extensively held forth to the world, and there would be no rational hope of the continuance or increase of christianity among men." Particular christians die out of this world from day to day, and there would be few rising up in their stead to support this religion, if there were not public assemblies appointed or agreed upon: It is in these assemblies, the gospel with all the duties and blessings thereof is published to the world; it is here unbelievers may attend and hear the glorious truths of the gospel set forth in a proper light, and the name and memory, the person and offices, the graces and glories of our great Redeemer are displayed among men; 1 Cor. xiv. 23. When the whole church is come together in one place, there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers," and when the important affairs of christianity are managed with becoming order and decency, and the doctrines of our salvation are set forth in a happy light, "They that believe not are convinced, the secrets of their hearts are made manifest: they will worship God together with us, and report that God is among us of a truth;" verse 25. Hereby those that are convinced of their sin and danger, and have fled for refuge to lay hold on Jesus as their only hope, are encouraged to come and join themselves to the church, when they behold the beauty of the Lord in his gospel-sanctuary, and the appearances of his power and glory there.

In short, I might add, that there is no public religion, nor worship of any kind, can be well maintained in the world, without such an agreement among the persons that profess that religion: Even heathens, and Turks, and Jews, all sorts of worshippers in every age, think it necessary to agree to worship their God in particular societies, and thereby maintain their religious commuuion with each other.

It is granted indeed, that where a national religion is established by the authority of the magistrate, and the times, and places, and modes of worship are appointed by him, together with the persons who shall minister therein throughout the several cities, towns, and villages in that nation, there is no such neces.... sity for private persons to form an express agreement among themselves about this matter, if their consciences led them to the same worship and practice which the magistrate requires: Their constant willing attendance implies such an agreement. But I can find no power of imposing this public worship, given to magistrates, among all the principles of natural reason, nor among any of the writings of the New Testament: And those persons whose consciences lead them to differ from this established religion, are then directed by the light of nature, as well as scripture, to form such agreements among themselves, in order to maintain christian worship, and the practice of christianity, as they find it represented in the bible.

The second thing I proposed was to shew you some of the advantages of such an agreement for christian-fellowship among others I might mention such as these:

1. "It gives courage to every christian to profess and practise his religion, when many persons are engaged by mutual agreement in the same profession and practice." We do not love to be singular, and to be pointed at by the world, as standing and acting alone, especially in the affairs of God and religion; but when a good company unite themselves together for such a sacred purpose, this takes away the reproach of singularity, they all strengthen one another's hands in the ways of the Lord, and they bear up with more firmnes of heart against the reproaches of the world.

2. "It is more for the particular edification of christians, that such societies should be formed, where the word of Christ is constantly preached, where the ordinances of Christ are administered, and the religion of Christ is held forth in a social and honourable manner to the world." Hereby every christian knows where to go to hear the gospel preached, and multitudes are instructed at once in the great things that relate to their eternal peace: Hereby those who have known the things of Christ more easily call to mind what they have learned, and are admonished of their daily duty by the public preacher: Here their prayers are united, and their songs of praise; and such an union of prayers and praises is delightful and acceptable to him who inhabits the praises of Israel, and who has encouraged them to agree in asking mercies from God, and to strive together in prayer. United devotions are much more likely to obtain success.

3. "Such a holy fellowship and agreement to walk together in the ways of Christ, is a happy guard against backsliding and apostacy, it is a defence against the temptations of the world, and the defilements of a sinful age." Having given my name up to Christ in a public manner, how shall I dare to renounce him? Having joined myself to the followers of Christ, how shall I break those bonds, and depart from them, or disgrace that holy fellowship by any known sin? Having made a public profession of my avowed obedience to Jesus as a Lord and king; how can I dare decline his service, or indulge myself in those iniquities which his gospel forbids?

4. "Christians thus united together by mutual acquaintance and agreement, can give each other better assistance in every thing that relates to religion, whether public or private:" They warm one another's hearts by mutual holy conversation; they support one another when ready to fall, and raise and restore those that are fallen in a spirit of meekness; Gal. vi. 1. But as Solomon warns us, Who to him that falls while he walks alone,

who shall help him up? Or how can one be warm alone; Ec. iv. 10. Hand joining in hand adds force and strength, assistance and stability to any purpose or design whatsoever; and frequent meeting together gives fellow-christians opportunity of exhorting one another to maintain their common christianity, as in Heb. x. 25. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, but exhort one another, and provoke one another to love and to good works. Christians when they come to mutual acquaintance and agreements of this kind, they afford better help to one another, when under difficulties by advice, and under sorrows they relieve each other by christian consolation and social prayers. They afford greater aid and strength to each other against temptations and dangers, because they are better informed of each others circumstances and tempers. They know one another's wants and weaknesses more, they pity one another with more tenderness, and they guard each other against the common injuries and insults of men. Happy the persons who are thus united in the fellowship of the gospel, and who by practising these duties, and communicating and enjoying these advantages, cast a glory upon the gospel of Christ.

The third general head leads me to enquire more particularly Who are the persons who should thus receive one another in the Lord, or join together in christian fellowship. The general direction of the New Testament is contained in the words of my text, that we should receive into this sacred communion all that Christ has received to partake of his salvation, and that we make no other test whereby to receive persons into our particular congregations, than a credible profession of those things which Christ has made necessary in order to partake of his benefits. Receive ye one another as Christ hath us; Rom. xv. 7. whether ye be Jews or Greeks, whether ye be bond or free, whatsoever different character ye sustain in the civil life, or whatever different nations gave you birth. Whosoever makes a credible profession to have received Jesus Christ and his gospel, and their practice be correspondent to their profession, they are to be received by us, though they may differ in particular opinions, or in particular practices which are of less moment and importance. This is one great design of St. Paul's xiv. chapter to the Romans. In his day there were some christians that maintained a regard to Jewish ceremonies, there were others who thought themselves entirely delivered from all those yokes of bondage; some eat meat with freedom, while others only eat herbs; some observed particular days as holy, while others neglected to observe them; some were weak in the faith, and others strong; but they are all called to receive one another into christian fellowship, and not to make these doubful disputations, a bar to their sacred

union; for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men, and therefore he should not be excluded from christian societies; Rom. xiv. 1, 2, 3-17, 18.

This I say is the general rule: But it must be confessed, that there are some christians whose sentiments are so directly contrary to others, in matters of worship or discipline, that it is hardly possible they should unite in public worship; as for instance, he that believes prescribed forms of prayer to be an unlawful thing, cannot join with a society, who never pray but by prescribed forms: He that thinks no man can be a minister, unless he be ordained by the hand of a diocesan bishop, cannot unite in worship with a society whose ministers never had, nor desired such an ordination. But let each take heed how they embrace such limiting principles. There are others who differ so widely in some of the most important doctrines of christianity, that they cannot worship together with any tolerable edification or comfort, viz. Those who believe Christ died as a proper sacrifice of atonement for sin, and venture their whole hope of salvation upon it, and wait for sanctifying influences from the Holy Spirit, cannot comfortably unite with such sort of christians as suppose Christ to be only a messenger and prophet sent to restore natural religion to men, and who deny any atoning virtue to his death, or any influences from the Spirit to change their hearts, and make them holy. These are articles which I take to be matters of so high importance in the religion of the gospel, that I cannot advise persons to unite in societies for worship, where they are no better agreed in their principles: The humble and sincere believer of the gospel of Christ, would find his devotion and his edification. continually interrupted by such jarring opinions and contests, and the whole work of preaching, prayer and praise would be very disgustful to one part, while it pleases the other. How is it possible two should walk together, except they are better agreed? Amos iii. 3. They agree indeed in the name of christianity, but their real religion seems to be of a different kind.

The general advice which I would give as most conformable to the sentiments of the great apostle, is this, "Let every person take heed that he does not too much enlarge, nor too much narrow the principles of christianity, that he does not make any article of faith or practice more or less necessary than scripture has made it, and that he does not raise needless scruples in his own breast, nor in the hearts of others, by too great a separation from such as our common Lord has received."

I proceed now to consider "how great the number of persons should be, which may properly form such a christian society;"

and in answer to this question, I must say, it is left very much to the liberty and prudence of men. In general there should be so many as to give it the name of a public assembly: And yet if there are but a few christians within the reach of one another, who can conveniently meet once a week at the same time and the same place for religious purposes, I think these may join themselves in christian fellowship, and the promise of our Saviour belongs to them, Where two or three of you are met together in my name, there am I in the midst of them; Mat. xviii. 20.

We might also observe, that no more should usually join together in one society, than can frequently meet together in one place at one time, and be edified by the mouth of one preacher, or lift up their joint prayers and praises to God by the lips of one minister And perhaps the very words of my text may include that meaning, Receive one another, that with one mind and one mouth you may glorify God the Father. The Corinthian church met together in one place; 1. Cor. xiv. 23. And while one spoke in prayer, prophecy, or exhortation, the others were called to silence and attention, verse 31.

Now a company of christians thus agreeing in the most im portant articles of faith and practice, and consenting to unite together to worship God through Jesus Christ in all his ordinances, and to keep up the christian interests in the world, are properly a church of Christ. Such was the church of Corinth, such the church at Philippi, such the several churches of Galatia, and the churches of Asia, of which mention is made in the New Testa ment; and their agreement to worship and walk together in christian fellowship, is that church-covenant which in the very nature of things is necessary to constitute a regular christian society, and to maintain the gospel in the world in the principles and practices of it: Nor can there be any christian communion maintained in an orderly manner, without such a covenant or agreement as this is, either more plainly expressed, or necessarily implied: It is only the addition of some things which Christ has not required to such a covenant or agreement as this is, that has exposed the name of a church covenant to so many reproaches in the world: Otherwise, I am sure, it deserves none.

It is granted the scripture sometimes speaks of a church in the house, which is smaller than that of a public assembly, unless it mean that the christians of one place met together in that house for worship: sometimes it speaks of the church at Jerusalem, which in the first formation of it seems to be of a larger extent than could worship in one place, as consisting of many thousand souls: But we must remember, that the national church of the Jews could not be supposed all at once to be dissolved so as to form itself into particular congregations, with all that regularity and order which afterward was observed in single christian societies: or perhaps the word "church" may be sometimes used to signify all the christians that dwell either in one city or in one house, without regard to any such special agreement of walking or worshipping together.