Lieut. F: Conyers THE 1770... PREFACE L IVES are usually Read with a greater Pleafure and Application, than any other kind of Writing; and it must be own'd, that when rightly chofen, they give us the most useful views of Humane Nature, and the jufteft Reprefentations of Virtue and Vice, with their different Confequences and Effects. But then it's obfervable, that the World is chiefly fond of knowing their Story, who have Acted the most Embroyl'd and Bufie Parts of Life; have Commanded Armies, or manag'd Surprizing Turns of State; have by Policy or War made themfelves Famous, the Subject of common Obfervation and Dif courfe; or Hurry'd on by Ambition, and other Destructive Paffions,have laid Countries Waste, and done fatal Mischiefs to Mankind. And fo far have Mens Inclinations been Gratify'd and Encourag'd that the World is dailymore and more over-stock'd with this fort of Lives, which, as commonly written have a Fatal Influence upon our Minds, and prove very Pernicious to Religion. They give a 2 2 dangerous dangerous Turn to our Thoughts, and Infect the Soul with wrong Notions of things. The little regard that's had to Justice and Piety, in the Characters of Princes and Warriours; And the Praifes that are given to all their Successful Actions, however violent and bloody; the Magnificent Defcriptions of Armies and Battles, with the Glory that fti Surrounds the Head of the Fortunate and Bold: All thefe Inflame thofe Paffions in us, which our Religion requires us to Subdue. A wild Ambition Fires the Mind, and drives it furiofly on, in pursuit of mistaken Honour, untill at last the true Temper of Chritianity is quite deftroy'd; that Humility and Meekness, that Deadnels to the World, and Submiffion to the Will of God; with that Juftice and Charity to Men,which make up fo great a part of the Chriftian Life: For 'twill be hard to perfuade Mankind that vi olence and Injuftice are Crimes, while thofe who committed them are applauded in Story; or that to be Meek and Lowly, are neceffary Duties, while even in Chriftian Anpals, the Cruel ond vain-Glorious make the greatest Figures, and are the conftant Subject of Panegyrick and Praife. To remedy thefe Mifchiefs in fome meafure, It were greatly to be defir'd, that the World were furnish'd with a fufficient number of another kind of Lives; of those who have been Great in Religion and Goodness; and study'd to Conquer their Corruptions as their most Dangerous,if not only Enemies; who have spent their Lives in the fervice of God, and made it their conftant Business to do Good to Mankind. Such Lives as thefe, we might reasonably hope, wou'd very much ferve the Interests of Religion, by proving an Antidote to the Poyfon of those other Hiftories, which are so Destructive to it. They wou'd reprefent Piety, not in Notion but in Life, with all its Charms about it; and fhew not only the Polfibility, but Delightful Eafinefs of a Religious Conversation. The Pleafure of Narrative wou'd still engage our Attention, and prevent a Weariness, which few can escape, when only Books of Reasoning and Argument are before them. And bright Examples of Holiness faithfully Reprefented, cou'd hardly fail of awakening good Thoughts in our Minds; of touching us with fad Reflections upon our own Behaviour, fo different from what we Read of others; and exciting strong Defires of following fuch Patterns. This is the End propos'd in Publishing the following Life. It is hop'd that the Character of One, in whom every Christian Grace did fo eminently shine, may contribute fomewhat towards raising a Spirit of frue Religion in this Age; that the conf deration (ap! This Congers, Marines $779 The EXEMPLARY LIFE AND CHARACTER O. F James Bonnell, Efq; LATE Accomptant General OF IRELAND. By WILLIAM HAMILTON, A. M. The Third Edition, with Additions Mark the Perfect Man, behold the Upright; fur the End of that Man is Peace, Pfal. 37. 37. LONDON, Printed and Sold by Jofeph Downing in Bartholomew Clofe near Smithfield, 1707. |