Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

we be sure he ever manifested in working out redemption for sinners? And what other grace is to be attributed to Christ, than that of the humiliation and sufferings of a mere creature, in all that he endured for our salvation? And if, in the whole of this work of Christ, there were no other grace than that of a mere creature; how natural to conclude, that a mere creature was adequate to the work!

If the passages of scripture now mentioned are to be understood only of the human nature of Christ, pre-existing his incarnation, the words of the Saviour, when he said to the Jews, John viii. 58, "before Abraham was, I am," may be understood in a similar manner, and infer nothing more than that, though a creature, his existence was anterior to that of Abraham.

It must, therefore, appear, it is apprehended, that the opinion, that the human nature of Christ pre-existed his incarnation, is not only without the support of

scripture authority, but inconsistent with many things asserted of him in the Bible: and, instead of rendering the construction of scripture more easy and natural, gives plausibility to the glosses, which Arian writers put on many passages usually and justly urged in proof of the true and real divinity of Christ.

If the construction, put on the above-mentioned passages of scripture, by those, who advocate the opinion of the pre-existence of the created nature of Christ, be admitted to be rational and just; with what facility may the wit and ingenuity of men evade the clearest evidence of the true and real divinity of the Saviour of the world.

This being the case, the sentiment, that the human or created nature of Christ pre-existed his incarnation, is not to be considered, either as a trifling, or an innocent error; but, an opinion of dangerous and hurtful tendency.

Selections.

THE FOLLOWING

"TESTIMONY TO THE ORDER OF THE GOSPEL,
IN THE CHURCHES OF NEW-ENGLAND,"

Was written about the year 1700, eight years before the death of Mr. HIGGINSON, who lived to the great age of 93 years. It was left in the hands of the churches by the two venerable men, whose names are subscribed to it, then the most aged ministers of the gospel living, as their dying Legacy. It is an invaluable document, and we earnestly recommend it to the careful and serious perusal of all our readers, and especially to the younger class of ministers now on the stage.

1. ABOVE seventy years have passed away, since one of us, and above sixty, since the other of us came into New-England, ant

EDITORS.

having obtained help from God, we continue to this day.

We are therefore capable to make some comparison, between

the condition of the churches when they were first erected in this country, and the condition into which they are now fallen, and more falling every day.

But we wish, that in making this comparison, we had not cause to take the place, and the part of those old men that saw the young 'men shouting aloud for joy, at the new temple, Ezra iii. 12. Ancient men that had seen the first house; when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice.

2. We are under a daily expectation of our call to appear before our Lord Jesus Christ; and we have reason to be above all things concerned, that we may give up our account with joy unto him. That we may be the better able to do so, we judge it necessary for us to leave in the hands of the churches, a brief testimony, to the cause of God, and his people in this land. And this the rather because we are sensible that there is risen and rising among us, a number who not only forsake the right ways of the Lord, wherein these holy churches have walked, but also labour to carry away as many others with them as they can.

We are also informed, that many younger men of great worth, and hearty friends unto the church state of the country, scarce know what interpretation to put upon it; but find it a sensible disadvantage unto them, that the elder men are so silent and remiss upon the manifest occasions, that call aloud for us to open our mouth in the cause of churches that we should be loath to see led unto destruction.

3. We that saw the persons, who from four famous colonies,

assembled in the Synod, that a. greed on our Platform of Church Discipline, cannot forget their excellent character. They were men of great renown in the nation, from whence the Laudian Persecution exiled them; their learning, their holiness, their gravity, struck all men that knew them with admiration. They were Timothies in their houses, Chrysostomes in their pulpits, Augustines in their disputations. The prayers, the studies, the humble inquiries, with which they sought after the mind of God, were as likely to prosper as any men's on earth. And the sufferings wherein they were confessors for the name and the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, add unto the arguments which would persuade us, that our gracious Lord would reward and honour them, with communicating much of his truth unto them. The famous Brightman had foretold, Clariorem lucem adhuc Solitudo dabit, &c. God would yet reveal more of the true church state unto some of his faithful servants, whom he would send into a wilderness that he might there have communion with them. And it was eminently accomplished in what was done for and by the men of God, that first erected churches for him in this American wilderness,

We do therefore in the first place, earnestly testify, That if any who are given to change do rise up to unhinge the well established churches in this land, it will be the duty and interest of the churches to examine, whether the men of this trespass are more prayerful, more watchful, more zealous, more patient, more heavenly, more universally

conscientious, and harder students, and better scholars, and more willing to be informed and advised, than those great and good men, who left unto the churches what they now enjoy: if they be not so, it will be wisdom for the children to forbear pulling down with their own hands the houses of God, which were built by their wiser fathers, until they have better satisfaction.

It is not yet forgot by some surviving ear-witnesses of it, that when the Synod had finished the Platform of Church Discipline, they did with an extraordinary elevation of soul and voice, then sing together the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, in the fifteenth chapter of the Revelation; God forbid, that in the loss of that holy Discipline, there should be hereafter occasion to sing about breaking down the carved work of the houses of God, with axes and hammers; or take up the eightieth psalm for our lamentations.

4. It was a joy unto us to see and read a book which the reverend President of our college lately published under the title of "The order of the gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New-England:" A book most highly needful, and useful, and seasonable, a most elaborate and well composed work, and well suited under those two worthy designs; Ist, the maintaining the congregational church discipline; and 2dly, the maintaining the sweet spirit of charity and communion towards reforming presbyterians, who are our united brethren. But we must here withal testify,

that in that worthy book, there is nothing obtruded upon the churches, but what they who were here capable of observing what was done sixty years ago, do know to have been professed and practised in the churches of New-England, (except in one or two ;) then, and ever since, until of late, some who were not then born, have suggested otherwise. Yea, it is well known, that the churches then publicly maintained those principles in several judicious discourses, which were never confuted by any men whatever, unto this present time. And we do therefore most heartily commend that book, of the order of the gospel, unto the perusal and acceptance of the churches of the Lord.

5. It was one of the songs (as the Jewish masters tell us) in the feast of Tabernacles, Blessed be our youth, which have not made our old men ashamed. But, alas! we that are old men must confess ourselves ashamed, when we see after what manner some of our youth have expressed and behaved themselves, and with what scoffs they have assaulted the order of the gospel, in some things lately published & scattered about the country which have been so far from answering the arguments brought for our church order, that they have been by the wonderful providence of Christ made useful to establish the minds of serious Christians in those very points, which they see so weakly and so rudely opposed. We have taught our children in the catechism called milk of babes, that there is to be a covenant of God in the churches, wherein they give up themselves, first unto the Lord to be

his people, and then to the elders and brethren of the churches, to set forward the worship of God, and mutual edification. And it cannot but be grievous unto us, as well as unto all serious Christians, for my children of NewEngland, scornfully to vomit up their milk with scoffs upon that and other sacred actions in our churches, too horrible to be repeated.

If they take away from us one of the songs among the Jews, they would however leave us room for one of the sighs uttered by a Rabbi among them; the worst fruit we eat in our youth excelled the best which we now eat in our old age, for in our days the world is changed.

6. Concerning all sinful attempts to overturn the order of the gospel, hitherto upheld in the churches of New-England, and to spoil that glorious work of God, which we have seen him doing, what a series of remarkable providences, in erecting such congregational churches in these ends of the earth; we would now therefore bear our testimony, that they are doubtless displeasing to our Lord Jesus Christ, who walks in the midst of these golden candlesticks, and they will prove bitterness in the latter end.

And this we declare with the more concern upon our minds, because of an observation, so plain, that he that runs may read it.

It is too observable that the power of godliness is exceeding ly decaying and expiring in the country; and one great point in the decay of the power of godliness, is men's growing weary of the congregational church disci

pline, which is evidently calcu lated to maintain it.

If that church discipline were more thoroughly and vigorously kept alive, even by those that make profession of it, it might be hoped, that the Lord would sanctify it for the revival of all godliness in the land.

But if this church discipline come to be given up, we think it our duty to leave this warning to the churches, that probably the apostasy will not stop there: for the same spirit that will dispose the next generation to change their way, in one point, will dispose them to more and more changes (even in doctrine and worship as well as manners) until it may be feared the can. dlestick will be quickly removed out of its place.

7. We do therefore humbly propose it, unto all the churches, as a great expedient, for the preservation of our church state, that more prayer (even in whole days of prayer set apart for that end) with other appointed means may be used in the churches to obtain from the Lord, the outpourings of the Spirit of grace on the rising generation. If so rich a blessing were obtained, (and our heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit unto them that ask it) and if the rising generation might be a praying, pious, devout and regenerate generation, there will not be such danger as now there is, of their easily giving away the precious legacy which their fathers (now beholding the face of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory) left unto them, of their doting upon innovations fatal to the order of the gospel among us.

8. Now as aged Joseph said, I

die, and God will surely visit you; even so, we the unworthy servants of the Lord, whose age bids us every day look for death, and our call to that world, where to be is by far the best of all, do conclude with our prayers unto the Lord for these holy churches, that he would surely visit them, and grant much of his gracious presence and Spirit in the midst of them; and raise up from time to time, those who may be happy instruments of bringing down the hearts of the parents into the children. The Lord bless these his churches, and keep them stedfast, both in the faith, and in the order of the gospel, and be with them, as he was with their fathers, and never leave them nor forsake them.

JOHN HIGGINSON,
WILLIAM HUBBARD..

THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF PE

TER'S DENYING CHRIST. (From the Biblical Magazine.) It is very generally supposed that Peter's denial of his Lord was owing to the fear of persecution or death, on account of being one of his disciples: but the scriptures do not appear to countenance this supposition. John, who was known unto the high priest, went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest, without apprehending any danger, while Peter stood at the gate without: and from the conduct of this disciple, it should seem that he thought Peter more in danger from the cold, than from any designs of the Jewish rulers: for he went out and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. John was not inter

rogated, as to his discipleship, nor wished to conceal it; he was known to be a disciple: Peter's standing without was indeed expressive of his fears; but, from these circumstances, it should seem they could not arise from the mere apprehension of his being known to be a disciple.

The real cause of Peter's denial of his Lord and Master, seems to have originated in his rash conduct in the garden. There he aimed a blow to cleave down the head of Malchus, a servant of the high priest; but, failing in his design, he only cus off his right ear. This circumstance gave him just occasion to fear the civil law; and had he been known, he would, in all probability, have died for the offence. Fearing, therefore, that he should be known to be the disciple who aimed the deadly blow, Peter denied all connexion with Christ.

This view of the subject appears to account for a passage in John, which introduces a new circumstance into the narrative "One of the servants of the high priest, (being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off) saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?" Peter knew what consequences would have followed upon his confession, and he therefore denied again.

The danger to which Peter stood exposed, for his rashness in smiting Malchus with the sword, may perhaps be the reason why Matthew, Mark, and Luke, when relating the particulars of his conduct, conceal his name and as John wrote his gospel when Peter was out of danger, if not out of the world, he was not afraid to reveal the

« AnteriorContinua »