But not only upon this, but also upon other subjects handled in these discourses, there have been, and still are, great diversities of sentiment among divines, not merely among such as are skilful in controversy, and void of the spirit of heavenly love, but among others, who are warmly attached to the cause of Christ, who labor much in the word and doctrine, and whose piety, humility, and other graces, evidently prove that they are born from above, and live under the continued influence of the spirit of holiness. These, conceiving the several systems, which they have embraced, to be most conducive to the glory of God, set them forth with all the eloquence and argument of which they are capable; and sometimes, it must be confessed, in their zeal to defend the truth, forget the candor, which is due to persons, who are equally zealous with themselves, and who may, perhaps, have a larger share of that divine love, which forms the best Christian, though he may be far from making the most able disputant. That which constitutes the essence of Christianity appears to me to be comprised within a very small compass. “The law” is “our school-master, to bring us unto Christ, that we may be justified by faith;” Gal. iii. 24; and faith, working by love, through the operation of the Holy Ghost, gives us a disposition to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. This, I repeat it, appears to me to be the essence of Christianity; but, as the talents and capacities of men are various, as there is a constitutional peculiarity in every individual, and as education, custom, and connexions, conspire to constitute the character, it must be expected that truth will be exhibited in divers manners, not always in its native beauty and simplicity, but clothed with the gaudy decorations of human wisdom and philosophy, about which, and not about the truth itself, contentions may arise, to the great grief and concern of every sincere and pacific disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. It has been thought proper to introduce the following Discourses with an Essay, found also among the Author’s papers, entitled, _Pure and Undefiled Religion_, _delineated in its Nature_, _Influence_, _Fruits_, _Evidences_, _and Consummation_. Though no text be prefixed to it, yet it seems to have been originally designed for the pulpit, and to have been written when the subject of negro emancipation first engaged the attention of Parliament. It is unnecessary in this place to point out its excellencies; suffice it to say, that every friend of _Pure and Undefiled Religion_ will rejoice that so valuable a treatise was not disregarded, and consigned, with various unfinished Essays, to oblivion. THE EDITOR. PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION, DELINEATED IN ITS NATURE, INFLUENCE, FRUITS, EVIDENCES, AND CONSUMMATION.