fole right to, it is far from being plain that you have any more right than the poorest Curate in the kingdom; for it is manifeft that the Apoftles never claimed it, as you do. They ordained Elders in every Church; but then the Church was prefent to give their fanction to the deed: it might as well have been faid, that they ordained Elders to every Church, if they had conceived they had a right to do it. Your Lordfhips can not be offended when I refuse you your pretended exclufive privilege of ordination, when I deny that ever the Apoftles had any fuch authority. You are not certainly greater than the Apostles of Jefus Chrift. The Apoftles and the Churches jointly might ordain Elders, or the Apoftles and Elders with the Churches where they refided, might likewife do it, but it does not appear from the whole New Teftament, that either a fingle Apoftle, or all of them together, ordained any Elders without the L the affistance and confent of the Churches where they were ordained. The Doc-: tors, perhaps, were not thinking of this negative upon the idol of their Epifcopal power: The Apostle Paul, though he. was called of God to preach the Gofpel to the Gentiles, yet, received his ordination in the Church of Antioch, without having the affiftance of any of the Apoftles. Even common teachers were allowed to join in this ceremony; which fhews that it was no exclufive privilege lodged in the hands of Bishops or Apostles. Some of your Lordships Chaplains, I know, can fay a great deal about it, and about it, on this paffage; but plain honest men will eafily perceive that the Holy Ghost has always paid fuch a regard to the Churches, that after they, were once organized, he has never permitted any officers to proceed without their approbation, when tranfactions were performed within their bounds. As As I have before proved from the Old Teftament, that your Hierarchy has no foundation there, so I apprehend that I have fhewed there is as little foundation for it in the New Teftament. I fhall therefore conclude this difcourfe. SERMON SERMON III. MATTHEW, Ch. xxiii. ver. 4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. HE burdens which the Church THE ་ lays upon us are like the taxes laid on by the Government,-they are feldom removed; and what is worse, there is no mercy to be expected if we will not bear them patiently. Those who deal in religious matters, and do not partake of the influence of the Gofpel, are ge nerally more deftitute of compaffion than F rakes |