in the Church, how far they embarass 71-77 1. The Evangelical, its Truth and Weak- ness; whether necessarily opposed to 2. High Church View, its Truth and Weak- 91-103 172-187 PREFACE. THE nature and object of these Letters are sufficiently explained by their title. They treat of the Kingdom of Christ; they profess only to be a collection of hints; and they are suggested by the history and present circumstances of the Society of Friends. But it may be well to state, in a few words, why the Author has entered upon so vast a subject; why, if he thought himself fitted to discuss it at all, he has not discussed it more fully and learnedly why he has connected it with the proceedings of a particular sect. 1. It seems to me, that whatever may be the temper or education of theological students, and thoughtful men generally, in this day, or to whatever point they mean to direct their studies, the questions,-Is there a Catholic Church? what are its principles and constitution?-inevitably force themselves upon their attention, and in some sense take precedence of all others. We have most of us known persons who determined, at the outset of their course, that the cultivation of personal religion in themselves and their brethren, should be the sole object of their solicitude. "Some men, they said, might be needful to defend the outworks of Christianity; in general, those who had least right to be esteemed in the church, the most to be honoured in the world, would take that office upon themselves; the Christian who understands the secret movings in his own heart, the temptations to which he is liable, the aids and deliverances which he may expect, has a higher and more awful vocation. To watch over the seeds of life which are planted within him, till they have taken root downwards, and borne fruit upwards, and are fit to be transplanted into another soil, and, so far as he may, to teach others how they may exercise the like care and husbandry; this is his task, from which he must on no |