I submit to you a principle at once scriptural and plain: a principle open to the comprehension of a child; which will wipe away completely the stigma of discrepancy, and hush the controversies of all who love the gospel in everlasting silence. Whose heart dwells with rapture on "the common salvation?" Who delights to hail Messiah as "the saviour of the world?" Who would contemplete the salutation of his peace to every creature, as the words of "grace and truth?"? Let them ponder well a principle which unfolds Messiah's kingdom în its real relations, structure and proportions. It wounds no doctrine dear to any of your hearts; it discovers no new truth unfriendly to your hopes; it only sheds the lustre of Messiah's light and love, on the pages of that gospel which many of you have preached, and all of you have prized. But whatever be your decision, my stand is firmly taken; nor can it be materially affected by any judgment you may pass. Moderator, it is a new thing, since the day that Martin Luther "broke the keys of Rome," that a minister of Jesus should have to stand before a court, organized and managed in the name of God the Saviour, to repel the charge of heresy for having published his salvation. And had it not been that your Synod has already prejudged this cause, I should have had many things to say to you in simplicity and tenderness. But since your last year's act sealed up my lips in silence, and published me a heretic before my cause was heard; since the voice of a committee could wield the power of Synod, to desolate a young and feeble congregation, whose high minded enterprise might challenge a better fate; since your zeal has improvidently reft me of an influence among the people of your charge which no act of yours can ever reinstate:-as I may not give way to any of those reflections which a high and haughty indignation would suggest, I will yield to no expression of those stronger, better feelings, that a moment of such interest is calculated to call forth. Your constitution has forbidden prosecutions even for error, when it strikes not at the vitals of the gospel of salvation. Every creature under heaven would cry shame upon a court, which, outraging the rights and havocing the prospects of any of its appellants, should dare to pronounce him guilty be fore his cause were heard. You know, sir, the facts connected with this case. Generations to come, and God our common hope, will pronounce just judgment on them. Of the nature of that decision I entertain no doubt. YOURS is yet to be known. Whatever it may be, I now demand it promptly; and I expect it fearlessly. APPENDIX. THE following papers are submitted, not with a view to reflect odium on the reverend Synod of the Associate-Reformed Church, but because the publisher believes them to be a legitimate and necessary part of that appeal, which he is constrained to make to the judgment of all the churches, and of all the world. No. I. COPY OF THE LIBEL.* “THE Associate Reformed Presbytery of Kentucky, charge the Rev. James M'Chord with maintaining and publishing, in a book written and published by him, entitled "The Body of Christ," the following erroneous doctrines, contrary to the word of God, and the constitution and standards of this church. "†1. That Adam in the covenant of works, was the representative of hum an nature, not of human persons.-p. 35, 174, 176. 66 2. That the covenant of works made with Adam, had no particular respect to Adam's posterity, either as to persons or definite numbers.p. 35, 174, 186, 187. "*3. That natural generation is the alone bond which unites us with Adam in a covenant relation.-p. 176. "+4. That the covenant of grace as made with Christ had no particular respect to his seed, either as to persons or definite numbers.-—p. 35, 187, 198, 199, 200, 201. 5. That it is the sovereignty of God alone in the execution of these covenants, which limits the numbers that shall actually be included under them; which sovereignty is entirely independent of, external to, and not in any wise included in, or expressed by these covenants.-p. 187, 199, 200. "6. That the church of Christ would have been complete from the nature of the system or the covenant of grace, if the general judgment had taken place in the days of Isaiah.-p. 191. "*7. That the Lord Jesus Christ may extend deliverance and salvation to the whole human family.-p. 200-203. "*8. “That Jesus Christ, the new covenant head, is the representative of none but those who are actually united to him by the Spirit of God, and from this union is derived and originates all that legal union; and whatsoever other relations are represented as existing betwixt Christ and his people in the holy scriptures.-p. 21, 45, 46, 171, 173, 174, 177, 181, 221, 222. "*9. That the actual union which takes place betwixt Christ and his people, is not the effect of Christ's representation of them.p. 177, 199. * All the counts marked (†) are denied by the appellant. "*10. That it is not true that all the elect of God, or all those who shall be saved, were individually recognized as included under Christ's federal representation, at the time when his obedience was yielded, and his atonement made—p. 173. 66 "11. That Christ by his obedience and death did not thereby make really and truly satisfaction to divine justice, for the elect of God-as elect---but he only opened a way, by or through which God in his sovereignty may extend mercy to save whom he will, and continue that salvation as long as he will.---p. 171, 173, 187, 196, 199, 201, 202, 213, 214. "f12. That to maintain that Christ obeyed, died, satisfied, and intercedes for the elect only, and by his obedience, death and intercession, he only designed and will only accomplish their salvation, and at the same time to preach the gospel to all men is-solemn mockery directly and unequivocally proclaiming of a lie. That the doctrine which authorises it, that is, the doctrine above stated, is nothing less than blasphemy against Almighty God---that it is contradiction and folly--that it makes God sponsor for men's follies---that it stamps with every mark of unqualified falsehood the gospel of peace---that it immolates upon the altar of human infallibility the truth and honour of Almighty God---that on the supposition of the truth of the above doctrine, the gospel of Jesus Christ never could be preached; or if preached, the preacher must be omniscient and infallible---and that the above doctrine, fully justifies the unbeliever in his unbelief.---p. 208, 211, 212, 213, 219, 220, 221, 222. "*13. That the terms upon which men are admitted to fellowship and communion in the visible church, are precisely the same with those on which they are admitted to membership in the church invisible.---p. 55, 67, 68. "14. That all churches are bound to admit to communion, all whom they may charitably believe are christians.---p. 54, 58, 109, 210, 244, 246. 15. That as communion with a church does not express your approbation of, or adherence to the doctrine and standards of that church, so neither does your holding communion with those who do not profess to receive your standards imply a desertion of them.---p. 68---71, 135. "*16. To require men to give a profession of their approbation of the Confession of Faith, in order to their being admitted to the privileges of the church, is to contradict both the letter and spirit of the confession; to lord it over the heritage of God; to shut out from your church vast multitudes whom the Lord hath received; to make void God's law by human tradition; to be guilty of absurdity; and to desert your own principles.-p. 137. "*17. That it is our duty to continue in full church communion with men of corrupt conduct and heretical principles, unless we have the power to eject them.---p. 159. "*18. That to be fellow-workers with corrupt churches, that sinners may be saved, even though we do thereby circulate their errors together with their excellencies, is that wherein we should rejoice.---p. 246. "19. That the church of Christ ought to make and use new songs in the praise of God, as her circumstances require; as the scripture songs do not embrace the continued displays of God's mercy and goodness towards her.---p. 251. ALEX'R PORTER, Mod'r. Done in Lexington this 12th day of October, A. D. 1815. A Copy, JNO. STEELE, P. Clerk. On the foregoing libel Mr. M. was tried, conviced, and suspended from the office of the ministry. From this sentence judgment of the General Synod of the Associate-Reford Church; and appealed to the on the ground of that appeal continued to exercise his off. This course was adopted in conformity with the principles laid down in of faith. e Confession "When an appeal from a definitive sentence is not sustaine tained, the appellant is cast, the judicatory appealed to is too if sussentence, and direct that appealed from to proceed to the executiify the Church Govt. book ii. chap. x. § 10. page 532. of it." Hence it appears that an appeal always stays the sentence of a c court, until the court appealed to shall have ratified the sentence, anch rected them to proceed to execution. This ground having been taken Mr. M. he continued as usual in the exercise of his office, awaiting the decision of the General Synod. In the spring of 1816 his cause was to have been heard; but an indisposition of such a nature as prevented his attendance, and another ground perfectly satisfactory to the Synod, were plead by him as reasons of delay. He therefore persisted in demanding a hearing; and requested that matters might remain as they were, till such hearing could be had. In taking this course, he urged no more than what was his indisputable right. The delay was perfectly involuntary on his part, and by the Synod admitted so to be. They, however, referred the matter to a committee, consisting of Dr. Alexander Proudfit and Messrs. Stanbury and Patter son, by whom the following report was brought in. NO. II. "Your committee have carefully reviewed the proceedings of the Presbytery; deliberately examined the publication of Mr. M'CHORD therein referred to, and duly weighed his prayer that a decision in his case may be deferred till the next meeting of the Synod. While on the one hand, your committee are desirous that the brother accused may have an opportunity of being heard in his defence; yet on the other, they view the leading idea in the publication alluded to, and which, indeed, forms its prominent characteristic, as a doctrinal treatise, viz. The denial of the personal representation of the elect by the Mediator, either in the covenant of grace, or in the fulfilment of that covenant by his obedience and sacrifice; to be an error of too great magnitude to be suffered to be spread either from the pulpit or the press for a whole year or more, among our churches. They therefore submit to the Synod the following resolution and order: "1. Resolved, That a final decision on the proceedings of the Presbytery of Kentucky, in the case of the Rev. JAMES M'CHORD, be deferred until the next meeting of this Synod. "2. Ordered, That in the meanwhile Mr. M'CHORD submit to its decision by abstaining from the exercise of his ministry. Respectfully submitted. “ALEXANDER PROUDFIT, Chairman. 66 Philadelphia, May 22, 1816.?' This report and resolution "were unanimously adopted."-The whole of the procedure was quite extraordinary. This committee entered into the merits of the case, and proposed a resolution which went directly to condemn the appellant; and the Synod, without at all consulting the pa |