William applied to visit the family; all intercourse was forbidden. To a romantic girl, like myself, only seventeen years of age, I considered poverty, as Sheridan states it in his "Rivals," a higher claim to my regard, and a reason to prove my disinterested affection, especially as I expected a fortune ample enough for both. I rashly continued the intercourse by letters, when one fine morning, obtaining permission to spend the day out, I met him by appointment, and sealed my doom at the altar.

My friends resented the marriage with unabating spite. and left us to struggle with poverty. My husband's affairs were ruined. To support ourselves we went upon the stage, and after going through a varied series of misfortunes, he has been obliged to flee to a distant county for support, and I am forced, as my only asylum, to take refuge under my father's roof, where both contrive to make me suffer a bitter penance for my imprudence by reiterated reproaches of the most affecting nature, and studied unkindness, which is relieved by no interruptions; so that my home is a prison of misery. And the moroseness of my father and the asperity of my mother, have been ill suited to inspire me with any respect or love for the over righteous religion which they profess.

"I am sorry," said Mr. Hadley, "that their conduct so little illustrates the true nature of the benevolent scheme of the gospel which they embrace, and so little recommends it to those oppressed with sorrow and disappointment as the best cordial in affliction, and the source of pleasures which poverty and vexation cannot destroy.".

CHAPTER XIV.

THE MISCHIEVOUS TENDENCY OF THE HIGH CALVINISTIC

DOCTRINES EXHIBITED.

THE narrative was interrupted by the party arriving at Enfield. They proceeded to the principal inn, and ordered a couple of fowls for dinner, and then walked out to survey the old familiar scenes of Mr. Hadley's childhood, and the beautiful environs of this pleasant village. Upon returning to the inn, they were introduced into a small side room, where the sun shone enough to broil the guests as they sat at the table. "Is this to be borne ?" said Mr. Hadley; "do they think of thus treating their guests? I will make them do us justice." He rang the bell, and up came the waiter. "Send your master here," said Mr. Hadley. Upon his entrance, he said, "Mr. Landlord, if you mean to crowd us in a room like this, with the sun baking us at our dinner, we shall leave it for yourself and family. I desire you will take us into your principal room, and there spread our table, and place a bottle of wine on it." The landlord bowed obeisance, made his apology on the ground of his supposing we wished for privacy, and took us into a spacious room where public dinners were held; and now, with plenty of space to walk and cool ourselves, the party sat down to an excellent dinner, which

they enjoyed with thankfulness to the Giver of all good, and enlivened the social repast with many a pleasant sentiment of friendship and edification.

After dinner Mr. Hadley requested Mrs. Pearson to finish the narrative which she had begun. "The narrative," said Mrs. Pearson, "is very short. My husband failed, as I said; my parents would not come forward to assist us to take a situation which might have supported us; but occasionally they gave us a twenty-shilling note. Wearied with this state of dependence, my husband was induced to display his lively talents on the stage, and I followed him. We acted in some of the most respectable theatres in the country, and earned a comparatively comfortable subsistence. Upon the promise of supplies from my parents, we quitted this mode of life; but new misfortunes plunged us into difficulties from which it seemed impossible to extricate ourselves. The only resource left with five children around us was to accept my parents? proposals. My husband retired from me to a distant county, to an uncle's, near which my parents have had the kindness to place my sons, and I have taken up my abode with them, where they take too many occasions to) make me feel my dependence, and to reproach me with my misfortunes. Notwithstanding all the accusations which they bring against me as being hostile to religion, I must say, that I venerate and love religion when she comes to me presenting the cup of consolation, adorned with the graces which should always be her handmaids. And It recollect the time when I was the little favourite of good Mr. Newton, whose paternal exhortations won my heart, and whose prayers and instructions will ever be recollected with pleasure and improvement."

Religion," said Mr. Hadley, "is infinitely important; so that we should be very careful of not imbibing preju

dices against it through the rough manners or the inconsistencies of its professors. The benefit will be ours if we embrace religion; and the irreparable loss will be our own if we reject it. It is a personal concern-it is an object of personal interest and importance. There is sterling gold to be found, though there may be many counterfeits, which we must condemn, and religion is "the pearl of great price,' although it may sometimes be found buried in clay, or withdrawn into obscurity."

"I feel the importance of religion," said Mrs. Pearson, "and I wish to be possessed of it. But the language of my parents is, you will never attend to it-you cannotyou are not a vessel of mercy-you have been often called but you have refused, because you are not one of the chosen.' Now I have thought if the decrees of God were to influence human conduct, and fix our ultimate destinies, where is the need of exertion, of reading the Scriptures, of prayer, self-denial, and vigilance on my part. Because if none can repent, and believe, and obey the gospel but those chosen from eternity, selected out of the mass of reprobate offenders; then all the invitations and calls of God are vain. But if they had told me that the means of grace were given to persuade me to repentance-that the Bible was the book I was to read, that it might become the instrument of my conversion, and that prayer to God would be sure to gain success, why then I should have had some heart to set about working out my salvation,' though with fear and trembling,' yet with hope of success."

"I think," said Charles, "that is the present grand error of the religious world; the not distinguishing between man's natural powers to read, to talk, to pray, to frequent. the ordinances of God, and to reason, reflect, and draw inferences and make resolutions, and his moral inability to

comply with these without the grace of God assisting him."

"Man is the subject of moral suasion in religion," said Mr. Hadley," as well as in the interests of this life. The Bible contains the whole truth and will of God. Ministers are appointed to explain its doctrines, to enforce its injunctions, and to apply them to present times, persons, and circumstances; to point out the particular characters to whom belong the promises, and to mark those to whom belong the threatenings, and, knowing the terrors of the Lord, to persuade men by every motive of hope and fear, to attain the blessing and escape the curse.""

"Are not my

Now all this

It contains a description of the perfections of God, his power, justice, goodness, and mercy. Yea, he displays them in His conduct towards his creatures in every ageit points out the way of access to God through Christ, and the method of complying with his invitations in a manner so plain, that every child may understand it; and so full as to comprehend whatever is requisite to inform the mind, alarm the conscience, or sway the heart. God does not appeal to his authority but to our reason." ways equal, are not your ways unequal?" warrants the conclusion, that agreeably to the words of the Gospel, God" draws us with the chords of a man—with the bands of love;" in other words, that he reasons with us, informs, persuades, and prevails with us. And this is the method we should use to persuade the wanderer to come home, the prodigal to return to his Father's house, the sinner to repent, the backslider to seek to be restored to the right path and strengthened. Without, therefore, diving into the secret and mysterious decrees of God, we must bid all whom we meet " to come to the Gospel feast," -we must say, "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say, Come; and let him