Should a general terms; and from what from all the instances record ed in the New Testament, that an open profession of faith in Christ, and subjection to him, was required of persons as the term of admission to baptism, and as a sober, virtuous life and a constant attendance on the instrumental duties of religion, would not exclude deists and others who deny the Lord that bought them, and hold principles directly subversive of the gospel, who at the same time may be persons of exemplary sobriety and vir tue, and as constant as any in their attendance on such duties, from merely political motives, while they consider the christian religion only as a contrivance of priest-craft, or an engine of state policy: for these reasons I think an explicit profession of faith in Christ, and subjection to him is the necessary term of the admission of persons who have themselves been baptised, as well as others, to the privilege of baptism for their children, and to other christian privileges. At the same time, I allow that the profession gen erally made in our churches is more explicit than what the apostles required. I do not find that in any one instance, the apostles ever required of Quest. 2. "Whether we persons admitted by them to have any authority froni the baptism and other privileges, word of God to require auf an assent to a written form of further terms of persons whe a covenant, containing a par- have been baptised, and whose ticular profession of faith, re- lives and conversations have pentance, and obedience. It been conformed to christian is true they did not admit rules as aforesaid, in order ta. persons without a profession,, their 'communing with us at but then it was short and in the Holy Table of the Lord, excepting their notifying such their desire of communing with us?" The answer to this is im plied in the answer to the first question. If baptised persons are members of the visible church or kingdom of Christ, they have an undoubted right to the privileges of this kingdom if they have not forfeited their right, but on the contrary have given evidence of their obedience to Christ, so far as they are enlightened in the knowledge of his will; and I should have no doubt hath established in his church? and is there not a manifest propriety that this their faith in Christ, and those mutual engagements should be explicitly declared by both ? Though there is no form of such a covenant prescribed in the New Testament, yet the substance of it, the mutual engagements between particular churches and their members, is plainly implied in the com. mands and directions given by Christ and his apostles respecting the duty of churches to their members, and of mem one another. Thus I have given you my present scntiments on the questions proposed. I am sensible of my great imperfection and liableness to mistakes and errors, and will thankfully receive any light upon the subject which you may please to communicate. I imagine that you think it high time to put a period to this letter which has run out to a length far beyond what I had any thoughts of when I first took up my pen. I could wish I had more time and leis but that they might be admit-bers to the churches, and to ted to communion with the church at the Lord's Table, upon their notifying their desire to the church, did it not appear from the New Testament that an open and explicit profession of faith in Christ was constantly made by the apostles a term of admission to christian privileges; and that the nature of the thing seems to require it, the very act of partaking in the memorials of the death of Christ supposes faith in him as the only sacrifice and atonement for sin; and in this union and association of members with the church and with one another, is there not a covenant engagement both on the part of the church and every member? On the part of the church as a collective organized body to watch over their members in a spirit of love and meekness, and on the part of every member to be subject to the authority of Christ by a due observance of the laws and orders which he ure to have digested my thoughts on the subject. In that case the letter would have been shorter, and perhaps the sentiments in some respects different. Upon the whole it appears to me, from a serious attention to the subject, that these New England churches, instead of being too lax in their admission of persons to christian' privileges, on the contrary have made the door narrower than Christ has left it in his word, so as to exclude many serious believers of the gospel from partaking of that divine entertainment which Christ bath provided for them in the ordinance of his supper. The common terms of admission are such as to lead many to think they must have assurance of their gracious state and their title to future happiness, before they may venture with safety to come to this ordinance; and the want of this assurance, founded on mistaken notions of the terms of admission, and the qualifications requisite in those who are worthy receivers, debars many, all their days, from the benefit and comfort they might enjoy by their attendance on this ordinance; and is the occasion of their living and dying in the omission of a plain commanded duty. These churches are not so faulty in admitting persons they ought not to admit; their fault lies in the disuse of that discipline Christ hath ordained in his church, to be the means of keeping, it pure from gross vice and error, and of reclaiming offenders from the error of their ways; and in suffering disorderly walkers to continue in their communion without admonition and censure. neither pretended, though di vinely inspired, to any certain knowledge of the state of those they admitted, nor made it a term of communion that they should have such a knowledge of their own state, but received them upon their naked profession of the truth, and if they did not bring forth good fruit in their lives, dealt with them as offenders, and excluded them from christian privi- ` leges, until they gave satis factory signs of repentance. Such ought to be our practice. This would effectually guard the churches against being filled with corrupt members, which some are ready to object, as what they apprehend would be the consequence of such lax admission, though not more lax than what the apostles practised. With sentiments of unfeigned esteem, and regard, I am, Dear Sir, yours.* Feb 19, 1790. As the subscribers for the Christian Disciple are of different denominations and of various opinions on some points, it is not to be expected that all of them will acquiesce in every sentiment of the author of the letter. It is however believed, that the impartial will be pleased with his It would liberality and candor. doubtless be gratifying to our readers to know by whom the letter was written; but his name we are not authorised to publish. The genuineness of the letter, however, is un questioned; and we are permitted to corroborate the testimony of our correspondent in saying that he was, a much respected Clergyman." EDITOR. 66 GOOD RESOLUTIONS. THERE are moments in the life of every man when he is compelled to look back upon the past; when even the best must lament the unfruitfulness and errors, in which they have lived; their neglect of important duties, their indulgence of favourite sins. These seasons of recollection generally occur either at the close commencement of some great division of life, or when some strong excitement has roused us from our careless ness, or the very excess of our errors has forced us to reflection Dangerous indeed is the state of that man, with whom such reflections are not followed by resolutions of amendment. Yet who has not found how often these have been broken, his best-formed plans for improvement been forgotten, and have left scarce any impression but disappointment for his failure, and shame that he has been so unfaithful? One reason why we are so faithless to our sincerest resolutions is, that we can not be persuaded that a promise made to ourselves can be so sacred as one made to our neighbour. We think we may deceive ourselves, because none but - ourselves are injured; we can see no treachery and therefore feel but little compunction; forgetting that in a solemn resolution we silently call God to witness, and make the great searcher of hearts a partner with our consciences; forgetting that our holy purposes are registered on high in characters of light, and if broken, will appear against us at the great judgment day, as evidences that we have not sinned through ignorance. Another reason why resolutions are so often broken is, that they are generally formed in moments of great excite ment, whether of grief and penitence, or of enthusiastic emulation. At such times we suf fer our warmest feelings to drive away sober thought, and forget to compare the ease of making with the difficulty of keeping our promises. Filled with a self approving ardour, we think we shall press forward with all the zeal, which animates us. We look not for a moment to the obstructions we must encounter, to the temptations we must resist, to the thousand crosses, that will chill the warmth of our feelings, and make us disgusted even with our best resolutions. Hence when these times of trial arrive we are not prepared to meet them; the seductions, they bring, are too powerful for our feeble strength, and our most solemn promises are broken one after another, till we almost despair of our virtue. Instead therefore, of reserving our emotions of piety and goodness for hours of seclusion and retirement, would we but mingle them with all the occupations and enjoyments of life; associating them with all our pleasures, recollecting that upon such a foundation ! can be raised the highest and purest happiness even in this life; that cheerfulness and gaiety may here rest in innocent security-that even fancy may here scatter her flowers, and find an added beauty; would we but remember that religion is not merely for the closet; that we need not wait for retirement or silence to form or renew the holiest resolutions; we should find it more easy to be faithful to our Saviour and ourselves; we should find, that we might eat and drink, enjoy even anima! pleasures, and yet, "do all for the glory of God." To the mind of religious sensibility, to the conscience, that keeps itself alive to reflection, such repeated instances of the treachery of our best purposes, is a source of bitter suffering. Disappointment and self reproach, shame for our weakness, penitence for our guilt in offending a Holy God, are the feelings, which divide the soul. We sce our sacred resolutions broken, and we lose that respect and confidence in ourselves, those precious companions of inward peace, which it is the necessary tendency of every act of unfaithfulness to destroy. Yet let us pot despair. The habit of making resolutions, even though they may be often broken, is certainly useful. It keeps us alive to self examination; it humbles our pride, reminds us of our weakness, and leads us to seek for heavenly aid. It gives fervour to our prayers, vigour to our endeavours, and watchfulness to our lives. When frequently and sincerely repeated, imploring at the same time the help of God's holy spirit, we may trust that they will be made effectual; for however frail they are, when sincere, we may believe them the su'e pledges of that humble and contrite heart, to which is promised the favour of Heav en. We have said that the habit of making resolutions was of great use, as reminding us of our weakness, and leading us to seek for heavenly grace. It is this grace, which must give efficacy to our endeavours. It is this, which alone can change our hearts, can turn our weakness to strength, our corruption to purity, our resolves to actions, our imperfect obedience to an holy and spiritual life Let us implore its sacred influence, and humbly trusting on that gracious promise of the Saviour that, "if we seek we shall find," let us guard with care these precious blossoms of our virtue, which, though they should be blasted by the tempests of the world, God will not suffer to perish, but will transplant them with us to a more congenial soil, where they will bring forth fruit to everlasting life. |