The rise and progress of religion in the soul: addresses

THE

PREFACE.

THE several Hints given in the Dedication and the First Chapter, of this Treatise, which contains a particular Plan of the Design, render it unnecessary to introduce it with a long Preface. Some of my Readers may perhaps remember, that several Years ago I promised this Work to the Public, in the Preface to the Second Edition of my Sermons on the Power and Grace of Christ, &c. My much honoured Friend Dr. WATTS, had laid the Scheme especially of the former Part: But as those Indispositions, with which (to the unspeakable Grief of the Churches) GoD has been pleased to exercise him, and forbid his Hopes of being able to add this, to his many Labours of Love to immortal Souls, he was pleased in a very affectionate and importunate Manner to urge me to undertake it. And I bless GoD with my whole Heart, not only that he hath carried me through this delightful Task (for such indeed have I found it), but also that he hath spared that worthy and amiable Person to see it accomplished, and given him Strength and Spirit to review so considerable a Part of it. His Approbation, expressed in stronger Terms than Modesty will permit me to repeat, encourages me to hope, that it is executed in such a Manner, as may, by the Divine Blessing, render it of some general Service. And I the rather expect it will be so, as it now comes abroad into the World, not only with my own Prayers and his, but also with those of many Pious Friends, which I have been particularly careful to engage for its Success.

Into whatever Hands this Work may come, I

must desire, that before any

upon it, they would please to

pass their Judgment read it through; Connection between Which I the rather

that they may discern the
one Part of it and another.
request, because I have long observed that Chris-
tians of different Parties have been eagerly lay
ing hold on particular Parts of the System of
Divine Truths, and have been contending about
them as if each had been all; or as if the Sepas
rarion of the Members from each other, and
from the Head, were the Preservation of the
Body, instead of its Destruction. They have
been zealous to espouse the Defence and to main-
tain the Honour and Usefulness of each apart;
whereas their Honour, as well as Usefulness,
seems to me to lie much in their Connection.
And Suspicions have often arisen betwixt the
respective Defenders of each, which have ap-
peared as unreasonable and absurd, as if all the
Preparations for securing one Part of a Ship in a
Storm were to be censured as a Contrivance to
sink the Rest. I pray Gon, to give to all Iis
Ministers and People, more and more of the
Spirit of Wisdom, and of Love, and of a sound
Mind; and to remove far from us those mutual
Jealousies and Animosities, which hinder our act
ing with that Unanimity which is necessary, in
order to the successful carrying on of our com-
mon Warfare against the Enemies of Christi-
anity. We may be sure, these Enemies will ne-
ver fail to make their own Advantage of our mul-
tiplied Divisions, and severe Contests with each
other: But they must necessarily lose both their
Ground and their Influence, in Proportion to the
Degree, in which the Energy of Christian Prin-
ciples is felt, to unite and transform the Hearts
of those by whom they are professed.

I take this Opportunity of adding, that as this Treatise may be looked upon as the Sequel of my Sermons on Regeneration, though in something of a different Method; a Second Edition of those Sermons is now published (in Compliance with the Request of many of my Friends), in the same Form and Size with this Book. I have been solicitous to make them both as cheap as possible, that I may fall in with the charitable Designs of those who may propose to give them away. There is however an Edition of this Treatise in Octavo, for such as rather chuse to have it in a larger Character and fairer Form.

I have studied the greatest Plainness of Speech, that the lowest of my Readers may, if possible, be able to understand every Word; and I hope, Persons of a more elegant Taste and refined Education will pardon what appeared to me so necessary a Piece of Charity. Such a Care in Practical Writings seems one important Instance of that honouring all Men, which our amiable and condescending Religion teaches us: And I have been particularly obliged to my worthy Patron, for what he hath done to shorten some of the Sentences, and to put my Meaning into plainer and more familiar Words. Yet I dare say, the World will not suspect it of having contracted any Impropriety or Inelegance of Language, by passing through the Hands of Dr. WATTS.

I must add one Remark here, which I heartily wish I had not omitted in the first Edition, viz. That though I do in this Book consider my Reader as successively in a great Variety of supposed. Circumstances, beginning with those of a thoughtless Sinner, and leading him through several Stages of Conviction, Terror, &c. as what may

be previous to his sincerely accepting the Gospel, and devoting himself to the Service of GOD; yet I would by no Means be thought to insinuate, that every one, who is brought to that happy Resolution, arrives at it through those particular Steps, or feels Agitations of Mind equal in Degree to those I have described. Some Sense of Sin,' and some serious and humbling Apprehension of our Danger and Misery in Consequence of it, must indeed be necessary to dispose us to receive the Grace of the Gospel, and the Saviour who is there exhibited to our Faith. But God is pleased sometimes to begin the Work of His Grace on the Heart, almost from the first dawning of Reason, and to carry it on by such gentle and insensible Degrees, that very excellent Persons, who have made the most eminent Attainments in Divine Life, have been unable to recount any remarkable History of their Conversion: And so far as I can learn, this is most frequently the Case with those of them, who have enjoyed the Benefits of a pious Education, when it has not been succeeded by a vicious and licentious Youth. GOD forbid therefore, that any such should be so insensible of their own Happiness, as to fall into Perplexity with Relation to their Spiritual State, for Want of being able to trace such a Rise of Religion in their Minds, as it was necessary on any Plan for me to describe, and exemplify here.I have spoken my Sentiments on this Head so fully in the VIIIth of my Sermons on Regeneration, that I think none who has read and remembers the general Contents of it, can be in Danger of mistaking my Meaning here. But as it is very possible this Book may fall into the Hands of many, who have not read the other, and have no Opportunity of consulting it, I thought it proper to insert this Caution in the Preface to this; and I am much obliged to