The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

temporal kind. All this, the mere profess
sion of faith in Christ, and the act of join
ing himself in erternaz observance to the
visible Church will secure to the formal
professor" Again, on page A, this profess
sion is defined to be that of the true reli-
giOn, and the visible Church is called cath
Olic, "because the bond of union among its
members IS common public profession, and
an OutVard federal relationship to Christ. "
Again, on page II, DR.. B. shows, "that we
have now, as We have ever had in former
times, an outward and an inward covenant,
We have an outward and visible Church now
characterized as of old (under the Ancient
Dispensation of God,) by an external ad-
ministration, and . . an external profess
sion" in proof of this DR.. B. refers to the
parallels in which the kingdom of God or
visible Church is compared to ga field, to a
net, to a house with it's vessels for various
use. "It is vain" he adds, "to allege as
the advocates of iadependgat sisses ere fepa.
OF alleging that such descriptions merely in
dicate the actual state of the Church on
earth. And that it by no means repre-
sentS what the Church was intended, or an
duty bOund to be-(see Wardlaw.) AS if to
anticipate and meet such a plea beforehand,
our Lord in the parable of the tares ex-
pressly declares it to be his will, that His
servants should not attempt to separate be-
tween the righteous and the wicked, even
e0hen the difference a0as knOoon to them, etc.
In his discussion of the question what is
necessary to make one member of the visi-
bic Church of Christ; (see page ~ His
answer is, "the profession of the true faith,
is that which is the essence of the visible
Church . and is also mark of every
member of the Church. A visible profes
sion of belief in the Gospel, comprehending
corresponding life and conduct is the
single qualification necessary to rank man
a member of the visible Church of Christ.
DR.. B. proceeds to show that this is opposed
to the views of Romanists on the one hand,
and Independents on the other, "Indepen-
dents regard these qualifications as INSULT
cient, q. something more than this is de-
manded. Positive evidence of credible
kind that man is a true believer, and saw
ingly united to Christ, is alone held to be
sufficient warrant to admit him within the
Christian society,-the work of grace effect
ed in his soul, being accounted the only
ground or condition of church membership,
(see Dr. Wardlaw) The difference between
these principles as broad and Fundamental.
With Independents saving belief in Christ
is the only title of admission; . and the
candidate is bound to bring with him at least
credible evidence. .. . With Presbyterians
on the other hand, an intelligent profession
of belief in the Gospel, is the title to admis-
sion to church membership; and the candi-
date for admission is only required to show
that his conduct and life are in accordance
with, and are credit to his profession. p"
&" In applying the principles of Scripture, "
DR.. B. proceeds to show, that the Inde-
pendent system of church membership is
founded; 1st, On denial of the distinction
between the invisible, and the visible Church
of Christ. End, 1t is contrary to the anal
ogy of all Gods Dispensations to men. 3rd,
1t is totally opposed to the delineation of
the visible Church given in the Scripture,
and that frequent. And in the 4th place,
this principle of Congregationalism as to
church membership, transfers the response
bility for the admission, or non admission of
parties to the Christian Church, from
ground on which it may be competent to ex-
ercise it, to a ground on which it is not
competent to exercise it. On this point
DR.. Bannerman is very emphatic, re-
garding such principle as leading to
hypocrisy, both on the part of the candi'
date aud of the Church; as an assumption
of power to look into the heart which God
challenges as His own; as erecting spirit
ual inquisition whose enquiries they have not
knowledge to direct, and whose decisions they
have not received authority to pronounce.
" 1t is not, he says on page so, ''the judg
ment of charity, in defect of more perfect
knowledge, pronounced about the spiritual
state of any man, that ought to form the
reason for his admission to church member
ship; but it is, the judgment of justice, with
competent knowledge pronounced on his
uisj6le profession and his oatVara conduct.
The judgment on his Spiritual state belongs
only to God, and may form the reason for
his admission among the members of the
invisible Church. The judgment on his
Outo0ard profession belongs to man, and
OUGHT to form the only ground for his ad-
mission to, or exclusion from the member
ship of the visible Church" See his authori,
ties. Dr. G. G. Jones, in his recently pub
lished work on the History of the Church
of God during the period of Revelation has
much in confirmation of these truths, as the
truth of Scripture. Thus on page 223 he asks,
"was circumcision the divinely instituted
rite of admission into the Church, and
sign and seal of the covenant of grace un-
der the Old Dispensation? Such in each
particular is baptism under the New (Gen.
xvii: 1-27; Acts vii: 8; Rom. iv: IL;