SEAM. IX., WITH ITS DUTIES AND ADVANTAGES. 137 edification of his body, our Saviour has appointed the erecting of particular churches. And wherever a suffi- cient number of persons were called, it was the constant practice of the primitive times, to unite in such socie- ties as stated members of them, under theguidance and conduct of those pastors ,and teachers, which with their own consent the Holy Ghost had set Over them to rule and feed them. This is a constitution of Christ, which is directly thwarted and opposed by a generation of loose and rambling christians, that content themselves with bare hearing, and that too in a very odd way. For they are a sort of volatile auditors, perpetually frisking to and fit., who can fix no where. Were alhmen of this hu- mour, there could be no such thing as particular churches, which Christ has appointed for the edifyingof his mem- bers : And how they can rationally expect to flourish ;either in grace or peace, while they live in a. direct op- position to a manifest institution of our Lord Jesus, which was not more an effect of his authority, than of his wisdom and goodness, I wish men would seriously consider. Are any of you so self-sufficient that you need no pastor, nor the assistance of your fellow-christians to watch over, admonish, rebuke, exhort, comfort, strength- en," and counsel you ? Are there none of the churches of Christ that are pure enough ? None of them that have latitude, or strictness enough for you ?. None of them :worthy enough for you to join yourselfAuto ? When our Lord hath given such variety of gifts to his ministers, is there none of themwhose abilities suit you, and please your curious palates, that by settling under them you may be edified ? I may say to such persons as Constan- 'tine once did to' such a self-conceited man, " Take a ladder and climb up to heaven- by thyself alone." In short, a society of believers, walking together in gospel order, is like the excellent composure ofsyllables, words, and sentences, that have a great deal of sense and signi- fication in them ; but a separated and divided christian, that will join himself to no church, is like a single letter or disjointed syllable, that is perfect nonsense." Reflection III. " IIow criminal are those persons who break. the beautiful order and harmony of a church of Christ for trifles ?" Whose fanciful`humours, or whose . imposing spirit raises up discord and Contest in a well
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