THE CHURCHONE IN BROTHERLY CONCORD. S87 leges, and are entitled to the same promises, and encouraged by the same rewards, " being called in one hope of their calling," Eph. iv. 4. So they make up one spiritual corporation or republic, of which Christ is the sovereign Lord.' " Though theplace disjoin them, yet the Lord joins them together, being their common Lord," &c.' Hence a habit of disobedience severs a man from this body; for " Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven," or continue therein, Matt. vii. 21. Every such person, who " denieth God in works," is a rebel, an outlaw, renouncing his allegiance, forfeiting his title to God's protection and favour, Titus L 16. He is not a " sheep" of Christ, because he does not " hear his voice,"3 John x. 27. He is separated from the body by not " holding the Head," Col. ii. 19. "It is a lie to call one's self a Christian, and not to do the works of Christ"4 " He that does not the work of the Christian name seems not to be a Christian."' " When, instead of the works themselves, he begins to oppose even the most apparent truth, whereby he is reproved, then he is cut off (from the body, or the church)."6 Hence St Augustine often denies wicked persons to be in the church, or to appertain unto its unity.Vid. supra. " For when there is one and the sanie Lord that dwells in us, he everywhere joins and couples those that are his with the bond of unity. "' V. All Christians are linked together in peaceable concord and confederacy; so that they are bound to live in good correspondence, to communicate in works of piety and devotion, to defend and pro- mote the common interest of their profession. Upon the entrance of the gospel by our Lord's incarnation, it was by a celestial herald proclaimed, " Peace on earth, and good-will among men," Luke ii. 14. It was our Lord's office " to preach i `O pyap aim-óç Kíp, a srár'mr.Rom. a. 12. 2 El Sb Ó 4Ó9r05 wogs,, á.ì.Z' Ó KOiof d'V4aÚÇ 01,¢5r451 X,,,ÓÇ Óir, &c.Chrys. in 1 Cor. Orat. 1 Yid. s Qui eum non sequitur, quomodo se ovem ejus dicere audebit l'Aug. de Unit. Bed., cap. x. 4 Mendacium est, Christianum se dicere, et opera Christi non facere.Ambr. Qui Christiani nominis opus non agit,Christianus non esse videtur.Saly. de Cub. D. iv. 3 cum pro ipsis operibus etiam veritati apertissimse, qua redarguitur, resistere ceeperit, tune prseciditur.Aug. de Unit. Beet., cap. Fa. Nam quum Dominus nuns atque idem sit, qui habitat in nobis, conjungit ubique et copulat suos vinculo unitatis.Firmil, apud Cypr., Ep. lsay.
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