against such a general agreement in things which are in themselves indifferent; and which are left undetermined by the New Testament; and which must be determined some way or other by the agreement of christians.

But still I think it must be maintained, that though all the churches in a nation should be united and combined in this manner by their representatives, and call themselves one national church, they could acquire no divine right or authority hereby, to impose any new doctrines or practices in religion, any creed, or articles, or canons, or rules of worship, of their own making, on any particular church or person whatsoever, without their own consent. Neither the light of nature, nor the New Testament, so far as I can find, has given them any such power.

IV. Scripture is also supposed to be silent how far the power and government of elders, or bishops, may extend, though it calls them sometimes rulers, and requires the church to obey. Heb. xiii. 7. Remember them who have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God. And verse 17. Obey them who have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls. May they not therefore invent new ceremonies of worship, and by their authority determine any of those matters in a christian society, which Christ has left undetermined in his word?

I answer, if scripture be silent herein, let all church-rulers take heed that they extend not this power beyond the actual commission or grant of scripture. It is always safer in points of dominion, to confine one's self within the limits of the express grant or commission, than to go ever so little beyond it. When our natural ambition would tempt us to exceed these limits, our awe and dread of invading the province of Christ, should be an everlasting restraint. Besides, when neither the light of reason nor scripture gives sufficient evidence of any authority to assume such a power, why should it be assumed? Reason tells us, that no man knows what rites or ceremonies will be pleasing to the great God, beyond the plain dictates of natural religion, unless God himself has revealed and required

them.

The great and blessed God, when he would be worshipped with a variety of outward rites, established a church in Judea, with a hundred ceremonies, and new forms of worship and order; but he thought fit to abolish them again when the Messiah brought in his more spiritual kingdom, that is, the christian church. Now therein there are but two such ceremonies, of most plain and evident divine appointment; baptism and the Lord'ssupper; or, if you will, add the observation of the Lord's-day. And it is not to be supposed that God would abolish and destroy VOL. IV.

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a hundred ceremonies of his own institution, and give the fancies of men leave to invent a new scheme of ceremonial worship at their own pleasure, and impose new-invented rites upon their fellow-christians; especially when we are required to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has now made us free, and not be entangled with yokes of bondage; Gal. v. 1. What a strange medley of superstitious and ridiculous fooleries would be introduced into christian worship, if the elders or rulers in any ages of the church, might invent ceremonies at their pleasure, and impose them on the people? The church of Rome, by this means is become a theatre of Jewish and heathen pageantry, to the great dishonour of God, the reproach of christianity, and the hazard and ruin of the souls of men.

It will be replied here, but is not some power of rule and government still given to judges in a nation, and to magistrates in a city, notwithstanding the unhappy consequences which may arise from the abuse of this power. The abuse of authority does not prove there is no such authority: Even so in churches, the power may be abused; yet surely, there must be some persons who have power and authority, rule and government, lodged in their hands, even since the days of inspiration and extraordinary commission; for without it every society will run into great disorder and confusion. Pray what is this rule or power of government, which is granted to ordinary ministers in a christian church; and wherein does it consist, if not in appointing such things as Christ has left indifferent? To this I

answer;

The rule and government which is committed to ordinary ministers in the church, so far as I can understand it, seems to consist in these things following; viz. in going before the people, and leading the several parts of their worship, and becoming their example in every duty; in teaching them the principles and rules of their religion; the knowledge, profession, and practice of those doctrines and duties, that worship and order, which reason and natural religion dictates, and that which Christ himself has revealed, superadded, and established in his word: It consists in exhorting, persuading, and charging the hearers with solemnity in the name and authority of Christ, to comply therewith; in instructing the people how to apply those general principles and rules to particular cases and occurrences, and giving them their best advice; in presiding in their assemblies, and particularly as to the admission and exclusion of members: It consists in watching over the flock; in guarding them against errors and dangers; in admonishing, and warning, and reproving, with all gravity and authority, those who neglect or oppose any of the rules of Christ. But I cannot find where our bles-sed Lord has given them any power, or pretence of power, to

impose on conscience any such advices of their own, which neither reason nor revelation approve; much less to impose any of their own inventions of new doctrines, or duties; or so much as their own peculiar explications of the words of Christ, by their own authority. When our Saviour gave commission to his disciples, or his apostles, to preach the gospel to all nations, it was in this manner: Go teach them to observe, not whatsoever you shall command, but, whatsoever I have commanded you; Mat. xxviii. 20.

It is granted indeed, the apostles had authority to explain the meaning of Christ to the churches by inspiration; but even they were not entrusted to invent any new doctrines or laws of their own, and impose them upon men.

And as these inspired persons have communicated to the churches all that Christ designed, we must rest there. And since Christ is the only Lord of his own Church, whose wisdom is infallible, and whose power and authority are unquestionable, it is very unreasonable to suppose that he should leave any part of the doctrines or duties of christianity to be invented, or imposed upon his churches, by men, whose best wisdom and knowledge are weak, and fallible, and uncertain; and their authority so doubtful and questionable, or rather so null and void, as to any inventions and impositions of their own.

Alas, what wretched work would such a supposed authority make in different churches, in the same age? What contentions, and endless confusions, would be raised among christians? What different and contrary opinions, and ceremonies, and forms of worship and practice, would be imposed on distinct churches, and all called by the christian name? Has not the whole church of Christ suffered infinite damage by these pretences? What mischiefs and strifes, and schisms, would arise in the same churches, by the different sentiments and injunctions of different elders or pastors in the same church? What eternal innovations in churches, as to their faith, worship, and practice, when pastors die successively, and others, of different principles, come in their room? Has not the world seen too much of this already, in every age of the church? Observe with what zeal St. Paul, the greatest of the apostles, exclaims against any such sort of power, even in himself and his fellow-teachers. What is Paul, or what is Apollos, or what is Cephas, or Peter, but servants, or ministers, by whom ye were taught to believe the same gospel, or the same religion and institutions of Christ; 1 Cor. i. 12. and iii. 5. We are far from being lords of your faith: We are only the helpers of your joy; 2 Cor. i. 24.

As for the lesser things, which Christ has commanded, and which are necessary to be determined some way or other in a church, as in any human society; such as the appointment of the

place and hour of meeting, the chusing a president, the method and order of their religious exercises, &c. These must be agreed, or at least consented to, by the society itself. A judge in a court, or a magistrate in a city, has no power to make any new law: His business is only to explain and apply in general the laws that are made according to the best of his understanding: And after all, it is a jury of twelve men, in our national courts of justice, that determines the affair with regard to particular things or persons. So ministers in the church are not lords or sovereigns in Christ's kingdom: They, in their highest character, can be supposed to be set up but as judges, to explain his laws, and apply them to rising occasions, and shew men how to do all things decently and orderly; 1 Cor. xii. 40. but in many cases of church affairs, it is the people that must actually apply them to particular persons or occurrences. Ministers have not any dominion given them, either over our faith or practice.

It may be observed also, that the names which are given to ministers in scripture, do not signify sovereign rule and authority: Their name is ministers, or servants, and they are never called lords, or commanders, but leaders, presidents, stewards, shepherds, teachers, elders, overseers, &c. all which intimate a limited authority, and not supreme power*.

But as many writers among the puritans and non-conformists have handled this matter abundantly in the last age, so the reverend and learned bishop Hoadley, in latter years, has happily laboured to guard this prerogative of Christ to make laws in his own church, from the usurpations of men; and therefore I insist no further on this particular.

Though the scripture be silent about the extent of the power of particular bishops or elders in a church, yet some may say, does not the light of nature teach us, that many grave and wise persons, the bishops and elders of many churches, meeting together in a synod, or solemn council, may join and make laws, or constitutions, for all the churches under their care? And are not the churches bound to obey? First, I answer:

I. It is granted, that the light of nature would lead the wisest persons sometimes to meet together for mutual advice and

* Governments is the strongest word of authority used to denote an office in the christian church, and that is but one 1 Cor. xii. 28. And some learned men are of opinion, this name signifies deacons, whose government reached not to the faith or conscience, but they distributed and disposed of the money wisely, which the helps just before mentioned, that is, men of wealth and goodness, gave toward the support of the poor. See Mr. Chandler's Commentary on Joel, page 150. Or if these governments imply high authority and power, let it be remembered, it is only mentioned as an office in the days of inspiration, and is joined with apostles, prophets, evangelists, gifts of tongues, &c.

counsel; but I know not of any natural or scriptural right, that ministers, joined in a synod, have to make new laws for christian churches; nor have single christians or congregations any right or leave, much less any obligation, to subject themselves and their consciences to such a dominion of men, in things which neither scripture nor nature requires. It is the ready way, by degrees, to put other kings into the kingdom of Christ, who alone is sovereign in his church. It is a dangerous thing for christians to give up themselves to the will of fallible men by such a subjection; and they will find, by woeful experience, many things, by degrees, imposed upon them, that will nei ther suit with their conscience or their conveniency, with their own inclination, or their faithful subjection to Christ. What has been the event of this in all ages may justly be again expected, if the same experiment be made. I answer, secondly:

11. If this were once allowed, may not these ministers, thus met together in one nation, upon the same principle, depute some of their number to join with such sort of deputation of christian ministers in other nations, till at last they devolve all their power upon one small assembly or general council, or upon one single person, who may be deputed or appointed to determine for them all? If these sort of deputations carry any authentic power with them, to make laws for conscience, they may be carried on as far as an universal council, or a Pope, before they stop, and we are at Rome ere we are aware. You will reply perhaps, Is there not some encouragement given to the government of the church by assemblies, councils, convocations, or synods of bishops or elders, in that famous chapter; Acts xv. where they met about that great question, Whether the heathen converts should be circumcised or no?

But the answer to this is very easy: This was not a council of elders or bishops, for here are the brethren of the church at Jerusalem joined together with the apostles and elders; and besides, that assembly had so much of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit of God in them, that they could justly pronounce, It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden ;- -verses 22, 23, 25, 28. Now when persons divinely inspired, as those apostles and elders, and many of the brethren were, shall meet together for such a purpose, I have nothing to say against their determinations. But let ministers in their councils, in later ages, take heed how they assume lordship over conscience, till they are furnished with such gifts, and can make such a divine commission appear, as will warrant them to say, It appeared good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to appoint so and so. Perhaps it will be replied here, the apostles and inspired persons knew what was the christian's duty before, and