will and settled law of the God of heaven, that peace and holiness shall be obtained in this way.

are to every good work reprobate," is, they hate the Physician, and his means of cure. That their heart therefore is not healed is very easily to be accounted for: they love the disease of sin better than the salvation of Christ, because their deeds are evil. Such persons are to be found where the doctrines of grace are preached speculatively, and not experimentally and prac tically. Of such ministers it may be said, "They have healed the heart of the daughter of my peo

was the minister of sin ;" and that, instead of giving himself for us, to cleanse us from all iniquity, It is to be feared there are per- and to purify to himself a pecusons of a third class, who attend liar people zealous of good the preaching of the gospel with- works, he had shed his blood, out any intention to receive the that people with religion in their truth, and to obtain the cure of mouths, and the love of sin in their souls from the contagion of their hearts, might have the pecusin. They act as if they were in liar privilege of crucifying the love with their disease; convert- Son of God afresh, and of putting ing the means which are pre-him to an open shame. The fact scribed as an antidote against sin, respecting such ungodly men, who into an encouragement of vice" know not the truth, and who and uncleanness, thereby proving that their very mind and conscience are defiled. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness; and derive aliment for their lusts, from that flood from which believers receive the life of their souls. To silence the upbraidings of conscience, which they sometimes hear, they deny that they are free agents, and that they voluntarily choose the way of wickedness, and affect to believe that they are impelled by an involuntary necessity to the commission of sin. Thus, in direct opposi-ple slightly, saying, Peace, peace, tion to the injunction of the apos- when there is no peace." And tle, they say that they are tempt- concerning such professors it may ed of God, and endeavour to stifle be said, "Were they ashamed the voice of conscience, which when they had committed abomitells them that " they are drawn nation? nay, they were not at all away by their own lust, and en- ashamed, neither could they ticed." Or, from having listened blush; therefore they shall fall to the instruction which has among them that fall: at the time caused them to err, they have that I visit them they shall be concluded that their presumptu- cast down, saith the Lord." ous confidence of safety is "the feeble assurance of hope," and they ward off the arrows of truth with the shield of a system, which teaches them that conviction of sin is no part of the Holy Spirit's work, but the working of a legal spirit, and the exercise of unbelief. To judge of the genius of the gospel from the sentiments and conduct of such men, the conclusion would be, that" Christ

VOL. X.

"

What an awful responsibility attaches to them who preach the gospel! Happy are they who are able to say, "We are a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are a savour of death unto death, and to the other a savour of life unto life; and who is sufficient for these things?"

3

IOTA.

ΤΟ

PROTESTANT DISSENTERS.

BRETHREN,

deem Christians, and performing
by yourselves the rites of divine
worship? Will they not think you
guilty of violating the unity of
the church, of interrupting the
fraternal intercourse that ought
to prevail among Christians, and
of establishing an interest hostile
to the communion of saints?
What answer will you give to their
inquiries, and how will you justify
a procedure, which appears at
first sight so little consonant with
the maxims of scripture, and the
practice of the purest ages of the
church? Surely you ought to
explain to them the necessity in
which dissent originated, and by
which it is still justified. In order
that your ancestors may not be
considered as the authors, and
yourselves as the abettors, of a
wanton and detestable schism, it
behoves you to state the grounds
on which you think yourselves
obliged to form a religious com-

You have not to learn that youth
is the season best adapted for in-
stilling into the mind religious
principles, and forming it to ha-
bits of piety and benevolence.
But while, in the general, with
laudable diligence you train up
your children in the way wherein
they should go, are you not defi-
cient in one point, namely, in incul-
cating on their minds the principles
by which you are distinguished
as Dissenters? These principles,
it is granted, are of far less im-
portance than the truths common
to sincere Christians of all deno-
minations. Yet, while I would
discourage as much as possible
sectarian feelings, I cannot for-
bear entreating you to instruct
your children more thoroughly in
those views which you entertainmunity by yourselves.
as Protestant Dissenters.

When Moses commanded the Israelites to keep the passover, he supposed that, in the lapse of time, their children might be desirous to know the origin of that rite; he therefore taught them to say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.* And is there not some

thing in you which will equally excite the curiosity of your children? Will they not wonder, since the disciples of Christ ought to constitute one body in appearance as well as in reality, they being all branches of the same tree, at your separating from those persons in the established church whom there is reason to

* Exod. xii. 27.

It would tend to correct your remissness in this particular, if you were to pay attention to the zeal and diligence of churchmen, With them the excellence of their church is an incessant theme of panegyric. The evangelical purity of its doctrine, its apostolical constitution, its primitive discipline, its decorous ceremonies, and its charitable spirit, are the topics of innumerable charges and orations. The accusations which they bring against Dissenters, of diversity of opinion, of imperfection in their mode of worship, and of a needless and therefore criminal separation from the most pure and most primitive of churches, furnish them with matter for copious declamation, strengthen the attachment of their adherents to . the national church, and aggravate their abhorrence of dissent. To counteract these effects, and

clergy being restrained by the
civil authorities.
How many

churchmen are there who be
grudge you the exercise of the
privileges with which you are by
the laws invested! In this state.
of things, it surely becomes you
to transmit to your offspring the
legacy of noble and generous
principles, which you inherited.
If you take not pains to instil
them into the minds of your

to prevent these representations | them; the intolerance of the from imposing on your children, is it not necessary to tell them again and again, that there was no religious establishment until nearly the middle of the fourth century; that the Christian church became greatly corrupted soon after that dreadful event; that believers ought not to be yoked together with unbelievers; and that therefore every religious establishment is necessarily wrong and antiscriptural? When you have deep-children, you will seem ungrateful ly laid this foundation, you may then proceed to state to them, as minor considerations, your objections to the general frame and constitution of the church of England; to its officers; to its liturgy; to its ceremonies; to its impositions; to its discipline; to the forcing of ministers upon the people without their choice; to its spiritual courts; to its tithes ;* &c. &c. It may also not be amiss to furnish them with a history of the Nonconformists, and of their sufferings in the cause of religious dissent.

The free and generous principles which constitute the civil polity of these realms, it is well known, originated with the Puritans, and have, at all times, been cordially cherished by their descendants, the Protestant Dissenters. A love of liberty, civil and religious, enters into the very idea of a Protestant Dissenter. The tolerating maxims that originated with the ancestors of the Dissenters, were not spontaneously embraced by churchmen. The freedom of worship, at present enjoyed, was extorted from

*These last three things indeed are not articles of minor consideration, but result from the UNEQUAL YOKE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE STATE.

to your ancestors, who maintained them at the risk, of liberty, fortune, and life. Let it not be imagined that you have relinquished those exalted sentiments to which this nation owes its fame, its security, and its happiness.

You think the views which you entertain of the constitution and discipline of the Christian church consonant to the scripture, and to the practice of the first ages. Of course, you must suppose the prevalence of them connected in a degree with the purity and vigour of the Christian religion. While you teach your children the doctrines which you hold in common with other Christians, can you be satisfied, as if you had discharged your duty, if you explain not to them the opinions which distinguish you as Dis

senters?

The existence of Dissenters, too, is beneficial to the church itself. When their doctrines are illustrated by practice, it has a great influence on the church. It checks the extravagant pretensions in which her members are prone to indulge; it lays a restraint on her corruptions and abuses; it promotes among her clergy learning and decorum of manners; and it excites their zeal, and stimulates them to a

more regular discharge of their duties.

If these considerations should induce you to pay a greater attention to the instructing of your children in the principles of dissent, it will gratify

A DISSENTER.*

ON THE

ACT OF FORGIVENESS.

To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine

QUERY.

WILL you, or some one of your numerous correspondents, favour us with scriptural ideas, as to the time when the act of forgiveness was, or is passed, and whether it is supposed to be all at once, or as the poet says, "A part to-day, to-morrow more, As we our sins commit."

Keeping up a distinction between the act itself, and the manifestation of it, to the comfort of God's people?

from Rom. iv. 6, 7; and seeing it is promised of him that believeth, that he shall not come into condemnation,' it must, in some way, secure the pardon of all his sins, and the possession of eternal life. Yet to speak of sins as being pardoned, before they are repented of, or even committed, is not only to maintain that on which the scriptures are silent, but to contradict the current language of their testimony. If all our sins, past, present, and to come, were actually forgiven, either when Christ laid down his life, or even on our first believing, why did David speak of 'confessing his transgression,' and of God's forgiving his iniquity? Why did Solomon teach us, that

He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy?' Why did our Lord direct us, in our daily prayers, to say, 'Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors? And why add, If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses?' Finally, Why did the apostle John teach us, that If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unWe know not what better an-righteousness?" swer to return to the above querist, than what is contained in the following extract:

May 18, 1818.

ANSWER.

PHILO.

"Nor is it sufficient to understand this language, of the manifestation of forgiveness to the mind. Forgiveness is not opcomforts of religion, but to 'layposed to merely withholding the ing our sins to our charge. The parable of the servant, who took his fellow-servant by the throat, and was delivered by his Lord to the tormentors, is thus applied by our Lord; So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if from ye hearts foryour give not every one his brother their trespasses.' This undoubt

QUERY.

Is it lawful for Christians,

when they are assembled together for divine worship, to unite instrumental music with vocal in the worship of God?

A SINGER.

edly means more than withhold-| ON MUSIC IN CHURCHES. ing a sense of forgiveness in the present life. Nor is there any thing in all this inconsistent with the certain perseverance of true believers, or with the promise that they shall not come into condemnation.' The truth taught us in this promise is not that if, after believing in Christ, we live in sin, and die without repentance, we shall nevertheless escape condemnation; but that provision is made in behalf of believers, that they shall not live in sin; that they shall not die without repentance; but return to God, and so obtain forgiveness. The promise of non-condemnation includes that of repentance and perseverance. I will put my law in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me.'

ANSWER.

RELIGIOUS worship falls under three heads; viz. Moral, Instituted, and Discretionary.

1. MORAL.-Prayer is a moral duty; and the singing of praise appears to be so, Col. iii. 16. Ps. civ. 33. There may be appendages to moral duties, which are not morally obligatory. Thus, under the Old Testament dispensation, incense was an appendage to prayer, and instrumental music to singing; but neither the one nor the other was of a moral nature. No one says that it is sinful not to use instrumental music in divine worship.

"We may think, if the Lord appointed us to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ, whatever be our conduct, he will never threaten us with any thing beyond a severe chastisement; but Christ did not act in this manner towards his disciples. He not only gave 2. INSTITUTED.-Instrumentthe unforgiving to expect no for- al music was instituted under the giveness at the hand of God, but Old Testament dispensation. In enforced the giving up of that the time of Moses were used the which caused them to offend, trumpet and cornet: David addthough it were as dear as a righted many other instruments by the hand, or a right eye, on pain of divine command, 2 Chron. xxix. being cast into hell fire. He al 25. Instituted worship ceased lowed no one, while in an evil at the death of Christ. Instrucourse, to take it for granted, mental music was not instituted that he was nevertheless a good by Christ or his apostles: they man; but pointed him to the sang a hymn, Matt. xxvi. 30. end, whither that course, if per- Singing is not only a moral duty, sisted in, would lead him. Warn- but it is instituted under the New ings are as necessary in some cir- Testament dispensation, Eph. v. cumstances, as encouragements 19. Col. iii. 16, &c. are in others; and their being 3. DISCRETIONARY.-When enforced, on pain of eternal de-a moral, or an instituted duty adstruction, may be the appointed means of saving us from it."

Fuller's Sermons on various Subjects.

mits of being performed in a variety of ways, none of which are with the divine appointment, inconsistent with its morality, or