interests of any one Church. It embraces christianity as a whole. It contemplates the great family of man. It does not present itself as bearing upon this or that community. Let the Church of England man remember that there are some 120 or 130 millions of Romanists. Let the Romanist remember there are some the like, or it may be a lesser, number of Protestants. And let Romanists and Protestants remember that there is as numerous a body as either of the Greek or Eastern Church.

The book which I have already published upon the Church, has for its primary object to show that the Holy City, New Jerusalem, is intended to represent the Church on earth, as well as in heaven. In dealing with the subject anew, it is probable that many repetitions will be found. This is almost a certain consequence of travelling over much of the same ground, and is to some extent unavoidable.

The Church on earth, for which the Holy City is a figure, and is the scripture expression thereof, has intimate spiritual union with Christ, and purity by reason of that union. True, say some, this is the Church mystical, but there is beside this another Church, a visible body set up, composed of clergy and laity, including good and bad, in which is established an ecclesiastical polity from the time of the Apostles, and that to this Church the promises belong. This Church, to distinguish it from the mystical, divines term the Church militant.

With this latter opinion we are at issue. We declare that there was no such body established based upon ecclesiastical polity. And that to any such body as may now exist, claiming to be thus established, the promises of our Lord do not apply. We declare that in the Apostolic times there were several bodies formed called churches, but that these were not in the aggregate the Church, or each Church a branch of the Church. The Church, composed of the elect and faithful out of these, was then established, and that this is the origin and foundation of the Church now existing on earth, and to which alone the promises apply. This Church then

was, and now is, and shall continue to be, in spiritual union with Christ.

The Church is composed of members in spiritual union with Christ. Some are gone, no longer visible to human eye, and are in heaven in union; some are here, and mingle in the pursuits of life, and are on earth in union. These unitedly are the Church. Churches are composed of persons in nominal union with Christ; they bear Christ's name, and are held together in communities or churches by some recognised and admitted laws.

The body on earth, in spiritual union with Christ, is not now a palpable visible corporate body. The members are but doubtfully visible individually. Nevertheless, they are not easily mistaken. "By their fruits ye shall know them." There are some whose words and actions testify of them unmistakeably. In the Apostolic age there was a visible united body. This body was composed of faithful believers, chosen out of the world, holding a common sentiment, and animated by one spirit. Of this body the Apostles were chief, and with these were many faithful brethren, the elect of God. This body was in spiritual union with Christ and called the Church.

If, say some, the visible corporate bodies called Churches did not form, in the aggregate, the Church, in what manner did our Lord perform His promise, that the gates of hell should never prevail, and that He would be with His Church "always to the end of the world?" Had these no further meaning than that He would be present with His elect and chosen people? No; in the sense of being protectingly and intimately present, most certainly not. With the Churches he often was not present; with this, His Church, He has been always present. Though not now a palpable visible corporation, yet has a stream of men existed from the Apostles downward in union with Christ. The Church on earth has been ever maintained. There has not been an age in which some have not testified to the truth, in which some have not had a saving-heart-belief in Christ. Even through the darkest periods, when the world was sunk in darkest gloom, when idolatry,

and fanaticism, and superstition, stalked hand in hand over the earth, yet then did some beckoned one give out the note of praise to a loved Redeemer. Though Satan ruled over the kingdoms of the world, yet could he not touch the Church. Through every age have some testified to their connection with, and their adhesion to, the body of Christ-His Church. Against this the gates of hell have never prevailed, and shall never prevail. It is a spiritual body above the control, and out of the influence, of Satan; and may laugh to scorn the efforts of the Wicked One. This body shall exist for ever. Throughout the countless ages of eternity shall this body, on untiring pinions, with thankful songs of praise, wing on their way around their much-loved Lord.

Connected and mingled up with this Church have, at all times, been congregations of men called Churches. The early Apostolic Church mingled with, and gave a direction and constitution to, Churches. From the intimate blending which accompanied their intercourse they have been confounded. They are, however, perfectly distinct. The Church is indestructible. Churches have risen and have fallen. They that now exist shall cease to exist. The Church remains.

The Church in union with Christ is not held together by a code of written laws, and by a system of executive administration, but by a law superior, which binds spirit to spirit—a law of love. Christ speaks to the heart, and the response is love. The thief on the cross was touched to the heart, and his reply was, "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." So, when our Lord said to the poor fishermen, "follow me, they left all and followed him." So, when Paul was arrested in his work of persecution, he cried out, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And this is the cry of all when baptised into the Lord Jesus by the Holy Spirit. They are held by a bond of union, and their hearts are attuned to a desire to do their Master's will.

Churches are held together by laws, human laws, and are professedly based upon divine laws. For the regulation of Churches

no divine laws were promulgated. Practices obtained in the first age, and these have acquired the force of laws. Not that all modern churches are built after any early model. The practices pursued in early times ought to serve as examples in principle, and in some modern instances do in a measure serve to direct the constitution of Churches.

Hitherto there has been much confounding of things in themselves distinct. A true knowledge of the Church has not been obtained; and national and denominational churches, in their aggregate character, have been mistaken for the Church. This has produced much confusion. The claim of this or that Church to be an integral part of the Church has led to many bickerings. And a Church, assuming to be the Church, has claimed powers and privileges which belong not to a Church. Let us examine what the Scriptures say of the Church. Perhaps we shall best understand this by arranging an order of propositions.

1. The Church is composed of faithful believers in Christ, and are members of His body by spiritual union.

2. The city of St. John's vision, the Holy City, New Jerusalem, is a figure to represent, and is a scripture declaration of, the Church.

3. The Church, the Holy City, is the spouse of Christ.

4. By reason of the intimate spiritual union with Christ, the Church is holy and without blemish.

1. The Church is composed of faithful believers in Christ, and these are members of His body by spiritual union.

St. Paul declares, in the following portions of Scripture, this great truth:

“And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph. i. 22, 23).

"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" (Rom. xii. 4, 5).

"For we being many are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread" (1 Cor. x. 17).

"Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? " (1 Cor. vi. 15).

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"And He gave some, Apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working of the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. iv. 11-16).

"For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: for we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones" (Eph. v. 29-30).

"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 baptised 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" (1 Cor. xii. 12, 13).

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These are a few of the many portions of Scripture which shew the union which subsists between Christ and the faithful, and