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SECTION XXXIII.

DISTINGUISHING THE NEW CHURCH AT ITS COMMENCEMENT FROM ALL OTHER RELIGIOUS OR CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS.

THE Christian Church in the days of Jesus Christ, his apostles, and disciples, and for a considerable time after, was distinguished from all other religions in the world, not only by their withdrawing from the Jews, their synagogues, ceremonies, false doctrines, and self-pleasing errors; and not merely by the principles, doctrines, and truths they themelves professed; but it was distinguished by the divine and powerful efficacy of those principles, doctrines, and truths upon their conduct and life. Here was the noble, the grand, the ever-visible distinction before the human race of that Church from all others. The example before us in that Church and its primitive members, is highly worthy our imitation. And did we all faithfully take pattern after it, we should indeed "be a city set upon a hill, which could not be hid."* Let us notice their conduct and life a few moments. They were humble and faithful followers of Jesus Christ their LORD, and strict conformists to his Divine laws and precepts. "They walked not in the counsels of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful, but their delight was in the law of the LORD."† They came out from among the wicked, and touched not the unclean thing, but were holy as bearing the vessels of the LORD."-They followed Jesus Christ! They did not frequent taverns and public-houses, and associate with the immoral and the vain. They did not visit theatres, and sit there with the sons and daughters of iniquity to hear the ribaldry so agreeable to the senseless and corrupt! They did not associate at the house of their friend, to idle away their time over games of chance. They did not unite with convivial meetings of intemperance, folly, and noise, turning night into day and day into night. They did not assemble in promiscuous nocturnal dancings, till daylight illumined them home, to rest their surcharged heads, drooping eyes, and weary limbs, through the bright hours of the day. No! we hear nothing of all this among primitive Christians! They were very different characters. They lived very different lives. They took care to shun even every appearance † Psalm i. 2.

Matt. v. 19.

Isa. lii. 11.

of evil, and to set an example before the world that should manifest them to be the true and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ,not of the world, but chosen out of the world, kept from the evil of the world, and determined to avoid all its sins and pollutions, its follies and vanities, and whatever could in the least degree tarnish their garments, or the honour, dignity, and glory of that Church to which they rejoiced to belong. But perhaps you will ask whether "I am going to recommend such a strict and severe conduct to New Church Christians? Truly, my brethren, I am, in respect to all those who earnestly desire to attain "the full and perfect stature of a man in the LORD Jesus." I have long found that self-denial, and taking up, what at first may be a cross to the natural man, is essential to the true Christian character, and most agreeable to a sound, rational, and scriptural view of the Christian life and conduct.

It will, I presume, be acknowledged by all our professed members, that the LORD's New Church, considered in itself, is the most holy, spiritual, and celestial of any which have existed since the most ancient days. If so, it must certainly stand at the greatest distance from all positive evil, folly, and impropriety of conduct. And standing in this state, it will be eminently distinguished from all other denominations and religions; because, it will then appear in its own character and its own dress,-"prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."* "The whole limits thereof round about being most holy."t Such being the character and the state of this Church, I would ask, is it not expedient and necessary that the subjects of it in this its primitive days, should be as circumspect as the subjects of the Christian Church, when in its primitive state? Should we not equally avoid every folly, vanity, and appearance of evil? Is it seemly, decorous, and quite in character for the subjects of this holy, spiritual, and heavenly Church to indulge in the impure follies, questionable amusements, and defiling customs of this depraved and iniquitous generation? Should not each sincere disciple be ready to say, do I not profess the most holy principles, the most pure doctrines, and call myself a member of that Church which stands at an immense distance from all impurity and disorder? And is it seemly, is it decorous, in me, as a member of this holy Church, to be noticed and marked by serious and religious characters of other denominations, as one who resembles mere men of the world, frequenting *Rev. xxi. 2. Eze. xliii. 12

assemblies, and running greedily after pleasures and amusements such as they find congenial to their impure, unintellectual, and grovelling tastes? Is this the way for me to distinguish the LORD's New Church as the most intellectual, pure, orderly, and spiritual of all churches? Will religious and pious characters be attracted by my conduct, or be induced by my example, to inquire into our holy doctrines and truths, and so become members of the same Church? Is not my unguarded, vain, and unbecoming conduct, likely to disgust any man who values consistency, and cause him to conclude very unfavourably of our Church and our religion? Nevertheless, I profess charity; I desire and wish others to receive the blessings I receive, and enjoy the mercies I enjoy; but in this case, by my words I invite others to the Church, and by my conduct I drive them away!" So did not apostles and primitive Christians. They could deny themselves for the good of others; surely, then, we must not indulge ourselves to the eternal injury of others.

Surely, it should never be said of a New Church_Christian, "To-day he meets in religious worship; adores the LORD; repeats his Divine laws; receives instructions from his Word; and converses upon spiritual and Divine subjects; but to-morrow, he associates with the irreligious multitude; joins them in their vain and idle amusements; appears as one of them, a member of their fraternity! This cannot be the way for our Church to be distinguished in the world as superior to all other Churches and all other religions. It is not thus that the mountain of the "LORD's house, in these last days, is to be established in the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills."*

My brethren, it is not our doctrine or our principles by which we must be distinguished in the world, for these are not known; they are not read and studied; but it must be the EFFECT of those principles and doctrines in our life and conduct; in our example before men, whereby the Church must be distinguished. And do we not profess charity, or to love our neighbour as ourselves? It was the remark of the Pagans on observing the conduct of the primitive Christians, "See, how these Christians love one another!" and should not New Church Christians be found deserving of a like estimation from those around them? Are we zealous for the LORD's cause, and anxious to bring thousands more into the LORD's kingdom? Then shall we not deny ourselves of all even apparently impure indulgencies, * Isa. ii. 2

although sanctioned by the customs of the age, for the sake of doing good, setting a good example, and promoting the eternal good of mankind? Alas, if we did not, we should be far below the primitive disciples of what we deem a less perfect dispensation than our own. If our doctrines be really so superior, should not our tastes be equally superior? if not, we have good reason to fear that we are very little the better for our doctrines; being as yet, more like external men than internal, more worldly-minded than heavenly-minded.

EXAMPLE, my Brethren, MUST distinguish the New Church -a circumspect, holy, self-denying example. This alone can set our Jerusalem upon the elevated mountain! And if we are truly spiritual, regenerate subjects of our most holy Church, we shall feel no difficulty in refraining from all those things in external conduct which have the appearance of evil, and more or less of impurity. In fact we shall have no taste for them. We shall feel them altogether beneath our regard. If we truly love our neighbour; if we love the Church; and if we love the LORD, the vain amusements and follies of a corrupt world will be insipid, tasteless, unpleasant, or even disgusting, and it will not be compulsion, but choice to avoid them all. Where is the true and faithful, the internal member of the New Church, who is not very desirous that his example and conduct in life should be such as to convince all around him that the Church to which he belongs is the most glorious and heavenly of all that ever appeared? Therefore such internal members of the LORD'S Church-and no others are more than external members, not yet weaned from the delights of "the old man which is corrupt after the deceitful lusts,"-such internal members will not only consider how unseemly, and quite out of character the conduct is which I have deprecated, and also what an example should be set before men; but also that from principle the New Church Christian will avoid all the above named impurities. His new life's-love sets him as far above them as heaven is above earth. He loves nothing but what is good, and pure, and heavenly! The vain follies, sensual indulgences, and impure customs of this world belong to a kingdom to which he is now a stranger. They are under the government of a prince to whom he will pay no allegiance," the prince of this world," against whom he is at perpetual war. This is the New Church Christian! Bring all such together; separate from them every one who does not answer to this

character; and then shall the New Church be distinguished in the world for its purity, its excellence, and its glory above all others, and like the LORD in some degree when he was lifted up, it will draw all men into it—all who are in good, or thirsting for truth! The New Church is to be a Church in divine order. Now, I conceive all divine order proceeds from a divine origin, even from Jehovah in his Divine Humanity, our LORD Jesus Christ, and I do not think worldly and sensual vanities have the least connection with divine order. Where divine order rules, every thing is good, pure, useful, and calculated to bless mankind. Divine order has divine laws; and divine laws lead to an orderly, righteous, heavenly conduct and life. It seems, then, that New Church Christians should be the most orderly men in the world; or how can they be in reality New Church Christians? Behold, then, that the true order of our Church requires, that it be distinguished above all other religions, in every thing, from its first principles to its ultimate manifestations. To this I may add another, although inferior reason, that the same is equally demanded by our self-interest; a consideration likely to operate powerfully with even the naturalrational mind. But how is self-interest connected with the strict and particular conduct recommended? I answer, every thing that is inconsistent with the divine order, laws, and purity of the LORD's kingdom is prejudicial to man; consequently, all activities, customs, habits, and gratifications, which are congenial to his corrupt proprium, have a natural and powerful tendency to strengthen aud foster his depraved loves, retard his spiritual progress, more or less defile his mind, and damp, if not extinguish, the flame of celestial love and charity; at the same time he is in danger, through the seductive character of such courses, of sinking into vice and disorder, and thus losing his character for respectability with men of business, and all who justly connect worldly prosperity with a prudent deportment. The LORD, knowing the state of human beings, with the ill consequences arising from indulging the proprium, has therefore repeatedly and affectionately called upon us to deny ourselves, avoid every appearance of evil, and follow him in the regeneration; doing as he did, walking as he walked, and shunning what he avoided. This assuredly we must do, in order that our regeneration may correspond with his glorification. If then we consult our own true, spiritual, eternal, and even our temporal interests; the prosperity of the Church; the good of