Add to this, that men by their regular ap-
pearance in the congregations of their chris-
tian brethren, make an open profeffion of their
union with Chrift and with his church. This
certainly was a reafon, as well as the inftruc-
tion of the apoftles, why the difciples were
fo continually " afTembled for religious pur-
pofes, as they are reprefented to have been
in the earlieft period of the church; for
which duty, the large funds raifed by throw-
ing all the property of chriftians into a com-
mon ftock, and the conftant diftributions
made out of it, gave them leifure, without
any fecular interruption. The pradtices, as
the circumftances of the church, have fince
altered : yet the ufefulnefs of public exhor-
tation, if not of public inftrudtion, as well
as the honour of God, which is reflected by
an univerfal profeffion of religion, renders a
due attendance on public worfhip, a duty to
which the prad:ice of the truly wife and

^ AcTts. c. 2. V. 42, 46.
good



SERMON VII. 177

good in every age, have given a better fanc-
tion and teftimony, than that it fhould now
be laboured, as a point of dodirine requiring
new proof or confirmation.
