tions of the gospel, and be edified by the word of God and united prayers and praises. In fuch chriftian affemblies, or churches, the inftitution of the Lord's Supper is especially to be obferved, according to his appointment, by Matt. 26. 26, frequent eating of the bread and drinking of -28. the cup of the Lord, in remembrance of him 1 Cor. 114 whole body was broken for us on the crois, and 20-34" whole blood was fhed for the remiffion of fins. All who are capable of knowing the defign of this ordinance, and difcerning the Lord's body, and who upon examination of themfelves have reafon to hope that they believe and obey the Gofpel from the heart, are indif penfibly bound to have communion with Chrift and his Church in the bread and wine of bis table; becaufe by this they fhew and openly exhibit the Lord's death, and the Church is commanded to continue thus to exhibit his crucifixion until his fecond coming. By eating and drinking together at his table we appear to be Chrift's difciples, brethren of the fame family, and members of the fame body; and we have fellowship with him, and with one another. The cup of bleffing which we blefs is the communion of the blood of Chrift; the Cor, 10, 163 bread which we break is the communion of the body of Chrift: for though we are many, we are one bread and one body, being par takers of that one bread. SECT. VI. The Church to be made perfect in heaven. S admiffion into the vifible Church, or Imperfection exclufion from it depends upon the of the vifible Church, judgment of men, who cannot, by any method of judging, infallibly diftinguish betwixt hypocritical 24. 23. 13.3750 critical and fincere profeffors, except by the Act. 8. 13,- ténor of their converfation and behavior, it is unavoidable that there will be many who are members of the church on earth, whom Chrift Matt. 7.21, will hereafter deny, and exclude from his kingdom in heaven. Therefore the visible Church is like a field of wheat with fome mixture of tares; or a net which inclofeth a multitude of fishes, both good and bad, which will be feparated at the end of the world. There never hath been, from the beginning of the Gofpel, nor ever will be any numerous church in this world intirely made up of fuch as believe unto the faving of the foul. Nevertheless, all proper caution ought to be used, in the way of that difcipline which Chrift hath ap pointed, that grofs corruptions may be prevented or purged out. The Church muft endeavor to judge of every man's profeffion Rom. 155 by the rules of the gofpel, and admit or retain none but fuch as they may hope Chrift receives, that fo all the members may have chriftian love one towards another, Matt. 18.15 -18. 1 Cor. 5th chapter. Heb. 12. 15, 16. 6, 7: Chrift will Herfectly purge his Church. 4. 5. Matt. 50. 13.37, BUT the Lord Jefus hath referved to himfelf the final decifive trial of the visible fubjects of his kingdom; and at his fecond coming 1 Cor. 4. 3. he will make a perfect feparation of the tares and the chaff from the wheat, gather out of his kingdom all things which offend, and sever the wicked from among the juft, and cast them into a furnace of fire, where fhall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. But the whole body of true believers, collected together, will be presented to himself as a glorious Church, Eph. 5. 27. perfectly holy and without blemish, not having spot or wrinkle or any fuch thing. Then the Church will have all that perfection alcribed to it in many prophecies of the facred fcrip Ifa. 35, 10. to 60.18-22. Lures, tures, and be admitted into the heavenly world, to enjoy the inconceivable glory and felicity which God hath prepared for them 1 Cor. 2. 9: that love him. Thus that kingdom of hea ven, which begins on earth, will be completed Rev. chapters in the glorious world above, in that new Jeru- 21. and 22. falem, into which there fhall in no wife enter any thing that defileth, neither, whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. PART III. Containing the principal Heads of evangelical SECT. I. The general laws of Chrift's kingdom. Ο Bedience to the commands of our Lord Jefus being the proper fruit and evidence of our faith, we ought always to keep 2 Pet. 1. 1in mind those important duties to which we 15. are bound by our profeffion. It may therefore be profitable to collect together, into one general view, the principal rules of chriftian practice which we find interfperfed every where in the new Teftament. 17. CHRIST, as a King, governs his people by 1 Cor. 9. 21. wife and excellent laws, and inftructs them in 2 Tim. 3. 16, all righteousness agreable to the will of God, Rm. 12.1.2. that they may be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light, and be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, Col. 4. 12. & 2 Theff. 1.5. The Law is nefs. 20. THE whole law of God, which was origia perfect ua- nally imprinted on the confcience of man, and alterable rule which was afterward publifhed from Sinai in of righteoufthe ten commands of the two tables with divine majefty and folemnity, forever remains Rom. 7. 12. holy, and just, and good, and must be regarded as the unalterable rule and measure of our obedience to our Father in heaven. For JeMatt. 5.17-fus Chrift came not to abrogate and destroy the law, but to fulfil it: and he hath declared, that whosoever shall break one of the leaft of thefe commands, and teach men fo, he shall be called the leaft in the kingdom of heaven; but whofoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. By all the laws of God as contained in the holy fcriptures, chriftians are taught what is that good, and Joh. 3. 27. acceptable, and perfect will of God, and what obedience will be pleafing to him thro' Jefus Chrift. According to thefe laws believers are Heb. 12. 14. to follow, after holinefs, and ferve God, not Rom8.13-15 with the fpirit of fear as if they were ftill un2 Tim. 1. 7. der the curfe of the first covenant, but with Jam. 1. 25. the fpirit of love and liberty, as the adopted children of God, and willing fubjects of the Redeemer's kingdom, that they may be perMatt. 5. 48. fect even as their Father which is in heaven is perfect. Pfal. 110. 3. Christ's Law OUR Lord Jefus Chrift, in his fermon on promulged in the mount, hath given us an authentic expohiSermon on fition of the precepts of the decalogue, accord the mount. ing to their true fpirit and extent; and thus hath taught his difciples to carry holiness to the utmost perfection. In delivering this admirable fermon on a mountain, our Lord may be confidered as the antitype of Mofes the great lawgiver of Ifrael: for having underta-, ken our redemption, and appearing as the captain 43 captain of our falvation to lead his people to the promised inheritance in heaven, Chrift thus folemnly promulgated bis laws, by which all whom he takes under his care are to be governed. In this view his words demand the peculiar attention of all who trust in him for complete falvation, that they may build their Matt. 7. 24– hope firmly on him, and not on a deceitful 29. fandy foundation. Law of Love. As all the commands of the moral law are The fummary fum'd up in these two great and general precepts,-Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with Matt.22.37-all thine heart--and Thou shalt love thy neighbour 40. as thy felf; fo all the peculiar precepts of the gospel may be comprehended in love to 1 Joh. 4. 7 Christ and our christian brethren. 21. 48. I Cor. 16.22. By love to Chrift we are led to obey all his Love to commands, and are accepted as without blame Chrift. before God. We are bound by gratitude to Eph. 1. 4. love him much, because much is forgiven us. If any man love not the Lord Jefus Chrift he Lok. 7. 41lies under the heaviest curfe, and will be fhut out from the kingdom of heaven at Chrift's fecond appearing. But they that love him have the promife of the Father's love, and the fure hope Joh. 14. 21, of living and reigning with Christ forever; for if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we fhall be faved by his life. 23. 17. 24. Rom. 5. 10. The law of love to the BUT if any man love God, he muft love his brethren. brother alfo for be that loveth not his bro- 1 Joh. 4. 20p. ther, whom he hath feen, how can he love 21. God whom he hath not feen? Chrift hath Joh. 13. 34, delivered this as a new commandment, not 35. known or fully understood,That bis difciples F 2 |