thus made the word of God void by corrupt traditions. The warning, I doubt not, is given chiefly to prevent the Scriptures from being mutilated; but it also admonishes all to tremble at God's word; to receive it as a complete and confiftent revelation, to be embraced and respected in all its parts; and to beware left, through indolence, or compliance with the opinions of men, we introduce diftinctions founded on our own ignorance, and thus put afunder what God has joined,

CHAPTER II.

THERE IS REASON TO PRESUME, THAT THE NEW TESTAMENT CONTAINS INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING EVERY PART OF THE WORSHIP AND CONDUCT OF CHRISTIAN SOCIETIES, AS WELL AS CONCERNING THE FAITH AND PRACTICE OF

INDIVIDUALS.

THE Lord Jefus, in writing to the church of Thyatira, says, "I will put upon you no other burden; but that which ye have already, hold faft till I come," Rev. ii. 24, 25. This exactly agrees with the awful denunciation, quoted above, against those who add to or take from the word of God. Both evidently imply, that

nothing befides what is contained in Scripture is to be binding on our confciences; and surely it is abfurd to introduce into religion what is not a matter of conscience.

One part of the perfection of Scripture confifts in its being completely adapted to the character and circumftances of men. We obferved, that from the confideration of our proneness to err, we ought fcrupulously to adhere to the directions of God. This part of our character alfo affords a ftrong prefumption that God has given us a full and distinct rule, which may at once guide the humble inquirer, and render those inexcuseable who, refufing to hearken to him, prefume to walk in their own counfels. Had man been lefs perverse, the fame precifion would not have been neceffary; but as we must fuit our inftructions to the capacity and character of the pupil, so has God, we may prefume, condefcended to deal with us. Now, whether we confider the blindness and folly of.men in matters of religion, as represented in Scripture, or as demonftrated by facts, the neceffity of a clear and precise rule will evidently appear.

This neceffity is further evident, from the influence which good or bad laws must always have upon fociety. A great part of the worship of Christians is focial. One chief defign of the gofpel is, to enlarge the affections towards mankind, especially towards those who belong to Je

fociety depends, in a great measure, on the laws by which it is governed. A church of Christ is a fociety, and without proper laws it cannot subfift. • Forasmuch as no fociety, how free foever, or upon whatsoever flight occafion inftituted, (whether of philofophers for learning, of merchants for commerce, or of men of leisure for mutual converfation and difcourfe), no church or company, I fay, can in the leaft fubfift and hold together, but will presently diffolve and break to pieces, unless it be regulated by some laws, and the members all confent to obferve fome order : place and time of meeting must be agreed on; rules for admitting and excluding members must be established; diftinction of officers, and putting things into regular course, and such like, cannot be omitted*.' Whoever makes these laws ought to be very well acquainted, not only with the nature and defign of a Christian church, but with those circumstances which, through the corruption of human nature, may arise to frustrate the defign of the affociation. Unless he poffefs this knowledge in a very great degree, his laws will affuredly clash with the spirit of the institution, and, instead of repreffing, will be likely to produce confufion. Now, where fhall we find the man, fince the days of the apoftles, poffeffed of fuch an extenfive acquaintance with the nature of Chrift's kingdom, of fuch minute knowledge of the human heart, and, at the fame time, fo uninfluenced by local

nothing befides what is contained in Scripture is to be binding on our confciences; and furely it is abfurd to introduce into religion what is not a matter of conscience.

One part of the perfection of Scripture confifts in its being completely adapted to the character and circumstances of men. We obferved, that from the confideration of our pronenefs to err, we ought fcrupulously to adhere to the directions of God. This part of our character alfo affords a ftrong prefumption that God has given us a full and distinct rule, which may at once guide the humble inquirer, and render thofe inexcufeable who, refufing to hearken to him, prefume to walk in their own counfels. Had man been lefs perverse, the fame precision would not have been neceffary; but as we must fuit our instructions to the capacity and character of the pupil, so has God, we may prefume, condefcended to deal with us. Now, whether we confider the blindness and folly of.men in matters of religion, as represented in Scripture, or as demonstrated by facts, the neceffity of a clear and precise rule will evidently appear.

This neceffity is further evident, from the influence which good or bad laws must always have upon fociety. A great part of the worship of Christians is focial. One chief defign of the gofpel is, to enlarge the affections towards mankind, especially towards those who belong to Je

fociety depends, in a great measure, on the laws by which it is governed. A church of Christ is a fociety, and without proper laws it cannot subfift. • Forafmuch as no fociety, how free foever, or upon whatsoever flight occafion inftituted, (whether of philofophers for learning, of merchants for commerce, or of men of leisure for mutual conversation and difcourfe), no church or company, I say, can in the least subsist and hold together, but will presently diffolve and break to pieces, unless it be regulated by some laws, and the members all confent to obferve fome order : place and time of meeting must be agreed on; rules for admitting and excluding members muft be established; diftinction of officers, and putting things into regular courfe, and fuch like, cannot be omitted*.' Whoever makes thefe laws ought to be very well acquainted, not only with the nature and defign of a Christian church, but with those circumstances which, through the corruption of human nature, may arise to frustrate the defign of the affociation. Unless he poffefs this knowledge in a very great degree, his laws will affuredly clash with the spirit of the institution, and, instead of repreffing, will be likely to produce confufion. Now, where shall we find the man, fince the days of the apoftles, poffeffed of fuch an extenfive acquaintance with the nature of Chrift's kingdom, of fuch minute knowledge of the human heart, and, at the fame time, fo uninfluenced by local