Thirdly. It is shown from facts of Scripture history, that spiritual regeneration was never identical with circumcision, or baptism, or the Lord's Supper, or with all sacraments and ordinances put together, in such manner, that the partakers of the one were necessarily partakers of the other; for, as it is written respecting Israel, not that these sacraments, but that "the election obtained it, and the rest were blinded," so it was found to be with Noah's family, and posterity; and with the Lord's twelve disciples; and with his universal Church from the beginning; and is so until now that therefore it is not of man's work or man's righteousness, but of the Lord's grace and the Lord's righteousness, that any are spiritually regenerate and eternally saved. But while the sacraments are not necessarily identical, they are generally connected with both regeneration and salvation,—for as the Lord himself spake of the one with the other, so have his servants, who of his grace became partakers of the one, ever been mindful to observe the other, and to fulfil all righteousness after the example, and for the sake of him that loved them.

Fourthly. The Lord's work is a perfect work, in its every stage; in its rise, its progress, and its consummation: perfect in regeneration, in justification, and sanctification:-not to the prevention or neglect, on our part, of the use of all scriptural means, to promote our individual personal holiness; but to enforce and ensure the adoption of the same, unto our conquests over the old nature, or crucifixion of the flesh with the affections and lusts, and to our living "soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious

appearing of the great God, even our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST," "who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." But this is ours, now, by promise, by the promise of him who will not deceive, who cannot fail, and it is ours by faith; and therefore this is also the bringing out, precisely, what we mean by our standing complete in Christ, accepted in the sight of God.

Fifthly. There is surely a perfect harmony, to be seen and demonstrated, in all Church proceedings and results; and this, we humbly trust, is in some measure herein delineated; but if not made clear to the reader, it must be considered our failure, while, as the Lord reigneth, the fact is certain. For he that secured to himself his own inheritance from among his people Israel-against all their enemies could do, and against their own ignorance and unbelief-has, surely against all that has been or could be done by the world and in the Church, been secretly and calmly, but certainly, accomplishing his own will, and the work of faith with power, unto the salvation of his people to the present time, and will do it to the end.

But we submit that there is a striking harmony shown between the things which were in the Church of God, and which now are in a true branch of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, established in this land-even as there may be also, in other branches of the one holy Catholic Church, in other landsand if so, it may be feared, that "false doctrine, heresy, and schism," are neither so uncommon, nor yet so harmless as many imagine, or as is so generally

I

admitted; and in such case it may also be proved, that conformity is neither so unreasonable nor so hard a thing as many conceive, or as some attempt to prove and maintain. We can sympathize, very sincerely, however, with those who, without searching deeply into Scripture on the subject, form or take up popular objections to expressions and statements in certain of our Church services, and draw inferences, which are utterly at variance with the views entertained by those men of God who compiled them; and who, by the extraordinary grace and wisdom vouchsafed to them, so drew them up that they should contain the truth of God in beautiful harmony, both as respects the general body of baptized and professedly Christian people, and as respects the mystical body of the Lord's anointed, the spiritual temple of the Lord, his living members, who are his habitation through the Spirit. And in sympathizing with such, and especially with such of our younger brethren in the ministry as may entertain views similar to our own, it is intended to append* statement of facts from one who continued to minister amid many difficulties, with a good conscience, and who thanks the Lord that he was never led or driven to take such steps, as might at this time have involved him in what he would consider to be the sin of schism.

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Finally. Israel, without controversy, were nationally in covenant with Jehovah, and out of their whole number, by means of their ecclesiastical privileges and blessings which were open to all, he gathered his spiritual Israel to himself, giving each of this number just as he gave David to call Messiah, even Jesus, Lord by the Spirit, and them he adopted and * See Appendix.

justified and sanctified. Even so we were as they, nationally in covenant with God-whether, being stained with the mark of the beast of Rome in the State department, we now are may admit of disputeyet by means of ecclesiastical privileges and blessings open to all, he has gathered and still gathers his own elect from among us; and it is a continuance of the one Church general and the one Church spiritual; for the saved of Israel wait for us, and until our number is gathered also, cannot be perfected.

Be it our care and wisdom, therefore, not to deny the lawfulness of the Church being general, for such was our type-and be it our care and wisdom not to deny its being special and spiritual in part, for such it was with them; and whether we receive certain doctrines or not, the fact is convincing, it is so with us, for some are partakers of sacraments, and yet are only natural; and others are partakers likewise, and are spiritual. Be it therefore our greater care, and greater wisdom, to seek the latter, that ours may be the privilege, and ours the blessing, and ours the completeness in Christ, and ours the glory which shall be revealed-for, "whom he justified, them he also glorified ;" and whom he justifies, them he will ever glorify. "FOR, I am persuaded, that NEITHER

DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD."

THE HOLY SPIRIT,

OR

THIRD PERSON OF THE BLESSED TRINITY.

THE desirableness, and perhaps the necessity, for adding a third part on this great subject, has been suggested to our mind by a variety of facts and circumstances, both of the present and of the past, indicative of the state of the Church of the Lord; the which being duly considered, it has appeared to us of so great importance, as to demand and receive, in connexion with what we have written, our best, our prayerful attention.

Such of the modern, publications as have fallen into our hands-being recommended to notice as they are by the great approbation of the Christian public during the few years now past-and such others as have been more recently published with similar success, or published because they were thought best calculated to meet the taste and feelings of the many readers, have been generally found to be fearfully defective on grand and vital points of Scripture doctrine.

We say defective or deficient: For-not containing direct denials of the Trinity in unity, nor anything against the Lord Jesus Christ, nor pointedly against the Deity and personality of the Holy Spirit-they contain not direct and explicit confessions or statements