In the difpenfations of his grace, as well as in the fubjects of his grace, God acts like a fovereign: his dealings are various; he divides to every one feverally as he will; fo that it is impoffible to fet up one person's experience as a ftandard for another; yet I am perfuaded that, wherever God has begun a work upon any heart, he will never leave it till he has brought judgment to victory in that finner's confcience. I do not fee in what refpect the experience of God's children can in any fenfe be confidered as hurtful to those who are most deeply exercifed in their fouls, fupposing it to be a real work of grace. The feriptures every where abound with expreffions of confidence; therefore thefe expreffions must be profitable, as being given for our inftruction and admonition, So far from being hurtful to a mind spiritually awakened to hear how God's children have been brought to the knowledge and enjoyment of Chrift, I am fure it must prove profitable; and, though they may not be able to take the comfort, yet it fecretly enlivens that little fpark that lies at the bottom under all their troubles. They are finners, they feel it; they

He condemned, they feel it; they are miferable, they feel it; they hear that others have been in the famne ftate, and have found defiverance: this, therefore, is fome little encouragement to hope for deliverance in the Lord's time. Many are awakened to amendment, who are not awakened to mercy: thefe conceive nothing more in religion than merely becoming better, doing their duty, establishing a righteoufnefs of their own: but 'tis otherwife. when the Lord has put a cry of "Mercy, mercy, mercy," in the foul. Mercy is what that foul wants, and without a fenfe of mercy it never can be fatisfied.

Most of the hymns in this collection, I truft, will be found to point the finner to his only refuge; to fhew many of those spiritual conflicts with which the fouls of God's children are often exercifed; and the life, walk, and joy of faith; Chrift being the believer's life, his rule, and his crown of rejoicing.

I am very fenfible that I differ materially in many particulars from those who, nevertheless, profefs to hold the faine doctrines-fuch as the divinity of the Lord Jefus Chrift, particular

election, imputed righteoufnefs, &c. As one reason for my publishing this collection was to fhew what those truths are which lie nearest my heart, I fhall point out two or three instances, wherein I differ from many who are highly esteemed, and generally received as preachers of the gospel.

I would not be understood as if the difference was only about words or phrases. The difference is material, if there is truth and reality in any thing; for it is upon that important queftion-What is truth? not, Whether this doctrine or that, this fentiment or that, this propofition or that, be right? but the question is, Whether there be fuch a thing as truth? what it is? whether it is to be known? and, if known, what influence or ef fect muft it have upon the mind? Our Lord fays, "They fhall know the truth, and the "truth fhall make them free." If we differ about this truth, this knowledge, and this freedom, the difference must be material. Be not deceived. Where the difference is fo material, if one is right, the other must be wrong. Examine for yourselves; call no man master; be

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lieve not every fpirit, but try the fpirits "Beware of falfe prophets," fays our Lord, "who come to you in fheep's clothing,, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." There must be a falling away, and a departure from the truth, that the man of fin may be revealed. The Lord's controverfy muft continue upon this earth as long as the two feeds-the feed of the woman and the ferpent's feed-are found upon it. Though the gofpel in itself is 2 meffage of peace; and though, when believed and received, it brings peace to the finner's heart; yet, by reafon of the enmity of the carnal mind, it is impoffible to preach the golpel without giving offence: "I am not "come," fays our Lord, "to fend peace on "earth, but a fword." In thofe points which nearly concern the intereft and happiness of your never-dying fouls, be not biaffed or influenced by names, or the authority of any man in the world. Let God be true, and every man' a liar, till you find the truth is in him; let every difference of opinion be tried by the unerring standard of God's most holy word. With this view I will

point out, in fome few inftances, wherein I do materially differ from many who are confidered as the popular preachers of this day.

To enter at large into the difference would be to write a volume, for which I have neither. time nor ability. All I aim at is clearly to be understood. I am fenfible it must be a divine power to enlighten the understanding, and awaken conscience; and in all my labours I with entirely to depend upon the Lord; and with him I muft leave the event, who manifests his own power by the weakness of those inftruments which he is pleased to make use of.

I am fenfible that I do materially differ in my opinion from many of the popular preachers of the'day, as it refpects FAITH.

Faith is by fome confidered as a moral duty. required by the moral law. I confider it as the gift of God, and the fruit of the Spirit, i. e. the operation of God's Spirit upon the heart whofe office it is to take of the things of Jefus, and fhew them to us; and likewise to give us a power to receive, apprehend, or lay hold of thofe things to our comfort and fatisfaction. That the faine law which faid to Adam, " In