cautioned her son never to choose a wife from such a family,' as no good could come from such a bringing up."

ANNE. "Well, that agrees exactly with the going on at our house. My master is often vexed to find the children have been left all the morning to the care of the nurse-maid, and everything in disorder and confu sion when he comes home. And I heard him once say he wished my mistress's new faith brought forth better practices, as he thought doing her duty was much better than hearing strange doctrines, and persuading her friends to leave the House of God."

MRS. WILLIAMS. "Yes, all husbands agree pretty well in that opinion. And I hope, my dear Anne, that you are more than ever convinced that your line of duty consists in a steady adherence to the Church of Christ, in daily prayer for the renewal of the Holy Spirit, joined to a firm unshaken faith in the promises of your Saviour, upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Add to this, belief in your Lord's promises, a continual partaking of his holy Sacrament, for the strengthening and refreshing of your soul, with a hearty repentance for your past sins, and a lively dependence upon the grace of the Holy Spirit to enable you to perform your duty to God, your neighbour, and yourself; you will not then have your religion to

find.'

ANNE. "I have one more question to ask. Do you not think it is very wicked for such persons to administer the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper?"

MRS. WILLIAMS. "Certainly I do. And by St. Paul's warm rebuke to the Corinthians we may gather his opinion of the danger of profaning so sacred an institution. For (he says',) there must be also heresies among you, that they that are approved may be made

1 Cor. xi. 19, 20. 22.

manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper. What, have ye not houses to eat and drink in, or despise ye the Church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.' What a precious gift (continued Mrs. Williams) is this book of the New Testament, for in it we may find an answer to every inquiry, graciously vouchsafed us by the pens of the Apostles, written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And from St. Paul's reproving the Corinthians for not devoutly keeping the ordinances as he had delivered them, we are instructed and warned of the danger of profaning the Lord's Supper, for ، for this cause (he says) many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep'.' How wonderful does it appear that Satan so blinds the eyes of many people, that in spite of all the warning of our Lord and his Apostles, they turn from the truth to follow such teachers as the infamous Joanna Southcott, the impostor Toms, or any other pretended, self-appointed preacher, who sets himself up to cause divisions, disunion, and separations from the body of Christ; they follow their own inventions, and itching ears, and please themselves, disregardless of the counsels of the most High; 'thus a deceitful heart turneth them aside, so that they cannot deliver their own souls, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand. In this long conversation will perceive, my dear Anne, that I have not set up my own erring opinion. Every proof has been drawn from the word of God, as that is the only source of truth and experience, and history shows us that all these soul-destroying separations from the Church have arisen either from pride, insanity, or a desire to excite attention, to be the head of a party, and to awaken an unnatural excitement of feeling, which has nothing to do with the pure, calm, sober religion of Christ.

you

11 Cor. xi. 30.

2 Isaiah xliv. 20.

'

To this man will I look, saith the Lord, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth"." 'Remember

them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and to-day and for ever. Be not carried away with the diverse and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace. Remember this advice. Keep to your own minister and Church, and never suffer yourself to leave the Rock of Christ, to build on the sandy foundation of any new sect or doctrine, to be tossed about like a wave of the sea, always learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Bear in mind the answer once given to such daring pretenders: Jesus I know, and Paul I know: but who are ye?""

Anne thanked Mrs. Williams most warmly for the pains she had taken, and took her leave with the full determination of remaining stedfast in the faith.

In conclusion I have only to add, that Anne and the cook much displeased their mistress by not leaving the Church for the meeting-house, and consequently left her service. About the same time the young gentleman at the Hall married, and an addition to the establishment being required, Mrs. Williams recommended Anne and her friend. They proved valuable dependents and truly religious characters, and never left the Hall till they settled respectably in life. The meeting party quarrelled amongst themselves, and a separation took place, some choosing one preacher and some another. Many, with humble and contrite hearts, returned to their Church, some joined themselves to a

1 Isaiah lxvi. 2.

2 Matt. v. 3. 5.

Heb. xiii. 7, 8.

party of Unitarians, and some of the most zealous openly renounced the communion of the Church, and in becoming Papists found plenty of novelty to keep the excitement of their heated imaginations.

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The moral is obvious. "Hold fast that thou hast, that no man take thy crown1."

1 Rev. iii. 10.

THE END.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.