speak, in an agreeable manner, upon twenty different things: but cannot recollect, that your conversation ever turned upon what our Lord has described, as the one thing needful. In short, Sir, I apprehend from your conduct, that you are altogether unacquainted with evangelical faith: and if so, your hope is as fallacious, as your devotion is pharisaical. Neighbour. I am obliged, Sir, by the interest you appear to take in my salvation; but allow me to say, with Solomon, there is a time for all things. Believer. Yes, Sir; for all that is good. But, if you really believe there is a time for all things, is it not amazing, that, after you have found four seasons in every day convenient for eating and drinking in your family, you should find no proper opportunity, through the whole course of a week, to pour out your prayers with that family before God? Neighbour. It is true, I do not pique myself upon my piety and I will confess to you, that I frequent the church and the holy communion, rather cut of decency than choice. But, notwithstanding this, my faith is as orthodox as that of my neighbours. We all believe in God, as our Creator, and in Christ, as our Redeemer, except some few persons, who glory in trampling ali revelation under foot. For my own part, I have never erred from the faith, since I first became acquainted with the Apostles' creed; and that was so early in life, that I cannot now recollect who first instructed me in it. Believer. It seems then, neighbour, that you imbibed your faith, as you drew in your nurse's milk: and you have learned to believe in Christ, rather than Mahomet, because you happened to be taught the English, rather than the Turkish Language. Neighhour. That may be. However, If I had been a Mahometan, I trust I might also have been an honest man. "I give to every one his due." This is the grand principle upon which I have always acted, and from this, I leave every rational man to form a judgment of my

faith. Believer. Ah Sir! if such are the principles by which your conduct is regulated, then make a full surrender of your heart to God, and consecrate to his service those powers of body and soul, which you have received from his bounty, and to which he has so just a title. But alas! without piety, your strict justice is like the fidelity of a subject, who falfils his engagements with a few particular persons, while he withholds the homage due to his rightful sovereign. If sucha subject can be termed faithful, then may you, with propriety, be accounted just, while you offer not to God that tribute of love, gratitude, adoration, and obedience, which is your reasonable service. You made a confession but now, that you pique not yourself upon your piety: it would not have astonished me more, had you said, that you piqued not yourself upon paying your debts, and acting with common honesty in the world. Aias, Sir, your boasted principles do not confirm the fears, to which your conduct had given rise. I entreat you in the most solemn manner, "examine yourself, whether you be in the faith." Neighbour. What do you call faith? Believer. The scriptures teach us, that we must believe with the heart, and that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." He, therefore, who truly believes in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, carries within him a lively demon. stration of the Almighty's presence, which penetrates him with sentiments of fear, respect, and love, for a Being so powerful, just, and good: he possessesan internal evidence of the affection of that Redeemer, upon whom alone he ground shis hope of salvation, saluting him, with Nathaniel, as "the Son of God, the King of Israel:" and he discovers in his own heart, the most indisputable testimonies of the sanctifying and consoling operations of the Holy Spirit. Now, from this three-fold demonstration, he is enabled to say, with suitable enti

ments of gratitude and devotion, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins; and the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Tell me, then, since you boast of having received the christian faith, have you ever experienced those salutary effects of faith, which I have now described? Neighbour. If that demonstration, and that lively representation of which you speak, are essential to christian faith, I must confess, that to such a faith I am a perfect stranger. But the writings of St. Paul, whose definition of faith you have just cited, are generally looked upon as remarkably dark and mysterious: I wish you had rather quoted St. John. Believer. I doubt, Sir, whether you will gain any thing by such an appeal, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ," saith St. John, " is born of God. This is the victory, that evercometh the world, even our faith. Who is he, that overcometh the world, but he that believeth, that Jesus is the Son of God" You perceive, Sir, that, according to this Apostle, faith is a principle of grace and power, sufficiently forcible and victorious to regenerate and make us partakers of the divine nature, enabling us to triumph equally over the most seducing, as well as the most afflicting occurrences in the world. Have you obtained, or havey ou even sought the faith, of which such excellent things are spoken? Neighbour. You embarrass I never heard the least intimation of such a faith in this country. Believer. Indeed, Sir, you are in an error, since this very faith is plainly set forth in the xvith chapter of the Helvetic Confession. "The "christian faith [say the pious ministers who com"posed that work] is not a mere human opinion of 66 persuasion, but a state of full assurance: it not only "gives a constant and clear assent to, but also com

me.

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"prehends and embraces the truths of God, as propos"ed to us in the Apostles' creed. The soul, by this "act, unites itself to God, as to its only, eternal, and sovereign good, and to Jesus Christ, as the centre "of all the promises." Have you, then, this divine persuasion, this full assurance of the truths of our holy religion? And have you experienced this act, by which the soul is united to God, through Christ, as to its sovereign good? Neighbour. I have, undoubtedly, a persuasion, that the word of God is true. But how may? I absolutely determine, whether or no I am a possessor of the faith, of which you speak? Believer. If you are possessed of faith, you have some experimental knowledge of those happy effects of that grace, which are thus enumerated in the same confession. "faith restores peace to the conscience. It procures a "free access to God, enabling us both to approach him "with confidence, and to obtain from him the things, of "which we stand in need. It retains us in the path "of obedience, induing us with power to fulfil our se"veral duties both to God and to our neighbour. It "maintains our patience in adversity, and disposes us, "at all times, to a sincere confession of our confi❝dence. To sum up all in a single word, it produces every good work.” "Let it be observed [says the "same confession] that we do not here speak of a pre"tended faith, which is vain, ineffectual and dead, but "of a living, effectual and vivifying faith. This is a

"True

"doctrine, which St. James cannot be understood to "combat, seeing he speaks of a vain and presumptu"ous confidence, of which some were known to boast, "while they had not Christ living in them by means "of faith." Neighbour. "Christ living in them by "means of faith." I pray, Sir, what is to be understood by this expression? I do not comprehend the thing. But, if I recollect, I shall have an opportunity in a few hours, of mentioning the matter to our pastor, whom I expect here this evening to make up a party at cards. The true believer, after thanking his worldly

neighbour for the patience with which he had listened to his conversation, took his leave, and withdrew apprehending every evil consequence from the decision of a pastor, who was known to indulge a taste for play and vain amusement. His fears were too well founded. The minister, true to his engagement, arrived at the appointed hour, and the gentleman thus eagerly addressed him: I have been receiving some singular advice from a person of a very unaccountable turn, who appears to agree either with the mystics or the pietists. He spoke much of faith, asserting, that all true christians are really regenerate, and that they "have Christ living in them by faith." What think you, Sir, of such assertions as these? I will tell you freely, replied the minister, that these abstruse points of doctrine are among those profound mysteries, which neither you nor I are appointed to fathom. It is usual with enthusiasts to speak in this manner; but such mystic jargon is now out of season. There have been ages, in which divines were accustomed to speculate concerning this faith, and publicly to insist upon it in their sermons. But, in an age like this, enlightened by sound philosophy and learned discoveries, we no longer admit what we cannot comprehend. I advise you, as a friend, to leave these idle subtilties close shut up in the unintelligible volumes of our ancient theologists. The only material thing, is to conduct ourselves as honest men. If we receive revelation in a general sense, and have good works to produce, there can be no doubt but our faith is of the proper kind, and highly acceptable before God. To this short discourse, the card-table succeeded, which served to strengthen the bands of intimacy, between the careless clergyman and his deluded neighbour: so perfectly alike were their faith and their manners.

The circumstances alluded to in the above relation, are not imaginary; and there is every reason

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