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drefs of this publick nature: you love the real and folid fatisfactions, not the pomp and fhew, those splendid incumbrances of life: your rational and virtuous pleasures burn like a gentle and chearful flame, without noise or blaze. However, I cannot but be confident, that you'll pardon the liberty which I here take, when I have told you, that the making the best acknowldgement I could to one, who has given me fo many proofs of a generous and pafsionate friendship, was a pleasure too great to be refifted. I am,

Dear Sir,

Unfeignedly Yours,

R. LUCAS.

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Of the feveral Parts of Perfection, Illumination, Li-

berty, and Zeal.
Page 145

Chap. 1.OF Illumination. I. The diftinguishing cha-
racter of illuminating truths. 1. They

purify us. 2. They nourish and ftrengthen us. 3.

They delight us. 4. They procure us a glorious re-

ward. II. The nature of illuminating knowledge.

1. It must be deeply rooted. 2. It must be diftinct

and clear. 5. It must be throughly concocted 148

Chap. 2. Of the Fruits and Attainments of Illumi-

nation. That Illumination does not depend fo much

upon a man's outward Parts, extraordinary Parts,

acquired Learning, &c. as upon his moral Qualifi-

cations; fuch as Humility, Impartiality, and Love

of the Truth. Four directions for the attainment

of illumination. 1. That we do not fuffer our minds

to be engaged in queft of knowledge foreign to our

purpose. 2. That we apply our felves with a very

tender and fenfible concern to the study of illumina-

ting truths. 3. That we act conformable to thofe

Measures of light which we have attained. 4. That

we frequently address our felves to God by Prayer,

for the illumination of his grace. The chapter con-

cluded with a prayer of Fulgentius
180

Chap. 3. Of Liberty in general. The notion of it tru-

ly stated and guarded. The fruits of this Liberty.

1. Sin being a great evil, deliverance from it is great

happiness. 2. A freedom and pleasure in the acts of

righteousness and good works. 3. The near relation

it creates between God and us. 4. The great fruit

of all, eternal life. With a brief exhortation to en-

deavour after deliverance from fin

Chap. 4. Of Liberty, as it relates to original fin. The

nature of which confidered, chiefly with respect to its

Corruption. How far this distemper of nature is

curable. Which way this cure is to be effected, 269

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