as forming part of the same species of operations. Now as to the abstract question-how far, the law of nations, justifies an interference in the affairs of other countries; up to the period of the declaration and vote of the popular legislators of our land, and the still more recent Divine right of Episcopacy. We are the more anxious to draw the attention of our readers to this point, for perhaps the mixture of extreme apathy and ignorance, both among Clergy and Laity, at the present day, on these very important points, has produced that unexampled laxity, which has so manifestly degraded all the essential and vital principles of our Church--of our Church-Authority—and of all our Divine Institutions. Of the latter, it is not merely Episcopacy and the Hierarchy generally, that have lamentably suffered, but the Divine Institution of the Sabbath likewise, has been heretically and shamefully outraged by an Archbishop of our own Church. In doing so, His Grace has not only made an attempt to poison and exterminate all Religion, of which the appointment of the Sabbath, has been well said to be a just epitome, but has also, if the private opinion of any one individual of a Church, is to be regarded, contributed to undermine the only grounds upon which,-without incurring the charge of spiritual tyranny, unjust domination, and sacrilegious usurpation,-he himself can presume to hold his Archiepiscopal See of Dublin. If his Grace's heretical notions of the Sabbath are right, his claims to the holding of a Bishoprick are inere stubble. And if his Grace's idol of Expediency is to be the rule of his legislative vote, in regard to the Irish Church, we can only say, that if he regard consistency, let him empty his coffers to those, who think it superlatively Expedient, that he should do so. At all events on his own principles, His Grace has no indefeasible right—no sacred claim to them. In this age of Expediency, dare we instance any principle that the Word of God urges? Well, if his Grace love his neighbours as himself-his Popish neighbours think it Expedient to possess them-his starving rabble fellow-citizens hold it mightily Expedient to get at them-his impoverished, laborious Curates think it equally Expedient to be at the division of them-and his Patrons' hungry, whig retainers regard it extremely Expedient to be pensioned on them. We see no difference between the virtues, or motives, or principles, of prelatical Expediency, or the greedy appetite of plundering Mob Expediency. In the present savage tug of sacrilegious havoc, and impious warfare, we deem, that the sacred patri nony of the Church, which once was granted for the securing the edification of the Church of Christ, and promoting the glory of God, will not enjoy a lasting tenure, when the authorised teachers of Christian morality, give their sanction to the fashionable Expediency doctrine of semi-infidel Paley, and as their oaths, uproot all the fixed principles of Christian virtue, and all the immoveable foundations of Chris ian morality. Their doctrine of Expediency, is one that requires no the encouraging sanctions of Heaven, or occurrences apparently happening under the passive sanction of Ministers-we had deemed it a point, which the usage of all states had settled, without even the possibility of the most sceptical to doubt. We had considered that any interference, however indirect, at the threatening terrors of Hell. It thrives best on the stage of infidelity, in the atmosphere of popular passions, and amid the winds of demagogue licentiousness. It requires no Revelation—no altars-no priests -no patrimony to give it a tangible consistency and a shape. It only wants the fiendish spirit of a Paine, or a Priestley, or a Carlile, let loose among the mob, to make it change sides, and command the people's love. If this should be the case, not Hell itself could disgorge and deluge earth with a more devastating, devouring element. Yes, it will not then wait for the courtly calculation of Politicians, or the apostate grimaces of Pilates, but will, amidst the flames of mitres, the wreck of thrones, and the ashes of our altars, involve all in one undistinguishable mass of ruin, bloodshed, and rapine. But whatever may be the motives, that influence those, who ought to entertain a higher and more exalted idea of their sacred calling and functions, than corrupting the purity of their tenure, and loosening all the institutions of Religion;-of this, at least, we are quite certain, that their views require but to be generally admitted, and universally diffused, to draw down upon themselves, and the whole nation, the irrecoverable confusion, and inevitable destruction, consequent upon the increasing growth of anarchy, insubordination, laxity of principle, and the rapid strides of irreligion. As far as the influence of our humble labours extends, we are anxious, at all times, to bear our sincere testimony, to every effort that may be made, by any person whatever, to maintain the hallowed precepts of our holy Faith, and to repair the decaying, crumbling fabric of public morality, by the devotedness of fixed and immoveable principles. Wherever we may find this to be the case, we will exultingly hail it, as an additional trophy, suitable and worthy to adorn the temple of disinterested integrity, true patriotism, and pure philanthropy. Where there may appear a manifest defection in a cause so truly noble, and so vastly important, we promise to be the very last to forsake the post of danger, or feebly shrink from essaying to raise the cry of the virtuous and faithful, against the disgraceful machinations of expediency-mongers, waverers, and deceivers. In the above cursory observations on Episcopacy and other of our sacred institutions, we have been endeavouring to lay before our readers, some fundamental principles, on which are securely based the permanent superstructure of these divine ordinances, and indeed of all those essential doctrines, which have come down to us, in the inspired charter of our Holy Religion. We have more particularly dwelt on the heaven-gifted rights of our Apostolic order of Bishops, not only because it is that prime source, from which, by God's special direction, all the blessings of Unity, Jurisdiction, and Ordination flow; but likewise because of once was deserving to be stamped with the brand of usurpation. We were aware, that ever since the days of the great father of political philosophy-Aristotle, every government was resolvable into its representative emblem-a family. Thus if a family, convey the prevalent and increasing indifference of even many, very many of "Receive their Ordination O'er those they teach, but they o'er them! Depose them, as they would their Kings! "-Butler. but a system, which was unheard of, and unthought of, in any one Church of all Christendom, for fifteen hundred years-in its principles directly opposed to Revelation-having for its origin, Arianism--deriving its primitive strength from the intrigues of Jesuits-imitating the example of both Arians and Papists in many of their institutionsand mainly propagated by the clamour of ignorant mobs and the fury of oft-repeated Rebellion, and the wages of Sacrilege-a system, we assert, which has thus emanated from the polluted dregs of Heresy, Popery, and Rebellion, and fostered by an ignorant and bigoted aversion to the universal usage of all the primitive and Apostolic Churches, as well as to the divine precepts of power and government, most assuredly cannot command much of our esteem or love. With us, the magic of a name, has but little influence. It is to little purpose, that the fancies of Presbyterianism, Secederism, Qua an adequate idea of a national society and its laws, we thought that it required no great sagacity, to decide on the bare justice, or policy, of the interference of any individual, unconnected with that family. We have asked ourselves were it honorable, safe, or kerism, or any other of the sectarian offspring of Puritanism, appeal to our indulgence or charity. We remember the above unanswerable facts of history, to them so justly applicable; and should we not take heed and warn others of the lesson, which such experience teaches us? With feelings of deep melancholy we call to mind, the pathetic sentiment of the illustrious Bp. Jeremy Taylor, who, in the bitterness of his own personal, and of the Church's persecutions, and her temporary annihilation, exclaimed, that “Our Common Prayer Book had the fate of St. Paul; for when it had escaped the storms of the Roman Sea, yet a viper (i. e. Puritanism) sprung out of Queen Mary's fires, which at Frankfort first leapt upon the hand of the Church: but since that time it hath gnawn the bowels of its own mother, and given itself life by the death of its parent and nurse." (Collect. of Offices, p. 12.). We know the riper's venom, and venomous rancour, are yet, what they ever were. Nor shall we draw back from striving to deprive the reptile of its sting, or else suffer it no longer to bask in the tricks and delusions of ignorant fanaticism, but to force it to play its gambols in the searching and exposing sunbeams of Revelation, Reason, and impartial history. What now remains but to remind every humble, pious, and sincere member of our Apostolic Church, that all her sacred and venerable institutions, are attributable but to the one exhaustless, and unerring Source of all things, human and divine—the Spirit of God. We hold, and teach, and pride ourselves, in the comforting conviction, that our Church gives the glory, where the glory is only and truly due. From our Altars, we continually declare, that from God only “do proceed all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works" (Liturgy) —that He “rules over all the kingdoms of the world, and disposes of them according to his good pleasure" (Ibid.)—that He "upholds and governs all things in Heaven and Earth” (Ibid.)—that He has called Christian Princes to the defence of the Faith, and has made it their duty to promote the spiritual welfare of their people” (Ibid.)—that Kings are His "chosen servants and ministers" (Ibid.)—and that His "Holy Spirit has appointed divers orders of ministers in His Church.” (Ibid.). Let it then be the language of every faithful Churchman, that the governing as well as the making of the World—that the universal as well as the particular ordering of Providence—and that the administration as well as the founding of the Church, are the sole prerogatives of the Sanctuary of Heaven. Let every conscientious Churchman also take heed, that the barrier which divides the Holy Church from the World, be not effaced or lightly overpassed. Let them be thankful, that they are in the Church, and beware of being seduced out of it, to perish in the fury of the World's overwhelming waves. judicious to meddle, for example, with the internal disputes of a man and wife, when to them we were utter strangers? But if, whilst we held out the plausible pretences of friendship and neutrality, we clandestinely for our own interested schemes, conveyed to them re : " in Care not for those who say "lo, here is Christ," or, "lo, there ; the "desert; or in the "secret chambers" (Matt. xxiv. 26.). Let all seek to be humble and willing subjects of that visible Kingdom, which Christ Himself has established in this World. Let its ordinances, and its doctrines, and its ministry, be accounted Christ's and not Man's. Here God has made plain the way of salvation. The appointment is not Man's but God's. Let not the impious absurdity of Dissenterism deceive us into the dangerous doctrine, that Men or the World can make a Church, or its Institutions. No, it is God that makes a Church. Yea, by Him, as the original ('Exxanoia) word denotes, it is called or chosen out of the World, and from the perverse ways of mankind. Can the Church call itself out of the World, any more than a man can bring himself into the World? All this is as independent of ourselves, as our natural birth. Nor let that more infamous dogma of Sectarianism be once mentioned, that human power and human votes can give authority to a sacred ministry. For is not this too the work of God? Is it not written-" No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." (Heb. v. 4.). Now as Aaron was called by an outward consecration, from a person whom God had commissioned to consecrate and the power thus given descended by succession to his posterity—so must all Ministers be called by an outward act and investiture of authority, from those very persons, whom God has specially appointed for his high office, and in that line or order which bears the impress and promises of divine appointment, and in that unbroken succession, to whose operations only are promised the grace of God's Holy Spirit, in the performance of this all-important duty, and with whom Christ has promised to be "always, even unto the end of the world." (Matt. xxviii. 20.). We therefore exhort every faithful member of our truly Apostolic Church, to regard all, who unsent and uncalled, take this authority upon themselves, and from no higher source than that of men, as guilty of an impious invasion of God's appointments, and of deliberate treason against the great Founder, King, and Governor of the Church. Let them be looked upon as pretending to act in the name of God, but utterly without His appointment. Let them be stigmatized, with the ridiculous, no less than the profane absurdity, of ambassadors sending themselves, and arrogantly presuming, as they do in the Christian Sacraments, without the deputation of a higher power, to sign and seal treaties and covenants ! Let them be compared to an army raising itself without commissions, and thus like a company of banditti, leaguing together to usurp, plunder, and destroy. Such is the case of all Presbyterians, Independents, and all the other brood of usurpers of the ecclesiastical |