Churches or of a church state in the dictates of human reason, or what may be otherwise called the light of nature, since social worship is allowedly an important condition and object of such a state.

§. 8. Of the need of Revelation.

Although in the language of the worthy writer referred to in the last section,*"The power and necessity of acting together is given unto our nature for this end principally, that we may thus glorify God in and by the worship, which he requires of us;" a statement, which implies, that without such conjoined and associated worship, we should act against the highest end of that nature; still we are to consider it a great happiness, that God has not left us to the light of reason alone. One part of a church state is associated worship,and so far reason may be our guide, for nothing is more reasonable than such worship; and in the course of these inquiries, we shall find it satisfactory, in other respects also, to rest upon its

*The very learned and pious Dr. Owen, justly reckoned one of the guides and fathers of the Congregational churches, was born in 1616, at Haddam, in Oxfordshire, England. He was educated at Queen's College, Oxford, which he left in 1637. In 1643, he went to Coggeshall and gathered a church on Congregational, or what were then commonly called, Independent principles; his adherence to which he had previously made known. He once expected to remove to this country, and settle in New England, but was prevented for some cause. He was abundant in labors and of ardent piety. He wrote many books; one in particular, having relation to the subject of this work, entitled, An Enquiry into the Original, Nature, Institution, Power, Order, and Communion of Evangelical Churches. This work was not published until after the author's death, which took place at London, 1683.-There is also an anonymous work, first printed in 1667, and attributed to Dr. Owen, entitled. A Brief Instruction in the Worship of God and Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament, &c.

intimations; but it is freely conceded, that human reason, however clearly it might have indicated the propriety of an association of worshippers, could never of itself have laid the foundations of a Christian church.

The light of nature alone never could have disclosed the aggravation and the extent of sin; the light of nature never could have fully and satisfactorily declared the dreadful danger, attendant upon all sin unrepented of: from this source alone we could never have become acquainted with the divine character and mission of Jesus Christ, and with the symbolical sacraments of the Supper and of Baptism. Even the church of the Old Testament was visited with hopes, and was charged with duties, and was subjected to arrangements, which implied the controlling interposition of a Divine Revelation; and much more then the church of the New Testament, "For God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." On the subject of the Evangelical church state, therefore, as well as on others of a more personal nature, although we are not required to renounce our reason, we are seriously required to resort to it, as those," who have the sure word of prophecy, to which they do well to take heed as unto a light, shining in a dark place."

§. 9. Authority and directions for a Church state in the New Testament.

Guided then by the sure instructions of the Holy Word, let us attempt to examine the New Testament, and to consider what has resulted from the coming of Christ in reference to the subject before us. this inquiry, it must be considered that the Saviour's Advent has laid

And in entering into exceedingly obvious, mankind under new

obligations; and especially so, those, who have received Christ in the character of Redeemer, and have reason to

regard themselves as his followers, for they are under Christ in a peculiar sense, and are not at liberty to consider themselves their own. "None of us liveth, (saith

the Apostle, Rom. XIV. 7, 9,) to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living."-Christ then being acknowledged in general to be the ruler of his people, we are to inquire more particularly both as to what rights he possesses, and as to what duties he has enjoined. And (1) he has the right to direct his people and to require their obedience, derived to a certain extent from, and as a consequent on the blessings he has conferred.-Christ is spoken of, (John i. 9.) in reference to the instructions, of which he is the author, as the "true light, which lighteth every man, that cometh into the world." The Apostle Paul, in allusion to their redemption from sin, repeatedly says of Christians, they are "bought with a price ;" and also in another form of expression, but of similar import, he speaks of them, as "purchased by the blood of Christ." But it cannot be considered necessary to dwell at any length here on the blessings, of which Christ is the source to his beloved people. They are very clearly and amply disclosed in the annals of his holy and perfect life; in the story of his incarnation, of his toils and sufferings, of his agony in the garden and on the cross, of his ascension and his intercessions in the presence of the Most High.

And on the general principle that the bestowment of benefits creates and authorizes in the bestower a peculiar interest in the recipient, it is an obvious inference, that Christ, who has done so much for his people, has acquired rights in the direction and government of them, founded on his unexampled love.

(2) But on looking a little further into the New Testament Scriptures, we cannot fail to discover, that express and ample powers are conferred on the Saviour in these respects; that they are not merely constructive, but direct. Of old, God said unto the Saviour, more than he said at any time to the angels, "Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." God appointed him "heir of all things, by whom also he made the -worlds." And again, God hath "given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many, as God hath given him." "Giving thanks," says the Apos tle, "unto the Father, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son ;" "Who hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the Church."* So that Christ, by the ordination of God, is the giver of everlasting life, the king of saints, the head over all to the Church or for the good of the Church, and the heir of all things; and being such, he evidently possesses authority, in virtue of this divine ordination, to constitute a Church state, with such ends and according to such order, as shall seem suitable. He is not only the redeemer, but the ruler of his people; not only the son, but the heir, not only the purchaser, but the bestower of everlasting life, having, in the language of the Apostle to the Colossians, "in all things the pre-eminence ;" and therefore, it is right and becoming, that all his followers should look to him with humility as their law-giver; knowing that the Shepherd, who has shown such infinite kindness to his flock, will order nothing but in great wisdom and mercy.

And accordingly Christ, in the exercise of the power vested in him, hath, either directly of himself, or indirectly by the teachings of the Apostles, left instructions

*Heb. i. 2, 13, John xvii. 2, Coloss. i. 12, 13. Eph. i. 22.

to these ends, that God is to be worshipped, which we learn also from the light of nature and from the Old Testament Scriptures; that it is incumbent on men to worship him in company, not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, which is also agreeable to the light of nature and likewise to the instructions of the Old Testament; that it is the duty of men to be baptized, a symbol of the needed purification of the heart; that it is their duty to partake of bread and wine in remembrance of his crucifixion and atonement; that they are to renounce the selfish pursuit of the things of the world and to live together as brethren, in the exercise of mutual sympathy, love, and kindness. And thus he has in great mercy laid down the distinctive, the holy, and excellent principles of a church state, essentially differing from what could have been suggested by the mere light of nature; differing in certain obvious respects from that imperfect antediluvian church state, which seems to have bound together in certain peculiarities of belief, hope, and practice, those who "called themselves by the name of the Lord;" differing also in a very marked manner from the ancient Jewish Church; a church state, which has already been recognized in all parts of the world, and shall continue, as long as time lasts, a source of great consolation and blessedAnd it must, therefore, be considered the duty of all Christians, founded on reason and on the explicit injunctions of their exalted and blessed Redeemer, to associate together for worship, for the maintenance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Eucharist, and for the enjoyment of mutual instruction and prayer, and such other religious and brotherly offices, as are indicated in the word of God.

ness.

§. 10. Of the general internal constitution of a church.

But it remains to be inquired further, How this eccle