a different rule; and should indeed attribute the evils he suffers rather to the prosecution instituted against him, than to this rule in relation to appeals.

To this book the General Assembly have subjoined, in the way of an appendix, certain rules, forty-three in number; which they recommend as proper to be adopted by the sessions, presbyteries, and synods, for regulating their proceedings. As these several judicatories differ much from each other in respect to size, it might be expected that in a list of rules drawn up for all of them, some would be found unnecessary for such small bodies as our sessions. In general, sessions will feel no necessity to hamper their proceedings by subjecting themselves to the formalities which ought to be observed by presbyteries and synods; they will find it most convenient to transact their business in the free and unconstrained manner of private committees. Circumstances, however, will occur, where

it may be necessary in sessions to

act more formally; and in all such cases it ought to be understood and agreed, that the moderator shall have power to enforce the observance of these rules, so far as they shall be found applicable to a session.

From a note it will be seen that these rules form no part of our constitution; and that while the General Assembly recommend theadoption of them, they put them entirely at the discretion of the several judicatories, who may adopt them in whole or in part, as they may deem proper.

We have now gone through the book, and pointed out the principal changes made in the constitution of the Presbyterian Church. From this review it appears, that no doctrine in her Confession has been touched; no principle in her government abolished or altered. Her doctrines and her principles remain the same. But wise and judicious

alterations, amendments and additions, have been made in the constitution, that will be productive of beneficial consequences.

The additional remarks on the Confession of Faith reserved for the close of this article, will now claim the reader's attention. It is important to ascertain the design of this part of the constitution of our church. That it forms a constituent part of the constitution cannot be doubted; because it is enumerated as such in the title page, and was designed as such by the synod of New York and Philadelphia, by whom the constitution was framed, adopted and published. See Assembly's Digest, p. 122. The design of the Confession of Faith may be considered as three fold.

1. The church presents it to the world as a public and correct exhibition of her faith, that all concerned may know what doctrines are believed and inculcated by her ministers.

2. The Confession was adopted by the church for the maintenance of her peace. It is well known to those who have read ecclesiastical history what angry controversies on particular points of doctrines have been carried on to the reproach of religion and the grief of the pious; and that controversies between members of the same church have been marked with more severity and bitterness, than controversies between members of different churches. Now, in order to guard against the occurrence of such controversies on important subjects in theology, among her ministers, as well as to prevent that agitation in the minds of her members that would follow from them, our church has adopted the Confession of Faith. She is unwilling to receive into her communion, as a preacher of the gospel, any one who cannot subscribe to this admirable compend of Christian doctrine. She puts it into the hands of every candidate for licensure

or ordination, and says, "This is the symbol of my faith; the doctrines contained in it are connected with my peace. If you believe these doctrines to be the doctrines of the Bible, and will receive them as such, I will, if you be otherwise qualified, admit you to my communion. But if you cannot adopt my Confession, I cannot, consistently with due regard to the peace of my children, admit you as a member of my family."

3. Maintenance of purity in doctrine was another object, which the church had in view in adopting the Confession of Faith. She believes that this compend contains the pure and wholesome doctrines of the gospel; and from a sacred attachment to the truth she wishes all her ministers to teach these doctrines, and therefore binds them not to inculcate any inconsistent with them.

Such is the design of our church in adopting the Confession of Faith; and to insure its accomplishment, she has wisely incorporated this excellent compend in her constitution as an essential part. She has made it a rule that must govern all her judicatories and all her ministers. That it is a rule cannot be doubted, when it is considered that it forms a part of the constitution; because it is manifestly absurd to regard as no rule what forms an essential portion of a constitution, which is the great rule of every society.

but no provision is found in our book for taking such a security from every one who applies merely for the privilege of communion in sealing ordinances. Unity of faith in ministers and other officers is much more important to the peace of the church than in private members. Indeed many persons are qualified for the communion long before they could intelligently answer the question relative to the adoption of the Confession. The framers of our constitution have wisely accommodated its provisions to the different classes of members of the church; so that a sacred pledge in regard to doctrine is demanded from all her officers, which is not required from private members, because it was not deemed necessary to her peace.

The Confession of Faith must govern all our presbyteries, both in receiving ministers, and in exercising discipline over them. After having sustained an examination as to his acquaintance with experimental religion and competency to teach, no person can be licensed or ordained, until he has answered affirmatively this, as well as other questions: "Do you sincerely receive and adopt the confession of faith of this church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the holy scriptures ?" No presbytery has power to alter a word in this question to accommodate it to the scruples of any candidate; nor is a candidate allowed to put on it any but a fair, grammatical construction. The presbytery is bound by the constitution to propose it as it stands inscribed there; and the candidate is bound in honour and conscience to answer it candidly without mental reservation.

'The Confession of Faith is the rule too that must regulate the proceedings of presbyteries, when process is instituted against ministers for preaching false doctrine. In

convicted of departing from this

standard, presbyteries are obliged to caution, admonish, or rebuke, to suspend or depose them.

It constitutes likewise a rule that must regulate the preaching of all ministers in our connexion. A minister, who, after his admission into communion with the Presbyterian Church, happens to change his opinion in relation to certain points of doctrine, is not bound to teach what he does not believe; but he is obliged, by his own voluntary engagement, to refrain from teaching any thing inconsistent with the Confession of Faith. Nor is this all: every minister must continue to inculcate the essential doctrines embodied in this compend of revealed truth, or he cannot honourably retain his connexion with our church. To illustrate our meaning: Suppose a Presbyterian minister should so far depart from the faith as to become grossly heretical; it is manifest that the mere preaching of a system of morals and the doctrines of what is termed rational religion, while he withheld from his people the bread of life, by not inculcating the Godhead of Jesus Christ, his vicarious atonement, justifying righteousness, and other peculiar and essential doctrines of the gospel, could not amount to a fulfilment of the engagement made by adopting the Confession of Faith, although he should not openly deny what we deem the fundamental truths of divine revelation. A sense of honour and conscience would bind such an heretic to retire from the Presbyterian Church; or if he did not, it would become the duty of his presbytery on conviction to inflict on him a just punishment, by deposing him from the gospel ministry. We do not by this statement wish to be understood as intimating, that a presbytery may suffer such a man voluntarily to retire from our connexion, when they have just reason to believe him to be infected with so pernicious a

heresy: on the contrary we should deem it their sacred duty not to allow him to escape from their control invested with the ministerial office, if it were in their power to convict him of having adopted sentiments so subversive of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We only design to express what we conceive would be an honourable and conscientious part for the man himself to act who should undergo so fearful a change of sentiments, before he had furnished ground for his presbytery to lay upon him the hand of discipline.

(To be continued.)

J. J. J.

3. First Principles, or Hints to suit the Times, and calculated to promote ecclesiastical Union: in a Sermon, from Rom. x. 2. "For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge:" delivered July 5th, 1820, in Princeton, at the installation of the Rev. G. S. Woodhull, as pastor of the congregation in that place by the Rev. Isaac V. Brown, A. M. Trenton, 1821. p. 32. 8vo.

4. An Humble Attempt to illustrate the Character and Obligations of a Minister of the Gospel of Christ; in a Sermon, preached before the Presbytery of Fayetteville, July 30th, 1819, at the ordination of the Rev. William D. Snodgrass, together with the Charges, deliver ed on that solemn occasion: by the Rev. Colin M'Iver. Fayetteville, N. C. 1820. p.32. 8vo.

5. A Plea for the Theological Semi

nary at Princeton, N. J.: by the Rev. Philip Lindsly. Trenton, 1821. p. 34. 8vo.

The titles of the foregoing sermons have been given together, as a list of late publications; on which we design to offer some brief remarks; for comparatively few as the single sermons are, which are published by our Presbyterian brethren in the United States, it would still be impossible to give a minute review in the Magazine, of every one which may come to our hand; unless we should exIclude all other matter. Of the five just enumerated, we may say, that they are all useful tracts, written by sound men, each of whom has a large circle of friends and acquaintance, to derive peculiar pleasure from his productions.

The first discourse, by Mr. M'Millan, president of Jefferson College, in this state, gives "a brief statement of the leading and fundamental doctrines and principles of the Christian faith, in their bearing and connexion with each other," and illustrates "the necessity of maintaining them in truth and in righteousness." It is justly remarked, that "as Christianity was designed as the religion of sinners, and the great object of it is to teach such how they may glorify God, and be rendered happy in the enjoyment of him, those truths must be considered the most essential which are the most intimately connected with this end, and without which it cannot be obtained." Of course, he enumerates as essential articles of the Christian faith, the doctrines of man's depravity and misery, of regeneration, of atonement and mediation by Jesus Christ, of justification through his imputed righteousness, and of the gracious aids and efficacious operations of the Divine Spirit, to give gospel truth its operative effect upon the soul.

Every part of this discourse is well supported; and we see nothing deserving of reprehension, but several grammatical inaccuracies. From most presidents of colleges we should have

had more fine writing, and less of the marrow of the gospel. We may reasonably expect them all to write good English; but if we must dispense with one or the other, let us have sound doctrine, even if the rules of syntax go to the moles and to the bats. A few instances of censurable negligence in writing here follow.

"We should not give up readily with those truths, which have been sealed with the blood of millions, for the empty declamations of a few pretenders to new schemes in divinity." Omit with, because it spoils the sense.

"And that in the last days scoffers at sound godliness shall come walking in their own lusts." 2 Pet. iii. 3. This is marked as a quotation from the Bible, and all quotations should be accurate. Our pharaphrases should not be incorporated with any text; 'Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts."

"Errors in sentiment with respect to the common salvation of which the author of this epistle writes, is [are] of a destructive tendency. Such errors the apostle Peter calls damnable heresies."

"Mankind sinners," is a bad substitute for "sinners of mankind," or for "sinful men." It is as bad a compound as "wilderness world," which always offends the ear of taste.

"What motive would man have to seek for salvation from sin and wrath, were he not guilty and stood exposed to condemnation and misery?" Omit stood as superfluous, or else say, did he not stand; for were he not stood, as it now must be read, if we supply the ellipsis, would be hardly intelligi

ble.

We pass over some other things of this kind, and request the attention of our readers to the important truths contained in the following extracts.

"The dangerous influence of error upon the subjects of it, is a consideration forcibly illustrative of the necessity of maintaining and supporting the truth with all earnestness. It is a maxim founded in nature, that error in principle leads to error in practice. This must be the case as long as belief has influence upon conduct. Ad

mitting the truth of this, then, there results an evident necessity upon our part of embracing and maintaining the true doctrines and principles of religion. For the general tenor of our conduct in this as well as in every other respect, influences not only our present, but eternal peace and happiness. Error in the doctrines and principles of religion, then, as it necessarily must, leads to error in practice, and will accordingly prevent us more or less, from obtaining the end of our being, the glory of God, and eternal happiness. For as before observed, the doctrines of religion are nothing else than certain information as to the way or method of obtaining this end. If then this end be a matter of importance, and involves those things the most dear and sacred to us, there appears an indispensable necessity of maintaining and embracing those sentiments which are founded in truth and authorized by scripture.-It is clear from the foregoing statement, that fundamental errors render salvation simply impossible. The necessity of maintaining correct sentiments with respect to the essentials of religion, is then self-evident. But every error, greater or smaller, tends in its measure to operate the destruction of the soul, and prevent it of salvation. An apparently small mistake may lead to the most serious consequences, and errors in the less essential may lead to errors in the more essential doctrines of Christianity. And every error in fact will proportionally influence our conduct, and this will have a proportional bearing upon the peace and happiness of the soul." p. 9.

"What indeed is any art or occupation but the ascertaining and putting into practice those principles and rules which are conformable to the laws which nature has adopted to promote her effects?—And if they are not conformable to these, more or less, we necessarily mistake our object, and sustain proportional injury. It is so in this respect with regard to religious matters. If we would answer the end of our being, and obtain its object, the glory of God and eternal life, we are bound to inquire into the truth of principle, and to maintain and adopt that which is founded on scripture, which is the only infallible rule of correct judgment in matters of Christianity. For whatever doctrines and principles we embrace which are not sanctioned by scripture, will lead us to mistake our object and disappoint us of the end in view, less or more, according as they are less or more erroneous. The principles and laws of Christianity, which in reality are the doctrines of the gospel, correspond with the principles and laws of nature in this, that the end or effect cannot be produced but in a compliance with them. But the end and object of Christianity is to promote the salvation of man in subor

dination to the honour and glory of God, i. e. to promote and secure the great end and design of his creation. To act then in contradiction to these laws, which is unavoidable under the influence of error, renders his salvation impossible, at least so far as his conduct is essentially erroneous. We are constrained then to maintain, that the encompassing of the end of our being is as impossible under the influence of essential errors, as the raising of a crop is impossible without a compliance with the common laws of nature for effecting that end. We may as well expect to obtain an end by acting in direct contradic tion to the laws of nature, as to attain the true end of our being by acting in opposition to the essential principles of Christianity, and that in proportion too, as these principles are more or less essential. This view of the matter clearly illustrates the necessity of maintaining and supporting the truth as it is in Jesus, by earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. Let this go once, religion becomes funaticism, and this tends to ruin and destruction."* p. 10

The Rev. Mr. Wylie's discourse was occasioned by the preaching of a man who professed to be a Bible Christian, and under this disguise attacked the most plain and important doctrines of our holy religion. Concerning these professedly Bible Christ-i-ans, it is remarked in the advertisement, that they choose to be known by this name, that it may seem as if they alone possessed the doctrines of the sacred scriptures uninfluenced by the partialities of party feelings, unobscured by former errors, and uncontaminated by passing any human channel; and this because they have discarded all creeds, con

"There is a moral and natural order of things, and the violation of this moral order or constitution, is equally attended with disorder and confusion, as the violation of natural order, and with an equal failure of the end in view in the one case as in the other.

"Now, the doctrines and principles of Christianity, are but an annunciation, nay, they are the very laws of this moral order, and are the rule by which things in the moral system are to be directed and governed, in order to securing the end proposed. A mistake of these laws, therefore, must be a mistake of the end in view, less or more, according to the degree of mistake." p. 11.