revealed is to us the same as a nonentity, and will remain so for ever until it is revealed; and that which is revealed [in whatever manner] enables us, agreeably to the apostle's exhortation, to give a reason of the hope that is in us to honest inquirers. "I also assert that we ought to bring all doctrines whether written or verbal, to the test of the spirit of truth in our own minds, as the only sure director relative to the things of God. Otherwise, why is a manifestation of the spirit [the voice of conscience] given to every man if it is not to profit by? And if the Scriptures are above the spirit and a more certain test of doctrines, why is the Spirit given, seeing it is useless? But this doctrine that the Scriptures are the only rule of faith and practice [independent of the voice of conscience, that Right reason, given unto all, constant and eternal, calling unto duty by, commanding and deterring from deceit by forbidding-that is, one, eternal, and the same to all nations whoso obeys it not, must flee from himself, and in this is greatly tormented, although he should escape all other punishments'] is a fundamental error, and is manifested to be so by the Scriptures themselves, and also by our primitive Friends' writings. I have not said more than Robert Barclay and many others of our predecessors, respecting the errors in our English translation of the Bible. To make me erroneous for saying that the gospel handed to us was no more authentic than many other writings, surely a person that did not assent to this must be ignorant indeed. Are not the writings of our primitive Friends as authentic as any book or writing, and especially such as were written so many centuries ago, the originals of which have been lost many hundred years? And are not the histories of passing events written by candid men of the present age, which thousands know to be true, as authentic as the Bible?

"As to the manner of our coming into the world in our infant state, it is my belief that we come into the world in the same state of innocence and endowed with the same propensities and desires that our first parents were in their primeval state; and this Jesus Christ has established, and must be

conclusive in the minds of all true believers, when he took a little child in his arms and blessed him, and said to them around him, that except they were converted, and became as that little child, they should in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven. Of course all the desires and propensities of that little child, and of our first parents in their primeval state, must have been good, as they were all the endowments of their Creator, and given to them for a special and useful purpose; but it is the improper and unlawful indulgence of them that is evil.

"I readily acknowledge that I have not been able to see or understand how the cruel persecution and crucifixion of Jesus Christ by the wicked and hard-hearted Jews should expiate my sins, and I never have known any thing to effect that for me, but the grace of God, that taught me, agrecably to the apostle's doctrine, to deny all ungodliness and the world's lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

"And as I have faithfully abode under its teachings in full obedience thereto, I have been brought to believe that my sins were forgiven, and I permitted to sit under the Lord's teaching, as saith the prophet, that the children of the Lord are all taught of the Lord, and in righteousness they are established, and great is the peace of his children; and so long as I feel this peace, there is nothing in this world that makes me afraid, as it respects my eternal condition.

"But if any of my Friends have received any known benefit from any outward sacrifice, I do not envy them their privilege; but surely they would not be willing that I should acknowledge as a truth, that which I have no kind of knowledge of. I am willing to admit that Divine Mercy is no doubt watching over his rational creation for their good, and may secretly work at times for their preservation; but if in his infinite wisdom and goodness, he sees meet to hide it from us, as most consistent with his wisdom and our good, let us have a care that we do not, in the pride of our hearts, undertake to pry into his secret counsels, lest we offend, but be content with what he is pleased to reveal to us, let it be more or less; and es

pecially if he is pleased to speak peace to our minds; and when he graciously condescends to do this, we shall know it to be a peace that the world cannot give with all its enjoyments, neither take away with all its frowns."

SIR,

A

Plymouth, March 31, 1825. SHORT time since I requested the insertion in the Repository of some remarks on Missionary preaching. You favoured me with publishing those remarks, and they have moved the somewhat angry feelings of some of your correspondents. I expected they would do this; for when we at tack favourite schemes, the favourers of those schemes are wont to be moved. For this reason I did not, as I have usually done, address you under an assumed title, nor with the initials of my name alone. With design I wrote that name at length, because I chose that the obloquy of the sentiments should fall upon myself and upon no other. I will not load your pages with discussions upon this subject. My thoughts are before the public, as well as Mr. Wright's and Mr. Pope's; to which I have refrained from making a reply, because I would not seem tenacious of a controversy, nor tire your readers as many do, who will have the last word. No one can be more deeply sensible than myself of the services that Mr. Wright has rendered the Unitarian cause; but, while I have admired his industry, his zeal, his devotedness to the cause of truth, it does not follow that I am to approve of all the measures in which he has been engaged: and, although I were to admit that the course pursued by the Unitarian Fund through his instrumentality has been in all respects right, it may be, that now another course might produce with the same means a more effective benefit to the cause. If I had not thought the subject a very important one, I would not have exposed myself to the reflections which have been made upon what I have written: and because I do think it highly important, I will now offer you an apology for my conduct, not in words of my own choosing, but in those of different friends whose notes lie now before me. From one Unitarian Society a few miles off, I have received thanks for

my communication, with assurance that "they are all of the same opinion with myself." Another writes to a friend in this town as follows:

"There is a very good article_by Mr. Worsley in the last Monthly Repository, respecting Unitarian Missionaries, concerning which we perfectly agree with Mr. W." The same writer again: "In the last Monthly Repository, there are two replies to Mr. W.'s letter on Unitarian Missionaries by Mr. Wright and Mr. B. P. Pope, of Exeter; however, we think Mr. Worsley has the best of the question, and I can assure you it is also the opinion of most of the people here, who are friends of the cause; and we hope he will write again."

A third, from another town: "I have read your paper in the Repository on Missionary Preaching, and fully agree with you as to the plan that should be adopted in order to its being effectual. Mr. is of the same opinion, but he feels hurt at the severity of your remarks; I think you will have to justify what you have advanced, which I dare say you are prepared to do."

To these attestations of approbation from all but one society that is within any tolerable distance, and with which I keep up an intercourse, I shall with some satisfaction add from another note,

"On a late visit to Exeter, I was requested to assure you, that, notwithstanding Mr. Pope's letter, a great many of the members of the Unitarian congregation there, fully coincide with you in opinion upon the above subject."

From what I have heard of societies which are now forming in the West, with a view to support Missionary preaching, I am led to expect that plans similar to what I have suggested will be adopted, and am convinced that stations may readily be selected where great good may be done by intelligent and active men.

One observation I cannot refrain from making on Mr. Wright's letter; for while I will not say his statement is incorrect, I cannot admit it to be true, that he suggested to me the very plan which I have offered, and that I declared my unwillingness to join in it. I can only say, I have no recollection whatever of such a com

munication from him; but, were it even so, tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.

ISRAEL WORSLEY.

P. S. UNITARIAN ENDOWMENTS.An endowment of a hundred pounds was left to one of our societies in the West, and the interest long enjoyed by the minister, but the nephew of the managing trustee becoming minister, as a matter of delicacy it was withheld from him and given to a Calvinistic minister of the same town. This nephew some time after removed from the town, and the five pounds came back to the use of the minister who succeeded him, upon which a clamour was made, that the bequest was for the minister of that church, if he preached the doctrines of the Assembly's Catechism, and that the present minister, as well as his predecessor, was a Unitarian.”– "To whom then," said the Trustees, "must we pay it? Have you any claim to it? If you have, shew the grounds of your claim; and if they are just, you shall have the money." They could shew none, and the money has been since regularly paid to the Unitarian minister of the meeting, to which the principal was originally given.

I

SIR,

K-x.

April 16, 1825. MUST confess, while I entertain the most friendly feelings towards Mr. Baker and his friends, that I have been able to learn from his communication, inserted in your last number but one, (pp. 81-83,) neither what the modern and unobjectionable ordination is, on what authority it is grounded, nor what good purposes it is calculated to answer; while I know what it used to be among the old Presbyterians, and how objectionable it was in various respects; nor do I

During the short reign of Presbyterianism, in the time of the Commonwealth, the Presbyterians held the power of admission to, and exclusion from, the ministerial office, as absolutely as it is now enjoyed by the prelates of the Established Church; they claimed and exercised the spiritual power with as high pretensions; they professed as confidently to confer the Holy Ghost (or, at least, that the Holy Ghost was at the ordination conferred); and, for any thing I have ever known to the contrary, their claim and pretensions were equally wellfounded. See extracts from the Re

gister of the Manchester Classis in some former volumes of the Monthly Repository.

Ordination of Mr. Samuel Clark, of In the preface to a Sermon at the St. Albans, Sept. 17, 1712, by Jeremiah Smith, an account is given, by Dr. Daniel Williams, "of the method and solemnity of Presbyterian ordina

tions, from which, I think, your

readers will be gratified, and, I hope, instructed, with the following extracts :

"The course of their [students'] studies being finished, and their behaviour promising, they are at a fit age presented before such of our pastors as are appointed to examine candidates for the ministry.

"These ministers require the proposed person" (Here I shall only give the substance of the account, for the sake of brevity)-to write an exegesis in Latin, on some controverted point, to maintain the orthodox side of the question against all opponents in the same language; afterwards to preach in English on a given text; and, finally, to be strictly examined in Greek and Hebrew; also in philosophy, scripture chronology and casu istical divinity. If the ministers approve of his seriousness and the suffi

ciency of all his performances, he is licensed to preach as a probationer; if not, they delay his admission. When he is called by a congregation to a stated charge, the pastors must be satisfied that the call is regular, and that the candidate has behaved soberly and prudently since he had been li censed, before they will consent to his being ordained.

"The day of ordination is observed as a fust. The ordainers are senior pastors, who were ordained Presbyters." When some have prayed, "one of them preacheth a sermon relating to the ministerial office"-then "one of the most aged appoints the candidate to make a public confession of faith, composed by himself." Then other questions are asked, and he engages solemnly to perform the duties of a gospel minister, "under special relation to that particular church from which he has had a call, although he is ordained a minister in the Catholic visible Church." Afterwards," the candidate kneeling in the midst of the Presbyters, the aged pastor prayeth over him, imploring the Divine presence, praising God for instituting this office, qualifying men for it from age to age, and rendering it successful to the salvation of many; then also prays for the pardon of their own offences and sinful defects, and of the past sins of the person to be ordained; and, joining their thanksgivings to the God of all grace, for the gifts and graces of his Spirit conferred on this his servant, they all lay their hands upon his head, and set him apart, in the name of the Lord Jesus, to the office and work of the gospel ministry, with authority to preach the gospel, administer the sacraments and discipline of Christ, and to perform all other things, which by Divine institution belong to the order of a Presbyter." After follow in order-prayers, giving the right hand of fellowship, the charge, singing, the blessing.

From a Sermon preached at the Ordination of Mr. Thomas Fisher, at Castle Hedingham, in Essex, June 23, 1713, by Samuel Bury, V. D. M., I make the following extracts:

"An external call into the work and office of the ministry, is by such persons, whom God has deputed it unto in the gospel, and are capable

judges of the qualifications of the candidates. The suffrage of the people, or a call only from the people, cannot Inake a minister. They are not only examined as to their fitness for it; not only approved for their willingness, aptness, ability and faithfulness in it; but also solemnly inaugurated, installed and invested in the work and office.

"Ordination is the determination of a person duly qualified for the office, whereupon he is invested in the ministry by the authority of Christ. This investiture is appointed by God to be by fasting and prayer and imposition of hands. Acts xiii. init."

Till about the date of the sermon last quoted, (1713,) Presbyterianism did not yield to prelacy in regard to the extent and validity of its authority and claims. But the circumstances which have conferred permanence on prelacy, were in this country hostile to Presbyterianisin; power cemented not its authority; interest riveted not the affections of its adherents to the idol which the powers that be had set up. Presbyterians did not enjoy the advantages of such elements of permanency; and, moreover, as by degrees they came to understand and value the principles of Christian liberty, and disentangled themselves from those voluntary chains, by which ignorance and prejudice had enslaved the world, they disclaimed the spiritual authority which they had previously asserted, and, every individual claiming for himself the privilege of free inquiry, they maintained and "stood fast in the liberty with which Christ had made them free." By this process the hay and stubble were burned and consumed, the silver and gold were purified and burnished, opinions and practices not surely and solidly grounded on scriptural truth, by degrees lost their hold on men's minds; they were partially changed and discontinued, or they were so modified or qualified as to mean little or nothing; and whereever a tone of independence was assumed, they were undisguisedly disclaimed and opposed.

Ordination, with other parts of the Presbyterian discipline, underwent the process we have been just now describing. With the progress of free inquiry, its claims continually sunk in

the public estimation, until it was pretty generally discontinued, as in Lancashire and Cheshire, or until its high import was so explained away, that nothing remained but an empty name. These remarks, inserted here as they suggested themselves, will be verified and illustrated by the continuation of our brief historical sketch.

I shall next extract a few passages from "A Sermon preached at the Ordination of Mr. Thomas Morgan, at Froom, in the county of Somerset, Sept. 6, 1716, by Nicholas Billingsley."

""Tis the will of Christ," (p. 12,) "that this ministry should in common cases be conveyed to persons by solemn ordination to it. The ordination vow may be as needful to engage a man to be a faithful minister, as the baptismal vow is to engage him to be a faithful Christian. The vow itself, in either of these cases, I take to be absolutely ** I take the person necessary. ordained to be the principal agent in his own ordination, as the contracting parties are in the case of marriage. The part he performs is a free-will offering of himself to God in Christ. 'Tis he that makes the solemn vow to be his minister. The answer of a good conscience to the questions proposed is his. Ministers and people assist in the solemnity. They bear their parts. But, I think, their parts are not of equal necessity with the part he sustains himself. **** But it seems highly agreeable to the rule of his word and to the nature of things, that that they who are already in the ministry should be concerned in the conveyance of it to others. * * * * The people are also much concerned in the ordination of a minister.

Every devout soul is engaged in commending him to the grace of God. So that none here should think, that they have nothing to do in the present ordination."

From the last extracts it is evident, that a change in the views and sentiments of our Presbyterian ancestors was already begun. From several expressions, it is manifest, that the preacher found himself under the necessity of choosing new ground, the old ground of ministerial authority, according to the Presbyterian disci

pline, being become untenable; and this is still more evident from a very sensible preface to the above sermon, written by Mr. Henry Chandler, of Bath, from which I shall select a few passages:

"All that the ordainers have to do in that solemnity [ordination], is to declare that those persons are ministers of Jesus Christ, that really are so antecedently to that their declaration; and to recommend them to the Christian people by their approbation, and to the Divine blessing by their conjoined importunate prayers. And that to make them ministers is no part of their duty, because it is wholly out of their power. ** They cannot possibly qualify any person for the work of a minister. * * * They cannot efficaciously incline any person to undertake the work. *** And they cannot make any Christian people accept or invite any person as their minister."

Near the conclusion of the preface, the writer gives his own opinion concerning ordination, that "tis a laudable custom to preserve order, encourage the qualified, and prevent the intrusion of ignorant and bold pretenders."

I shall next make an extract from a Sermon at the Ordination of Mr. John Murckley, 1717, by Dr. Edmund Calamy:

"As the Holy Ghost has from one time to another inclined some persons to the office of the ministry and qualified them for it, so has he also called them forth to it. This he has done by giving them opportunity for a solemn investiture by ordination, when their commission has been delivered to them, upon their declared readiness to accept such an office, and the trust which it implies and carries in it, upon the terms laid down in the word of God. This ordination is what in several ages, according to different schemes, there has been a diversity of sentiments about. Some have reckoned it to be much like an inserting the names of such and such particular persons in the list or register of public officers: others look on it to be a solemn investiture in the office, upon proof given of a concurrence of all the qualifications that are necessary to fit men for it; while others have apprehended