cumstances, to maintain the position in the Church, in which GoD has placed us. By a wonderful providence, GOD has preserved to us all the essentials of a true Church, in the Creeds, the Sacraments, and the succession of the Ministry; through which we are in union with CHRIST and His Apostles: and we may surely hope and believe, that the same good Providence will continue to preserve and bless us. The essence of the English Church, consists in that body of formularies, which has been deliberately adopted, and used for many generations; not in the opinions of those who from time to time may happen to rule over us. Suppose the Bishop of a diocese were heretical, that does not cut off his diocese from the Church Catholic. Suppose, which God forbid, the majority of our Bishops were so, that is no reason why the priests or laity should leave the Church, so long as we have the catholic formularies and succession, which connect us with the ancient Apostolic communion, and the Church of all ages. "With regard to the doctrine of the Holy Eucharist, which is now called in question, we must consider that the Holy Eucharist, is rather a thing to be done, than a doctrine to be taught; 'This do,' said our LORD, 'in remembrance of Me.' Now it is certain that in the Communion Service, we do precisely as He did; and therefore what we do must needs be right. We take bread, and break it, and consecrate it, and distribute it to the people, and likewise the cup. So long as I am permitted to do this, and am moreover directed to teach, as a fundamental truth, that, 'The Body and Blood of CHRIST are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the LORD's Supper,' together with many other similar expressions in the office for the Holy Communion, and, (to glance for a moment at the Sacrament of Baptism,) so long as I am instructed to declare to the congregation, respecting each child whom I baptize, 'Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that this child is regenerate, and grafted into the body of CHRIST's Church,' it is of very small importance to me, what decision may have been come to by the Privy Council, or, in fact, by any other body, ecclesiastical or civil. "If by any authority, either internal or external to the Church, our Catholic formularies were essentially altered, if the doctrine of the Sacraments were expunged, so that our Church would be set at variance with the Ancient Apostolic Church, with which at present it is in harmony, still I do not see that the duty of those priests and bishops who hold the true faith, would be in any degree altered. The large majority of the English clergy and laity would continue to use those catholic formularies which we now use. And if this involved, as it probably would, a disruption of the Church, we should remain, as we now are, the Church of England, the other party would be the separatists. 66 However, I do not anticipate any such event. I believe that the same good Providence which, in so marked a manner, preserved the English Church, when others fell into schism, will still preserve it. So far from desponding, or from thinking that our Church needs apology, I thank GOD for having given me, in her, the means of grace and the hope of glory. I thank Him for the life and energy, and awakened zeal which has sprung up within her pale. I believe that if only our true doctrines, and formularies, and services were carried out as they should be, we are the best and least corrupted branch of the Church in Christendom, and nearest the model of the Apostolic ages." The sermon we need not say is most excellent, and sets forth the true theory of unity in the following eloquent passage: "There is no authority in Holy Scripture, nor in the early Church, for submission to any one earthly head. There should be one body and one Spirit, one faith and one baptism, but it is no where said there must be one Pope-on the contrary it is said that the Church is built upon the Apostles and Prophets, JESUS CHRIST Himself being the chief corner stone.'-And when differences arose in the early Church, the decision was referred, not to any one of the Apostles, but to the collective body. Therefore it was no act of schism in the English Church to disclaim the authority of the Pope of Rome. : "It is true that there were at that time, many wild and fanatical persons who would, if they could, have separated the English Church from the Church Catholic, as they did in other countries. But by an almost miraculous Providence GoD preserved not only the Apostolic Succession, but also all true and essential doctrines, while all important errors were reformed. It is, also, an undoubted fact that Roman Catholics did, for several years, conform to these changes, and attend our services, as they might do now, for there is not a word in our Liturgy which they could not join in. But about the 12th year of Elizabeth, from political causes, the Pope excommunicated our Queen and Nation, and set up a rival communion in England. Therefore they, not we, are guilty of the schism. We, as a Church, reformed abuses and corruptions, as it was quite lawful and necessary that we should do, without the consent of any foreign bishop and they would have done well to have followed our example: and so this painful breach of unity would not have occurred. It is a grievous thing that this state of disunion should exist. We cannot too much deplore such a state of things, so contrary to what our Blessed SAVIOUR prayed for. At the same time, brethren, though the unanimity of the Church Catholic is sadly marred-though the three great branches of the Church, the Roman, the Greek, and the English, are not only at variance with each other, but are, all of them, full of practical defects and corruptions-it by no means follows that they may not all be true Churches, and all capable of affording the means of Salvation to their several members, in those countries where the Providence of GOD has placed them. The essence of a true Church is to maintain the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship. The doctrine is summed up in the Creeds: the Fellowship consists in the Sacraments, and the Apostolic Succession of the Ministry, that is to say, the having a ministry who have received their commission from the Apostles. Churches possessing these requisites, are in union with the Apostles and the primitive Church, though misunderstandings and jealousies may unfortunately exist between themselves; just as, to use our LORD's own illustration, the branches of the vine are all joined with the stem, though not otherwise connected, but rather divergent from each other."-Pp. 16-18. THE VOICE OF NATURE THE BEST SOOTHER IN SADNESS. ART thou afflicted? is thy mind distrest? In glittering dews, or summer's fragrant shower. Whose crystal waves reflect the sun's bright beam; The stork dove's plaintive note, the cuckoo's call, Oh let thine ear drink deep of sounds like these; With soothing charm thou fain wouldst keep unbroken, Over thy soul is breathed a calm divine, Which lifts thee from this world of sin and woe, And bids thy heart with holy joy overflow, Then shalt thou join in nature's grateful hymn Of praise, and joyful sing with seraphim, O holy, holy, LORD, Thy glory fills Both heaven and earth, the mountains and all hills, E. E. J. MASTERS AND CO., PRINTERS, ALDERSGATE STREET, LONDON. |