holy dispositions. The man who does not bring to it a candid, peaceable, and tranquil temper, and a mind assiduously devoted to genuine piety, is not merely unworthy to teach, but even incapable of learning to advantage, this heavenly wisdom. Wherever an unhappy zeal for innovation, a love of debate, an acrimonious spirit of wrangling, a frantic spirit of party, an arrogant self-exaltation joined with contempt of others,-whereever these and the like mischievous tempers prevail, it is difficult to believe that a pure love of truth dwells in the same breast, whatever fair pretences to it may be assumed. That person, in reality, doth not yet know and discern the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, who knows it, merely to exercise the volubility of his tongue in vain talking, to employ the dexterity of his pen in litigious disputation, or to render it, in any other way, subservient to his own ambition. The Gospel will only unfold its treasures, and fill the mind with a sense of its sacred sweetness, when it irradiates the understanding with the native light of its simplicity, and thus inflames the will and affections with the ardours of a pure love, when it consumes the noxious tares and destructive weeds of vice, and when, elevating the whole man above the transitory vanities of this world, and causing his heart to burn with the desire of heaven, it transforms him into the image of the divine purity.

Impressed with these sentiments respecting the manner and the object of teaching and learning divine truth, I formed the resolution of giving some specimen of my design to the young men attending the University. With this view, I selected the principal articles of our Religion; as they are contained in the Catholic Creed, for the subject of lectures to my Pupils; that I

might explain to them the nature of those doctrines; assert, demonstrate, and vindicate their truth; and, what was chiefly intended, illustrate and enforce their application to holy practice. Such was the origin of these Dissertations; which I began at the very commencement of my professional labours in the celebrated School of FRIESLAND, and finished in your Academy, FATHERS OF THE SENATE; to whom, conformably to the dictates of reason and justice, they are now cheerfully DEDICATED.

Since you have already befriended the Author by the generous invitation with which you honoured him, by the favourable reception which you gave him at the first, and by the remarkable kindness and liberality which you continue to show him; have the goodness to accept of this small literary gift in the same obliging manner.-Accept of it, not as a price by which I exempt myself from all obligations, but as a pledge, by which I bind myself to serve you; for, by these discourses, which are of inconsiderable value, and written solely for the benefit of my pupils, I by no means propose to pay, but only to acknowledge, the debt of gratitude I owe you. Let me request you, in addition to all your other favours, to form your estimate of the gift which I now present, not so much from its intrinsic worth, as from the disposition of him that offers it; who, whilst he holds himself bound to render to you the most valuable offerings, was able to find nothing else, at present, in the whole circle of literature, by which he could give any proof of his regard and fidelity.

I conclude with my prayer on your behalf. May that ALMIGHTY GOD, who has rescued your Republic, and together with it, your Church and University from so many dangers,-who, with his powerful right hand

VOL. I.

F

2.

has defended, protected, and prospered it,-who, in these times of extraordinary peril and difficulty, whilst one tempest followed another in close succession, and the Republic seemed on the verge of ruin, caused you to remain at the helm-May the same GOD still preserve the Republic to you, and you to the Republic! Under your benign and auspicious government, "may concord and virtue return! may religion and integrity prevail !"*

FATHERS OF THE SENATE, farewell; and, after having prosperously exercised the magistracy for many years, may you transmit it hereafter to your sons, and to your descendants in the remotest times!

In these terms I wrote, in your City, on the 2d of May, in the year 1681, during the Consulship of ALBERT VAN BENTHEM, and PAUL VOET VAN WINSSEN. I repeated the writing on the 6th of July, in the year 1689, during the Consulship of JOHN BORRE VAN AMERONGEN II. and ARNOLD SPOOR. And, now, for the third, and, possibly, the last time, I write in the same terms, on this 1st day of April, in the year 1697, during the Consulship of CORNELIUS VAN LIDT DE JEUDE, and Everard VAN ZYPESTEIN II.;-the year, in which, from your distinguished friendship for me, for which I can never be sufficiently grateful, you have been pleased, FATHERS, to appoint me, for the second time, Rector of your University.

Redeat concordia virtus,

Cumque fide, pietas alta cervice vagetur.

THE

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

TO

THE THIRD EDITION.

I SHALL not trespass on your patience, CANDID READER, by a tedious preamble, but will show you, in a few words, the design and scope of the following work. It seems proper to apprize you, first of all, that it is not intended for the learned, or for such as have been long engaged in sacred studies, but only for learners, and my own Pupils, whom I wished to furnish with a light to direct them to the proper improvement of our holy Religion. It appeared to me extremely undesirable, that those with whose education for the sacred office we are intrusted, should at length ascend the pulpit to entertain the Christian people with frigid, though perhaps sublime, discourses, or with unprofitable, though sufficiently warm, discussions; neglecting, in the mean time, to inspire their minds with any relish for heavenly objects, with any desire for divine consolations, with any love for genuine piety. I daily urged them to consider that Religion is not seated in the tongue, but in the mind; that it consists not in words, but in deeds; not in the subtlety of specula

tions, but in purity of heart; not in the affectation of new discoveries, but in the prosecution of a new life. They were frequently reminded, that he alone is a true Theologian, who adds the practical to the theoretical part of Religion-who combines exhortation to duty with the elucidation of doctrine. They were told, also, that this is not to be done merely in a superficial, formal, and customary manner, at the conclusion of a sermon; but that the whole discourse should be so framed, that the soul, fixed in earnest and adoring contemplation of astonishing truths, may feel itself inflamed with a heavenly zeal to regulate the life in a manner becoming the knowledge and the faith of those glorious realities. I inculcated, further, that the minds of the hearers must be so instructed, that they may attempt a careful examination of themselves, and be able to ascertain by infallible marks, whether they have a personal interest in the promises of the Gospel :-and that this must be so strongly and pathetically urged, that the most secure may be roused from their fatal lethargy, and every hearer induced to inquire, with eager solicitude, into the state of his own soul. I added, that there is not a single article of our Religion which is not mightily adapted to accomplish this purpose, and proceeded to confirm the truth of this remark by several examples. Some of my Students then began most earnestly to request me to favour them with my thoughts in writing; and such is the origin of these Dissertations.

I intended, in the first instance, that what relates to the Theory should be supposed to be sufficiently known already, from Catechetical Institutes, Systems of Theology, and what are called Common-place books; and that my only business should be to point out the application of the doctrines of faith to Christian practice.