quence of those Sons of Thunder, Kirkton, Rule, Sheilds, Areskine, Chreighton, Dickson, &c., and that there is such a real Difference betwixt their Sermons and that of the Prelatical Party, that if the first be Gospel, as your Lordship is fully persuaded, then it must be received by all Men, for an unquestionable Truth, that the Gospel was never preached in Scotland, when Prelacy prevailed in it, as your Lordship, and the godly Party you patronize, have often affirmed: And though this were not evident to all that compare the Works of the present Professors with those of their Opposites, yet your Lordship's simple Word would pass in the World for a sufficient proof of it; Lying, Slandering, or the least known Falsehood, being infinitely below such a true Gentleman: Nay, there is no heroick Virtue more conspicuous in your Lordship than your Veracity, which hath so filled the Minds and Mouths of all who intimately know you, that it must needs one Day make a considerable Figure in the Account of your Lordship's Life, which cannot miss to see the Light in a short Time, being, that for these three Years last past, you have so successfully laboured to furnish Plenty of Memoirs and Authors for such a Work.

But 2dly, Some of the Malignants, who have no Taste for such spiritual Sayings, as daily drop from the Pens and Tongues of the Covenanted Brethren, may accuse the Books and Sermons here cited of Nonsense: but, as ill-natured as the World is grown, they must own, that your Lordship has been very long, and very intimately acquainted with the truest and best Nonsense; so that being a Compleat Master of it your self, it must be allowed that you are also a very good Judge. Besides, my Lord, the Curates themselves cannot deny, but that your Lordship is fully quali fied to judge of the Works of such Learned Men as are spoken of in this Treatise, if they consider your wonderful Knowledge of, and great Concern for the Mother University at St. Andrews, which had the Happiness to be nearest to your Lordship, and to be your particular Charge; and the Kingdom is not insensible how you reform'd and purg'd it throughly, with such unspeakable Justice and Impartiality, that even Aged Gentlemen, Doctors of Divinity, and Heads of Colleges, some who had been your Lordship's own Masters, and one your Kinsman, had not the least Regard nor Respect from you, because of their wanting Covenant Grace, without which no Man is valuable in your Lordship's Eyes: Let Men but consider with what Deliberation and Foresight you did proceed, and what prudent and learned Advice you did follow in providing for the Education of the rising Generation in that Society, and then they can never doubt of your being wonderfully qualify'd both to be a Patron and a Judge of this Book.

These Considerations, join'd to that of your Lordship's unexpressible Merit (for which I want a Comparison) naturally led me to beg you would take the following Flowers of Presbyterian Eloquence into your Protection, as cordially as you do the Authors of them: If your Lordship's unknown Modesty would allow it, I could tell the World, in a few Words,

THE DEDICATION.

some of their unnatural and acquir'd Endowments; To your Courage and Conduct, which are equal, you have added such a Success as to raise the Church and State of Scotland to be the Wonder and Amazement of the World: Such burning and unquenchable Zeal, such strange and unaccountable Prudence, and unparalleled Piety, have appeared in all your publick Actions, that if others had but wrought together with your Lordship in any measure, then, I dare say (as your Lordship excellently words it, in your Printed Speech to the Parliament) A greater Dispatch had been made of the Prelatists, and many honest Suffering Ministers ere now, had been deliver'd out of their Pinches; and the Enemies of the Kirk and Covenant had vanish'd as they did lately from Court, when your Lordship condescended to appear in Person at it: It is to you that the Nation owes her miraculous Deliverance from the Idolatries of the Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Gloria Patri: It's your Lordship that hath rescued us from the Superstitions of observing Christmas, Easter, and Whit-Sunday, and from all the Popish Fopperies of Cassocks, close-sleev'd Gowns and Girdles: It's your Lordship that enrich'd Their Majesties Treasure with the Revenues of fourteen Fat Bishops, and with admirable Expedition have voided more than half of the Churches of the Kingdom; and advanc'd such a Set of Preachers, as, it is certain, never flourished in any Period of the Church of Scotland under any of their Majesties Predecessors; and now that some malignant Lords have been brought into the Council again, your Lordship hath retired from it, bravely scorning to sit at the same Board with the Opposers of the Cause.

My Lord, tho' the Times have been reeling and dangerous, yet your Lordship has, by extraordinary Management, put yourself beyond the greatest Reach and Malice of Fortune; for you have, indeed, deserved well of all Parties; King James is obliged to thank you for the real Service you have done him; and King William for your good Will to serve his Majesty The Presbyterian Clergy owe their good Livings to you; and the Episcopal Divines are bound to you, for advancing them to the Honour of being Confessors. The stubborn Highlanders owe all their Composition-money to your Lordship, and the West-Country Rabble were highly enrich'd by your Lordship's Countenance and Protection: You scorn that malignant Way of making your Palace a Cook's-Shop for Strangers; but tho' your Commons be short, yet it's well known, that your Graces are long; at least after Dinner, the full Length of a Curate's Sermon, and that is three quarters of an Hour: There is one thing more that your Lordship is most remarkable for, and that is, your daily Practice of Family Duty; it's well known, that there have been more new Creatures begotten in your Lordship's Family, than in any other we have yet heard of; and in this Matter, such is your great Goodness and Humility, that you condescend often to allow to some of your Servants, the Paternal Honour that's known to be due to your Lordship.

To say nothing, My Lord, of those Supernatural Gifts and Graces that you are pleas'd to value yourself upon; even in your most familiar Words and Professions, nothing is more frequent in your Lordship's mouth, than the taking of God solemnly to witness upon all Occasions, that you never make one step without the special Direction and Assistance of the Holy Ghost.

Now these Considerations being duly weighed, to whom should these Papers fly for Sanctuary, in this backsliding Generation, but to the Celebrated Patron, both of the Matter, and of the Men, that are here in question? To whom should I rather dedicate this incomprehensible Rhapsody of Human Eloquence, this Treasury of Holy Aphorisms, and Sententious Raptures, than to the Oracle of this Mysterious way of Pulpit Rhetorick, and the unquestionable Witness to the Truth of every Syllable that is here delivered? Meaning your Learned Self, my Lord. And I beseech you to accept of this Present, (which I hope shall not be the last neither) as a Tribute from the Hand of,

Your Lordship's most Obedient,

and most Obliged Servant,

JACOB CURATE

TH

P. S. To the READER.

HE Reader must be here given to understand, that in exposing this Gallimaufry of Enthusiastick Zeal, Farce, and Nonsense, the Publisher had no Design upon the lashing either of Persons or Opinions, any farther, than to shew the World the Folly, the Misery, and the Danger of False Prophets, and Blind Guides: In which Case, there needs no other Argument, than the History of the Age we live in. The Reader should do well to have a care too, not to make a Sport and Merriment of so Tragical a Judgment, as ought rather to move Men to the Solemnity of a Repentance in Tears and Sackcloth; for the Foolishness of this Liberty, is no Excuse for the Wickedness of it. Under these Precautions the Reader will be so wise, as not to laugh where he should cry.