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J, COATES, 160 SUf^jSlQyBXO* C ^— . - o (D 1836. 2 r-f- tpN (DN -A 'i: I 4 4 n ■'■ik ^t INTRODUCTIOrf. Our shaken confidence in a hireling ministry, and the proceeds of the sacred altars, has induced us to expression on the subjects of a moral and religious life,— Church and State principles,— and from these that come out from the foot of the pulpit and are active in state discipline, we have little cause to hope that priest productions will reform the world or satisfy the public mind. We, therefore, express the following sentiments a3 describing principles we wish our successors to embrace and practice, hoping they may be of some small benefit to our children in a moral and religious life, Church Ordinances and State Dis- cipline, and not oflfensive to any judicious mind. David Willsow. MOr.AL AND RELIGIOUS PKECEPT3. T Tht! duty of a parent to a child is from the birth to the grave ; death alone should separate them. As the parent is the first cause of human exist- ence (God excepted) they are in duty bound to ndministcr unto children the whole nccessilies of a moral and religious life, or as lon^ as the pa- rent remain.*^, more wisely instructed by the r:x- perienre of years. It is the duty of u child to respe?t the wisdom of a parent at all times, be- cause he is the first cause of his existence, senior, to the .son or diiughter, and the experience of yeiirs rests upon him ; and if life is well improved he ever hath somewhat to give, and the child that would borrow of him he will not turn empty away. At the age of twenty-one years, which is set for the time of youthful freedom, is only a time when the son should call on his own abilities to provide for the necessities of life ; but no time to declare himself independant of his father's love, or benign care over him ; it is but l;*i full time of his childhood, and the beginning to be a man, when he needs the extension of parental abilities more than when he lay in his cradle or hung up- on his mother's breast, his own deeds then begin to form his fate, and he becomes accountable to God and man, for the use of his mental abilities. Children should be early instructed in the lessons of strict piety to God, and justice to men, till these merits become a second nature in them— ^ not to be departed from through all the number *«f their year?, or their various deeds of life* They ihould be iiietiiictecl in the best church dis- cipline the parent can devise for them ; early taught the benefit of Government, and the errors of administering men ; to quietly submit to the offence, but unceasingly bear testimony against errors, that the power of reuson may live, still hoping for the blessing of God's pr(»vidence on all just means to reform the world. Children should not be too closely restricted from a public view of the world, through tlie best means or se- lected company that can be obtained ; that there be a tender guardianship over them in going out and coming in ; too close re^riction often becomes a temp^ lion, and the youthful mind doth break such laws, and steal without reservation these practices that are fatal to them in moral and re- ligious lite. Children should be taught to respect all moral and religious society, as institutions of the Lord ; as without him there is no good, the arts of beneficial science are his gifts to the mind, and his mercies from heaven. Industry well ap- plied is the first cause of personal salvation, (as pertaineth to the abilities of the mind,) and should be guarded with parental care as long as neces- sity remains in the child. Ill-spent time is wasting life. There is but lit- tle or no good to be obtained, where the vulgar part of society assemble together, subject to atrong drink, profane language, rioting, and society abuse. Children should be restricted from such assemblies without real necessity, and then but admitted by guardianship or care. Invitations to drink is the practice, treats called for> time lost and money idly spent ; they are but the schools of vice ; my children keep away. Choose moral and religious society for your instruction, and it will preserve your language, strengthen your waist, save your time, and increase your "t^ealtb ; T i for want of which practice ihc parent's hard earned bread is spent in public places, for lesson.-} of (Icslriictiun, and the labour of his hands perisli in the land. A drinker of strong liquor ever nccdcth a guar- dian, but not a companion to convey the glass to ' his lips, for these two are both guilty of the sanri'j cause, that niakcth the spouse to mourn, the cliii- dren to weep, and continues to dcmoralizo the rising world. Industry is one of the first plants of cultivation, to which the hands of children should be directed, as the first cause of all morai 'worth,and the honest cost of all our pcrr.onal joys. Visits should be performed to these that mourn, and sit solitary, ^vith consolotary words, and alms not withheld from the prudent poor, for the pur- pose of moral or religious usefulness, husbandry or home keeping ; but idle visiting is loss of time, the neglect of children, the omission of virtue, and repeated expense. The company of daugh- ters should be early cared for, and their company well chosen, as their forwardness hath often been the destruction of men, and the cause of the daughters long mourning with a broken mind. The mother's virtue and the parent's care should be visited upon them through all their necessities. Children should justly be taug-'u the deception of the religious nnme, for the cause of wealth, the principles of the Old and New Testament, that through a due proportion of education, they may be able to deliver their souls from society influ- ence and priei^tcraft, which is one great cause of the misery of ages being visited upon the igno. rant and unimproved world. They should be instructed in the principles of just government and sound doctrine, according to the dictates of these that hath been blessed,whos0 Spirit remains to be the light of tho world. What morninfr beautioi horo I soe, Prepared for cluldrun doar to singt The inorcioB uf tho Lord to rno, And justice to my God and king. Parents got wisdom, underntnnd What is your little rhildron's duo, Be wise to give to uu command, And we will give rowards to you. Bright arc tho lines of virtuc'.s ways, For tho young dau^^iitcr and tlic non. For these prepare tho mind to praise, And these direct our cour.so to run. Parental care my broad of life, Now flowing from the springs of love, Saving my soul from worldly strife, Preparing me for w^orlda above. I CHURCH ORDINANCES Should extend from the bosom of tho church to the ends of the world, as the oil oji Aaron^s head ran down to the nethermost skirls of his garment, which showeth he was anointed to be a servant to all Israel, from the greatest to the least of them. Church Ordinances should con- tain the whole liglit and principles of the Christ- ian dispensation, retaining all the virtues that were of old of the anointed sons of God, of the OldTestament for good and holy purposes.whom he hath ordained and appointed, to reform the tinrcfbrmed, and restore the world to happiness. Church Ordinances should contain the lines of civil government and religious institutions, retain «U the reJigioiui and mora] virtues of ages that -f 9 -k lire pasit — whopc nif;nioil:»ls Imili bfcn rctnincd at the Cost of M(hh1 — and frcoly ^-vcri unto ns. The church <»( Chi»:-it shoJihl ho as free fronti hu. man cral'l as th(» rhiUl upon his niolhor's hroast, ilopending alono on (lod's holy providmilial fn- vours, wiiliout vliich ^vocan do r,;« go(,d. Soci- ety crafr has hcronie Jis th(; hidden yriaro, whoro- in tlio unwatchiul art; tf-ken, aMd their hodios made Forvants to honoiu tho^e that sit ahovo tho'.n iii ^vhat is called the h iso of the Lord, 'i'heir prop(;rty. as well as person.^, hecometU tributary to fe(!d the priest, fatten his olfsprinnf, and other ofllcers pertaining to tiie church. My son and daufrhter, i)C not deceived ; these that love the world, the honours and wealth of it, love not the Lord, C'hrist Jesus; neither doth their lives ^;ivo glory lo his name. Pric^sts should be poor — teacliinf]^ all nations or tongues from the source of universal love — kntjuing thcrntolves to be in the lowest capacity of life, the sir.s of all people b" arinf? upon them, and tiuit the Lord hnth appointed them to be the ^'^rvc'its oi^ the whole earth — alight to all men in their various ncces- fiitics (as the Lord h:ilh ordained) — thit thereby some nrv I c saved, and tlie memorial and the bo'iours of a Redeemer be preserved with the children of men. Civil governmerl o! ou!d be an ordinance of the church, Jti^d her members and administering men as stars of eternal glory in an unreformed and uneidifjhtened world ; ruling in the fear of the Lord ; administering justice and equity, in the name of Christ Jesus, from the throne, to the lowest station in existence, that every soul should have cause to rejoice in the beneficial mercies and merits of civil govern- ment, without which the world cannot enjoy peace. The poor ai?.d ignorant should be pecu- liar objects of the king's favour, or his servant'! 10 administering government, that their talents maj be increased, their necessities cared for, and that thereby they may have a heart-known cause to love God and bless ihc king. The love of the subjects is the king's honour ; but the priest th^t serves for hire sheweth but little love to God or honour to tlie king. A priest's love for the world should be bounded by his ne- cessities, that he may be the example of all men, tasting and feeling the fate of the poor, whose ne- cessities humble them to the low station of the receiving of alms. Church and state govern- ment should be administered upon the same prin- ciples as it hath pleased our Lord when on earth to make his servants poor, and deprived them of the honour and wealth of crowns, princes, and priests, least they should have somewhat to glory in above their brethren, to whom they were anointed to be a light, with the glorious mission of a Redeemer sent abroad in the earth, with power to save,and grant remission for sins through the precepts of their universal love. Church Ordinances should be the lines of wis- dom for all men, granting all liberty for the rise of talent in church discipline or state govern- ment, as oppression is the misery and death of talent, and the prison of intellect. Church Ordi- nances should be free from every binding cord that imprisons the mind. As the history of ages fully evince that stars of immortal glory hath arisen unexpected, yet being the ordinations of the Lord, all souls should be free in communica- tion in church and state discipline ; and if the Lord hath ordained wisdom in the child,to rebuke the priest for the love of the world, he should be beared in the church, and by the same gospel privilege be fully at liberty to draw out the er- rors of a prince in lines of truth and justice, and 11 lay them before the throne for the meditation of his councils, and the best means of winning liis subjects to his love ; that he may have place in the mind of the humble, and the ends of his do- minions have cause to bless his name. As the good master delighteth in the improvement of his scholars, so should the kinjr in the subjects of his realm. The church of Christ should as- sume no prevaihng power over the dictates of a good conscience, but prevail by love, leaving all at perfect liberty to serve the Lord, seeing we have all one master, and the title of Rabbi be- longeth not unto us. Tradition hath been a sword, and for vain repetitions men have been slain, and women put to death. Our saviour hath sutTered with these by the hands of the ignorant that know not what they do. And as the hands of some of the ancient churches are scarcelv cleansed from the stain of their brother's blood ; they are not to be confided in, either for the sal- vation of souls or the government of the land. Therefore, every member of the christian body should be a free-agent in well-doing, that the best talents of the nation should be selected ii.to one body, to govern the people and enlighten the unimproved mind. Talent should not be confin- ed or limited by church, state, or system ; that upon the broad and happifying principles of libe- rality one nation may be profitable to another ; and a church be charitably affectionate to her kindred sister, dissentjon should cease through the principles of charity and love ; that although the Christian church is in differing bodies, and distantly situated, might flow as the descending streams into one body or principle, that they may become universally beneficial to all the minor births, pissentions have been with great pain, ind at the cost of blood bath the morning stars of 12 dissention risen. But to remedy thiJ causo, tht christian church should be cleansed by the bap- tising hands of the priest, or tlie counsels of hif tongue, from superstition and bigotry? that hath been the final end of so manv humble souls, that hath breathed out their last to God and gave up the ghost. Until there is a cliurch reformation from thfi above solf-conccitcd principles, the government will be but as a garment, illy fitting the public mind ; because arbitrary measures are not mem- bers of the church of Christ, neither will thev ever be blessed in a christian world. To conclude. — I plead for the liberty of talent in the church, and that lines be drawn to this ef- fect,thattho state may rejoice in the liberty and the precepts of tiio church of Christ, and glory in her name, becuuse she gathers the talents of the world into one body, and refuses to subordinata the gifts of God. She is therefore to be praised throunrh the merits of a Redeemer, who came to save from sin, and set the captives free from sel- fish designs, that every inhabitant of the earth may be at liberty to glory in their creator through the ordinances of the church, and hence be no more the servant of men, hastening the day that all shall know the goodness of the Lord, frocc the greatest to the least. -. How bless'd the morning now appoan, W'lh glory of ourfuiure years : The morning star, the rising sun. The Lord has given » and will come. My soul the weary way pursue— There's work for every mind to do : The church is idle in distress, Her members in the wilderness ; 1.1 Her subjects groan, her membert ery. Mill praying for a just supply ; But the frail mother doth refuse — With pJiin I tell tho niouriiful new*. Apr: 2«nd, 1S36. THE PRINCIPLES OF CIVIL GOVERN. MENT Should originate from the revealed gospel, that governmeht instilutions may be consistent with the doctrines of the church — that both co-operate ia the one great causa of universal peace. The laborious orders of lilb merit the Ikvour of rno- narchs and councils in preference to others ; be- cause their sweat is the oil of both church and stale institutions, without which they would be as the wilderness or the uncultivated field, pro- ducii'g nothing. They populate the earth, and raise up the subjects of realms by the sweat of the brow; and the first concern of a monarch should be to wsee them comforted in their just desires ; for thev are the bread and v.ii e of his bo-drd, "without which he would be destitute of the bies- ginj^^s of life, m d his luirno be -in empty tille, his CroWM of no value, and his domiuions aii unfruit- ful fie.d. Every order of life, according to the coTins( i of t'ni wisn kiiig. should get wisdom, and st'ivc to possess i:;* uiulerstandif?g heart, and the U. ^; t-h;>u;d f;ivo u Uo them that hiith not, and as ,ijo o ni shepherd, it should bo the pleasure of h:".^ s^ul to make his subjects wise and their bur knjs light, thut ihoy may reward him with the blessings of love and loyalty for his favours, and coiitiiiue their prayers for him forever. Alimea needvitk wisdom, b^caus9 ths arm of flesh is aot Lli 11 ftiUv to be trusted in : for llie heiirt of man U de. ccitful, and above all things desperately wicked. F'ower is the following consequence of good sense, and reason is stronger than the sword, be- cause justice converts, and there is no cause to change from it — the sword destroys and conquers, but there is no convincing evidence in the power of the sword to convert the mind : it always leaves the conquered spirit in a capacity to arise and make use of the same means by which it was boundjn subjection, retaHate, and conquer again — but reason saves, convinces, and converts, and satisfies the mind, and there is no cause remain- ing to revolt again. As the field needeth culti- vating every year, and the vine pruning from its needless branches, so likewise, as the virtue, sci- ence, and intellect of the subjects of a realm in- crease, government should follow them, and be ever improving as from the dawning till the per- fect day, and all the well-informed part of so- ciety are satisfied. To make the king or councils rich in wisdom, and benevolent in mercy, they should receive wisdom from the ends of the world — and the least of their servants being vigilant in the right- eous cause of being concerned for the well-being of Church and State, will have somewhat to give from the gladness of his heart, or a dissatisfied inind« By such an intercourse as this (by whom we have the pattern of the wisest of kings, Christ Jesus,) the king becomes acquainted with the heart of his subjects, and the depending sub. ject with the mind of their king ; whether he is a tender-hearted prince, or a speculating monarch who feasts himself, his counsels, and his favorite priests, on the sweat of the poor, and laborioua classes of life. And if ho is found to be disagree- able to tl\j9 dictates of the gospel, cad not dis. ■;SiVv. 15 posed to grant these privilet;*!!? to tlie human mind thattho revealed gospel directs, the stewards, and ahepherda of the tlock to allbrd, a coldness of heart arises, other means are souglit for, and christian evidences are called upon, through the dictates of wisdom lo pro/o a priest or monarch in error ; therefore Uh)ti;s and priests should ob- lerve the gospel privilege in their administration to their subjects, but it" not so, the New Testa- ment reveals unto us through the blood of Christ, that we are to seek for, and earnestly pray jvith faith, that through vigilance and wisdom we may obtain these great merits he hath revealed unto us, and that we, the laborious classes, will have •hepherds through his love, that will be willing to do as well by us as themselves, and become impartialists, as to blood kindred or society. — Therefore every subject should earnestly seek the means of common and good sense, and labor for these merits, for which the king of kings and lord of lords hath laid down his life. If he is king of kings and lord of lords, all kings, dukes, lords and priests should be subject in all their go- verning principles to the dictates of the gospel, because he hath once died for all men, and laid down his life that all may be w'ise by his benevo- lent gifts, from the greatest to the least. There- fore church and state should be united in the good and great happifying principles of the ^vorld, giving to others as we would wish to receive, seeking nor receiving no power to subordinate the human family, but to suppress vice and encourage virtue, from the throne and from the church. It is but a flattering hope in any government, and a disappointing prospect, to believe that any mo- narch or counsel can satisfy their subjects with less privileves in the dictates of wisdom than others enjoy. The fountain of waters draw all 16 thf! lesser streams into it, so rlolh the host means in government attract fhc iovo of the subjects, and draw every informed mind into it; as the great field of privileges where power is iho event of wisdom, and all have privilege by their best means, to cultivate liie great field of happiness. This is the way to promote the best government, the love of mcnarchs and cojdscI.s, content the labourer, and ndd strength to the throne of kings. Therefore my son seek wisdom and an under- standing heart from the government of nations, and the doctrines of the church, tliat thou may- est be able to lend a hand in the hour of emer- gency, when government are near to fall to the ground for the want of v/isdom. What loss our monarchs do sustain How power makes our talents vain. Till priests will learn and monarchs h^ar. We're on tha waves of doubt and fear. Blessed is that hope that well can prove, The merits of a uaviour's love, That gives to us what God hath given, And gives the earth the joy ol' heaven. Blessed are the dictates of his grace. He's king of kings to Adam's race, Nor hath he lived or died in vain, His laws will conquer and will reign. Village of Hope, East GwiLLmsuBY, Afsil 26» 1830.