rity of his Heart; how free he was froms Hypocrifie and Falfe Prétences; they lay open his very Thoughts, and thofe fecret Principles of Virtue and Religion, which influenced his Actions, and govern'd his Life.

I will readily grant, that thefe Meditati

ons would have come abroad more Correct and Perfect than they now are, had they been Published by their Author; his laft Hand wou'd have given them fome finishing Beauties, which they all have not now in an equal degree; yet, as they are, they express fuch ftrains of Devotion, as must needs be of great Benefit to every well difpofed Reader; there is a Sweetness and Spirit in them very rarely to be met with; and none will make the Comparison without obferving, That very few Study'd Pieces of Devotion, Publifhed by the Authors themselves, do exceed, or even equal Mr. Bonnell's Private and Occafional Compofures.

Nor can it be any Injury to his Memory, to Publifh thofe Remains, which he intended to conceal; for his very Design of concealing them, raifes their Value; for otherwife they had not been fuch certain Arguments of his Fiety, as they now are: And what does best Illuftrate and Confirm his Character, does moft Right to his Memory.

I have met with another objection against *e following Life, which I shall here take

Some

fome notice of, which is, that it runs too much in the ftrain of Panegyrick and Commendation. But it is to be confidered in answer to this, that if Mr. Bonnell's Piety had not been of a strain very rarely to be met with, his Life ought not to have been Publifhed at all, fince his Station was private, and he was only great in Virtue and Religion. The Lives of Princes,Statesmen, and Generals, must be written, whether they they have been good Men or no; because their Lives make up the general Hiftory of Kingdoms and States, and confequently of the World; and 'tis fit that their Vices should be laid open as well as their Virtues, that fo those who fucceed them in their Honours and Employments, may be encourag'd to Imitate their Virtues, that fo they may entail Honour and Praife upon their Names, and avoid their Vices, that they may Jecure themselves from Infamy and Reproach with Pofterity. But the World has no use for a Private Man's Life, if there be nothing extraordinary in it, but only a com mon mixture of Virtues and Frailties, fuch as are matter of daily Obfervation. The Life of a Private Man fhould only be Publifhed when his Virtues are very fhining, and his Goodness fo remarkable, that his Example may do good to Mankind. But when Man's Life is Primitive and Apostolical, b 3

when

See the In- when Prudence and Goodness, Probity and fcrption of Mr. Bonnell's Piety, Meekness and Patience; when (uch Monument fimplicity of Manners, Juch freedom from drawn up by Faction, fuch unfhaken Fidelity, as neither the Bishop of envy or malice durft ever seem to fufpect;

Derry.

when these make up a man's real Character; 'tis then fit to acquaint mankind with fuch Virtues, and propofe fuch a Pattern to their Imitation, which can't be done without Praifes; fince in fuch a cafe, a bare Relation will become a Panegyrick.

I fhall conclude this Preface, with the Teftimonials of thofe Right Reverend Fathers of our Church who Perufed this Work, and Confirm all 1 have faid of Mr. Bonnell. The Lord Bishop of Killmore's Thoughts of him, the Reader will find at large in his Funeral Sermon added to the Life, and the Advertisement that goes before it.

THE

to

"HE Reading the Lives of Pious Perfons, having always been found be of fingular Advantage, towards both the kindling and enflaming Devotion in the Hearts of the Readers,and alfo to lead them Infenfibly into the fincere Practice of it, when represented in its most beautiful and lovely Drefs; I cannot forbear earnestly to recommend the following Life of Mr.James Bonnell, to all pioufly affected Perfons: Wherein they will find fuch a Spirit of Devotion; so many Marks of a true, fincere, and unaffected Piety; (which was difcernable in him, in his Life time, by all us who knew him) fuch Ardent Breathings of his Soul to God in Secret, and fuch a total and entire Refignation of his Will to God's Will upon feveral Occafions; as can hardly fail of begetting the like Difpofition in the Devout Reader, who perules it with a Mind piously and devoutly inclin'd.

I therefore do approve of the Publishing the following Life; and do pray God it may have its due Effect upon the Hearts of all its Readers: That having fo excellent a Pattern for their Imitation, they may be Transform'd into its Likeness.

H

Aving with great Satisfaction read

Mr. Bonnell's Life and Character, (faithfully Collected and Written by the Arch-Deacon of Armagh,) I do most heartily recommend it to all pious and devout Christians; in which they will find an Heart fill'd with Divine Love, and Univerfal Charity, afcending to Heaven on the Wings of most conftant and most fervent Prayers; and a Life truly Primitive, adorn'd with all the Native Beauties of fincere Religion. They will alfo fee the great Bleffing of good Parents, and the vaft Advantages of an early Piety; and will I hope perfwade their nearest Relatives to dedicate and devote themselves to the Service of the Lord in their Youth, (as this Gentleman did at Ten Years Old) before they are Tainted and Infected with the Leprofie and Contagion of Sin; which will have great Influence over them all their Life after, as it apparently had on him. For as he grew in Years, he encreas'd in all Virtues and Graces; and became an eminent Prefident of uniform Obedience, profound Humility, and entire Refignation in all Conditions. He was a true Son of the Establish'd Church, and a most exa&Observer of her Rulesand Offices: He was also exceedingly Charita

ble