The following Sermon was preached on several occasions, some time before it was committed to writing. The writer lays no claim to originality. His aim is to furnish to plain people, a few plain reasons for attachment to the Church of England; and this he has endeavoured to effect, by giving extracts from authorized documents, which prove the harmony of the Church of England with the revealed will of God. An opinion is often insinuated into the minds of the young members of our church, (if that opinion is not fully expressed)— that serious persons, in order to make any great progress in religion, and to become shining lights, must leave the Church of England. The writer hopes that this Sermon will supply a refutation of so uncandid and unfair an insinuation, and that it may be the means of establishing the young people of his flock in sound, Protestant, Church of England principles. Newhall Parsonage, Feb. 20th, 1844. J. H. M. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The reasons which induced the writer to publish this Sermon, are stated in the preface to the first edition. As there are no copies of that edition remaining, the writer ventures to send the Sermon to the press again: he has only to add, that daily experience has confirmed him in the truth of the views advocated in the succeeding pages. Portland, May, 1849. |