то THE CHRISTIAN SOCIETY WHICH ASSEMBLES FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP AT THE SCOTS CHURCH, LONDON WALL. MY VERY DEAR FRIENDS, PERMIT ERMIT me to embrace the opportunity which the prefent publication affords, of thus expreffing the affection and gratitude with which my heart overflows toward you. Let this fhort addrefs remain as a monument of the facred union which has fubfifted between us these twenty-two years paft, after I am mingled with the duft of my predeceffors, and let it admonish us to aim conftantly at an union eternal in the heavens. It gives me pleasure to draw from obfcurity and to rescue from oblivion a valuable and interesting tract, by one who, a century ago, occupied the honourable station which I now fo unworthily fill. The Scots Church was then a numerous and refpectable fociety; it has all along maintained refpectability and reputation; and my highest earthly ambition is to tranfmit my Charge as I found it, united, improving, and profperous, to my fucceffor. Deeply fenfible that the only means of fecuring this is the joint cultivation of a spirit of concord, and perfevering efforts to keep alive and promote the interefts of pure and undefiled religion, I call upon you to keep the unity of the /pirit in the bond of peace; to work out your own falvation with fear and trembling; to live by the faith of the Son of God: and I earnestly pray to God to fend the Spirit |