affectionate care of his mother, when he was hanging on the cross, and his pathetic lamentations for his country. But he does not allow us to stop short of a sincere good will for all Christians in particular, and for all men in general, by whatever circumstances we are brought into contact with them.

The patriotism of a Christian is not that blind impulse which agitated the ambition of the Roman Republic*; to which, what Plato said of the Lacedemonian polity, may be more truly applied, that every institution of theirs was designed to gain them domination over others. The whole history of that people for many ages, is only an exemplification of that practice, which our countryman (Galgacus) so indignantly and truly describes as having desolated this now happy island. "Whom neither the East nor the West can satisfy to whom nations, rich or poor, are equally objects of ambition who dignify robbery, murder, rapine, by the dazzling name of dominion; and where they have made a desert, pretend they have established peace." Tacit. Agric. §. 30. The patriotism of a Christian is a sincere endeavour to uphold his country as an integral member of the Christian republic, and such a faithful administration of the department intrusted to him†, as to leave no room for suspicion that he makes Cic.de Off. lib. i. c. 19.

* See Note 59.

† See Note 60.

his public virtue a cloak for his private ends, or has one conscience for himself10 and another for the public. Selfishness, in every degree, is the most abhorrent from the character of a Christian: St. Paul enjoins this as a quality essential to that character; "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth";" and notes as a departure from it, that "all sought their own." It is because every one endeavours to get an undue advantage to himself, that affairs often go on so ill in the world. Were it needful to point out the faithful friend and the true patriot, who would hesitate to say a sincere Christian alone could maintain those relations: because he would do the least for himself and the most for those whom he professed to serve. He would however keep himself free from such a blind attachment to any person or interest of this world, as for the sake of either to swerve from the rule of right, or trample, upon the just and reasonable claims of others.

CHAPTER III.

A GREAT parade has been made of an objection founded on the difference of opinion, which prevails among those who believe in the Bible: as

10 See the advice given by Archbishop Williams to King Charles I. for his assent to the Bill of Attainder of the Earl of Strafford.-Lord Clarendon, Book III.

if the whole authority of Scripture were subverted by such discordance. This objection unwarrantably presumes, that the Scripture itself is to be charged with all those contradictions and absurdities, which are to be found in the. tenets of some or other of the various sects, who profess to bow to its decision; and as unwarrantably infers, that it is too obscure a book to be a rule of life; because many set up for interpreters without knowledge, and decide concerning ancient institutions and Eastern usages, by the standard of modern ideas and European prejudices. But differences in the interpretation of the same passages of Scripture, and preponderance of evidence for its authority and truth, are two points entirely independent of each other and its claim to be an adequate rule of life now, is very consistent with obscurity in passages relating to events long gone by, and therefore no way concerning us. Revelation, like laws, must be delivered in words; but words are in their very nature in some degree undefined; and therefore in some points, especially when the language ceases to be in common use, there will be ground for difference of opinion. In other points, however clear the expression may be, there is such an obliquity in the understandings of many men, that you will find them unwilling to agree in the plainest propositions. And, when once a difference of interpretation has been set on foot, there are so many private

reasons, which stifle the desire of truth, that you can believe nothing, if you must wait till all men agree with you.

With respect to the difference of opinion among Christians in particular, it in no degree affects their belief of the Divine mission of their Saviour, or of the necessity of keeping his words. Neither indeed does it so much affect the precepts, as fall upon the doctrines, which are the foundation of those precepts; because points of doctrine, being more remote from the common concerns of life, are more easily disputed; and the various interests, by which men are led to adopt even absurd opinions, have more play upon the judgment in this case than in the other, where their strength is seen more in perverting the practice than in misleading the understanding. The origin of these differences is to be found in the errors of the mind, and the evil consequences of it must be ascribed to the corruption of the heart. It is lamentable to see men generally agree, as Christians do, in acknowledging those main truths, which ought to be foundations of hope and the motives and rules of action to us all; and yet so separated in heart and mind, as they too frequently are, and so apt to lay more stress upon those points which produce a separation, than on those which tend to union. This perversion however of the best gift ever bestowed on man (sometimes to the worst of purposes) is a practical illustration of that degeneracy of

nature, which Christianity professes to be the cause for the necessity of its own establishment. So that in this part of the charge the objection recoils upon the objector. In this discordance of opinion and subdivision into sects, with the contentions consequent thereon, there is nothing to shake the faith of any one, who knows that the disobedience of the subject is no argument against the authority of the law; still less the faith of him who attends to the Apostle,"There must also be heresies among you, that they, which are approved, may be made manifest among you." 1 Cor. xi. 19. But there is much occasion of scandal given to men, who are always ready to justify their own hatred of religion by the faults of those who profess it.

For their sake therefore, as well as our own, it is greatly to be lamented, that the Christian world does not enough study nor practise that charity, which is the sum and substance, and end of the commandment. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." 1 John iii. 14.-" God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in him." iv. 16. It is the disposition which brought Christ down from heaven, and which must carry us up thither. But it is not that spurious benevolence, which often assumes the name of charity, because with indiscriminate indolence it confounds all distinction of character; considers all religious opinions to be alike;