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CALL

TO THE

UNCONVERTED,

то

TURN and LIVE;

And accept of MERCY, while MERCY may
be had; as ever they will find MERCY, in
the Day of their EXTREMITY from the
Living GOD.

By the late Reverend and Pious

Mr. RICHARD BAXTER.

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PRINTED BY WILSON, SPENCE, AND MAWMAN.
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1-30-1832

A SHORT

ACCOUNT

OF

THE AUTHOR;

AND

The great Success which attended the CALL when first published.

IT may be

proper to prefix an account of this book given by Mr. Baxter himself, which was found in his ftudy after his death, in his own words.

"I published a fhort Treatife on converfion, intitled, A Call to the Unconverted. The occafion of this was my converse with bishop Ufher, while I was at London, who approving my method and directions for peace of confcience, was importunate with me to write directions fuited to the various ftates of Christians, and also against particular fins I reverenced the man, but difregarded these perfuafions, fuppofing I could do nothing but what is done better

already: but when he was dead, his words went deeper to my mind, and I purposed Í to obey his counfel; yet fo as that to the firft fort of men (the ungodly) I thought vehement perfuafions meeter than directions only and fo for fuch I published this little book, which God hath bleffed with unexpected fuccefs, beyond all the reft that I have written, except the "Saints' Reft." In a little more than a year, there were about twenty thousand of them printed by my own confent, and about ten thoufand fince, befides many thoufand by ftolen impreffions, which poor men ftole for lucre fake. Through God's mercy, I have information of almoft whole houfeholds converted by this finall book, which I fet fo light by and, as if all this in England, Scotland, and Ireland, were not mercy enough to me, God (fince I was filenced) hath fent it over on his meffage to many beyond the feas; for when Mr. Elliot had printed all the Bible in the Indian language, he next tranflated this my "Call to the Unconverted," as he wrote to us here.And yet God would make fome farther ufe of it; for Mr. Stoop, the paftor of the French Church in London, being driven hence by the difpleafure of fuperiors, was pleased to tranflate it into French; I hope it will not be unprofitable there, nor in Germany, where it is printed in Dutch.'

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It may be proper alfo to mention Dr. Bates's account of the author, and of this

ufeful Treatife.- -In his fermon, at Mr. Baxter's funeral, he thus fays; "His books of practical divinity have been effectual for more converfions of finners to God than any printed in our time; and, while the church remains on earth, will be of continual efficacy to recover loft fouls.There is a vigorcus pulfe in them that keeps the reader awake and attentive." -His Call to the Unconverted, how small in bulk, but how powerful in virtue! Truth fpeaks in it with that authority and efficacy, that it makes the reader to lay his hand upon his heart, and find that he has a foul and a confcience, though he lived before as if he had none. He told fome friends that fix brothers were converted by reading that Call, and that every week he received letters of fome converted by his books. This he fpake ofwith most humble thankfulness, that God was pleased to use him as an inftrument for the falvation of fouls.

Self-denial and contempt of the world were fhining graces in him. I never knew any perfon lefs indulgent to himself, and more indifferent to his temporal interest.

His patience was truly Christian; he was tried by many afflictions. We are tender of our reputation. His name was obfcured under a cloud of detraction: many fcandalous darts were thrown at him. He was accufed for his Paraphrafe upon the New

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