CONTENTS OF VOLUME III. Page IV. Some objections considered CHAP. II. What may be learned from the Holy Scriptures. SECT. 1. Scripture makes God his last end II. Concerning a just method of Arguing III. Particular Texts of Scripture IV. God created the World for his name, &c. v. Communication of Good to the creature PERIOD III. From Christ's Resurrection to the End of the World SECT. I. Scriptural Representations of this Period II. How Christ was capacitated for effecting his Purpose III. Established means of success IV. How the success was carried on PART I. To the Destruction of Jerusalem II. To the time of Constantine III. To the Rise of Antichrist IV. ATTEMPT TO PROMOTE UNION IN PRAYER. PREFACE BY THE FIRST EDITOR. THE Author had designed these Dissertations for the public view; and wrote them out as they now appear: though it is probable, that if his life had been spared, he would have revised them, and rendered them in some respects more complete. Some new sentiments, here and there, might probably have been added; and some passages brightened with further illustrations. This may be conjectured from brief hints or sentiments minuted down on loose papers, found in the manuscripts. But those sentiments concisely sketched out, which, it is thought, the author intended to enlarge, and digest into the body of the work, cannot be so amplified by any other hand, as to do justice to the author it is therefore probably best that nothing of this kind should be attempted. : As these Dissertations were more especially designed for the learned and inquisitive, it is expected that the judicious and candid will not be disposed to object, that the manner in which these subjects are treated is something above the level of common readers. For though a superficial way of discourse and loose harangues may well enough suit some subjects, and answer some valuable purposes; yet other subjects demand more closeness and accuracy. And if an author should neglect to do justice to a subject, for fear that the simpler sort should not fully understand him, he might expect to be deemed a trifler by the more intelligent. Our author had a rare talent to penetrate deep in search of truth; to take an extensive survey of a subject, and look through it into remote consequences. Hence many theorems, that appeared hard and barren to others, were to him pleasant and fruitful fields, where his mind would expatiate with peculiar ease, profit and entertainment. Those studies, which to some are too fatiguing to the mind, and wearying to the constitution, were to him but a natural play of genius, and which his mind without labour would freely and spontaneously perform. A close and conclusive way of reasoning upon a controversial point was easy and natural to him. This may serve, it is conceived, to account for his usual manner of treating abstruse and controverted subjects, which some have thought has been too metaphysical. But the truth is, that his critical *This preface was originally prefixed to the two first Dissertations, "concerning the End for which God created the World, and the nature of true Virtue.” |