which I have hinted before, that there is no mode of worshipping God, which prevails in any congregation, though ever so bare of forms, that has not something of human institution in it, that according to this reasoning, even the appointment of any particular day or hour for divine worship, may be called a human imposition; that such a proposition if consistently pursued, and insisted upon rigorously, would lead to all the extravagances of mysticism; that, in fact, it has led among the Quakers to the taking away of the sacraments, and the resisting of the civil authority, in more than one important point'; let us see whether in fact there be any reason to pronounce that the kingdom of Christ was to be essentially different even in these particulars, from the kingdom which had before resided with Judah; whether either our Lord or his apostles shewed a repugnance to complying with forms, merely as forms; nay, to go farther, whether they held it a sufficient reason for separating from any

This is in fact the case with the Quakers in many important particulars; nor does their disclaiming all war or resistance to what they call oppression, carry with it any thing like a due and necessary submission to the powers that be." By refusing to pay tythes, to take upon themselves particular offices, to be sworn as witnesses, and various other instances, where they hold a conduct in direct opposition to the laws of their country, they in fact carry on a system of resistance, which, if it were general, would be most effectual to the overthrow of the government.

communion, that its rulers, though preserving the true doctrine, were, in their own particular practice, themselves become corrupt.

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In the first place, we find our saviour, though as he said of himself, he was "Lord of the Sabhath*, as of all things, whether of divine or of human institution, submitting to every rite of the Jewish church, circumcised, presented in the temple, going up to Jerusalem with his parents at the stated season; and, before he entered upon his ministry, solemnly baptized: this too, for that very memorable reason which he gave to John at the time of his baptism, that thus "it became him to fulfil all righteousness†," thus expressly attaching righteousness to the performance of outward ceremonies. After that even while he is reprobating the hypocrisy and wickedness of the elders among the Jews, so far is he from taking occasion to disparage their authority, that he expressly guards against any such conclusion. "The scribes and the pharisees," he said to the people, "sit in Moses' seat; all "therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, "that observe and do; but do not after their "works, for they say and do not." Even after he had ascended up into Heaven, and when the apostles were actually carrying into

execution the important and gracious purpose for which he came, of breaking down the partition wall, and extending the knowledge of God to the gentiles also; we do not find either in the apostles themselves, or in the Jewish converts, any aversion to joining in communion with the body of the Jews, or to complying with the ceremonies of the law. They took care indeed to guard against the imposition of the yoke upon the gentile converts; but, as far as appears from history, as long as Jerusalem existed, and there was a temple where Jehovah was worshipped, such Christians as chose might and did pay their vows at his sanctuary. And to the hierarchy of that church they not only paid respect in their persons, but in their writings reasoned upon it and alleged it as supporting their own authority, and as being connected with our religion, Christ is therefore called the "Passover." He is also not only the victim, but the High Priest. It is said of those who were invested with that character, that (6 no man taketh that honour to himself but "he that is called of God, as was Aaront. Again it is asked, as an argument why the ministers of Christ should have a provision supplied to them by those whom they taught, Know ye not that they which minister about

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holy things, live of the things of the tem

ple*" Thus were the ordinances under the old law made the foundation for the rule and discipline which should be established in the church. And in no one instance do we find them disparaged or undervalued, except when they were erroneously exalted beyond their proper value, and set in competition with, or supposed to contribute at all to the efficacy of the atonement made by our Lord,

But, further, what did actually take place in the church when established by the apostles? Was it governed by any rule? What was the liberty which prevailed in it? Not only the apostles and first teachers governed the church, but they also ordained others who should take that charge upon them. This was done in the very mode now practised. And even Barnabas and Saul when sent out to a particular ministry, received their authority by the laying on of hands. After that, we find them superintending each their proper provinces, according to the direction which their labours had taken, and the different countries which they had converted. Lastly, not only elders were ordained in every church, but in the persons of Timothy and of Titus we may trace the very character which is now sustained by our metropolitans.

1 Cor. ix. 13.

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These men succeeded to the name as well as to the office of apostles. In process of time the name was changed into that of angel, and after a short interval, the title of bishop or superintendant was appropriated to that class of officers. To all these the people are enjoined to be obedient. "Submit yourselves to every one that helpeth with us and laboureth." "Obey "them that have the rule over you, and sub"mit yourselvest." Such are the injunctions of the apostles to the disciples at large; and that the apostles themselves exercised the most extensive and absolute authority, much beyond what was claimed by the high priest among the Jews, no man who reads the epistles of St. Paul, can have a doubt. As little doubt is there of their having delegated to their successors the

* 1 Cor. xvi. 16.

Heb. xiii. 17.

They were like their great master, whose ambassadors they were, having his full powers, and being prophets as well as priests. But it may be remarked that this union of character and accumulation of authority was to cease with them. In the epistles to Titus and Timothy we have no intimation that the supernatural gifts which the apostles possessed, would be continued to them or that they were actually imparted to either of those holy men. On the contrary they are exhorted to "hold fast the form of sound words "delivered to them," to "continue in the things which they had "learned," and this with a particular reference to the scriptures. (2 Tim. iii. 14. et seq.) So that the apostle was immediately laying the foundation of an establishment, which was to be permanent both in doctrine and discipline. All the modes of punishing offenders there mentioned by him are simply excommunication, or such other modes as were to remain in the church for ever.