call them constitutions? Are the rules of the House of Representatives in Congress, the constitution of the house; or is the house constituted by the constitution of the nation? The use of such a word in such a connection is only fitted to mislead. It is a fundamental principle of the liberty of a church, that its only constitution is the Bible.

2. These views guard us against some not uncommon errors, respecting the nature and design of the written confessions of faith commonly used in our churches, at the public admission of members. They are not designed as standards, by which men are to be tried for heresy. This is one great use of confessions of faith in some other churches. There, when a charge of error in doctrine is preferred, the question is not whether the opinion charged as erroneous contradicts the Bible, but whether it contradicts the standard, to wit, the confession of faith. the matter may be debated in an ecclesiastical body for days and weeks, while no man dares to inquire what does the Bible mean, because the only question to be settled is, what does the confession of faith mean. But in our churches there is no such thing. Here questions respecting truth and error in religious doctrine, are to be tried by the law and the testimony alone. A Congregational church, as it has no constitution but the Bible, has no standard but the oracles

And

of God. And if any other churches think they have a better standard, let them show if they can, wherein ours is insufficient.

Nor are these documents to be regarded as exhibiting all that the churches using them believe, or even all that they hold as of primary importance. There is not one among our churches, which does not regard the christian sabbath as an institution of divine authority, and essential to the prosperity and perpetuity, if not to the existence of religion; there is not one which would not regard the rejection or violation of this institution by a church-member as a misdemeanor calling for immediate and most decided censure; and yet I do not remember ever to have seen in one of these common professions of faith, any recognition of the doctrine of the sabbath.

Do you ask then, What is the use and meaning of these articles? I answer, Every man who makes a public profession of religion, must in some way make a public profession of faith in Christ and his gospel. This he may do either in his own words, or in the words of an instrument or writing drawn for the purpose by some other person. He may do it in a few words, or he may do it in many words. It ought to be done in such words and so many, as will make the act of profession most distinct, intelligible and impressive. It is convenient there

fore, not to say necessary, that each should have some appropriate form of words, by which those received into communion may intelligently and solemnly profess their belief of the christian religion.*

3. These views show what is the nature and use of a written church covenant. A church is instituted, by the members thereof agreeing to walk together, in obedience to the gospel, watching over and helping each other as brethren. This agreement may be expressed in words, or it may be implied, as in the churches of the Episcopal order, and in those of various other denominations, by their voluntarily submitting to some instituted form of church discipline, and statedly communing together in worship and in ordinances. But there is an obvious propriety in forming such a relation by means of some visible contract, and some solemn act of agreement. In the Congregational churches of England and Scotland, if I am rightly informed, the agreement is express and solemn, yet without any form of words the candidate is introduced into a meeting of the brotherhood; is examined respecting his religious belief and experience; is received by vote, if the examination is approved; and then the transaction is closed, by the members

Note A.

present giving him their right hands in sign of their fraternal recognition. But in our churches, the agreement of the members to walk together in church fellowship, is exhibited in that written document called the covenant, to which the members publicly express their assent at the organization of the church, and to which each member that is afterwards added, assents with like solemnities. In other words, the written covenant, like the written profession of faith, is a form. As the one is a form in which the candidate for church membership, expresses his belief in God, in the Lord Jesus, and in the great truths of the gospel; so the other is a form in which he expresses his vows and engagements to serve God, to trust and follow the Savior, and to walk with the church in all the duties of christian brotherhood. 4. These views illustrate what we may call the republicanism of christianity.

The gospel in its doctrines is a mighty leveler. Like its author, it respects not the persons of princes; but to the monarch and the slave it addresses the same charges of guilt, and offers the same forgiveness, and the same hope of immortality. So far as it gains its appropriate influence over men, it makes them feel that they are all alike. Just so, in its institutions, it puts all men on a level, and carefully respects the rights of all. It leads every man to think for himself. and bids every man act for himself.

It

guards against priestcraft and spiritual domination, by the institution of churches with distinct independent and inalienable rights. It is this apostolic constitution, deciding that each church shall by the action of its members choose its own officers, decide on the admission of new members, and judge in respect to the excision of offenders-which has been the very root of the republican habits and republican intelligence of New England.

Stand fast then in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free. Stand fast in asserting the rights of the churches, as invaluable as they are inalienable. Stand for the right of each church to choose it own officers, the right of each church to decide by its free vote who shall be added to its communion, and the right of each church to determine who shall be excluded as unworthy. No matter who may be the men, or what the body of men, that would take these rights away

-no matter by what venerable names they may be called-no matter by what beautiful theories of good government, or by what immemorial traditions they may attempt to sustain their claims-remember-I would say it to all the churches-remember that while these rights are yours to enjoy, they are not yours to surrender. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free.