DISCOURSE III. 167 honour of Christ? Can we pretend to have tasted of his grace, and have no regard for his glory ? Do we plead his name before God as our only hope, and are we unwilling to confess his name before men? Are therenone of you in this assembly, who hope you are brought near to God by the blood of Christ, and yet delay and refuse to give this public honour to hirn in the world : What would become of the profession of the name andglory of Christ among men, if all were of your mind, and took no more care to maintain it than you do ? Where would any church of Christ be found ? Where would the special ordinances of the gospel be administered ? Or any suchthing as the public commu- nion of the saints? If all were so negligent in this matter as you are, churches would be lost, and the Lord's-supperquite for- gotten ; though our Lord appointed it to continue till he cone. VI. " He that is brought near to God, and united to Christ, will love to look like one that is near God, like a member of Christ, and one of the body." Ile that is of the family of the faithful, delights to appear like one of Christ's household, and therefore will dwell in his house. Gospel visible churches are types of the invisible: And a true christian is not ashamed to own his relation to the church above, by his communion with the church on earth. It is true, a person may be a child of God in secret, and of the household of Christ, and yet may not at pre- sent have taken up his place in the family, nor dwell in the house of God, nor be joinedto any visible church; but then such per- sons look like strangers, like the children of this world, for they dwell with them in the visible kingdom of Satan : Now true christians would, or should look like themselves, and not appear like foreigners and strangers, but as fellow-citizens with the swats; Eph. ii. 19. I confess there may be some seasons and circumstances, which may not only indulge, but even oblige christians to conceal their characterand profession. Piety and prudence agree well together; and we are not to expose ourselves, nor our sacred things, to a cruel and scoffing age, without an apparent call of Christ. " Pearls must not be cast before swine, lest they tram- ple them under their feet, and turn again and tear us ;" Mat. vii. 6. But remember, my friends, that this can never be an excuse for a- constant and an universal neglect of the profession of Christ, and communion with his churches. And doubtless the guilt of such a neglect is more heinous in a day of liberty, and when there is the least temptation and danger. VII. Ile that approaches to God the Father, and holds communion with him, loves to be near the children, and to hold communion with the saints ; for he that loves God, must love his brother also ; 1 John iv. 21. And lie must show his loveby de- lighting in their company,, and dwelling with them, in the house
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