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13

SERMON II.

PREACH'D ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 1794.

HAVING in my first Sermon on these words sketch'd out to you the method I propos'd to pur-fue in my following discourses on the subject, I fhall now without any further introduction enter upon the first part of my plan; which is, to give you a fuccinct hiftorical account of our national Church; fhewing you those corruptions of Popery which it fo laudably rejected, and also pointing out where it stopt: while other Reformers, poffefs'd of more zeal than knowledge, went much greater lengths.

When our bleffed Saviour had compleatly fulfilled the important end of his Incarnation, and finished the work for which his Father fent Him

into the world; when after a life wholly spent in doing good, and teaching and preaching the word of God, He at laft died on the crofs for our fins, and rofe again from the grave for our juftification; his laft parting words to his difciples, previous to his ascension into heaven, to the bofom of his Father, which for our fakes He had fo graciously quitted for a season; his last words, as recorded by the holy Evangelift Saint Matthew, were thefe: All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

At that period of time the whole world had long loft the knowledge of the one true God, and was overspread with heathenism and idolatry; fave only the fingle nation of the Jews, the pofterity of faithful Abraham, and of whom Chrift came in the flesh. To these were the divine oracles committed, and to these was the Mofaic difpenfation confin'd. But the Meffiah was to found an univerfal Religion, to comprehend the whole race of mankind; not partial to the descendants of Abraham, but general for

all

all the fons of Adam. And this new Religion was not only to abolifh heathenifm and idolatry, but also to fuperfede the Law of Moses; which had now fulfilled its office of a school-mafter, to bring it's followers to Chrift. Jefus then, having while on earth laid the foundation of this new religion, commits to his difciples, in the words above recited from Saint Matthew, the care of compleating the edifice. In obedience then to this charge, they went forth, as Saint Mark takes care to inform us, and preached every where; the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with figns following. So wonderful, I may say so miraculous a revolution requir'd miraculous aids; and the Apoftles were thereby enabl❜d in a very fhort time to convert aftonishing multitudes to the Faith. But large as was the harveft, the labourers were few. In this cafe they had been previously instructed by their Master to pray to the Lord of the harveft that He would fend forth more labourers into the harveft. They did fo; and accordingly as the number of converts increas'd they form'd them into Societies, or Communities, and plac'd each congregation under the care of fome approv'd Disciple, whom they ordain'd to the Ministry by laying on of hands, and thereby conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Now

1

Now these primitive Minifters, thus ordained and constituted by the Apofties, were at firft indifcriminately nam'd either Bishops, which literally fignifies Overseers; or Prefbyters, the literal meaning of which word is Elders; a title partly expreffive of Age, and partly of Authority. We read also in the fixth Chapter of the Acts, of another inferior Order appointed by the Apostles, diftinguish'd by the name of Deacons; whose business was to fuperintend what is there call'd the daily miniftration; or the diftribution of the alms of the more opulent Christians among the widows, and fuch as were deftitute of daily bread. But as the word of God grew mightily and prevailed, whole nations by degrees, and at last the mighty Roman Empire, then miftrefs of the world, embracing the faith, and profeffing Chriftianity; confequently the Church, thus enlarg'd, found it expedient to adapt it's mode of internal government to that which then took place in civil fociety. Accordingly we find an ecclefiaftical Hierarchy fubfifting at a very early period: fmaller diftricts, fimilar to our modern Parishes, being affign'd to the care of particular Minifters under the appellation of Prefbyters, or Priefts, affifted where neceffary by one or more Deacons; a number of these united forming a

Diocese

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Diocese under the government of a fuperior Minifter, dignified by the title of Bishop: and fometimes the Bishops of a whole province or kingdom acknowledging the paramount authority of One, call'd from his pre-eminence, Archbishop; and from his refidence in the principal city, or Metropolis, Metropolitan..

That in the Chriftian Church, during it's early days of primitive and unadulterated purity, fome fuch fubordination and government was generally, if not univerfally eftablifh'd, we are furnish'd with, uncontrovertible proof from genuine and authentic hiftory. But alas! thefe days of it's purity were of fhort duration. The miraculous powers beftow'd by Chrift on his Apostles, and continued to their immediate fucceffors, were foon withdrawn ; and the Church, now paft it's infancy, and advancing with hafty ftrides to the full vigour of maturity, was left to itself to make it's way in the world, without any farther fupernatural affiftances. Then did hu man pride and human paffions quickly deface the faireft fyftem the world had ever beheld: and that to fuch a degree, that though long ago reveal'd by the Prophetic Spirit both under the Old and New Difpenfation, yet mankind were never able to comprehend the meaning of those Prophecies, till they

beheld

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