yond what is generally supposed. In these, and various other ways, the parish-minister has access to those, whom by other means he could not readily approach and even when unwelcome, he stands on ground, on which, if he act properly, he cannot be censured; but will have a testimony in the consciences even of those who dislike his intrusion. He has, in respect of others, very many opportunities of attempting good: but here he cultivates as it were his own land, and is blameable if he do not improve his advantages to the utmost.

As to the fact; I have seldom heard even the strictest dissenters deny, that very numerous conversions have taken place, under the ministry of those who have laboured, and do labour, in the established church; while the members, and not very unfrequently the ministers, of the dissenting churches were first brought to the knowledge of the gospel by their labours, or rather by the blessing of God on those labours for "this hath God wrought." The conduct, however, of the apostles, who saw one casting out devils in Christ's name, and forbade him, because he followed not with them," has been more imitated, among all parties, than the admonition of our Lord on the occasion has been duly regarded; else so many methods would not have been used, of weakening the hands, and drawing off the congregations, of pious clergymen.

"

I once conversed with a dissenter, who observed, that he had heard one of his brethren express a wish, that there were no pious ministers in the establishment: on further inquiry, I found that he

who thus expressed himself, did not doubt but that God converted many sinners by the ministry of such men: but, he added, the person who informed me said, that if there had been no pious clergy, God would have brought those sinners to the meeting, and there have converted them. The answer which I gave to this was obvious-Your friend supposes then, that the only wise God has formed a plan for the accomplishing of his gracious purposes, and is carrying it into effect by his special grace; but that, if God would have consulted him, he could have suggested a better plan!

The persons concerned may indeed take wrong steps, and be left under some mistakes and prejudices. But can we suppose, that God evidently prospered what he entirely and totally disapproved? and that he crowned, and still crowns, with success the labours of those in the establishment, who are in duty bound to come out from it; nay, would be so if the establishment were ever so unexceptionable? If "he that winneth souls be wise;" he, who continues, as far as he can conscientiously, where he has peculiar opportunities of winning souls, and where God crowns his labour, and that of his brethren, with much success, cannot be very unwise. But, verily, I think, he would be unwise, who, without any very urgent reason, should quit a situation in which he possesses advantages for this most important of all objects, which he probably could not soon meet with elsewhere.

I am, dear Sir,

Yours sincerely,

THOMAS SCOTT.

No. III.

TREATISE

ON THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION IN ISRAEL.

By the Rev. Thomas Scott, Author of the "Commentary on the Bible," &c.

It is generally admitted, by all parties, in controversies about establishments, that the religion of the Old Testament, or rather the religion of Israel under the Mosaick dispensation, was an establishment, whatever conclusions they may attempt to deduce from the acknowledged fact. It may, however, be worth while to inquire, in what sense this was really the case.

The circumstance, indeed, that from Adam to Moses, (for above 2500 years,) true religion was found on earth, without an establishment, or any thing resembling one; and yet at the end of that period that God himself formed an establishment, shows that true piety may subsist either without an establishment or under one; that an external change in the situation of those who profess true religion, may render an establishment highly expedient and beneficial, when before that change it could hardly have been admissible; and that the case of the Old Testament church, from the first promise to the coming of the Messiah, was not in this respect

totally dissimilar to that of the New Testament church in the primitive times, and since the days of Constantine to this present age. While no nation, as such, professed to worship JEHOVAH alone, and no rulers or kings were found among his worshippers, no traces are met with of an establishment in the Old Testament any more than in the New, or in the New Testament church in similar circumstances. But when the descendants of Abraham were grown up into a nation, professing the worship of Jehovah, and living under rulers of the same religion, then an establishment was formed, in what way, and of what kind, remains to be investigated. The law of Moses, indeed, established the worship of JEHOVAH, the Creator of the world, and Lord of all things, to the entire exclusion of all other names or beings, which either then were, or ever could be, supposed to be gods, or lords, or objects of adoration; and expressly forbad the use of all images or likenesses, whether of God or of creatures, in religious worship. Death, also, was denounced, as the punishment to be inflicted by the people, or rulers, on every detected idolater in Israel; and utter destruction upon every city in Israel which turned aside to idolatry. (Deut. xiii.)

The worship also to be conducted, first, at the tabernacle, and afterwards at the temple built in the place which the "Lord should choose to place his

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name there," was regulated in a very circumstantial manner by the ceremonial law; while very many of its requirements were obligatory on all Israelites, in every part of the land or of the earth. Yet no

penalty, to be inflicted by the rulers, was appointed, except, perhaps, for offering sacrifices elsewhere than at the altar, in the court of the tabernacle. (Lev. xvii. 1-9.)

The descendants of Levi likewise were appointed to be the ministers of religion to the other tribes; the family of Aaron to be the priests, to sacrifice and burn incense before the Lord; and the high priest was constituted their head, or principal, especially to inquire of the Lord by urim and thummim, and to perform the services of the great day of atonement and an ample provision was allotted to them out of the estates and cities of the other tribes.

It is, moreover, evident, that the priests and Levites were the divinely appointed regular instructors of the people in religion, and stationed for that purpose in cities in every part of the land. (Deut. xxxiii. 10. 2 Chr. xvii. 7-10. XXX. 22. xxxv. 3. Ezra, vii. 10-25. Neh. viii. 7. Mic. iii. 11. Mal. ii. 7.)

Nor can it be reasonably doubted, but that some of them at least, in every age, understood this, and diligently endeavoured to instruct the people. It may therefore be supposed, that, besides the stated worship at the sanctuary, social or publick worship, by prayers and thanksgivings, and publick instructions, were given, under the inspection or superintendence of the more conscientious priests and Levites while at their own homes: at least this ought to have been done. Yet there were no regulations given respecting these devotions and instructions; no prescribed forms or methods of worship: nothing, in the modern sense, like an establishment.