this faith and hope are given to those that diligently seek him. Some, indeed, have been inclined to interpret this in a figurative sense, as if it referred to that baptism of the Holy Ghost, which the Apostles received at the day of Pentecost, and which, in a lower degree, is given to all believers. But it is a stated rule in interpreting Scripture, Never to depart from the plain, literal sense, unless it implies an absurdity. And beside, if we thus understood it, it would be a needless repetition, as being included in, "There is one Spirit." 13. There is one God and Father of all, that have the Spirit of adoption, which "crieth in their hearts, Abba, Father:" which "witnesseth" continually "with their spirits," that they are the children of God: who is above allthe Most High, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Governor of the whole universe. And through all-Pervading all space, filling heaven and earth: -Totam Mens agitans molem, et magno se corpore miscens. And in you all-in a peculiar manner living in you, that are one body, by one Spirit: Making your souls his lov'd abode, 14. Here, then, is a clear unexceptionable answer to that question, What is the Church? The Cotholic or Universal Church, is, All the persons in the universe, whom God hath so called out of the world, as to entitle them to the preceding character; as to be one body, united by one Spirit, having "one faith, one hope, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in them all." 15. That part of this great body, of the Universal Church, which inhabits any one kingdom or nation, we may properly term a National Church, as the Church of France, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland. A smaller part of the Universal Church, are the Christians that inhabit one city or town, as the Church of Ephesus, and the rest of the seven Churches mentioned in the Revelation. Two or three Christian believers united together, are a Church in the narrowest sense of the word. Such was the Church in the house of Philemon, and that in the house of Nymphas, mentioned Col. iv. 15. A particular Church may, therefore, consist of any number of members, whether two or three, or two or three millions. But still, whether they be larger or smaller, the same idea is to be preserved. They are one body, and have one Spirit, one Lord, one hope, one faith, one baptism: one God and Father of all. 16. This account is exactly agreeable to the nineteenth Article of our Church, the Church of England: (only the Article includes a little more than the Apostle has expressed.) "Of the Church. "The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments be duly administered." It may be observed, that, at the same time, our thirtynine Articles were compiled and published, a Latin translation of them was published by the same authority. In this the words were "Cætus credentium," A congregation of Believers; plainly shewing that by faithful men, the Compilers meant, men endued with living faith. This brings the Article to a still nearer agreement to the account given by the Apostle. But it may be doubted, Whether the Article speaks of a particular Church, or of the Church Universal? The title, "Of the Church," seems to have reference to the Catholic Church. But the second clause of the Article mentions the particular Churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome. Perhaps it was intended to take in both : so to define the Universal Church, as to keep in view the several particular Churches of which it is composed. 17. These things being considered, it is easy to answer that question, "What is the Church of England?" It is that part, those members of the universal Church, who are inhabitants of England. The Church of England is, that body of men in England, in whom there is one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, which have one baptism, and one God and Father of all. This and this alone is the Church of England, according to the doctrine of the Apostle. 18. But the definition of a Church, laid down in the Article, includes, not only this, but much more, by that remarkable addition, "in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments be duly administered :" according to this definition, those congregations in which the pure word of God (a strong expression) is not preached, are no parts either of the Church of England, or the Church Catholic. As neither are those in which the sacraments are not duly administered. 19. I will not undertake to defend the accuracy of this definition. I dare not exclude from the Church Catholic, all those congregations in which any unscriptural doctrines, which cannot be affirmed to be the pure word of God, are sometimes, yea frequently preached. Neither all those congregations in which the sacraments are not duly administered. Certainly if these things are so, the Church of Rome is not so much as a part of the Catholic Church : seeing therein neither is the pure word of God preached, nor the sacraments duly administered. Whoever they are that have "one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of all," I can easily bear with their holding wrong opinions, yea and superstitious modes of worship. Nor would I, on these accounts, scruple still to include them within the pale of the Catholic Church. Neither would I have any objection to receive them, if they desired it, as members of the Church of England. 11. 20. We proceed now to the second point. What is it to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called?" It should always be remembered, that the word walk, in the language of the Apostle, is of a very extensive signification. It includes all our inward and outward motions, 1 1 1 all our thoughts, and words, and actions. It takes in not only every thing we do, but every thing we either speak or think. It is, therefore, no small thing to walk, in this sense of the word, "worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called:" to think, speak, and act, in every instance, in a manner worthy of our Christian calling. 21. We are called to walk, first, with all lowliness: to have the mind in us which was also in Christ Jesus, not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, to be little, and poor, and mean, and vile in our own eyes: to know ourselves as also we are known by him to whom all hearts are open : to be deeply sensible of our own unworthiness, of the universal depravity of our nature, (in which dwelleth no good thing,) prone to all evil, averse to all good, insomuch that we are, not only sick, but dead in trespasses and sins, till God breathes upon the dry bones, and creates life by the fruit of his lips. And suppose this is done, suppose he has now quickened us, infusing life into our dead souls; yet how much of the carnal mind remains! How prone is our heart still to depart from the living God! What a tendency to sin remains in our heart, although we know our past sins are forgiven! And how much sin, in spite of all our endeavours, cleaves both to our words and actions! Who can be duly sensible, how much remains in him of his natural enmity to God? Or how far he is still alienated from God, by the ignorance that is in him? 22. Yea, suppose God has now thoroughly cleansed our heart, and scattered the last remains of sin; yet how can we he sensible enough of our own helplessness, our utter inability to all good, unless we are every hour, yea, every moment, endued with power from on high? Who is able to think one good thought, or to form one good desire, unless by that Almighty Power which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure? We have need even in this state of grace, to be thoroughly and continually penetrated with a sense of this. Otherwise we shall be in perpetual danger of robbing God of his honour, by glorying in something we have received as though we had not received it. : 23. When our inmost soul is thoroughly tinctured therewith, it remains, that we be clothed with Humility. The word used by St. Peter seems to imply, that we be covered with it as with a surtout: that we be all humility, both within and without, tincturing all we think, speak, and do. Let all our actions spring from this fountain: let all our words breathe this spirit, that all men may know we have been with Jesus, and have learned of him to be lowly in heart. 24. And being taught of him who was meek as well as lowly in heart, we shall then be enabled to walk with all Meekness, being taught of him who teacheth as never man taught, to be meek as well as lowly in heart. This implies, not only a power over anger, but over all violent and turbulent passions. It implies the having all our passions in due proportion, none of them either too strong or too weak, but all duly balanced with each other, all subordinate to reason; and reason directed by the Spirit of God. Let this equanimity govern your whole souls: that your thoughts may all flow in an even stream, and the uniform tenor of your words and actions be suitable thereto. In this patience you will then possess your souls, which are not our own, while we are tossed by unruly passions. And by this all men may know, that we are, indeed, followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. 25. Walk with all Long-suffering. This is nearly related to meekness, but implies something more. It carries on the victory already gained over all your turbulent passions, notwithstanding all the powers of darkness, all the assaults of evil men or evil spirits. It is patiently triumphant over all opposition, and unmoved, though all the waves and storms thereof go over you. Though provoked ever so often, it is still the same, quiet and unshaken; never being overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good. 26. The Forbearing one another in love seems to mean, not only the not resenting any thing, and the not avenging |