and authority, whereof they do insolently boast-whence comes it?-from heaven, or of men? Christ spake unto Peter, say they, "Upon this rock I will build my church;" by which words the pope's authority is confirmed. For the church of Christ is placed in Peter as in the foundation. But Christ gave nothing to Peter by these words more than to the other apostles: neither doth he make mention of the pope, or of Rome. Christ is that rock-Christ is that foundation. No man, saith St. Paul, can lay another foundation than that which is already laid, which is Christ Jesus."

"These words, upon this rock I will build my church, St. Augustine expoundeth thus: Upon this, saith he, which Peter confessed, saying, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. It is not said, Thou art the rock, but, thou art Peter: the rock was Christ. St. Basil saith thus: Upon this rock, that is, upon this faith, I will build my church. Origen, that most ancient father, saith that every disciple is a rock, after that

he hath drunk of that spiritual Rock; and upon such a rock all the doctrine of the church is builded.... Peter, saith Augustine, taketh his name from the Rock, not the Rock from Peter; neither will I, saith he, build myself upon thee, but I will build thee upon me.'

"Thus far Bishop Jewel, in his letter to Signor Scipio, a gentleman in Venice, &c. &c.

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Briefly revolve in your mind the following queries: Why should St. Peter be esteemed above his fellows? What were his pretensions? What pretensions has any man to infallibility, as St. Peter's successors? What right hath any man to assume to himself the prerogative the pope has? He that is Christ, is the way leading unto the Fatherthe Rock-the Key-the Shepherd,' saith Ignatius. This is the only immovable foundation; this is the blessed rock of faith,' confessed St. Peter. Thou art the Son of the living God,' saith Hilarius.

"I deeply regret to learn your bad state of health. May He that is mighty

strengthen you with all strength in the inner man, and give you, if such be the good pleasure of his will, to live, and to declare the goodness of God. If I have, in what I have observed, spoken harshly, or even unkindly, I pray you forgive me, for the sake of Him who so freely pardons our offences. May the Holy Spirit lead you to consider how good it is to know the way of life, and give you not to linger on the threshold, but to enter boldly on the course. Educated as you probably have been, I am not surprised that you call Protestants heretics.' I would only earnestly ask you to prove all things, hold fast that which is good' and it is my privilege to add, But this I confess unto thee, that, after the way they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.' I hope to hear from you again; but if this is not the case, may we meet in the kingdom of heaven. My prayers for you are unceasing. The Lord supply all your need. What can I add *Acts xxiv. 14.

6

more?

Nothing.-Everything is compre

hended in these words.

"Believe me, dear Sir,

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Very faithfully yours,

"LIONEL T. VERNON."

257

CHAPTER VII.

A SHORT time after the death of Lady Ashton, Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon, with Millicent, came to reside at Ashton Hall, and thither Mr. Vernon went to pay them a visit.

He could not avoid being struck on his entrance there: many changes had taken place since he had last seen Miss Aylmer. His worst fears were realised; one, whose spiritual and temporal welfare he ardently desired, had embraced the soul-withering doctrines of the Church of Rome. She who

had been instrumental to this, had left this scene of things, and entered on an unseen world; and now, after the lapse of only three years and a-half, Millicent Aylmer, who had