under God's blessing, shall be submitted to you as instrumental, less to a judgment upon others, than to a salutary admonition for ourselves.

MUSGRAVE, BISHOP OF HEREFORD.-1842.

80. If the storm from without, which at one time seemed to hang over the Church, threatening to impair her usefulness, if not to endanger her very existence, has happily passed away; if the good Providence of God has suffered our prospects to brighten, and our labours to be better appreciated, let us give Him thanks for the warning, and avoid every needless division among ourselves. Let us take heed to our ways, "standing fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving for the faith of the Gospel." It is only by such union, that we can reasonably hope to "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." It is only by such concord and co-operation, with the Divine blessing upon our endeavours, that we can shew the practical value of the Church established in these realms, or hope to promote her usefulness, and secure her permanent hold on the love and veneration of the people.

81. Stand fast, therefore, my reverend brethren, by the principles and practice of the Protestant Reformed Church established in this land that Church in which you minister, and endeavour to give full proof of her efficiency for every holy purpose. Mind, nevertheless," and fear alway. "Strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers." Enter not upon

foolish questions, which, as of old, do but gender strifes." Holding "the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life;" and labouring diligently, every one in your vocation and ministry, to "win souls to Christ," may you all be blessed instruments of "turning many from darkness to light;" till, having finished your course with joy, "an abundant entrance may be ministered unto you, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

BLOMFIELD, BISHOP OF LONDON.-1842.

77. And, while we "contend earnestly for the faith as delivered to the saints," and for all the ordinances of God, let us not forget the "more excellent way;" but "put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness," and pray earnestly, and strive as well as pray, that "all hatred and prejudice may be taken away from us, and whatsoever doth hinder us from godly union and concord; that as there is but one body, and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all; so we may henceforth be all of one heart and one spirit, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

CHRISTIAN MODERATION ENFORCED.

MOUNTAIN, BISHOP OF MONTREAL.-1842.

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18. But in all the shades of difference, more or less broadly marked, which may exist, in these exciting times, among ourselves, whether relating to questions of Church authority and order, to views of doctrine on which some difference is allowable, or to particular tests for which there is a fondness, here and there, of spirituality and vital godliness, I must again enforce that Christian moderation, in my recommendation of which, I stated upon a former occasion, similar to this, that I was not ashamed to have recourse to a female writer, and I now shelter my head behind the venerable figure of Bishop Hall. Those who are acquainted with his character and writings, will not accuse him either of lowChurchmanship on the one hand, or want of spiritual and enlightened views on the other; nor yet will he be charged with flinching in the fiery trial. Hear, then, how he speaks of himself and his times, with reference to religious distractions, which have a remarkable correspondence, in many points, with those of our own day; although we have cause to be thankful that the latter are developed in a milder form :

"Let a man be strict and austere in moral and Divine duties, though never so humble, he is a puritan, and every puritan is a hypocrite. Let him be more free, and give more scope to his conversation, though never so conscionable, he is a libertine. Let him make scruple but of any innovated form, he is a schismatic: let him stand for the anciently received rites and government," (i. e. Church-government,) "he is a time-serving formalist. This is a Diotrephes, that an Arius; this a scorner, that a flatterer. In the meantime," he continues, "who can escape free? Surely, I that tax both, shall be sure to be censured of both; shall be?-yes, am, to purpose, and therein I joy, yea, and will joy. What! a neuter? says one- -What! on both sides? says another. This is that I looked for. Yes, truly, brethren, ye have hit it right. I am, and profess to be, as the terms stand, on neither, and yet of both parts. I am for the peace of both; for the humour of neither. How should the mortar or cement join the stones together, if it did not lie between both? And I would to God," he adds, "not only you that hear me this day, but all our brethren of this land, were alike-minded; we should not have such libellous presses, such unquiet pulpits, such distracted bosoms: for the truth is, there is no reason we should be thus disjoined, or thus mutually blinded."

BAGOT, BISHOP OF OXFORD.-1842.

50. And, while I thus warn you of the manner in which, without doing any thing hastily, unadvisedly, or without due intimation of your intentions to myself, you may, each in his own sphere, render

our Church-system more accordant in her practice with what she is in theory, I trust it is unnecessary to remind you, how needful it has become, that your studies should be directed to the subjects which now agitate the public mind; and I am confident that, whatever views you espouse, you will not condemn, without reading, and honestly making yourselves acquainted with, the real opinions of those from whom you differ. Still less, I trust, is it needful, that I should recommend you especially to arm yourselves with sound weapons of defence against the assaults of Rome. If ever there was a case, in which weak arguments, illogical conclusions, incorrect statements, and a little knowledge, were dangerous, it is in that contest. Our opponents are no unskilled controversialists; and they desire nothing better than an antagonist, whose notions of Popery are gathered from the declamations of popular orators at the public meetings of the day.

51. Nor, while I speak of your studies, must I omit one caution with respect to yourselves; namely, that, if the Church is ever to be, what all confess she might be among us, and all declare they wish her to be, her priesthood must be holy; examples in prayer, in holiness, in devotedness, in self-denial, in taking up the Cross of Christ crucified; they must live as men who, in the words of St. Paul, "though troubled on every side," are yet "not distressed; though perplexed, yet not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in their body."

52. In conclusion: I have little hope that what I have now said will escape misrepresentations; and to this, so far as the world is concerned, I am quite prepared to submit. But you, my reverend brethren, who can appreciate and sympathize in the difficulties which it has pleased God to lay on those who hold high office in the Church, will know that what has been spoken has not been uttered with the view of either supporting or depressing any man or set of men. But the same vows, which bind me "with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous doctrines, and to encourage others to do the same, bind me likewise "to maintain and set forward quietness, peace, and love among all men;" and to restrain "the unquiet and disobedient."

53. And, seeing the grievous want of charity which has prevailed among us, I have felt it my duty to condemn those who have set themselves forward as gratuitous agitators, and unbidden'

9 The Bishop of Ossory-(Vide Par. 107 Note)-referring to an assertion in Tract 71, that "we are under no constraint to go out of our way spontaneously to prove charges against the Romanists, or to volunteer articles of impeach

PARTY FEELINGS TO BE ESCHEWED.

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accusers of their brethren. I am no lover of error, and will shew it no favour; but, while the world stands, there must be points on which good men will differ; and so long as those points of difference do not contravene the Prayer Book and formularies of the Church, it seems to me, that one set of opinions has the same right to expect toleration as the other.

54. Believe me, what most we need is peace: peace, in order that the Church may "lengthen her cords, and strengthen her stakes," and provide spiritual sustenance for her population, rapidly heathenizing through want of religious instruction; peace, in order that her parochial system may be once more made adequate to the wants of her people; peace, in order that she may calmly prepare, not merely for any crisis of opinions among her own children, but for that tremendous, final contest between good and evil, to which all things seem hastening with rapidity. Let us, then, avoiding the strifes of men, and keeping ourselves pure, seek the Church's peace, and ensure it: and let our daily prayer be that of one who died a martyr in her cause, and whose blood was not shed in vain ; that God would "fill her with all truth, in all truth, with all peace;" that where she is "corrupt," her Heavenly Father would vouchsafe to "purify her," "where in error, to direct her; where superstitious, to rectify her; where any thing is amiss in her, to reform it; where it is right, to strengthen and confirm her; where she is in want of any thing, to furnish it; where she is divided and rent asunder, to make up the breaches of it."*

55. And then, my brethren, be the end what it may, we shall not be unprepared to meet it: we shall, perhaps, even be made worthy to suffer for His sake, who is the Church's Head and Lord; and, when the doubts and strifes of this present world are ended, shall, through His alone merits, be admitted to those mansions, which have been prepared from the foundation of the world, for the peace-makers, the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart.

DENISON, BISHOP OF SALISBURy.—1842.

13. And this, my reverend brethren, is the course which I venture earnestly to commend to you; beseeching you not to be led away either by blind admiration, or by a spirit of indiscriminate censure; to eschew party feelings, and party appellations; to cleave to Catholic Truth, without arrogating to yourselves any distinctive title as doing so, and remembering that the channel

*

Archbishop Laud's Private Devotions, Dom. v. post Epiph.

ment against the rival communion," observes, that it is not very easy to understand how it is proposed to reconcile this view of the duty of ministers of the Church of England with their ordination vow. See also the Bishop of Winchester's Charge, par. 11, p. 19, supra.—The italics in the text are not the Bishop of Oxford's.-ED.

through which we receive Catholic Truth is that of our own Church, and that our judgment respecting it is to be formed with deference to her authority; to prize the blessings and to maintain THE PRINCIPLES OF THE REFORMATION, knowing that these were not the discovery of a new doctrine, but the recovery of primitive purity; to bear in mind that not all differences of opinion are differences of belief or incompatible with unity both of Faith and Charity; to study to be quiet, and to do your own business, labouring to bring up those committed to your charge in the Faith once delivered to the Saints, and in filial attachment to the Church, their Holy Mother; that so, when ye give an account of them, it may be "with joy, and not with grief."

THIRLWALL, BISHOP OF ST. DAVID'S.-1842.

69. I am aware, my reverend brethren, that the language of moderation is commonly least welcome where it is most needed. For this very reason, I confidently hope, that what I have said will by you be kindly received and favourably interpreted. And I will now conclude this address, which has already exceeded its just limits, with a very few words of practical advice.

70. Be on your guard against the illusions of names and phrases, and against the influence of authority, in this matter. You may perhaps suffer no loss, though you should have no means of forming an opinion on the merits of this controversy; but you would sustain a grievous loss, if you should borrow your opinion of it from others you would have surrendered the independence of your judgment, and be in danger of becoming the instruments of a party against your real views and intentions. Remember that, though words are the necessary vehicle of truth, they mostly represent it but imperfectly; and that the form in which a proposition is conveyed, though very important, is much less so than the spirit in which it is interpreted and applied. Set the highest value on those truths which both parties profess, and on the authorities to which they both appeal; you will probably find that they afford an ample range for your professional studies, and sufficient directions both for faith and practice.

71. Be still more circumspect as to that which you communicate to others, than as to what you adopt for yourselves. Let the wants, rather than the tastes, of your hearers, supply the measure of your teaching. If you perceive that their prevailing tendency is to overrate the value of their privileges as churchmen; to place an undue reliance on the efficacy of outward ordinances; to build their

1 "As we go on, we must recede more and more from the principles, IF ANY SUCH THERE BE, of the English Reformation.”—British Critic, July, 1841. The italics and capitals are not his Lordship's.-ED.