reformation were desirable; but which, nevertheless, could not, of themselves, furnish a just cause of separation. I place in this rank the question about the Limbus* of the ancient fathers-that of the local descent of JESUS CHRIST into hellthat of the distinction between presbyters and bishops by divine right-that of the observation of Lent; and some others of the same sort; where we readily perceive there was errour and superstition to correct; but which were not sufficient to cause a rupture of communion: Accordingly it was not for such things that our fathers quitted the church of Rome."

jet de separation. Je mets en ce rang la question du Limbe des anciens Peres-celle de la descente locale de Jesus Christ aux Enfers--celle de la distinction des Prestres et des Evesques de droit divin-celle de l'observation d'un Carême; et quelques autres de cette nature, où l'on voit bien qu'il-y-avoit de l'erreur et de la superstition a corriger; mais qui n'alloient pas jusqu' a pouvoir causer une rupture de communion. Aussi, n'est ce pas pour ces sortes de choses que nos Peres ont quitté l'Eglise de Rome, &c.

CLAUDE. Defense de la Reformation, p. 210. 4to. 1678. * A state of saints who, before the coming of Christ, had departed this life being neither hell, nor heaven, nor purgatory; but without the sense of pain supposed in the first and last; and without the fruition of the blessedness belonging to the second, was believed in by the church of Rome under the name of Limbus patrum; into which she teaches that Christ, after his passion, literally descended ; and by his preaching there, delivered the souls of the Fathers thus detained.t

+ CATECHISMUS Romanus ex decreto concilii TRIDENTINI, et Pır, v. 1596. p. 49. 12mo.

What think you, reader, of this declaration on the part of the French churches in 1672, only a few years before they were to pour out their blood afresh as martyrs to the truth of the Lord Jesus? Does it bear any resemblance to our sec tarianism? Has it any thing in common with those maxims of disunion which put us apart and render us mutually cold, suspicious, hostile? If this be staggering, what shall we say to à publick deed of the church of Scotland nearly forty years later, placing church-communion explicitly upon principles common to the Reformed Churches? It is an act of her General Assembly, entitled, "Act concerning the receiving of strangers into church-communion, and baptizing their children;" and runs as follows: Co do

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"The General Assembly considering that all due encouragement ought to be given to persons educated in the protestant churches, who have come, or may come, to reside in this country, and may incline to join in communion with this church; Therefore they hereby recommend to all ministers, in whose parishes any such strangers may happen to reside, to shew all tenderness to them when they come to desire the benefit of sealing ordinances: And if such strangers, being free of scandal, and professing their faith in Christ and obedience to him, shall desire bap

tism to their children, ministers shall cheerfully comply with their desire in administrating the sacrament of baptism to their children, upon the parents engaging to educate them in the fear of God, and knowledge of the principles of the Reformed Protestant religion."*

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Let us analyze this act.

It was passed for the purpose of receiving strangers into church-communion;" they continuing strangers, and not accounting themselves plenary members of the church of Scotland. For about the reception of a person wishing to become such a member, and giving due satisfaction as to his principles and character, there could be no scruple in her ministers; and no necessity of an act of the General Assembly to secure due "tenderness." Men are not apt to be harsh in their treatment of decent applicants for admission into their church.

It contemplated and provided for the reception of such strangers into habitual communion. For it distinctly specifies their residing in the country as strangers; and the probability of their having several children to offer in baptism; and says nothing about the term of their residence: all which puts their case out of the limits of extraordinary and transient fellowship.

* ACTS of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, May, 1711. P. 22, 23.

In order to this regular, habitual, church-communion, it does not require of these strangers an approbation of all or any peculiarities in the church of Scotland, but simply a credible christian character, and a promise, when the communion was in the form of baptism, to educate their children, not-be it noticed-not according to the standards of the church of Scotland; but according to the principles of the Reformed Protestant religion !-Hence it appears,

1. That this act was passed for the purpose of facilitating communion with strangers who did not even pretend to join the church of Scotland as complete members.

2. That the church of Scotland, at this time, required nothing as a term of full communion with her, but what was common to "the principles of the Reformed Protestant religion." And

3. That a member of any reformed church in any part of the world, not acting unworthy of his profession, was entitled, upon that ground, to an equal participation with her own members in her most sacred, i. e. in her sealing ordinances.

Here is now the church of Scotland, the only national church upon earth adhering to the Westminster confession; and which had adhered to it from the beginning the very church from which we have sprung; and in that state in which we

glory to have sprung from her, giving to the world her official construction of the article concerning the "communion of saints;" giving it freely and frankly; without passion, or pressure, or partyfeeling and giving it in flat contradiction to the construction of those who for the last eighty years have claimed to be her genuine sons; but who were under the pressure, if not of passion, yet certainly of party.*

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Who is likely to be right? Christians! as in the sight of God, judge ye!

On this particular point, viz. "the communion of saints," the argument is conceived to have fully made out the three following propositions

1. That the phrase "communion of saints” was originally intended to express "church-communion;" and was understood to express it by all parts of the Christian church down to the time of the Westminster assembly.

2.T hat the very terms of the article so entitled in their confession, as well as collateral expressions, prove that it must be understood in the then established sense, and cannot admit of any other.

3. That it not only continued to be so under

*The reader will remember that this work is immediately designed for churches which have descended, though by separation, from the church of Scotland.

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