By Sir MATTHEW HALE, Knight; late Chief IMPRIMATUR. Ex Ædibus Antonius Saunders, Reverendiffimo Dno, Domino LONDON, Printed for William Shrowsbury at the Bible in Duck- T HE Author of thefe Writings is a Perfon of great Learning, great Judgment, and Wisdom, and of great Virtue and Piety. He hath written divers learn ed and compleat Works upon other Subjects; but for thefe Writings bere published, they were written, as were also many others of the like nature, ex tempore, and upon this occasion; ་ It bath been bis custom for many years, every Lord's-day in "the Afternoon, after Evening Sermon (between that and Supper time) to employ his Thoughts upon feveral Subjects of Divine Contemplations: and as things came into his Thoughts, fo put them into Writing: which he did for these two Reasons, 1. That he might the more fix his Thoughts, and keep them from diverfion and wandring. 2. That they might remain, and not be lost by forgetfulness or other interventions. be And as this was the occafion and manner of his writing them, fo this, doubtless, was all that he intended in them, unless moreover to communicate them to his Children or fome particular Friends in private upon occafion: but for publishing them, certainly be had not the least thoughts of any fuch thing; much lefs hath be revifed them for that purpose; nor fo much as read over Some of them fince he wrote them; nor indeed fo much as finished fome of them. Nay fo far was he from any thoughts of publishing them, that when he was importuned but to give his confent to the Publication of them, he could not be prevailed with to do it. And therefore that they are now published, the Reader must know that they are published not only in their native and primoge nial fimplicity, but without fo much as the Author's privity to it. And thus much I thought my felf obliged, even in justice to the Author, to acquaint the Reader with, and ingenuously to ac knowledge, and take upon my felf the fault, if any thing lefs perfect and compleat, or any wife liable to exception, fhall appear in thefe Papers, Seeing they were neither written with any intention to be published, nor revifed by the Author, nor are pub. lifhed with his Knowledge. But this again on the other fide obligeth me to render some account of my doing herein. I confefs, I approve not the thing A 2 |