as members of the church of God, all these, at least, their Gentile successors enjoy. But the membership of their infants was one of these privileges; a principle one. Therefore, the children of Gentile believers are members of the Christian church.

Turn, now, the argument. The Jews are to be restored. These, the "natural branches," shall be “graffed in again”—shall be "graffed into their own olive tree." AGAIN! Into their OWN olive tree! Then their own tree is preserved. But mark, the Gentile branches are not to be cut off. So then, the Jews and Gentiles will belong to one church; will be branches of the same olive tree. But they are to be graffed into their own tree, says Paul. The consequence returns irresistibly upon us. The church of God under both dispensations is one and the same. has told another falsehood.

Or else the apostle For if it be not the

same, as the Jews are to come into the Christian church, they will not be graffed into their own olive tree, but into another.

But the Jews, before their excision, were with their children, members of the church. If, then, they be reinstated; or as the apostle expresses it, graffed in again, their children also must be members of the church, or else God will break his promise, and the Holy Spirit of truth, deceive their hope. The restored Jews, however, can derive their privileges only through the medium of the

New Testament church. The membership of their infants is one of the privileges to be so derived; therefore, the infants of believing parents are members of the New Testament church.-Which was to be demonstrated.

123

CHURCH OF GOD.

No. VI.

Uses.

BELIEVING that the preceding numbers contain a true and scriptural account of the visible church in general, we think it proper, before inquiring into its particular provisions, to point out some of the ends which it is calculated to answer, and some of the consequences which result from our doctrine.

Let us briefly recapitulate.

Adults who make a credible profession of their faith, are to be admitted as members.*

Children of believing parents, that is, of visible Christians, are members in virtue of their birth.† So that the Catholic church consists of all them who, throughout the world, profess the true religion; and of their children.

This great community, which is but one, has

* What a credible profession is, see No. III. p. 48-58. For the proof of this, see our last No. p. 85-121.

special external covenant relations to the Most High God; the fundamental principle of which is, a dispensation of grace through a Redeemer; and, as an effect of these relations, enjoys special privileges in which her members have a right to participate according to their circumstances.

From the very nature of the case, it must and does happen, that many of these members are Christians only in name: such as never have been, and never shall be, vitally united to Christ, but shall die in their iniquity. Yet if their unsoundness be not detected; if by no outward act they reproach that worthy name by which they are called, their right, even to sacramental privilege, is as firm and full as the right of a believer who shall hold the highest place among the saved. The reason, which has been illustrated already, is, that Christian ordinances are administered by men; and the secret state of the soul before God is not, and cannot be, their rule of judgment. In this case, appearances and realities are, to them, the same; because they have no means of forming an opinion of realities but from appearances: and, therefore, officers in the house of God may, with the most perfect good conscience and fidelity, give the seals of his covenant to such as shall turn out to be sons and daughters of perdition. If it were not so, not one among all the ministers of the gospel since the