THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

BY REV. ANDREW SYMINGTON, D.D.,

PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY TO THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

THE term Presbyterian in this de- | gious liberties which had been ruthsignation indicates, of course, the sys- lessly invaded and borne down, and in tem of ecclesiastical polity to which the defeating the design to restore the Bricommunity so denominating itself ad- tish isles to the dominion of the Roman here; and the epithet Reformed is pre- Pontiff. It is not to be wondered if a fixed to express their adherence to the people long goaded with cruel persecuReformation, particularly the principles tion, and sighing for relief, embrace of what has been called, in the history deliverance on more easy terms than of Scotland, the Second Reformation. they would have submitted to in cirThis community regard Presbyterian cumstances more propitious to calm church-government as divinely insti- reflection and deliberate resolve; and tuted; and appreciating highly the it was so at this interesting juncture. goodness of God in the Reformation To a considerable minority, however, from Popery, and in the subsequent the settlement of both Church and Reformation from Prelacy, they regard State was far from satisfactory. They the latter of these as greatly in advance saw the preceding ecclesiastical and of the former; and to testify their ad- civil Reformation overlooked and left herence to its scriptural principles, as under the infamous ban of Recissory contrasted with what they consider de- Acts-Prelacy re-established in Engpartures from these principles at the land and Ireland-Supremacy over the Revolution, they have assumed the church restored to the crown-Presbyabove designation. They do not re- terian government granted to Scotland gard the Second Reformation as per-upon the principle of its being more fect; but, testing its leading principles agreeable to the taste of the people, by the word of God, comparing it with without the security given to it bethe Reformation which preceded, and contrasting it with the relinquishment of some of its special excellencies at the Revolution, they have been constrained to assume and maintain the position of dissent and protest which was taken by their fathers. It is in this connection, and not as arrogating to themselves any superiority of character that they have taken the designation of Reformed.

This church took its rise, as a dissenting and protesting body, at the Revolution. They are deeply sensible of the Divine goodness in terminating the reign of terror and blood which preceded, in restoring civil and reli

tween 1638 and 1650, and with ominous reference to its imperfect establishment in 1592-the Westminster Confession, enacted without any reference to the Act of Assembly, 1647, explicitly asserting the inherent right of the church to call her own assemblies-the National Covenants left under the odium which had been attached to them in the preceding persecution. persons who had conformed to Prelacy, and who had been accessary to the persecution admitted into the Supreme Court. On these accounts, and others of kindred complexion, a small minority dissented from the proceedings of the church, and

his public ministry, with the cordial welcome of his people. The Society people, satisfied that his views of the Reformation in Church and State and of the evils of the Revolution harmonized with their own, gave him, in 1706, a harmonious call to become their pastor, to which he cordially acceded. Mr. Macmillan was joined by Mr. John M'Neil, a licentiate of the Church of Scotland, who entertained the same views with himself and his people, and they laboured together in preaching the gospel. In 1708 they concurred in laying before the Commission of the Assembly a joint Protestation and Declinature, stating explicitly the grounds of their separation from the Establish

protested against the actings of the state; and in doing this they felt themselves much in the position and feeling of the few who, when the foundations of the second temple were laid, having seen the former house in its glory, wept when the many were shouting for joy. This minority were joined by three ministers of the same views, who preached and dispensed ordinances among them for a time. These ministers united in submitting a paper to the General Assembly, stating their grievances, and craving relief, which paper the Committee of Bills refused to transmit. Some concessions or explanations were made to exonerate the consciences of the complaining ministers, and they acceded to the Establishment. The ment. In 1712 they renewed the pubdissenting minority were thus left lic covenants. Mr. M'Neil died in 1732. without public ordinances, they met in Mr. Macmillan continued his ministraFellowship Societies, and maintained tions alone, till he was joined by the correspondence with one another. They Rev. Mr. Nairne, when the two Minisprepared a petition to the General As-ters, along with Ruling Elders, constisembly, which the Committee of Bills tuted a presbytery in 1743, under the refused to lay before it. They published their Declaration and Protest, and continued their fellowship meetings and correspondence, in the hope that the Head of the church would yet send them ministers who would dispense the ordinances of religion according to their views of truth and duty. After a long tery received small accessions from time trial of their faith and patience, they obtained this in the accession of the Rev. John Macmillan, minister of Balmaghie, in the Presbytery of Kirkcudbright, who sympathized much with their views. Having, with two of his breth- From the above statements, it must be ren in the Presbytery, given in a paper, apparent that the difference between the craving redress of grievances, the two Reformed Presbyterian Church, and the brethren were prevailed upon to with-church established at the Revolution, draw their complaints, and submitted to did not turn on abstract points of docadmonition. Mr. Macmillan, refusing to trine, but respected mainly the actings drop the prosecution of his grievances, of the State and the Church, in departprotested and appealed to the first free ing from the reformations from Popery Assembly. He was afterwards in an and Prelacy, particularly the latter. irregular and summary way deposed. These principles will be best brought out He refused to acknowledge the sentence; by historical reference to the public proand after waiting for a little in the ceedings of the times. There was, in the expectation of redress, but finding this first place, the renovation of the Nahopeless, excepting on conditions to tional Covenant of Scotland in applicawhich he could not submit, he resumed tion to the innovations of Prelacy; then

designation of the Reformed Presbytery. Mr. Alexander Marshal, who had received the regular education of students in divinity, was soon after this licensed; and, having received a call, was regularly ordained, and took his seat as a co-presbyter. The Presby

to time, and soon obtained a footing in Ireland and America. Before presenting the statistics of this community, we shall submit a brief statement of their principles.

followed the meeting of the General, the Scriptures, and directed acutely Assembly in Glasgow, its protest in be- against Papal, Socinian, Arminian and half of the intrinsic power of the Church other errors. And let it be observed, to hold her assemblies, its bold and de- that those who have aimed to follow cisive acts in condemnation of the Five them in the work of Reformation do not Articles of Perth, the Service Book, and pledge themselves to an approbation of the Book of Canons, the restoration of all the Acts, either of Assembly or of Presbyteries, and vindication of the Parliament. "Something is due to the order and rights of Ruling Elders, and memory of those who have done worthe acts to prevent the intrusion of mi- thily in Ephratah, and been famous in nisters and otherwise advancing re- Bethlehem, in the magnanimous strugformation. Then followed the Solemn gle for civil and religious liberty. Still League and Covenant, with a view not they were men, and are not to be held only to promote the union of the three up as perfect in all they said and did. kingdoms, but sympathising with other In judging of the public conduct of the kingdoms groaning still under the Scottish Reformers, it is but fair to take Antichristian yoke, and contemplating into account the very trying circumthe enlargement of the kingdom of stances in which they were placed, the Christ, and the peace and tranquillity persecutions they endured, the plots of Christian kingdoms, and common- which were frequently contrived for the wealths. Next followed the prepara- subversion of religion and liberty at tion of the Westminster Standards, home, and the formidable combinations as they are called, received by the established among the Popish powers Church of Scotland, declaring her views on the continent to overthrow the Proof the intrinsic authority of the Church, testant interest throughout Europe. and the form of her ecclesiastical polity. When these things are duly considered, With these we have the Acts of Assem- it will be conceded by every candid bly and Parliament, and after them, the mind that measures may have been netestimonies of the martyrs that suffered cessary in their peculiar circumstances in the following persecution. which would be unwarrantable in a more tranquil state of society. Yet, that they may guard against all danger of being misunderstood, the Reformed Presbyterian Church has deemed it proper to state distinctly that she neither can give herself, nor require from others, an unqualified approbation of all the Acts of Parliament

From the above historical facts and documents it is easy to gather the views of the fathers in the Second Reformation on the supreme and ultimate authority of the Word of God-the universal authority of Jesus Christ, as given to be the Head over all things to the Church-the spiritual independence of the Church-the subjection of the na-or of Assembly, during the Reforming tions to God and his Christ, and the obligation of religious covenants. While the above and other documents show that the great public actings of these times turned particularly on the polity, institutions, and freedom of the Church, and on political affairs in connection with the interests of religion, we are not warranted to conclude that the precious doctrines of the gospel and interests of spiritual religion and personal godliness were overlooked; the documents themselves supplying ample evidence of a prevailing sound theology, founded on

period." This may be the proper place to introduce a quotation from their authorised Testimony:-"The Reformed Presbyterian Church has been organized on an adherence to the principles of the Protestant Presbyterian Covenanted Church of Scotland. Those principles have been exhibited in the Covenants, Westminster Confession, Catechisms, Form of Presbyterian Church-Government, Directory for Worship, and in the Testimonies of the Martyrs; and we believe them to be substantially founded on the Bible. When we specify these

writings, we are not pledged to every that only rule, and others who labour sentiment or expression to be found in in word; and they consider Presbythem. We have given a declaration of terianism as having not only a founthe Scriptural principles to which we dation in the very nature of society, adhere; and, while we endeavour to and recommended by the wisdom give the reason of our faith from the and profession of their forefathers, but Holy Scriptures, we cheerfully refer to as sanctioned, in its elementary princithe Testimonies of the Church of Scot-ples of representation union and subland, in proof that these principles ordination, by approved apostolical were embraced by her, and in testimony example and precepts. While they reof our approbation of her zeal and gard it as divinely authorised in its fidelity." great principles, respecting the minutia of its forms they admit the acknowledged principle "that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed."

We subjoin some general observations on the Doctrine, Worship, and Government of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. It is her first principle that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the alone infallible rule of faith and practice; and, as subordinate standards, they adopt the Westminster Confession of Faith, and Catechisms, From the above statements, it must Larger and Shorter, as well-digested appear that the Reformed Presbyterian summaries of what should be taught in Church aims to preserve a connexion the Church. Their Doctrines are those with the Reformed Church of Scotland, generally distinguished by the names at the second Reformation, and to folEvangelical or Calvinistic. With re- low the martyrs who adhered to its spect to Worship, they consider the principles. These principles they refollowing as divinely-instituted ordi- garded as having been overlooked, and nances:- Public Prayer, with the unfaithfully dealt with at the Revoluunderstanding and the heart, in a known tion, the State giving in 1690, and the tongue, and not in written, or humanly Church receiving as her charter of Presprescribed forms. Singing Psalms of bytery, the Act 1592, without any reDivine inspiration, and these alone. ference to the Act of Assembly in 1647. Reading and expounding the Holy They proceed upon the admitted prinScriptures. Preaching and hearing the ciple that, When the prevailing part Word. Administering Baptism and of a church make any addition to, or the Lord's Supper, in their scriptural alteration of, the Scripture system of simplicity, and as the alone instituted faith, worship, discipline, or governSacraments of the Church. Public ment, an essential condition of fellowFasting and Thanksgiving, as circum-ship with them, in this case the prestances may call. They reject all rites, and ceremonies, and holidays of human appointment. They strongly inculcate the duties of Family religion, and of Private social worship; and they follow substantially the Westminster Directory. I government and discipline they are strictly Presbyterian. They find in the Bible the distinction between rulers and ruled the work of rule committed to elders-a plurality of elders in every church--and a distinction between elders

vailing party are the real separatists, and they who are obliged to withdraw from their communion, rather than sin, are the true adherents to the Church, cleaving to her constitutional laws. Schism, a reproach often cast upon the few, is not to be tried by arithmetic ; it is not a question of number, but of truth and principle. The Reformed Presbyterian Church, while impressed with a sense of many benefits resulting from the Revolution, are affected with

a sense of the guilt that was con- dissociation of the two powers, but by tracted in it, and cannot regard it a mutual and well executed instrument, with the overweening and unqualified defining distinctly the respective proapprobation by which it is often spoken vince and duties of each, and acknowof as glorious. The revival of the Eras- ledged by both as a mutual stipulatian supremacy over the church, the tion to co-operate in their respective establishment of prelacy in England provinces in the cause of religion and and Ireland, and things connected morality. They entertain decided views with them, were in violation of Scrip- on the obligation of the Word of God ture truth, attained reformation, and on civil society, and on the subjection solemn engagement; and if the Revo- of the kingdoms of the world to the Relution be viewed in the light of history, deemer. When these obligations are in the subsequent state of religion in grossly violated on the part either of England and Ireland, and even in Scot- church or state, they feel an obligation land, it does not afford ground of un- to dissent and protest. They have exmingled gratulation.-This church has pressed themselves as follows:-" In also felt it her duty to recognize the parts of the world enjoying Revelation, Public Covenants in their matter when a people, in framing their civil and obligation. They are facts in the constitutions and appointing magispage of history-they are founded on trates, overlook, reject, or relinquish Scriptural truth-they bear upon the the Scipture standard, enact laws inipublic interests of the church and so- mical to the kingdom of Christ, and ciety-they told with great effect upon favour the interests of antichrist, the the Reformation-they imply obligations constitution becoming thus immoral acknowledged in the national and in- and anti-christian, cannot innocently ternational transactions of mankind-be recognized. In this case, the church they were the means of protecting and entering her protest and continuing to transmitting to us liberty-they were testify against authority SO conthe terror of the enemies of truth and stituted and administered, still reliberty, and cannot be innocently ne-garding the ordinance of God as it is glected and overlooked, because involv- delivered in the Scriptures, will coning special obligations and implying scientiously perform things moral and aggravating guilt on the part of the just, and promote the peace and good civil and ecclesiastical society, as order of society. But they cannot give well as of individuals. They hold allegiance to authority immoral and peculiar and strong views on the antichristian. And they consider that subject of civil society, asserting from Christians living in peace, and in their the Word of God, the obligation of in-private capacity furthering the ends of dividuals and society, in all places en- government and good order, while they joying Divine Revelation, to regulate do not incorporate with the national their constitution, legislation, and obe- society, and submit to disabilities and dience according to the principles and privations on this account, are neverprecepts of the Word of God. They are theless entitled to protection in their sensible of the great evil that has accrued lives, property, and liberty, having by the usurpations of civil authority contributed their proportion of the comover the church on the one hand, and by mon taxations." In this matter they can the servile submission of the church on appeal to history for the peaceful and the other; and they are also sensible of orderly deportment of their people. the great evil that has accrued from the They are aware that, in the days of usurpations of ecclesiastical power in the the Reformation, this subject was taken church and over civil society; but they up, not so much in an abstract view do not think that the remedy of these of it from the Scripture, as in its immetwo evils is to be found in an absolute | diate and obvious bearing upon the in