PAGE Paul's appeals to the vóuos are only to the outward Mosaic law as an Hence the term vóuos denotes in a more general sense what is common to both Judaism and Christianity; in the one to an outward, in the other to an Under the Jewish theocracy the service was external, v пaλαιóτηti γράμματος-Under the Gospel internal, ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος—Its δουλεία identical with violería; the worship of the former σapkiкn, of the latter πνευματική; in the one was κατὰ σάρκα, in the other ἐν κυρίῳ a. The transformation of the sinful nature by the Divine; accomplished gra- dually; the raps opposed not merely by the higher nature of man but by the Spirit of Christ (πνεῦμα ἅγιον)......... All the mental and bodily powers become organs of grace-The Spirit of Christ pervades all the peculiar talents of individuals; hence charisms.. 468, 469 Objective justification as an unchangeable ground of confidence, distin- guished from subjective sanctification, which is often an uncertain ground... 470 b. The principles of the new life-Faith, Love, Hope. πίστις sometimes denotes the whole extent of Christian ability—δύνατος T TίOTEL relates particularly to the judgment formed by the Christian of outward things-Hence proceeds Christian freedom, which is shown even in submitting to outward restraints Love the natural effect of faith-By the revelation of the love of God in redemption, love to him is continually kindled Faith and love partly relate to the kingdom of God as present, but they have also a marked relation to the future, for the new life is in a state of constant progression, it longs after the perfect revelation of the children Hence hope necessarily belongs to faith and love-Perseverance in the work of faith is the practical side of hope .................... The knowledge of divine things proceeds from faith-Proceeds from the spiritual life-Depends on the increase of love-Being necessarily defective in the present state, is connected with the hope of perfect intuition ...... 479, 480 Love the greatest of the three, because it alone abides for ever; 1 Cor. xiii. 13.......... c. Special Christian virtues proceeding from Faith, Love, and Hope. α. ταπεινοφροσύνη distinguishes the Christian from the Heathen view of the world; only partial even on the Jewish standing-point; though its direct relation is to God alone, yet its effects are, opposition to all self-exaltation, 7. The Church and Sacraments. The immediate relation of each individual to Christ of primary import- The care of the general good committed to all according to their respective PAGE 493 a. Baptism-"Putting on Christ"-Its twofold reference to the death and resurrection of Christ; includes a reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit -The outward and the inward are supposed to be combined.................. 494, 495 b. The Supper. A feast of commemoration, 1 Cor. xi. 24, the celebration of Christ's suffer- Preparation by means of the Jewish theocracy-And completed by Christianity; the former sensible and national, the latter spiritual and By faith in Christ, the Messianic kingdom, the alov μéλλwv as opposed to the alov ouTоs or Tоvпpòs becomes already present-Hence the kingdom A threefold application of the term. 1. The present internal kingdom of God, 1 Cor. iv. 20; Rom. xiv. 17. 2. The future completion of it, 1 Cor. vi. 10. 3. The present as one with the future, 1 Thess. ii. 12; 2 Thess. i. 5............................... b. The heavenly community co-existing with the invisible church. The kingdom of God embraces a higher spiritual worla, in which the archetype of the church is realized-Mankind are united to this higher world by the knowledge of God, Eph. iii. 15, Col. i. 20, compared with Christ is the head of this universal church, as uniting the divine and human natures-The idea of the Logos-Not accidentally connected with the person of Christ-Enters into the essence of Christianity ............504-509 B. The opposition of the kingdom of God to the kingdom of evil. The prevalence of sin among mankind connected with the prevalence of evil in the higher world-All ungodliness the power of a spirit whose king- Christ the destroyer of this kingdom-His death apparently a defeat, but in reality a victory-Charisms the tokens of his triumph The conflict with the kingdom of evil carried on by Christians.................. 513 C. The development of the kingdom of God till its final completion. The accomplishment of the scheme of redemption a work of free grace...... 514 a. As opposed to preeminence of natural descent...................................... 514 b. As opposed to legal merits........ Apparent denial of free self-determination in Rom. ix., but not the apostle's intention to give a complete theory-But an antithetical reference Confidence in their own righteousness the cause of the rejection of the Jews-The Gentiles warned against presumptuous reliances on divine To excite Christian confidence, the apostle refers to the unalterable counsel of divine love-Allusions to the consummation of the kingdom of God 520-522 10. The doctrine of the Resurrection and the State of the Soul after Death. a. The doctrine of the Resurrection. The spiritual awakening by faith a preparation for the future-The Palin- genesia of nature, Rom. viii. 19... b. State of the Soul after death till the Resurrection. Whether Paul considered the state of the soul after death till the resurrec- PAGE But his expectation of continued communion with Christ, as signified in Cor. iv. 16, opposed to this supposition; also Phil. i. 21, 23; 2 Tim. iv. 18..525, 526 Possibility of an alteration in his views by progressive illumination-But a comparison of 1 Cor. xv. with 2 Cor. v. 1, is against this ...... BOOK I. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN PALESTINE, PREVIOUS TO ITS SPREAD AMONG HEATHEN NATIONS. CHAPTER I. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ON ITS FIRST APPEARANCE AS A The THE historical development of the Christian Church as a body is similar to that of the Christian life in each of its members. In the latter case, the transition from an unchristian to a christian state is not an event altogether sudden, and without any preparatory steps. Many separate rays of divine light, at different times, enter the soul; various influences of awakening preparative grace are felt, before the birth of that new divine life by which the whole character of man is destined to be taken possession of, pervaded, and transformed. appearance of a new personality sanctified by the divine principle of life, necessarily forms a great era in life, but the commencement of this era is not marked with perfect precision and distinctness; the new creation manifests itself more or less gradually by its effects. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth." The same may be affirmed of the church collectively, with this difference, however, that here the point of commencement is more visibly and decidedly marked. It is true, that Christ, during his ministry on earth, laid the foundation of the outward structure of the church; he then formed that community, that spiritual theocracy, wlfose members were held together by faith in him, and a profession of allegiance to him as their King; and which was the chosen vessel for receiving and conveying to all the tribes of the earth that divine indwelling life, which he came to impart to the whole human race. The fountain of divine life was still shut up in him, and had not diffused itself abroad with that energy and peculiarity of direction, which were essential to the formation of the Christian church. The apostles themselves were as yet confined to the bodily presence and outward guidance of the Redeemer: though, by the operation of Christ, the seminal principle of a divine life had been deposited in their hearts, and given signs of germination, still it had not attained its full expansion and peculiar character; hence it might be affirmed, that what constituted the animating spirit and the essential nature of the Christian church, as an association gradually enlarging itself—(the unity of a divine life manifesting itself in a variety of individual peculiarities) had not yet appeared; this event, indeed, Christ had intimated would not take place till preparation had been made for it by his sufferings and return to his heavenly Father. At his last interview with the disciples, just before his final separation from them, in answer to their inquiry respecting the coming of his kingdom, he referred them to the power of the Holy Spirit, who would enable them rightly to understand the doctrine of his kingdom, and furnish them with fit instruments for spreading it through the world. All the promises of the Saviour relate, it is true, not merely to one single event, but to the whole of the influence of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and, in a certain sense, on the Universal Church founded by their means; yet the display of that influence for the first time, forms so distinguished an epoch in the lives of the Apostles, that it may properly be considered as an especial fulfilment of these promises. Christ pointed out to the Apostles such a palpable epoch, which would be attended with a firm conviction of a great internal operation on their minds, an unwavering consciousness of the illumination imparted by the Divine Spirit; for, before his final departure, he enjoined upon them, not to leave Jerusalem till that promise was fulfilled, and they had received that baptism of the Spirit which would shortly take place. On account of this event, the Pentecost which the disciples celebrated soon after the Saviour's departure, is of such great |