Did we reflect on what the Church is, did we consider her rank in the universe, her relation to God, the place she holds so to speak, in his affections, the bare thought of the salvation of a single soul not spiritually begotten of her should make us thrill with horror. It would give the lie to all God's providences, and subvert the whole economy of His grace. We need not start at this. All may have the Church for their mother, if they choose. Christ is in the Church, but He is also out of the Church. In the Church He is operating by His grace to save those who enter; out of her He operates also by His grace, or is ready to operate, in the hearts of all men, to supply the will and ability to come in. Do not imagine that God has only half done His work, that He has merely prepared His Church, fitted her up as a palace, filled her with good things, all things necessary for our salvation, when once we have entered, but that He has left us without the ability to find her out, or, having found her out, without ability to enter. He leaves nothing undone. No man has the natural ability to come into the Church, any more than he has the natural ability to save himself after he has come in. All before and all after is the work of God. We can do nothing of ourselves alone – make not even the first motion without His grace inciting and assisting us. Of no use would have been His Church – it would have been a mere mockery, or a splendid failure – if He had not provided for our entrance as well as for our salvation afterwards.