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religious sentiments in language which they use in their daily conversation, and we believe that multitudes, who now worship apart, would soon bow before a common altar, and see often a brother where they had looked hitherto only for an opponent.

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Among the causes of divisions and sects we should next name the LOVE OF CONTROVERSY inherent in our nature. This passion we see exhibited in the dissensions that prevail in relation to politics, science, art, literature, morals; every subject, indeed, whether speculative or practical, that occupies the mind of man. There are not a few who like to contend, and differ as much as they can from others on the various topics they discuss. This is done from every variety of motive. And there is hardly one of these motives which, joined to a love of opposition, debate and victory, does not lead Christians to profess doctrines as wide as possible from the faith of their neighbors. The most trivial points have, for this reason, often been the means of the greatest divisions. Add to this, that religion is the most interesting, and the most important subject of human thought, and we can easily perceive how it separates believers and sects one from the other.

There are other causes of division, each of which might be profitably dwelt upon, and expanded. There is pride of opinion, an unwillingness to unite with those from whom we have hitherto professed to differ. Personal dislikes ; alienation from a particular clergyman or influential man in a parish ; and the not being noticed so much in one society as we should be in another; an ambition for office; an unhallowed priestcraft and love of domination; family connections, leading the husband, wife, son, and daughter to profess doctrines they utterly disbelieve; temporal interest, — going to church, and, of

course, pretending to believe with those who will assist us in our worldly business; sectarian names; and a bigoted attachment to places and creeds, which we fear is not confined to any denomination of Christians; these, and other like influences, have occasioned us to seem to disagree in our faith much more than we in reality do.

The conclusion to which we have come, is one of exceeding importance to the interests of Christianity. should teach us a spirit of charity, toleration and love. How miserably is he employed, who sets himself about magnifying, as much as possible, the difference between his own views of religion and those of his brother man. And yet we cannot but suspect that this has had much to do in the work of alienation and dissension among Christians. How opposed is it to the whole spirit and tenor of the gospel! Jesus was the prince of peace, and his apostles exhort us to "study the things which make for peace." Be this then our aim and endeavor. Let us discuss with our brethren all the points of our faith; for discussion is wholesome.and good. But let it be done in the hope of finding ourselves nearer to each other than we had previously supposed. Let it unite us at least in heart. If it do this, we may differ innocently on many points of mere speculation. There are signs in the times of a continual, though often unacknowledged approximation among Christians to a common ground, and to a fundamental union.. God hasten a unity of spirit among them. Let us do our part in the promotion of this noble object. Let us seek, and find, and cling to that golden chain which binds all true Christians in the belief and the love of one God and Father, and one all-sufficient Saviour; and in the solemn looking forward to an impartial retribution in the day of accounts, and to the eternal re-union of " the just made perfect."

A

DISCOURSE

ON THE

LAW OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.

BY JAMES WALKER, D. D. 17944

PRINTED FOR THE

American Unitarian Association.

BOSTON,

LEONARD C. BOWLES, 147 WASHINGTON STREET.
DECEMBER, 1835.

Price 3 Cents.

1. R. BUTTS, PRINTER, SCHOOL ST.

THE LAW OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.

ROMANS, VIII, 2.

For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and detah.

Who has not been struck with these words of the Apos

tles, "the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus." We may understand by them that law, according to which the spiritual element in our nature is excited, developed and matured,—that law, according to which Christ, in the language of scripture, is formed in us,-the life of God in the soul of man. It is a law;"-not a system, nor a history, but a law. It is a law of "the spirit of life," or the spiritual life, the life of the soul considered in contradistinction to that of the body. And this law has been fully and perfectly revealed nowhere else but in the life and doctrine of Jesus Christ. denominated, "the law of the Jesus." And just so far as we

Hence it is with reason

spirit of life in Christ carry out and fulfil this

law, we are delivered as a necessary consequence from the law of sin and death," that is, from the inevitable penalties of disobedience.

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