.
 
 UCSB LIBRARY 
 
 X-ZI488
 
 PRINCIPLES AND DOCTRINES; 
 
 TESTIMONY OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY IN ITS FAVuR, 
 ITS PRACTICE, AND ITS ADVANTAGES. 
 
 BY 
 
 GEO. PUN CHARD. 
 
 WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY, 
 BY R. S. STORRS, D.D. 
 
 THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 CONGREGATIONAL BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 
 16 TREMONT TEMPLE. 
 1856.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1856, by 
 
 GEORGE PUNCIIARD, 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts 
 
 CAMBRIDGE : 
 
 ALLB* AND FABNHAM, BTEREOIYPEK3 ASD FR1XTEBS.
 
 TO 
 
 JOHN PUNCHARD, ESQ., 
 
 SALEM, MASS., 
 
 MY AGED AND REVERED PARENT, 
 
 WHOSE INSTRUCTIONS AND EXAMPLE FIRST TAUGHT ME THE VALUK 
 
 OF THE SYSTEM HERE ADVOCATED THESE PAGES ARE 
 
 RESPECTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY 
 
 DEDICATED.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 THIS work is designed to answer the inquiry, WHAT 
 is CONGREGATIONALISM IN THEORY AND IN PRAC- 
 TICE ? 
 
 It accordingly contains an exposition and discussion of 
 the fundamental PRINCIPLES of the system ; a statement 
 and defence of its more important DOCTRINES respecting 
 church order and discipline ; the testimony of ECCLESIAS- 
 TICAL HISTORY, that such for substance was the polity of 
 the Primitive Churches ; an enumeration and explanation 
 of the ecclesiastical PRACTICES of Congregationalists ; and 
 a development of some of the prominent ADVANTAGES of 
 this system over all others. 
 
 No one can be more sensible of the difficulty of execut- 
 ing such a plan, than the writer now is ; had he been 
 equally so before he undertook the task, it probably would 
 have saved him the trouble of this preface. 
 
 An apology for the work may perhaps be found in its 
 history. About three years since, the writer was appointed 
 A* (v)
 
 vi PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 by the Clerical Association of which he is a member, to 
 prepare a dissertation upon Congregationalism. This he 
 was requested to publish ; but, though the result of con- 
 siderable reading and reflection, it was regarded by him as 
 too immature to be offered to the public. A renewal of the 
 request of the Association at their next meeting, induced 
 the author to re-write the essay and to preach the substance 
 of it to the people of his charge. The unsolicited opinion 
 of intelligent parishioners, who were ignorant of the doings 
 of the Association, led to the belief that the substance of 
 the discourses might prove acceptable to the denomination 
 generally. A revision was accordingly begun. This re- 
 vision led to a further examination of authorities, a multi- 
 plication of topics, a more extended range of discussion, 
 and ultimately, to the decision to submit this volume to the 
 judgment of the public. 
 
 The work has been written, not for the wise, nor for 
 those exactly who are simple ; but, mainly, for that large 
 class of persons who occupy the intermediate space between 
 the learned and the ignorant. 
 
 The English reader will occasionally find a word or 
 phrase in Latin or Greek; but rarely unaccompanied by 
 a translation, and never, it is believed, in such a position as 
 to break the sense of the sentence. 
 
 It is no part of the author's plan to make war on other 
 denominations : yet, he has felt constrained to speak freely, 
 though it is hoped kindly, of those from whom he differs. 
 
 That he has fallen into no errors, in a work so abounding 
 in distinct and controverted topics, is, perhaps, more than 
 can be reasonably expected ; but, he has certainly used his
 
 PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. V1J 
 
 utmost care to avoid mistakes. The opinions expressed in 
 these pages may possibly be somewhat modified by further 
 investigation and reflection ; but as they now appear, they 
 are not the offspring of haste, nor, it is confidently be- 
 lieved, of mere prejudice. 
 
 The Appendix contains numerous articles of considerable 
 importance to the illustration of the general subject of Con- 
 gregationalism. 
 
 Adopting the language of the learned and excellent 
 Samuel Mather, in his " Apology for the Liberties of the 
 Churches in New England," the author commends his 
 labors to the favor of the churches and to the blessing of 
 God : " I am far from assuming any thing of authority to 
 myself in the following sheets. If I have collected the 
 sense of others right, and well epitomized their thoughts, 
 which are variously dispersed, and reduced them to a clear 
 and natural order, I shall think it sufficient." 
 
 PLYMOUTH, N. H., July, 1840.

 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 IN publishing a second edition of this little work, the 
 author would first express his grateful acknowledgments for 
 the unexpected kindness and favor with which the first 
 edition was received. And as the best return that he can 
 make for this, he has endeavored to render the present 
 edition more deserving of public confidence and regard. 
 To this end, it has been thoroughly revised, and large por- 
 tions of it entirely re-written ; the range of discussion has 
 been considerably extended, and the number of distinct 
 topics multiplied ; the usages of our churches have been 
 more particularly detailed ; a number of new forms of letters 
 missive, etc., have been inserted, and the most approved 
 modes of transacting ecclesiastical business more distinctly 
 described. The whole amount of new matter which has 
 been thus added, is equal to about one third of the entire 
 volume. 
 
 It is hoped that the book will now be found a guide, both 
 
 safe and complete, however humble, to all that pertains to 
 
 (ix)
 
 X PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 the principles, doctrines, and practice of the Congregational 
 denomination. 
 
 That the blessing of the great Head of the Church may 
 attend this, and every effort to awaken and enlighten the 
 public mind respecting the nature and design of a Christian 
 church is the heart's desire and prayer to God of the 
 author. 
 
 November 3, 1843.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE THIRD EDITION. 
 
 AT the request of the Congregational Board of Publi- 
 cation, the author has carefully revised this work ; re- 
 written portions of it; and he thinks, somewhat increased 
 its value as a book of reference on the subject of church 
 polity. 
 
 BOSTON, July 22, 1856. 
 
 (xi)
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 FA OX 
 
 INTRODUCTORY NOTICE, BY REV. R. S. STORRS, D. D. . xiii 
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON CHURCH POLITY, AND THE INFLU- 
 ENCES ADVERSE TO THE GROWTH OF CONGREGATIONALISM 
 
 IN NEW ENGLAND . 1 
 
 PART I. 
 PRINCIPLES OF CONGREGATIONALISM 17 
 
 PART II. 
 DOCTRINES OF CONGREGATIONALISM 69 
 
 PART III. 
 
 TESTIMONY OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY IN FAVOR OF CON- 
 GREGATIONALISM ......... 133 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE OF CONGREGATIONALISTS . . 183 
 
 PART V. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF CONGREGATIONALISM ..... 233 
 B (xiii)
 
 XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 CONTAINING FORMS OF LETTERS MISSIVE, LETTERS OF DIS- 
 MISSION AND EECOMMENDATION, NOTES, CHURCH COV- 
 ENANT, ETC 305 
 
 INDEX. 
 To THE PRINCIPAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THE WORK . . 353 

 
 INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 
 
 IT is a matter of devout congratulation, that, among the 
 friends of Congregationalism, the scriptural polity of the 
 church is now becoming the subject of more serious and 
 thorough investigation, than for many bygone years. Un- 
 happily, it has been too long regarded as a matter of insuffi- 
 cient importance to engage the earnest attention of the 
 churches, if not also as positively interfering with the pros- 
 perity of religion ; nor is it too much to affirm, that an 
 overweening confidence has been reposed in the common- 
 sense, the sound judgment, and sterling piety of the Con- 
 gregational churches, as insuring to them, in perpetuity, a 
 system of government, so strongly recommended by the 
 purity of its principles, the clearness of its doctrines, the 
 simplicity of its rules, and the consonance of its spirit with 
 the meek breathings of the gospel. But the day of slum- 
 ber is passing away. Our invaluable religious immunities 
 are coming again to be rightly appreciated. The spirit of 
 Puritanic times is reviving. The labors accomplished, and 
 the sufferings endured by our fathers in defence of a scrip- 
 
 (XV)
 
 Xvi INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 
 
 tural organization and discipline of the churches, are re- 
 membered with increasing veneration and gratitude ; and 
 the solemn question, ' What will the Lord have us to do,' 
 for the maintenance of the primitive " order of the gospel,' 
 is agitated with an earnestness, and to an extent, that has 
 called forth prompt and able responses from several of the 
 watchmen on the walls of Zion. UPHAM and POND, 
 BACON and MITCHELL not to mention others have 
 successfully devoted a portion of their strength to the en- 
 lightenment of the public mind, and the revival of the bet- 
 ter days of New England Congregationalism, when the 
 Mathers, and Cottons, and Wises, stood forth as its ex- 
 pounders and defenders. But there remaineth much land 
 yet to be possessed. Ignorance, fanaticism, and superstition, 
 are not yet driven from the field. Other leaders of the 
 " sacramental host " are called for by the exigencies of the 
 times. They can hardly be multiplied too much. The 
 energies of the churches need to be aroused and judiciously 
 directed, if the hopes of the fathers and the aims of their 
 most enlightened sons are ever to be accomplished. The 
 appearance of every new and skilful champion in this 
 cause, will therefore be hailed with pleasure. The field 
 before him is wide. To retain what has been already 
 gained, demands great firmness and prudence. To make 
 further conquests, aad secure them against future intrusion, 
 requires high resolve and heroic courage. Antagonistical 
 principles are everywhere to be met and combated ; and 
 their defenders, relying on that love of variety and change 
 which is wrought so deeply into the constitution of man, 
 press onward with bold hearts, and confident expectation of
 
 INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. XV11 
 
 establishing themselves in possession of the same ground 
 once covered exclusively with the trophies of Congrega- 
 tional and evangelical achievement. Their efforts are com- 
 mensurate with their hopes. Their pulpits abound with 
 earnest discussions their presses teem with elaborate argu- 
 ments their measures are all conceived and carried out 
 with an address that indicates a determination to put to 
 flight the imperfectly organized, and unmarshalled hosts of 
 Congregationalism. Nor are they to be blamed for their 
 conscientious adherence to principles they believe to be 
 scriptural, nor for any honorable efforts they make to extend 
 those principles. Their consistency is worthy of honor 
 and more than that of imitation. Would that the friends 
 of Congregationalism might emulate their zeal, and furnish 
 to the world equally bright examples of devotedness, in 
 defence of their distinguishing views of church polity. 
 But how rarely, in point of fact, is " the order, the disci- 
 pline, and the worship of the church," discussed in a Con- 
 gregational pulpit ! How long the term of years, in which 
 no volume came from the press, explaining and vindicating 
 the principles, doctrines, and usages of our churches ! 
 How few, jejune, and powerless are the measures that have 
 been adopted to secure the influence of those principles 
 over any portion of the public mind ! There is a reason 
 assigned for this ; but is it defensible ? If the weightier 
 matters of the law may not be omitted, are we justified in 
 neglecting to pay our tithes of the mint, anise, and cum- 
 in ? If the great doctrines and duties of vital godliness 
 are of paramount importance, are the doctrines and duties 
 involved in the scriptural regulation of the churches of no
 
 xviil INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 
 
 importance at all? Let every thing have its appropriate 
 place in the church of the living God ! True it will not 
 be inquired in the day of judgment ' belonged you to this 
 denomination or that were you an Episcopalian, a Pres- 
 byterian, or a Congregationalist ? ' but will not the amount 
 of individual spirituality, and usefulness, be inquired after ? 
 and is there no intimate connection between the improve- 
 ment of the heart, and the observance of the most scrip- 
 tural form of church government and discipline ? It is the 
 firm conviction of many, that the symmetry and perfection 
 of the Christian's character depend in no slight degree, on 
 his acquaintance with the teachings of the Holy Spirit on 
 " the order of God's house," and his obedience thereto. 
 And it is under this conviction, that I cheerfully venture a 
 compliance with the suggestion of the beloved and respected 
 author of the following pages, to associate my own name 
 with his, by this brief introductory notice, in an earnest en- 
 forcement of the claims of this subject, on the renewed and 
 prayerful attention of the whole body of Congregational 
 ministers and churches. The volume has evidently been 
 prepared with great care and labor. It embodies in a suc- 
 cinct form, and in regular order, the distinguishing features 
 of Congregationalism, as hitherto received by the great 
 body of our denomination, whether in our own or other 
 lands ; and discriminates fairly between this and other sys- 
 tems of ecclesiastical government, that claim, like it, the 
 Holy Scriptures as their basis. It is a work well adapted 
 to the existing wants of the Congregational community, and 
 conducted throughout in a spirit of candor and faithfulness 
 that all must admire, whether or not they approve of the
 
 INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. XIX 
 
 conclusions at which it arrives. Its highly popular form of 
 discussion, its simple yet elegant style, together with its 
 studied brevity and fulness, recommend it strongly to the 
 widest circulation. 
 
 Finally, if Congregationalism finds much to commend it, 
 in its consonance with the genius of Christianity, and with 
 the design of Revelation to place all men on an equality of 
 rights and privileges before God, and lead them to look 
 beyond all forms, and penetrate the mysteries of godli- 
 ness it finds not a little additional commendation to us, in 
 the fact that it stood approved to the judgment of the 
 Fathers of New England, men of whom the old world was 
 not worthy, and of whom the new world thinks not highly 
 enough men of learning, zeal, and self-sacrificing devo- 
 tion men who boldly threw off from them the manacles 
 of religious despotism, and every shred of the false faith 
 protected by it, pushing to the utmost their researches into 
 the oracles of God, and receiving his testimony without 
 equivocation or demur, even at the cost of expatriation and 
 the loss of all the pleasures of kindred and home. We 
 honor their memory, we hold fast to the inheritance they 
 bequeathed us, and sell not our birthright for the " mess of 
 pottage." 
 
 RICHARD S. STORRS. 
 BKAINTEEE, July 20, 1840.
 
 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 
 
 GOD has always had in this apostate world "a 
 seed " to serve him. This seed has been variously 
 called " the Sons of God " " the People of God " 
 "the Church of God" "the Church, or the body 
 of Christ." In order to serve God more efficiently, 
 his people have always had some visible organiza- 
 tion, and have been subjected to some rules of order, 
 discipline, and worship, varying with the different 
 circumstances and necessities of the Church and the 
 world. To these rules we give the general name of 
 CHURCH POLITY. 
 
 The polity of the Patriarchal Churches partook of 
 the simplicity of that age, and was adapted to the 
 migratory habits of those pious nomades. The fam- 
 ily of each believing patriarch was a sort of congre- 
 gational church. The head of the family was its 
 prophet and priest : he announced the revealed pur- 
 poses of heaven, he gave religious instruction, exer- 
 cised godly discipline commanding his children 
 and his household to keep the way of the Lord, and 
 
 1 (i)
 
 2 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 to do justice and judgment and officiated at the 
 family altar, presenting sacrifices, and offering prayers 
 to the Most High God.* Such appears to have 
 been the Patriarchal Polity : and but for the grow- 
 ing wickedness of man, it might, for aught that we 
 can see, have continued for substance to the present 
 day.f 
 
 In the days of Enos there may have been some 
 modification of this family-church order. We are 
 told that " then began men to call upon the name of 
 the Lord," Gen. 4 : 26 ; or, as the margin reads, 
 " then began men to be called by the name of the 
 Lord." At this period of the world, family religion 
 may have so far degenerated, as to have made it 
 necessary for the pious members of different house- 
 holds to separate themselves from their irreligious 
 kindred and to meet together in order to worship 
 God. But, notwithstanding this attempt to revive 
 religion, iniquity continued to abound, until the 
 " holy seed " was found only in the family of Noah 
 perhaps in Noah alone. After the Flood, the 
 Church of God was reduced to the family order 
 again ; and the world began anew. But human 
 nature remained unaltered : and, for the greater se- 
 curity of the "godly seed," God chose the family 
 of Abram ; called them from their native land and 
 their idolatrous kindred; made a covenant with 
 them ; and instituted the rite of circumcision. This 
 
 * Compare Gen. 4: 3-5. 8: 20-22. 12: 7, 8. 13: 3-5. 14: 14, 
 18-20. 15: 17: 18: 19. 20: 7. 26: 24, 25. 27: 26-40. 35: 1-15. 
 49: 1-28. Job 1: 1-5. 
 
 f Sec Eom. 16: 5. Col. 4: 15. Philemon 2.
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 3 
 
 family-church was thus strongly guarded against the 
 corrupting influences of the age, and its continuance 
 as a pure church of God rendered more secure. 
 The households of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob 
 all appear in sacred history as religious communities 
 churches assembling together and worshipping 
 God under the direction of their respective heads, 
 and" in conformity with the established rites and 
 order of the Abrahamic Church. 
 
 It had long been the revealed purpose of God, to 
 set apart from all the nations of the earth the de- 
 scendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as the de- 
 positaries of his truth as his visible Church in the 
 world. When the time for the accomplishment of 
 this purpose had arrived, and Jehovah was about to 
 remove his chosen people to the promised land, there 
 to be settled compactly as an agricultural people, he 
 saw fit to re-organize his Church, and to adapt it to 
 its new position. To prevent his people from amal- 
 gamating with the surrounding nations, and to ac- 
 complish his purposes of truth and mercy in and 
 through them, he gave the Israelites " ordinances of 
 divine service," as remarkable for their number and 
 minuteness as the previous ordinances had been for 
 their extreme simplicity.* 
 
 These ordinances had their designed effect, in 
 making the Israelites a separate and peculiar people. 
 But, as the nation degenerated in its religious char- 
 acter, these outward rites and ceremonies were per- 
 verted from their intended use, and came at length 
 
 * See Exodus, Chaps, xxv-xxx. Lev. Chaps, i-vii. xxi-xxvii. 
 1 Chron. xxii-2 Chron. vii.
 
 4 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 to be regarded as constituting the very substance of 
 true religion, instead of being but " a shadow of good 
 things to come, and not the very image of the things." 
 Thus it was when Christ appeared in the world: 
 the professed people of God had wellnigh lost all 
 the power of religion in their devotion to its forms. 
 
 There seems to have been, however, a prevail- 
 ing belief, that the Messiah might introduce some 
 changes into the existing institutions and ordinances 
 of religion. Accordingly, upon the introduction of 
 Christianity, men were taught that the old dispen- 
 sation was but a type and shadow of the new ; that 
 its significant rites and ceremonies were intended to 
 point the mind towards a dispensation in which 
 the shadow should be exchanged for the substance, 
 the type for the anti-type. It was announced by 
 the Divine Author of Christianity, that the hour 
 was coming, yea and then was, when, neither in 
 the mountain of Samaria, nor in Jerusalem alone, 
 should men worship the Father acceptably : or, in 
 other words, that the true worshippers of God were 
 no longer to be confined to any of the existing 
 forms and rites of religious service ; the grand de- 
 sideratum of acceptable worship being spirituality 
 and truth. See John 4 : 23-26. In accordance 
 with this doctrine, the private house, the open 
 field, the lake shore, were all made places of public 
 worship by Christ and his apostles, with relig- 
 ious forms remarkable chiefly for their entire sim- 
 plicity. 
 
 The order and discipline of the first Christian 
 Church were extremely simple. The same is true 
 of all those churches which were erected by the
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 5 
 
 apostles and their fellow laborers. They were all 
 copies of the Divine original at Jerusalem. But, 
 when the fervency of their first love had subsided, 
 and outward peace and prosperity had softened and 
 ungirt the spirits of Christians, then worldliness and 
 ambition rapidly undermined the apostolic polity 
 of the churches, and erelong built upon the ruins 
 there'of a splendid hierarchy, of materials partly 
 Jewish and partly Pagan. Doctrinal errors and 
 unchristian practices followed in the train and paved 
 the way for the Man of Sin." 
 
 The establishment of the tyrannous polity of 
 Rome was succeeded by a dreary night of a thou- 
 sand years. 
 
 At the dawn of the Lutheran Reformation, the 
 constitution of the church attracted much less atten- 
 tion than the gross religious errors, and the infamous 
 superstitions of Romanism. And so engrossed were 
 the Reformers in purifying the church of these evils, 
 that they overlooked for a time, the sources through 
 which many of these evils had entered the church. 
 If the connection between a pure and simple church 
 order and a sound religious faith and practice oc- 
 curred to them, they acted upon the common prin- 
 ciple, of reforming the greatest abuses first; leaving 
 the lesser ones for after consideration. An apology 
 for their course was found in the ignorance and pre- 
 judices of the common people, and the fear of fanat- 
 ical excesses.* 
 
 * See Luther's Tract on the regulation of the external matters 
 of the churches. Milner, Century 16th, ch. 8. 
 
 The regulations respecting the constitution, government, form 
 1*
 
 6 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 There was, perhaps, another more serious imped- 
 iment to a thorough reform : I refer to the connec- 
 tion of the Church with the State. The Reformers 
 were more or less dependent on the princes and 
 nobles of this world ; and these are generally the last 
 men to desire simplicity in the order and worship of 
 the church. Whether, indeed, those princes who 
 favored the Reformation would have countenanced 
 a reform in doctrine and morals even, had this been 
 connected with a thorough reformation in church 
 polity, is -very doubtful. WicklifYe, the pioneer of the 
 Reformation, seems to have lost the support of his 
 prince and of the nobility when he started senti- 
 ments which countenanced such a reformation. 
 And whether Luther would have succeeded in his 
 labors without the protection of Frederic, the Elec- 
 tor of Saxony ; whether the Reformation in Eng- 
 land could have been carried so far, without the con- 
 currence of Henry VIII. and Edward VI. ; whether 
 what was done could have been accomplished except 
 by the cooperation of these princes, without an 
 entire overturn of then- respective governments, is 
 very improbable. However this may be, one thing 
 seems evident, that while these princes supported 
 the Reformers in their partial labors, they held them 
 back from a thorough and radical reform of the 
 Church from reinstating it in its primitive sim- 
 plicity, and independency of the State. 
 
 and mode of public worship in the Lutheran Church were not 
 drawn up until 1527. Mosheim, Vol. III. p. 39, 40, Harper's 
 Edition. 
 
 The Reformation may be said to have commenced as early as 
 1517. The German Liturgy was not, however, completed until 
 1 543. Mackenzie's Life of Calvin, p. 77.
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 7 
 
 In republican Switzerland, however, the Reforma- 
 tion was more of a popular movement : the people 
 were consulted, and they acted ; and their ecclesias- 
 tical rights were more fully restored, and the refor- 
 mation of the church was more thorough than in 
 Germany or in England.* 
 
 It was not generally until men began to experi- 
 ence" the extreme difficulty of preserving purity of 
 doctrine and practice under worldly and unscrip- 
 tural establishments, that their thoughts were turned 
 earnestly towards a reformation in the general polity 
 of the church. The philosophy of the connection 
 between church order and church purity seems not 
 to have attracted much attention prior to the latter 
 part of the sixteenth century. Yet this is remarkable, 
 since all previous history had shown, that a simple 
 form of ecclesiastical government and purity of 
 religious faith and practice had ever been intimately 
 associated. 
 
 The English Puritans, if not the discoverers of 
 this connection, were the men who acted most fully 
 upon the discovery. The religious ancestors of the 
 Congregationalists of New England, of all men who 
 ever lived, had, perhaps, most occasion to study 
 church polity in all its connections and bearings. 
 Thrown out of the church which they regarded as 
 
 * D'Aubigne, in his elegant History of the Reformation, says : 
 "Luther had restored the Bible to the Christian community 
 Zwingle went further he restored their rights. This is a char- 
 acteristic feature of the Reformation in Switzerland. The main- 
 tenance of sound doctrine was intrusted, under God, to the people ; 
 and recent events have shown that the people can discharge that 
 trust better than the priests or the pontiffs." Vol. III. p. 251.
 
 8 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 the mother of them all; driven to a land of stran- 
 gers ; left to begin the world anew, and to decide 
 what form of ecclesiastical government they would 
 adopt ; being men of piety, and learning, and expe- 
 rience; familiar with the Scriptures, and well read 
 in the history of the world; conversant with the 
 treasures of antiquity with the writings of the 
 Fathers and with classic authors ; having had great 
 experience of the workings of an ecclesiastical estab- 
 lishment in their native land, and having, while in 
 Holland, opportunities to examine ihe polity of the 
 Reformed Churches on the Continent; and feeling 
 the deep responsibility of laying aright the religious 
 foundations of a new world : under such circum- 
 stances it was natural, it was unavoidable, that the 
 constitution, discipline, and worship of the church 
 should arrest, and fix, and for a time all but absorb 
 their attention. If men in their circumstances could 
 not and did not study to advantage this great sub- 
 ject, then may we well despair of ever having it 
 thoroughly and impartially investigated. Our fa- 
 thers did study the science of church polity as no 
 other men ever did; and the fruits of then- study 
 New England and the world at large have long 
 been gathering. For many years after the settle- 
 ment of New England, the subject of church order 
 and government received much attention ; some 
 have thought too much. But he who has well 
 weighed the bearings of this question upon the inter- 
 ests of pure religion, will be of a different opinion.
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 
 
 DECLINE OF CONGREGATIONALISM CAUSES. 
 
 However it may have been in the days of our 
 fathers, certain it is that for many years past this 
 subject has excited comparatively little interest 
 among the Congregational descendants of the Puri- 
 tans.^ Various causes have contributed to this state 
 of things. Among the more prominent, perhaps, 
 may be named : 
 
 1. The anxiety of Congregationalists to unite 
 different denominations in benevolent, religious asso- 
 ciations. 
 
 To accomplish this, there has been a readiness on 
 their part to keep out of sight, and even to sacrifice, 
 their denominational peculiarities. However benev- 
 olent the design of these Unions, the influence of 
 them has been injurious to Congregationalism. 
 Other denominations, while acting to a limited 
 extent with us in these Associations, have kept up 
 their separate and denominational organizations. 
 But we have had nothing of this sort by which to 
 propagate our peculiar views. And though Con- 
 gregationalists have furnished a large proportion of 
 the funds of these Unions, yet, as a denomination, 
 they have derived probably the least benefit from 
 them. They have even in some instances, with an 
 unauthorized generosity, yielded the entire advan- 
 tage to other denominations. 
 
 " What then," it may be asked, " shall we give up 
 all united attempts to save men, through fear of in- 
 juring Congregationalism ? " If the question were 
 Shall we save men or promote the interests of Con-
 
 10 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 gregationalism ? it would be easy to answer. This, 
 however, is not the question. It is Shall we, in 
 connection with our efforts to save and benefit men, 
 endeavor to promote the interests of our most scrip- 
 tural and excellent system of church government; 
 or shall we utterly disregard this ? 
 
 Our denomination have contributed largely of 
 money and of mind to erect and sustain churches at 
 the West; yet scarce one in fifty of these is upon 
 the Congregational Platform.* Scores of young 
 men, professedly Congregationalists, have gone out 
 from our Theological Seminaries, educated by the 
 aid of Congregational funds, and thrown themselves 
 into the bosom of the Presbyterian Church. And 
 why have they done this ? "To do good ! " But 
 could they not have done good and yet have retained 
 their Puritan principles? Have these principles 
 made New England an intellectual and moral gar- 
 
 * " It is computed that 400 churches, or more, have been gath- 
 ered in the West, for the Presbyterian Church, by the benev- 
 olence of Connecticut alone. And I have seen it stated by high 
 Presbyterian authority, that not less than 1500 of their churches 
 are essentially Congregational in their origin and habits." Mitch- 
 elUs Guide to the Principles and Practice of the New England 
 Churches, p. 71, note. 
 
 It must be borne in mind that these Preliminary Kemarks were 
 written in 1840 and revised in 1843, since which time there has 
 been more attention given to Congregationalism as a simple, scrip- 
 tural, and beautiful system of church polity than for a long period 
 prior to those dates. But, as most of the causes here assigned 
 for the decline of Congregationalism, still continue to operate, 
 though some of them with much less force than formerly, and as a 
 matter of historical record, I have retained the chapter nearly as 
 originally written.
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 11 
 
 den ! and yet shall we be told, that " they will not 
 answer for the South and West ? " Had New Eng- 
 land men and money carried New England princi- 
 ples of church government wherever they went, and 
 boldly and faithfully sustained them, other sections 
 of our country would now, it is verily believed, more 
 nearly resemble the land of the Pilgrims. 
 
 2. Another cause of this state of things may be, 
 the operation of the principle on which some or all of 
 our Theological Seminaries in New England have 
 been conducted. Though endowed and sustained 
 by Congregationalists, these seminaries have been 
 equally accessible to Protestants of all denomina- 
 tions. To this, as a general principle, there certainly 
 can be no objection, if evidence of piety be made an 
 essential requisite for admission. But if, in connec- 
 tion with this admission of different denominations, 
 there must be any hesitation on the part of the 
 teachers to advocate openly, thoroughly, and ear- 
 nestly, Congregational Principles of Church Govern- 
 ment, the influence of this policy cannot be other- 
 wise than injurious to our own denomination. If 
 young men of other denominations please to avail 
 themselves of the advantages of our institutions, they 
 should be welcomed, and kindly treated ; but should 
 hear all the doctrines of the Puritan Congregation- 
 alists of New England faithfully and earnestly advo- 
 cated. But if the Professors of any of our Theo- 
 logical Seminaries are even apparently indifferent to 
 our church polity, we need not be surprised to find 
 their pupils really so. 
 
 3. Another cause of the apathy of our churches 
 on this subject, may be found in the impression that
 
 12 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 no efforts are required to protect and promote our 
 excellent system of church government. It has per- 
 haps been thought, that intelligent New England 
 men must, of course, prefer, to every other system, 
 that to which they have been accustomed from then- 
 childhood ; especially, as it has so many incontro- 
 vertible arguments to support it, and is so perfectly 
 in accordance with the spirit of our free institutions. 
 That, however, must be a good cause indeed which 
 will take care of itself; a better cause than this 
 world has yet known. The truth is, while Congre- 
 gationalists have been sleeping in their fancied secu- 
 rity, other denominations have not been idle. Other 
 systems of church order have been advocated and 
 urged with a zeal and confidence which, contrasted 
 with our own apathy, have been as arguments for 
 them and against us. 
 
 4. Another cause of the state of things of which 
 we complain, is found in the neglect of our pastors 
 to preach upon this subject, and in the dearth of 
 modern books upon Congregationalism. 
 
 The fathers of New England felt the importance 
 of keeping the community awake to this subject. 
 They therefore frequently proclaimed from the pulpit 
 and published from the press the principles of Con- 
 gregationalism. They demonstrated the consistency 
 of these with the light of Nature, the teachings of 
 God's Word, and the testimony of Ecclesiastical 
 History. But, how rarely have such discussions 
 been heard of late unless it be very lately from 
 the sacred desk, or read from the press ! 
 
 Within a few years, it is true, several valuable 
 works relating to this subject, have been published ;
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 13 
 
 among which may be named : Dr. Hawes' " Tribute 
 to the Pilgrims," Dr. Bacon's Church Manual," 
 Prof. Pond's work, " The Church," Mr. Mitch- 
 ell's " Guide," Prof. Upham's " Ratio Disciplinse," 
 and Cummings' " Dictionary of Congregational 
 Usages and Principles." These have found many 
 readers, and have done much to awaken an interest 
 in our excellent system of church government. Yet 
 only one of these, Prof. Upham's, professes to give 
 more than a summary account of our church polity : 
 and even this, though a work of great value, is 
 chiefly devoted to our church usages, rather than our 
 principles. The things of which I speak, while they 
 illustrate the apathy of Congregationalists, suggest 
 also one of the causes of the declension of Congre- 
 gationalism. 
 
 5. Once more. A prevalent impression, that Con- 
 gregationalists have no well-defined and settled prin- 
 ciples of church polity, has operated injuriously 
 upon our denominational interests. From whatever 
 source this impression may have come, I must regard 
 it as alike erroneous and injurious. We have not, 
 it is true, and I rejoice in the truth any authori- 
 tative church canons, of human origin, to which 
 pastors and churches must bow, under pains and 
 penalties ; but we have general principles of church 
 order and discipline, as well defined, and as effective 
 in the government of our churches as their highest 
 interests require. 
 
 If, through ignorance or disregard of these princi- 
 ples, any of our churches have failed to be well gov- 
 erned, the fault is in the churches, and not in the 
 system which they have professedly embraced. 
 
 2
 
 14 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 If it be asked, "Where are these principles to be 
 found? and who has defined and explained them? 
 The answer is They are found in the New Testa- 
 ment: and their expounders are all the standard 
 writers of the denomination ; such as Johnson, Ains- 
 worth, Robinson, Jacob, Thomas Hooker, John Cot- 
 ton, John Owen, the Mathers, the authors of the 
 Cambridge Platform, etc. I might go even further 
 back to Penry, and Greenwood, and Barrowe, 
 who suffered martyrdom for these very principles of 
 church order now called Congregational.* After a 
 somewhat careful examination of the writings of all 
 these worthy men our ecclesiastical ancestors I 
 feel justified in saying, that although they differ 
 among themselves, and from modern Congregation- 
 alists on some minor points, yet, in regard to all the 
 essentials of our church polity, there is a most re- 
 markable agreement among them, and with modern 
 authorities, as to what is Congregationalism. 
 
 * See some account of these good men, in the " History of 
 Congregationalism ; " and of Penry, particularly, in Waddington's 
 Life of "John Penry, the Pilgrim Martyr," London: 1854, and 
 republished by the Congregational Board of Publication, Boston. 
 In Hanbury's " Historical Memorials relating to the Independents, 
 or Congregationalists, from their Rise to the Restoration of the 
 Monarchy, A. r>. 1660," the student will find notices of all the dis- 
 tinguished writers of our denomination, together with very full 
 analyses of their writings on church order and government. It is 
 a work of great value to the Congregationalist student, and indeed, 
 to every one who would fully understand the religious history of 
 England during the 16th and 1 7th centuries. For a vindication of 
 Barrowe, Greenwood, and Penry, see Bradford's Dialogue, in 
 New England's Memorial, new edition published by the Cong. 
 Board, p. 327-356.
 
 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 15 
 
 If the above suggestions respecting the causes of 
 the decline of Congregationalism be in accordance 
 with truth, they furnish an obvious answer to the 
 question : How shall the evil be remedied ? 
 
 This little volume has been prepared with the hope 
 of contributing something towards awakening an 
 interest in Congregationalism, and affording instruc- 
 tion relative to the principles and usages of this most 
 APOSTOLIC SYSTEM OF CHURCH ORDER AND GOV- 
 ERNMENT.
 
 PART I. 
 
 PRINCIPLES OF CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 IN pursuance of the plan which has been adopted, 
 our attention is to be directed, first, to the PRINCI- 
 PLES OF CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 By the principles of Congregationalism, I mean 
 the most essential, fundamental truths of the system. 
 What, then, are the principles of this system ? Or, 
 in other words : 
 
 WHAT IS CONGREGATIONALISM? 
 
 Congregationalism is that system of church govern- 
 ment in which the Scriptures are recognized as the 
 only infallible guide respecting church order and dis- 
 cipline ; and which maintains, that according to the 
 Scriptures, a Church is a company or congregation 
 of professed Christians, who, having voluntarily cov- 
 enanted and associated together to worship God and 
 to celebrate religious ordinances, are authorized to 
 elect necessary officers, to discipline offending mem- 
 bers, and to act authoritatively and conclusively on all 
 2* ( 17 >
 
 18 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 appropriate business, independently of the control of 
 any person or persons whatsoever. 
 
 This definition is believed to embrace the funda- 
 mental, distinctive principles of Congregationalism. 
 Some of these principles it holds in common with 
 other systems of church government ; others of them 
 are peculiar to itself; but all are essential to sound 
 Congregationalism. And who will deny that a sys- 
 tem based on principles like these, has, indepen- 
 dently of any direct proof, much to commend it to 
 our confidence: its Protestantism, in taking the 
 Bible for its only infallible guide ; its recognition of 
 the inalienable rights of man, in giving to the 
 church the power to choose its own officers and to 
 administer its own affairs; its provision for securing 
 the purity of the churches, by giving the power of 
 discipline to those most interested in the mainte- 
 nance of that purity ; and its care for the rights and 
 privileges of every church, however small, manifested 
 by its recognition of the independency of each : * 
 these, and such like considerations, might be urged 
 as a priori arguments for the Congregational System. 
 But I shall waive, for the present, all particular con- 
 sideration of these topics, and proceed at once to 
 discuss the principles which have been brought to 
 view in the definition of Congregationalism. And 
 in this discussion the Scriptures will be appealed to 
 as the infallible standard of truth. 
 
 What, then, say the Scriptures ? Are the princi- 
 
 * The terms " independency " and " independent," as applied to 
 Congregational churches, are never used in these pages as synony- 
 mous with unaccountability and unaccountable, but to denote com- 
 pleteness of church powers and privileges.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 19 
 
 pies of Congregationalism recognized and authorized 
 by the Word of God ? 
 
 I. It is a principle of Congregationalism, that the 
 Scriptures are the only infallible guide in matters of 
 church order and discipline.* 
 
 By this is meant, that the injunctions of Christ 
 and his apostles, and the authorized practice of the 
 apostolic churches as exhibited in the New Testa- 
 ment, are a sufficient guide, in all ages, to the order 
 and discipline of the churches of Christ. Or, in other 
 words, that the churches founded by the apostles are 
 the models, after which, " for substance," all Chris- 
 tian Churches should be formed. 
 
 If the Scriptures furnish not an infallible directory 
 to what is essential to the constitution of a Christian 
 church, we certainly have no such directory ; and if 
 we have not, how are we to know that any such 
 thing as a church of Christ now exists ? The very 
 idea of a Christian church, necessarily presupposes a 
 knowledge of what constitutes such a church : but, 
 
 * To show on what authority these assertions are made, a num- 
 ber of references will be given under each head, to approved 
 Congregational authors. These references will show whether or 
 not our denomination have any fixed principles. 
 
 This first principle may be found in the Creed of John Robin- 
 son and the Leyden Church. See Prince's New Eng. Chronol- 
 ogy, Part II. sec. 1, p. 176, ed. of 1826 ; Thomas Hooker's Survey 
 of Chh. Discipline, ch. 1, Definition, and p. 5, 6 ; Cotton Mather's 
 Ratio Discipline, Intr. p. 9 ; Samuel Mather's Apology for N. E. 
 Chhs. p. 2, and App. Part IV. Nos. 1, 2; 'Cambridge Platform, 
 ch. 1, 3; Cummings' Congregational Dictionary, Art. "Scrip- 
 tures a sufficient Guide to Order." See also History of Congre- 
 gationalism, passim.
 
 20 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 if the Scriptures do not furnish this knowledge, then 
 they do not furnish us with the means of forming 
 any distinct notion of what is meant by a church 
 of Christ. And if they fail in this particular, on 
 what authority are any existing organizations called 
 churches of Christ? And by what authority can 
 any person be required to unite with one of these 
 organizations ? * 
 
 * Dr. George Campbell, though unwilling to admit that any 
 particular form of church government is binding upon all Chris- 
 tians, yet allows : . . . " That a certain external model of govern- 
 ment must have been originally adopted [that is, by Christ and 
 his apostles, as I understand him] for the more effectual preserva- 
 tion of the evangelical institution [the church] in its native purity, 
 and for the careful transmission of it to after ages." Lectures on 
 Ecc. Hist., Lect. iv. p. 47, Phil. ed. 1807. 
 
 As I shall have occasion frequently to refer to the works of this 
 learned and impartial Avriter, it may be well to state, for the in- 
 formation of any who may be unacquainted with his writings, that 
 Dr. Campbell was a distinguished scholar, Principal of Marischal 
 College, Aberdeen, Scotland. He is the author of a standard 
 work on the Four Gospels, and of a celebrated answer to Hume's 
 work on Miracles. Dr. C. was a Presbyterian by profession; 
 yet, he seems not to have regarded any particular church organ- 
 ization as essential, " it affects not the essence of religion in the 
 least," he says. He supposed that one form of church government 
 might be more convenient in one country, and another form in 
 another country. Lect. iv. p. 50. With these views, he pro- 
 poses in his Lectures on Ecclesiastical History, " to speak out 
 boldly what appears to him most probably to have been the case, 
 without considering what sect or party it may either offend or 
 gratify." Ib. 
 
 The testimony of such a man certainly deserves great respect. 
 The references in the following pages will show how his testimony 
 corroborates the views of Congregationalists.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 21 
 
 Again, it will be conceded, that it is an important 
 part of every Christian minister's duty to make dis- 
 'ciples of those to whom he preaches (Matt. 28: 19), 
 to gather these disciples into Christian churches, and 
 to administer to them the ordinances of baptism and 
 the Lord's supper. Religion cannot long exist in 
 the world, much less flourish, if these things are neg- 
 lected. But, how can the ambassador of Christ dis- 
 charge these important duties, if the Scriptures fur- 
 nish no infallible directions for the organization of 
 churches? And, if he is left in ignorance of the 
 Divine will respecting these matters, how can it be 
 true, as the apostle asserts, that " All Scripture is 
 given by inspiration of God .... that the man of 
 God may be perfect [pnof, prepared for every emer- 
 gency] thoroughly furnished unto all good works" 
 or, every good purpose that his ministry is intended 
 to answer ? 2 Tim. 3 : 16, 17. Indeed, if " the house 
 of God, which is the church of the living God, the 
 pillar and ground of the truth " (1 Tim. 3 : 15), 
 should fail to be suitably organized and governed, 
 would not one great end of the ministry of recon- 
 ciliation itself fail ? 
 
 Another view of this subject may be taken : It 
 will be admitted that the apostles did organize, in 
 different parts of the Roman Empire, what they 
 called churches, and, that these were all formed upon 
 the same general principles. Now, whatever these 
 principles were, they may be fairly considered as de- 
 scriptive of the term " church," as used by Christ and 
 the apostles. If, then, we would understand what 
 Christ and his apostles meant by a church, we must
 
 22 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 examine the peculiarities of those bodies which they 
 called churches. And where shall we look for these, 
 but in the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour 
 Jesus Christ? 
 
 And furthermore, since the duty of men to become 
 church members is now as imperative as when the 
 apostles preached ; and since God has given no other 
 revelation of his will respecting the order of his 
 churches than that which the New Testament fur- 
 nishes; it follows, that men should now become 
 members of the same kind of churches that is, 
 churches built upon the same general principles 
 as those which the New Testament recognizes as 
 Christian churches. If, then, we can learn from the 
 Scriptures what was the general polity of the apos- 
 tolic churches, we can ascertain what should be the 
 polity of all churches, in all ages of the world. 
 
 
 OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 
 
 Will it be said, in order to avoid the force of the 
 above suggestions, that the circumstances of the 
 apostolic churches were so unlike our own as to re- 
 quire an entirely different organization ? 
 
 But in what respects were their circumstances pe- 
 culiar? 
 
 " They were in their infancy." 
 
 So is every church when first formed. 
 
 " But, Christianity itself was then in its infancy." 
 
 So it is in every heathen land when the first mis- 
 sionary church is organized. Shall we, therefore, 
 institute churches at our missionary stations, first,
 
 PRINCIPLES. 23 
 
 on the primitive plan ; and afterwards, pull them 
 down and put up those which some men consider an 
 improvement on the Divine model ? 
 
 If the churches and Christianity itself were in their 
 infancy when the apostolic models were erected, then, 
 surely, if ever, the churches should have been " under 
 governors and tutors ; " and should have enjoyed the 
 least freedom of choice and liberty of action. But 
 instead of this, those who object to the apostolic 
 churches as models for us, are for restricting the lib- 
 erties of the churches, and giving them less freedom, 
 rather than more, and their governors more authority 
 rather than less, as the churches and Christianity it- 
 self advance towards maturity. A strange procedure 
 this. It is as though it should be said : " When you 
 are a child, you may and ought to have your own 
 way ; but as you approach manhood, your liberty of 
 choice and your freedom of action must be re- 
 stricted." 
 
 But we are told : * In the days of the apostles, 
 Christians were hated and persecuted, and the out- 
 ward form of the churches was adapted to this state 
 of things ; now, however, something more attractive, 
 and better fitted to arrest the attention of men 
 something more congenial with the improved state of 
 society, and the more prosperous condition of the 
 churches, is required, to meet the taste and supply 
 the wants of Christian communities.' 
 
 In reply, we admit that the apostolic churches 
 were adapted in their organization to the exigencies 
 of their condition ; but we regard it as a great mis- 
 take to suppose that their condition was so essen- 
 tially unlike our own as to require of us any mate-
 
 24 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 rial modification of their church polity. It appears 
 to us, that the difficulties which environed them 
 were substantially those which surround us. The 
 World, the Flesh, and the Devil were then leagued 
 against Christ and his churches : the unholy league 
 remains unbroken. The world yet hates all those 
 who are not of the world ; the carnal mind is still 
 enmity against God ; the flesh still lusts against the 
 Spirit ; our adversary, the Devil, still walketh about 
 as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour ; " the 
 Dragon " yet persecutes " the woman." It is indeed 
 true, that the outward manifestation of this enmity 
 against Christ and his churches is not now, and 
 everywhere, the same that it was eighteen hundred 
 years ago ; but the source of this enmity and its 
 spirit are still precisely the same ; and the words of 
 the Apostle are as true now as when first uttered : 
 " All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer 
 persecution." 
 
 The apostolic churches were, indeed, very simple 
 and unostentatious in their constitution, discipline, 
 and worship ; and in this they were perfectly ac- 
 cordant with the spirit of Christianity. And fur- 
 thermore, all history tells us that a departure from 
 this simple order and worship has been attended 
 with a parallel departure from the simplicity and 
 godly sincerity of the apostolic faith and practice. 
 
 Men of fastidious taste may cry out against ' the 
 literal, naked, bald character of the public religious 
 services ' of those churches which attempt to follow 
 apostolic example. But they would do well to con- 
 sider what have been the results of all attempted 
 improvements on this example. The history of the
 
 PRINCIPLES. 25 
 
 Church during the third and fourth centuries ; ihe his- 
 tory of the Papacy; the history of the Church of 
 England ; are all instructive on this point the dan- 
 ger of accommodating Christian institutions to the 
 taste of worldly men. 
 
 The truth is, that if we give up the principle, that 
 the apostolic churches are the models after which all 
 churches should be formed and regulated, we are at 
 sea, with nothing better than an ignis-fatuus for our 
 guide. 
 
 But let us not be misunderstood. We do not 
 advocate an exact and entire conformity to all the 
 peculiarities of the apostolic churches ; for we know 
 this to be impossible. We plead only for conformity 
 in essentials, and so far as our circumstances are 
 similar. And it is certainly possible to imitate the 
 apostolic models thus far, without following them in 
 all the minutiae of their arrangements. Thus we in- 
 terpret the instructions of Christ and his apostles, and 
 the authorized example of primitive Christians in re- 
 spect to other matters ; why should we not in the 
 case under consideration ? 
 
 This, then, is the sum of our belief: We suppose 
 that whatever was essential to a church of Christ in 
 the days of the apostles, is equally essential in these 
 latter days ; that Christ designed that the principles 
 of church order and discipline should remain essen- 
 tially the same in all ages of the world ; that his dis- 
 ciples have no liberty to adopt other principles ; and, 
 that these principles may be learned from the Scrip- 
 tures; though not always from express injunctions 
 and instructions, since the authorized example of the 
 apostolic churches is equally authoritative with ex- 
 
 3
 
 26 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 press commands, and a fair and legitimate inference 
 from admitted premises, is of nearly equal weight. 
 
 In adopting and acting upon these views, Congre- 
 gationalists regard themselves as thorough Protes- 
 tants. The Bible is our infallible guide, in matters 
 of church order and discipline, as well as in those of 
 faith and religious practice. We cannot believe it 
 to be necessary to resort to the writings of any men, 
 as an authoritative and necessary "supplement to 
 Scripture in these points." * Adopting this principle 
 
 * A dignitary in the Church of England (Dean of Worcester, in 
 a sermon " Concerning Ecclesiastical Authority," published about 
 the year 1738), has asserted, that "He must never have looked 
 into Scripture who is capable of thinking it a perfect rule of wor- 
 ship, I mean external worship and discipline : but he that will 
 take in the writings of the primitive church, as a supplement to 
 Scripture in these points, cannot be at a loss to know what are 
 the powers of church governors, or what the obedience due unto 
 them." See Samuel Mather's Apoloyy for the New England 
 Churches, p. 2, 3. 
 
 And yet this " supplement " to points of such vast importance 
 to the Church, is found in tongues unknown to the great mass of 
 its members in the Greek and Latin languages ; and in vol- 
 umes of frightful magnitude, and inaccessible to the community 
 generally. And more than all, many of the Fathers are so cor- 
 rupt in their text, and so contradictory in their statements, that 
 the most opposite testimonies have been drawn from them. The 
 reader may find some of the errors of the Fathers pointed out in 
 De Laune's Plea for the Non-conformists, p. 19-21. Mr. Tay- 
 lor, in his Ancient Christianity, shows very clearly the extreme 
 danger of taking the Fathers for our guides. Jortin, in his Re- 
 marks on Ecclesiastical History, says : " The Fathers are often 
 poor and insufficient guides in things of judgment and criticism, 
 and in the interpretation of the Scriptures, and sometimes in 
 point of morality also, and of doctrine ; as Daille, Whitby, and 
 others have fully shown. The men themselves deserve much re-
 
 PRINCIPLES. 27 
 
 we are on firm and safe ground. All else is uncer- 
 tain. " The very Papists do see and acknowledge 
 this that I say, namely, both that these grounds of 
 the Scripture's perfection in all ecclesiastical matters, 
 whereon we exactly do stand, are the true and right 
 principles of the Protestants' Religion ; and also, 
 that Diocesan Lord-Bishops do, and must needs turn 
 away- from these principles, and deny them when 
 they deal with us ; and must join plainly with the 
 Catholics in their answers, if they will maintain 
 themselves." * 
 
 Having settled in our minds this first and great 
 principle that the Scriptures should be our only 
 infallible guide we next inquire : What, according 
 to them, is essential to the character of a Christian 
 church ? I speak now of what is usually termed a 
 visible, or organized church. The answer to this 
 question will be the statement of the second princi- 
 ple of the Congregational system, namely : 
 
 IL A visible, Christian church, is a voluntary as- 
 sociation of professed Christians, united together by a 
 
 gpeet, and their writings are highly useful on several accounts. 
 It is better to defer too little, than too much to their decisions and 
 the authority of Antiquity, that handmaid to the Scriptures, as 
 she is called. She is like Briareus, and has a hundred hands, and 
 these hands often clash and beat one another." Vol. II. p. 57. 
 
 * Henri/ Jacob's " Reasons, etc. Proving a necessity of Re- 
 forming our Chhs. in England." A. D. 1604. 
 
 Jacob, though for a time opposed to those who advocated our 
 principles in England, came at length to be a devoted defender of 
 them. He was pastor of the first Congregational church in Lon- 
 don which was formed on Mr. Robinson's plan, in 1616.
 
 28 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 covenant for the worship of God and the celebration of 
 religious ordinances.* 
 
 * Mr. Robinson and Church, Prince, Chro. P. II. sect. 1, or 
 Hist. Congreyati&naliwn, p. 362; Hooker's Swcey, P. I. p. 14-1G, 
 46, 47; Mathers Ratio Dis., Intr. p. 8, 9; Camb. Platf. ch. 2, 
 6; S. Mather's Apoloyy, p. 1, 2. John Locke thus defines a 
 church : " A church I take to be a voluntary society of men, joining 
 themselves together of their own accord, in order to the public 
 worshipping of God in sucli a manner as they judge acceptable 
 to him and effectual to the salvation of their souls." Letter I. on 
 Toleration. 
 
 The whole body of believers in the world, constitute T/te 
 Church general or universal ; but such of them as may be at 
 any time and in any place organized into a distinct body in 
 order to profess their faith in Christ more openly and distinctly, 
 and to worship God and celebrate Christian ordinances more 
 effectually and profitably are called the visible church. 
 
 In 1589 a tract was published in England entitled, " A True 
 Description out of the Word of God, of the VISIBLE CHURCH." 
 Though anonymous, its authorship was ascribed at the time to 
 " Robinson's Pastor ; " that is, to either Mr. Clyfton, or Mr-. 
 Smyth, who were both pastors of Congregational churches in the 
 north of England, of which Robinson, and what was subsequently 
 " the Lcyden Church," and finally the " Church of Plymouth, 
 Massachusetts Bay," were members. This rare and valuable tract 
 thus discriminates between the Church universal and the Church 
 visible : 
 
 " As there is but one God and Father of all, one Lord over all, 
 and one Spirit ; so is there but one Truth, one Faith, one Salva- 
 tion, one Church called in one Hope, joined in one Profession, 
 guided by one Rule, even the Word of the Most High. This 
 Church, as it is universally understood, containeth in it all the 
 Elect of God that have been, are, or shall be : but being consid- 
 ered more particularly, as it is seen in this present world, it con- 
 sisteth of a Company and Fellowship of faithful and holy people, 
 gathered in the name of Christ Jesus, their only King, Priest, and
 
 PRINCIPLES. 29 
 
 1. When we use the expression voluntary associ- 
 ation, we do not mean that Christians are under no 
 obligations thus to associate together; for we be- 
 
 O O i 
 
 lieve that every disciple of Christ is bound by the 
 most solemn obligations, to separate himself from 
 the world and to unite with a visible church of 
 ..Christ; but we mean, that in doing this, it is essen- 
 tial that every person should act freely, under the in- 
 fluence of motives ; and that no circumstances of 
 birth, no civil law, no ecclesiastical regulations, should 
 be thought sufficient to constitute a church, or en- 
 title a person to church membership. 
 
 We think it manifest, that the apostolic churches 
 were, in this sense, voluntary associations. A whole 
 province was not organized into a church ; neither 
 were entire cities ; and even all the members of the 
 same family were not of course church members. 
 But the churches were composed of such persons as 
 on embracing Christianity separated themselves from 
 the Jewish or Heathen communities in which they 
 lived, and for Christian purposes, and of their own 
 free-will, associated and united together. These 
 things seem to us to lie upon the very face of the 
 New Testament account of Christian churches. 
 
 2. But, voluntary association for religious purposes 
 is not all that is requisite to constitute a church of 
 Christ. The persons thus associated must be pro- 
 
 Prophet ; worshipping Him aright, being peaceably and quietly 
 governed by his officers and Laws ; keeping the unity of Faith in 
 the bond of Peace, and love unfeigned." See Hanbury, Vol. I. 
 p. 28 ; History of Congregationalism, Appendix. 
 
 3*
 
 30 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 fessing Christians : that is, persons who avow openly 
 their repentance for sin, their faith in Jesus Christ, 
 and their cordial submission to the laws of Christ's 
 kingdom. 
 
 The entire system of church government which we 
 advocate is based on the presumption, that those who 
 adopt it will be governed by religious principle. 
 The system is as unsuited to irreligious men, as a 
 republican form of civil government is to ignorant 
 men. All power being vested in the hands of the 
 church, for the glory of God and the good of man, it 
 is indispensable that the members of the churph 
 should understand and appreciate the principles and 
 design of their organization. But no unregenerate 
 mind can fully understand and appreciate these 
 spiritual, religious principles. 1 Cor. 2 : 14-16. You 
 can never make such an one feel the importance 
 of that purity of heart, thought, word, and action 
 which God's law requires, and by which the mem- 
 bers of his churches are expected to be governed. 
 Ignorant and regardless of the principles of God's 
 moral law, he is utterly disqualified to administer a 
 government based on these holy principles, and hav- 
 ing for its great end the recognition and establish- 
 ment of these principles throughout the world. 
 Hence appears the reasonableness and necessity of 
 this requisition for church membership a profes- 
 sion of repentance for sin, of faith in Christ, and of 
 submission of soul to God. 
 
 This peculiarity of our church polity, so far from 
 being an objectionable feature, as some regard it, is 
 one of its highest recommendations. It proves it to
 
 PRINCIPLES. 31 
 
 be in harmony with the whole spirit of the gospel ; 
 and thus furnishes very strong presumptive evidence 
 of its truth. 
 
 3. As it respects the matter of covenanting, it may 
 be remarked, that wherever there is a union of indi- 
 viduals for particular purposes, there must be of 
 . necessity a covenant among them, either expressed 
 or implied. The very act of associating for specific 
 purposes implies a covenant or agreement on the 
 part of those who associate, to cooperate in effecting 
 the specified purposes of their association. And 
 if, to obviate all misapprehension, the character 
 and design of the association be expressed in words, 
 and each member of it be required to assent to these, 
 the words are only a translation of the original act. 
 
 The manifold advantages of an expressed covenant 
 are such as to have induced Christians, associating for 
 church purposes, to adopt this form of covenanting 
 together, from a very early period, if not from the 
 times of the apostles themselves.* And in this prac- 
 tice they were countenanced by the church of God 
 under previous dispensations. The Old Testament, 
 abounds with notices of the covenants which the an- 
 cient people of God made and renewed from time to 
 time, to walk together before God in obedience to 
 his requisitions. In Gen. xvii. we have an account 
 of the covenant made with Abraham and his seed. 
 The book of Exodus, from the nineteenth chapter to 
 
 * Lord Chancellor King gives us no less than ten creeds and 
 parts of creeds which are found in the writings of the Fathers of 
 the first 300 years, A. D. " Primitive Church" Part II. ch. 3. 
 The entire chapter illustrates the subject discussed in the text
 
 32 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 the end of the book, contains the written Covenant 
 and Articles of Faith, Order, and Discipline to which 
 the church in the wilderness was required to assent 
 and walk by, under the pain of God's displeas- 
 ure. Another covenant is mentioned and described 
 Deut. xxix. and xxx. See also 2 Kings 23 : 1-3. 
 2 Chron. xv. and 29 : 10. Here and elsewhere we 
 have accounts of covenants made and written. In 
 Nehemiah ix. we have a long covenant which was 
 made, written, signed, and sealed by the children of 
 Israel after their return from captivity ; which illus- 
 trates, doubtless, Isaiah's words (44 : 5), who, in pre- 
 dicting the restoration of the Jews from Babylon, 
 and their religious condition, and at the same time 
 probably glancing at the state of things under the 
 the Messiah's reign, says : " One shall say, I am the 
 Lord's ; and another shall call himself by the name 
 of the God of Jacob ; and another shall subscribe 
 with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself 
 by the name of Israel." 
 
 4. In regard to the purposes for which these asso- 
 ciations should be formed : it is obvious, that they 
 should be exclusively religious. They are churches 
 of God Christian churches ; and the worship and 
 glory of God, the celebration of Christian ordinances 
 and the extension of Christian influences are the ends 
 contemplated in their organization. All this appears 
 from the duties enjoined, and the directions given in 
 the several epistles addressed to the apostolic churches 
 and to their teachers. As a sample, read 1 Cor. xiv. 
 and the epistles to Timothy and Titus. It is very 
 apparent from the New Testament, that all who were 
 connected with the apostolic churches voluntarily
 
 PRINCIPLES. 33 
 
 and publicly professed their faith in Christ and their 
 cordial submission to the principles of the gospel ; 
 and virtually covenanted, or agreed with each other, 
 to walk together in accordance with this faith and 
 these principles. 
 
 In the second chapter of Acts we have the follow- 
 ing account of the first admission of members to the 
 Christian church, after the Saviour's ascension : " And 
 when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they (i. e. 
 the 120 disciples, who constituted the first Christian 
 church at Jerusalem) were all with one accord in one 
 place. And suddenly there came a sound from 
 heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled all 
 the house where they \vere sitting. And there ap- 
 peared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and 
 it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled 
 with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other 
 tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." This 
 being noised abroad, a multitude of persons came 
 together. " And they were all amazed, and were in 
 doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this ? 
 Others mocking, said, These men are full of new 
 wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven " 
 apostles, addressed the assembled multitude in the 
 most instructive and affecting manner. He cdn- 
 cluded his address, by charging those before him 
 with having crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. " Now 
 when they heard this, they were pricked in their 
 heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the 
 apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 
 Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized 
 every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the 
 remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
 
 34 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to 
 your children, and to all that are afar off, even as 
 many as the Lord our God shall call. And with 
 many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, 
 Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 
 Then they that gladly received his word, were bap- 
 tized : and the same day there were added unto them, 
 about three thousand souls. And they continued 
 steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, 
 and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear 
 came upon every soul ; and many wonders and signs 
 were done by the apostles, and all that believed were 
 together, and had all things common ; and sold their 
 possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, 
 as every man had need. And they continuing daily 
 with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread 
 from house to house, did eat their meat with glad- 
 ness and singleness of heart, praising God, and 
 having favor with all the people. And the Lord 
 added to the church daily such as should be saved." 
 
 From this account it is evident, that the church at 
 Jerusalem was a voluntary association. Motives 
 were presented, arguments were employed, truth 
 was urged ; then it was left to every hearer to decide 
 on the course he would take. Those who were per- 
 suaded whose hearts were touched who gladly 
 received the word came forward and offered them- 
 selves for baptism ; after receiving which, they were 
 " added to the church." 
 
 It also appears from this account, that the apostles 
 received none into the church at that time, but those 
 who publicly professed their repentance for sin, and 
 then* faith in Christ ; none but those who " believed "
 
 PRINCIPLES. 35 
 
 " who gladly received the word." That they pro- 
 fessed this belief, and this reception of gospel princi- 
 ples, is clearly implied in the declaration, that " they 
 were baptized ; " for Christian baptism was a solemn 
 renunciation of previous opinions, so far as these 
 were inconsistent with the gospel, and an open pro- 
 fession of faith in Christ. And furthermore, we are 
 told,^ that these penitent, believing, and baptized 
 persons " were added unto them " i. e. to the disci- 
 ples who composed the church and were thus 
 separated from the unbelieving world. The subse- 
 quent conduct of these converts confirms this inter- 
 pretation ; for, in the forty-second verse and onward 
 we read : " And they continued steadfastly in the 
 apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of 
 bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every 
 soul : and many wonders and signs were done by the 
 apostles. And all that believed were together, and 
 had ah 1 things common; and sold their possessions 
 and goods, and parted them to ah 1 men as every man 
 had need. And they, continuing daily with one 
 accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house 
 to house, did eat their meat with gladness and single- 
 ness of heart, praising God, and having favor with 
 all the people. And the Lord added to the church 
 daily such as should be saved." 
 
 If all this was not a renunciation of their Jewish 
 prejudices and a public profession of faith in Christ, 
 actions have no significancy. And that there was a 
 virtual covenanting, or agreeing to walk together 
 on certain common principles of belief and practice, 
 appears from the declaration that "they continued
 
 36 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, 
 and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." 
 
 Here we have, as I conceive, the outline of their 
 covenant: they entered into fellows/lip with the 
 apostles and with one another, professing to believe 
 the doctrines taught by the apostles ; (which were the 
 " form of doctrine," or " sound words," delivered to 
 all the churches. See Rom. 6: 17. 2 Tim. 1 : 13,) 
 and engaging to commune together in the breaking- 
 of bread sacramentally, and in social prayer. And 
 notwithstanding all their temptations to violate this 
 covenant, " they continued steadfastly " in the same.* 
 
 * I am aware that commentators do not agree in the exposition 
 of this passage; some supposing that the "breaking of bread" 
 spoken of in the text was social, and not sacramental. I prefer 
 the interpretation in the text: (1) Because of the use of the word 
 fellowship (YLoivuviq, communion,) which is generally used in ap- 
 plication to acts strictly religious: as in 1 Cor. 10: 16. 2 Cor. 6: 
 14. Phil. 1 : 5. 1 John 1 : 3, 6, 7, etc. (2) Because the act of 
 breaking bread stands in immediate connection with two others 
 the one before and the other after it which are confessedly 
 religious acts : namely, the belief of the apostles' doctrine, and the 
 practice of prayers. The passage in the text, may perhaps be 
 illustrated by 2 Cor. 8 : 5. 
 
 Neander supposes that every daily meal was followed by the 
 eucharistic use of bread and wine : " At the close of the meal, the 
 president distributed bread and wine to the persons present, as a 
 memorial of Christ's similar distribution to the disciples. Thus 
 every meal was consecrated to the Lord, and at the same time 
 was a meal of brotherly love." Hist, of the Planting and Training 
 of the Christ. Chh. Vol. I. p. 27, 3d Ed. Edinb. Bloomfield sug- 
 gests that the meaning of Luke is, that their ordinary meals were 
 taken " in charitable communion and religious thankfulness, and 
 followed by prayer." Note on Acts 2 : 42. Mosheim would make
 
 PRINCIPLES. 37 
 
 And here we have, also, the sacred purposes for 
 which these good people associated and covenanted 
 together : namely, the maintenance of the apostles' 
 doctrines, and the practice of Christian rites and du- 
 ties. See Acts 20: 7. 1 Cor. 11 : 17-34. 
 
 Here then, we find in this single chapter, a con- 
 firmation of all the specifications in our second great 
 principle of church organization. For, though this is 
 but a brief account of one of the many churches 
 organized by the apostles, yet we may believe that 
 after this model all their churches were constituted. 
 We are not, however, to be confined to this chapter. 
 
 By referring to other parts of the New Testament, 
 we find the view we have taken of the above account 
 confirmed. Thus, the position that piety and the 
 profession thereof are both requisite to church mem- 
 bership, receives further confirmation from the lan- 
 guage of the apostle, Rom. 10 : 8-10 ; " This is the 
 word of faith" [or the faithful word the gospel] 
 " which we preach ; that if t/iou shalt confess with thy 
 mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt believe in thy 
 heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou 
 shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth 
 unto righteousness ; and with the mouth confession is 
 made unto salvation." The words of the Saviour 
 himself, Matt. 10 : 32, inculcate the same doctrine : 
 " Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I 
 confess also before my Father which is in heaven." 
 
 The manner in which the apostles speak of, and 
 
 Koivuvia, fellowship, communion, refer to the particular act of pre- 
 senting gifts and offerings for the relief of the poor. Com- 
 mentaries, Vol. I. p. 194, note. 
 
 4
 
 38 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 to the churches in their epistles, clearly proves that 
 these churches were composed of persons who had 
 made a credible profession of faith in Christ. Paul, 
 in his epistle to the church at Rome, addressed them 
 as " beloved of God, called to be saints ; " and says : 
 " I thank my God that your faith is spoken of 
 throughout the world." Rom. 1 : 7, 8. But how 
 could this be, if they had not made a public profes- 
 sion of their faith ? To the Corinthians, Paul wrote : 
 " Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, 
 to them that are sanctified in [or through faith in] 
 Christ Jesus, called to be saints." ... 1 Cor. 1 : 
 2. See also Gal. 4: 28. Eph. 1 : 1. Phil. 1 : 1, 5, 7. 
 1 Thess. 1 : 1-10. " Unto the Church of the Thes- 
 salonians, which is in God the Father and in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ," Paul wrote : " Remembering 
 without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of 
 love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 in the sight of God and our Father; knowing, 
 brethren beloved, your election of God" He then 
 declares to them : " Ye became followers of us 
 and of the Lord, having received the word in much 
 affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost; so that 
 ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia 
 and Achaia. For, from you sounded out the word 
 of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, 
 but also, in every place your faith to God-ward is 
 spread abroad" 1 Thess. 1 : 1-10. All this could 
 not have been said of them, had they not publicly 
 professed their faith in Jesus Christ. 
 
 In the 2 Cor. 6 : 1418, is this remarkable passage: 
 " Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbe- 
 lievers ; for what fellowship hath righteousness with
 
 PRINCIPLES. 39 
 
 unrighteousness ? and what communion hath light 
 with darkness ? and what concord hath Christ with 
 Belial ? or what part hath he that believeth with an 
 infidel [uniarov, an unbeliever].* And what agreement 
 hath the temple of God [or the church of God, 
 Eph. 2 : 19-22] with idols ? For, ye are the temple 
 of the living God ; as God hath said : ' I will dwell 
 in them and walk in them [see Rev. 2 : 1] ; and I 
 will be their God and they shall be my people. 
 Wherefore, COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE 
 SEPARATE, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean 
 thing; and I will receive you, and be a God unto 
 you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith 
 the Lord Almighty." This passage furnishes direct 
 and positive proof, that a Christian church should 
 consist of believers in Christ, who have openly pro- 
 fessed their faith in him and separated themselves 
 from the unbelieving world. Such an interpretation 
 of the passage harmonizes with the design of the 
 apostle as expressed in the context, and with his in- 
 structions elsewhere, and is required by the natural 
 and obvious meaning of the words of the text.f 
 Philip acted on this principle, when he required of 
 the Eunuch an open and solemn profession of faith 
 in Christ, before he would baptize him and thus rec- 
 ognize him as a member of the Church of Christ. 
 Acts 8 : 26-40. And so, doubtless, did all the apos- 
 tles and disciples of Christ, who went forth preach- 
 
 * So the word is translated in the 14th verse, and elsewhere, 
 and so it should be here. 
 
 f See D wight's Theology, Sermon 149. Also, Preface to Owen, 
 on " The Nature of a Gospel Church."
 
 40 . CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 ing the gospel and gathering Christian churches. It 
 is perfectly evident from the passages which have 
 now been quoted, and from the general tenor of the 
 epistles, that the apostolic churches were composed 
 of those only who were regarded as " saints," as pen- 
 itent believers in Jesus Christ ; and who associated 
 together under the bonds of a covenant, expressed or 
 implied, to worship and glorify God and to celebrate 
 the ordinances of the Christian religion. Read the 
 tenth chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, partic- 
 ularly from the sixteenth to the twenty-fifth verse. 
 
 Now, if all the members of the apostolic churches 
 were required to make an open profession of their 
 faith in Christ as a prerequisite to church-fellowship, 
 and to enter into covenant with each other to walk 
 together in the faith and ordinances of the Gospel ; 
 and no alteration has been made in the nature of a 
 Christian church, or in the terms of communion, 
 it follows, that no person should now be admitted to a 
 Christian church unless he gives evidence of conversion 
 of soul to God, makes a public profession of his faith 
 in Jesus Christ, and of his own free-will enters into 
 covenant with the people of God, to walk with them in 
 accordance with the faith and ordinances of the gospel. 
 
 III. Another principle of Congregationalism is, 
 that a church should ordinarily consist of only so many 
 members as can conveniently assemble together for 
 public worship, the celebration of religious ordinances, 
 and the transaction of church business.* 
 
 * See Hooker's Survey, P. I. ch. 4, p. 45, 49; Principles of 
 Mr. Robinson and Church, in Prince's Citron. P. II. sec. 1, or 
 Hist. Cong., p. 362 ; Mather's Ratio, Intr. p. 8, and art. 1 ; Comb.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 41 
 
 The Greek work kKKhjcla (ecclesia) commonly ren- 
 dered church, literally signifies " a congregation, an 
 assembly," " an assembly called out or separated from 
 others ; " and it is used in the New Testament, for 
 the most part, to designate either the whole body of 
 Christians, or a single congregation of professed be- 
 lievers, united together for religious purposes.* In 
 this' latter sense it seems to be used by the sacred 
 writers in more than sixty different instances. In 
 Acts 2 : 47, we read : " The Lord added to the church 
 daily such as should be saved." Now this church is 
 expressly described as a single congregation, a vol- 
 untary association of persons for religious purposes, 
 who could meet together to worship God and trans- 
 
 Plaff. ch. 3, 4 ; Bartlett's ''Model of the Primitive Congrega- 
 tional Way" in Hanbury, Vol. III. ch. 72 ; Congregational Man- 
 ual, prepared by Drs. Woods, Humphrey, Snell, Shepard, Cooley, 
 Storrs, and Cooke, ch. 2, 3. 
 
 * See Campbell's Lectures on Ecclesiastical History, Lect. vi. 
 p. 100, 105, 106; King's Prim. CM., ch. 1, particularly 2; Ne- 
 ander, Vol. I. p. 169. See on, Part III. of this work. 
 
 Henry Jacob, ' whose writings,' says Anthony Wood, ' bespeak 
 him learned,' remarks upon the word eKKfyaia as follows : " I ap- 
 peal to all authentic Greek authors Thucydides, Demosthenes, 
 Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, etc. out of whom plentiful allegations 
 may be brought, all of them showing that this word Ecclesia 
 (f/c/c/b?cn'a) did ever more signify only one assembly, and never a 
 dispersed multitude, holding many ordinary set meetings, in far re- 
 mote places, as Diocesan and larger churches do. Now according 
 to these, and other Greeks, living in the apostle's days, do the 
 apostles speak. And this, I have heretofore often propounded 
 and affirmed, as a principal ground and cause of our dissent from 
 the Church state in England. And the ground is certain : It 
 cannot be with reason spoken against." Attestation, p. 209, 210, 
 16mo, printed 1613. 
 
 4*
 
 42 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 act church business. Acts 2 : 44, 46. 4 : 23-31. 5 : 
 11-14 compared with 3 : 2, 11. 6 : 1-6. Such was 
 the church at Jerusalem, the first Christian church, 
 and the model after which all the apostolic churches 
 seem to have been formed.* This was a complete 
 church ; and was, therefore, called " the church at 
 Jerusalem." Other churches are spoken of as equally 
 complete ; and are designated by the names of the 
 several places in which they were formed ; as, " the 
 church at Antioch," "the church at Corinth," "the 
 church at Ephesus," etc. If each of these compa- 
 nies of Christians had not been regarded as aij en- 
 tire and complete church, they certainly would not 
 have been thus designated. Instead of such phrase- 
 ology, we should have read of that portion of the 
 church of Christ which resided at Ephesus, Corinth, 
 or Antioch ; and not of the church of Ephesus, etc. 
 There was a church at Corinth, and another at Cen- 
 chrea, the port of Corinth, which, being but nine 
 miles distant, was usually considered as the suburbs 
 of the city itself. From the language of the apostle, 
 it is evident that the associated believers at Cenchrea 
 were as truly and completely a church as their more 
 numerous brethren in the parent city : " I commend 
 unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the 
 church which is at Cenchrea." Rom. 16 : 1. The 
 obvious reason why the Christians in these two places 
 were not united together in one church, was, that in 
 the organization of churches the apostle proceeded 
 on the principle that a church should consist of only 
 
 * Sec Gieselor's " Text-Book of Ecclesiastical History" trans- 
 lated by Mr. Cunningham, Vol. I. p. 56.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 43 
 
 so many persons as could conveniently assemble 
 together for public worship, the celebration of relig- 
 ious ordinances, and the transaction of church busi- 
 ness; and, as these brethren were nine miles apart, 
 though resident in the same city, and sufficiently 
 numerous in each place to constitute a distinct 
 church, he organized them separately. In the Epis- 
 tle 'to the Colossians we have three, if not four dis- 
 tinct" churches mentioned, all within a very shori 
 distance of each other, namely : that of Laodicea,. 
 that in the house of Nymphas, in Colosse, and in 
 Hierapolis. The first and the last were about six 
 miles apart, and Colosse was between them : 
 " Them that are in Laodicea and them in Hierapolis. 
 .... Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and 
 Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. 
 And when this epistle is read among you, cause 
 that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans ; 
 and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea." 
 Col. 4:13-16. 
 
 Another consideration which goes to establish the 
 position that the churches founded by the apostles 
 were single congregations, is, that so many distinct 
 churches are mentioned in the New Testament. Not 
 less than thirty-five different churches are expressly 
 named, or so referred to as to leave little doubt of 
 their existence.* And yet these evidently constituted 
 
 * The following are the particular churches mentioned or re- 
 ferred to in the New Testament : Jerusalem Acts i-viii ; Sama- 
 ria, 8:5; Damascus, 9: 10, 19; Lydda, Saron, and Joppa, 9: 32, 
 38; Cesarea, x.. 18: 22; Antioch, xi. Antioch in Pisidia, xiii. 
 Iconimn, 14: 1-4,21-23; Lystra, 16: 2; Derbe, 16: 1, 2,4-6; 
 Philippi, 16: 12-40; Thessalonica, 17: 1-10; Berea, 17: 10-14;
 
 44 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 but a small part of all the " churches of the saints " 
 which were organized by the apostolic laborers ; for 
 the inspired writers often refer to " the churches " of 
 certain districts of country, as if they were very nu- 
 merous : thus we read of " the churches throughout 
 all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria " Acts 9 : 31 ; 
 of the apostles going "through Syria and Cilicia, 
 confirming the churches" Acts 15: 40, 41 ; " of the 
 churches [of Phrygia] being established in the faith 
 and increased in number daily " Acts 16 : 1-6 ; in 
 another place we read that Paul went " over all the 
 country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthen- 
 ing all the disciples." Acts 18: 23. 1 Cor. 16: 1. 
 Gal. 1:2. In Pisidia and Pamphylia the apostles 
 " ordained them elders in every church." Acts 14: 
 23, 24. We read also of " the churches of Asia " 
 
 1 Cor. 16: 19; of "the churches of Macedonia" 
 
 2 Cor. 8:1; and Paul's direction to Titus to " ordain 
 elders in every city " of Crete Tit. 1 : 5. Now, 
 these expressions clearly imply, that the number of 
 individual churches in the days of the apostles was 
 very great ; so great as to constrain us to think that 
 a church then consisted only of a single congregation 
 of believers, and this not so numerous as to forbid a 
 " whole church " from assembling together for public 
 worship, the celebration of religious ordinances, and 
 
 Corinth, xviii.; Ephesus, xix.; Troas, 20: 5-11; Tyre, 21: 4; 
 Ptolemais, 21: 7; Puteoli, 28: 13, 14; Rome, 28: 14, 16; Colosse, 
 Hierapolis, Laodicea, Col. 1: 2. 4: 13-16; Cenchrea, Rom. 16: 1; 
 Babylon,! Pet 5: 13; Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Phil- 
 adelphia, Rev. 1:11; the church in the house of Priscilla and 
 Aquila, v Rom. 16: 5; 1 Cor. 16: 19; Nymphas, Col. 4: 15; and 
 Philemon, Phil. 2.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 45 
 
 the transaction of business, sometimes even in a 
 private house. See Acts 14 : 27. 1 Cor. 5 : 4. 2 
 Thess. 2 : 1. Rom. 16 : 5. 1 Cor. 16 : 19. Col. 4 : 
 15. Philemon 2. 
 
 If, then, such was the character of the apostolic 
 churches, we infer that such should be the character 
 of all Christian churches, in all countries, and all 
 periods of time. 
 
 OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 
 
 It is objected to these views, that the size of some 
 of the apostolic churches forbids us to believe that 
 they were congregationally organized.* Milner says : 
 " It is absurd to suppose that the great church at 
 Ephesus, in the decline of St. John's life, should be 
 only a single congregation ; and, most probably, the 
 same is true of all the rest." He then goes on to 
 estimate the Christians of Ephesus at " many thou- 
 sands," and the church at Jerusalem at the same. 
 Hence he draws the inference, that their members 
 could not all have met together for church purposes ; 
 and therefore, could not have been congregationally 
 organized. And Slater insists, that it is highly im- 
 probable that the church at Antioch could have been 
 a single congregation. 
 
 It is a sufficient reply to these objectors, to say, 
 that two, out of the three churches which they have 
 selected as examples for their purpose, are expressly 
 declared to have been congregational in their char- 
 
 * See Milner 's Chh. Hist., Cent. HI. ch. 20, and Slater's " Orig- 
 inal Draught" Am. ed. p. 70-72.
 
 46 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 acter, i. e. capable of assembling together in one place 
 for religious purposes. It is true that three thousand 
 were added to the church at Jerusalem, as the result 
 of the preaching of Peter and the other apostles on 
 the day of Pentecost, and two thousand or more after- 
 wards. Acts 4 : 4. But it must be remembered that 
 many of these were Parthians, and Medes, and Elam- 
 ites, and dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and 
 Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, etc. (Acts 2: 9-11), who 
 had assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of Pen- 
 tecost, and who soon left the city for their distant 
 homes. Subsequently, additions were made to this 
 church, from time to time, " of such as should be 
 saved;" but how many of them were stated residents 
 in the city, we are not informed. The following ref- 
 erences will show, that however numerous this 
 church may have been, its members could, neverthe- 
 less, assemble together for religious purposes, and 
 often did. Acts 2 : 46. 5 : 12, 42. 6:2. 15 : 4, 12. 
 Dr. Bloomfield, in a note on Acts 5 : 12-14, says, 
 among other things : . . . " The words faavrfs and 
 kv -rn area Zoto/ujvof [' all ' and ' in Solomon's porch'] are 
 added, because now that believers were become so 
 very numerous, they could no longer hold any gen- 
 eral assemblies for divine worship in the vnepouv, [upper 
 chamber] which they had before occupied, but were 
 obliged to resort to the portico of the Temple, here 
 mentioned. Of course, by faav-eg [all] are meant Ihe 
 Christians at large ; and not, as some have thought, 
 the apostles." 
 
 Milner (ut sup.) and Slater (p. 32) both urge the 
 expression in Acts 21 : 20, addressed to Paul by the 
 elders of the church at Jerusalem, to prove that there
 
 PRINCIPLES. 47 
 
 must have been more than one congregation of be- 
 lievers in that city : " Thou seest, brother, how many 
 thousands of Jews there are \vhich believe." 
 
 These learned men, in their eagerness to make up 
 a diocesan church at Jerusalem, seem to have over- 
 looked the fact, that, at the time these words were 
 spoken, the city was full of Jews from all parts of the 
 empire, come up to keep the feast of Pentecost. 
 See 'Acts 21 : 27 compared with 20 : 16. Of Eph- 
 esus, we only know that Paul labored there "in 
 season and out of season," " by the space of three 
 years ; " and that " mightily grew the word of God 
 and prevailed." But Paul, doubtless, would have 
 considered the encouragement to remain in this city 
 ample, had he seen a few hundreds turning to the 
 Lord, instead of "many thousands," as Milner sup- 
 poses ; and Luke would have been justified in de- 
 claring that " mightily grew the word of God," had 
 some hundreds of souls been converted in that prof- 
 ligate city. It should be borne in mind, also, that 
 Ephesus was a great mart for the country round 
 about it, and a famous resort for the idolaters of Asia 
 Minor, because here was that wonder of the world, 
 the temple of Diana, the goddess of the Ephesians. 
 For this reason, if for no other, the apostle might 
 have thought it proper to devote special attention to 
 Ephesus; since by being there, he could, in effect, 
 preach the gospel throughout all Asia, as Luke tells 
 us he did. See Acts 19: 10. And if there were 
 " many thousands " converted in this city, multitudes 
 of them, doubtless, were but temporary residents 
 there. 
 
 Slater labors hard to rebut the idea that the church
 
 48 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 at Antioch was a congregational church. For this 
 purpose, he refers repeatedly to the lltn chapter of 
 Acts. He quotes, however, only a few words from 
 the sacred text under each specification: had he 
 given the entire passage, he would have overturned 
 his whole argument, so far as the testimony of Scrip- 
 ture goes. In reference to the religious excitement 
 among the Antiochians, he says : " Tidings of this 
 came to the church of Jerusalem, where the whole 
 college of apostles were in readiness to consult for 
 them. They send Barnabas, a good man, etc. . . . 
 to improve this happy opportunity." . . . 
 
 Was it by design, or accident, that we are thus 
 left to understand that the apostles sent Barnabas to 
 Antioch ? However this may be, certain it is, that 
 the sacred text gives no countenance to such a rep- 
 resentation. It reads thus : " Then tidings of these 
 things came unto the ears of THE CHURCH which was 
 in Jerusalem : and THEY sent forth Barnabas, that he 
 should go as far as Antioch." Acts 11: 22. Not 
 one syllable is said of " the whole college of apos- 
 tles ; " but the whole matter is spoken of as one in 
 which " THE CHURCH which was in Jerusalem " was 
 concerned. It was the church that received the glad 
 news, and it was the church that sent forth Barnabas. 
 
 Notice, again, the representation in the next par- 
 agraph of the " Draught : " " But to forward this 
 work, . . . Barnabas travels to Tarsus, and joins 
 Saul, . . . and returning with him to Antioch, they 
 continue a whole year together in that populous city, 
 teaching much people." Now, compare this passage 
 with the text, of which it is a paraphrase : " And it 
 came to pass, that a whole year they [Barnabas and
 
 PRINCIPLES. 49 
 
 Saul] assembled themselves with the church,* and 
 taught much people," u^ov lK.avb.v, a great multitude. 
 Acts 11: 26. It is evident, from this passage, that 
 large as was the multitude, the church at Antioch at 
 this time was not so large but that it could assemble 
 together with their teachers for public worship. 
 
 Another observation of Slater's respecting the 
 "harvest of Christian converts those apostolical la- 
 borers made, assisted by all that fled thither from 
 Jerusalem, besides by the men of Cyprus and Cy- 
 rene," etc. deserves remark. This observation, de- 
 signed evidently to carry the impression that there 
 must have been a sort of diocesan church at Antioch, 
 even in the apostles' days, receives a satisfactory 
 answer from two or three texts of Scripture. Not to 
 urge Acts 13 : 1-4, where we are plainly taught that 
 the whole church of Antioch were assembled, and 
 were concerned in the work of setting apart Barna- 
 bas and Saul as missionaries to the Gentiles we 
 may refer to Acts 14 : 25-27 ; " And when they 
 [Barnabas and Saul] had preached the word in Perga, 
 they went down into Attalia ; and thence sailed to An- 
 tioch, from whence they had been recommended to 
 the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled ; " 
 that is, the work of preaching the gospel to the Gen- 
 tiles, to which they had been set apart, as I suppose, 
 by the church of Antioch. " And when they were 
 
 * ~Lvvax&fivai kv rrj eKK^aia. Bloomfield would render it, 
 " were associated in the congregation [as colleagues]." Kuinoel 
 however, sanctions our translation : ' convenicbant cum coetu" 
 says he they assembled with the church. It is not, however, 
 material to our purpose which interpretation we adopt. 
 
 5
 
 50 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 come, and had gathered the church together, they re- 
 hearsed all that God had done with them." . . . 
 Now, here we have "the church that was at Antioch 7 " 
 "gathered together" It was not the elders of the 
 church that were gathered together, but the church 
 itself. We are thus taught, that all the " harvest of 
 Christian converts" which had then been reaped, 
 could as yet be gathered into one place. 
 
 And even at a somewhat later period, after the di- 
 vision of the church about the question of circum- 
 cision, to which Slater refers as a further evidence 
 that the converts at Antioch were too numerous to 
 be included in a single congregational church even 
 after this, we learn that the whole multitude could be 
 gathered together. In the 15th chapter we read, that 
 it pleased "the apostles and elders, ivltli the whole 
 church " at Jerusalem, " to send chosen men of then- 
 own company to Antioch," to carry the opinion of 
 the Jerusalem church upon the agitated question : 
 " So when they were dismissed [by the church at 
 Jerusalem] they came to Antioch ; and when they 
 had gathered the multitude together they delivered 
 the epistle," etc. See Acts 15: 22-30. By "the 
 multitude," no one can doubt but that the whole 
 body of believers is intended ; for the same expression 
 is used in the 12th verse of this chapter to denote the 
 whole body of Christians at Jerusalem. Compare 
 4th, 6th, 12th, 22d and 23d verses. 
 
 Now, I would " refer to the sober judgment of all " 
 impartial men to say, whether the Scriptures must 
 not be wrested from their natural and obvious mean- 
 ing, in order to make the church at Antioch any 
 thing more than a congregational church ? that is,
 
 PRINCIPLES. 51 
 
 a body of believers who could assemble together in 
 one place for religious purposes ? As to what is true 
 of this church after the apostles' times whether An- 
 tioch contained one or fifty congregations of Chris- 
 tians I am not concerned just now to know; but 
 if any man will open the Acts of the Apostles and 
 read from the lllh to the 16th chapter, and find 
 any thing that savors of Diocesan Episcopacy, or any 
 thing that contradicts the idea that the church at 
 Antioch and the others there spoken of were congre- 
 gational in their character, he must understand lan- 
 guage very differently from what I am able to do. 
 
 The church in Corinth, which we may reasonably 
 suppose was not the least among the apostolic 
 churches, was yet, evidently but a single congrega- 
 tion ; for the apostle speaks of their coming " together 
 into one place " to eat the Lord's supper, 1 Cor. 
 11 : 20, 33 ; and of " the whole church " coming 
 " together into one place " for public worship, 14 : 
 23, 26. 
 
 Thus it appears, from the express words of the 
 New Testament, that the church at Jerusalem, 
 though large, yet consisted of but a single congrega- 
 tion ; and that " the whole multitude of the disci- 
 ples " composing it could, and did meet together for 
 public worship and the transaction of church busi- 
 ness. The same is true of the church at Antioch, 
 and of the church at Corinth; and if so, we may 
 reasonably believe, of all the churches mentioned in 
 the New Testament. 
 
 So clear is the testimony of Scripture upon this 
 point, that many Episcopal and Presbyterian writers 
 have been constrained to admit, that the apostolic
 
 52 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 churches were congregational in their organization 
 and practice, and so continued until their inspired 
 teachers were removed. But these writers object to 
 the inference, that all churches should be modelled 
 after these primitive patterns ; because they regard 
 these as adapted to the apostolic age alone.* 
 
 But why, we ask, did the apostles organize 
 churches throughout the Roman Empire upon a 
 plan which they must have known (according to the 
 supposition under consideration) would be adapted 
 to their circumstances for a very few years only ? 
 Could Paul have regarded himself as " a wise master- 
 builder " when laying the foundation, and framing 
 together a " house " which would require an entire 
 remodelling as soon as the grave should close upon 
 himself and his inspired companions ? an event of 
 which he lived in daily expectation. Can it be, that 
 the apostolic organizations were no better than so 
 many temporary sheds, constructed merely for the 
 emergency of the times, and designed to be taken 
 down, and replaced by the fair temple of Episcopacy 
 or Presbyterianism so soon as the church should 
 become sufficiently numerous and rich for this pur- 
 pose, and her inspired guides should be removed ? 
 We cannot regard such a supposition as reasonable. 
 
 IV. It is a principle of Congregationalism, that 
 every church is competent to choose its own officers^ 
 discipline its own members, and transact all other ap- 
 propriate business, independently of any other church^ 
 
 * See Waddington's Ilixtory of the Church, (Harper's edition,) 
 ch. 2, 2. Machine's note to Mosheim, Vol. I. P. II. ch. 2, n. 6. 
 See also Part III. of this work. "Modern Writers."
 
 PRINCIPLES. 53 
 
 or ecclesiastical body or person ; or, in other words 
 that all church power is vested in the hands of those 
 who constitute the church.* 
 
 This principle flows naturally and unavoidably 
 from the preceding. If a church be an authorized, 
 voluntary association, organized for specific and 
 lawful purposes ; then this association must have the 
 right to choose such officers, make such regulations, 
 and adopt such measures as are essential to the ends 
 for which it is formed ; all being done in accordance 
 with the general directions of God's Word, or at least, 
 in a manner consistent with the spirit of that Word. 
 
 (1) As to the election of church officers. We find 
 this right fully recognized in the practice of the apos- 
 tolic churches. For example : in Acts 1 : 15-26 there 
 is an account of the proceedings of the church at 
 Jerusalem immediately after Christ's ascension, in 
 choosing an apostle in the place of Judas. It is as 
 follows : " And in those days Peter stood up in the 
 midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of the 
 names together were about a hundred and twenty,) 
 men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have 
 been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth 
 of David spake before concerning Judas, which was 
 guide to them that took Jesus. For he was num- 
 bered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry 
 
 * Robinson and Church Prince Chron. Part II. sect. 1, and 
 Hist. Cong., p. 327, 330, 338, 339, 362; Thomas Hooker, P. I. ch. 
 11-13, partic. at p. 187, 188, 219, 220, 221, 5; Cotton's Way of 
 the Cong. Chhs., ch. 1, sect. 1, andWay of Cong. Chhs. Cleared, P. 
 II. ch. 1, partic. at p. 3, 5, 10, 19 ; Keys of tlie Kingdom of Heaven, 
 p. 67-70, 76-91, 100; Ratio Disc., p. 9 ; Camb. Platf. ch. 5, 8, 10, 
 2, 5 ; S. Mather's Apology, ch. 1. 
 
 5*
 
 54 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 . . . Wherefore of these men which have companied 
 with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and 
 out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, 
 unto that same day that he was taken up from us, 
 must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his 
 resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph called 
 Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 
 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which know- 
 est the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two 
 thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this min- 
 istry and apostleship, from which Judas by trans- 
 gression fell, that he might go to his own place. 
 And they gave forth their lots, and the lot fell upon 
 Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven 
 apostles." 
 
 By " lots " (tfj/povf) here, we may understand votes 
 they gave their votes. " And the lot fell upon 
 Matthias ; and he was numbered with the eleven " 
 apostles : (Tvy/carev^^, chosen by a common suffrage, 
 says Wahl. That is, Matthias became one of the 
 apostles by the common suffrage of the brethren of 
 the church at Jerusalem.* 
 
 * Mosheim, in his " Commentaries on the Affairs of the Chris- 
 tians before the time of Constantino the Great," has a long note, 
 in which he maintains the above view of the matter. He consid- 
 ers K^f/pof, a lot, as synonymous, in this connection, with ipfyos, a 
 suffrage or vote; and he supposes that Luke meant by the ex- 
 pression " they gave forth their lots," simply this: " and those 
 who were present gave their votes." He also supposes that the sub- 
 sequent method of the most ancient Christian churches, in electing 
 their teachers and pastors, was founded on the manner of pro- 
 ceeding to which the apostles had recourse on this occasion. 
 Vol. I. p. 136-138.
 
 PRINCIPLES. . 55 
 
 Now, if the brethren of the church at Jerusalem, in 
 the presence, and by the direction of the apostles 
 themselves, were authorized to make such an elec- 
 tion, are not those churches which are formed after 
 the model of this primitive church, empowered to 
 choose their own officers ? 
 
 In 'Acts 6 : 16, we have another instance in which 
 this same model-church exercised the right of choosing 
 ecclesiastical officers : " And in those days, when the 
 number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose 
 a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, 
 because their widows were neglected in the daily 
 ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude 
 of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason 
 that we should leave the word of God, and serve 
 tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you 
 seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost 
 and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this busi- 
 ness. But we will give ourselves continually to 
 prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the 
 saying pleased the whole multitude : and they chose 
 Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, 
 and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, 
 and Parmenas, and Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch, 
 whom they set before the apostles : and when they 
 had prayed, they laid their hands on them." 
 
 But, why did not the apostles select these men ? 
 or the apostles and elders select them ? Why was 
 the matter submitted to " the whole multitude of the 
 disciples ? " For the very obvious reason, that it was, 
 in the judgment of the apostles, the prerogative of the 
 church to choose its own officers. 
 
 In Acts 14: 23, 24, we have an account of the
 
 56 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 election and consecration of elders in the churches of 
 Pisidia and Pamphilia, under the direction of Paul 
 and Barnabas : " And when they had ordained them 
 elders in every church [or as Doddridge renders it 
 constituted presbyters for them, etc.] and had prayed 
 with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on 
 whom they believed," etc. The Greek word here 
 translated " ordained," is x^poTovf/vavref (cheirotone- 
 santes), from *> (cheir) the hand, and reivu (teino) 
 to stretch out. Wahl renders the word, " to vote by 
 holding up the hand." Schrevelius gives, as the 
 meaning of the word, " to raise up and extend the 
 hands to elect by hand-vote to vote by holding 
 up the hand." Bloomfield, as we might expect, re- 
 sists this interpretation ; but admits that " several of 
 the ablest commentators " adopt it. Doddridge has 
 a long and able note upon this passage. He main- 
 tains that the Greek word employed in the text 
 clearly denotes that the elders were elected by a vote 
 of the several churches over which they were respec- 
 tively placed. In this opinion agree Erasmus, Calvin, 
 and Beza. Beza says : " The force of this word 
 (xEiporovT/oavTef) is to be noted, that we may know Paul 
 and Barnabas did nothing by their private will, nei- 
 ther exercised any tyranny in the church." Calvin 
 says : " Luke relates that elders were ordained in the 
 churches by Paul and Barnabas, but at the same 
 time he distinctly marks the manner in which this 
 was done, namely, by the suffrages or votes of the 
 people ; for this is the meaning of the term he there 
 
 employs | X L P OTOV 'l aav ' 1 ^ npcafivTTjpovc; /car' enK^rjaiav. Acts 
 
 14 : 23. Those two apostles, therefore, ordained ; 
 but the whole multitude, according to the custom ob-
 
 PRINCIPLES. 57 
 
 served in elections among the Greeks, declared by 
 the elevation of their hands who was the object of 
 their choice." * 
 
 Dr. Owen maintains the correctness of this inter- 
 pretation, with great learning and ability.f "Xeipo- 
 roveiv," says he, " is the same with raj- #>*? alpeiv [to 
 raise the hands], nor is it ever used in any other sig- 
 nification." " He," continues Dr. Owen, " is a great 
 stranger unto these things, who knoweth not that 
 among the Greeks, especially the Athenians, from 
 whom the use of this word is borrowed or taken, 
 xeipoTovia [the act of voting] was an act oAw r??? tnK^ma^, 
 ' of the whole assembly ' of the people in the choice 
 of their officers and magistrates." He quotes from 
 Demosthenes and Thucydides in proof of this. It is 
 clear that this word is employed 2 Cor. 8 : 19, to 
 designate such an act of the church a popular vote. 
 In speaking of Titus, the apostle says "he was 
 chosen (or being chosen) of the churches (a'porov^e^ 
 VTTO TUV e/c/t/i;/cnwv) to travel with us with this grace ; " 
 that is, with the collection made for the relief of the 
 persecuted Christians in Judea. No one can doubt 
 that Titus was chosen by a popular vote ; and as the 
 same word is used in both places, the inference is, 
 that it designates the same act in both instances. 
 The old English Bible translates the passage : 
 " When they had ordained them elders by election." 
 Harrington, in his Prerogative of Popular Govern- 
 ment, renders the passage " Ordained them elders by 
 the votes of the People." The Evangelist evidently 
 
 * Institutes, Book IV. ch. 3, 15. 
 
 f Owen's Works, English edition, Vol. XX. p. 415-418.
 
 58 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 meant to teach, that the ordinations in the several 
 churches were in accordance with the wishes of the 
 brethren of each church, as expressed by their votes. 
 
 Another instance of popular election is recorded in 
 Acts 15 : 22-29 ; where we read : " Then pleased it 
 the apostles and elders, with the whole church [at 
 Jerusalem] to send chosen men of their own company 
 to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas ; namely, Judas, 
 surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the 
 brethren | " itCM&nEvovs uvdpae ^ avruv KE/j.tjjai " having 
 chosen men from among themselves, to send [them]." 
 See also 25th verse. This was not an election of 
 church officers exactly, but rather of church represent- 
 atives. The proceedings of the church, neverthe- 
 less, furnish an important hint respecting the Chris- 
 tian method of doing church business. The del- 
 egates were not appointed by the apostles, nor by 
 the apostles and elders ; but by " the apostles and 
 elders, with the whole nJiurch." Neander says : " Re- 
 specting the election of officers in the church, it is 
 evident that the first deacons, and the delegates who 
 were authorized by the church to accompany the 
 apostles, were chosen from the general body. 2 Cor. 
 8: 19. From these examples, we may conclude 
 that a similar mode of proceeding was adopted at 
 the appointment of presbyters." * 
 
 But, if it was the right and privilege of the 
 churches formed by the apostles themselves, and 
 while under their special supervision and instruction, 
 to choose their own officers and representatives, can 
 
 * History of Hie Apostolical Churches, Vol. I. p. 181, 3d ed. 
 So says Mosheim. Commentaries, Vol. I. p. 219 and note.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 59 
 
 this right and privilege be lawfully denied to any 
 church founded on the same general principles, and 
 composed of the same materials as were the apos- 
 tolic churches ? 
 
 (2) In proof that Christ has given to his churches 
 the right to discipline offending members, may be ad- 
 duced, first of all, that important passage in Matt. 
 18 : 15-18, " If thy brother shall trespass against 
 thee, [a/zap: rjai), amartese, commit a serious offence, sin 
 against thee. The same word is used Matt. 27 : 4. 
 Luke 15: 18, 21. Rom. 2: 12. 3 : 23. 1 John 1: 10, 
 and is translated sinned,] go and tell him his fault 
 between thee and him alone : if he shall hear thee, 
 thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not 
 hear thee, then take with thee one or two more ; that 
 in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word 
 may be established. And if he neglect to hear them, 
 tell it unto the church : but if he neglect to hear the 
 church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a 
 publican. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye 
 shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven : arid 
 whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in 
 heaven:" * that is, your doings as a church on 
 earth shall be ratified by me in heaven. 
 
 To avoid the natural inference, that the power of 
 excommunication is here put into the hands of the 
 church, it has been said: that it is only the ag- 
 grieved person who is to count the obstinate tres- 
 passer " as an heathen man and publican ; " " let 
 
 * Sec an excellent sermon upon this text by Dr. Emmons, in 
 which he terms the passage, " The Platform of Ecclesiastical Gov- 
 . ernment, established by the Lord Jesus Christ."
 
 60 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 him be unto thee" etc. To this it may be replied : 
 that whatever the trespasser is to the offended 
 brother, he is after the course pointed out in the 
 text has been pursued to the whole church ; for, 
 when the matter is told to the church, and the church 
 undertakes to reclaim the trespasser, then the tres- 
 pass ceases to be private, and becomes the affair of 
 the church ; or, in other words, the church then takes 
 the place of the offended brother. It would, there- 
 fore, be manifestly absurd to suppose that the church 
 ought to retain in their fellowship one who had been 
 guilty of such an offence as to render it the duty of a 
 brother of the church to consider and treat him as a 
 heathen and publican i. e. as one destitute of re- 
 ligious principle, whose society should be shunned. 
 The correctness of this interpretation of the passage 
 is supported by the following texts. Rom. 16 : 17. 
 1 Cor. 5: 9-13. 2 Thess. 3: 6, 14, 15. Tit. 3: 10. 
 Any one who will examine these several passages 
 will see, that they all relate to the duty of churches 
 towards the disorderly, heretical, and ungodly among 
 them. And they show, conclusively, that it is the 
 duty of churches, after admonishing, and striving to 
 reclaim trespassers against the laws of Christ's king- 
 dom, without effect to purge them out to put them 
 away from among them to withdraw themselves 
 from them to have no company with them, that they 
 may be ashamed or to reject them from their 
 number and fellowship, as no longer deserving the 
 name of brethren, or the Christian confidence of the 
 churches. The passages here referred to may be re- 
 garded as a commentary on the common law of 
 Christ's kingdom laid down in the 18th chapter of
 
 PRINCIPLES. 61 
 
 Matthew; for it is reasonable to suppose that the 
 directions of the Head of the Church are to be fol- 
 lowed, substantially at least, by all churches, and in 
 all ordinary cases before they put away from among 
 them, or withdraw themselves from any man who 
 has been called a brother. This view of the matter, 
 while it furnishes a conclusive answer to the objec- 
 tion which has been stated above, and shows that the 
 apostolic churches had the power of discipline in 
 their own hands, also assists us in understanding 
 this fundamental law of Christian discipline in Matt. 
 18: 15-18. 
 
 In 1 Cor. 5 : 1-8, we have Paul's instructions to 
 the church at Corinth, to discipline, and even to 
 excommunicate an offending member : " In the name 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered 
 together, and my Spirit, with the power of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ " [being present to sanction your doings, 
 I counsel and direct you] " to deliver such an one unto 
 Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit 
 may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus : " [i. e. to 
 cast him out of the church, which is the kingdom of 
 Christ, into the world, which is the kingdom of 
 Satan, there to experience the painful consequences 
 of his fleshly lusts, until humbled and mortified by 
 the fruits of his apostasy, he shall be brought back 
 to Christ by sincere repentance.] . . . . " Know ye 
 not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ? 
 Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be 
 a new lump." 
 
 Having disposed of this particular case of fla- 
 grant sinfulness, the apostle is reminded of some in- 
 structions previously given the Corinthian church 
 
 6
 
 62 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 about the treatment of inconsistent church-members. 
 These instructions they had somewhat misappre- 
 hended ; he therefore explains more fully his mean- 
 ing; showing that he spake not of irreligious and 
 immoral men who were of the world, but of such as 
 had crept unawares into the church. He tells the 
 brethren, that they had power to pass judgment on 
 such offenders, and requires them to put them away 
 from among them : " I wrote unto you in an epistle, 
 not to company with fornicators : yet not altogether 
 with the fornicators of this world, or with the cov- 
 etous, or extortioners, or with idolaters : for then 
 must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have 
 written unto you not to keep company, if any man 
 that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, 
 or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extor- 
 tioner : with such a one no not to eat. For what 
 have I to do to judge them also that are without? 
 do not ye judge them that are within ? But them 
 that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away 
 from among yourselves that wicked person." 
 
 Is it not perfectly evident that the Corinthian 
 church are here directed to perform acts of discipline 
 of ths highest and most solemn character ? even to 
 cut off, and to put away from among them, their 
 own members. 
 
 See also, 2 Cor. 2 : 6-11, where Paul gives inti- 
 mations to the church respecting then: duty to the 
 incestuous person after his repentance for his sin: 
 " Sufficient," says he, " to such a man is this punish- 
 ment WHICH WAS INFLICTED OF MANY," [that is, doubt- 
 less, by a vote of the majority of the church,] "so 
 that ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort
 
 PRINCIPLES. 63 
 
 him Wherefore I beseech you that ye would 
 
 confirm your love toward him." But how? Evi- 
 dently by restoring him to their favor and commun- 
 ion. The apostle does not here speak as one having 
 alone the key of the Corinthian church ; but con- 
 trariwise, as one who recognized the power " of the 
 many " (fad v XMWVUV, of the majority of the church) 
 to act in the matter. He does not command the 
 church to restore the penitent ; but he " beseeches " 
 them : much less does he restore the excommuni- 
 cated person by the authority vested in himself as a 
 minister of the gospel of Christ.* 
 
 In view of these facts, the inquiry arises : If the 
 church at Corinth were authorized to perform these 
 most solemn and most important of all ecclesiastical 
 acts, were they not empowered to transact all appro- 
 priate church business ? And if Paul himself, " the 
 chiefest of the apostles," did not presume to act for 
 the church, but contented himself with directing them 
 how to act for themselves not in his name, nor by 
 his authority, but in the name of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and by His authority then, surely, no 
 person has a right to control and dictate a church; 
 but the power to act authoritatively must rest in 
 the church alone, assembled together in the name, 
 and by the authority of Jesus Christ. 
 
 If in these passages the keys of the church are not 
 
 * Calvin says : " It is to be marked, that Paul, though an apos- 
 tle, yet did not excommunicate alone, after his own will, but did 
 participate the matter with the church, that it might be done by 
 common authority communi auctoritate." 
 
 John Cotton takes substantially the same view of this case, in 
 his " Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven," p. 87-90.
 
 64 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 put into the hands of the church if the power to 
 discipline, and even to excommunicate (the most 
 important of all church acts) is not committed to the 
 associated brethren, called the church there is no 
 meaning in words.* 
 
 With what show of reason, then, can it be main- 
 tained, that the power of excommunication is here 
 given to the apostles; and "in a qualified sense, may 
 apply to Christian teachers, in all ages ; " especially, 
 when it is admitted by the same critic, that " tell it 
 to the church," (tiri ry emdwiq) must mean to the par- 
 ticular congregation to which you both, respectively, 
 belong ? f 
 
 What unprejudiced reader of the Saviour's direc- 
 tions will think of denying, that the power to bind 
 and loose, to receive and to excommunicate, is 
 here expressly given to the church, as such ; that is, 
 to the "particular congregation" of believers to 
 which the trespasser and the complainant respec- 
 tively belong ; and, not to the apostles, as such, nor 
 to Christian teachers alone ? The great Head of the 
 Church knew that " offences must needs come." 
 He knew, too, that a church could not long continue 
 an organized and religious body, separate from the 
 world, if destitute of power to "purge out " the leaven 
 of impurity which would inevitably infuse itself into 
 the mass. Knowing all this, can we believe that He 
 has neglected to provide an effectual remedy ? We 
 
 * Zuinglius says : " If we look thoroughly into the words of 
 Christ which are in Matt, xviii. we may find him only to be ex- 
 communicated, whom the common consent of that church in which 
 the man dwelleth, hath shut out." Jacob's Attestation, p. 30. 
 
 f See BloomfielcCs New Test, in loc.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 65 
 
 cannot. This remedy is pointed out in the passages 
 which have been quoted. Here we have an infallible 
 guide, unto which if we take heed we shall do well. 
 
 Admitting the Congregational principle that 
 every company of believers who have entered into 
 covenant engagements for church purposes is a com- 
 plete church, and authorized to transact all business, 
 independently of the authoritative control or direc- 
 tion- of any person or body of men whatever ad- 
 mitting this, the directions of the Saviour are easily 
 understood and obeyed. But, denying this principle, 
 how can we proceed in cases of trespass? Who, 
 and what is "the church," to which we are ulti- 
 mately to carry our cause ; and whose decision is to 
 be final ? If the apostles alone were intended, in the 
 direction " tell it to the church," then there is no one 
 now authorized to settle difficulties between church- 
 members ; yea, church discipline is out of the ques- 
 tion ; every member may walk as seemeth right in 
 his own eyes, with none to say, " why do ye so ? " 
 Who can believe that Christ has left his churches in 
 such a condition ? But suppose it be said, that this 
 disciplinary power is lodged with the teachers of the 
 churches, as the successors of the apostles ? Then I 
 ask, What if a church be destitute of teachers, as 
 some of our churches are for a succession of years ? 
 or what if the teachers themselves become corrupt ? 
 What then becomes of discipline? To avoid this 
 difficulty, the power to discipline offenders may be 
 committed to a " Church Session." * But is " a 
 
 * The Church Session consists of the Pastor or Pastors, and 
 the Ruling Elders of a Presbyterian Congregation. See Con- 
 
 6*
 
 66 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 church session" i. e. the pastor and ruling elders of 
 a particular congregation " the church " of which 
 Christ speaks in Matt, xviii. and to which Paul refers 
 in his directions to the Corinthians ? If it be, why 
 then, we ask, did Paul (1 Cor. v.) direct the Corin- 
 thian church "gathered together," to pass an act 
 of excommunication upon the incestuous person? 
 Why were not his instructions addressed to the 
 officers of the church alone ? Is it not as clear that 
 the apostles directed " the church which was in 
 Corinth" that is, "them that were sanctified in 
 Christ Jesus, called to be saints " (1 Cor. 1 : 2) to 
 perform this act of discipline, as it is, that his epistle 
 was directed to the church as a body, and not to the 
 officers merely ? And if so, then have we not evi- 
 dence from the Scriptures, that the power and right 
 to exercise Christian discipline were anciently vested 
 in the congregated church? and that neither the 
 elders of the church, nor any representatives of the 
 body, could act independently of the brethren who 
 constituted the church ? 
 
 This is a principle of our system : that so far as 
 the management of its own affairs is concerned, 
 
 fession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church, 18mo, p. 388, Phil. 
 1821. This body is constructively, the church, or the congregation. 
 Dr. Campbell's remark upon such sort of churches, is worth re- 
 peating : " The notion .... of a church representative, how 
 commonly soever it has been received, is a mere usurper" .... 
 Lectures on Ecc. Hist. L. x. p. 166. Zuinglius says of a repre- 
 sentative church " ecclesia representiva." " Of this, I find noth- 
 ing in the Holy Scriptures. Out of man's devices any may feign 
 what they list. We rest in the Holy Scriptures." . . . Jacob's 
 Alt. p. 101.
 
 PRINCIPLES. 67 
 
 every church is a little independent republic ; in- 
 vested by Christ with all needful authority to elect 
 officers, to discipline offenders, to administer its own 
 government, and to do all other things which are 
 necessary to its individual welfare, and consistent 
 with the general principles of the gospel. 
 
 The principles which have now been discussed, 
 may be regarded as the corner-stones of the Congre- 
 gational system. On these the whole edifice rests. 
 Remove either of them, and the fair fabric of Congre- 
 gationalism will be shattered. But the storms of 
 centuries have beaten upon it in vain, and it is confi- 
 dently believed, that nothing can move it, for it is 
 " founded upon a rock." 
 
 1
 
 

 
 PART II. 
 
 DOCTRINES OF CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 IN the preceding pages we have considered what 
 Congregationalists regard as the most essential char- 
 acteristics of a Christian church. In respect to these, 
 we have ever been of one mind. But, in relation to 
 what are here called (for the sake of a distinctive 
 term, and for want of a better) the Doctrines of Con- 
 gregationalism, it is somewhat otherwise. These 
 have for the most part been gradually developed and 
 adopted by the denomination, in connection with the 
 practical application of fundamental principles. But 
 the doctrines which will now be enumerated, are 
 believed to be in accordance with our essential prin- 
 ciples, and to have the very general, if not universal 
 assent of consistent and intelligent Congregation- 
 alists of the present day. 
 
 Congregationalists maintain, 
 
 I. That there should be but two kinds of per- 
 manent church officers: ELDERS (sometimes called 
 
 (69)
 
 70 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 pastors, teachers, ministers, overseers, bishops,) and 
 
 DEACONS.* 
 
 In the maintenance of this doctrine, modern Con- 
 gregationalists differ materially from Episcopalians 
 and Presbyterians, and even somewhat from the 
 fathers of their own denomination. 
 
 As it is manifest to every reader of the New Tes- 
 tament that there were, in the apostolic churches, 
 several orders of religious teachers and helpers, besides 
 pastors and deacons ; and, as we profess to copy 
 after those churches, it is a reasonable question, 
 " Why do you deviate from the inspired model ? " 
 We reply, Because we believe that all the official 
 persons in the apostolic churches, except elders and 
 deacons, were extraordinary assistants, designed to 
 meet the peculiar exigencies of the churches in their 
 early existence. This conclusion we think fully au- 
 thorized by the Scriptures themselves. In the Epis- 
 tles we are furnished with several distinct catalogues, 
 more or less full, of those who were employed by the 
 Holy Ghost in the days of the apostles, in converting 
 men and in building up the churches. In 1 Cor. 12 : 
 28 we have as complete and orderly an arrangement 
 of these religious helpers as can anywhere be found. 
 It is as follows : " God hath set some in the Church, 
 first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers ; 
 after that, miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, gov- 
 ernments, diversities of tongues." We have here 
 eight different sorts of spiritual men ; and by com- 
 
 * See Upham's Ratio Discip. ch. 4 ; Bacon's Chh. Manual, p. 
 36-40, 1st ed. ; Pond's Church, sec. 8; Mitchell's Guide, p. 38, 
 2d ed ; Congregational Dictionary, Art. Officers.
 
 DOCTRINES. 71 
 
 paring this verse with the tenth verse we may, per- 
 haps, add two more those possessing the power of 
 discerning spirits, and of interpreting tongues. But 
 no one, it is presumed, will aver, that the apostle is 
 here describing the ordinary and permanent officers 
 of a Christian church. He is evidently speaking of 
 the supernatural gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, 
 and of the persons endowed with these several gifts 
 and qualifications for usefulness. Compare 111 vs.* 
 In Eph. 4 : 11 we have another list of the gifts im- 
 parted by Christ to his Church : and " He gave 
 some apostles [power and qualifications to become 
 apostles] ; and some prophets ; and some evangelists; 
 and some pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of 
 the saints, for the work of the ministry, [Jz/covt'af,] for 
 the edifying of the body of Christ : " i. e. Christ, on 
 leaving this world, authorized and instituted these 
 several orders of religious teachers, namely, apostles, 
 prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers; to the 
 end, that their labors might perfect the saints in 
 knowledge and holiness, and build up the Church in 
 this apostate world. 
 
 This passage seems to imply, that the several re- 
 ligious teachers here named are essential to the 
 accomplishment of the great work for which Christ 
 came into the world ; and that the churches will 
 always need, and should always have these instru- 
 mentalities. This may be true, and yet it may not 
 be true that the churches should always have living 
 
 * The reader will find an exceedingly interesting exhibition of 
 these charismata (spiritual gifts) of the apostolic age, in Neander's 
 History of the Apostolical Churches, Vol. I. ch. 5, bk. 3.
 
 72 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 teachers answering to the four or five kinds above 
 named. Indeed, from the very character of some of 
 these teachers, it is a settled point that the churches 
 cannot have them as permanent officers ; I refer par- 
 ticularly to apostles and prophets. I know not that 
 anybody pretends that there should be an order of 
 prophets in our churches. Inspiration being indis- 
 pensable to the prophetic office, prophets, of neces- 
 sity, cease to exist so soon as the gift of inspiration 
 is withdrawn. Still, the labors of prophets were 
 essential to the establishment of Christianity, and 
 their recorded predictions will be of great value to 
 the Church in all periods of her existence. 
 
 APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 In respect to the apostolic office, some Episco- 
 palians claim that this should be continued ; and 
 assert that in fact it is continued in their order of 
 Bishops, so far as superiority in " ministerial power 
 and rights " over the elders and the churches is con- 
 cerned. 
 
 It will assist us in -deciding this question, to in- 
 quire What were the apostles ? The Greek word 
 translated apostle (inroarotof, apostolos), means, " one 
 who is sent with commands, or with a message." 
 Thus it is used in John 13 : 16, " The servant is not 
 greater than his lord : neither is he that is sent (uxoa- 
 roAor, an apostle), greater than he that sent him." 
 And in 2 Cor. 8 : 23, " Whether any do inquire of 
 Titus, he is my partner and fellow-helper concerning 
 you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the 
 messengers (anoarotoi, the apostles) of the churches,
 
 DOCTRINES. 73 
 
 and the glory of Christ." So Epaphroditus is called 
 "the messenger, (u^oaro^ov, the apostle] of the church 
 of Philippi." Phil. 2: 25. This title is, however, 
 applied by way of eminence and distinction, to the 
 twelve men whom Christ selected to be his personal 
 attendants, and witnesses of all that he did, and said, 
 and suffered ; and eye-witnesses of his crucifixion, 
 resurrection, and ascension ; and his principal agents 
 in "Establishing his kingdom in the world. This is 
 expressed in Mark 3 : 14, 15, " And he ordained 
 twelve, that they should be with him, and that he 
 might send them forth to preach, and to have power 
 to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils." So 
 Matthew tells us: " These twelve Jesus sent forth" 
 etc. 10 : 5. See the whole chapter, which contains 
 Christ's instructions to his apostles. 
 
 If from these instructions we turn to Christ's last 
 interview with his chosen eleven Judas having 
 apostatized we shall find the same character as- 
 signed to them. Having " opened their understand- 
 ing, that they might understand the Scriptures," he 
 said unto them : " Thus it is written, and thus it 
 behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead 
 the third day : and that repentance and remission of 
 sins should be preached in his name among all na- 
 tions, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses 
 of these things." Luke 24 : 45-48. That the great 
 design of their appointment was thus understood 
 by the apostles, appears from the words of Peter 
 when they were about to select one to fill the place 
 of Judas, who had fallen by transgression from his 
 high calling : . . . " Of these men which have com- 
 panied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went 
 
 7
 
 74 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 in and out among- us, beginning from the baptism of 
 John, unto that same day that he was taken up from 
 us, must one be ordained to be a witness, with us, of 
 his resurrection" Acts 1 : 21, 22. 
 
 Now, from these passages it is evident, that the 
 prominent and distinctive peculiarity of an apos- 
 tle was this HE WAS A WITNESS FOR CHRIST a 
 chosen messenger, sent forth to bear witness to what 
 he had seen and heard of what Christ did and said 
 during his public ministry, and particularly to his 
 resurrection from the dead ; for it was on this fact 
 that the entire truth of the Christian System was 
 made to rest. See 1 Cor. 15 : 14, 17. In further 
 confirmation of this view of the apostolic character 
 and work, see Acts 2 : 32. 3 : 15. 4 : 20, 33. 5 : 
 30-32. 10 : 39-41. 13 : 31. 1 Pet. 5 : 1. That Paul 
 was not an exception, see Acts 22 : 14, 15, and 26 : 
 16, 22, 23. 1 Cor. 9:1,2. 15 : 8. 
 
 So far then as the distinctive peculiarity of the 
 apostolic office is concerned, it is manifest that the 
 apostles can have no modern successors. We need 
 their testimony to the important truths of Chris- 
 tianity ; and in their inspired writings we have this 
 testimony. But, as to such an order of living Chris- 
 tian teachers as were the apostles, it is impossible, 
 except by a miracle, that there should be any such 
 now. 
 
 It may be asked: "Did not the apostles possess 
 and exercise a superiority in ' ministerial power and 
 rights' over other religious teachers, and over the 
 early chrisiian churches, which may be transmitted 
 to modern successors ? " In turn it may be asked : 
 Did the apostles possess or exercise any superiority
 
 DOCTRINES. 75 
 
 over other teachers, or over the churches, which was 
 not founded on their peculiar relation to Christ as 
 his chosen witnesses and specially commissioned and 
 qualified agents ? And, if they did not, could they 
 transmit this superiority to any persons not holding 
 this relation to Christ, and not possessing these su- 
 pernatural qualifications ? 
 
 That their authority over others was based exclu- 
 sively on these extraordinary and incommunicable 
 peculiarities, seems to us evident from the usual 
 form of introduction in the epistles : " Paul, a servant 
 of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle" etc. " Peter, 
 an apostle of Jesus Christ." That it was on their 
 character as the inspired apostles of Jesus Christ that 
 they relied for authority over the churches, is further 
 apparent from numerous express references to this 
 fact : e. g. 2 Cor. 2 : 10, where the apostle declares, 
 that in granting forgiveness to the penitent offender, 
 he acted " in the person of Christ" fr xpoauiru xpiarov 
 as the representative of Christ. The same idea 
 is repeated in the 17th verse, " speak we in Christ ; " 
 i. e. " in the name of Christ, as his legates." In the 
 10 : 8, Paul speaks of the " authority " which Christ 
 had given him for the edification of the church ; and 
 in the 11 : 5, he declares his belief that he " was not 
 a whit behind the very chiefest of the apostles : " and 
 this he gives as a reason why his authority should 
 be regarded by the Corinthians. In the 12th chap- 
 ter, throughout, he defends his claim to the confi- 
 dence and obedience of the churches, by the evidence 
 he had furnished of his apostolic and inspired char- 
 acter. He says : " In nothing am I behind the very 
 chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the
 
 76 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all 
 patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.*' 
 See also 13 : 2, 3, 10. Gal. 1 : 11, 12. 2: 2, 6-10. 
 4: 14. Eph. 3: 1-7. 
 
 These texts seem fully to authorize the belief, that 
 the apostles spoke and acted authoritatively, solely 
 on the ground of their apostolic and inspired char- 
 acter. The reason why Paul had occasion to insist 
 so much upon his apostolical character, was, that 
 many persons, particularly the false teachers, ques- 
 tioned and denied his right to speak with authority 
 in the churches ; because, as they said, he was not 
 an apostle, chosen of Christ, and empowered to act 
 in his name. The fact that Paul deemed it sufficient 
 to establish his apostolical character, in order to 
 silence these opposers, proves conclusively, that the 
 ground of the apostolical superiority over other 
 teachers, and over the churches, was, that they, the 
 apostles, were Christ's chosen witnesses and specially 
 and divinely authorized and qualified agents. But 
 for this, they would have possessed no more author- 
 ity than other teachers. These peculiarities of char- 
 acter they could not, however, transmit to others: 
 consequently, they could not, as apostles, have any 
 successors. 
 
 It deserves remark, that Episcopalians, though in 
 their controversies with Congregationalists and Pres- 
 byterians they assert that their bishops are successors 
 of the apostles in then- superiority over the churches 
 and in " ministerial rights and power," yet, in arguing 
 with the Papists, find it necessary to maintain the 
 same views of the apostolic office which we do. 
 For example, the learned Dr. Barrow, in his work on
 
 DOCTRINES. 77 
 
 the " Pope's Supremacy," asserts, that " The apos- 
 tolical office, as such, was personal and temporary ; 
 and therefore, according to its nature and design, 
 not successive or communicable to others, in perpetual 
 descendcnce from them. It was, as such, in all re- 
 spects extraordinary, conferred in a special manner, 
 designed for special purposes, discharged by spe- 
 cial aids, endowed with special privileges, as was 
 needful for the propagation of Christianity and 
 founding of churches." He then goes on to specify 
 that it was necessary that an apostle should have 
 " an immediate designation and commission from 
 God " . . . " should be able to attest concerning our 
 Lord's resurrection or ascension " ..." be endowed 
 with miraculous gifts and graces "... perhaps be 
 able " to impart spiritual gifts " that " his charge 
 was universal and indefinite" "that the whole 
 world was his province ; " ... and that, by the 
 " infallible assistance " afforded him, he could govern 
 in " an absolute manner." He continues : " Now 
 such an office, consisting of so many extraordinary 
 privileges and miraculous powers, which were requi- 
 site for the foundation of the Church and the diffu- 
 sion of Christianity, against the manifold difficulties 
 and disadvantages which it then needs must en- 
 counter, was not designed to continue by derivation; 
 for it containeth in it divers things which apparently 
 were not communicated, and which no man, without 
 gross imposture and hypocrisy, could challenge to 
 himself. 
 
 " Neither did the apostles pretend to communicate it ; 
 they did indeed appoint standing pastors and teachers 
 in each church ; they did assume fellow-laborers or 
 
 7*
 
 78 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 assistants in the work of preaching and governance ; 
 but they did not constitute apostles, equal to them- 
 selves in authority, privileges, or gifts ; for, ' who 
 knoweth not,' saith St. Austin, ' that principate of 
 apostleship to be preferred before any episcopacy ? ' 
 ' And the bishops? saith Bellarraine, ' have no part of 
 the true apostolical authority? " * He elsewhere 
 tells us, that " the most ancient writers, living nearest 
 to the fountains of tradition " . . . " do exclude 
 the apostles from the episcopacy," i. e. they do not 
 reckon them as bishops ; or " were not assured in the 
 opinion, that the apostles were bishops, or that they 
 did not esteem them bishops in the same notion of 
 others." f 
 
 EVANGELISTS. 
 
 Having given our reasons for supposing that the 
 authoritative and controlling power of the apostles 
 over the churches and their ministers cannot be 
 transmitted to successors, we may pass to the con- 
 sideration of another order of religious teachers 
 that of Evangelists. 
 
 Evangelists are ranked next to prophets. There is 
 much difference of opinion respecting the character 
 and the work of an ancient evangelist. The Greek 
 word (evayyekurrfa, euangelistes) means literally, " one 
 
 * See under Supposition II. 4, Vol. VII. p. 201-203. Also 
 Supp. I. Arg. I. 13-15, p. 168 seq. 
 
 f Supp. IV. throughout, particularly 6. Dr. Campbell pre- 
 sents very nearly the same general view of the apostolic char- 
 acter, etc., as Dr. Barrow does. See Lecture v.
 
 DOCTRINES. 79 
 
 who announces joyful news," a preacher of the 
 gospel ; hence, some have questioned whether it 
 designated a distinct order of religious teachers. 
 That it did, seems to me evident from the use of the 
 term in Eph. 4: 11; "He gave some apostles, and 
 some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pas- 
 tors and teachers." Evangelists are thus made as 
 distinct from apostles and prophets as pastors and 
 teachers are. We find the word used in two other 
 places, Acts 21 : 8, where Philip is called an " evan- 
 gelist ; " and 2 Tim. 4 : 5, where Timothy is exhorted 
 to do " the work of an evangelist." 
 
 The best commentators agree that evangelists, in 
 the apostolic age, were religious teachers who had 
 not the permanent care of any particular church, nor 
 any fixed place of abode ; but were sent by the 
 apostles into different cities, that they might either 
 preach the gospel to the heathen, or carry on the 
 work of evangelization already begun by the apos- 
 tles* 
 
 It is quite apparent that these important agents in 
 promoting Christianity, so far as they were endowed 
 with miraculous gifts, can have no successors : their 
 office, in other respects, was substantially the same 
 
 * See Kuinoel, Acts 21 : 8 ; Bloomfield on Eph. 4:11; Doddr. 
 ib ; Macknight, Henry, Scott, Burkitt. Neander takes the same 
 view pf the Evangelist : " Next to these [the apostles] were the 
 missionaries or evangelists" Hist. Apostolical Churches, Vol. I. 
 p. 173. So does Dr. Campbell, Lect. v. p. 78. This account 
 agrees with what Eusebius tells us, Bk. III. ch. 37 of Cruse's Transl. 
 or thirty-third chapter of Hanmer's. Mosheim (Vol. I. p. 66, 67, 
 Harper's ed.) supposes that many of the original seventy disci- 
 ples, chosen and sent forth by Christ, were evangelists.
 
 80 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 as that of a missionary of modern days ; whose min- 
 isterial work is the same as that of an ordained elder. 
 
 Entertaining such views as have now been sub- 
 mitted, Congregationalists can recognize but one 
 order of religious teachers, namely, that of Elders, 
 sometimes called pastors, teachers, bishops. 
 
 Thus far, Presbyterians and Congregationalists 
 perfectly agree : and upon this point there has ever 
 been an entire agreement among all who have advo- 
 cated our denominational peculiarities. Upon some 
 other points, modern Congregationalists differ from 
 their Presbyterian brethren, and also from the fathers 
 of their own denomination. To these points we 
 will next attend. 
 
 TEACHERS, RULING ELDERS, AND DEACONESSES. 
 
 Our religious ancestors recognized a distinction, in 
 office, not in grade, between Pastors and Teachers : 
 they also admitted the office of Ruling Elder ; though 
 they gave the elders no such judicial power as Pres- 
 byterians do.* They had among them, too, the 
 
 * Governor Hutchinson, in his " History of Massachusetts Bay," 
 gives the following account of the Ruling Elder. " Most of the 
 churches, not all, had one or more ruling elders. In matters of 
 offence the ruling elder after the hearing, asked the church if they 
 were satisfied ; if they were, he left it to the pastor or teacher to 
 denounce the sentence of excommunication, suspension, or a'dmo- 
 nition, according as the church had determined. 
 
 " Matters of offence, regularly, were first brought to the ruling 
 elder in private, and might not otherwise be told to the church. 
 It was the practice for the ruling elders to give public notice of 
 such persons as desired to enter into church fellowship with them ; 
 and of the time proposed for admitting them, if no sufficient objec-
 
 DOCTRINES. 81 
 
 office of Deaconess or Reliever, in conformity with 
 the practice of the apostolic churches. These sev- 
 eral offices were recognized in the Confession of the 
 North of England Congregational church, as early 
 as 1589. And (with perhaps the exception of Dea- 
 coness) by the London Congregational church, 
 formed 1593.* 
 
 Thomas Hooker believed that the New Testa- 
 ment authorized these five church officers : Pastors, 
 
 tion was offered ; and when the time came, to require all persons 
 who knew any just grounds, to signify them. 
 
 " When a minister preached to any other than his own church, 
 the ruling elder of the church, after the psalm was sung, said pub- 
 licly : ' If this present brother have any word of exhortation for 
 the people at this time, in the name of God, let him say on.' 
 
 " The ruling elder also read the Psalm. 
 
 " When a member of one church desired to receive the sacra- 
 ment at another, he came to the ruling elder, who proposed his 
 name to the church, for their consent. 
 
 " At the communion they sat with the minister. 
 
 " They were considered, without doors, as men for advice and 
 counsel in religious matters ; they visited the sick ; and had a gen- 
 eral inspection and oversight of the conduct of their brethren. 
 
 " Every thing which I have mentioned, as the peculiar province 
 of the ruling elder; so far as it was in itself necessary or proper, 
 may with propriety enough be performed by the minister. 
 
 " It is not strange, therefore, that this office, in a course of years, 
 sunk into an almost entire desuetude in the churches. Indeed, the 
 multiplying unnecessary, and mere nominal offices or officers, 
 whose duties and privileges are not, with certainty, agreed upon 
 and determined, seems rather to have had a natural tendency to 
 discord and contention, than harmony and peace." Vol. I. p. 
 426, 427. 
 
 * History of Congregationalism, App. No. 1. Also, p. 277.
 
 82 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 Teachers, Ruling Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses.* 
 The Cambridge Platform, framed the same year that 
 Hooker wrote, mentions the same church officers ; f 
 though it speaks of the Deaconess as a church 
 officer less essential to the interests of the churches 
 than are the other officers. Its language is : " The 
 Lord hath appointed ancient widows, when they may 
 be had, to minister in the church, in giving attendance 
 to the sick, and to give succor unto them and others 
 in like necessities : " 1 Tim. 5 : 9, 10. Chap. 7, 7. 
 When the ' Ratio Disciplinae, Frat. Nbv- Anglorum ' 
 was published, in 1726, the office of Deaconess 
 seems to have been entirely dropped ; and that of 
 Ruling Elder extensively questioned, and " almost 
 extinguished." See Art. 7. Both were at length 
 given up by our churches ; as was that of Teacher, 
 in distinction from Pastor : and now, but two kinds 
 of church officers, Pastors and Deacons, are recog- 
 nized by Congregationalists as jure divino required 
 by the Scriptures. Even from the time that the 
 Cambridge Platform was laid, (1648,) there were 
 some persons in our churches, according to Mather, 
 who could not " see any such officer as we call a 
 Ruling Elder, directed and appointed in the word of 
 God." And as early as 1702, Cotton Mather wrote : 
 " Our churches are now nearly destitute of such 
 helps in government." J 
 
 Before we examine the evidence tending to show 
 
 * Survey of Chh. Discip. P. II. cli. 1. Printed in 1648. 
 
 f Chapters 6 and 7. 
 
 % Magnolia, Bk. 5, ch. 1 7, 4.
 
 DOCTRINES. 83 
 
 that pastors and deacons are the only divinely con- 
 stituted, permanent church officers, it may be well to 
 consider, why our churches have given up the other 
 officers : 
 
 (1) As it respects the office of Teacher. 
 
 This office, in distinction from that of pastor, 
 was built on what the apostle says, Eph. 4 : 8, 11. 
 " When he [Christ] ascended up on high, he led cap- 
 tivity captive, and gave gifts unto men : And he 
 gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, 
 evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" etc. 
 This text was supposed to indicate that our churches 
 should have both pastors and teachers. The very 
 arrangement of the text, however, suggests, that a 
 different interpretation ought to be given to the last 
 clause. This does not read, as the preceding do, 
 some pastors ; and some teachers ; but " some pastors 
 and teachers ; " which arrangement certainly allows, 
 if it does not require, that the same officer should be 
 both pastor and teacher : especially, as feeding ihe 
 church of God i. e. instructing it is declared to 
 be an important part of the pastor's work. See 
 Acts 20: 28. 1 Pet. 5: 1-4. Compare these pas- 
 sages with 1 Cor. 12 : 28, where the apostle, in de- 
 scribing the provision made by God for the edifica- 
 tion of his Church, enumerates first, apostles, sec- 
 ondarily, prophets, thirdly, teachers, after that, mira- 
 cles, etc. Now, unless he includes the pastor in the 
 term teacher, he has entirely omitted this most im- 
 portant church officer. He, doubtless, used the term 
 as synonymous with pastor. Indeed, the two offices 
 seem naturally to run into each other : and this very 
 difficulty of keeping them separate, may have helped
 
 84 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 to convince our fathers that they had misinterpreted 
 the passage on which the distinction had been 
 founded. 
 
 (2) We come next to speak of Ruling Elders. 
 
 The principal foundation on which this order of 
 church officers is built, is 1 Tim. 5 : 17 " Let the 
 elders that rule well be counted worthy of double 
 honor [5nr^ Ti/ajf may denote both competent reward 
 and suitable respect] especially they who labor in 
 the word and doctrine." 
 
 This passage was supposed by our fathers, and is 
 still believed by our Presbyterian brethren, to teach 
 that there should be one order of elders who should 
 be simply rulers in the churches; and another, an- 
 swering to our pastors and teachers, who should 
 labor in word and doctrine also. To this inference, 
 it is objected: First, that the verse may be otherwise 
 construed ; and that, without violence to the original, 
 thus : especially as they labor in word and doctrine 
 ftuhiaTa ol KomuvTCf Iv "kayo nal diSaanaTua. The word rendered 
 labor (KomuvTef) means literally, wearing out, fainting 
 through weariness; and the expression, especially 
 those wearing themselves out, etc., intimates that the 
 apostle, instead of designating two kinds of elders, 
 and saying that the latter had special claims on the 
 bounty and respect of the churches, intended rather 
 to be understood, that, though all their divinely con- 
 stituted leaders and guides were deserving of a 
 liberal support (for this is evidently the meaning of 
 double) and the respect of the churches yet, more 
 especially did those spiritual guides and rulers (a 
 general name for those who had the care of the 
 churches) deserve this compensation and respect, who
 
 DOCTRINES. 85 
 
 were eminently faithful and laborious in their pastoral 
 and ministerial duties ; those who were wearing 1 
 out their very lives for their people.* 
 
 Secondly. In support of the general position al- 
 luded to above, it may be further remarked: that, 
 while there is scarcely another text which, indepen- 
 dently of this, would even suggest that there should 
 be an established eldership for ruling the churches 
 merely, there are several passages which connect 
 ruling and teaching together, as the appropriate 
 work of those who have the care of the churches : 
 e. g. 1 Thess. 5 : 12, 13 " We beseech you, brethren, 
 to know them which labor among you and are over 
 you in the Lord [the same words are here em- 
 ployed as in 1 Tim. 5 : 17 Komuvrac . . . not npoiarane- 
 
 vovs] and admonish you ; and to esteem them very 
 highly in love for their works' sake." . . . The nat- 
 ural and obvious construction of this passage will 
 teach us, that one and the same order of persons is 
 here spoken of, namely, such as labor in word and 
 doctrine preside in the assemblies of the church, 
 and act as the mouth of the church in admonishing 
 the unruly ; and if so, then this text throws light on 
 that in 1 Timothy, and is very nearly a parallel. 
 
 Another passage of the same general import may 
 be found in Heb. 13 : 7, 17, 24 ; " Remember them 
 which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto 
 you the word of God" ... or more correctly 
 " Remember those who, having presided over you, 
 
 * See Upham's Ratio, 38. Limborch, in Doddridge; and 
 Scott, and Henry, in loc. 
 
 8
 
 86 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 have spoken to you the word of God."* These 
 rulers (qyovpevuv) are allowed by almost all expositors, 
 to be the same as those spoken of in Timothy .f And 
 to these rulers, presidents, or guides is expressly 
 assigned the work of teaching the word of God. 
 See also, verses 17, 24. Now, these passages furnish 
 no intimation that there were any rulers established 
 in the churches except such as watched for souls 
 spoke the word of God labored in the word and 
 doctrine ; or, in other words, such as were the pastors 
 and overseers of the churches. 
 
 Another text, somewhat relied on by the advo- 
 cates of Ruling Elders, is 1 Cor. 12 : 28 ; " God hath 
 set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily 
 prophets, thirdly teachers ; after that, miracles, then 
 gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of 
 tongues." But this passage is too weak to stand alone 
 in the controversy. The apostle indeed speaks of 
 helps (uvrdfrfeif, those who aid, assist, etc.); but we 
 may just as well suppose this expression refers to 
 any other kind of aid or assistance as that of ruling. 
 The word governments (/cv/3f/w7<r?), means the office of 
 governor, director, or superintendent ; but, why should 
 we suppose a ruling- elder referred to here, rather than 
 a bishop or pastor, as Wahl supposes ? 
 
 There is, however, another, and as it seems to me 
 an entirely satisfactory way to dispose of this ques- 
 tion. It is this : The apostle in the twelfth and 
 thirteenth chapters of 1 Cor. is treating, not of the 
 ordinary, and established, and permanent officers of 
 
 * See Doddridge, in loc. 
 
 \ Doddridge, Maclcnight, and Bloomfield.
 
 DOCTRINES. 87 
 
 the churches of Christ, but of the spiritual and mi- 
 raculous gifts, which, for wise and obvious reasons, 
 God bestowed on many of the early Christians. 
 This is perfectly obvious from the first eleven verses 
 of the twelfth chapter. So that, should it be ad- 
 mitted, that among these diversified gifts of the 
 Spirit, the gift of government or eminent quali- 
 fications for administering the government of the 
 churches was imparted to some of the elders who 
 had been ordained over them, it would by no means 
 follow that these gifted ones were SIMPLY rulers or 
 governors, and not teachers ; much less would it fol- 
 low, that there should be such an order of ruling 
 elders in our churches. This passage, and one 
 nearly parallel, in Rom. 12 : 6-9, instead of author- 
 izing the establishment of a bench of mere ruling 
 elders in each church, would rather go to counte- 
 nance the practice early adopted by the primitive 
 churches, and which was the first step towards Di- 
 ocesan Episcopacy of choosing one of their several 
 elders to act as a leader, guide, and governor, or 
 overseer, in each church; who finally received the 
 title of ETu'raoTTOf, the bishop, or n^oeanr;, the president. 
 But, to our minds, the passage furnishes authority 
 neither for ruling elders nor diocesan bishops; but 
 simply informs us, that among other miraculous gifts 
 imparted to the early Christians was that of unusual 
 skiil in governing. And this, surely, was not less 
 important to the welfare of the churches than the gift 
 of healing, or of discerning spirits, or of interpreting 
 tongues. 
 
 Thirdly. There is one other view of this contro- 
 versy about ruling elders which we deem very im-
 
 88 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 portant, and conclusive in our favor, namely: that 
 no description of their qualifications, etc., is any- 
 where given in the New Testament; nor any direc- 
 tions for choosing and ordaining them. We cer- 
 tainly might reasonably expect that Paul in his di- 
 rections to Timothy or Titus, who were employed 
 in setting in order churches, would give some hint 
 about this important order of church officers, if in- 
 deed they were jure divino and intended to be per- 
 manent in the churches. We find directions about 
 elders, or pastors, and also about deacons ; but noth- 
 ing about the peculiar qualifications of an interme- 
 diate order. We feel justified, therefore, in the in- 
 ference, that such officers as ruling elders are not, by 
 Divine authority, established in Christian churches. 
 
 I have now said what seems to be necessary to 
 explain why modern Congregationalists cannot rec- 
 ognize the office of Ruling Elder. I might add to 
 the above, as collateral considerations against this 
 order the danger of conflict with pastors in the 
 administration of church government the diffi- 
 culty of procuring, in most of our churches, besides 
 the necessary number of deacons, a sufficient number 
 of persons suitably qualified for ruling elders and 
 yet further, that the deacons can ordinarily furnish 
 the pastors with all needed counsel and help in the 
 administration of church government ; all these con- 
 siderations might be urged as arguments against this 
 office as a prudential arrangement. But I have al- 
 ready dwelt quite long enough upon this question. 
 The conclusion of the whole matter is this : modern 
 Congregationalists have dropped the office of ruling 
 elder in their churches, because they cannot find sat-
 
 DOCTRINES. 89 
 
 isfactory evidence that there ever was such an order 
 of men in the churches ; or, if there was, that they 
 were other than miraculously qualified for their tem- 
 porary work in the apostolic churches.* 
 
 (3) The same view substantially may be taken of 
 another class of church officers mentioned in the 
 New Testament the Deaconesses. These were 
 an order of helpers which the peculiarities of Eastern 
 manners and customs rendered necessary to the 
 primitive churches. Every reader of ancient history 
 must be aware, that in most Oriental countries fa- 
 mi liar social intercourse between the sexes is not 
 allowed. Even to this day, an Eastern lady would 
 regard herself as degraded were she exposed to the 
 gaze of the other sex. Hence the practice of veiling 
 the face, and in some instances even the whole 
 person. To meet this state of things among the 
 people to whom the gospel was first preached, it 
 became expedient to appoint aged women, usually 
 widows, to administer to the necessities of the female 
 disciples ; to visit them in sickness ; to distribute 
 among them the charities of the church ; and in 
 various other ways to minister to their wants, both 
 temporal and spiritual. To these females, reference 
 is perhaps made in 1 Tim. 5 : 9, 10 ; " Let not a 
 widow be taken into the number (that is, of the dea- 
 conesses) under threescore years old," etc. Phebe, 
 spoken of by the apostle, Rom. 16 : 1, was one of 
 
 . 
 * In Mosheim's Commentaries, or Larger History of the First 
 
 Three Centuries, is a long note, in which this question of Ruling 
 Elders is discussed, and the views expressed above, generally 
 maintained. Vol. I. p. 215-218.
 
 90 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 this number : " I commend unto you (or I introduce 
 to your Christian confidence) Phebe, our sister, which 
 is a servant (&u/cwov, a deacon) of the church at Cen- 
 chrea." 
 
 From Ecclesiastical History we learn that these 
 deaconesses were set apart to their office by impo- 
 sition of hands. " Yet we are not to imagine, that 
 this consecration," says Bingham, " gave them any 
 power to execute any part of the sacerdotal office. 
 . . . Women were always forbidden to perform any 
 such offices as those." ..." Some heretics, indeed," 
 as Tertullian observes, "allowed women to teach, 
 and exercise, and administer baptism ; but all this," 
 he says, " was against the rule of the apostle." .... 
 Epiphanius, a Christian father who died about A. D. 
 403, says : " There is, indeed, an order of deacon- 
 esses in the church, but their business is not to sac- 
 rifice, or perform any part of the sacerdotal office, . . . 
 but to be a decent help to the female sex in the time 
 of their baptism, sickness, affliction, or the like." * 
 
 If the primitive churches were authorized to ordain 
 these " female public servants, or deaconesses " 
 which, however, the Scriptures nowhere intimate 
 it is very obvious that they were, like several other 
 servants of the churches in those days, extraordinary, 
 and not designed for permanent church officers. 
 They were appointed simply to meet the exigencies 
 of the churches in Eastern countries ; and conse- 
 quently, when these exigencies ceased, or among a 
 
 * " Antiquities of the Christian Church" Book II. ch. 22, 7. 
 See a full account of this matter in Coleman's Christian Anti- 
 quities, p. 115-118.
 
 DOCTRINES. 91 
 
 people of different habits, the office itself should be 
 discontinued. 
 
 Setting aside the apostles, and those spiritual 
 persons and extraordinary assistants whose claims 
 have been now considered, we have remaining, as 
 constituted and permanent officers in the church of 
 Christ : 
 
 1. ELDERS. These were ordained persons, who 
 had the charge of particular churches ; and, so far as 
 we are informed, had no ecclesiastical authority in 
 any other church than that " over which the Holy 
 Ghost had made them overseers." 
 
 The account of the second visit of Paul and Bar- 
 nabas to the churches of Asia Minor (Acts 14: 
 21-23) confirms this view. "We read : " And when 
 they had ordained them elders in every church, and 
 had prayed with fasting, they commended them to 
 the Lord in whom they had believed." Now, the 
 unavoidable inference from this passage is, that these 
 churches, which were founded by the labors of the 
 apostles, were each of them furnished with one elder 
 or more. The number was probably regulated by 
 the size of the church and the circumstances of the 
 elders. It is probable that most of the primitive 
 elders were men who labored at some trade or sec- 
 ular business most of their time. Hence, in part, 
 the necessity of ordaining several elders over a single 
 church, if that church was large. See Acts 14 : 23. 
 15 : 6. 20 : 17. 21 : 18. Phil. 1 : 1. 1 Thess. 5 : 12. 
 Tit. 1 : 5. 
 
 Another reason for the plurality of elders in the 
 primitive churches, may perhaps be found in the fact, 
 that the larger churches, in times of persecution par-
 
 92 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 ticularly, were compelled to meet in small companies, 
 in private houses, in vaults, or caves, and other places 
 of security, in order to worship God unmolested : 
 each of these assemblies would need an elder to 
 conduct its religious services ; and thus several over- 
 seers would be necessary for a single church of any 
 considerable size. Then, again, the elders were spe- 
 cially exposed to be cut off by persecution ; and if 
 there had been but one in a church, that church 
 might any day have been left destitute of a teacher 
 and overseer. 
 
 In proof that the elders of the primitive churches 
 were the same order of men that are sometimes 
 called pastors, overseers, and bishops, reference may 
 be made to the epistle of Paul to Titus. In chapter 
 first, verse 5th, Paul says to Titus : " For this cause 
 left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order 
 the things that are wanting" that is, the things 
 necessary to the complete organization and the 
 spiritual improvement of the churches " and or- 
 dain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee ; " 
 or, as I had previously instructed thee to do. 
 
 Paul, it seems, had visited Crete in company with 
 Titus ; and their united labors had gathered a num- 
 ber of Christian churches on that island. But, as 
 Paul was pressed for time, and the island was very 
 populous containing, according to Homer, one 
 hundred cities the apostle could not make all the 
 necessary arrangements, and give all the needed in- 
 struction, for the complete organization of the nu- 
 merous converts into distinct churches. He therefore 
 left Titus in Crete, with instructions how to proceed 
 in this important work. In the passage just quoted,
 
 DOCTRINES. 93 
 
 these instructions are referred to and some of the 
 more important items in them recapitulated. One 
 of the most prominent of these was to "ordain 
 elders [^p^vTepov^ presbuterous ; whence the Eng- 
 lish presbyters] in every city" that is, in every city 
 where there was a church : or, in other words, to 
 supply every church with elders.* This is precisely 
 what the Apostle and Barnabas did in the cities of 
 Asia Minor, among which they had been preaching 
 the gospel. See Acts xiv. 
 
 Having given this general direction, " to ordain 
 elders in every city ; " the Apostle next tells Titus 
 what sort of men to select for elders : " If any be 
 blameless, the husband of one wife [only], having 
 faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly." 
 Then, in the following verse as if purposely to 
 show that an elder and a bishop were precisely the 
 same officer he continues : " For A BISHOP [emaKonov 
 
 * In the spurious postscripts to the epistles of Paul to Titus and 
 Timothy, these Evangelists are called Bishops. Timothy is said 
 to have been " the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians ; " 
 and Titus to have been " the first bishop of the church of the 
 Cretians." Now, in reference to these postscripts, " it is univer- 
 sally agreed, among the learned, that they are of no authority." 
 They were probably annexed to the epistles as late as the fifth 
 century. " Certain it is," says Dr. Campbell, " that in the three 
 first centuries, neither Timothy nor Titus is styled bishop by any 
 writer. It also deserves to be remarked, that in the island of 
 Crete, of which Titus is said ... to have been ordained the first 
 bishop, there were no fewer, according to the earliest accounts 
 and catalogues extant, than eleven bishops. Hence it is, that 
 Titus has been called by some of the late fathers, an archbishop ; 
 though few of the warmest friends of Episcopacy pretend to give 
 the archiepiscopal order so early a date." Lee. v. p. 79.
 
 94 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 episcopon an inspector, an overseer] must be 
 blameless, as the steward of God [of^ God's house, 
 which is his church] ; not self-willed, not soon angry," 
 etc. Tit. 1 : 5-7. Here we perceive that the words 
 elder and bishop are used interchangeably, to desig- 
 nate the same church officer. Nothing can be more 
 clear. In the same manner are the words used by 
 the Evangelist, in giving an account of Paul's inter- 
 view with the elders of the church at Ephesus, Acts 
 20 : 17-28 ; " And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, 
 and called the elders of the church ; " * TOVS npeofivTe- 
 pnve 1% EKKfyaias. In the 28th verse the same persons 
 are called overseers, or bishops : " Take heed, there- 
 fore, unto all the flock over which the Holy Ghost 
 hath made you overseers (bishops, emaKoxovf,) to feed 
 the church of God, which he hath purchased with his 
 own blood." The case is so plain that no one 
 need doubt that the same order of men are called 
 either elders, bishops, or overseers, interchangeably. 
 
 The same thing is apparent from the description 
 of a good bishop, 1 Tim. 3 : 17 ; which answers, 
 exactly, to the requisite of a good elder, Tit. 1 : 5-9.f 
 
 * The Syriac version, made probably early in the second cen- 
 tury, and one of the most valuable of all the ancient translations, 
 reads: "elders of the church of EPHESUS, Venire fecit pres- 
 byteros ecclesias Ephesi." A hint worth remembering, as an 
 offset to the quotation from Irenaeus, designed to prove that these 
 elders, or bishops, were from several neighboring churches, and 
 not from Ephesus alone. Stilling/kefs Irenicum, p. 292. 
 
 f The reader who wishes to examine this matter more fully, 
 and especially, if he would know the sentiments of the fathers of 
 the church, and the English Reformers upon this subject, is re- 
 ferred to Dr. Dwight's Theology, Ser. 150 and 151, to Prof. Pond's
 
 DOCTRINES. 95 
 
 The Greek word Trpeapin-epoc, translated presbyter or 
 elder, means literally, an older, or an old man ; being 
 the comparative of irpeapvc, old. The term was origi- 
 nally applied to the heads of the tribes of Israel, and 
 to the members of the Jewish Sanhedrim or high 
 court of the nation. These were generally men ad- 
 vanced in life, and distinguished for sobriety, knowl- 
 edge, and sound judgment. The term is applied to 
 the' teachers of the Christian church, because these 
 were at first selected from the more aged, experi- 
 enced, and intelligent converts to Christianity. The 
 first place in which the term elder is used in the New 
 Testament to designate a Christian teacher, is Acts 
 11 : 30 ; " The disciples, every man according to 
 his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren 
 which dwelt in Judea. Which also they did, and 
 sent it to the elders, by the hands of Barnabas and 
 Saul." We find the term in numerous other places, 
 in such connections as to prove conclusively that 
 the same order of persons is designated by the 
 term presbyters, or elders, as is elsewhere called 
 bishops, overseers, or pastors. The first epistle of 
 Peter 5 : 1-4 very clearly illustrates this. " The el- 
 ders (wpTj3tn*pwf) which are among you, I exhort, 
 who am also an elder" (or co-elder) ..." Feed 
 the flock of God which is among you"; noipuvarE, act 
 the part of a pastor towards the flock. Here we 
 have the pastoral character introduced ; the elders 
 are spoken of as pastors; allusion being made to 
 
 most satisfactory exhibition of the matter, in the 8th chapter of 
 his book, " The Church" and Dr. Campbell's Lectures on Ecc. 
 Hist. See also History of Congregationalism, p. 162, 195-198.
 
 96 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 such passages as Jer. 3 : 15 ; "I will give you pastors 
 according to my heart, which shall feed you with 
 knowledge and understanding." These pastors, or 
 elders, are next described as bishops, " taking the 
 oversight thereof, [exianoTrovvref, acting the bishop, over- 
 seeing- the church], not by constraint, but willingly ; 
 not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither as 
 being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples 
 to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall 
 appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth 
 not away." Which is as if the apostle had said : 
 The elders or pastors are to act the part of bishops in 
 the church they are to govern the church; not, 
 however, with lordly authority, but rather by the 
 weight of their holy example, and their strict con- 
 formity to the directions and spirit of the Chief 
 Shepherd and Bishop of souls. 
 
 How the apostle could teach the identity of the 
 office of presbyter or elder and bishop or overseer, 
 with that of pastor and teacher, more clearly than he 
 does in this passage, it would be difficult to conceive. 
 Dr. Bloomfield in his note upon this chapter seems 
 to admit this identity. His words are : " The apostle 
 now gives particular injunctions to the presbyters, i. e. 
 the bishops and pastors of the church." . . . 
 
 The titles pastor and teacher designate " the office- 
 work " of elders or bishops ; namely, to guide the 
 flocks, to preside over them, and to feed them with 
 knowledge and wisdom. Jesus Christ is the Chief 
 Shepherd and Bishop of souls (1 Pet. 2 : 25) ; and 
 every elder in his church is an under bishop and 
 ehepherd, or pastor, of a portion of his flock. 
 
 Can any thing be made more plain, by Scripture
 
 DOCTRINES. 97 
 
 testimony, than the correctness of this doctrine of 
 Congregationalism that elder, pastor ; bishop, are 
 different titles of the same church officer ? 
 
 Dr. Bloomfield himself, though a devoted church- 
 man, is constrained to admit, that " the best com- 
 mentators, ancient and modern, have, with reason, 
 inferred that the terms [elder and bishop] as yet de- 
 noted the same thing." * 
 
 If, then, these terms " as yet," (that is, during the 
 lifetime of the apostles) signified the " same thing-," 
 by what authority are they now made to signify 
 different things ? 
 
 Waddington, another Episcopal writer, admits 
 that " it is even certain, that the terms bishop, and 
 elder, or presbyter, were, in the first instance, and for 
 a short period, sometimes used synonymously, and in- 
 discriminately applied to the same order in the min- 
 istry." f Bishop Onderdonk, fully admits that the 
 word bishop and elder have uniformly, and precisely, 
 the same meaning in Scripture. He says : " The 
 name Bishop, which now designates the highest 
 grade of the ministry, is not appropriate to that office 
 in Scripture. That name is given to the middle 
 order, or Presbyters ; and all that we read in the New 
 Testament concerning ' Bishops ' ... is to be re- 
 garded as pertaining to that middle grade " that is, 
 to presbyters, or elders. $ 
 
 If this be an admitted fact, and the soundness of 
 the first principle of Congregationalism be allowed 
 
 * Bloomfield's New Testament, Acts 20 : 17, note. 
 
 f History of the Church, ch. 2, 2. 
 
 J Episcopacy Tested by the Scripture, p. 12. 
 
 9
 
 98 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 that the Scriptures are our safe and only guide in 
 respect to church polity then it must follow, that 
 no distinction should now be made between elders 
 and bishops. This is Congregational doctrine. 
 
 2. DEACONS are the only other permanent church 
 officers recognized by CONGREGATIONALISTS. 
 
 The original appointment of deacons is given in 
 Acts 6 : 1-6 ; " In those days, when the number of 
 the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring 
 of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their 
 widows were neglected in the daily ministration ; " 
 that is, in the daily distribution of the charities of the 
 church. " Then the twelve called tlie multitude of the 
 disciples unto them," that is, all the professing 
 Christians of the city, or the church " and said: It 
 is not reason that we should leave the word of God 
 and serve tables" or, leave the preaching of the 
 gospel to attend to secular business. "Wherefore, 
 brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest 
 report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom 
 we may appoint over this business " or set apart, 
 ordain, (/caraar^cro/^v) to this work ; " but we will give 
 ourselves continually unto prayer and the ministry of 
 the word. And the saying pleased the whole multi- 
 tude (-travTOf TOV Kty&ovf). and they chose Stephen, a man 
 
 V / ' tr M. * 
 
 full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and 
 Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, 
 and Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch. Whom they 
 set before the apostles ; and when they had prayed, 
 they laid their hands on them " ; or, in other words, 
 ordained them. 
 
 The specific object for which these men were se- 
 lected and ordained, explains the nature of their
 
 DOCTRINES. 99 
 
 office, and furnishes a conclusive argument for its 
 perpetuity. The primitive churches were accus- 
 tomed to take up weekly contributions for the relief 
 of the widows and the fatherless, and the sick and 
 necessitous among them. See 1 Cor. 16 : 1-3. 2 
 Cor. viii. and ix. 1 Tim. 5 : 16. This care of the 
 poor was specially important in times of persecution, 
 when Christians were liable to be stripped of their 
 property, driven from their homes, shut up in prison, 
 and even martyred for the truth. Thus were many 
 families deprived of their supporters ; wives were 
 made widows, and children, orphans. It became, 
 therefore, the imperative duty of the church, for 
 whom these persons suffered, to minister to their ne- 
 cessities. While the Christians were few in number, 
 the apostles and elders could easily take charge of 
 these charities ; but when " the number of the disci- 
 ples was 'multiplied," the teachers of the churches 
 could not do this work, without neglecting their ap- 
 propriate and peculiar business of teaching and 
 ruling. Under these circumstances, the apostles, act- 
 ing by Divine authority, directed the church at Jeru- 
 salem to choose from among themselves a suitable 
 number of persons, who might be set apart to this 
 particular and important work; and thus a new 
 order of church officers was established.* 
 
 * It is the opinion of some commentators, that this was not the 
 origin of the deacon's office ; but, rather, that after the example 
 of the Synagogues, there had from the beginning been such ser- 
 vants in the Christian churches as deacons. And, that these seven 
 deacons were added to those already existing in the church at 
 Jerusalem; and were selected from among the foreign Jews in 
 order to obviate complaints of inattention to their widows. See
 
 100 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 That the office of a deacon was not confined to 
 the church at Jerusalem, where it was first introduced, 
 is apparent from the repeated mention of this church 
 officer in other connections. Thus Paul addresses 
 the "saints at Philippi, with the bishops and dea- 
 cons" Phil. 1 : 1. And in his letter of instructions 
 to Timothy respecting the proper organization of 
 Christian churches, he expressly specifies the office of 
 the deacon : " Likewise must the deacons be grave, 
 not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not 
 greedy of filthy lucre ; holding the mystery of the 
 faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first 
 be proved ; then let them use the office of a deacon, 
 being found blameless." See 1 Tim. 3 : 115. 
 
 It is true, that the necessity of " daily ministra- 
 tions " among the poor of our churches may not be 
 now so great as it was in apostolic times ; but the 
 poor, the churches will always have among them ; 
 for unto the poor the gospel has always been most 
 successfully preached ; and the poor in this world are 
 still those whom God hath chosen to be rich in faith. 
 So long as these things shall be true, so long will 
 there be occasion for the apostolic deacon. 
 
 It is not, however, to be inferred that the whole 
 
 Mosheim, Vol. I. p. 69, 70. He supposes the " young men " men- 
 tioned Acts 5: 6, 10 and 1 Pet. 5: 5 were deacons. Kuinoel 
 and Bloomfield agree with Moeheim, so far as the first opinion is 
 concerned. 
 
 The question respecting the design of the deacon's office, and 
 the manner of selecting and inducting into office is not affected by 
 the opinion of these writers. Neander rejects this theory of Mo- 
 sheim and others; and maintains that of the text. See Hi&L of 
 the Apostolical Churches, Vol. I. p. 34-41.
 
 DOCTKINES. 101 
 
 office-work of the deacon was confined to the care of 
 the poor. The reason assigned by the apostles for 
 the selection of " the seven," -was : " It is not reason 
 [upearov, right, fit, proper] that we should leave the 
 \vord of God, [the preaching of the gospel] and serve 
 tables : " dianovetv Tpaire&ie, to administer tables ; i. e. 
 by implication, to take care of pecuniary affairs.* 
 
 Hence our churches have judged it to be proper to 
 commit to their deacons the care of their funds, if 
 any they chance to have, and their pecuniary matters 
 generally. They reason thus : If it was wrong for 
 the apostles "to leave the word of God to serve 
 tables," it must be equally so for any preachers of 
 the gospel. And, if it is wrong for ministers of the 
 gospel to neglect their appropriate work to attend to 
 pecuniary affairs, it must be equally so for them to be 
 cumbered about any secular business, even though 
 connected with the welfare of the church. But 
 every person at all conversant with church affairs is 
 aware, that there are many things of a secular char- 
 acter which must be attended to, or the interests of 
 the church will materially suffer. This being true of 
 every church, in every age, it is evidently suitable 
 and proper that there should be permanent church 
 officers set over " this business." The importance 
 of this office in the churches is acknowledged by the 
 conduct of those denominations, even, who deny its 
 scriptural authority. No church, it is believed, has 
 found it convenient to dispense with the services of 
 secular agents in church affairs. Some have their 
 
 * See Wahl's Lexicon. The same view is taken by Neander- 
 Hist. ofApost. Chh. Vol. I. p. 38, note. 
 
 9*
 
 102 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 church-wardens, others their stewards. Congrega- 
 tionalists prefer to follow apostolic example, and 
 choose, as permanent officers, a sufficient number of 
 deacons, who are set apart to the work of serving 
 tables, and in other ways relieving their pastors and 
 assisting their brethren. 
 
 OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 
 
 It has been objected to this view of the deacon's 
 office, that Stephen and Philip, two of the primitive 
 deacons, were found, soon after their ordination, 
 preaching' the gospel ; and one of them, administering" 
 the ordinance of baptism. Hence it is inferred, that 
 a deacon should be a preaching church officer. 
 
 In reply, it may be said, that it is obvious, on the 
 slightest examination of the subject, that the apostles 
 directed the church at Jerusalem to elect deacons for 
 secular purposes. " Look ye out among you seven 
 men of honest report, etc., whom we may appoint 
 [KaTaaTT/ao/iev, set apart, ordain] over this business" 
 namely, the distribution of the charities of the church, 
 and the necessary secular work connected therewith. 
 But, if these deacons were chosen by the church to 
 preach the gospel; then, in order to have administered 
 the charities of the church, and to have done other 
 secular work, they must have left " the word of God 
 to serve tables," as really as the apostles had pre- 
 viously been required to do ; otherwise, the evils 
 which their appointment was designed especially to 
 remove, must have remained unremedied : and if so, 
 what was gained by this election of deacons ? 
 
 This argument is so conclusive, that candid and
 
 DOCTRINES. 103 
 
 learned churchmen have felt and .u*flitted its force. 
 Thus Bishop Whiie, in a letter to Bishop Hobart, 
 says : " But can it be imagined that an order insti- 
 tuted for the purpose of ' serving tables ' should, in 
 the very infancy of its existence, have the office of 
 the higher order of the ministry committed to them ? 
 I do not deny either the right or the prudence of 
 allowing what has been subsequently allowed to this 
 lowest order of the clergy. All I contend for, is, that 
 at the first institution of the order there could have 
 been no difference between them and laymen, in re- 
 gard to the preaching of the word and the adminis- 
 tering of the sacraments." * Bishop Croft, in his 
 " Naked Truth," is equally explicit in declaring that 
 the original institution of the Deaconship was to be 
 overseers of the poor. He says : " Their office was 
 ' to serve tables,' as the Scripture phrases it ; which, 
 in plain English, is nothing else but overseers of the 
 poor, to distribute justly and discreetly the alms of 
 the Faithful ; which the Apostles would not trouble 
 themselves withal, lest it should hinder them in the 
 ministration of the Word and prayer. But, as most 
 matters of this world in process of time deflect much 
 from the original constitution, so it fell out in this 
 business ; for the Bishops who pretended to be suc- 
 cessors to the apostles, by little and little took to them- 
 selves the dispensation of alms, first, by way of inspec- 
 tion over the deacons, but at length the total manage- 
 ment ; and the deacons, who were mere lay officers, 
 by degrees crept into the church ministration and 
 
 * Wilson's Memoir of Bishop White, p. 365 ; quoted in Smyth's 
 Apostolical Succession," p. 150.
 
 104 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 becam^ a reputed spiritual order, and a necessary 
 degree and step to the priesthood, of which I can 
 find nothing in Scripture and the original institution, 
 not a word relating to any thing but the ordering of 
 alms for the poor. And the first I find of their offi- 
 ciating in spiritual matters, is in Justin Martyr, who 
 lived in the second century." * Father Paul) in his 
 " Treatise of Ecclesiastical Benefices," etc., explains 
 the change referred to by Bishop Croft, whereby the 
 Bishops gradually assumed to themselves the deacons' 
 work, and applied themselves "to the sole govern- 
 ment and care of their temporals, leaving the other 
 part of their function of teaching the word of God, 
 as a lesser care, to the monks and priests of the 
 lowest order in the church." f 
 
 But it is asked : " Why need these men be full of 
 the Holy Ghost and wisdom, if they were designed 
 merely to superintend the temporalities of the 
 church ? " The answer is : Because eminent piety, 
 as well as honesty and wisdom, was necessary to a 
 faithful, fearless, and successful discharge of their 
 official duties as stewards of the charities of the 
 church and guardians of its secular interests. Fur- 
 thermore, these deacons were to mingle extensively 
 with the Jewish and Heathen population of the city, 
 in their visits from house to house and in the trans- 
 action of their secular business ; and by the people 
 generally, would be regarded as representatives of 
 the entire Christian church. Hence the necessity that 
 
 * Quoted by Smyth, p. 150, from Scott's Coll. of Tracts, Vol. 
 VII. p. 307, 308. 
 f See Chaps. I. II. inclusive.
 
 DOCTRINES. 105 
 
 they should be men " full of the Holy Ghost and 
 wisdom ; " men of eminent piety and devotion to 
 God, tempered with much of that "wisdom which 
 cometh down from above, and is profitable to di- 
 rect." Besides this eminence in personal piety, it is 
 by no means unlikely that " the seven," who were 
 selected for deacons in the Jerusalem church, were 
 distinguished among their brethren for the possession 
 of some of those miraculous gifts of the Spirit which 
 were early vouchsafed to the churches. See 1 Cor. 
 xii. These would be specially valuable to men who 
 were to sustain that relation to the churches and the 
 world which the primitive deacons are supposed to 
 have held. This is certain, that whatever this " ful- 
 ness of the Holy Ghost " was, it was not imparted 
 by the laying on of hands of the apostles at the time 
 of the ordination of the deacons, but was possessed 
 by " the seven," probably in common with many of 
 their Christian brethren, previously to their ordina- 
 tion.* It was, undoubtedly, that full and constant 
 
 * It seems evident that the first deacons were ordained. For ' 
 we read : " When they " the apostles " had prayed, they laid 
 their Hands upon them" Acts 6 : 6. Compare v. 3. 
 
 Upon this passage Bloomfield remarks : " Selden and Wolf de- 
 duce the origin of laying on of hands from the age of Moses, 
 
 Num. 27: 18. Hence the custom obtained in the Jewish 
 
 church, and was thence introduced into the Christian. As laying 
 on of hands had always been used in praying for the good of any 
 person present, in order to show (kwcracwf , for whom the benefit 
 was entreated ; so it was, also, from the earliest ages, a rite of in- 
 stitution to office, which is conferred by symbol." 
 
 The Cambridge Platform, which contains the articles of " Church 
 Discipline agreed upon by the Elders and Messengers of the 
 Churches, assembled in the Synod at Cambridge in New England,
 
 106 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 enjoyment of the Divine presence which rendered 
 them eminently holy and wise, and in other respects 
 peculiarly fitted them for the service assigned them. 
 
 But it is said, that Philip and Stephen certainly 
 exercised the prerogatives of eldership ; that they 
 preached the gospel and, one of them, administered 
 the rite of baptism. As it respects Stephen, this is 
 not asserted by the sacred historian. It is said, in- 
 deed, that " Stephen did great wonders and miracles 
 among the people;" and, that he "disputed" with 
 various opposers of the gospel (Acts 6: 8, 9) ; but 
 all this he might have done while employed in the 
 work of distributing to the necessities of the poor 
 saints. As he went from house to house on these 
 errands of mercy, he was quite as likely to fall in with 
 the Libertines and Cyrehians, and them of Cilicia, 
 and of Asia, with whom he disputed, as he would 
 have been in publicly preaching the gospel. In 
 
 Anno 1648 " expressly recognizes the propriety and duty of or- 
 daining deacons. " Church officers," says the Platform (ch. 9, 1), 
 " are not only to be chosen by the church, but also to be ordained 
 by imposition of hands and prayer." In the 6th and 7th chapters 
 of the Platform, the officers of the church are designated ; and 
 among them is the deacon. Its language is as follows : " The 
 office of deacon is instituted in the church by the Lord Jesus. . . . 
 The office and work of a deacon is to receive the offerings of the 
 church and gifts given to the church, and to keep the treasury of 
 the church, and therewith to serve the tables which the church is 
 to provide for." 
 
 The practice of ordaining these officers has, to some extent, 
 gone into disuse among Congregational churches. It is an impor- 
 tant question, however, whether we have not in this particular 
 departed from " the right way ; " from the doctrine of our 
 fathers and the example of the apostles ? See on, Part IV. 2.
 
 DOCTRINES. 107 
 
 respect to Philip, the case is somewhat different. 
 " Philip," we are told (Acts 8:5)," went down to Sa- 
 maria and preached Christ unto .them." But this will 
 not prove that even Philip was ordained " to this busi- 
 ness." If the fact that he went down to Samaria 
 and preached the gospel proves that he was an or- 
 dained preacher of the gospel, then by the same argu- 
 ment we can prove that the whole church at Jerusalem 
 were ordained preachers of the gospel ; for it is ex- 
 pressly said that all the brethren of the church at 
 Jerusalem, when driven abroad by the persecution 
 which followed Stephen's martyrdom, preached the 
 word: "At that time," says Luke, (Acts 8: 1-4,) 
 "there was a great persecution against the church 
 which was at Jerusalem ; and they were all scattered 
 abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, 
 
 except the apostles Therefore they that were 
 
 scattered abroad, went everywhere preaching' the 
 word." 
 
 It is said, however, that Philip administered the 
 ordinance of baptism ; which, even on Congrega- 
 tional principles, a deacon is not authorized to do. 
 It is true, that Philip did baptize the converts of Sa- 
 maria and the eunuch of Ethiopia ; and it is equally 
 true, that the Holy Ghost authorized him so to do, 
 by special directions given to him. He was endowed 
 with the power of working miracles in Samaria, 
 (see Acts 8 : 6, 7,) and was especially commissioned 
 to disciple the eunuch, as we learn from Acts 8 : 
 26-28. This being the state of the case, could 
 Philip doubt that he was authorized to baptize the 
 converts thus made ? since Christ had enjoined upon 
 all those whom he had commissioned to " teach" the
 
 108 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 duty of baptizing" also : " Go ye and teach (or dis- 
 ciple) all nations, baptizing- them into the name of 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 
 Matt. 28 : 19. It is not unlikely that others of 
 the scattered brethren of the church at Jerusalem 
 performed the same ministerial acts. Wherever they 
 went preaching the word, and the Holy Ghost ac- 
 companied their labors, it is highly probable that 
 they administered baptism and gathered the converts 
 into churches ; and, under similar circumstances, any 
 layman of our churches would be authorized to do 
 the same things. This, however, would by no means 
 sanction this course of procedure under ordinary cir- 
 cumstances.* 
 
 In addition to what has been already said upon 
 this subject, it ought to be remarked, that the Scrip- 
 tures warrant the supposition that Philip, subse- 
 quently to his ordination as a deacon, was set apart 
 to the work of an evangelist. That this was not un- 
 frequently done by the primitive churches, is perhaps 
 intimated by the apostle, 1 Tim. 3 : 13 ; " They that 
 have used the office of a deacon well, purchase to 
 themselves a good degree ; " that is, a higher degree, 
 or office, in the church.f That Philip had been thus 
 
 * Mosheim says : " at first, all who were engaged in propagat- 
 ing Christianity, administered this rite [baptism] ; nor can it be 
 called in question, that whoever persuaded any person to embrace 
 Christianity, could baptize his own disciple." Murdoch's Mo- 
 sheim, Vol. I. p. 105-6, 1st Ed. See also Eusebius, Ecc. Hist. Lib. 
 II. ch. 1 ; Waddington, Hist. ChTi. p. 43 ; Campbell's Lee. on Ecc. 
 Hist.Lec. iv. p. 62-65; Lee. 8, p. 125-127; Lee. 9, p. 151-155, 
 Phila. Ed. 1807; Sailor's Magazine for Dec. 1843, p. 108. 
 
 f See Doddridge, and Bloomfield.
 
 DOCTRINES. 109 
 
 promoted, appears from Acts 21 : 8, ..." We that 
 were of Paul's company departed, and came unto 
 Cesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip 
 the Evangelist, which was one of the seven " dea- 
 cons. 
 
 From whatever point of view, then, we contem- 
 plate this subject, we can see no evidence that the 
 primitive deacons were an order of the clergy ; but 
 rather, that they were substantially like Congrega- 
 tional deacons, chosen and set apart to " serve tables." 
 
 That elders and deacons are the only officers 
 which Christ designed to have permanently con- 
 nected with his churches, and that their authority 
 should extend no further than to the particular 
 churches which elect them, may be inferred from the 
 nature of the case; from the considerations which 
 have been offered upon the general topics already dis- 
 cussed ; and from the manner in which these church 
 officers are spoken of in Scripture. Take, for exam- 
 ple, the address of Paul to the Philippians, 1:1; 
 " Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, 
 to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, 
 with the bishops and deacons" Now, had there been 
 in the church at Philippi any other officers than 
 bishops and deacons, would they not have been men- 
 tioned by the apostle ? * And if there were no other 
 officers in that church, what reason have we to sup- 
 pose there were in any of the apostolic churches? 
 
 * It is worthy of remark, that Polycarp, writing to this church 
 more than fifty years after the apostle, mentions the same two 
 officers, and only the same, namely, presbyters and deacons. See 
 extracts from the Apostolic Fathers in this work 
 
 10
 
 110 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 And, if in none of the apostolic churches, why should 
 there be in any of our modern churches ? 
 
 In further confirmation of this doctrine, we may 
 refer to Paul's first epistle to Timothy. This was 
 written to give the young evangelist such instructions 
 as would guide him in arranging the affairs of the 
 church at Ephesus, and probably, also, of the neigh- 
 boring churches. Among other important items, 
 Paul instructs Timothy how to proceed in the choice 
 and ordination of church officers. First, In respect 
 to bishops: " This is a true saying, if a man desire 
 the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A 
 bishop, then, must be blameless, the husband of one 
 wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hos- 
 pitality, apt to teach ; Not given to wine, no striker, 
 not greedy of filthy lucre ; but patient ; not a brawler, 
 not covetous ; One that ruleth well his own house, 
 having his children in subjection with all gravity; 
 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, 
 how shall he take care of the church of God ?) Not 
 a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into 
 the condemnation of the devil." 1 Tim. 3: 1-6. 
 Secondly, In respect to deacons. "Likewise must 
 the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given 
 to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre ; holding the 
 mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let 
 these also first be proved ; then let them use the 
 office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so 
 must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, 
 faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the hus- 
 bands of one wife, ruling their children and their own 
 houses well. For they that have used the office of a 
 deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree,
 
 DOCTRINES. Ill 
 
 and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ 
 Jesus. These things write I unto thee, hoping to 
 come unto thee shortly : but if I tarry long; that thou 
 mayest know how thou oug-htest to behave thyself in 
 the house of God, which is the church of the living' 
 God, the pillar and ground of the truth" 1 Tim. 3 : 
 8-15. 
 
 It deserves notice, that not one word is here said 
 about any qualifications to teach. The bishop must 
 be " apt to teach : " but the deacon must be, simply, 
 grave, sincere, temperate, moderate in his desires for 
 wealth, and of intelligent and deep-toned piety. It 
 being the special design of Paul in this epistle, to in- 
 struct Timothy how to behave himself in the Church 
 of the living- God; that is, how to order and arrange 
 the affairs of the churches what errors to oppose, 
 what duties to inculcate, what officers to ordain, and 
 what kind of men to select ; this being the special 
 object of the apostle in writing to Timothy, it is in- 
 conceivable that he should have omitted to mention 
 any of the officers which were to be chosen of men, 
 and set apart to the service of the churches. Only 
 two, however, are named by him, BISHOPS and 
 DEACONS. The unavoidable inference is, that no 
 others were required by the apostolic churches as per- 
 manent ecclesiastical officers. And if not by the 
 apostolic churches, why by any churches ? 
 
 Further, we may add, that in no part of the New 
 Testament have we any directions about the quali- 
 fications of other church officers, or any account of 
 the manner of setting them apart to office. But, is 
 it reasonable to believe that the Scriptures would be 
 thus silent, if other officers were important to the
 
 112 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 churches? if the great Head of the Church required 
 their selection and consecration? and more espe- 
 cially, if men must be left to the " uncovenanted 
 mercies of God," however sincerely devoted to him, 
 if not organized into churches having divers other 
 officers ? and the sacraments of the church be " mock 
 sacraments," when administered by any except those 
 who recognize three orders in the ministry ? It seems 
 to us perfectly plain, that, since only two kinds of 
 church officers are described in the New Testament, 
 two only should be retained by the churches of 
 Christ ; and that all else is of human, not of Divine 
 appointment. 
 
 It may be thought that the subject of church 
 officers has received an undue proportion of atten- 
 tion ; but the fact that the controversy upon church 
 polity mainly turns upon this question, will suggest 
 a sufficient apology for the course I have pursued.* 
 
 IL Another important doctrine, upon which there 
 is a very general agreement among Congregation- 
 
 * The reader who wishes to examine this subject more fully 
 will find many valuable remarks in Macknight's notes on the 
 Epistles to Timothy and Titus ; particularly, 1 Tim. 3 : and 5 : 17, 
 18 ; and in Prof. Pond's work, " The Church." Dr. Bloomfield, in 
 his Notes on the New Testament, presents the Episcopal side of 
 the question, as does Bingham, in his Antiquities of the Christian 
 Church, Book II. chaps. 1, 2, 3. Dr. Owen discusses this subject 
 with his usual ability in the 4th chapter of his learned work, on 
 " The true Nature of a Gospel Church and its Government." 
 Doddridge's remarks upon many of the texts which have been 
 quoted, will be found candid and learned. The reader will find 
 some of the points ably discussed in Bishop Onderdonk's Tract on 
 Episcopacy Tested by Scripture, and Rev. Albert Barnes' Re- 
 view of the same.
 
 DOCTRINES. 113 
 
 alists, is, that ecclesiastical councils, both mutual and 
 ex parte, are in cases of necessity, suitable and impor- 
 tant helps in the administration of church government. 
 Our councils are usually composed of the pastor 
 and one of the brethren from each of several neighbor- 
 ing churches. They are called to organize churches, 
 to ordain and dismiss pastors, to depose from the 
 .ministry, and to assist in the settlement of diffi- 
 culties. They are brought together, as occasion re- 
 quires, by what are termed " Letters Missive " sent 
 to the churches. Not only may churches and their 
 pastors call councils, but either, without the concur- 
 rence of the other ; and also any number of church 
 members, with, or without the concurrence of their 
 brethren or their pastor. A mutual council is one in 
 which the parties on whose behalf the council is 
 called, are agreed. An ex parte council is called by 
 one of the parties, the other refusing to unite in a 
 mutual council. 
 
 The general doctrine of advisory councils was 
 broached even by Robert Browne, though a most 
 zealous advocate for independency.* Mr. Robinson 
 and his church admitted the same doctrine. The 
 Amsterdam and London Congregational church dis- 
 tinctly recognized the propriety of such councils-! 
 Thomas Hooker allowed the same;$ also John 
 Cotton ; so does the Cambridge Platform. || 
 
 * Hanbury, Vol. I. ch. 2. 
 f Ib. p. 359, 3GO. See over, p. 114, note. 
 % Survey, P. 4, ch. 2, p. 19, and Appendix, passim. 
 Cotton's Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, p. 43-46, 101-108. 
 Printed 1G44, Reprinted 1843, by Tappan and Dennet. 
 || Chaps. 15, 16. 
 
 10*
 
 114 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 That it has long been the belief of Congregation- 
 alists that ex parte councils may, in certain emergen- 
 cies, be called, will appear on reference to the au- 
 thorities below.* Congregationalists, however, agree 
 in asserting, that councils have neither legislative nor 
 executive authority over the churches. Their de- 
 cisions are generally left with the churches in the 
 form of counsel and advice, which the churches are 
 free to accept or reject, as they may judge most 
 agreeable to the Divine will. But, in deposing from 
 the ministry unworthy incumbents, councils act au- 
 thoritatively and conclusively. 
 
 The Congregational doctrine respecting councils, 
 is, that they derive all their authority to act in any 
 given case, from the churches which are represented 
 in them; the churches themselves being construc- 
 tively present in the persons of their delegates.! And, 
 
 * Mather's Ratio, Art. 9, 1 ; Upliam's Ratio, ch. 1 7. 
 
 f Our fathers were very particular to have lay delegates in 
 their councils. See Mather's Ratio, p. 175 ; Wise's Vindication, p. 
 18; S. Mather, p. 117. 
 
 The pastor of a church is as truly a delegate of the church 
 which sends him, as is the lay brother who accompanies his pastor. 
 The Cambridge Platform holds the following language upon this 
 point : " Because it is difficult, if not impossible, for many churches 
 to come together in one place, in all their members universally ; 
 therefore, they may assemble by their delegates or messengers ; 
 as the Church at Antioch went not all to Jerusalem, but some se- 
 lect men for that purpose. Because none are, or should be, more 
 fit to know the state of the churches nor to advise of ways for the 
 good thereof, than elders ; therefore, it is fit that in the choice of 
 the messengers for such assemblies, they (the churches) have 
 special respect unto such; yet, inasmuch as not only Paul and 
 Barnabas, but certain others also, were sent to Jerusalem from 
 Antioch ; and when they were come to Jerusalem, not only the
 
 DOCTRINES. 115 
 
 as no Congregational church claims any authority 
 over a sister church, it cannot of course communicate 
 to its delegates any such authority. Councils are 
 called to advise the churches, not to make laws for 
 them ; on the ground, that " in the multitude of 
 counsellors there is safety." Their influence over the 
 churches is exclusively moral; such as arises from 
 the combined wisdom of intelligent, unprejudiced, 
 and pious men. " They pretend unto no judicial 
 power, nor any significancy, but what is merely in- 
 structive and suasory. . . . They have no secular 
 arm to enforce any canons. They ask none; they 
 want none." * The churches hold fast the power 
 
 apostles and elders, but other brethren also, did assemble and 
 meet about the mattter; therefore synods [and, upon the same 
 grounds, all councils'] are to consist both of elders and other 
 church members endued with gifts and sent by the churches, not 
 excluding the presence of any brethren in the churches, Acts 16: 
 2, 22, 23, ." Platform, ch. 16, 6. 
 
 * Mather's Ratio, p. 172, 173; S. Mather's Apology, p. 18-25, 
 118. 
 
 The English Congregationalists agreed with the N. E. fathers 
 in this respect. Take for illustration, the 38th article of the Con- 
 fession of the London Cong. Chh., published in Amsterdam, 1596- 
 1598, "XXXVIII. And, although the particular congregations 
 [churches] be thus distinct and several bodies, every one as a 
 compact and knit city in itself, yet are they all to walk by one 
 and the same rule ; and, by all means convenient, to have the coun- 
 sel, and help one of another in all needful affairs of the church, as 
 members of one body in the common faith, under Christ their only 
 Head." Hanbunj, Vol. I. p. 97. 
 
 The Savoy Synod of 1658, while it "disallows the power of all 
 stated synods, presbyteries, convocations, and assemblies of di- 
 vines, over particular churches ; admits, that in cases of difficulty, 
 or difference relating to doctrine or order, churches may meet
 
 116 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 which Christ has given them in Matt. 18 : 18, to 
 " open and shut, to bind and loose." 
 
 " The truth is," says Thomas Hooker, " a partic- 
 ular congregation [church] is the highest tribunal to 
 which an aggrieved party may appeal in the third 
 place ; " alluding to the steps in Matt, xviii. : . . . 
 " If difficulties arise in the proceeding, the council of 
 other churches should be sought to clear the truth ; 
 but the power of censure rests still in the congrega- 
 tion, where Christ placed it." * So Samuel Mather 
 says : " When they [the Councils or Synods] have 
 
 together by their synods or councils, to consider and give advice, 
 but without exercising any jurisdiction." Ncal's Puritans, Vol. 
 IV. p. 216, 217. 
 
 The celebrated John Cotton, in his work on the Keys of the 
 Kingdom of Heaven, seems to give more power to Synods and 
 Councils than any other standard writer with whom I have con- 
 sulted. He says : " We dare not say that their power reacheth 
 no further than giving counsel." p. 59. Yet, on the 60th page 
 he concedes, that the churches may judge of the decisions of 
 synods and councils, whether " prejudicial to the truth and peace 
 of the Gospel," ..." and may refuse such sanctions as the Lord 
 hath not sanctioned." And further on, in answer to the question 
 " Whether the Synod hath power of Ordination, and Excommu- 
 nication," he says: "We should rather choose to determine, and 
 to publish and declare our determination That the ordination of 
 such as we find fit for it, and the excommunication of such as we 
 find do deserve it, would be an acceptable service both to the 
 Lord, and to his Churches : but the administration of both these 
 acts we should refer to the Presbyterie of the several churches 
 whereto the person to be ordained is called, and Avhereof the 
 person to be excommunicated is a member: and both acts to be 
 performed in the presence, and idh the consent of the several 
 churches to whom the matter appertaineth." p. 62, 63. 
 
 * Survey, Part iv. p ; 1 9.
 
 DOCTRINES. 117 
 
 done all, the churches are still free to accept or refuse 
 their advice." * In the Platform the same doctrine 
 is recognized, though not quite so distinctly. Its 
 language is : " The Synod's [or council's] directions 
 and determinations, so far as consonant with the 
 Word of God, are to be received with reverence and 
 
 submission." f This passage, though it may 
 
 seem to give more power to councils, than Hooker 
 of Mather allow ; yet, as it evidently submits the 
 question whether the determinations of the council 
 are " consonant with the Word of God," to the 
 churches in effect takes the same ground. This 
 appears more clearly by comparing section four, 
 where we read : " It belongeth unto Synods and 
 councils to debate and determine controversies of 
 faith and cases of conscience, etc., . . . not to exer- 
 cise church censures in way of discipline, nor any 
 act of church authority or jurisdiction." 
 
 That acute reasoner and learned theologian, Dr. 
 Emmons, maintains with great earnestness, the su- 
 premacy of individual churches in matters ecclesias- 
 tical : " No ecclesiastical decision," says he, " ought 
 to be taken out of the hands of a particular church, 
 where Christ has lodged it ; for he has appointed no 
 ecclesiastical tribunal superior to that of an individ- 
 ual church." $ ... 
 
 This, then, I suppose to be the doctrine of ancient 
 and modern Congregationalists : In cases of diffi- 
 
 * Apology, p. 118, 133. The Synod of 1662 maintained the 
 game doctrine. Quest. 2, Ans. 1; Hubbard's N. E. p. 589. 
 f Chap. 16, 5. 
 \ Platform of Ecc. Gov., a Discourse, etc. p. 19-23.
 
 118 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 culty, a church, or the aggrieved members of a church, 
 may call for the advice of a council of sister churches ; 
 and this advice the church is bound respectfully to 
 consider and cheerfully to follow, unless manifestly 
 contrary to what is right and scriptural ; but of this, 
 the church has an undoubted right to judge ; and to 
 act in accordance with its deliberate judgment.* 
 
 But, suppose a church, in the exercise of her sover- 
 eignty, should obstinately refuse to follow the rea- 
 sonable and scriptural advice of a council? She 
 would then become liable to discipline, as will be 
 hereafter specified, and would forfeit the confidence 
 and fellowship of sister churches. 
 
 The Consociational doctrine, adopted by most of 
 the Congregational churches of Connecticut, may, 
 perhaps, be regarded as an exception to the above 
 statement. In that State there are what are called 
 " Consociations of Ministers and Churches," com- 
 posed of pastors and delegates from all the churches 
 within convenient distances. These are standing 
 councils, to which all unsettled difficulties in the 
 churches within their several districts may be referred. 
 The decisions of these bodies are final and authori- 
 tative.f 
 
 This plan of consociation was designed to break 
 up the practice of calling ex parte councils. Wise 
 and good men framed this consociational system ; 
 and it possesses, apparently, some important advan- 
 tages over the usual method of calling councils as 
 
 * See Mather's Ratio, p. 173, 174; Upham's Ratio, ch. 15, 152 
 -154, ch. 18, 178. 
 
 f Saybrook Platform, Art. II. III. V. XII. XHI.
 
 DOCTRINES. 119 
 
 occasions require. Still, I must regard it as a de- 
 parture from strict Congregational principles, and of 
 very questionable tendency. The principle that every 
 church is authorized to act authoritatively and con- 
 clusively in relation to all matters of personal con- 
 cern, is of great importance. Any thing tending to 
 undermine this principle should be deprecated. For 
 this very reason all councils to settle church difficul- 
 ties should be avoided as much as possible; and 
 most especially, standing councils ; for such councils 
 are a sort of standing invitation to the churches not 
 to adjust their own difficulties. 
 
 It is a serious question, too, whether the churches 
 have the right to commit the work of Christian dis- 
 cipline to delegated hands ; whether they can per- 
 form this duty by proxy. Christ has said of the 
 obstinate offender : " If he hear not the church, let 
 him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican." 
 Consistently with this direction, a church may take 
 advice and counsel ; but, for a church to surrender to 
 a council the right to " hear, judge, DETERMINE, and 
 FINALLY ISSUE" any case, (as the Saybrook articles 
 of discipline expressly do) * seems utterly inconsistent 
 with the " Magna Charta " of Christ's churches.f 
 
 The above remarks are, perhaps, after all, more 
 appropriate to the letter of the Saybrook articles than 
 to the practical application of them which exten- 
 sively prevails in Connecticut. From the time of 
 their origin, the churches have manifested consid- 
 
 * See Article VII. 
 
 f Samuel Mather is very explicit upon the danger of councils, 
 for the purpose of settling church difficulties. See Apology, ch. 7.
 
 120 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 erable solicitude lest they should interfere with their 
 Congregational rights. Many have, therefore, given 
 a very liberal interpretation to the most objectionable 
 of these articles. Thus they choose to interpret the 
 third article, which says, " that all cases of scandal 
 that fall out within the circuit of any of the associ- 
 ations, shall be brought to a council of the elders, etc. 
 [i. e. to a consociation] when there shall be need 
 of a council for the determination of them," as 
 allowing them to judge when it is necessary to call 
 the Consociation, and as permitting them to call a 
 mutual council if they choose, or even a select coun- 
 cil, reserving the right to the censured party of appeal 
 to the Consociation. So also, some of the Conso- 
 ciations choose to call their decisions advice, rather 
 than authoritative determinations. And in other 
 particulars, "the increasing independency of views 
 cherished by the churches " has materially modified 
 the objectionable letter of the Saybrook Platform.* 
 
 To any form of consociation or confederation 
 among the churches, which removes from them indi- 
 vidually the right of final decision in all cases af- 
 fecting their personal interests, we conceive there are 
 most serious objections. 
 
 INFLUENCE OF CONSOCIATIONS ON THE ANCIENT 
 CHURCHES. 
 
 The general correctness of the views above ex- 
 pressed, is corroborated by the remarks of Mosheim 
 
 * See " Congregational Order" or the Ancient Platforms of the 
 Cong. Chhs. with a Digest of Rules and Usages in Conn. Pub- 
 lished by the Gen. Ass. of Conn. 1843.
 
 DOCTKINES. 121 
 
 upon the influence of councils on the primitive 
 churches. Having stated that all the churches in the 
 first centuries " had equal rights, and were, in all re- 
 spects, on a footing of equality," he adds : " Nor 
 does there appear in this century, any vestige of that 
 Consociation of the churches of the same province, 
 which gave rise to ecclesiastical councils and metro- 
 politans. Rather, as is manifest, it was not till the 
 second century, that the custom of holding ecclesi- 
 astical councils began in Greece, and thence extended 
 into other provinces."* 
 
 Again, in speaking of the second century, he says : 
 " During a great part of this century, all the churches 
 continued to be, as at first, independent of each 
 other; or, were connected by no consociations or 
 confederations." " Each church was a kind of little 
 independent republic, governed by its own laws, 
 which were enacted, or at least sanctioned by the 
 people. But, in process of time, it became customary 
 for all the Christian churches in the same province to 
 unite, and form a sort of larger society or common- 
 wealth ; and, in the manner of confederate republics, 
 to hold their conventions at stated times, and there 
 deliberate for the common advantage of the whole 
 confederation. This custom first arose among the 
 Greeks, among whom a [political] confederation of 
 cities, and the consequent convention of their several 
 delegates, had been long known ; but afterwards, the 
 utility of the thing being seen, [we shall see directly 
 how useful these conventions were,] the custom ex- 
 
 * Vol. I. p. 86, Murdochs 1st Ed. 
 11
 
 122 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 tended through all countries where there were Chris- 
 tian churches. These conventions of delegates from 
 the several churches, assembled for deliberation, were 
 called by the Greeks synods^ [from avvodog, an assem- 
 bly] and by the Latins, councils [from concilium, an 
 assembly] and the laws agreed upon in them, were 
 called canons, that is, rules, [from KO.VUV canon]. 
 These councils, of which no vestige appears before 
 the middle of this century, (i. e. the second) CHANGED 
 
 NEARLY THE WHOLE FORM OF THE CHURCH. For, in 
 the first place, the ancient rights and privileges of the 
 people were by them very much abridged ; and, on 
 the other hand, the influence and authority of the 
 bishops were not a little augmented. At first, the 
 bishops did not deny that they were merely represent- 
 atives of the churches, and acted in the name of the 
 people, but, by little and little, they made higher pre- 
 tensions, and maintained, that power was given them 
 by Christ himself, to dictate rules of faith and con- 
 duct to the people. In the next place, the perfect 
 equality and parity of all bishops, which existed in 
 early times, the council gradually subverted. For, it 
 was necessary that one of the confederated bishops 
 of a province, should be intrusted with some au- 
 thority and power in those conventions, over the 
 others ; and hence originated the prerogatives of 
 Metropolitans. And lastly, when the custom of 
 holding these councils had extended over the Chris- 
 tian world, and the universal church had acquired 
 the form of a vast republic, composed of many lesser 
 ones, certain head men were to be placed over it in 
 different parts of the world, as central points in their
 
 DOCTRINES. 123 
 
 respective countries. Hence came the Patriarchs; 
 and ultimately a Prince of Patriarchs the ROMAN 
 PONTIFF." * 
 
 Waddington, (Ecc. Hist. p. 44), admits the cor- 
 rectness of Mosheim's account. He says : " Though 
 these synods were doubtless indispensable to the 
 well-being of Christianity, they seem to have been the 
 means of corrupting the original humility of its min- 
 isters." If this be true, and if it be also true that 
 " like priest like people," and that like causes tend to 
 like effects then, I ask, If synods or councils to 
 assist in the administration of church government 
 are sometimes necessary, ought they not at least, to 
 be occasional bodies, called as seldom as the neces- 
 sities of the churches will permit ; and so limited in 
 their authority as not in the least to interfere with 
 the sovereignty of individual churches ? And, if the 
 plan of consociation has occasioned such countless 
 evils in the churches in past ages, ought not we to 
 regard it with a jealous eye ? And, is not the doc- 
 trine, that no ecclesiastical council shall have any 
 authority to enforce its decisions on the churches 
 highly important, yea essential to the independence 
 and the permanent welfare of the churches ? 
 
 III. Another Congregational doctrine of consid- 
 erable importance, is, that an ex parte council cannot 
 be regularly called, until a mutual one has been refused 
 by one of the parties.^ 
 
 The right to call ex parte councils has been con- 
 
 * Eccl. Hist. Vol. I. p. 142, 144. See also, an important note to 
 the same purport by Dr. Murdock, p. 142. n. 2. 
 
 f Mather's Ratio Disciplince, Art IX . ; Upham's Ratio, ch. 1 7.
 
 124 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 sidered an objectionable feature in our system. But 
 in reality, it is far otherwise. This right furnishes an 
 effectual check to the exertion of arbitrary power by 
 the majority of a church. These councils are courts 
 of errors, to which the humblest member of a con- 
 gregational church may appeal. This appeal cannot, 
 however, be made until a mutual reference has been 
 refused : and this will rarely occur, unless there be a 
 measure of unchristian obstinacy and self-will in the 
 refusing party. An ex parte council should in no 
 case act until assured that a mutual council has been 
 refused. 
 
 Some persons seem to think, that one ex parte 
 council may be arrayed against another, almost ad 
 inftnitum. But, if the above doctrine be regarded, 
 this cannot take place one ex parte council cannot 
 be arrayed against another. For illustration : if the 
 majority of a church should propose to call a council, 
 to consider the expediency of dissolving the pastoral 
 connection ; and the pastor and the minority should 
 refuse to join them, and they (the majority) should 
 proceed to call an ex parte council, the pastor and 
 the minority would have no right to call another ex 
 parte council. And, for an ex parte council to as- 
 semble, and proceed to act upon the doings of the 
 church and a previous council, without being assured 
 that the party calling them had, in their turn, pro- 
 posed to the other party a mutual council would 
 be to violate good usage and sound doctrine. 
 
 Nay, more, it is, in my view, very doubtful whether 
 those who have once refused the offer of a mutual 
 council, and thus compelled their brethren to call an 
 ex parte, have any further claim to the ad vice, of a
 
 DOCTRINES. 125 
 
 council; least of all, to that of an ex parte council of 
 their own choosing. If upon reflection, the minority 
 should consent to refer all their difficulties to the 
 consideration of a mutual council though they had 
 previously refused so to do, and by their refusal 
 had constrained their brethren to call an ex parte 
 council it would be an act of Christian kind- 
 ness and condescension, and perhaps of duty, for 
 the majority to consent to such an arrangement. 
 But, under other circumstances, the majority of a 
 church are authorized to act finally on the advice of 
 an ex parte council, when called regularly ; and the 
 minority have no ground of complaint, that all rea- 
 sonable measures have not been employed to adjust 
 then* difficulties on Christian and Congregational 
 principles.* 
 
 AUTHORITY FOR COUNCILS. 
 
 If the question be asked : " On what grounds do 
 Congregationalists rest their opinions respecting 
 
 * The decisions of such a council, resulting in the removal of a 
 pastor, would, doubtless, in the eye of the law exonerate a church 
 or parish from the payment of the pastor's salary after the date of 
 such decision. See a Report of Avery vs. Inhabitants of Tyringham, 
 in Mass. Reports for Sept. Term, 1807. The inhabitants voted 
 that they would no longer consider the plaintiff minister of said 
 town. The minister sued for his salary ; and the court gave it to 
 him; on the ground, that in cases of disagreement between a 
 pastor and a people, a mutual council should be proposed, and on 
 this being refused, an ex parte should be called, whose decisions 
 would have equal force in dissolving the connection between the 
 contending parties. 
 
 11*
 
 126 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 synods and councils ? " * The answer is twofold : 
 First, on the sisterly relations which our churches 
 sustain to each other. We regard ourselves as 
 branches of one family ; each of which, though set- 
 tled apart and competent to manage all its ordinary 
 affairs, has a family interest in every other branch. 
 And, inasmuch as every branch of the family will 
 feel a special interest in preserving every member of 
 the family circle from mistakes and errors, there is a 
 peculiar propriety in asking counsel of each other in 
 cases of unusual difficulty. We call our churches 
 sisters, because we have " one Lord, one faith, one 
 baptism ; one God and Father of all" . . . (Eph. 4: 
 1-6 ;) and endeavor to " walk by the same rule," and 
 to " mind the same thing," Phil. 3 : 16. If such be 
 our relation to each other, how suitable that we should 
 advise with each other in all cases of unusual diffi- 
 culty relating to our common faith and order ! 
 
 Secondly, on the ground of Scripture injunction 
 and example. The Scriptures inculcate the duty, in 
 general terms, of asking advice, and seeking counsel 
 in cases of doubt and difficulty. See Prov. 11 : 4. 
 12 : 15. 13 : 10. 15 : 22. And, that the general prin- 
 ciple here recognized that wisdom and safety 
 require men in cases of doubt and difficulty to seek 
 counsel and take advice is applicable to churches, 
 is evident from the example recorded in the fifteenth 
 
 * The chief, if not the only difference between synods and coun- 
 cils is, that synods are general councils, in their attendance and 
 objects ; councils are limited to a few churches, and are called for 
 private and specific purposes. These purposes are specified in 
 the Letter Missive ; beyond which the members of the council are 
 not authorized to go in their deliberations.
 
 DOCTRINES. 127 
 
 chapter of Acts: whence it appears, that a very 
 difficult question had arisen in the church at An- 
 tioch, which could not be satisfactorily adjusted 
 by the church itself, even with the aid of Paul and 
 Barnabas ; who, having no special revelation respect- 
 ing the question, could not speak authoritatively, as 
 upon many other points. After much dissension and 
 disputation, the church determined that Paul and 
 Barnabas, with certain brethren of the church, should 
 go up to Jerusalem, and ask counsel of the apostles 
 and elders, and, as the result shows, of the whole 
 church likewise. The question having been sub- 
 mitted to the consideration of the church at Jerusa- 
 lem, including the apostles, elders, and brethren, it 
 was resolved, after mature deliberation, and an assur- 
 ance that they had "the mind of the Spirit," to 
 embody their result in a letter, written in the name 
 of the " apostles, elders, and brethren," and by the 
 authority of the Holy Ghost," * and to send this by 
 the hands of " chosen men " of the church at Jeru- 
 salem, together with Paul and Barnabas, to the 
 church at Antioch, and elsewhere. 
 
 Now, though this transaction has in it few of the 
 circumstances of a modern ecclesiastical council ; 
 and though the decisions of the apostles, elders, 
 and brethren, acting under the special direction and 
 impulse of the Holy Ghost (v. 28), may have 
 had an authority which a modern council cannot 
 
 * Neander renders the clause " It seemed good to the Holy 
 Ghost and to us " thus : " For it seemed good to us, under the 
 guidance of the Holy Spirit." History of (he Planting, etc., of 
 Chris. Chh. by the Apostles, Vol. I. p. 145, 3d ed.
 
 128 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 have * yet, we see in this transaction a very clear 
 warranty for one church to ask counsel of another in 
 cases of difficulty : and, inasmuch as the pastors and 
 some chosen men from several churches would ordina- 
 rily be better qualified to investigate a matter of diffi- 
 culty, and to give sound and scriptural advice, than 
 the pastor and brethren of a single church there- 
 fore the plan of councils, composed of the pastors 
 and delegates of a number of churches, has been 
 adopted by us, in conformity with the general prin- 
 ciple recognized in this fifteenth chapter of Acts and 
 the dictates of sound discretion. 
 
 And the same general principles which authorize 
 any councils, equally authorize ex parte councils. 
 For, if it be agreeable to reason and revelation that 
 counsel should be sought by churches of one another 
 in cases of difficulty, and some members of a church, 
 who equally need this counsel, refuse to ask it, their 
 refusal should not deprive others in the same church 
 of that advice and assistance which they need, and 
 are disposed to seek. 
 
 The above are believed to be, for substance, the 
 views of Congregationalists on the subject of coun- 
 cils, mutual and ex parte. 
 
 * It ought perhaps to be noted, that all the suppositions in the 
 text are by no means universally admitted truths. Thomas Hooker 
 contends, that this conference at Jerusalem was purely deliber- 
 ative, and unattended by any special divine revelation ; and that 
 the authority of the " Holy Ghost," to which reference is made in 
 the 28th verse, was simply that authority which was clearly dedu- 
 cible from the Sacred Scriptures. He further insists, that the de- 
 crees of this council had only the weight of good advice, which 
 was consonant with God's Word. Survey, P. iv. ch. 1.
 
 DOCTRINES. 129 
 
 IV. Another doctrine of Congregationalism, is, 
 that the equality and completeness of the several 
 churches adopting' this system do not free them from 
 all accountability to each other. 
 
 Samuel Mather maintains this doctrine distinctly ; 
 and, among other authorities, quotes the testimony 
 of Jeremiah Burroughs, as follows : " Those in the 
 Congregational way acknowledge, 1. That they 
 Are bound in conscience to give account of their 
 ways to churches about them, or to any other who 
 shall require it. This not in any arbitrary way, but 
 as a duty which they owe to God and man." * 
 John Cotton taught the same doctrine, f Congre- 
 gational doctrine in regard to church accountability 
 is this : If a Congregational church is believed to 
 have swerved from the truth, a sister church may 
 call the offender to an account; and if necessary, 
 withdraw fellowship from the erring - and obstinate 
 church, ij: But, in doing this, it is necessary for the 
 complainant to take, as nearly as possible, the reg- 
 ular steps enjoined in Matt. 18: 15-18. The in- 
 quiring party having failed, by a private interview, 
 to obtain satisfaction from her erring sister, should 
 next call for the assistance of one or more of the 
 neighboring churches; and if unsuccessful in this 
 second step, may either withdraw fellowship imme- 
 diately, or call a council of neighboring churches, to 
 advise in the case. 
 
 * Burroughs' Irenicum, p. 43, 44-47, in Mather's Apology, 
 App. Part II. 
 
 f Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven, p. 101-108. 
 
 J Mather's Ratio Disciplince, Art. 9, 1, 4. 
 
 Cambridge Platf. ch. 15 ; Mather's Ratio, p. 172. Also Up- 
 Jiam's " Ratio Disciplince," p. 1 74, 206.
 
 130 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 Upon this general subject, the Cambridge Platform 
 ( Chap. 15) says : " Although churches be distinct, and 
 therefore, may not be confounded one with another, 
 and equal, and therefore, have no dominion one over 
 another ; yet, all the churches ought to preserve 
 church communion one with another, because they 
 are all united unto Christ, not only as a mystical, but 
 a political head, whence is derived a communion 
 suitable thereunto. The communion of churches 
 is exercised sundry ways. 1. By way of mutual 
 care, in taking thought for one another's welfare. 
 ... 2. By way of consultation one with another, 
 when we have occasion to require the judgment and 
 council of other churches. ... 3. By way of admo- 
 nition, when a church neglects discipline or becomes 
 corrupt. ... 4. By admitting members of sister 
 churches to occasional communion with one another. 
 5. By letters of recommendation or dismission from 
 one church to another. ... 6. By affording relief 
 and succor one unto another, either of able members 
 to furnish them with officers, or of outward support 
 to the necessities of poorer churches, as did the 
 churches of the Gentiles contribute liberally to the 
 poor saints at Jerusalem" 
 
 The mutual relation and the fellowship of the 
 churches were strenuously maintained by the fathers 
 of New England.* They abhorred any such inde- 
 pendency as excused a church from giving account 
 of itself its doctrines and its practice to all in 
 fellowship with it. This feature of the system has 
 
 * Hooker's Survey, Part IT. ch. 3, p. 80 ; Cotton's Way Cleared, 
 ch. 3, sec. 1.
 
 DOCTRINES. 131 
 
 been tenaciously held by all consistent Congrega- 
 tionalists to the present time. 
 
 I have now finished an enumeration and brief ex- 
 planation of the most essential Principles and Doc- 
 trines of the Orthodox Congregationalists of New 
 England. Such is the system of Church polity 
 which the fathers of New England fondly loved and 
 cherished; and in the maintenance of which they 
 endured persecution in their native land, the perils 
 of the ocean, and the hardships of the wilderness. 
 
 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 consid- 
 ered, that made them so willing to sacrifice the en- 
 dearments of home, and the enjoyments of cultivated 
 society; but it was their love for the Church of 
 Christ, the welfare of which they considered iden- 
 tified 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 institu- 
 tions of religion in their purity, they cherished this 
 system with self-denying, self-sacrificing fondness. 
 If 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 ad- 
 mired ; but the power which accompanied this form. 
 In a word, it "was not Congregationalism in itself 
 considered, which our fathers so devotedly loved and 
 cherished; but Congregationalism, as that form of 
 church government which Christ had fixed upon, as
 
 132 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 best adapted to promote the interests of His king- 
 dom and the glory of His name. While, therefore, 
 we approve and admire the fair model of a Christian 
 church which our fathers reared in the New World, 
 let us not forget the spirit which of old dwelt in the 
 New England churches. And while we rejoice in 
 the valued inheritance which our fathers have be- 
 queathed us, let us 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 our churches. It should never be 
 forgotten, that Congregationalism is a spiritual sys- 
 tem of church government. It is designed for, and 
 adapted to spiritual persons those who have been 
 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 dwindle away and die. Of all 
 denominations we are most entirely cast upon Prov- 
 idence. Without Christ we can do nothing. 
 
 These facts, while they furnish strong presumptive 
 evidence of the correctness of our principles and doc- 
 trines, at the same time suggest a powerful argument 
 to the mind of every Congregationalist, why he 
 himself should be holy, and why he should labor to 
 promote the holiness of all about him. 

 
 . 
 
 3V/ 9 (if 
 
 PART III. 
 
 -- 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 
 
 ~~ 
 
 IT will be seen from the preceding pages, that 
 Congregationalists derive their principles and doc- 
 trines from the Sacred Scriptures ; that Jesus Christ 
 is regarded by them as the author of their church 
 polity ; and the Apostles, as the builders of the first 
 Congregational churches. In this belief, they feel 
 themselves fully sustained by the passages already 
 quoted from the Evangelists and the Apostles, who 
 wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and 
 whose movements in organizing the first Christian 
 churches had the sanction of the Great Head of the 
 Church. Although our chief dependence is upon 
 these inspired guides, and nothing is received by us 
 as truth which is contrary to these, still it is pleasant 
 to find the correctness of our interpretation of the 
 Scriptures sustained by the testimony of the most 
 ancient Fathers of the Church, and by the judgment 
 of many of the most learned and impartial modern 
 writers on Ecclesiastical History. To their testimony 
 we will now attend. 
 
 12 (133)
 
 134 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 THE FATHERS.* 
 
 Clement. Among the earliest and most valued 
 pieces of antiquity is the epistle of Clement, written 
 in the name of the church at Rome, to the church 
 at Corinth, somewhere about A. D. 64-70.f 
 
 The main design of this epistle seems to be, to set 
 before the Corinthian church the inconsistency and 
 sin of suffering a few " ringleaders " " foolish and 
 inconsiderate men " so far to influence the church, 
 as to induce them to disregard their spiritual guides 
 and rulers ; and even to " cast off those from their 
 ministry, or bishopric, who had holily, and without 
 blame, fulfilled the duties of it." I will arrange 
 under distinct heads the testimony of this venerable 
 and admired writer respecting the primitive order 
 and discipline of the churches. 
 
 1. The first point established by this epistle is, 
 that in Clement's time (as late at least as A. D. 64 
 -70), the churches retained their independent congre- 
 gational organization. 
 
 The address or salutation of the epistle goes to 
 
 * The Apostolic Fathers, or those who were contemporary with 
 the apostles or their immediate disciples, were Barnabas, Clement 
 of Rome, Hennas, Ignatius, and Polycarp. The Fathers of the 
 Church, include all the Christian writers between the second and 
 the sixth century some say, twelfth century. 
 
 f Historians differ widely respecting the date of this epistle. 
 Lardner places it about A. D. 95. Waddington supposes this to 
 be about the true date. Dr. Campbell has some valuable remarks 
 upon this epistle, in his 4th Lee. on Ecc. Hist.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 135 
 
 show this. It runs thus : " The church of God 
 which is (or which sojourneth) at Rome, to the 
 church of God which is at Corinth, elect, sanctified 
 by the will of God through Jesus Christ our Lord : 
 grace and peace," etc. Here we have two distinct 
 and complete churches spoken of; the one at, or 
 sojourning at, Rome ; the other at Corinth. The 
 language employed is precisely such as one Congre- 
 gational church in these days might use when ad- 
 dressing another. 
 
 Clement also speaks of the church " being consci- 
 entiously gathered together, in concord with one 
 another." 34. Which goes to show that the 
 church consisted of a single congregation only, which 
 was accustomed to assemble together for church 
 purposes. 
 
 2. Another point established by this epistle is, 
 that the churches were composed of professed saints. 
 
 The church at Corinth is called " the church of 
 God," " elect, sanctified by the will of God, through 
 Jesus Christ, our Lord." Mention is made of " the 
 firmness of then- faith, and its fruitfulness, in ah 1 
 gqod works ; " of their " religion in Christ," and " cer- 
 tain knowledge of the Gospel : " they are said to 
 have " walked according to the laws of God," etc. 
 1 ; they are called " the flock of Christ," 54 ; and 
 "the sheepfold of Christ." 57. And if such was 
 the character of the Corinthian church, we may rea- 
 sonably infer, that of such materials were all the 
 churches of that time composed. 
 
 3. Clement speaks of the disciplinary power of the 
 churches. 
 
 " Beloved, the reproof and the correction which we
 
 136 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 exercise towards one another, is good and exceeding 
 profitable : for it unites us more closely to the will of 
 God." 56. He admits, as we shall presently 
 see, that the church had authority to discipline, even 
 its ministers. 
 
 4. Other points in the order of the primitive 
 churches, to which this epistle bears testimony, re- 
 spect the number and character of church officers ; 
 the authority which they posessed ; and the part 
 which a primitive church had in the institution of 
 its own officers. 
 
 The officers of the churches are thus spoken of by 
 the venerable Clement: "The apostles have preached 
 to us from our Lord Jesus Christ ; Jesus Christ, from 
 God. Christ, therefore, was sent by God, the apos- 
 tles by Christ ; so both were orderly sent according 
 to the will of God. For having received their com- 
 mand, and being thoroughly assured by the resur- 
 rection of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 1 : 5), and 
 convinced by the Word of God, with the fulness of 
 the Holy Spirit, they went abroad, publishing, ' that 
 the kingdom of God was at hand.' And thus 
 preaching through countries and cities, they ap- 
 pointed the first-fruits of their conversions [that is, 
 the first converts, and consequently the most experi- 
 enced Christians] to be BISHOPS and DEACONS, over 
 such as should afterwards believe, having first proved 
 them by the Spirit. Nor was this any new thing, 
 seeing that long before, it was written concerning 
 bishops and deacons. For thus saith the Scripture 
 in a certain place : ' I will appoint their overseers 
 [bishops] in righteousness, and their ministers [dea- 
 cons] in faith.' " Isa. 60 : 17. 42. And what
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 137 
 
 wonder if they to whom such a work was committed 
 by God in Christ, established such officers as we 
 before mentioned ; when even that blessed and faith- 
 ful servant in all his house, Moses, set down in the 
 Holy Scriptures all things that were commanded 
 him." 43. 
 
 In another place, referring to the disorders which 
 had prevailed in the church, he says : " Who is there 
 among you that is generous ? who that is compas- 
 sionate ? who that has any charity ? let him say, if 
 this sedition, this contention, and these schisms, be 
 upon my account, I am ready to depart ; to go 
 away whithersoever ye please ; and do whatsoever 
 ye shall command me : only let the flock of Christ 
 be in peace, with the elders that are set over it." . . . 
 54. A clear intimation that the church of 
 Corinth remained as the apostles left it ; " with el- 
 ders (not a bishop and elders) set over it." 
 
 But, does not Clement elsewhere say : " The chief 
 priest has his proper services; and to the priests 
 their proper place is appointed ; and to the Levites 
 appertain their proper ministries; and the layman 
 is confined within the bounds of what is commanded 
 to ^laymen?" Yes, he does: but for what purpose? 
 not to inculcate the doctrine that the Christian church 
 should have the same grades in their ministers which 
 the Jewish church had ; this was a discovery of a 
 much later period : but simply to enforce on the 
 Corinthians the duty of order and regularity in their 
 religious services. So he himself tells us, in the very 
 next sentence ; " Let every one of you, therefore, 
 brethren, bless God in his proper station, with a good 
 conscience, and with all gravity, not exceeding the 
 
 12*
 
 138 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 rule of his service which is appointed to him," ( 40, 
 41) ; a sort of paraphrase of the apostle's words : 
 * Let all things be done decently and in order.' 
 
 The argument of Clement is this : As under the 
 ancient Jewish Dispensation God assigned to the 
 high priest, the priests, Levites, and all the people 
 their appropriate parts in His service, that nothing 
 might be done " rashly and disorderly ; " so, under 
 the Christian Dispensation, it becomes both ministers 
 and people to observe their proper stations, arid do 
 their appropriate work in the service and worship of 
 God. Compare 37, 38. 
 
 After alluding to the " emulation among the tribes 
 concerning the priesthood," and the measures adopted 
 by Moses to quell the rising strife, by referring the 
 matter to God, who caused Aaron's rod, of all the 
 twelve, to blossom Clement proceeds : " What 
 think you, beloved ? did not Moses before know what 
 should happen ? Yes, verily ; but to the end there 
 might be no division, nor tumult in Israel, he did in 
 this manner, that the name of the true and only God 
 might be glorified : to him be honor forever and ever 
 Amen. So, likewise, our apostles knew by our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, that there should contentions 
 arise upon the account of the ministry, or the name 
 of the bishopric, [or, as Dr. Owen renders it ' about 
 the name of episcopacy,' that is, episcopacy itself]. 
 And therefore, having a perfect foreknowledge of this, 
 they appointed persons, as we have before said, and 
 then gave direction how, when they should die, other 
 chosen and approved men should succeed in the 
 ministry. Wherefore we cannot think that those 
 may be justly thrown out of their ministry, who
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 139 
 
 were either appointed by them, or afterwards chosen 
 by other eminent men, with the consent [or choice] of 
 
 the whole church ^avvedoKijauarjc 7% EKKfyautf truer/A ' and 
 
 who have with all lowliness and innocency minis- 
 tered to the flock of Christ in peace, and without 
 self-interest ; and were for a long time commended 
 by all. For it would be no small sin in us, should 
 we cast off those from their ministry, (or bishopric,) 
 who holily, and without blame, fulfil the duties of it. 
 Blessed are those priests [npeafivTepavf, elders] who, 
 having finished their course before those times, 
 [when churches are so fastidious and contentious] 
 have obtained a fruitful and perfect dissolution ; for 
 they have no fear lest any should turn them out of 
 the place [heaven], which is now appointed for them. 
 But we see how you have put out some who lived 
 reputably among you, from the ministry, [a, 1% ea-tu- 
 Komis, from their bishoprics] which by their innocence 
 they had adorned." 44. 
 
 This most interesting and remarkable passage es- 
 tablishes several points : (1) That bishops, or elders 
 as he calls them 54, and deacons were the only 
 officers known in the churches of Christ in the 
 days of Clement thirty or forty years after Christ. 
 For surely, if there had been any others known to 
 those primitive churches, Clement would scarcely 
 have written as he did. (2) That " the consent of the 
 whole church " was obtained to the appointment of 
 these officers. (3) That the apostles, foreseeing that 
 contentions would arise respecting the ministerial 
 office, left particular directions " how, when they " 
 that is, the elders or bishops which were ordained 
 over the churches during the lifetime of the apos-
 
 140 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 ties " should die, other chosen and approved men 
 should succeed in the ministry." These directions, 
 we have in their sacred writings and in the example 
 of the churches founded by them. From both of 
 which sources we learn, that approved men were to 
 be chosen and set apart to the ministry, " with the 
 consent of the whole church" (4) That the apostolic 
 and primitive churches had the power to discipline, 
 and even to cast off their ministers their bishops. 
 This the Corinthians had done. And Clement no- 
 where intimates that they had not a perfect right so 
 to do ; but only complains that they had not exer- 
 cised their authority in a judicious and Christian 
 manner that they had exercised it upon men who 
 deserved their confidence and love, and not their 
 censure. Such is the testimony of Clement, the dis- 
 ciple of Peter, the " almost-apostle " of the Primitive 
 Church ; the man of whom Paul makes mention 
 (Phil. 4 : 3), as one whose name is written in the 
 " Book of Life." Such is Clement's testimony to 
 the order and discipline of the apostolic churches. 
 
 Dr. Campbell says of this epistle : " Nothing that 
 is not Scripture can be of greater authority in deter- 
 mining a point of fact, as is the question about the 
 constitution of the apostolic church." Lee. iv. p. 72. 
 Waddington, himself an Episcopalian, speaking of 
 this Epistle, says : " The Episcopal form of govern- 
 ment was clearly not yet here [at Corinth] established, 
 probably as being adverse to the republican spirit of 
 Greece." p. 35. 
 
 Polycarp. The epistle of Polycarp stands next in 
 order. This was written probably some time between
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 141 
 
 A. D. 108 and 117,* and is addressed: " To the church 
 which is at Philippi," or, which sojourneth at Philippi, 
 ry TTEpoiKovay $>tiimtoi.s ) . The church is addressed as con- 
 sisting of persons who had " the root of faith " re- 
 maining firm in them. 1. 
 
 Polycarp speaks not as one having authority ; but 
 apologizes for writing to the Philippians, by alluding 
 to the fact that they had desired it : " These things, 
 my brethren, I took not the liberty to write unto you 
 concerning righteousness, but you yourselves before 
 encouraged me to it." 3. 
 
 He then goes on to speak of the duties of the 
 whole church. After this follows : " Also the dea- 
 cons must be blameless before him, as the ministers 
 [or servants] of God in Christ, and not of men." 
 He tells the church that it is their duty to be " subject 
 to the priests [or elders] and deacons, as unto God 
 and Christ ; " that is, to obey them who, by the 
 consent of the whole church, have the rule over them 
 and admonish them. He then tells the elders how 
 they must conduct in the church. " Let the elders 
 be compassionate and merciful towards all ; turning 
 them from their errors ; . . . . being zealous of what 
 is good," etc. 6. He speaks of the defection 
 of " Valens, who was once a presbyter [or elder] 
 among " them ; and exhorts the church in their dis- 
 cipline of him : " be ye also moderate upon this oc- 
 casion ; and look not upon such as enemies, but call 
 
 * Owen and Waddington and Lardner place it about A. D. 108 ; 
 Wake, A. D. 116-117. Campbell says, it must certainly have 
 been within " a considerable time before the middle of the second 
 century." Lee. iv. p. 72.
 
 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 them back as suffering and erring members, that ye 
 may save your whole body: for by so doing, ye 
 shall edify your own selves." 11. 
 
 In this epistle there is nothing to lead us to sup- 
 pose that the churches had undergone any material 
 change in their order and discipline since Clement 
 wrote between forty and fifty years earlier. The 
 churches are still spoken of as separate, indepen- 
 dent, congregational bodies ; as composed of visible 
 saints ; as not subject to the authoritative direction 
 or instruction of any one out of their own body; 
 and to their own officers, only "as the ministers 
 of God in Christ ; " and these officers we learn were 
 elders and deacons, who, in common with the other 
 brethren, were subject to the discipline of their re- 
 spective churches. 
 
 Ignatius. We have seen that there were at first 
 in most, if not all of the apostolic churches, several 
 elders, of equal rank and authority.* We have now 
 if we may trust to these epistles arrived at that 
 period in the history of the churches, when it was 
 thought necessary to appoint one of the elders of 
 each church to be a sort of president, a princeps 
 inter pares a presiding officer among equals in 
 rank. To distinguish him from the other elders, he 
 was called kmanoxos, the superintendent, overseer, 
 bishop. To this arrangement in the churches, the 
 next apostolic father from whom we shall quote, 
 often alludes. 
 
 Ante, p. 91, 92.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 143 
 
 Ignatius wrote near A. D. 116.* There has been 
 much dispute about his writings. Many have ques- 
 tioned whether any of his genuine epistles are extant. 
 Dr. Campbell regards these epistles as interpolated 
 and corrupted : " I say not that these epistles ought 
 to be rejected in the lump, but that undue freedoms 
 have been used even with the purest of them, by 
 some overzealous partisans of the priesthood." .... 
 "The style, in many places, is not suited to the sim- 
 plicity of the times immediately succeeding the times 
 of the apostles." . ..." It abounds with inflated 
 epithets." . . . . " But it is not the style only, which 
 has raised suspicion, it is chiefly the sentiments." 
 Lee. 5, p. 99, 100, 101. Prof. Norton rejects these 
 epistles as manifest forgeries : " I doubt," says he, 
 " whether any book, in its general tone of sentiment 
 and language, ever betrayed itself as a forgery more 
 clearly, than do these pretended epistles of Ignatius." 
 Prof. Pond says : " After an impartial view of the 
 whole case, I accord with the sentiment of Prof. 
 Norton, as expressed in his very learned work on the 
 ' Genuineness of the Gospels.'" " The Church" p. 
 126. Gibbon says : " We cannot receive with entire 
 confidence either the Epistles or the Acts of Igna- 
 tius." Dec. and Fall of Rom. Enip. Vol. I. ch. 16, 
 note 70. Mosheim says : " The whole subject of the 
 Ignatian Epistles in general, is involved in much 
 obscurity and perplexity." Vol. I. p. 76, 2d Ed. 
 Dr. Murdock, in his note (No. 31) upon this remark 
 
 * Authorities vary about the date of these epistles, as they do 
 about every thing which concerns them. Dr. Lardner dates them 
 about A. D. 107.
 
 144 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 of Mosheim, says : " Moderate men, of various sects, 
 and especially Lutherans, are disposed to admit the 
 genuineness of the epistles in their shorter form ; but 
 to regard them as interpolated and altered." Wad- 
 dington speaks of " the interpolations with which 
 the party zealots of after-times have disfigured them." 
 p. 31. Lardner, speaking of the genuineness of 
 even the smaller epistles of Ignatius, says : " What- 
 ever positiveness some may have shown on either 
 side, I must own, I have found it a very difficult 
 question." Credibility Gosp. Hist. Vol. I. ch. 5. 
 
 I pretend not to be competent to decide this ques- 
 tion. This, however, I will venture to say and 
 every man of common sense will say the same on 
 examination that the reputed epistles of Ignatius 
 are extremely unlike those attributed to his contem- 
 poraries, Clement and Polycarp. These latter abound 
 with simple Bible truths, and contain almost entire 
 pages of quotations from the Scriptures ; they urge 
 reverence to God and obedience to his commands as 
 the whole duty of man; very little is said of the 
 officers of the church, and nothing of any but bishops, 
 or elders, and deacons. But the burden of Ignatius' 
 epistles is " love your excellent bishop." But, as 
 these epistles of Ignatius are greatly relied upon by 
 Episcopalians to prove the early existence of three 
 orders of Christian ministers, and as he is the first 
 Christian father who mentions them, I have thought 
 his testimony upon other points, of considerable im- 
 portance. 
 
 Archbishop Wake, from whose translation I gen- 
 erally quote, regards seven epistles as unquestionably 
 the genuine and authentic writings of Ignatius.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 145 
 
 These are addressed " To the church which is at 
 Ephesus in Asia " " To the church which is at 
 Magnesia, near the Meander " " To the holy church 
 which is at Tralles in Asia " " To the church 
 which also presides in the place of the region of the 
 Romans " " To the church of God, etc., which is 
 at Philadelphia, in Asia " " To the church which 
 is at Smyrna, in Asia," and " to Polycarp, bishop of 
 the church which is at Smyrna ; their overseer, but 
 rather himself, overlooked by God the Father, and 
 the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 1. In these epistles the distinct, independent, com- 
 plete, and congregational character of the churches is 
 very fully recognized. 
 
 The titles, or salutations of the several epistles, go 
 to show this. In every instance in which a church 
 is addressed, it is, " the church which sojourneth" etc. 
 in such a city. He exhorts the church at Ephesus, 
 " to come more fully together." " For," says he, 
 "when ye meet fully together in one place, the 
 powers of the devil are destroyed," etc. 13. To 
 the Magnesian church, he says : " Being come to- 
 gether into the same place, have one common prayer." 
 . . . And again, " Come ye all together, as unto 
 one temple of God, as to one altar," . . . 7. He 
 speaks of the Romans being " gathered together 
 in love," ( 2,) and of the Philadelphians coming 
 l - all together into the same place." 6. Now, 
 these expressions all indicate that a church in Ig- 
 natius' day consisted of no more persons than could 
 conveniently assemble together in one place, for 
 prayer and the worship of God. This is what 
 
 13
 
 146 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 we understand by a congregational church, in dis- 
 tinction from a national, provincial, or diocesan 
 church, or a church embracing several congregations 
 of believers. 
 
 2. The churches are represented as " holy " as 
 "blessed through the greatness and fulness of God 
 the Father, and predestinated before the world 
 began " " much beloved of God " " of \vell or- 
 dered love and charity in God" persons of "blame- 
 less and constant disposition through patience" 
 as those who had " obtained mercy from the majesty 
 of the most high God and his only begotten Son 
 Jesus Christ, beloved and illuminated." All these 
 expressions denote that the churches were composed 
 only of visible saints professed Christians. 
 
 3. The language of these epistles is, indeed, some- 
 what different from that of- Clement or Polycarp, re- 
 specting the ministry of the churches. Mention is 
 frequently made of the president, or superintendent, 
 who after a while engrossed the title of bishop, or 
 overseer, to the exclusion of his fellow-elders. 
 
 Ignatius exhorts the Ephesians to be subject to 
 their " Bishop and the Presbytery," 3 ; again, 
 he speaks of their "famous Presbytery," worthy 
 of God, " being fitted as exactly to the Bishop as the 
 strings are to the harp." 4. To the Magnesians 
 he says : " I exhort you that ye study to do all 
 things in a divine concord: your Bishop presiding 
 in the place of God, your Presbyters in the place 
 of the council of the apostles; and your deacons 
 most dear to me, being intrusted with the ministry 
 of Jesus Christ." 6. To the Trallians he says:
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 147 
 
 '.' without your Bishop you should do nothing : also, 
 be ye subject to your Presbyters, as to the Apos- 
 tles of Jesus Christ our hope. . . . The Deacons, 
 also, as being the ministers of the mysteries of Jesus 
 Christ must by all means please all." To the Smyr- 
 neans he writes : " See that ye all follow your Bishop 
 as Jesus Christ, the Father : and the Presbytery, as 
 the apostles. And reverence the Deacons, as the 
 command of God," etc. 8. 
 
 If these passages may be relied upon as genuine, 
 they fully authorize the assertion of Mosheim, that a 
 change was introduced into the government of the 
 church during the second century. These quotations, 
 however, by no means countenance the opinion that 
 diocesan Episcopacy, having bishops, priests, and 
 deacons, all different grades in the ministry, and oc- 
 cupying different stations among the congregations 
 of the Church, had any existence in the second cen- 
 tury. 
 
 The kind of bishop of which Ignatius speaks was 
 associated with the presbyters and deacons in the 
 management of one and the same church ; and this, 
 not a diocesan church, but a congregational one 
 that could " meet together in one place " which 
 could worship in " one temple of God " which 
 could follow its bishop, or pastor, as sheep their shep- 
 herd. Thus he addresses the Magnesians : " Seeing 
 then I have been judged worthy to see you, by 
 Damas, your most excellent Bishop ; and by your 
 most worthy Presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius ; and 
 by my fellow-servant Sotio, the deacon, in whom I 
 rejoice, forasmuch as he is subject unto his Bishop as 
 to the grace of God, and to the Presbytery as to the
 
 148 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 law of Jesus Christ; I determined to write unto 
 you." 2. 
 
 4. There is not tlie slightest intimation in these 
 epistles that bishops had the least authority beyond the 
 limits of tiieir oion particular congregational churches.* 
 And so far are these epistles from encouraging the 
 notion that the bishops were the sole representatives 
 of the apostles, and were for this reason a distinct 
 and superior order in the ministry, that Ignatius re- 
 peatedly speaks of the presbyters^ or the presbytery, 
 as the representatives of the apostles. Thus he says : 
 " Your presbyters, in the place of the council of the 
 apostles " " Be ye subject to your presbyters, as to 
 the apostles of Jesus Christ our hope." TralL sec- 
 
 * Dr. Campbell says: "The great patrons of the hierarchy, 
 who found so much on the testimony of Ignatius, will not deny, 
 that on this article [the independency of the churches, and the 
 limited extent of the bishop's power] he is quite explicit." " The 
 bishop's charge is, in the primitive writers, invariably denominated 1 
 a church, or congregation, in the singular number, never 
 iat;, churches, or congregations, in the plural." Led. vi. p. 
 105. Dr. C. discusses the merit of these epistles of Ignatius in 
 this Lecture. 
 
 Stillingffeet, in his Irenicitm, (p. 309,) though an Episcopalian, 
 says of the support derived from these epistles : " In all those 
 thirty-five testimonies produced out of Ignatius, his epistle for 
 Episcopacy, I can meet but with one which is brought to prove 
 the least resemblance of an Institution of Christ for Episcopacy ; 
 and if I be not much deceived, the sense of that place is clearly 
 mistaken too. The place is Ep. ad Ephesios : He is exhorting the 
 Ephesians owrpe^eiv ri) -yvupri rdu 9eoi), which I suppose may be 
 rendered, to fulfil the will of God" etc. Stillingfleet afterwards 
 modified his opinions in some particulars and became a bishop; 
 but, whether he ever saw reason to alter his translation of Ignatius, 
 or his opinion of his doctrine, I know not.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 149 
 
 tion 2. " Reverence . . . the presbyters as the San- 
 hedrim of God, and college of the apostles." Ib. 
 3. And so in other passages. 
 
 5. These epistles distinctly recognize the authority 
 of the churches to elect, and set apart to their service, 
 suck servants as they needed. 
 
 To the Philadelphians, Ignatius writes : " Now as 
 concerning the church at Antioch which is in Syria, 
 seeing I am told that through your prayers and the 
 bowels which ye have towards it in Jesus Christ, 
 it is in peace ; it will become you as the church of 
 
 God [jrpeTiw lanv ii/uv u? KKfa t c'ia Qeov it is proper for yOU 
 
 as a church of God] to ordain some deacon [xeiporov- 
 fjcai.* kmcKonov, to choose or appoint by vote a bishop] 
 to go to them thither, as the ambassador of God ; 
 that he may rejoice with them when they meet 
 together [tiri TO av-d in the same place] ; . . . other 
 neighboring churches have sent them [i. e. to the 
 church at Antioch] some bishops, some priests, [npeapv- 
 Tepoie, elders] and deacons." 10. Ignatius urges 
 the same duty upon the Smyrneans : " It will be 
 fitting, and for the honor of God, that your church 
 appoint some worthy delegate, who being come as 
 far as Syria, may rejoice together with them that 
 they are in peace," etc. 11. 
 
 Now, for whatever purpose these bishops, priests, 
 and deacons were to be chosen and sent abroad by 
 the churches, one thing is evident, namely the 
 
 * It is observable that this is the very word which is used in 
 Acts 14: 23; " ordained them elders in every church." One is 
 at a loss to know why emaiionov should be translated deacon, as it is 
 by Archbishop Wake ; or irpeapvTepoii;, priests. 
 
 13*
 
 150 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 churches in the time of Ignatius possessed the right 
 to elect their own representatives. This right con- 
 stitutes a distinctive peculiarity of the Congrega- 
 tional system of church government. 
 
 From this cursory survey of the epistles of Igna- 
 tius, it appears, that, although some changes had 
 been made in the government of the churches since 
 Clement wrote, still they remained, A. D. 10817, in- 
 dependent> congregational bodies, subject to no 
 human authority except that of their own overseers 
 and guides. 
 
 The Epistle of Barnabas is of somewhat doubt- 
 ful authority, though very ancient.* Its spirit is, 
 however, totally unlike the epistles attributed to Ig- 
 natius. It more nearly resembles Clement's. He 
 says nothing about the three orders, on which Igna- 
 tius is made to harp so much ; and nowise contra- 
 dicts the general impression made by Clement 
 that the churches remained at the close of the first 
 century in their organization and government very 
 nearly as the apostles left them. 
 
 Hermas, another reputed contemporary of Igna- 
 tius, furnishes but little matter to our purpose. In 
 his Dreams, Visions, and Similitudes, we discover 
 nothing to contradict Clement's testimony and that 
 of Polycarp nothing to support the Ignatian doc- 
 trine of three orders in the ministry. In the second 
 
 * Dr. Lardner says : " I shall quote it as being probably Barna- 
 bas's " (the Barnabas spoken of Acts 4 : 36, 37, and 15 : 36,) and 
 certainly ancient, written soon after the destruction of Jerusalem 
 by Titus ; most likely in the year of our Lord 71 or 72." Cred. 
 Gosp. Hist. Part II. ch. 1.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 151 
 
 Book, eleventh Command, there is a passage, which 
 speaks of the congregational character of the churches : 
 " When, therefore, a man who hath the spirit of God 
 shall come into the church of the righteous, who 
 have the faith of God, and they pray unto the Lord, 
 then the holy angel of God fills that man with the 
 blessed spirit, and he speaks in the congregation as 
 he is moved of God." 2. In the second Vis- 
 ion mention is made of " the elders of the church." 
 4. In his ninth Similitude there is a passage 
 which seems to imply that bishops and deacons, such 
 as the apostles ordained, still remained in the 
 churches : " For what concerns the tenth mountain, 
 in which were the trees covering the cattle, they are 
 such as have believed, and some of them been 
 bishops, that is governors of the churches : others, are 
 such stones as have not feignedly, but with a cheer- 
 ful mind entertained the servants of God : then such 
 as have been set over inferior ministries, and have 
 protected the poor and the widows, and have always 
 kept a chaste conversation, therefore they also are 
 protected by the Lord." 27. These " inferior 
 ministries " are so described as to leave little doubt 
 but that deacons are meant. Here, then, we have 
 only bishops and deacons, in the churches. 
 
 I transcribe these passages, not because I think 
 any great stress should be laid on them, but simply 
 to show that the Ignatian epistles stand alone, among 
 the reputed writings of the Apostolic Fathers, in 
 support of the doctrine of three orders in the min- 
 istry. 
 
 If from the most ancient Fathers of the church,
 
 152 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 we come down to those of a somewhat later period 
 to those who lived in the second, and the first half 
 of the third century, we shall find that ihe churches 
 still retained many of their Apostolical and Congre- 
 gational peculiarities. 
 
 Justin Martyr wrote an Apology for the Chris- 
 tians, addressed to Antoninus Pius, the Roman Em- 
 peror, and his two sons, about A. D. 150. In this 
 apology he gives the following account of their man- 
 ner of receiving members to the churches, and of 
 their public religious services : " Whoever are con- 
 vinced, and believe to be true the things which are 
 declared and taught by us, and take upon themselves 
 to live in accordance with our instructions, are taught 
 to seek of God by fasting and prayer, the remission 
 of their former sins, we uniting with them in prayers 
 and fasting. Afterwards they are led by us where 
 there is water, and regenerated [or baptized] in the 
 same way as we ourselves are regenerated : For in 
 the name of God, the parent and lord of all, and of 
 Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and of the Holy Spirit, 
 they are then washed in water. .... After we have 
 thus baptized the person who is a believer and agreed 
 with us in doctrine, we conduct him to the brethren, 
 as they are called, where they are assembled together 
 offering earnestly their united prayers and supplica- 
 tions for themselves, for the illuminated [or baptized 
 
 person] and for all others, of all nations 
 
 Prayers being ended, we salute each other with a 
 kiss. Then is brought to him who presides over 
 the brethren, bread, and a cup of wine and water. 
 Which being received, he offers praise and glory to
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 153 
 
 the Father of all, through the Son and the Holy 
 
 Spirit And when he has finished the prayers 
 
 and thanksgivings, all the people present proclaim 
 
 their approval, by saying Amen Then those 
 
 whom we call deacons distribute to each one present, 
 the bread, and the wine and water, that each may 
 partake of that for which thanks are given ; and then 
 carry it to those who are absent. This aliment is 
 called by us the eucharlst; of which it is not lawful 
 for any one to partake except those who believe our 
 doctrine to be truth, and have been washed in the 
 laver for the remission of sins, and regeneration, and 
 
 live as Christ has required On the day 
 
 called Sunday, there is an assembly of all who live 
 in the cities or in country towns, in one place (em TO 
 avrb), and the commentaries of the apostles and the 
 writings of the prophets are read as time permits. 
 The reading being over, the president makes an 
 oration [preaches a sermon], in which he instructs 
 the people, and exhorts them to the practice of good 
 works. After this, we all rise up and pour forth our 
 prayers : And as we have before related, prayers 
 being ended, the bread, and the wine and water are 
 brought forward. And the president [woea^, the 
 elder presiding over the church] according to his best 
 ability, offers up prayers and thanksgiving, and the 
 people signify their approbation, by saying Amen. 
 And distribution and communication is then made 
 of those things for which thanks are given, to each 
 one present, and sent to the absent, by the hands of 
 the deacons. Those who are rich and willing, con- 
 tribute each one according to his pleasure ; and what 
 is collected, is deposited with the president ; and he
 
 154 CONGKEGATIONALISM. 
 
 from thence relieves the orphans and widows, and 
 those who, through disease or any other cause, are in 
 want, and those also who are in prison, and those 
 foreigners who happen to be our guests ; and, as we 
 may in a word say He is the provider for all the 
 indigent. We all assemble on Sunday, because this 
 is the first day on which God, dispelling the darkness 
 and forming matter, made the world ; and also, be- 
 cause, on this day, Jesus Christ our Saviour rose 
 from the dead; for the day before Saturday he. was 
 crucified, and the day after it, which is Sunday, he 
 appeared to his disciples, and taught them those 
 things which we have now related for your consid- 
 eration." * 
 
 The above extracts teach us, (1) That in the days 
 of Justin Martyr, apparent piety was essential to 
 church membership. (2 ) That an open profession 
 of this was required, and an engagement to walk in 
 accordance with the instructions of Christ. (3) That 
 after such a profession, baptism and the Lord's 
 supper were administered to the initiated. (4) That 
 the church, to whose communion the believing and 
 baptized person was thus admitted, was a congrega- 
 tional church, composed of no more brethren than 
 could conveniently assemble together for fasting and 
 prayer, to hear the Scriptures read and the truth 
 preached, and to celebrate the Lord's supper. (5) 
 That in this church there were but two kinds of 
 officers a president, or presiding officer, and deacons. 
 (6) That the work assigned to the president was 
 
 * Apology, II. p. 93-99, Ed. Gr. et Lat. 1G86.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 155 
 
 very nearly what every Congregational pastor is now 
 expected to do, namely : To preach and pray in the 
 assemblies of the church, to administer the ordi- 
 nances of baptism and the Lord's supper, and to take 
 the general oversight of the church. (7) That the 
 deacons, as among us, distributed the elements used 
 at the Lord's supper, to the communicants. A Chris- 
 tian church, in the days of Justin Martyr, A. D. 150, 
 was, then, substantially, a congregational church in 
 its constitution, discipline, worship, and officers. 
 
 Passing by intermediate writers, we will next con- 
 sider the testimony of a very distinguished father of 
 the Church, who lived a hundred years after Justin 
 Martyr. 
 
 Cyprian lived, and wrote the epistles which we 
 shall now examine, somewhere about A. D. 250. In 
 one of these, he furnishes the following evidence that 
 the original rights and divinely invested authority of 
 the brethren of the several churches were not utterly 
 destroyed, even after the lapse of more than two cen- 
 turies from the death of Christ. 
 
 " For this cause," says Cyprian, " the people, obe- 
 dient to the commands of our Lord, and fearing God, 
 ought to separate themselves from a wicked bishop, 
 nor take part with the worship of a sacrilegious 
 priest, since they especially have the power of choosing 
 the worthy priests, and of rejecting the unworthy. 
 Which power we see comes from Divine authority, 
 that a priest should be chosen in the presence of the 
 people, and before the eyes of all, and approved by 
 the public judgment and testimony, as a fit and 
 worthy person : as God commanded Moses in Num-
 
 156 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 bers (20 : 2327) saying : " [here follows an account 
 of the consecration of Eleazar, as high-priest, in the 
 sight of the whole congregation of Israel]. " God 
 orders that the priest should be constituted in the 
 presence of the whole congregation ; that is, he 
 teaches, and by example shows, that priestly ordina- 
 tions should not take place except by the concurrence 
 (conscientia) and assistance of the people. So that 
 by the presence of the people, the crimes of the 
 wicked may be exposed, or the merits of the good 
 proclaimed, and that the ordination may be just and 
 lawful which has been approved by the suffrage and 
 judgment of all." 
 
 In proof of these positions, Cyprian then refers to 
 the election of Matthias to supply the place of Judas, 
 recorded in Acts 1 : 1526 ; and to the popular elec- 
 tion of deacons, given in- Acts 6 : 26. The very 
 examples which Congregationalists quote in proof of 
 their right to choose and ordain their own church 
 officers. 
 
 A little further on in this epistle, Cyprian speaks 
 of " the vote of all the brethren " being had in the 
 ordination of his colleague, Sabinus.* Indeed, he 
 often speaks of " the suffrages of the people" as among 
 the things which are essential to a rightly constituted, 
 divinely sanctioned bishop. This Father also dis- 
 tinctly acknowledges the right of the people to take 
 part in the discipline of the church. In one of his 
 letters to his church, he says of certain lapsed brethren 
 whose cases were then under consideration : " Every 
 thing shall be examined, you being present and 
 
 * Epistoto LXXVIII. p. 117-120. Paris, 1726.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 157 
 
 judging of it" Epist. ad Plebcm. XL In another 
 place, he tells his people of his purpose to examine 
 these matters pertaining to the lapsed, in a convoca- 
 tion of his associates and in their (the people's) pres- 
 ence, and with their aid. Ib. p. 22. 
 
 From this entire epistle, according to Cyprian's 
 Annotator, is to be gathered that not the clergy alone, 
 but also the laity, took part with the bishop and 
 clergy in judging of all matters of serious import. 
 See Notae, p. 398. 
 
 In an epistle to his presbyters and deacons, he 
 says, in regard to certain matters about which they 
 had desired his opinion : " I cannot reply to it alone, 
 since, from the very commencement of my ministry, 
 I have resolved to do nothing privately, of my own 
 mind, without your advice, and the consent of the 
 people." Ep. V. p. 11. 
 
 Other quotations to the same effect might be given 
 were it necessary. 
 
 This testimony to the rights of the primitive 
 churches is the more valuable, because it comes 
 from " the most bold and strenuous defender of epis- 
 copal power that had then [about A. D. 250] arisen in 
 the church," and the principal author of important 
 innovations upon the government and rights of the 
 churches, which were developed in the course of the 
 third century.* 
 
 Such is the testimony borne by the Fathers of the 
 Church to the Congregational character of the Apos- 
 
 * See Mosheim, Cent. III. B. I. P. 2, ch. 2, 3 ; Barrow's Theol 
 Works, Vol. VII. p. 302. 12mo. 
 
 14
 
 158 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 tolic Churches. And it is certainly sufficiently ex- 
 plicit, to authorize us in claiming the weight of their 
 authority, even, in our favor. 
 
 MODERN WRITERS. 
 
 From the most ancient writers, we will pass to the 
 consideration of several modern divines and writers 
 on ecclesiastical antiquities. Their testimony will 
 be adduced simply to show, that " crude and absurd " 
 as some wise men have professed to regard our views, 
 yet many writers, distinguished alike for their learn- 
 ing and impartiality, and not themselves Congrega- 
 tionalists, have freely admitted, that the Apostolic 
 churches were organized and governed substantially 
 as our modern Congregational churches are. 
 
 Mosheim. Many quotations from Mosheim's Ec- 
 clesiastical History have been already given. For 
 the information of such of my readers as have not 
 access to his works, and for the convenience of others, 
 I shall make some further extracts from this learned 
 and impartial historian. Mosheim's statements are 
 the more valuable, since, being himself a L/utheran, he 
 had no partialities for Congregationalism. His opin- 
 ions respecting what is now best, must go for what 
 they are worth ; his facts, alone, are authoritative. 
 
 Under the general head of " History of the 
 Teachers, and of the Government of the Church" 
 in the first century, Mosheim says : " As to the ex- 
 ternal form of the church, and the mode of govern- 
 ing it, neither Christ himself, nor his apostles gave 
 any express precepts. We are, therefore, to under-
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 159 
 
 stand, that this matter is left chiefly to be regulated 
 as circumstances may from time to time require, 
 and as the discretion of civil and ecclesiastical 
 rulers shall judge expedient. If, however, what 
 no Christian can doubt, the apostles of Jesus Christ 
 acted by divine command and guidance, then that 
 form of the primitive churches which was derived 
 from the church at Jerusalem, erected and organized 
 by the apostles themselves, must be accounted di- 
 vine ; yet it will not follow, that this form of the 
 church was to be perpetual and unalterable.* 
 
 " In these primitive times each Christian church 
 was composed of the people, the presiding 1 officers, 
 and the assistants or deacons. These must be the 
 component parts of every society. The highest au- 
 thority was in THE PEOPLE, OR THE WHOLE BODY OF 
 CHRISTIANS ; for even the apostles themselves incul- 
 cated by their example, that nothing of any moment 
 was to be done or determined on, but with the 
 knowledge and consent of the brotherhood. Acts 
 1 : 15. 6 : 3. 15 : 4. 21 : 22. And this mode of 
 proceeding, both prudence and necessity required, in 
 those early times. The assembled people, therefore, 
 elected their own rulers and teachers; or, by their 
 authoritative counsel, received them, when nominated 
 to them. They also by their suffrages, rejected or 
 confirmed the laws that were proposed by their rulers, 
 in their assemblies ; they excluded profligate and 
 lapsed brethren, and restored them ; they decided the 
 controversies and disputes that arose; they heard 
 
 * The dissent of Congregationalists from these views has been 
 noticed, p. 19-27.
 
 160 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 and determined the causes of presbyters and dea- 
 cons ; in a word, THE PEOPLE DID EVERY THING THAT 
 
 IS PROPER FOR THOSE IN WHOM THE SUPREME POWER 
 
 OF THE COMMUNITY is VESTED. All their rights the 
 people paid for, by supplying the funds necessary for 
 the support of the teachers, the deacons, and the poor, 
 the public exigencies, and unforeseen emergencies. 
 
 " The rulers of the church were denominated, 
 sometimes presbyters or elders ; a designation bor- 
 rowed from the Jews, and indicative, rather of the 
 wisdom, than the age of the persons; and some- 
 times, also, bishops; for it is most manifest, that 
 both terms are promiscuously used in the New Tes- 
 tament of one and the same class of persons. Acts 
 20: 17, 28. Phil. 1: 1. Tit. 1: 5, 7. 1 Tim. 3: 1. 
 These were men of gravity, and distinguished for 
 their reputation, influence, and sanctity. 1 Tim. 
 3 : 1, etc. Tit. 1 : 5, etc. From the words of Saint 
 Paul (1 Tim. 5 : 17) it has been inferred that some 
 elders instructed the people, while others served the 
 church in some other ways. But this distinction 
 between teaching and ruling elders, if it ever existed 
 (which I will neither affirm nor deny) was certainly 
 not of long continuance ; for St. Paul makes it a 
 qualification requisite in all presbyters, or bishops, 
 that they be able to teach and instruct others. 1 
 Tim. 3 : 2, etc." 
 
 " In this manner," continues Mosheim, " Christians 
 managed ecclesiastical affairs, so long as their congre- 
 gations were small, or not very numerous. Three or 
 four presbyters, men of gravity and holiness, placed 
 over those little societies, could easily proceed with 
 harmony, and needed no head or president. But,
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 161 
 
 when the churches became larger, and the number of 
 presbyters and deacons, as well as the amount of 
 duties to be performed increased, it became necessary 
 that the council of presbyters should have a presi- 
 dent; a man of distinguished gravity and prudence, 
 who should distribute among his colleagues their 
 several tasks, and be, as it were, the central point of 
 the whole society. He was at first denominated the 
 Angel (Rev. 2:3); but afterwards, the Bishop; a 
 title of Grecian derivation, and indicative of his 
 principal business, (that is, of an overseer). It would 
 seem, that the church of Jerusalem when grown very 
 numerous, after the dispersion of the apostles among 
 foreign nations, "was the first to elect such a presi- 
 dent ; and, that other churches, in process of time, 
 followed the example. But, whoever supposes that 
 the bishops of the first and golden age of the church, 
 corresponded with the bishops of the following cen- 
 turies, must blend and confound characters that are 
 very different. For in this century and the next, a 
 bis hop had charge of a single church which might, 
 ordinarily, be contained in a private house ; nor was 
 he its head, but was in reality its minister or servant ; 
 he instructed the people, conducted all parts of public 
 worship, attended on the sick and necessitous, in 
 person ; and -what he was unable thus to perform, he 
 committed to the care of the presbyters ; but without 
 power to ordain or determine any thing, except with 
 the concurrence of the presbyters and the brother- 
 hood. It was not long, however, before the extent 
 of the Episcopal jurisdiction was enlarged. For the 
 bishops who lived in the cities, either by their own 
 labors or by those of their presbyters, gathered new 
 
 14*
 
 162 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 churches in the neighboring villages and hamlets ; 
 and these churches continuing under the protection 
 and care of the bishops by whose ministry or pro- 
 curement they received Christianity, ecclesiastical 
 provinces were gradually formed, which the Greeks 
 afterwards called dioceses* The persons to whom 
 the city bishops committed the government and in- 
 struction of these village and rural churches, were 
 called rural bishops or chorepiscopi (jw x&P a s exiaKoxoi, 
 episcopi rarales, seu villani), that is, bishops of the 
 suburbs and fields. They were an intermediate 
 class between the bishops and presbyters; being 
 inferior to the former [because subject to them] and 
 superior to the latter [because intrusted with discre- 
 tionary and perpetual power, and performing nearly 
 all the functions of bishopsj.f All the churches in 
 those primitive times were independent bodies ; or 
 
 * Dr. Bloomfield, in his note on Eph. 4:11, seems to admit the 
 correctness of this account. " It is thought," says he, " that the 
 iroiftevee [pastors] were those who had the more important pastoral 
 charges in cities and large towns: the didaaKcthoi [teachers], the 
 smaller ones. . . . Thus it would happen, that the city notfievec 
 would have an influence with, and then an authority over the 
 country pastors. Hence, gradually, their offices would vary and 
 become distinct ; the xoiulvec [or city pastors] first discharging all 
 the ordinary pastoral duties ; and afterwards, when they became 
 regarded as superintendents and were then styled eniaKOTroi [that 
 is, overseers, superintendents, or bishops] they discharged them 
 or not, according to circumstances." 
 
 Dr. Campbell, in his learned Lectures on Ecclesiastical History, 
 gives substantially the same account. Lect.vui. p. 130-136. Phil. 
 ed. 1807. 
 
 f See Dr. Owen's account of this matter, in which he agrees 
 with Mosheim. Complete Works, Vol. XX. Pref. p. 29 seq. 
 Also Barrow, ut sup. p. 302 seq.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 163 
 
 none of them subject to the jurisdiction of any other. 
 For, though the churches which were founded by the 
 apostles themselves, frequently had the honor shown 
 them to be consulted in difficult and doubtful cases ; 
 yet, they had no judicial authority, no control, no 
 power of giving laws. On the contrary, it is clear as 
 the noonday, that all Christian churches had equal 
 rights, and were, in all respects, on a footing of 
 equality" * 
 
 In giving an account of the government of the 
 church during the second century, Mosheim remarks : 
 " The form of church government which began to 
 exist in the preceding century, was, in this, more in- 
 dustriously established and confirmed in all parts. 
 One president, or bishop, presided over each church. 
 He was created by the common suffrage of the whole 
 people. . . . During a great part of this century, all 
 the churches continued to be, as at first, independent 
 of each other; or, were connected by no consoci- 
 ations or confederations." Vol. I. p. 142. 
 
 The preceding testimony of Mosheim goes to sus- 
 tain the following positions, namely : (1) The apos- 
 tolic churches were single congregations of Christians, 
 with their appropriate officers. (2) The government 
 of these churches was essentially democratical. Each 
 church elected its own officers, determined by what 
 particular regulations it would be governed, exercised 
 discipline upon its members ; in a word, did every 
 
 * Murdoch's Mosheim, Vol. I. p. 80-86, 1st ed. The several 
 points touched upon by Mosheim in the above extracts, will be 
 found more particularly stated and argued in his Larger History 
 of the First Three Centuries. Vol. I. p. 193-267.
 
 164 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 thing that those possessing' the supreme power were 
 authorized to do. (3) Their officers at first con- 
 sisted simply of presbyters (who were also called 
 bishops, or overseers, and elders) and of deacons ; and 
 when, for prudential reasons, a president was chosen 
 from among the elders of a single church, and the 
 title of bishop, or overseer, was given to him, to dis- 
 tinguish him from his coequal elders, his authority 
 was confined to a single church or religious society, 
 and was essentially unlike a modern diocesan bishop. 
 (4) That all the churches in those primitive times, 
 though bound together by a common faith and order, 
 were equal and independent bodies, subject to no 
 earthly power nor authoritative control beyond them- 
 selves. Such, briefly, is Mosheim's testimony re- 
 specting the order of the churches of Christ during 
 the first, and a part of the second century. 
 
 Before the close of the second century, this simple 
 and beautiful form of church order and government 
 lost something of its fair proportions. In the third 
 century, " although the ancient mode of church gov- 
 ernment seemed, in general, to remain unaltered, yet 
 there was a gradual deflection from its rules, and an 
 approximation towards the form of a monarchy. 
 For the bishops claimed much higher authority and 
 power than before, and encroached more and more 
 upon the rights, not only of the brotherhood, but also 
 
 of the presbyters This change in the form of 
 
 ecclesiastical government, was followed by a corrupt 
 state of the clergy." 
 
 This deflection from apostolic church order, and 
 this corruption of the clergy, prepared the way for 
 the fatal union of Church and State, under Constan-
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 165 
 
 tine the Great, in the early part of the fourth century. 
 This Emperor, after assuming the supreme power 
 over the Church, proceeded to model its outward 
 form and to adapt its government to the peculiarities 
 of the Roman State. The Emperor governed the 
 bishops; the bishops the churches; and the poor 
 churches, by the hands of these governors, were grad- 
 ually stripped of their ancient rights and privileges, 
 nntil, at the close of the fourth century, they retained 
 little else that was apostolic than the mere name of 
 Christian Churches. It is not, however, my present 
 purpose to trace the progress of declension in the 
 ancient churches ; * but rather to mark out their ear- 
 liest order and government. What these were, in 
 the judgment of Mosheim, we have just read. 
 
 Admitting, now, the competency and honesty of 
 this witness, must we not conclude that the apos- 
 tolic churches were essentially the same in their 
 order and discipline as our modern Congregational 
 .churches ? 
 
 But Mosheim stands not alone. Other writers of 
 distinguished learning maintain essentially the same 
 positions : 
 
 (1) In relation to the congregational character of 
 the apostolic, and earliest Christian churches. 
 
 Lord King", in his learned " Inquiry into the Con- 
 stitution, Discipline, etc., of the Primitive Church," 
 says : " The usual and common acceptation of the 
 word [eKKfa/aia, church], and of which we must chiefly 
 
 * I have attempted to do this briefly in the History of Con- 
 gregationalism, particularly in the Introduction.
 
 166 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 treat, is that of a particular church ; that is, a society 
 of Christians meeting together in one place under 
 their proper pastors, for the performance of religious 
 worship and the exercising of Christian discipline." 
 Chap. I. 2.* 
 
 Zuinglius's definition of a Christian church is very 
 nearly the same. See Jacob's " Attestation" p. 215. 
 
 Neander says : In the apostolic age " the word 
 
 * In quoting from the work of Lord Chancellor King, I am aware 
 that it is asserted by Episcopalians, who are greatly annoyed by 
 the " Inquiry," that Mr. Slater's review of the work converted the 
 Chancellor from the opinions expressed therein. But what proof 
 do they bring of this conversion V Why, that Lord King never 
 replied to Mr. Slater ; and that he presented him with a lucrative 
 benefice, which was at the disposal of the Lord High Chancellor. 
 
 The fact that his Lordship never replied to Mr. Slater, to my 
 mind is an evidence that he was not converted, rather than the 
 contrary. For surely, a man of Lord King's integrity, modesty, 
 impartiality, and earnest desire for truth, could hardly have satis- 
 fied his conscience without retracting his opinions and assertions, 
 if convinced that they were erroneous. But, instead of doing this, 
 he suffered a second edition of his Inquiry to be published with- 
 out any such retraction. See Dr. Vaughan, on " Religious Par- 
 ties in England." And, though it has been asserted that he did 
 not authorize the publication of this second edition of which, 
 however, no satisfactory proof is furnished yet, knowing that it 
 was published, if he had " given up his book," as it is said he had, 
 at that time, it was incumbent on him to publish to the world his 
 recantation. But this he never did ; and until better vouchers for 
 its truth are furnished, we are not authorized to believe this story, 
 that Mr. Slater's book convinced his Lordship that he was in 
 error. 
 
 As it respects the benefice : It can hardly be accounted strange 
 that a man of Lord King's character and standing an Episco-
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 167 
 
 [church] signifies either the whole Christian 
 church, the total number of believers forming one 
 body, under one head ; or a single church or Chris- 
 tian society." Apostolic Chh. Vol. I. p. 169, note. 
 3d Edition, Edinb. 
 
 Dr. Campbell's definition of a church is the same 
 as Neander's. Lect. Ecc. Hist. L. ii. p. 26, see 
 also Lee. vi, p. 105, supra, p. 148. 
 
 Augusti says : " The term eKKtyaia, in the New 
 Testament, and by the ancient fathers, primarily de- 
 noted an assembly of Christians, i. e. believers in the 
 Christian religion, in distinction from all others." 
 Coleman's Antiquities, p. 47 ; also p." 57. See Locke's 
 definition of a church, supra, p. 28, note. 
 
 (2) Regarding the right of individual churches to 
 choose their own officers and discipline offending mem- 
 
 palian of the Erastian school, and Lord High Chancellor of a 
 kingdom in which Episcopacy was the established religion 
 should give a valuable benefice to a clergyman of Mr. Slater's 
 learning and ability, though he had written a book against him. 
 
 That Lord King would have publicly recanted, had he been 
 convinced of his errors, seems wellnigh certain from his preface 
 to the " Inquiry." After modestly requesting any one to point 
 out his errors, he says ; " And then 1 promise, if my mistakes are 
 fairly shown, I will not pertinaciously and obstinately defend, but 
 most icillingly and thankfully renounce them, since my design is not 
 to defend a party, but to search out the truth." Now, that his 
 Lordship did never " renounce " the statements and opinions con- 
 tained in his " Inquiry," is very strong presumptive evidence that 
 he never considered them errors ; and consequently, that Mr. 
 Slater's review did not convert him.
 
 168 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 bers, etc., we may add to Mosheim's testimony, the 
 following : 
 
 Barrow. " In ancient times, there was not any 
 small church which had not a suffrage in the choice 
 of its pastor." Barrow on the Pope's Supremacy, 
 Supposition 5th, 12. Also, Supp. 6th, Argument 
 6th, 4. 
 
 Beza. "I find nowhere in any Christian church 
 built up, that any is promoted either to the ministry 
 of the word, or the deaconship, or eldership, any 
 other way than by a public and free election" 
 Jacob's Attestation, p. 23, London. 16mo. 
 
 Augusti. " That the church, i. e. the united body 
 of believers, has had a part in the election of their 
 pastor, from the earliest period downward, is certain ; 
 not merely from the testimony of Scripture, but also 
 from the most ancient of the Fathers." ... Cole- 
 man's Antiquities of the Christian Chh. p. 60, 61. 
 
 Wadding-ton, an Episcopal historian, agrees with 
 Mosheim. His words are : " It is also true that in 
 the earliest government of the first Christian society, 
 that of Jerusalem, not the elders only, but ' the whole 
 church? were associated with the apostles ; "... In a 
 note he adds : " still, of course, with some degree of 
 subjection to apostolic authority. This, according 
 to Mosheim, was the model of all the primitive 
 churches." Ecc. Hist. p. 41. 
 
 Dr. Neander, a Lutheran, in his learned and elab- 
 orate work on the History of the Planting and Pro-
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 169 
 
 gress of the Christian Church under the Apostles, Vol. 
 I. ch. 5, distinctly maintains this doctrine that the 
 whole church took part in the government of the 
 same: " It is consequently certain, that each church 
 was governed by a union of church elders or of 
 church overseers, out of its own midst. . . . But 
 their government by no means excluded the partici- 
 pation of the whole church in the management of 
 the common concerns." Vol. I. p. 169, 170. 
 
 Dr. Campbell, a Presbyterian divine, takes the 
 same ground, in his Lectures on Ecclesiastical His- 
 tory. Lect. iii. p. 31-33. 
 
 Lord King maintains essentially the same opinion 
 of primitive church government. He tells us, that 
 " every church," [that is, " every single parish, every 
 particular church" or congregation of believers] 
 was, in this sense, independent ; that is, without the 
 concurrence and authority of any other church ; it 
 had a sufficient right and power in itself to punish 
 and chastise all its delinquent and offending mem- 
 bers. Inquiry, ch. 8, 1, compared with ch. 1, 2. 
 See, also, ch. 7th, throughout. 
 
 Barrow says : " Each church was vested with a 
 power of excommunication, or of excluding heretics, 
 schismatics, disorderly and scandalous people." 
 Unity of the Chh. Vol. VII. of his Theol. Works, p. 
 497 and 259. 12mo. Edinb. 
 
 Augusti says : ..." As a member of the church, 
 each communicant had that important right of 
 
 15
 
 170 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 taking part in all the transactions of that body, es- 
 pecially in the choice of the clergy and in the disci- 
 pline of the church" etc. Coleman's Antiquities, p. 
 60, 61. 
 
 Dr. Campbell tells us, that in the apostolic age, 
 " Not only were such private offences [as are particu- 
 larly referred to in Matt. 18 : 15-18] then judged by 
 the church, that is, by the congregation, but also 
 those scandals which affected the whole Christian 
 fraternity." ..." Now, though in after-times the 
 charge of this matter also came to be devolved, first 
 on the bishop and presbyters, and afterwards solely 
 on the bishop, yet that the people, as well as the 
 presbyters, as far down at least as to the middle of 
 the third century, retained some share in the de- 
 cision of questions wherein morals were immediately 
 concerned, is manifest from Cyprian's letters still ex- 
 tant." Lect. 3d, p. 31, 32. 
 
 Cranmer, Leyghton, Coren, and Oglethorp, the 
 leading Reformers in the days of Henry VIII. and 
 Edward VI., all agreed, that the Scriptures gave to 
 the churches (i. e. to the people the congregations) 
 the right to elect their own officers, and to excom- 
 municate offending members. See Burners Hist. 
 Reformation, passim; or, Hist. Congregationalism, 
 A. D. 1509-47. 
 
 (3) With Mosheim's declarations respecting the 
 officers of the apostolic churches, coincide the follow- 
 ing authorities : 
 
 Wadding-ton, and others, as given at page 91 of
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 171 
 
 this work ..." Such is the plain interpretation of 
 the Scripture passages." Hist. Chh. p. 41 and note. 
 
 Milner, even, is compelled, though with apparent 
 reluctance, to admit, that " at first indeed, or for some 
 time, at least in some instances, church governors 
 were only of two ranks, presbyters and deacons." 
 Chh. Hist. Cent IL ch. 1. 
 
 The identity of scriptural bishops and presbyters 
 was admitted very generally by the Reformers. 
 
 The " King's Book" published in 1543, asserted, 
 that there was " no real distinction between bishops 
 and priests ; " and taught essentially the same doc- 
 trine respecting the deacon of the primitive church, 
 as is now held by Congregationalists. It further de- 
 clared, that the Scripture made no mention of any 
 other church officers but these two, priests, or elders, 
 and deacons. Hist. Cong, utsup. DwighVs TheoL 
 Serm. 151. 
 
 Neander's account of the officers and government 
 of the Gentile churches during the apostolic age, is 
 as follows : " It is, therefore, certain that every church 
 was governed by a union of the elders or overseers 
 chosen from among themselves ; and we find no in- 
 dividual distinguished above the rest, who presided 
 as a primus inter gares [a chief among equals], though, 
 probably, in the age immediately succeeding the 
 apostolic, of which we have, unfortunately, so few 
 authentic memorials, the practice was introduced of 
 applying to such an one the name of imaKoiros, [bishop, 
 overseer] by way of distinction." Hist. Apost. Chh. 
 Vol. I. p. 168, 169.
 
 172 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 The correctness of Mosheim's account of the 
 humble character and limited authority of the prim- 
 itive bishop, is admitted by Wadding-ton; who says: 
 " The government of a single person protected each 
 society from internal dissension the electiveness of 
 that governor rendered probable his merit." Hist. 
 Chh. p. 44. 
 
 Lord King's representation is : " There was but 
 one bishop, strictly so called, in a church at a time, 
 who was related to his flock as a pastor to his sheep, 
 and a parent to his children." Inquiry, ch.'l, 5. 
 And again : " There was but one church to a bishop : " 
 And this church, he tells us, was " a single congre- 
 gation." Ch. 2, 1. " The bishop's diocese ex- 
 ceeded not the bounds of a modern parish, and was 
 the same, as in name, so also in thing." . . . Ib. 2. 
 
 Dr. Campbell gives the following account of the 
 bishop's relation to his church, in the third century : 
 
 " The bishop, who was properly the pastor, had 
 the charge of no more than one parish, one church or 
 congregation, the parishioners all assembling in the 
 same place with him for the purposes of public wor- 
 ship, religious instruction, and the solemn commem- 
 oration of the death of Christ." . -. . Lee. viii. p. 128. 
 
 Gieseler's account of the apostolic churches is this : 
 " The new churches everywhere formed themselves 
 on the model of the mother church at Jerusalem. 
 At the head of each were the elders^ irpeffpinpoi, kmano^o^ 
 [elders, bishops] all officially of equal rank, though 
 in several instances a peculiar authority seems to
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 173 
 
 have been conceded to some one individual from 
 personal considerations. After the death of the apos- 
 tles and the pupils of the apostles, to whom the gen- 
 eral direction of the churches had always .been con- 
 ceded, some one amongst the presbyters of each 
 church was suffered gradually to take the lead in its 
 affairs. In the same irregular way the title of emaicoirof, 
 bishop, was appropriated to the first presbyter." 
 Cokman's Antiq. p. 101-103. 
 
 (4) Respecting the independency of the primitive 
 churches. 
 
 Dr. Campbell agrees with Mosheim when he says : 
 " The different congregations, with their ministers, 
 seemed, in a great measure, independent of one 
 another. Every thing regarding their own procedure 
 in worship, as well as discipline, was settled among 
 themselves. But it is extremely plain, that a total 
 independency was not adapted to the more general 
 character that belonged to all as members of the 
 commonwealth of Christ." Lect. ix, p. 142. 
 
 The reader will not fail to remark, that this is 
 precisely what Congregationalists maintain. Each 
 Congregational church is complete, and independent, 
 " regarding its own procedure in worship, as well as 
 discipline," while it maintains a sisterly relation to 
 other members of the Congregational family. We 
 abhor all such independency as would lead us to re- 
 fuse to give account of our faith and practice to our 
 sister churches. So said our fathers, and so say we. 
 Dr. Campbell refers to the first council at Jerusalem, 
 about circumcision and other Jewish ceremonies, to 
 15*
 
 174 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 illustrate the nature of " the correspondence and in- 
 tercourse with one another," which the early Chris- 
 tian churches maintained. This is the very case to 
 which the-framers of the Cambridge Platform refer. 
 Chap. 15, 2. 
 
 Barrow, speaking of "the primitive state of the 
 Church," says : " Each church separately did order 
 its own affairs, without recourse to others, except for 
 charitable advice or relief in cases of extraordinary 
 difficulty or urgent need. Each church was endowed 
 with a perfect liberty, and a full authority, without 
 dependence or subordination to others, to govern its 
 own members, manage its own affairs, to decide con- 
 troversies and causes incident among themselves, 
 without allowing appeals, or rendering accounts to 
 others. This appeareth by the apostolical writings 
 of St. Paul and St. John to single churches ; wherein 
 they are supposed able to exercise spiritual power 
 for establishing decency, removing disorders, cor- 
 recting offences, deciding causes, etc." Unity of 
 the CM. Vol. VII. p. 486. 
 
 Dr. Barrow in his celebrated work on the Pope's 
 Supremacy, further says : " At first, each church was 
 settled apart under its own bishop and presbyters ; so 
 as independently and separately to manage its own 
 concernments : each was avroKfoatog, and avrwouof, gov- 
 erned by its own head, and had its own laws. Every 
 bishop, as a prince in his own church, did act freely 
 according to his will and discretion, with the advice 
 of his ecclesiastical senate, and with the consent of 
 his people, (the which he did use to consult,) without 
 being controllable by any other, or accountable to
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 175 
 
 any, further than his obligation to uphold the verity 
 of Christian profession, and to maintain fraternal 
 communion in charity and peace with neighboring 
 churches did require ; in which regard if he were no- 
 tably peccant, he was liable to be disclaimed by 
 them and rejected from communion, together with 
 his church, if it did adhere to him in his misdemean- 
 ors. This may be collected from the remainders of 
 state in the times of St. Cyprian : " [which would be 
 as late as the middle of the third century : for Cyp- 
 rian suffered martyrdom, A. D. 258.] Supposition 5th, 
 Arg. 10, Theol. Works, Vol. VII. p. 302. 
 
 Dr. Campbell, speaking of the character, etc. of 
 the churches during the first and second centuries, 
 says : " Every church had its own pastors, and its 
 own presbytery, [i. e. council of church officers], inde- 
 pendently of every other church. And when one of 
 the presbyters came to be considered as the pastor ', 
 by way of eminence, while the rest were regarded as 
 his assistants, vicars, or curates, who acted under his 
 direction ; as then every church or congregation had 
 but one who was called bishop, so every bishop had 
 but one congregation or church. This is a remark 
 which deserves your particular notice, as it regards 
 an essential point in the constitution of the primitive 
 church, a point which is generally admitted by those 
 who can make any pretensions to the knowledge of 
 Christian Antiquities." Lee. vi. p. 104 : also 7th 
 Lee. See, also, quotations from Lord King, ch. 8, 
 1, supra, p. 169. 
 
 The Magdeburg Centuriators, in their celebrated
 
 176 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 work, published in 1559-1574, in describing the con- 
 stitution and discipline of the churches of the first 
 and second centuries, furnish the following testimony 
 in our favor : " A visible church was an assembly, or 
 congregation, of persons who believed and followed 
 the writings of the prophets and apostles; which 
 should be composed of persons regenerated by the 
 word and sacraments, though there might be in this 
 assembly, many persons, who, though they agreed 
 with the regenerate in doctrine, were nevertheless, 
 not sanctified in heart. Clemens [of Alexandria] 
 says : I call not a place, but a congregation of the 
 elect, a church." Century II. ch. 4, p. 39, Ed. Basil. 
 1624. 
 
 Of excommunication, they say : " the right of ex- 
 communication was committed to the hands of the 
 church and its ministers." Cent. I. Lib. 2, ch. 3, p. 
 274. 
 
 " The power of announcing the remission of the 
 sins of penitent offenders was also in the hands of 
 the church ; though, for the sake of order, except in 
 cases of necessity, it was exercised by the ministers 
 of the church." Ib. p. 276. 
 
 " The whole assembly, or church in any particular 
 place including laymen and clergy had power to 
 elect, call, and ordain suitable ministers ; and to de- 
 pose and avoid false teachers, or those whose evil 
 lives threatened injury to the church. These things 
 appear from the testimony of the Scriptures con- 
 cerning the power of the keys ; for the keys were 
 given to the whole church. But the church if she 
 calls her ministers to act, does nothing else than 
 commit to them the keys. That power, therefore,
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 177 
 
 pertains to the whole of the church. Moreover, the 
 examples in the New Testament teach the same 
 thing : for, in the first of Acts, it appears that not by 
 the apostles alone, but by the whole church, Matthias 
 was put in the place of Judas; and in Acts sixth 
 chapter, the deacons were chosen, called, and or- 
 dained, not by the apostles alone, but also by the 
 rest of the church. In Acts thirteenth chapter, the 
 whole church of Antioch gathered together by com- 
 mand of God, and sent forth Paul and Barnabas to 
 teach the Gospel to the Gentiles." Ib. p. 299. 
 
 The following summary view of the constitution, 
 government, and rights of the churches of the second 
 century is given by these learned ecclesiastial histo- 
 rians : 
 
 " If any one examines the approved writers of this 
 century, [the second,] he will see, that the form of 
 church government was very like a democracy (c%/zo- 
 Kpari'uf). For each church had equal power of preach- 
 ing the pure word of God, of administering the sa- 
 craments, of absolving and excommunicating heretics 
 and wicked persons, of observing the ceremonies re- 
 ceived from the apostles, or, even, for the sake of 
 edification, of instituting new ones ; of choosing min- 
 isters, of calling, of ordaining, and for just causes, of 
 deposing them again; of assembling councils and 
 synods ; of instituting and supporting schools ; and, 
 in matters of doubt or controversy, of demanding the 
 opinion of others ; of judging and deciding." Cent. 
 II. ch. 7, p. 102-103. 
 
 Father Paul of Venice (Fra Paolo Sarpi) a learned 
 and distinguished Romanist of the sixteenth century,
 
 178 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 author of the celebrated " History of the Council of 
 Trent " and many other learned works, bears the most 
 unequivocal testimony to the democratic and congre- 
 gational character of the apostolic and primitive 
 churches. In his profound " Treatise of Ecclesiastical 
 Benefices and Revenues," he says : " It is plain the 
 government of the Church in its beginning was entirely 
 democratical, all the faithful having a share in all de- 
 liberations of moment. Thus we find them all as- 
 sisting at the election of Matthias to the apostleship 
 (Acts i.), and of the seven deacons (Acts vi.), and 
 when St. Peter had received the Centurion Cornelius, 
 who was a Gentile (Acts iii.) into the number of 
 believers, he gave an account of it to the whole 
 church (Acts xi.). Thus the famous council of Jeru- 
 salem was composed of the Apostles, the Priests, and 
 other Brethren in the Faith ; and the letters which 
 were writ from the assembly, went in the name of 
 those three Orders (Acts xv.). But as the church in- 
 creased in numbers, the Faithful neglecting to assist 
 any longer at those public assemblies, and with- 
 drawing themselves to the cares of their own families, 
 the government rested solely in the Ministers of the 
 Church, and so insensibly became aristocratical ; 
 which brought all affairs to have then: determinations 
 by Councils, excepting as to elections, which con- 
 tinued popular still." * 
 
 Neander says : " The view we are led to form of 
 
 * Treatise of Ecclesiastical Benefices and Revenues, Ch. XVI. 
 Westminster Edition, 1 736, p. 52, 53. See, also, in confirmation of 
 these general statements, p. 5, and 6, Ch. III. ; p. 16, Ch. VI. ; p. 19 
 and 20, Ch. VII.; Ch. IX. ; p. 157 and 158, Ch. XXXV.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 179 
 
 the original constitution of the churches among Gen- 
 tile Christians as they existed in the apostolic age 
 that it was entirely democratic is also one of the 
 distinguishing marks between the churches of Gen- 
 tile and those of Jewish origin. The case appears to 
 be thus: All the affairs of the churches were still 
 transacted in an entirely public manner, so that every 
 deliberative meeting of the church resembled a 
 strictly popular assembly." Planting and Training 
 of the Christian Church by the Apostles, Vol. I. p. 165, 
 note, 3d Ed. 
 
 Not to enlarge by quotations from other writers on 
 Christian antiquities, in illustration of the several 
 points under consideration, I will finish, by transcrib- 
 ing the allegation of the learned and pious John 
 Owen; who, after a labored investigation of this 
 whole matter, lays down and successfully proves this 
 proposition: " That in no approved writers for the 
 space of two hundred years after Christ, is there any 
 mention made of any other organical, visibly professing 
 church, but that only which is parochial, or congrega- 
 tional" " A church of any other form, state, or order, 
 papal or oecumenical, patriarchal, metropolitical, 
 diocesan, or classical, they [the writers of the first 
 two centuries] know not, neither name nor thing, 
 nor any of them appear in any of their writings." 
 Vol. XX. p. 132. By which he means : that all the 
 churches during the first two centuries were distinct, 
 independent bodies ; no one of them so numerous as 
 to prevent them from assembling together for public 
 worship and the transaction of church business ; and 
 that each one was invested with sufficient and com-
 
 180 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 plete authority for all the purposes of church organ- 
 ization. 
 
 Every one who is acquainted with the character 
 of John Owen, well knows that he did not deal in 
 rash assertions. Every one who has examined his 
 works on church order and discipline, must be aware 
 that in these, neither sound argument nor extensive 
 learning are wanting. His conclusions are those, of 
 an eminently pious and learned man, who, after a 
 careful examination of the arguments of Congrega- 
 tionalists, for the purpose of refuting them,* became 
 himself a decided friend to their views of church 
 order, and, for nearly forty years, was a leader 
 among the English Congregationalists. The work 
 from which I have extracted, was written near the 
 close of his life, and contains, with his maturest 
 thoughts, his dying testimony to the .principles of 
 church government which he advocated. It well 
 deserves the careful study of every one who would 
 fully understand the foundation on which rest our 
 principles and doctrines, f 
 
 / immqi-n* vnlt .10 .^wlamy 
 Thus, I conceive, it has been shown, from the testi- 
 mony of numerous and distinguished ecclesiastical 
 
 * The book of which Owen undertook " the examination and 
 confutation," was John Cotton's work " On the Keys." See 
 Owen's Memoirs, p. 55, 56. 
 
 f In these remarks, I would not be understood to express an 
 unqualified approval and adoption of all his views of church order 
 and discipline. There are some points on which modern, and 
 especially New England Congregationalists, would slightly differ 
 from Owen ; but his writings, as a whole, are almost incomparably 
 excellent, sound, and learned upon this subject.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 181 
 
 historians none of whom except Dr. Owen were 
 Congregationalists, and who, consequently, were with- 
 out any inducement to misunderstand or misinterpret 
 facts in our favor that the leading principles and 
 doctrines of the Congregational system were devel- 
 oped in the constitution and discipline of the Apos- 
 tolic Churches ; that this organization, for substance, 
 was retained during the first two centuries of the 
 Christian church ; and that corruption and error fol- 
 lowed the abandonment of the apostolic models. 
 The correctness of their opinions is not made to rest 
 on the bare assertions of these historians, however 
 learned and impartial they are acknowledged to be ; 
 but, numerous extracts from the Apostolical and 
 Christian Fathers have been introduced, to prove the 
 statements made and the opinions advanced. 
 
 And now, though the strength of our cause lies not 
 in the testimony of the Fathers, nor the opinions of 
 eminent men the Scriptures being our only infal- 
 lible guide must it not be conceded by all parties, 
 that the correctness of our interpretation of the 
 Scriptures, or, the scriptural character of our system, 
 receives strong confirmation from the testimony of 
 the earliest uninspired writers of the Christian church, 
 and the concurrent voice of many modern authors, 
 alike distinguished for their profound learning and 
 their sound and impartial judgment ? 
 
 16
 
 PART IV. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 
 
 THE principles and doctrines embraced by Con- 
 gregationalists have induced certain ecclesiastical 
 practices, which have become a sort of common law 
 to the denomination. A knowledge of these is nec- 
 essary to a perfect understanding of Congregation- 
 alism. There may be slight deviations among us 
 from what will now be specified as agreeable to good 
 usage ; but it is believed that the denomination will 
 agree substantially in what follows : 
 
 I. ORGANIZATION OF CHURCHES. 
 
 If in any place a sufficient number* of persons 
 wish to be organized into a Congregational church, 
 an orderly procedure would be the following : 
 
 * The number is not fixed : it may be more or less, according 
 to circumstances. Under ordinary circumstances, it should not be 
 less than seven ; because a less number cannot conveniently dis- 
 charge the duties enjoined by Christ in the xviii. of Matt. When, 
 however, there is a reasonable prospect of a speedy addition to 
 
 (183)
 
 184 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 After a season of fasting and prayer, the brethren 
 would appoint a committee to advise with one or 
 more of the neighboring Congregational pastors and 
 churches ; to draw up a Confession of Faith and a 
 Covenant, with articles of government and practice ; 
 and, to send " Letters Missive," * as they are called 
 that is, -letters of invitation to so many of the 
 neighboring churches as should be agreed upon, so- 
 liciting their attendance by pastor and delegate, at 
 an appointed time, to take into consideration the 
 question Whether the interests of religion required 
 the organization of a Congregational church in that 
 place ? 
 
 At the time and place specified for the meeting of 
 the council, the several persons proposing to unite in 
 church fellowship would be present, with the record 
 of their previous doings, a copy of their covenant 
 and articles, and, so many of them as had been con- 
 nected with Christian churches, with their letters of 
 dismission and recommendation ; and prepared to 
 give to the council any information which would be 
 necessary to a perfect understanding of the merits of 
 the question before them. If the associated brethren 
 
 their number, if tico or three should covenant together in the name 
 of Christ, they may expect his presence and blessing. Tertullian 
 says : " Where there are three persons, though they are laymen, 
 there is a church." De Exh. Castiiatis, p. 668, Ed. 1634. 
 
 Cotton Mather says : " Seven is the least number that has been 
 allowed among us, as capable to form a church state for the en- 
 joyment of all special ordinances ; but usually there is a larger 
 number expected." Ratio, Article I. 1. So, for substance, 
 said Richard Mather, in his answer to Herle, 1644. 
 
 * See form of this letter, Appendix, No. 1.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 185 
 
 had already selected their future pastor, it is agree- 
 able to ancient usage that he should be present, to 
 be embodied in the church as one of its members, 
 and immediately afterwards ordained as its pastor.* 
 
 The pastors and delegates of the churches being 
 assembled, they are called to order by the reading of 
 the Letter Missive, which is the warrant for their 
 meeting. The council is then organized, by choosing 
 a moderator and scribe; and proceeds, after prayer 
 for Divine direction, to examine the papers laid be- 
 fore them by the committee of the brethren at whose 
 request they have assembled, and to hear statements 
 from them respecting the peculiarities of their sit- 
 uation, etc., which, in then- opinion, render the organ- 
 ization of a Congregational church desirable. If 
 satisfied with these statements, etc., and with the 
 covenant and articles agreed upon by the brethren, 
 and of their Christian character and standing,! the 
 council vote to proceed to the organization of a 
 Congregational church ; and fix upon the time and 
 place for the public exercises. The parts are then 
 assigned, as: Invocation and Reading of suitable 
 portions of Scripture Introductory Prayer Ser- 
 mon Reading of the Covenant Recognition of 
 the Church and Consecrating Prayer, (usually as- 
 signed to the moderator,) The Fellowship of the 
 
 * Mather's Ratio, Art. I. 3. 
 
 f This satisfaction is obtained either by a personal examination 
 of the candidates, if they have never been connected with a Chris- 
 tian church ; or by letters of recommendation and dismission from 
 the church or churches of which they have been members. For 
 a form, see Appendix, No. 1 2. 
 
 16*
 
 186 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 Churches The Concluding Prayer, and the Ben- 
 ediction. 
 
 At the appointed time and place, these services are 
 publicly attended, and the associated brethren recog- 
 nized as a Congregational church.* 
 
 II. CHOICE AND CONSECRATION OF OFFICERS. 
 
 The church thus organized, as soon as convenient 
 meet together ; and, after appointing a moderator 
 and clerk, proceed to choose then- officers ; namely, 
 a pastor, if previous arrangements admit of it, and 
 two, or more deacons, according to the size and cir- 
 cumstances of the church.f 
 
 Choice of a Pastor. 
 
 The orderly course in choosing a pastor is sub- 
 stantially this: The church, having enjoyed a suffi- 
 cient opportunity of hearing a minister preach and 
 of becoming acquainted with his religious character, 
 his literary attainments, his personal habits, etc. ; : 
 
 * Mather gives a detailed and particular account of all the pro- 
 ceedings in organizing a church, in his Ratio Disciplince, Art. 1. 
 Mr. Upham's third chapter is devoted to this subject. It is full 
 and valuable. 
 
 f When it can be done, it is desirable that this meeting should 
 take place in season to have the same council which organizes the 
 church, assist in the consecration of the pastor. And, when this 
 is intended, it should be mentioned in the letters missive ; and the 
 necessary preliminary arrangements should be made. 
 
 J There is reason to fear that our churches are not all as par- 
 ticular upon these points as they ought to be ; they are certainly 
 far less so than were our fathers. It was once thought necessary
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 187 
 
 after a season of fasting and prayer for Divine direc- 
 tion, vote to give him a call to become their pastor.* 
 It is usual, though not strictly necessary upon Con- 
 gregational principles, to invite the religious society 
 which statedly worships with the church, to concur 
 in this call and to fix the salary to be offered to the 
 candidate.f 
 
 These preliminary steps being taken, the call of 
 the church and the concurrence of the society are 
 forwarded to the pastor elect, signed by the mod- 
 erators and clerks of the respective bodies, or by 
 committees appointed for this purpose. The call 
 being accepted by the candidate, a committee of the 
 church, after consultation with the pastor elect, agree 
 upon the churches which shall compose the ordaining 
 council. Letters Missive are then prepared,^ signed 
 by the committee, and sent, agreeably to previous 
 arrangements. 
 
 At the appointed time and place, the pastors and 
 
 for a candidate for settlement, to spend months among the people 
 of his prospective charge ; but now, some churches are satisfied 
 with an acquaintance of a few days only ; and some, are ready to 
 call a pastor without having had any personal acquaintance with 
 him. This, undoubtedly, is one reason why there is now so little 
 permanency in the pastoral relation. Are we not verifying the 
 maxim To innovate is not necessarily to improve. 
 
 * See a form, Appendix No. 2. 
 
 f Mather's Ratio, Art. II. ; Upkam's Ratio, ch. 6, 58-65. 
 
 J See Appendix No. 3. 
 
 It is common to intimate in these letters the wishes of the 
 committee respecting the particular part in the ordination services 
 which each pastor is desired to take : and the ordaining council 
 usually regard the wishes thus expressed, in the assignment of the 
 several parts.
 
 188 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 delegates assemble and organize, and after prayer, 
 proceed to business. 
 
 The record of the doings of the church and society 
 is first laid before the council ; then, the call of the 
 church, the concurrence of the society, the provision 
 made for the support of a pastor, and the acceptance 
 of the same by Ihe candidate, are all made known. 
 These being satisfactory, the council vote to pro- 
 ceed to the examination of the candidate for ordina- 
 tion. 
 
 A certificate of his church membership is first pre- 
 sented, or evidence that he has become a member of 
 the church over which it is proposed to ordain him ; * 
 then his license to preach the gospel. These papers 
 being satisfactory, the council next examine the can- 
 didate respecting his religious experience, his motives 
 for entering the ministry, his theological views, and 
 his literary acquisitions. This examination is usually 
 conducted by the moderator of the council, each 
 member being allowed the privilege of proposing any 
 additional questions.! 
 
 The council being satisfied upon these several 
 points, vote to proceed to assign the parts in the 
 ordination services. These are, generally, Invocation 
 and Reading of the Scriptures Introductory Prayer, 
 Sermon Ordaining Prayer, accompanied with the 
 
 * This, as it seems to me, is most agreeable to Congregational 
 principles and early usage. Every pastor should be a member of 
 his own church. The reader will find this matter discussed in the 
 Appendix, No. 13. 
 
 j- The lay delegates have the same privilege as the pastors ; and 
 should never hesitate to use it. This examination is open to the 
 members of the church and society.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 189 
 
 Imposition of Hands Charge to the Pastor 
 The Fellowship of the Churches Address to the 
 People * Concluding Prayer, and Benediction.f 
 
 INSTALLATION. 
 
 In case the pastor elect has been previously or- 
 dained, the proceedings of the council vary from 
 those first described in two particulars : First, in re- 
 quiring a certified copy of the proceedings of the 
 
 * This is rather a modern innovation ; whether an improve- 
 ment, I pretend not to decide. But one thing is certain that 
 the Address to the people is generally little better than a twice 
 told tale ; the appropriate topics of it being generally regarded as 
 common property by the other speakers. And the people them- 
 selves are weary enough by the time the Address begins, to wish 
 to be left to their own reflections. If, however, every man would 
 keep within the bounds of his own appointment, both as to matter 
 and time, an address, or charge to the people, might be an appro- 
 priate and profitable part of every ordination service. From 
 Mather's Ratio Discip. it would seem that an address to the people 
 was anciently included in the Right Hand of Fellowship. Art. 
 II. p. 33-40. 
 
 f The churches of our denomination in Great Britain invite 
 neighboring ministers to assist in ordaining their pastors, but do not 
 call ecclesiastical councils for this purpose. " The Right Hand of 
 Fellowship " does not enter into their ordination or installation 
 services. In England, laying on of hands does not always form a 
 part of the ordination services. MS. letters from Rev. Mr. Rob- 
 inson and Rev. Mr. Buckham ; the former a Scotch Congregation- 
 alist, the latter an English. 
 
 Thomas Hooker says : " The church of Scotland is so far from 
 conceiving laying on of hands necessary in ordination, that they do 
 not only not use it, but judge it unlawful to be used, unless some 
 special considerations be attended." This was said in 1648. 
 Survey, P. II. p. 60.
 
 190 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 council which ordained him ; or, if he has been a 
 pastor, of the council which dismissed him from his 
 previous charge ; and their recommendation of him, 
 as a worthy minister of the Lord Jesus : Secondly, 
 in not imposing hands upon him at the time of the 
 installing prayer. In all other respects, the pro- 
 ceedings of the council are the same in ordination 
 and installation.* 
 
 Choice and Consecration of Deacons. 
 
 Deacons are chosen by a vote of the church. 
 They should be men of wisdom and integrity, of 
 good, practical common sense, well rooted and 
 grounded in the faith, and eminent for piety ; and, 
 whenever it is possible, men of mature years, and 
 considerable religious experience. It is judged 
 proper that the choice should not be made until op- 
 portunities have been enjoyed by the brethren to 
 consult together freely, and perhaps repeatedly, and 
 to become united in opinion respecting the most 
 suitable persons for the office. 
 
 When the choice has been made, it is proper to 
 give the deacons elect some time to consider the 
 question of acceptance. Their acceptance being 
 signified it is consistent with the ancient usage of 
 our denomination to set them apart to their work by 
 
 * The first planters of N. E. imposed hands, on the settlement 
 of a pastor, even though he had been previously ordained. See 
 Magnolia, Vol. II. p. 209, Hartford ed. Some account of the 
 sentiments of our fathers respecting ordination may be found in 
 Appendix, No. 13.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 191 
 
 prayer and imposition of the hands of the pastor. 
 Our churches have not, however, been very uniform 
 or particular in the practice of ordaining deacons, for 
 more than a hundred years past. Cotton Mather 
 tells us, that even in his day (1726) ' in many of 
 these churches this rite of confirmation is fallen into 
 a desuetude.' So at the present time, some of our 
 churches ordain their deacons by the imposition of 
 hands ; others do not, perhaps from the apprehension 
 that false impressions may be received respecting the 
 design of the rite, and the nature of the office. But, 
 if it be distinctly explained, that this ceremony is 
 simply the act of designating, and setting apart in a 
 solemn manner, these men to the appropriate work 
 of the deaconship, I can see no sufficient reason for 
 disregarding ancient, and what appears to have been, 
 apostolic usage.* 
 
 * Mather's Ratio, p. 130-1,33 ; Upham's Ratio, 40-43. Upon 
 Congregational principles, the right and power to ordain church 
 officers whether deacons or elders is undoubtedly in the 
 churches. And when ordination is performed by ministers, they 
 act not by any inherent right or power in themselves, as ministers, 
 but as the representatives of their respective churches, and as 
 the agents of the particular church over which the pastor is placed. 
 Thus, Thomas Hooker says : " Though the act of ordination 
 belong to the presbytery [i. e. the elders of a church] yet the 
 jus el potestas ordinandi [the right and power of ordination] is 
 conferred firstly, upon the church, by Christ, and resides in her. 
 It is in them [the elders] instrumentaliter ; in her, oriyinaliter;" 
 in them as instruments, in her as the original source. Survey, P. 
 II. Ch. 2, p. 76. See, also, p. 73-77. See Ante, p. 158, seq. 
 In regard to the ordination of Deacons, see Appendix, No. 16. 
 
 There is, however, a propriety in calling upon neighboring 
 churches to assist in the ordination of ministers, which does not 
 exist in the case of deacons. A minister may be called to officiate
 
 192 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 III. CHURCH MEETINGS FOR BUSINESS. 
 
 Every well regulated Congregational church has 
 occasional meetings for the transaction of business. 
 
 to other churches, in the administration of the gospel and the ordi- 
 nances of the church. But the work of a deacon is confined to 
 the particular church which chooses and ordains him, and the fel- 
 lowship of other churches is not, therefore, needed. 
 
 In several instances, the fathers of the New England churches 
 ordained their pastors even, without the aid of other ministers. 
 Trumbull, in his History of Connecticut, mentions several cases, 
 Vol. I. p. 298, 299. See also Winthrop, Vol. II. p. 18. Hutch- 
 inson mentions one instance in which this was done when two 
 clergymen were present. Hist. Mass. Vol. I. p. 425. This is 
 according to the Platform; ch. 9, sect. 4. The synod of 1680 
 questioned the propriety of lay-ordination. See Maynalia, Vol. 
 IT. p. 218, 219. Few Congregationalists would now approve of 
 lay-ordination ; and I am not sure but that some would consider 
 it invalid. Yet, upon Congregational principles, the church is 
 the depositary of all ecclesiastical authority, under Jesus Christ : 
 and if so, then must it have the right and authority to ordain its 
 own pastor, with its own hands. I do by no means, however, 
 advocate lay-ordination. I think that it is manifestly proper, for 
 reasons already assigned, that the pastors of neighboring churches 
 should be employed as agents in this work : but still, I must re- 
 gard it as the abstract right of every duly organized church, to 
 ordain its pastor without the aid of neighboring ministers. No 
 body of believers can be considered an entire, complete church, 
 which has not the power and right to do all that is essential to 
 its personal well-being and usefulness. But, if a church must 
 be absolutely dependent on ordained clergymen to institute its 
 pastor, it surely is not that complete body which our principles 
 suppose. 
 
 The opinions advanced in this note, are maintained with great 
 ability and earnestness by Samuel Slather, in his Apology for the
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 193 
 
 In our cities these are more frequent than in ihe 
 country. Many city churches meet weekly, and busi- 
 ness may be transacted at every meeting, if necessary ; 
 though the special object of most of these meetings 
 is religious improvement. Some churches devote 
 one meeting a month to business ; while the other 
 meetings are for devotional purposes. 
 
 In a Congregational church the pastor is, ex officio 
 
 as overseer, ruler, and guide of the church 
 moderator of the meeting ; he puts all motions, and 
 gives advice and instruction respecting the proper 
 method of adjusting all matters under consideration.* 
 
 This is believed to be in accordance with the doc- 
 trine and practice of our churches generally. 
 
 In many of our churches the pastor keeps the 
 records of the church, and makes all the entries of 
 
 Liberties of the Churches in N. E. He devotes an entire chapter 
 to " The Right of these churches to ordain their Ministers." 
 Chap. 2. This also was the opinion of those learned and famous 
 English Independents, Goodwin, Nye, Burroughs, Simson, Bridge, 
 Greenhill, and Carter. See account of Westminster Assembly De- 
 bates, in NeaVs Puritans, Vol. III. p. 283. The distinguished Eng- 
 lish Baptist, Andrew Fuller, was of the same opinion. See Vol. 
 II. p. 661, Complete Works. " As for ordination," says John Mil- 
 ton, " what is it but the laying on of hands ; an outward sign or 
 symbol of admission ? ... It is but an orderly form of receiving a 
 man already fitted, and committing to him a particular charge." . . 
 
 Hanbury, Vol. I. p. 191,* 2, note. Richard Mather maintains 
 essentially the same view of ordination, and of the right of churches 
 to ordain their own pastors, in his Answer to Herle's 4th Arg. and 
 Ans. to Rutherford, Chaps. 24th and 25th. So does John Cotton, 
 in liisWay of the Cong. Chhs. p. 26. 
 
 * See 1 Thess. 5: 12. Heb. 13: 7, 17. And Doddridge's re- 
 marks on the same. 
 
 17
 
 194 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 votes, etc. Others have a church clerk for this pur- 
 pose, who makes the needful records under the pas- 
 tor's direction. 
 
 If at any time the church should be destitute of a 
 pastor, or, if the pastor should be unavoidably absent 
 from a church meeting, the senior deacon may act 
 as moderator of the church, or one may be chosen 
 for the occasion. 
 
 At all church meetings, every brother has entire 
 liberty to express his views and feelings upon every 
 subject which is brought before the church ; and all 
 questions are decided by the votes of the brethren.* 
 It is not common, however, to settle questions of 
 great importance, by a bare majority vote. A greater 
 degree of unanimity is generally sought and usually 
 obtained.f Very few ministers would feel justified 
 in accepting the call of a mere majority of a church, 
 unless the circumstances of the case were very pecu- 
 liar. 
 
 It is generally thought desirable that the female 
 members of a church should be present at the trans- 
 action of all ordinary business, for their satisfaction 
 and instruction ; but, it is utterly inconsistent with 
 established usage for females to take any part in 
 
 * In the Appendix, No. 15, the reader will find 'A Manual 
 for Church Meetings ; ' or, brief rules for transacting business in 
 church meetings. 
 
 f The churches of our denomination in Ireland seem to con- 
 sider entire unanimity indispensable. " If there be but one mem- 
 ber of a different mind from the rest, it is the same as if there 
 were the one half." " Rev. A. Carson's Reasons for Separating 
 from the Synod of Ulster," p. 12.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 195 
 
 business transactions. Their views and wishes are 
 to be expressed privately to their pastor or their 
 brethren. We suffer not a woman to speak in the 
 church, agreeable to apostolic injunction. 1 Cor. 
 14: 34,35. 1 Tim. 2: 11,12.* 
 
 . 
 
 IV. ADMISSION OF MEMBERS. 
 
 Congregational principles require that every candi- 
 date for church membership should give to the 
 church satisfactory evidence of his personal piety and 
 his soundness in the faith.f In some instances the 
 
 * I would not be understood to say that no Congregational 
 church pursues a different course. I liave had occasion to know 
 of one, at least, which has followed a different practice to its cost. 
 All deviations from the course described in the text are spots 
 upon the fair and scriptural practice of our churches. The apos- 
 tolic prohibitions do not, as we suppose, exclude women from an- 
 swering questions, or giving testimony when desired ; or from re- 
 lating their religious experience when under examination for 
 church membership ; or from making confession of particular sins 
 by which their covenant engagements have been broken, and dis- 
 honor brought on the cause of Christ. See Cotton's Keys, p. 86. 
 
 f Camb. Platf. ch. 12; Magnolia, Vol. II. bk. 5, p. 209-212. 
 It seems more consistent with our principles, and with early and 
 good usage, that this account should be given, orally or in writing, 
 before the whole church. I am aware that this is considered a 
 fiery ordeal for a timid person ; but it should not be so regarded. 
 Every church is a Christian family, having similar views and feel- 
 ings, a common object, and like hopes and fears. The candidate for 
 admission professes to be one with the church in all these particulars. 
 In communicating with the church, he speaks to the family of 
 which he is to become a member, to persons who can sympathize 
 with him, and who are prepared to receive him with open arms, 
 as soon as they are assured of his worthiness. 
 
 After more than thirteen years' experience of the course here
 
 196 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 relation of his religious experience is given verbally ; 
 in others, in writing. In both cases, the candidate 
 
 recommended, in the admission of some two hundred members, I 
 am constrained to believe that the difficulties in the way of this 
 practice are rather imaginary than real. The examination of 
 candidates is always interesting and often highly useful to the 
 church ; it gives the members a knowledge of God's dealings with 
 his children, and furnishes encouragement to labor and pray for 
 the conversion of sinners. Furthermore, the self-denying decision 
 which it requires to submit to a public examination by public, I 
 mean before the whole church is often of essential advantage to 
 the candidate himself. It no doubt prevents, too, some proud and 
 hypocritical persons from entering the church. Few such persons 
 would care to submit to the scrutiny of a whole church, though 
 they might venture upon a more private examination. 
 
 Besides, it seems to me to throw too much responsibility upon the 
 pastor and a few brethren of the church, to make them judges of 
 the fitness of every candidate for church membership. The whole 
 church are called upon to vote in the admission of a member ; is 
 it not proper, then, that they should have an opportunity to form 
 their judgment by personal examination of the candidate ? Should 
 they trust wholly to others ? The admission of a member is now 
 the act of the whole cliurch ; and not of a committee of the church. 
 But if our churches are induced to yield their right to examine 
 candidates for their fellowship, to a committee, is there no reason to 
 fear that they may, erelong, be called upon to yield, to a com- 
 mittee, their right to admit members ? And would not this be to 
 renounce Congregationalism ? 
 
 It is proper to add, that the question considered in this note is 
 by no means a settled one ; nor have our churches been uniform 
 in their practice for a long period past. Cotton Mather (ut sup.) 
 gives the different views entertained by the churches in his day ; 
 and they are not materially altered by the lapse of a century. 
 Samuel Mather, who wrote about twelve years later than his 
 father, C. Mather, warns the New England churches not to give 
 up the business of examining candidates, to the elders, nor to be 
 negligent of their duty ; but to insist on an open profession from
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 197 
 
 is expected to answer any questions which the pastor 
 or brethren may propose ; and to remove, by expla- 
 nation, etc., any difficulties which may exist in -the 
 mind of any member of the church. After the 
 church have satisfied themselves of the sincerity, re- 
 ligious knowledge, and piety of the candidate, they 
 vote to have him " propounded for admission." 
 
 A week or more previous to the approaching com- 
 munion season, his name is publicly announced, as a 
 candidate for church membership ; and any person 
 knowing aught against him, or any good reason why 
 he should not be received to church fellowship, is 
 desired to make known the same to the pastor. 
 Whether this wish be expressed in words or not, 
 such is the meaning and intention of the act of " pro- 
 pounding a person for admission to the church." 
 
 If, after being propounded, no objection appears to 
 the admission of the candidate, on the next sacra- 
 mental occasion which, in most churches occurs 
 as often as once in two months, in many monthly, 
 though in some country churches less frequently 
 he publicly assents to the church covenant, articles 
 of faith, government, and practice, and solemnly 
 promises to walk with the church in accordance with 
 these, and in the observance of all the duties of a 
 religious life. He is then received into the church, 
 by a vote or by tacit consent, and declared entitled 
 to all its ordinances and privileges.* Thus strict and 
 
 all candidates for church fellowship, and to except against all 
 whom they think to be disqualified for communion with them. 
 Apology, ch. 5th. 
 
 * Many of our churches have their Covenant and Articles 
 printed, with copious references to Scripture. A copy is placed 
 
 17*
 
 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 cautious are Congregational churches in the ad- 
 mission of members. 
 
 V. DISMISSION OF MEMBERS. 
 
 If, for any good reason, a church member wishes 
 to remove his relation to another church, he applies 
 for a letter of dismission and recommendation.* If 
 
 in the hands of candidates for church membership, that they may 
 know what the church professes to believe, and the reasons for 
 their faith, and what will be required of those who unite with the 
 church. 
 
 The Congregational churches in Scotland, with few exceptions, 
 practise " weekly communion," at the Lord's supper. In the ad- 
 mission of members, the work of examination is intrusted to the 
 pastor and " two visitors," who are appointed by the church. 
 After satisfying themselves of the piety, and other qualifications 
 of the candidate for church fellowship, they report accordingly to 
 the church ; and the candidate " is admitted, after exhortation to 
 duties, etc., and prayer." 
 
 I quote from a manuscript letter of Rev. Mr. Robertson, for 
 thirty years pastor of a Congregational church in Scotland. I am 
 greatly indebted to this gentleman, and to Rev. Mr. Buckham, 
 already referred to, for valuable information, respecting Congre- 
 gationalism in Great Britain. 
 
 * It is believed to be contrary to regular Congregational usage, 
 to dismiss a member, and recommend him " to any church with 
 which he may please to unite." The church should be specified, 
 and be known to be in fellowship with the dismissing church. If 
 a member is about to leave the neighborhood of the church to 
 which he belongs, and does not know with what church he shall 
 wish to connect himself, he may take from the pastor or the clerk 
 of the church, a certificate of his regular standing, and a letter of 
 general introduction (see Appendix, No. 4) ; which will secure 
 for him the privilege of occasional communion with any church 
 which acknowledges that from which he goes, as a church of Christ. 
 
 This, however, will not supersede the necessity of a letter of
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 199 
 
 the two churches are in fellowship that is, if they 
 recognize each other as churches of Christ the 
 church vote to dismiss their brother, and recommend 
 him to the church specified. See Acts 18 : 27. 
 Rom. 16 : 1. 2 Cor. 3 : 1. 
 
 Until this letter is presented, and the individual is 
 received by the church to which the letter is ad-, 
 dressed, he remains a member of the church from 
 which the letter is taken, and is subject to the watch 
 and discipline of the same.* Any disregard of this 
 authorized practice of our churches is considered an 
 irregularity, alike injurious to the churches and to 
 the individuals concerned. 
 
 It may be proper to remark in this connection, that 
 we suppose Christ has given his churches no au- 
 thority to dismiss any of their members to the world. 
 Church members have been known to apply to their 
 pastor for " a dismission from the church ; " assigning 
 as a reason, perhaps, their personal unfitness for 
 church fellowship ; or, their dissatisfaction with the 
 sentiments or doings of the church. Now, every 
 person about to unite with a Congregational church 
 ought distinctly to understand, that there are only 
 two ways by which a member may become perma- 
 nently separated from one of our churches ; one is, 
 by dismission and recommendation to a sister church ; 
 the other is, by exclusion from church fellowship.! 
 
 dismission and recommendation to some particular church. This 
 is the doctrine of the Cambridge Platform, ch. 13. Mather's 
 Ratio,- Art. 8, 2. 
 
 * See Appendix, No. 5. 
 
 f Chauncey in his Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, 
 says: "In such a dismission these things are to be observed:
 
 200 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 There are no private ways to get in or out of our 
 churches.* 
 
 VI. DISMISSION OF A PASTOR. 
 
 If, for any sufficient reason, it is deemed expe- 
 dient to dissolve the connection between a pastor 
 and his church, the regular course is as follows : The 
 pastor lays before the church a statement of his 
 wishes and his reasons for the same, and requests 
 the church to unite with him in calling a council to 
 advise in the premises. If the church are unwilling 
 to dissolve the pastoral connection, they vote to that 
 effect ; and appoint a committee to confer with their 
 pastor, and to dissuade him if possible from his pur- 
 
 (1) That the said brother dismissed be not under the censure or 
 dealing of the church dismissing him. (2) That the letter of 
 dismission may be either with or without commendation, as the 
 case may require or the carriage of said member hath been, 
 though he hath not been under the dealing of the church for any 
 censurable action many a good man proving an ill church mem- 
 ber (as such an one may be an ill husband) not carrying himself 
 orderly and duly in his relation. (3) That a dismission be granted 
 either upon good reason alleged by him, or upon his peremptory 
 insisting upon it, for the peace of the church. (4) A church 
 member is not to be dismissed at large, to join what church he 
 pleases ; for this is to dismiss him to himself and not to a church, 
 the church to which he is dismissed being not specified. ... A 
 church may not dismiss a member to them that it hath no church 
 communion with, and therefore not to the wide world," etc. etc. 
 See Chap. XIII. 4. 
 
 By " exclusion from church fellowship," is meant both excom- 
 munication and withdrawing of fellowship ; between which acts I 
 make a distinction, as may be seen a few pages over. 
 
 * See Platf. ch. 13, 7.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 201 
 
 pose. If, however, the church consider it expedient 
 to comply with the pastor's request, they so vote, 
 and appoint a committee to assist in the selection 
 and call of a mutual council.* 
 
 When the council assemble, all the proceedings of 
 the parties are laid before them. They examine the 
 reasons assigned by the pastor for wishing a dis- 
 mission from his church, and the grounds of concur- 
 rence on the part of the church. If, in view of all 
 the circumstances, it is judged proper that the pas- 
 tor's request should be granted, the council so vote, 
 and advise the church to dismiss him. If the coun- 
 cil should deem the reasons in favor of a dismission 
 insufficient, they advise the church and pastor ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 A church may vote upon a pastor's request for dis- 
 mission that they will grant it, provided a mutual 
 council shall advise thereto ; and thus supersede the 
 necessity of any further action of theirs after the 
 decision of the council.f 
 
 * For the form of a Letter Missive, see App. No. 6. 
 
 f It is proper to apprise the reader that many churches and 
 ministers advocate and pursue a course somewhat different from 
 that pointed out in the text. They say, that in cases where there 
 are no difficulties to be adjusted, and where a church and its 
 pastor agree on the expediency of dissolving the pastoral connec- 
 tion, and on the terms upon which it shall be done, there is really 
 no occasion for an advisory council ; that the church and the 
 pastor (the contracting parties) are entirely competent to annul 
 the contract and to judge of the sufficiency of the reasons for so 
 doing, and that the only work for a council in such cases is, to 
 examine the proceedings of the parties sufficiently to satisfy the 
 council that the retiring pastor is entitled to a letter,of commen-
 
 202 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 If a church should think the removal of their pas- 
 tor desirable, a regular procedure would be, for the 
 deacons, or some of the older members of the church, 
 to converse freely and frankly with him, state their 
 convictions, and suggest to him the expediency of 
 asking a dismission from the church. If the pastor 
 should decline so to do ; they might then desire him 
 to call a meeting of the church, for the purpose of 
 conferring together, and acting, should it be judged 
 expedient, in reference to the matter. The pastor 
 would, of course, absent himself from such a meet- 
 ing, unless he had some special communication to 
 make to the church ; or, he would retire after having 
 opened it in the usual form and stated the object of 
 the meeting. The church being left by themselves, 
 would proceed to discuss the subject before them : 
 if agreed in opinion, they would appoint a committee 
 to lay before the pastor their reasons for wishing a 
 dissolution of the pastoral connection ; and request 
 him to unite with them in calling a council to con- 
 sider the matter and advise in the premises. Should 
 he decline their offer of a mutual council, the church 
 would then be entitled to the advice of an ex parte 
 
 dation to the churches, as a faithful minister of the gospel, and de- 
 serving their confidence. 
 
 Such I understand to be the views and practice of some of our 
 churches and ministers. 
 
 It may be proper further to remark, that as councils are merely 
 advisory, there is an obvious impropriety in their pronouncing the 
 final decision, that " he (the pastor) be, and hereby is, dismissed." 
 The council should merely advise to the dismission, and leave the 
 final act with the church, where the power belongs, unless, as in 
 the case supposed in the text, the church has already voted the 
 dismission on condition that the council advise thereto.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 203 
 
 council. The way would thus be prepared for an 
 orderly adjustment of the business, upon Christian 
 and Congregational principles.* 
 
 Vir. CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 It is a settled conviction of Congregational! sts, 
 that purity of faith and practice cannot be secured to 
 the churches except by the maintenance of strict and 
 faithful Christian discipline. The members of our 
 churches are therefore pledged to watch over, to ad- 
 monish, to reprove, and to discipline each other, as 
 necessity may require. A church that neglects this 
 care of its members is liable to be dealt with by its 
 sister churches as a " disorderly walker." We regard 
 the eighteenth chapter of Matthew 15-18 verses, as a 
 general directory respecting all church discipline : 
 " If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and 
 
 * I regret to say, that our churches are not always so observant 
 of the course pointed out in the text as they should be. Neither 
 Congregationalism nor any other ism but barbarism, countenances 
 the practice of starving, or driving a minister from his pastoral 
 charge. 
 
 The practice of the English and Scotch Congregationalists I 
 call them by this name, though, in respect to all such matters as 
 we are now considering they are Independents differs somewhat 
 from that described in the text. Councils are unknown to them, 
 either in the settlement or dismission of their pastors. A pastor 
 wishing to leave his field of labor, resigns his office ; the church 
 accepts his resignation, and thus the business begins and ends. It 
 is, however, a thing of very rare occurrence for a Congregational 
 pastor in those countries to leave his church unless called to 
 another sphere of usefulness. " For a minister to be ' unsettled ' 
 for any considerable time, would be injurious to his ministerial 
 reputation." MS. Letters.
 
 204 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 tell him his fault between him and thee alone ; if he 
 shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But 
 if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or 
 two more, that in the mouth of two or three wit- 
 nesses every word may be established. And, if he 
 shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church ; 
 but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto 
 thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily 
 I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, 
 shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever ye shall 
 loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." 
 
 Agreeably to these Divine directions, the regular 
 course of procedure, when a church member is be- 
 lieved to be chargeable with unchristian conduct or 
 heretical sentiments, is substantially this : A brother 
 who is acquainted with the circumstances of the 
 case, immediately and without.conference with any 
 one seeks a private interview with the trespasser ; 
 he tells him plainly, but with gentleness and kind- 
 ness (Gal. 6: 1), what he has seen or known offen- 
 sive and unchristian in his conduct. If the trespass- 
 er acknowledges his fault and makes Christian sat- 
 isfaction, here the matter may end, nothing more 
 need be said or done. What shall constitute Chris- 
 tian satisfaction, must depend upon circumstances. 
 If the offence be strictly private known only to the 
 complaining brother a private acknowledgment of it 
 and a promise of reformation would be deemed satis- 
 factory. If known only to a few individuals, and 
 not liable to greater notoriety, a confession to these 
 persons might be deemed sufficient. But if the 
 cause of complaint should be extensively known ; the 
 confession must be public. This may be regarded
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PKACTICE. 205 
 
 as a general rule Confession and satisfaction 
 should be as public as the offence. So said John 
 Robinson ; so say we. 
 
 But, if the offender refuses to give such satisfaction, 
 the complainant then selects one or two judicious 
 and intelligent brethren, to assist him in his efforts to 
 convince and reclaim the erring brother. If their 
 united efforts prove unavailing, a regular complaint 
 is laid before the church generally, if not always, 
 in writing specifying the particular charges against 
 the offending brother, and the persons by whom, or 
 the means by which it can be proved ; and stating, 
 also, the attempts which have been made to adjust 
 the difficulty privately. It is considered entirely out 
 of order for a church to receive a complaint against 
 one of its members until assured that " the private 
 steps " as these preceding measures are called 
 have been taken.* The church being satisfied that 
 
 * Many churches make an exception to this rule, in cases of 
 open and notorious scandal, etc., and receive a complaint before 
 private means have been tried to reclaim the offender. The 
 Cambridge Platform admits of this summary mode of proceeding 
 in offences " of a more heinous and criminal nature, namely, such 
 as are condemned by the light of nature." Ch. 14, 3; sec, 
 also, Mather's Apology, p. 97 ; Calvin's Inst. B. IV. Ch. 12, 3, 
 6 ; and Cotton's Keys, p. 85. The course pointed out in the text 
 seems to me, however, preferable, as a general rule, in cases of 
 public as well as of private scandal ; for one prominent reason, if 
 for no more, namely : that it is better adapted to secure one 
 great end of all church discipline the reformation of the offender. 
 Almost any one will be more likely to be convinced of error and 
 brought to repentance by the kind and faithful efforts of a friend 
 in private, than by a public arraignment, in the first instance, be- 
 fore the whole church. 
 
 18
 
 206 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 this has been done, vote to examine the charges. 
 Evidence of the truth of these is then called for. 
 Witnesses may be introduced who are not professors 
 of religion, if necessary. If by the testimony ad- 
 duced, the church are convinced of the guilt of the 
 accused, they, by their pastor or a committee not 
 excluding others labor to convince the offender of 
 his sin, and to induce him to make Christian satis- 
 faction for his offence. These efforts being success- 
 ful, he is restored to good standing. But if unsuc- 
 cessful, the church, after suitable delay, proceed to 
 excommunicate, and cut him off from all relation to, 
 or connection with the church to cast him out, as 
 " a heathen man and a publican." * The decision 
 
 * Suspension and admonition, which are advocated "by some 
 persons, may be proper, as steps preparatory to excommunication, 
 in order to furnish the offender longer space for reflection and re- 
 pentance ; hut never, I conceive, as punishments, which being 
 endured, offset so to speak the offence, and entitle the suf- 
 ferer to a restoration to church privileges, and to favor with his 
 brethren. Christ's direction : " If he neglect to hear the church, 
 let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican " re- 
 quires the excommunication of every obstinate offender. 
 
 Mather devotes sixteen pages to church discipline, giving the 
 forms used in admonition, excommunication, etc. He teaches the 
 doctrine above detailed. Ratio, ArL 8, 2, 3. Such, too, is the 
 doctrine of the Platform. Ch. 14. Cotton's description of this 
 process of church discipline in his day (1645) agrees substan- 
 tially with the above. Way of the Chhs. p. 89-94. 
 
 Chauncey says : " Some speak much of, and practise a censure 
 of suspension, when an offending brother is forbid by the church 
 to come to its communion in the Lord's Supper, till it appears 
 whether he be guilty or no of the sin charged on him. Our Lord 
 Jesus Christ hath given no such rule to churches to walk by," etc. 
 Divine Inst., Ch. XIII. 18.
 
 I 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 207 
 
 of the church should be announced to the offender 
 by the pastor ; either by an address to him reca- 
 pitulating the circumstances of the case, and then 
 solemnly pronouncing his excision from the visible 
 body of Christ, and exhorting him to repentance, 
 and assuring him of the readiness of Christ to forgive 
 him, and of the church to receive him or by a letter 
 of the same general import, written in the name of 
 the church. 
 
 If at any future time the excommunicated person 
 should give evidence of repentance, he may be re- 
 stored to the fellowship of the church by making a 
 public confession and giving the church satisfactory 
 evidence of a thorough reformation. 
 
 If the question be asked: What do Congrega- 
 tional churches regard as offences which render one 
 liable to excommunication as " a heathen man and 
 publican ? " It may be answered, in general terms, 
 Whatever in doctrine, practice, or general spirit is 
 plainly inconsistent with the character of a Christian. 
 A fundamental principle in the organization of our 
 churches is, that " none but good people " should be 
 members of them. Reputed piety and visible con- 
 formity to the laws of Christ's house are indispen- 
 sable qualifications for church membership. What- 
 ever, therefore, destroys the evidence of one's piety, 
 or is inconsistent with such conformity, unfits, of 
 course, that person for church fellowship. 
 
 Besides such offences as affect a church member's 
 moral or Christian character, and which are to be 
 treated as above ; there are certain other irregular- 
 ities which demand the notice, and if not corrected, 
 the disciplinary labors of the church. Among these
 
 208 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 may be classed, all breaches of covenant in relation 
 to matters not fundamental. If a member, under the 
 plea of having changed his views of duty, should 
 leave the church with which he had covenanted to 
 walk, and absenting himself from the assemblies of 
 his Christian brethren, should associate with persons, 
 who, though not fundamentally erroneous, yet did 
 not recognize the body which he had left as a Chris- 
 tian church ; or which so varied from what that 
 church deemed orderly and correct in sentiment and 
 practice that it could not fully recognize them as a 
 church of Christ it would be the duty of the church 
 to call their brother to account ; and, if he persisted 
 in his course without exhibiting an unchristian spirit, 
 it would be necessary for the church to " withdraw " 
 from him, as one who " walketh disorderly" (drdxTca?, 
 out of his rank, or place in an irregular manner), 
 agreeably to 2 Thess. 3 : 6, 14, 15. " Now we com- 
 mand you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother 
 that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition 
 
 which ye received of us If any man obey not 
 
 our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no 
 company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet, 
 count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a 
 brother." * 
 
 In the same way should those church members be 
 treated, who, though not heretical or profane, yet 
 leave the communion and fellowship of the churches 
 
 * For additional remarks on this topic the difference between 
 excommunication and the act of withdrawing fellowship see 
 Appendix, No. 14.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 209 
 
 with which they have covenanted to walk, and 
 wander about to different places of public worship, 
 or attach themselves to one place of worship, but 
 persist in neglecting to ask a letter of dismission 
 from the church with which they are in covenant. 
 The church, after reasonable efforts to reclaim them, 
 should withdraw from them ; for, though their lives 
 may not be scandalous, their conduct is irregular, 
 disorderly, and very evil and disorganizing in its ten- 
 dency, and should not be countenanced. 
 
 VIII. DISCIPLINE OF PASTORS 
 
 Sound Congregational principles subject every 
 pastor to the watch and discipline of his church. 
 This seems to be taught by Paul's direction to the 
 Colossian church : " Say to Archippus, Take heed 
 to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, 
 that thou fulfil it." Col. 4 : 17. If a pastor be- 
 comes heretical in doctrine or corrupt in practice, we 
 believe that he should be dealt with as any other 
 member of the church would be ; " only with such 
 special terms of respect, and repetition of address, as 
 the relation of a father may call for." * 
 
 Our churches, however, uniformly call for the ad- 
 vice of a council, before they proceed to excommu- 
 nicate a pastor. All the preparatory steps should be 
 taken as in the case of a private member ; the charges 
 
 * Cotton Mather's Ratio Discip. Art IX. 2, p. 162. See, also, 
 Samuel Mather's Apoloyy, p. 80-85 ; John Cotton's Keys of the 
 Kingdom, p. 31, 32, 41-43; and Channcey's Divine Inst. of Cong. 
 Chhs. Ch. XII. 8. The reader will find this matter discussed, at 
 some length, in the Appendix, No. 13. 
 
 18*
 
 210 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 should be proved before the church, and the church 
 should vote That they are convinced of the crim- 
 inality of their pastor, out, in view of the peculiar 
 importance and solemnity of the business, will take 
 the advice of the neighboring churches before pro- 
 ceeding further. The pastor is then invited to unite 
 with the church in calling a mutual council. If he 
 refuses, the church call an ex parte council. This 
 council mutual or ex parte, as the case may be 
 examines all the doings of the church, and hears all 
 the evidence in the case ; if satisfied with the meas- 
 ures pursued, and convinced of the guilt of the pastor, 
 they vote accordingly. They then proceed to depose 
 the unworthy man from the ministry, and advise the 
 church to excommunicate him. The church follow 
 the advice of council, and thus terminates the mel- 
 ancholy business. 
 
 It is no doubt true, as the Platform maintains 
 (Chap. 10, 6), that the "church have power accord- 
 ing to order" that is, according to the general 
 principles on which a Congregational church is or- 
 ganized to remove a pastor from office, without 
 the advice and direction of a council ; though it dis- 
 tinctly speaks of the propriety of " the council of 
 other churches, where it may be had, directing 
 thereto." But the reason why " the council of other 
 churches" should direct thereto, is not because a 
 church has not sufficient power to perform this 
 act of necessary discipline, as well as every other; 
 but because, having invited " the council of other 
 churches " to advise and assist in putting their pastor 
 into office, and thus declared their wish to be recog- 
 nized as a member of the Congregational family and
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 211 
 
 to maintain fellowship and communion with sister 
 churches consistency and decorum require that the 
 same sort of advice and assistance should be sought 
 in removing their pastor from office. And furthei- 
 more, this course is proper, because sister churches 
 have an interest and concern in the removal from 
 office of one who has sustained a sort of official 
 relationship to them all.* Another reason for the 
 course pointed out, is, that as the business of licens- 
 ing to preach the gospel, and thus introducing into 
 the ministerial office, is committed to the hands of 
 the ministry, it is evidently proper that the same 
 hands should be concerned in taking away a license 
 to preach, and deposing from the ministry. If it 
 should be said, that the same body is not, after all, 
 employed in deposing from the ministry which intro- 
 duced into the ministry the latter being an associ- 
 ation of clergymen, and the former, a council of 
 churches the answer is obvious : every Association 
 acts in the name of the whole ministry and on behalf 
 of all the churches, in giving licenses to preach the 
 gospel ; so that a council, composed of ministers and 
 lay delegates, represents both the ministry and the 
 churches ; and is, therefore, manifestly the most suit- 
 able body to act under the circumstances supposed. 
 The propriety of the course now urged, will appear 
 from this consideration, among others : If the council 
 did not first act decisively in the business, by de- 
 posing the unworthy man from the ministry, it might 
 happen, that a minister would be an excommunicated 
 person and still be an authorized preacher of the 
 
 * See Note, p. 191-193.
 
 212 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 gospel. But on the other hand, if a council should 
 be called previously to any action of the church in 
 relation to charges preferred against their pastor, it 
 might appear on examination, that there were not 
 sufficient grounds for complaint against the pastor. 
 For these reasons, regular practice requires the adop- 
 tion of the course prescribed. 
 
 IX. WHO SHALL COMPLAIN OF OFFENDERS. 
 
 If an offence be private, .or known only to a very 
 few individuals, it has already been remarked, that 
 Congregational usage requires that one of the persons 
 privy to the offence should go privately to his tres- 
 passing brother. It is a great irregularity to com- 
 municate the affair to any one previously unac- 
 quainted with the circumstances, unless it be a case 
 of such difficulty as requires advice. This course 
 we conceive to be required by Christ's directions, 
 Matt. 5 : 23, 24 ; "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, 
 and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught 
 against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and 
 go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, and 
 then come and offer thy gift." By parity of reason- 
 ing If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there 
 rememberest that thou hast aught against thy brother, 
 leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way ; 
 first be reconciled to thy brother, etc. 
 
 But, suppose the offence be one of public notoriety ; 
 who then shall take the first step ? Generally, one 
 of the deacons of the church, or some one of the 
 more aged and experienced brethren. There may be 
 prudential reasons for preferring one brother to
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 213 
 
 another in a given case, as the person to take the 
 first step with an offender. These reasons should be 
 allowed their full weight. But, if the most suitable 
 person will not commence this important work, this 
 will not excuse another from undertaking it yea, 
 the least suitable person in the church. All are 
 equally bound by their own covenant engagements 
 to discharge this duty ; and if one, or ten, or one 
 hundred neglect it, this will not cancel the obliga- 
 tions of the others. The business must be attended 
 to, or the whole church are made partakers of the sin 
 of the offender. 
 
 It is deemed important, generally, that some time 
 should elapse between the several steps of discipline, 
 in order that the offender may have opportunity for 
 reflection, before the ultimate appeal is made to the 
 church. It may be proper in some cases to repeat 
 the private steps ; perhaps even several times, before 
 the complaint is lodged with the church. Every 
 case that can be adjusted without telling it to the 
 church, should be ; and many cases may be, if judi- 
 cious and persevering and Christian efforts are made 
 for this purpose. 
 
 X. DISCIPLINE OF SISTER CHURCHES. 
 
 It has already been remarked, that though Congre- 
 gational churches are independent of each other in 
 respect to all their internal arrangements and man- 
 agement, yet, every church regards itself as a part 
 of a great family, each member of which has a com- 
 mon interest in the welfare of every other branch, 
 and holds itself bound to give account of its doings
 
 214 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 to the family whenever desired. A prominent design 
 in changing the name of our denomination, from 
 Independents to Congregationalists,* was to avoid the 
 imputation, that our churches were united by no 
 common bond, and that they refused to give to each 
 other any account of their faith or practice. Hence 
 the Platform says : " The term independent we ap- 
 prove not ; " f and makes provision for the discipline 
 of churches as well as individual members.^: 
 
 An orderly procedure in case a church has reason to 
 think a sister church unsound in doctrine, lax in dis- 
 ci pline, or corrupt in practice, would be to choose 
 a committee to visit and converse with the officers 
 of the suspected church. If they could satisfy the 
 visiting committee that their fears were groundless, 
 the state of the case would be reported to the in- 
 quiring church, and there the matter would rest. 
 But if the committee could not obtain satisfaction, 
 on reporting this to the brethren, the church would 
 vote to call on one or more neighboring churches to 
 unite in the labor. These united committees failing 
 to obtain satisfaction, the several churches to which 
 they belonged would propose a council of churches 
 (not including themselves), to whom the whole busi- 
 ness should be submitted. This mutual council hav- 
 ing heard the statements of the churches complaining, 
 and that complained of, would give their opinion, 
 whether there was sufficient ground of complaint 
 
 * John Cotton, probably gave us this name. He, at least, is 
 the first writer, so far as my reading goes, who used the term, 
 t Chap. 2, 5. 
 % See Platf. ch. 15, also Mathers Ratio, Art. IX.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 215 
 
 against the accused church, to warrant sister churches 
 in withdrawing fellowship from it. If they believed 
 that there was, they would vote to that effect ; and 
 recommend to all Congregational churches to with- 
 draw fellowship from the erring member of the family, 
 lest they should become partakers in other men's 
 sins. It would then be in order for individual 
 churches to act upon the advice of the council. This 
 being accepted and adopted, the offending church 
 would no longer be regarded as a sister of the great 
 family of Congregational churches ; its pastor would 
 not be recognized as a minister of the Lord Jesus ; 
 its members would not be received to permanent, or 
 even occasional communion ; and any church recog- 
 nizing them as a church of Christ, would be consid- 
 ered as walking disorderly as countenancing the 
 errors and sins of the offending member and would 
 expose itself to be dealt with accordingly. 
 
 But, in case the pastor or any members of the 
 offending church should satisfy the council, or the 
 committees of the churches, that they did not approve 
 of, or countenance the conduct of the majority of the 
 church with which they were connected, such pastor 
 or dissenting members would not be included in the 
 act of exclusion from fellowship to which the ma- 
 jority of me church were subjected ; though they 
 would be expected to use then: utmost endeavors to 
 reclaim their erring brethren, and if, after due trial, 
 they failed in their efforts, to renounce all connection 
 with them, and to unite with some other Congrega- 
 tional church. The remarks in the preface to the 
 Platform upon this topic the removal of individ-
 
 216 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 uals from corrupt churches deserve careful con- 
 sideration. 
 
 In all this, however, Congregational churches as- 
 sume no authority nor power to disband and dissolve 
 churches, or to interfere with the right and privilege 
 of churches to order their affairs as may seem to 
 them most accordant with the truth. They simply 
 assert their own right to say with whom they will 
 hold communion, and with whom they can walk as 
 sister churches. The body from which they have 
 thus withdrawn fellowship still remains, for aught 
 that the withdrawing churches can say or do a 
 church, if any are disposed so to regard it. The 
 churches withdrawing, wash their hands of the errors 
 and corruption complained of. To their own master 
 the erring are left to stand or fall.* 
 
 XL MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. 
 
 
 Under this general head, I shall mention several 
 matters which are of a mixed character, scarcely be- 
 longing to the Ecclesiastical practice of Congrega- 
 tionalists, and yet illustrative of the peculiarities of 
 the denomination. 
 
 * S. Mather gives a particular account of these matters, and de- 
 fends this method of proceeding. Apology, p. 133, 134. So does 
 Mr. Uphara, in his XX Chap. The reader will find the usages of 
 our churches more fully detailed by Prof. Upham, in his Ratio 
 Discip. than the plan of this work allows. Mr. Mitchell, in his 
 Guide to the N. E. Chhs. has an excellent chapter on church dis- 
 cipline. Though constrained to differ from this brother on some 
 points of church polity, yet I esteem his " Guide " a work of much 
 practical excellence.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 217 
 
 The " way of Congregational churches," in rela- 
 tion to the more important matters of Ecclesiastical 
 usage, has now been considered. Those points only 
 have been touched upon, in which there is a very 
 general, if not uniform agreement among consistent 
 and intelligent Congregationalists. In respect to va- 
 rious other things of minor importance, there is some 
 diversity of practice in the denomination : as, for 
 example, respecting 
 
 The Method of Raising the Salary of Ministers. 
 
 Some societies do this by levying a tax on prop- 
 erty ; others, by taxing pews ; some, by weekly con- 
 tributions from the congregation ; others, by volun- 
 tary subscriptions, running indefinitely, or for a term 
 of years ; others still, by voluntary contributions of 
 provisions, and clothing, and fuel, to a fixed amount. 
 Some churches are the owners, in common, of their 
 rneeting-house,* and raise a part, at least, of their 
 pastor's salary, by the yearly sale or lease of the 
 pews. Some few, to their injury, have funds suffi- 
 cient to support their pastors. A multitude are so 
 poor that they feel unable to do more than raise a 
 part of their pastor's salary, depending on yearly 
 grants from our Home Missionary Societies to make 
 up the deficiency.! 
 
 But in all cases a Congregational pastor has a stip- 
 
 
 
 * Mather, in his Ratio Disciplinoe, takes pains to tell his readers 
 that, " A Meeting-house is the term most commonly used by the 
 New English Christians." 
 
 f A diversity of practice and opinion respecting the best method 
 
 19
 
 218 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 ulated salary ; and this is generally fixed at the lowest 
 sum that will afford him a respectable maintenance. 
 The practice of our churches is believed to be nearly 
 uniform in this last particular. If it be not a funda- 
 mental doctrine of the denomination as it is said 
 
 of raising a minister's salary seems anciently to have prevailed. 
 Some of the fathers of the New England churches maintained, 
 that the pastor's salary should be raised by voluntary contribu- 
 tions, " laid by" if not contributed " on the first day of the week ; " 
 agreeably to 1 Cor. 16: 2 ; " Upon the first day of the week let 
 every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him," 
 etc. The famous John Cotton insisted that this was the only 
 proper way to raise a minister's salary. 
 
 Thomas Hooker, in his " Survey of the Summe of Church Dis- 
 cipline," devotes several pages to the discussion of this question. 
 See Part II. p. 27-32. The differing views of good men in his 
 day are thus summarily expressed by Hooker : 
 
 " Some conceive (the Lord's treasury being committed to the 
 deacons, for the supply pf all tables of officers and the tables of the 
 poor, both its own and others,) that this treasury should be fur- 
 nished every Lord's day, by the freewill offerings of the assembly, 
 every one casting into [it] as God hath blessed him. 1 Cor. 16 : 
 1, 2, 3. They also conceive this rule of Gal. 6 : 6, may be attended 
 in this way, every one bringing in all of the good things ma propor- 
 tional value, as may suit the occasion of the church. Others, again, 
 conceive that the maintenance mentioned in the foregoing plan 
 cannot be fully raised by a treasury common to the poor and to 
 ministers, nor can it be gathered upon the Sabbath day." 
 
 To this plan of raising the minister's support by contributions 
 on the Sabbath, etc., Hooker mentions several objections. And 
 it is not unlikely that these, and like objections, induced a gradual 
 discontinuance of the method ; for, when Cotton Mather pub- 
 lished his Ratio Disciplines Fratrum Nov-Anylorum (1726), the 
 salary of our ministers was generally raised by a tax on all the in- 
 habitants of a parish. See Ratio, p. 20, 21. Hooker's Survey of 
 Chh. Discip. was published in London in 1648,
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 219 
 
 to have been of some of the early dissenters from the 
 Papal Hierarchy that their pastors shall be poor ; 
 certain it is, that the general practice of Congrega- 
 tional churches very effectually accomplishes this end. 
 It is presumed that in New England, the salaries of 
 the Congregational clergy will not average five hun- 
 dred dollars a year; multitudes of them do not re- 
 ceive the value of three hundred dollars in money. 
 That minister cannot be considered a bad econ- 
 omist, who can support a family, keep "a bish- 
 op's table," and meet the numerous calls for 
 charity, with a yearly stipend of five hundred 
 dollars.* 
 
 The provision made for the support of the early 
 Congregational ministers of New England, was nom- 
 inally less than the average of modern salaries ; but 
 really much better. In nearly every country parish 
 and there were few others in those days every 
 pastor was furnished with " a lot of land," which, 
 with tolerable husbandry, provided a support for his 
 family. His salary, whether much or little, was 
 generally an addition to what was indispensable to 
 his comfortable maintenance, and went for the pur- 
 chase of books, the education of his children, and in 
 
 * This estimate of the salaries of Congregational ministers was 
 made in 1843. Since that time, there has been a very consider- 
 able advance in the prices of all the necessaries of life, and a 
 pretty general advance in the salaries of clergymen ; but not, cer- 
 tainly, greater than in the cost of living. New England Congre- 
 gational ministers have still, it is believed, harder work and 
 poorer pay than any class of professional and educated men in 
 the community.
 
 220 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 some instances, became an accumulating fund for his 
 family after his decease.* 
 
 * I must be allowed to say a few words, in this connection, upon 
 the prevalent notion, that whatever is paid for the support of a 
 minister is a gratuity something for which he has no claim, and 
 which, being a work of supererogation, entitles the parishioner to 
 special commendation, and lays the minister under special obliga- 
 tions. If the .eye of such a reasoner should ever look upon this 
 note, I would ask him : Do you consider what you pay the me- 
 chanic or day-laborer whom you employ, a gratuity ? Do you 
 think that the lawyer, the physician, the schoolmaster, who serve 
 you in their respective callings, have no claim on you for services 
 rendered? Or, that the care of your property, health, and mind, 
 are more important than the care of your soul ? Is it more nec- 
 essary that your field should be ploughed, or your house or your 
 furniture repaired, than that you should be taught the way of sal- 
 vation ; and in the hour of sickness and death, have some one to 
 instruct you and your family, and administer to you the consola- 
 tions of the Gospel, and the rites of religion ? If you and your 
 family wish to live and die as do the heathen ; so be it. If you 
 never, in any way, claim or enjoy the services of a clergyman, he 
 certainly will not set up any claim upon you. But if you regard 
 the observance of the Sabbath, and the maintenance of the public 
 and social rites of religion as necessary to the comfort and wel- 
 fare -of yourself and family and the community at large, upon 
 what principle can you refuse your aid in supporting a minis- 
 ter? If he, after years of laborious and expensive preparation 
 for his duties, devotes his whole time to the labors which you and 
 others require at his hands, there is no principle of law or equity 
 on which you can refuse your proportion of his support. And 
 what you pay him is no more a gift than what you pay your phy- 
 sician, or your schoolmaster, your mechanics, or your day-laborers. 
 
 To such persons as are disposed to plead the freeness of salva- 
 tion, and the example of Christ and his Apostles, as reasons for 
 not contributing towards the support of those who preach the 
 Gospel, I would commend a careful examination of the following 
 passages of Scripture : Numb. 35 : 1-8, compared with Lev. 25:
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 221 
 
 Continuance of the Pastoral Connection. 
 
 The theoretical practice of our churches (if I may 
 be allowed such an expression) is now, as of old, to 
 ordain a pastor for life ; but, the understanding has 
 come to be very general, that the connection between 
 a pastor and his flock will be short-lived. The de- 
 nomination, however, are beginning to feel the evils 
 of these temporary arrangements ; and are more dis- 
 posed of late, to return to the good old way in which 
 their fathers walked, and to give greater permanency 
 to the connection between a pastor and his church. 
 
 Solemnisation of Marriage. 
 
 The first settlers of New England, in their hatred 
 of Popery and Prelacy, were disposed to commit the 
 work of solemnizing marriages exclusively to the 
 civil magistrate.* At first, the magistrate performed 
 
 32-34; Deut. 12: 19. 14: 27. 16: 16, 17. 18: 1-8; 2 Chron. 31: 
 1-10; Neh. 13: 10, 11; Ezek. 44 : 15-31. 
 
 The above references will show what care was taken of the min- 
 isters of religion under the Law. The following will show that 
 the Gospel is no less explicit in recognizing the principle, that 
 they who labor about holy things should be supported by those for 
 whom they labor ; or, that " the workman is worthy of his meat." 
 Matt. 10: 9, 10 ; Luke 8:1-3; 1 Cor. 9 : 1-14 ; Gal. 6:6; Phil. 
 4: 10-18. 1 Tim. 5: 17, 18. 
 
 * John Robinson, in his " Apology," says " of the celebration of 
 marriage " " we cannot assent to the received opinion and prac- 
 tice answerable in the Reformed churches, by which the pastors 
 
 19*
 
 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 all even the devotional parts of the service. 
 After a while, the pastor of the church, when pres- 
 ent at the marriage, was called upon to offer one or 
 both of the prayers. And finally, the business of 
 solemnizing marriages was left chiefly with the pas- 
 tors. So it remains to this day. 
 
 We have no prescribed form for solemnizing mar- 
 riage. Every pastor consults his own taste and judg- 
 ment. The ceremony commences generally with 
 prayer; in which God the Former of our bodies 
 and the Father of our spirits, who in the beginning 
 created man male and female is adored, and 
 his presence and assistance invoked. The parties 
 are then directed to join hands. This being done, 
 the minister addresses, first the man, to this effect: 
 
 " The person whom you now take by the hand, 
 you take to be your wedded wife ; depending on the 
 grace of Heaven, you promise to love her, to honor 
 her, to support her, ... so long as you live both 
 together in this world. This promise you make as 
 in the presence of God, and before these witnesses." 
 
 And then the woman : 
 
 " The person whom you now take by the hand, 
 you take to be your wedded husband ; with depend- 
 ence on the grace of heaven, you promise to love 
 him, to honor him, to obey him, ... so long as you 
 both live together in this world. This promise you 
 
 do celebrate marriage publicly and by virtue of their office." He 
 adds, that the pastor's office ought not " to be stretched to any 
 other acts than those of religion, and such as are peculiar to Chris- 
 tians, amongst which marriage, common ft the Gentiles as well as 
 to them, hath no place." See also Mather's Ratio, p. 111-117.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 223 
 
 make as in the presence of the great God and these 
 witnesses." * 
 
 A consent to this covenant being in some way 
 signified, the minister adds: 
 
 " I then declare you to be husband and wife ; mar- 
 ried according to the laws of this State ; and, so far 
 as I know, in accordance with the will of God." 
 
 Then follows either a nuptial benediction, or a set 
 prayer, invoking the blessing of God upon the newly 
 married pan: upon their basket and their store, 
 upon their outgoings and their incomings, upon their 
 bodies and their souls, for time and eternity. 
 
 Thus were marriages celebrated among Congrega- 
 tionalists in the days of Cotton Mather, and thus are 
 they now. 
 
 Funerals. 
 
 The same may be said of funerals, as of mar- 
 riages : we have no set form of service. Our relig- 
 ious rites vary according to circumstances, and in 
 different sections of the country. 
 
 In our cities and large towns, where funerals are 
 frequent, a single prayer often constitutes the whole 
 burial-service. In our country parishes, an address 
 to the company collected is common. And in some 
 sections, a sermon is almost uniformly preached on 
 the occasion, accompanied with prayer and singing. 
 
 * I quote from the formula given by Cotton Mather, in 1726. 
 Ratio Discip., p. 114-116.
 
 224 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 Public Worship. 
 
 Having no Liturgy, our method of conducting 
 public worship has never been entirely uniform. 
 John Cotton describes the usual services of the 
 Sabbath in his day, (1645,) thus : " First, we make 
 ' prayers, and intercessions, and thanksgivings for 
 ourselves and for all men.' .... After prayer, either 
 the pastor or teacher readeth a chapter in the Bible 
 and expoundeth it, giving the sense, to cause ' the 
 people to understand the reading.' And in sundry 
 churches, the other whether pastor or teacher 
 
 who expoundeth not, he preacheth the Word 
 
 Before sermon, and many times after, we sing a 
 
 psalm In the afternoon, after public prayer, 
 
 .... and the Word read and expounded by them 
 who preached in the morning, .... and the sacra- 
 ment of baptism administered, if any of the church 
 do offer their children thereunto ; the deacons .... 
 do call upon the people, that as God hath prospered 
 them and made their hearts willing, there is now 
 time left for contribution After the contribu- 
 tion is ended, the time is taken up, in sundry church- 
 es, in the trial and admission of .... members into 
 the church : . . . . and so, after a psalm of praise to 
 God, with thanksgiving, and prayer to God for a 
 blessing upon all the ordinances administered that 
 day, and a blessing pronounced upon the people, the 
 assembly is dismissed." * 
 
 * Way of the Congregational Churches, p. 66-70.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 225 
 
 In the days of Cotton Mather, (1726,) the services 
 of the morning of the Lord's day were generally 
 commenced after reading the "bills," or requests 
 for prayers from the sick, afflicted, etc. etc. with a 
 long prayer ; then followed singing ; next came the 
 sermon, "generally limited unto about an hour;" 
 this was followed by a short, concluding prayer. In 
 some congregations singing followed the last prayer, 
 " at least in the afternoon." " And in some of the 
 congregations they [had] also in the afternoon .... 
 a collection^ according to apostolic direction, 1 Cor. 
 16 : 2." " The pastor dismissed the congregation 
 with pronouncing a benediction." * 
 
 Modern practice varies a little from the above. 
 
 The more common method, perhaps, of conduct- 
 ing public worship among us now, is, to begin the 
 morning exercises with a short prayer, or invocation ; 
 followed by the reading of the Scriptures, some- 
 times accompanied with brief explanatory remarks ; 
 then follows singing; then come the requests for 
 prayers, and the long prayer; then singing again; 
 then sermon not quite so long as of yore fol- 
 lowed by a short prayer and the benediction. In 
 the afternoon, the services are introduced by sing- 
 ing; after this, prayer singing again sermon 
 prayer singing and the benediction. Some pas- 
 tors read the Scriptures both forenoon and after- 
 noon. 
 
 Our fathers were not entirely agreed about the 
 propriety of reading the Scriptures, as a part of 
 
 Mather's Ratio, Art. III.
 
 226 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 public worship, unless accompanied with exposi- 
 tion ; some calling simple reading " dumb read- 
 ing" Others, however, approved of it, and prac- 
 tised accordingly ; prefacing the reading, as in these 
 days, with a short prayer or invocation. John Cot- 
 ton approved, and pursued this latter course. 
 
 In their general method of conducting public wor- 
 ship, our churches are believed to conform essen- 
 tially to the primitive practice.* As to the slight 
 variations in different churches, we regard them as 
 nowise objectionable. In the early ages of the Chris- 
 tian Church, even after the introduction of Litur- 
 gies which occurred " after the decay of the gifts 
 of the first Primitive Church," f each bishop 
 seems to have been left to form such an order of 
 public service as appeared best in his own eyes and 
 that of his church. And even the English Church 
 knew nothing of strict and entire uniformity in the 
 order of her worship, until after the Reformation : 
 and well would it have been for her if her Reformers 
 had been as wise in this particular as the Pope.J 
 
 Associations of Ministers. 
 
 It has long been the practice of Congregational 
 ministers residing within convenient distances of 
 each other, to associate together, for personal im- 
 
 * See extract from Justin Martyr, in this work, ante, p. 152- 
 154. 
 
 f StWmgfleefs Ircnicum, p. 238. 
 
 J See NeaFs Hist. Puritans, Vol. I. p. 96, 97 ; Mosfieim, Vol. L 
 p. 86, 413, n. 1, 2d ed. ; Hist. Congregationalism, p. 205-208.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 227 
 
 provement, for the cultivation of brotherly kindness, 
 and to assist each other by council and advice in dis- 
 charging parochial and ministerial duties. These 
 Associations are mentioned by Cotton Mather, as 
 things " proposed," though " not yet " [in 1726] in 
 all regards universally complied withal.* " The 
 Heads of Agreement" between the Congregational 
 and Presbyterian churches in England, (1692,) recog- 
 nize the importance of such associations. Ch. IV. 
 Art, 1. 
 
 It is now believed to be nearly or quite universal 
 for our ministers to meet together, as often as once 
 in three months, for the purposes above specified. 
 And these meetings are regarded as most important 
 helps to pastoral usefulness and ministerial improve- 
 ment. On such occasions exegetical and critical 
 essays on difficult passages of Scripture are exhib- 
 ited ; recitations from the Greek and Hebrew text 
 are attended to ; sermons and plans of sermons are 
 submitted for criticism ; and questions of practical 
 importance respecting church discipline, pastoral du- 
 ties, and the best means for promoting the religious 
 improvement of the people under their care are dis- 
 cussed. The exercises which require preparation 
 are assigned at a previous meeting. The advantages 
 of such associations are manifold and obvious. 
 
 County Conferences. 
 
 These are usually composed of the pastors and 
 delegates of all the Congregational churches of a 
 
 * Ratio Disciplinie, p. 179-181.
 
 228 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 county, if not too large. They meet once or twice a 
 year, in different parts of the county, to hear ac- 
 counts of the state of religion in each church and 
 society, to consult together for the general good, and 
 to stir up each other's minds " by way of remem- 
 brance." They afford seasons of great religious 
 interest and improvement. They are generally at- 
 tended by large numbers of the brethren of the 
 different churches, and also by delegates from corre- 
 sponding bodies in other counties, and by the repre- 
 sentatives of the different benevolent Societies. 
 
 General Meetings of Pastors and Churches. 
 
 As a bond of Christian union, and as a means of 
 religious encouragement and improvement, our de- 
 nomination have long practised the holding of stated 
 general meetings of pastors, or of pastors and dele- 
 gates from the churches. These bodies, though de- 
 signed for the same general purposes, and essen- 
 tially alike, are known by different names : as, Con- 
 ferences, Associations, Conventions, Consociations. 
 They usually include either all the pastors of a 
 State, or their representatives. They sometimes 
 embrace, with the pastors, lay representatives of the 
 churches ; a plan most perfectly in accordance with 
 the spirit of Congregationalism. These meetings 
 are attended by representatives from correspond- 
 ing bodies in other States, by delegates from the 
 General Assemblies of the Presbyterian churches, 
 and by the agents of the great charitable and benev- 
 olent Institutions of the country. 
 
 At these meetings the statistics of each Congrega-
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 229 
 
 tional church in the State are given ; e. g. the addi- 
 tions removals, by death, dismission, or excommu- 
 nication baptisms charitable contributions, etc. ; 
 also any facts of interest connected with the relig- 
 ious history of any of the churches. Thus a com- 
 plete view is obtained of the condition and prospects 
 of the entire denomination throughout the State. 
 
 From the representatives of corresponding bodies, 
 a general view of the churches within their respec- 
 tive bounds is expected. From the agents of the 
 various benevolent societies, and from the annual re- 
 ports, etc., of the secretaries of the several State 
 Societies which hold their anniversaries in connec- 
 tion with the meeting of the General Conference, 
 Association, or Convention, we are able to learn 
 the condition, wants, and prospects of our country at 
 large, and of the world. 
 
 These general associations, etc., claim no legisla- 
 tive nor judicial authority. The end of their exist- 
 ence is, to promote vital godliness in the denomina- 
 tion, and to preserve unbroken the ties of religious 
 and denominational sympathy and union among all 
 the branches of the Congregational family. 
 
 Licensure of Pastors. 
 
 For some time after the settlement of New Eng- 
 land, our churches were supplied with pastors from 
 the mother country, most of whom had been edu- 
 cated at the Universities and had been preachers in 
 England, and many of them, to the very people 
 among whom they settled in this country. But, an- 
 ticipating the time when they should be deprived of 
 
 20
 
 230 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 their venerable pastors, most of whom, on their 
 removal to this country, being advanced to the merid- 
 ian of life, or beyond that period, the churches 
 early made provision for the education of ministers 
 in New England. To this end Harvard College 
 was founded and nurtured by the contributions and 
 prayers and affections of the Pilgrims. From this 
 source came a considerable proportion of the minis- 
 ters who occupied the New England pulpits during 
 the next century after the landing of the Pilgrims. 
 
 For more than half a century after the settlement 
 of this country, (until 1692-1708,) there seems not 
 to have been any provision made, or plan devised 
 for the examination and licensure of candidates for 
 the sacred ministry. " Any well-disposed young 
 men of a liberal education [were] brought into the 
 pulpits by any of the pastors, as soon as they 
 pleased ; and, if the people approved of them, they 
 were at liberty, without any more ado, to proceed 
 unto an election of them for the work of the minis- 
 try, and the pastoral charge in any vacancy." * 
 
 The first suggestion on this subject, so far as I 
 have discovered, came from the " United brethren " 
 Congregational and Presbyterian in England, 
 1692. See Heads of Agreement, Ch. II. Art. VII. 
 The next, from the Saybrook Synod, Conn., 1708, 
 Art. XII. f 
 
 The state of things at present is materially differ- 
 ent from what it was in Mather's day. It is believed 
 
 * Mather's Ratio Discip., p. 117. 
 
 f TrumbuWs Hist. Conn., Vol. I. p. 506, 507, 508-513; " Con- 
 gregational Order," p. 236, 279.
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL PRACTICE. 231 
 
 to be now the uniform practice of our churches, to 
 commit the work of examining and licensing candi- 
 dates for the ministry, to the local Associations of 
 pastors. The approbation of an Association is nec- 
 essary, even after a candidate has passed through a 
 three years' training in one of our theological sem- 
 inaries. At these examinations, personal piety and 
 church standing are usually the first subjects of in- 
 quiry ; and, unless a candidate can satisfy the Asso- 
 ciation upon these heads, there is an end to all hopes 
 of a license to preach the gospel. Another part of 
 the examination relates to systematic theology; 
 recitations from the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures 
 are expected of all who have had an opportunity of 
 studying them, and very few enter the ministry 
 among us now who have not some acquaintance 
 with these languages; the candidate is also exam- 
 ined respecting his general intelligence literary, 
 historical, and scientific. The examination proving 
 satisfactory upon these several points, the applicant 
 is furnished with a certificate, signed by the modera- 
 tor and scribe of the Association, certifying their ap- 
 probation of him, and recommending him to the 
 churches, as suitably qualified and furnished to 
 preach the gospel. 
 
 If in any instance, there should be some doubt re- 
 specting the propriety of a full license, and yet not 
 enough to exclude the applicant entirely, Associa- 
 tions sometimes give a permit to preach for a limited 
 time ; at the expiration of which the permission is 
 withdrawn, or, on further examination, renewed. 
 Some Associations, ordinarily, give licenses for a 
 term of years only, at the end of which the license
 
 232 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 may be rescinded or renewed, at the pleasure of the 
 Association. 
 
 I have dwelt somewhat minutely on the usages of 
 Congregational churches ; but I could not otherwise 
 exhibit the practical operation of the principles and 
 doctrines of the system which I am attempting to 
 develop, nor make my little book a faithful guide to 
 such as would walk in conformity with this system. 
 But little use has been made of arguments to prove 
 the correctness of the practices which have been de- 
 tailed ; for most of these practices are deductions 
 and inferences from principles and doctrines pre- 
 sumed to have been established by previous testi- 
 mony and arguments, and must, consequently, stand 
 or fall with the foundations on which they rest. 
 And, so far as our practice is merely prudential, it is 
 sufficient for our purpose that it is not unscriptural 
 nor unlawful, and that the wisdom and experience 
 of ages have sanctioned it. 
 
 And now, what shall we say of Congregational- 
 ism in practice ? Is it not as fair in practice as in 
 theory ? Does it allow of any disorder or irregular- 
 ity in the churches ? Is there in it any lack of en- 
 ergy and efficiency ? Can any churches show a 
 purer or more blameless practice? or one better 
 adapted to effect the great purposes of church or- 
 ganization ? If not, what more can we ask or expect 
 of any system of church government ?
 
 PART V. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 HAVING, in the preceding pages, discussed the 
 principles and doctrines of the Congregational sys- 
 tem, and described with some minuteness the eccle- 
 siastical usages of the denomination, I know not that 
 I can more suitably conclude my labors, than by 
 summing up, and placing distinctly before the reader 
 in a connected view, a few of the more prominent 
 advantages which Congregationalism is supposed to 
 possess over all other systems of church government. 
 And this I shall do, not that I may rail at other sys- 
 tems, but, that I may more fully and faithfully ex- 
 hibit my own. 
 
 Every man who has fixed principles or settled 
 opinions on any controverted subject, has arrived at 
 them by a process of comparison as well as investi- 
 gation. And there is no way in which we can more 
 effectually aid an inquirer in settling a disputed point, 
 than by placing fairly before him the contending 
 theories or systems between which he must judge. 
 This is emphatically true in respect to the question 
 20 * < 233 )
 
 234 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 now before us. It is only by seeing the system ad- 
 vocated in these pages, in contrast with opposing 
 systems, that we shall be made fully sensible of its 
 superior advantages. 
 
 And why may not this comparison be made with- 
 out subjecting the author to the imputation of invid- 
 ious feelings or unworthy motives ? All systems and 
 published opinions of church order and discipline are 
 fairly open to examination, and comparison with 
 other systems and opinions, and to animadversion, 
 if occasion is discovered. And, if this be done with 
 fairness and Christian courtesy, no one has any right 
 to complain. We may number among our personal 
 and cherished friends as the writer is most happy 
 to do persons who embrace almost every form of 
 church government ; and yet we may, and ought, as 
 conscientious men, to claim for ourselves, what we 
 cheerfully yield to others, the right of private judg- 
 ment, and the liberty to express with entire freedom 
 our convictions, without being charged with unworthy 
 or unchristian motives and feelings. We may even 
 go further, and say with a controversialist of some 
 distinction : " We are not to be afraid to contend 
 firmly against what we conceive to be error, even at 
 the hazard of deeply offending those by whom it is 
 embraced." * In what may now be said of other ec- 
 clesiastical systems, I will not, knowingly, deviate in 
 the smallest particular from the truth. But the best . 
 intentions will not always preserve a man from error. 
 And I beg, that my mistakes, if any I make, may be 
 
 * Dr. How's Vindication of the Prot. Episcopal C/ih. quoted by 
 Smyth, in his Lees, on Apostolical Succession.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 235 
 
 attributed to misapprehension, not to design. "With 
 these prefatory remarks which the language of 
 some who have noticed my humble labors seemed to 
 demand let us proceed to the inquiry : 
 
 WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MORE PROMINENT ADVAN- 
 TAGES WHICH CONGREGATIONALISM is SUPPOSED TO POS- 
 SESS OVER OTHER SYSTEMS OF CHURCH ORDER AND 
 GOVERNMENT ? 
 
 1. We regard Congregationalism as the most scrip- 
 tural system of church government* 
 
 We do not assert that all other systems are to- 
 tally destitute of scriptural authority ; nor, that this 
 is exactly conformed to the polity of the apostolic 
 churches ; but we do assert, that the order and dis- 
 cipline of our churches is more nearly in accordance 
 with the model furnished by the New Testament than 
 that of any other denomination. This consideration 
 may be addressed equally to those who deny that the 
 Scriptures furnish any model of church government, 
 and to those who admit that the great outlines, if not 
 the minor particulars of church polity, are given 
 therein. 
 
 Those who deny that the word of God furnishes 
 any pattern for church building, will, it is presumed, 
 admit, that the church which has most of scriptural 
 architecture about it, best deserves their regard. Dr. 
 Stillingfleet, though he considered "the form of 
 church government a mere matter of prudence, regu- 
 
 * "When I speak of the Scriptures furnishing a model of church 
 polity for us, I would be understood to refer exclusively to the 
 Neio Testament.
 
 236 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 lated by the word of God," yet admits : " That form 
 of government [to be] the best, according to princi- 
 ples of Christian prudence, which comes the nearest 
 to Apostolic practice, and tends most to the advanc- 
 ing the peace and unity of the Church of God." * 
 And Dr. Campbell, though he could " see no reason 
 why a Church may not subsist under different forms, 
 as well as a State ; " yet owns, " that one form may 
 be more favorable than another to the spirit and de- 
 sign of the constitution." f 
 
 I beg leave to put it to any such person : If that 
 form of church government may not be reasonably 
 regarded as most agreeable to the principles of Chris- 
 tian prudence, and most favorable to the constitution 
 of Christianity, which most nearly resembles the one 
 selected and established by the Founder of Chris- 
 tianity ? 
 
 If, now, it has been shown in the preceding pages, 
 as I trust it has, that all the fundamental principles 
 and the important doctrines of Congregationalism 
 have the sanction of scriptural precept or apostolic 
 usage ; and that the authorized practice of this de- 
 nomination is nowise inconsistent with the same pre- 
 cepts and example, then certainly, Congregation- 
 alism is scriptural; the word of God allows^ if it 
 does not require the adoption of it. And, if Con- 
 gregationalism is scriptural, then it is more scriptu- 
 ral than any other system, in just so much as any 
 other system differs from this in its fundamental prin- 
 
 * Irenicum, p. 414, 415, 2<1 Ed. 
 
 f Lees. Ecc. Hist. L. iv.p.50, and L. 8, p. 128.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 237 
 
 ciples and doctrines ; unless it can be proved 
 which it cannot be that the Scriptures equally 
 countenance different systems. 
 
 But, in what particulars do other systems of church 
 government differ from this ? 
 
 All governments may be classed under three gen- 
 eral heads : Monarchical, Aristocratical, or Democrat- 
 ical. The distinctive peculiarities of these three 
 forms may be, to some extent, intermixed in any 
 given system ; but all governments, ecclesiastical as 
 well as civil, may be classed under one of these 
 heads. 
 
 The Episcopal form of church government may be 
 regarded as monarchical, the Presbyterian as aristo- 
 cratical, and the Congregational as democratical. 
 The predominating characteristics of these three 
 forms of government are sufficiently, if not exactly 
 expressed by these titles. 
 
 Episcopacy is the government of the church by 
 bishops. Each bishop is the sovereign of his diocese. 
 His power may be that of a despot, or of a limited 
 monarch, according as the people are allowed more 
 or less influence in the government. Romish Epis- 
 copacy may be considered a despotism. The Pope 
 is the supreme, infallible head of the Church on 
 earth. English Episcopacy is less despotic than 
 Roman, though derived from it ; and American Epis- 
 copacy is a modification of English Episcopacy, pre- 
 senting a still milder form of monarchical church gov- 
 ernment.
 
 238 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 Suppose, in order to test the question, Which 
 is the more scriptural system of church government ? 
 we compare Congregational church order and gov- 
 ernment, with that adopted by the Church of England. 
 
 1. The first objection which presents itself against 
 the hierarchal government of the Church of England, 
 is the intimate union which subsists between it and 
 the State. By the act of supremacy, Henry VIII. 
 became head of the Church of England, as really as 
 he was before, head of the State ; and as truly so, as 
 the Pope had previously been. With the Crown, the 
 successors of Henry have inherited the supreme 
 headship of the Church of England. And now a 
 woman rules the Church of England; the govern- 
 ment of the church being virtually committed to the 
 sovereign, as its temporal head, and to Parliament, 
 as the monarch's council. She convenes, prorogues, 
 restrains, regulates, and dissolves all synods and ec- 
 clesiastical convocations ; appoints the archbishops, 
 bishops, deans, and a considerable portion of the 
 clergy;"* or at least nominates them, simply be- 
 cause she is the Head of the State ; though Christ, 
 the Great Head of the Church, has emphatically de- 
 clared, that his disciples and his kingdom, are not of 
 this world. John 17: 14, 16. 18: 36. 
 
 * Nearly one tenth of all the benefices 5n England and Wales, 
 in 1853, were in the gift of the Crown. See Census of Great 
 Britain Religious Worship, p. 37.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 239 
 
 2. We object to the existence and authority of 
 the dignitaries and officials of the Church of Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Next to the Queen, in ecclesiastical dignity, are the 
 archbishops ; who, appointed by her authority, rule 
 in her name. There are two of these dignitaries ; 
 and between them, the kingdom is divided ; each 
 being supreme in his own province, and in addition, 
 having a diocese of his own, in which he exercises 
 episcopal jurisdiction. Next to the archbishops, rank 
 the Bishops ; of whom there are twenty-six ; each 
 one of whom is a sovereign in his own diocese. 
 Each diocese is divided into Archdeaconries ; of 
 which there are about seventy in the kingdom; 
 each archdeaconry is divided into Deaneries; and 
 each deanery into Parishes. The archdeacon is the 
 bishop's vicar, or vicegerent; and is authorized to 
 examine candidates for " holy orders," to make pa- 
 rochial circuits, and oversee the clergy within his ju- 
 risdiction ; and also to hold ecclesiastical courts, in 
 order to inflict censures, suspend or excommunicate 
 persons, prove wills, hear ecclesiastical causes, etc. ; 
 subject to an appeal to the bishop. The deans, and 
 canons or prebendaries, are supposed to be the 
 bishop's counsellors. Rural Deans are assistants to 
 the bishops in smaller spheres. Anciently ten par- 
 ishes constituted a Rural Deanery; but now they 
 are diverse in extent, and the whole number in Eng- 
 land and Wales amounts to about 463. 
 
 I have now named the dignitaries of the Church of 
 England. The working clergy are styled Rectors, 
 Vicars, Perpetual Curates, and Curates. The title 
 of rector is given to those ministers who have the
 
 240 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 charge and care of a parish and are entitled to all 
 the tithes ; that of v icar, to those who act as depu- 
 ties to others, and are entitled to only a portion of the 
 tithes, or to a stipulated salary.* 
 
 A perpetual curate, is quite like a vicar, in that he 
 ',s appointed for life, and as the delegate of the tithe- 
 impropriator, is entitled to a portion of the tithes 
 during life. 
 
 A curate is the lowest grade of clergyman in the 
 Church of England, and is generally employed by a 
 rector to do the laborious work of a parish, at a mod- 
 erate salary. 
 
 * The usual form of inducting a person into a benefice, -who 
 may be either a rector or vicar, is as follows : " The inductor 
 takes the clerk [i. e. the person to be inducted] by the hand, and 
 placing it on the key of the church, which must be then in the 
 door, says : ' By virtue of this instrument, I induct you in the real, 
 actual, and corporeal possession of the rectory or vicarage of A , 
 with all its fruits, profits, members, and appurtenances.' This 
 done, he opens the door, puts the clerk in possession of the 
 church, and shuts the door upon him; who, after he has tolled 
 the bell (if there be any) to give the parishioners due notice of 
 their new minister, comes out, and desires the inductor to indorse 
 a certificate of his induction, on the archdeacon's warrant, and all 
 persons present signify it under their hands." 
 
 Such is the process by which a man becomes the pastor of a 
 flock in the Church of England. The people are made acquainted 
 with the important fact that they have a spiritual guide provided 
 for them, by hearing the bell toll, " if there be any ! " 
 
 If a benefice is in the hands of a bishop, Institution and In- 
 duction only, are requisite : these are called collatice benefices. 
 There are, also, what are called donative benefices ; which are 
 obtained by the donation of the patron in writing, without presen- 
 tation, institution, or induction. London Encyclopedia, Art. In- 
 duction.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 241 
 
 These are the official persons who have in their 
 hands the government of the Church of England, 
 and the care of souls ; and yet, so far as I have been 
 able to discover, the people who constitute the 
 Church of England, have no voice in the election of 
 these men to office ; church-wardens and parish 
 clerks, alone, being chosen by the people ; and even 
 these, are sometimes appointed by the minister of the 
 parish. I need not say to any one who has read the 
 authorities cited in this work, that this exclusion of 
 the people from the government of the church is 
 contrary to the usage of the apostolic and primitive 
 churches, who held the supreme power, under Christ, 
 and elected all their officers, governors, and teachers. 
 In fact, the entire government and discipline of the 
 Church of England is as unlike that of the apostolic 
 churches as well can be. 
 
 4. The Ecclesiastical Courts of the Church of 
 England suggest another most serious objection to 
 this Hierarchy. 
 
 Instead of recognizing the right of individual 
 churches to " open and shut," to " bind and loose," 
 agreeably to the words of Christ in Matt. 18: 18, 
 the framers and governors of the Church of England 
 have placed all disciplinary power in a series of Ec- 
 clesiastical Courts. 
 
 First on this list of courts stands the Court of 
 Delegates, which is the sovereign's court, where, as 
 Supreme Head of the Church, the King or Queen of 
 England, represented by the Privy Council, tries and 
 settles all cases of appeal from all inferior tribunals. 
 The Provincial Courts, are the archbishops' courts, 
 
 21
 
 242 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 and take cognizance of all ecclesiastical business 
 within their jurisdictions respectively. The Dioce- 
 san Courts are held in each diocese, in the name and 
 by the authority of the respective bishops, and take 
 cognizance of all matters of discipline within their 
 several dioceses. There is an appeal from these to 
 the archbishop's court. The Archdeacon's Court in- 
 flicts censures, suspends or excommunicates persons, 
 and transacts other business, subject to an appeal 
 generally to the Bishop's Court. Besides these, there 
 are Courts of Peculiars, so called, and Manorial 
 Courts. These, though numerous, are of circum- 
 scribed authority, though in these a portion of the 
 business usually done in the Archdeacon's or Bishop's 
 courts, may be transacted. 
 
 To manage this disciplinary machinery of the 
 Church of England, particularly in its higher depart- 
 ments, a distinct and peculiar class of professional 
 men has been raised up, called Doctors of Law, and 
 Proctors. From the former of these, the archbishops 
 select the judges of their archiepiscopal courts. The 
 Proctors are the solicitors and attorneys of these 
 spiritual tribunals. 
 
 I have now enumerated and very briefly described 
 the dignitaries by whom, and the Ecclesiastical 
 Courts by which the Church of England is ordered 
 and disciplined. The question recurs : Did Jesus 
 Christ intend to have his Church governed by such 
 instrumentalities ? Is it in this way that his disci- 
 ples are to prove to the world that Christ's kingdom 
 is not of this world ? 
 
 May not the wayfaring man, though a fool, discern
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 243 
 
 the utter dissimilarity between this pompous and 
 complicated hierarchal establishment and the simple 
 organization and government which Christ sanc- 
 tioned, and his apostles developed in the primitive 
 churches of Christendom ? And yet, this very Hie- 
 rarchy is pronounced by its friends and advocates 
 " the most scriptural church in Christendom " " the 
 sanctuary of scriptural piety " " the wonder and 
 glory of Christendom." * 
 
 5. The enormous income deemed necessary to 
 support the pomp and dignity of the English Hie- 
 rarchy affords another serious objection to the entire 
 Establishment 
 
 Revenue of the Church of England. 
 
 In order to estimate more accurately the value of 
 such praise as has just been quoted, it may be well 
 to inquire the cost of such a "sanctuary" as the 
 Church of England provides. My limits will not 
 allow me to go into many particulars. Look, how- 
 ever, at the following items : To support a single 
 dignitary of this " Scriptural church " the Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury a net, yearly revenue is al- 
 lowed, of 19,182, or 85,168 dollars; and for the 
 Archbishop of York, X 12,629, or 56,072 doUars; 
 making a sum total of one hundred and forty-one 
 thousand two hundred and forty dollars annually for 
 these two ornamental dignitaries ! 
 
 And what does it cost yearly to support some 
 
 * British Review, No. 48, 1825, Review of James' Church 
 Member's Guide.
 
 244 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 seven and twenty bishops, who claim to be the di- 
 rect successors of the apostles, and to receive their 
 authority and dignity from him who had not where 
 to lay his head ? No less than five hundred and sev- 
 enty thousand, four hundred and fifty-five dollars !* 
 
 * The following was the return of the Commissioners of Eccle- 
 siastical Inquiry, of the net annual revenue of the different :>ces, 
 at an average of three years, ending with 1831. 
 
 
 
 Net annual income. 
 
 Bishopric of St. Asaph 
 
 6,301 
 
 u 
 
 Bangor .... 
 
 4,464 
 
 It 
 
 Bath and Wells . 
 
 . 5,946 
 
 u 
 
 Bristol .... 
 
 2,351 
 
 u. 
 
 Canterbury . . . 
 
 
 it 
 
 Carlisle .... 
 
 2,213 
 
 u 
 
 Chester .... 
 
 . 3,261 
 
 u 
 
 Chichester .... 
 
 4,229 
 
 a 
 
 St. David's . 
 
 . 1,897 
 
 u 
 
 Durham .... 
 
 . 19,066 
 
 U 
 
 Ely 
 
 11,105 
 
 u 
 
 Exeter .... 
 
 2,713 
 
 u 
 
 Gloucester 
 
 . 2,282 
 
 a 
 
 Hereford .... 
 
 2,516 
 
 (1 
 
 Llandaff. 
 
 . 924 
 
 It 
 
 Lichfield and Coventry 
 
 . 3,923 
 
 u 
 
 Lincoln .... 
 
 . 4,542 
 
 11 
 
 London .... 
 
 . 13,929 
 
 u 
 
 Manchester . 
 
 . 
 
 u 
 
 Norwich .... 
 
 5,395 
 
 u 
 
 Oxford .... 
 
 . 2,648 
 
 u 
 
 Peterborough . . 
 
 3,103 
 
 u 
 
 Ripon .... 
 
 . 
 
 u 
 
 Rochester .... 
 
 1,450 
 
 (( 
 
 Salisbury 
 
 . 3,939 
 
 u 
 
 Sodor and Man . 
 
 2,555 
 
 u 
 
 Winchester 
 
 11,151 
 
 u 
 
 Worcester .... 
 
 6,569 
 
 u 
 
 York .... 
 
 . . 
 
 Total net annual income, 128,481 or $570,455. 
 I reckon the English pound () at $4.44, only; whereas the
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 245 
 
 The total gross annual revenue of the twenty- 
 eight Deans and Chapters in 1831, was estimated at 
 .284,241, or one million, two hundred and sixty-two 
 thousand and thirty dollars. This sum, added to the 
 income of the archbishops and bishops, gives us a 
 total of NEARLY TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS expended 
 yearly on the dignitaries of the Church of England. 
 This church should certainly be styled ''the WON- 
 DER of Christendom ! " 
 
 The whole number of benefices in England and 
 Wales in 1851, was 11,728. The number of parishes 
 somewhat exceeded this number. The total gross 
 annual income of these benefices is about .3,251,- 
 159, or, fourteen million, four hundred and thirty-Jive 
 thousand, one hundred and forty-five dollars ! This 
 would give an average annual income to each in- 
 cumbent, of 303, or one thousand, three hundred and 
 forty-Jive dollars. 
 
 Here, then, we find an annual sum total appropri- 
 ated to the support of the dignitaries and the clergy of 
 this establishment, of nearly SIXTEEN AND A HALF MIL- 
 
 pound sterling is now worth about $4.84 ; and I make no account 
 of the odd cents. 
 
 Since the report of the Commissioners was made in 1831, some 
 changes have been made in the bishoprics ; two new sees have been 
 erected Ripon and Manchester and the boundaries of some 
 of the other sees arranged with reference to an equalization of the 
 inhabitants in them respectively ; but the total income of the sev- 
 eral bishoprics has not been diminished ; for according to the Cen- 
 sus Report of Great Britain for 1851, "no fewer than 2,029 new 
 churches have been built, and the value of church property has 
 much increased" since 1831. Religious Worship, Report and 
 Tables, p. 37, 38, compared with p. 166, Table 24. 
 
 21*
 
 246 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 LIONS OF DOLLARS. If we add to this, the revenue of 
 the Irish Protestant Episcopal Church, < 865,535, or 
 three million, eight hundred and forty-two thousand, 
 nine hundred and seventy-five dollars we shall find 
 the annual cost of the established churches in Eng- 
 land, Wales, and Ireland, to be more than TWENTY 
 
 MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ! ! 
 
 And, let no one suppose that these estimates are 
 extravagant ; for they are much below what has been 
 generally believed to be the truth. Good authority 
 has set clown the revenue of the Episcopal Hierar- 
 chies of England, Wales, and Ireland, as greater, by 
 nearly two hundred thousand dollars, than that of all 
 the other churches in the world.* 
 
 I need not dwell on the points of difference be- 
 tween this splendid, complicated, expensive hierarchal 
 establishment, and the unostentatious, simple, eco- 
 nomical, and yet effective polity of the Congrega- 
 tional churches of this country and of Great Britain. 
 A cursory view of the Church of England is suffi- 
 cient to explain the rapid increase of Dissent in Eng- 
 land and Wales. Already the Dissenting congrega- 
 tions are numbered by tens of thousands ; and nearly 
 
 * The Catholic Miscellany, as quoted in American Encyclo- 
 pedia, Art. Church, estimates the revenue of the Churches of 
 England, Ireland, and Wales, at 8,896,000, or $39,498,240 ; and 
 the revenue of all other Churches in Christendom, at 8,852,000 ; 
 which is 44,000, or, $195,360 less than that of the above estab- 
 lishments. 
 
 In the outline which has been given of the Chh. of Eng. etc., 
 I have relied chiefly on McCulloch's Statistics of the British Em- 
 pire, Vol. II.; the London Encyclopedia, passim; and the Cen- 
 sus of Great Britain for 1851 Religious Worship.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 247 
 
 or quite one half of the inhabitants of England and 
 Wales are Dissenters from the State Church.* 
 
 But we must leave England and her Hierarchal 
 Church Establishment, to consider Episcopacy under 
 a less objectionable form. 
 
 * See Census Report Religious Worship, 1851. 
 
 According to this Report, the Congregationalists, alone, had, in 
 1851, no less than 3,244 places of public worship, with sittings for 
 1,067,760 persons, and an actual attendance on public worship of 
 more than one fifth as many persons as attend worship in the State 
 Churches of England and Wales ; while the Methodists of whom 
 there are no less than nine different kinds enumerated in the Cen- 
 sus had 11,944 places of worship, (937 of which belonged to 
 Calvinistic Methodists), capable of seating 2,443,976 persons; the 
 Baptists of whom there are six different kinds, and all of whom 
 are believed to be essentially Congregational in their church gov- 
 ernment had 2,789 places of worship, with sittings for 752,- 
 343 persons; the Friends, 371 places of worship, and sittings for 
 91,599 persons; the Unitarians, 229 places of worship, and 68,- 
 554 sittings ; the Latter Day Saints, 222 places of worship, and 
 30,783 sittings; the Presbyterians, 161 places of worship, and 86,- 
 812 sittings; various other sects and isolated congregations, in- 
 cluding 53 Jewish synagogues, 32 congregations of the " Catholic 
 and Apostolic Church," 50 New Church congregations, and 32 
 Moravians 859 places of public worship, and 163,710 sittings; 
 and finally, 570 places of worship, with 186,111 sittings, belong- 
 ing to the Roman Catholic Church. 
 
 Thus it appears, that in 1851 the various religious bodies not in 
 connection with the Church of England, in England and Wales, 
 had no less than 20,330 places of worship, with accommodations for 
 4,851,288 persons! while the Church of England, with all the 
 patronage of the State 4 and the aristocracy to back her, had 
 but 14,077 places of worship, capable of seating 5,317,915 per- 
 sons! 
 
 And, notwithstanding that the provision by the State Church, 
 for the accommodation of worshippers, was somewhat larger than 
 that furnished by all other denominations and sects together, it
 
 248 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE U. S. 
 
 The Episcopacy of this country is a scion from 
 the mother land a continuation of the Church of 
 England under a new name. The first Episcopal 
 bishops of America were consecrated by the arch- 
 bishops of Canterbury and York;* but not until 
 those functionaries were assured that no material de- 
 viation from the English Hierarchy, in doctrine or 
 practice, would be admitted by the American Epis- 
 copal Church. This assurance seems to have been 
 remembered by American Episcopalians ; for, in the 
 Preface to the Book of Common Prayer, published 
 by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United 
 
 is a most noticeable circumstance, that by actual count, the Prot- 
 estant Dissenting Congregations, on a given Sabbath, were more 
 numerous than those of the Church of England by 159,529 per- 
 sons ! and, adding the attendants on Roman Catholic worship 
 (249,389), and some other bodies, the State Church had actually 
 fewer worshippers by 433,711, than were found in the various 
 other places of public worship in the kingdom ! 
 
 The statistics on this head stand thus : The whole population 
 of England and Wales in 1851, was 17,927,609; the whole num- 
 ber present at the most numerously attended services on Sunday, 
 March 30, 1851, by actual count, was 6,356,222; and of these 
 2,971,258 were in places of worship controlled by the Church of 
 England, 3,110,782 in Protestant Dissenters' places of worship, 
 249,389 in Roman Catholic chapels, and 24,793 in other places of 
 worship. See Census Report, 1851, Religious Worship, Table 
 A, Supplement 1, p. 181, and Table N, p. 300. 
 
 * One American bishop had been previously consecrated by the 
 non-juriny bishops of Scotland.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 249 
 
 States, speaking of the alterations made in it from 
 the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of Eng- 
 land, it is said : " In which it will also appear, that 
 this church is far from intending to depart from the 
 Church of England, in any essential point of doctrine, 
 discipline, or worship ; or further than local circum- 
 stances require" 
 
 (1) We are constrained, then, to object to " The 
 Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States 
 of America" first, that it is essentially a National 
 Church : " the jurisdiction of this Church extending 
 in right, though not always inform to all persons be- 
 longing to it within the United States." * For such a 
 church we find no authority in the New Testament. 
 
 (2) We further object, that in the general govern- 
 ment of this church, the rights and privileges of par- 
 ticular churches are not duly recognized, and that 
 unauthorized power is given to the bishops and 
 clergy. 
 
 The members of a parish are allowed to elect a 
 parish clerk, church-wardens, vestry-men, and depu- 
 ties to the State, or Diocesan Convention. These 
 persons, with their minister, represent the parish, and 
 act for it in things temporal and spiritual. Each 
 Diocese embracing usually a single State 
 holds a yearly Convention, composed of all the 
 clergy, and of lay delegates from each parish, with 
 the Bishop as president. The members of this con- 
 vention choose their, own bishop or bishops, subject 
 to the approbation of the House of Deputies in Gren- 
 
 * Canon X. sect. 3, 1853; also Articles of Religion in C. P. 
 Book, Art. 34, 2.
 
 250 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 eral Convention, and the consent of the House of 
 Bishops ; they determine upon the mode of trying 
 clergymen in the diccese, under certain restrictions ; 
 they appoint a standing committee, to be a council 
 to the bishop, if there be one, and to act in the place 
 of a bishop in certain cases, if there be none ; they 
 choose deputies, clerical and lay, from one to four of 
 each order, to represent the diocese in General Con- 
 vention ; and attend to such other local matters as 
 are not otherwise provided for.* 
 
 The General Convention meets once in three years ; 
 and is composed of all the bishops of the church, 
 who constitute the upper house, or " House of Bish- 
 ops;" and of an equal number of clerical and lay 
 representatives, or deputies, from each of the dioceses 
 connected with the Convention, who constitute the 
 lower house, or " House of Deputies." The House 
 of Bishops has a negative upon the proceedings of 
 the other house.f This Convention has the power 
 of establishing for the Church " A Book of Common 
 Prayer, Administration of the Sacraments, and other 
 Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, Articles of Re- 
 ligion, and a Form and Manner of Making, Ordain- 
 ing, and Consecrating Bishops, Priests, and Dea- 
 cons." $ And the 45th Canon of 1832, provides, 
 that " every minister shall, before all sermons and 
 lectures, and on all other occasions of public worship, 
 use the Book of Common Prayer, as the same is or 
 
 * Constitution of P. E. Chh. Arts. 2, 4, 6. Canons III., IV. of 
 1832. 
 
 j- Constitution, Arts. 1, 2, 3. Also Bishop White's Memoirs of the 
 Protest. Epis. Chh. 
 Const. Art. 8.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 251 
 
 may be established by the authority of the General 
 Convention of this Church. And in performing said 
 service, no other prayers shall be used than those pre- 
 scribed by said book" All Missionary Bishops, 
 whether for our own country or for foreign lands, 
 are to be elected by " the House of clerical and lay 
 Deputies, on nomination by the House of Bishops." * 
 
 From this outline of the general polity of this na- 
 tional church, it appears, that the rights and privi- 
 leges of individual churches are not regarded, in sev- 
 eral very important particulars : (a) They are gov- 
 erned, not by the concurring voice of their own 
 members, democratically, as were the apostolic 
 churches, but by the bishops, clergy, and representa- 
 tives of the laity. The bishops exercise a general 
 supervision and government over ah 1 the congrega- 
 tions in their respective dioceses, and the exclusive 
 right to "confirm," or admit persons to the com- 
 munion of the church, and to ordain to the ministry. 
 For the manner in which they exercise their power, 
 they hold themselves amenable neither to their clergy 
 nor their churches, but only to their fellow-bishops, 
 who alone can try them.f 
 
 (b) The Scriptural rights of particular churches in 
 selecting, ordaining, dismissing, and disciplining 
 their ministers, are also disregarded by this system. 
 
 When a minister has been elected into any church 
 or parish, the bishop of the diocese must be notified 
 
 * Canon X. of 1853. 
 
 t Art. VI. of the Constitution of P. E. Chh. provides, that " the 
 court appointed for the purpose of trying Bishops shall be com- 
 posed of Bishops only." See also Bishop Onderdonk's Address to 
 the Epis. Conv. in N. Y., 1843.
 
 252 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 of the same ; or where there is no bishop, the stand- 
 ing committee of the diocese, who take the place of 
 the bishop ; and the approbation of the ecclesiastical 
 authority of the diocese obtained, before said minis- 
 ter can be inducted into office.* Neither does this 
 system recognize the right of a particular church to 
 dismiss its minister, or that of a minister to leave his 
 people, without the concurrence of the ecclesiastical 
 authority of the diocese.f In the " Office of Institu- 
 tion of Ministers," the bishop tells the instituted 
 presbyter : " In case of any difference between you 
 and your congregation, as to a separation, and dis- 
 solution of all sacerdotal connection between you 
 and them, we, your bishop, with the advice of our pres- 
 byters, are to be the ultimate arbiter and judge" $ In 
 regard to the discipline of ministers, Canon V. of 
 1835 provides, that " Every minister shall be amen- 
 able for offences committed by him, to the Bishop, 
 and if there be no bishop, to the Clerical Members 
 of the Standing Committee of the Diocese in which 
 he is Canonically resident at the time of the charge." 
 The bishop and his presbyters may settle authorita- 
 tively all such controversies between ministers, hold- 
 ing the rectorship of parishes, and their vestries or 
 congregations, as cannot be settled by themselves. 
 Canon XXXIV. of 1832. 
 
 This system of church government does not recog- 
 nize so far as appears in its Canons and Prayer 
 Book the right of the brethren of particular 
 
 * Canon XIV. of 1853. 
 
 t Canon XXXIII. of 1832. 
 
 | Office of Institution, in Book of Common Prayer.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 253 
 
 churches to say who shall be admitted to their fel- 
 lowship, or who shall be excluded from their com- 
 munion. It is made " the duty of ministers to pre- 
 pare young persons and others for the Holy Ordi- 
 nance of Confirmation : " . . . and " to present, for 
 Confirmation, such persons as [they] shall think prop- 
 erly qualified : " * and these persons are confirmed, 
 or admitted to the communion of the Church, by the 
 Bishop. 
 
 Canon XLIL of 1832 provides, that, " If any per- 
 sons within this Church offend their brethren by any 
 wickedness of life, such persons shall be repelled 
 from the Holy Communion, agreeably to the Ru- 
 bric " i. e. by the minister of the parish.f On 
 complaint being made to the bishop, in writing, by 
 the person thus expelled, the bishop may restore him 
 if he think proper, or may institute an inquiry into 
 the case : but unless such complaint is made to the 
 bishop, it is not his duty to institute any inquiry. 
 
 Thus, so far as appears, the whole business of 
 receiving to the communion of the church and re- 
 jecting from it, is in the hands of the minister of the 
 parish and the bishop of the diocese. But for this 
 we find no authority in the Scriptures. 
 
 And to the claims of Episcopacy, that her Bishops 
 only have the right to ordain and confirm, to exercise 
 a general supervision over the churches, and to be 
 
 * Canon XXVI. of 1832, and " The Order of Confirmation," in 
 the Book of C. P. and the directions preceding. 
 
 f See the Rubric, or directions for the administration of the 
 Lord's Supper, in C. P. Book. 
 
 J See Canon, Canon XLIL of 1832, and " The Order for the 
 Administration of the Lord's Supper," in C. P. Book.
 
 254 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 the chief administrators of spiritual discipline* 
 we are constrained to object as unscriptural assump- 
 tions. 
 
 (3) The 1st Canon of this church, enacts that " In 
 this church there shall always be three orders in the 
 Ministry, namely : Bishops, Priests, and Deacons." 
 For this canon we can find no authority in the New 
 Testament. Neither can we for those canons etc. 
 which give to bishops the superintendence of several 
 parishes, and the charge and government of their 
 ministers. 
 
 (4) We object to the claim which this church sets 
 up, of " power to decree rites or ceremonies," and 
 authority to establish a Book of Service, and to re- 
 quire entire conformity to decreed rites, and to pre- 
 scribed forms of prayer and religious service.f We 
 find no warrant for these things in Scripture, and no 
 example justifying them in the apostolic churches. 
 
 (5) We object not merely to the general claim of 
 the Protestant Episcopal Church of power to es- 
 tablish a Common Prayer Book, and to decree rites 
 or ceremonies, etc. as unscriptural, but we also 
 object to many things in this C. P. Book and these 
 decreed rites, ceremonies, and requisitions as un- 
 authorized by the Scriptures, and of dangerous ten- 
 dency. 
 
 In "The Ministration of Public Baptism of In- 
 fants," for example, the Prayer Book teaches the doc- 
 trine of Baptismal Regeneration ; or, in other words, 
 
 * Bishop Onderdonk, Epis. Tested by Scripture, p. 11. 
 f Articles of Religion in C. P. Book Art. 20 ; Canons XLV. 
 and XL VII. of 1832 ; Constitution, Art. 8.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 255 
 
 that children baptized by the ministers of this Church, 
 and in the form and manner prescribed in the C. P. 
 Book, are " regenerate and grafted into the body of 
 Christ's Church." And the officiating minister, after 
 praying God to " sanctify this water to the mystical 
 washing away of sin," and the application of the water 
 to the child, is required to say : " We yield thee 
 hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath 
 pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy Holy 
 Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adoption^ 
 and to incorporate him into thy holy church" etc. Thus 
 we are taught, that the Episcopal baptism of infants 
 is " a saving ordinance" * But where is the chapter 
 and verse for this ? And where shall we find scrip- 
 tural authority for " god-fathers and god-mothers " 
 not the parents of the child taking the part which 
 they do in the baptism of infants ? and where, for 
 signing the child with the sign of the cross ? 
 
 In " The Order of Confirmation " the officiating 
 bishop utters language scarcely less objectionable 
 than that employed in the Baptismal Service. 
 Having laid his hands on the heads of the persons to 
 be confirmed, he declares, that he does this, " to cer- 
 tify them, by this sign, of [ God's] favor and gracious 
 goodness towards them" And this declaration is 
 made, not in respect to intelligent, and hopefully 
 pious adult persons, only, but includes all such 
 " children as are come to competent age, and can 
 say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Com- 
 
 * This has been distinctly and fully avowed by " The Church- 
 man," while the official organ of the Bishop of New York.
 
 256 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 mandments, and can answer to the other questions 
 of [the] Short Catechism " in the Prayer Book, and 
 are presented to the Bishop by the minister of the 
 parish, for Confirmation.* Is such language author- 
 ized by the Scriptures ? Is it safe is it scriptural, 
 for one erring mortal, to certify another of the favor 
 of God, after this manner ? 
 
 (6) We consider it a very serious objection to this 
 church, that evidence of personal piety is not required, 
 according to the C. P. Book, of those who are ad- 
 mitted to her communion. The rite of Confirma- 
 tion admits one to full communion: but to enjoy 
 this rite, the profession of an orthodox creed and a 
 moral life, alone, are indispensable. Thus read the 
 directions to the Order of Confirmation : " So soon 
 as children are come to a competent age, and can 
 say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Com- 
 mandments, and can answer to the other questions 
 of this short Catechism, they shall be brought to the 
 Bishop " to be confirmed. " And there shall none 
 be admitted to the holy Communion, until such time 
 as he be confirmed, or be ready and desirous to be 
 confirmed." See also the last exhortation to the 
 god-parents, at the baptism of a child. 
 
 Does not apostolic example require that all who are 
 admitted to the holy communion of Christian churches 
 should intelligently believe, and publicly profess their 
 belief, that they have been born of God, and become 
 new creatures in Christ Jesus ? But, it will hardly 
 be maintained that all children who can say the 
 Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Command- 
 
 * See in Book of C. P., Catechism and Order of Confirmation.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 257 
 
 ments, and can recite the Catechism, give evidence 
 of Regeneration. 
 
 (7) To this enumeration of unscriptural features 
 in Protestant Episcopacy, we feel constrained to add 
 another, touching various rites, and ceremonies, and 
 outward observances, established by this Church and 
 enjoined upon its members; namely, that in many 
 tilings, this Church symbolizes with Popery. 
 
 The Service-Book of the American Episcopal 
 Church is the same, with slight alterations, as that 
 used by the Church of England : and the English 
 Book is chiefly compiled from Popish Service- 
 Books.* Hence the Jesuit, Dr. Carrier, declared: 
 " The Common Prayer and Catechism [of the 
 Church of England] contains nothing contrary to 
 the Romish Service." f Bishop Montague asserted : 
 "that our [the English] Service is the same in 
 most things with the Church of Rome ; and that the 
 differences are not so great that we should make any 
 separation." $ The order of the Institution of Priests 
 and Deacons is substantially the same in the Romish, 
 English, and American Episcopal Churches. Their 
 rites and ceremonies in public worship are strikingly 
 alike ; they stand, and sit, and kneel together ; their 
 confessions and absolutions, their Pater Nosters, Glo- 
 ria Patri, Litanies, and Responses substantially agree 
 together. Their method of rehearsing the Ten Com- 
 mandments, and of reading the Psalms by alternat- 
 
 * See Neal's Puritans, Vol. I. p. 95, 96 ; De Laune's Plea, p. 
 47, 52; Hist. Congregationalism, p. 205, 206. 
 
 f De Laune's Plea for the Non-Conformists, p. 48. 
 t Ib., and Neal's Puritans, Vol. II. p. 164-342. 
 
 22*
 
 258 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 ing, is similar. Many of the Collects, Lessons, etc. 
 of the English and American Episcopal Churches, 
 are either word for word from the Romish Service- 
 Books, or agree for substance. Their Saint's Days 
 and Holy Days, their fasts and feasts fixed and 
 movable, are taken from the Calendar of Rome. 
 
 This conformity of the English service to the Ro- 
 man ritual seems not to have arisen, originally, from 
 any love for Popery, but from a fear, on the part of 
 the early English Reformers, of doing violence to 
 public prejudices, by a sudden and entire overturn 
 of all the consecrated religious associations of the 
 people ; and a hope and expectation of drawing in 
 the Papists, to a conformity with the Reformed 
 Church of England.* And for some time their an- 
 ticipations seemed likely to be realized. The Pa- 
 pists continued to attend the English service, until 
 his Holiness, despairing of the recovery of his su- 
 premacy by fair means, interdicted the practice, and 
 excommunicated Elizabeth. But, so imposing were 
 the services of the English cathedrals in the days of 
 Elizabeth, that the very messengers of the Pope de- 
 clared, " that they wondered the Pope should be so 
 ill informed and advised [as] to interdict a Prince, 
 whose service and ceremonies so symbolize with his 
 own." f And it is, I believe, a well-supported asser- 
 
 * Stillingjleet, in his " Irenicum," asserts this unequivocally ; and 
 commends the Reformers for their policy. lie calls the English 
 Liturgy " a bait" for the Papists. See p. 122, 123, 2d Ed. 166 2. 
 
 t Hume's England, Vol. II. ch. 38, p. 572, Alb. ed., and Vol. 
 III. ch. 40, p. 69 ; NeaCs Pur. Vol. I. p. 273 ; De Laune, p. 
 49.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 259 
 
 tion, that Pope Pius V. and Gregory XIII. both, 
 offered to confirm the English Liturgy, on condition 
 that Elizabeth would acknowledge the supremacy 
 of Rome.* Thus stood church matters in the days 
 of Elizabeth. 
 
 Some alterations were made in the Prayer Book 
 by James I. and some by Charles II. ; " yet, so as 
 the main body and essentials of it (as well in the 
 chiefest materials, as in the frame and order thereof) 
 have still continued the same unto this day." This 
 was said in the Preface to the Prayer Book, in the 
 days of Charles II. (1661), and is equally true now ; 
 for no alterations have since been made in the Eng- 
 lish Book of Common Prayer. And the objections 
 to the " main body and essentials " of the English 
 Common Prayer Book that they are borrowed 
 from Popery, and cause the English Church to sym- 
 bolize with Popery lie with full weight against the 
 " chiefest materials " of the Common Prayer Book 
 of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the U. S. of 
 America ; for in most essential points and particulars 
 the two books are alike.f 
 
 * De Laune, p. 48 ; Neal, Vol. I. p. 202, also p. 191, 192. 
 
 Neal says, Pius IV. ; but this must be a mistake or misprint ; 
 for he says the offer was made in 1570 ; but Pius IV. died 1566. 
 See Hume, ut sup. and Mosheim, Ecc. Hist. Vol. III. p. 91, 92, 
 Harper's ed. 
 
 f According to the Rev. M. Boyle, of Boston, a clergyman of 
 the Protestant Episcopal Church, the service-book of the Ameri- 
 can Episcopal Church differs from the English in the following 
 particulars : (1) " A shorter form of absolution is allowed" though 
 " the English one is most generally recited in Divine service." 
 (2) " The Athanasian creed is omitted." ... (3) " In the office 
 of Baptism, the sign of the cross may be dispensed with if re-
 
 260 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 Regarding Popery as the " Mystery of Iniquity " 
 the grand device of Satan to overthrow the 
 Church of God we cannot but consider all sym- 
 bolizing with this system of abominations as alike 
 unscriptural and dangerous. 
 
 That this complicated and peculiar ritual of the 
 Episcopal Church is not required by the New Testa- 
 ment, our only infallible guide, will sufficiently ap- 
 pear on the most cursory examination and compar- 
 ison. That these things in the Episcopal Church 
 are of dangerous tendency, is sufficiently evident to 
 our minds from the history of English Episcopacy. 
 Repeatedly has the Church of England been brought 
 to the very verge of Popery. And for some years 
 past her Protestantism has been most seriously 
 threatened by this symbolizing with Popery, which 
 her own Prayer Book sanctions yea, requires in 
 her members. 
 
 The reasons why Protestant Episcopacy in Amer- 
 ica has not developed more fully this same Popish 
 tendency, are sufficiently obvious to such as consider 
 that this Church, as an independent body, has ex- 
 isted but little more than half a century, and has been 
 constantly surrounded by influences most decidedly 
 hostile to Romanism, in the institutions of this coun- 
 try and in the vast predominance of dissenters " from 
 
 quested." . . . (4) " The marriage service has been considei-ably 
 abridged." (5) " In the general service, some expressions in the 
 English Prayer Book . . . are altered or omitted." (6) " A 
 change was, of course, made in the prayers for Rulers." ... (7) 
 " And there may be a few other verbal differences of minor im- 
 portance." Abridged from an article in Enc. llelig. Knowl. on P. 
 E. Chh. in U. S. A.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 261 
 
 the bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormi- 
 ties." But the time is coming, yea, and now is, 
 when the tendency of Episcopacy to countenance 
 Popery, as a system of religious order and worship, 
 will be more apparent.* 
 
 * Since the above was written, the public press has furnished 
 k a most remarkable confirmation of our apprehensions. On the 
 2d July, 1843, a young man was ordained by Bishop Onderdonk 
 of New York, who openly avowed his agreement essentially with 
 the Church of Rome : (1) " He did not see any thing to prevent 
 or forbid " his having recourse to the ministry of Rome, if denied 
 admission to the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 
 this country. (2) " He did not deem the dhTerences between 
 [the P. E. Chh.] and the Church of Rome to be such as embraced 
 any points of faith." (3) " He was not prepared to pronounce 
 the doctrine of transubstantiation an absurd or impossible doc- 
 trine." (4) " He does not object to the Romish doctrine of Pur- 
 gatory as denned by the Council of Trent." . . . (5) " He was 
 not prepared to say whether she [the Romish Church] or the 
 Anglican Church were the more pure." (6) " He regarded the 
 denial of the cup to the laity [in the administration of the sacra- 
 ment of the Lord's supper] as a mere matter of discipline." . . . 
 (7) " He believes that the Reformation from the Church of Rome 
 was an unjustifiable act, and followed by many grievous and lam- 
 entable results." (8) He was not disposed to fault the Church 
 of Rome for usin g Apocryphal Books ; " nor was he prepared to 
 say that the Holy Spirit did not speak by these Books Apocry- 
 phal." (9) " He considered the promise of conformity to the doc- 
 trine, discipline, and worship of the P. E. Chh. as not embracing 
 the 39 Articles in any close and rigid construction of them, but 
 regarded them only as affording a sort of general basis of concord 
 as those which none subscribed except with certain mental res- 
 ervations and private exceptions ; and that this was what he re- 
 garded as Bishop White's view." He further declared his con- 
 viction of the lawfulness of the invocation of saints thought the 
 souls in purgatory might be benefited by our prayers received 
 the creed of Pope Pius IV. so far as it was a repetition of the de-
 
 262 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 I have now frankly expressed some of our reasons 
 for regarding Episcopacy as less scriptural in its 
 order and worship than Congregationalism. I have 
 spoken of the system, not of the men who embrace it. 
 Towards Episcopalians so far as they exhibit the 
 spirit of Christ we cherish the kindest and most 
 fraternal feelings. Their ecclesiastical polity we be- 
 lieve to be unscriptural in many particulars, and of 
 dangerous tendency; and as honest, conscientious 
 men, we hesitate not to say what we think. 
 
 THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 
 
 The grounds of our preference for Congregation- 
 alism over the Protestant Episcopal Church having 
 been briefly stated, we will turn next to the Meth- 
 
 crees of the Council of Trent, which decrees he could receive, the 
 damnatory clauses only excepted, etc. etc. 
 
 Notwithstanding the avowal of these Popish sentiments, and the 
 solemn protest of two of his most respectable clergy, the Episco- 
 pal Bishop of New York, with the concurrence of six of his pres- 
 byters, and of Bishop Ives of North Carolina, (who has himself 
 since gone over to Romanism,) proceeded to ordain this Romanist 
 as a minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the U. S. A. 
 See "A Statement of Facts in Relation to the Recent Ordination 
 in St. Stephen's Church, New York, by Drs. Smith and Anthon, 
 1843." 
 
 The controversy which has grown out of this matter, has de- 
 veloped the arbitrary nature of the power claimed by high church- 
 men Puseyites. It seems, that a bishop claims the right to say 
 what motions may be made in Convention, and to refuse to put 
 such as are offensive to him ; and even to silence and put down 
 the mover of any such motion. See an account of the doings of 
 the Episcopal Convention in New York, in September, 1843.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 263 
 
 odist Episcopal Church, and cursorily examine its 
 constitution and discipline. 
 
 (1) " The government of this church is strictly 
 Episcopal." So says one of its leading members. 
 Another says, " It is a moderate Episcopacy." 
 
 Like the P. E. Church, it asserts that there should 
 be three orders in the ministry Bishops, Elders, and 
 Deacons ; and its Book of Discipline contains the 
 substance of the form and manner of making and or- 
 daining these officers, which is found in the Book of 
 Common Prayer of the Protestant Episcopal Church.* 
 Their bishops, however, claim not the exclusive right 
 to ordain, and may themselves be ordained by pres- 
 byters.f They are regarded as superior to elders in 
 office rather than grade.\ Still they appear to sym- 
 pathize with Episcopacy. Soon after the establish- 
 ment of an ' Episcopate ' in the P. E. Church of U. S., 
 Dr. Coke, the presiding Methodist bishop, expressed 
 his entire accordance with the P. E. Church, in their 
 order and discipline, and his earnest desire for a 
 union between the two denominations^ And though 
 there is now, perhaps, less sympathy between these 
 hierarchies than ever before, yet, as late as 1840, this 
 proposal was renewed by a Protestant Episcopal 
 Bishop. || So far, then, as this Church approves of 
 
 * See The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, for 1856, p. 122-149. 
 
 f Discipline, p. 40. 
 
 J Zion's Herald, Oct. 6th, 1841. 
 
 See his letters to Bishop White, in Memoirs of P. E. Chh. p. 
 425-431. 
 
 || In 1840, Bishop Smith, of the P. E. Church in Kentucky, 
 addressed, through the " Protestant and Herald," a letter to the
 
 264 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 the Constitution and Discipline of the P. E. Church, 
 so far must we disapprove of Episcopal Methodism. 
 
 M. E. Church in Kentucky, proposing and urging a union of the 
 two churches. We copy a few paragraphs from the letter, to 
 show its spirit. The Bishop says : 
 
 " Between the members of the Protestant and Methodist Epis- 
 copal Churches in these United States the sympathy is almost uni- 
 versal, that they approach each other much nearer in doctrine 
 and practice than any two other denominations. Why are they 
 not one and the same ? 
 
 " The causes out of which the Wesleyan interest first arose, and 
 which resulted in its becoming a great separate branch of the 
 Church of Christ in Great Britain and America, no longer exist ; 
 or if they do exist, are not in the slightest degree applicable to the 
 relative positions of Episcopalians and Methodists in this country ; 
 and if the CAUSES of separation have ceased, how unwise or even 
 criminal must it not be, for the separation to continue. 
 
 ******** 
 
 " Can a reunion take place ? The answer depends, first, perhaps, 
 on the question, how far each side is wedded to its own pecu- 
 liarities, inconsiderable as they are ; then, on the measure of real 
 Christian love and sympathy pervading both sides ; and then, on 
 the willingness to make mutual concessions. 
 
 " The writer speaks solely in his own individual capacity, when 
 he says, that there is no measure of concession, reasonable or un- 
 reasonable, not absolutely involving principle, which he would not 
 be willing to make, in view of an end so unspeakably auspicious 
 and desirable. He would be cheerfully willing to adopt a modi- 
 fied itineracy, love feasts, and class meetings, and to take such 
 gradual, but prospective measures for reunion as should shock no 
 man's prejudices, and take, if necessary, a generation to bring 
 about a perfect union. 
 
 " On the part of the Methodists, all that would be necessary would 
 be a gradual return to the use of some Form of Common Prayer ; 
 and a slight concession to the Episcopalians upon the question of 
 a succession in the Episcopacy." N. Y. Obseri-cr, Xov. 21, 1840. 
 
 Quite recently movements have been made in England to bring 
 about an ecclesiastical union between the Wesleyan Methodist
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 265 
 
 (2) Another objection to this church organization 
 is, that it is National, or Provincial, in its character. 
 All the M. E. societies (or churches, we should call 
 them,) in the U. S. were once recognized as parts of 
 one great, National Church; but since the great 
 schism on the slavery question, the U. S. have been 
 divided into two ecclesiastical provinces, and the 
 M. E. Church has become provincial in its character. 
 But, for neither provincial nor national churches can 
 we find any authority in the New Testament. 
 
 In order to understand, and more fully to appre- 
 ciate the character and workings of the Methodist 
 Episcopal system of church order and government in 
 the United States, let us, first, take a general view 
 of this compact and symmetrical organism, as pre- 
 sented in the " Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church," 1856. Beginning with the individual soci- 
 eties, we find that these are organized into "classes" 
 of about twelve persons each, over each of which is 
 placed a " Leader," who has the general supervision 
 and care of the members, and is required to report to 
 the minister of the Society the state of the class every 
 week. Every Methodist society is placed in what is 
 called a " Circuit, or Station," in which there may 
 be several societies and preachers. These, with the 
 class leaders and stewards (who are the treasurers of 
 the societies) are placed under the general supervision 
 of an elder, deacon, or preacher, who has the special 
 charge of the circuit. Each " circuit " goes to form a 
 
 Establishment and the Church of England. The subject has been 
 introduced into Parliament, as we learn from the newspapers, and 
 into the Convocation of Canterbury ; but without success. 
 
 23
 
 266 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 part of a " District," over which is placed what is 
 called a " Presiding Elder ; " who holds to the several 
 circuits in his district very much the same relation 
 which the elder in special charge of a circuit holds to 
 all in that circuit. The several districts, in their turn, 
 are united together in what is termed an " Annual 
 Conference ; " which may embrace within its bounds 
 all the districts, circuits, and societies of an entire 
 State, or the adjacent parts of several States. Fi- 
 nally, all the Annual Conferences are bound together 
 by what is called a " General Conference ; " which is 
 the ultimate appeal, and the supreme power of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 Thus it appears, that the organization of this 
 church is as complete and compact as human inge- 
 nuity can well conceive. From the class of twelve 
 persons, with its appointed leader, up to the con- 
 trolling power of this whole organism, the system is 
 perfect, a wheel within a wheel, all working as 
 moved by the supreme power, the General Conference. 
 
 (3) Our objection to this organization is, that it is 
 not scriptural. Who hath required such a cunningly 
 devised system of church government at your hands ? 
 
 And we particularly object, that ihis organiza- 
 tion places the government of the M. E. Church abso- 
 lutely in the hands of its ministers and office-bearers, 
 to the exclusion of the body of the church, where 
 Christ and his apostles originally placed all church 
 power. 
 
 The general government of this church is in the 
 hands of convocations of the clergy and official per- 
 sons of the M. E. Church, called " Conferences" Of 
 these, there are three sorts General, Annual, and
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 267 
 
 Quarterly Conferences. The " General Conference " 
 is composed of one member for every twenty-one 
 members of each Annual Conference, all ministers ; 
 meets once in four years ; and has " full powers to 
 make rules and regulations for [the] church," under 
 certain limitations and restrictions.* The M. E. 
 Church North contains thirty-nine ecclesiastical di- 
 visions, called " Annual Conferences," including 
 Oregon, California, and Liberia, each of which di- 
 visions holds a yearly convocation of the clergy, 
 called the Annual Conference. These are made up 
 of " all the travelling preachers both those who are 
 in full connection and those who are on trial." The 
 Bishops appoint the times of holding these Confer- 
 ences, and a Bishop, or a presiding Elder appointed 
 by him, presides in them ; or, in case of failure of 
 these, a presiding officer may be chosen by the Con- 
 ference. These Annual Conferences have the care 
 of the church within their respective bounds. The 
 general condition of the ministers and societies is in- 
 quired into ; also " what amounts are necessary for 
 the superannuated preachers, and the widows and or- 
 phans of preachers, and to make up the deficiencies 
 of those who have not obtained their regular allow- 
 ance on the circuits ; and, what has been collected 
 for Mission, Sunday School, Tract, and Bible Society 
 purposes. This Conference likewise attends to the 
 electing and ordaining of deacons and elders, and 
 inquires where the preachers of the Conference are 
 to be stationed during the year ; their appointments, 
 
 * Discipline, p. 3210.
 
 268 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 and those of the presiding elders being fixed and 
 changed by the Bishops.* 
 
 The " Quarterly Conferences " are composed of 
 "all the travelling and local preachers, exhorters, 
 stewards, and class leaders of the circuit or station, 
 and none else ; " though the male superintendents of 
 Sunday Schools and the Missionary Committee have 
 a right to sit and act with the Conference while 
 questions relative to these objects are before the 
 Conference ; but at no other time.f The Presiding 
 Elder of the District, or "the preacher in charge" 
 presides over this Conference; the regular business 
 of which is, to hear complaints, and to receive and 
 try appeals ; to get an estimate of the amount nec- 
 essary for fuel, and table expenses for the family or 
 families of the preacher or preachers of the circuit or 
 station ; to take cognizance of all the local preachers 
 in the circuit or station ; to license proper persons to 
 preach, and renew their license annually ; to recom- 
 mend to the Annual Conference suitable candidates 
 in the local connection for deacon's or elder's orders 
 and for admission on trial in the travelling connec- 
 tion ; and to try, suspend, expel, or acquit any local 
 preacher in the circuit or station against whom 
 charges may be brought; to appoint stewards (the 
 preacher in charge having the right to nominate) ; and 
 generally, to look after the local affairs of the circuit 
 or station.^: 
 
 The General Conference, composed entirely of 
 
 * Discipline, p. 34-37, 40, 43, 45, 47. 
 f Discipline, p. 37, 38, Chap. III. 4. 
 J Discipline, p. 37-40.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 269 
 
 travelling preachers, elects and ordains the bishops ; 
 the bishops preside in the Conferences, form the Dis- 
 tricts according to their judgment, fix the appoint- 
 ments of preachers; in the intervals of the Confer- 
 ences, change, receive, and suspend preachers, " as 
 necessity may require and as the discipline directs ; " 
 travel through the connections at large ; oversee the 
 spiritual and temporal business of the church ; ordain 
 bishops, elders, and deacons ; and decide all ques- 
 tions of law in an Annual Conference, subject to an 
 appeal to the General Conference.* In addition 
 to these important, responsible duties, the bishops 
 choose, station, and change the Presiding Elders ; 
 whose business it is to travel through their appointed 
 districts, and, in the absence of the bishop, take 
 charge of all the elders and deacons, travelling and 
 local preachers, and exhorters in his district; to 
 change, receive, and suspend preachers and fill va- 
 cancies in his district, during the intervals of the 
 conferences and in the absence of the bishop ; and in 
 general, "to oversee the spiritual and temporal busi- 
 ness of the church in his district." f Next to the 
 Presiding Elder, in this hierarchal system, is the 
 Elder, Deacon, or Preacher, who has "the special 
 charge of a circuit." It is his duty to see that the 
 other preachers in his circuit " behave well, and want 
 nothing ; " to renew the tickets for the admission of 
 members into love feasts, quarterly ; to regulate the 
 bands (little associations of three or four believers 
 for personal, religious improvement) ; and to meet 
 
 * Discipline, p. 40-43. 
 f Discipline, p. 43-45. 
 
 23*
 
 270 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 the steward and leaders as often as possible ; to 
 examine the accounts of the stewards ; to appoint 
 all the Class Leaders, and " to change them when he 
 sees it necessary ; " to receive, try, and expel mem- 
 bers, according to the form of the Discipline ; and 
 generally, to look after the temporal and spiritual in- 
 terests of his circuit.* 
 
 The discipline provides (Part I. ch. 9, 4), that 
 an accused member shall be brought to trial before 
 the society of which he is a member, or a select num- 
 ber of them, in the presence of a bishop, elder, or 
 deacon, or preacher; and if found guilty, expelled. 
 But if the minister or preacher differ in judgment 
 from the majority of the society, or the select num- 
 ber, concerning the innocence or guilt of the accused 
 person, the trial, in such case, may be referred by 
 the minister or preacher to the ensuing Quarterly 
 Conference, which shall finally determine the case. 
 Excluded members, also, have the right of appeal to 
 this Conference. 
 
 In relation to the admission of members to the 
 church, it does not appear from the Discipline that 
 the churches, or local societies of believers, are called 
 to vote. Part I. ch. 2, 2, p. 30, directs that " none be 
 received into the church until they are recommended 
 by a leader with whom they have met at least six 
 months on trial, and have been baptized ; and shall 
 on examination by the minister in charge, before the 
 church, give satisfactory assurances, both of the cor- 
 rectness of their faith and their willingness to ob- 
 serve and keep the rules of the church." And in order 
 
 * Discipline, p. 58-63.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 271 
 
 to be more exact in receiving and excluding members, 
 the official minister or preacher is directed, at every 
 quarterly meeting, to read the names of those that 
 are received into the church, and also those that are 
 excluded therefrom. But from all this, it does not 
 appear that a vote of the church is essential to the 
 reception or the rejection of a member. 
 
 Now, from this brief and summary survey of the 
 order and discipline of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church (North) of the U. S. it must be apparent, 
 that the government of this church is not in the hands 
 of the brethren of the church, where Christ and his 
 apostles placed it, and where it long remained ; but 
 has been engrossed, almost completely, by the min- 
 isters of the church. 
 
 John Wesley was certainly right, when he said of 
 himself and his Methodist friends, WE ARE NO 
 REPUBLICANS.* And Richard Watson, a standard 
 writer among the Methodists, but echoed Mr. Wes- 
 ley's sentiments, when he said : " A popular form of 
 church government . . . could only be tolerable, in 
 very small, isolated societies, and that in times of 
 their greatest simplicity and love." f Mr. Wesley's 
 notions of church government were highly monarch- 
 ical, if not despotic. Bishop Coke and Asbury tell 
 us, that " Mr. Wesley, as the venerable founder 
 (under God) of the whole Methodist Society, gov- 
 
 * See Letter to John Mason. " As long as I live," said Mr. 
 Wesley, " the people shall have no share in choosing either stew- 
 ards or leaders among the Methodists." 
 
 f Theol Institutes, Part IV. ch. 1, republished in New York by 
 M. E. Book Concern.
 
 272 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 erned without any responsibility whatever. . . . He 
 was the patron of all the Methodist pulpits in Great 
 Britain and Ireland for life ; the sole right of nomina- 
 tion being invested in him by all the deeds of settle- 
 ment ; which gave him exceeding great power." * 
 
 The present Methodist Episcopal Church in the 
 United States, received its first bishops from the 
 hands of Mr. Wesley ; and if not actually organized 
 by him, was shaped, and for some time controlled, by 
 men imbued with his spirit. The first preachers of 
 the denomination in this country, came from Ireland 
 and England, in 1766-1771 ; and in 1784 Mr. Wes- 
 ley sent over three regularly ordained clergy ; but 
 "preferring the episcopal mode of church govern- 
 ment to any other, he solemnly set apart, by the im- 
 position of his hands and prayer, one of them, 
 namely, Thomas Coke, doctor of civil law, late of 
 Jesus College, in the University of Oxford, and a 
 presbyter of the Church of England, for the episcopal 
 office, and having delivered to him letters of epis- 
 copal orders, commissioned and directed him to set 
 apart Francis Asbury, then General Assistant of the 
 Methodist Society in America, for the same epis- 
 copal office," &c. And Mr. Asbury having been set 
 apart accordingly, was, with Mr. Coke, then received 
 by the General Conference, held at Baltimore, as 
 their bishops, " being fully satisfied of the validity 
 of their episcopal ordination." f 
 
 It is for the reader to judge between Episcopal 
 
 * See Bishop Hedding on Meth. Discip., Z ion's Herald, Dec. 1, 
 1841. 
 
 f Diwipline, p. 13 and 14.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 273 
 
 Methodism and Congregationalism, " whether of the 
 twain " is the more scriptural in its character. 
 
 PBESBYTERIANISM. 
 
 Let us next look at Presbyterianism. I denomi- 
 nate this aristocratical, because it recognizes no pre- 
 siding and controlling head, under the title of a 
 bishop, but commits the government of the church 
 to the ministers and a few select persons from the 
 churches. Its clergy are all on a footing of equality. 
 Each congregation has the right of electing its own 
 officers.* These consist of a pastor, ruling elders, and 
 
 * They cannot, however, call a pastor except it be through the 
 Presbytery to which the church belongs. Neither can they have 
 a pastor ordained or installed over them, except it be by the con- 
 sent and concurrence of their own presbytery, and that with 
 which the candidate is connected. See "Form of Goo." ch. 15 
 and 16. I am now speaking of American Presbyterianism. In 
 Scotland, Presbyterianism is the Established and endowed relig- 
 ion of the State. This took place in 1592, after a struggle of 
 about fifty years with Popery and Prelacy; and, after several 
 changes, was confirmed soon after the Revolution in 1688; and 
 thus has continued to the present time. This connection of 
 Church and State has given the State a right to legislate for the 
 Church, and has introduced the law of Lay Patronage. This law 
 takes from the several parishes the right to elect their pastors. 
 The patron of the living has the right to present any duly qualified 
 minister to a vacant parish ; and the presbytery, within whose 
 bounds the vacant parish lies, is obliged to receive such presented 
 minister. Great opposition to this law has of late appeared ; and 
 the Presbyterian Church is now in a ferment upon this subject. 
 
 In other respects, the order and government of the Scottish 
 Kirk is substantially the same with the Presbyterian Church of
 
 274 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 deacons, in number according to the wants of the 
 congregation. Thus far the difference between Con- 
 gregationalism and Presbyterianism is not so essen- 
 tial: but, from this point the two denominations 
 rapidly diverge. 
 
 (1) A radical difference between us is found in 
 our definitions of a church. One of the "radical 
 principles of Presbyterian church government is, that 
 the several different congregations of believers, taken 
 collectively constitute one church of Christ, called em- 
 phatically The Church"* This principle is the 
 groundwork of all our differences in respect to 
 church government and discipline. 
 
 (2) Acting upon this principle each Presbyterian 
 congregation is governed, not by the united brethren 
 thereof, but by " The Church Session;" that is, by 
 the pastor and ruling elders of the congregation, who 
 are " charged with maintaining the spiritual govern- 
 ment of the congregation : for which purpose, they 
 have power to inquire into the knowledge and 
 Christian conduct of the members of the Church ; to 
 call before them offenders and witnesses, being mem- 
 
 the United States McCulloch, vol. ii. ch. 7, 3. Blackwood's 
 Mag. for Dec. 1840 and Aug. 1841. 
 
 Since the above was written, this ferment has burst forth into 
 a secession of nearly five hundred ministers of the Church of 
 Scotland, embracing a large proportion of the piety and talent of 
 the Establishment. These men have separated from the National 
 Kirk, surrendered their livings, organized themselves into a new 
 body, under the title of The Free Church of Scotland, and thrown 
 themselves on the voluntary contributions of the people for a sup- 
 port. 
 
 * See " Form of Government of Presbyterian Chh. in U. S" p. 
 3D7. I8mo. 1821.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 275 
 
 bers of their own congregation, and to introduce 
 other witnesses, where it may be necessary to bring 
 the process to issue, and when they can be procured 
 to attend ; to receive members into the church ; to 
 admonish and rebuke, to suspend, or exclude from 
 the sacraments those who are found to deserve cen- 
 sure ; to concert the best measures for promoting the 
 spiritual interests of the congregation ; and to ap- 
 point delegates to the higher judicatories of the 
 church." * 
 
 Thus it appears, that " The Church Session " is, 
 virtually, the church. A few leading men are in- 
 vested with authority to control and manage all the 
 affairs of the congregation. And these men are per- 
 manent officers, independent of the congregation, and, 
 after their election, not subject at all to the control- 
 ling voice of the brethren. They can be removed 
 from office only by death, or regular trial for misde- 
 meanors. I speak particularly of the ruling elders, 
 who are considered as the representatives of the con- 
 gregation. The pastor, if obnoxious, may undoubt- 
 edly be induced to remove by other means ; but not 
 without the concurrence of the Presbytery. The gov- 
 ernment of each congregation is, then, to all intents 
 and purposes, aristocratical. 
 
 (3) From the decisions of this court, The Session, 
 an appeal may be made to a higher, called " The 
 Presbytery" This is composed "of all the minis- 
 ters, and one ruling elder from each congregation 
 within a certain district," larger or smaller, accord- 
 ing to circumstances. The Presbytery has, substan- 
 
 * Plan of Gov. oh. 10, 6.
 
 276 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 tially, the same power over all the congregations 
 within its limits, that the Church Session has over a 
 single congregation. 
 
 (4) From the decisions of this second judicatory, 
 an appeal may be made to a third, called " The Sy- 
 nod" This is composed of the ministers and elders 
 of at least three presbyteries. This court exercises 
 a controlling influence and authority over all the 
 presbyteries, church sessions, and congregations with- 
 in its bounds. 
 
 (5) From this body an appeal may be carried up 
 to the " GENERAL ASSEMBLY ; " which is the highest 
 judicatory of the Presbyterian church. This is the 
 end of controversy ; or, perhaps I should say the 
 reservoir into which all obstinate controversy finally 
 runs, there to be disposed of as it best can be.* This 
 body is thus constituted : Every presbytery is enti- 
 tled to send one minister and one ruling elder ; and, 
 if the presbytery embraces more than nine ministers, 
 it may send two ministers, and an equal number of 
 ruling elders ; and so on, one minister and one elder 
 for every nine ministers in any presbytery. The 
 
 * THE SECESSION CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, a large and 
 increasing body of Presbyterians, differs from the Established 
 Church (1) in having no General Assembly; the Synod, which 
 meets twice a year, being their highest Ecclesiastical court ; (2) 
 in abjuring patronage ; (3) in giving the right to choose its own 
 pastor, to the communicants of each congregation. McCulloch, 
 ut sup. Sect. 4. 
 
 The "New-School" Presbyterians (as they are often called) 
 of this country, agree with the Secession, in making their Sy- 
 nods the highest judicatory body. Their General Assembly, 
 which meets but once in three years, has no appellate jurisdic- 
 tion.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 277 
 
 General Assembly has the same authority over the 
 whole Church that each of the inferior judicatories 
 has over the particular portion assigned to its care. 
 It is the bond of union among all the congregations. 
 It is 1he General Assembly of the Presbyterian 
 Church in the United States The Presbyterian 
 Church itself. 
 
 No one will deny that this system of church gov- 
 ernment is orderly and methodical; that its move* 
 ments are systematic and regular : but the question 
 at issue is Where is the Scriptural model and au- 
 thority for all this ? I go not into the specification 
 of objections to this system I will not dwell upon 
 the recent developments of the workings of this con- 
 solidated system; but, with the Scriptures in his 
 hands, I put it to any unbiassed mind to decide, 
 which is the more Scriptural form of church gov- 
 ernment, the Presbyterian or the Congregational. 
 
 OTHER DENOMINATIONS. 
 
 The Lutheran Church on the Continent of Europe, 
 holds an intermediate position between Episcopacy 
 and Presbyterianism, except in Denmark and Sweden, 
 where the Episcopal form prevails or rather, Ro- 
 manism " with its offensive parts lopped off." 
 
 The sovereigns of the respective countries in 
 which Lutheranism is established, " possess the su- 
 preme power in Ecclesiastical affairs." The highest 
 Ecclesiastical tribunal is the Consistory, which is 
 composed of civil and ecclesiastical jurists, who 
 manage the affairs of the Church in the name of 
 
 24
 
 278 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 their respective sovereigns. Where the Episcopal 
 form prevails, it is rather on the ground of expedi- 
 ency, than from any belief in its Divine origin : " for 
 the Lutherans are persuaded, that, by Divine right, 
 there is no difference of rank and prerogatives among 
 the ministers of the Gospel." * They admit of Su- 
 perintendents sometimes called inspectors, seniors, 
 or presidents who have the oversight of ministers 
 and ecclesiastical affairs, but are superior to other 
 ministers only in office. The churches use liturgies, 
 practise confirmation, confession, and absolution. 
 Their liturgies, though essentially the same in the 
 articles of religion, differ widely in different countries ; 
 and are much more simple than those of strictly 
 Episcopal Churches, and admit of more liberty in 
 using them. 
 
 It is deemed unnecessary to go into any further 
 comparison of different forms of church order and 
 discipline. All other denominations are believed to 
 recognize more or less of the general principles of 
 government which have been already considered ; 
 and may be classed under one or other of these great 
 denominations, as the peculiarities of one or the 
 other predominate. The Calvinist Baptists are Con- 
 gregationalists in their government. Indeed, they 
 are one with us, so far as the principles of church 
 polity are concerned. The Freewill Baptists recog- 
 nize a form of government, and order, substantially 
 Congregational. " Government is vested primarily 
 in the churches, which are usually composed of such 
 
 * Mosheim, B. IV. Cent. XVI. Part II. ch. 1, 3, 4.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 279 
 
 believers as can meet together for worship." * The 
 Protestant Methodists, or Reformed Methodists have 
 introduced into their government the representative 
 principle allowing the laity an equal voice with 
 the clergy in their church judicatories. They do not 
 recognize the order of bishops, as distinct from that 
 of elders ; but, in most other particulars, symbolize 
 with the Protestant Episcopal Church, in their gov- 
 ernment " The Christian Connection " maintain 
 the strict independence of the churches. So do the 
 Unitarians. 
 
 Believing Congregationalism to be entirely Scrip- 
 tural, we are constrained to regard this form of church 
 order and discipline as more correct and Scriptural 
 than any other, in just that proportion in which any 
 other varies, in essential particulars, from this. And 
 in the maintenance of this opinion of our favorite 
 model, we do not regard ourselves as guilty of any 
 arrogance in relation to other systems ; for, consist- 
 ently with our principles, we can do no less than to 
 esteem our own above all others. We maintain that 
 the Scriptures are a sufficient guide to all that is es- 
 sential to the good order and correct discipline of a 
 church of Christ. We have carefully examined the 
 Scriptures to ascertain what this order and discipline 
 should be ; and have arrived at conclusions, which 
 these pages partially, at least, detail. We have com- 
 pared this system with others, and have briefly de- 
 tailed the result : and if, in our investigations and 
 
 * Elder Beede, in Rclig. Encyclopedia. See also the Appen- 
 dix to their " Treatise on the Faith of the F. W. B."
 
 280 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 our deductions we have not erred, then, in our con- 
 clusion we are correct, that of all the systems of 
 church government known to us, Congregationalism 
 is the most Scriptural. And this we conceive to be 
 one of the advantages and not a trifling one, 
 either which this system possesses over every other. 
 
 II. Another advantage of Congregationalism is, 
 that it encourages self-government beyond that of any 
 other system. 
 
 In proportion as you abridge men of the privilege 
 of governing themselves, and deprive them of the 
 inducements to attempt it, in just that degree you 
 encourage the doctrine that they are incapable of 
 self-government, and discourage all attempts to exer- 
 cise this inalienable and all-important right. Now, 
 the Congregational system of church government, 
 beyond all others, encourages every man to exercise 
 this important birthright. It teaches him that Christ 
 has intrusted the management of his kingdom upon 
 arth to the hands of his people, with certain general 
 rules for their guidance. And he who has learned 
 from the Scriptures that Christ has committed such 
 interests to his people, will not be slow to perceive, 
 that if men are judged competent to manage affairs 
 which pertain to their eternal interests, there is a 
 gross inconsistency in denying their ability to man- 
 age affairs which pertain only to the present life. 
 The direct tendency of this system of church gov- 
 ernment, then, is to a democratical form of State 
 government. 
 
 The early English Congregationalists seem to 
 have had no design upon the State when they as- 
 serted their rights as Christians ; indeed, they ex-
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 281 
 
 pressly avowed their cordial attachment to the mo- 
 narchical, and all but despotic government under 
 which they lived. And this was true of the Brown- 
 ists even, the pioneers of our denomination, who 
 were rigid separatists from the Episcopal Church, 
 and often violent in their denunciations against those 
 who upheld it ; and who denied the right of State 
 governments to interfere at all with the affairs of the 
 churches. 
 
 Penry, one of the last of the Brownists who suf- 
 fered death for his religious sentiments during the 
 reign of Elizabeth, when accused of disloyalty, pro- 
 tested against the accusation ; declaring that the 
 queen had a daily remembrance in his prayers ; and 
 with his dying breath, sent to her majesty the assur- 
 ance of his loyalty.* Nevertheless, the politicians 
 of those times were not slow to perceive the natural 
 tendency of these principles of church government ; 
 and could not be persuaded that the men who 
 claimed independence in church matters, did not aim 
 at the same independence in civil affairs. Hence it 
 was, that the persecution of the Brownists during 
 Elizabeth's arbitrary reign, was even more violent 
 than that of the Protestants under the bloody Mary, 
 Elizabeth's Popish predecessor. 
 
 However it may have been with the English Inde- 
 pendents while they remained in their native land, it 
 is very obvious that the Leyden church early enter- 
 tained democratical prepossessions in respect to civil 
 
 * See an account of Penry's martyrdom in Waddington's Life 
 of John Penry, or in the History of Congregationalism. See note, 
 ante, p. 14. 
 
 24*
 
 282 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 government. How much influence their residence in 
 Holland may have had in modifying their views, it 
 is difficult to say ; but it is certain that the very first 
 act of the emigrating Pilgrims, in a civil capacity, 
 was one which savored strongly of democracy. Be- 
 fore landing upon the rock of Plymouth, they drew 
 up and subscribed an instrument, by which they cov- 
 enanted and combined together " into a civil body 
 politic ; to enact, constitute, and frame such, just and 
 equal laws and ordinances, acts, constitutions, and 
 officers, from time to time, as should be thought 
 most meet and convenient for the general good of 
 the colony." " This brief, but comprehensive consti- 
 tution of civil government," says Pitkin, " contained 
 the elements of those forms of government peculiar 
 to the new world." 
 
 From the outset, the English government was jeal- 
 ous of the spirit of independence manifested by the 
 Pilgrims ; and, to counteract this, the project of intro- 
 ducing Episcopacy and a Governor-general into the 
 colonies of New England, was early entertained by 
 the Court. The commissioners appointed by Charles 
 II., in 1664, to visit New England, with " full power 
 and authority to heare and receive, and to examine 
 and determine all complaints and appeales, in all 
 cases and matters ; " or in other words, to overturn the 
 government of the colonies if not found sufficiently 
 loyal reported of Massachusetts : " Their way of 
 government is Commonwealth-like ; then* way of wor- 
 ship is rude, and called Congregational" * The last 
 
 * Hutchinson, Vol. I. App. No. 15, and Am. Encyc., Art. New 
 England.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 283 
 
 word ill this sentence, whether by design or no't, ex- 
 plains the first clause. That the English govern- 
 ment was prepared to believe this report, is evident 
 from the fact, that Lord Clarendon, in his draft of 
 the plan for sending over commissioners, declared 
 that the colonies " were already hardened into repub- 
 lics" And when the struggle for civil independence 
 actually began in this country, it was found that 
 New England, the hotbed of Congregationalism 
 in which, in 1760, there were 440,000 Congregation- 
 alists, out of 500,000 inhabitants was also " the 
 hotbed" of revolutionary principles. And to this 
 form of Church government, we unquestionably owe 
 our peculiarly free and excellent forms of State gov- 
 ernment.* 
 
 To those who regard a democratical form of gov- 
 ernment as the inalienable gift of God and birthright 
 of man, it will be no slight recommendation of Con- 
 gregationalism, that it favors, if it does not unavoid- 
 ably lead to, this form of civil government.! 
 
 * " Several years before the American Revolution, there was, 
 near the house of Mr. Jefferson, in Virginia, a church which was 
 governed on Congregational principles, and whose monthly meet- 
 ing he often attended. Being asked, how he was pleased with the 
 church government, he replied, that it had struck him with great 
 force, and interested him very much ; that he considered it the 
 only form of pure democracy that then existed in the world, and had 
 concluded that it would be the best plan of government for the 
 American colonies." See an able article on Congregationalism 
 in Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. 
 
 f A Avriter in the London Quarterly Review (Vol. XVI. p. 517, 
 518), says: "It soon became apparent (in the reign of Elizabeth 
 in England) that they (the Puritans) tended naturally towards 
 republicanism ; for certain it is, that monarchy and Episcopacy,
 
 284 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 III. Another important advantage of this popular 
 form of church government is, that it promotes gen- 
 eral intelligence beyond any other. 
 
 As no people are fit to manage their civil affairs 
 unless intelligent and virtuous, so no body of men 
 are qualified to conduct ecclesiastical affairs who are 
 destitute of intelligence and piety. The motive in 
 either case to be qualified for self-government is 
 wellnigh irresistible. Every Congregationalist is ex- 
 
 the throne and the altar, are much more nearly connected than 
 writers of bad faith, or little reflection have sought to persuade 
 mankind. Besides this insensible, but natural inclination towards 
 democracy, which arises from the principles of a popular church 
 government, there was another cause why the current should set 
 in that direction ; it was only under Commonwealths that the 
 Puritans saw their beloved discipline flourish." 
 
 So, Bishop Laud told Charles I. and his second parliament : 
 " They, whoever they be, that would overthrow ' sedes eccle- 
 sice,' the seats of ecclesiastical government, [alias, the bishops' 
 thrones], will not spare if ever they get power to have a 
 pluck at the ' throne of David,' [i. e. the monarchy of the king- 
 dom.] And, there is not a man that is for parity, all fellows, 
 in the Church, but he is not for monarchy in the State. And 
 certainly, either he is but half-headed to his own principles, or 
 he can be but half-hearted to the house of David." Or, in plain 
 English no man can be an enemy to Episcopacy, and yet a 
 friend to monarchy. See Hanbury's Historical Memorials, Vol. I. 
 p. 476. 
 
 Thus, too, that organ of Ton-ism in Church and State, Black- 
 wood, tells us, that " the anomaly of a popularly elected church 
 [he is protesting against the right of the people to elect their own 
 spiritual guides] and a hereditary monarchy cannot co-exist in 
 the same country." And again he asks: "If the cause of uni- 
 versal suffrage is triumphant in the Church, how is it to be 
 resisted in the State?" Magazine, Vol. XL No. G, Art. "Non- 
 Intrusion Question."
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 285 
 
 pected to take part in the most important business 
 that is done on earth the business of the Church 
 of Christ. He recognizes his accountability to 
 Christ for the manner in which he does the work 
 assigned him. He feels if he feels as he ought 
 that there is deep responsibility incurred by him. 
 Acting under this conviction, he is constrained to 
 seek that preparation of heart and mind which will 
 fit him to act well his part as a Congregational pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 I do not say, that such are actually the feelings 
 and practice of all who embrace this form of church 
 government ; for many, we have reason to fear, are 
 merely nominal Congregationalists, have little ac- 
 quaintance with the nature and operation of the 
 principles which they profess, and no suitable sense 
 of the responsibilities which they incur in transacting 
 the momentous business of a Christian church. I 
 speak not of all who profess this system, but of the 
 tendency of the system itself, and of its actual results 
 in multitudes of instances.* 
 
 In saying what I have of the tendencies of Con- 
 gregationalism, I would not be understood to inti- 
 mate, that other Protestant denominations, do not 
 encourage intelligence and piety among their mem- 
 bers ; but this I do say, that the more free any 
 
 * I have somewhere met with the remark, that the French na- 
 tion were much less frivolous immediately after their late revolu- 
 tion than before. The responsibility of sustaining the govern- 
 ment for which they had fought, made them comparatively grave. 
 A sense of responsibility always makes men thoughtful and sober- 
 minded.
 
 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 system of government is, and the greater the respon- 
 sibility laid upon men, the stronger will be the motive 
 to be intelligent, in order to manage that government 
 and to meet that responsibility. Now, as in no de- 
 nomination so much is expected of the members of 
 a church as in ours, so, in none are intelligence and 
 other suitable qualifications for church membership 
 so urgently demanded. Other forms of church gov- 
 ernment favor these things just in proportion as they 
 approach towards, or recede from, the standard of 
 pure Congregationalism.* 
 
 * In reply to a letter of inquiry, whether there were any Con- 
 gregational churches in a particular section of our country ; an 
 intelligent correspondent says " No." And assigns as a reason, 
 the want of general intelligence among the people of that section 
 of country. " I do sincerely think," says my correspondent, 
 " that out of New England, it is exceedingly difficult to make 
 Congregational churches live ; and why? Because, out of New 
 England, there is (comparatively speaking) only here and there 
 an enlightened man. He must be an elder and take care of the 
 rest." 
 
 I give this extract, in illustration of what is said in the text ; not 
 because I accord entirely with my correspondent. Another cor- 
 respondent, equally intelligent, and with far more extensive 
 observation and experience, writing from a city full of Presby- 
 terianism and Episcopacy, tells me, that Congregationalism can 
 live and flourish at the South or the West, if good men will but 
 try it, and boldly and faithfully maintain its precious principles 
 and usages. This I most fully believe. Facts, as well as reason, 
 testify to this truth. What surer method to keep men ignorant 
 and unfit to govern themselves can be pursued, than to persuade 
 them that they are so ? and to adopt a system of church govern- 
 ment (or civil, if you please) which makes no demand on them 
 for intelligence ? 
 
 Richard Watson, a standard author among the Methodists, 
 grounds an objection to " a popular form of church government "
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 287 
 
 Some of the legitimate effects of this system are 
 seen in the early efforts of the Pilgrims to establish 
 schools and seminaries of learning, as well as to 
 plant churches and to propagate the gospel, in this 
 land of their exile; for these schools were estab- 
 lished, mainly, as auxiliaries to the churches. Scarcely 
 had these venerable men felled the forest of New 
 England, when they began to provide means to in- 
 sure the continuance of their churches and the sta- 
 bility of their civil government. " Learning and Re- 
 ligion," they wisely judged to be " the firmest pillars 
 of the church and the commonwealth." Harvard 
 College, which had previously existed as a high 
 school,* was established at Cambridge as early as 
 
 on the supposed ignorance and youth and inexperience of the 
 mass of every religious community. He speaks with a sort of 
 holy horror, of " referring every decision to numbers and suf- 
 frages, and placing all that is good, and venerable, and influen- 
 tial among the members themselves, at the feet of a democracy." 
 Theological Institutes, Part IV. Chap. I. 
 
 Congregationalism unquestionably demands a greater measure 
 of religious intelligence in the mass of the church, than any other 
 system of church government. And it is too obvious to require 
 argument, that the very necessity for intelligence, will, with good 
 men, be a strong inducement to become intelligent And, it 
 seems to me altogether reasonable to believe, that in those very 
 communities where it is now supposed that the want of intelli- 
 gence forbids the existence of Congregational churches, there 
 would have been a vastly greater amount of religious knowledge 
 and general intelligence, if such churches had long ago been 
 there established. If the intelligence of New England originally 
 established Congregationalism, it is equally true, that Congrega- 
 tionalism has preserved for New England that intelligence. 
 
 * " In 1636 the general court gave 400 towards a public 
 school at Newton." Hutchinson.
 
 288 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 1638 ; eighteen years, only, after the landing of the 
 Plymouth pilgrims, and only eight or ten years after 
 the commencement of the Massachusetts colony. 
 
 To Congregational principles we are indebted for 
 most of the colleges of New England. From the 
 same source has flowed down to us that system of 
 common schools which, notwithstanding its defects, 
 has so long and so richly blessed our land and the 
 world. The same spirit has founded and endowed 
 the Theological Seminaries of New England. The 
 influence of Congregationalism in establishing theo- 
 logical and literary Institutions at the South and 
 West, is well known. 
 
 Can any man consider the facts now alluded to, 
 without perceiving that this system of church order 
 and discipline is preeminently favorable to general 
 intelligence ? * 
 
 * Pitkin, in his Civil and Political History of the United States, 
 says : " Primary Schools first commenced in New England. 
 Aware of the importance and necessity of information among the 
 people, in order to secure and perpetuate their liberties, the legis- 
 lators of New England, at an early period, made provision for in- 
 structing all in the first rudiments of learning. In this, the clergy, 
 who were not less distinguished for their literature than their 
 piety, cordially cooperated. In making this provision for the 
 general and early education of their children, their views were 
 not limited to the single object, though an important one, of mak- 
 ing them better men and better, citizens, but, what was justly 
 deemed by them of infinitely more importance better Chris- 
 tians 
 
 " Schools for general education were established in Boston, 
 in 1635, by the inhabitants of that town ; and in 1647, the legisla- 
 ture of Massachusetts declared, by a general law, ' that every 
 township with fifty families, should provide a school, where chil-
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 289 
 
 IV. Another advantage of this system of church 
 government and discipline is, that it presents the most 
 
 drcn may be taught to read and write ; and that every township 
 of one hundred families, should provide a grammar school, where 
 youth could be fitted for the University.' This law was substan- 
 tially adopted in the code of laws established by the colony of 
 Connecticut, in 1650, with a preamble, declaring, in the quaint 
 language of the day, that, ' It being one chief object of that old 
 deceiver, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scrip- 
 tures, as in former times, keeping them in an unknown tongue, 
 so in these latter times, by persuading them from the use of 
 tongues, so that at least, the true sense of the original might be 
 clouded by false glosses of saints-seeming deceivers ; and that 
 learning may not be buried in the graves of our forefathers in 
 church and commonwealth,' etc. 
 
 " In the system of New Haven colonial laws, published in 
 1656, it is ordered, ' that the deputy for the particular court, in 
 each plantation in this jurisdiction, for the time being, or where 
 there are no such deputies, the constables and other officers in 
 public trust, shall, from time to time, have a vigilant eye on their 
 brethren and neighbors, within the limits of said plantations, 
 that all parents and masters do duly endeavor, either by their 
 own ability or labor, or by improving such schoolmasters or 
 other helps and means as the plantation doth afford, or the fam- 
 ily may conveniently provide, that all their children and appren- 
 tices, as they are capable, may, through God's blessing, obtain, 
 at least, so much as to be able to read the Scriptures and other 
 good and profitable books in the English tongue, being their 
 native language, etc.' 
 
 "In 1663, it was proposed by the court of Plymouth colony, 
 to the several towns within that jurisdiction, as a thing that they 
 ought to take into their serious consideration, that some course 
 may be taken, that in every town there may be a schoolmaster 
 set up, to train up children to reading and writing. 
 
 " These laws laid the foundation of the system of free schools 
 in New England." Vol. I. p. 151, 152. 
 
 In estimating the influence of Congregationalism in promoting 
 
 25
 
 290 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 efficient barrier to the inroads of heresy, and false doc- 
 trine, and general corruption. 
 
 I am not ignorant, that some persons regard Con- 
 gregationalism as the very parent and nurse of all 
 heresy, and the fruitful cause of all errors in doctrine 
 and religious practice with which the country is now, 
 or ever has been, afflicted. The freedom of our gov- 
 ernment the right which our churches claim, to 
 choose whom they will for pastors, and to adopt 
 what articles of faith, and to pursue what particular 
 practices they please, are regarded by many as ex- 
 ceedingly objectionable not to say abominable 
 peculiarities. But these features of our system are, 
 after all, the best rampart against general defection 
 and corruption. The very liberties of our churches 
 so terrific in the eyes of those who plead for a 
 " strong government " are, under God, our surest 
 defence against universal defection. That this lib- 
 erty may not be abused, I shall not contend. That 
 any other than a virtuous people are capable of self- 
 government, I do not believe. That the Congrega- 
 tional system of church government is unsuited to 
 any but truly pious persons, I have already asserted : 
 for none others was it designed. But for these, it is 
 admirably adapted. An unconverted, proud, ambi- 
 tious, worldly minded church member may, perhaps, 
 do more injury in a Congregational church, than in 
 
 general intelligence, let it be borne in mind, that these laws were 
 emphatically Congregational that nearly every man concerned 
 in the formation and execution of them, was a decided Congre- 
 gationalist
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 291 
 
 any other.* For men of this description our church 
 government was never designed. Such men, how- 
 ever intelligent, have not the first qualification for 
 church membership. But, let our churches be con- 
 stituted as they ought to be, and kept pure by disci- 
 pline, and there will be no danger of intrusting to 
 them the power of electing their own officers, mak- 
 ing their own by-laws, and regulating all their own 
 affairs, under Christ. 
 
 It may perhaps be said: "It is impossible to keep 
 out unworthy members ; they are in the church now, 
 and they will always be found there." It is true, this 
 matter demands great watchfulness on the part of 
 our churches; and after all, some unworthy members 
 may creep in : if, however, the great mass of any par- 
 ticular church be sound and pious, there will be, 
 under ordinary circumstances, comparatively little 
 danger from the unsoundness of a few individuals. 
 Certain it is, that there is much less danger that the 
 majority of a church will become unsound and he- 
 retical, than that a few men, constituted governors of 
 the church, will swerve from the faith. Every system 
 of church government which takes the power out of 
 the hands of the brethren or the church itself 
 places it in the hands of individuals. Now, it appears 
 to us that the danger to the church will be in propor- 
 tion to the fewness of those who take part in her gov- 
 ernment and are interested in the maintenance of her 
 orthodoxy : that is to say, there will be more danger 
 that one man will become unsound and heretical, 
 
 * Unless he should chance to be a " vestry-man " or a " ruling 
 elder."
 
 292 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 than that five will ; and more danger that five will 
 swerve from the truth, than that one hundred will. 
 Samuel Mather well says : " When a bishop or a 
 small number of ministers [and he might have said 
 or laymen] have the supervision, or oversight and 
 management of affairs, it is next to impossible but 
 that pride and ambition, faction and envy, political 
 regards and secular interests, should govern ; and in- 
 deed, this is no more than what is observed by the 
 historians, Socrates and Sozomen, as well as by sev- 
 eral other Fathers." * 
 
 Upon this subject, Ecclesiastical History lifts an 
 admonitory voice. It is notorious, that when the 
 control of the churches fell into the hands of synods, 
 then the purity of the churches began visibly and 
 rapidly to decline. This declension became more 
 serious, as the influence of many in the government 
 of the churches diminished to &few; and it became 
 total, when u TIIE MAN OF SIN " mounted the Papal 
 throne and claimed to be the Head of the Church 
 the Vicegerent of Christ the Infallible Interpreter 
 of the mind of the Spirit and the Unerring Guide 
 of the Faithful. 
 
 Now, inasmuch as our Congregational polity 
 places all church power in the hands of the brethren 
 of the church, it provides a very important safeguard 
 against the inroads of heresy. 
 
 I anticipate an objection to these remarks, founded 
 on the fact that Arrninianism and Unitariamsm have 
 corrupted so many of the Congregational churches 
 of New England. With persons not well acquainted 
 
 * Apology, p. 104.
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 293 
 
 with our history, this is considered a sufficient and 
 conclusive argument against our System. But I 
 must take the liberty to say to such persons You 
 understand not whereof you affirm. It was not Con- 
 gregationalism which introduced Unitarianism into 
 New England ; but it was the disregard of Congre- 
 gational principles, even by some of the Fathers of our 
 churches, which opened the way for Unitarianism. 
 
 The half-way covenant, and afterwards, the ad- 
 mission of baptized, but unregenerate persons to the 
 Lord's Supper as " a converting ordinance " were 
 the things which broke down our defences, and in- 
 troduced unconverted men into the churches and the 
 ministry, and prepared the way for the prevalence of 
 Arminianism, and after that, of Unitarianism. I will 
 only add, that this objection to our system comes 
 with a peculiarly ill grace from our Presbyterian 
 brethren ; because Stoddard, the leader in these in- 
 novations upon our church polity, was himself, " in 
 principle, a Presbyterian, and hoped to introduce 
 substantially that mode of government" into New 
 England.* 
 
 Again, the independency^ of our churches, fur- 
 nishes a further barrier against general defection 
 from the faith. The more closely you connect the 
 different communities of Christian professors, for 
 purposes of government, the more readily are they 
 affected by each other. Bring these associated com- 
 
 * Dwir/ht's Life of Edwards, p. 381 quoted in "The Great 
 Awakening," p. 5. See also Allen's Biog. Dictionary, Art Stod- 
 dard. 
 
 f I mean not absolute independency but, completeness all' 
 sufficiency for their own government, etc., as before explained. 
 
 25*
 
 294 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 munities under the government of one man, or of a 
 few men, and you increase the danger of corruption 
 in the whole mass in proportion to the intimacy of 
 the association and the influence and power of its 
 governors. But, should a Congregational church 
 become heretical in its faith and erroneous in its 
 practice, it will not necessarily affect sister churches. 
 It cannot injure them except by the force of bad 
 example. Each church, standing independently of 
 every other so far as its internal management is 
 concerned, has the means of defence in its own hands. 
 It can shut the door, and no man can open it* 
 
 Then, in respect to its teachers, this system fur- 
 nishes as complete a barrier against false and dan- 
 gerous doctrine as it is possible to raise. It recog- 
 nizes no man's right to send to a church a preacher, 
 or to place over it a pastor. We know no Metro- 
 politan no General or Yearly Conference, having 
 authority to say to this man, go, and he goeth ; and 
 to another come, and he cometh ; no Presbytery to 
 tells us whether we may, or may not, call a pastor. 
 Each church judges and chooses for itself. Every 
 brother in the church has a perfect right to object to 
 the call of a pastor; and every man's vote counts 
 equaUy in an election. The whole church being con- 
 stituted judges, and being qualified by intelligence 
 and piety to act their parts, the danger of being im- 
 posed upon by an unsuitable man is comparatively 
 small ; especially, if the scrupulous care of our fathers 
 in trying their candidates for settlement, be imitated 
 by their sons.* 
 
 * It was not uncommon for candidates for settlement, to be on 
 trial for several months before they received a call. Our
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 295 
 
 But, should a pastor prove an unsound and dan- 
 gerous man, his influence does not necessarily affect 
 any church but his own : and this has the power to 
 discipline the offender, and thus to bring him to re- 
 pentance ; or, at least, to purge out the leaven from 
 their own body, and to make known his true charac- 
 ter to others, and thus to impair his ability to injure 
 them. 
 
 Thus does Congregationalism protect the churches 
 from heresy and error. Thus does it provide a sim- 
 ple but effectual remedy, in case all previous caution 
 should fail, for the extirpation of every thing false 
 and dangerous. 
 
 It is not denied, that notwithstanding all, errors in 
 doctrine and practice have crept into our churches. 
 And into what denomination of professing Christians 
 have they not gone? Who what can guard 
 effectually against the depravity and deceitfulness of 
 human nature ? A Judas was among " the twelve." 
 A Simon Magus, and " damnable heresies " corrupted 
 the apostolic churches. Congregationalists claim 
 not entire exemption from error. But, who shall 
 cast the first stone at us? Shall the Church of 
 Rome ? We point her to " the mark of the beast " 
 
 fathers had no fellowship with the touch-and-take system of mod- 
 ern days. 
 
 John Milton's answer to such as object, that the brethren of a 
 church are not competent to judge of the qualifications of a pas- 
 tor, deserves repeating : " Many," says he, " may be able to 
 judge who is fit to be made a minister, that would not be found 
 fit to be made ministers themselves ; as it will not be denied that 
 he may be the competent judge of a neat picture, or elegant 
 poem, that cannot limn the like." Hanbury, Vol. I. p. 192, note.
 
 296 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 upon her forehead. Shall the high-church Episco- 
 pacy of England ? We beg her to stop long enough 
 to reflect on the Arminianism of Laud's admin- 
 istration, and the rapid strides which she made 
 towards Popery itself during his reign. Or, if she 
 prefer something of later date, we point to the ad- 
 mitted diversity of religious sentiment which now 
 exists among her clergy ; and this, too, upon funda- 
 mental points, in spite of her liturgy, and creed, and 
 subscriptions, and test-oaths.* Shall the Protestant 
 
 * A clergyman of the Church of England, Rev. John Acaster, 
 vicar of St. Helen's, York, in a work entitled, " The Church of 
 England in Danger from Itself," fully admits the truth of the 
 assertion in the text. He says : " To this (the neglect of a 
 proper examination of the candidates for the ministry), more than 
 to any other thing must be ascribed that great difference of opinion 
 which exists among her ministers, ON SOME OF THE MOST IM- 
 PORTANT DOCTRINES OF RELIGION, dangerous to the souls of 
 men, and inimical to the peace and stability of the church" p. 44 ; 
 quoted by Rev. J. A. James, in his " Defence of the Principles of 
 Nonconformity," p. 75. 
 
 In a note to the above, Mr. James adds : " No one can for a 
 moment doubt, that the Church of England comprehends within 
 her pale, persons holding the widest possible variety of religious 
 opinions: Socinians, Arians, Arminians from Pelagianism to 
 the modified Arminianism of Tillotson ; Baxterians, Calvinists of 
 all grades, from the supralapsarianism of Dr. Hawker to the 
 more moderate views of Davenant and South ; Hutchinsonians, 
 Baptismal Regeneration Advocates, and their opponents; Swe- 
 denborgians, the followers of Joanna Southgate, modern Mille- 
 narians, Believers in the unconsciousness of the soul from death 
 till the resurrection, Followers of Mr. Irving on the subject of the 
 peccability of Christ's human nature, etc. etc." Ib. p. 75, 76, 
 note. This catalogue was made out in 1830; whether it should 
 now be enlarged or diminished, on the whole, I am unable to 
 say; but doubtless the author, were he now revising it, would
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 297 
 
 Episcopal church of this country, claim greater pu- 
 rity ? Will it be denied, that even in this country, 
 the line is becoming more and more distinct between 
 high-church and low-church? that it is not un- 
 common, even now, to designate their clergy as 
 Evangelical or Arminian? that the Oxford con- 
 troversy is already fermenting in the bosom of the 
 P. E. church of the TJ. S. ? and that her bishops, and 
 ministers, and laymen, are openly taking ground on 
 either side ? The very extensive prevalence of Ari- 
 anism and Unitarianism among the Presbyterians of 
 England, and the diversity of sentiment which pre- 
 vails in the Presbyterian Church of the United 
 States, prove the entire possibility of "grievous 
 wolves " entering the Presbyterian fold, high as are 
 its walls, guarded as are its entrances. 
 
 While, therefore, we claim not for our system of 
 church order and discipline, that it is a complete de- 
 fence from error to which all denominations are 
 more or less exposed we confidently believe, that 
 the Congregational churches of Great Britain and 
 America, will bear a favorable comparison, in point 
 of purity, with any denomination in either country. 
 
 add Travellers towards Rome, under the title of PUSEY- 
 ITES. 
 
 See Prof. Newman's admission, Oxford Tracts, Vol. I. p. 238 , 
 quoted in Smyth's " Apostolical Succession," p. 1 7. Among 
 other things, Prof. Newman says : " In the English Church may 
 be found differences as great as those which separate it from 
 Greece or Rome Calvinism and Arminianism, Latitudinarian- 
 ism and Orthodoxy all these, sometimes simply such, and some- 
 times compounded together into numberless varieties of school, 
 . . . each denouncing all the rest as perilous, if not fatal errors."
 
 298 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 It would be easy to swell this list of advantages 
 of Congregationalism. But, if any thing like a just 
 estimate of the system advocated in these pages has 
 been expressed, there can be no occasion to say more, 
 to commend to the consideration, to the confidence, 
 and to the love of the descendants of the Pilgrims, a 
 system which their fathers considered as essential to 
 the highest welfare of their posterity, to the promo- 
 tion of holiness in the land, and to the advancement 
 of the Divine glory in the world. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 In conclusion, I commend to the friends of Con- 
 gregationalism, the warning words of one of the 
 fathers of New England, and the concluding address 
 of one of the ablest defenders of our system : " Con- 
 sider what will be the end of receding or making a 
 defection from the way of church government estab- 
 lished among us. I profess, I look upon the discov- 
 ery and settlement of the Congregational way, as 
 the boon, the gratuity, the largess of Divine bounty, 
 which the Lord graciously bestowed on his people 
 that followed Him into this wilderness ; and a great 
 part of the blessing on the head of Joseph, and of 
 them who were separate from their brethren. These 
 good people that came over, showed more love, zeal, 
 and affectionate desire of communion with God in 
 pure worship and ordinances, and did more in order 
 to it than others ; and the Lord did more for them, 
 than for any people in the world, in showing them 
 the pattern of His house, and the true scriptural way 
 of church government and administrations. God
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 299 
 
 was certainly in a more than ordinary way of favor 
 present with his servants in laying of our founda- 
 tions, and in settling the way of church order accord- 
 ing to the will and appointment of Christ. Consider 
 what will be the sad issue of revolting from the way 
 fixed upon, to one extreme or to another, whether it 
 be to Presbyterianism or Brownism ; as for the Pres- 
 byterians, it must be acknowledged that there are 
 among them, as pious, learned, sober, orthodox men, 
 as the world affords ; and that there is as much of 
 the power of godliness among that party, and of the 
 spirit of the good old Puritans, as among any people 
 in the world. And for their way of church govern- 
 ment, it must be confessed, that in the day of it, it 
 was a very considerable step to reformation. The 
 reformation in king Edward's days was then a 
 blessed work. And the reformation of Geneva and 
 Scotland was then a large step, and in many re- 
 spects purer than the other. And for my part, I 
 fully believe that the Congregational way far exceeds 
 both, and is the highest step which has been taken 
 towards reformation, and for the substance of it, it 
 is the very same way that was established and prac- 
 tised in the primitive times, according to the institu- 
 tion of Jesus Christ." * 
 
 " Thus I have endeavored to state and vindicate 
 the more distinguishing liberties of the churches in 
 New England. As these privileges have been pur- 
 chased by the blood of the Lord Jesus, they ought to 
 
 * Election Sermon of President Oaks of Harvard College, 
 1675-1681. Magnolia, Vol. II. p. 64, 65.
 
 300 CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 be very precious in our esteem, nor, upon any pre- 
 tence whatever, to be slighted and undervalued by 
 the happy people who enjoy them. 
 
 " It is worthy to be always remembered by these 
 churches, that it was not on account of any peculiar 
 sentiments in doctrinal matters, that our wise and 
 good fathers left their native country and came into 
 this then howling wilderness ; for they agreed to the 
 doctrinal articles of the Church of England, as much 
 as the Conformists to that Parliamentary Church, 
 and indeed, much more so than most of them ; but 
 it was from a pure respect to ecclesiastical discipline 
 and order, and to a more refined worship, that these 
 excellent men, our ancestors, transported themselves, 
 with their families, into this land. 
 
 " The Church of Rome, as far as in them lies, 
 have divested our great Saviour of his prophetical, 
 sacerdotal, and kingly offices ; other churches have 
 been so far overcome by the light of reason and reve- 
 lation, that they have restored, as one may say, his 
 sacerdotal office to him, and his prophetical office 
 also : but our gracious predecessors, observing that 
 their brethren in England were not willing to allow 
 our Lord Jesus Christ to be the king and ruler of his 
 church, nobly resolved, as the children of Zion, to 
 acknowledge and rejoice in their king: and hence 
 they quitted their ungrateful country, that so they 
 might observe that refined worship and order, which 
 their Lord and Sovereign had in his word appointed 
 to be observed. It follows, therefore, that any de- 
 generacies from the pure worship and scriptural order 
 in these churches, would be a direct rejection of the
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 301 
 
 kingly authority of Christ Jesus, and a means of 
 setting up another king or captain to lead us back- 
 ward, in the steps we have taken from Babylon, to- 
 wards it again. May God of his rich grace, there- 
 fore, preserve these churches from any such degener- 
 acies ! 
 
 " It is evident, indeed, that great pains are taken 
 to draw our people, especially our inconsiderate 
 young people, who are too unmindful of the King 
 and God of their fathers, from their love and attach- 
 ment to those first principles of these churches, 
 which I have been explaining and enforcing : but, as 
 Naboth said to Ahab -concerning his vineyard, in 
 1 Kings 21: 3, < The Lord forbid it me, that I 
 should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee ; ' 
 even so it is fit, that we should say to such as would 
 entice us to part with the pure order of these 
 churches, this was our father's inheritance ; and God 
 forbid, that any should persuade us to give up our 
 inestimable rights ; for the very thought of parting 
 with them is shocking. 
 
 " Dear people, the liberties which have been chal- 
 lenged for you, are the same as the brethren in the 
 times of primitive Christianity enjoyed for hundreds 
 of years together : and, whatever specious pretences 
 some may make to the contrary, the dispossessing 
 of the brethren of these their valuable liberties, was 
 a considerable instance of the Romish apostasy. 
 And, indeed, they have but a slender acquaintance 
 with ecclesiastical history, who do not know, that 
 the rise of Popery was owing to the people's tamely 
 giving up their rights and privileges, either through 
 
 26
 
 302 CONGKEGATIONALISM. 
 
 ignorance or imprudence, to the clergy ; who unrea- 
 sonably engrossed to themselves, and grasped in 
 their own clutches, all things in the churches that 
 were of any worth and importance. 
 
 " There 'can be no doubt, that there are many who 
 are sworn and inveterate enemies to the pure order 
 in these churches : and, besides these, we have rea- 
 son to think that there are many false friends to it ; 
 by which sort, I mean those that pretend some re- 
 gard to the order of the gospel in these churches, but 
 yet, at the same time, would gladly subvert it. And 
 it is well, if there are not sundry ministers in these 
 churches, who are disaffected to it : for, as Luther 
 has somewhere remarked concerning religion : Nun- 
 quam magis periclltur quam inter reverendisslmos ; so 
 it may be said in respect to the order in these 
 churches ; probably it may be in most danger from 
 some of the reverend body. But, surely, all such in 
 these churches are very unadvised and blameworthy ; 
 and, if they are not duly sensible of the tendency of 
 their disaffection and undertakings, it is a pity but 
 their brethren should be, and carefully guard against 
 them. 
 
 " And, in fine, much honored and entirely beloved 
 churches ; be pleased to accept of this attempt of 
 one, the most unworthy of your sons ; who, being 
 set for the defence of the order of the gospel among 
 you, has endeavored to illustrate and confirm that 
 order in its primitive purity for your advantage. 
 And wherein he has failed of giving the true sense 
 of his and your fathers though from a diligent 
 search of their meaning he has endeavored it be
 
 ITS ADVANTAGES. 303 
 
 pleased to impute it to human frailty and undesigned 
 mistaking ; for into these alone his failing must be 
 resolved. 
 
 " Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas." * 
 
 * Samuel Mather's Apology for the Liberties of the Churches in 
 N. E. p. 142-146. Published 1738. 
 
 
 

 
 <IA 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 

 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 [!N the forms of letters, votes, etc. given in the following pages, I 
 shall not of course be understood as settling the precise form in any 
 given case ; or, as intimating that a hundred other modes of expression 
 may not be equally proper. But, having had occasion to know that 
 intelligent church members, and even young ministers, are often at a 
 loss how to express themselves suitably in communications of this de- 
 scription, I have thought that some brief forms would be acceptable, 
 as guides to the general style, etc. of these documents. I have studied 
 brevity, for obvious reasons : should any judge these forms too skel- 
 eton-like, they can clothe them to their taste.] 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 LETTER MISSIVE FROM PERSONS WISHING TO BE ORGANIZED 
 INTO A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 
 
 -,18. 
 
 To the Congregational Church of Christ in , 
 
 Reverend and Beloved, 
 
 Whereas the Great Head of the Church has disposed a 
 
 number of persons in the town of , to unite together, 
 
 for public worship and the celebration of religious ordi- 
 nances, under a Congregational form of church government, 
 the undersigned, in behalf of their brethren, respectfully so- 
 licit your attendance, by your Rev. pastor and delegate, at 
 
 26 * ( 305 )
 
 306 APPENDIX. 
 
 , on the of , at o'clock, to take into 
 
 consideration the propriety of organizing us into a Congre- 
 gational Church of Christ ; and, should it be deemed expe- 
 dient, to assist in the appropriate services of such an occa- 
 sion. 
 
 Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, from God the 
 Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, we subscribe ourselves, 
 Yours in the gospel, 
 
 ' I Committee of 
 ' C Arrangements. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 CALL FROM A CHURCH TO A PASTOR-ELECT. 
 
 To Mr.* [or, the Rev. Mr. ,] 
 
 The undersigned, a committee of the Congregational 
 
 church of Christ in , Avould respectfully submit to 
 
 your consideration the following votes of the church : 
 
 " At a regular meeting of the Congregational church in 
 , on the day of , 
 
 Voted, That the members of this church are entirely sat- 
 isfied with the piety, orthodoxy, and ministerial qualifications 
 of Mr. [or Rev. Mr. , as the case may be]. 
 
 [The state of the votes should be given, whether unan- 
 imous, or by what majority.] 
 
 Voted, That Mr. be invited to become the pastor 
 
 and teacher of this church. 
 
 Voted, That brethren A, B, and C, be a committee to 
 communicate these votes to Mr. , and to make other 
 
 * If the pastor-elect has not been ordained, it is proper to address 
 him as Mr. and not Rev.
 
 APPENDIX. 307 
 
 arrangements which may be necessary to carry out the 
 wishes of the church in relation to the premises.* 
 
 , Moderator. 
 
 , Clerk." 
 
 The committee are happy to say, that an entire unanim- 
 ity of feeling [or as the case may be] prevails in the parish, 
 in reference to your settlement among us. The doings of 
 the society will accompany this communication. 
 
 And now, dear sir, permit us personally, and in behalf of 
 the church which we represent, to express our earnest desire 
 that you will accept of our invitation to the pastoral office 
 among us, and name an early day for the ordination [or 
 installation] services. 
 
 Praying that God would guide you to a favorable decision, 
 we subscribe ourselves, in behalf of the church, 
 Your brethren in Christ, 
 
 ' {the Church. 
 
 18. 
 
 Committee of 
 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 LETTER MISSIVE FOR AN ORDAINING COUNCIL. 
 
 The Church of Christ in , to the Church of Christ in 
 
 , Sendeth Greeting. 
 
 The Great Head of the Church having kindly united the 
 hearts of this church, and the congregation statedly wor- 
 
 * The other things referred to here, are the calling of a parish, or 
 society meeting, for the purpose of concurring with the church and 
 fixing the salary, etc. 
 
 It would be equally proper to have the church vote " a call " to the 
 candidate, embodying the substance of the votes and the statements 
 of the committee.
 
 308 APPENDIX. 
 
 shipping with us, in the choice of Mr. [or Rev. as the 
 
 case may be] for our pastor and teacher, and he having ac- 
 cepted our invitation to settle with us in the gospel ministry, 
 and suitable provision having been made for his temporal 
 support we affectionately solicit your attendance, by pastor 
 
 and delegate, at , on the day of next, at 
 
 o'clock in the , to assist in the examination of the 
 
 candidate; and, if judged proper, in the ordination services. 
 May grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied unto you all. 
 Your brethren in Christ, 
 
 Committee of 
 the Church. 
 
 The other churches invited to sit in council, are 
 
 [here name them.] 
 
 Rev. Mr. and delegate will please call upon Mr. 
 
 for entertainment. 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 LETTER OF INTRODUCTION. 
 
 To whom it may concern. 
 
 This may certify, that the bearer, Mr. , is a 
 
 member in regular standing of the Congregational church 
 
 in . Expecting to be absent from us for some months, 
 
 and desiring Christian intercourse during his absence, he 
 has requested a letter of introduction to any church of 
 Christ with which he may wish to commune ; he is, there- 
 fore, hereby affectionately recommended to the occasional 
 communion and fellowship of any who love our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 , Pastor of the Cong. Chh. 
 
 [or, Clerk, as the case may le.~\ 
 
 , ,18-.
 
 APPENDIX. 309 
 
 [This sort of letter does not require a vote of the church. 
 The pastor, or if the church has no pastor, the moderator 
 or stated clerk may give such a letter as this. No member 
 should leave the place of his residence for any considerable 
 number of weeks without taking such a letter.] 
 
 No. 5. 
 
 LETTER OF DISMISSION AND RECOMMENDATION. 
 
 The Congregational Church in , to the Congrega- 
 tional Church in . 
 
 Reverend and Beloved, 
 
 The bearer, , a member of this church in 
 
 regular standing, having requested a letter of dismission 
 and recommendation to you, the church have voted the 
 same. When received by you, his particular relation to 
 us will be considered at an end. 
 
 Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, 
 
 We are yours in the Lord, in behalf of the church, 
 
 , Pastor. 
 
 Church Clerk. 
 
 18. 
 
 No. 6. 
 
 LETTER MISSIVE FOR A DISMISSING COUNCIL. 
 
 The Congregational Church in , to the Congregational 
 
 Church in , Sendeth Greeting. 
 
 Whereas difficulties have arisen among us, which seem to 
 render the dissolution of the pastoral connection between the 
 
 Rev. Mr. and this church desirable, [or this church 
 
 having become impoverished by deaths and removals, so as
 
 310 APPENDIX. 
 
 to be unable any longer to sustain the ministry among us ; 
 or, whatever the case may be] we respectfully request 
 the advice of your Rev. pastor and a delegate, in relation to 
 the question, Whether, under existing circumstances, this 
 connection ought not to be sundered ? 
 
 [Time and place of the meeting.] 
 In the bonds of the Gospel, we are yours, 
 
 , Pastor. 
 
 , Clerk, or Oomm. of the Chh. 
 
 [Date.] 
 
 P. S. [Place of entertainment. Other churches invited.] 
 
 No. 7. 
 
 LETTER MISSIVE FROM A CHURCH AND AN AGGRIEVED 
 BROTHER OR BRETHREN, FOR A MUTUAL COUNCIL. 
 
 The Congregational Church in , to the Congregational 
 
 Church in . 
 
 Rev. and Beloved, 
 
 This church have recently felt it their painful duty to 
 exclude from their fellowship Mr. , for [heretical senti- 
 ments, disorderly walk, or unchristian conduct or all, or 
 either, as the case may be] ; and, though a majority [or a 
 large majority] are persuaded of the propriety and scriptural 
 
 correctness of the course pursued, yet, as Mr. feels 
 
 himself aggrieved and injured by our act, and some of our 
 brethren are not altogether satisfied we have thought 
 proper to yield to his and their earnest request, that the 
 advice of a mutual council might be taken. To the end, 
 then, that all things may be done to the edification of the 
 body of Christ, we respectfully invite you,- by your Rev. 
 
 pastor and delegate, to meet in council, on , at 
 
 o'clock, at , to review the doings of this church, and to 
 
 give us such advice as your Christian wisdom may suggest.
 
 APPENDIX. 311 
 
 May the blessing of the great Head of the Church be 
 with you all. 
 
 Yours, in the Gospel, 
 
 : , Pastor. 
 
 , Clerk, or Committee. 
 
 The subscriber [or subscribers] unites in the above re- 
 quest. , The Aggrieved. 
 
 , , 18. 
 
 P. S. The other churches invited are 
 
 Rev. Mr. and delegate will find accommodations at 
 
 the house of Mr. . 
 
 No. 8. 
 
 LETTER MISSIVE FROM AN EXCOMMUNICATED INDIVIDUAL, 
 ASKING FOR AN EX PARTE COUNCIL. 
 
 To the Congregational Church in 
 
 The undersigned feeling himself aggrieved by the recent 
 
 action of the Congregational Church in , and having 
 
 solemnly protested against their proceedings, and earnestly 
 solicited them to unite with him in asking advice of a 
 mutual council, but without success, begs leave to lay before 
 an ex parte council the following brief outline of the 
 charges made against him, and of the proceedings of the 
 church in reference to them. [Here may follow the 
 charges, an account of the doings of the church, and a dis- 
 tinct annunciation of the several particulars in respect to 
 which the church are believed to have erred.] In view of 
 the whole case which I have endeavored fairly to state 
 may I not confidently ask the aid of your Eev. pastor and a 
 delegate, to sit in council with others, and investigate the 
 case submitted, and advise in the premises ? 
 With sentiments of Christian regard, I am 
 yours in affliction,
 
 312 APPENDIX. 
 
 P. S. The other churches sent to, are . The coun- 
 cil are desired to meet at on , at 
 
 o'clock. 
 
 [Date, &c. &c.] 
 
 No. 9. 
 
 LETTER MISSIVE FOR A MUTUAL COUNCIL. 
 
 The Congregational Church in , to the Congregational 
 
 Church in , 
 
 Rev. and Beloved, 
 
 Difficulties having arisen between the pastor and sundry 
 members of this church, in the adjustment of which we feel 
 our need of your counsel, this is to invite your attendance, 
 by pastor and delegate, at a mutual council, to be held at 
 
 , on day of , at o'clock, to advise us 
 
 respecting the following matters, namely : [Here let every 
 material point in the case be mentioned distinctly ; as the 
 church send their pastor and delegate to act upon these 
 points, and none others, the letter missive being the war- 
 rant on which the assembled council proceed] ; and such 
 other incidental matters as may grow out of these main 
 points of difficulty between us. 
 
 "Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, 
 We subscribe ourselves yours, 
 
 , Pastor. 
 
 , Comm. of the Chh. 
 
 , , 18 
 
 P. S. The Rev. Mr. and delegate will be accom- 
 modated at the house of Mr. .
 
 APPENDIX. 313 
 
 No. 10. 
 
 LETTER MISSIVE FOR AN EX PARTE COUNCIL. 
 
 [The same form may be used as for a mutual council, 
 with this exception : It must be distinctly stated, that a 
 mutual council has been proposed by the inviting party, and 
 been rejected by the other, party. No church should send 
 their pastor and delegate, to assist in an ex parte council, 
 unless assured that a mutual, has been first proposed and 
 refused. 
 
 The letter will be signed, of course, only by the sending 
 party the pastor of the church, or the aggrieved brother 
 or brethren, as the case may be. 
 
 The names of the invited churches should always be 
 given, that every church may know with whom it is ex- 
 pected to associate in council.] 
 
 No. 11. 
 
 MINUTES OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL. 
 
 [It is important that these be accurately and intelligibly 
 made, as they should be placed among the records of the 
 church which calls the council, and should also be preserved 
 by the scribe of the council for future reference. Some- 
 thing like the following form may be adopted : ] 
 
 Minutes of an Ecclesiastical Council held at A , 
 
 , 18 , for the purpose of [here state the object.] 
 
 Pursuant to letters missive from the Congregational 
 
 church in A , the pastors and delegates of the following 
 
 churches assembled at : 
 
 27
 
 314 APPENDIX. 
 
 From the Congregational Church in B , Rev. 
 
 , Pastor, Brother, , Delegate. 
 
 [Giving each church in alphabetical order. 3 
 
 The brethren were called to order by the Rev. , who 
 
 read the letter missive. 
 
 The council was then organized by choosing Rev. 
 
 , Moderator, and Rev. , Scribe. 
 
 After prayer by the moderator, the council proceeded to 
 business. 
 
 [Here should follow a brief statement of the proceed- 
 ings, with notices of adjournments, devotional services, etc. 
 If the council are called to assist in adjusting difficulties in 
 the church, these should be succinctly, but clearly stated ; 
 and the decision of the council upon each successive point 
 given. In a word the scribe should endeavor to give a 
 distinct outline of the case . submitted to the council, and 
 their treatment of the same. This document, after being 
 carefully read and corrected by the council, should, if nec- 
 essary, be rewritten, and then subscribed by the moderator 
 and scribe, in the name of the council. 
 
 RESULT OF COUNCII- 
 
 Sometimes it is deemed expedient to appoint a committee 
 to embody in what is called a Result of Council, the case 
 submitted and the action of the council upon the same ; and 
 if so, the entries of the scribe may be of a more general 
 nature. Sometimes the labor of making out a Result is 
 assigned to the scribe ; and an assistant is appointed to per- 
 form the ordinary work of keeping minutes, etc.]
 
 APPENDIX. 315 
 
 No. 12. 
 
 The Congregational CJiurch in , to the Council who 
 
 may assemble to organize Congregational Church in 
 
 Rev. and Beloved, 
 
 This may certify you, that the bearer, , [where 
 
 there are several persons going from the same church, their 
 names may be all put into one letter] has for some time 
 been a member, in good standing, of the Congregational 
 
 church in . Proposing to unite in forming a new 
 
 church, to be called , he has asked a letter of dis- 
 mission and recommendation for this purpose. We therefore 
 heartily commend him to your Christian confidence, as a 
 brother beloved in the Lord ; and if received and recognized 
 
 by you as a member of the church his particular 
 
 connection with us will be considered at an end. 
 
 Craving God's blessing on your proceedings, we subscribe 
 ourselves, yours in the fellowship of the Gospel, in behalf of 
 the church, , Pastor. 
 
 , Clerk. 
 , , 18. 
 
 No. 13. 
 
 DISCIPLINE OF A PASTOR BY HIS CHURCH. 
 
 Note to pages 188, 209. 
 
 It may be proper to apprise the reader, who is not 
 already familiar with the fact, that those churches and min- 
 isters who adopt the Consociational system, generally deny 
 the right of a church to discipline its pastor.
 
 316 APPENDIX. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Mitchell, in his Guide to the Principles 
 and Practices of the Congregational Churches of New Eng- 
 land, (p. 236,) says : " A church would, in most cases, find 
 it a most embarrassing business, to undertake the discipline 
 of its minister. It is wisely relieved from such a duty." 
 And, again, (p. 235, note,) " I do not see how a church in 
 such circumstances, (i. e., in case a pastor becomes hereti- 
 cal or scandalous,) or at least, in certain supposable circum- 
 stances, can act in its collective capacity at all. Who is to 
 convene the church ? and who is to preside ? The pastor 
 may refuse to convene it; and if it do convene, may claim 
 to act as its moderator by virtue of his office, ( Cambridge 
 Platform, ch. X. 8,) and in that capacity, if he be a bad 
 man, may effectually embarrass its proceedings." 
 
 It may be replied to these objections : that there is 
 scarcely any end to the difficulties which " a bad man," 
 whether he be a minister or a layman, may throw in the 
 way of church discipline. It is in vain to think of guard- 
 ing against all " supposable " difficulties. A minister bad 
 enough, or mad enough, to insist upon embarrassing and 
 interrupting the orderly proceedings of a church, under such 
 circumstances, would expose himself to legal process, for 
 disturbing a religious meeting; and a church would be jus- 
 tified in having him arrested and put under bonds for his 
 good behavior, while they proceeded under the moderator- 
 ship of the senior deacon, or some one chosen for the occa- 
 sion, to examine the charges against their pastor. And this 
 would be no invasion of the pastor's rights ; for, so soon as 
 a regular charge against a pastor is laid before a church, 
 and the church vote to examine that charge, their pastor is, 
 virtually, suspended from the exercise of his pastoral office, 
 and his right to moderate the church, for the time being, 
 ceases.
 
 APPENDIX. 317 
 
 CHURCH-MEMBERSHIP OF PASTORS. 
 
 Connected with this question, respecting the right and 
 power of a Congregational church to discipline its pastor, 
 is another, namely : Ought a minister to be a member of the 
 church of winch lie is pastor? Those who deny the disci- 
 plinary authority of a church over a pastor, take of course, 
 in order to be consistent, the negative of the question. Mr. 
 Mitchell says (p. 237) : " It is insisted on by some, that a 
 minister shall be a member of the church of which he is 
 the pastor ; and subject, ' like any other member,' to its 
 watch and discipline. But neither the reasons, nor the 
 passages from Scripture, which are adduced in support of 
 the position, are satisfactory ; and by the great majority of 
 the denomination it is not, I believe, admitted." Again 
 (p. 238) : " It seems inconsistent with the relations the pas- 
 tor sustains to the church, as one whom the Holy Ghost 
 hath made its overseer, and with the respect which is re- 
 quired to be paid to him for his office sake, that he should 
 be subject to its watch and oversight, in the same manner, 
 as any other member." And again (p. 241) : " Leave a 
 minister to the watch and discipline of his peers. This is 
 the common privilege of the brotherhood, and ought to be 
 his." 
 
 The unsettled state of every thing connected with the 
 pastoral office for some years past, has undoubtedly intro- 
 duced irregularities into the practice of our denomination 
 upon this point, as well as upon many others. In many 
 cases, the pastoral connection is now formed with the under- 
 standing that it will be short-lived. A stipulation is often 
 made that the connection may be dissolved, by either party, 
 the church or the pastor, giving the other three months' 
 notice. In other cases, a settlement is made for a stipulated 
 number of years, Jive being a favorite number. The sys- 
 27*
 
 318 APPENDIX. 
 
 tern of rotation has thus been pretty thoroughly introduced 
 into the pastoral office. Our pastors have become travelling 
 preachers. In the county where the writer was located, 
 there were thirty-one Congregational churches. A settle- 
 ment of thirteen years, gave him the painful opportunity of 
 witnessing overturns in thirty of these thirty-one churches. 
 There was but one church in the county, besides his own, 
 which had not changed pastors during the time, and many 
 of them repeatedly. Now, if this is a specimen of the state 
 of things in our churches generally, can we wonder, that the 
 practice of our denomination should be opposed to the ad- 
 mission of ministers as members of the churches of which 
 they are pastors ? In this unsettled state of things, it is 
 natural that the churches should be inattentive to the 
 church-membership of their pastors ; and as natural for our 
 pastors to wish to retain their connection with the churches 
 with which they originally united by profession. But, it 
 was not always so in New England ; * and our principles, as 
 well as the early practice of our churches, are diametrically 
 opposed to this innovation. 
 
 And it is believed that even now the pastors of most of 
 our best regulated and most stable Congregational churches, 
 out of Connecticut, will be found to be members of their 
 own churches. And what is there in this relation inconsist- 
 ent with the " respect which is required to be paid to a pas- 
 tor, for his office' sake ? " Nothing more than in the ac- 
 countability of a presiding officer of a legislative assembly 
 to the rules of that body. As church members, ministers 
 and laymen are on equal footing: they are alike accountable 
 to the laws of Christ's kingdom. The administration of 
 these laws is intrusted to the church, as such ; and not to 
 any ether association of men, however wise or good. A 
 
 * See Mather's Ratio, p. 167-169.
 
 APPENDIX. 319 
 
 church has no more right to delegate the duty of disciplining 
 any of its members ta other hands, than it has to delegate to 
 others any other Christian duty. 
 
 Prof. Upham, in his "Ratio Disciplines," (p. 167,) says: 
 " It is settled, both in principle and practice, that the minis- 
 ter is accountable to his church ; and in the first place, in 
 virtue of his church-membership. According to Congrega- 
 tional usage, no person becomes and remains the minister 
 [pastor?] of a church, without also transferring his relation- 
 ship, and becoming a member of the same. The reasons of 
 this are various ; but one undoubtedly is, that he may feel 
 himself subject to the needful restraint of its watch and 
 discipline." 
 
 Mr. Mitchell intimates, that Prof. Upham has been " mis- 
 led by some of the early writers whom he consulted." If 
 so, the soundest and most learned writers of the denomina- 
 tion are unsafe guides. "The Cambridge Platform," 
 " Cotton's Way of the Churches in New England," * " Cot- 
 ton's Book of the Keys," | " Thomas Hooker," \ " Mather's 
 Apology," and " Mather's Ratio Discipline," all maintain 
 this doctrine. 
 
 Cotton Mather's words are : " When a pastor has fallen 
 into scandal, the brethren that are acquainted with it, pro- 
 ceed as they would with another In-other in such cases ; only 
 with more special terms of respect and repetition of ad- 
 dresses, as the relation of a father may call for." || 
 
 The Cambridge Platform, ch. 10, 6, speaking of an 
 incorrigibly offending elder, says : " as the church had 
 power to call him to office so have they power, according to 
 order, (the council of the churches, where it may be had, 
 directing thereto,) to remove him from his office : and being 
 
 * See p. 99-102. 
 
 t " Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven," p. 31, 41-43, 
 } See Part I. p. 51, 52, 155, 192 ; Part II. p. 68. 
 || See Mather's Ratio, p. 162-165.
 
 320 APPENDIX. 
 
 now but a member, in case he add contumacy to his sin, the 
 church that had power to receive him into their fellowship, 
 hath also the same power to cast him out, that they have 
 concerning any other member." 
 
 It is an important principle of Congregationalism, that 
 the call of the church, and the acceptance of the same by 
 the pastor elect, constitute the pastoral relation to any par- 
 ticular church. The ordination is only the induction into 
 office of the individual, who, by virtue of his election, is en- 
 titled to that office. 
 
 In ch. 9, 2, of the Platform, we read : " This ordina- 
 tion we account nothing else but the solemn putting of a 
 man into his place and office in the church, lohereunto he 
 had right before by election ; being like the installing of a 
 magistrate in the commonwealth. Ordination therefore is 
 not to go before but to follow election. The essence and 
 substance of the outward calling of an ordinary officer in 
 the church, doth not consist in his ordination, but in his vol- 
 untary and free election by the church, and his accepting of 
 that election ; whereupon is founded that relation between 
 pastor and flock, between such a minister and such a people. 
 Ordination doth not constitute an officer, nor give him the es- 
 sentials of his office. The apostles were elders without impo- 
 sition of hands by men ; Paul and Barnabas were officers 
 before that imposition of hands. Acts 13: 3. The pos- 
 terity of Levi were priests and Levites, before hands were 
 laid on them by the children of Israel. Numbers 8 : 10. 
 Acts 6: 5, 6. 13: 2, 3. 14: 23. 1 Tim. 4: 14. 5: 22." 
 
 Cotton Mather, in speaking of the doctrines of the fathers 
 of New England, says : " They reckoned not ordination to 
 be essential unto the vocation of a minister, any more than 
 coronation to the being of a king : but that it is only a con- 
 sequent and convenient adjunct of his vocation, and a sol- 
 emn acknowledgment of it, with an useful and proper bene- 
 diction of him in it." Magnolia, Vol. II. p. 208. See
 
 APPENDIX. 321 
 
 also, T. Hooker's Survey, P. II. p. 60 ; Calvin's Inst. B. IV. 
 c. 3, 10 ; Milton 's " Animadversions upon the Remon- 
 strants Defence" etc. ut sup. p. 193, note. 
 
 The principle here recognized, puts the power of disci- 
 pline into the hands of the church : and this is clearly the 
 right of the church. No other body has been invested with 
 power by Christ to open and shut the doors of the church 
 to discipline offenders against the laws of his kingdom. In 
 ch. 8, 7, of the Platform, it is said : " If the church have 
 power to choose their officers and ministers, then, in case of 
 manifest unworthiness and delinquency, they have power 
 also to depose them : for to open and shut, to choose and re- 
 fuse, to constitute in office and remove from office, are acts 
 belonging to the same power." Speaking of the power and 
 right of a church to discipline, and even depose its pastor, 
 the learned and excellent Samuel Mather, in his Apology, 
 etc., says : " It is entirely just and reasonable that particu- 
 lar churches should have this power : for they are ecclesias- 
 tical societies confederate, that is to say, they are churches, 
 before they have officers, and even without them. And, al- 
 though they may be in such a state as this, yet even then a 
 subordinate ecclesiastical power is under our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and by Him delegated unto them : so that, having 
 the nature 'and essence of a church, as they surely have, 
 they may act as' such : and, as it is natural to all societies 
 and bodies whatsoever to preserve themselves, the churches 
 of Christ also are doubtless furnished with sufficient power 
 for their own preservation and comfortable subsistence. It 
 follows, therefore, that, if the elder of a particular church 
 should be found guilty of maladministration, and break in 
 upon the known and fundamental privileges which every 
 Christian society has in common with other societies, that 
 particular church may and ought, from a sacred regard to 
 the law of self-preservation, to depose such an arbitrary and
 
 322 APPENDIX. 
 
 tyrannical elder, if upon their admonitions lie do not repent 
 and give them satisfaction. 
 
 " Nor indeed can it well be disputed, that the churches in 
 the days of pi'imitive Christianity were possessed of this most 
 valuable right and privilege, when there are such testimonies 
 in the ancient approved writers, which fully demonstrate 
 it. It is as clear as the light, from that deservedly pi'ized 
 remain of antiquity, CLEMENT'S first Epistle to the Corin- 
 thians, which is worthy of frequent citations from it, that 
 the church of Corinth at that time, had, and exercised this 
 privilege. For, he says to them in that epistle, ' We per- 
 ceive that ye have removed some, who have performed their 
 office well, from the ministry which they were thought to de- 
 serve, as having no fault to be found with them : Ye are too 
 contentious, brethren, and too hot about these things which 
 appertain not to salvation' Now, is it not very plain from 
 these passages, that the Corinthians had deposed and laid 
 aside their ministers, merely because, in lesser or disputable 
 points, their judgments did not please them ? 'Tis true the 
 good CLEMENT blames them, and it must be confessed that 
 they deserved to be blamed, for casting off those persons w ho 
 had holily and unUamably performed the duties of their Epis- 
 copacy : But, CLEMENT never twits or blames them at all 
 for exercising a power which did not belong to them : no, 
 far from it. All that he faults them for, and indeed all that 
 can be objected against them is, that they exercised the 
 power, of which they were possessed, in an irregular man- 
 ner, when the occasion did not require it. 
 
 " And it is also certain, that the particular churches of 
 our LORD JESUS CHRIST, enjoyed this privilege, at least 
 until the two hundred and fifty-eighth year after CHRIST : 
 For, in that year, a Synod convened, in which CYPRIAN 
 presided : And that Synod approved and commended the 
 proceedings of some churches who had deposed their bih-
 
 APPENDIX. 323 
 
 ops, upon the application of those churches to the synod in 
 order to obtain their opinion concerning their conduct. As 
 for CYPRIAN'S own judgment in this matter, it may easily be 
 seen by reading some of his epistles : For, in one of his 
 epistles, he expressly acknowledges, that in his time the 
 people had the power, as of choosing worthy ministers, so like- 
 wise of refusing and casting off those who were not so ; and 
 in another epistle, he affirms, that this power belongs to the 
 church, and that it was given to the church by divine author- 
 ity. And the learned OIIIGEN, was of the same mind : For 
 he freely declared to his people, ' If I seem to you to be a 
 right hand, and am called a Presbyter and seem to preach 
 the word of God ; yet if I shall do any thing contrary to 
 ecclesiastical discipline and the rule of the gospel, so that I 
 give scandal or offence to the church, let the whole church 
 conspire, and with one consent cut me off, although I am 
 their right hand.' And this right and liberty of the breth- 
 ren for which we plead, is so fully represented by CYPRIAN, 
 and so strongly proved to belong to them, from passages 
 which he urges out of the Old and New Testament, that I 
 shall refer you unto him : In the mean time, I cannot but 
 transcribe a few sentences from him. ' For this cause,' says 
 he, ' the people obedient to the commands of the Lord, and 
 fearing God, ought to separate themselves from a wicked 
 bishop : For they principally have the power of choosing 
 worthy priests and rejecting the unworthy, which comes 
 from divine authority.' Nor, may I omit the testimony of 
 the prodigiously learned GROTIUS, with reference to this 
 right of the people in the early ages of Christianity : Now 
 he testifies, that it was not only the right of the people to 
 flee and avoid an unfaithful pastor, but that such a pastor, 
 by virtue of the sentence against him, lost his pastoral 
 right, and whatsoever of that kind was once ascribed unto 
 him. 
 
 " To conclude ; as JESUS CHRIST has made these church-
 
 324 APPENDIX. 
 
 es free in this liberty, it is to be hoped, that they will stand 
 fast in it, as occasion shall require, nor suffer their pastors 
 under their maladministrations, to deprive them of it." * 
 
 If it be objected, that the authorities cited are ancient, and 
 that modern Congregationalists have adopted different views 
 and practice; I beg leave to refer to a sermon, published in 
 1826, by that close reasoner and consistent Congregational- 
 ist, Dr. Emmons ; entitled " The Platform of Ecclesiastical 
 Government, established by the Lord Jesus Christ." At 
 page 16th he says: "If every church be formed by confed- 
 eration, and has an independent right to exercise all ecclesi- 
 astical power, [as he had before shown] then they have a 
 right to dismiss their own minister, whenever they judge he 
 has forfeited his ministerial character. Those who have a 
 right to put into office, have a right to put out of office. 
 The church either puts their minister into office, or delegates 
 power to a neighboring minister to do it for them, which is 
 the same thing as doing it themselves. Therefore, as neigh- 
 boring ministers could not place a pastor over them without 
 their consent, so they [the neighboring ministers] cannot put 
 away or dismiss their pastor without their consent. The 
 voice of the church must always be had in every act of disci- 
 pline. Now, if a council cannot dismiss a minister without 
 the consent of the church, then it clearly appears, that the 
 right of dismission belongs solely to the church, who may dis- 
 miss their minister without the advice, or contrary to the 
 advice of a council, if they think he has forfeited his minis- 
 terial character ; but not otherwise." 
 
 None who know the character of Dr. Emmons and 
 who is there that does not know it will question his com- 
 petency to give an opinion of what is essential to sound 
 
 * Sec Mather's " Apology for the Liberties of the Churches of New Eng- 
 land," p. 81-85. F. Johnson maintained the same doctrine. Han- 
 bury, Vol. I. p. 242. Also, Hanbury, p. 94 ; Ainsworth and others.
 
 APPENDIX. 325 
 
 Congregationalism. Throughout his discourse, he insists, 
 that all ecclesiastical power is vested in each duly constitu- 
 ted church, by Jesus Christ, the head of the church. The 
 church is the ultimate appeal in all cases of discipline, and 
 has an undoubted right to perform all necessary acts of dis- 
 cipline. " It is at the option and discretion of any particu- 
 lar church, whether they shall, or shall not ask counsel in 
 any case of church discipline, and if they do ask counsel of 
 others, their advice is only advisory, which they have a right 
 to accept or rej^taT Discourse, p. 15, 1C. 
 
 The above attracts go to show, that the doctrine main- 
 tained in these pages, has the countenance of one of the 
 most distinguished Congregational divines of modern days ; 
 as well as the support of ancient authorities. 
 
 If we may erect a distinct tribunal to try ministers, we 
 need but one step more, and the power of disciplining any 
 member is taken from the church. Every minister must be 
 either a member of the church of which he is pastor, or of 
 some other church. To that church of which he is a mem- 
 ber, he is amenable ; and to the discipline of that church he 
 is subject, just as much as any other member; otherwise, we 
 have the anomaly of a church, professing to believe itself 
 empowered to discipline its members, having within its 
 bosom one, at least, over whom it has no disciplinary power. 
 As a church member every minister stands on precisely the 
 same ground as every other member does ; he is amenable 
 to the ^ame laws ; and his official character cannot, will 
 not shield him. As a church member he has no rights or 
 immunities which other members have not. His supe- 
 riority over the church is official merely, he is chief 
 among equals. 
 
 It is objected, that every man should be tried by his 
 "peers" If pastors are to be tried by their "peers," by 
 whom are the deacons to be tried ? have not they the same 
 28
 
 326 APPENDIX. 
 
 claim to exemption from church jurisdiction that the other 
 officers of the church have ? 
 
 If it be further objected, that the church is much more 
 liable to be swayed by prejudice, than an association of 
 clergymen : it may be answered, that a pastor may have the 
 advice of a council, if he desire it ; and has, therefore, as 
 complete protection from injury as any of his lay brethren ; 
 and more than this he cannot reasonably ask. 
 
 Presbyterians and Episcopalians object to Congregation- 
 alism, that it does not give ministers suffigjent power. Dr. 
 Campbell says, we " have gone to an extreme, though " 
 as he honestly admits " not the most common extreme, in 
 bringing the pastoral authority too low." Lecture 6, p. 91. 
 My own humble labors have been criticized, for not suffi- 
 ciently guarding against the encroachments of the people on 
 the rights of the ministry. In reference to this objection, 
 we answer : That we give to ministers all the authority 
 which the New Testament gives them. We acknowledge 
 them to be bishops or overseers of their respective churches; 
 to be guides (r^ov^sroi) to their churches ; and governors 
 (nno'iGTUiizvoi presidents) in them. And we maintain, that 
 the churches are bound to " remember them which have the 
 rule over them," or are their guides ; " to knoiv" i. e. re- 
 spectfully and affectionately to regard, "them which are over 
 [them] (TtQOiGrunevovg) in the Lord, and to esteem them 
 very highly in love for their work's sake ; " to " obey them 
 which have the rule over [them] and submit them- 
 selves]." 
 
 Still, we cannot conceal from the churches, if we would, 
 the fact that their submission and obedience to their pastors 
 are to be based on the conformity of these overseers, guides, 
 and presidents, to the requisitions of the gospel ; or, in 
 other words, that the churches are bound to obey and sub- 
 mit themselves to their ecclesiastical rulers, no further than
 
 APPENDIX. 327 
 
 these rulers conform to the Word of God. As officers, 
 they preside over the churches they are presidents, but 
 not monarchs, nor tyrants ; and while they act worthily of 
 their office, they are respected and obeyed. They are 
 guides to be followed, not blindfold, but in the light of truth ; 
 and when they cease to walk in that light, they have no 
 further claim upon the obedience of the people. And what 
 more can we give to the pastors, without intrenching upon 
 the free spirit of the Gospel Institution ? 
 
 Is it objected, that the churches are made judges of their 
 pastor's conformity to the gospel standard ? And pray who 
 should be, if not the churches ? Not the ministers them- 
 selves, surely ! For this would make them the most abso- 
 lute despots. Not neighboring ministers solely ; for this 
 would destroy the independence of the churches. The rights 
 of private judgment in matters of faith, will not certainly be 
 denied by any consistent Protestant : with what propriety 
 then can individual churches be denied the right of deciding, 
 from the Word of God, whether their pastors and spiritual 
 guides and overseers conform in their disciplinary measures 
 to this infallible standard ? It is freely admitted, that the 
 authority of a Congregational pastor in the government and 
 general direction of the affairs of his church, very much de- 
 pends upon his personal integrity, wisdom, piety, and careful 
 conformity to the principles of church government laid down 
 in the New Testament. And these are the best foundations 
 for all authority : they most effectually insure the integrity, 
 and piety, and humility of the ministry, while they guard 
 the individual rights of the churches. Indeed, we see not 
 how we can give to the pastors of churches founded on such 
 principles as ours are, greater power over the churches. We 
 must either govern by brute force, by hierarchal machinery, 
 or by moral power. We reject the two first, as inconsist- 
 ent with the spirit of Christianity : we have only the last 
 remaining. Dr. Campbell is honest enough to admit this ;
 
 328 APPENDIX. 
 
 and by his admission answer his own objection to Congrega- 
 tionalism, " of bringing the pastoral authority too low." For 
 he adds : " it is however certain, that when authority of any 
 kind is unattended with what are commonly called coercive 
 measures, or the power of the sword, and unsupported by 
 temporal splendor, or worldly sanctions, it is impossible to 
 preserve it otherwise amongst an enlightened people, than 
 by purity of character in those vested with it, and by dili- 
 gence in the discharge of the duties of their station." Lee. 
 vi. p. 91. 
 
 Sound Congregational principles and practice, then, are 
 decidedly opposed to the doctrine, that a pastor should not 
 be a member of the church over which he presides, and 
 should be free from the disciplinary authority of that church. 
 I am aware that many excellent men are agreed with Mr. 
 Mitchell in his views of these matters ; and that the practice 
 of some, at least, of the churches of Connecticut, with which 
 Mr. M. was formerly connected, is in accordance with his 
 views ; nevertheless, I am constrained to regard this prac- 
 tice as a deviation from primitive Congregationalism, as un- 
 called for as it is unsafe. It seems to me to be one step 
 towards those evils to which the plan of consociation, and 
 the establishment of permanent and authoritative councils 
 directly lead. I regret to say that this appears not to be 
 the only particular in which the hearts of some of the children 
 are turned from their fathers in which some modern Con- 
 gregationalists (so called) have deviated from those princi- 
 ples of which Cotton Mather speaks, when he says : " / shall 
 count my country lost, in the loss of the primitive principles, 
 and the primitive practices, upon which it was atjirst estab- 
 lished" 
 
 I will only add a single remark to this long note. The 
 membership -relation of a pastor to his church has been 
 considered too much in the light of a subjection of the pastor 
 to " impertinent annoyances of weak, or officious and ill-dis-
 
 APPENDIX. 329 
 
 posed brethren." No pastor, let his relation to his church 
 and people be what it may, can avoid the*e annoyances. 
 
 There is, however, another light in which I love to con- 
 template the relation of a pastor to his church, as a church 
 member ; and that is, in the light of a privilege. Is it not a 
 privilege to be under the watch and care of a church, 
 which, like the beasts seen by John, is " full of eyes before 
 and behind," which may watch for our safety, and not 
 merely for our halting ? Has Jesus Christ condescended tc 
 make himself like one of us to become our elder brother 
 that he might create a new bond of attachment, and en- 
 courage greater familiarity with him ? and shall we, his ser- 
 vants, put ourselves upon our official dignity and claim 
 exemption from that brotherly relation to our churches 
 which, while it will exempt us from the discipline of these 
 churches, will deprive us also of that fellowship and sym- 
 pathy which should exist among all the members of the 
 body ? Surely, if it be a privilege for any one to be a church- 
 member, it is for a pastor. And long may it be, ere it shall 
 be regarded generally by our churches as " the true doctrine, 
 that a minister by virtue of his ordination, ceases to be a 
 church member anywhere? * 
 
 No. 14. 
 
 EXCOMMUNICATION AND WITHDRAWING FELLOWSHIP. 
 
 Note to page 208. 
 
 Two questions may be raised on the distinction intimated 
 between excommunication and withdrawing fellowship: 
 First, Wherein does this act of withdrawing fellowship dif- 
 fer from excommunication ? Secondly, Is it proper for a 
 
 * Mitchell, p. 240, note ; Kutherford, the Presbyterian, makes a 
 similar statement; T. Hooker, pp. 61, 81. 
 
 28*
 
 330 APPENDIX. 
 
 church to withdraw fellowship from a member, and leave 
 him unconnected with any visible church ? I will venture to 
 answer both of these questions, and then leave the reader to 
 form his own judgment. 
 
 First, Excommunication differs from the act of withdraw- 
 ing fellowship in this : excommunication implies a forfeiture 
 of Christian standing ; withdrawing fellowship, implies a for- 
 feiture of church standing only. If one is excommunicated, 
 he is " cut off," " put away," " purged out," " delivered 
 unto Satan," in a word, is dealt with as " a heathen man 
 and a publican " as one destitute of any claim to the char- 
 acter of a Christian. All this seems to be taught by the 
 passages alluded to in the text. See Matt. 18: 15-18. 
 1 Cor. 5: 1-5,7, 13. Gal. 5: 12. 
 
 When Christ and his apostles use such language as that 
 referred to, in describing the duty of a church towards 
 offenders, they are speaking of persons who had committed 
 serious offences who had sinned, and continued obstinate 
 in their sins. In the 18th chapter of Matt, our translators 
 use the word trespass to designate the offence i-eferred to 
 by the Saviour " If thy brother shall trespass against 
 thee ; " but the original word (dfiaQTtjGtj) denotes a more 
 serious offence than the English word trespass implies. It 
 is the same word which is put into the mouth of the prodi- 
 gal, Luke 15: 18, "I have sinned (J^aorov) against heaven 
 and before thee ; " and it was used by Judas, when " he 
 brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests 
 and elders, Saying, I have sinned (fyanTOv) in that I have 
 betrayed the innocent blood." Matt. 27: 3, 4. So else- 
 where it is used in the same sense, as Rom. 3 : 23. Heb. 3 : 
 17. 1 John 1 : 10, et al 
 
 The same view of excommunication is suggested by 1 
 Cor. v. and 2 Cor. 2: 4-11, where the Apostle gives direc- 
 tions respecting the treatment of an offender: he was to be 
 delivered " unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh ; " i. e.
 
 APPENDIX. 331 
 
 he was to be oast out of the church, and abandoned to the 
 god of this world. But, for what offence was this punish- 
 ment to be " inflicted of many " by the majority of the 
 church ? Not for a trifling irregularity, but for a serious 
 offence an open violation of the rules of Christian conduct : 
 it was for fornication ; and " such fornication as is not so 
 much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have 
 his father's wife." 1 Cor. 5 : 1. 
 
 But what was the state of the case when the Apostle 
 directed the Thessalonian church to " withdraw from every 
 brother that walketh disorderly ? " 2 Thess. 3 : 6. The dis- 
 orderly conduct to which he particularly referred, was idle- 
 ness and gossiping : " We hear that there are some which 
 walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy- 
 bodies." 3: 11. These persons they were directed to 
 " note " take notice of, and withdraw from, and " have no 
 company with." 6, 14 vs. Yet, they were not to treat 
 them as heathen men and publicans ; for the apostle adds : 
 " Yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a 
 brother" 15 v. This neglect of his lawful calling, and this 
 meddling with what did not concern him, was irregular and 
 disorderly ; it was calculated to bring reproach upon the 
 cause of Christ, and to injure the good name of the church : 
 the church was therefore required to withdraw itself from all 
 participation with the disorderly. Still, this disorderly con- 
 duct was not, necessarily, a proof that the offender was 
 utterly destitute of the spirit of Christ. He might be acting 
 under mistaken views of duty ; he might conscientiously be- 
 lieve himself called to give up his secular employment, and 
 to devote his time and efforts, well meant, though indiscreet 
 to doing good. We know that there are just such dis- 
 orderly and busybodies in the churches now, men, who 
 by injudicious efforts to promote the cause of Christ, really 
 injure it ; and, by their ill-directed attempts to heal differ- 
 ences among brethren, or remove difficulties from families,
 
 332 APPENDIX. 
 
 become busybodies in other men's matters meddlers with 
 what does not concern them. Such persons, instead of being 
 lights in the world, become a by-word and a hissing among 
 the unbelieving, and spots upon the fair fame of the Christian 
 Church. Yet, they are the most difficult persons to con- 
 vince and reclaim : for the simple reason, that, though per- 
 haps truly pious, they are destitute of good-sense. Hence it 
 might become necessary for the church, after due efforts to 
 persuade such disorderly members to abandon their irregular 
 proceedings, to withdraw from them ; and thus let the world 
 know, that the church did not approve of their irregularities, 
 and would not sanction their disorderly conduct. At the 
 same time, the church might, perhaps, count the disorderly 
 as truly pious ; and therefore, might admonish and treat them 
 as brethren in Christ, and not as heathen men and publicans, 
 as they would otherwise be required to do. If these views 
 are correct, then, reasoning analogically, we are authorized 
 in saying : That, whenever a church member, from mistaken 
 views of duty, or other cause, persists in any course of con- 
 duct which, though not destructive of Christian character, is 
 yet plainly inconsistent with what the church of which he is 
 a member, believe to be agreeable to the order which 
 Christ requires the church is bound to withdraw fellow- 
 ship ; and thus declare to the world, that they approve not 
 of his peculiar notions or irregular doings. In so doing, they 
 pass no judgment on the Christian standing of the disorderly 
 person ; but they simply declare, that his sentiments and 
 practices are so inconsistent with what they deem orderly, 
 that they can no longer walk with him in church fellowship. 
 In thus drawing a distinction between excommunication 
 and the withdrawal of fellowship, I can plead but few au- 
 thorities. The Platform seems rather to contradict such a 
 distinction, when it says : " The church cannot make a 
 member no member, but by excommunication." Ch. 13, 
 7. But, as it speaks of the treatment of no other offences
 
 APPENDIX. 333 
 
 except such as are of a more serious nature, for the com- 
 mission of which a person, remaining impenitent, should 
 be cast out of the church as a heathen man and a pub- 
 lican ; the passage quoted may not be so decisive as at 
 first sight may be supposed. Further, in the passage quoted 
 from the Platform, the term excommunication may be 
 used in a generic sense, including both expulsion for un- 
 christian sentiments or conduct, and withdrawing fellowship 
 for disorderly notions and practices. Thus the term is 
 used by some modern writers, who are careful to note a 
 difference between the treatment of persons excommuni- 
 cated for what is deemed unchristian, and what is deemed 
 simply irregular and disorderly.* Thus Bloomfield calls 
 the act of the church required in 2 Thess. 3 : 14, "a sort 
 of excommunication." Neither Macknight nor Scott regard 
 this act the same as that required in Matthew 18 : 15-18. 
 Indeed, every man must feel that there should be a dif- 
 ference in the treatment of such as have forfeited their 
 Christian standing, and such as have, from conscientious, 
 though mistaken views of truth and duty, or from inadver- 
 tency, fallen into conduct simply disorderly. 
 
 Cotton Mather, in the Magnalia, (Vol. II. p. 235) speaks 
 of the matter now under consideration, and seems to author- 
 ize, fully, the view which I have presented. His words 
 are : " It may sometimes come to pass, that a church mem- 
 ber, not otherwise scandalous, may sinfully withdraw and 
 divide himself from the communion of the church to which 
 he belongeth : in which case, when all due means for the 
 reducing him prove ineffectual, he having thereby cut him- 
 self off from the church's communion; the church may justly 
 esteem and declare itself discharged of any further inspec- 
 tion over him." This is precisely what I mean by with- 
 
 * Mr. Mitchell, (Guide to N. E. Chhs. p. 115, 116) does; and he 
 quotes from the Sajbrook Platform to sustain his position.
 
 334 APPENDIX. 
 
 drawing fellowship : it is just giving up all care of a per- 
 son, as a church member, and all responsibility for his con- 
 duct; leaving him to stand or fall to his own master. 
 
 If, however, in the treatment of a disorderly person, he 
 should exhibit an unchristian spirit, and pursue an unchris- 
 tian course then the ground of action for the church 
 would be changed, and the offender should be arraigned and 
 excommunicated for disorderly and unchristian conduct.* 
 
 Isaac Chauncy, in his " Divine Institution of Congre- 
 gational Churches" etc. published in 1697, says: "Excom- 
 munication may be considered as direct or more indirect ; " 
 and after explaining " direct " excommunication as " the 
 casting out of an impenitent or notorious sinner from com- 
 munion of the church," he proceeds to say : " Besides this 
 direct way of proceeding against an offending member, there 
 is another much of the like nature, which we call indirect, 
 because the church puts not the party out of its communion 
 before the party hath secluded himself, and not by any reg- 
 ular way, but indirectly and contrary to all rules of order. 
 For it is when a church member, by reason of some offence ' 
 taken at the church, or some member thereof not discharging 
 his own duty, withdraws himself, and separates from the 
 communion of the church. A person having thus excom- 
 municated himself, as it were, the church ought to consider 
 what is their duty ; and though a particular member (or 
 more) hath usurped to himself the power of the keys, the 
 
 * The case of Mrs. Hutchinson, so famous in the early history of 
 New England, may illustrate in some respects this point. She was 
 tried by the church in Boston, for her erroneous opinions and irreg- 
 ular practices : for these, she made a confession and a sort of recan- 
 tation ; but, in the management of these, she was guilty of falsehood : 
 and was finally cut off and cast out of the church, not for her erro- 
 neous notions and practices, but for "gross lying." Afagtinlia, Vol. 
 II. p. 446-448 ; Hutcliinson's Hist. Mass. Bay, Vol. I. p. 70-72 and 
 note.
 
 APPENDIX. 335 
 
 church ought not to acquiesce therein, but maintain the 
 power which Christ hath committed to it ; and though it 
 cannot hinder the inordinateness of a brother's unruly 
 passions and ungovernable temper, when God leaves him to 
 it ; but that he will run away from the church, rend himself 
 off, breaking all order and covenant obligations, in opposi- 
 tion to all fraternal endeavors to stay him in the place that 
 Christ hath set him in ; the church is bound to show and 
 assert the power of Christ, which he hath intrusted it with, 
 and judicially shut the door, and turn the key upon so sinful 
 and disorderly a departure from them ; declaring that he 
 having sinfully departed from the communion of that con- 
 gregation [church] he is no longer under its care and watch, 
 and is not to return to the communion of the church as be- 
 fore, till he hath given satisfaction to the church,'* Chapter 
 XIII. 9, and 17. 
 
 The treatment of a disorderly member here pointed out 
 by one of the fathers of New England, is substantially what 
 I advocate in these pages. 
 
 Having thus answered the first question Wherein does 
 excommunication differ from the act of withdrawing fellow- 
 ship ? we are prepared to consider the second inquiry : 
 Can a church withdraw fellowship from one who has not 
 connected himself with some other church ? Very rarely 
 will this act of church discipline be required, except when a 
 member so far changes his sentiments as to feel constrained 
 to connect himself with some other denomination, which 
 either does not acknowledge our churches as scriptural in 
 their organization, or embraces some doctrinal views which, 
 though not so fundamental as entirely to destroy our chris- 
 tian confidence in him, are yet such as we cannot consci- 
 entiously approve, or by any act of ours sanction. 
 
 Still, I apprehend, that there may be instances in which a 
 church would be justified in withdrawing from a brother, 
 and leaving him disconnected with any Christian body. If
 
 336 APPENDIX. 
 
 my construction of 2 Thess. 3 : 6, 14 be correct, the apostle 
 required this to be done by the Thessalonians ; for, if that 
 church withdrew from their disorderly brethren in the way 
 suggested, they must have left them unconnected with any 
 Christian church, as there was no other in the city. 
 
 However these questions may be answered and I but 
 give my own judgment respecting them all, it is believed, 
 will agree in this, that whether or not we distinguish be- 
 tween excommunication and withdrawing fellowship, there 
 should be a difference in our treatment of such as are sep- 
 arated from the church for unchristian opinions and conduct 
 and such as from mistaken notions, or inconsiderateness, fall 
 into what are deemed by us disorderly courses, not destruc- 
 tive of Christian character. 
 
 No. 15. 
 
 MANUAL FOR CHURCH MEETINGS. 
 
 [The following Manual which I have slightly altered was 
 kindly furnished for this work by an intelligent layman, who was fa- 
 miliar with parliamentary usages, and withal a very hearty Congre- 
 gationalist the late David Hale of N. Y.] 
 
 Those rules which have been found convenient in Legis- 
 lative assemblies are equally applicable to all bodies convened 
 for deliberation ; the object being always the same ; namely, 
 the preservation of order, the security of the right of each 
 member to speak his sentiments freely in debate, and the 
 ascertainment of the opinion of the majority by their votes. 
 
 In Congregational churches the pastor is generally re- 
 garded as the standing moderator of the church. In case a 
 church is destitute of a pastor, a standing moderator may be 
 chosen, or one may be selected at each succeeding meeting. 
 No brother should be allowed to hold the chair, who makes
 
 APPEOT)IX. 337 
 
 use of it to control the deliberations of the church, contrary 
 to the common rules of order, or who claims the power to 
 adjourn the meeting at his pleasure, to refuse to put to vote 
 such questions as are disagreeable to himself, or in any 
 way to embarrass the church in its deliberations or its de- 
 cisions. The presiding brother, whoever he may be, derives 
 all his power from the body over which he presides ; and all 
 his decisions are subject to its revision. 
 
 When the church is assembled, without a pastor, some 
 member should rise and nominate a moderator and put the 
 question upon his election. But before the question is put, 
 any member may propose a different candidate, and he will 
 be chosen who receives the majority of votes. 
 
 A clerk must next be chosen, unless the stated clerk be 
 present. If the meeting be adjourned to another day, the 
 same officers preside again, for an adjournment is but the* 
 continuance of the same meeting. 
 
 Every motion must be made in writing, if required by 
 any member; and, when seconded, must be read by the 
 moderator and submitted to the consideration of the church. 
 Until this motion is disposed of, all subsequent propositions 
 must be made by way of amendment to it. An amendment 
 may go to the exclusion, addition, or substitution of words or 
 sentences ; indeed, a motion to amend by striking out all the 
 words after the word resolved, and substituting an entirely 
 new proposition upon the same subject, is in order. Until 
 some vote has been taken on a resolution or an amendment to 
 it, it may be withdrawn by the mover. There are certain mo- 
 tions which are termed "privileged," which may be made at 
 any time ; such is the motion to postpone indefinitely, to com- 
 mit to a committee, to lay on the table, (which means to lay 
 aside for the present,) to postpone to a future time fixed, 
 and to adjourn. All these motions may be debated except 
 the last." The motion to adjourn is always in order except 
 when a member is speaking, and then no motion can be 
 29
 
 338 APPENDIX. 
 
 made but with the consent of the member who has the 
 floor. 
 
 When any motion is before the church, every member has 
 a right to express his views concerning it ; and while doing 
 so, the moderator is bound to confine him in his remarks 
 to the point under consideration, and also to protect him 
 against all interruption, except to call him to order if he 
 violates the rules of courtesy, or the rules of debate : but after 
 the matter of order is adjusted, he has a right to go on to the 
 end of his remarks. 
 
 The proposition last made is always the proposition under 
 consideration, and the first to be voted on ; so that, when 
 several amendments or propositions are before the meeting, 
 the order in which they are to be voted upon is usually the 
 reverse of the order in which they were made. If several 
 ^ums are proposed, the largest is to be first put to vote ; if 
 several times, the longest ; and as to numbers generally, the 
 largest. 
 
 "When a motion is put to vote, it should be first clearly 
 stated from the chair, so that there may be no possible mis- 
 understanding about it. Then the moderator says : As 
 many as are in favor of this resolution, will please to say 
 aye or lift up their hands or rise, as the custom of the 
 church may be. Then : 
 
 As many as are against this resolution or as are of a 
 different opinion will please to say no ; or lift up their 
 hands or rise. Then the moderator declares the result by 
 saying it is a vote, or it is not a vote, as it seems to 
 him. 
 
 If any member thinks the moderator in error, or that an 
 accurate count would change the result, he has a right to 
 demand it immediately: when the question must be put 
 again, and the votes carefully counted. After the question 
 is put to vote, there can be no debate, and no new proposi- 
 tion made, until the voting is finished. After the vote is
 
 APPENDIX. 339 
 
 taken, any member who voted in the majority, may, during 
 the same meeting, move a reconsideration ; which motion 
 opens the subject again for debate : and, if the vote to re- 
 consider is adopted, the whole matter stands just as it did 
 before the reconsidered vote was taken. 
 
 Questions of order are to be decided by the moderator ; 
 but if any member thinks the decision incorrect, he can ap- 
 peal to the meeting, whose decision is final. 
 
 When the report of a committee is presented, it will 
 of course be put on file. A vote to accept and adopt, is 
 an expression of concurrence with the views of the com- 
 mittee. 
 
 When a member has a motion to make, or wishes to speak 
 on a pending motion, he must rise and address himself re- 
 spectfully to the moderator. 
 
 A member who has a motion to make, may preface it with 
 such remarks as explain his design ; but with this excep- 
 tion, speaking is out of order, unless some definite proposi- 
 tion has been submitted and is under consideration. 
 
 These rules have been selected from " Jefferson's Manual 
 of Parliamentary Practice," or supplied from the known 
 practice of the most respectable bodies. Many churches 
 have brought upon themselves great trouble by a want of 
 system in their proceedings. In fact, the maintenance of 
 business order, at all times, according to established rules, 
 cannot be too highly estimated. Over-legislation is a fault 
 of churches, whether Congregational or others, as it is of 
 political bodies. Churches should pass very few votes, and 
 never any, without careful deliberation. 

 
 340 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. 16. 
 
 REPORT ON THE INDUCTION OF DEACONS, 
 
 Submitted to the Union Church in Essex street, Boston, 
 May 19, 1843. 
 
 [This Eepovt, though not entirely accordant with views already 
 expressed, on the ordination of deacons, yet presents those of many 
 sound Congregationalists.] 
 
 "According to the most ancient Congregational usage, 
 as described by the Cambridge Platform, every church 
 should have three kinds of officers ; Teaching Elders, or 
 Pastors, Ruling Elders, and Deacons ; and these, after elec- 
 tion, should be set apart by prayer and the imposition of the 
 hands of the elders of that church, or if the church had no 
 elders, by "brethren orderly chosen by the church thereto;" 
 or it was held to be alloivable to invite Elders of other 
 churches to impose hands at ordination. Since the adoption 
 of the Platform, there have been several important changes 
 in the practice of the churches. 1. The office of Ruling 
 Elder has fallen into disuse, as not required in the Scrip- 
 tures, and inconvenient in practice. 2. The ordination of 
 Pastors by a committee of the church is deemed improper, 
 inasmuch as it shows an unchristian spirit of self-sufficiency, 
 and disregard of the neighboring churches and their Pas- 
 tors. All now agree that in churches situated as ours are, a 
 Christian spirit and sense of propriety require that in the 
 ordination of a Pastor, a council be called, and hands be 
 imposed by the Pastors of neighboring churches. 3. The 
 ordination of Deacons has fallen into general disuse. Pro- 
 fessor Upham, in his Ratio Discipline, says that " this 
 ceremony has been disused for many years ; " and again, 
 that it " is not practised at the present day, or at least but 
 very seldom ; " and yet again, that it " seems to be perma- 
 nently abolished." He represents this change as the result
 
 APPENDIX. 341 
 
 of deliberate conviction, and not of mere neglect, saying 
 that it has been " approved by the greater number." 
 
 In the Presbyterian church, Deacons are to be set apart 
 to their office by prayer and exhortation, without the imposi- 
 tion of hands. 
 
 In all the Episcopalian churches, Deacons are regarded 
 as a third order of the clergy, authorized to preach, and are 
 therefore ordained by the imposition of the hands of a 
 Bishop. As we do not consider a Deacon to be a preach- 
 ing officer, their authority can weigh nothing with us. 
 
 The weight of modern authority, therefore, is decidedly 
 against the induction of Deacons by the imposition of hands. 
 It seems never to have been practised in the Presbyterian 
 church, and has long been contrary to the general opinion 
 and practice of Congregational churches. And it is worthy 
 of remark, that the imposition of hands recommended by the 
 Cambridge Platform, is a ceremony which, it was under- 
 stood, might be performed by a committee of the brethren 
 with entire propriety. The Platform gives no countenance 
 to the idea, that they should be inducted by a ceremony in 
 which the presence of an ordained minister is necessary. 
 
 But " to the law and the testimony." The opinions and 
 practices of evangelical churches claim our respectful atten- 
 tion, but our obedience is due only to the word of God. 
 "What, then, do the Scriptures teach concerning the induc- 
 tion of Deacons? 
 
 The only passage which bears directly on this point, is 
 the account of the appointment of the seven deacons, in the 
 sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. 
 
 It appears from the preceding chapters, that many of the 
 Christians then at Jerusalem were in need of pecuniary as- 
 sistance, and that rich believers contributed liberally to 
 supply their wants. Some of them sold real estate to raise 
 money for this purpose. And whatever money was given, 
 was laid at the feet of the apostles. But as the number of 
 29*
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 believers increased, the labor of ascertaining and supplying 
 the wants of the necessitous likewise increased, while the 
 time of the apostles was more and more engrossed with 
 spiritual labors. At length, " there arose a murmuring of 
 the Grecians [that is, either Greeks by descent, or, more 
 probably, Jews born in Greek cities, and speaking the 
 Greek language] against the Hebrews, because their widows 
 were neglected in the daily ministrations." Very possibly, 
 there was some foundation for the complaint ; not from any 
 partiality in the apostles, but from the fact that they had 
 not time to search out all the cases of want among obscure 
 strangers, residing for a short time in the city. However 
 that may have been, a suspicion of partiality was beginning 
 to show itself. The apostles therefore called a meeting of 
 the church, and said : " It is not reason that we should leave 
 the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, 
 look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of 
 the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over 
 this business. But we will give ourselves continually to 
 prayer, and to the ministiy of the word." That is, the 
 Deacons were needed, not to assist the ministers in spiritual 
 things, but to relieve them of all secular cares, that they 
 might devote themselves wholly to the spiritual duties of 
 their office. " And the saying pleased the whole multitude ; " 
 and they chose seven men, whom they set before the apos- 
 tles ; and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon 
 them. 
 
 To some, this appears conclusive in favor of the ordina- 
 tion of Deacons by the imposition of hands. To us, it 
 appears otherwise. It is by no means certain that the apos- 
 tles, by laying their hands on the seven, meant to perform 
 what we call ordination. 
 
 It had been a custom from the earliest ages, to lay hands 
 on any one for whom prayer was offered. Jacob, in Egypt, 
 laid his hands on the heads of Ephraiin and Manasseh,
 
 APPENDIX. 343 
 
 when he blessed them. Moses laid his hand on Joshua, at 
 his public appointment as civil and military leader of the 
 Israelites. Our Saviour laid his hands on the little chil- 
 dren that were brought to him for his blessing, and often 
 upon the sick, when he healed them. He mentions, among 
 the signs which " shall follow them that believe," that " they 
 shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Peter 
 and John laid their hands on the believers at Samaria, and 
 " they received the Holy Ghost." Ananias laid his hand on 
 Saul at Damascus, before his baptism, " that he might re- 
 ceive his sight." The brethren at Antioch fasted and prayed 
 and laid their hands on Saul and Barnabas, who had been 
 several years in the ministry, when about to commence their 
 first missionary excursion through Asia Minor. There are 
 two instances in the First Epistle to Timothy, where the 
 laying on of hands is mentioned as a part of the ceremonies 
 of ordination ; and these are the only instances of the kind 
 in the New Testament. 
 
 We can draw no decisive inference, therefore, from the 
 fact that the apostles laid their hands on the seven Deacons, 
 when they prayed for them. It was merely a customary 
 gesture, performed by any one, on any occasion, in praying 
 for another. We are no more bound to imitate it, than we 
 are to lay our hands on children, when we pray for their 
 conversion ; or on the sick, when we pray for their recov- 
 ery ; or on our friends, when we pray that God may be with 
 them on a journey. Indeed, there is no reason to suppose 
 that praying for Deacons with imposition of hands, then, 
 meant any thing more than praying for them without it 
 means now. The prayer, too, was offered immediately after 
 their election and acceptance. To appoint a future day, 
 after their election and acceptance, for their formal induc- 
 tion into office, and on that day to induct them by ceremo- 
 nies not commonly used in praying for individuals, would be 
 a plain departure from the only apostolic example.
 
 344 APPENDIX. 
 
 The idea that Deacons ought to be inducted by special 
 ordination services, probably grows out of a mistake con- 
 cerning the nature of their office. As appears from what 
 has already been said, they were not appointed for the sake 
 of assisting the clergy in spiritual affairs ; but for the sake 
 of effecting a complete separation of the temporal affairs of 
 the church from the spiritual, so that the clergy might give 
 themselves wholly to the latter. Their office is correctly 
 described in the Cambridge Platform, which says: "The 
 office and work of a Deacon is, to receive the offerings of 
 the church, gifts given to the church, and to keep the 
 treasury of the church, and therewith to serve the tables 
 which the church is to provide for ; as the Lord's Table, 
 the tables of the ministers, and of such as are in necessity, 
 to whom they are to distribute in simplicity." " The office, 
 therefore, being limited unto the care of the temporal good 
 things of the church, it extends not to the attendance upon 
 and administration of the spiritual things thereof, as the 
 word and sacraments, or the like." The constitution of the 
 Presbyterian church speaks to the same purpose. Its words 
 are : " The Scriptures clearly point out Deacons as distinct 
 officers in the church, whose business it is to take care of 
 the poor, and to distribute among them the collections which 
 may be raised for their use. To them also may be commit- 
 ted the management of the temporal affairs of the church." 
 The Scriptural requisitions concerning their character cor- 
 respond to this idea of their duty. Aptness to teach is not 
 required of them. They must be " men of honest report, full 
 of the Holy Ghost and wisdom ; " that is, men of well- 
 known integrity, piety, and business talents ; men in whose 
 capacity, faithfulness, and impartiality the brethren will feel 
 entire confidence ; sound in the faith, and of good example 
 in all things, that, as their office will call them to be much 
 among their brethren, their whole influence may be salu- 
 tary ; and as their office will cause them to be looked upon
 
 APPENDIX. 345 
 
 by the world as chosen samples of Christian character, they 
 must be men who will command the respect of " those that 
 are without." 
 
 It is, indeed, customary, that the Deacons should act as 
 moderators of the church in the absence of the Pastor, and 
 in many other ways take a leading part in the spiritual 
 affairs of the church ; and the custom is a good one, if we 
 use it lawfully. Such services must be rendered by some 
 of the brethren ; and though they are no part of the Scrip- 
 tural duties of a Deacon, yet the Deacons are usually the 
 very men best qualified to perform them. Their appoint- 
 ment to an important office, authorizes them to take a lead- 
 ing part in such matters, without exposing themselves to the 
 charge of arrogance ; especially as it is now understood that 
 the brethren expect it of them, and chose them to their 
 office with that expectation. Still, it is perfectly proper for 
 the church, whenever it is deemed expedient, to call on 
 some other brother to perform these duties. It is the cus- 
 tom in some parts of New England, for a church, on losing 
 its Pastor, to choose some neighboring Pastor as its modera- 
 tor during the vacancy. On this point, we are anxious not 
 to be misunderstood. We would by no means interfere with 
 the present usage of the churches ; a usage which extensive 
 experience, for more than a century, has shown to be, in our 
 circumstances, at once harmless and convenient. We only 
 wish to set forth the grounds on which that usage rests, and 
 to show that, as it is a mere usage, adopted in modern times 
 for the sake of convenience, and which we are at liberty to 
 lay aside if a change of circumstances should require it, 
 and as it relates only to duties which any member may law- 
 fully be called upon to perform, it can be no reason why 
 Deacons should be inducted into office by imposition of 
 hands. 
 
 Perhaps a few facts from history may throw light on some 
 parts of the subject.
 
 346 APPENDIX. 
 
 Originally, we know, there were but two kinds of church 
 officers ; the Pastors, who were also sometimes called bish- 
 ops, and sometimes elders, and the Deacons. Not long after 
 the death of the apostles, through the workings of pride, 
 ambition, and worldly policy, some of the Pastors began to 
 be exalted over others, as diocesan Bishops, and even went 
 so far as to claim that they alone were Bishops, and the 
 >ther Pastors were only Elders. More effectually to secure 
 their own exaltation, they maintained that the Deacons were 
 ippointed as assistants to the Bishop, and not to the Elder. 
 Having carried this point, they next labored to increase the 
 power of the Deacons ; and thus there sprung up a sort of 
 illiance between the diocesan Bishops and the Deacons, 
 ooth of whom strove to take power from the Pastors and 
 livide it between themselves. The Bishops made new 
 orders of Deacons. Some of them were Arch-Deacons, 
 and governed many Pastors in the name of the Bishops. 
 Others of them were called Cardinal Deacons, and after- 
 wards, simply Cardinals, being members of the Roman con- 
 clave, whose business it is, when a Pope dies, to elect one 
 of themselves as his successor. See Coleman's Chr. Ant. 
 p. 107-114. 
 
 For the successful execution of this plan, of breaking 
 down the Pastors by means of the Deacons, it was neces- 
 sary that the Deacons should be reckoned as a third order 
 of the clergy, and for that purpose, should receive clerical 
 ordination, and should be authorized to preach. So things 
 went on till the Reformation. And even now, in the Prot- 
 estant Episcopal churches, Deacons are ordained aa preach- 
 ing officers, while their appropriate duties are left to be per- 
 formed by church-wardens, or other officers not considered 
 as clerical. It is not strange that a mistake which pre- 
 vailed almost universally for more than a thousand years, 
 and still prevails in all Episcopal churches, whether Greek, 
 Romish, or Protestant, should be slow in disappearing from
 
 APPENDIX. 347 
 
 any part of the world, and that an indefinite impression in 
 favor of ordaining Deacons should frequently reappear. 
 The notion, that the office of a Deacon relates to spiritual 
 things, and that he is appointed to exercise spiritual au- 
 thority, still lingers in some minds ; and because they have 
 such views of the office, they think it should be conferred 
 by ordination. Let this error be thoroughly dispelled ; let 
 it be fully understood that the Deacon is appointed, not to 
 unite temporal and spiritual cares in his own person, but to 
 separate them, by taking the temporal wholly into his own 
 hands, and leaving the Pastor free to attend to the spiritual ; 
 and then the seeming propriety of their ordination will dis- 
 appear. 
 
 One thing more ought to be particularly mentioned, 
 though it has already been implied. The imposition of 
 hands in prayer has fallen into disuse, except at ordinations 
 and installations. By use, it has acquired a fixed and defi- 
 nite meaning. It is understood to be a symbolical recognition 
 of spiritual authority in him on whom hands are laid. The 
 idea of conveying or recognizing spiritual authority is as 
 clearly and unavoidably conveyed by that act, as it can be 
 by the use of any words in our language. Its use, there- 
 fore, in the ordination of a Deacon, when no such authority 
 is to be recognized, has become a decided impropriety, and 
 can hardly fail to deceive some of those who witness it. Its 
 universal use would naturally lead, at no distant day, to a 
 general misunderstanding of the nature of the office, to the 
 serious injury of the Deacons themselves, of the Pastors, 
 and of the churches. 
 
 We conclude, therefore, that the Scriptural mode of in- 
 ducting Deacons into office is the following : 
 
 1. Let the minister, in church meeting, state the nature 
 of the office, and the necessary qualifications. 
 
 2. Let the brethren elect a suitable number of men to fill 
 the office.
 
 348 APPENDIX. 
 
 3. Let the minister invoke the divine blessing upon the 
 transaction ; using the same attitude and gestures which are 
 customary in prayer. 
 
 These exercises, in the only apostolic example on record, 
 appear to have followed each other in the order above stated, 
 at the same meeting of the church. Sometimes, however, 
 they will unavoidably be interrupted by an adjournment. 
 In that case, there can be no objecting to the offering of ap- 
 propriate prayer, as often as the subject conies before the 
 church." 
 
 No. 17. 
 
 A CHURCH COVENANT. 
 
 [It is a principle with our denomination, that every church, in order 
 to be rightly constituted, must be united by solemn covenant, expres- 
 sive of the principles on which their union is formed. This may be 
 included in the Articles of Faith, or, as perhaps is most common 
 among us it may form a distinct instrument, following the Articles 
 of Faith. 
 
 The Covenant here given from Cotton Mather's Ratio, appears to 
 have been the common form used in 1726. It presents an excellent 
 model for the substance of these important instruments.] 
 
 " Covenant. 
 
 " We whose names are hereunto subscribed, apprehend- 
 ing ourselves called of God into the church-state of the 
 gospel, do first of all confess ourselves unworthy to be so 
 highly favored of the Lord, and admire the free and rich 
 grace of his which triumphs over so great unworthiness ; 
 and then with an humble reliance on the aids of grace 
 therein promised for them, that, in a sense of their inability 
 to do any good thing, do humbly wait on him for all, we now 
 thankfully lay hold on his covenant ; and would choose the 
 things that please him.
 
 APPENDIX. 349 
 
 " We declare our serious belief of the Christian Religion, 
 as contained in the sacred Scriptures, and with such a view 
 thereof as the Confession of Faith in our churches has ex- 
 hibited ; heartily resolving to conform our lives unto the rules 
 of that holy religion as long as we live in the world. 
 
 " We give up ourselves unto the Lord Jehovah, who is 
 the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and avouch 
 Him this day to be our God, our Father, our Saviour, and 
 our Leader, and receive Him as our portion forever. 
 
 "We give up ourselves unto the Blessed Jesus, who is 
 the Lord Jehovah, and adhere to him as the Head of his 
 people in the covenant of grace, and rely on him as our 
 priest, and our prophet, and our king, to bring us unto eter- 
 nal blessedness. 
 
 " We acknowledge our everlasting and indispensable obli- 
 gations, to glorify our God in all the duties of a godly, and 
 a sober, and a righteous life ; and very particularly in the 
 Duties of a church-state, and a Body of people associated 
 for an obedience to him, in all the ordinances of the gospel : 
 and we thereupon depend upon his gracious assistances 
 for our faithful discharge of the duties thus incumbent 
 on us. 
 
 " We desire and intend, and (with dependence on his 
 promised and powerful grace) we engage, to walk together 
 as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Faith and 
 Order of the gospel, so far as we shall have the same re- 
 vealed unto us : conscientiously attending the public worship 
 of God, the sacraments of his New Testament, the disci- 
 pline of his kingdom, and all his holy institutions, in com- 
 munion with one another ; and watchfully avoiding sin- 
 ful stumblingblocks and contentions, as becomes a peo- 
 ple whom the Lord has bound up together in a bundle of 
 life. 
 
 " At the same time, we do also present our offspring with 
 us unto the Lord; purposing with his help, to do our part 
 
 30
 
 350 APPENDIX. 
 
 in the methods of a religious education, that they may be 
 the Lord's. 
 
 "And all this we do, flying to the blood of the everlasting 
 covenant, for the pardon of our many errors, and praying 
 that the glorious Lord who is the great Shepherd, would 
 prepare and strengthen us for every good work, to do his 
 will, working in us that which will be well pleasing to him ; 
 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." 
 
 No. 18. 
 
 THE VETO POWER. 
 
 Does Congregationalism recognize the right of a pastor 
 to veto the acts of his church? or to dissolve a church meet- 
 ing, to prevent the church from acting contrary to his 
 wishes ? Intelligent Congregationalists may smile at such 
 questions, and may almost deem an apology necessary for 
 introducing them, even into the appendix of a work on 
 Congregationalism. We should think so, did we not know 
 that the claim alluded to has actually been set up by minis- 
 ters calling themselves Congregationalists ; and that two or 
 more instances of this kind of assumption of power have 
 recently occurred in this vicinity. 
 
 The assumption is substantially this : By virtue of his 
 ministerial office, and his pastoral relation to a particular 
 church, the pastor of a church has the right to refuse to put 
 motions which are offensive to him ; to dissolve a church 
 meeting, in order to prevent the passage of objectionable 
 votes ; or to interpose his veto, and thus annul the acts of 
 the church. 
 
 More preposterous assumptions of ministerial power than 
 these in a Congregationalist, cannot easily be conceived.
 
 APPENDIX. 351 
 
 On Congregational principles, a pastor is, ex officio, the 
 moderator of the church its presiding officer ; and as 
 such, has all the power that a presiding officer in our best 
 regulated legislative or deliberative bodies has ; but nothing 
 more. It is his duty to see, so far as in him lies, that the 
 business of the church is conducted in an orderly manner ; 
 consistently with the general principles recognized in the 
 Scriptures, and the approved practice of our churches. 
 He may give his opinion as to the proper course to be pur- 
 sued in a given case ; he may protest against any action 
 which he may believe to be wrong ; he may, even, as a last 
 resort, vacate the moderator's chair, and leave the church to 
 go on, if they will, under the moderatorship of one of their 
 own number, chosen for the purpose ; he may do all this, 
 when he finds the church determined to act contrary to his 
 settled convictions of what is proper, orderly, or right ; but 
 he cannot dictate to a church ; he cannot annul their votes ; 
 nor dissolve their meetings : in a word, he cannot "lord it 
 over God's heritage." 
 
 If authorities are demanded for these assertions, the 
 inquirer is referred to the dictates of common sense, as 
 manifested in the rules of all popular, deliberative assem- 
 blies ; to the essential principle of Congregationalism 
 that all church power on earth belongs to the individual 
 church as a body ; and to the entire spirit of the teachings 
 of the New Testament on this subject. No standard writer 
 on Congregationalism, so far as I remember, has ever 
 thought it worth while to discuss this subject, or even to 
 allude to this absurd, unscriptural, and dangerous assump- 
 tion of ministerial veto power, a power, which, if admit- 
 ted by the churches, would at once destroy them as inde- 
 pendent, Congregational bodies, authorized to transact all 
 church business.
 
 
 

 
 INDEX. 
 
 A. 
 
 ABRAHAMIC Church, p. 3. 
 
 ACCOUNTABILITY of Congregational Churches to each other, 
 129. 
 
 ADMISSIONS, to the first Christian Church at Jerusalem, 33-37; 
 to Congregational Churches, 195; to Protestant Episcopal 
 Churches, 251-254, 256 ; to Methodist Episcopal Churches, 
 270; to Presbyterian Churches, 274. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF CONGREGATIONALISM over other systems of 
 church order and government, 233-303. 
 
 AGREEMENT of Congregationalists, ancient and modern, in fun- 
 damental principles, 14. 
 
 ANTIOCH, the Church in, congregational, 47-51 ; send Missiona- 
 ries to the Gentiles, ib. ; ask advice of a sister church, 1 26. 
 
 APOSTLES, witnesses of what Christ said and did on earth, 72- 
 74; no modern successors, 74-78; called on the churches 
 to choose their own officers and messengers, 52-58 ; to 
 discipline offending church members, 61-65. 
 
 APOSTOLIC, Churches, orders of religious Teachers and Helpers 
 in, 70-72; peculiarities of, 41-67, 133-181; models for 
 all Christian churches, 21-26 ; voluntary associations, 29. 
 Succession, 72-78; Dr. Barrow's views, 76; Bellarmine's 
 views, 78 ; St. Austin's views, 78. 
 
 APPENDIX, Letter Missive to Organize a Church, 305. Call 
 
 from a Church to a Pastor, 306. Letter Missive for an 
 
 Ordaining Council, 307. Letter of Introduction, 308. 
 
 Letters of Dismission, 309, 315. Letter for a Dismissing 
 
 30 * t 353 !
 
 354 INDEX. 
 
 Council, 309. Letter from a Church and from an ag- 
 grieved brother, 310. Letter for an Ex parte Council, 
 311. Letter for a Mutual Council, 312. Minutes of an 
 Ecclesiastical Council, 313. Discipline of a Pastor, 315. 
 Church-membership of Pastors, 317. Excommunication 
 and withdrawing Fellowship, 329. Manual for Church 
 Meetings, 336. Report on Induction of Deacons, 340. 
 A Church Covenant, 348. The Veto Power, 350. 
 
 ARCHBISHOPS, English, their relations to Church and State, 
 239 ; their courts, 241 ; their incomes, 243, 244. 
 
 ARCHDEACONS in the Church of England, 239 ; their courts, 
 242. 
 
 ARMINIANISM and Unitarianisrn, how introduced into New Eng- 
 land, 292, 293. 
 
 ASSOCIATIONS of Congregational Ministers, 226 ; of Congrega- 
 tional Churches, 227, 228. 
 
 AUTHORITY of Pastors over Churches, Appendix, No. 13, p. 326- 
 329, and No. 18, p. 350, 351. 
 
 B. 
 
 BAPTISTS, Calvinistic, Congregationalists, 278. 
 Freewill, essentially Congregationalists, 278. 
 Christian Baptists, Independents, 279. 
 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, taught in the Book of Common 
 
 Prayer of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 254. 
 BELIEVERS in Christ, the only proper subjects for Christian 
 
 churches, 27-40, 135, 140, 146. 
 BENEFICES in the Church of England (11,728), 245; nearly 
 
 one tenth of them in the gift of the crown, 238. 
 BISHOP and ELDER, the same in the Apostolic Churches, 92-98, 
 
 110-112. English Bishops, 239-244. 
 BROWNISTS, persecuted by Elizabeth, 281. Favored advisory 
 
 councils, 113. 
 BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER of the Church of England, whence 
 
 derived, 257-259 ; in what it differs from that of the 
 
 Protestant Episcopal Church of America, 259, n. ; "a 
 
 bait" for the Papists, 258 and n. 
 BUSINESS MEETINGS of a Church, 192-195, and Appendix, No. 
 
 15, p. 336-339.
 
 INDEX. 355 
 
 c. 
 
 
 
 CALL of a Church to a Pastor, 186, Appendix, No. 2, p. 306. 
 CAMPBELL, Dr. George's, views of church order, etc., 20 n. 
 CANONS and Prebendaries of the Church of England, 239-245. 
 CHAPTERS in the English Establishment, revenues of, 245. 
 CHAUNCEY, Isaac, on the admission of church members, 199 n. ; 
 on " direct and indirect excommunication," 334 ; on sus- 
 pension, 206 n. 
 CHURCH, a Visible one, always in the world, 1. 
 
 Polity, what, 1 ; of the Patriarchal Churches, 1 ; in the days 
 of Enos, 2 ; after the Flood, 2 ; the Abrahamic Church, 
 3 ; the Mosaic Church, 3 ; change of, by the Messiah, 4. 
 Order and Discipline of the first Christian Churches, 4. 
 How viewed by the Lutheran Reformers, 5 ; by the Puri- 
 tans, 7 ; by the early settlers of New England, 8. 
 Officers to be elected by the church, 53. See Election. 
 Offenders to be disciplined, 59. 
 
 A Christian Church, what, 21-52, 165-167; purposes of a 
 church organization, 32-37 ; membership, requisites, 3 7-40. 
 Of England, description of, 238-247; diversity of senti- 
 ment in, 296, 297 and n. 
 Protestant Episcopal, of America, 248-262 ; diversity of 
 
 sentiment in, 261, 297. 
 Methodist Episcopal, 262-273. 
 Presbyterian, 273-277. 
 Protestant Methodist, 279. 
 And State, influence of, under Constantine, 164, 165; on 
 
 the Reformers, 6. 
 
 Session of a Presbyterian Church, 65, n. 
 
 CHURCHES, thirty-five mentioned by name in the New Testa- 
 ment, 41-43, n., 44 ; others referred to, 43-45. 
 To be composed of believers only, 33-40. 
 Apostolic, not too numerous to assemble together, 44-52. 
 Communion of, how exercised, 129-131. 
 CLARENDON'S remarks about the New England colonies in 1664, 
 
 " hardened into republics," 283. 
 
 CLEMENT'S (the almost Apostle's) testimony in favor of Congre- 
 gationalism, 134-140.
 
 356 DTDEX. 
 
 COMMUNION OF CHURCHES, how exercised, 129-131. 
 CONFERENCES of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 266-270. 
 CONFIRMATION, the Episcopal rite of, objected to, 255. 
 CONGREGATIONAL character of the Apostolic Churches, 41-52. 
 
 Slater's and Milner's objections to this position, 4552. 
 The title " Congregational," probably given to our churches 
 
 by John Cotton, 214 and n. 
 CONGREGATIONALISM, decline of, in modern times causes, 
 
 9-15. Definition of, 17. 
 Principles of, 17-67. 
 
 (1) The Scriptures are an infallible guide to church 
 
 order, 19-27. Objections to this principle consid- 
 ered, 22-27. 
 
 (2) A Visible Church is a voluntary association of profes- 
 
 sed Christians, united by covenant, for religious pur- 
 poses, 27-40. 
 
 (3) A Church should ordinarily consist of a single con- 
 
 gregation of believers only, 40-52. Objections to 
 this principle considered, 45-52. 
 
 (4) All ecclesiastical power is in the hands of the individ- 
 
 ual churches, 52-67. 
 Doctrines of, 69-132. 
 
 (1) Elders, or Pastors, and Deacons, the only perma- 
 
 nent church officers required by the New Testa- 
 ment, 69-112. 
 
 (2) Ecclesiastical Councils are important helps in the ad- 
 
 ministration of church government, 112-128. 
 
 (3) An Ex parte Council cannot be regularly called until 
 
 a Mutual Council has been proposed and refused, 
 123-128. 
 
 (4) Congregational Churches recognize their general ac- 
 
 countability to each other, 129-132. 
 Testimony of Ecclesiastical History in favor of, 133-181. 
 Apostolic Fathers. Testimony of Clement (A. D. 64-70), 
 p. 134-140; of Polycarp (A. D. 108-117), p. 140-142; 
 of Ignatius (A. D. 116), p. 142-150; of Barnabas and 
 Hennas, p. 150-152. 
 
 Fathers of the Church. Justin Martyr (A. D. 150), p. 
 152-155; Cyprian (A. D. 250), p. 155-157.
 
 INDEX. 357 
 
 Modern Writers, testimony of. Mosheim, 158-165; Lord 
 King, 165-167, 169, 172 ; Zuinglius, 166 ; Neander, 166, 
 168, 171, 178; Dr. Campbell, 20, 167, 169, 170, 172, 
 175; Barrow, 168, 169, 174; Beza, 168; Augusti, 168, 
 169 ; Waddington, 168, 170 ; leading English Reformers, 
 170, 171 ; Milner, 171 ; the King's Book, 171 ; Gieseler, 
 172; Magdeburg Centuriators, 175, 177; Father Paul 
 of Venice, 177; Owen, 179. 
 Practice of, 183-232. 
 
 (1) In the organization of churches, 183. 
 
 (2) Choice and consecration of church officers, 186. 
 
 (3) Church meetings for business, 192. 
 
 (4) Admission of members, 195. 
 
 (5) Dismission of members, 198. 
 
 (6) Dismission of a pastor, 200. 
 
 (7) Church discipline, 203. 
 
 (8) Discipline of Pastors, 209. 
 
 (9) Who shall complain of offenders? 212. 
 
 (10) Discipline of sister churches, 213. 
 
 (11) Miscellaneous Matters salary of ministers, 217; 
 
 continuance of the pastoral connection, 221 ; sol- 
 emnization of marriages, 221 ; funerals, 223 ; pub- 
 lic worship, 224; associations of ministers, 226; 
 county conferences, 227 ; general meetings of pas- 
 tors and churches, 228 ; licensure of ministers, 229. 
 Advantages of, over other systems, 233-303. 
 
 (1) The most scriptural system of church order, 235-280. 
 Compared with the Church of England, 238-247; 
 
 with the Protestant Episcopal Church of America, 
 248-262; with the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 262-273; with Presbyterianism, 273-277; with 
 other systems, 277-280. 
 
 (2) It encourages self-government, as no other system 
 
 does, 280-283. 
 
 (3) It promotes general intelligence, beyond any other 
 
 system, 284-288. 
 
 (4) It furnishes the most efficient barrier against heresy 
 
 and general corruption, 289-297. 
 CONGEEGATIOXALISTS might be better employed than in edu-
 
 358 INDEX. 
 
 eating ministers and gathering churches for Presbyte- 
 rians, 10, 11. 
 
 CONSOCIATIONS, what, 118; objected to, 119-120; influence 
 of, on the Primitive Churches, 120-123. 
 
 CONVENTIONS of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 249-251 ; 
 take the government out of the hands of the churches, 
 51. 
 
 CORINTH, the church in, congregational, 51. 
 
 COUNCILS, Ecclesiastical, Congregational doctrine about, 112- 
 128; authority for, 125-128; Ex parte, 123-128; course 
 of procedure of, 183-191. 
 
 COURTS, Ecclesiastical, of the Church of England, 241, 242. 
 
 COVENANT, expressed or implied, essential to a church organi- 
 zation, 31 ; assented to by all persons admitted to Congre- 
 gational Churches, 197 and n. 
 
 The ancient form of, in the New England churches, Appen- 
 dix, No. 1 7, p. 348-350. 
 
 CREEDS of the Primitive Churches, 31 n. 
 
 CURATES, in the Church of England, 239-240. 
 
 CYPRIAN'S Epistles, 155-158. 
 
 D. 
 
 DANGER of concentrating church power in a few hands, 291. 
 
 DEACONESSES, what, and why instituted in the Apostolic 
 Churches, 89-91. 
 
 DEACONS, original appointment of, office work, etc., 98-111. 
 Objections to Congregational views of, 102-109 
 Choice and ordination of, 105 n., 190,491 and n. Appen- 
 dix, No. 16, p. 340-348. 
 
 DEANS AND CHAPTERS in the English Hierarchal Establish- 
 ment, 239, 245. 
 
 DECLINE of Congregationalism in modern times causes, 9-15. 
 
 (1) Union with other denominations, 9. 
 
 (2) Influence of Theological Seminaries, 11. 
 
 (3) The prevalent impression that no exertion was neces- 
 
 sary, 11. 
 
 (4) Neglect of Pastors to preach on the subject, and 
 
 dearth of books on Congregationalism, 12. 
 
 (5) The impression that Congregationalism had no set- 
 
 tled, well-defined principles, 13.
 
 INDEX. 359 
 
 DEMOCRACY of Congregationalism. See Republicanism. 
 
 Of the Primitive Churches, 177-179. 
 DISCIPLINE of church members, in the hands of the churches, 
 
 59-67, 203-209 ; Appendix 14, p. 329-336. 
 Of pastors, power in the churches, 209-212. The course 
 
 to be pursued, 209-212, and Appendix, No. 13, p. 315. 
 Of sister churches, 213-216. 
 In the P. E. Churches, in the hands of the Minister of 
 
 the parish and the Bishop of the diocese, 253. 
 In. the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the officials, 261T, 
 
 270. 
 
 In the Presbyterian church, in the officials, 274-276. 
 DISMISSION of members from a church, 198, 200 and n. 
 
 The church to which he is dismissed to be known, 198, n. 
 Members cannot be dismissed to the World, 199. 
 Things to be observed, Ib. n. 
 DISSENTERS from the Church of England very numerous, 246, 
 
 247 and n. 
 
 DOCTRINES of Congregationalism, -what is meant, and what they 
 are. See Congregationalism. 
 
 E. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL History, its testimony in favor of Congrega- 
 tionalism, 133-181. See Congregationalism, Testimony 
 of Ecclesiastical History. 
 
 Councils, Mutual and Ex parte, 112-128, 183-191. 
 E/c/c/b?<7a, (ecclesia, church,) meaning of, 41-45 and notes ; 
 
 165-167. 
 ELDERS, sometimes called in the New Testament, Pastors, 
 
 Teachers, Overseers, or Bishops, 91-98. 
 Every congregation of believers had one or more, 91-93. 
 ELECTION of Matthias to the Apostleship, by the Church at 
 Jerusalem, 53 ; of Deacons, by the same church, 55 ; of 
 Elders in the churches of Pisidia, 55-58; of Church 
 Messengers, 58. 
 
 Of Church officers in the hands of the churches, 53-59, 
 138-140, 149, 155, 156, 159, 163, 167-170, 176.
 
 360 INDEX. 
 
 EMMONS, Dr., on the right of churches to discipline their pas- 
 tors, 324. 
 
 ENGLAND, Church of, order and discipline of, 238-247. 
 
 EPHESUS, church in, congregational, 42, 47. 
 
 EPISCOPACY, symbolizes with Popery, 257-262 and notes. And 
 monarchy, 281-284 and notes. English, American, and 
 Methodist, described and objected to, 237-273. 
 
 EVANGELISTS, what, 78-80. 
 
 EXCOMMUNICATION of members, power of in the churches, not in 
 the officers alone, 59-67, 138-181, passim. Course pur- 
 sued by Congregational churches, 203-209. Difference 
 between excommunication and withdrawing fellowship, 
 207-209, and Appendix, No. 14, p. 329-336. 
 
 F. 
 
 FAITH in Christ essential to church-membership, 34-40. 
 FALSE FRIENDS to our Church Polity S. Mather's warning, 
 
 302. 
 FATHERS OF THE CHURCH, who, 134, n.; unsate guides in 
 
 many respects, 26, n. 
 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH, a model for all others, 4. See 
 
 Church, Discipline, and Election. 
 FUNERAL Services, how conducted by Congregationalists, 223. 
 
 G. 
 
 GOVERNMENT, the different kinds of Church Government de- 
 scribed : the Episcopal, as monarchical ; Methodist Epis- 
 copal, as an oligarchy ; Presbyterian, as an aristocracy ; 
 Congregational, as a democracy, 238-277 
 
 H. 
 
 HALF-WAY COVENANT, its leading advocate in N. E., a Pres- 
 byterian, 293. 
 Arminianism and Unitarianism introduced by it. Ib. 
 
 HARVARD COLLEGE, founded by the Congregational Churches 
 of New England, and dedicated to Christ and the Church 
 in 1638, p. 287.
 
 INDEX. 361 
 
 HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH for the first two cen- 
 turies, sustains Congregationalism, 133-181. See Congre- 
 gationalism, Testimony of Ecclesiastical History. 
 
 IGNATIUS' EPISTLES, of very doubtful authority, 142-150. 
 
 IMPOSITION OF HANDS, in Ordination, etc., views of the eai'ly 
 Fathers of New England, 190, 7?., 320. The significancy of 
 the act, 105, n., 193, n. Appendix, No. 16, p. 340-348. 
 See also Ordination. 
 
 INDEPENDENCY, of the Primitive Churches, 52-67, 142, 145, 
 
 158-164, 169, 173, 174, 177-179. 
 
 Meaning of the term, when applied to Congregational 
 churches, 18, n. 
 
 INDEPENDENTS, the English, Welsh, Scotch, and Irish, 247, n., 
 203, n., 198, n., 194, n. 
 
 INSTALLATION of a Pastor, 189. 
 
 INTELLIGENCE among the people encouraged, and even de- 
 manded by Congregationalism, 284-288. 
 
 J. 
 
 JACOB, Henry, 27, n., 41, n. 
 
 JEFFERSON'S OPINION of Congregational Church Order, 283, n. 
 
 JERUSALEM, the first Christian Church organized there, congre- 
 gational, 33-37, 51. Model for other churches, ib. 
 
 JUSTIN MARTYR'S TESTIMONY in favor of Congregational views, 
 152-155. 
 
 K. 
 
 KEYS OF THE CHURCH, in the hands of the Church, 59-66, 
 320-325. See Church, Discipline, Election, Excommuni- 
 cation, Independency, and Ordination. 
 
 KA^pof (a lot, Acts 1 : 26), synonymous with y/0f, a vote, a suf- 
 frage, 54 and n. 
 
 Koivuvia (fellowship, Acts 2: 42), explained, 36 and n. 
 
 31
 
 362 INDEX. 
 
 L. 
 
 LAY ORDINATION, 191-193, n. 
 
 LAUD, Archbishop, on the intimate connection between Episco- 
 pacy and Monarchy, 284, n. 
 
 LETTERS MISSIVE of various kinds, Appendix, p. 305-313. 
 
 LEVITICAL ORDINANCES, nature and design of, 3. 
 
 LEYDEN CHURCH, 281. 
 
 LICENSURE of Congregational Ministers, 229-231. 
 
 LITERARY AND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARIES founded by Con- 
 gregationalists, 287, 288 and notes. 
 
 LITURGY, German or Lutheran, 5 and n., 277, 278. Of the 
 Church of England, "a bait" for the Papists, 257-259 and 
 notes. 
 
 LITURGIES, when first introduced, 226. 
 
 LOCKE, John's, definition of a chnrch, 28, n. 
 
 LUTHERAN REFORMATION, peculiarities of, 5-7. Luther re- 
 stored the Bible to the people, Zwingle their rights, 7 
 and n. 
 Reformers, views, etc. of Church Polity, 277, 278. 
 
 M. 
 
 MANUAL for Church Meetings, Appendix, No. 15, 336-339. 
 MARRIAGES, how solemnized by Congregational Ministers, 221- 
 
 223. 
 John Robinson thought pastors ought not to do this work, 
 
 ib. n. 
 MATTHIAS chosen an Apostle by "common suffrage" of the 
 
 Church at Jerusalem, 53-55. 
 MEETINGS OF A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH FOR BUSINESS, 
 
 192-195. 
 A Manual for the government of, Appendix, 15, p. 336- 
 
 339. 
 METHODIST Episcopal Church, 262-273. 
 
 Protestant Church, 279. 
 MINISTERS' SALARIES, Congregationalists, 217-220, and notes. 
 
 In the Church of England, 243-245.
 
 INDEX. 363 
 
 MINUTES OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL, Appendix, No. 11, 
 p. 313, 314. 
 
 MODEL of a Christian Church found in those established by the 
 Apostles, 21-26. 
 
 MODERN WRITERS ON ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, their tes- 
 timony in favor of Congregational views, 158-181. See 
 Congregationalism, Testimony of Ecclesiastical History. 
 
 MONARCHY AND EPISCOPACY, 281-284 and n. 
 
 N. . 
 
 NATIONAL, OR PROVINCIAL CHURCHES, no authority for in 
 the New Testament, 41-52. See, also, Modern Writers, 
 passim, 158-180. 
 
 The Protestant Episcopal, the Methodist Episcopal, and the 
 Presbyterian Churches in the United States, all essentially 
 National or Provincial, 249, 265, 274. 
 
 O. 
 
 OBJECTIONS, to Congregationalism considered, 22-27, 45-52, 
 102-109. To the church-membership of pastors consid- 
 ered, Appendix, No. 13, p. 317-329. 
 
 OFFENCES which subject church members to discipline, what, 
 207-209, Appendix, No. 14, 329-336. 
 
 OFFENDERS, who shall complain of them? 212. None but Con- 
 gregational churches can exactly comply with Christ's 
 directions respecting offenders, 65, 66. Private steps to 
 be taken with all offenders, 205, 206 and notes. 
 
 OFFICERS in a Congregational Church, Elders and Deacons only, 
 
 109-112. 
 By whom chosen, 52-59. See Election and Ordination. 
 
 OFFICIALS in the Apostolic Churches, 70-72 ; chosen by the 
 churches, 52-59. In the early Congregational churches 
 of New England, 80-82. 
 
 ORDAINED (xeipoTwqaavTef), the meaning of the term in Acts 
 14 : 23, 24, p. 55-58. 
 
 ORDINATION, or laying on of hands, origin and significancy of, 
 105 and n. Of church officers, 105, n., 186-193 and notes : 
 also Appendix, No. 16, p. 340-348. The right of ordina-
 
 364 INDEX. 
 
 tion in the churches, 191, ., 193, n., 320. Views of, enter- 
 tained by the fathers of the New England churches, ib. 
 See Imposition. 
 
 ORGANIZATION OF CHURCHES, manner of, and number of per- 
 sons necessary, 183-186 and notes. 
 
 P. 
 
 PARISHES, in the Church of England, not far from twelve thou- 
 sand, p. 245. 
 
 PARSON, in the Church of England, how inducted into office, 
 240, n. 
 
 PASTORAL CONNECTION, theory and practice of Congregational 
 churches, 221. 
 
 PASTOR, how to proceed in choosing and consecrating one, 186- 
 
 193 and notes. 
 
 Should be a member of the church over which he is or- 
 dained, 188, and n., also Appendix, No. 13, p. 317-329. 
 Moderator, ex officio, of the church. No power to veto 
 the acts of the church, Appendix, No. 18. Dismission of, 
 200-203 and notes. Discipline of, 209-212, Appendix, No. 
 13, p. 315, 316. 
 
 PATRIARCHAL CHURCiiEs r 1. 
 
 PENRY, John, a martyr to Congregationalism, 14 and n., 281. 
 
 PIETY, an indispensable requisite to church-membership, 30-34, 
 37-39, 135, 152-154. 
 
 PHILIP, an Evangelist, as well as a Deacon, 108. 
 
 POLYCARP'S testimony in favor of Congregationalism, 140- 
 142. 
 
 POPERY, danger of, from Episcopacy, 257-262 and n. 
 
 POPES Pius V. and Gregory XII. both offered to confirm the 
 English Liturgy, 258, 259. 
 
 POSTSCRIPTS TO PAUL'S EPISTLES, in which Titus and Timothy 
 are called Bishops, spurious, 93 n. 
 
 PRACTICE, Ecclesiastical, of Congregational churches, 183-232. 
 See Congregationalism, Practice. 
 
 PRAYERBOOK of the Church of England and of the American 
 Protestant Episcopal Church, origin and character of, 
 257-259 and notes. See Book of Common Prayer.
 
 INDEX. 365 
 
 PRELATISTS compelled to adopt Popish reasoning when opposing 
 Congregationalism, 26, 27. 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 273-277. 
 
 PRESBYTERS, see Elders. 
 
 HpeofivTepof, meaning of the word, 95. 
 
 PRIMARY SCHOOLS, first commenced by the Congregationalists 
 of New England, 288 and n. 
 
 PRINCIPLES, the general principles of church order and govern- 
 ment recognized by Christ and the Apostles, designed to 
 be permanent, 19-27. Of Congregationalism, identical 
 with those of the Apostolic Churches. See Congregation- 
 alism, Principles. 
 
 PRINCIPLES OF CONGREGATIONALISM, what, 17-67. See Con- 
 gregationalism. 
 
 PROFESSION OF FAITH EN CHRIST, an open one, required of the 
 first Christians, 33-40. Necessary to church-membership 
 in Congregational churches, 195-198 and notes. 
 
 PROPOUNDING a candid&te for church fellowship, what, 197. 
 Universally practised by Congregational churches, ib. 
 
 PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH in America described, 248- 
 
 262. 
 
 Proposed union with the Methodist Episcopal Church, 263, 
 264 and n. 
 
 PUBLIC WORSHIP, how conducted by Congregationalists, 224. 
 
 PURITANS, thoroughly versed in the principles of church or- 
 der, 7. 
 
 R. 
 
 RECTOR AXD VICAR in the Church of England, 239, 240, 245. 
 
 REGENERATION, see Baptismal. 
 
 REFORMERS of the Church restrained in their movements by 
 
 the connection of the State with the Church, 6. 
 RELIGIOUS Experience, relations of, to be given by candidates 
 
 for church fellowship, 1 95 and n. 
 Principle essential to church-membership, 30. 
 Denominations in Great Britain, compared with the Church 
 
 of England, 247, n. 
 
 REPUBLICANISM, Congregationalism believed to favor this, 280- 
 283 and n. 
 
 31*
 
 366 INDEX. 
 
 Queen Elizabeth hated and persecuted the Brownists on this 
 
 account, 281. 
 
 Jefferson's views, 283, n. London Quarterly Review, on this 
 topic, 283, n. Archbishop Laud's opinion, 284, n. Black- 
 wood, ib. John Wesley's dislike of, in the church, 271; 
 Richard Watson's opinion of, ib. 
 
 REVENUE of the Church of England, 243-246. Of all the 
 Churches in the world, 246, n. 
 
 RIGHTS of the people disregarded by the Church of England, 
 238-243; by the Protestant Episcopal Church, 251-254; 
 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, 2C6-271; by the 
 Presbyterian Church, 273-277. 
 
 ROMANISM in the Protestant Episcopal Church, 660, 261, n. See 
 Popery. 
 
 RULERS OF THE CHURCHES, danger from them, 291-295, 301- 
 303. 
 
 RULING ELDERS, 80-82 ; their office and work in the early 
 Churches of New England, 80, n. Is there any New Tes- 
 tament authority for them? 84-89 and n. 
 
 S. 
 
 SAINTS, visible, none others admitted to the Apostolic Churches. 
 See Piety. 
 
 SALARY OF CONGREGATIONAL PASTORS, 217-220. Not a gra- 
 tuity, 220, n. See Ministers. 
 
 SCHOOLS, etc., the earl}" Congrcgationalists of New England the 
 founders and patrons of, 287-289, n. 
 
 SCOTLAND, Presbyterian Churches of, 273, /., 276, n. 
 
 SCRIPTURES an infallible guide to church~ordor, etc., 19-27. 
 
 SECESSION CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, 276, n. 
 
 SECTS in the Church of England, 296, n. 
 
 SESSION of a Presbyterian Church, constructively the church 
 itself, 65, n. Duties of, 274, 275. 
 
 SUSPENSION from church privileges, as a punishment for miscon- 
 duct, not recognized by the Scriptures or Cougregational- 
 ists, 206 and n. 
 
 SWITZERLAND, the Reformation in, more thorough than in Ger- 
 many, 7. 
 
 SYNODS, views of early Congregationalists, 114-116, notes.
 
 INDEX. 367 
 
 T. 
 
 TEACHER, in the early Congregational Churches of New Eng- 
 land, his office-work, 83. 
 
 TESTIMONY OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORIANS in favor of Con- 
 gregational views of church order and discipline, 158-181. 
 
 U. 
 
 UNIFORMITY in the order of worship, not required in the An- 
 cient Church, nor in the Church of England until after 
 the Reformation, 226. 
 
 UNION of Protestant Episcopalians and Episcopal Methodists pro- 
 posed, 263, 264 and n. Of the Church of England and 
 Wesleyan Methodists, proposed, 264, n. Of Congrega- 
 tionalists with other denominations, effects of, 9. 
 
 UNITARIANISM, how introduced into our churches, 293. 
 
 USAGES of Congregational churches. See Practice. 
 
 V. 
 
 VICAR. See Rector. 
 
 VISIBLE CHURCH, what, 27, 28, n., 175, 176. 
 
 VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION, in what sense a church is one, 29. 
 
 W. 
 
 WARDENS, Church, 249. 
 
 WARNING TO THE NEW ENGLAND CHURCHES, President 
 
 Oakes's, 298, 299 ; Samuel Mather's, 299-303. 
 WESTERN STATES, churches gathered there by Congregational- 
 
 ists for Presbyterians, 10 and n. 
 
 WICKLIFFE, the Reformer, how he lost the support of the no- 
 bility, 6. 
 WITHDRAWING FELLOWSHIP AND EXCOMMUNICATION, the 
 
 difference between these, 207-209, and Appendix, No. 14, 
 
 p. 329-336. 
 WOMEN, should be present, but take no active part in church 
 
 meetings, 194, 195, n. 
 WORSHIP, mode of, in the Primitive Churches, 152-154. In the 
 
 Congregational Churches, ancient and modern, 224-226.
 
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 forcing the truth that saves. We hardly know of a work, since some of 
 Baxter's, more searching in its spiritual analysis, and more powerful in 
 the application of truth, than the True Religion Delineated. We are very 
 glad to see it, and the other works of its pious and able author, present- 
 ed in an attractive form, and at a cheap rate. If the Congregational 
 Board shall go on as they have begun, they will not only deserve, but 
 attain success, and lay the church under deep obligation. New York 
 Evangelist. 
 
 THE WORKS OP JONATHAN EDWARDS, D. D, 
 
 Two Volumes, Octavo. Price, $3. 
 
 Dr. Edwards was a very acute and able writer, who will be honored in 
 succeeding ages for having given so much of its present excellency to 
 the New England theology. 
 
 Besides the intrinsic value of the works of the younger Edwards, 
 they are an almost indispensable part of a minister's library, for the light 
 they throw upon the obscure and abstruse portions of the works of nis 
 father. Nne York O'tscn-fr.
 
 THE WORKS OF JOHN ROBINSON, 
 
 Pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers. "With a Memoir, and Annotations, 
 by Rev. llobert Ashton, Secretary of the Congregational -Board. 
 London. Three Volumes. Price, $3.50. 
 
 John Robinson was privileged to have opened the head-springs of New 
 England character. Aside from the intrinsic value of this book, as a 
 book, it deserves a place in the family library of every true son of the 
 Pilgrims. Robinson is in such a sense the father of us all, that we do 
 honor to ourselves by cherishing his memory, and using his printed 
 pages to impress it upon the rising generation. But this book asks not 
 a place in our libraries merely as a relic or memento of departed great- 
 ness. It has intrinsic value. It is pervaded by living thought. Rob- 
 inson, though an exile from his native country, and the pastor of a poor 
 flock of exiles, had vast mental resources, and with all his disadvan- 
 tages, won his way to the highest estimation in the University of Leyden. 
 He stood in the first rank among theologians of that age. And one has 
 to read only a few pages of his writings, to feel himself under the in- 
 struction of a master mind. Puritan Recorder. 
 
 THE WORKS OF SAMUEL HOPKINS, D, I), 
 
 Three Volumes, Octavo. Price, $5. 
 
 This is the first complete edition of Dr. Ilopkins's works. They must 
 have an enduring interest, not merely on account of the high intellect- 
 ual merit which they may justly claim, and the spirit of earnest piety by 
 which they are pervaded, but as making an epoch in the history of the- 
 ological opinion, at least in this country. There aro few men who lived 
 in this country during the same period whose history possesses so varied 
 an interest as that of this distinguished man. He becomes legitimately 
 incorporated with the ecclesiastical history of his country and age. He 
 was one of the greatest philanthropists of his day. The first volume 
 contains an original memoir of the author, by Professor Park, which is 
 remarkably complete, interesting, and instructive. Nobody can donbt 
 that Hopkins was at once a profound reasoner and an eminent Chris- 
 tian ; and he stood before the world, through a long life, as one of the 
 lights of his generation. 
 
 In speaking of the reproduction of the writings of the eminent men 
 of former times, and of having their scattered productions brought to- 
 gether and sent out on a new mission of wsefulness, the Recorder adds, 
 In this labor of love for posterity, the Congregational Board of Pub- 
 lication is taking a large share. It is only a short time since they gave 
 us a fine edition of the works of the immortal Robinson, and at a little 
 earlier period they published an equally good edition of Bellamy, who 
 to this day must be reckoned a prince among New England preachers ; 
 and now they have rendered another important service to our Christian 
 and theological literature, by giving us, in three large volumes, tho 
 works of Dr. Samuel Hopkins volumes well worthy the society's pub- 
 lications. Puritan Recorder. 
 
 The Memoir of Hopkins, by Professor Park, is a work of deep inter- 
 est and great value. It is a perfect key to Hopkins as a man, a Chris- 
 tian, a divine, a pastor, and a reformer. We cannot here attempt a 
 critique upon Hopkins's works. We will only say, that without them, 
 no man can understand the theological history of New England ; and 
 that after the works of Edwards himself, no more important gift has 
 been made to the churches of New England than these volumes of Hop- 
 kins. Conyreyationalist.
 
 We congratulate the theological public that the Congregational Board 
 of Publication have commenced the re-publication of such standard 
 books. Our national honor demands this enterprise. We have no 
 right, as good patriots, to allow the productions of our divines to lie, 
 some of them unpublished, some of them forgotten. They are valuable 
 in their intrinsic character. They are useful as developing the history 
 of theological opinion. Thev will instruct and gratify many private 
 Christians, while they task the energies of clergymen and scholars. 
 Bibliotheca Sacra. 
 
 MEMOIR OF ASAIIEL HETT1ETON, D, D, 
 
 By Bonnet Tyler, D. D. 12mo. Trice, GO cents. 
 
 Dr. Nettleton is too well known to need any commendation. Very 
 few men have ever lived who have been the honored instruments of turn- 
 ing so many souls from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan 
 unto God. This is a very faithful and instructive memoir of this uncom- 
 mon man, and would be a very valuable book in every family. 
 
 A COMPENDIUM OF THE SYSTEM OF DIVINE TRUTH, 
 
 By Jacob Catlin, D. D. 12mo. Price, 60 cents. 
 
 This is a series of brief and connected essays on the various topics of 
 theology. It is well adapted for Bible classes, and adult classes in Sab- 
 bath schools, and will be found particularly valuable to all families and 
 individuals who cannot find time to read more extended discussions. 
 
 INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES, 
 
 By Robert Ilaldanc, Esq., of Scotland. 13mo. Trice, 25 cents. 
 
 A timely, and important subject for this day of abounding scepticism 
 and unbelief. From the importance of the subject, and the clearness 
 with which it is treated, it possesses much value. 
 
 THE GOSPEL WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION. 
 
 Or, The Duty of Sinners to lelievc in Jesus Christ. By Andrew 
 Fuller. ISmo. Trice, 20 cents. 
 
 The name of Ihe writer, who was decidedly the best English theolo- 
 gian of his day, is a sufficient guaranty for this excellent little volume. 
 
 THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF REGENERATION, 
 
 By Charles Backus, D. D. ISino. Trice, 20 cents. 
 
 This is a brief and clear view of the doctrine under the following 
 heads : 1. Nature of Regeneration. 2. Necessity of Regeneration. 3. 
 Agency of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration. 4. Character of the Re- 
 generate. 
 
 THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION, 
 
 By Gardiner Spring, D. D. ; and The Doctrine of the Terseverance 
 of the Saints. By Bennct Tyler, D. D. 18mo. Trice, 20 cents. 
 
 A most clear, scriptural, and convincing statement and defence of 
 these important doctrines.
 
 THE WORKS OF THOMAS SIIEPARD, 
 
 Pastor of the First Church in Cambridge, -with a Memoir. By J. 
 A. Albro, D. D. Three Volumes. Price, $3. 
 
 A more rich and valuable contribution to the cause of evangelical 
 truth and godliness has rarely, if ever, been made by the labors of man. 
 Shepard was taught of the Spirit ; he lived habitually at the foot of the 
 throne. 
 
 It is a service of inappreciable value which the Congregational Board 
 is rendering to the church and the world by the collection and republica- 
 tion of this and kindred works of the American fathers, in a style of 
 neatness and elegance unsurpassed, and at a cost so reasonable that 
 those of small means may without difficulty possess them. C'ongrega- 
 tionalist. 
 
 These works have at once a doctrinal, practical, and experimental 
 character. Though they are characterized by great simplicity and di- 
 rectness, there is in them a commanding power, and richness, and depth 
 of thought, which could have been the product only of an extraordinary 
 mind. But what seems to us their most striking feature, is the earnest 
 and effective manner in which they expose a delusive experience, and 
 the facility with which they probe the very depths of the heart. The 
 exposition of the parable of the ten virgins, particularly, seems like a 
 perpetual stream of light directed straight to the hypocrite's conscience. 
 Puritan Recorder. 
 
 DISTINGUISHING TRAITS OF RELIGIOUS CHARACTER, 
 
 By Gardiner Spring, D. D. Price, 50 cents. 
 
 This is a book of uncommon discrimination and excellence. It clear- 
 ly distinguishes that hope which is as an anchor to the soul from that 
 which is only as the spider's web. It should be read by every Christian, 
 and especially by every young convert. 
 
 PARK STREET LECTURES, 
 
 By E. D. Griffin, D. D. Price, 60 cents. 
 
 This is a work of great merit. It is enough to say that it is one of 
 Dr. Griffin's happiest efforts. 
 
 THE WORKS OF LEONARD WOODS, D. D, 
 
 Five Volumes. 
 These works are too well known to need any commendation. 
 
 SCOTT'S FORCE OF TRUTH, 
 
 Price, 30 cents. 
 
 This is a handsome edition of this very instructive and interesting 
 narrative. Appended are John Newton's Letters to Dr. Scott, which 
 were among the means which led to his conversion. This little volume 
 should have a place in every family. 
 
 THE FAITHFUL STEWARD, 
 
 By Rev. S. D. Clarke. Price, 20 cents. 
 A Prize Essay. Discriminating, able, and faithful.
 
 NEW ENGLAND'S MEMORIAL, 
 
 With Governor Bradford's History, and an Appendix containing 
 the views of the Pilgrims and early settlers on the subject of 
 Church Polity. Price, $2. 
 
 This volume contains the most reliable and interesting history of the 
 Pilgrims from the time of their first organization in England to the year 
 1690. With great care and labor, new Notes have been collected from 
 Bradford, Prince, Hutchinson, and others, and a long Appendix of great 
 value has been added, making this edition more valuable than those 
 that have preceded it. So much is now said, and justly said, of the Pil- 
 grims and their influence upon New England character and institutions, 
 that this edition of this valuable work, so long out of print, is well 
 timed. It should be read and studied by all the descendants of the Pil- 
 grims, that their origin and ancestors may be known and appreciated. 
 Children and youth should read this volume. Nobody in New England, 
 or out of New England, should be ignorant of the principles and char- 
 acter of the men who laid the foundations of all our good institutions. 
 
 THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN PENRY, 
 
 Martyr of Soutlrwark. 13 y John Waddington. Trice, 60 cents. 
 
 " In this volume, new light is thrown upon the primal movements of 
 the Nonconformists of England, by the documents which the singular 
 industry of Mr. Waddington has brought to light Periry, it seems, 
 was the actual originator of the migration of the Pilgrim Fathers a 
 measure from which such important and world-wide results to liberty 
 and religion have followed. It is earnestly hoped that the publication 
 of such a Memoir, written with such simplicity, elegance, and brevity, 
 will do not a little to vindicate the early Puritans from much of the 
 obloquy thrown upon them by prejudiced or ignorant historians, and to 
 exhibit the force, greatness, and worth of those principles for which 
 they cheerfully suffered, many of them even unto death." 
 
 PRIMITIVE PIETY REVIVED, 
 
 Or, the Aggressive Power of the Christian Church; a premium 
 Essay. By Henry 0. Fish, Newark, N. J. Price, 50 cents. 
 
 This is a premium essay. The subject assigned was, The better ex- 
 emplification of the doctrines of the Bible in Christian life, with a view 
 to the conversion of sinners to Christ. It is eminently fitted to do a 
 good work in reviving Christians, in bringing them back to a state of 
 primitive, apostolic piety. It is truly a book for the times, and should 
 be read by every minister and every professor of religion. It cannot be 
 read without profit. It has in a few week* passed to its fourth edition 
 of 2000 copies each. 
 
 LIFE AND LETTERS OF REV. DANIEL TEMPLE, 
 
 For twenty-three years a Missionary of the American Board in 
 Western Asia. By his son, Rev. Daniel II. Temple ; with an 
 Introductory Notice, by Rev. R. S. Storrs, D. D. Price, $1. 
 It is chiefly letters of this godly man and missionary, containing 
 many happy illustrations of passages of Scripture and interesting inci- 
 dents in missionary life.
 
 THE CAMBRIDGE PLATFORM OP CHURCH DISCIPLINE, 
 
 Adopted in 1648, and the Confession cf Faith adopted in 1680 ; to 
 which is prefixed a Platform of Ecclesiastical Government, by 
 Nathaniel Emmons, D. D. Price, 30 cents. 
 
 MEMOIR OF DR. HOPKINS, 
 
 By Professor Park. Price, 80 cents. 
 See notice under Hopkins's works. 
 
 A TREATISE ON THE MILLENNIUM, 
 
 By Dr. S. Hopkins. Price, 25 cents. 
 
 This is a scriptural and interesting view of this important subject, and 
 well adapted to meet and confute the errors of many at this time. 
 
 A DIALOGUE, AND OTHER ARTICLES ON SLAVERY, 
 
 By Dr. Hopkins. Price, 12 cents. 
 
 This is an able, scriptural, and common-sense view of the subject, 
 exceedingly well timed, and all the more valuable for having been writ- 
 ten during the last century. Its historical relations, as connected with 
 the great men of the revolution, are interesting. 
 
 PARABLE OF THE VIRGINS, 
 
 By Rev. Thomas Shepard. Price, $1. 
 The admirable work to which President Edwards so often refers. 
 
 A PRACTICAL TREATISE, ON PRAYER, 
 
 By Rev. Thomas Cobbett, Pastor of the Church in Lynn. 
 
 Mr. Cobbett was distinguished for his " rii-h experience in prayer." 
 Cotton Mather passes hisih encomiums on him, and especially on this 
 book. He says, that of all the books written by Cobbett, none deserves 
 more to be read by the world, and to live till the general burning of the 
 world, than that on prayer. He was himself eminently a man of prayer. 
 " His thoughts come out, all warm and glowing, from a heart deeply 
 moved by the Spirit of God." A recent writer says, " This book ought 
 to be republished and placed in every Christian family." 
 
 PRACTICAL EVANGELISM, 
 
 Or, Bible Christianity enforced. By Rev. William M. Cheevcr. 
 Terre Haute, Indiana. 
 
 This essay shows with great clearness and force the duty of Christians 
 to come up to a higher standard of devotion to Christ, and to give them- 
 selves more unreservedly and unremittingly to the promotion of his 
 kingdom. It is like "Primitive Piety Revived," a book for the times, 
 greatly needed, and should be universally read.
 
 HISTORICAL TEXT BOOK AND ATLAS OF BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY, 
 
 By Lyman Coleman, D. D. 
 
 This is a work of laborious and extended research by its learned 
 author. As the preface says, " It is the result of an humble effort and 
 earnest desire to associate together the history and geography of the 
 Scriptures, and to allure the young, and assist them in an interested 
 and intelligent perusal of the Book of God. The subject of this book 
 undeniably ought to have a place, not only in the Bible class and Sun- 
 day school, but in the primary and grammar school, the college and the 
 theological seminary. By means of the chronological table, and gen- 
 eral index, this book offers the advantages of a gazetteer for occasional 
 reference, as well as of a manual for the consecutive reading and study 
 of the Bible." 
 
 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 
 
 Metrically arranged. Price, 25 cents. 
 
 THE NEW ENGLAND PRIMER, 
 
 Price, 4 cents. 
 
 A fac-simile of the original work, which, in former da5's, wrought such 
 influence in the formation of New England character. 
 
 TWO VOLUMES OF TRACTS, 
 
 12mo. Price, $1. Or separately, forty-five Tracts, on the fol- 
 lowing subjects : 
 
 Pages. 
 No. 1. Doctrinal Knowledge, the Foundation of Religion, . . 16 
 
 2. Mankind utterly Depraved 12 
 
 3. Covenant of Redemption, 1 
 
 4. Slanderous Reports refuted 16 
 
 5. Objections to Prayer Answered, 4 
 
 6. Perseverance of the Saints, ...... 
 
 7. Decrees of God Consistent with Free Agency, . . .16 
 
 8. Doctrine of Election, 28 
 
 9. Purifying Influence of the Christian Hope, . . .1 
 
 10. Personality and Offices of the Holy Spirit, . 
 
 11. Things Secret and Things Revealed, 16 
 
 12. Disappointment in the Last Day 16 
 
 13. Nature and Influence of Faith, 24 
 
 14. Plea of Sinners against Endless Punishment, 
 
 15. Sinners Wilful and Perverse, 16 
 
 16. Love Thyself and thy Neighbor, 16 
 
 17. The Prayer of Faith, ...'.... 16 
 
 18. All for the Best, 16 
 
 19. Renewal of Sinners the Work of Divine Power, . . c 
 
 20. The Bible the only sure Test of Religious Character, . 20 
 
 21. Duties of Parents, 24 
 
 22. The Immutability of God, 
 
 23. Necessity of the Holy Spirit to give Efficacy to Preaching, 16 
 
 24. The Duty of Professing Religion, 20 
 
 25. Importance of Believing the Truth, 1 
 
 26. Man's Inability to Comply with the Gospel, ... 52 
 
 27. Man's Activity and Dependence, 20
 
 Fages. 
 
 28. Doctrine of the Trinity, 20 
 
 29. Sovereignty of God in the Exercise of Mercy, . . .16 
 
 30. Mode of Baptism, 28 
 
 31. God glorified in the Work of Redemption, . . .16 
 
 32. Importance of Scriptural Views of the Character, Offices, 
 
 and Works of the Holy Spirit 16 
 
 33. Receiving the Atonement Necessary, . . . .20 
 
 34. Nature of Submission to God, ..... 12 
 
 35. Infant Baptism, . ' "i . .48 
 
 36. Nature and Design of Infant Baptism, .... 16 
 
 37. Close Communion, ... .... 20 
 
 38. Prayer for the Holy Spirit, 20 
 
 39. The Duty of Young Children, . . . . . .36 
 
 40. Rotation in the Pastoral Relation, 20 
 
 41. The Divine Law, 20 
 
 42. Future Judgment in Opposition to the Opinions of Uni- 
 
 versalists, 24 
 
 43. Justice of God Displayed in the Endless Punishment of 
 
 the Wicked, 28 
 
 44. Doctrine of Divine Providence, 16 
 
 45. Assurance of Hope, . . . . . . .16 
 
 46. Scriptural Platform of Church Government, ... 24 
 
 Amount, . . 936 
 
 FORM OF BEQUEST TO THE SOCIETY. 
 
 I give and bequeath to the Treasurer, for the time being, of the CON- 
 GREGATIONAL BOARD OF PUBLICATION, incorporated by the Legisla- 
 ture of Massachusetts in March A. D. 1850, with the name Doctrinal 
 Tract and Book Society, which was changed in 1854 to the Congrega- 
 tional Board of Publication, the sum of 
 
 dollars for the purposes of said Society, and for which the receipt of said 
 Treasurer shall be a sufficient discharge. ^ 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 All communications relative to the concerns of the society, or the 
 means of extending its usefulness, should be addressed to Rev. SEWALI, 
 HARDING, Secretary of the Congregational Board of Publication, No. 
 16 Tremont Temple.
 
 UCSB LIBKAKY
 
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