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professed by the Church of Christ in all ages, attested in the strongest terms by the most eminent lights of Christianity, and candidly acknowledged by the most celebrated writers and divines of the reformation? Will not every attempt to weaken the importance of this divine truth be considered by the great God as betraying his cause, and the interests of his holy faith? And will those who do so be able to plead even their favourite invincible ignorance in their own defence, before him?

Q. 39. What are the proper sentiments and dispositions which this great truth ought to produce in the hearts and conduct of those who are members of the Church of Christ ?

A. Nothing can contribute more effectually to produce the most necessary and salutary dispositions in their hearts, both towards God, towards one another, and towards those who are separated from their communion, than the frequent and serious consideration of their vocation to the faith of Christ, and to the communion of that Church out of which there is no salvation. And, (1.) With regard to God, it cannot fail to inspire them with the most tender sentiments of affection, love, and gratitude towards him, to see themselves so highly favoured by his infinite goodness, without any desert on their part, and in preference to so many thousands of others, who are left in ignorance and error. They ought never to cease praising and adoring him for so great and inestimable a favour, and should be assiduous in giving proof of the sincerity of their gratitude and love to him, by a continual obedience to his commandments. How agreeable such things are to Almighty God, and how much he requires them from those whom he has so highly favoured, is evident, from his own divine word, where we are frequently put in mind

of the greatness of the grace of our vocation, and pressingly commanded to make a proper return to God for it, by these holy virtues. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," says St. Paul, "who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ, as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity....Wherefore I cease not to make commemoration of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom, and of revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us, who believe according to the operation of the might of his power which he wrought in Christ," Eph. i. Behold, how ardently he desires that we may have a proper sense of that great mercy! And a little after, describing the greatness of this favour, and the return it requires from us, he says, "By him (Christ) we have access in one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and domestics of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone," Ephes. ii. 18. "For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk ye as the children of light; for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth; proving what is well pleasing to God, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, Ephes. v. 8. In another place he says, "That ye may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing....giving thanks to God the Father, who hath

made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us to the kingdom of his beloved Son," Col. i. 10. And again, writing to Titus, he says, "It is a faithful saying, and these things I will have thee affirm constantly, that they who believe in God may be careful to excel in good works," Tit. iii. 8. Lastly, to shew the absolute necessity of this grateful correspondence on our part, with so great goodness of God towards us, he assures us that it is only on condition of our persevering in our holy faith, and in the hope of our calling, that we can expect the eternal reward of being presented spotless before God, "Whereas," says he, ye were sometimes alienated, and enemies in mind, in evil works; yet now he hath reconciled you in the body of his flesh, to present you holy, and unspotted, and blameless before him, if so ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and immoveable from the gospel which ye have heard, which is preached in all the creation which is under heaven," Col. i. 21. St. Peter also describes the grace of our Vocation in the most beautiful terms, and assures us that the very design of God in calling us, was, that we might make a suitable return to him by declaring his praises. "Ye," says he, "are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, that ye may declare the virtues (or praises) of him who hath called you out of darkness into his admirable light," 1 Pet. ii. 9. How great an obligation does all this lay us under of living good lives,, and studying in all things to do the will of God, especially when Christ himself expressly says, " So let your light shine before men, that they seeing your good works, may glorify your Father who is in heaven? 2. G 2

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Q. 40. What are the dispositions and behaviour which this inestimable goodness of God requires in the members of his Church towards one another?

A. St. Paul describes them to us in a very strong light as follows: "I, therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which ye are called with all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity; careful to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. One body, one spirit, as ye are called, in one hope of our calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all," Ephes. iv. 1. See here in what strong colours he shews that humility, meekness, and brotherly love are virtues essential to our vocation, and that every thing belonging to our holy religion requires that we should live in the.constant practice of them. We are all united in one body, the Church of Christ, animated by one spirit, the spirit of Jesus, which guides and conducts that body into all truth; that we are called to one hope of our calling, the possession of God himself in eternal glory; that we all serve one Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ; that we all profess one faith, that holy faith which he revealed to mankind, without which it is impossible to please God; that we are all sanctified by one baptism; that we all serve one God; that we are all children of one Father; and that this heavenly Father is ever present with us, and our whole conduct is naked and open before him. How unbecoming then must it be in the eyes of this our Father, to see us entertaining discords, or ill-will, among ourselves? and how unworthy of our vocation, and dishonourable to our religion, if, being members of the same body, servants of the same master, and children of the same father,

united together in so many strong ties of religion, we should live in animosity and enmity with each other? In another place, the same holy apostle, describing the dispositions necessary for those whom God has called, as his elect, to the inestimable grace of being members of his holy Church, he says, "Put ye on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, 'humility, modesty, patience, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another; if any one have a complaint against another, even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do ye also," Col. iii. 12. And the contrary behaviour is so unbecoming and so unworthy of our vocation, that St. James declares it to be even diabolical. "If ye have bitter zeal and contentions in your heart, glory not, and be not liars against the truth; for this is not wisdom descending from above, but earthly, sensual, devilish," Jam. iii. 14. All this is drawn from the express doctrine of our great Master himself, who not only commands all his followers to live in brotherly love and union among themselves, but declares this to be so connected with their vocation, that it is the distinguishing sign of their bes longing to him: "By this shall all men know," says he, "that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another," John, xiii. 35.

Q.41. What are the dispositions which the members of the Church of Christ ought to have, and what line of conduct should they follow, towards those who are separated from their communion?

A. It is impossible to have a real and sincere love of God, without also loving every thing that is connected with him; and the more nearly any thing is connected with God, the greater must our love be towards it. Now, all those who are in a false religion, though separated from the communion of the Church, yet have in many other respects a very near

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