the inward and spiritual grace: no wit of man certainly can pronounce whether the Church intends that these are always effectual than the first; and the majority of the clergy, means or not.. It appears a stronger clause therefore, do, in effect, seem to say consistently, 6 the influence of its individual responsi- | be meant by a means whereby we receive bility, can ever, in future, whether offi cially or otherwise, tamper with the eternal interests of the young, by adopting as their initiatory to religious knowledge and belief, a formulary so clearly demonstrated to be grossly deficient, pal-Well, then, the grace must be received. pably absurd, and vitally erroneous. We are conscious that we have expressed ourselves strongly, but whether too much so for the occasion, let our final extract from these powerfully written pages determine. The answer to the fifteenth question in the catechism, "What meanest thou by this word sacrament?" is, "I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof." On which Our author proceeds thus: "Of all the attempted definitions of important religious terms, with which no idle investigation of them for thirty years has made us acquainted, this, on the best consideration we are able to bestow, appears the most perplexing and ambiguous. As far as we comprehend its purport, the first clause of this answer is a virtual contradiction of the answer to the next question. From this clause we should understand that a sacrament was simply the outward and visible sign, not necessarily and always accompanied by inward and spiritual grace and thus we know numbers of the clergy and other divines to understand it. In that answer (to the sixteenth question of the catechism), a sacrament is said to consist of Two' parts -the outward and visible sign' and' the inward and spiritual grace.' "But what is to be made of the collocation of phrases and ideas following, as designed for a child's instruction?' An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us.' What is here said to be given unto us, the grace, or the sign of the grace? Either may be understood; both have been for either may be correctly taken as the nominative of the verb; and (boasting no extensive theological library) we are in possession of copies of the catechism, pointed both ways. The confusion thus introduced, extends of course to the clauses following, and what is said to be ordained by Christ himself, as a means, &c. as well as what is received,' become equivocal, and grammatically refer to the same double antecedent. But taking the outward sacrament to And so of the phrase a pledge to assure us thereof,' that is, (we suppose,) of the inward grace. A real and honest pledge in word or deed, should make the matter undertaken or engaged for certain. Does this pledge? our evangelical clergy-(better biblicists than churchmen here, we are happy to say,) reply, No. It may or may not be. The other and larger portion of the clergy, say, YES. The spiritual grace is not only signified, but 'conveyed by these signs." (Archbishop Wake). And such is the amount of unity and concert' secured by subscription to these formularies." p. 52. In concluding this article, we deem it but just to the author, and to our readers, candidly to state that, on this most objectionable epitome of national religion, we do not remember to have seen any publication which appears, to us, so perfectly adapted to meet the greatly neglected requirements of the case as that to which we have now attended. The work is evidently the result of matured consideration and careful research; and we are much gratified in being enabled to add, that the style and temper of the writer are such, as may be safely commended to the imitation of any who may find it indispensable to employ the pen of controversy. Though, up to the moment in which we are now writing, we possess no knowledge of the author of this production, apart from the work now before us, yet we did not proceed far, in an attentive perusal of it, before we perceived what we considered to be internal evidence of its having been written by a member of our own denomination; and advanced, has been confirmed by our subthis impression, which was deepened as we sequent inquiries. We trust, he will not consider himself to be disparaged by our stating it, as our conviction, that a Baptist only could have discharged the duty which he has so successfully performed. In short, such is our conscientious persuasion, concerning the adaptation of this excellent pamphlet to be useful in various and extensive sections of the Christian church, that we cannot help urging it upon our readers, to consider, that, to a certain degree, at least, it now remains with them to determine the patronage it shall receive, and the publicity it shall acquire. * * Just after writing the above, a tract was put into our hands entitled, " A Letter addressed to the Bishop of Salisbury, by William Tiptaft, containing various reasons why he resigns his living, and cannot continue a minister of the Church of England." This letter is dated, "Sutton Courtney Vicarage, November 10, 1831." The reasons referred to in the title page are fourteen. We transcribe the third: "Thirdly, I object to the catechism, as being grounded upon the Baptismal service, especially to the second, third, and fourth answers; consequently I cannot teach it, nor even sanction it, in the Sunday schools in my parish." Whereunto will this grow? England's Crisis, and her Safeguard. On that subject which at present absorbs almost every one's attention, and which has acted as a test in discovering truehearted Britons, the writer thus expresses himself: "Many pressing difficulties rest upon us as a nation at present, which, however, under the direction of a PATRIOT KING, and a ministry in which the people fully confide, we may confidently anticipate will be as speedily removed as we can rationally expect. It is a very serious grievance that His Majesty's government is opposed by very many in both houses of parliament. A divided aristocracy in our senate-house, under any circumstances, is sufficiently painful; but at present more than ordinarily calamitous. Whether at any time it is politically wise in kings to put their subjects in possession of their private opinions, may, with some perhaps, admit of a question. But Britain is in possession of the mind of her king; and, with the excep tion of two or three, the whole bench of bishops, and a large number of temporal lords, have hurled defiance at the known wish of their king and his ministry! It may be almost a doubt, if the lower house of parliament determine on their political regeneration, whether the upper house have more than the right that mere courtesy concedes to interfere in such movements. But the first mover in the house of lords on the reform bill puts forth a motion which directly insults the whole commons of Engbill for reforming the constituency of the If common courtesy demand that the nation should have its claims, at least, patiently heard in a committee, even this courtesy is refused toto cœlo. land. "That his majesty's government should have been thwarted in this measure, at a time, also, when the nation so imperatively called for a reform, and so anxiously anticipated the consummation of their desires, still more to be deplored. I am not at all certain that the operation of the reform bill would have benefited the nation to the full extent that millions imagine-some of its provisions may yet need careful revision; yet, as a whole, it was undoubtedly one of the most magnificent measures ever contemplated by a British house of commons. We might have hoped that, in a measure so purely political, the noble prelates (who, in the character of ministers of Christ, if ministers of Christ truly they are, have a dignity thrown around them infinitely more illustrious than the honours which invest them as statesmen) would have refrained from intermeddling; but their ecclesiastical dignity they have prostrated, in the sight of their king and the whole nation—their political dignity has perished. Why should our ecclesiastical rulers have, with infinite hardihood official character neutral, if not even odious, and daring, ventured on rendering their by this oblique political movement? "The lower classes of a nation may be unreasonable in their demands; but the petitioners for a reform in parliament were the wealthy, the honourable, of the whole nation. A minority of high and estimable character went not into this measure; but this minority was comparatively small indeed. The tens of thousands and millions of the nation had, and yet have, their hearts in the cause. Most indecorous, then, truly was it, to despise a prayer which more than sixteen millions of Britons presented, and which their king and his ministers had listened to with feelings of lively interest! Surely we may be permitted to ask-If a small portion of the aristocracy, supported by the archbishops and bishops of this realm, do these things in the green tree, what will they do in the dry? Surely those spiritual champions of political corruption should have remembered how deeply the church strikes its roots into the revenue, and how ill, therefore, it became them to aid in shouldering out the bill. If our liberties were left in such custody, how brief would be our transition to an annihilation of our rights, civil and sacred, and an entrance into all the felicities of feudal slavery!" After enumerating other sources of national affliction, and causes for apprehend ing the Divine judgments, he says,— accumulate property. To retain the portion they already possess, is to live in the midst of affluence. Such individuals would do well to ask how many they could rescue from idleness, and consequently preserve from want, and from the commission of innumerable crimes." We hope our ministers, and other brethren in office, will regard the following recommendation : this time very important. "United prayer will achieve wonders. The following remarks are in character in a disciple of Him who went about doing good "And why should not the members of our respective churches unite in prayer together, especially in reference to our present situation as a nation? Is it too much to expect that a people professing faith in God, should give an hour in a week to extraordinary prayer, when extraordinary dangers threaten? Why should the world consume all our energies? And if otherwise, we labour in works of a benevolent character, will not our labours be paralysed, if not sustained by ardent and united prayer? Will it not betray a want of piety, if prompt in other services, and appaAnd now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us; I smote you with blasting, and with mildew, and with hail, in all the labour of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord:''Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought "This is especially the time for the rich to abound in works of benevolence. I do not primarily intend, by this remark, the benevolence which consists in aimsgiving; but the benevolence displayed in employing capital on which the wealthy might retire, in finding employment for the labouring poor. In many instances, the labour might be comparatively unproductive to him who furnish-upon his name.' ed it but if it were not destructive of property, that, where gain is not necessary, ought to suffice. A large number of individuals have not the very slightest occasion to "Allow me, my Christian friends, to be urgent on this head; if we can step between the living and the dead, and stay the plague; if the anger of God may be turned away by our means; if the blessing of heaven may de- have partook more of his partialities for an scend on our guilty land in answer to our established national church, had he lived prayers; oh! what a felicity to ourselves, to bring it down to a later period. In adwhat a triumph to true piety, what a bless-dition to a correct knowledge of general ing to souls, what an honour to the Son of God !—Awake, awake, O Zion! put on thy strength." This common-sense pamphlet con ludes with some very evangelical exhortations: it is a seasonable publication. Ecclesiastical History; or, a Course of Lectures delivered at Founder's Hall, Lothbury, London. By WILLIAM JONES, MA., Author of "Lectures on the Apocalypse," &c. Vol.1.-London: Holdsworth and Ball. history, and of extensive ecclesiastical research, and of an honest mind to present facts as they existed, it demands that a writer on this subject should well understand the nature of the kingdom of Christ, as stated in the New Testament; and be resolved to bring all his facts to be decided by that infallible test! No man, we venture to assert, who does not fully believe the sole headship of Christ in his church; the perfection of the New Testament alone for all the ends of doctrine and discipline; and the inalienable right of private judgment among the professed followers of the Saviour, has the essential qualifications for writing the history of THE CHURCH OF CHRIST; and, without any design to flatter Mr. eminently qualified for the task, which the contents of this respectable volume prove he has satisfactor ly executed. It may perhaps be said, after reading the title of the work before us, "What necessity was there for another history of the Church? Have we not Dupin's, and Moshiem's, and Milner's, with the notes and continuations of their learned trans-Jones, we consider him, in those respects, lators and successors?". We certainly have; and if by Ecclesiastical History be intended the history of national, endowed, and established churches, or of the corThere is a Preliminary Discourse, conrupt hierarchies by which they have been sisting of three sections,-1. A View of the generally, if not always, governed, these Character of Christ the Saviour of the may be quite sufficient; but if the subject World.-2. The State of the Gentile be what is intended by the Church of World at the time of the Messiah's apChrist, in the most strict and literal import|pearance.-3. The State of the Jewish of that phrase, then we apprehend there Nation at the time of the birth of Christ. was, notwithstanding the works of those It is sufficient to say, without selecting voluniinous writers, a most affecting va- extracts, which might easily be done, that cuum to be supplied in the history of THE the reader will find much in each of these Church. sections, to elucidate the reference in the New Testament to the existing state of things, in regard to the effects produced by idolatry among the Gentile nations; and also to the various sects of religionists among the Jews when Christ appeared It was not possible that Dupin, a Roman Catholic, who believed the supremacy of the Pope, could describe the nature of Christ's kingdom, or the spirituality of its laws. It was not probable that Moshiem, who, though a Lutheran, yet considered the Roman Catholic body as the true though corrupted church, would be able to appreciate the spirit and principles of the genuine followers of the Saviour, or to discriminate the features of true Christians; and hence, we always, in perusing his work, read his accounts of "Heresies " and " Heretics," as being most likely the records of THE Church. And even Milner's History of the Church is not free from blemishes of the same kind; and, most likely, would as a refiner's fire and fuller's soap," to reform the abuses and remove the corruptions which had crept into the church, in consequence of their having made void the commandments of God, by observing the traditions of men. In the first lecture, Mr. J. correctly remarks, that he considers "the Book of the Acts of the Apostles as a perfect specimen and example of what a history of the Christian Church ought to be." He gives a brief review of this book, considering it "as an epitome of ecclesiastical history." We select the following as a specimen of his sentiments, and of the principles which pervade the whole work. "The second chapter contains an account of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of pentecost, in which was fulfilled, as the historian tells us, a memorable prophecy which had been delivered by Joel eight hundred years before. We then have the substance of a sermon preached by the Apostle Peter to a multitude of unbelieving Jews, most of whom had been accessary to putting the Son of God to a shameful and ignominous death, and so powerful was the appeal that, through Divine energy, about three thousand of them were converted to the faith, baptized into the name of Christ, and formed into a Christian church." The chapter closes with a particular | specification of the ordinances of public worship, which, under apostolic direction, and conformably to the will of the ascended Saviour, chap. i. 3, they statedly observed - "The doctrine of the teaching of the apostles the fellowship or contribution for the relief of the poor, &c. the commemoration of the Lord's death, here termed the breaking of bread,' with the moral and devotional exercises of prayer and praise, v. 41-47. And with this commenced the Christian Church, or setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world: that church or kingdom, whose history we intend, if the Lord will, to trace from that period to the present, contemplating the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, gradually expanding its dimensions until it became a great mountain; or, according to one of our Lord's parables, 'the grain of mustard seed,' taking root in the earth, springing out of the ground, rising majestically into a tree, casting forth its branches on every side, so that the birds of the air come and lodge under them."-p. 67. Britain when Druidical superstition and cruelty prevailed over its barbarous inhabitants, as well as the account of the period when the Gospel was introduced, will be read, we doubt not, with peculiar interest. The book wants a copious index, which we suppose will be supplied, when the author has completed his design, in another volume. By A Church Reform: a Letter to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. LAYMAN. pp. 68.-Effingham Wilson. THIS pamphet is distinguished by a vein of pungent satire. We never read works of this description without being forcibly reminded of the words of an inspired teacher, "and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." Ridicule may be exceedingly entertaining to a certain class of persons who witness its exhibition, and against whom its influence is not directed; but we consider its operation as a corrective of error, whether voluntary or otherwise, extremely doubtful, and its agency to be such as can seldom be successfully employed in the great affairs of religion. The author of this Letter to his Grace of Canterbury, brings into his pages a considerable number of facts which, regarding them, as we certainly do, as affecting distortions of the simplicity and spirituality of the primitive church, are much more adapted to induce a tear, than to excite a smile; and, whether such a representation of them as ought to produce no other emotions than those of unmingled disapprobation, might not, to say nothing of the seriousness of the subject, be more effective than laboured attempts to write It is impossible, from our contracted facetiously, we would suggest, generally, limits, that we can give even a syllabus to those who deem it incumbent to expose of this volume: Mr. Jones has made a the unscriptural nature and tendency of judicious selection of the fragments of political church establishments. Let us history during the three first centuries, not, however, be misunderstood, as though which illustrate the prevalence of Chris- it were our design to withhold acknowtianity in the face of Pagan opposition; ledging the just claims of this writer to when its purity and power were seen in public attention; on the contrary, his the martyrdom of Ignatius, Polycarp, Letter is certainly written with considerand others, who loved not their lives able ability, and contains very much to the death. The secularizing effects which should engage, and that too with produced by the adoption of Christi- as little delay as possible, the most serious anity by Constantine are shewn with consideration, especially of the members great precision of statement. The state of of the Church of England. |