Lordship's Patience, I will only add, that nothing but the deep Senfe of Gratitude, which I have for the innumerable Favours I have received from your moft honour'd Family (to which I am indebted for all I poffefs in this World) could have prevail'd upon me to give this publick Teftimony of it. May your Lordship live many Years, to be the Honour as well as Support of your Family; the Father of the Poor; a Refuge to the Diftrefs'd; and, in a Word, a faithful Imitator of the illuftrious Patterns of Virtue you have daily before your Eyes; which are the most hearty Wishes of,

MY LORD,

Your LORDSHIP's most obedient

and bumble Servant,

R. MANNING.

THE

PREFACE

TO THE

READER

T

HE following Entertainments having hitherto ferved only for the Use of a private Affembly, the Reader must not be surprised

to find me fometimes addreffing myself, as is ufual in Sermons, to the Congregation before me. However, I did not think it proper to call them by that Name; because the Method commonly ufed in Sermons is very different from what I have made Choice of in thefe Difcourfes. But it is not at all material by what Name they are call'd, fo they do but anfwer the principal End they are defign'd for, which is, to move Sinners to a ferious Repentance and Amendment of Life, and give them the best A 4 Advice

Advice I can in order to it. 'Twas this I had principally in View in my Choice of the important Truths I have handled in relation to Death, Judgment, Hell, and Heaven; the Enormity, and fatal Confequences of Sin, &c. which are the Subjects treated in the thirtyone Entertainments of the firft Part. But what will appear peculiar in this Part is, that the Difcourfes it contains are linked together with almost the fame Connection, as the feveral Chapters of a Book relating to one Subject.

The fecond Part is made up of mifcellaneous and unconnected Subjects; fome of which I was led to by the GoSpels of the Sundays, on which I had Occafion to speak; others were my voluntary Choice, because I thought them ufeful to the Generality of Chriftians. But I have always taken care not to force my Text to come over to my Subject, but to make my Subject follow my Text; fo that whoever reads but the Text will immediately know

* The Author at first defigned but two Parts, but the Publifher found it more commodious to divide the whole Work into three Volumes.

wha

what Entertainment is prepared for bim. And 'tis for this Reafon I have not confined myself to any particular Gofpel, nor even always to the New Teftament, but allow'd myself full Liberty to take my Text from any Part of the Word of God: that fo I might be wholly unconstrain'd in the Choice of my Subject; wherein I always had a principal Regard to the Benefit of thofe I was to inftruct.

I will not here trouble the Reader with any Apology for the Meanness of my Performance. For let that be as it will, I have done my best to do him good: And if in reading the following Entertainments be will but take the Intereft of his Salvation as feriously to Heart, as I have labour'd to inftruct. him in the Method of attaining to it. I hope I shall not be wholly frustrated of the End I have propofed to myself; which is, to be affifting to him in the Management of that important Concern.

However, I will not prefume to flatter myself, that the Entertainments I have prepared will pleafe all Sorts of Palates; being fenfible that thofe, who are already

A 5

already confiderably advanced in the Way of Perfection, would be much more agreeably entertain'd with Lectures of a more fublime and spiritual Tafte. For I cannot deny but the greateft Part of the Subjects I have chofen are to the Perfons now mention'd much like the first Rudiments of Learning to a confummate Scholar And tho the very Alphabet of Chriflianity, and the most vulgar Truths of the Chriftian Doctrine may be render'd profitable, even to the most perfect; 'tis certain, however, that all Truths are not equally feful to all States. St. Paul Spoke Wisdom amongst the Perfect; fapientiam autem loquimur inter perfectos: But to the Imperfect be wrote thus, I have fed you with Milk, and not with Meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it; neither yet are ye able. So that the Circumftances of Perfons are no less to be confider'd in the Choice of Advice, or Truths to be deliver'd to them, than their Conftitutions in the Choice of Meats.

Now I have neither writ for Priests nor Religious, but for Laicks only; that

is,