THE following Discourses were all, excepting the last, delivered in the Time of the late wonderful Work of God's Power and Grace in this Place, and are […] published on the earnest Desire of those to whom they were preached. These particular Discourses are fixed upon, and designed for the Press, rather than others that were delivered in that remarkable Season, by their Election. What has determined them in their Choice, is the Experience they hope they have had of special Benefit to their Souls from these Discourses. Their Desire to have 'em in their Hands from the Press has been long manifested, and often expressed to me; Their Earnestness in it is evident from this, that tho' it be a Year of the greatest public Charge to them that over has been, by reason of the Expense of building a new Meeting House, yet they chose rather to be at this additional Expense now, tho' it be very considerable, than to have it delayed another Year. I am fully sensible that their Value for these Discourses has arisen more from the Frame in which they heard them, and the Good which they hope they, through' the sovereign Blessing of God, have received by them, than any real Worth in them: And whatever the Discourses are in themselves, yet those that heard them are not to be blamed or wondered at, if that is dear to them, that they hope God has made a Means of saving and everlasting Benefit to them. They have much insisted on this Argument with me, to induce me to comply with their Desire, viz that they hoped that the reading these Discourses would have a Tendency in some Measure to renew the same Effect in them that was wrought in the hearing, and revive the Memory of that great Work of God, which this ⟨p. ii⟩Town has so much Cause ever to remember; which Argument has been of principal Weight with me, to incline me to think it to be my Duty to comply with their Desire; tho' I can't say there are no other Considerations concurring to induce me to it.
THE following Discourses were all, excepting the last, delivered in the Time of the late wonderful Work of God's Power and Grace in this Place, and are 〈…〉 published on the earnest Desire of those to whom they were preached. These particular Discourses are fixed upon, and designed for the Press, rather than others that were deliver'd in that remarkable Season, by their Election. What has determin'd them in their Choice, is the Experience they hope they have had of special Benefit to their Souls from these Discourses. Their Desire to have 'em in their Hands from the Press has been long manifested, and often expressed to me; Their Earnestness in it is evident from this, that tho' it be a Year of the greatest publick Charge to them that over has been, by reason of the Expence of building a new Meeting House, yet they chose rather to be at this additional Expence now, tho' it be very considerable, than to have it delayed another Year. I am fully sensible that their Value for these Discourses has arisen more from the Frame in which they heard them, and the Good which they hope they, thro' the sovereign Blessing of God, have received by them, than any real Worth in them: And whatever the Discourses are in themselves, yet those that heard them are not to be blamed or wonder'd at, if that is dear to them, that they hope God has made a Means of saving and everlasting Benefit to them. They have much insisted on this Argument with me, to induce me to comply with their Desire, viz that they hoped that the reading these Discourses would have a Tendency in some Measure to renew the same Effect in them that was wrought in the hearing, and revive the Memory of that great Work of God, which this ⟨p. ii⟩Town has so much Cause ever to remember; which Argument has been of principal Weight with me, to incline me to think it to be my Duty to comply with their Desire; tho' I can't say there are no other Considerations concurring to induce me to it.
