dost thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall alb stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Every one of us must give an account of himself to God. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Let us not judgeone another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block, or occasion to fall in his. brother's way.".

5. There is one faith. The same gospel is given us. for the rule of our faith, and this gospel all Christians. profess to receive. Hence the Apostles speak of one common faith-like precious faith, and the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.

The faith of all true Christians is essentially the same. The object of it is the word of God-the nature of it is receiving the love of the truth-the effect of it is to purify the heart. However they may differ in some matters of speculation, they agree in the great doctrines which are essential to godliness. If we would make allowance for men's misapprehensions of each other's sentiments, for their different phrases and modes of diction, for differences, which proceed from the heat of controversy, and would also throw aside such errors as are merely speculative, the faith of Christians would appear to be more nearly the same, than is generally imagined. St. James says, "I will shew you my faith by my works." If your brethren question the soundness of your faith, go, shew it in this orthodox and apostolic manner. If they give you the same proof of their faith, however weak you may think them in some things, receive them, but not to doubtful disputation. If your faith and theirs, is thus fur one; with respect to other things, forbear one another in love.

-6. There is one baptism, which is the badge of our relation to Jesus Christ. We are all baptized in the name of Christ; and he is not divided. Christians

may differ in their opinions concerning the age at which persons become the subjects of baptism, and the manner in which they ought to receive it; but still, in regard of the great design of it, which is the answer of a good conscience toward God, and in regard of the obligations implied in it, which are to put off the works of the flesh, and to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, it is one and the same. We all consider it as an institution of Christ, a badge of our relation to him, a token of our obligation to depart from iniquity, and a seal of the righteousness of faith; and though we may differ in some of the smaller circumstances of it, why may we not view it as substantially the same ? Why may we not walk together as brethren, and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? Baptism was not intended to break Christians into various sects, as if some were baptized in the name of Paulsome in the name of Apollos-and some in the name of Cephas; but to unite the whole Christian world; for all are baptized in the name of Christ, and into one body.

7. There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in us all.

There is one God who is the Father of the whole creation; but in a more eminent sense the Father of Christians. He has not only created them by his power, and supported them by his Providence, but he has also by his Spirit begotten them to newness of life, and by his grace adopted them to a heavenly inheritance. We have all one Father, one God has created us, one Spirit has sanctified us, one inheritance is reserved for us-All we are brethren-Let us love one another with a pure heart fervently. How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity?

Our God and Father is above all. He reigns supreme. The great and leading precept which he has given his children is, that they love one another. This

is the royal law-it is the end of the commandment. We are above all things to put on charity. Every opposition to this law is rebellion against the highest authority.

God is through all. His essence pervades our frame, his eyes search and try our souls, his influence preserves our spirits. To him is known every malevolent, unsocial and contentious passion that moves within us. Our uncharitable affections to one another are ingratitude and impiety to him, in whom we live, and move, and have our being. "God is love;

if we dwell in love, we dwell in God, and he in us. If we say we love God, and still hate our brother, we deceive ourselves; for he who loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen ?"

God is in all, i. e. in all true Christians by his Spirit, They are the temple of God, and his Spirit dwelleth in them. Every malicious, envious, revengeful passion which the Christian indulges, is an opposition to the Spirit of God, whose fruits are love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness and meekness; and every injury which he commits against his fellow Christians, is an insult upon that Spirit which dwells in them; for they are the temple of God, and if any man profane this temple, him will God destroy. Christians are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit; all divisions and separations among the members of the church of God are inconsistent with their enjoying the Spirit. He dwells with those who are meek and humble, and tremble at the word—not with the proud, selfconfident and vain.

They who cause divisions in churches in order to form new sects, usually make high pretensions to the influence of the Spirit. But whatever they may pretend, their conduct demonstrates, that they have not the Spirit of God; for he is not a Spirit of contention, but VOL. III.

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of peace; and his work is not division and separation among Christians, but unity and love. See then that you walk worthy of your vocation, in all humility, meekness, forbearance and love, keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; for there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in us all.

SERMON XXIII.

The Precious Gifts of Christ's Ascension.

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EPHESIANS iv. 8-13.

Wherefore he saith, when he ascended on high, he led captivity. captive, and gave gifts unto men, (Now that he ascended, that is it, but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the sume that also decended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the state ure of the fulness of Christ.

THE Apostle, having mentioned, in the 7th verse, the grace bestowed on believers "according to the measure of the gift of Christ," immediately proceeds, in the words now read, to explain what the gifts are which Christ has bestowed; and to shew, that they were dispensed at his ascension, according to the divine purpose, for the general edification of the church.

To prove that the ascension of Christ was to be fol lowed with the bestowment of spiritual gifts, he quotes a passage from the 68th Psalm. "Thou hast ascend ed on high; thou hast led captivity captive; thou