Those who were favourable to the measure, generally advocated it by trying to undervalue the chasm that separates Romish from Protestant doctrine.

By such arguments they exceedingly exasperated the real Protestants, and, in common with all around me, I totally repudiated that ground of comprehension.

But I could not understand why a broader, more generous and every way safer argument was not dwelt on; viz.

the unearthliness of the claims of Christianity.

When Paul was preaching the kingdom of God in the Roman empire, if a malicious enemy had declared to a Roman proconsul that the Christians were conspiring to eject all Pagans out of the senate and out of the public administration; who can doubt what Paul would have replied ?--The kingdom of God is not of this world: it is within the heart, and consists in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.