of opinion in the explanation of scriptural facts, and consequent non-conformity in creed and discipline, are construed into rejection of the faith once delivered to the saints, and made the occasion of hard thoughts, and unkind, severe treatment. 5. Brotherly love will induce Christians to perform the duty of admonition and reproof. When we feel deeply and sincerely interested in any one as a friend, we naturally desire that all deformity of character shall be removed, and every thing lovely and of good report cultivated. And if there be the tie of kindness, we have an additional inducement to use our endeavors to this end, in view of the disgrace to the whole family resulting from the defection of any one. In the household of faith, each member of the family is intimately related to every other, and feels very sensibly when the Savior is wounded in the house of his friends. How should all, therefore, maintain a mutual watch, constantly exhort to a holy walk and conversation, and freely reprove manifest inconsistencies. See what a privilege holy David esteemed the reproof of the righteous. "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil." And mark what is said of this duty in the wisdom of the Proverbs: "He that refuseth reproof erreth, and he that heareth reproof getteth understanding, and shall be honored. Open rebuke is better than secret love: and faithful are the wounds of a friend." While this is certainly an incumbent duty of every Christian, and an appropriate manifestation of brotherly love, much caution is requisite in the manner of its performance. The reprover must be clothed with humility, and evince no superciliousness, or sense of superiority. There must be nothing of the spirit which prompts to the sentiment, "Stand off, I am holier than thou," but the whole manner should prove to the offending brother or sister, that it springs from love, and that their good, and the interests of Christ's kingdom, are the motives which prompt the reproof. Thus, while administered and received in the spirit of the meek and lowly Jesus, the church will be kindly affectioned one to another, knit together in love, and growing up into that state in which she will be without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. 6. Brotherly love will also lead us to bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. The law of Christ is love. "A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another." "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Bearing one another's burdens, therefore, is a necessary effect of this love. Various burdens are laid upon the children of God. Some are exposed to the fiery darts of the wicked one, and almost ready, through unbelief, to sink in despair. Some walk in darkness and have no light. Some are the subjects of personal affliction, in pain all their days, and often prevented from mingling in the songs of Zion, and going up to the house where two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, and enjoying the presence of the Spirit. Some are sorrowing for the loss of a dear relation, perhaps like Rachel, weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are not. And others know the sad trial of ungodly wicked husbands, and dissipated, disobedient children, throwing a weight of grief upon their hearts, which none can appreciate, but those who experience it. Now in all these, and other cases of anxious concern, and dark sorrow, the brethren have an interesting duty to perform, in administering consolation, in counseling, cheering, and applying the balm of Gilead. Oh! there is something wanting here in the church-something which, shall so bind us together, that when one member suffers, all the members shall suffer with it; when any are in bonds, we shall be bound with them-something which shall bring us into closer union, and wake up within us a purer, more refined, more sensitive, more pervading sympathy, which shall be touched with the feeling of one another's infirmities, and vibrate to the chord of wo which is strung in a brother's heart. Then shall we show to the world, "how good, and how pleasant it is for Christian brethren to dwell together in unity," and then shall we bear each other's burdens, and fulfill the law of Christ, our heavenly Master. 7. This love will influence us to regard the wants of the poorer brethren. Perhaps in every church there are some, who, with all their industry and labor, are yet destitute; so that the poor we have always with us. Now whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? And see, after the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Spirit, how they voluntarily sold their possessions, and brought the price for distribution among the more indigent: and how it pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make contribution for the poor saints at Jerusalem. See also the labor of love which the Hebrews performed, in that they ministered to the saints; and how the Apostle exhorts all Christians-Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, to make collections for the saints, distribute to their necessity, and by love serve one another. And even if we look into the darker dispensation, we shall find the same operation of love towards those who were of the holy nation, the peculiar people, who were related in some sort as Christians. Lev. xxv. 35. "If thy brother be waxen poor, thou shalt relieve him. Thou shalt not give him thy money on usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase." Deut. xv. 7—11. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother: but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need. And thy heart shall not be grieved, (shall not grudge, but be cheerful,) when thou givest unto him." Whether then, we consider the requirements of the law of love under the Old Testament, or the frequent admonitions in reference to ministering to the saints in the New, or the practice of the primitive disciples of Christ, it seems to be a natural and necessary result of loving as brethren, that they who have received bountifully of the Lord, will remember his words; how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." 66 It would seem that in order to fufill the requisitions of this love, there ought to be some method cstablished, by which, either through the Pastor or other officers of the church, the richer might communicate of their goods, to the poorer of the household of faith. 8. Many more effects of brotherly love might be mentioned; as the cultivation of free religious conversation, abstinence from envious, suspicious feelings, from evil surmising, malicious construction of motives, tale-bearing, slandering, &c. &c.; but let it be observed finally, that if possessed of this affection, we shall love those most, who have most of the Were the spirit of Jesus. From its very nature this will be the result. affection originated by any internal relations, or dependent on any merely natural qualities, it might be otherwise. But since it is awakened by the image of Christ, and is in reality of the same nature with the love we bear to him, as the elder Brother, we must of necessity admire and esteem the other members of the family, in the proportion in which they are as similated to him. He is supreme in excellence, and surpassing in manifestations of benevolence, and is therefore to be loved as the chief among ten thousand, the one altogether lovely; and his disciples will secure our confidence and affection in the degree in which they possess his loveliness. Real brotherly love will find its objects in all classes, all colors, all climes, and all sects of evangelical Christians; and wherever it finds most of the spirit of Jesus, there will it flow out the most abundantly, and glow most fervently. It cannot be limited by any ecclesiastical, civil, or domestic connections, but extends to all in every place who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus as an atoning Savior. And as John was known as the disciple whom Jesus loved, probably because his spirit was most subdued, and his manners most softened by the heavenly influence of the Savior's precepts and practice, so now will they be most loved by the brotherhood, who evince the most complete conformity with the image of Christ REFLECTIONS. 1. This subject presents a test of Christian character. It is manifest from the frequency of its introduction in the gospel of Christ, and the epistles of the several Apostles, from the urgency with which it is pressed on the attention of the church, and from express declarations on this point, that it affords a satisfactory ground of decision as to our character and standing. 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another." The exercise of love among the brethren, will even convince the world, that you possess the true spirit of the Redeemer. "He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him: but he that hateth his brother is in darkness." If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." "If a man say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" And we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." ." These passages, evidently represent brotherly love as so important an exercise of the Christian, and so essentially of the spirit of the gospel, that any who are conscious of possessing it, may be certified of their interest in Christ, while they who are destitute of it, may be as fully assured of their impenitent, unconverted state. : 66 If then the moral image of Jesus, wherever contemplated, awaken in our bosoms the emotion of love, and lead to its various operations-if that love arise not from natural affection, nor from the unsanctified amiable qualities of another, not from congeniality of temper, or circumstantial intimacy, nor from family or denominational relationship, but from the fact that the individual loved belongs to Christ, and possesses likeness to him, we may appropriate to ourselves all the consolation and peace, which evidence of an interest in the Redeemer is adapted to impart, and go onward, gratefully rejoicing in the Lord, and trusting in the God of our salvation. with 2. How great must be the happiness of heaven. There love reigns in every breast. All the inhabitants are baptized with this holy feeling. There are they day and night before the throne of the God of love; Jesus, who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person and of his fulness they all receive, and drink in everlasting draughts of love. There the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. There is no clashing of interests, no selfishness, or pride, or envy, or unhallowed ambition; no turmoil, or strife, or divisions; no discords; and no want of harmony in the lofty music of heaven. There all hearts beat in unison, and all its songs are songs of love. Its trees, are trees of life; its rivers, rivers of joy; its bowers, bowers of bliss; its air balmy with peace. Oh! what blissful regions those, where there is fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore: where the God of love makes the brightest manifestations of his glory, holy angels worship with rapturous delight, and the church of the first-born unceasingly glow with fervent emotions of love. "Love is the golden chain, that binds the happy souls above, Whose aspirations do not reach after that dwelling-place of love, that holy, happy land, where there will be no more sin, no more curse, nor pain, nor sorrow, nor tears, nor death? 3. How important to the world is the prevalence of the religion of Jesus Christ. Its source is the fountain of purity-its tendency, the renovation of the heart, and consequent melioration of the human family-its aim, the perfection of man, and of society. It exhibits Jesus Christ as a model of excellence, and calls upon men every where for conformity with him in spirit and life. It inculcates universal benevolence, and its essence is love-love which operates in abstaining from anger, malice, blasphemy, evil communication, variance, emulations, wrath, strife; and in cultivating whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, as kindness, tenderness, forgiveness, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance. Oh! were the spirit of the gospel universally prevalent, were Christianity, with its pervading love, the system of individuals, communities, and nations, what a delightful world would this be! Then would men "beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, and learn war no more. Violence should not be heard in the land, wasting nor destruction within our borders. The wolf also would dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child should lead them." Peace would cover the earth as a mantle, and joy unspeakable fill every bosom. its Men may talk of the perfectibility of human nature, and present, and try also their systems of philosophy, but all will be in vain without the transforming efficacy of the religion of Jesus. All other plans for the renovation of man, and the production of happiness, have successively and repeatedly failed: this only, where it has been brought to bear on human character, has effected a thorough and permanent change, converting the lion into the lamb, and diffusing through society holy and peaceful principles of action. Let the whole world then be brought to feel power, and it will be a world of love, even as the New Jerusalem coming down from God, out of heaven, as a bride adorned for her husband' Let the church only walk forth in the beauty and purity of her heavenly attire, and the world will admire, and be attracted to follow in her train. Let the children of the celestial King walk worthy of their elevated rank, let them stand forth as "the epistles of Christ, read and known of all men," and they may convincingly prove to the world that Christianity is its best boon, and that to embrace it will convert the wilderness into the garden of the Lord, imparting beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness, and diffusing through all the relations of society such heavenly influences, as clearly to evince the supreme blessedness of that people whose God is the Lord, whose religion the Bible. AMEN. BY REV. ANSEL NASH, WINDSOR, CONN. UNION AMONG CHRISTIANS. I CORINTHIANS i. 10.-Now, I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. In the harmony and mutual affection here recommended, is implied agreement in sentiment, in feeling, and in objects of pursuit. When saints are entreated that they all speak the same things, and that there be no divisions among them, it must be intended that they should embrace substantially the same views of the doctrines of revelation. When they are likewise entreated to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment, the meaning is, that they should be united in their affections, as well as in their views of revealed truth. The essential basis of all union is agreement in sentiment. Without this, what harmony can exist? How can two walk together except they be agreed? What concord can be expected among men while at variance as to essential truths, fundamental principles? Diversity of opinion naturally bẹgets alienation of feeling. But will it be pretended, that it is too much to require of different individuals, that they embrace essentially the same religious sentiments? If all are to derive instruction from the same source, are to draw their opinions from the infallible book of God, and if all will come to the study of this book with honest, humble minds, can there be any necessity for their adopting materially different views? Clearly no other necessity of this kind can exist, except what arises from the temper of mind with which the oracles of God are perused. Since the vision is written and made plain, it must be capable of being understood; and if men attend to it with right feelings they must understand it in substantially the same manner. It is, however, often asserted, men think differently on all other subjects, and hence they cannot be expected to think alike on the subject of religion. What pertinency and justness soever may be attached to this assertion, it should be ever kept in mind, that religion is the only subject, respecting which we are furnished with a fixed, infallible standard of faith. Men on other subjects are left to the guidance of unassisted reason, and are at liberty to think as seems right in their own eyes; but on this they are required to make the word of God their invariable guide, both as to belief and practice. Beyond all question they who study the inspired volume with honest minds, with sincere desires to know what it teaches, must learn from it essentially the same things. Can it then be unreasonable to require of saints, that they harmonize in their religious opinions? So far as they suffer themselves to be guided simply by reason, the hope of their agreement must be abandoned, for that which appears reasonable to one mind may appear very differently to another. But when God condescends to speak to men in language adapted to their |