Let us entrench ourselves upon our apostolic position, which is a stronghold; and let us fearlessly maintain the catholic doctrines of the Church of Christ, the confession of primitive and positive belief; and we may anticipate the speedy conversion of ingenuous minds, lovers and seekers of truth. Let us boldly preach the great facts of Christianity, the positive doctrines of our faith; unmindful of the prevailing disinclination to dwell upon strictly drawn definitions of truth, and the intolerance of creeds and confessions, which characterise the popular religion of the day. Let us set forth the outward and visible Church, as an institution of heavenly origin, fixed by divine authority, and not left to the caprice of men, or to their notions of expediency. If, by this line of conduct, we oppose the rationalistic and latitudinarian tendencies which prevail so greatly among us, and which adhere, even when unacknowledged and unsuspected, to the religion of many of the truly pious; we may hope to be blessed, by witnessing the establishment of most earnest and candid minds on a Catholic foundation, abandoning the imperfections of superficial puritanism, and restrained by the conscious possession of catholicity, from a vain search after that matchless pearl, in

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the crooked ways of spiritual despotism and imposture. Let the real position of the Anglican Church, on the rock of catholicity, apostolicity, and episcopacy, be ever prominently set forth; and let the partisans of extreme views contemplate her moderation, instead of mutually regarding each other's violence. Let those who have been led astray by Puritanical or Popish tendencies, endeavour to model their views to her standard, instead of striving to differ from one another, even unto the distance of unwarrantable extremes; and then we shall be enabled to look upon our breaches as healed, and upon our hosts as girded for the conflict with the numbers who, alas! will still perversely adhere to ways of error.

It would almost seem that the royal martyr, of whose death this is the annniversary, though dead yet speaketh, in order to recommend to us such a line of conduct. Such was, in evil times, the course which he pursued, and he willingly sealed his testimony with his blood. He would have taught and ruled the nation in the fear of God and in the unity of the Church, but with bloody hands and traitorous hearts, those whose consciences were seared by the madness of extremes, put to death the anointed

servant of the Lord, and governor of his people. The Puritan in open rebellion, and the Papist with secret machination, conspired to slay the royal and the righteous son of our venerable Church. Then was inflicted the fatal blow, from which the English establishment has, until now, never recovered. The flood-gates were then opened to a ruinous tide of license, confusion, and private interpretation; which has never yet wholly receded. The gloomy reign of fanaticism which followed, left a taint behind, which has never yet been entirely effaced, and which has manifested itself at different times, according to circumstances, in the opposite forms of bigotry and laxity; but ever retaining its wilful and irreverent spirit. Though in Charles, and those who thought like him, and acted in concert with him, we shall, in vain seek for perfect models, and though somewhat was done by them with imprudence, and in a way calculated to revolt rather than to conciliate, we cannot help reverting to them, with feelings of admiration, as knowing and maintaining the real ground on which they were entitled to stand, better than any body of Anglicans between their day and ours. And though we may differ from them in various particulars, and regard some of their acts

as practically unwise; we must express our cordial approbation of the general line of their views and arguments, and our admiration of their constancy in suffering even unto death, and bearing unflinching witness to the great truths, doctrinal and ecclesiastical, which it is our duty to inculcate, and for which, if need be, it would be our privilege to endure the loss of all things.

"True son of our dear mother, early taught
With her to worship, and for her to die,

Nursed in her aisles to more than kingly thought,
Oft in her solemn hours we dream thee nigh.

For thou didst love to trace her daily lore,
And where we look for comfort or for calm,

Over the selfsame lines to bend, and pour
Thy heart with hers, in some victorious psalm.
And well did she thy loyal love repay;
When all forsook, her Angels still were nigh,
Chained and bereft, and on thy funeral way
Straight to the Cross she turned thy dying eye,
And yearly now before the martyr's King,
For thee, she offers her maternal tears,
Calls us, like thee, to His dear feet to cling,
And bury in His wounds our earthly fears."

Christian Year.

Bolsover Castle,

Anniversary of the Martyrdom

of King Charles, 1842.

SERMONS.

SERMON I.

THE DIVINE WORD BECOMES CHRIST.

2 TIMOTHY iii. 16.

Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.

GOD was manifest in the flesh. It is not here intended to explain these words, which, as taken for the text, are sepa-, rated from their context; but to use them as a point from whence to proceed in an examination of the way in which, by means of miracle and prophecy, God has revealed himself to mankind. And if to any one these remarks should appear not to be of immediate practical utility, be

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