EOE. EEa. NO. 2A2.
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which have long ceased" The ordinary and
perpetual officers of the Church are Bishops or
| pastors. sc. And here Ephcsians ". II II, Is
referred to as authority, where Chrlsi Is spoken
OF as appointing the ministry. And he gave
some apostles; and some prophets; and some
evangchsts; and some pastors and teachers; for
the perlecting of the SAINTS, ier the work OF the
ministry, for the cdlfying OF the body Of Christ.
AS touching this point. then, we agree that min
!stry, dvnely appointed, IS essential to the being
OF a Church. presume, too, you would admit as
readily that tins ministry must be Apostolcal !;
derived from Christ III some way through that is,
the Apostles. An Apostolical ministry, then, YOU
must acknowledge to be 8 essential TO use your
! own words to the very beng ofa Church, 50 that
without it there is no Church. and of course no
| ordinances, no promises Of God, 10 lawful rel-
ance upon Gods grace no covenanted merccs,
and no just and certain hope OF reaching heaven.
Observe, do not give all these intcrences as my
own. You have put them upon me as resulting
from my position, that a Bishop or" Pcelate,' >
as you choose TO quote me, is essential to the be-
ing Of u Church. am authorized, therefore, |
think, TO put them upon you as resulting from the
doctrine we hold in common, that an ApostolcaI
ministry is essential to the being Of a Church.


You have unchurched, then. the Quakers and
left them to the uncOvenanted mercles Of God ;
YOU have unchurched the Congregationallsts, you
have unchurchcd the whole body of Methcdists,
you have unchurched large portions II not the
whole Of the Baptists, to the fell extent that TN
church YOU. do you shrink IN 'horror' from
proposition 50 :rnonstrous? If YOU can escape
from it | shall be glad to know how. II you do
confess that this Is your position, as far as can
see you must relnquish the dOctrlneot the MINIS
try and the church, maintained, believe, IN all
the reformed creeds and certainly In your OWL.
Now this is point upon which should like some
satisfaction. And if the result Of your rcconsl-
dcration Of the subject should be that we symbolic
on this grand point, perhaps you WILL agree with me
that we had better not prefer against each other
any charges of uncharitabcnesS, >" exclusive
ness '' uncburchIng," &c, but since we both
agree that there warrant from the W ordoi trod
for making particular external orm ol pollty a
condition Of that Christian fellowship and com
munion nith God which are the distinguishing
duties and privileges of the Church of Christ,
we calmly proceed to inquire what that external
iorra Of pohty is. You will perceive that return
to you your own first argument against my posi-
ton, requesting you to reconsider 1t and see
whether Il does not initiate against far lnlcrenceS
to be drawn from the standards OF the Church TO
which you belong.


should conclude my letter here, and await
your answer, for am anxious that our cOmmu-
nications should be short, by being restricted as
far as practicable to single point both with
view TO our own convenience and what / believe
to be the public wish, but | must correct you up
on one point where you have certainly greatly
misapprehcnded my views. You say F" let any
one examine the tenor OF the prcachlngoi Christ
and MS Apostles and, then point to a solitary evl-
dence that they placed, as you do, merely exter
nal relations upon level with the exercise OF the
spiritual graces Of repentance toward God, and
faith in Christ" My dear sir, will not doubt
your sincerity in making this charge. bu; be-
seect YOU to examine again those expressions OF
mine TO which you have given a construction so
abhorcnt TO my clear convictions OF Christian
truth Place external relations upon level with
the exercise of spiritual graccs-repentancc and
Gaith?.! Never, never, could do this. Journalist
as YOU may believe me to be: besecch you make
me not appear to value the body more than the
soul believe that IN tins world the intimate
union OF both is essential to lie. The body we
knew cannot live without the SOUL nor have
ever yet learned that God has permitted soul TO
exist in this probationary state without a body,
but do therefore placea high value upon the
BODY as the soul? BY no means. only contend
thal what & God hath joined together man
should not attempt to put asundcr:' II he hath
SAID concerning his Church, thereis ''onc Spirit,
he hath also sad " there is one body


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WEDSEspAr, Jan. l7th