fed immortality, and in the relation of children to God as their common Father, and having made thein fellow members of one body of which himself is the head, and given them his spirit to instruct and direct them, he enjoineth them to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. St. Paul teacheth us that peace is of the very essence of this celestial kingdom, the main privileges of its true subjects depending upon it, and it being their indisputable duty to preserve and promote it; the kingdom of God is not meat and drink (Christianity doth not confift in external observances, which are often the subjects of contention) but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

We should, indeed, judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifeft the counsels of the heart ; and then mall every man have praise of God. The praise which is justly due to his own works, according to the favourable rule of proceeding which he has declared in his word. How happy would it be for the world, the Christian world particularly, if this rule were universally followed! What divisions and difcords, strifes and confusions, would it prevent, and the great guilt of rafh and uncharitable cenfures? This is a matter of fo great importance, that our Saviour has though fit to infift inuch upon it, particularly in his fermon upon the

mount, and enforce it by strong arguments: Judge
not that ye be not judged, and with what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured to you again. It is a point
of such consequence, that God will have a great
regard to it in judgment, and in the distribution
of rewards and punishments ; such as treat their
brethren with candour and tenderness, fhall meet
with great clemency from him ; but such as have
shewed no mercy to others, nay expect a more
severe doom. In short, the evil we are here
warned against is uncharitableness, an immediate ·
violation of God's royal law, which when it is
fulfilled completes a truly good and christian cha-
racter. Charity envieth not, vaunteth not itself,
behaveth not un seemly; it hopeth, believeth, and en-
dureth all things; it suffereth lang, and is kind;
it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.
How unlike this is the spirit of a great many zea:
lous Christians, who carry it with contempt and
wrath towards their brethren ; who, perhaps, are
really weak, but reputed perversely erroneous ;
condemned as obstinate, when it may be in truth,
and in the judgment of God, more sincere, im-
partial, and unprejudiced, than we who take
upon us to judge ? Let even those who oppose
the most important, the most evident and neces-
fary truth, be instructed with meekness ; let such
as are differently minded from us in more diffi-
cult and lefs important points, be received not to
doubtful disputations ; above all, let the spirit of

jealousy find no room in our hearts ; let us not take upon us to impute to any of our fellow Christians, selfish corrupt views and finister des figns, which they disclaim, or give no fufficient ground for fixing upon them--that is really judging the heart, whereby we invade the prerogative of God, as well as injure men.

Sermons.

. DANIEL NEAL, A. M.

DIED 1743.

E have a fervent zeal for the honour of our

Lord and Master, and are desirous to contend earnestly for the faith orice delivered to the saints, with all forts of spiritual weapons ; but we do not yet see a necessity of stopping the mouths of the adversaries of our holy religion with fines and imprisonments, even though, to their own infamy and shame, they treat it with indecency. Let scandal and ill-manners be punished as it deserves, but let not men be terrified from speaking out their doubts, or proposing their objections against the gospel revelation, which we are sure will bear a thorough examination ; and though the late ungenerous attacks upon the miracles of our blefied Saviour, may have had an ill-influence upon the giddy and unthinking youth of the age, they have given

occafion to the publishing fuch a number of incomparable defences of Christianity, as have confirmed the faith of many, and must satisfy the minds of all reasonable enquirers after truth.

I have said nothing with a design to exafperate or widen the differences among Christians; for as I am a sincere admirer of the doctrines of the New Testament, I would have an equal regard to its most excellent precepts, of which these are some of the capital—that we love one another; that we forgive offences; that we bear one another's infirmities, and even bless them that curse us, and pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute

If this fpirit and temper were more prevalent, the lives of Christians would throw a bright lustre upon the truth and excellency of this divine faith, and convince the atheists and infidels of the age, more than all their arguments can do without it.

I would earnestly recommend this temper to the Protestant non-conformists of the present age, together with an holy emulation of each other, in undiffembled piety and sanctity of life, that while they are reading the heavy and grievous sufferings of their ancestors from ecclefiaftical commiffions, ssuiritual courts, and penal laws, for conscience fake, they may be excited to an humble adoration of divine Providence, which has delivered them fo far from the yoke of oppression, and to a detestation of all persecuting principles. And

may Protestants of all persuasions improve in the knowledge and love of the truth, and in sentiments of Christian charity and forbearance towards each other, that being at peace among themselves, they may with greater success, bend their united forces against the common enemy of Chriftia anity!

Preface to the History of the Puritans.

GEORGE SMITH, A. M.
DIED 1746*.

1 WHEN Zeal is under certain regulations, 1

don't know any character in the world more lovely than that of a zealous man. It is, in short this--which the more narrowly we view it the better we shall like it..

He is one who, by serious enquiry, has arrivedi at a competent acquaintance with those truths which it is of most importance to know, and of

* Mr. G. Smith officiated to a society at Hackney for thirty years as a preacher, excelled by none, and equalled by few. He was looked upon by his own brethren, as holding the first rank in merit amongst them, and not less-honoured and valued by those of the establishment, who knew him. Toulmin's Life of Neal. The Rev. Dr. Toulmin will be pleased to accept my thanks for the curious and interesting particulars which he has communicated in the notes to that publication, respecting many valuable deceased ministers among the Protestant Diflenters.