Our rulers need not be alarmed by this defec tion. Those who follow the word of God will never endeavour by violence or intrigue to overturn the religious establishment, however much they may disapprove of it. Even politicians

seem to be more and more perfuaded of the impropriety of interfering with men about religion, and the more they act upon this principle, the better opportunity will they have to observe the happy effects of the gospel on fociety.

Magistrates have acted over again the fable of the hen which laid the golden eggs. The boy, not satisfied with an egg a day, killed the hen that he might receive the whole treasure at once, and thus loft all. Had the rulers of the world left religion to itself, they would have reaped the advantage of it; but grafping at too much-attempting to employ it as an engine of state, it has recoiled upon themselves, and filled the world with bloodshed and misery,

CONCLUSION.

HAVING thus attempted to state the account in

the word of God of the focial worship and ordinances obferved by the first Christians, I cannot conclude without addreffing a few words to my brethren in Chrift. How beautifully fimple are all the ordinances of Jefus! How much adapted to every fituation in which we can be placed! We may confider them as fo many channels through which the Lord communicates fpiritual bleffings to his people. Our obligation to obferve them, however, does not reft on their fuitablenefs, or on the benefit which we are likely to receive from them. They are all enjoined by the Lord, and if we obferve them from regard to his authority, we fhall experience the bleffings connected with them. "If a man love me," faid Jefus," he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him," John xiv. 23. Thus has he connected our growth in grace and our experience of his power to fave, with obedience to his commandments. Let us never forget then

that all the ordinances of Chrift are instituted for our good; that we may be more delivered from the power of fin; that our fellowship may be with

Our rulers need not be alarmed by this defection. Those who follow the word of God will never endeavour by violence or intrigue to overturn the religious establishment, however much they may disapprove of it. Even politicians seem to be more and more perfuaded of the impropriety of interfering with men about religion, and the more they act upon this principle, the better opportunity will they have to observe the happy effects of the gospel on society.

Magiftrates have acted over again the fable of the hen which laid the golden eggs. The boy, not fatisfied with an egg a day, killed the hen that he might receive the whole treasure at once, and thus loft all. Had the rulers of the world left religion to itself, they would have reaped the advantage of it; but grafping at too much-attempting to employ it as an engine of state, it has recoiled upon themselves, and filled the world with bloodshed and mifery,

CONCLUSION.

HAVING thus attempted to state the account in

the word of God of the focial worship and ordinances obferved by the first Christians, I cannot conclude without addreffing a few words to my brethren in Chrift. How beautifully fimple are all the ordinances of Jefus! How much adapted to every fituation in which we can be placed ! We may confider them as fo many channels through which the Lord communicates fpiritual bleffings to his people. Our obligation to observe them, however, does not reft on their fuitableness, or on the benefit which we are likely to receive from them. They are all enjoined by the Lord, and if we obferve them from regard to his authority, we shall experience the bleffings connected with them. "If a man love me," faid Jefus, "he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him," John xiv. 23. Thus has he connected our growth in grace and our experience of his power to fave, with obedience to his commandments. Let us never forget then that all the ordinances of Chrift are instituted for our good; that we may be more delivered from the power of fin; that our fellowship may be with

we may be more weaned from the world, and prepared for the inheritance of saints in light. If thefe important confiderations be not habitually kept in view, we fhall be in danger of perverting and abufing the ordinances; they will become a mere bodily fervice, and we fhall confequently derive little or no benefit from them.

This publication may fall into the hands of fome Chriftians who are connected with churches of a very different complexion from thofe delineated in the foregoing pages. I am far from wishing you, my brethren, to walk by my light. I only request you to enquire "what faith the Scripture?" It is unworthy your character, as believers, to treat any thing connected with religion with indifference. We ought ever to tremble at the word of God, and to remember that it is our duty to liften with the most serious attention to whatever our great Lawgiver has condefcended to teach. A diftinction of greater and lefs amongst the commandments of Chrift has been admitted to a certain extent. This is fupported by the word of God; but how much has it been abused by men-how much has it been mifapplied even by the difciples of Jefus? What are called his leffer commandments have been treated as matters of indifference, deferving neither attention nor ferious regard. Let us remember however that they are all greatly important,