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TH

HE following Sermons, though first preached on particular occafions, have been selected in erder to form a little fyftem of the truths of the gospel, to point out their relation to one another, and their influence on practice. There appears to me the greater neceffity of this, that evangelical principles have for fome time paft been falling greatly into disrepute; which I take to be the true, and the fingle reafon, why religion is at present in fo very weak and languishing a state. The attempt ought not to be confidered as arifing from a thirft of fame; for a man must judge very ill who should expect to increase his reputation by efpoufing this defpifed cause. I must also observe, that thefe difcourses are not published as containing any thing better than many practical writings of the last age; but as an endeavour to perpetuatë the knowledge of the fame truths, and to fupplý the place of those which, through the antiquity of ftyle and manner, feem to be falling into forgetfulness. If there is any thing particular in them, it is an attempt to illuftrate the fcripture-doctrine by experience, and obfervations on human life. It hath long been my opinion, that an impartial view of the courfe of Providence, and of the characters and ways of men, would greatly contribute to eftablifh us in the belief of the truths of the gospel; and that the very oppofition given to them by worldly men, ferves at once to accomplish and confirm them.

There

There will be found, in many of the fermons, expreffions of reference to the time of their being first preached, particularly to the adminiftration of the facrament of the Lord's fupper. It had been eafy to have altered the fentences in which exprefs mention is made of that ordinance; but as there is often a peculiarity or propriety of language through the whole of a difcourfe, which is beft understood when we know the time and circum--ftances of its first compofition, I chofe to let them ftand as they were. Another reafon inclined me to the fame thing: The choice of the subjects for publication was made in fuch a manner as to give a pretty full view of the revelation of divine mer-cy in the gospel, and by that means to illuftrate and fupport the truth. But as there is a great danger of running too much into controverfy and fpeculation, the best way to avoid this feemed to be, to let the fermons retain every thing particular and practical, intended for the instruction, reproof, or confolation, of the audience, when they were first delivered. With these few remarks, I commit them to the candour of the public, with very little concern as to the judgement of those who read only to pass fentence upon the ability of the writer, but earnestly praying, that God may make them inftrumental in turning finners from the error of their ways, and promoting the fanctification and peace of those who have known the truth as it is in Jefus.

Paisley, May 16, 1768.

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