tained in the word of God, which is not defigned or calculated to promote holiness of heart; but if matters of outward order are not altogether unimportant; if they may be framed fo as to guard us, in fome measure, against temptation, and to promote reverence to God and love to man, it affords a ftrong prefumption, that the word of God contains full directions respecting them.

It is certainly proper that our religion should not be loaded with unneceffary ceremonies. Now we know how very prone man is to multiply thefe. The natural effect of this is to divert the mind from real religion, and to harden the wicked in their infidelity. The regulations of man in religion, always ufelefs, are frequently in direct oppofition to the will of God. This arifes from his natural perverseness and ignorance; and of this we have a notable instance in the conduct of the Jews. Not fatisfied with what God had revealed, they proceeded to fupply deficiencies, and by one of the laws which they devised, they completely fet afide one of God's commandments, Matt. xv. 3. This was not intentional. They ftill profeffed the greatest reverence for God's law; but their folly prevented them from perceiving, that as the Scripture could not be broken, as nothing fuperfluous was to be found in it, fo neither was there any deficiency to supply; that when at a loss for the path of duty, they ought to ftudy it diligently, with prayer to

The

The abuses which have actually taken place, afford a very strong prefumption that Scripture does not countenance that latitude in matters of external order, for which many contend. One deviation from the apoftolic practice took place after another, till the man of fin was feated on his throne in the temple of God, affuming the power of changing times and laws. Indeed, where this awful apoftafy is foretold in Scripture, adherence to the apostolic practice is immediately enjoined in the most particular manner. apoftle having noticed this dreadful falling away, and having characterized the man of fin and his deluded followers, who, not receiving the love of the truth, should be given up to the groffeft delufion, contrafts the character of the Theffalonian church with theirs: He proceeds, "Therefore, brethren, ftand faft; and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epiftle." Here he evidently enforces regard to what he had taught, as the fure and only prefervative from this dreadful calamity. So long as the authority and the injunctions of the apoftles were regarded as facred, an effectual stop was put to any manifeft defection; but as foon as Chriftians affumed the principle, that circumstances warranted a departure from their plan, anarchy, confufion, and irreligion, advanced with rapid ftrides, and foon covered the world with the grosfest darkness.

It is most evident, that the papal fyftem could

never have arifen, had the word of God been deemed a fufficient, indifpenfable, and permanent rule respecting the order of churches of Christ. It is no lefs evident that, confidering the folly of human nature, it was hardly poffible but grofs corruptions must neceffarily have arifen, if matters of order were left, in a good measure, vague and undetermined. We may therefore reasonably prefume, that the Lord did not leave a breach in his fold fo eafily acceffible to the enemy of his people, nor expofe them to fuch inroads as he might make by means of it. Of one thing we are sure, that they would have been far lefs expofed to these by having a determinate rule. Dr Campbell, in his Lectures on Ecclefiaftical History, traces the gradual corruption of the churches, and points out many cafes, in which it might be very plaufibly supposed that good men, while defigning to promote religion, in fact led the way to all fubfequent corruptions. We certainly know that the corruption did take place. Now, whether is it more reasonable to conclude, that this proceeded from neglecting a rule contained in the Scriptures of truth, or that in confequence of the Scriptures containing no fuch rule, men were almost unavoidably led into the fnare of the devil?

A further prefumption that the New Teftament contains a complete fyftem of regulations. for Christian worship, arifes from God's dealings towards men in every age. We have nothing

God left his worshippers to their own difcretion, respecting the manner of worshipping him. In every age, the fubftance of his law to his people was, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart." But their obedience to his commandments was ever the proof of their love. These commandments not only respected their duty to men, but the manner in which God was to be worshipped, and what ceremonies were to be observed by them. He fet apart the seventh day from the beginning, and although all days were in themselves indifferent, we cannot fuppofe that any who regarded his authority would have changed this for another. It is true, we cannot speak particularly of the mode of worship before the law, because the account we have of every thing of that date is so very short. But we know God inftituted facrifices, and was highly displeased when there was a deviation from those which he had established; as in the cafe of Cain, who, inftead of God's appointed offering, brought the first fruits of his ground. Before the flood there was a distinction between clean and unclean beasts, Gen. vii. 2. which could only arise from the revealed will of God. Noah, and all the patriarchs, evidently appear to have built an altar wherever they offered facrifices, and we find God, on one occafion, commanding Jacob to build one, Gen. XXXV. 1. Now this must have arifen either from an altar being a human invention, which was thus

never have arifen, had the word of God been deemed a fufficient, indispensable, and permanent rule refpecting the order of churches of Christ. It is no lefs evident that, confidering the folly of human nature, it was hardly poffible but grofs corruptions muft neceffarily have arisen, if matters of order were left, in a good measure, vague and undetermined. We may therefore reasonably prefume, that the Lord did not leave a breach in his fold fo easily acceffible to the enemy of his people, nor expose them to such inroads as he might make by means of it. Of one thing we are sure, that they would have been far lefs expofed to these by having a determinate rule. Dr Campbell, in his Lectures on Ecclefiaftical History, traces the gradual corruption of the churches, and points out many cafes, in which it might be very plausibly supposed that good men, while defigning to promote religion, in fact led the way to all fubfequent corruptions. We certainly know that the corruption did take place. Now, whether is it more reasonable to conclude, that this proceeded from neglecting a rule contained in the Scriptures of truth, or that in confequence of the Scriptures containing no fuch rule, men were almost unavoidably led into the fnare of the devil?

A further prefumption that the New Testament contains a complete fyftem of regulations for Chriftian worship, arifes from God's dealings towards men in every age. We have nothing