CHAP. and declared, but by and through those who have received the same Spirit, which first foretold the event, and are in the very light and work of the day.

Job xxviii

7, 8.

20, 21, & 1 Cor. i. 24, 30.

26. For there is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen: The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed · it. And that path which no fowl knoweth, cannot be in the natural heavens; therefore, the way of Christ's coming cannot be through the natural heavens; neither can it be from the desert, the paths of which have not eluded the feet of the lion..

27. Whence then cometh true wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. The same path is equally hid from the carnally wise and cruel. No philosopher hath discovered it; nor bloody tyrant trodden it. It remains unknown to those eager pursuers of natural wisdom and human power, of whom the fowls of the air, and the lions of the desert, are but a figure.

28. In vain then is the path of wisdom, or the way of Christ sought for, until he himself declares it: and to this purpose his own words stand recorded. John vii. I know whence I came, and whither I go. But ye can

24, 42.

57.

not tell whence I come, or whither I go-I proceedMatt. si ed and came forth from God.—No man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

29. Is then Christ revealed in the atmosphere, to the birds of the air? Is he revealed in the secret chambers or is he revealed in the desert, to the beasts of the forest? Nay, in no wise.

so. He therefore, that would learn and know whence Christ cometh, and where he is revealed, let him seek for him where he is to be found, and where he has promised to set up his tabernacle, and to establish his throne and abide forever.

CHAPTER IV.

The true Character of the Church of Christ.

THE

IV.

HE Church of Christ is composed of such as CHAP. are called and chosen of God out of the spirit and practice of the world. And in obedience to that call, they are separated from all the rest of mankind, and united in one body, constituted a holy and peculiar people, actuated by one holy spirit, and are devoted to the cause of truth and virtue.

2. The Church of Christ is called the kingdom of heaven, because it is under the government of heaven, and is a state, habitation, or society, necessary to prepare mankind for the happiness of heaven itself; and such is that line of order and disposition of things in the spiritual world, extending from the source of true happiness, to this world, that no soul can enter heaven, but through that kingdom, or Church of Christ.

3. Hence the Church is called the light of the Matt. v. world, inasmuch as the men of the world can receive 13, 14. no true saving light, but in and through the Church. It is also the salt of the earth, as none upon earth can be saved but by the Church: It is therefore plainly, the saviour of the body.

Bzrk.

4. The Church is properly the house or habitation of God on earth, which signifies that God is not to be found any where else on earth.* As it is written: Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of. 7. the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst 1Tun iii, of the children of Israel forever. Great is the mystery of godliness: God manifested in the flesh.

5. The essential properties of the Church of Christ are Unity and Purity. The Church is one in faith and practice; one in doctrine, discipline, and government; and one in the mutual and equal enjoyment of all things both spiritual and temporal. And where this oneness doth not exist, there is neither

God may be seen in the order and works of his creation and providence; yet he can be found for the salvation and redemption of mankind, only where he tras revealed himself for that purpose, and that is in his Church.

16.

IY.

CHAP. fruit nor evidence of the true Church of Christ; for Christ is not, nor can he be divided.

6. The Church has but one faith, and that is the faith of Christ, the faith of the Son of God, which overcometh the nature and spirit of the world, enlightens the understanding, influences the will, and purifies the heart :-It is one in doctrine, which is according to godliness, sound, pure, wholesome, and free from error; inasmuch as it makes no provision for the flesh or any evil, or any sin great or small, and leads only to the practice of true godliness, unspotted piety, and sound virtue.-There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth.

7. The Church has but one government, because all the members are governed and influenced by one Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, who is the head of the body, and the centre of influence to the memIsai lü. 8. bers.-They shall lift up their voices together—they shall see cye to eye-It is one in practice, which is righteousness and peace. Thy people also shall be all righteous-He that doeth righteousness is righteous. It is therefore by doing right, that the Church is righteous And of the Church all must learn rightcousness, who will be righteous. Let your light so shine before men,

ibil. chap. ix.

21.

J John iil.

7.

Acts ii. 44. iv. 32.

Gal. iii.

28.

8. The Church is of one joint interest, as the children of one family, enjoying equal rights and privileges in things spiritual and temporal, because they are influenced and led by one Spirit, and love is the only bond of their union.-All that believed were together, and had all things common-and were of one heart, and of one soul.

9. And therefore, in the sense of an aspiring and selfish nature, there is neither Jew nor Greek, high nor low, rich nor poor, bond nor free, male nor female; for they are all one in Christ Jesus. But the Church claims no relation to that which is the most higl.ly esteemed, as the common interest and princi pal, and common enjoyment to the children of this world; namely, to the works of the flesh.

10. In this respect the Church is perfectly united they have one common cross, which is the cross of Christ Jesus-they crucify one root of evil, which

IV.

is the flesh with all its affections and lusts; and hence CHAP. they possess one common salvation from all sin. Where there is not a common salvation from all sin, there is neither Christ nor his Church; for his name was called Jesus, i. e. a Saviour, because he saves 21. his people from their sins.

11. As all have sinned, and none can be saved from their sins out of the Church; so all that come to the Church must needs come in their sins; and by bringing their deeds to the light, that is, by confessing and forsaking all their sins, they may find their relation to the Church, according to the degree of their faith and obedience to the light which they receive.

12. But they cannot hold that relation, nor become as pillars in the temple of God, to go no more out, in any other way than by receiving a ministration of that gift and power of God, which abides in the Church, and in obedience thereto resisting and overcoming evil, and growing up in all things into Christ who is the head. Therefore all are not the Church, who at first find their relation to the Church, until their souls become purified in obeying the truth. For the temple of God is holy.

13. But persons may, for a time, receive faith and light, and the gifts of God through the Church, and by being unfaithful and disobedient may fall away; but the Church itself can never fall, nor be shaken; because the foundation thereof is everlasting, being laid by the revelation of God, in the unchangeable nature and order of his own eternal power and divine majesty; and the building itself has been raised according to the unchangeable purpose of God, which he purposed in himself before all worlds, to accomplish in the fulness of times.

14. And although there was a true Church in the days of the apostles, which was supplanted and trodden under foot; yet it was because the order in the foundation of the building, was not completed, according to the purpose of God in the fulness of times, nor could it be, until Christ made his second appearing.

15. And if there were in the succeeding ages af

Matt. i.

IV.

CHAP. ter the apostles, false and divided churches, it was because they sprang from false hearted and divided men. And if there is one Church now on earth, faithful, holy, and righteous, it is most certainly the offspring of a faithful, holy and righteous God, who Eph. . created the Church and all things therein, both visiCol. i 16. ble and invisible by Jesus Christ.

9, 10.

16. And as certain as the only true God did promise to establish a holy Church, in the latter day, in which he would dwell, so certain that Church is brought forth, and contains all that was promised, as pertaining to the Church, temple, tabernacle, house or habitation of God in the latter day.

17. A house or habitation is built to contain the property and furniture, as well as the person of the builder so the Church of God contains all the unsearchable riches, and treasures of wisdom and knowledge, pertaining to the redemption of man, which God hath treasured up in Christ, who is the Feli. 17, head of the Church, and who is before all things therein, and by whom all things therein consist.

18.

18. The Holy Ghost was promised, and in the Church she dwells, with all her gifts, powers, and diversities of operations. The gifts of faith, wisdom, knowledge, discerning of spirits, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, tongues, and so on. All which gifts of the Holy Ghost are given to the Church, for the manifestation of the spirit-for the 11,12,13. perfecting of the saints-for the work of the ministry-and the edifying of the body of Christ, till they all come into the unity of the faith-unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Eph. iv.

27.

19. Thus by the Holy Ghost, God hath sanctified chap. v. and cleansed his Church, That he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish.

on.

20. The law and the covenant were promised, and Esai.. 3. are in the Church-The law shall go forth out of ZiChrist is the head of his body the Church, which chap. is the light of the world. I will give him for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. word of God was promised and is in the Church—

6.

The