John 17:23

23. Thou in me So that the very centre and nucleus of this unity is God himself.

The unity of the Church consists in doctrine and in spirit. The historian of evangelical doctrine finds that the system, in its great outlines, forms a grand architectural structure, extending through ages, identical in its general outlines, and excluding all mere half-faiths, heresies, novelties, and infidelities. As such a system it does, by its self-consistency, strength, and permanence, form a powerful proof of the reality of the Christian faith, calculated to make the world believe.

Yet deeper and more absolute is the unity of the spirit. Doctrinal differences are many; Christian experience is vitally one. Says Dr. Shedd: “Tried by the test of exact dogmatic statement, there is a plain difference between the creed of the Arminian and the Calvinist; but tried by the test of practical piety and devout feeling, there is little difference between the character of John Wesley and John Calvin.” For this he assigns as a reason, that “the practical religions life is much more a product of the Holy Spirit than is the speculative construction of Scripture truth. Piety is certainly the product of divine grace; but the creed is not certainly formed under divine illumination.”