Christians as his brethren; as children of the same father, and members of the same family to which he belonged; and consequently that he must not hate nor persecute any of them: that he ought to lament their divisions, and do all that in him lay, to heal their breaches, and cure their animosities; but still they had a right to his charity, and to his prayers.

But Mr. Bonnell always expresses his own sense in the fittest words, and in the clearest manner. And this being a matter of great moment, it is to be hoped that the judgment of one so eminent for piety and charity, will have its just weight with every considering reader.

"Christian religion," says he, " is but one: the belief of one Trinity in Unity, and the redemption of the world, by the incarnation and passion of the Lord Jesus Christ; and a life answerable to this belief. This is the ground and substance of it. But because God has thought fit, for the humbling of men, to leave their minds subject to error, (the error of the judgment not being sin, but of the will,) there have arisen several differences among the professors of this one religion; each endeavouring what they can (as is natural to men, fond of their own productions) to raise the merit of their differences; and to pretend them to be of more essentialness, and weight in religion, than indeed they are. Evil-minded and politic men, knowing the eagerness of mankind in points of religion, whet on this zeal to promote their worldly designs. The matter spreading, and many being engaged in it, who have no religion at all, cry up these differences as the tests and soul of religion. Thus

the world runs into factions, and good men silently wonder and grieve. They are sensible that none of all these differences are religion; and that the zeal of abetting them, is nothing else but worldly faction; that pious men may abound in their own sense, and may differ from others in matters of judgment, (which are not inconsistent with the above-mentioned substance of religion,) while with modesty, humility, and submission, they keep them to themselves. Thus all professors of this one religion may unite; and all true ones do unite in the bond of charity. But those that insist on those differences, with such zeal as they should do on the substance, have either no religion, or almost none at all. Hence it is we so often hear; Of what religion are you?' as if there were several religions in the Christian world. In some, the question ought not to be, Of what religion?' But,' Of what faction?' They that run their differences high, and insist on them more than on the substance, in which all true Christians agree; let them pretend what they will, are not religious, but factious; that is, have not spiritual, but worldly designs to serve; worldly passions to gratify."

In another place, upon the same subject, he expresses himself as follows:

"There has been no age of the Church, in which the devil has not found means to bring in some matter of division; taking occasion by men's imperfect judgments, corrupt humours, factiousness, irreligiousness, and worldly designs. And in every age, the division on foot seems weighty, and of great importance, however slight it be in itself. And the reason is, because

this world is interwoven with it; worldly profits, advantages, and honours, and men's heats and animosities arising from thence.

"But when these are ceased, and after ages come to consider the differences in cold blood, and freedom from those secular things that accompanied them in the times when they were on foot; they cannot but admire at the madness of men; and wonder what it was should put them into such heats about such trifles. The reason plainly is, that worldly designing men, knowing that nothing animates men's zeal so much, as what relates to religion, carry on their designs under notions of it: for instance: if those about the governing part of a state, have a mind to make more room for their friends, by excluding others from favour: or, on the other hand, if men have ambition to make themselves popular, and any difference be sowed by the devil (who is the sower of tares) among the people, both these parties shall espouse the opposite part of this difference; and endeavour to run down their adversaries until the matter run so high in the notion of the vulgar, as if heaven and damna. tion depended on it. Heretofore the Church communicated infants, as thinking it necessary to salvation; now it doth not: would it not be a sad thing that blood should be drawn in this controversy on either side? And yet how often is it done upon much less? How high did the Predestinarian and Arminian controversy run but lately? And yet how slight does it seem now? And how very idle that men should fall out about what none of them understand."

And what Mr. Bonnell's principle and practice

were with respect to the divisions of the church; we may learn from what in another place he says upon that argument; and which still more fully proves the greatness of his charity.

"A wise and good man, whose lot should be to dwell in a place, where the people were all banded against one another in several factions, being families all proceeding from one stock, and all allied to him; would make it his business to carry himself as indifferently between them as he could; heartily grieving at their breach of friendship, and pitying their animosities: but being all his relations, he would, wherever he came, endeavour to sow peace among the differing parties; he would espouse none of their interests, nor engage in any of their quarrels. But if he heard that branch of the family, which was nearly related to him, with whom he lived, and who, in his opinion, had the justest cause, and most right on their side: if he heard that, I say, villified and unjustly reproached, he would generously interpose, and offer some inoffensive apologies, perhaps with fit reprehensions to the aggressors. The church of Christ is one body, but miserably broken into several factions, springing from different causes, according to the different passions or interests of men. A wise and sober Christian reckons himself truly allied to all, pities and grieves at their unhappy differences, and is very unwilling to make himself a party in their quarrels, which worldly and ill-minded men on each side have raised, or at least fomented. He carries himself indifferently among them, and as one unconcerned in their childish disputes. But if the

interest and honour of that church, whereof he was born, and lives a member, be nearly concerned; he interposes with the gravity and authority of a father he reprehends and vindicates, as one above the contention, and not as a party but a judge."

I shall conclude this head of his charity, with his own description of it: and never any knew it better, or practised it more.

"Oh! what is this excellent gift of charity; without which, whosoever liveth, is counted dead before thee; or even giveth his body in martyrdom for thee, gains nothing? It is even the whole ornament of a Christian mind; the complex of spiritual graces it is to be meek under injuries, and tenderly compassionate to the miserable. It is to rejoice in the good of all men, and have a mean opinion of ourselves, our own abilities and deserts. It is to hate no man; to treat none outrageously or bitterly. It is to be more concerned for the good of others, than our own praise; never to be transported in an undue measure; never to be captious, nor apt to take any thing amiss; to mourn for every thing that is sin, and take exceeding pleasure in the good that any do; to be difficult in entertaining bad reports, and forward in believing good; unwilling to despair of any, and to undervalue our own pains to procure their benefit.

"This is to have the same mind which was in our blessed Saviour, and resemble him, as a child resembles his parent. In such he is pleased, is satisfied, and comforted, over all the troubles he has undergone for our sakes. These only can be pleasing