew the Power of Example to prevail even beyond that of Precept, and was very folicitous, with the Bleffed Apoftle, to make his own Calling and Election fure, lest that by any means, when he had preach'd to others, he himself fbou'd be a Caft-away. To the End, therefore, that he might both fave Himself, and them that heard him, that both by his Life and Doctrine, be might fet forth the Glory of GOD, and fet forward the Salvation of Men, He drew up thefe Articles, to fettle: his Principles in Point of Faith, and form'd

form'd thefe Refolutions upon them, to regulate his Actions with regard to Practice.belle tre shou en anged toga bisa wold m

What great Things might not the Church promife herself from a Foundation fo well laid? from Principles fettl'd with fo much Learning and Judgment, and Refolutions form'd upon fuch ftrict Rules of Piety and Religion? What glorious Expectations in an Age of that Dégeneracy of Faith Cand Manners, wherein he then livid, might not be justly rais'd from hence, for the future Reformation of Both?"

And, indeed, this Excellent Perfor did even more than fatisfy all thefe Extraordinary Hopes, which the early and ample Specimens he gave of his Vertue and Knowledge, had made the World conceive of him. For having taken this prudent and effectual