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CHRISTIAN
FELLOWSHIP
-
[SEAIvt..Iat.-
societies,
and thereby maintain
their. religious, cómmu-
nion
with
:each
other.
It
is
granted
indeed,
that
where
a
national
religion
is
established
by
the authority
of
the magistrate, and the
times,
and
places,
and
modes
of
worship.
are
appointed
by
him,
together, with the persons
who",shall
minister
therein
throughout
the several
cities,
towns, and
villages
in
that
nation, there
is
no
such necessity for
private per
-
sons
to form an
express agreement among
themselves
about
this
matter,
if
their consciences lead them to
the
same
worship and practice which the magistrate
requires
:
Their
constant
willing
attendance
implies such an agree-
'ment.
But
I
can
find-no power
of
imposing
this-public
worship; given to magistrates,
among
all the
principles
of-
-natural
reason,
nor
among any
of
the writings of the
New Testament
:
And those persons whpse consciences
lead
them to
differ
fróm this established religion, are
then
directed
by the light
of
nature,
as well as
scripture, tó
forin such agreements
among themselves,
in
order
to
maintain
Christian worship,
and
the
practice
of
christi-
amity,
-as
they
find
it represented
in the bible.
The
second thing
I
proposed was
to
spew you some
of
the
advantages of
such an agreement for christian
fel-
lowship,
and among others
I
might mention such
as
these
:
-
1.
'
" It
gives
courage
to every
christian to
profess
and
practise
his
religion,
when
many persons are engaged by
mutual
agreement
in
the
same
profession and
practice."
We
do
notlove
to be singular,
and
to be
pointed
at
by
the
world,
as
standing and
acting
alone, especially in the
affairs
of God
.and
religion; but
when a good company
unite
themselves
together
for such
a
sacred purpose,
this
takes
away the
reproach of
singularity
;
they
all
strength-
en
o`ne
another's hands
in the
ways
of
the Lord,
and
they
bear
up
with
more
firmness
of heart
against
the re-
proaches of the
world.
Q.
It
is
more for the
particular
edification of
Christians,
that
such societies should be formed,
Where
the
word
of Christ
is
constantly preached, where the
or-
dinances,gf Christ are administered,
and the religion of
Çhri,t
is
held forth in
a
social
and honourable
manner
to
the
world." Hereby every christian
knows
where
to
gy
tQ-
hear
the
gospel-
preached, and multitudes are