IV 



The A U T H O RY PREFACE. 



dwells in a light inacceffible to any mortal eye, yet our faculties 

 fee and diftinguifh him clearly in his works". In this refped I 

 have the moft profound veneration for a Boyle, a Nieuventyt, a 

 Fenelon, a Scheuchzer, a Derham, and the like great and ex- 

 cellent perfonages; who having been no lefs confpicuous in the 

 fan&ity of their lives, than in their mental abilities, will doubtlefs 

 find a place among thofe, or in preference to many of thofe, to 

 whom the prophet Daniel promifes a more exalted degree of 

 glory. 



It is true, that the rational part of the heathen world were not 

 unacquainted with the flrft principles of natural religion, and 

 confequently thefe are of themfelves infumcient for the immediate 

 and perfect converlion of finners, or the attainment of any de- 

 gree of that falvation referved for the members of Chrift's myf- 

 tical body, who live in a more fhining-light, and have more 

 abundant offers of grace. But it is equally true, as the Apoftle 

 affirms, he that cometh to God, mufi firfl believe that he is, and 

 that he is a rewarder of thofe who* diligently feek him. A general 

 belief in God, as the creator and preferver, as the rewarder and 

 avenger, mull be prefuppofed, before any faith in the Son of 

 God, the Redeemer, can take place ; confequently the firfl: is the 

 balls of the other articles, and though a minifter of the Gofpel is 

 not to be lightly carried away by the flxeam, or ought not to 

 follow the crowd of mere philofophic moralifts, who purfue vain 

 glory in fcience, falfly fo called, and in contradiction to the mind 

 and example of St. Paul, are almofi afhamed of the gofpel of Chrift y 

 which alone is a7td will continue to be the power of God unto falva- 

 tion \ yet it becomes them as little to deviate on the other 

 hand, into a difregard and contempt of natural truths, and of the 

 occafion which they may draw from them, of promoting the 

 glory of God, among many whole tafte and capacity reach no fur- 

 ther than fenlible objects : and not having been found faithful,; 

 even in thefe leffer matters, are not therefore intruded with 

 greater. If as our Saviour fays, we believe not what is faid to 

 i us 



