to the christian preacher or pastor, some peculiar priestly power; that his prayers must needs have, by virtue of his sacred office, some special efficacy; that his presence, and his voice, and his hand uplifted to bless, are ever accompanied with some mysterious energy. Taking advantage of this superstitious feeling so natural to the untaught and unthinking mind, men have gradually reared the whole fabric of popery. The idea of a priesthood standing between God and the people, as the authorized and only channel of God's favor, and holding in their hands the keys of life and death, is the very corner-stone of that spiritual Sodom. And how much that idea, and everything kindred to it, is at war with the genius and spirit of christianity, I need not attempt to show you. Keep your own mind clear from the infection of all such feelings.*

*Note B.

CHAPTER III.

Ordinances and Ceremonies.

"Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them." Acts, xx, 7.

THE objects for which churches were instituted have been stated. (1.) Without some visible association of Christ's disciples, there could be no visible or permanent existence of christianity as a distinct religion. (2.) By the institution of churches, the social principles of human nature are brought to bear on the promotion of christian piety. (3.) Churches are associations for the mutual benefit of the members. (4.) By means of this institution, this visible brotherhood of them that believe, christians are enabled to operate more efficiently on the world around them. Accordingly, and as connected with all these objects, it enters radically into the idea of a church, that it is an association for communion in all the ordinances of christian worship, instruction, and edification. What are these ordinances? is the inquiry now proposed. And here, as in respect to the matters heretofore considered, our appeal must needs be to the scriptures; for there is the only authority. The question is, what religious institutions and ceremonies were observed as of divine authority, in the churches founded by the

apostles? This comprehensive question may be examined in several divisions.

I. What days were set apart for religious uses? I answer.

1. From the beginning, even from the time of Christ's resurrection, the first day of the week was observed as a religious day among all christians. Of this we have ample proof in the New Testament, and out of it. On the sabbath or seventh day of the week, the apostles, and the Jewish christians generally, joined with their countrymen in the worship of the synagogue. But on the first day of the week, which in memory of their Savior's triumph over death they called the Lord's day, they had their own worship in their own places of assembling. Of this I need recite but one example. Paul, though in great haste to arrive at Jerusalem, must needs stay at Troas seven days, evidently waiting for the stated full assembly of the christians of that neighborhood. On the first day of the week, the disciples came together, and he preached to them, ready to depart on the morrow. And that this first day of the week was not set apart merely as a day for religious meetings and social worship, but was regarded as a day to be observed by the christian in his solitude, will appear, I think, to be strongly intimated, by the manner in which it is mentioned in the introduction to John's apocalyptic visions. The apostle says

he "was in the spirit, on the Lord's day," when he heard the voice of him who is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and who commanded him to write those visions and send the record to the churches. Why was it on the Lord's day? Was it not because on that day, the soul of the aged and persecuted saint in his solitude, was more peculiarly alive to things invisible and eternal? Why mention that it was on the Lord's day? Why but because in all the churches that day was holy, and each disciple felt himself bound, in the words of one who lived about a century afterwards,* to "observe the Lord's day, by casting out all evil thoughts and entertaining all good ones, glorifying the resurrection of the Lord on that day?"

But had the apostolic churches no calendar of fasts and festivals? I answer,

2. The New Testament gives us no intimation of any other christian religious day. The Jewish christians, like their unconverted countrymen, observed, while the temple was yet standing, all the great festivals of the ancient dispensation, especially the Passover and Pentecost; and as the first of these festivals was connected with the death and resurrection of their Savior, and the second with the descent of the Holy Spirit, it was natural that they should gradually learn to celebrate those occasions with

* Clemens of Alexandria.

some appropriate christian solemnities. Accordingly it appears to have been the general custom, at a very early period, to celebrate the day before the last and high day of the Passover week, as a fast in memory of Christ's crucifixion, and the day following the termination of the Passover as the anniversary of Christ's resurrection; and about a hundred years after the death of the apostles, the day of Pentecost was honored, in memory of the miraculous descent of the Holy Ghost. What we call Christmas, or the supposed anniversary of Christ's nativity, was not celebrated till a much later period,-probably not till the beginning of the fourth century.

II. What were the acts of worship in which the churches united at their stated meetings on the Lord's day? The scriptures mention two, prayer and singing.

1. Paul seems to be speaking of the public worship of christians in their solemn church assemblies, when among other directions respecting church order, he says to Timothy, (1 Tim. ii. 1-8.) "I exhort that first of all," that is as a duty of primary importance, "supplications, prayers, and giving of thanks be made for all men,—for kings, and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." "I will therefore that men pray every where"-i. e. in all the christian assemblies" lifting up holy hands