to their works." (2 Cor. xi. 13-15.) These deceitful workers to whom the Apostle alluded, pretended to be apostles of Christ. They evidently attempted to imitate the apostolic character. They enunciated doctrines not entirely at variance, but still opposed to the glorious gospel, as may be gathered from this complaint of the Apostle, "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another Spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted," &c. They did not make a flat denial of the Gospel, that is not the way the arch tempter deceives; such a course would not have gained the desired end, but their preaching they managed with "subtlety," so that by an affected imitation of the Gospel it might commend itself to the erudite Corinthians.

Precisely similar is the policy and conduct of the Church of Rome. In her teaching there is a confession of truth, but it is annulled by error; and because we find this to be glaringly the case, we hesitate not to declare that the Roman Church is a false and a spurious Church.

Dr. Wordsworth advances other illustrations and arguments from other authors, and even from

Scripture, to show the Church of Rome to be a true Church, but a sophism runs through them all. For example, (Archbishop Laud against Fisher, p. 105, ed. Oxf., 1839,) "A Church that is exceedingly corrupt is yet a true Church in verity of essence, but it is not a right Church; as a thief is a true man in the verity of his essence but is not a right man." I will presume the Archbishop is writing here of the Roman Catholic Church. It is then compared to, or spoken of as, a thief. We may admit a thief to be a true man, but it does not necessarily follow that an "exceedingly corrupt" Church must be a true Church. In fact, there is no analogy. The admission of its being "exceedingly corrupt" proves the very opposite of what is intended; for as it is doctrine proclaimed, and not occult misdemeanours brought to light, that establishes a Church to be either theoretically true or false, if we find a Church acknowledging true doctrine, it is a true Church, if false, a false Church. Dr. Wordsworth enforces this as follows:

"Of Salvation only in the Church.

"Q. We have seen that the visible Church is a society; and since every society has some essential characteristic

by which it is distinguished from other societies, what is that by which the Church is discerned?

"A. The profession of the true religion.

"Q. And what is the essential characteristic of this profession of the true religion?

"A. It is faith in our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which distinguishes the true religion from the false; and separates the Church from all other societies of men, such as Pagans, Jews, Mahometans, Infidels, and Apostates."

If, then, this "faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," which distinguishes the Church from all other societies, is annulled or overturned, whether avowedly or with subtlety, the professors of such doctrine have embraced "another gospel which is not another," (Gal. i. 6, 7,) and thus are clearly not the adherents of that faith which must distinguish all belonging to the visible. Church.

A thief may be a true or real man in the verity of essence, but is not a right man, but a Church that is "exceedingly corrupt" in doctrine may be, if you will, a Church, but then it is, and must be, a false Church in verity of essence. Thieving may be the character of a man—a true man, but thievish, or exceedingly corrupt, doctrines -doctrines which rob the Lord Jesus Christ of

the glory due unto his name alone, destroy that distinguishing essential characteristic whereby the visible Church is discerned. The sophism, then, in the illustration is clear. It is there maintained, that as thieving does not destroy the man from being a man, so exceedingly corrupt doctrines do not destroy the Church from being a true Church! Nothing can be more fallacious. It can never be granted until it is proved, that the Church is not known and distinguished by the profession of "the true religion."

Dr. Wordsworth also quotes the following (Archbishop Bramhall, ii., p. 38,): "A Church may be said to be a true Church in two senses, metaphysically and morally; and every Church which hath the essentials of a Church, how tainted soever it be in other things, is metaphysically a true, though not morally a right Church."

This is rather metaphysically ambiguous, when brought in support of the question at issue; for it may possibly be assented to when the essentials of a Church are not tainted, but when the taint poisons, opposes, annuls, or destroys the essentials, the Church then is metaphysically false, as well as morally wrong. The doctrines and

practices of the Church of Rome elucidate this interpretation exactly.

On this same subject, we have the following question and answer, whereby it is attempted to prove by Scripture that the adherents of the Romish faith are in the Church:

"Q. But since then the English Church was, as you affirm, restored at the Reformation, [which I have shown to be impossible, p. 31,] can we say that she could have been properly called a Church, while she was infected with so many Papal corruptions as she was before it?

"A. Yes. Under Popery she was a Church, though an erring one. The Israelitish Church still remained a Church even under Ahab; the Jewish Church still existed under the Pharisees; the Scribes sat in Moses' seat and were to be obeyed in all things lawful and indifferent. Jerusalem was 'the Holy City' though its rulers did not receive Christ. The Christian Church existed still, when the world groaned it had become Arian. The ark of God was still the Ark of God, even when in the hands of the Philistines; and the vessels of the Temple were holy, even at Babylon. So the Church of England, though she had fallen from her former purity, was still a Church while under the Pope. If she was not a Church then, we admit she is no Church now; and we should then allow that she was founded at the Reformation, that is, that she was the work of men, and not of God; that she sprang from earth, and not from heaven; that she is a new Church, and therefore no Church. But no ;