If the rulers and paftors of this church are indeed appointed by the Holy Ghoft, (as St. Paul faith expressly they are) then, if I fhall refift their authority; if I fhall defpife their godly admonitions; if I fhall kick at their reproofs; if I fhall make a mock of their perfons, and of their doctrine; then do I plainly refift the Holy Ghoft, (by whofe authority they act) and refift alfo the counsel and defigns of God for my falvation.

If I believe that the priest, the minister of God, is appointed by the Holy Ghost to teach, to intercede, and to blefs the people in his name; why then I fhall reverently attend to his word, highly value his bleffing and his prayers, as fome of those ways by which God has ordained to give me his blessing and his grace.

If I profefs to be a member of this holy church, then am I bound to make a profeffion of being fuch, to join in all holy offices, with those who in every place call on the name of Jefus Chrift-both their and our Lord, provided they have nothing in their worship contrary to faith and piety. And I am not to judge of this too rafhly, left, by feparating myself without caufe from a found part of the catholick church, I feparate myfelf from Jefus Christ, who is the head of that church, out of which there is no appointed means of falvation; as none were faved from perifhing but those who were in the ark with Noah.

And may God grant that we may all truly understand, and value, the glorious privilege of being members of this church, and that we may become holy in its communion, as be who has called us is holy.

In the next place, there is to be in this church a coMMUNION OF SAINTS, that is, of Christians; (for in the church of Chrift, Saints and Chriftians fignify the fame thing; all Christians being called to boliness.)—A communion (that is, there ought to be a communication, a good understanding, a fellow-feeling) amongst Christians, as there is amongst the members of the fame body, in which every member contributes towards the ease, welfare, and fafety of the whole.

In this communion, Chriftians are obliged to love and to bear with one another; to have compaffion one for another; to pray for, and to help one another; not confidering ourselves as in a private capacity; but as people united to Chrift and his church, and entrusted every one with talents, whether of wisdom, or authority, or power, or riches, for the use of the whole body.

A Chriftian, who confiders himself in this capacity, will reason thus with himself:-I have nothing but what I have from the bounty of God; I cannot pretend to be more a favourite of heaven, than he that wants what I have; why then have I more than is fufficient my own neceffities? The anfwer is plain,

for

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that

that I may give to him that needeth; and if I do not, I am unjust. So that in truth, all the advantage that a rich Christian has above a poor Christian is this; that he has enough to live comfortably himself, and has it in his power to make fuch as want live comfortably too.

God has given another man authority-not for his own fake furely! No; but that by doing justice, preferving peace, discountenancing vice and impiety, and promoting virtue, he may make the whole community easy and happy, and be a means of preferving it in the favour of God.

If I have more learning and knowledge than many others, let me not grow proud however; for I fhall certainly anfwer for it, as for a talent committed to my truft, and dearly pay for it, if I do not endeavour to inftruct the ignorant, and guide those that are out of the way.

They that have time to fpare, and are freed by the circumstances of their condition from bodily labour, are apt to think themselves very happy; and fo they would be, if they would fpend that time either in works of mercy or charity, for the good of others.

For, in truth, every Chriftian owes fomething to the communion of which he is a member:-The rich owe to the poor a part of their fubftance; the poor owe to them their prayers; the ignorant ftand obliged to thofe that inftruct them; and thefe again ftand obliged to fomebody for their leifure to get wisdom.

And

And the apostle's conclufion will ever be found true, though little minded, That if one member fuffer, all the members (though not always perceived) will fuffer with it. And he who is not concerned for the good or evil which happens to others, is no better than a dead member of the body of Chrift, and knows nothing of that communion which ought to be amongst Christians.

THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS is the next article of our Chriftian faith; and it is an article of the greatest comfort; for all having finned, and all being fubject to fin, and on that account liable to the displeasure of God, what a mercy is it that we have a remedy at hand, by which we may be fure of pardon upon most reasonable terms! And this we have Jesus Christ's own word for; commanding, that repentance and remiffion of fins should be preached unto all nations in his name; that is, Repentance on man's part, and forgiveness of fins on the part of God. In his name; that is, this favour is granted for his fake, and for the fake of what he has done and suffered for us; always remembering, that he died for us, not to fave us without repentance on our part, but to prevail with God to accept of our repentance,

A Chriftian therefore, when he reflects upon this article of his creed, fhould argue thus with himself:-This great goodness of God ought, in all reason, to lead me to repentance.

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If repentance muft go before pardon, why do I delay it one moment? If repentance is the gift of God, why do I not ask it? What if I fhould provoke God by this contempt of his mercy, to leave me to myfelf? I will therefore beg of God to give me that repentance to which he has promised mercy and pardon; I will not be afraid to fee the charge that is against me, because I have the word of my Saviour for it, that all fins fhall be forgiven unto the fons of men, except that one against the Holy Ghoft; which no man has committed who fues to God for pardon, which he could not do, but by the affistance of that Holy Spirit.

And if my fins are fuch as give me great disturbance of mind, I will not only confefs them to God, but I will apply to fome one of those pastors whom God has appointed to be the minifters of reconciliation betwixt God and man: to him I will open my cafe and my grief; I will take his ghoftly counsel and directions; and, when he judges my repentance to be fincere, according to the rules of the gofpel, I will beg of him to give me absolution; for fure, fure those words of Jefus Chrift were not so often repeated to no purpose, Whofefoever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. I will therefore faithfully believe, that it will. be unto me according to this word.

And because I must not expect forgiveness of God, without a forgiving temper in my

felf,