in the same case as other Protestant Dissenters, a congregation of Lutherans having been adjudged to be Dissenters in the sense of the Toleration Act by Lord Kenyon, in 1792.*

But, you will say, the Church of England is often called Protestant ; true, in acts of parliament, and the language of individuals, but never, that I have seen, by the Church herself in any formulary.

But admitting the generic term Protestant as applicable in some sense to our Church, surely this no more identifies her with all Protestantism, than her title of Catholic does with all forms of Catholicism. The Sovereign at Coronation swears to maintain the "Protestant Reformed Religion," but then are inserted the words "established by law;" and in a second clause," the United Church of England and Ireland" is added. Thus likewise, the Crown must descend in the "Protestant line;" but then, "whosoever shall come to the possession of this Crown, shall join in communion with the Church of England, as by law established."+

Our Church therefore is, at all events, by the Coronation oath, treated as a distinct kind of Protestantism-a Reformed Church of England and Ireland Protestantism; and Pro

* See Peake's Cases, p. 132, Rex v. Hube; S. C. 5 T. R. 542. I am well aware that Foreign Protestants were tolerated and protected, nay, had civil privileges in England, at a much earlier period than any bodies of English Dissenters; and, theologically speaking, I do not say that they ought to be identified with the latter class. But toleration and communion are very different things, and this is what my case turns on. As to what is implied by the "German Evangelical Church," as distinguished from Lutheranism, I do not pretend clearly to know. In some respects the two appear to be incompatible, as bodies of Lutherans seem to have been driven out of the Prussian States for nonconformity to the present religious system. The document above cited also shows an important distinction, which is worth observing. The original Lutheran scheme was professedly a temporary one; the Evangelical Church is now treated as a permanently constituted body, the development of which is aimed at. How far this or other features relating to its origin or constitution may entitle the Evangelical Church to more favour, or to less, in the eyes of theologians, others may discuss,-in law, its case remains the same as that of the Lutherans.

+ [Considering the loss which has been sustained by the Church of England in Canada from the use of the word "Protestant" in the act 31 G. 3. c. 31, one would hope that Church legislators may be less fond of it in future.]

See Gibson's Codex, 607, 610, &c.

testantism which qualifies for the succession to the English Crown (such as Lutheranism) does not imply communion with the English Church, for this is to be obtained by a separate act; and this act, let me add, must be according to the laws of the Church of England, of which more hereafter.

Lastly, to close this question of "representation;" you must not suppose that because the King of Prussia gives endowments to the bishopric and is to have an alternate right of nomination to it, that this makes the Bishop, in any sense, the representative of the King of Prussia's religion. The history of Prussia will show its sovereigns both as endowers and patrons of Roman Catholic Bishoprics,* but I suppose no one will charge the prelates of such sees with representing the religion of the Crown. Nor, though Roman Catholics are precluded from exercising Church patronage in England, am I aware that there is any law which prevents Protestant Dissenters either from creating or exercising it in our communion. Lastly, the same may be proved by analogy from Scotland, in which country considerable patronage in the Establishment is possessed, and most conscientiously administered, by persons in communion with the Church of England and her sister branch in Scotland.

I think therefore that I may safely conclude this part of the discussion where I began it, by asserting that, in all canonical and public respects, Bishop Alexander up to this moment represents, exclusively, the Church of England and Ireland, and (in a certain sense perhaps) the Churches in communion with it-amongst which the Prussian Protestants

are not.

If Bishop Alexander then at his consecration made no alliance with Prussian Protestantism, the next question which occurs is that of his subsequent connection with it. In this important particular, the following laws of the Church will, if I mistake not, supply premises to a pretty plain conclusion :

1. In public baptism (which is the form ordinarily required by the Church) every child must have three sponsors,

* Parliamentary Report on Roman Catholics abroad, 1816, p. 456. Bulla Circumscriptionis Diocesium Regni Borrussici. 1821.

(Baptismal Rubric), and these sponsors must previously have received the holy communion, (Canon 29), to which they cannot be admitted until such time as they be confirmed, or be ready and desirous to be confirmed, (Confirmation Rubric, &c.); nor even then, if they refuse to be present at public prayers according to the orders of the Church of England, (Canon 27).

2. The children thus baptized are to be instructed in the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Church Catechism, and are then to be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed, (Rubrics for Baptism and Catechism); after which, and upon conformity to the liturgy, they may (as above stated) be admitted to the holy com

munion.

3. In admission to holy orders, the candidates must be in full communion with the Church, and free from lawful impediments; and if they have not had an English university education, they must be able to yield an account of their faith in Latin, according to the 39 Articles, and to confirm the same out of the Holy Scriptures, (Canon 34); and this the Bishop must ascertain by examination. They are then (by Canon 36) required to subscribe "ex animo" the three articles thereby enjoined. Of which the first relates to the Queen's supremacy; and the third is a direct allowance of the 39 Articles "as agreeable to the word of God." The second I give at length:

"II. That the book of Common Prayer, and of ordering of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God, and that it may

lawfully so be used; and that he himself will use the "form in the said book prescribed in public prayer, and "administration of the Sacraments, and none other."

And if any Bishop ordains or even licenses any to preach, except he have first subscribed in the manner and form appointed," he shall be suspended from giving "of orders and licences to preach, for the space of twelve "months."

After these preliminaries ordination must proceed strictly in accordance with the form appointed for that

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purpose, in the course of which, the "oath of the Queen's sovereignty" must be administered alike to candidates for the diaconate and for the priesthood. The former must also declare, that they think themselves "truly called, according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, "and the due order of this realm, to the ministry of the "Church." And must promise, amongst other things,

gladly and willingly to read Holy Scriptures and "Homilies in the Church, and to instruct the youth in "the Catechism." The latter must also declare a similar conviction, that they are "truly called, according to the "will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the order of this "United Church of England and Ireland, to the order " and ministry of priesthood;" and must promise by the help of the Lord to "give their faithful diligence always 66 so to minister the doctrine and sacraments, and the discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, and "as this Church and Realm hath received the same, "according to the commandments of God; so that they may teach the people committed to their cure and charge with all diligence to keep and observe the 66 same." And further, that they will "be ready with all "faithful diligence, to banish and drive away all erroneous "and strange doctrine contrary to God's word."

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Finally, both those who are to be ordained Deacons and those to be ordained to the Priesthood must make a vow of canonical obedience. Deacons, that they will reverently obey their ordinary and other chief ministers "of the Church, and them to whom the charge and government over them is committed, following with a “glad mind and will their godly admonitions." Priests, that they will" reverently obey their ordinary, and other "chief ministers, unto whom is committed the charge "and government over them; following with a glad "mind and will their godly admonitions, and submitting "themselves to their godly judgments."

4. The following are amongst the obligations of the Clergy after ordination :

"All Priests and Deacons are to say daily the morn

ing and evening prayer either privately or openly, not being let by sickness or some other urgent cause," and this, if possible, in the Church or Chapel, so that the people may join, (Preface to Prayer Book); and "if any "minister, after he hath once subscribed the said three "articles, shall omit to use the form of prayer, or any of "the orders or ceremonies prescribed in the Communion"book, let him be suspended, &c." (Canon 38; which however, I suppose, is not so directly to be construed with the Preface to the Prayer Book, as with Canon 14; or perhaps might, upon a larger view, relate to omissions or substitutions at any time when the prescribed services ought, regularly, to be used).

Every Curate must diligently teach the children of his parish the Church Catechism, and parents, &c. bring them to learn it, under pain, to both parties obstinately neglecting this rule, of excommunication. (Catechism Rubric and Canon 59).

Every Curate (besides the duty of the sponsors) is to prepare children for confirmation, and bring as many as possible to the Bishop for this purpose. (Rubric for Baptism and Catechism and Canon 61).

Lastly, none may admit persons either to holy communion or to sponsorship, except under the conditions above mentioned, (p. 23).

These details (which many will think too notorious to have required specific enumeration) exhibit a sufficient portion of the system of the Church in which Dr. Alexander is Bishop, to test the relations which may subsist between it and the "German Evangelical Church," or any other similar community. They will show that no layman can be admitted to communion except by a regular process of adoption into the spiritual family. Baptized, confirmed,* conforming to the English Liturgy, must every man be who is received into full communion with our Church. Agreement in abstract doctrine

* Or, "ready and desirous to be confirmed;" which, when there is a Bishop at hand, whose duty it is to confirm, means the same thing. A readiness and desire for baptism was in the early Church sometimes accepted for the rite itself, when the latter could not be had.