instituted, they will usually consider as commendable actions, as matters of indifference, or at the worst as mere peccadillos, about which no man ought to feel any serious concern. Remonstrances against them they will regard as flowing from personal pique, pride, or a spirit of meddling; and every subsequent measure of discipline, as springing out of bigotry, persecution, or revenge. An ecclesiastical process will be viewed by them as a mere prosecution; and those, concerned in it against them, as mere litigants, influenced only by selfish passions, and not by a sense of duty.

In the administration of discipline, unless stimulated by such passions, they will either not unite at all, or unite with indifference and reluctance. They will be too prudent to provoke their neighbours, and too worldly to trouble themselves about the peace, or purity, of the Church. It may, I believe, be truly said, that Christian discipline never was, and never will be, for any length of time maintained, where the majority of those, entrusted with it, áre, or have been, men of this character.

VI. This truth is decisively proved by the manner, in which the Christian Church is spoken of in the New Testament.

The common name for the Church in the Old Testament is Zion. Under this name it is spoken of as a Holy Hill; as loved by God; as the Heritage of God; as the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. It is said, that Christ is her King; that God will place Salvation in her; that he will reign in her; that he commands there the blessing, even life for ever more. In these, and a multitude of other, instances, exactly the same character is given of the Church, under the Mosaic, which was afterward given of it, under the Christian, Dispensation. This fact furnishes unanswerable proof, that the Church was intentionally formed, and is actually regarded, in the same manner by God in every age.

The character of the Church, as given in the New Testament, will be sufficiently learned from the following passages.

To the Church at Rome, St. Paul writes in these terms. Among whom are ye also, the called of Jesus Christ. To all that are in Rome, Beloved of God, called to be Saints. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all; that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Rom. i. 6-8.

And Imyself am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Rom. xv. 14.

To the Corinthians he writes, Unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God, which is given you by Christ Jesus. 1. Cor. i. 2, 4.

To the Galatians he writes, Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise. Gal. iv. 28.

To the Ephesians he writes, Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the Saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Eph. i. 1.

To the Philippians he writes, I thank my God for your fellowship in the Gospel, from the first day until now: being confident of this very thing, that He, who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. i. 3, 5, 6.

To the Colossians he writes, Paul, an Apostle, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, who are at Colosse; We give thanks to God, since we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the Saints, for the hope, which is laid up for you in Heaven. Col. i. 1—5.

To the Thessalonians he writes, We give thanks to God alway for you all, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God, even our Father; knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 1 Thess. i. 4.

To the Hebrews he writes, Brethren, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany Salvation. Heb. vi. 9.

St. James, speaking of himself, and of the Churches to whom he wrote, says, Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. James i. 18.

St. Peter writes to the Churches in Pontus, &c. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i. 2.

St. John says, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. 1 John ii. 12, 13.

St. Jude, addressing his epistle to the Churches generally, writes, To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. Jude 1.

With this language every thing, found in the New Testament, perfectly harmonizes. One character, and one only, is given in it of the Church; and that is, the character of Christians. There is no mixture of any other character. Even when the faults of its members are mentioned, they are mentioned, solely as the backslidings of Christians; and never as the sins of unbelieving and impenitent men. How, then, can we entertain a rational doubt, that God, when he instituted his Church, intended it to be an assembly of believers?

SERMON CL.

THE EXTRAORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE.-OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.-MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL.-WHO ARE MIN

ISTERS.

1 PETER V. 1-3.-The Elders, which are among you, I exhort, who am also an Elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God, which is among you; taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

IN the preceding discourse, concerning the Constitution of the Christian Church, I observed, that the Church is composed of its Ordinary Members, and its Officers. The character of its Ordinary Members I investigated at that time. I shall now consider,

The Character of its Officers.

Before I commence the direct examination of this subject, I shall make a few preliminary observations.

1. The Scriptures have actually constituted certain Officers in the Church.

Whatever differences of opinion exist concerning the kinds of officers in the Church, designated by the Scriptures, it is agreed by most, if not all, Christians, that such officers, of some kind or other, are established by the Sacred Volume. We there read of Ministers, Pastors, Teachers, Bishops, &c. By these names, it is generally acknowledged, officers of one or more classes were denoted, who were intended always to be found in the Christian Church. Certain powers, also, they were intended to possess, and certain duties to perform.

2. Whatever the Scriptures have said of these men is of Divine Authority and Obligation: but nothing else is of such authority, nor at all obligatory on the consciences of mankind.

Whatever the Scriptures have instituted, required, or directed, is instituted, required, and directed, by God; and is invested with his authority. All else, by whomsoever said, or in what age soever, is said by man. But man has no authority over the conscience and can never bind his fellow-man in any religious concern whatever. If, then, we find in the present, or any past age, any thing said on the subject, whether by divines or others, however learned and esteemed they may have been, which at the same time is not said in the Scriptures; it is totally destitute of any authority or obligation with respect to us. It may, or may not, be said wisely.

It may be good, or bad, advice or opinion; but it cannot, in any degree, have the nature of law; nor be at all obligatory on their fellow-men.

The Fathers of the Church, for example, were in many instances. good, and in some, wise, men. They are often valuable witnesses to facts. On a variety of occasions they help us to the true meaning of words, phrases, and passages, in the Scriptures. They often edify us also by their piety. But their opinion, or judgment, or injunctions, are totally destitute of authority; and stand upon exactly the same level with those of men, who now sustain

simi

lar character. If we could rely on the authenticity of the smaller Epistles of St. Ignatius; or had we the Autographs in our possession; all the injunctions, and declarations, contained in them, exclusively of those derived from the Scriptures, would be mere advice or information.

3. Whatever Church Officers the Scriptures have established as standing Officers, are appointed by God himself. The Church, therefore, is bound to receive them as having been thus appointed; and to take effectual care, that they always exist.

This will not be denied by any man, who admits the Divine revelation of the Scriptures.

4. No other officers, beside those thus appointed, have any authority to plead for their existence in office. All others are of mere human institution; convenient and useful perhaps; but never to be regarded as possessing any authority, except what arises from the personal consent, or engagement, of those who receive them: and this can never be obligatory on the consciences of others.

It is to no purpose, here, to allege, that they have been introduced, and established, by the deliberate determination of wise and good men; or of the whole Church. It is to no purpose to allege, that they have existed for any length of time, however great; nor that they have existed in various churches, however distinguished for learning and piety. It is to no purpose to allege, that these Churches have believed them to be divinely instituted. This belief, respectable as those are who have entertained it, can claim no more authority, and involves no more obligation, than any other opinion concerning any other subject.

5. If the Scriptures have constituted Officers in the Church, and have partially, and imperfectly, designated their classes, numbers, offices, and duties, then this imperfect exhibition of the subject, and this alone, is of divine authority and obligation.

It has been often supposed, that God has, of design, left the subject of Ecclesiastical Government partially exhibited in the Scriptures. Whatever else was necessary to complete the system, he is further supposed to have left to be supplied by the prudence of Christians, as the various circumstances of the Church, in various ages and countries, might require. If this supposition be admitted; then whatever is contained in this imperfect institution of

Ecclesiastical Government, in the Scriptures, is authoritative and obligatory; and whatever is supplied by human wisdom to complete the system, is merely advisory and prudential.

The full admission of these principles would, as it seems to me, prepare the way for a final removal of most disputes concerning this subject.

These things being premised as indispensable to a just decision concerning this subject; I observe, that the system of Ecclesiastical Government, mentioned in the Scriptures, is disclosed by them either completely, or partially. If they have completely disclosed this system, then we shall find it all in the sacred volume; and cannot need to search for it elsewhere. If they have disclosed it partially; then a partial disclosure was sufficient; and this part is all that possesses, or can possess, any authority to bind the consciences of men. Whatever additions are made to it, and however wisely or necessarily they are made, by men, they cannot pretend to the least authority or obligation. It is in vain to say, that in this case the Church would be left at loose ends, and unprotected against disorder and schism. The answer to this objection is obvious, and complete. The Church is left, as Infinite Wisdom chose to leave it. Should we grant, contrary to truth and decency, that the situation, in which it is left, is not the best; still the evil is without remedy: for we cannot add to the words of God.

Let us now inquire what Ecclesiastical officers are mentioned in the Scriptures as instituted by God.

The largest, and most particular, account, given of this subject in the Scriptures, is in Eph. iv. 11. And he gave some Apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. Here we find at least four sorts of officers in the Church; four classes of men, who are empowered, each, to do some things in the Church, which they, and they only, had a right to do.

The office of Apostles is acknowledged, on all hands, long since to have terminated.

Of Prophets, it is only necessary to observe, that their office must terminate, of course, when inspiration terminates.

Evangelists, the third class here mentioned, are universally ac knowledged to have been extraordinary officers, and to have ceased in a very early period of the Church; unless the word be supposed to denote merely a minister without a cure.

There remain, then, only Pastors and Teachers. From the phraseology, here used, it appears to me evident, that they were not two distinct orders of men, but one, destined to feed and teach the Church. The language is not, as in the preceding clauses, some pastors, and some teachers, but some pastors and teachers, that is, some, who were both pastors and teachers. To teach the Church is to feed it with the bread of life.