hood be not possessed, no change of diction will produce the love or the enjoyment of truth. As there is no royal road to astronomy; neither is there any pathway to the kingdom of heaven, appropriated to men of taste. Such persons are no doubt offended at the vehicle; but it is chiefly on account of what it conveys. The cup may indeed sometimes be rude and disgusting; but were it made of gold, and fashioned with the most curious workmanship, while it contained what is regarded as a nauseous potion, it would be repelled. No human covering will ever render palatable the medicine of Christianity. The offence of the cross is not so much in the language in which it is represented, as in the unsightliness of the object itself. A musical amateur feels a natural repugnance to the nazal twang of the conventicle; but he would not love the songs of Sion themselves, though set to the music of Handel. For faith, we may substitute persuasion for grace, we may say favour-and for godliness, we may use piety.-Still the world will either mistake the nature of true religion, by this appearance of softening it down, or retain its hatred, and give it a new direction. It is impossible to study the Bible closely for a considerable time without adopting unconsciously a liberal portion of its phraseology. This perhaps partly accounts for the superabundance of Scriptural language in the conversation of the Puri C* tans. That Book, which is now resorted to by many, only when they happen to lose a friend, or to be afflicted with disease, or are trembling at the approach of death-was the daily and hourly companion of such men as Kiffin. They were quite familiar with its contents. This appeared in the ease with which they recurred to its statements, and the ability with which they defended its doctrines and precepts on all occasions. Hence its language became interwoven with their own. What would now be mere affectation, or reckoned profane and improper, was then, constant and approved practice. It was their classic, whose idioms supplied them with phrases. Its history furnished them with examples of heroism and devotedness in the cause of God and their country. Its poetry furnished them with songs, which soothed their grief, and animated their ardour. It supplied their "word" in the day of battle, and lightened their countenances on the scaffold, and at the block. I ought to apologise for detaining the reader so long from the document itself, which has occasioned these remarks. I am far from thinking that the Puritans had no considerable faults or blemishes ; or that many things belonging to them ought to be imitated. Even their failings, however, generally leaned to the side of virtue; and both as Christians and as Patriots, their memories ought to be cherished with respect. Kiffin, and his grandsons, found the gospel to be the power of God to salvation while they lived-and experienced its strong consolations when they came to die. It will be well, if every reader of this volume be a partaker of the same principles, do equal justice to their influence, and obtain at last their glorious and interminable results. With the manuscript I have used little freedom. I have divided it into chapters and paragraphscorrected the orthography and punctuation-and occasionally altered a word, and changed the order of a sentence. The sentiments have been left entirely untouched, and the language altered as little as possible. The Notes and Additions are of a very miscellaneous nature. They contain short notices of a number of the individuals mentioned in the manuscript; illustrations of some of the events; and all the additional information respecting Kiffin himself, which was within my reach. CONTENTS. His design in writing this Work-Escapes from the plague -Is bound Apprentice-Runs away from his Master-Re- turns in consequence of hearing Mr Foxley-Hears Mr Norton-His great distress of mind-Hears Mr Davenport -His farther perplexities respecting grace and convic- tion-Hears Mr Moulin-Meditates on the Scriptures, and reads religious books-Profits by the preaching of Studies the Nonconformist Controversy-Becomes a Dissen- ter-Exercises his gifts-Remarkable adventure with a Blacksmith-Imprisoned for preaching-Conduct of Judge Mallet-Singular preservation while in prison--Interview with Lord Brook-Delivered from prison by the impeach- |