SECTION VII. 43 Now it is so very easy to apply these transactions of Eng- lishmen in China to the affairs of a christian church, that I hardly need display the parallel. Christians profess to be natives of heaven, to be born from above : They sojourn for a season in the world as in a foreign land, till their Father and Kingsummon them home. They speak the language of the gospel, or of the kingdom of heaven, and understand it; and they know cads other hereby : They agree to meet together to worship their king, and pay allegiance to him ; to learn more of his will, and seek his favour. The day of their solemn assemblies is the day of the resurrection of Christ, the Son of God, and their Lord. When they do special honours tohim, they eat bread and drink wine, to solemnize the memory Of their deliverance from sin and hell, when he was sent into the world to die for them. Then, by calling away their hearts from this world, and conversing about heavenly things, they are continually preparing for their return home. 'They chase one or more teachers; pastors, or bishops, to instruct them in their duty, and to offer up their common ad- dresses to God, in the naine of Christ ; to put them in mind of the things of heaven, and to walk before them in exemplary holiness. They chuse deacons to relieve the poor, ont of their public liberality, as well as to take care that their pastors or teachers be maintained. They receive in new members who are worthy, upon their profession ; and they cast out those that are dishonourable. They walk onward in this way toward the hea- venly state; and wait the summons from on high; to call them thither by death and the resurrection. SECT. VII.The several Advantages of such a Church, or Christian Society. So natural a scheme of social religion as this, does not need long and express forms of institution, after the great doctrines and dutiesof the christian faith and life are plainly revealed and re- ceived. All that is found in the New Testament relating to christian churches, so happily corresponds with these dictates of the light of nature, and the affairs of the civil life, that it has made these rules much more plain, and easy, and practicable, than those of the Jewish religion, or perhaps of any other reli- gion, that pretends to divine revelation. This scheme is built on the eternal reasons and relationsof things, as well as the wordof God. The particular positive prescriptions relating to christian churches are but few, while the general duties of christian fel- lowship are such as the light of nature and reason seem to dic- tate to all societies whatsoever. It is the evil mixture of the needless and fanciful inventions of men, together with the plain and common dictates of nature and scripture, and the impositions of these inventions on conscience, which hath done so much in- jury to christianity, defaced its beauty, and tarnished its honours.
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