dence when the
greatest minds of the time formulated the American Constitution and
The Bill of Rights. These sermons seem to address the universal issues
with which men of all times and places have also struggled, in times
of peace as well as war. These issues are articulated here with a
clarity that is perhaps only achieved in those times of great testing,
tears, and tenuous victory that began in 1776 and that would remain
tenuous until after the War of 1812.

Lee lived in a time of great intellectual pursuit and Lee's views of
life and the Lord's Providence seem particularly blessed with
illumination through the Holy Spirit.

Fredric Lozo, January, 2005

SERMONS ON VARIOUS IMPORTANT SUBJECTS: WRITTEN PARTLY ON SUNDRY OF THE
MORE DIFFICULT PASSAGES IN THE SACRED VOLUME.

By

Rev. ANDREW LEE, A.M.
Pastor of the North Church in Lisbon, Connecticut.

Printed at Worcester: By Isaiah Thomas, Jun. Sold by him, and by the
AUTHOR, in Lisbon, Connecticut-Sold also by said Thomas & Whipple, at
their Bookstore in Newburyport.

October----1803

"I KNOW BUT ONE BOOK, THAT CAN JUSTIFY OUR IMPLICIT ACQUIESCENCE IN
IT; AND ON THAT BOOK, A NOBLE DISDAIN OF UNDUE DEFERANCE TO PRIOR
OPINION--CASTS NEW AND INESTIMABLE LIGHT."--Young.

PREFACE

That thick darkness overspread the church after the irruptions of the
northern barbarians, and the desolations which they occasioned in the
Roman empire, is known and acknowledged. Those conquerors professed
the religion of the conquered; but corrupted and spoiled it. Like the
new settlers in the kingdom of Ephraim, they feared the Lord and
served their own gods. In those corruptions antichristian error and
domination originated. The tyranny of opinion became terrible, and
long held human minds enslaved. Few had sentiments of their own. The
orders of the vatican were received as the mandates of heaven. But at
last some discerning and intrepid mortals arose who saw the absurdity
and impiety of the reigning superstition, and dared to disclose them
to a wondering world! Among those bold reformers, LUTHER, CALVIN, and
a few contemporary worthies, hold a distinguished rank. Greatly is the
church indebted to them for the light which they diffused, and the
reformation which they effected. But still the light was imperfect.
Dark shades remained. This particularly appeared in the dogmatism and
bigotry of these same reformers, who often prohibited further
inquiries, or