(6) The Christian must also discipline himself. Through the crucifixion of his lower nature he rises into newness of life. St. Paul describes (Tit 2^2) the negative side as 'denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,' and the positive as to 'live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world ' ('sobrie erga nos; juste erga proximum ; pie erga Deum' [St. Bernard, Sermon xi., Paris, 1667-90]) ; see Ro 129, xit 212 ; cf. 2 Ti 2^^, 1 P 42, 1 Jn 2}^ ;
also Lk V\ Ac IT^" 2425. The Christian must put away anger, bitterness, clamour, covetousness, envy, evil-speaking, falsehood, fornication, guile, hypocrisy, malice, railing, shameful speaking, uncleanness, wrath (Eph 4"-32, Col S^-n ; cf. Ja I*', 1 P 2'). Then he must acquire and mature posi- tive virtues. This involves at every stage self- discipline (see Ro 6"* S^^, 1 Co g^^a. Col 3^ : cf. Mt 523 18", Mk 9«, Gal 52^).
Many elements enter into this discipline of self. Amongst others the following deserve special mention : prayer, ' the hallowing of desire, by- carrying it up to the fountain of holiness' (J. Morison, Com. on St. Matthew^, 1885, p. 89) ; see Ro 12'2 ; cf. Ac 1", Eph 6^3, Col 42-^, 1 P 4^ ; cf. Mt 26«, Lk 18' 2136. Fasting is frequently as- sociated M'ith prayer : e.g. Ac 13^ 142"-*, Did. vii. 4, viii. 1, and many other passages. Ramsay {St. Paul the Traveller and the JRoman Citizen, London, 1895, p. 122) speaks of the solemn prayer and fast which accompanied the appointment of the elders, and says that 'this meeting and rite of fasting, which Paul celebrated in each city on his return journey, is to be taken as the form that was to be permanently observed.' Sobriety in thought and action is commended (Ro 12^ ; cf. 1 P 4^ [Gr.], 1 Th 56. 8^ 1 Xi 2**- 16 ; cf. Sir 183" [Gr.]) ; loatchfulness (Ac 24'6, Ro 8'9- 23, 1 Co V 16l^ 2 Co 418, Eph 6i», Col 42, Tit 213, He 13", 1 P 4^ 2 P 312 ; cf. Mt 24^2 26^1, Mk 13-*3, Lk 2136) . obedience (Ro 13'-^ 2 Co 2« 71* 106, 1 Ti 21-3, Tit 31, 1 P 213- 14 31, 1 Jn 2^ 3-2) ; patience (Ro 53 8'-' 15^ 1 Th 13, 2 Th P-s 3«, He W^, Ja P ; cf. Mt 1022 2413, Lk 21 '9) ; conflict against error and evil forces and on behalf of the truth (Eph e'l'i^ 1 Ti l'8-2o 612, 2 Ti 23-4 4^'-, Philem2, Jude3) ; work (Ac 183, Eph 428, 1 Th 41', 2 Th 38-12) . almsgiving (Ac 2417, Ro 1213 15-5- 26, 1 Co 16i-S 2 Co 96- 7, Gal 610, 1 Ti 6i''-i^ He I316, Ja 2i5- 16, 1 Jn 3" ; cf . Mt e'"- 20, To 4''-ii) ; temperance (Ac 24'-^, 1 Co 925, Gal 5-3 ; cf. Sir 1830 [Gr.], Tit 1«, 2 P P); chastity (Ro W\ Gal 52^ 1 P 211, 1 Jn 216 ; cf. Sir 18-^'') ; meekness (Ro 12i«, Eph 42 52, Ph 23, Col 312, 1 Ti 611, j p 55. 6).
In Ph 4** and 2 P \*'^ there are inspiring direc- tions for this same self-discipline. 'If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,' the brethren are to 'think on,' or 'take account of,' 'whatsoever tilings are true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, of good report.' If men are to become partakers of the Divine nature, and to escape the corruption that is in the world by lust, they must heed the injunction: 'For this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue ; and in your virtue knowledge ; and in your knowledge temperance ; and in your temper- ance patience ; and in your patience godliness ; and in your godliness love of the brethren ; and in your love of the brethren love ' (see also 1 Co 13 and 1 Jn 416). This will save from idleness and unfruitfulness. They will give the more diligence to make their calling and election sure.
No doubt the expectation in the Apostolic Age of the cataclysmic and immediate coming of Christ led to rigour and austerity of life, which were afterwards relaxed in many places. The moral necessity of discipline is always the same, even though the power of belief in the second coming of Christ in spectacular fashion wanes or departs. After the close of the 1st cent, the development of asceticism and penance became pronounced. The NT gives little or no countenance to the extreme forms that these disciplinary systems assumed.
2. Ecclesiastical discipline. — For self-protection and self-assertion the early Church had to exercise a strict discipline. Its well-being and very life depended upon the suppression of abuses and the expulsion of persistent and gross offenders. In some cases toleration would have meant unfaith-
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fulness to Christ and degradation to the community. The duty of maintaining an adequate discipline vas one of the most diflBcult and most important tasks that confronted the primitive Ecclesia. Jesus Himself gave to the apostles (Mt 18^*- '^, Jn 202-- 2^) and to the Church (xMt 18i*-'8) a disciplinary charter. The Church follovred the main lines of guidance therein contained. Only public sins were dealt with in the ecclesiastical courts. Private offences were to be confessed to each other (Ja 5'^), that prayer might be offered for forgiveness (5'^ 1 Jn 5'®), and also confessed to God (1 Jn 1^). Further, Christians were discouraged from carry- ing disputes to the civil courts {1 Co 6^ ; cf. 5^- 6-*). ' Let not those v. ho have disputes go to law before the civil powers, but let them by ail means be re- conciled by the leaders of the Church, and let them rightly yield to their decision' (see Clem. Ep. ad Jacob., 10). The object of ecclesiastical discipline was to prevent scandal and to restore the offender. "When private rebuke and remonstrance failed (Mt 18^'; cf. 1 Th 5"), the wrong-doer was censured by the whole community (cf. 1 Ti S^", Gal 2"). This sentence might be pronounced by some person in authority, or by the community as con:munity. If the accused person still remained obdurate, and in the ease of heinous sin, the Church proceeded to expulsion and excommunication (Ro 13-^, 1 Co 52. 11. 13^ o ju io)_ ^ rrte offender was thrust out from religious gatherings and debarred from social inter- course. To such excommunication might be added the farther penalty of physical punishment (Ac 51-10 824^ 1 Co 5^ 1 ti 520) or an anathema {c.v6.9iiJ.a, 1 Co 16", Gal 1^). Kno\ying the great influence of the mind over the body, one can readily under- stand that disease, and even death, might follow such sentences. It was fully belisved that the culprit was exposed, without defencej to the attacks of Satan (1 Co -5'^).