preaching the reconciling work which Christ wrought upon the Cross; and that not reservedly or 'impliedly that you are not to hold back Christ's atoning work upon the Cross, or to preach it only by implication, or only as a mystery to the fully initiated, but that you are to preach it distinctly, fully, and openly to ALL. "Indeed one hardly knows what is the meaning of recommending to preachers to hold back this truth, under an apprehension of making it known. Blessed be God! they cannot do it if they would. The Bible, in which it is distinctly, openly, and unreservedly set forth, is the patrimony of our people, and, blessed be God! they are in possession of it. And if we needed direction as to the will of God in this matter, would it not seem to a reverent mind, an indication of His will not lightly to be disregarded, that the Holy Scriptures, in which this great truth is to be found so unreservedly stated, nay, in which it is not to be missed, by any one who reads them with a simple desire to know what they contain,-that these Scriptures, written by the Holy Spirit for our learning, are now, by His providential arrangements in the hands of all?

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Yes, this may make some such impression upon one who thinks that this wide diffusion of the word of God is right, and according to His will. But from the same quarter from which these views of the necessity of exercising reserve in the declaration of the doctrine of the Atonement, come, there are no obscure intimations of dissatisfaction at the indiscriminate distribution of of the Bible.

"Still one would say that were we to withhold the Bible from the hands of the people, the end would not be attained. For our Church, besides all else that she has done to break this law of reserve, has not only urged all her members diligently to read the word of God, but she has taken care that if they attend on her ministrations, they shall hear it. She has so ordered her public services, that while, in the daily lessons which form a part both of the morning and of the evening service, the most part of the Old Testament is read every year, the whole New Testament shall be read over orderly every year thrice, besides the Epistles and Gospels. And she has enjoined that these lessons shall be read " distinctly, and with an audible voice," "he that readeth so standing, and turning himself, as he may be best heard of all such as are present." So that our reserving the doctrine, and reserving the book, will be unavailing, as long as our churches are provided for all, and are open to all."

The Bishop of Ossory's recent Charge, 1842.

THE

PASTOR'S ASSISTANT.

NOVEMBER 1, 1843.

PART FIRST.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PASTOR IN HIS STUDY.

.THE PASTOR'S PLEDGE AND PROTEST. No. II. OUR former article under this title (page 289) has led to several interesting communications from our brethren in the ministry, in all of which it is most satisfactory to find, that the importance of the principle therein advocated 'is fully recognised. As might be expected, however, it is considered a difficult matter to point out the precise mode in which each clergyman, who in simplicity of truth is faithful to his vows, should exhibit his ecclesiastical loyalty. The suggestion of one valued correspondent is stated thus: "It occurs to me, that a method, free from any exception whatever, might be, to recite the Articles only, or prefacing only such words as these; that apprehension of some errors having crept into the flock, or the shepherds of the Lord's heritage invalidating divers Articles of our own Protestant Church, to which, as ministers, we are personally bound, and should be cordially attached, I hereby renew and repeat my full and entire assent to such and such Articles (reciting and reading them); and to the clear, manifest, and grammatical sense of them, without giving them any colour, or evasive meaning, or desiring to turn them from the object they manifestly had first in view;-that of avoiding and disclaiming sundry erroneous doctrines, and idolatrous practices, then and still existing in the Romish Church.'"

It is cheering to believe that very many clergymen of the Church of England are anxious to purge themselves from the possible imputation of that Jesuitical disingenuousness, which it has become almost necessary for each to disclaim, in consequence of the conduct of some, who have not scrupled to retain the position of influence and advantage, in which they were placed under the most solemn vows and promises to use them for the promulgation of certain expressed truth, after they have determined to advance the profession of the antagonist error from which they were especially employed to preserve their flocks. A full investigation of the whole state of the case, with respect to those persons who remain as ministers of the Church of England, while they hold the now plainly-expressed opinions of TractarianRomanism, would be found to justify the strength of this statement. The Church of Christ is deeply indebted to the Bishop of Ossory for a masterly exposure of the course they take, in his recent Charge; in which he has been led to apply the powers of his comprehensive mind, and to employ the influence of his wellearned reputation for piety and learning, in laying bare "the shifting, evasive, and disingenuous sophistry," to which such men have resorted, in order to suggest an excuse for retaining their position in the Church of England. Speaking of this practical application of "Catholic views," as they are called by the Tractarian writers, the Bishop says, "I will not attempt to speculate upon the effects of such views upon the sacredness of the engagements of private life; but it seems very plain that they deprive the most solemn engagements which those who hold them contract with the Church or with the State-at least with our enthralled Church and tyrannical State-of all force and value." And after having thoroughly sifted the sophistry in question, he states his conclusion thus: "I repeat deliberately, that distressing and alarming as it was to find, that a portion of the flower and hope of the country had had their Protestant principles so shaken by those who should have established them, that they stood in actual need themselves of this singular Preservative from Popery; it was still more distressing and alarming to learn, that their honesty had been so tainted in the process, that they were capable of employing it,-that one who must have been supposed to have known intimately the minds on which he had exercised so baneful an influence, should have been able to calculate on their readiness to avail themselves of such a mode of escape from the fair force of the most solemn and sacred obligations, by such sophistry and evasion, such shifts and contrivances as a man could not apply to the very lightest of the engagements of

common life, without forfeiting all reputation for integrity and good faith."

While there is so great need of manifesting a just abhorence for such a dishonest course, the point which it seems most desirable to attain in these dangerous days is a balanced combination of wisdom and boldness; and it appears to be also Satan's successful policy to find out which of these two qualities would be most weighted in the natural character of each of God's servants; and by putting his foot on that scale, to make the other kick the beam. So many bold men rush on into rashness, and so many wise men creep through caution into cowardice, that in trying to keep a level balance, we can only say, "who is sufficient for these things." We are, however, arrived at a crisis, in which it is treachery to stand still, and which makes it a duty for every christian to do something.

How far the plan suggested for the Pastor's pledge and protest is the right thing to be done, must be a matter for the consideration of each clergyman, upon taking into account his own particular circumstances. It has been objected by some, that in a country parish, where the most part of the simple inhabitants are not likely to have heard any thing about Tractarian doctrines, it would seem to be unnecessary to draw their attention to the controversy, the merits of which they would be unlikely to comprehend. This objection deserves a serious investigation; if the Tractarian views involved merely the discussion of some matters of doctrine, difficult of statement, and uninfluential upon conduct, it would certainly appear unwise to disturb the minds of the uneducated with such a controversy. Or, again, if the danger were remote, and the probabilites that the inhabitants of a country parish should be brought into contact with the obnoxious doctrines and practices were few, then it would appear to be unnecessary to suggest an enquiry into points which might otherwise not find their way to the untempting circle of a village population. In either case the propriety of silence in the Pastor is readily perceived, though the necessity for his individual testimony for truth and honesty amongst his brother Clergymen would remain, while it might be given in some way not likely to disturb his flock. As this is allowed, the question becomes one of degree, and the duty lies upon the Lord's watchmen to enquire, in order to form a just estimate, both of the real tendency of any doctrines which may be broached by a party within the church, and also of the actual amount of danger to be reasonably apprehended from the approach of any

erroneous or strange doctrines, which each Pastor has solemnly sworn to drive away from his flock.

Now when enquiry is made upon these points, it will be found with respect to the first, that the errors of the important doctrines inculcated by the Tractarian school are in the highest degree dangerous to the eternal welfare of the people; while they are rendered peculiarly attractive to the uneducated, by the less important external observances with which they are combined. And with respect to the second, that the influence is spreading very extensively amongst our rural population, where perhaps it is making more effectual progress than in towns, where the power of education, the competition of mind, and the independence of wealth, render every step that is taken obvious; and produce remark and opposition from some, to check the speedy adoption of specious error by others.

It will not be necessary here to make any remarks upon the first point, because we have already, in various ways, endeavoured to draw attention to some of the fatal errors involved in the Tractarian doctrines. As the most concise, and perhaps the most satisfactory mode of establishing, in the minds of our readers, a sense of the danger, we would advise them to read with attention, the excellent and well-timed Charge of the Bishop of Ossory, to which we have already referred. Besides, those Pastors who pause in deciding that it is wise to renew their pledge, and make their protest publicly to their flocks, because of the objection we are considering, must all of them be fully persuaded that the doctrines in question are erroneous, or they could not entertain the notion at all.

But as regards the second point, a few remarks may be useful in helping to remove the objection from the minds of some of our readers. It is entirely a mistake to suppose that small rural parishes are safe from the contagion of the Tractarian disease. Human nature has essentially the same cravings, and manifests the same principles, in the poor and uneducated, as in the rich and learned, though the mode of exhibiting its workings may be varied according to circumstances. The power of popery is traced to its facility for adapting itself to these cravings, and for gilding these principles with a shew of religion;-it is peculiarly apt in suiting its external observances to the indulgence of superstitious feelings; and in deluding the ignorant into idolatry for devotion. The system of the Tractarians is marked by so much of the same character, as suits with the present condition of the people. It is mostly to country villages that the young men who have drank deep of the popish spirit of the times are sent