IN our reasoning and discourses upon the rules and nature of the Christian dispensation, there is no distinction which ought to be preserved with greater care, than that, which exists between the institution, as it addresses the conscience and regulates the duty of particular Christians, and as it regards the discipline and government of the Christian church. It was our Saviour's design and the first object of his ministry, to afford to a lost and ignorant world such discoveries of their Creator's will, of their own interest, and future destination; such assured principles of faith, and rules of practice; such new motives, terms, and means of obedience, as might enable all, and engage many, to enter upon a course of life, which by rendering the person who [Page 6] pursued it acceptable to God, would conduct him to happi­ness, in another stage of his existence.

IT was a second intention of the founder of Christianity, but subservient to the former, to associate those who con­sented to take upon them the profession of his faith and service, into a separate community, for the purpose of united worship and mutual edification, for the better trans­mission and manifestation of the faith that was delivered to them, but principally, to promote the exercise of that fra­ternal disposition which their new relation to each other, which the visible participation of the same name and hope and calling, was calculated to excite.

FROM a view of these distinct parts of the evangelic dispensation, we are led to place a real difference, between the religion of particular Christians, and the polity of Christ's church. The one is personal and individual—acknowledges no subjection to human authority—is transacted in the heart—is an account between God and our own consciences alone: the other, appertaining to society (like every thing which relates to the joint interest and requires the co-ope­ration of many persons) is visible and external—prescribes rules of common order, for the observation of which, we are responsible not only to God, but to the society of which we are members, or what is the same thing, to those with whom the public authority of the society is deposited.

BUT the difference which I am principally concerned to establish consists in this, that whilst the precepts of Christian morality and the fundamental articles of its faith are, for [Page 7] the most part, precise and absolute, are of perpetual, uni­versal, and unalterable obligation; the laws which respect the discipline, instruction, and government of the commu­nity, are delivered in terms so general and indefinite as to admit of an application adapted to the mutable condition and varying exigencies of the Christian church. "As my Father hath sent me, so send I you." "Let every thing be done decently and in order." "Lay hands suddenly on no man." "Let him that ruleth do it with diligence." "The things which thou hast heard of me, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." "For this cause left I thee that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city."

THESE are all general directions, supposing indeed the existence of a regular ministry in the church, but describing no specific order of pre-eminence or distribution of office and authority. If any other instances can be adduced more circumstantial than these, they will be found like the ap­pointment of the seven deacons, the collections for the saints, the laying by in store upon the first day of the week, to be rules of the society rather than laws of the religion—recommendations and expedients fitted to the state of the several churches by those who then administered the affairs of them, rather than precepts delivered with a solemn design of fixing a constitution for succeeding ages. The just ends of religious as of civil union are eternally the same; but the means, by which these ends may be best promoted and secured, will vary with the vicissitudes of time and occasion, will differ according to the local circumstances, the peculiar [Page 8] situation, the improvement, character, or even the preju­dices and passions of the several communities upon whose conduct and edification they are intended to operate.

THE apostolic directions, which are preserved in the writings of the New Testament, seem to exclude no eccle­siastical constitution which the experience and more in­structed judgment of future ages might find it expedient to adopt. And this reserve, if we may so call it, in the legis­lature of the Christian church, was wisely suited to its primitive condition compared with its expected progress and extent. The circumstances of Christianity in the early period of its propagation were necessarily very unlike those, which would take place when it became the established religion of great nations. The rudiments indeed of the future plant were involved within the grain of mustard seed, but still a different treatment was required for its sustentation when the birds of the air lodged amongst its branches. A small select society under the guidance of inspired teachers, without temporal rights and without property, founded in the midst of enemies and living in subjection to unbelieving rulers, divided from the rest of the world by many singularities of conduct and persuasion, and adverse to the idolatry which public authority every where supported, differed so much from the Christian church after Christianity prevailed as the religion of the state; when its oeconomy became gradually interwoven with the civil government of the country; when the purity and propagation of its faith were left to the ordinary expe­dients of human instruction and an authentic scripture; when persecution and indigence were to be succeeded by [Page 9] legal security and public provision—clandestine and preca­rious opportunities of hearing the word and communicating in the rites of Christianity, by stationary pastors and appro­priated seasons, as well as places, of religious worship and resort: I say, the situation of the Christian community was so different in the infant and adult state of Christianity, that the highest inconvenience would have followed from esta­blishing a precise constitution which was to be obligatory upon both; the same disposition of affairs which was most commodious and conducive to edification in the one, be­coming probably impracticable under the circumstances, or altogether inadequate to the wants, of the other.

WHAT farther recommends the forbearance observable in this part of the Christian institution, is the consideration, that as Christianity solicited admission into every country in the world, it cautiously refrained from interfering with the municipal regulations or civil condition of any. Negli­gent of every view, but what related to the deliverance of mankind from spiritual perdition, the Saviour of the world advanced no pretensions, which by disturbing the arrange­ments of human polity, might present an obstacle to the reception of his faith. We may ascribe it to this design, that he left the laws of his church so open and indeterminate, that whilst the ends of religious communion were sufficiently declared, the form of the society might be assimilated to the civil constitution of each country, to which it should always communicate strength and support in return for the pro­tection it received. If there be any truth in these observa­tions, they lead to this temperate and charitable conclusion, [Page 10] "that Christianity may be professed under any form of church government."

BUT though all things are lawful, all things are not ex­pedient—If we concede to other churches the Christian legality of their constitution, so long as Christian worship and instruction are competently provided for, we may be allowed to maintain the advantage of our own, upon prin­ciples which all parties acknowledge—considerations of public utility. We may be allowed to contend, that whilst we imitate, so far as a great disparity of circumstances permits, the example, and what we apprehend to be the order of the apostolic age, our church and ministry are inferior to none in the great object of their institution, their suitableness to promote and uphold the profession, knowledge, and influence of pure Christianity. The sepa­ration of a particular order of men for the work of the ministry—the reserving to these, exclusively, the conduct of public worship and the preaching of the word—the distribution of the country into districts, and the assigning of each district to the care and charge of its proper pastor—lastly, the appointment to the clergy of a maintenance independent of the caprice of their congregation, are mea­sures of ecclesiastical policy which have been adopted by every national establishment of Christianity in the world. Concerning these points there exists no controversy. The chief article of regulation, upon which the judgment of some protestant churches dissents from ours, is, that whilst they have established a perfect parity amongst their clergy, we prefer a distinction of orders in the church, not only as recommended by the usage of the purest times, but as [Page 11] better calculated to promote, what all churches must desire, the credit and efficacy of the sacerdotal office.

THE force and truth of this last consideration I will endeavour to evince.

FIRST. The body of the clergy, in common with every regular society, must necessarily contain some internal provision for the government and correction of its members. Where a distinction of orders is not acknowledged, this government can only be administered by synods and assem­blies, because the supposition of equality forbids the dele­gation of authority to single persons. Now although it may be requisite to consult and collect the opinions of a community, in the momentous deliberations which ought to precede the establishment of those public laws by which it is to be bound; yet in every society the execution of these laws, the current and ordinary affairs of its govern­ment, are better managed by fewer hands. To commit personal questions to public debate—to refer every case and character, which requires animadversion, to the suffrages and examination of a numerous assembly—what is it, but to feed and to perpetuate contention, to supply materials for endless altercation, and opportunities for the indulgence of concealed enmity and private prejudices? The complaint of ages testifies, with how much inflammation, and how little equity, ecclesiastical conventions have conducted their proceedings; how apt intrigue has ever been to pervert enquiry, and clamour to confound discussion. Whatever may be the other benefits of equality, peace is best secured by subordination. And if this be a consideration of moment [Page 12] in every society, it is of peculiar importance to the clergy. Preachers of peace, ministers of charity and of reconcilia­tion to the world, that constitution surely ill befits their office and character, which has a tendency to engage them in contests and disputes with one another.

SECONDLY. The appointment of various orders in the church may be considered as the stationing of ministers of religion in the various ranks of civil life. The distinctions of the clergy ought in some measure to correspond with the distinctions of lay-society, in order to supply each class of the people with a clergy of their own level and description, with whom they may live and associate upon terms of equality. This reason is not imaginary nor insignificant. The usefulness of a virtuous and well-informed clergy consists neither wholly nor principally in their public preaching, or the stated functions of their order. It is from the example and in the society of such persons that the requisites which prepare the mind for the reception of virtue and knowledge, a taste for serious reflection and discourse, habits of thought and reasoning, a veneration for the laws and awful truths of Christianity, a disposition to enquire and a solicitude to learn, are best gained; at least, the decency of deportment, the sobriety of manners and conversation, the learning, the gravity, which usually accompany the clerical character insensibly diffuse their in­fluence over every company into which they are admitted. Is it of no importance to provide friends and companions of this character for the superior as well as for the middle orders of the community? Is it flattery, to say, that the manners and society of higher life would suffer some depravation, [Page 13] from the loss of so many men of liberal habits and education, as at present, by occupying elevated stations in the church are entitled to be received into its number? This intercourse would cease, if the clergy were reduced to a level with one another, and of consequence, with the inferior part of the community. These distinctions whilst they prevail must be complied with. How much so ever the Moralist may despise, or the Divine overlook the dis­criminations of rank, which the rules or prejudices of modern life have introduced into society, when we have the world to instruct and to deal with, we must take and treat it as it is, not as the wishes or the speculations of phi­losophy would represent it to our view. When we describe the public as peculiarly interested in every thing which affects, though but remotely, the character of the great and powerful, it is not that the soul of the rich man is more precious than the salvation of the poor, but because his virtues and his vices have a more considerable and exten­sive effect.

THIRDLY. They who behold the privileges and emolu­ments of the superior clergy with the most unfriendly inclina­tion, profess nevertheless to wish, that the order itself should be respected—But how is this respect to be procured?—It is equally impossible, to invest every clergyman with the decorations of affluence and rank, and to maintain the credit and reputation of an order which is altogether desti­tute of these distinctions. Individuals by the singularity of their virtue or their talents, may surmount all disadvan­tages; but the order will be contemned. At present, every member of our ecclesiastical establishment communicates in [Page 14] the dignity which is conferred upon a few—every clergy­man shares in the respect which is paid to his superiors—the ministry is honoured in the persons of its prelates. Nor is this oeconomy peculiar to our order. The profession of arms and of the law derive their lustre and esteem, not merely from their utility (which is a reason only to the few) but from the exalted place in the scale of civil life, which hath been wisely assigned to those, who fill stations of power and eminence in these great departments. And if this disposition of honors be approved in other kinds of public employment, why should not the credit and liberality of ours be upheld by the same expedient?

FOURTHLY. Rich and splendid situations in the church, have been justly regarded as prizes, held out to invite persons of good hopes and ingenuous attainments to enter into its service. The value of the prospect may be the same, but the allurement is much greater, where opulent shares are reserved to reward the success of a few, than where by a more equal partition of the fund all indeed are competently provided for, but no one can raise even his hopes beyond a penurious mediocrity of subsistence and situation. It is cer­tainly of consequence that young men of promising a bilities be encouraged to engage in the ministry of the church—otherwise, our profession will be composed of the refuse of every other. None will be found content to stake the for­tune of their lives in this calling, but they whom slow parts, personal defects, or a depressed condition of birth and edu­cation preclude from advancement in any other. The voca­tion in time comes to be thought mean and uncreditable—study languishes—sacred erudition declines—not only the [Page 15] order is disgraced, but religion itself disparaged in such hands. Some of the most judicious and moderate of the presbyterian clergy have been known to lament this defect in their con­stitution. They see and deplore the backwardness in youth of active and well cultivated faculties, to enter into the church, and their frequent resolutions to quit it. Again, if a gradation of orders be necessary to invite candidates into the profession, it is still more so to excite diligence and emu­lation, to promote an attention to character and public opinion when they are in it; especially, to guard against that sloth and negligence, into which men are apt to fall, who are arrived too soon at the limit of their expectations. We will not say, that the race is always to the swift, or the prize to the deserving, but we have never known that age of the church in which the advantage was not on the side of learning and decency.

THESE reasons appear to me to be well founded, and they have this in their favour, that they do not suppose too much, they suppose not any impracticable precision in the reward of merit, or any greater degree of disinterestedness, circumspection, and propriety in the bestowing of ecclesiasti­cal preferment than what actually takes place. They are, however, much strengthened, and our ecclesiastical constitu­tion defended with yet greater success, when men of con­spicuous and acknowledged merit are called to its superior stations—"when it goeth well with the righteous the city rejoiceth." When pious labours and exemplary virtue, when distinguished learning, or eminent utility, when long or arduous services are repaid with affluence and dignity, when a life of severe and well-directed application to the [Page 16] studies of religion, when wasted spirits and declining health are suffered to repose in honorable leisure, the good and wise applaud a constitution, which has provided such things for such men.

FINALLY, let us reflect that these, after all, are but secondary objects. Christ came not to found an empire upon earth, or to invest his church with temporal immunities. He came "to seek and to save that which was lost"—to purify to himself from amidst the pollutions of a corrupt world, "a peculiar people, zealous of good works." As far as our establishment conduces to forward and facilitate these ends, so far we are sure it falls in with his design, and is sanctified by his authority.—And whilst they who are en­trusted with its government employ their cares, and the influence of their stations, in judicious and unremitting en­deavours to enlarge the dominion of virtue and of Christianity over the hearts and affections of mankind—whilst "by pureness, by knowledge," by the aids of learning, by the piety of their example, they labour to inform the consciences and improve the morals of the people committed to their charge, they secure to themselves and to the church in which they preside, peace and permanency, reverence and support—what is infinitely more, they "save their own souls"—they prepare for the approach of that tremendous day, when Jesus Christ shall return again to the world and to his church, at once the gracious rewarder of the toils, and patience, and fidelity of his servants, and the strict avenger of abused power and neglected duty.