was made,-more especially the object of the dispensation of Christianity-that to fit us for this high destination-faith and hope to enlighten and animate our views and our endeavours; humility to discern our faults, and penitence to heal our spiritual maladies; lovè to unite us to our brethren; devotedness to our Heavenly Father to conduct us through every path of duty; and resignation to enable us to improve the various events of life, are all alike inculcated by reason and by the Gospel, as essentially conducive to our final felicity-that by prayer and self-examination, and the study of our Saviour's life and doctrine, and especially, by daily exercise and improvement in all that is "just, and lovely, and praiseworthy," we are to seek, and, according to our faithfulness and assiduity, may hope to attain "peace which the world cannot give" and "joy which endureth for ever."

That, together with these vital and universal stamina of the Christian character,

various unfounded, and, separately considered, pernicious notions should have been left standing, or should have sprung up amongst that diversity of sects, into which the Christian world separated, on emerging from Popish darkness-and which have, under various modifications, descended to this day-ought not to afford cause of scandal, or to irritate an unadvised impatience-but to provoke mutual candour, and generous emulation-to excite stronger attachment to those grand principles, in which all good men might join harmoniously on earth, as we cannot doubt they will in the choir of celestial spirits; notwithstanding a thousand times greater diversity of minor sentiments, when they shall come from the east and the west, the north and the south, and sit down together in the kingdom of their Father."

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The experience of successive generations should have taught us-that, although our understandings are not all exactly similar-that, as the Emperor Charles V. somewhat too late

discovered, it would be as difficult to bring all men's judgment to one standard, as to make all clocks strike at the same instantand that, though we can no more be expected to be all, in every particular, of the same opinion, than of the same stature or complexion-still, we have all one common interest to pursue; and by one common means -sincerity and charity-that most excellent way, without which "all knowledge, faith, and even martyrdom, are nothing."

Happy for us, if amidst the variety of Religious notions and Religious forms, we can adopt such as are most correct and most perfective of our nature-or, at least, if we can truly enter into that " spirit of Christ, without which we are none of his," that spirit of forbearance, gentleness and love,-which, under every mode of worship and doctrine, constitutes the very essence of our Religion, as it is the principle of a divine and heavenly character, and the seed of immortal happiness. May this blessed spirit prevail more and more

through every order and denomination of

May

those who bear the Christian name! 66 a little one become a thousand; and a small one a strong nation." May the Eternal Father bring forward this joyful æra, at his wisely appointed time! Glory be to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards

men."

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END OF VOL. I.

PRINTED BY J. BELCHER AND SON, BIRMINGHAM,