of state patronage? And these again involve other and momentous inquiries; such as, what was Christianity in its primitive, unsophisticated character, as taught by its Divine founder, and diffused under his guidance by its original propagators? What was its theory-what its practice-what its weapons-what its effects, and how accomplished?-what its history-when it became associated with worldly administrations, obtained the protection, and spoke through the enactments of princes and potentates; exchanged the simplicity of the upper room at Jerusalem, and the cottage, and the highway, and the mountain-side, and the seashore, for the pomp of the palace and the cathedral-what its moral power when men began to persecute, and assume the right to tolerate others in the exercise of their faith, and the conduct of their worship-what its progress when the sword, but not the 'sword of the Spirit;' its sceptre, but not the sceptre of the Prince of Peace,' made martyrs of its apostles, and slaves of its subjects?

Upon a review of the past three hundred years, there will be found much, very much to furnish matter for grave and even melancholy reflection. Considering the noble struggles of the great promoters of the reformation, it was to have been expected that emancipated religion would have gone on conquering and to conquer. It was not unreasonable in the reformers to think, as they did think, that the bright æra of the millennium was beginning to burst upon a long-oppressed and misguided world, and that the principles of moral freedom and eternal truth, for which they contended, were about to march triumphantly through the length and breadth of the earth. It was natural, having struck so severe a blow, and inflicted so deep and deadly a wound on the man of sin, to look for the downfall of popery, and the irresistible success of a purer faith and practice. In truth, fair and glorious were the prognostications of the future at that auspicious period. There seemed to be men of the right spirit in action; the crushing encumbrance of resistless authority had been removed; the holy Bible was given to rejoicing millions in the German language. If ever it could be said, in any case, that the direct interposition of Providence was manifest, apart from mere visible and palpable displays to the senses, it may surely be affirmed, that it was then indisputable and obvious. As well in the singular origination of that great measure, as in all the circumstances of its early advancement, till the bravery and mastery of truth in its humble advocates subdued the power and discipline of the hosts of error and corruption, was to be seen a movement that extorted from ten thousand tongues the exclamation, What hath God wrought! But, after the lapse of three centuries, what do we now find; and why do we find it? We find popery vigorous, and Protestantism turning pale at the sight; we find

the spirit of an Eckius reviving, and that of a Luther almost ready to quail. The christian world has been surprised at the resuscitation of exploded doctrines; the extravagant demands of newly constituted authorities; the plain and palpable stagnation of the Protestant mind. After this great lapse of time, during which so many controversies have been agitated, so many books written, so many mental giants have fought and bled in the field of illustrious strife for freedom and religion, what do we find, but christendom overspread with moral darkness, and even in this the most enlightened part of it; yea, even in this the nineteenth age of the christian æra, the very question which ought to have been settled long ago, which one would think to be of no very difficult solution, which is absolutely an elementary question, and fundamental to christianity, still in warm and rancorous discussion,namely, whether the establishment of religion by the state, or the propagation of it by its own voluntary and truth-loving agents, be the legitimate and scriptural mode? One would think this is like debating whether the religion of Jesus has any intrinsic virtue and force, or whether he, perceiving the natural inefficiency of his own principles, called upon princedoms and potentates to prop his cause by their legislation, and provide for its increase by their countenance. It is like asking whether christianity is an outward ceremony, or an inward principle; if the former, it needs a worldly sustenance; if the latter, it must and can triumph alone by its self-sustained and self-propagating energy.

But why, we have inquired, do we find things in their present position? Why do men of note and talent betray the grossest inconsistencies, puzzle themselves and others with a labyrinth of theological perplexity, and pour forth their periodical denunciations upon those who conscientiously differ from their opinions, and deny their fallacies to be axioms; and why, in the form not only of what are technically denominated 'grievances,' but in that of secret, insidious, petty persecutions, and less secret calumnies, do men continue to disparage the gospel, and disgrace the mitre? The answer, and the only answer, so far as we can discern, isthe reformation itself was essentially defective. It went deep, but not deep enough; it soared high, but not high enough. It was both less pure in its principle, and less perfect in its details, than it might have been. It did wonderful execution in lopping, and barking, and tearing asunder even the main stem, but did not lay the axe at the root of the great upas-tree of corruption. If ever christians were called in providence to the discharge of a high and most responsible duty, we believe it to be at the present crisis. Never was duty plainer-perhaps, never was difficulty greater; and the difficulty will be found, not merely in the formidable array of antagonist principles and combinations, but in the conflict which, in the fulfilment of their high vocation, Christ

ians have to maintain with their own spirits. The perfection of a moral achievement is to do a great and good thing, and to do it in the right spirit. Before we take the sword of the Spirit in our grasp, we should wash our hands in innocency;' so that every thrust shall be a triumph before we gain the ultimate victory. The grand defect of the reformation was, that it did not aim at the subversion, nay, it even confirmed by the advocacy and practice of its leaders, the compulsory principle in religion. It sought the ruin of a popish, but upheld the scheme of a Protestant establishment. Its theory was unfounded; or rather, perhaps, it had no theory. The reformers, with all their sagacity, did not perceive that they were no more entitled to impose on the faith of others, than others had the right to impose on theirs: that Luther ought no more to judge and condemn Zuingle for his sacramentarian sentiments, or Calvin to burn Servetus for his heresy, than Leo X., or his successors, to give Luther to the magistrate or to perdition. Lutheranism ought no more to have been established than popery; for whether the authority in question was pope, monarch, or elector, it was a human authority, and religion, which sought to be untrammelled, was only allowed to serve a better master. But heaven has designed her for rule and not for servitude; and her appropriate and predestined dominion is over the mind and the heart. Her glorious crown is the affections of her subjects.

The vast and peculiar enterprise to which all enlightened christians are called in the present day, is to seek, by every proper and practicable means, to obtain the separation of the church from the state. Their business is to carry out and go beyond the reformation. It is not with a Carlodstadt's violence to pull down images or altars, but with the argument of a Paul to convince, and with the love of a John to constrain. It is to demand inquiry; to pursue evidence; to explain Scripture; to oppose false theories, and resist vicious intrusions into the church of Christ; to ascertain and declare essential, long hidden, or much mutilated principles; to restore primitive practice, and to lay an unsparing hand upon soul-destroying corruptions. But we again say, and fearlessly maintain, that the one chief labor to which an enlightened church is now called, for which its members ought to pray and strive to unite, is to effect a separation of the true church from all its worldly adhesions, and to do this with all personal kindness to individuals who adhere to systems hostile to a primitive christianity: to make this their distinct and paramount object, that religion may stand forth in her unrivalled grandeur, in the majesty of her truth, and the power of her charity, and thus appear clear as the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with ban'ners.'

6

And this we say the rather, because we perceive in the consti

tution of the Evangelical Voluntary Church Association precisely that element which, in combination with others, apparent in prior institutions kindred in fundamental principle, will tend to promote good-will as well as good sentiment, and make the triumph in question substantially the victory of love. But before coming to the details of this society, we must be allowed a few more general observations.

The timid of all parties, but especially those whose interest it is to retain their present elevation, are alarmed at controversy and agitation, for the same reason that the rooks are afraid of tempestuous winds that may blow them out of their nests. But is there one reason in Scripture why we should conceal our views from any apprehension of immediate consequences; and can an overawed conscience be a peaceful one? Did any deference to existing authorities in the apostolic times prevent the teachers of christianity from going into the places of most public resort to urge their doctrines, though they were decried as aiming to turn. the world upside down?" Besides, the agitations of controversy, to which in the yet conflicting state of opinions we are necessarily forced, tend to purify the moral atmosphere.

6

The evils incident to discussion have induced many to sacrifice the interests of truth to the desire of peace. The desire of peace is, doubtless, natural to every well constituted mind, and is accordant with the scriptural injunction, to seek peace and ensue 'it.' But neither reason nor scripture justify that morbid sensibility which is more alive to the feelings of individuals than the principles which should govern the world; and more concerned about personal repose than public good. If tranquillity can be obtained in connexion with the advancement of truth and religion, it is well; but if the alternative be, that peace or principle must be abandoned, the path of duty is clear, or apostles, martyrs, and reformers, have labored and died in vain.

An eminent writer has remarked, with regard to the duties of patriotism, Christianity, I allow, is a religion of peace; and whenever it universally prevails, in the spirit and power of it, 'wars will be unknown. But so will every other species of in'justice: yet while the world is as it is, some kind of resistance to injustice is necessary, though it may at some future time 'become unnecessary. If our Saviour's command, that we resist 'not evil be taken literally and universally, it must have been 'wrong for Paul to have remonstrated against the magistrates at Philippi; and he himself would not have reproved the person 'who smote him at the judgment seat.' The applicability of this sentiment is obvious when Christianity is prevalent in all orders of society and throughout the world, that is, pure, enlightened, biblical Christianity-religious controversies, as well as sectarian animosities, will cease; but while the world, and it may be added

ians have to maintain with their own spirits. The perfection of a moral achievement is to do a great and good thing, and to do it in the right spirit. Before we take the sword of the Spirit in our grasp, we should wash our hands in innocency;' so that every thrust shall be a triumph before we gain the ultimate victory. The grand defect of the reformation was, that it did not aim at the subversion, nay, it even confirmed by the advocacy and practice of its leaders, the compulsory principle in religion. It sought the ruin of a popish, but upheld the scheme of a Protestant establishment. Its theory was unfounded; or rather, perhaps, it had no theory. The reformers, with all their sagacity, did not perceive that they were no more entitled to impose on the faith of others, than others had the right to impose on theirs: that Luther ought no more to judge and condemn Zuingle for his sacramentarian sentiments, or Calvin to burn Servetus for his heresy, than Leo X., or his successors, to give Luther to the magistrate or to perdition. Lutheranism ought no more to have been established than popery; for whether the authority in question was pope, monarch, or elector, it was a human authority, and religion, which sought to be untrammelled, was only allowed to serve a better master. But heaven has designed her for rule and not for servitude; and her appropriate and predestined dominion is over the mind and the heart. Her glorious crown is the affections of her subjects.

The vast and peculiar enterprise to which all enlightened christians are called in the present day, is to seek, by every proper and practicable means, to obtain the separation of the church from the state. Their business is to carry out and go beyond the reformation. It is not with a Carlodstadt's violence to pull down images or altars, but with the argument of a Paul to convince, and with the love of a John to constrain. It is to demand inquiry; to pursue evidence; to explain Scripture; to oppose false theories, and resist vicious intrusions into the church of Christ; to ascertain and declare essential, long hidden, or much mutilated principles; to restore primitive practice, and to lay an unsparing hand upon soul-destroying corruptions. But we again say, and fearlessly maintain, that the one chief labor to which an enlightened church is now called, for which its members ought to pray and strive to unite, is to effect a separation of the true church from all its worldly adhesions, and to do this with all personal kindness to individuals who adhere to systems hostile to a primitive christianity: to make this their distinct and paramount object, that religion may stand forth in her unrivalled grandeur, in the majesty of her truth, and the power of her charity, and thus appear clear as the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with ban'ners.'

And this we say the rather, because we perceive in the consti