SECT. 8. Relations and mutual Duties of Churches.

Having seen that every church is formed of believers, whose rights are equal, by a voluntary confederation, in virtue of which they were endowed with church power; that one church is neither superior nor inferior to another in rights and authority; that all ecclesiastical authority comes directly from Christ, and not from, nor through, any particular church, or churches, or church officers; that each church is separately accountable to Christ for the use or abuse of its power; that any number of disciples may, for good cause, and in an orderly way, form themselves into a church by mutual covenant, and exercise the highest ecclesiastial power, without being connected with, or dependent upon, any other church; it is proper that we next examine the true relations of churches to each other, and the duties arising therefrom.

It has been supposed that an aggregation of churches by their representatives, in an association, consociation, synod, conference, presbytery, convention, or general assembly, has more power than a single church. But instead of this, such an assembly has no church power at all. No such body has any right to receive a single member to, or expel one from, any church; nor to dictate in the least degree in respect to the doctrine, discipline, or fellowship of any church. It is an error to suppose that churches can increase and concentrate their power by union. This error is the parent of high-church doctrines, of prelacy and popery, as well as of every other form of ecclesiastical intolerance, with all their train of evils.

It should be remembered that the real bond of union in a church is love. It was love that first drew the members together—it is love that still holds them in union. This is the element in which they live, and move, and have their being, as a church. The Saviour well knew that these principles of church order and government could not be carried into practice without love, directed by knowledge;

nor, indeed, any other form of church government; for without love there could be no church at all. As he was about to leave his disciples, therefore, who were soon to be formed into churches without his visible presence, he said to them, "This is my commandment, that ye love one another." Says the apostle to the Corinthian church, "Let all your things be done with charity," or in the exercise of love. "Let brotherly love continue." "Have fervent charity [love] among yourselves." In this respect the analogy between churches and civil governments entirely fails, for men form the latter to protect each other against each other's selfishness, and nearly all the wisdom of statesmen, legislators, governors, judges, and civil tribunals, is directed to this end. Churches are formed on precisely the opposite principle—not at all for mutual protection against each other, or against the rest of mankind, but because mutual love draws the members together, and love to all men constrains them to labor for their salvation in obedience to their Lord's command.

Let this principle be kept in mind, and it will be seen that distinct churches have no occasion for combining their power. There can be no desire for it till they become selfish bodies, and when they do, the sooner they cease to be churches, or to be called such, the better. The church at Ephesus was threatened by the Lord Jesus with extinction, because it had left its first love an awful threatening which was long since executed. "I will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

There is, therefore, no necessary bond of union between churches but fraternal love. In the exercise of this grace it was customary for the primitive churches to assist each other by pecuniary aid, by furnishing each other with teachers, and by advice in cases of difficulty. The modern custom of forming associations of churches for the cultivation of acquaintance and mutual love, and for more unity of effort in the cause of human salvation, while the independence of each church is recognized, is in perfect accordance with this principle, and is of obvious utility. The only object for

which one church should seek any form of union with others is, that of doing them good, or in connection with them, of doing good to the world.

The great principle which regulates the relations and the mutual duties of churches is this: In design, in spirit, in doctrine, in love, in their purposes and desires, they are all one church; in visible organization, many. Consequently, what is injurious to one, is injurious to all; what is for the good of one, is for the good of all. Each is, or ought to be, a type of the church above. They have no compulsory authority over each other, but they are bound to seek each other's welfare by every means in their power, and to pay respectful attention to each other's opinions, wishes, and doings. The acts of coöperation mentioned in the scrip

tures are,

I. Sending spiritual teachers to each other's help. Such were sent by the church in Jerusalem to the church in Antioch. Acts 11: 22-27. 15: 22-27. 18: 27. Eph. 6: 21. 1 Cor. 16: 15-18.

f. II. Administering to each other's temporal necessities. 1 Cor. 16:1-3. 2 Cor. 8: 1—4, 13—24. 9:1-15. In Rom. 15: 26, this pecuniary assistance is called a communion, though translated contribution; and in the next verse the duty of affording pecuniary aid is declared to be reciprocal with that of furnishing spiritual teachers.

III. Seeking and affording advice and assistance to each other in cases of divisions and contentions by which the peace of any church is disturbed and its prosperity endangered. The clearest case of this kind, in which the relations and the duties of churches in matters of this nature are most fully brought to view, is in Acts 15. We are there told, 1. That "no small dissention and disputation" had arisen in the church at Antioch respecting a very important question of doctrine and discipline. (Verses 1,2.), 2. That the church sent ministers and brethren, probably from both parties, to Jerusalem for advice and assistance. Verses

2, 3. 3. That these messengers were received by the church, and the apostles, and elders" in Jerusalem, Verse 4.);

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4. That the question was publicly discussed by the apostles and others (Verses 5-11. 5. That opportunity was given to the delegates from the church at Antioch to state the facts in the case. Verse 12. 6. That the opinion given by the church in Jerusalem was in the name of the apostles, elders, and brethren;" which was transmitted to the church in Antioch in writing. (Verses 23-29. 7. That "the apostles and elders, with the whole church," chose and sent men of their own number to accompany the delegates from Antioch, "to tell the same things by mouth," (Verses 22, 27.)

This example illustrates very fully the duty of seeking the advice and aid of sister churches in cases of difficulty and division; the duty of rendering it promptly and affectionately when desired; and the nature of it, when given. It was not dictation which was sought, but instruction and advice; which were given and made pleasing by kindness, and effective by moral influence. And it is worthy of special remark, as illustrative of true church independence, that although the question was a far-reaching and all-important one, and although inspired apostles were present, yet they do not attempt to settle it by interposing their official authority. They resort to a clear statement of facts, and to argument founded upon them, to procure a decision of the "whole church," so that the advice comes to the church at Antioch in the name of the whole church at Jerusalem.

IV. It is plain that the principle of coöperation in the general spread of the gospel and the gathering of new churches, was recognized by the apostles and the primitive churches. The church in Antioch first engaged as a church in this work, Acts 13: 2, 3; but it is evident that Paul and Barnabas, and others, received their support in part from other churches. 2 Cor. 11: 8. 12: 13, 18. Phil. 6: 10 -18. Such were the poverty and the persecutions which pressed down the primitive churches that they could do little else than establish the principle, which it belongs to more favored churches to carry out fully.

It is evident, therefore, that churches sustain to each

other most sacred and enduring relations. Their separate independence is in itself no barrier to their most cordial, extensive, and useful coöperation; and ought never to be so regarded. On the contrary, it is a strong argument in favor of such coöperation; for no services are so pleasant, or mutually profitable, as those which are freely given. Independent completeness in visible organization—in corporate rights and functions-involves no separation, in purpose or in spirit. So that were ten thousand churches, formed on these principles, to act consistently with their obvious design, they would, for all the purposes of their existence, be as truly ONE CHURCH as they could possibly be, if consolidated into one organized body under the oversight of a bench of prelates, or a pope.

CHAPTER III.

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATION.

A church, therefore, may exist with full powers without officers, though a scriptural organization is necessary to its prosperous existence and usefulness. Officers, or ministers, are to a church what hands and feet are to a man. Every society must have its officers, whose duties are defined in its constitution and laws. Civil government could not accomplish its purposes without officers, or public servants, appointed to the discharge of specific duties. Neither can a christian church, although its constituent elements, and its objects, are so entirely different.

The opinions of men, however, differ widely in regard to the principles on which civil governments should be organized, and their officers be appointed. Some advocate the “divine right of kings," disobedience to whose authority is treason against God. This right to rule, jure divino, they maintain, existed previously to all civil compacts, and all municipal law. Others believe that men are endowed with all the necessary capabilities for self-government, and pos