“Let the rest (others) judge,” in 1 Cor. xiv. 29. This was said to be the prophets to which the teachers now answered. They were to try, and approve or not, of a person’s being a teacher. Mr. Newton had gone up and held a tea meeting there and expounded this. This came to such a pitch in these quarters that, one brother, on these points being mooted, having urged that after all the Beraeans were more noble than those of Thessalonica, because they searched the Scriptures whether these things were so, he was answered by a young, and, as far as I know, very nice hearted young man who was associated in the ministry there, that that was Jews searching Jewish Scriptures, and that now, that God had raised up teachers, and given gifts, that was all changed, and they must listen to the teachers. The brother replied, surely Sir, if Jews searched Jewish Scriptures, Christians may search Christian ones. It was there taught by Mr. Newton, that Puseyism was the Devil’s imitation of a truth, and that, if brethren did not adopt it, God would set it up elsewhere. It was stated at Plymouth, at the close of these matters, on the question as to judging in the Church, that the teachers were the representatives of the Church, and that they were to decide, and the Church act on their decision. This may be, and probably has been denied, but I know it to be true, and to have been stated as well since, as before all the debate about it. As to the explanation of the Chapter there can be no doubt about it: not only because it was urged upon me and numbers of other persons: but even before I arrived, Harris had objected to this interpretation, on the ground that it could not be approving and sanctioning teachers, for it was the teaching that was to be judged; and the person was assumed on their own shewing to be a prophet already. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. At Exmouth the principles were sought to be introduced first, rather roughly by one, and then more prudently by another ; but the first person alluded to, acting on the principle, excommunicated a person on his own authority.
