The abridged fketch of the history of the contro verfy, in the introduction to these Letters, prefents fome very profitable information to the intelligent reader. Reftricting our obfervation to the Chriftian world, we find the Church of Rome, among her other ufurpations during the gloomy ages of her reigning fuperftition, making the civil magistrate a mere tool to her corrupt and ambitious purposes. The Proteftant Reformers, in oppofition to thefe abufes, and in vindication of the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures refpecting the Christian magiftrate, restored to him, in their different Confeffions, a diftingufhed power, both in the reformation and prefervation of the true religion; and till of very hate years, this has been a fixed principle of Protestånt Prefbyterians, in the different Churches where Prefbytery hath been profeffed.

We commonly form our estimate of characters, from the principles and behaviour of thofe with whom they difcover a fondnefs to affociate; and perhaps the rule may be extended without impropriety. to the principles and behaviour of Churches. What lover of truth then, and of the principles hitherto held upon the fubject by Prefbyterians, can behold without regret fuch a refpectable body, of Prefbyterians as the Seceders in Scotland, in their late efforts for renouncing all connection between Church and State, and confequent denial of any power to the civil magiftrate in the matters of religion, fo fondly patronizing opinions, adopted only by Sectaries fo formally condemned by them in their Act and Teftimony;--many of whofe principles they cannot but abhor, and an affociation with whom would be the finishing reproach of their character?"

The ancient Donatifts, a fect of Arian feparatifts, who appeared about the beginning of the 4th Centufy, feem to have been among the first who held out

thefe opinions to the Christian world. Feeling the weight of the arm of power for their fchifmatical practices, by way of reprizal, they ftript the magiitrate of all power in religion;-maintaining that he had no more power about religious matters than any private perfon, and refufing him the right of fuppreffing the propagators of doctrines different from thofe profeffed by the Church, or the obfervers of a different form of worship. From them the German Anabaptifls adopted the fame views. Then the Socinians and remonftrant Arminians, whenever the magiftrate ceafed to patronize their cause. The English Independents during the time of the Long Parliament were the zealous fupporters of the fame epinions. In their rage for liberty of confcience, they formed the flrongeft oppofition in the Westminfter Affembly which the Prefbyterians had to encounter. Through their influence that venerable body was much embarraffed in their proceedings; and by their means, certain paffages of the Confeffion of Faith never obtained the ratification of the English Parliament. The English Diffenters of the prefent age are generally in the fame views, efpecially the Socinians, the Arians, and the Quakers, who have most to dread from the Laws of the Land against their blafphemies. And who knows not that the high reputation of Mr. Locke as a Philosopher, as well as his political principles as a Republican, has given thefe opinions fuch an air of refpectability, that many youth in the Univerfities have been thereby inclined to embrace them?

It was the felicity of Scotland to be long a ftranger to those unfcriptural notions. Mr. John Glass, Minister of the Parish of Tealing commencing a furious Independent, refpecting the power of the civil magiftrate, and the obligation of our Covenants on pofterity, drew away a confiderable number of dif

ciples after him. His principles and conduct are formally condemned by Seceders in their Act and Teftimony. From his time the writings of the infidel philofophers of France, against all establishments of religion, that Chriftianity itself might become a more eafy prey to their intrigues, were fo univerfally read, that multitudes not aware of the tendency of their principles, nor of the defigns of thefe wicked men, have embraced with much warmth these dangerous opinions, rendered popular by the pompous title of Principles of Religious Liberty."!!

It is therefore an occurrence none of the leaft marvellous in this age of wonders, that Seceders, the very basis of whofe foundation, as a religious body, is a more pure adminiftration of Prefbytery, agreeably to the Westminster Confeffion of Faith, the Catechifms, and Covenants, fhould fo completely forget themselves, as to embrace with fuch uncommon ardour, opinions fo evidently fubverfive of their own principles;—as to revive a controverfy, in which their forefathers combated with fuch zeal, and difplayed fuch force of argument;-as to build up what thefe worthy Patriots deftroyed, by efpoufing the opinions, and taking the very men by the hand whom they experienced to be fuch a dead weight upon them, in that Reformation which they ftruggled fo hard to carry forward. Such a furrender of principle is doubtlefs a phenomenon of its kind; and promises but little to the caufe of Reformation, from men, who by their vow at ordination had become pledged "to follow no divifive courfe from the Reformed and Covenanted Church of Scotland, either by falling in with the defections of the times, or giving themselves up to a deteftable indifferency, or neutrality, in the forefaid Covenanted caufe," but now have preffed a measure fubverfive of the very foundation upon which that Church is fettled.

Much to the injury of truth, and I am forry to add, to the difcredit of the Seceffion, a period of all others the most unfavourable in the annals of our country for fuch a difcuffion, was chofen, for agitating the question refpecting the power of the civil magiftrate in matters of religion. Never, perhaps, was a queftion involving the fate of any part of revealed truth, treated with as little ceremony or concern to come at truth. The affumption, that there was fomething wrong in the doctrine taught in our Confeffion, our Catechifins, and Covenants refpecting the power of the civil magistrate in matters of religion, was adopted at once. A freedom this which these gentlemen would have reckoned neither juft nor honourable, had it been used only with their own character. Men fcrupled at the power afcribed to the magistrate in religious matters in our Confeffion, &c. No proof of error was adduced. No judicial reasoning was inftituted on the point. A cool and difpaffionate difcuffion, in order either to vindicate the doctrine hitherto maintained by Seceders, and to affure fcruplers that their fcruples were unfounded, or to correct the error if any error exifted, was refused. Affertion was fuftained as proof pofitive upon the matter. A deed of Synod in the year 17 making every thing in the Confeffion and Catechifins, refpecting the magistrates' power in religion, a matter of forbearance, and changing completely the question in the Formula, refpecting the obligation of our Covenants on pofterity, was

* Under the name of Scruplers a confiderable number of the members of court were already fixed in the new opinions respecting the magistrate's power in matters of religion and the obliga tion of our public Covenants All these were of confequence parties and prejudged, when the measure of a change was propofed. In ftead, however, of joining Mr Frazer in his petition or, remaining neutral till the court decide, these were the moft zealous and active by speaking and voting to carry the change How could truth or an impartial decfion be obtained here?

judged the fmootheft method of droping these articles out of our religious profeffion, and of complete ly fhifting the foundation of the Seceffion Church. This overture, brought forward in April 1796, by a majority of a Committee, being judged by the leading faction of the Synod too flrong a measure, the expedient of a preamble* to the Formula was next adopted. By this preamble while the leaders affected to give way, the original object was ftill purfued. An ambiguity of language, fince confefied to have been ftudied by the originai framers, impofed upon the lovers of peace and the friends of our principles, and afforded an opportunity for dishonest men to perfevere in their opinions and their measures, to the fubverfion of the doctrine of that Church, which they were understood at their ordination to have pledged themselves to fupport.

And is this the Scriptural method either of protecting truth, or of coming at it? The method for fuch a refpectable body to do juftice to their acknowledged principles, to do juftice to themselves, juftice to their people, juftice to the prefent generation, to pofterity or to the truth itfelf? By this precedent, men may arife who fhall fcruple at each of the articles of revealed religion in fucceffion; and in the fame manner a Synod may difpofe of the queftion, and curtail the articles of their belief. If this be the new method of protecting truth, and of preferving the purity of a Church, the old one of difcuffion, and of trial of all things by the word of God, and holding fast that which is good, is vaitly better.

But "the article of the power afcribed to the magiftrate in our Confeffion, &c. about religious mat. ters is of fo little confequence, particularly to the

* An explanation of the Formula upon these two points; but now difcovered of double meaning and fo enfuaring to the confcs. ences of men in the matter of an oath.