APOSTACY.

[From the Millennial Harbinger, Vol. II.]

Few, if any, of the great transitions in human life or character are instantaneous. In the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms the changes are gradual and progressive. Few of them are perceptible to the most discriminating eye, except at considerable intervals. Aided by the microscope, we admire, because we can trace with more accuracy, the gradual, though sometimes rapid, movements of inanimate as well as animated matter, in passing from one state into another. But in universal nature all things are progressive. From the first opening of the eyelids of the morning; from the first dawning of the day to the blushing beauties of the rising sun; from the awakening of the balmy zephyrs of the Spring to the solstitial warmth of a Midsummer noon; from the first buddings to the mellow fruits of Autumn, how imperceptible, but how progressive is the change as it advances, and how manifest at the expiration of these intervals!

In the animal kingdom the same progress appears in everything, and in nothing more than in the human family. The infant in passing on to manhood exhibits in every month some new development, which the ever watchful attention of a mother's eye can discern only at considerable intervals. But this is the order of the universe. It was so in creation; it is so in providence; it was, and is, and will be so, in redemption.

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This progress appears not only onward and upward towards perfection, but onward and downward towards destruction in all the kingdoms of nature. The grass thers, the blossom fades, the fruit decays, the ripe vegetable and animal gradually vanish away. The full blown rose drops its leaves one by one till all are gone. The full grown tree drops its leaves, then its branches, finally its trunk. The progress out of life is as gradual as the progress into life and through life.

In religion the same progress is apparent. Repentance itself is a ceasing to do evil and a learning to do well. Men grow in virtue and in vice. Faith, hope, and love

are progressive. Habit is the offspring of repeated and progressive acts. No man becomes a profligate in a day, nor is the Christian character attained by a few efforts. Hence the means of moral life, health, and perfection, are as abundant and as necessary as the means of animal and vegetable life and growth.

Christians may grow in favour, in moral courage, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and universal good will, as they grow in stature. But this growth is not attained by wishing, but by abounding in the work of faith, the labour of love, and in the patience of hope.

Conversion to God is also gradual. From the first ray of holy light which strikes the mental eye, to that full illumination which issues in immersion into the Lord Jesus, there is a series of impulses from the truth, or a progress in the knowledge of the person, character, and mission of the Son of God. This, however, may be perfected in hearing a single discourse, in reading the New Testament, or in a longer or shorter period of time. Still, however, it is progressive. And this contradicts not the position which makes immersion the turning or conversion of a sinner to God: for it is but the consummation of the previous knowledge and faith in the divine testimony.

Apostacy is not the work of a moment-it is not an instantaneous change. As, in ascending a lofty eminence, so in descending, we make but one step at a time. He that is condemned to death for taking away the life of his fellowman, in retracing his steps can often discover the first covetous thought or revengeful feeling in the long progress of crime which terminated in the most enormous of all acts of wickedness against his brother man. Thoughts precede words, and both generally precede actions. Murder, adultery, theft, and every immoral or unrighteous act, first exist in thought: "Lust when it has conceived brings forth sin, and sin when it is perfected brings forth death." He that hates his brother is a murderer, because murder is found in the fruits which grow from hatred.

The numerous cautions found in the New Testament intimate the danger of apostacy. Where there is no danger no caution is necessary; but cautions always denote dan"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you

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an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God." We have sometimes marked the course of apostates, and heard the mournful narratives of others who have made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Sometimes the mournful tale begins with, "I did not as constantly read the good Book as I had been accustomed to do. Then I did not find so much delight in secret prayer as I found before. Occasionally a day has passed without ever meditating on any of the communications of God to man, and without calling upon the name of the Lord. This led to a greater remissness in other duties. I did not guard my lips nor keep my heart as formerly. I repented and reformed; but found it more easy to become remiss a second time than before. I used to meet thrice every Lord's Day with the brethren. But, after having once or twice fallen off from my former zeal and devotion, I made twice a-day suffice. A little indisposition, a head-ache, or some slight domestic inconvenience, soon become a good excuse for going but once on the Lord's Day to unite with the brethren in the praises of the Lord. But my interest in the disciples began to diminish as my zeal began to cool. I could now see more flaws in them than formerly, and less difference between them and others. I could then find some very good companions among the non-professors, and began to think them almost as good Christians as my brethren. If I found myself fatigued, or the least indisposed towards the close of the week, I made it a point to rest at home on Sunday, or to take medicine on that day, so that I might not lose my time from work; or, if I had any business abroad, I was sure to start on Saturday or Sunday, so that I might gain one day in the week to my business, and would flatter myself that I could very profitably spend the day in meditation as I travelled along.

"Thus matters progressed, until I could absent myself two, and sometimes three, Lord's Days in succession.— When any of my brethren would inquire why I was absent, I made some excuse, and told them to look to themselves. I soon felt displeased with them for their exhortations and admonitions, and would sometimes ask who made it their business to watch over me. I began to censure both them and their profession, and would ask them if they were

the only true church of Christ in the world. At this time I had given up all secret prayer, and in my family I only prayed occasionally. This soon became a dry sort of business, and I finally left it off altogether.

"I found good company in the people I used to call the people of the world, and soon preferred their friendship to that of my brethren, who became displeased with me, and at length excluded me from their society. I then threw off all restraint, and for many years have never seriously bowed my knee to God. I am now often tormented with the recollections of the past and the anticipations of the future; yet I have no desire to return, and, indeed, I am literally without God and without hope in the world."

Such narratives, with some slight variations, may be frequently heard, if persons who have apostatized from the faith can be induced to communicate the full history of their apostacy. "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." And let all remember, that, immediately after Paul admonishes the Christians not to neglect the assembling of themselves together, he next speaks of final apostacy from the truth. It is better never to have known the holy commandment, than having known it to turn aside from the way of righteousness. A Scotch proverb says, that "apostacy begins at the closet door."

A. CAMPBELL.

ON BIGOTRY AND PARTIALITY.

[From the Christian Baptist, Vol. III.]

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This is a time of religious and political earthquakes. The religious communities of the New World, and the political states of the Old World are in circumstances essentially the same. great political earthquake threatens to bury in its ruins tyrants and their systems of oppression. The ecclesiastical systems of the clergy appear destined to a similar fate. It is to be hoped that, as the New World took the lead in, and first experienced the blessings of, a political regeneration, so they will be foremost in the work, and first in participating the fruits of an ecclesiastical renovation.

All sects, new and old, seem like a reed shaken by the wind,

Even the authority and infallibility of his Roman Holiness has been questioned by his own children in the New World. And who that has eyes to see does not know that nothing but the sovereign charms of a monarch's smiles, and the strong chains forged from eight hundred millions of dollars in real estate,* keep up the forms of Pope Eliza in the church of Saint Harry? The Solemn League and Covenant, too, with the awful dogmas of the long parliament divinity; the test-oaths, and the sacred subscriptions to the saving canons of the kings of Saint Andrew, have failed to preserve, hale and uncorrupted, the pale of Presbyterian communion. The veteran chiefs, and the sanctified magi of the cause of uniformity, fear a volcanic eruption, alike The ominous to themselves and their systems. Religious Almanacs" portend comets, falling stars, and strange sights in the heavens, accompanied with eclipses of the greater and lesser lights that rule the night. Their constitution is moth-eaten, and the tinsel upon their frame of discipline has become dim.

And not less strange, the Reformation of John Wesley is already in need of reform. His people had scarce tested his system of government by the light, not of the Bible, but of our political institutions, until they found it would eventuate in diocesan episcopacy, as tyrannical and as cruel as that which exiled Whitefield and the two Wesleys from the cloisters of "Christ's College" for reading the Scriptures and praying.

The motto of the spirit of this age seems to be taken from the gigantic Young

"Flaws in the best-full many flaws all o'er."

The Methodists, in the greatness of their strength, are rising to break the chains which threaten to bind them in the house of the Philistines. A host of reformers are about to reform this reformed system. We have seen their efforts, and rejoice.Though we are assured that when they shall have completed their projected reformation, they will then need a reform more thorough than yet they have attempted. We do not despise "their day of small things."

The following sensible remarks do honour to a work entitled, The Mutual Rights of Ministers and People,' published in Baltimore by a reforming Methodist committee. We have only to add, that we have lamented that none seem to regret the

* Wealth of the Church of England. It is stated, in a late paper, that the fee-simple of the established Church of England is, in value, equal to two hundred millions sterling! With the income of such a fund, no wonder the church is powerful and has its votaries, and can keep up its existence without possessing any true religion.