impediments in the way to a return to apostolic practice; but not so formidable as those presented by that obstacle couched in the complaint of the Prophet Jeremiah-"But my people love to have it so." (Ch. v. 31.) If human expedients had not stepped in to deprave both ministers and people, this state of things would not so long have continued, nor would the polity of the New Testament have been strange to our members and to our Churches.

These instances of defalcation in our Churches, I deem amply sufficient to warrant the conclusion that they do not display that adherence to apostolic principles which their profession of obedience, intelligence of character, and zealous watchfulness would lead us to expect; but that they are virtually controlled and governed by principles inimical to apostolic Church order-they need reformation.

THE RENEWED CHURCH DESCRIBED.

Having despatched my complaints, I come now to the more agreeable task of defining or describing what I deem to be the positive features of a sound and healthy Church of Christ, and that which ought to be the object of our desire and aim. In the first place, I would remark, that it must be such a Church as does not participate in the corruptions already noticed, but which has, on the contrary, those virtuous qualities which are, by the means of those corruptions, excluded from the category of accustomed Church qualities. In the next place, I would pre

mise, that, as every part of the Divine will is strictly accurate, so that there is nothing jarring or inconsistent between Divine principles and practices; the same truth should be effectually manifested in all the arrangements of such a Church, so that "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report," (Phil. iv. 8), shall be the correct summary of the Church's Order, in precept and practice. And further, that as we have reference to a Church, which is a collective company of God's people, we have to describe what such are in their open and public doings as a Church. The prevalent spirit of which forms their character, which character is to be known by no other means than the fruit they bear, which cannot but be manifest and known to all who may be the spectators of their proceedings and order. This is the office I volunteer to perform; and shall, therefore, depict those visible observations and institutions among such a body, as will evidence that there is a spirit of life of no ordinary kind, but that which is the gift of the Redeemer, and watered by the dew of the Holy Spirit.

I. The first remarkable feature in such a Church will be this that every Lord's day shall witness them assembled jointly to commemorate the dying love of their Redeemer, unitedly to worship at His footstool, and to testify their willingness to contribute of their substance, as God may have respectively blessed them, to sustain their own community in its full integrity as

a Church of Christ. You shall behold their earnest desire to be individually built up in the faith, and unitedly know their real state as a people; to rejoice with those who shall have true cause for rejoicing, and to weep with those whose circumstances present just occasion; and to attend to the voice which God may in his providential dealings address to them. They shall attentively listen to the details which the deacons or the bishops may deem it their privilege to submit to the consideration of so holy a community. On the one hand, the deacons shall be eager to make the Church acquainted with the extent of its liberality, and how many good objects it has promoted; and it may be, at times, to check its exuberant liberality, because more than enough; and at other times, simply to state the unsupplied wants of God's cause. Which wants shall be met by an unostentatious liberality, strangely contrasting with the old state of things, when little was to be expected unless by some peculiar play upon their fancies, appeals to their heated imaginations, and an excitement of their sympathies; by far-fetched and cunningly contrived cases, they were cheated into something like liberality: so cleverly extorted, yet so sillily yielded, as to teach every discreet man to lament that ever the occasion should occur, or it may be to tempt him to think of endowments. Besides which, their pastors, in addition to feeding the Church with sound knowledge, shall put in their claim also, unitedly to gratify themselves in detailing to their fellow-members the progress of the work of God amongst them, the

inroads made upon the kingdom of Satan; or, should there be cause for admonition, to warn, to exhort, to urge, to hold fast and hold on to the right cause, or to return to their first works. Perhaps some may be disposed to treat this description as an exuberance of the imagination, and never fit to be actually realized. Let such attend to the following descriptions, given by the Apostle Paul, of the mystical Church of Christ, of which individual Churches are the miniature representations, and a careful consideration of their contents will correct such erroneous impressions: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation; he that giveth, let him do it with

simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate." (Rom. xii. 1-16.) Another passage, from the Apostle's Epistle to the Corinthians: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I therefore not of the body? Because I am not the eye, I therefore not of the body? an eye, were where the hearing? hearing where were the smelling? set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many mem

For the body is not

am not of the body; is it And if the ear shall say, am not of the body, is it If the whole body were

If the whole were But now God hath