fin, I being the only witness,fhall I, in fuch a cafe, tell his fin to any of the brethren of the church, or to any other person ?— Anf. No. You ought to keep it a profound fecret in your own breaft; to let no perfon, on earth, know it. But, lamenting the hardness of fuch a brother's heart, you ought to remind the guilty In this humble confeffion the faint ftill appeared, in the midft of the furrounding darknefs. In this humble, unreferved confeffion of his guilt and fhame he stands recorded in the facred page, a bright example, for the backfliding Chriftian's imitation.Hence it becomes important in the building up of the church of God in the world, that the gof-offender of the evil of his fin and pel rule, for reclaiming backflid- impenitence as often as you have ing Chriftians, fhould by all the a convenient opportunity; and to members of the church be well pray God to open his eyes, and understood, to establish a uniform give him repentance. To tell any rule of practice. perfon of fuch a fin in a Christian brother, while his character otherwife remained good, would be to become a guilty tranfgreffor of a divine rule yourfelf. For, it is an exprefs command of God, that one witnefs fhall never be admitted as fufficient to condemn a perfon for any iniquity. Deut. xix. 15. "One witnefs fhall not rife up 2gainft a man for any iniquity, or for any fin, in any fin that he finneth at the mouth of two wit neffes, or at the mouth of three witneffes fhall the matter be eftablished." The reafon for this rule is obvious; because, in the eyes of the church the teftimony of one brother is in all refpects as good as that of another. When therefore one charges and the other denies, there is a contradiction between them, but no proof which of the two is guilty. It is therefore wrong to bring a fufpicion upon a brother's character, when it is well known there can be no legal proof of his tranfgreffion. The following is an attempt to explain the true meaning of Mat. xviii. 15th. Moreover, if thy brother fhall trefpafs against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he fhall hear thee, thou hait gained thy brother."-Explanation. If thou fhalt know a Chriftian brother to be guilty of a fault, and to have fcandalized the Chriftian name by his fin, go and reprove him for his fin in the most convincing, yet the moft gentle manner that thou canft; and that he may feel thy love and tender regard to his foul in it, let it be done in the most fecret manner, between thee and him alone. If he will acknowledge thy kindness to him, in this Chriftian reproof, it is well, for by this means thou haft gained thy brother. He will then return to the way of his duty; and the friendship between thee and him will thus be established on firmer foundations than ever, in confequence of this fubftantial token of thy impartial fincerity and frankness of temper. Queft. What if the offending brother deny the charge, or what if he acknowledge it; and yet, refufe to make fuitable acknowledgment to God, before me, for his Quefl. 2d. Have I a right, when a brother has penitently confeffed his fin to God, before me, I being the only witness, to mention his fin and confeffion to any other perfon? Anf. No. You have no right unneceffarily to bring a fufpicion upon a brother, or to publish his failings to the world. His penitent confeffion has restored him to your charity, and why should you make him appear weak in the eyes of another?-Quef. 3d. But, does not the command to take with thee one or two more brethren of the church, for witnesses, when the offender is obftinate, plainly imply that one witness is fufficient to condemn an offender publicly? Anf. No. The end to be anfwered, by taking thefe perfons for witneffes is not to lead the fuppofed offender into temptation to fin, or to ensnare him by artful queftions, when there was no proof before against him. For he has a right, if upon trial, to plead not guilty, and to require proof before confeffion in the fight of men. But the end of taking these brethren for witneffes, is upon the fuppofition, that, tho the church are ignorant of the offence of the brother, yet, the world can afford fufficient witneffes to prove his wickedness, and are ready to publifh it to the injury of the Chriftian name, except private fatisfaction foon be made. They are therefore taken to add greater weight to the admonition given, to filence his objections and bring him to a fenfe of his fault, before it be any further spread in the world, to his injury and the difgrace of the Chriftian name; and to prevent difputes, and juftify the conduct of the aggrieved brother, if the matter fhould finally be brot before the church, fhowing by good evidence, that every reasonable step was taken to prevent a public difcovery of the crime.-Ver. 16. "But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneffes very word may be established." Explanation. But, if he will not confefs his fault, in this private way, then take with thee one or two more perfons of character and reputation in the church, that their prefence may add weight to the admonition given, and ferve to filence his objections, and bring him to a sense of his fault, and of the expediency of preventing its further fpread in the world, by an humble confeffion of it to God, before all offended; or to prevent difputes, and juftify thy conduct, and be witneffes before the church that the firft ftep has been taken, according to the direction in the preceding verfe, if the matter fhould be brot before the church, fince in the mouth of two or three witneffes every word may be eftablifhed more effectually than it could otherwife have been.-Ver. 17. "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." Explanation. But, if he fhall ftill perfift in his fault, and reject their advice for peace, then tell it to the whole church to which he belongs, and among whom he has immediate communion in gofpel ordinances; and if they find him guilty, and he reject their reproof, you have then done your utmost to reclaim him; and while he con- . tinues in this ungodly temper, you will do well to enter your proteft against it, by forbearing any intimate friendship with fuch a perfon. In fuch a cafe, let him be to thee even as a heathen, and a publican, cut off from the privileges and communion of the church, until reftored by repentance and confeffion; or as other noted finners, to whom you would perform only the common offices of humanity, but would avoid their intimate fociety as fcandalous; heaven."-Explanation. Such is and to whom you are not under the rule, (referring to the precedthofe peculiar obligations binding ing verfes,) which you, my apofupon Chriftian brethren to each tles, are to inculcate on my other other. followers, refpecting the future government of the church, and let them fee to it, that they duly regard you, not only in this particular, but in all your other inftructions; for, verily I say unto you, you shall be furnished with fuch divine illumination and affiftance, as fhall abundantly confirm the authority of your decifions on every cafe and question which may occur : yea, fo fully fhall ye be inftructed in my will, and in the conftitution of my kingdom, that whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loofed in heaven: that is, ye fhall have authority to declare what precepts of the Mofaic religion are fuperceded, and what are continued; what rites in the church are to be changed in confequence of my death, and what new rites are to be inftituted and applied in their ftead, as equally expreffive of my love and promise to believers and their feed; and what things are allowed or forbidden to my disciples; and I will myself confirm your decifions, whether general or perfonal of this nature, as made by the influences of my unerring fpirit communicated to you, my apoftles, and will determine men's eternal state after death in a manner agreeable to them. Compare Matt. xvi. 18, 19, " And I fay unto thee, that thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatfoever thou fhalt bind on earth fhall be bound in heaven; This it is conceived, contains the whole of the direction which Christ has given the Chriftian church, for a rule of practice, after the apoftolic age. What follows in the two next verses, it is apprehended was fpoken to the apostles as fuch, and had particular reference to the power given them, as infpired men, after the death of Christ, to fet afide the Jewish ritual, and to fet up the gofpel difpenfation, with its holy ordinances, baptifm in the name of the Trinity, and the Lord's fupper, as inftituted by Christ, as they did on the day of Pentecoft, with the promise that whatever, as apoftles, any two of them fhould think proper to ask in prayer, in Christ's name, as the miraculous confirmation of any of their determinations, God would immediately do it for them.-The church of Rome has built her doctrine of infallibility and her lying miracles upon these two verfes, by declaring that this power of binding and loofing, and this promise of a miraculous answer to prayer, is fill continued in the church. But no fuch power or faith, as is here described, has existed in the Chriftian church fince the apoftolic age. That Chrift was in thefe two veries fpeaking directly to his difciples as fuch, appears, not only from the things promifed, but from their being privately with him in the house, when he spoke thefe words, Mat. xvii. 25, and xviii. 1. ver. 18, " Verily I fay unto you, whatfoever ye fhall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven and whatfoever ye fhall loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in -This was clearly a miraculous faith, and required a miracle in the answer. None but the apoftles ever had it fince the fetting up of the gofpel difpenfation. But this promife is fimilar to the one under confideration. This kind of faith the apoftles fometimes experienced. Peter and John exercifed it, when they faftened their eyes upon the lame man, who was laid at the beautiful gate of the Temple, and commanded him in the name of Jefus Chrift of Nazareth to rife up and walk, which he inftantly did, being completely healed in a moment. and whatsoever thou fhalt loofe on earth fhall be loofed in heaven." John xx. 22, 23. " And, when he said this, he breathed on them, and faith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whofe foever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whofe foever fins ye retain, they are retained."-Ver. 19. "Again I say unto you, that if two of you fhall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they fhall afk, it fhall be done for them of my father which is in heaven."-Explanation. And as a convincing token and full demonftration of this power granted you, my apoftles, I fay unto you, that this authority and power not only fhall attend the actions of your whole united body, but, even, if any two of you fhall agree together here on earth, concerning any thing which, as apoftles, they fhall think it proper to afk in prayer, for the miraculous confirmation of any of their determinations, it fhall be immediately done for them by my father in heaven. That this promife referred to a miraculous anfwer of prayer, made to the apoftles as fuch, and not to the agreement of common Chriftians in prayer, is evident by comparing it with the fcriptural account of a miraculous faith, and with the different manner, in which the promise made to common believers is worded. Mat. xxi. 21, 22. "Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, verily I fay unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also, if ye fhall fay unto this mountain, be thou removed; and be thou caft into the fea; it fhall be done. And all things whatfoever ye fhall afk in prayer, believing ye fhall receive." VOL. III. No. 9. Paul had it, when the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoft were communicated to the perfons on whom he laid his hands; and when he said to Elymas, the forcerer," Behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou fhalt be blind, not feeing the fun for a feafon. And immediately there fell on him a mift and a darkness: and he went about seeking fome to lead him by the hand." But in diftinction from fuch a grant, in all cafes, of the identical thing asked for by the believer, the promife made to the prayer of the common believer is not that the identical thing fhall always be granted; but, that what, on the whole, fhall be for his best good and for the glory of God fhall be granted him. This makes the latter promise very different from the former; and plainly proves that the faith of the former has never been found in any perfon, who had not the power of working miracles. 1 John, v. 14, 15. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we afk thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we afk, we know that we have the Y y any petitions that we defired of him." -From this promise it appears the believer's petition is graciously accepted, tho it may be inconfiftent with the glory of God to grant the identical thing requested. A denial of the thing afked, if inconfiftent with the glory of God and the believer's real good, is virtually granting the petition. In all fuch cafes denial is mercy, tho it practice, by them we are all bound, and according to them we shall be all judged, in the last great day. ZEPHO. Admonitions from the Death Bed. [Continued from Vol. II. p. 388.] NUMBER VII. often may appear, to the Chriftian, DEATH will effect a change in judgment. in our circumftances, greatVer. 20. "For where two or er, no doubt, than we can now three are gathered together in my conceive. In the folemn hour name, there am I in the midft of when the foul fhall part with the them." This appears to be a body, with all earthly friends and general promife, having a primary earthly things, who can tell what reference to the apoftles as fuch, fcenes may open, what thoughts from what had been faid in the occur, what new objects prefent preceding verfe, but a general re-to the mind? Our prefent comference to believers as fuch, ex- panions cannot accompany us tending back to the rule, includ- then ;-all worldly things, to ing two or three, given for deal-which we now look for comfort ing with an offending brother.- and fupport, will vanish in a moInferences. ft. Chrift has here ment; they cannot descend after reminded us of the imperfection us. In the world of spirits, what of Chriftians, in providing a rule company fhall we meet ?—What of practice to reclaim fuch as kind of exiftence fhall we have? backflide.--2d. Hence we learn, What objects of enjoyment fhall the indifpenfible duty of the we feek? Our confcioufnefs will church ftrictly to watch over all certainly remain; yea, our menits members, according to the di- tal faculties will, no doubt, be rections here given, to fave them enlarged, when difencumbered of from difgrace and ruin.-3d. We the earthly part, and be capable further learn, that the 18th and of more exquifite fenfations of 19th verfes, in the xviii. chapter either happiness or woe. What of Matthew, were fpoken to the then will comfort us when partapostles as fuch; and, therefore, ing with every earthly comfort? that no fuch power or faith are Where fhall we feek a friend to now to be found in the Chriftian accompany us in that dreary pafchurch. What precepts they fage, where no earthly friend can have bound upon us and what attend us-one who is able to dirites they have enjoined, we must rect our unfkilful feet in that unobey and practice; and whatever tried way; to protect and happrecepts or rites of the Mofaic pify us thro all the unknown religion they have declared to befcenes which may prefent in the fuperceded, by them we are no longer bound. What therefore the apostles have eftablished, as matters of faith, or as rules of eternal ftate? Are we all mortal, every day expofed to the arrest of death! Is it not then important, that |