usages. This was a becoming spirit in both : and if this spirit prevailed amongst us, as it ought, we should see very little of separation from the Established Church, and no want of cor- diality towards those who judged themselves constrained to differ from herd.]
Thus we see how far they were agreed to differ. Now let us see,
II. In what respects uniformity is indispensable —
In doctrine they were all agreed. All preached repentance, and remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ. And in this can no difference be admitted ; seeing there is no " other foundation whereon any man can build, but Jesus Christ6 ;" " nor any other name given, whereby any man can be saved f." Hence, when Peter countenanced an idea that an observance of the law was necessary, and thereby obscured and endangered the purity of the Gospel, St. Paul reproved him to his face before the whole Church g. So far from tolerating any thing that should super- sede the doctrine of salvation by faith alone, St. Paul denounced a curse even against an angel from heaven, if one should be found to publish any doctrine that would interfere with this. Uniformity in this respect, therefore, was taken for granted. But we have in our text one point insisted on by those at Jerusalem, and cordially acceded to on the part of Paul ; namely, the universal necessity of exercising love, and espe- cially to the destitute and distressed. This was the only point which they specified, as indispensably necessary to the Christian character : on which, therefore, they required that no difference whatever should exist. Of this, then, I must say,
1. It is, by the unanimous judgment of all the Apostles, recommended to you —
[It is absolutely essential to piety, that it exert itself in a way of tender sympathy and self-denying energy towards all the members of Christ's mystical body. If we exercise not ourselves in this way, we in vain profess to have love either
d See the 34th Article. e 1 Cor. iii. 11.
f Acts iv. 12. s ver. 11.