Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

"nisters or magistrates, any authority to "restrain religious worship, or repress pub

"renounce on similar grounds. Against the marriage "ceremony they most solemnly protest, because it makes marriage a religious, instead of a civil act:

[ocr errors]

"Because parts of the ceremony are highly indelicate, "and must to every correctly constituted mind be ex"tremely offensive:

"Because the man is required to worship the woman, "though the founder of Christianity has declared, that "God is the only object for the Christian to worship:

"Because it requires the recognition of the doctrine of "the Trinity, than which nothing can be more oppres"sive to those who disbelieve conscientiously, and after 66 patient investigation, that doctrine; conceiving that "the whole of Revelation fully sanctions their joining "the Apostle Paul in declaring, that 'To us there is "but one God and one mediator between God and men, "the man Christ Jesus:'

"Because, as Christians and Protestant Dissenters, it " is impossible that they can sanction the interference of any human institution with matters which concern "their faith and conscience:

66

"Because, as knowing nothing of a priesthood in "Christianity, the submission to a ceremony performed "by a person in 'holy orders, or pretended holy orders,' " is painful and humiliating to their feelings :

"Because, as warm and firm believers in the truth of "Christianity, they disbelieve and abominate the doc"trine of the Trinity, in the name of which the mar"riage ceremony is performed;

"lic opinion"." "Dominion over con"science appears," in the judgment of the Independents, "a direct violation of the "Gospel. We are subject to no authority "in matters of religion, but that of Jesus "Christ"," who " is sovereign in his Church " and in all spiritual concerns. None share "with him in his legislative or his ju"dicial authority"." "Protestant Dissent"ers, who hold the

supremacy of Christ as

[ocr errors]

"And because, as servants of Jesus, they worship the "one living and true God, his God and their God, his "Father and their Father.

(Signed)

HENRY B. FEARON,

JOHANNA THOMPSON,

Members of the Church of God, meeting

at the Crescent, Jewin-street, London." m Williams, p. 183. "A legislative right of any sort, 66 over the souls or consciences of others, the Almighty "has never delegated to a created being; nor could he "delegate so awful a trust without a surrender of his in"defeasible claims as God; without putting it into the "power of his creature, who would then no longer be "his free subject to appeal from the divine jurisdiction, "and excuse his disobedience by alleging, the man "whom thou didst set over me to be a god, he com"manded me, and I did it."" Conder, p. 66. • Bicheno, p. 6.

n Fielding, p. 80.

"first and last, and midst and without "end," maintain, "that the will of Christ "is to be sought, and can only be found, in "the sense of the whole body formally ex"pressed on mature deliberation. For it "is the maxim of independent or congregational Churches, Vox populi vox Dei, "The voice of the people is the voice of "God"."

66

It is not easy to reconcile these positions with the Scriptures, which, without any allusion to the "equal rights" of the people, define the authority of the ministry, and prescribe its proper offices. It is a fact which cannot be denied, that Jesus did choose first, the Twelve, and afterwards, the Seventy, and send them with the utmost solemnity to discharge their several commissions: "He that heareth you,” said

P Bass's Address to Congregational Churches, occasioned by the Publication of a Dispute arising from a Dereliction of their Principles of Discipline and Government, by a Christian Society of that order at Coggeshall, submitted to the candid Consideration of all the Friends of Peace and Piety of every Denomination. p.

13.

he, "heareth me; and he that despiseth

[ocr errors]

66

66

you despiseth me; and he that despiseth

me despiseth him that sent me." After his resurrection, he renewed and ratified the powers of his Apostles: "Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so "send I you... Receive ye the Holy Ghost: "whosesoever sins ye remit, they are re"mitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.” “All All power "is given unto me in heaven and in earth. "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of "all nations, baptizing them in the name "of the Father, and of the Son, and of "the Holy Ghost; and, lo, I am with you "alway, even unto the end of the world"."

66

If the powers which this commission conveyed may be interpreted by a reference to the practice of the Apostle of the Gentiles, it comprehended what would now be called a dominion over conscience, and an authority of restraining religious worship and repressing public opinion. In the Second

9 Luke x. 16. John xx. 21-23. Matth. xxviii.

Epistle to the Corinthians, he especially insists upon this spiritual authority; for though he walked in the flesh, he did not

66

66

war after the flesh: for the weapons of his "warfare were not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of "strong holds." He used this authority in casting down imaginations, and every

66

66

high thing that exalteth itself against "the knowledge of God, and in bringing "into captivity every thought to the "obedience of Christ;" for this was an act, not of private endeavour, but of ministerial power, in virtue of which the Apostle was ready" to revenge all disobedience." He adds, "for though I should boast some"what more of our authority, which the "Lord hath given us for edification, and "not for destruction, I should not be "ashamed." He refers more than once to the declaration and maintenance of this authority, which enabled him to restrain and coerce, and under the sanction of which he delivered Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan, "that they might learn

« AnteriorContinuar »