the word of God, and the republican institu tions of our own happy land.

We do not think, as has already been observed, that the testimony of the early fathers is worth half the credit, that is so gratuitously conferred upon it; to whichsoever side of the present controversy it may be favourable. Of the value of Creeds, and of the authority by which they are imposed, we are fully as competent to judge as they were. They were men like ourselves; and sinful men, and very sinful men too, as well as those of the present day, who must now breathe by their good will. We moreover do not think, that the early ages of christianity afford any evidence in favour of Creeds, as they are at present forced upon our attention; but that their evidence is entirely against the popular opinion on this subject.These assertions we think we shall make good, in the course of these remarks. It may be necessary however, first to put our readers fully in possession of our ideas of a Creed or Confession of Faith; or precisely to point out, what that thing is with which we are so much offended, as to be willing to meet the grievous censure we have incurred. This shall form the subject of our next section.

SECTION 2.

"By a CREED, or CONFESSION OF FAITH, I mean," says Dr. Miller,* "an exhibition, in human language, of those great doctrines which are believed by the framers of it to be taught in the Holy Scriptures; and which are drawn out in regular order, for the purpose of ascertaining how far those who wish to unite in church fellowship are really agreed in the fundamental principles of Christianity." This definition, perhaps, states the subject in its mildest and least offensive terms. But whether it will convey a full and entire view of a Creed or Confession of Faith to the minds of his readers, is very questionable; or rather, it is absolutely certain it will not, and cannot. The second part of it does, indeed, partially express the matter of oppression against which we protest; and it does this in the least objectionable form: but it does not declare the "sore evil" in broad terms, and in plain language. We are anxious to give an undisguised view of this matter, that we may not be censured for false delicacy, and unmanly scruples. The whole subject must be met full in the face, and the objection we make, fairly and honourably refuted, or we refuse to be satisfied. It was not the mere existence of Creeds, nor was it the fact that they were pro

* Introductory Lecture, Page 8.

claimed by particular denominations of christians, that first excited our alarm: but it was the actual oppression of church authority in demanding a subscription to these sectarian articles, and that not in relation to ourselves either, that opened our eyes upon the "unwarrantable imposition," of which we now complain.

A Creed, doubtless, every man must have, who has any desire to know truth, or who has in any measure made truth his study. A Creed, to some extent or other, every minister of the gospel must have, who intends to fulfil his official duties with integrity; and every sermon he preaches, as far as it goes, is his Creed. And in society, individuals will approximate to, or recede from each other, in their modes of thinking and habits of action; an assimilation may occur, by an inherent or an accidental power in society to regulate itself, and thus some social principles will be adopted by common consent, or something like a social Creed will be tacitly formed. For the law of the human mind, while it possesses any moral consistency, is to cherish and evolve its own honest impressions. "I believed," said the Psalmist, "therefore have I spoken:" and, Paul, personating his brethren, while he vouches for himself, adopts the same rule; "we also believe, and therefore speak. No honest man ever acted in any other way; and one of the most necessary qualifications of a faithful minister, is, that he should believe in his own heart, what he declares unto others.

Whoever doubted this? Nay, more; a man may publish to the world what he believes to be true, and it shall be considered as his Creed: or the General Assembly may declare every year, and that in the most mathematical order, the various moral doctrines its members may conceive to be true, and these shall form their Creed. Still all this does not touch the objection we are making to Creeds and Confessions of Faith. Are Calvin's institutes, Witsius' economy, or Dwight's Theology, our Creed? Do we make a belief in any one of them, a term of communion in religious ordinances? There are a multitude of such Creeds in the world; and "of making many books there is no end." But does the present controversy embrace these, or have we taken up our pen unceremoniously to condemn them? The Westminster Confession of Faith itself,-is our hostility against Creeds and Confessions directed against it, as a book? Not at all. It may be, for any thing we know about it in the present subject, the best book that ever was written; and the best Creed too. But if it was an hundred fold more excellent than it is, our argument would be still unaffected, still unanswered. Manifestly then, there is a necessity that we should distinctly declare what it is to which we object; and that our brethren should meet us on the very ground we occupy: or this whole process of reasoning will degenerate into wretched and undignified vituperation, as though we had some petty jealousies to indulge, or some equivocal plans of per

sonal aggrandizement to promote.

And we claim it as our right, to be treated as honorable men, who prize integrity and a good conscience as highly as our brethren can do. Nothing else could ever induce us to embark in this painful, and, it may be, thankless, enterprize.

By a Creed or Confession of Faith, we understand, not only an exhibition of supposed scriptural doctrine; but that exhibition, when it is made, imposed upon the human conscience as a term of communion in the ordinances of God's house. A denomination, or a voluntary association, is formed, having the ministry and the whole variety of Gospel ordinances, which is called THE CHURCH; into which no man can enter without subscribing its Creed or Confession. We do not say that this Creed is imposed by civil authority; that, very happily for us who live in this free country, is not practicable. But, if the Creed be imposed as a term of communion in spiritual things, the principle is precisely the same, whether it be done by a civil or an ecclesiastical court. Other men have made a Creed or Confession for us, which we must receive; and whether they be politicians or theologians, who have undertaken to legislate for our consciences, is quite immaterial. The thing is done, and we must submit. Authority is exercised, and to this exercise of authority we do most seriously and resolutely object; asserting that the Master never invested those, who use it, with such a dangerous prerogative. He never gave them a right to say, upon what prin