Befides the great feverity with which this part of their difcipline was attended, they carried the matter fo far, as to render the cenfure itself ridiculous, in the eyes of other nations; for, the Rabbins contend, that excommunication had its effect even on the irrational tribes: and, what is no lefs furprizing, it is alleged, that Roman catholics, in fome inftances, have copied after that usage amongst the Jews *.

What, however, muft be chiefly to our purpofe, is, the kind of this cenfure under the New-Teftament difpenfation. Our Lord, in his perfonal miniftry, gives a very plain account of it, in thefe words, "Let him be unto thee as an heathen man " and a publican," Matth. xviii. 17. i. e. You are not to hate him; rather, as a fellow-creature, to pray for him;-and though you cannot have complacency in him, you fhould exercife a Chriftian fympathy toward him, and concern for his falvation: In your church capacity only, he is to be confidered in the fame light as the heathen and the pagan world; confidered as profeffed Christians are, who, by a profane converfation, give the lie tọ their profeffion; to be confidered as no church. member, as capable of no church privilege, and as one with whom you must hold no Chriftian communion. The apostle of the Gentiles is ftill more explicit in tranfmitting to us the precife quality of this cenfure, when to the church at Corinth, he fays, "In the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, fuch H 4

fold excommunication. Vide Godwin. Mofes et Aaros, lib. v. cap. 2.

* The Baron de la Hontan, in his voyage to North America, informs us, that the bishop of Quebec excommunicated all the turtles in his diocefe, for fome mildemeanor alleged against them.

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a one must be delivered unto Satant," 1 Cor. v. 4, 5-Satan is called "the God of this world; 2 Cor. iv. 4. the heathen are the world, in oppofition to the churches; converts to Chriftianity come from the former to the latter delivering, there fore, unto Satan in this fenfe, is no more than confidering fuch a one to be, what he truly was before the commencement of his Christian profeffion, of the world, namely, or belonging to the world, in which, as a malignant prince Satan is permitted to bear a confiderable (way. Accordingly, by wifhing and praying for the excifion under view, Chriftians only mean, that fuch rotten hearted members be cut off from the body ecclefiaftic; and confidered, in their true light, as unconverted and unholy : as of the world, lying in wickedness; as fellow men, though by no means fellow Chriftians. Nor, on the fuppofition that the character and conduct of church officers are inconfiftent with the fpirit and practice of Chaiftianity, would there be any inju ftice in this with, or uncharitableness in that prayer; because the Bible itfelf lays no foundation for our believing men to be faints, who think, and speak, and behave as finners: nor can the wish and prayer, in fuch circumftances, be juftly deemed cruel or inhuman, fince their being cut off from the church, by men, is no bar in the way of God's dealing with them; and can be none in the way of Chriftians praying for them. We come now to the

III. Thing propofed, To apply the fubject in a fuitableness to the occafion of this meeting.

The improvement fhall confift in an addrefs, 1.

Το

This is what the Jews called the second degree of excommunication. Vide Godwini Mofes et Aaron lib. v. cap. ii. fect 4.

To my reverend fathers and brethren of this presbytery, with fuch other church officers as now hear me. 2. To my reverend brother, at whofe admiffion to the paftoral charge of this congregation I have the honour to prefide. And, 3. To the confituent members of this congregation, and fuch other hearers of the gofpel as witness this folemnity.

The firft addrefs, my reverend fathers and brethren, is what I could with the nature of this dif courfe had not rendered fome-how neceffary. To put you in mind of your duty, does not become my age nor ftanding in the miniftry: but, fince it now lies upon me, by your own appointment, may I hope for your indulgence in the discharge of a truff, for which, to our common Lord and Master, you know I must be accountable ?

If, then, it appears, that unholy men may bear office in the church of Chrift, with what anxiety and diligence (hould we enquire into our own flater and character; left, peradventure, any of us may have failed of the grace of God; and be in danger of coming fhort of eternal life! Do we fee caufe to prefs this duty frequently upon our refpective hearers; and fhall it be thought altogether unneceffary with regard to ourfelves-If men, in general, need to make confcience of it, with a concern proportioned to the danger they are in of deceiving their own fouls; how much more minifters,left what we do, in the ordinary courfe of our ftudies and labours, be mistaken for the life and exercile of grace, which are effential to the truly Chriftian and holy character?

If office-bearers in the Christian church may trouble her, by fuch fuch means as were mentioned, may not we, by the oppofite principles and practices, form a tolerable notion of our own characters, as

the fervants of God in the gospel of his Son? If love to the Redeemer, and the fouls of men, be our chief inducement, in all our paftoral endeavours; if divine authority, interpofed and exhibited by the fcriptures, is our only ftandard in matters of doctrine; if the New Teftament plan of Chriftian communion, church difcipline alfo and government, dif joined from all the commandments of men, is what we defire and endeavour to be directed by, in our ruling capacity; and if a holy and unblameable converfation, a circumfpect walk, an ufeful and a wellfpent life, are the ambition of our fouls; and, in fome measure, enemies themselves being judges, our attainment through grace; then, it is evident that the charge laid by the apoftle, against fome teacher's at Galatia, does not ly at our door.

If the edification and comfort of the churches have fuch a dependance on the character and deportment of thofe who bear office in them, how cautions fhould we be in licenfing men to preach the gospel, or fetting them apart to bear rule, with us, in our feveral congregations; and with what precifion fhould we attend to the apoftolic exhortation, 'to '66 lay hands fuddenly on no man?” 1 Tim. v. 22. To want of faithfulnefs in thefe particulars, might not every mifchief, of the kinds reprefented, be afcribed? If acquaintance with certain branches of literature, while no evidences of real Chriftianity appear, fhall recommend one to a capacity of preaching the gospel-if intereft, in a particular corner, is that whereby another is chiefly preferred to the honour of ruling in a Chriftian congregation ;-or, if the influence of the great and noble amongft men, without needful correfponding qualifications, can, of itself, raife a third to the paftoral charge of fouls; in fuch circumftances, is it to be wondered that men of corrupt minds creep into the church of

Chrift,

Christ, to the fubverfion, at once, of her quiet and prosperity?

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In other churches, fuch evils often flow from a defect in their polity and conftitution; but in the church to which we more immediately belong, there are fuch falutary rules, fuch fundamental laws, as muft effectually guard against these inconveniencies > unless, by a criminal neglect, or partiality on our own part, thofe rulers are overlooked, and thefe laws difpenfed with; wherefore, my reverend fathers and bretheren will give me leave to obferve, that fhould we ever, in any inftance, clothe men with the trufts mentioned, upon terms differing from the conftitution of our church, terms fhort of it, or any how oppofite to it; fhould we deliberately do fo, a manifold breach of faith, plighted by our own ordination vows, would be added to all the other guilt, infeparable from fuch an illegal, though judicative, procedure.

Befides, as another confequence from what we have heard, will it not likewife fellow, that in cafe fuch office-bearers, as were characterized, fhould ever appear in the church whereof we are members, our zeal and endeavours fhould be exercifed in order to their reformation or excifion? While church members can do no more than with, or, at most, pray, for deliverance from fuch troublers; the fpheres, wherein, we move, put a vast deal more in our power, and greatly widen our capacity of usefulness in that refpect: but fhould our fuperior advantages be neglected, or mifufed, when, for the relief of op preffed Chriftians, we may be called to employ them; to what an awful reckoning with the chief Shepherd, when he appears, must we thereby ex· pose ourselves?

Might we fuppofe that any troubler or troublers of the Chriftian church were now within hearing;