riety of sects, that differ so widely in points so numerous and so important, would much more resemble the Ark of Noah,with all manner of creatures in it, clean and unclean, than the fold of Christ, where none but his sheep should have admittance, or such as have the visible marks of his sheep upon them.

"The great objection against all my discourse is this: That since the word of God is a sufficient and perfect rule to direct Christians in their faith and practice, the words of Scripture are therefore a sufficient and perfect test of Christian knowledge. The Scripture (say they) is certainly capable of itself to determine all our doctrines, and all our duties; it is sufficient to furnish the man of God perfectly unto all good works, and it is able to make every man wise unto salvation. It was given for this end by the inspiration of God; and it does not stand in need of the assistance of human inferences and explications, in things necessary for Christians to believe and practice. II. Tim. iii. 15, &c. Therefore an acknowledgment of the Scripture, or the most considerable articles of christianity in the express words of it, is a sufficient test for Christian communion. "This argument is very popular, and drawn out into much flowery eloquence, to persuade and captivate the unwary. The writers on this side of the question brighten and flash upon the reader, and, as it were, overwhelm him (if the eye of his judgment be weak) with such dazzling language as this: 'What, are not the words which God himself hath written, effectual for all the purposes of christianity, without the addition of the words of men? Is not God wiser than man? And can any man form for himself a better test of knowledge, than God has done? Did not Christ and his Spirit, which spoke by the apostles, know how to express divine truths in the best manner, and in words fittest for every use and service of the Christian church? Has our Lord Jesus Christ so little consulted the truth and security of his Gospel, as well as the peace and welfare of his churches, as not to express every matter necessary to communion, in plain language? Can we, shall we, dare we indulge so unbecoming an opinion of the care of our blessed Lord? Can there be any other words necessary to express his doctrine by, than those which himself has chosen?' Thus the torrent of such a popular harangue drowns all distinctions of things, and carries away the assent before due consideration.

"To all this flourish, I answer first by way of concession, that our blessed Lord is allwise, and has the tenderest care of his church, in providing a sufficiency of helps for every occassion. The Holy Scripture is complete, and sufficient of itself to teach us all things necessary; and the instructions of it are clear, plain, and evident to every humble inquirer : there is no need of any additions of men to this perfect rule, nor are any words that men can invent fitter to express those doctrines and duties, more suitably to the occasion and purpose for which each part of Scripture was written. I am abundantly persuaded, that from the book of God every plain Christian may easily collect his own duty in the necessary affairs of his salvation, and every man may obtain knowledge enough to fit him for the communion of a Christian church."

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

THE REFORMER.

No. III.

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPper.

THIS is a subject upon which many of our Presbyterian congregations require the hand of a reformer. I wish to treat it briefly, that no one may weary; yet I wish to treat it fully, that nothing be neglected; and I wish to treat it plainly, that all may understand. Taking the obligation for granted, I shall confine myself, therefore, at present, to those popular errors which lead to neglect of the Lord's Supper, reserving the remaining parts of the subject for a future Number: and may the Lord of the ordinance send forth the healthful spirit of a speedy and effectual reformation.

1. The popular opinion, respecting the obligation to observance, is the first point that demands attention.

There may be some difficulty in discovering what really is the popular opinion. I shall, however, endeavour to draw from the records of my own experience: the experience of others will enable them to complete the picture. The first error of popular opinion that I shall notice, is that which represents the baptism of our chil dren as more necessary than the observance of the Lord's Supper. The extent of this popular error is well known to every Minister. A parent will feel most anxious to have his child baptized, who has never once contemplated an approach to the Lord's Table. Hoary-headed grand. fathers, and fullgrown families, may be found, all indeed baptized, but living as "baptized infidels," in the total neglect of the dying command of our Lord. We know there are Ministers and Elders who do not permit these evils to exist unreproved or uncorrected; but we fear there are others of a temper too timid to encounter the difficulties of reform, or of a disposition so complying to the wishes of the people, that the error is permitted to remain undisturbed, till the neglect of the Lord's Supper ceases to be considered as a sin, and the baptism of children ap. pears the only remaining mark of christianity. The reformation of this error lies upon the conscience of Ministers and sessions. Why is any child baptized till the Minister converses with the parent, as to his knowledge of

the ordinance, his views of parental duties, and his sense of their obligation? And if a parent be found intelligent and conscientious upon those points, he must be in a state of fitness for the Lord's Table; and if in a state of fitness, why allowed to remain in a state of licensed and undisturbed neglect?

2. While the obligation to observe the Lord's Supper may be generally admitted, the time of life for a first attendance is as generally supposed to be mere matter of convenience or indifference. Nor indeed would I take upon me to prescribe to any one a fixed and determinate age. I calculate not by years, but by the state of the mind. I believe it is not an ordinance for children; for the apostle says, "let a man-eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." I believe it is not an ordinance for ignorant persons; for he says, "let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." The obligation of the ordinance seems to me to fix upon the conscience the moment we have, or might have, attained the knowledge sufficient for self-examination. There is a paramount obligation upon Ministers and Elders to stir up the minds of youth to an early remembrance of the death of our Lord. But Ministers should not trust, in such a case, to general exhortations. The visitation list of each Minister should enable him, at a glance, to know the number of adults who have never attended the Lord's Table, and his exhortations should be personal, not general, if he expect them to take effect upon the conscience.

3. When a man has once communicated at the Lord's Table, we should naturally expect a constant attendance during his future life. With every true Christian, constancy of attendance will be felt a duty as it is felt and esteemed a privilege. Yet there are many who think they are true Christians, who, from various reasons or excuses, neglect or attend, just as suits their own humour, opinion, or convenience. Some attend once in the year, but ne. glect every other opportunity. Others neglect attendance for years, purposing at some future period to resume the practice; while others I have known, neglect the Lord's Table, merely because they had been unable to attend some of the preparatory services. This falling of a sacred duty into a state of licensed abeyance, is an alarming symptom of religious disease. The power of cure lies in the outpouring of the quickening Spirit of God, but the instru

mentality of the work lies in an awakened ministerial watchfulness—a watchfulness which is not content with a general warning and instruction to the assembled church, but which fixes its eye of observation and love upon every individual soul committed to its care, labours to ascertain the state of every man's observance or neglect of duty, that it may suit its warnings to each man's real condition. 4. There remains another popular error, loudly demanding every effort of reform. It is an error the more dangerous, inasmuch as it assumes an appearance of conscientiousness and religious feeling. The error lies in the pretence, that the neglect of the Lord's Table arises from a sense of unworthiness. No man ever came worthily to the Lord's Table, without a sense of unworthiness; and though occasionally a sincere, but mistaken penitent may have been deterred by a sense of guilt, yet in general, when men plead a sense of unworthiness as an excuse or reason for neglect, they are deceiving their own souls, and covering their love of sin with a pretended acknowledgment of repentance. One man flees from the Lord's Table, because he is a reveller and a drunkard; another, because he indulges in some more secret sin; another, because he lives in ill will with his neighbour; and each, when called by the voice of the Lord to "remember him," pleads he is such a sinner, that he dare not add to his guilt, by "coming to Jesus!" Oh! ye self-deceived sinners, led captive by Satan at his will, when will ye be wise! You say you are guilty, and that you are sorry for your sin : a godly sorrow is just what Jesus prescribes. You say you believe in Christ as your Saviour: and faith in Christ is the principle, both of a new life and a new nature. And yet, notwithstanding this professed faith and pretended sorrow, you will not come near the sinner's friend, you will not lean upon the believer's stay! Be not deceived, God is not thus to be mocked! The reason of your absence from the Lord's Table is not because you repent of your sins, but because you love your sins more than the Saviour, and prove your allegiance to Satan, by following his temptations, and your disregard of Christ, by disobeying his holy command. Christ has said, "do this," and you do it not. He has said, "remember me," but you remember him not. Your love of one sin makes you commit another, and aggravate all your other transgressions, by adding disobedience to the Saviour. MELVILLE.

SUNDAY-SCHOOL JUBILEE.

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS were established about the end of the year 1781, and have since continued to advance with increasing prosperity. The FIFTIETH YEAR of these important Institutions is a period adapted to call the past to remembrance, and also to excite gratitude to that God who taught his servant, RAIKES, to devise the plan, who animated his successors to prosecute it with zeal, and who has largely blessed their gratuitous labours. It is also an era from which fresh efforts should be made to extend, improve, and perpetuate the Sunday-School system.

Accordingly the Committee of the Sunday-School Union in London, whose object it is to promote the extension of Sunday-Schools universally, have called upon all the Friends of these Institutions to present them with a Jubilee Offering. They propose that the Sum of £10,000 should be raised on this happy occasion; and from what we know of England's riches and England's generosity, we make little doubt that the sum may be raised. The objects of this fund are,―1st, to encourage the Erection of additional permanent Buildings, adapted for SundaySchools, which may also be suitable for Infant or DaySchools;-2dly, for the Promotion of Sunday-School Missions.

The following plans are suggested for this purpose:1st.-Collections in all places of public worship. 2d.-Donations of One Shilling and upwards from the Friends and Teachers of Sunday-Schools, and One Penny from Sunday-School Children.

The following Resolutions of the Sunday-School Union state thre plan proposed for celebrating the Sunday-School Jubilee in London:

1. "That the Sunday-School Jubilee be held on WEDNESDAY, the 14th September, 1831, the Anniversary of Mr. RAIKES's Birth-day.

2. "That a Prayer-Meeting of Sunday-School Teachers, either united or in each separate School, as may be thought most advisable, be held from Seven to Eight o'clock in the Morning.

3. "That the Children in the Schools connected with the Auxiliary and Country Unions be assembled for Public Worship; the Service to commence at Half-past Ten, and close at Twelve.

4. "That at Six o'clock a PUBLIC MEETING be held in Exeter Hall, for the Teachers of London and its Vicinity; and that Public Meetings be held at the same time in each of the Country Unions.

5. "That a Collection be made at the Public Meetings to complete the Jubilee Offering.