absolutely to include all ages as well as all parts of the world, does indeed describe the genuine catholicity of the Church of God, the body of Christ.

The apostle Paul having declared the resurrection and exaltation of Christ by the power of God, adds, that God gave Him (Christ) to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body; and then, in an amplifying description of that body, he includes all the foreordained members thereof, from the first to the last, calling it "the fulness of Him who filleth all in all;" the fulness, mystically speaking, of Him whose human nature is the head of the body, and who in his Godhead filleth all in all. Christ considered in the purpose of God is not alone. He is "the first-born of many brethren,"2 the Head of a body consisting of many members. The aggregate of these members constitutes the fulness of the whole body. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ" (1 Cor. xii. 12). So long as any of these members are absent, (not yet born, or not yet born again,) there remains a degree of imperfection, i.e., of what may in contrast be called emptiness about the body. Thus the Church, in the sense here described, is the fulness of Christ. Neither is the head without the body, nor the body without the head; but the head and the body, Christ and the Church of God in Christ, are one. The language of David in spirit concerning the members of his natural body is the language of Christ concerning His Church. "For Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being

omnia se tempora extendat, nullis vel locis inclusa, vel temporibus. Damnamus ergo Donatistas, qui ecclesiam in nescio quos Africæ coarctabant angulos. Nec Romanensem approbamus clerum, qui solam prope Romanam ecclesiam venditant pro catholica."-Conf. Helvetica, cap. xvii.

unperfect; and in Thy book were all my members written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them" (Psalm cxxxix. 13—16).1

With a few observations of a more practical character, on the figure here used by the Holy Ghost in the apostle, I will conclude this chapter. The head of the natural body is the seat of wisdom and counsel, in compliance with the decisions of which the whole body is governed. Concerning the Church, it is written, Jesus Christ is made unto us wisdom. It is His, prerogative to decide for us in all things, without any possibility of mistake, and without any possibility of appeal; and it is our high privilege to find obedience perfect freedom. This is the basis of much and precious experimental truth. He who is our Head for guidance is also our Head for protection; and in His exaltation over all things for His Church, we have the best assurance of that protection being all-sufficient. Our own treacherous hearts within; a tempting and ensnaring world without the powers of darkness under their great leader Beelzebub, the chief of the devils, who goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: all these things are against

us.

But over all things Jesus is supreme, and we are "members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones."

Again, in the natural body, the head is the receiver of appropriate food, and the communicator of strength and nourishment, and increase thereby, to all the members. And concerning the Church it is written, that from Jesus Christ, the Head, "all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." Or, as is elsewhere expressed by the same apostle, "from Him which is the Head, even Christ, the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according

It is easy to dismiss all this by applying to it what is considered an opprobrious name, and calling it Calvinism. It is easy to plead against it what is supposed and asserted to be the general tenor of Scripture a phrase descriptive of that compromise between the two sides of divine truth which spoils both; but it is not easy to grapple with the numerous passages of Scripture here quoted in their contexts, and to show what is their true meaning, if what is here asserted be not true.

to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love." The nourishment ministered is the Holy Spirit. Our great Head, having led captivity captive, is exalted in our nature to the right hand of the Father, and has received gifts for men, that the Lord God, the Holy Ghost, may dwell among us. The Spirit thus received without measure into Christ, overflows like the ointment upon the head, even Aaron's head, diffuses itself amongst the members, joining, compacting, supplying, and effectually working in the measure of every part, unto the power and increase of life and godliness which is in love. Here also personal experience is our holy privilege : "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard; that went down to the skirts of his garments." But how so? There is no natural similitude between unity amongst brethren, and the flowing down of ointment from the head upon the members. The similitude does not lie in the natural image, but in the combination of the type of the High Priest, and the doctrine now before us. Unity amongst brethren, in the sense of the Psalmist, is given and maintained by the Holy Ghost, and by Him alone. Aaron stood a type of the whole body of Christ his head representing Christ, and his garments to their skirts representing the members of Christ. The precious ointment was a type of the unction of the Holy Ghost, by the penetrating, softening, enlightening, and sanctifying energy of which the brethren dwell together in unity.

1

Behold, how good, and, oh! taste how pleasant, how unspeakable and full of glory, is the joy of putting on as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of

peace.

Again, in the natural body, the head responds in quick

1 Psalm cxxxiii.

instinctive sympathy to the enjoyment or the suffering of any or every member. When acute pain in any member or members forces a cry from the body, it is the head that gives utterance. Concerning the Church, Jesus said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it" (shown kindness or the contrary)" to one of the least of these, ye have done it unto ME." And on one remarkable occasion, when a few of the members were persecuted unto bitter endurance by the frantic, misguided zeal of Saul of Tarsus, the Head gave utterance to their cry, and in the touching oneness of genuine sympathy, said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?"

This leads us to consider the unity of the Church of God in Christ.

CHAPTER III.

THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST-ITS UNITY.

Uniformity not essential to Unity-Our present Position-Archdeacon Hare quoted-In what true Unity consists-Mr. Palmer's Statement examined -Old Testament Believers, though differing in Ordinances, included in the Unity of the Church-Luke x. 23, 24, no Objection-Nor Matt. xi. 11— One Spirit-No Entrance into the Church but by Him-External Nature opens no Door-Christ is the only Door-No Entrance through Christ but by the One Spirit-No Gift of the Spirit but by Christ-Yet the Spirit was given, and Members of the Church saved for 4000 Years before Christ came True Unity thus proved to be inclusive of much Diversity-Among those who so differ, mutual Recognition as Christians a Duty-Co-operation an Impossibility.

GREAT and manifold are the lamentations uttered by good and pious men over the existing divisions in the Church of God, and earnest are their longings after unity. It may, however, be fairly questioned whether much that is complained of as division be really division; and whether much that is longed for as unity be indeed essential to unity. For in what-let it be asked, and let it be thoughtfully and carefully answered-in what consists the true unity of the Christian Church?

Is it that all who profess and call themselves Christians should pray in the same language, thus reversing the great miracle of Pentecost? Or is it that they all should worship in the same forms; all their ministers wearing the same dresses, and using the same postures? Or is it that while reverently obedient in observing the outward ordinances of Christianity instituted by the Lord, they should all ascribe exactly the same kind and the same degree of efficacy to those ordinances? Or is it that they should all interpret exactly in the same way those intimations