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PART I.

THE POLITY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH UNDER CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES.

CHAPTER I

THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH.

Exzinoia, Church, from exzaleo, to call, to call together, corresponds to the Hebrew p, and signifies,

1. A convocation, an assembly, a congregation. The disor derly assembly at Ephesus, described in Acts 19: 24-41, is called, in verses 32 and 40, an exxho, ecclesia. The name is applied, in verse 39, to a lawful assembly, evrouw exzhyσią.

2. The people of God under the Mosaic dispensation. Acts 7:38. This is he that was with the exxoia, church, in the wilderness." The general assemblies, in an especial manner, were called by this name. Septuagint, Deut. 18: 16; 2 Chron. 1: 3, 5; 1 Macc. 2: 56; 4: 59.

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3. An assembly of Christians, a Christian congregation. 1 Cor. 11: 18.- -"For first I hear that when ye are come together in exxλno, meeting (in an assembly), there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it."

4. A Christian church, a society of Christians ordinarily meeting in the same congregation, and residing in the same place.

The church at Jerusalem. Acts 2: 4, 7. — And the Lord

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