itude for favors now received, nor yet of confidence in his future interposition in our behalf."

So the man left them, and went on in the road of the pilgrims; and they soon after walked on also, discoursing together.

Th. That Self-conceit must be ignorant of his own heart, to think he can depend upon his good moral life, and has no need of any atonement for his sins. I could never think of accepting Paul or Moses as my Saviour.

Ard. I feel that I need an Almighty Saviour; and that it would be only insulting my misery to bid me trust in a creaThose who have any proper sense of the sinfulness of their hearts, cannot be led away by this man.

ture.

F. W. I am not disposed to embrace his sentiments respecting the atonement; for I know that Jesus died for my sins, and that I have received pardon through his blood.

Love-self. I can never admit that Christ is a mere creature; for if he had been, his obedience could never be set down to my account. He must have been required to obey for him

self.

No-law. And if he had been a man "in all respects like other men," his death must have been a punishment for his own sins; and so my sins could not have been all punished in him, which is my only hope.

Th. I do not see how the obedience of Christ to the moral law can ever be set down to our account. If he had failed of being perfectly conformed to that law, on his own account, it would have been a sin in him. He was tried by the tempter in the wilderness; and if he had complied with his temptations, he would have been a transgressor, and utterly unfit to make atonement for the sins of the world. His obedience to the moral law was perfect, but no more than perfect. It was necessary to qualify him to make atonement, but did not constitute any part of the atonement itself; for it is written, "It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."

N. L. Is it not written also, that "by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous?"

Th..Yes. But that is not what is commonly called his active obedience; that is, his conformity to the moral law: but it was what is called his passive obedience—his obedience to the command of the Father in laying down his life. He says, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." It is by his obedience to this commandment, that is, it is by means of his laying down his life, and pouring out his precious blood

on the cross, that many are pardoned, or justified from their sins. But his active obedience, or conformity to the moral law, was necessary for himself, to qualify him to make atonement by his blood, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. N. Ž. I cannot agree with you. You seem to talk like a legalist. You would divide the work of your salvation with Christ. And while he bore the punishment of your sins, you would obey for yourself. You seem to be opposed to salvation by grace.

Th. I am not conscious of feeling any opposition to salvation by grace alone. I believe that the salvation of a sinner is all of grace, from beginning to end. If it is not, I am sure there can be no hope for me. But you will perhaps be more confirmed in your opinion, when I add, that I do not consider the sufferings of Christ as a true and proper punishment for the sins of men.

F. W. Why, brother, how you talk! You are more of an Arminian than I am. Brother No-law calls me a legalist, because I am for works. But I believe that Christ bore the punishment of my sins. Oh, I know he did; and I bless him for it.

Th. I think that the punishment which the law threatened to sin is eternal death. And Christ did not suffer eternal death he arose again on the third day.

L. S. How then can a sinner be exempted from the punishment of his sins? If they are not fully punished in his surety, they must be fully punished in himself.

Th. They must be fully punished in himself, or they must be freely forgiven for Christ's sake. If they are punished, either in himself or in another, (if that were possible,) there is no room for forgiveness. When a punishment has been fully inflicted, no more is due. But where no punishment is due, there is none to be remitted. The way of salvation by him who died on the cross, is a way of forgiveness. It is written, Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." This forgiveness is granted freely to all that are willing to accept it as a free gift to the ill-deserving. Thus, I think, justification is an act of grace as well as every other step in the sinner's salvation.

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F. W. Grace! Yes: salvation is all of grace. But it is free grace; that is, free for all, nothing more being done for one than there is for another.

Th. It is free grace, indeed. But it is free, because bestowed freely upon the ill-deserving. Pardon is indeed offered freely to all; but all reject it, and if nothing more was done for them, none would ever accept it.

F. W. Oh yes. Nothing more was done for me than there is for every other man: but I worked for it, and got it.

N. L. You are both too legal. You hold to works. I am for grace, without works.

By this time, I perceived that they had arrived at the place where Christian saw Simple, Sloth, and Presumption asleep by the road-side, and who had been hanged for their crimes, when Christiana and her company passed by. And here they found, on the left side of the road, a considerable village, named Careless, inhabited by the posterity of those men, who walked in the steps of their fathers. And as they passed along, a man came out to meet them whose name was Puff, and invited them to turn aside and rest themselves a little. And then, said he, you may have an opportunity to hear a sermon from our minister, the most popular preacher in all these parts, Mr. Selfconceit, a very worthy and excellent man, I assure you, and the most agreeable preacher I ever heard.

Ard. I have some knowledge of him already, and I do not wish to hear him.

Puff. You never heard him preach, I suppose; for if you had, you must admire him, and wish to hear him again.

Ard. No, I never heard him preach; but I heard him converse in such a manner as I wish never to hear another. Puff. You must have provoked him to engage in controversy, I conclude. But he never introduces any controversy into his preaching. He dwells exclusively on "those great truths and precepts, about which there is little contention." He never introduces any of those unintelligible doctrines about which Christians have so often disputed. He thinks it would "perplex, and needlessly perplex, a common congregation, consisting of persons of all ages, capacities, degrees of improvement, and conditions in society.' All the inhabitants of our village "will testify how little he has sought to influence them on the topics of dispute among Christians, how little he has labored to make them partisans, how constantly he has besought them to look with candor on other denominations, and to delight in all the marks which others exhibit of piety and goodness." He "professes to accord with that Apostle who has taught us that charity is greater than faith and hope; more excellent than the tongue of angels, and the understanding of all mysteries." And as a proof of his excellence as a minister, I could mention "the singular prosperity he has enjoyed. Perhaps in no part of the world is the condition of ministers more favored than his. Whilst he receives nothing of a superstitious homage, or a blind submission, he finds himself respected by all classes of society, and, I may say, distin

guished by the eminent, the enlightened, and the good." "In our society there are no divisions, no jealousies, no parties to disturb us." He often appeals to us, from those who wish to slander him saying, "Brethren, you know me, for I live among you; I visit you in your families; I speak to you from the pulpit; I repair to you in your sorrows; and I sit, too, at the table of your festivity." And we all agree that we have no fault to find with him, for he is exactly one of us in all respects.

F. W. I did not, indeed, like all his conversation, when we saw him; but I think I should like his preaching, if it answers your description. I feel inclined to stop and hear him.

L. S. And so do I. But your church, I see, is some distance out of our way. I should like to hear him, for once, extremely. But the day is far spent, and I should like to reach the house Beautiful to-night; for I hear that there is good entertainment for pilgrims there. And I am afraid we shall not get there if we stop. I do not like to go so far out

of our way.

You will find good

Puff. That need be no objection. entertainment in our village, at the house of Mr. Smooth, or at the house of Mr. Indifference. They are the deacons of our church, and entertain pilgrims at free cost.

N. L. I shall certainly stop. I do not mind going a little out of the way, or staying all night. I would not miss the opportunity of hearing such a popular preacher, if I had to stay even longer.

Th. I cannot consent to stop, nor to turn aside out of our way. And besides, I have no desire to hear such preaching as has been described. And from the conversation we had with Mr. Self-conceit at the cross, it is plain, that he is an advocate of error, whom we are forbidden to hear.

F. W. You are too uncharitable, brother. I did not like all he said to us; but I will not condemn any man, because he differs from me in some things. We cannot all think alike, any more than we can all look alike.

N. L. Brother Feel-well has spoken my mind exactly. For though I differ from him in many things, yet we have come all the way together, without any unpleasant feelings between us.

F. W. Yes; though I differ from you all, in some things of minor importance, yet I have perfect charity for you all. And I can bear testimony that brother Love-self, and brother No-law, and I, have come all the way from home, with the greatest harmony of feeling. Pilgrims may feel alike, if they cannot think alike; and there ought to be union among them all. L. S. Yes; that is right. I am for union too. And

though I do not enjoy myself quite so well as brother Feelwell, and have more trouble than brother No-law; yet I believe we feel very much alike in the main, and agree in the essentials of our experience.

Puff. I am sure, then, you will be pleased to hear our minister. He preaches universal charity, and teaches unbounded liberality towards all denominations.

Th. I beg leave to read a sentence or two from my book, which appears to me to decide the question of duty. It is written, "Take heed what ye hear.-Cease, my son, to hear the instruction which causeth to err from the words of knowledge. I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.-If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." From what this man said to us, at the cross, it is plain, that he does not bring the doctrine of Christ, but preaches another Gospel than that which is contained in the King's statute book.

Ard. I am satisfied that we ought not to hear this man. And I have no inclination, for he would rob me of my Saviour, and destroy the foundation of my hope.

F. W. You must do as you think best. I do not understand

those passages of your book as you do. I depend more upon my own feelings, than upon the interpretation of such dark and difficult passages. My feelings are in favor of hearing him this time; and I know by them that it is right for me to do so.

So Feel-well, Love-self, and No-law, turned aside with Mr. Puff, and Thoughtful and Ardent went on their way. Then said Ardent to his companion:

Ard. I thought it evidently wrong to hear this man, because he denied the divinity of our Lord, and rejected the authority of the King's statute book. But I had not thought of its being wrong to hear others whose errors are less flagrant. The passages you read, however, seem to go further than I had supposed, and prohibit hearing those who propagate any error.

Th. Every error must be hurtful in a degree: and one error naturally leads to another. It is no doubt wrong to hear those who propagate any error which is subversive of the Gospel; any fundamental error. And there must be some danger in hearing any error whatever.

Ard. How shall we know where to draw the line? For I suppose that many preach error mixed with truth, some more and some less.