contradistinction not merely to other nations, which were altogether impure and defiled;m but also to the Jewish nation, to whose typical sanctity a true and substantial holiness is opposed." 3dly, With respect to inviolability, or the sacred protection under which it is placed." He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, "he reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not "mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm."

XIX. The epithet CATHOLIC does not occur in sacred writ. The first whom we find using it is Ignatius in his Epistle to the Church of Smyrna, if indeed that expression was in reality written by Ignatius, and not interpolated by some unfair hand: "Wherever "Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."* But it occurs also in the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, in which they give an account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, their Pastor; for that Epistle is inscribed to the Church of God at Philomelium, "and to all every where "that belong to the holy Catholic Church."+

xx. The appellation Catholic is taken in several senses. 1st, Very extensively, as comprehending all the diversities of places, times, persons, and states, and as denoting the whole family of God, whether now or formerly sojourning on the earth, and dispersed through all ages and quarters of the world. 2dly, More strictly, when it is ascribed to the New Testament Church in contradistinction to the Old. The middle wall of partition being broken down, the Gospel Church is not confined, as was the Church of old, to any place or

* Οπε ἂν ἡ Χριστος Ιησές, έχει ἡ καθολικη εκκλησία.

+ Και πασαις ταῖς κατα παντα τοπον τῆς ἅγιας καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας παροικίαις. Euseb. Hist. Lib. iv. cap. 11.

m 1 Cor. vi. 11.

n Heb. ix. 12-14.

Ps. cv. 14, 15. Comp. Zech. ii. 8. Gen xii. 3.

people; but is scattered abroad throughout the whole extent of the world; and is the common Mother of men of all nations, nourishing all with the same milk, and cherishing all in the same bosom; making the whole world, so to speak, a common temple unto God. "She is called Catholic," says Cyril of Jerusalem, "be66 cause she is diffused over the whole world from the "one end of the earth to the other."* It was worth while also, by this characteristic, to distinguish the Christian Church from the Synagogue, in order to show that by the coming of Christ the truth of the ancient prophecies appears, in which it had been very often foretold that all nations without distinction should be invited to fellowship with God. This epithet, however, it is evident, has prevailed chiefly, since the Novatians, and afterwards the Donatists, presumed to restrict the Church to the narrow limits of Africa.66 To those men, the Orthodox then opposed the appellation Catholic, to distinguish the Church of Christ which subsisted in the whole world, from the conventicles of heretics and schismatics. 3dly, This appellation is used improperly, to denote a particular Church, which holds fellowship with the Church Universal, and is not separated from it by heresy or schism. Nay, it became customary to employ the term Catholic in the same sense with Orthodox. Hence we read in ancient writers, of" the Catholic Church in Smyrna, in Alex"andria, in Constantinople, in Nazianzum," and the like, without number.

XXI. In fine, the Church is also styled CHRISTIAN, because she is the disciple of Christ, and Christ is her

Cateches. xviii.

P Acts xi. 26.

66 See NOTE LXVI.

Master; because she is the Spouse of Christ, and Christ is her Bridegroom ;-because she is the body and the fulness of Christ, being necessary to the perfecting of his stature, and Christ is her Head. In short, she is so closely united with Christ, that she is even denominated Christ."

XXII. It now remains, to consider the exercise of our Faith in relation to the Church. And here we must first attend to the repetition in the Creed of the expression Credo," I believe ;" and then to the alteration of the phrase: For whereas it was formerly said, "I "believe in God the Father, &c." "I believe in the "Holy Ghost"-it is not here said in like manner, Credo in Ecclesiam, " I believe in the Church," but Credo Ecclesiam, "I believe the Church." The expression I believe, seems to be repeated of purpose, partly, to apprize as that we are entering on a new class of subjects, which differ widely from those previously mentioned; and partly, because, without that repetition, the construction of the words would render the sentence either obscure, or scarcely consistent with piety. Had the words run thus, "I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church," it would have been difficult to connect the words " I believe" with "the Holy Catholic Church," so as to suppress the particle in. This however was necessary; for our faith is exercised with regard to the Church in a manner very different from that in which it is exercised with relation to God. The Church, it is certain, is a

66

Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam. Mat. xxiii. 8. * John iii. 29. Comp. 1 Sam. xxviii. 20. np xn, the fulness of his stature. t Ephes. i. 22, 23. u 1 Cor. xii. 12.

VOL. II.

3 A

33.

believers as the subject of pious meditation, for the glory of God, the confirmation of faith, and the exercise of hope. "The righteous shall see it, and rejoice; "and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is "wise, and will observe these things, even they shall "understand the loving-kindness of the Lord."a Nay, these are matters in which, "unto the principalities "and powers in heavenly places, is made known by "the Church, the manifold wisdom of God; according "to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ "Jesus, our Lord."b

necessary.

xxv. But even this is not all that is We must also cultivate fellowship with the Church of Christ, by associating with her in the hearing of the word, in public prayer, in songs of praise to God, in the profession of the faith, and in the participation of the same bread and wine at the Lord's table. We ought not merely to run, but even to "fly" together

66

as doves to their windows;" that in us, too, those prophecies may be accomplished, which describe in terms so magnificent, the joyful flowing together of the nations to the Church.d "Behold, how good, and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! " &c."e

66

XXVI. Nor should we be deterred from this communion by some faults which may possibly be committed in the government of the Church, or by the sins of others, who do not duly regulate their practice according to the commandments. If only the truth of the

a Ps. cvii. 42, 43.

c Is. lx. 8.

b Ephes. iii. 10, 11.

d Is. ii. 2, 3. Jer. xxxi. 12. Zech. viii. 20-23. and elsewhere passim.

• Ps. cxxxiii.

Doctrine continue uncorrupted, if we are not obliged to approve of those faults, and if we are careful to have no fellowship with others in their sins, it becomes us to discover so much reverence for the institutions of God, and so much love for the faithful who belong to that society, as cheerfully and frequently to unite with them in the social exercises of religious worship; "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the "manner of some is, but exhorting one another." In vain do we expect to see on the earth a Church without spot, a thrashing-floor without chaff, a field without tares, or a house in which are none but vessels unto honour. Nor let us imagine that we are to please God by any presumptuous conceit of our own sanctity, joined with contempt of others." Which say, Stand 1 "by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier "than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire "that burneth all the day."s

ex

XXVII. It is necessary, however, to take heed, that we associate only with a true Church, lest we embrace a prostitute and an adulteress instead of the chaste hes Spouse of Christ. Amidst so great a multitude of soitcieties, which vie with each other in claiming to them

ard.

the

સ

selves the name of the Church, it appears an arduous task for a man concerned for the salvation of his soul, to determine which of them ought to be preferred. But there is in particular one characteristic, by which, without great difficulty, you may discriminate the true Church of Christ from an adulteress, to wit, the truth of the heavenly doctrine. If a society devoutly profess the truth, as it was delivered by Christ, and by the Prophets and Apostles, you may safely recognise it as