of February, 1810. The causes that || presbytery was divided, and the former, led to this are as follow: About the year 1799 or 1800, God revived religion in a remarkable manner in the western country, through the instrumentality of some presbyterian preachers; consequently, many new congregations were soon formed and organized. But to continue to supply them all, by the then licensed and ordained ministers was impracticable. Cumberland presbytery, constituted, in which there were always a decided majority in favour of licensing men to preach the Gospel (when need required, and God called) who were "apt to teach," and sound in the faith, though they might not possess a liberal education. Therefore, from time to time they licensed, (some of whom they or dained,) men of that description. This measure was still opposed by that part of the presbytery who were unfriendly to the revival. The synod took the matter, and appointed a commission of their own body to meet in the bounds of the Cumberland presbytery, and directed the members thereof, with all their li centiates, candidates, and exhorters, to meet; which summons the greater part of them obeyed. After the commission and the accused had met, the former exhibited many charges against the latter; principally taken from the minutes of the presbytery and public fame: all of which were chiefly comprised in the two following, to wit:-1st, Licensing men to preach who had not been examined on the languages. 2d, That those men who were licensed, both learned and less learned, had been only required to adopt the confession of faith partially, that is, as far as they believed it to agree with God's word. A venerable father in the ministry who came from a distance, discovering the necessity for supplies, proposed to the preachers who were engaged in promoting the revival, to choose from amongst the laity some men (whose talents, gifts, piety, &c. would justify such a step,) and encourage them to prepare for the work of the ministry: though they might not have a classical education. This proposition was readily acceded to, and several persons were spoken to on the subject, and encouraged to improve their talent by exhortation, and to prepare written discourses to exhibit to the next Transylvania presbytery, as specimens of their abilities to sermonize, &c. with which they accordingly complied. The discourses were read to the aged member || who first recommended the measure, and tolerably well approved. They were not now received as candidates for || the ministry, but were directed to pre- As to the first ground of complaint, pare other discourses to read to the next the presbytery not only plead the expresbytery, where the debate became ception in the discipline, in "extraordivery animated, whether they should be nary cases," but also the example of a admitted as candidates for the holy mi- number of the presbyteries in different nistry; when finally a majority of one parts of the United States. They vote decided, one of them only should moreover, appealed to a higher authobe received at that time. The next rity than either of the foregoing, which presbytery, however, decided by a large was the New Testament, and inquired majority in favour of the proposed plan; if there be any precept or example in and accordingly, after hearing popular that Book which condemns the practice trials, &c. proceeded to license three of licensing what they (the commission) men, to wit:-Alexander Anderson, called unlearned men. It was also askFinis Ewing, and Samuel King, to preached, if God could not as easily call a the Gospel as probationers. These men, although two of them had no knowledge of the dead languages; yet from their discourses, extempore, as With respect to doctrines; the presbywell as written, and from the petitions tery believed their candidates had deof hundreds of serious Christians, pray-parted from no essential doctrine taught ing that they might be licensed; the in the confession of faith; and therefore presbytery thou ht they could not be ought to have been indulged in their out of their duty in promoting them to conscientious scruples about tenets not the work of the ministry; in which essential or important. This reasoning, opinion they were afterwards fully con- however, was not satisfactory to the firmed. Some members of this presby- commission, who demanded all the tery, however, as well as the preceding, young men to be given up to them for were opposed to the measure, who enter- re-examination. The presbytery reed their protest, and wrote to the synod, fused; viewing the demand unprece who, at first, paid but little attention to dented, and directly making dangerous it About this time the Transylvania encroachments on the liberties and pri Presbyterian not classically learned, to preach the Gospel, as he could such of any other denomination? All candidates for the ministry who may hereafter be licensed by this presbytery, and all licentiates or probationers who may hereafter be ordained by this presbytery, shall be required before such licensure and ordination, to receive and adopt the confession and discipline* of the presbyterian church, except the idea of fatality that seems to be taught under the mysterious doctrine of predestination. ral Philosophy, and Church History.† The presbytery may also require an examination on all or any part of the above branches of literature before vileges of presbyteries, who, according | tery, known by the name of the Cumto the discipline, were sole judges of the berland Presbytery, on the following faith and qualifications of their own conditions:" candidates for the ministry. The young men then being summoned to submit, and refusing, the commission proceeded solemnly to prohibit them all, learned and less learned, from preaching or administering any more as Presbyterians; and summoned the majority of the presbytery to appear at their next synod, to answer for not surrendering their young brethren, and to be examined themselves on doctrines. The presbytery thought it a very extraordinary step in- It is to be understood, however, that deed, for a commission of the synod to such as can adopt the confession withsilence, or prohibit, a number of re-out such exception, shall not be respectable and useful ministers of Jesus, quired to make any. Moreover, all without process or trial, men, whose licentiates, before they are set apart to moral characters were unexceptionable, the whole work of the ministry, (orand who had never been called before dained) shall be required to undergo an their own presbytery to answer any examination on English Grammar, Gecharge; and men, who were never con-ography, Astronomy, natural and movicted of either heresy, immorality, or contumacy, before any judicature whatsoever. The presbytery being conscious that the commission had acted illegally, determined to petition the ge-licensure, if they deem it expedient. neral assembly. In the mean time they formed themselves into a council; intending, with their young brethren, to promote religion as well as they could in that capacity; refraining from presbyterial acts, until they could learn the decision of the assembly; the first decision of which appeared favourable. 1st, That Adam was made upright, This encouraged the council to expect pure and free; that he was necessarily the assembly would eventually redress under the moral law, which binds all their grievances. They therefore wait-intelligences; and having transgressed ed and petitioned, until they were con- it, he was consequently, with all his posvinced by an act, or decision of the as-terity, exposed to eternal punishment sembly, that the synod were justified in and misery. their unconstitutional and unprecedented conduct toward the young preachers: which, (after another fruitless application to the synod and Transylvania presbytery) determined three of the remaining ordained ministers to constitute a separate presbytery; which was done in the following manner: "In Dickson County, Tennessee State, at the Rev. S. M'Adow's, this 4th day of February, 1810:" Doctrines. It has been already observed, that the Presbyterian confession is their confession, "except the idea of fatality." But as some may think this too indefinite, it may be proper here to state explicitly all the essential doctrines or tenets they hold. 2d, That Christ the second Adam represented just as many as the first, consequently made an atonement for all, which will be testified in due time." But that the benefit of that atonement will be only received by the true believer. 66 3d, That all Adam's family are totally depraved, "conceived in sin; going astray from the womb, and all children of wrath;" therefore must "be born again," justified and sanctified, or they never can enter into the kingdom of God. 4th, That justification is by faith alone as the INSTRUMENT; by the merits of "We, Samuel M'Adow, Finis Ewing, and Samuel King, regularly ordained ministers in the Presbyterian church, against whom no charge either of immorality or heresy has ever been exhibited, before any church judicatures; having waited in vain more than four years; in the mean time petitioning the General Assembly for a redress of grievances, and a restoration of our violated rights, have, and do hereby agree and determine, to constitute a Presby-to derstood in conformity to the branches of lite The reception of the disciple is to be un rature required by this body. It will not be understood that examination on Theology, experimental religion, and a call the ministry, will be omitted. Christ's active and passive obedience, || of God's word, on the extent of the as the meritorious cause; and by the atonement and operations of the Spirit; operation of God's Spirit as the effi- or to contradict the sincerity of God's cient, or active cause. expostulations with sinners, and make 5th, That as the sinner is justified on his oath to have no meaning, when he the account of Christ's righteousness swears he has no pleasure in their being imputed or accounted to him; on death; or to resolve the whole characthe same account he will be enabled to ter of the Deity into his sovereignty, go on from one degree of grace to without a due regard to all other of his another, in a progressive life of sanctifi- || adorable attributes. Finally, they think cation, until he is fit to be gathered into those doctrines ought to be thought and the garner of God, who will certainly || spoken of in a consistency with God's take to glory every man who has been moral government, which always has for really justified: that is, he, Christ, has its object the happiness of his intelligent become wisdom, (light to convince,) creatures, when it consists with his jusrighteousness, (to justify) sanctification, tice and the honour of the divine throne. (to cleanse) and redemption, (to glori- Discipline. Their discipline is Presfy,) to every truly regenerated soul. byterian. Their congregations are governed by church sessions, presbyte 6th, That there are three persons in one God, coequal, essential, and eter-ries, and they now have appointed to nal; or the Father, Word, and Holy constitute a synod to be called the CumGhost: that the mediator is very God berland Synod. They are tenacious of and very man; two distinct natures in the presbyterial form of church goone person; therefore while the hu-vernment; because they believe it to be manity obeys and suffers, there is infi- equitable, just, and scriptural; and benite worth or merit given to that obe- cause it tends to cherish in their minds, dience and suffering, by the union of the and the minds of their congregations, a divinity. love of civil, as well as religious liberThey dissent from the Confession-ty; its being so congenial to the repubin, 1st, That there are no eternal reprobates.-2d, That Christ died not for a part only, but for all mankind.—3d, || That all infants, dying in infancy are saved through Christ, and sanctification On the subject of their deviation from of the Spirit.-4th, That the Spirit of the old rule with respect to literary quaGod operates on the world, or as co-ex-lification for the ministry, they would tensively as Christ has made the atonement, in such a manner as to leave all men inexcusable. lícan form of government established in these United States; which stands equally aloof from monarchy and anarchy. not be understood as undervaluing that precious handmaid to the useful work of a Gospel minister. They have in two publications called "a circular letter," and "a reply," given abundant evidence of their anxiety to acquire and promote useful knowledge; by recommending the study of the Greek scriptures, and by their exertion to procure a As to the doctrines of predestination and election, they think, (with many eminent and modest divines who have written on the subject,) they are mysterious, and they are not well pleased with the application that rigid Calvinists, or Arminians make of them. They circulating library of theological, histhink the truth, or that, as well as many torical, and scientific books, which they other points in divinity, lies between the are increasing from time to time. Notopposite extremes. They are confident withstanding they are persuaded that however, that those doctrines should God has and does call many to preach not, on the one hand be so construed as the Gospel, who have no knowledge of to make any thing the creature has the original languages, and who have done, or can do, at all meritorious in his been and are eminently useful in their salvation; or to lay any ground to say profession. They have therefore dis"well done I;" or to take the least de-pensed with that condition, as not being gree of the honour of our justification absolutely necessary; yet they recomand perseverance from God's unmerit-mend it, when it can conveniently be ed grace, and Christ's pure righteous- acquired. From pursuing this course ness. On the other hand, they are they have, as might be expected, some equally confident those doctrines should learned and some less learned preachnot be so construed as to make God the ers of the everlasting Gospel: the latauthor of sin, directly or indirectly;ter of whom appear in many instances, either of Adam's sin, or any subsequent to be as useful in promoting the word sin of his fallen race; or to contradict of God as the former. the express and repeated declarations Progress. Since they first constituted they are called, adopt nearly the same mode of church government with the Independents. Their chief difference from the Independents is, that they are less attached to Calvinism. a separate presbytery they have made considerable progress. At first there were but nine preachers in the connection, four of whom only were ordained. At that time their organized congregations were but few; but since, they PRESBYTERY REFORMED.— have increased to about eighty, exclu- The reformed presbytery in Scotland sive of a number not yet organized. trace their origin as far back as the reTheir preachers have increased from formation, and consider themselves, as nine to eighteen, fourteen of whom are the only pure Presbyterians since the ordained; and there are now about ten revolution. They profess to adhere to candidates for the ministry. At their the solemn league and covenant agreed stated session in April 1813, they di- to by the nation before the restoration, vided their body into three presbyte-in which they abjure popery and preries, and appointed to constitute a synod on the first Wednesday in October following. They have pursued the itinerant mode of preaching the Gospel, which appears to have a good effect, and to be the best in a frontier country. The demand for preaching, however, is increasing faster than their preachers. lacy, and resolve to maintain and defend the doctrines, worship, discipline, and government of the church, as approved by the parliament and assembly at Westminster, and by the general assembly of the church and parliament of Scotland, 1645-9. It seems, they object not so much to a religious establishment, but to the religious establishment as it exists; they object not to an alliance of the church with the state, but to the alliance of the church with an uncovenanted king and government. Their number, it is said, amounts to about four thousand persons. They continue to observe a custom which was introduced early in the glorious revival in that country, which is, to encamp on the ground at their communion for four days and nights: and it has been remarked that they have rarely had a communion since they constituted, but more or less have given sa- PRESCIENCE OF GOD, is his foretisfactory evidence of having become knowledge, or that knowledge which subjects of vital religion. Sometimes, God has of things to come. The dochowever, there are but few, at other trine of predestination is founded on times, there are as many as thirty or the prescience of God, and on the supforty, who have made a credible pro- position of all futurity being present to fession of faith in the Lord Jesus. A him. Properly speaking, indeed, pregreat part of their increase consists of science follows that of predestination; new converts, whose lives and conver-for if we allow that God from all etersation manifest "they have been with Jesus." While God thus evidently owns their humble efforts to spread a savour of his name, they hope to bear with firmness all the opposition they may meet, from individuals or sectaries. P. S. When they receive candidates for the ministry, they allow them to exercise their gift in public speaking, under the immediate eye of the church; thereby they are better able to judge of their aptness to teach," than they could be by their written discourses alone, which they require also. nity foresaw all things, he must thus have foreseen them in consequence of his permitting or fore-appointing them. Hence events are not certain merely because foreknown; but foreknown because antecedently certain on account of pre-determining reasons. See FOREKNOWLEDGE, PREDESTINATION. PRESCRIPTION, in theology, was a kind of argument pleaded by Tertullian and others in the third century against erroneous doctors. This mode of arguing has been despised by some, both because it has been used by Papists, and because they think that truth PRESBYTERIANS ENGLISH. has no need of such a support. Others, The appellation Presbyterian in England however, think that if it can be shown is appropriated to a body of dissenters, that any particular doctrine of Chriswho have not any attachment to the tianity was held in the earliest ages, Scotch mode of church government any even approaching the apostolic, it must more than to episcopacy among us; and have very considerable weight; and, intherefore the term Presbyterian is here deed, that it has so, appears from the improperly applied. How this misap-universal appeals of all parties to those plication came to pass cannot be easily determined; but it has occasioned many wrong notions, and should therefore be rectified. English Presbyterians, as carly times in support of their particular opinions. Besides, the thing is in itself natural; for if a man finds a variety of opinions in the world upon important passages in Scripture, where shall he | Spirit of God; 5. when they run int be so apt to get the true sense as from temptation; 6. when they índulge in contemporary writers or others who self-confidence and self-complacency; lived very near the apostolic age? And 7. when they bring the spirit of the if such a man shall find any doctrine or world into the church; 8. when they interpretations to have been universally form apologies for that in some which believed in the first ages, or, as Vicentius they condemn in others; 9. when proLirinensis words it, semper ubique et ab fessing to believe in the doctrines of the omnibus, he will unquestionably be dis- Gospel, they live licentiously; 10. when posed to think such early and universal they create, magnify, and pervert their consent, or such prescription, of very troubles; 11. when they arraign the conconsiderable weight in determining his duct of God as unkind and unjust. See opinion. R. Walker's Ser. vol. i. ser. 3; South's Ser. vol. vii. ser. 10, 11, and 12; Tillot 11. vol. i. Robinson's translation; Bp. PRESUMPTION, as it relates to the mind, is a supposition formed before ex-son's Ser. ser. 147; Saurin's Ser. ser. amination. As it relates to the conduct or moral action, it implies arrogance and irreverence. As it relates to religion in general, it is a bold and daring confidence in the goodness of God, withPRIDE is inordinate and unreasonable out obedience to his will. Presumptuous self-esteem, attended with insolence, sins must be distinguished from sins of and rude treatment of others. "It is infirmity, or those failings peculiar to sometimes," says a good writer, "conhuman nature, Ecc. vii. 20. *1 John i. 8, founded with vanity, and sometimes 9; from sins done through ignorance, with dignity; but to the former passion Luke xii. 48; and from sins into which it has no resemblance, and in many cirmen are hurried by sudden and violent cumstances it differs from the latter. temptation, Gal. vi. 1. The ingredients Vanity is the parent of loquacious which render sin presumptuous are, boasting; and the person subject to it, knowledge, John, xv. 22; deliberation if his pretences be admitted, has no inand contrivance, Prov. vi. 14. Psal. clination to insult the company. The xxxvi. 4; obstinacy, Jer. xliv. 16. Deut. proud man, on the other hand, is nai. 13; inattention to the remonstrances turally silent, and, wrapt up in his own of conscience, Acts, vii. 51; opposition importance, seldom speaks but to make to the dispensations of Providence, 2 his audience feel their inferiority." Chron. xxviii. 22; and repeated com- Pride is the high opinion that a poor litmission of the same sin, Psal. lxxviii. tle contracted soul entertains of itself. 17. Presumptuous sins are numerous; Dignity consists in just, great, and unisuch as profane swearing, perjury, theft, form actions, and is the opposite to adultery, drunkenness, sabbath-break- meanness.-2. Pride manifests itself by ing, &c. These may be more particu- praising ourselves, adorning our perlarly considered as presumptuous sins, sons, attempting to appear before others because they are generally committed in a superior light to what we are; conagainst a known law, and so often re- tempt and slander of others; envy at peated. Such sins are most heinous in the excellencies others possess; anxiety their nature, and most pernicious in to gain applause; distress and rage their effects. They are said to be a when slighted; impatience of contrareproach to the Lord, Numb. xv. 3; diction, and opposition to God himself. they harden the heart, 1 Tim. iv. 2;-3. The evil effects of pride are beyond draw down judgments from heaven, computation. It has spread itself uniNumb. xv. 31; even when repented of, versally in all nations, among all chaare seldom pardoned without some vi-racters; and as it was the first sin, as sible testimony of God's displeasure, 2 some suppose, that entered into the Sam. xii. 10. As it respects professors world, so it seems the last to be conof religion, as one observes, they sin quered. It may be considered as the presumptuously, 1. when they take up parent of discontent, ingratitude, coveta profession of religion without princi- ousness, poverty, presumption, passion, ple; 2. when they profess to ask the extravagance, bigotry, war, and perseblessing of God, and yet go on in for- cution. In fact, there is hardly an evil bidden courses; 3. when they do not perpetrated but what pride is connected take religion as they find it in the Scrip- with it in a proximate or remote sense. tures; 4. when they make their feel-4. To suppress this evil, we should ings the test of their religion, without consider what we are. "If we could considering the difference between ani- trace our descents," says Seneca, “we mal passions and the operations of the should find all slaves to come from |