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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. f errata d to It le pelure. pon A n 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ft A C H A E G E i>Ki.ivi;nr,i> TO THE CLKRGY or Titr. DIOCESK OF TOIIONTO AT Tlir: VISITATION' 'N JL'NR MDCJCXFAII. »Y JOHN LORD BISlIOr OF TORONTO. TOnOXTO: PRINTED AT TIIK DIOCESAN PIIKSS. ]!847. tl r h a tl aJ g y o^ ni re va in Cn A ROE. My Klvehkni) Hkethhkn, Tliroo yojirs liave olapsod siiico I last adclrossod you from this placo. Durin;^ tliis period miurli lias occurred in favour of tiie Cliurcli, for whicli it hccomes us to be thankful, and nothing of a calamitous or unexpected nature, that can seriously iinj)ede her future progress. It is indeed delightful to behold the aflfections of our people embracing with so much pious cordiality and increjising know- ledge her distinctive principles, and with what correctness they are beginning to appreciate the beauty and efficacy of her forms of order and worship, with which we feel that there are none to be compared in point of Scriptural authority, ancient usage, and intrinsic excellence, in promoting the growth of living Christifinity. We readily grant that the forms and ceremonies used in the celebration of Divine worship are not, properly speaking, religion itself; but they are, nevertheless, essential to its healthy existence and to the continuance of the visible Church, and were they removed, it would gradually oci'iipifd, and tlie coii- tinuonsanil ^rrat inlrnsfiu'ss of tlic lii'jit in I84<{, wore rHtlior beyond niy stren^/tli, and warned me of the necessity of divid- ing the Diocese into tiirec parts, instead of two, an arrange nient wliich becomes the more retiuisite, from the extraordi- nary increase of Missions and Stations, at which my visits are desirec!. During my first visitations, in 1H40 and 1841, I confirmed at seventy-fonr stations, scattered over an immense surface; in 184'2 and 184<'3 tliey had increased to one hundred and two; and in 1845 and 184(), to one hundred and ninety- seven. Hence, you perceive that my stations, during those years, liad increased ninety-five. Here it may be proper however to remark, that some of tiicse hist were ratiier sta- tions of exph)ration, such as my journey to Owen's Sound, and other back settlements, that 1 might make myself better acquainted with the country and inhabitants, and shew our Travelling Missionaries that I called upon them to undertake no labours which I am not willing to share. Some of the sta- tions, as the country becomes better cleared and opened, and tlte roads more tolerable, may be joined for Confirmations, so as to economize labour ; but this can only be done to a very limited extent, althougli it may be sufficient to prevent so great an increase under this head during the next three years. The number confirmed, in the course of my recent visitation, was 4858, which only exceeded the former by 679. This may be considered a less increase than might have been ex- pected from the rapid growth of our population from immi- gration and natural causes. It is, however, necessary to remember, that the number of grown-up and elderly persons, who came forward during my first Confirmation journies, has greatly diminished, and that the candidates now more gene- rally consist of young persons. In respect to immigrants, many are confirmed before they leave home ; and where it is otherwise, the mass of them proceed to the newest settlements, and e same propriety oppose any other portion of Divine worship as this, and so banish religion altogether 12 « from tlio lane!. Have these objectors been at pains to explain this duty to tlieir people — have they called attention to the Scripture sentences of the offertory in the Prayer Book — have they tau«r]it tiiat charity is the brightest of the Christian graces, and that its diligent practice is made the ground by our Lord himself of a favourable judgment at the last day? Let us all feel that any serious neglect on this point, and especially in a new country like this, must be very fatal in its consequences, and that the responsibility rests chiefly upon us. Let it b;^ seen that in this we are not seeking our own advancement and interest, but the glory of God. Charity, be it remembered, though the brightest among the constellation of Christian graces, requires like every othci virtue to be cherished and encouraged, and then it expands more and more in force and energy, and though still a duty it becomes a delight. Its meaning is not to be con- fined to almsgsving ; for it is meant to promote and support every institution which may contribute to the health of ths body and the soul. It should also in its beneficial effects be illustrated by examples, that its beauty ai»d excellencv? may be the more deeply impressed upon the hearts of our people. The members of our Church should be taught never to come to Divine worship empty handed; and again and again should they be reminded of this important duty, which so strongly connects our devotion to God wlch kindness to man, and it should not be forgotten that a small exertion on the part of our people at the present time, would be more effectual than ten times the same exertion a few years hence. Suppose that in this Diocese sixty thousand families belong to the Chu'di. Were each of these families to dedicate to the ser- vice of God a few acres of wild land, some giving more, some less, as God has enabled them, but, on the whole, averaging eight or ten acres each, it would form an endowment sufficient to establish, in time, three or four parishes in every town- ship. Now, this is an effort which every one will readily acknowledge to be of no great nagnitude, for an acre of land iii^ 13 is of little value ;it present, and yet how niij>]ity the results it would produce, and of what infinite importance to the country. It would enable the Church, with the other growing means at her disposal^ to carry her holy ministrations to her children in every part of the Diocese in all future time, however numerous they might become. Some such effort as this, you will be pleased to learn, is in contemplation, and the detailed information necessjiry to put it forward, with hope of success, is now colle ;ting; and even if partially successful, i- will prove a good beginning, and, when fairly put in motion, it can be gradually carried forward as opportunity serves. For it is not a work to be completed in a day, or in many years. It is our duty to do all we can, and to leave the final issue to a higher power. Nor, if we look at the ways of Providence, can we con- sider this issue doubtful. The Bishop of London proposed to build within the metropolis fifty Churches, and it has been proceeded with in a true Christian spirit, and will soon be accomplished. To build the like number of Cliurches required, a century ago, the whole influence of Government. The Bishop of London's proposal was a great definite object, and the building of the first Church silenced all doubts as to its practicability, and now that it is nearly completed, there will arise an assurance that the three or four hundred Churches still required in that immense city, will in due time be erected. So far the holy work has been blessed, and it would indeed be strange were it now to cease; but it cannot be. The holy impulse has been given, — a glorious emulation excited, — the benefits are already visible and striking, and the task, gigan- tic as it may appear, will be accomplished. Why then should we despond and tremble for the success ok our plan ? In all collective un( ertakings, the first step, or, more properly speaking, the first act of faith, is the germ of all that succeeds it, because the pledge of actual consummation. Therefore, the first testimony, in holy confidence, to our scheme of ex- tending the Church through the Diocese becomcG to us an 14 assurance of final triumph. Let no one start in despair at its maf^nitude, or tliiidv lightly of the day of small things. — Think of the late Mr. Wilberforcc, standing almost alone in the British Legislature, in his first attempt to abolish the slave trade, when assailed with the scorn and fierce opposition of almost all around him, and his glorious triumph. Now, our object is as much a Christian duty as the abolition of the slave trade ; and the time, it is hoped, is not distant in the history of this Diocese, when all our people shall recognize, as a first principle and their first duty, to provide for the salvation of the souls and bodies of men, and that we have no right to build ourselves "wide houses and large chambers, and ciel them with cedar, and paint them with vermillion," (Jer. xxii. 14), until we have built up houses of God for every portion of the Christian population of the la; id. Nor are we without the encouragement of example in this great undertaking. — On my return from visiting the missiens west of Toronto, in September, 1845, I found a letter from the Lord Bishop of Ripon, the perusal of which dissipated in a moment the con- tinned fatigue which I had been enduring for several months. His Lordship stated, that " he had the pleasure to inform me that some munificent individual, entirely unknown to him, had deposited in his hands the sum of five thousand pounds sterling, which the donor wisiied to be appropriated to the building of a Church in the Diocese of Toronto, to be called The Church of the Holy Trinity; the patronage to be left entirely to the Bishop of the Diocese, as well as the situation." Sacramental plate, surplices, and all things needful, were at the same time promised, and have since been furnished. — The only condition imposed is, " that a yearly Report of the progress and circumstances of the Church is either to be printed in the Annual Report of the Society for Promo- ting Christian Knowled');e, entitled, ' Holy Trinity Church Report,' or to be sent to the Rev. H. Swale, M.A., Little Yorkshire, who will shew it to the benefactor. 1 have not the most remote conjecture," adds the Bishop, " who the 1,5 donor is." On consulting with several of my clerjry and other friends of the Church, all of whom were filled with joy and admiration at this noble Christian manifestation of charity, they concurred with one voice that the free Church should be built at Toronto, by far the most populous city in the Diocese, and in a locjilicy most likely to embrace the largest portion of the poor. This Diocoso may be justly considered the great reservoir of emigration from the United Kingdom, and therefore its increase of population is extremely rapid, and of this increase Toronto naturally partakes more than any other town. Of the emigrants, many are of the poorer classes, so that a more valuable boon could not be conferred uoon A them, than that of building and endowing a free Church for their religious instruction. The great importance of the object which the pious and generous donor has in view is very much enhanced, from the fact that our Churches are com- monly built by subscription, for which sittings and pews are in general stipulated, and although liberal provision is in most cases made for the more destitute class, -often to the ex- tent of one third of the whole Church, yet this, generous as it appears to be, is not always sufficient, hence we have no little difficulty in providing convenient room in our churches for the accommodation of our poorer neighbours. Moreover, it is refreshing to know that we have a sacred edifice, one of the largest and most beautiful in the Diocese, built expressly for the benefit and use of the poor, into which they can enter with sweet independence of mind and grateful feelings of heart to the pious donor that it is their own. It is farther proposed to attach to the Church a Free School, for the ad- vantage of the children of the congregation and all others who may desire to avail themselves of the benefits it will offer. — • The basis of instruction to be the Church Catechism, without neglecting those secular branches of education which are taught at schools from which religion is unwisely and wickedly excluded. Measures were immediately taken to find a site for the Church, eligible for the purpose intended, and to pro- 1(5 cccci without delay to its erection. In the selection of a proper site we met with some difficulty; several were offered, but they were not in the desired locality, and the price de- manded by the proprietors of such as might have been deemed eligible, was so great as would have trenched on the wished for endowment. From anxiety on this subject, however, we were soon relieved by the Honourable John Macaulay, retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Engineers, who bestowed upon us, gratis, the very spot which we had all believed to be the most appropriate, at an expense to himself of more than five hundred pounds. While we offer our warmest thanks for this generous and seasonable gift, we beg to acknowledge our obligations to several other gentlemen, who generously offered us sites, but which were declined, because not convenient for the object in view. But we have not done with our generous benefactor. The whole proceedings are clothed with some- thing so delightfully holy, that to dwell upon them is to ele- vate and purify our own hearts and affections, and thus to pro- duce similar fruit. In due time the sacramental plate for the Church, and also for private communion with the sick, with table-cloths, napkins, and surplices, &c., all of which are very- much admired for their tasteful elegance, reached us in safety. But what created still greater admiration, and still deeper feel- ings of gratitude, were the magnificent gifts, and their beauti- ful appropriation, for rejoicing on the day of the Consecration of the Church, with which these things were accompanied. — First, — The donor desires that fifty pounds sterling be pre- sented at the Offertory on the day of the consecration of the Church of the Holy Trinity, should the Holy Communion be then administered ; if not, on the first occasion on which there is a Communion. Second, — That the same sum be offered to supply gifts and rejoicings for the poor on the day of consecration. Third, — That the sum of fifty pounds sterling be offered and appropriated for an Altar Cloth for the Church of the Holy Trinity. Fourth, — That the like sum of fifty pounds sterling be offered for the beautifying of the Font ; 17 or should that be completed, for any internal decoration for the more devotional observance of Divine Service. Such a complete act of charity, and so thoughtful and delicate iu all its arranjremcnts, and descending- with holy foresight to the most minute things which might in any way tend to the devo- tional objects of the gift, is scarcely to be found in the history of the Christian Church. Wealth is indeed a blessing, when it is thus devoted to so noble a purpose as the extension of Christ's kingdom. But while we arc most grateful to the donor who has thus provided for the spiritual instruction of our poor, it may not be out of place to mention some exertions among our own people, which have a kindred spirit, and may, by the blessing of God, provoke others to the like good works. The congregation of the township of Dunwich is composed of a few families, which are entirely rural in their manners and habits, and manifest the strongest attachment to the Church ; of their zeal in her favour they have given many proofs. Though few in number, they have erected a neat Church on a plot of ten acres of land, without any assistance from other quarters. One individual, a farmer, gave eighty pounds towards its erection, another sixty pounds ; while the land, and also a set of excellent books for the desk, were the donation of an aged lady of the congregation, now departed, who has left for the benefit of the Church a small legacy yet to come. They have lately built a commodious Parsonage House, and have added to their Church a handsome steeple, furnished with a large bell ; and all this has been done quietly and without any bustle or apparent effort, as if they were matters of course. Is it not from this example evident that there needs only the same spirit to do the same in every populous neighbourhood throughout the Diocese ? The Church in the township of Westminster we owe to the vigorous and unwearied labours of Miss Watson, a lady who came to Canada principally with the view of establishing her nephews on land. On arriving in this township, where a pur- B ■'.i-ii ' ! .1; r 18 chase had been made on her behalf, she found it unprovided with religious ordinances. Her first step was to appropriate ten acres of h*'r farm for the site of a Church, Cliurvhyard, and Parsonage ; she then appealed to her friends in England for assistance in aid of her own and her neighbours efforts, and she has now the satisfaction of beholding her exertions crowned with success in a very commodious Church with a respectable congregation. A few such persons in each Dis- trict, and their waste places would soon rejoice and blossom. In the township of Malahide we have a signal proof of what may be done by a single person, whose heart is in the work. Mr. Johnson has a large family, and is not a wealthy farmer, nevertheless he resolved upon building a Church on his own farm. The Church is almost completed, as he is determined to finish it without any assistance. This he says he had on his mind when he first came into the woods and settled on his land, and was .an invigorating source of encouragement which never left him ; and to this he jxttributes his continual health and gradual progress towards independence. It was, he remarked, a great undertaking for a poor man, but he and his family have done most of the work with their own hands ; and he thinks he is in better circumstances than he would have been had he made no such attempt. This shews how much good a man may do, even in situations by no means promising, when sincerely disposed and heartily labouring for the honour and service of God. A very few such men could establish and endow a parish and not feel it a burthen, but a blessing, as Mr. Johnson now does. It is with much satisfaction that I inform you that the Clergy Reserve Fund yielded, for the first time, a small surplus in 1845, and a like excess in 1846. This will enable the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts to relieve the distress of those Clergymen whose small stipends had been held in abeyance, and in whose favour I was compelled to appeal to the Church some years ago. The surplus for the present year has been so much greater than 19 for the two former, that it has enabled the Society to relieve your Bishop from l.is duties of the Rector of Toronto and Archdeacon of York, by granting a v^ry moderate endow- ment for the support of the See. You will also be pleased to learn that the Provincial Government has greatly reduced the expense of collecting the Clergy Reserve dues, and have thus effected a material improvement in the amount received. Further measures, it is said, are in contemplation, so that the expense of collection may not in future exceed six per cent.; a rate as low as can reasonably be expected. For these valuable arrangements the Government of the Province deserves our best acknowledgments. Nevertheless, we have still to complain of the very low valuation put upon the Clergy Reserves, by which they are in a great measure sacrificed. It is true that the Inspectors arc more to blame than the Government, but the practical evil is great, and ought imme- diately to be abated. It is indeed so outrageous that in some instances the Government have been compelled to interfere, but the general injury to the Church still continues. On the whole, while thankful to the present Administration for what in this behalf has been already done, we still feel that, to procure a just and fair valuation of the Reserves by honour- able men, would , next to giving the Church the management of the small portion that remains to her, be a great boon, and enabb her at no distant period to double the number of her Clergy. After all, our great desire continues to be, to acquire the management of what is left to the Church of the Reserves; and why this reasonable desire is not complied with, remains a matter of deep regret. The present sales of the Clergy Reserves are helping to make the fortunes of speculators, and religion in the next generation will be comparatively destitute of support; for it is plain that no other public provision will ever be made for it, than that which the Government and Legislature are now suffering to be wasted without the smallest public benefit. The late Lord Metcalfe (as indeed every honest churchman must be) was in favour of allowing '.'0 ilii us the manai^cmont and (lisi)o»ition of what rcinaiiiH to us of tlir Church property, by whicli wc would be enabled to assij^n small endowments of land for the future support of parishes. In this way the ext-nsion of the Church would become per- manent, aiul far «rrcater than can ever be expected under the present defective management. Opposition to such a wise arrangfcment can only arise from selfish and unholy motives, and affords a melancholy instance of indifference to the pro- gress and stability of religion. As to those who, under all circumstances, are against religious endowments, they ki:ow not what spirit they are of. The principle of religious endow- ments and establishments covering the whole land, and acces- sible to all the population both rich and poor, is not merely natural but enjoined by God himself; it would therefore be idle as well as wicked, to argue with such opponents — men who forget that there was a national religious establishment in Israel, and that God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, can never sanction any institution that is wrong in principle. This religious establishment was ordained of God, received his constant support, and possessed throughout its long continuance the full weight of the Divine authority. Nay, it was recognized by our Saviour, and all its require- ments strictly complied with by him while on earth, and by his holy Apostles, till superseded in its final accomplishment by the Christian Church. Did the enemies of permanent endowments and religious establishments revile only what is human, silence might be wisdom; but when we find them treating with the utmost bitterness and contempt a Divinely sanctioned principle, it becomes our duty to protest, and say, "O my soul, come not into their secret; unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united." In no religious dispute is there perhaps such a perversion of the Scripture, as in that which relates to religious establishments. The fact that the Jewish Church was national, and in every way established by God himself, stands forth in such bold relief, that it implies a judicial blindness as great and still more wicked than that Q\ of Pharaoh, to deny the eonsequence, tliat the Christian reli- gion oii;jrht tu be establisheii by every Christian nation. We are at tiie same time ready to admit, that mere endow- ments and temporal privileges do tu>tof themselves eontribule to the real strength and permanency of the Chnrch; they may indeed serve a most nsefnl purpose in scaffolding, uj)hol(ling and carrying out her beneficent arrangements, but the true strength of the Church depends upon the faithfulness of lier Ministry and the piety of her people. When tlie Church becomes corrupt, her enemies s(M>n prevail; and in such cir- cumstances no system of concession, such as benestuwiii|^ s of the riiier, uiid ^Uiurclios. iltiplyin^ tl»ey are ; nut, but atiuns is li is their means at notwith- ay, from carrying hundred ast fiehl, try spirit ; activity hings to of men, onscious of suc- ;ements, spend 1 should he con- e been instru- i which ?asy for « before ns they > whom ffer our r doing n in the Mother Country may be opened to ht;lp ihem — and tliut no check may be given to their glorious operations. Perhaps before any other audience 1 might be accused of dwelling too long on this subject; but to you, uiy brethren, who know and feel the many blessings bestowed upon the Colonics by these noble institutions, I shall appear to come far short of what they merit. IJefore leaving this subject, it appears to mc necessary, though it is most painful, to remark that, holy as the objects of these Societies are, and infinite as is the good they are accomplishing, they have not escaped the slander and reviling of wicked men. Now when we calmly reflect upon what they have done, and are hourly doing, X can scarcely conceive any greater crime than for any one to endeavour by slanderous mis-statements and malicious insinu- ations, to lessen the well-earned confidence they possess in the opiiiion of the Heads of the Church and the great body of the Clergy and laity iu England, and thus to produce the contraction of their holy operations, it is indeed a deplorable proof of the corruption of our fallen nature, that men can be found, acting under a pretence for religion, labouring with a zeal worthy of a better cause to arrest the stream of Christian benevolence flowing from these institutions; but the Church of God will ever have enemies — hypocrites, Pharisees and Sadducees will ever exist to do the works of darkness under the influence of Satan, their idol; yet we have no cause to fear; the Lord will overrule their wicked devices for the good of his Church, against which the gates of hell shall not pre- vail. And of this we may rest assured, that no sincere Chris- tian who reads the history of the proceedings of these two Societies, can fail to lift up his soul in praise and gratitude to God, for raising them up to exte?id the blessings of our holy Church through the numerous Colonies of the Empire, and to comfort and encourage our Missionaries who are labouring under her banner with a zeal, piety, and devotedness worthy of the best ages. As was observed on a former occasion, the nv^r^^ nn^ -flR mutaummamt)-*:.- m cient help wliicli we are receiving from England is not alto- gether oonfined to the two great Societies. The Rev. W. J. D. Waddilove, M.A., of Beacon Grange, Yorkshire, continues amidst weak health, deep affliction, and many discouragements, with a zeal that no obstacles can quench, to support the Stew- art Missions. Mr. Waddilove is a bright example of what great and extensive good one man can do if truly in earnest. He muiiitains at this moment three travelling Missionaries, besides granting donations of money to build Churches and Parsonages, and supplying religious books for distribution among our people. To contemplate this aged Clergyman, al- most entirely confined to a bed of sickness, multiplying himself, as it were, into three active young men, traversing the wilds of Canada four thousand miles from his home, to spread the precious truths of the Gospel, and gather strayed sheep into the fold of his beloved Saviour, is one of the most interesting and sublime spectacles which the annals of the Church have ever exhibited. It is not easy for me to express my gratitude to this pious and consistant servant of God, who turns neither to the right nor to the left, but keeps steadily and quietly in the good old paths, and presents the Church, through his Missiona- ries, in all the excellence which adorns her in the Father land. The New England Society, established by Royal Charter in the reigr of Charles the Second, continue to support their missions among the Six Nation Indians, with unabated care and liberality. Their two Missionaries are ever at their posts, and are encouraged by a fair measure of success; the number of Indians still Pagan are rapidly diminishing, and the School of Industry is attracting more and more the attention of the different tribes, and appears in a very flourishing condition. On the other Indian Missions I shall not on the present oc- casion touch, as the principal ones have been brought recently before the public in a prominent manner by their two able Missionaries, the Rev. R. Flood and the Rev. Dr. O'Meara. Having thus rapidly surveyed the present state of the Dio- cese, and seen that if much spiritual destitution remains, and 0". must for a long time of necessity remain, in a now country advancinj^ from a perfect wilderness to populous settlement, yet, through the Divine blessing', sufficient progress has been made in disseminating the Gospel, to encourage us to perse- vere, I now proceed to such other matters as seem, at this time, more particularly to merit our attention. In regard to the disputes which at present trouble a few sec- tions of the Church, as to certain diversities in the celebration of Divine worship, 1 do not, on the present occasion, deem it ne- cessary to enlarge. At the same time, I am quite satisfied that a stringent proceeding, in exacting obedience to such Rubrics as have been long obsolete, is not the way to arrest the agita- tion, where it unfortunately exists, but rather to aggravate and extend it. And we seem to be supported in this view by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury's Pastoral Letter, which was like pouring oil on the troubled waters; and, since its publication, there has been a returning to harmony and peace. His Grace appears to sanction a tender regard to the feelings of our people, where they have been roused and alarmed at wliat they believed to be unwarranted irniovations in the revival of Rubrics to which thev had never been accustomed. And it must indeed be allowed, that cases may occur which would render the enforcement of a particular Rubric very hurtful to those whose edification we are striving to promote. At the same time, I am decidedly of opinion that if complete uniformity in the observance of the Rubric could be obtained, through a legitimate authority, it is much to be desired; but, while such authority is wanting, nothing should be tried but kind and affectionate persuasion, and if these fail, the matter should be left in abeyance, till a season- able opportunity arrives. With honest and discreet persua- sion much may be done, when the point is judged of impor- tance ; but this persuasion should precede the change, and then the return to the Rubric will produce no inconvenience. This seems to be the course v/hich is generally pm-sued by the Clergy since the highest authority in the Church hath ili 2C ■«"! i:! spoken, and the consequence has already been a gradual re- turnintJ^ to sobriety and moderation in the Church at large, and among the Clergy the adoption of that quiet, patient, and conciliating mode of proceeding which I would desire to recommend. "It would surely be a poor, though a most costly triumph," says the amiable Bishop of Madras, *' to revive an obsolete usage at the expense of an immortal soul ; and when the soul is driven out from its place of refuge and security in the Church, how often it goes forth seeking rest and finding none, until after passing through the various ordeals of fanaticism, it subsides into infidelity. When the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, many such a sad history may be published before men and angels." But while I thus recoramet d great prudence and conciliation in returning to any Rubric in : congregation where it has become obsolete, yet v»dien. the people are convinced of its utility, and have given their consent, it will be found to add much to the beauty and interest of Divine worship. And in gathering new con- gregations the difficulty of conforming more strictly to the Rubric is seldom felt, and is of great benefit when it can be quietly and honestly effected. But independent of the slight agitation which has taken place in some portions of the Church, respecting the more strict observance of the Rubrics, it cannot be denied that a great religious movement is now in progress within her pale of far greater consequence, and to which, on an occasion like this, it may be profitable to refer. The causes of this move- ment may be traced so far back as the Reformation in the IGth century, when the Church of England undertook to cleanse herself from the many errors by which the truths of the Gospel had been in a great measure corrupted and rendered of none effect. Fortunately, thic work of renovation to primitive purity and order was undertaken by the heads of the Church; hence her reformation can be considered in no other light than a blessed gift of Divine Providence, scattering light and life over a benighted nation. The deep lethari>-v which had 'il radual re- at large, itient, and desire to ;h a most dras, '* to ►rtal soul ; sfuge and iking rest e various ^Vlien the id history iile I thus urning to obsolete, md have le beauty- tie w con- ;ly to the it can be >as taken ;he more ed that a her pale sion like is move- i\ in the rtook to ruths of eudered rimitive hurch; er light ght and lieh had for so mjmy ages sunk the human mind, burst forth with suddon intellectual energy in the 15th century from the invention of printing, the discovery of tlie new world, and the fall of the Greek Empire, which spreac' the learning of the East over the West of Europe. Soon after, the Reformation of the Church commenced in Germany, and was gradually extended to England, where it was entertained with far greater wisdom and moderation than on the Continent or in Scotland. During the reign of Henry the Eighth the restoration of the Church to purity of doctrine and discipline proceeded slowly, but in the meantime the public mind was gradually awakening and getting better prepared for the more rapid progress which marked the short government of Edward the Sixth. Some interruption took place during the five years of the cruel and bigoted Queen Mary; but on the accession of Elizabeth, the Reformation of the Church was happily completed. With so much gentleness and judgment was her renovation conducted, that during the first years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it seemed to produce little or no commotion either among the Clergy or people ; the Thirty-nine Articles were drawn up with so great moderation that they were subscribed to by the great majority of the Clergy without remonstrance or com- plaint; indeed out of nine thousand five hundred beneficed Clergymen at that time in England, only 154 left their livings on account of the changes introduced in religion. Moreover, the Prayer Book for public worship was compiled in such a conciliating spirit of Christian charity and forbearance, and with such unselfish consideration for the tenderness of con- science not yet enlightened, that few mad? any objections; the people attended their parish churches as before, and acknowledged the same pastors. But this happy state of things was not suiTcred to remain ; for in the year 156J), Pope Pius the Fourtli issued a Bull excommunicating Queen Elizabeth and all her adherents, and granting her dominions to the King of Spain. This was the true cause of the dis- ruption between the Churclies of England and Rom^. '.u^A 38 '^ induced tlie Popish party, wliioli had hitherto continued in tl»e Retornietl Church, to separate from her Communion. The same year witnessed the Puritiin separation. This tur- bulent sect owes its orijrin to the exiles who had been com- pelled to leave Knoland in the reign of Queen Mary. Havinjr been received with much kindness by the lleformers abroad, they gradually imbibed their reckless opinions, and sought on their return to change the Church of England to their favourite models; and not being able to succeed, they declared against her, affirming that she had stopt short in the work of reformation, and still retained many Popish errors and super- stitions. From this time they became very troublesome, and strayed farther and farther from the truth, denouncing Epis- copacy as anti-Christian, and heaping upon the Church the most bitter and malicious reproaches. By degrees they mixed up politics with r-li^ion. and discarding all authority, temporal and spiritual, except to themselves, became very formidable to Church and State; and although Archbishop Laud suc- ceeded for a short period in restoring something of order and uniformity in ecclesiastical matters, and in repressing their intemperate innovations, yet by their incessant seditions and persevering hatred to the Church and Government, they gained at length the ascendancy, beheaded the Archbishop, abolished Episcopacy, expelled from their parishes seven thousand of the Clergy without a fault, murdered their King, and then sank under the rule of an able and cunning usurper. On the restoration of Charles the Second to the throne of his ancestors, in 1660, the Puritans were deprived of power; two thousand of their Ministers were ejected from the parislies which they had unlawfully occupied, and the Church was restored in her full integrity. And here it is pleasant to observe, that Christianity was so well defended by the sons of the restored Church, that the vory madness of the men who brought ruin on their country in the name of religion, who dismissed the Prayer Book from public worship as a beggarly element, and defended every crime, political, moral and 29 rcHi>ious, from the liistory of the Jews, the I'salms and Prophets, fiiiled in tlie end to injure that religion whieh they had so much misunderstood, and thus the great rebellion was overruled for good. For some time the Romanists and the Puritans under their new name of Nonconformists, being very sensi- bly diminished in numbers, remained quiet; but after the death of Charles, his brother James the Second, revived the hopes of the Romanists, and by his arbitrary and illegal measures sought to overturn the Protestant Church Establish- ment, and bring in Popery in its room ; but the friends of the Reformation rose in their might, and having compelled him to leave the kingdom, invited William of Holland to occupy the vacant throne. In these events, which constitute what is called the Revolution of 1688, the Puritans took very little part; so that the honor of effecting it belongs almost entirely to the Church. It was a providential interference of God's moral government to rescue the nation from the sin of Popery. From that time till very recently, the constitution of the country has been wholly anti-Romanist, and the succession of the Crown has been limited to Protestant Princes. Severe laws were enacted against Popery, because they were found essential to the national security, to the preservation of the public peace, and the independence of the kingdom. But prosperity is not without its dangers. The Church seemed gradually to forget the great mercies which had been be- stowed upon her, and feeling secure from her enemies the Romanists and Non-confcrmists or Dissenters, fell, during the greater part of the last century, into lethargy and decay. There was an apathy and deadness in her pulpits ; speculative enquiries into abstract truth, and dissertations on the beauty of virtue, were in general preached to the people, instead of the sublime and precious doctrines of the scriptures ; the con- sequence was, a general disregard of religious truths, for such preaching could make no salutary impression on their hearts. It is true there were among the Clergy, even in this period. 50 of ji^otirni) (leadness, many exceptions, many who discharged their sacred duty in the most conscientious and efficient manner ; hut they were unable to rouse the Church from her slumbers. Thus a way was prepared for such remarkable men as Wesley and VVhitfiehl, who disturbed by their vehemence the repose of both Dissenters and Churchmen, and revived something of the spirit of Puritanism without its disloyalty. These zealous men and their followers certainly effected a partial reforma- tion, both among the clergy and people; but they were made the severe chastisers of the Church, for her supineness and neglect of her high functions, by extending division, desj)ising authority, vitiating the faith, and throwing back the hope of union among Protestants, which can only be obtained by blending with spirituality of heart due submission to discipline and order. Thus matters continued, with very little improve- ment, till the commencement of the French Revolution, when a movement appeared in the Church and among the nume- rous sections of Dissenters into which the Non Conformists had by this time divided. Unfortunately, the distinctive principles of the Church had been so long held in abeyance, that they were at this period neglected, or altogether unknown to a large portion of the clergy; and many, partaking of the prevailing excitement, thought nothing more necessary, and finding a similar spirit among the Dissenters, they considered it their duty to join them in their efforts to extend the power of religion. There was perhaps the more excuse for this irregularity from the fact, that the Dissenters of that day spoke with reverence of the Church of England, and differed little more from her than in government. Most of them ac- knowledged her creeds, and were willing to admit the devo- tional excellence of her Prayer Book and Formularies. — Moreover, they had not yet mingled politics with their reli- gious views, or considered Church establishments subversive of Christianity. Without entering more minutely into the growing differences in religion, which marked the period of the Revolutionary Wars which distracted Europe for twenty- 31 five years, between the Chr-^h and Dissenters, and their still more rapid progress, both withir and without the pale of our Church, during the last thirty years, which have intervened since the general peace of 1815, I shall content myself with reverting briefly to the religious revolution which was effected by the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, in 1828, and what hi.s been called the Emancipation of the Roman Catho- lics, in 1829, the fruits of which we have ever since and are now reaping. Till 1829, Romanism seemed almost dead in Great Britain: its adherents were few in number, and apparently disposed to shun any particular notice. In Ireland Jiey were indeed numerous, and from time to time indicated some life; but not such as to produce any serious apprehensions among the Pro- testant population. But, from the day of their emancipation, things greatly changed ; the removal of the safeguards of the Protestant constitution instantly infused new life and hopes, and since that time the Romanists have become more and more formidable, till they now beard the whole legislature. At first they were humble in their requests and profuse in their promises of gratitude, but lately they demand as rights what they formerly requested as favours; nor is it mere equality which they demand with the Protestants, but supe- riority : and they have been much favoured by the growing indifference to all religion, which the long peace appears to have fostered. Our great intercourse with the Continent of Europe, and our greater familiarity with the arts, seductions, and superstitions of Romanism, have had a great effect among our legislators and higher members of society, and made many of them believe that it has changed its character. A false liberality has sprung up, and under the pretence of religious freedom, the most important truths, which concern our happi- ness in time and eternity, are by thousands disregarded or deemed not worth contending for. But the Romish Church never sleeps, and she has availed herself of this spurious libe- m m i 3U i rality to roinovr all tlio ohstiiclos wliirli Htood in tlie way of hor equality witii tlio Ciiiircli, and with such success, that she now bcjj-ins to look forward to ascendancy. Nor is this hope without feasible j^routids of success. All the safeu^uards aiil^ainst lier, which our forefathers believed so necessary for the preservation of true relii^ion, the peace of the community, and the stability of the throne, are expunnt as (jpposite interpretations and opi- fdons are frecpiently fonnth'd on tlie same j)assa whieh we have subscribed, will be completely justified and confirnu'd with more full knowledj^e. Hence a latitudinarian or qualified subscription, which some desire, can neither be admitted nor defended. Subscription to the truth of certain definite doctrines is required, because no society can be held together, without it. As therefore the Church of England is a distinct society, and, .t? such, holds dis'inctive principles, agreed upon by her V rmers, these she must continue to maintain, in order to secure her integrity and efficiency. It was the duty of the founders of our Church to provide the people with a repository of Scriptural truth ; and this they did by the compilation of the Book of Common Prayer, which contains the essence of the Gospel in the form of devo- tional compositions. But this was not of itself a sufficient protection from erroneous doctrine and heretical perversion ; against these provision is made i.i the Articles, which arc to be used as an antidote against special religious maladies such as the corruptions of Romanism, and the errors of Dissent ; both of which existed at the period of the Reformation, and are more than ever rife and vehement at the present day ; and these safeguards provide that nothing shall be taught our people by their Ministry which shall in the smallest degree vitiate or nullify the Book of Common Prayer ; which, when rigbtly and devoutly used, puts them in possession of the whole council of God in the redemption of man, and together with the Articles, are sufficient to secure all fundamental truth, and exclude every possible error. But as we are sur- rounded by enemies who seek the destruction of our Church, it is of the utmost importance that every one of our Clergy, who is responsible for the creed of his flock, should be sure of the grounds of his own belief, and not only be able, when kS occasion rccjuircs, to ^ivc a rcasdii ot tlic hope that is in him, but l)c prcpary these weapons are most abundantly furnished in the Articles and IJook of Commcm Prayer. First, of Romanism. In speaking of the Roman Church we have to remark that, her doctrine is a mixture of truth and error ; she retains as well as we the three primitive Creeds, and thus possesses the fundamental doctrines of Christianity; but she has mixed them up with so much pernicious error, as almost entirely to destroy their influence on tlie lieart and understanding. This however she has done with so mucli skill and ingenuity, that for a long time it "was not easy to answer the question, what i'3 Popery? She appeals to her creeds and confessions as handed dov^^n from the primitive Church, to prove that she cannot be corrupt or idolatrous, and thus she succeeds with many in softening down the features of errors which justly call forth the abhorrence of God and man. But her success in thus multiplying ! ^r manifold corruj)tions is now much more difficult, and cannot so frequently prevail with the thinking and serious as before the Council of Trent and the publication of the Creed of Pope Pius the Fourth. That Council, in certain of its proceedings, which were afterwards embodied in this Creed, pronounced the vagaries of the schools, and the dreams of enthusiasts which had been long floating in the Church, Articles of Faith. Till this was done, such tenets might or might not be held by the members of the Romish (iiurch; but since that time, they must be believed by all as necessary to salvation. Refore the publi- cation of this Creed, much of the influence of Rome lay in K) I clone, lers of it be >ubli- lay in her euro not to l)iii»o forward, in doalin^ with persons of understanding, her eorrupt principles, without jrreat mystery and preparaticm, and when she met witli resistance, ami was anxious to gain the convert, she was reay some, of llu» authority of the Sovori'i^ii INmtilV oiitliviiii'- that of thr Aii^litaii Pr<»t»'staiit C'lnirch." " Now this was inardy. The nohle lord avowed what he considered the true object of the Hill, hut al)jiiro, as the liereans did eon- eernini*; the doctrines of St. l*anl, whether they are agreeable to and snpp(Mted l)y the Scriptures. 'J'he Dissenter, on the other hand, takes up the Creeds as human comjiositions, pays no attention to their antitpnty or the authority they derive from their lon^- use in the Church of God, and the belief accorded to them by the most learned, wise, and pious men durin(>; nearly two thousand years, all of which are strong presumptive proofs, but explains or rejects them as he hap- pens to interpret the Scriptures to which they refer. Even this much is seldom done, for the Creeds are by many deno- minations thrown aside as useless lumber. This no doubt arises from the fact that they find them a check upon private jud^^ment — that they j)lace a limit upon rash inquiries and endeavour to ^ive them a salutary direction. Most Dissent- ing; denominations, for example, deny the j^race of Baptism. One baptism for the remission of sins, is a doctrine which they will iu)t admit, because they do not comprehend the con- nci'tiou between the outward visible sij^n, and the inward spi- ritual grace, hence they stij^matise baptismal reo^eneration as a relique of Popery. Ami because they cannot see the con- nexion between the water o( baptism and the jrrace of the Spirit, they pronounce it a carnal ordinance, of no other value than so far as it is a form of admission into the Church. It is uothino- to tluMU that Christ himself said, "" Except a man be born of water ami »>f tlu^ Spirit, he cannot see the kiuiidom of Ciod." I hey demand, like Nicodemus. '* how can these things be.'" Now, although this Article of our Faith is so distasieful to Dissenters and, what is comnionlv i'alie«l, the re- ligious worUl, yet, when von jiress the more moderate of them, who are not rationalists, for a distinct opinion eoncerninsJ^ its nature, it will be foutul nt>r so nnu-h at variance with the teaching- of the Church as might have been anticipated, and 55 warrants the belief that much, if not the whole, difficulty arises among the honest and well-intentioned, from their using the same word in different senses. This view is corroborated from the fact that no two opinions will be found among them exactly the same, and all will betray a crudeness and hesita- tion little calculated to satisfy the humble mind. How much better to submit to .he doctrine of the Church, which she has believed and taught through her whole history. "That the Church of England does hold, and does teach, Baptismal Regeneration," says the Rev. Mr. Melvill,* "would never, we must venture to think, have been disputed, had not men been anxious to remain in her communion and yet to make her formularies to square with their own private notions. We really think that no fair, no straightforward dealing, can get rid of the conclusion, that the Church holds what is called Baptismal Regeneration. You may dislike the doctrine, you may wish it expunged from the Prayer Book ; but so long as I subscribe to that Prayer Book, and so long as I officiate according; to the forms of that Praver Book, I do not see how I can be commonly honest and yet deny that every baptised person is on that account regenerate." Concurring, as I do, in these observations, it may be useful to remark, that the doctrine of the Church is, that in baptism the penalty attached to the first transgression is removed, and the sin forgiven ; but she does not maintain that all baptised persons are by virtue of this sacrament placed in a path which must of neces- sity lead them to eternal life ; or, that the end of our Christian calling is accomplished. The Church does not teach that every branch engrafted on the mystical body of Christ shall bear fruit unto everlasting salvation. Many of those who deny the doctrine of regeneration, so clearly taught by the Church, are carried away with the opinion that she teaches that those who are once regenerate must ever continue so, and advance in holiness ; but this is an error. Baptism is the * INIelviU's Sermons, Vol. 2, Sermoii 8. 56 commencement of a new life, hence it is called a new birtli ; but it is not the whole of that new life, and must be sustained by a living faith, workinj^ through love. The gifts and privi- leges which it confers may be lost; men may resist and do resist God, and hold his grace in unrighteousness; they become withered branches, though still attached to the vine ; and this is their condemnation, for the sins of men baptized are far worse than the sins of the heathen. There is another principle connected with the Sacrament of liaptism, which has been held by tlie Catholic Church in all ages, and the denial of which by the Dissenters and others in modern times has been productive of infinite evil; it is this: that baptism into the Church of God, is the same with Scriptural election, and that the Catholic Church is the Church of the election ; that it is the choosing of individuals out of the corrupt mass of manki'id, into the pale of the visible Church, with God's morally acting purpose and intention that such individuals as profit by these privileges of election should finally attain everlasting life. The doctrines of the New Testament are not tiie oifspring of reason, but truths, revealed by God himself, with his special promise that he will be with his Church to the end of the world. It is there- fore of unspeakable importance to know what truths the Church has really held in all past ages as revealed ; because this general acceptance, combined with the remembrance of God's promise, makes them binding upon us. Whatever in our religion is new, must be pronounced false ; and whatever can be proved by Scripture, and has been handed down from the Apostles, must be pronounced true. Now it is univer- sally admitted, that tlio doctrines respecting predestination and election, as understood by St. Augustine and afterwards fearfully carried out bj-^ Calvin, was not the doctrine of the Primitive Cliureh, which esteemed all elected who were admitted into the Church by Holy IJaptism, and therefore that the Catholic Church at large is the Church of the election, because it comprehends the whole body or people of the Elect, gatlicred individually out of every nation upon the face of the earth. The Epistles of St. Paul are addressed to wjjole Churches, all the members of which are treated as elect, — all saints, — all believers, — all a holy priesthood. If there be sinners amon^ them, it is man's work, or Satan's work. But though treated as elect, their election was not unconditional, much less irreversible, but an election to visible and corporate pri- vileges. The parable of the net and the tares, and all the teaching of the Scriptures throughout, declare this truth. — Those that are received into Christ's Church, that is, the baptized, are the elect. God commands the Gospel to be preached to every creature, and gives them grace and power to believe, so that no one will be able to say, at the last day, "I was not elected, and therefore could not believe;" but the conscience of every lost soul will constrain him to declare, "God called me, but I would not hearken; He stretched out His hand to me, but I regarded him not; He would that I should come unto Christ and be saved, but I would not." — This appears, from the Seventeenth Article and other places, to be the doctrine of the Church of England. She teaches the predestination of the faithful, and that they shall be endowed by the Holy Spirit with the grace of obedience, and that all shall be done for them, that is necessary for their salvation, by the free mercy of God, and after a life spent in His ser- vice here, they shall enter into His glory hereafter. The Article then proceeds to speak of the doctrine as full of sweet and unspeakable comfort to all the godly. It then warns carnal persons, lacking the spirit of Christ, (A' the danger of having before their eyes the sentence of predestination, as it respects themselves, and that it must lead to misery or despe- ration. The Article then concludes with one of those gentle- and calm displays of quiet wisdom, which are the glory and blessing of the Church. Knowing how fruitless it is for man to speculate on free-will, election and predestination, as regards individuals, and having given wann'ng against such a vain ;>S utlonipt, it romiiids us tlutt it is our duty aiul oiir wisdom to tako (mmI's piouiist'S lor (he rcgnlaliou of our lives, as they arc; set ("orlli in St-riptur* , and to leave our eternal interests in the hands tif Ilirn, wlio loves us with a love passing the love of our j'arthly parent, and d(»sires, above all things, to luing Mis chiidrcMi home to His bosom. How the freedom of the human will ean be reconciled to tlie doctrine of predesti- nation, we are unable to comprehend; they are of the hidden things of (lod ; but as they are both assumed as true by the Holy S(*rij)tures, we shoiild receive them both in faith, as not incompatible with God's moral government. Nor does the book of revelation fail to help us in cherishing this faith.-— When St. Paul was wrecked near the Island of Melita, it was revealed to him that every soul in the ship should be saved. Now, did this revelation hinder the Apostle from using every human erierlion to secure the safety of himself and those who were with him ? On the contrary, he acted as if he had re- ceived no such revelation, and as if every thing depended upon the wisdom and exertions of the j)e()ple. Finding that the sailors were about to seize the boats, that they might escape and leave the passengers to perish, he tells the centurion to cut them oil" and set them adrift ; that the sailors miirht feel the necessity of employing their skill in saving the lives of all on board when they found themselves in the same jeopardy. Here we see that (lod's Sovereignty did not interfere with human agency; and, as it is with the works of nature, so is it in the works of grace. St. Paul calls upon the Philippians "to work out their salvation with fear and tremblinsr;" but he adds, '"for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do t>r his good pleasure." Here both doctrines are inehuled: wc are called uj^on to obey, for the power has been given us in baptism : and yet we are told that God worketh within us: "See, I have set before thee this day life anil deatli, theret'iMc choose life, that thou mayest live." The parable o( the talents implies the power o( action and obe- dience ; anil our tliligence in doing good is made the ground .">!) of our soiitonco at tin* last day. Cod inviti's nioii t(» jiid^c of the equality and ri«^liteousnoss of his ways- ])liu'iiij^- liimst If, as it were, at tlie bar of their eonseienees, and ilaiuiiui; from them a judgment testify iii<^' to his righteousness and impar- tiality. Jesus Christ is set before us as our paitern, the object of our imitation; we are called upon to walk in his footsteps. Moreover, of this freedom we are all conscious ; no person of a sound mind seeks an apoloj^y for his crijnes on the plea that he had Jio choice. Again, we read that without Christ we can do nothing — that every jjjood and j)erfect gift is from above, and comcth down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness or sliadow of turnintf. It is therefore evident that the doctrines of man's free agency, and God's predestination, aie both taught in holy Scripture; and instead of attempting to reconcile them by launching into metaphysical disquisitions, we should receive them in humble faitli ; and in doing so, we shall be emancipated from those terrible doctrines which rashly consign the far greater portion of our race, without any possibility of escape, to eternal misery. The presumption of judging of God's attributes is, 1!! such speculations, carried to its greatest height, and leads to the most revolting inferences ; but of the attributes of God, in their extent and manner of operation, we can know nothing, and it is therefore impious to pronounce upon their limits, or to insinuate any incompatibility between the course of events on earth and the Omniscience, in which they are all compre- hended. " Nothing," says Archbishop Tillotson, " can be admitted to be a revelation from God, which plainly contra- dicts his essential perfections ; and consequently, if .iny one pretends divine revelation for this doctrine, that God hath from all eternity absolutely decreed the eternal ruin of the greatest part of mankind, without any respect to their sins and demerits, 1 am as certain that this doctrine cannot be of God, as I am certain that God is good and just; for every man has greater assurance that God is good and just, than he can have of any subtle speculation about j)re(lestination (io .111(1 tho (locroos of (iod." Tlio Cliristian C'Imrch thoroforo holds and lias over licld llio two doctrines of man's free ni^cncy and (lod's ])r('di'stinalion: — " Slio conu's to man, enslaved as lio is to tlio (Mitvvard influonccs of the natural man, and not only Urines before liiin more facts, more knowlcdj^p, new relations, hisriier j)romises, more awliil tlireats, and a more powerful body of advisers to counteract them; but the Church jrives more, she puts into the heart a new principle, or rather a new bein^-, by im|>artin^' to it the Holy Spirit and unitini^ it to the body of Christ. It is from the Holy Spirit, and this only, that all the real power and spontaneity of man proceeds; it acts as the individual himself, because it is united to him- self. It is j^iven secretly and imperceptibly; so that, in an action he cannot discriminate what comes from heaven and what from himself, excej)t from the consciousness of the fact that he is resistini^ evil. He docs not make this resistance, he suflers p.iin voluntarily, he feels the whole force of the attrac- tion of evil, and yet remains firm a<>ainst it, and discovers no power but his own which is thus acting'; and yet he knows that it is not his own. ' I can do all things,' saith St. Paul, in the full consciousness of his individual personality, 'and yet,' he says, 'not I, but Christ that is in me.' It is after all, God, and God alone, who works within us to will and to do of his good j)leasure."* Hence we find that, in the Sacrament of IJaptisni God imparts tlie Sj>irit, that in its working con- stitutes man's free agency, and yet it is God and God alone that works. And thus is solved, through the Church, the problem, — how to create an agent possessed of the conscious- ness of ini'.ividual indejUMidence, atui yet to reconcile that independence witli the absolute universal Sovereignty of the Supreme C'reator. '' Looking forward, man feels that he is free ; looking back, that he has been entirely moulded by the hands of God." Of infinite value, then, are the graces and gifts of baj)tisni ; and yet through presumption the Dis- * CMirisfinn yhn-.\U. by tho Rev. W. Sowcll, M. A, book, rafft" 271) vS^ •Jsi),\s.c. 1S41. A.n exoolleiit (il scMitcr rojcftH tliom, and jx^rils liis own salvati<»ii. TIuto arc several other points of ditVerenee between tlu' Cliurcli and Dissenters, to wliicli it mi^lit l)e nseful to call your attention, but I sliall oidy allude to one or two. First, it is to be remarked that in their public worship, the Dissenters, as well as the Ilonianists, depreciate the Holy Scriptures. The latter are afraid lest the people should dis- cover their false doctrines, which would naturally follow the public reading of the word of God, pure and unadulterated, in tlieir daily services, 'i'hey likewise consider the Scriptures too obscure to be placed in the hands of the peoj.le, and by no means necessary, as they believe the Church to be the sole depository and dispenser of the truth, aiul her ex])lana- tions of equal authority with Scriptiire itself. The Dissenters do not withhold the Bible from their people, but it is seldom or ever read to any extent in their public worship; a single text or passajre, upon which their minister founds a lontr discourse, is all that they commonly hear ; and were they not to read the Scriptures at home, they would remain, from the little they learn in their Churches of the sacred record, as i«ijnorant as the heathen. It were easy to dwell upon the many great evils of such a procedure, but we shall (uily mention one, to which it natu- rally jijives rise, namely, the preference of the Sermon to the neglect of all the other parts of the pid)lic worship of God. — Hence, in the o])inion of many Dissenters, prayer, praise, the reading of the Scriptures, and the holy Sacraments, are made to occupy a lower position than preaching, and it is to be feared that a great majority of the Dissenters have no other conception of public worship than tliat of hearing a sermon, preceded by a tedious extempore ])raycr. Their leading tenet is, that preaching is the great engine for the advance- ment of Christ's kingdom and the conversion of the souls of men. Vet, if we refer to the Acts of the Ai)ostles, we find that prayer and the l>lessed saerauients occupied the position which Dissenters give to preaching. The oj)lnlou of our (I'i Uolorincrs, in liiis matter, jipj)L'ar.s fiorn tlio ract, that tlicy u;av(; no (lircctloiis, oven on Sundays, for more than ono ser- TTion to the same e()n<;reij^ation. Their ohjeet was to employ, in dnv |iroj)()rtion, all the meajis of tj^raec, ami to establish a prayiiiiif, a reading, a saeramenUil, and a pn'aehinjr Churcli. 'I'he Dissenters, on the other hand, seem to have little reji^ard for any part of pnhlie worship exeept the sermon : and this they value in proportion to the power employed in the deli- very. Eloquence of speech, warmth of manner, are, in their estimation, the chief means of prometinjr the Gospel, forji^ettinp^ that Moses was slow of speech, and the rebellious Corinthians considered St. Paul's bodily presence weak, and his speech eontemptil)le. They look to the human instrument, — to man, nither than to God. But in thus contendinj^ earnestly for the Faith, as it was (ielivercd to the Saints, we must proceed with all possible meekness and love, remembering that the Christian armour contains only one oifensive weapon, — the Sword of the Spirit. And we shall best prove ourselves the faithful soldiers of Christ, and the protectors of his flock, by carryin arc intimately eoniu'ctod. As liis Ijurultics t.\j)an(l, and \w hfconics capaMc of Icariiinj; what a solemn vow, promise, and |)r(»fes,sion Im> Iiatli made hy liis sureties, he is l)rouonhors, aiul spiritual pastors. l\y means of tlio Cateeliisnj he is (au<»lit his duty to (iod and man, and in- structed in the ^roat mysteries of the ('hristian faith. lie is made to study and to love Ciod's word, aiul tlius the grace of iliuminaiion dawns in his lieart. The Church, in her exhor- tations to parents and sponsors to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, does all she can to liahituate the cliild to |)niy for grace, the great object of all Christian i)rayer. Night and morning ought the cliild to kneel in the presence of its ejirthly parents before llim who is invisible. As he advances in years, he is ])ermitted to par- take in the privilege of domestic worship, and, as the greatest privilege of all, he is taken to the consecrated li^use of God; and thcj-e, amidst holy associations, edifying forms, tlie memo- rials of worship])ers, once, like himself, "babes in Christ," but now gone to their rest, aiul surrounded by liis spiritual kindred, dead and living, he learns to join in the holy and affecting services which the Church in her Hook of Common Prayer provides. And in this manner the s])irit of grace and supplication is gradually, by Clod's aid and blessing, poured into his lieart. lUit the l^ook of Common Prayer provides still greater privileges for the cliild of grace. When duly j)repared, by cati^chetical teaching, hv is, at the proper age, brought to the IJishop to be confirmed. The vows which were made in his name, he now solemnly, and in the presence of God and of the congregation, takes u])on himself. This responsibility, which had hitiierio been in proportion to his faculties and his knowledge, is henceforth complete; he is now, for all spiritual purpose?, of full age; and the Bishop, after the example of .lie Apostles, lays his hands upon him, and prays over him, to the intent thai God may strengthen him with the Holy (Jliost the Comforter, and daily increase ().5 •ultio« oloinu ics, lie (li Ilia »f tlic lul iii- Ile is rac'f of oxhor- Iren in can to , of all »iUl to m who to par- reatest f God ; mcrno- ::lirist," ,)iritual y and jmmon lice and poured Irovides n duly r age, which escncc This to his he is iishop, n him, igthen icrease in him His manifold gifts of grace. To crown all, the Praver Hook provides a holy office, inviting "such as are religiously and devoutly disposed to the most comfortal)le Sacrament of the J)ody and JUood of Christ;" and there coming in faith and charity, and a thankful rememhrance of Christ's death, he verily and indeed receives His IJody and IJIood. I'urther- morc, though the Prayer IJook gives no special ilirections for tlie preaching of the word, it is the best possible text-book to the Minister to supply subjc^cts for addressing his people. — All the facts and doctrines of Christianity are presented in their regular order throughout the ecclesiastical year, so that the Clergyman who carefully follows the Prayer Hook must of necessity preach the G()sj)el in all its fulness, and he who docs not follow this order will be found guilty of not preach- ing the whole counsel of God. There will, in such a case, be narrow views, bigoted exclusiveness, and part oidy of the message of the Gospel will be delivered. Thus the Church enters, through her services, as set down in the Hook of Com- mon Prayer, into every possible relation of human life, per- vading and sanctifying all worldly things, — melting and moulding and transforming earth to heaven, — leading our sinful nature to God in infancy, — training our renewed and better state in childhood, — strengthening our youth, — feeding our manhood by her holy mysteries, and preaching her daily warnings of penitence and faith in the words of Holy Scrip- ture, — comforting our old age, — ministering alike to our joys and sorrows, and at length committing our bodies to the grave, in the hope of a blessed resurrection. Such is a slight sum- mary of the ample provision made by the Church in her Hook of Common Prayer, for the various services of the sanctuary, and for the dissemination of the Gospel among our people, and which it is our bounden duty to administer. Hut we must draw to a close. And now, my Reverend brethren, after presiding over this extensive Diocese for nearly eight years, I gladly avail myself of this opportunity to express my sincere regret if I have E ()'() treatcfl any ot you imkiiully or with sconiiiig* lU'oloct, and also for any instances in whicli 1 may liavc, in any respect, failed in my duty towards vou. li" I have not consulted, as I should have done, your judgments and feelin<;s in any parti- cular, or have done less justice to the motives oC those of whose conduct I have had occasion, in any respect, to disap- prove, I desire to acknowledge my error, and to ask your for- giveness, and your prayers, to enable me, in future, more watchfully to discharge tiic duties of that station to which, in the course of Divine Providence, I have been called. Grant me also your favourable construction of my labours, and your honest confidence, as I freely give mine to you. Without such mutual confidence and charity, the Bisliop and his Clergy cannot work together to the glory of God or the edification of his people. In regard to certain diversities of opinion within the Church, so far as they concern the celebration of Divine service, I have already spoken; and with respect to any others of a graver character, I deem it a haj)py thing for this Diocese that we arc entirely free. Some shades of variety in opinion there may and must be indifferent minds; but, blessed be God, they have never sunk with us into any thing- like the bitterness of party-spirit. Let us, my Reverend brethren, preserve this holy pre-eminence. While at peace among our- selves, and sincerely devoted to the Church, we possess a bond of union that will make us invincible in our spiritual warfare with our enemies, whether from without or from with- in. Holding this bond, we shall proceed in harmony and love as brethren, with the same mind and singleness of heart. It will lead us to the conscientious discharge of our duty to God and his Church, by riglitly dividing the word to our people, in obedience to her pure and authorised teaching ; and in doing this with one licart and one soul, we shall feel no sym- pathy A'ith Romanism on the one hand, which suffocates the truth under a mass of falsehood and corruption, or with Dis- sent on the othvY, which not only takes from the truth, but which, in active bitterness against us, we have ev'cr found the more implacable enemy of the two. ()T ritual witli- d lov« t. It o God )CO|)lc, ^11 d in o sym- tcs tlie li Dis- li, Imt nd the Standino in tlie middle l)otvvooH tliom, wo otio;lit noithor to he oriovod nor surnrisod ut tlu-ir cdtimiiies and vevilinirs, or that thoy should, in tlioir cxtromo ij^noraurv?, attril)ute to us unsound opinions in thooh)(ry, wliicli all of us ahhor ; of such accusations your consciences will acquit you, and 1 luu.w thorn to be untrue. On uie tliey fall Hj^litly, for my opinions wore settled lonir before the movements which have l)cen for some years disturbing- the Church had any existence. They have ever been in accordance with tlie formularies of the Church, and have become so much part of myself, that I should now find it imi)ossible to speak or even to think differently from what she teaches. ]5ut dismissiiiir these miserable elements of farth, let us look to ourselves, and remember that we have a j^reat and important work before us, — the cvaui^elizini^ of this vast country. Let us not then fall out by the way. We have already too many enemies and opposers to admit of divi- sion in our own household. Enemies numerous and powerful, and whom we can oidy expect to combat with success, by using; the weapons furnished by the Church in the true spirit of unity and concord. We are all servants of the same Mas- ter; let us stand together in faithfulness of purpose and in steadiness of action. Have we not to contend with infidelity and worldliness on the one hand, and all the Protean forms of Dissent on the other? Is it not, then, our duty to rise above diflficulties, and exert ourselves to the utmost in promoting- the advancement of the Church of God in this Diocese ; that Church which is not human in her constitution, but heavenly, and neither takes her rise from earthly powers, nor depemls upon them for her continuance. Kmjjires and kingdoms fail; the earth itself shall pass away; but the Church of the Living God shall continue for ever. Her name — her offices — her services — her laws — her powers — her spiritual endowments — are for eternity. How awful the responsibility which attaches to us, her Ministers! The worship we offer is the commence- ment of the worship of eternity, and our ministrations the beuinnino- of services which are to continue for evermore. 68 And now unto God's jrracioiis mercy and protection I com- mit yon all, both Ministers and people. May the Lord bless you, and keep you. May tlie Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you, and give you peace, both now and evermore. Amcu. APPENDIX. Note I. page 34. " For some time past our Church hath been taught, by dear bought experience to depend less upon the State, and more upon herself." ' It is evident, to every one acquainted with the history of our Church, that, till within a very late period, many of the doctrines which she holds in her formularies had been in a measure forgotten, and were seldom brought before our people in Sermons or in Catechetical instruction. Such as — The one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, in its different aspects, as visible, invisible, militant, expectant, and triumphant. The one Baptism for the remission of sins, with its true import, and all its blessed consequences, its privileges, its conditions, with which all the means of grace are intimately connected. To the depreciation and neg- lect of the Sacraments may be attributed the most essential errors in faith and practice, which have disgraced and divided, and which continue to disgrace and divide, the Church of Christ. They are of the most sacred importance in the Christian system, and cannot be estimated too highly, provided, while we hallow the sign, we rightly endeavour, in the use of it, to attain the substance or thing signified. A Divinely constituted Ministry, as pledging Christ's presence in his Church for ever, and the certainty of receiving in this Church the true Sacraments of salvation, "duly administered by lawful Ministers." Such Sacraments being "not bare signs" of things absent, but "the means whereby we receive," in the one, a "death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness," and, in the other, "the body and blood of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper." The authority of the Church to decree, to teach, to excommunicate, to decide in controversiep of faith, yet limited by the word of God, and tlie duty of submission to that authority. The sin of schism or division, &c. &c. &c. When attempts were first made to revive these and kindred doctrines, many took offence, and thought them dangerous novelties; yet they are all avowed by the Church of England, and inseparable from her existence, as a true branch of the Church of Christ. I ^m 70 Niito II. papc 44. "l^vory Clergyman of tho C'hurcli ouL'^ht to oonsidor the doctritics contained in our Articles, I'recds, tmd Coitinion I'rayt-r IJook, not merely as the voiee of our ('hurch, but of the Church ("ulholic." Be mindful that you are to deliver no doctrine of your own ; 'mU the doctrine of Holy Scripture, as it has heen understood and intcrpreteu by the consenting voice of all pious anti(juity; by those true and faithful inenibers of the Christian Church in all places, and even amidst the growth of adscititious error, to whom the greatest worthies of our national Church invariably refer. This doctrine no well instructed Minister of the Cliurch of Erjgland can be at a loss to determine. It is contained in those venerable formularies which our fathers retained or derived from most re- mote antiquity ; and it is supported throughout by most clear and indis- putable warrant of Holy Scripture. From hence must be drawn the whole Bcope and tenor of our public teaching. — Bishop JehUs Paatural Instruc- tions, p. 153; London, 1831. One source of error, and sometin; "i of division, arises from the fact, that some Clergymen take the Articles, as comprising the whole system of belief inculcated by the Church ; others, again, confine themselves to the Book of Common Prayer. Now both classes are wrong. The Formula- ries of the Church should be cxk mined, (as set forth in the thirty-sixth Canon), compared, and stuuied, to discover and become acquainted with her true principles. What lawyer would form his opinion upon one act of many statutes, which bore upon and referred to the same subject upon which his judgment had been asked? Would he not carefully read, digest, and consult them all, that he might ascertain the real intention of the legislature ? And shall we do less in a matter in which we are so deeply concerned ? We have sworn obedience to the Ciiurch, and to teach only as she directs. Note III. page 47. " It was the duty of the founders of our Church to provide tho people with a repository of Scriptural truth, and this they did by the conqiilation of the Book of (.'onimon Prayer." The Articles were adopted for the avoiding of diversities of opinions, and the establishment of a godly concord touching true religion. " We take comfort in this," says King James, "that all Clergymen within our realm liavc always most willingly subscribed to the Articles established; which is an argument to us that they all agree in the true, usual, literal meaning of the said Articles; and that even in those cm'ioua points in which the present diUerenccs lie, men of all sorts take the Articles of the 71 Cliurth of England to I)i; for tliciii; wliicli Is an aigunii.iit, again, that none of tlit'iii iiitcml any dcsci lion of the Articles established." "Our ("lunch," Kays iJishop Marsh, "carries its autliority no farther than is absolutely necessary for its own preservation." At the time of the Keformation, the sense of Scripture, in regard to various doctrines, was disputed. The Convocation, therefore, which is our highest judicial authority in spiritual concerns, assend)led and deter* mined, in the name of the Church, which it represented, what the sense of Scripture, in regard to the disputed pdints, really was. But it will be said, shall any man be bound to accept an interpretation of Scripture im- posed upon him by the will of another, if, on mature deliberation, he him- self is convinced that such interpretation is lalse? Undoubtedly he is not so bound, nor does our Church impose the obligation. If our eon- sciences will not allow us to comply with the terms offered by the Church, we may withdraw from her communion, nor can w^ honestly continue her members, unless we conscientiously conform to the regulations which she has made the express conditions of that communion. CREEDS. nions, " We in our shed ; iteral nts in f the Apostles' Crccd^ is not so called, because actually drawn up by thetn, but because there is sufficient evidence to deem it a concise but faithful statement of the most iinportatit heads of Apostolic doctrine. It is a simple and vigorous outline of the faith which was in circulation among the Churches before the books of the New Testament were collected, perhaps before some of them were written. Some such sutnmary was absolutely necessary at first, to be used for instruction, and with irresistible authority, since it is found in perfect harmony with Scripture. Hence, to submit to its authority, is merely submitting to the authority of the Apostles. Nicene Creed was agreed to by the Bishops assembled at Nice from all parts of the Christian world in 325, as a simple witness of the fact, that it contained the doctrine of their respective Churches. The Churv,.i of England, therefore, in adopting it, is not guilty of adopting the commen- taries or deductions of men for the dictates of the Holy Spirit, but simply as recognising and adopting the faith of the Church during the three first centuries. The Creed of Athanasius was not composed by a synod, nor is it known who its author really was; but it gained its way from the growing confi- dence of the Church in its power and efficacy, as a bulwark against heresy, by which the fundamental doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation were threatened. It has been found, for many ages, of the utmost value in protecting the Church from error, and could tiot have been omitted at the Ileformatioti, without exposing our Reformers to the accusation of denying the IIoli/ 2'riniti/. I'l Note IV. page 54 to .Of!. ON BAPTISM. 1 l)nppcno(l a few days ngo to meet with tlie following pertinent illustra- tion ol" these remarks : — "At the Annual Clerical Meeting, held at the Uev. D. Wilson's, Isling- ton, January 5, 1842, Archdeacon lloare in the Chair, and nearly a hun- dred Clergymen present-, the subject for discussion being the Baptismal Service, and the doctriiie of Regeneration as connected with that rite, the following sfitakers stated their opinions in effect as follows: — "Mr. Cup.iiingham (of Harrow) said his opinion was, that in baptism some positive, clear, distinct, intelligihle blessing and benefit, called by the name of "Regeneration," was conveyed to the infant. This benefit is reconciliation to (lod : a change of state, but not necessarily a change of nature. Not an alteration of the moral condition of the child, but simply a change by which the child is brouglit into the ovhcard commurdon of the Church: and this is the state which in the service is called Regeneration." This view is very nearly that of Bishop Hopkins, of Derry. " Mr. Burgess spoke next. He said lie could not agree to this view.— His opinion was, that in baptism the infant receives the remission of origi- nal sin, and a principle of divine life viipartcd hy the Holy Ghost; a seed given to fructify or die, but always given. He considered that a repent- ing, believing, converted adult, was not pardoned, nor received regenera- tion, until baptism. " Mr. C. Bridges differed from each of the preceding speakers. His view of the question was, that in baptism, where the prayers are oflered in faith, as contemplated by the fraraers of our services, those prayers, which wc put up for the child's regeneration, are heard and answered. And the gift of regeneration is granted to prayer. But in other cases, i.e., where there is no really faithful prayer, there is no work of the Holy Ghost, who works not without exerting an energetic power, producing visible effects. "Mr. Venn could not agree with any of these interpretations. He said, he believed tliat in the Baptismal Service ''Regeneration is said to be bestowed conditionally or hypothetical! y,^ i.e., on the hypothesis, that the infant really professes faith, and that, when come to years of discretion, it will believe and repent. For it is on this ground only — that is, on the sponsor's answering for this faith in the infant — that the ordinance is administered. " Such is the brief sketch of the views advocated at this meeting. I have copied it from the notes taken at the time. " I will only further observe, that the four Clergymen, who spoke, had each been given some weeks' notice of the meeting; their declarations, therefore, are well digested statements, which had been prepared for the occasion. Yet the result was, that on the appointed day they all dijfered. No otiiers sjioke." — The Way that some call Heresy, hy Andreic Jukcs^ formerly of Trinily College, Cainliridgc, and late Assistant Curate if tSf. Jiihns,JIall; London, Whitt.ahcr \ Co., S^r.., 1844. r tl in 7{i Note V. pages .^1 to .5(j. :e, had rations, for the 'ijfercd. of .S/. ON RECJKNKRATION. "A new principle of life is infused into him (in baptism) — he is rege- nerate, born anew of water and of the Spirit, and placed in a new relation to God, as one of his own peculiar family and household ; furnished with all the means of realising to himself the promise of salvation given by Jesus Christ to all penitent sinners, and sealed to him personally in bap- tism, which, as our own Cimrch teaches, is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others, that be not christened ; but it is also a sign of regeneration, or new birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the body of the Church; the promise of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God, by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; faith is confirmed, and grace increased by virtue of prayer to God." -—The Bishop of Loudon s Three Sermons on the Church. "The question which has been most prominently and vexatiously pressed, to the great perplexity, as I believe, of many of the community, is that of Baptismal Regeneration ; a (question in itself of considerable importance, but of which tlic Chureh of England, in her Articles, her Homilies, and her Liturgical Services, has afforded the clearest solution. That the Church does hold the doctrine of Raptismal Regeneration in some sense, none of her Ministers, who have any regard to consistency, caii pretend to deny. Every tiuie that you adcninistcr the Sacrament of Baptism — every time that you Catechise a child in the words of the Church Catechism — every time that you present to tlie IJishop a candidate for Confirmation— you recognise and represent the infant or the adult as regenerated iu bap- tism, and ai liaving received, as such, 'forgiveness of all his sins.' Before the administration of the Sacrament, you pray for this regeneration ; after its completion, you assume the fact of the regeneration of the baptised party, and conclude by thanksgiving and prayer, that the newly admitted member of Christ's Church 'may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.' But here arises the question, Wiiat is this Regeneration, of which the child, in its unconscious but probably imputed faith, or the believing adult, in his penitence, is thus made the recipient ? The language of the Church, and I will not travel ouc of her offices, is unam- biguous. It declares Regeneration to be, in plain terms, 'that thing which by nature we cannot have, — an inward spiritual grace, a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness. A eliange of condition — a change, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the Church and made children of grace, instead of cliildren of wrath;' a change, by which they have entered into covenant with God, are trans- l)lanted from a state of original sin and dcathfulncss, into a state in which the righteousness of Christ may be imputed to them, and they arc initiated into His great salvation. This then is, according to the reiterated exprea- 74 aion of the Church, the Hegcnoratiou of which 13aptism is the hi. 2G. Note VI. pages 50 to GO. ON ELECTION. The Archbishop of Dublin, in his Essay on Election, proposes «,i s^vj questions : — 1. Whether Divitie Election is arbitrary, or has respect to ni' .'s foreseen conduct ? 2. Who arc to be regarded as the Elect? 3. In what does that Election consist? 1. To the first question, he answers, that the Election of the Israelites, God's called, elect, or chosen, holy, and peculiar people, was entirely arbitrary. 2. That the Elect, in this case, was the whole nation, without any exception; they were all brought out of Epypt by a mighty hand, and miraculously delivered from their enemies, and received the Divine com- mandments through Moses, who uniformly addressed them — not some, but all — as God's chosen, holy, and peculiar people. 3. To what were the Israelites thus chosen by their Almighty Ruler? Were they elected, absolutely, and infallibly, to enter the promised land, and to triumph over their enemies, and to live in security, wealth, and enjoyment ? Manifestly not. They were elected to the privilege of having these blessings placed within their reach, on the condition of their obeying the law, wliich God had given thein; but those who refused this obedience, were not only excluded from the promised blessings, but were the objects of God's special judgments, far beyond those inflicted on the heathen nations, who had not been so highlv favoured. It is plain, continues the ArcIil)ishop, that the Christian Church stands in the place r f the Jewish; that it succeeds it in the Divine favour, and enjoys not t? j same indeed, but corresponding benefits and privileges. It is reasonable tlierefore to suppose, that since both dispensations are parts of the one plan — of the one heavenly Author — these benefits and privi- leges should be bes owed according to a similar system in each. The I' 'i Chrixtiftn religion is imt however like llir .Irwisli, conrmnl fo otir imliori, nor the Christian worship to o?ii' place, hko ihc Icinplf of .h-nisalcni. 'I'hr Christian Church is f)pcn to nil to whom the Cohj)c1 Iuib bocn announced, and coniprclicnds all who ncknowlodi^e if — the invitations of that (iospcl arc {general; all nicnihcrs of that Clunch are 'called and elected' l)y Cod, and arc as tru'j His people, anl nt)(lcr His special poverinncnt, as the Israelites c ver were. — Essiii/s on t/ic Dilficnltics in the WrifinfTfi of St. Paul, Kssni/ Third, pngcs 111 — 117,- Third Edituw, London, 1 830. The ('hnrch is nnder great obligations to the Hev. G. S. Faher, U.D., for his adniiraltle Treatise on the I'riniitive Doctrine of Election. lie proves, indispntahly, that the doctrines of Kleetion and I'redestina- tion, as first ftn|igcsted l)y Si. Angnsline, are not only in oppositIf)n to the nplrit of the New Testament ;intl the teac'iinp; of tlie primitive Church, hut to that of the Church of I'lngland, all of whose services breathe nnfailing mercy and nnivtrsal rede(ni)tion. Services hallowed and sanc- tioned by the Church of the Apostles, which considered the Elect to be called out of an migodly world, and the Predestinated to be those made capable, by the mediation of Christ and His ordinances in the visible Church, of eternal salvation. Mr. Fabcr shews that our formularies no where assert that those Klcct, those IVedestinated, cannot lapse from the grace given. In the Baptismal Service, wo pray that the child may ever remain in the nund)cr of (lod's faithful and elect childrcMi. In the Catechism the catechumen piotcsses to believe in (Jod the IIi>ly Chost, who sanctifieth him and all the elect jieoplo of Ciod, and tlu vefore deems himself one of the elect. In the iJtirial Service, the ^linister prays that God would aceonij>lish the number of His elect and hasten His kingdom. Knowing God's mercy to be over all \\\i works, the Church rc^jccts the notion of an irreversil)le decree, which woidd degrade the Onmipotcnt to mere fate, and meigo in the power of (Jod — His justice, love, goodnes.s, long-suffering, and nierey. In fmo, Mr. Kaber proves, most triumphantly, that tlie doctrine of Elec- tion, held by the Church of iMigland, is l".ic choice of certain individuals into the pale of the visible Church, with (lod's purpose, will, and intention, that, profiting by their privileges, they should be finally saved ; holding, at the Han)e time, the moral possibility of those elect persons so falling nway from grace, as finally and irrevocably, through their own pcrversoncss, to perish; and that farther, in .strict accordance with (iod's promises, as they are generally set forth in Scripture, she holds the doctrine of univer- sal, as opposed to partic\ilar or limited, reden)ption. This work, "On the Primitive Doctrine of Election," by the Rev. (J. S. Fabcr, D.B., breathing the jnu'c spirit of Christianity, I reconuncnd to my Clergy, as a safe guard against those who misrepresent or impugn our articles of faith. 77 Note VII. pngc CA. By mp.ins of the ratocliisni, he [tlie child] is taiifjlit his duty to (iod and man, and instructed in the great mysteries of the Christian faith. The Rev. Iletiry INTorc, D.l)., observes, "that theic are three kinds of preachinp; — eateehising, cxpoiinding a chapter, and preaching, usually so called, whereof the first is the best, and the lust the least considerable of them all. This worst and last is the very idol of bonie men, and the others rejected, as things of little worth. I confess this exercise may be of laudable use in such a congregation, where all the people are thoroughly grounded in the fundamentals of Christianity, and are well skilled in the knowledge of the Bible ; otherwise, if the other two ways of preaching be silenced, by this more overly and plausible, it is to the unspeakable detriment of the flock of Christ, which will happen, when it is performed in the very best manner." The neglect of catechising and instructing youth in the fundamentals of their Christian profession, which no system of preaching can ever supply, will more than account for those essential deviations from the purity of the faith which have been recently remarked, and lamenVa among Dissenters from the Church, and even among many within her pale, who entertain low views concerning the Sacraments. How highly important the Church of Kngland views catechising appears from the Rubrics at the end of the Catechism in the Rook of Common Prayer and the fifty- ninth Canon, from which the Clergy must U'v\ that it is especially incumbent upon them to attend to tliis part of their duty. — And, for its better discharge, it will be found necessary to divide the Church Catechism into minute portions, for, though of small compass, its depth and extent are so great, that in order to bring it home to the under- standings of the young, and thence to ttieir hearls and consciences, the several questions nuist be broken down, so as gradually to exhibit their whole meaning and import to tlie tender mind. For this purpose I know of no recent help to Catechising, nsore full and appropriate, than that published by the Rev. Dr. Reaven, the learned Pro- fessor of Divinity in King's College. The introduction is particularly valuable, and the (juestions are drawn up with great simplicity, as well as searching ability, and so constructed as frequently to elicit the proper answers. I think so favourably of this manual, that I feed no scruple in confidently recommending it to the use and patronage of my Clergy. Besides helps to Catechising, sound manuals on the Hook of Common Prayer, the Articles, and different services of the Church, in the form of Catechisms, would be exceedingly useful. This uiamur of teaching his- tory, and many of the arts and Rcienc(;s, has been most successfully em- ployed of late years, and surely it is of still greater consef[u<'n<;e to apply it to the acquisition of religious knowledge, and this the more es])o