The Christian's Instructor Instructed

The following typographical errors have escaped notice, partiy from the author's not being able to examine all the proof-sheets himself.

ERRATA.
Page 30, twelfth line from bottom, for decres., read decrees.

49, fourth line from bottom, for sourly, read surely.
“ 109, top line, for our, read sour.
“ 109, eighth line from bottom, for demanded, read advanced.
“ 110, fifteenth line from top, for consistent, read inconsistenk.

THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

18375
ASTOR, LENOX AND
TULDEN FOUNDATIONS

1901

District of Vermoni, to wit:
BE IT REMEMBERED, That, on the Fifteenth Day of March, in the Fifty

first Year of the Independence of the United States of America, Noah L.S.. to the ** Levings, of the said District, hath deposited in this Office, the title of

a book, the right whereof, be claims as Author, in the words following,

to wit : “ The Christian's Instructer Instructed; containing remarks upon a late publication of the Rev. Josiah Hopkins, A. M. Pastor of the Congrega. tional Church in New Haven, Vt. with a short Appendix, containing extracts from the Articles of the Addison Consociation, with brief remarks upon them. By Noak Levings, Minister of the Gospel. "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' Isaiah." In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United 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 specified."

JESSE GOVE,

Clerk of the District of Vermont. A true copx of record, examined and sealed by me.

J. GROVE, Clerk.

FROM the darkness of the human understanding, and from the limited state of human knowledge in this life, arise a great variety of opinions in matters of religion. These opinions have unhappily divided the Christian world into a great number of denominations; each of which, lay claim to orthodoxy, and appeal to the word of God in support of their sentiments. And it is among the most happy considerations, that such is the enlightened state of civil and religious liberty, that every

denomination has the unalienable right to propagate its peculiar sentiments, provided those sentiments do not disturb the order and harmony of civil society.

It was doubtless from this view of the subject, that Mr. Hopkins saw proper to advance his pecaliar sentiments to the public; and it is from the same view, in part, that we have taken the liberty of opposing such of them as are deem. ed by the author to be heterodox, As Mr. Hopkins (in those parts in which we oppose him) has only advanced doctrines and arguments perhaps a hundred times stated, and as often refuted, it was only necessary in opposing them, to adduce a few of the arguments which have so often been used with good success.

Hence it is not pretended, that any thing particularly new, or that has not in substance before been advanced, will be found in the following work. Nor must the reader expect in a work like this, (which is purely controversal) to find the subjects mentioned, so fully, or so methodically treated as he would have reason to expect, were it written under different

circumstancesUP. ECK. 27 MAR. 1901

DREW THEOLI SEM.

The author's principal object has been, to draw off the artful coverings of error, and present the absurdities of liis opponent's system candidly before the public-believing that the system he opposes needs only to be honestly examined to be disapproved. With regard to the execution of the following work, the author is aware that it contains many imperfections. These arose from different causes.--1. The want of greater literary qualifications for such an undertaking.-2. Want of time and retirement-having to travel constantly, and preach almost daily, and take the oversight of an extensive circuit.-3. From want of the aid of other authors; it being impracticable in his unsettled situation, to have a library always at hand. Considering these things, it certainly might be expected (as report says Mr. Hopkins has stated) that " we should have our hands full if we answer his book :" but whether we have or have not, we leave for others to judge. If he knows his own heari, the author's main object has been, to oppose error, defend the truth, and to the extent of his limited abilities, serve the cause of God, Should this be accomplished in any degree, his most sanguine expectations will be realized.

Finally, there can be no danger in opposing the Calvinistic system; for if it is true, our opposition is an event inclu. ded in the eternal purpose or decree of God, and of course is right; and it it is false, we certainly do right in opposing it, our opponents themselves being judges.

N. LEVINGS, Monkton, Dec. 2, 1826.

CONTENTS.

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