of the religious public and consequently for the benefit of the individual himself, not only to dismiss, but to recommend. If the council conclude to dismiss, and nothing have appeared against the ministerial character of the pastor, the articles of Dismissal are to this effect;

That the council were assembled at the appointed time and place, agreeably to Letters Missive and for the purpose therein stated;—that they diligently and prayerfully considered the reasons both in favor of and against the proposed dismission;—that having found the reasons in favor of the same satisfactory, they have voted such dismission to be just and expedient ;—and therefore have further voted, that the pastor be dismissed accordingly and be recommended by the Council to the churches, wherever the Providence of God may call him, as a minister in regular standing.

CHAPTER XIV.

DISCIPLINING AND DEPOSING OF A MINISTER.

134. Of the necessity of some means of disciplining ministers.

After taking the precautions, which have been already mentioned, in introducing suitable persons into the ministry, sometimes improper men find their way into that work; and others lose that good character, which they once possessed. This is truly, what an ancient writer calls it, "a deplorable case"; but he acknowledges it sometimes to have happened, and it is therefore, to be provided against. The Congregational polity would be

exceedingly defective, if there were not some means of bringing such unworthy ministers to an account.

The existence of such a defect in the congregational, or in any other system, must be exceedingly prejudicial not only to the churches at large, but to the pastors themselves. If the infliction of censures be a benefit to private church members, there seems to be no good reason, why it should not be extended to members, who are called to sustain offices. "If admonition, and in some cases excommunication, (says Cotton, WAY of the CHURCHES IN NEW-ENGLAND, CH. V.) be ordinances of God, sanctified for the healing of the souls of God's people gone astray, it were a sacrilegious injury to the Elders to deprive them of the benefit of such wholesome medicines, when the state of their souls should come to stand in need thereof."

§ 135. The minister amenable to his church.

It is settled, both in principle and practice, that the minister is accountable to his church; and in the first place, in virtue of his membership.

According to Congregational Usage, no person becomes and remains the pastor of a church, without also, as soon as it conveniently can be done, transferring his relationship and becoming a member of the same. The reasons of this are various; but one undoubtedly is, that he may feel himself subject to the needful restraint of its watch and discipline. (See § 85 of this Work.)

Independently of this, the pastor is without doubt amenable to his church, in the second place, in virtue of his pastoral engagements. It is no matter, whether those engagements are all expressed, or in part implied. As long as they truly exist, the pastor is bound by them; and if he violates them, the church have a right to call him

to account. It is the same here as in temporal and civil things, where no agreement or engagement is broken, without incurring a responsibility; and the responsibility is due to the injured party. This is one of the plainest principles of moral justice. The church, therefore, if their minister fail to preach the Gospel, or to administer the sacraments, or otherwise come short of the duties and character, which he pledged as a pastor at his settlement, have a right to call him to account in virtue of his ministerial engagements.

136. Evidence of such accountability from the Scriptures.

The liability of ministers to reproof and punishment from the particular churches, over which they are set, is not more agreeable to reason, than to the Scriptures. In reference to the discipline of the church, the Apostle repeatedly lays down the obvious practical principle, that the existence of even a small evil, will, if not corrected, spread itself, and at last corrupt the whole body; "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." 1 Cor. v. 6. Gal. v. 9.

This principle he applies, on different occasions, both to the treatment of lay members and of ministers. If a private church member, who is corrupt, ought to be brought under discipline; then much more a church member, who sustains the ministerial office. The Apostle, in the fifth chapter of Galatians, speaks of false teachers, who troubled that church. In reference to these false teachers, he repeats the maxim of the whole lump and the little leaven; and immediately adds, "I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded, but he, that troubleth you, shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be;" as much as to say, He firmly believed, the Galatian brethren would bring such

persons to account and to punishment, whatever might be their pretentions, adding, in the next verse but one, I would they were even cut off, which trouble you."

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The Apostle also authorizes the church at Colosse, (Coloss. iv. 17,) to watch over and to exhort their pastor, "And say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry, which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.”

Even the Apostle Peter was called to an account before the brethren of Jerusalem, Acts xi. 2-18. And it does not appear, that he plead an exemption from this accountability on account of his being an Apostle and a minister; but willingly gave them satisfaction.*

§ 137. Methods or progress of disciplining a minister.

This doctrine, that the power of calling its minister to an account rests with the church, is recognized, with a restriction hereafter to be mentioned, in the Platform at the tenth chapter, § 6. It is still more fully and explicitly asserted in Cotton's Way of the Churches in NewEngland, CH. v. § 4; in Cotton's Book of the Keys, CHS. II. IV.; in the Answer to XXXII. Questions at

*Both in Samuel Mather's Apology and in the New England Discipline of Cotton Mather, his father, the power of the churches under consideration is maintained, besides other arguments, from the practice of the primitive churches; that is to say, the churches in the three first centuries. They adduce in particular a passage from Clement's Epistle to the Corinthian church. It appears from the passage referred to, that the Corinthians had deposed their ministers; and their right to do so is not doubted in the Epistle, although they are charged with having acted precipitately and wrongly in that particular case. In the year 258, a Synod, of which Cyprian was president, expressly acknowledged and commended the proceedings of some churches which had recently deposed their bishops. (See Cotton Mather's Ratio Disciplinæ, Art. ix. and Samuel Mather's Apology, Chap. IV.)

Question thirteenth; and in Chapter fourth of Samuel Mather's Apology; not to mention other written authorities, and the undoubted testimony of Usage.

The question of the power of the church in this respect being thus recognized, the next inquiry relates to the course or method, which the church shall pursue on an occasion of so much interest. The general principle, subject to the limitations arising out of the peculiarity of the case, is, that the church are to take the same steps as in the discipline of an offending lay-brother," Wherefore, (says Mather's RAT. DISC. Art. Ix.) when a pastor has fallen into scandal, the brethren that are acquainted with it, proceed, as they would with another brother in such cases; only with such special terms of respect and repetition of addresses, as the relation of a father may call for."

§ 138. Further considerations on this subject.

If, therefore, a minister do not so conduct in his office of pastor, as might reasonably and justly be expected, it seems to be the duty of those individuals of the church, who are aggrieved, to seek satisfaction, in the first instance, in a private interview. If their scruples be then solved, they are not, in ordinary cases, under obligations to pursue the inquiry further; since others have the same obvious and scriptural resource as themselves.

If, on the other hand, satisfaction cannot be had in this way, the subject of grievance, after a repeated attempt to obtain a redress of it, which is to be made in the presence of others, may be brought before the church. If the church, after a full hearing of the case and with suitable examination, are satisfied either of the falsity of the charges or of the sincerity of the offender's repentance, there is no good cause for further proceeding. But if satisfaction be not given, the church, when consider.