be derived from the re-adoption of those means, by which it was originally promoted.

We know, and we are forry to think, that there are many ferious perfons, who, from an idea that members of our church are mere formal lifeless profeffors of Christianity, have separated from her communion, with the view of joining in what appears to them a more spiritual fervice elsewhere. But though we are not disposed to admit the truth of the reason advanced on this occafion, and are inclined to think that feparation from the church is to be traced up to a very different motive, yet we do not feel ourfelves engaged to enter upon this part of the fubject; our present business being to point out the advantages attendant upon communion with the church, not to enlarge upon the occafional ill ufe that has been made of them.

To form a fair judgment on this head, we must confider what the fervice of our church is in itself, and the fpiritual effect which it is calculated to produce; not the little benefit which its formal attendants have actually derived from it. Viewing things in this light, we do not hesitate to fay, that the circumstance of the feparatift from our church having his attention so engroffed with the service of preaching, as it

generally is, how excellent foever that preaching may be, throws an additional weight into the scale of dif advantage derivable from his feparation. In confequence of which he is obliged to take up, for the most part, with an eafy hearfay kind of religious fervice, which is not calculated to procure for him either pardon or bleffing at the Throne of Grace; whilft the member of the church is, or ought to be, engaged in those more fevere and more fpiritual exercifes, which, when properly performed, are the covenanted conditions upon which both are to be obtained.

In treating this fubject, we have hitherto confidered how man is affected by it, in the relation in which he ftands to GOD, as redeemed by the blood of his Son; we will now confider for a moment, how it affects him as member of a civilized community.

One of the most general marks by which Christians are to be known, is the love which they bear to each other. "By this," fays CHRIST, "fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if ye have love one to another." The religion which Chriftians profefs is founded in love, and beft calculated to produce it. Its characteristic fruits are love, joy, peace, longfuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meeknefs, temperance. So that it may be laid down as an axiom,

that where charity or love of the brethren is wanting, there genuine Christianity is not to be found.

Now it has pleased GOD in this, as in most other cafes, to ordain, that the present and future interests of mankind, their peace in this world, and that in the next, should travel as it were hand in hand together; by making an uniformity in religious worship contribute effentially to both. So long as men continue in unity in the church, they are, generally fpeaking, difpofed to live in unity among themselves. The breaking away from her is but a preparatory step to their breaking away from each other. No fooner is the centre of unity deferted, than the bond of Christian fellowship, by which men, as members of the church, are held together, is burft afunder; and that fociety, which before conftituted a compact body, at peace within itself, is crumbled into parties and factions.

Certain it is, that union among Christians is to be found only within the walls of the church. Upon leaving those walls, that union is exchanged for endlefs divifion; which unavoidably generates thofe evils which the Apostle has described among the works of the flesh; under the feveral heads of "hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, ftrife, feditions, herefies, envyings, and murders.”

So that feparation from the church ultimately proves more or lefs fatal to the peace of individuals; as if it were the defign of GOD, that men should experience in this world, the effects of their deviation from his plan for their falvation. For when the paffions are fet at work in this bufinefs, a mistaken zeal for what fome men conceive to be the truth, becomes the plaufible plea for difallowing to others that liberty, which they have not fcrupled to affume to themselves.

This principle, common to all religious differences, conftitutes the general ground upon which perfecution is built; which, though a word of partial application, it being generally confined to the feverities which we ourselves feel, not to those which we inflict on others, is that severe scourge with which Providence feems to have permitted men to afflict each other, as a punishment for their mutual desertion of the Chriftian character. For whilft bigots of all defcriptions perfuade themselves, that they are inftruments in GOD'S hand for promoting his cause, they are in fact only acting under the influence of difordered paffions, and gratifying the propenfities of a corrupt nature.

When the Scotch covenanters, through the unhappy distraction of the times, had fucceeded fo far as

to break off from all connection with the church in their own country, by fetting up a form of government independent of it; their confciences, as they pretended, could not be at reft, whilft a church continued to exist in England; and in their zeal for profelytism, the deftruction of a whole kingdom was not, by thefe intemperate bigots, thought too dear a price to be paid for the propagation of their favourite caufe.

The Puritans, in the feventeenth century, who fled from hence for the fake of enjoying a greater degree of religious freedom, than was at that time to be had in this country, were no fooner eftablished in their new settlement, than they furnished the moft convincing proof, that those who go the greatest lengths to procure religious freedom for themselves, are leaft difpofed to allow it to others. The perfecution which, under the forms of law, these Puritans fet on foot against fome of their brethren, who ventured, after their example, to think for themselves in religious matters, was fo fevere, that an order from government was deemed neceffary to reftrain its violence. In fhort, this people, who in England could not bear being chaftifed with rods, had no fooner got free from their fetters, than they scourged their fellow refugees with fcorpions; though the abfurdity, as