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Tea. You should have opened your mind sooner, Tibby,-what subject is it?

T-Church-fellowship, Sir; I have long had a desire to become a church-member, yet I have been deterred hitherto, by my own fears, and by the advice of others.

Tea.-Church-fellowshipis certainly a subject of high importance; and I am happy that your attention has been turned to that part of gospel obedience. What do you understand by the word church?

T.-I dont know if I can distinctly answer that; is it not the people of the Lord ?

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Tea. Yes, it is the people of God in a large sense. All who have believed in Christ since the beginning of the world, and who shall believe on him till the end of time, constitute the church, the body of Christ, of which he is the head, for which he gave himself a sacrifice to God, and which he shall present unto himself, a glorious church, without spot or blemish, when he shall come again, Eph. v. 25-28. But the word church is also used in a more confined sense, for a company of professed disciples of Christ, coming regularly together on the first day of the week, to worship God, and to observe all things that Christ has enjoined on them. Such were the disciples in Jerusalem, Acts ii. 42-47. Such were the disciples in Corinth, 1 Cor. ii. 18, 20, 33. Such were the disciples in Troas, Acts xx. 7. What do you understand by the word fellowship?

T-I understand by it being joined with the church in keeping

the commandments of God, and obeying Christ.

Tea.-Yes; the apostles-were to teach the disciples to observe all things that Christ had commanded; and in doing so, they have fellowship together, not only in obeying their Lord, but also in enjoying all the advantages that result from obedience to him. Who think you, Tibby, have a right to fellowship with the churches of Christ?

T.-Only those who are converted to God; and have his Holy Spirit within them.

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Tea.-Yes; it is only such that can obey Christ, and it is only to such that church-fellowship can be a privilege. others it becomes a snare, leading them to think that all is safe with them, merely because they enjoy the external form of these privileges. Do you think that all the disciples of Christ are bound to be united in fellowship with the churches?

T.-I suppose they are, espe cially such of them as are sufficiently holy, and established in their profession.

Tea.-Yes; all the disciples of Christ, without exception, are bound to obey him in all things. "If ye love me," he says, "keep my commandments." "Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you." "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say." And the deliberate neglect of one precept is, with him, the same as disobeying him altogether, James ii. 10, 11. Accordingly, we never find in all the New Testament, a single instance of one so much as pretending to be a disciple of Christ, and

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not in fellowship, or seeking fellowship with the disciples. Nor, had such a case occurred, would the apostles have admitted his claim to discipleship. They were to teach believers to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded; and he that would refuse to do so, could not be acknowledged as a disciple of his. The New Testament always supposes, and addresses, believers in fellowship together; and the instructions it contains, proceeds mostly on this supposition. It is but a dead letter to believers who stand alone; they can nei ther obey them, nor enjoy the advantage of them.

But when you speak of the necessity of being sufficiently holy, and established in the profession of the gospel, I suspect you think that something else is necessary to church-fellowship besides being a disciple of Christ. Now, this is a great mistake; the ordinances of Christ are intended for his disciples as such, without any regard to any particular attainment in holiness, and are designed to carry forward the faith, knowledge and purity of all who have believed, whatever their attainments may be. We find, accordingly, that the apostles never hesitated to add believers to the churches, the moment they professed to submit to the truth; they never thought of waiting till they became sufficiently holy, and established.

T-My mother and I have been often speaking of the subject; but she cannot endure the thought of people so young as I making a public profession. She thinks it will be time enough two or three years hence. She would

wish to see how my profession is to stand; lest I should, by my after conduct, bring reproach on the profession of the gospel, and on the people of God; yet I ain not altogether satisfied that I am acting right, in neglecting this part of the will of Christ, and of the duty of all his people.

Tea.-I would be very far from wishing any one to make such a profession who did not appear to be a subject of the grace of God; but as to those who appear on the Lord's side, the sooner, and the younger, they are added to the churches, the better, both for themselves, and for the cause of Christ. We have no security for two or three years hence, to count upon.

Present time is ours; years hence are in the hand of God, and may never come to us. Whoever thought of keeping the breast from a new-born babe, to see whether he'shall turn out a stout healthy child, as the condition of his being admitted to it! Equally inconsistent and unscriptural would it be, to refuse the sincere milk of the word, to the new-born babes, who are destined to grow thereby. Besides, if young professors are exposed to act so as to become a reproach to the gospel, it is not by keeping them out of the church, but by admitting them into it, that this evil is to be prevented. The food that God has provided for his children, no person should keep from them. Do you think, Tibby, that you are born again, or are converted to God?

T-I have my fears, Sir; and this is one cause that has kept me back so long, from making a public profession of the name of Christ; yet I think I believe what

the Bible says of my lost condition as a sinner, and that Jesus is the only Saviour; and I would, I think, desire to believe in him, and to follow him; and I can truly say, that I feel a strong desire to be united, in fellowship with those, who, love and obey him.

Tea. What advantage would you expect to derive from union with the disciples of Christ in church fellowship?

T-An opportunity of obeying all the laws of Jesus, and of publicly professing my faith in him before the world.

Tea.-Yes; these are very important advantages for those who love the Lord, and would wish not to be ashamed of their relation, but own it before the world. Besides, if he has appointed these institutions for the nourishment of the souls of his people, it is impossible that they can prosper in their souls without the use of them. "Such as are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flour rish in the courts of our God." An interest also in the prayers of the church, as such, and of every individual member, is of high importance, and must be valued by all who value the privilege of prayer. For while they pray for all men, their prayers for those who are fellow-members with them, must be expected to be more peculiarly fervent. Moreover, as we are all liable to backslide from God, and to be entangled in the

snares of the world, what an ad. vantage is it to have brethren who feel deeply interested in our spiritual prosperity, and who are therefore, with anxious solicitude, watching over us in the spirit of love-" Locking diligently, lest any one fail of the grace of God." "Exhorting one another daily, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." "Provoking to love and to good works."

While the disciples walk thus in obedience to Jesus, they must regard each other as fellow-members of the same body; they must feel a deep interest in one another; and they therefore cannot fail to derive great good from their union together in the fellowship of the gospel.

I hope you will continue to make this subject a matter of earnest prayer to Him, who has promised to guide his people with his counsel, and that you will not resist the dictates of your conscience, or the plain declarations of the will of Christ in his word. It is only by thus following him fully, that you can expect his approbation, and the approbation of your own conscience." Great peace have they that love thy law." "In the keeping of his commandments, there is great reward."

I shall be glad to see you again, and to converse with you on this, or any other interesting subject..

K.

465

Religious Intelligence.

DOMESTIC.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN HERALD.

Dear Sir,

You will, I am sure, feel much pleasure in inserting in your useful Miscellany the Address which accompanies this. But it may be necessary, for the information of your readers, to state briefly what has led to it. In the beginning of the past summer, the Committee of the Congregational Union in Scotland sent an Address to their Congregational brethren in England; in which they adverted pretty fully to the religious state of this country the deplorable want of the gospel in many parts of it-the very general desire in numbers to hear it-the exertions made by the Congregational churches here to send the knowledge of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Highlands and other dark corners of the land—and the need they stand in of the prayers, the co-operation and pecuniary aid of their Southern brethren to help them in this good work. In that address, the facts were stated, That, in point of religion and religious privileges, the state of this country has been greatly over-rated by the friends of evangelical truth on the South of the Tweed-that, although the gospel be ably and faithfully preached in many of our principal ToWNS, both by pious and evangelical ministers of our National Church, and men of the first abilities in different denominations of Dissenters, in many parts of the COUNTRY matters are very different indeed-and that much more may be done, and ought to be done, for the salvation of our own countrymen who are perishing for lack of knowledge. I am glad in being able to say, that the result has VOL. VI.

been, a considerable feeling excited in the minds of many of our brethren in England; and, I trust, it will lead to a much greater unity of heart, and exertion in the furtherance of the Redeemer's cause. I am sure the spirit which is breathed, and the deep interest which is evinced in the spiritual welfare of Scotland, in the following document, must gladden the heart of every genuine disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ who reads it.-That every exertion which is made to spread abroad the savour of the Redeemer's denomination, may be crowned with name, by his people, of whatever dear Sir, yours, &c. abundant success, is the prayer of, J. W.

Masselburgh, Nov. 22. 1819.

"The Associated Congregational Ministers in the County of Essex and its Vicinity, to the Committee of the Congregational Union in Scotland.

"Brethren in the Lord;

"Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. We heartily thank you for the ADDRESS which you have sent for distribution among the Congregational churches in Eng land. Having, at our last annual meeting, received a few copies, we have dispersed them as extensively as possible, with a view to promote the objects you wish to accomplish. It is refreshing to our spirits to hear of the union, prosperity, and increase of the churches in Scotland, which hold the same evangelical doctrines with ourselves, and the same views of the order of Christ's kingdom. And we are desirous, in reply to your Address, of testifying to you the interest you have in our prayers, and our readiness to afford that co-operation in making known

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s of your support of e name of those indivi ow transmit to you port It would have been all to us to have presented to arger sum, but it is as much e numerous and urgent calls up. Christian liberality in the present would allow us to propose or expect on this occasion; especially as we indulge the hope of seeing a strong feeling excited throughout England, by an extensive circulation of your impressive ADDRESS. Should other county associations follow the example of this, a large sum will be raised with very little trouble, and without interfering with any other ob. ject. It will give us much pleasure to witness among the brethren of our denomination a general disposi

itors of the London Chrisinstructor, subjoin the following

remarks:

In laying before our readers the foregoing document, we cannot refrain from expressing our hope, that this is the beginning of a more ac tive union and fellowship among Congregational churches than has hitherto existed. The most beneficial results might be expected from a general attention to this important object. At any rate, such opportunities as that afforded by the Address from Scotland, should be willingly seized and improved. yet, we suppose, the Congregational Union in Scotland might, in reference to England, adopt the language of the Apostle Paul, and say to the Essex brethren, "No churches have communicated with us, as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only." But surely the example is worthy of imitation. And if our information be correct, the mode

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