disorder of my fallen nature. Without such a feeling, I should conclude that I was the victim of some delusion. To complain that I am yet imperfect, is to complain that I am yet a man. I seek after perfection here; I hope to enjoy it above. I speak of my corruptions; but I also speak of redeeming mercy and grace.

You maintain, then, said Henry, if I understand you, that Christians should bear their spiritual troubles and sorrows, as well as those of a temporal nature, with calmness, patience, and fortitude.

Is this wrong? said the Rector. Let us learn our circumstances in the light of divine truth.

He who

is wise will be humble, for his eye and heart are properly affected by the sight and sense which he has of evil; but he will be happy, for he is alive to good. He will show in the circle in which he moves, that the heaven of religion, although not cloudless, is generally serene.

I wish, said Henry, that all complainers could hear your sentiments. How would they receive

them?

A few, said the Rector, might consider them, and derive benefit from them; but the majority would most probably condemn me as one who knew but very little about experimental religion, and account me an inhabitant of the frigid zone.

CHAP. XLVII.

IMPROVEMENT.

THE subject of your last conversation with us, said Maria to the Rector, has engaged much of my attention. I do not wish to be a complainer; but a sense of deficiency is painful and oppressive to the mind. It is impossible for us to examine ourselves without seeing and feeling our manifold imperfection; and surely this must draw a cloud around the mind, and lead to expressions of a sombre character.

You always view things on the dark side, said Eliza; if we refuse to be happy until we are angels, we must wait till mortality is laid aside.

We must know our deficiencies and imperfections, said the Rector; but we must know them, not to be gloomy and distressed, but to be humble and diligent. I attach the greatest importance to one word-Improvement. If we are always improving, it is a proof that we are rightly employed.

I have often heard you remark, said Henry, that it is impossible to be stationary in religion.

tor.

I think that the sentiment is correct, said the RecYou may put before you three classes of Chris

tians; one class is composed of those who are prosperous in religion, and who are manifestly advancing in the divine life; another class is composed of those who are evidently declining and deteriorating in religion; and then you may suppose an intermediate class of persons who are apparently stationary. I say, apparently; for I maintain that if a person be not advancing in religion, he must be receding in it. If we do not daily love God more, we daily love the world more. We are always becoming more earthly, or more spiritually minded.

This seems to be incontrovertible, said Henry; but I like your idea of Improvement. We must be always advancing; this is the great point.

You have the highest authority, said the Rector, for forgetting the things that are behind, and for pressing onward towards those which are before you. The Christian must fight till the victory be won; he must run till the crown be obtained.

I admit that, said Maria; but though the image of the valiant warrior or of the earnest runner is pleasing to the imagination, yet what shall the Christian think or say when on examination he finds it difficult to determine whether he be fighting or running at all?

This, said Eliza, is one of your melancholy thoughts with which you are always tormenting yourself.

The complexion, said the Rector, which piety as

sumes in different persons is exceedingly various, and that from causes which we are not fully competent to examine. But, not to enter into particulars, I feel strongly inclined to judge of piety by Improvement, rather than by mere feeling, or any expressions that may be used to describe it.

He, said Maria, who really feels himself improving in religion must be happy: but what is the case of him who does not feel so ? The notions of the mind may satisfy some; but the convictions of the heart are serious things. Piety is not reducible to abstraction and syllogism; it is moral feeling and moral growth.

And that growth, said the Rector, is always advancing in the case of every humble and consistent Christian, whether he be conscious of it, or not. The plant in good soil grows, although the sunshine does not rest upon it every hour.

That is a consolatory thought, said Henry; feelings are connected with present enjoyment, but not with our welfare; at least, all may be well with us though from feelings we may reason against ourselves.

This appears to be the case, said the Rector; our business is to be always going on in the way of duty. Our growth will be evident to others, and we shall in due time have the comfort of it ourselves.

Then the point of wisdom, said Henry, is to lay more stress on duty than on feeling.

Undoubtedly, said the Rector; we should com

mune with our own hearts, and be familiar with ourselves. The heart is a painful volume for the best of us to read: still it must be read; and while grief and shame are felt on account of the discoveries which we make, yet the great point is to be urged, to seek Improvement.

We are miserably imperfect beings, said Henry: he who knows himself best will be most strongly convinced of this.

We shall be such on earth, said the Rector; our daily sins are many; our corruptions are many; the principles and affections of piety within us are weak and mingled with alloy. We may speak largely and loftily of faith, hope, and charity; of humility and repentance, of holiness and obedience; but when we faithfully examine ourselves, we shall find, great as our reason for thankfulness may be, that we have great reason to be ashamed.

Here, said Maria, you come down to the reality of things; there is a wide difference between our high speculations and our real attainments.

Yes, said the Rector; a poor man may survey the universe; but the richest noble possesses in fact bu a few acres. But your idea is not quite correct; the difference of which you speak only exists between 'attainment and partial or defective speculation. But this subject is illimitable; I must not enter upon it. Perfection is above, said Henry; we must here seek the largest attainments.