Excerpt from On the Divisions Among Christians: A Charge, Delivered to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Bedford

IT is much to be lamented, that amongst 3 the professors of Christianity, such a diversity of opinions should prevail, not only respecting points where, at present, we only see through a glass darkly, but also in matters more full}r revealed; matters of a practical nature, where gan error may be of fatal consequence to our to salvation. The Jews made the word of God Zof none effect through their traditions; we, 2 I am afraid, diminish its power by our disputes. On a careful perusal of the New Testament, it seems almost impossible to mistake the ten deney of the great body of its precepts, re specting our duty as Christians. We have not only precept upon precept, line upon line, ghere a little and there a little, but We see fithose precepts exemplified in the lives of the primitive Christians, as a further security Bagainst misunderstanding them. They are all such as might reasonably be expected, both from the nature of man, and the relation in which he stands to God. Nothing of a prae tical tendency can be found in opposition to the natural notions of mankind. Such, indeed, is the purity of the Christian precepts, that they who have refused to admit the Divine mission of Jesus Christ, have admired his moral doctrines. In whatever relates to our salvation, plainer terms of expression could not easily have been selected. Yet, under the general profession of Christianity, so divided are we in our religious opinions, that we have fre quently little more in common than the name of Christians. The question put by our Saviour to his disciples, may now, in his name, be re peated; Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am> What do they think of me, and of my mission? We all, indeed, confess that one is our master, even Christ; but appear to he followers of different religions, disciples ofditlerent masters. I am of Paul.

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