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Anfw. 1. Let us be deeply convinced of the abfolute neceffity of it.

2. Pray earnestly for, and fpeak freely to each other. 3. When we meet, let us never part without prayer. 4. Take great care not to despise each other's gifts. 5. Never fpeak lightly of each other.

6. Let us defend each other's character in every thing, fo far as is confiftent with truth.

7. Labour, in honour, each to prefer the other before himself.

N. B. We recommend a ferious perufal of The Caufes, Evils, and Cures of Heart and Church Divifions.

NOTE S.

We have already in our notes on the 4th and 5th sections, enlarged on the great confequence of our union to the preservation and extenfion of the gracious work of God, in which we are engaged. We have alfo given a collection of most pointed fcriptures againft divifion and contention in our notes on the 22d article of religion, to which we particularly refer the reader. And we must also very strongly recommend all our ministers and preachers to read with the greatest attention the book which is noticed in this fection, intitled The Caufes, Evils, and Cures of Heart and Church Divifions. We could write a volume on this weighty fubject. Let us preferve our union, and with the Prince of Peace at our head, we shall bear down the oppofition of all our spiritual and temporal enemies. We fhall imperceptibly gain ground on every hand, and be ourselves from time to time aftonished at the progrefs of the work of God. Love, when properly directed by united hearts and united endeavours, is the ftrongeft thing in the universe. But we must conclude this fubject, and only leave upon your minds fome additional suitable paffages of THE WORD OF GOD.

Pf. cxxxiii. . Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! See the whole Pfalm. Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. Ver. 18. If it be poffible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Rom. xii. 4, 5. 4 we have many members in one body, and all members have not the fame office; fo we, being many, are one body in Chrift, and every one members one of another. I Cor. xii. 12-14. As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.

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For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we
be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been
all made to drink into one Spirit, for the body is not one mem-
ber, but many.
Ver. 25-27. That there fhould be no fchifm
in the body; but that the members should have the fame care one
for another. And whether one member fuffer, all the members
fuffer with it or one member be honoured, all the members re-
joice with it.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in
particular. 2 Cor. xiii. 11. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be
of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace fhall be
with you. Eph. ii. 20-22. [Ye] are built upon the foundation
of the apoftles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief
corner-ftone: in whom all the building, fitly framed together,
groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom
alfo are
builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. iv.
3-6. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are call-
ed in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one bap-
tifm, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through
all, and in you all. Phil. ii. 1, 2. If there be, therefore, any
confolation in Chrift, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship
of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye
be like-minded, having the fame love, being of one accord, of one mind.

SECTION XIX.

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Of the Method by which immoral travelling Minifters or Preachers fhall be brought to trial, found guilty, and reproved or fufpended in the Intervals of the Conferences.*

Quest. 1. W deacon, or preacher, is under the

HAT fhall be done when an elder,

report of being guilty of fome crime, exprefsly forbidden in the word of God, as an unchriftian practice fufficient to exclude a perfon from the kingdom of grace and glory, and to make him a subject of wrath and hell?

Anfw. Let the prefiding elder, in the abfence of a bishop, call as many minifters as he fhall think fit, at K

* For the trial of a bishop, see section IV.

leaft three, and if poffible bring the accufed and accufer face to face. If the perfon be clearly convicted, he shall be fufpended from all official fervices in the church, till the enfuing yearly conference; at which his cafe shall be fully confidered and determined. But if the accufed be a prefiding elder, the preachers muft call in the prefiding elder of the neighbouring diftrict, who is required to attend, and prefide at the trial.

If the accused and accufer cannot be brought face to face, but the fuppofed delinquent flees from trial, it fhall be received as a prefumptive proof of guilt; and out of the mouth of two or three witneffes he fhall be condemned. Nevertheless, even in that cafe, the yearly conference fhall re-confider the whole matter and determine.

Queft. 2. What fhall be done in cafes of improper tempers, words, or actions?

Anfw. The perfon fo offending fhall be reprehended by his fenior in office. Should a fecond tranfgreffion take place, one, two or three minifters or preachers are to be taken as witneffes. If he be not then cured, he fhall be tried at the next yearly conference, and, if found guilty and impenitent, fhall be expelled from the connection, and his name fo returned in the minutes of the conference.

Queft. 3. What fhall be done with those minifters or preachers, who hold and preach doctrines which are contrary to our articles of religion?

Anf. Let the fame procefs be obferved as in cafes of grofs immorality: but if the minister or preacher fo offending do folemnly engage, neither to preach nor defend fuch erroneous doctrines in public or in private, he fhall be borne with, till his cafe be laid before the next yearly conference, which fhall determine the matter.

Provided nevertheless, that in all the above-mentioned cafes of trial and conviction, an appeal to the enfuing general conference fhall be allowed.

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NOTE S.

The fection now under confideration is of very great morent. Let us take a view of it under the three heads into which it divides itself.

1. The answer to the firft queftion ferves to remove every reasonable objection to the fufpending power of the prefiding elder. See fection the 5th of this chapter. The trial of a minifter or preacher for grofs immorality fhall be in the prefence of at leaft three minifters. These minifters have, of course, full liberty to speak their fentiments either in favour or disfavour of the perfon accused. This must always ferve as a strong check on the prefiding elder, refpecting the abufe of his power. An act of tyranny would be fo oppofed by the minifters prefent, and fo reprefented afterwards in favour of the oppreffed, that the prefiding elder who would venture upon an arbitrary step, would find himself dreadfully embarrassed. Befides, thofe minifters could lay the whole affair before the general conference, if near at hand; or before the enfuing yearly conference; or, as foon as poffible, before a bishop: in which cafes, the injured perfon might have complete redress, and the prefiding elder cenfured or punished according to his deferts: and those minifters could give all poffible information, having been prefent at the whole of the trial.

The paffage in St. Matthew, ch. xviii. 15-17. "If thy brother fhall trefpafs against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone," &e. has nothing to do with the prefent fubject. We are now fpeaking of grofs immoralities committed by preachers of the gofpel. This does not concern the ifpafs of a private perfon, but the grofs offence of a minifter against the church of God. Undoubtedly, a minifter fo offending fhould not be suffered to remain in his office till the next yearly conference, as many fouls might be ruined thereby in the interval. There is certainly as much mercy due to the people as to the minifter; and in the prefent inftance more, as he is but one, and they are many: and he is invefted with his office, not for their deftruction, but for their edification. See 2 Cor. x. 8. and xiii. 10. But fcarcely any thing can be more deftructive to the caufe of God than the immoral life of a minifter. Such an Achan in the camp muft, more or lefs, bring down a curfe upon the caufe. Sam. ii. 27-29. "There came a man of God unto Eli, and faid unto him, Thus faith the Lord,- -Wherefore kick ye at my facrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honoureft thy fons above me," &c. Ver. 12. "Now the fons of Eli were fons of Belial; they knew not the Lord." iii. 11-14. “The Lord faid to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Ifrael, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it fhall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things

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which I have spoken concerning his houfe: when I begin, I will alfo make an end. For I have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he kno¬veth; because his fons made themfelves vile, and be reftrained them not," &c. See that whole history. Matt. vii. 22, 23. "Many will fay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name? and in thy name have caft out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profefs unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Rom. ii. 3. “ Thinkeft thou this, O man, that judgeft them which do fuch things, and doeft the fame, that thou shalt efcape the judgment of God? 1 Tim. v. 19. "Against an elder receive not an accufation, but before two or three witnees."

2. The mode of procefs directed in the answer to the fecond queftion, is nearly according to our Lord's directions, concern. ing the offences of the private members of a church, in Matt. xviii. 15-17. "If thy brother fhall treffpafs against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he fhall hear thee, thou haft gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneffes every word may be established. And if he fhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." Ift. The preacher is to be reproved by his fenior in office. On a fecond offence, the minifter reprehending, is to take with him one, two, or three witneffes: and if till incurable, the offender is to be brought before that part of the church, to which he is particularly refponfible, namely, the yearly conference. He is not to be tried by the members of his circuit or diftrict, for they are the complainants-the perfons fuppofed to be aggrieved,- but by his elders and equals. There is, however, a confiderable difference between the perfons concerned, in the directions given by our Lord in the portion of Scripture quoted above, and those who are adverted to in the prefent fection. That feripture evidently refers to the private members of a church; and the minifter himself, after private reproof and public reprehenfion, firft before two or three witneffes, and then before the church, is to exclude the perfon, if impenitent. But of this we shall treat largely, when we come to con→ fider the 8th section of the 2d chapter. Improper tempers, manifested in the converfation or conduct of a minifter of the gofpel, may be productive of more evil, than all his public labours can poffibly compenfate. But at the fame time, he may not be so criminal, but that he may be borne with for a time, in hope of reformation.

N. B. The reason why the expreffion one, two, or three wit neffes is mentioned in the section under this head, is, because itr

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