$ CTION VI, a1 you may carry your thoughts of the formation andconstitution of a Christian church along with you in the simile, and apply it all the way. Suppose three or four Englishmen, who have their residence in acity of China, happen to meet one another, and by conversation, finding that they speak the same language, they malle it known to each other, that they are natives of the same country ; they ail profess allegiance to the sanie king, George the Second ; and though they sojourn for a season in a foreign land, and are engaged in many secular affairs there, yet they de- clare their resolution to behave as becomes Englishmen, while they are waiting for a call from their sovereign to return home. They hereupon agree to meet once a week, in order to converse about the atláirs of their own nation, to learn some tidings from it to pay somespecial honours to their absent king, to learn fur- ther notices of his will, and to prepare for their return home- ward. The day Which they appoint for their assembly, is the day of theaccession of their king to tho throve, in its weekly re- turn : The place is also agreed among them, such as may Ile con- venient for their frequent attendance. Other Englishmen, who are in that city, hearing of this society, come to their assembly, one after another, and desire ac- quaintancewith their countrymen and brethren : They make it appear, that they are natives of the same land, that they own the same sovereign, that they are doing his will, and preparing to return home at his orders: And, in the mean time, they desire the privilege of being admitted into their society. Upon such a profession, and by the approbation of the society, they are re- ceived into this English fellowship with pleasure. Now it is not be supposed, that every one of them is capable of takingproper care of the best interests of this society, nor of speaking in an instructive and profitable manner concerning the things that relate to their native country, their laws, and rules of conduct ; their king, and their common designof a return. They agreetherefore to chuse one person amongst them, who shall de- vote himself to this work, shall study the laws of their country, the rules of the proper behaviourof Englishmen, and the mind and will of their king : One who shall present their common allegiance to their sovereign, in frequent addresses sent to England, and shall spend a hour or two every week, in setting before them what honours they owe to the king of England, what are theblessings of their native home, what are their duties in a foreign 'land, what dangers they are exposed to among the hea- then Chinese, and how they may best avoid them what are the enjoyments they expect at their return, and the best methods of preparation for it. This man accepts the office, and by a solemn vow of allegiance to the king, and faithfulness to his countrymen in this trust, he enters upon his office.
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