F3 THE AUTHOR'S ADDRESS 24. 1730, and figned. How I was led thereto, much con- trary to my inclination, you will find in the manufcripts theinfelves. But, now that it is done, I am obliged to fay, " The foolithnefs of God is wifer than men :" and I biefs the Lord, who gave me counfel. It was in obedience to hiscall that I did it : " Let the Lord do with it what feemeth him good." Ye will not readily have, meaner thoughts of that matter than I myfelf had. I prefutne, you will judge that it had been more natural to have made one continued hiftory of both : and I, being of the famemind, would indeed have fo done, had I thought it worth my pains, in this decline of my age and firength. But not feeing myfelf called thereto, I am fatisfied as to the defign of Providence, which hath modelled that matter as laid is *. You will not therein find yourfelves defcended, by me at leaft, from any ancient or honourable family in the fight of the world ; which is a matter of fome fignificancy, I own, before men, for a few palling years . but you will find your- felves children of the covenant, devoted unto the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, my God, by me having power over you for that effe& : whom therefore I charge to ratify the fame with your own confent, and perfonal ac- ceptanceof the covenant ; and to cleave to this God as your God, all the days of your lives, as being his only, wholly, and fnr ever : fo thall'that be to you a matter of eternal vai fignificancy, before the Lord ; of value to you iri"t s a: the other world. fen -í things in thefe manufcripts appear trifling, bear ttlh them. Had I thought it worth time and pains, to have written them over a fecond time, it is likely, feveral hings now found in them had been dropped. Mean while t may reafonably be allowed, that force things now appear- ing trifling to you, might have been of force weight to me; and may be fo to you afterwards ; and if never to you, yet force one time or other to yours after you. 4' In preparing this work for the prefs, it was judged abfolutely, . neceffary, in order to prevent repetitions, and references from the one volume to the other, to reduceboth into one continued narrative or hiltory, taking care all along to infert the paffages of his life in the general ac- count, in their proper places, according to their refpeecive dates and years, and as the nature of the fubje is treated of required.
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