"  Thus  upon  Peter,  as  upon  a  living  stone,  very  near  to  the
comer  stone,  which  is  Christ,  who  binds  Jews  and  Gentiles  into
one,  was  built  the  temple  of  living  minds.  Thus  he  too,  and
the  other  Apostles,  bound  and  loosed ;  for  such  was  their  sim-
plicity of  heart,  and  innocence  of  faith,  that  what  their  good
instinct  shrank  from,  we  see  still  to  be  wrong,  and  wliat  they
praised,  we  still  find  right.  Such  is  the  power  of  *an  honest
and  good  heart,^  that  without  learning  it  discerns  things  that
are  excellent ;  for  it  does  not  quench  the  Spirit  of  Grod,  and  so  is
sensitive  to  evil  and  good.  But  what  such  men  speak  so  as  to
find  answer  in  pure  consciences  for  ever,  is  doubly  an  echo  of
the  law  of  heaven.  Their  freedom  from  rules  is  no  rebellion
against  the  inner  law  of  truth.  Consider  now  these  precepts  of
St  Peter,  and  if  you  find  fault  with  them,  say  so ;  but  if  they
seem  to  express  binding  truths,  help  me  to  teach  them  to  your
children,  as  the  religion  of  Christ.
*  Seeing  ye  have  purified  your  souls  in  obeyiog  the  truth  through
the  Spirit  unto  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren,  see  that  ye  love  one
another  with  a  pure  heart  fervently :  being  bom  again,  not  of  oor-
ruptible  seed,  but  of  inoorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth
and  abideth  for  ever.  For  all  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  all  the  glory
of  man  as  the  flower  of  grass.  The  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower
thereof  falleth  away:  but  the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever.
