not the LORD JESUS." "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which caufe divifions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them: for they that are fuch, ferve not our LORD JESUS." Rom. xvi. 17. If they serve not the LORD JESUS, it requires no great fagacity to determine whom they ferve, for there are but two mafters in this cafe that can be ferved; either that Divine Master, who, in love to man, fet up his kingdom in oppofition to the prince of this world, that he might thereby counteract his evil work; or that EvilWorker himfelf, whofe conftant employment it is, fo far as in him lies, to divide and destroy that kingdom,

Now no greater advantage can be given to the common enemy in any caufe, than by a divifion among the parties profeffedly engaged in its fupport. A confideration, which accounts for that ftrefs, so repeatedly laid in the Apoftolic writings, upon the preservation of union and harmony among Chriftians; as effential to the well-being of the Church, confidered as a fociety formed by Gop, for the purpose of carrying into effect a regular defign for the benefit of its members.

It having pleased Divine Providence to place me in a fituation, which has given me an opportunity

of feeing fome of thofe many evils confequent upon a deviation from God's plan in the establishment of his Church upon earth; I fhould do lefs than my duty, did I not take occafion to fpeak plainly on this fubject; trufting that what, from a motive of pure charity to all, may be faid upon it, will be received charitably by all; without, if it be poffible, any mixture of that prejudice, which is able in a manner to convert truth into error, when the mind of the party, to whom it is addreffed, feels indifpofed to receive it.

The object in view on this occafion is two-fold; to qualify, in the first place, the members of the Church to give a reafon for their communion with it; and thereby prevent their being carried about from one place of public worship to another; upon the mistaken idea, that it is a matter of indifference where the word of God is preached, or by whome and in the second place, to open the eyes of thofe, who, with perhaps the best intention, may, through ignorance, have feparated from the Church; and who, were they better informed, might not scruple to prefer its fober and edifying worship to that in which they are at prefent engaged.

He must be little acquainted with the world who does not know, that religious prejudices leave the

moft powerful impreffion upon the human mind; and that till these are removed, it is impoffible to form a fair judgment upon a fubject of this nature. Thofe who have taken their religion upon truft, or have received it as a fort of hereditary poffeffion from their forefathers, feldom give themfelves the trouble to form any judgment upon it. Whilft others, who, in the choice of their religion, confult the gratification of paffion, intereft, or the promotion of fome particular object; are, for the most part not in a condition to bring this matter to a fair difcuffion. The only hope of fuccefs therefore in this cafe muft be, from an appeal to the honeft and well-difpofed; those who seek the truth in fincerity, and are refolved to follow wherever it may lead.

Such are doubtless to be found in all congregations of Chriftian people; fome of whom, in confequence only of their never having had the truth properly laid before them, have taken up with erroneous opinions; which, from prejudice of education or incapacity, they are prevented from bringing to the teft of reafon and Scripture. Deriving their natural growth in error from their parent ftock, they have by years acquired an habitual attachment to it; at the fame time that the earnest zeal even of thofe who

might be qualified for the purpose, will not let them ftop to examine the fource from which it has been derived. Such men may be confidered as not far from the kingdom of God; and it must be the earneft wish of every minister of that kingdom to bring them into it. Could thefe men be but once brought acquainted with the nature of CHRIST's church, they would never feparate from its communion; be cause they would be convinced that the plan upon which CHRIST has established that church, must be conformed to by all, who expect to enjoy the privileges annexed to it.

On looking into the writings of the Apostles, we find frequent mention made of the unity of the Christian church, as neceffary to the prefervation of that peace which CHRIST left with his followers; and repeated and earnest cautions against those divisions, by which it must be unavoidably disturbed. The Founder of this church is emphatically ftiled the Prince of Peace; because he is not only the maker of peace between GOD and man, but also the author of a religion calculated to promote that bleffing upon earth. The mark or distinction, therefore, by which the profeffors of this religion ought to be known, is, that love and harmony by which they are joined

together in the fame mind and in the fame doctrine: agreeably to the description given of them in the earlieft ftage of their connection; before the prince of this world, that destroyer of peace, had fown his feeds of divifion among them; when, as we read, "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul." Acts iv. 32.

As the time of our SAVIOUR's departure from the world drew near, the future establishment of his church appears to have conftituted the most interesting fubject of his thoughts. That most earnest and folemn prayer addreffed to his FATHER almost immediately before his fuffering, ftrongly marks out to us his dying wish upon it; where, after having first prayed for thofe particular difciples, to whofe immediate care and direction he thought fit to commit his church; that they might be duly fanctified for the great work of their miniftry, he thus proceeds:"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them alfo which fhall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, FATHER, art in me, and I in Thee, that they alfo may be one in us; that the believe that Thou haft fent me.'

world

may

xvii. 20, 21,

"

ཝཱ

JOHN