"Be ye also enlarged. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," (2 Cor. 6:13, 14.)

These two exhortations, or rather two parts of one exhortation, occur together as quoted above. Indeed, the second is but explanatory of the first, and taking the two together, we have, as always in the perfect Book, an evenly balanced presentation of truth.

We live in a day of great broadness, so called. Men professing to hold to the divinity of our blessed Lord can be associated in benevolent work with those who deny it. Within the bounds of the same denominational communion can be found those who teach that death means annihilation to the wicked, those holding to their final restoration to blessing, and those who profess to believe that eternal punishment is indeed what Scripture calls it -" everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." These persons remain together, tolerate one another's views, and seem to think it an exhibition of brotherly love, and largeness of heart. There are to-day men who deny the infallible inspiration of God's Word, holding chairs in institutions devoted to instructing young men for the ministry, while the large part of the same denomination hold that the Bible is God's Word. Yet
apparently no violence is done to conscience, and but few voices are raised in opposition to this blending of light and darkness.

Opposed to all such laxity, falsely called " largeness," but in reality treason to God, His Son, His Spirit, His Word, is the simple statement of Scripture. " Be ye also enlarged. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." Largeness is needed, broad views which take in the whole scope of divine truth; but it must be the broadness of God, not man, nor Satan ; and what blasphemer will link God's holy name with the infidelity creeping into and fast destroying the churches of to-day?

Heaven, God's home, is described for us negatively in the main. There is no temple in it, no need for the sun or moon; " There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie." No more sea, no more curse, no more sighing, tears, or death. That blessed home, our home too, is described by what it excludes, (not, of course, that it is a negative state, but that the presence of the things excluded would only bring misery,) and thus room is given for the full enjoyment of those blessings ours even now in anticipation, as made known by the Spirit. Would any one think for a moment that heaven is a narrow, constrained place? Nay, it is indeed a "wealthy place." The exclusion of evil, evil persons, evil principles, gives room for the full enjoyment of the liberty of the glory of the children of God. And what is the child of God now if not a heavenly person ? Then let the exclusiveness of heaven be true of him here. But it is objected that the rigid application of exclusiveness will separate from God's own children. To this it is enough to answer that if they adopt doctrines and practices contrary to the truth of God, they separate themselves; and if we would not go with them in that separation, we must hold fast what we have. It is needless, however, to dwell longer upon this aspect of the truth, admitted by most, at least, who have a true desire to honor Him who suffered all reproach and dishonor for us. Let us apply the same principle to the daily walk and intercourse of the Christian. If we are to have true largeness of heart, we must keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Lot settled down in Sodom, and lost all power to help that people, or to enjoy communion. He had taken what might be called a liberal step; but, so far from enlargement, nothing but straitness resulted, and wretched failure. Abraham holds himself aloof, and his heart is so enlarged that he can not only enter into God's thoughts about himself, but into that pity and long-suffering which for the time found expression in his interceding prayer for the doomed city. It was so with Israel as a nation; separate, they had power, blessing, enlargement; mixed with the nations about them, they grew smaller and smaller, until God's eye alone could trace them. In this very chapter, the apostle speaks of his own enlargement, and does so in connection with statements which seem to be paradoxical:"As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed ; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." To the natural mind, these opposites are not only incapable of being harmonized, but constraint, unrest, and narrowness would result. Faith, however, sees in the outward straitness the hindrance of that which would only bring into bondage-the flesh. As to his condition, the apostle could glory in infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon him. Let us learn this lesson too. And as to our associations-whether social, commercial, or ecclesiastical,-if we carry out the principles we have been considering, we will find true enlargement. We will be in a place where God can show what a Father He is, and share with us His thoughts, which are never narrow. In a day like this, when the tendency is toward union at the expense of truth, let us be on our guard. Let us not fear true unity, which is of God, but learn His heart and ways in separation from that which is not of Him.

No thought is here intended that would cast suspicion upon any, or disparage that love which would unite all God's own. But let us have Him, not His people, before us, and true enlargement will follow.