tests of Christian character, which they are wont to hear set forth from this pulpit.

VII. I hasten to our closing inquiry. What evidence of regeneration should we seek in others, as a prerequisite to Christian fellowship? None but the all-seeing God can tell with certainty, who are the regenerate, and who the unsanctified. In the Christian church, the wheat and the tares must grow together till the harvest. Therefore, while, in judging of our own spiritual state, we should make our standard of Christian character as high as possible, in determining with whom we will hold Christian fellowship, we should so shape it, as to include even the least in the kingdom of heaven.' By making our terms of fellowship thus broad, we may indeed embrace some, whose names are not written in the book of life; but we had better treat as Christian brethren ten false pretenders to the name, than reject one, whom Christ has received.

Let us beware how we make our own creed, or ritual, or views of duty on any points that admit of question, a standard for our brethren. On these points we are as liable to err as they are; and they have the same right to condemn us, that we have to condemn them. But there are two things, which we may expect to find in the subjects of Christian regeneration, and the lack of either of which would compel us, however reluctantly, to doubt the Christian character of one, who on any ground sought to be recognized as a Christian. One of these relates to profession; the other to practice.

1. The first is a willingness to own Christ as an

authoritative teacher, and as the one appointed Mediator between God and man, and, as a consequence of this, habitual reverence for his name, his gospel, and everything that he has made sacred. Christian fellowship is a fellowship in Christ, and not out of him. If, therefore, he be disowned, his name blasphemed, and his gospel set at nought, by any men of virtuous life and conversation, we may and should give them full credit for whatever virtues they manifest, and whatever good they do; but it is absurd to think of them as subjects for Christian fellowship. Were we, on account of their good lives, to call them Christians, we should be conferring a name, which is not ours to give, but can be given only to those, for whom it is appointed by the Father; and he surely cannot have appointed it for any, by whom it is despised or undervalued.

2. The other essential prerequisite to Christian recognition, is a general outward conformity to the unquestioned rules of duty, a generally virtuous life and conversation. We are not to look for perfection in others, while we are conscious of falling far short of it ourselves. But we may expect in those, who are renewed through the grace of Christ, some good degree of conformity to his image and spirit.

But, after all, the best rule is, for us to be as close and thorough as we can be, in the judgment of our own hearts; but always to bring to the judgment of another's character that charity, which 'thinketh no evil, believeth all things, and hopeth all things.'

I trust that this discussion, though in the form of a doctrinal exposition, may not pass, without leading my

hearers to diligent self-examination as to the momentous question of their own regeneration. Of this question, my friends, nothing can take precedence. The time is hastening on for each of us, and for some is doubtless near, when it will be echoed in the thundertones of approaching death. Let it be put and answered by each of us before he sleeps; and, whatever our amiable traits of character, whatever our endowments of mind and heart, if not sanctified by Christian faith and the spirit of self-consecration, let us hear, as from the lips of him, whose words are God's eternal truth, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'

LECTURE VII.

THE ATONEMENT.

2 CORINTHIANS V. 18, 19.

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, TO WIT, THAT GOD WAS IN CHRIST, RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO HIMSELF.

THE ATONEMENT will be the subject of the two remaining lectures of this course. I commence with a few remarks on the word atonement, and its use in the Scriptures. Atonement is at-one-ment, reconciliation, the bringing together, or at one, of those who have been at variance. It is a word employed but once in our translation of the New Testament; and that is in the following passage: If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement,' that is, the reconciliation just spoken of.* The same Greek word occurs elsewhere, but is rendered reconciliation. It is the word so rendered in our text. The word atonement is often used in our

*Romans v. 10, 11.