meet the other? If the matter is not done according to your mind, your hands are not tied from taking such measures as to you may appear most consistent with truth and duty. Wishing you the direction of the Holy Spirit in this and all other things that concern the welfare of Zion, I am, R. D. B., Your respectful humble servant, PEQUA, June, 1785. To the Rev. Mr. JOHN MASON, Minister of the Gospel at New-York, to be communicated to the Associate Reformed Synod, at their next meeting; or to any committee belonging to that Synod, which may be employed in the business to which this refers. REV. DEAR BROTHER: We have received and considered the letter which Mr. Logan, by order of your Synod, wrote to this Presbytery. We could not answer it sooner, as our first ordinary meeting after the date of it, was on the third of this month. We are not informed by Mr. Logan of the precise time when your committee meets, and therefore could not address our answer to it. The brethren of the Associate Reformed Synod may assure themselves that we are resolved, the Lord assisting us, to continue in the confession which we have made, and do make, of the name of Jesus. Our solemn engagements made with an uplifted hand to the Most High God, will be a witness against us, if we are unsteadfast and unfaithful in the cause of Christ. By the first of the two Minutes transmitted to us, we are invited to a friendly communication with a Committee of your Synod; and by the last we are informed that this Committee is appointed "to prepare short notes for illustrating the Confession of Faith, Catechisms larger and shorter, the Directory for Worship, and the form of Presbyterial Church Government, and for pointing the truth exhibited in these tests of orthodoxy against the errors of the present time; and also for ascertaining the views the Synod have of the National Covenant, &c. more fully than has been done in the Constitution; and to prepare the form of a solemn covenant, suited to the circumstances in which God has placed them." We are at some loss to know what our brethren mean by a friendly communication with them. Do they wish to know our principles? These were never a secret. Do they wish to know our judgment about the confession which the church is at this time called to make of the truth, in opposition to those who slight or deny it in this land? It is to be found in the Narrative, Declaration, and Testimony, agreed upon by this Presbytery. Are there any other matters relative to the interests of religion about which they desire to know our mind? Let these be named, and we shall endeavor to communicate our sentiments with all plainness and readiness. As to the proposed scheme of notes for illustrating the Confession of Faith, Catechisms, &c., and for pointing the truth exhibited in these against the errors of the present time, we do not well know what our brethren intend by it. If adherence to these notes shall be made a term of communion in their society, then they will be an addition to the Confession of Faith; and however proper an enlargement of that Confession might be, yet in the present state of things, we judge it best to let it stand as it is; proceeding no farther than to a vindication and defence of it, and of the rules and customs of the church of Christ, according as we find these agreeable to his word, in a separate work. If adherence to these notes shall be no term of communion among the ministers and people belonging to the Associate Reformed Synod, we do not perceive any considerable benefit the church will reap from them. A variety of authors have attempted to illustrate our Confession and Catechisms; and some of them have done so to as great advantage as we can reasonably expect the Committee of the Associate Reformed Synod will do. As to pointing the truth contained in the Confession, Catechisms, Form of Church Government, and Directory for the Worship of God, against the errors of the present time, allow us to say, that we have little reason to expect this shall be plainly and faithfully done by the Associate Reformed Synod. The adherence of this Synod to these acts of the Westminster Assembly is extremely vague. On this we need not say, any more than we have already done in the tenth chapter of our Narrative. But as an amendment of this article of their Constitution makes no part of the scheme proposed by our brethren, it is not easy to imagine how such a vague adherence to the truth is consistent with a due application of it against error. Besides it is manifest, that though our brethren should make a loud cry against some very gross errors; yet others less dreadful, but very pernicious, are not much feared by them, or they would not appear so much inclined to enter into church fellowship with societies in which various articles of the gospel are grievously perverted. Let our brethren remember, that there are little foxes which spoil the vines; lesser errors prepare the way for greater. If we admit those holding the former into our fellowship, they will draw those holding the latter after them. And let thein remember also, that a mere slighting the truth is commonly followed with a denying of it. We never had any connection with the Associate Reformed Synod; but some brethren now members of it were once connected with us, in maintaining a testimony against the errors of the present time. After having trodden it under foot in the manner they have done, we have little hope of their ever appearing under any such banner again, unless a very re:narkable change in their views should take place. It is often hard to keep the right way; but harder to find it when we have. once gone out of it. If the testimony these brethren maintained while in connection with us, was not sufficiently pointed against the errors and delusions prevailing in this country, it was an ill way to mend the matter to cast it wholly aside. Their duty was to have stated it more fully and plainly in vindication of the truth, and in opposition to those who are at this present time, and in this place of the world, either contemning or denying it. This we have according to the measure of light and abil ity the Lord hath given us, attempted to accomplish. The Declaration and Testimony we have published is severely reprobated by some leading members of the Associate Reformed Synod. It is therefore manifest, in joining our selves to that society, we behooved to fall from the profession we have made; and this we can not do, till we are, from the word of God, convinced that it is wrong. Let these breth ren give their judgment of our Declaration and Testimony as freely as we have done of their Constitution; and then it will appear whether or not there is such an agreement between us, as may be a foundation for our happy union. It will not suffice to allege, as some of these brethren do, that we are too contemptible to be noticed by them. Contempti ble as we are in their eyes, they have noticed us so far as to order one of their number to write us. And if they design to recover us from what they judge the errors of our way, they must condescend yet a little farther: they must point out these errors to us. As to the form of a solemn covenant which the committee of the Associate Reformed Synod is to prepare, we can say little about it, till we see it. Only we observe that no men tion is made of renewing our solemn covenant engagements. This we reckon necessary, as a testimony of the unity and steadfastness of the church, shewing that it is the same now that it was in the days of our fathers, and that we, as members of it, hold fast what through the mercy of the Lord. we have attained, and walk in the footsteps of the flock. Many imperfections may cleave to the church even in times of refor mation. We do not insist on an approbation of every thing respecting the manner of covenanting used by our ancestors. No one can justly charge us with the fault often charged upon them, viz. the confounding civil and religious matters. Their peculiar circumstances plead for them; and if these do not excuse, they do, at least, lessen the fault of any mismanagement chargeable upon them. It is our duty carefully to avoid these things which might be blameable in their conduct; but it is our duty also, steadfastly to adhere to the Lord's cause in which they labored and suffered, some of them even unto death. The address made to us by Mr. Logan, is, we doubt not, well intended. But as it conveys to us only the mind of that brother, not of the society to which he belongs, we shall not spend time in making many remarks upon it. One thing we can not help observing is, that he speaks another language than the minute transmitted to us does. It represents to us the Associate Reformed Synod as acting upon the Constitution, and building upon the foundation there laid. He tells us, that if the plan proposed in the minute be well executed, the Constitution will of course be superseded. We can not lay much weight upon the suppoɛitions made by Mr. Logan: if such and such measures be well executed, he thinks we might be all happily united. But it will be soon enough to propose an union, when a foundation shall be laid for it in the Associate Reformed Synod's confession of the truth and engagement of themselves to stand in its defence. What the notes they now propose to add, as an illustration of the Confession of Faith, may be, we can not tell. We have reason to fear, that these may tend rather to weaken the Confession, and to darken the truths contained it, than otherwise. Our fears are grounded upon this, that we apprehend the brethren of that Synod have been wavering and going backward for some time past. The Articles of the Union were framed to supersede that particular testimony which we and some of these brethren once maintained against the defections of this age: these Articles were superseded by the constitution: now we are told, at least by Mr. Logan, that notes on the confession are to supersede it: and who knows but some other scheme will by and by supersede thesc notes also. We do not know but this may be the last communication of the kind we may have with the Associate Reformed Synod. We entreat them, especially such of them as were once in connection with us, that as they regard the glory of God, as they would be found faithful in his house, and as they would promote the edification of his church, to beware of going down the stream of defection which flows so rapidly in our time. Opposing the testimony maintained by us, they may go farther and farther off the ground on which they once stood and may go into what they had no thought of when they set out in the course they now follow. Let them rest assured, that, for our part, we are ready to join them, whenever we see any satisfying evidences of their returning to what we judge to be their duty. There is no connection between us, and our brethren in Scotland, which can hinder our union with those in this land who are friends to the Reformation principles we profess. We entreat the brethren of the Associate Reformed Synod to consider what we have said in this letter, as proceeding from a regard to the truth, to the welfare of the church, and to the commandment of him who says, "That which ye have hold fast till I come." The Rev. Mr. Mason will communicate this our letter, and we desire him to rest assured, that though we be not of the same mind with him in all things, we do still esteem him, and pray that the spirit of truth may be given to guide him and us into all truth. Subscribed by order of Presbytery, WILLIAM MARSHALL, Modr. PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 4. 1785. (J. p 74.) A State of some Facts, relative to the Controversy now subsisting, concerning the Scots Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. The confusions which have happened in the Scots Presbyterian church, or Associate Congregation of Philadelphia, are no secret The place of worship belonging to it was seized upon, on the 10th of June last year, by some members of that congregation, who wished to transfer it to the Associate Re |