a

so farre to own his debt of gratitude, as to en. deavour fome Publike acknowledgement of it, though the greatnesse of your benefits admit not of just recompence and satisfaction. Having therefore the disposal of his papers committed to me by his nearest and dearest friends, and finding them to be of fuch worth and excellency as ought not to be smothered in obscurity ; I interpreted this a fit opportunity to let both your

selves and others understand, how deep an inpression your kindnesse'to him hath left in the apprehensions and memories of those his friends whom God and Nature had given the advantage of being more peculiarly interessed in his wellfare, Upon which account I do here present you with this Elegant issue of his noble and gallant abilities ; which besides the relation it hach to you by the Fathers side, would gladly intitle it felfe unto your acceptance and protection,as having been conceived in your Colledge, and delivered in your Chappel; and therefore hopes that you, who with much delight were sometimes ear-witnesses of it, will now become its Suscepiours,

And chus having lodged it in its Mother's armes, I save it to her embraces. On whose beic

half

half I shall only offer up this serious and hearty with ; That as,by the blessing of heaven upon her fruitful womb, the hath been made a Mother of many profitable instruments both in Church and Common-wealth : so God would be pleased to make good her name unto her, and delight still to use her as the handmaid-instrument of his glory;that

he would lay her topstone in his blessing, as her foundation was laid in his fear,

TO THE
R E A D E R.

Courteous Reader,
ဝ၇ Ot many months bave passed

since I sent N

abroad into the world A little Treatise,

which krew it self by the Name of *:*Spiritual opticks, with intention onely to make some discovery of the mindes, and affe&ti. ons of men towards Pieces of that Nature; which having met Somewhere it seems ) with kinde entertainment, and acceptance beyond its expe£tati

now perswaded all its fellows into a refolution to take wing, and adventure themselves upon thy candour, and ingenuity. : Iintend not here to bang out Ivy ; ner with

my Canvase to preface this cloth of Gold. The work is weaved of Sun-beams; to bang any thing before it, were but to obscure it: get

something bere must needs be said for mine own. discharge, and thy better farisfaction. Know therefore, ( gentle Reader ) that these Pieces were first intended as Scholastick Exercises in a Colledge-Chap

pel,

hath now ;

pel, and therefore more properly, suited to such an Auditory'; yet I make no question but some of them, the VVhite Stone especially, may be read with much profit, by those who are of meaner capacities, and lesse refined intelle&tuals. The Discourse of the Light of Nature (which, though here it bease the torch before the reft, is younger brother to them all ) was written above six years ago ; the designe of it was, as on the one hand to vindicate the use of ŘeaSon in matters of Religion from the aspersions and prejudices of fome weaker ones in those times, who having entertained erroneous opinions, which they were no way able to defend, were taught by their more cuna ning seducers to wink hard, and except against all offensive weapons : so on the other hand to chastise the fawcinefse of Socinus and his followers, who dare set Hagar above her Mistresse, and make Faith waite at the elbow of corrupt & distorted Reason; to take off the head of that uncircumcised Philistim with his own (word, but better Sharpened; and then to lay it up bebinde the Ephod in the Sanctuary. An entera prise I'confere, of no Small import; which yet he hoped wih Gods alistance, to have effe&ted by giving unto Reason the things that are Reasons, and unto Faith the things that are Faiths. And had the world been favoured with his longer life, the height of his parts,

and