THE first point claiming attention is: "What do we mean by purity of communion?"

Our meaning will be more correctly ascertained by a reference to the New Testament. There, among the earliest records of the kingdom after the day of Pentecost, we read, "and the Lord added to the church daily the saved." That work was conspicuously and essentially the Lord's; though his servants laboured zealously for its accomplishment. The additions were to an assembly. It was neither to a building, nor a hierarchy, nor a clergy, nor a national or provincial organization, but plainly to an assembly in a single city, the company of believers, to which the additions were made. These additions were moreover numerous and frequent. They were most blessed times in the history of the kingdom when DAILY there were added to the assembly of believers, the saved! Notwithstanding the opposition of the authorities, and the hostile prejudices of the Jewish people, converts were multiplied and the new covenant Zion rejoiced! But the point of special concernment now

is:

"What was the character of the persons added?" "The Lord added (adjoined) the saved, day by day to the church; so would we literally translate the passage. And who were the saved? In reply we find the following statements and descriptions:-the name Jesus was given to him who was "made of a woman, made under the law," the reason being, "he shall save his people from their sins." We are told that "he came to seek and to save those that were lost." The commission given to the apostles to preach the gospel to every creature had appended to it the promise, "he that believeth shall be saved." Hence we are informed, "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe; and it is declared with reiteration, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Did the jailer ask, "What must I do to be saved?" The reply was, "Believe in the Lord

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Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." When the boon was received, the blessing was celebrated in strains of joy and humility descriptive of its nature: "By grace ye are saved through faith? "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." "God hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace." "We are saved by grace."

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Now all these Scripture statements, and others that might be quoted, indicate that the parties designated the saved, were "a peculiar people," chosen generation, new creatures in Christ Jesus." They had undergone a change in state, for they were justified by the precious blood of Christ "through faith, ," and were reconciled to God. They had undergone a change of character, for "old things had passed away, and all things had become new." It was for this cause that people took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus, and because of the contrast they presented: "Of the rest durst no man join himself unto them." It was not a matter of baptism or of any other ritual service; it was an inward spiritual change, expressed in an outward holy life. They are described as "saints and faithful in Christ Jesus." Their "work of faith and labour of love" are spoken of. They all made a credible profession, and afforded credible evidence of true discipleship: they first gave themselves in solemn profession of allegiance to the Lord, and then to the church.

It is maintained that this primitive practice is binding, and that only such have any claim to be church members. The grounds are:

1. The design of Christ in the institution of the Churches.

It may be regarded as twofold, both conservative and aggressive. The churches are schools of training; gardens for culture; in other words, they are designed to nourish the spiritual strength of disciples, and to

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train them for present efficiency and for future glory. The exposition of Divine truth, the solemn worship of the sanctuary, and the symbolical ordinances to be observed by the churches, are designed to increase the knowledge and augment the piety of their members. But in order to this issue, their possession of vital piety is essential. The state of "death in trespasses and sins" cannot be cultivated into increase of spiritual life. There must be life itself in order to growth.

Again, the churches are centres of sacred influence, as a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid. Their commission is to the world, proclaiming to its people salvation through Jesus Christ. They are the salt of the earth; the lights of the world; the epistles of Christ, known and read of all men. To them is committed the great work, momentous in all its issues, of making known the unsearchable riches of Christ, and seeking the everlasting well-being of immortal souls. They publish the tidings of mercy, and their prayer is, "God be merciful unto us and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known on earth, thy saving health among all nations." This is the aggressive mission of the churches in the name of Jesus upon the kingdom of Satan in the world. Their Master designs that they should effectively prosecute it.

But in order to the fulfilment of this design, they must be composed of an aggregate of true disciples of Christ. Only such are "light in the Lord;' hence only they can shine. These alone are "the salt of the earth." The influence of no other is truly hallowed. Unless a false epistle of Christ is to be known and read of all men, the true disciples of Christ gathered into the churches must constitute that epistle. They, as bearing their Master's image, his workmanship in them, the exhibition of the blessed effects of his grace, are living epistles of him to the people, which may be known and read of all

The argument for purity of communion is of a nature which throughout indicates its importance. Hence we notice, as confirmatory of the view for which we are contending,

2. The descriptions and declarations of Scripture.

The epistles were addressed to the several churches, and their members are in those letters described as "saints and faithful in Christ Jesus," "called to be saints," "those who call on the name of the Lord." The entire narrative of the gathering and formation of churches recorded in the book of the Acts of the Apostles is confirmatory of this view. If there be any weight in Apostolic practice and example, then are we emphatically taught that the churches ought to be composed of those who are saved.

To this estimate of present duty it is, however, objected, that the primitive churches were not, in fact, pure. We read of schisms and contentions in them; of evils in temper and evils in practice.

The correctness of this allegation is in part admitted, and the fact meets another objection; namely, that with all care now, we have not in truth churches composed exclusively of believers. It is not pretended that either in early days or at present, any arrangements can keep out of the churches hypocrites and self-deceivers, nor is it supposed that the true disciples in the churches are perfectly sanctified and freed from sin. But these admissions in no wise interfere with the correctness of the theory, that credible evidence of regeneration was, in primitive days, an essential qualification of church membership. The apostle warns the subordinate builders, the pastors, against building upon the foundation which he had laid, "wood, hay, stubble," as well as "gold, silver and precious stones." When scandals arose in the churches, and "it must needs be that offences will come," the laws of Christ's house required the exercise of a godly discipline. Some were to be rebuked; others were to be put away, "delivered over unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh," that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

It is objected that our Lord countenanced an opposite view in his teaching and practice. The parable of the tares and the wheat is adduced by the

objector, in forgetfulness that the field in which they are found is the world, and not the church. It has been supposed to mean that both must grow together (in the church) "until the harvest." Now if this be so, first, the introduction of the tares is expressly attributed to the enemy, and therefore cannot be adduced as an example; and then, secondly, the interpretation would absolutely prohibit all discipline. "Let them grow together until the harvest." The Apostle's command (1 Cor. v.) is incompatible with this theory: "Put away from you that wicked person." Indeed, our Lord's injunction, "Let him be unto you a heathen man and a publican," is equally inconsistent, for the interpretation is, "pluck them not up, let both grow together until the harvest.” But if" the field be the world," as our Lord expressly states, all is simple and appropriate; it is a solemn caveat against persecution. Let not men's religion, or want of religion, affect their civil rights. Let them dwell in God's world until the harvest. He will take care of his own honour in the ultimate issue.

This point in our Lord's practice, which is rested upon, relates to Judas Iscariot. But, first, he ever gave such credible evidence of piety, that his fellow disciples did not dream of his hypocrisy. Instead of suspecting him, they inquired, "Lord, is it I?" And our Lord's omniscience has nothing to do with the argument; for as an example to the churches, that must be put out of the question. And then, secondly, it seems plain from the narrative, that he went out before the institution of the supper of the Lord. He did not eat of that bread and drink of that cup.

We return to the point of a sound scriptural communion. This, it is repeated, is of unspeakable moment in every point of view. Three elements of that importance which have been already hinted, may be briefly noticed as a summary and an appeal.

1. It is of vast importance to the personal welfare of members of the Churches.

Without careful attention to this matter, crowds are deceived to their eternal undoing. How many there are who, because they are recognized members, have no doubt of their present spiritual health and final safety, and yet they have no apprehension of

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the first principles of vital godliness. They are profoundly ignorant, as a matter of experience, of the nature and evil of sin, of their personal guilt, and of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ. The mischief, fearful as it is, does not terminate with them. The welfare of genuine disciples becomes unfavourably affected. The heterogeneous mingling of the children of the world with the children of God is analogous to the bringing of ice and heat into contact. The spiritual temperature is sensibly lowered; the atmosphere breathed is unfavourable to manly growth, energy, and holy enterprise, so that the whole institution becomes sadly inefficient. The social principle has a mighty influence for good or for evil. If a Christian begins his spiritual life in connection with a church of mingled elements, in which the spirit of the world predominates, the effect upon the formation of his character, and upon his future course, can hardly fail to be disastrous.

2. It is important also, in order to the exercise of a right influence upon the world.

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Our Lord makes this prominent in his figures of salt and light: "Ye are the salt of the earth,' was his declaration to the disciples. "But if the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is henceforth good for nothing; it must be cast out and trodden under foot." "Ye are the light of the world." "But if the light that is in you be darkness ”—if it be a false glare-if it be a deception"how great is that darkness! ruinous to yourselves and others! If the lighthouses erected on the dangerous coast for guidance to voyagers prove treacherous and deceptive, how fearful is the devastation they produce! A false epistle of Christ is one of the worst of forgeries, and by far the most disastrous in its issues. The churches are cities set on a hill, which cannot be hid. Whatever be their character, they are seen, and their influence is felt. You cannot change the fact of their influence— they cannot exist without putting it forth. They ought to be centres of holy light, whose beams, radiating from them, illumine all around. They are designed to be nurseries of strong men and women, full of courage and zeal, armed in the panoply of truth and of faith, who do worthy deeds in the

name of their Lord, being faithful, valiant, and skilful. They are intended to be a spiritual, but mighty leaven, powerfully affecting, and at length wholly leavening the mass. It is most clear, however, that they cannot be thus unless they are churches of the saints.

3. It is also important, in order to effective effort to advance throughout the world the kingdom of the Redeemer.

Gideon's three hundred picked men are far more potent in the Lord's army than would be three or thirty thousand promiscuously gathered. A small

company of right-hearted friends of Christ, full of faith and of prayer, will do more to allure men from the sway of Satan and bring them to Jesus than could be effected by a host of nominal adherents, though they should make great noise in their movements, and march amid pomp and parade. The matter is at once seen where a powerful appeal is addressed to an audience on behalf of immortal souls perishing, and of the glory of the Redeemer in their salvation. If the audience have no real godliness, no faith in Christ, no love for souls, no spiritual aspirations, not a single chord of sympathy is touched, and the speaker prophesieth in vain. There does not exist a fulcrum whereon to place the lever that would move them. His appeals fall pointless in such presence. But if his audience be such as a church ought to be, the principles he advances meet with an earnest response in their convictions, and his appeals excite them to prompt and vigorous measures. It is such an assembly only that can be expected so to pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit, as to secure the boon without which the kingdom of Christ makes no progress in the earth.

The best means of securing this important object have been hinted as we proceeded. They are the faithful, enlightened preaching of God's Word -diligent regard to credible evidence of regeneration in admission to the churches - mutual spiritual culture and watchfulness among the members of the churches-and the exercise of a godly discipline. In the mutual spiritual culture and watchfulness mentioned should be included giving prominence to the idea that church membership is of itself no evidence of a new heart and right spirit: our

meaning is, that appropriate instruction should often call attention to the fact that real godliness is a matter of the heart-that it has to do primarily with the relation between the soul and God -and that nothing should satisfy one short of personal and present evidence of "repentance towards God, of faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." It will be found, however, that one of the best securities which a church can have against the introduction of improper members is a high state of spirituality. It is when the contrast is the most striking between the church and the world, that "of the rest durst no man join himself to them." While such a state of matters in a church attracts the thoughtful and inquiring, it repels those whose hearts are given over to carnality. When a church is filled with the Spirit of God, and its services and its entire course are thereby animated, it has no attraction for the gay, the thoughtless, or the money or pleasure loving. They may jeer and scoff, but they will not be disposed to join.

In conclusion, it may be observed, that while the polity of our churches is eminently fitted to foster and maintain purity of communion, there seems no good reason why adherents of other forms of ecclesiastical organization should not give themselves to the same course. We discover a facility and a harmony in our polity which some of them do not possess: but as it appears to us, they might and they ought all of them to restrict the fellowship of the churches to a communion of saints and faithful in Christ Jesus. As to ourselves, let us be specially watchful in this matter. It is the great thing for which we as a body distinctively contend. It is of more importance than our testimony against union of Church and State, of moment as that is; it is of greater consequence than our time-honoured conflict for the suffrage of the Christian people within the churches, and the independence of the churches from all external control in the management of their their affairs, good and righteous as that conflict is. In fine, it is next in momentous interest to a clear and faithful preaching of the gospel, if indeed it be not truly a part of such preaching, a practical part. Let it be ours, then, brethren, to be faithful to this great principle of communion, cost what it may in individual cases or

in general estimate, assured that it is when a church is "fair as the moon and clear as the sun," that it is terrible to the great foe of God and man "as an army with banners."

CONSCIENCE A JUDGE.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last. -JOHN viii. 9.

THESE words stand in close connection with those which directly precede and follow them, and taken together contain an account of a most wily attempt of the Scribes and Pharisees to ensnare Christ, and of the remarkably felicitous manner in which he frustrated the base design. In the portion selected from the passage, conscience may be seen holding a judicative function, and effectively discharging its momentous duties, and is in this capacity to be the subject of consideration.

Conscience is a rightful judge.-By no unfair means has he worked his way into the office. From the King eternal he came forth, and was by him properly installed. Although his decisions may often be complained of, and not stood by, he is generally acknowledged. None are prepared to question his judicatory claims, and to say unto him, in the language of the Hebrew, who did his neighbour wrong-" Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?" or, if there are those who are so far under the influence of baneful principles and vile habits as to dispute his right to sit in judgment on their transactions, the better part of themselves vindicates his position.

Conscience is a competent judge.-He may not always be so favourably circumstanced as to be able to decide on the particular line of conduct which should on every occasion be pursued The reason is evident. In some cases he has the advantage of having access to the inspired statute book; in others he only has recourse to the natural code; and in not a few instances he merely has for his guidance copies of these in their most perverted form. Still he can, and does, pass an equitable sentence on the general actions of all. This seems obvious, from the terms in most tongues expressive of virtuous and vicious deeds and characters, from the drift of the writings and enactments of individuals and of governments, from the treatment the

good and bad meet with from civilized persons and communities, and from the declaration of the apostle Paul, that "When the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.'

Conscience is an unpretending judge.There is no sounding the trumpet to announce his approach-no moving along in solemn procession to the court of justice-no sitting in state to hear and settle the suits brought before him. Noiselessly, and without pageantry, yet with not less effect, he advances towards the tribunal and executes his important trust. very silence, calmness, and absorption, with which he weighs motives and tries acts, invest his proceedings with a force-a sacredness not otherwise securable, and calculated to impress the most heedless and abandoned.

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Conscience is a fearless judge. Neither the raging of the corrupt passions, nor the resistance of the carnal mind, can awaken his fears. The clamour of the former may drown his voice, and the opposition of the latter may prevent hini effecting his purpose; but even this will be only for a little

season.

The dread of none is upon him. While he can fill the mightiest and most daring with tremendous forebodings and sore misgivings, he cannot be made to experience the slightest alarm. Whether commended or censured, encouraged or threatened, aided or resisted, he summonses the great and the small, the wise and the ignorant, the excellent and the worthless, to his bar, and uncompromisingly and boldly examines their deeds, approves or disapproves of them, and bestows his rewards or inflicts his penalties. Behold the enemies of Christ, from the highest in dignity to the lowest in rank, by his convictions defeated in their foul plot, and constrained to sneak out, leaving the accused woman with Jesus! Nor does he confine his judicial operations to the party with whom he has immediately to do; but extends them to all who come within his cognizance, be they who they may, the sovereign of the universe not excepted.