THE author of the following discourses cheerfully conforms to the usual custom, in furnishing a few words by way of introduction to his new volume of sermons. When a new book makes its appearance, the inquiry is at once started, What demand has called forth another book? or, What is the object in offering another book to the world? It is due, both to the writer and the public, that a few words of explanation, in reply to the above and some other questions, should appear here.

      1. By means of the periodicals, and other publications, issued from the hand of the author of the following discourses, which have been extensively circulated in this country, and to some extent in other countries, he has become well known to many thousands as a writer and publisher with whom he has no personal acquaintance. Many of those his ardent friends he can never see and address in person. From these the request has frequently been made, during the past few years, that such a series of discourses as the following should be published. To meet the wishes of these, in this respect, has been one reason for the appearance of this volume.

      2. Again: there are many thousands, in all quarters of this country, and beyond the limits of our own country, who have recognized the name of the writer as a preacher of the Gospel of much success for many years past. It is now true that he has been actively engaged in the ministry of the Word more than thirty years, without the [5] intermission of a single week, except in a few instances when compelled by sickness to lay by for a short time, and that more than eight thousand persons have been turned to the Lord by his own personal appeals. Many persons who have been made acquainted with these facts, but never seen him nor heard his voice, desire to see a few of the discourses, as a specimen, which have been effective in the achievement of this work. This volume is intended, to some extent, to meet this demand.

      3. Numerous persons who have heard the voice of the author of these discourses, and participated with him in the meetings held by him in his extended labors in half the States of the Union, desire to have a. few of the sermons they have heard, that they may read and preserve them. They want them because they have heard and will recognize and identify them, and thus call up anew the thrilling surroundings and interesting scenes on the happy occasions of their delivery, in the presence of vast audiences. They want them that their children may read them, and recognize in them specimens of the preaching that achieved the great reformatory movement of the nineteenth century, and produced such a revolution in the public mind in this great and rising country. It is an item in the intention of the writer to meet this demand.

      4. Many friends have made the suggestion that immense good can be achieved by placing these discourses in the hands of serious persons, that they may consider them candidly and composedly, without the excitement of public occasions. We have no doubt that much good will, in this way, result from them. They want them to send to their friends who reside whore they have no preaching from those devoted exclusively to the Gospel of Christ, that they may understand the ground we, as a religious body, occupy. The volume is aimed to subserve these ends.

      The author of these discourses is entirely an extemporaneous speaker, never in his life having memorized a single discourse, either of his own [6] composition or that of any body else, and never than three times in his life attempting to read a discourse. He preaches frequently on the same subject, but perfectly extemporaneously, varying widely on different occasions, enlarging or abbreviating as the occasion may appear to require, and as the mind may be more active and fruitful on some occasions than others. While many of his numerous hearers will recognize themes in this volume on which they have heard him, and numerous points on which he has amplified, more or loss, in their hearing, they will not find a single discourse which they ever heard or read word for word. Still, the themes being the same, and the arguments bearing such a resemblance to what they have heard or read, they will readily recognize them. But probably a half dozen paragraphs can not be found--except in a single discourse--in the volume, corresponding word for word with any thing the author has ever spoken or written. They have all been written exclusively for this volume.

      Such themes have been selected as to make the series of discourses similar to what the author has delivered on some occasions, especially the first ten discourses. They are intended for men in the confused, perverted, and unbelieving condition of thousands of well-meaning people of our time, to relieve them of their doubts, perplexities, and confusion, and stay their minds on the one Lord and his holy teaching--showing them that there is something clear, intelligible, and tangible on which the souls of men can rest.

      The constant aim in preparing these discourses has been to simplify, render every thing easy and clear, thus fitting them for and adapting them to the people. The continual effort has been to convince, enlighten, and turn the sinner to God; to build up, encourage, and comfort the saints. In doing this, numerous difficult, perplexing, and controverted points are introduced, the issues clearly stated, and the truth vindicated, maintained, and defended. The following discourses are aimed to be simply Gospel discourses, stating, unfolding, advocating, maintaining, and defending the Gospel of Christ, and opposing, exposing, and repudiating every thing in the way of it, or in opposition to [7] it. This is done in kindness, but in plainness, and with earnestness and force. An effort been made throughout to furnish those discourses as near in the same spirit and substance as the author speaks as possible.

      It will be seen in the perusal of these discourses that the reformatory movement of the nineteenth century is appreciated by the writer of these lines; that he regards the ground occupied in this great movement as invulnerable; as unquestionably right; as capable of the most irresistible advocacy, propagation, and defense; as the only hope of the present generation. It is nothing less than to return to the original ground in all things; to stand precisely where the apostles and first Christians stood; receive precisely the same Gospel received by them; preach it as they preached it; believe it as they believed it, and practice it as they practiced it. As to this being not only the best thing that can now be done, but the only thing that can be done, with any hope of uniting Christians and converting the world, the writer hereof never expects to entertain a single doubt.

      The themes of the following discourses are discussed as if the hearer were supposed to be listening for the first time to Gospel discourses--as if the entire matter were new to him. They are prepared in this style purposely, for the reason that the object is to give them as specimens of the author's preaching, as nearly as possible as he preaches, and many who will read them will need the elucidations found here of the plainest matters. No attempt has been made only to bring the Gospel of Christ to the understanding, unfold it, defend it, and enforce it on the hearer, to the exclusion of every thing else. As Paul explained that the grace or favor of apostleship was given to him that he "might preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ," and "to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" [Eph 3:8,9]; so now, the real purpose of every man who knows the meaning of preaching the Gospel ought to be, not to blind men, but to "make all men see," or " to enlighten all men as it respects the fellowship of the mystery," which, from the [8] beginning of time had, to the time of the apostles, been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, but which were then revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

      These sermons come not with any claim of originality--any wonderful discoveries of any thing new or startling; they claim simply to be sound Gospel discourses, without display or flourish, in the native style of the author, addressed to the minds, hearts, and consciences of men, in reference to the most wonderful realities known to our fallen and sinful race, with the desire to make men happy. benefit and save them. They come not to engender strife, but to make peace--final and everlasting peace. To show men how to enjoy the peace of God and be at peace with all good men, is of transcendent importance. The writer believes there is a peace ground--a union ground--where all the good and true, the pure and holy, can unite, enjoy God and the holy fellowship of the saints, and, with one heart and one soul, labor together to turn the world to God. This ground, he believes, is pretty fully developed in the following discourses, and the objections to it shown to be without foundation, and swept away. It is confidently believed by the writer that the reader of the following discourses will find a ready relief from many of the perplexing questions of our time--a clear path for him to pursue, and full encouragement--if he has simply an honest desire to serve God and be saved.

      The teaching in these discourses, any man who reads them will readily see, is the same in substance with the teaching of the venerable men who led the way in our glorious reformatory movement, with the most of whom the writer has had a personal acquaintance, and with all of whom he has been familiarly acquainted by reputation. To understand and give to others an understanding of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments containing the will of God to man; to do that will of God, and induce others to do it, on earth as it is done in heaven, was their great aim. This great aim can not be wrong. The writer claims to unite with them in this great aim, and offers this volume as a mite contributed in carrying out this aim.

      The Bible, in its own diving character, and for the purpose the Lord [9] had in giving it, must restored to the people--not merely in in a neatly-printed volume in in our mother-tongue, but in its own native power and grandeur. Its divine authority must be asserted, maintained, and defended not only as true, divine, from God, but it must be enforced, urged, and continually impressed on the hearts and consciences of men. As a people, we must make all men know that we are simply for the Bible, in its own true import, purpose, or intent; for the God of the Bible, in the character ascribed to him in the Bible; the Messiah of the Bible, with the divine character ascribed to him in that holy book, and his offices; the Holy Spirit of the Bible, with the office and work ascribed to him in the Bible; the religion of the Bible, in all its parts--its facts, its commandments, and promises; its faith, obedience, and hope; its rewards and punishments--the whole of it; no more, no less. To it and to its Divine Author we have vowed eternal allegiance; to develop it, enforce it on the minds, hearts, and consciences of mankind; to advocate, propagate, maintain, defend, and perpetuate it has been the work of the author of the following discourses for a third of a century; to be enrolled with its friends, a co-laborer with them, and have their fellowship; to have their God for his God, their cause for his cause, and their final inheritance for his inheritance, is the highest honor he desires. If this volume shall, in any goodly degree, enlighten sinners encourage, comfort, and strengthen the saints, the purpose of the writer will be fully accomplished.

BENJ. FRANKLIN.       [10]

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