rain-cloud. As a sunbeam in these circumstances loses its absolute whiteness and invisibility, and is decomposed into an all but infinite variety of beautiful tints and forms of light, which the eye of man delights to contemplate, so the absolute truth, the truth as existing in the Divine Intellect (into which all its circumstances and relations enter), when it penetrates such a medium as the minds of finite creatures, is decomposed into an all but infinite variety of shades or forms of truth. As in the refracting medium on which the white light falls, there is one ray which is red, another yellow, another green, another blue, another violet, so the absolute truth, as it is in God, when it is incident upon the minds of different men, becomes tinted, and is as it were red to one, yellow to another, and of another tint to a third. It is still the truth. It is still light, but it is not the light inaccessible of the dwelling-place of the Invisible. It is the light bent and suited to the vision of the creature whom it is designed to illuminate and conduct to holiness and happiness.

But let us not dwell on this conceit too long. And to conclude, let us state, as the sum of all that has been advanced on this subject, that unity of spirit in variety of form, is the only condition under which speculative truth can exist in the minds of a variety of men. No one thing, stated in the same terms, will prove equally affecting to all. When men are seeking the supply of what they feel to be the wants of their souls, they will ever associate themselves, in various groups, around the system of things or ministry which affects them most. Nothing but force, or a divine millennial consent, could ever establish or maintain an uniformity over all. And though it were lawful in the Christian economy to use force (which it is not), and though a force adequate to the effect could be found, still the uniformity forced on, could be impressed on the

mere surface only. In the intimacies of hearts, there would still be as much variety as ever. Since, then, this variety must be in the inner man, why not suffer it to express itself outwardly? Better even discord than hypocrisy. But why either? Let but all evangelical communions now existing, cultivate the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace, and the church will in due time be visibly one. God's own love will in due time shine forth visibly on all his children, and the wants of every soul that is seeking salvation will be satisfied with truth.

CONCLUSION.

I have now presented my subject under so many aspects, and still confined myself so exclusively to one theme, that I fear the reader may be already weary of a seeming iteration. Here, therefore, let us conclude, resuming, in one word, that the object of this work has been to endeavour to shew, that, WHERE WE disagree, we

WILL BEST ARRIVE AT TRUTH THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF

LOVE; and that, where there is a want of a proper understanding between different evangelical churches, they will soonest arrive at a true assimilation and uniformity, by mutual recognition and esteem, and by cherishing an unity of spirit in variety of outward form, in the mean time.

There is a marked difference between a church expanding and changing from day to day, such as that which now exists, and a church fully expanded and assimilated in spiritual condition all over. And I request the reader always to keep in mind that it is to the former only-the actual church-which the arguments of this work apply. Would that I could assure him also that it is the love of

the truth which has led me to ascribe to it less exclusiveness than is usually thought to belong to it. Would that I could assure him, that within the unity of the faith and of evangelical piety, and the embrace of true religion, there may be a variety of opinions, not adverse, but highly favourable to the development of man as the child of God, an intellectual, a moral and religious being—a variety of good opinions, all equally to be ascribed to the influence of the same Spirit, breathing with equal kindness upon many souls, all of which are turned towards Him, but with various tastes and capacities. There may be a variety of good opinions; for they all may be true,—they all may be but views on different aspects of that one column of truth on which the universe is established,-which one man is given to see on one side, another on another, but no one man to view all round, and from base to capital. Very many, and very varied, indeed, are those that are born of the Spirit,-patriarchs, infants, sages, savages, ancients, moderns,—the children of the east and the children of the west, the children of the north and of the south. There are amongst them many of every tribe, and kindred, and tongue. The elect represent the whole of redeemed humanity in all its features. Shall we expect, then, that where there are so many varied cords to vibrate in response to the one Spirit which breathes upon them, all shall sound in perfect unison? Nay, from such a many-stringed instrument unison were a perfect miracle. But who will insist on unison, while he may have harmony? Unison may be ever sweet in heaven, but to all, save the wholly reposing ear, it soon proves itself to be too monotonous. It never developes itself; and therefore the embodied soul, ever trying to expand, soon feels constrained and suppressed, if no other food but unison, however sweet, be given to it. But let

harmony arise, let some new influence come over the melodiously sounding strings,—a new breath of air, for instance, on an Eolian harp,-and let this new influence, softly, as if by the awakening of the spirit of harmony within, cause one new accord, and then another, and then another, to arise out of the unison in which they all were sleeping at first, until the music of the instrument has expanded into a softly sounding peal of rich and varied harmony, then, how sweetly does the listening ear watch the gentle spirit-like stirring among the strings, and respond to the dreamy strains that are awoke in beautiful succession! How fondly does it bless the gentle breeze which gave such pleasing variety as it passed along! And if it fall, so that the sweet strains die away, and nothing but the first monotone is heard again, how sad does the then dejected ear become !-how anxious for another breeze! And when another breeze does come, and out of the deep unison which alone survived the interval, each new note arises, in sweet harmony, how delighted does the soul become in catching the changeful notes which begin to chase each other again, with emulous sweetness ! Unison is the basis of the whole. But yet the unison does not satisfy the embodied soul like the harmony which arises out of it. The unity does not satisfy the soul without the variety. Unison is more like a sound of death than of life. And what makes the new accords so pleasing, when they arise, is the idea of an awakening to life which they convey.

Now in the visible church, as at present constituted, we have an instrument resembling an Eolian harp. Unison and universal uniformity prevailed long ago when all was in the obstruction of death, as all was in the middle ages. But the Reformation was a time of revival. And when the church was receiving the new life which it gave,

the previous uniformity sunk. One truth rose to prominence here, another there. One evangelical church witnessed for one great principle, another for another; and no one church witnessed for all that ought to be. No one was so highly favoured above all the rest. And thus it must be, so long as the church expands and receives its new impulses by the method of particular revivals. The first free movement of life, in any individual church, must destroy monotony. But if it be a movement of the Spirit, it will give not discord, but harmony-harmony in which truth is always the dominant-and such a harmony is that which ought to be, and might be in the evangelical churches immediately, if all Christians would but feel towards each other as Christians. There is the same key-note of truth in every soul, though the chant of different hearts may express itself in varied phrases. All are attuned by the Redeemer to the same salvation. There is the same Spirit breathing upon all, and making all to respond. And let but the medium, in which all move, be made kindly to harmonize-let but a medium of mutual sympathy and love reach between soul and soul, while all look stedfastly to Jesus, and forthwith there will ascend from the church into the heavens, a sweetly-pealing harmony that will give joy to the angels, and glory to God in the highest. And peace upon earth and good will towards men being seen to reign in the bosom of Christians and of the church, the world will be forced to say that God is among us, indeed; and there will be added to the church daily, again, as there was in the primitive church, when all were of one accord, multitudes of men and women of such as shall be saved. Infidelity will lose its power to seduce the world from true religion. Popery will crumble like an old uninhabitable house, and Christian liberty and purity of faith will rise upon its ruins.