to differ in their religious opinions? The truth is, the apostle wrote consistently, and his consistency will appear, if we only look into the chapter, from which the objection is drawn. He is there treating of the ceremonial law, which was then abrogated by the gospel. He allows, that real Christians might entertain different opinions concerning the Mosaic rites and ceremonies, which were things in their own nature indifferent, and which might be observed or neglected, under a sense of duty. Accordingly, he forbids them to censure one another on account of such non-essential points of difference, and exhorts them to exercise mutual affection and esteem. But, at the same time, he reminds them, that they must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, where their opinions as well as actions would be either approved, or condemned. From this it appears, that the apostle did not allow the Christians at Rome, any more than the Christians at Corinth, to differ in opinion: but if they did differ in opinion, concerning mere non-essential points, he exhorted them to exercise mutual love and forbearance. This is the plain meaning of the apostle in the fourteenth chapter of Romans, which is entirely consistent with his requiring all Christians to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Having set the propriety of God's requiring Christians to be united in their religious sentiments, in as clear and consistent a light as I am able; I shall now attempt to point out a number of serious and interesting truths, which naturally flow from the subject.

1. If God does, with propriety, require Christians to believe alike upon religious subjects; then it is not a matter of indifference what religious sentiments they embrace.

Some seem to think, that there is but one truth, which is absolutely necessary to be believed, and that is the inspiration of the scriptures. They suppose, if men only believe the Bible to be divine, they are at perfect liberty to believe, or to disbelieve the doctrines contained in that sacred volume, without the least offence to God. Yea, some presume to say, that God is as much pleased with that variety, which appears in the faith of Christians, as with that variety, which appears in their external features. On this supposition, it must be a matter of total indifference what scheme of religious sentiments any man embraces, in order to obtain the divine favor. But how can this pleasing and prevailing opinion be reconciled with that unity of faith, which we have been considering? It appears, that men are bound to believe what is true, by the same authority, by which they are bound to do what is right. They are as much under law to God, in respect to faith, as in respect to practice. They have no more reason, therefore, to hope that God will save them, without believing the doctrines which the gospel contains, than without performing the duties which the gospel enjoins. Their future and eternal happiness aş much depends upon the rectitude of their faith, as upon the rectitude of their conduct. It is true that every deviation from the law of faith will not exclude them from the kingdom of heaven, nor will every deviation from the law of love: but there are some essential doctrines to be believed, as well as some essential duties to be performed, in order to obtain eternal life. Our Savior said to the Jews in his day, "For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” And in his last interview with his apostles he said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is bap

fized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." The faith here mentioned is saving faith; this saving faith implies a belief of the gospel; this belief of the gospel implies a belief of the doctrines of the gospel; and this belief of the doctrines of the gospel, our Savior affirms, is absolutely necessary in order to salvation. We have no right, therefore, to entertain the thought, that it is a matter of indifference what religious sentiments men embrace; for it appears that God has suspended his favor and their everlasting happiness, upon the condition of their believing, as well as loving, the great and essential doctrines of the gospel.

2. If Christians have been justly required to be united in their religious sentiments; then we have reason to believe, that they have contracted a great deal of guilt, from age to age, by embracing and propagating error. Though the multitude of them, who first believed the gospel, were of one heart and of one soul, and continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship; yet this union of faith and of love was of short duration. Some among these primitive professors of Christianity, soon raised an unhappy dispute concerning circumcision, which could not be decided, without the aid of an ecclesiastical council. This, we know, was followed by greater and more dangerous errors and disputes, which corrupted the purity and disturbed the peace of the principal churches in Greece and Asia, even while the apostles were living. And the same mystery of iniquity, which began to work in their day, has continued to operate, through every age of the church, to the present time. There have been, and still are, as great and dangerous errors in the Christian, as in the Pagan world. Indeed, the very errors of Jews, Heathens, and Mahometans, are often Occa.

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to be found in Christian creeds. And these corrup tions of Christianity have divided the Christian world into a vast variety of sects and denominations, who have hated, opposed, and persecuted each other, with fiery zeal and unrelenting cruelty. Here then every one must see, that those who have embraced and propagated such gross and destructive errors, have had no excuse to make. They were favored with a plain and infallible rule of faith. They were tenderly and solemnly admonished to speak the same things, and to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. And they were threatened with the loss of the divine favor, if they either added to, or deducted from the sacred canon of scripture. They have always, therefore, drawn upon themselves a heavy load of guilt, by causing divisions, debates, and persecutions; by corrupting the sentiments and destroying the souls of men; and by obstructing the spread of the gospel and the prosperity of the Redeemer's kingdom.

3. It appears from what has been said, that Christians who are united in the belief of the truth, have a right to blame those, who think differently from them, upon religious subjects. We often hear it said, that one man has no right to blame another, merely for differing from him in his religious sentiments. But why may not any man, who really believes a certain doctrine of the gospel, blame another for disbelieving and denying that doctrine? The notion, that men ought not to blame one another for thinking differently upon religious subjects, is built upon the principle, that none can really know, that their own sentiments are certainly right. But this is a false principle, because there is a plain and infallible rule of faith, which

gives those who conform to it, certain evidence of their believing the truth. And a certainty of being right in sentiment is very different from the strongest confidence of being so. Those who embrace error, may be extremely confident that they embrace the truth, and they may mistake confidence for certainty. But should they ever actually embrace the truth, they will then know, that their present opinion is right, and that their former one was wrong. Paul verily thought that he knew the truth, while he rejected the gospel; but when he really embraced the gospel, he knew, that he knew the truth, and that his former opinion was a gross and dangerous error. The question among Christians is not, who are probably, but who are certainly right, in their belief of the great and fundamental doctrines of the gospel? There is certainty to be obtained in these points, and all who have obtained it, know that those who differ from them, in these points, are certainly wrong. It is true, indeed, their knowing themselves to be right, is no proof to others that they are so; but it authorizes them to say positively, that all who deny the great truths which they believe, are grossly and criminally erroneous.

Accordingly, the inspired writers every where direct those, who embrace the truth, and know that they embrace the truth, to avoid, to condemn, and even reject all such as hold and propagate false and dangerous opinions. "Cease, my son," says Solomon, "to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." Paul says to the Romans, "I beseech you, brethren, mark them who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." He directs the Galatians to condemn and reject the perverters of the gospel. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called