tion from spiritual exercises faithfully and constantly performed, which will not only support them in hope through this world, but also prepare them in spirit for that which is to come; where the sincere, though imperfect services of the humble Christian in the Church militant on earth, shall be succeeded by the compleat, the exalted, the transporting services of purified Saints in the Church triumphant in heaven. To which blessed Society may God of his mercy bring us all for the sake of his Son Jesus Christ, to whom, &e.

DISCOURSE IX.

ACTS 11. 42.

And they continued steadfastly in the Apos tles' Doctrine, and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers.

THE design of two former Discourses on these words was to explain, in the first place, what was to be understood by the word CHURCH, in its scriptural sense; to the end that you might be qualified to distinguish between that branch of the Apostolic Church, originally founded by Christ, now established in this country; and those numberless places of worship in a state of separation from it: in the second place, to point out to you the nature of SCHISM, or division among Chris

tians, which consists of an unwarrantable separation from the communion, and a presumptuous setting up of teachers independant of the government, and destructive of the unity of that true Christian Church.

The design of the present Discourse, by pointing out one principal object which our Saviour had in view, in instituting his Church upon earth, is to enable every member of it to judge for himself, in what degree that object has actually been ac complished in his own case.

The Church, in the light in which I am now about to place it, will be considered as a mean conducive to a certain end, and consequently to be appreciated in propor tion as that end has been accomplished by it. But then, it is to be observed, the Church is a mean of divine institution; as such doubtless in itself most conducive to the attainment of the end which its divine Founder had in view; a mean therefore to be properly made use by all, who would act in conformity with the divine will on this subject. For as salvation is an act of free grace on the part of

God;

God; and as it is God that takes man into covenant with him, (for man, it must be observed, does not take God;) the Church with which the covenant in Christ was made, neither is nor can be from man. Whilst he who wishes to partake in the promises annexed to that covenant, must receive them on the conditions, on which they are graciously offered. And it ought to be a subject for endless gratitude, that God in love to his fallen crea ture, has appointed a way in which on any conditions man may be accepted with him.

Whatever scope then there may be in other subjects for human speculation and diversity of opinion, in that which respects the redemption of man there can be none. What divine wisdom has been pleased to reveal on this subject, must by man be received. For man, in the eyes of God, is no more at liberty to make his own Church and his own religion, than he is capable of saving himself.

But whilst on this account, it becomes the duty of man to conform himself to the

divine plan, by using the mean instituted by God for the gracious purpose of enabling him the more effectually to work out his salvation; it must, at the same time, be his care, that he does not so use that mean, as to render it eventually ineffectual to that great object.

With the view then of rendering the present Discourse, under the divine blessing, productive of spiritual good; your attention must be directed to things, and not confined to names. To profit by the institution of a Church upon earth, it is not sufficient that we are made members of it; unless the design which God had in view in calling us into it, so far as it may depend upon ourselves, shall have been compleated. It is not sufficient that we say within ourselves, as the Jews in their degenerate days are supposed to have done; the Temple of the Lord, the "Temple of the Lord are we;" in other words, the Church of Christ, the Church of Christ are we; for if the characteristic holiness of that Church is not made manifest in our lives, we are trusting in what, under