herit the kingdom of God." St. Peter too, writes in the same way "There were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers amongst you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies." 2 Peter ii. 1. Now in answer to this, we are told, that saving faith is simply "believing that Jesus is the Christ," and therefore, as long as a man believes this, he cannot be guilty of a damnable heresy." When the proper time comes, we shall show, that believing Jesus to be the Christ means-receiving him into our hearts as our anointed Prophet, Priest, and King, in other words, as our Saviour, and therefore, that no one can believe it in the scriptural sense, who denies his deity, or rejects his atonement. But to prove that a man may be a professed Christian, and yet in fatal error, let me remind you of two sentences of St. Paul's; the first, Gal. v. 2, where speaking of those Christians (not Jews) who wished to make circumcision essential to salvation, he says, "If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing" and the second, 2 Tim. ii. 18, where, speaking of Hymenæus and Philetus, he says, "Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." How uncharitable "to condemn these poor heretics" for a "mistake" about circumcision or the resurrection. No doubt they acknowledged in words, that Jesus was the Christ. The passages also quoted before, contain clear proof in themselves, that the writers allude to heresies held by professing Christians within the outward Church. St. Paul speaks of persons who "perverted the gospel" and preached "another gospel;" while St. Peter foretells us, that " damnable heresies would be brought in, that is evidently into the Church. If we are to believe scripture then, this point must be considered beyond dispute. False doctrine may prove fatal to a professing Christian.

But a further question now arises. Is it possible for a Christian to know what false doctrine is fatal; in other words, what is "damnable heresy"? And if so, ought he to utter what he knows? Now the first thought that strikes one is, Of what use are these warnings against heresies and false teachers, if it's impossible to tell what is heresy, and who is a false teacher? And if we do know them, surely it must be as plain a matter of duty for a pastor to warn his flock against them, as it was for St. Paul pointedly to say, "Their word will eat as doth a canker; of whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus." 2 Tim. ii. 17. If any doubt still remains, Paul's command to the uninspired bishop of Crete, "A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject;" Tit. iii. 10, with John's direction to a private Christian, "if there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed, for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds," 1 John ii. 10, must entirely remove it. Many persons really seem to think it presumption in any Christian to be sure that what he believes

is the truth; because if I am sure that the gospel I believe is the gospel, on the belief of which Jesus made our salvation depend, Matt. xvi. and that the gospel I preach is the gospel Paul preached, Gal, i. 9; I must of course be also sure, that the Unitarian does not believe or preach it. But by the rules of modern charity I am obliged either to acknowledge that two such totally opposite systems as the Unitarian and Trinitarian are both the gospel of Christ and his apostles, or to remain in doubt to the day of my death, whether I am not lying under the condemnation of believing and preaching another gospel.” How contrary to the language of St. John, who, after speaking of apostates and antichrists, says, "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth." 1 John ii. 20, 21.

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In the passage however which we have chosen for our text, St. Peter specifies the particular course that some of the false teachers would take, even denying the Lord who bought them." And though not a necessary part of our present subject, it is too important to omit noticing, how exactly the two main features of the Unitarian heresy are here described. In the scriptural meaning of the words, they deny both that Jesus is "the Lord," and that he "bought them." This however will be entered into more fully at another time. With respect to the remainder of the passage, can any one, who is acquainted with the course Mr. Barker has pursued, fail to be struck with the words, "who privily shall bring in"? Or can any one, who is acquainted with his writings, fail to be reminded of the expression, "by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of"? Those who have not read his productions, may be rather surprised at the following extract; while those who have, will know that it is only a fair specimen; the capitals are his own; "He says the Trinity has always been connected with the Divine blessing, with rich experience, perfect developement of Christian character, abundant usefulness, and triumphant deaths. Now I ask, with what was it connected during the dark ages? I answer, mystery and abomination went hand in hand. With what is it connected now in Italy, Spain, and South America, &c.; and with what is it connected now in the orthodox sects of Britain and North America? With intolerance, divisions, and persecutions; with priestcraft, tyranny and slavery; with man stealing and slave breeding and slave dealing; with covetousness, oppression, and drunkenness; with lying and slandering; with forging lies and hypocrisy; with robbery and murder; with adultery and fornication; with rapes and sodomy; with beastiality and incest; with wholesale and horrible profligacy, and with all abominations. And the priests, the ADVOCATES of those mysteries, are the WORST, the MOST PROFLIGATE, the MOST FILTHY, and the MOST ABANDONED OF ALL."

Surely St. Peter must have been inspired, when he wrote, "by reason of whom, the way of truth shall be evil spoken of"!

answer.

But look at the next verse," our adversaries will say; "and you'll see, that this prophecy cannot apply to us; for it's not our teachers, but paid ministers, and hireling priests, who through covetousness with feigned words make merchandise of you." To this I would make a general, and a particular, In the first place it is not at all necessary that every crime mentioned in this chapter should be found in each one of the false teachers foretold, any more than that each individual komanist should be guilty of all the sins charged against the Church of Rome in the bock of Revelations. It is not even, I think, necessary that they should all "deny the Lord that bought them." The apostle warns us of false teachers who would come, and mentions a number of marks, by which they might be known, some probably by one, some by another; and some of whom, at least, would go to the extent of “even denying the Lord that bought them." The particular answer about hirelings I must keep for a short lecture by itself. I dare not say that it was "through covetousness"; but giving Mr. Barker credit for the best possible motive, it was certainly doing evil, that good might come, to use "feigned words," in order to escape being expelled from a religious body, whose pay he received as long as he could get it. His outcry now against paid ministers reminds me of our excellent and zealous friends of the Free Church in Scotland, who suddenly discovered that all establishments were wrong, when they could remain no longer in their own.

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One other point remains to be noticed, namely, the virtuous exemplary lives of many Unitarians. Is it not written, By their fruits ye shall know them "? True: and what kind of fruit is heresy? Is it one of "the fruits of the Spirit"? No; St. Paul classes it amongst the works of the flesh," and declares, "that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Again, what kind of fruit is self righteousness, sabbath breaking, taking from God's word, "speaking evil of dignities"? A man's conduct may look fair to the world, but it is only a spiritual mind, that can truly discern, what are, and what are not, "fruits of the Spirit." The young ruler possessed such an amiable disposition, and such a high moral character, that Jesus, having the feelings of a man, "loved him"; but when brought to the test, he failed. So an avowed infidel may have such winning qualities, that our affections are irresistibly drawn towards him; but we are not deceived into supposing them to be genuine fruits of the Spirit. "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light: therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the

The writer of a tract lately published quotes, "In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him"; and asks, "Does Mr. M. find here no gleam of hope? If not, 'tis grief and pity." I wish I could, but-Heresy is not righteousness."

ministers of righteousness." 2 Cor. xi. 14; though it does not at all follow, that there must always be intentional hypocrisy. You must remember that the devil is a practised veteran at his own warfare; and he knows well how to suit his temptations to each particular person. He has various perversions and imitations of the gospel, and he cares not in which net his victims are caught. Let us take two opposite cases, and see how he acts in each of them. One man is addicted to certain vices, which he is unwilling to give up Well, so far it is all right, the victim is safe. But he wants something to ease his conscience; he wants a religion, that will let him keep on sinning, and yet hold out a hope of pardon. Satan has a perver. sion of the gospel ready for him. He makes him rest in a dead faith, a faith that produces no fruits, what St. James calls faith without works," He persuades him that, so long as he trusts to being saved by Christ, he may live in whatever sin he pleases. Now this answers a double purpose. It keeps the individual sinner under satan's power, and it throws discredit on the doctrine of the atonement; it enables the adversary to cry out, See the effects of trusting to Christ's blood for salvation. But now take another case. Here is a man not in slavery to gross vices, but of good moral character. Well, the devil knows that, as long as he builds his hopes of salvation on his own righteousness, he is as far from heaven as the open profligate. What is his plan therefore? Is it to lead him into sin? Not at all; rather to keep him out of temptation, to assist him in his upright moral conduct; for the more upright he is, the less likely is he to feel any qualms about the soundness of the foundation on which he builds. Far from wishing to stir up the corruptions within his heart, or to harass him with temptations, which might shake him out of his self-confidence, the great enemy of souls would keep him as close as possible to the form of godliness," and adorn his character with every outward grace; while the true believer, whose foot is planted on the rock of ages, he would harass and assault with all his might. "We are not ignorant of his devices. On the whole then it is very evident, that when our Lord said, "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged, condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned," Matt. vii 1, he could not mean what many persons seem to imagine, namely, that a Christian has no means of knowing what is heresy, and what is not; or, at least, if he does know, that he ought not to utter his sentiments. Indeed, his words on another occasion might show us this; "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." John vii. 24 We are told to compare spiritual things with spiritual," and by so doing only shall we learn "the mind of the Spirit." The rule of conduct our Lord here lays down is perfectly plain and simple; only it is necessary that we should join with it other directions equally binding, in order that we may make no mistake in applying the rule. His meaning of course is, that we are

always to put the best possible construction on the conduct of another; not to indulge a suspicious or censorious disposition; always to consider a man innocent, until he is proved guilty; and even if he does what we disapprove of, not to be eager in condemning him, but to make all the allowances for him we can, remembering our own infirmities and imperfections; never to impute bad motives and intentions to a person, where it is possible to give him credit for good ones: in short, to pay particular attention to the worst side of our own character, and the best of every one else's. This is true scripture charity; that charity or love, without which all else is nothing; without which the highest gifts and the most splendid acquirements are but as "sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal;" that charity, which "suffereth long and is kind," which "envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh not evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things:" that charity, which is briefly comprehended in this saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." And can I love my neighbour, without wishing to save his soul? Impossible. Charity to the soul is the soul of charity." Which shews the most real charity to his neighbour; the man, who is bigotted enough to tell him of his danger, and try to pull him back, even though it be with a rude shake; or the man, who dare not be so dogmatical, so arrogant and presumptuous, as to tell him that destruction is before him, and therefore bows him politely to the edge of the precipice? Vehement rebuke and stern denunciation are no less called for from the minister of Christ, than gentle persuasion and affectionate entreaty; and the one may proceed from a spirit of love just as much as the other. St. Jude tells us that some cases require different treatment from others; and that we are to endeavour to distinguish between them: "Of some," he says, "have compassion, making a difference; and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." Now the Romanist and Socinian run into two opposite, and equally unscriptural, extremes. The one declaring that there is no salvation out of his own church; the other, that there is salvation in any mode of faith whatever, if a man be only sincere and virtuous. The latter is certainly more pleasing and agreeable to human nature; but I question very much whether it is not the more dangerous error of the two; and how flatly contradictory to the word of God, you have already heard enough to be able to judge. You will no longer, I hope, be frightened by the world's war-cry of bigotry and intolerance, or be deceived by its professions of universal charity; but remember, that true scriptural charity "believeth all things," "rejoiceth in the truth," and is more anxious to save a brother's soul, than to gain his favour by saying, "Peace, peace, when there is no peace."