Inftances of cordial and long cemented friendship, between liberal and virtuous minds, who neither hold fimilar opinions, nor practice fimilar forms in matters of religion, are fufficiently frequent to fhew, that UNITY IN FORMS and OPINIONS, is by no means effential to that bond of union. The nature of WISDOM and FOLLY, TRUTH and FALSEHOOD, VIRTUE and VICE, are indeed irreconcileably oppofed to each other; and the neceffary refult is, that among their respective votaries, whether of the fame or of different focieties, UNITY must be unknown. But among those, who are happily habituated to regard the GLORY of God, and the GOOD of MANKIND, as the PREDOMINANT objects of the purfuit, is it not obvious, that there can be no DIFFERENCES about forms and opinions, respecting which they are likely to feel, or, would be juftified in feeling, great anxiety, on behalf of each other? There is indeed ONE point, beyond all others, PRE-EMINENT in importance, concerning which their labours and their prayers, for each other, can never be unneceffary or unfeasonable; and this is, UNITY in that fentiment which represents the FAVOUR of our merciful CREATOR, and an INCREASING PARTICIPATION of his DIVINE NATURE, through all the fucceffive periods of ETERNAL EXISTENCE, by means of a PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENT in INTELLECT and VIRTUE, as OBJECTS infinitely more мOMENTOUS than any which this world can present?

し

Were we indeed united in a practical, confiftent, animated, and stedfast belief in this unfpeakably important fentiment, its genuine effect would be deeply

to

?

to imbue our minds with the LOVE OF GOD ABOVE ALL, and of OUR NEIGHBOUR as OURSELVES. Compared with these TWO GREAT, and ALONE FUNDAMENTAL principles, how uneffential, how fubordinate, would all SECTARIAN differences of opinion appear Arrayed in all the grace and dignity, in all the fimplicity and loveliness of her native character-CHRISTIANITY Would then delight to become the affociate of the children of men. Inftructed by her counfels, invigorated by her confolations, animated by the glorious profpects to which she would exalt our views we should lean upon her as our FRIEND and COMPANION along the dubious journey of life; and, like a GUARDIAN ANGEL from the immediate presence of the ALMIGHTY, fhe would unceafingly point our footsteps to the regions of BLISS. The expectations inspired by antient prophecy would thus indeed be happily fulfilled.

Then shall the wolf take up his abode with the lamb,
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid;

And the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling shall
come together,

And a little child fhall lead them;

And the heifer and the fhe-bear fhall feed together,
Together shall their young ones lie down ;

And the lion shall eat straw like the ox ;

And the fuckling fhall play upon the hole of the afpic; And upon the den of the bafilifk fhall the new-weaned child lay his hand :

They fhall not hurt, nor destroy, in all my holy mountain;

For the earth fhall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah,
As the waters that cover the depths of the sea. *

Surely neither this ftate of things, nor any near approach to it, has yet taken place on the earth; and to what cause can we, who rely with unfhaken confidence on the truth of this prophecy, afcribe its long protracted fulfilment? Is it not, in part, that SELF is the IDOL which the great bulk of mankind worship, and that their views extend not beyond the objects of time and fenfe? And may it not be stated, as a further eause, that, even among those who have been meafureably acquainted with the ineftimable value of truth and virtue, and enabled to rejoice in the contem

plation

* The preceding is quoted from Bishop Lowth's tranflation of Isaiah, chap. 11. v. 6. to 9, inclufive, and the annexed is an extract from "Reflections" on this paffage, taken from "a fhort and plain expofition of the Old Tefta"ment, by Job Orton."

"How folicitous fhould we be to answer the design of "his Gospel, and to have these illuftrious prophecies of its good effects fulfilled in us! Let us make it appear that we "are chriftians indeed, by the peaceablenefs and gentleness "of our difpofition, the foftness and fweetness of our tem"pers! let nothing malicious, revengeful, four, conten"tious, or unkind, be ever found in us. Let us cultivate peace; labour to promote each others happiness; and in "this, follow on to know the Lord; and by increasing in our "acquaintance with him, who is love, be conformed to his image, and walk in love, even as Christ hath loved us."

plation of that immortal inheritance which is the appointed reward of these heavenly attainments, there are too many, who fuffer their attention to be diverted from the ONLY means by which this rich inheritance can be fully enjoyed? Inftead of ACTIVE and UNREMITTED EXERTIONS in the cause of PIETY, INTEGRITY, and BENEVOLENCE, are there not fome of the ferious and well-difpofed profeffors of the gospel, who fail in rightly appreciating the value of their peculiar opinions, and not only give evident proofs of a deficiency in the great virtues of BROTHERLY KINDNESS, and CHARITY, but feel an unreasonable degree of anxiety, whenever the reputation or the prevalence of their opinions are likely to be affected by the zeal and activity of men, upright and confcientious, like themselves; agreeing with them, in all that respects the nature and importance of the objects to be attained, and differing only concerning fome of the subordinate opinions or means for attaining them. Hiftory, experience, and obfervation, have abundantly fhewn, that inquiry and difcuffion may not only be fafely left to their own unfettered operation, on all fuch points, but that it is abfolutely effential to the best interests of mankind, that this fhould be done ; that one of the appointed tefts of CHARITY and PURE RELIGION is hereby brought into action; and that, by fuch means only, will TRUTH and VIRTUE finally PREVAIL. It is by the adoption of a contrary fyftem, that the profeffors of the GOSPEL of PEACE, and LOVE, and Joy, have been fo often and fo afflictingly difunited and difgraced. ALIENATION, PERSECUTION, UNCHARITABLENESS, are the na

tural

tural, the inevitable confequences of that lamentable fpirit of domination, fectarism, and ftrife, which is hereby produced. These are indeed deplorable "spots "in the christian's feaft of charity;" these cause the "weak to stumble, the profane to blaspheme;" it is these which keenly fharpen, cruelly barb, and fatally envenom the shafts of IRRELIGION and INFIDELITY,