George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS A SERMON, ON THE DOCTRINE AND DUTY OF SACRIFICING, FIRST DELIVERED AT AN ORDINATION IN NEW-PROVIDENCE, MECKLINBURG County, NORTH-CAROLINA, Feb. 2, 1792. AND AFTERWARDS, WITH SOME JDDiriGNS AND ALTERATIONS, At SALIM, on NOLICHUCKY, At THE OPENING OF A COMMISSION OF THE SYNOD OF THE Carolinas, Sept. 3d. 1792. By the Rev. SAMUEL E, M'CORKLE, D. D. Pastor of the Church at THYATIRA and SALISBURY, IN Rowan county, NORTH-CAROLINA. PHILADELPHIA: t Printed bv WILLIAM YOUNG^ No. 52, SEcoNB-STRaET, the corner of ClIESNUT-STREET. MjDCCjXClV, THUL'.-"' "^'-LECTION PREFACE. It is known that I have declined the repeated felicitations of friends, to publifh a fermon on edu- cation, whick I preached about nine years ago. This I have done partly through diffidence, and partly to gain time to read and think more on the important fubjett. To my friends, however, it will appear ftrange that I fhould now fend another fermon to the printer, without any folicitations at all; at leaft without any until I had previoufly refolved to fend it. The truth is, I was conftrained to refolve, from a regard both to my own character and to what I believe to be the truth; and conftrained to continue my refolution, from an additional motive — the re* queft of friends. — Conftrained was I to refolve at a critical moment, when objections againft this fermon and criticifms upon it, were poured upon me in fuch thick fucceftion that I had fcarcely time to anfwer one before another came ; nor to anfwer any, but in a kind of hafty and extempore manner, neither fully to my own fatisfadion nor probably to the full fatis- fadion of thofe that heard me. I have fmce taken time deliberately to confider the whole fubjecl, and the following fermon and notes are the refult of my mature deliberation?. Thefe are now publifticd, not to revive a debate that has been happily fettled, and fettled after my announced refolution to publifti — -a refolution from which I have never receded, becaufe it has always appeared neceflary to lay before the public what I believe to be the truth, and to do juftice to my own chara<9:er with that part of the public who may only have heard of the tranfaclions at Salim, by the vague voice PREFACE. voice of fame; and who may at the fame time be better acquainted with tbe objedors, than with my- felf. They will naturcdly conclude that there mufl: be fome damnable dodrincs in the following fermon, when two or three preachers of the Gofpel were re- duced to the neceffity or oppofmg it in public. To repeat the tranfailions at Salim, is to 'me a painful talk ; they TnaH therefore be repeated no far- ther than is abfoiutely necefiiiry to give ecclaircife- ment to the following fermon and notes ; and in the doing of this, fads fhali be mofl: religioufly regarded, with as few obfervations as pofTible upon them. It is a fad, then, that a commifTion of the Synod of the Carolinas, of which 1 was chofen moderator, met at Salim on the 3d of September, 1792; that the commifTion met to call before them, on bufinefs im- material, to be mentioned,, the Prefbytery of Abing. ton ; and that the following fermon was delivered at the above place, on the above day, by me as mode- rator of the commilTion. It is alfo a fad, that the Rev. Mr. Doke, paf- tor of the church at Salim, and member of Abington prell.ytery, lollowed by two other members of faid prefoytery, the Rev. Mr. Balch, fen. and jun. did, on his fird entrance the next morning, in the pre- fence of fome mem.bers of his own congregation, and of other congregations, and without the leaft previous notice to me given, publicly declare that he was not willing to proceed any farther on bufmefs with the commifTion, until he would know what notice the commijfion intended to take of the fermon preached yefterday. As I believed that there was nothing in the fer- mon that I could not defend, and alTured that noth- ing in it could be noticeable before a judicature^ even fuppofing it to be error, I immediately demanded that the infmuated and implied charge fhould be fpe- cified. When the objcdor waved this, I pronounced with fome indignation (not more I beheve than v;as PREFACE. proper) that I would have that redrefs which I knew I could obtain. This had its effect. • ^ On the firft recefs, the objections were fpecified and exhibited in writing, accompanied with a requeil, that he, Mr Doke, might be permitted to inform his own people — the people of Salim — that he held no fuch dodrines as I did. For that the people, (I un- derftood ail) were diiplealed with my fermon, and would be difpleafed with him, diould he be fdent on the occafion. This, faid Mr Doke, is all I wifh for. As this was a retreating from the ground he had firft occupied, refpecling public notice xo be taken by the cenimiflion, I alfo receded from the refolution I had formed to obtain judicial redrefs ; and the ob- jections being fpecified in publick, were publickly canvaffed and debated, without change of fentiment on either fide, and without any other . effed than a few verbal explications and conceflions, as will be feea in the notes. On additional information from Mr Balch fen. that the people, (I underftood, generally) " were up in arms" againft the fermon ; on fome new objections being darted in public, and on reflecting how my character would appear at a di fiance — I formed and announced my refolution, to publifh theferm.on, and let it fpeak for itfelf. This appeared the only rnea- fure left, and this is the firft and true caufeof its ap- pearance in the world ; otherwife it would never have entered into my thoughts to have pubiiflied at all. With refpect to my reafons for preparing and preaching this fermon, they are no other than my rea- fons for preparing and preaching any other. It oiigi- nated from no prejudice nor pique at either Mr Doke or his people ; to ihem all I was almoft entirely a ftranger ; and I do utterly deny that any thing in the fermon or defence was perfonally pointed. I ufed at Salim, the fame, and no other liberty, of free enquiry and inveftigation, than that to which I have conitant- ly accuftomed both myfelf and my people. I have vi F R E F A C £. ever aimed at the avoiding of two extremes ; one is the yielding of a bh'nd implicit affent to the opinions and phrafe.^ of antiquity ; and the other is an ambi- tion to be ever walking in the untrodden paths of novehy. It is neither antiquity nor novelty, but truth that I feek for. I know that there are truths which people may not be prepared to receive. Nay fubjeds there are which they may not he prepared even to invejiigate, " I have many things to tell you, fays Chriit to his difci- pies, but hitherto ye have not been able to bear them, neither yet now are ye able.'' 1 may here be charged Avith imprudence in coming forward fo freely on the fubjcft of the terms of communion, which was both diredly and indiredly the principal fubjedt of dif- cuilion and debate. I acknowledge that I treated thisfubjedl very freely at Salim both in the fermon and defence ; for I not only declared the fentiments that may be read in the fermon, but in my public de- fence, I faid that, with the confent of my people, I had invited both a Baptifl, and Methodifl to preach to them, becaufe the preachers appeared to be men of education, good fenfe, and piety, with whom I hop- ed to have co munion in heaven. With this public declaration Mr Doke, and I believe fom^e of his peo- ple, were offended. The defence I now make to the public, for this declaration at Salim, is, that Mr. Doke has publifh- ed a fmiilar declaration to all the churches under the care of the fynod of the Carolinas, otherwife I would have afted with more circumfpedlion and care. On the terms of communion Mr. Doke has taught my people, and his own, thefe tv/o fentiments. Fird, That in matters of opinion, nothing fhould be puflied forward publicly into the face of any ju- dicature v/hatfoever, unleis it be a matter ejfential to ^he very exiftence of the chriftian religion. Secondly, That all chriftians of every denomina- tion, that IS, all who appear, by their lives and con- PREFACE. vii vcrfations, to be follower « of Jefus, may have com- munion with one another. Thefe two noble, gene- rous, catholic fentiments he has inculcated on my people at Thyatira and Salifbury. I beg iba\'e to cite his own identical words. He has publicly declared to them, " That no one thing be propofed as a term of communion, unlef • in dodrine, it be effential, and in practice, contrary to fomc cxprefs command.** And again, That they who fhall at lafl commune together for ever in heaven, may very juftly hold communi- on with each other on earth." Mr. Doke will be at no lofs to underfland my meaning, when he (hall have read the paftoral let- ter, page 14, of which, the above is a quotation. This letter was prepared by a committee of the fynod of the Carolinas, read over, paragraph by paragraph, in a full meeting of the faid fynod, Mr. Doke being prefent, and by him and the whole fynod approved, and thus direded to all the churches under their care. Was it imprudent then ? — I appeal to the public — was it imprudent to teach at SaHm as he had done every where elfe ? For I have only attempted to mark thofe dodlrines that are eJfentiaU and to diftin- guifli them from thofe that are not — I have merely pleaded, that the communion of the body of Chr'i/i fhouid be the communion, not of feds^ but faints. How thefe things materially differ from Mr. Doke's print- ed opinion on thefe fubjeds, I cannot underftand. Was it ftrange then, if, on the terms of commu- nion, I advanced his own public avowed fentiments to his own people ! Was it ftrange that I was afto- niJflied — I fay nothing about the feeling^, and faces of the commiffion, when the charge was thundered in ! Was it ftrange that I was aftoniflied, when told the next day, firft by Mr. Doke, that his people, I un- derftood all, were offended ^ and afterwards, by vm PREFACE. Mr. Balch, fen. that the people, I again under ftood all, were up in arms againfl: the fermon. The truth is, and jufHce requires me to fay, that thefenie of the people was not, and could not have been then known. The opinions of a few indivi- duals had been miflaken for the fenfe of the congre- gation at large. This miftake I did not then know j and it gave my mind all that pain which [uty mixt with other pafhons, could, in fuch actuation, make a m.ind fe ,1. For the people I had compaiTion, as for a people maddened into a blind intemperate rage, and for myfelf, as a ftranger almofl without a friend. The true (tate of the people of Salim, and of thofe •who attended from the contiguous focieties, was this. A few individuals did approve both of Mr. Doke's fentiments, and condudl in bring matters publicly before the commifTion. Another few, perhaps as many, did approve of the fentiments in the following fermon, and judged that the diffufion of thefe fenti- ments, efpecially on the terms of communion, might be peculiarly ufeful to the churches in that coun- try * Another number, the?i greater than either, or perhaps, both the former, approved of Mr. Doke's fentiments, but not of his conduct : on the whole, a violent flame was raifed ; and the rafli man found that his public oppofition had created to himfelf as much diflurbance as to me ; and that he was likely to be, in the end, in a worfe fituation tlian myfelf. As foon as I knew the true (late of the congrega- tion of Salim, I determined to facrihce every thing that vvas pcrjcnal and pofhble for its peace, as far as truth v;ould admit. Both in public and in private I purfued the mofl lenient meafures with the people, * I am conrirmcd in the opinion tliat this number was not then very few, IVom a requeft made before I left that country, that I would not recede from my refoliition to publifh the fermon ; and alio, from authentic information fmce had, that 2CC copies m^y be vended in Salim and tlie vicinity ; and that more might be dif- tributed with a little time and pains through the Weilern coun- try. PREFACE. ix and attempted to lofe fight of myfelf. ■ I flattered mylelf, that though my charader might be injured for the prefent^ yet that t^e world would do me juf- tice at laJL I hoped, that could the fiame then be extinguilked, the people mofl prejudiced would be prepared, by time and refledion, to read the fermcn with coolneis and candour. I attempted to view the whole matter, not on a fmall fcale on which all feemed wrong ; but on a large one, on which all ap- peared right. I have then, and often viewed the world as a huge overgrown individual, llov/ of un- derflanding, flow of apprehenfion, but of paflions quick and ftrong ; fometimes rafh and wxon'gfor the prefent, but always right in the end^ in judging both of men and things. I have finally obferved that though peace and charity may fuffer in colhfion of fentiment, or inveftigation of truth ; yet that truth itfelf will never fuffer in the end, by any inveiliga* tion whatever. Indeed, it pleafed the God of peace to reflore it to the people much fooner than the mofl fanguine per- fon, who faw the height of the flame, could have ex- peded. The fudden and unexpeded return of this peace, fo earneftly defired and fought for, had, after a fcene of inexpreflibly difagreeable fenfations, al- moft overcome me. What fhall I fay on this fub- je6l ? May I not be permitted to fay, that I attempt- ed, and that heaven fucceed the attempt, to reconcile the people to each other, and to their paitor. May I not be permitted to fay, that I enjoyed the exquifite pleafure — ihall i fay triumph? — of being perlonal- ly concerned in joining the hands of Mr. Doke and fome of his offended people together ? So far my reafons and motives for preaching and printing this fermon. Would it not have been thought an extraordinary fondnefs for publifhing, I would have fent it along, without affigning any rea- fons art all : But thefe, however difagreeable to re- kte, are the true reafons, and I cannot conceal them. A revifion of the whole fubje£l, and fome avoca- B X PREFACE. tions, have prevented me from publifliing fooner. Befides, I did not feel myfelf difpofed to be in any great hafle about the matter. I have felt myfelf, through the whole feries of this affair, ftanding on firm ground. I have found myfelf, both at Salim and elfewhere, fupported by the candid and judici- ous ; and have been allured, that my charader has not any where laboured as much as I once appre- hended. With refpeft to Mr. Doke's fentiments, he has a right to enjoy and defend them, but none to make them terms of communion. I once thought of omit- ting fome of the objedions, but on farther thought, I have inferted them all ; for though fome of them, to me appear frivolous, far-fetched, and preffed into the fervice, yet, to other men, they may appear o- therwife. I have inferted all, left it fliould be thought that I omitted thofe which I could not an- fwer. Some of them are little more than criticifms on words. If I knew Mr. Doke's motives, I would candidly explain them ; but, I verily believe, that he did not know them himfelf. I believe this, becaufe it is pof- fible for a man to be in fuch a predicament ; and probable, that in that predicament he really was. All that can caft one glimmering ray on the fubjed, is his own words, that " huge prejudices at firfl ex- " ifted on both fides," fpeaking of the commiflion and prelbytery. Surely, fome prejudice, I believe not perfonal, mufl have beclouded his native good fenfe, in attempting publicly to interrupt the pro- ceedings of a judicature^ and call them off from the bufmefs they were fent on, to a bufmefs, of which, neither they, nor the Judicature that fent them had any cognizance at all. The reider, who may not underftand the conftitution of the Prefbyterian church, muft here be informed, that all judicial de- cifions on dodrines and terms of communion, are referred to the general aifembly of that church. Something muil have flrangely bewildered his mind^ PREFACE. xi in occupying ground, which, as to terms of commu- nion and church-cenfure, could only have been ten- able in the days of Popifh ignorance and perfecution. For, the candid reader being judge — any judicature in this age being judge — the cool and unprejudiced Mr. Doke himfelf, in a full fynod of the Carohnas, being judge — is there one thing debated in the fol- lowing fermon, or one thing done by me at Salim, which is, " in dod:rine ejfential^ or in practice contra- ry to any exprefs command,^* Prejudices there might be : How far they appear- ed in any part of my condud, I appeal to the people at Salim. In tranfcribing for the prefs I have altered fome things that were not debated. The fubjecls debated, have been feen by three members of the commiffion, who have authorized me to fay, that they are fairly flated. That the " partial eviP^ attending this debate may ilTue in " univerfal good and that the publication which the debate has occafioned, may promote peace and truth among all denominations of Chriftians, is the prayer of The author. P. S. SHOULD the fermon be thought to be too long for one reading, the fenfe is made diftinct, and the reader may reft: at each general divifion. The fermon on education before mentioned, will be pubKflied as foon as convenient, fhould this meet with a favourable reception. A S E R M O N, &c. From Leviticus IX. ver. 7. And Mofes /aid unto Aaron^ Go unto the altar and of- fer thy fin-offerings and thy burnt-offerings and make an atonement for thyfef and for the people : and offer the offering of the people ; as the Lord com- manded. BY thefe 'Words is x\aron introduced into the full execution of his facerdotal office. This was not effected without a long and dehberate prepara- tion. He had been nominated before, and now he is folemnly inaugurated by a feries of facrifice and ceremony, which continued for the fpace of eight days. (3n the eighth day, both priefl and people are called to bring their refpedive offerings, and as God commonly annexeth a promife to a command, fo, in this cafe, he promifes to fhew them his glory, a vifible or mental view of his divine perfedions. * AVe have come here this day, my brethren, both preachers and people, to bring our refpeclive offer- ings to God ; and now, what and where are they ? Or do you beheve that there are offerings, demanded from us under the gofpel, analagous to thofe uiv der the law ? In anfwering this queftion, I propofe, I. To take a view of the offerings which God hai demanded in all ages, *At the ordination, the words were tlicfe, Vv'c have come here this day, my brethren, to ordain a preacher for yoii, that he may go to the altar, and cfTer for himfelf -and you ; and no\v whtre, Sec* II. The names, qualifications, and duties of thofe who have been called to offer them. III. The qualifications and duties of thofe for whom they have been offered. Then attempt fuch an improvement, as the fub- je£l and occafion may demand. I have propofed, I. To take a view of the offerings which God has demanded in all ages. I ufe the word offering ra- ther than facrifice, becaufe it is a word of more gen- eral import. A facrifice was commonly a flaughter- ed beail. An offering might be of the fruits of the earth. I do not know that this diftindion is criti- cally obferved ; but in general it is true, that every facrifice was an offering ; but every offering was not a facrifice. In taking a view of the offerings and facrifices, I fhall mark their origins, kinds, and defigns. Firft, Their origin. This is a fubject both im- portant and perplexed. Some, who deny the reality of a divine revela- tion, and believe, that man now is as he was firil formed, have faid that facrifice and offering are not of heaven, but of men ; that a pure fpirit would ne- ver demand fuch carnal rites ; that they were firfl offered by men, not as atonements, but gifts, or ac- knov/ledgement of fovereignty, as of fubjeds to a prince ; or, as a feftival of friends, partaking at the altar as at a common table ; the fire, emblem of Deity, taking his part ; and the offerer, his own. Others there are, who admit the truth of a divine revelation, yet think, that facrifices firft obtained a- mong men, and were afterwards enjoined by hea- ven ; that they were not defigned to pacify the Dei- ty already benevolent ; bat to fandify thofe who of- fered them, by filling their minds with reverence and refpeft for God. For my own part, I believe, that the inflitution of facrificing is originally from God^ -This I believe, becaufe he is too jealous of his own worfhip, ever to fuffer uncomuiauded rites to be introduced. Witnefs [ 15 ] Nahab, Abihu and Uzza. 1 believe that Abel's offer- ing was by command, elfe not by faith, Heb. xi. 4. I believe that facrifices were too well adapted to a rude untaught age, more eafily flruck w^ith a vifible than a pure mental worfiiip, to have originated from men. I believe that they , were too great a tax on men's property, whofe wealth chiefly confifted in their herds and flocks — too much the fupport of a good government, of which men, in the firfl: ages, were not fond, — too rational in their principles.— too univerfal in their practice, — and, with refped to the different periods and progrefs of fociety, too much a wife and well-connecled plan, ever to have originated from men, in any age, much lefs the mofl: rude and favage. Secondly. With refpect to their kinds, it appears, that they were various, and inftituted in various pe- riods of fociety, founded perhaps, on the various en- creafmg relations between God and man, from the origin of the individual or family, to the birth of the organized church or nation. I will not fay that any kind of offering w^as inftitiU- cd in Eden ; but, I believe, that one kind might probably, and with propriety, have been introduc- ed there ; and I affert, that two kinds came forwards in the patriarchal age, one of which, poffibly origi- nated in innocence. To thefe-, two more were add- ed under the Jewifh difpenfation. Thefe will be found to be expreffive of all the relations that have ever exin:ed between God and man, in any age or ffate of fociety; and confequently, expreflive of the fms and duties of thefe relations. The firfl: relation exiflied between a Creator bene- ficent and holy, and a creature happy and innocent. From this creature is demanded, the pure and men- tal facrifice of thanks and praife ; and why might not this facrifice have been exprelTed in paradife by a peace-offering of the choice and various fruits of the earth r Senfible objects are known to have their [ ] influence on the mind in its purefl acts of devotion on eajth. Cain, who was probably an infidel, viewing hini- felf as in the innocent ftate, came to the altar with fuch an offering. " Abel by faith offered a more ex- cellent facrifice" ; becaufe it better correfponded with his lapfed flate. The peace-offerings, or thank- offerings under the law, were moflly of iirft fruits ; they had refped to innocence, rather than guilt ; the atonement was fuppofed to be made by a previous facriiice, on which, or after which, they were offered; and they were offered by the the Nazarite, whofe whitenefs and purity, See Sam. iv. 7. was fuppofed by the Jews, to be emblematic of innocence, as the pollution of the leper was of fm. Be this as it may, there were but two kinds in the patriarchal age, the burnt-ofiering, and the offering of thanks or peace. The burnt-oft'ering was appointed immediately after the fall ; and the peace-offering re-appointed, if it was firfl introduced in the mno- cent flate. The principles of thefe facrifices probably were, that two relations, between God and man, inflantly took place on the fall ; firfl:, the relation of an angry judge and a condemned criminal, and then, that of a reconciled judge and a renewed or a new creature; whofe refloration to the innocent ftate was begun ; or at leaft, that God was in Chrift reconciling the world to himfelf ; not imputing their trefpaffes unto them. The firft of thofe relations was expreffed by the burnt-offering, the lafl, by the peace-ofiering. After the lirft fm, God feems to fpeak thus, *' Hitherto, O man, have I demanded only the offer- ings of peace ; but now there is no peace, for you have violated my law. The Garth and fruits are all accurfed. Go take a vidim from thy flock; lay thy hand on its head, confefs over it thy defert, lay it on my altar, and burn it to afhes ; but take not a par- ticle to thyfclf, for thou art utterly unv/ortby.** [ 17 ] Here, by the way, the firfl opinion we mentioned about the origin of facrifice, mull fall to the ground; for there is no mark of friendfhip in any rite of the burnt-olfering ; nothing but tokens of divine ven- geance — diftance, grones, blood, death, and burning after death. The rites of the peace-ofFering were different ; for tho', in fome cafes, it was a victim, yet this was to fhew that peace came by blood. It was commonly of corn or wine, and then laid either on the top of the burnt-oftering, or after it, on the altar, See Lev. iii ^5 to fhew that atonement was the foundation of peace. This circumflance does not co incide with another notion of facrifice ; I mean that which excludes alto- gether the idea of atonement, and fuppofes that facri- fice was only intended to fandlify. The burnt and peace-offerings were frequently offered in the days of the patriarchs. They were not confined to the Hebrews, but common to mankind. They continued among the heathens after the con- ftitution of the Ifraelitifh church ; and burnt-offer- ings, in particular, fays Philo, were offered at Jerufa- lem in behalf, and at the expence of Auguflus Casfar. See Jennings Heb : Antiq. Thus far we have viewed man as an individual^ or in a ftate that differs but little from it. For Adam and Eve were one flefh. " Their name was Adam"; and their children were themfelves. A family is the fociety of nature, rather than of compad:. It is a kind of tranfition from the folitary to the focial fiate. The individual, as Abel, may facrifice for himfelf ; and the parent may, like Job, rife early and offer burnt-offerings for each one of his children. Hence no new clafs of facrlfices,* nor offerers were appointed until the erection of a nation and church in IfraeL * Here comes tfie firfi: objeflion. "This fuppofes, tliat tiiere was no church before that in Ifrael, confeciuentr/, ao ordinaj;ce8 c c i8 i When the Ifraelitilli nation and church \ver€ or- ganized at Sinai, two new relations took place. God now becomes their firll magiilrate or king, claims the right of giving laws, proclaiming war, conclud- ing peace, protecting, rewarding, and punilliing. Ke nominates the great officers of church and flate, levies a tax to fupport them, and becomes their high-prieft as well as king. Hence to the patriarchal facrifices were fubjoined two new kinds, unknown to the Gentiles, and pecu- liar to Ifrael. I mean the fin-offering and the tref- pafs-ouering. Moil perplexing have been the dif- tindions commonly made between thefe two kinds of facriiices. Will not this principle explain the whole? Two new relations then began to exi(t between God' and that people, exprelTed by thefe two claffes of facrifxce, which were offered, the one, for fms com- mitted by the people as a churchy the other, for na- tional political crimes. Read with thefe diffinclions in viev/, the 4th 5th and 6th chapters of this book Leviticus. On reading thefe chapters you will find that tho' the outlines of civil and ccclefiaflic be diifind: ; yet the interior lines, as might be expetfed, lie together. Sometimes the cafes are blended, ceremonial unclean- nefs, for example, deprived of fociety both civil and in the patriarchal ages ; all which will be favourable to thofe who deny infant baptifm''. I reply, that in all my refearches I ailc, not what is favourable to any fed, but what is truth ? If I did not be- lieve that infant baptifm could be fupported on patriarchal princi- ples, I would inilantly give it up. To me it «oes not follow from the prcmiles, that there was no patriarchal church ; but that it was not jfi'-ajj/Jj nor Chr'ifiian. It \vas a fojournlng patriarch building here and there an altar, and offering facrifice with his family. Cir- cumcilion was inftituted in t!he patriarchal age, for the fame reafon that baptifm was inftituted in the Jcwini difpcnfation ; to mark the future menibers of the Jew'ifh and chriiHan chur^rhes, and to be an eafy tranfitiori for the church paihng from one Rate to the other. Though .in the wandering flitpherd ftate, there could be little congregational worfhip, yet there was a church with ilatutes, avvs, (5cc. See Gen. xxvi. 5. [ '9 ] religious. Led: it fhould be doubtful ^vhether a tref- pafs or fin-oirering were demanded on this occafion ; or left it fhould be imagined, that both were requi- red — the offering, chap. v. 6, might be, and be called either a trefpafs or a iin-oflering. Four clalics now comprehend the whole. Thofe are the burnt-offering, the peace-offering, the trefpafs- offering, and the fin-offering. All the reft named in the law, were not offerings ; but circuii\ftanccs or ma- terials of thefe four kinds. Sometimes, thefe kinds were voluntary; hence called free-will offerings. Sometimes they— (particularly the peace-offerings) were w^aved towards the four corners of the earth ; fometimes heaved up towards heaven. Hence called wave and heave-offerings. They were alfo called meat or drink-offerings, as the materials were of flour, frankincenfe, wine, or oil. The meat-offering that was alone, chap ii. was a fpecies of the peace-offering ; and indicated that^ fpiritual nourifliment which arifes from peace with;^ God ; and the jealoufy offering, fee Num. v. \2\ was a fpecies of the trefpafs-offering. For marriage, though generally celebrated, under the aufpices of religion, is, notwithflanding, a civil contract ; and the breach of its laws is a breach of the laws of civil fociety. In general the burntroffering, and thofe allied to it — the fm, the trefpafs, and the jealoufy-offering, all had refpect to the kinds and confequences of fm while the peace-offering, and thofe allied to it, the feparate meat-offering, chap, ii, and the thank-offer- ing, all had refpeft to the kinds, and confequences of that peace which followed pardon. But of this more when we come to the defigns of the.facrifices. Thefe were the Jewim facrifices and offerings, and th.Q.{it^ perhaps^ the principles on which they were founded. The offerings of chriflians are not altogether the fame ; yet they are analogous to the Jcwifh, afid they are founded on principles perfectly the fame. For [ 20 ] as individuals, we are related to God, either as an offended judge^ or as a recoriciled Father ; and with regard to fociety, he is king of nations^ and king of faints. Our facrifices are fpiritualj though reprefented by Ezekiel, chap xi, to the end, as Jewifli and corpo- real. Ye alio, fays Peter, i Epift. ii, 5, are built up a fpiritual houfe, to offer fp'witual facrifices, accepta- ble unto God by Jefus Chrift. Who, Ephef. v, 2, hath given himfelf an offering, and a facrifice unto God, for a fweet fmelling favour. Here is an allufion to the Jewifh burnt-offering. Chriff hath given himfelf as fuch an offering or facri- fice unto God; and as fuch an offering or facrifice muft we by faith o^tr him to God as the foundation of our peace and reconciliation with him. By him we muff offer ourfelves and our fervices to God. Hence the exhortation, Rom xii, i, prefent your bodies a living facrifice ; livings in oppofition to the dead f:icrifices under the law ; and prefented, either entirely devoted a- the burnt-offering v/as, or rather as the peace-offering, prefentedas a gift or exprefiion of gratitude to God, for the facrifice of his Son, by whom v/e have received the atonement. By him, therefore let us offer the lacrifice of praife to God continually, fee Heb xiii. 15, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name; ver. 16, but TO do good and to communicate, forget not, for with fuch facrifices God is well pleafed. Chriffians, as well as Jews, are members of fo- ciety. Jefus is fo called becaufe he takes away the fins oihis people, God hath made him to h^ ftn^ that 3?, Si fin-offering for us, 2 Cor. v. 21. He alfo fuffered v/ithout the gate, Heb. xiii. 1 2, as the fin-offering was burnt without the camp, ver 1 1. This was done to de- note that the church would not always be confined to the Jewifh nation ; and it alfo denoted, that as Chrift had been a fin-offering for the fins of the Jew- [ 21 ] ifh, fo alfo, would he be the fame for the fins of the Gentile church. I do not know that there is in the New Teftament any allufion to the trefpafs-offering. Perhaps the reafon is that God has taken down the theocracy. He is not king of the chriflian nations in the very lame fenfe in which he was king of the Jewiflr nation: but he has allowed his people, in ail ages, to be governed by laws civil and ecclefiaftic, by thofe laws which vice has rendered neceflary ; for the neccjjity of all government is founded on vice.\ Hence it ap- pears to be the will of heaven, that now as well as in former ages, a tax be levied to fupport that govern- ment, which is rendered thus neceffary by the crimes of men, his own people not excepted. And hence the continued neceflity of offering our trefpafs and our fm offering, or as it is excellently expreffed, 2 Kings xii. i6 — our trefpxfs-moncy^ and our fin-money to fupport civil government and religion. With refpe^l to religion, indeed thefe offerings are now be» come free-will-offerings ; but they do not therefore ceafe to be ju ft. 3dly, The next particular, is the defign of the facri- fices. According to the preceding viev/ of them, the firfl defign was to exprefs a fenfe of gratitude. This was intended by the peace-offering in all its \ The necejftty of all go'uefnment ii founded on vice. Thus it was written ; but the words fpoken at Salem were, all governmsiit is founded cn vice; for I did not read the iermon,3nd had not memor- ized it terbatim. The fpeclfied objeAion, as I noted it from a written copy, was, " this fuppofes all rulers to be vitious or wick- ed men.'* When this objedion was anfwered in public ; another was publickly and verbally mentioned, by Mr. Balch, fen, as the real objcdion ; that is that " there is a government in Heaven not founded on vice or wickednefs.'* To the firft I reply, by faying, that it is the vices of men that have rendered government ntcelfary. To the fccond, I anfwer, that the word all is no better reflrided in many places in the Bible ; that is no otherwife than by the na- ture of the fubje(3:. I was neitlier fpeaking nor thinking of government in heaven ; but of civil and eccl«fiaftick government on earth, amiOng men. [ ^2 3 names and forms, whether we originate it in para- • dife, or after the burnt-offering, and after the fall. R is never, I believe, any where faid to make atone- ment. It is faid with the burnt-offering, Ezek. xlv. 17, to make reconciliation ; but this refers to both' offerings, and expfeffes atonement as well as peace. It feldom required the fnedding of blood, and then it fhev. cd that mercy, fince the fall was procured by blood ; but it wa« probably the firfl of all facrifices, not cKpicifory^ but eiichar[fiic ; and while the burnt- offering-^ was emphatically called the facrijice^ this was, with no lef emphafisj called the gift. See Num." xvii. li, 20. Mat.' v. 25; Heb. v. '1, Here I obfen^e, ' that with refpeO:^ to the peace- efFerings, the Deifi-icaf notion of Picrifice is right. They v/ere coniidered a"s gifts^ and- ufed at feflivals of friends : but'of all the facrifices thi^' is by no means true; ?fnd herelres' the' rniffake of tliefe men. ' ' "■'F^r another de/ign was, to exhibit the atonement** This was the defign of the burnt-offering, and of ail- that -w-ere allied to it,^"''the fin and trefpafs-offerings. All, except the fin-offering, in one cafe. See Lev. V. ' 1 1 - — 13, were hi arlced wit h b I oody without fh e d - drng of which there is 'no' iremiflion'; arid the very exception aforefaid, w^s expiatory; for it is exprefsly faid,- ver. 13. ta make atonement. The atonement appears to have had refpc6l to the fir'ft fiTi, that was cottlmitted By the firft man, and alfo to fin now perfonal and actual. " The burnt-offer- ing, fay the Jews, w.as for fms in thought. Thefe, weknov/, are j^^r/f^/W; and the fin-offering and tref- pafs-offering h2:d rerpe6l 'to aftual fins. ' And it ap- pears from the cafe of the leper after cleanfmg, and the mother, after child-birth, that they were defigned to femind the offerer of that fin by which pain and death has paffcd on ail", Rom. v. 12, why elfe fhould thd'e offerings be brought on the occafions that have beGEL mentioned ? was it aclually, or in itfelf, a fin ta be fickj or to hear a child, in the lav/s of wedlock ? [ 23 [ for what then, in theie cafes were the facrifices and the atonement ? When the nation was viewed as an individual^ fometimes the burnt-offering was offered for the lin of the nation : not fo the trefpafs-offering, which was: moftly offered for the fin of one member of civil fo- ciety, againfi: another. The fin-offering, as before obferved, had refped to the churchy and therefore was moftly offered for fms of ignorance. The rea- fon is, that men are frequently more ignorant, and therefore more apt to err, in ecclefiaftical matters, than in matters civil or natural. On this principle, God has been far more particular and extenfive in giving the ceremonial than civil or judicial laws ; and on the fame principle, the defcription of the taber- nacle, See Exod xxv — to the end of the book, is ten times as particular and extenfive as the account, Gen. i, of the creation of the univerfe. See Jen: Heb : Antiq'. I am fenfible that fome have objected to the atone- ment, confined the deflgn of facrifice to fandifica- tion, and adduced a train of reafoning to ^ftablifu their belief. I ffiall not enter into their objections or arguments; but only obferve, that the different rites ufed in the facrifices, the different kinds of the facrifices, and the different words which exprefs the different effeds, all, in my view, prove the atonement. Had the facrifices refpect to holinefs alone, and not guilt, why were fome of fruits and fome of flaughtered beafls ? why place the offerer's hand on the head of the vidim ? And why kill and burn it to afhes ? If all this indicated the jujiice of fo treat- ing the offerer, in order to humble him, it indicated the injuflice of letting him efcape. For the law cer- tainly demanded his death. Again, had the facrifices refpe6t to holinefs alone, and not guilt, why different words to exprefs the different efi^eCls of the facrifices ? It would appear too much like pedantry to lead you through a train C M ] of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words on this fuhje6i:. Suffice it to fay that there are, in all thefe languages, two clailes of words which refer to the facrifices, and which are equivalent to the Englifli words jufti- fication and fandification, hohnefs and pardon, re- million of fm and purgation or cleanfing from it. See Tit. ii. 14. i John i 9. And let it be farther obferved, that thefe different clailes of Tacrifices, different rites, and different words have all induced an early and a general belief of the expiatory and vicarious nature of facrifice. The language of a Gentile with refpecl to his victim was " Anima pro anima," life for life. The life of the bealt in the room of the man. The Jews had the fame idea of their facrifices. The Apoflle to the Hebrews has furely communicated the fame idea, otherwife I confefs that I cannot under (land his mean- ing at all. A third defign of facrifice was fandification. A fight of the victim groaning in death, and weltering in blood, the folemn ad: of laying the hand on its head, in one cafe forbidden to touch, in another, in- vited to partake — all thefe, and all the other rites, tended to fill the mind with an holy religious awe, and a humble devoted love to God. Idlenefs is the parent of many a crime. The facrificea tended to promote the honeft acquifition of property ; and, at the fame time, to check the inordinate love of it. " I mufl be induftrious,'* would the Ifraelite fay, to procure the firfi and free-will offerings ; . and with a willing mind without grudging, muTl I ofier them. And if I try to know and do my duty, I can retain to myfelf both my fin-offering for ignorance, ^' and my trefpafs-offering. For thefe will not be de- " manded unlefs I trefpais/' Granting the motive to be none of the beft, this war. making the bed that could be made of it ; and indeed a motive more refmcd v/ould not, generally fpeak- ing, fo well have fuited that rude a(^e. Difmrereft- C 25 ) ednefjs v/as not excluded ; while inrereft and avarice were prefTed into the fervice of reiigion. The lad defign of facrifice was to fupnort civil government; for the Levites were officers and jud- ges. See I Chron xxiii 4* The Ifraelites paid no lax but their tithes and offerings. Except the burnt- otfering, all the refl were directed to this objed ; and even of the burnt-offering, the iT:in wms the prieft's. The tithes were taken fird for the Levites, and of that tithe, another for the priefts ; a third, or poor tithe, was for lirangers, widow^S5 and fatherlefs. The tithe of two years w^as by the Levites eaten at Jerufalem. The tithe of a third year was eaten by the Levite, fatherlefs, v/idow, and Granger at home. Some have faid that the half fhekel enjoined by Moles, Exod. xxx. 13, and demanded from Chriii) Matt. xvii. 24. was, till the time of theMa ccabees, on- ly an occahonal tax : and that David, by ordering tl'ie people to be numbered, intended to bring it for- ward. If this be fo, his crime was complicated— ava- rice as well as ambition. Be this as it may, no civil tax w^as paid till the days of the kings. Their militia, and judges, who were not Levites, all fupported themfelves. Some, on this principle, have vindicated Paul, See Aciis xxi, for offering the facrifices at Jerufalem, which, in other plac£s, -he had preached down. The typical defign of thefe facrifices, fay they, had been gained by the coming of Chrifl ; the j^£?/i//V^7/ defign was not gained. The facrifices fupported that rovern- ment v/hich God had not yet taken down ; and there- fore, there was no more impropriety in offering, at that time, a facrifice at Jerufalem, than in paying a civil tax at Athens or Rome.* IL The fecond general divifion of the fubje^l, was to fhew the names, qualifications^ and dutiei> of thole called to offer the facrifices. * Juflice requires mc to owr> ir.yfc4f indebted to ti e Rev- David Ker, of Fayetteville in this Hate, for fome of the thoU5[hts, cfp:ciallY ii: the two laft particulars, oa facrince. D ( 26 ) They have been called patriarchs, kings, priefts, Levites, Icribes, lawyers, or rather dodors of the law, apoftles, evangelifts, deacons, elders, &c. In the firft ages, the holy office was continued by lineal fucceffion ; in the later ages, it has been open to any qualified to execute it. The names exprefs qualifications and duties, and the whole is governed by that all-governing circum- ftance, tht progrefs of fociety^ or, if you would rather, fay the providence of God. For fuppofe, that there be but one man on the face of the earth, that man is, not of men, but of God, ordained a prieft to offer the facrifice of thanks and praife. No need of creeds, or formulas or confe- crations, at his ordination. Suppofe again, that an Eve be taken from his fide, ftill they are but one flefli ? " Their name is Adam.' Another thank-offering is demanded ; and, on the birth of a Cain, another from the patriarchy or fa- ther of the family. Becaufe men are more fond of power than reli- gion, therefore, petty kingdoms arofe before organ- ized churches, and the rife of thefe kingdoms would naturally produce a change in the priefthood. For fuppofe, that a patriarch by conqueft, or otherwife, formed a few families into a kingdom ; here exifts a new relation, and hence the fins of fovereign and fubje^t. Now w^ho fiiall offer facrifice for thefe fins ? Doubtlefs, the man w^ho is at the head of the nation. On this very principle kings were every where the firft priefts for the public ; and the fame word, co^ hen^ is rendered either prieil or prince, becaufe the prince either directed or offered the facrifices of the people. On this fame principle, Mofes, who was king in Jefhurun, that is, in Ifrael, or the nation of thejuft, Deut. xxxiii. c. direcled the public facrifices of Si- nai, and offered all that were offered for feven days, at the confecration of Aaron. C 27 ) Suppofe now, that a church be erefted, or orga- nized, and that national affairs engr^fs the attention of the prince. What is to be done at this rtage of fociety? Why Mofes lhall fay unto Aaron, " Go unto the altar, and offer thy fin-offering, and thy burnt- offering, and make an atonement for thyfelf and the people ; and offer the offering of the people, as the Lord commanded." Something like this, has, at a certain ftage of fociety, been done in almofl ail na- tions ; and this is the firfl: account of any formal ordination, and a clafs of men entirely devoted to the altar. This clafs among the Ifraelites, were called prieffs and Levites, and their qualifications and duties were couched in the ceremonies by which they were or- dained. They were hereditary as kings ; and their fervice confined to the temple at Jerufaleni. This was to fhut the flood-gates of idolatry, which would have burff open, in that early age, had the prieft- hood, like Jeroboam's, been open to all^ and facri- fice offered in every corner of the land. Indeed, all thefe precautions were infufficient. I- dolatry prevailed, and God corrected it by a capti- vity of 70 years. This introduced a new order of clergy, of the ceremonies of whofe ordination we are not informed. They were called fcribes and lawyers, or do6tors of the law, becaufe they were employed in writing and explaining the law of God to the people. This became necelTary, becaufe the people had learned to fpeak the Chaldee, and the fcriptures were in Hebrew, another language, or ra- ther, another dialed. Thefe fcribes were not here- ditary, as the prieffs. They offered the offerings of the underffanding and heart ; and were, throughout the nation, the teaching clergy, as the priefls were flill the facrifichig clergy at Jerufaleni. I know, that a parallel between the JewiHi and Chriftian churches, has been injurious to the latter, * See Mofheim, middle of 2d century. ( *8 ) and yet, \n fome particulars, there may be a paralel. 1 will take of them, for priefts and for Levites, unto nie, faith the Lord, If. Ixvi. 21. This is a prophecy of the ChriiHan church, and perhaps, that in it there fhould be two clalTes, fimilar to thofe of the Jewifh. If lo, we may probably find them in the bifliop and deacon, PhiL i. i. and in i Tim. iii, both inveited by prayer, and impofition of hands. On this fubied, I will not be pofitive. It has ap- peared the eafiefi: way to underlland the office of the ruhng elder, for it is only to fuppofe that the bufi- nefs of governing has been added to the didribution of the charities of the church : as the bufmefs of" of- licers and judges," in the Levites, was added to their firll bulinefs, of helping the priefts at the altar. In- deed, there is fome likenefs in their ordination and names, if both were called elders, and perhaps, in their afii fling to govern. And though the Levite was hereditary, and could never become the prieft, yet the deacon, who was elective, lee Act^ vi. might obtain the ka Ion l?af.b?2WJ2, the good degree, i Tim. iii. 13, and become the preacher or elder, by a new ordination, and fo la- bour in doclrine. See 1 Tim. v. ly. This fubjecl is difputed and doubtful ; but be it as it may, we fuppo{e, on the whole, that firft the individual, then patriarch and king, then prieff and Levite, then fcribe and teacher of the law ; and now birnop and deacon, or, perhaps, elder, have been the more ftcited officers at the altar : and, that prophets aiid wife men. or men who had not the fpirit of pro- phecy, ripodles, erangelius, exhorters, and perhaps thereli, fee Rom. xii. 6, 1 Cor. .xii. aS. Eph. iv. 5 1. Y/cre men lefs ftated, and n-ore extraordinary, called forth as the fi:ate and exigency of i'ociety de- manded. 3d. The fcrond particulv:ir is, the qualifications of thofc called to the altar* The qualifitatio^^s are faid to be natural and reli* ( 29 ) It is common to begin with natural qualifications, arifmg from capacity and temper. But, except in cafe o[ Tome natural impediment, idiotiTm, or infan- ity, is not this abfurd ? How improper to fpeak of natural qualifications, when the priefthood was be- reditary^ and bodily blemiflies only precluded from the altar, not priefthood ? Is it much lefs abfurd now? For my own part, I have always obferved, that a moderate fhare of natural ability, united with any temper whatever, when early and religioufly cultivated, will form the tifeful minifter of religion ; otherv4fe, the moft fuperiative pov/ers have been attended with thofe eccentric flights, that render them ufelefs or worfe than ufelefs in the church. You have often heard that temper defcribed which is fuppofed to beht a preacher of the gofpel. For my own part, I believe, that all tempers, however diverfe from each other, are, neverthelefs, in two refpefts, nearly equal. They are fo, as to perfonal happinefs, and ufefulnefs to fccictv^ as far the capaci- ty extends ; for this equality does not neceifarily fuppofe an equality of capacity. The happinefs may be equal, where the capacity is unequal ; and the fervice done to fociety may be faid to be equal, when each one alike, fills up the circle in which provi- dence has placed him, whether that circle be great or fmall. The truth is, each temper has its ov/n ad^janiage^ and its own defeat. And the rafh and daring fpirit is as neceffary, on a large fcale, in the church, as the cautious and timid. Peter is as neceiiary as John, and Luther as Melancfon. Inflead, therefore, of allying what is the natural capacity or difpofition, I would enquire, Have early religion and early education come forward to enlarge the capacity, and fupply the defects of the natural difpofition ? The qualifications may be 'reduced to thefe tvv-o things — early religion — and early education. C 30 ) I. Early religion. Religion is neceflary to the miniitry, and early religion is defireable. Religion is more than the ftudy of divinity. It is not dodrine alone, but feniiment and praBice, Like friendfhip,* it s only to be underftood where it is felt. It is the proper knowledge of God imprefled on the heart, and cxprefied in a correfponding walk with him. Rehgion has always been required in the prieft- hood. By faith Abel offered his offering. To be juftified and fandified is the whole of religion, and both are here required in Aaron. The charatler of Ezra is excellently drawn, and plainly includes re- ligion, fee chap. vii. 10, That he had prepared his heart to feek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Ifrael. The apoflle Paul, confirms the fame truth, 2 Cor. iv. 6, " God, who commanded the light to fhine out of darknefs, hath fhined into our hearts — the hearts of us, the apoftles — to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jqfus Chrift.^' It is true, that thepriefls of Ifrael were hereditary, but ftill religion was demanded ; and it is alfo true, that Judas, a bad man, was among the apoftles ; but this will not pru\e, that he ought to have been among them. The knowledge of both God and man is neceffary in the preacher. A bad man cannot have the right knowledge of either. He can only know his owil part of mankind. He cannot conceive how far re- ligion will form, the good man's heart ; how much Job will be?.r and not curfe God. Of this, Satan ei- ther was, or pretended to be ignorant. The good man can know it all. In his owm bread are the ma- terials, both of the evil and the good ; and from thefe he can derive the knowledge of all. I fay not, that bad man are always ignorant of the world ; or that, good men always know it : but I fay, that, capacity and opportunities being equal, the good man may know the molt. *■ To Fordycc I acknowledge myiVif nidebted for this excel- lent thought. ( 3« ) keligion may alfo afiift in the knowledge of books. That fpirit that ilhiminated the mind of Bezaleel, fee Exod. xxxi. may aid a pious youth to furpafs, in human knowledge, his impious or lefs pi- ous companion. Religion may, therefore, fubferve education ; which is the Second thing neceflary, and has refpedt to books and men. Religion is the fame in all ages. Edu- cation varies as the ftate of fociety. Abel had but one imperfed language, few prophecies, a fliort fyf- tem of divinity, and a fhorter fyftem of fcience. Aaron, and his fons, polfeffed more materials of knowledge than Abel, or the patriarchs. When the temple was eredled at Jerufalem, mufic becam.e a part of the bufmefs of the Levites ; as it was before, and fUll continued to be» the bufmefs of the fons of the prophets. In addition to mufic, was the fludy of hiftory as far as the refpeclive times, the receiv- ing and ftudy of prophecies, the ftudy of divinity, or the law and gofpel, and, after the captivity, the ftudy of the Hebrew and Chaldee. The knowledge of divinity included the knowl dge of the civil or judicial and ceremonial laws, which, in that ft'ate of fociety, were added as appendages to the moral law. The teachers in the fchools, were Samuel, Elijah, Gamaliel, Hillel, Samai, &c. fee Prideaux Connedl, ap.d at Jerufalem, probably the aged Levites, who af- ter their 50th year retired from the labour and fa- tigue of the altar. Elere we may remark, that the bufmefs of both the teachers and taught, was encreafing in every llage of fociety. Ezra had teif times as much to know as Aaron. Happy was it for the fcribes and doftors of the law, that they were exempted from the laborious and mechanical exercifes of facrificing daily at the national altar. It was neceffary, that the apoflles, in their ftage of fociety, fhould be pofTefTed of m.ore knov/ledge and wifdom than could be obtained in the common way. C 32 ) They were to be fent to many difierent and didant nations, to be brought before kingSj and to preach new doftrines to all. Hence the gift of tongues, ex- traordinary wifdom and courage, miracles and o-ifts of healing. Thefe extraordinary gifts have ceafed with the oc- cafion that called for them : but the common quali- ficarions are now more extenfive than ever. Befides other things, * chrifiianity contains the hiftory of religious opinions, cuftoms, and inftitutions which are not now as eafily underflood as formerly. The hiflory of the canon of the fcriptures is a lubjeci: of confiderable extent, and fhould be well underftood by every preacher. For Vv^hoever undertakes to preach thedoCtrines of the fcriptures, ought certain- ly to be able to defend them. The preacher ought to polTefs fome degree of the knowledge of three or four languages, in order per- fed>ly to under ftand his own. He ought alfo, to poffefs a general knov/ledge of the fciences, for they are all connefted, and no one can be fully underftood' apart. He ought to be particularly acquainted with the principles of moral phiiofophy, and, above ail things, elfe he fnould well underftand his Bible. Hap- py, thrice happy we. that we are not, as the fcribes were, employed in the mechanical work of tranfcrib- ing it. Let us blefs our God, that this is the read- ing and reafoning age of the world. Great indeed, Ihould now be the powers and pi- ety of that man, in whom we v/ould difpenfe v/ith a- ny part of the common qualifications, v/hich arc re- quiiite in this enlightened ssra of mankind. When w^e confider the fail extent of knowledge, human and divine, we ihall fee the neceiTity of both early rehgion and early education ; one, for the ob- taining of divine, and both for the acquifition of hu- man knowledge. * See mere on this rabject, in Pa]er>.MoralP]u]oiGpa . , ( .13 ) Early religion Is neceffary to enlarge the capacity, give orthodoxy of lentiment, govern the temper, and check the pride either of having a good educa- tion, or of being able to harangue without it. Early education is necelfary to prevent enthufiafni or fuperftition in religious things ; and to give a habit of reafoning, and a faciHty of exprelling our fentinients or any fubjed whatever. When religion or education come late, the liabit of ftudyis commonly wanting ; the paiilons and cip- petites have gotten the ftart of reafon and religion ; and when old temptations and companions meet, they fometimes produce a line of condud which greatly difgraces, not the miniftry, but minifier of the gofpel. I except, from this remark, fome who have not previoufly contracted habits of vice ; or thofe on whofe hearts hath been wrought an extraor- dinary work of divine grace. Otherwife, the man luho was intemperate before may be intemperate again^ after both his converfion to God and confecration to the altar. I Here came forward another obje^ion. Inftead of the above ■written fentence, it was faid at Saliin — the man wiio was a drui.k- ard before may be &c. — The obje£lion was, that drunkards fliall not inherit the kingdom of God, and fuch were fome of you ; but ye are wartied ; but ye are fandified, &c. J^ee i Cor. vi. 1 1. The word drunkard was not in the written f^-mon, and on a mo- ment's reflection, it was given up. Not becaufe it does not exprefii habit, for it involves that idea ; but becaufe it commonly cxprclfcs the habit of a bad man, but it will not thence follow rhat a good man canot have bad habits, or fin habitually ; call it what you will. This is the matter in debate. As the words are not Scriptural j I (hall inveftigate them without ceremony. Tliey who underftand language know that the word hahituallf is an adverb, and exprefles the manner of a8ion. To fin habitu- ally then, is to fin after the manrier of a habit, or from a hi:bit, as a motive or principle of action. Now what is a habit ? It is not an atl ; but a flatly into which the mind has been brought by />rL"y:or/j' adts. No man has a habif. on the frfi he may on the fecond, and fo forward, the habit will encreafe, that is, there will be a greater facility of aclivig, and a greater difficulty in ceafmgto act. From thefe plain principles, it will folio v\', that a bad man. that E ( 34 ) An early and religious attention to the miniftry, unconllrained by parents or friends, who fometimes ule an undue influence to perfuade ; and an early at- :s, a man without religion, who is now drunkea, for the jird time^ is not drunken from habit, and is no drunkard. He can no more be called a drunkard xkxz.'a the woman who is deluded for the firit time, can be called a whore, or a harlot : but the man who was feveral times intoxicated before he became a good man, may be feveral times intoxicated afterwards ; and all this may be in confe- quence of a habit contraded before. He therefore fms after the manner of a bahlt, that is, he fins habitually. It may be denied, that a good man will repeat the fame crime. I reply, if Abraham was a good man, a good man may twice deny his wife. If David was a good man, a good man may many a jfiW litter a falfhood. And if Peter was a good man, a good man may three limes deny his Lord. It may be faid, " Tliis will encourage bad men when they repeat their crimes.'* I anfwer, by afking, V7hy will not the other opinion bring good men to defpair, when they repeat them ? Tlie truth is, and truth will do no harm, that a good man may more thiin once commit the fame crime, and may do this from habit : hut he will not fin as eafily^ as frequently., as prefmnptuoujly^ nor as hGafunglyj as the irreligious man. Who does not know that a drunkard fliall not inherit the king- dom of he-civen ? But who does not know that they who have been drunkards have been fandlihcd, and do noiu inherit that kingdom. And. fuch mere fomc of you ; but ye a^re fanBlfied, What is fanclineation ? It is a dying unto fin, not a death while in the body. Sin, before fanftification begins, is like a ftream that is continually r'lfiwr ^ and it is ever afterwards, till death, trie felf-fame ftream graduaIiyj^;2^-«^ doivn» Habit ficrnihes not only a fate, but a principle of a6lion, as oppofed to UifHndl. See Beattie's Elem. In this fenfe, a good man ivay fn hab'iti'nJly, or willingly ; for habit confidered as a mo- tive, impHes will or dcfire to act. 1 know that it has been denied that a good man can Jin iviUhtgly. The evil that 1 would not that I do, See Rom. vii. 19. Does Paul mean the fam.e identic moment ? Can any thing at on&e he and not be ! How quick and contrary the exertions of the will ? How extenfive the ideas of the pi-efent ? We f ty the prefent hour, dsy, yeai", century. See Harris't; Hermes. Time enough in a moment for a cliange of volition. It may change before there is tim.e to aft. The evil I mould not that I do. But I ?ir, — ver, 1 7, that the man of God may be perfect, that is complete, if oth«r things, certainly terms are included. Again, it was neceffary that terms fliould have been early completed, to counter-act early error. Per- haps every capital truth was denied in the Apofloiic age. The myftery of iniquity doth already work, 2 ThefT. ii. 7, — even now thera are many antichrifts, 1 John. jv. 1,2' — many deceivers, 2 John, ver. 7. See alfo Jude, ver. 4. Certainly every efTential truth was denied in deny- ing the Lord Jefus Chrift, and this was done in Pe- ter's days. See 2 Epift. ii. i. This denial, though but one herefy is yet called herefies in the plural num- ber, becaufe it comprehends all herefies ; and it is called damnable berejles, becaufe it is oppofed to all the truth or truths which are neceffary to be believed in order to fahation. This leads to a 4th remark^ jufl hinted before, that all the doc- trines aforefaid are wound up, for greater conven* Ijnce, incne fliort comprehenfive expreffion, called with an emphafis the truth, the vjord^ the faith^ and the co'mmo7i Jalvaiion ; but moll frequently, the truth. It ought to have been fo rendered in pilate*s quellion, John xviii. 38. Not what is truth ? but what is the * I'he Jews faid that God had twc (lifpofiticns. One was the l?.mp cr law vviUioUt Vis> alluded to abt)ve : the other was the foul or lamp within tis^ alluded to " 2 Tim. chap. 1. 5. 12," and " l Petv iv, 19. ' Sec Whitby Aanot \ qh the places above^ ( 45 ) truth ? what is that truth which you came to witnefs, See ver. 37. This /nv^/j was fummed up in anfwer to a Scrip- tural queftion, on the terms of communion. What doth hinder me to be baptized ? and fo brought in- to the cmmunion of the chriftian church ? the anfwer then was, See A6ts viii, and, in fpite of creeds and creed-makers, in fpite of, bigotry and bigots — the anfwer now is, that if thou hcHeveJl^ with all thine heart, that Jefus Chrijh is the Son of God, thou mayefl. This neceflarily comprehends all the general doc- trines that have been enumerated ; but does not neceffarily involve ^^r//Vw/^r opinions. It fuppofes that there is a God, for it afferts, that jefus Chrifl is the fon of God. It was acknowledged before bap- tifm, which was adminillered in the name of Father^ Son, and Holy Ghoft. It comprehended the record that God gave of his Son, this is my beloved Son, in whom lam well pleafed. See Matr. iii. 17, and xvii. 5. He was called Jefus, becaufe he faves his peo- ple from their fms, Matt. i. 21; and Chrift, the anointed,^' with the holy Ghoft, and wath power, A6ls X. 38. He is therefore a neceflary, and fuf- ficient faviour. I fliall leave you to trace the fubjeft along at your Icifure, and only obferve farther, that the Apottles conftantly gave, and demanded this as the acknowledgment of faith; and conftantly cppofed it to every error that excluded from the church, to the damnable herefies of the Gnoftic philofophers, and to all other herefiarchs. See Matt. xvi.. 16. A6ls viii. 37, and ix. 20. 22. 2 Pet, ii. i. i John, iv. 3, and 2 John, ver. 7,| and 9. \ The Gnoftics were oriental philofophers, whofc philofophic opinions, Sec Molheim'ij ecleliaft. Hill: led them to deny that Jefus was Chrift, or that he was come in the fiefh. Now, who is a liar fays Jolin, i Epilh ii. 22, but he that denieth that Jenis is the Chrift.— iMany deceivers are entered into the world w ho cor.fefs not that Jefus Chrift is come in the flefli, 2 John, ver. 7. This is f>ot -abidin4.r in the^/o^nnd**?/ Cbrijly ver. 9; thst is, (for the con- text is the beft interpreter,) in that dodrine that Jefus Clsrift was corkie in the fiefti. Or that he was the holy thinjr called the frri ( 46 ) I knowg that there are particular opinions about every part of this compound of terms — particular opinio'is about faith — particular opinions about the fen "e of that emphatic claufe, with all the heart," anu particular opinions about the fonfhip of our Saviour. 1 fhall not wait to enumerate thefe opin- ions ; but only obferve, that, for that very reafon, that is, becaufe they are particular^ they ought n»t to be made terms. Nor are they in practice, made terms by our church. Different opinions have been publiflied on all the particulars aforefaid — and pub- liflied by thofe who now have communion with e?xh other, becaufe they do unite in i\\t general belief, that there is no other nayne given under heaven among men by which we muji he faved : or becaufe they do believe^ with all their hearty that Jefus Chriji is the Son of God, and ''the very Chrijir\\ of Gody and born of the virgin. See Luke, i. 35, If there come any unto you and bring not this do^rine, receive him not : — what ig- norance or bigtjtry in thofe who bring this dodrinc thus to treat one another ! jj The fpecified objeAion here was, " your terms are too lax." And an objcftion, afterwards mentioned in public, was, Any infidel can fay, 1 beheve that Jefus Chrift is the fon of God.'* Qucre, Flow can an inhdel affert that truth, the denial of which is the very thing and the only thing that conftitutes infidelity? " But he tells you a lie." Quere. Can you prow this ? If you can do this, exclude the liar on the principle of immorality ; but this will lead you from dodrinal to p7-e£eptive terms, which is a go- ing away to other ground, and of which hereafter. The obie£lion waspublickly mad« juft as it is marked, and the very emphatic claufe " With all the heart'^ was entirely omitted. The omilhon to me appeared uncandid, and the reafon afterwards alTigned was, that it was not material for taking it altogether, it is not eafy to fee anv thing that will be error. This was faid after the do clriurJ terms had been twice enumerated by me as above. Whether the omiffion was candid or not, the infertion of the claufe would not have given force to the objection. For if an in- fidel could fay, / believe nvitk all my hearty &c — he could fay any thing elfe that Mr. Doke could propofe to him as a term — he could run ever all the chapters in the conffffion. and all the anfwers in both catechifms. r 47 ] How wife and gracious is heaven, to place the terms in general and eflentiai truths, to give them early to the Chriftian church, and to wind up all in one, which all the councils and creed-makers on earth have never mended, andean never mend. Happy was the church, while (he abode by this term. This (he did for about three centuries. Dar- ing that period, difputes were between Chrijiians and heretics^ firvce that time — between Chrijiians and Chrijiians^ becaufe then began, and fmce have conti- nued the reign and the rage of making terms§. It may be faid. Will you admit the profane, the idolator, or liar ; or the men who worfhip angels, adore the elements, or deny the ufe of facraments in whole or part, yet make this profeflion ? I reply, that this leads to commands^ precepts^ and praElice^ which are very different from dotlrines or mere matters of faith. Commands are of two kinds, either moral or pofi- tive, and in the pradlice of both there may be com- munion. There may be communion in praife and prayer, as well as in baptifm and the eucharift. In moral precepts indeed there is no exclujion ; the Jews were not cafl out of the temple but fynagogue only, and men are not now excluded from prayer and praife. The reafon is that to preclude men from duties focial and moral, is to preclude them from the means of reforming ; with pofitive focial duties it is not fo. The very exclufion is intended to reform. 1. The moral precepts refpedl: the worihip of God and reverence for his name. Thou fhalt worfhip the Lord thy God, Matt. iv. lo. Follow holinefs with- out which no man fhall fee the Lord. Thefe com- mands are moral, effential to the chriftian chara£ler>, founded on the firft table of the law, and demand a all times the fervice of the heart. 2. They refped the mode of that worfhip and re- verence. Of the tree in the midii: of the garden thou § See Moiheim on the fgurtK century and forward. Aialt not eat. Go unto the altar and offer thy burnt- offering. Take, eat, this is my body. Go teach all ]iations, baptizing kc. — Thefe are ceremonial or ri- tual commands, yielding in importance to the mo- ral, and appended to the firll: table. 3. The precepts have refpeci: tojufticeand charity to men — to the acquiring, defending, exchanging and diftributing of property--and to the anticipating or removing or alleviating of prejudice and wretch- ednefs, whether the objecls become wretched by the opprefiion of men, by the immediate hand of God, or by their own crimes. Thefe embrace the fecond table. 4. The precepts refpe^l the mode of exercifmg jullice and charily. Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. Five oxen for an ox and four dieep for a ffieep. Re- n(i not evil. If any man fmite thee on the one cheek turn to him the other alfo. Go not to law about the leffer matters. Thefe are derived from and appended to the fecond table; and are the judicial or civil laws of the land, or the peculiar laws of chriflianity. Nowflrould any man worfhip a falfe God, rob, or defraud, or opprefs, deny the facraments, or adore th.c elements; the quefiions would be, iff. What fays ihe precept ? 2d, What fays the fad? Is there a law, and has that law been broken ? « If both appear to the church, he ought to be de- prived of communion. For every the lead precept,, unlefs when it interferes with a greater, as in the cafe of Hezekiah and his people, See 2 Chron. xxx. 19. Ihould be made a term. For he that faith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the Truth is not in him, i John ii, 4. It has been commonly obferved, that duties are plainer than dodrines ; and yet I rind more difficulty with regard to preceptive than do^lrinal terms. , For though there be no line to drav/ between pre- cepts or laws thati^re, or are not to be made terms ; yet there may be difputes about the exijlcnce^ continu- ation^ oxjenfc ofprecepf^ or laws, and there may be t 49 3 difputes about the degrees of puni{hment when the law and the faO:, have been both afcertained and ac* knoH'l edged. Exiils there a law, or any thing tantamount, with refpetl to the pradiceof dancing ? This is a queftion that has long divided and agitated the church, andi« not yet decided. When iht precept h ^chnovj\edged^\he continmiioii has been dilputed. This is true of pofitive inftitu- tions — the eucharift andbaptifm, which fome have fuppofed to be but for a time now pail. When the continuation has been ackno"wIedged<> the fenfe has been difputed. Do ■this in rememberr ance of me. This is my body-. When the law has been afcertained, the facl or mo- tive have been doubtful^ when both have been afcer- tained, the degree of puniihment has been difputed. Shall antenuptial fornication, for example, be puft-- ilhed in the fame public manner as that which is vlqX followed by marriage ?* Now though there be no queftion about commu- nion in the obfervance of moral precepts : yet a dif- ficulty ftill remains ; for the violation of any precept moral or pofitive, fliould exclude from communion in />^;/?//'y^' inftitutions. See Num. xiv. 12. Jofh. v* 6. Matt. iii. 7. i Cor. v. 11. In folving the difficulty I obferve, that it has no exiftence with reference to thofe who deny that any fliould he excluded, by admitting all to communion in the pofitive inft itutions : or wdth reference to thofe who deny that any fhould be admitted^ by denying thefe pofitive inftitutions altogether* i do not fay that any of them is in the right ; but I fay that they can have no difficulty about commu- nion* If the e-ydjleiice of a moral precept, or lav/, (hould be aiFirmed or denied by thofe who believe that any * See more on a fimilar fubjeft in Paley's Mor. Phil. In 3n- fwer to this queftion, If the maxims pfjuiliccbe fo fimple, whj^ re fuits fo complex ? L 50 ] Ihould be excluded ; and if it appear a matter of mag- nitude, a different line of condud will follow, and a fchif?n rnnjl take place until fomething refpeding the law be more clearly underftood. If not the exiflence, but fenfe of a precept be dif- puted: fuch as. This do— this is my body, &c. and if the different fenfes fhould appear too inconfiftent with the character of a difciple of jefus, afchijm mvjl take place^ until the fenfe of the precept be better under- ftood. I conclude with obferving, that though there be fome difference in preceptive and doctrinal terms ; yet there is fome fimilarity. As fome do6lrines are fo plain and emphatic, that a denial of them appears inconfiftent with the exifl- ence of the Chriflian religion ; or falvation on its terms : fo fom.e precepts are fo plain and emphatic, that a conflant negled or violation of them appears utterly inconfiflent with the charadler or conduct of a Chriflian. All the laws of God are founded on thefe two prin- ciples, firft, that the Creator be worfhipped by the creature with his whole heart ; and in the next place, that He be worfhipped in 'ushat external mode he pleafes. The firfl is the principle of all morale the fecond — of all pofitive laws. The fir it is commonly the moft plain, and always the moil important. Again, as the mofl important doctrines are general and plain : fo alfo are the precepts. No difpute a- bout the duty of worfhipping God with our hearts, but in what verfe and even with what tunes has been difputed. Ought thefe difputes to be made terms ? Can the precepts be extended to all the minute and numerous, or only to the general and important afts of public worfhip, or of common life ? Once more, as the plain, general, and important doctrines are all funimed up in one fhort comprehsn- five truth : fo are all the general, plain, and impor- tant precepts fummed up in one fhort comprehenfive precept given by Chriil; himfeif. This is Fellow C 51 ] me^ For he that faith he abUleth in him, ought himfelf alio fo to ivalk even as he walked, i John ii. 6. From the pra6liceof Chrift then a precept may be inferred ; but there is no other cafe in which we (hould fuppofe a precept by confequence or conftruc- tion. Would to God that one half of that zeal which has been aimed -dX fuppofed error, or at pradice con- trary to fuppofed'^rcct^ts^ had been levelled at known acknowledged vice. Let us be fevere with the profane fwearer, the fabbath breaker, the difobedient to pa- rents, the fornicator, the fraudulent, the flanderer, &c. but let us fpare the opinions of men, when thefe opinions are not followed by thefe vices. 1 know that fome have faid " Error is worfe than vice.'* What ! Is an error about infant-baptifm or church* government, worfe than drunkennefs, adultery, ma- lice, or murder ! What can lead men to fuch amaz- ing madnefs ? Let us, my brethren, fearch for the dodrines and precepts, and pray for the Spirit, of Chrifl: ; that on this, as well as on all other fubjedls, we may be guided unto The Truth. I have been tedious, and therefore (hall fum up the remaining duties. The next I fhall mention is, the antient and important duty of Catechifmg.| Many f Here I beg leave bi-Iefly to fuggefl: to my brethren, the plan of catechifing from the Scriptures as the platferm, or ground of a catechifm. [ have proceeded from Gen. to Job, and through part of the four Evangelirts ; and defign, if God permits, to pro- ceed on to the end, afldng thofe queftioris that lead to reading and reflection. I have found it prolitable to myfelf and my people, and can venture to fay, that as far as I have proceeded, there is not a coni^regation on the continent, as well acquainted with the Scriptures. The Conj^^regation I have divided into a numli^r of divifions of fifteen or fixteen families each, afiigning to each divifion a fctt of written qiieftions, frona one, part of one, or two books, as they may be, long or fhort, in each Tellament ; catechifing in the morning from the Old, in the i'.iternoon from the New Teflamfnt; L 5^ 1 thi?igs might be hid on this fubjed, but 1 forbear with oniy Qbfervingjthat it may have its influence cai both fermons and iacraments, by preparing t;he mind to be profited by them. Another duty is the faithfid and frequent adminifr tration of the facraments. This has a more immedi-. ate regard to the preachers of the Gofpei, who are therefore called paftors ; but it has a:fo a refped to the elderfhip, in whom is required fidelity in admif-r fion. The principal matter here is to underitand, and apply the terms of communion. It i^for a lamentation that the frequent adniiniftra^- tion of the Lord's Supper is incompatible with the u- fual; number of preachers, fermons, and other exer^ cifes required on the occafion. When prejudice on this fubjed, will admit of a remedy, is more than \ can determine.j In the lafl place, ic is the duty of thofe called to the altar, to vifit families and fchools. aftd clofing all by calling cn the youth, to repeat the Shorten Cate- eliilm. This fctt of fcriptural queftions thus examiced on, pa fs to the next diviTion of the Con;;Tegation, who oftvii atte nd as lpe6tators> knowing that tiiey zrt next to be examined on the fame quelticns. Thasin rotation, every nidividual will be examined on evei-y part pi the Bible. X r have compendized the arguments for the iveekly or frequent adminiftration from Erflcine's T'heologicalDifquifitiong. rhe t;ime of the paiTover was (ixt, wliy not the time cf the eu- chanll? The praftice of Chrill and his Apoftles is equivalent to a pre- cept for the change of the fabbath. Why not in this cafe for the v.'fekly n.dminilb ation ? Tn Luke xxiv. 30, compared with chap. xxii. 19, is fuppofed to be an account of the Er.charift. It is true, that bread only is inentioned ; but it is fuppofed to be an emblem of the whole feall. In A61s ii. 42,— they continued in breokiiig of bread a-s well as in dodlrine, >.t£r oikov inthehoafe, See chap. y. 4, in the tt^mple, and user rviov in the houfe where Chrift firit commiiiiicatcd. In a£Isxx. 7, — the firft day of the week was the time when as «/lv?/the difciples came together to, break bread. The primitive ^hriftians called the Lord's, day, t^e day of byead. C 53 ] I da not know that either of thefe is expreffed iu the Scripture ' ; but they are praftices that have ob- tained in the church, and are to be regarded as du- ties ot human infHtution, which may be ufeiul to the young riling generation. (j It is alio the duty of the preacher or elder, or both, to viiit families when any of their members are afflicted with ficknefs or other calamity. in. The lafl: general divifion of the fubjecl is to confider the qualifications, and duties of thofe for whom the facriiices are to be offered. Jj The above paragrapli is not exacily as it was fpoken at Sa- il m ; but it is immaterial, fiiice the objetlion only was, " Family-t vilitatian treated too lightly." The objection arofe from a refoln- tion from which I receded, and a fenti meat which I maintained and dill maintain. The refolution was, in thefe words, that *^ Were I again to take a parochial charge, I would only engage to vifit the families already formed once in tlic minillcrial way, and the young rifmg families as they might be formed." From this refolution 1 re- ceeded, for the reafons that will be mentioned. The fentiment was, that family-vifiting is, like a faft-day previ- ous to the communion, a duty of Ziuwrt/z inftitution. Mr. Doke faid, and I fuppofe ftill fays, divine. This was the laft fubjeCk of debate. Mr. Doke's rcafoning appeared to be from things that no-zv arc tQ things that formv-'rly "j^ere not. This and vice verfa ai-e fruitful fources of deception, nay perfecution and death. Idolatry under the theocracy was trealon ; not fo now ; yet the ignorance of this, has filed oceans of human blood. How abfurd to fpeak of Mofes., See A£ls vii. 25, 'Vf/jfing his brethren, as if Mofes had been a member of Abington prefbytery^ ordained to ferve a congregation, riding about with his elder to exhort, catechife, and pray for the family, who are ail at perfe<^ U.berty and leifure to attend to the iu{lru«?aon 1 The fad, when "iiivcdigated, turns out to be, that Mofes V7z^ then no mini/ier at all, that the people his brethren were near half a million in number, that they wxre fcattered over the land of E- gypt, and had no leifure from their tallc-mailers to attend to any thing but their talks. The whole matter is, Mofes took a tour through the land to Tee how his brethren were treated by their E- g^'ptian mailers. This tour is expreifed by a ivcnl that fuits a purpofe, and behold we aye amufed with a found / But wo to the pallors that ^oift not my fiocks.'' See Jer. Xxiii. How ridiculous for m.cn, who ought to 'invej}igaie thlngSy ta [ 54 ] After all that has been faid, a few things on this fubjed may fuffice. The firft thing required is religion. Thou flialt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, Deut. vi. 4. and thy neighbour as thylelf, Lev. xix. 18. This was required in the Jewifh and in all other difpenfa- tions. See Pf. 1. 5 — 16. Matt, v. 23. Tit. ii. 11,12. I Pet. ii. 19. be deceived with fouEds. WIio were thofe paftors ! neither pricft nor prophet, thele are not named till the nth vcrfe ; but Zedcki- ah and his court, fays the judicious Pool, and perhaps Nehemiah in tne 4th verfe. The prophets refided in their fchools, and the priefts in their foriy-eight cities ^ffigned them by Jofhua ; and neither the one nor the other had, as we now have, particular parochial charges to refide in. The prieils went up in their turn to, and returned a- gain from, the national altar. " But Paul vifited the brethren, and taught from houfe to houfe." See Acls xv. 36, and xx. 20. I reply, there U a difference between v't/itlng churches ^ and fami- lies in a church. Paul's vilit began, chap. xiii. froir. Antioch to l^eleucia, from Seleucia to Salamis, from Salamis to Paphos, from Paphos to Perga, from Perga to Antiochin Pifidia, and fo along to many another place, until his return to the other Antioch, from which he departed. This was Paul's vifit. " But he refided three years at hphefus, and taught from houfe to houfe." I reply Ephefuo was a large city, including a large neighbour- ing diihift : See ail the commentators, Wliitfcy in particular. The original words are xa^ crf/xc/;:?/, in or according to houfes 5 xxTi oiKHo- is in or according to the day. The words plainly ex- prcfs the manner of teaching in private houfcfi, for the Chriftians did not worfhip in heathen temples, and they had not cverj'- where erefted churches for themfelves. This lYot only correfponds with the original, but with the iiate of fociety at that time. There is no difpute about the dutyj but crlgin of the duty. I praftife it, becaufe it is a ctificm that has obtained in the churches, a cullom that may be ufeful, and the omiCicn of which would give offence. The ApoHle has afted on thefe principles, with refpecl to meat offered to idols, but at the fame time he has told the tnUh, about that mtat. I would wifh to unite fuch honcdy and fuch charity in all the cafes that may require them to be united. This clofes the objeclions, as fsr as I'know them. To me they have appeared of little confequence, except thofe that regard Terms of communio??. On that difficult fubjc6^, I have fecured to C 55 ] In admitting to the altar, it has been afked, Who is the judge of thi^- quaUfication ? 1 anfwer, both the man who ftands at the altar to receive the gift, and the man who brings it. What man knoweth the thing of a man, fave the fpirit of man, which is in him ? The fruits can be known by all. See Matt, iii. 8. Of thefe fruits, he who ftands at the altar can judge, and they are I. Knowledge, in oppofition to ignorance. The neceflityof this, was fuppofed by the fm-ofFering for ignorance under the law, and in all ages, the more refined and moral facrifices of prayer and praife, re- quired knowledge. See Pf. xlvii. 7. i Cor. xiv. 15. This knowledge ought to be extenfive, becaufe niyfelf a fafe retreat, fhould the ground be untenable. For in that cafe, either the terms enumerated are more or lejs than they fliould br, / ha've not pmiended to a p2rfecl enumeration. Should any man convince me, that a term is to be added, I will add it. Should any convince me, that a term is to be ftricken out, it fliall be ftricken out. That the terms are already made, to me appears demonilrable. For either Chrill has made them, or 1 . ft them for men to make. If Chrift has made them, all is eafy, we have only tojznd and execute them. If men are to malr them, all is confufion, cither all opinions mull be made terms, or no opinions mud be made terms ; or every church and individual mull Jraiu the line where they pleafe. Mr. Doke will never admit all opinions to be made terms, his own muft be excepted. He will not admit, that no opinions be made terms, for h.z would be willing that mine were excepted. He will not admit me to draw the line where I pleafe ; though it Teems that he would be glad to have that liberty to himfelf. The truth I believe is this, that neither he nor I, have any thing to do with fabricriting terms. I believe that Chrill has faved us the trouble, by making them himfelf ; and that ourbufmefs is, to fearch andj^«^them, ^mlex'.cute them. For in the Scriptures, thefe terms arc, and in the words v/hich the Holy Ghcft teacheth, are they expreffcid. And before many years (hail this fubjec^ be perfedlly underftood. God grant that we may be lead to that knowledge, which will fo much tend to promote brotherly love a- mong the children of Gad, vrhetlier of the fame, or of different denominations. Amen. C 56 1 //T>^ terms.* Should any fay that thefe terms reach not men's hearts, I alk, What man knoweth the things of a man ? Were I to exclude the man who might think ^/<5«(^^f/^///y of himfelf, and who was walking ?.nd will- ing to walk in the commandments, I would found the exclufion, not on his keeping the command- ments, but on his opinion of himfeif. 4. Your duties, brethren, viewed through the medium of the text, are— ^to prefent your oiferings —to declare your faith— to promife or vow obedi- ence — -and daily to be performing your vows. See Pfa. Ixi. ult. . . * You are, I. To prefent your offerings. Thefe are your" felves, your children, and your fubftance-. Prefent your bodies, and fouls too, with all their powers, a living facriiice. — This facrihce you are to prefent on the Holy Day, with praife and prayer. Without this, you cannot gain knowledge, nor fulfil your vows to wait at wifdom's gates. Without this, your teachers will attend the altar in vain. You are again to prefent your little ones. Thefe you are to offer, not in blood to Molech, but to God * Some have fuppcfcd dilTerent qualifications in the patriar- chal, or rather, Jewifli and Chriltian churches ; that two cove- nants were made with Ifracl, the firll fpiritua], fee Gen, xvii. and Deut. xxix, the fccond temporal, of whicli, lee Exod. kxxv. 7. Deut. V. 2,3. Of thefe the firft is fnppoied to be continued, fef Jcr. xxxi. 31. Heb. vi;i. 8 ; and of this, hypocrites are fuppofcd to be members. See more on this fubjecl> in Erfl-Jne's Theolo- gical Difquifitions. It is true, that iiypocrites receive not the fpiritual blefiings ; but with refpeft to the terms of admilfion to the external privi- leges, the qiieftion \W\\ returns. What man knoweth the things of a man, favc the fpirit of man which is in him f C 57 ] iti baptifm; to that God to whom your parents die* voted you. In his name offer them, who faid^ Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." Once more, you are to offer your fubflance to. God. This is at once, to worfhip him and fupport the akar, for God has ordained, that they who ferve at the altar, fhall live by the altar, and that they who preach the gofpel (hall live of the gofpeL This i a re fonable fervice, founded on the prin- ciples of juRiceand equity, and on the pra(^l:ice of the Jews, who gave to God, fonie think, a fifth part of their property. How much lighter is the burden now ? All are at liberty. Some give not at all, and none need offet a fftieth part of their poffeffions to give teachers a decent fupport. Again, You are, with your offerings, to make a decla* ration of your faith, and a vow of obedience. I name thefe together, becaufe they are conneded. Sonie have faid, that thefe things ought not to be demanded ; becaufe it fubjeds the ofTerer to vow^ he knows not what, in the extempore words of him, who, at the altar, demands them. Who, fay they, would take a civil oath in the unforeknown and ex* tempore words of a magiftrate ? For my own part, 1 thinks with the church, that they ought to be demanded ; but in words which the Holy Ghoff teacheth, and Words previoufiy known, and then the objeclion would lofe all its force* To me this appears, from the nature of a covetiant which is made by facrifice, fee Pfa. 1. 5. In all cove- nants, are parties, -promifes^ conditions, and penal- ties. The conditions have always been exprefled or implied* In the firff covenant the woman exprefsly fays, Gen. iii. 3. Of the tree in the midft of the garden, God hath faid, ye (liall not eat." When the book of the covenant was read at Sinai, the people fxprefsly fay, " All that the Lord hath faid will we do, and be obedient." Kxod. xxlv. 7. See alfo li ( 58 ) Deut. xxvi. And in a prophecy of the days of the gofpel, it is exprefsly faid, fee Ifai. xliv. 4. " I will pour water on him that is thirfty — and then it fol- lows, verfe 5, " One Avail fay, I am the Lord's — and another ihall fubfcrihe with his hand unto the Lord/' Surely this expreifes a proviife, ^ We have already feen, that an exprefs declaration of faith was required of the eunuch. Ads viii. " If thou be- lieveft with all thine heart, &c." This may include a promile of obedience, for uitb the heart snan be- heveth unto 1 igbteoujnefs^ — to the attainment of righ- teoufneis, Rom. x. 10, whether it be the rigbtecuf- nefs which is of faith, verfe 6, or the righteoufnefs of him that doeth righteoufnefs, i John ii. 29. To fuch a declaration and promifc is the anfwer of a good confcience, i f et. iii. 2. fuppofed to refer ; the apoftle is fpeaking of baptifm, in which an an- fwer is expefted from ihe perfon admitted, to a quef- tion, propofed by him v/ho admits him. The bed anfwer, in this cafe, is that which is dictated by a good confcience, in fmcerity declaring our faith, and in fincerity refolving to obey. Now baptifm is confidered as the feal of a covejiant^ and as it is the firft feal, the initiating ordinance, it is proper that the promife or vow be taken at bap- tifm ; and for the fame reaTon, it is not necelTary that it be afterwards made at the euchariit ; becaufe though it alfo be a facrament of the New Teftament, yet it is not a facrament that introduces into the church. It fuppofes that we have been introduced already. On thefc principles the church has a fcriptural right to demand of parents, vwho prefent their chil- dren, or of adults, who prefent themfelves, that they profefs their faith in Chrifl and obedience to him." But the profefhon and promife ought to be in words previonjly known, and, if pofTible, in words which the Holy Ghoii: teacheth.* Why Ihouid w^e * Q^eir, W!iy has not this been attempted In the orcIinatlQi^' vows, in the Diredory for Ordination ? ( 59 ) trifle with the confciences of men, when the remedy is lb eafy ? " Do you beUeve with all your heart, that Jelus Chrifl is the Son of God ? Or that Jetas Chrilt is come in the fle(h ? ' Do you promife for yourfelves, that you feek the " anfwer of a good cnn- fcience towards God, by the refurredlion of Jefus (^^hriit r — that you no longer (hould live the reil of your time in the-flefli to the lufls of men, but to the will of God ?" " That being buried with Chrift by baptifm unto death, you alfo fhould walk in nevvnefs of life ? And for your children, that you will try to " bring them up in the nurture and ad- monition of the Lord." And " train them up in the way they fhould go See A6ls viii. 37. 1 Pet. iii. 21, iv. 3. Rom. vi. 3, 4. Eph. vi. 4, Prov. xxii. 6. Such an oath, or rather, fuc-h a vow might be ex- plained by the preacher ; as a civil oath might be ex- plained by the magiflrate at the time of adminifter- ing ; but the words of the oath, and not of the ex- planation, are necelTary to be previoufly known, and finally uttered before God. Thus having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience, and our bodies waflied with pure water, let us hold fad the profeffion of our faith^ without wa- vering." And having made our vows to God, let us not defer to pay ; but daily perform the fame. This is the laft, but not leaft exteniive particular of our duty. It extends to all the duties of future life, and it extends, with only fome changes or mo- difications, to thefe duties for ever. For the fervice of God here is a figure ox ■pattern of his fervice here- after, and is intended to prepare for and introduce to it. See Heb. ix. The improve M E N T. WHO can reflecl on the various kinds of facrifi- ces, the various claifes of men to offer them, and the Quere. Why are not the words of the profeffion and prcmife, i. e. of the vow, expreffcd iu the Diredory for BapLinn ? C 6a ] Tar*oiis ages in which they have been introduced, and no cry out, " O ! the wiTdom and knowledge of God I ' Can you, my brethren,, forbear to make this holy exclamation ? Human wifdom icarcely gains a fingle object by a thoufand means. Divine wiidom can gain a thou* fand objeds by one fmgle mean. Who would have thought it poflible, with only two or three fpecies of animals and vegetables, to ex> hibit almoit every known attribute in the divine na- ture, and each attribute in every pofhble attitude or view ? Who would have t?ionght it pofTible, with the one burnt-olFering, to have exliibited juftice de- nouncing, condemning, confuming, fubftituting, fparing, pardoning, and acquitting ? Who would have thought it poffible, by the one peace-offering, to fhew mercy, founded on the atone- ment, procured by blood, daily experienced or enjoy- ed, bertowed fometimes in an extraordinary manner,, and, by prayer expected iox time to come^ For this offering w^a fometimes a vidim, it was ftated or dai- ly, and it was free or voluntary, that is, on extraor- dinary occafions ; and it was euchariftic and votive^ or offered with thankfgiving and prayer. See Lev* vii. Laws are not made for the righteous, but tranf- greffors. How wife and juft is that law which taxes the fmner to fupport the government which his crimes make neceffary, and thus obliges him to pay better men for puniffiing his crimes., Becaule all were, in fome degree, fmners, there- fore, ^y^<^/^^ offerings v/ere demanded of all ; but ex- cept the man who would not know, nor do his duty, none need bring a ^r^}/?:7/}-offering, or a fin-offering for ignorance. Thefe operated as a direct tax on the tranfgreffor,. whether he tranfgreffed by negleding in(lrucl;ion,or finning againPt knowledge. May I be permitted to afK, whether a prefent law, fo much ex- ( 6i > claimed againft, be not founded on this exceHent principle ?* Again, Who does not fee wifdom in accommodate imr every thing to the progreffive ftate of fociety ? This might be illuftrated in many a particular. 1 ie- lecl but one. The facrifice were, at firft, the means, of vvorfhip ; when fociety required, they became al- fo an engine of government, and continued to fci ve both purpofes as long as, and no longer than, vv^as neceilary. For how improper, how inconvenient, were fuch facrifices at this age, either for thev/orfhip of God, or the fupport of government ? It was other- wife, v/hen men's wealth confided in their flocks, and. when the Great Sacri6ce was yet to be offered. 2. Are the qualifications of thofe who ftand at the altar fo extenfive and encreafmg ? Are the duties fo numerous and important ? Then let us labour to at- tain the one, and execute the other. And let us fee that they be attained and executed by thofe to whom we fay, " Go unto the altar, Let us not dare to reft contented with the attain- ments that might have fufficed for Abel, Aaron, or even Ezra. Let us remember, that we live in ano- ther age of the world — an age, in which far higher qualifications are requifite. Let us take heed to our/elves^ — to our hearts and lives. Though external qualifications differ, as the flateand ftages of fociety, yet the religion of the heart is the fame in all ages. And in no age are the minifters of religion free from the danger of miftak- ing its nature and neglecting its duties. Let us then, while explaining and recommending religion to others, frequently view it with reference to ourfelvcs. And let us, ourfelves, beware of the miftakes or omiffions we point out to others. When we happen to be hearers, which in the prefent flare of our country is feldom, let us be hearers. Let our hearts be rather employed in applying the truths to * The queflios above alludes to the tax on fpirltuous Iiq[uorSj, laid on by congrefs. ( 62 ) ourfelves, than in confidering how we afterwards apply them to others. Let us be at leail: bearers as well as preachers. And while we are charging others to realize the om- niprefence of the Deity, while we are guarding them againll indolence in their callings, againit the inordi- nate love of t^he world, the fear of man, that bringeth afnare, < r the love of popular applaufe, we ought al- ways to let the example, and begin with ourfelves. Let us alio take heed to our dodrines, both in matter and manner. Let the matter of our fermons be Chrift, and him crucified. Every fubjed: may be pointed at this one. Are we explaining the prophecies or promifes I Chriji is the Jpirit of prophef\'^ and in him are all the promifes^ yea^ and Amen. Are we preaching the law ? Chrilt i the end of the law. Are we preaching the Gofpel. The Gofpel is, that Chrill: died and rofe again. And are we explaining the facrifices ? Chrill is the great facrifice. Again, let us aim at preaching thefe truths with plainnefs, not in the words which man's wifdom teacheth ; but which the Holy Gholl teacheth. Not by conflraint, but willingly. True, neceffity is laid on us ; but it ought to be the neceffity of being wil- ling. This will produce diligence and fidelity, and if ail be directed by a proper knowledge, the dodrines will be preached in their proper order and propor- tion. This is a fubje(^l of importance ; — let not our cen- fiant hearers be continually flying after us from cne iinconncfted fubjed: to another ; but let us give them a view of the dodrines in their connection, llill re- ferving the liberty of introducing an occafional dif- courfe, as che ftate and exigency of our people may require. Let us again, attend to the proportion as well as order of the dodrines. On fonie fubjeds, as on fome mufical notes, we mull dwell much longer than on others. Who would dwell as long in explaining ( 63 ) the innocent as the fallen ftate ! The fcriptures have not done it, and they are on this fubjecl, as well as all others, our beft and fureft guide. In the exercife of diicipline, let us try to under- ftand that very difficult and difputed doQrine refped- ing terms of communion. Let us attempt to divefl: ourfelves of prejudice, and to keep our minds open to a fair and candid difcuffion, and let us refolve to follow the truth, wherever it may lead, in theory or practice. And let us be fo honefi: as to have the terms executed, when we find them without partiali- ty, without hypocrify, without doing any thing with a view to the fear or the favour of men. Let us alfo be the men of mercy. Social duties are divided into two clafTes, thofe of juflice and chari- ty. The miniiter of ftate is placed in the centre of the duties of juftice, there is he more immediately to ferve fociety. The minifter of religion ftands in the centre of the duties of mercy, and there is he cal- led more immediately to acl. Let us remember that without being exempted from the duties of juftice, we are bound to " Jhew mercy ^ and to Jheiv ?nercy with cheer fulnefs,** In the introdudion of others into the miniftry, let us beware of " heaping" to ourfelves "teachers." Let us rather call ior more qualifications, than dif- p^^nfe with any already demanded. Let us rather think of enlarging than leif:ening the time for acquir- ing them. The progrefs of fociety always rifes in demandiug qualifications in exa61: proportion to the means it affords for obtaining them. Hitherto, nei- ther demand nor means have been very extenfive. It will foon be otherwife. In the Northern churches it is otherwife already, and they have accordingly de- manded, " more time, higher qualiiications.**' We * This allncles to a motion mcsde by ~Dv. Wit]ieTf|)oon, in the Geiieral aOTfnfbly, at Ciirliflt', Mav 1793, requiring thp.t oi'.rvoiin^ m-ju fliould fpcnd three years Ifi the ftiidy of Divinity, previoufly fo licenfure.' I will heartily concur wi^h this menfure on the li- cenfure of the Mrft man ivh;) fiiail have I'i'iirn^u his education at the youn^ riiiiig' v.Jtiivev;jtv in North Carv)lw'!H. ( H ) liope they will wait on us a few years, we hope th-ey wir confider how many in literature and age they are belore us. But we mull beg but a few:; our 'own intcreft, and, we hope, the ftate of literature among us, will afk no more. Let u , my brethren in the niiniftry>, let us leav^ it to others to multiply teachers and depreciate hu* man knowledge. Far more is loft, in the opinion of the judicious, by the 5'^^^.///)' of fuch preachers, than can poiiibly be gained by their quantity or number, Let others tell the world that learning is injurious to rel gion. We know that this is not true ; and we hop. thi:t it will not be much longer believed by the moit ft Lipid perfon among us4 As religion is the grand qualification, and as early religion is fo very defirable, let us encourage early piety wherever we may find it. Let us flretch out the hand of charity to the poor pious youth who ihew.- a tafte for knowledge, human and divine ; and let us endeavour, as far wc can, to unite early pie- ty with an early and weil conduded education. In the preacher religion and learning, or knowledge hu* man and divine Ihould ever be united. \ I have often been furprizerl that it fhould be faid that Chrifl and his Apoftles were unlearned men, and thai this fr.ould be brought as a proof of the truth and divir.ity of the Scriptures, when the original only conveys the ideaXiiat they were pn'Vate ?tmi, and not /tf^?-^^^/ by their enemies. See " John vii. 15." " Afts v. 13." "What is h-arning ? It is the vfdful knowledge of the times or ag« we live in, whatever tlratbe. \V h^'t \y:xs ihc j^c'^zi'/Jh /rarninv P It was the kilowledge of two dialefts Hebrew and Chiddee. It was the knowk'dge of the Jew- ifn mufic, hiftory, laws, miracles, and prophecy. Nothing mcret In which of thefc were they kfs Iea}-ried than the Scribes ? Geogra- phy, Agronomy, Mathematics, Sarveyhig, Navigation, Natural and Mojal Philcyiophy, and Logic were unknown or little known in the Jewifli Acadeinies. ** But they — i:he Apoilles, have fpokcn agair.it learning- as mak- ing men proud. * I reply. May not men he as proud of wanting, as of having it ? Were IVlof^G, Solomon, ifaiah, or Paul prouder than the other facnd writers ; and they had ten times as much learning. It is only by ignorance ar/d p:;de thrit learning h defpifed. ( ^5 ) *-d. In the lail place, think of your (lu^llificatlons' nnd duties, ye that come to the ahar with yoiir Macri-' ii^ce. If the demands be rifing in every age On the- preachers, it is'rifing on the people. Have you^ my^ friends, thought on this? Can you iiriagine that ail the qualifications and duties are on the part of hinT who (lands at the altar, and none on his part who brings the gift?. Can you afiign one realon' Why >the man of fourfcore fliould not be fuperior lo the ycii^g' preacher of twenty ? I do not me?n in the kiur»V-' ledge of words, or in the habit of writing or l*: :J - ing, but I mean m the knowledge of doclrine.v a^d progrefs of true religion on the heart. '-"'^ ■'''^ - • Ye aged and young men, confidcr the quahiic^i^; tions of thofe who come to the altar. Seek fir fu- the- kingdom of God* Be truly religious. Seek for knowledge. Lift up your voice for underftandiri^v Search for the knowledge of the truth, as it is in je-* fus. Avoid error and prejudice. Follow- the "truth wherever it may lead you, and make ule of our minil- try in order to obtain it ; but always thhik for your- felves. Search the Scriptures to fee whether v/hat we tell you be fo. Encreafe our neceflity to fcarcli them, by following hard after us and forcing us to keep before you. This is your advantage, that it is eafier to weigh the force of arguments already found, than to fmd arrange and cloth them with words. My friends, you have more to know and to do than any people ever had before you. Ceafe to do evil. Learn to do well. Be a holy people. Let your knowledge be in order to holinefs. Holinefs v/ill encreafe knowledge. Then fhall you know, if you follow on to know the Lord. Confider your duties as well as qualifications. Prefent your bodies a living facrifice. Prefent your- felves before God, on the Holy day. Meet with your teachers at the gates ofwifdom, and hear from them the word of God. Prefent your children to Cod on the carlieil occafion, and fo live that there may be no ob- ifacles in your way to baptifm. Honour God with 1 ( S6 ) your fubftance. Offer your fin-nloney, ind trefp^ft- money when it is juftly demanded. This is a rea- fonable fervice, and, as far as if: has refped: to reli- gion, it is now a voluntary free-will-offering. With thefe your offerings, come into his courts^ "worfhip him in the beauty of holinefs, witnefs a good profeffion, 2ind vow obedience to the Lord of all. When you cohie with your offering you cannot fay with the Ifraelite, A Syrian ready to perifh was 'my father','* but with him, you can fay, " By one man fm entered into the world.'* You can coitie confefling yoiir fins, and declaring your faith in the Son of God-. You can make your vows to God be- fore all liis people, and having made your vows, each day be performing the fame. This, my brethren, is a fummary of your duty^ \)oth p'reachers and people, t clofe the whole, in the words of our Lof d, which though fljort are full of fpirit and tnatterw If ye know thefe things-, happy are ye if ye do them." God enable us all to Wow and do his will for Chrift'-s fake. Amen-. ^ND CHF THE SERMON. ( 67 ) POSTSCRIPT Anticipating the objedions to the JoregQing Sermon. THE follqwing objedlions will certainly be made^ and therefore I judge it proper to anticipate them. It will be aflsed, why have you omitted, as terms of communion, the doclrine of the divine decrees, original fm, free, will, perfeyerance of the faints &c, gic'. &c. For omitting thefe and all other doctrines not enu- merated in the preceeding Sermon, I add the follow^ ing, to the reafo^s already offered, nan^ely, I believe that good men have been bewildered in the laby- rinths of thefe do6lrines, and have found themfelveg at lafl on oppofite fides of the queftion. ffot fq with refpedl: to thofe doctrines that have been enu- merated. Were I permitted to fay any thing on this fubjeci: with refpe6t to myfelf it would be this \ that I have long, perhaps too long, perplext myfelf with the inveftigation of thefe do6:rines, that I have indudrioufly colleded, and candidlv weighed the ar- guments on both fides, arid that I nov/ am a Calvi? riift, becaufe I fee a few and only a few, more difficul- ties on the Arminian fide, and I dare not now pofi- tively alFert, becaufe I am not pofitively affured, that this preponderance has not arifen from early education. But with refpe61: to the doftrines enu-r merated lam pofitive and peremptory, and conceive it my duty to contend earneflly for them. It will be farther objected, that I have adopted the confeiTion of fnith which contains the dcclrines of Decrees he, &c. &g. as the confeflion of my faith, the fyfle?!} of doflrine eoniained i?i the fcipures. Why 68 P O S T 3 C R' I P T. not then make thefe dodrines terms of commu- r:ion. To this I beg leave to reply, that as to myfelf I have a'.lr/pted the confelTion with a good confcience be- cau!e in f be gcjicr^ 1 1 haVv^vc th^ J\y^e??i of doctrine it expreiies, and in pariicular I believe thefe dod:rines aforefaid : but with reference to other men I do not believe that this confeiTion obHges my confcience to make every tittle hi it a term of communion to ex- clude them ; nor do I believe that it obliges me to believe every tittle it contains without daring to exa- ndne it to the end of my life ; nor do I believe that it necefHirily obliges the con.fciences of my brethren in the miniflry to exclude me from their communion fnouid I even differ with them about the meaning of fome things contained in this Confefilon, — things which I believe they could not make terms on Scriptural ground. My reafons for all this are as follow : 1 . I do not know that the confeflion itfelf enjoins us to make every thing in it a term. It is not the law and the teftimony^ but an explication of them, and therefore, it wifely alferts, " that all fynods and councils, fmce the ApofUes days, may err, and that many have erred.'' 2. I would not make every tittle in the confefTion a termi, becaufe every tittle in the law and the tefli- mony has not been made terms. For, in this law and teuimony it is held forth^ that Chrift's kingdom was not of this world, and yet, we have feen, that the difciples were admitted to communion, notwith- {landing their behef that it was to be of this world. 3. 1 would not make every tittle in this confelli- on a term, becaufe I do heartily approve of the con- du6l of the church to v;hich I belong, in refufing to do it. I mean in the two articles of toleration, or rather iritolerance, and the power of the magiiirate in null ters. of religion. " Were every tittle to be made a term, it would foliov/, that were our anceftors POSTSCRIPT. 69 prefent, who 150 years ago compiled our Confeflioii, they mun; excommunicate us, or we muft excom- municate them. For we have publickly, and I think, juilly declared our dilFentfrom them, on the two articles aforefeid. I do alfo, heartily heartily approve of the condudl of our church in holding a friendly communion and intercourfe with our brethren of the Indepen- dent church in the Eaflcrn States, though they diiier from us in the form of church-government ; and I would be happy, that we had a greater in- tercourfe with the Baptifl: church, though differing from us on the fabjed of infant-baptifm, — a fubje^t held out in our Confeffion. In the laft place, I could not make every article which may be in the confeffion a term, becaufe there is one, which, on inveftigation, I cannot fubfcribe. It is not a fyjlematick queftion ; and it is of no more, perhaps, nor of as much, confequence as the quefti- ons about toleration, and the magiftrates power. It is a queftion about the meaning of the light of nature. By this light of nature, I underftand, all the na- tural knowledge, whatever that be, which was necaf- fary to be immediately imprefTed on the mind of the firil man, and which was necelfary to be tranfmitted to, and poifelfed by all men, at mature age, fuch as, that there is an invifible being . See Rom. i. 19, 20, ii. 14, — aided by all thofe lights of a traditionary re- velation, of which, fio nation on earth feems totally deftitute — and all enforced by our ow n reafoning and the reafoning of others. All this I would call the light of nature, and all this, I would fuppofe a fufncient foundation on which the Spirit of God might operate the con- viction, converfion, and fanftification of a heathen- finner, vv^ho was without the written law, had never read the fcriptures, nor heard of the letters or fylla- bles that compofe the words or fentenccs. " There is JO POSTSCRIPT^ falvation in no other name but the name of Jefus of Nazareth." For is there, I alk, is there magic in the letters or fyll'dbles that compofe thefe words? Is it \\\t7iame or the fubftance, the facrifice, the atonement, the feed of the woman, the prophet whom the Lord God railed — that effeds the falvation ? How know we that Adam or Mofes ever heard the words, Jefus of Mazareth ? How know \ve, that the dodrinal terms of admillion to the ahar were not in the patriarchal jiad Jewifli ages ? ^' Do you believe that the feed of the woman fnall bruife the ferpent's head, or that the Lord thy God will raife up unto you a prophet from the madfl of thee, of thy brethren ? See Gen, iii. 1 5. Ls it the mere word, Jehovah, Jove, or Lord 0 or is it the eternal mind we adore ? Father of all, in every age, In every clime adored, Bv faint, by favage, and ^ fage, Jehovah, Jove, or Lord. The light of nature, in my view of the fubiecl, does fiot exclude revelation, but only fuppofes, that it is not v^ritten, nor read, Nor do reading and writting feem effential, though they may be necelfary, to re- velation. How many of our fathers who could not write nor read. Were they without revelati- on ? The light of nature, thus underftood, compre- hends among other things, an unwritten reveljition, and among the heathen, it has fi/ggefted what a writ- ten revelation has declared ;vr^i\\7xt there is fome dark and deep malignity in guilt, and fome fearful look- ing for judgement, which mere forrow cannot re- move,— it has didated that fyffering iz the proper •atonem.ent for fm, for the heathens, as well as Jews and Chrii'Hans Ivdvc puni/bed offenders^ it has dilat- ed that fome atonement has been, or might be, made by fuffering, for all nations under heaven have pfr ^»O STSCRlt*t. 71 feed fuffering flaughtered beafls on their altars — aftd finally, it has didated, that the benefiti^ not guilv, of fuftering may be iramfered % for the language of the heathen was, Anima pro Anwia^ corpus pro corpore pQnanu Life for life, body for body do 1 lay on the altar. See Blair's fermon on the power of con- science. Who can fay, whether, on thefe principles^ the prayers and alms of Cornelius did liot afcend as a memorial up to God, before Peter came to tell him of Jefus of Nazareth ? And who can fay, that, on the fame principles, the prayers and nlms of a Weft- ern favage may not go up as a memorial before God ! Certainly Peter has told Cornelius, and his words are not againfl us, that, In every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteoiifnefs, is accept- ed of God. Still it will be Ifked, XVhat are we to do with- Kzreeds and confeffions, ar ftandards, as they are call- ed by fome ? I anfwer, by alking, what are we ta do with the Scriptures ? Let confeffions be governed by the Scriptures, not the Sciptures by Confeffions* Rfepeding creeds and confeffions, the following :^re my fentiments in the words of another, The grand defideratum in confeffions, now is, a line of diftindion between thofe opinions that oiight^ and that ought not to be made terms. Our church •has already dared to begin to draw this line, and they have begun where they ought to begin — by firft fearching tne Scriptures. For this line ffiould be firfh marked on then. Though fome purpofes of order and tranquili- ty, may be gained by the eftabliffiment of creeds and confeffions, yet they are, at all times, attended with ferious inconveniences. They check enquiry. They violate liberty. They enfnare the confciences of the clergy, by holding cut temptations to prevaricate. -Tuowever, they may exprefs the perfwafion, or be 4iccommodated to the controyerfies or the fears of the 72 POS TSCRIPT* age in which they are compofed, in procefs of time, and by the reafon of the changes that are wont to take place among mankind, on religious fubjeds changes, by the way, w^hich they have never pre- vented, " they come at length, to contradict the ac- tual opinions of the church, whofe do6lrines they profefs to contain." It may not follow, from thefe objections, that creeds and confcllions ought to be aboliflied ; but it follows, that they ought to be made as ////z/)/^?'* — ^I^ w^ould have faid, as genej^al—^' as pofTible and^*? perhaps, this would have prevented the neceffity of. what is'added, that they be adapted, from time to time^ to the varying fentiments a.nd circumftances -of the' church, and that they fhould, at n<^im\(^^ advaiKre one ftep farther than fome fubfiflingCMieicefiity. re^ quires." Paley's^Moral Philofopby^ir i-o?; r'j,.:v: I repeat it again, the grand defider^turri noXir) wanted, is a line of dirtmftion between " dod'riries that ought, and that ought not to be made terfn^;-' It is a matter of gf^t -nioment t^^^^He p!e3f>e 'of church. It has been ' begun. ■ Somb ' wTOng fl:ep'5^ perhaps, have been taken, and more wrong' ftepsJ may yet be taken, and much time fpent, before the line be completely drawn ; but it will be done. at lair. - ■ ^ '^\^''-\ ■ When thefe doctrines fhall be'afcermmed, 'they- will be the firfl principles of an American book of church dilcipline. A book much wanted, and fof' the compilation of which, I beg leave humbly to fug- geft the following plan : — , • That the general aliembly appoint a'llanding com- mittee to receiveLreportS from fynods, prefbyteries, or church-feflions, of all the important .quePiions or trials that may come before them ■; with a brief llate- ment of the reafoning on both fides:^' and of the judg- ment had thereon. That when thefe materials, fo co-llecced, be fufn- cient to form one volume, it be laid before the gene- ral affembly, and by them, revifed and pubiifhed, for POSTSCRIPT. 73 the ufe of the church judicatures, who may, in fimi- lar cafes, apply to fuch book of reports (as the judge or attorney, to fr ilar reports, in civil cafes,) for ar- gument and decifion. I have only time to fugged the outlines of this plan, and lhall only fubjoin a requelt of fome members of the fynod of the Carolinas, to pubHfh the following queries on a fubject that has been agitated fince the felFions of faid fynod, in October, 1792, being excit- ed by a cafe that occured at that time, and which, by means of nQn-liquets^ was decided by a very fmali minority of faid fynod. The queries are thefe : 1 . Whether the admitting of non-liquets in church judicatures, be not inconfiftent with the very princi- ples of all republican government, that is, that a ma- jority of the judges fhall decide ? 2. Whether it may not deftroy all government ? — ■ For if one ]\xdigQ, may declin . to give judgment, why not all ? 3. Whether the no7i-liquet does not aft inconfift- ently with himfelf, for he comes into judicature as a judge^ fits down as 2ijudge^ deliberates as a judge^ and after all declines to a6l a judge ? 4. Whether the non-liquet does not ad inconfiH:- ently with himfelf, in another view, for in cafes of trial, his fentiments plainly are, that the cafe is doubt- ful^ that is, that the perfon charged, may be innocent. Tn this cafe charity or mercy fays, he ought to acquit^ and yet he may actually or effecliveiy condemn. For fuppofe that of the judges three are for^ four again ft, and two non-hquet ; the non-Hquets do, in this cafe, condemn the man whom they ought to acquit^ and whom they, could have acquitted. 5. Whether to admit non-liqiiets in church judi- •catures, be not to induce indolence, and a daftardly fpirit, efpecially in cafes of trial. — Indolence, or in- attention to the fubject in queflion. It is well known, that there is fatigue and pain in forcing up the mind, to take in all the circumilances, and after the com- K 'postscript. 74 bination of the ciicumftances of a trial, in order to a judgment. None of this would be evaded, were there no fubterfuge ; but it may all be evaded, where there is the fubterfuge of being a non-liquet on the quelliion ? — Again, whether it be not the indulgence of a daitardly difpohtion, for the non-liquet may wifh to evade the refentment of both parties, by pleading that he gave no judgment at all ? In the lad place, whether it be not, therefore, do- ing injuflice to thofe who give a decifive vote, by rolling over the whole odium, whatever it be, on them ? Thefe are the queries, to which I fubjoin, that, in cafes of dehcacy, a judge may be excufed ; but in that cafe, he ought to be excuied by the judicature, and excufed from fitting and deliberating as well as judging, A friend has advifed me to add the following, which are the words written and fpoken at Salim, on the fubjecl of family vifiting. It may be thought (Irange that I have not named family-vifitation among the duties of the minifter of the Gofpel. The reafon is, 1 have not found this to be a duty from the Scriptures, nor have I been able to find at what age it began. I praQife it, becaufe I promifed to do fo at my ordination, before 1 had in- veiligated this fubjedl: : but were I Here followed the refolution mentioned before in theno:eon tho fubjed, to which the reader is refer- red. The reafon why T did not infert this before, is, that I did not think it material. And the reafon of Inferting it now is, left it fhould be faid, that I had been evafive or uncandid in reprefenting any part of the fubjed in debate. REV. MR. A U S T I N's ^ ^ M Ji 0 Jf, INTRODUCTORY to his MINISTRT WORCESTER. /