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When the assembly broke up, we find that Constantine 'ecrivit ce qui s'étoit passé dans le Concile à ceux qui n'avoient pû y assister and that, in one of these letters, speaking of the bishops who had been present in obedience to his summons, to those who were not there, he writes †, 'j'ai assisté a leur assemblée comme un d'entre vous. Car je n'ai garde de dissimuler le sujet de ma joye qui est que je suis comme vous, et avec vous, serviteur de Jesus Christ. In what sense he used this expression, we may perhaps determine from the speech in Eusebius ‡, already quoted in the former chapter of this work §, in which Constantine represents himself as being appointed by God, Evéque, pour le dehors de l'Eglise,' as were the prelates to whom he made this declaration, pour le dedans.' Whilst thus referring his authority in ecclesiastical affairs, as it related to the external discipline of the Church, to the same divine original, as that of the successors of the Apostles in the internal, it is readily admitted that Constantine did not always exactly observe the distinction which he here lays down, but seems to have reserved to himself a general controlling power, which he brought into action as circumstances appeared to call for its exertion, for the benefit of the people committed to his government, and of the Church which so gladly availed itself of his protection. It is not, however, my business to maintain, or even attempt to maintain the consistency of his conduct on these points, but merely to show what that conduct was." P. 57.

Such then was the antiquity of the interference of the supreme secular power, in matters purely ecclesiastical, and we hope to trace its progress with Mr. Brown, through all its various channels, especially in these dominions, from the earliest ages down to that of the Reformation; we shall then look to the documents which the industry and the influence of Sir J. C. Hippisley has collected, as an exposition of the practice of the Roman Catholic States of the present day, on the various branches of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction. From all this concurrent testimony, but one inference can result, that those who refuse to admit the exercise of such influence, whether of the parliament or of the crown, in their own affairs, are but ill adapted to direct it in the affairs of others. We are called upon to admit the Romanists to a participation of the same privileges and power with their Protestant brethren, while they themselves both refuse and execrate those

"Eusebius, Vita Const. lib. iii. c. 16, p. 607." "Ib. lib. iii. c. 17, p. 608."

"Vita Const. lib. iv. c. 24. p. 666."

"Note ii. p. 2.

VOL. V. MAY, 1816.

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restrictions and regulations under which every Protestant is uni formly bound. They meet us not on equal terms. They demand not an equal, but a larger share of the constitution than ourselves. Any measure, therefore, that would secure to them their demands, would be not the concession of a part, but the surrender of the whole. We have purposely refrained from entering upon those higher political and constitutional grounds on which we should resist the abandonment of any bulwark of our Church, and of our Protestant constitution; we would only at present evince the utter hopelessness of any conciliation without such a surrender, as the oldest and best friends of Catholic Emancipation would feel it their duty to resist.

In the Appendix to the Speech of Sir. J. Cox Hippisley, we find the Bull for the re-establishment of the Order of the Jesuits: upon the revival of such a society, at such a time, our limits will not permit us at present to enlarge; we trust, however, in the course of a very short time, to present to the public a full and extended view of this obnoxious Order, and to draw their attention to the alarming consequences, which must necessarily result from their re-establishment and re-admission into these dominious.

ART. VIII. A Letter from a Rector to his Curate, on the Subject of the Bible Society. Evo. pp. 73. Hatchard. 1816.

SHOULD any young man, upon first entering into the Church, or still more, upon undertaking the care of a large and populous parish, be desirous of forming a temperate, just, and practical view of this very controverted question, we could not recommend him to a more clear, compendious, and convincing statement of the case, than is contained in the pamphlet before us. It is clearly from the pen of one who has been accustomed to the habits of teaching; we have heard it ascribed indeed to the late head-master of one of our first public schools, and from the sound and useful sense displayed throughout the whole, we are induced to give credit to the report.

The Rector is supposed to answer, in a friendly letter, the objections of a young and inexperienced curate, to remove certain scruples, and to point out the erroneous tendency of certain sentiments, which the young man has submitted to his judgment. The character of the Rector is well kept up throughout the whole; there is a candour which cannot fail to convince, and a kindness which cannot fail to interest and to attach.

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Upon every point connected with this great question, the au thor speaks with much good sense and discrimination: when, however, he discusses that grand principle of the Bible Society, "the distribution of the Bible only," his opinions are delivered with so much discrimination, that we feel it our duty to transcribe them.

"Is the present age then so enlightened, that the danger of such errors and perversion has actually ceased to exist? Is our proficiency in religious knowledge so great, and so universal, as to render the measures, which they found expedient, no longer necessary? Do all agree in the doctrines, which they endeavoured to establish? Do all venerate and support the Church, which they laboured to build up on a foundation so solid, that it might never be shaken?—It is true, we are happily free from many of the grosser absurdities, which equally disgraced religion and common sense, though examples of fanaticism might still be produced, scarcely inferior to any that have been mentioned-of inspirations -and illuminations--and sudden conversions-and pangs of the new birth-and very recently of persons, who were weak enough to give credit to the fanciful predictions of a foolish or designing woman, who was able to persuade them to expect the birth of the Messiah.

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"But with regard to doctrines, much of the old leaven, it is to be lamented, still remains. So long as teachers shall be found to maintain, and hearers to believe, that 'faith alone is sufficient to our justification,' so that there is no necessity for good works'— that it is impossible to resist, or fall from Grace'-so long as absolute unconditional election' and reprobation are held to be truths founded on the Scriptures-so long as Creeds shall be published, derived (as it is pretended) from the same Scriptures, but containing less of real Christianity than the Koran of Mahometso long as New Versions of the same Scriptures shall be sent forth to support doctrines, whereby the divinity of our blessed Redeemer' is impiously called in question, and the fundamental article of the atonement is denied'-so long-I can never persuade myself, that I shall promote the advancement of true religion by joining a Society, which can be satisfied with giving the Bible alone,' rejecting the Prayer Book-and the Catechism-all explanatory Notes and Expositions and accepting the Scripture merely as its own interpreter. For it is to little good purpose, that the Bible alone is distributed by the members of this Society, if it be followed by itinerant vendors, equally alett in circulating new editions with enthusiastic and Calvinistic interpretations.

"When such means are employed to disseminate such doctrines, I leave any one to determine, whether the Scripture can be its own true interpreter' to those, whose judgments are no longer free --whose minds are already prejudiced, or liable every moment to be led astray-who have little or no opportunity of correcting the

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false notions they have imbibed, by listening to the sober admoni tions of their lawful and appointed pastors, whom they have been taught to consider no better than blind guides,' unable to instruct them in the saving truths of the Gospel? Any religion' (it has been said) is better than none;' but in a concern so momentous, and where the choice is free, it is surely of no trifling importance to enable those, for whose salvation we profess and feel (as we are bound to do) an earnest solicitude, to distinguish rightly between truth and error; especially at a time, when so many different sects-all of them appealing to the Sacred Writings in support of their various and opposite tenets-are daily spreading themselves wider over the country; and are indefatigable in their exertions to make new proselytes to their respective opinions. Shall no antidote be supplied to counteract the baneful effects of the poison thus administered?-Shall the clergy, who refuse to join the Bible Society, be accused of imitating the practice of the Romish Church? Are they enemies to the circulation of the Scriptures?-God forbid!-The charge will be refuted by the practice of almost every parochial minister in the kingdom, who, according to his means, has seldom failed to distribute Bibles to his poor parishioners. But he has been far from thinking this to be sufficient-well knowing, that it is the duty of an established clergy, not to inculcate general and vague notions of religion, but genuine and sound principles, conformably to the received opinions of the Church, to which he belongs: and that he would discharge his duty but by halves, were he contented with giving away the Bible,' unless he availed himself of the additional means in his power to render it serviceable by being rightly understood. Such are the means afforded by the distribution of the Prayer Book, and of the various little Tracts furnished by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge for the purpose of illustrating more fully the moral precepts-and explaining more clearly the sublime doctrines of Christianity." P. 65.

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We cannot refrain from presenting our readers with another extract from this excellent publication, in which the author gives us a serious and important warning against the political influence which this enormous system of organization is gradually acquiring, and which it will apply in due time to the furtherance of purposes the most hostile to the best interests both of Church and State.

"There is one circumstance which appears too material to escape our observation. In the detail of the proceedings of the Bible Society, it is boasted, that political influence has been acquired in foreign courts *.'-Whether this boast be well founded

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"See the 8th Report of the Bible Society, page 78."

or not, they who have made it are the best judges. But be the influence real or imaginary, this much is certain, that they have had it in their contemplation, and have considered it as desirable: and if this be so, have not we on the other side equal reason to view it in a different light? If such an acquisition be considered of importance abroad, why may it not be as much desired and as ardently sought after at home? Should this idea be regarded as neither unnatural nor improbable, who can without the most serious alarm suffer his mind to dwell on the cffects, which may be produced by so extensive a combination? -by the united efforts of so large and powerful a body?—by the weight they will have obtained in every part of the kingdom?-and by the means, which they possess, of appropriating (whenever the demand for Bibles shall have been supplied, as far as may be deemed expedient) the immense funds, so carefully treasured up, to the accomplishment of purposes far remote from those, for which they were originally collected."

P. 38.

From the extracts which we have already given, our readers will be enabled to judge of the merits of the publication before us, which will meet, we trust, with the attention which it so justly merits.

ART. IX. 4 Sermon preached in the Cathedral Church of Winchester, at the Lent Assizes, 1816, holden for the County of Southampton, before the Hon. Mr. Baron Graham, and the Hon. Mr. Justice Park. With an Appendix and Notes." By the Rev. Frederic Iremonger, A. M. F. L. S. 4to. pp. 80. Jacob, Winchester; and Rivingtons, London. THE Sermon before us is the production of the gentleman, to whose "SUGGESTIONS," the promoters of the System of National Education are so much indebted. The text chosen by our author, is from Psalm lxxix. ver. 12, "O let the sorrowful sighing of the Prisoners come before thee." As the opening of his subject is conceived in a strain of dignified piety, we shall with pleasure present it to our readers.

"It has been wisely and piously ordained by our ancestors, that the solemn Administration of Justice should commence with devout supplications to that Being who is the Supreme Governor of the World, and concerning whom it is emphatically declared in Scripture, that as Mercy and Truth go before his face, so Righteousness and Judgment are the habitation of his throne! Independent of the peculiar need which even the wisest of earthly Judges must have of the Divine Blessing, in their arduous and im

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