.... arise Let God with awful pomp arise Lo! from his place, with glorious state surrounded Lo! where the words of Wisdom shine.... 61 155 44 136 11 64 47 138 27 94 14 80 .... 66 160 17 83 96 Lord, that I may learn of Thee Maker of all things, mighty Lord O God of love! to Thee our prayers .... Pardon'd through redeeming grace Praise to the Lord who left the sky .... .......... Saviour, whom our hearts adore ...... 32 109 Wake from the dead! new life begin We stand on hallow'd ground When Israel forth from Egypt went When sorrows vex and foes oppress 151 | Why should we shrink at Nature's doom Within thy Temple's hallow'd bound Wo to the Earth when God shall rise...... Worship, honor, glory, blessing 64 .... .... 31 108 26 93 ...... ..... . 10, 39, 44, 46, 61 47, 70 13, 63, 67 Praise to the Saviour The Holy Spirit. Some of these Hymns have been adapted from other writers; all, however, very greatly altered: indeed, few retain so much as a stanza of their original. The Authors, of whose Works I have thus availed myself, 7, 12, 20, 31, 45, 49, are, Brady and Tate, 6, and 57; Wesley, 20, 23, 28, AN EXPLANATION OF SOME PARTS OF THE CATECHISM......p. 170. No. I. "FEAR GOD-HONOUR THE KING." NOVEMBER 1, 1836. INTRODUCTION. If the views of Conservatives extended only | to maintain the Church, as a bulwark against to a party triumph, little would remain for revolutionary innovation, but also to call forth, them but to take the prize. Their high cha- and apply her energies to those great objects, racter; the confidence, and unanimity they which by her alone we shall be able to acdisplay; and the despondency and dissen- complish. sions which their opponents can no longer conceal, give them undeniable ascendancy; and if they delay to use their power as they might, it is only to make their victory the more decisive. But when the blessings of peace and order shall thus have been secured, there will yet remain an object of the highest consequence. None can observe the state of the poor in our large towns without deeply lamenting the social and moral evils which press upon them; and it requires no argument to prove that all the interests of society must deeply suffer, while this large and important class remains sunk below their proper condition, and estranged from those who ought to be their friends and leaders. In the Church we have an effectual, indeed the only means, of raising them to that social importance, and moral character, which may, and ought to be theirs; and of uniting all classes of society in harmony, and just subordinaOur business, therefore, is not merely To illustrate this truth, I lately published a little volume, entitled "The Church and Dissent, considered in their practical influence." I did not spare to expose the destructive tendency of the latter; because it was necessary to present in contrast the monarchical and the republican principles, of which the Church and Dissent are respectively the supporters: but I confined my animadversions to the system of Dissent, carefully avoiding all party acrimony, and whatever might give pain to individuals. I rested my arguments, chiefly, upon the principles contended for, and facts not denied by dissenters themselves — every reader may judge how far they warrant the conclusions. I republish it in its present form of a periodical, at the request of the Bath Conservative Association, who think it desirable that the work should be made more generally accessible; and I hope greatly to increase its interest and usefulness, by combining with it an exposition of the services appointed by the B Church, in a manner which shall prove how | plete analysis of these services; and the con fully she has provided for the right instruction of her disciples. The protection of the State affords to the Church the means of instructing the country. Her canons are for orderly government; and her articles, to exclude dangerous error; but her religion is the Bible, and the Bible only. The reading of the Scriptures forms the chief part of her services; and every doctrine she teaches, all the discipline she maintains, and every duty she enforces, is set forth in a clear and orderly manner, in the lessons, and other portions of Scripture, appointed to be read on Sundays and holidays through the year. We gain an argument of no small importance, by connecting all the tenets of the Church with the Scriptures, as set forth in her services. With a very few unimportant variations, the epistle and gospel as now used, were appointed, and, as there is reason to believe, by St. Jerome, in the fourth century. We have, therefore, the most direct and conclusive proof that the Church holds the faith, as it was taught in the purest ages of Christianity, and centuries before Rome advanced a claim to supremacy. The general connexion of the lessons with the epistle and gospel has not been noticed, that I am aware of, by any one who has written on the Liturgy. We may wonder that so important a fact should have been overlooked; but the connexion will be found so clear, as to leave no doubt that it was designed. Indeed, the lessons are very often necessary to explain the right sense and application of the other parts of the service. This connexion was traced in preparing a volume of psalms and hymns, which was lately published by the editor of the "Christian Remembrancer," and in which I took a very active part. As it was determined that the hymns should illustrate the services of the Church, the first step was to make a com nexion between all the parts for each day was so striking, that we went over the whole a second, third, and fourth time. I need not insist on the importance of this point. All must agree that the Sabbath will be the most profitably employed, when there is a fixed subject for religious meditation; and that the services of the Church will be doubly delightful, when it is seen how they illustrate this subject. Nor can there be a stronger security against errors in religion, which ge nerally arise from partial views of doctrine, than by calling the attention of the people to a complete system of divinity, through which they are led, step by step, in the course of every year, and which may be made interesting and intelligible even to young children. Each Number of the present publication will contain a chapter of "The Church and Dissent;" two of the longer chapters being divided; and a series of essays to illustrate the services for every Sunday and holiday, to be entitled, "The Church established on the Bible." Care will be taken that these shall always anticipate the days to which they apply; and to effect this, a supplementary number may be necessary for the services in Passion week. The work will also contain about seventy or eighty original psalms and hymns. A plain exposition of the Catechism, in which each clause will be referred to those parts of the service which bear upon it, will be given in the latter numbers. The title, "Church and King," is not chosen as a party watchword, but because it embodies our most important public duties. God has appointed both, to govern under Him, and with His authority, the Church in spiritual, the King in temporal affairs; and we ought, cheerfully for his sake, and gratefully for our own, to receive each with obedience, reverence, and love. THE CHURCH AND DISSENT, WHILE the Papists of Ireland are contend- The influence of the parties thus hostile to the Church is, at the present moment, very great. It is notorious that his Majesty's ministers are indebted for office entirely to their support; while the clergy and laity of the Church, with but few exceptions, utterly distrust them. A Government far less disposed than the present to make great sacrifices for the sake of office, would naturally desire to strengthen friends, and to depress political opponents; a consideration calculated to excite apprehensions, which the actual conduct of the Government has not tended to allay. fore, as briefly as possible, and always in the most temperate language, to state what I have observed, carefully avoiding whatever is not material to the argument: and after pointing out the essential principles of the Church and of Dissent, to trace their respective influence. upon individuals, society, and the nation. The inquiry has an interest beyond that which arises from the consideration of conflicting religious systems; for as the Voluntary Principle of Dissent is identical with Democracy in politics, so the principles which support the Church are the foundation and safeIf the Movement guard of the Throne. should so far succeed, WHICH THEY WILL NOT, as to set aside these principles, the constitutional authority of the Crown would soon be resented as tyranny, and its due splendour rejected as costly folly. CHAPTER I. Essential Differences. Formidable as the Popish confederacy in Ireland may appear, it is certain that the The Church and Dissent, their Nature, and chief power of the Movement is derived from English Dissent. It is principally by the votes and influence of dissenters, that the English members are so nearly balanced, as to enable the Irish majority to turn the scale, and, in effect, to command the Government. Ireland would soon be tranquil, if England were united. The result of the noble firmness and integrity of the Judges proves that the law is effectual, if the Government only dared to do its duty. It is therefore highly important that Dissent, its nature, tendency, and strength, should now be fully understood and I think it my duty to undertake this inquiry, because very few persons can have possessed equal opportunities of becoming acquainted with it. I have been enabled to observe it closely for the last thirty years: I was brought up a dissenter; educated under the roof of a dissenting minister; and have had those means of knowing the personal and domestic character and habits of individuals, in all ranks, and of all opinions, which only a medical practitioner can obtain. I propose, there THE essentials of a Christian Church, according to our views, are stated generally in the 19th and 23rd Articles. They consist in the setting forth of God's pure word, and the right administration of the sacraments, by a duly appointed ministry; the authority of such a ministry being derived from our Lord's commission to the apostles, transmitted by episcopal succession; and residing in a threefold order of bishops, priests, and deacons. All baptized persons, except those excluded by ecclesiastical discipline, are members of the Church; and the general assembly throughout the world of such persons, with their duly commissioned ministry, is the Catholic, or universal Church; of which every particular, or national Church, possessing these essentials, is a part. According to the system of Dissent, every meeting-house contains a church, which is complete within itself, and entirely independent of every other. This "church" is formed in the first place by the voluntary union of a number of professing Christians, who are called "church members," and is continued by the admission, from time to time, of candidates, who, after due inquiry, are considered to afford satisfactory evidence of piety, and of accordance with the tenets of the sect. All authority is vested in this select body. They alone admit, or exclude members; and appoint, govern, or dismiss the minister. The rest of the congregation, who are called "hearers," are allowed no voice in the government of the Meeting, and are not even permitted to receive the communion. The "members" transact their business at "church-meetings," which are held monthly, with closed doors; all questions being determined by vote, and every member having an equal voice. The will of the majority for the time being is the only law in all matters of business, discipline, and doctrine; necessarily so, because every "church" is distinct, and independent; and no external authority can have the right or power to interfere. The ministers take their office upon themselves, nothing being required except that they shall find a "church" willing to receive them. Their ordination, as it is called, is not the authority by which they exercise their office, but only their formal recognition as the stated ministers of particular congregations; and is repeated with every change. They are subjected in all things to the will of the "church," and hold their appointment only during pleasure. Generally, they are educated for the ministry, but this is not essential. They often step at once from a handicraft trade to the pulpit; or attend to both together; or return from the pulpit to trade, should they not succeed as ministers. The deacons are secular officers, who transact the business of the Meeting under the direction of the "church." As to the sacraments, baptism is regarded as a mere initiatory rite, which confers no privilege whatever, except among the Anti-Pædobaptists, or Baptists, as they are usually called, with whom it precedes the ceremony of admission into the "church," whose permission, given by vote at a "church-meeting," is always required before the candidate can be allowed to receive it. Only members are admitted to the communion, which is received sitting, the elements being handed round to the pews. The prayers and sermon are extempore; but in Lady Huntingdon's connexion generally, and in a few of the more respectable congregations among the Independents, the Liturgy is also admitted. The minister's salary, and other charges, are usually met by pew-rents, and voluntary contributions. This, however, arises only from necessity, and not from any scruple as to the lawfulness of endowments; as we have lately seen in the Chancery suit for the property left by Lady Hewley. Thus it is evident that no two systems can be more opposite in all things than the Church and Dissent. Their principles are utterly irreconcileable. The one vests authority in the minister: the other, in the people. The one acknowledges no man to be a minister, unless he have been appointed by lawful authority: the other permits any man to take the office upon himself. The one is comprehensive: the other, select and exclusive. The system of the Church is unity, which, by its catholic principle, may extend to the whole world: that of Dissent is division, which sets up a number of distinct, rival, and perhaps hostile "churches" in a single town. Both cannot possibly be of Divine appointment. It is certain from Scripture that God has appointed a perpetual Church; nor can we doubt that whatever He appoints must have some fixed principle. God is not the author of confusion, nor can He contradict himself. Every man therefore, having duly satisfied his judgment and his conscience upon this point, ought to take a decided stand upon his own ground; not as a question of expediency, but for conscience sake. No compromise can be safe between a Divine appointment, and a human invention. The principle which sanctions error is not charity, but weakness. Truth, and error; right, and wrong; duty, and rebellion; admit of no alliance. The dissenter, however, while he professes to believe in a Church, contends that no mode of church government has been appointed; and consequently, that all sects, the Church included, stand on the same footing, that is, on the opinion and choice of individuals. Upon this principle, the dissenter, regarding the Church as one of many sects, all holding the faith of Christ, and equal in authority, may consistently recognize and unite with her, for it would undoubtedly be very wrong to allow a difference of opinion on lesser points to estrange parties who agree in all essentials. But |