PREFATORY REMARKS.

WHETHER more than one person has been engaged in producing this little treatise—or whether one suggested and another executed-is of little consequence to the reader. But he may as well be told that something of this kind is the fact-and hence it is that no author's name appears on the title-page.

The first thoughts of such a production arose from the private perusal of the Holy Scriptures; which, as all acquainted with them are aware, abound in figures, metaphors, and allegories. Clothing, or garments-such as coats, clokes, robes, and vestures, are frequently made use of in a figurative sense to denote the good or the bad-the righteous or the wicked-or to indicate the moral state and condition of men. The Psalmist speaks of the wicked;"Pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment." (lxxiii. 6). "He clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment." (cix. 18). On the other hand we find pious Job exclaiming, "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem." (xix. 14).

Without attempting to produce further proof of this now, we would rather refer the reader to the following pages, in which numerous quotations from Holy Scripture of a similar character will be found.

But the main design of this little volume is to set forth the moral condition of man in the sight of his Holy and Merciful Creator-what he was originally, when first introduced into the delightful existence which awaited him in that lovely Paradise which had been already prepared by Infinite Goodness for his reception-how he by transgression fell from this high and holy position, into one of sin, and guilt, and woe-the wonderful provision made by consummate wisdom and boundless benevolence for his restoration -the help offered to aid him in his return to God, and the glorious reward which awaits his obedience in the regions of immortal life.

These Great Facts, so important to the destinies of human beings, are set forth in the following pages in a new form; and hence it is ardently hoped that they may attract the attention of some. It should also be mentioned, that free use has been made, in the first chapters, of quotations from those approved writers who have written best on the very serious subjects under discussion. The quotations from Holy Scripture have been made, not from memory, but in every instance, we believe, from the Word itself; the italics in the quotations being copies of the original

and not given for emphasis. The chapters and verses of the books from which the passages are quoted are not generally given; but with help from good old Cruden (blessed be his memory!) they may easily be found.

Of course the following pages were printed before this short Preface was written; and this affords an opportunity for pointing out the phraseology of one short sentence which is not exactly what, upon again looking at it, we wish it had been. The sentence to which we refer is at page 124, the top paragraph, which reads thus :-"But so much for the Hypocrites -for I would fain have done with them; and could wish that the whole breed were frowned out of existence by the virtuous indignation of an enlightened world. Spirit of the living God! may thy breath consume them." Now as this has the "appearance" of cursing, and we are told to "bless and curse not," we would prefer that it should be made to express a wish, not that the persons of hypocrites, but the system of hypocrisy might be "frowned out of existence," and that the breath of the Spirit of the living God might consume it, according to 2 Thes. ii. 8.

We now leave this humble effort in the hands of the public. It will be a small matter to us what judgment is passed upon it by a certain class of readers. If it should happily be the means of fixing the attention of but one reader to things of everlasting importance to himself, leading him to seek to be in

vested in that "robe of righteousness" in which alone he can make an appearance in the court of heaven, we shall be amply rewarded. May the Giver of every good gift, and of every perfect gift, bestow his divine and holy influence upon every reader, so that the eyes of his understanding being opened, he may be led to glorify God for his abundant mercy in Christ Jesus.

January 1, 1850.