ter than yours. I am certain it was much more agreeable. For, though we heard Evangelist as well as you, we did not like his preaching, and we could not bear his directions. And if we had heard no other, we should never have been persuaded to set out on pilgrimage. But we chose to hear every one that we could. I liked Dr. Smoothman pretty well; but he had not zeal enough. I did not like Dr. Soothing, because he would have me wait the King's time, and I was for doing something at once. I did not like Mr. Save-all, because he would have us all stay in the city till it was burned, and then go by a short way to the Celestial country, in a chariot of fire. I did not like the mode of conveyance. But I disliked Evangelist more than all the rest; and I have no doubt that he hinders more from going on pilgrimage, than even Mr. Saveall himself. But I liked the man they nicknamed Mr. Blindguide, but whose true name he told me, is Guide-to-the-Blind. He pleased me exactly. He told me of this way into the way, by which we have come. And he furnished us with a conductor called Repentance, who accompanied us as long as we had need of him, even to the house of Mr. Self-Confidence, in the village of Peace-in-believing, which we entered by the gate of Experience, and where we lodged one night, and saw glorious things. From that place to this stile, over which we have come, the way has been smooth and pleasant.

Here Ardent sighed deeply, and shook his head. Then Feel-well said to him:

I dis

F. W. What is the matter, brother Ardent ? Ard. I remember Mr. Blind-guide, to my sorrow. liked Evangelist's instructions at first, as you did, and went to Mr. Blind-guide for directions. He sent me, as he did you, to the village of False-peace, where I abode with Mr. Self-confidence a considerable time, and having returned to our city, I was well nigh lost forever.

F. W. Aye, true, indeed. You fell away: you turned back. Had you only kept on as I have, all had been well. Hold on, and hold out, is my maxim; and that I am determined to do, till I reach the Celestial City, and shout hosannas to the King of Glory.

Love-self. If I only get through at last, I shall be satisfied; though I confess I have not always the same confidence of it that brother Feel-well has. I have my doubts occasionally, which make me very unhappy while they last. But I feel better since I have got over this stile, and find myself safe in the King's highway.

No-law. I have no doubts, and never have had, since we got to the village of Peace-in-believing. It was there revealed

to me in a dream, the night we lodged with Mr. Self-confidence, that the Prince Immanuel had taken all my sins, and given me all his righteousness. If I step occasionally out of the way, it never troubles me any, since I know that the Prince Immanuel bore the punishment of it all.

By this time, I perceived that the company drew near to the cross, and had a view of Him who bled thereon. And I thought they all appeared to be more or less moved at the sight, but expressed their feelings in different ways. Feelwell jumped up and down, and clapped his hands, and shouted aloud. Love-self sat down and contemplated the sight with a cheerful countenance. No-law stood and looked attentively, but without much emotion. Ardent wept aloud; and Thoughtful stood apart, looking intently at the cross, with a countenance of deep solemnity, while a few tears trickled down his cheeks.

Oh, (said Feel-well,) how can I express my joy at this sight! It fills my soul with ecstasy. I see here the assurance of my acceptance at the Celestial gate. There hangs the man who died for me. How can I help loving him for his great love to me? Let those hold their peace who cannot feel. I want a religion that I can feel. And I thank the King that I do feel his love shed abroad in my heart. Glory to the King! Glory to the Prince who died for me! Glory! Glory!

Now, (said Love-self,) I see my title clear. I see my sins removed. He bore them all for me. By his obedience to the law in my room, I am justified and accepted. I will doubt no

more.

Here, (said No-law,) I see how unnecessary are good works. The finished righteousness of the Prince Immanuel does not need any additions of ours. I read that he justifies the ungodly; and I come to be justified as ungodly. make no pretences to any righteousness of my own.

I see here, (said Ardent,) the effect of my sins. They pierced the hands and feet of the Prince of Life. They inflicted those cruel wounds which seem to bleed afresh, as I look upon them. In view of this scene, how vile and hateful my sins appear! Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes fountains of tears, that I might weep day and night for my base ingratitude. How vile I am! How loathsome I appear to myself!

Here, (said Thoughtful,) appears the great evil of sin. It occasioned the death of the King of Glory. Here I see the great love of God to a sinful world, in giving his only begotten Son to die for them. Here I see the infinite condescension of the Prince Immanuel, who, though he was rich, yet for our

sakes became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be rich. Here I see God's regard for his law, the honor of which was maintained at such an expense. From this scene, we may draw motives for a holy life; for how shall we, who are dead to sin, by the cross, live any longer therein?

CHAPTER VII.

WHILE the pilgrims were thus engaged in their meditations, near the cross, and giving vent to their various feelings, I observed a man come up to them, in the habit which Evangelist wore, whose name was Self-conceit, and with a countenance which expressed some pity, and much contempt, he began:

Self-conceit. Unhappy, deluded men! What do you mean by looking at that cross with so much emotion? You seem to be full of wild ecstasy, rapture, and enthusiasm.

Ardent. I cannot but weep, when I look at that cross, and think of him who died upon it, to make atonement for sin, by the shedding of his blood.

S. C. I pity your ignorance. You are not acquainted with the works of that great and excellent philosopher, the very learned and worthy Doctor Priestley, or you would not entertain the absurd and vulgar idea, that the death of that man made any atonement for sin. He says, "Christ being a man, who suffered and died in the best of causes, there is nothing so very different in the occasion and manner of his death, from that of others who suffered and died after him, in the same cause of Christianity, but that their sufferings and death may be considered in the same light with his." The death of Paul, or any other martyr, might as well be considered as making atonement for sin. But I want no atonement. My good moral life is all my dependence.

Ard. But does not Paul speak of Christ as him "in whom we have redemption, through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace?"

S. C. Paul indeed says it; but the same great philosopher has told us that Paul often reasons inconclusively. No doubt Paul said what he thought; but he was in the same mistake that you are.

Th. But this goes to deny the divine authority of the Scriptures.

S. C. Yes; the same excellent and worthy Doctor says to one of his correspondents, "Neither I, nor I presume yourself, believe implicitly every thing that is advanced by any writer in the Old or New Testament. I believe all the writers to have been men, and consequently fallible, and liable to mistake." That the books of Scripture were written by particular divine inspiration, is a notion destitute of all proof, and that has done great injury to the evidence of Christianity."

Th. If you reject the doctrine of atonement, and deny the inspiration of the Scriptures, I see not why you are not a Deist, and consider him who died on the cross, not as the Lord from heaven, but a vile impostor.

S. C. No; I am not a Deist: I am a Unitarian Christian; that is, a liberal, enlightened, and rational Christian. I venerate him who died on the cross, as a good man, but as nothing more than a man, who had no existence till he was born of Mary. The difference between us and Deists, however, is not great. The same worthy and learned philosopher, in speaking of a man who had been thought a Deist, says: "He is generally considered as an unbeliever. If so, however, he cannot be far from us, and I hope in the way to be not only almost, but altogether what we are." And my very worthy friend, the enlightened and liberal Mr. Cogan, says, "The sincere and conscientious Deist cannot be far from the kingdom of heaven;" in which sentiment I cordially concur.

Th. But if Christ was a good man, he would tell the truth; and he speaks of himself as having come down from heaven, and says, (John 6: 62,) "What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before?"

S. C. I know not what to do with this passage, but to deny that Christ ever uttered it. My great master, the aforesaid acute and learned philosopher, did not know what to do with it. He confesses, that, "though not satisfied with any interpretation of this extraordinary passage, yet rather than believe our Saviour to have existed in any other state before the creation of the world, or to have left some state of great dignity and happiness when he came hither, he would have recourse to the old and exploded Socinian idea, of Christ's actual ascent into heaven, or of his imagining that he had been carried up thither in a vision; which, like that of St. Paul, he had not been able to distinguish from a reality; nay, he would not build an article of faith of such magnitude on the correctness of John's recollections and representation of our Lord's language; and so strange and incredible does the hypothesis of a pre-existent state appear, that sooner than admit it, he would suppose the whole verse to be an interpolation, or that the

old Apostle dictated one thing, and his amanuensis wrote another."

Ard. I cannot bear to hear my Lord and Saviour thus degraded. You suppose him, who knew all things, not to be able to tell whether he was in heaven or upon earth.

S. C. He might be a very good man, and yet be ignorant of many things. That truly great and good man, the very learned and worthy Mr. Belsham, says, "The Unitarian doctrine is, that Jesus of Nazareth was a man, constituted in all respects like other men, subject to the same infirmities, the same ignorance, prejudices, and frailties." And to give one instance, I would observe, that he no doubt really thought, that many in his day were possessed with devils; but my great master, Doctor Priestley, has shown that this was a vulgar error of the Jews, and that there are no such beings as devils, those people being only deranged in their intellects.

Th. Did Mr. Belsham think, then, that Christ was a sinner? If he was 66 a man in all respects like other men," that seems to be a necessary conclusion.

S. C. We are not fond of using such harsh language; we prefer softer terms. We call many things infirmities and frailties, which others call sins. We do not like to be so impolite as to call any man a sinner, unless he is grossly vicious. We entertain a very favorable opinion of the goodness of human nature. And Mr. Belsham thinks, that "with few, if any exceptions, there is a very great preponderance of good in every individual."

Ard. I know too much of my own heart to believe that. I know that in my natural state, "Every imagination of the thoughts of my heart was only evil continually." And hence I feel the need of "the washing of regeneration," and of cleansing by the blood of Christ. And whatever you may say, I am resolved to follow the example of the Scripture saints in praising and adoring my Lord and Saviour. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God, and his Father: To him be glory and dominion, forever and ever. Amen."

S. C. I must conclude of you, as the very worthy, enlightened, and liberal Mr. Lindsey does of those like you: "There is no reasoning with such persons: they are to be pitied, and considered as being under a delusion of mind." The great and excellent Mr. Belsham says, "Jesus is indeed now alive. But as we are totally ignorant of the place where he resides, and of the occupations in which he is engaged, there can be no proper foundation for religious addresses to him, nor of grat