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I kf (o\ vw ^ , " y PREFACE. In any future history of the Anglican Church, no unim- portant chapter will be that in which its rise and progress in the Colonies of England is described ; and as the chief agent in promoting this good work, " the Society for the Propar gation of the Gospel " will merit special acknowledgment and commendation. The earliest labours of that Society were connected with this Continent; and though interrupted in the United States by the political revolution which separated them from the mother country, yet some of the good seed sown there, before that event took place, has produced fruit ; while in these Provinces, for the greater part of a century, down to the present time, the Society has never failed to act as the careful and beneficent nursing-mother of the Church and all her institutions. For a long period, the Clergy who officiated in Canada were, in the strictest sense, Missionaries of that Society : they were selected and sent out from Eng- land, reported all their proceedings directly to the Secretary, and drew their stipends from the Treasurer in London. And even after the appointment of one or more Bishops, the actual position of the Church here was for many years practically but little altered, though its administration was in some res- pects more regular and effective. Presided over by a Bishop, resident within the Colony, who could confirm the baptized, ordain the Clergy, and consecrate the Churches, — still the Clergy were only so many isolated individual missionaries, and continued to be largely dependent for their stipends on the grants of money made by the Society in London. There 84500 I mil — IV PllEPACE. arc some names connected Avith the Church durin'^ this period that will well deserve being recorded in her a^nnals, as having borne the burden and iieat of the day in the early life of the Colony; and to whose unwearied exertions and faithful ministrations wo are indebted for those foundations of the building which we, their successors, have been allowed to assist in erecting. We must over cherish with feelings of reverence and gratitudo the names of my two predeccssoi-s— - Bishop Stewart, and the late Bishop Mountain ; while many individual clergymen who, like them, are gone to render up their account, are affectionately remembered as having, in the true spirit of Christian Missionaries, lived, and labouTed, and died in various parts of the earlier rough settlements of the Province. If our position is now altered or advanced in any measure, we must acknowledge what we owe to these faithful men, who, like the emigrant in the backwoods, made the first clearance in the spiritual wilderness, and, in faith and hope of future harvests, cast in a few seeds of heavenly truths amid the stumps and boulders that seemed almost to forbid their growth. It was evident, however, as the work began to prosper, and the Church to multiply, that such a state of things could not continue ; and that, while some more complete provision was needed for the government and internal regulation of the Church, so also the Church ought to be ac(iuiring such strength and influence in the country as would enable it to maintain itself without depending upon the aid hitherto so largely received from England. It was just about the period of the formation of the Diocese of Montreal, by the division of the old Diocese of Quebec, in 1850, that "the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel " began to enforce its reasonable demand that some more systematic efforts should be made by the Church, in order to raise the necessary funds for its own support, and thus relieve them from the burden they had so long and so during this her annals, in tljo early :ortions and undations of n allowed to feelings of decessors — while many 3 render up 1 having, in d laboured, tlements of .dvanccd in e to these oods, made id, in faith f heavenly almost to prosper, lings could 3 provision tion of the ring such nable it to litherto so le Diocese r Quebec, •n of the that some hurch, in )port, and ng and so PREFACE. V kindly homo. While in the following yoar, at a conferonco of all the Bishops of British North America, held at Quebec, and })re8idcd over by Bishop Mountain, the first public move was made towards obtaining the establ'^hment of Dioc \san and Provincial v"^ynods for the government of the (!!hurch, and its internal regulation and discipline. In order to show that, as elsewhere, so in this Diocese, we are making some effectual progress towards the su[)port of the Church from its own internal resources, I subjoin an extract from a letter sent at the close of last year to the *' Society for the Propagation of the Gospel," in reply to some inquiries received by me from the Secretary : m * » « « « mm « » When this Diocese wah funned in 1850, tliere were forty-nine clergymen otficiatiiif>; in it, iind one outeclust. Of Miese, tliirty-six and the catechist received v.'id from the Society ; three otlier.-', two of them being nho on the Society's lint, were in the receipt of grants from the Imperial Treasury, and two were army chaphiins, leaving only eight who were entirely supported from funds raised in the Province. The largest sum we ever received annually, since 1850, from the Society, was £3,660, out of which we also had to pay a pension of £100 to one of the Society's retired Missionaries. In 1853, instead of remitting their salaries to the individual Clergy, this Diocese was allowed by the Society a block sum, with which we were to do the best we could ; and which was to be subjected to periodical reductions. I have done my utmost, since that arrangement began, to carry it out most con- scientiously for the Society; while, at the same time I kept in view the real object of the Society, which was to give effectual lielp to the Church, where it was bond fde I'equired. But when this block sum was granted it was with the express proviso that "strict regard was to be had to the observance of good faith, with all those to whom the Society was already pledged," some of wliom have been on the Society's list for fifty years, and many others for very long periods ; and who always considered that they wore assured their stipends by the Society for life; while the elder ones, those engaged prior to 18.33, had a fur- ther promise of pensions for thomselves, if disabled from doing duty, and also lor their widows. In proof that this was always so unJeiv stood by the Society, I have had my attention directed by some of them to the Society's Report for 1847, p. 37 : " In past times, stipends were mmmr " PIUOFACB. priintctl by the Socie.,y .i.jrir.K' ♦•'« lives of the j>ever;il Missionaries, &C.J Ac." And ill Mic Uejiurt ihr iKj-O, p. 2t> : "The Society, it Ih obviouH, can only supply ninds for the- eMtuhliHliment of new MiHHiimH, by relieving itwlf gradually, and an vacancies occur, &c., &c." The reference in thin place vvuh npocially to North An-ericun Dioceses. These Htatenients were again repeated at a iiieetiiig held l!)th May, 18.>4 (ArchbiHhop of Canterbury in the chair). And in the Society's Report for 185K, p. '2G, it wan again placed uiK)n record: "without aflecting the clainiH of the elder MiHsionories, the Society has made its more rccoiit grantn of nahiry tl-r three years, kc, &c." Acting upon tliis principle, 1 felt that we only hud a .small margin to deal with ; though I took advantage, on certain occaHions, of Home of the older MisHioMarieH, wiHhing to he removed from poorer to more advanced MiHsions, to require that a proportionate voduction nhould then take place. In a letter which I received from the Society myHelt; dated 17th April, 1851, in reply to a communication 1 Imd forwarded,' there occurs this .sentence: " Upon the whole, yuu seem to have taken very judicious measures for securing the future independence of tlie Church it. your Diocese, iiieasures rendered necessary, more than ever, by the determination of the Society to discontimu or reduce its allow- ances, as vacancies arise." JJut, as might he expected to be the case, such men as Canons Reid and Townsend wlio have been on the Socie- ty's list for fifty years, and the Rev. W. juiderson and others for near thirty and upwards, were occupying those Parishes that were the most advanced. However, I hope, nevertheless, it will appear that we have been making some good and continual progress. Instead of forty-nine Clergymen ofiioiating, as in 1850, with one retired Missionary and one Catechist, .ve have now seventy-three Cler- gymen and five Catechists ofiiciating, besides four retired Missionaries and three widow.; paid on account of tlie Society. And whereas we u-^ed to receive £;),()60 per annum, from tlie Society, we now only re- ceive £2,940; which suir.s, after deducting res];cctive!y the amomits paid for pensions, namely £100 from £3,(560, and £500 as now from £2,940, leaves us at present only £2,440 annually out of the Society's grant, instead of£;},5G0 for the actual service of the Church; a deduc- tion of £1,120, notwithstanding that we have now twenty-four addi- tional Clergy officiating and four catechists. It is true that only seven Missions ofthose receiving aid from the Society in 1850, have ceased en^/reZy to receive such help; but th-.i. arises in some measure from the cause mentioned ab..ve respecting the location of the oldest Mis- sionaries; while, at the same time, there are many of tlieso Parishes, whilst still served by their old Pastors, who receive aid from the Society, PREFACE. Vll that are making very conMidcrable efforts to raine local endowmontfl that they iiuiy be prepareil tor any new arraiigeinentH or vacanciefl ; and which we could not have ex{j<'Cted, in the same way, had they now the whole Hillary of the ineundietit to raiHe. TIuh Ih niurked'y the caveat Frelighsl)urj:, Dunham, Sorel, &c. And again, while of thirty- flix who were receiving aid in 1850, twenty-nine were allowed XIOO «tg. per annum, which uwed to be alinoHt invariably tht wum grantew ; aiid, therefore, only leaving about £525 currency for ihe rest. With this available surplus from the Society's grant, in order to maet the pressing demands lur Clergy, and increase them to the present number, I can assure the Society that we have strained our local resources to the utmost. And while we are now usin^^ our best exertions to add to our Local Endowment Fund, in which we have certainly made a successful beginning, though it may seeiii snuill when compared with what we reqnire, I do not expect that just at present we shall be able to increase very materially, from the Country Parishes, the general Missionary Fund at the disposal of our Diocesan Church Society. Nor indeed can we look for much better success tor some little time in the City of Montreal. For the next few years we may expect really serious difficulties to contend with, even supposing commerce revives and peace is preserved. In this City, bv the census of 1852, the Church of England population was only given at 3,993 ; this was probably not strictly accurate, rather below the mark, but no i^oubt we wpre a very insignificant portion of the whole population. Since then, at great expense, we have rebuilt after fire, enlarged or built new every church ill the City, including the Cathedral ; and the Church of Eng- land now occupies, in every way, a very different position ; and in 1862 the census gave us 10,072: at this date we are at least 12,000, But then this is out of a population of now not less than upwards of 100,000, and of whom about 70,000 are Roman Catholics. So that, while Montreal no doubt is a great and increasing city, the wealth and numbers of but a very small proportion of it belong to us. And in this city we have no such endowments as there are at Toronto, and other cities in Upper Canada, attached to the Rectory ; and there is Vlll PREFACE. a heavy debt still to be paid off, incurred in the erection of these Chu,che.s, without which, however, we could never ha e "ea ed o" ""u.lx.rs to the present a,nount. Then a-ain in .11 ^ f"*''? ^"'^ ire a^ 1 vorv „l..f 1- j . "'"^'^ ^S'""> m '"' Lower Canada we a c a. a ^er^ great disadvantage as compare,! with Up.,, ,- Canada ^vlnch ,n n,any ways adds to our difficulty, as the averag incomo/of our Clergy are so very much below those of the western Di^.ceses. First r.,r Church members are, in man v large districts, so scattered and unxed up w,th the great nuajority . no are Eon.an Catholics, that it i ' hardly possible to ussen.ble any numbers in one place, ani so funn then, mto self-supporting Churches. Then we have no endowed Re - tones, either m the city or country, of which there are so manv in Lpper Canada; many of them largely endowed, out of the Cler<^v Re serves before their secularization; and ir the third place, we received sueh a very small amount at all from that source. On the final set- iiTnnl '^"'''''' ' "''' ''''''''"^ ^'' commutation of all claims £1.^,000 currency in this Diocese, and Quebec about the same: in I pper Canada tlie Church recei^-ed somewhere about £300 000 * * * I may also refer to the statement, given at p. 211 of the jcarly returns of all monies raised within this Diocese for Church purposes, which show a large and progressive in- crease. That we hav. in many other ways been steadily advancing of late ; that the Clergy are no longer the scattered, isolated missionaries they used ^o be ; that we have now various institu- tions of our own and a system of self-government fully and legally established, may be seen from many of the sermons ad- dresses, and documents given in this volume. It is as bearing witness to these facts, and recording events connected with them that I venture to hope they may prove of interest and be acceptable to members of the Church, however little merit they may be otherwise found to possess. I would mention particularly such as " the Primary Charge," after the estab- lishment of the new Diocese ; Sermon III, on the opening of Christ Church Cathedral for divine service ; Sermon VIII With the address on page 223, dehvered at " the First Con-' vocation of the University of Bishop's College - the Address '^ PREFACE. IX delivered at the first opening of the McGill Normal School ; and those at the first Meetings of the Diocesan and Provin- cial Synods. I would hope, too, that if there shall be any, amongst the multitudes of young persons, who heard the Ad- dresses to the Scholars of the Sunday Schools, and that to the Candidaies for Confirmation, originally delivered — who may chance to meet with them again in after fife in these pages, that they may be a means of reviving in their hearts and minds some holy thoughts and good resolutions ; and that while I thus once more speak to lihem as their Bishop and Father in God, a gracious motion of the Spirit of Life may enable them to rekindle whatever glow of early Christian love or hope shall liave been lost or obscured amidst the trials and temptations of the world. All the Sermons have been preached in this Diocese ; but occasionally with some slight adaptations, having been pre- viously preached and printed in England and New York, and they are now given in the form in which they were originally delivered. The Statistics of the Confirmations, and the Con- secrations of the Churches, &c., will be matter of useful record and interest to all connected with the Diocese, and as such I have inserted them. The concluding Lecture having been deliveret" at a meeting of " the Churchmen's Association,^' while this volume was passing through the press, I have thought it not out of place here, treating, as it does, of sub- jects of such importance and of deepest interest to all the members of the Church. In my Lecture amongst " the Events and Controversies of the Day," I have not alluded to the recent judgment of the Privy Council in the case of the Bishop of Natal and the Bishop of Capetown, because I am assured, on the best legal opinions in this Province, most entirely confirmed by the Queen's advocate (Sir Robert Phil- limore) in England, that that judgment does not in the least interfere with the jurisdiction either of the Bishops or the Metropolitan of the Church in Canada. Whatever might * PKEFACB. have been originally defective in the authority intended to be convejcd by the Royal Letters Patent, has been repeatedly acknowledged, confirmed, and fully supplemented by Acts of the Provincial Legislature, and of the Synods acting under the powers given by some of those Acts. The Queen's Ad- vocate, to whom I referred the whole question, writing to me sometime after the judgment in the Capetown case had been delivered, says, after having noticed that judgment and its effects,~«But the case of the Canadian Church is happily very different from that of other Colonial Churches;" and afterwards : " I entirely agree with the opinions of Messrs. Bethune and Cameron ; and you are at liberty to mention this if you please." These opinions of Messrs. Bethune and Cameron were published by me in a letter addressed soi>.e- t me since to the Bishops, Clergy and Laity of the Church in Canada, in consequence of some objections which had been taken to the legality of the acts of our Provincial Synod. It may have been necessary and desirable that these questions should nave been thoroughly discussed, and the real standing and position of the Church, not only in Canada, but in all the Colonies of England, ascertained; and wherever there shall be found to be anything defective, let it be set right. But with these assurances of the unquestionable legality under which we in Canada, at any rate, are acting, I earnestly hope that the Bishops will, by God's grace assisting them, be able to carry on successfully the work of the Church in their several Dioceses, with the hearty cooperation and affection of both the clergy and +he laity ; and that in the Provincial Synod, which will assemble, according to the Constitution, in September next, we shall find (to use the concluding words of my Letter to the Bishops, Clergy and Laity, referred to above), " that we can all meet together and work together, as we believe we have done on the two former occasions, under the influences of the good Spirit of grace a»r««uxxi^ tuc giuxy VL uoa and tiie increase of His King- PREFACE. XI dora. And that, instead of imagining, that 'all the labour and expense incurred by the Provincial Synods which have taken place, have been in vain, and that it is now neces- sary to begin de novo,'' we shall rather see reason to thank God, that, amidst so many difficulties and so much uncertainty in these our early struggles for the establishment of our Ecclesiastical polity, we have been ' enabled, as in ancient days, to assomble in one body,' and have been permitted to lay a good foundation according to catholic usage." See House, Montreal, June 3, 1865. CONTENTS. Paok Sei!mon I. — The Holy Cathol ic Church a Visible Body, i Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessjd ; and I cannot reverse it. IJo liath not beheld iniciuity in Jacob, neithor hath he seen perversoiiess in Israel : the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. God brouight them out of Egypt ; ho hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel : according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought ! —Numbers xxhi. 20-23. II.— The Interpretation of Law, and the Rule of Faith, 15 The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets ; for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.— 1st Cou. xiv. 32, 33. IIL—The House of God, 29 And the house which I build is great ; for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build Him an house, seeing the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I, then, that I should build Him an house, save only to burn sacrillce before Him?— 2nd CiiiiojficLKs ii. 5, 6. IV. — The Church one body in Christ, 39 Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.— St. John xvii. 11. v.— The Witnesses for God's Truth 52 That in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.— St. Matthkw xviii. 10. VI.— A Good Man's Death, 53 For all tlosh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withere*h, and the flower thereof falleth away : But the word of the Lord enduretli forever. — lsTrETKRi.24, 25. VII.— The Victor's Crown, 73 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now thoy do it to obtain a corruntible cr.own but we au incorruptible.— 1st Coii. ix. 26. W I *^ CONTENTS. VIII.— Worldly Wisdom For alter that, in the wisdom of *God''tho world by wisdom ^^ knew not God, it pleased God by the fooli«hnesa oV; ach ing to save them that believe.-lst Cok. i. 21. IX.— Worldly Conformity, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the merciei oVr nH ' ^^ that ye present your bodies a livingLriflrho.y, accept: rtr^rdTo^ii^^rMTur^r'^^^^^ «.e .newing ot yo^! :^^t^y^rC;::^^y Soirx'ii.T.i"''^^^^'''^' •'"'' p^---'^"' Of tod.- X.— The Lord our Righteousness, This is His name whereby He shall be called 'the LoVd our' Righteou8ness.-^KKE.MiAH xxiii. part of 6th verse XI.— The Christian's Harvest, They that sowin tears, «hailVelp*i.lioy.l^P8;;M;;,;;;;5; " ^^^ XII.— Pasting and Almsgiving, I fast twice in the week: I give tithes of nil' fhoVr St. Luke xviii. 12. "* ^ possess.- XIII.-The Mystery of the Christian Life.. . . ,,0 ''rirTb;''*''"'.f"^'^""^' aspoor.Vtma'ki,;;™;;; 2Cvi 10' ""'""' •'"' ^'^^P-^-^all things.- XIV.— Active Religion, *^of HllnnH ?'"" ''"'■'^*'''' ^" yo^both to wiu'and to do' ^^^ of His good pleasure.-pHiuppiANs ii. 13. XV. — A Word in Season, By their fruits ye shall know them'.-ST.'MlTTHEw'vii.'2o'.* ^^^ Primary Charge, 1852, Address to the Scholars of the United Stindlysihoois'/l'sei*,*!.'."" m Address to the Scholars of the United Sunday Schools 1865 . . . . ' 95 Address to Candidates for Confirmation, jOK Statistics of five Triennial Confirmations, . . . ." . J J List of Churches and dates of Consecration, &c".,' ] ...'. 212 List of Clergy officiating in the Diocese, 215 Speech at the opening of the McGill Normal School ,17 Speech at the First Convocation of the Univers'ity of " Bisho'p's College, Lennoxville, ^ Speech at the Annual Meeting of the Diocesan Church Society, I's'eV 233 Synod Acts, "" "^» ^'^^ Speech at the Meeting of the Clei^gran^LaylDeiegale's *of 'the ^^^ Diocese of Montreal, 1859, ° Speech at the First Meeting of the Provincial Synod '. ' ' • .' .' .* .... 253 Lectureoosome of th«PoQo;nr»p^„r.t- a_j r"- ' '• -'*."-"" -- — _ir_ 6 ^"^ntoanabuairoversiesol liieDay, 265 ERRATA. Page 121, last line but one, for "redemption'* read " remission." " 213, "Parsonage"* should have been inserted, in connection with the Mission of Onslow. " 215, in the list of Clcrgj-, for "Griffin James," read "Griffin Joseph," and an * should have been affixed to the name of the Rev. Edmund Wood, as having been ordained Priest in this Diocese. 219, 18th line, for " ther " read "their." 221, loth line, for "like" read "life." 260, 12th line, " over" should not be in Italics. It tt I! i S I SERMON I. THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH A VISIBLE BODY. Numbers zxiii. 20-23. Behold, I have received commandment to bless : and he hath blessed • and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel : the Lord his God is ■with him, and the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of Egypt ; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel : according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought I " My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."* Such is the declaration of the Almighty, by the mouth of His prophet, respecting His dealings with man. And, surely, if the Almighty be such a high and holy God, as the Scriptures reveal to us, and his works do testify, we ought to expect no other than that His ways must indeed be far above our ways, and His thoughts very different from ours. Nor, perhaps, as a simple abstract proposition, is there so much difficulty to induce men, those rt least who profess any anxiety on the subject of religion, to agree to this truth. But, neverthe- less, in their practice we find them forever departing from this rule, ar ' reasoning, judging, and acting upon the same principles in those matters which are between man and his God, those which concern God's authority, and honour, and kingdom, and dominion, as they are accustomed to" act upon in the common • Isaiah Iv. 8, 9. A 2 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH concern« of Hfc, between man and his fellow. Thus, for instance at ;s attempted to teach and propagate that s^em of "no truth, which IS revealed to us in the word of God, just byZ to aim at the promotion of any branch of secular science. Thero IS the sch.01 for the young; the popular lecturer for the instruc tion of the multitude in public, and the cheap and entertaining tract for their enlightenment in private. The same attempts arc made to allay the prejudices, conciliate the good-will, and win the favour of men. The same arts are used to excite attention, obtain upport, and gather a following ; and though, from the nature f the subject treated of, the name of God must often be heard and verbal references to His power and help may be of common occurrence. It would be difficult, from any visible tokens, to dis- cover that there is any real abiding belief, that - the Lord God is with them, or that the shout of a king is among them " It was the benevolent wish and purpose of God, when lie had opened a way of reconciliation and peace for sinners, that these glad tidings should be preached to all creatures; but in order that they might be so preached. He provided such means as were deemed by Him best fitted for the end proposed. And it seems that the worldly principles on which it is now vainly attempted to promote the cause of true and undefiled religion, have been adopted in consequence of men having lost sight in this matter of the nund of God; and they are unable to discern the mind of God, because they seek to arrive at it by reasoning based upon the course of human ways and modes of action .We rea^d many things in the word of God about His Church, ~ the Church of God."* Christ talks of founding His Church f in the time of the apostles there were added to the Church daily such as should be saved ;t it is said that Christ was given to be the Head over a 1 to the Church,§ that He might present to Him- self a glorious Church.|| From these and the like expression, it IS clear that there exists a Church, or gath ering of people, who in * Acts XI. 28. 1 Cor. xv. 9, &c. t Matt. xvi. 18. § Eph. i. 22. * ^""'^ "• *^- II Ehp. y. 27. A VISIBLE BODY. 8 fk)me sense belong to Christ, and are His people. This Church has certain present powers and privileges, and its final state will be one of glory and perfection. Thus far all those, who regard with any reverence the word of God, will readily agree. But then a ques- tion ari&« wh'^* is the present state of this Church? and how is it to bo dib. * ..guiahed ? And here dilFerences of opinion begin to show themselves ; diflFcrenocs not of a trifling nature, as some are pleased to represent them, merely affecting Matters of discipline; but differences which immediately affect the whole practical bear- ing of the question, and most materially influence the conduct of men. • We in our creed are taught to profess a belief in a holy Catholic Church — catholic meaning universal, — therefore, one holy uni- versal Church ; universal, as being open to all nations, languages, and people, in contradistinction to the Jewish, which was confined to that people alone. About this expression — universal — there seems no difiiculty. But in respect of its being called holi/, which all must acknowledge it to be in Scripture, differences of opinion have arisen ; and a popular view of the subject is this, — * that the Church of Christ, as a constituted body, has no visible existence in the world, because no single community of Christians, no visible Church, can bo called holy, inasmuch as it contains within it many unworthy members, many false professors, and the like ; and that, therefore, by Christ's holy Church is meant only an invisible body, consisting of all His true followers, in wh'atever outward communion they may be found, partakers of His Spirit in this life, and to be hereafter members of His kingdom in glory.' According tc this notion, the Church is, in a measure, in respect of the persons wiUiin it, as pure and clean now as it will be hereafter; and the difference between its present and future state v/ill not be so great, though.it will be made more vr inifest, since none but sincere and genuine believers are members of it now ; all such are members now ; and the same persons will be members of it hereafter. Let us then see how far this view, a plausible view in some sense, if we look not beyond the thoughts of men, accords with the description of the Church of Christ, really given us in the * TUB HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH Soripturos. And in order to holp us to a right understanding of he nmtter let us first take into consideration the words of the text which were spoken by Balaam, as descriptive of the Church in the wilderness; which Church was formed after u heavenly fashion and was to be typical of the Christian Church, which endureth for ever ; for Moses was commanded to make all thin-^s alter the patter n shown him in the mount.* Moreover, let us • To illustrate the nature of the connexion between the tro dis- pensfltions, and that one great principle, actuates both, I subjoin the fol owing passage from Archdeacon Daubenj's work on "Schism" p. 213: Some few years since a converted Jew, who bad been regu- larly baptized into the Church of England, recommended himself to my protection. I found him well read in the Scriptures, and possessed of a much more correct knowledge of their spiritual contents than falls to the share of the generality of professing Christians in his line of life In hu itinerating course he had fallen in the way of many serious welN meaning Christian?, who from time to time had drawn him to different places of worship, in separation from the establishment. I did not how ' ever find him by any means satisfied with the ideas he had from time to time derived from them. On this head he had no scruple, he said in freely expressing his mind, by plainly declaring, that he never did receive that satisfaction at tlie meeting-house that he had been repeat- edly taught to expect. On inquiring for the reason of his disappoint- ment, he gave the following: that in the neeting-house he did not see anything that brought to his mind that form of religious service which his Bible had taught him to expect in a place dedicated to the God of Abraham, in whose seed all the nations of the earth were to be blessed For, although the temple, with its appropriate service, had been abol- ished, and the Christian Church established in its stead, because as he now perfectly understood, the shadow of the law had given pllce to the realities of the gospel-St. Paul having plainly told him that tho priests that offered gifts and sacrifices, served unto the example f , ■' shadow of heavenly things ; still he thought some resemblance between the public offices of the Jewish and Christian dispensations, as confes- sedly appointed by the same all-wise Being, was to be expected In the priesthood, the altar, and the sacrifice of the Christian Church he recognized a striVvu? resemblance to what had been the favourite ob- jects of J :sh att8obi.,«t..«tb» priest, the altar, and the sacrifice in the Jewish Temple. .' ,.. ,,a ; the meeting-house he saw nothing that had the least t^,ia?,u.v *« bring that resemblance to his mind. And he concluded with sayivig, ■■ Depend upon it, reverend sir, when the happy l<^-^ A VI8IBLB BODY. boar in mind that Balaam, whoa ho uttorod the words o" thii prophecy, was most anxious, if by ai means he had boon able, to curse Israel, that he might obtain the rewards offered him by the king of Moab. Knowing, therefore, as he must have known, many of the leading circumstances of the history of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness, unless Qod had specially over- ruled him to blusH and praise His people, Balaam would gladly have procl :med their perverscness and disobedience, and have prophesied their ruin , as what might have appeared a just judgment on their itanssrression. But no charge of sin was he allowed to bring against God's people. He proclaims, that " God hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath Fe seen pervcrseness in Israel ; the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them." Now, when wo reflect upon all the conduct of the Israel- ites during their journeying from Egypt to Canaan ; their mur- muring and rebellions against Moses and Aaron ; their worship- ping the golden calf during Moses' absence in the mount ; their distrust of God's care and power j their refusal to go up at God's bidding, and take possession of the land ; their regret at having ever quitted Egypt; — and when we think on all God's judgments upon them for these sins ; their discomfiture by Amalek ; the three thousand men slain by the Levites for the matter of the golden calf; tho burning of the people at Taberah ; the oath that none of those who wero of man's estate when they came out of Egypt, should bo allowed to enter into the rest of Canaan, save Caleb and Joshua ; the fourteen thousaad seven hundred, together with Korah and his company, who were slain on account of their rebel- lion ; the numbers who died of the bite of the fiery serpents sent to plague them for iheir murmuring ; — when we call to mind all these sins and judgments, and also the words of God spoken to Moses on occasion of their setting up the golden calf, viz., " I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: now, therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them : and I will make of thee a time 8hall arrive for the Jewish people to be made Christian, they will not be converted by any other ministry but that of an Spiscoval Church:" 1 6 THE HOLT CATHOLIC CHURCH great nation; *-when we corisider all this, we shall at first bud It difficult, It may be, on any human principles of reasoning to reconcile all these circu. .stances with the words of the text God hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel." But in order to make this plain it will only be necessary to point out what waa the relation in which the people of Israel stood to God, as His people. The first intimation that we have in the Bible of God's peculiar connexion with the family of Israel is at the call of Abraham 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father s house, unto a land that I will show thee : and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great,- and thou shalt bo a blessing: and I will bless them tha bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee : and in thee shall ail families of the earth be blessed."t And, subsequently we find God on several occasions renewing His promises to Abra- ham, after trials of his faith in Him, and submission to His com- mands ; especially on the occasion of his obedience in the matter of the sacrifice of Isaac. Promises also were specially given to Isaac and Jacob; and God in succeeding ages was pleased to make Himself known to their descendants, as the God of their fathers » the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. I St. Paul also informs us, that - as touching their elec- tion, the Israelites were beloved for their fathers' sake "§ This then was the original cause of their being chosen to be the people or Church of God ; it depended not on the personal holiness and piety of the Israelites, as individuals; that did not constitute their claim, as a nation, to be God's peculiar people ; but they were chosen for their fathers' sake. God, however, having chosen them He was then pleased to dwell among them, to give them His laws, to use them as instruments of His will for showin- forth His power and glory, and by His dealings with them to bring about the completion of His great promise- of a Saviour VI.., that m Abraham, that was, in his seed, all the nations of the * Eiod. xxxii. 9, 10. t Exod. iii. 6, &c. t Gen. xii. 1-3. § Kom. xi. 28. A VISIBLE BODY. all at first reasoning, f the text, h he seen am, it will which the 's peculiar Abraham, and from and I will make thy •less them d in thee iequently, to Abra- His com- fie matter given to leased to of their le God of heir elec- '§ This e people, ness and onstitute but they g chosen ve them showing them to Saviour, s of the earth should be blessed. St. Paul, even after they had crucified the Lord of glory, and rejected the word of His salvation, men- tions these their claims to his respect and regard : " who are Israelites: to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the coven nts, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the pi^mises; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as con- cerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen."* He also, in another chapter,f speaks of God as still loving them as a people, however displeased with the sins of individuals ; and as purposing one day to receive them again to His favour ; saying, " and what shall the receiving of them (the Jews into the Church) be, but life from the dead ;" so great ill be the outpouring of God's fjpirit on the Church at large, in that day, for their sake. Moses too reminds them of God's presence : " What nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them ?"| Upon these grounds, therefore, because God had ■ <5hosen them for His people, given them His promises, and His laws, and was Himself present amongst them, as their Lord and their King — upon these grounds we find them called a holy people, " a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." And, as Moses says, " Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God ; the Lord hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the eartii. The Lord did not set His love upon you because ye were more in number than any people j for ye were the fewest of all people ; but because the Lord loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and n deemed you out of the house of bond- men, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt."§ But though their own holiness was not the reason of their calling to be God's people, yet they were warned, being thus highly favoured of God, and chosen out from amongst all nations of the world to bear God's name, if they did not obey the voice of the • Rom. i^. 4, 5. t Rom. xi. 15. t Deut. iv. T ; and xxix. 45, 46. § Deut. vii. 6-8. See also chapters viii., ix,, x. 8 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHUKCH m 8; Lord, and keep His laws, and remember His iud^mt. , j tang pumshmenls npon them for their transressir Th?,. Moses exhorts them, " beeause He loved thy fatht, therefore He cb se the,r seed after them, and bronght thee out in mlu ■fori HUs?af' "T^-""''^^^'^- "■»** k-R W th ^ TT ""'* "" '"'-"^^••ents, which I eomm^d thee ong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God l^h thee, for ever."* As a people, they were then holy to the Lord beeause God had chosen them, and dwelt amo g hem ii/^d :;.fair^::::r;h:\t2^!:-^^^^^ angry t tbe:r .n.quuies : "Let mo alone, that My wraft may the'lr 'a! i".«'i"»'e that Balaam uttered the prophecy in erva^tGot I T"''' *° ""'^'^ »' A'""'-'" His "hc L L ^^ "°™""<'»'="' "- Wes3 them. I„ this sense tie beheld no iniquitv in Jnpnh TTo a„^ Israel " Hp ^ .1 T / n . ' ^"^ ""^ perverseness in Israel He the Lord God was with them," to ensure their hi i. ."'"'""; ^"V^*^ His promises respecting . them, He allowed " no enchantmeitt against Jacob, neither any dmnation against Israel." < ^ A VISIBLE BODY. 9 Now what was true of the Church in the wilderness, is in the same manner true of the Church under the Gospel. This Church is called holy, not as simply deriving its title from the holiness of ita members, — that were a presumptuous assumption ; besides which^ the Church is in existence and has its character prior to the exist- ence of the individual members, who are gathered into it as their place of refuge. But it is termed holy, because it is Christ's Church ; because He is present with it ; because ios object and intent is to effect the holiness of its members, and its ftnal destiny is, that it will be presented to Christ " as a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle." And St. Peter, speaking of the Chris- tian Church, as a body, uses exactly the same terms as Moses had done of the Jewish : " But ye are ^chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;"* that was their calling of God ; and the object of it, he declares, was, as in the case of the Israelites, " that ye should shew forth the praises of Him, who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." St. Paul also calls on the Ephesians " to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called."f And to prove that it is on this account that the Church is spoken of as " holy " in scripture, notwithstanding, in its militant state, it is a body con- sisting of a mixed multitude, we will refer to a few descriptions of it, as given by Christ and His Apostles.J • I Pet. ii. 9. . t Eph. iv. 1. I " Within, therefore, the notion of the Church are comprehended good and bad, being both externally called, and both professing tho same faith. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto afield in which ivheat and tares grow together unto the harvest; like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; like unto a fioor in which is laid up wheal and chaff; like unto a marriage feast, in which some have on the wedding garment and some not. This is that ark of Noah, in which were preserved beasts clean and unclean. This is that great house in which there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, ami some to honour, and some to dishonour. There are many called, of all' which the Church consisteth, but there are few chosen of those which are called, and thereby witliia tho Church At the end of the world,, when all the wicked shall be turned int.n hell, and consequently all cut oflf from the communion with the Church ; when the members of tha Ii 1!. 10 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH In His parables Christ has forewarned us that the kingdom of heaven, the Gospel kingdom, is like unto a net cast into'lhe sea ^hidi gathereth of every kind; and it is not till the end of the world that the good will be severed from the bad. It is com pared to a field in which the tares and wheat grow to<>ether • to a feast at which both the good and bad are assembled; to a number of virgms, where the wise and the foolish, previous to the commg of the bridegroom, were of the same company. The Apos- tles of Christ likewise have admonished us of false teachers, who will privily bring in (into the Church) damnable heresies, denying the Lord, that bought them; and that many will follow their per nicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil r ,1 V.i n^ '"'^' ^*^''"P'^°" given by Christ and His Apostles of the Gospel kingdom in the world. It is like the ark of J^oah, into which, for a time, are gathered together beasts of every kind, the unclean a. well as the clean. The imperfect state of the Church, as a visible body, is therefore no argument against its existence as an institution of Christ ; though it is a warning to us as individuals, lest we be partakers of the sin, or as a body, forfeit our privileges as a branch of the true vine. Church remaining, being perfeccly sanctified, shall be eternally glorified then shall the whole Church be truly and perfectly holy. Th n hall be completely fulfilled, that Christ shall present untl HiLlfallfZ CM which shaU be holy and v,ithout blemsh. Fot that there are wo Churches of Christ; one, in which good and bad are mingled together ZTT'I: :T *'"' "^ ^^"'^ ^^«^^' -^' - -1^-^ the sain s a e .mpe fectly holy ; another, in which they are perfectly such : but one adti 1' r '''""'' " "'^"°" ^^ ''^''•'^' ^--' admitteth or no To f . frT'" '' ''' "^'^'^^ '' '"^^ imperfection of the godly To conclude, the Church of God is universally holy in respect of an fai;:t;f •: V^' administrations of sanctit'y; tL sa:?Chu: if'^ /t bv a r.;. '!" '''\^''''' - ^«'^''«- to all godly persons contained in ^it by a real infused sanctity; the same is farther yet at the same time perfectly holy in reference to the saints departed and adm tted to " presence of God ; and the same Church shall hereafter be mos com tlZ^ I 'u f ' ^'''' '' '''''' "'^'^ ^" *^^ ^^-b^- a°t-lly belong. Zl a\T ^ "' °"'' ""''''"''^ ^^ ^°^^^^^^ -^ completed In happl ness And thus I conceive the affection of sanctity sufficiently explicatei ' -Pkabson, On tke Creed, Article. " The Holy Catholic CLurcb " A VISIBLE BODY. 11' kingdom of nto the sea, end of the It is com- r together; Qbled ; to a nous to the The Apos- ichers, who es, denying 7 their per- iiall be evil ' and His > the ark of ts of every tate of the igainst its ling to us, )dy, forfeit y glorified, Then shall "a glorious re are two '■ together ; saints are i : but one Jth or not the godly. 3ct of all, Church is atftined in 3ame time ed to the nost com- ly belong- in happi- plicated .' a." Truth may be surrounded with error on every side, but cer- tainly the natural effect of rejecting all belief in the visible existence of the Church, as a body, shows itself in a practical rejection also of the promised gifts of the Church — the presence of God, the power of His sacraments, the assurance of final triumph, &c. A general want of reverence is begotten in the minds of men, by the abstract views they take of the existence of holy things ; and instead of depositaries of a divine power, and channels for the communication of sacred gifts, modern religious communities degenerate, at best, into schools for teaching the knowledge of cer- tain revealed truths : consequently, though individuals may talk of God's power or presence being with them, yet it is very much with them, as with Samson when shorn of his strength, — " I will go," said he, " as at other times before, and shake myself; and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him." And in the absence of higher and holier grounds of action, when not under the influence of a firm belief, " that the Lord God is with them, and that the shout of a king is among them," it is the fashion of this backsliding age for religious bodies, with a view of obtain- ing followers, to betake themselves to all the common-place, wordly arts for gaining popularity.* Instead of opposing the world, they fall in with its motives of action ; instead of expecting the accomplishment of the promise, " that kings shall be the nurs- ing fathers, and queens the nursing mothers" of the Church, they * Bishop Hobart, in one of his charges, after stating that it is the duty of ministers of the Church to question these spirits of the age, " to try the spirits, whether they be of God," proceeds to say, " But it is a duty far from being inviting. Much more pleasant is it to swim with than to stem the current ; to be carried along by the popular gale, than with incessant and wearying exertion, to struggle against it : to be hailed by the applause of hosts, in whose ranks, or as whose leaders, men bear to a triumph the opinions or measures of the day, than to meet their odium by refusing to enlist with them, or, by opposition, somewhat to perplex their progress, if not to diminish their success. And, there- fore in general, the method of insuring a prosperous issue to any plan, and a universal reception to any opinions, is to make them popular ; for thus are enlisted in their cause all that is weak, and all that is selfish ia our nature." — Bishop Hobart's Frof, Years, p. 443. I 12 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH f accept them for their governors and rulers; instead of endeavour- ing to raise the tone of worldly men up to the standard of the Gospel principles, they are prepared to lower the Gospel to suit the world; instead of acting as if the Lord was with them, and nding the whirlwind of human appetites, and directing the storm of human passions, they yield to their fury, and seek to make a compromise that they may find shelter from their violence God, it is true, is not tied to any ordinances ; He can and '' wi'l have mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He quickeneth." But though God is not so tied, man is; nor are we at liberty to dispense with the use of any of the ordinances of His appointmenf, of which we may be able to avail ourselves \nd could we but gain those views of Gospel institutions, which pre- vailed in earlier times, we might hope to see again similar evidences of God s presence in His Church; we might find exemplified in modern disciples the simple and single-hearted boldness of primitive Christians, and we then might hope, in the diffusion of the know- ledge of divine truth, for success equal to theirs. The Church of Christ as one great whole is founded on a rock • and it will have its destinies accomplished : <' Surely, there i. no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. No persecution can injure it, and the blood of its martyrs IS the seed of increasing multitudes of faithful children. But still the presence of that -^urch is ensured to no particular places or countries. Suicidal acts,, abandonment of her privileges, are what will ever cause her to suffer ; * and internal sins and divisions are nf fl. f V '""^'Z ^"''^' ''""''^ ^''''^ *° ^™ °>«^« than to the arm flesh, she need not fear the power of kings ; no, Christ would then give_ her kings, not as heads and spiritual fathers over her, but as nursing-fathers to protect, love, and cherish her, to reverence and to serve her. as the spouse of Christ, instead of such fathers as she has made kings be over herse f, and of whom she now stands in awe, and dare not exert the power Christ has given her, without their good liking ; she should then have chtldren whom she might make princes, in all the earth, rPsalm xl v 16,) kings would become hersons and her servants, instead of being her lathers. Nay, more, if the temporal rulers should take part with hell against her, they should not both prevail. They might pull down ven- geance upon their own heads ; but the Church will stand whether they A VISIBLE BODY. 18 ' endeavour- lard of the spel to suit them, and ? the storm to make a Qce. 1 and " will ffe will He nor are we ices of His ves. And which pre- r evidences mplified in P primitive the know- m a rock; here is no on against ;s martyrs But still • places or are what isions are ;o tbe arm ould thea r, but as ;e and to has made I dnre not she should *salm xlv. being her with hell own Ten- th er they what can and do cause particular branches to wither away, or even the light of the Church, as a whole, in particular ages to burn less brightly. As Jehovah could have destroyed the Israelites in the wilderness for their iniquity, and have raised up a new generation from Moses ; so can He act towards the Christian Church. Yet will He still preserve ever one and the same holy Catholic Church, one continued seed springing up from the Chosen One of God. It is now a mixed multitude ; " many are called but few are chosen." Individuals, once received by baptism into membership, may stum- ble or finally fell away ; and whole branches of the Church may lapse into grievous error, or lose their first love, as we believe ia the case with the existing Roman Church. Or their light may be altogether quenched ; as is now the case with the formerly flourish- ing Church of Africa, where the good Cyprian, '' her chief of watchmen," once ruled over, and tended the house of God; or, as is the case at Alexandria, and in those other Eastern countries, where the great Athanasius, and holy Basil, amidst much rebuke and sore trials, so earnestly contended in their day "for the faith once delivered to the saints:" or, as at Ephesus and the other plact , ^nous in the days of St. John for the Churches of the will c not, even in England, unless the policy of the clergy so far give way as to provoke God to remove their candlestick : nothing else can ruin them, while they remain true to their God, and are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and to assert those powers He has committed unto them. No enchantment will prevail against our Israel ; no, none, till themselves are first enchanted and bewitched, as the foolish Galatians, not to obey the truth, not to stand by it, and contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints ; not to speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority ; and to let no man despise them ; for then God will despise them, and make them contemptible and bare before all people, because ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of Hosts. . . But if, after all, they will not take the Apostle's advice, Quit you like men, be strong ; if they dare not come out to stop the way against the persecutor ; if they will not stand in the gap, let them return home ; let all that are afraid, or faint-hearted, depart out of this battle, lest they discourage their brethren ; By the men that lapped will I save you, saith the Lord. Let the timorous, prudent, and wise, stay with tht. baggage I J till the d&uger is Over | tucj' ma^' couic lu lOr & Susrs Oi Lkslib's Preface to the Case of the Regale, SfC. the spoil."- 14 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. Apocalypse. As here, so elsewhere, God may quench the l.Vhf nf^ dmne truth, 'ason lead us in civil jurisdiction to a mode of uniform ana . monious int-r- pretation of law, so, in addition to these motives, we have the higher inducement of scriptural authority to direct us as to our mode of acting in spiritual matters, and the formation of a sound rule of faith. The Anglican Church, most erroneously thought by many to be constituted upon mere principles of private judgment, has in accordance with the dirciplined and enlightened views of all her brightest luminaries,* and standing upon far higher ground Cranmer evidently acknowledged the authority of Catholic tradition. On what other grounds co . he have made those voluminous collections of extracts from the fathers, the councils, the schoolmen, and the 1534 or 1535, he said « that when all the fathers agreed in the exposi- tionof any place of Scripture, he acknowledged he looked on that as flowing from the Spirit of God ; and it was a most dangerous thing to be wise in our own conceits.". ... Again, he says, "Herein, I said I would be judged by the old Church, and which doctrine could be proved the elder, that I w(,uld stand unto." Again, " I protest that it was never TnvT T 7n ''' '^''^' °' "^'^^"'^°d ^^y thing contrary to the most ixoij Word of God, or else against the holy Catholic Church of Christ " ...... Bishop Ridley reverenced equally the testimony of Catholic tradition Bishop Jewell says, "We are come as near as we possibly could to the church of the Apostles, and of the old Catholic bishops and -fathers ; and have directed according to their customs and ordinances, not only our doctrine, but also the sacraments, and the form of common prayer .... Thus the authority of Catholic tradition was recognized by the Church of England and by all our learned theologians. It would take up too much space to cite the concurrent testimonies of Taylor Howell Hooker, Bancroft, Bilson, Overall, Morton, Field, White, Hall' Laud, Montague, Jackson, Mede, Usher, Bramhall, Sanderson, Cosin .Hammond, Thonidike, Jeremy Taylor, Heylin, Pearson, Barrow, Bull, i AND THE RULE OF FAITH. 2T hets will be 3 is not the out all the I can only :eriousJy to son lead us lious intor- 3 have the 3 as to our of a sound J many to nt, has, in of all her sr ground c tradition, collections 1, and the mcils, A.D. the exposi- on that as thing to be id I would jroved the was never 3 the most •f Christ." ' Catholic e possibly shops and rdinances, f common gnized by It would f Taylor, lite. Hall, n, Cosin, ow, Bull, than, and quite distinct from, all other religious communities, the children of the reformation, the Anglican Church has always acknowledged this authority, and acted upon this sound rule. Considering that the nearer to the fountain the purer the stream, in her interpretation of the Word of God, in her settlement of controversy, and resolution of doubts, she has placed herself in dutiful submission to the spirits of the prophets of the primitive Catholic Church, and apostolic age. As a " form of sound words," embodying " the faith once (for all) delivered to the saints," she has adopted a liturgy, which is much of it of apostolic origin, and all of apostolic spirit ; and to avoid all schismatical division, and assure herself of the power with which the Church Catholic is endowed, her priesthood is derived immediately from apostolic hands. And as a necessary consequence, she maintains the perpetual visible existence of the Catholic Church,* and its universal character and claims; and considers all heresy and Stillingfleet, Ken, Beveridge, Patrick, Sharp, Leslie, Potter, &c. &c.... The doctrine there maintained was the authority of the Church : " The Church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies, and authority in cuNTROvERSiBS OP FAITH." (Art. XX. A.D. 1562.)'— Extracts from Palmer's Treatise on the Church, vol. i. pp. 495, &c. * Mr. Palmer, on the subject of the visibility of the Church, after referring to many other authorities (vol. i. c. 3) says, " I shall conclude with the words of the profound Bishop Butler: "Miraculous powers were given to the first preachers of Christianity, in order to their intro- ducing it into the world : a visible Church was established in order to continue it, and carry it on successively throughout all ages. Had Moses and the prophets, Christ and His Apostles, only taught, and by miracles proved, religion to their contemporaries, the benefit of their instructions would ha^e reached but to a small part of mankind. Christianity must have been in a great degree sunk and forgot in a very few ages. To prevent this, appears to have been one reason why a visible Church was instituted ; to be like a city upon a hill, a standing memorial to the world of the duty which we owe to our Maker ; to call men continually, both by precept and instruction, to attend to it, and by the form of religion ever before their eyes, remind them of the reality ; to be the repository of the oracles of God ; to hold up the light of reve- lation in aid of that of nature, and pronagftte it throH'J'hout all venera- tions, to the end of the world." Jnalogy, part ii. chap. 1. 28 INTERPRETATION OF LAW AND RULE OP FAITH. schism to have arisen out of a departure from primitive usages, and a neglect of the testimony of the Church in primitive times' as a faithful and sure witness of the truth.* And it is one of the most cheering facts that gladden the heart, amidst the many sorrows and backslidings of the present day, it is one of the blessed fruits made to grow out of the malice' and persecution of the enemies of this branch of the Church of Christ, that a holy and reverential spirit of inquiry has been stirred up respecting the origin and nature of her claims, as a " holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church"— a growing spirit of inquiry, spreading wider and wider amidst the Bahel confusion of private interpretations ; and which I trust may, when more fully considered and under- stood, be made instrumental, by God's abundant grace, in bringing us all at length to join '' in unity of spirit, the bond of peace,°and righteousness of life." The spirits of the prophets being made subject to the prophets, both in articles of faith and in ecclesias- tical discipline, God will be known to be present amongst us as the gracious Author of peace ; so that at the second coming of our Lord, we may be presented unto Him " a glorious Church, with- out spot or wrinkle," " built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner- stone," and having offered to Him the pure incense of one common prayer whilst militant on earth, may join in one universal song of praise through the endless ages of eternity. * " Remembering the self-snflBcient licentiousness of that miscalled and misapprehended right of private judgment, which dogmatically pro- nounces upon the meanin? of Scripture from a mere insulated inspection of Scripture, and which rapidly decides that such mud be the sense of Scripture because an individual thinks that such is the sense of Scripture • renouncing this self-sufficient and strangely unsatisfactory licentious- ntrfs, the Church of England, with her usual sober and modest judicious- ness, always professed to build her code of doctrine authoritatively indeed upon Scripture alone, but hermeneuticallif upon Scripture as understood and explained by primitive antiquity. Herein, she has judged well and wisely. Scripiure and antiquity are the two pillars upon which all rationally established faith must ultiaately repose. If we reject Scripture, we reject the very basis of theological belief: if we reject antiquity, we reject all historical evidence to soundness of inter- pretation."— Faber'sPz-jw Doct. of Eke. ^ p. II. \ITII. itive usages, litive times, n the heart, nt day, it is malice and h of Christ, I stirred up y, Catholic, iding wider pretations ; and under- in bringins: ■ peace, and )eing made 1 ecclesias- it us as the (ling of our iirch, with- on of the lief corner- 16 common ial song of 3called and ically pro- 1 inspection he sense of Scripture ; licentious- !; judicioua- horitatively ripture as 1, she has wo pillars repose. If lief: if we s of inter- SERMON III.* THE HOUSE OF GOD. II Chroniclbs ii. 5, 6. And the house which I build is great : for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build Him an house, seeing the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him ? Who am I then, that I should build Him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before Him ? It will be in the recollection of most of you, my bre'^ren, that on the 21st of May, 1857, just two years and six months ago, it was my privilege, as Bishop of this Diocese, assisted by many of the clergy and lay-members of the Church, to lay the foundation- stone of this Cathedral, declaring it to have been done " to the glory of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost." On taking possession of it this day for the celebration of divine service for the first time, I would unfeignedly reiterate that declaration, and call upon all present to join in an earnest prayer, that it may be, accorv'ing to the olden form, " ad majorem gloriam Dei," to the increase of the glory of God, of the ever-blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Circumstances, which we have been unable to control, have prevented our arranging, as had been intended, for the formal service of the consecration at this time ; and indeed even now, though the commencement of the services here has been delayed for several weeks beyond the time we had anticipated, there is much still incomplete ; and the voices of the choir, too, must yet for a while lead the congregation in their psalms and * X' reached on Adveitt cuiiuajr, 1859, at the opcuing service is Christ Church Cathedral. 80 THE HOUSE OP aOD. f i hymns and jubilant chant,, unaided by the oi^an', pcali,,. „ot„, unt .ho,e enfe^t^d in the adjusfnent of tbo cun.plieated nnrchi oZ' of tbat noble .n»tru„,ant shall have duly executed their ,T When however, I look around and «e what has been ac "m phshcd, and ron.o„.be,. that on Advene. Sunday, 185o" TZ officiatmg ,n the old Cathedral, that it is not yet cmitc three velr 3mce .t »as destroyed-whcn I call to „,i„d fhe . any S^ be .vconcded and arrangements nmde, before we could tZL hand even tl* counneucement of this work, and the T y m.2 t OH to be encountered and overcome in the continual pLressof pnso ha here are so.ne few matters yet unfinished, I can only pll hod, and cull upon you, as I hope I do myself, in all humility and reverence and gratitude, to bow the head, and say " NoTunfd us, Lord, not unto ns, but unto Thy „au,e give the Lse Ind the" ror""*' "'"?'* "' ^*-»' -■■-• t hlTchosctat the text of my present discourse, uttered by him respecting the Houscof the Lord,, which he was about to^uild; and \"k Bion First then Solomon says, " The house which I build i, the Creator and Governor of the world, commenced with U.e ercatton o man; but in the patriarchal ages it partook no "f tha formal and settled character which it afterwards, by God's difc t,on, assumed. Nor, as far as we eau Icarn from ancient hisZ nks i'n !h- . "'■'' "^ ""^ "'•'""'" ''"'"''■8^ "«'«' »' tem- ples m which divme service might be celebrated, cither bv the worshippers of Jehovah or by the heathen, '■ fe the Jewl, tabernacle was set up, or before it was known that the I .-acH cs were ordered to build a temple when they should be settled in tt land of Canaan, "m the place where the Lord their God shouU choCM to cause his name to dwell there." Noah and the oth patriarchs, as mentioned i„ the Bible, appear simp J'to havf r ctd' lit; *r „:rfr.' r , *- -'- »»'^ " ™-oiara:a ._, ..a.y u,.c , or t^ ^avu planteu groves, as Abraham did in Beer- THE HOUSE OF GOD. 31 shcba, " and called there on the name of the Lord, tbo everlasting God." And though Jacob gave the name of Bethel or House of God, as the word signified, to the place where he had the vision of angels ascending and descending on the ladder between earth and Heaven and the Lord standing above it, yet there was no house there, in the common acceptation of the word, but he simply took the stone on which he had rested liis head durinj; the ni<'ht, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. But when God '^nd chosen a people to be called by His name, and had given them His law, and taught them to oifer Him regu- ' lar stated services. He further commanded that there should be a particular building set apart for the same. First, the moveable tabernacle, while they were still wandering in the wilderness, and afterwards the Temple at Jerusalem, on Mount Zion, when they "became settled in the Land of Promise. Now, the objects of all such buildings are two-fold. They are to be built to the honour of Him who is to be worshipped therein, and they are to be used by those who are to meet there for the purpose of joining in that worship. Jacob, when he set up his pillar and called it " the House of Gf^d," might perhaps have thought, as Solomon asks in the text, "who is able to build God an house, seeing that the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him ?" Yet, by God's express direction, Solomon built Him an house, and he declares " the house which I build is great : for great is our God above all gods." Solomon knew well enough that " God dwelleth not in temples made with hands," whether great or small, simple or magnificent — that in that sense the pillar which Jacob set up would be as complete as anything he could furnish. But he also knew that he should not be testifying his own sense of the Majesty of the God whom he professed to worship, if he did not, in the midst of the might of his kingdom, and the riches of his capital, make the house of his God the chief glory of the whole. But however inadequate the best attempts of men must be to build a house, for that mighty Being whom the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain, — yet Solomon knew it would have its use, for there would that mighty God be worshipped. "Who am I, then," asks Solomon, "that I should build God an 32 THE HOUSE OF QOD. -If house, save to burn sacrifice before him ?" ' I never vainly imagined that this liouao would be a dwelling Ibr God, .speaking after the inanaor of wen, that His infinity was to be circumscribed and con- tamed within the limits sot by the work of His creatures; but ''t will be, nevertheless, a place where Ho may be served, and wher.3 He will vouchsafe to meet us and to bless us, if we draw near unto Him with faithful and true hearts, in reverence and <'odlv fear.' "^ '' And this feeling, which led Soiomon to build a "groat house because -reat was his God above all gods," has hud its proper influence in all ages and countries, and is based upon true and sound principles of religion, as well under the dispensation of the Gospel as under that of the law. History, no doubt, tells us that in the days of persecution tho faithful were wont to meet for Divme Worship amidst the tombs and burial-places of the dead or in the secret caves of the earth : a few way-worn pilgrims have often joined in prayer to the Lord upon the bleak hill-side, and <;arly settlers in the wilderness of a new country have prayed to, and praised their God in a building made of rude logs gathered from the surrounding forests,— and all, doubtless, offlfen acceptably with a deep s -nse of the majesty of Him they served, and a great outpouring of blessing from on high. But, when persecutions cease, and days of peace and prosperity come round, when, as David says, they themselves begin to " dwell in houses of cedar," then surely it is " no longer meet that the ark of the covenant of the Lord should remain under curtains." When mansions of costly price, and embellished within and without with all the skill of experienced artists, grow up on every side, -when the halls of justice, the palatial buildings of the money changers, the market- places, and public works which denote and advance the worldly greatness and prosperity of our citizens, are multiplying around us, then, too, surely, it is but meet that the house which we build for the service of our God should be great, and, as nearly as we can make it, the chief glory of all; reminding us, by its beauty and magnificence, of the greatness of our God, who is above all gods. And in the execution of the work which we see around us in this place, these have been the principles which have influenced THE HOUSE OP OOD. 83 inly imagined ng after the bed and con- tures ; but 't d, and wlioi.3 e draw near 10 and godly groat house, d its proper on true and ation of the tells us that to meet for 3f the dead, ilgrims have ill-side, and prayed to> gs gathered acceptably, and a great lersecutions , when, as i of cedar," Jovenant of lansions of .11 the skill ihe halls of he market- he worldly ng around i we build arly as we its beauty above all around us influenced mo when the occasion was offered for the rebuilding our Cathedral Church. It will, of course, only bo very rarely that opportunities will occur for carrying out these princi[.ks to the extent exemplified liere : and there muat always be allowance made for their applica- tion according to local circumstances. But, whatever inequality there may bo in the ro(iuiremonts or the capabilities of ditFerent places, this ought not to prevent the achievement of works in duo keeping and proportion, and suitable for the end proposed ;— nor will the influence of such a work as this ever bo limited to a single locality, or unfelt by the whole community,— reminding those engaged i:i the erection of a simple Village Church, that they too >ihould try and offer their best to God. It 1ms boon too much the custom, in the ago in which we live, to endeavour in every way to serve God at as cheap a rate as possible, at the same time that men serve themselves willingly at tho cost- liest sacrifice. While in your private lives luxury has been in- creasing, and greater extravagance of every kind stimulated and encouraged, each one rivalling his neighbour, whether in the size of his dwelling, its furniture and decorations, in his manner of living, his equipage, and the dress of himself and the various members of his family, any expenditure in connection with the building of a Church or the service of God, is too often denounced, very much in the spirit of Judas, as a waste of that which might have been turned to better account in some other way. Now, for myself, I wish loudly to protest against such a system ; and I would wish this, our Cathedral Church, to be our public protest for tho diocese at large. And here let me say a few words respecting those with whom I have been more immediately associated in the prosecution of this work: I mean " the Finance and Building Committee," appointed by the Vestry of the old Cathedral. It was no light or common task that was entrusted to them. None but those who have had the care and weight of such a burden to bear, can fully estimate the nature of it. It is an easy office for casual passers-by to criti- cise or to condemn what they perhaps do not appreciate, or at least as yet cannot fairly judge of; and which very probably they might not have been able themselves to have improved, if they had to (i THE HOUSE OF GOP. Originate or execute the work. And I wish to bear my testimony m the presence of the congregation, to the .eal and fidelity with which the Committee have discharged the trust committed to them ; and, let me add also, to the harmony and perfect good feel- ing with which, from first to last, all our proceedings have b^en conducted, which lightened every labour, and contributed in no smad degree to their efficiency. And while I would wish thus publicly to do justice to all, and to acknowledge the service rendered by their attention and varied habits of business and acquaintance with different details in matters where I should myself so often have been helpless and ignorant-yet I am sure hat the other members of the Committee will join with me in testifying that there are two of our number, in especial, to whom the congregation ought to feel deeply indebted, without whose unflagging attention, constant supervision of the work, and minute inspection of it in its gradual progress, whether in respect of the financial or building department, we should never have achieved 7wTT Tu-"""" '^r'"''- ^ """"^^ *^ ^"« Hon. George Moffatt, the Chairman of- the Committee, and to the Very Rev the Dean And let us not ou.it to return thanks to Almighty God, that by His blessing on the skill and careful management of those who have had charge of the works, notwithstanding there has been so much that was difficult In execution, in consequence of the size of the building, weight of the materials, and the great height of the scaffoldings, and so many hundreds of artizans have been at work in different ways, yet not only has not one life been lost, but not even one serious accident has occurred to any of those employed. I may mention also, that besides the money which has passed thv-.ugh the hands of the Committee, of which you will remember upwards of £2,000 was sent to us from England, we have to thank many kind and generous friends for liberal offerings, whether for use in the service, or for the beautifying of the building-amonc^st which are the coloured windows now in place, and some more expected shortly; the font, the lectern, all the service books the encaustic tiles and the furniture for the chancel and communion table, the clock, now in course of preparation, and some other THE HOUSE OF GOD. 36 minor articles. The liberality of others is not, however, to super- sede, but should rather stimulate your exertions, and you must not forget, while making use of this building, and joining in the services here performed, that there is still a considerable amount to be provided before the work can be completed, or you can fairly lay credit to it as your own. It was very satisfactory, after the dispersion of the old congregation on the burning of the former Cathedral, and the many changes which have since unavoidably occurred, to find that nearly all that old Congregation are again united together here ; that the apportionment of the pews (a mat- ter the most difficult of arrangement) has been effected with such general good feeling, and that almost all seemed well pleased with their location. And if there be some few from other Churches in the city, who have Leci led hither by the advantages of the situa- tion, and its greater contiguity to their private dwellings, I most sincerely trust, indeed feel confident, that this will not really prove to the detriment of the congregations ; but that their places will, almost in all cases, be generally filled up, and, through increase of life and energy communicated by God's blessing on the faithful work of the ministry to the whole body of the Church, increasing numbers of our members will soon cause all to bless God and to be content. During the progress of such a work as that in which we have been engaged, in building this Ct.thedral, it was natural that much attention and interest should be excited in various ways, not only amongst the members of this congregation, but also amongst all the members of our Church, and, indeed, amongst the citizens at large ; nor was it to be expected that all would in a like degree approve of what has been done. Each has a full right to his own opinion ; but our occupation of the building for public service will now, I trust, at length put an end to many an idle rumour, many an unwarranted assertion, which has been from time to time busily propagated in the midst of us, — sometimes respecting the manner in which it was said the interior was to be arranged, somo- times respecting the disposal of the pews, sometimes respecting the manner in ^hich the future services were to be conducted. 1 nese will all now, 1 nopo, uQ biOwn away as idie winu, and that i ii 36 THE HOUSE OF GOD. people will rather, as the apostle exhorts, "study to be quiet, and tmi nd their own business," and that we shall all try and "follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith to edify one another." It certainly has been my object, and that of the Committee, to erect an edifice worthy of its name and character as the Cathedral Church of this Diocese; we have tried to do this according to some acknowledged principles of ecclesiastical art; and we hope that we have succeeded in raising a building, which' in all its details, as well as in its general character, at once'"declares for itself its sacred object and use— as the House of God. But anxious as we may have been to carry this intoelFect in the highest degree that we were able, it has been in the strictest conformity to the true spirit of our Reformed Church : indeed rather abstaining from some things lawful, because we did not deem them expedient ; wishing rather to gather together all in peace and harmony, than by gratifying some in non-essentials, to raise a prejudice in others. And in the future conduct of the services, as I mentioned on a recent occasion at St. John's, there has been no intention of chang- ing the manner of performing them, but only an earnest wish to render all more perfect and complete. And let us only ask our- selves, in the words of Solomon, " Who are we that we should build God an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him ?" And if that be so, ought not those sacrifices which we offer to be our best and purest offerings ? And here is the end of the whole matter. What use are we going to make of the House of God, now that we have built it ? " If there is one thing more than another for which we have a perfect loathing," says an able lay member of the Church, " it is that most disgusting of all unrealities which attempts to make things external and earthly the substitute for what is internal and heavenly—which considers fine Churches and complex services a sufficient compensation for general laxity oi .vorals and insufficient pastoral care— the formalism of lip-worship ,._. atonement for dead- ness of hearts and unrestrained luxurious living. Such a loathing as this is, whatsoever gainsayers may assert, not merely compatible with, but, if rightly weighed, the legitimate consequence of, that care for the solemnities of outward worship which it is our wish to THE HOUSE OF GOD. 37 enforce. Eendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's is the inevitable result of rendering unto God what is God's." But there is, I fear, a fatal tendency in the human mind to rest in unrealities, and "nothing is so dangerous (to adopt the words of an eloquent living prelate) to the souls of the better sort of people, as a religion of unreality. It is so growing, so deadly, so blinding, so destroy, ing, so vain. All the outward acts of a religious life may be per- formed, where there is an established character, and yet every one of them be an offence to God. They hear sermons, join in a litany, join in divine worship, come to the communion once a month — all like a decent garment : things outside, nothing within. It is, I think, the great danger of the regular, professing Christian, at this moment — acts which tend to form and to lead men into the habit of going to pray for that which they do not really desire." God forbid that such should be our case : that we should allow any self-complacency on account of this house which God has permitted us to build for him, or any admiration of the services to be offered therein, to blind us to the depths of our sad spiritual necessities, or make us inditlerent about these necessities being supplied. And when we draw nigh to offer our own sacrifices, let us ever bear fresh in our stricken hearts the recollection of that One Great Sacrifice once offered up as a peace-offering for us all, and which alone gives any of us sinners the right of access to the throne of grf ce. Let us ever remember in deep humiliation and penitence our sins, that they may be blotted out in the precious blood of the Lamb of God, and that He may remember them no more ; and our weaknesses, that they may be swallowed up in the might and the love of Jesus our Kedeemer. And since we are this day called, at the com- mencement of the ecclesiastical year, when the Church begins again her yearly course (and therefore a very appropriate day for entering upon the services in this place), since we are this day called once more by the Church to hear of His advent in the flesh, and warned of that second coming that shall be, when He shall return to judge the world in righteousness, let it not be without some hope of real growth in grace and knowledge that we prepare ourselves for the approaching celebration of our Christmas feast, by daily using, as the Church directs, the words of this day's I I r ■ t I- ' .88 THE HOUSE OF QOD. Collect, with which she begins her annual course of service, say- ing — " Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that when He shall come again in His glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal through Him, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen." SERMON IV * THE CHURCH ONE BODY IN CHRIST. St. John xvii. 11. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. . These words form part of that solemn and earnest prayer which the Lord Jesus Christ offered up to the Almighty Father, when He was just about to be betrayed into the hands of His enemies. He knew the importance of prayer, as a means of obtaining good gifts from God. He prayed as " the prevailing Intercessor ; " and He has taught and commanded us to pray also, in and through His name. He had previously prayed for one of His disciples in particular : " I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." And though Simon Peter fell in the hour of his temptation, yet was the prayer effectual in that he was re- stored again, and afterwards witnessed a good confession. ^On this occasion Christ's prayer is not confined to an indi- vidual, but is offered up for all, in every age, that should believe on Him ; for those disciples then present with Him, yet not for those only, " but for them also which shall believe on me through their word : that they all may be one, as Thou, Father^ art in me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us ; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me." And shall not this prayer of Christ's be effectual too? Again He says, at the same time, ♦This Sermon was preached by appointment, in Trinity Church, New York, November 22, 1854, at the Consecration of Horatio Potter, D.D., to the Episcopate of th.at Diocese. \ ' . 1 ' l!l m ^ 40 THE CHURCn ONE BODY IN CHRIST. I pray not hat Thou shouldst take them out of the world • " that would not have fulfilled the purpose of God TT J , the members of His bodv v^S?. I i' ' ^''^'PH wh.oh they were to continue, Ho prays also with repold and strong supp, cations, that they may be Icnit together buoLn Fath r°"l t"'- ""'^r- "' '^ *^ -"y of Christ wi^tC X'ather Which unity would be a consequence of God's Brotectin„ WW ,. . tf, I "'^ ""•''^ ""^ »»" '" -» • """ «« world may behcvo that Thou hast sent me." Christ then prays for Hfe disciple,, who are to be in the world, that they may be sanltf lied and kept from the evil; and as a consequence, may be C together in on- body, as a witness for C-od in the worid After this manner, then, it was in the mind and purpose of Christ for the advancement of God's glo^, and the furthelce of men s salvation, that His disciples were to be manifested to the world, as well as known unto God ; forming His body, the Church f Z if • ; '™"'^ °°° ■"™'"=" ""<' »f ™tl>™-" And it .of this body of Christ that so many glorious descriptions a e g.vcn in Scripture ; of which the faitli of every true believer anticipates the full accomplishment-albeit the time is not ycT The existence of evil, and still more, its frequent triumphs in the world have often been used by the infidel as his stron/ar-i tha ist ■' ""'f "' "^ •'"P^'- A-" -rtainly the c'onflt tt ct \°%°n, ''^ ""'""'' ^y ""^ P°«" of ■'"'■''"ess against he Church of Christ, is most awful and mysterious. But whether m the case of individuals, or in that of the Church, as a bodv no hmg has occurred in connection with our present militant state, but what has been as plaimy foretold as those very principles of our Christian faith, on which our salvation depends The pr^ THE CHURCH ONE BODY IN CHRIST. 41 sent period is one of probation and trial, which God has appointed for some wise and merciful purposes : and whereas Christ, as He prayed, so He might have altogether prevented the fall of Peter, but did not; so He might have preserved His Church from all present evil whatsoever, and manifested it at once in its perfect state, " a glorious Church, not having ' oot or wriukle, nor any such thing." But He has reserved this manifestation of it for its full realization hereafter. He has left a treasure, but it is in earthen vessels; and He has foretold us in His word, not only of the persecutions which shall assail His Church, but of the evils which shall creep into it. But it shall nevertheless bear a charmed life ; the adversary shall not be able to prevail against it to destroy it ; and in God's own good tiitie there shall be an end of these trials, and Christ's prayer shall effect a perfect work. And while, notwithstanding that in many things we offend all, yet in every age individual saints are being gathered, one by one, to their rest j so shall the day surely arrive, when the whole body of the faithful shall hQ Manifested, as the body of Christ — " a glorious Church;" " Christ in them, and God in Christ, that they may be made per- fect in one." But in the mean time, as we are taught to pray for the coming of Christ's kingdom, so must we labor for its advancement; that the truth may work for ih.i sanctification of His Church, and be a witness for God in the world. And what more tended to extend the triumphs of the Gospel in the x\postolic ages than the unity of the Church ? And what has ever been impairing this unity of the visible Church, but the creeping in of heresies and false doctrines ; which obliged the faithful in contending for " the truth," which is the end, to put in peril present outward unity, which, however great a blessing, is still a means of seeking that end ? " The wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable." And this was the great principle of " the Reformation." It was always the first duty of the Church, in every age and every place, to con- tend for " the truth," whether it were endangered by the Ju- daizing compliances of St. Peter, tho heresies of Arius, or the corrupt teaching of Rome. And if the ronsequence of our main- taining ''the truth" in its purity should be, that any purtiou oF 1 1 42 THE CHURCH ONE BODY IN CHRIST. existing Christendom, however large, refuse to hold commuaion with us, "sin lieth at the door " of them that speak not the sim- ple truth as it is in Jesus." n«< is the first point to be guarded -nd no morbid yearning after present universal outward unity must bo allowed to be put in competition with the paramount duty of bearing testimony to " the truth." "Sanctify them through Ihy truth : Thy word is truth." To uphold "the truth" in all its purity, which was corrupted by the Church of Rome (which Church of Rome, be it remem- bered, had already long ceased to maintain any visible unity with the Eastern Churches), was, I repeat, the great principle of " the Retormation as proclaimed and acted upon by the Church of J^ngland. It set up no new body : it retained its "Apostolic truth '' ""^ ^"^'*^'" ^''^ P'°'^^^°^"^ *^« f'^l^^ss of - evangelical Constituted then, as the Anglican Church is, teaching what she teaches, believing that she retains the primitive polity and the sacraments, and unity with the Head of the Church it m her duty and privilege to labor for the advancement of Christ's king- dom, for which He has taught us ever to pray ; and to seek this not merely by maintaining her own purity at home, but by im- parting to others the knowledge and gifts which she enjoys- and as far as may be, promoting the unity of the body of Christ not only m spiritual relationship as true members of Christ, bu't in that outward ana visible unity, which shall be a witness to the world that the world may believe that Christ is with her ^ While, therefore, the body of Christ, in its first and holiest intention, consists of the faithful of all ages, who are knit together in one through union with Christ, the head, those still in the flesh, and those who have fought the good fight, and are already gathered to their rest ; so also, in order to the completion of the number of the elect, there is now a militant Church on earth of which we are severally members, by virtue of our membership in ua outward and visible Communion, into which we have been baptized, and in which we are partakers of the means of grace And this, which for distinction I will call the Church of the Re- formation, bearing witness for the truth, protesting nnomst the THE CHURCH ONE BODY IN CHRIST. 43 corruption of it, the Catholic Church, in its fullest sense, in its positive identity, not merely with any body of believers now in the flesh, but with the Church of ChriHt in all ages, knit together in one body with a countless multitude, in unity of faith, and doc- trine, and polity, " continuing steadfastly in the doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayer : " this Church has a present existence, and claims to be one body in every part of the world, presided over by one hundred and sixteen Bishops, served by 20,000 ministers, and nourishing within her fold millions of faithful children. Without pronouncing upon the state or privileges of others, it is for us to be assured of our own. And who amongst us will doubt that the power of Christ's prayer in the text shall extend to us, as living branches of His Church, which are now bearing, and have borne, much fruit — " clouds of witnesses " for " the truth?" " Holy Father, keep, through Thine own name, those , whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." But if so, must we not seek after the perfecting of this oneness, that it may both he a reality, and be manifested, in order that we may bear witness for Christ, that the world may believe that God has sent Him ? And it is as a consequence of this unity between several members of Christ's body, that, as a chief pastor of a Diocese in an Imperial colony of British North America, I am here this day to take part in these solemn services for consecrating a chief pastor for this, the most important Diocese in your great Kepublic. To the same eifect have been those interchanges of ministerial offices, and that common counsel on subjects of deep concern to the welfare of the Church, which have so recently been cheering the hearts, and strengthening the hands of the brethren, on either side of the Atlantic ; and forcibly reminding us of the great fact, that " we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another," But however real may have been the advantages of such intercommunion, these have rather been the services of individuals, or at most of special societies formed within the Church, than solemn acts of the great body corporate itself. Must it, however, always be the unfulfilled yearning of earnest spirits, that the day may come when the whole ■ % * ) H. { 5 . \. i ^ ! ; ' i> [ \ 1 ^ L- ri\ i^l V I « is ^ w t * i r "^ -s; .; V ^J L u y y Ijj 1 1 J ft '.5»J rkal 44 THE CIIURCU ONE BODY IN CHRIST. . character, l«r,„g w.tnea, ,. !„tl,„lic irmhs, and totilVin,, i„ ^"^0 roc„g„,zod and oiBcial n,.„ner, both for her „„„ truo'caTh" hcty and for the un.t, of hor „,en,ber, i„ every „n„r.er of the world ? When comhnafon, arc ever being made to give foree to to mute for the mamlenance of truth? I, it „ot car positive Chri , and that He is ,„ the midst of as ? Are we not bonnd to g.ve the greatest foree and p„l,]icity to our testi ony ? "Ye art the light of the world. A oi-y that is set on an hi,l eannot be hH Neither do men light a eandle and put it under a bushel, but on aeandle.,tick; and it giveth light ,„ all that are in the house Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your .ood works, and glorify your Father whieh is in heaven » of the ri™' ,"'r "''° 7'"" '''f'"™"«=«iJ«'"» affecting the position of the Church, for good or for evil, in different Imlities-whether m England or Scotland, in Jiritish North America or this Knip « n the East or West Indies, China, Australasia, or Afrie Z they are such a, do not affect the one ministry which servr.a the Church, or the great Catholic truth, which are embodied ilou Cree s and Araelcs of Faith. And these very influences undo which t e Church IS placed in different localities, the differen relationship ,n which she stands to the civil authorit'ics, the d ffer ent sta e of society in regard to other religious teaching m„,l or civilization that is b.^ught to hear up'o',, her in th^ Ti us nations wherein she is publishing ber message, add strength to h unvarying sanieness of that " fiiith, once ffor all] delivered to he sain... which she everywhere believes and contends for. And flrit rn 1, °'-'"^ """'"" '"'''' ""«-' '-"'"'ions of the State, or the irruption of foreign conquests, the decay of fearnmg or piety or the overpowering influence rf the J«Tter nilnd of some bold heresiarch, should, i„ any one place cause Uie trumpet to give either an uncertain or a faL sound, 'core tie body of the Church, so tuat " in the mouth of two or three wit- nesses every word shall be established." The importance of s'h THE CIIUIICII ONE BODY IN JURIST. 45 |r«rn,ng voice of Scripture, there shall yet be perilous times before the .onnng of Christ ; when the Prince of this world shall wage a fearlawarwc against the elect; when the love of many shall wax cold ; when the u.::^odIy and the careless, a, it was i the days of Noe and of Lot, shall set at naught the warnings of God' remeinbraneers, and think only of the business of Uiis life, or follow greedily after the pleasures ot .crse; when the name of Fim that hung upon the Cross shall be named only to be derided and the future judgment shall bo boldly de.ied. In such seasons It IS that the people of God, in every place, need to have thei hearts cheered by mutual counsel and intercommunion : then when the wicked make a mock at sin and despise the Crucified One; then, .'They that fear the Lord must speak o J onf t another, and the Lord will hearken and hear it " Then it is when the highways of this world are full of busy life- when human reason, and knowledge, and seienca are triumphing' in the achievement of mighty deeds; when men are thinking of eatin' and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building as if time were everything and eternity a dream ;-then it is, that for God s honor, for the deliverance of our own souls, and fo; the sal- vation of such as shall be saved, we must publish aloud <« the ever- lasting Gospel:" and say unto all men, '< Watch ye, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these thLs that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man " As in a fierce storm on the wide ocean, in the midst of the elemental strife when the winds rage horribly, and the waves swell with fury and the vessel strains and groans in every part, and the crew run to and fro, engaged in anxious duty-yet ever and anon, above the no.se and dm that pains the aching ear, there sounds the clear firm voice of the chief, giving utterance to com.iands, that, bein^ obeyed bring deliverance: so in the midst and above the world's proud boastings, and opposing rage and busied life, must still be heard hke the clear, full notes of the trumpet, the cry of the laithful, with united voice, proclaiming the Crucified One, and THE CHURCH ONE BODY IN CHRIST. 47 and in that If wc can heed to the times before • ehail wage many shall wa8 in the gs of God's Ihis life, or e name of be derided, ich seasons have their ion : then, 5 Crucified ten one to ["hen it is, life; when ling in the of eatinii iing, as if is, that for 'or the sal- " the ever- and pray lese things Ian." As elemental with fury, orew rua ion, above the clear, bat, being le world's t still be 'y of the One, and saying, " Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and II ever. And if there be much (whether wc think each of our own per- sonal shortcomings, or of those troubles that try and vex the Church) to cause all of us to walk with fear and trembling ; if indeed it seem to require the continual help of God's promised grace to assure us that " sufficient for the day is the evil thereof," and to prevent us, when anticipating the things of the morrow, frum being cast down through too much carefulness ; yet surely wc may find ground for hope and confidence, when we consider how God has mercifully kept His Church hitherto ; and speyially, how He has led His people through the varied struggles of the last three hundred years; and also what present signs of vigorous life are everywhere visible in ihe action of the Church, the common Mother of us all. I might mention the continued safe keeping of " that good thing which was committed *' to her trust— the Catho- lic faith, and ministerial gifts. I might mention the earnest, and sustained, and successful efforts now making for the furtherance of the Gospel kingdom by Missionary enterprise abroad — the zeal, and wisdom, nnd munificence manifested so generally in the erec- tion of churches among our own people — the increased care in the training candidates for Holy Orders, and generally in the work of education — the multiplied demand for devotional and theological works, as well those of a standard character, as those adapted for more popular circulation. And I have already taken notice of that yearning after closer and more real, as well as visible, inter- communion between the different members of Christ's body; which, in a certain measure, has had a partial accomplishment. But I would also remind you of that extraordinary, and entirely undesigned coincidence in the action of two important branches of the Reformed Catholic Church, which has lateljr been witnessed ; giving evidence that they both arc actuated by one and the same spirit, under a deep sense of solemn responsibilities, and with a desire to meet them. I allude to the important Keports presented, in the last Session, by the Committees appointed by the Upper HousQ of Convocation in England ; and to the Momorial presented 48 THE CHURCH ONE BOi)Y IN CHRIST. ■ ■ t i ^^^^^y HH 1^ to the House of Bishops at your last General Convention, with the subsequent proceedings connected therewith. Time will not allow me, nor is this the occasion, to enter into any details respecting these matters, about which there may, at this early date, be well allowed to be many differences of opinion. I will merely observe, that neither we nor our fatners have witnessed manv more impor- tant movements in ecclesiastical affairs; and that tliere certainly IS a manifest desire in all parties concerned therein (in which I am sure the great body of the faithful will heartily sympathize) to endeavour, while upholding the great land.narks of the Catholic faith, and maintaining in all their essential integrity the formula- ries and principles of the Reformed Church, so to increase her efficiency, and adapt her machinery, and apply her teaching and ministrations to the present condition and necessities of the people, as shall enable her most successfully to fulfil the work of her min' istry, and gather into her fold those for whom Christ died. But who is sufficient for such a task ? Who shall be the skilful work- men, " that need not to be ashamed," to whom the Church shall look for wise and prudent counsel, and vigorous action, in such high and holy efforts ? Let us but have faith in God's promises to His Church, and plead them in prayer to Him, and we cannot doubt that, in the time of need, there will always be raised up able and willing sons, both to do and to suffer for the honour of Christ. and the maintenance of His truth : '' as thy day is, so shall thy strength be." There is the name of one individual attached to the documents issued in connection with that Memorial, who, with every neces- sary qualification of character, attainments, and official position, and earnestly desiring to see the efficiency of the Church pro- mowd, and her unity maintained in all her members, had zealously devoted himself, with others of his brethren, to the carrying forward this most important work ; but whom it has pleased Almighty God to remove from this, his scene of uCtive and useful labours, when to our finite sense they seemed calculated to be most benefi- cial, if not necessary, to the Church. It is not, however, on this occasion only that we need to learn a lesson of submission to the will of God, and to receive the warning admonition of Christ, THE CHURCH ONE BODY IN CHRIST. 49 " What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know here- after." Scarcely two years have even now elapsed, since I was invited to be present at the consecration of him, of whom we must alas' ! already speak as the late Bishop Wainwright ; and now I am with you again for a similar purpose, on the appointment of his successor. Well do I remember the grateful joy that was felt and acknowledged by all the members of your Church, at the elevation of Bishop Wainwright to the Episcopate ; it was a time of no common mercy to your long-aiflicted Diocese. Nor were the hopes and expectations then so warmly cherished, disappointed. Brief as has been the period of his official life, he crowded into rt such an amount of active labor, and, I believe I may justly say, so wisely and affiictionately applied himself to all matters of business, that whether as a preacher of the Gospel, or overseer of the flock, his praise is in all the churches, and he has earned a name worthy to live with those of the eminent prelates who have gone before him : — vvith that of Seabury, first father of a trans-Atlantic seed, with the Apostolic White, with your own revered Hobart, and all those who have aided in the work of building up the Church of God in this land. Nor is Bishop Wainwright's death felt and mourned for only by yourselves. Wherever he was known in England — and that was in no narrow circle — there will be hearts ready to sympathize in all your grief. And for myself, independ- ent of my previous acquaintance with him, he was so very recently with me, as a guest in my own house, and taking part in solemn services in my own Cathedral Church, tha<- I cannot but claim the right to feel the loss, as that of a friend for whom I had a warm regard, as well as of a Bishop whose character I respected. But if God, in His inscrutable wisdom, has been pleased, thus early in his Episcopate, to call away Bishop Wainwright to his great account, let us with thankfulness acknowledge that He has tempered this visitation with mercy. For certainly it is no small mercy that you should have been enabled rt once to agree in the choice of a successor. Of him whom you have thus chosen, it becomes not me, almost a stranger, to speak in your presence : except th-t I may justly assume, that he should, in so large a Diocese, with so many individuals amonirst vou eminentlv oualified 50 THE CHURCH ONE BODY W CHRIST. for such a post, without any delay or difficulty, have been selected with so much unanimity, cannot but give a pledge to all the Church, that he will be no unworthy successor of your latp Dio- cesan. And he fulfils the Apostolic rule, in that he is no novice His early theological studies and training, and his more recent pastoral duties in a large and important charge, will have gained him much experience, that cannot but be exceedingly useful in administering his future office. In conclusion, as one who has himself now fully felt the burden yf the Episcopate, I will only further exhort our reverend brother, now about to enter upon similar duties, how needful indeed it is' that he should more than ever seek for an increase of God's manifold gifts of grace ; that, as we shall presently join in what I trust may be effectual, fervent prayer for him, he may "duly execute the office whereunto he is called, to the edifying of the Church, and to the praise and glory of God." If the Church of Christ is ever ade- quatel,7 to fulfil her mission in the world, if she is to be " as a city set upon a hill," a city of refuge for wayfarers, " a city which is at unity in itself, whither the tribes may go up, i;he tribes of the Lord," it must, under God's blessing, be, in no small measure, owing to the degree of faithfulness, and wisdom, and love, with which those who fill her places of authority, take oversight of the flock committed to their charge. And though we may not in these days be called on to give our bodies to be burned at the stake, for a testimony for the truth of the Gospel; yet the stead- fast and enduring spirit is not less needful now than in those times of fiery persecution. Nay, more— we must seek that spirit of love which shall teach not only endurance, but humility; which "vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, nor easily pro- voked ; " which " beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." And if a blessedness is in store for those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake there is one also for "the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God." And if we wish to see the present prosperity of our Zion, lot us remember that, however the world may boast its power, and make light of them that fear the Lord, ' •' v' V '\ % ^^ <> ple of Solomon at Jerusalem and J bmlt upon Chnst as the foundation and chief corner-stoie whici g.ves strength and security to the whole. On other o^rasL! ft! Apostle speaks of believers, under the figure of maTembt united m one body, and having different duties and 0810^ tZ ^ toWry ot all. feo also to describe the diffipiilt,*o= m^ i. ^ encounter, he likens the Christian to a li "r^:: L":!^ ^nuous warfare in an enemy-s country ; and i'n his E^s l" the' ^rmour -by which he is to be secured from danger,-thc breast- the Tor^ T nu ^ ^ ''^P*^'" ^'lO™ he follows is is:he°bler:;the cl""' '"^ ^"''="°' """^ "«»- "= '^«^».- te "oI^ttcLfrsl'tl^Xrrr vV^'^^ '" "^ the Christian to thos'e persons 1 usTd f „ e TTf™ With Upro^^a^d rtS aCtl'oH- nt'd^ Of argument (which is so remarkable in tL AnJi\ , ^ *<.e to the subject of these gamefwlltrit,^ t'l" thians, since the place where some of them were held „ the neighbourhood of their own city of Corkith I ,f ,' 1 'f, "^S^fT """'■='°" *'-^ - *-^^^^^^ P If • !l '' argument; and very probably, by them- ineuds^ had striven lor the mastery in them. St Paul romiJl ^rThe': ri.:t\:e" '"""''°"" '° '"'" *^ "* - -S lor the prize m the race, or any of those energetic exercises that require a great display of bodily activity and endurance, Ty were used to tra:n and discipline themselves with unwearied care Inb ht^alon'VdT' °' ^"^ ■"^"^' «'^ g^atificationsrX." he tation and murmur, rising early, feeding themselves with ™. deration, and cereising themselves by rule, that their wind might THE victor's crown. 75 be good and lasting, their muscle strong and full, and no unhealthy action excited in their system such as might injure their strength and lessen their speed, and thus destroy all chance of their success. Such watchful care over themselves, such self-discipline, was abso- lutely necessary if they hoped to win the prize. — No man was ever foolish enough to expose himself to certain defeat and well merited ridicule without them. " Every man," (says the Apos- tle,) ye know it so to be, " every man that striveth for the mas- tery is temperate in all things." And yet in these games, after all his care and pains, he may not succeed ; for again he writes : " Know ye not that those that run in a race, run all, but one only (the best among them) receiveth the prize," In this respect the comparison with the Christian no longer holds good, except by way of contrast. We, as Christians, have our race to run : we must, like the Corin- thian competitors, keep our bodies under, and bring them into subjection ; we must not give a loose rein to self-indulgence, to sloth or luxurious living, and this not like them, that we may be able to perform great feats of bodily strength, but that, by mortifying the deeds of the body, we may give place ami pre- eminence to our spiritual nature: not allowing the corruptible body to press down the soul, nor the earthly tabernacle to weigh down the mind ; which soul and mind in the Christian have been renewed again after the image of their Maker, and are capable of high and holy communion with Him. " Every man," (says the Apos Je) — " Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." This holds good in the Christian, as well as in competition for victory in the Isthmian games. AVithout exercising over ourselves something of the same watchful care and rule of life in our spiritual race, it is a contradiction in terms to say, that we are striving for the mastery at all in our spiritual race, — that we have entered the lists at all as candidates for the heavenly prize ; for they (says the Apostle to the Romans) " that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; and if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:' But, as I said Ijefore, here the comparison ends : the rest is by way of contrast. We run not our race against each other. If one gets a prize, it is not to the loss or hindrance of i 11 'I f >>i r uK 70 THE victor's crown. his fellc vs, but rather to their gain. We have and ' no need to measure the suece^ful pr„:;; of a Zr "^ ^'"'^' nor crowns there are awaiting every racer i"n iho ou • .- With this encouragement, then "so run " ^,M, i such preparation, " tl.a. ye' may obtl ' « o T '"'V^ from another rt™ in glory "™, are*" »^ f T *"*"• «nin nature, instead of yielding up human nature to the faith."— Church Principles, ch. on Rationalism, by tjie Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P. WOBLDLY WISDOM. 85 necessarily bo better served by unlettered ignorance, or bettor pro- moted by tho niiniflt-y of fools snd ignorant men, than when all that is great and good and wise and excellent in man — the highest powers and faculties of his intellechml as well as his moral being — arc brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and tfhdor tho service of '* tho truth as it is in Jctus." Thus to reason would indeed be to pervert Scripture to a wrong purpose, throW into unmerited disrepute soino of God's best gifts to man, and con- tradict tho whole practice and exiMirience of St. Paul himself. Of all tho Apostles ho ^as by i\c tho most accomplished, the most learned and well read in classical literature, and tho most acutj d practised reasoner ; and bringing all his va.ied pow^ 3 to bear upon the work of the ministry, consecrating all those groat talents to God's service, ho laboured mon abundantly than all tho rest, ar.J was by far the most successful in tho results that attended those labours. His epistles, especially that to tho Romans, and his public speeches recorded in tho booA of the Acts of the Apostles, exhibit tho most perfect and elaborate chain of argument. He also meets all his various hearers on their own grounds; reasons with the Hebrews out of the law of Moses; argues for the exist- ence and attributes of the Godhead on principles of natural reli- gion with the heathen idolaters at Lystra, and with tho philoso- phers of Athens, quoting also to them passages out of their own favourite poets. But let us not for an instant imagine, that tho elaborate beauty and delicate chasteness of tho setting can iu the least degree change the intrinsic value or nature of the jewel con- tained therein ; nor does care in the delivery alter the purport of tho message delivered. That which he declared was still the same which he had received : he met the prejudice of the Jew, confuted tho reasoning of the Greek, was all things to all men — but dtill his message of doctrine was the same ; and of this he asserts tliat ho neither received it from man, nor was taught it but by the revela- tion of Jesus Christ, — viz., the excellence of the mystery of Christ Jesus and Him crucified. The excellence of this name of Jesus Christ, in which are treasured up wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, was not, and could not be discovered by human wisdom : nay more, it was so unlike anything that the 86 WORLDLY WISDOM. I r«; W • . f 'li wisdom of this world and the reasonirjg of the pliilosophcrs had ever imagined on the subject of religion ; that, at its first promul- gation, the wise and the learned turned from it with contempt • the message was foolishness to them, and the preacher of it a babbler. Therefore, in the verse preceding the text, the Apostle exclaims : " Where is the wise ? Where is the sciibe ? Where is the dis- putor of this world ? TIath not God made foolish (shown the folly and vanity of) the wisdom of this world ? " and then he proceeds to say, as in the text : " For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe; " and further on he con- tinues — " For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, nc^ many mighty, not many noble arc called ; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the M'orld to con- found the mighty ; and base things of the world, and things that are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not to bring to nought the things which are : that nojksh should glory in Jlis 2^^'cse7tce.^' Natural religion, human reasoning, the study of the visible creation, might teach something of the being of a God,— a great first cause, — and lead us to understand some of his attributes, such as his power and goodness ; but express revelation alone can inform us of the exact nature and personality of the God-Head — the "Teat Three in One — the Triune Jehovah. General experience might easily convince man of the existence of evil and powers of sin • express revelation alone c;in point out such an effectual remedy for that disease, as we are led to expect from the expiatory blood of Christ, which is able by God's appointment to cleanse us from all sin. The unequal distribution of good and evil, the triumphs of the wicked, and the suffering of the innocent and good, might pro- duce some vague expectation of a future sta.j of retribution and exact discrimination : but, it remained for Jesus Christ, who will himself be the awarding Judge, so to lift the veil, that He mav truly say, He has brought life and immortality to light, inasmuch as in levealing Himself, He has revealed to us the way, and the truth, and the life itself. And, necessarilij, the power of the m WORLD! Y WISDOM. 87 iSacraments, the saving effects of faith, and the means and purposes of promised grace, and intercourse and communion with God, are all among those secret things, which could Owly be known by com- munication from Him, who appointed them for our use, and gave to them their significance and efficacy. These particulars, all depending upon the great foundation of the Cross, were among those matters which it pleased God by the (so called) fooiishnecs of preaching to declare for the salvation of those who, in humility and simple faith, are ready to receive tlie message delivered to them. We, in these days, and especially in any country where the Gospel has been long taught, breathe a religious atmosphere, so to speak, in some respects very different from that, in which those generations of men lived, to whom the Gospel was first preached. We have the accumulated testimony of eighteen hundred years, adding force and power to the excellence of the name of Jesus, even the crucified One and Jus salvation. His is now no strange doctrine in our ears ; nor does profession of faith in Ilim, whom the Jews " slew and hanged on the tree," appear even to the wise, the learned, or the mighty, so foolish and vain a thing as it did, when the Apostle preached to the men of Corinth and Athens. Xet it be our care, then, while we reudily make profession of such faith, to see that we be indeed prepared to submit ourselves to the obedience of Christ ; to receive all His doctrine, to i=eek to know and to do all His will. But while we thus far differ from those persons to whom St. Paul himself preached, — we, in another and a very important par- ticular, occupy precisely the same position as they did. Whatever we know, with any certainty, of God and heavenly truths, loe, like those of former days, have learned them " by the foolishness of preaching." The world, in this respect, is no wiser now than it was in ages past, nor can it, more effectually now than then, by its wisdom (that is apart from, and unassisted by revelation) know God. The length of time, that has elapsed since God made that revelation of himself in the Gospel, does not change, in the least degree, the nature of the source fro»i whence loe derive our know- ledge. The Corinthians were taught by what the world called 88 WOKLDLY WISDOM. " the foolishness of prcacliing," that h, by knowledge transmitted from some one, who had himself received his message by direct revelation from God,— not by their own discovery, or the inven- tion of their own wisdom, and our case is the same. And here we may notice that the word ''jireaching " will in this passage include not merely that particular mode of communi- eating knowledge, which we term preaching in its more definite sense, but also all modes, whereby the knowledge of God's revela- tion, once received by man, may be proclaimed to others, ,and transmitted from generation to generation. Therefore, whether the substance of that revelation be taught us, when children by oral instruction from parents or guardians, at schools in creeds or catechisms,— by study of the written word in private, or as publicly read in the services of the church— or by j^reacUng in its more definite character, only let it be, that the things we learn are such divine truths, as St. Paul Jlrst received from God, and then declared to his hearers, and they then in that case come under what the Apostle means, when he talks of the knowledge of them being imparteu "by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe;'" as being something of a different nature from the inven- tions of man, and expositions and demonstrations made by' the wisdom of the world. And all such truths are to be contrasted with the wisdom of this world as being of a higher and (to man's present faculties powers and apprehensions) of a more mysterious character ; derived from a purer and more certain source of truth, and containing matter which could not have been learned hy any other means. And if we can bring this fact fully and forcibly before our minds, respecting the source of all our heavenly know- ledge, viz.— that it is a direct communication from God respecting himself, and that it is what the wisdom of this world never did and never could have discovered; nor was able, ichen revealed, to bring under any of its own rules of reasoning, or laws of philosophy :— we then shall, perhaps, be better prepared to receive all matters of heavenly doctrine, in which we have been or may be instructed, with that submissive faith, which becomes a creature, weak, igno- rant, (naturally ignorant of all certain truth respecting his eternal being) and sinfal,-^Yhen listening to a message md from his- Almighty, all-wise, all-holy, and infinite Creator. If WORLDLY WISDOM. SO' And surely we ought to expect to hear great and wonderful things, when God himself is the subject revealed to us, and strange and mysterious things, when the object is to tell us respecting Christ, the Son of God, being made " sin for us, that we may bo made the righteousness of God in Him." Nor would these and the like divine truths ever have been made known to us, as mere subjects for speculative inquiry : but it has been with a merciful and gracious purpose, — "to save them thai believe" what is so declared to them. And all the mystery of godliness, and the economy of divine grace, the regeneration and renewal of the soul — the justification and sanctification of sinners, — are matters to us of pure faith — faith in this revealed word and promises of God : — that God whom the world by wisdom could not know, not under- stand. Nor must we allow ourselves to calculate about, and judge of divine truths ai^d revealed mysteries, upon any principles of worldly wisdom, or rules of scientific reasoning, or arguments appealinti; only to sight and sense. I might say much, if our time were sufficient, on the many lessons for our spiritual and religious improvement, which wg might learn from the due consideration of this subject. St. Paul reminds us of one conclusion to be drawn from these premises, and which I have already noticed, viz. — " that no flesh should glory in God's presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifi- cation, and redemption ; that, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." To use the language of Dr. South, " the way by which man first fell from his original integrity and happiness was by ^jncZe, founded upon an irregular desire of knowledge ; and therefore it seems most agreeable to the Divine wisdom to contrive man's recovery by such a method, as should abase and humble him in that very perfection, the ambitious improvement of which first cast him down from that glorious condition. Man would be like God in knowledge, and so he fell ; and now if he would be like him in happiness too, God will bring it to pass in such a way, as shall convince him that of him- self he can know nothing. The whole course of his salvation shall bo a mystery to him. Instead of evidence springing from things , '«f| m ;iid 90 WORLDLY WISDOM. I themselves, and clear knowledge growing from such evidence, his understanding must now be contented with the dim light of faith alone, which guides only in the strength and light of another's knowledge, and is properly seeing with another's eyes. " But if we 71010 ' see but darkly,' we are told of a time when we may expect to 'see face to face, to know even as we are known.' And this is another use of our present state of imperfect vision and knowledge,— to excite in us a longing desire after a better inheritance ; where all those heights and depths of Divine things, at which we may now stand so much amazed, and which so eon- found and baffle the subtlest intellect and most piercing apprehen- sion, shall then be made clear, open, and ftimiliar to us. God shall then display the hidden glories of his nature, and also fortify the eye of the -^ul, so that it shall be able to behold and take them m, so far as our capacities shall ever admit of We shall then see the mysteries of the Trinity, and of the Incarnation of Christ, and the resurrection of the dead made plain to us; all the diffi- culties of God's decrees and providence unravelled and made fit for our understanding as well as our admiration. * >i< * The happiness of heaven shall be a happiness of vision and of know- ledge ; and we shall there pass from the darkness of our native ignorance and the dim twilight of our former notions, into the broad light of everlasting day : a day which will leave nothing undiscovered to us which it can be fitting or desirable for us to know." And lastly, above all (as I have been showing throughout), we are taught the duty of faith, while we continue in our present state of being. And if the several matters proposed to us for our reception be derived (as they must needs be) by direct revelation from God Himself,— if they be conversant about such great and wonderful subjects : the nature and personality of the Godhead,— the fall of man,— his regeneration in Christ,— the incarnation of the Son of God, and his mysterious sacrifice on the cross,— his sacramental grace and gifts to his Church, and all the present state and future destiny of his kingdom,— let us not allow unbelief to raise stumbling blocks in our way, merely because these truths are beyond (not in fact contrary to), but he>/ond human experience i ,iii^. ■WORLDLY WISDOM. 91 nor let us count that " foolishness," which is indeed " the wisdom of God," and has been made known to us for the salvation of all them that believe. Let us not forget Christ's declaration : " Ex- cept ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven." " Become as little children," in that simplicity of mind, which receives with undoubting con- fidence the words and teaching of those to whom they look up with reverence and love ; and also in that purity of heart, which can only be restored to men on whom the blighting and corrupting influence of this world has been long taking its eiFect, by the promised cleansing pov/er of the spirit of grace. And let us " strive " — for it is those only who do " strive to enter in at the strait gate," whom Christ commendeth, — let us " strive " to have our heai'ts and minds, the moral and the intellectual man, brought low and humbled, " as a weaned child," submitting ourselves in all sincerity and truth " to the obedience of faith." And in this age of unbelief — when the world is so " busied and troubled about many things " — when the unseen is forgotten or denied, and hearts are so fearfully occupied with things of sight and sense, — let our frequent and earnest prayer, to the God of all mercy and grace, be according to the example of the Apostles of Christ : " Lord, increase our faith;" — for, indeed, we all stand in a great strait; and "who is sufficient for these things," unless he have ever raised before him "the shield of faith," wherewith he may be able to quench all the " fiery darts of the wicked." SERMON IX.* WORLDLY CONFORMITY. Romans xii. 1, 2. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercieg of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world : but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that gc3d, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. We arc told in the book of the prophet Isaiah, that there were in his days, amongst the people of Israel, many who, rebelling in their hearts against God, refused to hear the law of the T■ I SERMON X.* THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. ness Jeremiah xxlii. part of 6th verse. This 13 His name whereby He shall be called the Lord our Righteous- The Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity are, as you may see by the rubrical direction which follows them, always appointed to be used on the Sunday next before Advent Sunday ; consequently this year, as an additional Sunday occurred in the Trinity course, on last Sunday, to fill up the time, we recurred to one of those, which had been omitted in the Epi- phany season; and now on this day, which is in reality the twenty-sixth Sunday, we come to this, which is numbered in the Prayer Book as the twenty-fifth, but is so taken into use because next Sunday is Advent Sunday. The cause of this difference iiv the number of Sundays in the seasons of the Epiphany and Trinity respectively in different years, arises from the circum- stance of Easter Day, (which is the governing festival of the year, from which all the other moveable festivals are dated,) falling earlier or later in the year, as the case may be. Easter has always been fixed by tlie Christian Church according to the rule under which the Jews, according to the law given by God to Moses, regulated the appointment of the feast of the Passover, of which Jesus Christ in His sacrifice of Himself was the fulfilment; and it depends upon the day on which a particular full moon chances to fall— Easter Day being " the first Sunday after the full moon, which happens upon or next after the twenty-first day ^rm * This sermon was preached in Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, on Sunday, 24th November, 1850, being "the Sunday next before Advent." I; 'i THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 103 of March." * When therefore this full moon occurs on or near that day, Easter falls early ; and some of the preceding Sundays in the Epiphany, not being required, are omitted. And of course Trinity Sunday, which follows at a regular interval, falls early also, and more Sundays, than those specially provided for, inter- vene, as has been the case this year, before the commencament of Advent,— the first Sunday in which is always the nearest Sunday, whether before or after St. Andrew's day, or the 30th of iNovem- ber. It has been the evident object of the Church in thus dividing the year into these different periods, (which each take their name from some great action or circumstance connected with the life of Christ, or the nature of the Godhead,) to keep alive in the minds of all the people, a due recollection of all these great mat- ters of faith and doctrine, and their 6wn privileges and duties dependent upon them :— that we should not allow the contempla- tion of any one point, however important in itself, exclusively to absorb our thoughts and interest; but that we should keep up the due balance and analogy of faith, and be thoroughly instructed " in all those things which a Christian ought to know and to believe to his soul's health."t I say this has been the evident object of the Church in her liturgical services, and in her adapta- tion of them to the various seasons of the year ; that, instead of merely marking the change of the natural seasons, we should see a heavenly lesson continually open before us ; and raise up our thoughts, in the fullest sense from the great God of nature, to the same Almighty Being, made known to us as the greater God of grace :— That we should not merely think of spring and summer, autumn and winter, as natural changes, although even thus we may gather from these much wisdom and instruction. For wc have our joyous spring-time of happy childhood, before the scorching heat of summer dries up the streams, which gladden and refresh • See " Tables and Rules for the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts " in the beginning of " the Book o. Common Prayer." t Exhortation at the end of the service of " the Publif Baptism of Infants." Li" 4 HI ! ill 104 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. US : we also do all soon begin to ' fade as a leaf," * in the year's fall, and then quickly the nipping frost chills the blood, and as the snow covers the mountain, so the whiteness of age takes the place of the dark locks that adorned the brow of the strong man and we are gone, and our place knoweth us no more. ' But, i)ver and above this, the Church would teach us to rend higher lessons and sublimer truths in every passing time. She begins, as now she is just about to do again, her year with Christ She sounds forth the note of tidings of His advent; and then passes through the history of His birth, life, death and resurrec- tion, at Christmas, Epiphany, I.ent, Good Friday, and Easter- day ; His ascension, and the descent of the Holy Ghost on Whit- sunday, according to His promise : when the whole is summed up m the great doctrine of the Trinity, into whose name we are bap- tized, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, in whom we believe, and who are severally taking part in the great work of our salvation. From Advent to Trinity Sunday, these great matters of doctrine are severally placed in due prominence before us ; while during the course of Trinity our religion is exhibited to us rather with refer- ence to our practical duties; not though as if the two were really distinct, but as affording opportunity for particular reference to each in its season. The Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, for the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity, have (as I observed) been directed always to be used on the Sunday next before Advent Sunday ; and evidently with great propriety, if we for a moment consider the subjects of them. They contain, as it were, the key note to the coming Advent hymns, and Christmas carols. In the Epistle we read of the glorious prophecy uttered by Jeremiah 650 years before the birth of Christ, telling of God's promise to raise up unto David, (that is of the family and lineage of David) " a righteous branch,'' " a king who shall reign and prosper," " and this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness r"^ In the Gospel, after one of His greatest miracles, we read that those • Isaiah Ixiv. 6. t Jeremiah xxiii. 6, 6. THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 105 men who had seen what Jesus did, said, " this is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world."* Well then may wo pray, that such a promise so fulfilled may not be lost upon us; that another year pass not by, when these glad tidings are pro- claimed, and our ear» are dull, and our hearts still hard. There- fore, in the Collect we ask God to " stir up the wills of His faithful people, that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of Him be plenteously rewarded through Jesus Christ our Lord." And it was indeed no trivial message of which they were the heralds who, at the first, spake to man in God's name of the coming of Christ, and who are we, unto whom this salvation is now sent ? What is its power and extent, and what the heed which we, after having so many years heard the call, have given thereto ? While I pray that God will indeed mercifully " stir up " our wills and incline our hearts to approve ourselves as faith- ful followers of our Lord, 1 will, on the present occasion, confine myself to some remarks upon the particular passage, which I have chosen for my text, and to some important truths connected there- with : " This is the name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness" In what sense are we to understand this expression ? It is evident that the prophet is here speaking of the promised Mes- siah : it is of Him, who afterwards was manifested as " the Branch " of David, " righteous " in Himself, that the prophet says, that " He shall be called our Righteousness." When the child of Mary was about to be born at Bethlehem, the angel affixed unto Him the name of Jesus,t — Saviour, — because He was to save His people from their sins. This was in general terms to express His office and work. But how was it to be effected ; and what was the exact condition of those whom He was thus to save ? He was not to save those who were gone astray merely by teaching them more correctly the path of duty, or exhibiting in His own person an example of godly living; * St. John vi. 14. t St. Matthew i. 21. 106 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. !'■ ' though this was one part of His office, for He was to be "a pro- phet,"* and to be "unto us wisdom." Nor w;. He merely to defend us from our enemies, or rule over us with truth and equity though this was also a part of his office, for He was to be a kin-— as He answered I'ilate and said, " Thou sayesf that I am a king°"t and Isaiah, like Jeremiah, had foretold that " the government should be upon His shoulder, and of the increase of His govern- ment and peace there should be no end, to order it and to es'tablish it, with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever." The prophetical and kingly offices were most important parts of the character of the Christ; but these both have reference to persons who are subjects of His kingdom. But he finds man under God's curse —'' born in sin, and a child of wrath;" and His first step must be to reconcile him to God ; to bring him within reach of those good things, which in the Father's house are always being dispensed to those children that are ever with Him : l that man, so brought home, may then be able to receive the teaching, and acceptably to obey the laws of God's kingdom. And to effect this, Christ assumes His priestly office. Man is born in sin, and under a curse : how, then, shall God '• be just, and yet the justifier"i^ of the ungodly? God has proclaimed the penalty for sin ; and '•' without shedding of blood there is no remission."|| Christ, then, as t' Great High Priest,^ offers up Himself-pours forth His own blood, as of a lamb without spot or blemish, to be an offering for sin ; and in consideration of the inestimable value of such an offering, and of such a terrible proof of the evil of sin, God has been pleased to accept the persons of the ungodly, and to receive them into His grace and favour. " God has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."** His righteousnm '' shall be imputed to us, if we believe in Him, that raised up * Deut. xviii. 15. t St. John xviii. 37 ; Isaiah ix. 6, 7. t St. Luiie XV. 31. § Rom. iii. 26. II Heb. ix. 22. ir Heb. viii. ix. x. passim. II C or. V. 21. THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. lOT Jesus from the dead ; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ; by whom we have access unto the grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."* Christ then is our Righteous- ness, in virtue of which we, who were born in sin, are justified in God's sight. " God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."t This is a perfect, complete, entire. Divine act; as St. Paul writes : " who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifiethf— an act whereby God acquits the sinner from guilt, condemnation, and punishment by free pardon and remission of sins, accounting him and dealing with him as a just person, upright, and innocent in His sight and esteem ;§ and this for Christ's sake. He is our Righteousness, the meritorious cause of our acceptance. It was the singular excellence of the Gospel, the suitableness of i^, to man's wants, that it thus by a wonderful plan, conceived in the councils " heaven, and accomplished by the Father in the gift of His Son,- >iat it thus, I say, provided for the raising up of fallen man,- ior the removal of the curse and the restoration to God's favour and grace. " While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."|| "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."^ This was " the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers :" the setting forth of that " righteousness of God, which is by fttith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe : for there is no difference, for all have sinned,'** which gave such offence both to the Jew and to the Greek.ff It offended the Jew, because the gate was opened to other nations equally with them ; and it offended the Greek, because they, in all their pride of wisdom and philosophy, thought it foolishness. Thi& • Rom. iv. 22-25 ; and v. 1, 2. t II Cor. V. 19. t Rom. viii. 33, § Barrow's Sermon " Of Justification by Faith." I! Roman V. 6-8. ^ I Cor. xv. 22. *• Romans iii. 22, 23. tt I Cor. i. 23. 108 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. prejudice against the gospel, St. Paul proceeds to remove by showing that, because of all men's guilt and sinfulness and alien- ation from God, such an exhibition of mercy,-such an overture of acceptance,-such a remission of sin was necessary in order to salvation; so that without it no man could be exempted from wrath and misery. And consequently all other religions (including that too of the Jew*) as not exhibiting such a full remission, were to be deemed in the main point defective. Now it was that the kingdom of Heaven was said to be taken by violence; f and those who before were cast out in contempt, and self-condemned and in despair,-the publicans and harlots,|-crowded in ; and that too before the self-righteous Pharisee, for they acknowledged their sin and burdened by it ran for relief; whereas the Pharisee, according to his own estimation, was rich already in God's favour and had need of nothing. § Speaking of this great mystery of the Gospel, and the un- belief with which it was often received, the learned Hooker— one of the wisest and best of our great divines-observes :|| " Let it be folly, or frenzy, or fury whatsoever, it is our comfort and our wisdom : we care for no knowledge in the world but this, that man hath sinned and God hath suffered: that God hath made himself the Son of Man, and that men are made the righteousness vt He draws, however, an exact distinction between this act whereby for the meritorious righteousness of another, even Christ' we are at once fully and completely justified, and accounted righteous before God,— and that righteousness, whereby we are made progressively holy here, and that wherewith we shall here- after be clothed in all perfectness in the life to come. " There IS (says he)^ a glorifying righteousness of men in the world to come:^ as there is a justifying and sanctifying righteousness here. Ihe righteousness wherewith we shall be clothed in the world to * The Law was only a schoolmaster— GaL iii. 24. t St. Matthew xi. 12 ; St. Luke xvi. 16. X St. Matthew xxi. 31, .32. § St. John ix. 41. fl Hooker's -'Discourse of Justification :" Keble's Ed., vol. 3, p. 490. ^ Ibid, p. 485. THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 10^ come ia both perfect and inherent. That whereby here we are justified (which is what I have been speaking of thr ughout my present discourse), is perfect, but not inherent.* That whereby here we are sanctified is inherent, but not perfect." Now this justifying righteousness is Christ's ; wherein we stand justified by faith in Him, as the meritorious cause of our accept- ance. It carries with it absolution from all guilt and blame ; and is a perfect act, as being God's act ; and is not an inherent grace in man. In its fullest and most technical sense it takes place at, and is itself the formal cause of, our fivst entrance into Christ'a kingdom; and though to speak of baptism, as the instrument whereby God confers the grace of Justification, in its first and technical sense, is to use language that does not occur in the Formularies or Articles of the Church of England; still that those persons are then in a justified state who are partakers of the grace of baptism, is the necessary consequence of her doctrine respecting tliiit sacrament, which duly administered to adults, always sup- posing them to come with repentance and faith, carries with it remission of all past sin, original and actual ; administered ta infants, it puts away the original curse, and places them within the covenant ; and in either case— as our Catechism teaches — • « Bellarmine indeed tells U3 that, in this place (Rom. v. 16-18), to maintain the parallel or antithesis between Adam and Christ, justifi- cation must signify infusion of grace, or putting into a man's soul an inherent righteousness, because Adam's sin did constitute us unjust with an inherent unrighteousness ; but (with his favour) justification and condemnation being both df them the acts of God, and it being plain that, God condemning does not infuse any inherent unrighteousness into man ; neither does He justifying formally (if the antithesis must be put), put any inherent righteousness into him : inherent unrighteousness in the former case may be a consequent of that condemnation, and inherent righteousness may be connected with this justification ; but neither that nor this may formally signify those qualities respectively. As the in- herent unrighteousness, consequent upon •dam's sin, is not included m God's condemning, so neither is the inherent righteousness, proceeding from our Saviour's obedience, contained in God's justifying men."— Barrow's Sermon of " Justification by Faith," 110 TUB LORD OUR RIUIITKOUSNESS. auakoa tlioiu " mombors of Christ, children of God, and inhoritOM of the kingdom of hcavon."* To be justiHod through Chriat, means no loss than this certainly • and as every act of true repentance for any sin, which, through our frailty, we have committed, is afterwards acceptable for Christ H sake; and Hi s righteousness is still the meritorious cause • Hut tho Church of Rome goes livr beyond tl.is ; and it is againsrUio erroneous doctrine of the Church of Rome, respecting justification by inherent grace, that the Church of England makes so strong a protest in the M XII and XIII Articles. According to the Schoolmen, " man, when he .s baptised, is endowed with a A«6// of justifying grace, containing in It the habits ot fa.th, hope, .u>d charity, and of all Christian virtues " A notion which, as Is well known, has been adopted by the Church of Rome, when, at the Council of Trent, she ruled that, "As tho instru- mental cause of justification is baptism, so the formal cause is the righteousness of Cod; not that whereby He Himself is righteous, but that whereby He maketh us so ; with winch being endued by Ilin we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, and not only accounted, but are truly called, and ore righteous."_//ooA;c/-, vol.3 p 487 ]5ishop Jeremy Taylor, in his Treatise -Of llapti.ing Infants," has these words : .' The baptism of Infants does to them the greater .lart of that benefit which belongs to the remission of sins ; for baptism is r. state of repentance and pardon for ever. This, I suppose, to be already proved • to which I will only add this caution-That the Pelagians, to undervalue the necessity of renewing grace, affirmed that baptism ministers to us grace sufficie U to live perfectly, and without sin for over. . . iJap ism does not so forgive fut-.re sins, that we may do what wo please • or so as wo need not labour and watch, and fear perpetually, aud mako'use of (xod s grace to actuate our endeavours, but puts us into a state of par- don ; that IS ,n a covenant of grace, in which so long as we labour and repent, and strive to do our duty, so long our infirmities are pitied, and our sins certain to bo pardoned upon their certain conditions ; that is by virtue of U we are capable of pardon, and must work for it, and may' hope It; and therefore infants have a most certain capacity and propel disposition to baptism ; for sin creeps before it can go, and little n- decenc.es are soo:. learned, and malice is before their vears, and they can do mischief and irregularities betimes. And though we know n. when, nor how far they are imputed in every month of their lives, yet it '^ZonTfT- ""' 1 t''««P'-t Of Grace to put then into a state of Pardon, hat their remedy may at least be as soon as their necessity. "^Bishop ^aylor^'Of Baptizing Infants.'- " ^ THE LORD OUR RKHlTEOUSNRliJH. Ill ol" our forgivoncHH or rostorutiim : tliouj^h wc can novcr Hivy, that, sit any one givon tina', it in cvor an coinploto; yot,*>iH Dr. Taaao Harrow obHorvos, " Kvory (lisponnation oF pardon granted on ro- pontanco, may be styled .1 ustilioation. Particular actH of repentance differ rather in measure and degree, than in nature from that general eonvorsion practised on first embracing the ( jospel : and the "race granted in these ])enitential acts is dill'erent only in large- ness and solemnity of administration."* Hut inasmuch as the grace of .lustifieation, and first restoration to (rod's favour is thus fully and freely bcistowed on us, as (children of Ciod, who had bel'ore been enemies, ho it is thus given that we may live as children, and do all such good works as lie had before prepared for us to walk in.t It is tlie beginning of that JJivino life, which is now to be accomplished in us and by us ; and it is, therefore, the duty and privilege of those, who have been restored, for Christ's sake— to whom He has been made first " wisdom " to teach, and then "righteousness" to justify— now to sec that Ho is made unto them also " sauctilication," that in the end He may perfect their " redemption ; ":|; and thus to Him may bo the glory of all their salvation, as it is written, " I^et him that gloricth, glory in the Lord." And hero for this also Christ is again, in a right sense, (*«/• ]ii(/hf<'Oiisntss ; inasmuch as he is the meritorious cause, whereby wc have obtained that gift of the Holy (Jhost,§ which, bestowed in answer to prayer, enables us to " mortify the deeds of the body," and, "going on from strength to strength," to become pure in heart and holy in life. This is that righteousness which Hooker speaks of u- inherent— //irt/ is a work going on u-ithin us, but not originating with us, or to which we can so by claim as our own, but still distinct from the act of our Justification at the first,— inherent, I say, but not perfect in this life, but growing towards perfection and to be completed in the life to come. And with reference to the degree and manner in which Christ ♦ Barrow'8 Sermon " Of Jualificatioa by Faith." t Eph. ii. 10. t I Cor. i. 30, 31. § St. Jouu xvi. 7, et seq. i ' 112 THE LORD OUR UIQIITEOUSNESS. 18 thus ouj llightoousne«s,"-how far, and for what purpose Hi» righteousness is imputed to us,-there is a passage in the - Gate- chism for Fanuiies," of Baxter, the eminent Nonconformist which gives most clear and concise explanation ; and which I am the more disposed to quote, as showing such entire agreement with the statements of the great Divines of our own communion * • See also the following extract from the same author- Question.-Why must Christ suffer what he did '> ^nswer.-lst. To be an expiatory sacrifice for sin. God thought it no meet, as lie was the just and holy ruler of the world, to orgive sin wahout such a demonstration of his holiness and justice, as migf. serve 2nd. And He suffered to teach man what sin deserves, and what a God we serve; and that we owe Him the most costly obdiencroven to the death; and that this body, life, and world are to be denied' Z. of rod ' T r'"'. '" ''' ''''' ^''^°"''^' -<^ «^ l'f« everlastrg. aU Uans book (Hob. :x. 26, x. 12 ; I Cor. v. 7 ; Luke xiv. 33 ; I Cor ii 2. Gal. u. 2, m. 1, v. 24, vi. 14 ; Phil. ii. 8, iii. 7, 8, 9). ^ ' Question.— What sorts of sin did Christ die for? ^nswer.-For all sorts, except iren's not performing those conditions which He requires of all that He will pardon and save Queshon— For whose sins did Christ suffer ? Jnswer.-AU nen's sins were instead of a meritorious cause of Christ's sufferings ; He suffered for mankind as the Saviour of the world And as to the effect, this suffering purchased a conditional gift of free par- don and life to all, that will believingly accept it, according to the nature of the things given. (Heb. ii. 9 ; I Tim. ii. 6 ; I John ii. 2 ; John 1.29,111.16, 18, 19, iv. 42, vi. 51.) ' Question.-Wa3 it just with God to punish the innocent? ^nswer.-Yjs ; when it was Christ's own undertaking by consent to stand as a sufferer m the room of the guilty. Question.— Uoyy far were our sins imputed to Christ ' ^nswer.-So far as that His consent made it just that He suffered for them. He is said to be made sin for us, who knew no sin,-which is to be made a curse or sacrifice for our sin. But God never took Him to be rea y, or in his esteem a sinner. He took not our fault to become His tau t but only the punishment for our fault to be due to Him. Else -in Itself had been made His own, and He had been relatively and properly a sinner, and God must have hftt«H Mm „.. .,,,„!, -_j tt« . ^.. \ — • ji'vii, aiiu lit muBt nave aied Til£ LOKU UUU IUU11TK0USNE8S. 113 The question is asked — " But if Christ's perfect righteousness, habitual and actual, bo our own righteousness, how can wo need a pardon of sin, when wo were perfectly obedient in Christ ?' To which it is answered — " We could not possibly bo pardoned as sinners, if God reputed lis to have fultilled all righteousness in for His own sin, when ours was made His. But uono of lliis is to bo imagined. (I Pet. ii. 22.) Queslion. — How far arc Christ's sufTeringj imputed to us? Jinswer. — So far as that we are reputed to be justly forgiven and saved by His grace, because Ho raado an ex[ lion by Hia sacrifico for our sins ; but not so as if God mistook us to have suffered in Christ, or that He or His law did judge that wo ourselves have mudo satisfaction or expiation by Clirist. (I Pet. iii. 18 ; Acts xxvl. 18.) Question. — Was not that penal law, " In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die," and " The soul tliat sinncth it shall die," fulfilled by execution for us all in Christ, and now justifies us as so fulfilled? Jnswer. — No : that law condemned none but the sinner himself, and is not fulfilled unless the person suffer that sinned. That law never said, " Either the sinner or another for him sliall die." Christ was given us by God as above His law, and that He might justly and mercifully forgive sin, though He executed not thi't law. That law did but make punishment our due, and not Christ's, but not bind God to inflict it on U3, when His wisdom knew a better way. It is not that law as fulfilled that justifies us, but another, even the law of grace ; satisfaction is not the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. iii. 19, 20, 21, 28, iv. 13, 15, x. 5; Gal. ii. IG, 21, iii. 11, 13, 18, 19,24; Malt. iii. 15, v. 17; Isaiah liii. 11 ; I Cor. i. 30; n Cor. v. 21.) Queslion. — Did not Christ fulfil the command of the law for us by His holiness and perfect righteousness? What need was there that he suffer for us? Amwer. — Tho law or covenant laid on Him by His Father was, that He should do both ; and, therefore, both is the perfortv, .nee of that con- dition in which God gave us to Him to be nardoned and saved by Him. If he had fulfilled the commands of the law by perfect holiness and righteousness, in our legal persons, so is that God and His law would have reputed us to have done it by Him, then indeed being reputed per- fect obeyers, we could not have been reputed sinners, that needed suffering or pardon. But Christ's habitual attive and passive righteous- ness were (all the parts of His one condition) perfoimed by Him, to be the meritorious cause of our justification. (Matt. iii. 15, v. 17; Isaiah liii. 11 ; I Cor. i. 30 ; IE Cor. v. 21.)— Baxter's " Catechism for Families," in Wordsworth's Institutes. Vol 1, pp. 292-5. H ...... 114 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Pill Christ, and 80 to be no sinners ; therefore, it is no such impu- tation that must be affirmed. But God justly reputes Christ's holiness and righteousness, active and passive, dignified by Hi» Divinity, to be fully meritorious of our pardon, justification, and salvation. And so it is ours, and imputed as the true meritorious cause of our righteousness, which consists in our right to pardon and salvation.^'''^ And again, in another place— *' God docs not repute or judge us to be such as never sinned, for that were to judge falsely ; nor does He judge that our sin is not related to us, as the actors, for that is impossible ; nor does He judge that our sins did not deserve punishment, but only that tlie deserved punishment is forgiven for the merit of Christ's righteousness and sacrifice."! • Many are the subjects that press npon the thoughts, when treating of these articles of our faith, — as arising out of them, and connected with them : such as, the nature of the grace of the sacraments — how and why they "are generally necessary to sal- vation," I — in what way, and for what end, we are made partakers of the incarnation of Christ : these are all intimately connected with the doctrine of Christ "our Righteousness;" but time will not allow of our entering upon them now. One subject will especially be brought to our remembrance in the approaching services for Advent season ;§ when we shall be called on to look forward to the second coming of Christ, in awful majesty, to "judge the world in righteousness :" " that evory one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether -t be good or bad;" and "when they that have done good shall come forth unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. "|| The Lord grant that we all " may find mercy of the Lord in that day."<[[ •Wordsworth's Christian Institutes. Vol. 1, p. 331. t Ibid. p. 330. t See '• Church Catechism." § See especially the Collect for "The First Sunday in Advent;" the Gospel for " The Second ;" and the Epistle fo- "The Third Sundays." II Acts xvii. 31 ; II Cor. v. 10 ; St. John v. 29 ; St. Matt. xxvi. 46. V II Tim. I. 18. THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 115 I am aware that, in treating of such subjects as those now under consideration, it is not always easy to avoid all obscurity of thought or uncertainty of language ; while to very many, any attempt to raise their thoughts to the careful examination of important matters of doctrine is a weariness and vexation. Too many, like Gallic, " care for none of these things."-!^ But in seasons when so many vain and idle speculations in religion, of every kind and description, are so readily entertained and advo- cated, it cannot but be well at times (and specially when the Church gives us occasion by the order of her services), to call to our remembrance the Articles of our faith, and to refer " to the law and to the testimony," — to listen to what holy men of old have taught, and what the Church herself sets forth — even as she speaks in her eleventh Article, " Of Justification by Faith;" " that we are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works and deservings." And again, in tl\e following Article, " Of Good Works :" " Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment ; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith ; insomuch that by them u lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruit." What then is the sum of these things ? Christ's perfect righteousness is the meritorious cause of our restoration to God's favour, — so that He is " our Righteousness " for Justification. It avails also for our daily pardon on our repentance, when we have sinned ; for by Him we have access to the Father, and in His name pray, " Lord forgive us our trespasses." It has purchased also for us that gift of the Holy Spirit, through whose power, indwelling in us, we may, having been justified, do good works pleasing and acceptable to God, though in themselves imperfect. " In truth, our doctrine is no other than that, we have learned at the feet of Christ (to use again the words of Hooker), that God doth justify the believing man, yet not for the worthiness of his belief, but for the worthiness of Him who is believed. God • Acts xviii. 17. I i 116 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. r. t" rewardeth abundantly every one which worketh, yet not for any meritorious dignity, whicli is or can be in the work ; but through His mere mercy, by whose commandment he worketh."* Nor will the anxious endeavour to put out to good use the talent which has bcqn committed to our trust, cause any faithful follower of Jesus to boast, as if he therefore possessed any thing of his own. " The best things which we do, have somewhat in them to be pardoned. Wherefore, while we acknowledge a dutiful necessity of doing well, yet the meritorious dignity of doing well we utterly renounce. "t The good works of the Christian, at best, are " the fruits of the Spirit " of God : | and what has he then, that he has not received ?§ Moreover, those who have most strictly endea- voured to keep their hearts pure, and to order their whole conver- sation in conformity with the law and will of God, have ever been, as indeed they have great need to be, the humblest of His children; for they feel most deeply the littleness of all they have to ofl'er ; and together with those, whom St. John aaw in his vision, would " worship Him that liveth for ever," and eagerly " cast their crowns," if they had them, '• before the throne, saying. Thou art worthy, Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power." || This was the absorbing feeling of that excellent man, from whose works I have already more than once quoted ; for he, on his death-bed, spoke to his friend and said — " I have lived to see this Avorld is made up of perturbation, and I have long been preparing to leave it, and gathering comfort for the dreadful hour of making my account with God, which I now apprehend to be near. And though I havr by his grace, loved Him in my youth, and feared Him in mine age, and laboured to have a conscience void of offence to Him and to all men, yet if Thou, Lord, be extreme to mark what I have done amiss, who can abide it ? And, therefore, where I have failed, Lord, shew mercy to me ; for I plead not my righteousness, but the forgiveness of my unrighteousness, for His merit, who died to purchase pardon for penitent sinners. And • Hooker. Vol. iii. p. 538. t Ibid, p. 494. Rev. iv. 10, 11. ■^ ■ ^ijjw ■- THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 117 since I owe Thee a death, Lord, let it not be terrible, and then take thine own time : I submit to it,— let not mine, Lord, but thy will be done."* "What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound ? God forbid."t Has Christ died and risen again merely to justify the ungodly, — to open heaven on easier terms to the sinner ? No : He died to " redeem us from all iniquity, to purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good AVorks."J: *' So run, then, that ye may obtain."§ And if we claim Christ as " Our Elghteonsness," whereby we are justified, and through Him havo access to the Father ; let us never forget the high and holy " vocation wherewith we are called," — remembering also that "the foundation of God standeth sure, having this (double) seal : The Lord knoweth them that are His : and let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." || ♦ Isaak Walton's " Life of Tlooker." t Rom. vi. 1, X Titus ii. 14. 5 I Cor. ix. 24. II Tim. ii. 19. SERMON XI.* THE CHRISTIAN'S HARVEST. Psalm cxxvi. v. 6. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. When endeavouring to fulfil the great objects of our Christian mission, as preachers of the Gospel, ministers of Christ, and stew- ards of the mysteries of God,-whose business and office it is, by God's grace assisting them, to be the instruments appointed (as St Paul declares it) •'•' to open the eye? of tiie people, turning them Irom darkness to light, and from ^he powers of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith, that is in Christ Jesus, "-when endeavouring to fulfil these great objects of our office and mission we must propose some things to you, as matters of faith, viz. : such as are included under what the Apostle terms, " the mysteries of God,"-sometimes, as a consequence of v/hat you are required to believe, we must appeal to your feelings, that we may see, eifectu- ally working in you, the great principle of love, that most excellent gift; so that there may be in you what, the Apostle tell us, is alone of any avail, viz.: -faith working by love." And sometimes, (and as especially useful for certain habits of mind) we must address ourselves to your reason and your understanding, proving our conclusions to you, by the mere force of argnment, (if it be so that we be able to prevail), and then laying it upon your con- science, either to admit the force of the reasoning and to act upon It, or to adopt at once the only other alternative, and own your sin in neglecting it. First, as to the mysteries of God proposed for our belief. Though wo ca nnot practise a law without understanding it, yet • A few sentences slightly altered are taken from a^^^v^oTBhh^p Bfaeriock. THE christian's HARVEST. 119 . ti.J fe 11 ■1 ' |l ;[ I 130 FASTING AND ALMSGIVING. For if it bo true, as it most undoubtedly is, that no amount of good works will ever entitle any man to heaven, as something due to him from God — for that title must come on another account, " the gift of God is eternal life" ;*— still it is equally a spiritual truth to say, that without good works—" without holiness no man" will ever get there, for he will never " ?ee the Lord."f But to return to the account of the Pharisee in the parable. He prays, and his prayer becomes an offence : he obeys the law of God in certain particulars, and then makes his very obedience an occasion of falling. But because prayer or obedience are thus perverted, are they then no longer good in themselves ? Because in him they are made a foundation for pride, and so an occasion of sin, are their own nature and obligation changed? Are meat and drink no longer necessary, or useful, or good, for the bodily nourishment of man, because by many they are used in excess, and thereby become instruments of vice ? Let us make the case our own. And first let us remember that "being born in sin and children of wrath,"J we are only in covenant with God at all by an act of grace and mercy : § — that as members of God's covenant, if we are called to the performance of certain religious duties, we are also, by promise, made partakers of certain continual gifts of grace, in order that, what God requires of us, we may be enabled to perform : so that, from first to last, as Christians, we have nothing of our own, but our sufficiency is of God. 1 1 Bedeemed by Jesus Christ, we live unto God by the Spirit ; " therefore let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord."«|| In the next place, though as redeemed sinners, as still weak and sinful creatures, we can have no place, in any of our works, ibr boastings : but must rather take up the language of the poor publican, and say, " God be merciful to me a sinner;" yet there is a distinction between certain duties, some of which are either necessary or valuable to us for themselves,— others onl) ;s instru- * Romans vi. 23. t Hebrews xii. 14 ; Rev. xxi. 2 7. t Church Catechism — Romans v. 14 ; Job. xxv. 4 ; John iii, 6. § Ephee. ii, 5, 8, 10. II Cor. iii. 5. f^I Cor. i. 31. FASTING AND ALMSOIVINfJ. 131 ments, or means of some good to us, in their effects. Of the 6rst sort, viz. : duties necessary or valuable for themselves, are our loving God, adoring Him, adhering to Him, with the utmost cxef- tioD of all the powers and faculties of the soul : demeaning our- selves with that humility and prostration of spirit, which becomes poor shadows before self-sufficiency, weakness before Omnipotence, a creature of yesterday, and but for a day, before Him who is from everlasting to everlasting : in short, as it becomes a man to behave himself towards that Divine power, from the arbitrary disposals of Avhose pleasure he first received his breath, and still holds his being. And the same may be said of all those duties, which we owe to our neighbour, in the rank and condition in which our creation has placed us. Now all these actions, with their respective branches and further improvements, are requisite, as parts of God's image in us, as members of Christ, — and without which the duties and offices of that station, which every man holds, both towards God and his fellow-creatures, cannot be sustained. These therefore are the principal duties and chief foundations of morals and religion ; and whatever becomes necessary over and above these, it is only by way of supply and assistance, as helps and aids, to promote the soul's progress in these grand instances of duty.* On the other hand, prayer, in its two great divisions of confes- sion and petition, is a secondary duty; that is, however good and excellent in itself, yet it is only good to us as an instrument, whereby we are to be helped onward, in the performance of those higher dutie^, that carry with them an absolute and abiding necessity. Therefore in prayer we must not rest in the mere act itself, but must look to the good and object of it, viz., the obtain- ing the forgiveness of past sin, and help for future obedience. And so of fasting also. Upon what supposition could the Pharisee lay claim to any merit with God, because he had kept fast twice every week ? Or how can we believe ourselves more meritorious than others, were we to do the same ? or how better in ourselves, or performing any acceptable service from the mere •A few lines have been taken tVom a sermon bv Dr. South. .6 it- 132 F.^STI.VU AND ALMSGlvrX«; exei cisc or such a discipline, witliout any uit(Mior object or result. The kingdom of God" (as St. Paul says) " is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy (jhost."* What place then is left for fasting in the Gospel sclieme? How is it a duty at all, and wliat is its object ? Let us pursue this enquiry; it is very suitable to the present season, and the present occasion. And let us endeavour to draw a just line between tho manifest perversion of it as a ground of boasting, as set forth in llie prayer of the Pharisee, or as a meritorious act of penuuce as practised by the Pvomanist.— and the just limits of Christiau truth. As to gcriptux-al examples and precepts we will not now refer to the Old Testament, on the subject of fasting as a religious duty and discipline; though we doubtless may tind some suitable in- stances recorded there, whether of individuals, as in the Ciise of Ahab,t or of nations, as in the ease of the Ninevites,]; who, in their humiliations under God's judgments, joined fasting with their other penitential acts, and, having been approved of for so doinir, received mercy. But without dwelling upon these, let us come to the case, as it stands in the Gospels, as having more direct refer- ence to us, as members of the now Covenant, who are no longer in legal bondage, l)ut are privileged to walk in the liberty wherewith Clirist lias made us free; and respecting whom St. ]*aul has declared (as I observed just now), that " the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but risihteousnoss and pence and ioy in the Holy Ghost." We have then the fact recorded of our Lord Jesus CMirist him- seli; (who as man came to fulril all righteousness) submitting to this discipline, and that to a degree that imist be ever beyond the power of any mere man to equal. Of this we are specially reminded by the Church at this season, and make mention of it in the Collect for this day the tirst Sunday in Lent, as part cf our prayer to Christ : '; Lord, wlio, for our sake, didst fast forty days and forty nights." For our sakes : to accomplish something for us and in our nature. It was when lie was under peculiar * Romans xiv. 17. t I K'ing^H xxi. 27-29. j Jonah iii. 7-10. i| I Hi I l.-.f -J FAST1N<} AND ALMS(iIVIN .; I nil t. , , ' '" °"'^ ™'""'°^ "'■ "^ """ "".er of I .on has ,, and flesh ,s then expressly named :-meats and b 00,1° TT ;'! " "^P"""' *■"" "'' »»."''»'.n.ent, kindling the .Wm I ; , :,"'"' e ""'"'■"•""'' '■»'P.-Mi..gftrthe teh ,M V .,"°'' ^ I"'"' »<" "hat fa.,t we will have, f r a ,'t 1 T ,^'"' "="'" '--"-.-'I'- not the decay ot natutc, but ,hc chastisetuont of sin, that is sought for." Ihere may be, there are, those whose whole life is made up of what to n.any of us would be a continued fast, after Daniel's aslnon; who often with loss than a full n.eal, seldom, if ever, can . aeha the eujoyntent of much of what the prophet tortus ■' pleasant b.ead, "n.eats ot deltght." Lot us seek not to bind heavy II Samtiel, fii. 16. t Duni el X. ui. FASTINr, AND ALMSiilVlNii. 187 lurdena upon tliuui ; ratlior lot us hope that tlieir patient endur- ance (if it bo so) ot'niiiny privationH, their resigned submission to their harder lot in this lite, nuiy stand in full stead of voluntary discipline. But such is not the case with most of us. And as we have heard how,— and that, so as it may be continuously practised, and be no snare to the conscience, for we all may make ways for ourselves for the exercise of restraint, such as Bishop Andrews points out. — so let us consider when we may use such discipline, tind so rule over our bodily appetites. And here we have the voice of the Church to instruct ua, and never more earnestly calling to us than at the present season : only let us remember the ends and objects proposed to us : that it is as a part of a sinner's repentance, an outward token of inward godly sorrow, carrying with it an acknowledgment of sin, and the neces- sity of chastisement, as well as of correction. And we must see well to it, that what we do, we do it not to be seen of men, nor aa any meritorious act in itself; and if to such self discipline we add almsgiving, as an expression of Christian love, and of thanksgiving for our own mercies, — almsgiving accompanied with some restraints upon the idle pleasures and gaieties of society, if nothing more, — then ujay we hope that our prayers shall indeed find wings, where- with to mount up to the throne of grace, and enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. " If a troubled spirit" (says Bishop Andrews again\ " be a sacrifice unto God, why not a troubled body like- wise? since we are to offer our bodies, as well as our souls, both a sacrifice to God; as our soul by devotion, so our body by mortification. And these three,— to offer to God our soul by prayer, our body by abstinence, and our goods by alms deeds, have ever been reckoned the three-fold Christian whole-burnt offering." In these several outward acts of obedience and devotion, let us seek to be more faithful and diligent ; not as boasting of what we do, either in self-discipline or almsgiving, as meritorious acts, irood in themselves,— like the Pharisee—" behold, I fast twice in tlie week, I give tithes of all that I possess" — but as a smner's acknowledgment to God of his own sin, and God's mercy. And let us be always striving to stir up the gift that is in us, by the more I ill i f 138 FASTI.VG AND AL.MS(iIVIX(J. careful discipline of the inner man, thro.^a the power of that grace, which is derived from any divinely appoiiiteti means. In and through their use, we shall be enabled more and more to apprehend Christ, and the power of His resurrection; dying unto sin— gaining greater mastery over the fl sh -mortifying the^deeds of the body— and consequently more prepared for the perfecting of holiness in the fear of the Lord— and made more meet for obtaining our inheritance among the saints, in Christ's heavenly kingdom. SERMON XIII THE MYSTERY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 2nd Cou: vi. 10. As Borrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich r as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. There is scarcaly any matter of general interest which does not cause different impressions upon different minds. ^lany subjects, upon which we ourselves have perhaps with ease and satisfaction arrived at one conclusion, have led others around us to a conclu- sion directly opposite. This no doubt often arises from one side or the other having been furnished only with imperfect informa- tion ; and sometimes false conclusions are forced by dishonest reasoning, for the furtherance of a private interest or party pur- pose.— But besides this, there are many subjects, and those of the greatest importance, upon which the formation of a right judg- ment depends, not upon acuteness of reasoning, or knowledge arrived at through the mere exercise of the intellectual faculties, but rather upon the clearness of our moral perceptions, the in- tegrity of our hearts, and the purity of our purposes before God. This is especially the case in all matters of religious faith. In all the exacter sciences, as they are termed, we are by a mere process of reasoning forced to a certain and deKnite conclusion,— which it is impossible for us to deny, without denying the direct evidence of our bodily senses : and because truth in morals and religion does not (from its very nature) adnp. of this species of mathematical certainty, many persons accustomed to such investi- gations, refuse their assent to what they consider uncertain reasoning and unsatisfactory conclusions. But the evidence of religion not appearing so open and obvious may, and no doubt does, constitute one particular part of some men's trial in a religious sense. On so serious and deeply inter- .ill' 140 TllK MV.ST1.:RV of TliK CIIRIrfTIAN- LU'K. OBtmg a .subject, tlioro is cvidcuoo cnougli to demand and dcscTV} a careful and reverential investij-atioii from all. And it has boon aroued by iJi^hop Butlor, in his -rcat work, that " the samo character, the .^amo inward principle, which after a man i,s con- vnu-ed of the truth ..f reiiL^iou, render.s him obedient to tho prcoeptH of It, wouUl, were he not tlu.j convinced, set hin» about an examination of it, upon its Hj.stem anu evidence being offered to his thoughts; and that in the latter .stau' hi,, examination would bo with an impartiality, seriousnes.s, and soiioitudo, pro- portionable to what his obedience is in the former. And a.s inattention, negligence, want of all serious ccncorn abouc a matter of 8uch a nature and such importance, when offered to a man'.s consideration, is before ;: distinct conviction of its truth, as real immoral depravity and dissoluteness, as neglect of reli<-ious pi^cticc after such conviction,-. so active solicitude about it%n.l fair impartial consideration of its evidence before such convic- tion, is as really an excrci.c of a morally right temper, as is rehgiou.s practice after."-'- ^ And we may al-^o assume it to bo a fact, that where such an investigation fails t., lead the enquirer to the right conclusion, it is bocausQ some continued course of kvown sin or disobedience has (as u just retribution) blunted the acuteness of his moral percep- tion of tho fulness of the evidence thus presented to bM conscience as well as his understanding :- or that some preconceived opinion! some foregone L-onclusion, or some inveterate prejudir^e, is still obstinately adhered to,- and instead of really seeking the truth, the enquirer has been merely endeavouring to make it°s(,uarc with his own system, and support his own preconceived opinions. The Jewish nation affords a striking example of the exactness ot this statement, in their examination into the evidences of the Messiahship of Jesus. It seems strange, no doubt, to any of us who may ever think of the multitude of proofs with wiiicl. they were lurnished, that it should have been possible for them so obstinately to persevere in unbelief. Certainly there might have appeared something .'ontradictory in many of the prophecies befoio thejMvere so entirely fulfilled in the person of Jesus. It might • Analogy, part 2nd, book vi. T»K MYSTKUY OF TUK CHRISTIAN LIFT. 141 liot beforclinnd linvo be(!ii euBy to n'concile tlio ileHcripiifuis oj' the greatruws and majosty and duratlctii of the MoHsiah'w kinf»doin. and t ho glory of his )«er80ti. with tho^e other propln'cios which spako of liis sufferin.!>a, humiliation and doath : " The wondorful ooun- sollor, tlic mighty (Jod, th(! overlasting I'^atlicr, tho J'rince of I'caco, upon whone s!;ouldors waH to ho the irovorimiont; and of the increase of whosi' govornmout and pca'-o there was to be no t;„Jj" — Hounded a very different person from him whom, the same prophet had foretold, as one who was to be " despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and aerinainted with grief," who was to "make his grave with the wicked, and to be nund)erod with the transgressors." — But how came it to pass tiiat, afdr , and should under- stand with thcii- hearts, and should be converted, and I sliould Ileal them." — Indeed so determined were they to reject Jesus, that filling up the measure of their iniquity by sinning against the Holy Ghost, denying the clearest evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit, — when they could not but acktwwle-lge the reality of the Lord's miracles, — rather than see in them proofs of his God- licad, they perversely ascribed them to the agency of Satan : and when they could not contradict the fiict of his body having been raised from the sepulchre, they forged a lie. and reported that the disciples came by night, and stole away tho body while tho guards were asleep. So true was i!; " that they who will not believe Moses and the prophets, will not be persuaded though one vise from the dead." > it 142 THE MYSTERY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.- Jl And why were tliey thus opposed to Jesus? Because they , that a consistent and holy life is a standing witness against them- selves. But is it not an exhibition of the very identical spirit, which characterized the Jews in their treatment of Jesus ? They," in their several ways, "love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil." Whereas the sins of the servants of God mentioned in the I'.ible, and the failings of faithful Christians in all ages, are so many testimonies to the truth of the Scriptures, and (;xamples of the gracious dealings of God. Not that we are to suppose that such sins and failings are not grevious evils in them- selves, calling for divine judgments, and to be deeply lamented and resolutely guarded against. For God forbid (as St. l»aul prays) that we should "continue in sin, that grace may abound:" but nevertheless, inasmuch as Scripture decJares that '• in many things we offend all," they prove how true it is that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ;" and show how justly St. Paul speaks of even good men, when he describes them, " as -nj*^ THE MYSTERY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 14& Borrowful" for their own short-comings, yet " always rejoicing" in the boundless mercy of Christ; "as poor" and destitute sin- ners, yet communicating to others the knowledge and hopes which they themselves cherish, and thus "making many rich-;" "as having nothing" of their own, but in Christ "possessing all things." But if this were not .so, if no shades of human imperfection obscured the brightness of Christ's image in the several members of his spiritual body, even then the experience of others (supposing we ourselves were won by it to admire the excellence of the Gospel) the experience of others can never make known to us the workings of the Spirit, and the glories of the kingdom of Christ. Other men may be witnesses to us— witnesses, but not producing upon us any necessary or effectual impression. For there are deeper truths and mightier graces set forth in .he Gospel than can bo un- derstood by any but those who are privileged, as being themselves " children of the kingdom." They can neither be adequately imagined or conceived from mere external observation or descrip- tion! " If any man will do God's will," (says Christ) " he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." And again, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth Tvith you and shall be in you." And once more. "He that hath my com- mandments andkeepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manif'^st myself unto him." Let us not treat then " as idle tales" the scriptural descriptions of the Christian, because we ourselves may never yet have been subjected to the same searching influences. Let us beware lest it happen to us as it did to the Jews, when they rejected Jesus, because he came, in outward appearance and in the spirit of his teaching, a different Saviour from the Messiah of their long cherished hopes, and fond anticipations. Let not " any root of bitterness springing up in our hearts trouble up, and thereby we become defiled :" nor too fixed a love of this world, in any of its K 1 146 THE MYSTERY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. manifold enticements, keep us back from realizing the fellowship of Christ. St. Paul himself was a signal instance of a man of a refined mindf and highly educated, giving up all his early prejudices for Christ's sake : and his earnestness had such an effect upon Kino- Agrippa, that it " almost persuaded him to be a Christian." But let us not be satisfied with thns merely admiring in others the powerful evidence of the truth of the Gospel. Christ tells us that He came "not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." And to the Pharisees he says, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin ; but now ye say, we see : therefore your sin remaineth." Let us not be satisfied that we are righteous, or too confident that we see— see all things necessary to our salvation, and belonging to our peace : or count ourselves as rich, and wanting nothing. " Blessed are they that mourn (says Christ) for they shall be cciufortcd." And if we sorrow after a godly sort, we may now have sorrow, but our " sorrow shall be turned into joy." If we place not our affections on things below, but seek a treasure of enduring substance in heaven, then shall our treasure be indeed most real, and multiplied a thousand fold ; and, as God's stewards, having nothing of our own, we shall be possessed of all things ; once lost as sinners, we shall be found in Christ ; weak in ourselves, we shall be strong in Him ; wanting nothing, having all things ; " fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." hm- SERMON XIV. ACTIVE RELIGION. Philippians ii. 13. For it i3 God which worlieth in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. In order to avoid falling into any errors or mistakes in inter- preting the meaning of the word of God, as contained in the volume of Holy Scripture, it is necessary to use great care and attention ; and to bear in mind certain general rules and principles, agreeably to which we must study and explain it. The common practice of fixing upon detached single passages and texts, and, according to our private interpretation of their apparent independent meaning, shaping our views, and framing our opinions of divine truta, is the surest way to lead us astray, and is the fertile source of most of the numberless divisions that harass and distract the Church. To prevent the evils and mistakes which arise from this cause, is one great object and use of the systematic teaching of the Church in her diflferent creeds and formularies. The divines who drew up these different compositions, professedly acted upon no private or peculiar views of their own : but weighing well the whole meaning of Scripture, and the analogy of faith, and the teaching and testimony of the Church in all ages, they provided for our use a system of Catholic doctrine, which, however private individuals may at times err, speaks always to us in the same lan- guage, and that the language of truth and sound words. Many of the Epistles of St. Paul were written by him in rela- tion to the particular circumstances of particular Churches, and cannot therefore be rightly understood without a certain acquaint- 'I 148 ACTIVE RELIGION. ance with the state of the persons whom he addressed, and the reason of his writing to thera. Many of his allusions, particularly in his Epistles to the Corinthians, are of a local and temporary character. And almost all his writings exhibit such an elaborate chain of reasoning, that we must bo careful not to attach too great a weight to any single passage, without having first carefully ob- served its connexion with the whole context, in which it occurs. We must, also, in our interpretation of any one passage of Scripture, always bear in mind the general analogy or agreement of faith, or belief in the word of God; that as "all Scripture is given 'by inspiration of God," and God is one, so it must all, we may rest assured, agree together, and illustrate the same great principles of eternal truth. It is in consequence of a departure from these rules of interpretation, that one pavty, using, as their watchword, one description of texts, is arrayed in opposition to another party| adopting those of a different tendency; and discord prevails where all should be unity and peace. And it is the great object of our using the teaching of the Church, of our having the Church in her corporate character, as the appointed interpreter of Holy Writ, and witness for the truth, that we may thus have some settled arbiter, some sufficient guide, some competent authority, amidst the endless oppositions, and crude, and ill-digested, but very confident opinions of private individuals. The words which I have taken for my text on this occasion wil' furnish us with a very apposite example of the necessity of that care, which I have said is so requisite in our attempts to interpret the meaning of Scripture; " For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Taken apart from the context, what do you understand by these words ? what is the impression made upon your minds by them ? They are words frequently quoted, and, I fear, often with a most perverted mean- ing. When pressing upon the conscience the danger of sin, and calling upon the sinner, "Awake thou that sleepest;" and ex- horting him to " watch and pray, lest he enter into temptation;" how often is the minister answered by an appeal to this very pas- sage. ' What is the use of my making any attempts ? I can do nothing; it must be the Lord's doing. You know, St. Paul tells »w ACTIVE llEfUGION. 14i) lis, that it is " God which worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Thus gathering from the words of the Apostle a discouragcuiont to personal exertions, becau:.o Gou of His good pleasure can do everything for us ; and if it be not His good pleasure, then it is uo use making any etibrt ourselves, because it must be unsuccessful. Surely it is strange that such an inference should ever bo drawn from these words of the Apostle; it is indeed strange, except that we ought to know how comm. u it is ")r sinners wilfully to blind themselves to the truth, when they wish to have a plna lor continuing in idleness, indifference, or siii. And yet, strange it is, because St. Paul most certainly, and, if we will but be at the pains to examine the whole passage, most clearly meant, to ex- press himself in a sense directly the reverse. He m"st undoubtedly wished to use these words, which are thus unfortunately perverted into an excuse for indolence and sin, as affording *hc greatest possible encouragement to active exertion and watchfulness, the highest motive to godly jealousy and earnest prayer. Let us see the whole drift of his argument, going back to the foregoing chapter ; for it is continued without any intermission from on"^ chapter to another. And often, as especially in his Epistle to the Romans, the srgument runs, almost without a break, through the whole Epistle ; and single passages, or even sometimes «ngle chapters, taken without reference to the general meaning of the Apostle, will no more give us any idea of the full meaning^ of his reasoning, than a single stone will convey to us any conception of the outline of the whole building of a Church. This Epistle was written by St. Paul to the Christian converts at Philippi from Homo, where he was in bonds and confinement for the Gospel's sake ; and spcakimr of the troubles and trials that surrounded him, he declares his '' earnest expectation and hope" that whatever happened to him, " Christ might be magnified m liis body, whether it be by life, or by death. For," he proceeds to say, " to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."* As he had said, on another occasion, to the Galatians, " I live ; yet not I, * Phil. i. 20, 21, Jf. israty 160 ACTIVE RELIGION. but Christ liveth in me." But if whilst in the body to him to live was Christ ; if whatever of new and spiritual life ho possessed proceeded from his union, as yet incomplete, with Christ; how much more must be his gain, his enjoyment of the fulness of Christ, when he became freed from the remaining corruptions of the flesh. Therefore, he continues,* " I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better : nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith ; that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ : that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel." 'J'he Apostle then, after having given them certain exhortations to * unity, to fortitude under persecutions, and to humbleness of mind after the example of Christ, comes back again to the same subject of regret at his absence from them ; and lie beseeches them,t " Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God whicli worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It appears then, from the sense of the whole context, that St. Paul, whilst imprisoned at Rome, was most anxiously concerned for the spiritual improvement of his " dearly beloved, and longed for " disciples at Philippi. These Philippians appear to hn-o been amongst his most dearly beloved children in the faith of the Gospel. His first connection with them had been marked by circumstances of a very peculiar nature. In the sixteenth chapter of the Acts we hear that St. Paul and his fellow-labourer, 'nlas, in the course of their ministry having passed through various regions, were pur- posing to go into Bithynia ; but the Spirit, having otlior work for them to do, suffered them not. And whilst at Troas, a vision ap- peared to St. Paul in the night ; " There stood a man of Macedonia, • Phil. i. 23-27. t Phil. ii. 12, 13. / • ACTIVE RELIGION. 151 and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. And they assuredly gathering that the Lord had called them passed over and came to Philippi, the chief city ot that part of Macedonia; and they abode there certain days. It was during this sojourn there that the woman Lydia and her household were converted ; and soon after, in consequence of some public commo- tion they were themselves both cast into prison ; when they were comforted by a miracle, whilst singing praises unto God and pray- ing, and were the means of converting the jailer. There were also, it would seem, many other converts, the fruits of their minis- try for it is mentioned, before they left Philippi, that " when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. It is moreover, expressly mentioned in the cases of Lydia and her household, and the jailer and all his family, the only parties spe- cially named at Philippi, that they were all baptized ; and we may therefore believe that the same holy ordinance was likewise ad- ministered to all those who believed the word which was preached unto them by St. Paul and Silas. Thus would they be brought iato the covenant of the Gospel, and be placed in the situation of members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom " There"'simple Macedonians appear to have cherished a most affectionate regard for St. Paul. " Ye Philippians, (he writes m this Epistle) know also that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no Church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thes- salonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. And he styles them his "brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and my crown." Under these circumstances, ready as he was to be offered up, having already fought a good fight, and kept the faith; great as would be his gain in departing this life, that he mighl be with Christ; yet he felt that these his children would suffer by the loss of their spiritual fother, their adviser and friend. Unable to visit them in person, he writes them this Epistle o comfort them concerning his own troubles and suffermg, and to confirm and «tablish their hearts in the faith of the Gospel : so stand fast in the faith, n.y dearly beloved." The Apostle was 152 ACirVE RELraiON. anxious to be witli then., and they wer uusioua for him U> corao to them. They could not but f.^el the loss of hie .^resonce amon^^st thorn. But siuC" he was now unable (o come to thorn, he exhort* them, '' to lot their conversation bo as it bccometh the Gospel of Christ; that whether he came to see them, or else wa. absent ho mri^ht hear of their affairs, that they wore standing fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of u.e Gospel " being patient under persecutions, humble minded. And if Km presence wouli in any-wise induce them to obey his exhortations, . (as they had always obeyed them) he would give thom an induce- ment to obey, much more in his absence-working out their salva- tion with fear and trembling, with holy jealousy and reverential fear,-for a greater than St. Paul was a witness of thoir procoe<^- ings, and a helper of their endeavours ; God Himself, by Mis Spirit, was present with them. If they had a reverence or respect ior the presence of St. Paul, much more should <1 y have for the presence of God. If St. Paul, being with them, could help or encourage them, much more could and would Cod Himself, which worketh m them both to will and to do of His good • pleasure. J his, then, appears to be the whole meaning of the Apostle's argu- ment,-to contrast the advantages of his own presence amongst them, which they were ready to own and hold in due estimation, uith the advantages to be derived from the presence of God vouchsafed to them, as baptized disciples, members of Christ, and' herefore, partakers of the Holy Spirit. If they valued him, feared him, respected him, as the minister of God; if they would wish him to have a good opinion of them ; if they had in times past ever obeyed as in his presence, though he were absent, he wished to remind them how much more they should value, fo r, and respect, the presence of God, which they always enjoyed ; and that they ought to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. God being a witness; and so much the more ought they to feel encouraged to attempt it, because of God's good-will towards them ; He being ready both to incline their hearts to what was right and also to enable them to perform it. So far then from givin^^ the s ightest countenance to any thing like the notion, to which I before alluded, V,.,, that it is no use for us to attempt to do any thino- ACTIVE llELI(HO^f. 15a oi^rsclvoa towards working out our salvation ; so fur from this, there is pcrhap.^ no sin-le passage which holds out greu^-i' i"duco- nients to baptized persons, such as thcic PhilippiaUB were; or which 'ould have been intended as a greater cncour:* .it and incentive to actlvi exertion a., I watchful vigilance, than ihU ex- hortation of St.. Paul now under our consideration. As h. had m the '.eginning of the EpistJ urged them to let their " .•onversar tion be as it became the Gospel of Ciaist," to be patient and hum ble ; so does he imni-diatuiy afterwards, in the verses following ihe'text, go on, upon the very principle therein laid down, and in the strengtii of this very encourf(t;ei?ient. to warn them, " to do A\ th'i.gs without murmurings and -lisputings ; that ye may be blame- less and harmles , sous of God. without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked nyi\ pcrvrrse generation - A., again, at the close of th.j Epistle, he winds up his addres. with the same encouragmg promise oi God's pr. enco, saying, " Finally, brethren, whatg or things arc true, whatsoever Uiings are honest, whatsoever things are just, whathover things are pure, wluitsoever things arc lovely, whatsoever things ^ue ^f good report; if (hen be any virtue, if there be any praise, tLiuk of these thin-s. Those things, whicli ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, -do : and the God of peace .shall be with you." It may be as well to remark thnt the expression, " of His good pleasure," does not mean here, '' as he may tiiink fit to choose " Though, of ' ^urse, whatever God docs, Tie does when and how e pleases. But the Greek word, which i^ here translated " of » < crood pleasure," is precisely the same word which in St. Luke' in translated by the expression, ''goodwill,"-" Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peac .oodwill towards men. W e are to ..rderstand the Apn.stle, therefuie, ^ reminding the Phulppians that God was working in them, wa« present with them to witness thoi r ways, and to help them both to will and to do, in cons- lencc of His goodwill and mercy towards them ; although St. Paul, their earthly' minister, might be abse, . Also, with reference to the phrase " work out your salvation," in the verse preccdn.g the text, it may not be out of place to guard against a very common mis- *Luke ii. 14. 154 ACTIVE KEUUlOiV. .-^ take, a« to tho meaning' of the word salvation. Salvation i it« full acceptatio,,, as a theoloj^-ical ter.n, has a twofold meaa- ing. Literally it means dflivoraneo from any thin- But y, ^^ we speak of the salvation oi' Christ, it means, in the first 'plL deliverance from that state of eondomnation, under the curse of which we are bom into the world as children of Adam- and is specially signified by the term justification ; as St. Paul ;rites to the Roman,, « Therefore, bein,. justified by faith, we have peao. with God, through our J.ord Jesus Christ." This ordinarily takes place at baptism, when we are first brought into the covenant of he Gospel. But Christ had a still further object in view, viz. our dehverauce from the power of sin ; which is not, like the former u single act but is a continually progressive work, and it is speciallv Ztl!tn M U '"'" «^"«^^««'^^^-= - St. Paul, in the same hp stle to the Kon.ans, goes on to say, - Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound ? God forbid. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof" It was then this point of their salvation, their sanctiiication or deliver- ance from the power of indwelling sin, which St. Paul exhorts them to work out, or complete, with (ear and trembling, through the grace of God giving them the will and the strengSi, out of His gracious pleasure. They were already members of Christ ior they had been baptized into Christ; now then let them grow up unto Him in all things : as he had said, (in the same Epistle to the Romans, in another passage subse(iuent to the one quoted above)" Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism unto death; that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, oven so we also should walk in newness of life." This portion of the work of salvation, the sancfcification of the hfut and life, is just what ia these unhappy days of ungodliness, unbelief, irreverence, and empty profession, men treat with indifference ; or, perhaps they pass It over with the ignorant remark, according to their per- version of this text, that they must leave it all to God who will work in them botli to will and to do of His good pleasure. Yet surely, if we do not thus work out, or carry into effect, our salva- lon, we in vain name the nauie of Christ ; in vain have we been ACTIVE RELIOION. 155 made partakers of Christ. The uarae of Jesus was given to the child bora at Bethlehem, because He was to save His people from their sins : not merely from the consequence of tlieir sinH, but from their sins themselves. Wo are taught to pray, " Lea.i us not into temptation, but d' liver us from evil." To the Galatiaus St. Paul writes that, " Christ gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world." And in that mag- nificent compendium of Gospel truth, in his Epistle to Titus, the same Apostle writes : " For the grace of God that bringeth salva- tion hath appeared U all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world : looking for that blessed hope and the glori- ous appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." Think, then, of these things, for they concern your life, your eternal life. As to the Philippians, so to you does the Apostle say, " work out your salvation ;" " make your calling and election aure " The Spirit of God is with you, as baptized Christians ; do not, then, despite to Him, nor quench His influence. You have every motive, and every encouragement. God is with you, as members of Christ, not merely as He is with the world, but in a special manner, to witness each secret sin, each successful struggle against temptation. He is present with you both tx) will and to do prompted to do it by His gracious will and pleasure. You have many mercies ; life spared to you, while multitudes around vou have perished. The ministrations, and ordinances, and sacra- ments of the Church are provided for your use. " Why then will ye die ye house of Israel ?" " Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return unto the Lord and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, and He wi I abundantly pardon " Let us pray, therefore, and say, " ^od, the strength of all them that put their trust in thee, mercifully ac- cerjt our prayers ; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace, that in keeping of Thy commandments we may please Thee both in will and deed, through Jesus Christ ow Lord.. Amen." .:..:f •^^ SERMON XV.* A WORD IK SEASON. St. Matthew vii. 20. By their fruits ye shall know them. • Friends and Brethren, dtVlT, «"j;rdinary custom, on the occasion of funerals at this Cathedial, to add anything at the time to the Service as prescribed lILd"'" •. ''"' *'' '""""" congregation assembled ere this day, gives evidence that wo are about to carry to his grave the remains of one of our citizens, who filled no ordinary place -ongst us ; and I shall, therefore, detain you a .short space before we proceed vith the rest of the service, while I speak a few words to you, which, I liope, may be suitable to the occasion, and made ' This sermon was preached at the funeral of the Honorable Gbor«b MOP.AT. March 1st, 1865, in Christ Church Cathe" 1 in "h, ^t::^!:::::'' '' ''- "^" ''^'' ''-- ^^^^---^ ^-^ ^-^'-^^ --:«: Pov.?P '"'T'"' °' "" '"'' ^°"- ^'"'^' ^'^^ff'^" ''^'^ ^'^"veyed to Mount Royal Cemetery yesterday afternoon, according to announcement Fo Zed r""" '' ''' '"" °' '''■' "'^'-^ ^'- throng in plac wis 7,':::r 'T' '^ ''^^'^^^ "^^^^''" DorchfstersUt West. Shops and warehouses, to a great extent, were closed. Flags iu several pubhc places were displayed at half mast high. CitSfsof all creeds and nationalities, and classes and conditions, turned oTt "o ^vere of late so tam.har among us, but to be seen here no more. bhor ly after the hour appointed, the funeral procession began to ndeTa, ' "" "^ ^"^""'" '^ ''''-^'^'^ ^'^^^c First came t •.ndertakers, or persons having in charge the funeral; and then the A WORD IN SEASON. 157 profitable to all. And I will take as my text the words of Christ, " By their fruits ye shall know them." By this test let us judge the character of the Hon. George Moffatt, now gone to his great account. I am not about to give an epitome of the history of his life : that has been already done elsewhere more appropriately by others— nor is this the time or place to indulge in the language of indiscriminate or partial eulogy, as for a friend and fellow labourer in many good works. As our whole Burial Service is intended to benefit the living, and carry thoughts of consolation and hope to the hearts of surviving frl- nds, so I would wish, by what I may now say, to convey a moral, and teach ii lesson to those who are here present to do honour to the dead. Wealth and high social station may often ensure the pageant of a costly funeral : but it is not such accidents of life, foremost as he stood amongst his fellow- ■citizens, that has gathered around his coffin such a multitude as I now see within this great Cathedral. Let us, then, briefly analyze his character, and see to what causes we may assign the respect in which he was held, and the tribute it is now sought to pay to his remains. mourning hearse, containing tiie body. On eitiier side, aa pall-bearers, there were Mr. Justice Badgley, Captain Durnford, Mr. T. B. Anderson, Mr. Wm. Molson, Mr. J. G. Mackenzie, and Mr. John Frothinghara. " Immediately following, came the mourners, and these it is unnecessary to say were the children of the deceased, and the grand children and nephews, and we think these were followed by the household servants. ' ' Lt.-Gen. Sir F. Williams, Major-Gen. Lindsay, with members of their Staffs, Col. RoUo, Captain Noble ; and the Militia officers in Montreal came next in order. Then came the St. George's Society, and English Workingmeas Society. All the Clergy were present. The citizens followed in long procession marching, accompanied by a long line of sleighs. The procession was very long. Altogether we have heard its length estimated at one mile. At many points on the road there were crowds gathered to see it pass. It moved along Dorchester Street to Mountain Street, where it turned to take the line of St. Catherine Street ; and here it was joined by many persons who had been unable to go as far as Weredale. The bell of Christ Church Cathedral tolled as it moved slowly along. " At the Cathedral the Most Rev. the Lord Bishop of Montreal and Metropolitan, the Very Rev. the Dean of Montreal, the Rev. Canon i .1 168 A WORD IN SEASON. An intimate acquaintance with our departed friend for nearly fifteen years has enabled me to form some tolerable judgment re- specting him. It was long before my coming to Canada thlt he had risen to the high position in the mercantile world which he so justly held, and he had ceased to take that active share in the business of politics, in which, during many an anxious struggle, he once bore so prominent and influential a part. But the same, principles which guided him in early life remained with him to the last, and formed the rule of his conduct, whatever business he might have to trans- act. He was not a man of the highest intellectual powers, nor gifted with eloquence to sway the minds of men by mere chirms of speech. These are the special endowments of but few. The leading points in Mr. Moffatt's character were of a different kind; and such as not only to excite admiration, but respect , and are capable of being imitated and acquired by others. At one period of his life he must, no doubt, bme been looked upon as a strong partisan in politics ; yet I feel convinced from what I have seen of Mm myself, that he never would have done or said anything for the »ake of his party, or for personal advantage Bancroft, D.D., and the Rev. Canon Loosemore, M.A., met the funeral procession at the door, and it moved slowlj into the church, the organ playmg a dead march. The Churchwardens— Messrs. W. B. Lambe and M. H. Gault— had been in attendance to keep the church for its reception The large edifice was soon well filled in every part, the utmost good order and decorum the while prevailing. The church was draped in moarning ; the Bishop and Clergy also wore mourning. The procession oemg fully entered, the Dean began the Burial .Service. He read in a weak voice, and somewhat faUeriug-apparently much moved by the occasion. He could not well be otherwise, for he too is a man of many years, and silver hairs, and for many years had Mr. Moffatt sat under luB mmistrations. The Rev. Canon J3ancroft read the Lesson for the dead. Th,s being concluded. His Lordship the Bishop ascended the pulpit, and at the conclusion of his address, the remainder of the Burial hervice was completed by the Dean; and the procession again slowly left the church. '' " Upon reaching the Cemetery it was met by the President, Mr. William Murray, and the Trustees of the Company. Before the coffin was placed in the vault, Mr. Murray gracefully placed a large and handsome bouquet ot flowers, consisting of roses, camelias, &c., upon it." A WORD IN SEASON. 159 favour or affection, unless he had an honest conviction that in so doing he was supporting the truth. He may have been mistaken in his judgments at times, as we all are liable to error,— he may have pertinaciously adhered to his opinions once formed,— but those opinions were always formed upon honest conviction of their truth. He was eminently a high minded, honourable, truthful man; and whether in the business of the important mercantile house over which he presided, in the meetings of his fellow-citizens, in the public opinion of all Canada, or in the private circle of his friends, it was this marked feature in his character that was felt and honoured. Every one had confidence in the strict integrity and honour of the Hon. George Moffatt. And while such was the case, with a clear head, long accustomed habits of business, and untiring energy to the last, need we wonder that his services were so often sought after, and so many complicated and difficult questions entrusted to his care. Loyalty to his Queen was not with him a mere sentiment, but a principk and while proud of his own British origin, and anxious to maintaM our connection with the mother country, yet no man had more imij at heart the welfare of Canada, or was more anx- ious to uphold her nationality, or more jealous of her just rights and honour. Thin city, his own Montreal, which he remembered, at the beginning of thii present century, when a boy, in its com- parative insignificant^ m4 which he had seen growing up until she had become the great commercial capital of Canada, and the me- tropoUtical city of the Province,— he loved with unvarying affec- tion. Without display or vanity, his hand was freely open to the calls of charity and religion ; and I shall always acknowledge, not only his services in our Synods and all the business of the Church, but that to him we are very much indebted for the erection of this Cathedral, not only as a contributor to the funds expended on it, which he was in common wi^h others, but still more as the Chair- man of the Finance and Builiing Committee ; to the really oner- ous labours of which he gave continual and effective attentifrti dwiog several successive years. Well may Montreal mourn the loss of such a ^ rizeu and well may the merchants of Montreal, well may our politiei«»H and m Ik 160 A WORD IN SEASON. rPi public men, well may we all, follow his steps, and try to win, in as simple and unostentatious a manner, as fair a name. Though long past the period which the Psalmist gives as the a^.e of man, and having been for some time in failing health, yet hi.- death at the last was sudden and unexpected. Occasionally we hear friends recount with anxious satisfaction the words uttered by a dying man, as giving some sure evidence of his being in a state of salvation; sometin -is pressing the sufferer to give expres- sion of his own personal asf arance of his being at peace with God Whatever these may be worth at any time (and in the case of old and tried believers in Christ they will no doubt be often spontane- ous, real, and edifying), yet assuredly, at all times, there may be something more satisfactory on which to rest our hopes viz the evidence of a Christian life. ^' By their fruits ye shall know them." Our departed friend, even if he had not passed away so sud- denly, was never, I think, likely to have been very demonstrative in words of his own religious feelings; it was not his nature. And though, no doubt, it will le true in the experience of many that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh ; yet I am convinced, from long and thoughtful observation, that the facility with which many people are ever ready to talk of such deep and serious subjects, arises not because they feel them deeply, but be- cause they really feel and understand them so little. But his life was eloquent; and while he was honourable and upright in dut- towards man, so was he mindful of his duty to God, and anxiou's to draw near His mercy-seat for help and strength. The last time I ever saw his venerable form, in life, was the Sunday before death m his place in chis house of God; and on the last occasion of the celebration of the Holy Communion in February, though not well enough at the time to be present through the whole length of the morning service, he came in to join in that Sacrament, in which we commemorate the death of Christ, and by faith are enabled to be partakers of His precious body and blood. Well, then, may we say, by and bye, when we think of all these things,—" We meekly beseech thee, Father, to raise us from the death of sin to the life of righteousness ; that when we shall depart this life, we may rest in Christ, as our hope is this our brother doth." A WORD IN SEASON. 161 May this hope be a strong consolation to his sorrowing family. And may we all lay to heart the lessons such events teach us ; and trim our lamps, and gird up our loins and be ready, when our own summons shall be issued. It may be sudden ; it cannot be very distant for any. And <' when the world that is, is becoming as the world that is to be ; when we begin lo see earthly things indis- tinctly, and earthly sounds, like subterraneous waves, fall muffled on the 'ear, and more and more distinct looms forth the throne of the Invisible : when we are almost past the barriers, and belong more to the dead than the living,--0 God ! in that hour for a con- science void of oftence, not only towards men, but towards Thee; a conscience which shall certify us that we loved, prayed, believed when death stood afar off, as we would fain do at the moment when his grey shade is stealing over us ; and bystanders begin to whis- per of us the ancient words : '' Man givcth up the ghost, and where ishe?"^i= « Woodford's Occasional Sermons. - ilt t ! A CHARGE, DELIVERED TO THE CLERGY OF THE DIOCESE OF MONTREAL, On the 20tli January, 1862, AT THE PRIMARY VISITATION, HELD IN ®fe« (irathedtal (SUhurcU of Pontteal My Eeverend Brethren, The Primary Visitation of the Bishop of a new Diocese murks an important epoch in our ecclesiastical annals ; and I doubt not that we all have looked forward to this occasion of our assembling together with no small degree of interest and anxious expectation. ]VIay the Spirit of Wisdom from above, and the fcpirit of Love and of Strength rest upon us all, and overrule our purposes and deliberations, now and always, to the glory of God, the ediEcation of the Church, and the salvation of our own souls. It is my wish, in the first place, to direct your attention to the real position, which, as members of the United Church of England and Ireland, we occupy in this Diocese. While spiritually we are identified with the Church in the Mother Country,— emanating from her, using the same Liturgy, subscribing the same Articles, blessed with the same apostolic ministry, visibly forming part of the same ecclesiastical body, and claiming as our own all her mighty champions, confessors, and martyrs— yet in a political sense, and as regards temporalities, and everything that is under- 164 THE NEW DIOCESE. ii li' |iPi llh Stood by a legal establishment, or as conferring special privileges above other religious communities, we are in a totally dissimilar situation. Whether it ever was contemplated in these respects to carry out the theory of the Church of England in Canada certainly it never has been practically effected ; politically con- sidered, we exist but as one of many religious bodies, consisting of such persons as may voluntarily declare themselves to be members of our Church ; and who thus associate to-ether because they are agreed upon certain principles and doctrines, according to which they believe it to have been from the beginning the rule of tho Church to serve and worship God. ThJ abstract truth of any religious principles or doctrines in no way depends on the degree of countenance which they may receive from the autho- rities of the State, nor can there be the slightest advantage or wisdom, but quite the reverse, in putting forward claims of the nature above mentioned, which we cannot fully substantiate, and which, circumstanced as we are here, if they were to be -ranted to us to-day, it must be absolutely absurd for us to ex'J)eet to maintain. But while we have been held to be identical with the ChurcK in England, this practical and essentia! difference in our political and legal position has never been provided for ; and the con,se- quence has been, that we have lost the administrative power pro- vided for the Church by its legal establishment at home, and none has been supplied, adapted to our condition here. We seem to liave been deprived of the ecclesiastical law of England, and have not been provided with any recognized and effectual' means of self-government for those, who associate themselves together as members of our communion in Canada. The only altern'ative has been to seek a remedy in the discretionary exercise of Episcopal rule and superintendence ; an alternative, which is not always available in all cases, and which, by casting too much weight and responsibility upon the individual judgment and discretion of the Bishop, has a tendency to deprive his decisions of much of that influence and authority which ought to attach to ail the acts of the ecclesiastical body. It cannot be thought unreasonable that we should all anxiously TI£W NEW DIOCESE. 165 seek a remedy for this evil. It was a full consciousness of our unsatisfactory state in this respect that inaucnccd the Bishops assembled at Quebec at our recent Episcopal Conference, when we unanimously agreed amongst others, to a vesolution expressing opinions almost identical with those which we lately embodied m the proceedings of our " Church Society," at one of the meetings of the Central Board, viz : '' That in consequence of the anoma- lous state of the Church of England in these Colonies with . reference to its general government, and the doubts entertained as to the validity of any code of ecclesiastical law, the Bishops of these Dioceses experience great difficulty in acting in accord- ance with their episcopal commission and prerogatives, and their decisions are liable to misconstruction, as if emanating from their individual will, and not from the general bcdy of the Church ; and that therefore it was considered desirable that the Bishops, Clergy and Laity of the Church of England, in each Diocese, should 'meet together in Synod at such times and in such manner as may be agreed ; the laity meeting by representation, and that their representatives must be communicants." I most firmly believe that a provision, such as is thus recommended, for the purpose of supplying sufficient means of self-government for the Church, (having reference of course only to those who, by volun- tarily joining our communion, must necessarily be subject to its rules) would not only have the happiest influence on the Church at large, but would also strengthen the true and legitimate influence of the Bishop, and cause increased reverence and respect for his office and authority. The learned Thorndike, a divine by no means inclined to make light of the universally acknowledged law of the Primitive Church that " without the Bishop nothing was to be done," thus expressed his opinions, writing ^ust two hundred years ago :* " But if the rank of Bishops over their presbyters be not only a just human ordinance, but estated in possession of sixteen hundred years, without deceit or violence at the beginning, let me have Ipave to think it will be hard t^ show a better title of human • Tborndikes " PrimitJTe Government of Churches," ch. xir. 166 THE NEW DIOCESE. right for any estate upon the earth. How much more when the possession ig avouched to have been delivered from the hands and time of the Apostles, must it needs seem strange that the successors of their place should be destroyed by the sons of their faith * * * He that acknowledgeth, and is glad to see these heads stand in their right place,, looking back upon their beginning, which was to succeed the Apostles over several presbyteries, in the place which they hel.l over all for the time, must needs miss their relatives, the bodies of these presbyteries m the government of the Churches *=}=** joining them with and under the Bishops, for Assistance in all parts ot the office hitherto proved common to both. *=!«*:(. He that aimeth at the primitive form, and that which cometh nearest the institution of our Lord and His Apostles, must not think of destroying Bishops, but of restoring their presbyteries." Ihe exact details of any measure, making provision for some sufficient ecclesiastical government and rule, need not be every where and at all times identical, but it should be effectuui It cannot be reasonable or just for so large a body, as our Colonial Church now is, to be left in its present anomalous and unprovided state. And from the first all ecclesiastical discipline and -overn ment seems always, as Churches became settled, to have partaken of a Diocesan character, in due subordination to the decrees and canons of the Church, as set forth in national, provincial or general councils, and to the authorities and order of the particu- lar body ecclesiastical as well as civil, of which they formed a part so that the general unity might not be broken. " llidiculum est dicere," (writes St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, when asked to interfere in the concerns of another Bishop's Diocese), " quasi ad me pertineat cura propria nisi Hipponensis ecclesite. In aliis emm civitatibus tantum agimus, quod ad ecclesiam pertinet " quantum vel nos permittunt, vel nobis imponunt earundem civi- tatum episcopi fratres et consacerdotes nostri."* • S. August. Opera. Tom. ii. 65. " It is absurd to say that I^an ha^ any charge, except in what relates to the Church ia the Diocese of Hippo. In other cities we only act so far, in what relates to ecclesias- tical aflFairs, as our brethren the Bishops of those cities, and our asso- ciates in our holy office either permit ns or lay upon us a dutv " THE NEW DIOCESE. 16T of the But whatev . be the cccIp'^; istical constitution Church to whicl iH-lons., ^hat^v.r prov. a may be made for its self-governm. i.owever suit ly • ' .pted the circum- stancoB in hich we a. placed in r.l "'1^1'^^ ' and our felluw-e dzen. around us, it is si. lor u., my Reverend Brethren, to remember that, under any circumstances, no blessing can be looked for up. . ou ion, no growth and mcrease of spiritual life within her courts, unless there be a^o Present with us faithful, godly, and laborious ministers, God's Bemembraneers, Watchmen I Israel, who shall bear witness for the truth by their lives as well as by their doctrine, and point out to their flock, the way to heaven by walking in it them. .The t.acning o Gospel truths in the preacliing, and the e. p ihcation of Gospel obedience in the lives of the ministers of Christ are a great ad powerful means in the hand of the Lord, for pulling . wn the strongholds of Satan and establishing the kmgdom of God. But .vhile publishing to others " the glad tidings" of salvation, Ic^ u for ourselves " make our own calling and election sure ; let us strive to observe that steady consistency of character in our general conversation, that gravity of deportment that become, our holy office ; and " keep our own bodies under, and bring them into subjection, lest while preaching to others we ourselves be- come castaways."* Besides being our interest, this is our bounden duty for promoting the success of our ministry ; since, whatever c^ace may attach to direct ministerial acts, " which be eftectual because of Christ's institution and prouiise,"t yet the prayers of an un<^odly man can be of little use to others, and no unction can be hoped for to descend on the people from the skirts of our gar- ments, unless we ourselves have received an anointing from above. Moreover unless we have analyzed the tear of penitence when dropping from our own eye, how can we recognise ^t when be- dewin- a brother's cheek ? unless we ourselves have tasted of the bread^of life, how can we describe to others its strengthening powers? unless we have drank of the fountain of life, how tell Lm of its cleansing and refreshing virtues ? unless we ourselves «have been with Jesus," and with Him, "entered withm the • 1 Cor. ix. 27 I Articles of Religion, xxvi. IMAGE EVALUATfON TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. 1.0 I.I 1.25 1.4 6' M 1.6 ^ <^ rf /a ^l. Xw '/ Photographic Sciences Coiporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 s 4^ <;. 0:, &p i V o .^^ '!' 168 veil,"* how( THE NEW DIOCESK. ilat upon the excellence of His communion, the fulness of His temple, or the splendours of His throne ? The office and the work of the Ministers of the Church are thus strikingly described by one of our poets :— " There stands the messenger of truth : there stands The legate of the skies l-llis iheme divine, His office sacred, his credentials clear. By him the violated law speaks out Its thunders ; and by him in strains as sweet As angels use, the Gospel whispers peace. He 'stablishes the strong, restores the weak, Keclaims the wanderer, binds the broken heart ; And arm'd himself in panoply complete Of heav'nly temper, furnishes -.vith arms, Bright as his own, and trains, by ev'ry rule Of holy discipline, to glorious war, The sacramental host of God's elect."! But we must look at the duties of the Cleroy, not only towards those within our own communion, but also towards those who are without. The visible unity of the body of Christ is marred by the sins and weakness of man, and the unbeliever and the ungodly draw from thence n.uch encouragement to gainsay the truths of revelation, and the plain requirements of the law of God It, therefore, the differences that exist between various religious communities are not thought of material importance, they muat surely appear to us to be unjustifiable and einfulj if, however wc think ourselves justified in maintaining them, we ought to be fully persuaded in our own minds of the grounds upon which they are founded. But in all such questions let it be our care still to maintain our Christian charity, to contend for truth, not for vic- tory : to condemn, not person.s, but their errors, and to be far more diligent in declaring positive truths, than in denouncing the behet or practice of our neighbours. A little religion is very apt to engender a violent spirit of partisanship; a larger measure of grace and knowledge, while it confirms u« in our own position on better and clearer grounds, teaches us also more correctly in what wayjwe ought to act towards others. '' We have just enou-h • Heb. vi. 19 t Cowper's Task : Book 2. li j) THK NEW DIOCESE. 169 relidou (says an excellent author,) to make us hate but not n^ugh to Lc us love one another."* " K - estabhs. truth error will fall of itself, not immediately perhaps, but gradually and finally Belief eannot be forced. To attempt it will only generate hostility. Bat by the exercise of Christian virtues, by upholding the truth with n^cekness and gentleness, by putting the most candid construction upon the motives of them that be m error, by inducing them to view the truth from other points than those to ^hich education or habit have .ceustomed them .-by such methods will the Christian religion be most successfully propa- L^ated "t If you endeavour to cultivate such a spirit, no one those opinion is worth listening to, will ever think the worse of you for being faithful to the specific principles ot the communion to which you belong, or for being anxious to act up to the tenor of your ordination vows. Far otherwise; be assured that your truth and consistency will gain respect and confidence, your .Ohristian moderation and charity will win love and sou s. The controversy between the Church of England and the Church of Rome, from particular circumstances, has been renewed with increasing earnestness of late years ; and as we cannot but be deeply interested in every point at issue between them, so in particular are we, no less than our brethren in England, concerned in the question of the validity of the authority in virtue of which the Pope has recently made several high ecclesiastical appointments in England. On the validity of the authority thus assumed rests the whole fabric of the Romish Church. The question really at issue is the Supremacy of the lope : a Supremacy not held to consist in a mere superiority of rank, power or jurisdiction, such as have been, or are exercised by patriarchal or metropolitical Sees over other Bishops and Clergy, but in the fact that the Bishop of Rome, as successor of St. Peter, is the one ITniversal Bishop, Christ's Vicegerent and sole Representative on earth, the only channel of grace, and that therefore, except as dcrivin- through him there can be no Church, no grace, no salva- tion. If this assumption be true^ doubt it must bj3j^rong^ . ~ " • Quoted in the 45l8t No. of the Spectator. t Jarviss " Church of the Redeemed : " Preface, p. uv. 170 THE NEW DIOCESE. any grounds to refuse submisMon ;* but if it be without founda- tion then may we feel not only justified, but, because of such assumption so much the more, bound to maintain those reformed doctrines and usages which we believe to be confirmed by the written Word of Uod. and to have the witness also and testimony of the Church from the beginning. It is not now my purpose to go into the details of tliis ar-ument fi '''"j"'*' ''^'' *"* "" P'^'^'Se in the late - ApostolicS letter of Pope Pius IX, re-establishing the Episcopal Hierarchy in England." ^ After alluding to " the Power of governing the Universal thurch entrusted by our Lord Jesus to the Roman Pontiff" it sets forth that " the records of England bear witness that from the ^rst ages of the Church, the Christian religion was carried into -Bntain, and that it afterwards flourished there very creatly • but that towards the middle of the fifth century after the An^^lo- ^axons had been called into that Island, not only the comm^on- I am satisfied that a great many of the Laity of the Roman Catholics do not know the doctrines. It is a rule of their Church as I have ULderstood, that it is not necessary for its followers to knU exactly what its doctrines are. There is what is called an mpHcii faith admitted according to the established principles of that Church • and If a person can say, " I believe all which the Church believes and teaches, he is not required to explain what that is. This sufficiently signifies that he is docile, and devoted to the authority of his Church and this, as I understand, is considered the great virtue of the Roman Catholic religion. To explain myself further, I can conceive that a person may hold all the doctrines belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, excepting whatever is connected with the Supremacy of the Pope; ana yet if he had drawn these doctrines by the force and exercise of his own judgment from the investigation of the Scriptures he would not be acknowledged as a person within the pale of their com' munion. He would not be connected with the body of the Church aa not being connected with its head. I rather think that he would be pro- nounced, from his not yielding in the one point of submitting to the Supremacy of the Pope, and the authority of the Church, as a person to whom by the rules of that Church, salvation must be denied." ^rc/- bishop Magee's evidence before the House of Peers, quoted in the notes to the thnstian Institutea, vol. iv, p. 78. THE NEW DIOCESE. 171 wealth but religion also was seen to fall into the most deplorable condition. But it is recorded that our most Holy Predecesaor, Gregory the Great, immediately sent thither the Monk Augus- tine." The first connection of the CHurch in England with the Church and Bishop c Rome as such, w;h commenced by the Mission of Augustine, thus referred to in the Pope's letter. At the same time it is a well-established historical fact that though the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants were heathens and idol-worshippers, yet thai there still existed in the m9untains of Wales, and the West of England, where they had been driven by their conquerors, a primitive Church, the same which the Pope mentions as having " from the first been carried into Britain and which flourished there very greatly," which Church was presided over by seven Bishops of their own, who met Augustine in conference soon after his arrival, in the year 596. Moreover they asserted their right to continue their own ecclesiastical customs, having never read .. the Bible, or been taught as an Apostolic rule, that they owed any special obedience to the See of Rome. And it is furthermore a circumstance not to be forgotten that Gregory the Great himself, the very Bishop of Rome, who sent over this Missionary to the AnMoSaxons, most pointedly declares the unlawfulness of any one Bishop setting up a claim to supremacy, or assuming the title ot Universal Bishop. " Therefore (he says, writing to the Emperor Mauritius) I am bold to say, that whoever uses or aifects the style of Universal Bishop, has the pride and character of Anti-Christ and is in some measure his harbinger in this haughty quality ot mounting himself above the rest of his order. And indeed both the one and the other seem to split upon the same rock For as pride makes Anti-Christ strain his pretensions up to Godhead, so whoever is ambitious to be called the only or universal prelate prefers himself to a distinguishing superiority, and nses, as i were, upon the ruins of the rest." And again he writ«« if that Universal Prelate should happen to miscarry, the whole Church must sink with him."* . It would be easy to bring a multitude of examples to prove Collier's Ecclesiastical History, Book 172 THE NEW DIOCESE. that whatever deference may generally have been paid by the Western Church (for the Eastern Church has in all aJs wit- nessed against the Papal claims) to, the Bishop of Rome, as bein. Uie chief ecclesiastical authority in the ancient capital of the Empire, still obedience or submission to his authority or decisions was never held as a necessary article of faith, or his supremacy acknowledged ; but I will only instance one special case, and that oecurnng in the middle of the third century; when inder the presiaency no ess a man than St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, a .Synod of eighty-five African Bishops, with the Priests and Deacons (much people also being present) was assembled at Carthage i^ determine the question of the validity of the Baptism of Heretil^s ■ ZLw't ""'''"^T'^y ^''''^'^ ^S-i"«t the judgment of Stephen,' hen Bishop of Rome, and the custom of that Church.* Ani nected with the same question, quotes approvingly CypiL's own words to show that no one Bishop has'a rigjif to' 'impose his opinion, as binding upon the rest. " Non solum ergo mihi salvo jure communionis adhuc verum qu^rcre, sed et diversum sentire concedit. ^equ. enim quisquam nostrum (inquit Cyprianus) episcopum se episcoporum constituit, aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigit.'f And it does seem extraordinary, if xt be as binding on the conscience .0 believe in the supremacy of the Pope as it 13. in the atonement of Jesus Christ, that It is left in Scripture to be supported by the very slender testimony of one or two passages of doubtful interpretation and that St. Paul in all his preaching never hints at such ^ necessity while he specially sets it forth as a claim to consider- ation and mark of his faithfulness, that he had withstood St. Peter^to the face, when he thought him in error.| '' And is it • Poole's Life of St. Cyprian, p. 366. ' " Jl\t''^"'^T • T'"' '''''■ ''' '"'- " ^'^ "«* °"'y "'^refore grants Tut th t ';f ' T- ''"' "'^ '""^'^' ^' °"^ ^»" communion, to search of us IvTr " '"'""''^'•' '"^ ^'^^^^ ''^'^ '^'^^ •^■-- For none loin IT if'"'"' T ''"''•' "P ''' ' ^•^'^^P «f Bi^'^oP^. or binds down bis colleagues, by any tyrannical assumption of authority, to . ■compulsory obedience." ^' t Oal. 2. U, THE NEW DIOCESE. 173 not marvellous (asks Dr. Barrow, in his matchless and unrefuted treatise on this subject) that Origen, St. Hilary, St. Cyril, St. Chrysostome, St. Hierome, St. Austin, in their commentaries and tractates upon those places of Scripture, " Tu es Petrus," " Pasce oves," whereon they now build the papal authority, should be so dull and drowsy as not to say a word concerning the Pope."* The rejection of this unwarranted usurpation of authority over all other Churches by the Bishop of Rome, was the first actual step, and practically the most important one, in the Reformation of the English Churc.ti in the sixteenth century ; and being thus set free from all foreign jurisdiction, and consequently from any necessary submission to every custom, or belief in every doctrine, which may happen at the time to be in force at Rome and to have the papal sanction, the Church in England was able to consider in detail what further reforms either in doctrine or discipline were required. It was not a work completed at once, or by one gen- eration of men ; but in the e.id it resulted in two inestimable blessings, which we now possess as our inheritance, which have preserved to us " the truth once delivered to the saints ;" and which, I trust, we shall faithfully hand down to those that come after us. The first and greatest of these blessings was the Bible, which now once more received its due reverence and regard ; and, having been translated into the language known and used by the people, was placed by command in all churches and places of public worship, that "it might be read by all for their guidance and comfort, and be referred to by all who, respecting any matters of faith or doctrine, wished to " search the Scriptures to see whether these things were so."t And it is the great excellence of the Church, to which we belong, that, in all her formularies and articles, she shrinks from no enquiry, and fears no comparison with the Written Word ; and teaches expressly in her 6th Article, . ihat " Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as Ii !l M •); * Christian Institutes, vol. iv, page 160. t Acts, xvii. 1 1. 174 THE NEW DIOCESE. an Article of Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to Saly»- tion." The other blessing I refer to is '' The Book of Common Prayer " which serves not only as our guide and assistant in public worshii and m most simple and spiritual language leads us with one mind and one voice to praise and worship God; but it also provides us With confessions of faith, and standards of doctrinal truth by means of which the maintenance of a full and pure system of Christian belief is always preserved, and the Gospel-message necessarily set forth before men. The weakness of man is so extreme, the temptation to evil so fen-eat, and false doctrine so agreeable to our natural inclination that we may truly bless God that we have not been left, each of us to search out for himself, without such a guide to help us the great and essential truths contained in the Word of God * And when we number up the amount of the ever-varying and increasing interpretations affixed to the same passages of Scripture, and affecting most important doctrines : and when we so. often hear of the falling away of whole congregations, as well as of individuals from the f..th which once they believed and maintained, we ought not lightly to estimate the mercy of God in allowing us • " Q. What need we catechisms, while we have the Bille ? « ./2. Because the Bible contains all the whole body of religious truth Which the ripest Christian sho.ld know, but are not aU of eoua; necessity to salvation with the greatest points ; and it cannot be expected rest without help. A man is not a man without a head and heart bu^ he may be a man if he lose a finger or a hand, but not an enUre Ln nor a comely man without hair, nails, and niture's ornaments So i man cannot be a Christian or a good and happy man, without^ g^at m t -cessary points in the Bible, nor an entire Christian withou the lest. Life and death lieth not on all points alike, and the skilful must gather the most necessary points for the ignorant ; ^hich is a catell" Churl!:::;;: :ei!g!o:r^^^^ °'°" '^-^^^--^ ^^^ --^-^--^ fessions^a?. .'^ ^'"/ '' '" '"''''''' ^' *'^ ^^^^'^^ ^"^^ ' ^^t our con- THE NEW DIOCESE. together 175 "the ith the free use of the Writtrn Word, to possess Book of C'ommon Prayer." It is true, that notw ithstandinf^ the assistance and guidance thus provided for us, there ^ill still be evils to correct, and deficiencies to deplore ;-there may be also some seasons of less light and less holiness than others and indivi- dual pastors may be untrue to their profession, and teach tha .vhich is contrary to the mind of the Church, and her continued faithful testimony. But, ns a Church, she can scarcely fall axvay ; she bears her own unfailing witness to the same great principles and doctrines ; and through the influence of her own expositions in " the Book of Common Prayer," after a time either forces back, as it were, her erring ones to believe and confess the truth, thus set forth " as it is in Jesus," or causes them to go out from her, because they do not belong to her. The influence of such an authorized exposition of the Church, so simple, so scriptural, to which the Clergy are requived to subscribe their unfeigned assent and pled-e themselves to conform, and which serves as the general Liturgy to be used in all our places of worship, cannot but be most beneficial, as a standard of doctrine, and witness of the iden- tity of that Reformed Faith, which it embodies. Any mere sub- scription to a confession of Faith, or Articles of Keligion, by the Cler-y at their Ordination, or Institution to a charge, can never produce the same results. Such a subscription is an act complete fn itself and testifying to the opinions of the subscribers at the time, but carrying with it no perpetual check, and bearing no audible testimony in case of subsequent unfaithfulness. Notwith- standing the many trials and persecutions which the Church of En.^land has undegone during the last three centuries, notwith- standing the violent controversies, which occasionally, as now, have been raised within her own communion, yet she still holds fast to the same great Catholic truths, continues faithful to the prin- ciples upon which she was reformed, believes only what the Church has always believed, and preserves her unity with the whole body of Christ "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Pro- phets, Jesus Christ being himself the chief c orner-stone.'* • Epnes. ii. 20. li 176 THE NEW DIOCESE, 1 I To you, my brctliren, however, who officiate as Ministers of Christ, and conduct the public services of'tlie Church, it belon<^,s to see that the people, who wait on your n.ini.strations, have the full benefit of that provision, which has thus been made for them. Let not any irreverence or carelessness, on your parts, in the per- formance of your duties, lead the people to forget the nature of these services, or to Whom it is that your prayers are addressed. Teach them by your manner, as well as by your words, tlie mean- ing and importance of the work, in which you are engaged, and that " God is very greatly to be feared in the council of^the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about Him."* There is no one point perhaps (especially with the mixed popula- tion amongst whom you dwell) which it is more necessary to keep ever before them ; without it your " prayers will be an abomi- nation to the Lord/'t an insult to His Majesty: and the rich blessings of the Gospel will be an encouragement to sin. However rude the building in which you may assemble for divine worship, however few or humble the worshippers, " where two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ, there He is present in the midst of them;'' therefore be ye very careful how ye pray, and what ye speak. Remember tliat your business is net merely to deliver a message or to preach certain important doctrines, but to watch over your flocks and to train souls for heaven ; so that they may be fitted to join with the people of God iu those holy and blessed services, which will be the employment and the joy of the followers of the Lamb for ever and ever. In the use of " the Prayer Book," as a standard of doctrine and exposition of, faith, it should be our object, as far as may be to act up to its teaching ; and to receive what it teaches in a simple and literal meaning, without overstraining its words, or explaining them away to suit other systems, or private interpretations. With- out too curiously defining the exact extent or manner of the opera- tions of grace, we are always warranted in adhering " to the law and t^ the testimony" given for our use, that the Sacraments are " outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given • Ps. Ixxxix. 7. t Prov. xxviii. 9. THE NBW DIOCESE. ITT unto U8, ordained by Christ Himself, as a means whereby wc receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof;"* and that -Sacra, ments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Chris- tian men's profession, but rathcrthey be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towarc3 us by the which He doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in Him."t There is nothing unreasonable in the fact that Christ works by means pro- vided for our use, and by ordinances appointed by Him: but it will be perverting those means, and making those ordinances of no effect if we rest in them as the end, or consider them of any force or value except as leading us to Christ. As the Bible itself from (ienesis to the Revelations is but the history of man's fall, and his redemption by Christ, so also it is with the Church and all her ministrations ; " being born in sin, and children of wrath, we are hereby made children of grace," and are taught " heartily to thank our heavenly Father that He hath called us to this state of salva- tion " and to " pray unto Him to give us His grace, that we may continue in the same unto our life's end/'t Whatever we do, whatever ordinances we attend with an intelligent spirit, must constantly remind us of the evil of sin, and of our lost estate by nature, and that it is bv grace only we can be saved ;§ and that as our persons can only be justified for Christ's sake, so that we may have access to the Father, as our reconciled God, so only by the gift of the Spirit, purchased for us by Christ's blood, can we ourselves be sanctified, or enabled to do that which is well pleas- ing in God's sight. May we all walk worthy of this our calling m Christ; and "work out our salvation with fear and trembling, becaus^ it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure."!! ^ . , r. , „ But where shall we look for a supply of those faithful, godly, ♦Church Catechism. fArticleB of Religion, xxv. JChurch Catechism. §" We must note that in a Chriatian man there is, first, nature; sec- ondly coTTMi^HoTi perverting nature ; thirdly, grace correcting and amend- ing corruption." Hooher^s Sermon, ' A remedy against sorrow and fear.' II Phil. ii. 12, 13. ^tfiJ^ 178 THE NEW DIOCBSB. anfl laboriouB ministers to whom I ftlludcd before, and without whom, not only will it not avail to perfect our ccclesiastioal orga- nization, and make arrangement for our better government and discipline, but the purity of our reformed faith will be unvalued, and our public services without a blessing. I,, former times the Church in these Colonies looked almost necessarily to England both for the maintenance of her ministers, and also for the minis- tors themselvcH, who were to officiate. " Beautiful upon the moun- tains," and amidst the woods and desolate places of Canada have been "the feet" of many of those holy and self-denying men, who were the first to "bring good tidings and publish peace"^" to the rude settlers in the wilderness— men whoso names live in honour amongst us, and the fruit of whose labours we are now e-joying. There may, however, bo reasons why we cannot, if wo wished it* depend upon a continued supply from this source; and if it were available, it might not always be desirable. It is impossible to estimate too highly the dignity and excellence that in reality belongs to the character of the true missionary ; or the iniportance of the work to which thy dovote themselves, who, "counting the cost," constrained by the love of Christ, have "left house, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or child- ren, or lands for His sake and the Gospel's,"! that they may go forth and preach among perishing sinner? " the unsearchable riches of Christ." But men of such stamp and character are not to be called forth on every cry for help ; and the immeuse extent of mis- sionary work now carried on by the Church, and the many more exciting and interesting scenes of labour open before them, render it every day less likely that, if such there be, they will east in their lot with us. While to any good and faithful men (and others we cannot wish to associate with us here), who have been educated, and are qualified for the ministry at home, our low estate can seldom permit us to ofier any thing equal t? what their services deserve, and can command as a remuneration in England. If then we are to have a trained and educated Clergy, we must look, for anything like a regular systematic supply, to training up a nitive ministry of our own. And there are some advantages in such a plan * Isaiah lii. 7. t Hark x. 29. THE NKW DI0CB3K. 179 which oould not bo obtained any other way ; though wo ra&y not at onco bo able to make every provision for this which seems requisite. It was hoped that by the establishment of McOill College in this city, the Church would have possessed an institution capable of supplying us with what wo require. Tho difficulties and dis- putes, that havo hitherto destroyed the usefulness of that muniB- cent bequest, are much to be deplored ; and, on every public ground, I sincerly wish that they may bo removed and settled. But whether it will ever become an efficient institution, and if so, whether we shall bo able to associate ourselves with it, or otherwioe to provide hero for the education of oandidaten for the ministry, it is imp-^ ;,ible for me to say, Still in the meantime, w are no* left wholly without resource. The College which the Bishop of Queuec, while administering the affairs of the undivided Diocese, founded at Lennoxville, in 1845, has already supplied us with no less tl^an ten of our present Chrgy,— and those not the lease faithful of our body. And -hough it is not now within the limits of this Diocese, it is still open for us to enjoy tho benefit of it, and I have myself bnen appointed ono of its Trusteed.* There are at present seventeen students resident there ; and every year receiving that increased support yhich it so much needs and deserves, I trust the tcne and character of tho Institution will bo rising, it's usefulness more generally acknowledged, the proficiency of the sTudents more advanced, ana their training more complete. • The two Dioceses of Qoobec and Montreal are placed upon an equal fooling in every respect, as far as is possible under the ciiaiter. The Bishop of Quebec being constituted by the charter. Visitor of the College, the only way in which the Bishop of Montreal could become officially connected with it, was by accepting the otfice of Trustee. But all the powers given to the Visitor, by the rules of the College, have been given 10 the Bishop of Montreal ; and the grant of £300 sterling from the S. P. G. for Divinity students, is enjoyed equally by both Dioceses. Another of the Trustees also belongs to this Diocese. {?.y the Royal Charter establishing the College as a University in 1855 and giving it the privilege of conferring Degrees in Divinity, Arts, Law, &c., the senior Bishop of any Diocese in Lower Cav.:.-^ was constituted Pres dent, the other Bishop or Bishops Vice-Presidents : so that on the death of Bishop Mountain I became President of the University and of the Corpora'ion, and about an equal number of Trustees are now belong- ing 10 each Diocese. Sole in 1866.) 180 THE NEW DIOCESE. Doubtless the first and most important point in that training 18 the formation of the students' character ; that their thoughts and tempers, and habits of life and conversation may be conformat'<' to the work and office which they seek to undertake ; that they may be men of thoughtful, religious, and pious minds, fully im- pressed themselves with the importance of those truths, which they are about to preach to others. Without this foundation no super- structure of acquired knowledge can be raised of any efficient value for the work of the ministry And at the age of twenty-three at which candidates are presented for Deacon's orders, whatever practical experience may be wanting, the character in all essentials ought to be formed, and the choice made. But though this be especially necessary, we must r. ,t undervalue the importance of possessing, if possible, a learned, as well as a pious clergy. It is true that there may be spheres of duty, in whicli classical acquire- ments may seem unnecessary, and erudition thrown away ; but when all the world is agitated by an enquiring spirit, when alUhose around us are making progress in knowledge, when truth is as- sailed on every side, and by every weapon, when new forms of con- troversy are forced upon us, or old ones reproduced, it becomes us to look well to all our armour ; to be " the scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, vvho is like unto a man that is an house- holder, which brought forth out of his treasures things new and old,"H< and we must «be ready alrays to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us."t The proverb, no doubt, still holds good that a " prophet has no honour in his own country," and especially it is too much the custom in many quarters to look with a disparaging eye upon every tiling of Colonial growth, in comparison with productions of the Mother Country. But if we never for an instant can pretend to put ourselves in competition with the valued and time-honoured institutions of England, we may yet be able to train candidates for the ministry, who shall in every respect equal most of those who may be likely, under present circumstances, to be sent out to us from home, as missionaries, or candidates for ordination And we moreover shall then ourselves know well all their quali- * Matt, xiil, 52. tl Pet. iii. 15. THE NEW DIOCESE. 181 % 3^ Utti fioations and character ; and if we know their weaknesses and failings, we shall also know to what we have to trust m thena as grounds of hope and expectation of usefulness. Th- themselves also will have this further advantage, that they will be well acquainted with the country and the people, with their habits ot life and thoughts ; and will be prepared with more accurate knowledge to enter (if it prove necessary) upon any controversies, which may be prevalent here, but which may be comparatively unknown or unheeded in England. And above all they will be fully alive to the nature of the work, which they are undertaking, and enter upon it with a full consciousness of its trials and diffi- culties, and will therefore be more likely to rest satisfied with their lot. Indeed, when I witness the spheres of labour m which our clergy may be called to officiate; where they must often be '< hoping against hope," patiently toiling - for souls that will not be redeemed," cut off from all those who can appreciate and sympathize with their previous tastes and habits, with many an anxious intruding thought as to the future prospects of those around them in their own family, I cannot but feel how essential it is that they should be men of strong and settled faith, who m humble dependence upon God are satisfied to do His will, com- mitting to Him all their ways, laying up their treasure with their heart in heaven. For men of such a spirit, " the wilderness and the solitary place sh^U be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose."* Whilst we, if we be otherwise minded, though now we may be had in honour, and our cup may seem tu 1, shall give way to them " in the regeneration," and " begin with shame to take the lowest place." There is some excellent advice bearing upon this point in a short passage from Bishop laylors " Holy Living," which will not be out of place for any of us : " God is master of the scenes ; we must not choose which part we shall act; it concerns us only to be. careful that we do it well, always saying, if this please God, let it he as it is.- and we, who pray that God's ' will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, must remember that the angels do whatsoever is commanded them and go wherever they are sent, and refu. no circumstances; and * Isaiah xxxv. 1. ; 182 THE NEW DICCESE. if their employment be crossed by a higher decree, they sit down m i^ace and rejoice in the event; and when the angel of Judca could not prevail on behalf of the people committed to his charge because the angel of Persia opposed it ;* he only told the story at the command of God, and was content, and worshipped with as great an ecstasy in his proportion as the prevailing spirit. Do thou so likewise: keep the station where God hath placed you and you shall never long for things without, but sit at home feasting upon the Divine Providence, and thy own reason, by which we are taught that it is necessary and reasonable to submit to Uod. I shall dismiss this subject with one remark respecting " testi- monials, " specially those required by all candidates for orders. 1 he Church has carefully provided that there shall be every pos- sible means taken to prevent improper persons intruding into the holy office of the ministry. It is hardly possible for the Bishop himself to know intimately the private life of every candidate but three clergymen, or tutors of his College, must, in the case of every one offer...g himself, certify " that having been personally known to them for three years last past, and having had oppoi tunxties of observing his conduct, they verily believe him to have lived piously, soberly, honestly, &c., and that in their conscience they believe him to be as to his moral conduct, a person worthy to be admitted to the sacred order of Deacon."t Public notice IS also given in church, in the place where the candidate usually resides, calhng upon "any person who knows any just cause or impediment why he should not be ordained, to declare the same to the Bishop." Now these were not meant *o be mere un- meaning forms; and I consider by granting testimonials on any occasion, and specially for this purpose, that you are performing a most sacred and solemn duty, upon the due discharge of which must rest most serious and important consequences to the welfare ot the church and the salvation of men. There are many other topics of deep interest and concern, upon T^hich I might naturally on this occasion have wished to address some observations to you ; but some of these I have recently made * Dan. X. 13. j Form of Testimonial. am THE NEW DIOCESE. 183 subjects Of remark in my '' Pastoral Letter ;" and others havebeen carefully considered at the Episcopal Conference held at Quebe ^ays " a day of small things," it is also, I feel sure, a day of hope ; if we are conscious of our weakness we must only be led by it more earnestly, in dependence on God's blessing, to seek to " strengthen the things that remain." But although we be little among the mighty gatherings of the people around u., yet have we fellowship with a countless host, whose tents are spread throughout all the world, and whose voices are heard in one united stram of prayers and praises in the courts of the Lord's House. The world is ♦ While these bills were under discussion ia the House of Assembly, they received the decided and candid support of ^^e ^on. Mr Lafontame (the premier of the late ministry, and a Roman Catholic,) and oth Hon Mr. Hincks, (the premier of the present ministry, and a Unitarian.) M . hI ks. when speaking in favour of them, said : " There was unfor- tunately a ;trong feeling against the Church of England and h deep y regretted it. He was determined that he would endeavour to do justice t 'the Church of England. He would do that jastice to the Church of England which he would do to every other Church in Canada. What do thev ask in this bill ? simply the power of holding P-P-^f/^f^^'^^- ing their own affairs." And in reply, Mr. Hincks said : 'He belonged to a body of Christians who were very unpopular m the Province, and have very little weight; and although he ««-«^^°^f f "'^^^^^^ Church he belonged to, be never shrunk from any o-asion of statmg that be belonged to the body known as Christian Unitarians. There a two congregations in this Province ; and a few years ago he asked for Tm the vfry same privileges now asked for by the Church o EngUnd^ Thatactpassed this House without a dissentient voice Itgives u all we want simply to manage our own affairs, exactly as th. Independents do. TtTslr understand that persons, who have that form of managing their Church affairs, do not require an Act similar to that now asked ^ the Church of England. But we get the privileges we ask for and be would like to know whether in that case it is proper ^-^ up and refuse a large body of Christians the power to ^^^^^^^^ ^'"'''^^''^^^Z, in the way they desire to do. But at the present time 'l^; ^^^^^ position to refuse every thing like justice to the Churcn c. England. - From the report of the debates in the House of Assembly, as ?iven m The Globe" ofJunp 28, 1851. fi .''l '■ i 'I'i 186 THE NEW DIOCESE. Human kind rejoices in the miglu Of mutability.* But the Church of Christ, like her great Head, is in all her great 7TJ 1 ""'^ ^' ''"^ ^'^ P«°^' ^^"•^d o'- missionary, per- secuted by a Diocletian, or served by a Theodosius, but still her Identity as a spiritual body is maintained, her faith unchanged built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ being himself the chief corner-stone." Nor shall the prin- ciples of Apostolic order and Evangelical truth," by which we stand, fail, though the light h. quenched in one or more of Z present candlesticks. The English Church of the Reformation lor a while insular, now has her home in every quarter of the world' wl? .t '^-iT'' '"^^^ "'' '^"°"^" ^"^^ ^^^°8"'^^d- She appeals, both to the Bible as the foundation, and to Catholic tostimonv as the witness of " the faith once delivered to the saints." She "has been planted and taken root in these Provinces, in the United ^tates, m the East and West Indies, in Australasia, in Southern five life' ''''^^^^''' ^^' '^'''^ "P ''^^^ ^"d is full of reproduc- And now unto the Great Head of the Church, and to God the father, invisible, eternal, with the Holy Spirit be ascribed all praise and glory, giving thanks for past mercies, and prayin- that we may have grace to keep us from falling into sin or error " And peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the I ather, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."+ Out of fifty-one oflSciating Clergy in the Diocese, fifty were in attendance at the visitation ; and altogether, including Clergy from the Dioceses of Quebec, Toronto, and New-York, fifty-ei^ht were present. ° * Wordsworth, t Heb. iiii. 8. i Ephes. vi. 23, 24. ADDRESS TO THE SCHOLAES OF THE UNITED SUNDAY-SCHOOLS, CONNECTED WITH THE CHURCH OF I-LNGLAND, IN THE CITT OF MONTREAL, 8KXAQB8IMA SUNDAY, FUB. 8KD, 1861. RISE AND PROGRESS OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS. My Young Friends, The service here this afternooti, in this Cathedral, is with spe- cial reference to our Sunday-schools. Though your usual places of worship are different, and you are gathered together each Sunday in different schools, yet now o:> this day, the first Sunday in the month of February, as was done on the same day last year, you have all come together here, with your teachers and superin- tendents of your schools, accompanied by all the Clergy of the Churches in the City, that we may join together in one united act of common worship ; and that I, as your Bishop and chief pastor, may have the opportunity of speaking to you some words of exhor- tation and encouragement. Such an occasion then may well, in the first place, remind us ot much that we have in common, one with another ; and how much it is our bounden duty, as well as our privilege, to learn " to hve as brethren : " keeping in remembrance the words of St. Paul, how that " we being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." We are brethren by creation ; but that is a brotherhood embracing all the world. As Christians we have a closer, holier bond in Christ ; and as members of the Church ot England, we share in the same ministry, use the same^ubho ser- vices for divine worship, and have the same English Bible, as a source of comfort, light and knowledge. ■' il i - --^ -. i- **«. ^ J afti 188 RISE AND PROGRESS OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. It would be well sometimes to think how much we owe to God for allowing us these privileges and means of grace. As you grow up and learn more about the history of the Church, you will better know all the trials and dangers which encompassed the Church of ftm'll ;. 7 '' ''t'^ ''' ^''''''' condition, and was reformed from all the abuses and superstitions that had troubled it in former ages. You will also be better able to value the Book of Common Word of God, which we have in our authorized English Bibles wSr^' « T ^T"' '*"'"' ^'' ''''''''''' ^i*^ '^^ ti'-e when Wickhffe hrst set about the translation of the Bible into English. In the year 1229, about 150 years before Wickliffe had completed his great work, a Canon had been passed at the Council of Tou- louse to this effect : " We also farhici +i.n t •. * th. TI..V e .1, r., / ^ ^'^^ ^^^^y *o possess any of the Books of the Old or New Testament, except, perhaps, the Psalter or Brevier, for Divine offices, or the Hours Ae Biased Virgin, which some out of devotion wished to have; but having ^rbid. It was m the spirit of this prohibition that the efforts of i^arlvtor' "''' r^ r '" «"«««««f"%^ that it w.s still very ZL !, IT%f"\^' ^'^ first, translated the Bible ij English, that the full and free use of it in their native tongue was aUowed to the people. Then at length it was, m the yea" ha the King s warrant was procured, allowing all his subjects, in ^11 his dominions, to read it without constraint or hazard. And et'un in fuTn " ^''T'''' "^'^""-^ ^"^^^^^ ^^^les to be set up m all «ie Churches. In these days we hope to find one or ^norecopies of the Bible in every house, possessed by the inmates.* •In the notes to a sermon preached by the Rev. Ernest Hayrkins at the chape of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, London.Ind puS '" The Scr ' " "^- ''' '''"""^'^^ ''''''^'^'' ^iven, on thi's subS: bnntt t7V''" " ^^« I'^"'^ -«^^-n, had long become a sealed book to the people : and the Roman See, in proportion as it extended ita supremacy, discouraged or proscribed the use of such vernacular v,r- IZr T: lu "^''^ '' '''' ""'' '''' '''' ^^'^^-'^^ ^-^ hclf informed hould mistake the sense of Scripture, nor lest the presumptuous and th. perverse snouiaaeduce new errors in doctrine, or more fatal conse- quences in practice, from its distracted language ; but in the secret a»d RISE AND PROGRESS OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 189 Bat it is to assist in teaching you the value and use of your Bibles, as the Word of God, and the great truths of the Christian faith contained therein, which are set forth and explained by the Church in short summaries in the Catechism, and other simple compositions, that we are anxious to gather you together in our Sunday-schools ; and that thus teaching you, we may train you up as intelligent and faithful raerabers of Christ's holy Catholic Church, in which we have been called to act as ministers and stewards. And I will, therefore, take this occasion to speak to you a few words respecting Sunday-schools, which may, I hope, lead you to think of them, and attend them, with more interest and advantage for time to come. Sunday-schools are so general now, so almost a necessary appen- dage to every congregation, that they are looked upon as matters of course ; but it was not always so ; even as the Bible, which is now so common a possession, was to our forefathers a forbidden treasure. I will then look back with you less than eighty years, (during the lifetime of many now still surviving), and we may see the first commencement of the working of these Sunday-schools, about which you may lik© to know a little, which you may not have heard before, though probably most of your teachers are well acquainted with all the circumstances. The originator and founder of the present system of Sunday- schools was Robert Raikes, of the city of Gloucester, in England. His father was the editor and sole proprietor of a weekly journal in that city. The first object which drew forth the exertions of this friend of mankind, was the wretched state of the county Bridewell, within the city, which being a part of the county gaol, the persons committed for petty offences associated, through neces- sure consciousness that what was now taught as Christianity, was not to he found in tb ritten Word of God." Southey's Book of the Church, Atk edition, p. 172. And writing about sixteen years ago, the Rev. Hobart Seymour states, that he could not procure a single copy of the Scriptures in the Roman language, and of a portable size, in the whole city of Rome ; and that when he asked the booksellers the reason of their not having the sacred Tolume, the answer was, in every luaUace, " It is prohibited."— .^om- iRgs among the Jesuits at Rome, p. 133. (-.• [I n f ■ •'* T m V- !£_i 190 RISE AND PROGRESS OP SUNDAY-tiCHOOLS. sity, (so defective were the arrangentieits) with felons of the worst description. And whereas extreme ignorance was very pronerlv considered by him as the principal cause of their vices which brought them to this deplorable position, precluding all hope of any lasting or real amendments from their punishment his great desire was, if possible, to procure for them some moral and roll gious instruction. But he soon found, from personal experience what up-hill work he was engaged in, while ho was endeavouring Ui humanize those dispositions that had been long inured io habits of violence and self-will. He could not but have observed the slow ness and dulness of scholars, unaccustomed to any application of the mind, except to mischief, and how very unsusceptible even such as were willing to learn, were of literary, moral or reli-ious instruction. The return of every Lord's Day, which gave oppor- tunity to the lower classes to shew themselves, exhibited to his view m all parts of the city, multitudes of the rising generation of the poor pursuing, as he conceived, precisely the same course of life which had been so unfortunately adopted by those already mentioned, whom he h.-ul visited in the gaol. The streets were full of noise and disturbance every Sunday; the churches were totally unfrequented by the poorer class of children, and very ill- attended by their parents ; they were nowhere seen employed as they ought to be. And had they been disposed to learn, or attend to anything that waa good, their parents were neither willin- nor able to teach or direct them. They seemed to be in the hioh^road to perdition, unless something could be done to rescue them It then occurred to this good man, Mr. Raikes, and to an excellent clergyman to whom he complained of the sad state of those poor chikren. that great indeed would be the benefit, as well to tho community as the children themselves, if any method could be con- trived of bringing them under proper restraint, and instilling some good principles into their minds. The foundation they well knew must be laid in the fear and love of God, in a reverence for the duties of religion, and for all things relating to the divine horour and service. Mr. Raikes soon began to make known his inten- tions to the parents, and without much diflSculty obtained their consent, that their children should meet him at thA ..r). a„..:«e performed in the Cathedral Church on the Sunday mornin-.. The RISE AND PROaRESa OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 191 numbers at first were very smnll ; but their increase was rapid. The gentleness of his behaviour towards them, tlie allowances they found him disposed to make for their former misbehaviour, which was caused so much by want of better teaching, the amiable picture which ho drew for th ^-j whon ho represented kindness and benevo- lence to each other, a.-; ' ^ source of real happiness ; and wicked- ness, malice, hatred, and ill-will, as the cause of so much misery in the world ; the interest which they soon discovered him to have in their welfare, which appeared in his minute encjuiries iato their conduct, their attainments, their situation, and every particular of their lives; all these circumstances soon induced them to assemble with eagerness at his bidding, and to be instructed by the labours of their best friend. Mr. Raikes soon saw himself surrounded with such a gathering as would have disgusted other men less zealous to do good, less earnest to diffuse comfort, exhortction and blessings to all around him than the founder of Sunday-schools. The children now began to look up to him with such a mixture of respect and affection, as endeared them to him, and interested him still more and more in their welfare. At first they were, as it may be supposed, utter strangers to the common forms of public worship ; and it required some time to bring them to a decent observance of even the outward ceremonies of religion, — I mean to teach them to kneel, to stand and sit down, in the different parts of the service. But watching him, they learned to follow his motions before they could be made as yet acquainted with the reason for them. But it was by no means his desire or intention that the obser- vance of the Lord's Day should end here, with thsir attendance on this early service in the CathecJral. To prevent them running about in wild disorder through the streets during the day, was the great object whica he liad in view, and to place them under the care of proper persons, to instruct them in their Christian duties, was the leading object of his wishes. And he soon obtained the assistance of a number of teachers sufficient for a very large school of boys and girls, to be educated in the principles of the Christian truth. The city of Gloucester, which was a great shipping port, soon began to wear a very different aspect on the Sunday. Instead of noise and riot, peace and good order were spread around ; in- 1B< '^\ ■ \i 192 RIBE AND PROGRESS OF HUNDAV-SCHOOLS. ■Nil Stead of continual quarrollinj;:, concord and harmony; instead of lying and Hwearing. and all kinds of profligacy, the children «j?radually imbibed principles of charity and truth, of modesty and humility. Instead of loitering about the streets in a state of indo- lence, as painful to the observer as it was mischievous to them- selveH, they wore now seen in decent regularity, frequenting the places of public worship, and evidently much happier in themselres than in their former state of irrei.gious idleness. The labours of the teachers were much asHisted and their success promoted by the unwearied attentioa of Mr. Ilaikcs to these children on «>very Sun- day morning. When the early service was ended, it was his con- stant practice to inquire minutely into their conduct, and even to inspect their persons, to reprove such as came dirty or slovenly, and to commend those who were neat and decent, however humble in their dress. The distribution of little rewards, and the slighest expression of displeasure from the man they loved, had each its proper efleot,* Such, then, was the beginning of our present system of Sunday- schools. And the good that was thus being done in the city of Gloucester, was soon known in other parts of England ; and. though, strange to say, some people raised objections, yet the example was rapidly followed far and wide. In ? report written four years after the commencement of Mr. Raikea' labours, it was mentioned with satisfaction that this grain of mustard, alluding to his small beginnings, had now grown to. what was considered, such an incredible extent, that under its shadow not fewer than 250,000 children were then sheltered and protected. But if that were such an incredible number, what shall we say now of the enormous growth of this tree of the Lord's planting ? In England and on this continent, their name now is " Legion " — the scholars may be reckoned by millions,. In this Diocese, scattered and few as our congregations are throughout the Province, we have between 3,000 and 4,000, of whom 1,1C0 are present here this day; while in every quarter of tv world, v'u river our ministers serve, there follows immediately tne ru'HiiA •8c'i--«.)i for the young, and the •This account of Mr. Raikes is taken from a short biography of him, in " The Gentleman's Magazine." L^-^ f t ■ RISE AND PROGRESS OP SUNDAY SCHOOLS. 193 ready and willing services of Christian men and wotocn to teach in them and to tend them. But, my young ..lends, remember that all this great multitude is made up of individual scholars, and you have each your own part to fultil. If you have now means of instruction provided, which in Ibnncr tinjcswero unknown ; if you arc froui your earliest days taught the fear of God, and tho love of Christ, and tho vorks of the Spirit; and if you arc brought up, as I trust you arc, m habits of dutiful obedience to those in authority over you, in reverence for the Lord's Day and the Lord's House, and tho ^viu^hip of God ; if you have had friends to help you, and to t^ach you all these great principles and truths-Oh think, how sad, through your own neglect or disobedience, to lose the benefit of such nurture ! , , ,■ x j You arc the lambs of Christ's fold ; you have been dedicated to him at your baptism, and you arc now, according to tho pro- mises then made, being taught « those things which you ought to know, and believe to your souls' health ; " and are being trained to be good soldiers of Christ, who are to '< fight manfully against sin, tho world, and the devil." This is a work which you must be doin- at once and continually. Pray, then, in all simplicity and Bin-lcncss of heart, for that help and grace, wliich your loving Saviour is ever ready to give to them that ask for it. llemember how affectionately and tenderly He ever welcomed children ; and try to be loving and true to Him, and to serve Ilim in all thclitt.e incidents of your daily life. And may God Almighty bless you all and keep you from all evil ; and grant that you and your teachers may be able to rejoice together in all your work both now in this present life, and hereafter, at the last great day of account, through Jesus Christ our Lord. » l^'Ji ADDRESS TO TUB CHILDREN OF THE SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. THE HFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. Fkhuuary 5th, 1865. THE LAMBS OF OHUIST'S FOLD. Psalm xxxiv. 11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me : I will teach you the fear of the Lord. It is now three years «go since I last addressed all the children attending our Sunday-schools in this city, vrhen they were gathered together in this Cathedral, as you are this day. One year I was ab'sent in England, and last year i was prevented attending to many usual duties by iU-health. I thank God that we are enabled to be present here now in such full numbers. Five yea. r ago was the first occasion of our schools meeting here, ci the oth February 1860, just after the completion of this building, when about one thousand scholars were present. I now find by the returns I have rcc--ved from the Clergy that the children on the books of the several Sunday-schools, in connection with our Churches in this city, amount to 2153, with 190 teachers; nearly 2000 of whom must be present here to-day.* This is a great increase in actual numbers ; but mere numbers are no test cither of truth or excellence. They may, however, be made precious use of for teaching truth, and striving after what is excellent, i pray God that both you and your teachers may so turn the oppor- tunities to account. . The Lending Libraries connected with the Sundny-schools of our Churches in tlie City have 5238 volumes of religious and useful books for the benefit of the teachers and scholars. I'i 196 THE LAMBS OF CHRIST'S POLD. f «s - • BJ* I have taken for the i^ubject of my address to you on this occasion, the verse which I liavc just read to you, from the 34th Psalm, one of the most spiritual and touching of all those beautiful inspired compositions. It was used at first by David as a song of praise to God, for having delivered him out of the hands of his enemies ; but now to be used by the Christian to celebrate the far greater deliverance of his Saviour and himself from the power of far more formidable adversaries. I shall, however, simply confine myself now to the verse I have read to you : " Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord." And for our present purpose, I will consider it as if addressed literally to children young in years, and as being a call to them to give heed to that instruction and training, which shall teach them " the fear of the Lord." The first article in the Creed, or form of Christian belief, which you are taught, is, to "believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." This is the first beginning of all religion. To know of the being and nature of that God, who is the Almighty Creator of all things, is the true wisdom, the know- ledge it most concerns us all to ^attain; and wo cannot arrive at any just and sufiicient knowledge of Him, without learning to fear Him. This is the first step wo must take, according to the in- struction given us in the Bible, that " the fear of the Lord is the heginning of wisdom." Fear, however, is not the only feeling wo are to entertain towards God ; and there are also difi"erent kinds of fear : there is a godly fuar, which will make us approach Him with reverence, and be unwilling to off"er.d Him ; and there is a slavish fear, which will make us anxious to escape from His presence (if that were possible), because we dislike His laws, and are conscious that we are at enmity with Him. But without fear —-godly, reverential fear— we shall have no just knowledge of God, or regard for Him. This, then, is what we are to say, when we call on you to come and receive instruction in our Sunday-schools : " Come, ye children, hearken unto me ; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." But in order adequately to fulfil this promise, we must carry you on to .-nnic further degrees of knowledge ; and true godly fear will not be maintained without a full and comprehensive THE LAMBS OF CHRIST'S FOLD. 197 instruction, not only respecting God as the Creator, but respect- in- God, also, as the Redeemer of mankind. And to this it is, no° doubt, that David prophetically alludes, in this very Psalm, -where he says : " taste and see how gracious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." And, therefore you are tau-ht in the second article of the Creed, to believe " in Jesus Christ, God's only Son our Lord." Now to believe in a person, means so to believe, as to trust in him ; to believe what he has said and promised, and act upon that belief. And thus, when vou know more about God, and who He is, and what He has done for us, upon your reverential fear of Him, as a holy Almighty Creator, there should grow up a hallowed and chastened love ot Him, as a merciful Father, revealed to us as such through Jesus Christ. 1. nu ' r In this life these two principles are essential to the thristian character. Fearing, without loving, if we continue so long, will drive us away from God, and end in the despair of devils; and love without fear is only to be looked for where there is no sin and no temptation,-when it is perfect, which can only be in heaven. In heaven perfect love will at last triumph, and cast out all fear %'hlre are many reasons why we should be anxious to begia reli^^ious training and instruction, at as early an age as possible. The grace of the Gospel, and the knowledge of its truths are necessary for all; as our Catechism wisely teaches of the two Sacraments " generally necessary to Salvation' ; not absolutely because there will be cases where they cannot be had.^ But what has been purchased for us, at so great a price, and is intended tor the spiritual redemption of fallen human nature, must be asneces- sary in earliest infancy and childhood, as in advancing years ; and in addition to any gift derived from any ordinance oi the Church of Christ, which will prepare the ground for the reception of good seed, we can scarcely venture to say at how early an age, the minds of little children are opened to receive, with grace and profit, instruction in simple religious truths. And as the actual battle of life, and the working of evil in the soul, begin from our birth, - V--1- n-^ *- -^ohv s'^'^l.Mn'^ suoh aid. and such gifts, as are Bo wu ouiiut nut tv ...ti.*^ f' "cD --' ■ . provided and promised to us by God for counteracting the same. 198 THE LAMBS OF CHRIST'S FOLD. Then again, there is the obvious fict, that the present time is all we are sure of j and that of the thoueands of children that are born every year into this world of sin, a very large proportion die in infancy and childhood. And further, there can be no time so fitting for training the mind and forming the principles, after the Gospel rule, as these early years of children, when, as yet, what- ever tendency to evil there may be, no inveterate bad habits have been actually formed— no grace often and presumptuously abused, —no convictions long or rudely stifled. Consequently, there is much less opposition to the truth, and less difliculty in sowing the good seed, if we faithfully and wisely labour to do so. And surely the welcome given by our Saviour at all times to children to come nigh unto Him, and the great affection He mani- fested towards them, give us great encouragement to persevere in such labours, believing that there are none of which He will more approve or more abundantly bless. Of course, we may now and then see exceedingly wicked and even depraved children; and they will always be but too ready to imitate and practise the vices they witness in older people, with whom they live. But it has b^en remarked,^'' that full as is every page of the Gospel with the wickedness of men, yet no bad word, no'wicked deed is recorded of any child against Christ. And, moreover, when men were forward to follow Him, and made professions of zeal in serving Him, He put thom back with awful warnings, speaking to them of taking up the cross and; of first counting the cost; but not so with children. He drew tliem unto Him with unrestrained affection and bowels of compassion or yearning over them. We behold Him taking some of them up^in His arms, and putting His hands upon them in blessing. And they alone of all mankind seem to ha-<'e returned his affectionate care without deceit or "•uile- for we find children in the Temple celebrating His praise, when the scribes and priests were angry with them, because hearing them saying, " Hosanna to the Son of David." The children indeed did not understand all the meaning of these glorious words • A few lines here, and also at the conclusion, are taken from a ser- mon in Vol IV. " Plain Sermons." THE LAMBS OF CHRIST'S FOLD. 199 'which they sang ;* but to Jesus it was an acceptable offering of praise, for he defended then., saying to those who would have silenced them, " Have ye never heard, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise ?" This was the praise which best spoke the nature of His kingdom. These were the songs most suitable to His Temple; and these Hosannas of the children were not followed the next day with cries of " crucify Him," as the Hosannas of the multitude were. If such was the interest shown by Christ for children, such the readiness with which he accepted their praise and received their persons, and gave them his blessing, how eagerly should you all seek after the knowledge of Him, use every opportunity of learn- ing to know more about Him, and all He is to you, and all He has done, and is willing to continue to do for you. And as you cannot see Him with your bodily eyes, nor welcome Him amongst you, as those children t^lien did at Jerusalem, how earnestly should you try and see Him, more and more clearly, with the eye of faith, seek Him in his Word, in His sacraments and ordi- nances, and praise Him with your lips in His holy services, and in your daily lives by seeking to do what He commands, and to have his will as your rule and law of life. While, however, thousands of children are kept in ignorance of the Word of God, you, on the contrary, have kind friends, who are watching for you', and urging the truth upon you, and, as it were, with gentle force even compelling you to come, and learn all about Jesus Christ and his Gospel. God forbid, that with such a Saviour ready to receive you, and such opportunities of learning to know Him, and of being trained up in his faith and fear, any of you should become castaways. • Iq His own words we Christ adore, But angels, as we speak, Higher above our meaning soar Than we o'er children weak : And yet His words mean more than they; And yet He owns their praise. Why should we think He turns away From infants' simple lays ?— " Christian Year." ■Ml t !■ " 200 THE LAMBS OF CHRIST'S FOLD. Nor 18 it a small mercy that, in order to direct you in the right way, and teach you true spiritual knowledge, as well as the way of holy living, you are brought up under the care of a Church whose principles are set forth and attested, her children taught, and all her members helped in the service of God, througlUhe use of her Book of Common Prayer,— a great and distinctive excellence o? the Church of England, and, next to the Word of God itself, her most precious inheritance. It meets you while young with the Catechism, which you are taught to lisp forth, when, like the Hosannas of the children in the Temple, you cannot tell half of its deep " meaning." But that is one of the marks of childhood, to act in faith, trusting to others : and it is this teachableness, humility, and childlike trust that we, who are old in years, are told to imitate. And truly there is no little need of it, in this self-sufficient and presumptuous age. And it is indeed no small mercy to have such words of wisdom and loving truth, and spiritual light, put into our mouths by the authority and under the direction of the Church. May God grant that you may not be spoiled of your simplicity; and, while with your mouth you confess unto salvation, as she teaches, may you be led on to helievc with your heart unto righteousness; and seeking humbly to serve God with reverence and childlike love, you shall grow both in grace and knowledge as "rou grow in years. Let me remind you, moreover, that, while so much of it is given in the very words of Scripture, there is not a single passage in the Prayer Book, in our Creeds and Catechism, that is not directly to be proved by reference to Scripture, as being agreeable with the Word of God itself. And to be early accustomed to a careful, intelligent use of such a help to devotion and godly living, will in all your after life, especially if you be spared to a lengthened ago, when the mind may be weakened and the eye grows dim, be a source of continued satisfaction, comfort, and benefit; while 'those who have not been so trained in their youth, according to the pure and chastened spirit of the Church, find often great difficulty in realizing all its excellence, even when, on conviction, they wish to be received into communion with us. But, like many of Uic greatest and commonest blessings of life, that which can be had at all times, and without let or hindrance^ THE LAMBS OF CURIST'S FOLD. 201 wc too often fail to value as we ought. But do not you trifle with sacred things. You are made partakers of the free gifts of a most rich inheritance. Brought up in a pure and reformed branch of Christ's holy catholic Church, with the free and full use of the Word of God, with the authorized ministry and sacraments duly administered, to wait on and to receive,-and with the Book of Common Prayer, embodying our rule of faith, our spiritua form of worship, our safeguard from doctrinal error,-ponder well your privileges and your calling. And let me once and again ur-e upon you to learn to know and value your Prayer Book. Those who do not value it, have, it is to be feared, never known much about it in reality. Learn also to know your Catechism Whatever else you know or learn, neglect not these. Be not satisfied with them, however, as mere forms of words to be read or remem- bered ; nor be discouraged because you do not as yet feel or know all their deep meaning or their use. Wiser and older people than you find much to be loarnt from thorn every day. You may be sure that there is a rich spiritual treasure there, and a faithful c^uide and witness for God's truth ; the loss of which will be but ill supplied by ■ e;or human compositions. Moreover these, it attended to, will, guiding your faith and forming your habit of thought and liie, be gradually helping you to a cleareiv insight into many of the deep things in the Word of God itself. And in conclusion, a brief word for those who are the teachers of these children. What are the thoughts and feelings with which you en-age in this holy and useful work ? Is it a work engaged in like any mere secular work, to be worked out by skill and dili- gence ? Is it mere instruction to be given in certain religious truths ; just as you might try and teach a school newly gathered up amongst a heathen nation ? Or are these the lambs of Christ s fold alreadv dedicated to Him, and pledged to be amongst the crood soldiers of the Cross ? In the Church of Christ, to educate His children, not merely to ^e«c/., requires faith to regard them as what they are,-as those who have been brought into the cove- nant, although by nature born in sin and children of wrath. Ihis must be the ground-work of your expectations and your hopes ; , 1 1„ _„i:„i„J „c -srr.nn"' afilnifiTS Ot LhriSt. to speak to theiu as already uuiistcu, a^ y-^s^^ 1- _ • with a heavy responsibility resting upon them, but now requiring' m ill 'g 202 THE LAMBS OF CIIRISX'S FOLD. hi to be taught their duty and privileges as such, and the weapons of their warfare. Any thing else savors fur more of sight and of this world than of faith and eternity * If, then, Christ is precious to yourselves for mercies past in such as these your heavenly Father would receive some acknow- ledgment of your debt, in His care for you. If at any time you have ever caused any such as these to offend or go astray, by your own sin, or evil example, or unguarded speech, here show your sorrow by teaching them " the fear of the Lord." Let this be done not as a mere occupation of time, or to bring you into companion- 'The Rev. II. A. Woodgate, in Lis Bampton Lectures for 1839 has some sound and valuable remarks on this subject :-" Jesus Christ took unto himself our nature, to sanctify and restore what had become corrupt and fallen. But it is not required of us to believe that infants, when brought for Baptism, become partakers of any greater measure of inheritance from Christ, the second Adam, than, at their natura bu-th, they do from the Hrst Adam. In either case, Ihe mind the will, and the conscience are then dormant; and whether for good or for ev.I, become subjected to influences and developments as they expand and gain strength. Nor is it easy to understand why those, who at once admit la the case of unconscious infants, the inheritance of a fallen nature for the sin of another person, should be so slow to believ. that by the mercy and grace of God, a remedy, just commensurate with the disease, has been provided for the same infant, through the righteous- ness of another. It seems to be just the circumstance alluded to by Chnst, when he says, " I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Hus- bandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away • and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more ruit.'' Actual salvation may, or may not, be the final resuU; but the child so baptized is rightly taught in the Catechism to " thank heartily his heavenly Father, that Ho hath called him to this state of salvation, through Jesus Christ his Saviour : " and then he goes on to say, and I pray nnto God to give me his grace, that I may continue in the same unto my life's end." As time goes on, conversion from grosser sin, repentance, illumination, renewal, and growth in grace at all times, may be required in various degrees by different persons ; yet in all the trainmg and teaching of those who have been partakers of this grace of baptism, we must not forget the state into which ihey have been ad- muted, with all its great privileges and fearful responsibilities, nor address them or treat them, while seeking to give them Christiannur- ture, as we are bound to do the unbaptized or the heathen " TUE LAMBS OF CHRIST* S FOLD. 20a Bhip with Others, but for Christ's sake, with patience, with love, with self-denial. And ye, who shall make, what some will call sacrifices of time, or personal comfort, or case, that these, the little ones and the lambs of Christ's fold, may be trained in way:^ of holiness and taught the fear of the Lord, and the love of Christ,— thou'-h you may often have to mourn over some wanderers from the fold, some seed which has fallen by the way-side and been trodden down or devoured,-yet shall ye, doubtless, sec many again, " as your joy and crown," at " the awful day ; " ye shall, too, be able to say, according to the measure granted you, " Be- hold I and the children whom God hath given me." 1 Ci\ M^ fin att yo in Cll to th E ir ADDRESS TO TUB CANDIDATES FOR CONFIRMATION, IN CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, QUINQUAOESIMA SUxNDAY, FEBUUAllY Tth, 1864. VENTURES OF FAITH. My Young Friends,— Before I commence the .special service appointed for the Con- firmation, I Tvish to speak to you; and while I hope you will be attentive to what I am saying, I pray God to give both me and you grace to make good use of this solemn occasion of our meeting in this His Sanctuary. First -I will notice one truth, which you may learn from the circumstances of your being now, in this unusual manner, gathered together from the several congregations* in the city to r.cave at the hands of your Bishop, the chief Pastor of the Church in this portion of our Lord's vineyard, this holy rite of Confirmation. As here this day in Montreal, so from every other congregation m the Diocese, at stated periods, it is directed by the Church that every baptized member should be thus presented to their Bishop, it is, perhaps, in the case of many, the only time that they ever come into immediate contact with him, so as to receive directly from his •There were 368 Candidates presented on this occasion. This Address was also delivered to the Candidates at St. Johns, Sorel LacoUe Clarenceville, Bedford, Rawdon, St. Andrews. Waterloo, Vaudreud Coteau, Rougemont, Portage du Fort, Pottou, and Brome. b .1 206 VENTUKES OP FAmi. liands any Hpiritual ordinance. Besides Confirmation, there are two other acts, which are only performed by the Bishop—viz.- Ordination of ministers and Consecration of churches. Let us sec then, what wo may learn from this. The Bishop is the chief shepherd under Christ, the futhor in God of all within his juris- diction or diocese. As such, all have a claim upon him and his services, in a way that they have not upon any one else, except their own particular clergyman. ]}ut personally the Bishop can- not minister to all; therefore, as at the first, when the Church began to increase and multiply, the Apostles provided for the ordination of ciders and ministers in every city,* to servo and tend the sheep of Christ's flock, and Feck after those who were gone astray,-8o it is now. The Bishop ordains men, who may take the oversight of the several congregations, preach the Word, and receive into the fold those that coine unto them, " baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost " and feeding them with the bread of life. And that there may be fitting places in which to worship God, as occasion oifers and such provision can bo made, the Bishop, by a. .special service, dedicates, gives up to Go J, and sots apart, buildings for that purpose. Thus, by providing ministers and places for them to minister in, arrange- ment is made for the general oversight of the people, and the d°ue and orderly ceL^bration of the wonship of God. But this being so, then it is ordered that, as with you now, so with every baptized member, once in their lives, all are to bo pre- sented in their own persons to their Bishop, the chief Pastor, to make to him, with their own mouth, their profession of the Christian faith, and to receive, with the laying on of his hand . ].U solemn blessing. In this ordinance, then, we have an outward token of the unity of all the members, and of their communion in one common faith and ministry.- However, widely scattered throughout this large Diocese, baptized, watched over, taught and fed, as they are, by so many different ministers, and unknown, for the most part, to each other, they all testify outwardly and before the world, by their attendance for this service upon the same chief Pastor, that they, though '' being many, are one body in Christ, and every oue members one of another." • Titus i. 5. VENTURES OF FAITH. 207 I But Btill further : if this rito of Coiifirmution be, what wo are taught to believe that it is, it not only Hcrvcs as an outward syui- bol and token of unity, but it is an actual and real communion in one Spirit. You have all of you boon rcoeivinj];, from your several clerj^ymon, special instructions reapcctin«>; this holy rite, during many weeks past ; and I am bound to believe that, so far as man can judge, you come to mo with a good understanding of what you are doing, and with a faithful purpose of living hereafter in accordance with the tenor and spirit of those Christian ob''gations, which you aro now about personally to undLrtake. If any of you, now here be- fore mo, cannot answer to their own conscience as before God, that such is the case— hotter, far hotter that you should now desist from coming forward to receive the outward sign, while you are not true in God's sight. For how could such a person answer to mo, as I shall by and bye call upon you each to do : would it not be lying unto God? Bosldes, however, being a solemn ordinance observed in the Ohristian Church, in every age and place, from the days of the Apostles until now,— as you will hear it stated in the service, that the Bishop lays his hands upon you, " after the example of the holy Apostles,"— there is this also to be remembered, that it is an act which is never, in the same way and with the same sanction, to be repeated by you ; and, therefore, what is only to be done once in your lives, and specially so solemn an act as this, ought to be done all the more carefully and thoughtfully. And since it is a holy covenant between God and you, which as baptized Christians you are required now to ratify, while you are thus, by your own act and deed, pledging yourselves to God, by the very same act you aro engaging God to fultil his promises to you. IIow much, then, does it concern you not to co-.ie in any light or care- less manner, but with a full consciousne .s of the greatness of the covenant to be confirmed between you and your God, and of the privilege vouchsafed to you, in being invited thus to bind, as it were, God to give you all those good things which are promised to them that love and fear Him ! And who, and what are you that are thus about to draw so nigh to God, in the way which he has appointed ? Born into a k .1 1 i 208 VENTUKES OF FAITU. • " "f I world of sin, with a fallen nature and^ perishable body, you are nevertheless created for eternity. But an eternity of what kind • and where to be passed ? It was to redeem you when in bondic^e and save you when lost, that Christ took on himself our nature and. sanctified it ; and by His death for sin, who knew no sin purchased the gift of eternal life for us. To Christ you were all dedicated at your baptism; and by His Spirit a seed of this bet- ter life and sanctified nature was implanted within you. Shall that seed be nurtured, that it may grow and bear its proper fruit unto God ? Or shall it be stolen away by the devil, or trodden under foot, or choked amidst the thorns and briars of this nauality world ? Christ invites you to come to him for safety and for gin;- cour, as He is set forth the one Mediator between your God and you. And it is in and by this ordinance of Confirmation, that you are to hope and believe, that, having been already enrolled amongst the soldiers of the Cross, you will receive strength to war a good warfare ; and gain still closer union with Christ, with a confirma- tion of the Divine promises to you, even as you are now tp con- firm and renew your vows and promises to God. So also in prayer at all times, private or family prayer, public worship, in secret scarchings of heart, patient submission to the will of God, and the earnest endeavour to obey him,— these are ways in which we shall all continually find our union with Christ— our inner life which must all depend on Him, — strengthened and matured. But as the chiefest of all, in the holy Communion of his Body and Blood, — which blessed Sacrament was ordained, as you have been taught in your Catechism, " for the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ, and of the benefits which we receive thereby." And on Sunday next there will be a special early celebration of that holy sacrament in this Cathedral, at nine o'clock, in order that any of those this day confirmed may so draw nigh to God, in that ordinance, for " the strengthening and refreshing of their souls by the body and blood of Christ," as our bodies receive strength from bread and wine. There will also, no doubt, in all the Churches, be early opportunities Tor all of you thus to draw nigh to Christ, — doing, what Fe has invited us all to do, in remembrance of Him. You will all, from this day, h J) ave the privilege of joining with the faithful, wherever you may be, VENTURES OP FAITH. 209 in this oommemoration o?" Christ's precious death, and partaking of those good things thereby provided for them that love Him. And oh ! my young friends, juat entering, as so many of you are, upon the serious trials of the battle of life, think what a pri- vilege, vyhat a comfort it must be to be allowed to fight that battle in the' name and the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ, who says of Himself,— " Fear not; I am the First and the Last ; I am He that liveth, and was dead : and behold I am alive for fevermore, Amen ; and I have the keys of hell and of death." May you all steadfastly fight under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil ; and, as was prayed for you at your baptism, " may you continue His faithful soldiers and servants unto your lives' end." And as looking upon euch one of, you, now presented to me for my prayers and my blessing, as mine own child, as being your spiritual father in God, and your Bishop, I would say to each individual amongst you, "0 my lov'd child, thou object of my caie, How shall I hide thee from the unpityiag winds Of this rude world ; and thy cheek so fair In the sweet innocence of unsoil'd minds, From that which, ah! too soon the spirit finc'.S ? If I do love thee with a spirit's love. In this bad earth, where sin our vision blinds. How should I pray some Angel from above May guide thee from this world, and thy sure guardian prove."* 'The Baptistery." Image VI. Childhood at Self-examination. i -n III iMbMiWJ A LIST OF THE CHURCHES IN WHICH CONFIUMATION8 HAVE BKKN HELD, SINCE THE K8TABH8HMENT OP- THE DIOCESE OF MONTUEAL, IN 1850, WITH THE NUMI1EK8 CONFIUMEU ON E4CH OCCASION. Aylmpr and Hull . . AbbotHf'ord Koiigcmont IJodfonl liuckin^ham Petite Nation.. Borthier Brandon Bronic, K nowlton . , Bronie Corners , Clarendon Chambly Claronceville St. Tliomaa Henr^yville CowansviUo Swectsburgh Cotoau du Lac Christievillo Dunham Durham, Orinstown. Beauharnois Edwardstown St. K^mi Frelighsburfrh Farnham, AVest — tirenville Gore, North Granby North Sheirord . Glasgow Kilkenny Huntingdon Hinchinbrooke . , Ilcmmingf'ord Isle aux Noix Kildaro Lachino Laprairio ■. . Longueuil Lacollc and Napier^ Jlilton South lloxtini Mascoucho Torrebonne Moriu and Millo Isles ■ Cathedral lo. City of Montreal. CourBO. 18.'>I 2. Trinity St. George's St. Stephen's ■ St, Luiie's St, John the Evangelist Garrison Hocholaga Point St. Charles — Onslow — Portage du Fort Coulonge River . Hiiyoloi^k Philipsburgh Pigeon Hill. ... 9 9 16 11 C7 88 6 4 4 13 18 18 26 17 17 5 28 39 15 is 8 35 13 17 6 'h 6 60 15 60 29 11 96 22 Course. Course. ISM-ft. IS.W-O. 4tl: CourHo. istii -a 34 6 8 12 26 13 5 3 4 33 20 34 i6 14 '5 6 25 19 3 18 n 26 24 59 28 "b 9 22 11 23 26 20 11 7 13 6 9 17 105 4 86 25 25 20 20 21 17 7 24 i2 29 ii 19 35 i2 9 is 10 26 24 ii 12 24 24 62 25 15 8 13 16 21 26 2 19 6 6 7 19 16 26 7 74 6 72 21 26 27 26 33 13 13 8 15 26 24 21 86 40 31 18 ii 46 36 I 24 33 11 58 25 13 13 18 18 22 21 i2 9 21 20 116 60 85 27 16 9 22 22 16 ii 26 Courne. 1S(14-S. Total. 10 7 24 13 6 19 63 24 11 13 11 27 27 26 31 10 33 28 6 10 105 62 91 22 11 35 22 1 19 34 27 76 69 66 69 142 51 44 7 67 40 126 103 163 29 37 34 55 27 120 96 3 44 19 77 91 114 244 124 38 44 48 91 64 97 2 97 52 22 14 87 72 9 65 7 10 459 147 394 124 87 35 138 4 19 83. 74 16 a 96 26. LIST OF CHURCHES, &c.-{Continued.) 211 (.'UUI'SI'. iH,M-a. I'otton Kexford's Corners Kawilon • Uusseltown Belmont Sorel SabrGVois Sutton St. Andrews St. Johns South Stukely Sheffbrd, West Slierrinfjtou St. Martins St. There^e St. 11 yacinthe \j pton .StanbridKB, East j •■ Vaudreuil i j^ Waterloo , *i Frost Village * ^° I 1131 39 35 22 i3 22 42 20 6 2iia I'oUrHf!. lS.'i4-5. tnl IS.'iH-il. 39 27 2i 4 13 24 19 19 20 2 3 12 14 16 7 22 1185 15 71 10 21 23 11 10 32 40 17 18 7 32 31 16 4lll Courrto. 27 11 44 II 10 20 24 It) 21 63 24 18 9 14 24 20 31 'iiiirKi'. 1264 1 1535 13 44 23 2 28 29 8 20 23 60 Tola 42 24 237 83 31 109 41 52 127 183 41 36 48 26 5 8 20 65 112 135 84 1074 i 6182 Of the above persons confirmed on these several occasions, 2590 were males, and 3592 were females. The Fifth Course is not yet completed, but I hope to visit the rest of the Diocese in the course of the ensuing summer ; and if the same proportions of Candidates are presented as in those parishes already visited, there will be again an increase over the previous Course. According to returns received from the Clergy at this date, (January, 18G5,) the number of Communicants in the Diocese are 4782', with about 45,000 members of the Church, generally. In the City Churches there were 1284, who attended at the Holy Communion on Easter Day, last year. In the Annual Reports of the Diocesan Church Society there are returns given from every Parish, of all money raised within the Diocese during the year, for Church purposes. I append to this account those in succession from 1855 to 18G5. And while external aid has been gradually diminishing, these returns exhibit a progressive and considerable advance in the efforts making by our own people, for the extension of the Church and maintenance of the Clergy : who, since 1850, have been increased from 49 and I Catechist, to. 73 and 5 Cate- chists. And during the same period, the Parsonages, with more or less Glebe attached, increased from 19 to 42. AXNUAL EKTORNS OP MONIES RAISED FOR CHURCH PURPO.'^KS^ Year. I Amount. 1 Year. 1865 »34,498 1856 35,484 1857 I 33,252 1858 1859 18G0 Amount. ! S40,228 45,636 51,288 Year.', Amount. 1861 1862 S44,764 58,253 1863 I 55,195 Year. Amount, I8134 1865 *t)9,504 80,763 There have been, also, during the past year, $29,000 subscribed for the erection of St. James Church iu this City, and Thich arc not in- cluded in the above returns. 212 LIST OF CHURCHES, &c'. CI •H o o u 'A O O o r/5 C4 H <) Q as &^ ^ »-> C5 Q 'A o 15 53'-' . "l ■ •* •» # C O O 0- 0> 0) tr, tt tc bjc tm to es a R o a cs a a c c c fl 000000 /. 'fj fK 'Ml 'fl ■» >. b k. U I. t. c5 a 03 cs cj c^ ■a ^:| ifl O <1 o CO Q ! (^ i <3 >^ ^ O O M u a o a. w o H '2|'H ■2 5,2 fl Cfl camn o e3 ' O O 2 fl yw ■St;: i o i: o o C9 o u a •« * ; o 0) . bcisa . oj ss • fl a : o o I OJ 'ti a tcto CO tii) tS 03 c« n fl fl S a 'tt ii t lA 0] 03 <« i^^ &I Ch C3 fl o £ 0CiO(X-C5iO:*ci5rf5?,?rH00S5*00 rHt-H I-H rl CO i-( 00 CO rH r-l i-< C)(:;55aio3o8 M ;»■H . . . i o o o g O J, o o o O 03 oi 03 . . B>-l O O 2 A lO :o :o o t:oooooeooooo .a u . t: o -— ■ o fl o ■S^'^ -^ ^-S^o 1. 1- a J !*; =«a a ^saa^Sa^sg o u o ^a , " • ? S > -a ? ^ - 9 a is o "■S fl c 4J i;"oot;-CS5 2BE'3S<»^-eai* ^ ^ ::>'?'^>fl«-t-a)ot.a)43cj:i2^ Gas's b o u >1> * en w «! t; O C O O UQi 5« » 03 bCJS s a Wfafa ^^ 0) fl a fl a ££i£g i. 0000 o LIST OF CHURCHES, kc.-(Contmtied.) 21S 4) % 01 a O O ♦' ♦' P o W) bo a d a a o t 2 o;^ 5 Oi OS oJ o M^J^ IB 1-5 1-5 b ; :d :d_q ; .O ^ S ,o B C .O Q. a< ci< (£< o. o< a< 5a000rHCOCO00rH* _^t-r , „ ., * .CO -.__* .1— _r •" 00 o S^P 3 g"o O « 3 O « 1-5 O • a; en S 3 .S.S .S.S :.S.9.S o o o Ca o o o 5 :o :«! t; o e o o D 0) '.A ■ u • OS • >• • > ■ a o :o • u ■ el : i • rt •.;5 ' u * ^ • 5 • C8 ■:>r -.^ • >■ • t» • CS • Jl ■ u • t- :;5 :a S s iS ^ 04 P^ CO OS "3 3 3 g « y -3 -a ti u .0 .0 "3 "3 3 ci -a 3 .0 3 o B3 3 (^ dad n cQ n - 1- b "= te > S -2 S d, a. d< o. o. ci< gaaaMsaoaw _ j3 :^ 3 •SQpQQpppQqpQQQCl :j3 OJ w t. .3 ■.(l; :y 3 S 0} o :;^ ^t. ?3 — 50;2 o . .a : '. o '.turn o ^ ^ ^ ■ rK O O O • ;5 c tg a lu , bEM/bJM K S B C'!? ■a • o ■ o : . _J2 I- ■ . 3 3 p^ »<-^ ; c • 3 O ••2 '.dfe • tc '.J S '• S -23 . eS -^ a> ^a ■J • (4 «... b o o o .§ • • : :W 3 ■" p^ • " ^ £7cu pj ':^^S'NI§^^^- \^ o ^ S S S bs= o"^ a** O * © © 3 3 SI 53 3.2 3 o-i IT^SS •.3.3 a) 4>.5r3 '""^«iC3 J •§§fc'«ss"E.s*. . .^.,-- • > : 3 . o . O O ■.stS Is a 3 3 3 o • o ■.-a ■.o -0,% ^^f,3iii.|3 c ^ <; .^ .^ .^ rt ^5 -^ 3 3 o .£af:fi p i - 3 f i i -I || 1 If 214 LIST OF CHURCHES, &c.-(CoHlinue,/., a T u !» O <5 O Ph rn Q A$ ■ ^ *J a c ^ = 3 : " « 3 s 3 i-i'^ •COi-s'-:», .' TO CI "-r> •f TO>7 • I-H !—< r-t : >.t(.t: . rt - — I c8 a c s ; -CO m • aJS CO ^ r> to o =: 3 cc-n 1-1 yj rH r^1 TT^ 3^ : ; : I e a : : 3 ; s • ; • • y 'p'p • S 'S >!; t: '3 • '5 tr -d •' tl '■ •o ,.^,S ; = =.S|= :3Sj :51 !n!t; 3 : 3 rh: ^ « w t i i' ii t tf. ic tt ?c a S S3 c: -J c! , i j7 C c C ' ^3 '' X ■/: i tJT — ■ • jT ^. rH . r- 2i -H I cT _ ■ • "* ^" • c: • cT ''' S ; ei 5^- 1-1 ; r^ ^ fi I o 2 _• o c o) , ;i X 5f ^A- '^^ .y% ^ ^ ^ i; 03 — '#: o i'3*- 3<^'«i) •18 M'GILL NORMAL SCHOOL. In a country like this, whcro tlioro is no recognition of any par- ticular faitli, as representing the Church, which is to receive the especial countenance of the State, it is certainly no easy task to carry into operation any general system that shall approve itself to the several religious conimunitios. We have seen, too, in England, how year after year attempts have been made in the Imperial Par- liament to introduce some general measure of education; and while those, who dissent from the established Church, have been able to prevent any plan which should be carried out on the prin- ciples of that Church : at the same time not only the Church of England, but the Presbyterians, especially of the Church of Scot- lai'd, and tlie Wesleyans, have strenuously resisted any system which should recognize education as something independent of religion. And I believe that there is a very large proportion of all religious bodies here in Lower Canada, who will echo that senti- ment. I feel quite sure. Sir, that you will for one. For mvgelf I have not one particle of faith in the notion that Society can uc regenerated or vice eradicated by any amount of mere secular instruction,— by any amount of knowledge of the sciences or languages. There may be often an imposing array of statistics, showing the number of convicted criminals, who can neither read nor write ; but we must remember that, besides the want of edu- cation, the majority of them have, in all likelihood, been led into crime by the difficulties of their social position, by the sufferings of poverty, or unavoidable close contact with evil companions. But, Sir, there are many revelations of eases of fearful depravity and deep villainy constantly being made, in these days, amongst persons of a very different class. It was no want of education,°in the popular sense, which led to the gigantic frauds of SadUer, Kedpath, or Huntington, or to such murders as those of Cc, k or of Burdell. And these are only more prominent types of a class, on either side of the Atlantic, which it is to be feared is terribly on the increase— the educated and accomplished villain ; of such persons certainly David speaks, when he says:— "My heart showeth me the wickedness of the ungodly, that there is no fear of God before his eyes." Notwithstanding all the wonderful blessings, which arn so often promised, as the fruits of increased education, I must remain sceptical, as to any real and abiding M'GILL NOUMAL SCHOOL. < 210 good, if there is any deliberate attempt at acknowledj^inc; its suf- liciency apart Irom tlie fear of God and the itnowledgo of the Gospel. It is clear, liowever, that in an establishment like thi!», supported by the public funds, and admitting persons of various communions, there must be some modification of plan provided, some compro- mise allowed. And there are some, who may in consequence be inclined to refuse their co-operation, because they cannot liavo the entire management in thoii own hands, and everything at their own will. We cannot, however, stand still ; we must be doing something for the education of the pcopl- ; and I conceive that it is our wisdom to do it practically, as best we can, with the means offered to us. And while I protest against the ignoring religion, as the basis of all sound education, while at all times and on all occasions I shall re- iterate that protest, and accept the present organization, not as in itself the best, but the best attainable one,— and while, by the ar- rangements provided, we seek to bring all the students in the school into fcome direct connection with ther clergymen and under specific religious training, I and those who act with me will endeavour, as far as any small portions of the task may depend upon us, in all .vood iaith, to work out for the benefit of this Lower Province the objects of this Institution. You, Sir, and the other gentlemen who have been interested in forming this Institution, have, I am well aware, wished to do jus- tice to°the work we have, during the last three years, when the ground was quite unoccupied, been trying to accomplish, in our own Normal and Model School in Bonaventure street; and it would have been both unwise, and injurious on oar part, to have continued any rivalry, still more so any opposition to this more fully organized establishment ; and you have paid a just tribute to the merits of Mr. Hicks, our late Head Master, by placing him over this Institution. Henceforth, Sir, it'will be only by acting toge- ther in good faith that we can hope to sec it prosper , and there will be need of much mutual forbearance and discretion in those who have the conduct of it, and also of that great grace of Chris- tian charity, which thinketh no evil, is not ever ready to impute uron- motives and designs to others. And there will be especial need, when we are thus united together, that there shall be no 220 * M'UILL NORMAL SCHOOL. II ! P attempts, throu^h aqy opprtunitioa offered by meiins of this Insti- tution, at making proselytes of any of the students to a different communion from the one to which they originally belonged. And I would wish to take this opportunity of recording njy own judg- ment of the very great injury that is eo constantly done, by the injudicious and rash attempts which arc often made to unsettle the faith of others. It may be a most laudable wish to make converts of all around us to our own faith, which we, eacli of us, I presume think the true one ; but it is fur easier to shake our neighbour's faith, in what he has been brought up from a child, than to make a convert of him to our own creed. It requires not only much zeal, but also much self-denial, and discretion, and humility, to attempt such a work with hope of success, lest in seeking to give our brother a purer faith, we leave him with none at all. And while I hope that those engaged in this Institution will act in good faith one towarOs another, I trust the Church of England and the other religious communions, who have an especial interest in the McGill Normal School and the Protestant Schools through- out the Province, will continue to receive fair and liberal treatment, as compared with the Church of Kome. We are even, when thus associated together, but a small minority in this Lower Province ; but we are, nevertheless, not an unimportant part of the commu- nity. Still, when it was decided to place the education of this portion of the Province under the direction of a single Superinten- dent, we could not have expected that he should have been selected from that minority. On this account we have no light to be dis- satisfied; but I cannot but remember that while we are ceitainly at some possible risk and some disadvantage— some necessary com- promise—thus associated together, the schools provided for your own Church are left under the undivided charge of her own body. Anu 'nore than this, besides the funds derived from the annual Parliamentary grants, the Church of Rome has had secured to her, by an act of the Government, very large endowments— one special object of which, by the very tenor of the grant, is the edu- cation of the people. We have, therefore, some right to expect that in the distribution of the annual Parliamentary grant, as some comDensation. and fn allav nn^ «f>ao!KU ri.'an^^+^j,* ^ -'aUT- -- coming through a Superintendent who is of the faith of the majo- n'oill normal school. 221 J rity, tlint if there be any tavor shown, the balance should rather be thrown on the side of the minority. I am c.uite aw^re that you will have no easy task to fulfil in the adminiHtration of your office. Hitherto, as far as I can learn and my own observation has pone, you have given very general satis- faction to all reasonable minds. And, certainly, all must aoknow- led.'e the attention and energy and talent with which you have applied yourself to the work before you. At present, to the great credit of this portion rf the Province, with which your office is connected, there i., I think, very generally, an exceedingly^ kmd nnd good feeling between all classes of the population, consisting ot such different races and different creeds-a state of things which, I hope, may long continue; and while I will leave others to note the progress that is making in commercial greatness, in arts and manufactures, I would wish to be able, if like be spared to us to chronicle, as years pass by, the increasing success of these Institu- tions whose commencement you are now inaugurating, and tne good effects of all our efforts in the cause of education ; and above all, that while our people advance in intelligence and in world y greatness, that intelligence may ever be sanctified by heavenly .race, and their earthly treasures far sur-, issed by those enduring, riche; which are being laid up in Heaven, not for the worldly wise or worldly mighty, but for the followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. ADDRESS DELIVEUED AT THE FIRST CONVOCATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BISHOP'S COLLEGE, LENNOXVILLE, AFTER THE RECEIPT OF THE ROYAL CHARTER, JUNE 27Tn, 1855. Mr Vice-chancellor and Gentlemen op this Convocation, Before proceeding with the more immediate execution of the task .vhich devolves upon me this day, I must briefly state ray sincere regret that a necessity has been had upon me on this occasion to occupy a place, which we had all hoped would have been far more appro- priately and efficiently filled by others. I have been myselt for some weeks past engaged in holding a series of Confirmations m various parts of the Diocese of Montreal, having so arranged my several appointments that I might reach Lennoxville in order to be present and t.ke my share in the important business and cere- menials with which, under our new Charter, we tins day public y inaugurate the meetings of the Convocation of 'the University of Bishop's College." And it was only three days ago that a letter from the Rev. A. Mountain reached me at Brome, informing me that, iu consequence of illness, it was quite impos^le for he Bishop of Quebec-whom we justly esteem tl^ Father ot this Institution, and who was to have delivered the maugura address —to be present; anU noi only au, uut u&i a-.o-i-r -^- i- 224 FIRST CONVOCATION OF BISHOP's COLLEGE. talented prelate, the Bishop of Vermont, who had intended to have been with us, and was to have given us his able assistance, was also prevented by imperative duties elsewhere from joining with us in the business of this day. We must all, I am sure, be grieved to hear of the particular cause which has deprived us of the presence of the amiable and accomplished prelate who haa charge over this Diocese, and who is the President of the Corpora- tion of Bishop's College, and we have deep reason to regret both his absence and that of the Right Reverend the Bishop of Ver- mont; and I feel it especially, both on my own account, and for the sake of the University, since, in consequence, instead of the well digested and instructive counsels which you would have received from the lips of those Right Reverend Prelates, my supe- riors in experience, in wisdom, and in talent, you must now listen to the hasty words of one who, but for the necessity of the occa- sion, would gladly have shrunk from the task. Circumstanced, however, as we are, T must endeavour, as best I may, to occupy the post now assigned to me, and shall make good my own deficiencies by making use of the ably expressed thoughts of others. Without going into any very minute details on the subject, I may just mention that this institution of Bishop's College having been founded principally through the exertions of the presen" Bishop of this Diocese, with the cordial and liberal aid especially of a few laity and clergy in this vicinity, was incorporated by an act of the Provincial Legislature in 1843. During the period that it has been in existence, sixty-three students have been entered upon the College books, of whom thirty-three have been admitted to^ holy orders, and of these twelve are now officiating in the Diocese of Montreal, and thirteen in the Diocese of Quebec. In the early part of the year 1854, a Royal Charter, constituting Bishop's College an University, with power to confer decrrees in divmity, arts, law, and medicine, was granted ; and it is n con- sequence of the operation of this Royal Charter that we are met here this day in public Convocation assembled, for the purpose of exercising the powers thus conferred upon us. I have not been a witness— for it was before my appointment to my present office in the Church in Canada— of the early struggles and many difficulties through which this University lias had to FIRST CONVOCATION OP BISHOP'S COLLEGE. 225 \Tork its way. But I have learned enough of its past history, as •well as of its more recent progress, to feel bound to acknowledge that we owe a deep debt of gratitude, especially to the Rev. the Principal of the College, and also to the other ofl&cers and profes- sors, not only in that they have never despaired of success, but that they have, through so many years of toil in this comparative retirement, and with small remuneration, cheerfully and heartily united together to mould into shape and form the rough and scanty materials which were at their command. The primary object, doubtless, which the Bishop of Quebec had in view in promoting the formation of this College, was that he might have an institu- tion in connection with the Church of England, where candidates for the Ministry might be trained and educated for their holy vocation. But this Institution was never intended to be con- fined within such narrow limits in its operations. The Church, unless she is prepared to forego the advantages of liberal education, for the general body of her sons, and tamely to yield to others this entire branch of usefulness and influence, must establish and main- tain literary institutions of her own ; where, whilst developing the intellectual faculties of the students, directing their energies and improving their minds, the whole system shall be so conducted, and the spirit infused be of such a nature, that true piety and sound scriptural religion, according to the dogmatic teaching of her own articles and liturgy, may form the foundation of the entire work. I cannot undertake on this occasion to enter upon any minute and lengthened discussion, respecting the nature of the education which is best calculated to promote the object proposed. But in the absence of those two Right Rev. Prelates who were to have taken so prominent a part in our proceedings, and as " Visitor and Vice-President of Bishop's College," it may not be out of place to touch a little upon this subject. We live in a country where the active business of life is ever so absorbing, accumulated property affording means and opportu- nities for protracted literary studies so rare, and mercantile and mechanical pursuits so remunerative, that any education which does not result in some speedy and beneficial visible return, — I mean, which does not qualify the recipient speedily to make a P 226 FIRST CONVOCATION OF BISHOP'S COLLEaE. pecuniary gain of his acquirements,-— is but lightly thought of, and' seldom pursued j so that the highest ends of education, as a sys- tem of mental discipline and culture, are never attained. Now I am quite of opinion that in any system of education, which we would recommend, and which we may hope to make extensively useful in such a country as this, we must ever keep in mind the necessity of being practical ; nor are the physical sciences to be under-valued or omitted in our course. And I do wish that, while we keep our primary and highest objects in view we may not reject the latter. But granting to the full extent that we ought to adapt our system, so as best to turn out not only Candidates fitted for the ministry, but also good practical citizens, well prepared usefully to fill the various stations in life, which are before them,— still arc not such Institutions as this wanted, here and there, in every great community to be the means, by the tone and tenor of their teaching, of creating nobler aspirations and higher aims in the rising generation, and cultivating purer tastes and warmer sympa- thies than those which are associated only with the accumulation of wealth, or the enjoyments of animal life ? If the desirableness of such Institutions be a true proposition in the abstract, the very fact of their being not yet justly appreciated, is, of course, an additional argument for maintaining them in any given locality. Let it be understood, then, that independent of direct religious teaching, the discipline of the mind, the cultivation of the taste, the raising the tone and character of those, on whom our influence may be brought to bear, are the great objects to be looked for in those particular studies, which, as far as we may be able, we wish to enforce in such an institution as this ; studies, many of them which, because they cannot be straightway put out to use for the acquirement of pecuniary gain, are too apt to be undervalued, amidst a people, circumstanced as are the majority of those who inh-ibit ail newly-settled countries. " Education, (says an able writer on this subject) when spoken of aB the result, and not the process of intellectual training, con- sists In a certain number of mental habits and aptitudes, the pro- — ' •"- • -«iaiv. xi luiuiaucB luuBi, sjiii uvxi ail the elements that aro combined in the character of our educated men. FIRST CONVOCATION OF BISHOP'S COLLEGE. 227 Character is more comprehensive than Education, which it em- hraces together with a variety of ingredients, derived from other sources. It is the amount of all the efficiencies with which an educated man is furnished for the discharge of his duties. It is an accarate expression of all his aptitudes for fulfilling the proper functions of an intelligent human being. Character, you will perceive, which is thus made up of a man's real qualities and accomplishments, is widely different from reputation, which is but the estimate, often false, as well as changeful, that is placed upon him by the world. * * ^^ Any deviation from the means proposed to attain the true result of education, in quest of more special objects, must involve a loss of general mental power, and so in reality interfere even with the particular advantage which is sou'^ht at the sacrifice of interests so much more important. One student neglects Greek, because he is not to be a teacher or a theolo-ian. Another reads Plutarch, when he should study Euclid, because jurists and statesmen were likely to need facts and prece- dents and Ciceronian eloquence rather than logarithms. And not a few earnest candidates for the Christian ministry fall into a similar error, and carry with them through College a very decided theory which sometimes goes the length of pleading conscience for the' neglect of certain branches of study, eminently adapted to discipline the mind, in favour of others, which may be supposed to affiliate more nearly with their chosen profession, though incom- parably less efficient for the proper business of Education." But it is not without a good and definite object, that a Degree in Arts is made the preparation for graduating in Divinity. The hi-hest mental culture and discipline arc required for the highest branch of study and the discharge of the most important office. Hence, then, the reason for the course prescribed to students at our Universities : we put them upon that system, which, by best developing their highest powers is the best preparation for any particular course or time in life, to which it may be their object eventually to apply themselves. This, our University, is, as yet,, but barely started into life, and has been able to embrace but few of the many important though subordinate objects which m^y be. , 1 1 -1 „„c.*.^v« rtf Tnonfnl fUscimine. which, combiuea witn ww" g«"ciai =j,^<.^in ^ ^ . ou-ht to be the ruling idea of education. Compo^itipn andi Uli m 228 FIRST CONVOCATION OF BISHOP'S COLLEGE. eloquence are entitled to a large share of attention from their con- nection with literary reputation and professional success ; moral philosophy from its relation to human conduct and happinass; chemistry and natural philosophy from their important appli- cation to the business of life j and in this country, not least, the science of civil engineering and mensuration may well occupy our anxious care ; but none of these, as being in themselves the education of our youth— for there is the common error but as some of the fruits of that education. " The Grecian and Roman languages— (to make use again, at some length, of the words of the writer before referred to)— have for centuries shared with the mathematics, an undisputed pre- eminence in the circle of liberal studies; and I can but consider as an evil omen, the growing scepticism of the times in reference to their utility and importance. It should never be forgotten, that the language of Greece has been, from the days of Homer, a principal instrument in diflFusing knowledge and civilization over large portions of the globe. The ravages of Alexander's wars were speedily repaired by the benignant influence of Grecian litera- ture and arts. The wisest of the Romans acknowledged that their country and language were essentially barbarous, till the influx of Grecian books and scholars, which followed the conquest of Macedonia, roused the slumbering genius and subdued the ferocity of a warlike and illiterate people. During the dark ages, the re- mains of classical literature embalmed and preserved whatever of knowledge and refinement had survived the ruins of the Roman Empire, and became, at a more fortunate era, the true restorers of learning. And if it be true that language, as well as mind and matter, has its philosophy, not formed to suit particular cases, but applicable, with few modifications to the dialects of all ages and nations, the regularity, the copiousness, the elegant refinement, and the profound logic of the Greek and Roman tongues, give facilities for the investigation of those universal laws, unknown to the defective and anomalous languages of modern times : and the youth who has once thoroughly masterr i the difficulties and mysteries of classical literature, has imbibed those unchangeable principles of srifififih nnA ^hn^^(>>4 U -, £- r - i- c"-; 'iJJsviij avquiriiU uj sumc muauS, FIRST CONVOCATION OF BISHOP'S COLLEGE. 229 are alone able to guide him in the great occasions in active life, when eloquence and reason exert a controlling influence."* But not to detain you too long, I will only quote a few excellent remarks, bearing upon this subject, made by the late Archdeacon Hare on an occasion somewhat similar to the present, and then draw' to a conclusion : -nor do I feel it at all necessary, thus • Earl Stanhope, in a debate in the House of Lords, May 27, 1864, in London, speaking of " the Public Schools Commission," said : " The commissioners observed with great truth that there should be some principal branch of study to which the greatest share of attention should be awarded. He apprehended there could be no difference of opinion on that point. He came next to the classical foundation of the schools, and here the commissioners made some excellent remarks, with a few of which he would trouble their lordships. Tliey said, ' We are convinced that the best materials available to Englishmen for these studies are fur- nished by the languages and literature of Greece and Rome. From the regular structure of these languages, from their logical accuracy and expression, from the comparative ease with which their etymology is traced and reduced to general laws, from their severe canons of taste and style, from the very fact that they are dead and have been handed down to us directly from the periods of their highest perfection, com- paratively untouched by the inevitable processes of degeneration and decay, they are beyond all doubt the finest and most serviceable models we have for the study of language.' Then they added-' Besides this, it is at least a reasonable opinion that this literature has had a powerful effect in moulding and animating the statesmanship and political life of Englishmen.' To the same effect was the letter of Mr. Gladstone. In those opinions he entirely concurred. He was persuaded that classical foundation was essential to the proper course of study at public schools, and that any departure from that foundation would be attended with loss of character and loss of utility to those great public establishments. He trusted the time would never come when, either in that house or m the other house, there would be any departure from this foundation ot classical study. Then as to mathematics. The importance of mathe- matics was no doubt very great. It was a saying of the illustrious Locke that he would have studied mathematics, even if at the close ot his career the hard condition had been imposed -hat he should after- wards forget it all ; because the habit of close reasoning and exact thour^ht would still have remained. Concurring in this view, he thought Iheii^lordships would be propated to as3<^ut to the desire wl.i.h the com- missioners had expressed, that the study of m ithematics should still be maintained." ( ' 280 FIRST CONVOCATION OF BISHOP'S COLLEGE. unexpectedly called upon to address you in the absence of others, whom we hoped to have heard this day, to make any apology for using so largely the well expressed thoughts of abler men. " Many of the young might think, ' What was the use of those old musty languages, the Greek and the Latin, which nobody spoke ? Why not learn German, and French, and Italian, so that if they went to Germany, to France, and to Italy, they might be able to converse with the inhabitants of those countries ?' But what was the purpose of education ? Was it that people should be able to chatter and gossip a little more with the casual stran- gers whom they might meet ? AV^as it not rather that the mind ohould be supplied with the principles of knowledge, with the principles of grammar, with the principles of history, with the prin- ciples of poetry, with the principles of philosophy ? And for this purpose the ancient languages had been found, by universal expe- rience, to be more fitted than the modern. The modern might be cultivated in subordination to the ancient ; but true education could only be grounded on familiar acquaintance with the earlier languages of mankind,— the languages of those nations which had been appointed to act the most important part in the history of the human race. There were three nations chosen by God for this purpose,— the Hebrews for the diffusion of religion ; the Greeks for the diffusion of intellectual eminence of every thing highest on earth, in poetry and history; the Romans for the political instruction of mankind, —the Romans whose political institutions were the main ground-work of all the institutions of modern society. As in botany a man who observed only one plant, and therefore had not the means cf forming a judgment by comparison, would never understand the nature of the vegetable kingdom, so, in order to understand tJie principles of lan°guage, more than one must be studied and compared ; and the earl^ kn- guages were selected for the purpose of comparison, because the grammatical forms were more clearly developed, the syntax was clearer, and the laws of language were brought before us in a more intelligent form than in the modern." It may be many years before we, in this University, ahaj] sec realized, in any extensive or advanced degree, the fulness of that system of education, which nevertheless it must be our object to FIRST CONVOCATION OF BISIIOP'S COLLEGE. 231 attain. But, in all our progress, let us never forget that, as an institution of the Church, wo are engaged in training up men to he good Christian.; and, if we would educate them on the most approved principle, it is that their highest powers and facul Ues may, when fully developed, be applied to the highest and nobles ends It is a consideration full of the mifzhtiest impulses, that intellectual growth and amelioration, like moral, are achieved for eternal duration. The mind does not die ; and he, who, anxious to put out his talent to good use, that he may have more to con- secrate to God's service, is sending his mind onward upon its sub- lime career, enlarged,and trained by wholesome discipline and richly furnished with the knowledge of imperishable truths ays up treasure where neither moth nor rust corrupt. Thrilhng thou-hts for all : but most so for those whose aim it is to servo in the s"pecial work of the ministry, who, above all, are bound, while seeking their illumination from above, to consecrate all their gitts and talents " to Him who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." And to Him, as the Great Head of he Church, I commend you, and all connected with this University and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you now, and ever. - Amen. mi SPEECH DBLIVBREO AT TUB ANNUAL ™i MEETING OF THE CHURCH SOCIETY or THE DIOCESE OF MONTREAL, 15T1I Jan., 1861. It has pleased Almighty God, my good friends, to allow us one? more to mce: together at one of the annual gatherings of the Church Society of this diocese. And when I look around and see by whom I am supported on the platform, and what a large and influential assemblage fill this hall, I cannot but hope that the result of this day's meeting will be fraught with good for the work in which we are engaged. Every year is opening up more and more the important field of labour which it is our duty to occupy; and while these public meetings furnish fitting opportunities for reviewing the past, they are also, I trust, capable of being made useful in stirring us up to renewed and increasing exertions tor time to come. As to the general constitution of this Society, it has been so often brought before you on these occasions, and in the published Annual Reports, that I need not enlarge upon that now, except to say that it is intended for the future to confine our otlorts to direct missionary work, the wants of the diocesM loudly demanding increased assistance for the support of the clergy, required for new and distant missions. But as you will hear some extracts read by the Secretary from the Report prepared by him for the past year which will give soma information as to what has been done, I wi not take up your time by entering into these details, and will merely state generally that you will find that some progress has 234 J>IOCESAN CIILUCiI SOCIETY. been .„„d„, ,„a „,„ ,„i,,cripti„„,, 1,„,:, f„ „,„ ^;■,^ „f j, an I for .ho -onMry, arc ,toadiIy „„ ,|,o i„cre.,o. Let us bo Tha fe ful tl,.,t ,t ,. .. But the ti„,o i, c„„,o when wo u.usl „„k fo »o.o ,™,or ovid.uco 01- our .„al „„d rinoority in cIoi„; hol'k of church ,n .h. Wocc. ,han can be fathered from ,ucl „ report of our proceedings. uJ^in^'rlt'^f"™'.,''" " '"""'''""''• ''-"•o^'o'ed among,,, us a ,n a stale of pupdagc, tenderly nonrishcJ by tho kindncs, of Chr.,„an fr,e„ds tn the Mother Country, and wo.ki.,. withoTt IT rf : r7f ."'"""'^""™' •" «-" -I- f» "'^ — agt as" ChuLr "m r "f "'■"' ''°"'"" ""'' ""^ -oh.venow, a a Church, m tho C™,,ftuti„„ of our Synods, the machinery fo our self-government as a corporate body, for putting into practical working the tntelligence and the resources of our pcope „d cnhsttng the active syn,pathy of our lay „,c„,bers. '7 { M. Sootcty, .neorporated as it is by the Legislature, and actin. in harmony w.th our Synod, mu.t bo the agency to rather in and dtstrtbutc these resources, through means rf wMch The sor e of the Church .ay in future be efficiently and regularly kej „; And ,n order more readily to bring this agency to bcaf in differ nt locahfes, I have arranged, in compliance wUh the reeomendt t on one of the committees, which was adopted by our Synod at ns last .necfng, nnmediately to divide the Diocese into four Rurll Deanerteswuh directions for their cooperation with the general body, so that the members of the Church may be able ,„' br n. tt 7 '\ °"""™ '" """" "'* "■-« concentrated etfect and greater acquamtancc with local details, whether as regards the wants of the Church and the work to be done "the resources at its command. Our whole condition mustno; b brought under review by our people themselves, and placed upon «.n>e well deiined system-regulating the formation of parishes" he appointment and payment of the Clergy, and the contributions to be raised m each parish or mission. Most of this will be the work of our Diocesan Synod. But this Society must act as its almoner. And our first object now should be to raise a sustenta- tion fund for the better support of our Clergy, and to encoura..e and assist in the formation of at le„.t ^,,-„i ,,„j ,_ „ the purpose of raising any general fund for the Diocese, " The nrOCESAN CIIL'BCH SOCIETV. 286 ^ooiotv for the l'ropa.,'ation of the Oo^pd," ^l.ilc «ithdr«ing it. the oiortions nm.lo by oursclvo-. Whoncvor » ^1"'™'" ™°"' and . fro»h appointment i» to bo made, tl>o n,en,bor« of th eon- °;!;tfra.e':';- co«r»o a„.iou. to have an «"«• -P"»-^;;^ faithful Clownan for their ne« munrter. But ,f the Church w , b "erved by such, and if having Rot then,, we hope to r t.^ hoi it is but reasonable that a decent ma.ntenaueo haU be ceTr'ed to .hem : and this must be done upon the respons.bd.ty of Te chu eUwardens and the vestry, without expee«ng the clergy th n«L to be reduced to the painful task of somg round the n rrlskin.. alms for their own daily bread, And th« remmds ^Itt an ncciote which I was rcadiog the other day, respect.ng rmfpirr'the' United States, where '^^^:^2:Z^. occurred in a church, application was ™-l° *° » ";^, f„, But the applicants said they wanted » ""V"'^'.;"'";* " J' ihevhad run down considerably, and needed budd.ng up, they w „t^^ one who eould write well, for some of the young peope : ™il about that matter. They wanted one who wo d M,l deal for their forn.er minister had neglected that, and „s.t a good dea , tor tne ^^ ,^, they wanted to bring it up. Ihey wanic manly deportment, for some thought a good deal of ">«'• /-"» »° Z- went on, and describeJ a very perfect man and mmi ter. The tttin' they mentioned was that they gave their 1-' "uni er OT p^^°annu'm ; but if they could have such a man sent as th y — ^ :r :;:;;::- t:i t^tt:; tn„ i':: r^Jbrmro^^a can forthwith for old Br^^^^^^^^^^^ heaven for he did not know any one in this wor d that answerat he description. And as Dr. Dwight had been living so long on '; Zl food, he might not need so much for rtio bod,, ana pro- bablv he mi"ht live on £83. A very well merited rebuke. But Ian not sure that wo arc altogether exempt from this spirit m oZda or perhaps because they know they are not going to otfer 'uffiln't for the maintenance of the clergyman the vestry wib ,,apted tolook out, not for the attest person to fill the jinportant ^::;rtir:: J^Clna^upport-thcm by bringing some Si "ill 3t^£»'^ff 236 little DIOCESAN CHURCH SOCIETY. means of his own. This should not be— ,,,,1 h„l; necessary as it „„st be .hat the Clerg/should e a " '"! decent maintenance, it is far more essenthl fTl ""^ our congregations, that we shourr,bT' f ..I "'V''^""?"'"'""^ out for the best and fittest .Jt t^^'^Z^^' ^^ ofiyil'si::::™!""!""-'* '^ -""• «.e institutions ™n.=, and ^t iet '12 ':„strn":it^ t'"""*] *" to bear them up in the m\*j .1 til,., „^„j " .... --"-" "^ -^piriE. Ana We iiave amon^ist us a tew good n.cn and faithful men now labouring in this Diocetc. DIOCKr^AN CHURCH SOCIETY. 237 But they are too often bowed down with anxious and perplexing thoughts for themselves and their faniilies-not because their hfe is one of toil, and their share of this world's goods is little, but because the little that was promised them is too tardily and scantily "iven. This is no imaginary case. " The duty of the laity in this matter was most eloquently and forcibly brought before the last General Convocation of the Episco- pal Church in the United States, by one of the lay members of that body (Mr. Rugales), from whose speech I will quote two or three sentences. And though New York may be a much larger and wealthier city than Montreal, and the whole body of the Church much larger and wealthier than we are here, yet, in its measure, the whole spirit of the speech is applicable and well worthy of our attention. After describing the growing prosperity of the country, he says : " The country was dying of prosperity. It was eaten up and corroding with prosperity. Ileartlessness, pride, ostentation, and the low dirty ways so eagerly travelled by the multitude m pur- suit of gain,-these were the result, and when they are rightly estimated, it must be owned that we have bougbt our gold very dear Of this vast wealth how much is held by the Clergy, and how much by the laity ? We of the laity have it all, for how rai-e is that phenomenon, a rich clergyman ? He spoke of being rich in gold alone ; for if ever there was a body of men rich in virtue, lovtlty self-sacrifice, domestic virtue, learning, and taste, that body was the Clergy of the Church. The Prayer Book was the fountain of taste, and the Clergy were rich in everything but money. He thanked God the Clergy were poor in that. In other lands the Clergy had been rich, and it had been their ruin. But with this vast ^disproportion in wealth between the Clergy and laity, what layman was there who would not be kind and generous to his clern-yman ? who would not give him love, respect, affection and support? It was the duty of the laity to be instant in season and out of season in this matter. If not from feelings of generosity and duty, yet it should be done from mere views of expedience, for the safety of our soul and political system depended upon it. The Church wa«- and must continue to be, the Church militant, and in order to 'carry on the war successfully, the military chest li if '" ^H ,iflH 238 DIOCESAN CHURCH SOCIETY. must be replenished. The Church must have money. And we are all soldiers too-soldiers enlisted in the army that carries on this double war. It was the duty of men, not only to subdue the earth by means of canals and railroads, but to do a much nobler and higher work— to embellish and adorn the earth. Heaven was full of the majesty and glory of God, but that was not all. Earth must be full of the majesty and glory of God also; and it is by man that much of this must be done. Let us adorn it then * * * But they, the laity, must give of their time also, as well as money —that precious stuff of which life is made. The Clergy now have to do all. But they need time for study, and to visit the sick and the dymg. We ought not to send them out like mendicants through our streets. We laymen should do the begging." I know we have some good, willing, and liberal hear'ts amongst us and that if anything practicid is proposed to them they will gladly support it according to their power. If a few zealous parishes make a beginning, others will, I am sure, follow the example set. And T am informed that there are some individuals now ready to begin. One gentleman has stated his intention to give ^500 for this pur- pose, and another ^400. Such acts of liberality will help m as far as they go. Still, however, we shall, for many years, have many poor and many needy districts unprovided for. But if unythin^ effectual is to be done, either for individual parishes or for the Diocese at large,— if we are to hold our own and keep up our pre- sent services,— still more, if we are to carry onward the work and spread abroad the light of the Gospel of Christ, and gather fresh wanderers into His fold, the laity must come forward in earnest and take the matter in hand; and while the clergy devote them- selves, as is their bounden duty, to the immediate offices of prayer and the ministry of the Word, the laity must labour for their sus- tentation, and do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto man, trusting that while " Thus their bounty pours its ample meed, That onward yet such blessings may proceed ; That Christian men, in due succeeding place, Might, as they well fulfilled their holy race, Shed through the Christian Church, the means of Obristian grace." ACTS OF THE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE. 19-20 Vict., Chap. 121. An Act to enable Members of the United Church of England and Ireland in Canada to meet in Synod. Proclaimed, May 28th, 1857. ^TTHERE AS doubts exist whether the members of the United Church W of England and Ireland in this Province have the power of regu- latine the affairs of their Chur« n, in matters relating to discipline, and necessary to order and good government, and it is just that such doubts should be removed, in order that they may be permitted to exercise the same rights of self-government that are enjoyed by other religious com- munities- Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Assembly of Canada enacts as follows : I The Bishops, Clergy, and Laity, members of the United Church of England and Ireland in this Province, may meet in their several Dioceses, ^hlch are now, or may be hereafter constituted in this Province, and m such manner and by such proceedings as they shall adopt frame consti- tutions and make regulations for enforcing discipline in the Church, for the appointment, deposition, deprivation, or removal, of any person bear- ing office therein, of whatever order or degree, any rights of the Crown to the contrary notwithstanding, and for the convenient and orderly n^anagement of the property, affairs, and interests of the Church xn matters relating to and affecting only the said Church, and the officers and members thereof, and not in any manner interfering with the rights, nrivileges, or interests of other religious communities, or of any person or persons not being a member or members of the said United Church of England and Ireland; Provided always, that such constitutions and regulations shall apply only to the Diocese or Dioceses adopting the II ■ The Bishops, Clergy, and Laity, members of the United Church of England and Ireland in this Province, may meet in General Assembly within this Province, by such representatives as shall be determined and declared by them in their several Dioceses ; and in such General Assem- bly frame a constitution and regulations for the general management and good government of the said Church in this Province: provided always, that nothing in this act contained shall authorize the imposition of any rate or tax upon any person or persons whomsoever, whether belonging to the said Church or not, or the infliction of any punishment fine or penalty upon any person, other than his suspension or removal from an office in the said Church, or exclusion from the meetings or proceedings of the Diocesan or general Synods; and provided also, that nnthin^r in the said constitutions or regulations, or any of them, shall be conUary to any law or statute now or hereafter in force iu lUis Province. 1 ■ ¥-M ill 240 ACTS OF THE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE. 22 Vict., Ch. 139. An Act to explain and amend the Act, intituled 'An Act to enable the Members of the United Church of England and Ireland in Canada to meet in Synod.' IIEREAS doubts exist whether in the Act passed in fh. Z held in the nineteenth and twentieth years o -hL M wl ^T" jnt.uled ..An Act to enable the Members of the Unit d S I of Z' land and Ireland in Canada, to meet in Synod " suffinipn ■ made for the representation of the Laity of h; UnTed V TZ" '' land and Ireland in the Synods by the Lid A^'a^rriL^d t b^ fZt and U :s expedient that such doubts should be removed : Thercfo e 1; Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the I P^i^V n and Assembly of Canada, enacts as follows "^'^'"'^'^^^ Council I. For all the purposes of the aforesaid Art s, and had bartered awav the li-hts of my succe^ ors. As to any evil which is lo arise fr the proposed c urse, you have h^ard what Hoifman ^ays of tlie checks on the Bishop and of the effect upcui him of the current of public opinion. It must ^o remembered too, that lis power is but negative ; and while you, the Laity have a negative, and you the Cleray have one, the Bishop must have a negat've too. We are all on the same footing of equality. I ask nothing that I do not give to you, and nothing that you ought not to rejoice to give to your Bishop. And while on this subject, thou-h it is taking up much of your *ime, I will read an extract from an American work " the Federalist,"— written by Hamilton and Jay, and other leadin RepubL ins who formcl the Constitution of the United State.-. These gentlemen certainly did r.ot want to pay unnecessary defer- ence to what has been called . one-man power. No one suspects them of bowing down on their knees b ^bre that idol ■ and besides, they had the full right and power to place whatever restrictions they pleased on their Governors, and thus to settle everythi 5 as they judged best themselves, because the government to be formed was a work of their own creation. '?ut here you are not giving his jurisdiction to the Bishop. We ask you not to create liim, but to share with him a power already his, • hile the.se writers were creating a democratic government. 248 ADDRESS TO CLERdY AND LAY DELEGATES. (( Letter concerning the constitution of the President and the power of the negative : " Without this ho might be gradually stripped of his authority by successive resolutions or annihilated by a single vote. * >i^% " But the power in question has a further use. ''it not only serves as a shield to the executive, but it furnishes an additional securi against the enaction of improper laws. It establishes a salutai , check upon the legislative body, calculated to guard the comumnitv against the effects of faction, precipitancy, or any impulse unfriendly to the public good, which may happen to influence a majority of that body. "^ " The propriety of a negative has, upon some occasions, been com- bated by an observation, that it was not to be presumed a single man would possess more virtue or wisdom than a number of men • and that, unless this presumption should be entertained, it would be improper to grant to the executive magistrate any species of con- trol over the legislative body. "But this observation, when examined, will appear rather spe- cious than solid. The propriety of the thing does not turn on the supposition of superior wisdom or virtue in the executive, but upon the supposition that the legislature will not be infallible-that the love of power may sometimes betray it into a disposition to en- croach upon the rights of the other members of the government- that a spirit of faction may sometimes pervert its deliberations- that impressions of the moment may sometimes hurry it into mea- sures which itself, on mature reflection, would condemn. * >!< * _ " It may perhaps be said that the power of pre venting bad laws includes that of preventing good ones, and may be used to the one purpose as well as the other. But this objection will have little weight w= th those who can properly estimate the mischiefs of that inconstancy and mutability in the laws, which form the greatest blemish in the character and genius of our governments. They will consider every institution calculated to restrain the excess of law making, and to keep them in the same state in which they may Jiappen to be at any given period, as much more likely to do r-ood than harm, because it is favourable to greater stability in%he ^1^ I i: ADDRESS TO CLEIUIY AND LAY DELEGATES. 249 system of legislation. The injury which mny possibly bo done by defeating u few good laws will be amply compensated by the Udvantage of preventing a number of bad ones." That was the opinion of these gentlemen engaged in the establish- ment of the government of the United States, where, I say, they had a full right to place every check and every limitation upon the presideiitial power. There is one other authority X would like to read. It is from a great author, the ablest Christian philosopher of modern times- Edmund Burke— in his book on the French llcvolution : " Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. =1* * * Among these wants is to be reckoned the want of a sufficient restraint upon their passions. ^ * * The restraints on men as well as their liberties, are to be reckoned among their rights." There is one other proposition which has been made, which is, that iu case the different orders of our Diocesan Synod differ, there should be an appeal to a Provincial Synod, if we shall have one. I think in that idea there is involved a great misunderstanding as to the relations between the Diocesan and Provincial Synods. The Provincial Synod will make canons, which will be binding on the whole Province, and we cannot in Diocesan Synods do anything to contradict its decisions ; but I never heard that Provincial au- thority could come in to make a Diocesan canon for a particular Diocese, which is not to be applicable to the Province at large. Such a proceeding would be an interference with each separate Diocese, and would be untenable according to any ecclesiastical rule or order. Moreover, wherever in the colonies Diocesan Synods have been es- tablished,' the decision, which it is now proposed to ask this Synod to adopt, has been arrived at. It has been so in Toronto, Huron, Nova Scotia, Sydney, Tasmania, Melbourne; Capetown, Adelaide, and New Zealand, and in each of these the position I claim to be placed in has been given to the Bishop. There is no example in the Colonial Church to the contrary. Some say that it is anomalous for the Bishop thus to take part in the debate, and to have in addition a negative upon the decisions. But it seems to me that this objec- tion arises from not rightly understanding the true spirit of the PM 250 AMRESS TO CLEBGY AND LAV DELEGATES. constitution of Biocosan Synods. Tl,e very gist of a Diocosm Syno .. that tl,o Clergy and Lai.y of the DioLo shall co Hd oonsu t wth their Bishop. Put the Bishop away, and your very- Synod eeases to ex,st you may still meet together as individuals in a io« , (,6„» the discussions will then tend to bring about a united decision. On the ether hand, for one branch of the Synod to attempt to f rce a canon on the rest would make shipwri of the whi fe, nod M hen m addition to these considerations, we remember th t he Laity have the right to elect their own clergy in alTth patent rectories, and that they will exercise this power of' nominat on mora ,,„d more as they come forward to maintain their Cler!yl that under this act, too, they will in future have power to let heir ishop-when, I say, we remember these things, I ca no SX ™ " -'"'""'^ '' "" '»=''^'>"°° ""«'' will I have urged this matter-I hope in no improper tone and pin -because ,n a neighbouring Bioecsc, the quesL has been 1 ofsm I ask where ,s the despotism ? He is to have no power to ters. If any difference grew be- tween the Bishop and his Clergy, or \f (consenting) any one found himself grieved with their procecdiiiji,s, +1:'^ e was a Provincial Synod holden twice every year, in which the acts of Episcopal Synods might be examined. These Provincial Synods were subordinate to national and patriarchal Synods, wherein the primate of a nation or kingdom, or one of the patriarchs, sat as president ; and in the national and patriarchal Synods the acts of Provincial Synods might 1:1 256 ADDRESS AT FIRST PROVINCIAL SYNOD. be rc-oxaniined and reviewed. So that it is evident that the power of ecclesiastical jurisdiction resteth not in Bishops alone, but in Presbyters also, being admitted to provincial and national 'synods and having decisive voices in them, as well as Bishops; nor in any one Metropolitan, primate, or patriarch, within their several pre- cincts and divisions, but in these, and their fellow Bishops jointly and that much less there is any one :n whom tlie fulness of all ecclesiastical power, and the right to command the whole Church doth rest." And so the Church should rise higlier and higher in its order, until, if it were possible, which in these days of divisioii and separation it is not, we should come up to the general or oecu- menical Council, such as was held on great occasions from time to time in the first few centuries of the Christian era— and whose authority in certain cases our own communion acknowledges. But if we cannc^ arrive at such a consent of Christendom in its entirety, how much is.it to be wished, that we could be seeking, and, as far as may bi^, advancing towards it— and hear our widely spreading branch of the pure and reformed . Catholic Church of Christ speak with the full voice of her collective body ! And why may not this be prayed for and hoped for ? The Church of Eng- land for up\Yards of two hundred years after the era of the Refo"- mation was confined, almost entirely, within the four seas that surround the British Isles. Its wonderful progress within the last half century, or rather more, including the trans-atlantic Branch in the United States, has almost equalled in magnitude the growth of the Church in the Apostolic age. But it has been so sudden, and so widely extended, particularly during the last twenty-five years, that we were not prepared for its grandeur or the conse- quences of its complicated organization ; and one serious matter now under the consideration of the Churcli at home is, how to secure the harmony of its parts, the general unity of the whole, together with the necessary independent government of the seve- ral branches in all matters of local detail and internil discipline; how growing branches are to keep up their individuality and cor- porate character in their own localities, and yet preserve unbroken their real ecclesiastical standing in relation to the Mother Church. Upon this importani. subject I received a letter of enquiry some time since from a member of the Upper House of the Convocation ADDRESS AT FIRST PROVINCIAL SYNOD. 267 of Canterbury, and 1 felt that I was as yet in no position to girc any satisfactory reply. Parishes are independent of one another, but united under one Bishop in each Diocese. Dioceses are inde- pendent of each other, but have a means of united action in each Province, under one Metropolitan. Then all these Provinces must have some coherence, some means of united action, some means of being heard in matters of common interest to all. Are there not occasions when it would be a glorious thing, if the whole reformed Catholic Church could make herself heard with a voice of author- ity, and speak trumpet-tongued to the world on high matters of faith ? Have not all a common interest in the authorized version of the Word of God and the Book of Common Prayer, both of which are now being assailed from various quarters? It was, then, to take a step in this direction that, after we had organized our Diocesan Synods in this Province, three of the four then existing Dioceses presented memorials to the Queen, asking Her Majesty to appoint a Metropolitan, that we might have the power of carrying onward our ecclesiastical organization. There is no. question of the fact that the office of Metropolitans was one of very early date ; it is alluded to in the sixth Canon of the General Coun- cil of Nice, held as early as the year 325, as the ancient Custom of the Church which was to be adhered to ; where it is called archaiu ethe (antiqua consuetude) ; and one reason mentioned is that no con- secration of a Bishop was to be allowed in any province without tho Metropolitan taking part in it : not, however, that he was to exercise any arbitrary power, but that the consecration was to be determmed by the majority of votes in the Provincial Synod—" sustineat sen. tentia plurimorum." But this Canon provided against a private or independent action of suffragan Bishops proceeding to the consecra- tion of new Bishops at their own discretion. The development of its organization in the early Church, no doubt arose out of the necessity of finding ways for the discipline and government of its rapidly extending branches— making all to harmonize and carry out one great principle and course of action. Thus it was ordered by the Council of Antioch : ' Let there be two provincial Synods every year and let the Presbyters and Deacons be present: and as many as think they have been in any way hurt or wronged, then expect the determination of the Synod." R ▼v: 258 ADDRESS AT FIRST PROVINCIAL SYNOD. The power of the Metropolitan was in calling the rest of thf Bishops to tho Synod, in appointing the place of meetin- and m sitting as President in tho midst of them; and, as Dr" Field observes, "so were things moderated, that neither the rest mi-ht proceed to do anything without consulting him, nor ho do anythtn.^ without them, but was tied in all matters of difference to follow the major part. The causes that were wont to be examined and dotormmed in tho meeting of the Bishops of the Province were the ordinations of Bishops, when any churches were void, and the deprxving and rejecting of all such as were found unworthy of their honour and place; aad, in a word, any complaint of wron^^ done in any Church was there to be heard. Thus at first 'Jl matters were to be determined, heard, and ended by Synods, and they holden twice every year. But in process of time, when the Governors of the Church could not conveniently assemble in Synod wice a year, it was first decreed at the sixth General Council that they should meet once; and afterwards, many things ftUlinc. ou (partly from the poverty of such as should travel to Synods)° to hinder their happy meetings, we find they met not so often ; until at length it was ordered that Episcopal Synods should be held once every year, and Provincial, at least once in fhrce years. And so in time causes growing many, and the difiicultics intolerable HI coming together, and in staying to hear these causes, thus mul- tiplied and increased, it was thought fitter to refer the hearincv of complaints and appeals to Metropolitans, and such like ecclesias- tical judges, limited and directed by canons and imperial laws, than to trouble the pastoi-s of whole Provinces, and to wrong the people by the absence of their pastors and guides." Such seems to have been the reasonable, and we may say almost the natural growth of the early ecclesiatical polity of the Catholic Church: to provide for Its government, its unity, and its increase; Parishes, DLeses Province, Pa riarchates, and General Councils, one after the other in due succession. " The spirits of the prophets being bound to be subject to the prophets," ° In process of time the assumption by the Bishop of Rome of the character of vicegerent of Christ upon earth, and his claim to be the sole universal bishop, gradually undermined the whole -Wy: *w ADDRESS AT FIRST PROVINCIAL SYNOD. 259 system • and, as I said before, the reformed Catholic Church m England from its position, at first failed to realize the necessity or the^wisdom of its reconstruction ; which, however, is now urgently demanded by the complicated, and at present undefined nature of the relation between the widely extended and increasing members of its spiritual family, as the body of Christ. Blackstone, in his celebrated " Commentary on the Laws of England," mentions that " it hath been an ancient observation in the Laws of J^ng- land, that whenever a standing rule of law, of which the reason perhaps could not be remembered or discovered, hath been wan- tonly broken in upon by statutes or new resolutions, the wisdom of the rule hath in the end appeared from the inconveniences that have followed the innovations." And that has often proved a truth in ecclesiastical, no less than in civil polity. And if there has been any rule of law or system of organization that once gave power to the Church, which has fallen into abeyance, through disuse or misapprehension of its meaning and application, it will be our wisdom to try and revive it, adapting it, as far as we may be able to present circumstances and times, and to any canons and laws, cither Colonial or Imperial, to which we owe obedience. In consenuence of the memorials presented to the Queen re- specting the appointment of a Metropolitan for the Province of Canada, I received in July, last year, the Patent which has been read to you. Upon looking it over, I found that there were some important omissions in the Preamble ; one of which was the leavmg out any reference to the present Bishop of Quebec, as having presided over this Diocese before me ; and making me the successor of Bishop Stewart ; and also in the description of the districts con- tained in the Diocese of Quebec. In consequence, I did not thmk it rio-ht to have it enregistered or published in full, without first communicating with his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, Her Majesty s Secretary of State for the Colonies, who was then in Canada, m attendance on H. R. H. the Prince of Wales. The Duk . desired me to write him an official letter on the subject, and he would forward it to the Queen's Advocate for his opinion. I accord- ingly wrote such a letter: and on the 21st of January last I received a communication from the Secretary of His Excellency the 11 260 ADDRESS AT FIllST PROVINCIAL SYNOD. Governor General, together with a draft of'a new Patent. Mr. Pen ne- father wrote to mo as follows :— "Tho Duke of Newcastle has been advised by the Queen's Advocate that the errors mentioned in your letter to him of August 24, 1860, do not affect the validity of the instrument; but His Grace has thought it advisable to cause fresh Letters Patent to be prepared, of which a draft copy is enclosed. His Grace has given directions that this draft shall be placed in your hands for the purpose of being submitted as well to your Lordship as to the other Bishops concerned, and also to any person in whose legal knowledge, and experience you may have confidence." I had, however, sometime previous to the receipt of this draft of a now Patent, caused so much of the original one to be printed, as had reference to my actual appointment as Metropolitan, and the powers intended to be conferred upon me— leaving out the preamble, where the errors occurred ; and which contained no matter of any great mo- ment that was necessary to the understanding of its nature. I sent several copies of this to the different Bishops; and it was printed in full in the Toronto Ecclesiastical Gazette, in one at least of the daily newspapers in this city, and I believe elsewhere. I subse- quently visited Toronto, London, and Quebec for the express pur- pose of conferring with the Bishops of the several Dioceses and any other persons. Clergy or laity, they might wish to be present with us. I found a strong impression entertained, in some quar- ters, that the tenor of the Patent was not altogether in harmony with our Synod Acts. Now as it is thought necessary to issue a new Patent sent out here for our consideration, and as the Queen's Advocate, in a marginal note to the draft, asks " whether any and what additional powers are requisite for the proper carrying out the objectsof the Church Synod Act,and the intentions of Her Majesty's Government in ibis matter ?"-it seems to me that we have just the opportunity we require for getting matters so adjusted, that here- after we may hope to work cordially and satisfactorily together. I thought it my duty not to send home the draft, until I h^d brought the whole subject before this general meeting of the Canadian Church. I wish it to be calmly and wisely and fully investigated. I covet for my office no extraordinary nor unnecessary power or au- thority ; still less do I wish to contend for what may be unsanctioned ADDRESS IRST PROVINCIAL SYNOD. 261 by the law of tli nee. I should myself wish the whole matter to bo referred to a mmittee of the Sy aod, wli hould be instructed to enquire into th '>earing8 of the F'nod Acta anrl Patents of the several Bishr-^s ; and, if there is any inc< ^' report how the powers and omce of thn Metropolitan uc aiadc to harmo- nize with tho.u. And I should wis^h them to take a -till higher and wider view of the subject and • how too our relations with the motherChurch of Englu,al,an all its branches extending through every quarter of the world, are to be preserved in loving and faith- ful unity. W have present hero amongst us able lawyers, learned divines, and those who are zealous for the honour of Christ and the increase of his Churcli,— persons fully nnpetent to do ample iusticc to so great a subject. It is a subje. hich must bo taken up sooner or later, and calls for some detinite action. From Canada tirst went forth the word which led to our present P'ocesau or.>anization, which is being carried forward through all tl.c Colo- nies of England. It would be a noble completion of our work, if we were, under the gracious guidance of God the Holy Spirit, not only to settle any internal difficulties and harmonize the action of our own Provincial Synod, but also strike again for our Reformed Church the key note of primitive antiquity, which shall tind an echo in the farthest limit of this Continent, and throughout the various portions of the other Hemisphere-proclaiming aloud before heaven and earth, that " we being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." I have trespassed somewhat on your patience, while I have entered into these details, but I hope the subject and the occasion will be sufficient excuse. I should have rejoiced if it had fallen to my lot to have listened to another occupying this place instead of me ; but bavin- been called to this office, I have given the subject long and anxious thought and enquiry ; and in any discussion that may arise, or in any arrangements that may be proposed for our future proceedings, whatever difiference of opinion may be manifested, 1 trust that we shall endeavour to preserve such a temper, as becomes -those who are met together to consult for the welfare of Christ s Church, and to promote the glory of God. I have no intention to .dictate to the Synod what shall be their present course of action ; illhr 11 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) « /. 'ij^'t,. i^' ifj. '(/., 1.0 U^ 12.8 u 1^ I.I Ijo u 1.25 - 6" IIIIM 1 2.0 1.8 U III 1.6 V] <^ /a /: /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation e people of God in tut ye ;ho„ld e™:„„7e„' I'm^""' "V^'^"'^™ delivered unto the Saintl"* •''"'*' "'"'='' ™^ ™« thaUhrareT"':,'" "",""'" '° ■"■' ^■•^^'' Testament, remark, who writes that, the Church, although diffused thro-u^hT „e Tnd ht'S'lf ''' '^"!f- ^™"' '"= '■^'»-'-. -0 their teiple preaches, and delivers the same things, as if she had but one which Fa, h the rule thereof is one, alone and immovable and no way possible to be better framed." And further respeeUnrthe f S™ f,^'''."-"' '^^ 26. 27, 28, where the Apostle is making «_Bolemn declaration concerning the death of Christ, and ate *Jude3. CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 26T concerning, the death of man, - semel et simul," "once for all. Every doctrine which can be shown to be posterior to that Faith is new and every doctrine that is new is flilse. And as the Church was 'to contend for the Faith, so also she preserved the Canon of Scripture, the written Word of God, in which that Faith i* embodied, and from which it was to be proved at all times. Many have been the attempts in various ages, since the days ot St Peter and St. Jude, to corrupt or deny " the Faith, which was once delivered to the Saints:" sometimes old heresies have been reproduced, sometimes new forms have been set forth, with more or less success; while the voice of the Church, in her corporate character, as heard in the great general Councils formedy assembled, or as re-echoed by individual confessors and witnesses for the truth has ever " earnestly contended for the Faith once for all delivered to the Saints " Into the details of these past controversies ot ancient Jays I shall not now enter, but I wish to speak to you respecting some of the passing events and controversies of the day, as they come home to ourselves in our own life and conversation, whether as individual members of Christ's Church, or as holding nny office and ministry in the same. , ,. • One special feature in the controversies of the present time is the attack made upon the Bible itself. It is not, as is so often the case, that particular doctrines are called in question or the interpretation given to particular passages of Scripture denied; but the Inspiration and Authority of the Bible itself is to be se aside That this was likely to be made the object of attack had been Ion- foreseen by some thoughtful minds, who watched the development of the controversies of the day, and the progress of events- though none perhaps could have anticipated, ''S we have witnessed, that some of the most eager assailants would be persons, who by their office and vocation were bound to have been amongst the defenders of the integrity of the Word of God. As far back as the year 1797, the author of " the Pursuits of Literature," after reprobating a work then published, in which the writer had begun his attack on the historical parts ot the Bible, goes on to remark : .. If they are not part of the inspired writings, they are not entitled to the name of Sacred Scriptures. It is difficult to say where these attacks. pi 268 PASSING EVENTS AND "Will end. If tho historical nana of Hip r;ki «a, arise and object to theZLal p 111,7: 'T ""'' '''''''^' '"^^ i^ inspired ; Homer, and ^'schylus and sit ^ '''"'' '^'''' ""^ *«1« <'er. deductionsmade from such ideas, ih chU has Jnfh '.r*"''' "'° ™'"'^ ^"'^^^ at by Humely by sensation or reflection. Shon the 0^5''?'" °'"^ "''*"''«' ^^-^'^e^^ position, not thus made out by tho deduct^ nf '"^'' '' "'' "^«°"t *« ""X Pro- Proposer, as coming from God h, soml I? T"°' **"* "P°° ^^e credit of the this way Of discovefing truths 1 '3 Ve:;"":,^^.""^ "' communication - i^iterature. " '"'^°' ^« ""■" Kevelation."-Note to Pursuits of ^'.B^ZZ!::,7.ir '^^^''^^'^^^ '^^- --« «— . ^y the ^ight Hon. CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 269 of Christian faith, according to our own judgment of its reasonableness. It is .truly the one essential, universal, determining characteristic of heresy, that it subordinates the faith to human nature, instead of yielding up human nature to faith."* And in his primary Charge, delivered last year, the Archbishop of Canterbury, when denouncing certain well-known publications of the present day, speaks of a party, which has recently arisen with- in tlie pale of our Church, small in number, as he crusts, but " which claims to itself the right of maintaining, that, although our Holy Bible contains the Word of God, that Word is not co-exteniive with the Sacred volume; so that it is to be left to the conscience of each individual to decide which is the Divine element, and which the human, and to reject whatever does not approve itself to his verifying faculty. Each person is thus constituted a judge of that Word, which our blessed Lord says is to judge him." "What then may we consider has been the effect of these specu- lations respecting the Word of God ? It is well known that, whatever may have been the intentions of the authors of various recent publications of the nature alluded to, they have certainly been widely circulated and made use of by those, who wish to do away with all belief in Kevelation ; and that the infidel, the atheist^ and the pantheist have hailed them, as their welcome allies and coadjutors; and no doubt many hearts have been troubled by them, and the faith of some has been unsettled, if not destroyed. It has also made gainsayers more bold, and what was before latent, or even unconscious unbelief, has been made manifest. But if this be so, it has also called into existence many zealous and able * The great Lord Bacon, one of the most eminent philosophers that ever livcd> knowing the pride tliat is often the consequence of human knowledge, and the infirmity of human nature, set forth the following prayer for the use of students : "TUB student's prayer. "To God the Father, God the Word, God the Spirit, we pour forth most hurablo and hearty supplications, that He, remembering the calamities of mankind, and the pilgrimage of this our life, in which we wear out days few and evil, would plcaso to open unto us new refreshments out of the fountains of His goodness, for the alleviation of our miseries. This also we most humbly and earnestly beg, that human things may not prejudice such as are divine ; neither that from the unlocking of the gates of sense, and the kindling of a greater natural light, anything of in- credulity, or intellectual night, may arise in our minds towards Divine mysteries. But rather that our mind, being thoroughly cleansed and purged from fancy and vanities, and yet subject and perfectly given up to the Divine oracles, there may be- given unto faith the things that are faith's. Amen." 1' - M4 270 i»ASSINO EVENTS AND answer defenders of the truth, itistanco the force of that savin.' of St linmn..! i 'i. '" "" fiivl «Pnoi.c- 1 . •'^ " '^*- -'^<^'^"ard has been cxemnli- ned, i!icclesia, dum ar'Tu tur, iiitcllicrit'' a= f^ a ,. of .ho i.pi„.i„„. u„ac° „„i ', t j"r:L.tf , "::r ti': of the B.bo ..,p.,k„ „, H,,^ „„, „„^^j tho vOho,.. : Hr:r: ':r;:: 7^: 'tr "^ '^^p^-^y m his Essay on ^Scripture and its Interpretation " !n ,, ,^' lu.m.,„ a„a „ Div,e"ol°, ,','"" !™°8"''"'«. •" '« lo, both » '"^i"-""'-^ In - -'n -3 « .:: f ' ^";»;;.,"^"« """-i-^ -« s»r, to enal,l,. I,™ to decl.re Divine Tr,ul"f, 1,1 7= ""' "»' "°■"- senciniciits and doctrine, il,,f .„ .1 ,""'""'■ '» t'lunciation of not be .matter of t,b, llttr , T " ""'"""' "'^"^ "■"""J »ent,, reeitaL fact tbatl , : '^ l-nowledse i secondly, ,„ „a,e- "Ode, of ,peec.,, and „erb.fp, occ , 1,^; en of wo'I ar'T","' .«»...ndi„.,,c,a.be.tL,cn,a.ed\:r.Ui?,r;;i;;:i;7:-^^^^^ Spoakiug of the exact limits of Inspiration, whether it is to b. o„.dere .„ all oases a. extending to words, o'r whef er t s oi lark :- '" """"'™'^ """ ''°"'™'^' «« J''*»P SOosoTll CONTROVERSIES OP THE DAY. 271 II the other, that many important truths must have lost much of their force and significance, if tliey had not been expressed exactly with that verbal precision, which tlio subject-matter might have demanded, we shall be wise either to forbear coming to any decision, or else to adopt that guarded view, which we have al-eady indirectly aWocated, viz: that in all passages of irnportance, wheresoever the natural powers of the writer would not have supplied the bdilting word or expression, then it was supplied by tlie real, though probably unperceived Inhueacj of the Spirit of God." No doubt the construotion of the Book, which wc acknowledge as the Word of God, and especially as used by us in the form of a translation from the languages in which it was originally delivered, is fairly open to discussion and criticism by scholars, and must depend upon the accuracy of copies and the competency of trans- lators. But this being admitted, it is still to us, what our Church calls it in one of the Articles (XX) "God's Word Written."* • The Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Charge before referred to, quotes with much approbation an " apt illustration," used by his "vene- rated predecessor," tliclatc Archbishop Sumner: "Take," said he, "for example, the case of an earthly sovereign desiring to give a proclama- tion to his subjects, or to send a message to a foreign potentate. He communicates his intentions to one of his confidential servants, and commands him to commit them to writing. But he does not fail to overlook what is written before it is made public. The minister indites the message in words of his own ; but the Sovereign makes sure that the words correctly represent his intentions." The Archbishop then goes on to say : " It may, however, be objected,— If this be your view of the authority of Holy Scripture, how will you reconcile some of its statements with the more recent discoveries of science ? I confess that, to my own apprehension, far too much alarm has been felt in sone quar- ters from the supposed antagonism between the Bible and Science. We should beware of allowing our faith to be disturbed by such considera- tions ; nor should we suffer it to depend upon an issue on '.-hich God never intended that it should rest. The Word of God does not profess to teach us science ; the object of revelation is not to instruct us as to the secrets of nature, but to make us wise in matters pertaining to our salvation. It is to teach those who feel themselves to be fallen and lost creatures, that they art not irrecoverably lost ; that God has sent His Son as a Redeemer to atone for their sins, by His Sacrifice on the Cross, And His Holy Spirit as a Sanetifier, to cleanse the thoughts of their hearts, and support them in their seasons of trial and temptation. The 272 PASHINO EVENTS AND lO of Whatever, however, may bo the popular veneration in whic tho^ 1 /"^^' T '"""' '^ ""^ "f'P^*'^^ •»-'^' to the h arts of thousanclH who lovo it and stu.lv it vot M.n.« . i. to deny, ,hc prosonco of „„y super„„t„ral power act in." roll amongst us n the Cliurcli of Chri.i 1„ i. • • • li " -' and in Graee/' he afterward! say" - ' """""' '" ^^^^'^^^- 1..Z «!n„ o a ,,. ^^ "'' because ourselves in th« !/ / ^ "*^ ''"'"^' '"^^^'^'^ "^ expressing the two." ^ ^ ""^ 'J'P'^''"' discrepancy between C0NTH0VEU8IES OP THK DAY. 278 the Divi'ie authority of Holy Scripture if we give up the Divine authority, In its proper place, tf < the Holy Catholic Church.' The two are absolute correlalivea. in our s.nso of the words we could have no ' Bible • if we h.id no Church ; if, that ia to say, the Primitive and as yet, undivided Church had not, under the breath of the Divine Spirit, settled for us its ca on ; and if the Church TJnivcrsal had not maintained it. For the Church, as our Article teaches us, is the witness and the keeper of Holy Scripture. It is its witness, because it witnesses to us that this particular Book is God's revealed will ; and it is its keeper, because it preserves that Book whole and unaltired, without addition nnd without mutilation, as the inspired record. Without such a witness there could have been no ' Bible,' no Book which ve could receive as a whole as the record o' God's Revelation. For if its claim reitid only on its internal evidence, every individual i .ight sti ' > out from its pages what did not recommend itself to him ; vie might lose the Epistle of St. James because one objector rejpcted it,' the Epistle of St. Peter to please a second, and those of St. Pa:il at the dictation of a third. "Although when the Bible is once given the Church must receive its teaching imi-licilly as the Word of God, yet in priority of time the Church was of necessity before the B:ble. For it is the record of Gcd's dealings with and revelations to the Church, and the thing recordtd must in time precede its record. That it did so in fact we know. The Church of the Old Testament was founded '-n that day when God made a covenant ■with Abraham ; out four hundred and thirty years passed awny, patriarch aft;>r patriarch lived and died in th» f..ith, before Moses set his hand to those inspired books, the earliest in Scripture, which bear his name. It was not oth-^rwise with the Church of the New Covenant. That was born on the day of Pentecost ; but it was many years before the earliest Gospel, that probably of St. Matthew, was given to the Church. More- over (as we have seen) to have that 'ixed canon "f Holy Scripture which defines what is 'the Bible,' the Church must receive it; and upon this authority of its reception it must propound the Bibl) to each separate soul as the Word of God. For the external evidence which ■proves the Bible to be the Word of God must from the nature of the case precede the internal evidence. Once received on external evidence as the revealed will of God, soul after soul will have, in pussnpe after passa-^e, the inward witness that through it God Himself is speaking to its inward ear. The delicate needle of its own spiritual being will tremble under the awful Presence ; and to the faithful soul this, the last in point of time, will be for itself the crowning evidence that through it God is indeed revealing Himself to His creature. But the Book, as a Book, mus- come to him from the witness of the Church before it is capable of receiving from his own spiritual experience these inward con- S lit 274 PASSING EVEKTS AND firmationg. Tne will of any testator must be propounded and received as his by external proof before any benefit can be claimed under 7ts separate bequests. And how could the Church fulfil this ofSce unles ot a truth God were personally with her? Unle.: her whc.e system be supernatura unless a Divine breath inspire her judgment, how could she discern the truth amidst the conflicting claims of many writings ' be included in e sacred record, or settle the canoa of the inspld books-how could she wit ess to or keep them ? How, indeed canshe without th s fulfil any part of her charge for God's glo y or man's ,t vation Unless God be with her.-not as a causLv owe act nl" now only through the self administering laws of a Diviue^rder bu' as a present, interfering Person, how can her intercession be real' or he , . , ' -' •"'<■>-' V-C331UU ue real o prayers anything but a disguised and decci.iag self-magnetism? If all things that are, exist in an unbroken set of inevitable sequences what room can there be for prayer or receiving answers to prayer'? «; under such a scheme how can there be any one to whom to pray • for how can prayer be addressed to a Divine Order ? How, aga n unless the Divine Spirit as a .«, present Person, acts indeed 'upon s'epaia hearts, regenerating, converting, renewing, purifying, strength ning and saving them can any of the means of grace within her be Inything else than what these writers so profanely pronounce them to be'lyint magical delusions ? ' •' ° "There can, in the strife which is forced upon us, be no intermediate position between the dull naturalism to which so many are tending and a .simple fauh in God's presence with His Church, and so a hearty belief alike in her oacraments, her Creeds, her Orders, and her Bible as the separate portions ot the great system of instruments through which iier God her Saviour, and her Sanctifier are present with and working in her ^And such a faith will .reed a wholesome reverence for all which God has given us, which ,s the safeguard our own spirits need amidst the mani- told perturbations around us." The writers of this school, who are -forcin- tliis strife upon us m the controversies of the present duj, advocating what the i^ishop in his charge justly terms, ^i scheme of a new Christianity " "humanizing Revelation," -professing to receive the Christia'n Revelation, and the Christian Church, with its creeds, its scriptures and Its hopes, only removing i.om them everything supernatural," have been, as I remarked just now, whatever their own real con- victions and intentions may be, hailed as welcome allies and coadju- tors by the avowed infidel. And in truth this philosophy of _ Rationalism," however at first diluted or counteracted by other influences, is in its ultimate tendency and general effect, so destruc- CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 275 fi tive of every principle of faith not only in the Revealed "Word of God, but, when carried out to its legitimate conclusion, in the presence and superintending P-ovidence of God, that we can well understand, why the great enemy thus tempts unwary souls to turn aside from " tiie old paths," by presenting to them at first some- thing, that less violently shocks their previous instincts and con- victions, than open and deliberate unbelief On this subject of " Rationalism," I know not where we can find a more able and conclusive argument, than in the chapter of the work of Mr. Glad- stone, from which I have already made an extract. Written, as it was, a quarter of a century ago, before the evil had become so manifest as it has in the present day, and forming but a small portion of a large and very elaborate Treatise, I fear it is not likely to be known to many amongst you, or to be studied as it so well deserves. I will, therefore, as briefly as I can, state some of the points of his argument— which is directed both against simple Rationalism, "according to which the natural understanding is the adequate and final judge of all matters purporting to be revealed;" and which he endeavours to show is, on its own principles, irrational ; -.nd also .''.gainst '< a finer form betrayed in the opinion, which teaches that though the understanding requires correction, yet its concurrence is a necessary and uniform condition of the entrance of any vital influence of religion into the human being. This religious, and therefore also metaphysical, .rror we endeavour on metaphysical grounds to confute." I must, however, at once confess that, in noticing the very able argument contained in this chapter, I am influenced rather by the hope of directing your attention to it, that you may carefully study it entire for yourselves ; than by any expectation that I shall be able, by any brief abstract or analysis, to do justice to such a treatise, which really seems scarcely to admit of compression or abridgment. Mr. Gladstone begins by laying down the principle, that • Christianity in its first, highest, and most essential character, is a religion of influences, which transcend, though they do not oppose the understanding:" and having shown what is the pro- vince of the understanding, he argues that however true it may be, that preceptive teaching, or what is termed orthodox doctrine, mi « 276 PASSING EVENTS AND « m capable subjects the proper method of firat moving th.- affeefons of the man, we cannot fail to perceive that the imnreV ..on apon those affections is a thing distinct from the doctr nc .tself, even when produced by it. That this impression is not necessanly attendant on an intellectual appreciation of it, is man" f st,or the devds would not believe and tremble. W th Tual plainness we see that the immediate purpose of reli-ion m,Thl the sanctiflcation of the man, through'thr i^.tr^Z^T:^ and of all h,s faculfes. It follows that each of those faeultfes ough' to be employed m the work, in proportion to its capability of ,4" ng the purpose. Now tt will be acknowledged to be known from expenence that the aifections precede the understanding, i„the earher stages of the.r respective developments, although ILo pro cesses be ■„ great part contemporaneous. The hum^n bein-H tnerefore, capable of right or wrong affections at an earlier period h.s e„stence, than that at which he becomes capable of htvin. such r,gh or wrong affections engendered through the medium of an mtelleetual process. And as the need of tlS humar bir .thus larger than the measure of his intellect, he requires some other feeders. And by this reasoning, independ^tly ot' ; „ we arr,vo at the conclusion that the inculcation o/orthodordoc cat ON, ,s also not sufficient to meet the necessities of our nature or to app^y the antidote immediately the poison lias bcurtj work. We are led, therefore, to look for some other pr^v s"o And further, even where the understanding has been developed t insufficient for the full accomplishment of the work committed to It It was appointed by God ,„ con,l„c, a sound ,n,.Mne Z no, ,0 re.o,.Ut,Ue a ,fa,„,,„, „„.. The link is broken 'Zn which should h..ve connected Ms convictions with his actions Given right affections, and therefore right primary notions the understanding will do the rest, and eonduct'tUitlifuily a'c ^ elusion what it has received ; but given (and which I our c aw ot duty and oi lite, and then the very fidelity of the under- tanding perpetuates the error which has vi.iated the first propos - t.«ns 1 has formed, and reproducing it at each su™„«i„ !,! estaohshe. It ,„ the conclusion, 8„ that to rely upontlios; ideas CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 277 -of religion which our nature prompts, because they are sanctioned by our natural understanding, would be as absurd as if Euclid should argue a proposition upon a wrong axiom, observing at the same time in every step an accurate adherence to that axiom, and a man should allege that accuracy in the subsequent proceeding as a ground for trusting the conclusion ; whereas it forms the very demonstration of its falseness. It cannot be true. The under- standing cannot cure a fault which lies in the affections Yet let it not be supposed that, if this reasoning be admitted, it will have the effect of implying the impotence of the understandmg. In truth this is not really a question between the understanding and some other faculty, but between the rebellious nature of man and Him who created, and is now reclaiming it. The man who denies the necessity of spiritual influence, in order to the right appreciation of the Christian religion, is not asserting the prero- gative of the understanding against the affections. With his views, his understanding will be as much Influenced by his affections as the understanding of those who hold an opposite belief would be influenced by their affections. Under cover of asserting the rights and Ji-nity of the understanding, he who thus rationalises, is m truth asserting his intention to be governed by his own notions and desires; to make his actual nature the measure and law ot that scheme of religion, winch avowedly aims at operatmg a fm- damental change in it. And the understanding is not deprived, in the Christian theory, of the office which belongs to it; but tul- fils the same office for the rectified and divinely renewed affections, as it would have performed for the rebellious and carnal affections. There are again other ways in which the understanding may be an interceptor of affections divinely destined to the purposes of action For the understanding may be excited simultaneously with the imagination, and when set to work in reasoning upon the relations of any given phenomena, or upon reducing them into a .ystem, it may thus with speculative truth for its end be so deli<^hted with its own energies, as to lead us into forgetfulness of action Thus it absorbs in intellectual exercise the strength that ought to have been spent in practical exertion ; and while it seems to be doing the work of the altectioQS, it diverts them from t.-eir own end, employing all the u.ental powers in the^ verification of iii 278 PASSING EVENTS AND terms instead of the execution of toU nn^ +i , • stir-" '" ^'^^ '«•-' '» *« -*-<• ~:;r:i _ erwise than through argumentative methods and ^.-fl. p.y .ho defects or;:'i;!ii?e'rrf' r„:cr '°'^ '- ^"^- a still distant stage on the road to It and as it may be felt with- out ^snii-ihTiI ;nfl, • ' '*'' " '"'^y "^e felt w th- by the fo^ce rf r?' ". ". '""^ ■'^ '■"''■^'>' ''™'''°'™ -<1 "u'lifled The r- V ":'"P""'°°'. 'Vhieh it attempts to resist, Iho rf„„.e 0/ .„^„^„,„, generally may be i,„pres.ed thronc-h f, " . '": P™P'''"="' enjoyment which the Gospel offer, o.,r humau ,aeu],.es fail us, because « infer-as far as we can infer C0NTR0VEKSIE3 OF TH£ DAY. 279 . oil that it is such as out human faculties cannot receive or Iwe W , therefore, need, in order to feel the full force of °'iw of heave,; offered to us, to have an affection towards God of veneration, love, and truth, which our corruption has absorbed. Th' then, i^ from a divine source ; so that we now need not only the understanding and the affections, but likewise renewed affec- tions 10 initiate the truly religious principle; and we accordmgly see with much more strength and clearness the need of a d>vme operation other than that which the underrtandmg carries, m order to set the understanding itself in motion towards God. And as regards iU fo« of goodncs, for its own sake, it is clear th t this love", fixed in goodness as an end »'l ""-"f f odj as embodied in, and as measured and tested by the will of God is heTdoption an entirely new standard, of which our fallen St to unphes none of the elements ; and the primary conception of the "ob e as t is an object of affection, must be in the affections Inteeedent to any action of the understanding, which acts only :;» what is already conceived. It must, *-'-.»*;«*; blinninss, under the strictest necessity, come from a divine influence and not through the understanding. After :.lvin, some illustrations from Scripture of the existence of some other°iccess to men than tlirough the understanding and , oX t It without it doctrinal or,hodo.xy cannot be mamtained, onSi proof is given in the Sacraments, the whole argument is thus summed up at the close of the chapter : . . . , . ...... c,,.pl„w«..;owa- l^r esc T. ona,i.m I .ene'.l.y ..*»a .o bo a ref.rence of lerlon. Tlial, i« IralU, " m«"S a "•f"''"'' °' '^no " lela to its under- standing, proper, so called ^> 1, cl » »' ,„„,,, ,^ ,,„,a reasons and concUnlos apon the G.- , ■,;" ° i-^^ „'„ j„„.„ji„g is Incom- er affoc.ions arc disposed ...ward,. 1 m ttc ua ^^, ^ ''r;„:.t::"::in' »;::; ruieitr-'ideas „, region, t... ?:;X:, ;; .•»., upon L „uders.audia., lui.n.ornied as .t .s b, de- 280 PASSING EVENTS AND praved affections as our adequate instructor in matter of religion is most the understanding has a great function in religion and is a n^ln ' Of access to the affections, and ma, even corre^t^rirpr.iir ^ gra?etrtrro"ul'of"'" the foregoing principles, the natural entry of fction of the uni . ." " '"'^' '''" '''''''''''' '^"^ '^"'^^-^ ^o the act on of the understanding upon the subject. As, therefore if i! rationalistic to say, Christian doctrine must be true or Av's ZorH a. U is agreeable or repugnant to our nat.nal pe p to^rs^ also t^ d.ng«r.« k CI , tat T , r 'Tr^' '° "="■ ■' "»-^-i-e>y .e„l"„V?>," '"" '"tl" "f"""'" '" S'™ y™ '^""'^ Mea of ,he con- tents of h,s very „ble elu,pter on " E.tionali.m." In the sue oeed.ng ehapters, Mr. Gladstone goes on to show, tlrat the Chnreh of England offers us those very "rite, and institutions" wH h Wve been appotn.od by God to provide for the neeessitie of tn n Ano her very re,nark,,bie writer in a recent work, to whieh t n,ade' allus,on just now_Dr. Newman, in his "Apologi pro viLu?- tiT^d ■"' "; rr'"""" "' "■" ""™™' ■'»'"or:i:rte7f he Mrid, so far to the same contusion with Mr. Gladstone that A J ... ""'■' "' ^ "''™ *••" power is to be found Andash.s "Apologia" is in itself oneoftl most elor^nar, produetron, of the present day, laying open the secrets of the c„n seienee and the workings of the inta||4 of a ,„™t I ■ 1,1 -fj i»aivid„a,. telling all the history of the tit oVhrhn^„eut CONTROVEKSIES OF THE DAY, 281 throuc^h many years of a most eventful life, and giving his reasons for abandoning the Anglican Church, in .hich he was baptized and had lived and laboured at one time so successfully, and lor taking refuge in the Church of llon.e, in which communion he now remain^,-! will occupy the rest of our time with some brief examination of it. . This " Apolo-^y '• was written by Dr. Newman, m consequence of an attack which had been made upon him in a recent publica- tion in which the writer, as J)r. Newman states it,— "Desires to impress upon the public mind the conviction that I am a crafty, scheming man, simply untrustworthy ; that in ^^^on.^-Sa Cutholfc I have just found my right place; ^^f / ^° ^'^^ ^^^'^^j/^ am properly interpreted by the common English no Uon of Roman ZJJJl confessors; that I was secretly a Cathohc, when I wa enly professing to be a Clergyman of the Established Church; tha if .r rom bringing by means of my conversion, when at leng h it ZX took place, any strength to the Catholic cau.e I am really a burSen to it,-an additional evidence of the fact, that to be a pure, ge.- mane, genuine Catholic, a man must be either a knave or a fool. In answer to these grave charges, Dr. Newman most entirely vindicates his character from the slightest imputation against truthfulness and honesty; respecting which, those who lived with him on any terms of intimacy and friendship, during the sore trials of those eventful years that preceded his conversion never had a doubt. But what will be of more interest to you will be to examine some of the principal reasons he gives for that conversion, and to consider, quite apart from the vindication of his own cha- racter for truthfulness and honesty, whether this pubhcation is calculated to bring " any strength to the (Roman) Catholic cause^ Speaking of his early life. Dr. Newman tells us that he had been'brought up '' as a child to take great delight in reaaing th Bible; but he had no formed religious . convictions till he was fifteen" (pp. 53, 55). At that age, in 1816, a great change of thought took place in him. He "fell under the influences of a definUe Creed, and received into his intellect impressions of dogma, which, through God's mercy, have never been eftaced or obscured He read, whilst still very young, a work of Romaine, and after- Apologia, New York, 4th Ed., p. 23. 282 PASSING EVENTS AND wards ,t«d,ed with much and lasting benefit the writi„„, „f „ Rev. Thoma., Seott, specially his Commentary on the X ■ the a ,„irable wort of Jones of Nayland," La'ws " S rfo "^at" and other works; and he subseribed a small sum in IS^S , \ te first start of .he Keeord (p. 90). The ZZ^ ^^^ of h,s rel,g,ous opinions a„d convietions are described wil, detaij^ as he fel, under the teaohin«of differentld TjZ': bad h,s studte., directed by the advice of other, or t1,c It of the day towards dilTercnt objects, until at length he became M° el a most .nfluentia, leader, in the great " religious rem:' of 1833, as he terms ,t. He had just returned to Oxford from Pulnit Tt T "', "" ""''"' ''""'"' » «"> UnK;rsity Pulp.t. It „, pubhshed under the title of "Kationai Apos^ th'stnrto , !r r" """'"''' ^'" ™^'> ""' ''^P' "- day as me start ot the religious movement of 1833" (p 83) Then eommeneed the famous "Tracts for' the 'Time. " to pubMclr ^""7' ":."^^"""'^ ^"™- -'- works XVe pul>l,shcd by i,.m from time to time, and he was hailed is the ^ost able and sucessful champion and defender of th' A„!;:': The position which he took up, and propositions about which he was so confident, were three : ''firs/ wag the principle of dogma : my battle was with liberalism • byhberahsm I meant the anti-dogmatic principle, and its developmeml: • Dr. Hawkins, the present Provost of rtrid n^n learn doctrine, we mnst have recourse tn tl.« formn'-ie- r't! r, for instance, to the Catechism and the Crieds^Treo) "" ' CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 283 Secondly, I was confident in the truth of a certam defin.to rel.R.ous teaching based upon this foundation of dogma, vi... that there was « visible Church, with sacraments and rites, which are the channels ef invisible grace. I thought that this was the doctrine of Scripture, of the early Church, and of the Anglican Church. The th.rd point was opposition to the Church of Rome " (p. 95 et eeq.). The two first principles he still holds; but having now "utterly renounced and trampled upon" the third,-his then view of the Church of Rome,-of course the two others lead him to a very different conclusion from that at which he arrived originally. What then are the reasons he gives for this change in his opm- '"^ On looking back from his present resting place in the Chuvcli of Rome, he seems inclined to believe that there was a certain mys- tenons foreshadowing of things to come, in some of the accidents of his eariier life. For instance, he says, p. 54 : .< When I was at Littlemore, I was looking over old copy-books of my school-days, and I found among them my first Latin verse-book ; m the first page of it, there was a device which almost took away my breath ^ith surprise. I have the book before me now, and have just been show- ing it to others. I have written in the first page, in my ^chool-boy hand « John H. Newman, February I7th, 1811. Verse-book ; then Jollow my first verses. Between "Verso" and "Book," I have drawn h figure of a solid cross upright, and nex. ^o it is what may indeed b lant for a necklace ; but what I cannot make out to be anything than a set of beads suspended, with a little cross attached At this t :: I :^s not quite ten years old. I suppose I got the idea from some romance, or from some religious picture ; but the strange thing is how among tie thousand objects which meet a boy's eyes, these in particular Tould so have fixed themselves in my mind, that I made them thus practically my own." A-ain, later in life, while detained three weeks at Palermo, in 1833, fol- want of a ves.el. he says, p. 83 : " I began to visit the Chur.hes, and they calmed my impatience, though I did not attend any services. I knew nothing of the presence of the blessed ^^Zt Sit seems to be, that though of a deeply relig^us spirit, he was always fro.n first to last restless and enquiring Thus at p. 159, speaking of " the succession of thoughts, and the conclusions and consequent innovations on my previous bcUei, he continues : 284 I'ASSI.Va EVENTS AND convictions, that my mind l.ad not found its ult^l "'^ °^" some sense or other, I was on journey.' "''' """^ '^''^ ^" And again p. 257 ■ And at p. 231 : -t mind, under those circumstances vLiehind' Tl'el' '''"^'^^■ ix^ust embrace either the one or the other!'' '^'^''^ ^^''^^' However we may refuse to admit any such altomnt.V. noce..y,yet if it .ere the only alternative thtp™i::i'; to his mind, we cannot wonder that win, h\. ii atlcr, and ,, gratcM for those pretensions of infallfbil tv ,„ wM he h„s been able to give in his adhesion, and And re ^ Bnt ' us »o so„.ethi„g of .he proeess b, whieh' he arrtd this r sJu neeessary by the additions and eerrnptions of Ine trnth introdneed mended to be a protest against the claims advanced by that See and a deelarafon of the liberty of the Anglican Chnrch ,„ seek after and maintain primitive doc.rines, "the faith once (for aTh dehvered to the saints," independent of any external inrlti but It was ,„ no sense either a discovery of any thin- new or an. reparation from the Church Catholic,-on the cont^aryl was a TcI : "V ,f " '"''-'" ■'™^"'°™"^ »f "•" detern -natil of eld a"',: "r '° ""'''^ '» "-^ "'^8- -d "P'-™» P- tested against, and to persist in her claims to snprcnacy in its fullest sense, a separation between the AngUcan and the Km n communions took place; but whatever ac^ „f schism wa com" mitted was Imajide the act of Rome.* ■ "Another objection ursed bv lh« nnm.„;,„ ,.~ ,,.,_ ,, 7~~ '-blch they ground a charge of schism. The shortest answer ,„ Ih" CONTROVERSIES op THE DAY. 285 And from the geographical ppsition of England, and political troubles ^hich continued for many years, the Anglicuti Church was left for a time, in a certain state of present isolation. 1 Ins view of' the question presented itself with increasing force to the n. i of TV. Newman, in the course of his controversies on behalf of Anglican Church and against Rome. Ho felt fully per- suaded tha't the Anglic .n Church had on its side all primitive antiquity, but it wanted, what he thought the larger communion of the Church of Home possessed, the note of present Catholicity- And a saying of St. Augustine's " kept ringing in his ears," securus judicat orbis terrarum. For a long time, however, he seems to have gone on fully convinced that it would be impossible, whatever dissatisfaction he might have on account of any thing connected with the present state of the Anglican Church, to join the Church of Rome, as she now is ; and he sought anxiously for some way to justify himself and others in holding various points of RomiHh doctrine, without violating his duty to the Church of EnglaiMl. He drew a distinction between " Rome 2"71 " T , . • '""■" '"' '» '''•^"S" "I "«l.l nol p. t„It„l J r^' r ' """■■ "" l"l™"-«" (p. 225). br K nta ;„::::,f"."""'-^; ''^"' ■» >"■■«" '- o„deavo,.oa t„ «de, a,°i,o ft] .,,„•;,„ ".1:';::% "':/-- ■--.- o„ ,,c,. o^ OONTUOVKUHIKS (>F TIIK DAY. 287 wujjovontinlly tli») turning point Umt led to his ubiiiidomiiont of tho Cliurch ;'ii(itm ad homiinm now, in tho coininon iKHU-pliition of tlint jihraso, bccauHo ho tcllrt urt thiit ho hii« hiniply and ontiroly ronouii od thorn all, and roptsntH hiivinj,' cvor uiudo thorn; hut Htill thoy reniiiin in all thoir ori;,Mnul force and truth, an alToots othor men v/huttivor ho may fool ; and wo aro fully juHtifnd in oxainin- iwi^ whether ho ha.H hIiowh us any Hufiiciont groundH lor thuH « traniplin.ii; upon thorn." Tho titlo of the Artio!(! is " Catho- lioity of »ho Knj^liwh Church," and at p. 17, v. find tho followint,' puHSiij-^o : Tin; ililViciilty in tlio Uomaii view is as great as can well be conceived. Tlio state of the case in this :— Hcriplure (iecliircs tlit;t llicre id uac failii, tliat it is oiico for all ilulivercil to liio saiiilH, Hint it id a dcporiit, and id to bo jeal.iUdly giiarilea uiid tnuiHtnilK'il. It kivch in various places the particular articles of this failli, correapondiiiK pretty nearly when put together to the articles of the ApoHtl.'s' Creed. Thi.i Creed we find in substance in all the eiirly churches, used at biiplism as the substance of tho revealed uiessiiKc brou(,'lit to us in the Gohpel, the privilege of every (Jhrislian and the foundation of tho Church ; and declared by Tathcrs, who speak of it, in various ages mid countries, to b(! sacred and unaltcr- Hble lev<'l to tho most unlearned, sullicient for tlie most profound, tlie n-amcwork of faith, admitting indeed of development and enucleation, but ever intended to preserve the outline and tho proportions with which it was originally given. Moreover, when controversies arose, such as tho Arian, this rule was pr" nineiitly insisted on, not only " keep to wiiat you have been taught," but " keep to what lias been ever taught, keep to the old and first paths." Further, this Creed did remain Ihus inviolate till the time of the Deutero-Ni'.cne Council, a.o. 7h7, when, for tlie first time, a general council, or what is called so, made an arliclo of faith, in addition to, not in development of, the Creed ; and it did so under the following significant circumstances ; first, this said general council was the first of tho councils whicli rested the proof of its decree on grounds Ebort of Kcriidure; the first, that violated tho doctrine of adherence to the practice or received opinion of antiquity ; the first which was held in a divided state of the Church, as the events before and after it show; held with protests both from oast and west ; and enforced not without something like rebellion at first sight on the part of the Pope against the Imperial power. Such is the History of the clian-e itself from the primitive theory coiicoraing the Creed ; such wa-- the first step. Now ; it 288 PASSING EVENTS AND what hag ,t issued in? in an assemblage of doctrines which, as wa, observed above, whether right or wrong, have scarcely more connectTon w.th t e doctrmes whether , the primitive Creed or the primitive C k ch than the doctrines of the Gospel have with those of the law un -qu.ty, the main aspect in the economy of redemption contains Christ the Son of God, the author and dispenser of all grace and pardon, he Church II,s hv.ng representative, the sacraments her instruments, bis ops her ru ers, he,r collective decisions her voice, and Scripture her Standard ot truth. In the Roman schools, we find St. Mary and the Saints the prominent objects of regard and dispensers of mercy' purgatory or id genc:es the means of obtaining it, the Pope the ruler and teacher of the ChrT,^ ' ""'."'^'^f ^ '"^^ ^^'^™^ «f -^^^trine. As to the doctrines of Chr St s merits and eternal life and death, these are points, not denied (God forbid l; but taken for granted and passed by in order to make way for others of more present, pressing and lively interest. That a certain change then in objective and external religion has come over the Latin nay, and in a measure the Greek. Church, we consider to be a plain historical fact ; a change indeed not so great as common Protes- tantism, for that involves a radical change of inward temper and principle as well, as indeed its adherents are sometimes not slow to remind u. but a change sufficiently startling to recall to our minds, with very unpleasant sensations, the awful words, "Though we, or an angel fL heaTen preach any other Gospel unto you. than that you have received, let him be accursea." ' Again at p. 50 he writes : " When we urge against them (the Roman Catholics) that they have added to the faith, they are not unwilling in a certain sense to grant it- they account for it by referring it to a cause recognized in their system -! to the power which they maintain is possessed by the great Christian body in matters of faith, of ,Jeveloping the faith. Their alleged fact that they are the Church Catholic, seems to account for our alleged fact that they believe more than the ancients. • • • Yet. in spite of all this, they are in a difficulty. • • • Does the Church, according to Romanists, know more now than the Apostles knew? • • • The Roman Catholics, we suppose, would maintain that the Apostles were miplic.t Tridentines; that the Church held in the first age what she holds now ; only that heresy by raising questions, has led to her throw- ing her faith into dogmatic shape, and has served to precipitate truths which before were held in solution. Now this is all very well in the' abstract, but let us return to the point as to what the Apostles held and did, and what they did not. Does the Romanist mean, for instance, to tell us that St. Paul the Apostle, when he was in perils of robbers, or perils by the se.i, offered up bis addresses to St. Mary. ..ad vowed some CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 289 memorial to her, if she would be pleased ' Deprecari pro illofilium Dei l r Does he mean that the same Apostle, during that period, when as yet he was not perfect or had ' attained,' was accustomed to pray that the merits of St. John the Baptist should be imputed to him ? Did he or did Jo not hold that St. Peter could give indulgences to shorten the prospf.ctive sufferings of the Corinthian? in purgatory? • • • There are many things we can imagine them doing and holding which yet, in matter of fact, we believe they did not do, or did not hold. ♦ • » But still there must be limits to these concessions ; we cannot imagine an Apostle saying and doing what Romanists say and do : can they ima- gine it themselves ? Do they themselves, for instance, think that St. Paul was in the habit of saying what Bellarmine and others say — ' Laus Deo Virginique Matri V Would they not pronounce a profet,^ed epistle of St. Paul's, which conidined these words, spurious on thi:^ one ground ?"' How then with these opinions held, after long and careful study of the whole controversy, and while still declaring (p. 256) his " firm belief that grace was to be found in the Anglican Church," in which the providence of God had placed him, how could he, a really religious and conscientious man, feel satisfied that it was his duty to join the Church of Rome ? Doubts and misgivings, he tells us, continued to harass him : " As in 1840 I listened to the rising doubt in favour of Rome, now I listened to the waning doubt in favour of the Engrlish Church, To be certain is to know that one knows; what test had I that I should not change again, after I had become a Catholic ? I had still apprehension of this, though I thought a time would come when it would depart. However some limit ought to be put to these vague misgivings ; I must do my best and then leave it to a higher power to prosper it. So I determined to write a,' Essay on Doctrinal Development ; and then, if, at the end of it, my convictions in favour of the Roman Church were not weaker, to make up my mind to seek admission into her fold " (p. 257). The vague shadow of atheism was haunting him ; he yearned for some '* infallible " guide to put down these forebodings of evil and prove a sedative for doubt. He worked at this Essay from the beginning of 1845, till the autumn of the saine year, when he " resolved to be received ;" and on the 8th of October was admitted into the Church of Rome. Having satisfied himself on this necessary point of Developinent, that is, that there was a virtue and power inherent lU the Church of Christ, by which she T ll 290 PASSING EVENTS AND has aucbority to require, as matters of faith, those developments of " the faith once given to the saints," against which his reason and conscience had so long stumbled, and that the Church of Home was the only representative of that Church, and was pos. sessed of that power and authority, then his wavering ceased and his mind found rest. That his advances towards Rome were influenced by his sympa- thies more than his reason, he acknowledges (p. 1^5, 223); but having once fully given himself up to that authority, he assures us that he has since had " no anxiety of heart whatever. I have been in perfect peace and contentment. I have nf;ver had one doubt. I was not conscious to myself, on my conversion, of any difference of thought or of temper from what I had before" (p. 264). But we must remember that he had had his religious instruction and training for many years in a very different school, and had been living under the influence of active religious convic- tions, and therefore the additions to " the faith once delivered to the saints," which had been made by the Church of Rome, told with less effect on him ; indeed it does not appear that even now he accepts them. It might be true in his case (p. 228) that " no image of any sort, material or immaterial, no dogmatic symbol, no rite, no sacrament, no saint, not even the Blessed Virgin her- self, is allowed to come between the soul and the Creator. It is face to face, solus cum solo, in all matters between man and his God ; He alone creates ; He a^one has redeemed." But bow will it be with those who have never known any other teaching than that which is the popular theory of the Church of Rome ? We remember how he had described this in his letter to Dr. Jelf, in 1841, in explanation of Tract 90, in words I quoted before at p. 286. And this was said deliberately, after he had ceased to feel and speak, as an Anglican to Anglicans (p. 137), when he had long, deeply, and anxiously studied the question, and wrote with the fullest sympathies towards Rome. In that same letter he repeats the following words of his own, and which he had used the year before : " In the Roman schools we find St. Mary and the Saints the prominent objects of regard and dispensers of uiercy, purgatory or indulgences tiie means Oi obtuiriiug it. the Pope the ruler and teacher of the Church, and miracles the war- CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 291 rant of doctrine."* Still for himself his difficulties do not seem even now in reality removed, however his objections may be silenced, by the one over-ruling dogma of the infallibility of the Church which he had adopted ; for he says, speaking as a Romanist, after he had declared his conversion (p. 228) : " Such devotional manifestatioas in honour of our Lady had been my great crux as regards Catholicism ; I say frankly I do not enter into them now ; I hope I do not love her the less, because I cannot enter into them ; but sentiment and taste do not run with logic, they are suitable for Italy, but they are not suitable for England." * In the late famous " Encyclical Letter" of the Pope, which seems to mean more or less, according to the construction put upon it, we may see that while the Pope tells those Patriarchs and Prelates whom he is addressing : — " We ought to expect from your excellent pastoral zeal that, taking the sword of the Spirit, that is to say the Word of God, and strengthened by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you will watch with redoubled care that the faithful committed to your charge 'abstain from evil pasturage, which Jesus Christ does not cultivate, because it was not sown by His Father:" — yet that there is scarcely one single quotation from that Word of God, made use of throughout the whole document, to enforce his monitions ; but all the references are to the writings of uninspired men. And at the close the Pope gives this solemn and earnest exhortation : — " But in order that God may accede more easily to our prayers and our wishes, and to those of all His faith- ful servants, let us employ in all confidence as our mediatrix with Him the Virgin Mary, who has destroyed all heresies throughout the world, and who, the well-beloved mother of us all, ' is very gracious and full of mercy allows herself to be touched by all, shows herself very clement towards all, and takes under her pitying care all our mise- ries with unlimited afiFection,' and who, ' sitting as Queen upon the right hand of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in a golden vestment shining with various adornments, knows nothing which she cannot obtain from the Sovereign Master. Let us implore also the intervention of the blessed Peter, chief of the Apostles, and of his co-Apostle Paul, and of all those saints of Heaven who, having already become the friends of God, have been admitted into the celestial kingdom, where they are crowned and bear palms, and who, henceforth certain of immortality, are entirely devoted to our salvation.' " Would it not have been more in accordance with that " Word of God," to which attention is directed, to have encou'aged application to " the one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus," (I Tim. xi. 5,) who is quite as likely to be touched with a feeling for our infirmities (Heb. iv. 15), as any of these supplementary Mediators, and would certainly be more certain to hear, and more able to give eflfect to their prayers ? il i 292 PASSING EVENTS AND And in connection with the writings of Alphonso Liguori, he still seems to recoil from the morality there set forth, in regard to straightforward truthfulness, saying (p. 295) : " In this depart- ment of morality, much as I admire the hi?h points of the Italian character, I like the English character better." Transubstantiation, too, had been, as we may remember, one of his chief stumbling-blocks. Now he tells us (p. 265) : " People say that the doctrine of transubstantiation is difficult to believe ; I did not believe the doctrine till I was a Catholic. I had no difficulty in believing it, as soon as I believed that the Catholic Roman Church vras the oracle of God, and that she had declared this doctrine to be part of the original revelation." But when he attempts to illustrate this point by reference to another great doctrine, confessedly one of the mysteries of godli- ness, the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity, it must be evident at once that his position is utterly untenable. " What do I know (he says) of the essence of the Divine Being ?" and gives it aa a parallel case, "What do I know of substance or matter ?" Now without controversy, the whole doctrine of the Trinity in Unity is abstract theology, pure matter of Revelation and Faith. But the elements in the Lord's Supper are subjected to the evidence of our ^enses, as Christ would have the Apostles test his risen body. In all cases of miracles, recorded in the Bible, that were open to the evidence of the s( Tfses, those who witnessed them are referred to the; proof of their reality according to that test. This is the very argument of Christ himself, when declaring His unity with the Father, which might be beyond the reason of man, yet was to be believed for the sake of what was done by Christ that was subject to its cognizance.* Then again he refers to the dogma of the Immaculate Concep- tion, " which (he says) Protestants consider our greatest difficulty." " It was in consequence of the unanimous petition, presented from all parts to the Holy See, in behalf of a declaration that the doc- trine was apostolic, that it was declared so to be " (p. 279). But here comes up the main question at issue, what authority is there vested anywhere in the Church to create new articles of faith, and what grounds has the Church of Rome for her claim to * St. Johniiv. 11. CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 293 3uch authority, and to an infallibility in her decisions, which is to silence at once all doubts respecting every addition made to " the faith once (for all) delivered to the saints?" Dr. Newman himself states that '' it is to the Pope in (Ecume- nical Council that we (the Roman Catholics) look, as the normal seat of infallibility" (p. 280).* Even supposing this to be the case, this dogma of the Imma- culate Conception never emanated from any such source.-j- Dr. Newman tells us that it was '< petitioned for from all parts of the Holy Roman See ;" and in answer to such petitions, it was declared to be Apostolic ; and it has been also stated that, since its promulgation, every Bishop of the Roman Church has given in his assent to it. Granted all this, we may yet confidently deny that it can in the least supply the place of a Canon emanating directly from an (Ecumenical Council The great (Ecumemcal Councils of the Church Catholic were always believed to be held under the special guidance of the Holy Spirit; it is with the assembled faithful that Christ has specially promised to be present, —it is in the course of and through their deliberations, that truth is elicited, " Ecclesia, dum arguitur, intelligit." What might not have been the loss to the Faith, if instead of being assembled at Nicsca, the Bishops had merely sent in their separate conclusions ? Do WG not know that it was mainly during the session, and through the influence of one man, that the orthodox faith was then °and has, wc may say, ever since been maintained ? But besides this, these great (Ecumenical Councils never ventured to ♦ There seems however to be great uncertainty about this infallibility after all ; for Dr. Newman tells us (p. 281), " Nor does it at all follow, because there is a giftof infallibility in the Catholic Church, tbat there- fore the power in the possession of it is in all its proceedings infallible. So that after all when the Anglican Church, agreeing with antiquity, differs from Rome, we may yet have some hope that we are not so very much in the wrong. t Whatever may be the force of the saying of St. Augustine, which was such a source of uneasiness to Dr. Newman, it cannot help him here. It maybe that it is abstractedly true in relation to the Church, Securusjudi- cat orbis terrarwn, when such judgment can be obtained; but. waat parallel is there between the orbis terrartm and the judgment of one man, even though he be the Bishop of Rome ? 294 PASSING EVENTS AND add a single article to " the faith once (for all) delivered to the saints," but simply declared what the Church had received at the first, and still held as the true faith. St. Athanaaius himself describes in a few sentences the objects of the great Council ot Nicaea : " A3 to the Nicene Council, it was not a common meeting, but con- Tened upon a pressing necessity." He then mentions certain matters of order and discipline respecting the manner of celebrating the Easter Festival and the Arian heresy. " This g.ave occasion for an fficumenical Council, that the feast might be everywhere celebrated on one day, and the heresy that was spriL ing up might be anathematized. It took place ; and the Syrians (who had been out of order in celebrating Easter and kept it with the Jews) sub- mitted, and the Fathers pronounced the Arian heresy to be the forerunner of Anti-Christ, and drew up a suitable formula against it. Concerning Easter, they wrote ; ' It seemed good as follows.' For it did seem good that there should be a general compliance. But about the faith they wrote not. It seemed goo,/, but Thus believes the Catholic Church • and thereupon they confessed how the faith lay, in order to show that' their own sentiments were not novel, but apostolical ; and what they wrote down was no discovery of theirs, but is the same as was taught bv the Apostles." "^ The Faith they attested ; on matters of discipline, they determined as seemed to them good ""^ And such was the invariable rule of the Church of Christ, until the growing influence of the Church of Rome introduced, one after another, those actual additions and corruptions against which we protest,— the root of all being undoubtedly the claim set up for the supremacy of the See of Rome. Dr. Newman further remarks that " the point in question is, whether this doctrine (of the Immaculate Conception) is a burden'" (p. 279). It seems to me that the question is, whether it is a matter of truth, necessary to be believed as a point of the faith. Many things, that are not true, are unfortunately no burden to thousands. However, he goes on to say, " I believe it to be none. So far from it, I sincerely think that St. Bernard and St. Thomas, who scrupled at it in their day (that is as late as 1223), had they " The Councils of the Church," by E. B. Pusey, D.D., p. 107. CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 295 lived unto this, would have rejoiced to accept it for its own sake." This is a mere assertion of an opinion, and neither argument nor proof. He mi.kes something of the same kind of assertion re- specting Mr. Froude ; he speaks of him as one who openly pro- fessed his admiration of the Church of Rome, and his hatred of the reformers ; hut dying prematurely hefore his religious views had reached their ultimate conclusion ; and therefore giving us to understand that, had he been spared a few years longer, he would, like Dr. Newman himself, have taken refuge in the Church of Rome (p. 73). But the tendency of his mind seems rather to have been in a contrary direction ; and the more intimately he became acquainted with the teaching and principles of that Church, the less could he feel sympathy with it. It is mentioned m Mr. Froude's ''Remains," edited by Dr. Newman (Vol. I., p. 434), that on some friend saying that the Romanists were schismatics in England, but Catholics abroad, Mr. Froude replied, "No, they are wr'etched Tridentines everywhere !" And again in Perceval's Account of the Tracts for the Tmes, we find the following remarks respecting Mr. Froude (p. 16) : But he Tvas open to conviction, and ever ready to embrace that modification or alteration of any view he might previously have enter- tained, which, after due examination, he was persuaded approached nearer to the truth. This is plain from the letters published in his " Remains, which show what great modifications of the view in which at first he had regarded the Church of Rome, he had been led, upon more accurate in- formation, to adopt. And this process was going on until it pleased God to take him in the midst of his labours : for in the very last letter which it was my privilege to receive from him, dated Barbadoes, September 9, 1834, after having set forth, in his earnest, zealous way, his view of certain points of theology, in which he thought! needed correction, he concluded with these words: "And now I have done with my criticisms; if you think them very wild, and have time to tell me so, it will be a great faction to me, for' I feel as if thinking by myself ^ad set -7 wi s rambling." In that same letter he expressed his opinion on the relative position of the Church of England, in respect to Rome and other religious communities, which seems to be worthy of record. He writes: "If I was to assign my reason for belonging to the Church of England, in preference to any other religious community, it would be s^plj th.s, that she has retained an apostolical clergy, and enacts no sinful terms of „ .-^ . „.i,„vo-,o o" tJ^o '^"•^ hand, the Romanists, though retaining commuuiun . vTiierf.*^, < - -— • , „„j ^„ th<» an apostolical clergy, do exact sinful terms of communion ; and on the other, no other religious community has retained, such a clergy. 296 PASSING EVENTS AND And so 110 doubt it was with mapy other earnest, warm-hearted men, who seemed to be led astray, carried away y the flrsT „ puteofthecertainlyc.traordi„ary"moveme„ton833": b" Z m reality, whatever they may have felt or said at any pe iod ,ta .cemed m disparagement of any thing in the present state of the Anghean Churoh could sec no possible justification for aeeept in he creed of the Konau Church. It was a great disappo It „t he Eomanists that, on the accession to their ranks of "„ remarkabc a man, and one so long trusted and (bllowed as Dr Newman had been, so very few were found to follow his ciainnl '' .™^ specially that Dr. Puscy was not amongsr ftc SV This however was in consequeneo of the essentially insufficiVnt Sounds upon which Dr. Newman act.d, as abunda'ntly Zified by this very Apologia, and the really sound and well understood . principles of the Anglican Church herself. But there isTome th.». very touching and pleasing i„ the affectionate and c^dTd m nner in which he mentions so many of his old friends and fellow.labourcrs. To Dr. Puscy he does ample justice ■ andjudgmea, .,1 .be tiaie ihat I knew M,« L.'! lit I'lT^" When became a Catholic, I was „f«„ asked, ■ What c, u P„"e ' i Whea I said I did „„, ^e, .ynp^ms of his doiig as I had done Tw,, Mmetimes thought ancharitablo " (p. I08). ' it P . ^^ S"P«macy? As to the hereditary claim from St^ Peter which is now put forward, it was never whispered llT'f'rTT "1 ^""^ "' '='=™''«"- f" -nturies after the death of Christ. At the Council of Constantinople, held anno 381, and at that of Chaleedon, anno 451, the whole question of precedence of one Sec before another, as far as any was admitted tamed simply and entirely upon the fact that Eome and Constan! tmople were the scats of the Imperial Government for the time „f B The Greek Church remiuds a, of the ii„„ „.|,e„ „,„ ,„ „ „„, of Rome but of Greece, wa. the sacred l.„„„,g. „f Ohri,.e„doM • " • The early Popes were not Italians but Greeks. The name of Pom : not L.u„ b„. Greok-tl,e common and now dcpised nami of .vj. CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 297 Bowden, in his life of Pope Gregory VII. (the famous Hildc- brand), a work written at the suggestion of Dr. Newman, and reviewed most approvingly by him in the British Critic in 1841 gives us a very clear and interesting acco^at of the gradual rise ot the Papal authority; and the facts related by him, no change of Dr. Newman's opinion can now invalidate.* Dr. Newman, in his own remarks, having said : When the seat of temporal honour had been removed to Constan- tinople, or refounded in Franco or Germany, the Roman See came into a position of independence and sovereignty, which could not be the lot of Churches living under the immediate shadow of the Imperial throne; it became the rival of the Eastern Casars and the viceroy of the West- ern He then quotes from Mr. Bowden as follows : " The pontifl.-i," he say?, •' did not so much claim new privileges for themselves as deprive their episcopal brethren of privileges originally common to the hierarchy. Even the title by which these autocratical prelates, in the plenitude of their power, delighted to style themselves, Summus Sacerdos, Pontifex Maxmu!<, Vicarius Christi, Papa itself, bad, nearer to the primitive time?, been the honorable appellations pastor in the Eastern Churcli. • • ' It is a perpetual witness that she IS the mother, and Rome the daughter. • • * The subsequent rise ot the Papal city on the ruins of the old Paftan metropolis must not blind us to the fact that there was a period in .which the Eastern and not the Western Rome was the true centre of Christendom."-Z)ean Stanley'^ Eastern Church, \y.\0l-2. See the xxviii. Canon of the Council of Chalcedon, anno 451, where H is said that ' the fathers reasonably gave privileges to the throne (meaning the Bishop's seat) of the elder Rome, because that city wa^ the seat of empire.' • • ♦ and 'moved by the same considerations they gave the like privileges to the most holy throne of New Rome ' (Con- Etantinople), because that city was 'honoured with empire and a senate'; but not a word about St. Peter or any pre-eminence derived from him. • Dr Newman says of Mr. Bowden's work,-" We have now given Bome of the reasons why ^^■e are especially obliged to Mr. Bowden ; he has drawn out the facts of a most momentous and wonderful period of history with great distinctness and perspicuity ; and we are sure no ^j5g ^.;jl j-ise fi-!!!n the perusal of his volume, without grateful feelings to the'author for the information and instruction he has provided." 298 PASSING EVENTS AND K u » upc uregory 1. ' I beseech your holineaq ' sniH fi.ja .•«• which I sec their due honour taken fror^y bre , r „ ^r. A""'^ " he honour Of the Universal Church, the soHd st ;;; o :/,';;:^^^^^^^ e^era d fo :,r" nV;'.'^" ''- P-Por share or^olurC: 'id jou renounce that d"- / '''' '"''"^^ ^'^''^^ ^^ ^^^^^rsal lope, Z But et th bed""''^ ' yourself which you ascribe universally W bv nh? . ' "° "°''- • • • *'>■ P'-edecessors have endeavoured h'et:.d"tTnr::e'°":r-"' ^'^ ^^^'"^ °^ ^•^^ p-sthood .ruXu. '' A nH '^ '"' """■ ""■" '" ""^ ^'g^'' °f the Almighty ' tension irreltr;,'' "°" "^^"" ''''' *^' ^"^ ^'•-- '' «'P-^' pre- epistle loth'p century Itself, we find the pontiflLeo x!, in a. ZliZ:,yT '°""' 1 ""''''''''• '^' -P"^'-^''^ "e proud appellatu), , by the ascription of which to one prelate an affront would be offered to the equal dignity of all."- Vol. I. p 64-6C With respect to the Anglican branch of the Church in particu- lar the gradual usurpation of the See of Rome is matter gf dear historical record; and that it was contrary to the principles a. Wedged b, the Roman Church herself is evidL it Z Vlllth Canon of the third general Council held at Ephesus anno 431 * The Christian Church in the British Isles w^ planted, if not by St. Paul himself, as some writers h. -e supposed yet certainly z„ the early Apostolic days; and was found to be P r r f.^Pf""*^"^'^"^^^ «f its own Metropolitan, as the British • This canon is quoted in a note, p. 285. CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 299 Gregory Ut, then BiBhop of Rome, anno 603. And one proof that they never received their ministry or ritual originally from Rome, was that their observance of Easter was calculated after the Eastern custom, and not that of Rome. But the growing influence of the Roman See, and the connivance, at times, of some of the kings of England, who in political disputes wished to gain the countenance of the Pope, gradually changed the original posi- tion of this Anglican Church, and brought it for several generations into subjection to the Papal See; the rejection of which usurped external jurisdiction was the first step in the actual work of the Reformation. One great object of the Popes was to introduce their authority into England Ihrough the presence of their Legates.^ But this was not effected without great opposition, continued through many years. Still the Church in England always retained its own distinctive appellation. In Magna Charta, anno 1215, it is styled " Ecclesia Anglicana," and in the C oronation oaths . .< Thus much is evident;73"G^a8iu^i^ie life of William, at this lime (anno 1125) Archbishop of Canterbury, v^cll observes that the legatine power ^-as looked upon as a breach of the law of England and an invasion of the ancient liberties of the English Church and nation, as well as the rights of the Sees of Canterbury and York in par- ticular and that the minds of men wore exceedingly scandalized and offended at it." lUit having succeeded in introducing this rep.esenta- live of his authority into England, we very soon find what use th. Popes xnade of it At a council held at Westminster, anno 1127, which was presided over by a Legate of the Pope, canons were passed in them- Belves not much differing from some passed at previous councils , but Ihe Ityle and decreeing part exceedingly differ : for the very first canon tuns 'auctoritate beati Petri apostolorum princ.pis, et nostra,-by the authority of St. Peter prince of the Apostles and our own;' the second r uct ritate sedis apostolic.,-by the authority of the ApoBtol.c See So that ifwe were tojudge of these canons by the decreeing part, we wo mi a" to conciude that they had their authority only from the Tgatineand metropolitical powers; whereas the ancient canons and Xes of the Catholic Church give a right of suffrage to all, to whom hey gave a right to sit in Councils ; and the style was. as Rucher well observes, answerable, ' decernimus et Bynodali autoritate robo^^^^^^^^ ^e decree, and by synodical authority confirm.'-Inett s Orig.ues Anglicanae," Vol. II. p. 223. I 800 PASSING EVENTS AND of tlio English Sovereigns, it Las always boon " Thr, nv, , ' . Kng,.„.;. ,M„h they ,a™ ™„.„ J^,^l ^ ^"r^' Z aiifi^i ■ {■ "^ ""^ "'»»™iioD» up„„ .. ,1,0 faith „";° w ^0 ,„*„. .„.,.„ „ ^^,„„„,.,_ ^^ ^.^^ Iho Bishop of Ce h« felt to bo tho piesont isolation of tho An»Iic,n CI,,L? n « atever „i,ht „ave been tbo position fo^ed ^on' Tt^.i^:' CIrarch, for a tune, by the necessity of bearin^witnes, for T Tub, as against Ko„c, yet ber isolation nevcr'serrrj her f! an instant from tbo Catholie body „f Cbri,. j^ • ^.oe. with ,1 anti,„ity baslL"/ ^tl'; afd^rpl^ m ^TT ■■" ""^ ''"> '""•'' ■»«- -d "ore man!" Whereas the d.yergenee of tho Chureh of R„„,e fron. aZni'v has b„c„ „„ the inerease continnally; the position of her ZS Ca hohcty romaming not essentially altered. After thoTrs violent struggle for freedom fr„,„ usurpation, and for truth Jl Anglioan Church was for a tiino confined, ^s it Z t^n'Z tue barren hath borne <»pvon " «„i • ^- , ° ^^^ .eaves at one. i. rv;,"; 0^ n" cato: ts":', .r T" centuHo, and then b,„.„„s, „ke A.;„a. ro. bad, r; a ' iLt: and yielding fruit, while tho rest .re dry. And lasllr h ' a, h. sent position of .he Charch at ho„e ; .Lre. too. v. .',;., n,°V tt-Tf '1.. .rue 01., Of God, the Holy J.rasalem. sUe is ia warf.,; wUh Ih, - ^ j^^a^ Ri9cP(MnmM!|i»i CONTROVERSILiS OF THE DAY. 801 world, as the Church milUant should be; she is rebuking the world, the is hated, she is pillaged by the world.'- But if that could be said in 1840, how much more may wc 8ee fresh proofs in all that has happened in tho warfare of th« AnKlican Church, both at home and abroad, during tho last cndent of the evidence of present crowing Catholicity in those branches of the Church, witli which we arc in direct and full communion, there is surely a spirit mov- ing upou the face of the waters, indicating increase ot hie, m the tnanifest yearnings aft • unity between several of those portions of the Christian Chu.ch, which have been hitherto estranged from each other. There are no doubt many good and earnest men who, feeling the evils of tho divisions among Christians, advocate Hchemes of comprehension and union upon the principle ot agree- ment as to certain abstract points of faith. This subject has very recently been fully discussed at an exceedingly •nteresting moot- in. of "the Christian Unity Society" held at New York, when Dr. Coxe, Bishop of Western New York, in the course of a very able address, ^poke as follows:— .. The Papist had been the first divider of Christendom ; and all our cTils are .nly the secondary results of old Popery. It was to be hoped hat we would nut much longer give the Pope the great triumph of seclrus all divided against ourselves. The Bishop then alluded o he arm" s of Sherman and Lee, and the sort of unity wh.ch Lee would «st Xeto promote among Sherman's soldiers. It would be a unity Tery \nuch L that which Dr. Vermilye hud proposed among Protes- lants in like manner if the Pope were consulted as to what he would Uke ;« have the Protestants do, he would doubtles. say, Goon just as ^u are, only love one another as mil as you can ! for the Pope knows how Cr the love is likely to amount t^ while there is no organic unity, ::; be knows too that a guerilla warfare does not amount o much as against a regular arm,^ St. Paul and the Prim.t.ve Church taugh us the absolute necessity of organization. We must first «mi., and then advance Suppose we were all in Sherman's army, and there were no more organization there than there is among Protestants now. Sup- Tseth notion should be started there that inasmuch as each regiment Tad a great love for the flag, and true devotion to the common cause afd enTe respect for every other regiment, tkerefore eaC. regiment » British Critic for January, 1840, p. 78. P^;_^__ j_ 302 PASSING EVENTS ANI) that be Of an tJ„,s whaTlTlu^^^^bLTr ^ '" ^ ^°"'^ ^^ true question was not whether we should love L t '7" '"''' '''^ another. He trusted we all loved tl r V . ^"'■'^' °' '°^e <^De He loved and honored the v „::;;, ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^-^d one another. Vermilye). and his own brother Dr We^r^^^^ they cherished an equal regard for hi^ r" ' . . T""''^ °°* ''"'' question was, ^o«,'a«,./,w,L«r: ^"^.^"^^ of it ? The true have organisation in the armyof e lord 'T '' '''""'' ^« -"«* tem, plan. We are all equally itiot" """'' ''"' '^^'^^^^' ^^«- But we cannot carry on this Leat '", ""' '^^''"^^ =-^^^°^«^- Christianityn^ustthus be org life aU:3V 7'^' ^""'"^ ^'^-^^• and against the organized ag^e^il?:;" :^^^' ^ ^hi: tr^"''^"' the mos grievously exposed of all countries in thwM '/"■' country in Europe had the sense to send back he "ate BuT f ;k l'"^ without allowing it to bp nnhii.i J r ^"" °^ *he Pope bishop McCluskey op ly read ^H '' ^" " ""'" '^"'' ^"'■ hindrance." * ^ ' '' *° ^'^ P'°P^« ^'thout interference or are still making „u..t important movements A 11^^?:.' sentedthis,earto '^ the House of ConZJn^TlZJZ his subject, bj " the Russo-Greek Committee " the chi^f . K ? m view being stated to be : ' ^^ "^^^^^^ " To establish such relations between the two Pnm^, • J Here is also an association in England encrao-Pd in th. . 1 Jot: :;:*:' '" "-f T'""' " •'• """= *« PHndpIes or .be eL Eitreoted from " The New Vork Chnrchman."' CONTROVERSIES OF THE DAY. 303 i The Bishop of Ely (Dr. Harold Browne), as President, stated, at a recent meeting of the Society, that- ..The object was not to proselytise a certain number of individuals . Zl persons from Romanism to Protestantism, but to induce whole to bnng persons ^^ t,,, blessings of which would °*'"T o%"trags Bu in addition to the Southern States of extend to f^^"' ;/^;' ,.^ ^.bours throughout the whole Conti- ""rrW tlere w e^rls in Communion with Rome, there were nent. ^^ ^^^^ J'' ^,^3^; ^f the Gospel, but which had not ihe others which had the b^e^^'^g ^^^ churches of Sweden, perfect consutu ion of the Engl. ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^_^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^c; oVCX-^^^^ ^-^ - ^^--^ ^^-r ■ ^ledl onu.cn 01 b f countries so nearly united in ''t 'I o/u:rwith a^hLI Scandinavian Churches. The pub- V ? , If h Soli ty had been circulated more or less in Scandinavia, locations of the Society ba interest, not only among the and he believed had excited consiae ^^^^^^ riirZ TlC^rcLcr % her ScriptLal faith she to <>«^^^ll''l^[ ^,^, ^,, evangelical Churches, and with her apos- Xl clttu^ The had a bond of sympathy with the unreformed PhiirchcS " While at the same meeting the Bishop of Oxford, on moving the followiug Resolution,— . .u • • That the intercommunion of national Churches rearmed on the primi- tive model offers the best hope of the unity of Christendom ;- .. Th.^n endeavouring to carry ont the object expressed in the reso- ld r.n must desire to see carried out, they must not disguise Tgr^rt'dTl Uie"t it:::; U was no, of course, to be obtained by the sacrifice of a.y one truth which God had given to any branch of His Church •, and U was not to be sought for by --"^^ ^^^ rjZ:T were eirL the uuth ,h,cH b.d b..„ .i.. to „. at"! wo»rd be naturally s..p.cioue of any overtures between us .ud at Home wo allowed of iiractices wbich seemed to be in- Tn^stln w t t uuth. and we could not blame them for that godly consi entwi^ . . The work would be best done by endeavouring ^'! to^nterfere with other national Churches in their nationality and 304 PASSING EVENTS ANT) raoBt unchiistian ftttitude that any Church could assume. The insular situation of the Anglican Church, which the terrible abuses of the Papacy had forced reluctantly upon her, had btcn at the root of most of her deficiencies,-and of many of her. present greatest dangers. It was impossible for any national Church not to feel, in the maintenance of truth, the exceeding evil which sprang from isolation, and those things would express themselves in their national character, and fix themselves in all the rules and outward forms of the Church." These Churches, the Eastern, Russo-Greek, and Scandinavian, occupying immense territories, in various parts of tlie world, and numbering their congregations and members by millions, what- ever we may think imperfect in their present position, cither in doctrine or ritual, have this positive recommendation, that they have ever been independent of the usurped authority of the See of Rome, and are a perpetual standing witness against it ; and arc not committed, as she is, to the decrees of the Council of Trent and the Creed of Pope Pius V. That such yearnings after more perfect unity amongst the different members of the body of Christ, may be over-ruled for good, must be the prayer and the hope of every lover of the truth. And certainly it affords a far 'better prospect for the maintenance of " the faith once (for all) delivered to the Saints," than can be expected from the* adoption of the developments enforced by the decrees of Rome ; while in the influential maintenance of that faith, and the ever-living energy of the Church of Christ, as its " ground and pillar," we must look for that power ordained of God, to grapple with " the intensity of evil, which (as Dr. New- man says, p. 277) has possession of mankind ; and the initial act jf that divinely commissioned power is of course to deliver her challenge, and defy the enemy."* And if we believe that we are • Confident as Dr. Newman professes to be that the supernatural power necessary to combat with the abounding iniquity in the world, is the special inheritance of the Roman Catholic Church, he yet feels that it may be objected that nevertheless it appears to have accomplished its purpose even less effectually, than is the case amongst other Christian communities, who doubt her peculiar claims, and seek for truth and grace through other channels. The reason, however, which he gives for this failure is ingenious : " All the miserable scandals of Catholic countries, taken at the worst, are, as I view the matter, no argument CONTROVERSreS OF THE DAT. 305 We^d with such a po«r ia the Church «f ^hrUt « m«»t^ot L faint-hearted or careless in this great worl£ ; and we must look t It specid note of its presence amongst ns, inereas.ng hohness "irermafbo tany diffieuUie, arising out of the connexion betlten the State and the Church in England; some of whtcU anpl to have pressed hcavil, on Dr. Newman's mmd. But th, "onoe^t on, givfng the Church a legal status and estabhshment here whatever may be either the benettts or iueonven.ences ans- Jfrom it, is not, as you must well know, of the essence of the Churl- it is only a special .accident in a particular branch. other branoh- - «' ~-»»"'°" "'* *° °'™"'' '" f t^w °uras the Scotch and American Churches, not to speak of the multipUed and increasing witnesses in the Colonies are qmtc rnSndcnt of any such connection. But what ts of *« es- ^ we .nay all possess in common : tU principle „/dosma by which le get and maintain the primitive faith, and «»»««« r;r';itnessing for and proclaiming the Word of God, w.th Sacra- ments and Rites, which are channels «f ">"^f »™»„ ^^^^„ Belicvin.^ this to be so, and feelmg confident, as Dr. INcwman telbts ttot he did, amidst all his doubts on other pomts, a, 1* *844 thlt " gr ce was to be found in the Anglican Church Uoes seem ine'plicaWe how an intelligent Christian man should :Xc though it a-ty . —^^^ -- -- t Z ■ Stsr^ntit rirWosed upon his conscience the creed, as now maintained b, the^hurch of Rome.* . .-,„ agaiast light; aad <'•"'»'-";,:;/;* ^fLe blasphemy. '"' rtrfao^SToreT: iro«ca?remoa,a.oreor awr». sacri- became there is in i- -nore ot sin agamst l.ghf (p. 347). T r arcotherswhohavelentheAngUcanOhnrchforthat^ Rome wiuluTrLing an the satisfaCioa '•''J -/^ ^'^t: .ppt d ilst ample ot this, I would refer to a remarkable article wmcn pp 306 PASSING EVENTS AND It IS perhaps not easy for us to realize the feelings with which those, who ha.e never known any other teaching than that of the Roman Church, look at the respective claims of the Reformed Cathohc Church and their own. But if ever there was a work which, while It exhibits in the most triumphant manner the Ct"Vvlr .""f" fr"'^"'" ""'" ''' «"^ ^' "Experiences of a who wIh7 << '' '"'''' ^'"''^ '^^'^"'^'^ ^'^^^''' "^«aning one who, whether "a pervert," as some called him, or "ironvert" as others called him, certainly owned to the fact of being a '< 'Vert? H was formerly a clergyman of some standing and considerable talents in Catht, ' TT '""'' '"* '^' ^"'■"^'^' ^^'«"^^'^' -/• Ma^-^J' quotes what he calls " these noble words of St. Augustin, which (h^ayB) I cannot do better than make my own," we must feel how very different l^n" 308 PASSING EVENTS AND CONTROVERSIES OP THE DAY. place ; and I will now conclude these somewhat lengthened remarks with the words of Archbishop Bramhall, which Dr. Newman also once quoted so approvingly in his " Lectures on the Prophetical office of the Church," and now alludes to again in his " Apologia" : " No man can justly blame mo for honouri'.i i ^ ■ ritual mother, tha Church of England, in whose womb I was cou i - >d, at whose breasts I was nourished, and in whose bosom I hope to die. Bees, by the instinct of nature, do lovo their hives, and birds their nests. » • • Likewise I submit myself to the Representative Church, that is, a free general Council or so general as can be procured ; and until then to the Church of England, wherein I was baptised, or to a national Eng- lish synod." the tone and doctrine of the passage, which I give below, are from the extract from the Pope's encyclical letter, which I quoted at page 291. " Ilium pro nobis rogetis, in quo spem ponimus ut de nostra disputatione gaudeatis. Tenete '°*a, fratres, obsecramus vos ; per nomen ipsiug Domini, per auctoret ,.d,cis, plantatorem pacis, dilectorem pacis, oramus T08, ut Eum pacifice oretis, pacifice deprecemini ; et memineritls esse filii ejus, a quo dictum est, Beati pacifici, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur." 9t. Aug : Serm. ccclviii. thened 3h Dr. on the in his ler, tbs breasts by the ► • • , a free then to 1 Eng- am the 291. tatione ipsiut oramus tls esse unlur."