"pious frauds," seemed unquestionable, as admirable means of promoting that blind undiscerning credulity, which was considered the utmost attainable by them.

No reserve, however, can be sanctioned by an enlightened Christian in the announcement of that Gospel

* These are decidedly of heathen origin. Eschylus, or some other poet, cited by Stobans under his name, declared that "God does not disown righteous deceit." Plato observes that truth, however excellent, is not easily inculcated, and that consequently the magistrate should probably have frequent recourse to falsehood and deception for the good of the people, and especially of the young, that they may be induced to act aright from choice, rather than by compulsion. (De Rep. v. p. 459; de Leg. ii. 8.) In such cases the philosopher regarded expediency alone as the test of right and wrong. Maximus of Tyre, a heathen philosopher of the second century, unhesitatingly asserts that "there is nothing excellent in speaking the truth, unless it be for the benefit of learners. The physician deceives his patient; the general his army; the pilot his crew; and no wrong is done. Falsehood may thus prove beneficial, and truth injurious." (Diss. 19, § 3. Compare Xenophon Mem. iv. 2, 17). But Philo carries out this principle to its fullest extent, and repeatedly enforces it. (Neander Gesch. T. i. p. 99, cites de Cherub. § 5; and Quod Deus Immut. § 14. See also Quod Det. Pot. Insid. § 7; de Migr. Abr. § 38; Quæst. in Gen. 1. 4, § 2; and cf. de Somn. i. 40). He calls the injunction to speak truth at all times the dogma of an ignorant, unphilosophical mind; (Q. in Gen. 1. 4, § 69), and deliberately vindicates the deceit practised by Jacob, as alike harmless and noble, or as skilful management suitable for the emergency. He even says, with a degree of subtilty supposed to be characteristic of the Jesuits, "the human mind assumes various phases according to circumstances, so that when Jacob said, I am Esau, it was not false, because his mind moved at the time in or towards the form characteristic of Esau!" (Ib. § 204-208). If we shudder at such wretched sophistry, let us carefully guard against "the first deviation from truth; for we know not where it will end." Perhaps like the trickling mountain stream it will rapidly swell into a

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of the grace of God, which the church is required to proclaim to "every creature under heaven." Conviction is not the work of human reason, but of the Spirit of God; it is a privilege more frequently vouchsafed to

mighty flood, which will devastate the pastures of the flock, and sweep every landmark before it, in its turbid and tumultuous course.

We have still to trace this in the history of the Church. In vain had Julius Africanus, an old man, when Origen (born A.D. 186) was in his prime, indignantly protested against a foolish attempt to explain an apparent discrepancy in the Gospels on the Platonic principle. "May the day never come, when such reasoning shall prevail in the Church, and falsehood be supposed to contribute to the glory of Christ!" (Neander Gesch. T. i. p. 1224, note). Eusebius, however, the celebrated friend of Constantine, refers to Plato with approbation on this, as well as on many other points, to show the coincidence between his opinions and the oracles of God! (Præp. Evang. 1. 12, c. 31, &c. He died A.D. 340). Cassian, a disciple of Chrysostom, openly asserts that falsehood is sometimes lawful. (Cave Hist. Lit. p. 264). It was a received maxim of the Syrian school in that generation, that "the end justifies the means." (Neander Gesch, T. ii. p. 457; 934). It had even become a common practice to intermingle truth and falsehood, in order to deceive the enemies of the faith, or to promote the welfare of mankind. Jerome, the learned monk of Bethlehem, the diligent translator of the Scriptures, the uncompromising assailant of every supposed heresy, not only justified the practice of his day, (A.D. 329-420), but even attributed similar management to the apostles themselves! (falsitatem dispensativam: see Gilly's Vigilantius, p. 265-270). It was said, for example, that Peter's dissimulation, and Paul's remonstrance against it at Antioch, were previously arranged by the parties for the fuller conviction of the Judaizers, and that consequently there was no real contest between them! Chrysostom elaborately maintains this in a sophistical homily on Gal. ii. 11. (Op. T. v. p. 800, &c.)

Theodoret, a man of eminence in the next generation, urged a friend to commit what he called a petty sin, or to subscribe articles of faith opposed to his conscientious opinion, in order to preserve others from

the poor and ignorant than to the wise and intellectual in this world. It is another thing to continue speaking, when men contradict and blaspheme, and openly despise the truth. There are even cases, when the persecuted

great transgression, as a work of manifest charity. Happily in that case his counsel was rejected. The venerable bishop preferred to be ejected from his see amidst the tears of an affectionate congregation: (Neander 1.c.) But almost every page of ecclesiastical history is profaned, and its annals rendered uncertain by the prevalence of similar legalised deceit, and the circulation of artful legends. Coleridge justly observes that to the doctrine in question, and the practices derived from it, we must chiefly attribute the utter corruption of Christianity itself for so many ages. "By a system of accommodating truth to falsehood, the pastors of the church gradually changed the life and the light of the Gospel into the very superstitions, which they were commissioned to disperse," and "at this very hour Europe groans and bleeds in consequence."

We have dwelt so long upon this point, because it so painfully illustrates and explains the real nature and operations of matured Tractarianism, which is altogether a gross and palpable instance of studied fraud.

The apostle, however, pronounces just condemnation upon those, who "do evil that good may come;" (Rom. iii. 8, above page 157,) but if deceit and fraud be evil in themselves, and "no lie is of the truth," (1 John ii. 21,) this testimony proves that they can never be justified by the result, or by the motive of deceivers. Pascal says with energy, "whoever has recourse to a lie, serves the devil." Such a course is evidently irreconcileable with that freedom from guile, which marks every true Israelite. (John i. 47; Psalm xxxii. 2. Cf. 1 Peter ii. 1.) We need scarcely add that the words of St. Paul, nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile," (2 Cor. xii. 16,) must either be read interrogatively, or ironically, as the course of his argument incontrovertibly proves.

But the doctrine of Plato is too acceptable to the corrupt minds of men, not to find practical advocates in every age. It places a powerful

ministers of Emmanuel must follow the solemn injunctions of their Master; and like Paul and Barnabas, when driven out of Antioch, shake off the very dust of their feet against scoffers, crying, "your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean."* The office of

weapon in the hands of the rich and noble, enabling them to establish a moral and spiritual despotism over the minds of the poor and ignorant. If they can but once persuade themselves, that their motives are pure, and their object righteous, there will be no limit to their deceptions. Charles the First was no doubt under the influence of such a principle. Unhappy Bacon was a master in the art. He even asserts that "it is improper to call all untruths generally, and without exception unlawful," and appeals to Scripture, in refutation of the Puritans, to justify this position. (Works vol. ii. p. 503.) The world cannot condemn him; for it still sanctions its white lies, its equivocations, and its political subterfuges; but in the name of the apostles we denounce them all, as contrary to their solemn teaching.

It is obvious, indeed, that where deceit is sanctioned and employed, the falsehood must be skilfully disguised. Art is thus called into play, and the ingenuity of the human mind is engaged in the contrivance of such plausible figments, as will most readily accomplish the object in view. But a habit of lying is thus formed, and mars the whole character. The deceiver is deceived himself; he begins to believe his own lie, and is caught in his own snare, according to the retributive laws of the human mind, or of divine Providence; and the accumulating evil plunges all things in confusion. Hence that strange combination of fraud and self-delusion, (fingunt pariter creduntque) or of hypocrisy and fanaticism, which sometimes occasions a sharp and doubtful controversy as to the real character of individuals, who have sunk into "a middle state between illusion and voluntary fraud." The predominance of the one or of the other simply depends upon the point from which they set out.

*See Mark vi. 11; Luke ix. 4, 5; Acts xiii. 45, 46; 50, 51; xviii. 6.

the ministry has then been sufficiently discharged; it would be alike evil and absurd to continue it under such circumstances.

The Lord Himself seems to have adopted His later method of teaching, in consequence of the insensibility and stubbornness of a deluded people, who hardened their hearts against His loving invitations ;* and hence His various parables of spiritual truth, which He subsequently explained to His disciples in private, veiled the holy mysteries of the kingdom from the profane, and concealed "the words of eternal life," the pearls of heaven, from those who would otherwise have trodden them under foot, and with aggravated fury have torn the Prophet in pieces before the time.†

There is "an imprudent zeal, and sometimes a mixture of an irreverent commonness," often manifested "in speaking of holy things indifferently in all companies," which Leighton considered scarcely suitable to the rule before us, as calculated to expose truth to the derision of the profane. It cannot serve any good purpose to force religious topics on the notice of those who openly avow their dislike to them; but yet another Scripture requires us to "be instant in season, and out of season," so that "the spirit of a sound mind," cherished by prayerful communion with a gracious Father, will best regulate the conversation of Christians according

* Matt. xiii. 10-15.

† Like the wild boar out of the forest. Psalm 1xxx. 13. (Trench.)