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

civilized ages. Reduce all religious questions which have occupied the attention of mankind, to their simplest import, and they will resolve themselves into this double problem: What shall man do to atone for his moral offences? What shall man do to obtain favour with God? Now, I consider the Christian Revelation, to be neither more nor less than the answer from heaven to this double question. "Repent, says the Gospel, reclaim your mind from the love and pursuit of passions, both sensual and spiritual; take Christ as your master and model, both in acting and suffering; and fully trust the promise of pardon and happiness, which he has given to his faithful followers." This, and nothing else, is pure Christianity. It abolishes all human atonements, all priestly intercessions, all voluntary chastisements for sins. The spiritual employment of a Christian's life is to imbibe, as it were, the spirit which appears in Christ's human conduct; to " put on Christ" according to the strong metaphor used by Paul, i. e. so to imitate Christ that the Christian's spiritual and