may choose to partake that ordinance ats mid-day, and others toward evening ;while fome may choose to fit on their ufual feats in the house of God, and others choose to fall on their knees, while they receive the emblems of the body and blood of the Saviour, let them not upbraid each other for ufing that liberty, wherewith Chrift has made them free. But let all be attentive to the ordinance of Chrift. Let the followers of Christ act like one body, notwithstanding their different thoughts fuch non-effentials.

in

Further; the Apoftle not only informs, that there is one body, but also, that there is one spirit.

White Chrift collects a body out of the fallen race of man, he actuates that body his fpirit.

The fpirit of God operates in the hearts of his people. There the love of God reigns; they love him fupremely for his fuperlative excellence; they delight in Chrift" as the brightness of the Father's glory, and exprefs image of his perfon."They delight in the Holy Spirit, in his fanctifying influences or operations. They delight in the attributes of God difplayed before them. Both his natural and moral perfections attract their attention. They can rejoice that he is, that he is eternal and immutable, that he is omnipotent, omnifcient, and omniprefent, that he is a God of..

infinite wisdom, inflexible juftice, a God of truth, and yet a God of mercy, who delighteth not in the death of the finner, but is difpofed that he should repent and live. They delight in God as a being of infinite goodness, whofe compaffion is beyond our power to defcribe. They view his nature as perfectly pure, and his ways, as holy, jaft, and good. They view his laws as perfectly juft, his rewards as truly great and infinitely defirable, his threatenings equitable and justly to be feared. They wish to obtain the bleffings of his grace, and to be freed from an expofedness to his difpleaf ure. While they love God and his laws, they delight in holinefs which he requires, and hate fin which he abhors and forbids.Yea, they hate fin in themfelves, are oppofed to it, not becaufe it is in this or that perfon, but because it is evil, because it is difhonourary to God, and injurious to his creatures. They defire to be purified from its pollution by the blood of Chrift, to be inftamped with the divine image, to have Chrift formed in their hearts, and to be enabled to live to his glory. While the love of God reigns in their hearts, they also regard their fellow creatures as themselves, are difpofed to do juice, love mercy, and walk humbly through the courte of life.They are the friends of Zion, they feek her peace and profperity. They pray and labour for the intereit and advancement of

true religion. They with well to their fellow men, wifh them to be restored to the image of God in Christ, and that they may obtain eternal falvation in God's ap-pointed way. They have a fpirit which leads them to defire and fupplicate that God's kingdom may come and his will be done on earth, in fome good measure, ás in heaven above. This one pure spirit, in fome degree, operates in all the true charch of Chrift on earth, leading them to glorify their God and Saviour, and to do good to their fellow men, while on their way to that inheritance which is purchafed by: Christ, and referved for them in glory.

While we view the true church of Chrift! as one body, and having one fpirit, we are reminded alfo that they have one hope of their calling. They are called of Chrift to repentance and faith in him, are called. out of darkness into his marvellous light.They are called from death to life, from the kingdom of the great apoftate, into the kingdom of the great Redeemer. They are called from the fervice of the prince of darkness, to the fervice of the Prince of light; are called from the love and prac-. tive of fin, to the love and practice of holinefs, are called off from felf-confidence, to truft in Chrift for wifdom, righteoufnels, fanctification, and eternal life. They hope for falvation through the merits of Chrift,

B. 2.

a falvation from fin and from the penalty. of the law. They hope in him for a reftoration to the image of God, and for the enjoyment of his favourable prefence forever.

The hope which the faints of God enter tain may, in a comprehenfive view, be termed one hope though they may entertain many fubordinate hopes, in which they differ in fome refpects. While good men wish to be inftrumental of the glory of God on earth, one may fuppofe that, if he were favoured with certain means or circumftances, he might be more inftrumental of the divine glory, and hence with and hope for thofe means or circumftances; while another may conclude that fome other means might be the most suitable for him to im prove in the fervice and for the glory of God, and hence defire and hope for thofe means as conducive to his ufefulness. And it may be that both act well therein.

One

and the fame fituation in life would, not be best for every follower of Christ. But, while there may be fome circumftantial dif ferences, relative to the particular hopes of pious men, yet there is an harmony in their effence, fo far as they are juftifiable.

While true faints are to be confidered as one body and as having one spirit in an essential respect, and as having one hope of their calling, one and the fame main object of attention and purfuit, the glory of God and their eternal falvation, there is allo one

Lord. Chrift is the head of the church, the King whom. God hath fet on his holy bill of Zion. He is the mighty God, the Everlafting Father, the Prince of Peace.He is the Redeemer of Ifrael and their Lawgiver. And he is not only to be acknowledged, as the Lord of the true church now, but fuch he has been heretofore, before he affumed his humanity and appeared on earth incarnate. We are informed, refpecting the Law, that it was ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator." And he will continue to be the Lord of his people, and bring his work, to the confumation. To him it becometh the human race to repair, and fubmit to his dominion. He hath the right of dominion over us, "there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be faved." Earthly. kings and potentates may be of short continuance. Their fplendour. may fade and their power vanish, but Chrift's power, dominion, and glory will remain.

And the people fhould be attentive to him as their Sovereign, look to him for direction, and endeavour to walk in his ways, acknowledging no other to be Lord over them in matters of religion. They fhould be cautious to guard against fuch a fpirit, as would lead them to lord it over any of their brethren in Chrift. But, let Chrift hold the reigns of dominion, and let all Look to him as their Lawgiver and Judge;