32 A CHRISTIAN CHURCH. tomake one national church. What does the light of nature . teach us in this point ? 1 answer, there never was but one national church of God's own appointment ; that was the church of the Jews ; and he himself saw fit to dissolve it : nor has he given men any reveal- ed order or authority from himself to raise and establish another: Yet certainly the light of nature may sometimes direst and lead many christian congregations, even all that are in a country or in a nation, who agree in the necessary articles of christianity, to combine together and agree to assist each other many ways by counsel, encouragement and support, in the main- tenance of their sacred religion, always in a consistency with due allegiance preserved to their civil governors. The churches in a county or any particular. district, may agree to send their ministers to consult together about their common welfare : They may chose one person to transact matters of public and common concern for all the congregations in a county, and may bestow on him the name of an overseer, a superintendant, or a. bishop ; and so all the churches in a nation may desire their own ministers, or they may desire these their repre- sentatives or overseers, to "join themselves in a common as- sembly or council for the public care of their liberty, or security of their peace, or advice in matters of consequence relating to their particular churches. And this assembly may chose a pre- sident, and may call him their chiefoverseer or their archbishop : as I see nothing unlawful in all this, so neither do I see any ordinary necessity for it. I add further, that many particular churches, by their ministers, deputies or messengers, met together, may contrive and agree in what manner to carry on the work of preaching, catechising, expounding, prayer, or psalmody; they may con- sult what subjects are chiefly necessary to be insisted on itt preaching, at special seasons and occasions; what psalms or hymns to be sung, and how often psalmody to be repeated in a day ; what days or hours may be set apart for prayer and humi- liation, or thanksgiving on special occasions of danger, or deli- verance, &c. And if these things be agreed with much unani- mity, by many wise and pious men, met together, by the request of the churches, for this purpose; and these matters be deter- mined, so as plainly tends to the common safety and edification of the whole number of churches in a country or nation, the particular churches which are there, and especially particular persons in any such church,' according to the common rules of society, should usually consent and agree to such public, and almost unanimous agreements, of their deputies in these matters, unless they can shew some very plain and considerable reason against it. I easofi itself, or the light of nature, dictates this, that a very few persons should not humorously set themselves
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