141 / 652
SEEM. IX.]
WITH ITS DUTIES-AND ADVANTAGES.
Y'3'
together in christian
fellowship,
is
that
church
-
covenant
which in
the very
nature
of
things
is
necessary
to consti-
tute a
regular christian
society,
and to maintain
the gos-
pel in
the
world in the
principles and practices
of
it
:
Nor
can
there
be
any christian communion maintained
in an orderly manner, without such a covenant or agree-
ment
as
this
is,
either
more plainly expressed,
or
neces-
sarily implied
:
It
is
only the
addition
of
some
things
which
Christ
has
not required
to such
'a
covenant or
agreement
as this is,
that
has
exposed
the
name
of
a,
church covenant
to
so
many
reproaches
in
the
world
Otherwise,
I
am sure,
it
deserves
none.
The
fourth head
I
propose,
was
to
represent
some
of
the duties
which plainly arise
from such
an agreement
of
Christians
to
walk
and
worship together, for the
support
of
their
religion.
1.
May
we
not
say,
that
"
all the
duties
which disci-
ples
of
Christ
owe
to
their
fellow-christians
throughout
the
world,
are more particularly
incumbent upon
those
who
are united
by
their
own
consent
in
the
same
religi-
ous society
?"
Such as to love one
another,
to assist,
comfort,
and succour
one
another
in things
that
relate
to
this
life,
or the
life
to come, to watch over
and warn
one another, lest any
fall
into sin;
to admonish one
ano-
ther
in
love,
and
to
restore
those
that
are
fallen with
holy tenderness,
and in general
to
fulfil
all
kind
and
friendly
offices
to each
other,
in
vindication
of
their
common faith,
and
in
the
practice
of
pure
religion.
We
are commanded
"
to do
good to
all
men,
especially
to
the
household-
of
faith
;',
Gala
vi.
10.
and what
is
due
to
all the churches
of
Christ
on
earth,
seems
more
particu-
larly due
to
the
church
of
which
we
are
members,
be-
cause these
are
within
the reach
of our
notice and
our
assistance, and
we
expect
the
same friendly
offices
from
christians
of
one
place
met
together
in
that
house for worship,:
sometimes
it
speaks
of the church
at
Jerusalem, which
in
the
first
formation
Of
it
seems to be
of
a
larger
extent
than
could worship
in one
place,
as
consist-
ing of many thousand
souls: But we
must remember,
that
the national
church
of the Jews could not be supposed all
at
once
to
be
dissolved
so
as
to
form
itself
into
particular
congregations, with all
that
regularity and
order
which afterward
was
observed in single christian
societies;
or
per-
haps
the
word
"
church"
may be
sometimes used to signify all
the chris-
tians
that
dwell
either
in one
city
or
in,
one house,
without
regard
to
any
such special
agreement of walking or worshipping together.
K2