so broad, in the vital doctrines of the gospel, that all who "held the head," in whatever spot of the globe, might join, as they had opportunity, in the reciprocation of Christian kindnesses, and the enjoyment of Christian privileges. For proof of this a single fact will suffice. The most copious of all her confessions, framed toward the close of the fourth century, or about A. D. 373, nearly two hundred years after Irenæus, was designed, expressly, to guard and vindicate the common faith against the numerous heresies of the age. "All the orthodox bishops," says EPIPHANIUS, "and, in a word, the whole catholic church, in opposition to those heresies, and conformably to the pre-established faith of those holy fathers" (the Apostles and their successors)" affirm and maintain as follows; We believe," &c. *

He then recites the creed at length. It is substantially the same with the one already quoted; to the specifications of which it gives greater amplitude, and closer application. Yet this enlarged creed would not fill, or more than fill, THREE PAGES of the present work!!

* Υμείς τε και ήμεις, και παντες δι ορθοδοξοι επίσκοποι, και συλλήβδην πασα ἡ ἁγια Και θολική Εκκλησία προς τας ανακύψασας αιρεσεις ακολούθως τῇ των άγιων εκείνων πατερων προτεταγμένη πιστει, όυτως λεγομεν, μάλιστα τοῖς ἁγίῳ λυτρῳ προσιούσιν, ίνα απαγ γέλλωσι και λεγωσι όντως. ΠΙΣΤΕΥΟΜΕΝ κ. τ. λ. EPIPH. Ancor. 121. Οpp. Τ. II. p. 123. Petavii. 1622.

It is now apparent in what the doctrinal unity of the primitive church consisted. It was in holding and professing the same faith on points immediately affecting our eternal hope.

2d. The second principle of her unity was found in her common institutions.

These, again, without descending to subordinate variations or local observances, were her ministry, her worshipping assemblies, and her

sacraments.

Whatever alterations passed, in process of time, upon the form of her ministry and worship, there was no place nor period, in which their substance was not accounted sacred. On the one hand she resisted, with jealous promptitude, every intrusion into her official functions; and, on the other, her ministers were ministers of her whole body, and so acknowledged and employed wherever they happened to be, under such restrictions only as prudence rendered it necessary to impose for the preservation of public order. A ministry and a ministry she understood not. It was one. To interdict a minister of the gospel, with suitable credentials, from preaching or other service of the sanctuary, in any particular church whatever, on the pretence of its being unlawful to receive him and to join with him in ministerial communion, she would have held in

abomination. Severance of church from church -worship from worship-sacraments from sacraments, under the notion of separate Christian interests, and the denial of reciprocal fellowship, she condemned and detested. CYPRIAN's treatise on the unity of the church;* and his correspondence relative to the Novation schism, will satisfy any candid man of the truth of this representation. Proof in detail is forborne at present, as it will be incorporated with subsequent matter; and will thus prevent a needless if not wearisome repetition.

3d. The third great point of primitive unity was, brotherly love.

Let brotherly love continue; was an injunction among the last which proceeded from the sanctified lips of Paul the apostle, the aged, the martyr. And for the best of reasons. It is a lesson the most likely to be forgotten, and the most important to be remembered, of all the practical lessons which have been given to the children of men. The most likely to be forgotten: because every form and particle of their depravity has an interest in counteracting it—the most important to be remembered: because it is the principal proof of their reconciliation and com

* De unitate Ecclesiæ. Opp. pp. 104–120. Ed. FELL.

munion with God, and the mainspring of their happiness both in this life and that which is to come. Hatred, and her whole brood of envyings, strifes, clamours, jealousies, discords, are from hell-the undisputed progeny of SatanCharity, with her gentleness, kindness, long-suffering, mercies, meekness, and the whole train of personal lovelinesses and social graces, are from above; the fair and guileless offspring of the "Father of lights." The very end of the Redeemer's mission-the ultimate object of his doctrines, his precepts, his example, his tears, his sacrifice, was to overthrow the reign of malice, and to rear upon its ruins the empire of love. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. But God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him. On the contrary, he that loveth not, knoweth not God. Thence the emphasis of those memorable words of the LORD JESUS; Hereby shall all men KNOW that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another. In fact, the religion which he has instituted and which his Spirit teaches, is the only religion upon the face of the earth which makes LOVE its principle. Even Justification by faith is related to love as a means to an end. It is he who "believeth God," that worketh righteousness, and loves his neighbour.

In this divine quality of their religion the primitive Christians shone forth with a lustre which eclipses and darkens the church of modern days. That there existed then, as there exist now, whisperings, and backbitings, and evil surmises -that Jealousy raised strife, and ambition parties that the simple followed where the crafty led-that Zeal often lent herself to vain glory rather than to godly edifying; while Truth frowned and Charity wept, is very certain. Absolute freedom from those ungracious tempers which divide and alienate even the wise and good, is for the heavenly state. It belongs not to flesh and blood: to men of "like passions ;" and those passions too often sinful.

Yet with all her imperfections on this point; with all the wranglings and schisms which sprung up in her bosom, the primitive church, as a whole, presented a family picture which should make us blush; and would make us blush, if we had not, by inveterate habits of collision, and by the artifice of bestowing hallowed names upon unhallowed things, rid ourselves, in a great degree, of Christian shame. That which was the exception among the "elders," seems to be the rule among the moderns. Their concord was the rule, their disagreements the exception; our concord is the exception, our disagreements