15 / 674
DLDICATION.
.Besides, my
friendly
readers will
now
and
then
indulge
a
metaphor,
to
one
who,
from
his youngest
years,
has
dealt
a
little
in
sacred. poesy.
You
are
.my witnesses,
that
in the
common
course
of
my
ministry,
I
often
press
the
duties
of
sobriety
and
temperance,
justice and
charity,
as
well as
the
inward and
spiritual
parts
of
godliness.
But
since
treatises
on
these
latter
subjects
are
seldom
published
now-a
-days,
I
have
permitted
the
mat-
ters
of
secret
converse
between
God
and
the holy
soul,
to
take up
a larger
share in
these
discourses;
and
it
has
been my
aim
to
rescue
these
argu-
meats
from
the
charge
of
enthusiasm,
and
to
'put'
them
in.
such
a light,
as
might
shay their perfect
consistence with
common-
sense
and
reason.
Here
-
by
I
have done
my
part
to
defend
them
against
the
daily cavils
of
those
low
pretenders
to
christianity,
who
banish most
of
these
things
from
their
religion,,
and
,yet
arrogate
and
confine
all
reason
to themselves.
It
is
necessary that
a christian
preacher
should teach
the
laws
of
sobriety,
the
rules
of
charity and
justice,
our
duty
to
-our
neighbour,
and our prac-
tice
cf
public religion,
-but
it
is
my opinion
that discourses
of
experimental
piety, and
the
work
of
the closet,
should also sometimes
entertain
the
church
and
the World.
Our
fathers
talked
muck
of
pious
experience,
and
have
left
their writings
.of
the same
strain
behind them:
They
Were
surrounded
with converts,
and
helped to
fill
heaven apace
;
for
God was with
them.
But
I
mourn
to
think that
some
are grown
so
degenerate in our
darts,
as
to
join
their
names
and their
works together
in
a
common
jest,
and
to
ridicule
the
sacred matter
of
their
sermons,
because the
manner had
noz6
and
then
something in
it
too
mystical
and
obscure,
and
there
is
something
in
their
style
unfashionable
and
unpolished.
It
must
be
acknowledged
indeed,
to the
honour
of
the
present
age,
t.',at
we
hare-
some
pretences
above
our predecessors,
to
freedom and justness
of
thought, to
strength
of
reasoning,
to
clear ideas,
to the
generous
princi
-'
pies
of
christian charity;. and
I
wish
we
had
the
practice
of it
too.
But
as
to
the
savour
of
piety,
and inward religion;
as
to
spiritual
-
mindedness,
and
zeal
for
God,
and
the
good
of
souls; as
to
the
spirit
and power
of
evangelical. ministrations,
we
may
all
complain,
the
glory is
much
departed
from
our Israel. Happy
the men who
are
so
far
assisted
and
favoured
of
God,
as
to
unite
all
these
excellencies,
and
to
join
the
honours
of
the
past'
and present
age together
!
How
far
it
has
been
attempted amongst you,
I
have
a
Witness
in
your
consciences
:
and
though
I
keep
a.sincere
andpainful'
sense
within
me
of
my
great
defects on
either side,
yet
I
must
still pursue
the same
attempt; and
with reverence
and
zeal
I
beg leave to'
trace
the
footsteps
of
my
brethren,
who come
nearest
to
this
shining character.
In
all
these
things
I
rejoice,
and
cannot conceal
my
joie, that
my
kind
and
fcaitlful
companion
in
the
service
of
your
souls,
practises
his
ministry
with
the same views
and
designs; and
he
]lath
been
sensibly owned
and
assisted
of
God,
to
support,
and
to
build
up the
church,
during
mrl
long
confinement.
His
labours
of
love both
for
you
and
for
me,
shall ever
en-
dear
hire both to me
and
you.
May
the
divine blessinggloriously
attend
his
double
services
in
the
seasons
of
my
absence
and
painful
restraint! May
your united
prayers prevail
for
my
restoration
to the
full
exercise
of
my
ministry
among
you!
And
may
you
all
receive
such
lasting
benefit by
our
associated labours, that
-yon
may
stand
up,
and appear
as
our
crown
and
our,
Joy
in
the
great
day
of
the
Lord!
This
is
the
continual' and
heartt
.
prayer of
rly
dear Friends,
Your
ufectionate
and
afflicted
Theobald's,
in
Hertfordshire,
Servant in
the
gospel,
February
21,
1720
-21.
1.
WATT