the Apple Pent in confirwhich is an outwardly and in the flesh; but he is is that of the heart, praise is not of men, but of 2 g force to the of the Church is the af (So ssentially spiritual Christ himself is the "The Lord knoweth gone that his Church, in its or should be the tree expront of its inner life. This sacred to those who are believers in Jesus Christ; probable that, to the organization of the Church, discipline, unworthy and unfaithful professors may l with true believers, yet it should endeavour as far its collective apocity the true embodiment of a For if this is not the case, the ten Frue holine NEW CONNEXION MAGAZINE. DECEMBER, 1868. Theology and General Literature. THE CHURCH: ITS GIFTS AND EFFICIENCY. (A Paper read before the Liverpool Local Preachers' Meeting.) BY THE LATE MR. THOMAS GRIFFITHS. 1. We understand by the Church an association of Christians, a community of persons who believe in Christ, organized for the purposes of mutual sympathy, edification, and extension. This Church is formed by God himself. From the Bible we see that God has in all ages had a people whom he has chosen as his witnesses. He called Abram and his posterity, and made them the repository of Divine Truth, to whom pertained the adoption, the covenants, and the promises. And in the Christian Church these privileges are more widely extended and more abundantly enjoyed. The Christian Church is frequently designated as spiritual and visible. Both these appellations are appropriate. The Church is spiritual: its essential elements are spiritual. Even the Jewish Church, though more strictly marked by external rites and ceremonies, was nevertheless essentially a spiritual Church, for we have the testimony of the Apostle Paul in confirmation of this truth. "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." This testimony will apply with still greater force to the Christian Church. The spiritual character of the Church is the basis of its external form. It is true, that of the essentially spiritual character of the members of his Church, Jesus Christ himself is the only absolute judge. "He searcheth the hearts;" "The Lord knoweth them that are his." And it is his purpose that his Church, in its external character should be the true exponent of its inner life. This purpose should be sacred to those who are believers in Jesus Christ; and though it is probable that, in the organization of the Church, however strict its discipline, unworthy and unfaithful professors may become associated with true believers, yet it should endeavour as far as possible to be in its collective capacity the true embodiment of a living faith and true holiness. For if this is not the case, the mere profession is worse than useless-it is hypocrisy. Would it not have been well for the interests of the Church, if those who have enforced its discipline had always insisted on the possession of Christian experience, or at least an earnest desire to attain it, as an essential condition of membership? The true members of the Church are consti T T |