rum quod nec vitia ferre poffumus noftra, nec remedia. Lavacrũ Dei planè rejecimus, ideòque a fædiffimis vitiorum inquinamentis nondum repurgamur. Quæ auribus noftris excepimus, animifque calitùs imprefla perfenfimus (quicquid homines, vel Dæmones contrafentiant aut loquantur) non poffumus non palàm divulgare, ne aut propriæ ftolidiffimè experientiæ, aut Gratiæ divinæ petulantiffimè refragari videamur. Ah! quoties & Religio & timor (illo concionante) auditorum animos fubierunt?Quot mentibus fracti, & alto mærore adeò correpti & exanimati inter depingendos Salvatoris noftri cruciatus evaferunt, ut nullas lacrymarum inducias admitterent, fed fpiritus fufpiriis, & dolori pecora fua devoverunt, donec ille, ille inquam, qui vulnera divino auxilio fecerat, quafi fpiculis & aculeis cælitùs transfixos animos, fanguinis Christi applicatione tempeftivè allevàffet? At! at ! cœleftis hic cecidit Praco, codéq; ictu ne corruerent etiam conciones illa • quàm mellifluæ, tantiq; plurimis audito rum ne poft tot retrò & elapfos annos quibus delituerunt, vindicantur. Et reverâ (abfit ja&tantiæ crimen )audacter hoc omnibus editioni harum concionum parum faventibus reponere audemus, non alia ufquam extare exemplaria majori Amanuenfium diligentia & labore collecta ; ideoq; nelcii, imò dubii annon poft tantum filentium alia parùm genuina & afcititia proferperent, Deo (uti fperamus) aufpice in publicum hoc emifimus. Tuis interim (vir digniffime) manibus hæc chartulæ dicatæ pofteris tradentur, nomenq; tuum futuris fæculis non injuriâ prædicabunt, & cum illæ fileant Quod benè feceris mercedem tuleris. Deus opt.max.omnibus ingenii & gratiæ dotibus magis magifq; indies cumulatum, pietatis & religionis orthodoxx, literarum & literatorum Patronum te diutiffime incolumem præftet, obnixè ex animo vovet Tibi (vir Ornatiffime) omni JOSEPHUS CRABE. Hefe following Sermons are fuch, as feveral years fince were taken from the mouth of that Man of God the reverend Armagh. When by reafon of that bloody Rebellion in Ireland, this ftar of the greateft Magnitude, was forced to quit his proper Orb, it pleafed the Lord,to fix him, as a shining, burning light, for fome time in Oxon. Whileft there, he constantly Spent himself, and was spent in preaching Chrift and him crucified. This he did like himself, aith that foundness, diligence,Evidence, faithfulness, and zeal, that he seemed not only willing to Impart the Gospel, but his own Soul unto us. To this day,we feem to fee bow the Bowels of that Elisha the (Charets and Horfmen of our English Ifrael) even yern'd upon the fons of the Prophets. Poor Creatures, at that time, how was onr English. Bethel degenerated into a Beth-Aven. What * A The Epiftle A film of fuperftition, and profanefs was there then grown over one of the eyes of this our Ifland! Our pulpits turn'd as it were into ftages; and fadly prostituted to froth and jerks at godlineffe. As for truly learned, foul-fearching, foul-faving Preaching, twas that which the most of us either knew not, or fcorn'd. The mode of our then Sermons, was more to please the fancy, then to peirce the Heart; to tickle the Ear, rather then wound the Confcience, or fave the precious the mmortal Soul. At that time, when we lay thus weltring in our Bloud and Vanity, was the Lord pleafed to Canfe this ftar to arife and fine in our Horizon, and by his light and influence to guide us to Bethlehem. A time of love it was, an accepted Time, Timenever to be forgotten, Specially by those who through grace can from thence date the Æra of their found Converfion The persuasion of Armaghs incomparable Learning, the Observation of his awfull Gravity,the Evidence of his Eminent and exemplary Piety, all improved to the heigth by his Indefati gable Industry, drew students to flock tobim as Doves to the windowes. It joyes us to recollest bow multitudes of cholars, specially the heads ་ |