But, said Osborne, we now clearly see the best way; it is to be humble and moderate in our views of truth, and to be kind and candid in our spirit towards all men.

Undoubtedly, said the Rector; let wisdom, reason, decision, firmness, all the strong elements of character, be united with charity, candour and meekness.

The former, said Osborne, properly constitute the character; the latter form the soft colouring that gives it all its charms and attractions.

I should like, said Henry, to be conversant with creeds and parties, as Bernard is; and to think with correctness, feel with kindness, and act with prudence, as he does.

Recollect, said the Rector, that such a character was not formed in a day; it is the long and slow production of many years. You behold it now in all its autumnal richness, mellowness, and maturity. He has read much, made many observations, and thought largely, deeply, and closely. I will allow you to commend him; I wish you to imitate him; and I hope that in due time you will equal him.

CHAP. XLV.

THE MORAL PRETENDER.

I CANNOT forget, said Eliza, what Bernard advanced respecting the Modernist.

The open opposer of religion, said the Rector, is a dark character; but there are those, I fear, who injure it more than he does.

To whom do you allude? said Henry. Are there any classes of men who yet remain to be described.

The va

I allude, said the Rector, to unsound Christians; to those who profess a zealous attachment to doctrines, but who are careless in their lives. riety of moral character is almost boundless. have fashionable Christians, half-way Christians, speculating Christians, and lax professors.

We

This is a painful view of things, said Osborne; the bulk of mankind think but little about religion; this is strange; but it is more strange that those who think about it should not treat it aright.

Of the deceitfulness of sin we comparatively know little, said the Rector; but we see it producing an inconceivable variety of painful moral phenomena in every quarter.

If it is easy, said Maria, to speculate in religion, or to assume a profession of piety, yet how can any one speak of religious experience unless he be an experienced Christian?

There is such a character, said the Rector, as the Moral Pretender; he talks of doctrines which he does not understand, and of experience which he does not feel. Men may talk of vital godliness as of other things, without possessing it. By reading and hearing, by feelings and fancy, we may make spurious attainments in religion, by which we may deceive both ourselves and others.

You You

I have heard you censured, said Eliza, for not preaching enough about experimental religion. are accounted cool, clear, and argumentative. have reasons for your mode of preaching.

I wish, said the Rector, to give every subject the measure of attention which I think that it demands. But I am of opinion, that there is nothing in religion of which we may not assume the semblance. We may call our notions knowledge, and our imaginations experience; our benevolence charity, and our morality practical piety. In short, we may mistake sparks of our own kindling for the fire from above.

You almost make me tremble, said Maria; we ought to examine ourselves with the greatest fidelity.

But let us trace the evil to its source, said the Rector; when men become religious from caprice, accommodation, interest, or mere contagion, they

only make themselves moral pretenders; there is such a thing as climbing into the fold, and of not entering into it by the gate of a real repentance.

I hear with attention, said Henry; the subject is new to my mind.

Hence, said the Rector, I judge of no man by the profession which he may make, or by the dialect which he may use. I look to his life, and that for a long period; the mushroom springs up almost at once, but the oak is of slow growth; the one is feeble and soon perishes; the other is strong and durable. But how, said Henry, shall we distinguish between a true and a spurious experience in religion? Nothing, said the Rector, is pure and perfect in He who is "led by the spirit" is the person who has true experience. But in a variety of cases we are not able to distinguish between divine and human influence. We easily mistake the brisk or tardy flow of animal spirits for the operations of grace. We mistake natural hilarity for religious joy, and natural gloom for religious humiliation of soul. But we should judge of experience by the prevailing frame of the mind, and by practical results, rather than by any occasional feelings.

man,

I think that your statement is solid, said Osborne; but how shall we detect the moral pretender?

By a nice observer, said the Rector, he will be very often found to be cold and careless; there is something prompt, flippant, superficial, and hollow

in his conversation, which renders him suspected. He has not the deep tone, or the solemn thought that belongs to piety. He puts religion off and on with a marvellous facility. He dips into religion, but it is not his element.

You convince us, said Eliza, that Bernard did not 'tell us every thing.

I have only enlarged, said the Rector, on his idea of Modernism, as you have represented it to me; and I have spoken on the subject to guard you against danger, I trust that you will always beware of pretension, keep close to the reality of divine things, and pray for the influence from above, which alone can keep any of us from error and delusion.