The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-02

: ternal provision of ordinances and sacra'
ments, administered, although they may be
in numberless instances to merely nominal
Christians, is not to be undervalued or sci
aside, but rather esteemed gift of God to
His Church exceedingly great and precious
-. And it is an unscriptural theory
which by denying the existence of such a
Church, and assuming one purely and ex,
clusively spiritual, would bear with an un'
friendly influence on the doctrine and prac'
tice of infant baptism
The visible Church is not therefore in any
sense identical with the invisible Church
| 1. The visible Church is complete within
itself, whereas the invisible will not be com.
{ pleted as long as the visible Church exists.
2. The covenant of Grace upon which the
visible Church is based, is distinct from the
covenant of Life, that is, in other words, of
electing love, upon which the invisible
Church rests; the one securing infallibly to
its members eternal life; the other only ex-
ternal privileges and means of grace,-the
truth as it is in Jesus; the oracles Of God;
the ministry of the Gospel; the Sabbath ;
the sanctuary; the worship of God; the
promises and invitations of the Gospel visi-
bic profession, and distinguishing relation to
God; the sacrament of baptism; and the
right of property in the Sacrament of the
Lords supper, and in all the blessings of the
Gospel of Christ, with the hope and urgency
of the Holy Spirit to make that right Of
property a right of possession. g. The
visible Church is distinct from the invisible
Church in its members; the one being in
wardly spiritually and savingly members of
Christ's body, the other being only outward
ly, visibly and federally holy by profession
of the true faith and covenant initiation. 4.
The visible Church is distinct from the in
visible Church in the qualifications required
for membership; the one being visible pro-
fession of the Christian religion and attend
ance upon its ordinances, the other union to
Christ by saving faith and the one result
ing from the common operations of the
Holy Spirit; the other only from His effec-
tual saving and Sanctifying power. 5. The
visible and invisible Churches are distinct
and different in their end and purpose, the
one being designed to afford to all men an
outward visible and sincere administration
of the Gospel with all its means of grace
whilst the other is designed, with or without
those means, to gather out of mankind Gods
elect; so that while they are related to, they
are distinct from each other 6. These
Churches are essentially distinct in the fact
that the one is always and everywhere visi-
BILE, while the other is always and every
where invisible. 7. To the visible Church
alone belongs organization officers, order,
sacraments, seals, &c. s. By the visible
Church all the members and ofice-bearera
of separate churches protesting the true faith,
however separated are united together in
communion with the one Catholic Church OF
the Redeemer, though multitudes within them
may not be in communion with the invisible
Church; the visible Church thus substitutes
social, for an individual Christianity. g.
f The unity of the visible Church while com,
plete in degree, and formal and real in it;
nature, is an outward and not a spiritual
union, while the unity of the invisible
, Church is exclusively inward and spiritual
10. The visible Church is a witness fol
t Christ on earth, administering before the
eyes of the world all the ordinances given
f to it by Christ, in His name, and by His
5 authority, and with the assurance of His
5 presence. II. The visible Church in the
1 world is an outward ordinance of God ftteC
, and designed to be the instrument of the
l Holy Spirit who works mysteriously, in anC
t with the administration of its Word anC
Sacrament8. 12 Christ is the head of thc
visible Church in sense different from tha
4 in which he is the head of the Church in
/ visible, "being the author and administrator
e of that outward provision of Word and ordi
t nance, of government and discipline, which
< characterize it," and the service of its law
f and ofice.bearers and of the external bene
: fits and immunities which are enjoyed by it
members. 13 The visible Church is dis
+ tinguished from the invisible Church by be
], ing made by Christ His depository of tn
keys, that is, power of doctrine, of discipline
= and of distribution.
d This doctrine of the visible Church as dis
!, tinct and distinguishable from the inviSibl
Church, is thus seen to be supremely impor
a tant, and membership in it an unspeakabl
: blessing both to parents and to the childre
: of parents, though members of 1t only, an
L not of the invisible Church Such childre
u are by covenant heirs, by birth members, b
II baptism visibly initiated, signed, and sealed
g and to them belong the covenant, the prom
d ises, the oracles of God, and much advar
d tage every way. By baptism the covenan
/ is made with the child through the paren
'e as representative, and not with the parer
d for the child. To the unconscious infant
r. given the right of property, just as th
IS Word gives to adults protesting faith, in a
s. the blessings of the covenant, his name
le put into the covenant with his God; an
RS under this unconciouS possession of rigl
ut Of nronertv he is in after wears led bv ne