and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the Church that is in their house' (xvi. 19). The reason of this strong salutation is found in the fact that Aquila and Priscilla had recently come with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus (Acts xviii. 18, 19). Their occupation was tent-making. They required large apartments for their business, and these, wherever they sojourned, were opened as a regular place of meeting for Christians. In their house a company of believers met together as an organized company in the name and service of the Lord. The salutation from the Church that was in their house at Ephesus, was evidently from a regular society assembling there. It was not from a religious family, which in New Testament usage is ever termed 'a household.' It could not be from stray individuals, who came once and perhaps never again. If so, the Corinthians could not tell from whom the salutation came. This, then, was one congregation, however small, in the house of these tent-makers.

But that could not be the entire Church of Ephesus, which was one of the most flourishing of apostolic times. To Ephesus, one of the chief centres of Eastern heathenism, came the Apostle Paul on his second missionary tour. On his third journey he remained three months, disputing and persuading concerning the kingdom of God. After the separation of the unbelieving Jews, he disputed daily in the school of one Tyrannus. Thus 'by the space of three years' Paul'ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears; teaching not only publicly, but from house to house.' Ephesus was highly favoured: in addition to those already mentioned, Apollos, Timothy, Tychicus, and some twelve other gifted men, there sowed the good seed of the kingdom. It is also supposed that Ephesus was the chief residence of the Apostle John in his latter days. The seed thus sown found in Ephesus a kindly soil. Notwithstanding the most determined opposition, its roots struck deep. A large and flourishing Church was there established. The success was so great that Demetrius declared to his fellow-workmen, 'Not only this our craft is in danger, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised;' then 'the whole city was filled with confusion.' And no wonder; for 'this

Paul persuaded and turned away much people, saying, that they be no gods which are made with hands' (Acts xix. 7, 26, 27, 29). These statements evince-First, That the silver shrinemakers were filled with reasonable alarm, in which the population sympathized. Their idolatry was in danger of being overthrown. And, secondly, That such a numerous body of believers could not fully carry out the purposes of a Church of Christ, unless organized in separate companies.

Then, it must be noted again, that in his address to the elders of the Ephesian Church at Miletus, Paul exhorted them 'to take heed to all the flock, and to feed the Church of God.' These elders were recognized as possessing a joint-oversight in or over the whole Church. No other overseers or bishops are recognized or charged as divinely authorized to govern the Ephesian Church but these elders. How far the Ephesian Church extended is another question. The epistle of Paul, though addressed primarily to the Church in Ephesus,' contains so little that is peculiar to that Church, and so much that is common to all the Gentile Churches, that it is generally believed to have had a much wider range. If so, then the Ephesian Church comprehended more than the residents in the city, and of necessity there must have been several congregations as the combined 'flock over the which the Holy Ghost' had constituted that body of elders the governors. But leaving this question out of sight, there remains, as in former instances-First, The high probability that the Ephesian Church consisted of a plurality of congregations, from the large number of its members and teachers. And, secondly, The fact that one flourishing Church was recognized as 'the Church in Ephesus,' while there was another Church in a house. Manifestly here a plurality of congregations constituted one Church under one administration.

§ 5. LAODICEA.

One passage brings the whole matter as to this place into a focus. Writing to the Colossians, Paul exhorts, Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church. which is in his house. And when this epistle is read among

you, cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans ’ (Col. iv. 15, 16). Three parties are here saluted—(1.) The Laodicean brethren; (2.) Nymphas; (3.) The Church in the house of Nymphas. The close connection of the passage shows that this Church in the house existed in Laodicea. Thus, one church or congregation, the brethren in Laodicea, is distinguished from another in the dwelling of Nymphas; and then both together are spoken of as the Church of the Laodiceans,' in which the Epistle to the Colossians is expressly ordered to be read. A plurality of congregations constituted that Laodicean Church.

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§ 6. ROME.

Aquila and Priscilla had gone to Rome. There, as at Ephesus, they opened their dwelling for the assemblies of the company of the faithful. Possibly in these times of difficulty and danger, these zealous and loving ones went thither for that very end. Paul wrote of them, 'to all that be in Rome,' the 'beloved of God.' In his epistle, he sends greeting to Aquila and Priscilla, declaring that they were his 'helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks, unto whom not only I give thanks, but all the Churches of the Gentiles.' Then comes the greeting to 'the Church that is in their house' (Rom. xvi. 3-6). But that could be only a portion of the early Church of Rome, whose faith was spoken of throughout the whole world.' In addition to that assembly of Christians in that dwelling, Paul sends special salutations to some twenty-four believers of note at Rome. He further salutes two households, 'brethren which are with' five persons, and all the saints which are with other five (Rom. xvi.) These salutations evidently are for the members of the larger Church at Rome. Whether these brethren which were with Asyncritus, &c., and all the saints which were with Philologus, &c., were two distinct congregations, as is probable, the Church at Rome was at least composed of two congregations-that in the dwelling of the tentmakers, and that to which these other parties were attached. If they had comprised but one fellowship, there would have been. no necessity for saluting them with such distinctions. The small

congregation is carefully distinguished from all the persons addressed. Thus, in Rome also, particular Churches were included in the government of one united Church.

There is, then, evidence that in various localities there were small stated assemblies of Christians in private dwellings, which were regarded as regular churches or congregations, and that these were regarded as portions of the larger body. The whole are addressed as 'the Church' of that one locality, and particular directions are given to each, implying the common associated government of the eldership or presbytery. This evidence is not only highly probable, as in the case of Antioch, rising up almost to perfect certainty, as in Jerusalem, but the fact is plainly stated. In the Churches of Corinth, Ephesus, Laodicea, and Rome, that plurality under one government is clearly and fully presented. These four instances remove any doubt as to the two former, and present the principle applicable to all the apostolic Churches, and the precedent on which all other Churches are to be organized and modelled. Apart from some such arrangement, it is impossible to escape from a feeling that these large bodies of professing Christians must have been masses of confusion and perplexity. Let us receive these plain statements of Scripture, and this feeling is completely removed. Every Church, however large in each locality, is now beheld illustrating the truth that 'God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace,' and that this is specially manifest 'in all the Churches of the saints.'

XIV. PRINCIPLE. THE CONGREGATIONS OF A LOCALITY FORM ONE CHURCH, WHICH IS GOVERNED BY THE ASSOCIATED ELDERS

OF THESE CONGREGATIONS.

QUESTIONS.

1. State a fourth application of the term 'church,' received from certain expressions.

2. Give the confirmations of this impression in the case of Jerusalem.

3. Do so also in regard to Antioch.

4. Besides these, what more direct proof is furnished in the Church at Corinth?

5. Give the facts regarding the Ephesian Church.

6. Mention three parties saluted at Laodicea, and how they are regarded.

7. Give the facts regarding the Church at Rome.

8. Gather up these particulars, and state the principle.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLY.

ABOUT twenty years after our Lord's ascension, a remarkable assembly was convened at Jerusalem. It was remarkable on account of its constitution, its cause, its deliberation, its decision, its recognition. In each of these aspects it forms the model for the Church of Christ in all time and throughout all the earth. That assembly, consequently, claims careful and unprejudiced consideration.

§ 1. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY.

A public reception was given with cordial welcome to a deputation from a far distant community by the Church' and 'the apostles and elders' at Jerusalem. They came from Antioch, a city distant from Jerusalem as far as London is from Edinburgh. The deputation consisted of Paul and Barnabas, and certain others,' whose names for wise reasons are not given: And they declared all things that God had done with them.' Immediately after this declaration, 'there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to keep the law of Moses.' Thus at the first meeting of that assembly, the particular point of doctrine which had caused the deputation and reference was boldly affirmed as a 'but' or detraction from those things which Paul and Barnabas affirmed God had done with them. The raising of that difficult