our own
salvation." To this labor, this watchfulness, this sedulity of endeavor,
the crown of life is expressly promised, and salvation is not less the
free gift of God, because he has annexed certain conditions to our
obtaining it.

The more I argued, the more I found my reputation decline, yet to argue
she compelled me. I really believe she was sincere, but she was ill
informed, governed by feelings and impulses, rather than by the plain
express rule of Scripture. It was not that she did not read Scripture,
but she interpreted it her own way; built opinions on insulated texts;
did not compare Scripture with Scripture, except as it concurred to
strengthen her bias. She considered with a disproportionate fondness,
those passages which supported her preconceived opinions, instead of
being uniformly governed by the general tenor and spirit of the sacred
page. She had far less reverence for the preceptive, than for the
doctrinal parts, because she did not sufficiently consider faith as an
operative influential principle; nor did she conceive that the sublimest
doctrines involve deep practical consequences. She did not consider the
government of the tongue, nor the command of her passions, as forming
any material part of the Christian character. Her zeal was fiery because
her temper was so; and her charity was cold because it was an expensive
propensity to keep warm. Among the perfections of the Redeemer's
character, she did not consider his being "meek and lowly" as an
example, the influence of which was to extend to her. She considered it
indeed as _admirable_ but not as _imitable_; a distinction she was very
apt to make in all her practical dissertations, and in her
interpretation of Scripture.

In the evening Mrs. Ranby was lamenting in general and rather customary
terms, her own exceeding sinfulness. Mr. Ranby said, "You accuse
yourself rather too heavily, my dear: you have sins to be sure." "And
pray what sins have I, Mr. Ranby?" said she, turning upon him with so
much quickness that the poor man started. "Nay," said he meekly, "I did
not mean to offend you; so far from it, that hearing you condemn
yourself so grievously, I intended to comfort you, and to say that
except a few faults--" "And pray what faults?" interrupted she,
continuing to speak however, lest he should catch an interval to tell
them. "I defy you, Mr. Ranby, to produce one." "My dear," replied he,
"as you charged yourself with all, I thought it woul