_Your favourable, and_ Christian respects _to me_ (_both of former and latter date_) _your_ Godly _and_ Christian Letters _to me, so many thousand miles distant in_ America: _And your many gracious_ Demonstrations _of an humble and_ Christian Spirit _breathing in you; are a three fold_ Cord _which have drawn these lines into your presence_. _While I have sometimes mused how to express a_ Christian gratitude, _I am at last perswaded to crave your_ Ladyships acceptance _of these poore_ Experiments _of each true_ Christians personall union, _and_ communion _with the_ Father _of_ Spirits. _It is true, I have been sometimes prest to engage in_ controversies, _but I can really and uprightly say, my_ Witnes _is on_ high, _how harsh and doleful the_ touch _of those_ strings _are, especially, against such_ Worthies _both in_ old _and new_-England, _in whom I joyfully before the world acknowledge_ (_in many heavenly respects_) _a lively character and_ Image _of the_ Son _of God. This broken_ piece, _is a breath of a_ still _and_ gentle voice, _none but the_ God _of this_ world, _and the_ men _of this_ world, _can I lightly_ (_at this turne_) _expect my_ opposites. _At other times I have been drawne to consider of the little_ flock _of_ Jesus, _his_ Army, _his_ body, _his_ building, _that for these many hundred years have been_ scattered, routed _and_ laid wast _and_ desolate: _At present, I onely examine who are the_ personall _and_ particular Sheep of Jesus Christ, _his_ Souldiers, _his living_ materials, _though_ scattered, divided, _and not_ compos'd _and ordred at their souls desire_. _I confess_ (Madam) _it was but a_ private _and_ sudden discourse, _sent in private to my poor_ Companion _and_ Yoak-fellow, _occasioned by a sudden_ sickness _threatening_ death, _into which, and from which it pleased the_ Lord _most graciously to cast and raise her_. _The_ forme _and_ stile _I know will seem to this refined_ age, _too rude and barbarous: And the_ truth _is, the most of it was penn'd and writ (so as seldom or never such discourses were) in the thickest of the naked_ Indians _of_ America, _in their very wild_ houses, _and by their barbarous_ fires; _when the Lord was pleased this last year (more then ordinarily) to dispose of my_ abode _and_ travell _amongst them. And yet, is the_ Language _plaine? it is the liker_ Christs: _Is the composure rude? such was his outward_ Beauty: _Are the tryals (seemingly) too close? such is the two edged_ Sword _of his most_ holy Spirit, _which pierceth between the very_ Soul _and_ Spirit, _and bringeth every_ thought _into the_ obedience _of_ Christ Jesus. _Amongst the many_ Crowns _of_ mercy (Madam) _which it hath pleased the_ Father _of mercies to crowne your_ soul _with, as_ David _speaks of his_, Psal. 103. _there are two which justly challenge (and your Ladyship I know doth humbly acknowledge them) to be the fairest_. [Sidenote: 1 Cor. 3.]