after the example of our Lord, to minister and serve gratuitously: Matt. xx. 28. x. 8. Acts xx. 35. Paul proposed the same to the imitation of ministers in general, and recommended it by his example; Acts xx. 34. 2 Thess. iii. 7-9. 1 Cor. ix. 15, 18. 2 Cor. xi. 9-12. xii. 14. And if at any time extreme necessity compelled him to accept the voluntary aid of the churches, such constraint was so grievous to him, that he accuses himself as if he were guilty of robbery; 2 Cor. xi. 8.-If, however, such self denial be thought too arduous for the ministers of the present day, they will most nearly approach to it, when, relying on the providence of God who called them, they shall look for the necessary support of life, not from the edict of the civil power, but from the spontaneous goodwill and liberality of the church in requital of their voluntary service: Matt. x. 11. Luke x. 7, 8. 2 Cor. xi. 9. Phil. iv. 15, &c." P. 485. It was to be expected that Milton would plead for the independence of churches" Every church consisting of the above parts, however small in its numbers, is to be considered as in itself an integral and perfect church, so far as regards its religious rights; nor has it any superior on earth, whether individual, or assembly, or convention, to whom it can be lawfully required to ren der submission; inasmuch as no believer out of its pale, nor any order or council of men whatever, has a greater right than itself to expect a participation in the written word and the promises, in the presence of Christ, in the presiding influence of the Spirit, and in those gracious gifts which are the reward of united prayer; Matt. xviii. 20. Acts xiv. 23." Again: "At present there is no national church, but a number of particular churches, each complete and perfect in itself, and all co-equal in divine right and power; which, like similar and homogeneous parts of the same body, connected by a boud of mutual equality, form in conjunction one catholic church; nor need any one church have recourse to another for a grace or privilege which it does not possess in its independent capacity. Particular churches, however, may communicate with each other in a spirit of brotherhood and agreement, and co-operate for purposes connected with the general welfare: 2 Cor. viii. 19. i. 24. 1 Peter v. 3.” P. 491-493. Perhaps few of our readers will admit the force of the following observations, which occur in the chapter on church discipline :—“ The custom of holding assemblies is to be maintained, not after the present mode, but according to the apostolical institution, which did not ordain that an individual, and he a stipendiary, should have the sole right of speaking from a higher place, but that each believer in turn should be authorized to speak, or prophecy, or teach, or exhort, according to his gifts; insomuch that even the weakest among the brethren had the privilege of asking questions, and consulting the elders and more experienced members of the congregation: 1 Cor. xiv. 26, &c." P. 498. We anticipate a much more extensive unanimity in reference to Milton's views of religious liberty, and the difference between civil and ecclesiastical power. These subjects are frequently adverted to. For instance:-"Herein it is that the preeminent excellence of Christ's kingdom over all others, as well as the divine principles on which it is founded, are manifested; inasmuch as he governs, not the bodies of men alone, as the civil magistrate, but their minds and consciences, and that not by force and fleshly weapons, but by what the world esteems the weakest of all instruments. Hence external force ought never to be employed in the administration of the kingdom of Christ, which is the church." P. 314. Again" The civil power differs from the ecclesiastical in the following respects. First, every man is subject to the civil power; that is to say, in matters properly civil; Rom. xiii. 1. On the contrary, none but the members of the church are subject to ecclesiastical power, and that only in religious matters, with a liability to ecclesiastical punishment alone, that is, to punishment inflicted by their own body: Matt, xviii. 15, 16. John viii. 11. 1 Cor. v. 11-13. Secondly, the civil power has dominion only over the body and external faculties of man; the ecclesiastical is exercised exclusively on the faculties of the mind, which acknowledge no other juris diction: Luke xii. 14. 1 Cor. vi. 4. 2 Cor. x. 3, 4. James iv. 12. Nay, we are expressly enjoined not to suffer ourselves to be governed by the commandments of men in matters of religion: 1 Cor. vii. 23. Thirdly, the civil power punishes even such as confess their faults; the ecclesiastical, on the contrary, pardons all who are penitent: John viii. 7.”—“ It is therefore highly derogatory to the power of the church, as well as an utter want of faith, to suppose that her government cannot be properly administered without the intervention of the civil magistrate." P. 503. "Undoubtedly, as the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, so neither is it sustained by force and compulsion, the supports of earthly rule. Hence the outward profession of the gospel ought not to be made a matter of constraint; and as to the inner parts of religion, faith and liberty and conscience, these are beyond its power, being from their very nature matter of ecclesiastical discipline alone, and incapable of being affected by the determinations of human tribunals: not to mention the absurdity and impiety of compelling the conscientious to adopt a religion which they do not approve." P. 701. Here we close our extracts. The second book is far less interesting than the first. It consists of an enumeration of the various duties connected with our relation to God and to one another, forming a kind of skeleton-system of ethics, that furnishes scarcely any materials for quotation. Its only peculiarity is an attempt to shew that, the Jewish sabbath being abolished, no particular day is appointed under the gospel for public worship, but that Christians may assemble when aud where they please. Those who have read these papers cannot but have observed that the theological errors of Milton were neither few nor trivial. Let the wanderings of this great man shew us the folly of appealing to names and authorities in matters of religion, and remind us of the importance of that docility and humbleness of mind, without which we must not expect to attain sound scriptural knowledge, and which, when joined with earnest prayer for divine illumination, will often give to the " wayfaring man" a decided superiority to the lettered sage. We admire much Bishop Horsley's remarks on this subject. Having recommended a careful examination of the parallel passages noted in the margins of our Bibles, his Lordship observes-"I will not scruple to assert, that the most illiterate Christian, if he can but read his English Bible, and will take the pains to read it in this manner, will not only attain all that practical knowledge which is necessary to his salvation; but, by God's blessing, he will be come learned in every thing relating to his religion in such degree, that he will not be liable to be misled, either by the refined arguments, or by the false assertions of those who endeavour to ingraft their own opinions upon the oracles of God. He may safely be ignorant of all philosophy, except what is to be learned from the sacred books; which, in deed, contain the highest philosophy adapted to the lowest apprehensions. He may safely remain ignorant of all history, except so much of the history of the first ages of the Jewish and of the Christian church, as is to be gathered from the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. Let him study these in the manner I recommend, and let him never cease to pray for the illumination of that Spirit by which these books were dictated; and the whole compass of abstruse philosophy, and recondite history, shall furnish no argument with which the perverse will of man shall be able to shake this learned Christian's faith. The Bible, thus studied, will indeed prove to be what we Protestants esteem it-a certain and sufficient rule of faith and practice, a helmet of salvation, which alone may quench the fiery darts of the wicked." Sermons on the Resurrection, p. 221. Reflections on the Fading Leaf. HURRIED along on the stream of time, and still supported by the hand of a gracious Providence, we have arrived at the concluding month of another year. The sun has left that lofty point which a little while since he occupied in the heavens, and seems to creep, faintly in his course, just above the horizon. The year no longer glows beneath his rays, but sickens and desponds at his absence. The day, no longer shining with the glories of summer, appears, as soon as it rises, to languish for the grave of night. The fields have thrown off their beautiful robe, and are assuming the weeds of mourning. The moisture of the trees descends, and ceases to impart greenness to the foliage. The broad spreading oak, which so lately afforded a cooling shade to the weary traveller, is now dropping its withered and trembling leaves, and will shortly groan beneath the blast of winter. Though there are times and seasons' which it is not for us to know,' yet this is a time and season which we ought to know and improve, by deriving from it such lessons of instruction as, through the divine assistance, may subserve our present and future happiness. Let us direct our footsteps to yonder forest. Observe the leaves as they quiver here and there on the almost deserted branches, or as they lie scattered in heaps at our feet. Only a little while since they were starting from the bud; but now, how discoloured and shrivelled. The other day, only, they hung on the trees, all verdant, and in countless numbers, and rustled, and sung to the summer-breeze; but now, how smitten and scathed by the blast! What a striking and humiliating picture of man! Con template the burial place. There are graves of all lengths, containing the remains of persons of all ages. There lies all that is mortal of one, who a few years ago occupied one of the most busy and restless scenes of life. There is the fresh made grave of a father, snatched away in the vigour of life, who at the commencement of the present year was flushed with the hope of successhad formed a thousand plans of flattering enterprise-anticipated opulence and a protracted life, and as little expected to hear the sum mons of death as we. the mother of a numerous family, who a few weeks ago was surround. ed with all the endearments of domestic bliss: and there the ghastly corse of a gay young creature, whose beauty and accomplishments were her pride and her boast. "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass." There lies less delights? Those limbs will lose their strength-those passions their ardour-those eyes their brightness, and in spite of all your attempts to put off reflection, you will shrink and wither like the faded leaf! But what should be our concern when we know, not only by the lapse of years, but by increasing infirmities, that we are approximating to the close of life? Aged people, are you inattentive to the admonitions you receive from your own persons? What, do those wrinkled countenances give you no warning? Is there nothing in those gray hairs-nothing in that feebleness of limb-in those tottering footsteps, to awaken thoughtfulness? Each of these circumstances is calculated to impress you with the solemn cry of the prophet, Let us retire from the houses of the dead, and bring the admonitions with which they supply us, home to our own bosoms. The fading leaf affords us the idea of progressive decay. All things in nature have this tendency, and exhort us to prepare against the humbling vicissitude. Does not the sun that rises with so rich a glory in the morning, sink into the west and leave us in darkness? Do not the seasons perpetually revolve, and have we not in every year a solemn and interesting emblem of human life in all its stages, from the spring of youth to the winter of old age? Do not the tides instruct us, and give us silent lectures on the changes of the present scene of being? Alas! we all do fade as a leaf!' Do you, my reader, possess a vigorous and commanding intellect? Should you live to an advanced period, your judgment will lose its tone, your memory will prove unfaithful, and your thoughts become incapable of that expansion which is now their element and their felicity. Are you enamoured of the world? and pursuing your projected improvements with avidity? Soon the glittering objects which now enchant and excite you will lose all their charms, and your expected joys will appear like the blighted foliage. Are you young and gay and sprightly, and dreaming of almost unmingled and cease A Prepare to meet thy God.' slight disease in the present stage of your existence will be sufficient to remove you hence. The leaf which, while green, could bear the assailings of the summer storm, now that it is faded, may be precipitated by the whisper of a breeze. The complaint which gave way, and was overborne, by the vigour of youth, will now easily master you. This fading is universal. What an impressive resemblance of the whole human race is observable in the accumulated heaps of foliage that lie withering and rotting on the earth. Some leaves, while the heavens were unruffled by the tempest, fell gently "here and there" almost unheeded: others, perhaps, were torn away from the branches by a hurricane, and "precipitated by thousands in a moment." Just so is it with mankind. Death, in its more usual operations, diminishes our numbers one by one, without producing any great impression on the collected body of human society: but sometimes floods arise and inundate whole countries: It is incumbent on us to prepare sometimes the malignant pestilence, immediately for the changes that and sometimes the murderous sword await us-for death is not the priof war awake in wrath, and "leave vation of being. The leaf withers the most crowded and social scenes and is no more, but man dies to silent." But whether death, in his live for ever. The body faints and • visitations, assume a milder or more expires, and returns to dust, but terrific aspect, all ranks of human the soul retains its consciousness, beings must submit, eventually, to its understanding, its memory, in his relentless stroke. The beauti- all their vigour and perfection. Still ful, as well as the homely counte- the indifferent cry: The day of nance; the strong and well-set frame, death is far hence-the storm may as well as the weak and misshapen not come yet.' But has the storm the learned man not less than the never come unexpectedly? illiterate the master and his slave the blast never smitten the tree in -the king and the peasant-all, all summer? Have you never observmust bend without distinction to the ed a leaf struck prematurely and destroying angel, and resign their withered in its prime? Do the young spirit to him who gave it: for ' never die? all do fade as a leaf.' we . But why this universal fading? : But in this world we have only a partial expression of the divine displeasure. The wrath is to come. What question then is so natural as that of the jailor, What must I do to be saved?' Divine mercy meets the sincere inquirer, and points to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.' She assures him that "the death of Christ is the death of death," and yet the source of life to millions of penitent transgressors. Has Have you a new heart, an interest in Christ, a portion in the unchanging God? Then let the winter of life quicken its progress, let the storm descend with all its horrors, let the foliage wither and fall; still the Christian shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither-and the end shall be everlasting life. S. On the Admission of Members. To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.; SIR, No reply having appeared in your columns to my former communica tion, respecting the admission of members to our churches, I may, perhaps, be warranted in concluding that it is conceded that we have no specific law to direct us on this subject; and that, as a denomination, we are agreed that the method or manner in which members should be admitted to our communion, is solely a matter of expediency. To this point, then, agreeably to my engagement, I now solicit the attention of readers. your |