have enjoyed peace and happiness in this world from having obeyed the voice of others who were desirous to see them walking in wisdom's ways; and, as Solomon said, "a word in season, how good is it." With the fervent wish of promoting more christian zeal to God, and inducing a greater display of the christian virtues by man towards man, have I entered upon, and now completed, the present undertaking. The YOUNG I would most affectionately exhort to “remember their Creator in the days of their youth," to attend to those things which belong to their everlasting peace, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh when they shall say, "We have no pleasure in them." Oh! to be early wise, to be converted in the morning of life, how many evils are thus avoided-how many rich blessings secured! To those, therefore, who are yet in the spring time of life, let me especially recommend the following pages - they have been written after much prayerful meditation by one yet in the freshness and bloom of youth, who can thus more readily sympathize with the thoughts, affections, and wishes of the young. May the Spirit richly bless the youthful reader in the perusal of this work. Finally, To ALL, Would I sound the Watchman's cry from Zion, "Watchman, what of the night?" Are you sleeping in sinful indulgence? Are you wasting precious moments, which when gone are gone irrecoverably? Are you by your present course of living preparing for that great final day of account, when for every thought and deed you will be brought to judgment to receive a just reward? Again, the trumpet sounds "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." In a little while the Redeemer will come -he will not tarry ;- "Go ye out to meet him." Behold, the King of Zion! the watchman issues his royal mandate for the last time, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm in my holy mountain.” What I say unto you, I say unto all-Watch! And lastly, I pray earnestly that the following pages may give some comfort to the poor in spirit and contrite in heart; and if they should be instrumental in arousing only one sinner in ease in Zion, my labours will not have been in vain. May the Holy Spirit bless you in their perusal; for whether I plant, or Apollos water, God only can give the increase, and to His blessed influence I now submit my labour of love in the established principles of Christianity. HIGH-STREET, CHELMSFORD, January, 1846. |