tions, and reproofs, as particular circumftance may render needful. "Take heed (laid one *apoftle) to yourfelves, and to all the flock over "which the holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers, "to feed the church of God, which he hath pur"chafed with his own blood," Acts xx. 28. "And feed the flock of God, which is among 66 you, (faid another apostle) taking the overfight thereof; not by conftraint, but willingly; not "for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being enfamples to the flock," 1 Pet. v. 2,—5.

Both thefe exhortations are addreffed exprefsly to elders. And, to fhow how much the addrefs is made to them exclufively, the brethren are all a long denominated the church and flock of God.

Church officers, again, have a right to receive, hear, and judge in, every accufation, preferred against a brother or an elder, whether by a private perfon, or a fociety of Chriftians; for, to Timothy and other office-bearers, the apoftle faid, "Against

66

an elder receive not an accufation, but before "two or three wineffes," 1 Tim. v. 19. Plainly intimating, that fuch accufation could only be tabled before them, and cognofced by them.

Having received the accufation, church-officers are likewife authorised to inflict fuch cenfures as may be moft for edification, according to the prefcriptions of Jefus Chrift; they being anfwerable to him. "Them (fays the apoille) that fin, rebuke "before all; that others alio may fear," verf. 20. And again, "a man that is an heretic, after the "first and fecond admonition, reject," Tit. iii. 10,

In both thele paffages, the power of difcipline is committed to the elders; and the degrees of cenfure condefcended on. As there is no room left for the brethren to claim any fhare in the power of difcipline;

difcipline; fo, there is no room for minifters or elders arbitrarily to chufe fuch kinds or degrees of cenfure as cannot be fupported by the word of truth.

Moreover, church-officers are warranted to ordain and fet apart proper perfons to the work of the miniftry."Lay hands fuddenly on no man," 1 Tim. v. 22. was Paul's caution to Timothy. And ordain elders in every city," Tit. i. 5 was his appointment to Titus, Than all which hints taken together, I can fcarce think, that words are capable of expreffing more fully, the power, the exclufive power, of church-officers in thefe matters.

OBSERVATION IV.

That though the Prefbyters at Antioch were a court of Chrift properly conftituted, they seem to have confidered their decifions, cfpecially if contravert ed, as all fubject to a court of review; and, for that reafon, unanimously agreed to refer the whole caufe, as it food, to the venerable Synod of Fudea.

This judicious and healing measure is narrated, by the hiftorian, in the following terms.

They," i. e. the men which came down from Judea, on the one hand, and Paul and Barnabas, with their adherents, on the other, "determined "that Faul and Barnabas," to reprefent one fide of the queftion," and certain others of them," i. e. the prefbyters at Antioch, to represent the other, "fhould go up to Jerufalem," in the quality of delegates or commiffioners, "unto the apostles and

elders," as conftituting a court to which they food in fubordination, "about this queftion,"

Acts

Acts xv. 2.-i. e. To have a judgment concerning it, from whence there might ly no appeal.

In this deliverance, you will readily fee, that there was a reference, a reference by an inferior to a fuperior court of judicature; and a reference, in order to obtain fuch decifion, as might be effectually binding on all concerned.

We fay, there was a reference. Had the difciples at Antioch appeared, as parties, against any member of that prefbytery for his doctrine concerning circumcifion, the caufe might have been transferred upon the footing of an appeal. Or, had the pref byters themfelves given a judgment, the minority might have carried the caufe to Jerufalem, upon the footing of a complaint.

But, rightly judging that impreffions, hurtful to the interefts of true godlinefs, might remain among the private Chriftians within their bounds, making one fay "I am of Paul and Barnabas," and another, "I am of the men which came down from Judea ;" the whole members of that court laid restraints upon their respective zeal, fufpended any motion for a fentence, and, with one heart and mind, came to an intire reference of the cause.

There was a reference, by an inferior to a fuperi or court of judicature. It hath already appeared, that the church-officers referring, conftituted one court of judicature; and we propofe to make it now appear, That the referees conftituted another; to which the prefbytery of Antioch was fubordinate. To mention nothing elfe,

-The very reference itfelf amounts to a proof that the prophets and teachers, in that church, confidered the fynod at Jerufalem, as their fuperiors in the Lord.

Had not this been the cafe, their resolution, with respect to the prefent caufe, would have been ma

nifeftly

aifeftly improper and abfurd.-Improper, as prac tically binging themselves under a yoke, to which they were no ways bound by the laws of Chrift.And abfurd, as the fynod of Judea could never have fuftained themselves judges in the matter, unlefs they had been poffeffed of an authority, for that purpofe, from their Lord and master.

Upon thefe principles, either the prefbyters at Antioch were intirely ignorant of church affairs; or elfe, they stood in fubordination to their brethren at Jerufalem: but the former cannot, with the leaft decency, be fuppoted; and, therefore, the latter may, without impropriety, be admitted.

It is oblervable, as an evidence that none but office-bearers were confidered as competent judges, that the court, to which this reference was made, confifted only of the apoftles and elders, Acts xv,

Nor, in this apprehenfion, were the prefbyters at Antioch fingular; for, in church affairs ellewhere, the apostles fuftained themselves, exclufive of all the brethren or disciples, as judges only competent.

One inftance, as a fpecimen, is tranfmitted by the hiftorian;-and tranfmitted, as for other reafons, fo, particularly for our learning.

When overfeers for the poor, at Jerufalem, were needed, the brethern, indeed, or difciples, were warranted to make the choice: but, in any other capacity, they had no allowance to act..

The Apostles convened the church; authorized that election; and restricted the multitude to the choice of men particularly qualified; referving to themselves the power of vefting them, when chofen, with proper authority. They, farther, gave the multitude an opportunity of making a report; and then expreffed their approbation of it, and concur

ence

ence with it, by prayer, and the impofition of their bren hands, as the alone method of fetting the men apart to the office, propofed, Acts vi. 5, 6.

The first kind of officers, to whom the reference was made, were the literal apoftles, whofe office, as immediately derived from Chrift in perfon, was peculiar to themfelves. Accordingly, we are affured, that the twelve, whom he chofe, from among his difciples, "He named Apoftles," Luke, vi. 13.

By the other referees, again, two different claffes of officers are to be understood;-teaching, namely, and ruling elders.

The former were fet apart to difpenfe gospel ordinances in general; -were fuch as Paul and Bar nabas ordained, wherever they found a church; Acts xiv. 23. and fuch as Titus was appointed to ordain in every city through Crete, Tit. i. 5. And,

The latter were fuch as affifted, only, in the government of the churches. Accordingly, we read of God's having fet in the church, governments, as well as apoftles, prophets, and teachers, 1 Cor. xii. 28. He that ruleth is called to exercife that gift with diligence, as well as other officers their refpective gifts, Rom. xii 8. And churchmembers are commanded, to remember, obey, and fubmit themfelves to fuch, in the Lord, Heb. xiii.

7, 17.

Though the latter of thefe claffes be thus diftinguished from the former, it is included in it. Governors and rulers do not always difpenfe gofpelordinances in the church; but those who difpenfe gofpel-ordinances are rulers, alfo, over their particular flocks.

Thus, we find the coalition of thefe offices in the teaching elder, as well as the diftinction between them, exprefsly taught by the apoftle of the Gentiles.--"Let the elders (fays he) that rule well, be counted