of persons, nor differing opinions as merely touching church government; but in every place, He that worketh righteousness is accepted with him.

We hope you will excuse our great freedom; we protest before God, we have no sinister end. The good of our relatives and neighbours is near our hearts; and because we humbly conceive those *** SERMONS will conduce much thereto, we cannot but request of you, what we have so earnestly desired among ourselves, the publication of them. And shall continue to pray for the increase of God on your future labours, as well as return thanks for former benefits.

main yours,

And re

J. J.

R. W.

E. E.

M. M.

THE

AUTHOR'S ANSWER

TO THE FOREGOING

LETTER.

GENTLEMEN,

I RECEIVED your letter with great thankfulness to GOD, that had made the SERMONS you speak of so serviceable to you: but considering how many useful treatises of this nature are extant already, I thought your request to print on this subject, might very well be denied. And when the manner and warmth of delivering those Sermons should be a little forgotten, I was ready to conclude you might alter your sentiments of them; or at least, forbear to insist on their being sent to the Press.

In this conclusion, I imagined myself right for some months, till your applications were renewed; and a person, for whom I have a particular respect*, was engaged to pursue

Mr. Richier.

B

your request with a resolution to take no denial. He has, indeed, said so much to assure me of your sincerity and hearty concern, in this matter, that I began to think it my duty to comply with you: and where I apprehend any thing a duty, I shall set that against all objections, and all other considerations in the world.

This liberty, however, I have taken in complying with you: That I have chosen to give you those discourses in a different form to what you might expect; though I hope in a way that may answer your end, as fully, as if I had published them in the form of SERMONS. If you look upon every chapter as a SERMON, and read it at once, you will find very little difference from what it would have been, had the whole been printed as it was preached. That I did not say one thing, and now send you another, your friend, that has taken the pains of transcribing a great part himself, will witness for me: And you yourselves upon reading, will, I doubt not, call to mind the most of what you here meet with.

The first SERMON you will find altered as to the method, in some few things; but you will easily know it again, when, every considerable thought shall occur to you, in the same words that were used before. In the whole you will find some additions; but, especially, in the third and fourth chapters. That directory for the devotion of a soul first turning towards God, p. 90, 91; and the form of a covenant dedication to God, p. 94, &c. I thought highly proper to insert in this publication, though not delivered in your hearing. And I found some things necessary to be added, that I might render the evidences of the new birth more useful, and less liable to mistakes. Some enlargements you will also find in the closing addresses to several sorts of persons; But I am persuaded you will not think, upon a serious perusal, that I could have omitted any thing I have here added.

Whether this treatise may be thought wise, or weak, by the generality of those that look into it, is what I shall not once enquire after. If it may prove a means of turning any from the evil of their ways, I shall account that the most grateful and desirable intelligence

concerning it. For I think I am not mistaken in declaring, That I had rather see one person smite upon his breast, and become a true penitent, than to see a thousand clapping their hands, whilst they receive no real benefit from what they hear or read.

If the following pages may answer such an end as this, I shall have reason to be thankful to you, for putting me upon a piece of work, that I confess I had no mind to have gone about, at this time. We live in an age that is set against every thing of this nature; and especially, if it comes from the hand of a dissenter. For which reason you will not wonder that I have shewn such a backwardness to comply with your request. Till men are more inclined to read and consider things, our time and pains in printing must turn to very little

account.

However, I would hope, you will promote the reading of this treatise in all the families

where you have any influence: especially on

the Lords day evenings, when those are sometimes called together, who on other days live in the neglect of reading, and every religious