I. Questions of serious Importance for Students in Divinity frequently to put II. Question in the Doctrines of Divinity THE PREFACE. AMONG the papers published last year, there bath been some enquiry made, whether there be any decay of the dissenting interest, and what may be supposed to have been the occasion of it. So far as I have searched into that matter, I have been informed, that whatsoever decrease may have appeared in some places, there have been sensible advances in others. And without entering into any debate about the particular reasons of its declension in any town whatsoever,* I am well satisfied that the great and general reason is the decay of vital religion in the hearts and lives of men, and the little success which the ministrations of the gospel have had of late for the conversion of sinners to holiness, and the recovery of them from the state of corrupt nature, and the course of this world, to the life of God by Jesus Christ. If this be not our hope and design, the support of the dissenting interest is but of little importance. What is it that we mean by asserting the rights and freedom of conscience in our separation from the established church, but more effectually to promote the kingdom of God amongst men, to do more honour to the name of Christ our Saviour in his institutions, and better to carry on the blessed work of the salvation of souls? But if these things are not happily promoted amongst us, it is no wonder that persons release themselves from all the inconveniences that in some places may attend their separation from a public establishment, especially when it is so evident that the allurements of riches and honours, and public trusts and offices lie all on that side. Nor is the complaint of the declension of virtue and piety made only by the protestant dissenters: It is a general matter of mournful observation amongst all that lay the cause of God to heart: And therefore it cannot be thought amiss for every one to use all just and proper efforts for the recovery of dying religion in the world. And since something may be done amongst the ministers, and something among the people, to attain this desirable end, I have been persuaded to publish these following exhortations, or addresses, which are directed both to the one and the other. The exhortation to ministers was composed at the request of my worthy friend and brother Mr. John Oakes, and designed to have been delivered at his public ordination in the congregation of dissenting protestants, at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, on November 12, 1729. But the providence of God prevented me from fulfilling that service by confining me to a bed of sickness on that day. In the composition of that discourse, my thoughts ran out to four or five times the length of what would have been sufficient for that service, so that I must have greatly contracted it in the delivery: But being much importuned, both by my reverend brother, who has perused far the greatest part of it, and by the congregation now under his care, to make it public, I have revised it with a This whole affair is set in the best light in a little pamphlet, entitled "Free Thoughts on the most probable Means of reviving the Dissenting Interest, occasioned by a late Enquiry into the Causes of its Decay.” N. B. It was written by the late Rev. Dr. Philip Doddridge. |