the fame of our Christianity had extended to Africa and the East. An attempt has been made by some to claim Cranmer as not holding the Divine right of Episcopacy, but that this doctrine was subsequently introduced. A more complete answer cannot be given to this false assertion, than the words of the preface to the Ordinal, published under his direction.—“ It is evident unto all men, diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient authors, that from the apostles' time there hath been three orders of ministers in Christ's Church, bishops, priests, and deacons: which offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation, that no man, by his own private authority, might presume to execute any of them, except he were first called, tried, and examined; and also by public prayer, with imposition of hands, approved and admitted thereto." The same doctrine is enforced in the sermon of his on "The power of Keys," set forth by his authority in the Catechisms of 1548, which will appear in some future number of this publication.

We are therefore justified in concluding this article, in the corrcct language of Bishop Jewel in his Apology, where he answers the papists by saying "We say that a minister ought to have a lawful call, and be duly and orderly preferred in the Church of God, and that no man ought at his own will and pleasure to intrude into the sacred ministry. So that a very great injury is done us by them, who so frequently affirm that nothing is done decently and in order with us, but that all things are managed confusedly and disorderly; and that with us, all that will are priests, teachers, and interpreters. We say that Christ has given to his ministers the power of binding and loosing, of opening and shutting. And we say that the power of loosing consists in this, that the minister, by the preaching of the Gospel, offers to dejected minds and true penitents, through the merits of Christ, absolution, and doth assure them of a certain remission of their sins, and the hopes of eternal salvation. And we say, the minister doth exercise the power of binding and shutting, when he shutteth the gate of the kingdom of Heaven against unbelievers and obstinate persons, and denounceth to them the vengeance of God, and eternal punishment; or excludeth out of the bosom of the Church those that are publicly excommunicated; and that God himself doth so far approve whatever sentence his ministers shall so give, that whatsoever is either loosed or bound by the ministry here on earth, he will in like manner bind or loose and confirm in Heaven. The key with which these ministers do shut or open the kingdom of Heaven, is the knowledge of the Scriptures, or the Word of God. We say the disciples of Christ received this power from him." Much more of a similar character with the above might be adduced from the writings of the last-mentioned Reformer, corroborative of the apostolicity of the Church of England, and equally of a defensive nature of the same, from the unjustifiable attacks and charges both of papists and dissenters. But to the law and to the testimony-if they speak not according to these, it is because there is not light in them."

THE GOD OF EPHRAIM CONSIDERED.

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"EPHRAIM shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him. I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found.'"

The conversion of Israel unto God in their trouble was accompanied with a petition imploring mercy and grace from God, and a covenant, promising thanksgiving and obedience unto him; and God is pleased, in his answer, to have a distinct respect unto both these; for whereas they petition first for pardon, "that God would take away all iniquity," he promiseth to heal their backsliding, and to love them freely;" and whereas they pray for blessing-"Receive us into favour, do us good"-God likewise makes promise of that in great variety, expressed by the several metaphors of fertility, answering to the name and blessing promised formerly unto Ephraim. God is pleased not only graciously to accept, but further to put to his seal, and to confirm the covenant which they make, promising, by the assistance of his Spirit, that they should be enabled to do what they had undertaken. This is the greatest ground of confidence that we have to bind ourselves in holy covenant unto God, and the promise of his strength and assistance enabling us to keep covenant with him. Therefore, when David had said, “ I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments," it follows, a little after, " Accept, I beseech thee, the farewell offerings of my mouth; O Lord, teach me thy judgments." (Ps. cxix. 106–108.) David was confident that God would not only accept his covenant, but teach him how to keep it; and that made him the more confident to bind himself by it. "And Ephraim shall say❞—and so it is God's confirmation of the promise which penitent Ephraim had made and has undertaken for him, that he should indeed be enabled to perform his covenant—“What have I to do any more with idols?""It is an interrogation; not only importing a negative, I will not any more have to do with them, but also a vehement detestation of them, and indignation against them as that of David to Abishai (2 Sam. xvi. 10), and that of Elisha to Jehoram (2 Kings, iii. 13), and that of the devil to Christ (Matt. viii. 29). "With idols:" the original word signifies sorrow and grief of mind; a fit word to express their sin and repentance. What have we to do with these idols and sorrows any more? they can produce no good; they can hear no prayers, they can work no deliverance; they can bring nothing but evil and anguish to us; and therefore we will not follow or seek unto them any more. Here there is a solemn detestation as to all their other sins, so of that especially which hath most dishonoured God, most wounded their own consciences, and procured most sorrow unto themselves, with God's confirmation of it. Then follows several promises of special mercies, of hearing and answering their prayers. I have heard and answered Him of fatherly care and providence over them. I have observed him or fixed my eyes upon him; I have strictly considered his condition, that I might proportion my mercies thereto. It is a symbol, first, of vigilant care and most intent and solicitous inspection and providence; the eye of the Lord upon them that fear him and hope in his mercy to deliver their soul

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from death and to keep them alive in famine.-(Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19.) Secondly, of directions and counsel: "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shouldst go. I will guide or counsel thee with mine eye.”—(Ps. xxxii. 8.) Thirdly, of honour and exaltation; " He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings are they on the throne; he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.' —(Job, xxxvi. 7.) Lastly, it is an expression of hearing prayers; God is said to have his eyes open unto the supplications of his servants, to hearken unto them in all that they call upon him for.(1 Kings, viii. 52.) "And the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears open unto their cry."—(Ps. xxxiv. 15.) The Church before had professed herself to be an orphan that stood in need of tuition and protection, and here God promiseth to cast his eye and to place his affections upon her, to look to her, to be her tutor and guardian, to govern her with his special providence and wisdom, to take notice of her wants, and supply them; to take notice of her desires, and fulfil them; to take notice of her condition, and accordingly, in all respects, to provide for her refreshment from the heat and violence of temptation, or any kind of affliction; by the metaphor of a fir-tree, which, being ever green and casting forth large shades, doth afford much comfort and reviving to weary travellers. Because the fir-tree, though comfortable in regard of shade, is yet unfruitful, therefore he further promiseth to be the root of blessings and all kinds of spiritual graces unto them. "From me is thy fruit found;" that is, from me is or shall be thy fruit, as Mal. ii. 6; 1 Pet. ii. 22; Zeph. iii. 13. Though the word found may here seem to imply and direct into an inquiry after the foundation and original of the fruit mentioned, though all thy fruit of good works and new obedience may seem to proceed from thyself and to be thine own, yet, if thou be careful to inquire after the root of them, thou wilt find that they come from me, though they grow upon thee, and that thou bringest them forth only by the help, supply, and vigour of my grace bestowed on thee; but the power and strength whereby thou doest them proceed from me. These words, then, are the sum of God's answer, which he makes unto the covenant of his people. "They return the calves of their lips;" God hears and accepts them; they renounce carnal confidence in man, in horses, and idols; and when they look off, and turn away from these, then God looks upon them with a fatherly eye of care and providence, counsel, and protection" I have observed him." They will not say any more to the work of their hands, Ye are our Gods, nor any more make lies their refuge; and God enables them to do as they have said, and affordeth comfort and refreshment unto them, as the shade of a fir-tree unto a weary traveller. Lastly, they believed and acknowledged that when they are fatherless aud destitute of all help, there is mercy in God to comfort and provide for them; and this God makes good, for mercy of protection. "I am as a green fir-tree," and mercy of bounty and benedictions; "from me is thy fruit found," by the one defending them against their fears, by the other enabling them unto their duties: thus God doth enlarge and proportion his mercy to the uttermost extent of Israel's prayer or promise; and when they have no help or comfort out of him, he himself becomes all in all unto them, making a thorough compensation for everything

which they part with for his sake, and causing them to find in him alone all that comfort and satisfaction to their desires which in vain they sought for in other things. There are two general heads: first, God's promise, enabling Israel to perform theirs" Ephraim shall say, 'What have I to do any more with idols?" secondly, God's special regard to their prayers-"I have heard him ;" to their persons -" and observed him;" illustrated by two metaphors, the one importing perfection and defence, "I am a green fir-tree," the other grace and benediction, "from me is thy fruit found." Ephraim shall say;" this is God's speech and promise, setting to his seal and gracious ratification to the covenant that Israel made (Ver. ii. 3), without the which it would have been null and void; for a man by believing setteth his seal to the truth of God.-(John, iii. 33.) So God, by assisting, setteth his seal to the purpose of man; but with this great difference, man's seal is but a subscription and confession of that which was firm before, for all God's promises are yea and amen, and faith doth not put certainty into the promise of God (Rom. iii. 3, 4; 2 Tim. ii, 13), but into the heart of man concerning the promises.--(Rom. iv. 16; 2 Tim. i. 12.) But God's seal is a confirming and making efficacious the promises of man, which otherwise would vanish into a lie; all our sufficiency is from him; we can neither will nor do anything further than we receive from him "both to will and to do." Pharoah made promise after promise, and brake them as fast. -(Exod. viii. 8. 28; ix. 28.) Israel makes promise one while, and quickly starts aside, like a deceitful bow, as ice which melts in the day and hardens again in the night.—(Ps. lxxx. 3, 4, 18; Jer. xxxiv. 15, 16.) To-day they will, and to-morrow they will not again; they repent to-day, and to-morrow they repent of repenting. Like the sluggard in his bed, that puts out his arm to rise, and then pulls it in again; so unstable and impotent is man in all his resolutions, till God says amen to what he purposeth, and establisheth the heart by his own grace. (Heb. xiii. 9.)* When the water stood as a wall on the right hand and on the left of Israel as they passed through the Red Sea, this was a work of God's own power; for water is unstable, and cannot keep together by its own strength, nor be contained within any bounds of its own: so great a work is it to see the mutable will and resolutions of men kept close to any pious and holy purposes. The point we learn from hence is this, that our own conversion and amendment of life is not sufficiently provided for by any band, obligation, or covenant of our own whereby we solemnly promise and undertake it, except God be pleased, by his free grace, to establish and enable the heart unto the performance of it. Thus, a penitent man's conversion and covenant of new obedience hath its firmness in the promise and free grace of God. Israel here, in confidence of God's mercy, prays for pardon and blessing, and in confidenee of his grace maketh promise of reformation and amendment; but all this is but like a written instrument or indenture, which is invalid and of no effect till the parties concerned have mutually sealed and set to their hands. Till God be pleased to promise us that we shall do that which we have promised unto him and do, as it were, make our own covenant for us, all will prove too weak and vanishing to continue. The grace of God, unto the purposes of all men, is like grains to colours

dyed, which makes them hold fresh and fade not away; there is a necessary and indissoluble dependence of all second causes upon the first, without whose influence and concurrence they never live, nor move, nor continue in their being.-(Acts, xvii, 28; Heb. i. 3.) He who is first of causes and last of ends doth use and direct the necessary, voluntary, contingent motions and activities of all second causes, unto whatsoever end he himself is pleased to preordain; and this, the natural and necessary concatenation of things, require that which is the absolutest, supremest, first, and most independent will, wisdom, and power of all others should govern, order, and direct all other wills, powers, and wisdoms that are subordinate to and inferior under it, unto whatsoever uses and purposes he who hath the absolute dominion and sovereignty over all is pleased to appoint. It cannot be other than a marvellous diminution unto the greatness of God, and too low esteem of the absoluteness of that majesty which belongs unto him to make any counsels, decrees, purposes of his, to receive their ultimate form and stamp from the previous and intercurrent casualties or conditions of the creature; this I have always looked on as the principal cause of those dangerous errors concerning grace, freewill, and the decrees of God, wherewith the Church of Christ is so miserably exercised in this day, by the subtlety of Satan, among the ministers of error and delusion, every one bringing some new doctrine to light every day.

MARK.

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.”—(The fiftieth chapter of Isaiah, and tenth verse.)

THIS question, "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?" was prophetically put by God the Son to his elect and faithful people. We conclude from the passage, that these were not only chosen before the formation of the world, but brought into a saving knowledge of Christ, by union to him. We are told in the word of God, "That the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," "the fear of the Lord is to hate evil," and "the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life," with many other passages; shewing that the fear of the Lord (which is a filial fear) is a consequence of true faith, as the next sentence proves, "that obeyeth the voice of his servant" (the gospel). As obeying is believing, and believing is receiving, here is a reception of Christ; therefore the darkness spoken of is not that darkness which is said "to cover the earth, and gross darkness the people;" neither is the light that which was sown for the righteous; which light is Christ, who was sown when he descended into hell or the grave. He saith in St. John's Gospel,

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Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." It is written in the 126th Psalm, " He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves (believers) with him." Also in the