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John Beaufoy's book lotham

GENTILE

Divinity and Mozality
DEMONSTRATED,

ΙΝ

A Brief Collection

O F

Sayings, Precepts, Counsels,
Sentences and Exhortations
Of feveral Eminent

GENTILE PHILOSOPHERS,
PRINCES, ORATORS, &c.

With a fhort Account of their Lives.

By JOHN BоCKETT.

Whereunto is added,

An Apology for this Book, and those
People, who neither in former Ages
had, nor at this Day have the Holy
Scriptures afforded them.

By Richard Claridge.

London, Printed and Sold by Philip
Gwillim in Auftin-Fryars, near the
Royal Exchange, 1712.

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TO THE

READER.

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SI have diligently perufed the Sayings and Precepts, which are faid to have been utter'd by fome of the Antient Heathen Philofophers, and confidered the many Great and Excellent Truths therein contain'd", it bath made me Admire that Divine Wifdom wherewith they were endu'd and alfo bath inclined my Mind to make a Small Collection out of them, (as I found 'em fcatter'd) and place the most particular Matters under their proper Heads or Chapters, for the Ufe and Benefit of thofe chiefly, who have but little Time to Read, or Money to Purchase Large Volumes.

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The greatest part of this Collection is taken out of an antient Book, Intituled, A Treatise of Moral Philofophy; and I have been careful to infert the Authors Names, as I found them, and put them

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them to their respective Sayings; altho there are fome Sentences in the faid Book, wherein the Authors Names are omitted. And if any Author or Sentence appears to thofe, who are better Learned in Hiftory to be out of Order, or mifquoted, I crave their favourable Cenfure thereof, it being not defignedly done: And where I have abbreviated their Sayings, I endeavour'd to keep their Senfe.

I have alfo Collected many other Sayings out of other Books, and placed them (as I judge) under their proper Heads that thereby I might render it the more Acceptable and Delightful to thofe, that fhall defire carefully to perufe the fame...

But if they fhould be lightly esteemed by any, because they are for the most part the Sayings and Precepts of Reputed Heathens; yet upon diligent Search shey will find them to be generally Concurrent with Scripture, and Confonant to Chriftianity, both as to the Divine and Moral Duties thereof; and fome Profelfed Christians, 'tis to be doubted, fall far short of many of these Gentiles, both in Piety and Vertue; and the more is the pity, because they have much greater Advantages, rather to Excel them there

in, confidering their Chriftian Education, and the Benefit afforded them, which the Gentiles had not, as the Help of the Holy Scriptures, which are fuperior to all other Books, whether we confider the Prophecies of the Old Testament, or the Fulfilling of them in the New, by the Coming, Life, Sufferings, Death and Refurrection of Chrift; and the Redemption, by and through the great and infinite Love and Favour of God, that be ob tain'd for Mankind, and of the Miracles wrought, and Doctrine taught by Him: I fay, if thefe call'd Chriftians fall short of the Heathen in Piety and Vertue, how much more inexcufable will they be, than those that had not thefe Advantages for their Help and Benefit? Yet the Lord's Love was fo univerfally extended towards them, that he did manifeft fo much of bis Light, Grace and Spirit in them, that (giving heed, and fubmitting thereunto) was fufficient to Guide and Direct them to efchew Evil, and embrace Vertue in this Life; which doth concur with what the Apoftle faid, Rom. 1. 19. That which may be known of God, is manifeft in them (the Gentiles) for God hath fhewed it unto them. And again, he faith, Chap

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