ages, they laid the foundation of literary institutions, to provide pastors for the church of God. Every college in New England, and nearly every one in the United States, was founded in anticipation of the future wants of the church, and with a view to supply them, by rearing up qualified instructors. To local churches is committed still, the work of providing religious instructors for succeeding generations and for the world. Every church is an organized education society, instituted by the God of heaven expressly for the preparation of pious youth for the ministry. It may be proper for churches, by formal resolutions, to recognize neglected obligation. But it does not depend on the vote of a church, whether it shall be her duty or not, to cooperate with other churches, in providing an able, evangelical ministry for the perfecting of the saints, and the conversion of the world.

But the whole earth is destined to experience the illumination of the gospel. The means to be employed for this purpose are the translation and dissemination of the bible, the preaching of the gospel, the planting of churches, and the establishment of schools among the heathen.—The work is vast, and without the guidance and energy of permanently organized bodies, cannot be done. But the work is in the hands of permanently organized bodies. God has committed it to local churches; these are missionary societies to be continued from age to age to urge on the work of evangelizing the world. The primitive churches understood the duties of their calling, in accordance with our views of the subject: and did through every vicissitude of poverty and distress, make vigorous exertions to propagate the gospel. The protestant churches, environed by the Papists, and in strenuous conflict for existence, could have but little time or strength for a more distant warfare. Awaking also in a world without form and void, they had enough to do to reduce the chaos to order, and to fill the void with bibles, and pastors, expositions, and sermons. They made exertions at home, unparalleled since the apostolic age. But even they, under the patronage of the High Admiral of France, sent five ships to the Brazils with missionaries and supplies to establish in South America the protestant religion. The enterprize failed. But they evinced their sense of obligation, and have doubtless reaped in heaven their reward. It is only to be added, that, churches of all denominations at this day are beginning to perceive their duty, and to place themselves in a posture of readiness to perform it.

The requisite qualifications for membership in a church of Christ, the next subject of consideration, are, personal holiness in the sight of God, and a credible profession of holiness before men.

This is clearly indicated by the design of the church. Is the church organized to consummate the work of righteousness in the hearts of believers, to maintain the purity, and secure the perpetuity of truth, to rescue the Sabbath from profanation, and the worship of God from extinction, to guarantee her own continued existence by an efficient system of religious education, and to bless future ages by providing pastors, and missionaries, and bibles, till the earth is full of the knowledge of God? And can there be any doubt to what description of persons this work has been committed? The Scriptures recognize but two classes of men, distinguished by the state of their hearts with respect to God and his law, his gospel, and his providential government. The one denomi

nated the friends, the other the enemies of God; the one holy, the other unholy; the one righteous, the other wicked. All men are included under one or the other of these opposing terms. There is no middle ground known in the bible. No third party, neither friends nor enemies of God, neither holy nor unholy, have ever been found.

It is the friends of God then, undoubtedly, who are required to associate, and are invested with chartered privileges; and credible evidence of holiness, must be the appropriate condition of admission to visible membership in the church of Christ. If there could be any doubt on the subject, the recorded history of this sacred institution would put an end to it. In the first age of the world, we find Cain and his offering rejected, and Abel, offering to God by faith an acceptable sacrifice. We find the "sons of God," a name through the scriptures appropriated to those who made a credible profession of religion, existing as a community distinct from the children of men, and forming at length criminal alliances of marriage with their daughters; by means of which the power of the church as a religious community was destroyed; and the earth was filled with violence, which brought down the exterminating flood.

When the church, in prospect of this judgment, was to be preserved, borne on the bosom of that deep, which swept away the ungodly, to whom was the work of preservation committed? It was committed to Noah, whom God had seen righteous before him, in that wicked generation.—When the darkness of idolatry had again spread itself over the earth, and the foundations of a new dispensation were to be laid, to whom was that great work committed? To Abraham, who received circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had before he was circumcised, and of whom it was testified by the Searcher of hearts; "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord." To Isaac was committed the same charge, while Ishmael, who mocked, was cast out. To Jacob in succession it descended, while Esau, the profane, despising and alienating the patriarchal priesthood, is rejected.

When the patriarchal form of the church was succeeded by the Jewish, the qualification of personal holiness was demanded. The profession, which the members of that church were required to make, is a profession of true religion. And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul." Can all this be done without holiness?

The profession which the Jewish church actually did make, is a profession of true religion. Moses is directed by the Most High to say unto the people; "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me, above all people." And when Moses proposed the above terms of divine favor, all the people answered together and said; All that the Lord hath spoken will we do." In reference to a renewal of their covenant with God, Moses says to the Jewish church, "Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people." If this is not a profession of true religion, language is inadequate to the making of such a profession. In the time of Asa, the church covenanted again, to seek the Lord God of

their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul. "And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, and he was found of them."

Whenever by their overt transgression, or neglect of duty, the credibility of their profession was destroyed, they were reproved and denounced as hypocrites. "Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth." Their attendance upon the instituted worship is denounced also as an abomination, while the immoralities of their conduct demonstrated the insincerity of their profession.

The continuance of formal worship without piety is threatened with the most terrible judgments. "Wherefore the Lord said forasmuch as this people draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a. wonder, for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." Now, if the Jews, as a community, were not required to profess, and in their covenant with God, did not profess true religion, how could drawing near with the mouth only be considered a crime? When the members of this church are recalled from their backsliding by the prophets they are directed to return in the exercise of holy affections. * If thou wilt return, O Israel, return unto me and thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and take away the foreskins of your hearts ye men of Judah, lest my fury come forth like fire and burn that none can quench it."