liar sense on those christians who are peculiarly related.. That duty I have called the duty of mutual exhortation and incitement. You may call it by what name you please, but you cannot change its nature or its obligation. The duty in one form or another is inseparable from the relation of church-members to each other. 5. The members of a church owe to each other individually all necessary and reasonable assistance, temporal as well as spiritual. They are to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the law of Christ." They are to pray for one another. They are to render to each other as occasion offers, all the offices of christian friendship. If one of the members suffer, shall not the others suffer with him? If one is sick or in affliction, shall not the others visit him and pray with him and for him? Yet how often is this duty neglected. How often may it happen that a brother is sick in the same street with yourself, and you pass by the door of his humble dwelling every day; and yet you never kneel by his lowly couch to pray, you never light up his uncomfortable and cheerless apartment with the smiles of christian friendship, you never inquire into his necessities, or do any thing for their relief, save what passes through the hands of the deacons. If one member is in want, shall not the others relieve him? If one is embarrassed and distressed, shall not the others af- ̧ ford him not sympathy only, but according to their ability, counsel and substantial aid ? In a word then, and with this general observation, we may dismiss the topic-as within the circle of a family every office of kindness, every mutual duty of humanity, is enforced by special motives and obligations; so within a church-the members of which, like the members of a family, are connected by a peculiar sacred relation of intimacy, endearment, and reciprocal influence-every duty which men owe to each other as men, or christians as christians, has a peculiar force and sacredness. And as the man who, under whatever pretense, neglects the duties which he owes to his own family, has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel; so the professed christian who under any pretense neglects the duties which he owes to his own church, individually or collectively, has reason to say the least—has serious reason to inquire whether he is in simplicity and godly sincerity walking worthy of his high vocation. We see then how sure will be the peace, purity, happiness and growth of that church in which all the duties of the brotherhood are faithfully performed. That church will be peaceful. No root of bitterness can be planted there to spring up with corrupting and destroying fruits. That church will be pure. There "Error hath no place That creeping pestilence is driven away, There every offense is speedily removed; or the offender, found irreclaimable, is promptly excluded. That church will be happy. How blest the tie that binds in sweet communion the hearts of the disciples in such a brotherhood. No passion touches a discordant string, That church will grow and be enlarged. Its light will shine out upon beholders with an overpowering yet attractive radiance; heavenly influences will distil on all its assemblies like the rain and the refreshing dews; the Lord will command his blessing upon it, even life for evermore; and he will add to it daily such as shall be saved. CHAPTER V. Discipline in a Church. "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven. 1 Cor. v. 6, 7. THE subject next to be considered, is discipline in a church, or the dealings which are to be had with offending members. I. Our first question is, What are the ends to be gained by the exercise of discipline in a church? 1. One leading object is the reformation of offenders. The most careless view of the nature and design of church communion, shows that measures ought to be taken with an offend ing member to secure his repentance and recovery. If the rule of Moses," Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him," is a law of brotherhood between man and man, how peculiarly binding must it be on those who are mutually connected by the bond of a covenant to walk together as followers of him who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. "Brethren," says an apostle, “if a man be overtaken with a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.' 66 Brethren," says another apostle, "if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he who converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a a multitude of sins." 2. The improvement and edification of the church, is another object to be secured by the exercise of discipline. Nothing is more at war with the objects for which churches were instituted, than the influence of members whose conduct belies their christian profession. A backsliding, erring, sinning member is not merely dead in respect to the good which he ought to be doing to his brethren, provoking them to love and good works, his influence is positively pernicious; if suffered to remain, it brings down the standard of piety in the church to a lower and still lower mark. "Know ye not," said Paul in reference to this very point, addressing the church at Corinth-" Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump." 3. Another object is the vindication of the honor of religion. By the institution of churches, christianity is made to assume a visible form before men. It is not a system of doctrines merely, and divine precepts propounded to the abstract consideration of those who hear of it; it is a system embraced and professed by a distinct body of men, and in popular estimation identified with the character of those who unite in |