"There is one sentence only of this Creed," proceeded the lady, "and that is the first in order, which speaks of God the Father. This glorious Person of the Godhead is described in Scripture as the Father of all things; who created all things, and preserveth all things: the first Person of the Blessed Trinity; the Almighty or Omnipotent God; the Maker of heaven and earth, with all their varied furniture of things visible or invisible.

"On the nature and attributes of the Father, many volumes have been written, and an eternity might be well employed in the contemplation of them. But I am withheld from saying more on this subject at present, because I shall have, I trust, frequent occasions to speak upon it in our future conversations: when I shall hope to unfold to you certain points in the conduct of God the Father towards his children on earth, which are calculated, if rightly understood, to fill every heart with sentiments of love and gratitude; and to show that no love was ever like His love, who gave up his only Son for the redemption of the world.

"Leaving therefore this important subject to a future occasion, I will proceed to explain to you those parts of the Apostles' Creed which have reference to the second Person of the Trinity, thus described in the second Article of our Church-The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father,' called by us Jesus or the Saviour, and Christ or the Anointed: this Blessed Saviour was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and his coming to redeem mankind was shown forth by a continued succession of types and emblems, which formed, as it were, a track of light through the long ages of heathen darkness, and which, being visible only to the faithful, became more and more clear, and more and more resplendent, until the hour arrived in which the shepherds of Bethlehem received the good tidings of great joy, which were to be communicated to all people, even the tidings of that Saviour's birth, who is Christ the Lord-the Lord of angels, and the Lord of men-the Lord of glory from heaven-the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

"This Blessed Saviour, as our Creed informs us in

conformity with the Scriptures of truth, was made of a Virgin, 'having no earthly father,' as a valuable old writer on these subjects expresses it; being formed by the Holy Spirit, and in his formation sanctified, and in his sanctification united to the world in such manner, that though perfect man as well as God, he was without sin. "This sinless perfection is thus described in our fifteenth Article: Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh and in his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who by the sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world: and sin (as St. John saith) was not in him.'

"In this manner, God-the immortal, invisible, and eternal Lord God-'took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man.' (2d Article of the Church of England.) And in this nature which he took upon himself, even our nature, he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.

"Much," continued the lady of the manor, "has been said on each of these last articles; but I will not detain your attention upon them at present, particularly as they appear to me to want little explanation. But the passages which follow next, are by no means equally plain, viz. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again.'

"That portion of this article which relates to the descent into hell, did not form so ancient a part of the Creed as the latter clause. It was first used in the Church of Aquileia, about four hundred years after the Christian era; after which, it came gradually to be acknowledged as a part of the Apostle's Creed: and the Church of England, at the Reformation, made this one of the Articles of Religion, which all who are admitted to holy orders must subscribe. 'As Christ died for us, and was buried; so also it is to be believed, that he went down into hell.' (3d Article.)

"Now my dear young people," said the lady, "were 1 to lay before you the various interpretations given at different times of this passage, I should only weary and perplex you: I shall therefore content myself with a simple statement of the sentiments of a certain valuable old writer, to whom I have already referred more than once during the course of our conversation this evening. "By the descent of Christ into hell, all those who believe in him are secured from descending thither. He went into those regions of darkness, that our souls might never come into those torments which are there. Through death, he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and by his actual descent into the dominions of him so destroyed, secured all which have an interest in him of the same freedom which he had. Thus he underwent the condition of the souls of such as die; and inasmuch as he died in the similitude of a sinner, his soul went to the place where the souls of men are kept who die for their sins: and so did wholly undergo the law of death. But because there was no sin in him, God suffered not his Holy One to see corruption, neither did he leave his soul in hell. Accordingly, in three days he rose again, and, after a certain period, ascended into heaven; and there will remain until he return to judge the earth.'

"These last articles of the Creed, which relate to the second Person of the blessed Trinity, are thus represented in the fourth Article of our Church: Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature; wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.'"

The lady of the manor here paused a moment, and then remarked, that she hoped on a future occasion to enter somewhat more largely on the subject of the Second Advent of our Lord, and his future reign of glory upon earth. She also remarked, that there was not a single article of the Creed on which volumes might not be written; but that she had said the less on each particular point, trusting that her young hearers would have equal pleasure and profit in filling up, during the future

part of their lives, that general outline of Christian knowledge which she was now endeavouring to give them: and having thus spoken, she proceeded to that portion of the Apostles' Creed which refers to the third Person of the Holy Trinity.

"My dear young friends," said their excellent instructress, "I have so often explained to you in some degree the nature of the Trinity-in-Unity, that I can hardly think it necessary to repeat to you at this time, that the Lord the Spirit is one with the Father and the Son, or, as our fifth Article expresses it, 'The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.' This Holy Spirit is, as we have before said, the third Person of the Blessed Trinity-a Person not created, but a divine Person, properly and truly God. And inasmuch as in the work of man's salvation the Father took one part upon himself, and the Son another, so also the Holy Ghost has a peculiar office assigned him, which it is needful for every Christian to understand. This office, as I think I have before informed you, relates, first, to the calling of the sinner, whereby he is awakened from the death of sin, and brought to some apprehension of his perishing state; secondly, to his regeneration, or the renovation of his will, compared in Scripture to a new birth; thirdly, to his sanctification; and, finally, to his glorification. These are the operations of the Holy Spirit upon every individual who is to be saved. Moreover, it is this Blessed Spirit which enables the regenerate person to persevere unto the end, and it is this Blessed Person of the Godhead who through all ages of the Church has endowed its ministers with that continued and fresh supply of grace by which alone they are enabled to instruct and enlighten the people committed to their charge. And in proportion as this grace is poured forth or withheld, the labours of the minister are fruitful or fruitless, as every faithful Christian pastor is ready to acknowledge. The principal Scripture emblems under which this Holy Spirit and its influences are described, are, first, the wind or air; as in St. John iii. 8.-The wind bloweth where it

listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit: secondly, oil; for which we have many Scripture proofs: and, thirdly, running brooks, fresh springs, rivers, and fountains; which last emblems I shall probably have it in my power to elucidate to you, my dear young people," said the lady of the manor, "on many occasions during our future discourses."

The lady then proceeded to say something on those parts of the Apostles' Creed which remained for explanation: viz. "I believe in the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting."

"Persons who are ignorant of the true nature of religion," continued the lady, "differ very widely respecting the first of these articles which I have just repeated, not being able to come to any conclusion concerning the real character of the Church; supposing either that there are many churches, or that the true Church is only found in that peculiar congregation or particular mode of worship which they themselves have adopted. But leaving these fallible directors, and taking the New Testament for our guide, I will endeavour to give you what I suppose to be the real meaning of the expression: for which purpose it will be necessary to take notice, that our Saviour, when first speaking of the Church, mentioned it as a thing which was not then, but which was to be-Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church. (Matt. xvi. 18.) And afterward, when Peter had converted three thousand souls, it was said, And the Lord added to the Church daily, such as should be saved. (Acts. ii. 47.) From these texts, and from considering the circumstances of the followers of our Lord at that time, we may understand what is the true nature of the Church, such as it was when first established, and such as it now is after the lapse of nearly two thousand years: namely, that its character is wholly spiritual; that it was at first composed of a certain number of men, of whom some were apostles, some disciples of our Lord when on earth, and of others who repented, believed, and were