Page images
PDF
EPUB

no ftranger to Mr. Bonnell, yet I cou'd not, from any knowledge or obfervation of my own, pretend to give the World his Character.

But this defect was in great measure made up, by the materials wherewith I was furnish'd for a Work of this Nature; I had large Memorials of his Life put into my Hands, drawn up by his most intimate Friends both in England and Ireland, by thofe upon whofe Knowledge and Fidelity the Reader may fafely depend; chiefly the Reverend Mr. Strype, mention'd more than once in the Life; who, as he knew Mr. Bonnell from his Childhood, fo very much enconrag'd the Publishing his Character; and readily gave his affifting Hand to this Work, without which, it must have been much more Imperfect than it now is.

But the Reader will eafily perceive, that the principal Materials for Mr. Bonnell's Life are his own Private Papers, and that to them the World is chiefly Indebted for his Character; my chief Bufinefs being, to put fuch of his Meditations together, as gave most Light to any Paffages of his Life,or confirm'd the Inftances given of his Piety.

And now that I have nam'd his Private Papers, which are so often referr'd to in the Life; I must acquaint the Reader, that Mr. Bonnell for many Years together,almost every Day, put down fome devout Thoughts in

Writing;

Writing; and has left behind him many Vo lumes of Meditations and Prayers on every Duty of Religion; On the Difficulties, and on the Comforts of it; On every Virtue and every Sin; On the Weakness and Wickednefs of Man; On the Mercy and Goodness of God; On all the Mysteries of our Faith, and the wonderful Methods of Divine Providence to Redeem and Save us ;On Death and Judgment; The Pains of Hell, and Joys of Heaven. Thefe Papers fhew the conftant Frame and Temper of his Mind; the Warmth and Sincerity of his devotions; what was the great Biafs of his Thoughts, and how he employed his Retirements. They contain his Secret Complaints, Refolutions and defires; with proper Motives, and earnest Prayers, to confirm him in his duty. And all thefe be ing Writ only for his own Private use, defign'd for no Eye befides, but that of Hea ven; I cou'd not but conclude, that they give us the truest view of his Piety, and are the beft Vouchers I could produce for the truth of his Character; and confequently that the more of his Meditations were Inferted in the Life, it wou'd not only be the more Useful, but the World wou'd have the juster Notions of his Excellencies; fince thefe Wri Life 196.1 tings, no doubt were, what he himself calls them, The Tranfcript of his Heart.

With these Materials, I was enabl'd to carry on the Life; which confifts of Two Parts. The first contains Mr. Bonnell's History, with fuch of his Meditations as were proper to Illuftrate every part of it, and give ageneral view of his Piety: The other confifts of his Character at Large, and fhews how be difcharg'd every Duty that we owe to God, and Man; and is clos'd with his Character in fhort, and fome proper Inferences drawn from the whole.

The Work being drawn up according to this Method, I durft not venture it abroad into the World, till it was Perus d by thofe, who were moft Intimately acquainted with Mr. Bonnell, and cou'd make the best Judgment of any Account of his Life. Some Eminent Bishops of our Church, were pleafed to look it over; who, under their Hands, bave confirm'd theTruth of his Character, and allow'd their Atteftations to be Publish'd for the fa tisfaction of the World. But none as knew Mr. Bonnell better than the Bishops of Kilmore and Derry, fo,1 must acknowledge,that their Lordships were at the Trowble, of giv ing me their Thoughts at large, of every part of the Life: they fet me right in fome matters of Fact, and I made feveral Alterati ons in it by their Advice. It was Examin'd likewife by feveral Divines, upon whofe Judg ment and Friendship 1 cou'd moft Rely; who b

made

made feveral Obfervations on it, which were useful to me.

But fo great a part of this Work confisting of Mr. Bonnell's Private Meditations, I think it here proper to Obviate one Objection against the Publishing of them: Some may think, they are not fo fit for Publick View,having been never intended for it by the Compofer of them, wanting his laft Hand,and being not fo correct as he cou'd have made them. But to this 1 answer, That Mr. Bonnell's never intending thefe Meditations for the Publick, is fo far from being an Objection of Weight againft them, that it is an undeniable Argument of the Sincerity of his Piety, and of his being really what they reprefent him. A Man may speak and write very Piously,and yet not be truly Pious; he may Publifh pious Books, and yet be an Hypocrite: worldly Defigns of Intereft and Fame may be the Motives of thofe Specious Appearances, and render a Disguise of Piety neceffary for him. But that Piety which dwells in the Closet, we ought to prefume Sincere; and thofe Meditations which were written there, and never defign'd for a more Publick Appearance, do certainly fpeak the Language of that Soul which compos'd them. Now the end of writing Mr. Bonnell's Life, being to give fuch a juft Reprefentation of his Excellencies, as might en

gage

gage others to follow his Example; it was neceffary to give fuch Proofs of their Truth and Reality, as might fatisfie the World: And what better cou'd be defired, than those secret Memorials of himself, thofe private Breathings of his Soul, wherein he speaks to God without any Temptation to Vanity, or Need of Referve.

'Tis therefore by these we are chiefly to judge of Mr. Bonnell; from them we may fee how he laboured to overcome the World and himself; to get above the Efteem and Fear of Men; to inflame his Soul with the Love of God, and fix every Virtue there. And al though every inftance given us of his Piety, might be fully prov'd by many more Teftimonies, than 'tis thought necessary to produce bere; yet the Reader will, no doubt, look upon his Private Meditations to be the most demonstrative Arguments of his real Goodness; fince the Teftimonies of Men cou'd reach no farther than his outward Conduct and Behaviour: But every Evidence does happily concur to prove his Character, his humble Beha viour, his inoffenfive Life,and heavenly Converfation, was matter of Wonder and Obfervation wherever he was known; and is now confirm'd to the World, by what fo many Excellent Perfons of the most facred Cha ratter have declared; and his Private Meditations fhew the inward Senfe and Sincéb z

rity

« PreviousContinue »