In this humble confeffion the faint ftill appeared, in the midst of the furrounding darknefs. In this humble, unreferved confeffion of his guilt and fhame he ftands recorded in the facred page, a bright example, for the backfliding Chriftian's imitation.Hence it becomes important in the building up of the church of God in the world, that the gofpel rule, for reclaiming backsliding Chriftians, fhould by all the members of the church be well understood, to establish a uniform rule of practice. The following is an attempt to explain the true meaning of Mat. xviii. 15th. Moreover, if thy brother fhall trefpafs against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he fhall hear thee, thou haft gained thy brother."-Explanation. If thou fhalt know a Chriftian brother to be guilty of a fault, and to have fcandalized the Christian name by his fin, go and reprove him for his fin in the most convincing, yet the moft gentle manner that thou canft; and that he may feel thy love and tender regard to his foul in it, let it be done in the moft fecret manner, between thee and him alone. If he will acknowledge thy kindness to him, in this Chriftian reproof, it is well, for by this means thou haft gained thy brother. He will then return to the way of his duty; and the friendship between thee and him will thus be eftablifhed on firmer foundations than ever, in confequence of this fubftantial token of thy impartial fincerity and franknefs of temper. Queft. What if the offending brother deny the charge, or what if he acknowledge it; and yet, refufe to make fuitable acknowledgment to God, before me, for his fin, I being the only witness,fhall I, in fuch a cafe, tell his fin to any of the brethren of the church, or to any other person ?— Anf. No. You ought to keep it a profound fecret in your own breaft; to let no person, on earth, know it. But, lamenting the hardness of such a brother's heart, you ought to remind the guilty offender of the evil of his fin and impenitence as often as you have a convenient opportunity; and to pray God to open his eyes, and give him repentance. To tell any perfon of fuch a fin in a Chriftian brother, while his character otherwife remained good, would be to become a guilty tranfgreffor of a divine rule yourself. For, it is an exprefs command of God, that one witnefs shall never be admitted as fufficient to condemn a perfon for any iniquity. Deut. xix. 15. "One witnefs fhall not rife up a gainft a man for any iniquity, or for any fin, in any fin that he finneth at the mouth of two wit neffes, or at the mouth of three witneffes fhall the matter be eftablished." The reafon for this rule is obvious; because, in the eyes of the church the teftimony of one brother is in all respects as good as that of another. When therefore one charges and the other denies, there is a contradiction between them, but no proof which of the two is guilty. It is therefore wrong to bring a fufpicion upon a brother's character, when it is well known there can be no legal proof of his tranfgreffion. Queft. 2d. Have I a right, when a brother has penitently confeffed his fin to God, before me, I being the only witnefs, to mention his fin and confeffion to any other perfon? Anf. No. You have no right unneceffarily to bring a fufpicion upon a brother, Explanation. But, if he will not confefs his fault, in this private way, then take with thee one or two more perfons of char or to publifh his failings to the world. His penitent confeffion has restored him to your charity, and why should you make him appear weak in the eyes of ano-acter and reputation in the church, ther?-Quef. 3d. But, does not that their prefence may add weight the command to take with thee to the admonition given, and ferve one or two more brethren of the to filence his objections, and bring church, for witneffes, when the him to a fenfe of his fault, and of offender is obftinate, plainly imply the expediency of preventing its that one witness is fufficient to further fpread in the world, by an condemn an offender publicly? humble confeffion of it to God, Anf. No. The end to be an- before all offended; or to prevent fwered, by taking these perfons difputes, and justify thy conduct, for witneffes is not to lead the and be witneffes before the church supposed offender into temptation that the firft ftep has been tato fin, or to enfnare him by artful ken, according to the direction in queftions, when there was no the preceding verfe, if the matter proof before against him. For fhould be brot before the church, he has a right, if upon trial, to fince in the mouth of two or three plead not guilty, and to require witneffes every word may be estabproof before confeffion in the fight lifhed more effectually than it of men. But the end of taking could otherwife have been.-Ver. these brethren for witnesses, is 17. "And if he fhall neglect to upon the fuppofition, that, tho hear them, tell it unto the church: the church are ignorant of the but if he neglect to hear the offence of the brother, yet, the church, let him be unto thee as world can afford fufficient witaeff- an heathen man and a publican." es to prove his wickednefs, and-Explanation. But, if he fhall are ready to publish it to the injuftill perfift in his fault, and reject ry of the Chriftian name, except private fatisfaction foon be made. They are therefore taken to add greater weight to the admonition given, to filence his objections and bring him to a fenfe of his fault, before it be any further spread in the world, to his injury and the difgrace of the Chriftian name; and to prevent difputes, and juftify the conduct of the aggrieved brother, if the matter fhould finally be brot before the church, fhowing by good evidence, that every reasonable step was taken to prevent a public difcovery of the crime.-Ver. 16. "But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneffes every word may be established." their advice for peace, then tell it to the whole church to which he belongs, and among whom he has immediate communion in gospel ordinances; and if they find him. guilty, and he reject their reproof, you have then done your utmost to reclaim him; and while he continues in this ungodly temper, you will do well to enter your proteft against it, by forbearing any intimate friendship with fuch a perfon. In fuch a cafe, let him be to thee even as a heathen, and a publican, cut off from the privileges and communion of the church, until reftored by repentance and confeffion; or as other noted finners, to whom you would perform only the common offices of humanity, but would avoid their other. intimate fociety as fcandalous; heaven."-Explanation. Such is and to whom you are not under the rule, (referring to the precedthofe peculiar obligations binding ing verfes,) which you, my apofupon Chriftian brethren to each tles, are to inculcate on my other followers, respecting the future government of the church, and let them fee to it, that they duly regard you, not only in this particular, but in all your other inftructions; for, verily I fay unto you, you fhall be furnished with fuch divine illumination and affiftance, as fhall abundantly confirm the authority of your decifions on every cafe and question which may occur: yea, fo fully fhall ye be inftructed in my will, and in the conftitution of my kingdom, that whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye fhall loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven: that is, ye shall have authority to declare what precepts of the Mofaic religion are fuperceded, and what are continued ; what rites in the church are to be changed in confequence of my death, and what new rites are to be inftituted and applied in their ftead, as equally expreffive of my love and promife to believers and their feed; and what things are allowed or forbidden to my difciples; and I will myself confirm your decifions, whether general or perfonal of this nature, as made by the influences of my unerring fpirit communicated to you, my apoftles, and will determine men's eternal ftate after death in a manner agreeable to them. Compare Matt. xvi. 18, 19, “And I fay unto thee, that thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou fhalt bind on earth fhall be bound in heaven; This it is conceived, contains the whole of the direction which Chrift has given the Chriftian church, for a rule of practice, after the apoftolic age. What follows in the two next verfes, it is apprehended was fpoken to the apostles as fuch, and had particular reference to the power given them, as inspired men, after the death of Chrift, to fet afide the Jewish ritual, and to fet up the gofpel difpenfation, with its holy ordinances, baptifm in the name of the Trinity, and the Lord's fupper, as inftituted by Chrift, as they did on the day of Pentecoft, with the promise that whatever, as apostles, any two of them fhould think proper to afk in prayer, in Chrift's name, as the miraculous confirmation of any of their determinations, God would immediately do it for them.-The church of Rome has built her doctrine of infallibility and her lying miracles upon these two verfes, by declaring that this power of binding and loofing, and this promife of a miraculous anfwer to prayer, is ftill continued in the church. But no fuch power or faith, as is here defcribed, has exifted in the Chriftian church fince the apoftolic age. That Chrift was in thefe two verfes speaking directly to his difciples as fuch, appears, not only from the things promifed, but from their being privately with him in the house, when he spoke thefe words, Mat. xvii. 25, and xviii. 1.—ver. 18," Verily I fay unto you, whatfoever ye fhall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye fhall loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in and whatsoever thou shalt loofe on earth fhall be loofed in heaven." Joha xx. 22, 23. "And, when he faid this, he breathed on them, and faith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghoft. Whofe foever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whofe foever fins ye retain, they are retained."-Ver. 19. " Again I fay unto you, that if two of you fhall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they fhall afk, it fhall be done for them of my father which is in heaven."-Explanation. And as a convincing token and full demonftration of this power granted you, my apoftles, I fay unto you, that this authority and power not only fhall attend the actions of your whole united body, but, even, if any two of you fhall agree together here on earth, concerning any thing which, as apoftles, they fhall think it proper to afk in prayer, for the miraculous confirmation of any of their determinations, it fhall be immediately done for them by my father in heaven. That this promife referred to a miraculous anfwer of prayer, made to the apoftles as fuch, and not to the agreement of common Chriftians in prayer, is evident by comparing it with the fcriptural account of a miraculous faith, and with the different manner, in which the promise made to common believers is worded. This was clearly a miraculous faith, and required a miracle in the anfwer. None but the apoftles ever had it fince the fetting up of the gofpel difpenfation. But this promife is fimilar to the one under confideration. This kind of faith the apostles fometimes experienced. Peter and John exercifed it, when they faftened their eyes upon the lame man, who was laid at the beautiful gate of the Temple, and commanded him in the name of Jefus Chrift of Nazareth to rife up and walk, which he inftantly did, being completely healed in a moment. Paul had it, when the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost were communicated to the perfons on whom he laid his hands; and when he faid to Elymas, the forcerer, " Behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the fun for a feafon. And immediately there fell on him a mift and a darkness: and he went about feeking fome to lead him by the hand." But in diftinction from fuch a grant, in all cafes, of the identical thing asked for by the believer, the promife made to the prayer of the common believer is not that the identical thing fhall always be granted; but, that what, on the whole, fhall be for his best good and for the glory of God fhall be granted him. This makes the latter promife very different from the former; and plainly proves that the faith of the former has never been found in any perfon, who had not the power of working miracles. 1 John, v. 14, 15. Mat. xxi. 21, 22. "Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, verily I fay unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye fhall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also, if ye fhall fay" And this is the confidence that unto this mountain, be thou removed; and be thou caft into the fea; it fhall be done. And all things whatfoever ye shall afk in prayer, believing ye fhall receive." VOL. III. No. 9. we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we afk, we know that we have the YY petitions that we desired of him." | practice, by them we are all bound, and according to them we shall be all judged, in the laft great day. -From this promife it appears the believer's petition is graciously accepted, tho it may be inconfiftent with the glory of God to grant the identical thing requested. A denial of the thing asked, if inconfiftent with the glory of God and the believer's real good, is virtually granting the petition. In all fuch cafes denial is mercy, tho it ZEPHO. Admonitions from the Death Bed. [Continued from Vol. II. p. 388.] NUMBER VII. often may appear, to the Chriftian, D in judgment. Ver. 20. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midft of them."-This appears to be a general promife, having a primary reference to the apoftles as fuch, from what had been faid in the preceding verfe, but a general reference to believers as fuch, extending back to the rule, including two or three, given for dealing with an offending brother. Inferences. ft. Chrift has here reminded us of the imperfection of Christians, in providing a rule of practice to reclaim fuch as backflide.-2d. Hence we learn, the indifpenfible duty of the church ftrictly to watch over all its members, according to the directions here given, to fave them from difgrace and ruin.-3d. We further learn, that the 18th and 19th verfes, in the xviii. chapter of Matthew, were spoken to the apostles as fuch; and, therefore, that no fuch power or faith are now to be found in the Chriftian church. What precepts they have bound upon us and what rites they have enjoined, we must obey and practice; and whatever precepts or rites of the Mofaic religion they have declared to be fuperceded, by them we are no longer bound. What therefore the apoftles have eftablished, as matters of faith, or as rules of Din EATH will effect a change in our circumftances, greater, no doubt, than we can now conceive. In the folemn hour when the foul fhall part with the body, with all earthly friends and carthly things, who can tell what fcenes may open, what thoughts occur, what new objects present to the mind? Our prefent companions cannot accompany us then ;-all worldly things, to which we now look for comfort and fupport, will vanish in a moment; they cannot descend after us. In the world of spirits, what company fhall we meet ?-What kind of exiftence shall we have ? What objects of enjoyment fhall we feek? Our confcioufnefs will certainly remain; yea, our mental faculties will, no doubt, be enlarged, when difencumbered of the earthly part, and be capable of more exquifite fenfations of either happiness or woe. What then will comfort us when parting with every earthly comfort? Where fhall we feek a friend to accompany us in that dreary pasfage, where no earthly friend can attend us-one who is able to direct our unskilful feet in that untried way; to protect and happify us thro all the unknown fcenes which may prefent in the eternal state? Are we all mortal, every day expofed to the arreft of death! Is it not then important, that |