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on Aaron's head, or the refreshing dew defcending. on Hermon and Sion, and making all the country between them to share in its copious bleffings. Let us often reflect with ourselves, how amiable and excellent it is! what an ornament! and indeed, with all its meeknefs and tenderness, what a defence to true Chriftianity! Let us accuftom ourselves to think, fo far as our best information reaches, what the face of the Chriftian church has, in fact, been, amidst all the mutual animofities that have reigned among its members; and, on the other hand, let us try to imagine what it would have been, if that pacific, gentle, beneficent temper, which the gospel recoinmends, had conftantly, had generally been prevalent, and every angry, turbulent, and malignant thought and paffion had been brought into fweet fubjection to the laws of Chrift. But who can make the computation, whether we confider its aspect on prefent, or on future happiness? Who can calculate how widely Christianity would have been spread, while the admiring world had been charmed by fo bright a light, had been melted by fo celeftial a flame? Who can imagine what delights had sprung up in every breast, and how they had been multiplied by reflection from each? Above all, who can conceive how large a colony the regions of perfect love and bleffedness would have received from the peopled earth! G 6

The lowest understanding, the meanest education, the moft contemptible abilities, may fuffice to give hard names, and to pronounce severe cenfures. A harsh anathema may be learnt by heart, and furiously repeated by one that could scarce read it; and, as was in truth the case, in some ancient councils, may be figned by those that cannot write their names. But true catholicifm of temper is a more liberal thing; it proceeds from more enlarged views; it argues a fuperior greatnefs of mind, and a riper knowledge of men and things. And the man, who is bleffed with fuch advantages, fhould be fo much the more folicitous that he does not, on any provocation, add the weight of his example to fo bad a caufe as that of uncharitablenefs always is. He owes it to God, and to the world, that fuch an influence be employed to the happy purposes of healing the wounds of the Chriftian church, and of conciliating the affections of good and worthy men. towards each other, till their united counfels can regulate its diforders, and reftore to it a form more worthy of itself.

And Oh! may the God of the fpirits of all flesh, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Author of Peace and Lover of Concord, hear the prayers in which our hearts would unite with all our brethren: humbly interceding for the profperity of the univerfal church, "That

it may

be fo guided and governed by his good fpirit, that all who profefs, and call themfelves Christians, may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith once delivered to the Jaints, in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life, through Jefus Chrift."

Amen.

Sermon on Candour and Unanimity.

THE

RICHARD BAXTER *.

DIED 1691.

HE Jews, that perfecuted Christ and his Apoftles, had the teftimony of Paul himfelf, that they had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge; and St. Paul faith of the deceivers and troublers of the Galatians (whom he wifheth even cut off) that they did zealously affect them, but not well. And he faith of himself, while he perfecuted Chriftians to prifon and to death-I was zealous towards God, as ye are all this day. Was not the Papift's St. Dominic, that ftirred up the perfecution against the Christians in France and Savoy, to the murdering of many of them, a very zealous man? And are not the butchers of the inquifition zealous men? And were not the

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authors of the third canon of the general council at the Lateran, under Pope Innocent the third, very zealous men, that decreed that the Pope fhould depofe temporal lords, and give away their dominions, and abfolve their fubjects, if they would not exterminate the godly, called heretics? Hath not zeal caused many of later times to rise up against their lawful governors, and many to perfecute the church of God, and deprived the people of their faithful pastors, without compaffion on the people's fouls? Doth not Christ say of fuch zealots-The time cometh, when whosoever killeth you, will think he doth God fervice. Therefore Paul faith, it is good to be zealously affected always in a good matter; fhowing you that zeal, indeed, is good, if found judgment be its guide. It is fad to obferve what odious actions are committed in all ages of the world by the inftigation of mifguided zeal, and what a fhame an impudent zealot is to his profeffion; while making himfelf ridiculous in the eyes of the adverfaries, he brings his profeffion itself into contempt, and maketh the ungodly think that the religious are but a company of tranfported, brain-fick zealots; and thus they are hardened to their perdition. How many things doth unadvised affection provoke well-meaning people to, that afterwards will be their fhame and forrow? Labour, therefore, for knowledge and foundness of understanding, that you may know truth from false

hood, good from evil, and may walk confidently while you walk fafely; and that you become not a fhame to your profeffion, by a furious. profecution of that which you must, afterwards, confess to be an error; by drawing others to that which you would, after, wish that you had never known yourselves. And yet, fee that all your knowledge have its efficacy upon your heart and life; and take every truth as an inftrument of God to reveal himself to you, or to draw your heart to him, and conform you to his holy will.

Keep right apprehenfions of the excellency of charity and unity among believers, and receive nothing hastily that is against them; especially take heed, left under pretence of their authority, their number, their foundness, or their holiness, you too much addict yourselves to any fect or party, to the withdrawing of your special love and just communion from other Chriftians, and turning your zeal to the interest of your party, with the neglect of the common interest of the church; but love a Chriftian as a Christian, and promote the unity and welfare of them all. It is a most dangerous thing to a young convert to be enfnared in a fect; it will, before you are aware, poffefs you with a feverish finful zeal for the opinions and interefts of that fect; it will make you bold in bitter invectives and cenfures against thofe that differ from them; it will corrupt your church communion, and fill your very prayers

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