which we are required to believe are revealed mysteries; and the evidence on which we are to receive them, is as sure as the veracity of God.

If any object to the mysteries of the Bible, because they cannot comprehend them in all their connections, we answer that this very fact taken in connection with the analogy of providence furnishes a presumptive argument in favour of their reality. The fact that your nature is complex, and that there is in it a three-fold union of body, soul and spirit, is perfectly intelligible: it is within the sphere of your own consciousness. But at the very next step, when you come to inquire concerning the nature of this union, or the manner in which body and spirit operate upon each other, you are met by a mystery which defies your comprehension as really as the Trinity itself. That my mind is active at this moment, and that I am moving my pen from one side of my paper to the other, I am certain. But when I come to analyze the process by which my mind connects and arranges its thoughts, or to inquire what is the nature of that power by which I guide my pen, I have no means of arriving at any satisfactory conclusion. The same is true of all the works of nature by which we are surrounded. The same principle therefore which would lead me to abandon the mysteries of Revelation, must excite my incredulity with respect to all the objects of sense, and conduct me at last into all the horrors of universal, scepticism.

If the preceding remarks are just, the objections which are usually made to the mysteries of revelation fall to the ground, and with them the argument for universal catholicism which we have now examined.

7. It is urged in favour of this universally catholic spirit, that it is essential to preserve the church from division and discord. If there is any thing which we sacredly value, and which we wish with all our hearts to promote, it is the peace and unity of

the church. We are not insensible of the mischiefs of an exclusive and intolerant spirit, which has so frequently prevailed, and we again repeat that we have no charges to bring against that Catholicism which opens its arms to those who acknowledge the great doctrines of the gospel, however diverse their opinions may be from our own on subjects of minor importance. But we are willing to acknowledge that this is the extreme limit of our liberality. Rather than receive a man into the arms of our fellow. ship who denies doctrines which we believe lie at the foundation of the sinner's hope, we will consent to put ourselves in the attitude of contending earnestly for the faith. Rather than stand convicted of the impiety of haptizing with the sacred name of christianity a system of error with which christianity can have no communion, we are willing to stand forth in the foremost ranks of religious controversy. That peace is bought at a dearer price than the church can afford to pay, which comes at the expense of admitting within its hallowed embrace, men who are aiming a dagger at its vitals. For ourselves, we have no wish to see the day wher religious controversy shall be excluded from the church, at such an amazing sacrifice as this; and we would here suggest to those who are pleading so manfully for universal charity at the present day, whether there may not be danger that they will find at last, that this same charity had in it the elements of enmity to Christ. Far be it from us to indulge in improper severity; but we cannot withhold the remark, that much of this catholicism on which we are remarking, looks like a disposition to be compliant and courteous toward the enemies of the gospel, but criminally indifferent to the honour of Christ. Neither the cause, nor the glory of our Master is advanced, by complimenting with his name those who deny the doctrines of his religion. We repeat it, we love to

see the church at rest, and the disciples comforted, but we would rather exchange that rest for the agitation and tumult of the sharpest controversy, or even for the unhallowed violence of persecution, than to maintain it at the expense of giving our sanction to fundamental errors. It would be far better for the church to be shaken a little by a passing tempest, than to have her foundations undermined by a silent and gradual inundation of destructive heresy.

8. It is said that those who refuse the hand of christian fellowship on the ground of religious opinion, violate the spirit of the gospel by making an arrogant claim to infallibility. We contend that this inference from the conduct of those who insist upon a belief in the doctrines of the gospel, is unfair.

If there are some

men in the church to whom I cannot extend my christian charity, the language of my conduct is, not that I am infallible, but that I am bound as a disciple of Christ, to hold fast what I believe to be the doctrines which he has delivered. If I am told that there are others who think differently from me in regard to the truths of scripture; and that they may be right, and I wrong; I have only to say, that I follow what I believe to be an honest conviction of my understanding and conscience. That I may be condemned at last for holding error, I do not deny; but I have no fear of meeting the frown of my Judge for endeavouring to maintain what I believe to be the purity of the christian faith. It is unreasonable then to charge me with an assumption of infallibility, so long as I only claim the privilege of judging for myself, and following my own convictions; a privilege which I am as ready to allow to others as to claim for myself. If I were to attempt to fetter my neighbour with my system of faith, and to force him to an exact conformity to my standard, then indeed, the charge might seem to lie against me with some degree of fairness: but at present I am only charge

able with examining the scriptures for myself, and finding in it a system of faith which I consider so important, that I cannot conscientiously acknowledge that man as a christian who refuses his assent to it. We are both of us liable to error, but it is not so much from the darkness of our intellect as from the depravity of our hearts. God has given us sufficient light to enable us to form a correct opinion concerning the great truths of religion; and if we are under these advantages, we are without ex

cuse.

9. The last of the arguments for universal charity which we shall examine at present, is that these are subjects on which great men have held different opinions; and that it would be unreasonable in us to make those points on which the learning and genius of the world have been divided, the occasion of withholding charity from any. Though we are ready to pay all proper respect to the authority of great men, we must never forget that we have a more sure word of prophecy. If we attempt to surrender our faith to the guidance of high authority, we shall find ourselves involved in an eternal maze of contradiction. We have the Bible in our hands, and are under every advantage for examining and deciding with res pect to the great fundamental truths which it contains. So far as these truths are concerned, there is nothing dark, equivocal, or mysterious. We are therefore inexcusable, if we leave this fountain of light, this infallible teacher, and follow instructors whose judgment may be perverted and blinded by prejudice and error.

But this argument from authority, like some others which we have considered, proves too much for your purpose. It furnishes as good a reason why you should maintain a catholic spirit towards the deist, and even the atheist, as the grossly erring christian. Every one knows that the records of infidelity contain many a name which literature and science have reason to regard, and which will

long be emblazoned on the annals of genius. Indeed, if the question were to be decided by authority, between the chilling system of infidelity, and almost any one of the perverted forms of christianity with which we are acquainted, we should have no doubt that the former would marshal the longest catalogue of illustrious defenders.

The very fact that men of great name differ in their religious opinions, proves that they are fallible, and that our confidence with respect to the truth or importance of our own system of faith should not be weakened by any such opposition. It is a remark which has often been made, and which we believe is founded in fact, that the leading truths of the Bible are much more likely to be found, in their purity, in the creed of the illiterate and simple man, than in that of the person who has been conversant with the speculations of philosophy. The former approaches the Bible with an honest desire to know the truth, and with hardly ingenuity or learning enough to pervert it. The latter, is in great danger of carrying a spirit of speculation into the province where faith ought to be supreme, and of moulding the doctrines of Revelation to suit the conclusions and deductions of his own reason.

We have now finished the examination which we intended to make, of the arguments which are most commonly urged at the present day in favour of what we have already ventured to call a spurious catholicism. If our limits would admit, a question of some importance might be connected with this discussion, with regard to what are the fundamental doctrines of religion. We admit that it is much easier to ascertain what doctrines are revealed in the Bible, than what degree of error may be consistent with a principle of practical godliness. But though it may not become us to pronounce with con

fidence with respect to all the doctrines which may be fundamental, there are some concerning which we can have no reasonable doubt. The grand peculiarities of the gospel, those truths which more than any other render it what it is, are doubtless the doctrines of atonement by the blood of Christ, and sanctification by the Spirit of Christ. We will only say at present, that the uearer any error lies to this great foundation, it is so much the more practical, dangerous, and fundamental.

We are unwilling to close these remarks without adverting for a moment to the present state of the church, and what appears to us to be the duty of its members. If any thing has escaped us which will have a tendency to check a spirit of enlightened, scriptural charity, in regard to religious differences, we sincerely regret it. We believe the state of the church requires us to inculcate christian forbearance, but to be cautious that it does not degenerate into an indiscriminate catholicism. It is absolutely necessary that all minor differences should be forgotten, and that christians should rally round their precious faith, and unite all their strength and all their zeal in defence of it. The prospect of the church is in some respects gloomy, but it will not become less so by our admitting into its bosom the elements of destruction. The courtesy of this miserable world may smile upon our indifference to the truths of God, but it will be a wretched consolation in the hour of death, and will plant daggers in the soul when we are called to give an account of our stewardship. Nothing but fidelity to our Master and the interests of his church can cast a vision of joy over the bed of death, or clothe the prospect of the judgment with serenity, satisfaction, and triumph.

A Friend to Christian Catholicism.