PREFACE.

T is a maxim among wife men, That the knowledge of perfons is of as great ufe in the conduct of human life, as the knowledge of things: and it is most certain, that he who knows the various tempers, humours, and difpofitions of men, who can find out their turn of thought, and penetrate into the secret springs and principles of their actings, will not be at a lofs to find out proper means for compaffing his aims, will eafily preferve himfelf from fnares, and either evite or evercome difficulties. But the knowledge of human nature, morally confidered, or, in other words, of the temper and difpolition of the foul in its moral powers, is of much greater value; as it is of ufe in the concerns of an unchangeable life and world: he who is poffeffed of fo valuable a branch of knowledge, is thereby capacitated to judge aright of himself, to understand true Chriftianity, and to conceive justly of perfect happiness, and confummate mifery.

The depravity of human nature is so plainly taught, yea inculcated in facred Scripture, and is fo obvious to every thinking man's obfervation, who fearches his own breaft, and reflects duly on his temper and actings, that it is furprizingly strange and wonderful, how it comes to pass, that this important truth is fo little understood, yea so much difbelieved, by men who bear the name of gofpel Minifters. Are there not perfons to be found in a neighbouring nation, in the character of preachers, appearing daily in pulpits, who are fo unacquanted with their Bibles and themselves, that they ridicule the doctrine of original fin as unintelligible jargon? If they are perfons of a moral life and converfation, they feem to imagine, they cannot become better than they are; if they are immoral, they seem to indulge a conceit, that they can become virtuous, yea religious, when they please. These are the men who talk of the dignity of human nature, of greatnefs of mind, nobleness of foul, and generofity of fpirit: as if they intended to perfuade themselves and others, that pride is a good principle, and do not know, that pride and selfishness are the bane of mankind, productive of all the wickedness, and much of the mifery to be found in this and in the other world; and is indeed that, wherein the depravity of human nature properly confists.

Upright Adam's nature faintly adumbrated the divine, in a moderate self-esteem, in an adequate felf-love, and delightful reflexion on his own borrowed excellency, regulated by a juft elteem of, and fupreme love to his adored Creator: whence a peaceful ferenity of mind, a loving, compaffionate and benevolent difpofition of foul, a depth of thought, and brightness of imagination, delightfully employed in the rapturous contemplation of his beloved Maker's infinite perfections; thus bearing the divine image, and refembling GOD that made him. But no fooner did he disobey the divine probatory command, than

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PREFACE.

If as great ufe in the conduct of human life, as the knowledge of

T is a maxim among wife men, That the knowledge of perfons is

things: and it is moft certain, that he who knows the various tempers, humours, and difpofitions of men, who can find out their turn of thought, and penetrate into the fecret fprings and principles of their actings, will not be at a lofs to find out proper means for compaffing his aims, will eafily preferve himfelf from fnares, and either evite or evercome difficulties. But the knowledge of human nature, morally confidered, or, in other words, of the temper and difpolition of the foul in its moral powers, is of much greater value; as it is of use in the concerns of an unchangeable life and world: he who is poffeffed of fo valuable a branch of knowledge, is thereby capacitated to judge aright of himself, to understand true Chriftianity, and to conceive justly of perfect happiness, and confummate mifery.

The depravity of human nature is so plainly taught, yea inculcated in facred Scripture, and is fo obvious to every thinking man's obfervation, who fearches his own breaft, and reflects duly on his temper and actings, that it is furprizingly strange and wonderful, how it comes to pafs, that this important truth is fo little understood, yea fo much difbelieved, by men who bear the name of gofpel Minifters. Are there not perfons to be found in a neighbouring nation, in the character of preachers, appearing daily in pulpits, who are fo unacquanted with their Bibles and themselves, that they ridicule the doctrine of original fin as unintelligible jargon? If they are perfons of a moral life and converfation, they feem to imagine, they cannot become better than they are; if they are immoral, they seem to indulge a conceit, that they can become virtuous, yea religious, when they please. These are the men who talk of the dignity of human nature, of greatness of mind, nobleness of foul, and generofity of fpirit: as if they intended to perfuade themselves, and others, that pride is a good principle, and do not know, that pride and selfishness are the bane of mankind, productive of all the wickedness, and much of the mifery to be found in this and in the other world; and is indeed that, wherein the depravity of human nature properly confists.

Upright Adam's nature faintly adumbrated the divine, in a moderate felf-esteem, in an adequate felf-love, and delightful reflexion on his own borrowed excellency, regulated by a juft elteem of, and fupreme love to his adored Creator: whence a peaceful ferenity of mind, a loving, compaffionate and benevolent difpofition of foul, a depth of thought, and brightness of imagination, delightfully employed in the rapturous contemplation of his beloved Maker's infinite perfections; thus bearing the divine image, and refembling GOD that made him. But no fooner did he disobey the divine probatory conamand, than

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the fcales were caft, his moderate felf-esteem degenerated into pric his adequate felf-love fhrunk into mere felfifhnefs, and his delight reflections on his own excellency, varied into the trickling pleasur of vanity and conceit: he loft view of the Author of his being, a thenceforth, inftead of delighting in him, firft dreaded, and then de pifed him.

The modeft, and therefore hitherto anonymous author of the f lowing difcourfes, Mr. Thomas Bofton, having, handled this fubje in preaching to his own obfcure parochial congregation of Etterick, the theriffdom of Selkirk, had a particular view to their benefit, printing and publishing them; and therefore the ftile and method plain and fimple, and the firft edition printed on coarse paper; but t fubject is fo comprehenfive and important, fo well managed, and t book has been fo well received, that it now appears in the world mo embellifhed, as well as better corrected than formerly.

Let it fuffice to recommend it to thofe who have a right tafte genuine Christianity, that all the Author's notions flow fo direc from the facred fountain, that it is to be doubted, if he has had mu recourfe to any other helps that his Bible and his GOD for affiftan Mean time, I am aware of an exception from thefe who rank the felves among the polite part of mankind, as that there is the la harth peculiarity of dialect in it, which is commonly to be found books of practical divinity. But I beg leave to obferve, That the d lect they except againft, is borrowed from facred fcripture; and lil as it has pleafed GOD, by the foolishness of preaching, to fave them t believe; fo alfo to countenance what they are difpleafed with, by opperations of his Spirit on the minds of true Chriftians as their co mon experience witneffeth. However, I heartily with, the excepti were altogether removed, by fome per fons digefting into a methodi treatife, the views of human nature in its primitive perfection, in depraved condition, and in its retrieved ftate, who is mafter of mode ftile, and throughly understands the fubjects difcourfed in this bo that by becoming all things to all men, Some, viz. Of all ranks kinds of men, may be gained.

I am not declaim at large in favours of religion; this were to w a book by way of preface. Many able pens have been employed recommending it to the world, by ftrong arguments drawn from ufefulness to fociety, its fuitablenefs to the dignity of the rational türe, and the advantages arifing to men from it in this and the ot world. But, after all, may not one be allowed to doubt, if relig be rightly understood by all its patrons may not the beauties. excellencies of a precious gem be elegantly defcribed by a natura or jeweller, who never faw the particular one he talked of, knows little of its nature, lefs of the conftruction of its parts, nothing of its proper ufc? Are there not men of bright parts, reafon finely in defence of religion, and yet are fo much stranger it that they brand the perfons who are fo happy as to be poflefle