I am, Sir, Now whether the epithet in these | Lord in Mizpeh. Immediately on instances be properly applied or his elevation he retired to his denot, it has been thought that, as a votions, and in prayer spread the name of distinction, it ought not whole matter before God. Both to be assumed by ministers who in his choice to the office, and his are hostile to the religious esta- execution of the office, he had his blishment of our country; and I eye and his heart toward the frankly confess that I have been Lord. He would do nothing withgrieved in hearing dissenting minis- out him. He leaned not to his ters themselves announce from the own understanding, nor depended pulpit-the Rev. Mr. is to upon his own courage, but relied preach, &c.; and the more so, as on God and his favour. In this there are individuals who suppose great concern, he uttered all his that the appellation is adopted words, his thoughts, his cares, befrom motives not the most friendly fore the Lord. “ Lord, the people to humility. have made me their head; wilt thou confirm the choice? Wilt thou own me as head under thee and for thee." God justly complains of Israel, "They have set up kings, but not by me." Hosea viii. 8. "Lord, said Jephthah, I will be no head of their making. will not accept the government without thy approbation." Had Abimelech thus resolved, he might have prospered. "Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord." 'Lord, they have made me their captain, to go before them in this war with the Ammonites, shall I have thy presence? wilt thou be with me? if not, carry me not up hence. Lord, satisfy Assure me of success in the enme in the justice of the cause. terprise." June, 1815. EDWARD. HISTORY IMPROVED. I WHEN Pyrrhus designed war against the Romans, one Cineas said unto him, If we overcome the Romans, what benefit shall we have of the victory? We shall then, answered Pyrrhus, overcome all the rest of Italy with ease. But, said Cineas, When we have won Italy, what shall we do then? Why then, said Pyrrhus, we will pass into Africa, and conquer Carthage; but, said Cineas, When we have all in our hands, what shall we do then? Why then, said Pyrrhus, we will be quiet and This is a rare example, an extake our ease, and make merry.ample worthy of imitation, espeAnd why, said he, may we not cially by the great men of a now, without travel or nation. In all our ways let us acknowledge God; seek his faMany persons design these things vour; ask his counsel; take him and other things, and then give with us. So shall our way be their souls a quietus est; a writ of prosperous. Thus Jephthah openease. But he that cannot be quieted the campaign with prayer. in his present estate, cannot pro- That must end gloriously which mise himself quiet in a future is begun piously. estate. We many times go from quiet for quiet, and from rest for rest; and lose what we have for hope of more. Why not quiet now? do so trouble? Judges xi. 11. And Jephthah uttered all his words before the CHRONOLOGIA. IT is observable that all the patriarchs, from Adam to Noah," died, one after another, as they were born, excepting only two, viz. Enoch and Methusalem. The for CHRISTIANA. CHRISTIANS should not only purpose to be religious, but they should be religious to purpose. It behoves Christians to be often in self-trial, and always in selfdenial. Let Christians do their best, and then let the world do their worst. He is the best Christian, not who talks most of God, but who walks most with God. mer of which, though he was the seventh from Adam, according to succession of birth, yet it pleased the goodness of God, that he was the very next of the said patriarchs that departed out of this world after Adam himself; for the goodness of God herein is remarkable on this account; that next after the death of Adam, who brought death into the world, Enoch should depart out of this world, not by death, but by being translated hence without dying, thereby giv-Christ should take away his sin ing to mankind the most early and and leave his sorrow, than take certain proof of another state or away his sorrow and leave his sin. life, wherein the body as well as One may be an honest man (as soul should live. they say), and pay every man his due, and yet not be a Christian; but one cannot be a Christian, and not be an honest man, and, so far as is in his power, pay every one his due. BIBLEISM. WELLS. WE are not justified by believing in Christ, but by Christ believed in ;* as a man is not healed by the applying of the plaister, but by the plaister applied. Faith is not our righteousness, for our righteousness is by faith. God doth not only take sin off from his people (which is justification) but doth also take his people off from sin (which is sanctification.) Christ's satisfaction, not our sanctification, is the ground of our justification; and yet wherever he is justification, he is sanctification also, or else there could be no salvation: for without holiness no man shall see the Lord. A true Christian had rather that QUERIES. VENNING. AN ENQUIRER, from Towcester, wishes an answer to the three following queries. 'I. Are those professors to be esteemed genuine Christians, whose lives are strictly moral-who profess to love the Saviour-have attachment to his people, and delight in his ordinances,—but who live without prayer? II. What line of conduct should those professors adopt who esteem prayer a duty, and would delight in it as a privilege; but neither possess the gift of prayer, nor approve of forms? III. Is there any probability that the sincere repetition of forms of prayer is acceptable to God, when there is no satisfaction in the use of them, through a conviction in the mind of the supplicants that they do not express their desires? * QUERY! Is not this distinction a refinement on the doctrine of the Scriptures ? We have met with it in the writings of several eminent Calvinists, but are not satisfied with their reasons for adopting it; and that because they produce no evidence whatever for it, except an intimation that the contrary doctrine would somehow infringe upon the article of justification by grace. We readily admit, indeed, that if it did subvert that important doctrine, we should not need a stronger reason for rejecting it. But when it is considered that faith itself is "the gift of God"—that no man possesses it in virtue of the mere exercise of his own faculties; but that it comes solely through divine illumination; we are utterly at a loss to see how it affects the article of justification. In both cases it is alike of grace. We may add, that the needless multiplication of distinctions, such as that in question, and also that between pardon and justification, answers no other end that we can see, but to perplex the minds of simple Christians. The Scripture says, "Abraham believed Cod, and it was counted unto him for righteousness"--" faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness," Rom. iv. 2, 9. which is only saying in other words, "that Abraham's belief in God was reckoned unto him to justification." But Abraham was as much indebted to divine grace for his faith in God as any of his believing seed have since been. EDIT. Theological Review. ART. I. The Velvet Cushion. By J. W. CUNNINGHAM, A, M. Vicar of Harrow. 8th edition. London. Cadell and Davies. 1815. Royal 12mo. pp. 200. 5s. 6d. bds. ART. II.. A New Covering to the Velvet Cushion. 2nd edit. London. Gale and Fenner. 1815. pp. 200. 5s. 6d. bds. are various particulars, however, in which they are one; such as, in admitting an earthly head of the church, in direct opposition to the whole tenour of the New Testament, and to the express command of Christ, who claims the sole prerogative of enacting the laws of his kingdom, and the undivided obedience of his subjects. The Catholics, indeed, invest the Pope with the sovereignty of the church, while the English Episcopalians place it in the hands of the temporal monarch, male or female. Both churches claim authority to decree rites and ceremonies; and settle controversies in matters of faith." And as each church assumes the privilege of making new laws, so they have an equal right to abrogate old ones, to dispense with such as Christ himself enacted, whenever it be thought necessary for the sake of convenience and ease; and in short, to change them as caprice or the fashion of the times may suggest the propriety of doing. ART. III.—The Legend of the Velvet Cushion; in a Series of Letters to my brother Jonathan, who lives in the country. By JERE. RINGLETUB. London. Williams & Son. 1815. royal 12mo. pp. 325. 6s. 6d. bds. WHETHER the profession of genuine Christianity be, or be not, susceptible of establishment from human laws, is a question which has been warmly litigated for the last fifteen hundred years. That, during the first three centuries, the disciples of Christ were, universally, dissenters from the established religion of the countries in which they lived, is a point that admits of no dispute. Papists and Episcopalians alike allow the fact. About a century ago, the divine But the advocates for national esta- right of Episcopacy was a point blishments of Christianity are far strenuously insisted on by Dodwell from being agreed among themselves and others, in opposition to both the as to the principle upon which to Catholics and the Dissenters; but rest their defence. The hierarchy of those who are acquainted with the the Church of Rome is evidently an ecclesiastical history of this country imitation of the worship that was during the intermediate period, need instituted by divine appointment not be told that there has been a amongst the ancient Israelites, im- gradual lowering of claims on this proved, as the Catholics think, by head; and that one of the latest and the incorporation of a few useful ablest writers that has appeared in ceremonies from the Pagan super-favour of the Church of England, stition! Hence the temple, the high we refer to Archdeacon Paley, has priest, the order of mortal priests, given up the "divine right" of Episthe altar, the sacrifice, &c. &c. &c. copacy, as a forlorn hope, and vindithat belonged to the legal dispensa-cates the Church of England on the tion, may all be found, in a tolerably perfect form, adopted into the christian economy. The Church of England is neither more nor less than a sect of dissenters from the Church of Rome, who allow the principle upon which the latter proceeded in so miserably judaizing the church of Christ, but who, as they themselves fondly imagine, have shewn superior wisdom in Popping off a few superfluous ceremonies, and purging the liturgy of some of its improprieties. There VOL. I.. grounds of expediency and fitness. This liberal and enlightened prelate had too much candour not to acknowledge, that there were many things in the constitution of "our excellent church," which were strangely at variance with the New Testament; but then he frankly confessed that he could not afford to keep a conscience !" One thing is most certain, that so long as men find their tem poral interests involved in the continuance of national establishments 2 I of Christianity, the latter will never want champions to step forwards in their defence. A poet of our own, we think it is Prior, has some lines which we remember to have read many years ago, so very applicable to the case of Dr. Paley and his brethren, that we take the liberty of quoting them for the reader's profit. We must, however, premise that we do it entirely from recollection, not having the book at hand, nor indeed knowing immediately where to find them if we had. But we are sure they are nearly to the following effect. Conscience, like a fiery horse, that in this romantic style of writing, ́ Mr. Cunningham has very obligingly favoured us with his reasons for preferring an establishment to what he calls "Dissenterism;" and they are worth examination. They happen to be only two in number. "In the first place," says he, great maxim of the Dissenters is, that every man must have entire liberty to worship God as he pleases.' Now no Dissenter is willing to give every man Will stumble if you check his course; But ride him with a gentle rein, And rub him down with worldly gain; He'll carry you through thick and thin, Safe, although dirty, to your inn! These desultory reflections have been suggested to us by looking over the publications which stand at the head of this article. The first of them intitled "The Velvet Cushion," is, what we think may be properly termed, a religious romance; in which the Cushion is made to narrate its own history; the various changes and revolutions through which it passed in traversing successive ages, from the time of its birth, in the days of bloody Queen Mary, when it first saw the light in the shop of an upholsterer in Fleetstreet, down to the present times; how it had been swept by the tunic of a Pope's nuncio-had descended to the pulpit of one of the first Puritans had been expelled by some of the Cromwellites as an impious adjunct to the simplicity of primitive worship had risen again with the rising fortunes of the monarchy-p. and after many chances and changes, had climbed the mountains of Westmoreland, to spend the years of its grand climacteric in the quiet and unambitious pulpit of the vicarage, V. C. p. 2, 3. Such is the basis of this little volume, which its ingenious author has amplified in a very amusing manner, and made the means of "reminding the enemies of the Church of England of some of its excellencies, and its friends of the duties which a good churchman owes to himself, to his church, to his country, and to his God." Dedication to the Church of England. The reader will scarcely suppose ble. that plenary indulgence. Nor is it possiwho assisted in teaching his principles Would he give it to an Atheist, upon Westminster Bridge?" Cushion, 88. Unacquainted as we are with Mr. Cunningham's personal history, we must be ignorant of the soil out of which he sprang; but to confound the denial of the very being of a God (for such is atheism) with the act of worshipping him, is so genuine a bull, that we should think it impossible to be of any other than Hibernian growth; and as such, we recommend it to Miss Edgeworth to give it a place in the next edition of her "Irish Bulls." "Another favourite maxim of theirs is," says he, “that no man should be made to pay for religious instruction before he himself desires to have it. This scheme seems to me to forget the corruption of human nature-for how few would pay for instruction who were able to avoid paying. The establishment, on the contrary, remembers that man is fallen, forces him to provide the means, and trusts that the conversion may follow." p. 88. liament. Its blessings, too, have all a reference to a future state. The design of this kingdom is not to bestow the honours or the riches of this world upon its subjects, but to deliver them from the evil of it, and save them from perishing in the destruction that awaits it. There is no essential likeness between the Church of England and the Church of Christ. The former is manifestly a secular kingdom; it is established by human laws, and acknowledges a political head; it is a creature of the State, is supported by the State, incorporated with the State, and governed by a code of laws confirmed by the State. Its principal officers are appointed by the Crown, and in virtue of their ecclesiastical stations are Lords of Parliament. The very doctrines professed, and the worship There is doubtless a wonderful variety in the tempers and dispositions of the human race; in their habits | and modes of thinking; and we cannot but admire the wisdom of the Creator in the diversified construction of the human mind. All that we can say upon the matter is, that we ourselves are so perversely constituted that we have ever entertained the most invincible dislike to have favours forced upon us, against our inclination. The case, we dare say, is quite otherwise with Mr. Cunningham, whose hard fate it may one day be to be made a Bishop, notwith-performed in the Church of England standing his solemn protestation, Nolo episcopari ! ! But as Mr. C. has so kindly furnished us with his reasons for not falling in with the Dissenters, it is only fair, by way of ballancing the account, to lay before him some of the reasons which the Dissenters have against national establishments of religion in general, and that of the Church of England in particular. Our limits will only permit us to hint at them. are all secularized. Its creeds and forms of prayer, its numerous rubricks and various rites, are adopted and used under the sanction of civil authority. Its liturgy, therefore, may be not unjustly termed an Act of Parliament respecting religious affairs, and the whole must consequently be considered as constituting a worldly kingdom. 2. The laws which Christ has enacted to regulate the conduct of his subjects, cannot possibly be enforced in any national church. Take, for an example, the rules of discipline, delivered in Matt. xviii. 15-20. or 1 Cor. v. 1-5. The impracticability of enforcing these in the Church of England is almost too glaring to need illustration. Let us for a moment suppose the Vicar of Harrow, after having administered the Lord's supper to his parishioners, in passing through one of the streets or lanes of the village, is so unfortunate as to detect one of the communicants in the commission of a crime; what then becomes his duty? Why plainly, according to the command of Christ, he is, in the first instance, to go and tell him his fault, privately; and, if possible, bring him to repentance. But suppose he fail in this effort, what comes next? Certainly he takes one or two more of his brethren along with him, to aid him in his en 1. They object to them on the ground that they are inconsistent with the nature of the kingdom, or church of Christ, which, according to his own confession, John xviii. 36, 37. is not of this world-either as to its origin, the means of its support and establishment; the laws by which it is governed; its immunities and privileges; or the nature of its blessings. These are all of them spiritual and heavenly. Its laws are of divine origin and authority. Christ is its only Head, Lord, and Legislator. "All power is his, both in heaven, and on earth," and hence his apostles argued, "We ought to obey God rather than man. His subjects are those, and those only, who are regenerated by his word and Spirit; born not of the flesh, but of the incorruptible seed of the word, John i. 13. James i. 18. 1 Pet i. 23. The laws by which it is go-deavours of relaiming the offender; verned are all contained in the New Testament, and it is incapable of receiving support from Acts of Par and in case of contumacy, to be witnesses of his behaviour. What says the delinquent to these persons? Ten |