THE PUBLISHER TO THE READ E R. Nftead of attempting to give any Character of the pious Author of the following Letters, whofe true Worth was well known in America, we fhall give our Readers the two following Paragraphs, which were published soon after his Death; and only add, that we hope this Edition will be found more correct than any of the former two that have gone before it. CHARACTER of Mr. DICKINSON late President of the College of New-Jersey. Extracted from the Reverend Mr. FoxCROFT of Boston, his Preface to Mr. DICKINSON'S fecond Vindication of God's Sovereign free Grace, printed at Boston, 1748. Y ETI must be allowed to drop a Tear over my deceaft Friend, endeared to me by a long Acquaintance, and on the most valuable Accounts, as a Scholar, a Chriftian, and a Divine of the firt Rank, in thefe Parts of the World. His Realonableness of Christianity, his Scripture Bishop, his Scripture Doctrine, his Familiar Letters, shine among his Works that praise him in the Gates, and A 2 embaln embalm his Memory. He had a Soul form'd for Enquiry, Penetration, accurate Judgment, and difinterefted Attachment to Truth. With a natural Turn for Controversy, he had a happy Government of his Pafions, and abhorred the perverfe Difputings Jo common to Men of corrupt Minds: Nor did he, as is too cuftomary with thofe of an argumentative Genius, fuffer the Eagerness of Contention to extinguish the Fervours of Devotion, or of Brotherly-Love.In his Example he was truly a Credit to his Profeffion; by good Works adorning the Doctrine of Grace, he was fo zealous an Advocate for.--He had generous Sentiments with Regard to Freedom of Enquiry and private Judgment in Matters of Confcience and Salvation, detefting all Perfecution and Impofitions in Religion, and not approving Subfcription to human Tefts of Orthodoxy. Yet nevértheless, as one fet for the Defence of the Gospel, he boldly confronted what he took to be Error, and knew not how to fit an idle Spectator, when he ap prehended an Affault made on the Chriftian Faith. He could not bear the Thoughts of being found either a Traitor to the Caufe of Chrift, or a Coward in it. Whenever he faw it openly invaded, or fecretly undermined, he stood ready to appear in its Defence, without confulting his Eafe or his Credit. As Bigotry and Party-Rage, Malevolence, Calumny and Cenfure, too frequently mingling with religious Difputes, were his Abhorrence, fo he was an Enemy to temporifing Dissimulation, blind Charity, politic Silence, and that falfe Moderation which facrifices divine Revelations to human Friendships, and under Colour of Peace and Candour, gives up important Points of Gofpel Doctrine to every Oppofer, but still is confiftent with difcovering a Malignity towards others that appear warm Defenders and conftant Afferters of thofe Evangelical Truths. From From the Boston Gazette, 20. OЯ. 1747. Elizabeth-Town in New Jersey, 10. Oct. 1747.. O N Wednesday Morning died here, of a pleuretic Illness, that eminently learned, faith ful and pious Minifter of the Gospel, and Prefident of the Colledge of New-Jersey, the Reverend Mr. Jonathan Dickinson, in the 60th Year of his Age, who had been Paflor of the firft Presbyterian Church in this Town, for near 40 Years, and was the Foy and Glory of it. In him confpicuously appeared thofe natural and acquired, moral and Spiritual Endowments which conftitute a truly excellent and valuable Man, a good Scholar, an eminent Divine, and a ferious devout Chriftian. He was greatly adorned with the Gifts and Graces of his heavenly Mafter, in the Light whereof be appeared as a Star of fuperior Brightness and Influence in the Orb of the Church, which has fuftained an unspeakable Lofs in his Death. He was of uncommon and very extenfive fefulness. He boldly appeared in Defence of the great and important Truths of our most holy Religion, and was a zealous Promoter of godly Practice and boly Living, and a bright rnament to his Profeffion. 'n Times and Cafes of Difficulty he was a ready, wife and able Counfeller. By his Death, our infant College is deprived of the Benefit of his fuperior Accomplishments, which afforded a favourable Profpect of its future Profperity under bis Infpection. As he lived desired of all, fo never any Perfon in thefe Parts died more lamented. THT THE PREFACE. HE irregular Heats and Extravagancies of Tjome late Pretenders to extraordinary Attainments in Religion, their imaginary divine Impulfes, and extatic Raptures, with other Effects of their difordered Fancies, have caft fuch a Blemish upon the Chri lian Profeffion, in the Eyes of unfettled and unthinking People, that 'tis well if too many are not. in Danger of calling Chriftianity itself into Quefti on, from the manifeftly falfe Pretences and entbufiaftic Flights of fome who have put in a Claim to fo eminent Experience in the divine Life.-It is there fore thought needful, as well as feafonable at this Time, that a brief and plain Confirmation of the Chriftian Religion be fent abroad among our People, to establish them in the Foundation of our eternal Hope. This has been my fpecial Motive to the Pu blication of fome of the first of the enfuing Letters. On the other Hand, whether for want of duly dif tinguishing between delufive Appearances and the genuine Effects of an Effufion of the Holy Spirit, or from whatever Caufe, fuch has been the violent Oppofition of fome to the late Revival of Religion in the Land, that the Doctrines of special Grace, and of experimental Piety, feem now, by too many, not only rejected and oppofed, but even treated with Contempt, under the opprobrious Character of New Light, as if they had never before been heard of or profeffed among us. This I take to be one of the darkeft Symptoms upon this Land that we have ever yet seen.— It must on that Account not be unfeasonable to refent to our People, in a clear and diftinct View, the |