REV. ROBERT HAWKER, D. D. VICAR OF CHARLES, PLYMOUTH. As poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and 2 COR. vi. 10. LONDON: PRINTED FOR T. WILLIAMS, STATIONERS' COURT; THE EDITOR'S PREFACE. TO THE FIRST EDITION. I HAVE found my mind much disposed to the publication of these Memoirs and Writings of the late venerable man whose name they bear, from motives. which carry with them their own apology. The first, and by far the most important object, proposed from their publicity, is the hope, that under the Spirit's ministry, they may become instrumental, in eternal concerns, to many, in the promotion of the Divine glory; and the second inducement, though not equally interesting, yet by no means inconsiderable in the claims of social life, is the pleasing assurance, that their sale will minister to the temporal advantage of his widow; whom it pleased the Great Head of his Church, that his laborious servant should leave in indigent circumstances at the age of eighty-one. With respect to the former, I cannot question but that the Lord Jesus will commission these writings to much usefulness in his church. That sweet simplicity and godly sincerity which so peculiarly marks them in every page, is exactly such as we find the Lord hath owned, and blessed to the minds of his people in all ages of his church. They are what the Apostle, in his strong language, calls the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise: and the |