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cess, even though greater than our own? Never wait for one another's halting; much less wish for it, or rejoice therein? Never speak disrespectfully, slightly, coldly, or unkindly of each other? Never repeat each other's faults, mistakes, or infirmities; much less listen for and gather them up? Never say or do any thing to hinder each other's usefulness, either directly or indirectly? Is it not a most desirable thing, that we should, secondly, love as brethren? Think well of, and honour one another? Wish all good, all grace, all gifts, all-success, yea, greater than our own, to each other? Expect God will answer our wish, rejoice in every appearance thereof, and praise him for it? Readily believe good of each other, as readily as we once believed evil? Speak respectfully, honourably, kindly of each other? Defend each other's character: speak all the good we can of each other: recommend one another, where we have influence: each help the other on in his work, and enlarge his influence by all the honest means we can?"

I do not see why such a plan might not be, in some degree, admitted by all the ministers of the Gospel, whether they belong to, or dissent from, the Establishment. I would extend my brotherly love to all Christians in general, but more particularly to all Protestants, and most particularly to all the Protestants of the Established Church, with whom am joined by repeated subscriptions to the same articles of religion, by oaths of canonical obedience, by the same religious rites, by the use of the same liturgy, by the same prerogatives, and by the fullest share of civil and religious liberty. But God forbid that I should exclude from my brotherly affection, and occasional assistance, any true minister of Christ, because he casts the Gospel net among the Presbyterians, the Independents, the Quakers, or the Baptists! If they will not wish me good luck in the name of the Lord, I will do it to them. So far as they cordially aim at the conversion of sinners, I will offer them the right hand of fellowship, and communicate with them in spirit. They may excommunicate me, if their prejudices prompt them to it: they may build up a wall of partition between themselves and me; but "in the strength of my God," whose love is as boundless as his immensity, and whose mercy is over all his works, "I will leap over the wall;" being persuaded that it is only daubed with untempered mortar, and made of Babel materials. Should not Christian meekness, and ardent love bear down party spirit, and the prejudices of education? The king tolerates and protects us all, the parliament makes laws to insure toleration and quietness, peace and mutual forbearance; and shall we, who make a peculiar profession of the "faith which works by love," and binds upon us the new commandment of laying down our lives for the brethren; shall we, I say, be less charitable and more intolerant than our civil governors, who, perhaps, make no such profession? Let bigoted Jews and ignorant Samaritans dispute whether God is to be worshipped on Mount Moriah, or on Mount Gerizim; let rigid Churchmen say, that a parish church is the only place where Divine worship ought to be performed, while stiff dissenters suppose that their meeting houses are the only bethels in the land; but let us, who profess moderation and charity, remember the reconciling words of our Lord, "The hour cometh, and now is, when true worshippers shall worship God every where, in spirit and in truth. For the Father seeketh such catholic and

spiritual persons to worship him;" and not such partial and formal devotees as the Jews and Samaritans were in the days of our Lord.

But to return to our plan of reconciliation: might not some additions be made to Mr. Wesley's draught; for it is from a letter published in his thirteenth Journal, that I have extracted the preceding sketch of union. Might not good men and sincere ministers, who are bent upon inheriting the seventh beatitude, form themselves into a society of reconcilers, whatever be their denomination, and mode of worship? Interest brings daily to the royal exchange a multitude of merchants, ready to deal with men of the most opposite customs, dresses, religions, and countries; and shall not the love of peace, and the pursuit of love, have as great an effect upon the children of light, as the love of money, and the pursuit of wealth have upon the men of the world? There is a society for promoting religious knowledge among the poor; some of its members are Churchmen, and others dissenters: some are Calvinists, and others Arminians; and yet it flourishes, and the design of it is happily answered. Might not such a society be formed for promoting peace and love among professors? Is not charity preferable to know. ledge? And if it be well to associate, in order to distribute Bibles and Testaments, which are but the letter of the Gospel, would it not be better to associate, in order to diffuse peace and love, which are the spirit of the Gospel? There is another respectable society for promoting the Christian faith among the heathen; and why should there not be a society for promoting unanimity and toleration among Christians? Ought not the welfare of our fellow Christians to lie as near our hearts as that of the heathen? There are in London, and other places, associations for the preventing and extinguishing of fires. As soon as the mischief breaks out, and the alarm is given, the firemen run to their fire engines; and without considering whether the house on fire be inhabited by Churchmen or dissenters, by Arminians or Calvinists, they venture their lives to put out the flames; and why should there not be associations of peace makers, who, the moment the fire of discord breaks out in any part of our Jerusalem, may be ready to put it out by all the methods which the Gospel suggests? Is not the fire of hell, which consumes souls, more to be guarded against than that fire which can only destroy the body?

Should it be asked what methods could be pursued to extinguish the fire of discord, and kindle that of love; I reply, that we need only be as wise as the children of this world. Consider we then how they proceed to gain their worldly ends; and let us go, and do as much to gain our spiritual ends.

Many gentlemen, some laymen and others clergymen, some Churchmen and others dissenters, wanted lately to procure the repeal of our articles of religion. Notwithstanding the diversity of their employments, principles, and denominations, they united, wrote circular letters, drew up petitions, and used all their interest with men in power to bring about their design. Again: some warm men thought it proper to blow up the fire of discontent in the breasts of our American fellow subjects. How did they go about the dangerous work? With what ardour did they speak and write, preach and print, fast and pray, publish manifestoes and make them circulate, associate, and strengthen their associations, and at

last venture their fortunes, reputations, and lives, in the execution of their warlike project! Go, ye men of peace, and do at least half as much to carry on your friendly design. Associate, pray, preach, and print for the furtherance of peace. When ye meet, consult about the means of removing what stands, in the way of a fuller agreement in principle and affection, among all those who love Christ in sincerity; and decide if the following queries contain any hint worthy of your attention:

Might not moderate Calvinists send with success circular letters to their rigid Calvinian brethren; and moderate Arminians to their rigid Arminian brethren, to check rashness, and recommend meekness, and moderation, and love? Might not the Calvinist ministers, who patronize the doctrines of grace, display also the doctrines of justice, and open their pulpits to those Arminian ministers who do it with caution? And might not the Arminian ministers who patronize the doctrines of justice, make more of the doctrines of grace, preach as nearly as they can like the judicious Calvinists, admit them into their pulpits, and rejoice at every opportunity of showing them their esteem and confidence? Might not such moderate Calvinists and Arminians as live in the same towns, have from time to time a general sacrament, and invite one another to it, to cement brotherly love, by publicly confessing the same Christ, by jointly taking him for their common head, and by acknow. ledging one another as fellow members of his mystical body? Might not some of the ministers, on these occasions, preach to edification on such texts as these :-" Christ asked him, What was it that ye disputed about among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace;" for by the way they had disputed, "who should be the greatest:" and he said unto them, "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you. Receive ye one another as Christ also received us. Yea, him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. Let us not judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. Let us follow after those things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another: holding the head, from which all the body having nourishment, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon Aaron's head, and like the dew upon Mount Sion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, and life for evermore." Could not the society have corresponding members in various parts of the kingdom, to know where the flame of discord begins to break out, that by means of those mighty engines, the tongue, the pen, or the press, they might, with all speed, direct streams of living water, floods of truth and kindness, to quench the kindling fire of wrath, oppose the waters of strife, and remove whatever stands in the way of the fire of love? And if this heavenly fire were once kindled, and began to spread, might it not, in a few years, reach all orders of professors in Great Britain, as the

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contrary fire has reached our brethren on the continent? If we doubt the possibility of it, do we not secretly suppose that Satan is stronger to promote discord and contention, than Christ is to promote concord and unity? And, in this case, where is our faith? And where the love which "thinketh no evil," and "hopeth all things?" If one or two warm men have kindled on the continent so great a fire, that neither our fleets nor our armies, neither the British nor the German forces em. ployed in that service, have yet been able to put it out; what will not twenty or thirty men, burning with the love of God and of their neigh. bour, be able to do in England? We may judge of it by what twelve fishermen did one thousand seven hundred years ago. Arise then, ye sons of peace, ye sons of God, into whose hands these sheets may fall. Our Captain is ready to lead you to the conquest of the kingdom of love. Be not discouraged at the smallness of your number, nor at the multitude of the men of war, who are ready to oppose you. Jesus is on your side he is our Gideon. With his mighty cross he has smitten the foundation of the altar of discord: pull it down. Break your nar. row pitchers of bigotry. Hold forth your burning lamps: let the light of your love shine forth without a covering. Ye loving Calvinists, fall upon the necks of your Arminian opponents: and ye loving Arminians, be no more afraid to venture among your Calvinian antagonists. You will not find them cruel Midianites, but loving Christians: methinks that your mingled-lights have already chased away the shades of the night of partiality and ignorance. You see that you are brethren; you feel it: and, ashamed of your former distance, you now think you can never make enough of each other, and testify too much your repentance, for having offended the world by absurd contentions, and vexed each other by inimical controversies. The first love of the Christians revives: you are "all of one heart and of"-but I forgot myself: I antedate the time of love, which I so ardently wish to see. The Jericho of bigotry, which I desire to compass, is strong: the Babylon of confusion and division, I would fain demolish, is guarded by a numerous garrison, which thousands of good men think it their duty to reinforce. It may not be improper therefore to make one more attack upon these accursed cities, and to insure the success of it by proper directions.

SECTION VII.

Some directions how to secure the blessings of peace and brotherly love.

"Do all things without disputings," says St. Paul, "that ye may be blame. less and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke. Be at peace among yourselves; and if it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men:" but especially with your brethren in Christ. "Nor quench the Spirit," by destroying its most excellent fruits, which are peace and love. And that we may not be guilty of this crime, the apostle exhorts us to "avoid contentions," and assures us, that God will "render indignation to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth." It highly concerns us, therefore, to inquire how we shall escape the curse denounced against

the contentious, and live peaceably with our fellow professors. And if we ought to do "all that lieth in us," in order to obtain and keep the blessing of peace; surely we ought to follow such directions as are agreeable to Scripture and reason. I humbly hope that the following are of this number.

DIRECTION I. Let us endeavour to do justice to every part of the Gospel; carefully avoiding the example of those injudicious and rash men, who make a wide gap in the north hedge of the garden of truth, in order to mend one in the east or south hedge. Let every evangelical doctrine have its proper place in our creed, that it may have its due effect on our conduct. Consideration, repentance, faith, hope, love, and obedience, have each a place on the scale of Gospel truth. Let us not breed quarrels by thrusting away any one of those graces, to make more room for another. While the philosopher exalts consideration alone; the Carthusian, repentance; the Solifidian, faith; the mystic, love; and the moralist, obedience; thou, man of God, embrace them all in their order, nor exalt one to the prejudice of the rest. Tear not Christ's seamless garment, nor divide him against himself. He demands our reverential obedience as our King, as much as he requires our humble attention as our Prophet, and our full confidence as our Priest. It is as unscriptural to magnify one of his offices at the expense of the others, as it would be unconstitutional to honour George III. as king of Ireland, and to insult him as king of England or Scotland. And it is as provoking to the God of truth and order to see the stewards of his Gospel mysteries make much of the dispensation of the Son, while they overlook the dispensation of the Father, and take little notice of the dispensation of the Holy Ghost, as it would be provoking to a parent to see the persons, whom he has entrusted with the care of his three children, make away with the youngest, and starve the eldest, in order to enrich and pamper his second son. Where moderation is wanting, peace cannot subsist: and where partiality prevails, contention will soon make its appearance.

II. Let us always make a proper distinction between essential and circumstantial differences. The difference there is between the Christians and the Mohammedans is essential: but the difference between us and those who receive the Scriptures, and believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is in general about non-essentials: and therefore such a difference ought not to hinder union; although in some cases it may. and should prevent a close communion. If we fancy that every diversity of doctrine, discipline, or ceremony, is a sufficient reason to keep our brethren at arm's length from us, we are not so much the followers of the condescending Jesus, as of the stiff and implacable professors, mentioned in the Gospel, who made much ado about mint, anise, and cummin; but shamefully neglected mercy, forbearance, and love.

III. Let us leave to the pope the wild conceit of infallibility; and let us abandon to bigoted Mohammedans the absurd notion that truth is confined to our own party, that those who do not speak as we do are blind, and that orthodoxy and salvation are plants, which will scarcely grow any where but in our own garden. So long as we continue in this error, we are unfit for union with all those who do not wear the badge of our party. A Pharisaic pride taints our tempers, cools our love, and

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