002 FORMS OF WORSnIP. It is no wonder then that the circumstantials of these parts of order and worship, are not confined to precise rules and uniformity, in the christian church, any more than they were in the Jewish synagogue. The common reason-and prudence of mankind points out the chief and most necessary parts, both of the one and the other, always supposing the difference between the Jewish and the christian revelations of doctrine and duty, which being mingled with the worship and order, elid something toward the regulation of the form thereof. Fifthly, The last reason I offer why many things, in the ehristian worship, are not so particularly prescribed, nor so evident as in the Jewish, may be, because in the christian re- ligion, the new command, as St. John calls it, or the duties of love and charity are more abundantly required and enforced', beyond what they were under the law of Moses, and that not- withstanding we may differ in particular opinions : And chris- tianity being to be diffused through all nations among persons of a thousand different notions and prejudices, it was very pro- bable, there would be more varieties of opinion, hi sacred things, than would be found in one nation only : And in many parts of christianpractice there is more room left by this obscurity, for the trial of our mutual love, and more occasion given for the exercise of charity among those, that are true disciples of Christ, than if all were confined to uniformity of practice, by express precept. And where the scripture has left any obscu- rity upon doctrines or practices, I would be very unwilling to quarrel with my fellow-christians, for taking up a principle or practice different from mine. The xiv. chapter to the Romans leaves several points of practice undetermined for this very purpose. Let every one of us search as far as we can, by dili- gence and prayer, to find our duties in the word of God: Whereto we hare attained, let aswalk by the same rule, and con- tinue still to love all those who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, though they differ from us in meats and days., and other matter's Af dóulitfid disputation. Amen.
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