ten word of God, of necessity demands of us the same respect which his written word does, and precisely for the same reason, because it is his word."

Th. But the prophet says, "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

Lof. You have too much conceit of your own ability. "The idea of obtaining religious truth ourselves, and by our private inquiry, whether by reading, or by thinking, or by studying the Scriptures or other books, is nowhere commanded in the Scriptures. The great question which ought to be placed before every mind is this: What voice should be heard like that of the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church?" It is a great error, now extensively prevalent, "that God communicates grace only through faith, prayer, spiritual contemplation, communion with God; while it is the Church and her sacraments which are the ordained, direct, visible means for conveying to the soul that which is invisible and supernatural."

Th. Paul says to Timothy, "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." I am quite satisfied to study the Scriptures, with the help of such instruction as I can obtain from preachers presbyterially ordained, without any aid from your diocesan prelates.

to

Lof. You are guilty of schismatical conduct, and ought to repent of that great sin. My friend H. says, "We hold you be schismatics, utterly denying that you have either ministry or ordinances. The ordinances of the Gospel administered by unauthorized men, are in themselves void, and no divine promise is annexed to their reception."

Th. I do not see how we can be schismatics, according to your principles. We never belonged to your church, and therefore could never rend it. We were never in communion with your bishops, and therefore we never tore ourselves away from them. I think rather that you are the schismatics. For, according to the true doctrine, the Church of Christ embraces all those denominations who hold to an evangelical faith and practice. This we admit the Episcopal Church to do, in its. articles, and in the practice of many of its members, who allow the same to other evangelical denominations. But you, by your high pretensions, and your exclusive claims, cut off and excommunicate all who do not acknowledge your diocesan bishops; and thus you violently rend the visible Church, and are the true schismatics. Permit me, then, to exhort you to repent of that sin.

Lof. How dare you be guilty of such presumption as to

claim for your sectarian societies any valid ministry, or ordinances, when you have no connection with our true church and her bishops?

Th. And how dare you be guilty of such presumption as to arrogate to yourselves the sole right to dispense the grace of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and to shut out of heaven all who will not acknowledge your high claims, sustained only by your confident but unsupported pretensions to a regular succession from the apostles?

Ard. Come, let us go.

Lof. You had better come in with me. The path you are taking is full of troubles and difficulties; and if you ever arrive at the Celestial City, you have no passport signed by the bishop. But if you come in here, and receive baptism by an authorized ministry, and confirmation by the bishop, and partake of the body and blood of Christ from the hands of a priest authorized to offer the eucharistic sacrifice on the true altar; and take our book of directions, and attend on the prayers and ministrations of our authorized and apostolical ministry, and observe the holidays prescribed by the church, attending upon its prayers, upon the festivals, and fasts, and saints' days, you will find these things to save you the common difficulties of the way, and make your path easy and smooth. And when you arrive at the Celestial gate, as you certainly will, if you prove yourselves faithful sons of the true church, you will have the bishop's passport, and an undoubted admittance there. You had better come in.

Th. We cannot consent to leave the path marked out in the Scriptures, for one which is recommended chiefly by the tra ditions of men.

Lof. If you will not come in, I must tell you, that "you are turning your backs upon the Church of Christ; and that you deserve to be excommunicated for leaving the church. I pity you from my heart, and from my soul; for I have no doubt that, at the day of judgment, Christ will reject you, and that I shall have to appear against you."

Th. Our Lord says, "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake." And the apostle says, "Add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity."

So Mr. Lofty returned into his house, and the pilgrims went on their way, discoursing together.

Ard. I hope this Mr. Lofty is not a fair specimen of the church which he claims as the only true church.

Th. No, not of them all. But probably he is of a large part, at this day. In the time of the Reformation, the heads of this church agreed in doctrine with Calvin, and Luther, and their associates. Some things in their forms were not altered as much as Calvin desired to see them; yet he maintained a friendly correspondence with many of them. They did not then put forth any of these extravagant pretensions which have been lately advanced. By degrees the leading influences in that church became Arminian, and they verged towards Rome in other matters. Of late years, there has been a considerable revival of vital piety in that church, and many of her ministers appear to be good men. But these are not the leading men in the denomination. They are persecuted and stigmatized by such men as Mr. Lofty, and charged with schismatical conduct because they try to revive the ancient doctrine and discipline of the Reformation. What will be the end, is beyond the ken of human foresight. But one thing, I think, is certain. These extravagant pretensions, and this trusting to the efficacy of rites and forms, is utterly contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, and ruinous to the souls of men. There was a time in England, when, in many places, more of the true Gospel would be found in some Episcopal churches, such as Scott's, Newton's, and the like, than in many of those of the dissenters. But however it may be now in that division of the town, I have no hesitation in the opinion, that it would be highly dangerous for any to unite with their churches in the American quarter. They are so much under the influence of this formal religion, which leaves the heart unchanged, and lulls the conscience with rites and forms, as to be places of extreme danger.

Ard. Why did you wish to stay and converse with Mr. Lofty so long?

Th. That he might manifest his views and feelings.

Ard. Do not this man's party claim to be very liberal and charitable?

Th. Yes; but they are like most others who put forth these professions, when there is no need of it. They make these professions, because they are conscious that their conduct is likely to subject them to the suspicion of being just the contrary. I had a friend once, who had joined a church of this denomination, who, after introducing the subject several times, and not finding me disposed to converse upon it, said, there was one thing he liked them for, and that was, they let other denominations alone, and minded their own business. I could not forbear telling him, that my experience had not been so

for, as far as my acquaintance extended, they were the most bigoted, exclusive, and proselyting sect, that I had any knowledge of.

Ard. What did your friend say to that?

Th. He said no more. He seemed willing to drop the subject, without calling for specifications. I could have furnished him with many. It has been frequent in revivals of religion, for those who began to be anxious, to be accosted with these high church pretensions, and urged to come into the true church, where salvation was exclusively promised, through the ministrations of an apostolical priesthood; as if that was the great and effectual means of saving the soul. I should have no objection to have all their pretensions discussed and canvassed, at another time; but I think the introduction of a controversy, upon any subject not essential, should be carefully avoided in the time of a revival.

Ard. Mr. Lofty seems to consider that subject essential; and so do many others.

Th. Yes; but if a revival is in progress in a Presbyterian congregation, and the Presbyterians do not begin to meddle with the members of other denominations, who may be intermingled with them, I think it unneighborly for other denominations to meddle with them, and divert their attention from the great concern.

Ard. But if the members of other denominations should attend the meetings of the Presbyterians, and begin to be affected with serious concern, must you drive them away?

Th. No. If they come to our meetings, we need not abstain from preaching our own doctrines there; and it is not our fault if others hear, and are affected. But, it would be a different thing if we went into their families, and endeavored to convince them that we are right, and they wrong. This is what I complain of, in the members of other denominations; when they know that a revival has begun in one of our congregations, that they should embrace the opportunity to come into our families, or see individuals, who have been brought up among us, and never belonged to them at all, and introduce the points of difference between them and us, and talk about them as of great importance, and leave controversial books to be read, and urge the subject upon our people, and try to proselyte them to their denominational peculiarites. I think we have a right to complain of all such conduct, as unneighborly and unchristian,

CHAPTER LX.

Now I perceived that the pilgrims had reached the plain called the plain of Ease, where the way was smooth and comfortable to their feet, and there appeared no difficulties in their way. Then said Ardent :

Since by the providence of God we have been brought to this place, I would like to improve the opportunity, when we can be alone and in quietness, to converse a while upon the doctrine of divine providence. I have an idea that this doctrine, when rightly understood, is full of comfort to the Christian, and adapted to encourage him to every good work. know many seem to have a different view of it, and think it gloomy and discouraging. What is the true doctrine of divine providence?

Thoughtful. Some appear to consider it as a kind of general superintendence exercised by the Divine Being, in which he keeps his eye indeed upon creatures, to see what they will do, and watches the operation of natural causes, to see what results they will produce; but never brings any thing to pass by his own agency, unless in case of special emergency which calls for his interposition. Some ascribe more to the divine agency, but do not acknowledge that it extends to all events. They consider creatures as capable of acting of themselves independently of God; and that he permits them so to do, endeavoring only to influence them to do right by the motives he presents, and the persuasion he uses. When we hear such speak of the providence of God, we are not to understand them as believ ing that he secures the existence of those things which he on the whole desires, for they believe that he is not able to do this; but that he does the best he can by moral suasion, to influence all intelligent creatures to do right. And that he is anxiously watching the course of events, and the conduct of creatures, to see what he can do to remedy the evils of that perverse conduct of theirs which he was unable to prevent.

Ard. I do not see how those who take this view of the subject can join with the apostle in saying, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Th. I consider the divine providence as consisting in the divine agency. I think this extends to all events as their effi