act for the utter fuppreffion of them. But Dickfon, Baillie, Rutherfoord, and others, fo warmly oppofed them, that they could only get it enacted, That people fhould obferve family-worship with the members of the family alone ; that reading of prayers is lawful, where none can pray extempore; that none but preachers fhall explain Scripture; and that no innovation relative to the time, matter, or manner of religious worship, or the number or quality of joiners in it, be introduced without allowance from the Affembly *.? CHAPTER VI. OF THE CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO COMPOSED THE APOSTOLIC CHURCHES. SECTION I. It was impoffible to confider the con ftitution of the apoftolic churches, without, in fome measure, anticipating our prefent fubject. What was faid in the former chapter, clearly * Hiftory of the Church of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 181,-183. by the late Mr Brown of Haddington. Glafg. 1984. upon the one fide, and Dickson and Blair upon the other, held a folemn conference on the point. Henderson drew up a paper of regulations or caveats for fuch meetings, bearing, That the members fhould be few, and fuch as were proper to meet together; that the meetings should not interfere with public or family-worship, or relative duties, nor be held in the night; that they fhould be occafional, and no wife tending to feparate the members from the rest of the congregation; that no impertinent questions, nor uncharitable judging of others fhould be allowed in them; that if any members in them had any objection against the common form of public worfhip, (as bowing in the pulpit, and finging the Gloria Patri), they should difcreetly lay them before the perfons concerned; and finally, that all things relative to them fhould be conducted with holiness, prudence, humility, and charity. This gave general fatisfaction. But Guthry and his affiftants, pretending that caveats brought in bishops, pushed the matter into this northern affembly, in which they expected their friends to be ftrongeft. Guthry poured forth torrents of accufation against the abfent Lecky, and the fociety meetings. Simfon of Bathgate feconded him; and in the most outrageous manner upbraided Rutherfoord, Livingston, and M'Lellan, as encouragers of them. Supported by the Earl of Seaforth, and many of the northern clergy, act for the utter fuppreffion of them. But Dickfon, Baillie, Rutherfoord, and others, fo warmly oppofed them, that they could only get it enacted, That people fhould observe family-worship with the members of the family alone; that reading of prayers is lawful, where none can pray extempore; that none but preachers fhall explain Scripture; and that no innovation relative to the time, matter, or manner of religious worship, or the number or quality of joiners in it, be introduced without allowance from the Affembly*.? CHAPTER VI. OF THE CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO COMPOSED THE APOSTOLIC CHUrches. SECTION I. Ir was impoffible to confider the con ftitution of the apoftolic churches, without, in fome measure, anticipating our prefent fubject. What was faid in the former chapter, clearly *Hiftory of the Church of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 181,-183. by the late Mr Brown of Haddington. Glafg. 1984. fhews of what kind of perfons the apoftolic churches were compofed. If the intention of Jefus in appointing that churches should be colJected, was to feparate between his own people and the rest of the world, it follows, that the members ought to be such as are his disciples. The manner in which they are to be governed, proves this with equal certainty. This is the worst poffible for any fociety who are not his difciples. It leaves room for whifpering, fwellings, tumults, and divifions, and does not commit fufficient power to any individual, or to the church, to fupprefs these in persons who are not under the influence of the authority of Chrift. It is well adapted, and sufficiently strong to curb the remaining corruption of real Chriftians; but never being intended for worldly men, the only direction a church has refpecting fuch, or those who in their manners resemble them, and will not liften to admonition, is to put them away. We formerly quoted the vifion contained in the laft chapters of Ezekiel's prophecies, and observed, that although we do not fully underftand it, this muft refer to the times of the gospel. While there is a conftant allufion to the temple- worship, there are many things entirely different from, nay oppofite to this. Of this defcription is the following: "And thou fhalt fay to the rebellious, even to the house of Ifrael, Thus faith the Lord, O ye boufe of Ifrael, let it fuffice you of all your abo tuary ftrangers uncircumcifed in heart, and uncircumcifed in flesh, to be in my fanctuary to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant, because of all your abominations. And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things; but ye have fet keepers of my charge in my fanctuary for yourselves. Thus faith the Lord God, No stranger uncircumcifed in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my fanctu ary, of any ftranger that is among the children of Ifrael," Ezek. xliv. 6, 7, 8, 9. On this paffage Mr Scott most justly observes, 'The introduction of strangers that had not been circumcifed, to eat of the peace-offerings and oblations, or even to eat the fat and the blood, of which none ought to have eaten, would have been a grofs violation of the Mofaic law. But the uncircumcised in heart, as well as in flesh, are here mentioned; and there was no law to exclude unregenerate persons, who were circumcifed, and ritually clean, from the ordinances of the temple: fo that this must denote a different constitution; and it feems to refer to the prostitution of the Chriftian facraments, by admitting ungodly perfons to them, who come from fecular motives, or in hypocrify, to partake of them; and to the admiffion of fuch perfons into the ministry, as seek nothing but the emolument; which things are the fcandal, and threaten the ruin of the Proteftant churches, as well as |