As fuch a pitiful temper muft infenfibly grow upon them, it cannot fail of difcovering itfelf, in their general deportment and behaviour; by which means their paftoral endeavours, ufed with whatever affiduity, lofe much,perhaps most,-if not the whole of that influence, they might otherwise been attended with: for, let the worldling himself fay, with what fuccefs can they be fuppofed to recommend a fuperlative regard to divine things upon others, in whom the love of the world, and feen things, evidently reigns? He reafons well, fay they of fuch a teacher, for heavenly-mindednefs; his arguments againft fetting our affections on the world, are quite conclufive: but, as we know, that he "crouches for a piece of filver himself, "and labours only for a morfel of bread," 1 Sam. ii. 36. all he can fay, is no more than a founding brafs, no better to us than a tinkling cymbal. Preferring, therefore, the bufinefs, the pleafures, or the profits of life, to the important ends of a gofpel miniftry, office bearers may trouble the church, and merit the excifion prayed for in our

text.

2. Particular office bearers may trouble the church of Chrift,-by unfcriptural doctrine.-Doctrine may be confidered as unfcriptural three ways, either of which are equally characteristical of the perfons under view.

Exploding any fcripture truth, is one kind of doctrine, whereby men, bearing office, may troùble the church. This may be done, by either fhunning to declare the whole counfel of God, dwelling on favourite topics only, to the neglect of others, equally neceffary and important; or done, by actually impugning certain parts of the Chriftian fyftem, and treating them with contempt. -The former would leave hearers in ignorance;

the

the latter, land them in errors:-faints would be ftarved by the one; finners poifoned by the other. -Copying after the Athenian or Roman fages, public teachers would circumfcribe their inftructions within too narrow bounds; for, in all the fyftems of Greece and Rome, no peculiar doctrines of the gospel can be found.--Confining themselves, therefore, to the topics which rendered Heathen teachers famous;-would not Chriftian teachers bring infamy upon their characters,-and indelible reproach-What was virtuous in thofe, having nɔ accefs to divine revelation, would, without more, be vicious in thefe, privileged with the facred records.

But, if office bearers, in the church of Chrift,. fhould actually impugn and reject any gofpel doctrine, they would thereby trouble the church, in a more direct and pofitive view.-By fhuaning to ́ declare Bible truths, teachers would probably do little or no good: but, by fetting.up in oppofition to them, they certainly behoved to do great hurt. By the former, they would only not build; but, by the latter, would they not evidently pull down the building?If church officers fhould form their doctrines upon, the "Popih, Arian, Socini"an, Arminian, or Bourignian *" fchemes of religion; then fome of the most interesting truths would be fhamefully buried:-the prefcience of God; his eternal decrees; the divinity of Chrift; the neceffity of grace; the perfeverance of faints +:

G 4

and

* Doctrines difowned by minifters at their ordination, according to Queft. 3. Act 10. Affem. 1711.

The most of these were comprehended in the Bourignian fyftem.Madam Antonia Bourignon is the reputed author. See her writings condemned, A& 11. Affem. 1701.

The

and fuch like, behoved, one or other, more or afi of them, in that event, to be expunged from their creed-and could-fay, if fuch teachers could be confidered in any other, in any better light, than as troublers of the church -Would not finners thereby be robbed of much knowlege, and faints of much comfort, they might otherwife,-the one have attained, and the other have enjoyed?—Vaftly different from this was the apoftle's plan of doctrine; for to the elders of Ephefus, he could confidently fay, I take you to record, that I am pure "from the blood of all men; for I have not fhun"ned to declare unto you, all the counfel of "God," Acts xx. 26, 27.

Again, as office-bearers may trouble the church, by Jubfracting from; fo alfo, by adding to, the doctrines of the gospel. "Ye have made the com"mandment of God (faid our Lord to the Phari

་་

fees) of none effect, by your tradition," Matth. xv 6. And to their unspeakable mortification, was pleafed to add, "In vain do ye worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men," Math. xv. 9. In as far, therefore, as church officers teach men to put any authority whatever on a kvel with the wiitten word, in fo far are they criminally chargeable with unfcriptural doctrine. By not fpeaking "according to the law and the te

flimony," do they not prove that "there is no light in them?" If. viii. 20.-And, if they, being lightlefs, lead thofe who are blind; let any one lay, if either can fail of falling into the ditchA plain demonftration this, how troublefome to the

The decrees of God;-the neceffity and efficacy of grace; the perfeverance of faints, etc. were maintain ed against the Arminians, or Remonftrants, by the fynod of Dort, which met Nov. 1. 1618. and fat till the th of May 1619.

the churches, teachers of this character would be. Adding to the doctrines of the word obliquely thrufts at the honour of God; as if infinite wifdom and love had not fufficiently provided for the edification and falvation of the church, would it. not argue, that a difcretionary power was left with men to fupply fuch imagined defects?-Nor would arbitrary additions be less destructive to fouls, than dishonouring to the Lord; for, by admitting them in one inftance, a foundation is laid for admitting 'them in another, until fight of the written word be intirely loft, and mens regards to the authority of it wholly obliterated.

A credulous turn of mind, with respect to human authority, or an unreafonable indulgence to the dictates of fancy, are the things upon which this dangerous error will probably turn.-Weak men are moft liable to the firft; and wicked men to the laft-Want of judgment occafions the one; and conceit of one's judgment, the other--That argues, their having no wifdom to guide themfelves; and this, their being too wife to fubmit to foreign direction.--Should fuch teachers multiply in a church, would not antient trumperies be revived, or other innovations introduced, to the manifeft prejudice of the truth as it is in Jefus ?If past errors were adopted, then the Pleroma of Platonic Chriflians, inftead of the one God * the twofold human nature, afcribed by Bourignions and others, to Jefus Chrift †;-the five fupernumerary

.G 5

*The Pleroma, or plenitude of the Deity, confift ed, according to Valentinus, of thirty Enons or attributes: See Dupin's church hiftory, vol. II. p. 43.

Madam Antonia Bourignon alleged that Chrift had one human nature which was produced of Adan before Eve was formed; and the other born of the Virgin Mary. See Act 11. Aflen. 1701.

merary facraments introduced by the Papifts and fuch like monftrous additions might be taught: But, if, in matters of doctrine, full fwing was given to the luxuriant, the unfanctified imagination, it is impoffible to fay where that fwelling prefumption might end, or its proud waves be stayed. One noftrum, in that event, behoved to introduce or fucceed another, until the whole cre. denda of religion became altogether fluctuating and precarious-nay, fhould this mode of doctrines become univerfal, in the chriftian church, every age would produce a new creed; and Bible truths, through length of time, be loft among the lumber of human inventions.

Once more; as office bearers may trouble the church, by fubftracting from, or adding unto, the doctrines of revelation; fo, by an undue arrangement or application of fcripture doctrines themfelves. This feems to have been Paul's principal quarrel with the teachers at Galatia; for, when perfecution arofe against the Gentile converts, for rejecting the ufages of the ceremonial law; thefe teachers, influenced by carnal prudence, warmly recommended circumcifion, as not only expedient, but indifpenfibly binding: "They conftrain you

(faid our apoftle) to be circumcifed, only left. "they fhould fuffer perfecution for the crofs of "Chrift," Gal. vi. 12.-Circumcifion was a scripture doctrine; and, under the Old Teftament difpenfation, injoined by divine authority: but the teachers Paul had in view, grofsly mif-timed their exhortations to it, by addreffing them to New Tettament churches: and the preffing this, as a duty,

The five Popish facraments exploded, by the reformed churches, are, confirmation, pennance, extreme und on, ordination, and marriage,