r:i /^2jr^ LIBRARY OF 'MIK Theological Seminary PRINCETON, N. J. jk'gTC Case _ Divisi ":>. Shdf Section.. Book N^^ A DONATION /^^..^J(ifi^9.^. ilfcfibcb M4rP7/t7^, „^M„-,^,^^m^ .li«^ri> PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY ANTHONY FINLEY, At the tTV. E. corner of Chesnut 8^ Fourth streBtSf PHILADELPHIA; (Of whom may be had at an hour's notice, any Book or Books which are to be procured in the city.) A DICTIONARY OF SELECT AND POPULAR QUOTATIONS, which are in constant use ; taken from the Latin, French, Spanish and Italian Languages, (also including a complete coUectio7i of i^AVi maxims) translated into English, with illustrations, historical and idiomatic. Third American edition, corrected, with copious additions. $1 50. The informa- tion this volume affords is not to be had elseiuhere. ^ O" On the fourth page will be found a specimen of the work. The PRESBYTERIAN CONFESSION OP FAITH— The Constitu- tion of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America : contain- ing the Confession of Faith, the Catechisms, and the Directory for the worship of God ; together with the Plan of Government and Discipline, as amended and ratified by the General Assembly at their session in May 1821. Prices |(1 25, and 75 cts. The REFUGE, By the author of "The Guide to Domestic Happiness." Third Amer ican edition $1 00. Mr. Finley, The little volume entitled " The Refuge," is, in my judgment, excel- lent. The subject is the justification of a sinner by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Christ. The work is in the form of let- ters, addressed to a young female under serious concern of mind, about the salvation of her soul. It comprises much in a small compass, well arranged and happily expressed ; and I scarcely know a work more likely to be useful to persons who are seriously inquiring what they must do to be saved. It is manifestly the author's aim to direct the awakened soul to Christ crucified, risen, and exalted to give repentance and remission of sins as its only Refuge. Respectfully yours, ifclc. WILLIAM NEIL, D. D. Pastor of the Sixth Presbyterian Church, Philatl-, 2 HISTORY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT PRINCE- TON. "A Brief Account of the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, at Princeton, N. J. including the Constitution and Regulations of the Seminary ; together with a catalogue of those who have been members, and a list of the present Officers and Students. This little volume is intended to give a succinct and clear account of the NATURE and design of this institution, which are yet but imper- fectly known in many sections of the Presbyterian Church. — The price is fifty cents, from which a liberal deduction will be made to those who pur- chase a number of copies. 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ZOONOMIA, by Dr. Darwin, 4th edition, 2 vols. .57. 5j)edmen of^/ie "Dictionary of Quotations," mcnftoned on the first page. Lnpendam et expendar. Lat. "I will spend and be spent," in pursuit of this object. Imperium in Imperio. Lat. " A government existing under another go- vernment." This is the relation in which each of our States stands to the Federal government. Impotentia excusat legem. Lat. law maxim. " Impotency does away the law" — men in prison, idiots, and lunatics, are excused, fiom their ina- bility, for the non-performance of acts, which the law requires of others. Indocti discant, ament meminisse periti. Lat. " The ignorant may learn, and the learned improve their recollection." — This is a motto frequently prefixed to works of a general and useful tendency. In extenso. Lat. " At large — in full." Ingenuas didicisse fideliter nrtes Einollit mores, nee shut esseferos. Lat. Ovid. " To have studied carefully the liberal arts is the surest method of re- fining the grossness, and subduing the harshness of the human mind." In perpetuam rei memoriam, Lat. " To perpetuate the memory of the thing." In statu quo. Lat. " In the state in which." The condition of any nation, as to territorial possessions, at any previous time — with ante hel- ium, before the war commenced. In terroreni. Lat. " In terror" — as a warning. Je lie sais quoi. Fr. " I know not what." Used to express something that will not admit of description. Jew de mots. Fr. " A. play on words." Jeii ral or written tradition, in room of the word of God, wliich melts and trans- forms the human heart; — who would not call forth all his strength, and expend all his chari- ty, in a deterniined elfort to disenthral society from such an ill-fated system of mental and spiritual mismanagement? These reflections do not proceed from a sickly fancy, insulated by its own feverish im- pulses from the actual circumstances of real life; ranging among dark forms of human sorrow, which have no existence; or dweli'ng upon fantastic visions which itself rapidly creates. The attributes of social life, whether religious or political, are not always the most delightful subjects a moral writer is called to canvass. We apprehend, we have been par- tially describing the situati(m in which Creeds and Confessions place the members of the church. Else, why should the denial of the aulhority of those ecclesiastical instruments, be considered as almost infallible proof of gross and soul-destroying heterodoxy.'^ Why should an argument, made up of a detailed report of the opinions and practices of the fathers, be thought so conclusive.'' Why should an hon est and conscientious elTort, to give truth a scrip- 86 tural, rather than a scholastic, form, excite so many suspicions against him who makes it, and create so many heart-burnings in christian as- semblies? Suffer us to declare what we have been made to feel on this subject. Our own experience, to go no further than the Discourse delivered at Princeton, is our voucher. AYe feel, that we cannot disown the supreme authority of our fa- thers, and determine to think for ourselves, without provoking the displeasure of professing christians. We feel, that we cannot furnish il- lustrations of evangelical truth, framed accord- ing to our own best conceptions; and modified to meet the peculiarities of the day in which we live, as far as we apprehend those peculiarities; without incurring the heaviest censure, under a gratuitous assumption that we are not "walking in the footsteps of the flock." We feel, that we cannot whisper a doubt as to the theological views of divines of "the olden time," or review the crude notions of our youth by the severer thought of maturer years, without finding our change to be our reproach, in the estimation of thousands whose good opinion we value. We feel, that to abandon that mode of scriptural ex- position, which makes every text to utter some Calvinistic or Arminian dogma; and to exchange it for that which brings up every conscience to the bar of divine revelation, to answer for itself; or which pours the full radiance of the Bible over the individual and social habits of men; is to subject ourselves to be reviled for a breach of ordination vows. These things we have been made to feel: and we cannot reject tlie testimony of our senses. The doctrines of our forefathers have been constituted, in practical lite, the rules of our faith. We must have their ideas, their terms, their intellectual associations ; every thing must be consecrated by antiquity, or we are not orthodox. Once more we ask, who would not labour to redeem society from such mental servitude.^ Who can suppose that he has too much to sacrifice, to bring men back to God, and to induce them to tliiuk for themselves, as if they had a mind and conscience of their own? We propose a question, if it will not startle the reader as daring and presumptuous: — Are \a'C not, or may we not become, as good judges of the Scriptures, as any of the fathers.^ For example; when it is declared, that "God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son, tiiat whosoever bclieveth in him mig;ht not per- ish, but might have everlasting life;" can we not understand this gracious overture, as well as any apostolical father.*' And after all that men, botli ancient and modern, may say about it, must we not be personally taught its mean- ing by the Holy Gho.st dv/elling in us.^ Let us go a step farther, and ask another question: — As to the application of scriptural principles to present circumstances, do we not understand them better than our fathers .-^ They did not live in our day: they knew notliing of the pecu- liarities of our age: they could not foresee the 4 58 operations of the public mind, under the full development of political liberty, the large ad- vances of science, the changes in language, or that enthusiastic spirit which now animates the Bible cause. We award to them, as we ought, closer and more accurate views of the circumstan- ces of their own age; for we know comparatively little about them: but, as we value our responsi- bility, we must judge for ourselves in this age, which God has committed to our thought and management. Then why must we be compelled to speak as they spoke, to write as they wrote, or to sing as they sung.? If they thought it neces- sary to write Creeds, does it follow that we must write them too.'^ If they thought they had a right to frame a Creed for themselves, does it follow that we have not a right to make a Creed for ourselves? If they were good and holy men, does it follow that we may not be good and holy men too? Yet we cannot move a single step in this argument, without being reminded of the superior excellencies of our fathers, and hearing whole generations reviled by a charge of their dwarfish stature and diminutive powers. Has their authority foreclosed all discussion? Have their Synodical decrees irrevocably predestinated whatever may come to pass m these days, and sealed up all our ecclesiastical operations under an unchanging fate? We beg leave to examine this matter for ourselves; and ask our brethren to suffer us to discuss it in a candid, manly and christian manner. Our petition does not transcend the rights which are secured to us by 39 the word of God, and the republican institu tions of our own happy land. We do not think, as has already been ob- served, that the testimony of the early fathers is worth half the credit, that is so gratuitously conferred upon it; to whichsoever side of the present controversy it may be favourable. Of the value of Creeds, and of the authority by which they are imposed, we are fully as com- petent to judge as they were. They were men like ourselves; and sinful men, and very sinful men too, as well as those of the present day, who must now breathe by their good will. We moreover do not think, that the early ages of Christianity afford any evidence in favour of Creeds, as they are at present forced upon our attention; but that their evidence is entirely against the popular opinion on this subject. — These assertions we think we shall make good, in the course of these remarks. It may be ne- cessary however, first to put our readers fully in possession of our ideas of a Creed or Con- fession of Faith; or precisely to point out, what that thing is with which we are so muchotfcnd- ed, as to be willing to meet the grievous censure we have incurred. This shall form the subject of our next section. SECTIOiN 2. ^^By a Creed, or Confession of Faith, 1 mean," says Dr. Miller,* "an exhibition, in human language, of those great doctrines which are believed by the framers of it to be taugtit in the Holy Scriptures ; and which are drawn out in regular order, for the purpose of ascer- taining how far those who wish to unite in church fellowship are really agreed in the fundamental principles of Christianity." This definition, perhaps, states the subject in its mildest and least offensive terms. But whether it will convey a full and entire view of a Creed or Confession of Faith to the minds of his readers, is very questionable ; or rather, it is absolutely certain it will not, and cannot. The second part of it does, indeed, partially express the matter of oppression against which we protest; and it does this in the least ob- jectionable form: but it does not declare the "sore evil" in broad terms, and in plain lan- guage. We are anxious to give an undisguis- ed view of this matter, that we may not be censured for false delicacy, and unmanly scru- ples. The whole subject must be met full in the face, and the objection we make, fairly and honourably refuted, or we refuse to be satisfied. It was not the mere existence of Creeds, nor was it the fact that they were pro- * Intrndiictorv Lecture, Paije 8. 41 claimed by particular denominations of chris- tians, tliat first excited our alarm: but it was the actual oppression of church authontij in de- manding a subscription to these sectarian arti- cles, and that not in relation to ourselves either, that opened our eyes upon the "unwarrantable imposition," of which we now complain. A Crced^ doubtless, every man must have, who has any desire to know truth, or who has in any measure made truth his study. A Crced^ to some extent or other, every minister of the gospel must have, who intends to fulfil his ofii- cial duties with integrity; and every sermon he preaches, as far as it goes, is his Creed. And in society, individuals will approximate to, or recede from each other, in their modes of think- ing and habits of action; an assimilation may Oiicur, by an iiiherent or an accitlental power in society to regulate itself, and thus some social principles will be adopted by common consent, or something like a social Creed will be tacit- ly f(jrmed. For the law of the human mind, while it possesses any moral consistency, is to cherish and evolve its own honest impressions. "I believed," said the Psalmist, "therefore have I spoken:" and, Paul, personating his brethren, v/liile he vouches tor himself, adopts the same rule; "we also believe, and therefore speak." ISo honest man ever acted in any other way; and one of the mosL ne^eisary qualifications of a faithful minister, is, tlint he should believe in' his own heart, what he declares unto others. 4*- 42 Whoever doubted this? Nay, more; a man may publish to the world what he believes to be true, and it shall be considered as his Creed: or the General Assembly may declare every year, and that in the most mathematical order, the various moral doctrines its members may conceive to be true, and these shall form their Creed. Still all this does not touch the objec- tion we are making to Creeds and Confessions of Faith. Are Calvin's institutes, Witsius' economy, orDwight's Theology, our Creed? Do we make a belief in any one of them, a term of communion in religious ordinances? There are a multitude of such Creeds in the world; and "of making many books there is no end." But does the present controversy embrace these, or have we taken up our pen unceremoniously to condemn them? The Westminster Confes- sion of Faith itself, — is our hostility against Creeds and Confessions directed against it, as a book? Not at all. It may be, for any thing we know about it in the present subject, the best book that ever was written; and the best Creed too. But if it was an hundred fold more excel- lent than it is, our argument would be still unaf- fected, still unanswered. Manifestly then, there is a necessity that we should distinctly declare what it is to which we object; and that our brethren should meet us on the very ground we occupy: or this whole process of reasoning will degenerate into wretched and undignifi d vitu- peration, as though we had some petty jealous- ies to indulge, or some equivocal plans of per- 43 sonal aggrandizenieiit to promote. And we claim it as our right, to be treated as honorable men, who prize integrity and a good conscience as highly as our brethren can do. Nothing else could ever induce us to embark in this painful, and, it may be, thankless, enterprize. By a Creed or Confession of Faith, we un- derstand, not only an exhibition of supposed scriptural doctrine; but that exhibition, when it is made, imposed upon the human conscience as a term of comnmnion in the ordinances of God^s house. A denomination, or a votuntanj associution^ is formed, having t!ie ministry and the whole variety of Gospel ordinances, which is called the church; into which no man can enter without subscribing its Creed or Confes- sion. We do not say that this Creed is imposed by ciml authority; that, very happily for us who live in this free country, is not practicable. But, if the Creed be imposed as a term of commu- nion in spiritual things, the principle is precisely the same, whether it be done by a civil or an ecclesiastical court. Other men have made a Creed or Confession for us, which we must re- ceive; and whether they be politicians or theolo- gians, who have undertaken to legislate for our consciences, is quite immaterial. The thing is done, and we must submit. Authoritij is exercised, and to this exercise of authority we do most seriously and resolutely object; assert- ing that the Master never invested those, who use it, with sucii a dangerous prerogative. He never gave them a right to say, upon what prin- 44 ciples his church should be formed; but taking that matter into his own hand, he has decided for us all, and commanded us to be of "one mind," and to "love one another." If any ima- gine that they are duly authorized to take this stand in the management of religious things, it becomes them to show their scriptural commis- sion ; and to prove that they have a divine right to make a Creed or Confession, to which others must bow. — We have now explicitly stated our difficulty. Some men undertake to make a summary of scriptural doctrines for other men; and bringing that summary into the Church of God, as substantially a rule of faith and morals, they exclude from spiritual privileges those who will not receive and adopt it. Where is their divine ivarrant? Let this question be fairly and unequivocally answered. We do not know how far the foregoing state- ment may be considered as fair; for we have heard some of our brethren assert that we lay entirely too much stress upon this view of the subject; and that Creeds and Confessions are not considered as oblv^alory on the cpascience. There is in fact every variety of opinion about the matter; and the public mind, by the natural course of events, is exceedingly unsettled on the questions, what a Creed is, and what it is not.'' — • We feel it therefore to be our duty to make good what we have said. Dr. Miller will certainly agree with us, in our exposition of the matter of fact; for after supposing a voluntary association to have been formed, he states the following 45 case, ill which an individual applies for admis- sion: — '-I demand admittance into your body, though I can neither believe the doctrines which you profess to embrace, nor consent to be gov- erned by the rules which you have agreed to adopt. — What answer would they be apt to give him? They would certainly reply — your de- mand is very unreasonable. Our union is a voluntary one, for our mutual spiritual benefit. We have not solicited you to join iis; and you cannot possibly have a right to force yourself into our body. The whole world is before you. Go where you please. We cannot agree to re- ceive you^ unless you are willing to walk with us upon our own principles. Such an answer would undoubtedly be deemed a pro- per one by every reasonable jjerson. Sup- pose, however, this applicant were still to urge his demand; to claim admission as a right; and, upon being finally refused, to complain, that the society had 'persecuted' and 'injured' him.'' Would any one think him possessed of common sense? Nay, would not the society in question, if they could be compelled to receive such an applicant, instead of being oppressors of others, cease to be free themselves.^*" Now all this may be justified by Hie brethren, who think we have very little to which to object. But in this case, are not the rules of order, and the scriptural doctrines, as they are said to be, made obligatory upon tlw conscience? The voluntary association formed, we are told, is only "a body "Lecture n. 45 — 6- 46 of professing christians," exercising their "na- tural right thus to associate ;" extracting "their own Creed from the scriptures," and agreeing to act "upon the principles by which others may- after wards be admitted into their number." But suppose that this applicant should happen to be a living, growing, humble christian; — and the supposition is by no means an improbable one:* — Would Dr. M. or any other christian minister, deny such an one admission to spiritual privi- leges, according to the terras in which he has described the case, we have quoted from his pages? Most certainly. Into such an associa- tion no man can enter, who will not consent to walk with its members on their own principles; or, in other words, who will not consent to re- ceive and adopt their Creed. The whole ivorld is before him. Then is their Creed made an au- thoritative rule of faith and manners in the house of God; and the doctrines and commandments of men are invested with power to control the hu- man conscience, of which God alone is the Lord. That we have righly defined a Creed or Con- fession, in representing it to be an authoritative rule, imposed upon the human conscience niere- ly under human sanctions, is further evident, from the manner in which it is used, when a young man is to be licensed to preach the gos- pel, or to be ordained to the ministry. The fol- lowing questions are asked him. ""Do you be- lieve the scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ments to be the word of God, the only infallible "^MasonsPlea p. p. 6. 7. 47 rule of faith and manners ?" The scri ptures then are not the only rule; but the only mfallible rule. Another rule there is that is not infallible. And this mode of phraseology is employed, to make the way clear for the introduction of that second rule; which accordingly is brought forward in full form in the next question: "Do you sincere- ly receive, and adopt the Confession of Faith of this church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the holy scriptures?" The Confession of the church, is therefore a rule, sustained by the authority of the church, the sincere reception of, and unequivocal submission to, which, is a ne- cessary preliminary to induction into the minis- terial office. It is intended to add solemnity to the ceremony of ordination ; to awaken the atten- tion of the candidate to a niost conscientious re- view of the nature and importance of his official engagements; and, like a well secured contract, to guaranty to the church the fidelity of her ministers. — It is surely a mere evasion to say, that an ecclesiastical Creed is not an authorita- tive rule of faith and manners, binding upon the conscience. But there is another official oath, more refined and explicit, which is administered to the Pro- fessors of the Theological Seminary, wliich de- monstrates that w^e have not mistaken the use to which Creeds are applied. The third secti. n of the third article of the plan of the Theologi- cal Seminary, is as follows: "-Every person elected to a professorship, in this Seminary, shall, on being inaugurated, solemnly subscribe 48 tbe Confession of Faith, Catechisms, and Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church, agreeably to the following formula, viz. "In the presence of God and the Directors of this Semi- nary, I do solemnly, and ex ammo adopt, receive, and subscribe the Confession of Faith, and Cate- chisms of the Presbyterian Church in the Unit- ed States of America, as the Confession of my Faith; or, as a summary and just exhibition of that system of doctrine and religious belief which is contained in holy Scripture, and tlierein revealed by God to man for his salvation ; and I do solemnly, ex animo^ profess to receive the Form of Government of said Church, as agreea- ble to the inspired oracles. And I do solemnly promise and engage, not to inculcate, teach,_or insinuate any thing which shall appear to me to contradict or contravene, either directly or im- pliedly, any thing taught in the said Confession of Faith or Catechisms; nor to oppose any of the fundamental principles of Presbyterian Church Government, while I shall continue a Professor in this Seminary " We do not remember to have seen any thing so revolting as this, since we read Neal's history of the Puritans; — those glorious men, who refused to have their con- sciences trammelled in this n:ianner. We con- fess, that under such circumstances we can see but little use for the Bible, and cannot avoid re- marking, that if the scriptures should disclose any thing to the Professor's mind, during his laborious researclics, which should contravene any thing contained in our sectarian formulary, he has thus subscribed, either he must not de- clare it, or he is necessarily absolved from his oath by a higher power, and thus the whole transaction, so awfully solemn, becomes nugato- ry. Surely in this case a Creed is a most fear- ful instrument; exercising authority enough to make any man tremble, and rendering it a most dangerous employment to study the Bible for himself. Let us state a case, which will bring the sub- ject home to every man's bosom; and to decide accurately and promptly on which, will require no philosophic subtlety. We shall not colour it too highly, nor substitute the visions of life for its realities. Our subject seeks no advantage from the use of hyperbole. A young man of acknowledged talents and unfeigned piety, covets employment in the ministry, after having endur- ed all those anxieties which that subject, as a matter of consultation between his own soul and the great head of the church, creates. His ear- ly history forms a train of providential circum- stances of the most happy character; and every facility had been afforded to qualify him for the work. His believing parents had lent him to the Lord. He lived nigh to the sanctu- ary, and, like Samuel, as he grew up, he was employed in its service according as opportu- nities occurred, or his own strength admitted. lie cannot be charged w^ith "habitual indiscre- tion,'"* nor censured on account of "a defect in sobriety of mind." His gifts, as far as he has 5 50 been permitted to exercise them, have procured for him the esteem and confidence of all who know him; and effects have followed, which look very much like the master's blessing shed down upon his efforts, and now audibly bespeak- ing him for himself. His lot has been cast among us: we knew him from his infancy: his education was conducted under our eye ; and he has become most affectionately attached to our old men, and our young men. His fathers were labourers in the same vineyard before him, and when they went to their rest, they left Elijah's mantle to their young Elisha : and now a call from the church demands his active services. Such is the case. What church court would hesitate to license or ordain him.'' He is a faith- ful man; — he is "able to teach others also." In ordaining him, the Presbytery would not contra- vene the scriptural statute,to "lay hands suddenly on no man." The way to proceed is perfectly clear, for every thing has been obtained which tlie scriptures call for. But a difficulty exists. He imagines that our Creed or Confession, is a mere piece of human legislation, and he can- not consent to subscribe to it as obligatory on his conscience. He acknowledges as Lord of his conscience, none but Jehovah. Other min- isters of the gospel, he views as his brethren whom he can dearly love, but refuses to know them as the directors of his faith. He judges of the peculiarities of his own social position, and labours according to his ability, to produce tJiere the greatest amount of spiritual effect: but 51 iie shrinks from a proposition, which constitutes his brethren at a distance, or his fathers, who have long since gone to the dead, and around whose sepulchres he has often walked, his spirit saddened by the multitude of his own melancho- ly recollections, the overseers of his thoughts and duties. He thinks he must see the word of life with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, handle it with his own hands, and taste it with his own lips. He knows he might keep all this a secret with himself, never whispering to his Presbytery that his mind has been given up to an orbit so eccentric. But he is too ingenuous. He detests vows curtailed by mental reservation, and hidden from unsuspicious presbyters, but seen by the heart searching God. With a guile- less heart and an open brow, he frankly con- fesses the whole, and respectfully, but firmly, claims his right: a rights which exists indepen- dently of the ivill of the church court at whose bar he stands; and the evidence of whose exist- ence must be sought for in his own spiritual character and ministerial qualifications. Now what shall be done with this young Apollos, who so dearly loves the scriptures, and who is so jealous of their honour.'' Shall he be licensed and ordained.'' If he may, then all is granted for which we contend. If he may not, then the very difficulty exists of which we com- plain-, i e. a Creed is an authoritative rule^ pre- scribing law in God's house: or, in other words, our Confession of Faith is a himian Bible^ con- taining doctrines and precepts, which it enjoins upon the ministry of reconciliation to preach to sinners for their salvation. It grieves us to say, that such a youth would be rejected by our church courts; for he will not agree to walk with them on their own principles. It will not at all lessen the difficulty, that he may connect himself with any other religious denomi- nation; for that is violently to rupture all the as- sociations of his life, and to insult all the fine feelings of his heart. And besides, all these de- nominations are but voluntary associations, con- structed on the same principle; and he may range through them all, until he meets the Racovian Catechism itself, or some of its shreds, manu- factured into a Standard of Faith. In such a case, what has a church judicatory done.' It may be replied, "We have refused to receive an uncomfortable inmate into our volun- tary association, even as a head of a family would turn an unpleasant guest out of doors." But the question is, even admitting the simile, who is the Head of the family in the present case.'' Is it the Presbytery, who has been making these laws of its own accord, or is it the Father of mercies.'' And can it be made appear that our heavenly Father has turned off the youth of whom we have been speaking, as an irreclaima- ble prodigal.'' — Suffer us to declare our judg- ment. The Presbytery have turned a living chris- tian, an amiable, consecrated, young servant of the Lord Jesus, out of the visible church of God ; they have desecrated a temple of the Holy Ghost, where a purified spirit ministers under 53 his heavenly impulses, have refused him a right and a privilege to which he is equally entitled with themselves. Tlie cup of ecclesiastical life, which sparkled in his hands, they have cruelly dashed from his lips. They have denied him the crumbs that fall from his father's table, and have sent him out into the wide world, that waste, howling, wilderness, without a christian com- panion, and as much alone as Elijah among the idolaters of Israel He must go and seek that sympathy among strangers, which is denied to hivn among his brethren; or, wail his fate, like David, when the sparrows nestled over the altars of God, whence he was driven by those of his own house. And where is their warrant? Let them show us the sign manual of the King of saints. We refuse to justify such proceedings on any other ground. — We charge none of our brethren with any infeidion to do these things: for we believe them to be conscientious men. But such, in our view, is the consequence of the Creed-making system, and therefore do we object to it. We are not alone in entering our protest against this ecclesiastical oppression. The West- minster Assembly itself, — that venerated body, which our brethren are so fond of eulogizing, as forming a most beautiful and brilliant constel- lation in their ecclesiastical hemisphere, cluster- ing on their horizon, and gilding it with the loveliness of the morning, and which had never- theless its own faults and weaknesses;— the 5* 54 Westminster Assembly itself, never pressed their own Confession of P^aith into this extreme of legislative control. We are told, that — "Not- withstanding the zeal expressed against tolera- tion, the Confession of Faith it drew up was not made the legal standard of orthodoxy. It was not subscribed by any member of that Assem- bly, except by the prolocutor, assessors, and clerks, J\or till forty years after was a sub- scription or assent to it required of any layman or ministei\ as a term of christian communion. And Mr. Nye, a member of that Assembly, in- forms us, when the Scots Commissioners pro- posed, that the answers in the shorter catechism should be subscribed by all tJie members, the mo- tion was rejected; after a considerable number had shown it was an unwarrantable imposition.'''^* Our brethren have been too quick in uttering their severe criticisms. They themselves have been making a use of their own Confession of Faith, which its framers never designed; and have been pressing it upon the consciences of christians in the present day, to an extent, which those very divines, assembled by right of civil authority, condemned as unwarrantable. Nay, more: — in our retrograde movements to the reign of spiritual tyranny, we are required to sub- scribe, not merely the shorter catechism, but ihe ivhole book', — a dose of legislative poison, which even the Scots Commissioners them- selves, in those days, could not swallow. If we pronounce this matter of subscription, as it is * Nears History of Pur. vol. 3, p. 387. Note. 55 received in the present day, to be an unwaiTant- able imposition, we have violated, vs^e know not what solemn oath; we have broken, we know not what social compact. We must be very heavily censured for awful criminality; must meet suspicions of the most unbrotherly and palsying kind ; must be traduced as atfected, and maddened by the action and re-action of some unholy alliance; and must be ranked among the worst troublers of the church. If we mistake not; if our principle of intellec- tual living has not been paralyzed amid the visions of a vitiated fancy; and if, in our bo- soms, conscience has not succumbed to some unhallowed motive we cannot detect; then is there something in this subject of divine au- thority, or of human authority sinfully trans- formed into the divine prerogative, that ill one day convulse the whole christian world. And if the subject is now about to -summon christian ministers, in the character of plaintitf and de- lendant, again to argue out their religious cere- monies, on jure divino principles, we beseech them to remember that the Judge of all the earth is a looker on; and that these things, which are now done upon God's Holy Mount, shall presently be told in the eternal world. O wiiat an anxious hour shall that be, when the signs of the times; — tokens in the heavens above, and tokens in the earth beneath— tokens more fearful than the '^blackness, and darkness, and sound of a trumpet, and voice of words," which shook Mount Sinai to her base, and 5Q made Moses so "exceedingly fear and quake" — more portentous than those bloody, fiery sym- bols, which overliung the ill-fated Metropolis of Judea, the murderess of our Lord ; — what an hour shall that be, when the signs of the times shall announce, that the end of the world is at hand! "My soul trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments," O Lord! "Who would not fear thee, O, King of nations?" The following quotation fully agrees with the judgment of the Westminster Assembly, and ex- presses our ideas with great point and force It is from "a Treatise on Civil Power in Ecclesias- tical Causes," written by the great Milton, that true son of human liberty; who, had he lived in our day, and in our country, might have found ample scope for all the powers of his mighty genius, in the cause which was so dear to his heart: "Seeing, therefore, that no Man, no Synod, no Session of men, though called the Church, can judge definitively the sense of scrip- ture to another man''s Conscience, which is well known to be a general maxim of the Protestant religion; it follows plainly, that he who holds in religion that belief, or those opinions which to his Conscience and utmost understanding ap- pear with most evidence or probability in the Scripture, though to others he seem erroneous, €an no more be justly censured for a heretic than his censurers; who do but the same thing them- selves, while they censure him for so d(nng. For ask them, or any Protestant, which hath most authority, the Church or Scripture ? They 57 will answer, doubtless, that the Scripture: and what hath most authority, that no doubt but they will confess is to be followed. He then, who to his best apprehension follows the Scrip- ture, though against any point of doctrine by the whole church received, is not the heretic: but he who follows the Church, against his Con- science and persuasion grounded on the Scrip- ture, To make this yet m.ore undeniable, T shall only borrow a plain simily; the same which our own writers, when they would demonstrate plainest, that we rightly prefer the Scripture be- fore the Church, use frequently against the Pa- pist in this manner. As the Samaritans believ- ed Christ, first for the woman's word, but next and much rather for his own, so we the Scrip- ture: first, on the Church's word, but afterwards and much more for its own, as the word of God; yea, the Church itself we believe then for the Scripture. The inference of itself follows: if by the Protestant doctrine, we believe Scripture, not for the Church's saying, but for its own as the word of God, then ought we to believe what in our conscience we apprehend the Scripture to say, though the visible Church, with all her Doctors gainsay: and being taught to believe them only for the Scripture, they who so do are not heretics, but the best Protestants: and by their opinions, whatever they be, can hurt no Protestant, whose rule is not to receive them but from the Scripture; which to interpret convincing- ly to his own conscience, none is able but him- self, guided by the Holy Spirit; and not so guid- 58 ed, none than he to himself can be a worse de- ceiver. To Protestants therefore, whose com- mon rule and touchstone is the Scripture, noth- ing can with more conscience, more equity, nothing more Protestantly can be permitted, than a free and lawful debate at all times, by writing, by conference, or disputation of what opinion soever, disputable by Scripture: concluding, that no man in religion is properly a heretic at this day, but he who maintains traditions or opinions, notprobable by Scripture, who, for aught I know, is the Papist only; he the only heretic, who counts all Heretics but himself." We presume we are now fully understood, as to the unlawful use which is made of Creeds in the house of God. They are mere human instruments employed as authoritative rules. And though in some respects they ai^ practic- ally abandoned, as we shall hereafter evince, yet, as far as our church courts liave p(Jwer to sustain them, they are enforced as rules binding on the conscience. And we say, that Jehovah, the only Lord of conscience, has delegated no such power to man. Let men make as many Creeds as they please ; let them publish them as often as they please ; let them combine together and make them as minute and philosophical as they please; but let them not impose their Creeds, when they are thus made, upon the consciences of others, and erect them into ecclesiastical ordinances, as though they were enacted by di- vine authority Let them not make them terms of communion between Christ and his redeem- 59 ed; or turn out of the visible church, as un- worthy of spiritual fellowship, those who have other and better evidences of their christian character, than submission to the command- ments of men. The Master himself never act- ed thus. lie did not demand the belief of men to the simple declai^ation of his divine mission; but the Spirit of God attested his words as true. He appealed to his works as a demonstration suited to the canacities of his hearers, and as leaving them without excuse. Every oppo- nent is struck dumb by the self-evident arj^ument he advanced, or confounded by the miracles he performed. The Apostles did not shut up the avenues of inquiry, nor condemn the noble Be- reans for examining; the scriptures, to ascertain whether what they had preached was true or not. And if in our day men were not called to subscribe a Creed made ready to tlieir h^mds; if they were not reduced to the cruel and un- rii^liteous alternative of receiving what our church courts may be pleased to call giospel, or of being shut out from religious ordinances; if every man was required, as the nature of the case requires him, to preach what he has learn- ed for himself from the Bible, and what he can demonstrate to be there by trains of reasoning, such as men adopt on every other popular sub- ject; and if the people were made to feel the im- perious necessity of searching the scriptures for themselves, and that with many prayers and tears, a very important change would soon ?al.e place. Ministers would betake themselves to the Bible 6@ instead of systems of theology; the Lord of hosts would be to them "for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, and for a spirit of judgment," when they sit as ministerial judges in Mount Zion's heavenly seats ; and the sabbath would become their spiritual jubilee, when they should be heard to pray and preach, as though an unction had come down upon them from hea- ven: while the people would read more, think more, pray more, and grow more than they do. They would alike feel the full stress of personal responsibility; their "faith would not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God ;" and the opinions of the fathers would not be so popular a substitute for their own personal ef- forts. A Creed they would all have; a better Creed than they have now; a Creed which each one would form under the teaching of the Holy Ghost; a Creed which — we believe, and there- fore speak — would shut out the multitude of errors our bretliren seem to apprehend, and pro- duce union and harmony, in a measure which never has existed since ecclesiastical councils first took the faith of mankind into their own hands. But a Creed, imposed by human autho- rity, calling for an impracticable uniformity, in words and ideas, transmitting its influence from age to age, and cutting down the conceptions of men to its own requisitions, whatever changes may occur in the world, we cannot away with. Here is where we have our unwilling contest with our brethren, and where we intend to meet m iliem with all the firmness, affection, and zeal we possess. "Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Clirist direct our way." SECTION 3. Many christians, who have had neither lei- sure nor opportunity to examine the subject for themselves, imagine, that tlie primitive church was an ecclesiastical body, regulated by Presby- teries, Synods, Assemblies. Conferences, Conven- tions, or Associations, liketliosevve have now. Such an impression is the natural consequence of long established usage: and in the present case, it has become deep and fixed, from the cir- cumstance, that these institutions have been re- presented as established by divine rio^ht. Of course it is quite natural to look for an annual convocation of delegates,convened from all parts, to take cognizance of the whole, and duly au- thorized () settle questions of doctrine, and de- termine cases of discipline. They will be very mud) surprised to-be told that this was not the f-ict. That in those early times, the churches, though Presbyterian, were yet in(Jependenf; and that tliey were not joined together by any such confedera- cy, as we have been in the habit of supposing so t'ssential to the peace and prosperity of re- ligion. A great part of the second century had 6 62 elapsed before these associations were formed^ and during that period, the churches were connected together hy no "other bonds than those of CHARITY." The custom of holding Councils commenced in Greece, where "nothing was more common than this confederacy of indepen- dent states," as a mere poliiical expedient; and, after all that has been said in favour of Councils, they were a mere imitation of the political in- stitutions of ihat country. This is historical fact, if the ecclesiastical historians we have con- sulted speak truth. It is our province, after making such asser- tions, to present our proof. Our first appeal shall be to the pages of the learned Dr. ]\Io- sheim, whose volumes are, with great confidence, put into the hands of the rising ministry, and whose fidelity as a historian will not be disputed. In his introduction, when detailing the sub- jects of which he conceived himself called upon to treat, he remarks; — '"'•In that pait of the sacred history which relates to thedoctrjnes of Christi- anity, it is necessary, above all things, to inquire pajticularly into the degree of authority that has been attributed to the sacred writings, in all the different periods of the church, and also into the manner in which the divine doctrines they contain, have been explained and illustrated. For the true slate of religion in every age can only be learned froni the point of view in which these celestial or cles were considered, and frr^m tl e inauner in which they v. ere exponideii to the people. Jis ion^ as tlie^ were the only rule of 65 Faith, religion preserved Us native purify, and in proportion as their decisions were either neg- lected or postponed to the rswentions of men, it degenerated fro in its primitive and divine simpii- cittjy* This is very plain language, and deserves the attention of tliose who inquire hovv the church could possibly survive the renunciation of human Creeds? As the inventions of men, the historian declares it to have been a uniform fact, that the church did better without, than with, them; and that they became the very means of corrupting the faith of the church. In giving his view concerning the doctrine of the christian church during the first century; after having stated that the Bible was the rule of faith and practice; and declared the solicitude of the Apostles and their disciples to put tiiat book into the hands of all christians; Dr. Mosheirn goes on to inform us of the method of teaching religion during that period; — "The method of teaching the sacred doctrines of religion, was, at this time, most simple, far removed from all the subtile rules of philosophy, and all the pre- cepts of human art. This appears abundantly, hot only in the writings of the Apostles, but also in all those of the second centanj, which have survived the ruins of time. JVeither did the Jlpostles, or their disciples, ever think of col- lecting into a regular sijslem the principal doc- tnntsof the christian religion,or of demo)istrating them in a scientific and geometrical order. The * Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, page 5. beautiful and candid simplicity of these early ages rendered such philosophical niceties unne- cessary ; and the great study of those who em- braced the gospel, was rather to express its di- vine influence in their dispositions and actions, than to examine its doctrines with an excessive curiosity, or to explain them by the rides of hu- man wisdom. "There is indeed extant, a brief summary of the principal doctrines of Christianity in that fonn^ which baars the name of the Apostles'^ Creed.^ and which, from the fourth century down- wards, was almost generally considered as a pro- duction of the Apostles. All, however, who have the least knowledge of antiquity, look up- on this opinion as entirely false and destitide of all foundation. There is much more reason and judgment in the opinion of those, who think that this Creed was not all composed at once, but from small beginnings was impercepti- bly augmented, in proportion to the growth of heresy, and according to the exigencies and cir- cumstances of the church, from whence it was designed to banish the errors that daily arose."* We have nothing told us, in the foregoing ex- ti^act, of these authoritative rules of faith and manners,which are now imposed upon the human conscience. On the contrary, their very exis- tence is plainly denied, and the Bible itself is declared to be tlie standard of the churches. There is not even a re^'ular detail of the doctrines of Christianity, as forming a happy instrument ^ Vol. I. p. 113—14. 65 of spiritual instruction, attempted. The Chris- tians of these early ages, adopted a very differ- ent method of imparting to their offspring a reli- gious education: '^They took all possible care to accustom their children to the study of the scrip- tures, and to instruct them in the doctrines of their holy religion; and schools were every where erected for this purpose, even from the very commencement of the Christian church."* And even the Apostles' Creed itself, as to its origin, is declared to be equivocal: and not one sen- tence is uttered about any sanction it received from any such measure of ecclesiastical authori- ty, as is now exercised. Further, and in relation to the first century, this historian informs us, that — "The churches, in those early times, were entirely independent; none of them subject to any foreign jurisdiction, but each one governed by its own rulers and its own laws. For, though the churches founded by the Apostles, had this particular deference shewn them, that they were consulted in difficult and doubtful cases; yet they had no juridical authority, no sort of supremacy over the others, nor the least right to enact laics for tiiem. No- thing, on the contrary, is more evident, than the perfect equality that reigned among the primitive churches ; nor does there even appear, in this first century, the smallest trace of that associa- tion of provincial churches, from which Councils and Melroijolilans derive their origin. It was *Ib. p. 116. 6* 66 only in tlie second century that the custom of holdr ing Councils commenced in Greece, from whence it soon spread through the other provinces.'"! This doctrine of human authority cohtrolliog religious matters, had not been formed at so early a period; when, as Jerome expresses it, ''the blood of Christ was yet warm in the breasts of Christians, and the faith and spirit of religion were brisk and vigorous." It is an exotic in the church, which may be nourished and forced by unnatural heat: but it is not one of Calvary's plants, germinating under the dews of the Spirit of inspiration, and blossoming by Apostolic cul- ture: — its fruit is yielded under here3y''s deadly night-shade. Following our historian down to the second century, he gives us the following statement — ^'During a great part of this century, the Chris- tian churches were independent on each other;: nor were they joined together by association, confederacy, or any other bonds, but those of charity. Each Christian assembly was a little state, governed by its own laws, which were either enacted, or, at least, approved by the So- ciety. But, in process of time, all the Christian churches of a province were formed into one large ecclesiastical body, which, like confederate states, assembled at certain times, in order to deliberate about the common interests of the whole. This institution had its origin among the Gireeks, with whom nothing was more com- mon, than this confederacy of independent states,, + lb. p. 105. 67 and the regular assemblies which met, in conse- quence thereof, at fixed times, and were com- posed of the deputies of each respective state. But these ecclesiastical associations were not long confined to the Greeks ; their great utility* was no sooner perceived, than they became uni- versal, and were formed in all places where the gospel had been planted. To these assemblies, in which the deputies or commissioners of seve- ral churches consulted together, the name of Synods was appropriated by the Greeks, and that of Coit)ic?7s, by the Latins; and the laws that were enacted, in these general meetings, were called canons^ i. e. rules. "These Councils, of which we find not the smallest trace before the middle of this century, changed the ivhole face of the church, and gave it a new form; for by tJieni the ancient privi- leges of tlie people were considerably diminished^ and the power and authority oj tlie bishops greatly augmented. The humility, indeed, and prudence of these pious prelates prevented their assuming all at once the power with which they were afterwards invested. At their first ap- pearance in these general Councils, they ac- knowledged that they were no more than the delegates of their respective churches, and that they acted in the name, and by the appointment, of tJie people. But they soon changed this humble tone, imperceptibly extended the limits of their authority, turned their influence into dominion, and their Councils into laws; and: * Quere. 68 openly asserted, at length, that Christ had ein- poivered them to prescribe to his people authori- tative rules of faith and manners. Another effect of these Councils was, the gradual aboli- tion of that perfect equality, which reigned among all bishops in the primitive times. For the order and decency of these assemblies re- quired, that some one of the provincial bishops met in Council, should be invested with a supe- rior degree of power and authority; and hence the rights of Metropolitans derive their origin. In the mean time, the bounds of the church were enlarged, the custom of holding Councils was followed wherever the sound of the gospel had reached ; and the universal church had now the appearance of one vast republic, formed by a combination of a great number of little states. This occasioned the creation of a new order of ecclesiastics, who were appointed, in different parts of the world, as heads of the church, and whose office it was to preserve the consistence and union of that immense body, whose mem- bers were so widely dispersed throughout the nations. Such was the nature and office of the Patriarchs., among whom, at length, ambition, being arrived at its most insolent period, formed a new dignity, investing the bishop of Rome., and his successors, with the title and authority of PRINCE OF THE PATRIARCHS."! Here then we have the rise of ecclesiastical power, constructing its claims upon the ruined privileges of individual conscience, and absorb- t lb. p- 174—6. 09 ing the inalienable rights of man; its gradual advances, its accelerated growth, while Chris- tians became sluggish, and Bishops grew am- bitious; and the awful extreme of despotic sway to which it hastened, even in those first ages of Christianity, to which appeals are so often made with the most ungenerous confidence. Here we have that retrograde movement in- spiritual things, wliich degraded the Church from the dignified simplicity of being under law to Christ, dressed her off' in the meretricious attire of human institutions, and exchanged the glorious principles of the new covenant, for the forbidding peculiarities of a human compact. Here we have, in an altered form of government, the unity of the Church expounded as a polit- ical principle, instead of that pure, spiritual, ethereal subsistence, denominated "the unity of tlie Spirit." Here we have the origin, of those authoritative rules of faith and manners, which have so completely taken the place of the Bible^ that unless they are received, spiritual privi- leges are forfeited. And surely there has been nothing like a divine ivarrant exhibited and proved; nor any thing more than a mere tran- script of historical facts, proving how quickly, and how entirely, religious society maybe cor- rupted. It is utterly in vain to tell us of any Creed or Confession, introduced by any Apos- tolical Father or Fathers, as a bond of union in the Church, when the Church was united by no other bonds than those of cliariii/; or of an authoritative rule of faith and manners, when 10 the Church had not yet conceived the idea ol' ecclesiastical power. "-Letters- of Commun- ion," it would seem, were freely exchanged; but that idea, which transformed Ministers of the Gospel, who ought to have been among the most kind and compassionate of mortals, into Lords over God''s heritage, was never formed, until that ecclesiastical measure, which created Synods and Councils, had changed the whole face of the churchy and given it a neivform. It is utterly in vain to tell us, that this new policy, while marked by a great deal of clerical modes- ty, was just as bad as when the bishops became bold adventurers, uttered their pretensions in the loudest tones, and brought Christendom to their feet. And surely it is worse than vain, to at- tempt to convince us that the glorious simplici- ty of the christian church w^as preserved, when church courts came out with their full grown prerogative, of majestic mien, and royal air, de- claring that they were empowered to enact rules for the human conscience. It is manifest that this historical portrait^which Dr. Mosheim has drawn, represents more than the deteriorated condition of the church during the second century. We must therefore follow him down through the third and fourth centu- ries, and observe the gigantic strides of this ecclesiastical power, which mismanaged circum- stances had created. In the third century, he in- forms us: — "The face of things began to change in the christian church. The ancient method of ecclesiastical government, seemed, in gene- 71 vai, still to subsist, while, at the same time, by- imperceptible steps, it varied from the primitive rule, and degenerated towards the form of a religious monarchy.. For the bishops aspired to higher degrees of power and authority than they had formerly possessed ; and not only vi/)l(ited the rights of the peopU\ but also made gradual encroachments upon the privileges of the Pres- byters. And that they might cover these usur- jyatioiis with an air of justice, and an appear- ance of reason, they published iww doctrines concerning the nature of the church, and of the episcopal dignity., which, however, were, in gerieral, so obscure, that they themselves seem to have understood them as liitle as those to whom they were delivered. One of the princi- pal authors of this chanjie, in the government of the church, was Cyprian, who pleaded for the power (tf the bishops with more zeal and vehe- mence than had ever been hitherto employed in that cause, though not w ith an unshaken con- stancy and perseverance; for, in difficult and perilous times, necessity sometimes obliged him to yield, and to submit several things to the judgment and anikority of the Church.''''* Again.,-''The bishops assumed, in many places, a princely OM//;ive their assent to the Creed or Confession of Faith^ which IV IS composed bij this council.''''* Reader, behold the origin of Creeds and Confessions of Faith; cv, of authoritative rules of iaith and manners in the church of God; for vvhich so en-iiest a plea is now advanced, as though they had been sanctioned by the master himself, and *Ib- n, 402—3 u had been framed by the light of pentecostal fires. It is surely to be supposed that the church now, under the happy auspices of a fixed Creed, and the mild reign of a Christian empe- ror, enjoyed universal peace, and that her mem- bers lived together in great union and harmony. For this, we are told, is the peculiar value of a Creed. But the fact was directly the reverse. For though, out of 318 bishops, Arius was supported only by twenty-two ; and but two of theF«i persisted in refusing to subscribe the Creed, the controversy was far from being set- tled. "The commotions it excited, remained yet in the minds of many, and the spirit of dis- sension and controversy triumphed both over the decrees of the council, and the authority of the emperor. For those, who, in the main, were far from being attached to the party of Arius, found many things reprehensible both in the de- crees of the council, and in the forms of expres- sion which it employed, to explain the contro- verted points; while the Ariaiis, on the other hand, left no means untried to heal their wound, and to recover their place and their credit in the church. And their efforts were crowned with the desired success.*"* In the year 330, Arius was recalled; the laws enacted against him were repealed; and he was, by the emperor's permission, to be admitted into the church, on condition of his declaring his adherence to the orthodox Creed. Dr. Milner says, that the *Ib. p. 405. 75 emperor "sent for him therefore to the palace, and asked him plainly, whether he agreed to the Nicene decrees. The heresiarch, without hesitation, subscribed: the Eniperor ordered him to swear; he assented to this also."* So that this artful chief, whom the orthodox could not detect by simply using the scriptures, was able to foil Ihem at last by subscribing their own Creed: and it moreover appears, that "though victorious in argument in the face of the whole world, with the Council of Nice, and an ortho- dox emperor on their side, they yet were perse- cuted and oppressed, and their enemies prevail- ed at court." Nor is this all. When one council had formed a Creed^ other councils thought they had an equal right to frame Creeds too: and a num- ber of Creeds are presented to us by ecclesias- tical historians, in a very short period after the Nicene decrees were so gloriously ushered into the world. Socrates, after writing their history, undertakes to give a recapitulation : "Now having at len',!;th run over the confuse muUitude of Creeds and Forms of Fmih^ let us once again briefly re- peat the nuaiber of thenj. After the Creed that was laid dovm by the Nicene council, the bishops framed two others at Antioch, when they assem- bled to the dedication of tlie church. The third was made in France of the bishops which were with Narcissus, and exhibited unto the Emperor Constantine. The fourth was sent by Eudoxius unto the bishops throughout Italy. Three "Milner's Eco. His. vol. 2— p. 82. 76 were published in writing at Sirmiiim, whereof one being gloriously entitled with the names of consuls, was read at Ariminum. The eighth was set forth at Seleucia, and procured to be read by the complices of Acaoius. The ninth was given abroad, with additions at Constantino- ple; there was thereunto annexed, that thence- forth there should be no mention made of the substance or subsistency of God. Whereunto Ulphilas, bishop of the Goths, then first of all subscribed: for unto that time he embrac- ed the faith eslablished by the Council of Nice, and was an earnest follower of Theophilus' steps, bishop of the Goths, who had been at the Ni- cene Council, and subscribed unto the Creed* But of these things thus much *'* It must be very evident, that the whole circum- stance of deciding controversy by authoritative rules of human invention, sustained by ecclesi- astical councils, was a novelty even in that age; and that this boasted measure of ministerial skill, produced as little eifect in quieting disturbances, and promoting imity, then, as it does now. Sub- scription to Creeds was as equivocal a transac- tion in those, as it is in these, days, and as it must ever be, while such a system is pursued, or while theology is converted into a human sci- ence, instead of being unequivocally illustrated as proceeding from divine authority. The Ni- cene Creed has long since lost all its control; and other Creeds, which are in existence now, and which have derived all their importance *Ecc. His- Lib. 2. ch- 32 77 from an excitement produced in ages past, must soon loose their control too; if indeed their sun has not long since set, and another day has not already dawned upon the Christian world. We have been passing through one of those periodi- cal revolutions which are incidental to our earth- ly condition ; and it must soon be demonstrated to all, who (lo not hang behind the changes of their own age, that the disturbances, which the Westminster Assembly was convened to allay, formed but wretched indexes of the present times; that those men, however great and good, were utterly disqualified to legislate for the more, or less, fortunate circumstances of this day; and that the spiritual institutions of America must not be regulated by religious precedents derived from Elngland, Ireland, or Scotland. We must take up, in its most liberal import, the reforma- tion motto, the Bible^ the Bible is the religion of Protestants. And how great the blessing, th.at the Bible is the charter of human liberty! Was it a mere political arrangement on which we were obliged to rely, hope on this delightful subject might prove a mere illusion; all human complaints would be hushed into sepulchral si- lence; and the innnorlal spirit of man must le- main in everlasting "chains of darkness." i]ut if Jehovah grants this boon, and his own gospel freely proclaims it, then shall the angels of his presence shout, and the stars of the morning sing — glory to God, and freedom to men. Surely they are to be both pitied and blamed, who would- not suffer the Bible to exert its own unlimited sway over human minds. SECTION 4. We intend in this section to give the testimo- ny of some other writers on the subjects we have in hand. That is to say, on the origin and use of ecclesiastical councils, and on the importance which is to be attached to their decisions. We hope thereby to make it appear, that there is no just reason, why we should go so far back in the history of religious corruptions, to satisfy our- selves upon a question, which, with the Bible in our hands, we are fully qualified to determine for ourselves ; and which, at all events, the fath- ers had no right to determine for us. Dr. Du-Pin, in his history of the three first centuries, on the article of the Councils held during that period, remarks; — "Councils are assemblies composed of Bishops and Priests, which are held to deliberate upon ecclesiastical affairs, to make decisions about tlw true faith^ to res^ulate the 'policy and manners of Christians,^ or punish the blame-worthy." — This is defining their powers with as liberal constructions as we could have asked, in defence of the position we have taken. Their business was to make rules of faith and manners for the christian world; which we say no church court, in that age, nor in any 79 other d.^c since, has been empowered to make. With all clue allowance for the historian's secta- rian connexions, we quote his historical declara- tion as a true assertion of the ecclesiastical pre- rogative, with which these bodies thought them- selves invested,. He proceeds: "The original of those assem- blies is as ancient as the church of the three first centuries. The Apostles gave a pattern of them in the council at Jerusalem, to deliberate whe- ther the ceremonies cf the law were to be ob- served. That usage was afterw^ards followed in the church, when any differences arose, or when it was necessary to make any regulations." — In tracing back these councils to the first three cen- turies for their origin, this historian agrees in his testimony with Mosheim. In referring to the council at Jerusalem as the pattern to which they were conformed, we beg leave to say, that we have the scriptural document in our own hands, and chuse to judge for ourselves; — the council at Jerusalem never exercised such control over the human conscience, as we shall show in its owa place. But if he intends to say that there were other councils, before the moral desolations of the second century were spread out to view, he- is not only contradicted by Mosheim, but he is inconsistent with himself, as will be evident from his own words, before we have finished with our quotation. "Those assemblies," he continues, "were- more rare in the three first centuries, and not so famous as in the following ages; as well be- 80 cause the persecutions of the pagan emperors hindred the bishops from assembling freely and publicly, as because the traditions of the Jipos- tles being yet tiew^ it was not necessary to as- semble councils in order to own the truth, and condemn error. 'Tis for this reason, we don't read in any autliors of credit, that councils were held to condemn most of the first heretics whom I have been speaking of The errors of those heretics created horror in all christians; they looked upon the authors of them, and those who maintained them, as people excommuni- cated and separated from the church, without their being expressly condemned in synods. In fine, evei^y bisJwp instructed his own people in the faith of the churchy and refuted errors by the authority of scripture^ and tradition.''^ If there had been any thing like these authoritative rules, these superadded tests of orthodoxy, sui'e- ly this author must have noticed them. They would have answered his purpose full as well as, if not better than, the traditions of the Apos- tles to which he refers. The fact is, that there were no such Creeds in existence ; and yet there was as much need for them then, as there has been since, or can be now. Their bishops had no opportunity to assemble and make them, even if they had thought of them. They had enough to do in contending for the common faith, which they could all learn from tlie scriptures ; and fear- ful persecution formed the test of their sincerity: so much so, that Tertullian remarked, that the blood of the martyrs was the seed which pro- 8! duced an abundant harvest of new christians. And there was no very great difficulty in detect- in*5 and excludinji; heretics: these were censured and avoided by common consent, under the ope- ration of that inherent power, which religious society has, like all other societies, to regulate itself according to its own constituent princi- ples. Every bishop could then instruct his own people according to his own ability, and take the scriptures for his guide, unfettered by the decrees of councils, or the laboured systems of philosophic divines. Our historian goes farther: "The first coun- cils mentioned in ecclesiastical history, were those that were held towards the end of the se- cond century, upon occasion of the dispute among the churches about Easter. The church of Rome, according to its ancient usage, never cele- brated that day but upon a Sunday^ the day of our Saviour's resurrection, and waited till the first Sunday after the fourteenth day of the moon of March. On the contrary, the churches of Asia and some others celebrated it, as the Jews did, on the fourteenth day of the moon of March, whatever day of the w^eek it fell upon. When St Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, came to Rome, under the pontificate of Anicelus, they conferr- ed together upon that diff"erence, and not being able to persuade one another to quit their cus- tom, they parted good friends, reckoning that so small a difference ought not to break the peace of the churches. But under the pontificate of pope Victor that dispute grew warm; for that 82 pope having wrote to the bishops of Asia, to conform themselves to the usage of ihe church of Rome, Poly crates, bishop of Ephesus, as- sembied the bishops of Asia, and vs rote a letter to Pope Victor, wherein he strenuously main- tained the usage of his church, and the other churches of the east. Victor likewise assem- bled a council at Rome, wheiein it was resolved to separate from communion^ Polycrates^ and tlie other bishops of Jisia^ that would not follow the usage of the church of Rome^ in the celebra- tion of Easier. Victor sent them the synodical letter of that council, by which Jw declared them excommunicated. There was also a council held at Palestine, in which presided Theophilus, bishop of Cesarea, and Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem. The bishops of Pontus, over which presided Palmas, wrote likewise a synodical letter upon the same subject; and St. Irenaeus directed a letter to Victor in the name of the churches of France, wherein he remon- strates, that although in those churches they ce- lebrated Easter on Sunday, as at Rome, yet he could not approve his excommunicating whole churches for keeping up a custom which they had received from their ancestors: and acquaint- ed him, that it was not only about Easter, but likewise about fasts., and several other practices that the churches differed in their customs. 'Tis probable that Victor yielded to the reasons of St. Irenasus; for, although the Asiatics did not quit their usage, yet we do not find that the peace 83 was broke betwixt them and the bishops of Rome." We have then once more traced back these eccle- siastical councils to tlie secon 1 century, and have found their orij^in there. Their business again appears to be, to exercise authority over huiuan consciences, which was never delegated to them; and to excommunicate from spiritual privileges those who would not submit to their catwns. Though still, there is no evidence of their at- tempting at so early a period to form a Creed^ or a general system of the doctrines of the gos- pel, and thus fully to take into their hands the entire conscience of the christian church. That was an ecclesiastical measure too presumptuous for the first councils to have conceived. It would have been hazardous for them to have attempted so much, when what they did attempt, was so manfully resisted. Had they stretched cheir prero- gative so far, thei'e would have been a protest so vigorous and universal, that, we were going to say,— and would say, did not the history of the church since the reformation forbid us, — we should never have heard of an authoritative ride of faith and manners, of human mvention, in the church of God. We have not given any unfair turn to this his- torian's testimony, when we have recorded it as most decisively in our favour. For he had a fine opportunity of proclaiming the existence of these Creeds, if he could have found them, when clos- inf: his acc^mt of the lives and actions of the Apostles. And he does then most distinctly allude 84 to the subject, and has said all he could say coh- sistently with truth. His words are as follows: "But, it may be said, had not the Apostles, be- fore tuey separated, drawn up a short formula- ry of tlie principal points they were to teach? Is not that the same w^hich we call the Apostles' Creed? It is certain that comes from the Apostles, as to the substance of it^ and that it contains the principal points of the doctrine the Apostles taught uniformly to all the Churches, which preserved them. Rufinus, and some an- tients have also said, that the Apostles made a Creed before they separated ; but it is not certain thai it was exactly in the same words, for the ancient churches had several Creeds, differing as to some expressions, though uniform in doc- trine "There is no question to be made, but that the Apostles regulated the discipline of the churches they founded: but it does not appear, that they made any other regulations in uritim^^ but that of the council of Jerusalem; for the canons called the Apostolical Canons were not made by the Apostles; but are rather a col- lection of Antient Canons made by the Bishops durino; the three first centuries of the church, and therefore called Apostolical Canons^ or Canotis of the Fathers. The Constitutions which bear the name of the Apostles, are a work made up long njter them. "It is thus evidently impossible to trace back these human rules to th'^ Apostles. They never sought a lordship over God's heritage, nor permitted christian so- S5 cieties to be called after their names. They never interposed their authority to crush the per- sonid responsibility of their hearers, or to stamp their own image upon them. They never curb- ed human spirits, occupied by processes of thought which it is the glory of intelligent beings to pursue, by their own laws; nor sought to lash into a childish uniformity, those varieties of human intellect and christian graces, which are the ornament of our world. They left be- lievers as they found them, the freemen op THE Lord; and Creeds, the offspring of human genius wildly speculating about things divine, came in long after they had gone to their rest; the paragon of that love of pre-eminence, which John so severely rebuked in the person of Diotrephes. Our historian has no contrary fact to give us, even when he would make the histo- r'latl record of what he had learned by painful and laborious research ; and tJie several Creeds of the ancient clmrcJies^ to which he alludes, have as little to do with the present controversy, as the Apostles' Creed; — which shall be shown hereafter. We are now about to invite the attention of our readers to quotations from the pages of an- other writer, whose various reading in ecclesi- astical history will be as little disputed, as his interest in the present controversy. We allude to Dr. Miller; who, we think, has been too in- cautious in his introductory lecture on the utili- ty of Creeds and Confessions; and to the vo- 8 S6 lumes which he published in the Episcopal cou^ troversy, a few years since. T\e think that in the letters which he then published, he fully agrees with us in the principles on which we are arguing. There are two volumes, and, though not so marked, we shall, for the sake of brevity, distinguish them in our references as first and second. He there says, "We are accustomed to look back to the first ages of the church with a veneration nearly bordering on superstition. It answered the pur- poses of Popery, to refer all their corruptions to priiiiitive times, and to represent those times as exhibiting the models of all excellence. But every representation of this kind must be re- ceived with distrust. The Christian church, during the apostolic age, and for a half a centu- ry afterwards, did indeed present a venerable aspect. Persecuted by the world on every side, she was favoured in an uncommon measure with the presence and Spirit of her Divine Head, and exhibited a degi-ee of siniplkily and purify^ ivlnch /jos, perhaps, never sinee been eqnctlfd. But before the close of the second century, the scene began to change; and before the com- mencement of the fourth, a deplorable corrup- tion of doctrine, discipline, and morals, had crept into the church, and disfigured the body of Christ. Hegesippus, an ecclesiastical historian, declares that the vir2;in purity of the clmrch was confined to the days of the Aposttes.'''* Now with all this we agree ; and are in fact objecting " Vol- 1— p.p.290— 1. 87 to that very veneration with which these first ages of the church are treated, when a refer- ence is made to thetn on our present suhject. For, as Dr. M. remarks in another part of the same volume — '"Even supposing you had found such declarations in some or all of the early Fathers; what then? Historic fad is not divine insliluliony^ Again, when remarking on the shorter epis- tles of Ignatius, Dr. M. says — '•'•It is equally evident, that the Presbijlers and Presbytery^ so frequently mentioned in the foregoing extracts, to.2;ether with the Deacons^ refer to officers which, in the days of Ig^naiius belonged, like the bishop, to each particular church. Most of the epistles of this Father, are directed to particular churches:, and in every case., we find each church furnished with a Bislvop., a Pres- bytery and Deacons. — In sliort, to every altar., or communion fable., there was one Presbytery., as imil as one Bishop. '^''j We understand this as as- serting what we liave already expressed, that in those early ages, the churches, though Pres- by'erian^ were independent. We are aware that the genuineness of these epistles of Igtiaiius have been called in question, and that Dr. Tvl. states that fact. But his whole argument in favour of Parochial and against Diocesan Epis- copacy., proceeds upon the principle, which those epistles, according to the extract, declare. Dio- cesan Episcopacy may have its peculiarities; ' p. 164. t lb- 146— 7- 8S but still it has its assimilation to our Presbytery, in that an ecclesiastical power is formed in both cases, whose province extends beyond the bourds of a particular church ; and an entrance is thus made upon that system of synods and councils, which "changed the whole face of the churcn and gave it a new form." We now oifer another extract, on the subject of synods and councils^ which we consider as one of the greatest fountains of ecclesiastical corruption that ever have been unsealed, if we are permitted to form our judgment from the details of ecclesiastical history. — "That the Synods and Councils which early began to be convened, were, in fact, thus employed by the ambitious clergy, to extend and confirm their power, might be proved by witnesses almost numberless. The testimony of one shall suffice. It is that of the great and good bishop, Gregm^y JS'azianzen^ who lived in the fourth century, and who, on being summoned by the emperor to the general council of Constanlinople^ which met in S81, addressed a letter to Pro- copius^ to excuse himself from attending. In this letter he declares, Hhat he was desirous of avoiding all synods., because he had never seen a good effect, or happy conclusion of any one of them; that they ratlier increased than lessened the evils they were designed to prevent; and that the love of contention., and the hist of poiv- er, were there manifested in instances innumer- able.' And, afterwards, speaking of that very council, this pious Father remarks; — '•These 89 conveyers of the Holy Ghost, these preachers of peace to all men, grew bitterly outrageous and clamorous against one anotlier, in the midst of the church, mutually accusing each other, leaping about as if they had been mad, under the furious impulse of a lust of power and do- minion, as if they would have rent the whole world in pieces.' He afterwards adds, "this was not the effect of piety, but of a contention /or thrones.''''*^ Such were the framers of Creeds and Confessions in the early ages of tlie church- es; and such were the circumstances, from which these instruments of oppression, started forth in living and stately form: — Dr. M. himself being judge. But we have another class of quotations to make, from the pen of Dr. M. which, while they express generally what has been offered, assert something more, and meet the views we are ad- vocating more fully. They are the following: — "I shall not now stay to ascertain what degree of respect is due to the writings of the Fathers in general. It is my dutij^ however, to state, that we do not refer to them, in any wise^ as a nile either af faith or practice We acknowledge the scriptures alone to be such a rule. By this rule, the Fathers themselves are to be tried; and, of course, they cannot be considered, properly speaking, as tlie Cliristian'^s authority for any thing. It is agreed, on all hands, that they are not infallible guides: and it is perfectly well • lb. 328—9. 8* 90 known to all who are acquainted with their wri- tinii,s, that many of them are inconsistent both with themselves, and with one anotlier. We protest, therefore, utterly against any appeal to them on this subject. Tkougk they^ or an an- gei from heaven^ should bring us any doctrine, as essential to the order and well-being of the church, which is not to be found in the Word of God, we are bound by the command of our Mas- ter, to reject them."* "In examining the writings of the Fathers, I shall admit only the testimony of those, who wrote within the first two centuries. Im- mediately after this period, so many corruptions began to creep into the church; so many of the most respectable christian writers are known to have been heterodox in their opinions; so much evidence appears, that even before the com- mencement of the third century, the Papacy be- gan to exhibit its pretensions; and such multi- plied proofs of wide-spreading degeneracy cro>vd into view, that the testimony of every subse- quent writer is to be received with suspicion."! Again — ^'- When we have proved that the Apos- tolic church existed without diocesan bishops, we have done enough. No matter how soon alter the death of the Apostles, and the close of the sacred canon, such an order of ministers was introduced. Whether the introduction of this order were effected in four years, or four centu- ries after that period, it equally rests on human authority aloae^ and is to be treated as a mere * lb. p. p. 124—5. t lb. p. 126. n contrivance and commandment of men. We canivji too often repeat.^ nor Loa diligeiiily keep in view, that the authorily of Chnst can be claimed for nothing vvhicli is not found, in mine form., in his own word."'^ Again — "'But although I am not conscious of departing either from me letter or the spirit of that Confession of i'\dlk which I iiave soieuiuly subscribed; and although I am conhdent that my Presb} terianism is substantially the same with that ol' Calvin and Knox; yel let us remember that we are to call no man., or body of men, M (sL_:r on earth. One is our jUa&ttr, even CiL' isL His word is the sole Standaid by vvliich, as Christians, or as Churches, we must stand or fall. Happy wdl it be for us, if we can appeal to the great bearciier of hearts, that we have not followed the traditions and inventions of man., but live sure word of jmrpliecy^ which is given to us to be a light to our Jed., and a lamp to our path., to guide us in the way of peace P''] Once more — '"Sulfer me, my brethren, again to remind you of the principle on w Inch we proceed, iri ihis part of oui inquiry, II it could be denion- strated from the writ.ngs of the Fathers, thai, in one hundred, or even in fifty years, after the death of the last apostle, the system of i/iocesan Epis- copacy had been general!) adopted in the cliurch, it would be nothing to the purpose. As long as no traces of this fact could be found in the Bi- hk., but much of a directly opposite nature, ive should stand on a secure and immoveable foun- " lb. p. 286. t Vol. 2, p. p. 72 3. 92 datian. To all reasonings, then, derived from the Fathers^ I answer with the venerable Augus- tine^ who, when pressed with the authority of Cyprian^ replied, 'His writings I hold not to be canonical, but examine them by the canonical writings: And in them, what agreeth with the authority of divine scripture, I accept, with his praise; what agreeth not, I reject with his leave.' "* Now with these sentiments of Dr. M. we do most heartily conicide. Our doctrine, let it be remembered, has been, and still is, that the Bi- ble is the only rule of faith and practice; the '•^sole standard^ by which, as christians, or as churches, we must stand or fall;" and that, in relation to the authority of ecclesiastical offi-- cers and church courts, we are to '•'•call no man, nor any body of men, master on earth." We are not contending for any thing more than this: and the argument, when used by us against Creeds and Confessions, as authoritative rules of faith and manners, is surely as good and conclu- sive, as when Dr M. uses it against Episcopa- lians, when he would maintain the scriptural view of ministenal parity. Are we not plead- ing for ministerial parity ? Now, why does Dr. M. in liis introductory lecture, say, — "that the great Protestant maxim, that the Bible is the ONLY infallible rule of faith and manners, is a precious, all important truth, and cannot be too often repeated, if it be properly understood?'*'^ We do not comprehend him. We really thought * lb. p. 149. 93 that we understood it; that we understood it as Dr M. appears to understand it, in the extracts we have made; and as we think every man must understand it, who has any acquaintance with the English language. But it would appear from his parenthetical proviso^ that there is some obscurity about this protestant maxim, and that it requires some ecclesiastical logician to explain its terms. Can it mean after all, that there is another rule of faith and man- ners.'^ Does Dr. M. imagine that this favor- ite maxim admits that there may be another rule.'' Then must we quarrel with the maxim itself; for we do mean to saj^, in the most une- quivocal form, and in the best manner in which human language can express the idea, that tljere is no other rule of faith and practice ; that no man, nor any body of men, nay, nor an angel from heaven^ has any right to prescribe another; and that if any of them should dare to do it, we are bound, by the imperious and irrevocable com- mands of our Master, to reject whatever they may bring to us. They preach another gospel. Nor is there the least necessity to be at all fastidious about declaring this reformation prin- ciple in the broadest terms. Our presbyterian standards assert it in the most liberal language, and that frequently too. In the shorter cate- chism it is said; "the word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of tlie Old and New Testaments, is the only nilc to direct iis hoiv we way glorify and enjoy /«;?>," In the larger Cate- chism it is said, "the Holy Scriptures of the 94 Old and New Testaments are the word of Godj the only rule of faith and obedience.'^'' In the Confession of Faith it is said — Hheivfwle counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and le, is eitlier expressly set down in scripture^ or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from scripture: unto which nothing is to be added^ at any time^ whether by new levelations of the Spi- rit^ or traditions of men.'''' Should the difficul- ty of understanding the scriptures be objected, then the confession of faith again speaks: — ''•AH things in scripture, are not alike plain in them- selves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be humn., believed^ and observed.^ are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of scripture or other^ that not only the learned.^ but unlearned^ in a due use of the ordi- nary meaiis, may obtain unto a sufficient under- standing of them.'''' And all this is asserted by that very Assembly, \^\\o made the book, and who solemnly declared that, to demand subscription to the answers to the questions in the shorter Cate- chism, is an unwarrantable imposition. Dr. Miller will certainly not disown his own frequent declarations, nor dispute the positive decisions of his own Confession of Faith. We further agree with Dr. M. when he asserts, that the fathers cannot be considered as the christian's authority for any thing; that when we have proved our point from the Apostolical church, we have done enough. But then we must ask, why does he, in his introductory Ice- 95 ture, refer to the fathers as authority on the sub- ject now under consideration? And not only so, but why is he so hititudinarian as to transgress his own rule, and lead us through tlie third and fourth centuries, those periods which he has hiniself represented, as crowded with such "mul- tiplied proofs of wide spreading degeneracy," that tlie testimony of their writers must be re- ceived with suspicion? Or how does he refer to Cyprian's writings, after having told us that Augustine would not receive them as canonical^ but resisting such an interference with his con- science, made his direct appeal to the divine scripture? Surely, if the testimony of the fath- ers, though harmoniously uniting to assert the episcopal dignity, and lordly pretensions of those who made rules for tlie human conscience, fads to prove their authority; by parity of reasoning, that same testimony, though thus harmonious and Uiiiversal, must tail to prove the authority of those rules which they made. "No matter how soon" these human Creeds were introduced "after the death of tlie Apoptles, and the close of the sacred canon;" no matter "whether the introduction" of these instruments "were etfect- ed in four years, or four centuries after that pe- riod, they equally rest on laiman authority alone, and are to be treated as a mere contrivance, and commandment of men. The authority of Christ can be claimed for nothing, which is not found, in some form, in' his word." We can thus freely exchange terms with Dr. M. And no marvel: for when we write against authoritative Creeds, 96 and he writes against the assumed authority of Bishops or Presbyters, we are in fact writing on the very same subject; advocating the very same principles; pleading for the very same rights; and aiming at the very same object. It is impossible for him to deny our conclusions, without denying his own; or to sustain the ex- ercise of an assumed power, without sustaining the legality of the power itself And if our doc- trine will affect all denominations, so must his; for they are demonstrated by the same trains of reasoning. Dr. M's letters, to which we refer, are as prejudicial to the cause of Presbyterian ism, in its present form, as they are to diocesan Epis- eopacy: and we are surely very much ot)liged to him for the varied and valuable testimomies, with which his letters abound, on the subject we have undertaken to discuss. — The liberty where- with Christ has made us free, may be invaded in a variety of ways; but when it is gone, it matters not who the proud assailant is, under whose prowess it has fallen ; ,the effect is the same. It is very true that Dr. M. seems to think, that human Creeds have a divine ivairant; and in his lecture he adduces some scripture texts, which appear to him to look that way, But if he has misapplied his texts, as we think we can show he has, and which we shall undertake to do, when we shall have reached the second part of our remarks, the argument by which he would sustain the doctrine of his lecture, is over- thrown. Had he inserted in that lecture, the ex- tracts we have made from his letters^ or similar 97 paragraphs, suited in their phraseology to its subject, we apprehend that production would have left a very different impression on the minds of his readers, than it has left. He must then have changed the whole course of his dis- cussion. Occupying more commanding ground, he would have appeared with the Bible in his hand, and, demonstrating his positions by scrip- tural argiimeni^ he would have brought the con- science of his reader, directly under the irrevoca- ble decisions of divine authority. No opponent could then have withstood him; and we should bave bowed with as much cheerfulness as any, and devoted ourselves, unhesitatingly and quickly, to repair any injury, it might be supposed, we had inflicted. This he has not done. And again we must insist, that these formularies of human invention shall be defend- ed by argument, drawn from the scripture page 5 or WE be permitted to claim, and rejoice in, our christian liberty, which we may not, cannot, dare not, will not, surrender. And ''4iappy will it be for us, if we can appeal to the great searcher of hearts, that we have not followed the traditions and inventions of men, but the sure word of prophecy, which is given us to be a light to our feet, and a lamp to our path, to guide us in the way of peace." We forbear to press our remarks on these extracts any farther, though there is abundant room; and now proceed to consider the early Creeds to which reference is made; which we shall make the subject of our next section* 9 98 SECTION 5. Dr. Miller asserts, in his introductory lecture, that — ''In the second century, in the writings of Irenaeus; and in the third, in the writings of Tertullian, (frigen, Cypnan, Gregory Thavma- turgiis, and Lvcian the martyr, we find a num- ber of Creeds and Confessions, more formally drawn out, more minute, and more extensive,than those of earlier date." Now all this may be true; w^e have no disposition to dispute the fact, nor does our cause at all require the denial of it. Dr. M. will remember his own principle of ' argument in the episcopal controversy, that no form of authoritative dominion, introduced into the church after the death of the apostles, though that should have occurred within fifty years, is any thing to the purpose, as long as no traces of that thing could be found in the Bible. He will moreover remember the reply of jlugus- line, when the writings of Cyprian, and perhaps the Creed referred to by Dr. M. as contained in his writings, were pressed upon his conscience; how quickly that father started back from the ap- proach of human authority, and sheltered his spiritual convictions under the protection of the scriptures. We have no doubt but that there was a great multitude of Creeds in those days. Human talents were as various then as they are now: and whea every man is permitted to apprehend 99 truth tor himself, and express his apprehensions accorJiag to his ability, a variety m thou;^hts and phrases will necessarily take place. Every raan when he enters tlie church must have a Creed — for the characteristic of a christian is, that he is a believer. Let us look at it. " ^Vith- out faith it is impossible to please; for he that Cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a revvarder of them that diligently seek him." Aojain, "if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha." And once more — "-whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor the world to come." Now here are articles of a Creed: and the man who does not possess them, cannot belong to the church of God. Not one of the apostles would Ivw'i baptize^, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the H )ly Ghost, the individual who did notbolleve in what is represented here, ^9. to the Father, the Son, ai^d the Holy Ghost. But is this a Creed isnposed upon the human conscience by human authority.'' Or will any reasoner oi our present subject suggest such a case, as fully replying to all our argument? But let us frame a ministerial Creed: — ''•If i.ny man preach any other gospel unto you tiian tliat ye have received, let him be accursed." If un- der a declaration like this, a man who denied our Lord Jesus Christ, should be excluded from ministerial privilep^es, will this be called the op- eration of a hutnan Creed, and the exercise of ecclesiastical authority, resulting from sectarian 100 combination? Assertion and argument, con- ducted in this manner, must grow out of misap- prehension, and lead to no satisfactory issue. The cases are evidently predicated upon divine legislation, as clear as words can make them ; and human authority can neither confirm nor repeal the law which is applied to them: — no church court can either enact or amend these things; but the human conscience receives them as com- ing immediately and directly from God himself. And there must not only have been Creeds, but living and visible Confessions too; for again the divine law saith — ^"If thou shalt confess ivith thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." — "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwell- eth in him and he in God" — "Whosoever there- fore shall confess me before men, him will I con- fess also before my Father which is in heaven." Now here is confession — a Confession of Faith ^ and a Confession of Faith too, which is a term of communion in spiritual things. But then the reader clearly perceives, that it owes none of its obligation on the human conscience to human authority. The Master himself has established the law, and no man may object to it, without incurring the most awful penalties. We make no objection to a divine Creed, or to a divine Confession ; but we do object to a human Creed, and to a human Confession. We then, let us repeat, never have denied that there were a multitude of such Creeds and Con- 101 fessions in primitive times, and that there must be in all subsequent times, and in all states of so- ciety, where v^er christians are to be found. But then it may be objected, that all this is our in- terpretation, and that our owji admitted Creeds, are after all but a fully formed san]ple of the very thin^, which we professedly reject. In- deed ^ — Most certainly we have offered no inter- pretation of the divine law; we have simply re- cited the law itself, and, without a single com- ment, as to its individual meaning, have left it to speak for itself; and every man to pronounce for himself what his own eyes see, his own ears hear, his own hands handle, his own lips taste. And in what has been thus adduced, we contend, consisted the simplicity of the primitive church, which was afterwards so grievously corrupted by the ambition of bishops, and the intrigues of ecclesiastical courts. But after all, is not this adventuring a great deal, jeoparding the purity of the church, and most incautiously sacrificing her peace.'* We do not think so. For, we believe, that thus the primitive church did actually live in purity and peace ; and that her purity was never corrupted, nor her peace destroyed, until the idea of eccle- siastical power had maddened and degraded her sons and daughters; and led them to substitute human for divine law. We believe, that the whole world is, at this present moment, aiming at a return to the principles and habits of original simplicity, in political, as well as in ecclesiasti- 9* 102 eal, matters; and that all the political and eccle- siastical powers on earth, cannot prevent the changes which have commenced their reforming and revolutionising process. We believe, that there is a scriptural point where divine truth conceiytrates all her rays, in one powerful, burn- ing, focus, and where no man can resist her au- thority and be guiltless: — so much so, that not even the Gentiles, according to Paul's reason- ings in his epistle to the Romans, who had not the formal privileges of the Jews, can escape di- vine judgments for not obeying truth, or for hold- ing it in unrighteousness. On this latter idea we think it necessary to enlarge. The elemental principles of divine truth do not constitute such a difficult, obscure, mysterious, matter, as they are often represented to do; and on whicii presumptions have been founded so many of our synodical documents, as if a poor sinner could not understand what God has said to him in his Bible, unless a number of learned ecclesiastical logicians, convened too by special order of civil rulers in many cases, should interpret his law. The fact is, that divine truth never appears with so much plainness and sim- plicity as it does in God's works, and in God's word. One of the finest illustrations of moral principle which men can find, and which the Redeemer himself could find, is derived from the structure of God's works, or from the course of his providential transactions. And when we wish to have a clear moral idea, which no man can dispute, we are never so happy as when we 103 obtain it directly from the scriptures, and can sustain it by comparing the scripture with itself. This every man knows, who has separated him- seh', like Gregory Nazianzen, from sectarian re- gulations, and addressed himself, with all the ardour of an accountable being, to the study of the Bible^ for his own spiritual and intellectual advantage. The v^^hole arrangement of human things, un* der the superintendauce of the great and good Governor of the world, appears to have been made purposely coincident with evangelical law: or evangelical law has been purposely made to correspond with that arrangement. And if this be so, then the Bible must address itself with the clearest evidence to the human mind ; and those who reject its testimony, which they are commanded to believe, must do it for some other reason than its obscurity. And accordingly the Master himself says — "This is the condemna- tion, that /jg/j^ is come into the world^ and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." And his Apostle, when giving a description of the moral character of the Gen- tile mind, says, "The Gentiles, "which have not law, do by nature the things contained m the law; — which show the work of the law urilten in their hearts^ their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts (disputations or rea- sonings) the meanwhile accusing or else excus- ing one another." Now if this vievv be true, then must there be such a correspondence be- tween the present state of the human mind, and 104 the revelation which God has given by Jesus Christ — both with regard to its character and amount, — that the Bible must necessarily recom- mend itself to mankind; and it contains in itself, in the most visible form, those principles which men may see at a glance, in which they may im- mediately agree, and on which they may worship God with the most perfect harmony. It is not difficult then to perceive how the spiritual unity of the church may be inviolably preserved, and extended with the most lovely uniformity down through all ages, under the simple administra- tion of the Bible. And of course it cannot be difficult to perceive how the primitive church could live in peace- and love, without the aid of rules of faith and practice, derived from the au- thoritative decisions of synods and councils. This was in fact the beautiful simplicity of the early ages of Christianity, of which historians speak in strains of such exalted eulogy; and which was afterwards corrupted by the encroach- ments of ecclesiastical power, and the presump- tuous pretensions of ecclesiastical canons. So that it is altogether a mistaken view of the sub- ject, when it is supposed, that discord andstrife must necessarily ensue, if the church would be- take herself to the Bible as her onlij rule. The fact is directly the reverse. The early history of the church demonstrates the fact to be the' reverse ; for never was there an age, when the unity of the church was dearer to the hearts of living christians, or when louder lamentations were uttered over the breach of that unitv. 105 We are not alone in giving this testimony concerning the character of scriptural revela- tion. Irenaeus, after having given an account of the Faith received from the Apostles and their disciples, says, — "This faith, the church, as I said before, has received, and though dispersed over the whole world, assiduously preserves, as if she inhabited a single house; and believes in these things, as having but one heart and one soul; and with perfect harmony proclaims, teach- es, hands down, these things, as tllough she had but one mouth. For though there are various and dissimilar languages in the world, yet the power of the faith transmitted, is one and the same. Neither the churches in Germany^ nor in Iberia^ (Spain) nor among the Celtte^ (in France) nor in the East, nor in Egypt, nor in JLijhia^ nor in the middle regions of the world, (Jerusalem and the adjacent districts) believe or teach any other doctrines. But as the sun is one and the same throughout the whole ivorld; so the preaching of the truth shines every xvhere^ and enlightens all men who are willing to come to tlie knowledge of truth. Nor will the most power- ful in speech among the governors of the church- es, say any thing more than these ; (for no one can be above his master;) nor the most feeble any thing less. For as there is but onefaith^ he who is able to speak much, cannot enlarge; nor he who can say little, diminish it."* Dr. Miller in his letters on Unitarianism, makes the following remarks.- — "If the Bible >Maion's Pica, p- p. 41—2. 106 contains a revelation froin God to the mass of mankind^ an 1 is expressly intended to teach them the way of duty and happiness, we must suppose it adapted to the purpose for ivhich it ivas p^iven; that is, we must suppose it to be a plain book., suited to the common people, as well as to the learned and wise. The gospel was originally preached to the poor; and is fitted no less to nourish babes in Christy than to sup- port and invigorate strong men. The Bible, it is true, has c!e|:)ths which are beyond the ken of angels; and portions of its contents by no means unfrequently occur, which require much various knowledge to enable any one to peruse them with intelligence and satisfaction. While there is more than enough in the scriptures, as there is in the great autbor of them, to fill the most enlarged intellect, and to give scope and exercise to the most profound erudition ; yet, it is equally certain, that the great body of those truths which relate to our common salcation., which hold forth to us redemption throu;^h the blood of Christ., even the forgiveness of sins^ according to the riches oj his grace., and which enforce the various duties of the christian life, are plain.^ and level to the most common capacif}j^ disposed humbly to receive them. They are, indeed, so plain., that we are assured, he who runs may read them; and even the wayfairhv^ man., though a fool., shall not err therein. Such is the representation every where given on tiiis subject, in the sacred volume itself. Nothing more is necessary, as we are assured, to enable a sim- 107 })]e, unlettered man to read the word of God with intelligence and profit^ than common sense, accompanied with an humble and teachable dis- positimV'* Now if such views of the Bible be correct, as we verily believe they are, and as we shall hctve an opportunity of showing more at large hereafter, then it might be a task not unworthy of some presbyterian field-marshal, to show what is the value of such a book as the volume which contains the Standards of the presbyte- rian churches. And, again, if such views of the Bible be correct, we may not be surprised to find that the early ages of Christianity could do without authoritative rules of faith and man- ners, framed and enforced by some lordly pre- late, or ecclesiastical council ; and that the church in all ages would "gain a loss" by their adop- tion. Here again, we have presented before us the very thing for which we are pleading: — the supreme, single, and sufiicient authority of the Bible. We ask no more. But we must now turn to look at the facts, which characterised the primitive church, in order that we may ascertain the worth of these early Creeds, which have been pressed upon our attention, j^nd ihe first fact, which we have to state is, that there was a great deal of uniforn)ity in sentiment and feeling during that period of the church ; — a peculiar circumstance, which nev- er has occurred since these human Creeds were introduced, and where mind icas in action on " p. p. 225—7, 108 relig'ious mhjects. The uniformity of ignorance and superstition, no man who loves his God, himself, or the human race, would make a sin- gle effort to accomplish, or utter a single word to praise. The second fact is, that synods and councils, whose province it is to form these authoritative rules, did not appear in the christian church un- til the middle of the second century, were a l^ure human conirwance^ when they did appear; and did nothing but mischief, by interfering with the immensely important, and the greatly chequered, interests of Christendom, which they were not qualified to manage. That ethereal spirit, which pervades the whole region of mor- als, the Holy Chost alone can direct; and they who do not bow to his control, as mere secondary agents, whatever eclat they may acquire in hazardous enterprise and doubtful strife, can do nothing but stain the escutcheon of Israel's glo- ry, and betray the cause they have been commis- sioned to defend. The third fact is, that "every church," as Sir Peter King expresses it, was, "at liberty to ex- press the fundamental articles of the christian faith in that way and manner, which she saw fit ])io re nata^ or as occasion offered. Or as another writer, we think bishop King, has it: — "This Creed was handed down from Father to Son, as a brief summary of the necessary scrip- ture truths, not in ipsissimis verbis^ or in the same set words, but only the sense or substance thereof, which is evident, from that ive never 109 find the Creed, twice repeated^ in the same words^ no^ not by one and the same Father.'''' Now even admitting that these were authoritative rules, which the very statement given ot" them proves they were not, their framers must have been very untutored in the science of ecclesias- tical legislation; for surely they ought to have been careful to express the Creed, if there was an authoritative one, in uniform language; seeing there is nothing about which theologians differ, more than they do about words. The council of Nice was riven by such a dispute. The fourth fact is, that in the early ages, bishops or presbyters appear to have been mo- dest men. When synods and councils were formed, they handled ecclesiastical matters with a great deal of diffidence : and, on their first ap- pearance in these meetings, declared "that they were no more than tlie delegates of their respec- tive churches, and that they acted in the name, and by the appointment of the people." They had not yet ventured to proclaim a lordship over the human conscience. The present incumbents were not prepared for that glorious distinction. Tlie fi/lh fact is. that the approach to domin- ion was very p'adaat and impcrreplihle; and that synods and councils proceeded onward, af- ter having once commenced, until they '•'changed the whole face of the church; gave it a new form; and at length openly asserted, that Christ had empowered them to prescribe to his people aiUhoritaiive rules of faith and maimers.'''' 10 110 We presume we have now furnished facts enough to prove, that these early Creeds were very far from being those ecclesiastical instru- ments, with which we are concerned in these remarks: That if that age could do with -ut such instruments, we can do without them too; confusion and disaster, doctrinal carelessness and heretical wanderings, are not the conse- quences of living and acting, preaching and praying, under the dominion of the Bible, when sectarian Creeds and Confessions are heaved, like the idols of those who had departed from the only living and true God, "to the moles and the bats:" And that the origin of these aspiring and despotic ordinances, must be referred to the council of Nice, assembled by the order of a civil ruler, whose character was as equivocal as the wisdom of his ecclesiastical vassals. But perhaps the reader would wish to see some of these early Creeds, as they are con- sidered to form the connecting link between the council of Nice and the apostolic age We shall furnish him with two of them, that he may judge for himself. The first of them is from the pen of Irenaeus^ to whom Dr. Miller refers in his lecture, and is as follows: — "-The church, although scattered over the whole world, even to the exti'emities of the earth, has received from ihe apostles and their disciples^ the Faith, viz. on one God the Father, Alniighty, that made the heaven and the earth, and the seas, and all things therein — and on one Christ Jesus, the son of God, who became incarnate for our isalva- Ill tion — and on the Holy Spirit, who, by the pro» phets, preached the dispensations, and the ad- vents, and the generation from a virgin, and the suffering, and the resurrection from the dead, and the assumption, in flesh, into heaven, of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ; and his coming again from the heavens in the glory of the Fa- ther, to sum up all things, and raise all flesh of all mankind;, that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the good pleasure of his Father, who is invisible, every knee may bow, of beings in heaven, in earth, and under the earth; and every tongue may confess to him; and that he may exercise righteous judgment upon all; may send spiritual wickednesses, and transgressing and apostate angels, and ungodly, and unjust, and lawless, and blasphemous men, into eternal fire. Bui on the righteous and holy — on those who have kept his commandments, and continued in his love^ whether from the beginning, or after repentance^ may, with the gift of life, bestow incorruption, and put them in possession of eternal glory."* Now the intelligent reader may very readily suppose, that all this could have been written by one of the early fathers, without any intention, on his part, of declaring any thing more than those essential principles of the gospel, which, like the sun, "shine every where, and enlighten all men who are willing to come to the know- ledge of truth," which accordingly he expresses ^Mason's Plea, p. p. 39,40. U2 in his further remarks on the faith, received frwn tile cipostie^i and iheir disciples. Lenaeiis de- clares the articles of belief which belonged to the FAITH, that the church, dispersed throughout the tvorid, had professed, and that without any of those ecclesiastical combinations, which we would imagine to be indispensable to such an uniformity. And when Dr. Mason, from whose pages we have made the extract, and who had been referring to the '•'-early Creeds,'^'' or as they Were called, symbols of faith^ undertakes to speak of the character of this Creed, he re- marks; — "It is clear that this venerable father did not mean to give the very words of any for- mula of faith; but to state, substantially, those high and leading truths in which all the churchesof Christ over the whole world harmonized; and which formed the doctrinal bond of their union." So we think. And so we imagine, the reader too must think. For in those days Creeds were not ex- pressed, not even by the very same Father, in the same' words. This Creed then, from the writ- ings of Irengeus, was not an authoritative rule in the house of God. And if it was, and could be transferred to our day, it would effect a won- derful change in our orthodox, or heterodox, age. I'he second example of an early Creed, which we shall furnish, is from the closet of Gregory Thaumaturii;us^ as quoted by Dr. Miller, in his letters on Unilarianism, from Cave's Lives of the Fathers, and to which Dr. IMosheim refers, as "a brief summary of the Christian religion." It is as follows: — "There is one God, the Father 113 of the living word, of the subsisting wisdom and power, and of him who is his eternal image; the perfect begetter of him that is perfect, tlie Father of the only begotten Son. There is one Lord, the Only, of the Only, God of God, the character and nnage of the Godhead; the pow- erful Word, the comprehensive Wisdom, by which all things were made, and the power that gave being to tlie whole creation: the true Son of the true Father, the Invisi!)!e of the Invisi- ble, the Incorruptible of the incorruptible, the Immortal of the Immortal, and the Eternal of Him that is eternal. There is one Holy Ghost, having its subsistence of God, which appeared tlu'ough the Son to mankind, the perfect Image of ilie perfect Son; the life-giving Life; the holy Fountam; the Sanctity, and the Author of sanc- tification; by whom God the Father is made manifest; who is over all, and in all; and God THE Son, wdio is through ail. A perfect Tri- NiTF, which neither in glory, eternity, or wis- dom, is divided or separated from itself."* This document. Dr. M. has been pleased to term, Tiie celebrated Confession of Faith of Gregory Tkauinaturgus^ who flourished about A. D. 265. -Its celebrity may be great, and may continue to be great, for any thing that we know, for really wedo not understand it. It is something very different from what Irenasus has written, and looks very much like those unintelligible matters which were introduced, for the conside- * Let. on Un. p. p. 144—5. 10* 114 ration of spiritually minded men, about the time that the Council of Nice pronounced its revered decisions. But the circumstance, which enti- tles this Confession of Faith to such notoriety^ deserves to be made known. We shall take our account of the whole matter, from Dr. Cave's biographic sketch of the good bishop in the arti- cle referred to. It seems that Gregory was called to fulfil the duties of a particular po- sition, which like some similar things in our own day, were difficult and troublesome. Heresies had spread themselves over the coun- tries, where the scene of his episcopal labours had been laid out. He himself was ""altogether unexercised in theological studies, and the mys- teries of religion," Now this was evidently a serious situation, in which to be placed: — called to the discharge of episcopal functions which he was not prepared to meet. Our Creeds would not suifer this; and most assuredly the Bible does not sanction it. What was the relief? Dr. Cave informs us, after having stated the diffi- culty, that the following relief was afforded: — "For remedy whereof, he is said to have imme- diate assistance from heaven. For while one night he was deeply considering of these things, and discussing matters of faith in his own mind, he had a vision, wherein two august and vene- rable persons, (whom he understood to be St. John the Evangelist, and the Blessed Virgin) appeared in the chamber where he was, and dis- coursed before him concerning those points of faith, which he had been before debating with 115 himself. After whose departure, he immer! late- ly penned that canon and rule of faith which they had declared, and which he ever after made the standard of his doctrine, and be- queathed as an inestimable legacy and depositum to his successors." Now, whether the foregoing story, which Dr. Cave gravely relates, be true or untrue, the re- lation of such circumstances concerning this good father's Creed, makes it a very suspicious article; and renders it about as unfavourable a specimen of these early Creeds, as Dr. M. could have selected It is true, it introduces the apos- tle John and the virgin Mary, in their heavenly habiliments, as august and venerable witnesses in favour of Creeds and Confessions of Faith: but still it makes them so, only by permitting them to frame their own Creed for us: and, as we do not lie within their jurisdiction, we must object to the whole testimony. Our Presbyte- rian standards assert, that nothing is to be added to the scriptures, "at any time, or on any pre- text, whether by new revelations of the Spijit, or traditions of men ; and such an instrument no Protestant conscience can possibly receive. The Westminster Confession of Faith itself, could not be sustained by such testimony, to the satis- faction of any intelligent Presbyterian. We are too well apprised of the effect of such things in ages past; the world and the church have grown too old to be convinced by such argu- ments; and our own good- sense would reject as altogether unworthy of our confidence, any ec- 116 clesiastical arrangements that may be traced to so equivocal a.i origin. — -Dr. M. will excuse these remarks on a subject, which can produce no difference of sentiment between us. He was pleased to refer to this document; the name of Gregory Thaumatms;iis is very sonorous; and the whole sentence referring to the early fathers, sweeping before it all our convictions and con- clusions, has a very imposing aspect. Such then were these early Creeds. And cer- tainly we cannot be considered as at all inter- fering with any man's liberty to write a book, if he pleases to do so. This was the civil and religious right of the ancients, as it is now of the moderns; and is entrusted to human beings, under an obligation which is common to all their privileges, and that is not to abuse them. "As good almost kill a man, as kill a good book: who kills a man, kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were, in the eye. Many a man lives a burden to the earth; but a good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit; embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life." Many such theological and literary eiforts are made now a days, which we shall not undertake to denounce; neither do we choose to trouble ourselves about their influence. If men will write what t'icy ought not to write, and read what they ought not to read, and believe what they ought not to believe; if they do not feel it to be a matter of the utmost importance to their present and ever- m Jasting destiny, to bring tlieir minds under the influence of truth ivfiich they understand^ we cannot gratuitously offer to do for them what they ought to do for thennselves, but will noL If men will not do what they ought, they must suffer. We have no idea of becoming ecclesiastical Reviewers^ to save others the trouble of thinking for their own good. That is a kind of religious pauperising which is mconsistent with the ge- nius of Christianity, and the spiritual prosperity of professing believers: and is an attempt to en- graft religious institutions of our own upon those which God himself has created, and in which, he made man a dependant upon exter- Da! influences, as far as his own wisdom deter- mined to be right. Every thing which makes Man less than what he ought to be, is certainly suspicious in its character, and deleterious in its results. God himself has carried this delicate subject of legislation as far as it can be safely carried; and every step, which is taken to reduce the personal independence of men below the level on which he has placed it, must necessarily do very great mischief. Many such Creeds, or many pieces of such Creeds, are published every day in our own coun- try; but none of their authors imagine that they are empowered to make laws for the human con- science, or to erect their speculations into terms of christian communion. And it was so with these early Creeds. The good bishops, whose names have been introduced into this controversy, were not framing sectarian rules, by which God's re- 118 deemed children should be deprived of "the children's bread." They were not sketching out "voluntary associations," and giving schismatic, arbitrary, political forms to different sections of the church; or, with conscious power, forcing upon men their own frigid, heartless, formula- ries. The poiver to make laws must be consti- tuted, before the laws can be made; and we must look for these authoritative rules of faith and manners, when tii<3 time came round, and the men appeared, who claimed the authority by which they could be enacted, "Before there were," says Jerome, '•'by the instigation of the devil,, parties in religion, and it was said among different people, / am of Paul^ and I of Jlp- ollos^ and 1 of Cephas^ the churches were gov- erned by the joint counsel of the Preshyters. But afterwards^ when every one accounted those whom he baptized as belonging to himself and not to Christy it was decreed throughout the ivhole worlds that one, chosen from among the Presby- ters, should be put over the rest^ and that the whole care of the church should be committed to him, and the seeds of schisms taken away."* It follows then most conclusively, from what we have culled out of the history of the early ages of the church, that there were no such instru- ments as our Creeds and Confessions; and that, as we have already stated, the council of Nice framed the first formulary of this kind Eccle- siastical history then is not against us, but for us; "Mason's Plea, p. 79- 119 and if there be any value in such kind of testi- monv in relaiion to a Bible quo-tion, then that testimony i« nil in favour oi the doctrine advo eated in these pages. SECTION 6. There is another class of historical facts, be- Iong;ing to the early a