History of Presbyterianism church. For as he is not a Jew who is only one outwardly, neither is he a Christian who is simply one by public profession. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, and this new creature ever dis¬ covers itself practically in acts of faith working by love, faith especially in the Lord Jesus Christ, such a faith as will lead its owner to a cheerful obedience to his laws. The Scriptures teach us that the knowl¬ edge possessed by members of Christ's church must be both divine and spiritual, saving and practical— a knowledge which affects the heart and controls the life, a knowledge which cannot be acquired by the unaided exercise of human reason, but only by the infinitely higher influence or teaching of the Holy Spirit. This knowledge accordingly is some¬ thing which "flesh and blood cannot reveal, but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is in heaven." "For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God , for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritu¬ ally discerned." This knowledge therefore is manifestly taught by God himself and is peculiar to his own children; hence it is that we have the promise of the covenant in this precise language, "I will give them a heart to know me, saith the Lord, and they shall no more every man teach his neighbor saying know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least to the greatest;" and our Saviour saith, it is written in the prophets "They shall all be taught of God ." Such then is 188