13C CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, [S'FRM. IX. 'so long as the gospel shall call in new converts out of this sinful world. It remains only that I make a few reflections upon the present discourse. Reflection I. " How beautiful is the order of the gos- pel, and the fellowship of a christian church? How strong and plain are the founda.tior,s, and the grounds of it? It is built on eternal reason, and the relations of things, as'well as on the word of God." How happy it is that the very light of nature dictates to christians far the greatest part of those duties which church fellowship requires, sup posing still that the revealed doctrines and sacraurats of christianity are first known and acknow- ledged. ' The peculiar positive prescriptions relating to Christian churches'are but few, whereas the general du- ties are such as reason and the light of nature seem to propese and approve in all voluntary religious societies whatsoever. If a deist, who professes nothing but na- tural religion, once came so far as to receive the chris- tiara faith and .the sacraments, his reason would lead him into almost all the parts of christian communion, which I have described. It is the evil mixture of the needless and fanciful inventions of men, with the plain and com- mon dictates of the light' of nature and scripture in pub- lic religion, and the imposition of these things upon conscience, that has been the disgrace and ruin of many christian churches, and is a high misdemeanour against Christ, who is the Lord and King of his church. Reason and revelation are the only principles of his religion, and of the governuient of his kingdom. Reflection II. " How little do they value the true in- terests of the christian religion, the public honour of Christ and his gospel, or the edification and comfort of their own souls, who neglect this holy communion ?" There are twenty little' excuses that some persons are ready to make against uniting themselves in fellowship But let conscience do its office, and examine sincerely whether such excuses will be a sufficient apology in the great day. A late eminent divine well known to some ofus, viz. Mr. Nathanael Taylor, gives this direction to those who have given up themselves to God in Jesus Christ. Join yourselves,' says he,'as members to some particular church of Christ' or other. For the better 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=