as a principle, or
enforced as a rule of action: nor could it--it was against the canon law
of their foundation."

"Yet," said Sir John, "a good man struggling with adversity is, I think,
represented by one of their authors as an object worthy of the attention
of the gods."

"Yes," said Mr. Stanley, "but the divine approbation alone was never
proposed as the standard of right, or the reward of actions, except by
divine revelation."

"Nothing seems more difficult," said I, "to settle than the standard of
right. Every man has a standard of his own, which he considers as of
universal application. One makes his own tastes, desires, and appetites,
his rule of right; another the example of certain individuals, fallible
like himself; a third, and indeed the generality, the maxims, habits,
and manners of the fashionable part of the world."

Sir John remarked, "That since it is so difficult to discriminate
between allowable indulgence and criminal conformity, the life of a
conscientious man, if he be not constitutionally temperate, or
habitually firm, must be poisoned with solicitude, and perpetually
racked with the fear of exceeding his limits."

"My dear Belfield," replied Mr. Stanley, "the peace and security of a
Christian, we well know, are not left to depend on constitutional
temperance, or habitual firmness. These are, as the young Numidian says,

Perfections that are placed in bones and nerves.

There is a higher and surer way to prevent the solicitude, which is, by
correcting the principle; to get the heart set right; to be jealous over
ourselves; to be careful never to venture to the edge of our lawful
limits; in short, and that is the only infallible standard, to live in
the conscientious practice of measuring all we say, and do, and think,
by the unerring rule of God's word."

"The impossibility of reaching the perfection which that rule requires,"
said Sir John, "sometimes discourages well-meaning men, as if the
attempt were hopeless."

Dr. Barlow replied, "That is, sir, because they take up with a hearsay
Christianity. Its reputed pains and penalties drive them off from
inquiring for themselves. They rest on the surface. If they would go
deeper, they would see that the Spirit which dictated the Scriptures is
a Spirit of power, as well as a Spirit of promise. All that he requires
us to do, he enables us to perform. He does not prescribe 'rules'
without furnishing us with 'arms.'"

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