PREFACE.

THE Writer of these pages is aware, that the subject of them is by no means popular, even among those who are esteemed the difciples of Chrift. Befides the particular prejudices of various perfons in favour of their own practice, the fubject, by a kind of general confent, has of late years been confidered as little connected with practical religion. Whether this has arisen from most parties being conscious that their own modes of worship are little conducive to godliness, and that they cannot be defended from the Scriptures, he prefumes not to determine.

The religion of Jesus, in its doctrines, precepts and inftitutions, is one connected whole; in proportion as one part is overlooked, the force of all will be weakened. He who feels, as every Christian must, his proneness to let flip the most important truths of the word of God, will be thankful that the Lord has graciously employed various means to preserve in our minds the remembrance of them. He has revealed his will in the most engaging and affecting manner, and has also instituted various ordinances of worship, all which reprefent, and are memorials of the doctrines of his word.

If, in reading the hiftory of the life of a great man, we had at the fame time an opportunity of feeing his actions delineated in the most correct and the finest paintings, it would make a far deeper impreffion on our minds than the mere narrative.

1

Things to the mind before unknown,
And ent'ring by the ear alone,
Draw lefs attention and surprise,
Than had they enter'd by the eyes

The ordinances of Chrift are juft so many fenfible
images of the doctrines he taught. When these
are obferved as he delivered them, they greatly
tend to impress us with just views of the truth,
and where they are in any measure corrupted,
they naturally lead us into error and misappre-
henfion:
Error and mifapprehenfion in fenti-
ment, must always produce error in practice; for
it is certain from the word of God, that holiness
fprings from the knowledge and belief of the
truth.

"

The great end aimed at in these pages, is to promote love and union amongst Christians, and confequently the fuccefs of the gofpel in the world. The author is convinced, that both these are intimately connected with the fubject of the book. True, genuine, and fincere union, is abfolutely impracticable while profeffors neglect to enquire,

* Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures,
Quam quæ funt oculis fubjecta fidelibus.

to understand, and to practife the directions of the word of God respecting social worship, and confequently their attempts to diffuse the knowledge of Chrift will be feeble, inconfiftent, and ineffectual.

He will be happy to receive correction wherein he has erred, for although he is persuaded that he treads on fure ground refpecting the general principles which he has adopted, he is yet fenfible that he may, in fome respects, have committed mistakes in the application of them; and if fo, he knows that the error must have bad confequences on his mind.

This book is not intended as a standard for the order of any church of Christ. Should it be adopted as fuch, the views of the writer would be thereby completely defeated. His defign is to excite his brethren in Christ to study the Scriptures on this and every other subject, and to appeal only to the law and to the teftimony. In fo far as it produces this effect, his object will be gained. He cordially adopts the language of Mr Ainsworth:

If any places (viz. of God's word) be alleged amiss or impertinent, or things gathered otherwife than the text will afford, (as through my ignorance or unheedinefs, no doubt, many may be ;) I humbly ask pardon for the fame, both of God and his people; and do defire the reader not to rely upon my judgment in any thing, but as himfelf, by the wifdom of God's Spirit, shall fee agreeable unto truth. For, if any fhall build up

:

on my words, without fure ground from the law of the Lord, he fhall firft offend God, who hath given his Scriptures by divine inspiration, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. to teach and perfuade all truth, to reprove and correct all error; to instruct in righte oufness, and make men perfect unto every good work he fhall injure me alfo, who have written these things to be tried and examined by Christ's law, not to be accepted for a law; and he fhall injure his own foul, by relying upon the word of frail man, whofe breath is in his noftrils, which cannot establish the heart, nor affure the confcience in any thing. Let, therefore, the grafs wither, and the flower fade, for it is the word of our God that fhall ftand for ever!" Ifa. xl. 8.*

The Author hopes that criticifms or remarks, however juft, on the manner or style in which he has written, will not be confidered as reafons for neglecting what is here laid before the Public.

He now commends this attempt to place the truth before the minds of Chriftians, to that powerful influence which can produce attention, banish prejudice, and work effectually and practi cally against all oppofition!

EDINBURGH, June 4. 1805.

Preface to Ainsworth's Treatife on the Communion of Saints, p. lxxviii. See his two Treatifes re-published at Edinburgh, 1789.