ces which afford triumph and exultation. In the mean
while, the man of a heated imagination, who boasts of mysterious
communications within, is perhaps exhibiting outwardly unfavorable marks
of his real state, and holding out by his low practice discouragements
unfriendly to that religion of which he professes himself a shining
instance.

"The sober Christian is as fully convinced that only he who made the
heart can renew it, as the enthusiast. He is as fully persuaded that his
natural dispositions can not be changed, nor his affections purified but
by the agency of the divine Spirit, as the fanatic. And though he
presume not to limit omnipotence to a sudden or a gradual change, yet he
does not think it necessary to ascertain the day, and the hour, and the
moment, contented to be assured that whereas he was once blind he now
sees. If he does not presume in his own case to fix the _chronology of
conversion_, he is not less certain as to its effects. If he can not
enumerate dates, and recapitulate feelings, he can and does produce such
evidence of his improvement, as virtuous habits, a devout temper, an
humble and charitable spirit, repentance toward God, and faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ; and this gives an evidence less equivocal, as
existing more in the heart than on the lips, and more in the life than
in the discourse. Surely, if a plant be flourishing, the branches
green, and the fruit fair and abundant, we may venture to pronounce
these to be indications of health and vigor, though we can not ascertain
the moment when the seed was sown, or the manner in which it sprung up."

Sir John, who had been an attentive listener, but had not yet spoken a
word, now said, smiling, "Mr. Stanley, you steer most happily between
the two extremes. This exclusive cry of grace in one party of
religionists, which drives the opposite side into as unreasonable a
clamor against it, reminds me of the Queen of Louis Quatorze. When the
Jesuits, who were of the court-party, made so violent an outcry against
the Jasenists, for no reason but because they had more piety than
themselves, her majesty was so fearful of being thought to favor the
oppressed side, that in the excess of her party zeal, she vehemently
exclaimed, 'Oh, fie upon grace! fie upon grace!'"

"Party violence," continued Mr. Stanley, "thinks it can never recede far
enough from the side it opposes!"

"But how then," replied Mr. Tyrrel, "is our religion to be known, except
by