when they find the word bishop in the Bible, never question but it is the diocefan bishop. And others, who have learned to know, that the fcripture bishop is only the bishop of a congregation; yet when they find the word prefbytery, they are fure it is their modern prefbytery, having jurifdiction over many feffions and congregations. But what will they do, if they cannot find feffions in congregations under the jurifdic tion of a common prefbytery? Why then, if feffions be not to be found in the Bible, nor many congregations under a prefbytery, they muft either give over troubling their heads with the Bible, and think as honeft men and fathers have thought before them; or elfe they muft reft content with the prefbytery of a congregation, and fay the fame thing of the fcripture-prefbytery that they used to fay of the fcripture bishop. But then they'll pafs under the name of Independ ents and fchifmatics; and perhaps be made to know, that the prefbytery can act the fame part to them, to bring them to an orderly way of thinking, as the bifhop did to others before them.

III. Now we come to speak fomewhat of the difcipline of a church of Jefus Chrift, having a prefbytery or eldership, taking heed to themselves, and to all the flock over which they are overseers.

On this head of difcipline there has been much work about the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and the binding and loo. fing spoken of by our Lord, Matth. xvi. 19. and Matth. xviii. 18. In the first of those texts, what he fays of the keys, and of binding and loofing, is spoken to Peter on occafion of his making that notable confeffion of the great fundamental truth of the gofpel concerning him, "The Chrift, the Son of the "living God; upon which rock," in Peter's confeffion, he fays, "he will build his church, and the gates of hell fhall "not prevail against it." This muft chiefly be understood of the invifible church, the whole body of Chrift, no part which can perish. As to the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and the binding and loofing fpoke of on that occafion, there is a distinction made betwixt the key of knowledge or doc trine, and the key of difcipline; and fo likewife betwixt binding and loofing doctrinally, and binding and loofing in a way of difcipline *. And there is fome foundation for this diftinction for there may be a binding and loofing doctrinally, where there is no manner of difcipline. That text, Matth. xvi.

:

See the Palatine catechifm, qu. 83. 84. 85.

feems

of

feems chiefly to speak of this doctrinal binding and loofing, as does John, xx. 23. But we cannot exclude the key of dif cipline in that place, and the binding and loofing in a way of discipline, which we have more largely and clearly fpoken of Matth. xviii. 15.-18. which plainly fpeaks of that which is commonly called difcipline; and the church there is evidently a particular vifible church; "Tell it unto the church: but if "he neglect to hear the church." It cannot be the univerfal church that the offended brother is obliged to tell his brother's fault to, and the offending brother is to hear; but a particular visible church, wherein they are concerned, and which they have access to speak to, and hear.

Now, it is obfervable, with refpect to that fundamental rule of difcipline laid down there by our Lord,

1. That the perfons concerned in the whole of this dif course, from the beginning to the end of it, are the disciples, the brethren, and they that are to be accounted of by us as believers in him. All thefe, from the greatest to the least of them, are concerned in this difcourfe of our Lord: "Whoso "shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me,”

6. Other men, whom he diftinguishes from them by the name of the world, are no farther touched in the whole difcourse than thus: "Whofo fhall offend one of thefe ;" and, "Wo to the world because of offences." The rule of difcipline here given by our Lord is clearly for the brethren: "If thy "brother fhall trefpass against thee." See 1 Cor. v. 9. 10.

11. 12. 13.

2. It is alfo very remarkable, that this difcourfe of our Lord, being occafioned by the difciples their proposing this question, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" is intended against that pride and felf feeking through which his difciples would lord over one another, and from whence offences, perfecutions, wars, and fightings among them do flow. He preffes humility and felf-denial, meeknefs, harmleffnefs, and forbearance toward one another, and that in the most awful and moving manner; and vehemently preffes a direction unto the mortification of this luft of the flesh, this wicked defire of the mind, imported in the difciples queftion to him. "He fet a little child in the midft of them, and faid, Verily "I fay unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as "little children, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of heaWhofoever therefore shall humble himself as this lit "tle child, the fame is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 66 - Whofo fhall offend one of thefe little ones which be

" ven.

*

etter for him that a millstone were and he were drowned in the depth the world because of offences: for nues come; but wo to that man met. Wherefore if thy hand or cut them off, and caft them from nee: 2a better for me to enter into life halt or maimed, Der nan wring two hands or two feet, to be caft inǝverting f thine eye offend thee, pluck Te seed that ye despise not one of to you, that in heaven their

angers to avars re face of my Father which is in Brend is come to fave that which

❝ heaven.

4 was 9th fow and e Fa man have an hundred sheep,

❝ and one I
"will or our Fr
"little ones boud

one of tre lue

of Ced are di

, to erve

Even so it is not the vans in heaven, that one of these Take heed that ye despise not memelere in Chrift: The angels

4

leg mms ert forth to minifter unto no far of men came to fave them it, to nimiter to run,, and give "bis life a ransom bur can, ami epis i mer invasion;" the Father is ganes me a fall avait 1, eples not nor rejects them; is nut delights in their falvation: eerie not no reject them, nor difdain ' rat mis introduction unto the funlepilne nat neer tended to always by de rangement of church-difcipline in gog, cumewating a hat has fallen out in the world ince muy pretence of allcpiline, does not infinite wifdom grading the matter of binding and loofing in

...gine vit. a difcourfe as this?

Anul faber be carefuly neciced, that our Lord intends un tendentes of mutual brotherly love among his dif dnes zur that their mutual edification in this love unto their hich that pride and felf through which they suve periscute, defpife, provoke, and envy one anor mutual deftruction, is ent:

Lit, fhall receive one fu

name, renset me.

But whofo shal

In me," &c.
heep, and
the nine:

cketh the

" aftray? And if fo be that ne fine
"he rejoiceth more of that hem.
“which went not aftry.” Se
to the end of the chapter. Fee

"

my brother fin agunt ma anc "times? Jefus faite am nim. "seven times: bet, Unti leven m "the kingdom of beaver likenes “would take account of this event. « so have had compañion or try i “ had pity on thee? And his ure va “ him unto the tormentors,

"due unto him. So Levie al v

« also unto you, if ye from your man bye 12
" one his brother their tripulis in or
great scope in this chapter, where the the of d
laid down, are these extortions of me

9. 10. 16. “Let love be withou die

" affectioned unto one another, Will Dry DJE nour preferring one another-Be o ti zx ❝ toward another. Mind not high ming

"to men of low estate.

Be not wie in var s Gal. v. 26. & vi. 1. 2. “La as axirr W " ry, provoking one another, enging me aite. thren, if a man be overtaken in a fun"one in the fpirit of meeknes; conkerny tra "thou also be tempted. Bear ye se anthes ❝ and fo fulfil the law of Chi Em it == 3 worthy of the vocation whereveal: "lowlinefs and meekness, with Long Leng is "another in love; endeavouring to be s " fpirit in the bond of peace," PLi

"

this purpose what our Lord fays on me fame ist to ed by the other evangelifts, Mark ix. framy te to « Have falt in yourselves, and have peace sue witts a Luke ix. 46.—50. and xvii. 1.—3.

Now, feeing our I this brotherly love a

with refpect to bindi: have a hand in it The trefpafs give us juft love to him bim is for

"lieve in me, it were better for him that a millstone were "hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth "of the fea. Wo unto the world because of offences: for "it muft needs be that offences come; but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh. Wherefore if thy hand or "thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and caft them from "thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, " rather than having two hands or two feet, to be caft in"to everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck "it out," &c.- "Take heed that ye defpife not one of "the'e little ones; for I fay unto you, that in heaven their "angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in "heaven. For the Son of man is come to fave that which << was loft. How think ye?, if a man have an hundred sheep, "and one of them be gone aftray- Even fo it is not the "will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these "little ones fhould perifh." Take heed that ye defpife not

one of the little ones" that believe in Chrift: The angels of God are all miniftering fpirits fent forth to minister unto them, to ferve them; the Son of man came to fave them when loft, to minifter to them, and give "his life a ransom "for them, and rejoices in their falvation;" the Father is concerned in their falvation, defpifes not nor rejects them; is not careless about them, but delights in their falvation : "Take heed that ye defpife not nor reject them, nor disdain " to ferve them." O! that this introduction unto the fun. damental rule of difcipline had been attended to always by them that have taken the management of church-difcipline in their hands! And, confidering what has fallen out in the world fince under pretence of difcipline, does not infinite wisdom appear in introducing the matter of binding and loofing in difcipline with fuch a discourse as this?

3. It muft further be carefully noticed, that our Lord intends here, that tenderness of mutual brotherly love among his dif ciples, and that their mutual edification in this love unto their falvation, to which that pride and self through which they lord over, perfecute, defpife, provoke, and envy one ano ther, unto their mutual deftruction, is entirely oppofite. "Whofo," fays he, fhall receive one fuch little child in my name, receiveth me. But whofo fhall offend one of "these little ones, that believe in me," &c. "How think "ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone aftray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and "6 goeth into the mountains, and feeketh that which is gone

"aftray?