King Uzziah likewise offered incense, and in consequence of the crime was made a leper to the day of his death. 2 Chron. xxvi. 16. Thus let a man's station or qualifications be what they may, he must not minister in holy things, unless he belongs to the succession appointed by divine authority.

The identity of the covenant body depended upon the regular descent of the priesthood. If the whole priestly tribe had at any time been destroyed, the church would have been completely dissolved. The people could not raise any other set of men to the sacred office; for no such expedient was authorized by the law. Of course divine ordinances would cease, and the church would be no more. But if the priesthood were kept entire, the integrity of the church would continue. Though all the other tribes should withdraw, and none should be left to attend upon the ordinances, except the few strangers who might be incorporated into the covenant; even then the church would remain, in all its essential attributes, and might spread abroad and become an extensive body. Though idolatry should become general among the people, and should infect the priesthood, and be introduced into the temple; though even the temple should be demolished, and the priests and people be carried away, and for ages be subjected to heathen superstition; yet, whenever any portion of the priests, with such people as might join them, should return to the regular ordinances and duties of religion, they would constitute a regular portion of the church of God. So likewise under the present dispensation. If the descent of the ministerial order were interrupted; if the succession were entirely broken, the Christian church, with all its institutions and ordinances, would necessarily cease. There might be pious and holy people; and they might associate together for religious purposes. But they could never revive the sacred order, any more than the Jews could have revived the tribe of Levi, if it had once been all destroyed. On the other hand, so long as the succession of the priesthood continues unbroken; though it should sink into unchristian errours, and even be subjected to heathen superstition for a long season; yet, whenever any portion of it reforms, that portion, together with such people as shall be in fellowship with it, will be a part of the true church. Indeed any other portion, regularly descended, will be a branch of the church, even though much corrupted. And, if ever it reforms, it will be restored to a standing, and must be admitted into fellowship, with the purest portions of the sacred body. The Jews, who had been carried to Babylon, did not all return at once; many have not returned to this day. So also many who have been subjected to the mystical Babylon, are yet in bondage; but we trust they shall hereafter be delivered; and then, their ministry and ordinances being stripped of all corrupt appendages, they shall be hailed as a regular branch of the primitive church.

When the Saviour came into the world, the priesthood was changed. The gospel covenant was no longer to be shackled with the ceremonial Jaw, or with any worldly incumbrances. The Levitical order was abolished; and men of any tribe or nation were made admissible to the Christian priesthood. Our Lord called and commissioned a num

ber, while he was upon earth, and gave them authority to commission others. Thus the prophecy of Isaiah was accomplished; "I will declare my glory to the Gentiles, and will take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord." The offices were not abolished, but were still to continue, though under different names, and were to be supplied in a different manner. The laying on of hands is now appointed for conferring the ministerial commission. And this must be done by those who have been been previously commissioned in that way, or it is of no avail. Our Lord said to his apostles, "As my Father sent me, even so send I you." "As he sent me to preach and ordain; so I send you to do the same." Though he was at the head of all authority, yet he "glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." In order that he might "fulfil all righteousness," he was consecrated by a visible ceremony before he entered upon his publick ministry; at his baptism the Spirit descended, and a voice said unto him, "Thou art my beloved Son." And no man can take this honour to himself, but he that is called and set apart according to Divine appointment. However suitably he may be qualified for the office, he does not possess the office, till he has been outwardly com. missioned. Nor can he be commissioned by any one, who has not previously received a commission in the same outward and regular manner. Suppose a number of good men should form themselves into a society, which they would call a church, and should take one of their number, and ordain him their priest; would he possess any ministerial authority more than the rest of the brethren? Can any, but those who have a commission in the church, confer a commission on others? If any one, who had been ordained in this irregular way, should presume to ordain others, and this succession should go down through many generations, would it become any better than it was at its first origin? And if it should spread out into an extensive body of ministers and people, would its validity be in any measure increased? No; it would still be a human invention; not "a plant which God's right hand hath planted." It is much to be lamented, that this truth has not been better understood and more regarded. It is to be lamented, that people have ever felt themselves at liberty to institute a new church and a new ministry, instead of adhering to the church and ministry originally established.

But, by this course of reasoning, do we not condemn the whole Protestant cause? No. A great portion of the Protestants, though they renounced the corruptions of popery, yet did not pretend to establish a new church. Their object was, to reform the old body, but not to organize a new one; to refine and purify the old priesthood, but not to institute a new order. The Christian church is the Lord's house, (xvgiov oixos,) and different apartments of this spacious building had extended into various nations. But in a course of time almost the whole house became defiled with erroneous doctrines and superstitious observances. Still it is "God's building," and must not be destroyed. It must rather be purified from its defilements; a reformation must be begun, and carried on, as far as practica

ble, by every suitable means. If only a small portion; one apartment, or the church in one nation, can be reformed, it is an object worthy of attention. Perhaps the good work may go on, and extend through the whole. Such was the object of many of the reformers; not to destroy the old church; but to cleanse it from its corruptions, and restore its ministry and ordinances to their pristine purity. But, unfortunately, some of the reformers took a different course; and sad consequences have followed. When once the principle was admitted, that men might leave the church which God established, and constitute another with their own hands, no wonder that multitudes should be found, who have felt themselves competent to the work. No wonder that sect after sect has arisen, till we can see no end to the calamity, nor any prospect of a speedy return to the primitive standard.

We ought, however, to use our endeavours for a union upon the primitive plan. We should inquire into the origin of the different religious societies within our acquaintance; see where the old church now exists in its purest form, and attach ourselves to it with all our hearts. We should conform to this holy covenant; become incorporated into the mystical body, and seek to obtain and exercise all those holy dispositions, which may fit us for the church triumphant in VERMONTENSIS.

heaven.

SERMON.-No. XXX.*

PSALM xlviii. 9.--We have thought of thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

THE loving kindness of the Lord is a theme on which the pious Psalmist delighted to dwell. The remembrance of it never failed to warm his heart with gratitude, and fill his mouth with praise. It mingled with the hallowed topicks of his private meditation, and gave animation and fervour to his publick devotions. And who, that duly considers the nature and extent of the Divine beneficence, can suffer himself to forget it, or to think of it with indifference? To what, my brethren, but to the loving kindness of the Almighty, are we indebted for every temporal and spiritual blessing? To what other source are we to trace our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life? To what else are we to attribute the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, the means of grace, and the hope of glory? From this living, inexhaustible fountain, emanate all those streams which refresh and fertilize this lower world, and gladden the hosts of heaven. The Lord God is a sun and shield; "a sun to enlighten and direct us in our way, and a shield to protect us against the enemies of our salvation." The Lord will give grace and glory; "grace to carry us on from strength to strength, and glory to crown us when we appear before him in Zion; he will withhold nothing that is good and profitable for us in the course of our journey, and will himself be our reward

* Delivered in Christ Church, Boston, Dec. 28, 1823.

when we come to the end of it." Surely, then, it becomes us, with the Psalmist, to think of the loving kindness of God in the midst of his temple, to record in our memories and in our hearts the wondrous works which he has wrought for us, to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, and to set forth his most worthy praise.

I wish, on the present occasion, my brethren, more particularly to direct your thoughts to the loving kindness of God, as displayed towards this religious society, from its origin to the present time. This day completes a century since religious worship was first celebrated in this sacred temple. It will not, therefore, I trust, be thought an uninteresting or unprofitable employment of our time, if we take a slight survey of our past history, and unite in the devout and grateful acknowledgment, that hitherto the Lord has helped us.

Subscriptions for building this church were commenced the latter part of the year 1722. The preamble to the subscription paper was as follows. "Whereas the Church of England, at the south part of Boston, is not large enough to contain all the people that would come to it; and several well disposed persons having already bought a piece of ground at the north part of said town to build a church on: We, the subscribers, being willing to forward so good a work, do accordingly affix to our names what each of us will cheerfully contribute."

On the 15th day of April, 1723, the corner stone of this edifice was laid by the Rev. Samuel Myles, minister of King's chapel, accompanied by the gentlemen of his congregation. The ceremony was concluded with these words, "May the gates of hell never prevail against it." The building was completed during the succeeding summer and autumn, and first opened for publick worship on the 29th day of December, in the same year, by the Rev. Timothy Cutler, D. D., the first rector of this church. The appropriate passage of scripture, from which the preacher addressed a numerous audience, on this interesting occasion, was, "For mine house shall be called An house of prayer for all people." Isaiah lvi. 7. This distinguished divine was educated at Harvard college, Cambridge, and received the honours of that university in 1701. In 1710, be received Congregational ordination at Stratford, Connecticut, where he continued in high estimation, as a minister and a scholar, till 1719, when he was appointed rector of the college in New Haven, now Yale college. "This," says a dissenting divine," was an auspicious event to that institution, for he was a man of profound learning, and presided with dignity, usefulness, and gen. eral approbation." He was, says the same writer, "the first scholar," and, according to the testimony of another, the most "celebrated preacher, in the colony."

In 1722, Mr. Cutler, with several of the tutors and neighbouring clergy, men eminent for their talents and influence, having, after careful inquiry and mature deliberation, been led "to suspect, not only the regularity, but even the lawfulness and validity" of Congregational ordination, conformed to the Church of England. He accordingly resigned the rectorship of the college, and came to Boston, whence, in company with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Brown,

two of the conformists, he embarked for England on the 5th of November. On their arrival in London, "they were received with all possible kindness by Dr. Robinson, the bishop of London, and by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel; and it was readily agreed that Mr. Cutler should be sent to the new church in Boston.' Mr. Cutler was ordained first deacon, and then priest, in March, 1723. by Dr. Green, bishop of Norwich. On visiting the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, he received from each the honorary degree of doctor in divinity. Having been appointed missionary to this church, he embarked for America in July, arrived in Boston in November, and, on the 29th of December, commenced his labours in this part of his Master's vineyard. The success of his ministry appeared in the increasing number and the exemplary lives of those who attended on his publick ministrations. At the opening of the church, the usual audience is stated to have been about 400 persons; but they increased, continually, till they amounted to nearly double that number. The congregation are spoken of as having, "in many respects, approved themselves a worthy people, very devout in publick worship, and conscientious in their lives and actions."

Dr. Cutler continued in the faithful and successful discharge of his ministerial duties, happy in the confidence and affection of his people, and honoured by the respect and veneration of all who were able to appreciate his worth, till it pleased the Master whom he served to suspend his labours, by bodily indisposition, from which he never recovered. During the last nine years of his life he was unable to perform any publick duty. In the month of August, 1765, he was called from his labours and sufferings on earth, we trust, to the enjoyment of that rest which remaineth to the people of God. The Rev. Mr. Caner, minister of King's chapel, who preached his funeral sermon, sums up his character in these words: "In short, our departed friend was a wise, a learned, and pious man, a good Christian, a faithful steward of the mysteries of God, a tried soldier and champion of Jesus Christ; who, in prospect of the recompense of reward that was set before him, despised the frowns and flatteries of the world, maintained his great Master's cause with undaunted courage and steadfast resolution, and is now, we trust, entered into the possession of the joy of his Lord."

ad

During the illness of Dr. Cutler, his desk was supplied by the services of the neighbouring clergy, particularly Messrs. Caner and Troutbeck, till the year 1759, when the Rev. James Greaton was employed as his assistant. In this capacity, Mr. Greaton continued till the doctor's death. In December, following this event, a committee, appointed by the proprietors of the church for that purpose, dressed a letter to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, informing them of the decease of Dr. Cutler, their missionary, and requesting that the Rev. Mr. Greaton might be appointed to succeed him in their mission to this church. This request, after a delay of nearly two years, occasioned by misrepresentations communicated to the society, by a few disaffected members, was compliged with. Mr. Greaton, however, not being so happy as to unite the