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Reign of Grace,

FROM ITS

RISE,

ΤΟ IT S

CONSUMMATION.

By ABRAHAM BOOTH.

ACTS XV. II.

We believe that through the Grace of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, we shall be faved.

LEEDS:

Printed by GRIFFITH WRIGHT. 1768.

And fold by E. and C. DILLY, in the Poultry; and G. KEITH,
in Grace-Church Street, LONDON.

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MUSET

ADVERTISEMENT.

THIS work was first recommended to me, by one of its author's conftant bearers. But finding upon enquiry, that the author had learnt at School only to read-that at the ufual age he was put apprentice by bis father, to a Stocking-weaver-that very foon after be bad ferved out his time he married; and in order to maintain a family every year increafing, was obliged to labour hard at his loom, I concluded, the performance could fcarce deferve a publication. Hearing bowever a pleafing account both of Mr. BoOTH's life, and of bis miniftry, which he exercises amongst a small congregation, at Sutton, in Afhfield, Nottinghamshire, at the fame time working for his bread, (a cuffom not unfrequent amongst the Baptifts,) I defired to peruse the manufcript.

To my great furprize, there appeared to me in it, the marks of a genius, joined with the feelings of a christian beart: a vigor of style much above, what is common in our best religious writers; in his reasoning clearness and force; and in his doctrine an apoftolic purity. Some perfons of learning and judgment, who perufed the work, were of the fame opinion. From thence I efteemed it both a pleasure, and a duty on my part, to do the little I was able in recommending to the acquaintance, of all my friends who love the Lord Jefus in fincerity, a worthy minifter, and a good writer, in defence of his glory. I flatter myself also, that this work will prove both fo pleafing and fo useful, to men of an evangelical taste, that fome better fituation may be found for Mr. BOOTH, amongst the chriftians of his own

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perfuafion, to whofe diftinguishing tenet, be from a principle of confcience, adheres. A fituation proper for a man, whom God has endowed with abilities, and a tafte for good learning: fo that he shall be no more fubject to the neceffity of manual labor. I wish this for the fake of many. For if before the 30th year of the author's age, under the care of providing for a large family by his own labour, with the benefit of no more Study than fome hours taken from the feafon appointed for reft, fuch a treatife as the Reign of Grace, was wrote, may we not with good reafon expect confiderable improvement? May we not very reasonably conclude, that after fome years if it please God, folely devoted to the proper work of the ministry, we might be much more inftructed and charmed by the produc-. tions of Mr. BoOTH's pen?

Some paffages in the Reign of Grace, I am very well aware, must prove extremely offenfive to thefe who entertain very defective and low thoughts of the perfonal obedience of Christ, and his facrifice; and taking these passages by themselves, they may be put in fuch a light, as to reflect a charge of licentious doctrine on the author. But let their place and connection be well confidered, and the deteftable accufation will be found utterly without ground. And if any are still difpofed to put fuch a conftruction upon the work, I would answer them in the behalf of my friend, from the witty Dr. Donne, "Sentences in authors, are "like hairs in the borfes tail, when plucked one from "another, they ferve to make springes to catch birds, "when taken together, they ferve both for use and "ornament."

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Huddersfield, April 4th, 1768.

H. VENN.

672

PREFACE.

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Make no apology for thus appearing in public. For if the leading fentiments maintained in the following pages, correfpond with the unerring oracles; I have no apprehenfions from the frowns of men: If not, the most laboured apology would not be able to justify my conduct. Nor am I infenfible that immorality greatly abounds that vital religion and practical godliness is much upon the decline. So that if the, doctrines efpoufed and de- · fended in the fubfequent treatife, tended, in their own nature, to encourage licentioufness in any degree, they would deferve the utmost abhorrence. And I folemnly aver, that if I did not know the preaching of the free gospel was the only effectual means of informing the ignorant, and faving them from the licentiousness of fin : If I did not know it to be Reigning Grace, that truth by which alone the Divine Spirit produces real holiness in the heart of the finner that believes it; rather than appear an advocate for it, as I have bere endeavoured to do, I would condemn my tongue and my pen to everlafting filence. But without the leaft mifgiving apprehenfions of this kind, I now commit the enfuing treatife into the hands of God, and the hands of the reader; with my warmest wishes, that a divine bleffing may attend it, and make thefe poor labours anfwer fome valuable purposes for the Redeemer's glory. I am, 6 JU 62

Sutton-Afhfield, in
Nottinghamthire.

A fincere well-wisher

to the Reader's beft Interests,

and his cordial Friend,

A. BOOTH.

The INTRODUCTION.

ROM. V. 21. latter Part.

-Even fo might Grace REIGN through righteouf ness, unto eternal life, by Jefus Christ our Lord.

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HE gospel of the grace of God, being a doctrine truly divine, has ever been the object of the world's contempt. It was of old a ftumbling-block to the felfrighteous Jew, and foolishness to the philofophic Greek. That refolute affertor of the honours of grace, and indefatigable preacher of Chrift, St. Paul, found it to be fo by repeated experience: not only a ftumbling block to the illiterate and prophane, but as much fo to the learned and devout. Yea, many times he found the religious devotees of that age, make the greatest oppofition of all to the doctrine he preached. The polite, the learned, the religious, agreed to load both his character and doctrine with the fouleft reproaches. Nor was this treatment peculiar to Paul; but common to all his cotemporaries, who efpoufed the fame glorious caufe, and laboured in the fame beneficent work. They, in a particular manner, charged the doctrine he preached with licentiousness;' affirming that he and his fellow minifters faid, Let us do evil that good may come. And how came this to pass? Were they more loofe in their morals, or fcandalous in their lives than their neighbours?

No

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