worse than fruitless, unless in doing so we act on this principle, to sanctify and strengthen our intentions, that the contrary mode of proceeding is not an indifferent matter, but very injurious. If any one acts on the pure love of God, there is no occasion to command this secrecy; for GoD will doubtless "reveal even this unto him :" and if we preach CHRIST from the highest motives, there is no occasion to teach this reserve; but if we are liable to be influenced by new religious schemes, and indirect motives, we have great need of the warning.

And the fact is, that all we say is so natural, so obvious to natural modesty, if men would but seriously consider it, that those who are most opposed to all we maintain, do in themselves practise it unconsciously in other points. But when they hear of this Tract, without waiting to know what it intends, they hasten to the attack: like the hasty servant in Aristotle, åkoúɛɩ μév ti τοῦ λόγου, παρακούει δὲ, and ακούσας μὲν, οὐκ ἐπίταγμα δὲ ἀκούσας, ὁρμῇ πρὸς τὴν τιμωρίαν.

It is asked with some degree of impatience, "Is not knowledge good for man?" Doubtless we have maintained it most especially by making it the very highest of all things, as a talent of exquisite worth, the very jewel of great price, infinitely divine and sacred. We do not lower the doctrine of the Atonement, but heighten and exalt it, and all we say is, that it should be looked upon and spoken of with reverential holiness. If it is the name of Reserve only which is objectionable, then let the substance of this article be expressed by any other which may be found equally to serve the purpose, whether it be forbearance, or reverence, or seriousness, or religious caution, as long as the full intention of it is equally preserved.

A rule of moral and religious teaching of such a nature as this of course requires a little attention: there is no subject with which the generality of persons are so little acquainted, or which they have so little considered, as that of practical moral principles. And there often may be something in their mode of life, which peculiarly indisposes them to enter into the one now under dis

1 Ethics, vii. 6.

cussion. If a person has never been engaged in religious teaching, where his object has been to bring men to a serious consideration of the truth; if he is known to look upon theology rather in a political than a religious point of view; if he is much used to popular speaking, and the applause that accompanies it; if he allows himself to discuss the most sacred subjects in the daily periodical; if he has never been trained to any reverence for holy places; if he considers Christianity as a mere popular system; if he disparages Sacraments: then of course we cannot consider such an one as an adequate and fair judge on a subject the very nature of which is opposed to his own practice; for the discernment of every moral principle depends on conduct regulated with regard to it.

3. On teaching the doctrine of the Atonement.

But there is another reason, more pervading and deeply rooted than any of these, although in various ways connected with them, which remains to be considered. All the objections are made without reference to the case we adduce, and without attention to the arguments, on account of a previously conceived strong bias against it; which makes it necessary that we inquire more at length into that system of the day which has claimed for itself the inmost sanctuary of religion, and at once predisposes men so strongly to be thoroughly opposed to all that we can urge. All the arguments adduced, and the principle maintained, are at once looked upon with respect to that system; all other matters to which it applies, and all the circumstances on which it is founded, are immediately set aside as unworthy of consideration, because this system of late years and of human invention is through all its branches thorouglly opposed to it: and many, and more than are aware of it, have taken up their position in these opinions, and consider it so impegnable, that whatever opposes it must necessarily be false. The system of which I speak is characterized by these circumstances, an opinion that it is necessary to obtrude and "bring forward prominently and explicitly on all occasions the doctrine of the Atonement." This one thing it

puts in the place of all the principles held by the Church Catholic, dropping all proportion of the faith. It disparages comparatively, nay, in some cases has even blasphemed, the most blessed Sacraments. It is very jealously afraid of Church authority, of fasting and mortification being recommended, of works of holiness being insisted on, of the doctrine of the universal Judgment. It is marked by an unreserved discourse on the holiest subjects. To this system all that we have said is thoroughly opposed.

Now it is evident that this system is throughout peculiar, in distinction from what is Catholic: by the term Catholic we of course mean a combination of both what the Universal Church and the Holy Scripture teach conjointly, the former as interpreting the latter. It is a plan thoroughly un-Scriptural, un-Catholic, unreal: we will therefore at once allow that this maxim of Reserve is directly opposed to it throughout, in its tone and spirit, in its tendencies and effects, in its principles and practices. Where Christians so thoroughly differ, what appeal can there be? When inspired Apostles, when even Paul and Barnabas, had a dissension and disputation between them, they were sent up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about the question, to decide the point in dispute. We appeal to Scripture and the Church'. Now those who hold these opinions will allow that the Church Catholic holds them not. Neither does Scripture warrant them; which may be easily shown, even though we allow not the Church as its interpreter. Nor, indeed, are they grounded on Holy Scripture, but on a supposed expediency. For in fact the advocates of these opinions will not allow an unreserved appeal

1 St. Augustine (vol. vi. p. 994) supposes the case of a person who hears CHRIST preached by an heretical preacher, and is in doubt what to do: to which Augustine answers, That CHRIS T is preached openly, and on the housetops; that He has made his pavilion in the sun, that is to say, that the true doctrine of CHRIST is in the Church, which is a light to all nations; the question is, whether his doctrine is that of the Catholic Church. This is precisely a case in point; and it is in this sense that the Church is "clothed with the sun," that CHRIST is as the lightning seen from the East to the West; and that with respect to those who say, "Lo He is here! or Lo He is there!" command is given, "Go not after them."

to the written WORD, but they maintain, that then only, when the HOLY SPIRIT was given, did Holy Scripture set forth the Atonement with that fulness which they require. Thus have they contrived to take a position which sets aside almost the whole of Holy Writ, including the Gospels themselves, from any appeal on this subject. In fact, this system is nothing else but a method of human device, which is able to quote a part of Scripture for its purpose. It is not according to the general tenor or the analogy of Scripture, nor is it founded or based on Scripture as its origin. They consider, like the Romanists, that they infallibly hold the truth, which must therefore be a fuller development of Scripture in a later age; thus, in fact, do they make the Word of GOD of none effect through their tradition. These opinions, indeed, are grounded on nothing else but certain effects, which this system is thought to produce.

It is supposed that there is something particularly life-giving and heart-searching in these modes of teaching, which thrust forth exclusively and indiscriminately the doctrine of the ever blessed Atonement, and inculcate loudly the necessity of our dependence on the good SPIRIT of GOD: and these are so considered in distinction from those, which in connexion with them inculcate also practical duties, and the various departments of public and private religious worship. In which opinion there is indeed something true, but not so in the mode in which it is put forward and understood. There is indeed a great truth, of which these peculiar statements catch at the shadow, and it is their connexion with this great truth itself, which has caused them to be received as the whole of Religion. And perhaps many, who have appeared to themselves and others to have been embracing these popular opinions, have, in fact, by God's mercy thought of, and practically embraced, nothing else but that great. truth itself. For that a more adequate sense of the Atonemen, broader, and higher, and deeper views of the mystery which is "hid in CHRIST," is indeed the perfection of the Christian character, that which grows with its growth, and is strengthened together with it more and more, so that advancement in holiness is a continual progress in self-abasement and self-renunciation VOL. V.-87.

E

towards that repose which is in GOD "manifested in JESUS CHRIST;" this is indeed most true. And the same is the case with respect to that other opinion of it being needful to name always the ever blessed SPIRIT of GOD; that the same gradual perfection of a Christian will consist in a deeper and continually increasing sense of his utter inability to support himself in spiritual life, and a confidence that he can do all things through CHRIST strengthening him: a feeling consciousness of thorough dependence on God every moment of his existence, not only in sustaining his natural, but much more his new and regenerate life.— That all the differences in the heart of men, from the worst to the most perfect, will consist in the different mode in which they have instilled and thoroughly infused into their hearts these great principles: this is indeed most true. But how is this state to be obtained? These peculiar opinions are formed on the supposition, that it is by declaring these truths aloud to all we meet. This is the point on which we are at issue. For this we think there is no sanction in all the laws of our moral nature and religious philosophy; that there is none for it in the Catholic Church, none in Holy Scripture; and any manner of bringing forward God's truth as differing from these, we suppose highly dangerous. If we are to look out for some practical guide to know in what way we are to hold and declare Scriptural doctrine; surely it is our duty to bring forward" the faith once for all delivered unto the saints," in the fulness of that Creed into which we are baptized; is not this the divinely appointed guardian, by which we may keep what is contained in Holy Scripture in its due proportions; which has been afforded to us as a key to the right understanding of Scripture, and also an authoritative annunciation of what in doctrine we are to hold and teach. For of course if we put forth one truth to the suppression or disparagement of others, the effect of our teaching may be equivalent to falsehood, and not truth. That the preparations of the heart which can alone receive the faith in its fulness, are by other means than those which this system supposes, we cannot but be assured; Scripture and reason both would imply that it is by insisting first of all, if need be, on natural piety, on the necessity of common