of God's people. Eventually we shall see and understand the exact relation of each part to the whole, magnifying no truth, undervaluing none, and ignoring none, when denominational boundaries will disappear, while all who are Christ's, having been born again and obeying him in his ordinances, will be in membership in his visible church. All movements to promote such a consummation will be successful, all contemplating anything less, will be failures.

Now, there is one infallible principle by which we are to be governed in determining the grounds of Christian union, which, as it seems to us, has not been hitherto assigned the place it should occupy. It is this: Our visible union must be the nearest possible approach to our invisible unity in Christ. It must be the outward expression of this inward reality. Our union must exhibit itself in such form, and must rest on the presupposition of such experiences, affections, motives, and ends as are in agreement with the fact of the previous existence of oneness in Christ. By keeping this in mind, we may contribute something toward the removal of existing misconceptions on the subject of Christian union.

The unity of Christ and his people is indeed a mystery to us, but is none the less a fact. The proof of it contained in Scripture is sufficient and unequivocal. No man can read the prayer of Jesus, in the seventeenth chapter of John, for his disciples, without being impressed by it. In that most remarkable prayer Jesus unveils more fully than in any of his recorded utterances, that special love he felt for his own who were in the purpose of the Father, in redemption, to be savingly benefited by his death. He introduces us, as it were, into the "Holy of Holies"; admits us into the inner chamber of his loving heart, and there discloses to us something of that eternal, unchangeable, special love he from everlasting felt, not only for his chosen disciples, then called and with him, but for all who should believe on him "through their word." John xvii. 20. "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth." John xvii. 9, 19. Between himself and those whom the Father had given him, and to whom he was to give eternal life, he affirms an eternal unity, and pre-existent, pre-determined, oneness.

Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one; that they may be one as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect in one. John xvii.

This mystical and eternal unity of Christ and his elect, lies back of every development in time by which its results are made known. It precedes any creative act of God. It is his eternal council and foreknowledge. It is God's purpose to glorify himself. It necessitated creation, called worlds from nothing into existence, gave being to angels, that they might be "ministering sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation," Hebrews i. 14, ordered the course divine of Providence, so that all things might "work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans viii. 28. Redemption is no after thought of God. It is not a remedial measure, occupying a secondary place, and introduced for the purpose of repairing the unforeseen disasters of a previous and entirely different and independent effort of God to disclose his moral perfections. The work of Christand this includes the redemption of every member of his mystical body-is the central idea about which all that God has done, is now doing, or shall yet do, revolves, and to the perfect realization of which every movement and development contributes. "That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Jesus Christ." Ephesians ii. 7. "And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory." Romans ix. 23. "That unto him might be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages." Ephesians iii. 21. This being so, it follows that all transpiring in time is but the disclosing of the divine thought and purpose. Redemption in all its history, from creation and the fall to the judgment of the great day, the salvation of Christ's people, and the eternal condemnation of the incorrigibly impenitent, is but the disclosure of God's grace to his chosen people.

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Ephesians i. 9-12.

If, then, there exist this unity of Christ and his people, and if the developments of divine Providence in time be but the mechanism God employs in making this invisible unity visible, this relationship existing in purpose a fact declared in time, it seems to us we have a

safe guide in investigating the true grounds of Christian union. It makes it evident that

1. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is a true ground of Christian union. Regeneration draws a line of distinction between men, not founded on their social condition, or prior difference in their moral state. "For we are all by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Eph. ii. 3. It is, in itself, a renewal of man's inner life. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and in sins." Eph. ii. 1. It is therefore a distinction arising from what some men become within, "by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost." Titus iii. 5. It marks the origin of a new life, bringing the soul under a different class of motives from those previously influencing it, and investing all things with fresh beauty. It animates the soul with new hopes, and makes conformity to the will of God, and labor for the glory of God, the chief end of our existence. Hence we are declared to be "by one Spirit baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." 1 Cor. xii. 13. This necessitates separation from the world. In spirit, and practically it is the beginning of such separation; and in the development of its results must render the separation more radical, more distinct.

But now, of what is regeneration the result? From what does it originate, as marking the origin of a new spiritual life in any man? What fact does it declare? The answer is obvious. It springs from and announces to the soul the previously existing fact of its mystical unity with Christ, in God's purpose of mercy and of grace. Prior to regeneration, the soul had no such evidence; for "secret things belong unto God." Neither did the soul care for evidence, but was in bondage to the world, sold under sin, and full of bitter enmity against God. But regeneration emancipated it from that bondage, and introduced it into "the glorious liberty of the children of God." Then the regenerated soul consciously and joyously appropriated that deliverance from sin. "Not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, . . . . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter i. 18, 19. It subdued the rebellion of the heart, and brought the soul into harmony with the divine will, giving birth to the inquiry, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Hence it is said, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John i. 12, 13. the soul into direct personal contact with Jesus as its Redeemer, and

Thus it brings

makes it conscious of its redemption as an accomplished fact-the evidence being found in the assurance of faith and the earnest of the Spirit.

This is the true "communion of saints." Thus are all the redeemed, of all ages and nations, made conscious of this oneness in Jesus Christ. Thus is God gathering together, and calling from among men, those who shall compose "the general assembly and church of the first-born," whose "names are written in heaven." The innumerable multitude whose robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, are to stand before the throne of God-

Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet.

Here, then, is a line of separation. Hearts renewed are within this line, and are in full sympathy. To every such heart Jesus is precious the one "altogether lovely." All without this line are not "in Christ." To them he is not precious. They are not in accord with the renewed, and hence no union with them is to be sought.

Regeneration, therefore, inasmuch as it declares our membership in Christ's mystical body, and separates us at the same time from the world, becomes a bond of union among all who are its subjects. Citizenship in the United States of America cements us as subjects of one government. So does citizenship in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the result of spiritual naturalization, by which we are made willing to submit ourselves in all things to the jurisdiction of Jesus, bind in sympathy, in feeling, and in heart, all who in penitence have bowed the knee to him, and in grateful love consecrated themselves to his service. We must not trespass beyond the limits marked by this line. We must covet no unholy alliances with the unrenewed. This is expressly forbidden, in language clear and emphatic: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor. vi. 14-18. The separation here urged is three-fold, spiritual, moral, and organic; and any scheme of

union not approximating as nearly as possible to that separation of Christ's followers from the world, here so strongly urged by the apostle, has against it a strong presumption of not being Biblical.

In making regeneration a bond of visible union, however, we do not mean to imply that we regard it possible to draw the line exactly, and hence to include all, and yet none except those who are "born of the Spirit." This is impossible. But we may approximate to it, if we are faithful to the apostolic practice, in meeting every man who makes application for church-membership with the question and condition, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest." Acts viii. 37. Had this principle never been departed from; had not the door of admission into the visible church been thrown open wide enough to admit men-well nigh indiscriminately, and certainly without reference to their spiritual qualifications-the question of Christian union would not be the difficult and perplexing one it now is. For these reasons, then, we affirm that regeneration is a true ground of Christian union.

2. Unreserved submission to the authority of Jesus is a true ground of Christian union. Christ demands of all who are regenerated cheerful and prompt obedience. "Whosoever loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me." Matt. x. 37. Whosoever will be my disciple, "let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Matt. xvi. 24. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John xiv. 15. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." John xv. 14. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me." John xiv. 21. In such language does Jesus enforce on us the duty of accepting him as our sovereign, and acknowledging him in all our ways. Nor do evangelical Christians dissent from the strongest statements made on this point. The direct and immediate control of Jesus over the heart, is preached. It is conceded. Hence, we may lay it down, at this point, as accepted by all, that we are not at liberty to adopt a plan of Christian union that in any way limits or interferes with the sole supremacy of Jesus over the hearts of those who have surrendered themselves to him. We are evidently shut up to this. From it there is no appeal. To question it is to rebel. The authority of Jesus must be accorded precedence over everything else. It must be respected and obeyed, no matter who may suffer, or what may be sacrificed as incidental to such compliance.

With all deference to the wisdom, learning, and ardent piety of those who have written on this subject, we do not think they have given the authority of Jesus that supreme place it should occupy in