Such are two of the essential points, and such are the scriptural reasons, on which the Church of England differs from a large portion of her fellow-Christians; and it is lamentable to think that, for differences like these, she should be assailed in a spirit which savours but little of that feeling of charity and forbearance which the Gospel prescribes. Well may she, at this moment, address the Almighty in the language of his servant David: "They have imagined craftily against thy people, and taken council against thy secret ones. They have said, Come, and let us root them out, that they be no more a people, and that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have cast their heads together with one consent, and are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of the Edomites and the Ishmaelites, the Moabites, and the Hagarens-Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek-the Philistines, with them that dwell at Tyre. Assur also is joined with them, and have holpen the children of Lot."* On this unnatural coalition of those who ought to be our friends with those who are naturally our enemies, we dare not, and wish not, to pronounce the sentence which David was authorized to utter against them who were then the adversaries of God's people. We ex *See Psalm lxxxiii press no evil feelings against the men "who say, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession," but in one prayer for many among our misguided opponents, we may join in the language of the Psalmist, "Make their faces ashamed, O Lord, that they may seek thy name!" Teach them to know that the Church of England, against which they are so unnaturally combined, has always stood first and foremost in the cause of pure and uncorrupted Christianity.That she has supplied more champions for the Truth than any other community of the faithful, since the early days of Christianity. That she has always been, and is at this moment, a bulwark between bigotry on the one hand, and infidelity on the other; and is still prepared, if the blessing of God be with her, to exhibit to the people of this land, in all its length and breadth, the pure doctrines of the Gospel, in their scriptural integrity, and in our native tongue, without trenching on the liberties of conscience, or shrinking from the exercise of her just authority. And "O Lord, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."* * Collect for the day. LATELY PUBLISHED, BY THE SAME AUTHOR, 1. Poems; Sacred and Miscellaneous, 1 vol. 12mo. 3s. 6d. 2. Sermons on points of Doctrine and Rules of Duty, 12mo. Second Edition, 6s. bds. 3. Also, the SECOND VOLUME, (just published) 6s. 4. The Ascent of Elijah: a Poem, which obtained the first Seatonian Prize, in the University of Cambridge for the Year 1830. Price 1s. 6d. 5. The Duty of Liturgical Preaching stated and enforced. A Visitation Sermon, preached at the Collegiate Church, Manchester, 12mo. 1s. 6. The Moderation of the Church of England. A Sermon preached at the Collegiate Church, Manchester, 8vo. 6d. OF ST. PETER'S COLL. CAMBRIDGE, PERPETUAL CURATE OF STROUD, AND CHAPLAIN PUBLISHED BY MESSRS. RIVINGTON, LONDON; BRISLEY, STROUD; AND WILLIAMS, CHELTENHAM. |