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filth and off-fcouring of the world; and looking that men thould fay all manner of evil of them falfely for the Lord's fake.

5. It is expected of all who defire to continue in these focieties, that they fhould continue to evidence their defire of falvation,

Thirdly, By attending upon all the ordinances of God: Such are

The public worship of God::

The miniftry of the word, either read or expounded;
The fupper of the Lord;

Family and private prayer ;.
Searching the fcriptures; and
Fafting or abftinence.

6. Thefe are the general rules of our focieties: all
which we are taught of God to observe, even in his writ-
ten word, which is the only rule, and the fufficient rule
both of our faith and practice. And all these we know
his Spirit writes on truly awakened hearts. If there be
any among us who obferve them not, who habitually
break any of them, let it be known unto them who
watch over that foul, as they who must give an account.
We will admonifh him of the error of his
ways. We
will bear with him for a season.—But then, if he re-
pent not, he hath no more place among us. We have
delivered our own fouls.

NOTE S.

The prefent fection forms, perhaps, one of the completest systems of chriftian ethics or morals, for its fize, which ever was published by an uninfpired writer. We fpeak this the more readily, because it was the work of the firft divine, we believe,. fince the time of the apoftles, the late Mr. Welley, after matured experience, with only a fmall addition, which the circumfiances of thefe ftates required. The rules are fo clear, and so obviously approve themselves to every candid mind, that we need only touch briefly upon them, proving them by quotations from the facred writings.

1. Of clafs-meeting we fhall fpeak hereafter: We would here' anly explain a few particulars concerning the office of a leader.

We have found it neceffary in innumerable inftances to enlarge the number of the clafs, from the impoffibility of providing a fufficiency of clafs-leaders, if the number were always limited to twelve. The office is of vaft confequence. The revival of the work of God does perhaps depend as much upon the whole body of leaders, as it does upon the whole body of preachers. We have almoft constantly obferved, that when a leader is dull or carelefs or inactive-when he has not abilities or zeal fufficient to reprove with courage though with gentleness, and to prefs a prefent fal vation upon the hearts of the fincere, the clafs is, in general, languid: but, on the contrary, when the leader is much alive to God and faithful in his office, the clafs is alfo, in general, lively and fpiritual. This arifes from the nature of the chriftian plan of falvation. It is the fame, in general, with a minister and his flock; and every leader, as we have before intimated, is, in fime degree, a gofpel minifter: though we may add, that among us a fpiritual body of leaders may counteract the otherwife pernicious confequences of a languid miniftry.

At the beginning of Methodifm, the leader called weekly upon each of his clafs, in which cafe twelve were quite fufficient for his infpection. But very foon it was found abundantly preferable for the whole clafs to meet the leader together, not only for the fake of the leader, but for the good of the people, who, by that means, enjoy the unspeakable advantages of chriftian fellowship. At the faine time the leader is expected to vifit the members of his clafs at their own houses, especially when they are fick or confined, as often as his circumstances will admit.

Numb. xi. 14-17. "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy fight; and let me not fee my wretchedness. And the Lord faid unto Mofes, Gather unto me feventy men of the elders of Ifrael, whom thou knoweft to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they fhall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyfelf alone." Ver. 24, 25. "And Mofes went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the feventy men of the elders of the people, and fet them round about the tabernacle: and the Lord came down in a cloud, and fpake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the feventy elders: and it came to pafs, that when the Spirit refted upon them, they prophefied, and did not cease." Exod. xii. 18. “Moreover, thou fhalt provide, out of all the people, able men, fuch as fear God, men of truth, bating covetous

efs; and place fuch over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.' [It is, we think, evident from the context, that thefe men were ap pointed not only to determine on civil questions, but in respect to every difficulty relating to the ceremonial law, and "all the ftatutes of God, and his laws," ver. 16. in fhort, to act in every thing in the place of Mofes, except in matters of great moment.] I Cor. xii. 28. God hath fet fome in the church; firft, apoftles; fecondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diverfities of tongues." See the whole chapter. Ephef. iv. 1. "And he gave fome, apoftles; and fome, prophets; and fome, evangelifts; and some, paftors and teachers."

2d. The defire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be faved from their fins, is expreffed as the fingle condition of being admitted into our fociety, because these two are infeparably united. There never was a foul which truly defired to flee from the wrath of God, but at the fame time defired real falvation. They both come from God: and his Spirit never gives the facred wish to avoid the one, but he bestows an equally ardent defire to obtain the other. The nature of God and the whole plan of falvation by Jefus Chrift require this. The creation and redemption of man, and all the operations of the Divine Spirit, have no other end but the making us like to God, and preparing us for his fervice, and for the eternal enjoyment of himself. Matt. xi. 28. "Come unto me," fays Christ, "all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft." Luke xviii. 13, 14. "The publican, ftanding afar off, would not lift up fo much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a finner. I tell you, This man went down to his house juftified rather than the other."

3d. The foul which fees its danger, and longs for falvation, will not intentionally offend the God it fears-the God it defires to love. At least, if it have not power over inward fin, it will abhor the vices and criminal amusements of the world. All its former pleasures are embittered to it. It now feeks a happiness which the world cannot afford it, and, therefore, loaths every thing which tends to keep it from the object of its wishes. Matt. iii. 8. "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance." See alfo Luke iii. 8. 2 Cor. 7, IO. Godly forrow worketh repentance to falvation not to be repented of."

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1. The taking of God's name in vain is fo grofs a vice, that those must be wholly given up to Satan, who will commit it. Exod. xx. 7. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh

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his name in vain." See alfo Deut. v. II. Lev. xix. 12. "Neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God." See also the fcripture-references taken from the New Testament in the notes on the 25th article of religion.

2. Sabbath-breaking is a vice which may be committed under various fpecious pretences, though it is the forerunner of all evil. In this day especially it is a vice inexcufable in those who make the leaft profeffion of chriftianity; when the entire rejection of the fabbath is looked upon by the enemies of revealed religion, in general, as the most effectual means to destroy christianity itfelf. O let us all come out to the help of the Lord against the mighty (Judges v. 23.) and love the fabbath for the fake of its Divine Founder and the inestimable bleffings flowing from the due obfervance of it. It has been already honoured by the divine reft from creation, and is an emblem of that spiritual and eternal reft which remains for the people of God. (Heb. iv. 9.) See particularly the numerous fcripture-references in the notes on the 15th fection of the first chapter, as alfo the references on the 23d fection.

3. The fin of drunkennefs fhould be particularly guarded against in a country where the materials for diftilled liquors fo much abound. Senfuality, alas! of every kind, but particularly that which arifes from intemperance in the use of distilled liquors, foils and defiles the foul, fills it full of impure defires, and turns> the human nature, capable of the image of God, into a loathsome beaft. Luke xxi. 34, "Take heed to yourselves, left at any time your hearts be overcharged with furfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and fo that day come upon you unawares.' Rom. xiii. 13. "Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkennefs." I Cor. v. 1. "A drunkard-with fuch an one no not to eat." vi. 1o. "Nor drunkards-fhall inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. v. 19-21. "Now, the works of the flesh are manifeft, which are thefe:--drunkennefs, &c. Ephef. v. 18. "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excefs; but be filled with the Spirit."-1 Theff. v. 7. "C They that be drunken, are drunken in the night." Tit. ii. 1—3. Speak thou,that the aged women [be] not given to much wine."

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4. The buying and felling the fouls and bodies of men (for what is the body without the foul but a dead carcafe) is a com

plicated crime.* It was indeed, in fome measure, overlocked ins

* Are there not many proprietors to be found on this continent, who refrain their flaves from enjoying the privileges of the gospel, and thereby invade the rights of the fouls and confciences of their flaves, as well as their bodies? At the fame time we must give the credit due: to multitudes who do not thus enflave the minds of their fervants, but allow them full liberty to attend the preaching of the gospel, wherever they think they are most profited,

the Jews by reafon of the wonderful hardness of their hearts, as was the keeping of concubines and the divorcing of wives at pleasure, but it is totally oppofite to the whole fpirit of the gofpel. It has an immediate tendency to fill the mind with prideand tyranny, and is frequently productive of almoft every act of luft and cruelty which can difgrace the human fpecies. Even the moral philofopher will candidly confefs, that if there be a God, every perfection he poffeffes must be opposed to a practice fo contrary to every moral idea which can influence the human mind. Nehem. v. 8, 9. 66 faid unto them, We, after our ability, have redeemed our brethren, the Jews, which were fold unto the heathen; and will ye even fell your brethren? or fall they be fold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to anfwer. Alfo I faid, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?" Ifai. lviii. 6. Is not this the faft that I have chofen? to loose the bands of wickednefs, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppreffed go free, and that ye break every yoke." Ezek. xxvii. 13, (This chapter is written on the deftruction of Tyrus, and the causes of it). Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the perfons of men." Acts xvii. 24-26. "God-hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth." I Tim. i.

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9, IO. "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for finners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers, for man-layers,- -for men-ftealers," &c. Rev. xiii. 10. "He that leadeth into captivity fhall go into captivity." Rey, xviii. (On the fall of Babylon, and the causes of it) ver. I-13. "No man buyeth their merchandise any more: the merchandise of gold, and filver,——and slaves, and fouls of

men."

5. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuffering," gentlenefs, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," Gal. v. 22, 23. Thefe are directly oppofite to fighting, quarrelling, brazuling, litigioufnefs, revenge, and railing. It is, therefore, impofiible for the holy Spirit of God to dwell in a heart which is a cage of fuch unclean birds-to have any connection with a foul, which indulges thofe tempers which are fo contrary to his own holy nature. Thofe, therefore, who manifest such dispositions cannot be even under the convictions of the Spirit of God, and are, of confequence, unfit for any chriftian fociety. Col. iii. 12, 13. "Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meeknefs, longfuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Chrift forgave you, so also do ye.” Tit. jii, 1, 2. “ Put them in mind—to be no

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