ticular members. And such reproaches often operate as hinderances to serious people, who would gladly enjoy the privileges of religious communion. If a church countenances, or tolerates known immoralities in any of her members, she becomes a partaker of their guilt. But there may be irregularities, which are known only to a few, and for which the church collectively is not responsible. And there are many unguarded liberties taken by professors, which, though really dishonourable to religion, cannot easily be made matters of publick discipline.

Now, as we would prevent, or remove such stumbling blocks, we must walk inoffensively ourselves; and, when there is occasion, reprove and exhort one another in the spirit of meekness. The way to promote the purity of the church is prescribed by the apostle. "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the Spirit."

Controversies among christians often have an unhappy influence on the young and tender.

When they see the professors of the same religion withdrawing from each other's fellowship for dif ferences in doctrine or discipline, they are thrown into doubts, what denomination to choose, and eventually perhaps they think contemptuously of all, and join with none.

To remove this stumbling block, we must behave toward each other with the dovelike spirit of meekness, condescension and love-never contend about little things, nor renounce communion with a church for trivial errors. To reject a church, which God has received, is to exalt ourselves a bove him. And, concerning every church, we are to hope, that God has received her till she appears to have admitted essential corruptions; and to ratain them, after means of reformation have been used.

Some cast stumbling blocks in the way of others, by demanding in a church greater purity, than any means, which Christ has put into our hands, are competent to effect.

No church on earth, however good are her aims, and however vigilant her discipline, can prevent all impurity. Even the churches planted by the apostles had some corrupt and ungodly members. "The kingdom of God is like a net cast into the sea, which gathers of every kind; and when they have brought it on shore, they gather the good into vessels, and cast the bad away. So shall it be in the end of the world. Then the wicked shall be severed from among the just."

Now if we reprobate in the gross those churches, which have in their communion some unregenerate persons, we lay stumbling blocks before the weak; for, Where shall a church be found, to which they may venture to join?

Some lay hinderances in the way of others, by scandalizing the churches of Christ, as if they professedly received, and knowingly tolerated wicked and ungodly persons.

This, I suppose, is a groundless reproach. However negligent some churches may be in the discipline of offenders, yet I know of none which acts on so lax a principle. The churches require of their members a professed belief of, and subjection to the gospel of Christ; but they pretend not to be judges of the sincerity of the heart. They may probably admit, and retain some, who give not all that evidence of their real godliness, which might be wished: But then it should be considered, that they are vested with no other authority than what Christ has given them in his word; and that this is given for edification, not for destruction. They have from him no warrant to exclude men from the privileges of his house, but in a way of discipline. They

may not cut them off arbitrarily, but only by a manifestation of their wickedness.

Some embarrass the way to Christ's church by dreadful representations of the peculiar guilt incurred by approaching it in unregeneracy. They state the case in such a manner, that many will conclude, it is safest to forbear, until they have full and indubitable evidence of their conversion.

But this is stating the case incautiously. Christ commands all to come into his church, and to come in the sincerity of repentance and faith. He allows no man to turn away from it; and no man to enter into it for vile and wicked ends. A person's doubts concerning the goodness of his state, are not a reason why he should neglect this, or any other duty; but a reason, why he should examine himself, repent of his sins, and amend his ways. No man should be deterred from entering into the church, by an apprehension, that this, if he is unconverted, will be a greater sin than to absent himself. For he is not to delib erate how he may sin most safely, but to be watchful that he may not sin at all. The wicked man is no where safe, neither in the church, nor out of it. He who came to the marriage, and continued there without a wedding garment, and they who refused to come at all, were punished with equal severity. No man ought to attend on divine ordinances, in a formal and hypocritical manner; and no serious person ought to neglect them, from doubts concerning his habitual state. Let every one examine his present views and aims. He who is conscious that he acts under a sense of his obligation to God, and with a desire and intention to do his will, may be encouraged from hence to draw near to him; nor should he indulge the apprehension, that there is for him greater safety without, than within the. church; or real safety any where, but in the path of duty, and in a state of favour with God..

Permit me to add:-There are some professors of religion, who greatly obstruct the growth and edification of the church, by their imprudent cavils at the preaching, and illiberal animadversions on the conduct of ministers, especially in the presence of children and youth, and in the company of the weak, unstable and disaffected. We, who are ministers, are conscious of many imperfections; and we thank our people when they favour us with their friendly advice. But if they only talk against us by the walls, and in the doors of their houses, we consider them, as obstructing our influence, and weakening our hands; as encouraging the enemies of religion, and pulling down the church of Christ, which we should all unite to build up and establish.

To conclude. As we wish to promote the growth of Christ's church, let us walk worthy of him, who has called us to his kingdom and glory; study the things which make for peace; condescend to each other in cases of difference; contribute to the purity of the church by the holiness of our own lives; encourage those in whom hopeful dispositions appear; lead them by our counsels and examples; thus prepare the way and take up the stumbling blocks which cause many to fall; and let us pray for the happy time, when converts shall flock into the kingdom of Christ as clouds, and as doves to their windows.

Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

THE author of this psalm is called Heman

the Ezrahite.

He was not the celebrated musician of that name, who lived in David's time; for that was a descendant of Levy from his son Kohath, and therefore called a Kohathite. This was probably a descendant of Judah from his son Zerah. In what time he lived, and on what occasion he composed this psalm, is uncertain. From several expressions, however, in the psalm, it is probable, that he lived in the time of the captivity; and, being a person of distinction, was confined in some lonely prison, and excluded from intercourse with his particular friends. It is evident, at least, that some distressing affliction gave occasion to these meditations; for they all run in a pensive and mournful strain. In his affliction, there was one circumstance, which he felt with the most tender sensibility; and that was