end makes mention of "all his servants departed this life in his faith and fear," for whom she directs us to "bless his holy name, beseeching him to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of his heavenly kingdom:" and finally she directs us to conclude with the petition, " Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate."

Now this combination of sentiment is worthy of being remarked. In praying for grace to "follow the good examples" of the departed saints, she plainly shews the use to be made of a recollection of their virtues: in praying that grace may be granted "for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate," she plainly shews, that it is not for the merits, or through the mediation and intercession of the saints, that she expects God's grace. And this is the more worthy of being remarked, because into this very petition the Romish Church, for the celebration of her mass, has introduced the names of the blessed Virgin and other saints, through whose merits and prayers they implore the Divine grace, even in this very act of a special and lively commemoration of the death of Christ, our only Mediator: as if to plead in virtue of our Lord's passion were not sufficient; and as if that very intercession, by which the holy Virgin herself and all the other saints were made acceptable to God, were not alone powerful enough to make us acceptable in his sight. But the Church neither desires nor needs, and we the members of the Church ought not either to desire or need, any other mediator or advocate, but our Lord Jesus Christ. This important admonition we derive from the instance before us, as well as from the ordinary provisions in other parts of the service of the Church. At the same time we are admonished by her of our duty, to "follow the good examples" of all God's servants "departed this life in his faith and fear;" or to "follow his blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living," as the sentiment is expressed in the Collect for this festival. "Their examples indeed," as Dean Stanhope well observes, are left us, and our memories are refreshed with them for this very purpose, that we also should run with patience the race that is set before us.' Their courage and constancy, their resignation and charity, should be copied by us, as occasion requires. Their sincerity and devotion, the purity of their faith, the innocency of their conversation, their fruitfulness in good works, their contempt of the world and heavenly-mindedness, should be patterns always before our eyes; because these are virtues, that may and should be always in our practice. In a word, we ought to express our thanks to Almighty God for the advantage of such shining examples, and pay all due reverence to their memory, by endeavouring to be like them. For, when all is done, the best and most acceptable honour we can possibly do those renowned Christian heroes is the forming of our conduct upon the model of their graces, and aspiring after the weight and the brightness of their crowns."

66

Our minds may be further directed to another subject of reflection, which is also intimated by the Church in the Collect for the day, which speaks of Almighty God, as having "knit together his elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

The religion of Christ is a religion of communion and fellowship. It brings us into communion with the Father, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift; with his Son, Jesus Christ, through whom forgiveness and mercy are conveyed to us; and with the Holy Ghost, whose sanctifying graces are conferred on such, as duly qualify their hearts * for the reception of them. It

* We cannot but notice with marked disapprobation this sad expression. It may harmonize, indeed, with parts of D'Oyly and Mant's Commentary; but it is directly at variance with the doctrines of the Church of England and of the word of God. We are sorry to say this to such a Bishop as our author.-EDIT.

brings us into communion also with the holy angels; for they are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." Further, it brings us into communion with all those, "who have obtained the like precious faith with ourselves," as being, in a peculiar sense, children of the same Father, disciples of the same Master, animated by the same Spirit, members of the same body; with whom we ought to maintain communion by all proper ways, especially by communicating together in the different offices of religion, and in acts of mutual benevolence and love.

But this communion or fellowship into which our religion brings us with our brethren, is not limited to those on earth. It extends also to such as have "departed this life in the true faith and fear of God;" together with whom we assist in constituting the one universal church of Christ, being parts of his one "whole family in heaven and earth." In what ways they exercise that communion towards us at present, is not distinctiy revealed: but it is highly probable that they do so, by loving us, by praying for us, and by rejoicing at our welfare. And we may exercise it towards them, not by addressing to them petitions, which we are neither authorized to offer, nor have any grounds to think that they can hear; not by offering petitions for them, since we have reason to be persuaded that their spiritual warfare is already accomplished, and that they neither need nor can be benefited by our prayers: but by thanking God for the grace, which he bestowed upon them, and for the good examples which they have left us; by rejoicing at their deliverance from the burden of the flesh, and their admittance into joy and felicity; by holding their memories in honour; by imitating their virtues; and by beseeching God to "give us grace, so to follow their good examples," that, having conducted ourselves like them with holiness here, we may meet them in happiness here after, and "with them may be partakers of his heavenly kingdom." It is only in that kingdom, that the communion of the saints in heaven and earth will be made perfect. There they, who are now serving God faithfully here, will become in the fullest sense "fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God:" there the church militant and the church triumphant will be united in the one "general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven:" and all the saints of God, all "the spirits of just men made perfect," all those, of whatever "nation, and kindred, and people, and tongue," who have departed in the true faith of his holy name, will be gathered together from the four winds; and together "have their perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in his eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly; Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen." pp. 556–561.

The Bishop closes most of his notices of the saints with an appropriate verse, or rather series of verses. They breathe throughout the spirit of devotion; and glad should we be to give larger extracts than our limits afford. We have, however, marked down four for insertion, which we here present to our readers, though not exactly in the order in which they stand in the volume.

The following comes well from a Protestant prelate in the midst of Popish darkness, though we are not sure whether the following address to the holy Virgin be not in itself rather poetical than scriptural.

Daughter of David, Maiden meek!

Pledge of thy faith we hear thee speak

The mild submissive word:
"Behold me ready to fulfil
My great Creator's holy will,
The handmaid of the Lord."
Espous'd of Joseph, Virgin chaste!
Thine Infant on thy bosom plac'd,
Thy Son and Saviour blest,
With care devout we see thee mark
Each wond'rous act, each saying dark,
And store them in thy breast.
Mother of Jesus, Parent dear!
We see thee stand the Sufferer near,
With love more strong than death;
With speechless lip and tearless eye
We see thee catch his parting cry,
And watch his fleeting breath.
Affection, faith, and piety,
O Mary, we behold in thee:
Be such thy proper claim!
"Blest among women" is thy lot:
But higher meed we yield thee not,
Nor more than woman name.
Nor solemn "Hail" to thee we pay,
Nor pray'r to thee for mercy pray,
Nor hymn of glory raise;

Nor thine we deem is God's high throne;
Nor thine the birth-right of thy Son,
The Mediator's praise.

Mother of Jesus, Parent dear!

If aught of earthly thou couldst hear,

If aught of human see;

What pangs thy humble heart must wring,
To know thy Saviour, Lord, and King,
Dishonour'd thus for thee!

pp. 227, 228.

The following hymn to the Holy Spirit closes the notice of Joses, who by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas, of whom we read, that " he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost."

Come, Holy Ghost, my soul inspire!

Spirit of the Almighty Sire,

Spirit of the Son divine,

Comforter, thy gifts be mine!
Holy Spirit, in my breast
Grant that lively faith may rest,
And subdue each rebel thought
To believe what thou hast taught!
When around my sinking soul
Gathering waves of sorrow roll,
Spirit blest, the tempest still,
And with hope my bosom fill!

At

"

Holy Spirit, from my mind

Thought, and wish, and will unkind,
Deed and word unkind remove,
And my bosom fill with love!
Faith and hope and charity,
Comforter, descend from thee.
"Thou th' anointing Spirit art:"
These thy gifts to us impart ;
Till our faith be lost in sight,
Hope be swallow'd in delight,
And love return to dwell with thee,
In the threefold Deity!

pp. 317, 318.

page 563, immediately after the observations quoted above on the spirits of just men made perfect," we meet with the following lines, which are by no means devoid of feeling or beauty.

There is a dwelling-place above;
Thither to meet the God of love
The poor in spirit go.
There is a paradise of rest;

For contrite hearts and souls distrest
Its streams of comfort flow.

There is a goodly heritage,

Where earthly passions cease to rage;
The meek that haven gain.

There is a board, where they who pine
Hungry, athirst, for grace divine,

May feast, nor crave again.

There is a voice to mercy true;
To them, who mercy's path pursue,
That voice shall bliss impart.
There is a sight from man conceal'd;
That sight, the face of God reveal'd,
Shall bless the pure in heart.
There is a name, in heav'n bestow'd;
That name, which hails them sons of God,
The friends of peace shall know,
There is a kingdom in the sky,

Where they shall reign with God on high,
Who serve him best below.

Now pause, and view the votaries o'er,

Who faithful to the Saviour's lore,

The Saviour's blessing seek.

The

poor in spirit lead the train,

Then they who mourn their inward stain,
The merciful, the meek:

And here the pure in heart; and here,
Who long for righteousness, appear;

And they who peace ensue;

And they who cast on God their cares,

Nor heed what earthly lot is theirs,
If they his will can do.

These are the saints, the holy ones,
For whom the Saviour's blood atones;
Who, by his Spirit seal'd,

His call with willing mind obey;
In whom the Father will display
The bliss to be reveal'd.

Lord, be it mine like them to choose
The better part: like them to use
The means thy love hath given :
Be holiness my aim on earth,
That death be welcom'd as a birth
To life and bliss in heaven!

There, wearing crowns and holding palms,
In "hymns devout and holy psalms'
Those spirits just unite

With thy celestial angel train;
Cleans'd by the Lamb, no spots remain,
No speck of earthly mould, to stain
Their robes of dazzling white.

No sounds of woe their joy molest:
No sense of pain disturbs their rest:
No grief is felt within:

But God has wiped away the tear
From every face, and keeps them clear
From anxious doubt, and startling fear,
From sorrow as from sin.

pp. 563-565.

One extract more is all we can give it occurs in the notice of "Saul, who is also called Paul." We cannot indeed approve of some of the expressions-e. g.

And though no change like thine we seek.

We would hope, however, that the Bishop could not, did not, mean that a radical change is not as necessary to all men as it was to the persecuting Saul of Tarsus. However, we will not now enlarge, but will conclude with the lines themselves; adding only our hearty thanks to his Lordship for the volume before us, notwithstanding all its defects.

Behold yon horseman hurrying by,
With armed hand and ruthless eye!
Damascus-bound, he dooms to die,
Or deep in dungeon gloom to lie,
Or feel th' apostate's shame,
Whoe'er the stamp of Jesus wears:
Nor sex nor innocence he spares,
Nor beardless cheek nor hoary hairs,
All-reckless if his victim bears

The Galilean's name.