forms, they are the counterpart of the ancient Papal councils. On many occasions they have unfolded a callous hardihood in perpetrating acts of iniquity, which is marked with that "all deceivableness of unrighteousness," that the Apostle Paul described as inseparable from the grand impious Western apostacy.

That mysterious despotism is progressively undermining truth and godliness; for which it substitutes servility of conscience, with a temporizing solicitude to commingle "all that is in the world" with the church. Thus it is endeavoring to shew off "the household of faith" bedizened in the garb of the "Mother of Harlots:" and to array the humble sheepfold of Him who was meek and lowly in heart, in "purple and scarlet colors, decked with gold and precious stones and pearls;" instead of that adorning in "simplicity and godly sincerity," which appertains to "the kingdom of God not of this world, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

It will be distinctly understood that my animadversions in the ensuing essay advert not to any "visible church of Christ, or congregation of faithful men in the which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance"-nor to any individual preacher of any name, as fulfilling his duties in his pastoral and ministerial relations to the Christian society with which he is officially connected-nor to any fraternal

X.

LETTER TO NATHANAEL CHRISTIAN.

consociations of Christians of any class who are combined in effort to promote and extend sound evangelical knowledge, practical piety, Christian philanthropy and "pure religion," as their sole objectsnor even to any of the uninitiated, upright members of ecclesiastical judicatures, whose minds, by some means, are corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, 2 Cor. xi. 3; but the delineations apply only to the crafty inventors, managers, and supporters of "Church Courts," as they characterize themselves; who, after the true pontifical example, arrogate in other words to be "Christ's Vicar on earth," and who claim "respect and obedience from all the faithful to their decisions," however impious and antichristian. To them alone the following censures apply. Their unholy machination I spurn, and their popish Councils" I denounce.

The single design of this disquisition, therefore, is to expose those spurious issues of the Papal Hierarchy, modern Protestant Church Courts," in their genuine deformity, to the scrutiny of all believers "who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," and who "crown him Lord of all." May they be enabled, by divine grace, accurately to "try the spirits whether they are of God!"

NOTICE.

ONE of the deep artifices of priestcraft in every age has been this--to anathematize all persons who venture to oppose those human traditions which ecclesiastical tyrants have substituted for apostolic truth; until it has become almost an oracle among many professors of the gospel, that to dispute an unrighteous decision of a company of Rabbis is equally profane as to blaspheme God. Nevertheless, the members of "Church Courts," or as they impiously term their brawling assemblies, "Courts of Jesus Christ!" exemplify no indisposedness to abrogate their own "acts," and to revile each other; when by their Jesuitical legerdemain, they are found alternately contending at one "Ecclesiastical Judicature," in a turbulent minority; and at the next meeting, by a heartless majority, fulminating their ruthless excommunication.

The invectives which the litigants reciprocally

effuse, amid their wicked contentions, and the outrageous indecorum of those sectarian warriors at their convocations "for strife and debate," now seem to be an inseparable part of their transactions. Let an impartial observer only express a doubt whether the scene which he witnesses is not rather a transcript of Corinthian divisions, than of the "one heart and one soul," which the primitive "multitude of them who believed" manifested, and all the fierce combatants, like the ancient Sadducees and Pharisees, lift up their voices with a great shout and cry"Away with such a fellow from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live!"

What Murray said respecting "Doctor," with a trifling alteration may be affirmed of "Church Court." That title" has no more relation to true religion," than the term Popish Inquisition.

66

It is now the constant and universal practice to brand all persons as “ heretics, factious, and enemies to religion," who will not obsequiously "fall down and worship" that new fangled "molten calf," churchcraft. "At what time is heard the sound of the cornet and sackbut," wo be to the rebel who refuses to obey the arrogant mandate of that ferocious Babylonian!--If he escape the "burning fiery furnace," or the "den of lions," he will be delivered only by "the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the God of Daniel."

In numberless instances, the proceedings of modern ecclesiastical assemblies have been opposed not only to that which is Christian and just, but also to "whatever is lovely and of good report." All the infidel ribaldry which has been disseminated during the last seven years, has not so deeply wounded the religion. of Christ, and retarded the coming of the kingdom of God, as the theologico-Jesuitico-tragicomedies of some Church Courts in Cincinnati and Philadelphia. Those assemblies have denied their own cardinal doctrines. Their own discipline they have abolished. The most solemn contracts they have attempted to nullify. Then they almost "bade to be stoned with stones" the few Joshuas and Calebs that remained among those "rebellious and evil congregations who took counsel together against the Lord."

My friend has inferred, whether logically or not the Rabbis may decide, that churchcraft is inseparable from all legislative and judicial convocations of ecclesiastics, under whatever name they may be organized and that their corruption always has been, and necessarily is, proportioned to the number of the craftsmen. As I fully assent to his positions, I therefore concluded, that the publication of his " Church Courts Unmasked" might promote the cause of gospel truth, and would justify and sustain its Christian advocates. O! that in all the lovely and attractive

B