qualified for the pastoral care of his flock and the secular matters of the church; and while we should reject an apostolic authority assumed by any, there appears to be no objection to the setting apart of such persons by prayer, &c., provided nothing be assumed beyond a commendatory act, at the same time with this confession in the whole matter-"a Syrian ready to perish" (Deut. xxvi. 5, or as in Mic. ii. 3). As far as we have the gifts, so to minister the same; as far as we have attained, to walk by the same rule and mind the same thing: and though we may have but a little strength, there is a promise, and a very blessed one, to those who keep "my word:" "Behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." Blessed be God all the prejudice that prevails against the simple but scriptural principles, which are here sought to be set forth, cannot shut the door. The key of all doors is with God, and he can open when and where he pleases. In the faith of this, however persons may oppose and doors be shut, we need not fear-God's promises stand true; but woe to those who offend the least of God's little ones, or to preserve their own traditions, are prepared to "make void the word of God." Every system seems now to be claiming an apostolic condition, therefore saying, "We are rich and increased with goods," and this will bring down judgment on Christendom. The church, I believe, to be in apostasy altogether from primitive principles and primitive practices; but not knowing this, it is puffed up, commending itself on the right hand and on the left, instead of knowing its need, and being humbled for the state in which it is found through the lawlessness of man. Each system triumphing in the other's wrong, is found glorying in an outward exhibition, while moral ruin and deadness reign within.

A word as to those who contend they are the successors of the apostles, and who claim their powers. We have in Rev. ii. 2 the church at Ephesus commended— "And thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars ;" also in 2 Cor. xi. 13-"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ." Thus we find men blasphemously assuming the apostleship in the days of the apostles, and the faithful ones judging their pretensions. How were they to judge them? Paul tells the Corinthians how they might know him to be an apostle of Christ-“ Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds" (2 Cor. xii. 12): again, in Eph. iii. 7, he says, "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God, given unto me by the effectual working of his power." All this he received "not of men, or by man” (Gal. i. 1). The apostles stood upon their commission from the Lord; and the Lord only. Their signs and mighty deeds, and the effectual working of the Spirit of God in them, were the means which others had of attesting their apostleship. Were they appointed by letters patent or under the sanction of royal authority? What says Paul?"For I think that God hath set forth us, the apostles, last, as it were appointed to death, -for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men" (1 Cor. iv. 9).

The apostles were not resting on a formal ordination; they were men opposed by the world; the filth of it, the last in it; men of power in the Holy Ghost, given up to prayer and the ministry of the word. And is the church of God to bow down to men, in no way resembling those whose place they pretend to occupy, and who, in many cases, do not possess one spiritual feature of resemblance in their whole bearing? men not put into the office for the work of the ministry, but for personal aggrandisement on the one side, and political interest on the other? That there are godly men in different denominations, and faithful preachers to be found in many instances, one would thankfully acknowledge; men devoted to the Lord and acting according to the light they have received. Yet it is very remarkable how persons in the present day, although they will at once refer to the Bible in proof of doctrinal points, when the question of ordination and church government is argued, refer to tradition and expediency. But surely the scriptures should be taken for our guide in one case as much as in the other, and no christian ought to contend for, or stand by, that which is not in simple and full accordance with the word of God. The evil which has arisen in the church from the lack of simple obedience to the plain commands of scripture, is more than can be calculated. Men who have the means of obtaining a college education and preferment are sure to get on in the Establishment, provided their moral character be tolerably correct, however

devoid of grace and spirituality they may be. The bishop of the diocese, being often an unconverted man, and a lover of the world, will favor men of the same stamp. And the government, or "the powers that be," who may nominate the bishop to the vacant see, will act in like manner, and thus the ministry, which is to feed the church, is set up by carnal men; and many an evangelical curate, feeling himself bound to yield to his superior, has his mouth closed which, otherwise, would have spoken freely for his Master which is in heaven. Again, in how many ways is the faithful curate hindered, when, on the opening of his career, he has a heart to work for the Lord, by the canons on the one side and a worldly bishop on the other; he struggles for a while, but it wont do; the net in which he has involved himself, by his ordination vows and acknowledgments, so holds him, that he makes it at least a matter of duty, not only to yield to, but at length to defend the very things which at the first his conscience objected to.

Dissenting bodies profess to be more scriptural; but it will be found that they are as much defiled by worldly influence and undue reference to mere natural talent, which has helped to beguile them from the simplicity which is in Christ. If there be those among them competent to pray, read, or speak to profit, when the congregation meets for public worship, on the first day of the week, the people look up to one man, just as if the 12th and 14th chapters of 1 Corinthians, and similar scriptures, were not in the Bible, as if all the gifts of the Holy Ghost were concentrated in the one individual, and not in the church at large. Not unfrequently individuals will be found, both in the Establishment and other bodies possessing far more gifts for instructing the congregation than the appointed minister; but they must be silent. Though God may have sanctioned them, man has not; therefore the gifts He may have given are to be quenched; while he who possesses none is to be received. Some say we acknowledge the gifts in many of our people, and allow them opportunities to exercise the same; but when asked why persons thus qualified should not have liberty to do so on all occasions, a scriptural answer cannot be given; there being a manifest inconsistency on the face of it. The fact is, the world is to be pleased, and what might at a private prayer meeting fully satisfy and feed the godly portion, would not be polished enough to support "the cause" before a worldly congregation on the Sunday. Therefore the minister which is to suit them, and to fill "the seats," must be a man adjusted and settled by the school, before he makes his debut in public. The Amos must leave, not only the gathering of his sycamore fruit, but must go to college to learn to speak for the ears of the people; he must come forth in a respectable way to meet a respectable congregation. When the principles suggested in this paper are contended for, a dread and consternation takes hold on those who oppose them: simply on the ground that such things would not work well, circumstanced as things now are in these days, and must lead to disorder and confusion. No doubt they would, "circumstanced as things now are;" for the church of God is so bound up, more or less, with its own inventions, that when the light of truth on these matters breaks in, it becomes evident that, if obeyed, an immediate disruption of the most trying nature would be the consequence : the world would cease to be called the church, and it would no longer exercise power, as it now, directly or indirectly, does in its management: false ministers would no longer have the same inducements to continue in the ministry, but true ones would soon rise up to take their place. This would be the blessing consequent on the breaking up of all unhallowed associations. But there being a lack of faith and strength to meet the immediate consequences of such a disruption, persons are glad to fall back into that which, to their carnal eye, promises more ease and security, and to human judgment seems to work better, though, at the same time, perhaps it is not denied that what is here contended for is the more scriptural way.

Many a saint, devoted in his heart to God, and panting to be employed in His service, feels himself thrown back from that service to God and His people which he would willingly render-for he argues thus-"I know of no person of sufficient interest to procure me a place of service in the church (his desires being towards the Establishment)—and then it would take years to become properly prepared-and in the mean time how can I live ?" Others, whose inclinations lead them to seek for service wherever it can be found, agreeable to the word and their conscience, looking round at every system, find all alike entangled with traditional laws and regulations; and, having tender consciences, they naturally shrink from coming for

ward to give the necessary assent and consent to all that would be required of them.

It is therefore hoped, however feebly the principles herein set forth have been advocated, that these remarks may fall into the hands of some such persons. The fields are indeed" white to the harvest," and not only should the church pray for the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers, but they should take every means to remove all stumbling blocks out of the way of those who would go forth to labour. Should these pages lead to this, by removing the difficulties just referred to, an influx of labourers would soon be found in the field, of true and faithful men, who are kept back by the many hindrances thrown in the way.

Let saints only search and see what saith the scripture of truth; but let them not be startled with difficulties, nor doubt the validity of principles, because the age in which we live refuses to give them place in its conventional arrangements. If they be according to God, they must be the best and most suited to His ends. The path of the saint is at least plain in this; he is "TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN”—and, moreover, "to OBEY is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

COMMUNITY OF GOODS.

of

Ir is by no means uncommon for imaginary difficulties to be thrown in the way those who desire to act in obedience to the word of God, by proposing questions as to whether they who desire to obey literally any one command in particular are willing to do the same with regard to every other, whether real or supposed; and thus a saint is sometimes led either to doubt whether he has formed a right judgment with regard to any already acknowledged command; or else to act in supposed obedience to something which he does not apprehend.

In this manner, practices to which the church attended at any given time (as for instance those mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles) are referred to, either as proving the impossibility of literal obedience to the word, or else as shewing us a precise model, according to which it is our bounden duty to frame everything. One of those circumstances to which reference is thus not unfrequently made, is community of goods-this being pressed on the one hand, as though it proved the unfitness of the examples given in the Acts and the Epistles for being patterns for the saints as to how they should walk and please God; and, on the other hand, some (although comparatively few) take the state of things which existed in the church at Jerusalem as though it were a model, to which all gatherings of saints ought ever to be conformed. It is, therefore, to this subject, as being thus misapprehended, that I would look (being well aware that it occasions difficulties to some saints), in order to see what the teaching of the word is concerning it, and what the principles are which are developed to us in this teaching. I would desire that it may be borne in mind, that as the Spirit of God has written nothing in vain, so ought we to find instruction in all that He has taught.

In the second chapter of the book of Acts, we find the history of the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles of the Lord Jesus, his word of promise being thus fulfilled unto them. The first testimony given by Peter to the resurrection of the Lord reaches many, so that three thousand gladly received the word, and were baptised in the name of that Jesus who, but a little while before, had in that very city been put to death. The testimony of Peter had declared their sin; i.e. their opposition to God, as had been shewn in their having slain Him who was precious in God's sight, and who was proved to be the Holy One of God, who was not to see corruption, by His having been raised from the dead. Now those who thus on the day of Pentecost received forgiveness through the blood of Christ, learned especially one lesson-the mercy of God as meeting them in all their manifested opposition to Him. Of course I do not say that every sinner who believes in Christ learns not this mercy likewise assuredly he does. But in the gospel being first thus preached, and first gathering fruit from among the Jews, there was pre-eminently the display of the mercy of Him who sent His own blessed and glorious Son to die for sinners. It was to them, as His murderers, that the testimony was sent ; it was as having been

guilty of the shedding of His blood that they were forgiven through His name; and thus grace was the one wondrous and blessed lesson which their souls were taught. I do not question that the conduct of which we read immediately afterwards, as characterising those who were thus converted, is intimately connected with the apprehension which they had of the grace manifested towards them:-"They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers......and all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need; and they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" [or rather, "the saved"].

In this account of the effect wrought by the knowledge of grace received, we find that a spirit the very reverse of selfishness was manifested; the love of the brethren did then lead them to the giving up of all that was their own for the sake of others; and this is the spirit which should ever characterise the children of God. By nature we are "hateful, and hating one another" (Titus iii. 3); and however much the manifestation of this may be hindered by motives of convenience, selfinterest, conventional feeling and the like, this awful character given of us by the Holy Ghost is nevertheless true; and it only wants the opportunity to manifest itself in all its enormity: I do not stay to prove this from facts, although that would be no difficult task; I take it on the simple, infallible, and incontrovertible testimony of the Spirit of God, presenting as it does the full contrast to that love of the brethren which ought ever to mark a child of God.

This principle of union, which was thus so self-denyingly manifested among the saints at Jerusalem, is the simple fruit of that union with Christ, and that common sonship which the Spirit of God teaches believers to know and realise as their privilege and their blessing; and thus it is that the relation in which the saints stand to Jesus and to the Father tells of their common relationship one to another; and the more the love of the Father is known, and the more the work of the Son is valued, the more will the saints be knit in love to all who are sharers in those blessings and privileges.

It is important to see clearly that this was, at Jerusalem, the spontaneous acting of the new life received; it had not been made a matter of ordinance amongst them; it was not a term of communion, that they should hold no property as being private; and yet they acted thus; beautifully shewing what it is to love the brethren for the

sake of the one common Lord.

Again, we find a farther mention of this community of goods as an effect of grace, after the healing of the lame man at the gate of the temple, and the preaching of Peter, which was the means of the conversion of the five thousand. The apostles, Peter and John, had been put in prison, and when examined before the council, were straitly charged not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus: after which, being let go, and praying that God would grant that His servants might speak the word with great boldness, and that signs might be wrought by the name of Jesus, we find that not only was this great boldness in testimony granted them, but also amongst the increased multitude of believers there was the same exhibition of grace which had been before recorded :-" When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need" (Acts iv.). I have already said that this disposal of property, in order to distribute to the need of the saints, was not a matter of ordinance or compulsion: this is proved by the history of Ananias and Sapphira. Here there were two who wished to imitate the grace which they saw exhibited by others; for that purpose they sold a possession, and while withholding a part of the price, they desired, by bringing the other part,

:

to seem to act as others in the church had acted before them: the words of Peter,"Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power ?" shew that the voluntary acting of the saints was looked at as leading to this bestowal of goods; and that if any one had chosen to forego his privilege of thus aiding the need of others, there was not any law to hinder his retaining his property; all were acting as being the Lord's freemen; and the community of goods which then existed was only the exhibition of the greatness of His grace which was with them.

In looking at the present state of the church of God, it is quite natural for any who desire that the name of the Lord should be glorified in those who are the purchase of His blood, to look at the state of the church at Jerusalem as though it were a model, according to which they should work in order to meet the Lord's mind; but when it is seen that in this particular (as well as in several others) the circumstances of that church were the effect of grace received, it will be manifest that it is not the setting up the external form that should be desired, as though that could meet the mind of God; but it is the possession of the same internal power of grace which led to the results. The taking of the fruits of grace, as though they were a mere model for imitation, appears to have in some measure led to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira; and so the attempt to act in apparent disinterestedness, without having such grace in the heart as to overcome the innate power of covetousness, would lead to actings similar to theirs. Working after a model is not the principle of Christian service and discipleship; we have life given us in Christ; and we have the Spirit of God to enable us to act as having thus new principles and objects that to which He would lead is the development in conduct of those new principles-the manifestation, on the part of the saints, of that life which they have received through the death and the resurrection of Christ.

Here the question occurs-If the community of goods be not taken up as a matter of absolute ordinance to the saints, is it not however to be looked at as being that which would be acted on by the saints if they would only faithfully exhibit that brotherly love to which they are called? Is it, or is it not to be looked at as a fruit of grace which we should desire to see amongst the children of God? Let us try this question by the testimony of the word, wholly apart from every other consideration.

It is especially worthy of notice, with regard to this, that we no where read of community of goods as being acted on except at Jerusalem. We read of churches exhibiting much grace; but amongst the exhibitions of it we find not a hint or intimation about community of goods. This silence is, to say the least, a very remarkable circumstance, and is worthy of particular attention.

If we look at the notices which occur in various parts of the epistles respecting the collections which were made for the need of poor saints, we shall find not only an absence of all mention of community of goods, but directions, which presuppose the non-existence of any thing of the kind; and which indeed would be altogether without meaning if such a community had existed. We find such notices as the following:-"Now I go unto Jerusalem, to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things" (Rom. xv. 25-27). In this passage we see that the working of grace in the saints of Macedonia and Áchaia led them to make a common contribution for the aid of poor saints elsewhere; this is spoken of as being that which they owed to those at Jerusalem; but still it was only grace which could recognise this as a debt; it was not authoritatively laid on them as a matter of compulsion; but it is said, "it hath pleased them."

Again, we read:-"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him; that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2). Now I would remark on this passage, before going farther, that there seems to be here something very like a common order, such as is fitting to be constantly acted on by any and every gathering of the saints. This pre-supposes the saints each one continuing to hold his own property; and each one is here called weekly to contribute according as he had been