any unkind, or, uncharitable disposition towards such persons as individuals, but out of regard to the Truth itself, and of the honour that is due to God.

There is a good deal of moral courage necessary in these times to act consistently in this matter. "The offence of the cross," is, to-day, what it has been in all days, since Jesus Christ first proclaimed the Gospel to the world. "Think not, that I am come, (says our Blessed Lord) to send peace on earth: I come not to send peace, but a sword. For, I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her motherin-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."* This is not as fully understood as it ought to be. If it were, we should expect very different results from those which so many persons seem to regard as the perfection of Christian unity. All colours agree in the dark. It is the Light that reveals the delicate tints, and reveals every variety of shade. In like manner, it is evident that there is little difficulty in being Catholic, when there is no difference. If men have no convictions of their own, and regard all the points by which Christians are split up into various sections as nothing, then, forbearance and charity are words without force or meaning. Such Catholicity of spirit hardly deserves the name.

* Matt. x. 34, 35, 36

There is in it no scope for the exercise of Christian courtesy, or, charity. No one regards it as a virtue, for a man to abstain from sins for which he has no inclination. And, in like manner, there is no true liberality in a man who embraces all doctrines as being equally true, or, rejects them as being equally false. Very frequently this spirit of indifference is mistaken for a Catholic spirit. It is a very great mistake. For, in point of fact, this universal agreement with every religionist, is based either upon want of clear and distinct views of the Gospel itself, or, else, upon want of principle, or, moral courage. To have decided views upon Christian doctrine ourselves, and still, to look kindly, and charitably upon those who differ from us, is a mark of a Catholic spirit. If, for example, a man tells us that he does not believe in the Divinity of our Lord, and moreover, preaches and publishes his views upon that cardinal point of Gospel doctrine, and, that, notwithstanding this divergence from what we believe to be essential truth, we still admit him to our pulpits, and to the Lord's Holy Table, then we are simply compromising our principles, and introducing spiritual anarchy and confusion into the Church of Christ. Come what may, and cost what it will, we are bound to protest against what we conscientiously believe to be error, while we carefully abstain from exhibiting ill feeling towards those whom we consider as the erring. It is

remarked by Seneca,* that “the greater part of mankind are angry with the sinner, and not the sin."

All ecclesiastical history affords ample evidence of this, and, perhaps, it is this tendency of corrupt human nature that so often puts us into bad temper with men who differ from us. We are all naturally much attached to what is our own, and we regard those who differ from us, as by that very fact, impeaching the soundness of our judgment, the honesty of our investigation, or, the mental calibre. whereby we have been enabled to examine the doctrine in dispute. Now, here, is the proper place for self-denial. A Catholic spirit consists in repressing the tendency to resentment, to coldness, to estrangement, and in cherishing a spirit of love, and gentleness, and forbearance, in spite of existing differences. It is when a man holds a sentiment different from our own, and, possibly, a very favourite sentiment of our own, that our real liberality is put to the test. To reconcile a conscientious with a Catholic spirit is the real difficulty of professing Christians.

There is one fact that we should always keep well in view-that the central bond of union among Christians, ought to be the Holy Communion, of the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That is called The Lord's Table-not the Table of this

* De Irâ, ii, 28.

or that denomination, but the Lord's. The question is, in what capacity are we assembled there? Is it as Presbyterians? or Independents? or Baptists? Is it not rather as fellow Christians? Under the symbol of that feast the blessedness of Heaven is typified, and, surely, there is something very anomalous and inconsistent in our erecting impassable barriers, to keep away those, whom, on the lowest grounds of charity, we expect to meet in the Great Feast above! The Christian Church should be a Church of Christians. If the Church would return to its primitive unity, it must not only be sound in doctrine, but be genuine in the exhibition of primitive love. It must have Jesus enthroned in its midst as the object of worship, and the centre of influence. At the same time, it must hold out the right hand of fellowship to His disciples, not in proportion to their agreement in secondary matters, but according as they hold the Truth, and exhibit the mind that was in the Great Master. The love of Christian brethren must be the love of Christ under a different form. And thus, loving Him "that begat, they will love those who are begotten of Him," and, then, unity without discord will speedily be accomplished. Until then-never.

In this respect, the Church of England is the most

* See Note.

Catholic of all Churches. She, in effect, throws the responsibility upon the individual communicant as to his own fitness, or, not. Any man presenting himself at the Lord's Table is permitted to receive the symbols of our Saviour's one finished Sacrifice, without cause assigned, or, question asked. Not so, in other Churches. Unless you have received from the minister his "token,” you are not allowed to communicate. There are some who insist upon this particular scrutiny as the correct method for distinguishing nominal from real believers. That may

be so, but we contend only for the more liberal and comprehensive policy of the Church of England. The Apostolic Churches left each individual believer at liberty to examine himself, and, so, to eat of that Bread, and to drink of that Cup. They employ the language of Charity, and breathe the very spirit of Catholicity.