law in their feparation, then they will be chargeable with their crimes. But, alas, what is this to thofe who are fo far from tranfgreffing any law of God by their feparation, that they only feparate from the tranfgreffion, and the tranfgreffors of that law, or for fome other juftifiable cause?

Obj. III. The body or church of Chrift is a fociety confifting of two parts, viz. governours and governed: and the unity of this body confifts in the governeds holding communion with, and fubjection to those who are the proper governours of that society; and the proper governours are only fuch, as have received a commission, by fucceffion from Chrift, for the exercife of that government. And confequently, whoever withdraws his communion, or fubjection from them, upon any pretence whatever, is guilty of criminal fchifm. And as thefe governours giving admiffion into this fociety, gives thofe who are admitted a being, as members of that body; fo whoever they cut off from that fociety, are really cut off from the body of Chrift. In anfwer to this objection I obferve, first, if in the term church Chrift is included, then the church confifts of two parts, viz. a governour and governed, which, in the figure of a body, anfwers to the head and the members; Chrift, and he only, being the head or governour, and all obedient believers being the members or governed in this body. But if in the term church Chrift is excluded, then in the christian church there are not two fuch parts: in that body all and every one are members, and no one is the head or governour, properly fo called. Chrift has been fo far from giving a commiffion to any member, or members of his church, to exercife rule and dominion over others, that on the contrary he has put them all upon a level in point of authority, and has strictly forbid, that any fuch authority or dominion fhould be exercifed in his kingdom, the governing power being what he has wholly referved to himself. For the proof of this fee Matt. xxiii. 8, 9, 10, 11. Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your master, even Chrift, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon earth; for one your Father which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your mafter, even Chrift. But he that is greatest among you, fhall be your fervant. Chap. xx. 25, 27. Jefus called them unto him and faid, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles do exercife dominion over them, and they that are great exercife authority upon them. But it shall not be fo among you; but whofoever will be great among you, let him be your minifter; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your fervant. Luke xxii. 24, 25, 26. There was a firife among them, which fhould be accounted the greateft. And he faid unto them, the kings of the Gentiles exercife lordship over them, and they that exercife authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be fo; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth ferve. Here we fee, that our Lord bars all authority from being exercised by his Difciples, one over another. And tho fuch authority did take place in the world upon a civil account, and those that rightly employed it were benefactors to mankind; yet no fuch thing fhould take place among them, with refpect to religion. This he declares it to be his will, that there fhould be no fuch thing as greater or less in his church. Old and young, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, Barbarian,

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rian, Scythian, bond, and free are all one, in this refpect, in Chrift Jefus. And if any will be greater than others, it must be in his greater labours, and fervice in miniftering to the church.

This being the ftate of the cafe, according to Chrift's own account of it, from hence I infer, first, that if there is any thing neceffary to be determined for the convenience and edification of the church, which Chrift hath not determined; fuch as the place where, the time when chriftian worship is to be exercised, or the like; fuch determination does not belong to any particular member, or members, but to the whole congregation, the majority being to be esteemed as fuch. And feeing the body of Chrift's church is of neceffity divided into diftin&t congregations, thro diftance of place, and multiplicity of members, I infer, fecondly, that all fuch diftinct congregations are independent one of another, in the determination of thofe things which Chrift hath not determined. And if they determine different from each other, their different practices, founded on fuch different determinations, are not in the least a breach of chriftian unity. I farther infer, thirdly, that if Ignatius, or Polycarp, or Paul, or an Angel from heaven, fhould deliver any thing contrary to what Chrift hath declared, in this refpect, we are not to receive it, Gal. i. 8, because we are fure no one can know the mind of Chrift better than he knew it himself. As to thofe places in the New Testament, in which christians are required to obey, and fubmit to thofe who have the rule over them (or rather the care of them) the most which that amounts to, I think, is only this, viz. that christian paftors, whatfoever they from the gospel fhould discover to, and prefs upon the people as their duty, they are to fubmit to and obey. Like as Christ preffed obedience to the Scribes and Pharifees, Matt. xxiii. 2, 3. The Scribes and Pharifees fit in Mofes's feat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you obferve and do (that is, whatsoever they, from the law, fhall difcover to be your duty) that obferve and do; but do not ye after their works, for they fay and do not. Again, I infer, fourthly, and laftly, that if any member, or members of the chriftian church, fhall affume to themfelves an authority or ruling power over their brethren, we are not obliged, by the laws of the gofpel, to fubmit to it, any otherwife than as it is our duty in lefs matters to depart from our right for peace-fake. If it fhould be urged, that the foremention'd texts where Chrift faith, that they shall call no one their master, for one was their master, even Chrift; and That with respect to the authority exercifed among the Gentiles, it shall not be so among you; this was spoken to the Apostles only, and is confined to them, and has no relation to the body or church of Chrift. Anfwer, There is no manner of foundation for this objection. For as we have no account whether the Apofles only were prefent at the times referred to; fo fuppofing that to be the cafe, yet they were spoken to, in the capacity of Difciples, and confequently, to all that ftand in that capacity to Chrift, which are all his people in all ages. Moreover the perfons, referred to, are confidered as a fociety, like the civil focieties among the Gentiles, which is applicable to the Apostles, considered as Apostles. Add to this, that the reafons given for the forementioned prohibitions are both general; one is your master, even Chrift; and all ye are brethren.

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This is the cafe of all chriftians, and therefore the prohibitions are general, which these are made the reafons of.

If it should be farther urged, That our Lord did give to his Apoftles an authority over others, as appears from his words to Peter, Matt. xvi. 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatfoever thou shalt loofe on earth, fall be loofed in heaven. Before I return an answer to what is urged, I premife, first, that the doctrine of life and falvation, which the Apoftles were to publish to the world, is called a treafure, Matt. xiii. 44. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treafure bid in a field, &c. Verfe 52. Every Scribe that is inftructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like an houfolder, which bringeth out of his treasure things new and old. 2 Cor. iv. 7. We have this treasure in carthen veffels, &c. Again, fecondly, it was ufual for princes, and great men, to commit their keys, or keeping of their treasure, to fome perfon or perfons to be kept, or difpofed of as they should direct. Thus, the Eunuch that Philip baptized was faid to be a man of great authority under Candace, Queen of Ethiopia, who had the charge of all her treasure, Acts viii. 27. And thus the Apoftles of Chrift were called Stewards, because the doctrine of the gofpel was committed to their charge, to be difpenfed as Christ had directed them, 1 Cor. iv. 1. 1 Tim. i. 12. Again, thirdly, the laying any thing upon the confciences of men, is called binding or laying burthens upon them, Num. xxx. 2. If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or fwear an oath to bind his foul with a bond. Matt. xxiii. 4. For they (viz. the Pharifees) bind heavy burthens and grievous to be born, and lay them on men's fhoulders. Chap. xi. 29, 30. And as the laying any thing upon the consciences of men, is called a binding that upon them, which they are obliged to thereby; fo to take away or difcharge men's confciences, from what they had before been bound to, is, by the fame rule, a loofing them from that to which they were before obliged. These things being premised, I answer, our Lord did not, in the text referred to, confer any authority, properly fo called, on Peter, and the rest of the Apostles; but only committed to their truft that valuable treafure, viz. the doctrine of the gofpel, which they were faithfully to dispense to both Jews and Gentiles: and in fo doing they were not only to bind upon the confciences of men thofe laws and duties which he had appointed; but alfo to loose them from thofe bonds, which either the law of Mofes, or their fuperftitious teachers, had bound upon them. Affuring them withal, that as far as they were faithful in the discharge of that truft here on earth; fo far their actions would be approved and juftified, by him and his Father in heaven.

If it fhould be yet farther urged, That our Lord gave his Apoftles power of remitting, and retaining fins, John xx. 23. Whofcever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whofoever fins ye retain, they are retained. Anfwer, First, This could not fignify a power abfolutely to discharge men from that condemnation, which their fins had expofed, and the law of God had bound them over to; and a power abfolutely to charge men's fins upon them, to their final condemnation; becaufe God has promifed pardon to the penitent obedient believer, and threatened damnation to the impenitent; and therefore the interpofi

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tion of an Apostle, cannot poffibly make the promifes, or the threatenings of God, of none effect. The penitent obedient believer has his pardon fecured to him by God's promife, whether he has an apoftolical abfolution or not; and the impenitent will be condemned, even tho abfolved by an Apostle. And therefore, I answer, fecondly, that, by remitting and retaining fin, Chrift only intended to affure them, that as they were to propofe the terms of forgiveness of fins to men; fo thofe, who complied with their offer, fhould certainly be forgiven, and thofe, who rejected it, fhould be condemned. This is abundantly evident from the parallel place in Mark xvi. 15, 16. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be faved; and be that believeth not shall be damned. Again, fecondly, I obferve, that tho the Apoftles acted as Chrift's ambaffaders, going up and down the world inviting both Jews and Gentiles to believe in Chrift, and to fubject themselves to his kingdom and government; yet they did not affume, in their preaching or practice, any authority or dominion, properly fo called, over the members of the chriftian church, either in point of faith or practice; but on the contrary, they difclaimed all fuch authority, 2 Cor. i. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy. Chap. iv. 5. We preach not ourselves, but Chrift Jefus the Lord; and ourselves your fervants for Jefus fake. And as the Apostles difclaimed all authority in their preaching; fo they did not affume any in their practice. Thus, Als vi. When a difference arofe in the church, which was occafion'd by a partial diftribution of the people's bounty, and occafioned the institution of the office of deacons (or overfeers of the poor) the Apostles did not affume any authority, but urged the reasonableness of the thing, and the people acted accordingly. Verfe 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Then the twelve called the multitude of the Difciples unto them, and faid, it is not meet that we should leave the word of God and ferve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look you out among you feven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghoft and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this bufiness. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word, And the faying pleafed the whole multitude; and they chofe Stephen, &c. Again,

When the difpute arofe at Antioch, whether the Gentiles fhould be circumcis'd, and keep the law of Mofes, Acts xv. the Apoftles did not, in this case, affume an authority of deciding the queftion, or of determining the church's practice herein; but only by reason and good argument, they fhewed, that the Gentiles were under no fuch obligation, neither did the church fuppofe that the Apostles had any fuch authority, for then there would have been no place for fuch a difpute. But when it was moved at Antioch, and they could not bring it to an iffue, tho Paul and Barnabas were prefent, they thought it advisable to have the opinion of their brethren at Jerufalem, to fee whether they could offer any thing which might determine the matter. And accordingly when the cafe was heard, there was no authority affumed, but reafon and argument was the ground of their determination. Peter fhewed, in the inftance of Cornelius, and his gentile friends, that God gave them the like gifts, and received them into equal privileges with the Jews, even whilft in uncircumcifion. And he was fe

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conded by Paul and Barnabas, who fhewed, what fpecial miracles God had wrought among the Gentiles by their miniftry. James added to this a prophecy in the Old Testament, Amos ix. 11. in which it was foretold, that God's name fhould be called upon by the Gentiles, that is, by men in uncircumcifion; and that the Gentiles, as Gentiles, which came home to God under the kingdom of the Meffiah, were owned by him as his people. From all which it was inferred, that the Gentiles were not obliged to be circumcifed, and keep the law of Mofes, and that it was a tempting God to lay this yoak upon them. So that the ground of that advice, which the brethren at Jerufalem fent to them at Antioch, was not any authority lodged in the Apoftles, but the reasons before laid down.

The like may be faid concerning the inftitution of paftors, or bishops in the christian church, that is, it was the reasonableness and expedience of the thing, which was the ground of this, and the like inftitutions; and not any special appointment from Chrift, or any special authority lodged in the Apoftles, there being no intimation of either of these in the New Testament. For as the electing a perfon to fucceed Judas, the traytor, and the inftitution of deacons, were neither of them by any special appointment from Chrift, or the produce of any authority lodged in the Apoftles, but were founded upon the reasonableness and fitness of the thing; fo it is highly probable, that was the case in every other fuch inftitution. And as to what St. Paul faith, Eph. iv. 11. He gave Some Apostles, fome Prophets, fome Evangelifts, and fome paftors and teachers, &c. This was fpoken, after these several offices and institutions were in being in the church. And as this refers to the day of Pentecoft, and as there were no fuch inftitutions on that day, therefore it must refer not to the offices, but to the ability which was given for the performance of them. God did not, on the day of Pentecoft, make or inftitute the feveral offices, before-mentioned; but he gave that ability by which these feveral offices were performed.

If it should be urged, That upon these principles there is no chriftian priesthood, and that the paftors, under the gofpel, are not the ordinance of God, but only the creatures of the church. I anfwer, If the term priest be used in a qualified fenfe, as denoting a perfon fet apart to minister in holy things, then every chriftian paftor is a priest; and confequently, all thofe who are fet apart to the paftoral office are the chriftian priesthood. But if the term priest be used in a gofpel fenfe, viz. as fignifying a perfon who has offered himself a fpiritual facrifice unto God, by living to his praife and glory, then every true chriftian is a prieft; and the whole body of obedient believers are the chriftian priesthood, Rom. xii. 1. 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9. Rev. i. 6. Chap. xx. 6. And if the term priest be ufed in fuch a law fenfe, as denoting a perfon fet apart to offer up a facrifice of atonement or peace-offering, and to make reconciliation for fin, then Christ, and he only, is a chriftian prieft; and the chriftian priesthood is wholly lodged in his perfon; it being Chrift, and he only, who offered himself once for all, as a facrifice of atonement for fin, and is for ever fat down at the right hand of God, to make reconciliation for finners, Heb. ii. 17. Chap. vii. 27, 28. Chap. ix, 24, 28. As to the latter part of the objection, viz. that paftors, under the

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