REMARKS ON THE REFORMATION.

hands on any but in conferring
in setting men apart for an
aling the sick. Nor does
the idea of an apostolic
ould come together in
at the Lord's Supper.
would term these
It gives me
church in the
not whether
reak bread
irregular.
*ion, is
hich

out of sight-cast behind his back, and thus placed out of his view for ever.

verses of the foregoing chapter; "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and all evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tender-. hearted, forgiving one another, as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Nottingham.

J. B..

MR. ARCHIBALD M'LEAN TO MR.
RICHARDS, OF LYNN.

MY DEAR SIR,

LETTER V.

unrighteousness. May we not then exclaim with the Psalmist, and say, "and is this the manner of man, O Lord?" OI conclude with citing the two last how amazing! how astonishing is the mercy of our God! How different from that of men. "As high as heaven is above the earth, so are his ways higher than our ways, and his thoughts than our thoughts." When we think of the privileges we have enjoyed, the deep obligation we are laid under, and contemplate the magnitude of our crimes, the aggravated circumstances under which many of them have been committed, we might have justly despaired of forgiveness, had not God, of his boundless compassion, laid such a solid foundation of hope, "in oaths, in promises, and blood." Bless the Lord, then, O our souls, and all that is within us bless his holy name. He forgiveth all our iniquities; he hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards them that fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Thus, brethren, I have set before you the merciful conduct of our heavenly Father, in order that you may imitate him; and if this fail of assimilating us to his likeness-if this fail of producing a merciful and forgiving temper towards each other, no additional arguments that I could adduce-no other motives I could present to you, would be sufficiently efficacious to produce the effect. But if we are Christians indeed, it is impossible in the nature of things, for us to contemplate this subject, so as to have a just impression of it on our own minds, and not to feel our pride humbled, our implacability subdued, and our hearts sof tened into tenderness, compassion and love. If thy brother, therefore, trespass against thee and repent, forgive him; yea, if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and still give evidence of a change of mind, we must forgive him, and restore him to his wonted place in our affections. Let our forgiveness be prompt, hearty, and without reserve; and thus will it resemble that of God towards us: he remenbers our sins no more. They are, by a striking figure, represented as thrown into the depths of the sea; and so for ever buried, and

I received your favour in course; but could not answer it till about two days ago, when I obtained the book from which Thomas Smith had his information concerning the Baptists at Leith. He was mistaken in saying, that they were as early as the days of Queen Elizabeth. The book is entitled, "A Confession of Faith of the several congregations or churches of Christ in London, which are commonly (though unjustly) called Anabaptists. Unto which is added, heart-bleedings for professor's abominations," &c. Printed at Leith, 1653. To this edition (which is the fourth) a preface is prefixed by some Baptists at Leith and Edinburgh, which contains nothing of their history. It is dated, "Leith, the 10th of the first month, vulgarly called March, 165. Signed in the name, and by the appointment of the church of Christ, usually meeting at Leith and Edinburgh, by Thomas Spenser, Abraham Holmes, Thomas Powell, John Brady." This is all the information to be got from the book. They appear to have been in the time of Oliver Cromwell; were probably English Baptists, who had come to Scotland during the civil wars, and for a some short time formed a society, which met at Leith and Edinburgh; during which time they republished the above Confession of Faith; but I imagine they have been very little taken notice of, for I do not remember to have read of them in any history of those times, nor indeed of any other Baptists in Scotland.

I am obliged to you for the account you have given me of your journey to Wales, and of the state of the churches there. I see no warrant for imposition of hands on reception of church members. I do not recollect that the apostles

REMARKS ON THE REFORMATION.

211

If I can find an opportunity, I will send you a dozen of them. They are going on pretty well at Chester. They are printing a second edition of Mr. Ecking's Essays, (which I suppose you have seen) with a short account of his life prefixed, and some other of his pieces added. suppose I must pay a visit to Hull this Summer, if the Lord will; there are about six persons there waiting for baptism. I am, dear Sir,

I.

Your sincere and affectionate Friend,
ARCHIBALD M'LEAN.

Edinburgh, May 27, 1791.

SIR,

Edinburgh, June 11, 1824.

imposed hands on any but in conferring the Spirit, in setting men apart for an office, and healing the sick. Nor does it consist with the idea of an apostolic church, that it should come together in different places to eat the Lord's Supper. The sacred writers, would term these churches, not a church. It gives me pleasure to hear of that church in the vicinity of Swansea. I know not whether you mean that they now break bread without a pastor; if so, it is irregular. The rule of discipline you mention, is only warrantable in some cases, which seldom happen: such as when a church is divided in their opinion of the case of the person under discipline, some being clear to separate, and others to retain To the Editor of the New Evan. Magazine. him; in that case they cannot eat the Lord's Supper till they are agreed. But while discipline is in dependence, and the church has not the matter fully before them with its evidence; or if they have, when the offender has a promising appearance of repentance, and requires more time to bethink himself, in these and many other cases, the Lord's Supper ought not to be postponed, though the discipline be not fully finished. They think it a smaller matter, it seems, to deprive the whole church of the ordinance, than one innocent member. It is my opinion, that they ought to deprive neither of it till the matter is fully before them, and they have judged of it; in which case they must either cut off the offender, or confirm their love to him, and so eat the Lord's Supper. If the previous private steps of discipline be properly conducted, according to Matt. xviii. the matter will be generally clear when it comes before the church, and the case supposed will seldom happen; and as to public and open offences, the proof will in most instances be clear.

The French translation of the Commission is not yet published. It does not differ from the English in any thing material. It has a new preface; some local notes are left out; general titles are given to the different parts, and a few corrections are made here and there. But the translation itself does not please me. It was done by one, who, though a good Frenchman, did not understand the subject properly.

I have lately published, at request, the substance of two Discourses, which I preached at Hull, when last there, and which made some noise. The title is, The belief of the Gospel saving faith.

THE Reformation was accomplished in England by the influence of despotic power; in Scotland it was effected by the exertions of the people. It originated in each country in motives, probably, as different as were the characters of its instruments; and the manner in which it was brought about, and its consequences, in each, corresponded with the means employed.

In England, the Prince rebelled. against the dominion usurped over his kingdom by the Pope. He wished to transfer the supremacy from "His Holiness" to himself. The wishes of his people were favourable to emancipation from the yoke; and opposition to the change was disarmed by toleration, and the abolition of the ceremonies most obnoxious to the Romish ritual. Religious opinions were thus allowed to flow smoothly down the stream, and they found their way without that violent commotion, which characterized their progress in other countries. In Scotland again the current was dammed up, until it accumulated a weight and strength which could no longer brook confinement. It then forced its passage, like a rough torrent, over the barriers opposed to it; sweeping away in its progress much of what in England was allowed to remain. The knowledge of the truth had forced conviction on the minds of the Reformers. They recognized in the Pope, the fulfilment of the Man of sin;-in the Church of Rome, that which was typified by the whore of Babylon;-and in their detestation of the monkish mummeries, with which the people had been deluded, they were

led to reject every form of worship pecu-churches, who profess to follow the

liar to her service. In England the king seized on the treasures of the Church; and appropriated to the use of the new order of things the ancient and venerable fabrics, which her riches had enabled her to raise for the purposes of worship, and of her priesthood. In Scotland, the people with a rougher hand demolished the relics of her worldly grandeur, at the same time that they abolished her religious ceremonies altogether.

example of the primitive Christians, do not take a lesson in this particular. It is necessary to humble ourselves before the Lord, in our bodies as well as in our hearts: to shew by our outward deportment the feeling of reverence within. Our Lord himself shewed us the example for our imitation. It is recorded of him, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God, that "when he had withdrawn himself from them about a stone's cast, he kneeled down and prayed." Stephen, even in the agonies of death, contrived to get on his knees, and to pray for his murderers: "He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had thus said, he fell asleep." These were instances of individual worshippers; but you know that Paul, after exhorting the elders and church at Miletas, "kneeled down and prayed with them all." And when he left the church at Tyre to go to Ptolemais, the historian tells us, we departed and went our way, and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city, and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed." Here there was no choice of place, no accommodation but the sea-shore; but the congregation could not think of addressing God but in the humblest posture of adoration.

66

We may trace some of these characteristic differences in regard to prayer. The calendar of the Church of Rome is filled with the multitude of saints, who were the objects of worship to her votaries. Intercession was made to God through the saints to the neglect of the Redeemer, whom the Scriptures declare to be the only Mediator between God and man. In this we have a fulfilment of the prophecy of the apostle, as to the Man of sin, who was to teach the doctrine of demons, or demi-gods, dead men deified. The Papists even bowed down themselves to stocks and stones, the images of their saints, perverting that which was sacred to divinity, as emblematic of the prostration of the heart in presence of His Majesty; and, to such extent was this carried, that their genuflexions and prostrations were burdensome to themselves. When the But the attitude is not only recomEnglish Church renounced the worship mended to us by the example of the of saints and of images, and the use of first churches, and as it is the most proan unknown tongue in her service, she per and becoming in itself, as evincing continued a set form of prayers, and reverence, holy fear, and prostration of retained at the same time the proper at- heart towards the Almighty God of titude in addressing the Almighty. It heaven and earth, who made all things was otherwise in Scotland. The Refor- by the word of his power; but it is also mers in their abhorrence of the papal the most proper and becoming for wor superstition, and of these genuflexions, ship, as conducing greatly to the preas one of the marks of the beast, refused servation of that still and solemn silence, to adopt any form of prayer, and assumed which is so pleasant and necessary to an erect attitude, which is still retained true devotion. When the congregation in all our churches, national and dis- take a standing posture in prayer, there senting, although that which led to its is much which meets the eye to attract adoption has long since been forgotten. and engage attention. When they kneel In private and family worship we ac- the attention is confined, and may be knowledge by our practice, that the at- concentrated on the prayer which is titude is suitable and proper, as expres- offered up. Nor is this a mere idea; sive of our humility in the presence of much greater silence and solemnity is the Almighty. Yet no one will pretend observed in the worship at our Episcopal that a church, in its collective capacity, chapels, than in our other churches. is entitled to assume a bolder bearing, We should forget the prejudices of our or to infringe in one iota on the reve- forefathers; and while we retain their rence and holy fear which is due to his abhorrence of whatever may be erroname from all his creatures. It is, in-neous in doctrine, or sinful in practice, deed, matter of wonder, that those prejudice ought not to prevent us from

REPLY TO "NON-ACADEMICUS."

doing that which is right and proper in itself. It is to be hoped, that our Christian churches, who feel themselves bound by the example set before them in the Scriptures, will come to see it to be their duty to kneel when praying in public worship, as well as in private. It is the suitable expression of our relation to God-it is the attitude pointed out for our imitation in his Word-and it is really more conducive to the still and appropriate solemnity of prayer than any other.

213

provement through their future lives. We should not quarrel with our Academies, because some of the "littlest and weakest minds" enter them. For those worthy and pious men who preside over our Schools of learning, do not profess to give mental powers to their pupils; their object is to assist those in their studies who are capable of improvement. I think much greater care should be exercised in the admission of students; and that many of them should be men of longer standing in the church-men of known integrity-of tried piety, and whose preaching talents had been some time exercised, before they should be considered eligible, as candidates for admission. I cannot but consider a want of regard to this, as one great cause, why so much prejudice exists in the minds of many against these Institutions. Because, when there are so many novices, amongst those who To the Editor of the New Evan. Magazine. not furnish their senior brethren with are candidates for the ministry, who do DEAR SIR,

This exhortation may be said to regard an external rite, and as such unimportant. But it must be felt by all to be essential to genuine devotional feeling. Besides, nothing can be considered unimportant, which the Spirit has thought it necessary to record for our imitation.

A BAPTIST.

With your permission, I beg to offer a few remarks on a paper which appears in your very valuable Magazine for this month," on the utility of Dissenting Academies." I do not promise to relieve your Correspondent," NonAcademicus" from his great embarrassments, nor to remove the scruples from the mind of his "valuable friend," who, it seems, is " a very good man."

Now Sir, I think "Non-Academicus" would have acted more manly, if he had stated in direct and explicit terms, his objections to our Academies, and not to have put his friend to speak for him in the manner he has done. It appears to me that his objections tend to shew, if any thing, the occasional want of prudence and judgment seen in the conduct of those who are appointed to decide on the mental abilities, and preaching talents of those young men that are admitted as students into our Academies; and also the little improvement which some of them make of their advantages; and not to the inutility of the Institutions themselves. For surely it is not the fault of those Institutions, that some leave them as ignorant and stupid as when they entered. Since there are others, and I am happy to say they are not a few, who make respectable progress in literary and biblical knowledge, and who lay a good foundation for further im

any materials to judge of their character and talents, we need not be surprized if some of these do not realize in their future lives, the wishes of their friends and patrons. We might mention the undue influence of friends exerted in opening the door of admission-but we walk on tender ground. Suffice it to say, I can see with" Non-Academicus," much to lament in all our Dissenting Academies; and which loudly calls for a reform. And, I am fully persuaded if ably and judiciously conducted, they would be productive of much good to the public; and the mouths of gainsayers would be stopped.

One objection of your Correspondent seems to be, that as we have had some respectable and useful Ministers, who never had an Academical education, therefore our education Societies are not wanted. Does "Non-Academicus" mean to say that those excellent men, of whom he speaks, would, in any respect be injured, if they possessed greater literary acquirements? Or that, whilst learning should be possessed by men of other professions, it should be discarded by the Christian Minister? Or has he the temerity to say that those men would not be more excellent still, and possessed of greater qualifications for usefulness, if they had been favoured with a liberal education? Is it not a matter of regret amongst the most enlightened and pious of our denomi