portance, which are to be given to many persons, and on many occasions, and which still are remote from preaching. Of these the most formal is that class of instructions which are appropriately styled catechetical. Another class is made up of the teaching immediately given in private religious assemblies. Another still may be sufficiently described by the word occasional. In all these it would seem that deacons might with great propriety act; and, unless they were to act in these or some other similar modes, it seems difficult to explain why they should be required to possess skill and soundness in the gospel, or how the church should know that they sustain this character." But it has also been observed, that Stephen and Philip, and it is inferred others, among the primitive deacons, preached: still that was not a part of their duty arising from the diaconal office. Many, however, of the deacons of our churches are preachers: being "full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom," they are happily qualified to render occasional service in the pulpit and to lead the devotions of a congregation, to the edification of their brethren: by their acceptable labours also, God has granted his blessing to multitudes of our villagers, and conferred innumerable benefits on the church of Christ. Public advocacy of religion. Benevolent institutions, whose operations are conducted by the devoted agency of our younger christian friends, require the countenance and support of their "bishops and deacons." Phil. i. 1. While their more advanced brethren are willing to afford them assistance in their labours of love, it is peculiarly desirable that the officers of our churches should be able to state and advocate with a ready address the merits and claims of such associations. Incalculable benefit has already arisen from the intelligent and generous labours of our deacons in many churches; and this kind of talent, which may be improved, is most desirable to be possessed by all, as equally advantageous to the ministers and members of the churches of our Divine Lord. 2. Leisure for public service is very desirable to be possessed by our deacons. Considering the state of the world at large, and even of our own country, an immense amount of agency and instrumentality is evidently required to evangelize the world; but the institutions and societies formed to accomplish that work call for much of the time and attention of committees and directors, to superintend, guide, and preserve them. No class of men can be imagined better qualified for such a department of service in the cause of God than our deacons, and their labours on many occasions have sanctified their leisure and been productive of the most delightful results. 3. Learning is desirable in our deacons. Gothic ignorance is happily banished for ever from our country. All classes of society are being better educated than in former days; and while it is required that our pastors should possess a higher standard of ministerial qualifications than was formerly considered indispensable, no one can doubt the desirableness of extensive general information, biblical and ecclesiastical knowledge, and sound learning for the deacons of our churches. However difficult it may be to procure profoundly learned men for our deacons, there is one branch of study, besides familiar knowledge of the Scriptures, with which they should be well acquainted-it is that of the history of the church of Christ, particularly that part of it which refers to the origin, progress, and present state of the several religious denominations in the British empire and in the United States of America. This study will abundantly repay their labour, and the better prepare them for their valuable services as deacons in the churches. 4. Influence in society. Christians cannot be all rich men, nor yet even all our deacons. Wealth and worldly power are certainly not essential qualifications for our church officers, but while they are the representatives of our congregations to the world, it must be admitted to be desirable that they should be possessed of some property and invested with some influence among their fellow citizens. This is desirable for the sake of our churches themselves and of all our local institutions, especially as many of them depend very greatly on their heaven-born zeal and personal liberality. Deacons thus morally and spiritually endowed according to the rules laid down by the inspired apostles, cannot fail to be truly honourable among their fellow Christians. Nor can such servants of God fail, under the blessing of grace, of being rendered unspeakably useful to the churches and their pastors. Their examples of intelligence and decision, of activity and fidelity in the service of their blessed Lord and Master, will be the means of incalculable good to those around them, promoting the saving knowledge of the Redeemer among the ignorant, and tending to produce harmony, peace, and rejoicing among the disciples of Jesus Christ. Let our churches needing deacons, and especially their pastors, pour forth their hearts unto the Lord, that he would impart his Holy Spirit to his servants to prepare them for their important offices, for the good of his people and the glory of his holy name. THE COVENANT OF THE ANCIENT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, AT TAUNTON. "The old Congregationalists," says Mr. Harmer, "seem to have been very fond of the term COVENANT, derived from some old Testament transactions, very different from entering into church fellowship; but as being a Scripture term, it appeared extremely venerable in their eyes, and perhaps almost sacred." An ancient document, bearing this title, has been kindly communicated to us by the Rev. T. C. Hine, transcribed from a manuscript record in the possession of P. Walker, Esq., of Lyme. Its date fixes it to have been drawn up under the pastoral superintendence of the Rev. George Newton, then incumbent of St. Mary Magdalen Church, who received the eminently holy Joseph Alleine as his assistant the following year. He survived his youthful and seraphic colleague, preached his funeral sermon, and was enrolled amongst the noble confessors of Bartholomew day, 1662. The zeal and devotion it displays may very well be emulated by many of our modern churches. Taunton Church Covenant, began to be subscribed the 9th day of February, 1654. Wee whose names are underwritten, inhabitants of Taunton Magdalen, havinge beene solemnly and deeply humbled in the sence of all our sinns which we have been enabled to discover, perticularly of our old pollucions and defilements, our carnall and corrupt compli ances, and of our latter declinacions and neglects, doe now at length resolve to enter into neerer fellowshipp by a particuler expresse renewinge of our covenant, in order to a thorough and effectual reformacion, and so to joyne ourselves to the Lord, and each to other, by a perpetuall covenant that shall never be forgotten. 1st. Wee doe by a renewed act of faith receive and take the Lord Jehovah, father, sonne and holy Spiritt, who was, and is, and is to come, for our God whome we acknowledge and believe is the only true God, and we doe faithfully engage and promise in the strength of Jesus Christ to owne him in our hearts and wayes, to love him for himselfe, and obey him, and cleave to him with full purpose of heart, to follow him fully, and to walk before him and be upright, to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lyves, and at all times, and in all places, and in all things, sencerely to endeavour and demeane ourselves as becometh such a people whoe have the Lord for their God. 2. Wee doe covenant with the Lord our God, whome we beleive to be the sercher of our hearts, and the severe avenger of all deceiptfull dealings with him, that we will henceforth utterly abandon and forsake (as he shall give us grace and strength) all our iniquities and sinns, which we doe already know or shall hereafter be discovered to us by the light of God's word, against which we will never shutt our eyes, and that we will endeavour universall reformation of ourselves and others, accordinge to our places, and especially of the Inhabytants of this Towne, as farr as we have lawfull meanes to doe it; and that we will as many of us as are Governours of familyes, haveinge first set upp Christ in our owne hearts, set him upp in our houses, that wee will teach our familyes, accordinge to the guifte bestowed upon us, and make them know the way of the Lord, that we will dayly worshipp the Lord with them (unlesse there be necessary avocacions,) that we will cause them as much as lyes in us strictly to observe and keepe the Christian Sabbath holy, and constantly to wayte on ordinances and the meanes of grace, concerning which we will call them to an accompt: we will allow of no prophaneness, neither shall they that are prophane dwell with us, unless necessity inforce us to it, soe that our houses may be little Churches, and Jesus Christ may walk in them, and be the light and joy of them. 3. Wee will in sincerity and constancy maintaine the communion of the saints, endeavouring to joyne together in all the parts and duties of God's publique worshipp, particularly in the greate uniting ordinance of Communion of the body and blood of Christ, beinge very deeply humbled that we have not hungred, thirsted, longed and laboured for it as wee should have done-that we have hitherto prophaned it, and defiled it, and being sensable of the greate neede wee have of that holy Sacrament to confirm our weake faith, and to keep fresh within us the memoriall of our deare and precious Saviour, and of his bitter death and passion, whoe loved us, and gave himselfe for us, and wee are now resolved every one of us accordinge to our places to doe what lyes in us that we may regularly come to be pertakers of that blessed ordinance, that wee may feede upon the body and blood of Christ by faith, and may tast and see how good and sweete Christ is. 4. Wee faithfully promise and engage to the Lord, and each to other, that by the helpe of Jesus Christ, we will perform all mutuall dutyes of justification, admonition, supplicacion, and consolation; we will watch over one another as there is occasion, accordinge to the method and rule of Christ; we will consider one another to provoke to love and good workes; we will not hate our brother in our hearts, but take care to give reproofe with all prudence, tendernesse, and compassion of our erringe brother, havinge first sought to God for his direction and blessinge upon this ordinance of his, and soe endeavouring to manage it in all respects, as an ordinance of God, and not as an effect of our credulity; our pride, our passion, our corruption any way; and we will take reproofe with all meeknesse, love, humilities and thankfulnesse, as precious balme that will not breake our heads, without recrimination, and without retaininge any grudge against the person that reprooves us; only if there be occasion we will make modest, just and meeke defence to cleare ourselves when we are faultlesse, and to convince and satisfie the brother that reproves us of his mistake and misinformation, that soe noe root of bitternesse grow up amongst us, and thereby many be defiled. 5. We will as farr as God shall enable us walke in wisdome towards them that are without, that is, we will demeene ourselves towards them, humbly, inoffensively, self-deniingly, beinge so far from givinge them any cause, that we will give them noe occasion, to speake reproachfully of us or our profession, that soe by this meanes, we may winne them and allure them to returne with us to God, and that the doctrine and worshipp of the disciples of Jesus Xt. may be rendered beautyfull and aymeable in their eyes by, this meanes, that while we goe to heaven ourselves, others may goe thither with us, at least they may not goe to hell by our meanes. 6. Wee will converse together in spirituall and Church communion with all charity, purity, and humility,-preferringe one another and thinking one another better then ourselves; whereto we have obtained we will walk together unanimously by the same rule, in other thinges of lesser concernment and inferior allay we will beare with one another and make our moderacion known to all men, we will not make our brethren's difference from us, or concurrence with us, in such thinges as these, the grounds and measure of our love or dislike; that there may be noe chisme in the body we will love the truth and that our hearts may be comforted being firmly knit together, and the other churches may rejoice whiles they behold our order and stedfastnesse of our faith in Christ, and we will soe behave ourselves in all respects, as far as human frailty and inferiority will suffer us, as becometh the gospel of Christ. And this Covenant we make in the presence of a high and holy God, being deeply sensable of our own weaknesse and utter inability to keepe it, humbly and earnestly beseeching him from the bottom of our hearts to pardon and forgive us all our former breaches with him, and to heale our backslidinge from him, and now to undertake for us, and to be surety for his poore servants that we shall be faithfull with him, and to bestow his grace upon us, that we may never add these to the rest of our sinns to deale treacherously with him, and to be covenant breakers with the Lord our God, least he avenge the quarrell of his Covenant on us; but that the covenant we have made in such a solleme and seriouse way our hearts may be stedfast in it, and we may keepe it to the very end. 23d Sept., 1658, Coppd. THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 1. IN the cross of Christ I glory! All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime. 2. When the woes of life o'ertake me, 3. When the sun of bliss is beaming 4. Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, Peace is there that knows no measure, 5. In the cross of Christ I glory! All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime. BOWRING. |