History of Presbyterianism

is not for us therefore to adopt real saintship as a distinguishing emblem by which to test practically the true membership of the visible church, because deceivers may at any time counterfeit real saintship and thus actually impose upon the church; and, be- sides, God alone is and can be judge of the human heart. But then, at the same time, it ought to be distinctly borne in mind that without this real saint— ship no one can honestly seek church fellowship, and that also without an open profession of this real saintship, or true conversion, accompanied at least by such practical appearances of personal holi- ness as just described, none can be consistently re- ceived into actual church communion, and if per- sons seeking admission do not so profess such saint— ship, or in other words, do not claim to have been truly converted, and do not manifest at least a sufficiency of corresponding fruit to justify a belief in their sincerity, they should not be received as properly accredited or genuine professors at all, as was the case with Simon Magus, who was convicted of hypocrisy both of his own words and deeds, and was therefore not again so far as we are told, esteemed a true professor, but whom, on the con» trary, we find Peter addressing in the following alarming language, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter.” It was by what Simon Magus said and did in offering money to purchase the gift of God that Peter convicted him of duplic-

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