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tems, will never be able fully to perceive, or to appreciate the true excellence of that religion, which is 'pure, and peaceable, full of mercy and good fruits, and which breathes good will towards men.' For, in some of the forms which Christianity has assumed in certain countries, it has been so much blended with human inventions as to be scarcely distinguishable from heathenism; and consequently in such cases, it has seldom been accompanied with those, beneficial effects, which it is calculated to. produce. And, among almost all the sectaries in every country, either some of its distinguishing features have been overlooked, or its doctrines mixed up with metaphysical dogmas, or its practical bearings disregarded, or opinions respecting its forms and circumstantials set in competition with its fundamental truths and moral requisitions. Nevertheless, the foundation of God. standeth sure' and the divine fabric of Christianity will remain unshaken and unimpaired, so long as the scriptures are preserved uncontaminated and entire.”*

All this is true, and evinces the bible itself to be the best instrument of instructing the human mind: while creeds can pretend to no such pre-eminent utility. In fact they cannot, if the above views of them be true, ever keep out error; for how can they banish error, if they are not able to teach truth? and offer no inducement to holiness? They operate precisely on the old principle adopted by the heathen priesthood, which Paul describes when he says-"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed THE GLORY of the incorruptible God into an image

* Dick, on the improvement of Society, &c. pp. 293-'4.

made like to corruptible man, and to birds and fourfooted beasts and creeping things." The difficulties of which ecclesiastics complain, they have introduced themselves. For while the bible is commensurate with the varieties of the intellectual world, and meets every man, according to his own peculiarity, just as the physical system does, creeds cannot instruct, or adapt themselves to, this varied mind; but on the contrary, convert even their framers into so many combatants to teach the Christian community how to quarrel and divide. And all this is done by parties, who are so anxious for a close and intimate communion with God himself, that they declare the one, that the bible is the only rule of faith and practice, and that the sinner is converted by the power of God;

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and the other, that the bread and wine, in the ordinance of the supper, become the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. The bible is the only rule, and yet we must have a creed we may eat Christ's flesh, and yet may not read his bible. Marvellous theology!

But I shall be told, that Jehovah has himself appointed ministers to instruct the people. True. All societies have official men. Religion is a social matter, and organized communities must have their own agents for the production of social results. Yet the object of the ministry is, to keep the BIBLE before the minds of men -to divide the word of truth-to teach all things which Christ has commanded—and he has promised to be with them to the end of the world. But creeds do not exhibit the word of truth. They proclaim the supposed unanimous consent of the fathers, or the decisions of the pope, or the de

crees of councils, or the doctrines of a sect, and have no promise of the Spirit's presence and aid. They refer not to God as their author, nor to the sanctification of man as their object. They bring in ecclesiastical power, which the Master and his disciples most solemnly prohibited, and can do nothing but distract and debase the human mind. Let the reader look for "regular order" through the whole Christian church, and find it if he can. Let him go back to the council of Nice, and listen to trinitarian and unitarian combatants, and look at bishops, so celebrated for their learning and their piety, as they cast their mitres at the feet of a hypocritical emperor, or receive them again with the inscription of their new vassalage:Let him trail his melancholy steps through the middle ages, and look for "the brightness of glory" amid scenes of darkness and deeds of blood:-Let him now catch from every passing breeze the summons of ecclesiastical strife, and distinguish the high tones of idolized leaders,―of legions marshalled under the pope, or the different sects of reformers; and then tell where "regular order" is, in either doctrines or social virtues?

And after all, when the creed system has done such fearful things, and through so many ages; when at the present day, scarcely a church court can meet without bitter contention, and parties, full of animosity, have risen, or are rising, in each denomination, —— when religious newspapers have become the vehicles of religious controversy, and religious society seems to be dissolving; will not men see, will not the saints of the Lord, abandon, the cause of this wide-spreading degeneracy? and seek for order and harmony,

peace and truth, in the bible, which God himself gave them? Shall men who take this view, and adopt this course, still be driven out of the church? Then God grant, that our ecclesiastics may have cases every day multiplying on their hands, until the Christian community shall itself be roused to understand, why this whirlwind is sweeping through the Christian empire. May the Lord arise to staunch the bleeding wounds his own servants have inflicted, and wake up Zion to put on her beautiful garments. The Lord reigns, and in him alone can troubled hearts confide.

CONCLUSION.

I HAVE now, the second time, reviewed the creed system. In behalf of the general argument, catholic, lutheran, episcopalian, and presbyterian witnesses have been summoned, with others of high literary character and standing. An appeal has been made to every man, who may please to read history, or to look at events transpiring around him. Many other witnesses might have been called upon, whose testimony would have been equally clear, and the argument might have been much extended. But enough has been done. My reader may, perhaps, be offended with my freedom and severity. If so, two suggestions, which I freely make, may deserve his attention. If the essay is merely the echo of truth, then his offence, however much I may regret it, is no concern of mine. If truth has not been maintained, I trust I shall be ever open to conviction. Free from the

grasp of church courts, and apprehending nothing, personally, from their high-handed measures, I would honestly declare my thoughts, but would not use my liberty as "a cloak of maliciousness." I covet controversy with no ecclesiastic of any name; nor the notice of any reviewer, who may be confident of his own ability to put the public straight. All I desire is the promulgation of truth with the Master's blessing; and that every man may have full liberty to declare truth, according to the wisdom given unto him, and the opportunities which providence may associate with his duties.

Perhaps it may be asked-what is now to be done? To which I answer, that free and untrammelled DISCUSSION, aiming at truth, guided by the fear of the Lord, and sustained by love to men, is every thing in Jehovah's intellectual empire. Such liberty is necessarily connected with individual responsibility, and the proper exercise of mind. The power that interferes with it is tyrannical, and the man who submits to such an act of power is not evangelically free. The community may not be prepared for this discussion, though they are approaching it. Controversy must wake up the papal church to thought and inquiry, and her members must know that her dogmas may be examined. The PEOPLE must learn their rights, as governors in ecclesiastical associations, instead of submitting to the infallibility of synodical assemblies. All this may require time. In the mean while, he who desires to think for himself, and the church which determines to sustain him, must take the troubles which such a case involves; and, as Jesus loved them and gave himself for them, they must, with cheerfulness

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