scribed by just authority, (for in all cases all depends upon that), may be no less, and no less properly, a Chris tian duty, than the belief of the principle on which it is founded may properly be entitled Christian faith: that the practice of the duty may be no less, and no less strictly, incumbent on us than the belief of the principle; even though that duty, to our apprehensions at least, is not possessed of the same inherent importance which seems naturally to belong to the principle. This is the very lesson which the history of Naaman, which the author refers to in p. 240, seems to have been specially intended to teach. "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers ofDamascus, better than all the waters of Judah? May I not wash in them and be clean?" But why, if God prescribed to Naaman the use of one river rather than another for the purpose of cleansing his leprosy, should we be unwilling to think that he may have affixed his seal to one form rather than another of Church discipline. We say not that the one case proves the other; but what we say is, that the two cases are analogous, and that the analogy is far more than sufficient to do away all imaginable improbability of God's interfering in the discipline of the Church. And the whole history, it may be justly said of the Jews, is one continued argument of the same sort. The second Sermon presents a summary statement of the nature and criminality of Schism, and observes justly, that in the "Last pathetic discourse" of our Saviour himself," with his disciples, the point which he is the most solicitous to enforce, and which he labours to impress on their minds with such affectionate earnestness, is the necessity of a strict observance of the unity of his Church; that his last bequest to them was peace; his parting injunction, that they should abide in him' as 'branches' in the true vine,' and love one another ' as he had loved them his last prayer, not only for his own immediate disciples, but for them also which should believe on him through their word, that they all might be one.' "P.55. The language of St. Paul, as might naturally be expected, since he had to combat those divisions existing, which in the life time of his blessed Master had not yet kindled into, actual being, is eminently decisive against the sin of schism; and our author rightly adds, that "It is not necessary, in order to constitute this sin,' that men should have proceeded to an actual separation from the Communion of a Church. A factious adherence to particular individuals or parties in religious matters, a neglect of subordination, or a violation of established order, are quite sufficient to substantiate the charge in the sense intended by the Apostle." P. 52. In truth such faction as is here described seems to have been the crime a more in the eye of the Apostle throughout the whole of the two Epistles to the Corinthians, than any other of those numerous objects which his most comprehensive genius embraced. The rest of this Sermon exposes the evasions by which schismatics try to repel the charge of schism, such as their position that the sin of schism has reference only to separation from the invisible Church, and concludes with an application of the argument to the religious divisions of our own country. The third Sermon argues the necessity of Episcopacy in a legitimately constituted Church," its divine institution is traced in the writings of the New Testament, and confirmed by the universal practice and unvarying testimony of the early Church." The fourth proceeds to discuss its permanent obligation, or that question which law forcibly argues, "Whether an instituted particular method of continuing the priesthood be not necessary to be continued? whether an appointed order of receiving a commission from God be not necessary to be observed, in order to receive a commission from him?" Law quoted, p. 171.4. Our author then refutes conclusively the objections which are commonly made to the apostolical insti tation, or to the existence from the earliest times, of an order of bishops possessed of powers more extensive than those of presbyters, and establishes the certainty of that uninter rupted succession which we claim for our own Episcopal Church. He then argues forcibly and incontrovertibly against the objections which are raised on the other side against the legitimacy of Protestant bishops, because their succession is necessarily derived through a Popish or a corrupted channel. "The unfounded prejudice which would reject Episcopacy as itself a portion of Papal corruption, can require no confutation after tracing its origin to ages far antecedent to the rise of the Papal power. I would only remark on the grossness of the error which would consider the Church of Rome as even friendly to episcopal authority. By the unprecedented subjection of bishops to the absolute dominion of the Pope: by raising into consequence the various orders of regular clergy in total independence on episcopal jurisdiction; and finally by systematically fomenting the religious divisions of those whom she could no longer retain within her own pale; she has done so much both to depress and to destroy episcopacy, that some have not hesitated to declare, that the true source of Presbyterian innovation was to be found not at Geneva but at Rome?" P. 183, 184. The conclusion of this discourse displays so well and so fairly the author's merits both as an arguer and as a preacher, that we cannot resist the temptation to transcribe, though we must warn the reader that in omitting the notes which accompany it, consisting chiefly of proofs and citations, we deprive it both of ornament and of strength. "Of all the principles of Christianity, it would perhaps be difficult to select any one, which for ages maintained its ground less questioned or less resisted than that of the episcopal transmission of the Christian priesthood. Of the very existence of the Church of Christ on any other than an episcopal foundation, our pious forefathers had no conception whatever. It was reserved for the aspiring genius of a comparatively recent æra, to effect discoveries which for fifteen centuries had baffled the REMEMBRANCER, No. 27. penetration of mankind; to develope mys teries hidden from the contemporaries and fellow labourers of inspired Apostles; to blindness of heresy and the rmcour of throw contempt on principles which the schism had not hitherto presumed to violate, to sow the seeds of interminable divisions, and supply the advocates of Papal tyranny with the only plausible arguments they ever possessed against our glorious Reformation. "It is well deserving our attention, Presbyteriau discipline, so far from prohowever, that the original framers of the fessing that decided hostility to episcopacy which their successors afterwards adopted, distinctly avowed their veneration for it, and pleaded necessity alone as their excuse for its rejection, inextricably implicated as they found it with corruptions and usurpations of Rome. And Calvin himself pronounced those to be worthy of every anathema' who would not reverence it, and submit themselves to it with the utmost obedience, where it was to be met with in its legitimate form. "But awful is the hazard to those who once desert the beaten path of truth for the bye-ways of error and schism; and impressive is the lesson afforded us by the followers of this deplorable innovation. Commencing with modest apologies for their superior claims they even professed to alunwilling rejection of a discipline, whose low, they soon became enamoured of the work of their own hands;-they searched the Scriptures, and imagined that they could discover in the imperfect notices of the proceedings of the infant Church, the very model of their own inventions; until, at last, they scrupled not to arrogate to themselves exclusively every claim to holifrom the principles of their founder, tuan ness and truth; and scarcely less departing from those of the primitive Church, they denounced episcopacy as an unauthorized usurpation, intolerable to man, and in the sight of God, unholy, and anti-christian, and abominable. "From the attacks of those daring innovations, for a time but too successful, it pleased the Almighty to grant our Church a signal deliverance; an earnest, we might humbly hope, of his still continued favour and protection, if the profane indifference of too many of her professed adherents were not a far more reasonable cause for alarm, than the direct hostility of her avowed opponents. Far be it from us to speak, or even to think uncharitably of these, the compara tively innocent posterity o the original authors of the separation. Educated as they are in principles which come recommended X to them by the claims of prescription and hereditary attachment, who shall expect them to be adequately sensible of their de vious course?-or, if they were, who shall assert that, in those cases at least where the system has been legalised by the solemnity of national decisions, the remedy is now either obvious or even readily practicable? But with regard to those, who, having been matured in the bosom of a pure and apostolical Church, shew themselves insensible to the blessing, and indifferent to its preservation, is is difficult to pronounce whether our predominant feeling should be regret for their dereliction of principle, or apprehension for its too probable conse quences. "Without pretending to search for argument in proof of what is altogether selfevident, I would ask, whether the most cursory glance at the disorganised condition of the Christian world is not sufficient to convince us, that the only chance of reunion depends on a recurrence to those principles, to the desertion of which these disorders may be traced? whether, if Christians are once more to be restored, as relying on the gracious promises of God, we bumbly trust they will be, to one fold, under one Shepherd,' it must not, to human apprehension at least, be under the paternal sway of a mild and enlightened episcopacy, equally free from the chilling despotism of popery on the one hand, and the factious and turbulent, and scarcely Jess overbearing spirit of presbyterianism on the other other? "Of this good leaven,' a remnant, yea, praised be God for his mercies, far more Be it than a remnant, is yet left to us. ours then to cherish that leaven,' which in his good time may leaven the whole' mass of discord, and confusion, and schism. And if the unbiassed suffrage of foreign nations once pronounced our Church the light of the reformation;' if the compassion of God, notwithstanding her manifold imperfections, still allows her to preserve her purity of doctrine, and her truly apostolical polity; still permits her to remain, beyond all question, the most eminent branch of protestant episcopacy;-be it ours to manifest a more lively sense of these inestimable blessings, a more earnest zeal for the maintenance of principles too long neglected and impugned; that so she might hereafter be set up as an ensign to the nations, as a light to guide' their returning feet into the way of peace."P. 191-199. a divine commission, states, first, from the Scriptures of the Old Tes tament, that, from the remotest pe riod, it has been the ordinary me thod of God's providence to com municate his blessings, and inflict his judgments, by the intervention of deputed agents, (p. 208.) and this, both in the patriarchal times, and afterwards, by means of the levitical priesthood. The author then argues (p. 215.) that the Gospel dispensation, though it has superseded the levitical priesthood, has introduced another to the validity of whose ministrations the divine appointment is still indispensable. to a man "Neither," he adds, "is it without ample cause, that this necessity of hearing and obeying their appointed teacher is imposed on the followers of Jesus: and if they are thus required to pay submission ' of like passions with' themselves, assuredly it is not for his honour, but for their happiness, not as useful to him, but as beneficial to themselves. They are required to attend on his ministrations, because it has pleased God to constitute him the ordinary channel of conveying his spiritual blessings ;-because, though taken from among men,' he is ordained for men in things pertaining to God,' ordained for the sake and benefit and assistance of men, in all that relates to Almighty God, and to that eternal salvation which God only can bestow;-because the ministers of the Gospel are 'ambassadors for Christ,' and like all other ambassadors, are the authorized messengers of their Sovereign, and exclusively charged with the glad tidings of his kingdom;-because to them, and no others, God hath committed the word of reconciliation;'-hath com mitted it to them, to make his gracious offers of peace and pardon to returning penitents, and appointed their office to be essentially instrumental in sealing their reconciliation with himself." P. 218-220. ་ No part of this volume is more masterly than the conclusion of this fifth sermon, in which the writer vindicates completely, from all imputation of arrogance, those assertions of the importance of their office, and of the exclusive claims to support, which the Christian clergy are called on to make, "God's greatness is often most effectually magnified by the weakness of his in struments. And that we may not be induced to glory in men, and learn to think of men above what is written; that the eye of faith may be guided to its proper object, and that the divine agency may not be overlooked in the thoughtless admiration of its humble ministers, the foolish things of the world' seem, on many occa sions, to have been purposely chosen to confound the wise; and we have this inestimable 'treasure' of the Gospel in earthen vesseis, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.' "But by the less enthusiastic, and more numerous portion of objectors, by those who are disposed either to deny entirely, or to reduce to comparative insignificance, the claims of ecclesiastical authority, it has been contended, that the powers thus asserted for the Christian priesthood, are of a nature so extravagant, as to place the lity altogether at their mercy; to interfere in some measure with the prerogative of God himself, and to encourage in the elergy a degree of spiritual pride, altogether inconsistent with the religion of the owly Jesus. If, indeed, an absolute and Unconditional authority were claimed by them, the objection might have weight. Bat assuredly so despotic a control is neither pretended or imagined. Was it ever conceived that none could be saved but those whom the clergy might think fit to absolve? that the capricious or mistaken refusal of the sacramental rites could injure him who was thus unjustly excluded? Are we to believe that Abimelech would have continued in affliction, if Abraham had withheld his intercession ?"P. 234, 235. - “It is not the least among the trials of the clergy, at the present day, that they cannot assert their exclusive claims to the exercise of the Christian ministry, and vindicate the honour of their divine commission, without being thought to seek their own glory, and incurring the charge of arrogance and spiritual pride. What charge, however, could have less foundation in truth and reason? Can those be fairly chargeable with arrogance, who regard themselves but as humble instruments in the hand of God, acting by his sole appointment, possessing no efficacy in the communication of grace and pardon, from any personal qualification of their own, and none whatever so long as they act in con formity to his sovereign will? Can they derive any encouragement to spiritual pride, from the recollection that, if they perform their office according to the inten tion of him who appointed it, the benefit accrues, not to themselves, but to others; but that, if they neglect or abuse it, themselves and none else incur the guilt and punishment. "But if they are, nevertheless, convinced, by the word of God himself, that they bear his sacred commission, must they be deemed arrogant for having the courage to avow it? Is the ambassador censured as presumptuous for declaring the errand on which he is sent? There is a woe' denounced against them, if they preach not the Gospel will they be exempted from that woe if, through an unworthy compliance with the humour of their profane contemporaries, they suppress all mention of their divine commission, and leave their people inadequately impressed with the importance of their sacred ministrations, by which grace and pardon are to be convey`ed to their souls, the souls for which themselves are appointed to watch,' the souls of which themselves must give account." P. 237-240. We must now be brief in what we have to say of the remaining Sermons. The object of the VIIth "Is to point out the necessity of some degree of external form towards maintaining the internal spirit of religion among mento prove the authority of the Church, in appointing such regulations as she deems to be conducive to the decent and profitable celebration of religious worship, and the duty of general submission to that authority, so long as it is exercised within its due limits, and violates no principles of superior obligation; and to shew not only the strict lawfulness of the course pursued by our own Church in these particulars thus left to her discretion, but the positive and important benefits resulting from her decent and edifying forms, and more especially from her admirable Liturgy, in comparison with the supposed advantages of the very opposite mode ries." P. 250, 251. which has been adopted by her adversa The VIIth Sermon is on the Alliance between Church and State, a doctrine implied in almost the whole history of our religion, from the date of its first establishmeut under Constantine. Warburton's argument is here cleared of its redundancies, and very clearly and logically put: and the discourse ends with a very powerful appeal to all who are interested in the welfare of the Church, on the importance of restoring, in some effectual measure, ecclesiastical authority and discipline. That some restoration of its discipline is much wanted, its true friends, we believe, have long been convinced: as we purpose soon to enter upon the subject at some length, we shall not now discuss the different plans that might be 'suggested; or even enumerate their advantages and disadvantages. Mr. Fausset wishes to restore the convocation to the rank of a deliberative and efficient assembly. Sermon VIII. is ou toleration and test laws, and on tests as necessary to the defence of those privileges of which, on the principles of the alliance, the Church is put in possession. Here the author argues incontrovertibly that *❝ What is usually termed the Catholic question, cannot, with any show of reason, be considered to be simply this; whether a papist be equally entitled to our confidence with other sectaries, which might, perhaps, in our own case, be safely answered in the affirmative: but whether any sectary whatever ought to be fully admitted to the same political rights, as the members of the national church: to which I cannot but reply, decidedly, in the negative. For which of them could we consistently and fairly admit to the exclusion of the rest? and if all were admitted, where could we look for those exclusive privileges which constitute the very essence of an establishment, and for that security from hostile encroachment, which might ensure its permanence and peace."-P. 345, 346. He then proceeds in a line of argument not less original, we believe, than it is ingenious, to contend that test laws are no less judicious, as they serve to give an encouragement to conformity, than as they serve to exclude from stations of power, the absolute and avowed enemies of the Church. "It will not," he says, "I presume, be contended, that the larger portion of individuals in this or any other country, are sincerely pious, and warmly attached to religion for her own sake. Of those who are so among ourselves, some most certainly are to be found among the multitudes who have seceded from the church. And the remainder, that faithful" band, who love her from the purest motives, and with undivided affection; who would abide with her in every extremity, and shed their blood in her defence, must he infinitely unequal to her protection, if ever they failed in attaching to her canse a competent share of that religious indifference which too plainly comprehends the great bulk of the community. "Now, as this aid is absolutely neces sary to her security, so are the means of obtaining it most simple and infallible. For the self-same laws which exclude the non-conformist from those situations of political authority, which would put him into a capacity for injuring the Established Church, may be viewed in the additional tight of an encouragement to conformity itself; and where no difference of opinion existed of sufficient moment to involve the sacrifice of duty and conscience, would naturally and effectually lead him to embrace Where the higher moher communion. tives have lost their influence, we must condescend to employ the ordinary resources of human policy:-we must hold out some effectual encouragement to religious unity: we must make it men's interest to support, what they would other, wise be disposed to neglect. "Of those who now rank as members of the Established Church, and in fact contribute most effectually to her safety, how many must even charity herself admit to be totally destitute of Christian faith!-how many more are there whose confirmed indifference could never of itself have attached them to any religious community whatever! They have, nevertheless, joined her standard; and why? because she is the religion of fashion and of the because they have discovered that the only direct and unobstructed road to the more distinguished honours and emouments; or, because their ancestors having made the same discovery, the prejudices of their education have been fixed accordingly. is to "Now, whatever we may think of the character of such men, yet so long as numerical superiority is necessary to the existence of our Church as an establishment, their aid is not to be rejected. But shall we expect to retain that aid on the comprehensive principles which distinguish the liberality of the day? when all the exclusive rights of the Church should have been finally abandoned, when our especial favours were |