to them by persons so disposed, they further proceed to examine their Confession and Covenant.

Having ended this examination, the Council in private session consider the propriety and duty of proceeding further. If they find it right and suitable to proceed, they then assign to certain fit persons of their number the religious duties, which remain to be performed in public. And in making these assignments, they have a regard to the wishes of the proposed Church, and do not ordinarily find occasion to differ from them, when they are found to have expressed a desire, that certain individuals should perform particular parts.

34. Of the public religious Exercises, &c.

The public services soon commence in the meetinghouse, and all persons, who desire to be present, are admitted; generally no small multitude. Seats are re

served for the Council, and also for the members of the proposed new church.-Ordinarily the exercises commence with a short prayer; acknowledging the divine excellencies, and seeking the favor of God on the services and solemnities of the occasion, followed by reading some portion of the Scriptures and singing. Then there is a prayer of greater length, as on the Sabbath, followed by singing, and then by a sermon, which, as well as all to be gathered into a new church, according to authorised and scriptural order.

the

Agreeably, therefore, to the usage of the Congregational churches, we solicit your attendance, by your pastor and delegate, at Nday of February next, to advise and assist in the aforementioned purpose. The other churches sent to are the first Congregational church in A, and the Congregational churches in D, H, &c. The place of meeting is the house of and at 9 o'clock, Å. M.

Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ, we remain in Christian affection,

Yours.

the other exercises, is expected to have particular reference to the occasion, on which the assembly is met together. At the close of the sermon, the moderator informs the people, that an Ecclesiastical Council has been assembled at the appointed time and place, for the purpose of aiding in constituting and organizing a Congregational church. The persons, who were found by them to be proposed for the work, are then named. The Moderator further states, that the Council are satisfied as to the religious character of the persons before named, which has been approved to them by testimonials from other churches, or in other ways; and that in the deliberations of the Council no objection, worthy of being received, has been brought forward by any one. He then reads the Confession of Faith and the Covenant in the presence of the whole assembly; and having finished the reading, he asks the proposed members, who at this time are generally standing up, if they continue to yield their assent to said Confession and Covenant, which they signify accordingly. He then proposes the question to the Council, whether they are prepared to acknowledge them publicly as a Church, to which they assent. A declaration made by the Moderator to that effect, accompanied by a few affectionate and devout remarks.

There is then a prayer of some length, usually termed the CONSECRATING PRAYER, in which, among other solemn and suitable topics, the supplicant does not fail to find abundant occasion to speak of the goodness of God in establishing a church, of the duty incumbent on Christians to enter into the church state, and to supplicate in particular the blessing of God on those individuals, who have entered into that holy and important relation. After this, some one of the Council, to whom the

duty has been allotted, expresses what is termed the FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCHES. This is a suitable occasion, not only to express the sincere and affectionate regard and interest of neighboring churches, but to assert and insist on the great principle of Congregationalism,* that the churches are not independent of each other, but are bound, by the principles of the Gospel, to exercise a mutual watch, love, and assistance. The fellowship of the churches being thus given, the exercises, on these highly solemn and joyful occasions, are generally concluded in the usual way by prayer, singing, and the pronouncing of the benediction.

35. Forms of Church Articles and Covenant.

Congregationalists have their principles of belief; certain fundamental religious doctrines. Those principles are stated at length in their public Confessions. And we may say, with truth, although the nature of the human mind forbids us to anticipate, in large multitudes, a perfect and inflexible belief in every particular, that they yield as united, hearty, and sincere consent to their fundamental doctrines, as any body of Christians whatever. Still it is their practice in the admission of members to a particular church, to require their express assent only to a few prominent doctrines, selected by that church itself.

*The communion, mutual aid, and accountability of the Churches has already been repeatedly mentioned, as an important Congregational principle; and that Congregationalists do not hold to the independency of Churches, as the terin would be naturally understood. There are abundant evidences of this declaration of an historical and incidental kind; saying nothing of the Platforms. But the object of this note is merely to remark, that testimony, not only of a very interesting, but of the most clear, and satisfactory character, may be found in a work, entitled, THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF NEW ENGLAND CONCERNING THE SUBJECT OF BAPTISM AND THE COMMUNION OF CHURCHES. by Increase Mather, printed in 1675.

These subordinate CONFESSIONS OF FAITH, (i. e. the confessions of particular churches,) are not always express ed in the same way; but no Congregational church could be formed, or would be acknowledged as possessing that character, whose private Confession of Faith, which is particularly submitted to the inspection of the neighboring churches at the time of its being gathered, and is ever after subject to such inspection, was found to be at variance with the fundamental principles of the GENERAL CONFESSION or CREED of the whole body.

The following may be given as a specimen of the Confessions of Faith, and also of the Covenants of particular churches.

CONFESSION OF FAITH.

We believe, there is one God, self-existent, eternal, perfectly holy, the creator and rightful disposer of all things, subsisting in a manner mysterious to us, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe, that the Bible is the revealed will of God to mankind, and was given by inspiration, as the only unerring rule of faith, and practice. We believe, that mankind are fallen from their original rectitude, and are, while in a state of nature, wholly destitute of that holiness, which is required by the divine Law. We believe, that Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, was made flesh, or in a mysterious manner became man, and by his obedience, sufferings, and death, made full satisfaction for the sins of the world, and opened a way, by which all, who believe in him with repentance for their sins, may be saved without an impeachment of the divine justice and truth. We believe, that they, and they only, will be saved in consequence of the merits of Christ, who are born of the Spirit, and united by a living faith to the Son of God. believe, that God has appointed a day, in which he will

We

judge the world, when there will be a resurrection of the dead, and when all the righteous will enter on eternal happiness, and all the wicked will be condemned to eternal misery.

COVENANT.

Humbly hoping, that we are united to Christ by faith, feeling ourselves under indispensable obligations to acknowledge him before men, and unite with his visible Church, we solemnly vouch Jehovah to be our God; the Lord Jesus Christ to be our ruler, teacher, and Saviour; the Holy Spirit, our guide and Sanctifier; the holy Scrip tures, our rule of faith and practice. We make an un reserved surrender of ourselves, and whatever belongs to us, to the service of God; promising to promote, with all our powers, the interests of the religion of Christ, and to recommend it by presenting in our conduct a constant example of justice, temperance, charity, and godliness.

We further promise to walk together with the members of this Church, as becomes those of the same redeemed household; in the exercise of Christian affection, in the discharge of christian duty, and in submis sion to its watch and discipline. Relying for assistance on the Holy Spirit, we make these solemn declarations and promises in the presence of this assembly, in the presence of Angels, in the presence of God, the Creator and Judge of all. (See §. 56, ch. V. of this work; also Mather's RATIO Disc. at Art. I.)