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THE PASTOR'S REMEMBRANCER.

Far be it from us to think this union of the hearts of God's saints upon earth can be idle and ineffectual; but wherever it is, it puts forth itself in a like affectedness of disposition, into an improvement of gifts, into a communion of outward blessings, to the benefit of that happy consociation.

We cannot be single in our affections, if we be limbs of a christian community. What member of the body can complain, so as the rest shall not feel it? Even the head and heart are in pain, when a joint of the least toe suffers. No christian can be afflicted alone. It is not St. Paul's case only, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended and I burn not?" 2 Cor. xi. 29. Our shoulders are not our own, we must bear one another's burdens, Gal. vi. 2. There is a better kind of spiritual good-fellowship in all the saints of God. They hate a propriety of passions; 66 Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep," Rom. xii. 15. Their affections are more communicative than their gifts and graces: those, as they are bestowed with an intuition of the common good, so they are provided. Wherefore hath this man quickness of wit; that man, depth of judgement? this, heat of zeal; that, power of elocution? this, skill; that, experience? this, authority; that, strength? but that all should be laid together for the rasing of the common stock. How rich, therefore, is every christian soul, that is not only furnished with its own graces, but hath a special interest in all the excellent gifts of all the most eminent servants of God through the whole world! Surely he cannot be poor, whilst there is any spiritual wealth in the Church of God upon earth.

Neither are, or can, these gifts be in danger of concealment; they are still put forth for the public advantage. As therefore no true christian is his own man, so he freely lays out himself by example, by admonition, by exhortation, by consolation, by prayer, for the universal benefit of all his fellowmembers. By example: which is not a little winning and prevalent: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," saith our Saviour, in his sermon upon the mount, Matt. v. 16 And his great apostle seconds his charge to his Philippians, Phil. ii. 15, 16. "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life." Lo, the world sits in darkness, and either stirs not, or moves with danger. Good example is a light to their feet, which directs them to walk in the ways of God, without erring, without stumbling; so that the good man's actions are so many copies for novices to take out, no less instructive than the wisest men's precepts.-By admonition: the sinner is in danger of drowning; seasonable admonition is a hand held out, that lays hold on him now sinking, and draws him up to the shore. The sinner is already in the fire; seasonable admonition snatches him out from the everlasting burning, Jude 23. The charitable christian may not forbear this, oft-times thankless, but always necessary and profitable, duty: "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him,” Lev. xix. 17.-By exhortation: the fire of God's Spirit within us is subject to many damps, and dangers of quenching; seasonable exhortation blows it up, and quickens those sparks of good motions to a perfect flame. Even the best of us lies open to a certain deadness and hardness of heart; seasonable exhortation shakes off this peril, and keeps the heart in a holy tenderness, and whether awful or cheerful disposition," Exhort one another daily, whilst it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin," Heb. iii. 13.

Bishop Hall.

THE

PASTOR'S ASSISTANT.

JULY 1, 1842

PART FIRST.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PASTOR IN HIS STUDY.

CHURCH DISCIPLINE. No. IV.

(Continued from page 165.)

Ir, as we believe, the statements made in our preceding Articles are founded upon a correct view of the subject, it becomes essential, for the right administration of that kind of discipline which characterizes the system of the Church of England, that a defined limit should be drawn, which marks out the Church in a Parish; and enables each parishioner to recognize the position in which he stands with reference to that religious body of professing Christians. The vague and ignorant notions which lead persons so commonly to use the words Parishioner and Churchman as convertible terms must be corrected. To this end, frequent statements must be made, which, it is to be expected, will be revolting to the minds of many; and consequently will produce opposition and resistance, in various forms, according to the varieties of character in the parish. All this must

be met with a patient unvarying setting forth of plain principles which cannot be gainsayed. The minister must not be drawn aside by the difficulties of particular cases, to alter the broad basis upon which his building is to be raised.

In stating the principle it must at all times be guarded with the unwearied repetition of its great feature, that the ground of every act of Church discipline is not the opinion of the Minister, or of any other person, concerning an individual; but the individual's

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expressed opinion concerning himself; shewn either by his positive acts, or by his voluntary refusal to perform certain acts. In a parish where clear notions on this subject have not been inculcated, it will require much tenderness and caution to arouse the slumbering good sense of the really sensible, and therefore influential people of the parish: this must be gently done, as you would awaken a somnambulist, for fear he should hurt himself in the revulsion. But nothing must turn the minister from his purpose, with whatever caution he may see it right to pursue it He must, on every proper occasion, have in readiness some apt reference to a portion of the system of connexion with that congregation of faithful men,' called the Church; so as to lead the minds of his hearers clearly to infer that he is not acting upon a generalizing notion with respect to all the parish.

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The classification of the people will naturally be carried out in the following manner.

I. Considering it synthetically, it will be necessary, first, to distinguish plainly those persons who lie absolutely without the limits of the Church, and can set up no claim at all to any connexion with the body. The number of these may perhaps be extremely small in a parish: yet upon drawing this extreme outward line in public statements, more individuals will be found to lie beyond it than is commonly imagined. The test of this is simply baptism, whether adult or infant. In these days a considerable number of persons have grown up without ever having received baptism. The children of parents who refused their assent to infant baptism ;-also many of those born among dense masses of human beings gathered together in the manufacturing districts;-such as these growing up and migrating over the country, settle in different parishes, and fall into the customs they find there. An incidental inquiry, judiciously made by the minister, so as not to awaken suspicion of a special object in view, will elicit an acknowledgement that they are not baptized from more persons than would be expected. The mode of treat ing such persons will be subsequently considered; our present object being merely the classification of the parishioners.

II. After distinctly excluding all unbaptized persons, of whatever age, and under whatever circumstances, an inquiry arises as to the position of those persons, who, not attempting any continued connexion with the Church, were baptized in their infancy with the office for "the ministration of Private baptism in houses," without having been subsequently brought into the Church, in order to their reception into the congregation of Christ's flock. In some parishes, from various causes, numerous

instances of this kind occur;-the children grow up-the deficiency has been forgotten-as adults they conform to usage, by attending public worship; and passing for Church-people in common parlance, they themselves never doubt their qualification. Such, indeed, as are awakened to a serious sense of the value of true religion, and of the means of grace, are careful to rectify their position: but there will always remain a number of persons, who, having been baptized as infants when in sickness, or in an irregular manner, have made no farther progress towards maturing their connexion with the visible Church. It will hereafter be seen that in the administration of discipline in a parish, it is by no means unimportant to point out to the people this distinction.

III. To proceed one step forward, we must classify all those persons who, having been regularly baptized with the "public ministration of baptism in the Church," and therefore received into the congregation under sponsorial security, have allowed the period for which such security was taken to pass away without ratifying their part of the baptismal covenant. Having "come of age to take it upon themselves," they have refused or neglected to do so; and thus have renounced their claim to membership; and, as far as their own mind and will are concerned, have placed themselves in the condition in which they would have been, had they never been baptized in their infancy. We shall hereafter endeavour to shew the different degrees of aggravation with which persons may continue in this state. The fact, however, of remaining without Confirmation, whether carelessly or contumaciously, is the distinguishing characteristic of this class.

IV. The next division, which the arrangements of the Church will necessarily produce, separates into a class those persons who have been satisfied with the formal ratification of the baptismal vow, without subsequently claiming the privilege of communion, for which they became qualified. This is usually a numerous class in every parish.

V. But there arises a fifth class, from the fact that very frequently young persons consider, that to partake of the Lord's Supper once, shortly after Confirmation, is all that is necessary to establish them as members of the Church. Hence it follows, that there are a number of persons who have begun to communicate, but have discontinued their attendance at the Table of the Lord. Many other causes produce the same effect, and swell the number of this class, who having been, at one time, full members, have withdrawn themselves from communion with the Church.

VI. In describing the sixth class we may seem to be making an unnecessary distinction; but it is precisely the minuteness of this distinction which gives the character of importance to the classification; inasmuch as it tends to shew more strongly, that it is strictly upon the ground of authoritative requirements that the minister draws all his distinctions; and also, because this classification affords the opportunity for shewing the importance of habitual continuance in the use of the means of grace. There are many persons who having, in fact, rather a superstitious reverence for forms, than a spiritual appreciation of means, make a great effort once a year, or upon an especial occasion; prepare themselves by temporary restraints from ordinary indulgences; and receive the communion with an undefined sense of its being a sort of annual tribute to the Lord, which purchases independence and immunity for the rest of the year. It is very useful therefore, to be warranted to class by themselves such persons as do not break off entirely their communion with the Church; but who fail to comply with her lowest requirements on this point. It is a distinct enactment that all the members of the Church "shall communicate at the least three times in the year, of which Easter to be one." It is not our part to consider the motives for this enactment, or why the minimum was placed so low. The parish priest is to administer the Church's law as he finds it; and this enables him to charge on certain parties the inadequacy of their communion, when it has not amounted to three times a year. This then, forms the sixth class of persons continuing as communicating members, but insufficient in their communion.

VII. The last class is the only one that consists of those who have really the right to claim the title of full members of the Church. They are those who, communicating regularly three times or more in the year, are, upon the ground of their own profession, to be treated as members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of Heaven.

It is to the reality of this condition that the pastor's heart is earnestly desirous of bringing each of the people committed to his charge. It is to attain this object that he preaches Christ and him crucified; and whilst exhibiting the glorious Gospel to them all, the mode of furthering the great object through the channels of ecclesiastical discipline is, by forcing them to perceive the inconsistency of expecting that benefit, through the medium of the Church, which her own statements declare to be restricted to those who stand in the position of the seventh class;-driving them from the mistaken and insufficient ground occupied by every other class ;-forcing them to perceive the station that each has