TO THE RIGHT REVEREND LEWIS BAGOT, D. D. LORD BISHOP OF SAINT ASAPH. MY LORD, THE honor which you have been pleased to confer on a former publication of mine (a), by caufing a very large portion of it to be edited in the Welch language; and the manner in which you were fo good as to apply to me, at that time personally a stranger to your Lordship, for my affent to the plan, and to speak of those parts of the book, the tranflation of which was not required by your immediate purpofe; have rendered it my duty to embrace any opportunity which might occur of publicly teftifying my gratitude. (a) A Familiar Survey of the Chriftian Religion, &c. I avail myself of the present occafion with cordial pleasure. Allow me to say that, independently of all private confiderations, the proof which your Lordship's conduct afforded of vigilant folicitude to adopt any measure which, in your opinion, fhould seem likely to be fubfervient to the eternal interests of the inhabitants of the diocefe configned to your fuperintendence, excited in my mind very lively emotions of fatisfaction. May the grace of God attend and profper your pious exertions! It may be right to add fome few words respecting the Volume now inscribed to your Lordship. Different writers of Sermons, all aiming at the fame ultimate object, pursue it, according to their respective views, judgements, habits of ftudy, and other circumftances, in different ways. The vineyard of God will employ and remunerate labourers of various descriptions. My present efforts, as an humble workman in that vineyard, have been principally directed to two points: points: the elucidation of fome fundamental doctrines of our faith; and the inculcation of a practical truth of the highest moment, yet a truth which too often, if we may judge by the language in common ufe among men when speaking either concerning themfelves or others, is fatally undiscerned or difregarded, that nothing short of an avowed and unreferved furrender of the whole heart to God through Chrift, evinced, under the bleffing of divine grace, by a zealous and habitual purfuit of univerfal holiness, is Religion. Many perfons appear to imagine that, when once the researches of an individual into the Chriftian Revelation have fatisfied him as to its facred authority, the remainder of his religious courfe lies plain and cafy before him. They perceive not that he has afcended but the first and the leaft laborious acclivity of the mountain. Surely it requires but a small degree of infight into human nature and the Scriptures to difcover with how much greater facility A 4 facility the understanding is convinced of fpeculative truth, than the heart is fubdued to a productive faith and a practical love of holinefs. I fhall rejoice if any part of the following pages fhould be rendered instrumental in diffipating the pernicious delufion which I have mentioned. I am, with fincere refpect, Your Lordship's obliged Yoxall Lodge, April 20, 1802. and affectionate Servant, THOMAS GISBORNE. |