s--"that no man liveth to himself, and no man
dieth to himself."

Now, spiritual unity respects the sanctity of the individual
conscience. How reverently the Apostle Paul considered its claims,
and how tenderly! When once it became a matter of conscience, this was
his principle laid down in matters of dispute: "Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind." The belief of the whole world cannot make
that thing true to me which to me seems false. The conscience of the
whole world cannot make a thing right to me, if I in my heart believe
it wrong. You may coerce the conscience, you may control men's belief,
and you may produce a unity by so doing; but it is the unity of
pebbles on the sea-shore--a lifeless identity of outward form with no
cohesion between the parts--a dead sea-beach on which nothing grows,
and where the very seaweed dies.

Lastly, it respected the sanctity of individual character. Out of
eight hundred millions of the human race, a few features diversify
themselves into so many forms of countenance, that scarcely two could
be mistaken for each other. There are no two leaves on the same tree
alike; nor two sides of the same leaf, unless you cut and kill it
There is a sacredness in individuality of character; each one born
into this world is a fresh new soul intended by his Maker to develope
himself in a new fresh way; we are what we are; we cannot be truly
other than ourselves. We reach perfection not by copying, much less by
aiming at originality; but by consistently and steadily working out
the life which is common to us all, according to the character which
God has given us.

And thus will the Church of God be one at last--will present an unity
like that of heaven. There is one universe in which each separate star
differs from another in glory; one Church in which a single Spirit,
the Life of God, pervades each separate soul; and just in proportion
as that Life becomes exalted does it enable every one to shine forth
in the distinctness of his own separate individuality, like the stars
of heaven.

IV.

_Preached May 26, 1850._

THE TRINITY.

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God
your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."--1 Thess. v. 23.

The knowledge of God is the blessedness of man. To know God, and to be
known by Him--to love God, and to be loved by