tution, and, instead of promoting the spiritual interests of the people, rendering the spiritual influence of rulers subservient to their purposes of worldly profit and ambition, is radically vicious, and inconsistent with the principles of a Christian church. Such was the character of the Romish hierarchy, and it became absolutely necessary to reform this corruption, as well as every other by which it was accompanied, and which it so powerfully fostered and maintained.

On this subject I completely assent to the opinion of my acute and judicious predecessor, whose words I shall here quote. "In regard to the outward order, however important it be, it affects not the essence of religion in the least; and even our adversaries themselves being judges, is not represented in scripture as affecting it. The garments which a man wears, or the house in which he lodges, however necessary for his accommodation and comfortable subsistence, are not, as his limbs and members, and still less as the powers and faculties of his mind, a part of his person. Now, in this respect there appears a very close analogy. For though, in our present situation, clothes and dwelling are requisite for protecting us against the inclemencies of the weather and other external accidents, we may, nevertheless, have both clothes and dwelling of different forms, yet equally commodious. Nay, one form may

be more convenient in certain climates and certain situations, which is less convenient in other climates and other situations. The same thing may with equal truth be affirmed concerning the form of church-government. This is evidently true also of civil government.

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Now, I can see no reason why a church may not subsist under different forms as well as a state; and though it must be owned, that one form may be more favourable than another to the spirit and design of the constitution, we cannot always judge with safety from the first of these, how much it has retained of the last. Nay, I must acknowledge, that for any thing I could ever discover in the sacred oracles to the contrary, the external order may properly undergo such alterations, as the ends of edification in different exigencies may require, and prudence may direct. The only thing of real importance is, that nothing be admitted which can in any way subvert the fundamental maxims, or infringe the spiritual nature of the government.

"Thus much in general is conformable to the doctrine both of the church of England and of the church of Scotland. For how different soever these churches are in the plans of government they have adopted, and how much soever each of them is attached to its own, they equally avoid limiting the Christian ministry to one par

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ticular model. The former, in her xxiii. article, entitled, of ministering in the Congregation, says expressly, Those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard.' This, if it mean any thing, and be not a mere identical proposition, of which, I own, it has some appearance, refers us ultimately to that authority, however modelled, which satisfies the people, and is settled among them. Again, in the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is of equal authority with us as the xxxix articles are in England, chap. xxv. entitled, Of the Church, sect. 3. Unto the catholic visible church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints in this life, to the end of the world.' And this is all that is said on the subject. Neither has presumed to delineate the essentials of a Christian ministry, or to say any thing which could be construed to exclude those who are governed in a different manner from that in which they themselves are governed. So much moderation has on this article been shown by both churches. I shall add to these the doctrine of the episcopal reformed church of Scotland, contained in a Con

a This is true in theory, but not in practice. Let those be answerable whose is the blame.

fession of Faith ratified by law in this country in 1567; which, though set aside in the time of the civil wars, to make room for the Westminster Confession, was re-enacted after the Restoration, and continued in force till the abolition of prelacy at the Revolution. I recur to it the rather, in order to show how much, on this article, the sentiments of our late nonjurors (for we have none of that description at present) differed from the sentiments of those whom they considered as their ecclesiastical predecessors, and from whom they derived their spiritual pedigree.

"In article xix. entitled, Of the Notes of the true Kirk, (I use the words of that formulary,) it is affirmed, They are neither antiquity, title usurped, lineal descence, place appointed, nor multitude of men approving an error.' Again, article xxiii. Of the right Administration of the Sacraments:-'That sacraments be rightly ministrate, we judge two things requisite: the one, that they be ministrate by lawful ministers, whom we affirm to be only they that are appointed to the preaching of the word, they being men lawfully chosen thereto by some kirk, &c. We fly the doctrine of the papistical kirka in participation of their sacraments: 1st, Because their ministers are no ministers of Christ Jesus,' &c.

a Here both protestant, episcopal, and popish churches are called kirks. How foolish then to apply this term as solely expressive of a presbyterian church!

Here, not only is lineal descent expressly excluded, but its very channel is removed, as the popish clergy are declared (I think with too little ceremony, and too universally) to be no ministers of Christ., Nay, all that appears externally necessary, according to them, to constitute a minister, is the choice of some congregation. Far from believing one particular form of ecclesiastical polity to be sacred and inviolable, they say, article xxi. Of general Councils, &c. Not that we think any policy and any order of ceremonies can be appointed for all ages, times, and places.'

"It will be owned likewise by those who, on this subject, are capable of examining with coolness, and pronouncing with impartiality, that we have not that sort of information in holy writ, from which we can with certainty form a judgment concerning the entire model of the apostolic church. What we can thence learn on this subject, we must collect from scattered hints given, -as it were, incidentally, when nothing seemed less the intention of the writers, than to convey to us a particular account of the plan of the society they had formed. It is a just observation of a writer of the last century, and deserves the attention of disputants on both sides :-' We see that the apostles were, in their writings, more solicitous concerning the qualifications than the degrees of the ministers, and inculcated and