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In the Life of the Rev. Mr. Matthew Henry, we have the following Character given us of Robert War burton, Efq; of Grange, the Son of the eminently religious Judge Warburton, and the Father of Mr. Matthew Henry's fecond Wife, "He was a Gentle"man that greatly affected Retirement and Privacy, "efpecially in the latter Part of his Life; the Bible,

and Mr. Baxter's Saints everlasting Reft, used to "lie daily before him on the Table in his Parlour; "he fpent the greatest Part of his Time in reading "and Prayer.”.

IN the Life of that honourable and moft religious Knight, Sir Nathaniel Barnardifton, we are told, " that he was conftant in fecret Prayer and "reading the Scriptures; afterwards he read other "choice Authors: But not long before his Death he "took fingular Delight to read Mr. Baxter's Saints "everlasting Reft, and Preparation thereunto; which << was efteemed a gracious Event of divine Provi«dence, fending it as a Guide to bring him more fpeedily and directly to that Reft."

BESIDES Perfons of Eminence, to whom this Book has been precious and profitable, we have an Inftance, in the Rev. Mr. James Janeway's Token for Children, of a little Boy, whofe Piety was fo difcovered and promoted by reading it, as the moft delightful Book to him next the Bible, that the Thoughts of everlasting Reft feemed, even while he continued in Health, to swallow up all other Thoughts; and he lived in a conftant Preparation for it, and looked more like one that was ripe for Glory, than an Inhabitant of this lower World. And when he was in the Sickness of which he died, before he was twelve Years old, he faid, "I pray, let me have Mr. Baxter's Book, that "I may read a little more of Eternity, before I go " into it."

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Nor is it lefs obfervable, that Mr. Baxter himself, taking Notice, in a Papers found in his Study after his Death, what Numbers of Perfons were converted by reading his Call to the Unconverted, Accounts of which he had received by Letter every Week, exprefsly adds, "This little Book [the Call to the Un "converted] God hath blessed with unexpected Suc"cefs, beyond all that I have written, except the "Saints Reft." "With an evident Reference to this Book, and even during the Life of the Author, the pious Mr. Flavell affectionately fays, "Mr. Baxter is "almoft in Heaven; living in the daily Views, and "chearful Expectation of the Saints everlasting Reft "with God; and is left for a little while among us, as a great Example of the Life of Faith." And Mr. Baxter himself fays, in his Preface to his Treatife of Self-Denial," I muft fay, that of all the Books which have written, I perufe none fo often for "the Ufe of my own Soul in its daily Work, as my "Life of Faith, this of Self-Denial, and the laft Part "of the Saint's Reft."On the whole, it is not without good Reafon that Dr. Calamy remarks concerning it, "This is a Book, for which Multitudes "will have Caufe to blefs God for ever."!

THIS excellent and ufeful Book now appears in the Form of an Abridgement; and therefore, it is prefumed, will be the more likely, under a divine Bleffing, to diffufe its falutary Influence among thofe that would otherwife have wanted Opportunity or Inclination to read over the larger Volume. In reducing it to this fmaller Size, I have been very defi rous to do Juftice to the Author, and at the fame Time promote the Pleasure and Profit of the ferious Reader. And, I hope, thofe Ends are, in fome Meafure, answered; chiefly by dropping Things of a digreffive.

digreffive, controverfial, or metaphyfical Nature; 'together with Prefaces, Dedications, and various Allufions to fome peculiar Circumstances of the laft Age; and particularly, by throwing feveral Chapters into one, that the Number of them may better correspond with the Size of the Volume; and fometimes by altering the Form, but not the Senfe, of a Period, for the Sake of Brevity; and when an obfolete Phrase occurred, changing it for one more common and intelligible. I fhould never have thought of attempting this Work, if it had not been fuggefled and urged by others; and by fome very refpectable Names, of whofe Learning, Judgment, and Piety, I forbear to avail myself. However defective this Performance may appear, the Labour of it (if it may be called a Labour) has been, I blefs God, one of the most de lightful Labours of my Life.

CERTAINLY the Thoughts of everlasting Reft may be as delightful to Souls in the prefent Day, as they have ever been to those of paft Generations. I am fure fuch Thoughts are as abfolutely neceffary now; nor are Temptations to neglect them, either fewer, or weaker, now than formerly. The Worth of everlafting Reft is not felt, because it is not confidered; it is forgotten, because a thousand Trifles are preferred before it. But were the divine Reafonings of this Book duly attended to, (and oh that the Spirit and Grace of a Redeemer may make them fo!) then an Age of Vanity would become ferious; Minds, enervated by Senfuality, would foon_refume the Strength of Reafon, and difplay the Excellence of Chriflianity; the delufive Names of Pleasure would be blotted out, by the glorious Reality of heavenly Joy upon Earth; every Station and Relation in Life would be filled up with the Propriety and Dignity of

ferious

ferious Religion; every Member of Society would then effectually contribute to the Beauty and Hap pinefs of the whole; and every Soul would be ready for Life or Death, for one World or another, in a well-grounded and chearful Perfuafion of having fecured a Title to that Reft which remaineth to the People of God.

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