CHAPTER III.

The organization of the apostolic church.

Unity of the Church of Israel, 248
Christian Church also made up of associated congregations, 249
The Apostles act upon the principle of ecclesiastical confederation, 250
Polity of the Christian Church borrowed from the institutions of
    the Israelites, 251
Account of the Sanhedrim and inferior Jewish courts, ib. 
Evidences of similar arrangements in the Christian Church, 253
How the meeting mentioned in the 15th chapter of the Acts differed
    in its construction from the Sanhedrim, 254
Why we have not a more particular account of the government
    of the Christian Church in the New Testament, 255
No higher and lower houses of convocation in the apostolic Church, ib. 
James not bishop of Jerusalem, 256
Origin of the story, ib. 
Jerusalem for some time the stated place of meeting of the highest
    court of the Christian Church, 257
Traces of provincial organization in Proconsular Asia, Galatia, and
    other districts, among the apostolic Churches, 258
Intercourse between apostolic Churches, by letters and deputations, 260
How there were preachers in the apostolic Church of whom the
    Apostles disapproved, 261
The unity of the apostolic Church—­in what it consisted, to
    what it may be compared, 262

CHAPTER IV.

The angels of the seven churches.

The mysterious symbols of the Apocalypse, 263
The seven stars seven angels, 264
These angels not angelic beings, and not corporate bodies,
    but individuals, 265
The name angel probably not taken from that of an officer of the
    synagogue, ib. 
The angel of the synagogue a congregational officer, 266
The angels of the Churches not diocesan bishops, 267
The stars, not attached to the candlesticks, but in the hand of
    Christ, 268
The angels of the Churches were their messengers sent to visit
    John in Patmos, ib. 
Why only seven angels named, 271