To the Reader

Summary

Tho the unhappy decay of true Piety, and the Immoralities of the Age we live in, may be a discouragement to the multiplying such Books as this, yet on the other hand this degeneracy of Manners, and too evident contempt of Religion, makes it (it may be) the more necessary to endeavor to retreive the Spirit of Devotion, and the sacred Fires of Primitive Christianity. And since'tis hop'd this ensuing Treatise may somewhat conduce to these noble Ends : It is thought to be no unprofitable Undertaking to commit it to the Press, it being part of the Remains of a very devout Christian, who is long since removed to the Regions of Beatified Spirits, to sing those Praises and Hallelujahs, in which he was very vigorously employ'd, whilst he dwelt amongst us ; and since somewhat of Preface is become as it were a necessary part of every Book, instead of any particular Dedication (which is commonly overstuft with Flattery and Complements) I will only give thee some account of the Author. To tell thee who he was, is I think, to no purpose : And therefore I will only tell thee what he was, for that may possibly recommend these following Thanksgivings, and Meditations to thy use. He was a Divine of the Church of England, of a very comprehensive Soul, and very acute Parts, so fully bent upon that Honourable Function in which he was engaged ; and so wonderfully transported with the Love of God to Mankind, with the excellency of those Divine Laws which are prescribed to us, and with those inexpressible Felicities to which we are entitled by being created in, and redeemed to, the Divine Image, that he dwelt continually amongst these thoughts, with great delight and satisfaction, spending most of his time when at home, in digesting his notions of these things into writing, and was so full of them when abroad, that those that would converse with him, were forced to endure some discourse upon these subjects, whether they had any sense of Religion, nor not. And therefore to such he might be sometimes thought troublesome, but his company was very acceptable to all such as had any inclinations to Vertue, and Religion.