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THE GOSPEL-WHERE FOUND ?

of Popes and Councils; it is not wrapped up in the fables of Tradition; it is not in the superstitious notions of the Fathers; not in the Jesuitical sophistry of Oxford divines; not in merely intellectual, rationalistic theology; but it is to be found both in the Old and New Testament. It is kept as a treasure in the living Church of the living God; it is in every regenerate soul; and is in the hearts, and often on the lips of all those who are the faithful ministers, the sent servants of Him who said to all the heralds of salvation, "Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

This gospel, must be evangelically, not theoretically contended for. And there belongs to it, as opposed to undisguised Popery on the one hand, and ecclesiastical Pro-Catholicism on the other, things essential, and things accessorythings fundamental, and things less important. In contending evangelically for the faith, it is highly requisite, then, that we should all have clear, simple, and intelligent views of its primary peculiarities. On this point, therefore, hear the remarks of a master in Israel. The justly celebrated D'Aubigne, in a discourse at the opening meeting of the Theological School at Geneva, as delivered October 3, 1842, gives the following luminous view of genuine evangelical christianity, in contrast with the modern heresies of

GENUINE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY.

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Oxford and the more ancient heresies of Rome. He says, speaking of evangelical truth

"Now there are three principles which form its essence: the first we may call the formal principle, because it is the means by which the system forms and constructs itself; the second we may call the material principle, because it is the very doctrine which constitutes this religious system; the third I would call the personal, or moral principle, because it concerns the application of christianity to the soul of each individual.

I will explain the formal principle of Christianity in three words:

The word of God-ONLY.

That is to say, that the christian receives the knowledge of the truth only from the word of God, and admits no other source of religious knowledge.

"The material principle of Christianity I will also briefly explain :

The grace of Christ-ONLY.

That is to say, that the christian receives the possession of salvation only by the grace of Christ, and recognizes no other meritorious cause of life eternal.

"The personal principle of Christianity is explained in the simplest terms :—

The work of the Spirit-ONLY.

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THREE SIMPLE TRUTHS.

That is to say, that there must be in every sacred soul a moral and individual work of regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God, and not by a simple adjunction to the church, and the magical influences of certain ceremonies. Recal constantly to your minds these three simple truths:The WORD of GOD-ONLY;

The GRACE of CHRIST-ONLY;

The WORK of the SPIRIT-ONLY;

and they will be a lamp to your feet, and a light to all your paths. These are the three great watch-lights which the Holy Spirit has raised in the church; their light ought to spread from one end of the world to the other. While they shine, the church walks in the light; as soon as these three lights are extinguished, or only obscured, darkness, like that of Egypt, is spread upon Christianity. Now it is precisely these three fundamental principles of evangelical Christianity (says this able German theologian and historian of the 'Great Reformation') which are attacked by the new system of ecclesiastical Catholicism. It is not some points of detail, or some secondary doctrine, to attack which they lend themselves at Oxford—it is that which forms the very essence of Christianity and of the Reformation; and these truths are so important that, as Luther said, With them,

Guided, then, by these beautiful and simplified views of Protestant truth, let every christian in the growing conflict for great principles make D'Aubigne's language his watchword, and say, whilst contending for the faith evangelically, and not theoretically, "The Word of God only; the Grace of Christ only; the Work of the Spirit only;" and thus shall he prove himself a true champion for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Fifthly. Contend for the Faith-unitedly, not denominationally. Too long, much too long, has Judah envied Ephraim, and Ephraim vexed Judah. The sheep of Christ's flock have scattered and pastured too widely from one another a considerable time; but as God has permitted the enemy to make his appearance, they must instantly come closer together, and present a firm and unbroken phalanx to the invader. All those who hold the same grand truths of the Gospel must learn to feel and act more as brethren, and less as differing christians. Because, if ever there was a period in the history of our country, or of the world, in which the

*See "Geneva and Oxford," pages 18, 19, 20.

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CONFEDERATE MORE CLOSELY.

UNITY of all the faithful was imperatively demanded, it is the present.

No words of the writer will here be so appropriate, or powerful, as the eloquent and admirable sentiments which have lately proceeded from the pen of that distinguished minister and ornament of the Church of England, the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel. Speaking of the present crisis, and the rapid spread of refined Popery, he says:-" The time seems to be come when that GREAT CONFEDERATION of all Christ's people should take place, to the opposing and the overthrowing of the unity of those who know Him not. There is a great unity in the world amongst those who disbelieve the truth, or pervert it; but once let Christians be united in heart and act, and I, for one, fear not that the spurious unity of those who know and love Him not, would be speedily overborne by the unity of Christ's true followers throughout the world." "But (he adds) if we would unite with them, we must be more Catholic than we have been. We have strengthened the hands of the Anglo-Catholics, and the Roman Catholics, by our want of Catholicism. We have been too sectarian-too exclusive in our views. We have exaggerated diocesan episcopacy-we have dwelt on the peculiarities of our system, calling them 'Church principles,' whilst the principles