tained, the light of reason teaches us, that several persons, who profess the same religion, must sometimes meet together, to celebrate the solemnities, rites, and ordinances thereof, and to worship God according to the rules of it. When this religion is professed by great multitudes, or by whole nations, it is not possible they should all be convened together in one place, so as to join frequently in the same acts of worship, to offer their united prayers or praises to God, in a regular and rational manner, and with conveniency and edification to such a vast assembly. In such a case therefore, it is necessary, that they should be separated into distinct societies, for the same purpose. And does not the New Testament sufficiently indicate these things to us, as relating to the social religion of christians? Do we not find them frequently met together in the history of the Acts of the Apostles; that with one mind and one mouth they may glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;" as in Rom. xv. 6. Are not such assemblies continually mentioned and encouraged in the epistles? And are not christians exhorted to maintain this custom, and "not to forsake the assembling of themselves together?" Heb. x. 25. Do we not find the christian converts of the same country divided into particular congregations, which are called churches, who meet together for this purpose? "The church at Corinth; the church at Phillippi; the churches of Galatia ;" 1 Cor. xvi. 1. "The seven churches of Asia ;" Rev. i. 11. "All the churches of the saints;" 1 Cor. xiv. 33.

II. The light of nature and reason teaches, that where persons join together for any religious service, they must be agreed in the main and most important points that relate to it. "How can two walk together except they be agreed !" Amos iii. 3. For otherwise perpetual jarring and confusion of opinions and practices would arise in the very worship itself, which would destroy all the delight, the harmony, and decency of it. A worshipper of the true God cannot join in natural religion with a worshipper of idols. And yet, it is not every little difference in sentiment and opinion about the true God, or his worship, that is sufficient to exclude persons from the same religious society, where their agreement is so great, as that the chief ends of public worship may be happily maintained. Therefore Abraham and Melchisedec might join in the same worship of the one true God, though Abraham was taken into a peculiar covenant with special promises, and Melchisedec practised religion upon the ancient principle and dispensation of his father Noah. Gen. xiv. 18, 19, 20, 22. So Abraham worshipped God with Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, upon the same general principle, "and they made a covenant, and sware together by the true God;" Gen. xxi. 22-31.

And does not the New Testament teach us the same practice, viz. that where persons would be united in christian worship and religious society, they must agree in their religion so far at least, as to make a credible profession of their being the sincere disciples of Christ, and must make known their agreement in all the necessary principles of christianity*. They must profess not only the one true God, but faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord, in his most important characters and offices, together with such repentance of sin, and such a visible practice of holiness, as may give reason to hope their profession is sincere. In the primitive times they confessed their faith, and then shewed their works; Acts xix. 18. and thereby proved their profession to be sincere, and their faith to be a true or living faith; James . 17, 18. It was commanded that the Jews should bring forth fruits meet for repentance; in order to be admitted to St. John's baptism; Mat. iii. 8. And surely then it must be required to the baptism of christianity, or an union with the disciples of Christ. They are generally described to be such as worship God, through Jesus Christ our Lord; and profess that faith which worketh by love; which is the substance of christianity in a very few words. And though there are, and will be, some lesser differences in sentiment among christians in all ages, and though they are as great as were between the Jewish and the Gentile converts in primitive times; yet the New Testament teaches, that they may all unite in the same christian society, and receive one another in the Lord; that is, to all the privileges of fellow-christians, and the fellowship of gospel-ordinances, even upon as large a foot as Christ has received them; Rom. xiv. 3. and xv. 7. Whether they are strong or weak in the faith, they are to be thus received, without entangling their minds with more doubtful and disputable things; Rom. xiv. 1. that is, whether they eat herbs or flesh, or believe some days were holy, or every day alike; verses 3-5.

III. Again, The light of reason teacheth, that there must be a mutual consent, compact, or agreement, amongst such persons as profess the same religion, to walk according to the directions and dictates of it, and to assist and encourage, to join and support one another, in the profession and practice of it, as well as to meet and worship together at a certain season, and a certain place. This engagement for mutual assistance is very

*Here it is not proper to divert so far from my subject, as to enter into a debate how many of the christian doctrines are of absolute necessity to make a disciple of Christ, or a true christian: This is an endless controversy, according to the different opinions of men.

Let it be observed, that in this, and other parts of my discourse, I speak only of adult persons, who are capable of prof ssing their faith; being not willing to embarrass this discourse with the controversy relating to infants, their discipleship, or their baptism.

necessary, for the support of any religion in the world; and without such an agreement as to time and place, a company of men cannot meet for any purpose whatsoever, either in things civil or religious*.

If there be any precise time, and any particular place appointed for this purpose by divine revelation, reason immediately determines that we must meet at that time and that place: But where there is not any such divine direction, there the place and time must be concerted and agreed by those who are united in such a society; nor has any one person power to impose his will or humour upon the rest. The acts of religion must be all free and voluntary.

Now what saith the New Testament in this case? The union, for mutual agreement among particular christians for this purpose, which is the bond of their society, is expressed by St. Paul, or, at least, it is included in that phrase of receiving one another, as Christ has received us; Rom. xv. 7. that with one mouth we may glorify God. It is a mutual receiving one another in the Lord; Rom. xvi. 2. The word is used to the same purpose; Rom. xiv. 1. and in other scriptures. If this agreement be not expressed so plainly in scripture as some persons might expect, it is because the very nature of things, and the reason of man, makes this mutual consent and agreement so necessary to keep up any public religion, that it was not needful for the scriptures to be more express or particular in the appointment of it. As for the place of worship there is none made sacred, or divinely appointed, under the New Testament; John iv. 21-24. Neither in this mountain, Gerizim, nor at Jerusalem, shall they worship the Father; but the hour cometh, and now is at hand, when, without regard to any particular place, they shall be accounted true worshippers, who worship God in spirit and truth. And therefore, some convenient place must be agreed upon by the society, since the New Testament determines none.

As to the time, it is confessed that we christians have not so express and particular prescriptions of the seasons of worship as the Jews enjoyed, neither as to their weekly sabbath, or any other of their festivals: but there is sufficient evidence from sacred history, that the first day of the week was the usual season of public christian worship in the apostles' times and in the following ages; and the day was known among christians by the honourable title of the Lord's day, so far, that the observation

* Where the magistrate takes upon him, whether with or without order from heaven, to appoint all the forms, times, and places of worship, and the people willingly consent to it, and obey the magistrate herein, this is an implicit agreement among themselves, and attains the same end, in some measure, though it may happen to infringe christian liberty.

of it was the characteristic, or distinguishing mark of a christian. Now since it was so early and so universally practised by the professors of christianity, we have just reason to think it was appointed by the inspired apostles, that christians should come together to worship God on that day, and give honour to their risen Saviour. Acts ii. 1-4, 41. xx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. Rev. i. 10. And that they should agree to come to worship at the same place, is evident from 1 Cor. xi. 20, 33. and xiv. 23. The whole church were to be gathered together at one place, otherwise they were to tarry for one another till the chief part of them

were come.

IV. Since mankind is mortal, and every human assembly will die away by degrees, unless it be supplied with new members, common reason directs every religious society to receive in new members, upon their appearance to be properly qualified, according to the rules of that religion, and the judgment of that society; that there may be a continuance of this religion in the world.

And in the same manner the light of nature, or reason, and common prudence, teach us also, that if the persons who have thus professed any particular religion, do either renounce it in principle or profession, or maintain, in a public and notorious manner, such a set of notions, or such a course of conversation, or of worship, as is inconsistent with it, this religious society will think it proper to cast such persons out of their fellowship, that they may not infect the rest, nor dishonour their religion: For what fellowship has light with darkness, a man of vice with the sons of virtue, a Turk with a Jew, or a Pagan with a christian?

And does not the New Testament represent to us the christian churches receiving new members on their profession of christianity? Acts ii. 41, 47. They who gladly received the word were baptized; and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls: And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. And does not the apostle teach the churches to take care that they be kept pure, and free from scandal, by separating themselves from evil members, and by casting out those that depart from the truth, or are guilty of gross immoralities? 2 Thess. iii. 6. Withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly; 1 Cor. v. 5, 11, 13. When ye are gathered together, deliver such a one to Satan*. Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump: that is, put away

* Whether the delivering an offender to Satan, in the primitive times, did include in it the infliction of any sore bodily disease, though it be probable, yet it is not certain, nor universally agreed; but I think it is agreed pretty universally, that such a one was cast out of the church, and delivered back again into the world, which is the kingdom of Satan; who is called in the scripture" the prince and the god of the world;" John i, 4. 2 Cor. iv. 4.

from among yourselves that wicked person. If a man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, keep no company with such a one: no, not to eat. And those who deny the resurrection, and overthrow the faith of some, are delivered to Satan, and cast out of the church into the world, which is his kingdom, that they may learn not to blaspheme; 1 Tim. i. 19, 20. and 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18. Reason and christianity also join to inform us, that, upon the credible evidence of a sincere repentance, and a change of heart and life, such offender should be forgiven, and received into the religious society again: So the offending Corinthian was forgiven, and received and restored again to the love and communion of the christian church there. See 2 Cor. ii. 7-9.

It

V. It is evident to common reason, when such a voluntary religious society is instituted, the right of receiving or casting out members, or restoring them upon repentance, lies originally in the society itself, because the society itself is formed, and subsists, by the mutual compact of its own members; and whatsoever qualifications are required of persons, in order to become members of this body, it is the society itself that has an original right to judge whether the persons have these qualifications or no. was upon the mutual acknowledgment of such qualifications, expressed or implied, that this society was first founded; and as a voluntary society, it must be maintained on the same foot, otherwise new members will be likely to be admitted, and imposed upon them, to the great dislike and injury of the society. Indeed they may depute several particular persons of their number, whom they suppose better skilled therein, as elder and wiser, to act for the whole society and particularly to examine into the qualifications of persons, and the merits of the cause, when members are to be received, or to be cast out; but they should never renounce their own original right. They may also appoint any particular person to go before the rest in this matter, to give them his advice herein, to acquaint them what persons are fit to be received, and to pronounce the sentence of receiving them into the society, or excluding them from it, according to the evidence of their qualifications: And this, I presume, will be usually allowed to be the office of the fixed pastor, or president of the assembly, where there is such a president.

And does not the New Testament generally give directions agreeably to this dictate of the light of nature? Does not St. Paul direct to the churches themselves his apostolic advices about receiving, casting out or restoring members? See his advice to the church at Rome; Rom. i. 7. and xiv. i. Ye saints at Rome, receive him that is weak in faith; Rom. xv. 7. Receive ye one another; Rom. xvi. 2. Receive ye Phebe in the Lord as be