necessary severity, and of its remission, accompanied by entire reconciliation, the apostle Paul gives a striking example in his injunction to the church of Corinth for the delivering up unto Satan" of the incestuous person; and, after his penitence, for his restoration to their communion and brotherly love. "Sufficient," says he, "to such a man is the punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise, ye ought rather to forgive him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you, that ye would confirm your love to him." It ought never to be forgotten, that the principal end of ecclesiastical discipline is the maintenance of that purity of morals which Christianity dictates and inspires, in a degree unknown to any other system of religion which has ever existed in the world.

The preservation of the purity of doctrine, on which the purity of Christian practice more or less depends, is certainly one great object of ecclesiastical government, as far as this can be attained by human discernment and measures. Christianity, so far from abridging the exercise of private judgment, confirms and establishes it, by addressing itself to the understanding and the heart. This evidently implies that the former must be convinced, and the latter affected.

a 1 Cor. v. 1-5.

b 2 Cor. ii. 6—8.

"Search the scriptures," exhorts our Saviour, "for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me." "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," says his apostle Paul; and his apostle John, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." But how can men search, prove, and try, unless they exercise those faculties of reason and conscience, with which their Creator has endued them? No man can see with another's eyes, and as little can he judge with another's understanding, or feel with another's heart. As far, then, as faith, belief, or conviction are of any real value, implicit reliance on the opinion of another, in matters of religion, is a downright absurdity, because it is impossible that one mind can transfer to another the judicative or perceptive powers which belong to it. In matters of mere fact, indeed, we may place implicit confidence in testimony. But, in order to enable us to do so, in consistence with reason, we must examine that testimony, and see whether or not it is such as entitles it to credit. We may also, in matters of opinion, have such deference for the superior judgment of another, as in cases with respect to which our abilities, or our experience, or knowledge, may be defective, to lead us to acquiesce in it in a general manner,

a John v. 39.

b 1 Thess. v. 21.

c 1 John iv. 1.

without pretending to form any opinion of our own. But this implies at bottom an acknowledgment of our own ignorance,; and, when we are required to act in such cases, and cannot delay till we obtain sufficient information to enable us to judge for ourselves, we may rationally follow such direction in the same manner as we should follow, in a road unknown to us, a guide whose knowledge and fidelity we had ascertained.

The case is, however, different in regard to religion. Here God himself has condescended to instruct us in his written word, established as his dictates by evidence both sufficiently strong to bring conviction to every unprejudiced mind, and adapted, as far as rational conviction is concerned, to every capacity. The apostle exhorts his disciple Timothy, "to continue in the things which he had learned, and had been assured of, knowing of whom he had learned them; and that, from a child, he had known the holy scriptures, which were able to make him wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. If this was true in regard to the scriptures of the Old Testament, of which only the apostle could here speak, how much stronger must the assertion be,

a 2 Tim. iii. 14-16.

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in regard to those of the New, by which the former are so completely elucidated and applied to their proper objects? As the scriptures, then, are able to make all men, of whatever degree, abilities, or information, "wise unto salvation ;" so it is evident, that all men are not only entitled, but required to search them, and to endeavour to apprehend their right meaning in reliance on the assistance of the divine Spirit.

Hence, it unavoidably follows, that, since the Scriptures, the standard of faith and manners to all Christians, are expressed in human language, which often admits of a diversity of interpretations, different meanings will, by different understandings, be ascribed to the same passages and phrases; and, consequently, different doctrines, or shades of doctrines, be founded on these. With respect to no book whatever has this taken place more than with respect to the Bible. Opinions, thereforé, which one set of men have deemed to be perfectly scriptural and orthodox, have by others been held and denounced to be heterodox and unscriptural. Heresies have been mutually charged. Anathemas and excommunications have been pronounced on both sides. Schisms have been produced. Exasperated divisions have ensued. The church of Christ has been rent; and the great bond of peace, union, and charity, has been converted

into a firebrand of discord, virulence, and persecution.

That heresy is strongly condemned in the New Testament, will not be questioned by any person who reads the passages in which the terms heresy and heretic are mentioned. These are only four. In the first epistle to the Corinthians; in that to the Galatians; in the second epistle of Peter; and in the epistle to Titus, we find the following words. "There must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.' 99a "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." "There were false prophets among the people, (the Jews) even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the truth shall be evil spoken of." "A man that is an heretick, after the first and se

a 1 Cor. xi. 19.

b Gal. v. 19-21. c 2 Peter ii. 1, 2.