haust the strength of their bodies, and even, in some degree, to forego the care of their souls, in order to preserve the polish of their furniture, and to prepare the endless superfluities of their prodigal entertainments.

It is curious sometimes to hear certain professors of religion descanting, with apparent conviction and delight, on the spiritual lessons which they have received; while almost every article of dress which they have on, at the very moment they are speaking, demonstrates to how little purpose such spiritual instructions have been given them. With respect to domestic tempers, how frequently do the zealous followers of the sound of the Gospel appear to those who are acquainted with their daily life, as if they thought, that with whatever ardour they may go abroad in pursuit of religious knowledge, it is perfectly unnecessary to bring back any fruits of that knowledge to their own houses; and that they cannot better express their gratitude to God for the instructions which they receive in his house, than by leaving them all behind them when they depart out of it.

Of persons such as these, we are too often compelled to pronounce, that while they exhibit to the world, and more especially to those with whom they associate in public worship, the profession of discipleship and conformity with him who was meek and lowly in heart, they are almost Egyptian task-masters among their servants, and altogether morose tyrants or passionate furies among their children.

The case of such persons is lamenta ble and dangerous. They have an idea, that they prove themselves such sound Christians, by an abundant hearing of God's word on the first day of the week, that they may, with perfect impunity, pass the other six days in the indulgence of tempers which God hates, and in practices which he has expressly forbidden.

It is probable, that of all the duties in which a Christian can be engaged, there is no one which calls for so little spiritual exertion, or which so little puts his sincerity to the test, as that of hearing a good preacher. But if this were (what too many think it, or rather

make it) the only, or principal employment of the Sabbath, the due sanctification of that day would be, comparatively, an easy task: it would not then be, as it certainly now is, a work which demands no common abstractedness of thought, a great spirituality of temper, and a predominant love of him to whom the day is to be devoted.

The other ordinances of the sanctuary require far more predisposition of mind, in order to their being pleasant as well as beneficial, than the one of which we have been speaking. Supplication and praise can then alone be delightful to the worshipper, when they issue from a prepared heart; whereas a hearer of a sermon may be delighted through no other cause than the preacher's eloquence, and attracted to a sedulous attendance at church, by no better motive than the preacher's popularity.

It may be confidently asserted, that he who feels little or no interest in the service of our church, till the preacher has ascended the pulpit, has awful reason to suspect, that he has not brought with him a rightly disposed mind, and to fear that he will not carry away with him an edified understanding.

It is allowed, that some of the present exercises of a saint on earth should be, in a certain degree, anticipations of the future exercises of a saint in heaven; and that one of the purposes of the earthly Sabbath is that of training us up for the enjoyment of the eternal Sabbath, in the kingdom of glory. Those therefore who limit the occupations of the Lord's-day to the hearing of sermons, should be remindded that there will be no preaching in heaven.

Every precept of Christ is obligatory on his disciples; and the persons whom this essay has been designed to admonish are requested to consider, how they mutilate the plan of the Gospel, and dishonour the authority of its divine author, who live as if they supposed, that the command which says, "He that hath ears to hear, let him bear," contains, exclusively, the whole sum and substance of Christian duty.

ONATRAMA.

they conceive their own to be, who excels in the faith, the charity, the humility, which belong to the character. And with respect to such of the Antisectarians, as belong to the Church of England, I have found them capable of acknowledging and honouring the picty found among Dissenters, without the least diminution of attachment to the constitution of their own Church, for which they are particularly thankful to God, as conceiving it to be peculiarly adapted to forward the great purposes of the Christian Revelation. In short, they pity the man, whether within or without their society, who is shut up within his own community, and never looks, with an enlarged mind and benevolent heart, beyond the contracted circle of those, with whom he agrees in the circumstantials of religion.

They take an interest in the welfare of every society which professes the Christian name, and, as opportunities present themselves, are ready to promote the edification of its members; their object, however, not being so much to proselyte them to their own communion, as to reanimate them, by exciting attention to the vital truths of Christianity. In the ardour with which they desire to see this end accomplished, they can rejoice to hear of any writer or preacher in another Church, whose heart is evidently alive to the eternal interests of the community to which he belongs, and who labours not so much to enlarge the size of that body, as to increase its spirituality; and should his efforts occasionally discover a taint of undue predilection for what is peculiar to his own Church, they forgive it, seeing that the governing motive is the promotion of genuine piety. Thus with a rooted aversion to popery, which they consider as the grand apostacy foretold in the scriptures, they regard the writings of some of its adherents, as having a happy tendency to promote the life of religion in the soul, and they are, therefore, ready to aid the circulation of such writings in that community for which they were immediately intended.

If they publish any work of their own with a view to ameliorate the views and conduct of the members of other Christ. Observ. No. 11.

churches, they can leave untouched less essential points of difference, and content themselves with seizing on admitted truths of prime importance, in order to convey, through that channel, such arguments or exhortations as tend to the spiritual improvement of those at whose benefit they aim.

In their own community they are not always spending their strength on those topics which tend to increase the bitterness of party zeal. If, indeed, the occasion demand it, they are ready to produce a meek and manly defence of the doctrine or worship of that church to which they belong; but they are generally employed in urging upon all, those points which are of perpetual and indispensable necessity, and without which there can be no salvation to any man, however unexceptionable his Church may be.

Their minds are too much occupied about great truths to be influenced by little circumstances, and this preserves them from the spirit of innovation. They are averse to minute or unimportant alterations, even though, in themselves considered, they should be improvements; lest, prejudice being thereby awakened, more should be lost than gained. Knowing that they have opposition enough to contend with, in the aversion of human nature to the essentials of religion, they wish to reserve themselves for that necessary combat, without making any diversion of their force to objects of comparative insignificance. This caution they think incumbent upon them at all times, but especially when there appears a tendency towards a dereliction of the essential doctrines of the gospel. They account it unwise to urge inferior points, when those of supreme importance are at hazard.

Another thing which prevents them from innovating in religion, is their dread of schism. They would not break the unity of the Church, by attempting to alter that order of things, which, though not perfect, may yet be retained without endangering or impeding the salvation of men; and they are fully aware, how much the magnifying of trivial circumstances tends to alienate men's minds from ancient es

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And not only do they guard against sectarianism by their conduct, with respect to things of small importance, but even by the manner in which they enforce truths of the highest consequence. If some essential point of Christian doctrine be neglected, their love to God, and their love to man, both require them strenuously to assert and maintain that doctrine. But while discharging this duty, they are careful not to let their zeal betray them into any thing which may be the occasion of sectarianism, or be fairly interpreted as a proof of a sectarian intention. If the doctrine in question be fallen too low, they conceive it to be their bounden duty to raise it to its proper place, but no higher. To elevate it above that point, to urge it with a zeal which tends to obscure other revealed truths, and to lead men to suppose that religion consists merely in being right on that article, is the business of a sectarian, not of an Antisectarian.

Further, they are careful lest they should inadvertently forward the intentions of sectarians. If in concurring with a member of any other Christian society, for the purpose of furthering the propagation of genuine Christianity, they perceive, that under a profession of this catholic intention, their associate is after all only availing himself of the connection to increase the numbers or consequence of his own sect, they withdraw from him. They did not associate for any such purpose, nor will they aid such a scheme with the assistance of one of their fingers.

Among sectarian tendencies, they reckon that too forward-disposition, in sume persons, to emblazon every good action or character which happens to appear within their own circle. They are sparing of panegyric, because, even where there is much to commend, the subject is still a frail creature, who stands in great need of God's forgive

ble to the genius of Christianity, that religious men should remember, as well when speaking of one another as when speaking of themselves, how much more their lives fall short of the full measure of their obligations, than they rise above the ordinary level of general practice. This moderation they particularly observe with respect to such as they have been known to assimilate with in opinion and conduct. If a good action be done, or a good life have been exhibited, within their own circle, they do not call all the worid to admire it, as if they alone were the people among whom human excellence was to be found. Such a conduct may answer the views of a party; but they have a nobler design; it is religion, not any particular class of religious men, which they wish to see held in high esteem. It is true Christianity, therefore, to which they endeavour to direct the eyes of men, and as its advancement is their predominant desire, they think it necessary to avoid all imputation of having another end to serve, the suspicion of which might impede or defeat them in their grand pursuit.

Having this object steadily in view, simplicity is one of their characteristics. They will have no jargon in their language. They make a point of discarding all cant terms, and are averse to Shibboleths. They likewise guard against pushing things to extremity. What the Holy Scriptures plainly teach, they hold fast; but are fearful of refining upon general truths, lest they should go farther than their guide will accompany them. This caution prevents their embarrassing themselves and others with minute objections and frivolous distinctions; evils of which they are so much afraid, that they keep a guard on their conversation before their children, in order to avoid the error of those religionists, whose quibbling table-talk tends to form a race of quibbling and fastidious objectors, rather than of humble and simple hearted Christians, who can discern and relish the substance of religion.