Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

notion entertained of him. Mr. Clarkson has displayed great ingenuity in the conduct of his argument, and considerable theological and historical learning; but we would not be understood to agree in all his inferences, or to sanction all his opinions.

Case of the Protestants of Ireland, stated in Addresses, delivered at Meetings in Dublin, Liverpool, Bristol, and Bath, in the Year 1834. By the Rev. MORTIMER O'SULLIVAN, A. M. With an Appenda, containing copious Notes. London: Hatchard. Dublin: Currey. 1836. Pp. 226. IMPORTANT, deeply important, to the Protestant cause, is the publication of these addresses, not merely from their intrinsic merit, and the conviction which they must carry to the mind of the unbiassed inquirer; but from the appended documents by which every statement is borne out. They should be read and digested by every man, who really and sincerely wishes for "Justice to Ireland."

The Blessings of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper practically explained, and the Duty of frequently communicating enforced. By THOMAS THELUSSON CARTER, M.A. Curate of Burnham, Bucks. London: Rivingtons. 1835. 12mo. Pp. vi. 62. The Duties and Blessings of the Christian Sabbath considered with Reference to the present State of Society. By T. T. CARTER, M.A., &c. London: Rivingtons, &c. 1836. 12mo. Pp. 38.

THESE little tracts contain "a word in season on two most important topics. They seem to be addressed particularly to the higher orders among the lower classes; but they cannot fail to be generally useful to all who peruse them with that attention which they deserve.

A Letter of our most Holy Father, by Divine Providence, POPE GREGORY XVI. to the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland. London: Rivingtons. 1836.

THIS is decidedly an ingenious and clever letter, and we believe expresses

nothing but what the Papists fully meditate; but that any Protestant should have written such a pamphlet, and have foisted it upon the world as true, we most decidedly condemn. To be surprised that the reader should be deceived, is worse than folly. The first paragraph forbids it. Let the Papists dissemble and forswear as they please; let Thomas Moore garble quotations from the fathers as may suit the purpose of "an Irish travelling gentleman;" nay, let the whole herd of them resort to tricks and to cunning, which are indispensable to the support of their mummeries; but never let the Protestant employ any weapons but straightforward truth. The spirit and the errors of Romanism are too palpable to need any thing else, and are as contrary to common sense as to Scripture and to history. We can have no doubt of Mr. Todd's

ability to achieve a victory over any

one of the mischievous tenets of the

Papists, and to such we exhort him to

direct his talents; but let there be no fiction.

A Compendium of Rudiments in Theology: containing a Digest of Bishop Butler's Analogy; an Epitome of Dean Graves on the Pentateuch; and an Analysis of Bishop Newton on the Prophecies. By the Rev. J.B. SMITH, B.D., Rector of Sotby, Incumbent of Bamburgh, and Head Master of Horncastle Grammar School. (For the Use of Students.) London: Rivingtons. 18mo. Pp. 607. 1836. THE public, and particularly the student, is already indebted to Mr. Smith for his work, intituled, "Manual of the Rudiments of Theology;" and here they are laid under additional obligations, by a judicious abridgment, or condensation, of the three most invaluable productions mentioned in the title. It has not been the intention of the writer to supersede the necessity of and others in fixing the arguments for research, but only to "aid the student memories, by furnishing them with an the credibility of revelation in their outline of the principal points;" and in this he appears to have been successful. We recommend the volume not only as useful to the student, but

also to the general reader, who herein will be spared no little time and labour.

Some Thoughts on Education. By JOHN LOCKE, Esq. With Notes, and an Historical Account of the Progress of Education in Egypt, Persia, Crete, Sparta, Athens, Rome, among the early Christians, and in the middle Ages. By J. A. ST. JOHN. London: Hatchard. 1836. Small 8vo. Pp. xiii. 333. [Masterpieces of English Prose Literature; Vol. III.]

We cannot say that we are satisfied with Mr. St. John's essay. There is a degree of declamatory violence about it, which the subject does not require, and which ill accords with the quiet reflection contained in the valuable reprint, to which it is intended as an introduction. At the same time, it contains much useful information. Of Locke's treatise itself, it is unnecessary to speak particularly.

Harvest Time. A Sermon, by a Country Clergyman. Chichester: Hackman. London: Groombridge. 18mo. 1836. Pp. 17.

A VERY cheap (2d.) and very useful sermon, particularly for distribution in a country parish. The language is plain, the doctrine practical. Our author might have added his name, without the slightest fear of degrading it; and we strongly recommend him to favour the public with yet further results of his labours only let him be careful of one thing-too great familiarity of expression.

A few plain Remarks upon a Pamphlet by " G. H. Stoddart, A.M., late of Queen's College, Oxford, and Minister of the Established Church," entitled," Reasons for my seceding from the Established Church." By W. L. NEVILLE, M. A., Curate of East Orchard, Dorsetshire. Shaftesbury: Swayne. London: Longman. 1836. Pp. 17.

We have not seen Mr. Stoddart's pamphlet, but, from the "Reasons" here adduced from it for his seceding

from the Church, we are at no loss to conceive that he will be in “doubt" to the end of his days. As the objections he has urged against our Church have been ten thousand times refuted, and in the pamphlet before us they receive an easy and additional overthrow, we strongly recommend Mr. Stoddart to reconsider his reasons for secession: his arguments are of no weight, as might surely be presumed, when thousands as holy and as pious as himself can remain within the pale of the Church; and we entreat him, with brotherly affection, to weigh well the sin of schism.

Patronized by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury.. Ecclesiastical Records of England, Ireland, and Scotland, from the fifth Century till the Reformation: being an Epitome of British Councils, the Legantine and Provincial Constitutions, and other Memorials of the olden Time, with Prolegomena and Notes. By the Rev. R. HART, B.D., Vicar of Catton, in the Diocese of Norwich, Author of "Medulla Conciliarum," &c. Cambridge: Deighton. London: Rivingtons. Oxford: Parker. 8vo. 1836.

THE title-page of this work expresses so much of its nature and contents, that little need be said to explain them. In forming the volume, the author has made free use of those laborious writers, Williams and Spelman, and has condensed, within the compass of 317 pages, the marrow of four folio volumes, and at a twenty-eighth part of the price. There are many points in which the volume will be found most useful:

rubrics in our Common Prayer are explained by reference to antiquity; and, from the same source, numberless points in our excellent law receive immediate elucidation. The Protestant is here well and readily prepared for controversy with the Romish Church, by a supply of argumentative facts from direct sources, so that her true character is discovered in all its naked deformity. So varied, indeed, are the points of information, that it would be impossible to speak of half their number within the compass of a notice;

we must, therefore, recommend our readers to possess themselves of the labours of our excellent and esteemed author, and we are sure they, with ourselves, will find it a valuable addition to their libraries.

Two Sermons on the due Observance of the Lord's Day, preached at Park Chapel, Chelsea, on Sunday, July 17th, 1836. By the Rev. HENRY VAUGHAN, B.A. Published at the request of many Members of the Congregation. London: Miller; Hatchard & Son; Seeley & Sons; Duncan. 1836. The Christian entitled to Legal Protection in the Observance of the Lord's Day: a Sermon preached in the Church of St Mary, Hornsey, on Sunday, May 8, 1836. By the Rev. RICHARD HARVEY, M.A., Rector. London: Parker. 1836,

merates different missionary societies, but says not one syllable in his "account of the Charities of London," of the operations, or even of the existence of the two venerable institutions alluded to. Perhaps Peter is a Dissenter: if so, all will then be explained.

Friendly and Seasonable Advice to the Catholics of England. By THOMAS COMBER, D.D., Dean of Durham. A new Edition, with Appendix and Notes, by the Rev. W. F. Hook, M.A., Vicar of Trinity Parish, Coventry. Loudon : Washbourn. 18mo. 1836. Pp. 197.

WE hail with pleasure the republication of this little volume, and sincerely hope from the error of his ways, it will, at that if it do not convert the Papist least, confirm the Protestant in a right understanding of the doctrine and discipline of his own Church, and also

VERY useful sermons on a most im- supply him with a manual of solid portant subject.

Tules about Great Britain and Ireland.

argument against the evils of that from which we have so justly seceded.

By PETER PARLEY. London: Tegg. Society for the Propagation of the

1836. Pp. 544.

PETER PARLEY here affords his young readers much pleasing information, in a familiar and simple style. His strides are sometimes rapid, as when he can step so suddenly from the Lady Chapel to Highgate, and thence to St. John's Gate, and all within the compass of three paragraphs. We should have been happy if his knowledge of religious societies had extended to those for Promoting Christian Knowledge and for the Propagation of the Gospel. He tells us that the British and Foreign Bible Society has "scattered more than eight millions of Bibles and Testaments;" that "the Religious Tract Society has spread abroad two hundred millions of tracts and books," and enu

Gospel in Foreign Parts. Extracts from the Correspondence: BRITISH WEST INDIES.

THESE extracts are very interesting, and we are delighted in having thus much of information respecting their proceedings. What we have long been most anxious to see is a brief, but comprehensive history of the Society, interspersed with anecdotes of their proceedings, and embellished with neat wood-cuts of their churches, and other buildings connected with the Society. After we may have preached in the Society's behalf, we want tracts of the above nature for distribution among our parishioners. We strongly press this hint upon the attention of the committee.

A SERMON.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND A PURE BRANCH OF THE HOLY
CATHOLIC CHURCH.

1 TIMOTHY vi. 3-5.

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

HAVING already given a brief sketch of the recognised Church of Christ throughout the world, and traced the affinity between the Church which is now established among us, and that more ancient one which, at a very early period, was planted in this island, it will not be unprofitable to take a view of the doctrines and discipline of our Church, that their conformity to apostolical usage may appear.

With regard to the leading doctrines of our Church, as they are all founded on express declarations of holy writ, not those declarations, be it remembered, which are figurative, "but those which are unequivocal" in their meaning, it might have been presumed that no objections would have been raised against her on account of them. But however well founded such a presumption might appear to be, experience proves that it is baseless. If we, like the Romanist, established one doctrine by straining the figurative language of Scripture from its obvious and natural signification, another on the authority of a vague and questionable tradition, a third by virtue of a papal mandate, and so on, we 'could not be surprised that our pretensions were often called in question by inquiring minds. Such, however, is not the case; and it is a matter of surprise, no less than of grief, that there should be such perverseness in man as to cause him to close his eyes against the truth, which is established by the apologists of our Church on such evidence as would never be doubted if the subject were not a religious one.

The Church of England is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." This was the foundation of the primitive Church, even of that Church, against which Christ declared the gates of hell should never prevail. Now, as the leading doctrines of our Church are founded on holy writ; as the fundamental principle of our Church is, that "holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation;" and as the records of the primitive Church,

See CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER for October 1835, and February 1836. VOL. XVIII. NO. IX.

3 Y

which have been handed down to us, show that a similar principle actuated the fathers of our faith before those fond and deluding innovations had insinuated themselves into the bosom of the Catholic Church, which have for many an age completely deformed, and in many instances concealed, the faith once delivered to the saints; we justly lay claim to identity of doctrine and of principle, and hurl back the charge of novelty upon those who, on the one hand, received a code of faith from a council which sat in the sixteenth century, and on the other, have introduced a form of church government altogether unknown to the primitive Church, and which only sprung up as an excrescence on the Reformation-poison having been clandestinely rubbed on the bark in order to produce a gangrene in the tree.

The Scriptures plainly tell us what the doctrines are upon which the apostles insisted; and from the same source we learn that the Church which existed immediately after the death, resurrection, and ascension of its divine Founder, continued stedfast in the apostles' doctrine. The early records of ecclesiastical history are equally explicit in describing to us the transactions of the Church after the Scripture history closes; and from that period down to the present day, we are furnished with an authentic narrative of all the changes which the pure doctrines of primitive Christianity underwent, and of the ordeals which these corruptions rendered it necessary for the Church to undergo.

There can, therefore, be no question about the fundamental doctrines of the primitive Church; and it is equally clear, by a reference to our Articles and Liturgy, that we also hold them. But a question may arise in the mind of a candid inquirer relative to those doctrines which, although they are highly important, are, nevertheless, not fundamental. These, however, are so far connected with the discipline of the Church, that they will be best understood by being examined in connexion with it. Of these doctrines, perhaps that of infant baptism stands foremost. There can be no dispute about the importance of baptism, but doubts may arise about the proper time for administering this rite. With regard to the time when it ought to be administered the Scriptures are silent; and the cases of baptism which are mentioned in them, although they lead us to infer the administration of this rite to infants, yet are no positive guides in fixing the time. The cases are such as might be expected at a period when the Church was surrounded with heathens-such, in fact, as our own missionaries daily exhibit. These cases, therefore, cannot be said to give any directions for a country essentially christianized. As baptism was received in the Church as the substitute for circumcision, we might expect it would be administered accordingly. This supposition is confirmed by ecclesiastical history; for we find, from the testimony of the Fathers, some of whom lived and conversed with the apostles and their immediate successors, that infants were received into the Church by baptism, and that those who had attained the age of manhood previous to their conversion were baptized before their admission into the Church. From the same testimony we learn that sprinkling was used in baptism as well as immersion. With regard, then, to baptism, the Church of England closely imitates her ancient and apostolical model, both as to time and manner, and thus identifies herself with it.

« AnteriorContinuar »