feems to make fincerity the condition of the new covenant, as perfection of obedience was the condition of the covenant of works; which may perhaps offend fome, who dislike the very term condi tion in a covenant of grace. But whofoever confiders how large and pathetic he is, in defcribing the free grace of God, and afcribing all the glory of redemption and falvation to Chrift, and only to Christ, must be perfuaded, he cannot mean, that the believer's fincerity, or any grace of his whatfoever, is the condition of the new covenant, in a legal fenfe; for fo Chrift's righteousness alone is the condition of that covenant. Nor can we charitably judge, that this term condition, is in any worfe or ftricter fenfe affirmed of fincerity, which prefuppofeth and includes faith, than it is of faith itfelf, in the 32d anfwer of our Larger Catechifm. It is clear then, that the author takes condition in a large fenfe, for any thing required or accepted in the new covenant and fo it is true, that as Adam's works were to be perfect, in order to acceptation; fo the believer's good works cannot be accepted without fincerity; and will, thro' Chrift, be accepted when fincere: which must certainly be all the author intends by condition in that place.

He is also pretty pofitive in his opinion of the renovation of the earth and visible heavens, at the day of judgment; which he defcribes in bright and beautiful emblems. The opinion is indeed controverted among the learned: but most of the orthodox are of the author's fide. Hence, when he is fpeaking of things in that renewed state, after the day of judgment, none needs marvel, that he calls fun, moon and ftars everlasting, and the earth an eternal monument, as in page 94; or, ftum

ble

ble at any fuch uncommon expreffions: for he fpeaks as one beyond time in eternity,

Moreover, the intelligent and obferving reader will here find fuch a furprising variety of the moft profound gofpel- myfteries, interwoven in fuch a beautiful and artful contexture, as will every where entertain his understanding, with an uncommon delight.

It is hoped, none will defiderate method, or quarrel the want thereof as a defect; if it be but reminded, that devotional books, amongst which this may justly claim a chief room, are not ufually aftricted to the rules of art and logical method: it being the defign of fuch writers, not fo much to please the fancy, or entertain the understanding with an orderly ranging and methodizing of things, as to quicken and inflame the affections with divine and fublime meditations: where, not a gingle of empty eloquence fills the car; but heavenly and fupernatural objects, brought down, as it were, from the eternal world of fpirits, and made familiar to the understanding, move and engage the heart, anď elevate the foul to follow hard after thefe only worthy and fubftantial delights. And befides, the intelligent reader will find upon due perufal, that it is not a mere rude heap of indigested matter; but that there is really a comely order obferved, in the difpofing of the thoughts herein contained, which will fufficiently gratify the understanding, while the incomparable matter melts and inflames the affections.

As for the titles of the fections, the publishers were not affured, whether they were added by the author himfelf, or by fome other hand: nay, they did not want ground of fufpicion, both from the difference of expreffion, and fometimes from the uufuitablenefs

unfuitableness to the matter, that fome lefs fkilful perfon had added them. Yet, having no copies fave one, (except the letters, and faint's fong, whereof we found several copies), to compare, it was thought fafeft to retain them, left any thing might be defiderate that was in the manufcript: and the judicious reader is left to his choice, whether to read on the matter, without regard to these titles, or otherwise; for it must be owned, that, confidering the variety of heavenly purpofes, fometimes comprized in one of these paragraphs, it is no easy matter for any man to devife an appofite title, to exprefs the substance of the matter therein contained.

There is no doubt, but the reader, by this time, will be longing for fome account of the author: and it were to be wifhed, that a true and genuine relation of the life of that pious youth could have been recovered, in order further to oblige the public, which had it been practicable, no pains would have been fpared to tranfmit it: and without all doubt, fuch a life would have been a rare and excellent draught, worthy of Christian imitation. He was the fon of a godly father, minifter of the gofpel at Tondergirth in Annandale, concerning whom there is related this remarkable paffage. When the Lord had taken away from him his beloved wife, the defire of his eyes, he fpent the whole enfuing night in prayer and meditation in his garden. One of the elders of the parish coming next morning to vifit him, and condoling his want of reft by reason of the difpenfation fo lately befallen him, he replied thus, or to this effect: I declare I have not all this night had one thought concerning the death of my fpoufe; I have been fo wholly ta'ken up with the meditation of heavenly things.

•I

I have been this night upon the banks of Ular, plucking an apple here and there.' This paffage plainly fhews what a heavenly foul this holy man hath been; and how plentifully this gracious youth, his fon, hath been bleffed with the fame fpirit, is abundantly evident from the enfuing treatise. His brother Mr John Welwood was a perfon wellknown to many, and his memory ftill favoury to all that knew him, for his holiness, diligence in the labours of the ministry, amidst many perils from bloody perfecutors, and falfe brethren, his undaunted zeal and courage in the cause of Christ, though under a very weak and fickly conftitution of body. What a life of faith he lived in these perilous times, is evident from feveral letters of his written to his godly acquaintances, and friends,. yet extant in manufcript. And as he excelled in the grace of faith, fo this holy youth, the author, feems to have peculiarly abounded in that of love, as will be abundantly manifeft from the whole of this heavenly tractate. And how zealous he was for the royal prerogatives of his lovely Redeemer, ufurped by wicked rulers, and the public concerns of his house and glory; may be gathered from feveral paffages in this treatise, though the nature of the fubject did not permit him to enlarge much this way. It appears plainly, from his letters annexed to this treatife, that he defigned to have ferved the Lord Chrift in the work of the miniftry, if it had pleafed the Lord to have continued his abode here below: but the good Lord was pleafed early to tranfport him from the wildernefs of earth to the paradife of glory; and to accept the will, in that matter, for the deed, as himself speaketh. He died at London, in time of our late perfecution, as would feem, of a confumption;

fumption; under which affliction, how much he profited and grew in grace, appears alfo evidently from the fame letters. He concluded his holy and happy, tho' fhort life, with the sweetest affurance of obtaining that celeftial bleffedness he here defcribes, and quietly flept in the Lord. And tho' the reft of the history of his life cannot here be committed to writing, (as was defigned, if certain information could have been obtained), yet there is here a genuine transcript of it to be read; for no doubt he endeavoured to live what he wrote, and fuch a lafting monument erected to the glory of his Redeemer, as will alfo ferve to tranfmit his memory embalmed to pofterity, without needing an eulogium from any other hand.

To conclude; the treatise itself will, upon due perufal, fo approve itself to every gracious heart, by its heavenly and divine ftrain; the noble defign it drives, namely, to exalt Chrift, and allure fouls to him; by its moft fweet and taking compofure, its ftile, being both lofty, as to the subject, and condefcending to the moft illiterate; and finally, by the fweet difcoveries it makes of that holy city, the heavenly Jerufalem, the hope, reft, and joy of all the faints: the treatife, I fay, will fo recommend itself, as that it fhall need no ivy to be hung out to invite the paffenger; and will only need to be known, to recommend it fufficiently to every devout foul.

That the Almighty Lord, with whom is the refidue of the Spirit, and who only can command the bleffing, may make this treatise, a bleffed mean, in the hand of his holy Spirit, to build up and comfort believers, to quicken them to heavenly-mindedness, and draw them from the too eager love of this | earth; and awaken, allure and draw finners to Jesus Chrift,