The PREFACE. 



T fkall now add a Word or two concerning the 

 Vfcfidnefs of the Argument^ or Matter of this Dif- 

 courjcy and the reafon I had to make choice of it^ be^ 

 Jidei "what I have already offer d, 



Firft, T^he Belief of a Deity being the Foundation 

 of all Religion (Religion being nothing but a devout 

 worjljipping of God^ or an Inclination of Mind to 

 ferve and worfhip him) for he that cometh to God 

 muft believe that he is God, it is a Matter of the 

 highejl Concernment to be firmly fettled and efia- 

 blijh'd in a full Perfiiafion of this main Point y now 

 this mujl be demonfirated by Arguments drawn from 

 the Light of Nature and Works of the Creation \ for 

 as all other Sciences^ fo Divinity^ proves not^ but 

 fuppofes its SubjeBsy taking it for granted^ that by 

 natural Light Men are fufficiently convincd of the 

 Being of a Deity ; there are indeed fupernatural 

 T>emonftratio7ts of this fundamental Truths but not 

 common to all Perfons or I'imes^ and Jo liable to Ca- 

 vil and 'Exception by atheijiical Perfons^ as inward . 

 Illuminations of Mindy a Spirit of Prophecy ^ and 

 foretelling future Contingent s^ illujtrious Miracles, 

 and the like ^ but thefe Proofs^ taken from EffeBs 

 and OperatioJiSy expos d to every Mans VieWy not 

 to be denyd or quejtiond by any, are moji effectual 

 to convince all that deny or doubt of it ; neither are 

 they only conviBive of the great eft and fubtleft Ad- 

 verfarieSy but intelligible alfo to the meanefi Capa- 

 cities y for you may hear illiterate PerfonSy cj the 

 loweft Rank of the Commonalty y affirming^ that they 

 need no Proof of the Being of a God, for that every 

 Pile of Graf or Ear of Cornfufficiently proves that ; 

 for ^ fay tbey^ all the Men of the World cannot make 

 9 fich 



