shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:16, 17). That this love should extend beyond our friends to the unthankful and the evil is shown by Matt. 5: 43-48. To love of the brethren" we should add "love" which goes out to all men (2 Peter 1 : 7). As all have been created by one Father and redeemed by one Saviour, so all should regard and treat each other as brethren. "For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3: 26, 28). Sonship and brotherhood are not fully realized except in conscious relations to Christ. The basis of this fraternity is in our original constitution, in the order of nature, in the acts of creation and redemption. It is proclaimed in the gospel. But actual moral experience of it enters with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

The issue of a sanctified life in heaven is the future state

of " glorification" (Rom. 8: 30). That state is as yet hidden from our eyes and from our imagination.

"It is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is" (1 John 3 : 2).

Of this future outcome of salvation as a personal life with Christ in heaven, of the future kingdom of glory on earth, and of the eternal society of the saints, we shall study at a later stage.

SUMMARY.

Salvation threefold. The person of Christ: his humanity, divinity. The work of Christ, as Prophet, Priest, and Prince. The work of the Holy Spirit. Union with Christ and its results. Conversion, justification, sanctification.

CHAPTER V

THE CHURCH

WHEN God gave men work to do he furnished them with all necessary organs. So he gives love and holiness to his children and to the church, with its agencies or ordinances, means of expressing the graces and purposes of the soul. The thought and love of God became incarnate in Christ, and, in order to be known and felt everywhere, they must become embodied in the persons and institutions of the Christian community. Hence Paul calls the church the body of Christ and its members the organs of that body (I Cor. 12).1

Section 1. Organization of the Church.

1. Definitions. The word "church" is used to designate the universal body of believers and also a local community of believers who have been baptized into Christ, and who are living under his laws. Generally it is not difficult to distinguish these two uses of the word from the connection.

A third use of the word is a description of any popular assembly gathered for some social purpose. The Epistles speak of the church as the entire number of the regenerate. Christ is the head of the body, the church (Col. 1: 18, 24; Eph. 1: 22; 5: 23, 25; Gal. 1:13; i Cor. 15:9; 1 Tim. 3: 15). It includes even the saints in heaven (Heb. 12:23).

2. The local church.

In the letter of James and the earliest letters of Paul, we find local churches already or

1 Another volume of this series will give a complete view of the topics of this chapter; therefore only an outline is offered here.

ganized in a very simple and natural way (James 2 : 2; 5: 14; 1 Thess. I . I; 2: 14; 2 Cor. 1 : 1).

3. Names and character. The churches are not named after human leaders, as Wesleyans, Lutherans; nor after a rite or method, as Baptists, Methodists; nor after some form of government, as Episcopalian or Presbyterian, but just "churches of God." May we not hope that the people of God will yet return to this designation! The members of New Testament churches are not called after their rank or station or title or calling-as reverend, doctor, prince, colonel, etc., but simply, one and all, “saints.' Love, righteousness, and honesty are broadly human, while skill, learning, beauty, gracefulness, and social dignities are qualities of select persons. When shall we be rid of all the nonsense of titles, a weakness of our age? Could we add anything to the honor of Peter or John or Paul, by adding "D. D." or " Right Reverend"?

The fact that these churches had an organization is shown by the laws given to govern them, by the appointment and election of officers to administer affairs, and by the definition of the purposes of the churches. For the first stages of church life we must go to the Acts of the Apostles. The Epistles take for granted the state of things described in that book. Paul writes to the Corinthians urging unity of thought and action, while he recognizes the variety of gifts and modes of working (1 Cor. 1 : 10–12).

Section 2. Government.

1. The local churches, under the laws of Christ, and the apostles as his living witnesses, were self-governing. apostles left no successors.

The

There were few rules to restrict freedom. Each church was to do its work in a way suited to its peculiar circumstances, following the principle of Paul: "I am become all things to all men, that by all means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9: 19-22; 2 Cor. 4: I, 2). Even when the apostles were present they did not take decisions into their own hands, but respected the freedom and wisdom of the people.

But this local self-government did not mean selfish isolation. Each church felt itself to be under the law of love

and courtesy to all others. A great part of Paul's business in his missionary tours among the European churches was to collect money to aid the poor, persecuted, and imperiled Christians in Palestine (1 Cor. 16: 1-4; 2 Cor. 8: 16–24). The customs of the Christian people were to be regarded with respect (1 Cor. 11:16; 14: 33). The council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) shows how representatives of churches consulted in matters of difference of opinion.

2. The only permanent officers of local churches were bishops (called also presbyters or elders) and deacons.

The apostles were not ordinary and permanent officers. They were men who had seen Jesus and were witnesses of the fact of his resurrection (1 Cor. 15: 8-10; 1 John 1: I; 2 Peter 1: 16-18; 1 Cor. 9: 1, 2). They spoke with authority upon the law of Christ. This authority expired with the last of those who had seen Christ, although early church history shows that officers of the same name continued to be known. "Prophets' were persons of extraordinary or special gifts, but not always officers of government (1 Cor. 12: 28; Eph. 4 : 11).

Evangelists were persons who heralded the glad tidings and had gifts of persuasion. Each was free to exercise his peculiar talent, but all must be done decently and in order (1 Cor. 14: 39, 40).

The following are named as performing special tasksapostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, governors (counsellors), men gifted with tongues (1 Cor. 12: 28; Eph. 4: 11). In letters addressed to churches no officers are mentioned other than bishops and deacons (Phil. 1 : 1). In the pastoral letters, where the qualifications and duties of church officers are formally stated, no others are named (1 Tim. 3: 1-13; Titus 1: 5-9).

The bishops (overseers) are mentioned in several places. They are also called presbyters (elders) because they were

persons of mature age, or because the title was familiar to Jews in connection with the synagogue.

The duties of officers. Peter had his solemn charge from the risen Jesus: "Feed my lambs-feed my sheep" (John 21.15-18. He never forgot the phrase. In a letter he says long afterward: "The elders therefore among you, I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according unto God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away" (1 Peter 5 · 1-4). In James 5: 14, we have, perhaps, the earliest mention of elders and of their duties: "Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins it shall be forgiven him." The right attitude of elders to the people may be learned from Paul, who, though he was apostle as well as elder, said: "Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy" (2 Cor. 1: 24). He used his power as a minister to assist the free growth of the Christian life within them. "He has no right to place himself between their souls and God, as a necessary channel in all cases of the divine life" (Cambridge Bible).

Qualifications of elders. One who desires the office and work of a bishop,

must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious no lover of money; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity ; (but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he