the evil complained of would be necessarily increased. It is then evident, that something is needful to be done, which after all, cannot be done by the members of any established church. What an impediment therefore it is to the advancement of the general good, when people are contending about outward forms, while none of these things are precisely settled in the word of God!

Slapd. Mr. Stiff would have given you a good trimming, if he had heard you advance that doctrine.

Loveg. I suppose he would, and almost every exclusive sect, on the most ill-grounded pretensions, has claimed the same; but as, for my part, I can find nothing more in the Bible respecting these matters, than that the primitive Christians lived in connected harmony and friendship with each other; that elders, or overseers, or bishops,* if you please to call them so, were ordained, or appointed in different cities, to govern the juniors; and sometimes we hear of many of these elders, who presided over one and the same congregation, which happens to be the plain English of the word church; and some of these it seems, had the public management, or superintendence of the people, while others of them were its public teachers.

Mer. Why don't you think that all these elders, or bishops were teachers?

Loveg. By no means. That passage evidences the reverse: "Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word, and doctrine;" and we hear the word of direction given to the people respecting these; "to know them. who labour among them, and are over them in the Lord, and admonish them and to esteem them very highly in love for their works' sake;" or, as we have it elsewhere, "obey them that have the rule over you, and submit

:

These words in scripture are evidently of the same import.

yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account." It is strange, that from such simple rules, different parties should have formed such various conclusions, and then act with such anathematizing severity towards each other.

Mer. Why, it appears to me impossible, that a precise mode of discipline could have ever been fixed in the New Testament, circumstances as they then were being soon afterwards exceedingly altered. We cannot suppose that the ministry of the twelve apostles, or of the seventy disciples, was meant as a standing order for the church, otherwise every preacher must continue a perpetual itinerant. Though the same need of an apostolical spirit will ever remain; because, from the corrupted state of the human race, the church is continually apt to decline; and without such revivals, we should be in a wretched state indeed.

Loveg. It is evident from the epistle to the Corinthians, that the mode of worship, among the primitive Christians, was very different from that which in after ages was necessarily adopted. While the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit rested upon the church, full liberty of speaking was allowed to all, even to the women, without any limitation.

Mer. Do you then think that some of the women were public preachers in those days?

Loveg. They certainly were; for the apostle directs them how to preach, with their heads veiled, or covered in the public assembly. "Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth, with her head uncovered, dishonereth her head," for that it was uncomely, that a woman pray unto God uncovered."* However, this general per

They who wish to exclude females altogether generally quote these two passages. "Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak; for they are VOL. IIL

F

some disorAnd indeed

mission, for all to speak, was attended with der, even in the purest ages of the church. it should appear, from the directions given in St Paul's

commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law; and if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." 1 Cor. xix. 34, 35. And yet the very same Apostle, speaking on the same subject, directs how they are to speak with their heads veiled or covered. Now how are they to speak publicly, and still keep silence? Is not this a palpable contradiction to common sense. Had the words xndúcow, to speak publicly as an herald, or popnτeuw, which generally means to prophesy, but sometimes simply to teach or instruct, or Evayyλw, to evangelize, or didáσxw, all of which words relate to the office of public speaking or instructing, the prohibition would have been positive: but the word in that passage is λanéw to speak, talk, and ask questions. Just so these talking women interrupted the public worship in those early times: they were not to chatter, or ask questions; but if they would learn any thing they were to ask their husbands at home. If this interpretation be not admitted, the apostle evidently contradicts himself, though in some instances the word λaλew is in the New Testament used in a sense similar to those other expressions which are solely appropriated to the ministration of the word.

The next expression generally quoted is from 1 Tim. ii. 12. "I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." Has this any thing to do but with the mutual duties between the man and his wife? she is first prohibited from wearing proud and wanton attire; she is "to adorn herself in modest apparel :” next she is forbidden to teach, didɑɑnew, to dịctate," to usurp authority over the man, the husband," and he assigns the reason; "for Adam was first formed, then Eve." I question if any thing further was meant, than was prayed for in the marriage service; that the woman may be loving and amiable, faithful and obedient to her husband. It is certainly admitted that the same expression is allowed as the proper authoritative language of the preacher, but very unallowable as the language of a wife: such" odious women when they are married," are sure to drive all happiness out of the house from before them.

Is

Having said so much on one side of the question, may I say a little on the other? Neither by our Lord in choosing the twelve and afterwards the seventy disciples, nor yet by any of their succes

Epistles to Timothy and Titus, that somewhat more like a standing ministry would be wanted, when the immediate and supernatural influences of the Divine Spirit should be withdrawn. We know, indeed, that an attempt to revive this mode of public worship, has been made among the people called Quakers; as though the same divine power still existed; supposing that the immediate influences of the blessed Spirit are still to be expected, in order to qualify their public teachers for their public

sors, do we find one instance of the appointment of any female teacher. If therefore such teachers are not positively prohibited, it is equally certain the real work of the ministry was never designed for them; and if some with good understandings and sound religion may be wanted to lend their occasional aid, especially among those of their own sex, yet such forward women that can stand up before the promiscuous multitude, especially when others are at hand, never can be wanted, excepting to bring religion into contempt; nor will the quotation of those extraordinary characters of Deborah, Huldah, the daughters of Philip the evangelist, in the least help them out, unless it should be to expose their enthusiastical self-conceit.

If I may illustrate my further views on this subject, they amount to this:—If there be no other person than a female who is capable of leading the devotions of a large family, let her male and female servants attend, and if a few of her poor ill instructed neighbours wish to witness her pure and discreet instructions, let a bench or two be provided for them, that they may be blessed with the good the pious family enjoy.

I would wish that all governesses of public schools under the same prudent limitations might be qualified to explain and illustrate the word of life; and though the extraordinary bench in such an economy be appropriated only to a select few, yet I would not wish it to be banished from her school-room, while she leads her family devotions before her important charge. The circumstances that attended the first promulgation of the gospel were extraordinary; and when this is the case our sons and daughters may prophesy; but till these times are again revived, let us keep, as the sailors say, under a lee shore. This note is too long; but as it may create candour and consideration it shall

pass.

work. But, alas! they also prove, that while one sect runs into one extreme, another can run into that which is directly the reverse; and thus they naturally prove the weakness of each other's pretensions.—It appears therefore to me, that many things must naturally have been left to future circumstances. Still we should follow the general outlines of the word of God, and see that "all things be done decently, and in order."*

Slapd. When Mr. Stiff was ordained, it seems there was a great talk among them, that the right to the ministry entirely depended upon the election of the people. As to myself, I cannot recollect in what place of scripture, that sentiment is revealed, as being a part of the discipline of the New Testament church.

Loveg. No more can I. And what is more extraordinary, I never could find out, that any one pastor was ordained as the settled teacher over any particular church; and yet I most readily admit, that it is a very good human regulation, that people should have their stated ministers, and that proper means should be made use of, to provide a pure and holy ministry for the

*See 1 Cor. xi. ad fin.

+ I have heard, that some have supposed this matter, from the allusion made to the angels of the seven Asiatic churches; but in my humble opinion, prophetic allusions fall exceedingly short of positive proof. Others have supposed, that the word Stove proves the point, from its derivation, to choose by the holding up of the hand; but scarcely any terms at all times abide by their original derivation. We find this word twice in the New Testament. In 2 Cor. viii. 19. we are told of Titus, and another brother, who were chosen by the churches in Corinth, to take their alms to the Macedonians. This might have appeared to the point, had it been to choose a minister! The other place is in Acts xiv. 23. where Paul and Barnabas first travelled through different cities, confirming the churches, and then left them, after they had ordained or chosen them elders in every city. It appears here then, the reverse of what might be expected. The Elders were ordained, not by the people but by the Apostles.