salvation of his people? Alas! what selfseeking and self-pleasing, human attainments and creature righteousness, men are taught to be looking after, instead of looking to Christ in order to recommend themselves to God. And what may we finally expect, nationally considered, will be the consequence, but as it was with Israel of old? Ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they rejected the Lord of life and glory. The Pharisees of those times were not chargeable with immoralities, for they prided themselves in those attainments. They did not neglect the ordinances of God's house, for they were strict to excess in all outward observances. But they slighted Him, by whom alone salvation could be obtained. And what national judgment followed? And very certain it is that the condemning sin of every people is thinking light of Him whom Jehovah delighteth to honour. O! what a tremendous judgment is contained in that one sentence: "For

the nation, and kingdom, that will not serve thee shall perish." Isa. lx. 12.*

Not to animadvert on the great uncharitableness of the above extract, who would suppose, from the very high and exclusive profession of Dr. Hawker, that he himself is chargeable with not holding up our Lord Jesus Christ scripturally and fully, in all his offices, characters and relations?

Our Lord sustains three most important offices in his church. He is the prophet, priest, and king. I will not stay to enquire whether the Doctor does scripturally and fully exhibit our Lord in his prophetic and priestly offices, or not: but I have no hesitation in saying that he fails greatly in

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holding him up to his people's view in his work, offices, characters, and relations,' as head over all things to the church, and as the king whom the Divine Father hath set upon his holy hill of Zion,† The holy scriptures give to the mediator the kingly office, as emphatically and exclusively as they do

* True Gospel, pp. 12, 13, 14.

† Ps. ii. 6.

the priestly and prophetic. To reign is his by inheritance, by reward, by appointment and by excellence. Our Lord claims the kingdom of grace as his own; his servants speak of it as his kingdom. The Divine Father recognizes him as king, and has anointed him with the Holy Spirit to this office. From him emanate all its laws, by him were its ordinances instituted, under his righteous sceptre is the whole government administered. By him pardons are dispensed; and by him all that believe are justified. It is he our God and Saviour, who saves us by the "washing of regeneration and the renew. ing of the Holy Ghost." It hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;† and out of his fulness all his servants receive, and grace for grace. He it is who protects, defends, supports, supplies and succeeds his subjects. He perfects his strength in their weakness, and renders his grace sufficient for them. To him all the subjects

I

* Tit. iii. 5.

+ Col. i. 19.

John i. 16.

|| 2 Cor. xii. 9.

*

of his kingdom owe allegiance; his laws only are to be obeyed; his authority only to be acknowledged, and he will be the judge at last. To him "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess."* As the king on the holy hill of Zion, as well as the great high priest of our profession, he is the alpha and the omega; Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever...

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Now Dr. Hawker not only omits to exhibit, maintain and enforce, according to the proportion of faith, the rights, authority, laws, and government of our Lord in his kingdom; but it appears as though he would supersede his kingly office and government, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.No sooner had Jesus,' says the Doctor, ascended, than the Holy Ghost descended; and in an open display of himself, took upon him the more immediate government of the church, in his own personal ministry. And from the same unchanging love to the church, in watching over her best interests, he or

* Phil. ii. 10, 11.

+ Heb. xiii. 8.

dained his servants the apostles, and inspired them with the spirit of prophecy, to forewarn the church of the awful heresies which should arise to mark the latter day.*

The views contained in this statement of the office and government of the Holy Spirit, pervade, and are the very soul of the Doctor's whole system. Our Lord is allowed to be the redeemer and saviour of the church as a priest. The vicarious engagements of his priestly office could not by any possibility be attributed to the Holy Spirit; but the government and present salvation of the church, he either directly or indirectly ascribes exclusively to the Holy Ghost. As the Lord the Spirit is the founder,' says Dr. Hawker,

so is he the governor, preserver, teacher, comforter, sanctifier of the church in all ages."t

However such views of the divine economy in the government of the church, may accord with the system of divinity adopted and

*Best of remedies p. p. 3. 4.

+ Comment on Acts iv.