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this he becomes a Chriftian or a member of the body of Chrift; and he is more or less a Chriftian, or rather he is a better or a worfer Chriftian, as he more or less fubmits himself to be governed by Chrift's laws; and when he throws up all fubjection to the laws of Chrift, and refufes to be governed by them, he then ceases to be a Christian, or a member of the body of Chrift, let his profeffions and pretenfions be what they will, Chrift ftands to his people in the relation of a governour, as he was appointed and fent of God to declare to men 'what that rule of action is, which they are to govern their tempers and behaviours by, and which will render them pleafing to their Maker; and as he is appointed their judge to call them to an account for their actions, and to reward or punish them in another world according as they have behaved themselves in this; and it is, mens fubjecting themselves to Chrift, that is, to that law of reafon or rule of righteousness which Chrift fpecially requires their compliance with, that contracts the relation betwixt him and them, and which denominates him to be their head, that is, their governour; and they to be hist body, that is, his fubjects or people. So that Chriftians as Chriftians have no other head, that is, they have no other authoritative power or governour over them, but their one common head or governour, viz. Chrift Jefus our Lord; and they have no other law, confidered as Chriftians, but the laws of Christ to direct their behaviour by. And,

As a Chriftian confidered as fuch, is fubjected only to the laws of Chrift: fo he is only anfwerable to Chrift, and not to any Christian, nor

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to any fet, or order, or body of men among Chriftians for the breach of them. Chrift is conftituted to be, not only the fole law-giver, but also the fole judge of the behaviour of his people; and therefore his people are only anfwerable to him for the breach of his laws. And though the laws of Chrift require the performance of relative and other duties; yet Chrift hath not invested any Chriftian, nor any body of men among Chriftians, with a right to call any of his people to an account for the breach of his laws, fo as to have a right to correct and punish them for their non-compliance. I would not be understood to mean that Christians as Chriftians have not a right to reprove and admonish one another, with refpect to their breach of the law of Chrift, and to make ufe of all proper methods by way of argument and perfuafion, in order to bring the tranfgreffors of Chrift's laws to repentance and reformation of their evil ways, there being in such cases no temporal power or jurifdiction at all; but what I intend is, that as Chrift is constituted the fole judge of the actions of his people, fo it is his peculiar prerogative to punish them for the breach of his laws. The fanctions annexed to, and which are defigned to enforce obedience to the laws of Chrift, are not the pleasures and pains of this world, but the happiness and mifery of another; and Chrift will in his own person, at the proper time, viz. at the day of judgment, call his people to an account for their behaviour, and will reward or punish them according as they fhall have acted agreeably with or contrary to thofe laws. I fay, that the fanctions annexed to the laws of Chrift are not the pleasures and pains of

this world, any otherwife than as our obedience or difobedience to Chrift's laws is of itfelf, and by its own natural tendency fubfervient to our prefent happiness or mifery. And therefore, if any Chrifian, or any body of men among Chriftians, fhould take upon him, or them, to inflict any temporal punishment upon any of their fellow Chriftians, for their breach of any of the laws of Chrift, confidered as the laws of Chrift; this is plainly to invert the order of things, by annexing other and contrary fanctions to the laws of Chrift than he has annexed to them; by judging and punishing before the time; and by the members affuming an authority, and exercising a power which peculiarly belongs to Chrift their bead. And,

As believing in, and fubmitting to be governed by the laws of Chrift is what alone constitutes a Chriftian: fo in this every perfon is, and must be, a voluntier, it not being in the power of any man, nor any fet, or order, or body of men, to believe in, and obey the laws of Chrift, in, and by, or for the perfon of another. Neither can any man, or body of men, force faith or subjection, in, and from the perfon of another; feeing faith is, and must be the produce of conviction, and obedience to the laws of Christ must be voluntary, for otherwise it is not, neither can it be Chriftian obedience. To perform an action which the law of Chrift requires, because the law of the ftate, or any human judicial power requires the performance of the fame action, and because the law of the state, or fuch judicial power threatens, and will punish our disobedience; this is not obedience, to the laws of Chrift, but only to the

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law of the state, or to fuch buman judicial power as required, and was the ground of that obedience. And as every. Chriftian is and must be a voluntier, for otherwife he is not strictly and properly a Chriftian fo he is fuch independent of the will and determination of any Chriftian, or any order of men among Chriftians; it not being in their power to make him fo, or to make him otherwife. I would not be understood to mean, that it is not in the power of any one man, by argument, by perfwafion, by example, and the like, to encourage and invite men to a compli ance with the laws of Chrift, or to lead or draw them off from their fubjection to him; but what I mean is, that as every Chriftian is and muft be fuch voluntarily and of his own choice, in oppofition to the will or choice of any other perfon or perfons who may be fuppofed to chufe for him; fo he is fuch independently, that is, it does not depend upon the will and pleasure of any other perfon or perfons whether he fhall be a Chriftian, or not, it not being in the power of any perfon or perfons to chriftianize or unchri ftianize a man as they pleafe, but it depends upon every man's own pleafure, (in oppofition to all o thers who may be fuppofed to chufe for him, or force him, or determine against him,) whe ther he will obey the laws of Chrift, or not; and confequently whether he will be a Chriftian, or pot. And,

As the relation betwixt Chrift and his people is contracted by their believing in, and fubmitting to be governed by his laws: fo the fame thing contracts the relation of brotherhood betwixt one Chriftian and another. Men do not in this cafe,

cafe become related to Chrift by their relation to, and union with each other; but on the contrary they become related to each other only and wholly by their union with, and their relation to Chrift. So that brotherhood in the prefent cafe does not arife from, nor depend upon, the will and pleasure of any or all the members of that body; but wholly and folely upon each one's relation to the head, Chrift; he being the center of unity to the whole. And though any particular fociety among Chriftians may excommunicate, that is, exclude any individual from being a member of that particular fociety, and thereby difown their brotherly relation to him as a Chriftian: yet this does not destroy that relation, nor make him lefs a Chriftian than he was before; because his relation to Chrift, and to them as a Christian brother in confequence thereof does not arife from, nor depend upon, their opinion of him, nor their behaviour towards him, but only by his believing in, and fubmitting to be governed by Chrift's laws, which fuch acts of excommunication does not affect at all. And,

As Chriftians ftand to each other in the relation of brethren only, and not in the relation of mafters and fervants to each other, confidered as Chriftians: fo there is no fuch thing as greater or less among Chriftians, confidered as fuch, any

otherwife than as the Chriftian revelation has a greater or less influence upon their minds and lives, and thereby the end and purpose of that revelation is more or less anfwered upon them. For tho' one Chriftian may by his being called to perform fome good offices towards his fellow Chriftians (fuch as to teach and admonish them C

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