decision in the Lord. If he now believes that the presbytery is not a court of the Lord Jesus Christ, is he to testify that by defiance; in all the effrontery of his self-gratulation, to trample on the order and authority of the judicatory, to disregard the feelings of his brethren, and to despise their conscientious attachment to their creed and form of government? Because he happens to think differently from what he once thought and what his brethren still think, is he to treat them as bigots and persecutors, when they insist on fulfilling their pledge given to him most solemnly and, as they think, in the fear of God? If he believes the formula, which he once adopted, is not a form of sound words, let him orderly and peaceably withdraw his pledge; then, and not till then, will we give him credit for his honesty, however we may regard his zeal.

It has been alleged that the church of God is not a voluntary society, and therefore a man cannot withdraw from any one of its branches. In order to appreciate this objection and take away all apology for its use, we will glance at a few facts relating to the organization and character of the church of God. Our time will not admit of an extended discussion of this topic. There are many passages of the scriptures, which authorize the following descriptions of the church: "It is a society of believing and holy persons, whom God has called, by the gospel, out of all mankind, to the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ”—it is also "a spiritual, independent, regular and visible society." The scriptures designate the qualifications of membership in the church. So far the society is organized on the divine plan, and under the divine direction. It must have these characteristics to be a church of Christ, and in this sense is not voluntary. But how is this organization effected? How do believers, who receive the truth, become a visible church, to enjoy, as a society, the comfort and advantages, and to perform the duties of brethren in unity? It must be by mutual agreement. When men receive the truth, they give themselves to the Lord; and then to one another by the will of God. This is the history of the organization, and all additions to the church are on these principles. In this respect, therefore, the church of God is a voluntary society; and can be no other.

This view is confirmed by a scriptural statement of the objects to be attained, by this church union, viz: to maintain and exhibit soundness in the faith, simplicity of gospel worship, impartial exercise of discipline, propagation of the gospel among the nations, and purity of life, becoming the religion of Christ. Finally, the whole character and duties of members in the church, confirm the statement that the form of union is by mutual agreement. Now if there were but one branch of the church, and there were no room for different forms of mutual agreement, and nothing, in this respect, voluntary in this society, it would not

286 THE NATURE, LAWFULNESS AND PROPER USE OF CREEDS.

be competent for a church judicatory to recognize a withdrawment of any member in any other light than contumacy; and the fact, of a distinct organization, professing to be a branch of the church, only as schism.

But on the principle of voluntary, mutual agreement, entering into the form of the church's visibility, we may recognize, as branches of God's church, some who do not, in all respects, agree with us. If they hold the Head and essential truth, we may recognize them, although they dissent from our form and government. On this ground a respectful declinature of our government, pleading a change of views and conscientious attachment to another form of church order, may be accepted. But to prevent all abuse of this principle, let it be understood, if there be a promulgation of dangerous error, or process of discipline has been commenced, the door is closed against its reception.

I cannot forbear to remark, that those, who refuse to adopt any creed, and oppose the use of all confessions of faith in the abstract, are generally opposed to the truth contained in the creed. They desire to be free in the propagation of error. Sooner or later this will be found their principal object and the main-spring of their objections to creeds. I have not time to gather the facts, which substantiate this remark; nor to trace the facts to that self-exalting spirit, which leads men to place as much confidence in the result of their own speculations as in a "thus saith the Lord." But I appeal to the whole history of the church, in which the course and conduct of all opposers of creeds will be found to confirm this statement.

It

Finally, my brethren in the holy ministry, suffer me to repeat the injunction, "hold fast the form of sound words, which you have heard and adopted, in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus." This is a time when the enemy of righteousness is employing his subtilty to root out the influence of gospel truth in the church. Already philosophy, so called, has transformed a portion of our denomination, to say nothing of what is effected in others. It is time, my brethren, to study well, and use freely, the language of our formula of doctrine. is time to hold it fast in its spirit and letter. It is time to speak out plainly on this subject; to call old errors, new modelled, by their old and proper names. The cause of truth is too precious to be wrested from us by a specious philosophy. The responsibility under which we act is too solemn and fearful for us to be silent or indifferent. Souls are too precious to be neglected or misled by dangerous error. Let us be faithful unto death. May the Lord keep us in the truth, as it is in Christ Jesus.

[Contrary to the expectations of the author, the preceding discourse has proved insufficient to occupy our pages. We therefore give some short extracts from the Rev. Dr. Miller's lecture on "Creeds and Confessions," which may be studied with profit, in connection with Dr. Fisk's valuable sermon.-EDITOR.]

By a CREED, or CONFESSION OF FAITH, I mean, an exhibition, in human language, of those great doctrines which are believed by the framers of it to be taught in the Holy Scriptures; and which are drawn out in regular order, for the purpose of ascertaining how far those who wish to unite in church fellowship are really agreed in the fundamental principles of christianity. Creeds and Confessions do not claim to be in themselves laws of Christ's house, or legislative enactments, by which any set of opinions are constituted truths, and which require, on that account, to be received as truths among the members of his family.

Now, I affirm, that the adoption of such a Creed is not only lawful and expedient, but also indispensably necessary to the harmony and purity of the visible church. For the establishment of this position, let me request your attention to the following considerations.

1. Without a Creed explicitly adopted, it is not easy to see how the

MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF ANY PARTICULAR CHURCH, AND MORE ESPECIALLY A LARGE DENOMINATION OF CHRISTIANS, CAN MAINTAIN UNITY AMONG THEMSELVES.

2. The necessity and importance of Creeds and Confessions appear from the consideration, that one great design of establishing a church in our world was, that she might be, in all ages, A DEPOSITORY, AND A

WITNESS OF THE TRUTH.

3. The adoption and publication of a Creed, is a TRIBUTE TO TRUTH AND CANDOR, which every christian church OWES TO THE OTHER

CHURCHES, AND TO THE WORLD AROUND HER.

4. Another argument in favor of Creeds publicly adopted and maintained, is that THEY ARE FRIENDLY TO THE STUDY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, AND OF COURSE, TO THE PREVALENCE OF CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

5. It is an argument of no small weight in favor of Creeds, that THE

EXPERIENCE OF ALL AGES HAS FOUND THEM INDISPENSABLY NECESSA

RY.

6. A further argument in favor of Creeds and Confessions, may be drawn from the remarkable fact, that THEIR MOST ZEALOUS OPPOSERS

HAVE GENERALLY BEEN LATITUDINARIANS AND HERETICS.

7. The only further argument in support of Creeds on which I shall dwell, is, that THEIR MOST ZEALOUS OPPOSERS DO THEMSELVES VIRTUAL

LX EMPLOY THEM IN ALL THEIR ECCLESIASTICAL PROCEEDINGS.

The favorite maxim with the opposers of Creeds, that all who acknowledge the Bible, ought, without hesitation, to be received, not only to christian, but also to ministerial communion, is invariably abandoned, by those who urge it, the moment a case turns up which really brings it to the test. Did any one ever hear of a Unitarian congregation engaging, as their pastor, a preacher of Calvinism, knowing him to be such? But why not, on the principle adopted, or at least professed by

Unitarians? The Calvinist surely comes with his Bible in his hand, and professes to believe it as cordially as they. Why is not that enough? Yet we know that, in fact, it is not enough for these advocates of unbounded liberality. Before they will consent to receive him as their spiritual guide, they must be explicitly informed, HOW HE INTERPRETS THE BIBLE; in other words, WHAT IS HIS PARTICULAR CREED; whether it is substantially the same with their own or not: and if they are not satisfied that this is the case; all other professions and protestations will be in vain. He will be inexorably rejected. Here, then, we have, in all its extent, the principle of demanding SUBSCRIPTION TO A CREED; and principle carried out into practice as rigorously as ever it was by the most hightoned advocate of orthodoxy.

We have before seen, that the friends of truth, in all ages, have found, in their sad experience, that a general profession of belief in the Bible, was altogether insufficient, either as a bond of union, or as a fence against the inroads of error. And here we find, the warmest advocates of a contrary doctrine, and with a contrary language in their mouths, when they come to act, pursuing PRECISELY THE SAME COURSE WITH THE FRIENDS OF CREEDS, with this difference, that the Creed which they apply as a test, instead of being a written and tangible document, is hidden in the bosoms of those who expound and employ it, and, of course, may be applied in the most capricious as well as tyrannical manner, without appeal; and further, that, while they really act upon this principle, they disavow it, and would persuade the world that they proceed upon an entirely different plan.

Can there be a more conclusive fact than this? The enemies of Creeds themselves cannot get along a day without them. It is in vain to say, that in their case no Creed is imposed, but that all is voluntary, and left entirely to the choice of the parties concerned. It will be seen hereafter that the same may be with equal truth asserted, in all those cases of subscription to articles, for which I contend, without any exception. No less vain is it to say, again, that in their case the articles insisted on are few and simple, and by no means so liable to exception as the long and detailed Creeds which some churches have adopted. It is the principle of subscription to Creeds which is now under consideration. If the lawfulness and even the necessity of acting upon this principle can be established, our cause is gained. The extent to which we ought to go in multiplying articles, is a secondary question, the answer to which must depend on the exigencies of the church framing the Creed. Now the adversaries of Creeds, while they totally reject the expediency, and even the lawfulness, of the general principle, yet they cannot proceed a step without adopting it in practice. This is enough. Their conduct is sounder than their reasoning. And no wonder. Their conduct is dictated by good sense, and practical experience, nay, imposed upon them by the evident necessity of the case; while their reasoning is a theory, derived, as I must believe, from a source far less enlightened, and less safe.

PRESBYTERIAN PREACHER.

VOL. II.

PITTSBURGH, DECEMBER, 1833. No. 7.

SERMON XXI.

BY STEPHEN BOVELL, D. D.

OF ABINGDON, VIRGINIA.

DIVINE FOREKNOWLEDGE.

ROMANS 8:29,30. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

THAT all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ shall inherit eternal life, is a sentiment in which all denominations of Christians are agreed. All who acknowledge the divinity and the atonement of the holy Redeemer are cordially united in adoring him as the true God, and eternal life. It is well known, however, that there is a diversity of opinions among Christians concerning the plan of salvation, and some of the important and precious doctrines which are comprised in it. For this reason it may be seasonable and profitable to endeavor to exhibit correct and scriptural views of the great leading principles which belong to the scheme of God's saving mercy, as every doctrine connected with it must be acknowledged to be highly interesting, and essentially important.

The apostle Paul bestowed much labor in stating and explaining the mysterious and controverted doctrines of divine sovereignty and grace. His epistle to the church at Rome, in which the text is contained, is wholly employed in discussing, illustrating, and confirming some of the deepest and most difficult points in divinity. It contains the most satisfactory elucidation, and the ablest defence, of what are generally called the peculiar doctrines of grace, that has ever been given to the world in so small a compass. In the verses which we have at this time recited, the whole scheme of salvation is brought to view in a very few chosen expressions. In them, we see that golden chain, which, being let down from the everlasting throne of God, (if we may so speak,) is to draw all his chosen people up to heaven, and put