And there is no reason to apprehend, that the candid and well-disposed, who shall pay due attention to that which is contained herein, will be disappointed of the improvement in grace and knowledge, which they, through the Spirit of Truth, may wish to receive from the writings of a man, who, though he was possessed of such mental powers as too often beget self-esteem, yet was distinguished for meekness and humility, which accompanied him to the last moment of his life. His invariable concern was not only to give no offence to any, but to do good, as far as he was enabled, to all men; and his greatest care, to maintain with tender fidelity that connection of heart which he enjoyed with God his Saviour, by being cautiously observant of his will, and constantly watchful in preserving the grace given him as the choicest treasure. PREFACE. WHETHER the reverend Author of the following piece ever intended it for publication is not known. So much is certain, that for some years before his decease he was not even possessed of a copy of it; and out of his peculiar modesty, and perhaps because he knew it was not perfect, according to the generally received rules of the drama, and for some other reasons, he wished that it had not strayed, in manuscript, into the hands of some of his friends, who valued it highly, not only on account of their esteem for the Author, but for its own excellence in point of sentiment. Those who had the happiness to be intimately acquainted with the author, knew that he was of a very studious turn of mind, and could not be satisfied with the surface and appearance of things, but sought eagerly after useful and necessary truth, and was unwearied in his researches. This induced him not only to read with great attention the Holy Scriptures, but to study the fathers of the first centuries, believing that in them he should find the strongest features of the Christian religion, and the fullest |