Ο Ν Various Subjects, Moral and Theological. In Two Volumes. BY The Right Reverend Now first published from the AUTHOR's VOL. I. CONTAINING, His Practical Difcourfes. LONDON: -Printed by E. OWEN in Warwick-Lane. D. TO THE READER. HE Acquaintance and Friendship which T I had with the late thor of the following Difcourfes, and the Respect I was known to bear to his Memory, induced his Relations to put thefe Sermons into my Hands, with an Inclination expreffed to have them published. I came to the reading of them under two Prejudices against fending them to the Press ; one was, That the printing posthumous Works was too great a Liberty taken with the Reputation of an Author, and oftentimes injurious to it: But this was removed by feeing that the Bishop had prepared the Sermons himself for the Prefs, and had expressed his Intention to have them published, by writing on the Back of the most Part, Publish. Another Prejudice was, That the World abounded with Sermons, and and that there was little Occafion to add to the Number. But finding these Discourses to be the Effect of much Study, Application and Judgment, and grounded upon an intimate Acquaintance with the Scriptures, I thought they might, in fome Senfe, pafs as Originals, and not be loft in the Crowd. There may perhaps arise another Prejudice in the Minds of many, even from the great Reputation, and confeffed Abilities of the Author in another Way. It is well known, that great Part of his Life was spent in conducting one of the greatest Schools in the Kingdom. |