light and comfort. He openeth his hand, and the whole creation partakes of his bounty. Being perfect in love and beneficence, He is therefore perfect in greatness. But look on the other hand, and you will find that mischief distinguishes the power of SATAN: his greatness consists wholly in croffing the merciful plan of redemption, and counteracting the Divine benevolence; the propagation of difcord and diforder is neceffary to the keeping up of his grandeur, and to the increase of his kingdom."

This confideration accounts for the frequent and urgent exhortations to peace and unity, to be met with in the facred writings; as conftituting a grand hinge, upon which the fuccefs of the Christian scheme muft, in a great measure, be expected to turn. Upon this idea the GOD of Chriftians is reprefented as a GOD of peace and love, and his example fet forth as a pattern for man's imitation. "Beloved," fays the Apostle," if GOD fo loved us, in fending his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him, we ought alfo to love one another. And hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us; in other words," that we are Chriftians, because He hath given us of his fpirit." 1 John iv. 11, &c.

Upon the fame idea, the kingdom of CHRIST, which is his church, is described to be "righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost."

any

To qualify men for a state of membership in this piritual kingdom, they are required to "follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." Rom. xiv. 19. "As much as lieth in them to live peaceably with all men." Rom. xii. 18. "To be of one mind, to live in peace, and the GoD of peace fhall be with them." 2 Cor. xiii. II. "Finally, my brethren," fays the Apostle, in profecution of the fame Divine idea, "if there be any confolation in CHRIST, any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if bowels of mercies, fulfil ye my joy; that ye be like minded, having the fame love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through ftrife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves." Phil. ii. 1, &c. And as "there is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowlinefs and meeknefs, with long-fuffering, forbearing each other in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace."*

* Ephef. iv. 2.

From hence it appears, that the religion of CHRIST is a religion of fenfibilities, no lefs than of motives. It teaches us, after the example of that bleffed Perfon who felt for all men, to take a lively interest in the concerns of our fellow-creatures; to rejoice with them in profperity, and fympathize with them in distress; and treading in the fteps of Him who went about continually doing good, to abound in the labours of Christian benevolence; in the words of the Apostle, "to be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; to be tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as GOD for CHRIST's fake hath forgiven us.' Rom. xii. 10. The foregoing picture of Christianity, though but partially drawn, furnishes a powerful argument in favour of that plan, which places man in a condition beft calculated to promote this great object of his Christian profeffion.

Upon the fuppofition, then, that there was no Divine inftitution in this cafe, which claimed obedience on the part of man; and the mode of religious worfhip, as a matter of perfect indifference, was left to the arbitrary difcretion of every individual engaged in it; the plan which GOD has graciously marked out for men, by incorporating them into, one body or fociety under regular government,

in confequence of which they became neceffarily joined together by that fimilarity of condition and interest, and that ufe of the fame appointed means for the promotion of their general concern, which muft, from the conftitution of human nature, be productive of mutual regard and mutual affistance; would be the plan, which, if proposed to him by his fellow, creatures, every thinking Chriftian, it might be fuppofed, would readily adopt.

Let not, then, this plan of focial religion be neglected, or thought lightly of, because it has been projected by that all-wife Being, who, from knowing what was in man, not only knew how best to provide for the circumstances of the party for whose service it was established, but who, from the relation in which man ftands to Him, has a right to exact his obedience to it. Rather let us with gratitude avail ourselves of that affistance, which the establishment of the church upon earth ministers to our condition; and not facrifice that good, which it is fo well calculated to produce, to vain dreams of more spiritual perfection, in ways of our own devifing.

"The first bleffing that I daily beg of my GoD for his church (faid that pious and affectionate bifhop, whofe character the Christian is only at a

*

Bishop HALL.

lofs whether moft to love or admire) is, our SAVIOUR's legacy, peace; that fweet peace, which in the very name of it comprehends all happiness both of eftate and difpofition. Other graces are for the beauty of the church; this for the health and life of it. No marvel then, if the church, labouring here below, make it her daily fuit to her glorious bridegroom in heaven: "Give peace in our time, O LORD." And would to GOD, that the united voice of Chriftians, of every denomination, might be heard joining in the charitable petition, "Give peace in our time, O LORD; that peace which paffeth all understanding."

But divifion, we all know, cannot lead to unity and peace. Divifion, therefore, muft in its nature be hostile to one great object of the Christian religion. As fuch, it must be fcrupulously avoided by every man, who would co-operate with GOD in the reftoration of his fallen nature.

It is the employment of the Christian's life to be gradually changed into the image of his Divine Mafter; that "the fame mind," fo far as human infirmity will permit, " may be in him, which was in CHRIST JESUS: and the hope which he entertains, will be always proportionate to the degree of