he has sent us to his enemies, and we must in his name and stead pray them to be reconciled to God.

If we have ever discovered the deplorable condition of guilty sinners, and the purity and majesty of that holy law against which they have sinned, and the dreadful penalty they have incurred; if we have known the terrors of the Lord, and believe in the fearfulness of his judgments in the last day; then should our zeal be aroused to persuade men, and to plead with, and warn them to flee from the wrath to come, to escape the damnation of hell by flying to that Saviour who gave himself for them that he might redeem them from all their iniquities. And when we think of all that has been done to save our fallen race, and the love of God our Saviour to a world of guilty sinners; that he died for all, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance; that he is loving unto every man, and gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time, and that he ever liveth to make intercession; and when we feel the effects of divine benevolence kindling in our own bosoms; it is then that the love of Christ constraineth us, and we are impelled forward in our work, not counting our lives dear unto us, that we may finish our course and the ministry which he hath given us.

FINALLY-A due respect to the recompense of reward should stimulate the zeal of all Christians, and Christian ministers, to be faithful to the grace of God, and abound in every good work, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe; that he may say unto them, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." "Then they that be wise shall shine as the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever; for he shall gather his redeemed from the four winds of heaven, and the Lord himself shall wipe all tears from their eyes, and shall lead them to the fountains of life, clear as crystal, issuing from the throne of God and the Lamb." The harmony of heaven shall be one general burst of praise-ro

HIM THAT HATH LOVED US AND GIVEN HIMSELF FOR US THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, AND MAKE US KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD FOR EVER and ever. AMEN.

Qq

SERMON XXIII.

BY REV. ZACHARIAH PADDOCK,

CAZENOVIA, NEW YORK.

Delivered at the Dedication of a Church, in Scottsville, N. Y., in the year 1828; also, on a similar occasion, in New Stockbridge, N. Y., 1830.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, ITS FOUNDATION AND STABILITY.

ST. MATTHEW, xvi. 18.

UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.

GREAT diversity of opinion is entertained in the world respecting the character of Christ. By many he is regarded as an impostor, and his religion treated with perfect contempt. Others appear willing to concede to him the character of a good man, and of a great prophet; but, at the same time, strenuously deny that there was any thing sacrificial or meritorious in his death. Others, again, entertain more elevated conceptions of him: they believe him to be a kind of super-angelic being, ranking somewhere between angels and God. And there are still others who think they have the authority of inspiration for believing him to be-"The only wise God, our Saviour," -"The only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords."

It seems, however, that this discrepancy of sentiment is not peculiar to the present age: it existed, perhaps, even to a greater extent, while the divine Redeemer himself was here upon earth, than it has at any period since. This fact appears probable from the connection in which the text is introduced. The preceding context informs us that "When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, We cannot reasonably suppose that Christ addressed this interrogation to his disciples because he was ignorant of the opinions which were

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generally entertained respecting him. The end which he probably had in view was, to get a declaration of their faith from themselves, in order to confirm and strengthen them in it. Their reply was, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias: and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets."

From this answer it would seem that the Pharisaic doctrine of the metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls, at this time pretty generally obtained among the Jews; for it was on this principle that they believed that the soul of the Baptist, or of Elijah, of Jeremiah, or of some one of the prophets had come to a new life in the person of Christ.

But, without stopping to comment on the faith of the multitude, Christ continues his interrogation-"But whom say YE that I am?" To this Simon Peter, with characteristic forwardness, answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!" This was a concise, emphatic, and comprehensive confession of his faith and that his views respecting the character of his Divine Master were perfectly correct, is rendered indubitable by what was said in reply; "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my FATHER which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

The church of Christ, its foundation, and stability, will be the principal topics of discourse, on the present solemn and highly interesting occasion.

I. WHAT ARE WE TO UNDERSTAND BY THE CHURCH?

This is a question in the discussion of which theologians have engaged with much warmth; and the answers to which, as given by different individuals, have comprised considerable variety of opinion. It does not, however, incorporate with our present design to enter at all into the merits of this controversy. Such a course would be as unprofitable as it would be foreign from our present object. All the controversial bearings of the question will, therefore, be studiously avoided. Our sole design is to give it such a consideration as will, in our judgment, be best adapted to experimental and practical purposes.

The primary meaning of the word church is simply an assembly, congregation, or collection of persons; the character of which association is to be determined by connecting circumstances: for the original epithet may, with equal propriety, be applied to any concourse of people, good or bad; gathered together for lawful or unlawful purposes. Hence, it seems that some qualifying term must be associated with the word church, in order to give it any fixed and definite signification. That association of persons that we now con

template, is called the church of Christ; meaning the whole company of Christians, wheresoever found.

The word, however, is sometimes used in a more limited or less extensive sense. Thus it is unquestionably used by the compilers of the thirty-nine articles. "The visible church of Christ," say they, "is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same." For this use of the word, they most certainly have the authority of the New Testament. In that we read of the church at Colosse, at Corinth, at Ephesus, &c., as well as the "seven churches of Asia," to whom the famous Apocalyptic epistles were addressed.

But it is equally true that the term church, in the sense of the New Covenant Scriptures, sometimes includes the whole body of Christian believers, scattered, as they are, in different parts of the world. Hence, in that comprehensive confession of faith, which we call, for the sake of distinction, "the Apostles' Creed," it is denominated the "catholic" or universal church: because it is constituted of all the professors of Christianity, to whatever sect or denomination they may belong. In this sense, the word church, in our text, is most incontestably used.

The church of Christ and the unregenerate world form two distinct bodies. Their characters are essentially different from each other. It was upon this principle that Christ said to his disciples-"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Thus also St. Peter, addressing himself to the "saints that were scattered abroad throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia," &c., says, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Pet. ii. 9.) "My kingdom," says Christ, "is not of this world." All attempts, therefore, to unite the church of Christ with human governments must be both unconstitutional and abortive. If associated, the one or the other will, in a short time, lose its distinctive characteristics. As in chemistry, certain opposing compounds produce broil and fermentation, until one of the ingredients gets the mastery; so every effort to unite church and state is an attempt to blend two principles so essentially unlike each other, that they can never be made harmoniously to amalgamate. The church of Christ is, indeed, called out from the world, and taught to regard its unholy friendship as "enmity to God." This associated body of believers, the church, is represented in the New Testament under various emblems. The metaphor employed in the text is that of a well-constructed edifice. The same figure is

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elsewhere frequently employed.-"Ye are God's building." "Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house." "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?" But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we." Now the use of this figure by the apostles was not a mere fortuitous circumstance, not a mere rhetorical flourish; they had a specific and obvious design in it and this design was to point out certain distinguishing characteristics of Christ's church. This will probably become the more evident as we proceed.

Does a house generally occupy some conspicuous position? So the church of Christ is "a city set on a hill, and cannot be hid."

Has a house various component parts, all of which are requisite for the perfection of the whole? So God has endowed his church with various members, officers, and gifts; all of which are necessary to constitute it a perfect habitation. In illustration of this thought, St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, affirms that God "gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Chap. iv. 11—13.)

Is there a perfect adaptation to, and a mutual dependence upon, each other, among the different parts of a well-finished edifice? Thus it is with the church of Christ. The apostle from whom we last quoted says, in the same epistle,-" Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord." (Chap. ii. 20, 21.)

Does a house furnish a place of refuge from the storm and tempest? So the church, being guarded and protected by the divine hand, furnishes an asylum, "a strong hold," for all of its members. Having thus comprehensively brought to view the most prominent characteristics of Christ's church, let us proceed, in pursuance of our plan, to notice,

II. ITS FOUNDATION:-"Upon this rock will I build my church." But what are we to understand by this ROCK? Those who are swayed by the Roman Catholic dogmas roundly assert that nothing else is meant by it than Peter himself! According to this comment, then, the whole Christian fabric is supported by "the arm of flesh!" It rests not on the Rock oF AGES, but on one of Christ's frail disciples !

Now, if this were the literal meaning of the text, we should be led to regard it as an interpolation, as a declaration blasphemously