PREFACE.

WHEN Christ was upon earth, he went about doing good; instructing the ignorant, healing the sick, and comforting the mourners. All who profess to love him and cordially receive his doctrine, ought to copy his example. And it must be acknowledged, that, of late years, Christians of different denominations have shown an increased zeal in promoting the cause of pure religion. Among the various means of doing good, may be numbered the giving away or lending of pious books. Those who diligently and prudently use these means, will seldom fail to see some happy effects produced; and much of the seed, which is thus sown,

may spring up when the hands that scattered it are mouldering in the dust. For the encouragement of benevolent endeavours in this way, I shall mention the following anecdote.-When a great work of God was going on at Truro, under the ministry of that excellent clergyman, Mr. Walker, there were about one hundred and sixty soldiers wintering in the town. The first thing he did, was to give to every man

Reynold's Compassionate Address,' believing it a tract, for its size and matter, the fittest in the world for their use. Out of the hundred and sixty, in less than three weeks, a full hundred of them came to his house, asking what they must do to be saved. Their very countenances were changed; and, with tears bursting from their eyes, they

confessed their exceeding sinfulness and danger! But even where effects are not so speedily and strikingly manifest, as in this instance, there may be much evil prevented, and much good done, by giving away little books on serious and interesting subjects.

The design of the following pages is, to open the nature, to prove the necessity, and to point out the means and evidences of evangelical repentance. By all who pay any regard to religion, the subject is acknowledged to be of the highest importance. I have constantly kept in view the lower classes." For them chiefly, though not wholly, is this little book intended. It has, therefore, been my wish and aim, to bring down the language to a level with the capacities of the uneducated. Those

who have been accustomed to read books which contain the richest treasures of learning, and the finest beauties of language, will find nothing here to gratify their taste. Should such glance into this work, the familiar anecdotes, and the plain, homely comparisons they meet, may be thought to descend too low for the dignity of the subject. Let it, however, be recollected, that what appears gross or trite to one, may be too refined and abstruse for another. Those who are little acquainted with the poor and illiterate, can scarcely have an idea how difficult it is to render religious truth sufficiently palpable and pointed to make any impression upon them. My chief fear, therefore, is, not that I have sunk the language below the mark required, but that it is, after all my endeavours, still too high,