faith," and in Eph. 2: 19 it is termed "the household of God," the latter term signifying to whom the church belongs.

As in every home there should be government, law, and order, so in the household of God, Christ is the head of the family. He has placed the members under government and rule, and he demands that they all be "obedient children." "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God." The New Testament is the law by which this household is governed, and every member must observe all things commanded (Matt. 28: 20). If in anything any member of the Lord's household become unruly and fail to behave himself as Christians should, the rod of correction will be used (Heb. 12:5-11).

Under this figure, then, is brought out clearly the universality of the church, its exclusiveness, and its government.

A WOMAN.

One beautiful figure under which the newtestament church is presented is that of a woman. In Rev. 12:1 we read, "And there

appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." This woman represents the true church of God in her primitive beauty and glory. Her being "clothed with the sun" would signify that she was clothed with the authority, power, glory, holiness, might, and truth of Christ himself. The crown upon her head would signify that she was a queen. The twelve stars in her crown signify the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Thus the true church is presented to us under the figure of a beautiful woman, while in the seventeenth chapter of this same book of symbols the apostate church is presented under the figure of a corrupted, adulterous woman decked with the filthiness of her fornications.

Under this figure of a woman the church appears as a bride. Of her John the Baptist in his ministry said, "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom." John 3: 29. The bridegroom is Christ, and the bride is his church. Again, in 2 Cor. 11:2 we read, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." In these texts the re

lationship between Christ and his church, or people, is expressed as being an espousal. Jesus came to earth to purchase for himself a bride. He purchased her with his own precious blood, and under this figure she became his. During the present dispensation she is called out from this world of sin, and is robed in the garments of salvation, with his own righteousness, termed "white linen, clean and white,' and thus she is being made ready to be presented to him "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing."

At the second coming Christ will appear to receive his bride unto himself. This, in figure, is called the marriage of the Lamb. See Rev. 19:7, 8. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb." What that great supper will consist of we are not now able to tell, but then will be fulfilled the words of Jesus, "I will eat and drink anew with you in my Father's kingdom." In that new earth the church is seen as a bride, the Lamb's wife, the marriage having taken place. Under this figure, then, our future and eternal union with Christ is expressed by the term "marriage"-the marriage of the Lamb.

Under another and separate figure our present union with Christ is beautifully expressed by the same term. Paul, in Rom. 7:1-4, draws a beautiful analogy between a couple joined in the sacred bonds of wedlock and Christ and his people as individuals. "That we should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead." In Eph. 5: 23-33 it will be seen that in some respects the same relationship which exists between the husband and the wife in natural matrimony, exists between Christ and his church. As the husband is the head of the wife, so Christ is the head of the church. As the wife is to be subject to her husband, so the church is subject to Christ. Husbands are exhorted to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Husbands are exhorted to nourish and cherish their wives even as the Lord does the church. As a husband and a wife are no more twain, but one flesh; so we are members of his body, his flesh, and his bones. In this we have a beautiful figure of the present close relationship that exists between Christ and his church, or people, on earth. Just as the woman must forsake home, friends, and all, and cleave to her husband; so the Lord re

quires of us in order to be numbered among those who constitute his true bride, that we forsake father, mother, friends, and even our own life, and cleave to him alone. And as a true wife loves her husband and lives in true affection with him, so we love him because he first loved us.

In the S. of Sol. 4:7 the Lord speaks of the church in the following language: "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." And again, of her the prophet said, "My dove, my undefiled, is but one. She is the only one of her mother." Measured by these texts, the sectarian institutions in the world today, called churches, fall far short of being the bride of Christ; in fact, they form no part of her. Christ has but one wife. He has but one church. der this figure is again clearly brought to view the oneness and the exclusiveness of the newtestament church.

Un

There is still another figure in which a beautiful relationship between the church and God, the Father, is expressed. "For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name,

the Holy One of Israel. The God of the whole earth shall he be called." Isa. 54:5.