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that the churches ought to preserve church communion one with another," and a variety of ways is pointed out in which this communion is to be exercised. See chap. xv. By the Synod of 1662, the communion of churches is defined to be "the faithful improvement, according to capacity and opportunity, of the gifts of Christ bestowed upon them, for his service and glory, and their mutual good and edification." The following acts of church communion are prescribed :

"I. Hearty care and prayer one for another, 2 Cor. xi. 28; Cant. viii. 8; Rom. i. 9; Col. i. 9; Eph. vi. 18.

"II. Affording relief by communication of their gifts in temporal or spiritual necessities, Rom. xv. 26, 27; Acts xi. 22-29; 2 Cor. viii. 1, xi. 14.

“III. Maintaining unity and peace, by giving an account one to another of their public actions, when it is orderly desired, Acts xi. 2, 3, 4, 18; Josh. xxi. 13, 21, 30; 1 Cor. x. 32; and strengthen ing one another in their regular administrations: as in special by a concurrent testimony against persons justly censured, Acts v. 41; xvi. 4, 5; 2 Tim. iv. 15; 2 Thess. iii. 14.

"IV. Seeking and accepting help from, and giving help unto each other in case of divisions and contentions whereby the peace of any church is disturbed, Acts xv. 2,-in matters of more than ordinary importance, as the ordination, translation, and deposition of elders, and such like, Prov. xv. 22; xxiv. 6; 1 Tim. v. 22, -in doubtful and difficult questions and controversies, doctrinal or practical, that may arise, Acts xv. 2, 6,-and in the rectifying of mal-administrations, and healing of errors and scandals, that are unhealed among themselves, Job iii. 9, 10; 1 Cor. xv. ; 2 Cor. ii. 6, 11; xii. 20, 21;

xiii. 2.

“V. Taking notice, in love and faithfulness, of the troubles and difficulties, errors, and scandals of another church, and administering help, when the case necessarily calls for it, though they should so neglect their own good and duty, as not to seek it, Exod. xxiii. 4, 5; Prov. xxiv. 11, 12.

"VI. Admonishing one another when there is need and cause for it, and after

due means with patience used, withdrawing from a church or peccant party therein, which obstinately persists in error or scandal."

In the "Heads of Agreement between Congregationalists and Presbyterians," drawn up in London in the year 1690, and assented to by the two denominations in both countries, there is an entire section" on the communion of churches." Six methods of communion are here prescribed, the last of which is as follows:

"That we are most willing and ready to give an account of our church proceedings to each other, when desired, for preventing or removing any offences that may arise among us. Likewise, we shall be ready to give the right hand of fellowship, and walk together according to the gospel rules of communion of

churches."

As early as the year 1639, the Rev. Richard Mather, father of Increase, and grandfather of Cotton Mather, wrote as follows:— "The Consociation of Churches into classes and synods, we hold to be lawful, and in some cases that are not peculiar to one church, necessary; as namely, in things but common to them all. And likewise, when a church is not able to end any matter which concerns only themselves, then they are to seek for counsel and advice from neighbour churches, as the church at Antioch did send unto the church at Jerusalem, Acts xv. 2." The sentiment here expressed, the author assures us had the approbation of Mr. Cotton and the other elders.

“ The world is much mistaken," says Dr. Increase Mather, "in supposing that Congregational churches are Independent. That name has indeed been fastened upon them by their adversaries; but our Platform of Discipline, chap. 2, sect. 5, disclaims the name. And so does our renowned Hooker in his Survey of Church Discipline."

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The very first words in the Ratio Disciplinæ Fratrum Nov-Anglorum, drawn up by Cotton Mather, and attested by his father, are these: "That the churches of New England have been orignally of the Congregational persuasion and profession is known to every one. Their Platform does expressly disclaim the name of Independent.""Mr. Samuel Mather's Apology for the Liberties of the Churches in New England," published in 1738, commences follows:-"The churches of New England are nominally and professedly Congregational. They do not approve the name of Independent, and are abhorrent from such principles of Independency as would keep them from giving an account of their matters to their brethren of neighbouring societies, regularly demanding it of them." In other parts of this Apology, the following sentiments are pressed :

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"These churches, indeed, acknowledge a Consociation of Churches for mutual light and assistance; and, as they conceive that such churches as will not act in conjunction with others, but confine their duty within the narrow limits of their own assemblies, cut themselves off from the external communion of the Catholic church; they judge also that it will not be safe or prudent for any Christian to commit his soul to the direction and con. duct of such an independent Church."

"These churches may lawfully consult with one another, and ought to do so as occasion requires; for it is very probable that other churches may be better acquainted with persons and causes than ourselves; and, therefore, their judgment and counsel ought to be required. Thus particularly, when a new church is to be gathered, or officers are to be chosen and ordained over any church, or there is some difference among the brethren about the administration of the censures of the churches, it is fit and proper to consult with neighbour churches; and neighbour churches should be ready to send their elders and other delegates to help them

with their advice and counsel."

To these testimonies from our ecclesiastical fathers, numerous others might be added of more recent date. The truth is, a communion of churches has been uniformly practised by the Orthodox of New England, and is an essential feature of the Congregational system. A member in regular standing in one of our churches, is admitted to communion in all of them. A minister, regularly inducted according to the usages of our churches, is regarded and treated as a minister, wherever he may be called to labour. In the formation of churches; in the ordination and dismission of ministers; in cases of difficulty between ministers and people, or between the different members of a church; in short, whenever, in the judgment of a church, occasion requires, it has been customary to ask the assistance of neighbouring churches, and this has been cheerfully and uniformly rendered. Nor is it left wholly to the option of churches, whether they shall seek advice and assistance in the circumstances above mentioned. So far from this," as Professor Upham remarks," if they neglect, in cases of evident necessity, to consult with neighbouring churches by way of council, it is considered as matter of just offence to them."

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I have shown already that, previous to the revolution, the communion of churches was to some extent incorporated with our laws. It may be added, that the decisions of our highest tribunals still give to it the force of law. "In

a proper case," says Chief Justice Parsons, "for the advice of an ecclesiastical council, if either party offer to the other such a council to be mutually chosen, and the other, without sufficient cause, refuse to join in the choice, the

party offering may choose an ecclesiastical council, and the advice of the council thus chosen, and acting fairly and honestly, will justify either party in adopting their result."

It should be a grateful task to the members of our churches, and to all who cherish the principles on which they are founded, to look back and compare them with those of the Apostles. The coincidences, in most points, are close and striking. There was not in the Apostles' time one great, national, universal church, swallowing up all others, and subject to the controul of a monarch, or a Pope. The churches then, as with us now, were distinct organizations. They had their individual rights, which not even Apostolical authority would invade. Still, between these individual churches, as between ours at present, there subsisted very intimate and endearing relations. They were far from practising a strict and exclusive independency. They acknowledged mutual responsibilities, and by all suitable methods maintained fellowship and com

munion one with another.

Builded thus on the sacred foundation of the Apostles, it becomes us to guard against innovations and encroachments. There is danger now, as there ever has been, on either hand. Ambition, a love of preferment, a thirst of power, once trampled on the rights of individual churches, and swallowed them up in a rapacious hierarchy. The same evil propensities remain in the human breast, and they may again attempt a similar usurpation. They need, therefore, to be watched with a

sleepless vigilance. The emancipated churches have need to be exhorted, to "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free, and never more to be entangled with the yoke of bondage."

On the other hand, the love of liberty has too often resulted in licentiousness, It has broken over the holiest barriers, and trampled on the most sacred things, turning order, harmony, and peace into confusion, anarchy and blood. The love of liberty needs therefore to be watched, and not less in matters connected with the church, than in those of the state. Under a pretended zeal for the liberty and independence of particular churches, a man may become a perfect leveller. He may adopt principles at war with the rights, and with the very existence of the churches. The bonds of union and fellowship between the different branches of the Christian community may be severed, and the plainest principles of the gospel be violated.

Our safety will be to drink deep of the spirit of the Saviour; walk closely by the venerable usages of our fathers, wherein these correspond with the rules of the Apostles; and strive together for the faith, the purity and order of the gospel. Thus our churches may be preserved to future generations

may go down in beauty and glory to Millennial scenes-and never cease, till, with all the different portions of Christ's visible kingdom, they are swallowed up at length in the general invisible church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven.

N. S. No. 85.

D

THE MOSAIC HISTORY OF THE DELUGE.

FROM the commencement of the 6th chapter of Genesis, we learn that two circumstances mainly contributed to that universal depravity which called down the judgment of the deluge, the increase of the population, and the intermarrying of the sons of God with the daughters of men. The world had now existed 1536 years, and its population was quite equal to that of the present time; for the deaths were few, and the lives long, and the period of increase as great in proportion as it is now. Cain, Adam's first-born son, had been driven out on the world, under the curse of his Maker, and his posterity seem to have all imbibed his spirit and trod in his steps, whilst the race of Seth were identified with the worship and service of the true God. Increase of population is a natural blessing; but through the depravity of men, it becomes a curse. We are made to be helpers to each other, but by sin we are become tempters of one another, drawing and being drawn into innumerable evils. This was the case in the old world. But the deluge is more particularly ascribed to the unholy intermarriages of the sons of God with the sons of men. By the sons of God, some of the Jewish Rabbis and Christian fathers understood angels, who, having the power of assuming the human form, became the parents of a race of monsters. This can only be regarded as a groundless and absurd fiction. Others have understood it of princes, judges, chiefs, alleging that these are, in some passages of the Old Testament, called gods; but this seems very arbitrary, and there is no place in which they are unequivocally

called sons of God. It is safest to adhere to the common interpretation, and understand by "the sons of God," the professing seed of Seth (comp. Job, ch. i.); and by "the daughters of man," the ungodly and idolatrous seed of Cain. Allured by the beauty of their persons, or ensnared by their blandishments, the sons of God "took them wives, of all which they chose."

There were at that time on the earth, of the seed of Cain, mighty men, men of great ambition, oppressors of their fellow men, called in the history giants. They were probably of great stature, and were tempted by their superior strength to set up for champions and heroes, and bore down all before them. The original term is a noun made from a verb, which signifies to fall; they were fallers, destroyers, who fell upon and destroyed all around them, as fellers do trees. The fruit of these forbidden unions were such men of renown, and they practised every species of violence, and filled the earth with immorality and oppression. The professors of religion were drawn from their steadfastness, by their unhallowed association with the wicked; and by rapid steps, the degeneracy of the world became universal, with the exception of one single family. Mark the affecting statement of the fact; "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Evil-evil without mixture; "only evil;”—evil, without cessation; "continually ;"

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evil from the very fountain head of action; "the imagination of the thoughts of the heart." Nor is it

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a description of certain vicious characters only, but of" man," as left to himself-and all this, GoD saw," who sees things as they are. (Fuller.) Let none of the readers of the history ever forget the apostolic declaration; "she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord."

From the occasion and the fact of the universal degeneracy of the world, we must turn to view the development of the divine character and government, which is furnished by the inspired record. The first intimation of his determination to punish is thus given; "And the LORD said, my Spirit shall not al ways strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." The entire withdrawment of divine influence was the just desert of sin in the first instance. In the riches of his mercy, however, God hath provided for its restoration to man, through the mediatorial merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. To this grace all the holiness that has existed on earth, in all ages, must be referred. On this grace, it is unceasingly dependant, and by this alone can it be promoted. The means of grace are the strivings of the Spirit. By the testimony of conscience, by the revelation of his will, by the sacrificial rites of the patriarchal dispensation, by the preaching of Enoch and Noah, God sought to bring men to repentance, and faith, and holiness. Thus we read, 1 Pet. iii. 18-20: "Christ was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; by which (Spirit) he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which some time were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing." In this threatening God declared

his intention to leave the world to itself, to its own uncontrolled depravity, in righteous retribution withdrawing his spiritual influence from man, seeing that he is "flesh," corrupt, degenerate, depraved by sin, and wholly and determinately "alienated from the life of God, by reason of the sinfulness that is in him." The case is subsequently put in another point of light: "It repented the LORD that he had made man upon the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." God cannot be the subject of repentance in the sense in which men are the subjects of it; for he is of one mind, and none can turn him." The language can denote only a change in his dispensations; there is-there can be-none in his will; an alteration of his conduct under other circumstances, but all previously determined in the counsel of his own mind. The language is employed to express, in terms familiar to the human understanding, his infinite abhorrence of man's sin, and his determination to put an end to his rebellion. To this, it is added, "And the LORD said, I will destroy man, whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowl of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.' The animal creation was made for man; he was, by the law of innocence, constituted their governor and lord; they became involved in the mischief which his sin introduced; they had become perverted and disordered like himself, and are now threatened with the same de

struction. It should be observed, however, that nothing is yet intimated as to the mode of the destruction. A space of repentance, too, was afforded; there was a respite of an hundred and twenty

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