E. W.-The church would be well enough, I | tion for her members; but suppose I am placed allow, if all the clergy really preached as it directs; in a parish where an unfaithful clergyman but many of them do not. I do not believe there is preaches, can I be wrong in such a case to sepaone in a hundred of them that preaches the pure rate from the church, and unite myself with some dissenting body.

J. D.-Even this would not justify your sepa

gospel..If such is your belief, Edward, it is plain that you are ready to believe any thing, how-ration. The unity of the church ought not to deever ridiculous or monstrous, which your new associates choose to tell you. Not one in a hundred of the established clergy preaches the pure gospel! Think, for a moment, Edward; and you will surely feel ashamed at having uttered so rash, and uncharitable, and slanderous an accusation. Consider what it would be necessary for you to do, fore you could with any show of justice or reason use such language as this. You must have heard all the ministers of our church preach: you must be fully competent to decide what is and what is not agreeable to God's word: you must be infallibly certain that your opinion is right, and that ninety-nine out of every hundred clergymen are wrong; that is, that out of twelve thousand, or more, well-educated men, who have solemnly devoted their time and talents to the service of their God, and have bound themselves by the most awful sanctions, to preach nothing but what is agreeable to the gospel of Christ, only one hundred and twenty are faithful to their pledges! All the rest are either too ignorant to understand, or too wicked to preach, the doctrines of the gospel!

pend on the worthiness, or to be broken by the unfitness of individual ministers. The bond which connects its members together is their belief that the things which our church has stated to be necessary to salvation have the warrant of holy scripture. These essential things cannot be be-changed by the want of faithfulness in some of her ministers, but are continually proclaimed as the principles which her members should embrace and ever hold fast, although false teachers, or even an an angel from heaven, should teach any other doctrine. Believing, then, that there is nothing in the prayer-book, the articles, and homilies of the church of England, which is contrary to the word of God, and that her rites and ceremonies not only promote decency and order, but also conduce to spiritual edification, by stirring up "the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God," her consistent members regard it no less a duty than a privilege to continue in her bosom. No institution, however excellent, could long endure, if it were to be judged, not according to its own intrinsic value, but according to the conduct of a few of its servants. In the common affairs of life you would pursue a very different course from the one which you are now following. For instance: you are a member of a club, or benefit-society, from which you receive, during sickness, a certain weekly allowance. Now, suppose the manager of the affairs of the society should be found very unfit for his office, would you think that a sufficient reason for withdrawing from so useful an institution? Would you and the other members separate from, and thus dissolve, a confessedly beneficial sobecause you found an individual, or even several individuals, not trustworthy?

E. W.-Why, really, James, I allow I went too far in what I said just now; though it is no more than I have heard some of the people, with whom I have lately associated, say over and over again. But don't you think there may be some clergymen who do not preach the gospel?

E. W. No, indeed; that would be very fool ish. We should turn the unfit person out of his office, and procure a suitable one in his place.

J.D.-Very possibly. As there was a Judas among the apostles of our blessed Saviour, we need not be surprised if some unfaithful persons creep into the portals of our holy and apostolic church. But this affords no ground for separation from the church. Her doctrines are still pure and scriptural, although some of her unworthy ininis-ciety, ters may strive to conceal or to pervert them. And, whatever such faithless servants may preach in the pulpit, they are not able to adulterate the evangelical purity of the liturgy, or to alter the language of the scriptures, which are publicly read in J. D.-Then why not act in the same way all our churches. So that, even under the un- with respect to the church? The church is a sohappy circumstances which you have imagined, ciety of professing Christians. If in that society the members of our church have still a faithful any persons be found whose conduct is very reguide in the bible, and also in the liturgy, to prehensible, would it not be far better to seek the direct them into the way of salvation. This is an reformation, or, if that were unattainable, the readvantage which you cannot have at the meeting-moval of such unfit persons from the office which house. If a dissenting teacher be ignorant, or unscriptural in his religious views, he may go on for years teaching false doctrines, and can read just as much or as little of the bible as may suit his purpose. He may thus lead his followers, as too many have done, to "deny the Lord that bought them"*.

É. W.-It would be unfair not to allow that the church of England provides the very best instruc

It is a well-established fact, that more than two hundred meeting-houses, which were founded by persons who firmly believed in the divinity of Christ, and held the doctrine of the atonement by his blood as the only ground of salvation, are now in the possession of Socinians or unitarians, as they call themselves. See the "Eclectic Review," Feb., 1832.

they held in the society, than that you, by withdrawing from communion and fellowship with the other members, should deprive yourself of the benefits and privileges of this venerable institution? Now you will find, on looking at the twenty-sixth article of our church, that provision is made for suspending or removing wicked minis ters: "It appertaineth to the discipline of the church that inquiry be made of evil ministers, and that they be accused by those who have knowledge of their offences, and finally, being found guilty by just judgment, be deposed."

E. W.-That may be done in very bad cases. But there are some ministers who are not indeed immoral characters, and yet their lives are alto

a lion: "Sampson doth not disdain these sweets, because he finds them uncleanly laid. His diet was strict, and forbad him any thing that savoured of legal impurity; yet he eats the honey-comb out of the belly of a dead beast. Good may not be refused, because the means are accidentally evil. Honey is honey still, though in a dead lion. Those are less wise and more scrupulous than Sampson which abhor the graces of God because they find them in ill vessels. One cares not for the preacher's doctrine, because his life is evil. Another will not take a good recipe from the hand of a physician, because he is given to unlawful studies. A third will not receive a deserved contribution from the hands of a usurer. It is a weak neglect not to take the honey, because we hate the lion. God's children have a right to their Father's blessings, wheresoever they find them."

gether unsuited to their holy calling. In the church perhaps they discharge their office decently and orderly, and do not preach false doctrines; but out of it they live as if the world and its pleasures were their chief object. What good can I expect from sitting under such a minister? J. D.-It is far from my intention to defend those ministers whose life and conversation are at variance with their sacred profession. Nothing so much tends to bring religion itself into disrepute as indifference or worldly-mindedness in those who are appointed to minister in holy things. It occasions the deepest sorrow to every real Christian. It discourages the weak and wavering, who cannot distinguish between the unworthiness of the messenger and the value of his message; and it confirms the infidel and the scoffer in their fatal prejudices against the truth. Few ministers, however, it is to be hoped, are so very forgetful of the solemn vows which they made E. W.-Why, really, James, this puts the at their ordination. And there is every reason to matter in a very different light to any in which I believe that the number of such faithless servants had ever viewed it. This thought never entered of the sanctuary is fast diminishing. For such my mind about the great truths which we conduct is universally discountenanced. Even taught in the prayers, psalms, epistle and gospel, those persons, who are not very scrupulous as to and the two lessons from the holy scriptures. their own conduct, often plainly express their dis- How often have I heard these read without conapprobation_and_contempt of such inconsistent sidering what they were teaching me! I am afraid ministers. But, I repeat, the unworthiness of a that the most important part of the service was minister is no just cause of separation from the generally neglected by me, because I was thinkchurch. It is a mistake to suppose that no gooding chiefly of the sermon which was to follow. can be received from the ministrations of clergyman whom we may consider insincere or inconsistent. God can, and often does, produce good out of evil. He may, therefore, even by very unlikely instruments, promote his own work, and advance the best interests of men. The evil conduct of unworthy ministers brings a heavy load of guilt upon themselves; but their flock, who come to the house of God with a hearty desire to serve him truly, will not be involved in the punishment of the unfaithful shepherd.

E. W.-And yet it is said, "If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch."

are

J. D.-And by this negligent and sinful conduct you deprived yourself of all benefit from either the liturgy or the sermon. But I was endeavouring to show you that, if a clergyman's preaching in the pulpit should not be so clear and scriptural as is desirable, the flock would not be left without suitable instruction. The people would still hear the gospel; would have "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, of divine truth, during the reading of the appointed service. At the beginning of the morning and evening services of our church, we are told that the scriptures admonish us "to acknowledge J. D.-That is true. And were the clergy of and confess our manifold sins." We are exhorted the church of England left entirely to their own to "confess them with an humble, lowly, peniresources and discretion, as all dissenting teachers tent, and obedient heart;" and, after beseechare, the flock, in some cases, might be in dangering the congregation to join in his supplications of perishing for want of wholesome food. But at the throne of grace, not only with their lips, the case is far different in our church. The way but with a pure and sincere heart, the minister of salvation is so plainly pointed out in our repeats a confession well suited to every class of liturgy alone, that he that runneth may read and persons. In this confession the minister and peounderstand. I trust that this may, without irre- ple declare that they have committed many sins, verence, be said of it, since it is composed almost and left undone many duties. They confess that entirely of scriptural language and expressions."there is no health"-that is, spiritual health— However inconsistent, then, a clergyman may be in other respects, he must be consistent during the greater part of his public ministrations. He is obliged to proclaim to all his hearers the vital truths of religion. He must tell them of their corrupt nature, their helplessness, their need of faith and repentance. He must repeatedly direct their attention to Jesus Christ, as the "only name given among men by which they can be saved." We should bear this in mind when we are disposed to think about the unworthiness of the minister. We should endeavour to forget the earthen vessel, and to look at the treasure of which it is made the bearer. As the eminent and holy bishop Hall observes, in allusion to the honey-comb that Sampson found in the carcass of

in them; and they beg for mercy in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom the promise of pardon and salvation was declared to penitent and believing sinners.

E. W.-How little have I thought of the meaning of this confession when I have heard it repeated by the minister! Instead of kneeling down, as the church directs, and joining in this confession both with my lips and with my heart, I used to sit down, and sometimes repeated carelessly the words, and sometimes neither opened my lips, nor thought about the matter, as if this humble acknowledgment were no concern of mine.

J. D.-Alas! multitudes act in the same thoughtless and offensive manner, as is too plain to be seen from their irreverent habit of sitting

|

honour him either with their bodies or their minds,
and therefore they are "sent empty away:" they
ask, and receive not, because they ask amiss.
E. W.-I am afraid, James, that a feeling of
shame or pride may have kept me from either
kneeling down during prayers, or using those
prayers, as we are directed, "in an humble voice."

J. D.-It is a sad proof of man's fallen condition, that he should ever be ashamed of doing homage, even in the lowest attitude, to his Creator; and it would be well if men would bear in mind, that they, who are ashamed to seek the pardon of their sins through Jesus Christ, by an humble confession, must not expect to be acknowledged as his servants at the great day of account. If pride be the cause why any persons will not kneel down and join in this solemn confession, let them remember that the time is fast approaching "when the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of man shall be made low; for the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low" (Isa. ii. 11, 12). But, in order to shew you how strictly scriptural is the direction of our church respecting the posture in which prayer should be made, I will read to you a few verses from the bible: "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker" (Ps. xcv. 6). When Solomon prayed at the consecration of the temple which had just been completed, he "kneeled

down, and looking quite unconcerned during the
reading of this solemn prayer. If a converted
heathen were to come into one of our churches,
and to see the minister and only a small part of
the congregation kneeling and repeating this con-
fession, while the rest were sitting down in
silence, what could he think of them? He could
only suppose that the greatest part of the congre-
gation did not consider themselves sinners, and in
need of mercy, and therefore would not humble
themselves before God, and supplicate for pardon.
It might be thought that the plain direction of
our church, respecting the mode in which this
confession is to be used, would prevent any per-
sons from falling into this unbecoming and irre-
verent habit. Ŏbserve what is put at the head of
this part of the liturgy: "A general confession
to be said of the whole congregation, after the
minister, all kneeling." This direction is agreeable
to reason and scripture. We come before God as
transgressors of his holy law, and, consequently,
should humble ourselves both in heart and body.
For do not reason and common sense lead offend-
ers, when seeking pardon and favour from a Sove-
reign against whom they have rebelled, to use
the humblest posture? There are, indeed, various
modes in which prayers are offered to God, differ-
ing according to the customs of different nations;
but it will be found that all sincere and intelligent
worshippers never use a posture of body, during
prayer, which is not becoming in an inferior who
is deprecating the anger or imploring the favour
of a superior. In eastern countries the worship-down
pers of God generally prostrate themselves on the
ground. The Jews sometimes stood, at other
times knelt, while performing this solemn duty.
Some were in the habit of bowing the head to the
ground, and smiting their breasts, in token of
sorrow and humiliation. Others would stand,
and spread out their hands towards heaven; a
practice alluded to by St. Paul: "Wherefore lift
up holy hands without wrath or doubting" (1
Tim. ii. 8). But, among the various postures that
were used in prayer, we never once read of that of
sitting down. Kneeling was most commonly used
by Christ's apostles, by the Saviour himself, and by
the early Christians. The custom of siting down
during prayer is really so unseemly and irreve-
rent that it is astonishing how any persons, who
profess to serve and honour God, can ever adopt
such a practice. It is utterly inexcusable, except
in the case of those who are afflicted with some
bodily disease or infirmity, which renders them
unable either to kneel or stand. There is no
doubt that many, who follow this unseemly prac-
tice, do not mean to offer irreverence to God, but
that it proceeds from want of consideration.
This, however, will not excuse them in the sight
of God. They ought not to enter into his pre-
sence, and still less to worship him, without consi-
dering what they are doing. He requires all per-
sons to worship him with reverence and godly fear.
"Keep thy feet," says Solomon, "when thou
goest to the house of God, and be more ready to
hear than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they
consider that they do evil" (Eccles. v. 1). For
want of considering where they are, whom they
are professing to serve, and what they are doing,
too many persons offer rather an abomination
than an acceptable sacrifice to God. They do not

upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards heaven" (2 Chron. vi. 13). This was also the posture used by Daniel. He was neither afraid nor ashamed of openly paying homage to his God, and praying to him in the lowliest attitude; for it is stated that, "his window being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime" (Dan. vi. 10). "I fell upon my knees," says Ezra, "and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God, and said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens" (Ezra ix. 5, 6). Even our blessed Saviour, though God as well as man, used the same humble posture when he prayed: he "kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke xxii. 41, 42). Stephen, when praying with his dying breath on behalf of his murderers, fell upon his knees before God: "He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts vii. 60). St. Paul used the same humble and reverential posture during prayer: he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all". And in another place it is recorded: "We kneeled down on the shore, and prayed" (Acts xx. 36; xxi. 5). These quotations are sufficient to show what was the posture used by the servants of God during prayer from the earliest times; and, unless we endeavour to tread in their steps, and to worship God in a lowly and reverential manner, us not expect that we shall "obtain anything of

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Mr. Kyrle's income has been pretty accurately stated at 500l. a-year. His favourite occupations were building and planting, in which his skilling aloud, tiil Kyrle had finished. The draught and taste were as freely exerted for the benefit of his friends as on his own improvements: he frequently planned and superintended architectural works for persons who gladly availed themselves of his skill and taste.