that order into execution they prayed over Barnabas and Saul, laid their hands on them, and by a decree of court, they, at once, loofed their prefent connection with that particular church, and fent them away to move for a feafon, in a more public, a more extensive, and more useful sphere.

If Barnabas and Saul had not been fubject to their brethren, it is natural to think, that God would have moved them, by immediate infpiration, to decamp, without the interpofition of their coprefbyters at all; but, as he is not the author of "confufion, but of peace, in all the churches of "the faints," 1 Cor. xiv. 33. he influenced the proper officers to carry that part of his will into execution.

According, therefore, to this precedent, it isevident, that these prefbyters at Antioch might ex officio, have proceeded to a fentence, in the caufe now before them; in as far, at least, as it refpected their own flocks, without the interpofition of any fuperior authority whatever.

This prerogative of church-officers, as diftin. guished from the brethren's, may be illuftrated by. a variety of obfervations, evidently founded in the New Teftament.

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Though it appears, that, when our Lord afcended, the number of the difciples was about an hundred and twenty, Acts. i. 15. the commiffion to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," Mark. xvi. 15. was given to (none but the eleven furviving apoftles or officebearers, verf. 14.

Accordingly, church-officers are directly enjoined, in the difcharge of their pastoral truft, to use the, means of building up faints, in faith, holiness and comfort; and impowered, as overfeers of their refpective flocks, to exhibit fuch warnings, admoni

1

tions, and reproofs, as particular circumftances may render needful. Take heed (laid one

"apostle) 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 you, (said another apostle) taking the oversight "thereof; not by constraint, but willingly; not "for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ea"famples to the flock," 1 Pet. v. 2,-5.

46

Both these exhortations are addreffed expressly to elders. And, to fhow how much the addrefs is made to them exclufively, the brethren are all along 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 perlon, or a fociety of Chriftians; for, to Timothy and other office-bearers, the apoftle faid, "Against an elder receive not an accufation, but before 66 two or three witneffes,' 1 Tim. v. 19. Plainly intimating, that fuch accufation could only be tabled before them, and cognofced by them.

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

In both thefe 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 share in the power of discipline;

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 ministry. '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 scarce think, that words are capable of expreffing more fully, the power,-the exclufive power, of church-officers in these matters.

OBSERVATION IV.

That though the Prefbyters at Antioch were a court of Cbrift properly conftituted, they feem to have confidered their decifions, cfpecially if contraverted, 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 Judea.

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 Paul and Barnabas," to reprefent one fide of the question, "and certain others of them," i. e. the prefbyters at Antioch, to reprefent 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 stood in fubordination, "about this question,"

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 say, 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 prefbyters 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 sentence, and, with one heart and mind, came to an intire reference of the cause.

There was a reference, by an inferior to a fuperior 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 else,

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 refolution, with respect to the prefent caufe, would have been ma

nifeftly

nifeftly improper and abfurd.-Improper, as practically binging themselves under a yoke, to which they were no ways bound by the laws of Christ.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 purpose, from their Lord and mafter.

Upon these 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 fuppoled; and, therefore, the latter may, without impropriety, be admitted.

It is obfervable, 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.

2.

Nor, in this apprehenfion, were the prefbyters at Antioch fingular; for, in church affairs elfewhere, the apostles fuftained themfelves, exclufive of all the brethren or difciples, 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 take the choice: but, in any other capacity, they had no allowance to act.

The Apoftles 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