amongst us; that error of judgment has been no source of evil where there may have been no lack of upright intent; would be to assert for it a superhuman prerogative, such as no advocate for episcopacy however zealous, ever dreamed of, at least in a Protestant church: we do assert however that as no office is of so great importance to the welfare of the church, or has so ample means of influence for the better or worse, so none has so sacred guards to its purity, from the very nature and purpose of its institution; the solemnities attendant on an admission to it; the eminence of situation it assigns the bearer, in the Christian army; and the awful conviction which he cannot escape, that the eyes of all men are upon him, and not of men only, but of angels, of God Himself.

There seems no medium between the character of an unfaithful bishop and that of a hardened reprobate: but to those who search for spots and blemishes the most minutely, we challenge the comparison of British episcopacy with any succession of mortal and fallible beings which the world has yet seen; and when they bring us worthier names than those of Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Parker, Coverdale, Jewell, Usher, Hall, Taylor, Bedell, Burnet, Butler, Sharpe, Wilson, Porteus, Horne, Heber, and numbers more whom time would fail me to count, we may begin to be ashamed of our cause.

Nor, I am persuaded, are these virtues, and a succession of illustrious names which would attract reverence to any cause, to be spoken of as things

gone by, the produce only of former ages; though I have no disposition to dwell on the praises of men, especially of living men, even when unmerited blame might seem to demand that the truth be openly declared. I may however, and must avow my conscientious conviction, that the distinctions attempted to be drawn and now very commonly received, between the episcopal and pastoral office, to the prejudice of the former, are founded in utter falsehood and misrepresentation; and that the alienation of the minds either of the people or the clergy in general, from this order, and the consequent diminution of its just weight and authority, as it is one of the subtlest and most plausible, would be also one of the most fatal devices of the enemies of our faith, for the overthrow of its influence in the land. And my earnest prayer to God for my church and country is, that the first admonitions of primitive piety, which have been handed down to us from the lips of Clement, to whom St. Paul himself bore witness that his name was in the Book of Life, may be heard and heeded to the latest period of our existence.

"God is a god of order. The heavenly bodies, at first impelled by His hand, are subject unto Him in peace. Day and night perform their stated revolutions, without encroaching on one another. The earth according to His will yields in due season an abundant supply of nutriment for men and beasts, not contending with Him, nor struggling to change the times and laws which He hath appointed unto

it. The ocean, circumscribed by His power, breaks not the bounds which He hath prescribed, but obeys the word of its Maker: Hitherto shalt thou go and no further.' Spring and summer, autumn and winter, succeed each other in peace. The fountains flow uninterruptedly for the use of man. The inferior tribes of animals live in harmony with their own kind, fulfilling the law of their nature. All these works of the great Author of the universe are constituted in peace and harmony."-"Let them not, beloved brethren, be turned to our condemnation. The Spirit of God is a lantern that searcheth the hearts. Let us dread therefore to revolt from His obedience. Let us be willing to offend foolish and vain-glorious men rather than God. Let us reverence our rulers, honour our elders, and discipline the young in the fear of God."-" Let us be subject to His will as the angels are, and being gathered together with one heart as well as in one place, let us with one accord earnestly cry unto Him that we may be made partakers of His glorious promises."-"Let us also in our warfare as Christians imitate the order and discipline of soldiers in an army, considering that all are not generals, or tribunes, or centurians, but to every one a station is appointed by the commander, and in that station he remaineth. The great cannot subsist without the little, nor the little without the great. Let therefore the body of Christ be preserved and united in us. Let us revive the spirit of discipline, which used to give no offence: for reproof is profit

able to us, and it unites us to the will of God. It is better to be little, but approved in the fold of Christ, than to be high-minded, and to be cast out."

"Now may the all-seeing God, the Ruler of our spirits and the Lord of all flesh, who hath chosen our Lord Jesus Christ, and us, through Him, to be His peculiar people, grant to every soul which calleth upon His glorious name, faith, fear, peace, patience, long-suffering, temperance, holiness and wisdom, through our great Master and High Priest, Jesus Christ, through whom be unto Him, all glory, majesty, power, and honour, both now and ever. Amen."

1 Clement's Epist. to the Corinthians. Sects. 20, 21, 37, 38, 57, 58.