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PUBLISHER

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READ E R.

HE Author of the followT ing performance having apologized, in his Preface, for the introducing a new book of devotion into the world, from the confideration of that curiofity, fo natural to the mind of man, and accompanying even piety itself, which nothing but novelty can fatisfy; I might fpare my felf the trouble of an address to the reader, had I not a farther reason to give the world, for prefenting it with this piece of our Author's; which is, its fuperior ex

cellency to most books of this kind, that have hitherto appear'd.

The pious Author's defign is, to awake mankind to a fenfe of religion and virtue; and this he has endeavour'd to do in fo masterly a manner, in fuch lively ftrains of devotion, with fuch a glowing warmth of expreffion, and fuch strong and forcible touches of religious Rhetorick, that I perfuade myfelf, the truly ferious and devout Chriftian will feel a fenfible pleasure in reading the work; and if the Libertine will but afford it the leaft degree of attention, perhaps the religious fire, that glows in every page, may catch his heart, and melt it into virtue.

The character of the Author himfelf is fo well establish'd by another admired performance,* that I may be excufed from faying any thing upon that fubject: befides, it is fo well drawn by Dr. Hickes, who publifh'd that work, that nothing can be added, to finish the Portrait of the great Eufebius.

*The Gentleman inftructed.

I fhall

I fhall only take the liberty, upon this occafion, of unmasking Eufebius, and acquainting the Reader, that his true name was Darrell; that he was of the very ancient family of Darrell, of Cale-bill, in the County of Kent; and that he was a Roman Catholick. But, that the Author's religion may not lie in the way of Proteftants, as an objection to the reading of his works, it must be observed, that the subjects, he treats of, are merely of a moral nature, and fuch as are common to both perfuafions, being intended, not to inform the Reader's underftanding, or inftruct him in matters of faith, but to animate his piety, and draw him, by the strongest motives, to the practice of religion and virtue.

The Reader will presently perceive, that this work was intended as a moral Comment on the Epiftles and Gofpels for every Sunday throughout the year; but it being drawn up according to the Romish Ritual, which does not exactly (tho' it does pretty nearly) correspond with our own Liturgy, I A 3

thought

thought it neceffary to alter the Title, at the fame time that I preferved the form and method of the work.

I have only to wifh, and beg of God, that it may contribute to the revival of piety, and virtue, in this age of libertinifm and irreligion; as one means towards which defireable end, under the good Providence of God, I heartily recommend it to the Publick.

T. B.