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tion. That illustration, therefore, should be drawn from all possible sources. For this purpose you must be a man of various and diversified knowledge. You must be acquainted with a variety of topics that are but remotely connected with theology. You will have hearers of all tastes to instruct and please. Nothing will please a hearer more, or contribute more to his instruction, than to listen to an illustration of a subject drawn from the topics with which he is peculiarly conversant. The avoca tions, therefore, of men; the arcana of the arts and sciences, and all the different departments of nature, must be laid by you under tribute." The commentary on this passage is painfully ludicrous. "We have sometimes felt," says the Congregational Magazine, "in common with our brethren, an almost painful sensation in attending ordination services, and in listening to the charge' to the minister, when the standard of ministerial attainments has been placed very high, and we have sat mourning over our deficiencies; especially when the gifted brother who may have addressed us, has failed to furnish any hints or directions from his own experience, to assist us in reaching the elevation we have been enjoined to seek, or in correcting the imperfections we deplore."

This is indeed one evil of the scho. lastic theory which the Reviewer seems almost to have discovered, as if he had caught a glimpse of the light; for begging Dr. Leifchild's pardon, and the pardon of all those learned Doctors who propagate similar sentiments in ordination services, their admonitions and exhortations are, in nine cases out of ten, directed to an impossibility when they preach in this strain. It is not possible, for various reasons, even if it were desirable, that the majority of ministers should accomplish that which is enjoined them as a duty in thus ransacking all the stores of science, and heaping up knowledge by all means

VOL. II.

from all quarters. Sometimes, nay for the most part, the young men preparing for the ministry in the Dissenters' colleges have not enjoyed the advantages of a scholastic or scientific education; they know but little, in some cases, very little, till they came to college, and then, according to the plan of Dr. Leifchild, such a prospect of " ologies" would burst upon their aching eyes, besides the exceeding great task of systematic theology, and the acquisition of Greek and Latin, as might drive them into despair, if they really believed all that their learned seniors unmercifully propound concerning the studies of a minister. Then, again, many of them have not the capacity requisite for this gigantic intellectual toil; many have not the books, and still more have not the money requisite to purchase the books, so that this is like the cruelty of Pharaoh demanding the whole tale of bricks, but withholding the straw by which the bricks were to be fabricated. though this view of the subject might, and ought to convince the scholastics of the absurdity of their theory (for if it were based on the truth, it would not thus turn out inapplicable to much the greater number of persons for whose edification it is propounded), yet in truth this is but one of its minor evils; for such sentiments as those here quoted, cannot be sustained in juxtaposition with the truths of the Gospel; they wholly militate with the doctrines of grace, and are of a nature to require a sharp rebuke.",

But

It is obvious that both the Reviewer and Dr. Leifchild have in their minds the actual state of things existing amongst the Dissenters; and to these they refer, as if they were unques tionably resting on a right foundation. They suppose that a chapel and the minister are to be sustained by what is called a respectable congregation ;" that " men of the world," worthy class of hearers," i. e. rich, rising people, persons living at ease, enjoying the luxuries of life, and dip

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ping into all the fashions as far as their station will allow them, persons of all sorts of tastes, pursuits and habits, are to take seats in a chapel in order to hear a young man of talent; that for this mixed multitude, a continued treat of intellectual varieties must be served up every Sunday; and that "laudable attractiveness" is to be sustained by new thoughts, new arrangements, and new illustrations," in short by all those contrivances which Dr. Leifchild has set forth with his usual power of words. If the minister therefore does not "keep in advance of the intelligence of the age, (a most difficult task indeed to perform, and such as we are confident neither Dr. Leifchild nor his reviewer have yet achieved), he will begin to be forgotten "as a dead man out of mind," and none but "the dull and idle will sleep in the stagnant pool of such a ministry."

But although these things are so among the Dissenters; and though there is this clamour for talent in the pulpit, and for amusement and instruction by all sorts of illustrations, &c.; and though, in some few cases, the system is sustained, ought it to be so? Is this a right view of the dispensation of the gospel? Can it be defended by any one text of Scripture? Can it not be opposed by many? It is piteous indeed to be compelled to bring forward such proofs, and thus to be driven as it were to lay down first principles, which surely ought to be beyond dispute by this time; but to those proofs we must, it appears, have recourse, and we must state how that the Apostle Paul said, "The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified; unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your

calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." These passages are directly to the point, and the full force of them we request our readers to ponder, comparing them with other Scriptures of a similar import which they will easily remember: for what are they but commentaries on the divine words of the Son of God, "to the poor is the Gospel preached," and how can the views of the ministry, the constitution of a Church of Christians, and the worship of Christians as set forth in the Scriptures, be reconciled with this theory of a priesthood separated from the laity, and prepared by a most laborious, most painful education, to come forth at last "men of various and diversified knowledge, and fully prepared to instruct and please. hearers of all tastes?” And how comes it, that the dispensation of grace seems to be changed by the modern theory, and that we ought, in accordance with it,

to

reverse the doctrine of Paul, already quoted, to state that as the Greeks of our days require wisdom, so we will give it them, and that God has not chosen the weak things of the world to confound the wise, but rather the wisest for the purpose of decoying the wise into the belief of the Gospel?

Our limits compel us here to bring our remarks to a close; we will only

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add that the solemn admonitions which Dr. Leifchild has expressed in counsels" on the article of fervent piety, will we fear lose all their force after the sentiments which we have noticed. The minds of the young ministers to whom these "counsels" are directed will, it is to be apprehended, think far more of their difficult position with "the men of the world," "" the hearers of all tastes and pursuits," whom they are thus urged to "instruct and please," by continually increasing knowledge --they will far more be occupied with anxious contemplations of the omne scibile, thus alarmingly placed before them in the distance, as that which they must acquire, whether they can or cannot; they will much more be ruminating on "the arcana of all the arts and sciences," than on these wellmeant, but not very novel exhortations to holiness; a holiness which joined to this enormous course of studies, and united with the intellectual labours of this scheme, may be almost ranked amongst impossibilities.

The Reviewer closes the subject with the following remarks, "From these considerations we may clearly see the importance of eminent holiness in the ministers of the sanctuary, whose office it is to speak to the people in the name of God, and to address God in behalf of the people. The one half of their duty consists in intercession, and the other in the proclamation of the truth as it is in Jesus." A description of a Priest to which the Council of Trent would have made no objection.

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

"THE congregational union of England and Wales," is to meet in London on the 6th of May. The Reverend Thomas Raffles, D. D. and L. L. D. will take the chair, and it is announced that "many subjects of the greatest importance will require the attention of the assembled Brethren" (Cong. Mag. April, p. 273). Many subjects of the greatest importance do certainly

We

require the attention of the assembled brethren: but will they be brought forward and fairly discussed? know not what may be the important subjects thus announced by the committee; but we will venture to offer some topics for inquiry and examination, which may, with great propriety, be laid before the synod by the learned and reverend Chairman.

1. Is the Congregational system answering our expectations? 2. Are there any deficiencies in it, either of a theoretical or practical nature? 3. Is the constitution of our churches according to the warrant and authority of the New Testament ? 4. Are we right in upholding the monarchical form of the ministry universally established in all our Churches? 5. Were there not in the churches of the Apostolical age more than one minister? 6. Were there not more than one Elder in the churches? and if so what was the nature of their office? 7. Should the work of the ministry consist in preaching sermons; and should that task be assigned to one man only? 8. Are low views of the standing and privileges of believers entertained and indeed encouraged in our churches? 9. Do our ministers assume the priestly office, and exclude the Lord's people from their place in the innermost sanctuary, consecrated for all the elect people of God by the blood of Christ? 10. Should believers be excluded from teaching, exhorting, and edifying by doctrine, their brethren in the faith? 11. Can the division of believers into " clergy' and "laity," now habitual amongst us, be justified? 12. What is our warrant for assuming the title of "Reverend?" 13. Is not the title of Reverend a formal avowal of a distinct sacerdotal order? 14. Have our ministers the exclusive right of "interceding for the people," and of 'proclaiming the truth as it is in Jesus?" 15. Do any of our periodicals inculcate priestly maxims? 16. Whence is it that some of our ministers have ministers have adopted Episcopa. lian views of Church-government ?

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17. Whence is it that "nonconform ists" have sometimes betrayed a suspicion of the efficacy of their own principles, in the accomplishment of God's gracious purposes towards mankind? 18. Can we defend the ceremony of ordination by imposition of hands? 19. Have we not theologically and physically inherited the imposition of hands from the Church of Rome? 20. Can we defend by Scripture-authority, the titles of Doctor of Divinity, and Doctor of Laws assumed by several of our ministers ? 21. Are the doctrines of grace sufficiently preached from our pulpits? 22. Does not the Collegiate education of our ministers produce a cold, steril, and unprofitable mode of preaching? 23. What is the cause of the small congregations in multitudes of our

chapels, and of the general languor of very many " Dissenting Interests?" 24. Have we generally speaking, engaged too much in politics of late years? 25. Does a worldly spirit prevail in our churches; and are our ministers, owing to their peculiar situation with persons of influence in their churches, restrained from giving faithful counsels on this head? 26. If some, or any of the evils to which these questions are directed, do really exist, are we sincerely willing, and if willing, are we able to remedy them?

If these questions were to be discussed in the congregational union of England and Wales; and if fair and candid answers were to be recorded

by the decision of the whole body, the Dissenters could not fail to arrive at some truths of the highest importance.

MISCELLANIES.

ABOLITION OF THE PILGRIM TAX IN
HINDOSTAN.

From the Friend of India, a Paper published in India, December 13, 1838.

"So immensely is this measure calculated to augment the popularity of government, that, in these disaffected times, we think it cannot be too much bruited abroad, were it only to counteract the reports which incendiaries are spreading to our disadvantage. Let the reader picture to himself the vast assembly of pilgrims from all parts of India, east, west, north, and south, at the sacred junction next January, suddenly informed, that the resort to their own holy stream was at length free, and that the tax was for ever done away with; let him fancy the shouts which will burst from the vast multitude and the blessings which will be called down in every dialect of this vast continent, from the snows of the Himalaya to the Cape of Comorin, on the British government, and he will be able to realise the feelings with which the poet was warmed, when he described in such glowing terms the proclamation of liberty in Greece by Flaminius. Then let him follow the pilgrims to their respective villages, and listen to the narrative of this extraordinary event, more extraordinary in rural recollections, than the change of a dynasty; and then let him say, whether in thus yielding to the importunity of the fanatics, the British government has not acquired a boundless increase of popularity, while at the same time it has got rid

of a connection which never did it any credit."

This is not a very encouraging view of the subject; increase of popularity and of idolatry seem to be the recommendations of this measure in the opinion of the writer. More justice, however, than this must be done in India, before our government can expect to reap the rich reward of the grateful affections of the people. The inconceivable pillage and rapine of the taxgatherers, and the exorbitant amount of the land-tax, the sole cause of the distressing famines in that unhappy country, must be speedily and effectually remedied, if we wish to retain our dominion in the East.

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THE INQUIRER.

JUNE, 1839.

What saith the Scripture?-ROм. iv. 3.

THE REMNANT.

Ir does not seem to us possible to read the Acts and the Epistles without seeing that they contain information as to the state of the Church in the time toward the close of its earthly career. We do not say, that the giving us information upon this point is the or even a main and prominent object of the revelation, but only that such information is given. This, therefore, must be a subject of deep interest to every christian mind; for "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Again, we do not say that we are in the times referred to. If any are satisfied we are, they, of course, in saying so, recognise that God has spoken of these times: and if any say we are not in them yet, or have passed through them, still the testimony concerning them remains in the word: there it was written, and there it remains. Whether we are or are not living in the times it speaks of, and whether we believe that such times are passed or have to come, or disbelieve it altogether, the word of God remains unchanged. It is in this abstract view, that we shall endeavour to consider this question; that is, as one of the thoughts and revealed purposes of the Divine Mind, and not in the detail of its consequences upon us. Now so very plainly and so very frequently is it alluded to, directly as well as indirectly, that it seems to us impossible for a believer to read these books with but moderate attention and intelligence, and to continue ignorant upon the subject. To look at this more closely:

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In Acts, chapter i. we have an account of our Lord's departure from the earth. While they were beholding him, as he instructed them about the grace which was about to come from the Father, "he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight" (ver. 9), and whilst they still continued gazing up into heaven, the Lord whom they had seen thus taken from them, sent them this word by his messengers, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem, and entered upon their work; and

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