Fellowship of the churches, maintained by the fathers of N. E.

The mutual relation and the fellowship of the churches, was strenuously maintained by the fathers of New England. They abhorred any such independency, as excused

which existed among the churches previous to the more perfect organization of the Congregational churches, by the synod of 1648. "We may see," says Gov. Hutchinson, "something of the relation the churches considered themselves in, one to another, before the platform of 1647 [1648?] by the following letter from the church in Salem to the church in Dorchester.

"Salem 1st, 5 mo. 39.

"Rev. and dearly beloved in the Lord. We thought it our bounden duty to acquaint you with the names of such persons as have had the great censure passed upon them in this our church, with the reasons thereof, beseeching you in the Lord, not only to read their names in yours, but also to give us the like notice of any dealt with in like manner by you, that so we may walk towards them accordingly; for some of us, here, have had communion ignorantly, with some of other churches, 2 Thess. 3: 14. We can do no less than have such noted as disobey the truth. Roger Williams and his wife, These wholly refused to John Throgmorton and his wife, hear the church, denying it, Thomas Olney and his wife, and all the churches in the Stukely Westcot and his wife, Bay, to be true churches, and Mary Holiman and widow Reeves, J (except two) are all rebaptized. "John Elford, for obstinacy, after divers sins he stood guilty of and proved by witness.

"William James, for pride and divers other evils, in which he remained obstinate.

"John Tolby, for much pride and unnaturalness to his wife, who was lately executed for murdering her child.

"William Walcot, for refusing to bring his children to the ordinances, neglecting willingly family duties, etc.

“Thus, wishing the continued enjoyment of both the staves, beauty and bands, and that your souls may flourish as watered gardens, rest,

Yours in the Lord Jesus,

HUGH PETERS, by the church's orders and in their name."

Concluding Remarks.

a church from giving account of itself-its doctrines and its practice to all in fellowship with it. And this feature of the system, has been tenaciously held by all consistent Congregationalists, to the present time.

I have now finished an enumeration and brief explanation of those doctrines relating to church polity which are believed, the most essential doctrines of the orthodox Congregationalists of New England. There is, upon these several points, a very general, if not an entire agreement among us; with the exceptions which have been noticed. There may be, it is true, even allowed deviations from these Congregational doctrines, in the practice of individual churches; arising from ignorance or disregard of our polity; but intelligent and consistent Congregationalists admit, practice, and most cordially approve of all the doctrines which have now been considered.

These were the doctrines which the fathers of New England so fondly loved and cherished; and in the maintenance of which, they endured persecution in their native land, the perils of the ocean, and the privations and hardships of the wilderness.*

* The sentiments of our fathers are well expressed in the following extract from "The Magnalia :”

"I have heard," says Cotton Mather," an aged saint near his death, cheerfully thus express himself: 'Well, I am going to heaven, and will there tell the faithful, who are gone long since from New England, thither, that though they who gathered our churches are all dead and gone, yet the churches are yet alive, with as numerous flocks of Christians as were ever among them.' "If," adds the pious historian," he could, in every respect, say, as gracious, what joy unto all the saints in heaven and in earth, might be from thence occasioned!" Vol. I. p. 83.

Why the fathers of N. England loved Congregationalism.

It was not, however, their love of rites, and forms, and ceremonies, in the worship of God; it was not their attachment to any one mode, in itself considered, that made them so willing to sacrifice the endearments of home, and the enjoyments of cultivated society; but, it was their love for the church of Christ, the welfare of which they considered identified with the maintenance of Congregationalism, it was this that brought them hither. They loved pure religion; and regarding Congregationalism as best adapted to propagate, and maintain the institutions of religion in their purity, they cherished this system with self-denying, self-sacrificing fondness. It was not the casket itself which they so much valued; but the casket, as a necessary protection to the pearl of great price which it contained. It was not the form of godliness, which they so much admired; but the power, which accompanied that form. In a word, it was not Congregationalism in itself considered, which our fathers so devotedly loved and cherished; but Congregationalism as the form of church government which Christ had fixed upon as best adapted to promote the interests of his kingdom and the glory of his name.

While, therefore, we approve, and even admire the fair model of a Christian church which our fathers have constructed in this New World, let us not forget the spirit which of old dwelt in the New England churches. And never forget, that it will be in vain that we cry : "The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord are these!" if the presence of the Lord dwell not in his temple.

Let it never be forgotten, that Congregationalism is a spiritual system of church government. It is designed for, and adapted to spiritual persons; those who have been

Congregationalism, a spiritual system.

taught, and are now led by the Spirit. Its strength and permanence depend on the spirituality of those who adopt it. It controls them by no other power than that which is moral; it inflicts no other pains and penalties. It can live and prosper only in the smiles of heaven. Without the Divine presence our churches cannot be governed. Without this, they must fall to pieces, or they must dwindle away and die. Of all denominations we are most entirely cast upon Providence. Without Christ we can do nothing.

These facts, while they furnish strong presumptive evidence of the correctness of our principles and doctrines relating to church polity, suggest a powerful argument to the mind of every Congregationalist, why he should be holy-why he should labor to promote the holiness of all

about him.