LETTER VIII.

Confession of Faith, and Articles of Church Discipline, agreed to at Saybrook, in 1708, by the Delegates of the Churches. History of the Proceedings relative to this Subject. Observations.

DEAR SIR;

ON the 9th of September, 1708, the elders and messengers of the churches of Connecticut, in New-England, by virtue of the appointment and encouragement of the general assembly, convened by delegation at Saybrook, and unanimously agreed, "That the confession of faith, owned and consented unto by the elders and messengers assembled at Boston, in New-England, May 12th, 1680, being the second session of that synod, be recommended to the honourable general assembly of this colony, at their next session, for their public testimony thereto, as the faith of the church of this colony; which confession, together with the heads of union, and articles of the administration of church government, herewith emitted, were presented unto, and approved and established by the said general assembly at New-Haven, on the 14th of October, 1708."

The confession, here alluded to and adopted, is in substance the same with the Westminster and Savoy confessions.

At the same time, this synod agreed unanimously upon articles for the administration of church discipline in the churches of the colony. Such of these articles as are of importance to my design, and as will be sufficient to give you a just and comprehensive view of the scheme agreed upon by these good men, I will summarily exhibit, and, as far as may be, in their own words. They acknowledge, that there is a catholic church, comprehending all who are united to Christ, whether in Hea

ven or on Earth, but disclaim the notion of a catholic visible church, collected under a visible common head, in this world.

They agree, that particular societies of visible saints, statedly joined together for communion in the ordinances of Christ, are particular churches, and are to be owned by each other as instituted churches of Christ, though differing in apprehensions and practice in some lesser things.

That none shall be admitted as members but such as are knowing and sound in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian religion; without scandal in their lives; and, to a judgment regulated by the word of God, are persons of visible holiness and honesty, credibly professing cordial subjection to Jesus Christ.

A competent number of such persons, declaring their consent and agreement to walk together in the ordinances of Christ, become a church. The members of such a church ought, as far as may be, to live near one another.

Every such church has a right to choose its own officers; and, being furnished with them agreeably to the Gospel, has a right to exercise government, and to enjoy all the ordinances of worship within itself. It belongs to the pastors, and other elders of every particular church, if such there be, to rule and govern; and to the brotherhood to consent, according to the rule of the Gospel. Professors are bound, when they have an opportunity, to join themselves as fixed members to some particular church; and to continue steadfast with the said church, its ministry, and ordinances, until regularly dismissed and recommended to another.

Ministers ought to be endued with competent learning and ministerial gifts, as also with the grace of God; to be sound in judgment; not novices; without scandal; and such as devote themselves to the work of the ministry. Ordinarily, none ought to be ordained to the work of the ministry but such as are called and chosen to it by a particular church.

In the business of calling and choosing a pastor, every such church ought to consult and advise with pastors of the neighbouring congregations. After such choice and advice, the candidate is to be duly ordained and set apart to his office over the church, by which he has been called. Candidates for the ministry ought, in ordinary cases, to give proof of

their gifts, and fitness for the ministry, to ministers of known abilities.

Ecclesiastical censures are admonition and excommuni

cation.

Admonition, in case of private offences, is to be performed according to Matt. xviii, 15, 16, 17; and, in case of public offences, openly before the church. If the offender is penitent, all farther proceedings cease; if not, after all due means have been used to bring him to repentance, he is to be excommunicated.

If a member, not otherwise scandalous, fully withdraw and separate himself from the communion of the church, the church may justly declare itself discharged of any farther inspection over him.

Particular churches ought to exercise care and tenderness towards each other.

Pastors ought to have frequent meetings, for the purpose of strengthening the hearts and the hands of each other.

No particular church is to be subordinate to another; and no church, nor its officers, are to exercise power over another church and its officers.

Members of a particular church may have communion with another in the ordinances of the Gospel, except when lying under some imputation.

No church is to blamed for its proceedings by another, until after it shall have been heard.

The office of a deacon is of Divine appointment; and it belongs to that office to receive, lay out, and distribute the alms of the church, by the direction of the pastor and brethren, if need be.

Some persons believe that there is, and some that there is not, such an office as that of ruling elders. The synod declared, that this difference of opinion should make no breach among themselves.

In weighty and difficult cases, ministers ought to be consulted; and both the elders and members of particular churches ought to have a reverential regard to their judgments, and not to dissent therefrom without apparent grounds from the word of God.

We think ourselves obliged to pray continually for the

blessing of God upon our rulers. We ought to yield them subjection and support. If they please at any time to call together any number of us, and require an account of our af fairs, and the state of our congregations, we shall most readily express all dutiful regard to them herein.

As to what appertains to soundness of judgment in matters of faith, we esteem it sufficient, that a church acknowledge the Scriptures to be the word of God, the perfect and only rule of faith and practice; and own either the doctrinal part of those commonly called the articles of the church of England, or the confession or catechism, shorter or larger, compiled by the assembly at Westminster, or the confession agreed on at the Savoy, to be agreeable to the said rule.

It is the duty of Christians to bear a Christian respect to all Christians, according to their several ranks and stations, though not of our persuasion or communion.

To those, who are ignorant of the principles of the Christian religion, or of vicious conversation, we will endeavour to explain the doctrine of life, and, to our utmost, persuade them to be reconciled to God.

Such, as appear to have the essential requisites to church communion, we shall willingly receive them in the Lord, not troubling them with disputes about lesser matters.

Articles for the administration of church discipline, unanimously agreed upon by the synod at the same time and place:

The elder or elders of a particular church, with the consent of the brethren, are to exercise the discipline of the Gospel in relation to all scandals that fall out within the same. In cases of difficulty, advice should be asked of the elders in the neighbourhood, before they proceed to censure.

The churches shall consociate for mutual assistance in their ecclesiastical concerns. The pastors and churches of a county shall form one, or, if they judge meet, more than one consociation.

All cases of scandal within the consociational limits, when there shall be need of a council for the determination of them, shall be brought before the consociation.

Nothing shall be deemed an act or judgment of a consociation, which hath not a major part of the elders concurring, and

such a number of the messengers or delegates present, as to constitute a majority of the whole.

A trial before a consociation shall be final; and the consociation shall see their judgment duly executed agreeably to the word of God.

If any pastor and church refuse conformity to such a judgment, they shall be reputed guilty of scandalous contempt, and the sentence of non-communion shall be declared against them; and the churches are to approve of the said sentence by withdrawing from the communion of such pastor and church.

If

If any case of difficulty shall arise in any church, the church, or the minister or member aggrieved, shall apply to the consociation to which said church belongs, which, if they see cause, shall thereupon convene, hear, and determine the case. the consociation shall judge it best, they may call upon another consociation in the same county; or, if there be none, in a neighbouring county, to sit with them; and this united body shall hear, judge, determine, and finally issue such case according to the word of God.

A particular church, in which any difficulty shall arise, may call the consociation to which it belongs, before a sentence is pronounced. But this may not be done by an offending brother without consent of the church.

Every church may choose one or two delegates to represent them in the consociation, who are to stand until others shall be chosen.

Consociations have power to adjourn themselves, as need shall be, for the space of one year after their first session, and no longer. The moderator of a consociation, with the advice and consent of any two ministers belonging to it, may summon a special meeting; or, in case of the moderator's death, two ministers of the consociation shall have the same power. Every consociation is empowered to form rules for its own proceedings. A person, regularly complained of to a consociation, or a witness to such complaint, being regularly notified to appear, who shall refuse or neglect to appear at the time and place specified, shall, unless a satisfactory reason be given to the consociation, be adjudged guilty of scandalous contempt.