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LETTER III.

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,

HAVING in the preceding Letter given you my views of the principles which enter into the general structure of the church, I shall next invite your atten tion to some remarks on the authority of the church, as deposited in the hands of her officers. This authority is extensive: pertaining to the dispensation of the word; the administration of the sacraments; the exercise of government, and discipline; and whatever other functions are involved in the executive power of regulating the church according to scriptural forms. It is not my intention, however, to go into an examination of her authority in relation to all these points. Few, if any, entertain doubts of the right of the church to exhibit the truth, and dispense the sacraments, through the medium of her ministry. This is so universally conceded among ourselves, both as to principle and form that any attempt to establish it, would be justly deemed nugatory and superfluous. But the authority of the church for the purposes of government, is not so universally conceded. It may be of some importance, therefore, to examine how far the scriptures sanction her claims to governmental authority over her own members for if such an authority cannot be sustained

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from the scriptures, it ought certainly to be abandoned as an unwarrantable usurpation.

As a general remark, preliminary to the introduction of scriptural testimony in favour of church government, it may be observed, that it does not consist so much in a direct affirmation of the fact, as in commands, and directions relating to its exercise, and which necessarily suppose its existence. For if it had no existence, all directions pertaining to its exercise, and which involve obedience to it, would be absurd, and ridiculous.

That obedience to church authority is required, and directions relating to its exercise given in the holy scriptures, the following passages, with the accompanying remarks, will, I trust, clearly evince. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Hebrews, has this emphatical injunction: "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you."* Obedience, and submission to them that had the rule over them," are here required. This sup poses that those who ruled were possessed of authority, and that in consequence of this, they had a right to govern. Indeed obedience and authority seem to be reciprocal. The one, in all ordinary cases, supposes and implies the other.

Now, that these were ecclesiastical rulers, to whom the Apostle enjoined obedience, is manifest from the passage itself. They watch for your souls, as they

Heb. 18. 17.

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that must give account.” This is the proper business of the officers of the church. They have the care of the souls of those who belong to their respective societies. The ministers of the gospel especially watch for the souls" of their hearers. Their great business is to engage persons to .secure their salvation, as the one thing needful, and to lead them to the fountain of Christ's blood, that they may have their souls" cleansed from all impurity. In short, "the soul," in its spiritual interests, is that to which the vigilance and labour of every faithful minister of Jesus Christ is habitually directed. And to this he is required to attend in the view of the most solemn account. 660 son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore, thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul."* From this it is obvious, that it is ministers especially who are intended by them that watch for their souls, as they that must give an account." When, therefore, the Apostle requires of christians to yield obedience to such, it is an obvious recognition of the authority of church officers, and a most explicit injunction to the acknowledgment of that authority on the part of the people

* Ezek. 33. 1, 95

But if any doubt should remain with regard to the ulers here intended, it will be immediately dissipated by turning to the 7th verse of this same chapter, where the Apostle has fixed it, by still more determinate expressions: Remember them which have rule over you, and who have spoken unto you the word of God." Now, who but the ministers of the gospel had spoken unto them the word of God? To preach the word is their proper business, according to the original commission of Christ to his Apostles. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."* Those therefore, who ruled over them, were the ministers of the gospel, as they must have been the very persons who had spoken unto them the word of God. such, they were required to yield obedience and submission. Consequently, they, as rulers in the church of Christ, had authority to demand, and enforce this obedience, by such spiritual sanctions as the scriptures authorize, otherwise, words have no definite signification.

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But, perhaps, it will be said that this obedience which christians are required to yield to their church officers, is nothing more than a compliance with the calls and invitations of the word of God, which they preach, and consequently that the authority of such officers consists only in presenting them with these calls, or in preaching the gospel to them. But if nothing more than this had been intended, it is not probable that the Apostle would have said any thing about them that have the rule," which so forcibly suggests the idea of authority.

Mark 16. 15.

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