different the views of some of our contemporaries are on this subject from those of the primitive church, that while, with some of the former, divine influence is a theme of derision rather than of reverence; in the other, whatever was pure and holy, was ascribed to its operation. At the same time, being a diligent reader of ecclesiastical his

confound, in the creed of others, with certain dangerous opinions, with which they are by no means necessarily connected, though they uniformly charge those who adopt the one class with invariably maintaining the other. It is in vain that the persons so charged disavow the opinions; it is to no purpose that they only desire to be allowed to know what they hold, and what they re-tory, as well as an accurate observer of what ject.

passes before his eyes, he is aware what Candidus, however, undaunted by cla- abuses have been and are still practised, and mour, and unmoved by insinuation, tena- what deceits carried on, under pretence of ciously maintains the doctrine of human being the work of the spirit. The imporapostacy, of salvation by grace through tance of the doctrine accounts for the imitafaith, and of the influence of the Holy Spirit tions and counterfeits to which it is exposed; in renovating the heart. In her avowal of and he knows that the abuse of a thing is alman's corruption, he insists that the church ways pernicious in proportion to its excelof England is most emphatical. Read,' lence. The Old and New Testament abound said he one day, in earnest conversation with with instances. To those of the former St. one whom he could scarcely consider but as Peter reverts, to guard his converts from a virtual Socinian within the pale of the Es- those of the latter-There were false tablishment, read the pointed and explicit prophets among the people, even as there confession with which her service opens.'- shall be false teachers among you.' Another He holds the same language with some others Apostle warns his hearers against the misto whom the Church is a higher authority chiefs which he himself had seen produced than the Bible, in regard to a subject next by these impious pretenders, by instructing in connexion with that of human weakness, them to try the spirits, whether they be of namely, the agency of the Divine Spirit; he God.' Hence Candidus advises, with an remarks that both these doctrines are recog-able divine,* to try the spirits ourselves, not nized in every prayer and in every office; by putting them upon supernatural work, that they are especially acknowledged in but to try them by a more infallible rule--by the Collects, those brief but beautiful effu- the doctrine they teach, that is, by its inva sions of devotion, which, for strength of ex-riable conformity with Scripture. He thinks pression, condensation of the sense, and the same rule and the same necessity subsist neatness of composition, not only surpass now, in as full force, as when the injunc every thing in the age in which they were tion was given. composed, but remain unrivalled in the simi- Candidus is aware that it is necessary, not lar addresses of our own time, whose best only to be accurate in the use of his own praise it is, that, in this period of fine writing, terms, but to be on his guard against being our petitionary forms are accounted more misled by the inaccuracy of the terms emor less excellent, as they approach nearer, ployed by others. He therefore takes care or recede farther from, those models. Read to ascertain the character and temper of the their self-abasing acknowledgments-- Thou, man by whom any ambiguous term is used, God, who seest that we put not our trust in as well as of him to whom the term is appliany thing that we do O God, forasmuch ed; without this caution he could not decide as without Thee we are not able to please on the justness of the application. Even the Thea Because the frailty of man without founder of the Epicurean sect could say, a Thee cannot but fall' Grant that we, who man cannot live happily without living wisecannot do any thing that is good without ly. Now, though every man, whatever be Thee, may, by Thee, be enabled to live his principles, must assent to this truth as a according to thy will-Cleanse the thoughts general proposition, yet the phrase, living of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy holy Spirit Because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace.'

wisely,' conveyed a very different idea in the school of an atheistical philosopher, to what it would have conveyed in the follower of Zeno, and more especially in the disciple of Christ. Enthusiasm is one of these ambigu

But there would be no end of enumeration.ous terms. The same doctrines run through, and are in- Candidus is prudent on a principle which corporated with, the whole Liturgy. To is sometimes denied. He considers that pruget rid of them, mere omissions would be altogether insufficient, we must tear up the whole web, we must weave another, we Toust weave it too with new materials; for the old threads would retain the colour of the old doctrines, and communicate the origJual character to the new piece; it is not only the old form that must be new cast, but new principles that must be infused, a new train of sentiments that must be adopted, in short a new religion that must be substituted. Candidas observes, that it is a proof how

dence is, in an ardent character, more likely to be an effect of grace than even zeal; because in the exercise of zeal he is indulging his natural temper, whereas, in the other case he is subduing it; and he has found that to resist a propensity is generally more the effect of principle than to gratify it.Hence, he infers that if resistance be a work of grace, the sluggish and the cold hearted may judge of their own conquest over ua* Dr. Owen.

ture by a superinduced zeal, while he pre--if their religion do not lie more in professumes he is conquering his own vehemence sion than in performance-if they give a by a superinduced prudence; thus the same striking evidence of their love of God, by truth is illustrated by directly opposite in

stances.

their tenderness to their fellow-creatures-if they are as liberal to their bodily wants, as those are, who forget to take their souls into the account-if their piety appear as much in their practice as in their discourse, and their prudence keep pace with their earnestness, then he will not be forward to impute to them, as the unpardonable sin, those animated sentiments which are to themselves peace and joy in believing,' and to others benignity, philanthropy, and kindness.

Against enthusiasm, therefore, it is unnecessary to caution the discreet and enlightened Čandidus. He avoids it as naturally as a wise man avoids folly, as a sober man shuns extravagance. But then it is the thing itself, and not what bigots call so; it is the real entity, and not the spectre, against which he is on his guard; for, not being superstitious, he is not terrified by phantoms and goblins. He laments when he encoun- And as he does not call well-directed zeal ters a real enthusiast, because he knows that, fanatacism, nor generous ardour delirium, so even if honest, he is pernicious. But though he does not rank those who believe in the he thinks him highly blameable, he does not omnipotence of divine grace among the enthink him worse than murderers of fathers, emies to virtuous action, nor does he suspect and murderers of mothers.' He thinks en- that the advocates for strenuous exertion are thusiasm mischievous, but he does not think sworn foes to faith. Nor does he ever disait worse than impiety, worse than intemper- vow a doctrine, which he has adopted on conance, worse than infidelity, worse than intol-viction, because it may happen to be assoerance, worse than any other flagitious vice; ciated in the mind of another man, with especially he does not think it worse than all other doctrines which he himself cannot the other vices put together. Yet this he adopt. And as he knows something of the might be almost tempted to believe was the internal constitution of the human heart and case, when he sees other vices comparative- the nature of religious affections, he distinly left to enjoy themselves, and this doughty guishes between the sanguine temper of enormity, imaginary as well as real, singly youth, between that warmth, which, in a attacked with the combined force of all the rightly-turned mind, time will cool, and exweapons which ought to be in turn applied to perience temper, and which will retain no the whole family of sin. As he is very skil- more than a due degree of spirit, when its ful in symptoms, he takes care to ascertain first effervescence has subsided; he distinevident marks of the mania, palpable diag-guishes this spirit from that blind zeal and nosticks of the rabid bite, before he pro- headlong violence, which, as they are a part nounces on the disease, or proceeds to secure of no religion, so they are a discredit to any. himself from the contagion.

He has observed, that the reason why we By his well-exercised judgment, he can see such misshapen representations of religenerally discover the different causes of the gion set up for the finger of reproach or ridiactual distemper. He can distinguish cule to point at, is, that the reviler has not whether the patient is sick of a deluded ima- been looking out for truth; he has not taken gination, or from having been in contact his draught, we will not say from the highest with the infected; whether he is mismana- model, but from the fair average of serious ged by artful, or injured by ignorant pre-Christians; but he has taken it from the scribers, whether the malady lies in the weakness of his natural powers, the agitation of his animal spirits, or the vanity of his mind-whether it be an inflammation on the brain, or a tumour in the heart-some or all of these appearances commonly indicating the fanatical fever. In either case, he heartily subscribes to the reality and danger of the distemper, but even then he does not positively pronounce that the weak are wicked, or the disordered counterfeits.

But if, as is not seldom the case, he finds the appellation conferred only because the objects of it are deeply sensible of the un speakable importance of religion, and the infinite value of eternal things-because they are no more afraid of feeling than of understanding the great truths of Christianitybecause they think their souls are not a property to be complimented away through fear if he find, that with all their warmth they are rational, with all their zeal they are humble, with all their energy they are consistent, with all their spirituality they are sober; if they obey the precepts of the Gospel as faithfully as they believe its doctrines

lowest specimen of what he has seen, and even more commonly from the distorted report of others. He was looking out for absurdity, and where it is studiously sought, it will not be difficult to find; and, if not found, it will be easily imagined. This caricature he produces as the representative of the whole body; taking care, however, to preserve in his portrait just resemblance enough to show a feature or two of the real face, that the disgusting and exaggerated physiognomy may not prevent its being recognized. If no glimpse of likeness could be traced, it would not answer the end; it would answer it still less, if the prevailing character of the piece were not deformity.

Candidus is persuaded that, of every combination of wickedness with folly which Satan has devised, hypocrisy is the greatest, as being the most generally unprofitable. The hypocrite is sure of being the abhorrence of both sides of the question. Where his duplicity is not suspected, the world hates him for the appearance of piety; God, who knows the heart, hates him for the abuse and affectation of it. But, though Candidus depre

cates bypocrisy, he is cautious of suspecting it on light grounds, still more of charging it home without proof. As he is not omniscient, he cannot be quite sure that any man who appears more than usually pious is a hypoerite, nor does he so denominate him on that single ground. As he cannot scrutinize his heart, he judges him by his actions, and leaves him to settle his motives with his Maker.

Though he cordially approves her forms and discipline, though he believes they are not only essential to her dignity, but necessary to her existence, yet he discriminates between what is subordinate and what is supreme. If the one is the body, the other is the soul. It is to her strenuously maintaining the doctrines of the New Testament, that he looks for her preservation. This is her Palladium. Nor does it more resemble the fabled statue On the whole, if he meet with a man, the of Ilium, because, like that, it fell from heavconsistency of whose life gives stronger evi- en to earth, than in its having dropped down dence of the reality and depth of his religion, while the Prince was building the citadel. than other men, he is reluctant in suspecting If he adopt the Liturgy for his model, it is him either of hypocrisy or enthusiasm. So because he perceives how completely she far from it, he will find his own faith strength- has adopted the Bible for hers, in never givened, his own victory over the world confirming undue prominence to one doctrine to the ed, his own indifference to human applause disparagement of the rest; like her he apincreased, by such a living exemplification preciates and settles them according to their of the truth of Christianity, and calmly leave due degrees of importance. it to the inconsiderate, the incompetent, and the malevolent, to stigmatize the character which be reveres.

·

Among his many reasons for venerating the church of England, the principal is that she is an integral and distinguished portion of They who, when they observe eminent pi- the Church of Christ. In the specific he neety and zeal much above low water-mark, ver loses sight of the generic character; as insinuate that such symptoms in the more a Churchman, he is first a Christian and a animated Christian prove his tendency to be Protestant. The ramification. so far from a separatist, pay a very wretched compliment separating him from the root, unites him to the established church. Is it not imply-more closely to it. If he bear much fruit, it ing, that her service is not sufficiently high is because he is inserted into the true vine. and enlarged to satisfy an energetic spirit; Though quicksighted to what he conceives that she does not possess attractions to engage, to be the errors, he does liberal justice to and materials to fill, and spirit to warm a de- whatever is valuable in other communities. vout mind, but that a superior degree of ear. In many members of those which differ from nestness will be in danger of driving its pos- his own, more in forms of government than sessor to stray without her pale in search of in any of the essentials of doctrine, he sees richer pastures? Is it not virtually saying powerful ability and sound learning to adone of two things, either that a fervent piety inire, and much substantial piety to veneris bad, or that the church is not good. ate. Even with regard to that church, from With Candidus, this is so far from being the corruptions and spiritual tyranny of which the case, he is so little given to change. our own has been providentially rescued, he that he rejoices in belonging to a church of acknowledges much excellence in those miswhose formularies we have already seen how sals from which our own ritual was partly much he had to say in commendation. In extracted; he sees in many of her writers a ! these standards he rejoices to see truth, as it genius, a sublimity, and an unction, that have were, pinned down, hedged in, and as far as rarely been surpassed. In short, he exeris possible, in this mutable world, preserved cises charity and kindness to all sects and all and perpetuated. Her significant and spir- parties, except one, a sect which has lately itual ordinances, and the large infusion of been well animadverted on. It is not, inScripture in her offices and Liturgy, secure deed, a distinct sect; it is not a separate her from the fluctuations of human opinion; community, for then his prudence might esso that, if ever the principles of any of her cape all contact with it, but it is one, whose ministers should degenerate, her service sloth, producing the same insinuating effect would be protected from the vicissitude. No which the subtlety of the Jesuits formerly sentiments but those of her prescribed ritual produced, without giving us, like the school can ever find their way into the desk, and of Loyola, any hope of its extinction, has the desk will always be a safe and permanent found means to thrust not a few of its followstandard for the pulpit itself, as well as a testers into every religious denomination and so. by which others may ascertain its purity. ciety in the world-the sect of the non-doers. He values her government for the same In these worst of sectaries, no vaunting reason for which he values her Liturgy, be- profession of faith, no flaming display of orcause it gives a definite bound to the inclo- thodoxy, no clamor for favourite, no hostilsure, never forgetting that the fruit inclosed ity against reprobated doctrines, no outcry is of deeper importance than the fence which for or against the church or the state, will incloses. He always remembers, however, ever raise them in his estimation. He acthat, at no very remote period, when the counts them the barren fig-tree of every comhedge was broken down, disorder and mis-munity in whose soil they spring up. They rule overspread the fair vineyard. may, indeed, claim to belong to it, but it is Among other doctrines, he is an accurate as the worm belongs to the root, the canker studier of the doctrine of proportions, in what- to the bud, the excrescence to the healthful ever regards the ecclesiastical institution, body,

In the constitution of the established church, unfolded; to be repeated as if all previous Candidus approves the degrees of rank and experiment had never been tried, as if all dignity, and the gradations of income But, foregoing admonition had either never been if he never entertains a desire that the high-given, or had been completely obliterated ; est were lower, he cannot help breathing a as if the world were about to begin on a fresh cordial wish that the lowest were higher. stock of materials, to set out on an untried Convinced, however, that every thing human set of principles, as if it were about to enter is in its very nature imperfect, he consoles on an original course of action of which himself with the hope, a hope which is con- preceding ages had left no precedent; on a firmed by actual instances, that some of the line of conduct of which our forefathers had most highly endowed will be examples of bequeathed no instances of failure, had exchristian liberality, and some of the most perienced no defeat of expectation. lowly, of patient submission; so that their several portions may, while they enable them to furnish a pattern to others, minister to their own eternal good.

But evils which he cannot remove, he will never aggravate. He holds it criminal even to agitate questions which only fester and inflame the wounds they are meant to cure; he knows that fruitless discussion may irritate, but seldom heals; that querulous animadversions on irremediable grievances on ly serve, by stirring up discontent, to excite insubordination.

He respects every order and degree among them for the Lord's sake; and, if a case should occur in which he cannot honour the man, he will honour his office. If called on for his opinion as to any defect, his censures are discreet; if not called upon, he is silent. But if his censures, when just, are temperate; his commendations, when merited, are cordial. Above all, he holds the practice to be equally dishonest, disingenuous and vulgar, to make communities and bodies answerable for the faults and errors of individuals; while he never commends or vindicates any thing decidedly wrong, either in individuals or in communities.

CHAP. XXVI.

The established Christian.

We read perpetually of multitudes, who lived in the long indulgence of unbounded appetite, who in the gratification of every desire, has drained the world to its last dregs; but does the narrative of ages record a single instance, that the end proposed and followed up in the fervent pursuit, I mean happiness, was ever attained? We contemplate these recorded examples, we lament the disgusts, and pity the mortifications of the disappointed; but who applies the knowledge to any practical use, to any personal purpose. We are informed, but we are not instructed.. We resolve, in full confidence of our own wisdom, and complete contempt for that of our predecessors, to make the experiment for ourselves. We, too, pursue the same end, and probably by the same path: secure that we shall escape the mistakes into which others have fallen, assured that we shall avoid the evils which they have incurred, evils which we attribute to their ignorance, or their neglect, to their error, or their indiscretion.

We set out fresh adventurers in the old tract We weary our wits, we waste our fortune, we exhaust our spirits. Still we are persuaded that we have devised the expedient of which our precursors were ignorant; that we have hit on the very discovery which had eluded their search; that we have found the ingredient, which they, in mixing up the grand compound, earthly happiness, had overlooked.

We have it on the authority of a fine wri- The natural and pressing object of our fer, that, not to know what occurred before desire is present enjoyment; those, therewe were born, is to be always a child. Yet fore, who gratify our wayward fancies, or while the intellect may be improved to the remove from us any immediate inconvenhighest pitch by this antecedent knowled re, ience, are sure of our favour. On them we the will and the passions may, notwithstand-seize as instruments for promoting our ing our study of the most elaborate discus sions on their nature and effects, remain in the same state of childish imbecility. History and philosophy, though they inform the understanding, and assist the judgment, cannot rectify the obliquities of the heart

schemes of gratification, forgetting that they have schemes of their own to promote; that they are equally looking to us for our instrumentality; and that, if they are making any undue sacrifices to us, it is but in order to the furtherance of those schemes.

Such is

The experience of all past ages has produ- mere worldly friendship. As the intellectual ced such an accumulated mass of disap- eye seldom runs along the whole train of pointment, such a long unbroken series of consequences, which is the only true way of mortification, such a reiterated conviction of taking our measure of things, the same printhe emptiness of this world, and of the insuf- ciple which attaches us to the friend who is ficiency of its power to confer happiness, humouring us, makes us murmur at the disthat one would be ready to imagine, that to pensations of Him who is correcting us, disevery fresh generation, nay, to every period pensations which, though painful at the moof the life of every individual in every gen-ment, may, by a train of circumstances of eration, wisdom would not have all her admonitions to begin over again. One would not think that the same truths require, not only to be afresh pressed upon us, but to be again

which we know neither the design nor the process, be insuring to ns future benefits. But having no clear perception of remote good, we have no very ardent desires after

it. Our short-sightedness concurs with may be thoroughly furnished into all good our selfishness in making this false esti- works.'

Toate.

In perusing the sacred records, he even Divine goodness, which we perhaps have derives consolation from what he has been a hitherto withstood, at length, when He who source of derision to the profane, and of won. gives the grace gives the desire, touches the der to the ignorant-the fidelity with which heart so long closed against it. The still the inspired writers have exhibited holy men, small voice which was drowned in the noise in the most censurable instances of their and tumult of the world is at length heard, conduct, and in the lowest stages of their and, through longer forbearance, and farther hope and confidence. He there beholds the communications of that grace, is at length chosen servants of God wading through obeyed. Religion operating on the convictions of the heart, and our humility improving with the experience of our own mistakes, gradually remove the veil through which we had hitherto beheld the world.

doubts and apprehensions, assaulted by temp. tations, perplexed by trials. Had they nev er been presented but in their happier seasons, but in their triumphs, and their victories, the comparison with his own failures, with his own occasional depressions and fluc tuations, would have sunk his spirits which they now support, would have weakened his faith which they now confirm.

As the heavenly light grows stronger the false lights, drawn from the exhalations of sensuality and self-indulgence, which at once glimmer and mislead, are quenched The day-star begins to dawn. In the clear- He rejoices in the Gospel as a stream flower atmosphere, objects assume their proper ing from the fountain of love and mercy, the shape; every thing appears in its true co- spring of all spiritual life and motion; he lours. The mind is insensibly disenchanted, finds that genuine Christianity differs from the views take another turn. As the eye at every other good, as spirit differs from mattains a more distinct sight, the desires ac- ter. It establishes the foundation of happiquire a juster aim We discover that the ness as well as goodness; and both, not on best things on earth have an inseparable im- any supposed merit in the recipient, but on perfection appended to them. Referring to the free mercy and voluntary grace of God. our past experience, or present clearer ob- While it exacts obedience to the divine law, servation of things, we find that the delights it shows that the requisition cannot be comwhich we fancied were indefectible are dy-plied with, but by divine assistance; what it ing away; we find that pleasure dissolves, commands, it bestows; if it requires the wit misleads, riches corrupt, power intoxi-will, it confers the power. cates, hope deceives, possession disappoints; --and, which now stamps upon our renewed feelings the deepest impression of the vanity of human things, difficulties sink our spirifs, success agitates them; we find that what we want, we desire with a painful ardency; what we have, we either fear to enjoy, or the enjoyment is poisoned by the fear of losing it: and the intense delight could not long be borne, even if it could be obtained. The convictions of the Christian being settled, he is now desirous of imparting the benefits of his own experience to his younger friends, who, in their turn, commonly reject the transfer, thinking him to be as much mistaken as he had formerly thought bis predeces sors; like him, they prefer the experiment to the advice, the risk to the caution.

The sober thinker is now convinced, that between the fever of desire, the uncertainty of attainment, the disappointment attending what is attained, the alternation of hope and fear, the dread of the worst things, and the insuppressible sense of the brevity of the best, the mere man of the world can never be substantially happy. The Christian thus warned, thus wakened, is thankful, not for the mistakes he has committed, but for the salutary vexations that have attended them. The monitory wisdom of past ages rises in his esteem, in the same proportion as his own sinks. Above all, he has found, that there is no infallible wisdom but in the oracles of inspiration; there he looks for whatever is 'pro fitable for doctrine, for reproof. for correction, for instruction in righteousness.' There only he has found, that the man of God

In the retrospect of his past life, he is astonished at the patience and forbearance of God under his own repeated provocations; especially he reflects with wonder, that the very prosperity which had been the special gift of his Maker, had alienated his heart from him. He is humbled to think, that it was in the very arms of his goodness he forgot him; when he tasted most abundantly of his bounty, then it was he neglected him most; when he most largely enjoyed his overflowing beneficence, the gift induced not grati tude, but intoxication. He looks back with remorse on the time he has wasted, and the errors he has committed, but he does not spend his remaining strength so much in re. gretting as in repairing them.

To be enchanted with things which have not much in them, he now finds is the mark of a weak and undistinguished mind. It shows the absence of a rational understanding, and the want of a manly spirit, to be inordinately attached to any object, whose worth will not bear out our judgment, and vindicate our attachment. Habitual considerations on the littleness of present things, the disappointing nature of all earthly enjoyments, the grandeur of his future pros pects, with nearer views of the eternal world, all combine to give continence to his mind, moderation to his desires, and sobriety to his conduct.

We are slow in making the discovery of the large capacity of the human mind; that it is made capable of a felicity commensur, ate to its nature; that the rudiments, both of eternal misery and happiness, are laid in our