not only the one true God, but Faith in Jefus Chrift, the Lord, in his most important Characters and Offices, together with fuch Repentance of Sin, and fuch a visible Practice of Holinefs, as may give Reason to hope their Profeffion is fincere. In the primitive Times they confeffed their Faith, and then they fhewed their Works, Acts xix. 18. and thereby proved their Profeffion to be fincere, and their Faith to be a true or living Faith. James ii. 17, 18. It was commanded that the Jews fhould bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance, in Order to be admitted to John's Baptifm. Matt. iii. 8. And furely then it must be required to the Baptism of Christianity, or a Union with the Disciples of Chrift*. They are generally described to be fuch as worship God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord, and profefs that Faith which worketh by Love; which is the Subftance of Chriftianity in a very few Words.

And though there are, and will be, fome leffer Differences in Sentiment among Chriftians in all Ages, and though they are as great as were between the Jewish and the Gentile Converts in primitive Times; yet the New Testament teaches, that they may all unite in the fame

* Let it be observed, that in this, and other Parts of my Difcourfe, I fpeak only of adult Perfons, who are capable of profeffing their Faith; being not willing to embarrass this Difcourfe with the Controverfy relating to Infants, their Difcipleship, or their Baptifm.

Christian

Christian Society, and receive one another in the Lord; i. e. to all the Privileges of FellowChristians, and the Fellowship of GofpelOrdinances, even upon as large a Foot as Chrift has received them. Rom. xvi. 2. and xv. 7. Whether they are strong or weak in the Faith, they are to be thus received, without entangling their Minds with more doubtful and difputable Things; Rom. xiv. 1. that is, whether they eat Herbs or Flesh, or believe fome Days were holy, or every Day alike. Ver. 3, 4, 5.

III. Again, The Light of Reafon teacheth, that there must be a mutual Confent, Compact, or Agreement, amongst fuch Perfons as profefs the fame Religion, to walk according to the Directions and Dictates of it, and to affift and encourage, to join and fupport one another, in the Profeffion and Practice of it, as well as to meet and worship together at certain Seafons, and a certain Place. This Engagement for mutual Affiftance is very neceffary, for the Support of any Religion in the World; and without fuch an Agreement as to Time and Place, a Company of Men cannot meet for any Purpose whatsoever, either in Things civil or religious *.

If

* Where the Magiftrate takes upon him, (whether with or without Order from Heaven) to appoint all the Forms, Times, and Places of Worfhip, and the People willingly confent to it, and obey the Magiftrate herein,

If there be any precife Time, and any particular Place, appointed for this Purpofe by divine Revelation, Reason immediately determines that we must meet at that Time and that Place: But where there is not any fuch divine Direction, there the Place and Time must be concerted and agreed by those who are united in fuch a Society; nor has any one Perfon Power to impose his Will or Humour upon the reft. The Acts of Religion must be all free and voluntary.

Now what faith the New Teftament in this Cafe? TheUnion, or mutualAgreement among particular Chriftians for this Purpose, which is the Bond of their Society, is expreffed by St. Paul, or, at leaft, it is included in that Phrase of receiving one another, as Chrift has received us; Rom. xv. 7. that with one Mouth we may glorify God. It is a mutual receiving one another in the Lord. Rom. xvi. 2. The Word is used to the fame Purpose, Rom. xiv. 1. and in other Scriptures. If this Agreement be not expreffed fo plainly in Scripture as fome Perfons might expect, it is because the very Nature of Things, and the Reafon of Man, makes this mutual Confent and Agreement fo neceffary to keep up any publick Religion, that it was not needful for the

this is an implicite Agreement among themselves, and attains the fame End, in fome Measure, though it may happen to infringe Chriftian Liberty.

Scriptures

Scriptures to be more exprefs or particular in the Appointment of it.

As for the Place of Worship, there is none made facred, or divinely appointed, under the New Testament. John iv. 21, &c. Neither in this Mountain, Gerizim, nor at Jerufalem, Shall they worship the Father; but the Hour cometh, and now is at Hand, when, without Regard to any particular Place, they shall be accounted true. Worshippers, who worship God in Spirit and in Truth. And therefore, fome convenient Place must be agreed upon by the Society, fince the New Teftament determines none.

As to the Time, it is confeffed that we Chriftians have not fo exprefs and particular Prefcriptions of the Seafons of Worship as the Jews enjoyed, neither as to their weekly Sabbath, or any other of their Festivals; but there is fufficient Evidence from facred Hiftory, that the first Day of the Week was the ufual Season of publick Chriftian Worship in the Apostles Times, and in the following Ages; and the Day was known among Chriftians by the honourable Title of the Lord's Day, fo far, that the Obfervation of it was the Characteristick, or diftinguishing Mark of a Chriftian. Now fince it was fo early and fo univerfally practised by the Profeffors of Chriftianity, we have juft Reafon to think it was appointed by the inspired Apoftles, that Chriftians should come together

to

And

to worship God on that Day, and give Honour to their Risen Saviour. Acts ii. 1,---4. 41. XX. 7. I Cor. xvi. 1, 2. Rev. i. 10. that they should agree to come to worship at the fame Time, and the fame Place, is evident from I Cor. xi. 20, 33. and xiv. 23. The whole Church were to be gathered together at one Place, otherwise they were to tarry for one another till the chief Part of them were

come.

IV. Since Mankind is mortal, and every human Affembly will die away by Degrees, unless it be fupplied with new Members, common Reason directs every religious Society to receive in new Members, upon their Appearance to be properly qualified, according to the Rules of that Religion, and the Judgement of that Society; that there may be a Continuance of this Religion in the World.

And in the fame Manner the Light of Nature, or Reafon, and common Prudence, teach us alfo, that if the Perfons who have thus profeffed any particular Religion, do either renounce it in Principle or Profeffion, or maintain, in a publick and notorious Manner, fuch a Set of Notions, or fuch a Course of Conversation, or of Worship, as is inconfiftent with it, this religious Society will think it proper to cast such Perfons out of their Fellowship, that they may not infect the rest, nor dishonour their Religion: For what C Fellow