hold their order, and the ftedfastness of their faith in Chrift." And he exhorts them to "walk in Christ, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as they have been taught."

We should fee that our hearts are conformed to the truth. One may have a good knowledge of the evidences and doctrines of the gospel, and yet be a ftranger to the power of it. Such a man is liable to be carried about with every wind of doctrine, and to make fhipwreck of his faith, in tem. peftuous feafons. Our beft fecurity against this danger, is a heart established with grace." Take heed," fays Saint Peter, "left, being led away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own ftedfaftnefs; but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jefus Chrift." One who has felt the tranf forming power of the gofpel, has a witnefs in himfelf, that it is true-he knows it must be from God, because it inculcates that purity, righteousness, be nevolence, humility, meeknefs, temperance and uni verfal rectitude, which muft always be approvable in the fight of a holy and perfect Being; and in proportion as he finds more of thefe tempers in himself, he has clearer evidence, that the gofpel has come to him with divine power. He will not be per fuaded to renounce a difpenfation, which God has fo manifeftly owned. He will not suspect those doctrines to be falfe, which have fo powerful a tendency to make him like to God. He will not receive as truth, any thing which he perceives to be of an oppofite tendency. He loves the commandment, because it is holy-he loves the truth, because it gives power to the commandment.

We must walk in the truth. The reason why fome fo eafily turn from the truth, and run greedily in the ways of error, is because they are not governed by the truth which they profefs to believe. Though in words they acknowledge it, they deny it in practice; and finding themfelves

condemned by it, they conceive an enmity against it. When they have begun to depart from the or der, and the doctrine which is after godlinefs, they find new temptations to depart farther ftill. One error introduces another, and they wax worfe and worfe, deceiving, and being deceived.

2. As we must adhere to the truth, fo we must grow up in all things into Chrift, who is the head."

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Christ is the head of believers. They must be conformed to him; have the fame mind, which was in him; and walk as he walked.

They must grow up into him. They are here in a ftate of imperfection. They, at prefent, fall much below the meafure of the ftature of the fulnefs of Chrift. They muft endeavor to be continually growing, and aspire after a more complete and perfect manhood.

They must grow in all things. A partial religion is not that which the gofpel teaches. We muft have refpect to the whole character of Chrift-to the whole compafs of duty-to every known doctrine and precept of fcripture. We muft aim to ftand perfect and complete in all the will of God -to walk worthy of him unto all pleafing, and to be fruitful in every good work. If any man ba in Chrift, he is a new creature; old things are paffed away; all things are become new." A hyp ocrite may feem to grow in fome things, while he is deftitute of the main things, which belong to re ligion. He may abound in knowledge; but he fails in practice. He may have much zeal; but he has no humility. He may be warm in his de votions; but he is cold in his charity. He may pretend to a ftrong faith; but he is void of real holinefs. He may talk much about religion; but he does little. He may exprefs much joy in Christ, and comfort of hope; but he is full of love to the world, and a firanger to contentment and patience.

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things wherewith ye may edify one another.""Let the body be joined together and compacted, that it may make increale. Let your love abound more and more." Abound in love one toward anoth

Love is a principal grace-the end of the com mandment the bond of perfectnefs the diftinguifhing mark of Chrift's difciples-and a mean of improvement in all in all other graces. It is this which other unites the feveral parts of the fpiritual body, and maintains the communication between them, fo that nourishment is miniftered to them all.

2. We are here reminded, that Chriftians are bound to feek the peace, in order to the edification' of the particular church, of which they are members. Thefe the Apoftle, joins together. The lat ter cannot take place without the former. We muft guard against every thing which tends to fchifm and difunión in the body; and prevent, as far as poffible, thofe evils which would break the cohefion, or weaken the attraction, whereby its parts are held together. "Where envy and ftrife are, there is confufion and every evil work."

3. We learn from our fubject, that no pretences of perfonal edification will juftify our withdrawing from the communion of a church, in fuch a manner as would hinder the edification of cur brethren. We are to be joined and compacted together, and thus to make increafe. We are to look at the things of others, as well as at our own. We are, indeed, to edify ourfelves; but our edification must be in love, as well as in other graces. And this love will excite us to ftudy the things which make for the common edification. You think, perhaps, the word is difpenfed more to your edifica tion, or more to your tafte, in fome other place,

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in the church with which you are immediate improbly connected. It may be fo : This is no able fuppofition. Preachers have different gifts, 6260One may relish and hearers have different humors. dad to this, and another that manner of preaching, though the fame gofpel is difpenfed. Still you are not to withdraw from the affembly of your brethren, if your withdrawment would diflurb the peace, and obftruct the edification of the church. You are to feck, not merely your own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be faved. Your fpiritual growth depends on your union with Chrift, the head; and your communion with Chriftians, the members of the great body. Chrift can make his gofpel fuccessful, though it be delivered by one, whofe fpeech is called contemptible. You are then moft likely to receive a bleffing from your Lord, when you act in that spirit of love and condefcenfion which he requires.

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Paul, Apollos and Cephas, all preached the fame gofpel; but each had his own peculiar manner of preaching. Paul was a ftrong reafoner; Apollos was an eloquent orator; Peter was a warm and affectionate speaker. They all had their admirers in Corinth. One faid, I am of Paul; another, I am of Apollos; and another, I am of Peter. Paul reproved this party attachment, as an indication, that they were carnal; that they were, as children, governed more by natural humor, than by fpiritual understanding. "While one faith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? Who is Paul, or Apollos, but minifters by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? Paul planted, and Apollos watered; but God gave the increase."

As Chriftians have been called of God to the fellowship of his Son, they fhould all fpeak the, fame thing; they fhould be joined together in the

fame mind, and in the fame judgment; and there fhould be no divifions among them.

Since Chrift has appointed the gofpel miniftry for the edification of his body, let us meekly, humbly and prayerfully attend upon it, as his inftitution, keeping in view its important end, endeavor. ing to grow thereby, and defiring to come in the unity of faith and knowledge, unto the ftature of perfe&t men.

Finally, beloved brethren, build yourfelves up on your moft holy faith, pray in the Holy Ghoft, keep yourselves in the love of God, and wait for the mercy of Qur Lord Jefus Chrift, unto eternal life.

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