far as this goes. First, he supposes, should a man live like a devil, yet, if he be of the true Church, it will prove a great step towards his salvation; but, on the contrary, should a man live like an Angel, and be what he calls a schismatic, through this damnable sin, the most tremendous consequences are to be expected; and as to priests, he will have it, that the efficacy of their functions, is in their office, and is not at all affected by their characters; so that a priest, though as wicked as sin can make him, in himself, has a power, by a sort of spiritual conjuration, to send others to heaven, while he himself, if wickedness can take him thither, is going fast for hell. Is not this popery?

Mer. Indeed Mr. Slapdash, it is popery down right.

Loveg. [smiling.] I thought brother Slapdash would soon make you a convert.

*

Slapd. Why cannot you remember, when you were curate at Abley, that you preached in my Church, at a meeting of Ministers; and what a sermon you gave us on that text, "Having the form of godliness, but denying the power :" and how you explained to us, that excellent definition of a sacrament we have in the Church catechism, that, in itself it was only "an outward and visible sign, of an inward and spiritual grace;" and was only meant as a pledge, or token of the divine mercies? Don't you recollect, how you riped up all the lying hopes of those who trusted in these outward signs, and formal Churches, instead of seeking for the inward and spiritual grace? and the absurdity that some have fallen into, who suppose that the outward ceremony of baptism, creates the inward regeneration of the heart?-I think you were Slapdash on on that occasion.

Mer. Well, well, we must all give up the point. The consequences are really awful, when such wretched substitutes are permitted to occupy the mind, instead of the realities of the gospel. Just so far as a

vain confidence in Churches and priests prevails, the need of that which is inward, and spiritual, will sink in our esteem. "The kingdom of God is with

in you."

Slapd. Yes, and one evil is almost sure to beget another. When you [to Mr. Lovegood,] were curate of Abley, what were the grand objects the poor people were directed to seek after? What you felt, you immediately began to preach, that you and all your congregation were a set of ruined sinners: so that if you had not had Christ to set before them, in his justifying blood, and righteousness, and sanctifying spirit, you had all been in despair together; and this you know was the top and bottom of all your preaching; and you remember in what a loving, uniting spirit, you were then all kept as one, having nothing in view but the one thing needful." But when Mr. Steepleman came with his chaff, no wonder that such as felt any thing like a spiritual appetite, were constrained to seek after something better; and I wish with all my heart, that they could have found what they sought after. But here from one extreme, they were hurried into another; for, while they were driven from the Church by the disgustful trumpery of Mr. Steepleman, they unfortunately hit upon a Mr. Stiff, who it seems, first made an unsuccessful attempt to get into the established Church, though afterwards he put himself under the tuition of a Dr. Buckram, and then turned out one of the most narrow-minded, rigid dissenters, I ever met with in all my life. Having procured a licence, he preaches in the farm house where Mrs. Goodworth lived; and while Mr. Steepleman keeps railing at separatists, and schismatics, Mr. Stiff will be casting out his invectives against the church, and all establishments; and conceitedly insists upon it, that their church government is the only one exactly modelled according to the word of God, and the practice of the primitive Christians; and it is said, that at some of their dis

senting ordinations, he has been most abominably abusive.

Mer. Oh, the terrible consequences of these controversies about mere empty forms! For after all, who are the people that constitute the real church in the sight of God? Why penitent believers, when convened together, of every party. How dreadful, when any, who are thus saved, and blessed, are found to anathematize, and condemn each other!

Loveg. How much it is to be lamented, that a man of a meek and mild turn of mind, could not have been found to instruct the poor people, when they were under the necessity of seeking for instruction from another quarter. For although it may appear, how well designed the established Church is in itself, for the conveyance of general instruction; yet still, in a variety of instances, through the badness of her patronage, and prevalence of corruption, every candid clergyman must acknowledge the end designed thereby, is by no means accomplished. Were then the work of public instruction confined, merely to any establishment, however good, the evil complained of would be necessarily increased. It is therefore evident, that something is needful to be done, which after all cannot be done by the members of any established church. Therefore what an impediment it is to the advancement of the general good, when people are contending about outward forms, while none of these things are precisely settled in the word of God!

Slapd. Mr. Stiff would have given you a good trimming, if he had heard you advance that doctrine.

Loveg. I suppose he would, and almost every exclusive sect, on the most ill-grounded pretensions, has claimed the same; but as for my part, I can find nothing more in the Bible respecting these. matters, than that the primitive Christians lived in connected harmony, and friendship with each other;

that elders, or overseers, or bishops,* if you please to call them so, were ordained, or appointed in different cities, to govern the juniors; and sometimes we hear of many of these elders, who presided over one and the same congregation, which happens to be the plain English of the word church; and some of these it seems, had the public management, or superintendance of the people, while others of them, were its public teachers.

Mer. Why don't you think that all these elders, or bishops, were teachers?

Loveg. By no means. That passage evidences the reverse: "Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word, and doctrine;" and we hear the word of direction given to the people respecting these; "to know them who labour among them, and are over them in the Lord, and admonish them: and to esteem them very highly in love, for their work's sake;" or, as we have it elsewhere, "obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account." It is strange, that from such simple rules, different parties should have formed such various conclusions, and then act with such anathematizing severity, towards each other.

Mer. Why, it appears to me impossible, that a precise mode of discipline, could have ever been fixed in the New Testament, circumstances as they then were, being soon afterwards exceedingly altered. We cannot suppose that the ministry of the twelve apostles, or of the seventy disciples, was meant as a standing order for the church, otherwise every preacher must continue a perpetual itinerant. Though the same need of an apostolical spirit, will ever remain, because, from the corrupted state of the human race, the Church is continually apt to decline ; and without such revivals, we should be in a wretched state indeed.

* These words in scripture, are evidently of the same im port.

Loveg. It is evident from the epistle to the Corinthians, that the mode of worship among the primitive Christians, was very different from that, which in after ages was necessarily adopted. While the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit, rested upon the church, full liberty of speaking was allowed to all, even to the women, without any limitation.

Mer. Do you then think that some of the women, were public preachers in those days?

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Loveg. They certainly were; for the apostle directs them how to preach, with their heads veiled, or covered, in the public assembly. Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth, with her head uncovered, dishonoureth her head," for that it was "uncomely, that a woman pray unto God uncovered." However, this general permission, for all to speak, was attended with some disorder, even in the purest ages of the church. And indeed it should appear, from the directions given in St. Paul's epistle to Timothy, and Titus, that somewhat more like a standing ministry, would be wanted, when the immediate, and supernatural influences of the divine Spirit, should be withdrawn. We know indeed, that an attempt to revive this mode of public worship, has been made among the people called Quakers, as though the same divine power still existed, supposing that the immediate influences of the blessed Spirit, are still to be expected, in order to qualify their public teachers, for their public work. But alas! they also prove, that while one sect runs into one extreme, another can run into that which is directly the reverse; and thus they naturally prove the weakness of each other's pretensions. It appears therefore to me, that many things must naturally have been left to future circumstances. Still we should follow the general outlines of the word of God, and see that all things be done decently, and in order.*

*See 1 Cor. xi. ad fin.