keeper?"

But to the Christian there can be no question on these subjects.

It must not, however, be overlooked that, with the few exceptions referred to, the New Testament always speaks of the children of God in a sense in which the expression is applicable to those only who are Christians. In Romans 8: 9, it is said, "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God." In Matt. 5 44, 45, it is taught that we should love our enemies, "that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven," implying that those who do not love their enemies are not the children of God. These and other passages deny sonship to all who do not love, worship and obey him. Thus we read, in Romans 8: 14, "For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God," which implies that those who are not led by that spirit are not his children. How can such passages be reconciled with the view that all men are the children of God? We use the expression "child of God" in two senses. In one sense it designates those whom God has made in his image, and for whom he gave his Son. God is not merely their Father in the sense of Creator, but he is their Father because he gave them his image and made them for communion with himself. In this sense all human

beings are the children of God. In the other sense a child of God is one that loves God as a Father, and obeys him. The same distinction here made between

the children of God is made between the children of a family. While all the descendants of the same parents are children, some may be loving, obedient, and good, while the rest are unloving, disobedient,

NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL SONSHIP.

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and bad. God also has two kinds of sons. To each he says, "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard."* The one obeys, but the other disobeys. This indicates exactly the difference between the two classes of God's children on earth; one class is loving and obedient, the other is unloving and disobedient. We therefore make this distinction: Naturally, all men are the children of God; but in a spiritual sense only those are his children who love and obey him. This idea of natural and spiritual sonship is strikingly illustrated in the parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger brother is, indeed, a son while away from his father, but only a natural son; but when he returns home he is a spiritual son also. In order that he may pass from a state of natural to spiritual sonship, the lost must be found and brought home, and the dead must be made alive.

The idea of natural and spiritual relationship is taught in Matt. 12:46-50. Being told that his mother and his brethren (natural relationship) stood without, desiring to speak with him, Jesus said, "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hands towards his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren (spiritual relationship)! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." That is, this spiritual relationship does not depend on natural ties, but on doing God's will. Christ's disciples sustain this new spiritual relation to Christ, to the Father, and also to one another. Thus Andrew and Simon are brothers (natural relation); but after both find * Matt. 21: 28-31.

Christ they are also brothers in another sense (spiritual relation).

There is thus a natural sonship and there is a spiritual sonship. There is also a natural and there is a spiritual family of God. There is a likeness to God which is only that of nature, which has its source in creation, and which is greatly marred by sin; and there is a spiritual likeness to God, that is, a likeness in spirit, in affection, in deed-a likeness that has its source in the new creation, in regeneration. In the spiritual sonship the image of God is restored to its original purity. Of the natural sonship Adam, "which was the son of God," is the historic head; of the spiritual sonship Jesus Christ is the historic head. The former sonship has only nature; the latter has also grace. There is also a natural brotherhood, consisting of all the members of the human family; and there is a spiritual brotherhood, consisting of those who are made spiritual through Christ. Jesus is the elder brother in the spiritual brotherhood, and those who are brothers to him must also be brothers to one another.*

The spiritual brotherhood is synonymous with Christian society. This is formed from those who are members of the natural brotherhood; but in entering this spiritual brotherhood they do not cease to belong to the natural brotherhood.

"

*Matt. 28: 10; John 20: 17; Rom. 8: 29; Heb. 2: II; I Cor. 6:6; 8: 11; 2 Thess. 3:15. The word "brotherhood is used only in 1 Pet. 2: 17.

CHAPTER V.

THE MEMBERS OF THE SPIRITUAL BROTHERHOOD.

WE have already seen that Christ is the organizer of Christian society and the centre of attachment. The character of the natural society, from which Christian society is formed by Christ, has also been considered. Christ is, so to speak, the creative Artist; the natural family is the material on which he works; this material he fashions into the spiritual family of God, according to the divine ideal. We are now prepared to consider the members of this family who constitute the Christian brotherhood.

This brotherhood, or Christian society, is a spiritual organism within the natural brotherhood. It is an organism, since the individuals in this society form a body, to which they are related as members, being united to that body in a living manner. It is not a mechanism in which all the parts are united into a whole, but not in a living manner. This society is as really an organism as is the tree or the animal. But it is a spiritual organism-that is, the means of union are not merely vital, but they are also spiritual. But this means of union, while not material but spiritual and invisible, is not less real and vital than in the most perfect material organism. Christians form an organized community of spiritual life. This concep

tion of Christian society as a spiritual organism is Scriptural, being taught by the figure of the vine and the branches, and also by that of the body and the members. Every time we speak of the individuals composing Christian society as members, we recognize the fact that this society is an organism.

The members of this spiritual organism are a part of the natural brotherhood, and possess all that is essential to it; but they also have some things which those who are members of the natural brotherhood only do not possess. There must be a change in the natural man, and something must be added to him, before he can be a member of the spiritual brotherhood. But the introduction of a man into the spiritual family is by no means, and in no sense, an unhumanizing process. In becoming a Christian he does not cease to be a man, nor does he lose a single trait of true manhood. He can say, with truth, "Nothing of humanity is foreign to me." The fact is that the spiritualization which constitutes a man a Christian, instead of interfering with his humanity, makes it more real. It makes a man more a man, by removing from him all that is in conflict with his true nature, and by developing all the essential qualities of that nature. The real Christian is the highest type of manhood; for he is the realization of the ideal of man.

It is important to urge what may be called the humanity of the Gospel; that is, its human character, its adaptation to man, and its power of restoring to him his lost manhood. We can sanction no view which regards the Christianizing of man as an unnaturalizing process.

The Gospel proposes to restore the