The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-02

as the seal of the Divine Sanction to her
secession.
Let the Church beware of the State, is
the warning voice of history that comes
down to us through all the ages Let hen
not forget the dignity, glory and indepen..
dence Of her lofty place. Let her not lend
herself to the advancement of State policy;
let not her ministers prostitute the pulpit to
the discussion of party issues; let not her
courts so far lose sight of their spiritual
Jurisdiction, and their holy mission, as to
promulge, by formal deliverances, political
dogmas let her ''hate even the garment
spotted" with the carnality Of such coall-
tons, if she would maintain the true glory
which belongs to her by Divine right.
But let us, secondly, answer this question
positively; and it is observed,
l. That the true gloryof the Church con-
sists in the purity Of ats doctrinaz system
1t need hardly be remarked that by purity
we here mean conformity to the Word Of
God. 1t has come to be regarded in these
latter days by large portion of the Church,
as sound principle,-as token of a pro
gressive age, and hberalised christianity,
that creeds are to be ignored. All systems
that bind one to a fixed Interpretation Of
doctrine are deemed out of keeping with the
freedom of thought, and the onward march
of intellect. There are others who insist
upon some favorite dogma, some precious rite
which they invest with sacred virtue, and a
belief in these things entities us to embrace
Just anything else we may choose; while re-
lection of them entails upon us the Madison
of the self-constituted authorities, and the
utmost stretch of their charity toward US
only allows them to hand us over to ''the
uncovenanted mercies of God, even though
in all other respects our creed be sound,
tried by the Bible standard.
We prefer to hold the old theory that a
Scriptural creed or system of doctrine is es-
sential to the glory of the Church. By this
we would not be understood to mean just one
doctrine which may be Scriptural, not just
one rite for which Scriptural sanction may
be found; but we do mean that the creed
designed as foundation for the Church,
and from which she must derive her glory,
is one which covers ''the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth" there
must be no ''suppressio veri; no "suggestio
falsi; no avoidance of any truth simply be-
cause of its mystery; but it must hold no
truth that is not taught in Gods Word it
, must reject none that is found there; it
must be able to point to Divine Sanction
for every element it holds. The nature of
this discussion does not demand, nor the
limits of this discourse admit, any but the
merest allusion to the catalogue of theologi-
cal points, embraced in such creed.
Within it then must BE- found as cardinal
doctrines the Sovereignty of God, the en-
tire dependence of man, coupled with his
freedom from constraint; the eternal and
immutable DEGREES of God whereby for His
own glory, He hath fore0rdained whatsoever
cometh to pass" whether in reference to the
creation pf all things, the admission of sin
into the world, or the redemption of man
from the ruins of the Fall; the grand doc
trine of three-fold imputation, of Adam
sin to bis posterity, of the guilt Of Christ's
people to Him, the second Adam, and of the
righteousness of Christ to His people; the
total depravity of human nature; the cleo
ton of chosen seed, fixed and certain in
number; the doctrine of perfect and sinless
obedience, and an Atonement that is a real
satisfaction to the justice of God, wrought
out by His Son, vicarious and actually
penal the justification of the sinner by
faith alone, that doctrine of standing or
falling Church," the precious doctrine of
Divine influence proceeding from the Holy
Spirit, "whereby He doth persuade and ena-
bic us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered
to us in the Gospel" mans total inability;
the Spirits agency in quickening the soul
"dead in trespasses and in sins;" the doc
trine of the only two Sacraments, Baptism
and the Eucharist; the doctrine of the Re,
surrection and the General Judgment, with
its final awards.
1t is a creed composed of. these general
doctrines with their logical results, which
constitutes the first element in the true glory
of the Church.
Let such creed be tested by Scripture,
and it will appear upon candid examination
that all of It's component parts are clearly
and Enthusiastically there revealed; and hence
it is that we place it as the centre-jewel in
the diadem of the Church, given her by the
Great Head. Other points of faith devised
by man; other dogmas of the schools ap-
pended to the creeds; other matters of mere
ritualism exalted into doctrines; subscrip
ton to which is exacted among the terms of
admission into the Church, are all inventions,
and traditions of human arrogance and folly,
and instead of IGNORING the Church, are
marks of the apostacy, and serve only to de-
grade and dshonor that Holy Name by which
the Church is named.
2. Among the constituents of the Church's
glory We find also, Scriptural order of
Worship. As in the accepted definition of
the Church there are two forms,-the visible
and the Invisible-an esoteric principle,
with its exoteric expression;-an inward
power, and an outward organization, so we
hold that this arrangement is founded in the
very nature of the Church, and pervades the
whole in all its departments, in the relation
of cause and effect, or of premise and logical
sequence. The divisions of the Church sys-
TEN, in form and doctrine and worship also,
are inseparably bound together as chain,
each successive link Of which depends upon
its predecessor, growing out of it and devel-
oped from it. Hence the Order of Worship
in its sphere bears strict analogy to the two
fold form of the Charlottesville and invisi-
ble,-as well as to the doctrinal creed, in its
internal belief and the published formulary,
as the expression of that belief, Accord
ingly deep and settled persuasion of the
soul of the truth and preciousness of the
Word of God, is the only foundation of ac
ceptable worship, and obedience.
This therefore is to be understood as con-
cerned with both an inward and outward