has taken the negative; while the affirmative has fallen to me. But, though the constitution of the church requires one pastor only; yet it does not limit the brethren to one: but permits them to enjoy the labors of as many as they may be disposed to choose, and able to support.

The question, however, goes beyond the constitutional number of pastors; for indeed the main object of the inquiry is, to determine in whom the eccle. siastical authority is vested. Is it divided between the elders, and brethren of the church, as "two distinct departments of power," and given to the pastors as judges, and to the brethren as jurors, or assessors? Or is it vested in the church as a collective, and deliberative assembly, guided by a moderator? The affirmative of this last question appears to me to be amply supported by Scripture; and the following is believed to be a correct statement of the truth on this subject. The judicial authority is vested in each distinct church including the pastor, or pastors, formed to act as a deliberative assembly, and empowered to judge, and decide in all cases of discipline in respect of their own members. While the church acts in the simple capacity of a popular assembly, the pastor ex officio, acts as moderator; but in voting, he has no pre-eminence above a private brother. It is not by judicial acts, but prin. cipally by teaching, and exemplifying religion publicly, and from house to house, that he is to magnify his pastoral office. But, before I proceed to evince the truth of the above statement; I have a few cursory remarks to

make on the observations on church government, in your No. of November. The writer says; "There is no authority for the supposition that John addressed the churches through their pastors." But, if John did not, the Spirit of God did and this is sufficient. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him, that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden manna,"-Rev. ii. 17. The churches were the candle. sticks, and not the stars; the brotherhood at large and not the angels. Again, •To him, that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden manna. Is this promise made to the elder only, that overcometh? Does not the word churches, immediately precede? and does not the pronoun him, relate to every individual member who should overconie?

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It is said, "The New Testament mentions no example of a church with only one pastor.” Passing over the seven churches of Asia, because there seems to be something mystical about them; I would cite an example from 3 John ix. "I wrote unto the church; but Diatrephes, who loveth to have the pre-emi. nence among them, receiveth us not."

It is added in favor of a court of elders: "The powers attributed to the angel to try those, who say they are apostles, and find them liars, are such as no single pastor and brotherhood, are authorized to exercise." But, what if pretended apostles should encroach upon the charge of this writer? Would he not exhort his people, in their indi. vidual capacity, to try, prove,

and reject them? It is the high prerogative of every Christian "to try the spirits, whether they are of God," 1 John iv. 1. Though the original word here used, is different from that in the address to the church at Ephesus, Rev. ii. 2; yet they both denote an act of discriminating, or proving, by inspection; and in neither of them is the word commonly used to express a judicial act. Paul was willing that all men should try his claims to the apostleship. Yes, certainly; though an angel from heaven should preach any other gospel, than the apostles of Christ preached; Christiaus,

in

their individual capacity, ought to try, and reject him as accursed.

And

To ascertain the department, in which church authority is vested, our author seems chiefly to depend, not on the words of Christ, nor on the writings of Paul; but on the epistles to the seven churches of Asia. hence, if the track he has pursued be the right one, the point can never be clearly ascertained: it must for ever remain involved in the obscurity of a figurative style; for the right explanation of which, no literal directions to the point can be found. But, we have not generally so learn. ed Christ, in regard to his mind on church authority. We do believe that his words, in connexion with an apostle's practical comment upon them, present the subject in a luminous point of view. It is from these literal and explicit parts of the Scriptures, that the evidence, for the truth of my position, will be adduced.

"Tell it to the church but

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if he neglect to hear the church.” Matt. xviii. 17. Mr. E. H. how. ever, dissents from the common acceptation of the word, church; and suggests, that our Lord did not mean the brethren; but their rulers. He says, "Direc tions are often given to a col. lective body, which apply to a part only of the individuals in cluded in it. Paul wrote to a whole church, when he said, "Children, obey your parents; husbands, love your wives; ye fathers, provoke not your chil dren to wrath." The point

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here to be illustrated is this, "That directions given to a collective body, or to the whole church, often apply to a part only of the individuals included in it." But it is very plain, that Paul did not give directions to the whole church, when he gave those particular directions to parents, children, and hus. bands. He indeed directed, or addressed, his epistle to the church but his directing an epistle to a community was a thing very different from his giv. ing directions, in the epistle, to the several classes of the com. munity. This reference to an epistle, therefore, utterly fails to illustrate the point in design. And it is presumed, that from writings of logical accuracy, it cannot be shown, that a part only is directed, when the most explicit directions are unequivocally given to the whole commu. nity. The directions, therefore, given to the church by Jesus Christ and by his apostle Paul, were given not to a part only but to the whole.

The exclusion of females from a participation of authority though they belong to the church

synagogues: and in John ix.34, we have an instance of an excommunication from one of them. But whoever shall attentively read that chapter, from the 18th to the 34th verse, will feel almost if not altogether, persuaded, that the Jews, the worshippers in the synagogue, cast him out." Hence, they were probably considered by Christ as the church the court of discipline. With this supposition, every sentence of Paul on the subject perfectly corresponds.

is out of the present question. Nature itself, as well as the word of God, teaches, that they should not exercise authority in the church. Natural laws are para. mount to positive. When a positive institution is given to a whole community, it must be kept within the limits naturally set to it, and permanently established by God; but to all within these limits, it must extend. The male members of the church, as well as the pastors, are within these limits; and according to the natural, and irrepealable law of God, they are justly considered as the active members of the church, as it respects the exercise of authority. When Christ gives positive directions to the whole church, those only can be excepted, whom a paramount law has incapacitated, in respect to such directions.

d whole

It is remarked by some of the #most critical writers on the subdject, that there are in the New Testament but two original sensdes of the word, church; and that, when applied to believers, it denotes either a single congregation of Christians; or the christian community. "The church in the house of Nymphas" may have been as really a congregation, as the church in the city of Ephesus. In fact there seems to be no ground in the Scriptures for the supposition, that the word church sometimes denotes a council of pastors.

It is said that "Christ's minis. try was under the law. If he had respect to the then existing state of the church, it was that of Moses, which had elders in every city." The author prob. ably refers to the churches of the

He designates the christian community by the synonymous terms, church, them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. The same community he also calls brethren, and his beloved sons, whom he warns. "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person." 1 Cor. v.13. Does the word, yourselves, mean the church col lectively? Does it mean the brethren including their pastor, or pastors? If it do; and if this be made clearly to appear; then the question under discussion will come to an issue in favor of my statement. To what class of Christians then does the word yourselves, refer? The chapter begins thus "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you." You, in this verse, and yourselves, in the 13th, denote the same class of Christians. There is an incestuous man among you; therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. And as in these two verses; so in every verse in this, and in the following chapter, the apostle evident. ly addresses the same body of professors. Was it then among the pastors, as a separate, dis

tinct body; if such a plurality existed, that this wicked person was found? Was it from the fel. lowship of the pastors, only, that he was to be excommunicat. ed? Was it to the pastors, only, the apostle had written "not to company with fornicators?" Was it to the pastors he said, "Is it so that there is not a wise man among you?-Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, be. cause ye go to law one with another-brother goeth to law with brother." In these, and in all the instances in immediate connexion with the 13th verse, it appears decisively evident, that the apostle addresses, not the pastors exclusively, but the brethren, the whole church: and it has been already shown, that directions unequivocally given to a whole community, caunot be justly considered as designed for a part only. Hence the word, yourselves, in the 13th verse, denotes the whole church, or community of brethren. The term church, then, in the 18th of Matt. as understood and explained by Paul, means the pastor, and brethren together, empowered to hear, judge, and de. cide, in all cases of discipline, in regard to their own members.

This conclusion seems to be fairly drawn from premises, which result from a natural construction of the text in its pure and intimate connexions. The argument however, gains strength, if it be considered, that from the beginning of this epistle to the end of the sixth chapter, the apostle keeps up his address to the church, without descending to particular classes; that the four first chapters were designed as an introduction

to the rest of the epistle on the subject of discipline, and of rectifying various disorders; and that this subject, with great pru. dence, and much address, is introduced, not to a council of pastors, but to the community of brethren. Can this total si lence on a council, or court, dis. tinct from the church, be ac counted for, if such a court existed at Corinth? And, especially, how can it be accounted for in an epistle designed to awake the spirit of discipline, and to give directions for settling difficulties in the church?

Conclusive as this argument may already be considered, it will acquire augmented force, if the premises be extended to the 2d and 7th chapters of 2 Cor. in which the apostle considers the happy effects of his first epistle, in regard both to the of fender, and to the church. He doubtless addresses the church, and not a part of it, as having acted in the case. "I wrote this same epistle, he says, having confidence in you all; that my joy is the joy of you all. Where. fore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause, that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that had suffered wrong; but that our care for you, in the sight of God, might appear unto you." Such pastoral ad. dresses were made to the flock. They are different from those expressly made to Timothy, and Titus. If a council of pastors were the principal department of power in the church; why has not the apostle made some dis tinct, and honorable mention of it, in his congratulatory ad dresses ?

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