through Christ, by its effect upon the hearts and lives of those who receive it. Yes-it cannot but encourage the Minister in maintaining that doctrine which has been emphatically described as the test of a flourishing or a falling Church, when he finds that those who most simply look up to Christ for pardon, are those who most steadily persevere in the ways of Christian holiness; that in proportion as they trust in him, as having reconciled them to God by his blood, they become their calling and election sure; and (if both more anxious and more able to make in speaking of the Creator I may borrow an image from the creature) the more clearly we represent Jesus Christ as the Sun of our religious system, so much the more brightly do the rays of holiness emanate from his glory, and reflect light upon the path of the Christian.” P. 22. serves among his people." The particular instances enlarged upon, are the applicability of the Gospel doctrine to the various conditions of men, the good effects that it produces upon all by whom it is seriously embraced, and the peculiar force of the doctrines of atone. ment and reconciliation contrasted with the inefficiency of mere moral teaching. The truth of these positions cannot possibly be denied; but the greater part of them have been already urged under the preceding heads. What was it that gave effect to the labours of instructing the young, but the powerful and peculiar doctrines with which through these labours they became familiar, and which taught them to seek so that they might find? Again, the encouragement to be derived from the repentance and amendment of an aged offender, formed the second head of Mr. Sumner's argument, and in unfolding it, he has not only dwelt upon the value of the human soul, and upon the terrors which await it in its impenitent state; but he has also particularly described the whole progress of conversion. It appears, therefore, to us, that it is of triumph by the Calvinist and the little better than a useless repe- Evangelical. "Those who most simtition, to say that the Christian look up ply to Christ for pardon." minister also be encouraged by None do this more simply than the perceiving the fitness and efficacy advocates for unconditional elecof his faith to preserve and esta- tion; but that these persons are blish the young, or to soften and "those who most steadily perseamend the aged. That fitness had vere in the ways of Christian holialready been assumed; for without it, ness," is a fact which is asserted the effects pourtrayed could never much oftener than it is proved. have been produced. Their production" In proportion as they trust in is one genuine source of encourage ment to their minister; but surely Mr. Sumner must be mistaken in thinking that it is two sources. may We have another remark to offer upon this portion of the discourse; and one which involves subjects of greater importance than a mere inaccuracy of division. "I will confine myself to one more point-the confirmation of the leading article of our reformed faith, Justification As this sentence is followed up by an exposure of the inefficacy of fence of the necessity and certainty mere moral philosophy, and a deof spiritual assistance, it cannot fairly be construed to mean more mit. The Socinian, open, or conthan every Churchman would adcealed, is the only controversialist to which it is opposed. But there which when separated from the conare several phrases contained in it, text, would be claimed with shouts him as having reconciled them to God by his blood, they become both more anxious and more able to make their calling and election sure." To speak of various degrees of trust in Christ, and of proportionate willingness, and ability to serve him, is not a very definite or well authorised form of speech. The Calvinist may easily affirm, that he trusts in his. Saviour more implicitly than others: he will infer that he has more rea- Rev. Joseph Wilson, A.M. on the diness and power to follow him; Questions proposed by Herbert and may conceive that in this opi-Marsh, D.D. Lord Bishop of Penion he is supported and confirmed "terborough, to the Candidates for by our highly esteemed preacher. We Holy Orders with a brief Comare very far from believing that this ment on the leading Tenets of the latter opinion would be correct; it Calvinistic Methodists, shewing certainly is not borne out by the rest them to be incompatible with the of the discourse-but we lament that Christian Dispensation: also the a single passage or expression should Questions proposed by the Lord occur, which can either be per- Bishop of Peterborough. By á verted or misunderstood; and that Layman. 8vo. pp. 59. Rivingtons. the modern enthusiast and sectary should receive even the appearance of encouragement from the example or authority of Mr. Sumner. Episcopal Innovation, or the Test of Modern Orthodoxy, in eightyseven Questions imposed as Articles of Faith, upon Candidates for Licences and Holy Orders, in the Diocese of Peterborough, with a Distinct Answer to each Question, and general Reflections relative to their illegal Structure and pernicious Tendency. 12mo. pp. 120. Seely. 1820. The Legality of the Questions pro. posed by Dr. Herbert Marsh, the Bishop of Peterborough, to Candidates for Holy Orders within that Diocese, considered as usurp· ing the Place of an established Test. 8vo. pp. 29. Seeley. 1820. A Reply to a Pamphlet, entitled the Legality of the Questions proposed by Dr. Herbert Marsh, Lord Bishop of Peterborough, to Candidates for Holy Orders within that Diocese, considered. By a Layman. 8vo. pp. 20. Rivingtons. 1820. 1820. A Refutation of the Objections ad- tons. 1820. THE Questions proposed by the Bishop of Peterborough, to candidates for holy orders, and to curates applying for licences in his diocese, were inserted in the last Number of the Christian Remembrancer without any intention of soliciting favour toward them, or of anticipating the judgment, which it might be neces sary to pronounce on their merits or defects. They were inserted partly to gratify the curiosity of many who had not seen them, and who could hardly be ignorant of the strong F feeling which they had called forth, but priucipally to enable the reflecting reader to form a private and unbiassed opinion concerning them, and gradually to introduce him to the controversy, in which it is more our duty than our pleasure to interfere. The titles of the several pamphlets prefixed to the present article, sufficiently evince the nature of the controversy, and the extent to which it has been carried. Of the spirit and temper with which it has been conducted, it is hardly possible to form an adequate conception, without a perusal of the pamphlets themselves: and it is an act of charity, due to all who have engaged in the contest, to produce no other specimens than necessarily arise in discussing the more important matters in debate, after a cursory view of the several tracts shall have been laid before the reader. The tract entitled "Episcopal Innovation," was originally published in the Christian Guardian. The writer undertakes to supply a distinct answer to the several questions proposed by the bishop, according to his view of the doctrine which they involve, and to confirm his answers by testimonies not from the Scriptures, but the Homilies; and he concludes with general observations upon the assumed effect of the questions proposed. The deficiency of Scriptural proof is supplied by a singular vehemence of invective; and there is an air of official authority pervading the whole composition. Let the reader deLet the reader determine, whether in the following laudatory language, it is the writer who recommends his own answers, or the editor who proclaims the merit of his anonymous correspondent. and grammatical' sense of our 'Articles,' and by consequence against the true “gospel of the grace of God.' His Lordship's is only an ingenionsly constructed epitome of the less spiritual systems of many of the orthodox divines of great reputation in the present day; and does not differ essentially, or perhaps even circumstantially from the lowest part of a late Bishop of Lincoln's anti-calvinism. And we conceive that there is not found in our language so complete an answer to their system generally, in so short a compass." "Adv. p.v. If the force of the Italics and the inverted commas is not always apprehended, the complacency of the writer at least will not be overlooked. "The Legality of the Questions" is argued almost exclusively upon the royal declaration prefixed to the Thirty-nine Articles, without reference to any thing which hath properly the authority of law upon the subject. "A Layman" in his " reply" to this pamphlet, which he apprehends to have been zealously circulated and cordially approved among the Calvinistic Methodists, fails to supply the legal information which the case requires, and in this respect at least leaves the controversy as he found it. In Mr. Wilson's "Remarks," the Bishop's questions are pronounced to be" virtually and to all practical purposes, new articles of faith," to be added to the Thirty-nine Articles, and intended to supersede them. He charges the Bishop with introducing an unauthorized particularity into the Articles; he disputes the discretionary right of the Bishop to examine the candidate, especially upon points which he considers him incompetent to answer, and he offers no indirect insinuations against the yoke of Peterborough, and the assumption of Papal, and more than Papal, infallibility. He afterwards of some of the Bishop's questions, enters upon a particular examination especially those which treat of redemption, original sin, justification by faith, and regeneration. In this examination his vehemence usually exceeds his temper, and his whole pamphlet exhibits more of the acrimony of the polemic, than of the sober convincing argumentation of the Christian divine. 66 The "Layman" is frequently happy in his Refutation" of Mr. Wilson's remarks, in disproving his dogmatical assertions, and in exposing the temerity of his gratuitous assumptions. There is another pamphlet, professing to be a "Refutation" of Mr. Wilson's remarks, which might bear any other title with equal propriety, and of which the advertisement in some of the papers was so artfully set up, as to suggest a belief that the Bishop had entered upon the defence of his own questions. The reader will not be deceived. The Bishop, in a note to his Primary Charge," defends the ground upon which he puts the questions, particularly to curates applying for a licence, Mr. Budd's Sermon has no other connection with the present controversy, than as it is a summary of the Calvinistic doctrine maintained by certain ministers of the Church of England. The principal points of contro. versy discussed in these pamphlets are: 1. the legality of proposing the questions; 2. the orthodoxy and truth of the doctrines involved in these questions; and lastly, the expedience of issuing the questions. We proceed to investigate these seeral topics. There is no reader who needs to be informed, that the Articles cannot be honestly subscribed, except in ther "plain and full meaning," in then literal and grammatical sense?? There are many occasions upon which the Bishop is required to demand this unequivocal and cordial subscription, and it is in the highest legree unjust and uncharitable, to suppose that any Bishop would allow, or connive at, or endeavour produce, a subscription of any cothr character. It is very possible that a Bishop may be mistaken in his interpretation of the Articles, but it is hardly possible, that a Bishop should deliberately propose to perplex the understanding, or pervert the faith of a candidate, when he ostensibly professes no other end or object in his examination, than" to ascertain the spirit and intention with which he means to subscribe the Articles, and to satisfy himself that the doctrines of the candidate are in perfect unison with the doctrines of the Church," as the Bishop expresses himself in the directions for answering the questions. It is assumed by the adversaries of the Bishop, that the questions are new articles of faith, imposed, or intended to be imposed upon the candidates, who are required to answer them. The charge might be maintained if they had been drawn up in the form of distinct proposi, tions, to which the candidates were enjoined to assent. But they are not propositions, but questions; and although the Bishop requires that the answers shall be full, clear, and unequivocal," a question does in its very nature admit a variety of reply, and an answer is not therefore unsatisfactory, because it is not precisely the answer which the inquirer intended to elicit. The various modes of answering a question, according to the different views which the respondent takes of the ques tion, and without incurring any suspicion of intentional evasion, may be seen on every occasion of public examination, and in the case immediately before us we shall hereafter show, that some of the Bishop's questions can only be indirectly answered, and that the answer shall nevertheless be "full, clear, and unequivocal." Such questions the Bishop is justified in asking, and in requiring an answer either in writing or viva voce. Mr. Wilson calls this right in question, and as he expresses the sum and substance of the objections, advanced against the legality of the Bishop's proceeding, it will be proper to recite his words, "But his lordship may, and no doubt will reply; I neither propose nor impose my eighty-seven questions as Articles of Faith; but as my mode of examination, and by the forty-eighth canon, I have a right to examine not only those who are candidates for holy orders, but those also who apply for licences to curacies. "But of what are the eighty-seven questions an examination? NOT OF A PERSON'S COMPETENCY FOR THE DUE CHARGE OF HIS MINISTERIAL FUNCTIONS; DIS BUT OF HIS FAITH ON CERTAIN POINTS OF DIVINITY. Now what a man's faith should be, the Church of England has decided in her Thirty-nine Articles full 250 years ago: nor has she ever since altered her standard of doctrine. An examination therefore of a person's faith ought to be by no other standard than the Thirty-nine Articles: any thing more on the subject of faith, is an usurpation of authority and power, and the imposing of a yoke on men's consciences. A person utterly incompetent to the discharge of the ministerial functions, might answer the questions to his Lordship's sátisfaction; for a dumb man might do it in writing as he requires. However then his Lordship may take shelter, and rest his defence under the word examination, and the forty-eighth canon; yet still I contend, that the eighty-seven questions are to all practical purposes new articles of Faith. As a mode of examination of a man's ability and qualifications for the office of the Christian ministry, as I shall show speedily, the eighty-seven questions are greatest degree unavailing, nay, altogether to the puerile and the only purpose they can answer, is, to ascertain whether a man's faith agrees with his Lordship's, on those subjects which he proposes for answer. But still, his Lordship will say; by the forty-eighth Canon I have a right to examine, and I will examine on what subject I please. Now, let it be admitted, that his Lordship has a right to examine by the forty-eighth Canon; still he has no right to examine on what subject he pleases: for, upon that ground he might examine on the German language, and refuse a man ordiuation, or a licence to a curacy, because he is not a proficient in it. But by the Canons he has not a right to examine on what subject he pleases; for the 34th, 35th, and 36th Canons have determined, the subject of examination, which is, that the candidate at least" be able to yield an account of his faith in Latin according to the articles of religion, approved in the synod of the bishops and clergy of this realm, one thousand five hundred sixty and two, and to confirm the same by sufficient testimonies out of the Holy Scriptures." Here is the subject of examination specified, and it keeps close to the Thirty-nine Articles as now constructed, and not as Bishop Marsh may alter the construction, or increase the number of them. To exaanine otherwise is contrary to the Canons, and illegal." Wilson, p. 18-20. It is, we believe, the ordinary practice of our Bishops to recommend certain standard works in. theology to the attention of candidates for orders, and to make inquiry into their proficiency in theological studies, and especially into their acquaintance with the Greek Testament, before they proceed to ordain them. This is a wide departure from the restricted examina tion, which Mr. Wilson represents as the only legal examination, and in behalf of which he appeals to the canons of the Church. Upon this point we are at issue with him, that nothing is illegal, which is not "That none shall be made minister, or admitted to preach or administer the Sa. craments being under the age of four and twenty years, nor unless be first bring to the Bishop of that diocese, from me known to the Bishop to be of sound reigion, a testimonial both of his honest le, and of his professing the doctrine expressed in the said Articles; nor unles he be able to answer und render to the rdinary an account of his faith in atin, according to the said Articles, o have special gift or ability to be a pracher; nor shall be admitted to the der of deacon or ministry, unless he hall first subscribe to the said Articles." 31 pro On this statute, the onl law perly so called, which governs the |