ing. We here see the accomplishment of the ancient prophecy, "A king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment," Isa. xxxii. 1; and wherever this king reigns, his princes rule in judgment, while their writings are received as the only standard of faith and obedience. In this sense, the Apostles are at this moment perambulating the world.

Whenever the Spirit of God accompanies the Apostolic gospel, whether the knowledge of it is communicated by the living voice of the preacher, or by its being translated into the languages of the nations, there the Saviour's promise is completely fulfilled, there we are assured his word shall not return to him void, but shall prosper in the thing whereto he sends it. It does so whenever it is carried home with Divine power, to the conscience of those that believe.

But while we cannot but consider the fundamental dogma of Episcopacy (apostolic succession) as destitute of evidence, and some of its leading arrangements as interfering with those great general principles above stated, every Christian must be glad wherever the gospel is preached with success. If Paul could rejoice when it was preached, though out of envy and strife, being assured that the faithful declaration of Divine truth would be more or less successful,

independent of the motives of the preacher; how much more should we rejoice when we know it is proclaimed with an ardent desire for the salvation of men, and sometimes with a zeal and self-denial rarely equalled. Witness the labours of a Leighton, a Berridge, a Venn, a Newton, a Simeon, a Henry Martyn, a Grimshaw, and a host of others, whose names will be always dear to the heart of every Christian. Such men may justly put many to the blush, who are constrained to disapprove of the system with which they were connected. See Appendix A.

LETTER II.

PRESBYTERY-ITS LEADING FEATURE-THE POWER ASSUMED BY IT-NOT DEFENSIBLE FROM ACTS XV.

A CASE OF THE EXERCISE OF THIS POWER-AN IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTED.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

In my last letter I made some observations on Episcopacy. I now submit to your consideration a few on Presbytery. To those who are unacquainted with the nature of the Presbyterian system, it may be necessary to remark, that it consists of various Courts, as they are

called. The first is the session, composed of the minister and ruling elders. They manage the affairs of the congregation. An appeal may be made from their decision to the presbytery, comprehending the ministers in a county, and elders chosen by each congregation. From the decision of that body, an appeal may be made to the synod, including the ministers and elders of a larger district. This is the ultimate court of appeal in the United Secession and other smaller bodies. In the Established and in the Free Church, there is a still higher court, the General Assembly, including representatives from the whole church. You know that I have had peculiarly favourable opportunities of seeing the workings of that system, having been six years a Minister of the Scottish Establishment, and thus a member of all its Courts. course when I joined this Church I subscribed the Confession of Faith, acknowledging myself a Presbyterian; but when I saw the working of the system, I was led more particularly to examine on what grounds the power assumed by Presbyteries rested. I found the principal passage quoted in support of it is, Acts xv., often mentioned as the synod at Jerusalem. This is considered as a specimen of a Court of reference or appeal, and hence the propriety of

Of

one church, in a case of difficulty, appealing to others, assembled in presbytery or synod, being bound by their decision.

It appeared to me, however, that there was in this case such a peculiarity, that it could not be viewed as a precedent for future ages. That peculiarity lay in the Apostles being present in the church at Jerusalem, and as they were appointed to regulate every thing regarding the Christian Church, it was most natural to apply for advice to them under the diversity of opinion that existed in the church at Antioch. The argument appears to stand thus: The case must be considered as either an ordinary or an extraordinary one. I hold it extraordinary from the inspired Apostles being present, in consequence of which they could say when they came to a dicision, "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden," &c.; besides when they came to this dicision, they sent it in the form of decrees, not only to those at Antioch, but to all other churches, as in Acts xvi. "And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the Apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem." Here then we are involved in a dilemma. If it was an extraordinary case, it furnishes no example for our imitation. If it was

not, what presbytery or synod is entitled to send their decrees over the whole Christian world, and to require obedience to them.

When I left the Church of Scotland, I stated to my brethren in that Establishment my reasons for doing so. They were two :-First, I objected to the Presbyterian mode of Church Government. Secondly, in that connexion I could not observe the discipline appointed in the Church of Christ.

A reply was given by the late Dr. Brown of Langton. He endeavoured to get quit of the above difficulty by questioning how far the Apostles, on this occasion, were inspired; rather a singular supposition, when they could say, "it seemed good to the Holy Ghost." In order, however, to explain how they sent these decrees with authority to the churches in every city, he says they did so in the character of universal bishops. Unless we acknowledge the authority of Pio Nono, we have no more universal bishops than inspired Apostles.

The most natural account of the whole of this matter is, that from the Apostles being present, it is likely no one else took any share in the discussion. When they announced their decision, the elders and the church expressed their acquiescence. The parties present were, the Apostles and elders, and the church. Though there were

с