among those who are called the Qualified Episcopalians. This gentleman, minifter of a large and fashionable congregation in Edinburgh, confidered himfelf as bound in confcience, by the fubfcription of the Scotch Epifcopal Church, to acknowledge the jurifdiction of her prelates, and to join with her in communion. May he quickly be followed by all his brethren! Of the motives by which, on this occation, he was actuated, he gave a brief and perfpicuous account in a printed addrefs to his congregation, who, deferving of no lefs praife than their pastor, perceived the propriety of the step which he advifed, and gave an edifying example of the facrifice of prejudice to confiftency, principle, and a fenfe of duty. The addrefs, which we have seen, is highly creditable to its author, and places the question in the most proper point of view. The worthy writer of it, we hope, will have the goodness to pardon us for inferting the introductory paragraph, which is as follows.

"The Bishops and Clergy of the Epifcopal Church of Scotland having, at a Convention held at Laurencekirk, in the county of Kincardine, on the 24th of October laft, folemnly fubfcribed the 39 Articles of the United Church of England and Ireland; and having by this act, given the moft decifive and fatisfactory teftimony of their agreement with that Church in doctrine and difcipline, there remains no poffible objection to the union of the two Epifcopalian parties in this kingdom, and to the fubmiffion of the Englith Clergy here to the fpiritual authority of the Scotch Bishops."

There is another circumftance attending this fubfcription which we cannot but confider as of the highest importance. Our readers have no occafion to be reminded of the loud and clamorous pertinacity with which it has been of late contended, by a pretty numerous party among us, that the doctrines of our Church, and particularly our articles, are clearly and defi nitively Calvinistic. A more impudent and false affertion, it is true, was never made, as has been demonftrated, with irrefiftible force, by many able and masterly writers. To fuch a height, however, of arrogant confidence have our Calvinists, of late years, carried their claims, as to exclude, without mercy, from the character of " Churchmen," all who will not acknowledge that our public standards are conformable to the impious blafphemies of Calvin, "We then are the true Churchmen," fays Mr. Overton, and Mr. Daubeny and his associates are dissenters from the Church of England." It is fingularly unlucky for thefe modern" True Churchmen," that their predeceffors, the ancient Calvinifts of this kingdom, fhould have been of an opinion fo oppofite to theirs. But thefe ancient Calvinifts, as they were unqueftionably more learned, fo were they infinitely more refpectable and honest than their fucceffors of the prefent day. They, accordingly, inftead of pretending that their tenets were already fully taught in the ftandards of the Church, endeavoured to obtain an alteration of thefe ftandards, and to get fuch established as, without any ambiguity, inculcated the doctrines which they had embraced. With this view they drew up the Lambeth Articles, containing a genuine fyftem of Calvinifm. To procure the ratification of thefe articles they moved heaven and earth. But though their influence was too weak, and failed of fuccefs, the very attempt evinces, beyond all controversy, that they did not think the standards of the Church Calviniftic. Accordingly when afterwards, for the punishment of our fins, Calvinism was allowed to ride triumphant on the ruins of both the altar and the throne, what did the Calvinists of those days do? If our prefent Calvinifts are to be believed, those gentlemen were " True Churchmen" in "doctrine, whatever they

might be with respect to discipline. They had, therefore, no need of a new set of articles, as far at least as doctrine was concerned. But, unfortunately for the argument of our opponents, they themselves were by no means of this opinion. They compiled the Weftminster Confeffion of Faith, a fyftem as unlike the fyftem of our articles, and as purely Calviniftic, as the Lambeth Articles themselves were. So notoriously falfe is it that the standards of the Church of England were ever reprefented, by Calvinifts themselves, as conformable to Calvinifm, till these men, feeing no probability remaining of being able to obtain the establishment of Calvinifm by authority, thought proper to change their modes of attack, and to contend that their tenets have been always eftablithed, contrary, to the confiant perfuafion of their ancestors, and to every document of our ancient history.

But what will this reftiefs, and difingenuous, party fay to the fubfcription of the Scotch Epifcopal Church? They are perpetually dinning our ears with the cry that no man can honeftly fubfcribe our articles who does not understand them in a Calvinistic fenfe; and accordingly, they hefitate not, in very plain terms, to brand the majority of the English Clergy as mercenary, unprincipled, time-ferving knaves, without a particle of honour, religion, or confcience. But the whole Epifcopal Church of Scotland have ranged themfelves in oppofition to thele gentlemen. The venerable fathers and brethren of that Church, though they wifely avoided to prefix to their fubfcription any explanation or the articles, yet, as fully appears from the publication before us, unanimously fubfcribed them in an ANTI-CALVINISTIC SENSE. On this fact we reflect, we must frankly acknowledge, with fingular and unmingled fatisfaction. It is, indeed, at once a moft glorious teftimony to the caule of truth, and a most honourable proof of the foundness, fobriety, and good fenfe by which the members of that Reverend Body are diftinguished. The many and open declaration of their fentiments with regard to the Anti Calvinifm of our articles, will (we doubt not, or rather, we certainly forefee) expose them to the sharpelt fhafts of calumny, and to the keenelt reproach which can be darted against them by our fanctified and " Evangelical True Churchmen." This party, in truth, may be pardoned, if they should be a little difcompofed by the event in question: for, undoubtedly, it gives fuch a blow to their caufe as they were not prepared for, and as they cannot but feel with most painful fentibility. On the other hand, the Anti-Jacobin Reviewers, who have never ceased, for a moment, to oppofe the infolent, wild, unfounded, and unfcriptural pretenfions of thefe men, may, we hope, be allowed to congratulate themfelves on this powerful acceflion of ftrength to their intereft. They regard it as a new, and a pleasing proof that their labours have been rightly directed. Such a fuffrage cannot fail to animate their courage, and to increase their confidence. The efforts which they have already made have not, they truft, been altogether ufelefs; and, in future, they will not fleep at their pofts. Error, upheld by difingenuous arts, may flourish for a time: but MAGNA EST VERITAS, ET PRÆVALEBIT.".

"

The little work which has fuggefted the foregoing remarks contains more. matter than we expected to find in it. For though the title-page announces only a Sermon, the publication confifts of two diftinct parts, each of which we fhall notice briefly in its order. The text of the Right Reverend Preacher is 2. Tim. i. 13. After a pertinent Introduction relating, partly, to the circumstances of the Church over which he prefides, and, partly to the antiquity, univerfality, and neceffity of formulas of faith, for guarding

the

the primitive doctrine of the gospel against the conftant attempts of hereties to prevent it, the learned prelate comes to speak of the articles of the United Church. Of these he takes a furvey, rapid, indeed, as was neceffarily the cafe, but comprehenfive. This furvey conftitutes the body of the difcourse, which concludes with earnestly recommending to the audience the measure of fubscription.

The learned prelate's obfervations on the several articles are, for the most part, judicious, though we are not fure that with every one of them we could heartily concur. As a fpecimen we shall lay before our readers what is faid of the leventeenth.

Of all the articles now under our confideration, none has afforded more fcope for criticism and controversy than the seventeenth, on the fubject of predeftination; some contending very ftrenuously that it ought to be underftood in the rigorous, exclufive, Calvinistic fenfe; and others fhewing with more clearnels of evidence, that this is not the fenfe which the Church of England has ever attached to it. The latter opinion has of late been fo ably fupported by fome eminent writers of that Church, that we might juftly confider the question as fairly laid to reft, and no room left for ftirring up any farther difpute in regard to it: Yet I fufpect, there is too much reason to fear, that the mistaken abettors of that violent party, who have lately arrogated to themselves the title of True Churchmen, will till continue to infift, like true fons of Calvin, rather than of the Church, that God has from all eternity predeftinated one part of mankind to everlasting happiness, and the other to endless mifery, and has done fo, as they are pleafed to fay, by his own good pleasure, and for his greater glory. But that fuch an arbitrary, unconditional, exclufive fcheme of falvation, is not the doctrine of the Church of England, has been fo fully and fatisfactorily evinced by the now Archdeacon of Salisbury [Mr. Daubeny], the Dean of Peterborough, and the ftill greater authority of the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, that, for my own part, I fee not the leaft ground left for any solid objection to the true and genuine fenfe of this article, efpecially when guarded with this very just and appropriate conclufion, that we must receive God's promifes in fuch wife, as they be generally fet forth to us in holy fcripture; and in our doings that will of God is to be followed, which we have exprefsly declared unto usin the word of God' and no truth, I am fure, is more clearly revealed in that word than that God fent his fon to be the propitiation for the fins of the whole world; and that Jefus Chrift gave himself a ranfom for all." According to which declaration, every child of the Church of England is taught to fay I believe in God the Son, who hath redeemed me and all mankind.' How then can it be faid that he has only redeemed a few [redeemed only a few], and left the reft to perish, by an eternal, irreversible decree?" (Pp. 16-21.)

Thele fentiments are, furely, found and just; but neither of this paffage, nor of the difcourfe in general, will that, we think, be faid which is faid, by Ovid, of the palace of the Sun: "Materiem superabat opus." To fay the truth, the learned prelate's style still continues to be, in numerous instances, disfigured by the fame inaccuracy and flovenlinefs of manner of which, on a former occafion, we complained. Of the late Lord Gardenftone, who built and endowed the Epifcopal Chapel at Laurencekirk, the Bishop fays that at an early period of life, he was required, in his judicial capacity, to inhibit that fame religious worship and service, to which in mature old age, was pleased to give his public fanction, by raising this edifice, and making,

he

befides,

bafides, a lafting provifion for the due celebration of it." (P. 4.) This is plainly ungrammatical. In the fame page the village of Laurencekirk is laid to be the most centric and convenient place," to which the Scotch Bihops and Clergy could refort. This is not English. In a note to the same page, Lord Gardenftone is laid to have afterwards aflifted, with the ut-, moft readiness, in procuring the repeal of that severe and unneceffary statute;" when no particular ftatute had been previously mentioned. We fhall yet tranfcribe one passage more, of which the matter is excellent, but of which the expreffion cannot be praited. If the punctuation be right, of one of the fentences the fenfe is incomplete; and if the punctuation be wrong, the fentence is enormously aukward and ill-confiructed. At all events, our readers will immediately discover the common Scotticism of will for shall.

"Que obvious confequence of the refolution [which] we form this day, will, I trust, be the evincing on our part fuch a fincere defire of union, among thofe of the Epifcopal perfuafion, as can no longer be called in quef-, tion, nor [or] traced to any other motive, than an ardent zeal to promote that gracious purpose, for which Chrifiians are united in one myftical body, even the mutual comfort and edification of its members; and that every part may contribute its fhare to fupport and forward the whole in the way of falvation and peace. Any fuch portion of this friendly aid and encouragement as we can afford, may, no doubt, appear to be very fmall and infignificant, when held out to a Church established by law, and enjoying all the fecurity which may be expected from the power and protection of the fecu lar arm: and yet, when we daily fee, or hear of the imminent danger to which the Church of England is expofed, notwithstanding this powerful defence, if not of being overborn by outward violence, yet certainly of being. fecretly undermined by the treachery of thote, who affecting to keep with-, in her pale, are ready to break from it whenever an opportunity offers, and on any fuch occafion, would be proud to fee her humbled, to trample on her authority, and lay her honour in the duft. When we think feriously of thefe things, and look forward to what may be the fatal confequences of fo much fpiritual pride, and contempt of all order and dignity, we will furely efteem it our duty to do what we can to prevent the dire effects of this levelling, licentious spirit, and give every public teftimony of our earnest defire to preferve both the purity of doctrine, and regularity of apoftolic fuccefhion, which fo happily distinguish, and long may they both continue to adorn, the true, as well as the legal, the rightly conftituted, as well as lawfully established Church of England! In this fervent with, I am perfuaded, my brethren, you will all cordially join with me, and in every measure that may ferve to flew how well we are difpofed to hold faft our profeflion, even as St. Paul exhorted Timothy to hold fast the form of found words ' in faith and love which is in Chrift Jelus." (Pp. 30, 31.)

The fecond part of the publication contifts of an Appendix, containing the fubftance of an addrets to the meeting by another prelate, Bithop Jolly of Moray, and alfo the Address of a Mr. Skinner of Forfar, both recommending fubfcription to the articles, and both declaring that the articles ought to be understood in an Anti-Calvinistic fenfe. The Bithop's Address is interefting, being modeft, learned, argumentative, and plain. The worthy prelate fhews himfelf perfectly acquainted with the History of our Articles, and with the principal circumstances from which the notions of the compilers on the points now difputed between Calvinifts and Anti-Calvi

NO. LXXX. VOL. XX.

N

nifts

nifts may be moft certainly inferred. We were therefore, we confess, exceedingly furprised at the affirmation in one of the notes to this addrefs, that HEYLIN was contemporary with CALVIN and Cranmer. The note, after quoting, from Daubeny's Vindicia, an excellent paffage relating to the Royal Declaration, proceeds thus: "Very juftly, then, was it obferved by one of the Clergy prefent at our meeting, that if the difciple of Calvin holds to the literal and grammatical fenfe of the Articles as the anchor of his foul, he has been clearly convicted of leaning only to a broken reed, instead of an anchor fure and ftedfast: for prejudice itfelf muft yield to facts, as facts are stubborn things,' and in addition to thofe now produced, we are informed by a contemporary writer, that Calvin's offer of affistance in conduc. ting the reformation in England, was rejected by Cranmer; for,' fays Heylin, the Archbishop knew the man." (P. 40.) Whoever was the writer of this note, we are fully convinced that it was not Bishop Jolly. He is evidently too well informed a man to be capable of fuch confummate ignorance as is here difplayed: for every body knows that Heylin's Hiftoria Quinquarticularis was published confiderably after the middle of the feventeenth century.

With regard to Mr. Skinner of Forfar, the author, as it appears, of the obfervation mentioned above, we fee not, we confefs, the reafon, why fo confpicuous a place has been here affigned him in preference to the rest of his brethren. Many of them, it is to be fuppofed, delivered their fentiments in the meeting. Their fpeeches, however, have, in our opinion, been judiciously fuppreffed, if that which is here afcribed to Mr. Skinner was confidered as poffeffed of fuch eminent excellence as to entitle it to fo marked and prominent a pre-eminence. The gentleman, however, is, undoubtedly defirous that what he faid, on this occafion, fhould be, as generally as poffible, known. We fhall, therefore, we question not, do him a gratification by inferting it. Having, we are told," requested permiflion to quote fome authorities, which he had been at pains to collect for his own fatisfaction, from a few of the most approved writers of the Church of Eng land, tending to fhew that the Thirty-nine Articles of that Church are neither Calviniftic, Antinomian, nor Eraftian," he concluded by a declaration, to the following effect.

Impreffed, therefore, as I am with the force of thofe arguments, which I have had the honour of ftating to this venerable audience, I do now willingly, and ex animo, confent to the adoption of the Articles of the United Church of England and Ireland, as the Articles of the Church to which I belong, acknowledging all and every one of them to be, in my opinion, agreeable to the word of God. For, to ufe the language of Mr. Faber, in his Thoughts on the Calvinistic and Arminian Controversy, after mature invefti gation I find, that to the Calvinift the Articles declare the doctrine of Univerfal Redemption; to the Pelagian they affert the existence of original fin; to the Antinomian they declare, that good works are a sine qua non of falvation, though not the meritorious caule of it to the Latitudinarian they avow, that they are to be had accurfed who prefume to fay that every man fhall be faved by the law or fect which he profeffeth, fo that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature; while they teach the Romanist, that we are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, by faith, and neither for our own works or defervings, nor for the fupererogatory works of faints.", (Pp. 44, 45.)