not between the crucifix and the fire, for these are now out of repute-but between our creed and our anathema. Melancholy, indeed, that this spirit, which once prevailed all over christendom, is sometimes still called piety, even in the protestant world! It is when such principles and feelings usurp the place of genuine love to God, that piety becomes the most dangerous of the weapons, which ambition may use to disturb the peace of the church, and of the world. How important, then, the union of piety and charity! This would defeat the cry of the bigot, and the sneer of the indifferent. Until this union is effected, the seamless coat of Christ will continue to be torn in ten thousand pieces by aspiring partisans and narrow-minded bigots, while the exulting infidel and profligate cast their reproaches on the exposed and dishonoured religion of our blessed Lord.

3. The time, which remains, will not allow us to be very copious on the third topic of discourseto which, indeed, we have already occasionally adverted-the influence of charity on knowledge and piety.

Alas! the experiment has never yet been made upon a broad scale in the christian world. Among those great men, who have shone as lights in the world, and whose light has reached our own times, there are, indeed, a few, who give us an illustrious specimen of the rare and godlike union of knowledge, piety and love. I could enumerate some memorable names; but it has been the hard fate of many of them to be persecuted, and of others to be suspected, when alive, and to receive a kind of hollow admiration and a doubtful praise in later ages, especially from those who know them only by their reputation for catholicism. Yet their reputation will stand unshaken through the hottest and most malignant seasons of the church, and afford a cool shelter for the quiet christian, like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

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If we may ever expect religious knowledge generally to prevail, it will be only when the gentle voice of charity is heard throughout christendom encouraging men to follow the lights, which are held out to them, without apprehension of reproach from "hard unkindness' altered eye" on every change of opinion. When a spirit of true christian liberality shall prevail, a spirit, not of latitudinarian apathy, but of active benevolence, we shall be provided with the most ample means for thorough and unbiassed inquiry, and men will be invited, not only to read for themselves, but to form their conclusions for themselves with a manliness becoming intelligent creatures, who account it a light thing to be judged of man's judgment, for he that judgeth them is the Lord. When charity and zeal shall unite, truth will spring out of the earth, and righteousness look down from heaven; and christendom be like a well watered garden, whose beauty and fertility appear together. Thy kingdom come, should be our prayer continually.

Do you ask, how charity will promote knowledge? It will do it by divesting us of those miserable prejudices, which lead us to take offence against a writer from his subject, his manner, or his sectarian name. It will promote knowledge by teaching men, that the differences in the christian world, where they are not allowed to produce alienation of affection, will infallibly produce good, by exciting attention, caution, inquiry, and, of course, truth. It will promote knowledge by removing that undue bias, which will always exist, where there is a fear of the results, to which our studies may lead us. Charity expands the mind, and prepares it to receive truth, from whatever quarter it may be presented. Charity is the genial warmth of a good heart, not unlike that of the spring, which first opens and loosens the soil, allows the seeds, which are scattered on the surface, to find a place, and encourages those to spring up,

which have been long struggling in vain for the light; prejudice is a rock, which refuses all hold, but to the short and barren mosses, with which it has been for ages covered, and which time only hardens and embrowns.

It is true, there is hardly a sect in christendom, which has not sometimes been uncharitable; and it is easy to see, that there is sometimes a bitter party arrayed against intolerance and bigotry. Indeed, the highest exercise of charity is, charity toward the uncharitable. But, whatever be the communion, in which it is found, nothing is so unfriendly to knowledge, as a narrow, exclusive, and censorious temper. This discovers itself, sometimes in a weak dread of novelty, sometimes in a petulant contempt of antiquity. It now puts in a caution against the character of an opponent, and now fastens on his doctrines, consequences, which he rejects. It sometimes opposes ridicule to argument, feeling to fact, and names to reasons; and answers your statements by an appeal to its own personal experience, which can never be a reason to another, who has not the same internal sensation.

The es

sence of this spirit is the same all over the world; and effectually bars the mind against the access of truth. When any sect makes its last appeal to authority, or to its own peculiar sensations, as a standard of truth, there is an end of religious inquiry. The mahometan is then able to bring the same reason for his belief in the koran, the papist for the traditions of his church, the quaker for his silent illuminations, and all sects, without distinction, for their own most diverse and contradictory formularies.

If any one imagines, that, what we have described as charity, is, in fact, indifference to truth, let such a one know, that their nature and tendency are altogether unlike. Indifference is always content with the degree of knowledge, which already exists; and is willing, that men should be ignorant

on the most solemn and interesting subjects. Indifference is indolent, contemptuous and conceited; charity is an active temper, which, for its own sake, and that of others, encourages every provision for the progress of knowledge, sensible that the love of truth is one of the noblest principles of human virtue. Indifference thinks the study of religion unworthy of a thought; but charity is always employed in finding those truths, in which the greatest number can agree; and the better they are established, the better is charity promoted.

From what has already been said, I deem it unnecessary to enlarge on the last branch of our subject, the connexion between piety and charity. The union of these qualities, however it may now be suspected to be doubtful or difficult, will be found practicable, at least in that world, and in that vast assembly, which no man can number, of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues, who shall stand before the throne and before the lamb, clothed with robes, and with palms in their hands, crying with a loud voice, salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and to the lamb!

And, would we form on earth a congregation on the model of this, which the author of the book of Revelations saw in vision, we must come to God believing, that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and believing, also, that, with this faith and this diligence, it is not impossible for any man to please him. We must have the charity to banish from our devotions every thing, which does not properly belong to this holy and charitable employment. We must consent to make our prayers, not tests of doctrine, but expressions of love. We must beware of awakening passions by our religious services, which are unfriendly to christian fellowship. Especially must we beware of making God a party to our own feelings, and of converting acts of christian communion and worship into a confederation-if the

word may be pardoned-for purposes of private influence and religious domination. Piety, then, will most assuredly flourish, when we make our worship and our ordinances the means, and not the end of religion, and when that end is well understood to be love, out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.

To conclude, my christian brethren, are we among those, who seek after knowledge, and lift up our voices for understanding? Have we made religion an object of as much inquiry and attention, as its lofty claims and eternal importance demand? Is our charity the cloak of ignorance and indifference, or a genuine principle of philanthropy uniting, with tenderness and indulgence towards others, a sincere desire of their improvement? And are we careful to perfect and consecrate our love of truth and our charity by an inward and practical piety? My friends, we have much to do to wipe off the reproaches, which are continually cast upon one or the other of these blessed qualities; and we can do it only by uniting them in our own characters. It is the constant object of my wishes and prayers, and may it be the effect of my preaching, under the blessing of God, to contribute to the formation of that noblest of all characters, the christian, whose love, as the apostle describes it, abounds more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment, who approves the things, which are excellent, and who remains sincere and without offence, till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.