2. In this sense the Apostolic tvriters have under- stood Christ. It is noted that the disciples were ' all Avith one accord in one place ' to receive the Spirit (Ac 2') ; that, as the result of Pentecost, they ' were together, and had all things common ' (2^^) ; ' the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul ' {4:^% The assumption of the Epistles is tliat ' the saints ' anywhere are ' the church of God' which is there (Ro 1', 1 P 1' etc. ). If they are ' churches,' they are not less one fellowship in'the unity of Christ (Gal V, Rev 1*).
St. Paid is copious on the subject. The unity on which he insists is not only of spirit ; it is also embodied unity. Many as we are, we are one loaf and one body, being partakers of the one sacra- mental food (1 Co 10"; cf. Did. ix. 4). The one Spirit makes us one body, and members one of another (1 Co 12''-27), 'that there should be no schism in the body.' The unity of the Spirit is to be guarded in the bond of peace—' one body, one Spirit,' as there is unity in every basis of our life (Eph S^-*'). This body is the Body of Christ, and requires for its attainment to completion the harmonious interworking of every member and group, as constituting a single organism in which
* The possible exception is where (Mt 2451, Lk la^) Christ threatens the evil servant who smites his fellow-servants and eats and drinks with the drunken, that He ' will come and cut him asunder (hixorof/.r^irii ccuriv).' The RV translators^ and others suggest for this remarkable phrase (xr. Xiy. in NT) ' will scourge him severely '—which is as if one were to say in our speech ' will flay him alive,' and is an expression which one has difficulty in hearing with that sense from those lips. Ruskin somewhere interprets it of the judicial aspect of schism, as ' God's revenge ' upon worldly and oppressive priesthoods— an interpretation which the history of schism may seem to com- mend.
UNITY
UNIVERSALISM
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all inhere (Eph 4i^-i«). The Church is a Body, of which Christ is Head (Col V^- -^ 2'% It is ' the mystery of Christ ' that the Gentiles should be of the same body with Israel (Eph 3"). Baptism is into a unity to which neither race nor status nor sex is a barrier (Gal 3-^- -"). It is against first principles to assume the name of any leader as a party distinction (1 Co V^) ; to do so is 'carnal' (3^- *). God is to be glorified with one mouth, as well as with one mind (Ko 15^- "). The Churches of God have no custom of love of controversy (1 Co IP") ; God is not the avithor of confusion but of peace ; and so it is in all the Churches (14^"). The contentious earn indignation and wrath (Ro 2^) ; those who cause divisions are to be noted and discouraged (16''') ; a partisan after repeated ad- monition is to be rejected (Tit 3'"). A Church is commended which follows other Churches already in Christ (1 Th 2'^). Doubtful disputations are to be avoided ; the weak to be borne with ; uniformity of opinion on ceremonial or ritual points is not to be insisted upon ; to insist on uniformity may be 'to destroy the work of God' (Ro 14-15^). It becomes the gospel of love that men should stand fast in one spirit with one mind (Ph P^) : nothing is to be done through strife or vainglory — the guard of unity is humility (2^) ; we are to do all things without murmurings or disputings, as chil- dren of God (2i-«-).
St. Peter assumes the same general conception ; diffused as the Church is (1 P P), it is one building, one priesthood, one nation (2^- ^). St. John con- ceives of the Church as a fellowship Avith Apostles who have fellowship with God (1 Jn P), united in love, which is to be in deed and truth, not in phrase (3^^). The Epp. to the Churches of Asia deal with conditions of corruption, moral and doctrinal ; but there is no thought of self-segregation as the duty of the faithful, even where deeds that Christ hates are tolerated (Rev 2^) ; He lays no other burden on His servants but to hold fast (2-^- ^^).
The teaching of the NT, in fact, is positive. It shows a three/old unity of the Church: — (1) An objective unity of origin and of vital relation of its constituent elements, which (like the racial unity of blood) is constituted by the Divine act and exists antecedently to any action, for it or against it, of ours ; to which we may do violence, but Avhich we cannot abrogate ; and which is the Church's sjjiritual oneness. (2) A social unity, the result and therefore the manifestation of this common Divine life, which is related to the life communicated in the Holy Spii'it as the physical organism of the individual is to the personal life which co-ordinates that of its component cells, one body for one spirit ; wluch (being body) may be wounded, but only with suffering and to its hurt and weakening. (3) A unity of temper and inten- tion, of consent in belief and thougfit, which it rests with us to supply ; which is the co-operation with the Divine action that is required of us, — obedience to the law of the nature of the Body of Chi'ist in Avliich we find ourselves — the bond of peace in which we are to observe {rijpeiv) the unity of the Spirit (Eph 4^). The existence of a state of schism is not contemplated in the NT, nor is any direc- tion given for conduct in such a case. Party spirit and divisive courses are condemned, but there is ' no precept for the regulation of the relations of one sect to another.' The Ai)ostolic doctrine as to schism can be inferred only from these facts.