fatal occafion to the growth of Deifm and Infidelity; for when perfons have heard the fermons of their clergy, for many years together, and find little of CHRIST in them, they have taken it into their heads, that men may be very good men, and go fafe to heaven, without chriftianity; and therefore, though they dwell in a land where the gofpel is profeffed, they imagine there is no need they fhould be chriftians. But what a blot and reproach would it be to our ministry, if infidels and heathens should multiply among us, through fuch a woful neglect of preaching the peculiar doctrines of Chrift?

"Befides, let us confider, how little hath been our fuccefs, in comparison of the multitudes converted by our fathers in the day of their ministry. Hath not this been matter of fore complaint these many years paft? Now it is worth our inquiry, whether it may not be afcribed to the abfence of Chrift in our fermons. And what reason indeed can we have to expect the presence and influence of the Spirit of Chrift, if we leave his person, his offices,

offices, his grace, and his gofpel, out of our difcourses, or give but a flight and cafual hint at thefe glorious fubjects, which ought to be our daily theme? This is what our author would put us in mind of in his first discourse.

"And perhaps another cause of our want of fuccefs hath been this, That we have too much left off the way of our fathers, in diflinguishing the characters of our hearers, and dividing the word aright' to faints and finners, to the stupid and the profane, the awakened and convinced, the mournful and penitent, the presumptuous and obftinate, the deserted and despairing.

"This method appears eminently in the labours of the former age. Those two great and good men, Mr. FLAVEL and Mr. BAXTER, might be divided in their fentiments on other subjects, but you find this conduct runs through all their prac tical writings. This is a great part of what the fecond difcourfe here recommends to us, under the title of experimental preaching.'

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"Our author indeed affumes not fo much to himself, as to addrefs any befides ftudents and

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younger minifters. But if in the middle age of life, we should examine our performances by the light of this treatife, it is poffible we and our people might be gainers by it.

"Have we not been too often tempted to fol. low the modifh way, and fpeak to our hearers in general terms, as though they were ALL converted already, and sufficiently made christians by a national profeffion? Have not fome of us fpent our labour to build them up in the practice of duties, without teaching them to fearch whether the foundation has been laid in an entire change. and renovation of heart? Do we lead them conftantly to inquire into the inward ftate of their fouls, the special tempers and circumftances of their spirits, their peculiar difficulties, dangers, and temptations, and give them peculiar assistance in all this variety of the chriftian life?

"With how much more efficacy does the word of God imprefs the confcience, when every hearer finds himself defcribed without the preacher's perfonal knowledge of him? When his own spiritual state is painted to the life, and, as it were, set before his eyes in the language of the

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the preacher? When a word of conviction, advice, or comfort, is fpoken fo pertinently to his own cafe, that he takes it as directed to himself. How much more powerful and more penetrating will our fermons be, when those who come into our affemblies fhall be convinced and judged, and have the fecrets of their hearts made manifeft, and confefs that God is in the midst of us of a truth?'

"The perusal of these excellent discourses in manuscript hath given me fo much, fatisfaction, that I take a sensible pleasure to think that the prefs will communicate them to the world;, and then I hope for a further share of profit, by keeping them always at my right hand, when I am preparing for the service of the fanctuary. May the blessed Spirit of God teach those who enter into the facred office this holy skill of winning fouls! May he awaken us all to see what may mended in our ministrations, in order to publish the gospel of Chrift with more illuftrious and divine fuccefs!"

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The FOURTH Difcourfe, Of the most useful way of preaching, was written originally as a letter to

a friend, in the German language, by the excellent Dr. FRANCK, and was tranflated into Latin by order of his fon. The two difcourfes, by Mr. J. JENNINGS, and this letter, tranflated by his brother, were reprinted in London, 1736, with Dr. WATTS's preface, and the following advertifement by the fame hand:""

"That excellent letter, concerning the best method of preaching, which ftands annexed to this new edition of Mr. JENNINGS's difcourfes, was written in the German tongue by that venerable and apoftolic man, HERMAN AUGUSTUS FRANCK, late profeffor of divinity at Hall, in Saxony, and was communicated to me, last wintér, by his worthy fon, GOTTHILF AUGUSTUS FRANCK, who happily fills and adorns the same poft in that university, and feems to be poffefsed of the fame spirit of faith and love. It is now turned into English by my valuable friend Mr. DAVID JENNINGS, the furviving brother of the author, who perfectly agreed with me in this fentiment, that it fhould be made public in our own lan

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