Chriftian; but confider him in the fame light with an infidel finner, till he makes reparation. This rule therefore by no means proves the infallibility, even of the universal church, and much lefs of the Romish, which is far from univerfal; but relates to a matter intirely different. And it ftill remains true, that profeffing to believe in the holy catholic church, is only acknowledging, that Chrift hath formed the whole num ber of his followers, under him their Head, into one regular and facred body or fociety, to laft for ever: the unity and holinefs of which is to be carefully preserved by what the latter part of this article specifies,

The Communion of Saints. The word, faints, is of the fame meaning with the the word holy: and therefore comprehends all Chriftians, in the manner which I have juft explained. Having communion, is being intitled to partake of benefits and kindneffes, and bound to make fuitable returns for them. And thus Chriftians, or faints, have communion or fellowship with the Father, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift; with his Son Jefus Chrift*, through whom forgiveness and mercy are conveyed to us: with the Holy Ghoft, whofe fanctifying graces are conferred on fuch as duly qualify their hearts for the reception of them. And for these bleffings we.owe, all thankfulness, and all duty, in thought, word, and deed. Chriftians have alfo communion with the holy angels; as these are miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them, who shall be heirs of falvation t. And undoubtedly we ought to think of what they do for us, with an inward fenfe of gratitude and love. But as we are unacquainted with particulars, we can make no particular acknowledgements: nor ought we to make any general ones, by outward expreffions of refpect; fince zvorfhipping God alone is commanded ‡, and worshipping angels condemned §, in fcripture.

With respect to those of our own nature, we are bound fo far to hold communion, even with the worft of unbelievers, as not only to do them every kind of juftice, but fincerely to wish, and, if occafion offer, heartily endeavour their good, both in body and foul. But to all, who have obtained the like precious faith with ourselves ||, we bear a still nearer relation; as

being, in a peculiar fenfe, children of the fame Father, difciples of the fame Mafter, animated by the fame Spirit, members of the fame body. And these things oblige us to the ut1 moft care of preferving, by prudent order and mutual forbearance, as much unity in the church, as poffibly we can. Such indeed, as obftinately deny the fundamental doctrines, or tranfgrefs the fundamental precepts of Christianity, ought to be rejected from Christian communion. But to renounce communicating with any others, who are willing to admit us to it on lawful terms, is the way to cut off ourselves, not them, from the body of Chrift: who yet, we doubt not, will allow thofe on both fides to belong to his church, who, through pardonable paffions or mistakes, will not allow one another to do fo.

And as we fhould maintain communion with all proper perfons, we show our difpofition to it in all proper ways: attend on the public inftruction, join in the public worship, facraments and difcipline, which our Lord hath appointed; and keep the whole of them pure from all forbidden, or fufpicious alterations or mixtures: avoid, with great care, both giving and taking needlefs offence, in respect to these, or any matters; and, by all fit means, edify one another in love *: obeying those who are set over us; condefcending to those who are beneath us; efteeming and honouring the wife and virtuous; teaching and admonishing the ignorant and faulty; bearing with the weak, relieving the poor, and comforting the afflicted.

Nor have we communion only with the faints on earth: but are of one city, and one family, with fuch, as are already got fafe to heaven. Doubtlefs they exercise that communion. towards us, by loving and praying for their brethren, whom they have left behind them. And we are to exercise it towards them, not by addreffing petitions to them, which we are neither authorised to offer, nor have any ground to think they can hear; but by rejoicing in their happiness, thanking God for the grace which he hath bestowed on them, and the examples which they have left us: holding their memories in honour, imitating their virtues, and befeeching the Disposer of all things, that having followed them in holiness here, we may

*Rom. xiv. 19. Eph. iv. 16.

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meet them in happiness hereafter; and become, in the fulleft fense, Fellow-citizens with the faints, and of the household of God *: having, with all those that are departed in the true faith of his holy name, our perfect confummation and bliss, both in body and foul, in his eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen +.

WE

LECTURE XV.

CREED.

Article X.-The Forgiveness of Sins.

are now come to that article of the Creed, for which all the preceding ones have been preparing the way: a doctrine, of the greatest comfort to believe, and the utmost danger to misapprehend. I fhall therefore endeavour clearly to explain,

I. The nature of fin, its different kinds, and its guilt. II. The nature and conditions of the forgiveness promised to it.

I. The nature of fin. Both men and all other beings, endued with fufficient reason, muft perceive a difference between different inclinations and actions, of their own and others: in confequence of which, they must approve fome, as right and good; and disapprove others, as wrong and evil. Now this distinction, which we are capable of seeing, God must see as much more clearly, as his understanding is more perfect than ours. Therefore he must entirely love what is good, and utterly hate what is evil: and his will must be, that all his ra◄ tional creatures fhould practise the former, and avoid the lat

ter

ter. This he makes known to be his will, in fome degrée, to all men, however ignorant, by natural confcience; and hath more fully made known to us, by the revelation of his holy word: wherein alfo, befides those things, which we of ourfelves might have known to be fit, he hath fignified his pleafure, that we should obferve fome futher rules, which he knew to be useful and requifite, though we fhould otherwife not have difcerned it. Now, the will and pleasure of a perfon having authority, as God hath abfolute authority, is, when fufficiently notified, a law. Thofe laws of his, which human reafon was able to teach us, are called natural or moral laws: thofe, which he hath added to them, are called pofitive ones. Obedience to both forts is our duty; tranfgreffion of either is fin: whether it be by neglecting what the law commands, which is a fin of omiffion; or doing what it forbids, which is a fin of commiffion.

Further, As God hath a right to give us laws, he must have a right to punish us, if we break them. And we all of us feel inwardly, that fin deserves this punishment: which feeling is what we call a sense of guilt. Some fins have more guilt, that is, deserve greater punishment than others: because they are either worse in their own nature; or accompanied with circumstances, that aggravate, instead of alleviating them. Thus, if bad actions, known to be fuch, are done with previous deliberation and contrivance, which arc called wilful or presumptuous fins; they are very highly criminal. But if we do amifs in fome smaller matter, through inconfiderateness or other weakness of mind, or elfe through a fudden unforeseen attack of temptation; which are usually called fins of infirmity or furprise thefe, though real, are yet lefs offences. And if, laftly, we act wrong through invincible ignorance, that is, have no means of knowing better; then the action is not, ftrictly speaking, a fault in us, though it be in itself. But if we might, with a reasonable attention, have known our duty, and did not attend; we are juftly blameable, even for a carelefs ignorance, and full as much for a defigned one, as if we had known ever fo well.

Another difference in the kinds of fins is this: that though they be only in smaller instances; yet if perfons take fo little pains to guard against them, that they live in a constant or

frequent

frequent practice of them, which are called habitual fins; the guilt of these may be full as heavy as that of greater tranfgreffions, provided they be lefs common. But if they be great and habitually indulged alfo; that makes the worst of cafes.

Committing fin can never be a flight matter.

For it is act

ing as our own hearts tell us we ought not. It is likewise, for the most part, injuring, one way or another, our fellowcreatures and it is always behaving undutifully and ungratefully to our Creator, who hath fovereign power over us, and fhows continual goodnefs to us. We may be fure therefore, that the punishment, due to the least fin, is fuch as will give us cause to wish from the bottom of our fouls, that we had never done it. More enormous ones are of worse desert, ac-' cording to their degeee. And fince recompences proportionable to them are not, with any conftancy, diftributed in this world; as certainly as God is juft, they will in the next; unlefs we obtain forgiveness in the mean time. And all will be made miferable, as long as they are wicked.

This is the main of what human abilities unaffifted feem capable of discovering to us concerning fin and its confequences; excepting it be, that as we have a natural approbation of what is good, fo we have, along with it, a natural proneness to what is evil: an inconfiftence, for which reason finds it hard, if poffible, to account.

But here most seasonably revelation comes in; and teaches, not indeed all that we might wish, but all that we need to know of this whole matter: that our first parents were created upright; but foon tranfg: effed a plain and easy command of God, intended for a trial of their obedience: by which they perverted and tainted their minds; forfeited the immortality, which God had defigned them; brought difeafes and death on their bodies; and derived to us the fame corrupt nature and mortal condition, to which they had reduced themselves. An imperfect illustration of this lamentable change, and I give it for no other, we may have from our daily experience, that wretched poverty, fatal diftempers, and even vicious inclinations, often defcend from parents to their children. Now, the finful difpofitions, which our origin from our primitive parents hath produced in us, are called original fin. And this tranfgreffion of theirs may, very confiftently with Divine jus

tice,