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triumph of Congregationalism over Presbyterianism, is all in direct and extreme violation of the fundamental principle of intercourse between the churches. That principle was certainly understood to be, that each of the corresponding churches should retain all its doctrines, usages, and forms of government, without any influence or interference, one with the other. We may be allowed to speak with confidence on this point, because the original motion for the intercourse was made by the present writer, in the year 1790, without any consultation, as far as he can recollect, with another individual. Little did he think that he was to live to see such a General Assembly as he saw last spring; in which Congregationalism was to triumph over Presbyterianism, and the subversion of the very basis of the intercourse, to be afterwards made the subject of publick exultation. To this issue things have been tending for a considerable length of time; but this tendency was denied, till the fact has demonstrated the reality of its existence.

3. After the publication of the foregoing quotation, and the letter from which it is taken, we think it cannot be plausibly denied, that all the institutions of the Presbyterian church are in danger. An influence sufficiently powerful to cause the constitution of that church to be set aside in our highest ecclesiastical court, may reasonably be dreaded in its operation on our Theological Seminaries, our Missionary and Educational establishments, and on the funds and endowments destined to their support. That those who may effect all this may truly believe that they are doing God service, and that they may make the General As sembly itself the instrument that shall be employed in the work, we shall not question. But that those who deprecate such changes as are here contemplated, should not think there is some real danger

that they may take place, appears to us absurd the effect of blindness, or of an indifference to the Presbyterian church, worse than blindness itself.

4. If the Old School Presbyterians had formed the majority of the last Assembly, we think there is no reason to doubt that the things of which we have complained, both in this and in our preceding numbers, would not have occurred.* Still, it may be asked

and we will put the questions and leave the answers to our readers-would it not have been better, if the members of the Old School who were on the committee in the case of Mr. Barnes, had permitted his devoted friends to make a report to suit themselves in all respects; and that the minority should have made a separate report of their own-as is sometimes done in Congress, and other legislative bodies? Ought not the Old School Presbyterians to have recollected, when the report of this committee was brought in, that the Assembly, at that moment, reassumed the character of a court of the Lord Jesus Christ; and to have stood by the constitution of our church, in that hour of its need and its peril? We have already admitted that it may be questioned, whether the representatives of the Presbytery of Philadelphia acted wisely, and did all their duty, in permitting the case, with the management of which they had been entrusted, to go to

*It is a curious fact that the last General Assembly, in the course of its session, changed its character. At first, when no leave of absence had been obtained, a committee-man was admitted to a seat, by a considerable majority, and the minority protested. But after the case of Mr. Barnes had been decided, and the affair of the Board the new school, who had probably been of Missions had been disposed of, many of drawn to the Assembly only or chiefly by the interest they took in those concerns, asked and obtained leave of absence; and then, on another question about commitmajority, and the new school members betee-men, the former minority became the came the protesters.

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the court without argument. But with the report of the committee itself, they had nothing to do. They could not say a word; they were virtually out of the house; and the moderator had taken care to remind them of it, and to magnify his office, by letting them know that they should be out of the house in fact as well as in form, if they did not recollect and keep to their proper position.

5. We fully believe that if a Presbytery or a Synod had proceeded in a judicial trial, as the General Assembly did in the case of Mr. Barnes, the court of review above-if not composed of a majority of Congregationalists-would have declared the proceedings to be palpably unconstitutional, and therefore utterly null and void. The proceedings of the General Assembly are not reviewed by a higher court; but that body has no more right or power to violate the constitution, than any church session in the Presbyterian community; and when such violation takes place, the violating act is a nullity.

Yet, except in an extreme case, we think the inferior courts should yield to the Assembly, even when they question the constitutionality of any act of that body—at least, till they have made a full and fair trial, whether they cannot obtain redress by sending to the Assembly a better representation, than that which did the act or acts that they believe to have been done without constitutional power. In this way the Old School Presbyterians will, we trust, seek, if not the redress of past wrongs, a prevention of their repetition and increase. We believe they can do it, if they will be careful and firm in the choice of their commissioners; and if the commissioners, when chosen, will suffer nothing but insurmountable hindrances to prevent their attendance, from the beginning to the end of the sessions. Here, in our humble judgment, is our church's last hope, in its present organization, and fearful will be our responsibility, if it be lost through our neglect or want of exertion.

NOTICES OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS.

ANECDOTES, RELIGIOUS, MORAL, AND ENTERTAINING, BY THE LATE REV. CHARLES BUCK, AUTHOR OF THEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY, ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGed, AND INTERSPERSED WITH A VARIETY OF

USEFUL OBSERVATIONS. New York. Published by J. C. Riker, Franklin Buildings.

In the month of August last, on an application from the republishers of this work, we wrote for it the following short

PREFACE.

"The Rev. Charles Buck was a dissenting minister of South Britain, who died a few years since; a man of considerable erudition, of an inquisitive and discriminating mind, and of fervent piety. His most elaborate work was his Theological Dictionary, which has passed through several editions, and is still held in high and just esteem. Besides, this he published several volumes of Miscellanies, all of which have a considerable degree of merit,

and have had a pretty extensive circulation. But of all his works, that which is here offered to the publick, and which forms a part of his Miscellanies, blends the useful with the pleasant in the greatest degree. Of his Anecdotes, Religious, Moral, and Entertaining, alphabetically arranged, and interspersed with a variety of useful Observations," I hesitate not to say, that I know of no work, which more happily unites instruction with entertainment. It requires no effort of the mind to be understood, and can weary no one by a long demand of attention to a particular subject. It cannot be read without interest, and it is, in every part, calculated to leave an impression on the mind favoura ble to virtue, piety, or benevolence. It instructs by example. It can be taken up at a leisure moment, and laid down at pleasure, without leaving a subject unfinished. All who read serious books at all, I am ready to suppose, would like to have in their possession such a book as this. It is a book of amusement for the scholar, and

of profitable instruction to those who read but little. The character given of it when first published, in the Evangelical Review, was as follows: This work is well calculated for young persons, and may prove, in many cases, a very acceptable present to them, as it conveys much instruction, mingled with entertainment. It will also serve for a pleasing companion to the traveller in the chaise or the stage coach. In short, it, affords a copious fund of rational amusement for a leisure hour. We have no doubt but it will obtain, as it certainly merits, an extensive circulation.'

"ASHBEL GREEN."

The charm of this work is its variety; and no adequate judgment of its interesting contents can be formed from a few extracts. As a single specimen, we take a part of what appears under the article

"PRAYER.

"What,' says Hervey, 'can be so truly becoming a dependant state as to pay our adoring homage to the Author of all perfection, and profess our devoted allegiance to the Supreme Almighty Governor of the universe? Can there be a more sublime pleasure, than to dwell in fixed contemplation on the beauties of the Eternal Mind? Can there be a more advantageous employ, than to present our requests to the Father of Mercies?' Men (said our gracious Saviour) ought always to pray, and not to faint."

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The old Duke of Bedford used to say, 'I consider the prayers of God's Ministers and People as the best walls round my house.'

"The great Dr. Boerhaave acknowledged, that an hour spent every morning in private prayer and meditation gave him a spirit and vigour for the business of the day, and kept his temper active, patient,

and calm.

"It is said of Colonel Gardiner, that he had always his two hours with God in a morning. If his regiment were to march at four, he would be up at two. Alas! we have few officers who think it their duty or honour to be found in prayer.

"For authors to implore the blessings of the Divine Being on their writings, is considered as a species of enthusiasm by many; yet we find Dr. Johnson, who was never considered as an enthusiast, making use of the following prayer on the occasion of his writing one of his most celebrated publications:- Almighty God, the giver of all good things, without whose help all labour is ineffectual, and without whose grace all wisdom is folly: grant, I beseech thee, that in this undertaking thy Holy Spirit may not be withheld from me, but that I may promote thy glory, and the salvation of myself and others; grant this,

O Lord, for the sake of thy Son Jesus
Christ. Amen."

Dr. Doddridge used frequently to observe, that he never advanced well in human learning without prayer, and that he always made the most proficiency in his studies when he prayed with the greatest fervency.

"It is related of Horshead, professor of medicine, that he joined devotion with the knowledge and practice of physic. He carefully prayed to God to bless his prescription, and published a form of prayer upon this subject.

"God,' says Dr. Watts, ' expects to be acknowledged in the common affairs of life, and he does as certainly expect it in the superior operations of the mind, and in the search of knowledge and truth.' The very Greek heathens, by the light of reason, were taught to say, Ex Aios agxoMerba, and the Latins, 'A Jove Principium Musa. In works of learning, he thought it necessary to begin with God. Bishop Saunderson says, that study without prayer is atheism, as well as that prayer without study is presumption. And we are still more abundantly encouraged by the testimony of those who have acknowledged, from their own experience, that sincere prayer was no hindrance to their studies; they have gotten more knowledge, sometimes, upon their knees than by their labour in perusing a variety of authors; and they have left this observation for such as follow: Bene orasse est bene studuisse: Praying is the best studying.

"The following instance may teach us that family devotion may be attended to even by those who are in dignified and Sir Thomas Abney publick situations. kept up regular prayer in his family during all the time he was Lord Mayor of London; and in the evening of the day he entered on his office, he, without any notice, withdrew from the publick assembly at Guildhall, after supper, went to his house, there performed family worship, and then returned to the company."

We ought to state that the paper and typography of this work are excellent. The publishers deserve credit, for the manner in which they have given this delightful volume to the publick.

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eminence as the Rev. Dr. John M. Mason, of New York; and the Rev. Dr. Andrew Thompson, of Edinburgh. All therefore that we might say in the way of recommendation would be superfluous. We will, however, express the earnest wish, that every Presbyterian in the United States might possess this little manual, and give it a thorough perusal. Presbyterians do not give half attention enough to their church order, and the warrant that it has from the word of God. The answers given to the questions in this catechism, are all professedly built on passages from the sacred oracles, which are fairly and distinctly quoted. The subjects treated may be seen from the following brief table of contents.

"CHAP. I. Of the Christian Church. II. Of Church Fellowship. III. Of Church Government. IV. Of Church Officers. V. Of Church Courts. VI. Of Religious Worship. VII. Of Church Discipline. Notes."

The Catechism is followed by a number of valuable notes. We insert as a specimen one in which Dr. M'Leod combats, and we think successfully, the strange but positively expressed opinion of Dr. Campbell, that the word Exxxnoiz, church, is never used in the New Testament, but in the two senses which he specifies: "The success of the gospel, in the first century, was remarkably rapid. Thousands were converted at single sermons. Nothing has equalled it since the creation of the world. The commencement of the millennium will alone afford such another rapid diffusion of light and life. Jerusalem was the principal theatre upon which these wonders were displayed. And yet, even at Jerusalem, some Christian divines inform us, there was, during the apostolic age, only one single congregation of Chris. tians. These writers are certainly beside themselves. Prejudice and inadvertence

are not sufficient to account for such misrepresentations. Professor Campbell is more inexcusable than those who serve the tabernacle. When an error is connected with the interest, the pride, and the ministerial standing of a person, we are not surprised if he appears to cherish that error. This is the case, in relation to the Independents, but not in relation to Dr. Campbell.

"'Exxxncia, in the singular number, is repeatedly applied to all Christians in Jerusalem. Acts viii. 1, and xi. 22, and xv. 4. But in any intermediate sense, between a single congregation and the whole community of Christians, not one instance can be brought of the application of the word in sacred writ. The plural number is invariably used, when more congregations than one are spoken of, unless the subject be of the whole commonwealth of Christ.'Ch. Adv.-VOL. X.

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"There were at Jerusalem several congregations in one church.

"1. The apostles, prophets and elders, would not have remained at Jerusalem, to preach to one congregation.

"2. Diversity of languages did then, as well as now, require different places of worship. Miracles were performed, to confer on ministers the gift of tongues. There must have been different congregations, that the ordinary worship of the Sabbath might be intelligibly conducted.

"3. They had not in Jerusalem large places of worship, in which very large congregations could meet on the Lord's day, for the stated worship. They usually assembled in private houses, chambers, and upper rooms.

4. There were in Jerusalem at least fifty thousand Christians.

"Jerusalem was a city of vast extent. Its population exceeded a million of inhabitants. When besieged and destroyed by the Roman army, it contained upwards of two millions. The Jews were then assembled to keep the passover. The ordinary worship of the Jews was conducted in the synagogues. These were their parish churches. There were nearly 500 of them in the capital of Judea.

The

"In this great city did the Lord begin his great work. Three thousand, on one day, five thousand, upon another, and, after this, multitudes, men and women, were repeatedly added to the church. Acts. ii. iii. iv. chap. Still the number of disciples at Jerusalem greatly increased. Even after this, vast multitudes were added to the Lord, and they remained in peace at Jerusalem, until the persecution commenced. Acts viii. Again, however, the churches had rest throughout all Judea.' word of the Lord increased and multiplied. There were in Jerusalem several myriads. Acts xxi. 20. Πέντε μυριάδας is translated in Acts xix. 19, fifty thousand. A myriad is, without dispute, ten thousand. At the time alluded to in this verse, there is every reason to believe, that there were in Jerusalem no less than twenty organized congregations belonging to that presbytery. He who carefully consults the sacred history will find the absurdity of limiting the number of Christians in Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth, to a single congregation in each place. These very large cities, however, appear to the Principal of Marischal college, as villages quite inferior to Aberdeen. During the triumphs of the gospel, they contained but a single 'Exxanoia in each of them."

D.

SPRUCE STREET LECTURES. Lecture I. Delivered on the Evening of the 2d November, 1831, by the Rev. Ezra Fisk, D.D. of Goshen, N. Y. The Inability of Sinners Considered. "No man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him."-John vi. 44. This discourse is the first of a series of lectures on the fundamental and most important doctrines of the Christian system, which are now in a course of delivery, in the Sixth Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. At a time when rash and dangerous innovations are attempted, on the principles and truths which have been considered as sound and sacred by the best and wisest men, since the period of the Protestant reformation, a number of ministerial brethren in this city have thought it might be useful, to invite from abroad preachers of talent and standing, to discuss publickly some of the leading points in Christian theology; and to publish the discourses delivered, as soon as practicable. It was at first intended that these lectures should be preached and printed in a regular systematick order. But to accommodate the preachers, it was found necessary to relinquish this plan; nor is it be lieved that an adherence to it would have been of much advantage. If the subjects treated are well handled, it is of little importance, especially for popular hearing and reading, in what order they are discussed.

We can truly say, that we have never seen the subject of the discouse here announced, so satisfactorily treated, as it is in this lecture. The preacher proposes I. To answer the question-What is coming to Christ? H. To discuss the answer given by our Lord in the text-" No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." The first of these divisions is treated summarily and briefly. What is said, results in this-The coming to Christ contemplated in the text is, "coming to him for salvation-into cove nant union with him, perpetual in its glorious results." The second division of the subject-"The assertion of the text that without the agency of the Holy Spirit no man can come to Christ"-is discussed at considerable length. In advancing to the main point in the controversy on this subject, Dr. Fisk remarks:-"There is much speculation on the inability intended in this declaration of Jesus Christ; and there is certainly great importance attached to the inquiry into its meaning. The importance, however, arises not so much from any inherent difficulty in the investigation, or any liability of an honest mind to err, in the interpretation of the text, or in its practical application, but from the multiplied speculations and bad philosophy of the age. It is undeniably

true that no man ever did come to Christ without the agency of the Holy Spirit; no believer of the gospel can suppose that any man ever will come without it; and the Saviour asserted that none can come except by this agency. What more is necessary then, to admit that the inability is entire, a complete preventive?

"Apart from the meddlesome philosophy which has intruded its blindness to obscure the light, I perceive only one reason for pursuing the inquiry another step. That is, to show the consistency of this announcement with God's commands, which bind us to love him and believe on Christ. On this subject, the facts, as stated in the Scriptures, are entirely satisfactory to my mind. There can be no doubt that God's commands are peremptory and binding on all individuals of the human family, to whom the word of his revelation is sent. Nor can there be any doubt that men are unable to come without the agency of the Holy Ghost. Here are two facts, revealed with equal plainness, and each positively asserted. Are they consistent with each other? This is the question. they are not, there is inconsistency and inequality with God, because he has asserted both, and applied them to the same persons. We come, therefore, to this examination, with the assurance of their entire consistency in fact; and if we cannot perceive it, we may be certain the defect is in us, and not in the divine administration. It is a case in which we are not at liberty to hold to one and reject the other. Both are facts, and must be consistent.

If

"Whether such commands would have been given to us if there had been no mission of the Holy Spirit, perhaps we are not competent to say; but we know that they are not given without it. I speak not now of the providential agency which God exercises over and in his creatures, but of that mission of the Spirit, whose object is, by an unseen influence, to 'reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment,' to take of the things of Christ, and show them unto his people. This influence constitutes an essential part of God's administration, and he is ever ready to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.'

"The character and effect of this inability to come to Christ, is a proper subject of inquiry, and should in these days be well understood. The subject embraces much, and can only receive a brief exami nation at this time. Here let me say, that the circumstances under which I address you, and the occasion, together with the false philosophy so often mingled in the discussion of this subject, must be my apology for detaining you with a philosophical investigation. Some apology seems necessary, for I have not forgotten the

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