the pulpit pressed upon you, and recommended to you, and, to give you some assistance herein, have now drawn up these questions for you. O my dear friends, let me beg you to be much in your closets, much on your knees! Look into your Bible, then into your hearts, and then to God, saying, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and sce if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me into the way everlasting." Never can time be put to higher improvement, never thoughts spent upon more important business, than this, Thus would I wish you, thus would I charge myself to be frequently employed. And "blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing."

I have only farther to add, that this way of humble believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, which I have traced in its actings, and in its effects, in the following questions, is, as far as I can learn from the Word of God, the true, and indeed only way in which we can be saved. And I leave it upon record, that it is in this way of faith I am seeking my own salvation, and through grace have a cheerful hope of obtaining it. I bless God, I have thus preached, and I would not have preached otherwise for all the world; and I call upon you to adore with me the grace of God, which has been given to many, very many

of you, thus also to believe, to the saving of your souls. In you do I with unutterable pleasure behold these marks of salvation; and do you yourselves take the comfort of them, while you give God all the glory. And, may these marks appear brighter in you every day, while, under the influences of the blessed Spirit, you go on from one degree of faith, and love, and zeal, and holiness to another, till you appear perfect before God in Zion. Such as you are my greatest joy now, and shall be my crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

O that I could thus joy over all of you! As God is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels of Jesus Christ, how I travail, as it were, in birth again, and am in the greatest pangs about you, till Christ be formed in every one of you. Ah, how can I bear the thought, that any one of you should perish under my ministry! What would I not be willing to do, what would I not be willing to suffer, to prevent it? If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, give me joy in your salvation.

To conclude: I give you a thousand thanks, my dear friends, for all the many tokens of your love, which I have received during the course of

more than fourteen years ministry among you; a period of my life, which I shall ever esteem the best and most delightful. Especially, I thank you for your many prayers; (and surely, never had a minister more prayers put up for him) prayers to which I owe infinitely more than silver or gold, had you been in a capacity of giving it in the greatest abundance, could ever have done for me. For to those prayers I owe it, that I have been once and again recovered from the borders of the grave; that a feeble life has been continued so many years, beyond all my expectation; and that my ministrations, plain and artless as they have been, have met with such encouragement and success with you, which I can never think of, without admiring and adoring the sovereignty and freeness, the riches and efficacy of divine grace.

Go on, I beseech you, my dear brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, both in your social meetings, in your families, and in your closets. And be assured you never are, never can be forgotten by me. My care, my love, my prayers follow you; and I verily believe you will continue to dwell upon my heart to the last, and that some of the last petitions I offer up in this world will be for you. The Lord bless you, and keep you,

and make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace! Thus sincerely wishes, thus ardently prays,

Wellington, April 2, 1756.

Your affectionate Minister,

and faithful willing Servant,

for Christ's sake,

RISDON DARRACOTT.

THE PREFACE.

A CONSIDERATION of the pious Author, the excellent matter, and the important design of the following Essay, is enough to recommend it to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ, and are desirous of flourishing in the Christian life. Yet, as it is the particular request of my dear and much-esteemed friend, that my name (worthless as it is) should appear in it, I cheerfully take the opportunity of shewing him this public respect, and of declaring to the world my wishes, that this little piece may be in every family, and in every closet, as it relates to things of so interesting a nature.

Self examination is a duty so important, and so useful, that corrupt nature cannot bear it; and therefore you find it so frequently neglected, or attended to in so trifling a manner. Many had rather seek after any knowledge than that of their own hearts. They will read many volumes to amuse their minds, or furnish themselves with abilities for controversy, but absolutely stop here, and never ask their souls this close and weighty question, Have I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? I hope this is not the case