All this opposition to that late man of God was undeserved; nor should I have introduced the subject, but only to shew how far the rage of man may go in his false zeal for the law {117} in these professing times. As it respects myself, I would to God I had been like Mr. H. in almost every branch of my conduct; it would have saved me many a painful and distressing hour. However, it is evident the hand of God brought me into this neighbourhood, and has kept me many years amidst so many storms; my enemies themselves being judges. Our music and dancing has indeed offended our elder brethren, _Luke_ xv. who boast they never transgressed the commandment at any time; yet their pride of heart is not a little mortified in beholding the hand of God towards me. God declared to the pharisaic Jews—“By a foolish nation will I anger you.” This is the case now; what I have erred in at any time is matter of the deepest grief to my heart, and I will most readily confess it before God, and if there were any necessity for it, I would to the church of God, in this little work; but there is no occasion for that, as every believer feels the sin of his _own_ heart to be a plague and a sore—yet prudence dictates to him _not to acknowledge it_. Nevertheless I have no authority to confess or acknowledge what I never did—what I never was guilty of. _Reader_, _would you_? With all the faults with which the believer is guilty, as a sinner in Adam, he never does, he never can sin, that grace may abound. He cannot sin as a believer; when he sins at all, it is not upon the free-grace principles of the gospel. God forbid; these teach him to deny _all_ ungodliness, but to his grief he carries about with him a body of sin; and the scriptures declare there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. In many things, said the holy _James_, we all offend, and the venerable, aged, and holy _John_, says the same—“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” If the saints of old were free from sin and sinning, what can all their confessions, groans, tears, and sighs mean? And if my opponents, who have represented me so bad so many years, are themselves quite innocent, quite holy, or pure—how can they daily read the church service, in her general confession, litany, collects, communion service, and, indeed, throughout the whole. I say not this to encourage sin—to charge me with this, is to charge the whole Word of God with it. Foolish worldlings, who can be no judges of what either constitutes or characterises a Christian, vainly suppose that to be a Christian is in every respect to be a spotless person: and surely this is the wish of a Christian; this is the desire of his heart—but who upon earth ever attained it—none but the Divine Saviour. The Lord grant us increasing conformity to his own image. Amen. I have sometimes reflected upon the various enemies I have had, and am surrounded with now, who are every day