66 the Gospel triumphant in all lands. When you have looked at the divided state of Zion, you have sat down and wept. Why do ye not arise in the strength of the Lord your God, and, by a stroke of holy indignation, obliterate every vestige of Papal superstition and idolatry? The entire union of the Church of Christ will accomplish it; but without this union the work is impossible. Deem me not presumptuous, or officious, or unkind. There is yet a rallying point, and there is yet hope that the watchmen shall see 'eye to eye, "-shall look each other in the face as friends,— yea, sing TOGETHER,-sing without a jar. Yes, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all." * This is the Apostolic standard,—a standard erected by God himself. Let all his children rally to it. You love us, and we love you as the "children of a royal line." What would we not do to see "the sacramental host of God's elect," embodied and moving forward under the Captain of their salvation, displaying, as they go on to evangelize the world, THE UNITY AND BEAUTY OF THE GLORI OUS GOSPEL OF THE BLESSED GOD. 2. Divisions are not becoming the Gospel of Christ, because they are inconsistent with his prayer.—Jno. xvii. Christ prayed for his Apostles and Ministers, that they all might be one. But he says, "Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one,-that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 27 It is certain that the oneness here prayed for, has special reference to all believers AS BELIEVERS, "that they all might be incorporated into one body." It must, therefore, mean external oneness, and not internal work, for this has been accomplished in their conversion. Then it is to be such a oneness that the world may see it and believe. Religion is to have an outside, as well as an inside, existence. The outside is for the world to behold, that the world may believe that Jesus is the sent of the Father. Christ well knew the weakness and corruption of our nature, and he well understood the evil tendency of divisions among his people. He knew they would spoil the peace, mar the beauty, and impede the progress of his kingdom in this world. Many professed Christians in the present day, seem to misunderstand one prominent design of CHRISTIAN UNION, or church organization. They make, it would seem, a public profession of religion, (that is, unite with the Church,) for the purpose of adding somewhat to the security of their soul's salvation. Hence we frequently hear expressions like this; "If such and such things were essential, I would do them." Now this kind of language when analized, seems to assert that "Salvation is of works," and * Ephs. iv: 4, 6. + Henry's Com. page 190, Col. 1. that the individual will do all the things, (if he can only know what they are,) which may secure for him eternal life. All this sort of sentiment is at war with the doctrine of "Salvation by grace. No where in the Bible are we taught that the salvation of the soul rests upon our "works of righteousness which we have done," or may hereafter do. When we have done all, we are to consider ourselves as unprofitable servants. Obedience is not the cause of our salvation, but the evidence of it. "In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil." * "Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily the love of God is perfected. Hereby know we that we are in him. " † When Jesus uttered this prayer for his Disciples, they were not regularly embodied in a Church organization. It is true they had believed on him, had imbibed his spirit, and had learned lessons of wisdom at his lips, to prepare them for future usefulness in his cause. In order that they might be successful laborers, he prays that they ALL MIGHT BE ONE, and that those who might believe on him through their word might be one,- that the WORLD might see it and believe. He styled them "the salt of the earth, ""the light of the world." And he commanded them, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. The great object of CHRISTIAN UNION is, that the light of the glorious gospel which has shined into the hearts of men, may be reflected upon this sin-benighted world with a brightness as diffusive as the light of the sun. Rays of light have their greatest power at the point of convergency. Let that point, with us, be an ungodly world. The conversion of the world is the great business of the Church. As the children of the light, let us come together in the unity of the spirit, which is the unity of the truth; and let all the affections of the heart, all the powers of the mind, and all the energies of the body, come into holy concert of effort for the enlightening of the WORLD-that the world may believe in Jesus. The Son of God taught his followers to pray, "Thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." There is no division, no party interest, no selfish motive among the redeemed in heaven. Should there be any among them on earth? This prayer of Christ forbids it, and our text exhorts them to labor TOGETHER. Does the military chieftain exhort his soldiery on the eve of battle to be united in feeling, and in action? Does he endeavor to infuse into them his mind and his spirit, in order that his commands may be implicitly obeyed, and his designs of conquest accomplished? Christ, the Captain of our salvation, has prayed that his heaven-enlisted soldiers may be united in ONE BODY for the spiritual conquest of the world. Why are they thrown into confusion in their field of warfare? He is not the author of this state of things. He prayed against it, and died without revoking the prayer. He ascended up to the right hand of the majesty on high, where this prayer is still vibrating on his ear. Still,-O, still, it rolls through all the mansions of glory, in all the freshness of that day when it issued from his lips in the land of Judea, and still it breaks upon the ears of earth's dull hearing, divided saints, -that they all may be one that the WORLD may believe. 3. Divisions among Christians are inconsistent with Apostolic precept. Many honest Christians, though certainly not well informed ones on this subject, take for granted what really does not appear in God's Word. They seem to suppose that the Church of Christ was divided into sects, parties and branches in the Apostles' day; and hence, they are quite satisfied, it should be so now. Some have even gone so far in their liberality on this point, as to congratulate the world and themselves that the sects of Christians are so numerous as to permit the different prejudices, prepossessions and notions of men, to be accommodated in making a public profession of Christianity. Our text inflicts a death-blow on such extravagance of opinion. The whole "conversation," or conduct in the "affairs" of religion should be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ. Christians should stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, laboring together, (not for parties and for sects,) but FOR THE FAITH OF THE GOSPEL. Were we to stop here, we might consider our proposition fully sustained. But the Apostles have said so much on this subject that we feel authorized to indulge in extensive quotations and remarks. Moreover the subject is one in which the happiness of the Church and the interests of an unbelieving world are involved, deeply involved. Paul taught, as Jesus prayed. He taught that the Church is one body; and in all his epistles he urges this sentiment; often expressing it in the clearest and strongest terms, and always reproving Christians for their schisms and divisions; continually exhorting them to union, to love, and to good works. In his epistle to the Romans, he says, "We being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. "* To the Corinthians he says, "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." † "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. there should be no schisms in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." To the Galatians "That Rom: xii: 6. + 1 Cor. xii: 12. 1 Cor. xii: 25. he says, "For ye are all the CHILDREN of God by FAITH * in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ." To the Ephesians he says, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." To the Philippians he writes as in our text. the Colossians he says, "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are also called in one body." To the Thessalonians, he says, "Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle." § Το Paul not only exhorts Christians to be united, but he sharply reproves schismatics. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." T "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them." ** Divisions in the Apostle's day were not tolerated; therefore they are not allowable now. They are not as it becometh the gospel of Christ. 4. Divisions are inconsistent with the happiness of God's people. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity" Thus sang the devout David in that day of types and shawdows. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." So exclaimed the aged John, when the Church was in its infancy,-in its primitive simplicity and beauty, before it was loaded with cumbrous traditions, and ceremonies, (brought in by men of corrupt minds,) before these things were riveted upon the religious world by the reign of Papal darkness. But soon we discover a disposition among men, to be followers of men. And this is the secret of the present torn and divided condition of the Christian world. Even in the days of Paul, the Corinthian brethren had to be reproved by him, for this man-following spirit, which had sprung up among them. "It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of + Gal. iii: 26-29. *Not by birth, nor by baptism. + Eph. iv: 4, 6. T1 Cor. i: 10. Paul?" These contentions among the Corinthians were about men, men who preached the Gospel in its purity too. And yet these divisionists were reproved,-reproved for glorying in men,— for glorying in good men, who were laborers TOGETHER with God. But notwithstanding this cutting reproof, this glorying in men has not ceased. At this day, some glory in Calvin; some, in Luther; some, in Wesley,-all uninspired men. The phrase, our church," has got abroad in the world, in the room of the Scripture phrase, "the Church of Christ." Some say the "Catholic Church,"-some, the "Episcopal Church,"-some, the "Presbyterian Church,"-some, the "Methodist Church,"-and some, the "Baptist Church." Hence we hear men of these different denominations, when speaking of their respective sects, say our church, your church, my church." All this originates in, and is supported by, men's carnality. Let us all hear what an inspired Apostle has said. "Whereas, there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men?" The Church as spoken of in the New Testament, is called "the Church of Christ," "the Church of God. is the head of it, and not the Pope, nor the King, nor the Queen of England, nor the Bishops, nor the ruling Elders. It is not our Church, (no matter who we may be,) and therefore we cannot legislate nor ordain laws for its government. All we can do, or should attempt to do, is to "strive together for the faith of the Gospel," and not for the faith of men. 22 66 Christ The Church in its organization, is purely congregational, and independent of all other religious bodies. There are no superior orders in the ministry. Jesus Christ has forbid it. "Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your Father upon the earth; for one your Father who is in heaven. " is In its government the Church is completely republican. The world has never known a purer specimen of democracy than that which is exhibited in the government of the Church of Christ. The first Church conference, which was held at Jerusalem, within ten days after Christ's ascension, may be cited as proof of this assertion. See Acts i: 15-26. But especially see the manner in which the seven deacons were chosen, after this, as recorded in Acts vi: 1-8. It is as follows: "The twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you, seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. And the saying pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, &c., whom they set before the Apostles. The Apostle told "the multitude of the disciples," what kind of * 1 Cor. i: 11-13. + 1 Cor. iii: 9, 21, 22. Matt. xxiii: 8, 9. |