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UPON AN ANONYMOUS

LETTER,

STYLED,

"THE DUTY OF A CHRISTIAN

IN A TRYING SITUATION;"

ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHOR OF A PAMPHLET, ENTITLED,

"THE MEDIATOR'S KINGDOM

NOT OF THIS WORLD," &c.

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

ROM. xii. 21.

NEW-YORK:

PUBLISHED BY WILLIAMS & WHITING,

AT THEIR THEOLOGICAL AND CLASSICAL BOOK-STORE, No. 118, Pearl-street.

J. SEYMOUR, PRINTER.

1810.

PREFACE.

ONE object of the writer of the following pages is,

to expose what he apprehends to be some of the incorrect statements and reasonings, in the anoymous "Letter" addresssed to the author of the pamphlet, entitled the "Mediator's kingdom not of this world;" and to correct some things in the pamphlet itself, which are liable to misapprehension.

His principal object has been, and still is, if his heart does not deceive him, to ascertain and promote the spread of the truth as it is in Jesus.

It is not his design at present, to enter fully into the investigation of the lawfulness of war; as it would require too much time, and extend his remarks beyond the proper bounds of a pamphlet.

It is his intention to take but little notice of the attempt at wit and sarcasm which is displayed in the "Letter;" but to confine himself principally to such parts as have the appearance of argument.

Ridicule may amuse the witling, but it never will instruct or edify the sober Christian. It is a weapon which does not so much become the soldier of Jesus Christ as the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. He who can display levity, while investigating the truths of the Gospel, can never be brought to sober inquiry by a jeering reply. Although ridicule may have a greater effect upon the trifling reader than sound reasoning, yet

it is no test of truth, and can never promote serious investigation. It is, therefore, the design of the writer to confine himself principally to Scripture testimony; for

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by the word of God, and by that only, ought every controversy to be tried." (Med. Kingd. p. 37.)

As there appears to have been considerable confusion in the ideas of the author of the "Letter," upon which the following remarks are made, the reader must not anticipate a very connected reply.

If the reader should not perceive so much reasoning as he expects in the following pages, the writer's apol gy is, that he could find but little argument to meet.

ADDRESSED

TO CHRISTIAN READERS,

UPON THE "LETTER," ENTITLED,

"THE DUTY OF A CHRISTIAN

IN A

TRYING SITUATION."

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,

THE cause of our blessed Redeemer is a common

cause, in which we are all deeply interested; and when Christians do not understand the doctrines and duties of the Gospel alike, it may be proper for them to compare their views by the unerring standard of God's word: but it is very important that they do it in the spirit and temper of the Gospel. When Christians fall out by the way, and revile each other, it gives the enemy an opportunity to blaspheme.

No person can desire, from Christian motives, to dissent in sentiment and practice from the common views of the great body of Christian professors, merely for the sake of becoming conspicuous by his singularity. But when his conscience, in the light of God's word, compels him to differ, not only from the great body of professing Christians and the men of the world, but from a precious number of dear friends, with whom he has often taken sweet counsel, and with whom he expects, through the riches of divine grace, to meet in his Father's house; it is a trial which none can understand, except by painful experience.

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