AMong the many Reaſons aſſignable for the ſad Decay of True Chriſtianity, perhaps the neglecting to aſſemble ourſelves together, in Religious Societies, may not be one of the leaſt. That I may therefore do my Endeavour towards promoting ſo excellent a Means of Piety, I have ſelected a Paſſage of Scripture drawn from the Experience of the wiſeſt of Men, which being a little enlarged on and illuſtrated, will fully anſwer my preſent Deſign; that being to ſhew, in the beſt Manner I can, the Neceſſity and Benefits of Society in general, and of Religious Society in particular.

Two are better than One, &c,

From which Words I ſhall take Occaſion to prove,

Firſt, The Truth of the Wiſe Man's Aſſertion, viz. Two are better than One, and that in Reference to Society in general, and Religious Society in particular.

Secondly, To aſſign ſome Reaſons why Two are better than One, eſpecially as to the laſt Particular. 1. Becauſe Men can raiſe up one another when they chance to ſlip: For if they fall, the One will lift up his Fellow. 2. Becauſe they can impart Heat to each other: Again, if Two lie together, then they have Heat; but how can One be warm alone? 3. Becauſe they can ſecure each other from thoſe that do oppoſe them: And if One prevail againſt him, Two ſhall withſtand him; and a threefold Cord is not quickly broken. From hence,

Thirdly, I ſhall take Occaſion to ſhew the Duty incumbent on every Member of a Religious Society.

Fourthly, and laſtly, I ſhall draw an Inference or two from what ſhall have been ſaid; and then conclude with a Word or two of Exhortation from the whole.

Firſt then, I am to prove the Truth of the Wiſe Man's Aſſertion, viz. that Two are better than One, and that in Reference to Society in general, and Religious Societies in particular.

And how can this be done better than by ſhewing that it is abſolutely neceſſary for the Welfare both of the Bodies and Souls of Men? Indeed, if we look upon Man as he came out of the Hands of his Maker, we imagine him to be perfect, entire, lacking nothing. But GOD, whoſe Thoughts are not as our Thoughts, ſaw ſomething ſtill wanting to make Adam happy. And what was that? Why, an Help meet for him. For thus ſpeaketh the Scripture: And the LORD GOD ſaid, It is not good that the Man ſhould be alone, I will make an Help meet for him.

Obſerve, GOD ſaid, It is not good, thereby implying that the Creation would have been imperfect, in ſome ſort, unleſs an Help was found out meet for Adam. And if this was the Caſe of Man before the Fall; if an Help was meet for him in a State of Perfection ſurely ſince the Fall, when we come naked and helpleſs out of our Mother's Womb, when our Wants increaſe with our Years, and we can ſcarcely ſubſiſt a Day without the mutual Aſſiſtance of each other, well may we ſay, It is not good for Man to be alone.

Society then, we ſee, is abſolutely neceſſary in reſpect to our bodily and perſonal Wants. If we carry our View farther, and conſider Mankind as divided into different Cities, Countries, and Nations, the Neceſſity of it will appear yet more evident. For how can Communities be kept up, or Commerce carried on, without Society? Certainly not at all, ſince Providence ſeems wiſely to have aſſigned a particular Product to almoſt each particular Country, on Purpoſe, as it were, to oblige us to be ſocial; and hath ſo admirably mingled the Parts of the whole Body of Mankind together, that the Eye cannot ſay to the Hand, I have no Need of thee, nor again, the Hand to the Foot, I have no Need of thee.

Many other Inſtances might be given of the Neceſſity of Society, in Reference to our bodily, perſonal, and national Wants. But what are all theſe when weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary, in Compariſon of the infinite greater Need of it, with reſpect to the Soul? It was chiefly in regard to this better Part, no doubt, that GOD ſaid, It is not good for the Man to be alone. For, let us ſuppoſe Adam to be as happy as may be, placed as the Lord of the Creation in the Paradiſe of GOD, and ſpending all his Hours in adoring and praiſing the bleſſed Author of his Being; yet as his Soul was the very Copy of the Divine Nature, whoſe peculiar Property it is to be communicative, without the Divine All-ſufficiency, he could not be compleatly happy, becauſe he was alone and incommunicative, nor even content in Paradiſe for want of a Partner in his Joys, GOD knew this, and therefore ſaid, It is not good that the Man ſhould be alone, I will make a Help meet for him. And tho' this proved a fatal Means of his falling; yet that was not owing to any natural Conſequence of Society; but partly to that curſed Apoſtate, who craftily lies in wait to deceive; partly to Adam's own Folly, in rather chuſing to be miſerable with one he loved, than truſt in GOD to raiſe him up another Spouſe.

If we reflect indeed on that familiar Intercourſe our firſt Parents could carry on with Heaven, in a State of Innocence, we ſhall be apt to think he had as little Need of Society, as to his Soul, as before we ſuppoſed him to have, in reſpect to his Body. But yet, as GOD and the Holy Angels were ſo far above him on the one Hand, and the Beaſts ſo far beneath him on the other, there was nothing like having one to to converſe with, who was Bone of his Bone, and Fleſh of his Fleſh.

Man, then, could not be fully happy, we ſee even in Paradiſe, without a Companion of his own Species, much leſs now he is driven out. For, let us view him a little in his natural Eſtate now, ſince the Fall, as having his Underſtanding darkened, his Mind alienated from the Life of GOD; as no more able to ſee his Way wherein he ſhould go, than a blind Man to deſcribe the Sun: That notwithſtanding this, he muſt receive his Sight e'er he can ſee GOD: And that if he never ſees him, he never can be happy. Let us view him, I ſay, in this Light (or rather this Darkneſs) and deny the Neceſſity of Society if we can. A Divine Revelation we find is abſolutely neceſſary, we being by Nature as unable to do our Duty. And how ſhall we learn except one teach us? But was GOD to do this himſelf, how ſhould we, with Moſes,exceedingly quake and fear? Nor would the Miniſtry of Angels in this Affair be without too much Terror. It is neceſſary, therefore (at leaſt GOD's Dealing with us hath ſhewed it▪ to be ſo) that we be drawn with the Cords of a Man. And that a Divine Revelation being granted, we ſhould uſe one another's Aſſiſtance, under GOD, to inſtruct each other in the Knowledge, and to exhort one another to the Practice of thoſe Things which belong to our everlaſting Peace. This is undoubtedly the great End of Society intended by GOD ſince the Fall, and a ſtrong Argument it is, why Two are better than One, and why we ſhould not forſake the aſſembling our ſelves together.

But farther, let us conſider ourſelves as Chriſtians, as having this natural Veil, in ſome meaſure, taken off from our Eyes by the Aſſiſtance of GOD's Holy Spirit, and ſo enabled to ſee what he requires of us. Let us ſuppoſe ourſelves in ſome degree to have taſted the good Word of Life,and to have felt the Powers of the World to come, influencing and moulding our Souls into a religious Frame: To be fully and heartily convinced that we are Soldiers liſted under the Banner of CHRIST, and have proclaimed open War at our Baptiſm, againſt the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil; and have, perhaps, frequently renewed our Obligations ſo to do, by partaking of the Lord's Supper: That we are ſurrounded with Millions of Foes without, and infeſted with Legions of Enemies within: That we are commanded to ſhine as Lights in the World, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Generation: That we are travelling to a long Eternity, and need all imaginable Helps to ſhew us, and encourage us in our Way thither. Let us, I ſay, reflect on all this, and then how ſhall each of us cry out, Brethren, what a neceſſary Thing it is to meet together in Religiuos Societies?

The Primitive Chriſtians were fully ſenſible of this, and therefore we find them continually keeping up Communion with each other: For what ſays the Scripture? They continued ſtedfaſt in the Doctrine and Fellowſhip, Acts ii. 42. Peter and John were no ſooner diſmiſſed by the Great Council, than they haſte away to their Companions. And being ſet at Liberty, ſays the Text, they came to their own, and told them all theſe Things which the High Prieſt had ſaid unto them, Acts iv. 23. Paul, as ſoon as converted, tarried three Days with the Diſciples that were at Damaſcus, Acts ix. 19. And Peter afterwards, when releaſed from Priſon, immediately goes to the Houſe of Mary, where there were great Multitudes aſſembled, praying, Acts xii. 12. And it is reported of Chriſtians in After-Ages, that they uſed to aſſemble together before Daylight, to ſing a Pſalm to CHRIST as GOD. So precious was the Communion of Saints in thoſe Days.

If it be asked, what Advantage we ſhall reap from ſuch a Procedure now? I anſwer, much every Way. Two are better than One, becauſe they have a good Reward for their Labour: For if they fall, the One will lift up his Fellow; but woe be to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if Two lye together, then the have Heat; but how can One be warm alone? And if One prevail againſt him, Two ſhall withſtand him; and a Three-fold Cord is not quickly broken.

Which directly leads me to my Second general Head, under which I was to aſſign ſome Reaſons why Two are better than One, eſpecially in Religions Society.

I. As Man in his preſent Condition cannot always ſtand upright, but by Reaſon of the Frailty of his Nature cannot but fall; one eminent Reaſon why Two are better than One, or, in other Words, one great Advantage of Religious Society is, That when they fall, the One will lift up his Fellow.

And an excellent Reaſon this, indeed! For alas! When we reflect how prone we are to be drawn into Error in our Judgments, and into Vice in our Practice; and how unable, at leaſt how very unwilling, to eſpy or correct our own Miſcarriages; when we conſider how apt the World is to flatter us in our Faults, and how few there are ſo kind as to tell us the Truth; what an ineſtimable Privilege muſt it be to have a Set of true, judicious, hearty Friends about us, continually watching over our ſoul, to inform us where we have fallen, and warn us that we fall not again for the future. Surely it is ſuch a Privilege that (to uſe the Words of an eminent Chriſtian) we ſhall never know the Value of, till we come to Glory.

But this is not all; for ſuppoſing that we could always ſtand upright, yet whoſoever reflects on the Difficulties of Religion in general, and his own Propenſity to Lukewarmneſs and Indifference in particular, will find that he muſt be zealous as well as ſteady, if ever he expects to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Here then, the Wiſe Man points out to us another excellent Reaſon why Two are better than One. Again, ſays he, If Two lie together, then they have Heat, but how can One be warm alone?

Which was the next Thing to be conſidered under the Second general Head, viz. to aſſign a ſecond Reaſon why Two are better than One, becauſe they can impart Heat to each other.

It is an Obſervation no leſs true than common, That kindled Coals, if placed aſunder, ſoon go out, but if heaped together, quicken and enliven each other and afford a laſting Heat. The ſame will hold good, in the Caſe now before us. If Chriſtians kindled by the Grace of GOD unite, they will quicken and enliven each other; but if they ſeparate and keep aſunder, no marvel if they ſoon grow cool or tepid. If Two or Three meet together in CHRIST's Name, they will have Heat; but how can One be warm alone?

Obſerve, How can One be warm alone? The Wiſe Man's expreſſing himſelf by way of Queſtion, implies an Impoſſibility, at leaſt a very great Difficulty, to be warm in Religion without Company, where it may be had. Behold here, then, another excellent Benefit flowing from Religious Society; it will keep us zealous, as well as ſteady, in the Ways of Godlineſs.

But to illuſtrate this a little farther by a Compariſon or two. Let us look upon ourſelves (as was above hinted) as Soldiers liſted under CHRIST's Banner; as going out with ten thouſand to meet One that cometh againſt us with twenty thouſand: as Perſons that are to wreſtle not only with Fleſh and Blood, but againſt Principalities, againſt Powers, and ſpiritual Wickedneſſes in high Places. And then tell me, all ye that fear GOD, if it be not an invaluable Privilege to have a Company of Fellow Soldiers continually about us, animating and exhorting each other to ſtand our ground, to keep our Ranks, and manfully to follow the Captain of our Salvation, though it be through a Sea of Blood?

Laſtlv, Let us conſider ourſelves in another View before mentioned, viz. as Perſons travelling to a long Eternity; reſcued by the freeGrace of GOD, in ſome Meaſure, from our natural Egyptian Bondage, and marching under the Conduct of our ſpiritual Joſhua, thro' the Wilderneſs of this World, to the Land of our Heavenly Canaan. Let us farther reflect how apt we are to ſtartle at every Difficulty; to cry, There are Lions! There are Lions in the Way! There are the Sons of Anak to be grappled with, e'er we can poſſeſs the Promiſed Land: How prone we are, with Lot's Wife, to look wiſhfully back on our ſpiritual Sodom, or with the fooliſh Iſraelites, to long again for the Fleſh-Pots of Egypt, and to return to our former natural State of Bondage and Slavery. Conſider this my Brethren, and ſee what a bleſſed Privilege it will be to have a Set of Iſraelites indeed about us, always reminding us of the Folly of any ſuch cowardly Deſign, and of the intolerable Miſery we ſhall run into, if we fall in the leaſt ſhort of the Promiſed Land.

More might be ſaid on this Particular, did not the Limits of a Diſcourſe of this Nature, oblige me to haſten.

3. To give a Third Reaſon, mentioned by the Wiſe Man in the Text, why Two are better than One; namely, becauſe they can ſecure each other from Enemies without. And if One prevail againſt him, yet Two ſhall withſtand him; and a Threefold Cord is not quickly broken.

Hitherto we have conſidered the Avantages of Religious Societies, as a great Preſervative againſt falling (at leaſt dangerouſly falling) into Sin and Lukewarmneſs, and that too from our own Corruptions. But what ſays the Wiſe Son of Sirach? My Son, when thou goeſt to ſerve the Lord, prepare thy Soul for Temptation: And that not only from inward, but outward Foes; particularly from theſe two grand Adverſaries, the World and the Devil: For no ſooner will thine Eye be bent Heavenward, but the former will be immediately diverting it another Way, telling thee thou needeſt not be ſingular in order to be religious; that one may be a Chriſtian without going ſo much out of the Common Road.

Nor will the Devil be wanting in his artful Inſinuations, or impious Suggeſtions, to divert or terrify thee from preſſing forwards, that thou mayſt lay hold on the Crown of Life: And if he cannot prevail this Way, he will try another; and in order to make his Temptation the more undiſcerned, but withal more ſucceſsful, he will employ, perhaps, ſome of thy neareſt Relatives, or moſt powerful Friends (as he ſet Peter on our bleſſed Maſter) who will always be bidding thee ſpair thyſelf; telling thee thou needeſt not take ſo much Pains; that it is not ſo difficult a Matter to get to Heaven as ſome People would make of it, nor the Way ſo narrow as others imagine it to be.

But ſee here the Advantage of Religious Company; for ſuppoſing thou findeſt thyſelf thus ſurrounded on every Side, unable to withſtand ſuch horrid (though ſeemingly friendly) Counſels, haſte away to thy Companions, and they will teach thee a truer and better Leſſon; they will tell thee, that thou muſt be ſingular if thou wilt be religious; and that it is as impoſſible for a Chriſtian, as for a City ſet upon a Hill, to be hid: That if thou wilt be an almoſt Chriſtian (and as good be none at all) thou mayſt live in the ſame idle indifferent Manner as thou ſeeſt moſt other People do: But if thou wilt be not only almoſt but altogether a Chriſtian, they will inform thee thou muſt go a great deal farther: That thou muſt not only faintly ſeek, but earneſtly ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait Gate: That there is but One Way now to Heaven as formerly, viz. through the narrow Paſſage of a ſound Converſion: And that in order to bring about this mighty Work, thou muſt undergo a conſtant, but neceſſary Diſcipline of Faſting, Watching, and Prayer. And that therefore, the only Reaſon why theſe Friends give thee ſuch Advice, becauſe they are not willing to take ſo much Pains themſelves; or, as our Saviour told Peter on a like Occaſion, becauſe they ſavour not the Things that be of GOD, but the Things that be of Men.

This then, is another excellent Bleſſing ariſing from Religious Society, that Friends can hereby ſecure each other from thoſe that oppoſe them. The Devil is fully ſenſible of this, and therefore he has always done his utmoſt to ſuppreſs, and put a Stop to the Communion of Saints. This was his grand Artifice at the firſt planting of the Goſpel; to perſecute the Profeſſors of it, in order to ſeparate them. Which, though GOD, as he always will, over-ruled for the better; yet it ſhews what an Enmity he has againſt Chriſtians aſſembling themſelves together. Nor has he yet left off his old ſtratagem; it being his uſual Way to entice us by our ſelves, in order to tempt us; where, by being deſtitute of one another's Helps, he hopes to lead us captive at his Will.

But, on the contrary, knowing his own Intereſt is ſtrengthened by Society, he would firſt perſuade us to neglect the Communion of Saints, and then bid us ſtand in the Way of Sinners, hoping thereby to put us into the Seat of the Scornful. Judas & Peter are melancholly Inſtances of this. The former had no ſooner left his Company at Supper, but he went out & betrayed his Maſter: And the diſmal Downfal of the latter, when he would venture himſelf amongſt a Company of Enemies, plainly ſhews us what the Devil will endeavour to do, when he gets us by ourſelves. Had Peter kept his own Company, he might have kept his Integrity; but a ſingle Cord, alas, how quickly was it broken? Our bleſſed Saviour knew this full well, and therefore it is very obſervable, that he always ſent out his Diſciples Two by Two.

And now, after ſo many Advantages to be reaped from Religious Society, may we not very juſtly cry out with the Wiſe Man in my Text, Woe be to him that is alone; for when he falleth, he hath not another to lift him up: When he is cold, he hath not a Friend to warm him; when he is aſſaulted, he hath not a Second to help him to withſtand his Enemy.

III. I now come to my Third general Head, under which was to be ſhewn the ſeveral Duties incumbent on every Member of a Religious Society, as ſuch, which are three.

1. Mutual Reproof. Two are better than One: for when they fall, the One will lift up his Fellow.

Now, Reproof may be taken either in a more extenſive Senſe, and then it ſignifies our raiſing a Brother by the gentleſt Means, when he falls into Sin and Error; or in a more reſtrained Signification, as reaching no farther then thoſe, little Miſcarriages, which unavoidably happen in the moſt holy Men living.

The Wiſe Man in the Text, ſuppoſes all of us ſubject to both: For when they fall (ſays he, thereby implying that each of us may fall) the One will lift up his Fellow. From whence we may infer, that when any Brother is overtaken with a Fault, he that is ſpiritual (that is, regenerate, and knows the Corruption and Weakneſs of Human Nature) ought to reſtore ſuch a one in the Spirit of Meekneſs. And why he ſhould do ſo, the Apoſtle ſubjoins a Reaſon conſidering thyſelf, leſt thou alſo be tempted; i.e. conſidering thy own Frailty, leſt thou alſo fall by the like Temptation.

We are all frail unſtable Creatures; and it is merely owing to the Free Grace and good Providence of GOD, that we run not into the ſame Exceſs of Riot with other Men. Every offending Brother, therefore, claims our Pity rather than our Reſentment; and each Member ſhould ſtrive who ſhould be moſt forward, as well as moſt gentle, in reſtoring him to his former State.

But ſuppoſing a Perſon not to be overtaken, but to fall wilfully into a Crime; yet who art thou that denieſt Forgiveneſs to thy offending Brother? Let him that ſtandeth take heed leſt he fall. Take ye, Brethren, the holy Apoſtles as eminent Examples for you to learn by, how you ought to behave in this Matter. Conſider how quickly they joined the Right Hand of Fellowſhip with Peter, who had ſo wilfully denied his Maſter: For we find John and him together but two Days after, Joh. xx. 2. And v. 19. we find him aſſembled with the reſt. So ſoon did they forgive, ſo ſoon aſſociate with their ſinful, yet relenting Brother,—Let us go & do likewiſe.

But there is another kind of Reproof incumbent on every Member of Religious Society; namely, a gentle Rebuke for ſome Miſcarriage or other, which, though not actually ſinful, yet may become the Occaſion of Sin. This indeed ſeems more eaſy, but perhaps will be found a more difficult Point than the former: For when a Perſon has really ſinned, he cannot but own his Brethrens Reproof to be juſt; whereas, when it was only for ſome little Miſconduct, the Pride that is in our Natures, will ſcarce ſuffer us to brook it. But however ungrateful this Pill may be to our Brother, yet if we have any Concern for his Welfare, it muſt be adminiſtred by ſome friendly Hand or other. By all Means then let it be applied; only, like a ſkilful Phyſician, gild over the ungrateful Medicine, & endeavour if poſſible, to deceive thy Brother into Health and Soundneſs. Let all Bitterneſs, & Wrath, and Malice, & Evil-ſpeaking, be put away from it. Let the Patient know his Recovery is the only Thing aimed at, that thou delighteſt not cauſeleſly to grieve thy Brother; & then thou canſt not want Succeſs.

2. Mutual Exhortation is the ſecond Duty reſulting from the Words of the Text. — Again, If Two lie together, then they have Heat.

Obſerve here again, the Wiſe Man ſuppoſes it as impoſſible for Religious Perſons to meet together, & not to be the Warmer for each other's Company, as for two Perſons to lie in the ſame Bed, and yet freeze with Cold. But now, how is it poſſible to communicate Heat to each other, without mutually ſtirring up the Gift of GOD which is in us, by brotherly Exhortation? Let every Member then of a Religious Society write that zealous Apoſtle's Advice on the Tables of his Heart; See that ye exhort, & provoke one another to Love, & to good Works; and ſo much the more as you ſee the Day of the LORD approaching. Believe me, Brethren, we have need of Exhortation to rouze up our ſleepy Souls, to ſet us upon our Watch againſt the Temptations of the World, the Fleſh, & the Devil; to excite us to renounce ourſelves, to take up our Croſſes, & follow our bleſſed Maſter, & the glorious Company of Saints & Martyrs, who thro' Faith, have fought the good Fight, & are gone before us to inherit the Promiſes. A third Part, therefore, of the Time wherein a Religious Society meets, ſeems neceſſary to beſpent in this important Duty: For what avails it to have our Underſtandings enlightned by pious Reading unleſs our Wills are at the ſame Time inclined, and inflamed by mutual Exhortation, to put it in Practice? Add to this, that this is the beſt Way both to receive & impart Light, & the only Means to preſerve & increaſe that Warmth & Heat which each Perſon firſt brought with him; GOD ſo ordering this, as all other ſpiritual Gifts, that to him that hath, i.e. improve & communicates what he has ſhall be given; but from him that hath not, i.e. does not improve the Heat he hath, ſhall be taken away even that which he ſeemed to have. So needful, ſo eſſentially neceſſary is Exhortation to the Good of Society.

3. Thirdly and laſtly, The Text points out another Duty incumbent on every Member of a Religious Society, viz. To defend each other from thoſe that do oppoſe them. And if One prevail againſt him, yet Two ſhall withſtand him; and a Threefold Cord is not quickly broken.

Here the Wiſe Man takes it for granted, that Offences will come, nay, & that they may prevail too. And this is no more than our bleſſed Maſter has long ſince told us. Not indeed, that there is any Thing in Chriſtianity itſelf that has the leaſt Tendency to give riſe to, or promote ſuch Offences: No, on the contratry, it breathes nothing but Unity & Love.

But ſo it is, that ever ſince the fatal Sentence pronounced by GOD, after our firſt Parents Fall, viz. I will put Enmity between thy Seed & her Seed; He that is born after the Fleſh, i. e. the unregenerate unconverted Sinner, has in all Ages perſecuted him that is born after the Spirit: And ſo it always will be. Accordingly we find an early Proof given of this in the Inſtance of Cain & Abel; & of Iſmael & Iſaac; of Jacob & Eſau afterwards. And indeed, the whole Bible contains little elſe but an Hiſtory of the great & continued Oppoſition between the Children of this World & the Children of GOD. The firſt Chriſtians were remarkable Examples of this; though thoſe troubleſome Times, bleſſ;ed be GOD, are now over, yet the Apoſtle has laid it down as a general Rule, & all that are ſincere can experimentally prove the Truth of it, That they that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, muſt (to the End of the World, in ſome Degree or other) ſuffer Perſecution. That therefore this may not make us deſert our bleſſed Maſter's Cauſe, every Member ſhould unite their Forces, in order to ſtand againſt it. And for the better effecting this, each would do well, from Time to Time, to communicate his Experiences, Grievances, & Temptations, & beg his Companions firſt asking GOD's Aſſitance, without which all is nothing) to adminiſter Reproof, Exhortation or Comfort, as his Caſe requires: So that if One cannot prevail againſt it, yet Two ſhall withſtand it; and a threefold (much leſs a many-fold) Cord will not be quickly broken.

IV. But it is Time for me to proceed to the Fourth general Thing propoſed, viz. To draw an Inference or two from what has been ſaid.