SECTION V. 29 . pointed toward the New 'Testament, and forming our reason- ings as far as possible on the same principle which seem to run through the social religion of the primitive times, so far as it did not depend on those extraordinary inspirations. Let us give also some instances of these : I. Scripture does not tell us how many persons go to make up achristian church : But reason will help us to answer this question, if we consider that the word " ecclesia" or church, properly signifies an assembly of people, and so it is used in the New Testament, where it has no relation to a christian society, as amongthe heathens at Ephesus; Acts xis. 32, 39, 40. A very few therefore may be called an assembly, and may be sufficient to join together in christian- fellowship, that they may partake of the Lord's supper, and carry on the face of public re- ligion, when there are no other christians in the place where they dwell. And on the other hand, there should usually be.no more in a church than can meet together in one place, can act as one assembly, and join in social worship, in prayers and praises; for the apostle, writing to the Corinthians, speaks twice of the whole church coming together in one place ; . 1 Cor. v. 4. xi. 20. and xiv. 23. And the church of Antioch which was large, met all together ; Acts xiv. 27. Perhaps those words Rom. xv. 6. that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, may limit the number of a church usually to so many as can join in attention and suitable meditation, while one mouth speaks in a way of instruction, prayer or praise. Such probably were the churches of Asia and Galatia, and in several towns and cities of which the New Testament gives an account*. But being and its comfortable and regular subsistence.-2. When scripture is said to be " sufficiently full and clear m all things necessary to salvation," this doth not enean to exclude the common exercise of the reason and prudence of men, in orderto apply the general directions ofscripture to particular cases which occur, even in things which are necessary to salvation. Asfor instance: Scripture bids us " do good and.relìeve the poor:" But it doth not tell us howmany poor we crest relieve, whether two, or twenty, or two hundred, not whether for one day or many, &c. This must be determined by the particular circumstances of every Christian, and by the exercise of his reason and prudence, upon the special occa- sions and objects which appear. Again, scripture requires of us ra to deny our- selves and to mortify our appetites and passions:" But it leaves it to the reason and prudence of every christian, in what things, at what seasons, in what man- ner, and in what degree this must be done, and how far we most go in mortify. ing all passion and appetite, or in acting self-denial, since it is certain we are not called to root out every passion, to resist every appetite, nor to deny every na- tural inclination. Than the honour of scripture is still secured, bothas to its "perfection and its perspicuity in things necessary to salvation," though in many lesser particulars, and in the application of general-rules to actual practice, we are forced to recur to the exercise of human reason and common prudence, both in things of greater and lesser importance in the christian life. The scripture supposes an to be rational creatures, when it teaches us to be christians. 'k There was a sort of union even of all the Jewish national church in one place three times a year, by the congress of all the males who were representa. Lives of the nation at Jerusalem; and perhaps they mightjoin in the solemnity
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