manifestation of himself. And the last recorded utterance of the redeemed in glory is, As it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.'

1 Exod., xx. 5.

2

Rev., xix. 6.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD,

SUBJECTIVELY CONSIDERED.

ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

THIS Fifth Book bears to the Fourth, a relation somewhat analogous to that which the Third Book bears to the Second. For the Second Book attempts to demonstrate a Christian, and the Third to demonstrate those personal Offices without which there can be no individual Christianity: while the Fourth Book attempts to demonstrate the visible Church of Christ organized out of those same Christians, and this Fifth Book to demonstrate the Gifts of God to this Christian Church, without which it can have no visible existence. And as in the former case, those individual Offices of themselves prove that he who discharges them does so by the grace of God, and is a true disciple of Christ; so in this latter case, these divine Gifts prove of themselves that the organized body of Disciples of Christ possessing them, does so by the grace of God, and is a true Church visible of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the negative conclusions in the two cases are analogous; namely, that lacking these individual Offices no one can be a true disciple of Christ-lacking these Gifts of God no organized body can be composed of true disciples of Christ, or be his visible Church. So that the demonstration is double in each case, and then general of the whole. The TwentySeventh Chapter, which is the First of this Book, is devoted to the three supreme Gifts of God to his Church more especially considered as visible, namely, his Son, his Spirit, and his Word; one large division of the Chapter being occupied with the separate and detailed exposition of each. Concerning the Son it is shown in what sense he is given by God to the Church, over and above the sense in which he is given to each individual Christian, and in what different form he is given to the Gospel Church, as compared with preceding dispensations; what are the mutual results of this as to Christ, and as to the Church-what is the relation between them thus created—what is the position of the Church thus considered-and her consequent glory and blessedness in her witness-bearing and her work. Concerning the Spirit it is shown that all efficiency of the Church is of him as really as all authority is of Christ; the difference in the manner of bestowment, the manner of operation, and the manner of relation to all things, between the Spirit and the Son, is explained; the order of the mysteries of grace, the relation of the Spirit to the work of Christ and to the Gospel Church, and the attestation of everything relating to both, and to all truth and godliness.

by the Spirit, are disclosed; the promise of the Spirit—his outpouring, his manifestation and work, extraordinary and ordinary, the Relation of both to Christ, to the Church, to each other, and to salvation are explicated: and the doctrine of the Spirit and of his relation to the Church is shown to be absolutely vital. Concerning the Word of God, its relation to the Son, the Spirit, and the Church, and its special relation considered as written to the Church considered as visible, are pointed out; the Word and the Church before the former was written, and the latter organized, and again after the former was written and the latter organized, and again after the former was complete and as such bestowed on the Gospel Church, are specially considered: the power of the Word as mere truth, and its further power as the instrument of the Spirit, is disclosed; and the Chapter closes with an appreciation of the written Word considered as a divine Gift to the Visible Church, and of the Gospel Church considered as possessing the supreme Gifts of God just discussed. The Twenty-Eighth Chapter, which is the Second of this Book, discusses the Sabbath-day, the Sacraments, Instituted Worship, Discipline, and Evangelization, as Ordinances given by God to his Church; one large division being devoted to each. The Sabbath is shown to be a perpetual element in the moral system of the Universe, and to be indissolubly connected with the creative, providential, and gracious work of God therein and its unspeakable importance to man is pointed out. The Sacraments are treated generally, the idea of them, their nature, and use, the ends they answer and promote, being explained; their efficacy is shown to depend on the work of the Divine Spirit, and to be wrought instrumentally by them, in us, by him through our faith in Christ: the number of them and its constancy, their relation to the Church under successive dispensations, Christ's relation to them, and their record of him, are explicated. The Instituted Worship of God is discussed, and the relation of Atheism on one side, and that of spiritual worship of the true God on the other, to our natural convictions is disclosed; the revealed will of God concerning the worship he requires of man is demonstrated; the particulars of that revealed worship, now divinely established in the Gospel Church, are proved, classified, and explained. Discipline, as an ordinance of God, is demonstrated, and its nature and efficacy are explained,-together with the manner and objects of its administration; the nature of Church censures, their relation to the Threatenings of God,—and their execution upon God's erring children, and upon his open enemies are set forth. And finally the Evangelization of the world is shown to be an Ordinance of God obligatory upon the Church; and a brief appreciation of that great endeavour is attempted. The Twenty-Ninth Chapter, which is the Third of this Book, is devoted to a particular discussion of the Sacrament of Baptism, considered in its Nature and Design, the Subjects of it, the Mode of its Administration, and the Apostolic Practice of it. The origin and nature of the sacrament of circumcision, and its relation to Christian Baptism, are explained: the relation of the Baptism of John, and of that administered by the Apostles during the life of Christ, to Christian Baptism is also explained: Christian Baptism is shown to have been instituted by Christ, after his resurrection, as a sacrament of the Gospel Church: the relation of the outpouring of the Spirit to Christian Baptism is disclosed: and the certainty of these divine mysteries, together with their sum, and their relation to

the doctrine of God and of salvation, is proved. In the next place, tne relation between Baptism and the blessings of which it is the seal, is exhibited; the title of every one to the seal, who has title to the blessings, is proved; and the right of the infant seed of believers both to the covenanted blessings and to this seal of them, is demonstrated, in each of eleven successive propositions; and the effects, both of the neglect, and of the exercise of this right are shown. Then it is shown that Baptism may be valid, even when its administration is not perfectly regular; Immersion in water, as a commemoration of the burial of Christ, is proved to be a total perversion of this sacrament: the true scriptural relation between baptism and the death and burial of Christ is disclosed: the various senses in which the Scriptures use the word baptism, are set forth, and the right of Christ to fix the sense in which he uses it asserted: and that he did use it-to mean the sacramental application of water to the person, as a sign and seal of our purification by the Holy Ghost, and our ingrafting into Christ is demonstrated in each of five successive propositions. The examination of the Apostolic practice follows, and the great example of Pentecost is shown in each of three successive propositions, and then the great example of Gentile baptism at Cæsarea is shown in each of three successive propositions, and then more briefly other Apostolic examples of every known class are shown, to accord exactly with what was before shown concerning Christ's sense of this sacrament; and the Apostolic doctrine of baptism is deduced. The Thirtieth Chapter, which is the Fourth of this Book, treats in a particular manner, of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, considered in its Institution, Nature, Use, and End; wherein the relation of this Sacrament to the ancient Sacrament of the Passover is explained; the divine account of its institution by Christ is stated; its general nature and ordinary use are disclosed in detail from the Scriptures: the matter of it and elements of it, are pointed out; and how it is a sign and what it signifies, and how it is a seal and what it seals are set forth. Entering more deeply, what the Saviour meant us to understand by saying the cup was the New Testament in his blood, and by saying the bread was his Body broken for us, is carefully examined; the efficacy of the Body and Blood in our spiritual nourishment is disclosed; the relation of this Sacrament to the Worship, the Word, and the Spirit of God, is explicated; and the relation of the constant and sacramental showing of the Lord's death to his Second Coming is pointed out. And finally it is shown how strict is the relation of Christ's sacramental word and action to the Nature and definition of this sacrament; and that of the sacrament itself to the whole question of the Church. The Thirty-First Chapter, which is the Fifth and last of this Book, treats of the Office Bearers of the Gospel Church, and of Church government in their hands. It is shown that all the Office Bearers of the Church both appertain to it, and in a still higher sense to Christ; that the divine origin of the Church, of its government, and of its office bearers is perfectly indisputable, both according to the universal testimony of Scripture, and to the absolute nature of the case; in proof and illustration of all which, the example of the Apostolic Synod constituted at Jerusalem on the question of Gentile circumcision, is carefully examined, and the fact, the nature, and the perpetuity of the government divinely established in the Gospel Church, are demonstrated; the office bearers who constituted that