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persuade the people who fear God, both out of the law, prophets, psalms, and apostolic writings, that such are their character and circumstances, and to induce them to return. It happens in this case as it did when the gospel was first promulged-some believe the things that are spoken, and some believe them not. The number of believers is, indeed, very considerable. But when they think of repairing the breaches, and rebuilding the temple, some Sanballat says, "Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?" And, to scandalize them, some Tobiah adds his scoff, saying, "Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall!” However, many of the people "have a mind to work," and the wall will be reared. Out of Babylon they will-they must come; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. And should we never see the day, we will die in the full assurance of faith that the saints will separate themselves from the strangers, and renounce allegiance to their spoilers and captivators. Many of those friendly to a return, are attempting to persuade their communities to arise in the mass and to march in one phalanx, and flatter themselves that they may succeed. However much we do desire such an event, we cannot reasonably expect it; for such an event never happened. No community, either political or religious, ever was reformed in the mass. No people ever, all at once, returned from any apostacy. Even when God's typical people were brought back out of Babylon, of the whole nation, but forty two thousand three hundred and sixty at first returned.

I have been often interrogated on the subject of a model or a precedent for the restoration of the ancient order of things. Some seem to think that the New Testament ought to furnish an example of the sort, or some directions for the accomplishment of an object so important. It does, indeed, in some sense, though not in the way which some desire. It teaches us how Jews and Pagans were converted to the faith, and how both people were consociated into one community. It teaches us upon what principles they became one, and for what ends and uses they maintained the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. It exhibits to us what they did in their congregations; but it does not, because it could not, afford a model of a people returning from a long and grievous apostacy. The christian communities had not then apostatized, and consequently no example of a return could be afforded. Until Rome was built there were no great roads leading thither, nor groups of people returning thence. For this reason the New Testament could not afford a model such as we want. But it foretells this apostacy; its rise, progress, and termination: it exhibits the thing in emblems, and in sacred symbols teaches us how to come out of THE MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT. It imperiously commands a return to Jerusalem; and, in general principles, ordains the way. If, then, we only remember whence we are fallen, we may reform. We may return to the Lord. But it does more than all this. It not only minutely describes the apostacy, and characterizes the Man of Sin, and Son of Perdition; but it leads us, in the way of symbols, to understand where we are, and how to return. It tells us plainly that we may find, in the history of the Jews, our own history, and a remedy for all our grievances. To illustrate this point, I cannot do better than to present you the outlines of an oration delivered on this subject. It was the first time that I based a public speech

on the writings of Nehemiah; and I must (as they say, John Bunyan was wont to do) write down the discourse after it was pronounced, or give the items and outlines of an extemporaneous address:

The outlines of an Oration, based upon the 4th and 6th chapters of Nehemiah, the 2d chapter of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, and the 17th and 18th chapters of the Revelation. AFTER reading the above portions of the sacred writings, a few general remarks were made on the character of the inspired books, and particularly on the peculiar method which God had adopted in communicating instructions to men. The utility of the adoption of types or emblems, in communicating instruction, was next exhibited. The natural world, considered as a volume of natural types; and the sacred history of the Jewish people a volume of spiritual types. After these introductory observations, the Jewish scriptures were examined on the subject of types. From this examination it was found,

1st. That there were persons and things originally designed as types; and also that persons and things not originally designed as types, were in the New Testament, by the inspired commentators on the Old Testament, adopted as types, and used as such for the illustration of the christian doctrine. Of the former sort were the priests under the law, the altars, sacrifices, tabernacle, its vessels, the temple, &c. &c. Of the latter kind were Adam, the deluge, Sarai, Isaac, Hagar, Ishmael, &c. &c.

2d. By connecting the two Testaments, or the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, it was found that certain persons, in certain respects, were types of Jesus Christ; that his being called the second Adam, a priest after the order of Melchisedec, a Mediator such as Moses, &c. &c. were proofs and illustrations that he was considered the anti-type of many types. But this was not all. On the authority of the infallible commentator, Paul, it appeared that there were not only types of Christ in the Jewish scriptures, but that there were types of the christian people, their worship, and circumstances: and indeed that the history of the church was all found in type in the history of the Jews. In illustration and confirmation of this, the following particulars were noticed:

1. That all the same names which are in the christian scriptures appropriated to the christian assembly or church, were first appropriated to the Jewish people in the mass. Such were the terms called, elected, redeemed, bought, purchased, ransomed, chosen, a peculiar people, a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, my people, my beloved, my children, spouse, bride, saved, &c. &c.

2. That all the christian ordinances and worship were typified; such as the Lord's day, by the morrow after the Sabbath, when the first ripe sheaf was waved, christian immersion, by their being immersed once into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; their frequently eating the manna and drinking the water from the rock, an ensample or type of our participation of the emblems in the Lord's supper; their sprinkled altar, a type of our sprinkled consciences; their Our gov, or laver or bath for cleansing the priests, a type of our bath of regeneration; their first tabernacle, or holy place, a type of the christian church; their common priests, a type of christians: and their high priest a type of Jesus; their thank offerings, of our praises; and their sin offerings, of the sacrifice of our great High Priest. Incidents in their history were also shown to be types of incidents in our history. Such as their being called out of Egypt;

their receiving of a law afterwards; their journey through the wilderness; their river Jordan; their promise of a rest in Canaan: their entrance into it; their city Jerusalem; their Mount Zion; their captivity in Babylon, and their deliverance thence. Other incidents were taken notice of; such as the rebellion of some of them; their failing in the wilderness; their chastisements; their reformations; the special government under which they lived; the rewards and punishments. The authority of the christian apostles was adduced in support of these facts; such as Paul's comments in the 10th of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians; his letter to the Hebrews every where.

These remarks and illustrations were merely introductory to the portions of scripture read. We then proceeded to demonstrate the fact that the captivity of Israel was in all its prominent features a type of the present state of the christian world. This was proved,

1st. From the fact that Paul declares twice in his 1st Epistle to the Corinthians that these things (which happened to them) were luz, types to us. Chap. x. 6. "Now these things have become types or examples to us." And verse 11. "Now all these things happened to them as luc, types or examples, and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages

are come."

2d. From the fact that John in the Revelation transfers the very name of the People, or city of captivity of the Jews-I say, he transfers that name to the city of our captivity and to the state in which we are, and calls our spoilers and captivators, Babylon the Great. There is a spiritual Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon. See Revelations, chapters xi. and xvii.

dences likewise of the fact, the attention of the audience was confined to three obvious proofs, viz. 1st. The confusion of religious speech now existing, analogous to the confusion of speech at Babel, and the confounding or mixing the language of Canaan with the language of Ashdod during the captivity; our creeds, systems, sermons, and scholastic terms, mingled with some biblical terms, terminating in an almost general ignorance of the sacred writings, and an impossibility of understanding the holy oracles, were just noticed illustrative of the exact analogy between us and the Jews while in Babylon.

2d. The almost total deprivation of the consolations of the christian religion, apparent in our private capacities and in our public meetings, in our individual experience, and in our social interviews; the melancholy and gloom; the prayers and feelings of the religious, expressed in the 137th psalm; in short, all the grand characteristics of our state, as respects the enjoyments of the religion we profess in its public institutions, and in its personal and family benefits, are exactly correspondent to the state of the Jews during their captivity. An appeal was here made to the experience and the prayers of the pious, based on the first six verses of the 137th psalm.

3d. The intercommunity with the world, the mingling of religion and politics, the alliance of church and state either in the European forms or by the more specious incorporations of these United States, the almost general conformity to the world in all its frivolities, in the gratification of all those appetites, passions, and propensities, purely animal, so common amongst christians; the great neglect, the very general neglect of the christian education of the youth, and the consequent irreligion and evil morals of many of the 3d. From an analysis of the 2d chapter of the children of christian parents, are similar to the 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians. This led to an intermarriages between the Babylonians and the exposition of the more prominent features of the Israelites, and the almost universal assimilation countenance of the Man of Sin, and Son of Per- of the children of those unauthorized marriages dition. That he was not a political, but a politi- to the children of Chaldea. Thus, from the conco-ecclesiastical personage, was shown from his fusion of religious speech, the absence of the sitting not on a civil tribunal, but in the temple christian institutions, and the enjoyments deof God, and from the term MYSTERY in capi-pendent on their observance, and the deterioratals upon his forehead. That his impious assumption of the character of God, consisted essentially in his claiming dominion over the faith or consciences of men, and a homage from men due to God alone.

tion of christian morals by an almost exact conformity to the course of this world, being the antitypes of the confusion of the Hebrew language in Chaldea, the absence of the temple and its worship, and the amalgamation of the Hebrews and Babylonians by marriage and familiarity, was argued the fact that we are yet in Babylon agreeable to the scripture declarations and evidences before mentioned.

In speaking of the Woman of Sin, viz. the Mother of Harlots, as well as of the Man of Sin, we did not confine neither him nor her to the walls of Papal Rome; but very briefly it was remarked, that although "the Mother of Harlots" Having found ourselves in Babylon; having might live in the great city, yet her daughters seen the almost exact agreement of the types had married and left her; in plain English, that and the antitypes, we were led to inquire why every council ecclesiastic which assumed the the Jews were carried captive into Babylon, that right of dominion over the faith and conscience, we might in the analogy find a proof or evidence and claimed titles of homage, such as Reverend, of the reasons assigned in the New Testament &c. or any attribute of power or honor which why christians are in spiritual Babylon. We belonged to God alone, was a legitimate de- found that the Jews had broken God's covenant scendant, daughter, or grand daughter of the with them as a nation, by which he had engaged woman on whose forehead was written "Mys- to be their king and protector, and that in contery, Babylon, the Great, the Mother of Harlots, sequence he had permitted their temple to be and Abominations of the Earth," cautiously burned, their city to be laid waste, their land to avoiding offence, as some of her progeny were be turned into a desert, and themselves to be present. I went on to demonstrate from our own slaves to Pagan sovereigns. And so with the experience and observation, independent of the antitype. The christians departed from the new sacred testimonies, that we were now in Baby- covenant. The threatenings declared by Jesus lon. Waving all advantages which might have Christ to the seven congregations in Asia have been derived from the time, and times, and the been executed. The Lord Jesus has been disredividing of time; the three years and a half, garded as king, and his institutes forsaken. Oththe forty-two months, the 1260 days, the accord- er church covenants have been formed; other ant emblems of 1260 years; their commencement authorities have been acknowledged; other lawand termination—waving a hundred minor evi-givers have been obeyed, and other apostles than

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those sent by Jesus, have been enthroned in our hearts. Therefore are we in Babylon.

Their return is a type of ours, else the system of types is defective and fails of perfection.Cyrus made a proclamation; liberty was granted by the state in which they were enslaved. The civil powers now are relenting, and our government has given us the liberty and acknowledged our right to be governed in our consciences by the Great King. The proclamation by Cyrus was not more friendly to the return of the Jews to their own land and laws than is the constitution and laws of these United States. The time has arrived that the return should be commenced. But how is it to be effected was next proposed. Both the doctrine of the types of the New Tes

tament agree

1st. The Jews confessed their sins. See Nehemiah ix. 6. They said, "O Lord, many years did you forbear our fathers, and testified against them, by your Spirit in your prophets, (as he has to us by his Spirit in the apostles,) yet would they not give ear." "Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers kept your law, nor hearkened to your commandments and your testimonies wherewith you did testify against them."

2d. But they did not only confess their sins. They personally reformed; they reformed their family discipline; they returned to the Lord with all their heart. 3d. They gave the people the law in its original import.

their children; and their sons and daughters thought the same things of him. This is true in the general.

It is no uncommon thing in the natural world for an effect to be the cause of another effect, and the last effect to be similar to its cause. For example; there is a chain of seven links. A person with a hammer strikes the first link. The motion of the first link is the effect of the stroke of the hammer; but the motion of the first link becomes the cause of the motion of the second, because of the impulse it gives it; and the motion of the second becomes the cause of the motion of the third, and so on to the end of the chain. In each of these effects, so far as they become causes, there is something similar to the first cause. Now it is much more obvious that, in the world of mind or thought, this similarity exists to a much greater degree than in the world of matter. The reason is, men cannot think but by words or signs. Words are but embodied thought, the external images or representatives of ideas. And who is there that has paid any attention to what passes in his own mind, who has not perceived that he cannot think without something to think about, and that the something about which he thinks must either assume a name, or some sort of image in his mind, before his rational faculties can operate upon it; and moreover, that his powers of thinking while employed exercise themselves in every effort, either by terms, names, or symbols, expressive of their own acts and the results of their own acts? Now, as men think by means of symbols or terms, and cannot think without

4th. And they solemnly engaged, as a society, to walk in God's law which was given by their lawgiver, and "to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our God, and his judg-them, it must be obvious that speaking the same ments and his statutes." See Nehemiah x. 29. Let us go and do likewise, as respects our King, his laws, commandments and statutes.

We were then led to consider the parts of Nehemiah read, as typical of the difficulties, reproaches, and opposition which must be encountered by those who undertake to rebuild the city and the temple.

things and hearing the same things, though it might be alleged as the effect of thinking the same things, is more likely to become the cause of thinking the same things than any natural or mechanical effect can become the cause of a similar effect. This much we say for the employment of the speculative reader; but for the practical mind it is enough to know that speakSuch were the outlines of an oration designed ing the same things is both rationally and scripto shew that the ancient order of things must be turally proposed as the most sure and certain restored, and that the way is marked out, not means of thinking the same things. On this only in the apostolic writings and prophecies, view of the matter, I would base something of but also fully exhibited in the typical people.- great consequence to the religious world. PerThese outlines you may consider and fill up at haps I might find something in it of more real your leisure. But should you neglect this, re-importance to all christians of every name, than member the command of the Lord our King. "Come, out of her, my people, that you may not be partakers of her sins, and that you may not receive of her plagues."

P. S. There was something said on the reasons why the Mother of Harlots had mystery written on her forhead, which I have not room to give you at present.

Versailles, Ky., Dec. 26, 1826.

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all the fabled powers of the philosopher's stone, had they been real. Perhaps in this one view might be found the only practicable and alone sufficient means of reconciling all the christian world, and of destroying all partyism and party feelings, with all their retinue and train of evils which have been more fatal to christian light and liberty than were all the evils which fell upon human bodies from the opening of Pandora's box, to the animal enjoyments of this world. But how shall we all speak the same things relating to the christian religion? Never,

A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things. indeed, while we add to, or subtract from the

No. XVII.

Purity of Speech.

If all christians "spoke the same things" they would doubtless be of the same mind. But, says the philosopher, if they were all of one mind they would all speak the same things. Grant, then, that speaking the same things is the effect of thinking the same things; and yet, perhaps, it might be true that speaking the same things might, in its turn, be the cause of thinking the same things. For example; William and Mary thought the same things concerning John Calvin -they spoke the same things concerning him to

words which the Holy Spirit teaches. Never, indeed, while we take those terms out of their scriptural connexions, and either transpose them in place, or confound them with terms not in the book. If I am not greatly mistaken, (and I beg to be corrected if I am) the adding to, subtracting from, the transposition of, and mingling the terms of the Holy Spirit with those of human contrivance, is the only cause why all who love the same Saviour are disunited.

Now every human creed in christendom, whether it be long or short, whether it be written or nuncupative, whether it be of "essentials or

mind as upon the metal. And did we all speak the same things we would be as visibly one as all the pieces of coin which have been cast into the same mould. I again repeat, that this unity never can be obtained while any other creed than the sacred writings is known or regarded. And here I invoke all the advocates of human creeds in the world :

Gentlemen, or christians, whoever or whatever you be, I will consider your attempt to disprove this position a favor done to me and the christian world. None of you have ever yet attempted to show how christians can be united on your principles. You have showed often how they may be divided, and how each party may hold its own; but while you pray for the visible unity of the disciples, and advocate their visible disunity, we cannot understand you.

non-essentials," whether it be composed of five with speaking the same things? I will tell you, or of fifty articles-either adds to, subtracts it is but a figure illustrative of the same thing. from, or transposes the words of inspiration, or The same image and superscription engraved in mingles things of divine and human contrivance the mould, answers to the same things spoken in together. No such volume, no such articles can the ear and conveyed to the mind. The same be the form or a form of sound words. Every impression will as certainly, though not mechancreed is a new mould of doctrine, and into what-ically nor as instantaneously, be made upon the ever mould metal is cast, when moulded it must assume the size and impress thereof. Let silver be cast into a French, Spanish, English, or American mould of the same size, but differently constructed; and although it is all the same metal, and of equal size, each crown, whether French, English, or Spanish, assumes a different stamp. Now the apostle Paul uses this figure, Rom. vi. xvii. (see the new translation.) "You have obeyed from the heart that mould of doctrine into which you were delivered," or cast. Now does not reason and experience teach us that if ten thousand thousand pieces of coin were cast into the same mould they would bear the same impress. We have but one apostolic mould of doctrine in the world, and all the sons of men cannot construct a mould of doctrine like it. A human conscience cast into the mould of the Episcopalian, Presbyterial, Methodistic, or Baptist creed, and a human conscience cast into the apostolic mould, all bear a different stamp. The Episcopalian, Presbyterial, Methodistic, Baptist, and Apostolic coin, not only wear a different date, but a different image and superscription. Martin Luther's head, John Calvin's head, John Wesley's head, John Gill's, or Andrew Fuller's head is stamped upon each of them. Not only is the Anno Domini different, but the image or head is different on each. They may be all silver of equal purity for aught I know, till they are tried in the furnace; but they are not one, neither can they be in image, superscription, date, and other circumstances, and therefore cannot pass current in another country. Let them, however, be tried with fire, and melted down, and all cast into the apostolic mould, and they will come out with a new image and superscription, and pass current through all the empire of that head which is stamped upon them. The figure, I think, is the best in the world, and illustrates the whole matter. I am indebted for it to the Apostle Paul. He gave me the hint, and I am grateful for it.

But to come to the illustration of how speaking the same things must necessarily issue in thinking the same things, or in the visible and real unity of all disciples on all those topics in which they ought to be united, I will select but one of the topics of capital importance on which there exists a diversity of sentiment. For example: The relation existing between Jesus Christ and his Father. This is one of those topics on which men have philosophized most exuberantly, and on which they have multiplied words and divisions more than on any other subject of human contemplation. Hence have arisen the Trinitarian, Arian, Semiarian, Sabellian, Unitarian, and Socinian hypotheses. It is impossible that all these can be true, and yet it is possible that they all may be false theories. Now each of these theories has given rise to a diction, phraseology, and style of speaking peculiar to itself. They do not all speak the same things of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But all who do speak the same things belong to one theory. Scripture words and sentences are quoted by each of the theorists, and to these words are added expositions and definitions which give a peculiar direction to the words of the Holy Spirit. Some portions are considered by each theorist as peculiarly favorable to his views, while others are not often quoted, and if quoted at all, are clogged with embarrassing explanations. Some of the words of the Holy Spirit are quoted with great pleasure and others with great reluctance. And why? Because the former are supposed more favorable to the theory than the latter. I have often seen with what pleasure the Arian dwells upon the words "first born of every creature;" "the beginning of the creation of God." And how seldom, and with what reluctance, he quotes "I am Alpha and Omega, the First and Let, then, but one mould of doctrine be uni- the Last;" "In the beginning was the word, versally adopted, of standard weight, image, and and the word was with God, and the word was superscription, and all christians will be one in God." Again, the Socinian emphasizes with every visible respect; and then, and not till then, great force upon the words "the man Christ Jewill the kingdom be visibly one. There will be sus;" but never dwells with delight upon this one king, Dei gratia, on every crown; and that sentence, "Who being in the form of God, did crown, if of genuine metal, will pass current not think it robbery to be like God." The Trinthrough all the king's dominions. It is admitted itarian rejoices that "there are three that bear there may be some pewter, or brass pieces white-record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the washed; but the former will soon grow dim, and the latter, when rubbed a little, will show a baser metal.

Some of our Baptist friends here in Kentucky have tacked round, and thought of a new plan of making a mould to give no impress or stamp to the coin at all. They will have no image, superscription, or date upon it. They will have the coin to weigh so many grains or pennyweights, but without a stamp. A plan of this sort has been lately proposed by one of our good Doctors; but to the astonishment of all, the first coin that came out of this new mould was inscribed with the number "six hundred three score and six." Let him that has understanding explain how this could be. But of this hereafter.

I may be asked, How does this correspond

Spirit, and that these three are one;" that Jesus said, "I and my Father are one," &c. But seldom does he quote on this subject the texts on which the Arian and Socinian dwell with pleas

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ure. Not one of them will quote with equal pleasure or readiness every thing said on this subject; and had they the liberty they would trim and improve the apostles' style to suit their respective theories. They would do, as I heard a preacher do this week, quote the scriptures thus: "If any come to you and bring not the doctrine of the absolute, unoriginated and infinite divinity, the doctrine of the eternal filiation and generation of Jesus Christ, receive him not into your house." They do not speak the same things of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now, suppose that all these would abandon every word and sentence not found in the bible on this subject, and without explanation, limitation, or enlargement, quote with equal pleasure and readiness, and apply on every suitable occasion every word and sentence found in the volume, to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; how long would divisions on this subject exist? It would be impossible to perpetuate them on this plan. I ask the world if it would not? But, says an objector, there would be as many opinions under any other phraseology as the present. This might be for the present generation, but they could not be perpetuated. And as to any injury a private opinion may do to the possessor, it could, on this principle, do none to society.

the case when a person is obliged to express himself in the corrupt speech or in the appropri ated style of a sectarian creed in order to his admission. EDITOR.

Review of Tassey's Vindication of " the supreme and exclusive authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in Religious Matters."-Continued from p. 303. Ir appears a matter of such vast importance, especially in the present corrupt and divided state of christianity, to have the sole and exclusive authority of our Lord Jesus Christ in religi ous matters fully vindicated, and re-established in the hearts and minds of his professing people; that every publication which has this for its object appears peculiarly worthy of public notice. And as this appears to be the grand object of the "Christian Baptist," I have supposed a few extracts from the work under consideration would not be unacceptable to its readers. Mr. T's sole object in his vindication, is to establish the allsufficiency and alone-sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures, as a plain and adequate expression of the divine will for the instruction and direction of the people of God in all matters of faith and duty; to enforce the most strict and conscientious observance of them in all things for this purpose, and to obviate the interference of all human authority between the word of God and the consciences of his professing people. In the prosecution of this object it necessarily occurs not only to vindicate the independent and intrinsic sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures as a complete rule of faith and obedience, by arguments drawn from the character and declarations of their divine author;-by an induction of leading particulars respecting the faith and order of the church, its officers and ordinances, and the qualifications and duties of its members; but also to attack and obviate the high pretensions of assuming ecclesiastics, by vindicating the sacred Men would, on this principle, learn to appre-text from the false constructions forced upon it ciate and love one another, and to estimate human character on the real standard of piety and moral rectitude. Unfeigned obedience to the Lord, guileless benevolence to all men, and pare christian affection to the household of faith, would be the principle of appreciation of human character. Not our wild reveries, our orthodox jargon, or our heterodox paradoxes would be of paramount importance. Never can this state be induced until a pure speech be restored-until the language of Canaan be spoken by all the seed of Abraham.

Again, could not men believe in, obey, love, fear, and rejoice in Jesus Christ as readily and to as great a degree by speaking and hearing all the words and sentences in the volume, as they now do in all the varieties of their new nomenclature. Let them be cast into the same mould; that is, speak and hear the same things, and there would not be a Trinitarian, Arian, Semiarian, Sabellian, Unitarian, Socinian, or any thing else but a christian on this subject, or an infidel in the world. It would be so on all other topics as on that instanced, if the same principle were to be adopted.

Our confessions of faith, our additions to, our subtractions from, our transpositions of, and our extractions out of the book of God, are all in open hostility to the restoration of a pure speech, and are all under the curse, and we are punished with famine and sterility on account of them. I have seen a confession of faith all in bible terms, extracted and transposed, like putting the eyes and ears and tongue in the right hand. Now I object as much to a creed in bible terms transposed and extracted, as I do to worshipping the Virgin Mary instead of Jesus the Messiah. The transposition of the terms or the extraction of sentences from their connexions is just as perni

cious as any human innovation. Samples of this

sort will be afforded at another time.

No man is to be debarred the christian church who does not deny in word or in works the declarations of the Holy Spirit, and no man is to be received into the christian community because he expresses himself in a style or in terms not found in the christian books; which must be

in support of their pretended claims. This he does by shewing, in the first place, that the fixed and appropriate meaning of the term church, in the New Testament, when used in relation to the subjects of the Redeemer's kingdom, is either universal or particular, as noticed in my last. In the prosecution of this part of his plan, (p. 94,) referring to apostolic times, he observes that, "in those days sectarianism had no existence, except as contemplated in prophetic vision."

The amalgamation of christian communities into one solid, compact, and united body, by representation in ecclesiastical councils, was not then heard of. Such worldly compacts of selfseeking and self-interested spiritual rulers, endeavoring to promote their ambitious designs, had not, at this time, as afterwards, subverted the liberties and privileges of the children of God. The wisdom of ecclesiastical councils had not, as yet, occupied the place of the wisdom of the Lord Jesus; nor had scholastic or systematic divinity destroyed the simplicity of the doctrine of Christ. Far otherwise do matters now appear. We must now have a system of gov ernment modelled upon the best establishments around us. We must have superior and inferior courts, legislative assemblies, and ecclesiastical judicatories. And what, at the best, makes but a bungling job of the whole of such systems, is that the same assembly is this moment legisla tive, and anon judicative; not only is it the maker, but the executor of its own laws; thus opening a door for the most tyrannical exercise of power. It is well that our liberties, civil and

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