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ence in the original the heads are placed chronologically, whereas in their pirated plate they are put together with an utter want of discrimination. Calvin stands before Luther-and. Wickliffe subsequent to both, though he flourished nearly two hundred years before them-whilst poor Winchester is thrown back near a century, so as to be made contemporary with Penn and Baxter! Thus the religious world is turned upside down, and in the true spirit of fanaticism made a Babel of confusion. In more respects than one honesty is the best policy.

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that in

As to the extensive circulation of the Sketch, this I attribute neither to the merit of its plan nor to the manner of its execution. Its impartiality has been its alone recommendation. Though, perhaps, not altogether free from bias, yet it is no arrogance to declare that in this respect it yields the palm to no other work of a similar description. I have no interest to serve but that of TRUTH. I never have been nor ever will be a party-man. I hope I have neither head nor heart for such anti-christian work. The complaint uttered by certain bigots, that the opinions of the author cannot be learnt from the Sketch, is a proof that the book is what it ought to be, for assuredly it is the kind of volume I meant to produce. Not that I am without my sentiments-as is known by those that attend my ministry or are acquainted with my smaller publications. Some indeed 1:3131 are always intruding their own views-under the idea

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that without these views there can be no true religion. But to individuals who thus make exclusive pretensions to every thing that is good in the Christian worldthe following apposite entreaty of Mr. Burke (for reasoning is out of the question with them) is recommended: "Because half a dozen grasshoppers under a fern in the field, ring with their importunate chink, while thousands of great cattle chew the cud and are silent-pray do not imagine that those that make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field.” As to the petty ebullitions of ignorance and bigotry with which I have been honoured in certain partypublications, I shall only remark, that the more the Sketch has been attempted to be trodden down by the unhallowed hoof of bigotry-the more like a certain plant it has sprung up and prospered. I could wish all Sects (not my own excepted) to have engraven upon their hearts with a pen of adamant the expressions of my favourite DoDDRIDGE-than whom no uninspired writer ever drank deeper of the amiable and conciliating spirit of our common Christianity. Let us avoid as much as possible a party spirit, and not be fond of listing ourselves under the name of this or that man, how wise, how good, how great soever. Neither LUTHER nor CALVIN, nor even PETER nor PAUL were crucified for us, nor were we baptized into any of their names. Happy is HE who being himself an example of yielding so far as he conscientiously can, and of not taking upon

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him to censure others where he cannot yield to them, shall do his part towards cementing in the bonds of holy love all the children of GOD and the members of CHRIST! How unsuccessful soever his efforts may be amidst that angry and contentious, that ignorant and bigotted crowd who miscall themselves CHRISTIANS, or by whatever reproachful and suspicious. names his moderation may be stigmatised, his Divine MASTER Will neither fail to consider it in its true light, nor to honour it with proportionable tokens of his acceptance and favour! LOVE is the first and greatest of his Commandments, and after all the clamour which hath been made about notions and forms, he who practiseth and teacheth love best shall be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven."

ITS DESIGN.

The purport of this little volume, Sir, is to inspire religions Denominations with respectful sentiments of each other, and to lead them to study the benign ends for which the Gospel of Jesus Christ was promulgated. Being a firm believer in the truth, and having my mind smitten with the excellence of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, I would fain remove any one obstacle which impedes its progress or diminishes its efficacy. Should this Manual bring only two Christians of different Denominations to a more just knowledge of each other's tenets, and incline them the

more cheerfully to exercise that charity that thinketh no evil, it will afford me more satisfaction than the publication of a work of the most pompous nature.

The falsehoods, Sir, which sects have propagated, concerning one another's tenets, are incompatible with glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will to man. Nothing tends more to arrest the progress and circumscribe the influence of religion than the implacable spirit of bigotry. Its ignorance and folly are inscribed in characters of blood. WOLLASTON, the learned author of the Religion of Nature delineated, once asked a bigot, "How many sects might there be in the world?" " Why, (says he) I never considered the question." "Do you think (said Wollaston) there may be a hundred ?" "O yes, at least,” cried the bigot. "Why then," replied the Christian philosopher, "It is ninety-nine to one you are in the wrong!" This anecdote generates modesty of temper, the loveliest ornament of Christianity! HOOKER, the champion of the Church of England, says-" Thẻ time will come when a few words spoken with meekness, humility, and love, shall be more acceptable than volumes of controversy, which commonly destroys charity, the very best part of TRUE RELIGION." And the present BISHOP of LLANDAFF remarks, "There is a something in our COMMON faith in which all are agreed, and that somewhat is, in my opinion, a circumstance of such ineffable importance, that I will never refuse the right hand of

fellowship to him who acknowledges its truth; never think or speak of him with disrespect, nor with true pharisaical pride esteem myself more orthodox, more acceptable to my Redeemer than he is, and that somewhat is, ETERNAL LIFE-the gift of God through Jesus Christ!"

I am however aware, Sir, that for the same reason that the passionate charge the mild and unassuming with a want of spirit, zealots are reproaching the advocates of moderation with indifference. This is a false charge, for liberal characters have been distinguished for their zeal in support of what appeared to them to be the interests of truth. That: the candid have fallen into lukewarmness, and that the zealous have been betrayed into persecution, cannot be denied; but no man in his senses will maintain that there is an inseparable connection be tween candour and indifference, between xeal and persecution. Against a spirit of indifference I here protest-nor will any person accuse me of it who has read my LETTER to Dr. Hawker on General Redemption as the basis of General Benevolence. There I have contended earnestly, but neither boisterously. nor uncharitably, for an important branch of the faith once delivered to the saints.*

* A Letter addressed to Robert Hawker, D. D. suggested by his Defence of the London Female Penitentiary, SECOND EDITION, with Animadversions on the Eclectic Review. A very worthy father of