D£13ICar1ON. XXVii of Paul and Apollos perish from the church ; and that is till thisbible and these heavens are nomore. Insome of these discourses indeed I have not had the opportunity of so warm and affectionate an address to the hearers. A true and just explication of scripture and a convincing proof of the doctrine proposed, have been the chief things necessary; yet I have endeavoured, even there, to give a practi- cal and pathetic turn, as far as the design of the text would bear it : But in the other sermons I blame myself more for the want of zeal and devout passion, than for the excess of it. I will readily confess, there are here and there some periods where the languageappears a littleto elevated,though not too warm ; I know it is not the proper style of the pulpit: but there is some difference between speaking and writing. In one the ear must take in the sense at once ; in the other, the eye may review what the first glance did not fully receive. Besides, my friendly readerswill now and then indulge a metaphor, to one who from his youngest years, has dealta little in sacred poesy. Youaremy witnesses, that in the common courseof my ministry, I often pressthe duties of sobriety and temperance, justice and charity, as well as the inward and spiritual partsof godliness. But since treatises on the latter sub- jects are deldom published now-a-days, I have permitted the mattersof secret converse between God and the holysoul, to take up a larger share in these dis- courses; and it has beefy my aim to rescue these arguments from the charge úf enthusiasm, and topat them in such a light, as might shew their perfect consistence with common sense and reason. Hereby% Ihave done my part to defend them against the daily cavils of those low pretenders to christianity, who banish most ofthese things front their religion, andyet arrogate and con- fine all reason to themselves, It isnecessary that a christian preacher should teach the laws of sobriety, the rules of charity and justice, ourduty to our neighbour, and our practice of 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 much of pious experience, and have left their wri- tings of the same strain behind them : They were surrounded with converts, and helped to fill heaven apace; for Godwas with them. But I mourn to think that some are grown so degenerate in our days, as to join their nines and their works together in a common jest, and to ridicule the sacred matter of their sermons, because the manner had now and then something in it too mystical and obscure, and there is something in their style unfashionableand unpolished. It must be acknowledged indeed, to the honour of the present age, that we have some pretences above our predecessors to freedom and justness of thought, tostrength of reasoning, to clear ideas, tothe generous principles of christian charity ; and I wish we had the practice of it too. But as to the savour of piety and inward religion, as tospiritual -mindedness, and zeal for God, and the good of souls ; as to the spirit and power of evangelical minis- trations, we may all complain, the.glory is muck departed from our Israel. Happy the menwho are so far assistedand favoured of God, as to'unite all these excellencies, and to join the honours of the past and present age toge- ther ! Howfar it has been attempted amongst you: I have a witness in your VoL, ,. d
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