ticulars; but it is obvious that there are a variety of minor, and in themselves perhaps indifferent, points, which practically serve to distinguish one community from another, independently of those more important points by which they are avowedly separated. But the distant spectator is not aware of the very different comparative degrees of importance attached by the parties themselves to these two classes of distinctive peculiarity; and he therefore hastily supposes that those who agree in the one, may agree in the other also. The strange extent to which this interference has been carried in some modern controversies, needs not be here alluded to; but we may learn, even from unfounded allegations of this kind, the necessity of Churchmen seeming what they are, and being what they seem. If they cannot conscientiously symbolize with Dissenters, it does not betray a want of Christian charity to let it be seen that they do not do so; provided a spirit of love and meekness be duly maintained, and the mind be honestly kept open to truth and candid interpretation. It is not necessary for the purposes of Christian charity, that persons should assimilate their manners and phraseology to those of their opponent even in things indifferent, where by so doing they are likely to lead the world to suppose that the

whole question to which these secondary points are appended, is unimportant. It is certain that our dissenting brethren do not often suffer themselves to be mistaken for churchmen, and we attribute no reproach to their consistency: is it then necessary for any professed Churchman to conduct himself, as some do, so as to be mistaken for a Dissenter at heart, in order to shew that he is not bigotted in his' opinions? And such a mistake will inevitably be made, if those. who profess to adhere to the church from conscientious conviction and strictly religious con-: siderations, are not, to say the least, as regular in their discipline and general spirit as those who are churchmen solely because the church is connected with the state, and whose zeal is proportioned only to their temporal interest, or is governed by mere party or political views. Many things which are trifles in themselves, are not trifles in their consequences; and, surely no seriously disposed person, who believes that an established church is as necessary as has been attempted to be shewn for the preservation and extension of religion, will deny the inference, that every thing which would tend to throw the weight of his example into the opposite scale would be inconsistent with Christian wisdom,: and certainly is not required by Christian charity. Kindness, forbearance, and candid con

struction, ought to be found among all parties; but it is never right or necessary to affect an apparent identity of views, where real identity does not exist. No liberally minded Dissenter will hesitate to admit this sentiment, and no Churchman ought to be ashamed to act upon it.

ii. Pious Regulation of Families:

A second mode in which laymen may hopefully diffuse a spirit of piety and zeal for the Established Church, is, by the religious regulation of their families.-Personal example loses much of its value, if this essential point be not superadded; yet, perhaps, there is no subject of equal moment which meets with a degree of attention less adequate to its importance. The world at large, of course, neglect it, as they do every other Christian duty which involves any sacrifice; but unhappily the evil is not confined to them; for even of those who exhibit a more serious interest in the duties of religion, there are individuals so occupied, either with the private abstractions of devotion, or the public engagements of religion and charity, as to dedicate scarcely any attention, at least nothing like a due attention, to the spiritual concerns of those who constitute their own household. Yet it is not too much to assert, that in no other

way, ordinarily speaking, can a layman so greatly promote a spirit of piety, and a wellfounded affection for the church to which he belongs, as by diligently providing for the Christian economy of his domestic eircle. His own example will influence his dependents, and theirs will influence others. He is sowing seed which may spring up in abundant vegetation to the glory of God and the spiritual benefit of mankind, when the hand that scattered it is mouldering in the dust. He is doing good in perpetuity; he is planting the acorn which is haply to thrive and expand in another generation, and to scatter from its prolific branches a new succession of germs till the individual becomes a forest.

It would be unnecessary and tedious to attempt to enumerate the various methods by which the head of a family may make his domestic regulations subservient to the extension of religion and church principles. Four points only will be noticed, by way of specimen; and these are particularly selected, not only on account of their intrinsic importance, but because they are frequently overlooked, either wholly or in part, by persons whose condition in life renders their example of peculiar moment to their families and society at large. The points alluded to are,tò

1. Family prayer; 2. The due observance of the day of sacred rest; 3. The religious instruction of servants; and 4. The pious education of their children.

We need but look around into the world to see how grievously these most essential duties are often neglected, even by persons who would not be generally considered as ill-disposed to religion or the Established Church. It should however be remembered, that the sinfulness of such an omission is proportioned, not only to the importance of the duty thus pretermitted, but to the facility with which it might have been discharged. It is not in the power of every person to found a college, or endow a church, or irradiate the world by a learned treatise in divinity; but who is there that cannot employ his diligent efforts for promoting family-prayer and the observance of the Sunday in his own household? that cannot devise means for the religious instruction of his domestics, and for bringing up his children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ?"

1. In urging the importance of family prayer for the promotion of piety among the members of the church, it cannot be necessary to expatiate upon the arguments in favour of the practice. If the very heathen had their