A CONCLUDING ADDRESS TO THE EPISCOPALIANS

OF SCOTLAND, RECOMMENDING THEIR UNITED ADHERENCE TO THE PRINCIPLES, BY WHICH THEY ARE DISTINGUISHED.

IT has been juftly obferved, that no part of the history of man's redemption is more worthy of our devout admiration, than that myfterious union, by which God and man became one Chrift, one Mediator, who was both to fuffer, and to fave; as man to fuffer, and as God to fave. But by the union of God and man in the person of Christ, another union was effected between Chrift and his church; and as the head is joined to the body, fo "we "being many, are one body in Chrift." Now the church is that body; which he has united to himfelf in the fame manner, according to another allufion of his own adopting, as a branch is in the vine, fo as to receive nourishment from the root that feeds and fupports it. But this points out the neceffity of these branches being alfo united by fuch common ties as may hold them together, and fo promote the growth and vigour by which they mutually cherish 3 M 2

and

and support each other; juft as Christians, reprefented as one body in Christ, are faid to be "fitly joined together, and compacted by that whic

ઃઃ

every joint fupplieth," for the purpose of fhewing the falutary effects of that connecting principle, by which the members are all tied to one another, and bear the fame happy relation to the fame common head.

We know, it is the beauty as well as the security of all regular focieties, to be well compacted and clofely joined together, by fuch bonds of union as are best calculated for that purpose; and it is the peculiar recommendation of the church of Christ, that it has in its conftitution, as fettled by its divine Founder, every thing neceffary for conftituting a regular, well formed fociety. Its members are fubject to one Head, even to him, whom the "Father "of glory hath given to be head over all things to "the church," and who, as "the Captain of their "falvation, was made perfect through fufferings, "that his fons might be brought unto glory, by "fighting manfully under his banner." To the order and difcipline established by him, they are all bound to fubmit; and obliged to go through that course of probationary exercife, and perform that religious fervice, which he has appointed, as the means of training them up for the enjoyment of those heavenly rewards, by the promise and expectation of which they are peculiarly distinguished from all other people. This is the light in which we are taught

taught to view the great object and end of the Chriftian church, while confined to its militant ftate here on earth; and from thefe, and fuch like allufions, frequently to be met with in the facred writings, we are justly led to confider it as a fociety established on the most solid and lasting foundation.

Having therefore examined the nature of this foundation, and the order and uniformity of the ftructure raised upon it, we cannot fail to discover, if we only look with an attentive, unprejudiced eye, the neceffity of preferving what is thus effential to the original purpose, and no lefs conducive to the permanent fecurity, of this fpiritual building. These are things which ought not to be lightly regarded, as matters of mere indifference; for they are neceffarily interwoven with the gracious fcheme of our falvation, as laid down in the counfel of the most High, and ought not to be feparated from it. To attempt any fuch feparation is to affect being "wife "above what is written," which can only ferve to expose our own folly and prefumption. How much wiser and fafer muft it be, to put ourselves under God's direction, and being once entered into the school of Christ, to abide carefully by his instructions, and make use of the means which he has appointed for training us up in the way, wherein we ought to go; the only way that leads to heaven and happiness?— Yet mankind have always fhewn a greater defire to travel in paths of their own devifing, than to keep in the way which God has kindly marked out for them.

them. In nothing has this difpofition been more evidently manifefted, than in what regards the order and unity of the church; a fubject on which too many who profefs to be Chriftians do not seem at all to think as they ought, or to bestow on it that deep and serious attention, which is certainly due to it due to it, both on account of its own importance, and more efpecially for the fake of the peculiar intereft always taken in it, and the conftant regard that was fhewn to it, by that adorable perfon, who is the King and Head of the church, because he is the Saviour of the body distinguished by that appellation. From a principle of gratitude to him, as well as concern for ourselves, we ought therefore to view this matter in a juft and proper light, and not fuffer our attention to be diverted from it, or our fentiments to be fwayed by any of those popular errors, or loose opinions, which fo commonly prevail with respect to it.

Nothing is more evident from the history of our bleffed Redeemer, than his unremitted anxiety for the welfare of that mystical body of which he was appointed the glorious Head, and his earneft defire that all the members of it should be preserved in that holy and happy union with him, on which they must ever depend for their spiritual health and life, both here and hereafter. This it was, which employed his thoughts during the laft, and moft awful period of his life, and made the subject of that devout and dying fupplication offered up by him,

as

as the incarnate Son of God, to his heavenly Father, in which, as the one Mediator between God and men, he prayed, not for his apoftles alone, "but for them alfo, who fhould believe on him, through their word;-that they all may be one," fays he, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee,

us;

that they alfo may be one in us ;"* one, not only in heart and affection, but also in an outward and visible communion; that by feeing my followers thus united in one body- the world may believe, "that thou haft fent me." Thus the unity of his body is made an argument for the truth of his divine miffion, and is certainly one of the most obvious and fatisfactory proofs, which the world in general can receive, that God hath fent his Son to be the Saviour of it. Hence it is, that we find St. Paul, who was" chofen to be a witnefs unto all men," of this gracious scheme of falvation, so often and earnestly urging the neceffity of maintaining unity and concord among thofe who were to partake in common of its inestimable bleflings. He therefore prays for the converted Romans, "that the God of patience "and confolation would grant them to be like mind"ed one towards another, according to Chrift Je

fus; that they might with one mind and one mouth glorify God." And to the Chriftians at Corinth, he addreffes this affectionate exhortation-" I " befeech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jefus