services, or sacramental ordinances of a Church, as it is said to depend on a new creation in Christ by the Holy Ghost unto good works.

I greatly prefer, because I think I can by fair inference maintain, the episcopal government of the Christian Church, but upon this and kindred topics I am not insensible to the arguments and inferences of others. Upon all such grounds we meet only Israelities, to whom the language of the Patriarch may well be addressed: "See that ye fall not out by the way, for ye are brethren." And if we cannot so entirely agree as to continue in one company, then let patriarchal example show us how to separate as friends. "If thou wilt go to the right, I will go to the left; and if thou wilt go to the left, I will go to the right." But when a fundamental falsehood presents itself, behold an Egyptian ;-" kill him and bury him in the sand!" 3

1 Gen. xlv. 24.

2 Gen. xiii. 9.

Exod. ii. 11-13.

CHAPTER VI.

THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST-ITS SECURITY AND VISIBILITY.

What the Security of the Church does not mean-First, 2 Peter ii. 22. Second, St. Matt. vii. 22, 23. Third, Rev. iii. 1. Fourth, Rom. vii. 23: Gal. v. 27 -What the Security of the Church does mean-1 Peter i. 5-The Rock, St. Matt. xvi. жетроs-жетра-Dr. Barrow's Interpretation in answer to Bellarmine-Indefectibility of the Church on Earth, different from the Security of the Church against "the Gates of Hell"-the Visibility of the Church not yet-"The Manifestation of the Son of God "The Resurrection of the Body-Attempts to prove present Visibility answered-Our Lord's Prayer for the whole Church, St. John xvii.

In the light of holy Scripture, our only infallible guide, we have been tracing the Church of God in Christ-its component parts, its true catholicity, its unity, its holiness, its apostolical character: and we now proceed to consider its security, unto that day which St. Paul calls "the day of the Lord Jesus," and the day of "the manifestation of the sons of God," when the whole Church shall stand' forth in glorious visibility-the bodies of their humiliation being fashioned like unto the glorious body of their returning Lord. It is thus that the security and the visibility of the Church are combined with one another, and both with the resurrection of the body.

Jesus said, "This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." "And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (St. John vi. 39, 40). In these words we have two descriptions of the members of the Church of God; one referring to the perfect purpose of God before the world

was; the other to the progressive fulfilment of that purpose in the world. And concerning the members of the Church, thus variously described, the same assurances of security and resurrection are repeated.

In the former of these verses, the members of the Church are thus described: "All which He (the Father) hath given me." This refers to His "eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Then follow the assurances of their security and resurrection. It is the Father's will that none of them should be lost, and it is the Son's determination to raise up every one of them at the last day.

In the latter verse they are described thus: Every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him." This refers to the progressive fulfilment of the Divine purpose, as each predestinated member is successively quickened to the personal exercise of the grace of faith. And then follow, as before, assurances of their security and resurrection. It is the Father's will that every one of them should have everlasting life, and it is the Son's determination to raise up every one of them at the last day.

1. The truth first in order is the SECURITY of the Church; and it will conduce to much clearness to consider, first, What this great truth does not mean; and secondly, What it does mean.

(1) It does not mean that all persons who "profess and call themselves Christians," have everlasting life, and shall be surely preserved through this world, and saved in the next.

On the contrary, among those who call themselves and are by others commonly called Christians, there are multitudes who answer to the tares in the field where the wheat is also; to the bad fishes in the gospel-net; to the guest without a weddinggarment seated at the marriage-supper. The Lord's servants gather together all, as many as they find, both bad and good, and the wedding is furnished with guests. It is not till the king comes to see them that the distinction is made visible (St. Matt. xxii. 10-14). None of the king's servants can accurately distinguish between the genuine disciple and the deceiver; and therefore Christ said, "Let both grow together

till the harvest." Then indeed a separation shall be made between them, as wide as between the "heavenly garner" and "hell-fire."

In the meantime, however, some of those who are only tares make the melancholy fact but too manifest. Whatever outward decorum may have been observed for a time, circumstances arise which detect their unchanged hearts; they forsake the holy commandment delivered unto them; and by plunging into worldly corruptions they verify and illustrate the disgusting images presented by that true proverb, "The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire " (2 Peter ii. 22).

Such falls, especially when they have been preceded by a creditable course of some duration, incur the reproach of the Church's enemies, darken the truths of the Church's security, and excite perplexing anxieties and apprehensions in some of the real and true members of the Church. It should, however, be carefully noticed, that such things are plainly provided for in the Scriptures; that we are repeatedly warned of their inevitable occurrence; and that none of them, however grievous and however multiplied, interfere in the slightest degree with the great truth of the security of the Church of God.

1

It is thus, and, as it appears to me, only thus, that the scriptural predictions of apostacy among professors can be harmonized with the scriptural accurances of security to all true believers. To allege that such predictions were uttered concerning persons who may be saved, is to accuse God of prophesying falsely; and to allege that such assurances2 were given concerning persons who may be lost, is equally to accuse God of false promises. But "distinguite personas, et concordabunt scripturæ.”

(2) This truth does not mean, that all persons who have had eminent gifts, even miraculous, and who in the exercise of those. gifts have been eminently useful, and greatly distinguished amongst men, have everlasting life, and shall be surely preserved.

On the contrary, the most wonderful gifts may be in full

exercise where there is no real grace. They have been and may be bestowed on persons who are not members of the Church of God; and who may therefore at any time make shipwreck of their profession, and be engulfed in the corruptions of this wicked world. Of this distinction St. Paul writes with animating earnestness. After commending gifts for their appropriate uses, he announces "a more excellent way," and then enlarges on that love which is inseparable from saving grace. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love"-ayan-compare 1 John iv. 7, 8. "God is love ❞—ayаπη—"I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all (miracle-working) faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor. xii. 31, and xiii. 1, 3).

What the apostle thus states as a general experimental truth of universal application, our Lord Himself makes awfully solemn by a startling prophecy that in many instances thus indeed it shall be. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (St. Matt. vii. 22, 23).

But what then? Miraculous gifts have indeed been bestowed upon false professors of Christianity, but no member of the Lord's body has been amputated; no bone of Him has been broken; and nothing has occurred to interfere in the least degree with the everlasting and indefeasible security of the Church of God in Christ.

(3) This truth does not mean, that all visible Churches, at any time possessing scriptural truth, enjoying scriptural worship, and living in scriptural practice, shall continue to do so, while the individuals composing them change by births and deaths from generation to generation.

On the contrary. The candlestick (which is the Lord's own emblem for a visible Church) may be removed from any place, however brightly the light of truth may have shone upon it in