■<^:^- 
 
 
 
C^'i^d' 
 
 f' ^K t--*'*^^' 
 
 V 
 
 THE CRISIS, 
 
 ^^>^t^^t^ 
 
 A STATEMENT OF FACTS 
 
 EXPOSITION OF DANGEROUS ERRORS 
 
 CONTAINED IN 
 
 MR. BARNES'S DEFENCE. 
 
 A SON OF THE HUGUENOTS. 
 
 NEW-YORK : 
 
 ROBERT CARTER, 112 C AN AL- S TR EET. 
 
 1836. 
 
SCATCHERD & ADAMS, 
 
 PRINTERS, 
 
 3a Gold Ktreet. 
 
THE CRISIS, &c. 
 
 Many circumstances concur to mark the present as an era of absorb- 
 ing interest to the friends of truth and righteousness. Fluctuation is, in 
 strong features, impressed upon the face of nature. Principles and esta- 
 l)hshments, old, and wise, and venerable — physical, political, and moral — 
 are rudely assailed by a spirit of daring and unhallowed innovation. 
 The Bible is attacked — the Church, bought with the precious blood of 
 the eternal Son of God, and destined to elevate and bless mankind, is 
 pushed, by pretended friends and deluded votaries, into the " fiery trial." 
 Whether, in her present form, she will be utterly consumed, emerge from 
 the flames marred and spoiled of her heavenly beauty, or come forth 
 purified from her dross, as gold refined, time must prove. 
 
 In the Presbyterian Church every thing precious to true believers and 
 to our ruined world is brought into fearful jeopardy. It is high time for 
 all honest and good men to come forth to the help of the Lord against the 
 opposers of his truth. 
 
 Under deep impressions of danger and of duty, we ask the calm and 
 solemn, and prayerful attention of all true Presbyterians, to the following 
 plain statement of facts. 
 
 The evils threatened to our beloved Church, and the designs of her ad- 
 versaries, whether partially fulfilled or still prospective, are clearly con- 
 centrated in the case of the Rev. Albert Barnes. Although it is not the 
 object of these pages to eater directly into the controversy between him 
 and Dr. Junkin, we cannot withhold a few passing remarks upon the 
 JVotes on the Romans and the character of their author. 
 
 No undertaking requires so many peculiar, rare, and high qualifications 
 as that of a sacred commentator. To this work Mr. Barnes's capacity 
 is by no means adapted. He does not possess the precision and accura- 
 cy of mind — the nice discrimination — the comprehensiveness of view — 
 the age — patience — distrust of self-exemption from prejudice — extensive, 
 various, and well-digested knowledge, necessary to execute this arduous 
 task with success. Besides, suspected as he always has been, especially 
 since he published his sermon on the Way of Salvation, by a large and 
 respectable number of his brethren, who had the best means of knowing, 
 with holding erroneous opinions — doctrines offensive to the Church be- 
 cause at variance wnth her standards — and satisfied of the fact, as he ap- 
 pears to have been, it was certainly a very rash measure so hastily to spread 
 before the world his crude strictures on the Romans. What has or- 
 
k 
 
 curred, under such circumstances, could not fail to occur. The per- 
 formance is very imperfect ; sufficient greatly to depress, if not destroy, 
 his reputation as a theologian and scholar in the estimation of sound and 
 accurate men. The Apostle's profound and comprehensive arguments, 
 either from design to misrepresent them, or from want of clear and ex- 
 panded views, are exhibited, in many places, in detached and broken 
 parts, as incoherent fragments of thought ; often destitute of meaning, 
 force, or beauty. In some of the most difficult and important passages, 
 there is much perversion, evasion, and concealment ; and, in some 
 instances, attempts to annihilate what the learned and pious have ever pro- 
 nounced to be the very essence of the sacred text. The plainest princi- 
 ples of Greek grammar, which every schoolboy ought to be familiar 
 with, are set at naught ; and the best established rules of exegetical ex- 
 position outraged, to make the Apostle's language tally with his expo- 
 sitor's preconceived opinions. 
 
 That Mr. Barnes holds unsound doctrines is now established by his 
 own statements and concessions ; and I do most honestly declare that I 
 never was fully satisfied of his serious criminality till I received the con- 
 viction from a careful reading of his own attempt at vindication. The 
 very effort he makes to pervert the nature and impair the force of our 
 ordination vows — to resolve these most sacred engagements into mere 
 matters of firm, allowing numberless reserves and departures from their 
 letter and spirit — abrogating, at once, their solemn sanctions and binding 
 force, gives origin to most painful suspicions ; and is an enormity never 
 before, in our land, with so much effiontery, put forth to the light — an 
 enormity deserving the solemn consideration and rebuke of the Church. 
 
 Our strictures will be confined chiefly'to Mr. B.'s preliminary remarks 
 in his defence, which abound with positions of the most unwarrantable 
 nature, inasmuch as their direct tendency is to destroy the purity and 
 peace of our Church. We feel this examination to be the more neces- 
 sary, and the more entirely justifiable, from the fact that his statements 
 forin no part of the documents which are to be laid before the General 
 Assembly in his appeal ; and yet, if unanswered, they will exert an ex- 
 tensive ex parte influence on the expected decision.* 
 
 * The writer hpre refers, chiefly, to the indications affimied during the recent inves- 
 tigations in Mr. B,'s case. A volutne would not suffice to contain a full view of the 
 various plans and movements of ihis party to accomplish tlicir object. Indeed, the his- 
 tory of the N. S. faclion, for many past years, if fanly drawn, would exhibit liule more 
 than a constunt series of aitful, disorderly, and laboiioiis t-flbifs, to destroy the promi- 
 nent features of the Presbyterian system. To promote this work the Heme Missionary 
 and Presbyterian Education Societies were established, and especially remodelled into 
 their present form. 'I'he Am. Ed. Society has been unilbrmlv devoted to ihe same ser- 
 vice. New England associations have co-oprrated with the N. School by ordaining 
 unsound candidates, who had been refiiseft admission in ourown body, and then return- 
 ins them (with their papers) to spuious Presbyteries, who readily received them. As 
 a fit instrumentality in tliis workof disorganization, elective affinity Presbyteries were in- 
 troduced. Mnliitndes of papers, parnpldeis, and magdzini s have been issu. d as auxilia- 
 ries. Men diilled for the woikof contamination have been fiaudu!ently snuigwled into or- 
 thodox serninaiies and churchts, to propagate their errois, create divisions, "and impair 
 the ulory of our church. Her catechisms have been corrupted, and larcre spuiious edi- 
 tions disgorged upon the churches. The theology of our hvmns and sacr d songs lias 
 been mutilated so as to deprive them of their high and useful character for scriptural 
 
The leading object of these she'^ts is to show design, in Mr. B. and 
 his adherents, to introduce into our Church corruption of doctrine and 
 order; to evade honest investigation and constitutional trial; lo mislead 
 the public mind by uncandid and inflammatory statements ; to excite odi- 
 um against the truth and its advocates ; in a word, to defeat judicial pro- 
 ceedings, and paralyse all discipline in the Church, with a design to open 
 a wide door for the enl ranee of every " unclean thing." 
 
 Before proceeding, allow me to make some prehminary observations 
 considered of importance. 
 
 First : my appearing in this manner is the result of absolute constraint. 
 The friends of truth and order, with one consent, after the decision of the 
 Synod of Philadelphia and the appeal taken by Mr. Barnes, resolved to 
 let the whole matter go up to the proper tribunal on its own merits, with- 
 out discussion or a single effort to prejudice his cause. This course, 
 justice, delicacy, and usau,e, all seemed to demand both from them and 
 from him. His violation of this course is now notorious tbrough our 
 land. They have been true to their purpose, till farther silence would in- 
 volve a criminal dereliction of duty, and abandonment of the truth of 
 God, and the very existence of his Church to the influence of most un- 
 warrantable measures. In these circumstances, as the humble advocate 
 of the cause of God and of our venerated system, in this day of slander 
 and reproach from those whom " a deceived heart hath turned aside," 
 with great reluctance I lift my feeble pen. It is not a victory of person 
 or of party, but the triumph of Gospel truth over its foes, that is sought. 
 
 Again : let it be distinctly observed that the present question is no lo- 
 cal matter — not merely a controversy in the city or Synod of Philadel- 
 phia. Can it be a matter of duty or of interest, in any possible view of 
 the subject, exclusively, to that Synod, to detect heresy — to suppress a dan- 
 gerous book, published indeed within their limits, but industriously circu- 
 lated through the whole land 1 God forbid ! We cannot assent to the idea 
 that the suppression of error and vindication of truth in the United States — 
 that defending the pure standard of our great and holy Presbyterian body 
 has devolved upon that Synod alone. We are not willing to impose upon 
 them the exclusive labor, nor to concede to them this high exclusive honor, 
 and to stand idly by and push the cause of God and of souls thus coldly 
 from us. We too feel a solemn, because a deep and eternal interest, in 
 this momentous struggle between darkness and light. The cause of 
 truth is one of absorbing interest to every child of God and to every lover 
 of Zion. Our common vows, our common dangers, our common hopes, 
 
 truth and doctrinal purity. NiimherleFS Runners have been commissioned, and paid in 
 part, at common expense, under the characters of ministers, missionaries, stated sup- 
 plies, editors, professors, revival-makers, teachers, singers, agenis, bookseller?, travel- 
 ling merchants, &c., with the specific, design of circulating new divinity, introducing 
 new measures, undermini ig orthodox ministers, dividing orthodox congregations and 
 establishinii new ones, upon heretical or schismatic principles. Recently it has ap- 
 peared to be systematic in the N. S. to oppose all orthodox institutions, and not less so 
 to assail pure and faithful preachers and teachers with slander and invective. And to 
 consummate this atrocious scheme, funds have been raised and appropriated, so as to 
 involve the high and hateful crime of bribery, to corrupt the Church. These statemf-nts 
 are not made as floating rumours, resting upon a doubtful basis : — they are susceptible 
 of positive proof, on indisputable evidence, before any competent and impartial tribunal. 
 
6 
 
 should inspire common zeal, and lead to prompt and united action in the 
 common cause. 
 
 Again : we assume it as an indisputable principle, that the Presbyte- 
 rian Church have a perfect right, in common with all denominations of 
 Christians, to create a test or formula by which to distinguish themselves 
 from the other parts of the great Christian body — to try the purity, and 
 regulate the faith and practice of their members — and to guard against 
 innovations and corruptions from every quarter. In establishing a Con- 
 fession of Faith and form of Discipline, they have followed the example, 
 early and constantly set by all denominations, not only in erecting stand- 
 ards, but in requiring honest conformity to them. 
 
 Again : the present inquiry involves no charge against the religious 
 character or ministerial fidelity of Mr. Barnes. With these matters the 
 prosecution has nothing to do. It is a simple question of conformity or 
 non-conformity to the Confession of Faith — of soundness or unsound- 
 ness in doctrine — of observance or violation of ordination vows. It is 
 to be decided by reference to the law and testimony. We do not pre- 
 tend to assert, that either wisdom or piety is confined within the liniits of 
 our Church, or to be measured by the articles of our creed. But we do 
 say, that no man, after voluntarily assuming the prescribed obligations, 
 can honestly and innocently preach and publish, while within our bosom, 
 sentiments at variance with our doctrines ; that the purity of the Church 
 must be impaired by it ; her peace marred ; her essential and lovely fea- 
 tures changed ; and her very existence gradually undermined by such a 
 course. 
 
 Again : differences of opinion do not imply, and need not create, per- 
 sonal animosity ; they are consistent with kind and respectful feelings 
 between individuals whose doctrinal views are most directly opposed. 
 The writer of these remarks disavows all personal antipathy to Mr. 
 Barnes. His intercourse with that brother, during the last ten years, has 
 been of the most kind and fraternal character. In this proposed illus- 
 tration he is not conscious of any desire to injure Mr. Barnes ; but feels 
 imperiously bound, as far as in him lies, to maintain those sacred inte- 
 rests to which he has given an irrevocable pledge and consecrated his life, 
 whatever sacrifices of feeling may be involved : and, in the words of 
 •' the book of the covenant," — " whatever persecutions may arise unto him 
 on that account." 
 
 Lastly : as a fundamental principle, take notice, that the ministers 
 of the Church are pre-eminently responsible to her for their opinions 
 and their conduct. This remark is the more necessary and import- 
 ant here, as Mr. Barnes, in the very threshold of his defence, really 
 seems - to claim exemption from the authority and supervision of the 
 Church. He tells us, virtually, that it is an improper and unjusti- 
 fiable thing to call a minister, who thinks himself in good standing. 
 who is laboring diligently, and surrounded by a united people, to spend 
 "his time, and patience, and strength to answer to accusations," &c. 
 Hear the Book of Discipline, ch. v. sec. 1. : " No minister ought, on ac- 
 count of his office, to be screened from justice, nor his offences to be 
 slightly censured." This relates to general conduct. Hear the Book 
 
on the subject of doctrine, ch. xx. sec. 4. : " And for their publishing 
 such erroneous opinions, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of 
 pubUshing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and 
 order which Christ hath estabUshed in the Church, they may lawfully be 
 called to account and proceeded against by the censures of the Church." 
 Gov. ch. V. sec. 13. : " Heresy and schism may be of such a nature as to 
 infer deposition: but errors ought to be carefully considered, whether they 
 strike at the vitals of religion, and are industriously spread/^ In this case 
 the prosecutor declares his persuasion, and every enlighted and sincere 
 Christian, who beheves the charges, must concur in the belief, that 
 Mr. Barnes's errors strike at the foundation of the Christian's hope for 
 eternity. 
 
 We now return to our main object, which is, to show design in Mr. 
 Barnes and his coadjutors, to corrupt the Church, &c. &c. 
 
 In his defence against the charges of Dr. Junkin, Mr. Barnes has so 
 far implicated the Theological Seminary at Princeton, and the Presbytery 
 of New Brunswick, as to render necessary some statement of the opinion 
 entertained respecting him while on trials before that judicatory. So far 
 as the writer recollects or can ascertain now, he was considered, by those 
 who knew him best, as a young man of pretty good parts, hopeful piety, 
 desirous of knowledge and addicted to study — but imprudently fond of 
 Eastern theories and speculations — tenacious of novel and doubtful 
 opinions — often occasioning among his fellow-students unprofitable and 
 perplexing disputations ; on the whole, as to his theological course, rather 
 creating painful apprehensions than inspiring confidence. In his trials 
 before the Presbytery', his evasive and equivocal terms, and unusual 
 statements on some cardinal points, excited dissatisfaction in the minds 
 of some members. But supposing, as they did, that they might have 
 been somewhat mistaken — that the candidate might have spoken un- 
 guardedly — that he would obtain more clear and satisfactory views by 
 age and reflection, and inclining to great moderation and indulgence — 
 there was no open objection made to Mr. Barnes's licensure. Soon after 
 he was transferred, for ordination, to a sister Presbytery, upon whom de- 
 volved the chief responsibility of inducting him into the sacred office. 
 
 Here it is to be observed, that a designing, artful candidate can deceive 
 any Presbytery. Mr. Barnes now informs us, that while at Princeton his 
 vieivs ivere the same as now ! If this be true, it is a serious fact, as we 
 shall discover — a dark and melancholy chapter in his history. In his 
 assertion, that this was Jully knoivn, he commits a monstrous mistake ! 
 Had he honestly and fully disclosed his opinions, as they are now Jully 
 known, there cannot be a doubt — fidelity to be principles and character 
 of that pure and respectable company of Christian ministers, compels the 
 declaration — that he would assuredly have been rebuked and rejected. 
 It is evident from his own words that he entered the holy office as a 
 probationer by such an act as ought to affect any minister's public character. 
 We regret Mr. Barnes's reference to this Presbytery, as it imposes, to 
 some extent, the painful duty of explanation. Even if that body, in its 
 Presbyterial capacity, choose passively to bear the reference, some indi- 
 vidual members feel a desire to wipe off the stigma. It is always offensive 
 
 i 
 
8 
 
 to be duped ; but still more so to be publicly told of it. Why did not Mr. 
 Barnes keep this tact securely laid up in his own breast? The charge, 
 not indeed directly brought by him, is certainly implied, and will be un- 
 sparingly urged by others, that this Presbytery either sympathized in his 
 errors or were too obtuse to discern them ! Of what avail, then, is the 
 reference? But how uncandid and unjust does it seem to make the 
 Presbytery responsible for a licensure which, his own words roundly aver, 
 was obtained by double-dealing; that is, by assenting to the standards in 
 one form, and silently and secretly intending to interpret them in another ! 
 For, as we shall see, from Mr. Barnes's own account of this transaction, 
 such is its just import. 
 
 The plan of making secret exceptions and mental reservations in form- 
 ing contracts, has always been considered by honest men as culpable and 
 disgraceful. Our Confession condemns it, ch. xxii. sec. 4. : " An oath 
 is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equi- 
 vocation or mental reservation /" This dishonest course was denounced 
 in the Assembly of 1834, which did more to favor heresy that any preced- 
 ing General Assembly, viz : "Resolved, that in receiving and adopting the 
 formularies of our Church, every person ought to be supposed, without 
 evidence to the contrary, to receive and adoptthem according to the obvious, 
 knoion, and established meaning of the terms, as the confession of his faith; 
 and that if objections be made, the Presbytery, unless he withdraw such 
 objections, should not license, or ordain, or admit him." — Ex. p. 26. T he 
 Presbyteryof New Brunswick, in takingMr. Barnes's solemn engagrement, 
 really beheved he was receiving and adopting the Confession of Faith ac- 
 cording to the obvious, known, and established meaning of its terms. But 
 Mr. Barnes now discloses something widely different. " The system of 
 doctrines contained in the standards I received as a system. I received 
 it, not indeed ever expressing my assent to every expression and form of ex- 
 pression, but as reserving to myself </ie right, in common with all others, 
 of examining the language and forming an opinion of its meaning." This 
 is in direct violation of the above extracts from the Confession of Faith 
 and the minutes of the Assembly. Mr. Barnes here takes a position, we 
 think, far in advance of the main body of troublesome intruders into our 
 Church. They have practised this artifice — been suspected of it — been 
 charged with it — but from fear of public opinion and the shame of detec- 
 tion, they have stoutly denied the charge ! Mr. Barnes throws off all 
 restraint, takes the very ground of Unitarians, Pelagians. Taylorites, of his 
 Eastern theological fraternity, and openly asserts the right of signing the 
 Confession as a whole, for doctrine, for substance — intending to interpret, 
 mutilate, or distort the individual parts of the system, to suit any other 
 system which latent scepticism, false philosophy, fanaticism, or folly may 
 suggest. Is not this monstrous for a man laying claims to common sense 
 and common honesty ! He even asserts that he entered the sacred office 
 exercising this right, these secret reserves and hidden intentions ; tlius 
 imposing upon the pure and unsuspecting judicatories through which he 
 passed ; nay, he tells us, that on this right of secret reserves and exceptions 
 he vindicates himself in holding the false doctrines of which he now stands 
 convicted before the Church. Now, what is this but setting up one 
 
9 
 
 crime to vindicate another — practising fraud to secure advantages for pro- 
 pagating heresy 1 Without preferring any charge, we would here recom- 
 mend to Mr. Barnes for serious consideration, the remarkable, and, as we 
 conceive, not inappropriate language of Peter to Ananias, Acts v. 3. : 
 •♦ Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep 
 back part of the price (promise) 1 Whiles it remained, was it not thine 
 own 1 Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart ] Thou hast 
 not Hed unto man, but unto God." 
 
 In examining Mr. Barnes's subsequent course, as developed by himself, 
 we find similar exhibitions of unsound and disorderly views, with short 
 interims, down to the present time ; and a party striving by every means 
 in their power to sustain him. His resolution was early formed, and has 
 been pertinaciously followed up, to trample upon the Confession of Faith ; 
 to make his assumption of it a mere convenience, and the general pledge 
 given to it a nominal thing which every minister and member of the Church 
 may observe or not, in its known and established import. This point 
 gained, error may enter in all its various forms, and triumph. In accordance 
 with this, we find, in his sermon on The Way of Salvation, he unhesita- 
 tingly discards the public standards : — " Nor is he to be cramped by any 
 frame-work of faith that has been reared around the Bible." How decisive 
 and contemptuous is such language from a man who had bound himself, 
 by the most impressive and awful sanctions, to regard that very frame-work 
 honestly, according to its spirit and letter ! — for such is the interpretation 
 put upon the oath by those who administered it. Seldom, indeed, have 
 we been more astonished and grieved than at finding so many indications 
 of this character. The sermon containing this renunciation of our stand- 
 ards exhibits principles and views opposed to some most important doc- 
 trines of our Confession. Hence the zeal and perseverance of his adherents 
 to screen both himself and his discourse from deserved censure. The result 
 is well known. Mr. Barnes's account of the transaction is quite remarkable : 
 — "Charges similiar to these had been alleged against me, not indeed in a 
 formal and regular manner, but in an irregular manner, by the Presbytery 
 of Philadelphia. Those accusations had been laid before the General As- 
 sembly, and the highest judicature of the Presbyterian Church had fully 
 acquitted me of them /" Did that General Assembly, or any other, ever 
 declare that Mr. Barnes did not hold the opinions charged as errors ? Mr. 
 Barnes knows to the contrary. This full acquittal was such as left more 
 than two fifths of that Assembly fully persuaded of his guilt in the matter 
 of accusation. The decision, as was openly avowed by a large portion 
 both of the majority and minority, turned much more on points of policy 
 than upon the merits of the cha-ges. The same controversy was conti- 
 nued, in different forms, till the Assembly of 1834 introduced and sanction- 
 ed the affinity system. This decisive step in favour of heresy, instead of 
 acquitting Mr. Barnes, admitted his guilt, and was designed to provide 
 for him a safe retreat in his heretical course. In all these complicate 
 measures, from year to year, the same man in substance is indirectly 
 under process. In the back ground we discover a conspiracy in progress 
 to shelter these dangerous opinions and their author from merited con- 
 demnation; to provide inlets for large numbers of these spurious operators ; 
 2 
 
10 
 
 and eventually to overturn the whole Presbyterian system. Mr. Barnes 
 never has been acquitted in the Presbyterian Church; and while he holds 
 his heretical opinions, and ske adheres to her standards, based upon the 
 pure gospel of Jesus Christ, he never can be set free from the charges 
 now alleged. His present course proves an obstinate adherence to his 
 original design of introducing corruption into the Church. His co-ope- 
 rators have embraced the present opportunity as propitious to their com- 
 mon object. His early prejudices — his prominent position — his rapid 
 advances in the career of error — his popularity as a man and minister — his 
 reckless devotion to party — and his predominant passion for pre-emi- 
 nence, quahfy him well for the distinguished place assigned him in this 
 nefarious work. 
 
 Mr. Barnes's Sermon before the Theological Seminary at Princeton, 
 September, 1834, still farther discloses his rage for speculation on the 
 truths of the Bible. " Nor is it," says he, referring to modern discoveries 
 in science, " nor is it demonstrated that the limit of advancement is yet 
 reached ; or that the human mind must pause here and hope to proceed 
 no farther. These men (philosophers named) have just opened illimitable 
 fields of thought before the mind. And so it may be in Theologij. The 
 system was as perfect in the Scriptures as Astronomy ivas before JVewton 
 lived ; yet it is possible that there are truths, and relations of truths, which 
 the mind has not yet contemplated.'" We introduce this extract merely to ex- 
 hibit Mr. Barnes's real character to the public, whom he has so elaborately 
 and voluminously addressed, to show how completely he has thrown off 
 all the restraints of our standards, and rejected the landmarks of reason 
 and commtm sense. And we now ask the Christian world. Is it true that 
 the Bible is susceptible of entire renovation and radical amendment? Has 
 the profound and critical learning of all preceding ages proved abortive? 
 Are the grand essential principles of revealed truth still enveloped in dark- 
 ness and doubt 1 Is it possible, as Mr. Barnes plainly intimates, that 
 entire misapprehension and utter ignorance on points of primary import- 
 ance may still exist, to be detected and removed by some modern theolo- 
 gical adventurer, as Newton and La Place expelled the ignorance and 
 crudity existing before their day in Astronomical science? This is the 
 vision gravely presented by Mr. Barnes. Concede to him that Theology, 
 the meaning of the Bible, is to be altered, amended, or new-modelled, as 
 Astronomy was by Newton — as a system of experimental philosophy ; 
 or like the progressive science of Botany or Chemistry, like a cotton gin 
 or steam engine ; and all religious truth may be sublimated, frittered away, 
 and ejected from the world, by the insatiable spirit of innovation. Besides, 
 what confidence can be placed in the public ministry of a man whose opi- 
 nions rest upon so visionary and fluctuating a basis 1 How can he him- 
 self proclaim and urge any thing upon dying souls as the truth of God 
 and able to save, when it may be an obsolete error, a total mistake, which 
 the march of mind and increase of light may supersede ; and then follow 
 with some new vision, to be, in its turn, admired and abandoned? The 
 direct and inevitable tendency of Mr. Barnes's views on this subject, is to 
 shake the foundation of all sacred truth ; not only to create in ordinary 
 minds a vacillating temper — not only to impair the precious hopes of 
 
 ir^ 
 
u 
 
 established believers in the sublimest truths of Christianity ; but to inspire 
 universal doubt — to scalier among sinful men the seeds of cavilling — 
 scepticism — and of death ! This system of " ever learning and never 
 coming to the knowledge of the truth," — 2 Tim. iii. 6. — none are so ready 
 to embrace as those vi'ho greatly overvalue their own abihty and import- 
 ance. * Some admirable fruits of Mr. Barnes's splendid fiction may be 
 seen in his Notes on the Romans ; a {ew choice specimens condensed, in 
 Dr. Junkin's charges against him for heresy. 
 
 Mr. Barnes's defence is replete with painful indications of design to 
 evade his ordination vows, and to depart from the Confession of our faith. 
 The following passage admits the charges and evinces fixed purpose, at 
 least, under the present process, to cleave to his errors and brave all con- 
 sequences. " I am not conscious of being so obstinately attached to the 
 exposition which I have adopted, as to be unwilling to be convinced of er- 
 ror ; and, if convinced, to abandon the sentiments which I have expressed. 
 Whether the mode that will be most likely to secure a change of opinion is 
 that of arraigning me for the high misdemeanor of heresy, is the most de- 
 sirable to secure such a result, I shall not now inquire. In this land and 
 in these times, a change of opinion is to be effected, not by the language 
 of authority — not by an appeal to the Jathers — not by calling on us sim- 
 ply to listen to the voice of other times ; but by the sober and solid expo- 
 sition of the oracles of God. Men, even in error, listen respectfully to 
 those who attempt to reason with them and to convince them that they 
 are wrong ; theij turn instinctively aioay when denunciation takes the place 
 of argument, and the cry of heresy is the substitute for a sober appeal to 
 the understanding." Mr. Barnes's reformation then is hopeless ! He 
 ad(nits that he is in error. He quarrels dreadfully with Dr. Junkin's con- 
 stitutional resort to set him right. He has proved incorrigible under a 
 constant course of warning and admonition ever since he entered Phila- 
 delphia. The history of our Church, fur the last five years, is an indelible 
 record of that fact ! If Dr. Junkin had approached him with bended knee 
 and suppliant tone — if the church had come (not with authority!) 
 humbly suing at his feet, he might have deigned to listeii. But the name 
 of heresy, accusations, charges, dreadful ! He turns instinctively aicay ! 
 Yes, and hugs his false opinions closer than ever. Remember this is the 
 profoundly meek and devout Mr. Barnes. Remember, too, w hen in error, 
 his embracing or refusing reform depends not upon the nature, the evidence, 
 the importance of truth ; but upon the gentleness, the soft and timid re- 
 serve, the courtesy, with which it is commended to him. Admirable trait 
 in a new school Commentator! ! 
 
 That Mr. Barnes never felt the force of his ordination covenant, that he 
 never intended to regard it, nay, that he studiously designed to set it at 
 nought, no man can doubt who attentively examines his defence. The 
 following extract proclaims, and even argues, not only his right, but his 
 
 * Mr. Barnes'3 commendatory preface to the late edition of Butler's Analogy, 
 though it furnished little evidence of the modesty which some have ascribed to him, 
 admonished us to expect some great attempt pretty soon. Dr. Butler is justly consi- 
 dered one of the great moral lights of the world ; and " without all contradiction, the less 
 is blessed of the better." Heb. vii. 7. 
 
 J 
 
12 
 
 duty as an expositor, to act in a manner entirely independent of his obli- 
 gations to the standards, and without the slightest reference to them. And 
 this he gravely sets up as a plea, or vindication, for the unsound opinions 
 expressed in his JYotes. " It was my intention, in preparing these Notes, 
 not to be influenced in the interpretation by a regard to any creed or Con- 
 fession of Faith whatever. I make this frank avowal, because it is the 
 deliberate and settled puiyose of my mind, and because it is the principle 
 by which I expect always to be governed. I therefore state, that in prepar- 
 ing these Notes I have never had the Westminster Confession of Faith 
 before me, nor any other Confession. I have never framed a sentence, 
 to the best of my recollection, with any design that it should be conformed 
 to the doctrines of any Confession of Faith ! !" Here a very serious 
 question arises — Has Mr. Barnes acted honestly as a minirter in the 
 Presbyterian church? We admit that the duty of an interpreter of Scrip- 
 ture is, uprightly and truly, free from undue attachment to pr-wious systems, 
 to find out and report what the Holy Spirit says. If the interpreter be in- 
 deed exempt from all commitment to existing forms of faith, he may indeed 
 pursue his labour without reference to any Confession, and leave his work 
 to be tested simply by its own merits and the Word of God. But if he 
 has previously adopted "a form of sound words," and bound himself to a 
 large and sacred community of Jesus Christ, inviolably to observe that 
 "form," in its known and established import, as an Epitome of Bible truth — 
 and in attempting to expound a sacred writer, should discover, or by some 
 means elicit, doctrines opposed to the formula he has voluntarily assumed ; 
 can he consistently and honestly hold at the same time those conflicting 
 opinions ? Certainly not. How then shall he escape from the dilemma 
 into which he has plunged himself? He must immediately accommodate 
 his doctrinal views to his assumed standard, or peaceably withdraw from 
 that communion with whose faith and order he can no longer harmonize. 
 This is the course prescribed by common sense and common honesty. 
 But Mr. Barnes's course is very different. He openly declares that he 
 commenced his Notes with an intention not to be influenced by a regard to 
 the Confession of Faith. And now, after finishing the work, being con- 
 victed of heresy, and even acknowledging himself in error, he avows it 
 as the deliberate and settled purpose of his mind ahvays to be governed by 
 this principle ; and yet pertinaciously continues in the Church, whose 
 purity he has marred, whose peace he has wounded, and whose authority 
 he has contemned ! After this, no man will do Mr. Barnes the injustice 
 to charge him with being a Presbyterian ; with belonging, in heart and 
 spirit, to that or any other denomination ; with having, indeed, any settled 
 views of truth at all. If he should be found to agree with our constitu- 
 tional Forms in any instance, it will be by mere chance ! Really, his 
 declarations are so wild and extravagant, that they seem scarcely compa- 
 tible with sanity of intellect, certainly at thfi farthest remove from all con- 
 sistency with that integrity and candour of purpose and practice which 
 constitute the very essence of fidelity to our holy ecclesiastical compact. 
 Mr. Barnes, pressed hard by difficulties, and pent up within narrow li- 
 mits, refusing the only just and honourable modes of escape, reformation or 
 secession, attempts several methods of retreat, both inadequate and unsafe. 
 
IS 
 
 The public will no doubt be surprised to find him endeavouring to create 
 a refuge from the charge of heresy, under the pretence that uniformity of 
 opinion was never intended in the Presbyterian body. " The Presbyterian 
 Church in this country did not contemplate exact uniformity of opinion, 
 others have been allowed to take exceptions ; a wide latitude was formerly 
 given to candidates for licensure and ordination, a latitude of interpretation 
 certainly as wide as has ever been desired or contended for in more mo- 
 dern times." Now, all this, and much more of the same kind, which he 
 confidently alleges, is in direct violation of true history ; it is founded 
 upon concealment or distortion of palpable facts, and calculated injurious- 
 ly to impress those who know not the character of our American churches, 
 and their early and inflexible devotion to definite and established principles 
 and forms. The following Act of the Old Synod, passed 1729, and su- 
 perseded by numerous acts and decisions of our supreme judicatory, is 
 adduced by Mr Barnes in support of his unfounded statements : — " And 
 in case any minister of the Synod, or any candidate of the ministry, shall 
 have any scruple with respect to any article or articles of said Confession, 
 he shall,intimeofmakingsuchdeclaration, dec/are his scruples to the Synod 
 or Presbytery: who shall, notwithstanding, admit him to the exercises of 
 the ministry within our bounds, and to ministerial communion of the Synod 
 or Presbytery — if it shall judge his scruples not essential, or necessary, in 
 doctrine, tvorship, or govenunent.^' Here then is his supposed gap, through 
 which he would introduce his heretical dogmas. The etfort is a complete 
 failure. Every impartial eye must see that all error is thoroughly barred 
 out ! By the very act recited, no member, licentiate, or minister, is allowed 
 the least room for deviation in the smallest particular, without the full 
 knowledge and permission of the Presbytery or Synod to which he belongs. 
 In every case of dissent, in the minutest concern, one of these bodies, 
 subject to review and correction by the proper superior tribunal, must hear 
 the scruples and decide upon their character. The comprehensive and 
 sweeping prohibition extends, not only to subjects of doctrine, but modes 
 oC loorship and forms of government. It is a pro re nata statute, as per- 
 fectly specific, rigid, and unbending, as could be couched in language. 
 And yet this is the only gate Mr. Barnes can find to let in error. His 
 case is desperate. Is he retaining his heretical and disorderly opinions by 
 license of Presbytery or Synod] Did he ever declare his scruples and 
 ask this liberty, according to the rule he has produced ? When Dr. Junkin 
 read his scruples to the Synod, he would not appear in their defence ; and 
 that body approached them not at all in the spirit of connivance, much 
 less of absolution ! ! 
 
 Admitting that the old exploded statute of 1729, adduced by Mr. 
 Barnes, were now in force, his argument would be — Because the old Synod 
 granted to church judicatories some discretionary power, subject to re- 
 view, of deciding on the character of conscientious scruples alleged by 
 candidates, as obstacles to entering the Presbyterian church, therefore 
 the quibbling and heretical tribe of the present day may enter the Presby- 
 tery, with reserves, designedly to evade the force of their ordination pro- 
 raise and oppose the standards of the Church ; and all without giving to 
 the Presbytery or Synod the least intimation of the slightest dissatisfaction 
 
u 
 
 with any part of the assumed formula. A fair specimen of New School 
 logic ! But can Mr. B. be ignorant that the old act in question has been 
 set aside for scores of years 1 and can he not recollect the decision of the 
 memorable Assembly of 1834, where he was present as a spectator and 
 abettor ? — " That in receiving and adopting the formularies ot our church, 
 every person ought to be supposed, without evidence to the contrary, to 
 receive and adopt them according to the obvious, known, and established 
 meaning of the terms, as the confession of his faith; and that if objections be 
 made, the Presbytery, unless he ivilhdraw such objections, should not license, 
 or ordain, or admit him." Extracts, 1834. Mr. B. seems exceedingly 
 honest and scrupulous in yielding obedience to the act of the old Synod. 
 Can any body tell why he should not pay some respect to the absolute 
 decree of his grand ecclesiastical Jllma mater, the Assembly of 1834, to 
 whose unconstitutional and suicidal foster care he undoubtedly owes his 
 Pi esbyterial standing to this hour 1 — She has peremptorily discarded the 
 plea of scruples, and positively prohibited the admission of objectors al- 
 together. The discretionary power is completely revoked. Let Profes- 
 sor Halsey look at this paragraph. It is intended to cast a side glance at 
 his ' Distinctive Peculiarities!^ 
 
 But it would appear from Mr. Barnes's statements, that our Church 
 has been very indulgent toward unsound members in former times. It is 
 to be regretted that he has exposed himself so sadly to painful remark on 
 this topic. We can scarcely conceive how he could be ignorant of the 
 long line of facts opposed to his representations, or expect to escape de- 
 tection in misstatements so notorious. The early history of the Church 
 record i'ev/ cases of error, and consequently of discipline. Nothing is 
 more certain than this — the farther you look back into our ecclesiastical 
 character, the greater strictness and even rigour will you find continually 
 in exercise to guard against the approach of every error. Even in 1810, 
 the Rev. AV. C, Davis, whose " gospel plan" was under process for he- 
 resy, found not a man in the Assembly to advocate his cause. The vote to 
 condemn his book, containing substantially the same false doctrine now 
 revived by Mr. B., was unanimous. The whole business occupied half a 
 day. Times have greatly changed. Now, the promoters of corruption 
 and discord have augmented their numbers and clog the wheels of dis- 
 cipline : they even reprove the advocates of truth and order for attempt- 
 ing at all to obstruct their desolating course, and boldly denounce 
 us as persecutors ; a charge which might as justly be urged by a fe- 
 lon at the bar against the court and jury engaged in ferreting out his 
 crimes. 
 
 In maintaining his false and dangerous positions, Mr. B. calls to his 
 aid the Biblical Repertory, Princeton, Vol. III. p. 521, &c., where he 
 finds the following passage — " The Confession, as framed by the West- 
 minster Divines, was an acknowledged compromise between two classes 
 of Theologians. When adopted by the Presbyterian Church in this 
 country, it was with the understanding that the mode of subscription did 
 not imply strict uniformity of vieivs.^' The character of this Journal is 
 such as to require a consideration of what is here advanced. The pas- 
 sage quoted is the mere opinion of one man, or at most of a very lew. 
 
15 
 
 superintending a periodical at a time calculated to lull vigilance. Instead 
 of receiving the sanction of public opinion, it was met by general disap- 
 probation, as openino' a door for mischievous innovators to intrude 
 themselves nnawares. That the understanding, here gratuitously pro- 
 claimed as universal, might have existed in the minds of a few obstinate 
 sticl<lers for opinion in that large conclave which formed the Confession, 
 at Westminster, and adopted it in this country, may be supposed ; but 
 that such was the designed and approved import of the pledge and sig- 
 nature, to be required in all after-time, is really too romantic to be for a 
 moment admitted. Who does not see — that in this case our bond of 
 union must immediately have proved a rope of sand — our beautiful 
 system, a promiscuous heap of fragments — and the Church, not a glo- 
 rious buUdino;,~Jilhj framed and compacted together, but a heterogeneous 
 image of gold and silver, brass and iron ! The sequel of this extract 
 from the Repertory is still more revolting, as it really appears to concede 
 every thing which the direst foes of our system are struggling for — 
 the right of adopting her standards for doctrine, the very evasion prac- 
 tised by Mr. B. — " The very terms, ' system of doctrines,' conveys a 
 definite idea, the idea of a regular series of connected opinions having a 
 natural relation and constituting o7ie whole. 'J'hese doctrines are clearly 
 expressed ; such as the doctrine of the Trinity — the incarnation and 
 supreme deity of Christ — the foil, and original sin — atonement — ^justi- 
 fication by faith. With respect to each of these several points there are, 
 and maij safely be, various modes of statement and explanation, consistent 
 with their sincere reception.'^ In connexion with this, the writer asks, 
 " How is the subscription, or assent to our standards, to be interpreted 1 — 
 or, with what degree of strictness is the phrase ' system of doctrines,' as 
 it occurs in the ordination service, to be explained ] — who is to judge 
 whether an explanation does, or does not, interfere with what is essential 
 to a particular doctrine? We answer, in the first place, this is a question 
 for every man to answer." The writer's remarks too much lavour the 
 supposition that the main force of our ordination promise falls upon the 
 words " system of doctrines." As this is deeply interesting, let us ex- 
 amine it. " Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of 
 Faith, of this Church, as containing the system of doctrines taught in the 
 Holy Scriptures'?" Now, according to the apparent meaning of the 
 Repertory, the candidate primarily and principally receives and adopts 
 " the system of doctrine.'' We ask — what is the particular form and cha- 
 racter of these doctrines? The writer's answer is — "This is a question 
 for every man to answer" as he may please. If so, the terms " Confes- 
 sion of Faith of this Church," might as well be expunged altogether. 
 But we apprehend this to be an entirely erroneous construction of the 
 whole article. Examine the question proposed — " Do you sincerely 
 receive and adopt" — what? — "the system of doctrines ?" No — "the 
 Confession of Faith of this Church." This is the very gist of the ques- 
 tion, and here rests the main force of the obligation. Why receive " the 
 Confession of Faith ?" because we believe it " contains the system of 
 doctrines taught in the Holy Scriptures." Now, suppose any man 
 should insist that this Confession docs not contain the doctrines of the 
 
16 
 
 Sacred Scriptures ; it is plain he cannot be an honest Piesbyterian ; for 
 this point is settled by our form of induction into the Church, and every 
 sincere signer professes his confirmed belief in this principle. There 
 were, doubtless, present to the minds of the framers of our Confession 
 many systems of doctrine, and there exist still many forms of Faith, at 
 war with each other, all represented by their respective advocates to be 
 embraced by the Holy Scriptures. Our Confession makes its selection 
 and exhibits its choice, to the exclusion of every opposing form of words, 
 in distinct and permanent traits ; and every honest receiver yields and 
 records his unqualified and unwavering assent to it. Does any man 
 inquire what the doctrinal system of the Presbyterian Church is 1 We 
 refer him — not to the evasive speculations or dubious answers of others — 
 but directly to " the Confession of Faith," which the book describes as 
 containing this system. We tell the inquirer the very object of the 
 Confession was to prevent private and devious explanation ; to distin- 
 guish our system from all opposing systems ; to prevent any mistake or 
 confusion among ourselves respecting the real character and import of 
 our doctrines. Admitting the right of private explanation appears to us 
 hke a palpable violation of reason ; the same as to say, here is a rule of 
 faith or law of the Church, which does not require what it does require ; 
 which is absurd. And, under another view of the subject, making an 
 indefinite grant of the right of private construction, necessarily implies 
 that the exercise of this right may become universal ; which assuredly 
 involves the idea of total destruction to the system. 
 
 We consider the statement, that with respect to each of the several 
 points, there are and may sajely be, various modes of statement and ex- 
 planation consistent with their sincere reception, as liable to abuse infi- 
 nitely beyond what we suppose the writer apprehended. To the general 
 proposition, ab.stractly stated, that evangelical doctrines are, in some 
 particulars, to a limited extent susceptible of various modes of explana- 
 tion not inconsistent with their honest reception, we are not disposed to 
 object. But in an ecclesiastical community, constituted on the very 
 cardinal principle of coincidence or uniformity, giving to every member 
 an unlimited right to explain or modify the fundamental doctrines of the 
 system to suit his own capricious views, is a very different thing, and 
 must become the sure means of undermining piecemeal the whole fabric, 
 and making it altogether " another Gospel than that we have received.^' 
 That is to say, while there may exist, to a limited degree, diversities of 
 statement and explanation respecting fundamental truth, consistent with 
 its honest reception — there are multitudinous forms of thought and 
 schemes of speculation much more likely to be embraced than the sim- 
 ple truth, not only inconsistent with pure Gospel doctrine, but hostile to 
 its very nature and incompatible with its existence. Now, if you open a 
 door to admit the former class of explanations, you cannot exclude the 
 latter. The panacea and the poison will flow in at the same sluice. 
 There must be a guard set at the entrance ! 
 
 Our meaning may be appositely illustrated in a few particulars from 
 the case now pending. Mr. Barnes has subscribed to the doctrine of 
 the " fall and original sin." How does he explain it 1 " ^11 sin is volun- 
 
17 
 
 iary /" of course, there is no corruption of nature nor guilt till moral 
 agency commences. " Sinners have no federal relation to Adam, and 
 are not answerable for his guilt." " The notion of imputation is an in- 
 vention of modern times." As this doctrine is explained by Mr. B., 
 men have no sin till they create it by actual transgression. " It is a 
 result secured by bad conduct — just as the drunkard becomes such and 
 ruins his family by bad habits." Now, is this explanation consistent with 
 an honest reception of either the Bible or the Confession of Faith? We 
 think far otherwise. 
 
 Again : Mr. B. holds the doctrine of Atonement. Now for his ex- 
 planation of this vital truth : — " The sin of Adam and his seed was not 
 imputed to Ciirisl, and he punished on account of it." Of course, he 
 asserts " Christ did not endure the precise penalty of the law," nor make 
 certain the salvation of any one. What then did he do that resembles 
 the work of atonement? Mr. B. does not inform us. As Christ had 
 no sin himself, and was not charged with the sin of others, he must have 
 suffered as an innocent person, to make an exhibition of some kind, and 
 this is Mr. B.'s view, to satisfy public justice, the ends of the Divine 
 government ; but without real expiation or purchase at all ! And yet he 
 very gravely talks about the atonement. 
 
 Once more : Mr. B. holds to justification hij faith. His explanation, 
 so far as it goes, completely removes the true doctrine on this funda- 
 mental point out of the world. Having discarded the principle of impu- 
 tation, which runs through the whole Bible, and is so strikingly prominent 
 in our Confession, of course neither the person, nor the work, or 
 righteousness of Christ, has any thing to do with the sinner's justification. 
 The old doctrine, on which we have been accustomed to repose our 
 eternal hopes of justification through Christ's righteousness imputed to 
 the sinner and received by faith of God, is completely set aside as a 
 stale error, or, more absurdly, as a modern invention ; and ils place is 
 supplied, in Mr. B.'s explanation, by an attempt to make this infinitely 
 important matter, justification before God, depend upon a blind mystical 
 faith Itself, or to resolve it into simple pardon for sin. Thus the pecu- 
 liar doctrines which form the basis of the glorious Gospel may be ex- 
 plained away, and enveloped in impenetrable and cheerless clouds. 
 
 If, then, the statement of the Repertory is to stand unqualified, every 
 one must perceive that there can be no safety for the purity of our 
 Church even an hour. Now, the correct understanding of this subject, 
 and the safe practice in licensing candidates, in ordaining or receiving 
 members, we apprehend to be this : — The great doctrines, in their genu- 
 ine nature and spirit as well as systematic connexion, must be honestly 
 received as generally expounded by the orthodox and evangelic ; and 
 the explanation, so far as it goes, under each particular in the Confession 
 of Faith, candidly and sincerely embraced, in its known and established 
 import, as decisive. Chasms not filled up, or new scruples which may 
 arise, cannot be left to the discretion or caprice of individuals ; but must 
 be referred, for examination and decision, to the competent authority. 
 
 To our respected brethren of the Repertory, occupying the highly 
 responsible station of watchmen on the walls of Zion, we would affec- 
 
18 
 
 tionately recommend more caution in guarding those points against 
 which the adversary are levelUng all their battering rams to force a pas- 
 sage for the Trojan horse ! But our caution scarcely seems to be 
 needed by them ; for, after seeming to surrender to the enemy all that 
 he demands, before they finish the paragraph they retract the fatal grant, 
 and close the breach against his unholy approach. " The Presbyteiy,'' 
 say they, " has a right of judgment in all such cases. It is their busi- 
 ness to decide the very point, whether the candidate believe or not, the 
 doctrines of our standards ; and they are under the most solemn en- 
 gagements to God and the brethren to do this honestly — and here the 
 matter must be left." 
 
 It is not the least objection to Mr. Barnes's book, that he "has made 
 it an object to avoid the use of some technical words which have been 
 long employed in theology, and which have been deemed valuable, in 
 the interpretation of the Epistle to the Romans." Every science, 
 to be correctly understood and faithfully preserved, requires that very 
 guard which Mr. B. has so carefully rejected. It is by technical phra- 
 seology, specifically defined and appropriately employed, that correct 
 ideas, on difficult points, are best secured and perpetuated. Hence we 
 find that innovators and corruptors in theology always commence dilapi- 
 dation at this point. They reject familiar technicalities, feigning 
 improvement and greater simplicity ; but really to get clear of old land- 
 marks, obstinate impediments in the way of error, having stood for ages 
 and become familiar and venerable to every observer : the real object is 
 to pass by the truths which lie entrenched behind these constitutional 
 barriers. The artful and designing do not like frequented paths ; they 
 select neio tvays ; they invent new terms, obscure and ambiguous, to 
 obtain facilities for evasion and dispute. The Catechisms of our Church 
 are valuable chiefly for their concise, clear, common-place expressions 
 and technical terms ; so admirably chosen, so simple, definite and signi- 
 ficant, that no improvement can be grafted upon them, and no departure 
 from them safely made. Only impress these inexpressibly precious 
 summaries of Gospel truth, just as they stand, with suitable remarks and 
 explanations, upon a generation of minds, and the impression will defy 
 the arts of deceivers. But, on many cardinal points, change the dress 
 of the idea— remove the technical guard of the doctrines — and security 
 for the truth is in a great measure taken away. This is especially true 
 in regard to the young, for whom, Mr. B. tells us, he particularly wrote. 
 They are, usually, easy vicdius of seducing arts. His book may, indeed, 
 infect many precious companies ; and even generafions of youth may, 
 unsuspectingly, imbibe thi; fatal poison. Thus the Jesuits made their 
 first and most successful attempts upon the young in schools and colleges 
 of learning. This is the system of the Roman Catholics in the present 
 day ; and the disorganizers in the Presbyterian Church are employing the 
 same means with all their zeal. 
 
 The new edition of his Notes, which Mr. B. in now publishing, fur- 
 nishes decisive evidence of his incorrigibleness in error. This work is 
 now a favorite instrument, in the hands of his partisans, for the propaga- 
 tion of his dangerous opinions. After declaring unequivocally, that he 
 
19 
 
 does not wish it to be understood that he has altered or retracted a single 
 sentiment, all his promises to remove difficulties and grounds of offence 
 by corrections and explanations must prove delusive. His attempt to 
 carry on this farce, by restoring, perhaps in a few unimportant instances, 
 the rejected technicalities, by glossing with a more imposing lure 
 his anti-evangelic notions, by change of words without change of sense, 
 must be regarded as dust thrown into the eyes of the reader ; a specious 
 movement, the more easily and effectually to palm his spurious dogmas 
 upon the Church and to escape her censures. This is the artifice which 
 has been recently practised with great success by the arrh deceiver of 
 the West. As a last resort, when other evasive and deceptive expedients 
 fail, the imposing policy of attempting to amalgamate truth and error ia 
 simultaneously embraced West and East of the mountains. God grant 
 that this Heresiarchal cunning may fail of its object 1 
 
 Thus, it seems to us, Mr. Barnes's own testimony, candidly estimated, 
 is sufficient to place him before the Church in a predicament as little to 
 be envied as any that can be conceived. And when the conduct of his 
 advocates is viewed in connexion with his public declarations and acts, a 
 fixed purpose is clearly developed by them to evade honest investigation 
 and constitutional trial altogether. No matter who is the accused, who 
 the prosecutor, or what the charge ; they have combined to trample the 
 constitution under their feet, and to nullify all its salutary provisions. 
 
 In support of these assertions we turn to the acts of the General Assem- 
 bly. The appeal and complaint of Mr, B. and his associates in May, 
 1834, against the proceedings of the Philadelphia Presbytery and Synod, in 
 regard to the Sermon on ike Way of Salvation, as has been stated, resulted 
 in the formation of the second Presbytery, on affinity principles, in direct 
 violation of the letter and spirit of the constitution, and for the avowed 
 purpose of protecting Mr. B. and His party. The V^estern Memorial 
 solemnly implored that Assembly to decide upon sundry spurious publi- 
 cations then named, and among them that sermon of Mr. B. After 
 rebuking the memorialists, and providing him a secure retreat, that Assem- 
 bly tantalize the Church by the following resolution : — " That in the 
 opinion of this Assembly, to take up and try and condemn any printed 
 publication as heretical and dangerous, is equivalent to condemning the 
 author as heretical : — that to condemn heresy in the abstract cannot be 
 understood as the purpose of such trial : — that the results of such trial 
 are to bear upon and seriously afiect the standing of the author : — and 
 that the fair and unquestionable mode of procedure is, if the author be 
 alive, and known to be of our communion, to institute process against 
 him, and give a fair and constitutional trial.'" The insincerity and 
 absurdity of the opinion here expressed by the affinity members of that 
 body, have been abundantly exposed in public discussions on that sub- 
 ject, and the resolution was solemnly rescinded by the Assembly of 1835. 
 But we recur to this whole transaction to unravel the corrupt designs of 
 Mr. B. and his adherents. Their language in 1834 was, " Don't con- 
 demn the book — take its author; don't touch heresy in the abstract, table 
 charges against its promulgator !" The book was then, in substance, 
 under process ; hence such language was convenient, however absurd! 
 
20 
 
 The design of the combination was obvious — to defeat investigation and 
 prevent decision on false doctrines altogether. Hence the accompany- 
 ing resolution passed by that Assembly : — " That ministers dismissed 
 in good standing by sister Presbyteries should be received by the Pres- 
 byteries which they are dismissed to join, upon the credii of their testimo- 
 nials !" Here is a glaring attempt artfully to open free course for the 
 itinerant propagators of heresy by paralysing the power of Presbyteries, 
 which are the original, sovereign, and divinely constituted guardians of 
 the Church's purity. Who can be so blinded by prejudice as not to see 
 that this was a mere artifice to prevent inquiry into their theological 
 tenets, and to promote their corrupt designs ! ! Now, they supposed 
 that Mr. B. was safe ; that no member of his own affinity Presbytery 
 would assail him ; that none of any other Presbytery, of sufficient love 
 to the truth and devotion to the cause of God and his church to encounter 
 this painful service, could be found. Relying upon the security of his 
 position, and in defiance of the orthodox individuals and bodies around 
 him, who lifted their warning and expostulating voice, Mr. B., encou- 
 raged by his party, goes on to pubhsh more and more extensively his 
 unsound and injurious speculations, and to circulate them, by his agents, 
 through the length and breadth of the land. His book is regarded as a 
 public nuisance, and the author as a source of moral pestilence. The 
 work of contamination, on the one hand, is pressed with unsparing zeal ; 
 the cr]j of heresy, on the other, deeply agitating the Church, fills the land. 
 What, dien, is to be done? Is there no remedy for this distracting and 
 destroying process ? The words of the party advocating Mr. B. and 
 patronizing his book, are, " If the author be alive, and known to be of 
 our communion^ institiite process against him!" The leaders in that 
 party often publicly give the challenge — " Don't take the book, prosecute 
 the author .'" Now the author is arraigned, behold what a cry ; it dis- 
 turbs my peace, it infringes liberty of speech, rights of conscience, 
 interrupts my work, injures the character of my book, and, what is worse, 
 " the hope of our gains is gone !"* Alas, what a catastrophe ! Such 
 exclamations are very natural, and very common in such cases. In 
 prosecuting offenders, it is not easy to adapt the process to their taste ; 
 and no fiction ever exhibited, more clearly, fixed determination to escape 
 the reign of lau', either by open resistance or dishonest evasion. 
 
 We find much serious cause to be dissatisfied with Mr. Barnes's treat- 
 ment of Dr. Junkin. His attempt to resolve his conduct into selfish, 
 suspicious, and unhallowed mofives, cannot fail to shock every impartial 
 and honourable mind, " To Dr. Junkin I had done no injury, I had made 
 no allusion ; his opinions I had not attacked ; nor in the book on which 
 the charges are based, have I made the remotest allusion to him or his 
 doctrines." Strange indeed ! Has then Mr. B. the weakness to infimate, 
 or suppose, that process can be properly instituted or reasonably expected 
 against a minister extensively charged with heresy — only where personal 
 offence has been given — where passion has been provoked and is in exer- 
 cise ? Can his large liberality and abounding charity conceive and ad- 
 mit of no higher, no holier motive, in this solemn and eventful measure 1 
 
 * Acts 16. 19. 
 
21 
 
 Is then the love of Christ, the love of his pure gospel, the love of his 
 Church, the love of souls, to him a strange passion 1 Or does it 
 glow exclusively in his own breast ? Judge ye ! What shall we say 
 of the effort he makes to hold up Dr. J. to ridicule and reproach as a 
 self-constituted guardian of the orthodoxy and peace of the Church? 
 How unkind and unchristian are such insinuations ! The public are not 
 so obtuse as to mistake the meaning. The heretic must go free at all 
 events, and the prosecutor become a victim of party combination and 
 violence. Even the College of Lafayette, which belongs to the cause of 
 science and of truth, is not sacred if it come in the way of such party 
 rancor. Not only the President, but the important and growing institution 
 under his care, must be swept away by this proscriptive besom. And 
 what has excited this exterminating spirit? Why — Dr. Junkin's simply 
 proposing, in a manner which all pronounce necessary, and regular, and 
 christian, after the whole Church had been invited by Act of the General 
 Assembly to this issue, proposing to show according to the Book, that the 
 Notes on the Romans contain doctrines opposed to our standards. If 
 innocent and nothing to fear, why this asperity and rage ! Mr. B. says — 
 " In my own Presbytery I was m good standing." True — because the 
 whole body, one minister* only excepted, it is believed, embraced the 
 same heresies. But, had Mr. B. no wish to stand well in the Church at 
 large? Trial is the only method of removing suspicions. This, neither 
 Mr. B. nor his associates are prepared for. Hence this outrageous attack"!" 
 upon a Christian minister, who undertakes an arduous public service, as 
 we believe, from profound devotedness to duty, and exercising great self- 
 denial — not courting distinction — not following the impulses of an irre- 
 gular and excited mind — not cherishing a lofty pride or unhallowed ambi- 
 tion, as is cruelly insinuated in the defence — but at the often repeated 
 challenge of the aggressing faction, and on the suggestion and with the 
 approbation of many of the advocates of truth and purity in the Presby- 
 terian body. In our Saviour's words, the plain inference is — " Every one 
 that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds 
 should be reproved." 
 
 The exculpatory sentence of the second Presbytery of Philadelphia 
 in Mr. B.'s case, was such as the public anticipated, knowing it to be 
 deeply tinctured with the same false doctrines. The only fact, therefore, 
 
 * Rev. Henry A. Boardman, whose eloquent and able support of Dr. J. has secured 
 the respect and confidencs of all who know him. 
 
 t That this assault upon Dr. Junkin and Lafayette College is the result of combina- 
 tion, cannot be doubted. The false statement recently employed by the Editor of the 
 Evangehst, New-York, to injure South Hanover College, has been duly exposed, by its 
 venerable President, Dr. Blythe, to that just reprobation and contempt which an out- 
 raged and indignant public had long before pronounced upon its author. We are truly 
 mortified at finding Dr. Spring in the same spirit, lending himself to prejudice the 
 infant Seminary, of so much promise, under Dr. Junkin's care. We mention the fact, 
 to show concert, and to give the attempt publicity. Because Dr. J. consented to conduct 
 the process for heresy against Mr. B., Dr. Spring withdraws his name even from a 
 private paper recommending Lafayette College ! Let the Church and our country look 
 at this ! Thus all the literary institutions in our land, in the hands of orthodox men, 
 are marked out as victims of this rapacious spirit ! What then is to be the fate of their 
 Theological Schools should this faction acquire the ascendency ? 
 
established by the trial before them, is, that the court are in the same con- 
 demnation with their protege, with this additional enormity, that to previous 
 individual corruption they have added the guilt of public official perfidy as 
 guardians of the Church. Their pertinacious determination to sustain him, 
 whatever else is sacrificed, becomes more and more manifest the farther 
 we proceed in this exposition. After Dr. Junkin's appeal was taken, as is 
 now evident, with a full understanding to the Synod of Philadelphia, a 
 new and dark drama was opened in the inferior judicature — a drama which, 
 for complicate irregularity and mischief, and ultimately for aggravated 
 vexatiousness and contumacy, has probably never been surpassed in the 
 history of our Church. The first leading object of the combination against 
 discipline was, to obtain a victory in the Synod. If unsucessful in that, 
 a sinister resort was secretly planned and reserved, if possible, to arrest 
 the course of justice. The particulars of this statement are supported by 
 authentic public documents ; and the part we now enter upon, rests almost 
 entirely for its accuracy upon the published minutes of the Synod of Phi- 
 ladelphia. 
 
 To secure a majority in the Synod, we repeat it, was the first hope, in 
 the affinity Presbyteries, within its bounds. Hence the work was, imme- 
 diately, most industriously commenced, of forming new congregations, 
 choosing elders, licensing candidates, and ordaining instruments to suit 
 their purpose without regard to constitutional rules or limits, and to the 
 great annoyance of sound Presbyteries lying contiguous to them on every 
 side. All these preparatory operations were conducted on the principle, 
 that the legislation of the last Assembly was constitutional and with- 
 out a flaw. But as soon as the decision of some preliminary questions 
 in the Synod disclosed the fact, that the party struggling to sustain Mr. 
 B. were in the minority, the expedients of denying the jurisdiction of 
 the Synod, charging the Assembly with defect in legislation, and sup- 
 pressing the documents and evidence in the case, were embraced as an 
 only alternative to stop the wheels of discipline. Those not already 
 acquainted with these transactions will doubtless pause here, with strong 
 emotions of surprise and disgust ! It is truly painful to record the fact, 
 that such are the measures by which all the dearest interests of our 
 Church are reduced to peril ! It will be admitted by all, that falsification 
 of record, or entire suppression of documents in such a case, to rescue 
 an accused individual from farther process of law finds few parallels, 
 even in the proceedings of our most corrupt civil courts ; in the his- 
 tory of our ecclesiastical judiciary it stands alone. Such conduct, 
 in a judicatory of Jesus Christ, imposes a stigma upon the Christian 
 name; and may justly occasion her very ministers- to be held up for 
 derision and contempt by a profane and blaspheming world. 
 
 The most truly painful part of the procedure is to be found in Mr. B.'s 
 equivocating and uncandid course. Men of business in the Church, 
 who understand the powers of Presbytery, the rights of individual mem- 
 bers, and the forms of process, are not to be misled by specious pre- 
 tence. In the whole of that transaction before the Synod, Mr. Barnes 
 was his own man — he had his course under his own control — he had the 
 suppressed documents at his own disposal. He did not appear before 
 
23 
 
 the Synod at their repeated call, because he chose to be amalgamated 
 with his Presbytery in their crafty and corrupt policy. He is therefore 
 pre-eminently chargeable with the insincerity, vexatiousness, and contu- 
 macy, which have been justly imputed to that body ; and has unquestion- 
 ably, on a literal construction of the constitution, and on principles both 
 of strict justice and sound policy, made it optional with the Assembly 
 whether at all to hear his appeal. 
 
 His subsequent attempts, by artful address, to awaken popular sympathy 
 in his favor, especially as it comes enforced by the plausible charge of 
 unconstitutionaUty in the proceedings of the Synod, strongly excites 
 suspicions Avhich we reluctantly entertain. As this appearance of uncon- 
 stitutionality, artfully alleged in his appeal to the public, was produced, 
 evidently, by his own deliberate and refractory refusal to stand trial in the 
 Synod, we are brought irresistibly to the conclusion that his declining 
 its jurisdiction was a mere artifice to provide, indirectly, this popular 
 theme for his premeditated appeal to public opinion. Relying upon this 
 fictitious plea, in connexion with many distorted and imposing statements, 
 his friends — combined with him to carry through this flagrant organized 
 resistance to constituted authority — address themselves to the blind and 
 capricious sympathies of their true yoke-fellows in the cause of error, and 
 to the unhallowed passions of the inflammable multitude. 
 
 Why were not the transactions of the Synod of Philadelphia left to the 
 deliberate and unbiassed judgment of the Church in her constitutional 
 tribunals 1 No light on the subjects involved can be obtained from the 
 common people. Even the best informed part of society are very incom- 
 petent judges of these matters. Is it not always found that the popular 
 judgment is given, not upon the merits of the real question involved, but 
 upon points far removed from it 1 Indeed, the object of this resort is, 
 not to elicit righteous judgment, but to bury up the real subject in con- 
 troversy ; to intoxicate the pubhc mind by false, but captivating views of 
 it ; to excite unhallowed passion or sympathy, in order to secure errone- 
 ous decision. 
 
 Our meaning maybe better illustrated by referring to facts in the present 
 case. The charge is heresy — false doctrine, dishonouring to God and 
 dangerous to souls. The popular appeal of Mr. B. and his associates is 
 founded on his ministerial qualifications, pastoral fidelity, his studies, his 
 labors, his private character, his respectable station, the wealth of his 
 people, their personal attachment, the hatred, the injustice, the crueltxj, of 
 the prosecutor. Now, what have all these things to do with the real 
 question before us? This declamation is evidently designed to perplex 
 and obscure the subject of investigation ; to prejudice and mislead the 
 public. The point at issue is simply this : — Is Mr. Barnes guilty of 
 heresy or not? No matter what his character and conduct in other 
 respects. These are distinct things, not at all connected with the proper 
 inquiry. Is it any palliation for a heretic that he is learned, eloquent, 
 artful, and^zealous, in spreading his corrupt opinions? On the contrary, 
 is he not the more dangerous, the more injurious, the more criminal ? 
 and are not all honest and good men the more obligated to come forward 
 to detect him and arrest his desolating career ? ^Vhat did the inspired 
 
writer of the Epistle to the Romans say : " There be some that trouble you, 
 and would pervert the Gospel of Christ ; but though tt'e, or fl?t angel from 
 heaven, preach amj other Gospel unto you — lei him be accursed .'" — Gal. 
 i. 8. Prominence of character, then, in the Divine account, forms no 
 palliation for heresy ; but in proportion as it may augment his capacity 
 to do evil, plunges the heretical teacher into a more aggravated condem- 
 nation. 
 
 Here let us ask, What has been the conduct of this combination 
 against the truth ever since the adjournment of the Synod 1 Our large 
 cities, our country towns and villages, have been deluged with their in- 
 flammatory publications. Most of the Post Offices in our country have 
 been made distributing points for their uncandid missiles. Mr. Barnes 
 himself, assuming the office of an agitator, has been diligently engaged 
 in travels, in speeches, in private interviews, in letters, appeals and ad- 
 dresses, to give effect to this disorganizing process. And among the 
 most nefarious, and hitherto unheard-of means of corrupting and inflam- 
 ing the public mind. Congregational meetings have been held in sundry 
 places, combinations formed, harangues delivered, resolutions passed, 
 recommendations issued, and all spread out before the Church evidently 
 to promote this work of rebellion. In carrying up an appeal, it is an 
 established principle in all courts, civil and sacred, the propriety of which 
 no sane man will question, that, to obtain an impartial hearing on both 
 sides and an equitable decision, nothing should go before the judicatory 
 appealed to but the law and the evidence on which the judgment in the 
 lower court was rendered. And the same principle will, of course, pre- 
 clude the use of all means directly or indirectly tending to prejudice and 
 corrupt the minds of those who are to constitute the superior tribunal. 
 We appeal, then, to the world — to the common sense, and candor, and 
 justice of all rational beings ; and protest against the ex parte statements, 
 arts and devices, by which the opposers of our Presbyterian faith and 
 order are' endeavouring to corrupt and mislead her high court of appeals. 
 
 We ask the public, whom they have addressed, Why do they take this 
 unfair and disorderly course 1 Does a righteous cause need such un- 
 justifiable resorts ? Do the honest and the pure, conscious of innocence, 
 employ such methods to arrest inquiry and impair the channels of jus- 
 tice? Are not such means, in civil matters, the last resorts of knaves 
 and desperadoes, despairing of their unrighteous objects from the regular 
 and uncontaminated tribunals of their country 1 Greece and Rome, in 
 the days of their deepest moral defection and political degeneracy, pre- 
 sent no higher models of systematic and combined organization against 
 established law and salutary government. These are the very arts and 
 efforts which designing demagogues and revolutionists have ever em- 
 ployed to pollute the public fountains of truth ; to take the honest and 
 unsuspecting people captive over whose understandings and rights they 
 mean to tyrannize ; to gratify, indeed — regardless alike of law, of justice, 
 and of honor — whatever passion of ambition or of envy, of error or of 
 evil, may happen to predominate within them. 
 
 Rely upon it! that man and those men who refuse to seek redress for 
 alleged grievance through the regular administration of justice, and ac- 
 
26 
 
 cording to constitutional provision — who appeal from the known and 
 venerated tribunals of justice and judgoient, the refuge of the injured and 
 innocent, to an irresponsible, unintelligent, and excitable mass of mind, 
 with a view to corrupt and control the final decision of the grand assizes 
 of the Church — in the judgment of all the enlightened, discreet, and 
 unprejudiced of every name — proclaim their cause as desperate — capable 
 of support only by the vilest means, and themselves as lawless and 
 rotten to the core ! 
 
 After openly and repeatedly announcing the fact, that he entered the 
 ministry with reserves and exceptions — after a laborious and protracted 
 argument to vindicate his heretical sentiments on the assumed right of 
 construction ; and after boldly declaring his settled purpose always to 
 disregard every cont'ession and formula, we are really surprised and 
 grieved to find Mr. B. adding, to the egregious mass of inconsistencies 
 elsewhere displayed, the gross absuidity of an attempt to reconcile his 
 JVoles with the Confession of Faith. His whole defence is conducted 
 on the admission, that these discrepancies exist as stated. Hence the 
 attempt to distort the nature and impair the force of the ordination Vow. 
 Hence also the various excuses and pretexts offered to vindicate the 
 errors alleged and their author. What is the import of the following ex- 
 tract from this defence 1 " The question which this Presbytery is now 
 called on to decide, is, whether the views which are expressed in these 
 Notes are any longer to be tolerated in the Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States ; whether a man who held them at the time of his licensure, 
 who has held and preached them for ten years, is to be allowed peace- 
 ably to hold them still ; or whether he is to be pronounced heretical and 
 unsound"?" What opinions are these here referred to ? Certainly not 
 any doctrines of the Confession of Faith. There is no controversy 
 about them. No : they are undoubtedly the heresies presented by Dr. 
 Junkin. The whole charge is here, as in other places, substantially ad- 
 mhted. But, presently, Mr. B.'s courage fails, and he turns short about, 
 adding to the guilt of acknowledged error the criminality of uncandid 
 subterfuge, and commences a Jesuitical process to prove these very 
 opinions to be the same with those of our standards. To such mon- 
 strous absurdities heresy never fails to reduce its deluded propagators. 
 The impossibility of this reconciliation will appear from a comparison of 
 Dr. J.'s argument with the standards of the Church. 
 
 Let the public observe — Mr. B. has brought upon himself all the guilt — 
 the charges — the censures — the mortification and disgrace — and the 
 painful apprehensions he may suffer, by his rash and incorrigible course. 
 He has nobody to blame but himself and his cruel advisers. His plea for 
 suspension of process, or discharge from condemnation, amounts to the 
 simple, modest, and reasonable request, that all the sworn friends of truth 
 and order in our Church, who feel sacredly " bound, with zeal and fidelity, 
 to maintain the truths of the gospel and the purity and peace of the Church," 
 shall profanely violate their vows, and stand idly by, when the Ark of the 
 law and testimony is rapaciously assailed by aliens from the common- 
 wealth of Israel and strangers from our convenant and promise. What 
 renders his case most desperate is, that his defence, now before the public, 
 
 4 
 
26 
 
 constituted as it is, contains from his own hand the elements of self-des- 
 truction. Unless the sentiments it contains are promptly and totally re- 
 tracted, and the whole ground he there assumes for defence abandoned 
 as untenable, that very defence will prove a bill of indictment and must 
 seal his fate. If the principles which that defence avows are sanctioned 
 in the General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church, as established by our 
 wise and venerable forefathers, is that moment, and for ever after, dis- 
 solved ; on those principles no pure church ever existed, or can exist, 
 beneath the sun. So that we have here presented a bold, insidious, and 
 determined assault upon the vital existence of our sacred union — an at- 
 tempt, at a stroke, to sever the tie that binds us in this great Christian fra- 
 ternity — and then to plead the profane dissolution itself, as a defence for 
 the enormities under process before our sacred tribunals. 
 
 Our forrrier remarks upon Mr. B's statements respecting his views of 
 the engagement made on first assuming the sacred office, were intended 
 chiefly to correct his erroneous and dangerous construction of that sacred 
 promise as a part of our Church policy. We now proceed to consider 
 the morality of Mr. B's conduct in this solemn transaction, as developed 
 by himself. The subject is truly momentous and in)pressive ; and nothing 
 but a lively view of its comprehensive bearing and influence, and a so- 
 lemn sense of duty, awakened by Mr. B's alarming disclosures, prompts 
 us to enter upon this solemn discussion. We pity this deluded and un- 
 happy man, whose friends, by foolish flattery and infatuated counsel, have 
 brought him blindfold to the precipice. As the question with us now, is 
 between the Church of Christ and Albert Barnes, we have no alternative but 
 to proceed with the exposition. 
 
 From our view of this subject in its moral relations, the conclusion is, 
 that Mr. B's conduct involves an offence of the greatest magnitude and 
 guilt. The office of a Christian n;inister is the most exalted and respon- 
 sible office eixsting in this world. Ministers are representatives, '' sub- 
 delegated messengers," of the great God, in his dij^pensation of grace. 
 "We are ambassadors of Christ," says the great Apostle; "We pray 
 you in Christ's stead ;" &c. To this high vocation are they appointed, and 
 the Presbytery is the divinely constituted instruinent to clothe them with 
 its sacred functions. Now, the whole transaction, in which candidates are 
 received, and bound, and commissioned to this holy service, has ever been 
 considered as partaking the nature and solemnity oi" a formal oath. The 
 engagement being made primarily to God, from whom proceed the office 
 — the call to it — and both the power and form of initiation, every candidate 
 is justly conceived to make a solemn appeal to the searcher of hearts for 
 the rectitude and sincerity of his professions. Hence a violation of this 
 oath, in any of its particulars, according to their natural, obvious, custo- 
 mary, and established import, can justly be viewed no otherwise than as 
 an act of perjury ; especially must this construction be put upon the vio- 
 lation, if the candidate, by subsequent declarations and actions, refuse to 
 correct his error, and obstinately persist in a course directly opposed to 
 that clearly required by his solemn vow. 
 
 Let us hear the opinion of a man, whose penetration, purity, and fidelity, 
 ■S.S a witness for God, have been proclaimed through the world as pre- 
 
27 
 
 eminently deserving universal confidence. " But, for men, at their en- 
 trance onthesacred office solemnly to subscribe to the truth of what, all their 
 lives after, they strive to undermine and destroy, is at once so crimmal and 
 absurd, that no reproof given to it can possibly exceed in point of seve- 
 rity. This is so direct a violation of sincerity, that it is astonishing to 
 think how men can set their minds at ease in the prospect, or keep them in 
 peace after the deliberate commission of it. The very excuses and eva- 
 sions that are offered in defence of it are a disgrace to reason as well as a 
 scandal to religion. What success can be expected from that man's mi- 
 nistry who begins it with an act of so complicated guilt 1 How can he 
 take upon him to reprove others for sin, or to train them up in virtue and 
 true goodness, while himself is chargeable with direct premeditated and 
 perpetual perjury !" * 
 
 Falsehood has been properly defined to consist in "That which de- 
 ceives and disappoints confidence." Perjury is of the same general 
 nature, but inconceivably aggravated in guilt by a direct appeal to God, 
 which involves an imprecation of his judgments upon any thing deceptive 
 in the engagement made, fraudulent or unfaithful in the execution of it. 
 These characteristics will be found, on close mspection, applicable to the 
 case before us. From his own testimony and attending circumstances, 
 it cannot be doubted that Mr. B. deceived the Presbytery of N. Bruns- 
 wick at his licensure ; and it is equally clear that he has disappointed 
 their expectations. The points of greatest importance, in the obligations 
 assumed, on entering the sacred office, are embraced in the following 
 questions : — " Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of 
 Failh of this Church, as containing the system of doctrines taught in 
 the Holy Scriptures 1 Do you promise to study the peace, unity, and 
 purity of the Church ?" In all sound Prpsbyteries these obligations have 
 been uniformly understood to imply the utmost singleness and sincerity 
 of purpose, required also by act of the General Assembly — " In receiv- 
 ing and adopting the formularies of the Church, according to the obvious, 
 known, and established meaning of the terms, as the Confession of 
 their Faith." Our Confession itself demands the engagement to be 
 taken "in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivoca- 
 tion or mental reservation." The Presbytery of N, Brunswick have 
 always acted in conformity with these views; the students of the Semi- 
 nary, who are generally witnesses of their transactions, and especially 
 those on trial before them, could not fail to be impressed with this fact — 
 that Presbytery never conceived the thought that any candidate had pre- 
 sumed to stand before them with any other view ; in the act of licensing 
 Mr. B., as there was no scruple stated, they supposed him to be honestly 
 receiving and ad )pting the Book, in its known and established import, 
 as the Confession of his Faith. Reposing this confidence in his sup- 
 posed sincerity, they committed to him the momentous trust of jireaching 
 this faith to dying men. With astonishment we now learn from Mr. B. 
 himself, that he assumed the prescribed obligations and trust, cherishing, 
 secretly, reserves, evasions, and designs, in direct conflict with what the 
 
 * Wilherspoon's vvoilvs, vol, 3. p. 197. 
 
28 
 
 Presbytery and the Church at large understand that solemn promise to 
 import ; indeed, entirely overlooking and renouncing the Confession of 
 Faith, both in letter and in practical effect. " 'J he system of doctrines 
 contained in the standards I received as a system. 1 received it, not in- 
 deed ever expressing my assent to every expression and lorm of expres- 
 sion ; but as reserving to myself the rigid of examining the language, 
 and forming an opinion of its meaning." Language more explicit, testi- 
 mony more unequivocal and irresistible, to prove the high immorality of 
 Mr. B.'s conduct in this sacred transaction, need not, could not, exist. 
 
 The corrupt and dangerous practice of signing Creeds and Confes- 
 sions, /or* doctrine and for substance, with reserved rights of construction 
 and explanation, which the honest friends of truth regard with abhorrence, 
 is here practically introduced, boldly avowed, audaciously held up as an 
 example in the Church, and pleaded as an apology for this unparalleled 
 violation of moral honesty. A most pertinacious adherence to this de- 
 ceptive course is here fully evinced. "I have not changed my views 
 materially since I was licensed to preach the gospel." Again, he de- 
 clares, that " He held the views expressed in these Notes at the time of 
 his licensure and ordination, that he has held and preached them ten 
 years.''^ Again: he avows " His intention not to be influenced by re- 
 gard to any Creed or Confession of Faith : —because it is his deliberate 
 and settled purpose of mind ; the principle by which he expects always 
 to be governed." This dogmatical, reiterated, deliberate, and determined 
 rejection of our Confession, in the very act in which he pledged his 
 sacred truth and honor, before God, to adopt and maintain it, must pro- 
 duce through our Church indescribable emotions. 
 
 False speaking and false swearing are justly held up for public execra- 
 tion by all men. Perjury, even where money, office, or honor, is its 
 object, and where its injurious effects are comparatively trivial, is exposed 
 to punishment by fine or imprisonment. But what man or angel can 
 calculate the guilt of treachery in an ambassador of Christ ! It may be 
 estimated in some small measure by considering the extent of a minis- 
 ter's obligations to God, to the Presbytery, to the Church, and to the 
 souls of men. As these obligations are manifold and weighty, a violation 
 of them must incur complicate and awful guilt. It is a most aggravating 
 circumstance in Mr. B.'s course, that he is persisting, against the warn- 
 ings and entreaties of years past, and pursuing an object of the greatest 
 enormity — the perversion of the truth of God and the ruin of his 
 Church. 
 
 If this dishonest system should be sustained, and become the law of 
 the Church, it is evident that every licensure and ordination iri our land 
 may become an inlet to some new form or grade of heresy, under the 
 impenetrable and imposing guise of reserves and explanations. It surely 
 needs no words to show how well adapted Mr. B.'s model will be, to lead 
 candidates of his non-committal and inventive cast, completely to evade 
 every constitutional guard against error, and to import into the Church 
 every abomination. Hitherto it has been considered the duty of candi- 
 dates, before admission, after or during a thorough course of theological 
 reading, to inspect our Book of Faith, ponder its sacred Contents, and 
 
29 
 
 decide upon their character ; that they may act intelligently and sin- 
 cerely, if at all, in assuming its obligations and avowing its principles ; 
 but a new method of procedure is now exhibited — to swear to the Book 
 first as a Confession of Faith, and examine its language afterwards to 
 form an opinion of its meaning ! 
 
 It is now a very serious inquiry in what light the advocates of Mr. B. 
 are to be viewed. Possessing, we have no doubt, much more accurate 
 knowledge on this point than we can claim, his assertion is not to be pass- 
 ed lightly over " that he holds the opinions here in question, in common 
 with no small part of the more than two thousand ministers in our con- 
 nexion." This appears to us unquestionable — that, if they entered our 
 Church with any other view than that of honest compliance with the spirit 
 of their ordination vow and strict conformity to the letter of our Church 
 standards, they committed a profane and criminal violation of the most so- 
 lemn oath ever administered to man ; — and if they continue in our Church, 
 as Mr. B. does, in open conflict with the pledge they gave and the stand- 
 ards they voluntarily assumed, their public ministry and their whole life is a 
 constant repetition and aggravation of the most criminal act ever perpetrat- 
 ed in this world. And whatever may have been at first their principle of 
 action and mode of introduction, their vindicating a man who not only 
 holds heretical opinions, corrupting to the Church of Christ, but assumes 
 and exercises rights directly subversive of that branch of his Church which 
 they have sworn to protect and advance, they are undoubtedly to be con- 
 sidered abettors of heresy — instigators and promoters of consummate 
 mischief to Zion, and are justly held accountable to God and to his 
 Church for all the corruption and confusion produced by their unfaithful 
 course. 
 
 To the great body of candid and reflecting men of all denominations, 
 the wonder constantly is — why Mr. B. and those of his class, most 
 manifestly and radically differing from the standards of the Presbyterian 
 Church, pertinaciously pursuing measures which produce incessant dis- 
 cord — which rend congregations, church judicatories, missionary societies, 
 benevolent institutions — which subject large sections of our Church and 
 country to painful conflicts, keep the public mind unceasingly agitated 
 with feuds and animosities : — the wonder is — why they should wish to 
 remain for an hour in connexion with this Church. It is perfectly plain, that 
 if their uncandid, inconsistent, and offensive action and influence were 
 removed from the Presbyterian body, all would be peaceful, prosperous, 
 and happy, within her bosom. No difficulty, no evils of any magnitude, 
 have afflicted the Church for many years not justly ascribable to the 
 influence of New England men, N. S. principles, and sympathies for 
 them. How preposterous and how criminal is it for men to insist on 
 wearing the name of Presbyterians, when their hearts are opposed to 
 Presbyterianism, at enmity with its peculiar and essential doctrines and 
 forms ! Why do they not retire from the Presbyterian Church and erect 
 an independent standard, where they can enjoy, unmolested and without 
 giving offence, the anomalies they so much covet — without cherishing 
 wiles and creating conflicts, perpetual in their character, painful to all, 
 wounding to the Church, offensive to God, chilling to devotion, and 
 
30 
 
 paralysing to the noblest energies and interests of Zion ? If they have 
 no regard for truth and consistency— uo concern for the comfort of the 
 great body of ministers, and elders, and people, whom thty continually 
 disturb and pain — for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, who loves, 
 inculcates, and enjoins peace, let them and their adherents withdraw, that 
 the land may have rest and Zion throw off her sackcloth. The land is 
 wide enough for them and for us. They have congregations, schools, 
 colleges, seminaries, societies of every name, sufficient to make them 
 respectable in numbers and strength. Thus separated by a voluntary and 
 amicable recession from a Church into which they have dishonestly 
 intruded and continued, only to weaken and destroy it ; whose interests 
 they never intended to promote ; and whose honest and faithful members 
 never can and never will unresistingly tolerate their wicked abuse of her 
 institutions, and corruption of her faith and purity — thus separated, the 
 fruits of the Spirit may again be hailed among us ; and they may, with 
 some appearance of consistency and honour, escape from the guilt and 
 obloquy, which in this connexion must for ever accumulate and rest upon 
 them. 
 
 If the hope of plunder keeps them back from separation, the only 
 honourable escape from their present ignominious and self-condemned 
 position — let me tell them that such a hope is desperate. No ; let not this 
 detain them. The adjudications of the highest tribunals, both of Europe 
 and America, have recently confirmed the dictates of common sense and 
 sound equity, by repeated declarations — that the faith of a church consti- 
 tutes her bemg, decides her character, establishes her rights, and secures 
 her property. The apostacy of the N. School from the Confession of 
 Faith is now as clearly ascertained as it can be, both by their language 
 and their actions. Their heresy has gone abroad, written as with sun- 
 beams, to the ends of the earth. The stand taken and the course pur- 
 sued by the minority in the Assembly of 1834, were designed to produce 
 this result. Subsequent events have completed the development — a 
 development which cannot fail to prove an impregnable panoply for the 
 uncorrupted Church, against any and every assault of art or of violence 
 which the great King of Zion may permit. The prospect of additional 
 " loaves and fishes," from the orthodox body, by any other process than 
 insidious and meddlesome gleaning, is too dubious to recompense the 
 sacrifice of public good, and of individual character, consequent upon a 
 farther continuance in this uncongenial connexion, and prosecution of 
 measures so productive of bitterness — so disgraceful to reason — and so 
 scandalous to the Christian name. 
 
 From such instances of insincerity and immorality in the tninisters of 
 religion, a withering effect must be expected to descend upon the pious 
 affections of the great body of Christian people, who are themselves as- 
 tonished and mourning spectators of this solemn mockery, this affecting 
 insensibility to crime and guilt, in those who at the altar, and who should, 
 by lives of simplicity and Godly sincerity, lead the way to heaven. Need 
 we inquire why religion languishes and the ways of Zion mourn 1 Can we 
 be at a loss to understand why the Most High has withdrawn his blessed 
 spirit from his Church below 1 Can we reasonably expect in general 
 
31 
 
 through the Church, those seasons of genuine awakening and revival, 
 which have happily distinguished former days, while the truth of God is 
 corruptly preached ; while Christ and his righteousness are ope7ily made 
 light of; and the essential principles of his Gospel contravened ; while 
 there is visible, under so many symptoms of favour, a combined movement 
 in the citadel of the Church to screen the propagators of heresy, insulting 
 to heaven and damning to souls 1 Indeed, should not the cold inaction of 
 many true friends of Gospel truth, the indecision of others, and the tardiness 
 with which many advance to the help of the Lord, be considered deeply 
 offensive in his holy sight ; sufficient to bring down the rebuke of a frigid 
 winter or a dreary night upon regions recently rejoicing in the sunshine of 
 spiritual day 1 Besides — have not the intestine wars and confusions en- 
 kindled by the invaders of our peaceful Church struck alarm through all 
 our borders, and driven many faithful laborers from the direct care of souls 
 and dissemination of truth, to the painful work of defence against troops 
 of ambushed and of open foes? 
 
 It is an inquiry, also, of absorbing interest, what is to be the influence 
 of this public profanation of oaths by the professed ministers of Jesus 
 Christ, on the morals of society in general. We apprehend the most 
 deleterious effects. That the continuance of this system of equivocation 
 and subterfuge, in a matter so sacred, will operate with a paralysing in- 
 fluence on the moral perceptions and sensibilities of the perpetrators 
 themselves, is too clear to be doubted. Indeed, we are much mistaken, 
 in a matter, too, where we would gladly find ourselves in error, if practi- 
 cal indications of a decisive and alarming character have not already 
 been given, in many instances, of the deplorable truth of these apprehen- 
 sions. The Argus eyes of the unholy multitude are ever placed with in- 
 vidious scrutiny on the vestments of the holy order. A spot discovered 
 in their lawn will produce a shout of unhallowed satisfaction through all 
 the camp of the enemy. And though it is hard to induce any of their 
 company to follow a step in the progress of holy virtue, yet the slight- 
 est signal will prompt a host to triumphant emulation in the career of 
 profligacy and guilt. In vain shall we deplore the general relaxation of 
 public morals, reprove the general violation of truth and profanation of 
 oaths, and the light esteem of every thing sacred, among the common 
 orders, while so large a number of the consecrated teachers and defend- 
 ers of pure morality, by violating their most sacred engagements, and 
 leagueing together to screen transgressors, enable the multitude, with just 
 reproach and biting sarcasm, to retort — " Thou that teachest another, 
 teachest thou not thyself? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit 
 sacrilege ? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the 
 law dishonorest thou God 1 Rom. xvi. 21 — 23. 
 
 Thus have I, with all the honesty and candor I possess, laid open my 
 heart on this very interesting and impressive subject. Before concluding, 
 it seems proper to state one fact, — that no man, or body of men, has had 
 any thing to do with the preparation of this statement, or is in any de- 
 gree responsible for any thing it contains save the writer alone. The 
 subscriber, moreover, solemnly declares, that while he exposes and re-' 
 proves Mr. B. publicly and seriously, he is unconscious of possessing a 
 
32 
 
 single feeling of unkindness towards him. Nay ; that he would gladly 
 embrace him, freed from the snares mto which he has fallen, with all the 
 affections of his heart. If Mr. B. is dissatisfied with what is here slated 
 in regard to the mind of the Presbytery of New Brunswick on the subject 
 of licensing candidates, he can apply to them for an expression of opinion. 
 The writer would be exceedingly unwilling to offer so great an offence to 
 the understanding and moral sense of that Presbytery as such an applica- 
 tion would imply. 
 
 A season of infidelity and darkness is lowering over us. The reli- 
 gious aspect of our Church is now fast putting on the sombre shades 
 predicted more than twenty-five years ago, when German Rationalism 
 and Neology first began to develope their seducing power in New Eng- 
 land. Error, like truth, is systematic. One false principle leads to 
 another. A denial of original sin, as taught in the Bible, will certainly 
 produce erroneous sentiments in regard to man as a moral agent — mis- 
 taken conceptions of the character of Christ and his work of atonement 
 — distorted views of the moral government of God, and the work of 
 the Holy Spirit on the sinner's heart. Whoever doubts or errs in regard 
 to one fundamental point in the evangelic scheme, will be led to attempt, 
 by presumptuous and false speculations, the adjustment of every other 
 principle to his mistaken view, and will be very likely to unhinge the 
 whole economy of grace. Mr. Barnes is, beyond a doubt, far advanced 
 in this fatal course. What are his own practical views and experience 
 as a Christian, God knows. But his principles are subversive of the 
 whole gospel plan. He may, by explanations and refinements of art, 
 persuade himself that he is not in radical error; but he can never satisfy 
 others of this fact without a total change, in thought and word, on the 
 points at an issue. They who read his Notes, especially the young in 
 Sabbath schools and Bible classes, can scarcely fail to be mortally in- 
 fected by them. And many, embracing his principles and reasoning 
 from them in their several relations and bearings, will almost necessarily 
 arrive at broad infidelity. In truth, if Mr. B's opinions, as I understand 
 them, and as they are understood by readers in general, be correct, I 
 must pronounce the Bible throughout of little value, except as a pure and 
 well-attested code of morals. And this is the comprehensive tenet of 
 the Unitarians — the sum of the religious faith. 
 
 This moment, more imperiously than any preceding, summons the 
 friends of religion, morality, and order in our Church, to awake, and most 
 vigorously strive for the preservation of all that is dear in our ancient and 
 venerable ecclesiastical system. That the enemy have come in like a 
 flood, none can doubt; that their designs are revolutionary, if not exter- 
 minating, can as little he denied ; that their movements can be resisted 
 only by the combined strength of the true and faitful lijting up the stand- 
 ard of the Lord against them, is equally clear. Let our action be rendered 
 formidable and efficient, not by bitterness, noise, and contention. May 
 our first resort be to God in faith and supplication : our next, reliance 
 upon firmness and diligence in duty. Let our instruments be enlightened 
 reason — earnest expostulation — the faithfijl maintenance of law in consti- 
 tutional process. 
 
33 
 
 To the commissioned leaders in the armies of Israel we need not say- 
 be faithful. To the elders of the Churches, divinely characterized as helps 
 and governments, we would address an importunate call to come forth with 
 promptness and energy in the discharge of your momentous trust. You 
 are, pre-eminently, the representatives of the people ; the trustees and 
 guardians of the faith — the purity — the privileges — the rights of " the great 
 congregation" of Christ Jesus in this world. Pastors may prove corrupt 
 — become unfaithJul, or pass away ; elders remain amalgamated with the 
 flock, bound to them by dearest ties, entrusted with the care of the lambs, 
 the hope of Christ's kingdom. The glory of God, the prosperity of his 
 Church, th« fidelity of his under-shepherds, the safety of the flock, and 
 the salvation of them that are xoithoul, depend much upon your wisdom, 
 zeal, and stability. Many are the wiles of the adversary : " Wherefore, 
 take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand 
 in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand .'" 
 
 A Son of the Huguenots. 
 March, 1836. 
 
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