proved by the experience of eighteen hundred years. The great advantage of the Roman Catholic Church, as a Union, is that under the appearance of being bound together by doctrine, it derives, in fact, its compactness from a simple act of submission to one authority. This, though founded on error and usurpation, is clear, and simple-a thing which all kinds of persons understand; and is accordingly one of the best rallying points that have ever been employed to form an extensive and compact party all over the world.

"The Apostle Paul has positively declared the only principle of union which true Christianity affords yet his words though frequently repeated, are as frequently taken as a kind of mystical language with scarcely any practical meaning. Unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, is the social effect which Christianity has engaged to produce. Such Christians as will cultivate this source of unity—such believers as, in sincerity and purity of heart, will turn their eyes away from that side glance at the affairs

of this world in which most Christian Churches as Churches, have more or less indulged themselves; those who will try to discover their brethren in Christ by means of the marks which the Spirit of Christ impresses upon those who are truly guided by that Spirit: those who will receive and love as true Christians all who show the fruits of the Spirit of Christ—' love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance-*' will discover a real but not a compact Christian society, a flock composed of persons whose external lot has been cast, perhaps in the most opposite and hostile Churches.

"This spiritual Church will not, however, be a help towards any of the objects which men propose to themselves in their political associations. The Christian Church here described will indeed give the best and most useful members to the political bodies of this world. Those true Christians will be the salt of the earth; but to

* Gal. v. 22, 23.

make up a kingdom of such members of Christ's Church is within the power of God, only; and

we know through the declaration of the Saviour that the organization and full establishment of that kingdom requires a complete change in the moral state of mankind."

CHAPTER VI.

Observations on the preceding Paper.-Abstract Doctrines not a matter of indifference. The simplicity of the Gospel does not expose Christianity to corruptions of omission, but of addition. Whether Romanism is the safer side.-Duty of Individuals in regard to Truth.

THE reading of Mr. Fitzgerald's paper had occupied two evenings. A general silence followed its conclusion. But Miss Cusiack seemed to have been revolving some thoughts in her mind to which she wished to give utterance, without allowing our silence to be of long duration. With the interesting mixture of deliberateness and modesty which frequently appeared in her manner, she observed to Mr. Fitzgerald that the conclusion of his paper might be supposed to make the distinctive doctrines of the various Christian Churches a matter of indifference. She added, however, an assurance that

she did not believe that the author intended to recommend that conclusion.

"No, my dear Miss Cusiack, answered Mr. Fitzgerald, with his accustomed kindness. If such were my opinion, I should not have had to write the Paper, which you have been kind enough to listen to. What I wish you to understand is, that the spirit of the Gospel-that spirit which Christ promised to his followers, for ever-will shew its moral operation in individuals, who properly cherish its presence in their souls, to whatever denomination or Church they may belong. But, I am fully persuaded, that the growth and spread of that spirit may be opposed by peculiar doctrines-doctrines of menaccording as those doctrines may not only obscure, but directly oppose the simple truth of the Gospel.

"I have long considered the revelation given by Christ, as a final and practically perfect solution of the great religious problem—the problem which, in a multitude of forms, has employed the minds of thinking men from the earliest

VOL. II.

K