74 ß CHRISTIAN CHURCH. them that were by no means necessary to common christianity, and such as favoured too .much of a party-spirit; but churches and ministers in our age better understand christian liberty and true principles of charity. I know of none of these impositions in our day ; and if our present practice in this matter be censured by any, I am persuaded it is merely for want of understanding it: For if it be fairly represented, as I have described it, it ap- pears to be a piece of mere natural religion,, and social worship ; and is so far from being an addition to the rules of the gospel, or an imposition on the consciences of christians, that no voluntary religions society can possibly subsist without some such covenant. When any person therefore joins himself to, and becomes a mem- ber of a christian church, this covenant or mutual agreement is always implied where it is not expressed ; and those that have been so weak as to ridicule the forms of it, yet are so wise as to practise the substance of it. Indeed themere necessity and reason of the thing is so plain and convincing, that one would wonder that any man should speak against it, if he will but give himself leave to consider the followingparticulars : L How can there be a receiving of each other in the Lord, at the first forming of a church, if there be not a mutual agree- ment, or giving up themselves to each other to worship the Lord together ? Christians are commanded to do it, that with one mind and one mouth they may glorify God; Rom. xv. 8, 7. And how can any particular member afterward be received to commu- nion, if therebe not such a society or church to receive him, and to which he may give up himself to walk with them in the Lord 2. How can there be any social worship performed, if there be no agreement to worship together in thesame place, and at the same time ? If all the christians must always be at perfect liberty to worship where they will, and communicate every Lord's-day at a different place, a minister may sometimes be left to preach to the seats and walls, if none are bound to attend on his ministra- tions: And on the other hand, surely the minister may take as much liberty as the people ; and he may absent himself and wor- ship elsewhere, when they are all gathered together and wait for a sermon. Thus many assemblies for worship may be without a teacher, andmany teachers without an assembly, and some small assemblies have many teachers. 3. How can there be any provision made of a proper place of worship for a whole assembly, or any conveniences or decen- cies that are requisite for sacred actions, without such an agree- ment ? How can a table be appointed or furnished with bread and wine, and vessels to contain them, fit to distribute the Lord's- . svppei, unless several persons have agreed upon it ? 4. How'can the minister be maintained if there be no sock-
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