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may choose to partake that ordinance ats mid-day, and others toward evening ;while some may choose to fit on their usual 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 using that liberty, wherewith Chrift has made them free. But let all be attentive to the ordinance of Christ. Let the followers of Christ act like one body, notwithstanding their different thoughts in fuch non-effentials.

• Further; the Apostle 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 by his fpirit.

The spirit 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 express image of his person."They delight in the Holy Spirit, in his sanctifying influences or operations. They delight in the attributes of God displayed 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 omnipresent, that he is a God of infinite wisdom, inflexible justice, a God of truth, and yet a God of mercy, who delighteth not in the death of the finner, but is disposed that he should repent and live. They delight in God as a being of infinite goodness, whose compaffion is beyond our power to describe. They view his nature as perfectly pure, and his ways, as holy, just, and good. They view his laws as perfectly just, his rewards as truly great and infinitely defirable, his threatenings equitable and justly to be feared. They wish to obtain the blessings of his grace, and to be freed from an exposedness to his difpleaf ure. While they love God and his laws, they delight in holiness which he requires, and hate fin which he abhors and forbids.Yea, they hate fin in themselves, are opposed to it, not because it is in this or that person, but because it is evil, because it is dishonourary to God, and injurious to his creatures. They defire to be purified from its pollution by the blood of Chrift, to be instamped 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 justice, 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 interest and advancement of

true religion. They wish well to their fellow men, wish them to be restored to the image of God in Christ, and that they may obtain eternal falvation in God's appointed 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, as in heaven above. This one pure spirit, in fome degree, operates in all the trueckerch 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 purchased by: Chrift, and referved for them in glory.

While we view the true church of Chrift as one body, and having one spirit, we are reminded also 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 practive of fin, to the love and practice of holiness, are called off from felf-confidence, to trust in Chrift for wisdom, righteousnels, 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 restoration to the image of God, and for the enjoyment of his favourable presence forever.

The hope which the faints of God entertain may, in a comprehensive view, be termed one hope; though they may entertain many fubordinate hopes, in which they differ in fome respects. While good men wish to be instrumental of the glory of God on earth, one may suppose that, if he were favoured with certain means or circumstances, he might be more instrumental of the divine glory, and hence with and hope for those means or circumstances; while another may conclude that some other means might be the most suitable for him to improve in the service and for the glory of God, and hence defire and hope for those means as conducive to his usefulness. And it may be that both act well therein. One and the same situation in life would not be best for every follower of Chrift. But, while there may be fome circumstantial dif. ferences, relative to the particular hopes of pious men, yet there is an harmony in their effence, fo far as they are justifiable.

While true faints are to be confidered as one body and as having one fpirit 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 alto one

Lord. Christ is the head of the church the King whom. God hath set on his holy bill of Zion. He is the mighty God, the Everlasting 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, respecting 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 consumation. To him it becometh the human race to repair, and submit 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 splendour. may fade and their power vanish, but Chrift's power, dominion, and glory will remain.

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

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