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 PURITY 
 
 O F 
 
 CHRISTIAN COMMUNION 
 
 RECOMMENDED 
 
 AS AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST 
 
 THE PERILS OF THE LATTER DAYS. 
 
Mi 
 
PURIT^**^ 
 
 r . 
 
 CHRISTIAN COMMUNION 
 
 RECOMMENDED 
 
 > 
 
 AS AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST 
 
 %\)t perils of tije Hatter HDapS, 
 
 IN THREE DISCOURSES, 
 
 Delivered to a Church of Chriji in Richmond Court, 
 EDINBURGH. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED 
 
 AN APPENDIX, 
 
 CONTAINING SOME THOUGHTS . 
 
 ON THE WEEKLY CELEBRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER, 
 
 AND ON THE NATURE AND TENDENCY OF 
 
 8)uman @>tanpar&# of jReligtom 
 
 Therefore brethren, /land fa/l, and hold the traditions which ye have 
 been taught, whether by ivord, or our Epijlle. 2 Thess. ii. 15. 
 
 EDI NBURGH ; 
 
 Printed for J. Guthrie, ISicolfon's Street, and fold by him, J. Robert- 
 son, and J. Ogle, Edinburgh ; J. and A Duncan, and D. Nives, 
 Glafgow; T. Chapman, and ]. Murgatroyd, London; and 
 by the Bookfellers in Perth, Dundee, Paifley, Sec. 
 
 1796, 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 X he following difcourfes have no connection with 
 any political caufe of alarm. The author, and the 
 people among whom he officiates as one of their El- 
 ders, form a juft eftimate of the value of civil and 
 religious liberty. They are fufficiently aware of 
 every thing that endangers the latter in particular, and 
 reckon themfelves entitled, on neceflary and urgent oc- 
 cafions, to plead thofe privileges which are fecured to 
 them by the laws of their country; as was frequent- 
 ly done with fuccefs by the Apoltle Paul*. But 
 their principles do not permit them, in any fuppof able 
 cafe, to refift the civil powers by violent means, to 
 join any ajfociation in oppofition to Government, or 
 to give countenance, in any reipecr., to that turbulent 
 fpirit which tends to produce anarchy and mifchief. 
 Their inclination correfponds with an object, which 
 the Scripture teaches them to have in view, in offer- 
 ing up to God " fupplications, prayers, interceilions, 
 and giving of thanks for kings, and for all that are 
 in authority;" namely, " that they may lead a quiet 
 and peaceable life, in all godiinefs and honefiy f ." When 
 
 • Afts xvi. 37, 38, 2>9- and xxi. 39, 4°. and xxii. 24, — 30, and amv. 9,— 13 
 f 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 the jufl: and beneficent conduct of rulers gives them 
 n,^ rtunity to live in peace, they enjoy it with 
 
 f nefs; and if at any time it mould be other- 
 
 \ .) would fubmit to the inconveniences that 
 
 might arife from this, without approving of the mca- 
 fures which had occasioned them. They yield lub- 
 jec. n to TH? powers that are, whatever characters 
 they may fuftain ; not from the motives of flavifh 
 fear, or worldly ambition, but in obedience to an ex- 
 press COMMANDMENT OF THE GOD OF HEAVEN, and 
 
 from a deep conviction that fubordination among men 
 is beneficial to all ranks in fociety, and eflential to 
 the exiltence of fociety itftjf*. 
 
 The Eiicourfes relate folely to a Kingdom which is 
 " not of this world." Its fubjefts are thofe who " are 
 of the truth, and hear Christ's voicef ;" its blejfings, 
 which they alone enjoy, are of a fpiritual and heaven- 
 ly nature^; its laws are written in the hearts of men by 
 the Spirit of the living God, and regulate the ftatc 
 of their minds, as well as their external conduct || ; its 
 rewards, and its punifhments have all a reference to 
 the life tq come§; a/;d its interejls cannot be pro- 
 moted or defended, on the part of thofe who efpoufe 
 them, by any violent means whatever. One of thofe 
 perpetual and irreverfibie decrees by which it is go- 
 verned, is this, " He that leadeth into captivity, J1j all 
 go into captivity: be that killeth iviih the /word, mujl 
 be killed with the /word. Here is the patience and 
 
 * Rom. xiii. i,- 8. f John xviii. $6, 37. f Eph. i. 3. 
 
 || Heb. vai. 10. 2 Cor. iii. 3. § John v. 28, 29. 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 the faith of the saints*." ' Does fuch a kingdom 
 exift in this finful world, unaided by the power of man, 
 enduring always his contempt?, and fometimes the 
 molt violent effects of his malignant rage? who then 
 would fcmple to affirm that it is in reality the king- 
 dom of God ? 
 
 The fubjeels treated of in this work, have lately 
 occupied the attention of Chriflians of various deno- 
 minations, in a more than ufual degree ; which in- 
 duces the author to hope that it may be acceptable 
 and ufeful to fome, who are beginning to free them- 
 felves from the fhackles of human authority in mat- 
 ters of religion, and to fearch the Scriptures with un- 
 biafTed minds. And though it lh.ou.ld meet with a 
 very oppolite reception from others, who are wedded 
 to human fy items of divinity, or interrefied in their 
 fupport, he will not be greatly difappointed. Such 
 perfons, and all who may be difpoled, on whatever 
 ground, to cenfure the doctrine contained in the Dif- 
 courfes, are requelted to obferve, that it can only be 
 refuted by the word of God ; becaufe it totally 
 difavows every other Jlandard. Any candid perfon, 
 therefore, who may attempt to difprove it, will reckon 
 himfelf bound to fhew that it contradicts the doctrine 
 of the New Teftament ; unlets he fairly deny the 
 Divine authority of that book. The author coniiders 
 the caufe in which he is engaged as the cause of 
 the Most High,* whatever imperfection there may 
 be in this attempt to defend it ; and to him he com- 
 
 * P,sv. xiii. 10 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 mits this caufe, in the affured confidence that it will 
 at lafh prevail over all oppofition. For " the king- 
 doms of this world," the far greater part of whom are 
 at prefent Antichriftian worihippers, or Pagan Idola- 
 ters, will " become the kingdom of our Lord, and 
 of his Christ, and he fhali reign for ever and 
 ever*." 
 
 * Rev. xi. 15. 
 Edinburgh, fyhjuly 1796. 
 
PURIT Y 
 
 CHRISTIAN COMMUNION. 
 
 FIRST DISCOURSE, 
 2 Tim. ili. i, 2, 3, 4, 3. 
 
 TJ.ns know alfo, that in the lafil days perilous times foall come. 
 For menfijall he lovers of their own fives, covetous, boafl- 
 ers, proud, hlafphemers, dif obedient to parents, unthankful, 
 unholy, without natural affetlion, ttuce-breakers, falfe ac- 
 cufers, incontinent, fierce, defpifers of thofe that are good, 
 traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleafures more than 
 lovers of God ; having a form of godlinefs, hut denying the 
 power thereof: from fuch turn away. 
 
 X he Apoftle defcfibes in this paflage a dreadful corrup- 
 tion of Chriftianity, which is foretold in many other parts 
 of the Word of Godj particularly the Book of Daniel, and 
 the Revelation of John. It began in fome degree, in the 
 firft age of Chriftianity, for this Apoftle fays, " The myf- 
 tery of iniquity doth already work*;" and the Apoftle 
 John fpeaks in the fame way, " As ye have heard," fays 
 he, " that Antichrift fhall come, even now are there many 
 Antichriftsf." This accounts for the cautions frequently 
 given to Chriftians who then lived, examples of which we 
 have in this and the following chapter. Thefe words, 
 iC From fuch turn away," were addreffcd in the firft in- 
 • 2 Thef. ii. 7. f 1 John v. li. 
 
 A 
 
8 FIRST DISCOURSE. 
 
 ftance to Timothy, and to all li is co-temporaries, who loved 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity and truth ; for a warning 
 is immediately given, refpe&ing corrupt and deceitful men, 
 who, at that time, committed iniquity under the malk of 
 godlinel's*. Timothy is referred to the practice of the A- 
 paftle, as an example for him to imitate f ; and to the holy 
 Scriptures, which he had known from his childhood, and 
 which were able to make him wife unto faivationj, that 
 he might be preferved from the influence of fuch men. And 
 he is charged in the mo ft folemn manner, " Before God, 
 and the Lord Jefus Chrift, who ihall judge the quick and 
 the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom ; to preach 
 the word, to be inftant in feafon, out of feafon, \3c. ||" in 
 order to preferve the difciples of Chr ; ft from this grow- 
 ing evil : for he affirms that " Evil men and feducers, 
 would wax wotfe and worfe, deceiving, and being de- 
 
 7 O 7 O 
 
 ceived** ;" that " The time would come, when profef- 
 fors of the faith would heap to themfelves teachers, ha- 
 ving itching ears; and that they would turn away their 
 ears from the truth, and be turned unto fablestt." Paul, 
 however, in this, and other parts of his writings, chiefly 
 refers to a future period of time, when apoftacy from the 
 faith, and its genuine influence, was to become far more 
 general than it had been in his day, and a falfe profeffion 
 of Chriftianity was extenfively, and fatally to prevail, un- 
 der the influence of human authority, and the power of 
 the Man of Sin. 
 
 The perilous times, foretold by the Apoftle, Were to come 
 in the lajl days ; which is an epithet frequently applied, 
 both in the Old and New Teftarnent, to die whole of rhe 
 Gofpel difpenfation ; and fometimes to the latter part of 
 that period, wherein " God hath fpoken to us b "4! •" 
 
 Thus, in another prophetic account of the lame melancho- 
 ly fubieel, that now occupies onr attei lion, it is faid, " The 
 Sj fpeakcth exprefsly, that in the latter times fome 
 
 * 2j"im. iii 6. f Ver. o, n. r Ver. i^, 15, 16, 17. 
 
 }| Chap. iv. 1, 2.- *• Chap. iii. 13. -ft Chap. iv. 3, 4. 4-f ^ e ^- '• 2 - 
 
FIRST DISCOURSE* 9 
 
 j&all depart from the faith, giving heed to feducing fp?~ 
 rits, and doctrines of devils, life-."* Several of the things 
 predicted in this pafTage, were not accomplifhed till a con- 
 siderable time after the apoitolic age. Peter, alfo fpeaks 
 of " Scoffers, who would come in the lajl days, walking af- 
 ter their own lufts, and faying, where is the promife of 
 his comingf?" which appears evidently to refer to the 
 time of Antichrift's reign, and particularly the concluding 
 part of it, when the daring impiety of ungodly fcoffers 
 feems to increafe, in proportion as their inevitable deftruc- 
 tion draws nigh. Jude foretels the coming of tliefe mock- 
 ers in the l.j'l time, and fpeaks of it as a thing well known 
 to Chriftians, who received this warning on many occa- 
 fions from the Apoflles cf our Lord Jefus Ch:ift"f. If then 
 we are perfuaded, that Antichrilt has long ago come, that 
 the Man of Sin, agreeable to the prediction of Paul, has 
 been revealed, and that, however much he is already " con- 
 famed by the Spirit of the Lord's mouth," he is not yet 
 finally " deftroyed by the brightnefs of his coming ;" we 
 muft be fully convinced, that the days in which we live, 
 are the perilous times of which the Spirit of God hath ex- 
 prefaly fpoken. Will not this momentuous confide; ation 
 induce us to attend to the means of fafety, which are alfo 
 clearly pointed out to us in the word of God ? 
 
 With a view to eftabliih thofe of you, who have already 
 feparated from unfcriptural churches, and to convince o-» 
 thers, who may be infenhble to the dangers which fur- 
 round" them, or who, amidft many convictions, ueglecl this 
 folemn call, *' From fuch turn away." 1 mall, 
 
 I. Enquire what fort of characters thofe men poffefs, 
 from whom Ave are commanded to turn away ; and what 
 danger is to be apprehended from them. 
 
 II. Uluftrate, and enforce the commandment, to turn a- 
 way from men who have a form of godlincis, but deny the 
 power thereof. 
 
 * 1 Tim. iv. i, 2, 3. f 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4, ic. t Jude ver. 17, 18. 
 
 A 2 
 
10 FIRST DISCOURSfc. 
 
 III. Make fome remarks on its extent and its conft- 
 quences. And, 
 
 LASTLY, conclude with a few practical obfervations. 
 
 I. With refpeel: to the characters of thofe men, from 
 whom we are commanded to turn away, it does not feem 
 neceflary to explain the various epithets here given to them 
 bj the Apoftle. The meaning of tbefe is fufficiently un~ 
 derftood, efpecially when we apply them to other people, 
 and not to ourfelves ; for all of us have fome degree of that 
 criminal felfimnefs, which is too apt, on many occafions, to 
 make us palliate in ourfelves, that which we fee at once 
 to be a crime in others. The object in view, and which 
 is moft effential in the prefent enquiry, is to determine to 
 what general clafs, or defcription of men, thofe characters 
 be-long, which are menuc/ied in this paffuge. It will be 
 eauly perceived, that Paul is not here treating merely of 
 the wickednefa of all ach in their natural ftate, as he does 
 in the third chapter of his Epiftle to the Romans; for men 
 were always lovers of their own felves, covetous, boafters, 
 proud. &V. Thefe characters univerfally abounded at the 
 time in which the Apoftle lived, excepting only among 
 thofe who were " warned, far/clified, and juftified in the 
 name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God*.'' 
 "Wherein then confifts the Angularity of what is affirmed in 
 this pafiage, concerning the prevalance of wieked charac- 
 ters, without which, no remarkable or imminent danger 
 could arife to the followers of Chrift, nor could the Apoftle's 
 words be at all confidered as prophetical ? 
 
 An explanation of this is given in ver. 5, where the A- 
 poftle fums up the characters he had defcribed in the fore- 
 going verfes, in thefe words, " having a form of godlinefs, 
 but denying the power thereof." Thofe wicked men, 
 therefore, againft whofe influence he cautions the true fear- 
 ers of God, were to be profeffors of Chriftianity ; nominal 
 profeflors indeed, and that of the moll unworthy kind ; yet 
 not merely fuch as would call themfelves Chriltians. They 
 * 1 Cor. i. iz. 
 
fIRST DISCOURSE. JI 
 
 "were to aiTame, in fome refpects, the appearance of the 
 followers of the Lamb, otherwife they could not be faid to 
 have " a form of godlinefs," nor would the Apoftle have 
 represented the times in which they were to appear, as 
 " perilous times" to the genuine profeiTors of Chriitianity ; 
 who, on this fuppofition, would have been in no clanger of 
 being deceived by them. Re does net, however, afcribc to 
 them, the approved form of godlinefs, which is enjoined 
 and exemplified in the New Teltament ; but a form, which 
 when examined, will be found to be in many refpefts, of 
 their own invention. 
 
 It will further appear, that the Apoftle, in this mocking 
 enumeration of crimes, does not defcribe the wickednefs of 
 mere heathens, or thofe entirely ignorant of the Gofpel 
 doctrine; when you confider that the fame perfons are faid, 
 ver. 8, to refill the truth, not ia an open and avowed man- 
 ner, as profefled infidels always did, but as Jannes and Jam- 
 bres (by whom are meant the magicians in Egypt, thefe 
 two names being known to the Apoftle, either by tradition, 
 or by immediate revelation.) withftood Mofes, by perform- 
 ing, or feeming to perform fome of his miracles *. They 
 did not difpute the reality of thofe miraculous works which 
 he performed in their prefence. They wiftied only to ihew, 
 that their own power or dexterity was equal to his , and if 
 in this they had fucceeded, they would have been equally 
 entitled, to be considered as meilengers from the Deity, who. 
 were empowered to declare his will. In like manner, there 
 were in the firft age of Chriftiauity, c; falfe apoftles, de- 
 ceitful workers, the minifters of Satan, who transformed 
 themfelves into the minifters of righteoufnefs," as Satan 
 bimfelf, the better to accompliih his malicious purpofes " is 
 transformed into an angel of light + " Men of this ftamp 
 • Gen. vii. and viii. 
 f 2 Cor. xi 13, 1 \, 15. There have certainly been initances of men 
 who cams fully tip to this defcripiion. I do not mean, however, to iniinuate 
 in any part of thefe difcouries, that all who corrupt the Gofpel, or whofe 
 profeflion of faith is invalidated by their conduit, intend to deceive. Many 
 who are aiflive in difiTeminatiwtj the mod dangerous errors, are themfelves 
 deceived ; and the moft implacable enemies of the people of God, who hive 
 
iZ FIRST DISCOURSE. 
 
 gradually increafed in number, and in the art of deception 
 And in general thofe teachers, who, in the perilous times 
 of the Gofpel difpenfation, fuflain the characters mention- 
 ed in this palfage, muft have fomething favourable to re- 
 commend them to the attention of profefling Chriftians. 
 They put on a fair outride appearance, profefling to believe 
 the Gofpel, and to be fubject to the authority of Chrift, 
 affuming perhaps too, an air of uncommon fanctity and de- 
 votion, while they effectually refill the truth, by artfully 
 undermining and perverting it ; and bring the highefl dif- 
 credit on the doctrine which they profefs to hold, by acting 
 in direct oppofition to the genuine influence of the truth ; 
 for they deny the power of godlinefs by the general tenor 
 of their conduct, and are " men of corrupt minds repro- 
 bate concerning the faith *." Many of them alfo have 
 refembled the magicians of Pharaoh, by performing falfe 
 miracles ; and in this we fee the literal fulfilment of ano- 
 ther prophecy concerning the Man of Sin. His coming is 
 faid to be " after the working of Satan, with all pow.er 9 
 and figns, and lying wonders, and with ill cleceiveable- 
 nefs ef unrighteoufnefs in them that perifhf-" 
 
 Paul makes ufe of the following confederations alfo, as 
 arguments with Timothy for incefiant diligence in preach- 
 the Word, and in reproving, rebuking, and exhorting, 
 with all long fuffering and doctrine; " for," fays he, " the 
 time, vvill come wh.cn they will not endure found doc- 
 trine, but will heap to themfelves teachers, having itch- 
 ing ears J, He." Thefe teachers, as well as the people 
 
 cuted them even unto death, have thought that this was " doing God 
 iervice *." ! lit pernicious db&iini: has the lam? effect on thofe who re- 
 ceive it, whether their teachers are honeil men or deceivers; and there is 
 in general a want of fairnefs and candour in the methods that are taken 
 to eftabHfl) falfe dofti ine, a handling of the word of God deceitfully, ar.d 
 a leaflets perverfion of it, even when thole who do fo are honeflly perfuad- 
 eJ of the truth of their own fyftem. This may account for fo many things 
 being faid in the fcripture about the " cunning craftinefs" of falfe teachers, 
 v. ho are reprefented as " lying in wait to deceive t»* 
 
 * Jo. xvi. 2. t Eph- iv 14. 
 
 • . Tim. ii:. 8. f z TheC ii. 0, 10. - Tim, iv. 1. 2, 3, - 
 
FIRST DISCOURSE. I a 
 
 who chufed their delufions, mult have hecu Chriftians by 
 prcfeffion ; for all this wickednefs was to take its rife in 
 thofe very churches, in which Timothy and other faithful 
 fervants of Chrift tlien laboured, agreeable to what Paul 
 laid to the elders of the church at Ephefns, " Of your own 
 felves fhall men arife, fpeaking perverfe things, to draw 
 away difciples after them *." The Scripture abounds 
 with prophelies concerning thefe falfe teachers, who are re- 
 presented as bringing in damnable hercfies, even denying 
 the Lord that bought them f ; covetous men who would 
 make merchandize of their flocks J: ; grofsly impure and 
 ■immoral in their conduct || ; prefumptuous, felf-wiiled, 
 full of pride and lordly dominion, and impatient of every 
 refrraint both human and divine; for it is alfo affirmed of 
 them, that they defpife government, and are not afraid to 
 fpeak evil of dignities **. Some of them were to incul- 
 cate, and exemplify an irrational kind of aufterity and mor- 
 tification to the world, not commanded i:i the word of God, 
 with a view to obtain a high reputation for fanetity ; while 
 they were at the fame time to trample with difdain on ma- 
 ny of the commandments of Jefus Chrift ft . Another ftrik- 
 ing part of their character is deceit. " They privily fnall 
 bring in damnable herefics Xt- With feigned words fhall 
 they make merchandize of you. Beguiling unliable foulsl] jj. 
 They allure through much wantonnefs, thofe that were 
 clean efcaped from them who live in error #*. With good 
 words, and fair fpeeches, thev deceive the hearts of the 
 limplcj-f. They creep into houfes, and lead captive filly 
 women laden with fins, %3c.%\" And our Lord fays, " Be- 
 ware of falfc prophets, for they come to you in fheeps 
 cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye 
 fhall know them by their fruits |[t." How aftonifhing is 
 it, that fuch a fink of wickednefs ihould ever have been con- 
 sidered by rational men, and efpecially by profefTmg Chrii- 
 
 * A<fU xx. 30. f 3 Pet. ii. 1. j: Ver. 3. i£. || Ver. ic, 12, 13, 
 
 ?4, 18. to the end. Ep. of Jude. ** 2 Pet. ii. 10. Jade ver. 8. 
 
 if i Tim. iv. i, 2, 3. it i Pet. ii. 1. mi Ver. 14. # * Ver. 18. 
 
 If Rom. xvi. 18. i-j- 2 Tim. iii. 6. |jt Mat.vii. r : ". 16. 
 
-. r FIRST DISCOURSE. 
 
 iians, as having any connection with the holy Gofpcl of 
 the bleiTed God, merely becaufe men thus loaded with 
 erimes have impioufly dared to call therilfelves Chriftians ! 
 A flight attention to the conduct of thofe nations where 
 Chriftianity is profeffcd, will convince every impartial en- 
 quirer, that many of their teachers and people ate de- 
 scribed with juftice and precifion, ih the prophetic Scrip- 
 tures which have been mentioned, and in other parts of the 
 Word of God. The defcription, at leaft in fome of its lead- 
 ing features, does not apply to a few individuals in any 
 one nation, or at one particular period only, but to the far 
 greater part of every nation of profeffing Chriftians, during 
 many fucceffive ages. I own indeed, that the pre-eminence 
 in all manner of iniquity is due to the Romiih Church- 
 that fhe is " Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and a- 
 bominations of the earth*" and that the bifhop of Rome is 
 eminently, though not exclufively, " 'The Man of Sin, the 
 Son cf Perdition, who oppofeth and exalteth himfelf above 
 all that is called God, or that is worshipped i," But a- 
 las ! it cannot be denied that in our own country, both in 
 the national church, and among various clafies of dilTen- 
 ten, multitudes of thofe who aiTume the Chriftian name, 
 and have a form of godlinefs, are " lovers of their own 
 felves, covetous, boafters, proud, unholy, lovers of plea- 
 fures more than lovers of God ;" and thus deny the pow- 
 er of godlinefs. Some indeed have thrown off the malk, 
 and avowed themfelves infidels ; but the generality are flill 
 in fome fort profeflbrs of Chtift's religion, and a very great 
 number of perfons who partake of the mod folemn ordinan- 
 ces, fuftain one or other of thofe characters, on account of 
 which the laft days are denominated perilous times. Thefe 
 obfervations are not dictated by the narrow and envious 
 fpirit of a party ; nor ought I to be fufpected of fuch a mo- 
 tive, while I affirm nothing of any fet of men that is not 
 palpably and incontrovertibly true. 
 
 * Rev. xvii. 5, f 2 Thef. ii. 4. 
 
FIRST DISCOURSE. X5 
 
 It will not be neceflfary to fay a great deal more concern- 
 ing the danger of thefe times. The ihort and imperfect 
 iketch that has being given of the characters which render 
 the times perilous, is fufficient to alarm every ferious 
 Chriftian, who regards the lafety of his own foul, and who 
 has any jult concern for the glory of God, and the falva- 
 tion of his fellow fmners. Without tracing the progrefs 
 .and confummation of that myftery of iniquity, which was 
 carried on, and brought to its perfection by wicked men, 
 under the ma.k of a form of godiinefs ; I fhall take the 
 matter as it now fhinds, and briefly .{late forne of the pei ilfl 
 that arife from the falfe profeffiou of Christianity, which 
 exifts at the prefent time. 
 
 The children of God who are intermixed with thefe falfe 
 profeffors, are expofed to imminent danger. Notwith- 
 standing all their care to avoid heterodox preachers, they 
 frequently hear doctrine, not altogether conformable to the 
 fcripture doctrine of the Lord's free and Sovereign mercy to 
 the chief of finuers, through the atonement of Chrift ; 
 which, if it does not fubvert them from the faith, cannot 
 edify their fouls, and muil have a tendency to keep them 
 in bondage. They fee men, with whom they walk in reli- 
 lious fellowfnip, living in fin, while they profefs to be the 
 followers of Cbrift ; and though they may not imitate their 
 example in all refpects, yet their connection widi fuch men, 
 will probably leileu their abhorrence of the crimes commit- 
 ted by them. M Evil communications corrupt good man- 
 ners*;" and another axiom, which Paul frequently ap- 
 plies to the churches, is moft unquestionably true in "its ge- 
 neral application, ** a little leaven, leaveneth the whole 
 lump f." However little intimacy there may be between 
 the religious and irreligious part of mixed focieties, there 
 is no manner of doubt, that their connection, fuch as it is, 
 has often a baneful influence upon the former. Many of 
 thofe, who make the ftricteft profeffion among them, are too 
 much conformed to this world, in things which are credi- 
 
 * 1 Cor. xv. 33. f J Cor. v. 6. Gal, v. 9. 
 
 B 
 
1° T2RST DISCOURSE. 
 
 table enough in fcciety, but which are either exprefsly 
 condemned by the law of Chrift, or in their nature oppo- 
 fite to the fpirit of the Chriftian profeflion. And in pro- 
 portion as thej follow the maxims and conduct of worldly 
 men, they muft lofe their relifh for the Gofpel, and be- 
 come lukewarm with refpecl: to the things of eternal life. 
 
 They live alfo in the total neglect of many command- 
 ments of the Lord Jefus. They overlook altogether the or- 
 dinance of baptifm, concerning which the word of God thus 
 addrefles all who repent, and believe the Gofpel, " Be 
 baptized every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift for 
 the remiffion of fins *." They pay no regard to the com- 
 mandment in the text, " from fuch turn away," nor to 
 manv others of fimilar import. They remember the Lord's 
 death in the ordinance of the fupper, only now and 
 then, inftead of attending to it regularly every firft day of 
 the week, as the primitive Chriftians moft certainly didf. 
 They do not, and indeed cannot in their prefent fituation, 
 attend to the means which Jefus Chrifl hath appointed, 
 for the recovery of brethren who offend againft them J; 
 while they fcruple not to fay to others, the moft fevere and 
 uncharitable things againft fome of thofe, with whom they 
 fit down at the table of the Lord. They yield thofe privi- 
 leges which the members of the New Teftament churches 
 enjoyed, particularly their right to judge of the reception, 
 and exclufion of members §; and indeed, fubmit to a total 
 want of the exercife of difcipline, without which the pureft 
 church on earth, (I do not here fpeak of a national church) 
 would become in a very fhort time, a moft impure and cor- 
 rupt fociety. And as they cannot do good to the fouls of 
 others, by following out all the fteps of difcipline, in or- 
 der to reclaim them when they go aftray, fo they them- 
 felves lofe the immenfe benefit that would accrue to them 
 from the admonitions of the brethren ^ Thcfe, and many 
 
 * Acts ii. 38. f See Appendix, No. 1. 
 
 * Mat. xviii. 15, 16, 17- § Rom. xv. 7. t Cor. v. 4. to the end. 
 
 % Jas. v. ip, 20. Jude, ver. 12, 23. Heb. iii. 13, and x.— 1$, 
 
FIRST DISCOURSE. I 7 
 
 other things that might be mentioned, clearly mew that 
 the days in which a form of godlinefs prevails without the 
 power of it, are perilous times to the people of God. 
 
 The times that are perilous to the children of God, for 
 the reafons that have been mentioned, cannot fail to have 
 a hardening tendency with refpect to the world at large. 
 The corruption of the doctrine and precepts of the Gofpel, 
 which has been introduced by the Man of Sin ; the fuper- 
 ftition, idolatry, and perfecuting fpirit of the church of 
 Rome, and the ungodly conduit of many who profefs Chrif- 
 tianity,. in Proteftant as well as Catholic countries, have 
 contributed, more than any thing elfe, to render the Gof- 
 pel of falvation, and the true profefiion of the name of 
 Chrifl, completely odious to that numerous clafs of man- 
 kind, which may be faid to have no religion. None of thefe 
 things indeed, ought to bring any difcredit on the Gofpel it- 
 felf, which is a doctrine according to godlinefs, nor on thofe 
 who really believe and obey it. Nay, all that fuperlative 
 degree of iniquity, which by the influence of the Man of 
 Sin, has overfpread the world, ought only to confirm us ia 
 the faith of divine revelation ; for: the whole of it is an 
 exact fulfilment of what was minutely foretold in the Word 
 of God, which alfo frequently warns us, in the molt folemn 
 manner, to beware of the dangers refulting from it. Yet 
 we need not wonder that arguments have been ufed, or ra- 
 ther, that prejudices of the moil inveterate kind have arifen 
 from this, againft the divine origin of the Chriftian faith. 
 Avowed infidels triumph, while many, who from motives 
 of prudence, think it belt to pay fome refpecl to the reli- 
 gion of their country, without believing it, are confirmed 
 in their infidelity, and prevented from fo much as giving a 
 candid hearing to the truth and its evidence. This is one 
 of thofe very things that is predicted in the word of God, 
 concerning the perilous times of which we now fpeak ; for 
 Peter affirms, with refpecl to thofe falfe teachers who were 
 privily to bring in damnable herefies, that " many mail 
 follow their pernicious ways, by reafon of whom," fays 
 
 B 2 
 
IO FIRST DISCOURSE. 
 
 lie, " the way of truth Shall be evil fpoken of*." Thus a 
 Humbling block has been laid in the way of all men, and 
 a more effectual mean of preventing their attention to the 
 ■Gofpel, has been employed by the pretended friends of di- 
 vine revelation, than any that could be devifed by its moil 
 determined and avowed enemies. 
 
 Thefe times alfo forbode the final overthrow of the 
 Man of Sin, " whom the Lord fhall deftroy with the bright- 
 ness of his coming fj" and of all who fupport his inter- 
 eft, by giving countenance to a falfe profeffion of ChriflV 
 name. The moil awful judgments of God, both of a tem- 
 poral and fpiritual nature, are threatened againft Antichrist,, 
 who is represented, as " Speaking great words againft the 
 Moft High, wearing out the faints of the Moft High, 
 and thinking to change times and laws J." On account 
 of his Singular and highly aggravated iniquity, which en- 
 titles him to be called the Man of Sin, he is alfo denomi- 
 nated the Son of Perdition \\. Some of the vials of the wrath 
 of God have already been poured out on his devoted head ; 
 he is now in a State of langour and decay ; and the time of 
 his final perdition Seems to approach. Nor will any of his 
 adherents be in a State of faSetv, when the Lord comes, in 
 the diSpenSations of his providence, to perform this work 
 of judgment ; for *' if any man worfhip the beaft and his 
 :mage, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his 
 hand, the fame avail drink of the wine of the wrath of 
 God, which is poured out without mixture, into t ; :e cup 
 of his indignation**." 
 
 IT. We Shall now endeavour to illuftrate aad enforce the 
 commandment in the text, " from fnch turn away." By 
 this commandment, the people of God are directed to fepe- 
 rate themfelves from thofe ungodly profeflbrs of the Chrif- 
 tian laith, whom the Apoftle defcribes, in the foregoing 
 verfes ; and to avoid all Such connection with them, as 
 
 * 2 Pet. ii. 2. f 2 ThefT. ii. 8. f Dan. vii. z£ 
 
 || 2 ThefT. ii. 3, 4- ** Rev. xiv. 9, i«. 
 
FIRST DISCOURSE 
 
 would either tend to harden them in their iniquity, or to 
 endanger their own fafety. The law of Chrift, indeed, does 
 not prohibit Chriftians from civil intercourfe with the 
 world at large., or from living on friendly terms with then 
 relations and ethers, who may he infidels, or falfe profef- 
 fors. On the contrary, it enjoins diligence in our wordly 
 callings*, which neceffarily leads to much intercourfe with 
 the world, and commands us to " do good to all men as 
 we have opportunity f," which fuppofes that we are in- 
 timately acquainted with the fituation of other men, be- 
 fides " thofe who are of th.e houfehold of faith." It nvuft 
 be admitted, however, that believers of the Gofpel, when 
 they act fuitabiy to their profeflion, will principally affoci- 
 ate with thofe who fear God, avoiding all unneceflary in- 
 timate conefpondence with worldly men. They condder 
 the faints as " the excellent ones of the earth, in whom is 
 all their delight J," and are aware, that when they begin 
 to have too much relifh for the company and converfation 
 of men who have their portion in this life, and ftiil more 
 when they prefer this to a friendly intercourfe with the 
 people of God, their fouls are in danger. 
 
 In one cafe only, the law of Chrift prohibits keeping 
 company and eating with unbelievers. Thefe are fuch un- 
 believers as have been excluded from the churches of 
 Chrift || ; and even towards perfons of this defcription, it is 
 our duty to behave with affability and difcretion, and to do 
 them good when it is in our power, though all intimate cor- 
 refpondence with them ought to ceafe till they are brought: 
 to repentance. 1 have no objection againft the opinion of 
 thofe who confider the excommunication of impenitent 
 fmners from the churches of Chrift, as included in the in- 
 junction to turn away from men who have a form of god- 
 linefs, but deny the power thereof. This, however, is a 
 diftinct thing from avoiding fuch intimacy with them, as 
 the /ipoltle makes it lawful to have, in fome degree, with 
 
 * Rom.xii. n. Eph. iv. :8. i Thcfl". iii. 12. f Gal. vi. to 
 
 i Pfal.xvi. :. II 1 Cor. v. if. 
 
«0 FIRST DISCOURSE. 
 
 men of the worll characters, who never were Conne&era 
 with churches formed on the plan of the New Teflament*. 
 Both are evidently meant in our Lord's words, addreffed 
 to his Jewilh difciples, " Let him be unto thee as an hea- 
 then man and a publicanf," and Paul in the plained terms 
 enjoins the former, when he fays to a Gentile church, " put 
 away from among yourfelves that wicked perfon J." This 
 commandment, however, cannot be obeyed by the difciples 
 of Chrift, till they feperate themfelves from all Grangers, 
 and keep the ordinances, as the Apoftles delivered them to 
 the firft churches. 
 
 There are others who efteem it a matter of indifference, 
 whether they have religious fellowfhip or not with profane 
 and impenitent finners, provided they do not imitate their 
 wicked conduct ; and this they confider as the only thing 
 intended by the Apoftle when he fays, " from fuch turn 
 away." It is certainly of the higheft confequence that 
 we mould avoid all thofe evils which are afcribed to cor- 
 rupt profeffors ; and if this is not the direct meaning of the 
 Apoftle, when he commands us to turn away from them, 
 it muft be itrongly implied in every injunction of this na- 
 ture. A mere external feparation from ungodly men, will 
 avail us nothing, if we carry along with us the fame wick- 
 ed practices in which they are engaged, or " if after we 
 have efcaped the pollutions of the world through the know- 
 ledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, we are again 
 entangled therein and overcome ]|." To follow this line of 
 condu£t, would be to ftrain at a gnat and to fwallow a ca- 
 mel. It would prove us to be greater hypocrites, and more 
 worthy of condemnation, than the perfons from whom we 
 feparate. But the word of God does not fuppofe that we 
 can efcape all the evils which abound among corrupt pro- 
 fclTors of Chriftianity, while we remain in felloivfhip with 
 them. Even in a church of Chrift, " a root of bitternefs 
 may fpring up, and trouble them, and thereby many may 
 
 * i Cor. v. 10. f Mat. xviii. 17. J 1 Cor. v. 13. 
 
 II 2 Pet. ii. 20. 
 
FIRST DISCOURST. 21 
 
 he denied* ;" and fome of the bad confequences arifing from, 
 the other connection, have been already mentioned. It is 
 one reafon, therefore, why Chrift hath inftituted the law 
 which feparates his people from the world, as well as the 
 law of difcipline in the churches, that they maybe prefer- 
 ved pure from the infection of wicked men, efpecially of 
 thofe who " profefs to know God, and in works deny 
 him f." Bdides, the Apoftk does not merely command us 
 to turn away from wicked conduct, but from wicked men. 
 It is evident, that he has perfons in his eye, x*. hen he fays, 
 from fuch turn away ; for he immediately adds, " for of 
 this fort arc they who creep into houfes, &c." 
 
 The people of God are therefore obliged by this com- 
 mandment, to come out of thofe religious focieties which 
 receive into their communion, men who fulfil the lufts of the 
 flefli ; or who, if their outward conduct is decent and refpec- 
 table, give the moft complete evidence of their ignorance of 
 the Goipel, and perhaps, in fome cafes, of their utter a- 
 verfion to it. If thofe who enjoy peace with God through 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift, and feel the conft raining influence 
 of his love, were not blinded by the moft fatal prejudices, 
 they would not hefitatc to obey this commandment. It 
 would appear to them a privilege, as well as a duty, to free 
 themfelves without delay, from all religious connection with 
 men who are a dishonour to the Chriftian profefuon, and 
 with whom they cannot have fellowship in the fclemn or- 
 dinances of the Gofpel, without giving countenance to the 
 profanation of thefe ordinances, and expofmg themfelves 
 to all the perils of the latter days. 
 
 The nature and indifpenfable obligation of this duty will 
 appear from the following remarks. 
 
 i/?, There was no outward vifible diftindtion in the 
 kingdom of Ifrael, between the true children of God, and 
 the children of Abraham according to the flefh. The law 
 given to that people in their national capacity, was fuch as 
 
 * Heb. xii. i^. f Tit, i. ij, 16. 
 
2 FIRST DISCOURSE. 
 
 a nation of this world is capable to obey. It regulated on - 
 \y their external conduit, and 2 man might be a good If- 
 raelite, though he were not a believer of the promife re- 
 fpecling the Mefiiah, fo as to look for redemption in Ifrael ; 
 for Paul could affirm, that before his converfion, he was, 
 " touching the righteoufnefs which is in the law, blame- 
 lefs *." All who in this refpecf. were fubje£t to its pre- 
 cepts, enjoyed the temporal bleflings which it fecured to 
 the obedient, and were entitled to partake of all divine or- 
 dinances f-. Thus far believers and unbelievers were con- 
 founded. They joined indiscriminately in the worfhip of 
 the true God, for their national worfhip was not a human 
 invention ; it was inftituted by the God of their fathers, 
 who called Abraham from among the heathen, multiplied 
 his feed, redeemed them from their bondage in Egypt, re- 
 vealed his will to them by Mofes, and put them in poffef- 
 fioa of the promifed land. 
 
 But there was a line of feparation, or a middle wall of 
 partition, as the Apoftle calls it, between them and the 
 Gentile nations t. They were prohibited, under the moll 
 fevere penalties, from joining in the worfhip of the hea- 
 then, from interEiarrying, or having any affinity with 
 them, and from adopting their cuftoms, or imitating their 
 conduct, in a variety of particulars ||. From the worfhip 
 of the tabernacle and temple, the heathen nations were en- 
 tirely excluded, except fuch of them as became profelytes 
 to the jew ii:i religion ; and thefe iaft were only admitted 
 sis worlhippers in the outer court The Gentiles were 
 " aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael, and (hangers 
 , the covenants of promife, having no hope, and with- 
 out God in the world J 1 \ while to the Ifraelites alone per- 
 tained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and 
 
 the giving of the law, and the fervice of God, and the Dra- 
 ft o ' 
 
 ruifes .Li." Such a regimen too was appointed with reipccl 
 to their food, as rendered it impoffible for them to have fa- 
 
 ' I hil. iii. 6. •)■ Lev. xxvi. 3, — 13. Deut. xxviit. 1, — 15. 
 
 ' Eph. ii. I.}, 15. § Exod. xxiii-. 32, 33. and xxxiv. 12,-18. 
 
 vii. ;,— 6, and xviii. <,,— ;;• , ' Eph. it. 12. .if Rem. ix. 4 
 
FIRST DISCOURSE. 2$ 
 
 miliar intercourfe with the nations around them, many of 
 thofe animals which were the common food of the Gentiles 
 being made unclean to them by the law of Mofes *. On 
 all thefe accounts, they were fully warranted to efteem it 
 " an unlawful thing for a man that was a Jew to keep com- 
 pany, or to come unto one of another nation ;" as Peter 
 exprefsly declares, after " God had thewed him that he 
 mould not now call any man common or unclean f ." 
 
 The people of Ifrael were thus feparated unto God as his 
 peculiar people. He diflinguilhed t'lem from all other na- 
 tions, gave them his ftatutes and ordinances, let his taber- 
 nacle in the midll of them, and dwelt among them as their 
 God;};. This relation, in which the flemly feed of Abra- 
 ham flood to the Mod High, was only of an outward and 
 temporal nature, and intended as a type or figure of that 
 fpiritual and eternal relation, which fubfiits between God 
 and the people of the new covenant, who are redeemed by 
 the blood of Chrift, out of all nations, and kindreds, and 
 people, and tongues, and made kings and priefts unto God, 
 even the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift §. No earthly 
 nation ever was, or could be the antitype of Ifrael accord- 
 ing to the nefh. Our Lord faid to the Jews " The king- 
 dom of God fhall be taken from you, and given to a n?- 
 tion bringing forth the fruits thereof || ;" and we perceive, 
 from the way in which Peter addreffes the ftrangers fcat- 
 tered throughout a variety of countries, what clafs of peo- 
 ple was pointed out by Jefus, as inheriting the bleffings of 
 this kingdom. Of thefe flrangers, as a part of the whole 
 redeemed company gathered out of all nations, he fays, 
 " ye are a chofen generation, a royal priefthood, a holy na- 
 tion, a peculiar people, that ye ihould Ihew forth the 
 praifes of him who hath called you oat of darkuefs into 
 his marvellous light**;" applying to them in a much 
 
 * Lev. Chap. \\. t Afls x. 15, 28. 
 
 f Pfalms cxivii. i y , 10. - Dtut iv. 1 — <j. — ExoJ. xxix 45, 46. — Lev. 
 \x\\. 11, 12. 
 
 § Rev. i. 5, 0, and vii. p. j] Mat. xxi. 43. ** 1 Pet. ii, 9. 
 
i4 FIRST DISCOURSE. 
 
 higher fenfe, the epithet3 which had been given to the holy 
 typical feed, under the Old Teftament difpenfation *. 
 
 If then, the nation of Ifrael was feparated from all other 
 nations, in the whole of their typical economy and wormip ; 
 does it not neceffarily follow, that true believers, under the 
 Gofpel difpenfation, who are the antitype of Ifrael after 
 the flefh, ought, in their fpiritual worfhip, to have no fel- 
 lowship with thofe who do not vifibly belong to the king- 
 dom of heaven ? Though with refpecl to preaching the Gof- 
 pel to all men for their falvation, and maintaining civil in- 
 intercourfe with them, God hath fhewed us that we mould 
 not call any man common or unclean. How elfe could 
 they appear to be a chofen generation, a royal priefthood, 
 &c. in diftinction from the world around them ? Is that 
 kind of feparation which is enjoined in the New Teftament, 
 of lefs importance than the typical feparation of the ancient 
 people of God from the Gentile nations ? Or will any dare 
 to affirm, that the inftitutions of Chrift under the Gcfpel, 
 may be profaned with more impunity than the carnal ordi- 
 nances of Mofes ? 
 
 id. The distinction which was to take place between the 
 true children of God, and outward nominal profeffors, who 
 boaft of their external privileges, was pointed out by John 
 Baptift, who came to prepare the way of the Lord, as the 
 forerunner of the great Meffiah. " When he faw many of 
 the Pharifees and Sadducee3 come to his baptifrn, he faid 
 unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you 
 to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore 
 fruits meet for repentance, and think not to fay within 
 yourfelves, We have Abraham to our father; for I fay 
 unto you, that God is able of thefe ftones to raife up 
 children unto Abraham. And now alfo, the axe is laid 
 unto the root of the trees ; therefore every tree which 
 bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and caft in- 
 to the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto re- 
 pentance ; but he that cometh after me is mightier than 
 * Exod. xix. 4, &" / 
 
FIRST DISCOURSE. 2J 
 
 I, whofe fhoes I am not worthy to bear : he mall baptize 
 you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. Whofe fan is 
 in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and 
 gather his wheat into the garner ; but he will burn up 
 the chaff with unquenchable fire*." He fweeps away all 
 their vain pretenfions, intimating, that their defcent from 
 Abraham would be of no avail to obtain the bleffings of 
 Meffiah's kingdom; that the almighty power of God is ne~ 
 ceflary to make men the true children of Abr.tham; and that, 
 if they claimed the honour of being fuel), they mull mew 
 it by their fruits. He informs them, that one mightier than 
 he was about to come; and that he would effectually dil- 
 tinguifh between the wheat and the chaff, taking the mo ft 
 fignal vengeance on many of thofe who faid, We have Abra- 
 ham to our father, but were, notwithstanding, the enemies 
 of God, and the children of the devil. 
 
 Thefe words of John, not only mew, that when the king- 
 dom of the MelTiah fhould be eftabliihed, thofe alone, who 
 gave evidence of their faith in Chrilt, by obeying him, 
 would really be the children of Abraham ; or, which is the 
 fame thing, " The children of God by faith in Chrilt Je- 
 fus ;" but alfo, that no other perfons were then to be rec- 
 koned fuch, or to be accounted worthy of the privileges of 
 Chrifl's kingdom. Before the coming of John Baptift, 
 there were in the Jewifh nation, fome of the true 
 children of God, " Who were born not of blood, nor 
 of the will of the fleih, nor of the will of man, but of 
 Godf." But they were intermixed with unbelievers, and 
 enjoyed in common with them, the external privileges of 
 the kingdom of God, which, in a fcederal and typical fenfe, 
 included the whole nation of Ifrael. John mult therefore 
 be understood, as announcing an alteration in this 7-efpe£i, 
 and informing tiie Jews, that neither thejr, nor any others, 
 who did not bring forth fruits meet for repentance, would 
 be conji.iered as fubjecls of Mefliah's kingdom, or entitled 
 to the bleffings a.,d immunities of the happy people over 
 ivhom he was to reign. 
 
 "•• 7> — '3- t J»' m >• ( .3- 
 
 C 2 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 i Tim. iii. i, 2, 3, 4, 5. 
 
 J^ fter enquiring in a former difcourfe, what fort of cha- 
 racters thefe men pofTefs, from whom we are commanded 
 to turn away; and what danger is to be apprehended from 
 them. We began to illufhate and enforce the command- 
 ment itfelf; i/i. By the reparation of the ancient typical 
 people of God, from the nations around them; and, id. By 
 the doctrine of John the Baptift. We now obferve, 
 
 3^. That the doctrine delivered by Jefus Chriff him- 
 felf, during his perfonal miuiftry, illultrates and confirms 
 what was fpoken by his mefftnger who prepared his way. 
 In his difcourfe with Nicodemus, he teaches the neceflity 
 of men being born again, in order to their becoming fub- 
 je£b of the kingdom of God. He fays, " Except a man be 
 born again, born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot en- 
 ter into the kingdom of God*." And he diftinguifhes this 
 from the fleibly birth, which entitled the feed of Abraham 
 to the privileges of God's ancient kingdom, '* That which 
 is born of flefli is flefh, and that which is born of the Spirit 
 is fpiritf." He addrefTed the Pharilees, who were the ftricl- 
 eft feci an ong the Jews, as a race of carnal men, who, with 
 the higher! prctenfions to religion and zeal for the glory of 
 God, were grofsly ignorant of the true character of God, 
 and of their duty both to him and to their fellow-men. He 
 expofed their hypocrify in a variety of particulars, their 
 intolerable pride, their covetoufnefs and extortion, their 
 profane iwearLig coloured over with religious pretexts, 
 their bigotry and perfecuting fpirit, and thus addrefled 
 * John iii. 3, 5. f Verfe 6. 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 2? 
 
 them, " Ye ferpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye 
 efcape the damnation of hell*?" He repelled all their 
 claims founded on their heing the feed of Abraham, and 
 having one father even God. To thc-fe he anfwered, " If 
 ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of 
 Abraham, but now ye feek to kill me, a man that hath 
 told you the truth which 1 have heard of God : this did not 
 Abraham. If God were your father, ye would love me, 
 becaufe I proceeded forth, and came from God. Ye are of 
 your father the devil, and the lulls of your father ye will 
 dof." He told them, that the kingdom of God would be 
 taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the 
 fruits thereof. " Many," fays he, " lhall come from the 
 eafl and weft, and fhall fit down with Abraham, Ifaac, and 
 Jacob, in the kingdom of God. But the children of the king- 
 dom fnall be call out into outer darknefs, there lhall be 
 weeping and gnafhing of teeth J." He delivered a prophefy 
 concerning the deflrudliou of Jerufalem, containing a moll 
 minute and particular account of the things which were to 
 precede this awful judgment, the ligns of his coming for 
 this purpofe, and the accumulated fufFerings which were 
 then to be heaped upon the Jewilh nation § ; every article 
 of which was cxaclly fulfilled, and the whole ilTued in the 
 complete deftruclion, both of their civil and religious cfla- 
 bliihment. 
 
 Will it be affirmed, notwithstanding all thefe things, that 
 the kingdom of Ifrael, which it is admitted was once the 
 kingdom of God, ought to be considered by Chriilians, as 
 an example for their imitation? Would you have any hand 
 in eflablifhing, or fupporting fuch a kingdom, as that 
 which hath already fuffered the moll lignal vengeance of 
 the God of heaven ? A multitude of carnal men, wallow- 
 ing in all the lulls of this world, yet claiming a relation to 
 God as their father, and pretending to worfhip him! Are 
 there any real believers of the Golpel, who fo entirely lofe 
 fight of all the glorious things affirmed of the kingdom of 
 
 * Mat. xxiii. throughout. f John viii. 39, 4c, 44. 
 
 } Mat. xxi. 43. Chap. viii. n, 12. § Mat. xxiv. 
 
28 SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 the Meifiah, both by ancient prophets, and by Chrift him- 
 felf and his ipoftles, as to debafe it in fuch a manner? One 
 could fcarcely believe it poffible, were it not contained in 
 the prophetic Scriptures, and exemplified before our eyes. 
 
 To return to the do£trine of Chrift, who befi knew how 
 to defcribe his own kingdom. Ke teltifies, in the good con- 
 feffion which he witnetTed before Pontius Pilate, " My 
 kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this 
 world, then would my fervants fight that I fhould not be 
 delivered to the Jews : but now is my kingdom not from 
 hence*." His kingdom is fo diametrically oppofite to eve- 
 ry thing that is worldly, that men who judge from worldly 
 principles, are at a lofs to underiland the defcription of it. 
 They know not what is meant by a fpiritual and heavenly 
 kingdom. Without all peradventure, however, the king- 
 dom which Jefus came to eftabliih is of this nature, as ap- 
 pears from its being often denominated " the kingdom of 
 heaven." 
 
 The JuhjeBs of it are fpiritual, and born from above, as 
 we have feen : they are not of this world, even as Chrift 
 himfelf was not of this world f. He defcribes them as being 
 " of the truth j" and this is that truth which he had heard 
 of God, and came in hi3 name to declare ; for When he con- 
 feffes that he was a king, he adds, " to this end was I born, 
 and for this caufe came I into the world, that I fhould bear 
 witnefs unto the truth J." He teftified that he himfelf was 
 the Chrift, the Mefliah, or anointed Saviour, declaring that 
 " the Spirit of the Lord God was upon him, becaufe he had 
 anointed him to preach the Gofpel to the poor, and fent 
 him to lieal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to 
 the captives, and recovering of light to the blind, to fet'at 
 liberty them that are bruifed, to preach the acceptable 
 year of the Lord ||." He teftified that he was the So.) of 
 God, " who is in the bofom of the Father**," who exifted 
 
 * John Xviii. 36. + John xv. 19. and xvii. 14, 16. J John xviii.. ^7 
 
 Luke iv. 16. — 23. ** Mat. xvi. 16, 17. John x. 36. and i. 18. 
 
29 SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 " before Abraham*," and " had glory with the Father 
 before the world wasf;" that the Father alfo " hath com- 
 mitted all judgment unto the Son, that all men mould ho- 
 nour the Son even as they honour the Father J;" that 
 " he and his Father are one || ;" and that " the Son of 
 Man who came down from heaven," while he fpoke to men 
 upon earth, " was in heaven**." He declared alfo that 
 " he came to give his life a ranfom for many if," and that 
 " every one who feeth the Son and believeth on him, fhall 
 have everlafting life, and he will raife him up at the laft 
 dayJJ." This is the truth which he came to teftify, and 
 which he confirmed by miraculous works, and particularly 
 by riling again fora the dead, by which " he was declar- 
 ed to be the Son of God with power ||j|." 
 
 The fubjecis of his kingdom " are of this truth" by be- 
 lieving it, in confequence of divine illumination; for " they 
 are all taught of God, and every one that hath heard and 
 learned of the Father, cometh unto Chrift*^." In his inter- 
 ceflbry pra , er to the Father, he fays concerning his dif-- 
 ciples, " 1 have manifefted thy name unto the men whom 
 thou gaveft me out of the world. I have given unto them, 
 the words which thou gaveft me ; and they have received 
 them, and have known furely, that I came out from thee, 
 
 * John Yin. ^8. t J onn xv ''- 5- \ J°' nn v - --> 2 3- 
 
 || John x. --o. ** John iii. 13. 
 
 Thefe fayings of Chrift, as well as many other exprefs declarations 
 in the word of God, (hew in the cleared manner, not indeed that he is the 
 Son in his divine nature abltraiflly confidered, but that he who is the Son 
 of God, and who came of the feed of David according to the flefli, " is over 
 all, God bleffed for ever. Amen*." Ke is denominated the Son of God on 
 account of his incarnation, for the angel laid to Mary, "that holy thing 
 which lhall be born of thee fliall be called the Son of God -j-;" and it was 
 when " the Word was made fiefh, and dwelt among men, full of grace and 
 truth, that they beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Fa- 
 ther II." He is alio the Son of God, as bjing the fir ft begotten of the dead, 
 and exalted to the right hand of the Father, pofiefling univerfal dominion, 
 as the heir of all things, and the prince of the kings of the earthy." 
 
 * Rotr. is. 5. t LLkei. 35. I Jo. i. 14. 
 
 4. A£t$ xiii 33. compare with Pf.i). ii. 7. to. the end. Col. i. 18. lieb. i. 2. Xev. i. 5. 
 Pf.il. lxxxix. V- 
 
 ft Mat. xx. ;S. i\ John vi. 40. || || Rom. i. 4. % John vi. 4 • 
 
3® SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 and they have believed that thou didfl fend me*." His 
 difciples or fubjects, are lovers of this truth, as it reconciles 
 them to God, and is the foundation of ail their hope for e- 
 ternity. They are obedient to that form of doctrine into 
 which they are mouldedf, conformed to Chriil, and will- 
 ing to fuffer with him in this world, in the hope of being 
 glorified together with him %; for he fays, " Whofoever 
 will come after me, let him deny himfelf, and take up his 
 crofs, and follow me. For whofoever will fave his life, 
 mall lofe it, but whofoever will lofe his life for my fake 
 and the Gofpei's, the fame fhall fave it || ." In this manner 
 he characterizes thofe who are of the truth, " every one 
 that is of the truth heareth my voice**;" and he defcribes 
 his fheep in the fame way, " my fheep hear my voice, and 
 I know them, and they follow meff." On the contrary, 
 *' they will not follow a ftranger, but will flee from him, for 
 they know not the voice of flrangers^J." No man there- 
 fore can belong to the kingdom of Chrift, unlefs he is 
 taught of God to know the truth which faves, to enjoy its 
 eonfolation, to obey it from the heart, and to follow fuch a 
 line of conduct, as will make it appear, that he is not of this 
 world. 
 
 The immunities and privileges of the kingdom of Chriil 
 are not worldly, for " the God and Father of our Lord Je- 
 fus Chriil hath bleffed us with all fpiritual bleffings, in hea- 
 venly places in ( ihrifl || || ." He hath promifed nothing more 
 than food and raiment in relation to temporal enjoyments * # ; 
 rhefe are not the portion of his people, and they have no 
 affurance of freedom from affli£lion in this world, but the 
 contrary, for " through much tribulation they mufl enter 
 into the kingdom of Godf-J-." The inheritance irfelf, which 
 is the principal bleffing that belongs to the fubje£ls of this 
 kingdom, is " incorruptible, undeiiled, and fadeth not a- 
 
 * John xvii. 6, 8. + Rom. y\. 17. j 2 Tim ii. 12. Luke 
 
 xii. 32. James i. J :. and v. 7, 8. || Mark viii. 34, ~-,^ 
 
 ** John xviii. 37 ft J ' ,n x. 27. \\ John x. 5. 
 
 UlJMph. i. j. "* Mat. vi. 30, 32, 33. Lukexii.28. — 3?.. 1 Tin».vi. 6, 7,8. 
 
 ■\\. Afb xiv. 22. 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE, 3 I 
 
 -r:\ \y, and is referved in heaven for thofe who are kept by 
 the power of God through faith unto falvatioti *." 
 
 The mean? of ' ejlablifbing, defending, and promoting the titm 
 terejls of this kingdom, are not worldly. No fervice was 
 ever done to it by the riches, pov/er, and fplendour of this 
 world ; nor did it ever gain any real afoendency by means 
 of hitman craft and policy, or by the enticing words of 
 man's wifdom. It was at firft eflablifhed, merely by the 
 preaching of the Gofpel, which proclaims " peace on earth, 
 and good will towards men." The inilruments employed 
 for this purpofe were fach as men efieemed foolifh, weak, 
 bafe, and contemptible ; but while they had to combat 
 with all the power of earth and hell, the weapons of thefe 
 mefTengers of God, which were not carnal, were " mighty 
 through God to the pulling down of flrong holds, calling 
 down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it- 
 felf againft the knowledge of God, and bringing every 
 thought into captivity to the obedience of Chriil +." 
 
 Our Lord fhews in the clearell manner that the fword 
 cannot be ufed in his kingdom, not even for the purpofe 
 of defending it, when he fays, " If my kingdom were of 
 this world then would my fervants fight, that I mould not 
 be delivered to the Jews." I fay cannot be vfed, for thofe 
 who have taken this method to advance or defend the king- 
 dom of Chriil, always meant, in fome refpeft or other, to 
 eftablifti tenets in direel oppofition to it. Admitting that 
 fome of the children of God themfelves, have been fo far 
 deceived, as to take the fword in defence of their religion, 
 or in order to compel men to profefs the faith, it is im- 
 poffible in the nature of the thing, that, in this particular, 
 they could be actuated by a defire to propagate or defend 
 the true religion, though they ignorantly thought fo ; be- 
 caufe it does not admit of any fuch defence. It fuffers more 
 by the violence of its friends than by all the violence that 
 can be directed againfl it by its moft inveterate enemies. 
 And we may lay it down as a fure principle, that whene-. 
 * j Pet. i. 4, $, + ft Cor. x. 4, 5. 
 
 D 
 
OND DISCOURSE. 
 
 ver men begin to fight in the caufe of religion, they have 
 ibmething elfe in view than the religion of Chrift. 
 
 It is abfolutely neceffary in the prefent flats of human 
 affairs", that a worldly kingdom iliould defend itfelf by vio- 
 lent means, both again!! external and internal enemies. 
 This is admitted in what our Lord favs to Pilate ; and in 
 Paul's defcription of the power of the civil magiilrate, 
 " He beareth not the fword in vain ; for he is the minifter 
 of God, a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth e- 
 Vii*." I do not fay fo with a view to give any countenance 
 to deftruclive wars No fober-minded perfon can hefitate 
 to pronounce all offenjive wars unlawful. They arifc from 
 the lulls of men, from pride, ambition, avarice, and re- 
 venge ; and one of the parties at leal! mull be anfwerable 
 for all the blood that is fhed. It may fometimes however 
 be difficult to determine which party is the aggrefTor, for it 
 frequently happens in thefe matters, as in private quarrels, 
 that both are to blame. A kingdom of this world may exift 
 without fighting for conquefl, or in order to revenge infults 
 which might be otherwife accommodated. Nay, its real hap- 
 pinef. and profperity depend, in a great meafure, on avoiding 
 war ; for it is the bane of human fociety, the chief deflroyer 
 of earthly comforts, and an extenfive mean of battening the 
 perdition of fouls. But ftill the fword is necefTary to de- 
 fend a nation of this world againfl; its enemies ; this mean 
 of defence is efTential to its fafety, and even to its exiftence ;. 
 for otherwife it would foon be difmemb id torn in 
 
 pieces. 
 
 Now in this refpect aur Lord dill: : lorn 
 
 from all earthly kingdoms. "Ifmykin ire oi I ii 
 
 world," fays he, " then would my fervants ':'■ " It 
 
 was impoflible to have given a more i if of what 
 
 he a-flerts. Notwithstanding !iis bci unded by cho- 
 
 fen friends, on whole fidelity he could have depended, had he 
 inclined to make them warriors, and having many among 
 the Jews who were willing to efpoufe his caufe, and who 
 on one occafion '-* would have uken him by force to make 
 * Rom. xiii. 4. fee alio 1 Pet. ii. 14. 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 him a king*;" he fuffered himfelf to be apprehended, bound, 
 infill ted, and dragged to death, without attempting the 
 fmalleft refiftanee. When one of his fervants began to ufe 
 the fword in his defence, he miraculoufly healed the wound 
 that was inflicted by it, and faid to his miftuken friend, 
 " Put up again thy fword into its place, for all they that 
 take the fword mall perifli with the fwordf." How then 
 can that kingdom be of this world, the fubje-cts of which 
 are prohibited from fighting in defence of their King and 
 Lord ? Would to God that all the profeiTeci fervants of Chrift, 
 in every age, had in this refpect acted fuitably to the nature 
 of his kingdom. What an immenfe daughter of the human 
 fpecies would have been prevented ! 
 
 Jefus alfo not onlydiftinguiQies his kingdom from worldly 
 kingdoms in general, but from theanci a of God 
 
 in Ifrael, for he fays, " now is my kingdom not from 
 hence :" which feems to intimate that it had been other- 
 wife in former times, and that he was now going to efca- 
 hlifh a new kingdom, altogether different in its nature and 
 principles, from any thing that had hitherto taken place in 
 the world. 
 
 From this brief fummary of the doctrine of Chrift con- 
 cerning the characters of thofe who were to be accounted his 
 difciples, and the nature of his kingdom, it appears that 
 none ought to partake of the ordinances which he hath in- 
 ftituted but thofe who are of the truth, who hear his voice, 
 and who like him are not of this world : and confequentlv, 
 that it is the duty of real believers of the Gofpel, to ob- 
 ferve Ch rift's ordinances in a ftate of reparation from all 
 whom they can difcern to be unbelievers, and worldly men, 
 
 /\th. The practice of the Apoftles, and other firh: niini- 
 fters of the Word, exactly corresponded with our Lord's 
 doctrine on this fubject, for they administered the ordinance 
 of baptiiiii, and received into churches, thofe only, who by 
 their confeffion of the faith, appeared to be the difciples of 
 * John \i. 15. f Mat. xxvi. jr, 5;, 
 
 D 2 
 
34 SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 Chrift, and fubjects of the kingdom of heaven. Even the di£» 
 ciples of John " were baptized of him in the river of ) ' in, 
 confi 'jjlng their fins* ." V/hen he warned them of their danger, 
 and preached the doctrine of the kingdom of heaven, they 
 afked him, " What ihall we do then ?" And he gave them 
 general inftru£tions to regulate their conduct, fimilar to 
 thofe afterwards given by Jefus Chrift and his Apoftlesf. 
 He only preached, however, that " the kingdom of heaven 
 was at hand," calling men on this account to repentance %. 
 We cannot therefore expert to find, in the time o't his mi- 
 niftry, fuch a marked diftiridtion between believers and un- 
 bclievers, ss that which appears i ■.: the doctrine and practice 
 of the apoftles after the refai region of Jefus, when the 
 kingdom of heaven, actually came in all its divine fimpli- 
 city and glory, and was eftabliihed among men on the 
 earth, by the power and grace of the Moft 1! 
 
 The three thoufand perfons who were baptized on the 
 day of Pentecoft, were fir ft converted to the Chriftiari 
 faith, by the fermon which Peter preached with the Holy 
 Spirit fent down from heaven. " They were pricked iii 
 their hcart3, and faid, Men and brethren what mall we 
 do ?" And when Peter had called them to " repent and 
 be baotiied every one of them in the name of Jefus Chrift, 
 for the remifiion of fins, they gladly received his word§." 
 Thefe were not the whole of that great multitude, who on 
 this occafion heard him preach the Gofpel ; for, among o- 
 ther things, he fays to them, " lave yourfelves from this 
 untoward generation**." The perfons who thus repented, 
 received the word with gladncfs, and vvere baptized, " were 
 on the fame day added unto them," that is, to the church 
 of Chrift at Jerufalam, the hundred an'd twenty brethren 
 mentioned in the foregoing chapter. " And they conti- 
 nued fteadfaftly in the Apoftle's doctrine, the fellowlhip, 
 the breaking of bread, and the prayers ++." Tliefe were 
 not mere forms ; their whole hearts were engaged in the 
 iervice of God, and their fubfequent hiftory gives abun- 
 
 * Mark i. 5. f Luke iii. 10. — 15. + Mat. iii. 2. 
 
 \ ABs ii. 37, 3?, 41, i •* Verfe fro. -ff Verfe 4r, 43. 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 3$ 
 
 evidense of the reality of their faith. Thoie alfo whom 
 the Lord afterwards added to this church daily, were 
 " • fuch as fliould be faved*." The whole body is termed 
 -' the multitude of them that believed j" and they were 
 " of one heart, and of one foulf." 
 
 A fimilar account is given of thofe who were baptized in 
 the city of Samaria, to whom Chrift was preached by Phi- 
 lip the E. . "The people with one accord gave 
 heed unto thoie filings which Philip fpake, hearing, and 
 feeing the miracles which he did. And there was great joy 
 in that cityt-" They had formerly been bewitched with 
 the forceries of Simon, to fuch a degree, that they were in- 
 duced to fay, " this man is the great power of God. But 
 when they believed Philip, preaching the things concern- 
 ing the kingdom of God, and the name of Jefus Chrift, they 
 were baptized both men and women. Then Simon himfelf 
 believed alfo, and was baptized |j." In like manner, when 
 the Eunuch of Ethiopia, to whom Philip preached Jefus, faid, 
 on coming to a certain water, " See here is water, what 
 doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip laid, if thou believeft 
 With ali thine heart thou mayeft. And he anfwered and 
 faid, I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God. And 
 they went down both into the water, both Philip and the 
 Eunuch, and he baptized him**." This Ethiopian alfo en- 
 joyed the confolation of the truth which Philip had preach- 
 ed to him, for " he went on his way rejoicing ff." 
 
 Lydia and her houfehold were baptized, after hearing 
 from Paul the glad tidings of falvation. Of her it is affirm- 
 ed that " the Lord opened her heart, fo that fhe attended 
 to the things which were fpoken of Paul|J;" and of her 
 houfeholi, that itcor.filted of brethren who were comforted 
 by Paul and Silas * # . Thefe two meffengers of peace fpake 
 the word of the Lord to the jailor at Philippi, and to ail 
 that were in his houfe, " He and all hij were baptized 
 ftraightway ; and he rejoiced, believing in God with all his 
 
 * Afts ii. 47- t A«5b iv. 32. \ Afts viii. 6, 8. 
 
 l| Afts viii. ie, 12, 13. •* Verfc 36, 37, £. -ft Veri'e 39. 
 
 \\ Afls xvi. 14. % Verfe 40. 
 
36 SJSeOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 houfe*." When Paul preached the Gofpel at Corinth, 
 " Crifpus the chief ruler of the fynagogue believed on the 
 Lord, with all his houfe ; and many of the Corinthians 
 hearing, believed, and were baptized f" : among whom were 
 Crifpus, Gaius, and the houfehold of Stephanas %', and of 
 this houfehold it is affirmed, that " they were the firil 
 fruits of Achia, and had addicled themfelves to themini- 
 flry of the faints § ." 
 
 So far as I recollect, thefe are all the jnflances of the 
 baptifm of particular perfons that are recorded in the New 
 Tellament, except the baptifm of our Lord himfelf, and 
 that of the apollle Paul ; and the whole of them clearly e- 
 vince, that believers of the Gofpel are the only fit fubjedls 
 of baptifm. In this way, the apoftles pointedly fulfilled 
 the commiffion which they had received from Jefus Chrift, 
 " Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Fa- 
 ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit**." " Go 
 ye into all the world, and preach the Gofpel to every crea- 
 ture : he that believeth and is baptized (hall be faved ; but 
 he that believeth not inall be damned) f." And they alfq 
 taught thofe whom they had baptized, " to obferve all 
 things whatfdeyer Chrift had commanded thernJJ." 
 
 You have feen already what fort of perfons the church 
 at Jerufalem confided of, which, was intended as a model to 
 all fucceeding churches ; and you may now attend I 
 description that is given of fome oi the other churches, 
 which were planted by the Apoftles. The facr:d hifto an 
 gives a particular account of trie gathering of the Chu :h 
 at .Ephcfus by the preaching of Pan!, in the ninetee kth 
 chapter of the Acls. When Paul arrived at that plac he 
 found about twelve difcipies, who knew only the baptifm 
 of John. Thefe perfons, having heard John, or ibms of 
 his difeiples, " Saying unto them, thai they ihould believe 
 on him who ihould come after John, that is on Chriit Je- 
 
 * Afls xvi. 30, — 3.5. f Ads xviii. 8. \ » Cor. i 14, 16. 
 
 Cor. xvi. 15. ** Mat. xxviik 19. f J- Mark xvi 15, i>. 
 
 ' J Mat. xxvi'.i. 20. 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 3/ 
 
 fus," had already been baptized in the name of the Lord 
 Jefus*. After Paul had preached the Gofpel in the Jewifti 
 fynagogue at Ephefus, and " when divers were hardened 
 believed not, but fpake evil of that way before the multi- 
 tude ; he departed from them, and feparated the difciplesf" 
 from the unbelieving Jews, forming them into a diftincl fo- 
 ciety as a church of Chrift ; turning at the fame time alio 
 to the Gentiles, to whom he preached the Gofpel when it 
 was rejected by the Jews. A very remarkable account ii: 
 given of the effects produced by the word of God. " Many 
 that believed, came and confeffed, and mewed their deeds. 
 Manvalfo of them who ufedcurious arts, brought their books 
 together and burned them before all men: and they counted 
 the price of them, and found it fifty thoufand pieces of filveA 
 So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed J." This 
 is the beginning of the church of God at Ephefus, to the 
 elders of which, the fame Apoftle afterwards fays, " Take 
 heed, therefore, unto yourielves, and to all the flock over 
 which the Holy Spirit hath made you orerfeers, to feed 
 the church of God which he hath purchaied with his own 
 blood §." You fee therefore, that a fociety which the Lord 
 acknowledges as a church of Chrift, confifts of perfons 
 whom God hath purchaied with his own blood. In the 
 fpiftle written by Paul to this church, he denominates 
 them, in diitinction furely from the people in general who 
 dwelt there, '.' the faints who are at Ephefus **■" af- 
 firms, that they " trufted in Chrift afrer they heard the 
 Word of truth, the Gofpel of their falvation ; in whom 
 alfo,'' fays he, " after that ye believed, ve were fealed 
 with the Holy Spirit of promifeff j" and reprefents them 
 as having been " dead in fins, but now quickeued together 
 with Chrift, partakers of the riches of divine mercy, faved 
 by grace, and created in Chrift Jefus unto good works +J." 
 They were formerly " aliens from the commonwealth of 
 Ifrael, and ftrangers from the covenants of promife ; but 
 
 * Aflsxix. 3, - f Verfe 8, y. \ Verfc 18, ip, 20. 
 
 § A&s xx. 28. ** Eph. i. 1. ff Yerfe 1 J. 
 
 \\ Eph.ii. 1, 5, 7, 8, 
 
j8 SECOKD DISCOURSE, 
 
 now they were made nich by the Wood of Chrift, re 
 ciled to God by his crofs, fellow-citizens with the faints- 
 and builded together for an habitation of God through the 
 Spirit*." 
 
 A similar defcription is given of all the churches in th£ 
 New Teftament, on which I need not enlarge. The Ro- 
 mans are characterifed as " beloved of God, called to be 
 faintsf;" the Corinthians, as " fanclified in Chrift Jefus. 
 and called by God the Father, to the fellowfbip of his Son 
 Jefus Chrift our Lord % ;" the Coloffians, as "faints and 
 faithful brethren in Chrift]] ;" and the Chriftians at Thefia- 
 lonica, as " the church of the Thefialonians which was in 
 God the Father, and in our Lord Jefus Chrift**." This 
 was not a vague judgment of charity, pronoujiced without 
 any proper evidence ; the Apoftle " knew their election of 
 God," by the effects which the Gofpel produced upon 
 them ; for he fays, " our Gofpel came not to you in word 
 only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much 
 affurance ; as ye know what manner of men we were among 
 you for your fake. And ye became followers of us, and 
 of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, 
 with joy of the Holy Spirit," is'c.j-f And he expreffes his 
 confidence with reipecr. to the whole Church at Philippic 
 with the bifliops and deacons, '' that he who had begun a 
 good work in them, would perform it until the. day of Je- 
 fus Chrift ;" for he adds, " even as it is meet for me to 
 think this of you all, becaufe I have you in my heart, in- 
 afmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and con- 
 firmation of the Gofpel, ye all are partakers of my grace. 
 For God is my record how greatly I long after you all in 
 the bowels of Jefus Chrift IJ." 
 
 There were indeed many things oppofite to the genuine 
 influence of the Gofpel, m fome of thofe churches, to which 
 epiftles were fent by the Apoftles of Chrift, and in five of 
 
 * Ep'n. ii. 12, 13, 16, 19, 11. f Rom. i. 7. t 1 Cor. i. 1. 
 
 || Co), i- 2. ** 1 TheH. i. 1. ff Verfe 4, 5, 6. 
 
 ft Phil. i. 1, 6, 7, 3. 
 
SECOND DTSCOURSF. 39 
 
 the feven churches in Afia, which our Lord himfelf imme- 
 diately addreiTed ; fuch as, envying, itrife a id divifio-.s, 
 difrefpecl: to the poor, over-reaching one another in their 
 dealings, eating things facrificed to idols, and even immo- 
 ralities of the groped kind, as well as dangerous errors re- 
 fpecling the faith*. In fhort, there is fcarcely any evil 
 that prevails in the world, of which you will not find in- 
 stances in one or other of the churches. This is admitting 
 all that can be charged againll them by the greater! enemies 
 of that purity of communion, which, after all, I am con- 
 fident, was itrictly enjoined on the fifft churches, and, up- 
 on the whole, exemplified in their conduct. 
 
 The wickednefs that was committed by individual mem- 
 bers among them, and the lukewarmnefs, and other fymp- 
 toms of apoflacy, that too generally prevailed in fome of 
 thefe churches, are furely not recorded for our imitation. 
 Did the Apoftles of Chrilt approve of thefe things? Did 
 they tolerate them, or give the churches permiflion to do 
 fo ? Were they not, on the contrary, often employed in re- 
 proving and admoni ming thofe who had finned, calling them 
 to repentance, and aiTuring them that they who do fuch 
 things, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God? Did not Paul 
 folemnly command the Corinthians, to put away from a- 
 mong themfelves a wicked perfonf ; and exprefs his fear 
 that his God would humble him among them, and that lie 
 fhould bewail many who had finned, and had not repented J? 
 which implies that they.alfo would be excommunicated, if 
 they did not repent. He likewife fays to the Gala- 
 tians, with refpecl: to the corrupters of the Gofpel doctrine 
 among them, " I would they were even cut ofF who trou- 
 ble you j|," and this is the rule which ought to regulate the 
 procedure of churches, in dealing with all fuch perfons, 
 " a man that is an heretic, after the firlt and fecond admo- 
 nition, rejcB; knowing, that he that is fuch, is fubverted, 
 and finneth, being condemned of himfelf**." Not only 
 
 * Epiules to the Corinthians and Galatians. Alfo, Rev. chaps ii. & iii, 
 
 f x Cor. chnp. v. \ ".. Cor. xii. ai. || Gal. v. 12. 
 
 ** Titus iii. 10, 11. 
 
*fcQ SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 the perfons who committed fin, but the chutches which 
 did not purge out this old leavers, were highly b/amed for 
 their remiffnefs in difcipline, as appears from Paul's com- 
 plaints againft the church at Corinth, on account of their 
 retaining a wicked perfon in their communion ; from the 
 deep diftrefs in winch his firft letter involved the church ; 
 and fiom the zeal, repentance, and i idignation which it 
 occafioned*. The fame thing alfo will be difcerned by eve- 
 ry attentive reader, in our Lord's method of addreffing the 
 churches in Afia. He commends one of them, becaufe the 
 " could not bear them that were evil ; and had tried 
 them who faid they were apoftles, and were not, 
 and had found them liars f." And he condemns feveral 
 Others, for having among them thofe who commifed ini- 
 quity. 
 
 Churches, fuch as thofe which were planted by the A- 
 poftles, are reclaimable when they go avtray. The Word 
 of God has accefs to their hearts, and when it is brought 
 home to their confciences, they will fall before its power, 
 and glorify God, by confefBng and forfaking their iniquity, 
 as we fee the church at Corinth did, on that occafion which 
 has been already mentioned. This is one of the moft ge- 
 nuine marks of true Chriuianity, for in this imperfecl flate, 
 Chriflians themielves are fubjecl: to many departures from 
 the living God .; they have often occafion to repent ; and 
 when " they confefs their fins, God is faithful and juft to 
 forgive them their fins, and to cleanfe them from all un- 
 righteoufnefs^." The difciples of Chrift, ought not there- 
 fore to be too precipitate in leaving the fellow Ihip cf a 
 church, if it can in any refpect be juftly confidered as a 
 church of Chrift, though there be many evils in it. It is 
 their dutv to ufe every mean that is appointed in the Word 
 of God for remedying thefe evils, and to imitate the long- 
 fuffering of God, in their conduct towards their brethren. 
 Thus far, we may fafely improve what is faid in the New 
 Teftament, concerning the corruptions of the firft churches. 
 * a Gor. vii. 8, — 13. "f Rev. ii. 2. f 1 John i. 9. 
 
(SECOND DISCOURSED 41 
 
 . But what has all this to do with religious focieties, 
 which confift principally of worldly men profefling Chrif- 
 fianity, who never felt the power of the Gofpel, who are 
 taught folely by education and cuftom to attend to any re- 
 ligious forms, who have fcarcely a fhadow of discipline a- 
 mong them of any kind, and none of thai which the Word 
 of Gad inculcates, and who would fmile at the feeble at- 
 tempts of thofe who might wifn to oLtain purky of co n- 
 munion ? Is there any poilibility of reforming fuch 
 churches? Might you not with as great propriety talk, of 
 reforming the world ? It does not appear fiom any thing, 
 either in the hiftory of the fit ft churches contained in the 
 New Teftament, or in the prou.ifes refpecling future 
 times, that God himfelf intends to reform them, in any o- 
 ther way than by demoli thing them aitogetner. it is op- 
 pofite to every idea of a church of Chriit that can be gathc- 
 red from the New Teftament, to fuppofe that a fociety in 
 which there is no difcrimiuation between the people of God 
 and the world, can deferve to be fo named. On the con- 
 traiy, it is eafy to difcern in this particular, the influence 
 of " that Antichnji which you have heard fhould come," 
 and now of a long time has been in the world ; that mon- 
 ftrous power which, under a profeffion of fubjeclion to 
 Chrift, has trampled on many of his laws, opened the flood- 
 gates of corruption, and fpoded the fimplicity and glory of 
 the primitive churches. Even thofe churches, which in 
 the days of the Apoftles were the temples of the living 
 God, became at lall fo corrupt, that he who *' walks in the 
 midft of the golden candlefticks, and he Ids the flars in his 
 right hand*," entirely difowned and forfook them. This 
 lie threatened when he faid, " 1 will fpue thee out of my 
 mouth. 1 will come unto thee quickly, and will remove 
 thy candleftick em oi his place, except thou repentf." It 
 was the duty of all the true feaiers oi'God to feperatc: from 
 thefe chuiches, whenever they became totally incorrigible, 
 and in their united capacity refufed lub,ccl:ion to the laws 
 of the King of Zion ; for at this awful period, God himfelf 
 
 >• Rev, i. i j, 16. and ii. i. f ILrv. iii. 16. and ii. 5. 
 
 E 2 
 
4* SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 withdrew from their aflemblies. And it Was alwflys un~ 
 queftionably the duty of fuch, to turn away from thofe cor- 
 rupt Societies of nominal Chriflians, which have been ga- 
 thered by the influence of the Man of Sin, and never ought 
 to have been confidered as the dwelling places of the Molt 
 High. 
 
 $tb. It is evident from the nature and defign of Gofpel 
 ordinances, that believers of the truth alone ought to par- 
 take of them ; and not only thofe who may be confidered 
 as u iworthy communicants, but all who join with them, 
 aie guilty of a high profanation of thefe ordinances. Bap- 
 til m fignifies the remiffion of fins through the blood of 
 Chrift* It reprefents the death, burial, and refurredtion 
 of the Son of God, and is an outward fign or token to them 
 who believe, of their fellowthip with Chriil in his death, 
 who bare theii fins in his own body on the tree ; and in 
 his refurreftion, who is become the firfl fruits of them that 
 fleu-p, and will raife up all his people to the enjoyment of 
 eternal lifef." It fignifies alfo our being dead unto fin, 
 and alive unto God through Jefus Chrift our Lord ; and 
 points out to us the neceffity of walking in newnefs of life, 
 as thofe who have obtained mercy J." But to any perfon, 
 whether an infant or an adult, who has no enjoyment of 
 remiifion, no fellowihip with Chrift in his death, no hope 
 of life eternal through his refurredtion from the dead, and 
 who has no experience of a new and fpiritual life in Chrift 
 Jefus ; of what avail is baptifm? It is in one view a mere 
 unmeaning ceremony. All that can be feen in it is " the 
 putting away of the filth of the fiefb," when the perfon 
 baptifed has not " the anfwer of a good confcience towards 
 God, by the refurredtion of Jefus Chrift**." And in ano- 
 ther view, it is debating and prcftituting grt a folemn ordi- 
 nance of the Gofpel. 
 
 The fame thing may be obferved with refpe£t to the 
 Lord's Supper. The bread and wine fignify the body of 
 
 * Mark iv. t. A.<fis ii 38 and xxi : 16 f Rom. vi. 3, 4, 5. Col ii. 12. 
 
 % Rom. vi. 4. to the end. Col. ii. 11,13. Tit. iii. $ ** 1 Pet. iii. 2 1 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 43 
 
 1 broken for his own people, and his blood filed for 
 the remiiiion of their fins. In this ordinance, they remem- 
 ber with grateful hearts, the death of the Lord Jefus, and 
 ihew it forth as the foundation of all their hope until he 
 come again*. But what is the Lord's Supper to thoufands 
 and millions of profeffing Ghriftians, who never think of 
 Chrill at all, who hare no conviction of their need off?!- 
 vation by him, no enjoyment of peace with God through 
 his atonement, nor any joyful hope in the profpeel of his 
 fecohd coming ? It is not, when fuch partake of it, an in- 
 nocent unmeaning form. " They eat and drink judgment 
 to themfelves, not difcerning the Lord's body. They are 
 guilty of the body and blood of the Lordf." If there is 
 any fuch thing enjoined in the New Teftament as purity of 
 communion, if brethren in a church are commanded to watch 
 over one another, to bring offenders to repentance, or to 
 purge them out as old ieaven, that they may be a new 
 lump, fince even Chrift their paffover is facriflced for 
 them ; furely none of thofe can be guiltlefs, who in any 
 refpecl join in this profanation of the ordinances of the 
 Lord. More indeed might be faid in the prefent cafe, for 
 thefe admonitions are given to a church of Chrift, which had 
 fallen into a dilbrderly way of eating the Lord's Supper, on 
 which account many of them were " chaftened of the Lord, that 
 they fhould not be condemned with the world J." But how 
 much greater is the evil when the world themfelves are em- 
 ployed in the outward obfervance of this ordinance, while 
 they are entirely ignorant of its nature, and have no enjoy- 
 ment of what is fignified in it ? 
 
 We muft not be told, as an excufe for joining in Chrifl's 
 ordinances with men who have no juft pretentions to the 
 fear of God, that many of the Jews under the former dif- 
 penfation were unbelievers with refpect to the fpiritual 
 promife made to their fathers, and that all of them were in 
 a great meafure ignorant of what was fignified by the or- 
 dinances, that were then of divine institution, while ne- 
 
 * fcuke xxii. ip, 20. i Cor. xi. 23. — 17. f j Cor. xi, 27, 20. 
 
 t 1 Cor. xi. ..o, 21, 25, 30, 31, 32. 
 
4\ SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 verthelefs they were bound to obferve tliem. It was not 
 the defign of God that they mould " fteadfaftly look to the 
 end of that which was to be aooliihed.*" This unfolding 
 of m yfieries was refervcd for the comiug of the IV.effiah, 
 and there is a contrail in this refpecl between the Old and 
 the New Teftament difpenfation. Carnal worfhippers will 
 not now be accepted, for " God is a fpirit, and they that 
 worfhip him, mufi: worihip him in fpirit and in truth f." 
 We muft not go back to that covenant which has " decay- 
 ed, waxed old, and vanifhed away J;" nor " turn again to 
 its weak and beggarly elements," which would bring us in- 
 to bondage || . 
 
 6th. There are feveral exprefs commandments, befides 
 the injunction in the text, obliging the people of God to 
 have no religious feliowfhip with unbelievers, whether 
 they are Jews, idolatrous Gentiles, or antichriftian pro- 
 feffors. 
 
 Believing Jews were permitted for a time to worfhip in 
 the fynagogues, and in the temple, and to obferve the law 
 of Mofes ; which, being a divine inftitution, they could 
 not be hnners in obeying it, till it was fet afide by exprefs 
 divine revelation. This accounts for the mixture of be- 
 lieving and unbelieving Jews in their peculiar woifhip, 
 while only the founer had communion with the 
 churches of Chrift. The complete abrogation of the old 
 covenant, and ah that pertained to it, does not feem to have 
 been clcaily revealed, till the epiitle to the Hebrews was 
 written ; and it was not actually accomplifhed till Jerufa- 
 lem was cktlroyed. But when this revelation was given, 
 Jewifli Chr'ftians were called off entirely from their con- 
 nect u;, with cai'nai worlhippers. They were to " go 
 without tile camp" of lirael, as Jefus " fuffered without 
 the gate" ot Jerufalem, " bearing his reproach, and re- 
 membering tiiac tiicv had here no continuing city, and 
 fought one to tt me**." This obliged them to drop all their 
 
 * 2 Cor- iii 13. f John iv. 23, ^4. } Heb. viii. 13. 
 
 J| Gal. iv. <). ** Heb. xiii. 12, 13, 14. 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 45 
 
 former prejudices, and to forfake entirely the carnal ordi- 
 nances of Mofes. 
 
 Both Jewifh and Gentile Chriltians were ftriclly pro- 
 hibited from having any connection with the idolatrous 
 worfhip of the heathen, and from joining in Chriftian fel- 
 lowfhip with unbelievers. On this fubjecl: the Apoftle 
 thus addrefTes the church at Corinth, " Be ye not unequal- 
 ly voked together with unbelievers ; for what fellowship 
 hath righteoufnefs with unrighteoufnefs ? And what com- 
 munion hath light wirh darknefs ? And what concord hath 
 Chrift with Belial ? Or what part hath he that believeth 
 with an infidel ? And what agreement hath the temple of 
 God with idols ? For ye are the temple of the living 
 God, as God hath faid, I will dwell in them ; and walk in 
 them ; and 1 will be their ; ~rod, and they (hall be my peo- 
 ple. Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye 
 feperate, faith t^e Lord ; and 'ouch not the unclean thing; 
 and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and 
 ye mall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almigh- 
 ty *." The arguments here ufed by the Apoflle, con- 
 clude equally againft their worfhippi.ng in heathen temples, 
 and admitting unbelievers to have fellowship with them, 
 whom he denominates the temple of the living God. He 
 fhews in a molt irrefifhble manner, the glaring inconfiilency 
 of fuch conduct. To maintain that there is any propriety 
 in believers having fellowship with unbelievers, is equally 
 abfurd, as it would be to affirm that rigkteoufnefs may 
 have fellowlhip with unrighteoufnefs, that light may have 
 communion with darknefs, and that no irreconcileable dif- 
 cord fnbfifts between Chriil and Belial, or between the 
 temple of God and idols. The higheft encouragement alfo 
 is given to come out from among them, and be feperate, 
 and to avoid even touching the unclean thing ; for in con- 
 nection with this, the Lord promifes 10 dwell among his 
 people, and to manifefh himfelf to them as their G >d aid 
 father. But you will far, thefe were Pagan idolaters. I 
 am not however dilpofed to confider tiiem as more criminal 
 * 2 Cor. vi. 14. to the eud, 
 
40 SECOND DISCOURSE 
 
 in the fight of God, than men who take up an empty pro 
 feiTion of the name of Chrift, and commit the fame wicked- 
 nefs as they do. You will fee a remarkable fimiliarity 
 between many of the characters afcribed to the heathen in 
 Rom. i. 29, 30, 31. and thofe mentioned in the text, as be- 
 longing to perfons who have a form of godlinefs. The 
 guilt of the latter is aggravated beyond that of the former, 
 by their abufe of the fuperior privileges which they enjo}' ; 
 and the danger arifing from them to the difciples of Chrift, 
 is unqueftionably greater. 
 
 There are, however, other commandments of the Lord, 
 which apply directly to the connection of believers of the 
 the truth with falfe profeflbrs. The Apoflle had them only 
 in view, when he faid, " from fuch turn away ; : ' and a 
 more plain or exprefs injunction than this, with refpect to 
 any duty, cannot be found in all the word of God. In re- 
 lation to fome of thofe falfe teachers and deceivers, who 
 had then begun at Rome to fubvert the doctrine of the 
 kingdom of heaven, having their own temporal intereft in 
 view, while they profefTed to ferve Chrift ; the Apoflle 
 fays to the believing Romans, " Now, I befeech you, bre- 
 thren, mark them who caufe divifions and offences con- 
 trary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid 
 them; for they ferve not our Lord Jefus Chrift, but their 
 own belly, and by good words and fair fpeeches deceive 
 the hearts of the fimple*." There were in other places 
 alfo befides Rome, men who taught things oppofite to the 
 genuine iufluence of the truth, who " confented not to 
 wholefome words, even the words of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, and to the doctrine which is according to godlinefs^ 
 and were proud, knowing nothing, but doting about quef- 
 tions andftrifes of words, whereof cometh envy, ftrife, rail- 
 ings, evil furmfftngs, perverfe difputings of men of corrupt 
 minds, and deftitute of the truth, fuppofing that gain is 
 godlinefs :" from fuch Timothy is exprefly commanded to 
 withdraw himfelf\. 
 J will not mention as an authority for turning away from 
 
 " Rom. xvi. 17, ;8. t > Tim. vs. 3, 4, 5. 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. 4*7 
 
 unbelievers, the commandment to the Thefialornans, to 
 " note that man who walked diforderly, not working, but 
 going about as a bufy body, and to have no company with 
 him, that he might be afhamed ;" for this relates to the cafe 
 of a Chriftian brother, who, from an indolent difpofition, 
 or from mifiaken views of religion, may :dle away too 
 much of his time. We mull not give any countenance to 
 this practice, which is hurtful both to foul and body; and 
 the beft way to make a man alhamtd of i'uch conduit, is to 
 keep no company with him, that is, to allow him to ipend 
 none of that time with us which we knew might be better 
 employed ; or, in other words, to admonifh him, and fend 
 him to his work : for the Apoftle adds, " Yet count him 
 not as an enemy, but admonifh him as a brother*." 
 
 But there is another commandment which is exactly in 
 point. I fhall give it you in the words of the Apoftle John. 
 " And I heard another voice from heaven, faying, Come 
 out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her fins, 
 and that je receive not of her plagues; for her fins have 
 readied unto heaven, and God hath remembered her ini- 
 quities f\" That focietf from which the people of God are 
 thus mercifully called by a voice from heaven, is Babylon, 
 or the falfe church, whofe iniquities are fo multiplied and 
 various, that time would fail me to recount them. She 
 pretends to be the fpoufe of Chrift, but is in reality a pro- 
 ftitute, *' committing fornication with the kings of the 
 earth, and making the inhabitants of the earth- drunk with 
 the wine of her fornication |." She has corrupted the Gof- 
 pel, and profaned its ordinances. She has long kept the 
 people of God in bondage, eoilaving their fouls by the in- 
 fluence of human authority. She is full of abomination and 
 filthinefs ; every thing that is hateful to God is found in 
 her ; and awful indeed will be that deftruction which fhall 
 come upon her, for it is " the vengeance of the Lord, the 
 vengeance of his temple §." There are many difputes a- 
 bout what clafs of people is meant by this Babylon, though 
 
 * 2 Thefi". iii. 6, — ]6. f Rev. xviii. 4, 5. i Rev. xvii. 1, 2. 
 
 § Jer. li. 11. 
 
45 SECOND DISCOURSE. 
 
 all parties might eafily difcern, that a wicked fociety. 
 i'alfcly claiming the char after of the Church of Chrifl, is 
 intended. Proteftants generally apply the defcription that 
 is given of her, folely to the church of Rome ; while Ca- 
 tholics moil abfnrdly endeavour to fhow, that the wicked 
 Power described in Rev. xvii. is Rome heathen. 1 will 
 not at prefent enter into a full difcuflion of this fubjeft. 
 But, keeping to the point in hand, 1 affirm on the autho- 
 rity of the Word of God, that wherever you fee men pro- 
 fe fling godlinefs, and attending outwardly to the ordinances 
 of the Gofpel, while their conduct proves them to be des- 
 titute of true religion ; there you fee the falfe church : 
 which, if it is not Babylon the great, the motler of har- 
 lots, is without all perad venture one of her daughter*. 
 And it does not alter the cafe, if we fhould find among 
 them fome of the real children of God; for they would not 
 be called to come out of Babylon, if they were not there. 
 It is of great importance to difcern, in a juft point of view, 
 the dreadful iniquity of a corrupt profeffion of Chriftianity : 
 and this is undoubtedly one leading part of it. What elfe 
 could have raifed the Man of Sin to his impious throne, 
 and armed him with that tyrannical power, which he has 
 long exercifed over the fouls and bodies of men ? By what 
 other method fhall we account for whole nations affuming 
 a form of godlinefs without the power of it, if we do not 
 admit, that the influence of the Man of Sin gradually ex- 
 tended this unfcriptural, and fpuricus profeffion of Chrif- 
 tianity, till at laft it fpread univerfally over the whole of 
 .Europe ? And fince it cannot be denied that the fame evil 
 continues in many Proteftant churches, which are reform- 
 ed from the grofs idolatry, and fuperftition of the church 
 of Rome, is there any want of candour, or of charity, in 
 judging them on this account to be antichrijiian? There is 
 not a more certain and decifive mark of Antichriit in all 
 the Word of God, than an outward form of Chriftianity, 
 in connection with every thing that is oppofite to its ge- 
 nuine fpirit. This is an cfTential part of his character, and 
 is eafily discernible, in almcfl all that is faid of him in the 
 
SECOND DISCOURSE. ty 
 
 prophetic Scriptures. This call from heaven, therefore, 
 makes it the bounden duty of the people of God, to come 
 out of 'every religious fociety, in which ungodly men par- 
 take of the folemn ordinances of the Gofpel. They are 
 called to this, in the forefight of that deftruclion which is 
 coming upon Babylon. They cannot avoid a participation 
 of her guilt, while they do not " flee out of the midlt of 
 Babylon, and deliver every man his foul* ;*' for the voice 
 fays, " Come out of her my people, that ye he not parta- 
 kers of her fins:" and they are in the utmpfl danger pf 
 readying of her plagues." 
 
 * Jer. !i, 6. 
 
 - 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 2 Tim. iii. i, 2, 3, 4, 5. 
 
 In the laft difcourfe, I endeavoured to illuftrate and en- 
 force, the duty of feparation from the world in religious 
 fellowfhip. You may now attend to another obfervation, 
 which is intimately connected with this fubjecl. 
 
 The difciples of Chrift are not only bound to turn away 
 from antichriftian focieties. but to be clofely united to one 
 another in the bonds of Chriftian love ; and, in their joint 
 capacity as churches, to obferve all the inftitutions of the 
 kingdom of heaven. The perfons who were converted by 
 the preaching of the Apofllcs, were immediately baptized, 
 and added to churches, if this laft was poffible from their 
 local fituation. In places where they had only juft begun 
 to nreach the Gofpel, thofe who believed it met together, 
 a \d obferved all the ordinances, to which in this firuation 
 they could attend ; and, whenever men appeared among 
 them, properly qualified for the work of the mini dry, they 
 were organized, or fet in order, as churches of the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift*; and " continued ftedfaftly in the Apoftles' 
 dodVine, the fellowfhip, the breaking of bread, and the 
 pravers " All this you will fee from the inftance already 
 mentioned of the church at Jerufalem, and from the whole 
 infpircd hiftory of the firfl churches, in the Acls and E- 
 piflles of the Apoftlesf. 
 
 The ordinances which are obferved in a church or con- 
 gregation of Jefus Chrift, are neceffary for the edific?,:ion 
 of the difciples, to put them in remembrance of the truth. 
 
 * Afls xiv. 33. Tit. i. 5. + A ^ s "• 4 1 - Co1 - Ji - i- * Cor - *'• : ' 
 
THIS 2 DISCOURSE . JI 
 
 by which they are faved, to increafe their faith, to 
 itrengthen their hops, to excite their love and obedience, 
 in thefe they enjoy communion with God, a fenfe of his 
 love fhed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, and an 
 anticipition of that unfoeakable joy, which they fhail r.t 
 laft obtain in his immediate prefence. For Chrift fays, 
 " He that hath my commandments, and keepeth Aem, he 
 it is that loveth me ; and he that loveth me, mall be loved 
 of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeft my- 
 felf to him*;" and God hath promifed to " dwell among 
 them, and walk among them; 1 will be a Father unto you, 
 and ye mail be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Al- 
 mightvf." The difciples of Chrift who mutually enjoy 
 thefe high privileges, will not afTume any diftant airs, or 
 gratify themfclves with the pride of worldly distinctions. 
 They are connected together as brethren, in the family of 
 their God and Father, and " are all one in Chrift Jefus. 
 There is one body, and one fpirit, even as they are called 
 in one hope of their calling, one Lord, one faith, one bap- 
 tifm, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and 
 through all, and in them all J." On thefe accounts, they 
 are " befought to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith 
 they are called, with all lowlinefs and meeknefs, with long- 
 fuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to 
 keep the unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace j." They 
 treat one another as near and intimate friends, who 
 are deeply concerned in each others welfare. They " re- 
 joice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that 
 weep**; accounting it " pure and undented religion before 
 God and the Father, to vifit the fatherleis and widows in 
 their amnion, and to keep themfelves unfpotted from the 
 world ft." They ftrengt'ien, edify, and comfort one ano- 
 ther in every fituation, with the words of eternal lifeij: 
 and they mew their concern for thofe in poor and afflicted 
 
 * John xiv. 21. -f 2 Cor. vi. 16, 18. 
 
 | Gal. iii. 28. Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6. § Eph. iv. i, 2, 3. 
 
 "* Rom. xii. 15. ft James i. 27. 
 
 X\ Rom. xv. 14. Eph. iv. 15. Ccl. iii. 16. j Theff. iv. 18, & v. 11. 
 
ililHD DISCOURSE. 
 
 circumflances, not by mere words of fympathy, but bj 
 contributing to their relief as God hath profpered them*. 
 By thus abounding in the work of faith, and labour of love 
 to the name of jefus, they " provoke one another to love, 
 and to good works ;" while they are alf© eirabliihed in the 
 faith, and excited to every Chriftian duty, by " not for- 
 faking the afTembling of themfelves together, but exhorting 
 one another; and fo much the more as they fee the day ap- 
 proachingf." They warn and admonifh thofe who are ap- 
 parently in clanger of going aflrayj, and if any of them 
 fhould be guilty of an evident breach of the law of Chrift, 
 they ufe, in the fpirit of love and meeknefs, all thofe means 
 which he hath appointed for bringing offenders to repent- 
 ance ||. In fome cafes, this may iffue in the exclufion of 
 an impenitent {inner from the fellowfhip of a church : but 
 even this is done from love to his foul; it is intended " for 
 the defl ruction of the flefli, that the fpirit may be faved in 
 the day of the Lord Jefus**." 
 
 If fuch are the advantages that may be enjoyed in this 
 connection ; and if feveral of the commandments that have 
 been mentioned cannot be obeyed, except in churches, 
 which is fo evident, that it requires no argument to prove 
 it; are not thofe who have forfaken Babylon, without find- 
 ing their way to the dwelling places of Mount Zion, very 
 much wanting to themfelves ? And mufl they not be con- 
 fcious of living in the neglect of a great part of that duty, 
 which they owe to their Lord and Saviour ? 
 
 III. I now proceed to make a few remarks on the ex- 
 tent of the duty enjoined in the text ; and, on the confe- 
 quences refulting from the faithful performance of it. 
 
 ijl. The law of Chrift does not make fuch a complete 
 ieparation between his difciples and the world, as to pre- 
 
 ' i Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19. Heb. xiii. 16. James ii. 15, 16. 1 John iii. 17 
 f Heb. x. 24, 25. 
 I 1 TheiT. v. 14. Heb. iii. 13. Jude ver. 22, 27. 
 || Mat. xviii. 15, 16, 17. •• 1 Cor. v. 5. 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 vent hypocrites and felf-deceivers from getting into the 
 pure ft churches. There was a traitor among the twelve 
 Apoftles of Chrift, who fold himfelf to commit the greateit 
 of all crimes. As I have hinted at the cafe of Judas, al- 
 low me to remark, that his being pre fen t or not at the 
 celebration of the Lord's Supper, does not affect the quef- 
 tion we are now upon. 1 incline to think, from its being 
 faid by the Evangeliit John, that after " having received 
 the fop he went immediately out*," that he was not pre- 
 sent when our Lord gave the bread and the cup to his dif- 
 ciples ; for it is perfectly clear, that the fop was given at 
 the PafTover Supper, which preceded the institution of the 
 Lord's Supper. None of the other Jivangelifts indeed take 
 notice of this circumftance, and one of them narrates the 
 whole tranfaction in fuch a way, as would naturally lead 
 us to conclude that Judas was there. But they do not af- 
 firm this ; and we frequently meet with a narration of hif- 
 torical fa£ts in the Scripture, not in the exact order in 
 which they happened. This appears evidently to have 
 been done by Luke in the prefent cafe ; for he mentions 
 full the Lord's Supper, and then the giving of the fop to 
 Judas, whereas Matthew and Mark both begin with the 
 latterf." Thefe three Evangelifts do not narrate any 
 eircumftance incoafiftent with Judas going away, immedi- 
 ately on his being pointed out as the traitor, and before 
 the institution of the Lord's Supper, though they omit this 
 particular ; and as John exprefsly affirms it, why may we 
 not conclude, that the fir ft fociety who partook of this or- 
 dinance, with the Lord himfelf in the midft of them, con- 
 futed only of his chofen friends, and faithful followers ; 
 and that he purpofely detected Judas, and put him away, 
 that none elfe might be prefent oi\ that folemn occasion ? 
 But if any think otherwife, let them remember that judas 
 was till then an unfufpecled difciple of t.he Lord Jefus, foi 
 when he faid, " One of you fhall betray me," the fufpicion 
 did not fall upon Judas ; each one of them faid, " Lord is 
 
 * John xiii. 30. { 
 t Luke xxii 19. — 13. Matth. xxvi. a«. — 30. Mark xiv. 18. — 26. 
 
..„RD DISCOURSE. 
 
 it I*?" A kind of intimation was given them refpe 
 Judas, but they did not underftand' it then ; for when Jefus 
 laid to him, " that thou doft, do quickly ; no man at the 
 table knew for what intent he fpake this to him I." Sup- 
 poling therefore that Judas had communion with them in 
 this ordinance, it was not as a known hypocrite, but ar, a 
 difciple of Jefus, whom they loved for the truth's fake. 
 
 Many other inftances of the fame kind might be men- 
 tioned. Twoperfons in the church at Jerufalem, Ananias 
 and his wife Sapphira, at a time when the difciples there, 
 were peculiarly filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit, 
 were guilty of a fingular inftance of diffim illation, which 
 brought upon them the inflant vengeance of Almighty 
 GodJ. Simon Magus, foon after his being baptized op 
 the profefiion of his faith, manifested himfelf to be " in 
 the gall of bitternefs, and in the bond of iniquity jj." And 
 many pcrfons in the firft churches, fome by their wicked 
 conduct, and others by their apoflacy from the faith, gave 
 complete evidence that they had never known the grace of 
 God in truth. But every one of them had originally pro- 
 ieffed to repent and believe the Gofpel, and for a time 
 walked under its influence. This is all that we can re- 
 quire, if we act in conformity to the commandments of 
 Jefus Chrift, and the example of his Apoftles. God alone 
 can judge the heart, and we have nothing to regulate our 
 judgment, but the confefiion of the mouth, and a line of 
 conduct fuitable to the holy profefiion of the name of 
 Chrift. Tares which refemble the wheat, mud not be 
 prematurely gathered up, " left we root up alfo the wheat 
 with them**." The distinction therefore which takes place 
 in the vtfible kingdom of God in this world, is not between 
 real believers, and chofe who only appear to be fuch ; but 
 between the latter, and thofe who, either by an unfound 
 profefiion of the faith, or by their want pf Subjection to the 
 laws of Chriit, do not appear to be real believers of the 
 Gofpel. If we only underftand what are the proper evi- 
 
 * Math. xxvi. 22. f John xiii. 27, 28. { A&sv. i. — n 
 
 ACls viii. 18. — 24. 
 
 
 >■ : " 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 ttences of faith in Chfift ; if v/e admit that no man ought 
 to be reckoned a C'niilian, till he make a fcfiptural pso- 
 fefiion of the faith, and be " taught by the grace of God, 
 which hath appeared to al! men bringing falvation, to. deny 
 iingodlinefs and worldly lulls, and to live foberly, righ- 
 teouily, and godly in this prfenet world*," we will not be 
 apt to err in this particular. The whole difcipline of 
 the churches, ought to be regulated by the principle that 
 has juft been mentioned. They cannot by any pofiible 
 means keep themfelves free of hypocrites, but they may 
 avoid connection with all thofe whom Chriftians, judging 
 according to the Word of God, can difcern to be fuch.. 
 
 id. The law of Chrift, however, makes a complete fepa- 
 ration in this refpedt, between legitimate profe.Tors of the 
 faith, and thofe who have nothing but the name and form. 
 Every one who has duly considered the doctrine of the 
 New Teftament on this fabjecT:, mud be convinced, that 
 Chriftians ought not to haVe fellowship in the Lord's Sut- 
 ler with viiible unbelievers, or fueh as are eaiily perceived 
 by thofe who follow the fcriptural rule of judging, to be 
 deititute of true Chriftiaidty ; though many, alas! who 
 have this conviction, find a variety of excunrs for acting in 
 oppofition to it. 
 
 But Chriitian communion does not conuf!: merely in a 
 joint participation of the Lord's Supper. Believers of the 
 Gofpel have alfo fellowship with one another in the ordi- 
 nances of prayer and praife, which always accompany the 
 preaching of the Word. Is it not therefore highly necef- 
 i'ary, that fnch as enjoy the unfpeakable privilege of draw- 
 ing near to God in prayer and thankfgiving, through the 
 atonement of Chrift, fnould cenfider What fort of focietics 
 they are, with which they join in tliefe ordinances of di- 
 vine worfhip ? If there is no diftinclion among them, be- 
 tween thofe who are, and thofe who are not accepted of 
 God in prayer ; do not the difciples of Chrift who worfhip 
 in fuch affemblies, join with unbelievers in that fervice 
 * Tit. ii. 1 1, 12. 
 G 
 
JO TIHRD DISCOURSE 
 
 of the livi ig God, which is peculiar to his own people ? 
 Nor that I would plead for excluding men of any descrip- 
 tion whatever, from the worfhipping afferablies of the- 
 people of God. All are welcome to hear the glad tidings 
 of falvatioti in the churches of Chrift, and to witnefs the 
 vatioii of every inftitution of the kingdom of heaven. 
 But h ougl I ■ ap far, that there is a diftin&ion made be- 
 tween the church and the world, that fome felect number 
 of the perfons prefent are accounted members of it. and 
 that none have communion with it, but thofe who " keep 
 the commandments of God, and the faith of Jefus*." 1 am 
 fully perfuaded, that the difciples of Chrift ought not to 
 give countenance to religious focieties of any other def- 
 criptionj nor to join in any part of their worlhip. All the 
 Scriptures that have been brought to prove the obligation 
 that lies upon them, to have no fellowship with unbeliev- 
 ers, evidently carry to this extent their feparation from 
 worldly men, and falfe profeffors of the faithf." 
 
 3d, Jt is by no means the intention of any one thing 
 that is affirmed, enjoined, or exemplified in the New Tef- 
 tament, concerning purity of communion, to feparate the 
 people of God from one another. The perfons from whom 
 the text obliges us to " turn awaj r ," are thofe alone who 
 " have a form of godlinefs, but deny the power thereof," 
 thofe who dishonour the Chriftian profeflion by a train of 
 conduct altogether oppofite to its puiity, or who are mere 
 nominal profeffors of the Chriftian faith. The command- 
 ments which regulate the conduct of believers of the truth, 
 in relation to one another, run uniformly in this ftrain, 
 " Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and 
 walk in love, as Chrift alfo hath loved usj." " Now I be- 
 feech you brethren, by the name of our Lord jefus Chriil, 
 that ye all fpeak the fame thing, and that there be no divi- 
 fions. among you ; but that ye be perfectly joined together in 
 the fame mind, and in the fame judgment j|." " If there be 
 
 * Rev. xiv. £2. f 2 Cor. vi. 14, 17. { Eph. v. i, 2. 
 
 11 1 Cor. i. ic. 
 
TKIRD DISCOURSE. 57 
 
 therefore any confolation in Omit, if any comfort of love, 
 if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies ; 
 fulfil ye my joy, that ye he like minded, having the fame 
 love, being of one accord, of one mind, SjV. *" This uni- 
 ty was predicted by the Frophet Jeremiah, " I will give 
 them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for 
 evcrf." Fzekiel connects the fame promife with the re- 
 generating influences of the Spirit of God, " I will give 
 them one heart, and I will put a new fplrit within you, 
 and I will take the fton}' heart out of their flefb, and will 
 give them an heart of fiefh ; that they may walk in my fta- 
 tutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them J." And 
 Ifaiah, when announcing, in animated and joyful il rains, 
 the future publication of the Gofpel of peace, and referring 
 to that period, fays, " Thy watchmen mail lift up the 
 voice, with the voice together mail they ling, fcj they 
 /hall fee eye to eye, when the Lord mail bring again 
 Zion||." Jefus prayed, not only that a real invifible u- 
 nity might fubfift among all his difciples, but that it 
 might appear to the world for their conviction. ;< Neither 
 pray I for thefe alone, but for them alio who fhall believe 
 on me, through their word : that they all may be one, as 
 thou Father art in me, and 1 in thee, that they aifo may be 
 one in us ; that the world may believe that thou halt fent 
 me**." This unity was exemplified in the church at je- 
 rufalem, for the whole multitude of the difciples there, 
 " were of one heart and of one foulff." It prevailed alfo 
 in feveral of the other primitive churches : and when any 
 |:hing oppofite to this appeared among them ; when they 
 were either divided in affection, or in their fentiments res- 
 pecting the truth itfelf, and the conduct to which it lead?, 
 they were feverely cenfured by the Apohles of Chrifl Jf. 
 Far be it from me, therefore, to fay any thing that would have 
 the fmalleft tendency to diflurb that unity of heart and af- 
 
 * Phil. ii. l. — 6. f Jer. xxxii. 39. \ Ezek. xi 19, 20. 
 
 J| Ifaiah lii. 7, 8. ** John xvii. 20.— 24. -ff Afis iv. 32. 
 
 fl 1 Cor. i. 11, 1-, 13. and iii. 1. — 10. and iv. 6, 7, 8. and xi. 16. — 2 ;. 
 2 Qor xii. 20, 21. Gal. v. 15. James iii. 1, 15. 10 the end. 
 
 G 2 
 
5§ THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 fcclion, or of faith and practice, which ought to iubrill a~ 
 mong " all who in every place call upon the name of Jefus 
 Chrifl our Lord." 
 
 I know, however, that it will be faid, with, what juftice 
 will appear from a candid flate of the argument on both 
 fides, that the direcl tendency of all that I have infilled for, 
 is ' to make fchifms and divisions, to alienate the affefifonsi 
 of the people of God from one another, and to crumble 
 them into a variety of fects and parties.' 1 lb. all probably 
 be ftigmatized as ' a leader of one of thofe parties, an c- :- 
 my to catholic charity, and totally deflitute of thofe liberal 
 and enlarged fentiments, which diftinguiih the true fpirit 
 of Chriftianity from party prejudices, enthufiaftic zeal, and 
 ignorant bigotry.' Ihefe accufations are founded on the 
 fuppofed impropriety of calling the people of God to for- 
 fake religious focieties, in which it is confeffed there are 
 many unbelievers, becaufe in fo doing, they would fepa- 
 rate from one another ; and on the examples that are eve- 
 ry where to be feen of numberlefs feclaries, formed by 
 thofe who have diffented from the religion of their coun- 
 try. 
 
 It mufi be confeffed, that in obeying the call of God to 
 turn away from thofe who have a form of godlinefs, but 
 deny the power thereoi. we feparate net only fiom perfons 
 of this defcription, but from all the people of God who re- 
 remain in connection with them: unlefs we fhould homolo- 
 gate the irrational conceit of fonie, who gravely affirm, 
 while they are in full communion with peiions of all de- 
 fcripiions, that they have no Chrijlian fellowjbip except 
 with true believers of the Gofpel. For if they have a real, 
 though invifible fellowship, with all the children of God in 
 heaven and on earth, to have we. " We are no more 
 {hangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the faints, 
 and of the houfehold of God*." " We are come to Mount 
 Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jeru- 
 falem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the 
 general afiembly and church of the firft-born, which are 
 
 * Fph. ii. ip. 
 
TH'RD DISCOURSE. *Q| 
 
 en in heaven*." Eur, I fpeak of outward vifible fel- 
 lovojhipy and this communion we certainly have, with all 
 our fellow-worihippers in the congregation to which we 
 belong, while we have it not with thofe from whom we 
 have feparated. 
 
 After this avowal, forne will perhaps expect a fair ac- 
 knowledgment, that we who have turned away from anti- 
 chriftian focieties, have no defire to be connected with fuch 
 of the difciples of Chrift as we have left behind us ; and 
 that we entertain as great an averfion to them, as to the 
 heterogenious bodies of profefiing Chrifiians, of which they 
 are members. This is by no means the cafe. We have 
 nothing in view, but to obey the commandments of Jefus 
 Chrift. We have made no fchifm in the church of God t by 
 leaving thofe focieties which are as full of envy, itrife, and 
 diviflonv as any other political bodies of worldly men ; and 
 which, for thefe and other veafons formerly mentioned, we 
 do not confider as Chriftian churches. If the Word of God 
 commands us to turn afide from falfe profefi'ors of Chrifti-. 
 anity, ought we to difobey this precept, becaufe fome oi 
 the genuine difciples of Chrift are^ among them? Will their 
 difobedience, proceeding in many cafes from ignorance of 
 their duty, excufe ours, which would be an open violation 
 of what we certainly know to be the law of Chriftf ? Or, 
 is it proper that our attachment to fuch perfons, however 
 well founded, mould lead us to difregard the authority of 
 God, and to act in oppofition to his revealed will J ? 
 
 It is true, the things in which we diner from real Cbrif- 
 tians of other denominations, are not in every view eflen- 
 tial to falvation, otherwife we could not admit the poffibi- 
 lity of their being real Chrillians; but it is effential to the 
 character of thofe who fear God, that they Jbould co?ifcien~ 
 tioujly obey whatever they know to be his will, 1 cannot re- 
 concile this principle with fuch a coalition of all parties, as 
 has been of late earneftly recommended, and in fome degree 
 exemplified, otherwife than by fuppoling that thefe parties 
 
 • Heb. xii. 22, 23. + Luke xii. 47, 48. 
 
 I Pfal. xW. ic, 1 r. Mat. x, yj, 58, 39. GrJ. ii. ix. 
 
fr 
 
 THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 have no real confcientious objection againit one another's 
 principles or practices ; and particularly, that they are all 
 agreed about the lawfulness of believers having fellowship 
 with unbelievers*. If they are not thus agreed, how can 
 they follow a practice oppofite to their own conviction of 
 what is made their indifpenfable duty by the Word'of Cod? 
 I3 it becaufe they reckon this a matter of fmall import- 
 ance ? 1 fhould rather think, it ought to be confidered ag 
 one of the great and weightier matters of Chriii's law. Tut 
 in whatever light this, or any other of the divine com- 
 mandments may be viewed, with refpeft to their compara- 
 tive importance, and whatever allowance it may be r cef- 
 fary to make for thofe who ignorantly difobey them ; we 
 dare not fuppofe that any who know them, can negle " t ; 
 leajl of them with impunity. All the peculiar laws of 
 Chrifl's kingdom,' are reckoned of little or no confequence, 
 by multitudes of profefiing Chriftians ; and thofe who plead 
 
 * No reflection is intended againft that which has "lately occafior id a 
 iim<5>ion of different parties. The defign of propagating the Gcfpel 
 the Heathen nations, whether in a (late of rudenefs and barbarity, or of 
 civilization and refinement, will certainly be approved by every one, who 
 knows the infinite importance of ialvation from the wrath to come. The 
 unanimity, zeal, and generous exertions, which have appeared in this be. 
 nevolent work, are highly commendable. Nor do I cenfure tfiofe, who 
 feem willing to put an end to the unmeaning diftinctions, which formerly 
 kept them at a diftance from other parties. Love is amiable in all its 
 forms; and when it proceeds in any refpeft on Chriftian principles, it mufl 
 be gratifying to all the lovers of Chrift. Tv]y only defign is, to {hew the 
 evil of real Chrrftians joining with any ftligious party, which does not at- 
 tend to divine ordinances in a Hate of feparaticn from the world. If tktir 
 ciin party is of this kind, they are as much to blame for remaining in con- 
 r.ecfion with it, as they can be for having fellowship with any other. It i< 
 my own opinion, that this is the prccifc footing on which the matter ftar.ds, 
 and that, whatever divetlliy of fentiment there may be among the indivi- 
 duals of whom the uniting parties are comroled, there is in iacft no mate- 
 1 ial difference among them, confidered as bodies, or diftinifl claffes of pro- 
 fefling Chriftians. Some of themlelves however, think otherwife ; and, if 
 it is their opinion, that their own communion is pure, and that it ought to 
 be lb, it remains with them to free themfelves from the inconliftency of 
 giving countenance to other parties, which have no fuch pretentions. With 
 perfons of the former clafs, I argue on their own principles. Thofe of the 
 latter, though in fome rcfpecls more to blar/.e, are yet more confiftent with 
 il | es 
 
THIRD discourse. or 
 
 on this account again!! fubjeution to any one of them, evident- 
 ly refill his authority*. What would you think of a man, 
 who, on being hard preffed about fome duties plainly en- 
 joined on the followers of Chrift, mould argue i 11 this man- 
 ner againft them ? ' Thefe things, I mud own, are com- 
 mandments of jefus Chrift, but they are not the effeutials 
 of true religion : many have obtained falvation without 
 knowing or obeying them ; and they appear to me fo trif- 
 ling and unimportant, that I am refolved to live in the to- 
 tal neglect of them.' Yet arguments of this kind, if it is 
 proper to call them arguments, by which the wifdom of 
 Chrift is impeached, and his authority fct at nought, are 
 too frequently ufed by very ferious profeffors, though they 
 may not always fpcak fo plainly. And it is chiefly be- 
 caufe we refufe to tamper in this manner with the authori- 
 ty of the King of Zion, that we are reckoned obltiuate, il- 
 liberal, and fchifmatical. 
 
 Further, it is th of all who believe the Gofpel.. 
 
 to hearken to that c.v.uma.idment of God, which calls them 
 out of antichriftian focieties. And if it were univerfally 
 regarded by all thofe perfons to whom it is addreffed, repa- 
 ration from the world in religious fellowihip would not 
 appear, as in fact it is not in its own nature, a meafure 
 which has any tendency to feparatc the people of God from 
 one another. On the contrary, they never can be proper- 
 ly united, nor " ft and fail in one fpirit, with one mind, 
 driving together for the faith of the Gofpel, and in nothing 
 terrified by their adversaries +," till they are " feparated 
 from all ftrangers %, and builded together" in churches " as 
 habitations of God, through the Spirit ||." There is not 
 any thing that I know, which fo entirely defaces the vifible 
 unity of Chrift's difciples, as the indifcriminate mixture of 
 believers with unbelievers, in the obfervation of Gofpel or- 
 dinances: nor was it poffible for Antichrift himfelf, to have 
 devifed a more effectual mean of preventing their real uni- 
 
 * Mat. v. 19. James ii. 10. f Phil. i. 27, 28. \ Neh. be. 2. 
 
 || Erh. ii, 22. 
 
THIRD uiscaOttSfi 
 
 ty in heart and affection, their edificatii • 
 their conformity to the Son of God. 
 
 Could our accufcrs juftly blame us, though we I 
 now turn the challenge again!! them, and lay, ' It . 
 that divide the people of God, by joining in religious fel- 
 lowfliip with worldly men, and refufing to become vilibly 
 one with the defpifed followers of Jefus j who, amldft a 
 great deal of fin and imperfection, v/iili to paj, a facred re- 
 gard to all his precepts. While you remain in your pre- 
 fent fituation, you unconfciouily fecond the efforts of t 1 d 
 Man of Sin, to obliterate that grand dift'melion between the 
 people of God and the world, which (bines as a fu i-beara 
 throughout the whole of the New Teftament; and to dark- 
 en the minds of men, with refpe£l to the nature of true 
 Chriltianity> Before you and we can be members of the 
 fame vifible church, either you muft yield obedience to the 
 Word of God, or we muft act in direct oppolitiou to it, 
 with regard to all that it prefcribes concerning the rule of 
 Chriftian communion. This alternative impofes no hard- 
 fhip on you, for it requires nothing of you, that is not de- 
 manded by the law of Chrift, whom you profefs to ferve. 
 But what an intolerable burden does it lay upon us ! Is it 
 your own opinion, that we would acl confeientioufly in fab- 
 mitting to it ? Surely not. Judge then, on which fide the 
 guilt of this feparation lies.' 
 
 It is undeniably true, alio, that among thofe who have 
 feparated from national churches, there is a vail variety of 
 parties ; fome of which are not a great deal more fcrupu- 
 lous about the purity of their communion than national 
 churches are, while others of them hold the mod danger- 
 ous errors refpefting the faith ; denying the doctrine of the 
 Scriptures concerning the perfon and atonement of the Son of 
 God, and almoft every thing that is important in the Gof- 
 pel. It will be a matter of deep regret to all who wiih the 
 prolperity of the Redeemer's kingdom, that there ihould 
 be any parties in the world but two, they WHO ARE OF 
 God, and they who are of this world*. But will any feri- 
 * i John iv. 4, 5, 6. and v. 19. 
 
ir:i.1D DISCOURSE. 63 
 
 11, Chriftian venture to affirm, that the great diverfity of 
 opinion and practice which obtains among various clalTes of 
 ;, is the neceflary coufequence of withdrawing, if 
 they have withdrawn from fellowship with unbelievers ? 
 Surely obedience to au exprefs commandment of the Lord 
 ft. Tus Chrift, cannot be a mean of fcattering and dividing 
 his fheep ; for all his laws, as well as his doctrine, have a 
 direct oppofite tendency. A due attention to this law pro- 
 duced the moft falutary confequences in the primitive 
 churches ; many of the evils which took place among them 
 arofe from the neglect of it ; and the fame caufes will in- 
 fallibly at this day produce the fame effects. The corrup- 
 tion of human nature, the temptations of Satan, and the 
 influence of the Man of Sin, who hath his difciples even a- 
 mong thofe who have feparated from national churches, 
 are fufficient to account for all the divisions and animoiities 
 that prevail amongft profefling Chriftians. 
 
 The queftion then muft neccfTarily come to this ilTuc. 
 By which party is the rule of the Word of God ftrictly and 
 confcicutioufly regarded? Do you fee any congregations of 
 Chriftians, profeffing the genuine faith of the Gofpel, and 
 following the approved example of the churches that were 
 planted by the Apoitles of Chrift ? Of them only it can be 
 juftly affirmed, tl at they avoid all fuch meafures as arc 
 truly fchifmatical, ivA fully appear to belong to that great and 
 honourable party, the whole family of God in heaven 
 and earth*. For though the order of churches, and a 
 fcrupulous attention to all the pofitive laws of Chrift, which 
 have nothing to recommend them but his authority, do noc 
 conftitute the effntials of true religion ; yet they form a 
 considerable part of the evidence of genuine Chriftianity, or 
 that which diftinguilhes the followers of Chrift from the 
 world. Every peifon indeed, who is not felf condemned 
 with refpect to his religious feilowifiip, will be partial to 
 his own party, and reckon it fuperior to any other. But 
 ftill, among all the various opinions that prevail in rela- 
 tion to this fubjecl. there is a pofiibiliry of difcerning b?- 
 ♦ Eph. iii, 15. 
 
64 THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 tvveen truth and falfebood. The former may with certain-' 
 ty be ascertained, and the latter detected by the Word of 
 God. " To the law and to the teftimony. If they fpeak 
 not according to this Word, it is becaufe there is no light 
 in them *." 
 
 The charge of narrow mindednefs and bigotry, cannot 
 with juflice be brought againft thofe who do not value 
 themfelves ou any thing that may be reckoned, by other pro- 
 feiTors, the badge of u party, if it is not fuch a thing as 
 ought to diftinguiih all the followers of Chrifl from the 
 world. We fincerely wifh, and pray for the falvation of 
 all men ; and feel ourfelves bound by the law of Chrifl, to 
 ferve them, both in their temporal and fpiritual interefts, 
 us we have opportunity. We utterly abhor all perfecution 
 for confcience fake, ou any pretext whatever ; and are fo 
 decidedly fixed in our principles againft violence in the 
 caufe of religion, that if any law were enjoined upon ur, 
 which our conviction of duty to God would not fuffer us 
 to obey, and if redrefs were not to be obtained by peace- 
 able remonftrances, our only alternative would be to fub- 
 mit to punifhment, or to flee from the impending dangerf. 
 We do not burden the conferences of the people of God 
 with ftandards devifed by human wifdom, and enforced by 
 human authority ; being fully perfuaded, that " ail Scrip- 
 ture is writtea by infpiration of God, and is profitable for 
 doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftniclion in 
 righteoufnefs ; that the man of God may be perfect, 
 thoroughly furnifhed unto all good work? f." And we 
 impofe upon them no terms of communion, except thofe 
 which are clearly and unalterably fixed by the Word of 
 God. While we condemn as antichriftian all religious fo- 
 cieties, in which no proper diftinftion is made between be- 
 lievers and unbelievers ; we readily acknowledge that the 
 Gopfel is preached by fome of their teachers, that many 
 individuals among them are the children of God, and that 
 fuch are mercifully preferved in this perilous fituation, 
 
 * Ifaiah viii. 20. f 1 Pet. ii. tp, 20, 21. Mat. v. 38.-42. and x. 23, 
 
 \ 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. See Appendix No. 2. 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. 6$ 
 
 tnd nourished by the Word of God, notwithstanding the 
 countenance which they give to the profanation of divine 
 ordinances. We love them fo far as they appear to be of 
 the truth, and are willing to have focial intercourfe with 
 them in every thing that is not inconfiftent with our duty to 
 Chrift. If we muft be accounted illiberal becaufe we will not 
 fin, I hope it mall be our endeavour, through the ftrength of 
 divine grace, to bear this reproach with patience, and even 
 to efteem it our honour ; for we know that, in far more 
 degrading circumftances, the fervants of God have " re- 
 joiced that they were counted worthy to fuffer thame for 
 the name of Jefus*." We are perfuaded however, that 
 the mod complete feparation from unbelievers, in obferv- 
 ing the ordinances of the Gofpel, is confident with the 
 trueft liberality of fentiment, and the greatefi: enlargement 
 of heart ; for Paul introduces in this manner, one of the 
 llrongeft prohibitions agahfl having fellowfhip with un- 
 believers, that is to be found in all the New Teftament, 
 " O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our 
 heart is enlarged ; ye are not ftraitened in us, but yc are 
 flraitened in your own bowels.. Now for a recompence in 
 the fame, (I fpeak as unto my children,) be ye alfo en- 
 larged. Be ye not unequally yoked together with un- 
 believers, £j?c.f" 
 
 Without enlarging further on what may be deemed a 
 perfonal j unification, though it proceeds not folely from 
 rhat motive ; I appeal to the Sacred Oracles. By them let 
 all our docf rine be fairly tried, and by their decifion let us 
 ftund or fall. 
 
 IV. I reqjjest your attention to a few practical obfei- 
 
 vations. 
 
 xjl. In general, we ought to confider the fulfilment of 
 
 the pr<j; efies refueling thofe perilous times which were 
 
 to come in the lalt days, as a moft convincing evidence of 
 
 the truth of divine revelation. From thefe prophefi.e 
 
 * Af>5 v. 4T. f i Cor. ri. n. — 15. 
 
 H 2 
 
66 THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 there was reafon to expecl a falfe profcffion of the name 
 Chrift in the world ; that it would ipiead very extenfively, 
 and continue during the long peiiod of twelve hundred and 
 fixty years*, under the evil aufpices of a wicked Power, de- 
 nominated the Beaft, or the eight head of Daniel's fourth beaft. 
 In one of Daniel's virions, he faw four great beafts, repre- 
 fenting four mighty fucceffire empires, which were found- 
 ed by the Babylonians or Chaldean?, theMedes and Perfians, 
 the Grecians, and the Tomans. The Iaft of thefe beafts had 
 tenhoras, fignifying the ten kingdoms into which the Roman 
 Empire was afterwards divided. " And among them another 
 lkdc horn came up, before whom there were three of the 
 firft horns plucked up by the roots : and in this horn were 
 eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth fpeaking great 
 things. His look was more flout than his fellows f." This 
 s explained by John's vifion of " a fcarlet coloured beaft, 
 full of names of blafphemy, having feven heads and ten 
 horns, on which a woman fat, having upon her forehead a 
 name writen, Myftery, Babylon the great, the mother of 
 harlots, and abominations of the earth J." The fame thing 
 Is evidently reprefented by the beaft which John faw, and 
 Daniel's fourth beaft. Each of them had ten horns, and 
 the eight head of the beaft defcribed by John, anfwers to 
 the little horn mentioned by Daniel. Th*t the empire of 
 Rome was intended, is perfectly clear from its being the 
 fourth and laft of thofe univerfal monarchies which are def- 
 cribed by Daniel, from all that is affirmed of it in this and 
 his other virions, from the explanation given of thefe in 
 the Revelation of John, and particularly from his pointed 
 and minute defcription of the feat or throne of this mon- 
 ftrous power. It was a city built on " feven mountains," 
 " that great city which reigned overthe kmgs of the earth j|;" 
 none of which tilings could then be affirmed of any city 
 in the world but Rome. The fame Power which is reprefent- 
 ed in thefe and other prophefies, by the figure of a devour- 
 ing beaft, exercifing his tremendous authority in behalf of 
 
 Dan. xii. 7. Rev. xi. 3. ar.d xii. 6, 14. f Dan. vii. 7, 8, ; 
 
 1 Rev. xvii. .3. [j Rev. xvii. < 
 
THIRD DISCO: O; 
 
 Ion the great, the mother of harlots, and putting to 
 dpath all who refufcd to worfhip him, is elfewhere deno- 
 ted Antichrift, the Man of Sin, and the Son of Per 
 oirion. Bv him the myjlery of iniquity, which forms rt 
 (hocking contra:! to THE JKYSTERY OF GODLINESS, was 
 brought to its maturity and perfection *'. 
 
 The whole hiftory of the prbfeffion of Chi -for 
 
 many ages paft, and particularly from the time of the de- 
 ii-ruclion of the Roman Empire, foon after which the . 
 of Sin was " revealed," or fully manifefted in ^ili his defor- 
 mity, is an exact fulfDmeLt of thefe pr< i 
 which defcribe his exaltation and triumph ; and others of 
 them, his gradual downfal, with the circumit^nces at- 
 tending it, and the means by which it was to be accom- 
 plifhcd. No human fagacity could pohibly have forefeen 
 a train of fuch wonderful events, extending to diltant "ges, 
 and involving the fubjeclion of many kingdoms to an u- 
 iurped fpirituai Power, which was to maintain its afcen- 
 dency for a much longer period than the duration of any 
 other univerfal Monarchy that had exilled in the world ; 
 and by means entirely different, in fome refpecls, from 
 thofe which had been formerly employed for the purpose 
 of fubduing and enflaving mankind. The profpecl of thefe 
 things filled the Apoftle John himfelf with the higheft 
 aftoniihmeut. Speaking of the falfe church, he fays, " I 
 faw the woman drunken with the blood of the faints, and 
 with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus: and when I faw her, 
 J wondered with great admiration," or aftoniflimentf. We 
 lee alfo at this day, many of thefe prophefies fulfilled before 
 our ejes. — The Man of Sin confumed in a great meafure 
 by the Spirit of the Lord's mouth, yet maintaining ftill a 
 high degree of authority in feveral of the kingdoms of 
 Europe ; and his influence in fome meafure, either direct- 
 ly or indireclly i'dt thrc ug . ut the whole of them, as hath 
 been already mown. But in order to obtain that confir- 
 mation of our faith which the accomplifhment of thefe pre- 
 dictions ought to produce, it is neceflary to form a jufr ef- 
 * i John ii. 18, ;:. and 'w. 3. a , 7. . .-ii. 6 
 
63 rHIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 timate of the profeffion of Christianity which now generally 
 
 3. To c efteem i ././, there can 
 
 be nothing more {tumbling 5 for all the wickednefs that ever 
 man committed, has been perpetrated by multitudes who 
 affuiaed the Christian name. Whereas, if we admit that 
 they were Christians only hy profejjion, then Christianity 
 has nothing to do with their crimes, any further than as 
 its divine origin is proved by their accomplishing the pro- 
 phetic Scriptures. In proportion as men profciling godli- 
 nefs, have fold themfelves to commit iniquity, in the fame 
 proportion has the Word of God been fulfill«d. 
 
 What a finking thing is it, that our faith mould be 
 Strengthened by a furvey of the moSt melancholy fcenes 
 that ever took place in the world! Events which feemed 
 to threaten the final overthrow of the Gofpel itfelf, and the 
 total extirpation from the earth, of all its genuine be- 
 lievers ! 
 
 It would be a happy thing, if profeffing Christians were 
 difpofed to confider, rather in a religious than in a political 
 light, all thofe calamities which arife from the difputes of 
 jnding parties, about worldly power and pre-eminence 
 in particular countries ; aid the more extenfive fcenes of 
 m miierj in all its forms, that flow from " nation ri- 
 ft nation, and kingdom againSt kingdom." By all 
 thefe events the Word of God will be fulfilled, and they 
 finally iiiuc in the complete destruction of the Man of 
 the univerfal profperity of the Redeemer's king- 
 dom. What is tht duty, in the mean time, of thofe who 
 • e the Gofpel? Not furely to become parties in a vio- 
 lent Struggle to fecure, ci to obtain the riches, honours, 
 '--.-lures cf this life; nor, on any pretext whatever, 
 to refift '' the powers that are." It is a dangerous thing 
 to intermix religion with politics: thofe who are much cn- 
 the latter, will not in generai continue long to 
 - a rd the former ; for the two purfuits are as incompa- 
 tible as fervingGod and mammon. If it is true, as I think 
 has been proved, that the kingdom of Chrift cannot be pro- 
 » any of thofe means which are employed in efta- 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. % 
 
 bliiliing and defending worldly kingdoms, there is evident- 
 ly no juft pretence for being engaged in keep, political dif- 
 putes, on the fcore of religion. May, I will venture to af- 
 firm, that in proportion as you yield to temptations of this 
 kind, your conduct will become a difgrace to your profef- 
 fion. The law of Chrift, in the fame peremptory manner, 
 prohibits his difciples from aiTerting their civil rights by 
 any violent and forcible means ; for it requires them to br 
 fubject to kings and rulers, in every country where their 
 lot is cart, without any refpecl to the nature of the govern- 
 ments under which they live, or the propriety or impro- 
 priety of the meafures that may be purfued by the civil 
 powers*. The Chriftians at Rome, who inhabited the ve- 
 ry centre of deipotifra, who had certainly juft grounds of 
 complaint agai:ifl their fupreme ruler, the cruel tyrant Nero,, 
 and who had been deprived of their ancient eonftitution and 
 liberties in an arbitrary and lawlefs manner, were, never- 
 thelefs, commanded in the mail exprefs terms, " ever;, 
 foul" of them, to " be fib-eel: to the higher powersf ;" and 
 the unlawfulnefs of refinance on the part of Chriftians, is 
 put beyond ail doubt by thefe words, addreffed to the fain:, 
 perfons ; " Whofoever then fore rc-fifteth the power, rc- 
 fifteth the ordinance of God, and they that refill iLall re- 
 ceive to themfelves damnation:}:," or rather judgment. 1 will 
 not fay that you have no grievances ; but whatever thefe may 
 be, you mult be fenfible they are not to be named, in compa- 
 rifon with thefe which the iirit Chriftians endured, and that 
 many hleffings are fecured to you by the mild and aufpici- 
 ous lav. s of youi count;--, for which they depended on the 
 will of an arbitrary monarch. The obligation therefore, to 
 " fubmit yourfelves to every ordinance of man for the 
 Lord's fakej|,"' mud be at leaft equally binding on you, as 
 it was on them ; and you will eafily perceive that no man 
 tan attempt to fnew trie oppofite, without plainly contra- 
 dicting the Woid of God, either from ignorance of its 
 meaning, or from a defire to prevent it. Behdcs a great 
 
 • Mat xx;' 21. 1 Tim. i. i, 2. Tit. iii. 1,2. 2 Fct. ii 10. 
 \ Rom. xiii. 1, — 8. J Verfe 2. j| 1 Pet. ii. 13,- - 
 
JTO THlRli DISCOURSE. 
 
 variety of exhortations which are given to Chriftians, 
 refpecT: to all the other relative duties, thofe which we ovs 5 
 to our civil governors, are inculcated in the New Tefta- 
 ment, in no lefs than feven different places, in fome of 
 which, they are dwelt upon at greater length than any 
 thing elfe cf the kind, except the duties which fervants 
 to their mailers. There is fomething, I doubt not, in hu- 
 man nature, which made this neceffary in both cafes ; and 
 as there is no want of evidence at the prefent day of the 
 truth of what I now affirm, it is fo much the more incum- 
 bent on you to give an example in your conduct, of thaf 
 due fubordination which the Word of God inculcates. 
 
 id. Enough has been faid to convince you of the necef- 
 fity of attending to the Word of God, and refufing impli- 
 cit fubjeftion to any fet of men in matters of religion. What 
 immenfe numbers of the human race have accomplifhed 
 their own deftruclion, by following their fpiritual guides ! 
 They have in many inftances been " blind, leaders of the 
 blind; and both have fallen into the ditch*." It is not 
 fafe even to follow in all refpects thofe who are reckoned 
 eminent, or who in former times may have been eminent 
 for their faith and holincfs. The bed men ate liable to err, 
 and you ought never to fuppofe that any fentiment muft 
 be right, or that any thing is a duty, merely becaufe the 
 one was held, and the other pra£tifed, by eminent faints, 
 or great divines. The antiquity of certain principles and 
 practices, is no recommendation to them, unlefs you can 
 trace them back to the days of the Apoftles, and clearly e- 
 itablifh them from the doctrine which they taught, and the 
 conduct which they approved. It would fave a great deal 
 of trouble, and prevent the danger of falling into many er- 
 rors, if people, inflead of fearching the works of the pri- 
 mitive fathers, in order to fanclion their fj items of divi- 
 nity, would apply at once to the New Teftameht ; which, 
 befides being divinely infpired', lias a higher claim to anti- 
 quity, and is more fimple, and eafy to be underftood. I 
 * Mat. xv. 14. 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. 
 
 oo not queftion that fome things recorded in the New Tef- 
 irament, may be illuftrated and confirmed by the writings 
 of thole who lived near the time of the Apofties; bat what- 
 ever is found in the latter, una not in the former, mud go 
 for nothing, in the opinion of all thofe who tremble at the 
 Word of God. 
 
 From any accounts that have been tranfmitted to us of the 
 times immediately after the Apoftles, there is no great rea- 
 fon to bo aft of their parity. The churches foon began to 
 depart from the original fimplicity of the inftitutions of 
 Chrift, and gave many proofs both of fuperftition and felf- 
 righteoufnefs. They fuflered their teachers to aflume a de- 
 gree of power and pre-eminence, totally inconfiftent with hu- 
 - and felf-denial, which fo well become the followers 
 cf Chrift. They vaifed the eiders of churches to the dig- 
 nities of diocefan and metropolitan bifliops ; and thus pre- 
 pared the way for that fatal dominion of the clergy, which 
 ied them to enflave and perfecute the people of God, 
 and almoit to annihilate the true profeffion of the name of 
 ft in the world. They introduced philofophy into the 
 Chriftian fyftem, and darkened the fimple revelation of the 
 Gcipel by the wifdom of the fchools. It does not appear 
 however, that thefirft churches had in general many wick- 
 ed characters among them, till long after the time of the 
 On the contrary, they frequently went beyond 
 the rule of the Word of God, in delaying to admit new 
 converts, as well as perfons who had been excommunicated, 
 and who feemed deeply to repent oi their wicked conduct. 
 This again arole from their having corrupted the doctrine 
 bf the Gofpel. They were not fufficiently aware, that they 
 themfelves could only live by free and fovefeign mercy, 
 and therefore they refufed to have companion on their fel- 
 low finners. 
 
 T.:c more we examine the writings of men, and the prac- 
 tice of churches, the more will we fee the abfolute necef- 
 fity of regulating oar own fentiments and conduct by the 
 Word of God alone. We ought not even to follow, in all 
 refpects, the example of thofe churches, whofe hiftovy is 
 
 I 
 
y2 tiii:;l» ■.:.. 
 
 recorded by irtfpired men ; for they give us a faithfu 
 count of their crimes, as Well as their virtues. And if it 
 is neceffary to obf< were ap- 
 
 ed, and coi led with the doctrine of the Apoftles, 
 
 • we ca i be w i ranted ro follow them; it mail be flill 
 more n y to com :> ire with the fame rule, the doctrine 
 
 and pi idtice of the mofl eminent fathers, and the moil an- 
 cient and renowned churches. Indeed, if this fentirhent 
 had not prevailed at the time of THE reformation, the 
 
 I would flill have been funk in Popifli darknefs, fu- 
 perftition, and idolatry. It is only to be regretted, that 
 <s, great and beneficial as their labours were, 
 did not confidently adhere to it in all refpecls : for they alio 
 pleaded the authority of the fathers, and eftablifhed human 
 ftandards of Chriftian faith and practice. 
 
 %d. I would exhort you, my brethren, who know the 
 nature of Meffiah's kingdom, who have been delivered from 
 antichrjftian delufio us, and made partakers of thofe privi- 
 leges which were enjoyed by the fir ft churches, to retain a 
 deep fenfe of the evils you have efcaped, and the blefi 
 which you now enjoy. Shew this, by keeping at a diftance 
 from every thing that would endanger your returning, 
 even in your hearts, to Babylon. " Touch not the unclean 
 thing ;" and remember, that with this the Lord connects 
 thefe comfortable words, " i will receive you, and will be 
 a father unto you, iSc." 
 
 Confider alfo, 1 befeech you, how much reafon you have 
 gret the mifimprovement or abufe of priv 
 you been all this while " growing in grace, and in 
 knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus 
 you fafficiently made it to appear, that you were 09t barren 
 nor unfruitful in this excellent knowledge, by its produ- 
 cing in your hearts and lives, all thofe practics I hich 
 are attributed to it in the Word of God ? Are none of you 
 become lukewarm, indifferent about the awfully important 
 concerns of eternity, and infenfible ro thofe benefits which 
 you might obtain, by attending to the ordinances with that 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. 73 
 
 of fcul which becomes redeemed fitmers ? Vv r e are 
 more free from grofs and fcandalous fins, from dangerous 
 errors in doctrine, and from outward irregularities in con- 
 ducing our worfliip, than fome of the firft churches were. 
 But alas ! we come far Hiort of them, in the enjoyment that 
 many of them had of the love of God, and the hope of eter- 
 nal life, in their (elf-denial, and mortification to this world, 
 their fervent love one to another, their humility, meeknefs, 
 and patience under fufferings*. While they were " in hea- 
 vinefs through manifold trials, they rejoiced" in the pro- 
 fpect of the heavenly inheritance, " with joy unfpeakable, 
 and full of glory." Our feparation from the world, there- 
 fore, though it is both a privilege and a duty, furniih.es us 
 with no pretext for glorying over other men. It is a mofi 
 humbling confederation, that we have been feparated to fo 
 little purpofe ; and ought, I am perfuaded, to lead every 
 one of us to deep repentance. Perhaps, it cannot be laid 
 with truth, that all of you are a9 much exercifed to godli- 
 nefs, in every r.efpecl, .hs many of thofe whofe ignorance 
 you profefs to pity. Will not this provoke you to emula- 
 tion ? Are you not aihamed to give to the world around 
 you, fuch a mean and unworthy example of the influence of 
 thole fublime principles which you profefs to hold? 
 
 Beware of treating with indignity and contempt, thofe 
 who may differ from you about the things of which 1 have 
 been fpeaking ; efpecially when you have any reafon to 
 think that they are taught of God to know the truth as it 
 is in Jefus. Inftrucl them with meeknefs, as they are able 
 to bear it ; admonifh them with tendernefs and affection ; 
 and make it evident by the whole of your deportmenr, that 
 vou have nothing in view but the good of their fouls. At 
 the i'diuc time, yield none of the fayings of Chrift to their 
 prejudices, or averfion : maintain with unfhaken firmnefs, 
 and in its own due place, every thing that you have le; rn- 
 ed from the word of God. liven when uii proper occafioirt 
 
 * Thefe oppofite things are affirmed of different perlbns. Dangerous er. 
 rors hi do&rioe, and indulging in grofs lins. are totally incompatibl 
 re of God, and the hope of eternal life. 
 
 I j 
 
74 THIRD DlSCOUl 
 
 you reprefeut the extreme wicl ednefs oi 
 
 rupt profeflion of Chriftianity, of whicl uty to 
 
 fpeak, when called to it, with the utmoft p] 
 
 every indifcreet and abufive manner of fpeecb ; 
 
 tate, in all your expreffions, the fctioin, folemn, 
 
 nified language of the Word of God. 
 
 qth. I shall now ufe the freedom to addrefs myfelf to 
 you who believe the Gofpel, and enjoy peace with 
 through our Lord Jefus Chrift ; but have not yet ; 
 away from outward nominal profefibvs, nor connected your- 
 felves with the churches of the faints. You have heard 
 fome account of the perils of the latter days, and the obli- 
 gations you are under, as haviug received mercy, to be 
 clofely united with your brethren in Chrift Jcfus, and to 
 acknowledge none as fuch, but thofe who " are of the truth, 
 and hear Chrifl's voice." You will judge of the truth or 
 falfehood of all that 1 have fpoken : I prefume not to dic- 
 tate to your consciences. But remember, that whatever 
 judgment you now form, ycu will be accountable for it at 
 the judgment feat of Jefus Chrift. You are in danger of 
 being led aiide by the error of the wicked, by the preju- 
 dices ariling from education and habit, by reipect for the 
 opinions of thofe whom you have been taught to venerate, 
 and by the fear of reproach, which they who make a lin- 
 gular profeflion of the name of Chrift have reafon to ex- 
 pec!. You have need therefore, to examine the Word of 
 God with much care and diligence, and to pray earneiily 
 for his enlightening Spirit, that you may be led into ail 
 truth, and made willing to yield obedience to that which 
 you already know. 
 
 Give no ear to that principle which many have efpoufed, 
 1 That a number of the laws which Jefus Chi ill hath given 
 to his churches, are of little or no confequence ; that we 
 may be very good Chriftians without obeying them ; and 
 that, in order to our having fellowihip with all the people 
 of God, of whatever denomination, it is neceflary and pro- 
 per that we mould act in oppoiltion to fome things, which 
 
CHJRD URSP. j\ 
 
 ire the coi ord.* One 
 
 ing of this principle, would be 
 
 ■ ent to render it odious in the eyes of all who fear God. 
 
 undoubtedly, in diflinftion from others, art* 
 
 iier matters of the law." But does 
 
 :fpe& to both, " thefe ought ye to 
 
 ot to leave the other undone*?'- Ai d on 
 
 her occafion he fays, " whofoever fixall 'ore : one oj 
 
 ,, and fhall teach men fo, he (hall be 
 
 in the kingdom of heavenf." When re- 
 
 com: i own example, one of thofe offices of 
 
 h, though it mould be neceflary on 
 
 rfions, fome would confider as trilling, and o= 
 
 as degra I ays, " if yc know thefe things, 
 
 e do them X" No divine commandment 
 
 tt to be reckoned of fmall importance, though fome, in 
 
 tfon with others, may be called the leaft. Nor is 
 
 iftian principle more clearly efiab/limed than 
 
 chat the difciples of Chrift are bound to do all things 
 
 whatfoever he hath commanded them. ** Whofoever fhall 
 
 j eep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is 
 
 7 of all," becaufe he refills the authority of the great 
 
 and only lawgiver, " who is able to fave, and to de- 
 
 ftroy||." 
 
 When we read of the difcbecliencc of the firfl man, we 
 
 fee nothing more than a tranfgrefflon, exactly fiiniliar to 
 
 thofe which are avowed by many ferious profefTmg Chrifli- 
 
 ans. What immorality was there in eating the forbidden 
 
 fruit? None furely, except what arofe from the divine 
 
 prohibition. Yet this law was enforced by an awful fane- 
 
 i, "In the day that thou eateit thereof, thou lhalt furelv 
 
 rence was executed : all men die ; all de- 
 
 ...re from m; and, on account 
 
 are expofed to everlafting punifhment. I 
 
 am not fpeaking to infidels, who would fcoil" at thefe things: 
 
 1 know that j ou believe them. This fignal difplay of the 
 
 x.r.. 13. f Mat. v. 19. J: John xiii. 12. — iR. 
 
 [j James u. 10. and iv. 1:. "* Gen. ii. 16, 17. 
 
THIRD DISC0URS1 
 
 Divine vengeance againf} what fome call a trivial offense, 
 ought therefore to deter you from hearkening to the lie 
 
 of Satan, who fays, " Yc {hall not h\rc]y die.*" 
 
 Perhaps fome of you may plead, that you arc bound, in 
 the judgment of charity, to confider the perfons with whom 
 you walk in the fellowfhip of the Gofpel, as real Chrif- 
 tians ; or at leaft, that though many of them give little evi- 
 dence of this by their conduct, yet you are not warranted 
 pofitively to judge them as unbelievers. It is difficult to 
 reafon on a matter of this kind, with thofe who have no 
 fixed fentiments about the proper evidences of genuine 
 Chriftianity. 1 am far from wifhing you to form a hard 
 and unwarrantable judgment. But furely thofe things which 
 diftinguifh believers from unbelievers, are not all of a ne- 
 gative kind. Pveal Chriflians. rouft be expected to give 
 fome pofitive evidences of their faith in Chrift. They will 
 mew by their converfation, that they uncjerftand and love 
 the Gofpel ; they will confcientioully perform every moral 
 duty, and alfo keep thofe fayings of Chrift which have no- 
 thing to recommend them but his authority, fo far as they 
 are initiuctecl in the knowledge of them. They will in a 
 particular manner attend to the duties of brotherly love, 
 by which the difciples of Chrift are known to one another, 
 and to ail menf." Well then, are all the perfons with 
 whom you walk in religious fellowfbipcf this description? 
 Can you fay in truth and fincerity, whether you belong to 
 the national church, or to others which are fimilar in their 
 conftitution, and have adopted her fiandards, that the 
 churches of which you are members are " in God the Fa- 
 ther, and in the Lord Jefus Chrift j" and that it is proper 
 to denominate them " habitations of God through the Spi- 
 rit, the Temples of the living God J?" Do you really be- 
 lieve, that the individuals of which they are compofed are 
 " beloved of God, called to be faints, faithful brethren in, 
 Chrift Jefus," and thofe who are " called by God the Fa- 
 
 • Gen. iii. 4 t John xiii. 34, 35. 1 Theff. i. 3, 4. 
 
 i 1 Theff. i. 1. Ej.h. ii. 22. 2 Cor. vi. 16. 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17, 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. " jf 
 
 ther to the fellow/hip of hid Soi Jefus Ghriil oar Lord*?'* 
 If they are not entitled to thefe appellations, ia what re- 
 fpects do they refemble the primitive churches, which wen 
 thus defcribed ? And if they are quite a different kind of 
 churclics, how can you think it a duty incumbent oa you 
 to continue in their communion ? 
 
 It has been admitted that the people of God are in that 
 Babylon, which is the antitype of the ancient city of this 
 name, in which the children of Ifracl were held in capti- 
 vity. They are in the great city itfelf, and in all her dijfc 
 tant provinces, which in a greater or lefs degree imitate 
 her iniquitous conduct.. But, I befeech you tg obferve, 
 that the word of God does not promife them perfect fafety 
 and confolation there. The ancient people of God, when they 
 dwelt in the capital of Chaldea, and in fome of its provin- 
 ces, felt themfelves in bondage, and had no happinefs or 
 comfort, but in theprofpeft of returning to Zion. " They 
 fat down by the rivers of Babylon ; they wept when they 
 remembered Zion ; they hanged their harps upon the wil- 
 lows ;" and, in anfwer to the infulting demands of their c- 
 nemies, they faid, " how {hall we ting the Lord's fong in a 
 ftrange land ? If I forget thee, O Jerufalem, let my right 
 
 I Ihrgct her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let 
 my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ; if I prefer not 
 Jerufalem above my chief joy f." 1 doubt not you have 
 often had feelings of the fame kind, though you might not 
 fo perfectly know the caufe of your bondage and dil 
 Can you expect, peace or fecurity, while you arc at 
 tance from your Father's houl'e, and captives in a foreign 
 land ? But, which is flill worfe, you are willing capl 
 and refufe to be let at liberty. The Lord hath bi 
 that Power which kept his people in f pi ritual bond 
 
 hath " appeared in his glory, building up Zion, 
 ing the prayer of the deftitute, and not defpifing their 
 prayer J." But while he is " turning again the captivity 
 of Zion, you are like them that dream §." You can fcarce- 
 
 * Rom. i. 7. i Cor i. 2, 9. Col. i. 2. + Pfal. czxxvii. I, — 7, 
 
 I ITal. cii. 16, 17, 18. § Pfal. cx.wi. 1. 
 
]y believe that there is any real 
 
 Is are full of di and confuiion, 
 
 where to turn yo 
 
 menu time, the voice from heave n • i to ma! 
 
 your efcape, waxes lo loud 
 
 concurs with the prophetic. 
 
 the time draws nigh, when another voice fhall be 1 
 faying, " Babylon the 'great is fallen 51 !" You h . 
 many opportunities of knowing your d 
 who lived in former ages, when the Man of Sin was in the 
 zenith of his power. What excufe then can - J 
 living in a ftate of carnal fecurity, and V 
 midft thofe great and imminent dangers to which you are 
 expofed ? I am perfuaded, that when the final deftru 
 of Babylon comes, the Lord's people will be k< C in i 
 not by being preferved there, but by their hearing his 
 voice, and being delivered from all connection with anti- 
 chriltian focieties. It was in this manner that the dif- 
 ciples of Chrift were faved from that deftruelion which 
 came upon the city of Jerufalem : they made their ei 
 from it, in the faith of what our Lord had prophefied, and 
 in obedience to his exprefs commandment f." 
 
 If you will not be moved by thefe terrors of the Lord, 
 allow me to befeech you by his mercies. Do you n 
 cnioy the forgivenefs of fin, through the atonement cf the 
 Son of God ? Hath " the God and Father of our Lord Je- 
 fus Chrift, according to his abundant mercy, begotten you 
 again to a lively hope, by the refurrecKon of Jefus Chrift 
 from the dead ?" And will you difregard any thing that 
 he hath fpoken ? Ought not " the love of Chrift to con- 
 ftrain you, becatife you thus judge, that if one died for all, 
 then were all dead ; and that he died for all, that they who 
 live, mould not henceforth live unto themfeives, but unto 
 him who died for them, and rofe againj? Are you not 
 convinced in you own minds, that it is none of the effects 
 of genuine and fervent love, to confider bow little of his 
 
 Rev. xiv. 6, 7, 8. u.:;xlv. 15,— 19. 
 
 f ?. Cor. v . i 4, 1 .; 
 
THIRD DISCOURSE. 79 
 
 will you may obey, and yet be in a ftate of fafety ? Love 
 will difpofe you to " {hew forth the praifes of him, who 
 hath called you out of darknefs into his marvellous light," 
 and minutely to enquire what is the will of Chrift in e- 
 very particular, that you may obey it. Either the entire 
 neglect of the commandments of Chrift, or a long conti- 
 nued hefitation about putting them in practice, is not very 
 confident with the powerful, operative, and conftraining 
 principle of love. " This is the love of God, that we 
 keep his commandments, and his commandments are not 
 grievous*." And Chrift fays, " If ye love me, keep my 
 commandments. He that hath my commandments, and 
 keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. He that loveth me 
 not, keepeth not my fayings f." 
 
 I ftiall conclude with the following words of the Apoftle 
 John, which have an immediate reference to the fubjecis 
 we have been coniidering j for fome of thefe lubjecls occu- 
 py a great part of the book of the Revelation. " Bleffed is 
 he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this pro- 
 phefy, and keep thofe things which are written therein: 
 
 FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND J." 
 
 ?i John v. 3. f John xir. 15, 21, 24. f Rev. i. 3. 
 
 £ 
 
APPENDI X. 
 
 No. I. 
 
 Thoughts on the Weekly Celebration of the Lord's 
 Supper. 
 
 1 r may be ufeful to give a brief fummary of the fcriptural 
 evidence, which confirms the afTertion in the Firft Difcourfe, 
 page 1 6, that the primitive Chriftians obferved the ordi- 
 nance of the Lord's Supper every firft day of the week. 
 
 The words of our Lord at the inftitution of this ordi- 
 nance, do not pofitively afcertain how often it ought to be 
 celebrated by his difciples. The only thing that points at 
 this, is what he faid concerning the cup*, " This do ye, as 
 oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me ;" and in the Apoitle 
 Paul's obfervation which accompanies this, " for as often 
 as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do fhew the 
 Lord's death till he comef." As profeffing Chriftians ge- 
 nerally wifti for fome latitude in matters of this kind, many 
 of them have fuppofed, from thefe exprefiions, that the fre- 
 quency of the Lord's Supper is difcretionary on their part, 
 and that Chrift and his Apoftk's hnve left them at liberty 
 to attend to it, as often, or as feldom as they find it conve- 
 nient. The confequence has been, thai in all the congre- 
 gations belonging to the Church of Scotland, and in many 
 .ting congregations, they obferve it only once, or at 
 * i Cor. xi. 25. f Verfe 26. 
 
 K 2 
 
8l APPENDIX. 
 
 moft, twice in the year. According to tlieir own principles, 
 however, they need not keep this ordinance more freqently 
 than once in fcven years, if they fhould fo incline. This a- 
 lo le ; s fufneient to convince all who ferioufly wifh to know 
 their duty, that it is not probable atleaft, that a matter of fuch 
 importance would be left on a footing fo exceedingly vague 
 and undetermined. But fuppofing it were altogether op- 
 tional and voluntary on our part, whether would a grateful 
 and affectionate remembrance of the love of Chrift in giv- 
 ing his life a ranfom for many, and an earneft deiire of en- 
 joying the bleffings fignified in this ordinance, induce us 
 to keep it every Lord's day, or once in twelve months ? 
 The anlwer that cannot fail to be given to this queftion by 
 all the genuine difciples of Chrift, will nearly fettle the 
 point in difpute. 
 
 This point ought to be fully determined by the example 
 of the churches that were planted by the Apoftles, and 
 there is very complete evidence that they partook of the 
 Lord's Supper, every firfl day of the week. We are in- 
 formed concerning the church at Jerufalem*, that " thev 
 continued ftedfaftly in the Apoftles' doctrine, the fellow- 
 ship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers." Did they 
 continue ftedfaftly in " the breaking of bread," which is 
 juft another name for the Lord's Supper, ufed alio in Acb 
 xx. 7, if they only partook of it two or three times in the 
 year ? No perfon would venture to affirm, that in 
 manner they continued ftedfaftly in " the Apoftles' doc- 
 trine, the fellowfhip, and the prayers." How then can 
 this be reckoned a ftedfaft continuance in an ordinance, 
 which was intended as a perpetual remembrancer of the 
 Lord's death, until he come again? So convincing has this 
 paffage appeared to fome, that they have run, only in 
 
 * AflP ii. 42. 
 
APPENDIX. 83 
 
 theory indeed, to the oppofite extreme, and maintained^ 
 that the firft Chriftians obferved this ordinance on other days 
 befides Lord's day; perhaps always when they were public- 
 ly met for prayer, and hearing the do&rine of the Apoftles* 
 There is no inftance however, in all the New Teftament, 
 of any church eating the Lord's Supper, except on the firft 
 day of the week ; for the other exprefBon, " breaking bread 
 from houfe to houfe," is explained by their " eating their 
 meat with gladnefs and finglenefs of heart*,"' which evident- 
 ly refers to their common meals f. Tiie facred hiAorian 
 therefore, mud- be underftood as defcribing the practice of 
 the church at Jerufalem on the firjl day of the wgei, when 
 he fays, they continued ftedfaftly in the breaking of bread. 
 Though they had many other meetings for public worJ 
 that was the only day on which they had an opportunity of 
 oblerving all the ordinances of the Lord Jefus, and the} 1 " 
 neglected none of them. On that day they were affembled, 
 when they received the promife of the Holy Spirit, for it 
 was the fiftieth day from the day on which the fhcaf of the 
 firft fruits was waved before the Lord, which laft happen- 
 ed that year on the Jewiih Sabbath, and that Sabbath day 
 was, on this account, called by the Jews an high day J. As 
 they began the observation of thefe ordinances on the Lord's 
 day, fo they continued ftedfaftly in them every fucceedins 
 firft day of the week. It appears alfo, that when the church at 
 Corinth " came together into one place," that is, as I un- 
 derftand it, on the firft day of the week, one principal thing 
 that they had in view, was " to eat the Lord's Supper II." 
 
 Another very exprefs example of this, is recorded in the 
 * Arts ii. 46. 
 
 f The Lord's Supper, and an ordinary mca', or a feafl of charity, are 
 likewife botli termed " breaking bread," in Afls XX. 7, II. 
 
 t John xix. 31. See Lev. xxiii. 10,— 17. || 1 Cor. xi. ao. See 
 
 Rlfo chap. xvi. 2. 
 
■ 
 
 rDix. 
 
 twentieth chapter of the Acts of the Apoflles. " Upon 
 firfl day of the week, when the difciples came together to 
 break bread, Paul preached to them*." Does not every 
 one perceive, that the very intention of the church at Tro- 
 as, in coming together on the firft day of the week, or the 
 chief defign of it, was to break bread in remembrance of 
 the death of Ghrift; and that even the preaching of the A- 
 poflle Paul is mentioned as a Secondary confide ration? This 
 fimple narration of facts is dscifive, and as clearly proves 
 the weekly celebration of the Lord's fupper, as if the 
 facred hiftorian had affirmed it in the moft unequivocal 
 terms. On the other hand, it is equally plain that they 
 did not keep this ordinance on any other day ; for the A- 
 poftle had been at Troas from the preceding Monday, the 
 time of his refidence there being in ail feven divsf . He 
 feems to have tarried fo long, for this purpofc among others, 
 that he might have r.n opportunity of joining with the 
 church in this comfortable ordinance, on the appointed day. 
 This he did, notwithstanding his anxiety to get forward on 
 his journey; and that fome urgent caufe made him anxious 
 to proceed, appears by his departing at the break of day, 
 after a fleeplefs night; for "he continued his fpeech till 
 midnight; and when he had eaten, and talked a long while 
 even till break of day, fo he departedt-" 
 
 There is no clearer example for keeping the firfl day of 
 the week as the Chriftian Sabbath, than for obferving the 
 ordinance of the Lord's Supper on that day ; and it will be 
 admitted* that the authority for the former chiefly depends 
 on the approved example of the firft Chriftians, which is 
 recorded for our imitation. I do not mean the fetting apart 
 of one day in feven for the immediate fervice of God. The 
 obligation of this duty is founded on the original fanctifica- 
 * Af.s xx. 7. f Verfe 6. f Verfe 7, ir. 
 
?ion of the fe\ enth day, on which God relied frojn his v 
 of creatio i ; and on the fourth commandment of the moral 
 Jaw, deli\ered by Mofes. The great and powerful moi 
 that are prefented to us in the Gofpel, enforce the obser- 
 vance of another day, for which this additional reafon is 
 given, that Chrift hath entered into his reft, having ceafed 
 from his own works, as God did from his*. But the dif- 
 ciples of Chrift require Satisfactory evidence, that the I 
 authority by which the feventh-d ay-Sabbath was appointed, 
 and abrogated as a part of the Jewiflj fyftem, for in this point 
 of view it was a ihadow of things to comef ; now obliges 
 them to Sanctify the Lord's day, and to keep it holy. If the 
 example of the firlt Christians, under the direction of the 
 infpired Apoftles, \i Sufficient for this purpofe, why mould 
 not the example of their eating the Lord's Supper on that 
 day, be admitted as equally binding on the churches s of 
 Chrift ? There is not, in all the New Ttflament, any one 
 Specified inftance of a church being affembled for divine 
 worfhip on the fir ft dav of the week, who did not meet for 
 this among other purpofes, that they might commemorate 
 the death of Chriil iri the ordinance of the Supper. That 
 authority therefore, which has diftinguifhed one Christian 
 Sabbath from another, and made fome of them, in compa- 
 rifon of the reft, high days, cannot plead the Word of Gcd 
 for its foundation. Every Lord's day is a day of exultation 
 to thofc who enjoy the hope of eternal life 
 through the refurre&ion of Jefus Chrift from the dead; 
 and it is ril that on all inch days, they ftiould commemo- 
 rate, in the ipp Luted way, the grand foundation oJ 
 bleffed hope. 
 
 It would not be at all furprifing, though fome loofe pro- 
 tould begin to argue in the fame way agai 
 • Heb. iv. 3, — it. t Colofi". ii. 16, ■ r. 
 
86 APPENDIX. 
 
 ing the Chriftian Sabbath. ' The primitive churches,' they 
 might fay, ' met fometimes on the firft day of the week j 
 but perhaps this was only once or twice in the year, or as 
 often as they found it convenient ; for it is not affirmed in 
 any part of the New Teftament, that this was their con~ 
 ftant regular practice, every Lord's day.' Such perfuns 
 would be jufily reckoned irreligious and profane: but how 
 would we confute them ? I fuppofe, by affirming that the 
 few inftances which are left on record, of the firft Chrifti- 
 ans obferving the ordinances on the Lord's day, are exam- 
 ples to us of what their practice was on every fuch day. 
 And is it not equally proper, that we fhould regard a few 
 fpecified ir fiances of their breaking bread on that day, as a 
 fufficient proof that they always did f o ? 
 
 Thus it is clearly eftablifhed, that the churches of Chrifl 
 ought to keep the ordinance of the Lord's Supper every 
 firft day of the week; and it is remarkable, that all the ar- 
 guments which have been ufed againft this practice, when 
 they are duly conficlered, tend only to illuftrate and confirm 
 the obligations which render it the indifpenfable duty of 
 the people of God. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 Thoughts on the Nature and Tendency of Human Stand- 
 arch of Religion. 
 
 In the third difcourfe, page 64, it is affirmed, that there 
 ought to be no other ftandard of religion among Chriftians, 
 than the Word of God. It is certainly, however, not fuf- 
 ficient that either teachers, or members of Chriftian church- 
 es, fhould in general terms profefs their belief of THE scRir- 
 TUiiES. Many do fo, who neither underftand the Gofpel a 
 
ArPENDIX. 87 
 
 nor keep the fayings of Chrift. But how is this to be re- 
 medied ? Not by requiring people to fign human Jlandards, 
 for thefe are as little believed as the other, by many who 
 fnbfcribe them ; and they cannot be more clearly, and de- 
 cifively expreffed than the holy Scriptures. The churches 
 of Chrift mud be capable to judge what doctrine is contain- 
 ed in the Word of God, otherwife they could not be cer- 
 tain whether human confeffions and catechifms, were agree- 
 able to it or not. What good purpofe then can be anfwer- 
 ed, by the flrange expedient of making, or adopting an im- 
 perfetl Jiandard, when they are already in pofTeffion of one 
 that is absolutely perfect? They can only know the 
 faith of thofe who apply to them for admiffion, by hearing 
 them profefs it in diftindt and intelligible words, and by the 
 evidence which their conduct affords, that they have " re- 
 ceived the love of the truth." They judge, in the beft 
 manner they can, how far thefe agree with the Word of 
 Truth which God himfelf hath fpoken, and with the ef- 
 fects produced by it on thofe who firft believed it. If this 
 is not fairly and openly fubmitted to the judgment of all 
 the members, what proper fcriptural evidence can they 
 have, that unbelievers are not received into their commu- 
 nion? And with refpect to their teachers, if they follow the 
 primitive example of chufing them from among themfelves, 
 they will be perfectly acquainted both with their fentiments 
 and conduct*. 
 
 Some wifh to get rid of human ftandards, becaufe they con- 
 tain too much of the doctrine of the Scriptures ; and others, be- 
 caufe they do not in all refpects exactly correfpond with it. 
 In fact, every honeft man who difbelieves the peculiar doc- 
 trines of Chriftianity, and every fincere believer, who is 
 
 * A6te ii. 2r. to the end. Chap. vi. 3, 5. Chap. xiv. 2J. Tit. i. g, — jo, 
 
 L 
 
85 APPENDIX. 
 
 fufficiently fcrupulous about maintaining the truth in its 
 original purity, will object againft creeds and confeffions, 
 when they are made Jlandards of faith; and it is only in this 
 point of view, that I prefume to cenfure the whole of them 
 without exception. A mere confeffion of faith, or a decla- 
 ration of the fentiments held by any particular body of 
 Chriftians, is an innocent thing. It may not be free of er- 
 rors and imperfections, but no one is bound to affent to it 
 as a term of communion : nothing is propofed by it but in- 
 formation and inftruction. The evil Which I complain of, 
 is, that of making any human production whatever, a ftand- 
 ard of divine faith, and of the duties which we owe to 
 God. 
 
 Human ftandards are not merely ufelefs : they are alfo 
 hurtful, and dangerous. It will be admitted, that there 
 exifts a poffibility at leaft of being led into error by the 
 very heft of them : for fome numerous and refpectable bo- 
 dies in this country, which have long adhered to the fland- 
 ards of the national church, have lately begun to queftion 
 the authority of fome things contained in them : and, this 
 being the cafe, how can they know with certainty that er- 
 rors do not ftill remain undifcovered ? Chriftians are too 
 apt to err on many occafions, by departing from the per- 
 fect rule of faith and practice, which the Lord himfelf hath 
 given them ; but how great muft be the danger of thofe, 
 whofe very ftandards are erroneous! The Word of God 
 is not merely a rvlt, bnt the only rule by which the fen- 
 timents, inclinations, and conduct of all men ought to be 
 regulated, and by which they will be judged in the laft day*. 
 It contains the moft awful threatnings againft thofe who 
 £ball add to it, or take any thing away from itf ; and, far 
 
 * Pfd.1. xix 7, — 12. Jo'.m xii. 48. Rom. ii. 16. 
 f Pro. xxx. 6. Rev. xxii. 1B, io„ 
 
APPENDIX. 89 
 
 from delegating to any clafs of men a power to form addi- 
 tional ftandards, there are few things againft which it more 
 .frequently cautions us, than the danger of following any 
 rule but itfelf, or fubmitting to the authority of man in 
 the things of God*. Nay, it declares, that many would 
 be feduced from the faith by corrupt and deceitful teach- 
 ers, who would arrogantly afiume the power of making 
 laws for the diiciples of Chriftf. Indeed, if it is admitted 
 that we have a divine revelation at all, it neceflarily fol- 
 lows that no man, or body of men, whatever may be their 
 gifts, their knowledge of the Scriptures, and their preten- 
 fions to fan&ity, if they are not divinely infpired, can be 
 warranted to make any ftandard in addition to that which 
 it contains : and it will be acknowledged by all whom I 
 mean to addrefs, that divine revelation ceafed with the A- 
 poflles. 
 
 It is pleaded by thofe who favour human confeffions of 
 faith, that they are ' founded on the Holy Scriptures, and 
 agreeable thereto.' Nay, fome of their ftandards maintain, 
 while they are in the very aft of eftablifhing another rule, 
 that ' the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament are 
 the only rule of faith and manners !' The fame formularies 
 which require the affent of probationers, minifters, and el- 
 ders, to this grand and incontrovertible truth, oblige them 
 alfo to declare, that • they lincerely own and believe the 
 whole doclrine contained in the Confeffion of Faith, larger 
 and fliorter cateehifms, compiled by the AiTembly of Di- 
 vines that met at Weftminfter, to be founded on the Word 
 of God ;' and that ' they refolve, through divine grace, 
 
 * Mat. xv. 3, — 10. Gal. i. 8, 9. Eph. iv. 14. Col. ii. 8, 9, 10, 18 
 2 ThefT. ii. 15. 2 Tim. iii. 13, to iv. 5. 
 
 + Ails xx. 30, 31, 32. a Pet. ii. 1, 2. Dan. vii. 25. 2 Theff. ii. 4, ie, 
 11, 12. Rev. xiii, 8, 12, 13, 16, 17. 
 
 L 2 
 
go APPENDIX. 
 
 firmly and conftantly to adhere to it, and to aflert, main- 
 tain, and defend it, to the utmofl of their power, againft 
 all errors and opinions contrary to it.' Could any words 
 exprefs a more unqualified afTent to a, human rule of faith 
 and manners, or impofe a more folemn obligation to main- 
 tain and defend it ? Yet all men of found principles are 
 not convinced, that the whole of its doctrine is confonant 
 to the Holy Scriptures. And at any rate, the indecency 
 of requiring from Chriftian teachers, a folemn profeffion 
 of their faith in the writings of fallible men, might eafily 
 be difcerned by all who venerate divine revelation, and 
 pay a due refpect to the rights of confcience. 
 
 If any human ftandards agree entirely with the Word of 
 God, it is evident that the fame thing cannot be juftly af- 
 firmed of the whole of them; for they do not perfectly cor- 
 refpond with one another. And all the ingenuity of man 
 is incapable to make it appear, that the leaders in this bu- 
 finefs are fully perfuaded of the fufficiency of the Scrip- 
 tures. If the Word of God is a perfect and infallible Stand- 
 ard, it mull for this very reafon be the exclusive one ; 
 and when it is not really and confidently held as the only 
 rule of faith and practice, it is impofiible in the nature of 
 the thing, that it can be confidercd as completely fufficient, 
 in all refpects, for this purpofe. Thofe who adopt a?wther 
 rule, mult undoubtedly reckon it deficient, either with ref- 
 pect to the matter which it contains, the order in which 
 its doctrine is delivered, or the fimplicity, clearnefs, and 
 precifion, with which it flates every thing that is neceffary 
 to regulate the faith and practice of Christians. So far ai 
 any perfon is fatisfied with the Scriptures in all thefc par- 
 ticulars, in the fame proportion will he doubt the propri- 
 ety of human Standards ; unlefs he is refolvcd to maintain, 
 that it is needful to add fomething to that which is per/e& ; 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 —a pofition fo abfurd, that it would be an affront to the 
 human underflanding to offer any argument againll it. 
 
 Is there no danger in thus Jeffening the authority of the 
 Word of God, and exalting that of fynods, councils, and 
 affemblies of uninfpired men ? Has it no tendency to palm 
 their fcntiments on mankind as divine truths, when you de- 
 nominate them tefts and ftandards of the Chriftian faith ; 
 make an affent to them a term of communion, at lead of 
 what is called minifterial communion ; and refer to them 
 as decifive in all matters of church-difcipline and govern- 
 ment, and fometimes in controverfies about points of divi- 
 nity ? Is it poffible, in thefe refpects, to pay a higher de- 
 gree of deference to the Word of God itfelf ? Will the 
 difciples of Chrift examine the Scriptures with candour, 
 and receive all their information concerning the things of 
 God, immediately from that unerring fource of knowledge, 
 while fuch a formidable barrier Hands in their way ? Or 
 can it be fuppofed that thofe who duly venerate the holy 
 Scriptures, will fubfcribe, or -aflent to the works of men, 
 in fuch a way as to give a tacit acknowledgment of then- 
 perfection, without fome rcmorfe of confcicncs? For certainly 
 thofe flandards which contain the rule and meafure of our 
 duty to God, ought to be absolutely perfect. 
 
 It would require a volume, to mow the evils which a- 
 rife from human ftandards of religion. The reformers 
 in the hxteer.th century did a molt effential fervice to man- 
 kind, when they were made the inftruments in the hand of 
 God of bringing the Scriptures to light, and publifhine 
 them in the different languages of the nations, after thejr 
 had been long withheld by the Man of Sin. But they pre- 
 vented the full effect, of that light which might have been 
 expected to proceed from the Word of God, by placing 
 human ftandards of doctrine between it and the people; and. 
 
9» APPENDIX. 
 
 their example has been hitherto faithfully imitated by Pro- 
 teftants, of almoft all denominations. Thefe uninfpired tra- 
 ditions of the fathers, are not however now held in fuch high 
 veneration as they formerly were. The light of divine 
 truth is gradually difpelling the darknefs and prejudice, 
 •which they have been the means of perpetuating to this 
 day ; and all the exertions of their moft zealous defenders, 
 can only procure them a feeble affent. Sooner or later, 
 they mull fink into oblivion; but " THE WORD or OUR God 
 SHALL STAND FOR EVER*." 
 
 * If*, xl. 8. 
 
,'