THE PUBLISHER INSTEAD то тн Е READER. NSTEAD of attempting to give any Character of the pious Author of the following Letters, whofe true worth was well known in America, he thall give his Readers the two following Paragraphs, which were publifhed foon after his death; and only add, that he hopes this Edition will be found more cor. rect than any of the former three that have gone be fore it. CHARACTER of Mr DICKINSON, late Prefident of the College of New Jersey. Extracted from the Reverend Mr FoxCROFT of Bofton, his Preface to Mr DICKINSON's fecond Vindication of God's Sovereign free Grace, printed at Bofton, 1748. YET ET I must be allowed to drop a tear over my deceafed Friend, endeared to me by a long acquaintance, and on the most valuable accounts, as a Scholar, a Chriftian, and a Divine of the first rank, in these parts of the world. His Reafonablenefs of Chriftianity, his Scripture Bishop, his Scripture Doctrine, his Familiar Letters, fhine among his works that praise him in the gates, and embalm his memory. He had a foul formed for inquiry, pe. netration, netration, accurate judgment, and difinterested attachment to truth. With a natural turn for con⚫ troversy, he had a happy government of his paffions, and abhorred the perverfe difputings fo common to inen of corrupt minds: Nor did he, as is too cuftomary with those of an argumentative genius, fuffer the eagerness of contention to extinguish the fervours of devotion, or of brotherly-love.-In his example he was truly a credit to his profeffion; by good works adorning the doctrine of grace, he was fo zealous an advocate for. He had generous fentiments with regard to freedom of inquiry and private judgment in matters of confcience and falva. tion, detefting all perfecution and impofitions in re.. ligion, and not approving fubfcription to human teits of orthodoxy. Yet nevertheless, as one fet for the defence of the gofpel, he boldly confronted what he took to be error, and knew not how to fit an idle fpectator, when he apprehended an affault made on the Chriftian faith. He could not bear the thoughts of being found either a traitor to the cause of Chrift, or a coward in it. Whenever he faw it openly invaded, or fecretly undermined, he flood ready to appear in its defence, without confulting his eafe or his credit. As bigotry and party-rage, malevolence, calumny and cenfure, too frequently mingling with religious difputes, were his abhorrence, fo he was an enemy to temporifing diffimulation, blind charity, politic filence, and that falfe moderation which facrifices divine revelations to human friendships, and, under colour of peace and candour, gives up important points of gofpel-doctrine to every oppofer, but ftill is confiftent with difcovering a malignity towards others that appear warm defenders and conftant afferters of thofe evangelical truths. From the Boston Gazette, 20th Oct. 1747. Elizabeth-Town in New Jersey, 10th O. 1747. N Wednesday morning died here, of a pleuretic illness, that eminently learned, faithful and pious Minister of the Gofpel, and Prefident of the College of New Jersey, the Reverend Mr Jonathan Dickinson, in the 60th year of his age, who had been Pastor of the first Prefbyterian Church in this town, for near 40 years, and was the joy and glory of it. In him confpicuously appeared those natural and acquired, moral and fpiritual endowments which constitute a truly excellent and valuable Man, a good Scholar, an eminent Divine, and a ferious devout Christian. He was greatly adorned with the gifts and graces of his heavenly Mafter, in the light whereof he appeared as a Star of fuperior brightnefs and influence in the Orb of the Church, which has fuftained an unfpeakable lofs in his death. He was of uncommon and very extenfive ufefulness. He boldly appeared in defence of the great and im portant truths of our most holy religion, and was a zealous promoter of godly practice and holy living, and a bright ornament to his profeffion. In times and cafes of difficulty he was a ready, wife and able counfellor. By his death, our infant College is deprived of the benefit of his fuperior accomplishments, which afforded a favourable profpect of its future prosperity under his infpection. As he lived defired of all, fo never any perfon in these parts died more lamented. THE THE PREFACE. HE irregular heats and extravagancies of fome late pretenders to extraordinary attainments in religion, their imaginary divine impulfes, and exftatic raptures, with other effects of their difordered fancies, have cast such a blemish upon the Christian profeffion, in the eyes of unfettled and unthinking people, that it is well if too many are not in danger of calling Chriftianity itfelf into question, from the manifeftly falle pretences and enthufiaftic flights of fome who have put in a claim to fo eminent experi ence in the divine life.It is therefore thought needful, as well as feafonable at this time, that a brief and plain confirmation of the Christian religion be fent abroad among our people, to establish them in the foundation of our eternal hope.This has been my special motive to the publication of fome of the first of the enfuing Letters. On the other hand, whether for want of duly dif tinguishing between delufive appearances, and the genuine effects of an effufion of the holy Spirit, or from whatever caufe, fuch has been the violent oppofition of fome to the late revival of religion in the land, that the doctrines of special grace, and of experimental piety, feem now, by too many, not only rejected and oppofed, but even treated with contempt, under the opprobrious character of new light, as if they had never before been heard of or profeffed among us. This I take to be one of the darkest symptoms upon this land that we have ever yet seen.-It must on that account not be unfeasonable to represent to our people, in a clear and distinct view, the expe riences |