THE RATIONAL FOUNDATION, FORM AND ORDER OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH, Confirmed and improved: by the Directions and Examples of the New Testament. SECTION I. Reason and Revelation agree to require Social Religion. I. MAN is an intellectual and sociable being, and he owes honour and worship to Godhis Creator, in his social as well as his single capacity : He owes also assistance to his fellow -crea- tures, in the affairs of religion, as well as in those of the natural and civil life. Social religion is therefore the duty of every man, where he can meet with such fellow-worshippers, as to lay a foundation for amicable union in the same acts of worship, and for mutual help in religious concerns : And these three following reasons, among others, oblige him to it : 1. As he is bound to express to God in secret, and alone, what sense he has of the divine being, attributes, and govern- ment, so he is obliged to join with others, and publicly #odeclare to the world, what an awful and honourable apprehension he has of the same things : And this, that he may do honour to God amongst men, or glorify his name amongsthis fellow -creatures ; which secret religion cannot:do. This is the chief end with re- gard to God, for whichman's very nature is made sociable, and for which he is constituted by providence in human society. This is the first spring, and the perpetual foundation, of all socialand public religion : For this end, social honours paid to God shall be everlasting. This is practised in the society of holy angels, those " sons of God, who sang together, and shouted for joy, when the foundations of the earth were laid; and who met together at certain seasons, to present themselves before God ;" Job xxxviii. 7. and i. 6. and ii. 1. This is required in our world of sinful men ; so it will be, doubtless, in the world of separate spirits, who are described as a church or religious as- sembly; I-Ieb. xii. 13. And so in the world of the resurrection', when the high praises of God and the Lamb shall be for ever on their tongues. 2. Man, in his single capacity, is obliged toperform acts of secret religion to God, because, in that capacity, he wants many favours from God ; such as health, safety, food, raiment, &c. He is always receiving some of these favours, and always
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