with the Church. In its simple form Diocesan Episcopacy merely implies the superintendence of one Pastor over others, and in some degree over their flocks. This Office we find in the New Testament, though the bearer of it is not always called a Bishop. The office is more important than the name, but as this name was attached to it, and to it exclusively, soon after the times of the Apostles, the members of the Church have never thought themselves warranted in discarding it. By referring to the 20th CHAPTER of the ACTS, we shall find that the Elders or Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus were many in St, Paul's time; and yet in the Book of Revelation the Son of God addresses the "Angel" of the Church of Ephesus, Are we to suppose that Christianity had so declined in this great City as to have reduced the Christians to one? Is not the contrary supposition the only one consistent with probability, and with Ecclesiastical history, that the Elders or Presbyters were multiplied instead of reduced in number; and that the Angel was the President, Superintendent, or Bishop of that Church? An attentive reader of the Epistles to Timothy and Titus will find four functions ascribed to the Bishop distinguishing him from Presbyters and Deacons : 1. That of ordaining Elders in conjunction with the Presbyters. 1st Timothy IV, 14-v, 22. 2nd Timothy 1, 6-II, 2. 2. The superintendence of their doctrine or teaching. 1st Timothy 1, 3. 3. The superintendence of their life and conduct: 1st Timothy v, 1-19. 4. The general regulation of ecclesiastical affairs implied in the direction to "set in order the things that are wanting." Titus I, 5. 1st Timothy II-III, 15. The sum and substance of this is, that the Apostles were chosen by Christ; other Ministers were appointed by them, not by the people; and in the instructions given to Titus, (Bishop of Crete), he is commanded to ordain Elders, not the people to elect them," in every city." Such was the constitution of the Church, aud such its ministry, in the earliest period of its existence. It was of divine origin. Other systems have a human origin. And for nearly three centuries the human systems have been sometimes actively, sometimes sluggishly, but always I fear acrimoniously opposed to the divine. With what measure of success we need not now enquire; but surely the efforts for the subversion of the Church have all fallen far short of the anticipations of the Dissenters. The Church goaded and threatened on every side, in our day, has buckled on her armour. Her sons have nobly rallied round her standard, and her enemies, who thought her sinking in the decrepitude of age, are surprised to find in her the vigour of renovated youth. Temperate men, who value truth more than party, will always be found, after a period of popular excitement, such as we have unhappily witnessed, to stand aloof from turbulent agitators and noisy partisans, who obtain a little unenviable notoriety by assailing with unmeasured abuse our time-honoured and beloved institutions. Many of these men have seen with sorrow the ignominious position occupied by their leaders. Some have had the courage to stand forward and express their warm attachment to the Church of Christ in this country; others, like Mr. Lawton, have honestly separated themselves from the ranks of her enemies, and receiving Apostolic Ordination, have become her authorised and zealous defenders. And many of the more respectable, amongst both teachers and people, it is believed, are only restrained by particular circumstances from seeking that spiritual peace and Apostolic order within the Church, which they seek but do not find in the devious ways of nonconformity. Z. THE ESTABLISHED CLERGY. (By a Romanist.) The following defensive tribute to the character of the Brtish clergy appears in a letter from Mr. Eneas Macdonnell, to a friend in the county of Mayo, extracts from which are published in the Castlebar Telegraph:-"Believe me, it is a great mistake and grievous injustice, to set down the people of this country, either clerical or laical, as opposed to the Irish population. Crimination will beget recrimination here, as in every other part of the world, and I verily believe that all the material resentments here in latter years, on the score of religious interests and institutions, have resulted from the provokingly offensive hostilities which originated in our own country. We know that, as to the British clergy, they have always been the most active promoters of measures for the relief of our population in seasons of distress, and as to their conduct to Catholics. I well remember that Dr. Milner, the distinguished Roman Catholic Bishop, in his work published about the year 1820, and entitled "Supplementary Memoirs of English Catholics," stated that none contributed more cheerfully than the established clergy to the relief of the many thousands of French priests who sought refuge in England during the Revolution. I can, for myself, declare that one of the purest, kindest, indeed, in every sense of the word, best men I ever knew, was a venerable member of that order of British society-I mean the late Rev. Jonathan 'Holmes, who had been for many years vicar of Thirsk, in Yorkshire, and who, to his well-cultivated talents, added an edifying simplicity, and comprehensive charity, which endeared the good man to his neighbours of every rank and creed; so that it may be justly said 6 A man he was to all the country dear.' For, at the same time that he was most strict in the observance of his peculiar duties to his own con. gregation "He watched and wept, he prayed, and felt for all.' This faint picture is, I must admit, sketched by a partial hand; but I know it to be correct, and, what is more material to my present purpose, I believe it to exhibit not merely an individual portrait, but also a specimen of a class, and a very numerous class too, of that reverend body." THE OPINION OF A WHIG-RADICAL RESPECTING DISSENTERS. The most intolerable circumstance of the Catholic dispute is, the conduct of the Dissenters. Any man may dissent from the Church of England and preach against it, by paying six pence. Almost every trades man in a market town is a preacher. It must absolutely be ride and tie with them. The butcher must have the baker in the morning, and the baker basten to the butcher in the afternoon, or there would be no Congregation. We have often speculated on the peculiar trade of the preacher from his style of action. Some have a tying-up or parcel-packing action ; some strike strongly against the anvil of the pulpit; some screw, some bore, some act as if they were managing a needle. The occupation of the preceeding week can scarcely be mistaken. In the country three or four thousand Ranters are sometimes encamped, supplcating in religious platoons, or roaring psalms out of waggons. Now all this freedom is very proper: because, though it is absurd, yet in truth there is no other principle in religious matters, than to let men alone as long as they keep the peace. Yet we should imagine this unbounded License of Dissenters should teach them a little charity towards the Catholics, and a little respect for their religious freedom. But the feature of sects is this: there are twenty fettered men in a jail, and every one is employed in loosing his own fetters with one band, and riveting those of his neighbour with the other.* K. CENSURE UPON THE EDITORS OF "COMMON SENSE." Some of those, to whom we have dispensed our salutary discipline, will probably hear, with some pleasure, that we have received a fierce reprimand in a respectable Church periodical. But the said parties will be not a little astonished (as we must confess we were ourselves,) to find that the ground * We think that the "Whig-radical's caricature" of his thickand-thin allies, the Dissenters, is too broad; but our correspondent is right in sending it, as shewing what private opinion of each other's intelligence and liberality is entertained by those political confederates.-EDITORS OF COMMON SENSE." 66 on which we were rebuked was-our too great liberality and indulgence towards the Dissenters. The application of the terms "pious" and "respectable" to individual Dissenters, especially Wesleyans, has been charged upon us as indicating want of catholic principle. We have sent our answer to the periodical in question; and, if it is admitted, it shall be copied into our next number. JUST PUBLISHED REASONS for RENOUNCING UNITARIANISM, by G. W. PHILP, late Unitarian Minister, ROCHDALE, with Prefatory Remarks on the case, by the Rev. Dr. MOLESWORTH. PRICE ONE SHILLING. In the Press. "THE BEREAN SCRIPTURE READER." BY THE Rev. J. E. N. MOLESWORTH, D. D., Preached in the Parish Church on the BAPTISM, of G. W. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. We thank our Dorsetshire friend; his extract shall appear, though we have not room for it in this number. "A CONSTANT Reader."-We are happy to have his good opinion, but we cannot insert his letter for two reasons; first, we published his praises of us, we should be sounding our own trumpet, to which we have a decided aversion; secondly, we leave the Editors of the daily press to exercise their own judgment, with respect to the notice they may take of our articles. To publish his letter would be solicitation. We are again obliged to postpone our remarks on the Baptist Circular, and also the continuance of our extracts from the Rev. R. Parkinson on the state of the manufacturing poor. Both these were in the hands of the printer, but our space is filled. London:-Messrs. Rivington. Rochdale :-Printed and Sold by T. Holden; S. Ashworth; and all Booksellers. |