the things commanded by him, or to diminish aught from either of them.' For besides the injuries we inflict on men, and the corruption we bring into the Church, and the dishonour we offer to the majesty of God, by such acts of presumptuous disobedience; we are also guilty of treason against our Lord the King in Zion, as often as we usurp these high prerogatives of his crown. With reference to ourselves-nothing can bind the faith or conscience of a Christian, in the matter of his salvatian, that is not revealed from God. But nothing is revealed unto salvation, except in Jesus Christ our Saviour. So that where faith, conscience, revelation, and salvation, have no place; there is no Saviourand can be no Church.

3. This whole doctrine is transcendently glorious to the Church of God. It invests her with the majesty, which springs from her total deliverance from the control of carnal commandments, and from her being clothed with the power of an endless life. Her mission is commensurate with the human race. Its very essence is, to do all good to all. Her own goodness is the measure of her ability to do good. A mission of faith, obedience, and love, accomplished in the power of the divine life by which she lives. Salvation is wrought out through her, in proportion as it is first wrought in her. As she trusts, obeys, and imitates Christ, she manifests in the same degree the purity of her faith, of her worship, and of her life; exhibits the mighty power of God, which works in her trustful and loving heart; demonstrates her entire conformity to the divine will; and thus working out the glory of God on earth, she works out for herself an eternal weight of glory. Does any child of God desire to take from Christ, any part of his dominion over himself? Then why should it be considered possible, that the spouse of Christ would desire any such thing? Does any sanctified soul feel the yoke of Christ to be a heavy yoke? Then why should it be imagined that all sanctified souls should fail to rejoice as the pre-eminence is given to him, in all things? Nor will God endure to be robbed of that which is his. I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God-is the reason given by himself, why the glory, dominion, and worship, should be given only to him; and is rendered as a portion of that unalterable morality, whose foundations are laid in his own being, and which pervades every 1 Deut., iv. 1-24; Rev., xxii, 18-20.

manifestation of himself.' And the last recorded utterance of the redeemed in glory is, As it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

1 Exod., xx. 5.

Rev., xix. 6.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD,

SUBJECTIVELY CONSIDERED.

ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

THIS Fifth Book bears to the Fourth, a relation somewhat analogous to that which the Third Book bears to the Second. For the Second Book attempts to demonstrate a Christian, and the Third to demonstrate those personal Offices without which there can be no individual Christianity: while the Fourth Book attempts to demonstrate the visible Church of Christ organized out of those same Christians, and this Fifth Book to demonstrate the Gifts of God to this Christian Church, without which it can have no visible existence. And as in the former case, those individual Offices of themselves prove that he who discharges them does so by the grace of God, and is a true disciple of Christ; so in this latter case, these divine Gifts prove of themselves that the organized body of Disciples of Christ possessing them, does so by the grace of God, and is a true Church visible of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the negative conclusions in the two cases are analogous; namely, that lacking these individual Offices no one can be a true disciple of Christ-lacking these Gifts of God no organized body can be composed of true disciples of Christ, or be his visible Church. So that the demonstration is double in each case, and then general of the whole. The TwentySeventh Chapter, which is the First of this Book, is devoted to the three supreme Gifts of God to his Church more especially considered as visible, namely, his Son, his Spirit, and his Word; one large division of the Chapter being occupied with the separate and detailed exposition of each. Concerning the Son it is shown in what sense he is given by God to the Church, over and above the sense in which he is given to each individual Christian, and in what different form he is given to the Gospel Church, as compared with preceding dispensations; what are the mutual results of this as to Christ, and as to the Church-what is the relation between them thus created-what is the position of the Church thus considered—and her consequent glory and blessedness in her witness-bearing and her work. Concerning the Spirit it is shown that all efficiency of the Church is of him as really as all authority is of Christ; the difference in the manner of bestowment, the manner of operation, and the manner of relation to all things, between the Spirit and the Son, is explained; the order of the mysteries of grace, the relation of the Spirit to the work of Christ and to the Gospel Church, and the attestation of everything relating to both, and to all truth and godliness

by the Spirit, are disclosed; the promise of the Spirit-his outpouring, his manifestation and work, extraordinary and ordinary, the Relation of both to Christ, to the Church, to each other, and to salvation are explicated: and the doctrine of the Spirit and of his relation to the Church is shown to be absolutely vital. Concerning the Word of God, its relation to the Son, the Spirit, and the Church, and its special relation considered as written to the Church considered as visible, are pointed out; the Word and the Church before the former was written, and the latter organized, and again after the former was written and the latter organized, and again after the former was complete and as such bestowed on the Gospel Church, are specially considered: the power of the Word as mere truth, and its further power as the instrument of the Spirit, is disclosed; and the Chapter closes with an appreciation of the written Word considered as a divine Gift to the Visible Church, and of the Gospel Church considered as possessing the supreme Gifts of God just discussed. The Twenty-Eighth Chapter, which is the Second of this Book, discusses the Sabbath-day, the Sacraments, Instituted Worship, Discipline, and Evangelization, as Ordinances given by God to his Church; one large division being devoted to each. The Sabbath is shown to be a perpetual element in the moral system of the Universe, and to be indissolubly connected with the creative, providential, and gracious work of God therein: and its unspeakable importance to man is pointed out. The Sacraments are treated generally, the idea of them, their nature, and use, the ends they answer and promote, being explained; their efficacy is shown to depend on the work of the Divine Spirit, and to be wrought instrumentally by them, in us, by him through our faith in Christ: the number of them and its constancy, their relation to the Church under successive dispensations, Christ's relation to them, and their record of him, are explicated. The Instituted Worship of God is discussed, and the relation of Atheism on one side, and that of spiritual worship of the true God on the other, to our natural convictions is disclosed; the revealed will of God concerning the worship he requires of man is demonstrated; the particulars of that revealed worship, now divinely established in the Gospel Church, are proved, classified, and explained. Discipline, as an ordinance of God, is demonstrated, and its nature and efficacy are explained,-together with the manner and objects of its administration; the nature of Church censures, their relation to the Threatenings of God,—and their execution upon God's erring children, and upon his open enemies are set forth. And finally the Evangelization of the world is shown to be an Ordinance of God obligatory upon the Church; and a brief appreciation of that great endeavour is attempted. The Twenty-Ninth Chapter, which is the Third of this Book, is devoted to a particular discussion of the Sacrament of Baptism, considered in its Nature and Design, the Subjects of it, the Mode of its Administration, and the Apostolic Practice of it. The origin and nature of the sacrament of circumcision, and its relation to Christian Baptism, are explained: the relation of the Baptism of John, and of that administered by the Apostles during the life of Christ, to Christian Baptism is also explained: Christian Baptism is shown to have been instituted by Christ, after his resurrection, as a sacrament of the Gospel Church: the relation of the outpouring of the Spirit to Christian Baptism is disclosed: and the certainty of these divine mysteries, together with their sum, and their relation to