hers; then, in the views, for the reafons mentioned, they would trouble the church wherein they bear office. To them it would be owing, fhould the moft worthlefs think themfelves injured, if accefs to church privileges was denied them; and to them owing, fhould Chrift's little flock be thereby ftumbled and offended.-Would not fuch officebearers have the blame of deceiving the former, and difcouraging the latter of caufing the one Intermeddle, to their hurt, with things wherein they have no lot or part and obliging the other to withdraw from privileges wherein they are fcripturally and favingly interested?

But, we faid, that office bearers might likewife trouble the church, by oppreffive measures in the exercife of difcipline and government. Though they have a right from Jefus Chrift to rule and govern; in other words, to put his laws, refpecting church rule and government, in execution; and to do fo without refpect of perfons: yet, if they should either ftretch the laws of the Head too far, or claim obedience from his members to laws of their own, which may be inconfiftent with the New Teftament plan of church oeconomy; fuch procedure, varnished over with whatever pretences, would it not trouble the church, and opprefs her members?

However extenfive the authority our Lord hath given his fervants, in managing his affairs upon earth; is not the lordship, over the confciences of his people, referved in his own hand?-Chriftians are, indeed, bound to obey those who have the rule over them; but, that fuch obedience may flow from the faith of a divine authority, and not stand in the wisdom of men, they are to obey them only "in the Lord," Theff. v. 12. i e. to obey, because they fee a fcriptural warrant interpofed in fupport of the obedience church officers call for.

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More particularly, mens ftretching the laws of Jefus Chrift, in matters of difcipline and government, behoved to trouble and opprefs his members. It is, for inftance, an exprefs ftatute of Chriftianity, that every church member, who, being in the fault, refufeth to acknowlege his error, and reform his way, fhall be, to the church, "as a heathen "man and a publican," Matth. xviii. 17. But then, it is no lefs a law of the kingdom, that fuch a delinquent, profeffing and evidencing repentance, fhall be reftored in the fpirit of meeknefs, Gal vi. 1. not only restored, but comforted also, left he be fwallowed up of over much forrow, 2 Cor. ii. 7. Should, however, thofe, bearing office, rob church members of that privilege, granted to them by their adorable Head; or make their enjoyment of it depend upon conditions of human device, would they not be chargeable with the oppreffion exploded and condemned by the New Teftament?

If an unwarrantable ftretching of Chrift's own laws might be oppreffive and troublesome to his members; church officers, claiming obedience to laws wholly their own, would render themfelves much more fo.-By the former, men are only wise above what is written; by the latter, they are wife in oppofition to the written word: the one mifinterprets our Lord's ftatutes; the other contributes toward the destruction of them.

Our Lord has provided that proper difcipline be exercifed upon heretics and immoral perfons. As to heretics, Chriftians and churches are not to receive them, or bid them God speed, 2 John 10. they are to avoid them, Rom. xvi. 17. and, if nothing lefs can ferve the ends of edification, they are, after a first and fecond admonition, to reject them, Tit. iii. 10.-With regard again to immo

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ral perfons, the law of the Redeemer's kingdom is most particular and explicit; "I have written un"to you, (faid Paul to the Corinthians) not to "keep company, if any man, that is called a bro"ther, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an ido"later, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with fuch an one no not to eat," 1 Cor. v. 11.-But, if men, bearing office in the church, fhould take it upon them to inflict fuch cenfures, where neither herefy, upon Bible principles at least, nor immorality, are fo much as alleged; then, thofe, most orthodox in their principles, and examplary in their lives, might fuffer unjustly; and the fociety, to which they belong, fuffer through their punishment.

According as rulers and governors, in any church, give way to a management of this fort, we may expect to fee the artillery of difcipline pointed against the most holy and useful members, or even officebearers; and fo far rewards and applaufes, profufely, poured upon men of a different, oppofite, character and deportment. Nor can thefe views be feparated; for the fame laws, which are replete with diftrefs to the former, must be pregnant with encouragement to the latter.Of fuch defpotic and arbitrary measures the Roman catholic churches. afford fo many awful proofs, that the propriety of fuppofing oppreffions of this kind will bear no difpute. In the hiftory of thefe churches, would it be a difficult task to find fentences of depofition against minifters, of excommunication against Chri'ftians, and of delivering over to the fecular arm, against both, founded on no better ground than their refufing to be, fay, or do, what, according to their best judgment, was forbidden by Jesus Chrift?-Under fuch administrations the Wick

liffs, Huffes, and Jeroms, must fall *; while the Wolfeys, Beatons, and Gardiners, will rife t.

As church officers are entrusted, by the living Head, with the fword of difcipline; fo alfo with the charter of his people's external privileges, which they are bound faithfully to difpenfe: but, in the exercife of their government, if they fhould withhold, from Chrift's members, any of those gofpel immunities; ufurping to themselves, letting go to others, what they ought to fecure them in the poffeffion of; could fuch administration

OF

John WICKLIFF, an Englifhman, profeffor of divinity at Oxford, was profecuted for his principles of the Reformation, firft in the year 1377, before the archbishop of Canterbury. Gregory XI. afterwards ordered the English clergy to fummon him to Rome. In confequence of this order he was tried by the prelates in a council held at Lambeth, and injoined to filence. In May 1382, his principles were condemned in a council called at London by the archbishop of Canterbury. They obtained an edict from Richard II.; in confequence whereof many Wickliffites were imprifoned: but Wickliff's death in December 1384, prevented their profecuting him any further.

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JOHN HUSS of Hufnitz, and JEROM of Prague, his difciple, were both condemned and burnt for adopting and preaching Wickliff's doctrines; the former anno 1415, and the latter anno 1416. See Dupin's church hift. vol. III. p. 308, etc.

THOMAS WOLSEY, first bishop of Lincoln, then at York, and laft of all promoted by the pope to a cardinal's hat, in the reign of Henry VIII.

DAVID BEATON, archbishop of St. Andrews, under the fame reign, likewife a cardinal.

STEPHEN GARDINER, bishop of Winchester, under the fame reign. All bigotted enemies to the reformation, and perfecutors of the Reformers. See Rapin, Smollet, etc. their hiftories of England.

tion bear, would it deferve, a gentler name than tyranny and oppreffion? Or, would all the artifice and fophiftry they were mafters of be able to free them from the apoftle's charge, as troublers of the church-True Chriftians, by that divine charter, have a right to the miniftry of the word, and to the feals of the new covenant; neither of these can be denied them, but in open violation of Immanu el's authority; to explain them therefore away, or refufe to difpenfe them, in whole or in part, as it difhonours the Head, fo it robs and fpulzies his members. Now, who that have furveyed the feat of the beaft, where both the ufe of the fcriptures, in general, and the euchariftical cup, in particular, are withheld from the laity, can fail to fee, that fuch robbery and oppreffion may be committed and would to God, it could be faid with truth, that in all the churches called Reformed, no degree of Proteftant Popery had place!

4. Office-bearers may trouble the church by un tenderness in their lives and converfations. Their inftructions, as fervants of Chrift, exprefsly bear, that they should be grave, prudent, blamelefs, of good report, and, in every refpect; enfamples to our Lord's flock: this is fo much the cafe, that neglects or commiffions, which might bear an apology in others, are inexcufable in them; and, what would make private Chriftians fhining and eminent, is fcarce more than what muft neceffarily enter into the very conftitution of their character.

Where chuch officers act in character, they teach, reprove, convince and comfort men, by their lives, as well as by their labours in the gofpel; and copying out what they fay, in what they do, office bearers bid vaftly fair to effect the ends. of their miniftry amongft faints,-to recommend the Chriftian fcheme to finners: but, if they preach

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