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the proceedings of Christian assemblies, and to be strictly adhered to at all times and in all places, has been very ine jurious. Different churches, taking for granted that their own plans of discipline are identical with what Christ and the apostles instituted, have become unduly tenacious of them, and converted their own regulations into laws of Christ, to bind the consciences of his disciples. The fact is, no precise, regular and formal system of church discipline can be found in the New Testament; but had such a system been instituted, either by the great Head of the church, or by his divinely-commissioned messengers, it would undoubtedly be found there. Those who think this statement erroneous, have only to point to the part of the New Testament where such a system may be found, and it will be refuted.

3. Our Lord taught the great doctrines and duties of Christianity, revealed the hope of immortality, left the most perfect example, commissioned his apostles to go on with the important work, and left his followers to adopt such plans, form such regulations, and institute such proceedings as should best accord with what he had taught and the perfect example he had left them, and should seem best calculated to promote the great ends of his ministry, death, resurrection and exaltation, according to the times and circumstances in which they live. In no instance can it be lawful for them to do what he hath forbidden, or to omit doing any thing which he hath commanded; in all things, at all times, and in all places, they are bound to keep in view and act upon the principles which he prescribed, to act in his spirit, to aim at the great objects he hath set before them, to imitate as far as possible his example and follow in his steps, and to acquit themselves as his devoted and faithful servants: to pursue a different course would be to forfeit their allegiance to him. What plans or regulations soever they may think it wise and good to adopt, they should be careful to avoid sanctioning with his authority, or insisting on, as laws binding the consciences of others, what are merely plans and regulations of their own: they may be proper and useful; but they must not on that account be enforced by an undue assumption of authority.

4. The apostles gave no regular and circumstantial plan of discipline; they only gave general rules, to preserve the

churches from the pollutions of idolatry and immorality; to promote the recovery and restoration of those who had been disowned for impurity of conduct, or who had fallen into sin, for the comfort and edification of the brethren, and for the general promotion of the gospel. Any par ticular advice or directions which they gave, related to particular cases as they occurred. In vain may any formal system of discipline, adapted to all the circumstances of the church, at all times and in all places, be sought in the writings of the apostles.

5. Is it then to be concluded that no plans of discipline are necessary in Christian churches? By no means; only that Jesus Christ hath left his followers a sphere for the exercise of their judgment and prudence, in reference to matters respecting which, probably, no circumstantial direc tions could be given which would be generally applied at all times and in all circumstances; and that consequently every church has a right to adopt that plan of discipline which its members think most agreeable to the spirit of Christianity, and most calculated for edification: only every church should be careful not to lay too much stress upon its own plans, nor prescribe in a tone of authority regulations on which the New Testament is silent, nor ever to make such regulations terms of communion; and no church ought to be offended because other churches do not see the propriety of adopting the same plans as are adopted by its own members; for every church is free and independent, and has an indisputable right to adopt such regulations as those who compose it think wisest and best, and differences in these matters ought to produce no disunion among the churches. Different plans and regulations may be most useful in different places where circumstances are very dissimilar.

6. The best system of discipline is that which best accords with the simplicity and purity of the gospel, which is most consistent with Christian liberty, and is best suited to the circumstances of the church which adopts it. It is highly probable that many regulations in the first Christian churches were adopted from the synagogue; be this as it may, it is evident that they began without any regular plan of discipline. At first the apostles managed every thing; at length prudence suggested the appointment of deacons or stewards, to manage the temporal affairs of the church;

and in most churches such officers will be found highly useful. Whether they be called deacons or stewards, or a committee to act for the congregation, is quite immaterial; it is not the name but the thing, proper persons to manage and direct the affairs of the church, that is of consequence. The appointment of elders was after the plan of the synagogue, and seems to have been adopted on account of its evident utility, and indeed its manifest necessity. Each society had the choice of its own officers and the management of its own affairs; and the churches kept up a friendly connexion and intercourse with each other, for mutual edification, and the promotion of the gospel. Every thing appears before us in the New Testament with great simplicity. Wherever a few persons believed the gospel, they regularly assembled together, and were called a church. Some person or persons were chosen to preside in their assemblies for the preservation of order and the more regular conducting of their proceedings, and were called elders. Those who were qualified were appointed to be teachers and pastors, to watch over their brethren and feed them with the word of life. Those who walked disorderly were admonished and reproved, and incorrigible sinners were disowned. Widows, orphans, and the poor, were provided for by the voluntary contributions of their more wealthy brethren. The apostles gave them such advice from time to time, verbally if present, if absent by their letters, as their particular circumstances required. Such were the primitive churches. From this view of things much is to be learned, and many important conclusions may be made. I cannot at present go further into the subject of church discipline, but must submit what I have said in this and the previous letters to your serious and candid consideration, and leave it to the blessing of the Almighty, which I devoutly pray may make it useful among you.

Now, brethren, my ardent wish is, that you may do all things with decency and in order, that your faith and charity may increase and abound, that your churches may be edified, and that you may all dwell together in mutual peace and love. I remain, my dear Christian Brethren, 4 most truly and affectionately, yours, &c. R. WRIGHT.

God in Man; or Benefactors Representatives of the Deity.
A HYMN.

WHEN first upon this tripping stage
The naked Infant, stranger stands,
Who shields him from the tempest's rage?
His Mother in her fondling hands :

Yes, she with fond affection's arm,
Makes her kind bosom his abode,

She clothes, and feeds, and keeps him warm,
She is to him indeed as GOD.

The little creature's form expands,
And new ideas swell the mind;
He then relieves a mother's hands,
And leaves a father's house behind :

A thousand fears her bosom heaves,
A thousand ills her fears forbode,
When for a tutor's care he leaves,-
She is to him indeed as God.

He close inspects his pupil's way,
Warns him where hidden danger lies,
Imparts fresh knowledge day by day,
Then points him upwards to the skies:
Forewarns him of the snares of life,
And marks out virtue's thorny road,
Warns him 'gainst anger, discord, strife—
To him he is indeed As God.

But parents, teachers, both are fled,
Gone to their last, and dark abode;
But Jesus Christ, our living Head,
Is now become to him as GOD.

To him all power the Father gives
To govern all, and to defend,

While on this earth one Christian lives;

But after that, shall come the end,

When Jesus shall his crown resign
Down at Jehovah's awful feet;

Where all his ransom'd ones shall shine,
In his salvation made complete-

Then heaven shall swell with peals of joy
When all its hosts before him fall,
Christ and his flock, without alloy,
And God himself be ALL IN ALL.
Him, Father, Teacher, Guardian, Friend,
Our Saviour and immortal King,
Through ages that shall never end,
Unceasingly our souls shall sing.
A sea of bliss without a shore
Or wave to ruffle our repose,
Him first, Him last, we shall adore,
Where one bright day shall never close.
Bodicet, Oxon.

PETER USHER.

Charges against Unitarians.

A SHORT and sensible "Discourse" on this subject has just attracted our notice, published by Mr. W. Worsley.* The preacher replies to the accusations against Unitarians, 1, that they are infidels; 2, that they deny Christ; 3 and 4, that they betray a want of respect for the sacred writings, and a disposition to accommodate the language of Holy Writ to their own preconceived opinions. These charges Mr. W. Worsley meets with good sense and an evident consciousness of being able to refute them. His refutation we recommend to the notice of our readers.

On the first accusation, he remarks with great propriety, "When speaking of those who advocate the Unitarian doctrine, some are so uncharitable as to affirm that they are no better than Infidels or Deists in disguise. This is in reality asserting that we are many degrees worse than infidels; for he who openly discards the Christian system, although he may err in his judgment, may nevertheless be guilty of no deception or dishonesty; but the Unitarian, who calls himself a disciple of the great Prophet of Nazareth and professes to revere the word of God, and yet rejects the authority of that great Prophet, and looks upon the heavenly oracles as a fabrication and a cunningly devised fable, is guilty of the very worst species of dishonesty, and of the most dreadful hypocrisy."-Pp. 11, 12.

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"A Discourse on Matthew v. 11, in which some of the Princi pal Charges brought against the Professors of the Unitarian Doctrine are noticed and refuted. By W. Worsley, A. B." Printed and

sold at Gainsburgh (Gainsborough?) by Stark; sold at London by Fox and Co. 12mo. Pp. 24. 1825.

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