cometh saints*. See his advice to the Corinthians; 1 Cor. v. 4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, deliver such a wicked man to Satan; verse 13. Put away from among yourselves that wicked person. And in 2 Cor. ii. 6. this is called a punishment inflicted by many. And verses 7, 8, 10. the church was taught and required to forgive him upon his evident repentance, to confirm their love towards him, to the fellowship of the church. It is granted indeed, when proper officers are chosen and fixed among them, it is by their ministrations, by their advice and direction, christian churches should usually exercise this discipline; and so the orders of Christ are directed to the angels of the churches. Rev. chapters ii. and iii. But the whole work of reformation and discipline there required, is such as eminently concerns the churches or people themselves, and not the pastors only.

It is also granted, that many times churches do commit the whole care of this matter into the hand of their ministers, as being usually fittest to judge of the profession made; but it ought never to be so entirely given into their hands, as to renounce the people's right of judging in these affairs. Diotrephes, who loved to have the pre-eminence among them, assumed to himself the right of receiving and casting out members from the church; but he was severely reproved for his pride and usurpation, when he forbid his fellow-christians to receive brethren who were worthy; 3 John 9, 10. Ministers may happen to prove so injudicious, or so negligent of enquiry into the profession and qualifications of persons to be admitted, so subject to prejudices, or so engaged in a party-quarrel, as to fill the church with such members as may be very contrary to the sentiments of the majority of the church; and if the people renounce their own right in this affair, they may thank themselves for such unhappy consequences, I would add also, that if people entirely give up the right of admission and exclusion to the minister alone, they can never cast the minister himself out, if he be never so impious and immoral. Having found the constitution of a christian church to be so conformable to the dictates of right reason, let us consider what are the acts of worship which are to be paid to God in public, and in what manner must they be performed; and we shall find the light of reason and the New Testament happily agreeing here also.

VI. The several acts of worship which the light of nature directs us to pay to the great God, are such as these: To adore him with all humility, on the account of his glorious perfections,

* It is granted this text refers to Phebe, as a traveller at Rome, and desiring to hold eccasional communion with the christian church there; but the reason of things is the same, or stronger, with regard to receiving persons into a fixed aud constant comalucion with any church: There must be still a mutual agreement.

and his wonderful works of power and wisdom; to join together in prayer to God for such blessings as we stand in need of; to confess our sins, and ask the forgiveness of them; to acknowledge his mercies, and give thanks to his goodness; and to sing with the voice to his honour and praise. The light of nature directs us also to seek continually a further acquaintance with the nature and will of that God whom we, worship, in order to practise our duty the better, and please our Creator; and to provide some way for the further instruction of those who are ignorant of that religion, and come into their assemblies to be instructed; and for the exhortation of the people to fulfil their duty to God and their neighbours. And if there are any special rites or ceremonies, such as belong to social worship, the light of nature tells us, that there they ought to be performed.

And does not the New Testament set all these matters before us so plainly and frequently, with regard to christianity, that I need not stand to cite chapter and verse, where these things are practised by the apostles, and the primitive christians, in their assemblies? Here adorations, prayers, and thanksgivings, are offered up to God, but in the name of Jesus, as their only Mediator Here their addresses are made to God" with one mind, and with one mouth, to the glory of God, who is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:" Here psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, are sung to the honour of the Creator and Redeemer: Here the word of God is preached for the instruction of the ignorant, or unbelievers, who come into the christian assemblies, that sinners or infidels may be converted, and christians edified, and exhorted to persist in the faith, and improve in holiness; 1 Cor. xiv. 23. Here the great ordinance of christian communion, the Lord's-supper, is celebrated, by distributing and receiving bread and wine, and eating and drinking in remembrance of their common Saviour and of his death; 1 Cor. xi. 20-26. As for the other ordinance, viz. baptism, it being not so properly an act of public or social religion, I do not find it is any where required to be done in public; and though it might be rendered more extensively useful by that means for some purposes, yet it may be performed in private houses, or in retired places, as it sometimes was in the primitive ages.

VII. Since there ought to be such public ministrations performed as I have described, our own reason and observation of mankind sufficiently informs us, that all persons are not capable of leading these public religious services; viz. they are not all fit to speak usefully in the name of men to God, in prayer or praise, or to teach the things of God to others, in a profitable and becoming manner, nor with decency and exactness to celebrate all the rights and ceremonies of any religion. Reason itself therefore directs us that there should be one or more persons chosen in

every religious assembly, who should be wise and prudent, grave, sober, and faithful, and better skilled in the things of religion than others; and who should be capable in a more clear and happy manner to express them, that he, or they, may go before the congregation, and lead them in their several acts of worship; that they may give instruction to the rest, and with their lips offer up their common addresses to God, and celebrate the sacred rites of their religion.

For this purpose reason teaches us, that if a person so qualified be not found in any particular religious society, they ought to seek one elsewhere. And persons who have superior skill in this religion, should train up others, from time to time, in the articles of their religion, that they may be able to instruct the people, and become more capable of this public service.

If it be enquired, what the light of reason directs about the investiture of such a person in this office? I know of nothing more, but that the people should make all due enquiry concerning his qualifications; that they should ask the opinion or advice of other teachers, who are better skilled in this religion than themselves, where it can be conveniently obtained; and when they themselves also have had sufficient experience of his abilities, and knowledge of his virtues, they should agree to chuse him into this office; and that he himself solemnly should accept of it; and devote, or give up, himself to it; and that he should be with great solemnity recommended, by public prayers, to the blessing of God, in the discharge of it. This is all the investiture that reason seems to require*. And this man, thus set apart to the sacred work, should continually endeavour to improve his qualifications, and render his religious services more and more useful to the people, and take due care, as a faithful overseer, that the people maintain the practice of the religion they profess. Reason itself also teaches us, that if there be any persons in the assembly who give sufficient evidence of their being inspired, or taught of God, and of having any divine commission to instruct the people; these persons ought eminently to be received as teachers, and employed in such religious service.

Let us now see what the New Testament, or the rule of christianity directs in this point.

This is sufficiently evident, that scripture has appointed such

* According to the light of nature and reason, no man should be made a teacher, or president, or leader in any voluntary religious society, but by the consent and agreement of that society, to put themselves under his instructions and care. No civil powers have authority, by the law of nature, in these matters of religion and conscience; nor can any man be made an officer in any society, without his own free consent: And as all religions affairs regard either the honour of God or converse with him, so an address to God for a blessing is a natural and reasonable sølemnity, that should attend the entrance into a religious office.

a set of men, or such officers in the christian church, as may lead divine worship in their assemblies, and may celebrate the institutions of the gospel among them. We find their names and titles frequently mentioned as pastors, teachers, elders, bishops, shepherds, &c. We find the duties of their station often spoken of, the characters and qualification of the persons described, their support provided for, and the people's duty to them enjoined. And since the church is to continue to the end of the world, or till Christ comes again from heaven, it is plain there must be always such persons to minister in holy things in every age.

In the very primitive times there was a great variety of talents and capacities, for the ministrations of christian worship, conferred by inspiration upon those who embraced the religion of Christ: These were taught of God in a more immediate manner*: And where these extraordinary gifts were numerous, either they needed no other preachers, teachers, or ministers, always supposing some wise person amongst them to be a poros, a president, or chairman, who, by natural rules of prudence and order, should keep their various performances within the limits of decency and edification; or, at least, they were not yet furnished with particular officers, being then but in an imperfect state as to regular order. Such was the Corinthian church: And where any apostle or evangelist was present, he is reasonably supposed to preside; or, in his absence, he sometimes gives direction for their conduct, as though he were present; 1 Cor. v. 3, 4. But in other churches, where these gifts were but few, the chief possessors of them, and especially the early and more experienced converts, were chosen out to be elders, or guides, and leaders of their worship, pastors, or teachers, according to their peculiar talents of exhortation, or of instruction: And they were sometimes called overseers, that is, bishops, having an oversight of the people, and their behaviour; being reasonably supposed to know more of the will of Christ than the common people, and to be more solicitous for the honour of christianity, and for its pre

servation.

It is probable that sometimes these elders, or overseers, which words are used promiscuously in several places of the New Testament, might be pointed out by the direction of a spirit of

*These gifts were so much distributed in that day among the christians at Jerusalem, that even the deacons, who were appointed to take care of the poor, had such extraordinary gifts and exercised them now and then in teaching the people as evangelists. See Acts vi. 2, 3.

It may not be improper in this place to point out the chief scriptures where these characters are used promiscuously, and seem to denote one and the same office. Acts xx. 17. From Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. But in verse 28, St. Paul calls these very persons overseers, #im, bishops; Tit. i. 5. Ordain elders in every city; verse 6. If any be blame Lesk. For in verse 7, a bishop must be blameless; 1 Pet. v. 1, 2. The elders which

prophecy, or by the gift of discernment of spirits, by the apostles, or other inspired men, in that day, as Timothy was pointed out by prophecy, to be an evangelist; 1 Tim. i. 18. and iv. 14. And in this sense the apostles and evangelists, Paul and Barnabas, Timothy and Titus might perhaps, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, nominate the persons fit to be ordained elders in the churches, and, upon the consent of the churches, might ordain or appoint them for that purpose; Acts xiv. 23. 1 Tim. v. 22. Tit. i. 5. And perhaps this is the reason why it is said of the elders of Ephesus, that the Holy Ghost had made them overseers; Acts xx. 17, 28. But it is hardly to be supposed that any persons were made rulers, teachers or overseers of any church of serious christians without the consent of the society, who were to be taught and governed by them in matters relating to their eternal

interests.

Even when an apostle was to be chosen in the room of Judas, the hundred and twenty disciples, of whom eleven were apostles, joined in the choice of two persons, out of which the lot determined one to be an apostle. Acts i. 15, 23. Deacons, who manage the secular affairs of the church, were chosen by the people. Acts vi. 3. And still more reasonable it is, that elders, or bishops, who have the care of their souls, should be chosen by them who want and desire their instructions in such important concerns. In following ages, when these extraordinary gifts ceased in the churches, it is more evident from the histories of those times, that their overseers, or bishops, were chosen by the people. And the characters of them are given us at large, and very particularly, in two places of scripture. 1 Tim. iii. 1—13. and Tit. i. 5, 6. And certainly this is left upon record, that we might be directed in such a choice to the end of the world, as well as to give directions to Timothy and Titus in the performance of their extraordinary office at this time.

As for the investiture of men with this office, the New Testament gives us some notices that they were set apart by solemn prayer and fasting, and generally with laying on of the hands of the persons who were inspired, or possessed of some superior character. Whether this rite were designed to communicate any new gifts, or to pronounce an inspired and effectual blessing on their ministrations; or whether it was only retained in the christian church as it had been an ancient rite, used almost from the earliest ages of mankind, on several occasions, particularly in the solemn benediction of a person, or in the prayer for a blessing on him, or appointment of him to any special service, I am not able

are among you, I exhort, who am also an elder; feed the flock of God, taking the overnight thereof, the bishopric thereof, xls. But our English translators have generally taken care to keep the word "bishop" for the most part out of sight, where it is applied to presbyters, or elders, in the Greek.