and benevolent in religion, and reject what is stern and selfdenying and awful. Now the whole truth in its just proportions we have in the Creed, which God has given us as a key to Scripture, the depository of the faith in the Church, to each individual a guide and safeguard. But it is very evident that if we take one point only in religion, instead of this analogy of the Faith, we may produce a religion which may please ourselves and others, and yet may be very far from the truth as it is in Scripture, and from the principles of that new world wherein dwelleth righteousness. And it is an awful and trying question for a man to ask himself, whether the reason why he sets aside the Day of Judgment, the severe discipline of the Church, and above all the two Sacraments, in his public teaching, is not this, that in the secret care of himself he does not consider them and whether the strong controversial party feeling, exhibited on these points, does not arise from the dislike he has to be disturbed in these easy convictions, into the truth of which he will not seriously inquire.

Now against all this leaven of a worldly system, the reserve that is here inculcated seems at once the remedy; for it strips off at once all those external indications of a religion which exists not in the heart, as rather hindrances to true piety than the promoters of it; and requires one to be reverential and considerate in all that regards it. We have nothing to show to ourselves or others, to encourage the notion that we are better than they; and may be induced to cultivate a sincere desire to be approved in the eyes of our Father "who seeth in secret." A want of reserve, an artificial religious tone in conversation or prayer is, as the good James Bonnel observes, a proof that the person is wishing to be, or wishing to persuade himself that he is, rather than that he really is religious. As far as any one is in earnest, he will act naturally with this sacred modesty, seeking to know God and do His will. And this unaffected reserve will be a great protection to him in keeping the spirit of piety fresh and true, and when he loses it, he will lose half his strength. This secret devotion will doubtless lower him in his own eyes, and in the eyes of the world, and will keep him back. He must be content to be not VOL. V.-87.

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understood, to be misrepresented, but this will little concern him, if he may be hid from men's eyes in the sanctuary of the Divine presence, where his prayers for them will have power with GOD.

PART VI.

THE SYSTEM OF THE CHURCH ONE OF RESERVE.

1. The principle considered with reference to ourselves.

BUT far be it from us, to put forward this sacred principle merely in condemnation of others, and their system; what we have said with regard to them is in our defence and for their warning: and we have quite as much need of it for the regulation and protection of ourselves. Indeed it might have been considered that it is for ourselves that it is more especially needed; and the subject should, one would think, have been hailed with pleasure as a pledge and indication, that what we maintain we would wish to maintain modestly and seriously. That when we consider ourselves called upon to put forward great Christian truths, which have been forgotten, we imply, by connecting this principle with them, that we consider them as matters, not for speculation or external distinction, but to be embraced practically, and as it were secretly, looking to that time when all things will be revealed.

The whole of the effects which we condemn, and which have developed themselves in a system, have been spoken of as putting forward religion with a want of reality, and absence of true seriousness; and of course the principles of the Church are liable to be taken hold of, and turned to the same purpose. But we proceed to show that the Church of itself is entirely a system of reserve. In fact, she holds all the doctrines which those who agree not with her consider most essential, but in a sort of reserve; being calculated to bring men to the heart and substance of those things of which this scheme embraces the shadow. The Church, moreover, in all her departments, is directed to the eye of GOD, and not to man; as the Bride who ever looks to the Bridegroom, and to none else. The one instance in her usages which partakes least of this reserved character, is the

practice of preaching which she sanctions and admits, and which alone, it is curious to observe, this human system has taken, considering it as the only instrument calculated for its purpose. The principle of the Church is, that "the secret things belong unto the LORD our GOD;" that He Himself dispenses them through His Church, as He thinks meet, to faith and obedience. Her system therefore is one of reserve.

But before we proceed to this subject, it may be requisite to say something respecting the application of the rule at all to baptized Christians. It may be said, that during the gradual revelations of the Gospel to mankind, this might have been the mode of the Divine proceeding, and very necessary; but that now among baptized Christians, "the enlightened," as they were called in the early Church, all have entered into the fulness of the Christian inheritance, and we have no right to withdraw from them any part of their birthright. Or it may be said, that the mystery is now made known to all the world; every thing is perfectly different; omnia jam vulgata.

But now in answer to this, it must be observed, that this sacred forbearance is an universal rule in morals, and not confined to circumstances, but accompanies every progress in religious knowledge; thus the Fathers speak of it, as a rule to be observed, not only towards catechumens, but according to which the mysteries of GoD are revealed more and more to the last stage of Christian perfection. It is evident, that the knowledge which Scripture speaks of as life-giving goes entirely with Christian purity of heart; that in this respect, unless it will be maintained that this sincerity and purity now prevails, the rule still holds; in the Scriptural sense, men are still in darkness, and ignorance, in proportion to their vices; knowledge is to be imparted or withdrawn on the same principles. And with regard to the circumstance of men having been baptized, St. Paul did not make this an occasion of altering this rule towards his converts, but he maintains towards them precisely the same caution. This St. Augustin observes, speaking of the expression of "giving what is holy to dogs," he adds, "when the LORD says this, we must believe that He wished to signify, that unclean hearts cannot bear the

light of spiritual intelligence, and if a teacher should compel them to bear that which they do not rightly receive, inasmuch as they are not capable of doing so, they either rend him with the bitings of reprehension, or by despising, tread them under foot. For if the blessed Apostle says that he gave milk, and not meat, to those who, although they were already born again in CHRIST, yet were still babes; for hitherto were ye not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able; (1 Cor. iii. 2.) If, in fine, the LORD Himself said to His elect Apostles, 'I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now,' (John xvi. 12); how much less can unclean minds of the wicked, bear those things that are spoken of incorporeal Light?"

In one point of view, our case indeed differs from that of former ages; in that the great and essential truths of our religion, which have been so long kept back, are now generally known. Our position is therefore in most material respects different, but not so, in any way, as to do away with the necessity of this natural principle.

It must be observed, that the word Knowledge in the Scriptures is used in two senses, or that there are two kinds of Knowledge; the one, according to which "the knowledge of the LORD fills the earth, as the waters cover the sea:" the other, discovering One who still dwelleth in secret in the midst of these manifestations, One "whose ways are in those deep waters, and whose footsteps are not known." The one is she "who lifteth up her voice in the streets, and in the city uttereth her cry:" the other is she, "who goeth about secretly, seeking those who are worthy of her, trying them in crooked paths, and ways of discipline, until she finds that she can trust their souls." The one that which is " a savour of life and also unto death," as when our LORD says, that he who knew his LORD's will, and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; and "if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them;" a knowledge which without charity puffeth up. The other knowledge is that which is truly Divine and inseparable from charity; where to know and love GOD, is one and the same thing, and both of them eternal life. This is the gift especially of GoD alone, and, which He dispenses