I feel confident that the hints and suggestions already thrown out, embody in themselves all that is necessary to complete a formal direction to make a beginning; and with wisdom and Christian intelligence, the peculiar difficulties which may beset the path of any anxious to proceed aright will be safely met, and successfully removed. Therefore, in the strength of the Lord, let me urge you to commence the work.

To be successful herein, it will not only be requisite to command a sound judgment, practical efficiency for the attainment of the desired object by suitable means, together with favourable circumstances and good Christian materials, but also the special blessing of Christ, the great Head of the Church. And the best way you can manifest your sense of the paramount importance of His blessing is to proceed in humble reliance upon His teaching, His guidance, and His strength, to pursue that course which, in the humble exercise of the best of your faculties, He may enable you. Do what you believe to be in all things His will, without doubting, fearing, and lingering; and see if He will not pour you out a blessing. Should He deny to you the gratification of prosperity, He may yet, by some other instrumentality, prove to you that His cause is advancing; and it would be little better than childish, were you to repine because He had chosen other instruments than yourselves to effect that which all will be equally gratified in witnessing. A David prepared what a Solomon accomplished. And a Joshua completed what a Moses began. And I would not have you

feel surprised if called upon to witness many Church builders simultaneously striving by their zeal to outstrip each other; for when God pours out His spirit of revival upon His people, He is not sparing in raising up instruments. I think that the present are very equivocal times with respect to the real prosperity of the Churches of Christ. I may be mistaken. But, oh! that we may find that the genial influences of the spring have set in upon them to usher in a glorious harvest, and that the lowering aspect which has appeared to cover the minds of His people, was but the parting clouds of their winter season. And should God more copiously pour out his Spirit, you may be certain that those will be sifting times. The powerful influence of the Divine movements rouse very far beyond the boundaries of real vitality. The time when Christ became incarnate was the time when one false Christ

after another arose. And when God raised up prophets, false ones abounded. And when Christ sent forth his Apostles, their paths were tracked by false apostles and deceitful workers. Do not expect, if it should appear that we are upon God's Churchbuilding times, that the case will be otherwise. God does not advance His cause by the darkness of the night, or by the stealth of His marches, but by manifesting His omnipotence in the very face of the enemies' best strength. "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke x. 19.) Stand, there

fore, prepared to proceed on God's work alone, if need be; or, if in company with rivals, whether true or whether false to the good cause, see that you be behind them in nothing that your zeal, your sincerity, or your faith can commend. Permit not the idea of the novelty of the work, or of the object here set before you, to make you abandon it as chimerical. Remember how many great works were, in their first rise, subject to the like imputations. Cast your remembrance back to a few examples, taken from doings in the days which have been the brightest times of the Church. The sound idea of religious toleration was a novelty first broached in the time of the Commonwealth, and was opposed by Richard Baxter and many other worthies. The correct idea that those educated for the Christian ministry should be pious men, was a novelty which the founders of Homerton College dared to act upon. The impropriety of the connection between the Church and State was a truth more lately developed, and first proposed to the world about sixty years ago. Need I specify more instances of the slow development of practical truth? Look at the Bible Society, the Tract Society, the Missionary Societies, the Sunday Schools, and many others; all new ideas in their day of small things, and in the judgment of the lukewarm and ignorant, chimerical; but, by the blessing of God upon the labours of the intelligent and zealous, they are now great facts. Too long have the Churches of Christ lagged in the rear; too long have they allowed others to supersede them

in the work of evangelization. Is it always to be so? If you do not advance to promote the cause of the Redeemer, He will employ others. The Gospel trumpet must be blown in the remotest regions of the earth. Why be behind in putting in your claim, to share in the honour of being instruments in your Redeemer's hands? Christ has already given you His own plan for the accomplishment of the desired object. His ability effectually to bless His own instrumentality has never failed; and His promises are everlasting.

Pity the nations, O our God,-
Constrain the earth to come;
Send thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see thy Churches full,

That all the chosen race

May with one voice, and heart, and soul,
Sing thy redeeming grace.

London: Printed by STEWART and MURRAY, Old Bailey.

A CHURCH OF GOD;

ITS BENEFITS AND ITS MEMBERS:

DISPLAYING

THE ONENESS OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN
THEIR SPIRITUAL PRIVILEGES, RIGHTS,
AND WORSHIP.

REASONS FOR EACH BEING FOUND WALKING IN CHURCH FELLOWSHIP, AND

THE GREAT ENDS OF THE DIVINE INSTITUTION OF CHURCHES.

IN A LETTER TO A FRIEND.

DEAR FRIEND,

The inquiry which you have propounded is a very important one. You say "What benefits do you propose to yourself and others, by partaking in church membership? and who do you consider have a right to membership?" This inquiry I will briefly answer; but in so doing must take the liberty to transpose the two sentences of your inquiry, and answer the last part first. "Who do you consider have a right to membership?" To this I answer