it is not to be fuppofed, that God would abolish and destroy an hundred Ceremonies of his own Inftitution, and give the Fancies of Men Leave to invent a new Scheme of ceremonial Worship at their own Pleasure, and impofe new-invented Rites upon their FellowChriftians; efpecially when we are required to ftand fast in the Liberty wherewith Chrift has now made us free, and not to be entangled with Yokes of Bondage. Gal. v. 1. What a ftrange Medley of fuperftitious and ridiculous Fooleries would be introduced into Christian Worship, if the Elders or Rulers in any Ages of the Church, might invent Ceremonies at their Pleasure, and impofe them on the People? The Church of Rome, by this Means, is become a Theatre of Jewish and Heathen Pageantry, to the great Dishonour of God, the Reproach of Christianity, and the Hazard and Ruin of the Souls of Men. It will be replied here, But is not fome Power of Rule and Government still given to Judges in a Nation, and to Magiftrates in a City, notwithstanding the unhappy Confequences which may arife from the Abuse of this Power. The Abuse of Authority does not prove there is no fuch Authority: Even fo in Churches, the Power may be abused; yet furely, there must be some Perfons who have Power and Authority, Rule and Government, lodged in their Hands, even fince the the Days of Infpiration and extraordinary Commiffion; for without it, every Society will run into great Disorder and Confufion. Pray what is this Rule or Power of Government, which is granted to ordinary Ministers in a Christian Church; and wherein does it confift, if not in appointing such Things as Chrift has left indifferent? To this I anfwer; The Rule and Government which is committed to ordinary. Ministers in the Church, fo far as I can understand it, feems to confift in thefe Things following; (viz.) in going before the People, and leading the feveral Parts of their Worship, and becoming their Example in every Duty; in teaching them the Principles and Rules of their Religion; the Knowledge, Profeffion, and Practice of those Doctrines and Duties, that Worship and Order, which Reason and natural Religion dictates, and that which Chrift himself has revealed, fuper-added, and established in his Word: It confifts in exhorting, perfuading, and charging the Hearers with Solemnity in the Name and Authority of Chrift, to comply therewith; in instructing the People how to apply thofe general Principles and Rules to particular Cafes and Occurrences, and giving them their best Advice; in prefiding in their Affemblies, and particularly as to the Admiffion and Exclufion of Members: It confifts in watching over the Flock; in guarding F 3 them them against Errors and Dangers; in admonishing, and warning, and reproving, with all Gravity and Authority, thofe who neglect or oppofe any of the Rules of Christ. But I cannot find where our bleffed Lord has given them any Power, or Pretence of Power, to impofe on Confcience any fuch Advices of their own, which neither Reafon nor Revelation impofe; much less to impose any of their own Inventions of new Doctrines, or Duties; or fo much as their own peculiar Explications of the Words of Chrift, by their own Authority. When our Saviour gave Commiffion to his Difciples, or his Apostles, to preach the Gofpel to all Nations, it was in this Manner: Go, teach them to obferve (not whatsoever you shall command, but) whatfoever I have commanded you. Matt. xxviii, 20. It is granted indeed, the Apoftles had Authority to explain the Meaning of Christ to the Churches by Infpiration; but even they were not entrusted to invent any new Doctrines or Laws of their own, and impofe them upon Men. And as thefe infpired Perfons have communicated to the Churches all that Chrift defigned, we must rest there. And fince Christ is the only Lord of his own Church, whofe Wisdom is infallible, and whofe Power and Authority are unquestionable, it is very unreasonable to fuppofe that he should leave any Fart of the Doctrines or Duties of Christianity Christianity to be invented, or impofed upon his Churches, by Men, whofe best Wif dom and Knowledge are weak, and fallible, and uncertain; and their Authority fo doubtful and queftionable, or rather fo null and void, as to any Inventions and Impofitions of their own. Alas, What wretched Work would fuch a fuppofed Authority make in different Churches, in the fame Age? What Contentions, and endlefs Confufions, would be raised among Chriftians? What different and contrary Opinions, and Ceremonies, and Forms of Worship and Practice, would be impofed on diftin&t Churches, and all called by the Christian Name? Has not the whole Church of Christ fuffered infinite Damage by thefe Pretences? What Mischiefs, and Strifes, and Schifms, would arife in the fame Churches, by the different Sentiments and Injunctions of dif ferent Elders or Paftors in the fame Church? What eternal Innovations in Churches, as to their Faith, Worship, and Practice, when Paftors die fucceffively, and others, of different Principles, come in their room? Has not the World feen too much of this already, in every Age of the Church? Obferve with what Zeal St. Paul, the greateft of the Apoftles, exclaims against any fuch Sort of Power, even in himself and his Fellow-Teachers. What is Paul, or what is F 4 Apollos, Apollos, or what is Cephas, or Peter, but Servants, or Minifters, by whom ye were taught to believe the fame Gofpel, or the fame Religion and Inftitutions of Chrift. 1 Cor. i. 12. and iii. 5. We are far from being Lords of your Faith: We are only the Helpers of your Joy. 2 Cor. 1. 24. As for the leffer Things, which Chrift has not commanded, and which are neceffary to be determined fome Way or other in a Church, as in any other human Society; fuch as the Appointment of the Place and Hour of meeting, the chufing a Prefident, the Method and Order of their religious Exercises, &c. Thefe must be agreed, or at leaft confented to, by the Society itself. A Judge in a Court, or a Magiftrate in a City, has no Power to make any new Law: His Business is only to explain and apply in general the Laws that are made, according to the best of his Understanding: And, after all, it is a Jury of twelve Men, in our national Courts of Juftice, that determines the Affair with Regard to particular Things or Perfons. So Minifters in the Church are not Lords or Sovereigns in Chrift's Kingdom: They, in their highest Character, can be fuppofed to be fet up but as Judges, to explain his Laws, and apply them to rifing Occafions, and fhew Men how to do all Things decently and orderly; but in many Cafes of Church-Affairs, it is the People that must actually apply them to par ticular |