fuller and more accurate examination of the method pursued by the different bodies to which they belong when they disagree among themselves, he would perceive, that there is scarcely any place in which the Professors of Arts and Sciences perfectly accord in sentiment; and that, notwithstanding, they plot nothing of an atrocious character one against another, nor plan its execution. But (most Gracious God!) of what outrages are not some of us guilty, against others who profess the same Christian religion, and who yet differ from us in some of their sentiments! We fight together with quills whose offensive properties are far more noxious than those of weapons made of steel; and our controversies do not confine themselves within the bounds of dissension, hatred, or eternal enmity. We drive away each other from the celebration of the just observances of our holy religion, and we sentence those who oppose us to the loss of salvation. Nay, we frequently carry our base antipathies so far as to employ halters and other barbarous instruments of extreme punishment, our magistrates at the same time through a blind zeal giving countenance to the perpetration of these enormities. The reconection of them is yet much too recent, to require any recapitulation to make it stronger. How often indeed, through the show of a pious ardour for Christ, have we poured out the blood of those men who had entirely dedicated themselves to the interests of Christ, had bent all their attention to piety and salvation, had passed their lives in the greatest innocence, and who had not done the least injury to any person living! Yet these cruelties have been practised by some persons, for whom Christ had shed his blood, to prevent them from shedding the blood of others. But it has sometimes occurred to us as a matter of great wonder, what profit or utility there can be in all this, since truth alone is in every place alike and at unity with itself, and falsehood always becomes an object of the greatest detestation. If we look also at the conduct of proficients in other Arts and Sciences towards those amongst themselves who, they are fully persuaded in their own minds, have been guilty of palpable errors, and who have asserted and propagated what is known to be false, they do not revile the offenders with more acrimony, nor evince greater hostility against them, than, according to their own opinion at least, the demerits of such persons may demand;-although in such an instance falsehood can be the less easily endured, because it consists of something near us, which it is possible for us to know, and which is not out of the reach

of our apprehensions and capacities. If these be just statements, there seems to be good reason why we, who are devoted to religion, should cherish less of a contentious spirit, concerning that with which it is our endeavour to obtain some acquaintance; and this consideration ought to have the greater weight when we find it written, that our knowledge is but in part, (1 Cor. xiii, 9.) and that God, in the distribution of his gifts, does not place us all on an equality. (1 Cor. xii. 4.)

But it is always customary to drag in this suggestion, "in the matter of religion very great danger lurks under the garb of error, and, on this account we ought to grant in such a case scarcely any indulgence, or, rather, none at all, to each other.” We will here say nothing about the manner in which it becomes us to conduct ourselves towards those who attack the very spirit and life of religion: Gracious God, forbid that we should hold any thing in common with such men, except that we are human beings and have a right to exist! But in reference to those who have founded their religious superstructure on the same principles as ours, and who have with us rejected the insane worship of Popish idols, they do not desire to exercise a mutual tyranny over each other, the secular sword readily offering its aid, and they differ among themselves only in the minute examination of certain abstruse points, and (in one expression to sum up all,) they stand in close proximity to our religion, while they are at an immense distance from that of the Roman Catholics. Does it not then appear very proper to make this a subject of discussion, What is the nature of that opinion beneath which error may be suspected to lurk? And to what extent may such an opinion be entertained by any man, without subjecting him to the loss of salvation? especially when none of those who are thus suspected clears himself by penitence from the charge before God; but, without the least obstinacy, malice, or remorse of conscience, he seems in his own eyes to hold sentiments equally correct with ours and with an equal degree of firmness; and with the same confidence of mind, in the integrity of his heart, and in reliance on the word of God alone, he adheres with delight to his opinions to the very close of his life,-and all this amidst as great a show of magnanimity as the bravest of us could display on any occasion. And as a proof that every opinion which appears heretical to us, is not damning in its tendency, we are daily affirming against many anathemas of the Fathers and Councils.

Does it not seem proper, that whatever is precisely necessary to be believed, hoped, and performed, (not only in reference to its being true, but also in reference to its being thus necessary,) ought to be proved out of the scriptures? This should be done with such clearness, that all men, even the uninstructed part of the people, and as many as by the preaching of the law and their own consciences are convinced of their misery and have begun to be greatly athirst for their individual salvation, may instantly understand and apprehend it, and may be able in some measure to handle it with their hands. This was the practice of Jesus Christ, whose words, when uttered, were devoid of all obscurity. But ought any contention to be raised concerning an opinion, the necessity of which to salvation cannot be clearly, perspicuously, and unanswerably proved among Christians themselves? Or should even a conference of the mildest character be held upon it, without a breach of that peace by which the whole church is held together? Because neither of the two parties, through tenderness of conscience, would dare to advance their sentiments any further, being certain that the more danger is to be apprehended the greater the distance they recede from the shore. Those doctrines which are really of this description, should never have been called in question by any Christian Council, or they ought first to have been decided, since their certainty is far superior to all Councils,-nay, they ought to have taken precedence of every Council that has yet been held. If this mode of composing differences had been long since adopted, we should have had to notice fewer periods on account of the schisms which occurred in them, and another course would have been pursued in hindering the propagation of opinions, or in determining them.

Besides, is it not proper to enquire, Is that practice a correct one which has nearly proved fatal to Theology, and by which that sacred science is most reluctantly forced to become scholastic and contentious, through the accurate and laboured disputations of the Professors of Divinity in Universities and Schools? for in such exercises no limits are placed to the eager desire implanted in all men to know every thing. In this way, Theology is made to embrace an immense number of most perplexing conclusions arising from each other, and placed in a regular concatenation of mutual dependence. In what state then must practical religion necessarily be, which ought to be common to the condition of all those whom by

means of it the ever-blessed and Almighty God has been pleased to save, and to take them to himself for a holy; inheritance without spot or wrinkle? When divines, therefore, of the most chastened judgment and acute intellect are sometimes not able to agree among themselves concerning the decision of a question which may have been debated, and to the determining of which they could with difficulty be induced to admit one thing in a thousand that may have been advanced, or rather one in many thousands,-but when, on the contrary, they are discovered one after another to break off the discussion and to separate themselves from the rest, ought the Churches, which are collected together by Christ Jesus, instantly to follow these their masters and foremost guides, each of them sending a bill of divorcement to the rest, and denying one to another the rights of brotherhood? And yet, through Jesus Christ alone, they invoke the same Father with those whom they would proscribe, and being washed with the same baptism, they diligently employ themselves, by the grace of God, as much as possible, in walking under the same hope and in the same obedience of faith. Thesc churches chiefly consist of persons of the more simple sort, not a few of whom, through the mul tiplicity and weight of their daily occupations, are unable to turn the acumen and sagacity of their minds to those abstruse disquisitions; and yet not one of all these men incurs any risk in the matter of his salvation, provided he apply himself to it with the least willingness.

Does it not also seem right to ask this question, How far may a person be permitted to penetrate into the deepest and most hidden meanings of holy writ, to form aphorisms in religion? And ought we not occasionally to meditate on this expression by the Apostle?-I say to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly.' Must we not also at some point or other prescribe limits to ourselves? chiefly because the matters contained in the scriptures are divine, while we are but human beings; it is the glory of God to conceal each of his matters; (Prov. xxv. 2.) simplicity frequently extricates itself from difficulties from which subtlety cannot be disengaged; 'charity edifieth,' as the Apostle says, while knowledge puffeth up; (Rom. viii, 1.) and because at this day we may engage in controversies of a description that will admit of no termination, unless God from heaven become himself the interpreter of his own words, as of old by means of the URIM and THUMMIM.

Yet if even this should be done, we might, not long afterwards, have one thing after another to urge as fresh objections. But it would be wonderful if there were not in Divinity, as well as in other sciences, many things on which, when we are consulted, it may often be proper in us to deliver our opinion, without any prejudice to a more correct judgment, every one being left in possession of his own liberty of prophesying according to the scriptures; and if any man dissent from that opinion, we must bear with him and forbear. But it is no less expedient, that, without contention, we refer all the discoveries which we make, by constantly reading and examining the sacred scriptures, to the promotion of our individual holiness, and, as much as possible, the piety of many others. We believe, if we be led by the same Spirit, we shall easily think the same things, and be animated in the same manner. (Matt. xii, 50.) The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.' (Psalm xxv, 14.) The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed unto babes; and the best knowledge of God, and the whole duty of man, are comprised in the fear of God and obedience to his commandments. (Eccles. xii, 13.) Whatever delight others may find in contention, let it be our part only to contend, one against another, which of us can be the most pious.

The mind of our beloved father was strangely exercised with many thoughts of this kind, which often drew tears from his eyes, and excited sensations painful beyond any thing that he ever experienced. For by his incredible sagacity he could discern how the dissensions of friends, while they operated as losses to themselves, were advantageous to their enemies. The whole of these considerations he has most accurately expressed in his elaborate oration on this subject. With this view, under the divine favour, he most diligently and mildly applied the powers of his mind to effect a complete union of the Churches, at least of those which differed very little from each other; and in this way endeavoured according to his ability to remove sects from the Reformed Portion of Christendom, a measure most offensive to them, and to destroy the kingdom of Antichrist, always stipulating for the inviolability of that truth by which we either stand or fall, and having a due regard to the preservation of their own names to all those to whom such an object was of consequence. He was desirous to point out in a sparing manner the method by which this design might be accomplished, through a lure to others; by which means he studied to procure commendation for them, rather than seem