theory, nothing can be conceived more ufeful in human nature. The difperfing and blending with the mass of mankind

a

tion upon any civil fociety; give every one a right to direct and govern in a ftate, according as he has prefumption to think himself qualified for the office. What competitions, violences, and distractions, what a chaos of jarring interefts and factions would enfue, may be conceived by the commoneft understanding. Now if GOD defigned there fhould be order, decency and peace in the church, we may easily suppose that he did not found it--if a thing can be faid to be founded direct principle of difunion.

upon a

THE second notion is built upon no texts of fcripture, that I know of, is attended with the fame evils as the first, and has one peculiar evil of its own. It tends to introduce that mean, timid, fawning spirit which a dependent state generally produces, and which is greatly unworthy of the manly office of inftructing a corrupt world.

THE third gives the magistrate a power over confcience, which fcripture and reafon plainly disavow.

THE fourth claims powers inconfiftent with the civil rights of mankind.

THE church of England, with her ufual temper, has adopted every thing chriftian and useful in these schemes, without admitting their inconveniences. It is a glaring

a fufficient number of men, who, by their courfe of ftudies, generally have or fhould have fome extent of knowledge

offence to have teachers of religion, without a real fenfe of it in themselves-accordingly the church requires every candidate to profefs an inward call, i. e. a real refolution of difcharging his office with integrity; and, what is more, to produce a teftimonial of his abilities, and of his good behaviour for fuch a time as fuppofes a fettled habit. 2. But there is danger left the clergy should be corrupt and partial to one another-accordingly, the allows the laity to object to an unworthy candidate, and fhe is ready, as far as the laws of the land permit her, to punish any immoral hypocrite who has found means to creep into her bofom in spite of all these precautions. 3. Left magiftrates fhould corrupt religion, the claims a divine commiffion. And, 4. left this claim fhould introduce a mad spirit of independence; the acknowledges herself obliged to the magistrate for her civil privileges.

THE theory is unexceptionably good; the errors, we have reafon to complain of, lie in the administration, or, in other words, in the common corruption of human

nature.

Ir is indeed the plan laid down in the Holy Scriptures. For 1. Minifters must be men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghoft and wisdom. Acts vi. 3.2. They must have a good report of them which are without. i. Tim. iii. 7.3. They,

ledge, and elevation of taste and fentiment, above the common level, must naturally be of use in civilizing and im

proving

3. They, as well as every other foul must be subject to the higher powers. Rom. xiii. 1.- 4. Their commiffion is from God, as I fhall fhow at large, as being the principal point in dispute.

Ir is a general maxim, applied by St. Paul to the miniftry of Chrift himself. No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron: So alfo, fays he, Chrift glorified not himself, to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him, thou art my son, to day have I begotten thee. Heb. v. 4, 5. Accordingly we read that he undertook not the office till he was called. Luke iii. 23. And as he was sent by the Father, even fo fent he his apoftles. John xx. 21. He promised to be with them unto the end of the world. Mat. xxviii. 20. Now as Christ knew they were not to live to the end of the world; he muft mean, with them and their fucceffors to the end of the world. Who then are thefe fucceffors?

The apostles themselves tell us in their practice, that they confidered the appointment as belonging to themfelves. They filled up the place of Judas with Matthias. Acts i. 23. They appointed deacons upon the encrease of the church. Look ye out, faid they to the body of believers, ferven men of honeft report, full of the Holy Ghoft and wifdom, whom WE MAY APPOINT over the business.

Y 4

Acts

proving life.. And, if you examine fact, though fact will not always anfwer theory, where human corruption

can

Acts vi. 3. St. Paul ordained elders in every church. Acts xiv. 23. He left Titus in Crete to ordain elders in every city. Tit. i. 5. He gave the fame commiffion to Timothy. ii. Tim. ii. 2. The things which thou haft heard of ME, the fame commit thou to FAITHFUL men, who fhall be able to TEACH OTHERS ALSO. The establishment was the fame in all the churches. i. Cor. vii. 17. xi. 16. xiv. 33.

I CONTENT myself with these few proofs, meaning to enter no further into the difpute than is neceffary to fupport the principles of the above difcourfe.

But how can we be affured, it is faid, of fuch a fucceffion? Very eafily, by authentic hiftory; or, if you want a fhorter way, by the prefent existence of the chriftian ministry, which is as good a proof of a fucceffion of ministers from the establishment of the gofpel, as the present age is a proof of a chain of fucceffive generations from the foundation of the world.

BUT where was this fucceffion, it is afked, in the times of Popish corruption? If the church of Rome was then a true church, what right had we to quit her communion; if a corrupt church, how could fhe deliver down a pure and untainted fucceffion? The answer is very ready: the fucceffion of minifters is an eftablishment

of

can interfere, yet you will find, that the institution has its real advantages. Knowledge is actually more generally diffused than it ever was before. It is no longer confined (as it was among the ancients) to oftentatious affluence and curious retirement. The poor have the gospel preached unto them, and the great are taught without the debafing fear of their difpleasure. There is not a peasant, who knows not more of the principles of found religion, than the wifeft philofopher of antiquity. And though the cultivation of other useful parts of knowledge be not confined to the minifters of religion, yet it were to be wished in common juftice, that their revilers would but confider, who first kindled

of discipline, peace, and order: the graces attending it are the free gift of GOD, and depend not upon human corruption. The scribes and pharifees fat in Mofes's feat, our Lord acknowledged Mat. xxii. 2. at the fame time, that he meant to reform their corruptions.

See Potter's Church Government.