author has adopted two general principles, to which he has given great prominence in the following pages, and these are the absolute impropriety of a few rich men attempting to lord it over God's heritage, and the equal impropriety on the part of those who are young, or immature in knowledge and experience, practically asserting their claim to equal rights, upon every occasion, in a vehement, contentious manner. In all societies, there necessarily must be some individuals, of greater influence than the rest; but this influence should ever be the result of character and usefulness, rather than of station; and should be most cheerfully conceded by others, but never forcibly taken by themselves. If the author had been acquainted with any treatise on this subject, in which the principles here laid down and illustrated, had been sufficiently developed, he would have spared himself the trouble of this production. The little tract of Dr. Owen's, entitled "Eshcol," the addresses of Dr. Harris, and Mr. Hackett, and the Catechism of Mr. Miller, are exceedingly excellent; and the only fault belonging to them, which the author has any hope of correcting in his book, is their brevity. The compendium of the late Rev. Daniel Turner, of Abington, is very useful as a skeleton; but a mere unclothed synopsis of principles, unaccompanied by much illustration, is not sufficiently attractive for ordinary readers, who need not only to be informed what is their duty, but allured to its performance. Mr. Inne's Sketches of Human Nature are judicious to admiration, and have furnished many valuable remarks to enrich the following work; but do not so directly and comprehensively treat on the subject of church government, as to render this volume unnecessary. On the Propriety of occasionally administering the Lord's Supper in Private Houses for the Sake of sick CHURCH MEMBER'S GUIDE. CHAPTER I. ON THE NATURE OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Ir is obviously incumbent on the members of any community, whether civil or sacred, to acquaint themselves with its constitution and design; without this, they can neither adequately enjoy the privileges, nor properly discharge the duties which their membership brings with it. Such persons are held more by feeling than by principle; a tenure quite insufficient, as a bond of religious connexion. It is admitted that as in the human frame, so in the system of divine truth, there are parts of greater and less importance; and the man who would put the principles of church government upon a level with the doctrine of the atonement, and represent a belief in the former as no less essential to salvation than a reliance upon the latter, betrays a lamentable ignorance of both. Still, however, although the hand is of less consequence to vitality than the head or the heart, is it of no value? Will any one be reckless of his members, because he can lose them and yet live? So be B |