3dly. The engagements into which, as the terms of admission to orders, and to any benefice or employment in the Church, every clergyman is required to enter, so repeatedly, that every incumbent must have done so, six times at least. First, by subscription prior to his ordination as Deacon, according to the 36th Canon; secondly, by subscription prior to his ordination as Priest, according to the same; thirdly, in his vow at ordination to the Priesthood; fourthly, by subscription prior to his admission to his benefice, according to the 36th Canon; fifthly, by declaration by word of mouth, before the Bishop, that he would conform; sixthly, by his declaration in church in the presence of the people, to the same effect.

On all which, Archdeacon Sharp draws this conclusion: that "whosoever among the clergy either adds to it, or diminishes from it, or useth any other rule instead of it, as he is in the eye of the law so far a non-conformist, so it behoves him to consider within himself, whether, in point of conscience, he be not a breaker of his word and trust, and an eluder of his engagements to the Church."

Not, however, to dwell upon the appeal to conscience, which is not cognizable by any earthly tribunal, this conclusion, as regards the civil and ecclesiastical courts, seems inevitable: namely, that any clergyman, who, upon the strength of Bishop -'s suggestion, shall neglect to observe any plain and express Rubric, will subject himself to indictment at common law, at the hands of any of Her Majesty's subjects who shall think fit to lay the same and to proceedings in the ecclesiastical courts, at the hands of any member of our communion who may be pleased to institute them. That if he be indicted in the Bishop of -'s own courts, that Bishop must himself, or by his official, pronounce sentence against him, and publicly suspend him from the ministry, for submitting to the rebuke which he himself conveyed to him in a private pastoral.

This holds, also, for breaches of the Canons; not, indeed, as respects indictment at common law, but as regards proceedings in the ecclesiastical courts: all the courts being agreed that the Canons do bind the clergy of all ranks, though (as some say) not the laity.

I trust there is neither real nor apparent disrespect to the Episcopate, or any of its members, in thus plainly stating the inconveniences likely to arise from an attempt to apply to the written laws of the Church an exercise of authority, which seems only legitimate and free from exception, as regards any unenjoined customs.

APPENDIX.

THE passage in the charge of the Bishop of Madras, alluded to at page 6, is this:

“The primitive Church of Christ had [fasts and festivals] not cold, formal, and ceremonial, as is too often the case in the present day; but as a fast was with them really a fast, so was a festival really a festival. The more we assimilate our customs in these matters to the primitive Church, the nearer we approach Christ and His Apostles. The religion of the Gospel has waxed cold in love, in proportion as it has lost sight of godly discipline, and genuine Christian usages. A better spirit, however, is now awake! and I trust the time is not very far distant, when members of the Church of England will not be ashamed to practise self-mortification and abstinence during Lent; not to be seen of men, but simply and humbly, as our Lord has enjoined them to do, and to rejoice, as Christians ought to rejoice, when called upon to commemorate the Incarnation or the Resurrection of Him whose name they bear."

Thus the very things, the observance of which, though enjoined by the Church, is too frequently denounced in England as popish, and the revival of them spoken of as one of the marks of Puseyism, are welcomed by a Bishop who has to carry the Gospel among the heathen, as valuable aids to his undertaking. It is difficult to conceive how the adversaries of Dr. Pusey could, if they had desired it, have done him greater and more lasting honour, than by coupling his name, as they have done, with so many things which nothing but their own want of information led them to regard as objectionable; but which are found, upon examination, both to deserve and receive the commendation of those most competent to speak upon the subject. The term " Puseyite" has really become, for the most part, synonymous with “ Ecclesiastical," or "Canonical." Whether such a state of things is desirable, or calculated to advance the cause of truth, and not rather to promote confusion in men's minds, and to dispose people to receive

as truth whatever may proceed from Dr. Pusey, even though it should be erroneous, it is for them to consider who, by their reckless vituperation, have contributed to this result.

The following are the terms in which the Bishop of Toronto speaks of those against whom the memorials to the Archbishop of Canterbury have been directed. The extract is from his charge delivered to his clergy 9th September, 1841.

"The Church of England is essentially missionary, and enjoys powers and facilities for the exercise of this attribute, never possessed before by any national establishment; and if in this Diocese we put forth her distinctive principles in gentleness and candour, but with uncompromising firmness, her rapid progress is certain: while the errors and superstitions of the Church of Rome, on the one hand, and the crude and inconsistent heresies of Dissenters on the other, will be strikingly exposed to every thinking mind.

"Our Church, my reverend brethren, recognizes in the truths of Revelation a most invaluable gift from God to man: not the discoveries of science, but communications from Heaven; and she understands them as they were understood by the primitive disciples to whom they were at first revealed. She pronounces every novelty in their interpretation as at once condemned, because unknown to the first recipients of God's holy will; and she admits of no sure way of getting at their interpretation, but by tracing it backwards to the first witnesses. Hence the writings of the Fathers, or early Christian authors, are valuable, not so much for the opinions they contain, as for the facts which they attest. Matters of fact are capable of historical proof, and therefore each particular doctrine is susceptible of the test, by which we ascertain whether it was received in the Church from the beginning. If so received, it becomes our duty to submit our private judgment to the catholic voice of antiquity. Now the Book of Common Prayer contains all those doctrines of Scripture which were acknowledged and believed by the Church universal in the primitive age, and rejects any other as spurious and unsound, or supported by insufficient evidence; and in this we perceive the just and reasonable limit which she places on private judgment,-a limit readily admitted by the most scrupulous in all matters. To ascertain the customs and manners of the Romans, for example,-their policy, jurisprudence, and principles of religion,- -we have recourse to their ancient records and historians, and we would hold in contempt the man who preferred to such authorities his own vague and foolish conjectures. And is it not still more necessary, in order to guard against error in our religious enquiries, to have recourse to the Scriptures, which are the early records of Christianity, and to their most ancient expounders. The Scriptures possess an authority of their own, wholly distinct from, and superior to, any other records of former times. They have been deposited from the first in the Church, and their true interpretation, as regards their great doctrines, must of necessity be that which she has declared in her authorized formularies and creeds. These creeds, and a great portion of the formularies of the primitive Church, have

been adopted by ours, so far as they can be clearly proved by Scripture. For the Church of England requires nothing to be believed as necessary to salvation, but that which is either plainly contained in the revealed Word of God, or may be clearly proved therefrom. She gives countenance to no loose fancies, whether termed Evangelical or Catholic, but appeals to the Bible, and insists only upon such doctrines as may be proved to be historical facts, derived from the Apostles, and retained in the Church from the first. Such is the acknowledged basis on which the Church of England establishes her principles, and proves herself Catholic and Apostolic. Nevertheless, her true nature and character seemed, till lately, to have been in a great degree forgotten, or very little understood, even by many of her professed children. The writings of her reformers and martyrs, who constantly refer to primitive antiquity for the truth and soundness of their doctrines, were little read, and hasty and indistinct views on many important points began to be adopted, even by many of the clergy, who ought to have been better instructed. Low views of the Sacraments, and of the priestly office, were publicly avowed, and taught from the pulpit. A fearful neglect of obedience to the Church had become so very general, that it ceased to be considered a duty. Erastianism was openly asserted by many of our rulers, and too frequently acquiesced in by the clergy. There was also a faint-heartedness among sincere churchmen,- -a disposition to sit still and await the storm,—a want of that bold and faithful spirit, which fearlessly proclaims and fights for the truth. These evils were making great and alarming progress, when a few devout and learned men manfully and heroically came forward to stem the torrent, hopeless as the attempt seemed at first to be Nor have they failed in succeeding to a great extent in the attainment of their object. They have been instrumental in reviving most important and essential truths, and in awakening the members of the Church to a higher estimate of her distinctive principles. They have called forth new and increasing energy in both clergy and laity. They have animated the lukewarm, regulated the course of the more zealous, and rescued the works of the ancient Fathers from the scorn of ignorance, and the pillars of the Reformation from oblivion. The tenor of their teaching has been like their lives,-holy, meek, and consistent with the spirit of Christianity; and they have, by their writings, caused the voice of the Church catholic to be heard through the whole of the British dominions. But while I readily accord a high meed of praise to men who have been thus active in producing a change so salutary in our Church, I by no means consider them perfect, or possessing any other authority than that of individual writers. Nor do I profess to agree in all their opinions, much less in some of their expressions. To avoid one error, they have not at all times steered sufficiently clear of another; but it is our duty, as Christians, to judge by the general effects and intentions, and not by incidental observations; and in the present case, after making all the deductions which the most rigid justice can demand, an amount of merit still remains to which few writers can pretend.

"Such members of our communion, if, indeed, they can be called mem

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bers, as are opposed to the recognition of any authority in the Church,-to any divine title in the appointment of our ministers,-to any deep and awful views of the Sacraments,-to self-denial, discipline, and obedience,—will condemn the writers to whom I have alluded, as promoters of unheard-of novelties and idle disputation; but those who believe and value the principles of catholicity, will guard themselves scrupulously against general censure, even when lamenting and opposing particular faults. They will speak of such authors kindly and respectfully, as men engaged in the same good cause, and be more disposed to dwell upon their excellencies than their deficiencies."

With this I conclude. And if in writing, selecting, or publishing any thing in the foregoing collection, I have done otherwise than became my Christian calling, and my ministerial office, I humbly desire pardon of God, and of His Church: and entreat any who may think that I have erred, of their charity, to join their prayers to mine, that that pardon may be granted, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE END.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.