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as it exists amongst men, has been defined by lawyers,

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a state in which two persons are indissolubly united "in life." According to the definition of Scripture, "two shall be one flesh;" than which expression, certainly, none more proper or vigorous could have been employed. But here is something farther. "He who "is joined to the Lord," is not only one body with him, "a member of his flesh, and of his bones," but also "one spirit" with him. And who can doubt that, since Christ and the Church are so fair, and so closely united, the happy consequence must be a most delightful interchange of mutual love. Such an interchange of love doth in reality take place. "How fair, and "how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!" must not, therefore, presume to disjoin in our meditations, subjects which are connected together by so many ties. But having treated of God and Christ, and the Spirit who proceeds from both, we must now speak of the CHURCH, which the FATHER has elected, and the SON redeemed, and which the SPIRIT unites to Christ, and seals unto the day of complete redemption.

We

II. Four points fall to be explained here. First, THE NAME. Secondly, THE THING ITSELF. Thirdly, THE EPITHETS. Fourthly, The exercise of our FAITH in relation to the Church thus described.

III. It is proper to take notice of three Greek terms which are very similar in meaning, namely, Zuvaywyn, Εκκλησια, Πανηγυρις. Συναγωγή, Synagoga, corresponds to the Hebrew word, and in the New Testament generally signifies the assemblies of the Jews, which were held here and there, in various places and cities,

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for religious purposes. And as the designation Curia, which at first was given to men that conjunctly conducted the affairs of the state, was transferred to the place where they met; or as amongst the Greeks Boug signifies not only the senate, but also the place in which the senate is held,-the word Synagogue has been applied in the same manner; as is evident from Luke vii. 5, and numberless other passages. It has been observed, however, by the learned, that there is scarcely a single passage in the sacred volume, where this term is employed to denote the Societies of Christians. Paul indeed exhorts the Hebrews "not to forsake" την ἐπισυναγωγην ἀντων, “ the assembling of themselves

together."s But as he is there addressing the Hebrews, he accommodates himself to their forms of speech. Nor yet does he use precisely the same word, and the expression he employs is not of the same meaning with Church; for the Apostles are accustomed to speak of the Church of God, or of Christ, not of the Church of these or those persons. 'Exovvaywyn, therefore, denotes the gathering together itself, or the assembling of believers, as in 2 Thes. ii. 1, where Beza has well rendered it aggregatio, gathering together." James alone uses the expression, ovvaywyn, the synagogue of Christians. Whether he intends, however, the place of meeting, or the assembling or gathering together, or the assembly which meets, I shall not now scrupulously examine. But that Apostle also addresses himself chiefly to the Jews, to whom he thought it would be agreeable for him to adopt a term which among them was at once common and honourable.

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IV. Christ, and the Apostles after him, nevertheless, preferred 'Exzλnosa, Ecclesia;—a word, which, though originally borrowed from the Grecian customs, and afterwards applied to the institutions of the Jews, was at length peculiarly appropriated to Christians. In democratic states, an assembly of those of higher rank was styled συγκλησία, οι βουλή; and the name Ecclesia, which is derived from izzaλew, to call out, was given to the assemblies of the people, who were called out by a public herald, and gathered into a certain place, in order to deliberate together. Conformably to this, the Greek Interpreters of the Old Testament gave the name Ecclesia, to the assembly of Israelites, which at certain stated seasons, was called together to one place from all parts of Judea, to celebrate the solemn festivals, and to perform public and important acts of religious worship. The corresponding word in Hebrew, is p. Now the word Ecclesia seemed to Christ and his Apostles more proper than any other to designate the community of believers, both because it was the most pertinent to signify the thing, and because they wished by this appellation to distinguish Christians from Jews, who chiefly assumed the designation of Synagogue. They were disposed, in fine, to accommodate themselves, in this instance, to the Gentiles, who were henceforth to constitute by far the greater part of the people of God: For while Synagoga was a word rarely used among the Greeks, Ecclesia was a term remarkably well known, very popular, and naturally calculated to conciliate the minds of men. It denotes a promiscuous multitude of men of all descriptions, not indeed confused and irregular, but of such a complexion that none is excluded from it on account of the meanness of his rank. To this effect are the following words of Paul :

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"For ye see your calling,h brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, "not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the "foolish things of the world," &c.63

v. We must not neglect to advert also to the word Пavnyugis, Panegyris, which the Apostle uses in Heb. xii. 23, and which differs somewhat in meaning from Ecclesia. When the people were summoned to consult or determine about affairs relating to the commonwealth, the meeting, as we have remarked, was termed Ecclesia. But when they were invited to any solemn spectacle, as in the Panathenea, the assembly was then styled Panegyris; and a speech delivered at such a time was termed a panegyrical oration.*64 An assembly of believers, therefore, may be called Ecclesia, because they meet to consider the matters which pertain to the kingdom of God, that is, spiritual and heavenly things; they may be denominated Panegyris, as they are invited and admitted to by far the greatest of all spectacles; namely, that of the Divine perfections shining forth in Christ,-a sight which even celestial spirits contemplate for ever without satiety.

VI. Let what has been said suffice at present for an explanation of the terms. We now proceed to the thing itself. The Church may be defined, A Society of believing and holy men, called by God out of the world of mankind by the word of the Gospel, to a participation of the blessings of the covenant of grace which stands fast in Christ. That this definition contains nothing superfluous, will appear from an explication of the several expressions. When we call

Πανηγυρικὸς λόγος.

Tv xλñow, from which the word Ecclesia is derived. 1 Cor. i 26.

63 Sec NOTE LXIII.

64 See NOTE LXIV.

the Church a Society, we show that it is a multitude; "We being many," &c.i-but a multitude of persons united together, "We being many, are one body." "The body is not one member, but many:"; "And "the Church is the body of Christ."k We confine this community to men. Angels are indeed our "fellow-servants," having the same Lord with us, and are sons of the same family,m and sharers of the same felicity, which consists in fellowship with God; and hence it is said, "ye are come to an innumerable 66 company of angels." It is, however, quite in a different way, and by a different title, that angels are what they are. They are not redeemed by Christ, nor called by the Gospel, nor regenerated by the Spirit, nor partakers of the covenant of grace. These are the high privileges, and distinguishing characteristics of the Church; "For verily he took not on him the nature "of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham." We add, that it is a society of believing men, that is, of men who receive the doctrine of the Gospel, and recognise it as true. "Then they that gladly received "his word, were baptized," and added to the church.p "Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, "and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." And we call it a society of holy men; "An holy na"tion ;""Called to be saints." They are gathered together by God, who is therefore styled "he that "calleth;" as they themselves are "the Church of

t

i 1 Cor. x. 17.
k Col. i. 18.

S

j 1 Cor. xii. 14.

1 Rev. xix. 10.

n Heb. xii. 22.

m Job i. 6.

Heb. ii. 16.

P Acts ii. 41.

4 Heb. iii. 6.

r 1 Pet. ii. 9.

⚫ 1 Cor. i. 2.

t Rom. ix. 11.

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