meaning. Our Lord's words had, in like manner, one certain and appropriate meaning; and we are as plainly bound to take due pains for discovering that meaning, as for obeying it."

"But how can you know that my brother had not done so? Might not he have been as good a judge as any one else of the meaning of your Scriptures? I have been informed that he professed to be particularly guided, as you have told me that you Christians are, by the Divine Spirit. The præfect asked who had persuaded him that he might not lawfully serve; and he replied, My own spirit, and He who has called me.' I see not how, on your principles, he could have acted otherwise than he did."

"You think," replied Pamphilus, "that he was bound to do what his conviction, guided, as he thought himself to be, by God's Spirit, told him was right ?"

"I suppose this is your principle."

"But was not this to make his own judgment a sort of God-to fancy that it could not deceive him? Now we Christians know but of one rule which cannot deceive I mean the holy Scriptures; and we know but of one true meaning of the holy Scriptures-that which they have borne from the first. If your brother had asked what that one meaning was, instead of fancying a meaning for himself, he would have perceived that his conviction

R

was not agreeable to what God has declared, and therefore that it could not really be suggested by God's Spirit."

"But what proof have you that the right meaning of your Scriptures is that which they have borne from the beginning?"

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Many proofs: first, the natural one, of which you heard me speaking the other day,—we have the writings of Christians who lived for years in habits of intercourse with the Apostles. Who so likely as these persons to understand their meaning? Besides, we know that the order and course of the Church was appointed by the Apostles; and their judgment God was pleased to approve, by giving them the power of working miracles. Had your brother inquired, he would have learned that military service had been always allowed in the Church; and he might be sure, therefore, that he was wrong in supposing that it was forbidden by Scripture."

"And can you apply this rule of yours to all doubtful cases of conduct?" said Rutilius.

"Not to all, perhaps ; but to many which otherwise would present the greatest difficulties. For instance, there is little said in our Scriptures concerning the order and government of our churches. It is but incidentally that we are told that the Apostles were the stewards of the mysteries of God, and so had exclusive authority to minister the holy eucharist. But then we find mention in holy Scripture of the

order of the Church, and express commands that men should obey it. Take these two things together the practice and the precept and we have a direct command that men should receive, as Christians have done ever since, that order of bishops, priests, and deacons, which prevails universally among us. And this principle I might apply in many cases; for it is the one by which all the order and outward arrangement of our worship is regulated. We see the evil of departing from it by such a case as that of your poor brother."

“Is his, then, an unusual instance ?"

"I have heard of no other of the same kind. Yet, as many men of ardent minds, and who are wanting in judgment, enter our body, it is certainly not impossible that such cases may be found."

"It is likely, too," said Rutilius," as years roll on, that the practice of your first age will be less distinctly remembered. Thus, you may in time entirely lose the principle on which you now proceed, and every one may interpret your Scriptures, as my poor brother appears to have done, according to his own caprice."

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"It is but too probable," replied Pamphilus ; yet here we have one safeguard, of which none but a Christian can feel the force. Our Master has promised us that, while the world endures, His doctrine shall not be altogether lost, or His Church altogether infected with false doctrine. To this promise we

trust, as your countrymen do to their notion of the fated eternity of Rome's dominion, and, as I am well convinced, with better reason." Thus ended the conversation.

CHAPTER XIII.

A Visit to Jerusalem.

Those holy fields,

Over whose acres walk'd those blessed feet,

Which, fourteen hundred years ago, were nailed
For our advantage on the bitter cross.

SHAKESPEARE.

RUTILIUS had determined to acquaint his Christian friend with the circumstances of his night-adventure near the house of Milo; but a reluctance to introduce the subject had hitherto kept him silent. Now, however, his mind was pretty well made up to become a candidate for baptism; and on acquainting Pamphilus next morning with his resolution, he stated to him what had happened. Pamphilus told him that he would mention the circumstance to the bishop, to whose judgment, according to the example of the Apostles, every thing which happened in the Church was referred; adding, that before he could be admitted to the privileges of a Christian, a course of instruction would be needful; and that as the sacred season of Lent was commencing, lectures would be given daily to those who were candidates for baptism. "Our usual season of baptism,” he said, “is either the day before our Lord's resurrection, in