The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-05-18
FOR THE CENTRAL PREsBYTERIAN.
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN UNION9
CONCLUDED.

CONCLUDED.
But let us not rest this important distinc-
ton upon mere assertion. | refer to the
New Testament to find the meaning of the
word church; and l there find clear evil
dences that in its true and full sense, the
church is the spiritual and invisible. company
of true believers. The word church is, the
''out-called', (ecclesia.) But the true call
ing of God is not an outward profession, or
the assumption of outward forms, but the
work of the Holy Ghost in the heart bring
ing men to Christ in true faith. 2 Tim. /:
8. "GOd hath saved us, and called US with
an holy ealing, not according to our works,
but according to his purpose and grace,
Heb. iii; l. They are "partakers of the
heavenly calling" Rom. viii 80. "WhOm
he called, them he also justified; and whom
he justified, them he also glori6ed.' Now
the argument seems almost as plain as a
truism, that the church (ecclesia, is the body
of the called (klytOi;) and as this call is the
grace which converts, the church is the
company of the converted.
The Church is "the body" of Christ.
Eph. V: 90 and 30; Col i: 24. Christ is
the source of spiritual life. The influences
by which he animates his body are gracious
and spiritual. The body must then be
gracious and spiritual one. Who can toler-
ate the assertion that any member of this
body, united to this divine life giving Head,
is yet dead in trespasses and sins Is the
sacred whole infected with gangrene? 1t
would be iupiety to think it.
The Church is the temple of Christ. l
Pet. ii: 4, 5. "To whom coming as unto
living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but
chosen of God and precious; ye, also as
lively stones, are built up spiritual house,
holy priesthood, &c. And this figure of
speech Peter uses, after the example of his
Redeemer. Matt xvi: Is. "Upon this
rock will l build my Church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it. Now
since the Church is a spiritual house, and its
members living stones, it is plainly an invisi
bic and spiritual company. 1t is also here
declared to be an indefectible body. "The
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. "
It-is Christ's sheepfold, (which none is able
to pluck out of his Fathers hand" But
part, alas, of every visible Church, accord
ing to our Sayiours own testimony, does
perish. Of the ten Virgins who outwardly
went to meet the bridegroom, FIVE were fool
ish, and were shut out. Hence this true
Church must be the hidden company of the
Redeemed See also Acts Xxx: %.
Again, this Church is the Bride and
Spouse of Christ. Eph. v: %. "For the
husband is head of the wife, even as Christ
is the head of the Church" &c. Does
Christ unite impurity or death to himself in
thisintimate and spiritual union? Surely this
spouse can be none other than the sanctiGed !
But let the Apostle settle this, VS.. 25-27.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the Church, and gave himself for
it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word, that he
might present it to himself glorious Church.
not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish." Now, as there is, and can be, no
visible body of professed Christians, on
whatsoever theory organized, which is with
out spot, wrinkle or blemish upon its hOi
ness; but the purest of such bodies include
many men who live and die in sin; this Church,
which is the spouse of Christ, must be the
spiritual company of the regenerate. Let
the Apostle John decide this: He witnessed
in prophetic vision, the day when the "mar-
riaoe of the Lamb came, and his wife made
herself ready. And to her it was granted that
she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white; and the linen IS the righteous
ness of the saints. Rev. xix and s.
And once more; the spiritual and inVisi
bic nature of this body is proved by the def
nitions of it's character. Luke xvii: q.
"The kingdom of God is withsn you,
Rom. Il: 2S. "He is Jew who is one in-
wardly," &c. xiv: II. "The kingdom of
God is not meat and drink, but righteous
ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost"
The Church of God in its true sense then,
is not a society of men separated from the
world BY the hands of man, through out
ward governments and forms, but the hidden
s6mpany of the regenerate. This is the
glorious body, completely visible to the eye
Of God, partially discernible by the eye of
man, but impossible to be strictly separated
and defined by any human marks; this is
the Church, which is catholic, which is one,