Or breathe a wish for peace; O for that balm, To heal! O for the gracious words of pardon! PREFACE. THE Evangelical Magazine, published in London, made its first appearance in July, 1793. A small volume was printed that year; and the proprietors have annually published a large octavo volume to the present time. Of course there are now sixteen volumes before the public. This work is regularly supported by thirty six minis. ters of the gospel, of different denominations, and of the first respectability in England; and occasionally assisted by many other ministers and friends of evangelical truth, both in Europe and America. It is the most extensively useful and generally interesting periodical publication of the kind in the world. Twenty thousand copies of which, in monthly numbers, are circulated among the friends of the mystery of godliness, and others, in every quarter of the globe. Having had access to this work from the beginning, I have long anxiously desired its precious contents might be more generally known in this country, than which, certainly nothing more is necessary to recommend it to real believers in Jesus, of every denomination. There is such a vein of Christian experience runs through the whole, such a purity of doctrine every where maintained with singular ability, and the necessity and excellence of gospel morality is always treated in such a manner, as must convince those who are strangers to the truth, that although Christ is the righteousness of believers, the grace of God teacheth them to deny ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; and will greatly edify and establish the weak in faith, and remove the doubts and comfort the hearts of the feeble minded. Feeling a conviction in my own mind of the probable utility of such a work as might readily be compiled from such a source, I have been induced to make an exertion to bring the successful labors of these eminently distinguished servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, except those VOL. I. * 1 parts locally uninteresting to us, before the American public, in a form that might be generally useful. May the blessing of Him who maketh truly rich, attend the undertaking, and render it productive of many permanently beneficial effects to every reader. I have been somewhat at a loss to know which part of the Magazine to take hold of first; to select all that is excellent would be little short of taking the whole. I have finally commenced with the Evangelicana, a term recently adopted by the editor to include anecdotes, hints, and other detached papers; though I have by no means confined my selections to that department. From the nature of this work and the character of the original, which is above praise, it is hoped this little volume will prove a source of great entertainment to all who read it, and a peculiarly precious repast to the experimental followers of the Lamb. It has all the fascination and amusement of novelty and variety, while it communicates the most salutary and important instructions to the mind. Some of the anecdotes and providential incidents, considered in themselves, may perhaps be thought not sufficiently meritorious to be publicly useful, but when viewed in connexion with the improvement which is made of such apparently trivial circumstances, there is not an article, it is believed, in the work, but will be found interesting to all who duly observe the providences of God, and love the Divine character and government. These events, however remarkable, are not related merely to gratify the curiosity, and excite the wonder and admiration of the reader; but are designed to shew the universal and constant care of our heavenly Father over his children, to set forth the unsearchable riches of his grace and compassion to the vilest of sinners, to comfort and encourage the excellent of the earth, to enlighten the ignorant, and reform the vicious. In regard to arrangement, I have followed the order of the magazine generally. Several scraps of the muses are interspersed, though not systematically, I hope not incongruously, in various parts of the work. I am sensible some of these and several other articles might have been more happily located; but as the work professes to be only a miscellaneous compilation, a studied method has been purposely avoided. The intrinsic merit of the following address to the Magazine soon after its first publication, although perhaps not exactly apposite, sufficiently apologizes for its application to the Gospel Treasury. "Go, little book, without delay, Spread fa and wide the Savior's name; While hell with all its legions roar'd, Point sinners to his bleeding wounds; Go, little book, and do not shun To such as long his love to see, Say to the fearful, haste away; Paul plants, Apollos waters, God giveth the increase To Him be glory for ever. Charlestown, April, 1809.. WILLIAM COLLIER. P.S. This volume will be found an amusing and profitable companion for travellers. The size is convenient for carriage. Price $1. |