teem, and where
the gospel is preached, is almost exiled from the school and from the
pulpit,--a specimen whereof the judicious reader may find in this little
treatise. Besides, he was a person of eminent moderation and sobriety of
spirit, (a rare grace in this generation,) whose heart was much drawn
forth in the study of healing-ways and condescensions of love among
brethren, one who longed for the recovering of the _humanity of
Christianity_, which hath been well near lost in the bitter divisions of
these times, and the animosities which have followed thereupon.

That which gave the rise to the publishing of this part of his
manuscripts, was partly the longing of many who knew him after some fruit
of his labours for the use of the church, and partly the exceeding great
usefulness of the treatise, wherein, I am bold to say, that some
fundamentals of the Christian religion, and great mysteries of faith, are
handled with the greatest gospel simplicity and most dexterous plainness
and are brought down to the meanest capacity and vulgar understanding,
with abundant evidence of a great height and reach of useful knowledge in
the author, who, had he lived to have perfected the explication of the
grounds of religion in this manner--as he intended, in his opening the
catechism unto his particular congregation--he had been, upon this single
account, famous in the churches of Christ. But now, by this imperfect
_opus posthumum_, thou art left to judge _ex ungue leonem_.

The author's method was his peculiar gift, who, being no stranger to the
rules of art, knew well how to make his method subserve the matter which
he handled; for, though he tell not always that his discourse hath so many
parts, thou mayest not think it wants method, it being _maximum artis
celare artem_. That the same Spirit which enabled him to conceive, and
communicate to others, these sweet mysteries of salvation, may help thee
with profit to read and peruse them, is the desire of him who is,

Thine in the service of the Gospel, PATRICK GILLESPIE

Lecture I.

God's Glory the Chief End of Man's Being

Rom. xi. 36.--"Of him and through him, and to him, are all things,
to whom be glory for ever." And 1 Cor. x. 31--"Whatsoever ye do, do
all to the glory of God."

All that men have to know, may be comprised under these two heads,--What
their end is, and What is the right way to attain to that end? And al