of apprehension the unity of the Church is not a single organization, like Romanism subject to the authority of the Pope, but an organism like the mustard-tree or like the Adamic race. Humanity, though the same the world over, bears in its mysterious depths differentiating possibilities or types; different types develop into different nationalities, each nation bearing the definite marks of its own type; and the past history of the world shows that different types commonly develop, not in the sympathy of one nation with other nations, but in the character of intense antipathy. Yet neither differentiating types nor the hostilities of nations annul the essential unity of mankind. As there is but one physiology for all men and one anatomy, so there is but one psychology, one mathematics, one logic; the fundamental pattern, the prime ethical qualities, the categories and laws of thought are the same among all nations in spite of their hatreds, jeal ousies and wars.

Like the race of the first man is in one respect the race of the Second Man. Being an organic unity, it bears in itself differentiating possibilities which develop into permanent variations of cultus and organization.

The Church from the very beginning reveals these differentiating tendencies. By common consent we have at least three distinct types of Christianity reflected by the New Testament, the Petrine, the Pauline and the Johan nean type; yet the apostolic Church was in truth one body. Varying characteristics, varying modes of apprehending Christian truth as between Peter and Paul, different spheres of evangelistic work, Peter among the Jews, Paul among the Gentiles, and varying methods of service, some insisting on the circumcision of Gentile converts,

others firmly resisting circumcision, did not annul the fact that all were one body.

3. The argument of Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians vindicates this conception of unity. Between Jews and Gentiles there was an inherited chasm, deep and broad, which asserted itself among converts from these two classes and endangered the peace of the Church. Paul affirms the 'one body' of the 'one Lord,' but distinctly recognizes the wide difference between the history and attitude of Gentiles and Jews. Christ "brake down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that He might create in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father." Though there are in the Church of Ephesus two very different classes of converts, there is but one new man,' the life of which the Gentile convert possesses as really as the Jewish convert; but the common possession of the one new life does not destroy typical differences, nor are typical differences incompatible with the 'one body.' It is the middle wall of partition, the law of commandments contained in ordinances which was broken down through the cross;' and it is the ancient mutual enmity' between the Jew and the Gentile which Christ'abolished in His flesh.'

* *

The same organic conception is vindicated by Paul in his epistle to the Colossians. The 'old man' with his doings is put off, and the 'new man,' renewed after the

image of Him that created him, is put on, in whom "there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all." Typical differences of nationality continue conformably to the laws of humanity. Even wide differences in point of civil status, as between bondman and freeman, or of culture, as between Greek and barbarian, may be perpetuated for ages, yet there are not for this cause many churches of Christ, but only one. body' for each of whose members Christ is all, and in all.'

Types of life have been operative throughout the history of the Church. Each type may realize itself in a distinct form. In every instance the realization may be more or less defective, and the organization may in greater or in less degree embody the genius of Christianity. History presents three main branches of church life: the Greek Catholic, the Roman Catholic and the evangelical Protestant. Though no one of these main branches has developed an ideal character, nevertheless each has a wealth of vitality peculiar to itself, which has been unfolded in varying forms of doctrine, worship and organi

tion.

There is one Lord, one Creed, one Baptism, one Law, one Holy Communion, inasmuch as there is one new Man, one Holy Spirit. Variations in doctrinal apprehension, in cultus and in organization are not only consistent with

1 Col. iii. 9-11.

2 In 1 Cor. xii., says Olshausen, "the unity of the divine Spirit in all believers appears manifested under various forms as diapéσeç in different individuals. This implies the divisions of the gifts (see Acts ii. 3), as that of light into colors by the prism. Unity of the Spirit is thereby not annulled. The same Spirit is refracted into various gifts according to the capacity of the soul with which the Spirit comes into contact."

church unity, but according to Rom. xii. and I Cor. xii. are demanded by it. For no one formula of doctrine can be final; no one office of worship will express the whole truth of Christian cultus; no one kind of organization adapted to or demanded by a given age can be adequate at the same time to the needs of all Christian nations, or be adjusted with equal fitness to every era of history. Varying modes of apprehension are necessary that the whole Christ may be known; necessary also are varying forms of organization and differentiated methods of ethical action, that the genius of the law of love may come to light and exert its transforming power in all the relations of society and on all classes of men. Uniformity instead of expressing the unity of the Church may contravene unity. Instead of developing the rich manifoldness of the one life, uniformity may repress the genuine growth of life and turn organic unity into a mechanism.

It is the violation of the law of Christian love, not difference of organization, that is incompatible with church unity. Unity is of the Spirit; it is the one fellowship of life by a living faith, the same in all the branches of the one new race. Jealousies, antipathies, antagonisms violate the fellowship of Christ, not confessional or theological variations. On the representatives of differing confessions and differing theologies Paul enjoins that they forbear one another in love, "giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," a peace that is consistent with freedom of thought and of discussion.

4. The Church maintains her essential unity against the assaults of the world.' Her persecutions, instead of

Says Archbishop Leighton: "The preservation of the Church is a continuing miracle; it resembles Daniel's safety among the hungry lions,

enervating her vitality, have served the purpose of a discipline by which her vitality has been invigorated; even discordant branches have been consciously brought into closer fraternal fellowship.

The Church has maintained her unity against the divisive forces of sin active in her own constitution. Her life is but imperfectly realized. Her members are not immaculate; they are only in process of sanctification. The law of sin is dethroned, but not utterly abolished. The body as a whole, as well as each individual member, can say with Paul: "I find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.''1 Nevertheless as compared with the unity of life common to all branches of the Church the divisions incident to her present imperfect development are but superficial phenomena.

Unity accordingly is not to be regarded as a formal or an external property, like a grain of sand or an arithmet ical figure. Like the Adamic race the new race is one organically. Notwithstanding the radical division of Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in the apostolic age; notwithstanding the antagonism between Roman Catholicism and evangelical Protestantism since the sixteenth century, the kingdom of God is essentially but one household. Better perhaps to say that the Church is one like the personal history and character of her Head, who

but prolonged from one age to another. The ship, wherein Christ is, may be weather-beaten, but it shall not perish."-Works, p. 4431 Rom. vii. 21-23.