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XXIII. Of the Rulers of the United States of America.

HE prefident, the congrefs, the general affemT blies, the governors, and the councils of ftate, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers of the United States of America, according to the divifion of pow er made to them by the general act of confederation, and by the conftitutions of their refpective ftates. And the faid ftates ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction.

NOTE S.

Rom. xiii. 1-7. Let every foul be fubject unto the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whofoever, therefore, refifteth the power, refifteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation; for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou fhalt have praise of the fame: for he is the minifter of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the fword in vain: for he is the minifter of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore, ye muft needs be fubject, not only for wrath, but alfo for confcience' fake. For, for this caufe pay ye tribute alfo: for they are God's minifters, attending continually upon this very thing. Render, therefore, to all, their dues: tribute, to whom tribute is due; cuftom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honour, to whom honour. Tit. iii. 1, Put them in mind to be fubject to principalities and powers, to obey magiftrates. 2 Pet. ii. 9-11. The Lord knoweth how-to referve the unjuft unto the day of judg rent to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the luft of uncleanness, and despise government. Prefumptious are they, felf-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities: whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accufation against them before the Lord. Jude 8. Likewife, alfo, these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, defpife domi nion, and peak evil of dignities. I Tim. ii. I, 2. I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men,and for all that are in authority.

XXIV. Of Chriftian Men's Goods.

TH

HE riches and goods of chriftians are not common as touching the right, title, and poffeffion of the fame, as fome do falfely boaft. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of fuch things as he poffeffeth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

NOTE S.

(1) Acts v. 3, 4. Peter faid, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was fold, was it not in thine own power? I Cor. xvi. 2. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath profpered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Charge them that are rich in this world [not, that they throw their property into a common stock with the other members of the church, to which they belong, but] that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate. (2) Matt. xxv. 34—40. Then fhall the king fay unto them on his right hand, come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was fick, and ye vifited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. -Verily, I fay unto you, Inafmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

A

XXV. Of a Chriftian Man's Oath.

S we confess that vain and rafh swearing is for-bidden christian men by our Lord Jefus Chrift, and James his apoftle; fo we judge that the christian religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, fo it be done according to the prophet's teaching, in juftice, judgment, and truth.

C 2.

NOT E S.

(1) Matt. v. 34-37. I fay unto you, Swear not at all:But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than thefe, cometh of evil. Jam. v. 12. Above all things, my brethren, fwear not; neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath : but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; left ye fall into condemnation. (2) Matt. xxvi. 63, 64. The high priest answered, and faid unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jefus faith unto him, Thou haft faid: [or, as St. Mark expreffes it ch. xiv. 62.] Jefus faid, I am. [Jefus anfwered the high priest on being folemnly adjured or fworn by him in the name of the living God; though he would not answer him, when queftioned without an oath: and we may also observe, that the Jews always confidered themfelves upon oath, when thus adjured by the high priest. Why then should our Saviour give fanction to an oath by anfwering the adjuration, if no perfon ought to fwear or take an oath before a magistrate?] 2 Cor. i. 18. As God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. Ver. 23. Moreover, I call Gòd for a record upon my foul, that to fpare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. Gal. i. 20. Now, the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lye not.. [St. Paul, in each of these inftances, calls God to witness the truth which he afferted, which has in it the nature and properties of a folemn oath.] Heb. vi. 13. When God made promife to Abra ham, because he could fwear by no greater, be fware by himself. Ver. 16, 17. For men verily fwear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all firife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counfel, confirmed it by an oath.

When we candidly compare together the texts quoted above, we do not fee the poffibility of reconciling them, but by allowing, on the one hand, that it is finful (it "cometh of evil”) to use any affeveration in common difcourfe, ftronger than the fimple yes and no; and, on the other hand, that it is perfectly lawful to make oath, before the magiftrate, on all important occafions.

Nevertheless, we do not object to any of our brethren, who till have doubts on this fubject, and demand, where it can be obtained, an affirmation inftead of an oath.

SECTION III.

Of the General and Yearly Conferences.

IT

Tis defired that all things be confidered on thefe occafions, as in the immediate prefence of God: That every person speak freely whatever is in his heart.

Queft. 1. How may we best improve our time at the conferences?

Anfw. 1. While we are converfing, let us have an efpecial care to fet God always before us.

2. In the intermediate hours, let us redeem all the time we can for private exercises.

3. Therein let us give ourselves to prayer for one another, and for a bleffing on our labour.

Queft. 2. Who fhall compofe the general conference? Anfw. All the travelling preachers who fhall be in full connection at the time of holding the conference. Queft. 3. Who fhall attend the yearly conferences? Anfw. All the travelling preachers who are in full connection, and thofe who are to be received into full connection.

Queft. 4. Who fhall appoint the times of holding the yearly conferences?

Anfw. The bishops.

Queft. 5. What is the method wherein we ufually proceed in the yearly conferences?

Anfw. We inquire,

1. What preachers are admitted on trial? 2. Who remain on trial?

3. Who are admitted into full connection? 4. Who are the deacons ?

5. Who are the elders?

6. Who have been elected by the unanimous fuffrages of the general conference to exercise the epifcopal office, and fuperintend the Methodist epifcopal church in America?

7. Who are under a location, through weakness of body, or family concerns?

8. Who are the fupernumeraries ? * 9. Who have died this year?

* A fupernumerary preacher is one fo worn out in the itinerant fervice, as to be rendered incapable of preaching conftantly: but, at the fame time, is willing to do any work in the ministry, which the conference may direct, and his strength enable him to per form.

10. Are all the preachers blamelefs in life and converfation?

11. Who are expelled from the connection?

12. Where are the preachers ftationed this year? 13. What numbers are in fociety?

14. What has been collected for the contingent expences?

15. How has this been expended?

16. What is contributed towards the fund for the fuperannuated preachers, and the widows and orphans of the preachers?

17. What demands are there upon it?

18. Where and when fhall our next conference be held? Quest. 6. Is there any other bufinefs to be done in the yearly conferences?

Anfw. The electing and ordaining of elders and

deacons.

Queft. 7. Are there any other directions to be given concerning the yearly conferences?

Anfw. There fhall be fix conferences in the year: as follows, viz.

Ift, The New-England conference,-under the di rection of which fhall be the affairs of our church in New-England, and in that part of the ftate of NewYork, which lies on the eat fide of Hudfon's river: Provided, That if the bishops fee it neceffary, a conference may be held in the Province of Maine.

2. The Philadelphia conference, for the direction of our concerns in the remainder of the state of NewYork, in New-Jersey, in all that part of Pennsylvania which lies on the eaft fide of the Sufquehannah river; the ftate of Delaware, and all the reft of the peninsula.

3. The Baltimore conference, for the remainder of Pennfylvania, the remainder of Maryland, and the Northern neck of Virginia.

4. The Virginia conference, for all that part of Virginia which lies on the fouth fide of the Rappahan. nock river, and for all that part of North-Carolina which lies on the north fide of Cape-Fear river, includ,

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