into the kingdom of heaven :''Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' His apostles taught the same holy truth. 'Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.'

The term Church signifies called out, or an assembly. In the new Testament it is always used either in reference to the whole family of the redeemed in heaven and on earth; or to a single congregation of the saints in a particular place. In the first sense it is used in the following passages: The general assembly and CHURCH of the first born: Upon this rock I will build my CHURCH:' Christ also loved the CHURCH:' The CHURCH, which is his BODY.'

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In the second sense it frequently occurs: The Church at :' Jerusalem at Corinth' at Ephesus' at Smyrna :' &c. It is not applied, in the singular, to a number of congregations in a particular region. We do not read of the church, but of the churches of Achaia; nor of the Gentile church, but of 'all the churches of the Gentiles.' So we read also of the churches of Galatia,' the churches of Asia,' &c.

When our Lord had finished the work given him by the Father, and through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen,' he came to the mount of Galilee, and spake unto them, saying, all power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, immersing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, (i.e. this state.*) Amen.'

* Campbell.

OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE APOSTLES.

As our present inquiry relates particularly to that order of the Church, which divine wisdom has instituted for the manifestation of its true character, and the advancement of its holy interests in the world, it is important to observe, that our Lord chose and qualified his apostles for the high purpose of organizing the Churches of the saints according to his own commandments given unto them. They received of the Lord, that which they delivered to his disciples. 1 Cor. xi. 23. They taught all things whatsoever Christ commanded them. Matt. xxviii. 20. Having invested them with this high authority, and set them on their thrones, Jesus said, 'he that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.' They were apostles, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father.' They were the living witnesses of the ascended Saviour. Acts v. 32. Acting in this official character, they could do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.' Such was their holy inspiration and authority, that they could say, HE THAT IS OF

GOD HEARETH US.'

We plainly learn, in these declarations of holy truth, that in respect to authority, there is no difference between the inspired testimony of the apostles, and the testimony of their divine Master. In fact, both these are the testimony of God himself. What the apostles taught was the very truth which they received of their Lord. What Jesus taught, he received 'I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which

of God.

sent me,

he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak.'

OF THE RULE OF CHRISTIAN DUTY.

HAVING Contemplated, with holy admiration, the ministry of the Son of God, attested by those powerful and beneficent miracles, which, by their resistless evidence, constrained even the reluctant assent of his enemies to the divinity of his mission; our obligation to make his will the rule of our duty, in obedience to the Father's command-HEAR YE HIM-is fully established.

Having proved, from the word of truth, the equal authority of the precepts of the apostles with those of their Master, it is not less evident that we are to regard these also as forming the rule of christian duty.

There is another rule, or rather the same rule in a different form; the neglect of which has much conduced to the divisions unhappily existing among the disciples of Jesus: The APPROVED

PRACTICES OF THE FIRST CHURCHES.

It is an important fact, that the apostles taught the same things in all the churches of the saints. Paul having given directions to the church at Corinth, (1 Cor. vii. 17) adds, and so I ordain in all churches.' Commending Timothy, (1 Cor. iv. 17) he writes, 'who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I TEACH EVERY WHERE IN EVERY CHURCH.' The churches received some apostolic directions by word, and some by letter. The church at Thessalonica is commanded to hold the traditions which it received by word, as well as those which it received by letter. Now such things as any of the churches received by word, we can receive only by an allusion to their practice in some indirect way. When we read, then, of any part of their order which is not disapproved, we may conclude that this they had by word from the apostles, although we cannot point out any precept enjoining it. Example then is equal to precept, because it necessarily implies

C

precept.* Nothing, in respect to church order, appears to have been left to the discretion of uninspired men. When the apostle had given particular directions to the church at Corinth, in his letter, he does not add, the rest I leave to your own discretion; but, the rest will I set in order when I come.'

Keeping in view, then, the important fact, that the apostles taught the same things in every church, and set all things in order under the influence of the Spirit of God; may not the unbiassed inquirer after truth, expect to find, in the precepts of his divine Master, in those of his inspired apostles, and in the approved examples of the first churches, a perfect rule of duty, and a perfect model of a Christian church?

That the rule of Christian duty is to be found in the precepts of Jesus Christ and his apostles, and in the approved practices of the first churches, recorded in the new Testament, is the great principle we adopt as the basis of our enquiries in every part of this interesting subject. Every ordinance of subsequent invention, whether of papal or protestant origin, whatever may be its claim to antiquity, or to pretended expediency, we consign to its proper place, among that heap of antichristian rubbish, which, alas! has so long buried out of sight the true nature and holy simplicity of the Christian institutes.

* Though as a general rule this is true, it is, in my view, to be understood with some limitation. The example of the first Christians implies a precept in every case, where it is certain their practice was the result of obedience to law. When, however, any recorded practice is so situated as to furnish no evidence of the existence of a Christian law, if it be clear that the practice naturally and necessarily arose from the customs or manners of the times, or from circumstances that would have led to this result, independent of any apostolic precept, the example of the early believers implies no precept whatever. This limitation of the rule affects in no degree, it is obvious, the conclusion, that nothing has been left to the discretion of uninspired men: but it is proper to bear in mind, that it is the revealed will of the Head of the Church, that constitutes the rule of duty to his people, and not every thing the first Christians did and said.-EDIT.

OF THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE.

'Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' 'We have seen and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.' He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." And this is the record, that God hath given us eternal life: and this life is in his Son.' 'Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.' 'Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you which was spoken in the prophets; behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish.' 'By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.' 'All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' 'God now commandeth all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.' 'Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they had heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be immersed every one of you into the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins,' &c. Then they that gladly received his word were immersed,' &c.