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SERMON V.

THE

SYNOD OF JERUSALEM:

O R,

COURTS of REVIEW in the Chriftian Church confidered *.

A

ACTS XV. 31.

-They rejoiced for the confolation.

Sa proper introduction to the bufinefs of this Provincial Synod, my reverend and dear hearers will, at once, fee the propriety of the fubject we have pitched upon; to whatever exceptions the prosecution of it should be found liable.

The words tranfmit a short, but comprehensive, account of the dutiful reception with which a judgm nt of the ra lical Synod at Jerufalem mer, from the Chriftians in Antioch; " They rejoiced for the "confolation."

The context will fall under view afterwards, and therefore, without introduction, we fhall, through divine

*This fermon was preached at the opening of the Synod of Glafgow and Ayr, at Irvine, Oct. 13th, 1707.

divine affistance, illuftrate the following obfervations, evidently contained in the history itself.

I. That at Antioch, from whence this caufe came, there was a church.

II. That in the church at Antioch, there arofe a question, about which the prophets and teachers could not agree.

III. That the office bearers at Antioch, as diftinguished from the brethren, in that church, had a right to have given judgment in the important cause.

IV. That though thefe Prefbyters were a court of Chrift, properly conftituted, they confidered their decifions as fubject to a court of review; and, for that reason, unanimously agreed to refer the whole caule, as it flood, to the venerable Synod of Judea.

V. That after the commiffioners from Antioch had reached the metropolis of Judea,-produced their credentials, and opened up their caufe,-the Synod of Jerufalem-first reafoned upon it; and, then, came to an unanimous fentence.

VI. That two of the commiffioners from Antioch joined by two from Judea, were immediately dif patched with letters to the Gentile converts, containing an account of the Synodical judgment. And,

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VII. hat, upon receiving and reading the epiftle, the Gentile converts, as in our text, rejoiced for the confolation."

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in the illuftration of thefe particulars, we fhall endeavour, as a humble apology for the Prefbyterian form of church government, to exhibit

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"The New Teftament original, after which every court of review, in the Chriftian church, on the one hand;—and every private church"member, on the other; fhould attentively copy."

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OBSER

OBSERVATION I.

That at Antioch, from whence this caufe came, there was a church; for when Paul and Barnabas came thither,-they "gathered the church together," A&ts xiv. 27.

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In the New-Teftament, indeed, there are very different acceptations of that term.

Sometimes, it fignifies no more than a concourse of people, affembled in a lawless, and employed in a finful manner. Such was the mob raised by Demetrius the filver-fmith, against Paul;-whereof itis faid, that" the affembly," or, as it is in the first language," the church was confufed," Acts xix. 32.

Sometimes, it fignifies a meeting for the difcuffion of civil affairs, according to the particular ufages of different countries. Such a meeting the town-clerk at Ephesus had in view, when, to the mob now mentioned, he faid, "It fhall be "determined in a lawful affembly," or "church," Acts xix. 39.

There is one instance, where it points at churchofficers alone, Matth. xxviii. 17. in their ruling capacity;-and of the church, in that view, it is faid, "Whatsoever ye fhall bind on earth, fhall be "bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye fhall loofe "on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven," Matth xxviii. 18.

Now, it fignifies a company of perfons profeffing the faith, and walking together in love of the gofpel. Such were certain focieties in Lyftra, Derbe, Iconium, and other places;—for referring to them the hiftorian tells us, that Paul and Barnabas "ordained elders in every church," Acts xiv.

23.

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And

And, then, it fignifies fuch a company of believ ers, with proper officers fet over them in the Lord, for all the purposes of Doctrine and Worship, Difcipline and Government, appointed by Jefus Chrift.

Thus the hiftorian understood this term, faying, "There was a great perfecution against the church "which was at Jerufalem," Acts viii. 1.

It is in the laft, doubtless, of thefe views we are to understand it, as applied to the Chriftians at Antioch; -for, as we are affured, that there was a church in that city, made up of difciples only in their private capacity, with whom Barnabas and Saut "affembled "a whole year ;" Acts xi. 26. so, that thofe difci ples were afterwards favoured with "prophets and teachers" of their own, "to bear office among "them," Acts xiii. 1.

When, we fal, in the laft of thefe views, we only mean, in as far as it refpected the relation which fubfifted between the difciples at Antioch and their immediate office-bearers. For, their connection with the church at Jerufalem might be argued, not only from the inftruments of their converfion to the Chriftian faith,-fuch, namely, as "were fcatter"ed abroad upon the perfecution that arofe about "Stephen;" Acts xi. 19. but, from the overfight which the office-bearers at Jerufalem took of them at that early period. They fent forth Barnabas "that he fhould go as far as Antioch; who, when ❝he came and had feen the grace of God, was glad, " and exhorted them all, that, with purpose of "heart they would cleave unto the Lord," verf.

22, 23.

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And the fubordination both of the disciples and office bearers at Antioch, in their church-capacity, to the collective church at Jerufalem, will appear from the following obfervations: and therefore our

reafoning,

reafoning, upon that head, fhall not now be anticipated.

It may be useful here to notice, that we find great changes in the radical church at Jerfualem, as to the number of her members; and may infer, that the behoved, in the fame proportion, to undergo changes alfo, with refpect to the number, and particular provinces, of her office-bearers.

That church confifted once, only of about a hundred and twenty; Acts i. 15. It immediately fwelled to about three thoufand one hundred and twenty; Acts ii. 41. Soon after, it increased to about five thousand; Acts iv. 4. Then it arose to a multitude; Acts iv. 32. and, as if all had been infufficient to inftruct the propriety of this obfervation, we are told, that multitudes both of men and women, were added to the Lord, Acts v. 14. Notwithstanding, they were all along but one church; no other churches having been planted, until after Stephen's martyrdom.

The church, therefore, at Jerufalem was as agreeable to the order prescribed in the New Teftament, when it confifted of fuch growing multitudes, as when it was confined to fix fcore :--it was as properly a gospel church, when neceffarily divided into many feparate places, for accommodation, -as when they could all be accommodated in one upperroom, Acts i. 13.

Churches, indeed, fo conftituted, though they fhould confift only of one worshipping affembly, have the full power of discipline within themselves;-but then, unless it can be afcertained by what precife number a gospel church must be circumfcribed, the fame power must remain in the whole body, though it be extended to an hundered, or even a thousand worshipping affemblies.

The congregations, for example, within the

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bounds

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