Cibmrjp of trhc 't:lw;olo0ical ^tmimvy 
 
 PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Samuel Agnew, Esq, 
 1855 
 
 BV 650 .S86 1835 
 Stovel, Charles, 1799-1883. 
 Hints on the regulation of 
 Christian churches adapted 
 
HINTS 
 
 ON THE REGULATION OF 
 
 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES. 
 
HINTS 
 
 ON THE REGULATION OF 
 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, 
 
 ADAPTED TO THE PRESENT STATE OF THEIK 
 AFFAIRS. 
 
 TO WHICH ARE ADDED, 
 
 REMARKS ON THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM, 
 CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO ITS SPIRITUAL IMPORTANCE. 
 
 BY THE REV. C. STOVEL. 
 
 '' Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy 
 palaces." 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Published for the Author, by Jackson and Walford, 
 18, St Paul's Churchyard. 
 
 1835. 
 
T. DAVIS, Printer, 117, Minories. 
 

 ^^v^' 
 
 nSOLOGICiL 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The remarks contained in the follow- 
 ing sheets, are all founded on one 
 truth, which is used throughout as an 
 axiom. By Lord Bacon, it was applied 
 to the subjects of general learning, here 
 an attempt is made to apply it to the 
 government of a Christian church. The 
 Bible is thus placed before a Christian 
 in a church, as the whole physical 
 universe is presented to a student in 
 the world. The object of Bacon, was 
 to guide his pupil in studying present 
 existences, and hence, the form of his 
 axiom. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 ' ^ Man is a minister, and an inter- 
 preter of nature, and nothing more." 
 The object of this work, is to guide 
 the Christian in studying the will of 
 God as it respects the government 
 of his church. The axiom assumed, 
 therefore, is, that man is the disciple 
 and servant of God, and nothing more. 
 As in nature he cannot make facts, 
 or general principles, but only learn 
 and use them ; so in the church a 
 Christian cannot make laws : his whole 
 business is to understand and obey 
 them. The first few pages are occupied 
 in explaining this principle, the re- 
 mainder of the treatise is employed in 
 its application to particular points of 
 practice. In order to shorten the work, 
 very few passages of Scripture are 
 introduced in full. To make up for 
 this, the quotations are arranged so as 
 
PREFACE. lU 
 
 to facilitate their study. The reader 
 will, therefore, be kind enough to peruse 
 them in the order in which the refer- 
 ences stand in the margin. The whole 
 was drawn up at the request of friends, 
 for whom the Writer entertained the 
 highest esteem. If anything useful 
 should be found in the work, let the 
 praise be given to the Author of our 
 redemption ; the defects must be at- 
 tributed to the imperfection of him to 
 whom the duty has been assigned. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page. 
 
 Preface. 
 
 Chap. I. On the Universality and General clas- 
 sification of Divine Laws. 1 
 
 CuAP. II. On the Laws which regulate the be- 
 
 stowment of Divine INIercy . 9 
 
 Chap. III. On the objects to be sought in the 
 
 improvement of Divine Mercy. 1'-^ 
 
 Chap. IV. On the method of securing the objects 
 
 of Divine Mercy. 15 
 
 Chap. V. On the name and constitution of the 
 
 Christian Church. 17 
 
 Chap. VI. On the manifestation of the Saviour's 
 
 will. 18 
 
 Chap. VII. On the duties which are clearly im- 
 posed on the Christian Church. 21 
 
 In reference to the qualification of Members. 21 
 
 To the privilege of Members. 25 
 To the Officers : 
 
 1. The end of their appointment. 33 
 
 2. The period of their labour. 33 
 
 3. The nature of their offices. 34 
 
 4. The nature of their appointment. 35 
 
 5. The election of Officers. 37 
 
 6. The duties of Officers. 41 
 
 7. The support of Officers. 43 
 
 8. The treatment of Officers. 65 
 To the more general affairs of the Churches. 94 
 
 Chap.VIII. General suggestions for the union of 
 
 Christian Churches. 143 
 
 Chap. IX. Suggestions for the use of Individual 
 
 Churches. 164 
 Appendix : 
 
 1. Book for Subscriptions to the Ministry. 177 
 
 2. for incidental expenses. 178 
 
 3. for the Poor. 179 
 
 4. for the Minutes. 180 
 
 5. for registry for Church Members. 182 
 
 6. for district visiting. 183 
 
 7. Remarks on the voluntary system considered 
 
 in reference to its spiritual importance. 185 
 
HINTS, &c. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 ON THE UNIVERSALITY AND GENERAL CLASSI- 
 FICATION OF DIVINE LAW. 
 
 THE two great principles which distinguish 
 the Christian church, are, first, its spirituahty; 
 and, secondly, the voluntary nature of its con- 
 stitution. By these it is distinguished from 
 the world; for in it, every privilege is claimed, 
 and every hope cherished, not on the ground 
 of a natural birth, or for the sake of earthly 
 blessings; but, on the ground of the new birth, 
 and for the sake of blessings which are hea- 
 venly and everlasting. 
 
 The church of Christ, therefore, is an asso- 
 ciation of converted men. Their fellowship 
 relates to the exercises and interests of their 
 
souls, not of their bodies. They are induenced 
 by considerations which determine their indi- 
 vidual choice. Each member acts the part of 
 a rational and voluntary agent. He willingly 
 gives himself, and whatever else he has to give ; 
 first to the Lord, and then to his people : every 
 thing presented or performed, being, in reality, 
 an offering, a grateful sacrifice to the Lord. 
 Uninfluenced by this principle no service is 
 enforced, or even acceptable; for God looketh 
 at the heart. God, therefore, has given his 
 church no authoritative or compulsory power. 
 Her glory is her freedom: the liberty where- 
 with Christ has made her free. 
 
 This liberty extends, not only to the church 
 considered as a body separate from the world; 
 but, also, to the several parts of it. Every 
 separate church is as free from the authority of 
 any other church, as the universal church is 
 free from worldly government; and every indi- 
 vidual member possesses the same freedom 
 which is granted to the whole. But this gracious 
 blessing is not intended to form an occasion for 
 the flesh, or to diminish the force of moral 
 duties. The church, and every individual in it, 
 has a right to be freed from all human thral- 
 dom : but not from divine authority. 
 
 God has made all things for himself, that the 
 
whole universe may show forth his praise. 
 Hence, every part of it is subjected to his will. 
 The will of God, therefore, in w^hat way soever 
 he makes it known, is law to all creation. Our 
 conception of divine law must not be confined 
 even to its influence over the human race. The 
 creatures above, and those wdiich are, by the 
 constitution of their nature, beneath mankind, 
 are all thereby subjected to the will of their 
 Creator. The things which have neither life 
 nor reason are by no means exempt, for the 
 inevitable necessity of physical causes and 
 effects, is an ordinance of God. He spread 
 the heavens abroad like the covering of a tent ; 
 and gave the orbs of night and day their places, 
 their motions, and their magnitudes. He laid 
 the foundations of the earth; formed the bed 
 for the mighty waters ; piled the dreadful moun- 
 tain to the skies; and gave its beauteous trans- 
 parency to every chrystal that is comprehended 
 in its substances. It is God vrho devised and 
 executed the structure of every plant; and 
 painted every flower. The animals received 
 their forms, their life, and all their various 
 capabilities from him. He lifted man from the 
 dust to the dignified station he holds in the 
 order of existence; and endowed him with a 
 rational spirit. The angels received their being 
 B 2 
 
from him : and by him their being is preserved. 
 The whole of this vast universe, formed by his 
 wisdom, and upheld by his power, is regulated 
 also by his governance. Causation itself is 
 nothing but his ordinance, and could never pro- 
 ceed without his presence. But every thing is 
 governed by laws adapted to its own nature. 
 The earth and heavens he rules by the laws of 
 matter and motion; the plants, and trees, by 
 the laws of vegetable life; the animals, by the 
 laws of animal life, and instinct; he governs 
 man, by reason, conscience, and the written 
 law; whilst the angels do his pleasure, heark- 
 ening to the voice of his word. Nothing is 
 exempted. The seraph, and the insect, must 
 both obey. And, however free the church may 
 be made from any earthly power; to God it 
 must be subject: for all its business is to do 
 and teach his will. 
 
 It is also observable, that all the best bles- 
 sings of the creature, have proceeded from an 
 exact observance of divine law. Thus, the per- 
 fection observable in many parts of creation, is 
 constantly produced. " The heavens declare 
 the glory of God, and the firmament showeth 
 forth his handy works;" simply, because in 
 them we see uninterrupted obedience to the 
 law of God. All the spangled mystery moves. 
 
and still shall move, just in the orbits which 
 he has described, without one single deviation ; 
 and hence, their movements never clash, and 
 the forces which propel them bring no destruc- 
 tion. It is just the same with things most- 
 perfect on the earth. The chrystal, which is 
 most clear, derives its brilliancy from the per- 
 fect execution of divine law. The cause of 
 vegetation proceeds by the same rule. Every 
 flower opens its beauteous form, displays its 
 colour, sheds its fragrance, and prepares its 
 fruitfulness, by the law v/hich the Creator has 
 decreed; and all the art of vegetable cultivation, 
 consists in the discovery and the observance of 
 his will. The same thing is seen in the ani- 
 mal kingdom. All that tender affection, and 
 perfect arrangement which is made, for the 
 preservation of the young; all the beauty and 
 perfection, observable in the structure and use 
 of their organs; result entirely from the perfect 
 law of God : which is never broken, in this de- 
 partment, but by force. It is equally true that 
 all the angels in heaven are subject to the 
 Creator. Though great in might, they hasten 
 to do his will; hearkening to the voice of his 
 word. Their felicity is thus secure. God has 
 devised the best thin£rs for their condition: and 
 
his law is the rule, by which the enjoyment of 
 the best things may be perfected. 
 
 The contrary is equally true. Wherever 
 misery or ruin exists, it results from the vio- 
 lation of God's law. If even a flower fade, 
 before its fruii has been produced, we know 
 that at some point the determined order of 
 vegetation has been deranged. Its support has 
 been withheld, or its structure has been injured. 
 If any creature be enfeebled, or in pain, it is 
 because the ordinance of God has been imper- 
 fectly observed. It is the same in every part of 
 human affairs. The afflictions of man, result 
 entirely from his sin. God has ordained the 
 best for him, as well as for every other crea- 
 ture, and his law is the rule for its attainment. 
 The law of God, therefore, whether it relate 
 to body, or soul, is expediency, determined by 
 infinite wisdom; and, unless there be a wisdom 
 greater than that which is infinite, the arrange- 
 ments of God never can be altered, w^ithout 
 injuring his creatures, by diminishing the bene- 
 fits intended for their enjoyment, or producing 
 evils which they were never intended to endure. 
 Accordingly, we find that every deviation from 
 the will of God, is productive of incalculable 
 misery. The rules of health being broken, 
 disease becomes inevitable. The laws of virtue 
 
being broken, or neglected, the misery of crime 
 is at once entailed; nor is the painful effect 
 peculiar to any condition. The same cause 
 has produced the loss of paradise, and the bit- 
 terness of final despair : the shame of individuals, 
 and the ruin of empires. One eternal, immu- 
 table, universal decree, has been sent forth by 
 the Omnipotent; that every creature shall be 
 subject to himself, and that in their complete 
 subjection, they shall enjoy the riches of his 
 goodness : but, that misery and ruin shall, every 
 where, r-esult from the violation of his law . 
 
 This, universal law of God, includes all 
 things, temporal and spiritual; and eternity 
 as well as time. Its influence may be most 
 distinctly traced in human affairs. Whatever 
 man has, of comfort and joy, remaining in his 
 portion, is preserved by the providence and law 
 of God. On the other hand, all his bodily 
 afflictions, the stings of conscience, the disor- 
 ders of society, the necessity and pain of death : 
 with all the darkened gulph of endless misery 
 before him; proceed from the vengeance or 
 correction of God: and are wholly occasioned 
 by the violation of divine law. 
 
 It may also be added, that the appointments 
 of Omnipotence can only be revoked by the Om- 
 nipotent himself; the punishment of sin, there- 
 
8 
 
 fore', can only be remitted by God himself who 
 has ordained it ; and the evils of sin can be 
 cured by no other hand. The cure of these 
 evils, and the remission of this punishment, are 
 comprehended in his work of mercy. This work 
 of mercy is revealed in the gospel, and there 
 alone ; for there is no other name given under 
 heaven, by which men can be saved, but Jesus 
 Christ, and him crucified. The gospel, there- 
 fore, is the law of divine mercy to mankind. It 
 tells us how that mercy was procured ; in what 
 way it may be enjoyed ; and the use to which 
 it must be appropriated. The whole law of 
 God, therefore, may be divided into several de- 
 partments. 
 
 The laws of nature. 
 
 The laws of providence, 
 
 The laws of righteousness, and 
 
 The laws of mercy. 
 
CHAP. IJ. 
 
 ON THE LAW WHICH REGULATES THE BESTOW 
 MENT OF DIVINE MERCY. 
 
 In every one of these departments, man is 
 the disciple and servant of his Maker, and no- 
 thing more. His whole business is to under- 
 stand and obey his will. It is of no importance 
 whether the law be written on the face of nature, 
 in the mysteries of providence, in the books of 
 Moses, or in the gospel of Christ ; its end and 
 the mode of its declaration maybe different, but 
 its authority is the same. 
 
 By attending to the three former, an inno- 
 cent man must be happy, for those laws include 
 all that relates to his body or soul, in time, or in 
 eternity ; and they secure his felicity, 'from the 
 fulness, and the power of God himself. But. 
 obedience to the law of mercy, is the only way, 
 in which, when fallen and sinful, he can be re- 
 stored to happiness and purity. It is the way 
 in which God himself has determined, to repair 
 the ruins of human nature. 
 
 This law of mercy began to be declared im- 
 mediately after man began to sin. It was opened 
 B 3 
 
10 
 
 still more clearly, through all the advances of 
 the Old Testament dispensation. But, it was not 
 perfectly revealed, until after the resurrection of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. Before then, the great 
 work of mercy was hid in God ; but since that 
 event, God, who commanded the light to shine 
 out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, 
 causing the light of the knowledge of the glory 
 of God, to appear in the face of Jesus Christ. 
 It is to him, therefore, we must look for the law of 
 mercy ; both in respect to the mode of its exer- 
 cise, the rule of its appropriation, and the ob- 
 jects to which the inheritance of divine mercy 
 shall be devoted. 
 
 1. The law of mercy, includes, the means, 
 by which, that mercy can be exercised for sin- 
 ners. It appoints the person of the Saviour, a 
 being in whom the divine and human natures 
 are united. It ordains his work : to magnify 
 the law, by obeying it, and suffering its pen- 
 alties. It provides for his acceptance in the 
 work of mediation before the throne of God ; 
 and it secures the proof of his acceptance, in 
 his resurrection from the dead, and the procla- 
 mation of his forgiveness to mankind. He is 
 thus presented to the world, able to save unto 
 the uttermost, all those who come unto God by 
 him : and becomes authoritatively, the only way 
 
11 
 
 in which the mercy of God can find a passage 
 down to earth, and fallen man obtain admission 
 to the bliss of heaven. 
 
 2. The same law appointed the rule, by 
 which mercy may be appropriated. It is re- 
 stricted to no class, whatever ; but the word of 
 God defines clearly, the act of appropriation. 
 It excludes none from its blessings ; but, it will 
 not be trifled with by any one. It is a law, and 
 it must be obeyed : every man, therefore, must 
 believe for himself. His faith, moreover, must 
 include a change of heart ; he must be a new 
 creature, or he cannot enter the kingdom of 
 heaven. John iii. 13—22, 5,6, 35, 36. 
 
 3. The lav/ of mercy regulates the use of this 
 divine inheritance. When a man has become 
 a new creature, and tasted that the Lord is 
 gracious ; he is required to use that blessing 
 for God's glory, and the good of other souls, in 
 danger like himself. From that moment he is 
 made to acknowledge, that he is not his own ; 
 but his, who loved him, and gave himself for 
 him. If, therefore, he enjoy the blessing of 
 divine favour himself ; the believer is compelled 
 to use it to the honour of God, from whom the 
 mercy is received. " Ye are not your own : there- 
 fore, glorify God in your bodies and your spirits 
 which are God's." Rom. xii. 1,2. I. Cor. iv. 
 19,20. iii. 21— 23. x. 24— 33. 
 
12 
 
 The whole man is thus regarded as a re- 
 redeemed slave or captive. He has a double 
 ground of obligation. First: as a creature- 
 he is subjected to the law of nature, provi- 
 ence, and righteousness : secondly, as a redeem- 
 ed creature, he is subjected to the law of grace, 
 and mercy. By the first, he deserved to have 
 perished : by the second, having been redeemed 
 from the curse, in the use of his redeemed life, 
 he is still led by infinite wisdom, and subjected 
 to divine authority. 
 
 CHiVP. III. 
 
 DEFINITE OBJECTS TO BE SOUGHT IN THE USE 
 OF DIVINE MERCY. 
 
 In using the blessings of mercy, three objects 
 are appointed by our heavenly Father, to be 
 kept continually in view. 
 
 1. The cultivation of individual piety. 
 
 2. The advancement of Christian fellowship. 
 
 3. The conversion of those who have not 
 obtained forgiveness. 
 
13 
 
 I. The cultivation of individual piety, is 
 not only implied in the positive precept, ^'be ye 
 holy, for I am holy :" but, the obligation is 
 also implied in the general expressions, by 
 which, the privilege andcharacter of Christians, 
 are described. They are followers of God, as 
 dear children : in whom a filial obedience is re- 
 quired. They are to be the guests at the mar- 
 riage supper of the Lamb: and, therefore, to be 
 adorned in the wedding garments of perfect 
 purity. They are to see the Lord as he is, and 
 to enjoy his society for ever ; and those who 
 have this hope in them, purify themselves, even 
 as he is pure. The conversion of their souls to 
 God, is only the beginning of their mighty 
 work ; in which, the remainder of their exist- 
 ence is to be spent ; and the noblest ambition 
 of their spirits to be employed. It is the very 
 characteristic, of the good man, to fix the 
 warmest desires of his heart on this object ; and 
 to derive his highest enjoyment from its at- 
 tainment. Every imperfection, or impediment, 
 is a diminution of his joy. " Then," and then 
 only, '' shall I be satisfied, when I awake having 
 thy likeness." L Pet. ii. 7—25. Matth. v. 20, 
 chap. V. vi. and vii. Phil. iv. 4 — 10. 
 
 2. The rich provisions of mercy, are not to 
 be entirely expended on ourselves. That por- 
 
14 
 
 tion which falls to the lot of each saint, first, is 
 to he used for his own improvement, and com- 
 fort ; and, secondly, for the improvement and 
 comfort of others. By using the mercy of God, 
 in promoting the improvement and comfort of 
 fellow Christians ; Christian fellowship is pro- 
 duced. This is fully implied in the many com- 
 mands which are given them ; "^ to love one 
 another :" " to bear each other's burdens : to 
 sympathize in each other's sorrows and joys ; 
 and, in fine, to consider each one as a member 
 of the whole body, joined to one Head, animated 
 by one Spirit, and involved in one vast and all 
 absorbing interest. It is not a mere matter of 
 choice ; they are bound to share in the common 
 solicitudes, dangers, labours, or advantages of 
 the saints : and thus, to have fellowship one 
 with another. John xiii. 34. I. John iv. 20, 
 21. John xiii. 1—17. 
 
 3. The conversion of sinners is a further ob- 
 ject; in promoting which, the blessings of mercy 
 are to be employed. For the gifts of divine grace 
 to a fallen world, though originally the peculiar 
 acts of God, are now committed to his servants. 
 The Bible, with all its promises, derived their 
 existence from the immediate agency of the 
 Holy Spirit, but their diffusion is consigned 
 to the church. Every one who obtains for- 
 
15 
 
 giveness, is bound also to state his own de- 
 liverance, in confirmation of the promise given 
 to all, and as an encouragement to all by whom 
 it is Ivuown, to trust it for themselves : nor is 
 there anything to restrain the eiFort, or to limit 
 the indulgence of the largest benevolence ; ex- 
 cepting the capabilities of man. This command, 
 therefore, was given to all his servants ; go ye 
 out into all the world, and preach the glad 
 tidings of mercy to every creature. And, though 
 every man may not be able to do it in the same 
 way, and to the same extent ; yet, each one is 
 bound to make known the gospel, in the best 
 way that he is able : and to the farthest possible 
 extent. Matth. xii. 30. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 THE METHOD OF SECURING THE OBJECTS OF 
 DIVINE MERCY. 
 
 The objects of divine mercy may be pursued 
 in two ways. 
 
 1. By individual. 
 
 2. By united exertions. 
 
16 
 
 1. The individual exertions, consist in the 
 attempts of private persons ; either to cultivate 
 piety in their own hearts, or to unite and com- 
 fort other Christians, by instruction, or other 
 means : or, finally, to lead sinners to repentance. 
 In either, or all of these pursuits, a man may 
 be left a solitary labourer ; bearing his toils,and 
 redeeming his responsibilities alone. Acts viii 
 4,5. xviii. 24—28. 
 
 2. In united exertions, a number of mdivi- 
 duals, combine their strength and their re- 
 sources for the same end. They act in concert : 
 each labouring to advance the common design. 
 They watch over each other in love; and render, 
 by every possible means, assistance in advanc- 
 ing personal piety. They employ all their col- 
 lective wisdom, and strength, in rendering the 
 exercises of devotion, influential upon every 
 heart. They unite in seeking opportunities for 
 mingling the results of their mutual experience,, 
 and for diffusing through their circle, the riches 
 of redeeming grace : and thus, they have fellow- 
 ship one with another. The means which they 
 employ to arrest the attention of vain and 
 wicked men, and bring them to God, are more 
 extensive and efficient. They form, therefore, 
 a society for the culture of personal piety, and 
 Christian fellowship: and for enlarging the 
 kingdom of heaven. 
 

 ""i 
 
 
 -ni*'''-- 
 
 CHAP. V 
 
 THE NAME AND CONSTITUTION OF THE 
 CHURCH. 
 
 This society of converted men, united for 
 spiritual purposes ; is called in Greek, ecclesia ; 
 in German, it is called a kirche ; from which 
 word is taken the English word church. The 
 individual, is called a Christian man,becausehe 
 is guided, both in the attainment and the use of 
 mercy, by the laws of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 The church iscalled a Christian church, because 
 it is redeemed by the blood of Christ, govern- 
 ed by the law of Christ, and formed for his 
 praise. 
 
 The constitution of this church, was designed 
 by our Lord, before the foundation of the world. 
 The revelation of this design, was began and 
 advanced through all the Old Testament dis- 
 pensations ; but, it was never perfectly made 
 known, until Christ himself came, and laid the 
 foundation of it in his own blood. Then, after 
 he had shown by the sufferings of Gethsemane 
 and the cross, the love which he bore for his 
 people ; he gave to them the laws of his king- 
 
18 
 
 (lorn ; and^ whilst he rose to intercede for them 
 in heaven, left his people to perform his will on 
 earth. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 WILL. 
 
 The will of the Saviour was made known to 
 his people in two ways. 
 
 1 . By positive precept. 
 
 2. By imperative example. 
 
 1. The positive precepts of our Lord were 
 given, either directly from his own lip ; or, in- 
 directly through the inspiration of his servants. 
 The precepts he delivered from his own lip, are 
 many, and beautiful ; and, may be collected, 
 principally, from his discourses recorded in the 
 four evangelists. The precepts which he gave 
 indirectly^ through the inspiration of his ser- 
 vants; are, for the most part, preserved in the 
 acts of the apostles, and the epistles. All these, 
 though they are not spoken directly by Jesus, 
 
10 
 
 are, nevertheless, of just the same force as though 
 they had been; because the inspiration of the 
 Holy Spirit, was his own gift : and it rendered 
 his servants infallible, in all that they declared 
 in his name. Both together, therefore, form a 
 body of divine law, positively expressed, to guide 
 his servants in performing the duties of their 
 stations, and in promoting the interests of his 
 kingdom. 
 
 These positive laws of our blessed Lord, may, 
 for the sake of distinction, be divided into two 
 classes. In one, he positively injoins a particu- 
 lar duty ; in the other, he positively forbids a 
 particular sin. Thus, in his own discourses, 
 and also by the lips of his inspired servants, the 
 Lord has been pleased to give both positive in- 
 junctions and positive prohibitions, in order that 
 we may not mistake his will. 
 
 2. The imperative examples, by which the 
 will of our Lord is expressed, are of two kinds. 
 The first are found in his own life : the second, 
 are given in the lives of his inspired servants. 
 His own life, therefore, must be studied with 
 the utmost care ; because, as he came in the 
 form of a servant, and performed the will of God 
 for us in that character : his actions are the 
 best guide we have. He tells his servants 
 plainly: '^I have set you an example that ye 
 
20 
 
 should follow in my steps." The apostle Paul 
 affirms, that the saints are predestinated, to be 
 conformed into his image. But, besides his 
 own example, the inspiration of his servants, 
 rendered them infallible guides in all things 
 wherein they act in the name of the Lord ; for, 
 at such times, they always speak his will and 
 do his pleasure. Hence, the will of Christ, may 
 often be known from his own example, or from 
 that of his servants : even when it has never 
 been stated in a positive command. 
 
 The only dfficulty in using the precedents of 
 Scripture, is, in finding out whether they apply 
 to the case in question. It will, however, be 
 always of great importance to inquire : first, 
 what has the Saviour commanded? and then, 
 supposing that the Saviour, or his apostles, were 
 placed in the same situation as that in which 
 the inquirer now stands ; what would they have 
 done ? It is too much to say, that this wouldlead 
 to infallibility in judgement and practice ; yet, all 
 experience proves^that such an inquiry honestly 
 pressed upon the conscience ; and united with 
 humble dependence upon God, and a diligent 
 study of Scripture ; will raise mankind to the 
 highest wisdom, and purity, of which, they are 
 capable in the present world. 
 
21 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 A STATEMENT OF SEVERAL DUTIES CLEARLY 
 IMPOSED UPON THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 
 
 A minute investigation of those precepts afld 
 examples, which express the will of our Lord 
 in respect to the private conduct of his servants, 
 does not form the object of this treatise : but, 
 those which relate to their duties in the church, 
 require particular attention. 
 
 Let us consider, therefore, first, what are the 
 points clearly determined respecting the privi- 
 lege of membership. 
 
 And, 1st. The very spirit of the dispensation, 
 together with the concurrent force of precept and 
 example, prove that these rules are restrictive. 
 To the privileges and duties of men, every indi- 
 vidual of our race is entitled by birth. But the 
 children of the flesh, are not the heirs of the 
 promise. Human nature must undergo a 
 change, before it is admitted to the privileges of 
 the church. The wood, hay, straw, and stubble, 
 of fallen nature ; must not be built up into that 
 edifice : for, if they be, it will be burned. The 
 materials for this mighty work, are souls renewed 
 
22 
 
 by grace, represented by gold, silver, and pre- 
 cious stones ; which will bear the trial of fire, 
 and beautify the building. I. Cor. iii. 10, 15. 
 
 2. At an early period, and by almost every 
 successive generation, there has been a tendency 
 to regard external distinctions as the term of 
 Christian privilege. The Jews preferred the Jews 
 and their descendents ; the Greeks perferred the 
 Greeks ; the free would have the church com- 
 posed of free men ; slaves and their posterity, 
 would claim to be pitied as slaves ; the Barba- 
 rian, puts in his claim ; and the Scythian, his ; 
 but, the apostle rejects them all : for, in Christ 
 Jesus, there is neither Jew nor Greek, Barba- 
 rian nor Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ 
 is every thing in every man ; with him, there is 
 no preference given either to one, or to the 
 other ; the law which applies to one must apply 
 to all : Christ must be formed in their hearts, 
 or they have no hope of glory, and God will not 
 receive them. Col. iii. 1 — 25. 
 
 3. It is on this account, that the moral charac- 
 ter is, everywhere, forced into such prominence 
 by the sacred writers. They had not the levity 
 which loves to trifle with feeling, either by re- 
 proaching the unfortunate, or by assailing the 
 guilty. Their's was the charity, that loves to 
 hide a multitude of sins. But, they had to de- 
 
23 
 
 clare the law of a Superior ; from which there 
 was no appeal, and by which all things in 
 the church must be governed. The mighty 
 King in Zion had decreed, that all his servants, 
 should be conformed to the image of his Son ; 
 and, since the principles which governed his 
 Son, are just the opposite to those which regu- 
 late the world, each natural man must from 
 necessity, be born again, or he cannot even see 
 the kingdom of heaven : much less shall he be 
 permitted to enter it. John iii. 3. 
 
 4. It is not the completeness of the work of 
 grace, but the reality of the spiritual Hfe; which 
 forms in all the examples of Scripture, a term of 
 Christian fellowship. The statement of the rule 
 is, sometimes different, because of the different 
 objects to which it relates. In respect to the 
 principles of the world, and the natural life of 
 man; every one, who is in Christ Jesus, must be 
 anew creature. Inrespectto the rebellion of fallen 
 nature, every one, must have repentance towards 
 God. In respect to the atonement of sin, and ac- 
 ceptance with God ; each must have faith in our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. In respect to the darkness 
 of the carnal mind, each must come to sit at the 
 feet of Jesus, that he may be taught and assist- 
 ed in all things. The candidate may not be 
 perfect; but he must be alive unto God. He 
 
24 
 
 must be willing to learn, and do the will of 
 God; he must be a recipient of mercy, ani- 
 mated with zeal for the glory of his Redeemer. 
 The work of God must be begun in him, and 
 marked with proof that God has received 
 him. 
 
 5. The inspired apostles always regard two 
 points with intense solicitude; first, that the 
 men of the world should, by repentance and 
 faith, become members of the church; and 
 secondly, that the members of the church 
 should be all accepted in the presence of our 
 Lord at his coming. In the latter case, he sup- 
 poses the possibility of mistake, and the exist- 
 ence of a higher tribunal. Hence, he exhorts 
 the churches to take heed what kind of mate- 
 rial they lay upon this foundation. The duty 
 of the church, therefore, in admitting its mem- 
 bers, is to draw the line of separation from the 
 world as distinctly as they can. To show no 
 respect for persons or mere external difference in 
 circumstances. To search with care, that they 
 may know whether the candidate be passed 
 from death unto life : remembering that the 
 judgement of the church on earth, has to be re- 
 vised by the judgement of Him, who will search 
 the heart. 
 
25 
 
 Secondly. The law respecting the privi- 
 lege of those who make credible profession 
 of their faith is clearly stated by our Lord. 
 One is your master, even Christ, all ye are 
 brethren. 
 
 This declaration is intended to express a 
 tv/ofold equality. First, in the completeness of 
 their subjugation ; secondly, in the extent of 
 their individual privileges. Like cliildren in 
 the house of their parent, they are all alike 
 subjected to parental governance. This is the 
 yoke of Christ which must be borne by all his 
 followers ; and from which, no personal distinc- 
 tion, whether it be founded in gifts, or wealth, 
 or official dignity, can form the smallest ex- 
 ception. But, on the other hand, though 
 none are permitted to despise a Parent's law, 
 none are excluded from the enjoyment of their 
 Father's love. Each believer, therefore, is in 
 the church entitled, not to the portion which a 
 stranger or a guest might expsct to receive, 
 but to that portion which a son can claim in his 
 own home by virtue of his Father's authority. 
 Let, therefore, the ground of this claim, and 
 the points in which it may be urged upon the 
 brethren, be a little more distinctly con- 
 templated. 
 
26 
 
 The ground of this claim is either general 
 or particular. Its general ground is the work 
 and atonement of Jesus the Christ. He came, 
 and was anointed, that he might reconcile the 
 world to God ; and that sinners who were 
 ready to perish, might have access to a re- 
 conciled God and P'ather by Christ Jesus. On 
 these terms every sinner in the world may claim 
 admission into the church. Let him only re- 
 pent, and return to God, and nothing on earth 
 can exclude him, because the God of heaven 
 has created and confirmed the privilege. 
 
 The particular ground of this claim is the 
 work of grace upon a man's own heart. This 
 is the production of the Spirit sent forth, by the 
 Father and the Son. When this can be traced 
 in the exercise of faith, the hatred of sin, the 
 advance of sanctification, and the increase of 
 spiritual joy ; then the actual reception of God 
 may be practically seen ; and, because, God has 
 received him as a dear child, the church is 
 l)ound to receive him as a dear brother, for it is 
 composed of children. 
 
 Both these grounds of the Christian's claim, 
 are strengthened by the divine decrees. In 
 these, God has determined, that Christ should 
 be set forth as the only Saviour to a perishing 
 world. Those who plead that appointment. 
 
27 
 
 therefore, have the firmest ground to expect 
 that they shall never be refused acceptance. 
 And, further, the elect of God, are chosen to 
 eternal life, through sanctification of the Spirit, 
 and the belief of the truth. If, therefore, this 
 belief and sanctification can be traced, we have 
 the highest presumptive evidence to show, that 
 these are the very individuals who have been 
 predestinated to enjoy the privileges of the 
 church, both in time, and in eternity. 
 
 It is true, that the judgement of the church 
 on earth cannot be final ; because, human in- 
 vestigation is imperfect. Every decision, there- 
 fore, will be revised in the judgement of the 
 great day. It is on this account, that so much 
 care is to be taken to render it as precise and 
 perfect as we can. The candidate must search 
 his own heart, seek the advice and assistance of 
 those who are more advanced, and lay the facts 
 of his case before the church , that they may assist 
 him in the solemn determination ; in like man- 
 ner, the church must use the utmost fidelity 
 and care ; the facts must be examined, his re- 
 putation must be considered, and nothing lost 
 sight of, which might serve to confirm their 
 hope, that the faith he professes is genuine ; 
 and, that God has really received him to his fel- 
 lowship and favour. Hence, the Scripture pre- 
 c 2 
 
28 
 
 cedents are marked with a solicitude which we 
 might expect in those who had to administer the 
 law of God. The hope of political or pecuniary 
 advantage are rejected with contempt.* If the 
 knowledge be imperfect, and the state of the 
 heart, sincerely docile, they are taught more 
 perfectly and re-baptized, f Every thing is 
 made to turn on that one point, which deter- 
 mines the everlasting destiny of the soul. Hence 
 the very words used in the law of mercy, consti- 
 tute the rule of admission to the church. To a 
 sinful and perishing world,the apostles declared, 
 that "whosoever believed should be saved." 
 To a candidate for communion with the saints, 
 they said, " If thou believest with all thy heart, 
 thou mayest." John iii. 36. Acts xvi. 31. 
 viii. 37. 
 
 It is also important to observe here, that the 
 positive law includes the converse in each case. 
 He that believeth shall be saved, is the decla- 
 ration of mercy which was rendered necessary 
 by the previous fact, that all those who did not 
 believe, were exposed to condemnation. In 
 like manner, if thou believest with all thine 
 heart thou mayest, would be quite impertinent 
 if it were not for the fact, that faith and the 
 
 * Acts viii. 20. t Acts xix. 1—8- 
 
29 
 
 mercy which it secures, are the only grounds of 
 Christian fellowship. John iii. 36. iii. 3. 
 Gal. vi. 15. 
 
 The claim which each believer is, on the 
 ground of his faith and of God's mercy, entitled 
 to lay before the church, comprehends the equal 
 fellowship, of a brother in the society of his 
 brethren. This contains a number of particular 
 privileges, some of which may be specified. 
 
 1. Every such believer has, by the mercy of 
 God, a right to fellowship in the sacraments of 
 the church. It is for him who believes to ask. 
 and then he may expect to receive. The Ethi- 
 opian said, what hindereth? Philip replied, 
 nothing, if thou believest with all thine heart. 
 " Can any man forbid water ?" said Peter ; and 
 he commanded them to be baptized straightway^ 
 for no man could refuse when God had received 
 and blessed them with his Spirit.* On the 
 same ground is claimed fellowship in the sup- 
 per of the Lord : because it is appointed by the 
 same authority, to be observed by the same in- 
 dividuals, and is inseparably connected with the 
 same law of mercy. He that believeth shall be 
 saved, and he that believeth may be baptized : 
 faith in Christ, is the very qualification of a 
 
 * Acts X, 47. 
 
disciple, whilst every disciple is commanded to 
 eat this hread, and drink of this cup in remem- 
 brance of that mercy by which he is saved. 
 Rom. iii. 23—26. I Cor. xi. 23—31. 
 
 Besides, there is a kind of responsive con- 
 nexionbetween the two ordinances,by which they 
 are both united to the reality of Christian prin- 
 ciple. In the supper. Christians show forth the 
 death of their Lord until he comes ; in baptism, 
 they are planted together in the likeness of that 
 death. * The supper pledges the love of Christ 
 to them, baptism pledges the love of Christians 
 to their Lord. In receiving the supper, they 
 confess their entire dependence on the atone- 
 ment of Christ, in receiving baptism, they 
 declare that they have received his mercy, and 
 confess their obligation to his service, to be 
 planted together in the likeness of his resur- 
 rection, as those who have risen to newness of 
 life. Baptism regards a past act of experience, 
 and self- consecration ; the supper includes a 
 distinct reference to the future coming of our 
 Lord. There is also a corresponding solemnity 
 in each ; one was appointed the night on which 
 he was betrayed ; the other at the very time of 
 his ascension ; one, therefore, is celebrated by 
 
 * Rom. vi. 1 — 7. 
 
31 
 
 the church assembled in his presence ; the 
 other in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost. There is, therefore, a 
 sacramental seriousness in each, which connects 
 it with the same principle of solemn and ra- 
 tional piety, and renders the act, either absurd, 
 or hypocritical, where that piety does not exist. 
 
 2. This claim of a believer on the church, 
 includes also, an equal share in all its instruc- 
 tions and discipline. Hence, the brethren are 
 commanded '^ to watch over each other in love," 
 "to exhort each other daily;" and, in fact, to 
 use every means in their power of advancing 
 the spiritual interests of each, and of the whole. 
 that all may stand with acceptance before the 
 judgement seat of Christ. Eph. iv. 10, IG. 
 
 This claim does not relate to that ordinary 
 declaration of faith, which the behever may 
 enjoy in common with the unbeliever : but, to 
 that more perfect discipline, which, though it 
 has almost ceased to exist in modern churches, 
 formed in the ancient church, a mighty instru- 
 ment of leading its own members on to perfec- 
 tion. It is a claim to the culture of piety in 
 the churches. Eph. ii. 19 — 22. iii. 14 — 21. 
 
 3. Each believer may claim his share in 
 the dignity of the church. He may have been 
 the chief of sinners, but faith in the blood 
 
32 
 
 of Jesus cleanses him from all sin. Hence the 
 apostles, in addressing particular individuals, 
 as well as collective bodies, seem to search 
 out words expressive of profound respect and 
 tender affection ; the ordinary compliments of 
 the world are laid aside, and all the saluta- 
 tions expressly recognise the change. They 
 are no more styled men, but holy brethren, 
 elect, called to be saints ; as though they would 
 never forget that those whom they addressed, 
 had the unspeakable honour of calling God 
 their Father, and heaven their home. Rom. 
 viii. 16, 23. I Cor.xi. 22. Matth. xxv. 45. 
 
 4. He may claim an equal share in the 
 sympathies of the church, for rising from the 
 same ruin, they aspire to the same glory, and, 
 therefore, they are commanded to bear each 
 other's burdens in the Lord, and so fulfil the 
 law of Christ. 
 
 5. He is equally eligible to every office as God 
 shall give him time and ability to fill it. The 
 two appointed by God are thence establish- 
 ed, under divine authority, but they are to 
 be filled by individuals chosen from amongst 
 the brethren. There is no hereditary priest- 
 hood, nor anyprivileged diaconocracy. They are 
 open to all whom divine grace has exalted to be 
 kings and priests unto God. In fact, they are 
 
33 
 
 by their Redeemer, constituted members of his 
 body, partners in his interest, and sharers of 
 his reward. I Pet. i. 3 — 7. ii. 1 — 10. Rom. 
 xii. 3—8. 
 
 Respecting the officers in the chm*ch, several 
 points may be determined, some from the pre^ 
 cepts, some from the examples recorded in the 
 New Testament, and some are supported by 
 both. 
 
 1. The principal object, of all official exer- 
 tions in the church, is fixed in our Lord's com- 
 mission to the apostles :* " Go ye forth and teach 
 all nations, baptizing them in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 
 The word nxaO^jreva;, here rendered to teach, 
 signifies rather to proselyte, or make disciples 
 of all nations. It is interpreted by the apostle, 
 when he declares his own commission to the 
 nations. It was to open their eyes, and to turn 
 them from darkness to light; and from the 
 power of Satan unto God. Act. xxvi. 17, &c. 
 II Tim. ii. 24—26. I Tim. i. 12—17. ii. 5—7. 
 Eph. iii. 8—12. II Cor. V. 20, 21. ii. 14—17. 
 
 2. The same words in Matthew, determine 
 the time of this official exertion. For the Sa- 
 viour adds : " lo I am with you always, even 
 
 * Matth. xviii. 19- 
 
 c 3 
 
34 
 
 unto the end of the world." And, though there 
 is no question, but that the end of the world 
 may sometimes mean the fall of Jerusalem and 
 the end of the Jewish government ; yet this ob- 
 ject has a particular reference to the moral go- 
 vernment of the world, and is ever spoken of in 
 reference to the final judgement. It must there- 
 fore be prosecuted until Christ shall come. 
 
 3. It is also to be noted that the commission 
 includes one kind of duty to be performed after 
 baptizm, aud another before. The nations are, 
 if possible, to be proselyted to the truth, what- 
 ever the state in which we find them; but those 
 who are proselyted and baptised, are to be 
 taught more perfectly to observe all things 
 whatsoever the Saviour has commanded them. 
 The object of official exertion, therefore, is the 
 same as the object of Christian fellowship. It is 
 to convert sinners to God, and to raise the can- 
 verted to the highest purity and spiritual per- 
 fection. For these, the church and its officers 
 are bound to labour, until Christ shall come to 
 judgement. 
 
 4. The kind of officers is also determined. 
 The one is spiritual, the other temporal. It does 
 not appear that this distinction was exclusive, 
 on either side ; but only served to distinguish 
 tlie one from the other, according to the busi- 
 
35 
 
 ness in which they were principally employed. 
 Hence, the apostles and the spiritual officers, 
 were given to the word of God and prayer. 
 This does not mean that they never, after the 
 election of deacons, interfered in the temporal 
 affairs of the church ; but that their principal 
 employment was in teaching the truth, and in 
 conducting the worship and discipline of the 
 church. I'his, together with the care of the 
 poor, and the appropriation of gifts to the 
 church, was too much for their time and 
 strength. Hence the deacons were chosen to 
 be their helpers. From this they receive their 
 name (diaconos), signifying a servant or helper. 
 They were not excluded from teaching, but 
 their principal engagement was to help the 
 spiritual labourer, by bearing the burden of 
 temporal affairs. The spiritual office is the 
 principal, it was appointed first, and must 
 stand until the judgement. The temporal office 
 is subordinate, it was called for by temporal 
 necessity, and is continued only till that neces- 
 sity is removed. 
 
 5. There are two ways in which God has 
 appointed individuals to fill these offices. The 
 first is, extraordinary and supernatural, the 
 second ordinary and providential. 
 
36 
 
 By the first method, God was pleased to pro- 
 vide an extraordinary supply of agency suited 
 to the necessities of the infant church. Indivi- 
 duals were selected by the discriminating eye of 
 the Redeemer himself. He called them by name, 
 gave them his commission from his own lips, 
 trained them in his own society, rendered them 
 infallible by the inspiration of his Spirit; he 
 endowed them with gifts, of miracles, of 
 tongues, of prophecy, and whatever else was 
 useful in convincing the nations. Thus they 
 went forth under the direct and clear authority 
 of heaven. In this case, no question was left 
 to be determined by man, but the fact of the 
 supernatural appointment, Paul who had been 
 a persecutor, was at first suspected of imposi- 
 tion ; but after the brethren had been convinced 
 that God had chosen and appointed him, they 
 glorify God on his behalf. Gal. i. 22 — 24- 
 
 But, secondly, the ordinary method of filling 
 these offices, was by providential arrangements. 
 The brethren were then treated as the subjects 
 of providential care in this particular respect. 
 When necessities arose to try them, some indi- 
 vidual of their number was endowed with gifts 
 for the occasion. No miracle was wrought ; 
 but the ordinary course of events, combined 
 with mutual consultations, enabled them to see 
 
the course of prudence and of duty. Thus, 
 without any miracle, Matthias was chosen to the 
 apostolate ; * the first seven deacons were thus 
 chosen by the whole assembly;! and in the same 
 way, Paul and Barnabas were set apart by the 
 church at Antioch for their peculiar work-^: 
 When any supernatural appointment is clearly 
 shown, all who fear the Lord are bound to sub- 
 mit ;^ but this has not been the case since the 
 age of the apostles ; and consequently, the 
 offices of the church, both temporal and spi- 
 ritual, are filled by such persons as seem to the 
 brethren to be intended by God for that pur- 
 pose : when they have prayerfully considered, 
 the gifts of the Spirit and the guidance of pro- 
 vidence. 
 
 6. Rich instruction is furnished in the word 
 of God to guide the church in the election of 
 officers. Rut most of these instructions relate 
 to two points ; first, the official endowments, 
 secondly, the moral worth and reputation of the 
 individual. In both cases, however, it is sup- 
 posed that the candidate is willing to under- 
 take the responsibility, for there is no compul- 
 sion amongst brethren. If, therefore, a member 
 
 '■ Acts i. 15 — 26. t Acts VI. 1 — 6. 
 
 1 Acts XV. 2. i Acts xiii. 2 — 4. 
 
38 
 
 of the church desire the office of a bishop, and 
 consequently seek the consultation and advice 
 of the church ; the church is bound to consider 
 solemnly before God : first, whether his ac- 
 quirements, gifts, and experience, be such as 
 shall enable him to fulfil the duties of his office:* 
 He must be no novice, and he must be apt to 
 teach, for he can neither give nor use what he 
 never had ; and God would never place him in 
 an office for which he had never prepared him. 
 Secondly, as solemn an inquiry must be made, 
 whether the spiritual endowments of his mind 
 be sincere, and sufficiently eminent to render 
 him an example to the flock, and to secure the 
 consideration of the world by the force of his 
 religious reputation. Mark ix. 33 — 50. x. 35 — 
 45. I Tim. iii. 1—7. iv. 6—16. II Tim. ii. 1 
 —10. Titus i. 5—9. 
 
 Both these inquiries admit of diffi^rent modi- 
 fications at different times. When the brother 
 is about to be recommended to the ministry in 
 general, with the prospect of spending some 
 years in a course of preparatory study ; the 
 ripeness of experience, and the extent of learn- 
 ing, are not so important as strength of mind, 
 and fervent piety, to improve the time in which 
 they may be acquired, and to use them when 
 possessed. In choosing a pastor, experience 
 
39 
 
 and attainments are more or less important, ac- 
 cording to the character of the church, and the 
 wants of surrounding districts. In selecting 
 an evangelist for destitute places, either at 
 home or abroad; care must be taken to con- 
 sider well the qualifications necessary for the 
 particular task ; remembering at every step, 
 that the decision of the church will be followed, 
 either with much good or great harm, as God 
 shall help them to determine with propriety, or 
 leave them to folly and caprice. 
 
 If any brother desire the office of a deacon, 
 there are two questions to be determined. First, 
 whether a deacon is wanted or no ; secondly, 
 whether the brother be eligible or not ? For 
 there is nothing to compel a church to elect 
 one ; but if such a helper be necessary, it 
 is permitted. Still the choice must be made 
 according to God's word, and the directions 
 in this, as in the former case, relate to of- 
 ficial qualification and moral character. Both 
 these must be such as shall secure, not the 
 comfort of a few, but of all the church : and the 
 vigorous efficiency of all the means of grace. It 
 is on this account that all the elections men- 
 tioned in Scripture are said to have been made 
 in a solemn convention for prayer before the 
 Lord. Acts vi. 1—6. I Tim. iii. 8—16. 
 
40 
 
 It is obvious to remark here, that as far as 
 relates to political power or physical force, every- 
 thing in the church is perfectly free. The only 
 power to be feared, is the power of God ; the 
 only judgement, is his throne. Even when Jesus 
 called his apostles by name, there was no 
 earthly law, nor any earthly power to enforce 
 obedience : they were subjected by divine au- 
 thority alone. In the same manner, nothing 
 but the positive proof of miraculous appoint- 
 ment, could have enabled Paul to demand, 
 either the acceptance of his brethren, or the 
 attention of the world. Where this is shown, 
 and if at all, it must be by positive proof, man- 
 kind have no scope for deliberation ; their only 
 business, in such cases, is to obey. But where 
 this positive proof of divine authority has not 
 been produced, the point of wisdom and duty is 
 to be consulted. Still, in this deliberation, there 
 is no space left for caprice. The work, the 
 qualifications, and the character, of both pastor 
 and deacon, being clearly defined ; the con- 
 sultation of the church is nothing more than an 
 act of obedience performed by the whole as- 
 sembly : they are brethren seeking to under- 
 stand the will of their Father, in order to ad- 
 vise in the conduct of a brother. 
 
41 
 
 7. The instructions relating to the duties of 
 officers are very complete. In principle, there 
 is nothing left us to be desired ; and very little 
 in the application. The duties of the bishop 
 relate, to himself, and to his flock. In him- 
 self, he is to labour after eminent piety, and 
 consecration, which shall render him an ex- 
 ample to the church in all things. To this, he 
 is bound by the ordinary laws of the gospel ; 
 but, in his official capacity, he has a more solemn 
 obligation : through the peculiar consecration 
 of himself to God. He is set apart to seek the 
 advancement and the confirmation of the 
 Saviour's government in the church. P'or this 
 purpose he watches over the souls of its mem- 
 bers, as one that must give an account. He is 
 to watch over the people committed to his care, 
 as a physician does, over the patients he is 
 labouring to heal. He must cultivate them, 
 as a husbandman does, the vineyard which he 
 wishes to be fruitful. He must train them, as 
 a captain would, the band whom he desires to 
 be victorious. In this, too, as in respect to 
 himself, the aim is twofold. First, he seeks 
 their health and safety, and secondly, their use- 
 fulness to others. For the church is, in every 
 part of its constitution, an aggressive system. 
 It is formed for the subjugation of the world. 
 
42 
 
 The business of the bishop is to lead this 
 advance upon the kingdom of darkness, and to 
 place himself continually in the post of diffi- 
 culty and danger. The conflict is spiritual, 
 the victory is spiritual, and the reward is spi- 
 ritual, and eternal ; and, therefore, the office is 
 spiritual : but, as every other engagement has a 
 direct reference to this, and exists for this end, 
 no temporal affair of the church should be lost 
 sight of by the bishop. His care must be over 
 all, that everything be so conducted by himself, 
 or by his assistants, as to further the spiritual 
 triumph of the church. 
 
 Many of the directions for regulating the 
 performance of this duty must be inferred from 
 the qualities which are required in his charac- 
 ter. There is also a class of instructions most 
 important in those expressive negatives used in 
 the description of a bishop. Besides this, the 
 love of power, the love of wealth, and the love 
 of violence, are as expressly forbidden, as adul- 
 tery, theft, and murder. From whence it is 
 manifest, that the bishop is required to labour 
 for his object, in the depth of spiritual prostra- 
 tion; resigning the ambition and pleasures of 
 time, for the glory and rewards of eternity. 
 II. Tim. ii. 1—13. I. Tim. vi. 11— 16. II. Tim. 
 iv. 1—8. Matt. x. 16—42. 
 
43 
 
 8. The law of God respecting the support of 
 his ministers is presented in a double form. 
 First, it is addressed to ministers themselves. 
 The distinct command to them, when stated by 
 our Lord was, take neither purse nor scrip, 
 commit yourselves to providence, and take 
 what it sets before you; for the labourer is 
 worthy of his hire. This law is expounded 
 by Paul in his II. epistle to Timothy, chap. ii. 
 verse 4, " No man that warreth entangleth 
 himself with the affairs of this life, that he may 
 please him who hath chosen him to be a sol- 
 dier." The object of this passage, was to teach 
 Timothy that his duty required him to bring 
 into every part of his work, the concentrated 
 energies of a mind unencumbered with worldly 
 solicitude. Matt. x. 1 — 15. Luke x. I — 12. 
 Matt. X. 16—42. II Tim. ii. 4— 6. II Cor. vi. 
 1—10. II Cor. V. 6—11. 
 
 Secondly. The law is addressed to the church 
 on his behalf, on those who form this assembly 
 a threefold obligation is imposed First, of 
 gratitude, secondly, of divine precept, thirdly, 
 of social compact. 
 
 1. The obligation derived from the law of 
 gratitude rests on the nature of the ministerial 
 work, and the aim with which it is undertaken. 
 When comforted with the assurance of divine 
 
44 
 
 mercy, he had no greater interest for himself, 
 than to spend his days in appropriating its 
 blessings to his own improvement and comfort : 
 but, whilst he rejoiced in the hope of glory, 
 thousands were living without God, and with- 
 out hope in the world For the sake of these 
 he undertook the arduous duty of travelling in 
 birth with souls. He could not enjoy his spi- 
 ritual things alone. He longed to share with 
 those who were destitute, the bread, and water 
 of life. For the sake of effecting this, he 
 resigned the pursuit of earthly things; and, 
 leaving his own interests to the care of provi- 
 dence, devoted himself to the interests of his 
 fellow men. In this resolution, he may be 
 pitied for his imprudence, and even despised 
 and resisted for his folly, by the men of this 
 world. But, those who are converted to God, 
 and being brought into the church have tasted 
 with him that the Lord is gracious, will, as 
 they increase in spiritual joy and purity, feel 
 that he, through whose devoted labour they 
 have been thus enriched, deserves to be 
 regarded as their greatest benefactor ; and, as 
 such, to be supported in all his necessities and 
 weakness : not with a cold and parsimonious 
 allowance ; but, with a grateful generosity, that 
 
45 
 
 feels itself unable to return the favours already 
 received. TI. Cor. v. 12, 15. xi.23— 31. 
 
 2. The obligation founded on divine ap- 
 pointment, is partly implied in the apostolical 
 reasoning, and partly expressed in their pre- 
 cepts to the churches. For, the whole reason- 
 ing in the 11th and following chapters of the 
 II. Epistle to the Corinthians, rests upon the 
 fact that, though the apostle had no claim upon 
 the church by the laws of Greece, yet, as a 
 minister of Christ, he had a just claim upon 
 them by the law of God. Hence, his refusing 
 to exact that right, is advanced as a proof of 
 his generous and devoted love for their souls. 
 Hence, too, the help he received from Mace- 
 donia is called wages ; because it was due to 
 him for faithful labour. Yet he calls this 
 robbing other churches, because they did not 
 receive the benefit of his labours in Corinth. 
 Hence, it is manifest, that in the estimation 
 of Paul, the church at Corinth, which 
 received the benefit of his labours, was 
 bound by the law of God to provide for his 
 temporal support. This conclusion agrees 
 exactly with the explanation of divine law in 
 reference to this case, presented by the same 
 apostle to this same church in the 9th chapter 
 
46 
 
 of his 1st Epistle. He there speaks of a deli- 
 verance from bodily labour, and the enjoyment 
 of domestic comfort, as a privilege which was 
 due to himself, and Barnabas ; as well as to the 
 rest of his brethren in the Christian ministry. 
 The others enjoyed this privilege; but he, for 
 the sake of the Corinthians had foregone his 
 claim. He did not, however, forego the right. 
 This he establishes by an appeal to the Mosaic 
 law : thou shalt not muzzle the ox that tread- 
 eth out the corn. I Cor. ix. 8. 
 
 The allusion here, is to the ancient mode of 
 thrashing. The oxen were driven round and 
 round the barn floor, and, by treading on the 
 corn, loosened the grain from the ear. If the 
 oxen were muzzled, whilst providing the food 
 for others, they themselves might starve. This 
 was regarded by Moses as an act of injustice 
 so gross, that it could not be allowed even to a 
 beast. It was, therefore, forbidden in the low- 
 est case; in order that the principle might 
 receive the force of divine law in all its appli- 
 cations. If an ox may not be muzzled when 
 labouring for man, much less may one man be 
 muzzled when labouring for the good of his 
 brethren. And, further, if such cruelty be 
 condemned when exercised towards a beast, in 
 return for earthly things ; much more shall it 
 
47 
 
 be condemned when exercised towards a fellow 
 man, in return for labours the most devoted, 
 and benefits that are spiritual and everlasting. 
 It does not follow from this, that all the 
 appointments of Moses applied to the Christian 
 church. If this were the case, the church would 
 cease to be Christian. Neither is this law, in 
 the letter of it, a matter of importance to us 
 now ; because oxen are never used for that pur- 
 pose : but the principle it involves, is thus by 
 the inspired authority of the apostle Paul ren- 
 dered a divine law in the Christian church : and 
 especially when applied to the Christian minis- 
 try. In the world they may, and they must 
 expect, to be despised ; but in the church they 
 cannot lose their honour and support without 
 a direct violation of divine precept. The will 
 of God is thus made clear. On this account it 
 is, as well as on account of his love for his ser- 
 vants, that Jesus has identified all their inte- 
 rests with his own. Every thing that is done 
 to them, is in the description of his judgement, 
 declared to be done unto himself; by their 
 offences he himself is offended ; and not even a 
 cup of cold water given unto the least of them 
 in his name, shall ever lose its reward. Deut. 
 xxv. 4. I.Tim. V. 17, 18. I.Cor. ix. 1-— 27. Matt, 
 x. 7. xviii. 10—14. x. 40—42. 
 
48 
 
 3. The obligation derived from the force 
 of human compacts, rests on the method by 
 which the minister is appointed to his office. 
 If he were divinely inspired, he might, by vir- 
 tue of that inspiration, claim from the church 
 whatever the Holy Spirit should signify to be 
 his will they should either do or give, to serve 
 or comfort, the messenger of God. But if he 
 be not inspired, and we have none of that 
 description now, how then does he become the 
 minister of any particular church ? Not by 
 special divine appointment ; but by the volun- 
 tary election of the members belonging to the 
 church over which he presides, or of some other 
 by whom he is supported. Let each of these 
 cases be separately considered. 
 
 First, then, in all independent churches ; that 
 is, those who are able to support their own 
 minister, the choice rests with the members 
 alone. They elect the man whom they love 
 most; and, whom they think most likely to 
 lead their devotions, to advance their improve- 
 ment, and secure the efficiency of their united 
 exertions in promoting the kingdom of their 
 Lord. He is separated from the world, and 
 set apart to this work, at their solemn request. 
 He did not make the overture, but they. He 
 listened to their proposal from a regard to their 
 
49 
 
 interests, and wishes. From his regard to 
 their interests and wishes he threw himself on 
 their generosity, and the care of providence. 
 In this case he becomes perfectly dependent. 
 At their request he resigns his all for them. 
 They at the same time promise a constant and 
 generous support. In this case, therefore, 
 there is a clear and solemn engagement, like 
 that subsisting between a man and his wife ; 
 and, the wife is not more dependent on the 
 generous and faithful care of her husband, than 
 the pastor on the church's. It is true that the 
 latter compact is protected by an earthly law, 
 which does not exist in respect to the former, 
 excepting in compulsory establishments ; but, 
 the moral obligation to fulfil the compact is, in 
 each case, the same ; there was no law to com- 
 pel its formation ; but, when formed, it could 
 never be violated without sin. 
 
 The second class of churches embraces our 
 missionary and home missionary stations, and 
 such small churches as are unable alone to 
 support the ministry and bear the expenses of 
 publick worship. These are not strictly inde- 
 pendent of other churches . They must receive 
 from them pecuniary assistance ; and, at times, 
 they may need religious counsel. The little 
 church in some heathen country, if it consisted 
 
 D 
 
50 
 
 ])ut of three members, is obliged by divine law 
 to maintain divine worship, and to promote the 
 kingdom of heaven in the very best way it is 
 able, more than this it cannot perform, but 
 this is its duty. . Their exertion, however, is 
 not sufficient to meet the necessities of the 
 station. A place for publick worship is needed, 
 and a minister devoted to publick teaching. In 
 order to maintain these, help is solicited from 
 other churches. The churches or society which 
 render this help, will, of course, consider whether 
 the attempt be a wise one, and whether the 
 minister be " a man after God's own heart." 
 When this is done, they form their compact. 
 The minister is invited to occupy the station ; 
 the church agrees to support him as well as 
 they can ; both by their own exertions, and by 
 the help of their brethren. Lastly, these their 
 brethren of other churches, or of some society, 
 agree to help them with a certain sum, say ten 
 or fifty pounds a year, for so long a time, in 
 order that they may have a minister to comfort 
 and assist them in the work of the Lord. Here, 
 therefore, is a compact including three parties ; 
 and all must be faithful. The minister must 
 be faithful, and do the work of the Lord. The 
 society or neighbouring churches must be faith- 
 
51 
 
 ful, and not forsake their brethren in distress 
 and difficulty And so must the church be 
 faithful, and not neglect their duty because 
 others have been kind enough to come forward 
 and help them. It would be nothing short of a 
 base violation of justice, if they were to with- 
 hold or to diminish their support just because 
 they had obtained a remittance from some 
 church, or foreign society for their help. This 
 should make them do their duty with more 
 cheerfulness, and not wantonly neglect it. 
 
 There are five serious errors connected with 
 this duty, which ought to be exposed and re- 
 prehended, because each has been productive of 
 much guilt and desolation in the churches. 
 
 The first is a neglect of its real obligation, 
 which is too frequently indulged even by the 
 members of churches themselves. The duty 
 is then placed amongst their gratuities; to be 
 disregarded or continued, with little, or per- 
 haps, without any consideration. If they have a 
 loss, or a bad year in trade, or anything that 
 calls for a little retrenchment, this is the first 
 thing to be withheld, forgetting that on the 
 faith of that engagement, the pastor has rested 
 the wants of himself and family ; whilst he is 
 devoted to their best interests. By this means 
 the support of the ministry ofttimes becomes 
 D 2 
 
52 
 
 exceedingly precarious. The engagements made 
 by the whole body are unfulfilled, those indivi- 
 duals who feel their responsibility are deeply 
 oppressed, and the fellowship of the church 
 first becomes burdensome, then contentious, 
 and finally it is forsaken ; thus, the interest, 
 either fails entirely, leaving the neighbourhood 
 in destitution, or else it drags along from year 
 to year a diseased and paralized existence : at- 
 tended with little comfort to the saints, and 
 with still less benefit to the sinners that are 
 perishing around them. 
 
 Sometimes the case is even worse than this. 
 In these days of generous exertion in the work 
 of God, the credit of devotedness is of great im- 
 portance Hence it is no uncommon thing to 
 find the name of a church and its pastor in the 
 list of those who seek the charitable assistance 
 of some publick society, whilst the members of 
 that very church are, at the same time, adver- 
 tised as subscribers to a much greater amount 
 to some foreign object. Here it is plain that 
 the defective support of the pastor was not the 
 result of poverty, but neglect. A man who has 
 a family may be generous if he can afford it, 
 but he must not wring the materials for gene- 
 rosity out of the teeth of his hungry children. 
 Members of a church who have a pastor should 
 
o3 
 
 be generous to all; but before they are generous 
 to others, they ought to remember, that God 
 will requh-e them to be just to him. 
 
 The second error to be noticed, is, an evasion 
 of the duty by transferring its obligation to those 
 who are not members of the church, or to those 
 who happen to be rich. By this means, many an 
 interest has been destroyed. The prosperous bro- 
 ther becomes the lounge, against which, every in- 
 dividual throws down his burden until it can no 
 longer be endured. And if it did not become 
 oppressive through the pecuniary demand, yet 
 its moral influence would be destructive. The 
 indolence induced by inactivity, would render 
 the relief a curse, rather than a blessing to the 
 church. Their interest consists in the cheer- 
 ful performance of their duty ; and, should one 
 of the number be entrusted wdth greater wealth, 
 let him not be grieved with unjust demands ; 
 but rather let him be encouraged to generous 
 exertions where real necessity requires his help. 
 
 But, in respect to those who are not members 
 of the church, the effect is very painful. There 
 may be several, or perhaps, but one or two who 
 care nothing for the kingdom of our Lord ; who 
 despise the ordinances of his house ; who never 
 thought of serving or loving Him in their lives : 
 still from some personal feeling they may at- 
 
54 
 
 tend, they may respect religion in general, but 
 never have felt its power, nor ever have sub- 
 mitted to its discipline. They hold seats in the 
 place, and they may subscribe to the support of 
 the ministry : all this may be well if it be done 
 freely and without any spiritual sacrifice on the 
 part of the church. But, often, when the church 
 is poor, and even when it has no room to com- 
 plain of poverty, a person in the congregation 
 possessing a little wealth, will be so infested 
 with flattery, and applications for pecuniary 
 assistance, as to render his situation excessively 
 galling, and place the gospel before him in a 
 most repulsive view. The effect will be regu- 
 lated by his disposition. If the worldly man 
 have no particular attachment to the people, 
 nor any interest connected with the place, he 
 will soon forsake it ; and multitudes who have 
 thus been goaded by the claims of the church, 
 before they had any sincere love for the truth, 
 have been driven from the means of grace alto- 
 gether. On the other hand, it will often hap- 
 pen that the attachments may be strong to the 
 place, or the interests of a worldly man may be 
 interwoven with the people of God. Policy 
 then induces a compliance with the unguarded 
 v/ish of the church. The man of the world is 
 made its benefactor, perhaps a manager of the 
 
o^ 
 
 congregation, a trustee to the place of worship ; 
 until by virtue of his offices and his wealth, the 
 government of the whole is within his power ; 
 then, without obeying the law of God himself, 
 he can guide the service, regulate the elections 
 of the church, and manage the whole according 
 to his inclinations. If he take no interest in 
 the truth, or happen to hold it in theory, it will 
 be fortunate for the rest : but if he dislike it, 
 they will suffer. The wish of him who holds 
 the power will not long remain unfulfilled. 
 Hence the places built by our forefathers for 
 the declaration of truth, have been prostituted 
 to the idol of Socinian heresy. Errors of all 
 kinds, from the most gross to the most subtle, 
 have thus been cherished in the precincts of 
 the temple : and every ruinous enemy has been 
 let loose to prey upon the flock, until they were 
 scattered or devoured. 
 
 The great cause of the whole is this. The 
 men who do sincerely love the Lord, feel that 
 the ministry and the worship of God ought to be 
 supported ; but then, they think it more wise 
 to shift a portion of the load on those who 
 are able to bear it. They forget,at the moment, 
 that the engagement and the obligation are with 
 them, and thus they are deluded into an act 
 which they never thought of. They flatter bad 
 
56 
 
 men to their utter ruin, and exalt the disobe- 
 dient to their own destruction. Every man who 
 loves the Saviour, ought to feel, that he himself 
 is bound to support the cause of God, to the 
 utmost of his capability : striving to render it 
 independent of worldly assistance, and thus 
 recommending his claim to the obedience of 
 mankind, by the force of a generous example. 
 
 The third error to be noted is, neglect of 
 duty in consequence of help received from ex- 
 ternal sources. In this way, the worst effects 
 of pauperism, are produced in the Christian 
 church. Perhaps the brethren may be really 
 poor, but this involves them in the ruinous ca- 
 lamity of indolence, as well as poverty. They 
 know that societies do exist for the help of such 
 as need it. Their first object, therefore, is to 
 state their case so as to obtain such help. Having 
 done this, they think their pastor has received 
 a favour from them ; and they immediately 
 slacken their exertions. Year after year 
 passes, and they never add a farthing to his 
 income. Some churches are known to stand 
 in this position, sinking in their supineness, and 
 crying for charity, for ten, twenty, thirty, or even 
 fifty years together ; until the very wish for a state 
 of independence has become extinct. The idle- 
 ness of their hearts in respect to temporal, soon 
 
51 
 
 infects their spiritual things. With a name to 
 live, they become dead. Religion is so dis- 
 honoured in the circle around them, that their 
 existence is regarded as a misfortune which 
 ages can scarcely repair. 
 
 This conduct rests upon an entire mistake. 
 When a society subscribes for the relief of a 
 church ; a favour is conferred, not on the pastor, 
 but on the people. They are the persons bound 
 to support him. He labours for them, and for 
 their good; and has a claim upon them for his 
 support. If they are unable to do what is neces- 
 sary, the society affords them help, not him. It 
 is no sin for them to be poor. But, when they 
 have been encouraged by the help of the society, 
 or by the kindness of Christian friends, it is 
 wicked and shameful in them to neglect their 
 duty, they ought rather to be excited to greater 
 efforts, by gratitude, combined with their former 
 obligation. 
 
 The fourth error is, the allowance of a self- 
 ish and worldly ambition. This operates in 
 two ways : first, it diminishes the resources of 
 the church ; and, secondly, it poisons and 
 pollutes them. In both cases, it is the danger 
 of the rich, rather than of the poor ; though 
 both have need to beware of its influence. It 
 diminishes the resources of the church, by dry- 
 D 5 
 
58 
 
 ing up the stream of benevolence which flowed 
 from the hearts that have become infected. 
 When their income was a little more than their 
 daily wants required, they could always spare 
 something for God. The wants of his minister 
 were then felt with some degree of sympathy; but 
 after they had tasted of gain, and the hope of 
 being numbered with the respectable had been 
 entertained, then the artificial wants of a grow- 
 ing ambition, rendered them too poor to give. 
 Thus, men forget the Father of their mercies ; 
 and the richest blessings of his hand, become 
 the means of their destruction. It is not wrong 
 for them to grow wealthy, and respectable, when 
 God permits them to do so justly ; but as they 
 are not allowed to grow wealthy by stealing, so 
 they are not premitted to gratify their w^orldly 
 ambition, by withholding their pastor's support. 
 Oh the other hand, it is quite possible, that 
 the amount of money subscribed to an interest, 
 should be treated as a matter of too great im- 
 portance. Amongst the wealthy, and often 
 amongst those who only wish to to be so, this is 
 regarded as the one thing needful. They are 
 
 not only Christians, they are respectable Chris- 
 tians ; and they must maintain their elevation. 
 
 rheir subscriptions to every society must be the 
 largest ; their place of worship must be the most 
 
59 
 
 splendid. The salary of their minister must he 
 the most generous. The mode of their inter- 
 course must be expensive. In a \^ord, everything 
 nmst be done "in a style worth mentioning." 
 Cousequently^ every nerve must be strained, 
 every eye is on the look out, and every hand is 
 engaged in collecting matei'ials. Some run on 
 the edge of bankruptcy, and some fall in. The 
 respectable inhabitants are courted, and in re- 
 spectable ways. The intercourse of the saints, 
 is adapted to their taste. The discipline of 
 the church is softened to their endurance. The 
 doctrines of the gospel are stated mildly, so as 
 not to offend. Levities are provided for the 
 light, and serious things for the grave. Their 
 money must be had ; and, therefore, they must 
 ])e accommodated. In such churches will be 
 found an heterogeneous mass of all kinds, Jews 
 and Greeks, Barbarians and Scythians, bond 
 and free, are all accommodated, and all com- 
 bined ; until Christ is nothing in any of them. 
 
 A further evil resulting from this, is the se- 
 paration of religious interests. They thus be- 
 come opposed to each other like the competitors 
 of this world. The minister is made the object 
 of a shameful quackery, which places him in 
 positions where his modesty can scarcely be 
 maintained. If he take the infection, the misery 
 
60 
 
 is complete. The ambition for worldly respect- 
 ability will poison all his exertions. It will 
 warp all his views of character, and the bread 
 that was given to feed his body, will prove a 
 poison to his soul. He who was a brother, will 
 become the rival of his fellow labourers. Instead 
 of labouring to edify the whole church, he will 
 strive to raise his own department with stones torn 
 out of the adjacent walls. Then the evils will 
 multiply with rapidity, until the swelling bubble 
 bursts, and tells by the nothingness into which 
 it sinks the vanity of its fancied greatness. 
 
 It is not supposed, in all this blunder, that 
 the people have suffered their generosity to go 
 beyond their obligation ; or, that the minister 
 has gained more than was his due. It is the 
 duty of a people, to rescue the man of their own 
 choice from the corrosive influence of worldly 
 care. In order to do this, they must place him 
 in circumstances where he will not be compelled 
 to endure a painful contrast with themselves. 
 He need not be as rich as they, but he must not 
 be exposed to the remark of their dependents, 
 and the contempt of their children. He must be 
 able to be respectable amongst respectable men; 
 to be decent ; to educate his children; and to be 
 charitable as well as they, if not to the same 
 extent. His wants are not what he must eat 
 
61 
 
 and drink, but what will secure his comfort, and 
 usefulness, in the circle in which he moves ; 
 and the station to which he is elected. This in 
 all probability, will require more than he gets 
 from his ambitious people. It is not, therefore, 
 the amount that is given or obtained, that is 
 liable to censure ; for if he has more than he 
 needs he can give it away ; and should he save 
 a hundred pounds apiece for his children at his 
 decease, he would not sin. It is not the amount, 
 therefore, but the motive, which deserves to be 
 condemned. God requires every church to make 
 their pastor as happy as they can ; but they 
 must not do it in a spirit of worldly ostentation; 
 nor will he allow them to sacrifice the purity of 
 the gospel, the discipline of the church, and the 
 spirit of Christianity, for the sake of gratifying 
 their worldly ambition. 
 
 The last error to be noticed, is a want of 
 dehcacy in performing the duty. This can be 
 entertained by the churches only indirectly. It 
 rests for the most part with the subordinate 
 officers. Their station is certainly one of great 
 importance, responsibility, and self-denial. But 
 it is made infinitely more so, by a childish love 
 of power. This gives a sort of exclusiveness to 
 the office, which renders active assistance ob- 
 trusive, and explanation painful. From hence 
 
62 
 
 as from a fountain^ streams of calamity flow 
 into the churches. The pastor will, of course, 
 expect his share of the common evil. But he 
 often gets a double portion. In some cases, he 
 is reduced to the condition of a servant. His 
 stipend is doled out to him irregularly, so that 
 he knows scarcely when to expect it : and 
 sometimes with great uncertainty as to the 
 amount. In A. the pastor was obliged to call 
 at his deacon's shop, and asking for a remit- 
 tance after it had long been due, to be told that 
 he must call again ; he returned to his ditressed 
 family, and called again in a day or two, when 
 he obtained a part, with orders to call again for 
 the rest. In B. C. D., &c. the pastors are 
 obliged to come to the countinghouses of their 
 deacons, like other servants, to be paid before 
 all, as though they had no more feeling than 
 stones. In E. the deacon had been oifended at 
 the pastor's refusal to sanction an unjust mea- 
 sure, and withheld his salary to starve him 
 down to submission. In F. and G. the salary 
 of the pastor is regulated by one or more of the 
 deacons alone ; who judge of his wants by the 
 inspection of his affairs, and he is often obliged 
 to borrow before the remittannce is due. At H., 
 I., K., L, & M., all through the alphabet, cases 
 occur, which form most melancholy instances 
 
63 
 
 of human depravity, because they not only in- 
 clude what is unjust, and cruel; but the injuries 
 are inflicted on those very men, who live for no 
 other object than the comfort and improvement 
 of their tormentors. 
 
 The cases represented by the letters are 
 known facts, and the last word in the paragraph 
 is strong, but let nothing be misunderstood. 
 The causes of these evils are many and various. 
 The two principal are, first, the characters of 
 the men that are elected as deacons; and, 
 secondly, their treatment after their election. 
 In the first place, too much attention is paid, in 
 the choice of deacons, to their worldly circum- 
 stances, and too little to their moral and spi- 
 ritual attainments. And where a worldly man 
 is chosen because he is the richest in the as- 
 sembly, what can be expected but a worldly 
 and cruel administration. It often happens 
 that the man chosen has risen from obscurity, 
 with all the coarseness of an uncultivated mind, 
 and all the excitement of sudden acquisition. 
 It is scarcely possible, in such a case, that he 
 should not often wound the feelings of his 
 pastor, because he has never learned what deli- 
 cacy is. It is also undeniable that some of the 
 pastors have to thank themselves for the evils 
 under which they suffer. They resign the 
 
64 
 
 sacred dignity of their office to seek the favour 
 of man; and, when once gone, they find it 
 impossible for them to regain it. Here it is 
 easy to descend, but difficult to rise. Every 
 minister ought, therefore, to feel, that if he suf- 
 fer any great wrong, in nine cases out of ten, 
 he has reason to repent rather than complain. 
 Still, there is a duty devolving on every church, 
 to which the members ought to pay a special 
 regard. Thoughtlessness, without any evil in- 
 tention, will often lead to results which pro- 
 duce pain. It should be the care of the 
 whole church that this never occurred. Each 
 of the members ought to be prepared, both 
 to meet his own engagements at the proper 
 time, and to demand the fulfilment of those 
 entered into by all the members. The balance 
 ought to be examined by auditors appointed by 
 the church at least every year. Anything like 
 a suspicious inquisitiveness should by all means 
 be avoided, but a tender and constant inquiry 
 after the comfort of their pastor, is the duty of 
 every member in the church. And when a case 
 occurs, so unfortunate as that of a real injury 
 inflicted by a domineering and cruel spirit ; an 
 affectionate, but a most determined demand 
 should at once be made, in the name of the 
 whole body, for its redress. 
 
65 
 
 Instead of this, the opposite is most painfully 
 true ; sometimes the collection of subscriptions 
 is a laborious task. They are delayed from 
 week to week, and from month to month, 
 until few know when to expect them. The 
 treasurer is overdrawn more than he can af- 
 ford. All parties are thus forced into diffi- 
 culty, difficulties produce impatience, grief and 
 injury, soon follow; and, finally, the church 
 is deprived of its pastor; who retires with a 
 broken heart, from a sphere in which he might 
 have finished his days, in works of love and 
 mercy. 
 
 From the numerous cases that have been ex- 
 amined, it is believed that few occur in which 
 any injury is intended. Most of the miseries 
 rise from mistake or neglect. A few hints will 
 be given to prevent these, when the law which 
 prescribes the treatment of officers has been 
 carefully examined. 
 
 9. The law of God respecting the treatment 
 of officers, may be gathered from three sources. 
 
 1. From the dignity of the church in which 
 they are elected. 
 
 2. From the positive commands of his 
 word. 
 
 3. From the example of Christ and his 
 apostles. 
 
66 
 
 1 . The dignity of the church is set forth in 
 every possible way. The names chosen by the 
 Spirit to describe it, and the care with which it 
 is regarded in the dispensations of providence, 
 invest it with a majesty, and sacredness, pecu- 
 liar to itself. It is not the assembly of senators, 
 or of nobles, but of saints ; who, having re- 
 ceived the vSpirit of adoption, are permitted to 
 call God their Father. By his authority, help, 
 and guidance, they meet and conduct their wor- 
 ship and their business; as in his immediate pre- 
 sence. It is therefore called, the church of the 
 living God; assembled by his command, di- 
 rected by his law, and enriched by his presence 
 and blessing. For this the Saviour died ; and, 
 therefore, it is said to be " purchased by his 
 blood." The Spirit was given for its inspiration 
 and guidance. The Saviour is made head over 
 all things for this church ; that he may complete 
 its glory, and fulfil its predicted triumphs. It was 
 therefore invested with the power of judgement 
 on evei-y moral offence. When individual ex- 
 postulation, and limited testimony had failed ; 
 the offence was to be told to the church, 
 and the judgement there made final. The 
 Saviour advances still farther in saying that 
 '' whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be 
 bound in heaven :" in which words, thougli 
 
67 
 
 he does not confer infallibility on the churchy yet 
 he invests every correct decision of that body 
 with a terrible solemnity. Hence the spirit of 
 the apostle's reproof to the Corinthians for dis- 
 honouring the table of the Lord. After ex- 
 plaining the folly, he asks, "despise ye the 
 church of God ?" In fact, this was the only 
 object of supreme affection and reverence upon 
 earth ; for this they were to sacrifice all things. 
 Its meeting, therefore, was to be honoured, its 
 decisions obeyed, and its privileges valued be- 
 yond all earthly good. To this, the election of 
 all officers was referred. There in prayerful 
 prostration before the throne of God, they were 
 to be sought out and set apart by the united 
 judgement and authority of the whole. Each 
 officer, whether pastor or deacon, is in his sta- 
 tion, thus made a representative of the whole 
 body. If he be unfaithful, let him be judged 
 by the whole body and removed. If he have 
 fulfilled the terms of his office, let the account 
 be rendered and another chosen. But whilst 
 he continues in office, he is bound to main- 
 tain, and entitled to receive, the honour which 
 is due to the whole church ; and every in- 
 sult offered to him, must be reckoned as an 
 injury done to the whole, and to each individual 
 part. The principle applies to all, to members 
 
68 
 
 as to brethren; to deacons and pastors, as 
 brethren who serve and represent the whole. 
 But the Saviour puts the matter in a still more 
 solemn light, referring to his messengers, he 
 says, "he that receiveth you receiveth me." 
 
 2. It is important for the further elucidation 
 of this duty to consider the positive precepts 
 that are given. These, then, are of two kinds. 
 First, direct; secondly, indirect. The indirect 
 precepts are implied in the commands given to 
 the officers. When they are appointed to any 
 duty relating to the whole, the whole body 
 must be bound by the law, but each part in its 
 own capacity. If the one must teach, the 
 other is bound to learn. If the one must 
 rebuke, and exhort, the other is bound to 
 receive correction. In a word, every direct 
 command given to the bishop or deacon, is an 
 indirect command binding the people to their 
 corresponding duty. Titus chap. ii. verse 1 to 
 15; and chap. iii. verse 1 to 8. 
 
 The direct commands are those which are 
 given immediately to the churches. Of this 
 kind are I Thess. v. 12; and I Cor. xvi. 15. 
 The point of both these commands is one. 
 The word, to know, in both cases, regards, not 
 the formation of an acquaintance, but the 
 indulgence and expression of an appropriate 
 
respect. It is explained by the phrase, 
 " esteem them," not a little, but " very highly 
 in love for their works' sake." It includes, 
 whatever respect is due, to one who has been 
 chosen by the church, with solemn prayer, tx) 
 teach in the name of God the laws of the 
 Redeemer : and to direct the efforts made by 
 the church, to advance his eternal kingdom. 
 
 Another direct command is given in I Cor. 
 xvi. 16. Its object is to give force to the 
 former. They must not suppose that the 
 honour is to be given as an empty compliment. 
 They are engaged in a great work, and they 
 must be treated as men undertaking real busi- 
 ness. That business is the instruction and 
 improvement of the church and congregation. 
 Hence, they are " to submit themselves unto 
 such," as disciples to a teacher, as soldiers 
 to a leader, as patients to a physician. So 
 must they " submit themselves to every one 
 that helpeth with us, and laboureth." 
 
 The commandment written in Heb. xiii. 7, 
 relates rather to the constancy of the feeling, 
 and at the same time intimates a reason for its 
 cultivation. To remember, relates to past 
 actions ; and these past acts of kindness must 
 be every day multiplied by persons in the 
 faithful discharge of ministerial duties. If pro- 
 
70 
 
 perly considered, the daily teaching of God's 
 word, is the highest good that can he conferred 
 on man ; as such, therefore, it is to be esteemed 
 and remembered. The character, too, is im- 
 plied, not to be one of mean and abject service, 
 but one of honour and rule ; subject only to 
 the law of God, and the engagement entered 
 into with the church. In this, therefore, the 
 honour is required constantly, as a feeling che- 
 rished willingly, towards those whom we re- 
 member with respect and love; and continue 
 to remember, after their decease, when their 
 kind instructions can be no longer enjoyed. 
 
 Heb. xiii. 17, is more pointed than the 
 former. It states the official character as hav- 
 ing rule. It states the object of their rule, 
 " they watch for your souls." It points out the 
 subordinate nature of that rule, for " they 
 must give an account." It explains its 
 benevolent spirit. " For they watch for your 
 souls as those that must give an account 
 that they may do it with joy, and not with 
 grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." 
 It is a rule founded in the choice of the 
 brethren, supported by divine responsibility, 
 and existing entirely for their good. It must, 
 therefore, be obeyed. Having chosen th^ rulers, 
 they are bound to submit, themelves. 
 
71 
 
 Let these and passages such as these be 
 compared with the example of Christ and his 
 apostles. These, for a time, were the whole, 
 or nearly the whole of his church. He was 
 their pastor. One acted as treasurer, the rest 
 of the twelve were private members. His con- 
 gregations were many, and soon, others were 
 added to the church. But it is in the treat- 
 ment of the twelve that we see the nature of 
 his pastoral care ; and it is in the conduct of 
 the twelve, that we see the example for church 
 members. The deacon of this little church is 
 described as a warning to all, it is hoped that 
 none w^ill imitate him. Once Peter was 
 very reprehensible, and in some instances the 
 conduct of others deserve but little praise. 
 They were a fair sample of human nature 
 when brought under the influence of restoring 
 mercy; and, therefore, not without its imper- 
 fections. But still there is in their conduct 
 much to be admired. Their first profession 
 was very decided, they forsook all and followed 
 him. In their attendance on his ministry they 
 were constant, as though they deemed it the 
 first business of their lives. They opened their 
 hearts to him, as though they confided in his 
 friendship and love. Even their errors were 
 
72 
 
 not concealed. Every part of their intercourse 
 was perfectly ingenuous. They never cavil. 
 He teaches them their duty, and if they under- 
 stand it, they obey; if not, they express their 
 difficulty with tenderness. The obscurity of his 
 doctrine never drives them into a sullen 
 silence, and the freedom of inquiry never leads 
 them to be impudent. It is manifest that they 
 love to be in his society, and prefer the study 
 of his word to any employment. The only 
 thing that seems to form an objection to this 
 statement, is the diligence with which they 
 performed their labour of teaching in the cities 
 of Judea. But, then they had his command, 
 and his instruction; and they were engaged 
 in his work, though not blessed with his im- 
 mediate fellowship. Here, too, they had a 
 vital sympathy with their teacher. They had 
 chosen him, and he had called and accepted 
 them ; and they felt that all their interests 
 were absorbed in the great design of his 
 coming. They grieved over his sorrow, they 
 were indignant at his insult, and they re- 
 joiced in his success. They formed a church, 
 in which there was- one Lord, one faith, 
 one baptism, and one God and Father of 
 all. Whether they were assembled in worship, 
 or separated in the performance of individual 
 
73 
 
 duties^ the members of this assembly had but 
 one interest which engrossed the affections of 
 the whole. For this they laboured, for this 
 they lived, and in the prosecution of this, they 
 displayed a dignified, and affectionate subor- 
 dination ; the most pure and delightful, of any 
 that has ever appeared upon earth since the 
 fall of man. 
 
 It may be objected, that they had the Lord 
 himself among them ; whilst the pastors and 
 the officers of churches, have neither the same 
 perfection, nor the same authority. 
 
 To this it may be replied, that they will not 
 assume the same authority for themselves, they 
 only assert it in behalf of their Lord. They 
 do not profess to inherit infallibility, but wish 
 to guide their brethren in studying the infal- 
 lible word. In this, the docility, and affection- 
 ate self-consecration exhibited by the disciples, 
 are required. These qualities, also, are posi- 
 tively enjoined by Christ upon all. In this 
 part of his work Jesus showed the officers in 
 the church how they should labour and teach ; 
 and in the conduct of his disciples, he has 
 taught the churches how they must study and 
 learn. Thus far, the example elucidates and 
 confirms the law : and it is only for this pur- 
 
74 
 
 pose, that the study of this example is now 
 most earnestly recommended to the churches, 
 
 A further illustration of the truth may be 
 obtained from the conduct of the apostles, and 
 the early churches. They were all brought to 
 feel, that they had to do with the law of God ; 
 and, that they were bound both to study and 
 to teach it with the utmost reverence. 
 
 If any deviation from this solemn docility 
 was seen, the apostles rebuked it with an awful 
 severity. But the cases were very few. They 
 consulted like men who were free. They stu- 
 died as men who had to learn the way of life 
 and the will of God ; and the apostles taught, 
 and ruled, as men that must give an account. 
 " The multitude of them that believed were of 
 one heart, and of one soul." " And with great 
 power gave the apostles witness of the resur- 
 rection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was 
 upon them all." When persecuted they were 
 faithful and obedient in sorrow ; and when the 
 churches had rest : " they walked in the fear of 
 the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, 
 and thus were multiplied. Indeed, the great 
 secret of their success, is comprehended in the 
 docility of their hearts, and the blessing of 
 their God. 
 
/O 
 
 This last illustration deserves to be consi- 
 dered, first, as it is given by the authority of 
 inspired men ; and, secondly, as those inspired 
 men instructed Timothy and Titus, who were 
 not inspired, to demand the same docility, to 
 use the same dignity, and to show the same 
 respect for the officers in the church. They 
 were commanded not to rebuke the elders, but 
 to entreat and honour them, as fathers ; from 
 which it is easy to see how they ought to 
 be treated by the private members of the 
 churches. 
 
 It is requisite, before this section be con- 
 cluded, to notice several popular errors which 
 are more or less allowed on this subject. 
 
 The first consists in confoundincr reliijious 
 liberty with licentiousness in spiritual affairs. 
 In one sense it is the glory of the church to 
 ])e free. It admits of no authoritative control 
 from the men of this world. The members of 
 the church collectively have no dictatorial power, 
 nor has any one member authority to direct the 
 conduct of his brethren, unless it be given him 
 ])y the agreement of the whole. In the noblest 
 sense, therefore, the church of Christ is free. 
 But this will not release it from the law of 
 God. The very reason for this freedom is the 
 fact, that no tribunal but that of God is 
 
sufficiently solemn for its final judgement ; 
 and no law sufficiently perfect and powerful 
 for its government, but the law of Omnipotence. 
 Men are not allowed, to touch the work of le- 
 gislation here, lest they weaken its strength and 
 destroy its dignity. The end of this arrange- 
 ment, is not to make the law of God less 
 solemn and effective, but to clothe it with a 
 diviner majesty, and to impress upon every 
 mind the sense of its immutability. Hence 
 may be seen at once, the sin and wickedness 
 which must follow, when caprice, frivolity, self- 
 interest, temper, or levities of this kind, are 
 permitted to divert the mind from God's word; 
 and modify, if not control the acts of the church. 
 In some cases it would seem as though God 
 had no authority there whatever. Every man, 
 without cherishing any care over the cultiva- 
 tion of his own mind, rashly contends for the 
 privilege of doing and believing what he likes. 
 The question, whether his choice agrees with 
 the will of God, never enters his mind. He 
 will injure his brother, reproach a deacon, 
 pierce the soul of his pastor with the most bit- 
 ter sorrow, and throw up all his engagements, 
 just when he was bound to fulfil them ; and all 
 is done with the utmost lightness, because he is 
 free. Let such men,, however, bear in mind, 
 
77 
 
 that when Christ made them free from human 
 oppression, he did not terminate their subjec- 
 tion to himself ; and though there may be no 
 tribunal on earth where such injuries can be 
 redressed now ; the time is coming when he will 
 say, '^ inasmuch as ye did it unto these, my 
 In-ethren, ye did it also unto me." 
 
 The second is an indolent aversion to study. 
 It arises partly from a bad state of heart, but 
 chiefly from a mistaken view of Christian ordi- 
 nances. In this respect, the members of our 
 churches often resemble those sons of great 
 men for whom the best instruction has been 
 provided; and who, therefore, feel that they 
 are raised above all personal exertions. This 
 is totally wrong; all the use of tutors, is to 
 awaken and to direct exertion : they can never 
 be a substitute for it. It is the same with Christ- 
 ian ordinances. They may serve to call forth 
 the energy of the people, and to direct them when 
 properly awakened : but if they are regarded as 
 a substitute for personal activity, they will 
 inflict an injury where they were intended to 
 confer a benefit. In the nature of things, it is 
 not possible that a pastor with all the advantage 
 of deacons and ordinances, could ever make a 
 people wise unto salvation, who used no diligence 
 in studying the word of God for themselves. 
 
78 
 
 Nor will this suffice alone ; the man who wishes 
 to profit by the word^ must carefully study his 
 own heart. It is for want of this that ser- 
 mons are often disliked^ and ridiculed; the 
 ordinances uninfluential; the fellowship of the 
 church unprofitable ; prayer itself uninterest- 
 ing; and, finally, the ministry is forsaken. In 
 all the process, there was a clamorous complaint 
 of barrenness, but no labour was spent in the 
 husbandry of the soul. It is necessary for such 
 to know, that this royal road to religious com- 
 fort and improvement, if ever it was open to 
 mortals upon earth, has for a long time been 
 shut up. None are allowed to pass by that way 
 into heaven now. It is useless to expect too 
 much from ministers ; their services, however 
 faithful, can never relieve the people from 
 the necessity of studious application. This 
 is ordained to be an attendant on all ordi- 
 nances of whatever kind. This being forgotten, 
 their utility is lost, their sanctity is despised, 
 the officers become grieved and insulted, and 
 thence, as from a fountain, streams of evil flow 
 into the churches. 
 
 The third error to be noted, is a false view of 
 ministerial faithfulness. This must, in many 
 cases, be extremely painful. It may not be a 
 mere exhortation to the performance of a duty. 
 
but a rebuke for some allowed sin. Here there 
 is some difficulty in perceiving the true cha- 
 racter of the act. Like children under the rod, 
 the eyes are so full of tears^ and their hearts 
 so full of feeling, that they can see nothing 
 clearly. They are accustomed to reprove in 
 wrath, and to justify an unrighteous anger by 
 referring to supposed offences ; and it is not in 
 their power to explain the action of their pas- 
 tor, without employing the motives that go- 
 vern themselves. They forget that he has 
 been selected to stand before them with the 
 message of God, which is quite as painful for 
 him to deliver as for them to hear. He is 
 therefore animated, through the disease of their 
 imagination, with feelings that nothing can 
 justify. His sermons are charged with per- 
 sonality. His visits with undue freedom. His 
 intimations with injustice or inaccuracy. And 
 if he happen to be ardent, though most affec- 
 tionate, in his feeling ; the evil soon ripens into 
 sin ; and a soul is hazarded by expulsion from 
 the church, or a minister is fettered and made 
 useless, by embarrassment and dishonour. 
 
 The fourth error, is a love of flattery. It is 
 generally brought in from the world, at least, so 
 it is supposed ; for it is wonderful how it could 
 originate in the church. At first it appears in 
 
80 
 
 the subject like a mere stain, resulting from 
 former corruptions ; but in time it swells ; then 
 it ulcerates ; and, finally, it spreads through 
 the whole constitution of the soul, and de- 
 lies every human remedy. It is awful to 
 think, how bitter, and lancinating, are the pangs 
 which attend the progress of the disease. It 
 will generally render the patient unfit for any 
 religious society, and still more unfit for any 
 religious service, long before it has reached the 
 point of fatality. Hence, in the most early 
 stages of the disease, it is hard to cure ; but, 
 when it has once reached its crisis, nothing 
 can prevent a fatal issue but the Omnipotent 
 power of sovereign grace. 
 
 There are three facts which give this malady 
 a more than ordinary terror. 
 
 1. It is gratified in so many various ways. 
 Sometimes it loves to have the claims of duty 
 stated mildly, so as not to imply the exist- 
 ence of sm in the things which are allowed. 
 At other times they must be painted grossly, 
 in order to show the patient's evangelical 
 zeal. At times the afilicted creature will wish 
 to hear the evidences of piety urged with the 
 utmost delicacy, that his taste may be known, 
 and no one suppose that he is not an inheritor 
 of grace. Then, again, they must be enforced 
 
81 
 
 with the utmost severity, excluding all besides 
 himself; that his piety may appear as much 
 above that of other men, as the heaven is above 
 the earth. In one subject it assumes a doc- 
 trinal form, and he loves to be reminded of his 
 election. In another, it takes a legal form, 
 and he must be told of his liberty and works. 
 In the ignorant it produces a burning thirst for 
 vulgarity. In the learned, a lingering desire 
 after an useless decoration of style. Now it 
 combines the mistakes of the poor, and pre- 
 sently it w^ll be seen ripened to rottenness 
 amongst the crimes of the wealthy. In a w^ord, 
 it has this peculiarity, confined to no place or 
 station upon earth, it is capable of producing 
 its terrible effects in every heart; from the 
 monarch, to the meanest subject in his empire. 
 2. When once it is clearly developed, it has 
 the dreadful power of turning all healthy food 
 into support for its own pollution. In this 
 may be traced a tremendous ingenuity which 
 never fails, when the occasion suits, to turn 
 reproof into matter for compliment ; and the 
 kindest expostulation and forbearance, into con- 
 gratulations or insult, as the case demands. 
 To the point of humility and health it will 
 not be brought, this is regarded as a state of 
 shame and death, it loves to be, and will exalt 
 E 5 
 
82 
 
 itself, even in the house of God, and at the 
 place of prayer. Every exercise of worship, 
 even the most humiliating, is used in the same 
 way; the sufferer must be regarded as the most 
 penitent, the most prayerful, the most zealous, 
 the most spiritual, and the most useful ; or the 
 act that strips him of his appearance, is re- 
 sented as an insult too great to be forgiven. 
 
 But finally, the worst fact relates to the 
 claim which it exacts from the officers in the 
 church. This consists in a direct tax on official 
 faithfulness. The reverence due to their awful 
 responsibility is forgotten, in the eager demand 
 for undeserved reputation ; and nothing will serve 
 or gratify the diseased appetite, but a sacrifice 
 of truth, and a compromise of principle, which 
 involves the messenger of divine mercy in the 
 hazard of a heavy condemnation. 
 
 It is not pleasant to dwell upon the many 
 calamities which this terrible disease has entailed 
 on the church of Christ ; they are too multi- 
 farious to be enumerated, and too awful to be 
 minutely described. It will therefore be better 
 to contemplate. 
 
 Lastly. The love of power. This error bears 
 some affinity to the foregoing, but still it has a 
 specific peculiarity. It originates in the natural 
 pride of the human heart, like the other, but 
 
83 
 
 the source of gratification is different. The 
 former is delighted with appearance ; in this, 
 appearance is often despised. The object of 
 desire is the control of men and measures in 
 the church. The direction of its worship, the 
 arrangement of its ordinances, the comfort 
 of its members, the disposal of its funds, or 
 perhaps the appropriation of its credit to some 
 individual or earthly purpose. It has assumed 
 every possible form in which human policy can 
 be cast, and is the great source of all the evils 
 to be found in the established churches. In 
 these it has assumed the gigantic form of a na- 
 tional policy. It has corrupted the ministry by 
 the introduction of hirelings, debased the church 
 by compulsory exaction on the people, and ren- 
 dered the kingdom of Jesus, a base and dis- 
 honourable instrument of earthly rule. 
 
 From this tremendous degradation, the vo- 
 luntary churches of our land, are, if they will 
 but be true to themselves, most happily deli- 
 vered. And if the thing be taken in its true 
 light, the scope for indulging the folly which 
 they supply, is merely sufficient to expose it to 
 the most pitiable contempt. Still there are 
 sometimes found individuals who are suffi- 
 ciently weak to run the hazard. For, though 
 there is nothing worth controling in a body of 
 
84 
 
 men for the most part poor^ and in the worship 
 of the church which ought to be entirely spi- 
 ritual ; yet the little point of eminence given to 
 one who holds the trust deed, or keeps the 
 church book, or distributes the alms, or super- 
 intends the school, or gives out the hymns in 
 the desk, becomes a mark of the greatest bro- 
 ther; and, therefore, it may be sought, and 
 when gained, it will sometimes be held to the 
 discomfort of the whole. 
 
 In some circles the question has actually 
 come into discussion, whether this power in 
 the church should be aristocratical, or demo- 
 cratical ? That is, whether it should be held by 
 a few of the highest, or whether it should be 
 held by all the members ? This proves, suf- 
 ficiently, that the evil has become of consid- 
 erable importance. The consideration of two 
 facts, however, will be sufficient to show its 
 absurdity. 
 
 For, first, it is not the duty to be performed 
 which is the object of ambition, so much as 
 the desire of performing it in a dictatorial spirit, 
 and without rendering an account to the bre- 
 thren. Holding the deeds, keeping the books, 
 and the arrangement of services, &c. are all 
 acts of kindness done to the whole. If properly 
 regarded, they would be deemed points of trust, 
 
85 
 
 and servitude. When performed in the spirit 
 of Christian love, and with a frankness that 
 secured the confidence of the whole, instead 
 of being regarded with jealousy, and held 
 with hostile feeling, they were rewarded with 
 gratitude, and imposed with confidence and 
 respect. This love of power, therefore, has this 
 absurdity and evil in it; that it changes an im- 
 portant service into a real injury : and the re- 
 ward of grateful respect into suspicion and dis- 
 quietude. 
 
 Secondly. The idea of power is entirely out of 
 place. To a certain extent it may be entertained 
 in the world; though there, for the most part, it 
 is a mere shadow. But, in the church, it is 
 forbidden. When the disciples disputed who 
 should be the greatest in the kingdom of hea- 
 ven, our Lord said : " unless ye be converted 
 from this wicked feeling, and become as little 
 children, to whom power is no matter of solici- 
 tude, you shall never enter it. In the king- 
 doms of the earth, the greatest have rule ; but 
 he that is the greatest among you, let him be 
 the servant of all. Be not many masters, one 
 is your master, even the Christ, all ye are 
 brethren." These expressions are not to be 
 regarded as mere casual hints, but solemn 
 developments of one great principle ; which is. 
 
86 
 
 that in the church of Christ, the members, and 
 officers, have no power to make laws ; no one 
 of them alone, nor all of them together, 
 have any right to legislate : their whole business 
 is to obey. They are all servants, and they 
 are all united for the discharge of duty; even 
 their interests are to be sought by the direc- 
 tion of their common Lord. For every thing 
 they do, they must give an account to God. 
 What then can exceed the absurdity of con- 
 flicting the point of power ; when, in reality, no 
 power whatever is permitted to exist ? 
 
 The very object of contention is, in itself, 
 so vain and worthless ; that the folly it occa- 
 sions would never have been noticed here, were 
 it not for the practical evils that result from it. 
 The deeds are often smuggled up in this 
 absurd spirit until the trusts are run out, and 
 cannot be renewed, and often the property is 
 
 lost. This occurred in the town of A , 
 
 and the property fell to a lady, who, refusing 
 to renew the title, said : " if you choose to pull 
 your meeting down, I will make you a present 
 of the bricks to build elsewhere^; "but if not, I 
 will pull it down myself, and you shall have 
 nothing." In this way, property, beyond all 
 calculation, has been lost; by servants of God, 
 who could ill afford to subscribe what they did 
 
87 
 
 in their poverty. In respect to the books, and 
 accounts, similar evils occur. The foolish 
 desire to keep them without giving any ac- 
 count of their stewardship to the church, often 
 forces the whole into confusion ; breaks the 
 confidence of the subscribers ; provokes sus- 
 picion where it is not deserved ; and, finally, 
 the resources of the church are cut off", the 
 interest languishes, and the minister is obliged 
 to leave. In the arrangement of services, and 
 the works of mercy, the error is productive of 
 endless confusion; the officers are afraid to 
 move lest they should produce strife. The 
 minister is thwarted in the measures that lay 
 nearest his heart ; and, when the evil becomes 
 gross, and violent, his life is filled with misery, 
 and ended without usefulness. 
 
 In fact, the scene of such a conflict, can 
 never be enriched with the blessing of God. 
 The Spirit will not dwell there. The world 
 will never respect religion when presented in 
 such an aspect. It is altogether unbrotherly 
 and repulsive. And with all the misery it 
 brings to the saints, and all the ruin it entails 
 upon sinners, this base and paltry love of power 
 has no advantage connected with it that a good 
 man ought to desire ; but whenever it comes to 
 prevail in the person of a bad one, it is sure to 
 
be the ruin of his soul, if not of the church with 
 which he is united. 
 
 It is to this source of war and fighting that 
 we may generally trace the impatience of mem- 
 bers with each other. One steps forward, with- 
 out modesty, and grasps some empty shadow 
 of consequence ; and others shrink back in dis- 
 gust, as though they were themselves disap- 
 pointed. But it is not desirable to multiply 
 illustrations. It is hoped that the cases, at 
 least, the gross cases of its prevalence, and 
 ravages, are very few; and that the guilty indi- 
 viduals, when once their sin and folly have been 
 set before them, will seek, by repentance, the 
 forgiveness of their insulted Saviour ; and, then, 
 whatever occasional infirmity may exhibit, the 
 love of power, shall no longer be named, as a 
 motive allowed in the churches. 
 
 One fact, whilst it accounts for the existence, 
 might urge the brethren to despise, and expel 
 the error from their societies. The church 
 polity of our land stands out before them in a 
 form so very oppressive and unlovely, that the 
 fear of its evils forces them into the opposite 
 extreme. It is very afflictive, certainly, to see 
 the religion of Jesus thus dishonoured, and the 
 confidence of God's people betrayed, by sophis- 
 try, concealed under the most imposing protes- 
 
89 
 
 tations of truth and piety. Let it not be for- 
 gotten, however, that a diseased sinner is never 
 cured at once. If rescued from destruction, he 
 bears with him marks of his fall. This was 
 the case in the early churches, and will be the 
 case in all, whatever be their form or character. 
 If the brethren have to suffer, therefore, let 
 them be very careful that they do not sin. To 
 this they will fearfully approximate, when the 
 indulgence of a worldly ambition in the church 
 is regarded with more of resentment than com- 
 passionate aversion. But should they be left by 
 restraining mercy, to linger and scramble for the 
 base delusion, their sin will have no excuse. 
 Shielded by the gracious authority of the 
 Saviour, they have turned away from the 
 enfeebled threats of mitred majesty, and 
 asserted the equality of brethren, and fellow- 
 servants of the Most High God. On this 
 ground they may claim, and enjoy, the full feli- 
 city of Christian fellowship. Here they have 
 no reason to be moved either by the lust, or 
 the dread of power. But who shall compute 
 the evils that must follow when they shall 
 forget the value of their mercy. Infidelity will 
 then stand by, and watch the advance of the 
 church's shame, with bitter, if not with tri- 
 umphant, exultation. 
 
90 
 
 In respect to the whole of these errors, and 
 others that might be named, let it not be sup- 
 posed that the pastors and the deacons are the 
 only sufferers. On them, indeed, much of the 
 ill effects of the indulgence must fall, and with 
 many an hour of tearful solicitude they will 
 watch the painful indications of their existence. 
 But, as they are violations of divine law, unless 
 forgiveness be obtained through the blood of 
 Jesus, they will be followed by divine punish- 
 ment. Their influence, too, will be felt as wide 
 as the circle through which the infected indi- 
 vidual moves ; and he will thus increase the 
 delusion and danger of wicked men. But, 
 within the families of professors of this class, 
 the most baneful influence of their folly will be 
 seen ; and, not unfrequently, a most appropri- 
 ate judgement will be realized. The children, 
 who learn through such an example, will often 
 prove the most abandoned characters. Religion 
 has no such opponents as those who have been 
 thus trained amongst the vices of professors. 
 Their hearts are steeled against human means, 
 they are merely accessible to Omnipotence. 
 
 Now and then it is found, that some one, or 
 more, of these errors, have proved fatal to a 
 Christian church. And this is to be regarded 
 as a real benefit rather than otherwise. Not 
 
91 
 
 that it existed; but that the body which was thus 
 diseased could not live. And this must be the 
 case with voluntary churches : for the moment 
 they lose their credit^ and offend God, they lose 
 their whole ground of confidence and support. 
 From that moment no wealth or power can 
 preserve them. The leprosy will eat out the 
 strength of its walls, and pillars, until the 
 temple sinks in ruin to the ground. Hence 
 the evils are more quickly seen, and more spee- 
 dily punished, in the voluntary churches ; than 
 when the errors and offenders are protected by 
 compulsory legislation ; and hence their supe- 
 riority. They are not without cause for grief 
 and penitence; still, the ills to be deplored 
 there, are comparatively few, and infantine ; 
 and, can never go unreproved. Hence, God 
 has graciously made them the depositories of 
 his holy doctrine, his healthy discipline, and 
 his divine oracles. In these, the light of the 
 world, and the salt of the earth, are still to be 
 preserved. Let the light be trimmed, and the 
 salt be purified ; that the beam of the one may 
 be clearly seen, and the pungency of the other 
 felt. The purity of their creed, and the sim- 
 plicity of their constitution, are advantages ; 
 but these are not sufficient for their work. "To 
 their faith they must add virtue ; to their vir- 
 
92 
 
 tue, knowledge; to their knowledge, temper- 
 ance ; to their temperance, patience ; to their 
 patience, godliness ; to godliness, brotherly 
 kindness ; and to brotherly kindness, charity : 
 for, if these things be in them and abound ; 
 they will make them to be neither barren, nor 
 unfruitful, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 It is to be observed, that the points which 
 have been considered, how advantageous soever 
 when duly regarded, are not to be received as 
 tilings expedient. They are in the highest 
 sense laws of God, and cannot be disregarded 
 without sin. Each requirement is an expres- 
 sion of infinite wisdom, which infinite power is 
 determined to sustain. It matters little in 
 what peculiar way it has been perpetrated, the 
 dishonour of God by the contempt of his com- 
 mandments, will never pass unpunished. If, in 
 the vanity of our hearts, we presume, like the 
 Papist, to improve the law ; the result will 
 resemble the reward of a lunatick, who painted 
 his eyeballs, to increase their beauty, but pro- 
 duced irrecoverable blindness. But this is not 
 the only point of danger. If the authoritative 
 nature of divine appointments be forgotten, it 
 will lead to levity in their treatment, if not to 
 their final rejection. In the early churches, 
 
93 
 
 the scarcity of God's word was an excuse, and 
 yet they have been sorely corrected, some have 
 even ceased to exist, and from others the glory 
 has departed. For the Christian churches in 
 England no such apology can be offered. God 
 has furnished them so abundantly with his 
 word, that the Sun of Righteousness may be 
 said to enlighten their path with the glory of 
 his mid-day beam. To each church., therefore, 
 the words of Moses have a solemn and direct 
 application. " If thou wilt not observe to do 
 all the words of this law, which are written in 
 this book, that thou mayest fear this fearful 
 and glorious name — THE LORD THY 
 GOD. Then the Lord will make thy plagues 
 wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even 
 great plagues, and of long continuance, and 
 sore sicknesses, and of long continuance." It is 
 this awful view of Christian precepts, that 
 gives so much majesty to the following exhor- 
 tation of the apostle Paul. 
 
 '^ Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved, 
 and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast 
 in the Lord my dearly beloved. Rejoice in the 
 Lord alway; and again T say, rejoice. Let your 
 moderation be known unto all men. The Lord 
 is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every 
 thing by prayer and supplication with thanks- 
 
94 
 
 giving let your requests be made known unto 
 God. And the peace of God^, which passeth 
 all understanding, shall keep your hearts and 
 minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, 
 whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things 
 are dignified, whatsoever things are just, what- 
 soever things are pure, whatsoever things are 
 lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ; if 
 there be any virtue, if there be any praise, 
 think on these things. Those things which ye 
 have both learned, and received, and heard, 
 and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall 
 be with you." Phil. iv. 1, 4—9. 
 
 10. Besides the laws which relate to particu- 
 lar churches, there are others which embrace 
 the more general affairs of the kingdom of 
 heaven. 
 
 In these, many individual churches, may 
 unite in undertakings too vast to be carried on 
 by any one of them alone, but quite within the 
 compass of their combined strength. These, 
 in the present day, have grown to eminent 
 importance and usefulness; and the great object 
 must now be, to reduce them all to such a sys- 
 tem of management as will give them a healthy 
 vigour in themselves, and render them a con- 
 stant benefit to the churches by which they are 
 supported. 
 
95 
 
 But, on the threshold of this inquiry, several 
 difficulties have to be encountered. The num- 
 ])er of collections has become exceedingly bur- 
 densome ; and, hence, the demand for money is 
 made too prominent in the churches. The con- 
 flicting claims, of different societies have placed 
 them too much in the light of competitors; and 
 given them an aspect unfi'iendly to religious 
 improvement. The dread of foreign influence, 
 has rendered some reluctant to unite. And 
 further, the want of union, and a wise distribu- 
 tion of labour, has diminished the strength of 
 the churches ; embarrassed their movements ; 
 and destroyed, through over exertion, some of 
 the most valuable and devoted labourers. 
 Much of the ill effects of these evils, has of late 
 been diminished, and the following hints are 
 intended to facilitate the advance to perfect 
 health. 
 
 The easiest way to encounter these difficui - 
 ties, will be found in a strict adherence to the 
 law of God, as far as it embraces the matters 
 of duty and embarrassment. Perhaps the 
 whole of the business before us may not be 
 included in any expression of the divine will ; 
 if that be the case, the point must be deter- 
 mined by a Christian and prayerful regard to 
 the principles of prudence : but, wherever the 
 
96 
 
 will of God has been expressed, let that be 
 observed as law, and loved as beneficial, for 
 this will always supply the prudence which is 
 determined by infinite wisdom. 
 
 There are some points, at least, and these of 
 no small importance, in which the law of God 
 respecting such engagements has been deter- 
 mined; and these, when properly considered, 
 will help us to determine others. For, 
 
 1. The will of God is clearly made known 
 respecting the unity of the church. Hence, it 
 has its descriptions in the singular number, 
 and not in the plural, whenever the whole com- 
 munity of the saints is the subject of discourse. 
 It is also called the kingdom of heaven, and the 
 kingdom of God: and the Saviour uses the 
 expression (my kingdom) to represent it as one, 
 distinguished from all others in the world. Nor 
 was this confined to the saints in Jerusalem, or 
 to the believing Jews ; it comprised all men, of 
 all nations, who call on the name of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ in sincerity. Scattered over the 
 face of the world, they might be of all classes, 
 from every station in society, of every nation, 
 kindred, tribe, and tongue ; they might be 
 endowed with different gifts, and employed in 
 different spheres of duty, like ^the different 
 members of the human frame; still, though 
 
9T 
 
 they were many members, yet they were one 
 body in Christ, and members one of another. 
 
 This, if from nothing else, would be manifest 
 from the apostolical salutations. In all these, 
 the believers, who are directly addressed, 
 receive an individuality sufficiently distinct for 
 the purpose entertained; but the very expres- 
 sion by which they are described, conveys, at 
 the same time, the idea that there are persons 
 of the same character, elsewhere, equal in pri- 
 vilege and honour, with those that are there 
 named. Thus, in the salutation of the Romans, 
 Paul uses the article distinctive of the place, 
 not of the persons. To all those, beloved of 
 God, called saints, which are in Rome ; imply- 
 ing, that there were others beloved of God, 
 called saints in other places. The church, or 
 assembly of God, which is in Corinth, implies 
 another, of which it was but a part ; and, the 
 churches composed of residents in Galatia, 
 implies the existence of others of the same 
 kind, not constituted of men belonging to that 
 nation. Thus, in every case, the church 
 receives the distinctness of a member, but not 
 the lonely destitution of a separate existence. 
 
 But, further, it is impossible that the churches 
 should have ever been reduced to that state of 
 divided separation during the lives of the 
 
 F 
 
98 
 
 apostles ; because they were not only the sub- 
 jects of one Lord, and of one faith, and of one 
 baptism, and of one God and Father of all, and 
 therefore had one divine law to which they were 
 subject, and which made them one in their obe- 
 dience ; but they were dependent on the minis- 
 tration of his inspired servants for the know- 
 ledge they had of the Saviour's history, and 
 the way of salvation ; and, in them alone, they 
 possessed infallible guides in the path of duty. 
 They were, therefore, one in their dependence 
 on apostolical ministrations. 
 
 It is true, that the individual parts of the 
 body of Christ were soon greatly multiplied ; 
 and that the individuals composing it were 
 scattered nearly over the face of the whole 
 earth ; sometimes a solitary sojourner having 
 learned the truth at Jerusalem or elsewhere, 
 might have returned with the precious bless- 
 ing to live and die in some distant land 
 enjoying its benefits alone. Still though cut 
 off from the fellowship of the brethren, he 
 was a member of the body; and derived 
 his life, consolation, and reward, from the 
 same fountain of eternal mercy. But ordi- 
 narily this was not the case. A single con- 
 verted soul entering a city, or a kingdom, was 
 generally the means of many being converted to 
 
99 
 
 God. These^ perhaps, were separated from the 
 great body of the saints, by deserts, mountains, 
 seas, and the difficulty of personal intercourse. 
 Still they were called by the same name, in- 
 spired by the same hope, and animated with 
 the same general affection. They were born 
 of the same Spirit, redeemed by the same 
 Saviour, and destined to dwell in the same 
 paradise, for ever and ever. They loved the 
 same things, hated the same evils, lived on the 
 same bounty, maintained the same conflict, 
 and rejoiced in the same expected triumph; 
 hence they were in the highest sense one 
 body, and in this united capacity, they are 
 called the church of God, purchased with his 
 blood. 
 
 Finally, let it be observed, that nothing 
 which did not affect the vital claim to piety, was 
 ever suffered to diminish the unity of the church. 
 Difference of nation and of social privilege is 
 expressly forbidden. Without any regard to Jew, 
 or Greek, or bond, or free, they are all one in 
 Christ Jesus. Mistakes on points of religious 
 duty are not allowed to interfere with this 
 unity. For the saints at Antioch, differed from 
 those of Jerusalem ; and the saints in the same 
 church, differed from each other; even the 
 apostles were not always unanimous in judge- 
 F 2 
 
100 
 
 ment ; yet in no case is it made the ground of 
 exclusion. Each professed to know but in 
 part, and all therefore became students in the 
 same school. If any thing appeared to impeach 
 the profession of real piety, the law of faithful 
 discipline was brought with solemn majesty to 
 do its work. This was protected with ;the ut- 
 most jealousy and love. On this the whole 
 union was founded, by this it was preserved. 
 On this, in each case, the final judgement will 
 determine. Hence the violation of this was 
 a ground for exclusion, and nothing else. This 
 was required at the entrance, and the consist- 
 ency of this was exacted through all the 
 advances of the Christian life. This was 
 the term of fellowship, and the absence of 
 this was the only ground on which this fellow- 
 ship could be withheld. From whence we con- 
 clude, as we might also do from many other 
 sources, that the will of God is, that his 
 kingdom shall be one, even as his name is one. 
 From hence may be inferred the obligation 
 to Christian faithfulness. Since the universal 
 communion of the church is founded on sincere 
 piety; every church, and every Christian is 
 bound to require it of every other. He must 
 make it a constant demand of every one whom 
 he admits as a Christian. He must make the 
 
101, 
 
 demand most simple and prominent, and place it 
 before all other considerations ; for if he neglect 
 this, or wilfully obscure it, whatever benefit he 
 may seem to obtain in other respects, he will 
 offend God, deceive his brethren, and increase 
 the delusion of a fallen world. 
 
 From hence also we may learn the obligation 
 under which we are laid to honour this piety 
 wherever it is found. It may be in the heart 
 of a king, or in the bosom of his slave; but, 
 wherever it be, though cramped and encum- 
 bered with dishonour,' care, and imperfection : 
 still it is the mighty work of God's eternal 
 mercy. It is the seal of inheritance given to a 
 child of God, and it must stand before all other 
 considerations upon earth. He who possesses 
 it, whatever the disadvantage of his station, can 
 never be regarded as separate from the church. 
 "For, in the day when I number up my jewels, 
 he shall be mine saith the Lord, and I will 
 spare him as a man spareth his own son that 
 serveth him." 
 
 From hence, also, we may learn, that whatever 
 the object that may employ their energy, the 
 distinction that may be needful to individualize 
 their exertions, or whatever the imperfection of 
 the present knowledge of mankind : no society 
 of Christians can destroy the unity of the church. 
 
102 
 
 or disregard the principles on which it is 
 founded, or neglect in all their labours for God 
 and souls to place it in the greatest promi- 
 nence ; without offending God, betraying the 
 confidence of believers, and diminishing the 
 spiritual blessings of mankind. 
 
 From hence may be seen, finally, the point 
 of the apostle's admonition to Christian mo- 
 desty. For, I say, through the grace given 
 unto me, to every man that is among you, not 
 to think more highly of himself than he ought 
 to think, but to think and examine himself until 
 his thoughts become sobered into a healthy mo- 
 desty, estimating his worth and importance 
 according as God hath dealt to every man the 
 measure of faith. For as we have many mem- 
 bers in one body, and all members have not the 
 same office, so we being many are one body in 
 Christ ; and every one members one of another. 
 Let each member maintain the unconscious 
 usefulnes of perfect health. Having gifts dif- 
 fering according to the grace that is given to us, 
 whether prophesy, let us prophesy according to 
 the proportion of faith that is found in the 
 brethren, not breaking them down with the 
 things they cannot bear : or the ministry of a 
 deacon, let us wait on that ministration ; or he 
 that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth. 
 
103 
 
 on exhortation ; he that giveth, let him do it 
 with simplicity ; he that ruleth, with diligence ; 
 he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. As 
 an eye, an ear, a hand, or foot ; let each man 
 be in his place, and perform the office to which 
 he is appointed, without either pain or palsy ; 
 just like the unconsciousness of healthy organic 
 motion. 
 
 From the connexion, it should seem that 
 though this was written to the Romans di- 
 rectly, yet it must be considered as binding on 
 every part of " the body of Christ ;^^ and there- 
 fore, upon the societies and institutions in 
 which its members are united. Whether their 
 immediate object be the salvation of men at 
 home, or abroad ; the comfort of the poor, or 
 the improvement of the churches ; in each, and 
 in every case, the agents of those societies are 
 bound by this law, to act as parts of the whole 
 body of Christ. Not admitting of an irregular 
 and painful motion, like a paralyzed or dislo- 
 cated limb ; but, maintaining, in each place, the 
 easy usefulness of a healthy member ; which is 
 made and preserved, to be used as an instru- 
 ment, and to be worn as a decoration by the 
 whole body. 
 
 2. The word of God affords many clear di- 
 rections respecting the general consultation of 
 
104 
 
 the church. The necessity of this, as a means 
 of performing the duty imposed, is enough to 
 render it obligatory on Christians ; because, 
 when a principal object is required, the means 
 which God has rendered necessary to accom- 
 plish it, are also required by the same authority. 
 If, then, the whole church is bound to act as 
 one family, subject to the laws of one house- 
 hold, and under the care of one parent ; there 
 must be some means of conference, or consulta- 
 tion ; some way in which the children may un- 
 derstand the purposes and feelings of each 
 other. Consequently, it is not to be expected 
 that such consultations would be positively en- 
 joined in the Scripture. The use of them is 
 implied in the law which demands the unity of 
 the church. But, still, as it respects the occa- 
 sions, the means, and the method, of conduct- 
 ing them, much may be learned from the in- 
 spired examples recorded in the Acts of the 
 Apostles. 
 
 The obligation thus to unite in consulting the 
 means for advancing the kingdom of heaven, 
 if it were not implied as a means essential to 
 its duties, would be almost demonstrated from 
 the antiquity and constancy of the practice. 
 For though a single part of the church might 
 have been deluded into a point of sinful expedi- 
 
105 
 
 ency, and this may have prevailed for a time, 
 yet it is hard to suppose that God should have 
 suffered the whole body of his people to have 
 thus sunk into error from the very beginning. 
 The truth seems to be this, since the death of 
 our Lord the providence of God has constantly 
 brought the church into such conditions, as 
 made its unity manifest by the common danger 
 of its interests and members : and these mem- 
 bers have thus been made to feel their common 
 necessity; and to consult for their common 
 safety and success. 
 
 The word council has for many ages been 
 appropriated to the description of these united 
 consultations of the church. The word has, 
 moreover, this advantage, it brings down through 
 all the alterations of time, the real nature of 
 those assemblies ; for a council is an assembly 
 met for mutual conference ; it supposes the 
 right, and the need of consultation, to exist in 
 the whole and every part : it is not a meeting of 
 rulers exalted with kingly power, but of ser- 
 vants employed in the performance of common 
 duties. The object of their consultation was 
 not to make laws, but to understand and obey 
 those that were already made for them. The 
 council of the church could never with propriety 
 be denominated legislative, it was nothing 
 p5 
 
 ^ 
 
106 
 
 more than the consultation of many brethren 
 or fellow servants, who held one master even 
 Christ. 
 
 In this form, with more or less simplicity, 
 the act of consultation has been constantly 
 performed. But the wicked neglect of its en- 
 tire subordination to the law of God, has often 
 destroyed the intended benefit, and made the 
 results of conference between its own members, 
 bitterly afflictive to the body of Christ. The 
 cause of all the evil is not in the existence of 
 the thing, but in the change of its object and 
 temper; its brotherly character becomes merged 
 in a legislative authority, and the tenderness of 
 fraternal advice, is lost in the harsh and often 
 absurd decrees of those who exalt themselves 
 as gods in the presence of their brethren. In this 
 position a noble genius, and an ambitious gene- 
 rosity, have often been exposed to the severest 
 disappointment and ridicule : but the mutual 
 consultation of those who are mutually bound to 
 extend the triumphs of redeeming mercy still 
 remains, a matter of the most serious obligation, 
 as well as a source of the richest benefit. 
 
 The nature, objects and method of this Chris- 
 tian consultation, will be seen with tolerable 
 distinctness, if we just trace the several in- 
 stances of its use, which are recorded in the 
 
107 
 
 Acts of the Apostles. The first was occasioned 
 by the vacancy in the apostolate through the 
 ruin of Judas Iscariot, which was finally filled 
 up by the appointment of Matthias.* The 
 second was the pentecost, for then a special 
 convention of the brethren was held, when the 
 Spirit was poured out from on high.f The 
 third was a time of affliction, when Peter was 
 seized in the temple, and combined in its object 
 special prayer, as well as special consultation.^ 
 The fourth was occasioned by the necessity of 
 assistants to take the care of the poor, and the 
 temporal things, when seven deacons were 
 elected. II A fifth occurred in the case of Peter, 
 when the great question of preaching the gos- 
 pel to the Gentiles was determined. § A sixth 
 was occasioned by the dispute at Antioch, re- 
 specting the duty of circumcising the Gentiles.^ 
 Others are hinted at in the epistles, but not 
 distinctlyrecorded, probably, because they were 
 not important for our instruction. 
 
 From these cases several facts may be deter- 
 mined. As first, that a general convention 
 of believers was called, whenever God, in his 
 
 * Acts i. 15. II Acts vi. 9. 
 
 t Acts ii. 1 . § Acts xi. 1 . 
 
 + Acts iv. 23. witli v. 31 . H Acts xv. 1. 
 
 F 5 
 
108 
 
 providence, made it necessary. In the case of 
 Matthias, and the deacons, they met as electors ; 
 to choose from amongst the members of the 
 church, individuals to fill important offices. At 
 the pentecost, and in the persecution, they 
 were brought together by common danger and 
 necessity. In the case of Peter, and the dispute 
 at Antioch, they had to consult on the settle- 
 ment of important points of practical duty. 
 First, whether the Gentiles should be taught ; 
 and secondly, whether the believing Gentiles 
 should be compelled to obey the law of Moses. 
 Indeed, they were like plain men, involved in 
 one great interest, and united in one great 
 toil, who laboured apart, and consulted together ; 
 just as they were compelled by providential 
 arrangements. Secondly, that each meeting re- 
 ceived a peculiar character from the peculiar 
 occasion which called for it. It was marked 
 with solemn and religious feeling ; but, the de- 
 gree of religious exercise, was regulated by the 
 matter in hand. When an election was required 
 they elected ; when consultation, they consulted 
 with free and friendly discussion. If explana- 
 tion was required, they explained ; and when 
 the occasion was a heavy affliction, which they 
 had no power to remove, they remained in deep 
 prostration before God, until he afforded relief. 
 
109 
 
 Thirdly, all these meetings were privileged by 
 the highest possible human authority, and the 
 greatest created advantages. The apostles were 
 all men of great moral worth ; of the most un- 
 questionable devotedness ; they were placed be- 
 yond the influence of earthly policies ; whatever 
 they determined would be despised in the ar- 
 rangements of the empire : still, everything 
 pressed upon them with a force which must 
 have fixed all their attention on the point in 
 hand, and drawn out their utmost energies. It 
 was the age of the church's infancy, or rather 
 the period of its struggle for existence. For 
 this moment of mighty trial they were trained, 
 to it they were called, and in consequence of 
 its claims, they were specially endowed with 
 miraculous powers. As the constitution of the 
 church was then to be formed for its earthly 
 existence, and the law given for its perpetual 
 governance, the apostles who attended all these 
 meetings were rendered infallible; and their 
 decisions invested with an authority, which is 
 much more solemn and binding, than any pos- 
 sessed by the councils of the church which have 
 been subsequently convened. 
 
 Fourthly. Nothing is more manifest in the 
 whole of these general meetings than the 
 spirit of deep subordination with which they 
 
110 
 
 are tinctured. In all of them, the will of God, 
 without a single sophistical fetch, is made their 
 only law. If the business be an election, it is 
 done in the deepest prostration and prayer. If 
 they are in distress, they wait in the depend- 
 ence of children at their Father's feet. If they 
 have to settle a point of duty and discipline, all 
 they inquire for is the will of their Lord. The 
 question of utility never arises. Nothing is re- 
 commended on the ground of earthly expedi- 
 ence. It seemed good to them, because, as 
 the arguments prove, God had shown it to be 
 his will. They consulted, and prayed, as fellow- 
 servants and brethren : and in no other capa- 
 city whatever. Hence we have the very 
 strongest proof, that the legislative and divine 
 authority assumed by councils of a more recent 
 date, is a false assumption, invented for political 
 purposes, to injure and abuse mankind. 
 
 Fifthly. From this view of the general consul- 
 tations of the church, it will be very clear, that 
 the idea of a legislative authority is no more to 
 be entertained in them, than in the meetings of 
 any particular part. The church which met at 
 Antioch, was an assembly of brethren beloved 
 in the Lord, and the apostles and messengers 
 who met to consult at Jerusalem, bore the 
 same character. They were servants and chil- 
 
Ill 
 
 dren bound by the will of their Father who is 
 in heaven. This was their highest and most 
 distinctive character ; the infaUibiUty given to 
 a few, was nothing more than an endowment 
 given to one child, for the purpose of guiding 
 the conduct of the whole family. In this way 
 they had recourse to all means for shortening 
 the process. They communicated by letter ; 
 those who could not attend the assembly 
 elected and sent their messengers; they re- 
 spected the decisions of the whole, as the 
 pious and accurate interpretation of the will of 
 God ; but the only authority to which they 
 submitted, was that to which the whole uni- 
 verse is subjected — the law of the eternal 
 Creator. 
 
 The best exposition we have of these trans- 
 actions is afforded in the epistle to the Gala- 
 tians. In this we see the difficulty respecting 
 circumcision revived in a way which proves 
 that the church was not unanimous in the opi- 
 nion entertained on this subject. The apostle 
 refers to the authority on which he, himself, 
 proclaimed the doctrine of justification by faith. 
 It was not on the authority of the church, 
 nor on the decree of the council, but on the 
 revelation of Jesus Christ, to whom both 
 
112 
 
 church and council were subjected.* He states 
 his entire independence of their decree in the 
 performance of his work.f That when he was 
 there he never thought of receiving such autho- 
 rity.J That such authority was never required 
 of him by the churches, though he was unknown 
 to them personally ; the proof of his inspiration 
 being given to all, they glorified, not him, for 
 his work, but God in him, for the authority 
 and power he displayed. § The whole of his 
 courage, and the whole of their confidence, 
 were thus reposed on the authority of God 
 alone. 
 
 Still he did refer to the assembly at Jeru- 
 salem, but after fourteen years of further 
 labour. What, then, was the nature of that 
 reference ? Why, first, it was not an ordinary 
 act, he went up by special revelation, for a spe- 
 cial purpose. § The whole of the transaction 
 is not recorded : the special object of the mis- 
 sion is not very fully known : but whilst he 
 was there he communicated to them the glad 
 tidings he proclaimed to the Gentiles. |( The 
 
 * Gal. i. 12. t Gal. i. 17. 
 
 t Gal. i. 19. § Gal. i. 21,24. 
 
 II Gal. ii. 1, 2. II Chap. ii. 2. 
 
113 
 
 reason for this was, his care, lest he should 
 teach, or should have taught, what was vain. 
 The decision is exemplified in the case of 
 Titus, who was a Greek, and not required to 
 be circumcised.* This seems to refer to the 
 council held respecting this question, and the 
 time agrees with it. Hence we learn, first, that 
 the occasion for this conference was the dispute 
 raised by false brethren, who sought to bring 
 them into bondage. f Secondly, that when a 
 dispute arose, the apostle, though sustained 
 by the confidence of an infallible inspiration, 
 would, nevertheless, have meekness to submit 
 to a general consultation. Thirdly, that this 
 consultation added nothing to the perfect know- 
 ledge with which he was inspired. And, 
 fourthly, that, though he was thus supported, 
 he never assumed any other authority than 
 that of a fellow-creature, who confidently 
 declared the law by which the Creator had 
 subjected all things unto himself. iVnd hence 
 we may learn that those who despise the con- 
 sultations of the church, and those who corrupt 
 them with a wicked love of power, are both 
 alike opposed to the will of God, and liable to 
 the marks of his displeasure. 
 
 * Chap. ii. 3. t Chap. ii. 4. 
 
114 
 
 3. God has, in great mercy, revealed the 
 sympathy with which this mutual consultation 
 of the churches sho'uld be animated. In this the 
 word of divine truth defines, with great clear- 
 ness, both the occasions and the nature of the 
 sympathy. 
 
 1. The occasions for this sympathy are in 
 general all those events in providence which 
 relate to the spiritual health and happiness of 
 the whole body. But some are more particu- 
 larly exhibited. 
 
 First, this sympathy is enjoined in those 
 cases of spiritual danger, to which the churches 
 are liable, in consequence of imperfect views 
 of divine truth. In this they felt and acted 
 as though the church were one body. As 
 soon, therefore, as the gospel had spread, 
 and churches were formed in Phenice, Cy- 
 prus, and Antioch; Barnabus was sent from 
 Jerusalem to instruct, exhort, and confirm 
 them.* When churches had been formed in 
 many other countries, Paul and Barnabus went 
 out again; to visit the brethren in every city 
 where they had preached the word, and to 
 see how they did.f It was not the care of one, 
 but the care of all the churches, that rested on 
 
 * Acts xi. 22. t Acts xv. 36. 
 
115 
 
 their minds ; as the parts of one great family, 
 requiring perfect instruction. Hence, the pre- 
 cise, and fervent exhortations that are given in 
 the general epistles of Peter, of James, of Jude, 
 and of John. As the union of individual be- 
 lievers in one church, so the union of individual 
 churches in the whole body, determined the 
 combined solicitude of the whole, on the teach- 
 ing and edification of the several parts. 
 
 Secondly. This mutual sympathy was further 
 awakened by the danger to which the churches 
 were exposed, from the encroachments of 
 worldly policy and unfaithfulness. From thence 
 proceeded the concern to secure the faithful 
 discharge of discipline, both in the admission 
 of members, the election of officers, and the 
 purity of fraternal intercourse. The two 
 epistles of Paul to the Corinthians, are speci- 
 mens of this concern, and of the personal dis- 
 interestedness with which it was cherished. 
 The exhortations given to Timothy and Titus, 
 respecting the appointment of bishops and 
 deacons, are of the same kind. The epistles 
 to the seven churches in the Revelations of 
 John are fall of this solicitude, and the other 
 epistles abound in exhortations to that kind of 
 fidelity which must form the basis of mutual 
 confidence in the whole. 
 
116 
 
 Thirdly. This mutual sympathy was greatly 
 displayed in cases of poverty, especially in 
 those produced by faithful consecration to 
 their Lord. By this, when the church was 
 principally situated in Judea, they voluntarily 
 submitted to have but one treasury, and made 
 all their possessions common. Every thing 
 was laid down at the apostles' feet to supply 
 the wants of the whole ; and, when the 
 churches were multiplied in other countries, 
 and those in Judea were visited with famine, 
 those that had abundance, communicated of 
 their fulness to them that had need ; and so 
 produced an equality.* In this, as in other 
 things, they acted together as one great con- 
 gregation of men, who believed, desired, and 
 suffered the same things. 
 
 Fourthly. This mutual sympathy was greatly 
 awakened by their mutual danger from the 
 persecution of the world. Hence, the solici- 
 tude everywhere shown for the safety of each 
 other. This drew forth their courage to a 
 point of magnificence which has never been 
 equalled, for serene devotedness, by any thing 
 that has yet been exhibited in th€ fields of war. 
 From hence proceed, all those glowing exhor- 
 tations to constancy and faithfulness, which 
 * Acts xi. 27. I Cor. xvi. 2. 
 
117 
 
 are founded on the hope of celestial glory, and 
 which distinguish the apostolical epistles from 
 all other writings in the world. The epistle to 
 the Hebrews is one entire and magnificent 
 example of this sympathy with the saints in 
 persecution; and the passages that might be 
 selected from the other parts of inspired truth, 
 exceed the noblest strains of human poetry, in 
 the chaste and magnanimous feeling they exem- 
 plify. II Cor. iv. & V. chapters. II Tim. vi. chap. 
 I Peter iv. 12 — 19. Rev. ii. & iii. chapters. 
 
 Fifthly. The sympathy of the whole church 
 was seen, in the joy that was felt when the 
 comfort, spirituality, and success, of any par- 
 ticular part, became manifest. Hence the 
 glowing emotion, with which the apostles 
 yearned over these churches, which became 
 their glory and joy. Hence the frequency 
 with which they make mention of them in their 
 prayers, and bless God on their behalf. And 
 this feeling of the apostles was not confined to 
 them. The fellow-labourers, and the private 
 Christians, partook of it in so large a degree, 
 that they seem to be animated with one soul. 
 They had One in heaven, touched with the feel- 
 ing of all their infirmities, and they felt them- 
 selves bound to be touched with the infirmities 
 of each other. In heaven there was joy over 
 
118 
 
 one sinner that repented, and it appeared in 
 them guilty not to rejoice too. 
 
 These specimens of Christian sympathy may 
 serve to guide the churches in seeking after 
 opportunities for indulging it. For, though 
 the point to be considered now, is rather the 
 obligation which is involved in the example of 
 inspired men, and churches under their care, 
 which received their approbation ; the practice 
 of this duty will be found so much incorporated 
 with real improvement and felicity in spiritual 
 things, and so conducive to raise the mind of 
 man above the care and pollution of the world; 
 that when once a true believer comes to be at 
 home in its exercise, he will be compelled to 
 call it an indulgence rather than a duty. 
 
 This statement will be more fully proved, if 
 two passages be considered, which serve to 
 explain the nature of this Christian sympathy. 
 The first is in the 13th chap, of the 1st epistle 
 to the Corinthians. The feeling is here 
 described as it lives and acts in the soul of a 
 single saint, without any regard to a particular 
 station or office. It is not the paltry smooth- 
 ness of encroaching selfishness, but the glow- 
 ing flame of Christian charity, extending its 
 generous influence to whomsever it touches. 
 Hence, the man is supposed to be placed in a 
 
119 
 
 great variety of circumstances which call it into 
 exercise. If he suiFer, charity makes him suffer 
 long. If he see another needing benefit, charity 
 makes the Christian kind, and submit to be 
 used. If he see another happy, the charitable 
 Christian will not envy him. If he be himself 
 exalted, and fortunate ; charity will not suffer 
 him to be vain or proud. If mingled with man- 
 kind in social freedom, he will not behave 
 unseemly. He will not seek to gratify his self- 
 ishness, though he be a necessitous creature 
 like other men. If insulted, he will not be 
 easily provoked. If wise, he will contrive no 
 evil. When iniquity is visible, it will not make 
 him rejoice; though the truth itiay be unplea- 
 sant, it will make him glad. He that has cha- 
 rity, will bear all that can be borne ; he will 
 believe all that can be believed ; he will hope 
 when any ground for hope can by possibility 
 be discovered; and he will endure all things 
 that can be endured. He is one whose gene- 
 rous tenderness is touched with the effect 
 which any thing may have upon another's 
 mind, and acts as one who sympathizes, who 
 suffers with him. 
 
 The second passage is given in the 12 th 
 chapter of the Romans, from the 9th verse. In 
 this the same feeling is described, but with 
 
120 
 
 some peculiar modifications. The whole of 
 the description is founded on the facts, that all 
 the duties there mentioned are admitted so to be, 
 and that the principle of love is professed by 
 every Christian. If then, the acts described be 
 duties in themselves, the love professed would 
 naturally give some modification to their per- 
 formance. This, then, is the point of the 
 apostles exhortation. You are bound by divine 
 law to reject evil, and seek good, to exercise a 
 brotherly love, to honour those to whom honour 
 is due, to fulfil your engagements, to hope, to 
 suffer tribulation, to pray, relieve the distressed, 
 and to entertain strangers, &c. &c. But you 
 profess in addition this Christian love, which is 
 avowed as the willing friendship of the heart. 
 Let this therefore be without dissimulation; and 
 like a sincere affection, let it give perfectness, and 
 vivacity, to every performance. Do not forsake 
 evil merely, let your affection be shown by 
 your abhorring that which is evil ; by your 
 cleaving as if glued to that which is good. Do 
 every thing as though you loved the work and 
 the persons for whom it is performed. In bro- 
 therly love, being tenderly affectionate ; in ho- 
 nour, preferring one another; in business not 
 slothful, but fervent in spirit, as one who loves 
 it, and feels that he is serving the Lord ; re- 
 
121 
 
 joicing in hope as those who love the coming 
 joy ; in tribulation patient, like those who love 
 the object for whom they suiFer ; in prayer, 
 instant, like men who pray for those they love ; 
 holding fellowship with the saints, not in their 
 hope and comforts merely, but in their neces- 
 sities also ; seeking with earnestness occasions 
 for hospitality. Let every thing be inspired 
 with this undisguised affection, bless even those 
 that curse you, bless and curse not. Rejoice 
 with them that rejoice, and weep with them 
 that weep. Let the same sympathy be ex- 
 tended also to each other, not minding high 
 things, but condescending even to men of low 
 estate; be not wise in your own conceits. Let 
 your sincere love make you willing to recom- 
 pence evil for evil to no man, but rather to de- 
 vise the things which all shall admire : if it be 
 possible, live in peace with all mankind. Not 
 avenging yourselves, beloved, but rather give 
 place unto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is 
 mine, I will repay saith the Lord. If, there- 
 fore, thine enemy hunger, feed him ; if he 
 thirst, give him drink ; for in so doing, thou 
 shalt heap coals of fire on his head, which 
 would soften the blade of a sword. If your love 
 be sincere, do not be conquered by evil, but 
 overcome evil with good. 
 
 G 
 
122 
 
 This Christian charity, therefore, is the root 
 out of which the sympathy of the saints must 
 spring. It is placed before all talents, gifts, 
 and services, that can be possessed, or done, in 
 the church; because it is essential to their 
 worth, and will exist in heaven; the bond of 
 all union, and an element in all the happiness, 
 which are there to be enjoyed. It survives the 
 exercise both of faith and hope, and will grow 
 more perfect, in the perfect knowledge of eter- 
 nity. But even here it is destined to grow to a 
 state of eminent strength, beauty, and fruit- 
 fulness, and one of its principal productions is, 
 the sympathy of the saints. It is not confined 
 to one exercise of duty, nor to one of exertion. 
 It must blend the interests, and desires of 
 members in a single church, animating all 
 their worship and intercourse. It must also 
 bind churches to each other, inspiring all their 
 energies and exertions. It must raise the saints 
 above the paltry dominion of party and denom- 
 inational interests. By this, the inhabitants of 
 all nations are to be made partakers of each 
 other's joy or woe. Depressed by no sorrow, 
 diverted by no evil, distracted by no discord, 
 it is fed by the heavenly influence like a sacred 
 fire on the altar of each heart. It is thus the 
 proof of God's own presence in his own temple. 
 
123 
 
 the vital Spirit quickening the body of Christ. 
 And though it exist in the human mind, yet it 
 is an attribute of Deity induced upon our fallen 
 nature; for God is love, and he that dwelleth 
 in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. 
 
 4. In respect to the means of enlarging the 
 church, and increasing its spiritual usefulness, 
 the will of God has been explicitly declared, 
 on many points most important for the 
 direction of his servants. " For when Jesus 
 ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men. 
 And he gave some apostles, some prophets, 
 and some evangelists, and some pastors and 
 teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for 
 the work of the ministry, for the edifying of 
 the body of Christ; till we all come into the 
 unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
 Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the 
 measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; 
 that we henceforth be no more children tossed 
 to and fro, and carried about with every wind 
 of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning 
 craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
 but speaking the truth in love, may grow up 
 into him in all things, which is the head, even 
 Christ : from whom the whole body fitly framed 
 together and compacted by that which every 
 part supplieth, according to the effectual work- 
 G 2 
 
124 
 
 ing in the measure of every part, maketh 
 increase of the body unto the edifying of itself 
 in love."* From this and other passages of the 
 same kind it is easy to learn that every thing 
 of a worldly and compulsory kind is left out, 
 and stands condemned by him, who declared 
 in the time of his sorrow, that his kingdom is 
 not of this world. 
 
 The great means of enlarging the church 
 then, is the work of the ministry, which con- 
 sists in speaking the truth in love ; com- 
 municating the great peculiarities of gospel 
 truth in so clear and convincing a manner as to 
 make the men of this world see that their true 
 interest and honour are involved in the perfor- 
 mance of their spiritual duty. This, whether it 
 relate to the honour of God, the acceptance of 
 Christ, or the exaltation of the Holy Spirit, is 
 called the work of God's husbandry ; the cul- 
 tivation of true piety in the hearts of men. It 
 constitutes, as before explained, one great de- 
 partment of duty devolving on each particular 
 church. But the labour of a single church can 
 only extend to a small sphere around the spot 
 on which it meets. The untaught nations 
 remain destitute, and many portions of those 
 
 * Eph. iv. 8—17. 
 
12.5 
 
 countries already blessed with gospel light would 
 still remain uninstructed unless a more extended 
 operation, adapted to the condition of the world. 
 had been employed. 
 
 It is this indeed, which the Lord intended, 
 when he first commanded the apostles and bre- 
 thren to go forth into all the world, and preach 
 the gospel to every creature. The expressions 
 were not understood at first, and when the 
 apostles were made to understand that they 
 were not to despise the Gentiles, they still 
 manifested a desire to devote their attention to 
 the culture of Jerusalem and Judea. But, God 
 in his gracious providence, scattered them 
 through the force of persecution; so that they 
 went everywhere, preaching the word. He 
 thus showed that the great object of their 
 labour was not to exhaust their whole strength 
 upon one place, but to give the whole world, if 
 possible, an opportunity of embracing the truth. 
 The race of man was regarded as being in a 
 state of extreme danger, and they were required 
 to explain to all the way which infinite mercy 
 had provided, for their escape. Hence they 
 were ambassadors for God, and as though God 
 did beseech by them, they entreated a fallen 
 world to be reconciled to God. 
 
126 
 
 One great class of instruments employed in 
 this work, was intended only for the special 
 occasion. They were endowed with miraculous 
 powers through the inspiration of the Holy 
 Spirit. The object to be secured by this was 
 twofold. First, the infallible declaration of 
 divine truth, and the completion of sacred 
 Scripture. Secondly, the attestation of divine 
 truth, by the exhibitions of divine power. 
 Thus, every one who professes to be inspired, 
 must be asked for his divine credentials : for, as 
 soon as the Scripture was perfect, and the number 
 of saints, by whose holy lives and happy deaths 
 the gospel had been reduced to experimental 
 proof, were multiplied: then the power of 
 working miracles ceased, and the inspiration of 
 the Spirit was withheld. 
 
 It is not impossible for God to restore these 
 gifts, nor is it said that he never will, but, until 
 a sufficient proof has been given that he really 
 has, the claim cannot be allowed. Nor can the 
 examples of miraculous exertions, ever form a 
 rule for those, to whom no miraculous power 
 has been given. They must never rely upon 
 it, nor must they profess it, unless they choose 
 to incur the penalty of a daring presumption. 
 
 But, in the capacity in which they acted, 
 without any regard to miraculous agency, there 
 
127 
 
 they become guides to those that have to follow 
 them. Here there are several points deserv-' 
 ing particular notice. 
 
 First. A most extensive agency was employed 
 by the churches in Judea and other countries, 
 to diffuse the knowledge of Jesus through the 
 dark parts of their own land. In aiding this 
 work every individual seemed to take an interest, 
 and every journey was made subservient to it. 
 The deacons, the apostles, the pastors and 
 private members, all took a part in it, accord- 
 ing to the extent of their capabilities. It was 
 a matter of soul stirring solicitude to the whole 
 church. They desired it when in peace, but 
 they wrought more effectually when they were 
 persecuted. And, whilst it agreed with the 
 words of the commission, and arose out of the 
 appointments of providence, it was sustained 
 by the constant gifts of mercy; and attended 
 with immense success. It thus received every 
 kind of divine approval, as a standing obli- 
 gation on the churches. 
 
 Secondly. Special messengers were sent to la- 
 bour amongst unconverted nations. These, for 
 the most part, were men of the greatest piety 
 and mental resources. They might not excel in 
 every thing, but Paul, Barnabas, Peter, John, 
 Luke, and others, so employed, were men of 
 
128 
 
 eminence in their own department^ and in that 
 particular way which fitted them for their work. 
 The reason for this appears in the fact that 
 this work was the most arduous^ most dan- 
 gerous^ and the most beset with temptation ; 
 a work, in which piety would be exposed to all 
 kinds of hazard, at a time when no pious suc- 
 cour could be found to sustain the fainting spi- 
 rit. Hence they were selected with great care, 
 often by special direction of the Spirit: and 
 set apart with great solemnity: their wants 
 were supplied by the united exertions of the 
 brethren, who all commended them to the 
 grace of God. Thus, whilst the church was 
 one, it maintained an aggressive apparatus that 
 was constantly acting on the unconverted world. 
 By this, the basest scenes of idolatry were 
 visited and purged. The strongest fortress of 
 infidelity was assaulted, and razed to the 
 ground; and the most cruel, and ambitious 
 city in the world was ultimately humbled at the 
 foot of the cross, which had been raised by one 
 of its meanest soldiers. From hence, it is 
 clearly seen that the King in Zion did not 
 mean to confine his operations to one spot until 
 the work was complete, but to carry it on by 
 many hands, and in many places, at the same 
 
129 
 
 time ; venturing all on the confident expectation 
 of an universal triumph. 
 
 Thirdly. The enlargement and perfection of 
 the church, was promoted by special visitations, 
 or extended superintendence. The former is 
 exemplified in the case of Paul and Barnabas,* 
 in the case of Peter and John,t and in that of 
 Barnabas. + By these the labours of other bre- 
 thren were confirmed and perfected, and the 
 converts guided in their combined exertions to 
 cultivate and extend the Christian faith. Of 
 the latter there are three special instances 
 furnished in the sacred Scriptures, in Timothy, 
 John, and Titus. Timothy was left by Paul at 
 Ephesus, to watch over, organize, and direct, 
 the churches in Lesser Asia. iVfter he had 
 been removed to other work, John was placed 
 in the same station, and wrote for the use of 
 those churches the gospel called by his name, 
 the three epistles, and the apocalypse. Titus 
 was entrusted with the churches in the Island 
 of Crete. These had to watch over the whole, 
 to supply defects in knowledge and practice, 
 and direct the operations that might be origi- 
 nated for extending the kingdom of heaven 
 there. 
 
 " Acts XV. 36. t Acts viii. 1-t. 
 
 X Acts XI. 22. 
 G 5 
 
130 
 
 This kind of brotherly superintendence has 
 now failed, yet not altogether it prevails to a 
 considerable extent amongst the Moravian bre- 
 thren.* The iron dominion of episcopacy has ren- 
 dered the idea frightful to the voluntary churches, 
 but if any one will read carefully the epistles to 
 Timothy and Titus, the epistles and Revelation 
 of John, and especially the seven letters to the 
 seven churches: he will see that the benefit 
 lost by this deviation from apostolical practice, 
 is not small; and that the obligation of return- 
 ing to it is not to be despised. 
 
 From a review of all the transactions in the 
 apostolical age, it will appear, that the great 
 means employed was oral instruction, books 
 were employed, but not to a great extent. By 
 the foolishness of preaching, God had ordained 
 to save them that believe. The great object, 
 was to direct this preaching of the cross, so 
 as to make it produce the greatest effect on the 
 unconverted world. Hence their constant sup- 
 plication of divine help, their dependence on 
 divine direction, and the entire resignation of 
 their hearts to the sacred spirit of God, when- 
 ever the intimations of his will were graciously 
 afforded. But as the ministry was the great 
 engine employed, it is desirable to inquire if 
 
 * See Best's Ilistorv of the Moravians. 
 
131 
 
 any facts could be obtained to guide the prepa- 
 rations of such agency. 
 
 The first case to be examined, is that of 
 Christ and his apostles. These men, so greatly 
 exalted by the grace of God, have often been 
 regarded in an erroneous light. They had spe- 
 cial endowments, but these were given them for 
 specific purposes : their inspiration rendered 
 them infallible in completing the books of 
 sacred Scripture ; but this is no longer to be 
 performed, and, therefore the inspiration is no 
 longer needful. Their gifts of working miracles 
 were given to justify their claim to divine inspi- 
 ration, but these are no longer needed, because 
 no one is now endowed with that high authority. 
 The two great privileges of the first age have 
 ceased to be given, because they have ceased 
 to be useful. But these were not the principal 
 means of procuring them success. If they had 
 been idle, indifferent to the cases and necessities 
 of the flock, and careless of their own devotion 
 and virtue : all these endowments would have 
 made them as useless as Balaam the son of 
 Peor ; and the abuse of them, would have drawn 
 down upon their heads a judgement, as heavy 
 as that which fell on Judas. Hence, in respect 
 to themselves, they had to maintain the con- 
 flict of faith, and to keep under their bodies. 
 
132 
 
 lest, after having preached to others, they 
 themselves should become cast away. Their 
 labours, like those of their successors, became 
 successful only as they were blessed by the Holy 
 Spirit ; though they wrought miracles, and 
 were inspired, they could not convert souls of 
 themselves. God alone could give the increase. 
 It is plain, therefore, that their labours were to 
 be conducted by similar means, and were made 
 dependent on the same Spirit ; and required the 
 same spirituality, and diligent constancy ; 
 which are now and always must be required 
 in the ministers of Jesus Christ. 
 
 The question, therefore, is, whether this was 
 given them by supernatural, or by ordinary 
 means. The answer is, not by supernatural, 
 but by ordinary means. The Saviour drew 
 them round his person, in close, and familiar, 
 intercourse. He taught them with the utmost 
 diligence and simplicity. In his parables and 
 conversations, all the great principles of moral 
 truth are beautifully developed and applied to 
 practical affairs. The doctrine of mercy was 
 unfolded as far as they could understand and 
 bear it, and the practice of teachmg it ex- 
 plained. They had line on line, and precept 
 upon precept. He placed before their eyes 
 the mild magnificence of his own example. In 
 
133 
 
 this they were made to see the practical exem- 
 plification of his own law ; applied as to the ex- 
 ternal duties of their station, and the motives 
 that must govern their hearts. They were 
 brought into his retirement : they joined in his 
 conversations; they witnessed his humility, ten- 
 derness, and constant diligence. He sent them 
 out on special duties, and made them labour 
 under his own eye. He became a servant for 
 their sakes, and thus he taught them how to 
 obey. By every means he stirred the energy 
 within them. As an eagle stiiTeth up her nest, 
 fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her 
 wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings ; 
 so the Lord himself did lead them, and train 
 them for their mighty undertaking. 
 
 If this process had been purely supernatural, 
 the effect would have been complete at once, 
 like any other miracle. But this was not the 
 case. They all advanced by degrees, and in 
 some cases, but slowly. Their knowledge was 
 not perfect, and their hearts were not made 
 instantly pure. In Judas, the whole seems to 
 have failed, for his love of money became his 
 ruin. The imperfection of Peter was but too 
 visible. The whole nmst be regarded as a 
 lenghthened course of moral training, which 
 occupied nearly the whole three years of the 
 
134 
 
 Saviour's ministry : and if there seem to be a 
 completeness in his work, it is only the com- 
 plete performance of this great engagement, in 
 which he presents himself as a perfect example 
 for the constant imitation of such as are thus 
 employed. 
 
 The second authoritative example is sup- 
 plied in the case of Titus. He was a Greek, 
 and went up with Paul, when he attended the 
 consultation at Jerusalem. It would not have 
 appeared clearly what the object of this con- 
 nexion was, if it were not for the epistle writ- 
 ten to him when placed over the churches in 
 Crete. From hence, however, it would seem to 
 be obvious, that Paul took him to assist in the 
 work under his own eye,that he might enter upon 
 the sacred duty in a state of more perfect pre- 
 paration. Thus he became the companion of his 
 toil, the student of his doctrine, and the wit- 
 ness of his purity and perseverance. The time 
 employed in his training and discipline is not 
 known, but the epistle which was written when 
 he entered on the station assigned for him in 
 Crete, contains an immensely complete body of 
 instruction, which still remains a treasure. , to 
 the churches. 
 
 The third example is afforded in the case of 
 Timothy. He had known the Scriptures from 
 
135 
 
 his youth, and was still but young. It was dis- 
 cerned that God had endowed him with gifts 
 adapted to the work, and Paul, therefore, would 
 have him to go forth with him. His engage- 
 ments may be traced with more fulness, but 
 the narration is by no means complete. This, 
 however, is known, that he was made the com- 
 panion of his labour, the witness of his ex- 
 ample, and the student of his doctrine. His 
 engagements, under the direction of Paul, were 
 numerous and important. At length, he is 
 left at Ephesus, to reprove the teachers of false 
 doctrine, and arrange the affairs in the churches 
 that had been formed in different cities. It is 
 then that one might see the kind of training to 
 which he had been admitted. It resembled 
 that which a father gives to his son more than 
 any other. Every thing that enters at all into 
 his health or usefulness, is touched with a most 
 masterly hand, never was a discipline more com- 
 plete and delicate. He pours over his '' dear 
 son in the fath," the warmest effusions of the 
 most exalted love. The state of his health, the 
 danger of his situation, and the completeness 
 of his enjoyment, are all regarded with the ut- 
 most solicitude. The fervour of the exhort- 
 ations, and the dignity of the spirit in which 
 the epistles are written, have no parallel in the 
 
136 
 
 pages of the most exalted poetry. They form a 
 perfect directory for ministerial duties, standing 
 altogether alone in the literature possessed by 
 mankind. 
 
 The fourth case is that of Apollos and it is very 
 clear. He was first converted to the doctrine of 
 John the Baptist ; and taught it with great flu- 
 ency. In this state he was found by Priscilla 
 and Acquila. They, seeing his adaptation to 
 useful labour, taught him the way of God more 
 perfectly. He was then recommended to the 
 brethren in x\chaia ; and helped them much 
 who through grace had believed. He was an 
 eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, 
 and shared in the labour of Paul at Corinth. 
 To him the expression refers, " Paul may 
 plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the 
 increase." 
 
 In the application of these examples to 
 present use, several particulars require to be 
 observed. 
 
 For, in the first place, the language in which 
 the sacred Scriptures are written, was then the 
 language most used upon the face of the earth. 
 The conquests of the Greeks, and the value of 
 their books, had made it everywhere known. 
 In this men conversed, and conducted most 
 of their business and intercourse. The Old 
 
137 
 
 Testament had been translated into Greek, 
 and the New Testament was written in Greek, 
 they read, and studied, and taught, therefore, 
 in the same tongue. The books were written 
 in the most popular style ; so that the work was 
 as ready to their hands, as it would be for a 
 teacher in this country, to read and explain the 
 clearest history written and circulated in the 
 English language. 
 
 Secondly. They lived very near to the time in 
 which the events occurred. The Jewish nation 
 was not yet dispersed, the form of their govern- 
 ment still remained, the temple was yet standing, 
 and the sacrifices offered there, constantly ex- 
 plained the Old Testament. The men who had to 
 study and teach the gospel then, at that time, 
 and under those circumstances, would under- 
 stand every fact, and every figure of speech, 
 the customs of the country which are so often 
 referred to, were familiar to them; and many 
 of the persons named in the sacred history were 
 still alive. They stood, therefore, in a position 
 which made their work as easy as it could pos- 
 sibly be to any one. 
 
 Thirdly. It has been often said, that the first 
 teachers of Christianity were illiterate men. 
 So they were at first. But the discipline they 
 received fi'om their Lord, and the diligence 
 
138 
 
 with which they laboured, made them pecuharly 
 wise in the work of the Lord. They under- 
 stood the doctrines of rehgion, the principles of 
 virtue, and the way of mercy most perfectly. 
 It is wonderful when reading in the original 
 language the epistles and writings of those who 
 were the least instructed, to see the perfect 
 accuracy with which they describe, the duties to 
 be performed, the hopes to be cherished, the 
 sins to be forsaken, and the motives by which 
 the saints must be actuated in seeking the 
 kingdom of heaven. They seemed to know 
 how to persuade better than any men that ever 
 lived. They could find the place of tears, of 
 hope, of fear and shame, and seemed to possess 
 every avenue to the heart of man. They used 
 the greatest plainness of speech, but they never 
 mistake in describing the thing they intend to 
 teach and enforce. But some were more emi- 
 nent than the rest. Luke was more elegant 
 in his writing, but perfectly accurate. Paul 
 was a mighty man both as a scholar and a 
 saint. He had studied all the depths of learn- 
 ing in the Hebrew school, and seemed as 
 though he had imbibed the very spirit of Moses 
 and the prophets. He was so learned in all the 
 books of the Grecian school, that he quotes 
 them with the greatest ease and elegance. It 
 
139 
 
 is not possible to find a single error in all his 
 writings, either in the statement of duty, or the 
 exposure of falsehood, or in painting the feelings 
 of the mind. He uses the very words which 
 the best authors in his day would have used, 
 and which they did use, to describe the exer- 
 cises and virtues of the heart. All human 
 nature seemed to be laid out before him like 
 one vast scene exposed in the clearest light of 
 day. The intricate philosophy of Asia, and the 
 cold infidelity of Athens, were alike unable to 
 stand before his mighty reasoning. His expo- 
 sure of sin made the wicked tremble, though 
 they were seated on a throne; and his exhi- 
 bitions of heavenly glory stirred up the courage 
 of the saint even in the furnace of affliction. 
 In the church and in the v/orld he was the 
 greatest man that ever formed the air of heaven 
 into sound articulate; excepting only the per- 
 son of his Lord. Besides this, the apostle 
 John has shown in the 1st chapter of his gospel 
 a perfect knowledge of the learning that then, 
 and for many ages, prevailed in Asia, so that 
 the apostles cannot be properly called illiterate. 
 They were most deeply learned in all that re- 
 lates to religion and God. 
 
 Fourthly. It is very plain that none of these 
 advantages are naturally possessed by Chris- 
 
140 
 
 ians in this country now. They have to 
 study the sacred Scriptures through the me- 
 dium of translations. These, though they 
 deserve great confidence, can never give the 
 spirit and force of the original. They teach us 
 much of divine truth, and none who read them 
 attentively, and obey them honestly, will ever 
 lose their reward. But they have been so 
 translated, as to give support to systems which 
 men have not been able to justify by a simple 
 appeal to divine authority. Besides, the dis- 
 tance of time, and place, and the entire de- 
 struction of all that state of society which then 
 prevailed, have rendered it difficult to trace 
 the beauty of those allusions which are made 
 by the sacred writers to things that existed 
 when they wrote. The knowledge of those 
 books, and systems of learning, which Paul and 
 the other apostles studied, is not to be pos- 
 sessed by men now, nor have the churches any 
 inspired interpreters by whom these deficiencies 
 may be supplied. God has given to the nations 
 his word, and he is pleased now, having shown 
 its value by the experience of so many ages, to 
 exercise the diligence and faithfulness of his 
 servants, both in studying, and practising, the 
 truth which it contains. 
 
141 
 
 Fifthly. From hence may he seen the duty 
 to be observed in preparing the men who may 
 be called by God to discharge the Christian 
 ministry. Their education should not be 
 worldly, but spiritual. They must be placed 
 as nearly as possible in the same situation, with 
 respect to the people which they have to teach, 
 as that in which the first teachers were placed, 
 in respect to the people they taught. The dis- 
 advantage of the time in which they live must 
 be done away by the study of history, so that 
 they may understand the things as they were 
 when the Saviour lived, and the apostles 
 laboured. The disadvantage of speaking ano- 
 ther language must be surmounted, by study- 
 ing carefully the languages in which the Scrip- 
 tures were written. They ought also to read 
 the books which the apostles quoted, and those 
 which were wTitten and studied in their day. 
 Their knowledge in these things, should be 
 intimate and profound, so that they might, 
 with ease to themselves, and with comfort to 
 their hearers, state the facts which lighten up 
 the sacred page, and make its beautiful solem- 
 nity manifest. Besides this, they should be 
 trained in all the practical duties of their office. 
 They must be taught how to divide the word of 
 truth rightly ; to administer a word in season 
 
142 
 
 to him that is weary. The government of the 
 churches should be fully explained to them; 
 and the best means of instructing the young, 
 the ignorant, and those that are out of the way. 
 As physicians teach their pupils how to treat 
 the diseased bodies of men, so these should be 
 taught how to deal with the diseased souls of 
 men. The precious balm of Gilead is the 
 medicine they have to administer, and they 
 must be taught its healing virtues, and how to 
 administer it with the greatest advantage. 
 The school of these prophets, should be the 
 place of deep devotion, where their hearts may 
 be often filled with the purifying influence of 
 God's own Spirit. Every effort must be em- 
 ployed to make the period of their retirement 
 from the world supply them with the same 
 discipline and benefits which Jesus gave to his 
 apostles in the cities of Judea, and the plains 
 of Galilee. 
 
143 
 
 CHAP. VIII. r 
 
 GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 
 
 Eternal thanks are due to the Father of infi- 
 nite mercy, for having sent his holy word, and 
 for bountifully pouring out his Holy Spirit, to 
 raise up within these realms, multitudes of 
 Christian churches, so nearly resembling in 
 character and constitution, the churches of 
 ancient days. May He who never sleeps watch 
 over them for ever. Amongst them, also, he 
 has raised most graciously, the growing spirit 
 of a merciful adventure in mighty undertaking, 
 for the Saviour's glory. It would be difficult 
 to name them all. Some regard the rising 
 youth, and lead their thoughts to piety ; some 
 embrace the ignorant at home, and point them 
 to the Saviour ; others extend their lovely ener- 
 gies abroad, and tell the heathen they have 
 hope. Now, the sick and indigent are com- 
 forted. Whilst higher efforts train the gifted 
 youth for ministerial exertions. Now, at 
 length God has thought on Zion in his mercy. 
 Wakened from her slumber, she even now 
 shakes off the dust of long polluted ages ; and 
 
144 
 
 putting on the garments of her beauty, she 
 smiles upon the wilderness, and makes it glad. 
 
 Still, let not the sons of Zion be afraid to 
 look upon the imperfection of their work. That 
 which God has wrought in them is proof that 
 he will help them to complete his will. The 
 following queries, therefore, are with humble 
 deference submitted to their careful contem- 
 plation. 
 
 But, before they are stated, it will be right 
 to consider the position in which the Christian 
 churches of England stand; and the steps by 
 which they have been brought into it. 
 
 In 1374, WicklifFe was sent to Rome, to 
 complain against the papal policy, in conferring 
 the benefices in the English church on foreign- 
 ers. By this means the nobles were oppressed, 
 and the provisions furnished by the church for 
 their younger sons were diverted from their 
 use, to bribe the agents of the papal govern- 
 ment. The complaint of the reformer being 
 disregarded in Rome, he appealed to the word 
 of God, and translated it into his native lan- 
 guage. For this he must have died, had not 
 the nobles felt that their interests were at 
 stake, and that this law afforded them the best 
 protection. It would have been happy for 
 England, and the world, if they had yielded 
 
145 
 
 implicit obedience to the precepts of their, 
 Maker ; but, they found that his decree was as 
 much opposed to the injuries they inflicted, as 
 it was to those which they endured : and 
 therefore, after a few concessions from Rome, 
 the bones of Wickliffe were resigned to insult, 
 by the families in which his life had been pre- 
 served. 
 
 After the long reign of Henry ^ II. the 
 nobles were reduced. The whole policy of 
 Rome was then concentrated on the throne. 
 The ambition of Wolsey, and the divorce of 
 Katherine, determined the crisis. The law of 
 God was again adopted as a shield for the royal 
 purpose. To this the king adhered until the 
 nation was delivered from the power of Rome, 
 and the power of the throne was established : 
 but, when his second queen was to be mur- 
 dered, and he wished, in addition, to oppress 
 the puritans, then Henry VIII. a stickler for 
 law, forsook the law of God. 
 
 When the tragic scenes of Mary's martyr- 
 doms had closed in the accession of Elizabeth 
 to the throne ; she, like a good monarch, ap- 
 pealed to the law of God in behalf of the pro- 
 testants : but she boldly rejected that law when 
 the puritans were oppressed, with fines, impri- 
 
 H 
 
146 
 
 sonment, with piercing sarcasm, and with 
 banishment beyond the seas. 
 
 The puritans appealed to the law of God 
 against the perfidy and the oppression of 
 Charles I. and God sent them deliverance : 
 but, they broke the law of God by injustice to 
 each other, and he overturned their govern- 
 ment. 
 
 The oppressive policy of the second James, 
 produced a national appeal to divine law, in the 
 revolution of 1688 : but that law was violated, 
 by perpetuating to others the injustice against 
 which the nation had complained. 
 
 Since that time the recognised establishment 
 has appealed to the law of God for protection 
 against popery, and other evils ; whilst its 
 advocates have broken that very law by the 
 misery inflicted on dissenters. 
 
 The dissenters appeal to the law of God for 
 protection against national impositions, it is 
 desired that they might carry the law which pro- 
 tects them through all their institutions. Here 
 wisdom is defined by infinite perfection. It is 
 the privilege of the church to be blessed in all 
 its parts with a daily approximation to perfect 
 obedience. Here their interest, and duty, 
 combine. i\s in all, the imperfection of our 
 
147 
 
 fallen nature will be seen ; so, in every case, 
 we may expect to find partial appeals to divine 
 law, combined with instances of its neglect or 
 violation. The wide, and abundant diffusion 
 of God's word, is, in this respect, a blessing to 
 all ; the benefit of which may be seen in the 
 changes which daily transpire in every religious 
 society. It is not to condemn any, therefore, 
 but merely to facilitate the approximation of 
 all parties to a state of perfect obedience to 
 divine law, that these queries are subjoined. 
 
 First. Would not great advantage accrue to 
 religion hi general , if the unity of the churcti 
 were 77iore constantly and more prominently 
 recognized? The sweetness of this, has been 
 tasted already in a good degree, and forms one 
 of the richest effects of general activity in the 
 cause of Christ. But still there is much to be 
 gained. The denominational feeling, necessary 
 to individualize the exertions of particular 
 bodies, has been combined with too much 
 worldly policy; and it has assumed too exclu- 
 sive and forbidding a character. The struggle 
 for religious liberty on the one side, and the 
 over-estimation of importance and power on 
 the other, have combined to make the church- 
 man and dissenter feel more like antagonists 
 on the battle - plain, than members of the 
 H 2 
 
148 
 
 body of Christ. Hence, a thousand childish 
 artifices are adopted, either to hide the fact, or 
 sliift the blame of their contention. Why could 
 not the great, and good men, so numerous, on 
 either side, pause for a moment, and consider 
 that the cause for which they live, and labour, 
 is but one ? 
 
 In seeking this object, a principal point of 
 attention is the rule by which the extent of 
 Christian association should be regulated. 
 This will not only appear from the passages 
 relating to the subject, but also from the terms 
 of the proposition itself. In becoming Chris- 
 tians, men do not cease to be human beings. 
 Nor do they go out of the world; consequently ^ 
 they are not by that circumstance separated 
 from any part of human society, nor from any 
 part of human aiFairs. What the law of God 
 allows other men to do, it allows them as men 
 to do with them ; to eat, to drink, to labour, or 
 to negotiate. But in all those things which 
 are Christian, and in which this distinctive 
 character is exhibited before the world, the 
 term of their fellowship includes both the fact, 
 and the sincerity of the Christian profession. 
 This is the demand which a Christian must 
 make, both for the sake of admonishing bad 
 men, and also for the honour of God. If Paul 
 
149 
 
 believe^ after a careful and a charitable judge- 
 ment in the case, that Peter be a Christian ; 
 though he be weak, and mistaken in many 
 things, Paul is bound to admit his Christian 
 fellowship, to own, and act with him, as a 
 member of Christ, to seek his good, and to 
 rejoice over him, as over one that was deli- 
 vered from death. But, if Paul in his con- 
 science, believe that Peter is not a Christian, 
 and that his condition is not safe for eternity ; 
 whether his defect appear in the articles of his 
 belief, or in the points of his practice, he is 
 compelled by the law of God, to refuse all 
 Christian fellowship whatever. The same law 
 prevails in the case of separate congregations, 
 and larger bodies of converted men. One 
 great object is common to them all. They 
 have to break the delusion of unconverted 
 men, and to glorify the Saviour, who died for 
 their redemption. No policy, founded on the 
 solecism of " a church within a church," can 
 ever lead them to neglect this soul- uniting 
 principle without committing sin. Hence, in 
 the reprehension of Simon's mercenary spirit it 
 was said, " thou hast no part, nor lot in the 
 matter." The Christians of Corinth were com- 
 manded " not to keep company with fornicators." 
 The elect lady, is by the apostle John, 
 
150 
 
 commanded not receive into her house, or to 
 bid God speed to those who dishonom'ed the 
 person of our Lord. Acts viii. 18 — 25. I Cor. 
 V. 9—13. II John 9— 11. James ii. 1—5. 
 Jude 5—13. 
 
 If, on either side, bad men creep in, as they 
 did in the days of the apostles, to spy out the 
 liberty of the church, and to disturb its peace ; 
 let them be pitied by all, and be by all re- 
 jected, as they were in former days. The 
 triumph of the church is to be secured by the 
 prevalence of faith, and spiritual piety, rever- 
 ence in worship, and universal obedience to 
 the law of God ; and nothing can advance the 
 former, which leads to a diminution of the 
 latter. The men of this world must be con- 
 verted to God or lost ; let every part of the 
 church labour to gain this object, as though 
 they were inspired with the same spirit of love, 
 and meekness, and faith. The freedom of the 
 church is decreed in heaven, and must be ob- 
 tained on earth : for God hath sworn that every 
 knee shall bow to him, confessing his authority. 
 But this is not the concern of one, but of all, 
 and every part, of the Christian church, how- 
 ever great or insignificant. Nor merely so, per- 
 fect religious liberty, is a human right ; and 
 every human being has an interest in its acqui- 
 
151 
 
 sition. This ought to combine the individuals 
 of the race, whenever their consultation or ex- 
 ertion were needed : not separate in hot and 
 discordant conflict, brethren beloved for Christ's 
 sake. 
 
 Secondly. Would not many benefits accrue 
 to the church, if a more united consultation 
 on matters of general business could but be ob- 
 tained 9 It is not known, that in the apostle's 
 days, the messengers of mercy ever run foul of 
 each other in their work. If one went to the 
 Jews, another devoted himself to the Gentiles. 
 The world was so wide, and presented so much 
 more labour than they all could perform, 
 that they felt it sinful and childish, to waste 
 their time and strength in mutual competition. 
 Every thing was done in the shortest way they 
 could devise. The arrangement for collections, 
 was made so as to prevent any interference with 
 more spiritual duties. This happy concurrence 
 of different exertions, is now in danger of being 
 lost. The claims and emulation of different 
 societies, become great and urgent on every 
 hand : and great care has become needful to 
 prevent this, which is a real blessing, from 
 leading to ill effects. The want of co-operation, 
 has already raised the expense of apparatus far 
 beyond what any man can justify. In one 
 
152 
 
 society, whose annual income is not much more 
 than £12,000 a year, £1000 a year was for 
 some time paid in salary to persons employed in 
 collecting, and holding publick meetings; be- 
 sides the other expenses, of travelling, postage, 
 and all the other incidental disbursements, 
 both of the society, and also of its agents. In 
 some, the expenses of this kind, are studiously 
 concealed ; as though this would alter the case 
 for the better. This leads to other results, 
 than the mere waste of pubHc money. The 
 societies that have paid agents, will occupy the 
 ground, and intercept those who have less 
 agency at work, and proceed with greater eco- 
 nomy. Hence, the smaller societies, are obliged 
 to run to an expense far beyond anything that 
 their income will justify ; before they can obtain 
 any assistance in prosecuting the objects to 
 which they are devoted. If a correct account 
 of all the fruitless journies, vexatious failures, 
 expenses of travelling, and other ill effects 
 which follow in the train, were made and pre- 
 sented to the publick every year, or merely for 
 one year : it would make all the churches feel 
 at once that something should be done to alter 
 it. These facts are not introduced for the sake 
 of attaching blame to any one ; all the blame 
 that can be attached to any one case at present 
 
153 
 
 referred to, is a jealous dread of mutual consul- 
 tation. This is a fault. It is contrary to Scrip- 
 ture example. And it is neglecting the means 
 by which all the evil could be cured. The bo- 
 dies are already organized, by which the whole 
 work may be done. The matter belongs to 
 each of those denominations of Christians, who 
 severally unite in diffusing their own views of 
 divine law and mercy. Many of these have 
 their unions or conference already prepared. 
 Each church may send its own pastor, or each 
 association of churches, in each denomination 
 throughout the kingdom, might be allowed to 
 send one or two representatives to the meeting 
 of the union or conference of the body. There, 
 amongst other matters, it might be considered, 
 what societies should be sanctioned and sup- 
 ported by the whole body. This single step 
 would protect society from many disgraceful 
 impositions to which it has hitherto been ex- 
 posed. When this was done, each denomi- 
 nation would be found to have its Home mis- 
 sion, its Foreign mission, its Irish society, its 
 Colleges and Societies for therelief of the poor, 
 &c. The object then would be, to arrange 
 for the support of all these, whatever they might 
 be, with the least possible expense of time, 
 strength, and money. The country might be 
 H 5 
 
154 
 
 divided into districts, including cities or associ- 
 ations that might lie adjacent to each other ; 
 and thus form a direct line of churches through 
 every different part of the country. All the 
 missionary operations, which belong to any one 
 class of Christians, would thus be brought into 
 concert. If the brethren choose to send separate 
 deputations for each society through the districts, 
 the time and the persons might be appointed for 
 each ; so that whilst the agents of one society, 
 V. ere collecting in the east ; those of another 
 might pass through the west ; a third might 
 reap the harvest of the south ; and a fourth, 
 glean up the bounty of the north, without inter- 
 fering in any way with each other. Each so- 
 ciety would then submit its own claims to each 
 church, and receive what w^as pleasant in re- 
 turn, without any painful disappointment, and 
 without wasting either money or time, in use- 
 less travelling. By this means, thousands of 
 pounds would be annually gained to the ser- 
 vice of religion ; and thousands would be saved 
 to the religious publick. 
 
 The work, however, will admit of being still 
 more simplified. If each church would form 
 one auxiliary, embracing the interests of each 
 missionary society in its own denomination ; 
 then, one deputation for each district, would be 
 
1.35 
 
 sufficient in a year, and one missionary meet- 
 ing would be sufficient for each auxiliary. The 
 time would be known, and every means em- 
 ployed to render it efficient. The church or 
 committee chosen by the auxiliary would vote 
 the proceeds to each society, as they might feel 
 disposed, and receive in return, heralds and 
 information from the whole : or each collector 
 could enter the sum subscribed for each 
 society, whether the home mission, the foreign 
 mission, or any other. The amounts would 
 then be remitted exactly, according to the wish 
 of each subscriber. 
 
 The great fear, in this case, has been, lest by 
 uniting the claims of three societies iu the ap- 
 peals of one auxiliary, a smaller amount should 
 be obtained than otherwise, through the applica- 
 tion of three. This will scarcely be proved with- 
 out an experiment ; and where the experiment 
 has been tried, the result has not been so. If, 
 however, a little less were gathered, a great 
 deal less would be wasted ; and more would be 
 devoted to the great object. 
 
 Thirdly. Could not something be done at 
 such conventions to facilitate the erection of 
 places for luorship ; the relief of poor minis- 
 ters uTifii for labour through age or affliction ; 
 and the tcidows and orphans left destitute by 
 
156 
 
 ministers who have entered their rest? For the 
 first of these objects, the precedents of the 
 New Testament afford us no decisive guid- 
 ance. The places of prayer and synagogues of 
 the Jews were numerous through almost all the 
 cities, and where this was not the case, the 
 zeal of the first age would soon supply the de- 
 ficiency. Oppressed by no compulsory system, 
 they had little to impede the attainment of their 
 object. Voluntary benevolence seems to have 
 readily supplied whatever was required. But 
 the Christian churches in this land are placed 
 in a vastly different situation, If two or three 
 hundred Christians desire a house in which to 
 meet and worship God, they are compelled to 
 build it out of the small remainder of their 
 income, which is rescued from taxation and 
 compulsory exactions. Hence the need of as- 
 sistance in many cases of distressing perplexity. 
 But, the urgency of the claim, and the kind- 
 ness with which it is received and met, have 
 caused an immense amount of imposition and 
 imprudence. In many instances, the chapel 
 cases have overturned ministerial character 
 and usefulness, disturbed the peace of churches, 
 betrayed the confidence of individuals, and 
 dragged into the church a train of the worst evils 
 which result from infidelity. In order to ac- 
 
157 
 
 complish the object, and to prevent the con- 
 comitant evils, why could not the annual meet- 
 ing of each united body, choose a committee of 
 building funds for itself ? To this, every church 
 should send its case, whenever help became 
 needful ; where the deeds could be examined, 
 and the respective merits of the whole investi- 
 gated. To this each church in the denomina- 
 tion should send an annual collection, and each 
 pastor might have the privilege of nominating 
 the particular case to which the amount of sub- 
 scriptions raised by his church during that year 
 should be granted, together with as much as 
 the committee might be able to add from the 
 general proceeds of the fund. By this means, 
 more money might be raised, less would be 
 wasted, and many most afflictive evils would be 
 avoided, the churches would dispose with per- 
 fect independence of all that they raised indivi- 
 dually, and all the movement of the several 
 bodies of Christians, would be characterized 
 with more healthy indications of spirituality 
 and vigour. 
 
 The foregoing plan appears to combine the 
 advantage of unity with those which attend the 
 exercise of personal and direct appropriation. 
 To others it has appeared that the object would 
 be more effectively attained by the institution 
 
158 
 
 of local building funds connected with each 
 assocication, and holding correspondence with 
 each other. The following scheme would effect 
 that object. 
 
 1. Each association might appoint a com- 
 mittee of its own members, to examine and re- 
 lieve cases of debt, incurred by building places 
 of worship. 
 
 2. The ministers in the association might 
 then resolve not to sign any case for individual 
 application. 
 
 3. Each church should make a collection for 
 the building fund every year, and the treasurer 
 and secretaries of the fund should make it their 
 business to obtain subscribers to it through all 
 the churches in the association. 
 
 4. The funds thus raised should be applied 
 by the committee according to the merits of the 
 cases brought before them. 
 
 .5. The officers of each fund should make 
 themselves acquainted with the nature of a 
 deed, so as to be able to detect any gross error, 
 but some one source should be fixed upon, from 
 whence the best advice could be obtained in 
 matters of difficulty, and where the safety of 
 all deeds should be attested. 
 
 6 . When the deed has been attested, and the 
 case relieved by the association in which it is 
 
159 
 
 comprised, if further relief be necessary, the 
 officers of the building fund, which relieved it 
 last, might recommend it to the officers of other 
 building funds, inserting the amount of their 
 own grant, together with their own recommend- 
 ation in the case book. Thus, it might pass 
 from place to place, until its wants had been 
 supplied. 
 
 The support of the poor and superannuated 
 ministers, together with the widows and orphans 
 left destitute, is a matter of more clear and 
 direct obligation. The poor are always to be 
 regarded, but if so, those surely ought not to be 
 forgotten who have become so through the 
 service of the churches. At present there are 
 several laudable efforts made for aifording par- 
 tial assistance and relief. But their limited 
 character renders them inefficient. One good 
 insurance office in each body of Christians, 
 formed for this purpose, in which the rate of 
 insurance could be reduced by the voluntary 
 contributions of the wealthy, might give effective 
 relief to every superannuated minister of good 
 reputation in the church of Christ, vv^ith all 
 the widows and orphans that providence might 
 at any time cast into the bosom of Christian 
 benevolence. 
 
160 
 
 Fourthly. By annual and mutual consul- 
 tation might not more effective means he used 
 to furnish the churches with an efficient minis- 
 try. At present it often happens that the gifts 
 bestowed on the churches are lost without ever 
 being seen or known. At other times they 
 are nearly lost for want of being properly cul- 
 tivated. The ministerial agency existing at 
 any one period is not used to the greatest ad- 
 vantage because not used in concert. Stations 
 are lost for want of exertion, whilst exertions, 
 are wasted on places that bring no return for 
 cultivation. The colleges have to struggle 
 through their work, leaning on a few individuals, 
 and sometimes obtaining a very precarious 
 support; whilst claims for the best results of 
 education are multiplying every hour. Let but 
 the members and pastors of each body of 
 Christians meet at their own convenience. Let 
 them feel that they are one, let them consult, 
 as the saints of old consulted, let them but 
 obey and feel that they are one as God com- 
 mands them, and all these aifairs will fall into 
 the order of nature and duty; the publick busi- 
 ness of each department of the church will then 
 be a mild, a silent, but an invigorating process, 
 like the circulation of blood through the mem- 
 bers of an healthy constitution. 
 
161 
 
 Let not the churches fear that such an ar- 
 rangement will destroy their liberty. Every 
 limb will still remain as free when restored to 
 its proper place, and to an healthy condition, as 
 ever it can be, when dislocated, and inflamed. 
 The societies, whether they relate to foreign or 
 to home affairs, will still remain as free as when 
 in a state of separation. The committees, &c. 
 may be chosen at their own publick meetings, 
 as before; their trust would remain the same; 
 only the plans for obtaining the pecuniary sup- 
 port would be formed in concert, so that one 
 might not clash in its movements w^th the 
 others. In just the same way would the 
 churches be as voluntary as before, nothing could 
 compel them to admit a missionary deputation 
 unless they pleased, and when they had formed 
 their auxiliary in any town in favour of the 
 two or three societies that might be recom- 
 mended to the general support of the body, 
 still each church would have to divide its own 
 subscriptions; and appoint the amount of re- 
 mittance to be made to each society. 
 
 There are some efforts in which it behoves 
 the members of all denominations to join. The 
 extirpation of some particular vice, as that of 
 intemperance, which now becomes the means 
 
162 
 
 of polluting so many thousands^, and of ruining 
 so many families, is not the solicitude of one 
 body of Christians, it is a great common cause, 
 in which all are bound to unite, whenever 
 union promises the hope of advantage. The 
 diffusion of sacred Scripture, and the distribution 
 of religious tracts, are parts of the common 
 cause to be embraced and supported by all. 
 In this country the liberation of the church 
 from earthly policies and violence; is a great 
 and common solicitude. Others of the same 
 kind will often occur, and the law of God re- 
 quires; that, whenever they do occur; every 
 Christian, every minister, every church, every 
 society, and every denomination, however high, 
 or however insignificant, in respect to this 
 world's affairs, should join to promote the com- 
 mon object. Each integral part of the spiritual 
 body, has aright to claim from every other part, 
 a due regard to the prosperity and triumph of 
 the whole; and each part, however small, is 
 bound to use its utmost efforts in promoting it. 
 
 One great, and most important object in 
 these days, is to give an effective character to 
 the different local associations. They stand 
 nearly in the same relation to the several coun- 
 ties, which the churches addressed in the apos- 
 
163 
 
 tolical epistles bore to the countries in which 
 they were situated. Hence the practical pre- 
 cepts given at the close of the epistles, may 
 be studied with great advantage, as forming a 
 directory for their guidance. The epistles to 
 Timothy and Titus are in this respect very 
 valuable, for each of these individuals were 
 entrusted with that kind of superintendence 
 which is now held by the whole association. 
 The utmost fraternal co-operation must be cul- 
 tivated in securing the spiritual prosperity of 
 the whole district. Each church that stands in 
 association should be regarded with Christian 
 sympathy and love. They should be the organs 
 of conducting all the efforts made to evangelize 
 the destitute parts of the district, and for this 
 purpose each association should stand in imme- 
 diate connexion and correspondence with the 
 Home Missionary Society : guiding and sup- 
 porting its local operations. For the sake of 
 advancing this object, each association should be 
 anxious to draw out and use to the utmost advan- 
 tage whatever spiritual gifts the Lord might be 
 pleased to impart unto the churches. On these 
 too must devolve the labour of bringing the 
 arrangements of the several counties and dis- 
 tricts into the general arrangement for the 
 collection of missionary resources. In a word. 
 
164 
 
 they must labour in all things to raise the 
 cause of the blessed Redeemer to a state of 
 benevolent independence and efficiency, in the 
 several spheres they occupy. 
 
 CHAP. TX. 
 
 SUGGESTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES. 
 
 AFTER all that has been said, the great diffi- 
 culty lies with individual churches. The gene- 
 ral arrangements are but few, and would, by 
 friendly consultation, soon be reduced to per- 
 fect simplicity. 
 
 The business of each church is more com- 
 plex ; because every publick society brings its 
 claim, in addition to the several solicitudes of 
 home. A voluntary Christian church has thus 
 come to be a little cluster of benevolent 
 societies, more or less closely united with each 
 other ; but all deriving their nourishment from 
 the same branch of the spiritual vine. They 
 thus form a most luxuriant display of rich and 
 distinguishing mercy. Let it never be forgot^ 
 
1G.5 
 
 ten, that all the difficulty of directing those 
 churches, proceeds from the imbecility of fallen 
 nature, in receiving, and improving, the mighty 
 bestowments of divine grace. This must always 
 be difficult, because the results of divine com- 
 passion are infinitely beyond the comprehension 
 of a finite mind. Still, every painful difficulty 
 may soon be conquered by a careful regard to 
 frankness, and order in the management of 
 business. 
 
 Let the case be supposed of a church sup- 
 porting the following objects : — 
 
 1. Its Pastor. 2. Its incidental expenses. 
 3. The alms of the church. 4. The Sabbath 
 school. 5. Bible classes. 6. A Tract Society. 
 7. An auxiliary Missionary Society in aid of the 
 Foreign Mission, Home Mission, Irish Society, 
 and Fund for Relief of Poor Churches. It 
 may be asked how all these objects can be 
 conducted without discord or embarrassment ? 
 The first three are essential to the constitu- 
 tion of the church, and hence they have been 
 committed to particular officers. The deacons 
 are chosen to serve the church in the superin- 
 tendence of these pecuniary affairs. These 
 then are the first objects of solicitude, and 
 must be secured. The minister must have his 
 bread provided for him ; and it should be carried 
 
165 
 
 to him punctually, and delicately, so as not to 
 offend his feelings ; but rather to convince him, 
 that whether the amount be more, or less, than 
 his necessities required,it wasthe free and grate- 
 ful bestowment, of all that an affectionate church 
 could raise. The incidental expenses must also 
 be met, and paid : few meetings can be held 
 without them, and the churches are commanded 
 to owe no man anything but love. The poor 
 must also be regarded with compassion ; and, 
 where the collections at the ordinance are not 
 sufficient, further efforts must be made at once. 
 One of these objects should be committed to 
 one deacon ; another, to another, that no one 
 become overburdened. Each should have his 
 book provided by the church ruled like those 
 in the appendix, 1, 2, and 3. These books 
 should be balanced every quarter, and examined 
 by all the deacons together ; who should meet 
 once at least within every three months for 
 their own special duties. What they can raise 
 for the minister should then be conveyed to 
 him kindly and with tenderness. If the sub- 
 scription for incidentals fail, it should be made 
 known at once ; and more money raised, or 
 less spent. If the collection for the poor fail, 
 this also should be known at once, and the 
 store of charity replenished. The great diffi- 
 
1G6 
 
 culty here is caused by suiFering the church to 
 go in debt. This should never be allowed. If 
 the church cannot pay £1, when due to the 
 deacons, how will they be paid when the debt 
 hcis accumulated to £.50 or £100. 
 
 When these three objects have been pro- 
 vided for, the next thing is, to provide the 
 ways and means for the other societies. Each 
 object should be committed to four or five bre- 
 thren who will volunteer to labour in one or 
 other of the departments. The greatest care 
 should be taken, not to deposit more than one 
 object in the hands of one committee; for then, 
 some will be burdened and others idle. Every 
 body in the church should have something to 
 do for God, and especially the young. Those 
 who feel unable to do anything, must be taught, 
 and guided, and even led ; until they can go 
 alone. Then, in order that the whole church 
 may feel an interest in all the objects; the 
 church meetings in December, March, June, and 
 September, should be made quarterly, at which 
 each committee should present its report. It 
 need not be long, but merely include the 
 points of real business, clearly and concisely 
 stated with any particular case of usefulness 
 that may have occurred to encourage the bre- 
 thren in their work of love and mercy. The 
 
168 
 
 abstract of these reports should be entered in 
 the minute book, and regularly numbered; like 
 the specimen given in the appendix No. 4. 
 The church meeting in December, or, that 
 quarterly meeting which immediately precedes 
 the annual meeting of the association to which 
 the church belongs, should be made the annual 
 church meeting. All the reports should then be 
 made up for the whole year. The number of 
 members admitted, dismissed, excluded, re- 
 stored or deceased, should be entered on the 
 minutes, and the registry of the church made 
 up by one of the deacons, auditors should be 
 appointed to examine all the accounts of the 
 society for the next year, and the report of the 
 auditors for the past year read to the church ; 
 and finally, the letter, and report for the asso - 
 ciation should be read and adopted. Thus, the 
 whole of the business would be brought before 
 the members. The meetings of the church 
 would be filled with interest ; and the pastor 
 would be enabled to render the proper assistance, 
 advice, and- encouragement, to all. The best 
 method of supporting these societies is that of 
 private subscription. But nothing should pre- 
 vent the annual delivery of publick pastoral dis- 
 courses, addressed to each. In order to arrange 
 these conveniently, each church should first 
 
169 
 
 learn when the annual meetings of the Mis- 
 sionary Society will be held in tlie district ; 
 and let that be fixed first, that the help of the 
 deputation may be secured at the publick meet- 
 ing and sermons for that object. When this 
 has been done, the sermons addressed to the 
 Sabbath school, the Tract visiters, and the Bible 
 classes, should be so arranged as to have one 
 between each quarterly collection. If they can 
 be supported by private subscription, it will 
 make the publick services so much the more 
 spiritual and pleasant ; if not, the collections 
 will thus be attended with the least possible in- 
 convenience. And if at any time an additional 
 object of Christian exertion be presented to the 
 church, the pastor and deacons must consider 
 faithfully whether they are able to admit it ; 
 and when it can be admitted without deranging 
 the order of services appointed for the year. 
 
 In the proper management of a Christian 
 church, there is still another object to be kept 
 in view; namely, the visitation of its members. 
 This will be done principally by the pastor 
 and deacons. But, when the church is large, 
 the duties of their office become so great, that 
 they require considerable assistance. This may 
 be afforded by means of visiters appointed at 
 the church meeting. Several districts should 
 I 
 
170 
 
 be formed in which the members live at conve- 
 nient distances, to be visited in a short time. 
 These should be numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. 
 Visiters should then be appointed to each, and 
 entered in the minute book, as in No. 4, in the 
 appendix. These visiters should see and con- 
 verse with their brethren, point out to the pastor 
 when any case of affliction or sorrow needs his 
 particular attention ; make arrangements for a 
 private prayer meeting ; or meetings for pas- 
 toral conversation. The reports of the visiters 
 should be called for until they are brought in ; 
 and, at proper intervals, others should be ap- 
 pointed ; sending them two, and two, as Jesus, 
 did his disciples. 
 
 In this work, the most experienced members 
 should be joined with those who have recently 
 entered the church ; that the one may help the 
 other, and lead them gently by the hand into 
 scenes of active duty. In this way, the whole 
 of the members should be visited at least twice 
 in the year, not even one should ever be neg- 
 lected. The churches will thus be brought into 
 the sweetness of Christian fellowship. Inquirers 
 will be discovered, and encouraged ; souls will 
 be brought under the sound of mercy, which 
 would otherwise have been lost sight of; and 
 God will be greatly glorified. 
 
171 
 
 Some individuals, to whom the principles 
 of business are novel, may think the order of 
 discipline now proposed too laborious for con- 
 ducting a Christian church. This is quite 
 a mistake. When once a society has agreed 
 with frankness and Christan love to adopt 
 it ; the whole may be put in motion at two 
 or three meetings. The pastor, and deacons, 
 should be requested to form the arrangements in 
 private : and they will be bound in honour to 
 come to a mutual agreement in what they lay 
 before the church, so that no difference exist 
 between them at the church- meeting. The 
 books would cost but a few shillings each, and 
 they should be purchased, bound, and ruled, 
 ready for the several objects to which they are 
 to be devoted. The arrangement should then 
 follow for the annual services of the several 
 societies, and a plan for the whole year be hung 
 up in the vestry. Finally, the system of visi- 
 tation should receive the earliest possible 
 attention, because this is to bring forth the 
 mutual expression of Christian love and joy. 
 It is only on paper that the plan seems to 
 be complex, in practice it is perfectly simple 
 and easy. It reduces the pain and labour of 
 conducting a church beyond all calculation. 
 It brings all to the work that are able to do 
 I 2 
 
172 
 
 anything. A church, when once hrought into 
 this course of discipline, will be perfectly asto- 
 nished to find the amount of useful labour it 
 can perform in a little time. When the busi- 
 ness proceeded without any record of the 
 church's resolutions, half the affairs were for- 
 gotten, or neglected. One looked to one, and 
 another to another, until no one felt himself 
 responsible. The deacons became overdrawn 
 beyond what they could afford, and overbur- 
 dened with the detail of church business. If a 
 crafty, selfish, or ignorant man, happened to 
 get into office ; the whole was shuffled to gratify 
 his wish : until the brethren were grieved, the 
 church divided, the congregation scattered, the 
 cause of religion rendered odious, and the 
 iriinister deprived of his daily bread. But now 
 a place and a time are appointed for every 
 thing, and every thing kept in its place. No 
 lime is wasted, no labour is lost. F.very thing 
 that God is pleased to give, tells upon the great 
 object; and, if the funds of the church are too 
 small, it gains that kind of character which 
 gives the most free access to the help and re- 
 sources of others. 
 
 If, however, instead of diminishing the 
 labour, care, and perplexity of church affairs, 
 the plan had really increased their solicitude ; 
 
173 
 
 still, as the whole business consists in obeying 
 the laws of God, and in teaching other immortal 
 spirits to seek their eternal happiness in the 
 same way : it remains a matter for calm reflec- 
 tion, whether the brethren are at liberty to adopt 
 so careless a method as is found in some of the 
 churches. The members are not registered, 
 or known; the cash accounts never balanced; 
 the minutes never recorded ; the brethren sel- 
 dom visited ; and, if the children of the poor 
 are taught, the important work is committed 
 to a few of the most inexperienced, and unde- 
 cided in the whole congregation. If such care- 
 lessness were adopted in any man's worldly bu- 
 siness, it must go to ruin presently : and how 
 can it be right in matters so solemn, as those 
 connected with the church of Christ; where 
 God is to be glorified, and souls saved. 
 
 It is pleasing to see that on every hand, God 
 has raised up in the church a soul-stirring soli- 
 citude for whatever can give effect and glory to 
 the kingdom of heaven. It is to this feeling, 
 and to those who cherish it, that these hints 
 are, with most affectionate simplicity, addressed. 
 Let those brethren, beloved in the Lord, seek 
 to guide all their efforts by the sincere word 
 of inspired truth. Here, let them seek dili- 
 gently, constantly, and prayerfully, for every 
 
174 
 
 manifestation of the will of God. This, in every 
 case, is law. To this they must adhere, as to 
 the most wise, and authoritative rule of hu- 
 man conduct. In so doing they will not only 
 secure the best blessings for themselves, but 
 they will also exhibit to every part of the intel- 
 ligent creation, the mercy, and tenderness of 
 their Father's government. 
 
 But, there is one consideration, which should 
 urge sincere Christians of every name, to labour 
 diligently for the nearest possible approxima- 
 tion to apostolical simplicity in the church 
 of Christ. It regards the character and power 
 of its enemies. They have long laid aside the 
 old policy, of crushing the church by persecu- 
 tion. The motto now is, either corrupt and 
 subjugate ; or else, divide and scatter. These 
 two methods, have so fearfully prevailed, that 
 there is not a Christian country upon earth, 
 which has not now to struggle under some cor- 
 rupted form of Christianity. This is a great 
 dishonour to the cross : and a principal impedi- 
 ment to the progress of true piety. Only let 
 the church put on her beautiful garments, and 
 stand forth in the simple perfection with which 
 the Saviour has adorned her, and the charm of 
 her beauty shall no longer be resistible. The 
 gospel of Jesus, is still the power of God unto 
 
175 
 
 salvation ; and ever shall be whilst the world 
 remains ; it only needs to be exhibited in the 
 simplicity of its own ordinances, and to be ani- 
 mated with its own spirit of heavenly benefi- 
 cence and mercy. 
 
 And how can the brethren forget, the advan- 
 tage of their country, and the times in which 
 they are permitted to live ? Had they been 
 born a few leagues distant on the surface of the 
 globe, or a few years earlier in the course of 
 time, all the energy of human nature would 
 have been wasted in vain, in a design which 
 may now be effected with facility and pleasure. 
 The fathers have gone before, they have, by 
 their labour, tears, supplications, and suffer- 
 ings, prepared the way for their children : thus 
 the field of Christian labour in this happy 
 land, blooms in the very springtime beauty ; the 
 fruit already ripens to a state which promises 
 an abundant recompense for the miseries and 
 martyrdoms of by -gone days. Let fellow 
 Christians only cultivate a grateful recollection 
 of their mercies, and every point in their 
 extending prospect shall be irradiated with the 
 brightest beams of hope. The moral machi- 
 nery now committed to their use, and moved 
 by their exertions, if carefully preserved from 
 the dirt, and derangements, of earthly policy; 
 
176 
 
 will produce an effect upon the nations, unpa- 
 ralleled in the history of mankind. 
 
 It is not presumed that these hints will com- 
 -plete the return to apostolical simplicity, which 
 is so much to be desired; but, if Christian mi- 
 nisters and churches can be once united in the 
 effort, they will find themselves invested with 
 a power, which, though not Omnipotent, shall 
 conquer every opposition to their object. 
 
 May He, who, sitting in the heavens, smiles 
 on every good intention for his glory ; make 
 this, and every other labour of his servants, 
 promote the final majesty of his dominion. 
 
 Amen. 
 
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185 
 
 No. VII. 
 
 Remarks on the Voluntary System, considered 
 in relation to its Spiritual Importance. 
 
 It ought to be regarded as one of the hap- 
 piest results which have followed the circulation 
 of divine truth, that the moral necessities of 
 mankind have been brought more perfectly to 
 light, and laid more seriously on the hearts of 
 Christians, than they have ever been before 
 since the time of the reformation; perhaps, 
 since the days of primitive Christianity. In 
 our own land, so ostentatiously called Christian, 
 it is now admitted, that even the most liberal 
 view of divine doctrine, will deprive us of all 
 hope respecting the great body of the people. 
 The prevalence of gross vices is awful. In 
 many cases the effect of religion is very limited, 
 even where the hope may be entertained of its 
 sincerity. On those spots in this favoured land, 
 where the light of truth shines brightest, there 
 are many still who sit in darkness, and are 
 perishing in sin. The Heathen nations are 
 in a still worse condition. The horrid gloom 
 which covers them, stains with black the 
 largest, by far the largest portion on the 
 
186 
 
 habitable globe. Every few years the people 
 which inhabit this mighty space, are swept 
 away and numbered with the lost. The cry 
 which issues from the dark abyss is awful : and 
 it has been so far heard, that many have been 
 forced to inquire how they may extend the 
 blessings of grace, and save them from sinking 
 into wretchedness in eternity. 
 
 The English nation has never appeared to 
 so much advantage as in this great work of 
 mercy. Its prowess in arms, and its skill in the 
 arts, sink into littleness when compared with 
 the moral heroism, and achievements, of its 
 Christian philanthropy. Experience has now 
 proved that its professions are not vain, and 
 that its spirit is not superstitious. The 
 constant action of divine principle has given a 
 serenity and constancy to the work, which is 
 always indicative of health. Though the first 
 proposals of each society have been executed, 
 and followed with enlarged designs, until the 
 insignificance of its origin is lost in its pre- 
 sent greatness ; yet there is no reluctance 
 in the people to supply the demands of the 
 most extended exertion. Nothing limits the 
 movement but power. At least so it should 
 seem. And, hence, the question respecting the 
 
187 
 
 best means of obtaining a supply of pecuniary 
 support, is pressed with earnestness, and studied 
 with an intense interest, by all the agents of 
 every denomination in the church. 
 
 In order to solve this great problem, two 
 parties have appealed to two very different 
 sources. One has fled to the " helping hand 
 OF GOVERNMENT." The othcr appeals to the 
 judgement of every man's own conscience. If 
 an unbeliever refuses to support religious 
 instruction for himself and others ; in the first 
 instance, his goods are seized, his person is 
 incarcerated, and the " helping hand of govern- 
 ment** compels him to submit by the use of 
 physical violence : in the second case, no 
 dependence is placed on any other help than 
 that which is supplied by the force of truth, and 
 the power of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 If the authority of divine law be claimed for 
 compulsory exactions, it is quite sufficient to 
 inquire for the document. Where is the 
 written testimony ? The divine law enforced 
 by an appeal to conscience, and the final judge- 
 ment, has been shown in the foregoing pages. 
 But the divine authority for taking the act of 
 vengeance into our own hands, and for exacting 
 the support of religion by legal violence, can 
 
188 
 
 never be shown, neither from the Old Testa- 
 ment, nor from the New. 
 
 This fact appHes as much to the multitude 
 as it does to the few. Whether it be done by 
 a man, or by a nation, it is not authorized by 
 God. That which he commits to us is the 
 duty of prayer, of affectionate persuasion, and 
 of personal devotedness to his will. These 
 will secure the blessing of Jehovah, and by 
 this the church will triumph. Faith depends, 
 not on " the helping hand of government," but 
 on God. 
 
 That this is the most eifective means for 
 diffusing religious instruction, for establishing 
 religious worship, and for converting souls to 
 God is clear, since our Lord Jesus Christ 
 was pleased to employ it alone in the esta- 
 blishment of his church ; when his apostles 
 were sent forth, they had no helping hand of 
 government on which to lean : their devoted 
 piety produced an effect which human legisla- 
 tion never could secure : the love of Christ car- 
 ried them away. Nothing earthly could prevent 
 their success, because they were guided and 
 supported by the powers of the world to come. 
 
 It is not a problematical question, whether 
 the power of divine truth be sufficient to secure 
 
189 
 
 its own support : for^ by the devotion which it 
 awakens, has every great reformation been 
 effected. Luther, and those in our own land, 
 who will ever be revered as coadjutors in this 
 undertaking, were led into the work by truth, 
 and the power of divine grace. To the influ- 
 ence of these we owe the existence of Sabbath 
 schools, and the splendid institutions that 
 adorn and invigorate this nation. To these 
 also must be attributed the partial return to 
 activity in the established church : this is not 
 the effect of its compulsory exactions, it pro- 
 ceeds from the piety and devotedness of its 
 own members, awakened through the energy 
 of other denominations. 
 
 The experiment has been made with quite 
 as much completeness on the other side. 
 Compulsory exactions have been levied from 
 time to time to advance the spiritual welfare of 
 the public ; but they have never produced their 
 intended effect. Where they have prevailed 
 the most extensively, religion has had the 
 smallest influence : where they have not ex- 
 isted, religion has gained its noblest triumphs. 
 The attempt to support religion by compulsory 
 exactions is, therefore, an absolute failure, and 
 
190 
 
 ought, even on the principle of expediency, to be 
 abandoned. 
 
 Such a failure will not be surprising, when 
 the moral disadvantages of the system are con- 
 sidered. For, if those public and private wrongs 
 which are designated grievances be passed 
 over, one will remain more grievous than all. 
 The character of the Christian minister is 
 changed. His generous devotedness and trust 
 in God are dishonoured. Instead of sustaining 
 the place assigned him amongst the benefactors 
 of mankind, he is made a party in an imposi- 
 tion which, to say the least of it, is regarded by 
 many as unjust. The severity of prosecution, 
 without any regard to the injustice of the claim, 
 would be fatal to his merciful undertaking : but 
 the questionable ground on which it is sustained 
 is an irreparable injury. About four years 
 since, a pious clergyman whose family was poor, 
 and his church crowded, was induced to enforce a 
 very trifling demand, or two, by actions at law. 
 He gained his suit : but from that time his 
 church was forsaken, and his instruction dis- 
 pised ; so that he was compelled to hire per- 
 sons to attend, and to assist, in conducting 
 the ordinary service of the Sabbath. 
 
191 
 
 The ordinary difficulties which attend the 
 suppression of selfishness are not unknown. In 
 the voluntary labours of the church, they have 
 been met in every form. Partly from the im- 
 becility of our nature, and partly from the de- 
 sire of earthly rulers, to take advantage of every 
 difficulty experienced by the subject for in- 
 creasing their own authority, the helping hand 
 of government has, in some cases, relieved the 
 minister of religion from dependence on God 
 for protection and support. To accomplish this, 
 his salary is exacted by law. But the eflfect 
 of such laws is fatal to their object, through 
 their tendency to promote inordinate accu- 
 mulations. By these the appeal to the human 
 heart, in every case of generous devotedness, 
 is turned into burlesque. Bishop Porteus is 
 said to have looked with terror, on the vast ac- 
 cumulation of property which awaits the see of 
 London. By fines on the renewal of leases, 
 and actions in the ecclesiastical courts, it is 
 reported that a silent stream of wealth flows 
 into the coffers of that prelate, which is often 
 not less than £1000 per diem. When those 
 leases fall in, the funds of the bishoprick will 
 be incalculable. The sums appropriated by 
 other clergymen awfully expose them to the 
 
192 
 
 charge of covetousness, and deprive them of 
 all power when reproving it in others. 
 
 One effect of the compulsory system, seems, 
 by a sort of miracle, concealed from pious 
 men who become its advocates. The funds 
 exacted by this means, professedly for the sup- 
 port of religions worship, are not devoted 
 wholly to that object. The greater portion of 
 them is sold like fimded capital, and diverted to 
 the use of laymen. The messenger of mercy is 
 not benefited by this. The purchase of a living 
 often proves a bad speculation, even in a tem- 
 poral point of view. But the system of patron- 
 age by which it is sold, conceals the spiritual 
 necessities of the empire, and is an inveterate 
 evil which no law can cure. It must be extir- 
 pated. To the grossness of this sin, no testi- 
 mony is needed in addition to our own laws 
 against simony : to its extensive continu- 
 ance, everv passing day bears its blushing 
 attestation. 
 
 Where divine grace has subdued the heart, 
 the mere pecuniary injustice will be endured 
 with patience, though not approved ; but this 
 is not the case with others. Many in the 
 country regard the church no further than they 
 feel the influence of its pecuniary affairs. If 
 
193 
 
 there be some who love it because of what they 
 can get by it, there are many w^ho hate it be- 
 cause of what they lose through its demands. 
 This mercenary love, and this corrosive hatred, 
 are equally opposed to the claims of our holy 
 religion. They combine in feeding the sinful 
 passions. The first is kept secret by policy, 
 the second by fear : until their united energy is 
 sufficiently strong to dare the open conflict. 
 Then it is clearly seen how little religion is 
 benefited by compulsion ; for greediness on 
 one side, and resentment on the other, generate 
 by contact a species of violence altogether of its 
 own character. We have no words sufficiently 
 strong to paint its odiousness. Infidelity herself 
 turns away from it with shame, and blushes to 
 confess that it is human. 
 
 This aw^ful consequence, which must attend the 
 religious coertion of unconverted men, appears 
 to have been felt by many of its own advocates. 
 Hence, every kind of contrivance has been 
 adopted to prevent, if not its existence, at least, 
 to prevent its becoming fatal. The mode of 
 exaction is changed as often as it becomes 
 odious : and sophistry is used to conceal the 
 nature of the demand. But the policy employed 
 to sustain the compulsory system is worse than 
 
 K 
 
194 
 
 the system itself. It is the poison of the asp, 
 without which its sting could not he so very 
 torturing. It involves many compromises of 
 principle, and it employs in behalf of religion, 
 measures which religion condemns. 
 
 It is this demoralizing influence of the sys- 
 tem which gives it all its importance in the 
 estimation of pious men. The loss of property 
 is a trifle to those who have treasure laid up in 
 heaven. Though it might seem to limit their 
 labours for God ; even this will be conquered by 
 additional acts of self-denial. But, rending the 
 body of Christ into separate parts, and fill- 
 ing those separated parts with inflammatory 
 jealousies, are evils through which religion 
 is dishonoured by her own advocates, her 
 promises are deprived of their merciful cha- 
 racter, and her overtures are rendered con- 
 temptible in the estimation of those she in- 
 tended to subdue and save ; they lie at the very 
 root, therefore, and live on the very vitality of 
 everything sacred in religion, and they never 
 can be changed, they admit of no remedy, until 
 the system which brought them into existence 
 has been annihilated. 
 
 It is not amongst the vulgar only that these 
 effects are to be traced. The remarks which 
 
195 
 
 are often made in both houses of parliament 
 indicate a dreadful state of feeling in reference 
 to religion. The political journals are deeply 
 tinged with the same sentiment. Both pro- 
 ceed from the unfriendly position in which they 
 stand in reference to the church. The most 
 difficult part of legislation, is that which 
 comprehends ecclesiastical affairs. The most 
 prolific source of periodical declamation, is 
 supplied in the necessity for church reform. 
 The subject is forced into discussion by every 
 day's engagements, the difficulty connected 
 with the compulsory exactions, and their direct 
 opposition to every kind of respect, has so far 
 prevailed, in many circles, as to render political 
 courtesey unable to conceal the impatience with 
 which this imposition and embarrassment are 
 endured. 
 
 Some of the effects v/hich result from the com- 
 pulsory system are quite anomalous. For, though 
 a certain class might value a system on which 
 it subsists ; it is hard to explain why another 
 class should repose therein, which derives from it 
 nothing but incumbrance and loss. And yet, 
 such is the case with those who govern these 
 realms. They have been misled so long, that 
 they seem unable to preserve the peace with- 
 out the employment of clerical influence. The 
 
196 
 
 messengers of mercy are, therefore, reduced to 
 the character of a police estabhshment, at the 
 expense of not less than £G,COO,COO a year. 
 This is a gross absurdity, the demoralizing 
 influence of which, cannot be too deeply de- 
 plored. 
 
 It is true that religion is essential to the 
 welfare of every nation. But that required, is 
 the religion of the heart. When governing the 
 spirit by divine precepts, it becomes the light of 
 the world, and the salt of the earth ; but sub- 
 jected to earthly policies, this salt has lost its 
 savour, and the hght is darkness. Over that 
 ruler who diligently labours in his own depart- 
 ment, tracing with care the regulations of divine 
 justice, and constantly trusting in divine mercy : 
 religion extends a pure and invigorating pro- 
 tection like that supplied by the vault of heaven 
 which encloses and ripens the vegetation of our 
 earth : but the effort to control religion, and 
 subject its influence to earthly purposes, in- 
 volves the absurdity of a clown, who laboured 
 to increase the fruit of his field by legislating 
 for the stars, and commanding, by his ordi- 
 nance, the dew and the rain. In those things 
 which are ordained by God; the interests of 
 
nations, andof intlividuals, are all comprised in 
 obedience. 
 
 These remarks apply, exclusively, to no 
 particular party : nor to any peculiar method • 
 of compulsory support. The interest of every 
 party is included in its own obedience : and the 
 compulsory support of any is reprehensible. If 
 it be done by direct ecclesiastical demands, it 
 is an act of legislative injustice : if it be done 
 indirectly through the grants of public property 
 for supporting religion, it then amounts to a 
 breach of trust ; for the parliament is elected 
 for civil, not for ecclesiastical purposes. Hence 
 the dissenters have resolved, '^ that it is incon- 
 sistent with their principles to receive any por- 
 tion of public property for the support of their 
 institutions."* They have done this when the 
 proposal was made by their own friends in 
 power, and pressed by their enemies who wished 
 to conciliate them. By this, their principles 
 are fully explained. Religion has at length 
 resumed her right position. When perfectly 
 independent of earthly governments, she will 
 be respected for the blessings she confers : but 
 the act of crouching for political favours, de- 
 faces all her beauty, deprives her of every at- 
 
 * Resolution of the Baptist Missionary Society, passed in t8:{/i . 
 
198 
 
 traction, and leaves her to perish in the shame 
 and corruption of spiritual pauperism. 
 
 There are two facts not often referred to by 
 writers on this subject which deserve particular 
 notice : one relates to governments which seek 
 the support of ecclesiastical influence; the 
 other, to those sects which seek their subsist- 
 ence at the hands of government. 
 
 In governments, it is observable that the 
 necessity for ecclesiastical influence increases 
 as their corruption becomes more serious and 
 oppressive. A just government needs no sup- 
 port from an unjust prostitution of religion : but 
 an unrighteous government will purchase it at 
 any price, because it is the only garb under 
 which its deformity can be concealed. 
 
 The sects which seek their subsistence from 
 government are always more urgent as their 
 errors in doctrine or practice become more ob- 
 vious. Some who are comparatively pure may 
 have been drawn into the mistake ; but for the 
 most part, purity of doctrine and practice 
 secure to the church, through the blessing of 
 God, a sufficient support from its own friends. 
 This is more independent, more healthful, and 
 every way more pleasing. Whilst enjoying this. 
 
199 
 
 with all its exalting consolations, no church will 
 be easily tempted to accept of government sup- 
 port ; but when the fear of deficiency is pro- 
 duced by the loss of publick confidence, and a 
 failure of faith in God ; seeing that ail hope 
 must then vanish, it is not wonderful if the 
 fallen sect should fly to the feet of men in 
 power, and implore the " helping hand of 
 government." 
 
 No government has ever given its support to 
 the church without exacting in return what 
 was deemed at the time an equivalent. If Con- 
 stantine sat as a catechumen in the church, and 
 fed its bishops from the publick treasure, he did 
 it because their influence was essential to the 
 stability of his throne. Henry the Eighth would 
 free the nation from papal oppression, and 
 endow the church with national property ; but 
 he must be its head. The effect of each event 
 was the same. Constantine and Henry both 
 proved the nature of that equivalent which they 
 required, by their attempts to control the ap- 
 pointment of her ministers and the services of 
 the church. In the first case, this object was 
 pursued with much policy ; but in the latter, 
 many advantages encouraged an open avowal of 
 the object. But each involved the same prin- 
 
200 
 
 ciple. By placing his church at the disposal of 
 men, the Father of our spirits is insulted : the 
 monarchy in which he presides is invaded, at 
 that very point, where his honour is most so- 
 lemnly proclaimed. 
 
 If no other evil resulted from this besides 
 the corruption of the Christian ministry, that 
 would be sufficient to provoke universal regret. 
 The language of Bishop Burnet on this subject 
 is full of that just indignation and grief, with 
 which we might expect the heart of every pious 
 man to be filled, when meditating on an evil so 
 destructive to all that is sacred in religion. 
 The whole of his " pastoral charge" breathes a 
 spirit of dignified sorrow, as though he were 
 conflicting a point of vital importance, with 
 powers too mighty to be overcome. The zeal, 
 and the discouragement, which diversified the 
 labours of Leigh Richmond, point at the same 
 calamity. Both these men proved that any 
 new undertaking for God, had more opposition 
 to overcome, and therefore required a greater 
 supply of voluntary exertion to complete, when 
 it entered a compulsory establishment, than it 
 did when first originated in the world. The 
 reason for this is as clear as the fact itself. 
 Ministers who enter the church merely for the 
 
201 
 
 living it supplies, are reproved by the generous 
 exertions of voluntary labourers, and they meet 
 that reproof with cold suspicion, if not with 
 open resentment : the people on the other 
 hand, receive the appeal to their liberality 
 with impatience, because they have to pay twice 
 over ; once in the compulsory exaction, which 
 is quite sufficient, and once in their voluntary 
 contribution. 
 
 The glorious power of Christian generosity 
 was never more fully exhibited than on this 
 ground. For, at length, the voluntary institu- 
 tions connected with the compulsory churches, 
 have grown to real importance. These embrace, 
 not the necessities of Heathen nations merely, 
 they extend to the various requirements of 
 home. When those claims are pressed, no 
 one pauses to ask, whether the £6,000,000 
 per annum raised by compulsion, would not, 
 if properly applied, be sufficient ? The zeal 
 which finds and proclaims the necessity, 
 seems to create the supply : even where 
 churches exist, because the gospel has not 
 been preached by the incumbent. Christians in 
 the establishment, have been ready to pur- 
 chase the advowson, in order to secure an evan- 
 gelical ministry. 
 
202 
 
 The importance of authentick statistical 
 documents is nowhere felt so seriously as it is 
 when deciding the respective merits of the 
 voluntary and the compulsory systems. It has 
 been stated that not less than £6,000,000, 
 are annually raised by compulsion, and that 
 £2,000,000,are yearly added by voluntary con- 
 tributions. It is very obvious to ask, therefore, 
 whether £8,000,000 a year ought not to secure 
 a more eifective system of religious instruction, 
 than that which is at present furnished for these 
 realms ? Should Ireland remain in its present 
 state of darkness, and so many parts of England 
 continue in their present moral destitution, with 
 such a continual expenditure ? 
 
 On such a subject it is scarcely right to 
 hazard a conjecture. The parliamentary papers 
 of 1812, are the only authority to which we 
 can appeal for the comparative results of these 
 two sums. This document was provided by the 
 clergy, in order to justify their own request for 
 the multiplication of churches. It is there stated, 
 that the places of worship in which divine service 
 is .supported by compulsory exactions amount 
 to 1933. Those supported by voluntary contri- 
 butions are equal to 4038. The difference is 2105 
 places of w^orship supported by voluntary contri- 
 
203 
 
 butions more than the whole number supported 
 by £,6000,000 a year of compulsory exactions. 
 This is not the whole result of the two expendi- 
 tures. This census, includes such places only 
 as have a population greater than 1 000. In the 
 rural districts, similar exertions are made by 
 both parties. In addition to this, the £2,000,000 
 of free contributions support schools, colleges, 
 societies, and institutions for foreign exertions 
 and benevolence at home, the vigour of which 
 has now conquered all opposition, and left their 
 enemies no resource, but that of recovering 
 their credit, through the advocacy of labours 
 which they formerly opposed. 
 
 Since the year 1812, this all-subduing prin- 
 ciple, has effected greater wonders still. The 
 whole nation is concerned, and a correct state- 
 ment of the facts ought to be obtained. The 
 nature and extent of each voluntary effort 
 should be defined. The annual increase should 
 be shown for a number of years. From this 
 might be seen the effect produced on the com- 
 pulsory churches. The whole would demon- 
 strate that the churches supported by compul- 
 sion must, before now, have sunk into total 
 insignificance, had not the vigour of voluntary 
 agents roused them to activity in their own 
 defence. ' 
 
204 
 
 The injustice of combining the two systems 
 has already been felt in the national church. 
 In the parish of Camberwell, there are three 
 episcopal chapels erected and supported by volun- 
 tary contributions. These have more than once 
 resisted the compulsory exactions of the parish 
 church. The argument used on such occasions 
 is, that they cannot in justice be taxed for the 
 parish, because they are paying for their own in- 
 struction. The argument is invulnerable : but 
 then it includes the case of the dissenters : and 
 shows that however slow we may be, to redress 
 the grievances of others, we shall not be back- 
 ward to complain, when compelled to endure the 
 like injustice. 
 
 When men begin to do wrong, God alone 
 can fix a limit to their aberrations. From neg- 
 lecting the interests of each other, they learn to 
 be cruel and unjust to themselves. It is thus 
 with the advocates of compulsion. They are 
 placed in a dilemma from which they can never 
 escape. If the voluntary labours of episcopa- 
 lians be diminished, their whole community will 
 sink into disgrace : by increasing those volun- 
 tary labours, the conflict for religious liberty 
 will become increasingly violent amongst the 
 members of the established church. The last 
 result is most to be desired, because it will 
 
205 
 
 glorify God, and advance the spiritual interests 
 of mankind. 
 
 The church of Christ is one, and the interest 
 of every part of it is the same. Whatever pro- 
 motes the health and vigour of the whole ought 
 therefore to be sought with earnestness by every 
 member. Coincidence in opinion cannot be 
 obtained in this world, but generous co-opera- 
 tion is the duty of all. Episcopalians, Metho- 
 dists, Presbyterians, Independents, and Bap- 
 tists, may all be united here, for Christ is the 
 Lord of all. Let each one refuse to partake in 
 the mammon of unrighteousness, and labour 
 with simplicity to honour the Redeemer, then 
 shall th'eir light shine forth with brightness, 
 and their glory as a fire that burneth. 
 
 God has directed this momentous question 
 to the eve of some mighty result. All the 
 elements of society are in motion, and the 
 question is, where will they rest ? Within the 
 last two years, an advance has been made 
 in publick opinion which, when predicted, 
 seemed totally chimerical, even to the advo- 
 cates of religious liberty.* But the prodigy has 
 come, and it still moves onward. The people 
 of England have asked for the entire deliver- 
 ence of religion from all political restraint, and 
 
 * See the Author's letter to Lord Henlev, on Church Reform, 
 pageGL Published in "l832. 
 
206 
 
 from all compulsory incumbrance : and they 
 will ask again until they get it. The change 
 which it involves is extensive and momentous. 
 The compulsory system has twined round the 
 fahrick of the state, as the ivy clings to an 
 ancient building, until its removal, appears to 
 some, fraught with terrific danger. Such a dread 
 might be consistent in reference to any other 
 government than our own. This, with all its 
 imperfections, has now so much of justice in 
 its constitution, that nothing can materially 
 diminish its strength, but the continuance and 
 growth of those excrescences, which are contrary 
 to its nature, because they are opposed to the 
 law of God. To remove these, miist from 
 necessity be painful ; but patient submission to 
 the will of heaven will render the process alto- 
 gether innoxious. 
 
 All our real danger consists in our liability to 
 forget God : for, if he be honoured, his pro- 
 vidence will preserve whatever, in any, may be 
 pleasing to himself. Perhaps the transforming 
 influence of his discipline will be felt by all : 
 increasing their knowledge and purity, and re- 
 moving their several imperfections. For such 
 ■d dispensation there is great necessity in every 
 department of the church. To invite and faci- 
 litate, its advancement, therefore, is a duty in- 
 
207 
 
 cumbent upon all denominations. In this they 
 should unite with all the prayerful affection they 
 can command. In this they may be zealous 
 without sin, and emulate each other without 
 jealousy. 
 
 But great care must be taken by all, lest those 
 duties which are imposed by God should be 
 adopted as matters of policy. They are bene- 
 ficial, and their benefits reward the piety which 
 observes them : but that piety must be simple 
 and sincere. With this, the felicity of all is 
 united : and all should combine in its culture. 
 Every section of the Christian church has ac- 
 knowledged its own necessity here. The people 
 thirst for the comforts of religion, and enquire 
 after her boasted victories. Ministers of all 
 denominations become discouraged, sink into 
 disease, and some in death, through the labour 
 and anxiety of pubhck exertions. Still the num- 
 ber of converts is comparatively small ; and the 
 productions of grace, are stunted, and dwarfish. 
 By some dreadful hand, the great salvation has 
 been stripped of its vast magnificence. Mean- 
 while, by different parties in the church, re- 
 proach is thundered at each other in the name 
 of God : and violations of charity and truth are 
 mingled with their solemn benedictions. These 
 thing's reveal a want of piety ; and can be re- 
 
208 
 
 moved only by its cultivation. Hence, when 
 any effort to increase it, disturbs the ordinary 
 indifference, and presses against the restraints 
 of custom, the cry of fanaticism is raised ; not 
 ])ecause good men are averse to its increase, but 
 because the enemy of souls, would, by this arti- 
 fice, divert them from the fountain of their 
 mercy. He will keep them employed in con- 
 flict ; but every attempt to unite them in sup- 
 plication, he defeats. This cold and heartless 
 policy has been too long successful. It is 
 time that all good men united in its defeat. 
 The name of an exercise is not important, but 
 combined intercession should be made in season, 
 and out of season ; that the Spirit poured out 
 from on high, might finish the conflict of par- 
 ties in the church, by producing the fervour of 
 vbrotherly sffection. Such assemblies, composed 
 of all parties, supplicating in freedom, forgive- 
 ness for the past, and direction in future; v.ould, 
 if obtained, exalt every cathedral in these realms : 
 for God would certainly be there : and the ut- 
 most limit of the habitable globe would rejoice 
 in his benedictions. 
 
 London : T. Davis, Printer, 117, Minories. 
 
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