Gift Tappan Prosb, Assor. 1-9-1933 THE DEDICATION. To WILLIAM RUSSEL, Esq. AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CON- MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS, REMOVED as I have long been from you, and to a diftant part of the world, the idea of our happy connexion, which subfifted more than ten years, is always prefent with me, and the reflection upon it affords me peculiar fatisfaction. My feparation from you by ruffian violence, which received too much countenance from the general fpirit of the times, and to appearance, from the government that should have protected us, is a subject of great regret; tho', together with all other evils that are permitted to take place in the unfearchable ways of providence, we cannot doubt but that it will ultimately appear to have been productive of good. To the will of the greateft and best of Beings it clearly behoves us to fubmit without repining. and our enemies, tho' on account of the unworthy motives by which they were actuated, they are by no means excufable, yet being confidered as the inftruments in his hands, fhould be regarded with pity rather than resentment. By this time too, it may be prefumed that the most inveterate of them are convinced of the unreasonablenefs of their conduct, and truly repent of it, which will intitle them to the forgiveness of every chriftian. It has been impoffible for me not to take an interest in every thing that has befallen you fince my removal, and I rejoiced in your uncommonly flourishing flate prefently after your fufferings, through your noble fortitude, and the peculiarly ardent and valuable fervices of my fucceffors in the ministry; and I have lamented fome circumftances of an unfavourable nature, with refpect to which your fentiments have not been unanimous, tho' they have terminated without any ferious inDiffentions in chriftian churches, convenience. are, no doubt, greatly to be lamented, but they give occafion to the exercife of many chriftian virtues, especially thofe of meeknefs, forbearance, and mutual mutual candour, in which I am confident you. will not be deficient. It was while I was with you that I firft undertook the business of expounding the scriptures from the pulpit, and began with this view to compofe the Notes of which the following publication confits; and therefore it is to you, and to fhew my grateful remembrance of our happy connexion, that I take the liberty to dedicate them. Had it not been for the ready concurrence of the fociety, and the active co-operation of Mr. Ruffell, and the other leading members of the congregation, who concurred with every propofal that I made, neither this courfe of exposition, nor the fyftem of catechetical lectures to the young people, with the appointment of elders to allift me in it, or the establishment of your congregational library, could have been carried into execution. But by this means all my fchemes for improving the difcipline, and promoting the edification, of the foci. ety had the advantage of the fairest trial; and being found, in fome good meafure, to answer the valuble ends propofed by them, they have been adopted by other focieties in different parts of the kingdom. Happy will it be for the chriftian world in general when all chriflian focieties fhall adopt whatever promifes to tend to their edification, and vie with each other which shall fet the beft example to the reft; not from a fpirit of ambition, or vain glory, but fimply to provoke to love and to good works; each fhepherd (as chriftian minifters are ufually termed) feeding, according to the language of our Saviour, the lambs, as well as the fheep of their respective flocks, till the chief fhepherd fhall appear, when he will diftinguifh by his favour thofe who shall have diftinguifhed themselves as his fervants during his abfence from us. As I have no expectation of feeing you any more in this life, may we fo conduct ourselves in our feparation from each other as to secure a happy meeting in another. I fubfcribe myself, Your former paflor, and at all times, your chriftian friend, JOSEPH PRIESTLEY. The |