Real knowledge of the Gospel conducive

to tolera

tion.

Tolerance one fruit of faith.

And above all, in proportion as any man has a right understanding of the Gospel, and a deep veneration for his great Master, and an earnest desire to tread in his steps, and a full confidence in his promises, in the same degree will he perceive that the employment of secular coercion in the cause of the Gospel is at variance with the true spirit of the Gospel; and that Christ's declarations are to be interpreted as He Himself knew them to be understood, then, and are to be the guide of his followers, now.

And finally, such a man will be convinced that it implies a sinful distrust,—a want of faith in Christ's wisdom, and goodness, and power,— to call in the aid of the arm of flesh,-of military or civil force,--in the cause of Him who declared that He could have called in the aid of " more than twelve legions of angels;" and who, when "all power was given unto Him in Heaven and in Earth," sent forth his disciples-not to subjugate, or to coerce, but to "teach all nations;" and "sent them forth as sheep among wolves," forewarned of persecutions, and instructed to "bless them that cursed them," to return "good for evil;" and to "endure all things, hope all things,-believe all things," for which He, their Master, had prepared them to believe all that He had taught,-to hope all that He had promised, and to endure and do all that He had commanded.

ESSAY II.

ON THE

CONSTITUTION OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH, ITS POWERS, AND MINISTRY.

Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς κηρύσσομεν, ἀλλὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν Κύριον ἑαυτοὺς δὲ, δούλους ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦν. 2 Cor. iv. 5.

ESSAY II.

designed to

Religion.

§ 1. Or all who acknowledge Jesus of Naza- Christianity reth as their Master, "the Author and Finisher be a social of their faith," there are scarcely any who do not agree in regarding Him as the Founder and perpetual Head of a religious Society also ;-as having instituted and designed for permanent continuance, a Community or system of Communities, to which his Disciples here on earth were to belong. The religion He introduced was manifestly designed by Him, and so understood by his immediate followers,—to be a social Religion. It was not merely a revelation of certain truths to be received, and of practical rules to be observed, it was not a mere system of doctrines and precepts to be embraced by each individual independently of others; and in which his

agreement or co-operation with any others, would be accidental; as when several men have come to the same conclusions in some Science, or have adopted the same system of Agriculture or of Medicine; but it was to be a combination of men who should be "members of the Body of Christ," -living stones of one Spiritual Temple ;a "edifying" (i.e. building up) "one another in their Faith ;" and brethren of one holy Family.

a

This "Kingdom of Heaven" as it is called, which the Lord Jesus established, was proclaimed (i.e. preached) by his forerunner John the Baptist as "at hand." And the same, in this respect, was the preaching of our Lord Himself, and of his Disciples, first the Twelve, and afterwards the Seventy,-whom He sent out during his ministry on earth. The good tidings they were to proclaim, were only of the approaching Kingdom of Heaven; it was a joyful expectation only that they were commissioned to spread: it was a preparation of men's hearts for the coming of that Kingdom, that they were to teach.

* See Sermon IV., “On a Christian Place of Worship," and also Dr. Hinds's "Three Temples."

b This word has come to be ordinarily applied to religious instruction; from which, however, it is always clearly distinguished in Scripture. It signifies, properly, to announce as a herald. Our Lord's "preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand," and his teaching the People, are always expressed by different words.