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Ecclesiology THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE IN OUTLINE ECCLESIOLOGY A TREATISE ON THE OHUEOH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EAKTH EDWAKD D. MOERIS, D.D. PROFESSOR OP SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY IN LANE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY ElS ftiav, ayiuv, xacSoXhKjjv xai dito6roXiHrjv EMHXrjGiav . —Symbolum Nicaeno Const. THEOl1.^jCAL S>MI\A»T, , NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1885 Copyright, 1885, BY Edward D, Morris. HLECTROTYPED AT THE FRANKLIN TYPE FOUNDRY, CINCINNATI. UA2.3 x^n T^7?>7 (THEOLOGICAL -; .:hry. ** *\*r yo** *--y PREFATORY. 15558 . The following pages contain a condensed summary of a series of Lectures delivered during the past seventeen years to the students of this Institution, in this department of Christian Doctrine. In the effort to prepare a succinct treatise, available for practical uses, rather than an elaborate dissertation, it has been deemed desirable to omit all extended discussion of controverted points, and simply to incor porate, with the briefest statement of grounds and reasons, such con clusions as have justified themselves to the author after careful inves tigation. Minor divisions and notations, employed in the class-room, have for the most part been omitted ; only such authorities as are easily accessible, are mentioned by way of reference. Prepared originally for the benefit of theological students, this brief volume — the fruit of many happy studies in this interesting field — is now, with some hesitation, sent forth from its seclusion here, in the hope that it may prove useful in wider circles. The fact that there is in present circulation, hardly any work of the same class, and cov ering the same ground, seems in part at least to justify such hope. And if the perusal of this treatise should help any single mind into clearer, broader, more irenic conceptions of the Church, or should contribute in the slightest measure toward the harmonizing of opinion and action among Christian men around this one divine Institution on whose growth and efficiency the interests of spiritual Christianity, the world over, seem now so vitally dependent, that hope will have gained its largest realization. E. D. M. Lane Theological Seminary: January, 1885. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. 5-13 I. Ecclesiology : The Term Defined, II. Relation to other Divisions of Doctrine, III. Biblical Basis of the Doctrine, IV. Sketch of Opinions in Ecclesiology, 9 V. Importance of the Proposed Inquiry, 11 CHAPTER FIRST. THE CHURCH IN THE DIVINE PLAN. THE IDEA, THE HISTORY, AND THE JUSTIFICATION. 13-41 I. Definition of the Term, Church : Various Uses, . .13 II. Analysis of the Term : Association, Piety, Constitution, Object, Permanence, . 16 III. Historic Unfolding of this Conception, . .19 IV. The Church Patriarchal: First Division 20 V. The Church Patriarchal : Second Division : The Abrahamic Church, 22 VI. The Church Hebraic: Preliminary Remarks, . .23 VII. The Church Hebraic : Special Characteristics : Doctrine, Law, Ritual, Priesthood, Seal, . .24 VIII. The Church Hebraic : Historic Development : The Theocratic, the Royal, the Prophetic Eras, . .27 IX. The Church as Constituted by Christ : Preliminary, . 29 X. Its Identity with Patriarchal and Hebraic Churches: In Foundation, in Conditions, in Aim and Destiny, . 31 XI. Important Points of Contrast Noted, 32 XII. General Argument For The Church : 33 1. It lies constructively in the Religious Nature, . 34 2. Required by Religion as an Experience, . .36 3. Religion perpetuated and advanced through the Church, 38 4. The Divine Glory manifested through it,-- . .39 (i) CONTESTS. CHAPTER SECOND. THE IMPERSONAL CONSTITUENTS OP THE CHURCH : ITS DOCTRINES, ITS SACRAMENTS, ITS ORDINANCES. 41-79 I. Doctrines Defined : Church Creeds Described, 42 II. Church Creeds : Reasons for their Existence, 4:3 III. Objections to Creeds : Limitations of Creeds, 44 IV. Sacraments Defined : Number of Sacraments, 4C> V. Baptism Defined : General Scriptural Warrant. 4S VI. Baptism : Its Nature and Design, . 00 VII. Baptism : Modes of Administration : Further Questions as to Usage, 52 VIII. Baptism : Subjects or Recipients, . 56 IX. Scripture Witness to Infant Baptism, . 50 X. The Lord's Supper : Warrant and Nature, . 62 XI. The Lord's Supper : Design and Participants, 65 XII. The Lord's Supper : Infuence and Worth: Other kindred Observances, . 67 XIII. Ordinances Defined : Positive Institutions, 70 XIV. The Sabbath— a Sacred Time : 1. Its triple Institution, . 71 2. Its threefold Design, . 72 3. Its perpetual Obligation, 7:: 4. The Change of Day justified, 74 5. Manner and Spirit of Observance, 74 XV. Three Associated Ordinances : 1. The Sanctuary — a Sacred Place, 75 2. The Means of Grace— a Sacred Cultus, 77 3. The Ministry — a Sacred Service, 78 CHAPTER THIRD. THE PERSONAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE CHURCH : ITS MEMBERS, ITS OFFICERS. 80-111 I. The Personal Element Supreme, 80 II. Church Membership: Preliminary View 82 III. Membership in the Primitive Church 83 CONTENTS. Hi IV. Greek and Papal View of Membership, 85 V. Protestant View after the Keformation, . .87 VI. Current Protestant Opinion : The Formal View, . 89 VII. Current Protestant Opinion : The Spiritual View, . 91 VIII. Membership in the Particular Church : Four specific Conditions requisite, 94 IX. Membership of the Children of Believers, . .96 X. The Church an Organization : Offices and Officers requisite, 98 XI. Temporary Church Offices : 1. The Prophetical Office, 100 2. The Apostolical Office, 100 3. The Evangelistic Office, 102 XII. Permanent Church Offices : 1. The Office of Instruction, 104 2. The Office of Government, 105 3. The Office of Administration, 106 XIII. Officers Requisite in the Church : The Ministry — call and functions, 107 XIV. Church Officers : Further Questions : Investiture, Authority, Limitations in Tenure, . 110 CHAPTER FOURTH. THE CHURCH AS A DIVINE KINGDOM: GOVERNMENT, POLITIES, DISCIPLINE. 112-151 I. The Church as a Structure : General Conception, 112 II. Church Government Defined and Justified, . 114 III. Church Government in Scripture, .... 117 IV. Varieties in Church Government : Diverse Polities, 118 V. The Papal Polity : Its Position and Claim, 121 VI. The Papal Polity Considered, 121 VII. The Prelatic Polity: Its Claim Outlined, . 127 VIII. Prelatism Examined, 12!) IX. Independency: Its General Position, . 132 X. The Claim of Independency Reviewed, . 135 XI. The Representative Polity Stated and Justified: 137 1. Derived from the Jewish synagogue system, 139 IV CONTENTS. 2. Developed gradually under apostolic guidance, . 140 3. Designed to secure efficiency in government, . 141 4. Represented church fellowship and unity, .... 142 5. Justified by Scripture and experience 143 XII. Cardinal Principles in Administration : Headship of Christ : Supremacy of Scripture, . 143 XIII. Practical Administration : Authority and Obedience, 146 XIV. Discipline as a Church Function : Warrant, Aims, Spirit, Methods, Extent, .... 148 CHAPTER FIFTH. THE CHURCH IN HUMAN SOCIETY: ITS UNITY, ITS GROWTH, ITS RELATIONS. I. Present Church Divisions : Forms and Causes, . 151 II. Church Divisions : Good and Evil Fruits 154 III. Organic Oneness: The Papal View 156 IV. Spiritual Unity : The Protestant View, .... 158 V. The Christian Church a Growth : General Conception, . 160 VI. Internal Law of Church Growth : Spiritual Propagation, 162 VII. External Law of Church Growth: Spiritual Conquest, 165 VIII. Illicit Processes of Church Growth, 167 IX. The Church in Human Society : General View, . 169 X. The Church and Human Sin, 171 XI. The Church and Human Institutions : Church and the Family : Church and State, .... 174 XII. The Church and Education : Church and Culture, . 177 XIII. The Church and Morality : Church and Reform, . 181 XIV. The Church and Civilization : Consummation of Humanity through the Church, . 183 THEOU-ilOAL ^ EOCLESIOLOGY: THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH. INTRODUCTION. I. Ecclesiology : The Term Defined. — The work of Salvation begins with the individual soul. In its exterior form, it is a redemp tion of the sinner from the judicial grasp of divine law, and from the penal issues of his sin. In its interior substance, it is a spiritual deliverance from sin itself, and a restoration of the sinner to holi ness, and to everlasting life. This personal salvation, wrought out externally through the redemptive work of the Son of God, and in ternally through the regenerative and sanctifying ministries of the Spirit of God, must antedate in time and become the substantial basis of all social or generic changes effected among mankind through the Gospel. The personal result is always and of necessity primary. The general aim and methods of the Gospel, the historic labors of our Lord for individual souls, the registered activities of the Holy Ghost, the peculiar type of character developed in and through these divine instrumentalities, all illustrate this great antecedent and most prac tical truth : Salvation must begin with the individual man. Yet Christianity is also social and generic in both its idea and its manifestation. It contemplates man in the aggregate ; it seeks the res toration of human society : its gracious purpose can be consummated only in the salvation of Humanity. As sin has passed through the individual man into the family, corrupting and destroying the house hold life, the salutary power of the Gospel must enter into the family circle to transform it by the same gracious processes through which the individual is both justified and sanctified before God. As sin has passed in like manner into the state, this divine religion must also enter into the political
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