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THE

PUBLISHER

TO THE

REA DE R.

HE author of thefe fermons was fo well known, par

Tricularly for his most excellent and useful difcourfes from the pulpit, that I shall not attempt, by any thing I can fay, to recommend them to the publick. I know very well, they have already that credit in the world, which will render any apology needlefs; efpecially when, by this publication of them, they fhall fpeak for themselves.

I think it requifite, only to affure the reader, that they are what they pretend to be, the genuine works of that great man.

Whilft I had the happiness of converfing with him, he was pleafed (at my request) to inftruct me in the charaeter in which he wrote all his fermons and fome of these now published, having been tranfcribed by me fome years fince, were found among ft his papers, corrected with his own hand.

By what he had been pleafed to fay, that I was master of his character, and by the few errata he observed in my firft performance, I was encouraged to fet about this work; in which I can folemnly profefs, that I have obferved a religious care and strictness, neither to omit nor add any thing,

a 3

but

but an of, a the, or the like, when the fenfe plainly requi red it; and of that too I have given notice, by affixing this mark (") upon the word which I did not find in the original fo that the reader is left to judge of the fitness of Juch additions; which, after all, are fo very few and inconfiderable, as fcarcely to deferve this notice; only that he might be fatisfied (in cafe the printer do his part) that he hath here, what he expects, a perfect tranfcript of thefe fermons and in them a true and lively strain of Chriftian piety and eloquence, fo fitted to all capacities, that I cannot but hope, all that shall read them will be the better for them, even thofe not excepted (if there be any fuch) who may have entertained any unreasonable prejudices against them, or their Moft Reverend author.

I have always thought, and often faid it, that if any were leavened with prejudice against him, they were, to be fure, fuch as did not know him; and the farther I go in his writings, the more I am affured that it must be so.

Lambeth, April 2. 1695.

RA, BARKER.

The

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The

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rywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word

with figns following
269

SERM. LXXV. The nature, office, and employment of good au-

gels.- -Heb. i. 14. Are they not all miniftring fpirits, fent forth

to minifter for them who shall be heirs of falvation
284

SERM. LXXVI. The reputation of good men after death.-

Pfal. cxii. 6. the latter part of the verse. The righteous shall be in

everlafting remembrance.
303

SERM. LXXVII. The duty of imitating the primitive teachers and

patterns of Chriftianity.. -Heb. xiii. 7. the latter part of the

verfe. Whofe faith follow, confidering the end of their conversation.

The whole verfe runs thus: Remember them which have the rule

over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith

follow, confidering the end of their converfation
314

SERM. LXXVIII. The encouragement to fuffer for Christ, and

the danger of denying him.- 2 Tim. ii. 11. 12. It is a faith-

ful faying. For if we be dead with him, we shall alfo live with

him if we fuffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him,

he alfo will deny us
327

SERM. LXXIX. LXXX. The bleffedness of good men after death.

Rev. xiv. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto

me, Write, Bleed are the dead which die in the Lord, from hence-

forth: Yea, faith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours;

and their works do follow them

SERM. LXXXI. The vanity and wickedness of honouring dead

faints, and perfecuting the living. Luke xi. 49. 50. 51. There-

fore also faid the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and

apostles, and fome of them they shall flay and perfecute: that the

blood of all the prophets which was fhed from the foundation of

the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of

Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the al-

tar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of

this generation

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