ness, and self-conceit, rather invite contempt, and occasion serious misgiving, than inspire confidence. It was not so with the pastor-elect of Mark Lane. No minister of his day more thoroughly understood Congregational principles, or expounded them more satisfactorily. He knew his ground, both as to the statements of Scripture, and the reasonableness of the order that should be maintained. Every step, therefore, was taken with care, yet with the freedom of full conviction. The reply he sent to the Church, Feb. 8th, 1702, is a model for candour and explicitness : "Beloved in our Lord (he writes), when you first called me to minister the word of God among you, I took the freedom to acquaint you that, in the chief doctrines of Christianity, I was of the same mind with your Gospel Order. Principles of former reverend pastor, Dr. John Owen, who being : dead yet speaketh and I have been glad to find, by three years' experience, that you retain the same principles that he preached among you. Now since, through your affection and undeserved respect to me, you have thought fit to call me to the great and solemn office of a pastor, I cannot but take the same freedom to hope that you are of one mind with him in the chief points of Church discipline. Though I call no man master upon earth, nor confine my belief to the judgment of another, yet I cannot but own that, in the judgment of gospel order, I have found much light and assistance from his works, and from those of your late reverend pastor, Dr. Isaac Chauncy; but being desired by you to give some hints of my principles in writing, in order to future satisfaction, and continuance of peace and love (if the Lord shall fix me with you), I have here briefly written a few things, whereby you may discover something of my knowledge in the mind and will of Christ concerning his Churches. "1. I believe that Jesus Christ, the King of saints, has given command and power to his saints to form themselves into spiritual societies and corporations, for his public glory, and their own edification. "2. That every society of saints, covenanting to walk with God and one another in all the rules and institutions of the gospel, is a Church of Christ. "3. That every such Church has power to increase its own number by the addition of members, or to purge itself of corrupt members, before it be organized and made complete, by having fixed officers among them. "4. That this society of saints ought to look on themselves as more nearly united and related to one another than to other Christians, and consequently to pray with and for each other, to visit one another, to exhort, comfort, and assist one another, and to maintain such a love and communion to and with each other, as that they may look like fellow-members of the same body. "5. The members of such an incomplete Church, before any pastor is settled among them, may pray together, and exhort one another; yet this Church has not power in itself to administer all ordinances among them. But when they have chosen a proper officer to be over them in the Lord, and when he is ordained by their public call, his public acceptance, and by solemn separation of him to the work by fasting and prayer, then unto the officer is this power committed. "6. It follows thence, that though the pastor be named or chosen to this office by the people, yet his commission and power to administer all divine ordinances is not derived from the people, for they had not this power in themselves, but it proceeds from the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only King of his Church, and the principle of all power; and He has appointed in his Word that the call of his Church and solemn ordination should be the means whereby his ministers are invested with this authority. "7. That, in the ordination of a pastor to a particular church, our Lord Jesus Christ, as the supreme Governor and Head of his Church, set him in an office of spiritual rule over a willing people, who freely commit themselves to his care; even as Christ also, in and by his word and providence, now commits them unto his care and charge, of which he must give an account. "8. Hence it follows that personal acts, such as teaching, feeding, guiding, and overseeing the flock, exhorting, reproving, comforting them, are not performed in the name of the people, but in the name, stead, and place of Christ, by the pastor, as his representative in that church, and as his ambassador in it; as a shepherd, in ruling, leading, and feeding his flock, acts not in the name of the sheep, but in the name and place of Him that owns them, and that has committed them unto his care; and therefore these pastoral acts are to be received by the people as clothed with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, so far as they agree with his mind and will according to these scriptures— 2 Cor. v. 20, 'Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God;' John xiii. 20, 'He that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth Me;' and this regard is also due to such acts of the pastor from every member, because they have given themselves up to him in the Lord. "9. Yet I believe that, even with regard to these pastoral acts, Christ has given to his Churches so far a judgment of discretion, that they are not bound to submit blindly to the government of the pastor, unless he approve himself therein to act according to the mind and will of Christ in his Word; and it is the neglect of this consideration that has brought in that unbounded authority and usurped dominion of the priest, and that implicit faith and blind obedience of the people in the anti-Christian Church. "10. I believe, also, that in all those other exercises of Church order, which are not merely acts of the pastor, but also acts of the Church-such as receiving and casting out members, appointing places of stated or occasional worship, setting apart days of prayer, and times for church meetings-a pastor ought to do nothing without the consent of the people; and though the whole office of a pastor herein lies not merely in declaring the mind and consent of the Church, yet this is part of that business and service that he oweth to the Church. "11. That in the admission of members into the Church, it is necessary that the people be well satisfied with the person they receive into their fellowship, as well as the pastor to receive him into his care; and that the Church has liberty to make objections if they are dissatisfied with his fitness for church communion; nor can the pastor receive any member, or cast out any one, contrary to the mind of the people, or without their actual consent. "12. I believe that when the pastor admits a member, upon the profession of his faith and hope, and the satisfaction of the Church, he doth, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the consent of the Church, receive him into fellowship with Christ, and with that Church in all gospel privileges and ordinances. "13. The duties of a pastor are chiefly such as these::preaching and labouring in the word and doctrine; praying earnestly for his flock in public and private; administering the seals of the covenant of grace-Baptism and the Lord's Supper; being instant in season and out of season; teaching and exhorting, comforting and rebuking, with all long-suffering and doctrine; contending for and preserving the truth; approving himself an example to the flock; visiting the sick and the poor; praying with them and taking care of them; making enquiries into the state of his flock, especially as to spiritual affairs; endeavouring to stir up and promote religion in their households and families; and labouring by all means and methods of Christ's appointment to further their faith and holiness, their comfort and increase. And it is the duty of the people to attend upon his ministrations, to pray for him, to encourage and support him, and, whereinsoever he acts according to the will of Christ, to receive him with due regard. "14. That it is the proper business of the pastor, also, to present persons and cases to the Church, and to ask the vote or consent of the Church, as one that is set to go before the flock; except when he is necessitated to be absent, or through any indisposition incapable when present, or when the pastor himself is so far concerned in the case to be proposed as may render it improper for him to propose it. "15. For the better performance of all these things, and by reason of the various necessities of a Church, other officers are also appointed by Christ, of several names in Scripture, especially for Churches where the members grow numerous; all whose business is to assist the pastor in those affairs which cannot so fully be managed by himself alone, each of them according to their place, office, and business, which the Lord has appointed them unto in His Word. "Lastly. That in the management of every affair in the Church, there ought to be a spirit of gentleness, meekness, lowliness of mind, love, affection, and tenderness, both in the pastor and people toward each other, for Jesus, the great Shepherd of His Church, was most humble and compassionate, most gentle and meek, and His saints are called His sheep from their like disposition; and the edification of the Church being one great end for which Christ has given this office to His ministers, all lesser concerns and differences ought to be managed with a continual regard to this great end, and for the public honour of Christ in His Church. "Thus I have given a short account of some of the chief principles of gospel order. If I am so unhappy in any of my expressions as to be obscure, and to want explaining, I am ready at any time to declare my meaning, and also to give the reasons of my judgment on any of the foregoing articles, showing that they not only agree with the judgment of your reverend pastors afore-named, but, which is more considerable, that they are all, in my apprehension, suitable to the will of Christ, concerning Churches and pastors revealed in His Word. "Christian friends, dearly beloved, I cannot but tell you that while I have been writing these articles, especially the 7th, 8th, and 13th, I shrink at the very thoughts of your call of me to so weighty an office in the Church of Christ. "I find such discouragements from the awfulness and greatness of the work, that it makes me cry out feelingly, 'Who is sufficient for these things?' and this inclines me still to suspend my answer, and to renew my request to you (though often in vain renewed) of quitting all thoughts of me, and choosing one whose gifts, graces, and abilities may be more capable of discharging so vast a trust, and filling up the duties of so sacred an office. "Yours in the service of the Gospel, "ISAAC WATTS." Whatever may be thought of the theory of the gospel order of a church given in this carefullywritten letter, all must observe the transparency of the motives and aims of the writer, and the high standard he proposed for himself and the people who entreated him to take the oversight of them in the Lord. Willing to yield personally to the yoke of |