his better judgment. This case, it is to be feared, is by no means a singular one. Little hopes, therefore, can be entertained, that in a subject of this kind, conversion will often accompany conviction. For when schism once takes possession of the human mind, it bears

ind, it bears some resemblance to a cancer in the human body, which spreads its poisonous influence so generally through the system, that the disease seldom terminates but with the life of the patient.

10

Nevertheless, how desperate soever the case, the physician, while life remain, perseveres in his attempt to cure. Upon this principle, rather than upon any sanguine hope of hope of success, I have thrown together the foregoing thoughts upon a subject, which to me appears of the utmost importance. My earnest wish in so doing has been, in the first instance, to discharge some part of my duty to wards those immediately committed to my care. In the second, to do some l little good in a more

come an

an

general way, should God think me worthy to be-, Instrument of doing good in such a cause. It is not is not to be be expected that what has been written, should make impression upon those who will not give themselves leave to think differently from what

what they may have been accustomed to think; for prejudice, generally speaking, turns its back upon reason: but I cannot help indulging a hope, that where it meets, with a candid and ingenuous mind, it will not fail of being attended with some effect. The only probable way to succeed in this case seems to be, by putting men upon the proper use of their rational faculties, from a

conviction that ignorance is the prolific parent of

error. 1 of

All men, it is certain, are not qualified to penetrate into the depths of science; nor is it necessary, for the general purposes of life, that all men should be either historians, metaphysicians, logicians, or critics. But all men are concerned to know what plan has been revealed for the promotion of their eternal welfare, and in what manner their conduct must correspond with it, to secure its effect. It is to be supposed, therefore, that an all-gracious God has furnished all men with an understanding competent to this purpose, provided it be properly employed. To that understanding the appeal is here made. For the cause we have in hand requires not that we should put out the eyes of men, in order to lead them blindfold in their Christian journey. On the contrary, we are desirous that they should see for themselves, and see clearly; upon the idea, that the more they see, the less prejudice they will entertain, and the more they will be satisfied with the direction of their appointed guides.

With this view the Bible is put into their hands, and they are required, after the example of the Bereans, to search and examine, whether what has been said upon the subject of the Church be agreeable to the tenor of the Apostolic writings. For that is the standard to which all opinions upon this subject must be ultimately referred.

From these writings, principally, we have collected what appears to us decisive evidence respecting the nature, design, and constitution, of

the Christian Church. Upon the authority of these writings, we have described the Church to be, not a creature of the imagination, or a society of human establishment; but a visible body of people called out of the world by God, and placed by Him under a particular form of government and discipline, calculated to promote the great object for which they are brought together. By direct evidence from the same fountain of knowledge, we have maintained, that the Head of the Church originally committed the care of it to his Apostles, investing them with power to manage the concerns of it; and that the Apostles did actually exercise that power, by appointing divers orders in the Church, and establishing the plan upon which it was in future to be conducted. In correspondence with this arrangement, we have represented the unity of the Church to consist in the conformity of its members to this Divine plan; whereby they become joined together in that brotherly communion and fellowship, necessary to the promotion of that "charity, which is the bond of perfectness," and the charac teristic mark of the disciples of the blessed Jesus. It now remains that the reader examine this matter for himself. With his Bible in his hand, and prejudice laid aside, let the subject then be brought to an impartial hearing. And if he find, persuaded will be the case, that those parts of the sacred records, to which an appeal has been made in the foregoing discourses, will not, upon fair construction, admit a sense different from what has been annexed to them; if he would

as we are

maintain the character of an honest man, he will be led to the following obvious conclusion; that a fancied independence on spiritual authority, upon the mistaken idea that every man is at liberty to make his own Church, or to join himself to any society of Christians who may assume that name, with the view of offering up a more spiritual service than, in their judgment, is offered to God in any other way, (the plausible ground upon which all modern separations from the Church are built) whilst it renders the Apostolic writings destitute of all force and meaning, tends, at the same time, to the dissolution of that order, which Christ, for wise reasons, saw necessary to be established.

In handling this subject, we have laid down two general positions, which, it is presumed, are not to be controverted. The first is, that the Author of man's salvation was best qualified to determine the plan calculated to carry it into effect. The second, that as the salvation of fallen man is the work of free and undeserved grace, man must be thankful to accept it on the conditions upon which it is offered. The conclusion to which these positions lead seems to be this: that no man, in the ordinary way of salvation, can hope to attain the end of his Christian calling, who neglects to use the means appointed by God to lead him to it.

Such is the ground upon which the argument for conformity to the Church is built. The consideration that a certain plan has been set on foot, and certain means of grace appointed by the Head of the Church, for the purpose of securing the salvation of its members, tends to render