THE CHRISTIAN'S INSTRUCTER, CONTAINING A SUMMARY EXPLANATION AND DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINES AND DUTIES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. By JOSIAH HOPKINS, A. M. "To the law and to the testimony."-ISAIAH. MIDDLEBURY: PRINTED BY J. W. COPELAND. 1825. THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY CAMBRIDGE, MASU. 486,272 DISTRICT OF VERMONT, to wit: BE IT L. S. REMEMBERED, That on the eighth day of October, in the fiftieth year of the Independence of the United States of America, the Reverend JOSIAH HOPKINS of the said District, hath deposited in this office, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit: "The Christian's Instructer, containing a summa. ry explanation and defence of the doctrines and duties of the Christian Religion By Josiah Hopkins, A. M. Pastor of the Congrega. tional Church in New Haven, Vt. To the law and to the testimony.-Isaiah." In conformity to the act of the Congress of the Uni ted States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." JESSE GOVE, Clerk of the District of Vermont. A true copy of record, examined and sealed by J. GOVE, Clerk, 629 Hopkins Widener-gift 7-18-55 BOOKS have become so numerous, and the commencement of a new publication an event so common, that unless an author can promise something entirely new, either in the mat ter of his publication, or in its arrangement, he is considered as making an unreasonable demand on the publick if he expect his book to be read. The author of the following work, while he would hold out no very flattering promises of this kind, deems it his duty to state some of the reasons by which he was led to undertake it. Being repeatedly favoured with an opportunity to witness the interest which is taken by Christians in general, in the examination of men for licensure or ordination, he was led to inquire whether a work which should exhibit little more than what is exhibited on these occasions, might not command so much interest as to be in many respects useful. Had it not been for the solicitation of friends on whose judgment he could not but place the most unshaken confidence, such a work would have been the extent of his endeavours. It is however a painful, but well-known fact, that the information of common Christians does not keep pace with the increase of books. It is true that their opportunities for obtaining books are far better than those enjoyed by their fathers; but their books in general seem better adapted to the student, than to the common Christian. Both on account of their own enjoyment and their usefulness in the world, they need clear and definite views of truth; but most of the books on the doctrines and practice of christianity at the present day, with their opportunities to read and examine, are not adapted to furnish them. Where a single branch of a subject is spread through a volume, it cannot be expected that men who have but little to spare, can be persuaded to purchase books of this kind sufficient to afford them any kind of a knowledge of their own faith, much less that definite and concise knowledge which they need. Neither will those who are favoured with competent teachers, while their minds are burdened with the cares and concerns of the present world, be able to remember from one week to another, so as to see the connexion and agreement between the different parts of the system. The consequences are, while the present age is fruitful in devices designed as weapons with which to oppose the truth, Christians are unarmed. They may have a confidence that their teachers are able to defend their faith, and that they have seen the conclu siveness of their arguments; but this confidence is of but little service as it respects their influence on others, so long as the arguments are not within their reach, and cannot be wielded by them. Not only so, but the great body of Christians have but little time to read. If their libraries contained a competent number of these books, they would not be able to read sufficiently to obtain those views which we have mentioned. Another of the consequences of this state of things is, some real Christians are bewildered and led away, where they are exposed to the buffetings of error. Others who were once sensible to the influence of truth, and seemed in a fair way to become Christians, are led to embrace errors that extinguish almost every ray of hope in their case. Through the whole of this work, the object has been to present the system of truth before the mind of the reader, in a manner as plain, as concise, and yet as conclusive as possible. It has appeared more important to give the substance of the best arguments, rather than a multiplicity of them, or a few drawn out to a great length. In this way, the author has constantly endeavoured to compass his prominent design-to give the system of truth, and the arguments by which it is supported, in a manner so brief and definite, that both the labour of reading it so as to understand it, and the expense, may be within the power of common people. A free use has been made of the works which are named at the close of the different subjects. Others have been consulted, but the substance of the various subjects is taken from those that are mentioned. To expect, in a work like this, to meet the minds of all, even of those who imbibe substantialy the sentiments of the author, would be vain in the extreme. From various causes, different sentiments will appear the most important to different persons; of course, it is impossible that all should be satisfied with the degree of attention that has been paid to each. The whole work has been written under a deep sense of the delicacy of such an undertaking, and of the utter impossibility, especially for one in the circumstances of the author, to accomplish it without exposing himself to criticism. He is not unwilling however to own, that he has cherished an expectation which has afforded him no inconsiderable support under all the trials and embarrassments he has felt. He has flattered himself that a large class of Christians and other inquirers after truth, may be enlightened, and lastingly benefitted by his labours, notwithstanding their imperfections. New-Haven, October 13, 1825. |