Vision.-The Power and Coming of the Messiah as foretold.--Ful- ness of the Divine Character, and end of Sacrifices.-Accomplish- ment of the Promises.-End of all Holy Places.-Note on these words, God is a Spirit.-Temper of Modern Judaizers, 90. New Testament Church or Kingdom of Heaven established by the Divine Law, opposed to Worldly Establishments.-Common expec- tation of some general Conversion of Jews and Gentiles groundless. -Glance at Church History.-Consumption of Antichrist, &c., 107. -Literal Version of the Text in Peter concerning the Word of Pro- phecy.-Rule of Interpreting the Prophecies, 131. Man distinguished from other Animals by what he knows of God and his Law. The Natural Conscience furnishes only reasons of Duty, which, when uncomplied with, turn out to be reasons of Despair.- The Gospel furnishes a Divine reason of Hope, by evidence peculiar Philosophy compared with the Popular Doctrine.-Several Passages in Essays on Morality and Natural Religion, and a late Natural His- The nature and tendency of Good and Bad Influence on the Mind of Man.-The History of the Spirit of Self-dependence, in its Opposi- tion to the Spirit of the Truth, carried forward from the Fall of the The Spirit of the Religion of the present Age, more especially on the Point of Acceptance with God, evinced, by producing a Specimen of the Doctrine patronized by the following names: Erasmus, Locke, Tillotson, Hutchinson, Watts, Doddridge, Guthrie, Boston, Erskines, General Reflections on True and False Religion, 237.-Artifices of many Preachers concerning Faith, 239.-Theron's Conversion Re- Apostolic Distinction of Faith, Hope, and Charity.-Faith described by the Truth believed.-All who believe the same Truth, who have the same notion of Divine Grace, or who understand these words, Jesus is the Christ, in the same sense with the Apostles, have equally pre- cious Faith with them.-Apostolic notion of Divine Grace illustrated and ascertained by what happened in the Synagogue of Nazareth; what is said of the Ten Lepers; two Debtors; case of Infants; Thief on the Cross.-Sentiments of many Preachers on the case of Capital absurdity of the Popular Doctrine, 279.-Reasons why the ture -Arts used to undermine it, 300.-Artful use of Similitudes; of the Scriptures, 310.-Popular Preachers compared with some critical Reasoners against the Atonement, 321.-Faith, how obtained, 331.- Apostolic distinction betwixt the Assurance of Faith and the Assurance of Hope.-Agency of the Holy Spirit in both.-The case of those who suffered for the Truth in the sixteenth century.-Consequence of Acts of Faith properly so called.-The change of Mind made by Faith, Repentance, Self-denial, Conversion, Regeneration, &c., 347.-How one comes to know his fate is changed.-Difference betwixt Faith and Experience, 355.-Ill-founded claims of peculiar relation to God attended with the worst consequences, 360.-A remarkable Passage in the Dialogues considered, 363.-Mr. Marshall's Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, 368.-Recommendation of Books, 373.-Source of practical Errors in the profession of Christianity.-Several practical Errors noted, 374.-Progress of the Popular Doctrine in England, with some principal marks of a Popular Preacher, 380. Apostolic Account of Charity, opposed to the modern, 387.-The hinge of modern Charity, illustrated by a remarkable Passage quoted from the Divine Legation of Moses, 393.-A view of several Writers, for whom charitable esteem is expressed in the Meditations and Dialogues, 399.-The respect paid to Philosophers.-Indignation at common Beggars, 402.-General Reflections, closed with a bold and nervous Passage quoted from the Dialognes, which all true friends of the PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. VERY few words are needful to introduce the present edition of the following work. The sole reason of its republication here, lies in the deliberate conviction which the editor entertains, of its being a far more faithful exhibition of Gospel truth than any other work which has ever come to his knowledge. The name of its author has long been under reproach, and will probably so continue to be, while the memory of these letters shall endure. The reader will be at no loss to discern the cause of this result. Should he dislike the general scope of the work, no skill could avail probably to justify to his estimation the severity of censure, which SANDEMAN saw fit to indulge towards the most venerated names of his day. Should he, however, believe and love the truth maintained in the work, he will probably see little to regret in it, on this or any other score. One eminent advantage, at least, which the controversial character of the work gives it, is, that none of its intelligent readers can complain of being kept in doubt, as to any of the author's sentiments in regard to the great principles of Gospel truth. By tracing out what he esteems the corruptions of the Gospel, in the hands of the popular preachers and writers, and contrasting with each the full light of the unadulterated truth, he has made it very easy for any one to obtain a complete understanding of his meaning. The editor is far from sure that this desirable end,- -so especially desirable in books which concern the highest interests of man,—would have been so well accomplished without the peculiar feature now alluded to. Had SANDEMAN been content to set forth the positive truth, without at all bringing into view its negative aspect, he might possibly have failedsuch is the listlessness of readers generally-in attracting attention to those distinctive features of the truth, in which its peculiar adaptedness to man's actual condition appears, and in which, likewise, the plainest discoveries are made of the real nature of that enmity to God, under which we all lie. Because the doctrines maintained in the work migh seem to be evangelical, and many of the writer's terms might correspond with those of religious books generally, the majority of readers would have supposed it just what they had read and heard a thousand times, and have given just as little heed to it as they had to all that had gone before. This idea is strengthened by the reception which a work, having a precisely similar end, but a different manner of reaching it, has recently met with from the religious public. The work referred to is Dr. RUSSELL'S Letters, lately republished in Philadelphia, and furnished with an introduction by the Rev. Mr. Boardman. There are probably no two sentiments of any moment at variance in these two works, and yet one is highly lauded in mouths, which are unsparing in condemnation of the other. The writer has heard it asserted-by those too who would be sorry to be accounted dull theologians-that there is no perceptible disagreement between the sentiments of Russell, and the great mass of publications which have issued from the Presbyterian Church; and Mr. Boardman himself would seem, from a passage in his preface, to have left it questionable, whether even he has observed any material difference between them and the writings of Doddridge and others, which are so current in the churches. Dr. RUSSELL has seen fit to withhold all express declarat ons of such difference, leaving it to be found out by those whom it arrests, and for a time at least has therefore avoided-though the writer is far from imputing this as a motive to him—the reproach of such as are hostile to it. The explana tion of the difference in the reception which these two works, so iden tical in their great general purpose, and strain of sentiinent,—have met with at the hands of those who may be presumed to have seen their accordance, is to be found perhaps in that principle of our nature, which leads us to tolerate every error, which does not pointedly and directly impugn our own favourite maxims, and to be intolerant only towards intolerance. Dr. RUSSELL holds sentiments which are eschewed by all the standard writers of his church, and the vast bulk comparatively of its communion, but has not thought it his duty to carry his difference (fundamental as he admits it to be between individuals) to the point of separation. SANDEMAN entertaining the same difference, sought in another communion a more cordial fellowship in the truth, and of course stood condemned by all whom he deserted. New-York, July, 1838. |