"Catholic Church." The Church of
Christ is of necessity and essentially "Holy." We see that this must
be so, when we understand what Holy Scripture says of it; that it is
builded entirely by the Holy Ghost (Eph. ii. 20-22); that its members
are "called with an holy calling" (2 Tim. i. 9), "called to be saints"
(1 Cor. i. 2), that is, holy persons; and that a day will come when
the Lord Jesus, who "loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that
He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the
word," will "present it unto Himself a glorious Church, not having
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish"
(Eph. v. 25-27).

But yet we know that at present the Church of Christ is very far from
being perfect. And the mingling together of holy and unholy in the
Church is exactly in accordance with the prediction of our Lord
Himself. For whilst He spoke of the power of His grace to change and
sanctify the hearts of the subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven," He
also expressly foretold that there would be tares in His field
amongst the wheat (S. Matt. xiii. 24-30), which would remain as long
as the world lasts; and that the Gospel net would enclose bad fish as
well as good, and both would be retained in it until the Angels make
the separation at the end (S. Matt. xiii. 47-50). The truth of His
teaching has been confirmed by the subsequent history of the Church in
all ages. Holy and unholy are together; and though we are forbidden to
attempt to separate them, we know that there is, as it were, a gulf
between them, which though not impassable is very great. The words of
S. Paul to the Jews, "They are not all Israel, which are of Israel"
(Rom. ix. 6), apply to God's people still. And as he went on to quote
from the prophet Isaiah, "Though the number of the children of Israel
be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved" (Rom. ix. 27),
so, we know by experience, that it is still the "remnant" only, which
really live up to "the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," and
"press toward the mark for the prize" (Phil. iii. 14). "Many are
called, but few chosen" (S. Matt. xxii. 14).

Consequently, since there are unholy as well as holy members of "The
Holy Catholic Church," the question arises, What is the portion of
those who are, what they are called to be, "Saints"? And how shall we
express it? Shall we accept the theory of some who say that there are
two Churches; an outward and visible Chu