bitration of their brethren in the church: and that when they go to law with one another, they dishonor themselves and inflict a deep wound on religion; that such a proceeding on the part of a Christian, by whatever reasons he may seek to justify himself, is wrong, and cannot be reconciled with the spirit and principles by which he professes to be governed. This is what the apostle teaches. And here we may stop, and say it is sufficient for us to know the will of God on this subject, as revealed to us in the Scriptures; for when we know the will of God, we are to abide by it, without any further reason or argument. It is enough for us to know, that when a professing Christian goes to law with his brother, he goes contrary to the will of God clearly expressed in his Word. He breaks his covenant vows, and vio lates his sacred engagements and duties as a member of the Church of Christ. But we will go a step further, and show that there are strong and weighty reasons-reasons which we consider binding on the conscience of every Christian--why he should not go to law with his brother.

1. It is contrary to the spirit and precepts of the Gospel. The instructions of Christ and the apostle, as we have already stated, must be regarded as conclusive on this subject. They forbid Christians to resort to civil prosecutions against each other; and had Christ and his apostles left no other command on record, the authority to which we have referred would be sufficient to show that such a proceeding is contrary to the precepts of the gospel. But there are other commands and precepts, equally binding and conclusive. Christ enjoins it on his disciples, as a universal and fundamental law of his kingdom, that they should love one another. "A new commandment I give you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you." He called this precept the new commandment, because it is the great and distinguishing precept of the gospel, which Christians must observe as a mark of their profession. And he adds, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." This love, which Christians are to bear to each other, is the test of their Christian character, and this test must be exhibited by every individual, and in every church, professing Christ and his religion. Where this love is wanting, the evidence, the power, the life of religion is wanting. Hence the importance of this precept, and the indispensable necessity of Christians conforming to it, that they may show themselves approved unto God, and exhibit before the world an evidence that they are brethren, united by the sacred bonds of a spiritual and holy fellowship. The apostle says, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice; and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." (Eph. iv: 31, 32.)

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"I beseech you, brethren, that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment." (1 Cor. i: 10.) "Brethren, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you." (2 Cor. xiii: 11.) Such are the precepts of the gospel, and the spirit of the gospel corresponds with these precepts. It is a gospel of peace, it breathes a spirit of peace, and inculcates this blessed and heavenly spirit on the mind of every Christian. And no man can be a Christian, unless he is a man of peace, and cherishes this holy and heavenly principle in his heart. When a man cherishes this principle, when he is actuated by a spirit of love toward his Christian brother, he will feel no disposition to appear against him in a court of law, to injure him, either in his character or his property.

This brings to my recollection an instance of two neighbors settling a difficulty in a truly religious manner. While one was absent from home, the other burned a piece of land which he was clearing. The fire passed into his neighbor's woods, and notwithstanding all his efforts to arrest its progress, it destroyed a valuable portion of the woods. Upon the arrival of the injured neighbor at home, the other went to him, and said, "Neighbor, the fire from my field entered your woods. I did all I could to prevent it, but could not stop it until it had destroyed much of your valuable timber, and I have come to propose to you, that we choose two men to go and examine the injury, and whatever they say, I will pay you, without any further trouble or expense." "Well," said the other, "I do not know that we can choose any two better men than ourselves to settle this matter." "Very well," said the first, "make your proposition; I will see whether I can agree to it." "Neighbor," said the injured party, "the damage I have sustained was not owing to your neglect. It is a misfortune, which in the providence of God has befallen me; you could not help it. I should consider it wrong to take a cent from you. Let us say no more about it, and be friends, as we have always been." Here we see the spirit of true Christians manifested. What a lovely, forgiving, noble, disinterested spirit! And how different is this from that spirit which is always ready to go to law; that selfish, wordly and revengeful spirit, which seeks only to gratify itself, and injure others.

2. It brings strife and contention into the Church. The union and harmony of the Church is a very important matter, a matter that should be well considered by its members. It is to be lamented that by many it is so little considered, and that for trifling causes this harmony is permitted to be disturbed, and discord and contention introduced among the members of Christ's body, which ought to be one heart and one soul. God looks upon the peace and harmony of his Church as a matter of so much impor

tance, that he has denounced his severest judgments against those who shall be guilty of disturbing it. Christ has said, "Wo to that man through whom the offence cometh. It would have been better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea," than that he should be the means of bringing such an offence into the Church. It is the will and design of God that Christians should dwell together in "the unity of the Spirit, and the bonds of peace." This is one of the great purposes for which he has instituted his Church on the earth. And God sets such a high value on the peace and unity of the Church, that he has directed his servants to "mark them. which cause divisions, and avoid them." The apostle also charges the members of the Church, that "there be no divisions among them," and that they should avoid every thing that would lead to contention and strife; and that if there were any among them that were disposed to create divisions, they should not be tolerated. And there is nothing which causes so much variance among Christians, and so much bitter feeling in a church, as legal prosecutions. They destroy the friendship of families, and the kind feelings between neighbors, who have lived in peace. and harmony for years; they cause breaches which are never healed in this world. There is nothing which so soon breaks up the fellowship of churches, and alienates the hearts of Christians from each other, so that they cannot be reconciled. These are the sad effects of the spirit of litigation, when it enters the church. It sets brother against brother, family against family, and is such a contagious poison, that it soon spreads over the whole church with its corrupting and deadening influence.

3. It dishonors Christ and religion. The honor of Christ is closely connected with the conduct of every professing Christian. If he lives up to his profession, and leads a holy life, Christ is honored. He is honored by the consistent conduct of his disciple, by his efforts to do good, by the blessed influence he exerts, and the precious example he exhibits before the world. But, if he is not consistent in his conduct, if he disregards the obligations of religion, and sets a bad example, and exerts an evil influence, Christ is dishonored, the cause of religion injured, and the prejudices of the world against it increased and strengthened. This is the invariable effect of the unworthy conduct of professing Christians. It dishonors Christ, opens the mouth of gainsayers, casts stumbling-blocks in the way of sinners, and prevents them from embracing a religion which has been thus dishonored and abused.

This is so in all cases where Christians dishonor their profession, but more especially when they bring their disputes before the world, into courts of law, and show their unchristian temper in public trials, where, of all places, it should be least exhibited.

For we have sufficient evil in our hearts, and men see enough of it in our daily walk, without making a public exhibition of ourselves in a court of justice. When we enter there, we lay aside our religious character; renounce our principles of love and communion, and fellowship with our brethren. We declare before the world that we have no confidence in those principles. We come down from the high and holy ground which we have assumed, and put ourselves on a level with the open enemies of religion, who have always treated our principles and professions with contempt. And need we wonder, when professing Christians place themselves in such a position, that the enemies of religion should rejoice; that they should feel themselves encouraged, and consider it a great triumph? Is it not astonishing that men who have any respect for themselves, or regard for religion, should be willing to sacrifice their own honor, and the honor of religion, for the sake of gratifying a little selfish feeling, or gaining some trifling wordly advantage?

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4. It tends to the destruction of souls. It is very unfortunate for many professors of religion, that they are so much governed by what they conceive to be their worldly interest, and lose sight of their spiritual interest. They are often prompted by their worldly feelings to do what their religious interests, if they were properly understood and regarded, would forbid them to do. They suffer themselves to be carried away by their worldly propensities, without considering the injury they are doing to their own souls and the souls of others. Thus they are tempted to go to law, because they consider it their interest. And if you endeavor to convince them that it is their Christian duty to keep out of the law, and rather suffer wrong than injure their souls and bring reproach on the Christian profession, they are ready to say, "I have been injured; I have been deprived of my rights, and I can not let this matter rest; I must have satisfaction and appeal to the law, for the law only gives me redress. If I do not resort to the law, I must be deprived of my rights, and suffer myself to be injured and defrauded." What then? Suppose you are injured. Is it not better to be injured in your property than in your soul? Would it not be much better for you to lose a little property than to lose your soul? Has Christ not taught you that it is better to suffer wrong than do wrong? Has he not told you that you ought rather to take wrong and suffer yourself to be defrauded than to go to law with your brother? Has he not made it your Christian duty to make a sacrifice of your worldly interests for the sake of promoting the interests of religion? And will you refuse to make this sacrifice; or rather, will you sacrifice the interests of religion for the sake of your worldly interests? Do you really think that it is your interest ever to violate the obligations of religion? If you do, you are

laboring under a great mistake. Your interest as a Christian is to act like a Christian, live like a Christian, and avoid every temptation to sin, and every appearance of evil, and engage in nothing that may prove a snare to your own soul or the souls of your brethren. When, as a Christian, you are called to suffer wrong, it is your interest to do so; to bear the cross and despise the shame; to endure the mortification, and not think strange of it. Did not Christ suffer wrong? And should not you be willing to suffer it for the sake of following his example? Do you think it would injure you to follow the example of Christ? No Christian was ever injured by suffering wrong, forgiving injuries, or doing good when he was tempted to do evil. But, oh! how many have been injured by yielding to temptation to do wrong; by indulging in unforgiving dispositions, gratifying revengeful feelings, and following what they considered their worldly interests! How many souls have been destroyed in this way, and what multitudes are still led away by this delusion which Satan has so long practised on the minds of men!

From the views and arguments that have been presented, it must appear evident,

1. That it is manifestly wrong for professors of religion to go to law against each other, and that it is an evil which should be discountenanced by every Christian. If Christians are to love and treat each other as brethren; if they are not to offend, not to injure each other; and if by their conduct towards one another before the world they are to evince their mutual love and regard; then, surely, it is wrong ever to place themselves in a situation in which they must appear as enemies, who are endeavoring to injure and persecute each other. When professors of religion place themselves in such an attitude, they contradict all their professions of love and attachment for one another. They set at naught all the counsels and admonitions which Christ has given them, and they destroy that good and virtuous influence which they might exert in the Church and upon the world. A Christian arrayed in open hostility against another Christian in a court of law, in a contest before the world, where all the bad passions and vindictive feelings of the human heart are exhibited,-what a spectacle! Who that has any regard for religion, any respect for the Christian character, does not feel pained and mortified by such a spectacle? Who that loves the Church and the honor of Christ does not mourn over it? And should not every Christian avoid placing himself in such a situation? Should he not feel that he ought rather to cut off his right hand than furnish such a spectacle before the world? And is it not the duty of all Christians, who feel for the honor of Christ and the credit of the Church, to discountenance an evil which has done so much injury and destroyed so many victims among the