wish to be at one; or to misunderstand those by whom we should wish to be understood. I spared no pains certainly to understand the views to which I alluded; and the testimony borne by Mr.. Platt's Letter (who is allowed to be well acquainted with them,) seemed to me subsequently to attest the correctness of my own. But, in truth, I had no reference to individuals, (although every one's impression must, in part, be collected from individuals,) but to a scheme of doctrine, itself of foreign origin, the offspring of a distinct reformation, represented most purely in this country by the Dissenters, but elements of which were, in the last century, taken up and mingled with the teaching of the Church. Within the Church, that scheme has ever been modified by her Liturgy and Offices; and, of late, the more, although insensibly, since this meaning of those services has been more brought out by those who have themselves been opposed : some who have opposed the authors of the Tracts for the Times, have themselves entered independently upon the examination of our common Liturgy, and so drawing from a common source, have unknowingly approached nearer; others have unconsciously imbibed portions of views, which they have heard frequently discussed; and thus, in one way or other, that large section of the Church, which has chiefly declared against the views advocated in the Tracts, has itself insensibly been modi

fied, and is no longer what it was a few years past. There must be also, and is among those who would class themselves in that section, and whose friendships and associations are chiefly or almost exclusively within it, so great a variety of shades of opinion and doctrine, that no one would attempt to speak of it as a whole some, a few years past, felt themselves drawn more nearly to Dissenters than to such members or ministers of their Church as held high Church views; others seem now but very little separated from High Churchmen (to use the term), except by old association. It seems then a little hard if these last will so identify themselves with those who hold the most purely the Genevan doctrines and views, as to think themselves aggrieved, when, not those who hold them, but-these views are spoken of with blame.

Not knowing well what the passages are which have been thus interpreted, and learning incidentally that one was so interpreted, (p. 88,) which relates, in the strongest portions, to the Wesleyans, I can only beg of them and other my brethren, to interpret me as one who longs for unity within our Church, that so she may promote unity in the whole Church of CHRIST, and who therefore meant not and mean not any thing which could tend to aggravate or continue our disunion, and would wish unsaid any thing which, although not meant, might readily so be interpreted. Much less would I be thought to speak harshly of

any bodies of men. Every system has its hangers-on, who belong to it in name only; and so if those who have their name from the Gospel, number among themselves such as know little of the practice of the Gospel, it is but what our LORD foretold should be the condition of the Church; much more then of any section in it. It may be said, then, that there seem to be such', I trust, without offence, or seeming to disparage any class of men or of Ministers. They who are pained by reading these things will, of themselves, judge how much more painful to say them. They are said with real affection, humility, and respect, towards all such, as answer, in life and conversation, to the title which that section of the Church bears. The less one esteems the scheme of doctrine which they have unconsciously imbibed from a foreign Reformation, and confounded with our own, the more must one respect the individuals whose piety is sustained amid what, compared with the ancient Church, are meagre pastures.

There are many signs, that GOD is mercifully healing the distractions of our Church. Doctrines and practices, which had recently been cast into the shade, could not be restored without contradiction or. misconception both of the things themselves and of those who inculcated them; but year by year seems to be drawing nearer to each other those who on

either side are in earnest; their differences lie continually in the mode of stating the truths they hold, rather than in the truths themselves; and there is much real agreement, where there is apparent dissimilarity; and this agreement is being consolidated, issuing, it is to be hoped, not in the false unity attained by the suppression of doctrine or the agreement to disagree, but the unity of the one body through the One SPIRIT.

A high office appears to be reserved for our Church, when humbled for its disunion, and the dereliction of duty during the past century which immediately occasioned it, and her present neglects, and so restored to " unity in herself," and clad again in her full dowry of doctrine, discipline, devotion, and holy deeds; to this end the good hand of our GOD seems to be leading her, and making all things tend; to this restoration we would all severally contribute; and if for the time we must labour separately, and suffer reproach from those with whom we would be fellow-labourers, at least we would not aggravate these disorders, but rather wait with patience, until we be acknowledged of those, who now cast out our name as evil, and stigmatize with human names, those who would bear no Name, but That which has been named upon them. Let it not be thought then that we would wilfully alienate any; let not what is capable of two constructions be (as it has been) taken in the harshest; but let those who would themselves

be charitable, show their charity in this, that they would believe us also to wish to be meek, humble, and charitable, and to promote that love, which our LORD left as the mark of His disciples, the first-fruit of His SPIRIT, the condition of His indwelling, the credentials of His Church to the world, the glory and the means of its perfection; the earnest of our acceptance in the day of judgment'.

FEAST OF ST. JAMES,

1840.

1 John xiii. 35 ; Gal. v. 23 ; 1 John iv. 12; John xvii. 21—23 ; 1 John iv. 17.