1835.  Here history and argument are both excluded, not only from the Church’s testimony but also from her confession!  This is the declared sentiment of Old and New Light Covenants, together with the Safety League people—­evidencing to all who are free from party influence, that however they differ in practice, on this all important point they perfectly harmonize in principle.  East of the Atlantic, among the three Synods professing to follow the footsteps of the flock, the declared sentiment is the same, but then they differ from their brethren in practice—­mingling with the heathen and learning their works without scruple.  In this respect they are more consistent than the other parties, though more visibly corrupt.

The Reformed Dissenters “prefix a Narrative to their testimony,” thus rejecting history from testimony.  Some advocates for union in conventions of reformed churches, have plead for a historical introduction to their proposed testimony; but they have carefully assured the public that this introduction shall constitute no term of union or communion.  Thus, it is evident, that all the professed followers of the British Reformers around us, have cast off this reformation attainment from the standards of their professions severally.  We condemn this church-rending and soul-ruining sentiment, and testify against all who maintain it, for the following reasons: 

First, on their part it is inconsistent and self-contradictory.  They all say they are following the footsteps and holding the attainments of the Scottish Reformers.  But how do they discover these footsteps, or how ascertain these attainments?  Are they recorded in the Bible?  No.  Are they to be found elsewhere but in uninspired history?  Certainly no where else.  Yet all these parties absurdly reject uninspired history from their bonds of fellowship! and still venture to tell the world, they are holding fast these attainments!!  This is solemn trifling, profane mockery. Second.  This position is unsound and false in the light of reason.  All civilized nations, as well as the Jews, have it written in their laws, “That the testimony of two men is true.”  The witnesses do not need to be inspired to be credible.  “We receive the witness of men,” although a “false witness will utter lies.”  No society can exist without practical recognition of the credibility of human testimony; and this is especially true of the “Church of the living God, which is the pillar and ground of the truth;” for, Third.  In the light of Scripture, her members cannot perform some of their most important duties, either to God or to one another if they irrationally and wickedly relinquish this principle.  God’s people are charged “not to forget his mighty works;” Psa. lxxviii. 7.  Are these works all written in the Bible?  They are required to confess their fathers’ sins, as well as their own.  Since the divine canon was closed, many sins have been, and now are chargeable against professing Christians.  Are these recorded in the Scriptures?  And thus the reader may ask himself of sin and duty to any extent, in relation to God as a party.