Transcribed from the 1813 R. Thomas edition [0] , email

A
Feast for Serpents,

BEING THESUBSTANCE OF

A SERMON,

Preached at the ObeliskChapel,

On SUNDAY Evening, March 21,1813,

Published byDesire—and addressed to all whom it may concern.

BY J. CHURCH,
Minister of the Gospel.

Saviour.—YeSerpents, ye Generation of Vipers.

Hosea iv, 8.—They eat upthe Sin of my People, and they set their heart on theirIniquity.

Isaiah.—He feedeth onAshes.

Jerem.—Against him thatbendeth let the Archer lend his Bow.

LONDON:

Printed by R. THOMAS, Red Lion Street, Borough.

1813.

p.3PREFACE.

To the Church of JesusChrist, who are loved with an everlasting love,chosen in Christ before all worlds—redeemed bythe blood of the Lamb—and effectually called out ofdarkness into marvellous light; led by the providence ofGod to attend the ministry of so unworthy an instrument asmyself, to whom God has made my labors useful, andprofitable for reformation, conviction,conversion, building up, and spiritualconsolation.  Having been much tried and perplexed bymen of corrupt minds, who have long endeavoured toprejudice me, with a view to separate us one from theother, but they have hitherto failed—havinggrace given you to continue with me in my temptations, toabide in the furnace of affliction with me, and to standin the evil day.  The good hand of God,restoring a degree of peace to us, so that we can passto our Meeting Place of Worship unmolested,—I thinkit right, and that I am in duty bound (though youhave not demanded it) to make a few general remarks uponthe subjects which have agitated the public, and not alittle distressed your minds.

p. 4I wishyou most decidedly to bear in mind thro’ the whole of thisperformance, that I write only for yoursakes—I write not for the worldling, whoseheart is set on the things of time and sense, who,Gallio like, cares for none of these things,except it be to pass an unpleasant sneer at us.—Iwrite not for the proud Pharisee, or the mereFormalist, who have a name to live and aredead—I write not for Hypocrites, whose endwill be according to their work, and who are a perpetualplague to the Household of Faith—Wolves i