THE COMPLETE DUTY OF MAN; OR, A SYSTEM OF DOCTRINAL AND PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY, DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF FAMILIES. BY REV. HENRY VENN, A. M., RECTOR OF YELLING IN HUNTINGDONSHIRE IN A. D. 1763. A NEW EDITION, CAREFULLY REVISED AND CORRECTED OF ST. JOHN'S HOLLOWAY; LATE FELLOW OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 150 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK. ADVERTISEMENT. (FROM THE LONDON EDITION.) It may be well to inform the reader that the early editions of this work, which were published by the author in his life time, underwent many alterations both in respect of style and arrangement. In the two first editions the number of chapters was fourteen. In the third edition the work was divided into fifty-two chapters, to correspond with the number of Sundays in the year: but by this arrangement the subjects were inconveniently broken; the style also of this edition was so altered, at the request of friends who thought it too prolix, as to appear more like an abridgment than an original work. At the close of the author's life, a fifth edition was prepared by his son, the Rev. John Venn, Rector of Clapham, Surrey; in which the style was brought back to that of the earlier editions, and a middle plan was adopted in the division of chapters, by which the number was reduced to forty. This edition was printed and published by Mr. Hazard, of Bath, in 1798. Many subsequent editions have, however, been printed, both in various parts of the United Kingdom and in America, in some of which considerable alterations in point of style and expression have been introduced: and in some cases the objectionable division of chapters has been adopted. |