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we know that every effort of human guile and human malice is but an additional link in that chain of events, by which the enemies of God are unconsciously forwarding his purposes; an additional step in that determined progreffion, by which, amidft the fhock of nations and the convulfion of empires, "the kingdoms of this "world fhall become the kingdoms of

our Lord and of his Christ; and He shall "reign for ever and ever (1)."

Throughout the courfe of this century, and even to the present moment of its awful close, the church of these kingdoms has been blessed with fecurity and peace. Of the other claffes and fects of Christians in this country, fome, as the methodists, generally profess to remain united to the national establishment: fome, as the Anabaptifts, diffent from it only in few points of doctrine or difcipline: fome, as those who without reafon afcribe exclufively to themfelves the title of Unitarians, recede in moft

(1) Rev. xi. 15.

fundamental

fundamental points to the utmost extreme of feparation. Concerning the diftinguishing tenets of thefe and other fects it becomes me to be filent. The number and the subdivisions of the fects in question, and the duty of defcribing, if at all, with fulness and precision, opinions differing from my own, would neceffarily lead to an extent of detail inconfiftent with the brevity of my general plan. Those opinions may easily be learned from the difcourfes or the writings of the individuals who hold them. Yet I would not willingly dismiss the fubject without preffing the importance of warm and habitual regard to two momentous and moft confiftent branches of Christian duty: the obligation, on the one hand, of "earneftly contending for the

faith, which was once delivered to the "faints (m);" and on the other, of “ put"ting on charity, which is the bond of perfectness ()," and of habitually evinc

(m) Jude, 3.

(n) Col. iii. 14.

ing

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ing the fpirit of the apoftolic prayer;

grace be with all thofe," all of every defcription," who love our Lord Jefus "Chrift in fincerity (0).”.

(0) Eph, vi. 24.

CHAP. XII.

ON FORMS OF CHURCH-GOVERNMENT AND ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

Ir is an apoftolical direction, that a

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Chriftian fhould always be prepared to give "a reafon of the hope that is in "him." The ground of the injunction extends to all inftitutions closely connected with his faith. My prefent purpose therefore, is to affift the judgement of the younger part my readers, by endeavouring briefly to fatisfy them, that reafons, fubftantial reafons, may be advanced in fupport of the ecclefiaftical inftitutions of their own coun

try.

of

In every community or body of men, civil or ecclefiaftical, fome fpecies of government is requifite for the good of the

whole,

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whole. Otherwife, all is irregularity, confufion, and interminable contention. How then, in any particular country, is the Chriftian church to be governed? "Every

separate congregation," anfwers the independent," is a fovereign church; amen❝able to no extrinfic jurifdiction, and en"titled to no jurifdiction over other "churches."—" That mode of govern"ment," replies the prefbyterian, “is cal"culated to deftroy unity, coöperation, " and concord among Chriftians. All con"gregations within the fame ftate, which

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agree in doctrine, ought to be under the "general fuperintendence of a representa"tive affembly, compofed of their mini❝fters and delegates."-"Such a reprefen"tative affembly," returns the epifcopalian, "wants vigour and dispatch; and is

perpetually open to tumult, partiality, "and faction. Divide the country into "diocefes; and ftation a bishop in each, "armed with fufficient authority, and re"ftrained by adequate laws from abufing "it. Such was the apoftolical govern

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